Cable Terminal Connector, Quick-connect

Abstract

Cable connector in which the individual conductors can be put in position manually, without special tools, and in response to fitting one connector member together with a counterpart connector member, the conductors are automatically connected with corresponding contacts.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention resides in the field of cables having a relatively large number of conductors, and in connecting such a cable in a connector. The invention is adapted particularly to telephone cables but of course is not limited thereto. Previously such a cable was connected to a connector member in the factory, and as a consequence the cables were put out by the factory in certain predetermined lengths, such as 4-foot, 6-foot, 8-foot lengths etc., with connecter members attached thereto. However many situations in the field are encountered where certain lengths, as those mentioned, were not applicable, and it would be impracticable to carry a greater and full range of lengths to meet all conditions, and therefore it was often necessary to make compromises that were not always in the direction of efficiency.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A broad object of the invention is to provide a novel cable connector operative for overcoming the disadvantages referred to above.

Another object is to provide a connector which can be applied to a cable, of the character indicated above, in a manual operation, and without special tools, whereby to facilitate application of the connector to the cable in the field.

Another object is to provide a connector of the character just referred to, of special construction enabling the individual conductors of the cable to be manually snapped into place in the connector member, and held there by friction, and so held in the subsequent operation of connecting that connector member with a counterpart connector member wherein the conductors are automatically connected with corresponding contacts.

An additional object is to provide a connector of the kind just previously referred to wherein the individual conductors are frictionally held throughout long segments of the conductors, whereby the conductors are frictionally held in position against displacement, and further wherein the terminal portions of the conductors include segments disposed transverse to the direction of relative movement of the connector members in the connecting operation, whereby to effectively produce electrical connection between the conductors and corresponding contacts.

A still further object is to produce a connector of the foregoing general character in which the conductors and contacts are brought into and contained in an effective seal, such as an environmental seal.

A further and more specific object is to provide a cable connector of the foregoing general character having a novel construction including a stripper plate which can be removed from the connector construction and held in the hand for convenience and facility in connecting the conductors of the cables therewith, the stripper plate thereupon being easily incorporated in the assembly and the connector members easily brought into interconnected relation.

DISCLOSURE OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a connector embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled connector, but partially in section;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the stripper plate and cable, isolated from the assembly, and showing the arrangement of the conductors as applied to the stripper plate;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view oriented according to line 7-7 of FIG. 1 but showing the end cap in position with relation to housing.

Referring in detail to the drawings FIG. 1 shows the connector in exploded view, all of the individual parts being separated, while FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the assembled connector. The connector includes a top hood 10 and a bottom hood 12, identical but oppositely arranged. The connector also includes a stripper plate 14, a retaining flange 16, a retaining plate 18, a contact housing 20, contacts 22, a retaining shell 24 and a pair of cable support brackets 26, 28 which also may be identical.

These figures also show cable ends 30, individually identified 30 a and 30 b, each cable having a plurality of similar conductors 31, identified 31 a, 31 b in the respective cables. Each hood 10, 12 includes a split collar extension 32 at one end for clamping the associated cable, and a flange extension 34 at the other end. In the sidewalls of each hood, adjacent the split collar extension are inwardly struck loops 36 for association with the brackets 26, 28 as will be referred to again hereinbelow.

The stripper plate 14, forming a principal component of the present invention, is of insulation material, such as a thermoplastic material and is preferably in the form of a block having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side members 38 forming a slot 39, and interconnected at the ends by linking elements 40. Each of the side members 38 is provided with a plurality of grooves 42 extending in the direction of the thickness of the stripper plate, the thickness being substantial. The grooves are formed in opposite sides of each side member 38 and arranged correspondingly in pairs, those of each pair being disposed on lines 41, such as 41 a, 41 b, 41 c, etc., arranged diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the block. The grooves are key hole shape in cross section, as shown best in FIG. 4, each having a narrow opening 44 and an inner portion 46 substantially cylindrical, approximating the diameter of the individual conductors 31 but slightly smaller, for frictionally holding those conductors as referred to again hereinbelow. The grooves 42 are interconnected by cross grooves 48 (FIG. 3) on the bottom surface of the stripper plate, the upper surface shown in FIG. 1 being the top surface. These cross grooves 48 preferably extend more deeply from the bottom surface of the stripper plate and need not be of keyhole shape but may be of uniform width throughout their depth.

Associated with each pair of grooves 42 is an aperture or contact hole 50 also disposed diagonally and substantially perpendicular to the line 41 interconnecting the associated grooves. These apertures extend through the stripper plate from top to bottom and each includes a transverse rib or web 52 extending from the top side (FIG. 1) downwardly to a position short of the bottom side, as shown in FIG. 5. These apertures at the bottom may diverge slightly in downward direction.

In attaching the cable to the connector, the outer insulation of the cable is removed an appropriate length but it is not necessary to remove any of the insulation from the individual conductors. The cable is placed on the stripper plate, over the slot 39 as indicated in FIG. 3 and the individual conductors 31 are applied to the stripper plate, which is done manually and without any tools, by individually handling the conductors, --the end of each one is inserted down through the slot 39 and then grasped by the fingers at the bottom and pulled outwardly across the corresponding side member 38 and upwardly to a position in which the terminal end of the conductor is adjacent the top surface of the stripper plate. Those segments of the conductor overlying the side surfaces of the side member 38 are snapped into the two grooves 42 of a pair, i.e., it is forced through the narrow openings 44 which are narrower than the diameter of the conductor and pushed into the large portions 46. As indicated above, the large portions 46 may be slightly smaller in diameter than the conductors, and to accommodate this situation, the insulation on the individual conductors may extend slightly out through the narrow opening 44. The conductor is thus held by friction in place throughout the full length of the two grooves 42 of the pair, and this holding effect is enhanced by the substantial right angle turns in the conductor across the bottom of the stripper plate.

All of the conductors of the cable are then put into position in the same manner, the stripper plate having a number of pairs of grooves corresponding to the number of conductors in the cable with which it is designed for use. In the present instance there are 50 pairs of grooves, 25 in each side member 38, and 50 individual conductors in the cable.

The conductors thus applied to the stripper plate are arranged for electrical contact engagement with corresponding contacts 22. The contacts 22 are of known kind, and preferably are of silver. Each contact includes a main shank portion 54 and forked elements 56, with a shoulder element 58 therebetween. The contacts 22 are mounted in the contact housing 20 in association with the retaining plate 18. The latter has a plurality of apertures 60 corresponding and aligned with the apertures 50 in the stripper plate 14. The retaining plate 18 is provided with a surrounding ledge or shoulder 62 for use in clamping it in position in the assembly. The contact housing 20 includes apertures 64 corresponding in number and position with the apertures 60 and 50. The contact housing 20 preferably has a narrow bottom portion 66 and a wider and longer upper portion 68 forming a continuous downwardly facing shoulder 70 through which the apertures 64 open.

The retaining plate 18 is fitted on the contact housing 20 and the two together into the retaining shell 24, the latter having an inwardly turned flange 72 against which the shoulder 70 engages, the flange being of lesser depth than the shoulders (transversely FIG. 2) whereby to provide clearance for the lower ends of the contacts 22. THe retaining flange 16 is fitted over the retaining plate 18, the retaining flange 16 having an upper inturned flange 74 which engages the shoulder 62. The contacts 22 are then put in place by inserting them through the aligned apertures 60, 64, the shank portions 54 thereof being exposed downwardly beyond the shoulder 70 and the conductors 30 b are connected thereto in a suitable manner such as indicated in FIG. 2.

This subassembly is then fitted into the lower hood 12 while the stripper plate 14 with the cable 30 a secured thereto is fitted in the upper hood 10. The angle-shape cable support brackets 26, 28 are put in place, each having a longitudinal flange 76 and a transverse flange 78, the latter having side prongs 80 which are fitted into the loops 36 in the sidewalls of the hoods (FIG. 7). The split collar extensions 32 may now be secured as by screws 82.

The full assembly may now be effected by fitting together the top part which includes the mounted stripper plate 14 in the top hood 10 together with the lower counterpart including the bottom hood 12 with the subassembly referred to mounted therein. The two main parts are then secured together as by locking screws 86 extending through the flange extensions 34 on the hoods and corresponding flange elements on the other members, namely, flanges 76 on the brackets 26, 28, flanges 88 on the retaining shell 24 and flanges 90 on the retaining flange 16, these locking screws being threaded into related rivet nuts 92.

In assembling the parts together as thus described, the apertures 50 in the stripper plate 14 are of course aligned with the apertures 60 in the retaining plate 18 and thereby with the contacts 22 and pursuant to the operation of clamping the various components together as by turning the locking screws 86, the stripper plate 14 is forcibly moved into operative connection with the subassembly referred to (24, 20, 18, 16) and the forked prongs 56 move into the apertures 50 and the segments of the conductors disposed in the cross grooves 48 (FIG. 3) are moved down into the space between those prongs, the prongs cutting through the insulation on the conductors and establishing firm and effective electrical contact engagement between the contacts and the conductors.

The attachment of the connector to a cable requires no unusual skill, and no special tools are required, the entire connecting operation can be performed with the use of a screwdriver as the only necessary tool. The conductors can be applied to and secured to the stripper plate 14 in a simple manual operation i.e., the use of the fingers in manipulating the end portions of the conductors and snapping them into the grooves. Making the final electrical contact engagement is done by forcing the various components of the whole connector together as by turning up the locking screws 86 by a screwdriver.

Each rib or web 52 (FIG. 5) is positioned for entrance into the slot between the forked prongs 56 of the contact, in the full mounted position of the latter, thereby rigidifying the position of the contact in the aperture. The rib 52 extends downwardly only sufficiently to project between the terminal elements of the prongs. The divergent shape at the bottom of the apertures guide the contact prongs into the apertures and the main part limit load deflection on the prongs, the design increasing the pressure on the conductor wires and providing gas tight contact joints and improved solid state junction.

The present invention makes it practical to apply connectors to the conductors in the field by eliminating previous operations, such as soldering, which would be entirely impractical in the field. Accordingly a workman can cut a cable to any length according to the particular installation and apply a connector thereto in a simple operation consisting only of a manual operation and including a simple tool such as a screwdriver. It will be understood that the construction can be incorporated in both counterparts of the complete connector.

The construction provides an environmental seal, the contacts cut through the insulation and establish effective engagement with the copper of the conductors and maintain contact despite any corrosion that may develop. Standard wire wrap may be used on the conductors. The stripper plate 14 may be sufficiently small so that it can be drawn through the conduit with the cable. There is no possibility of the conductors being forced out of the contacts. The conductors can be removed from and reapplied to the contacts numerous times without overstressing or causing plastic deformation in the conductor wires or contacts, or in any way impairing a solid state joint.

Claims

I claim:

1. A connector member for use with a cable having a plurality of similar conductors, and adapted for connection with a counterpart connector member, wherein the connector member, in the connecting movement, is moved relatively toward the counterpart connector member, a stripper plate having means for frictionally holding the conductors individually, in position for movement into electrical contact engagement with corresponding contacts in the counterpart connector member, the stripper plate having grooves therein having entrance openings smaller than the diameter of the conductors, and large inner portions substantially fully but frictionally receiving the conductors whereby the conductors can be moved into the grooves in the directions transverse to their longitudinal direction, the conductors being held by the stripper plate in an arrangement whereby the conductors have a plurality of segments, including a segment transverse to the direction of movement of the connectors in connecting direction, and also including successive segments which proceed around corners and thereby increase the friction holding effect between the stripper plate and the conductors.

2. Connector construction adapted for connecting cables each having a plurality of similar conductors, a pair of substantially identical housing members each having an end opening for receiving a said conductor, and means at the opening for securing the cable in place, means detachably securing the housing members together in opposite positions so that connected cables extend from opposite ends of the secured housing members, a first of the housing members including means mounting a plurality of contacts extending transversely toward the other housing member, and connected with respective ones of the conductors of the corresponding cable, the second of the housing members including a stripper plate having conformations for frictionally holding the conductors of the corresponding cable, the stripper plate having apertures for receiving the contacts in the first housing member in direction longitudinally of the contacts in the movement of the housing members and contents therein transversely toward each other to the above indicated secured position, and the stripper plate holding the conductors in such position as to effect contact engagement therewith by the contacts in the first housing member.

3. Connector construction comprising a stripper plate including a longitudinal member having a plurality of pairs of grooves, those grooves of each pair being on opposite sides of the longitudinal member and relatively offset longitudinally, each groove having an inner main portion dimensioned for substantially receiving a conductor, and an entrance opening of lesser transverse dimension than the conductor whereby the conductor can be forced through the opening and snapped into the groove, and thereby held in the groove by friction, the grooves in the longitudinal member being such that when a conductor is fitted therein, the conductor includes a plurality of segments, including one transverse to the direction of movement of the stripper plate toward a counterpart device in a direction generally parallel with said grooves, the stripper plate also including an aperture between and parallel with the grooves of each pair, for receiving contacts therein in the movement of the stripper plate toward a counterpart device, and the corresponding transverse segments being thereby electrically engaged by the contacts.

4. Connector construction according to claim 3 wherein each opening includes a transverse web therein adjacent its remote end relative to movement toward the counterpart device, whereby in association with contacts each having a pair of prongs received in each such opening, the ends of the prongs extend into the region of the web and the web is operative for maintaining the prongs in position at opposite sides of the opening.

5. Connector construction comprising a stripper plate including a side member having elongated apertures for receiving contacts, and a plurality of side grooves on each of opposite sides and parallel with the aperture, the grooves being arranged in pairs with those in each pair being on opposite sides of the side member and on opposite sides of one of the apertures, the side member also having a cross groove interconnecting the grooves of each pair traversing the corresponding aperture and being deeper at the center than at the ends, the grooves being adapted for receiving a conductor with a segment in each of the grooves, and contacts movable into the apertures and operable in response to movement into the apertures for contacting the segments of the conductors in the cross grooves and forcing it into the deep center portion of the cross groove.

6. Connector construction according to claim 5 and including a pair of such side members spaced apart to form a central longitudinal space therebetween and interconnected by end elements, whereby to enable a cable having a plurality of similar conductors to be positioned along said space and the conductors to be projected into and through said space and into the grooves of both the side members.

7. A connector member for a cable comprising a stripper plate, a housing removably enclosing the stripper plate, the housing having an opening with means for securing therein a cable having a plurality of similar conductors with the conductors extending into and exposed in the interior of the housing, the stripper plate including a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced side members, each side member having a plurality of pairs of grooves, the grooves of each pair being on opposite sides of the corresponding side member and extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the side members, each groove including a main portion dimensioned for substantially gripping a conductor and an entrance opening extending longitudinally the full length of the groove of less transverse dimension than the conductor adapted to forcibly receive the conductor through the entrance opening and snappingly receive the conductor in the main portion of the groove, and each side member having means for supporting segments of the conductors in position transverse to the longitudinal direction of the grooves for contacting engagement with electrical contacts in connecting the connector member with a counterpart connector member in movement parallel with said grooves.

8. A connector member according to claim 7 in conjunction with the counterpart connector, and comprising an assembly including said housing, a block fitted to the stripper plate, the block having a plurality of contacts individual to the conductors, and positioned for electrically cooperating therewith upon movement of the connector members together in a connecting operation, and the housing including elements secured together in clamping effect for securing said block and stripper plate together in effective cooperation between the conductors and contacts.