Slotted Plate Connector

Abstract

An electrical connector for electrically connecting the electrically conductive cores of insulated wire, the connector comprising an insulating housing having a base and side walls defining an aperture for providing access to the interior of the housing, a lid movable to a closed position to cover the aperture a lead out opening for each wire, and first and second metal plates supported in the housing in spaced opposed relationship, with an edge of each plate facing away from the base, a plurality of slots opening into such edge, each slot of each plate being aligned with a slot of the other plate and being capable of receiving an insulated wire forced into the slot by the lid as it is moved to its closed position, so that the edges of the slot pierce the insulation of the wire to make electrically conductive contact with the core of the wire, there being providing a wire severing edge associated with one slot, only, of each pair of aligned slots and disposed on the side of the slot remote from the other slot of the aligned pair, each wire severing edge being positioned for cooperation with the lid to trim a wire received in the associated slot as the wire is forced into the slot by the lid. The invention includes a contact for the connector.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting the electrically conductive cores of insulated wires.

An electrical connector according to the invention comprises an insulating housing having a base and side walls defining an aperture for providing access to the interior of the housing, a lid movable to a closed position to cover the aperture, a lead out opening for each wire, and first and second metal plates supported in the housing in spaced opposed relationship, with an edge of each plate facing away from the base, a plurality of slots opening into such edge, each slot of each plate being aligned with a slot of the other plate and being capable of receiving an insulated wire forced into the slot by the lid as it is moved to its closed position, so that the edges of the slot pierce the insulation of the wire to make electrically conductive contact with the core of the wire, there being provided a wire severing edge associated with one slot, only, of each pair of aligned slots and disposed on the side of the slot remote from the other slot of the aligned pair, each wire severing edge being positioned for cooperation with the lid to trim a wire received in the associated slot as the wire is forced into the slot by the lid.

Preferably the lid has internal ribs having first portions for forcing the wires into the slots and flat second portions for cooperation with the severing edges to trim the wires during the covering of the aperture by the lid.

Desirably, the edges of the first and second plates into which edges the slots open are joined by a connecting member, the housing having an internal rib supporting the strut.

The invention also includes a sheet metal contact element having been stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock and comprising first and second plates connected together in spaced opposed, substantially parallel relationship, each plate having first and second slots opening into an edge of the plate and each being aligned with a slot of the other plate, the slots all opening in the same direction, each aligned pair of slots being adapted to receive a common insulated wire forced into these slots, so that the edges of these slots pierce the insulation of the wire to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive core of the wire, there being provided a further plate having a wire severing edge integrally connected to each of the first and second plates on the side of such plate remote from the other plate, the wire severing edge of the further plate extending across only one of the first and second slots and the further plates being offset from one another so that only one wire severing edge extends across each pair of aligned slots, the first and second plates being connected at their edges into which the slots open by a rectilinear strut or struts extending at right angles to the first and second plate.

The connector of the invention may be made of very small size for use in connecting the wires of multi-wire telephone cables to be spliced. Since each cable usually comprises a very large number of wires it is of course desirable that the bulk of each connection should be reduced as far as possible.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical contact element;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an insulating housing for the contact element;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrical connector comprising the contact element and the housing;

FIG. 4 is a similar view to that of FIG. 3 but with part of the housing removed and showing a pair of insulated wires that have been trimmed and electrically connected, by means of the connector; and,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of insulating housing.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the contact element, which is generally referenced 2, comprises first and second metal plates 4 connected in spaced opposed relationship by struts 8 and 10 formed integrally with the upper (as seen in FIG. 1) edges 12 of the plates 4. A plurality of wire receiving slots 14 opens into each edge 12, each slot 14 of one plate 4 being aligned with a slot 14 of the other plate 4. The slots 14 have flared mouths 15. Each of two wire severing edges 16 is associated with one slot 14, only, of each pair of aligned slots 14 and is formed on a further plate 18 connected to one of the plates 4 by a flat web 19. The contact element 2 has been stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock.

As best seen in FIG. 2, an insulating housing 20 for the contact element 2 is formed as an elongate rectangular box, having an aperture 22 providing access to the interior of the housing 20, the aperture 22 being closable by a closure member 24 in the form of a lid connected to the housing 20 by a hinge 25. The housing 20 has an internal rib 26 extending from the floor 28 of the housing, longitudinally of the housing 20 and having a flat upper (as seen in FIG. 2) surface 30. Each end wall 32 of the housing 20 has spaced wire accomodating notches 34, each notch 34 of one wall 32 being in alignment with one of the notches 34 of the other wall 32. Each notch 34 opens into the upper (as seen in FIG. 2) surface of one of the end walls 32.

The closure member 24 has longitudinal, parallel ribs 36 spaced to receive the rib 26 between them with clearance, each rib 36 having end portions 38 each for cooperation with one of the severing edges 16 to sever an insulated wire as explained below, and reduced cross-section portions 40 each dimensioned to be received in one of the slots 14. The portions 38 are each dimensioned to be received in one of the notches 34. The closure member 24 has adjacent to its edge remote from the hinge 25 a resilient latch member 42 having a barbed free end with an inclined cam surface 44 and being dimensioned for engagement in a recess 46 in a side wall 48 of the housing 20.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the contact element 2 is mounted in the housing 20 with each plate 4 and its associated plate 18 disposed between one end of the rib 26 and the adjacent end wall 32 of the housing 20 with the strut 10 supported on the surface 30 of the rib 26 and the webs 19 resting on the floor 28 of the housing 20 (as shown in FIG. 4). Each severing edge 16 extends across one of the notches 34, internally of the housing 20, near the open end of the notch 34.

Reference will now be made specifically to FIG. 4. In use, with the closure member 24 in its open position, an insulated wire W1 is laid in the mouths 15 of one pair of aligned slots 14 and insulated wire W2 is laid in mouths 15 of the other pair of aligned slots 14, so that each wire is supported by the edges of two of the mouths 15, and also extends over one of the edges 16 and through an aligned pair of notches 34. The closure member 24 is then moved to its closed position so that the portions 38 of the ribs 36 force each wire against one of the severing edges 16 to trim an end portion P from each wire. At the same time, each portion 40 of the ribs 36 enters the mouth 15 of one of the slots 14 to force the wire down into the slot, proper, so that the edges of the slot pierce the insulation of the wire to make electrically conductive contact with the core of the wire, the edges of the slot being forced slightly apart by the core so that the core is resiliently gripped in the slot. Although the member 24 will be in its closed position at this stage, the member 24 is shown in its open position in FIG. 4 so as to illustrate the wire connecting and trimming operations.

During the wire connecting and trimming operations, each plate 4 serves to support the other plate 4 through the struts 8 and 10.

Also, each plate 4 and 18 is secured in a rigidly upright position partly by virtue of the work-hardening of its junction zone with the associated web 19 as a result of the plates 4 abd 18 having been bent sharply, i.e., at right angles to the web 19 during the manufacture of the contact element 2. The fact that the plates 4 are connected by the struts at their edges 12 enables the contact element 2 to be readily manufactured from a single piece of sheet metal stock.

During the closure of the member 24 the cam surface 44 of the latch member 42 engages the upper (as seen in FIG. 4) inner surface of the side wall 48 so that the member 42 is cammed resiliently towards the rib 26. Upon full closure of the member 24, the member 42 resiles so that its barbed free end enters the recess 46 to latch under the upper (as seen in FIG. 4) edges to the recess 46 so that the housing is retained in its closed condition. The portions of the wires W1 and W2 which extend through notches 34 in the closed condition of the housing 20, if the wires are of sufficiently large gauge, are gripped between the portions 38 which entered these notches during the closure operation, and the bases of the notches, strain relief for the wires thereby being provided. Since the remaining portions 38 engage the severing edges 16, the closed housing is substantially sealed to protect the connections therein from the ingress of moisture.

The connector described above is especially suitable for the connection of individual wires of multi-wire telephone cables to be spliced and may be conveniently manufactured to very small dimensions, e.g., it may be about 1 cm long.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, transverse strengthening ribs 51 are provided on the lid and interconnect the portions 38 of the longitudinally extending ribs 36. Wire locating flanges 50 are integrally formed with the central portion of the end wall 32 at the top of the wall portion and protrude part way across each notch 34, so that an insulated wire can be retained in alignment with the slots in which it is to be inserted prior to such insertion simply by laying the wire across the housing aperture with the lid raised in alignment with the slots and snapping it under the flanges 50 into the notches 34, the flanges preventing ready removal of the wire from the notches.

Claims

We claim:

1. A sheet metal contact element for electrically connecting the electrically conductive cores of insulated wires, the contact element having been stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock and comprising first and second plates connected together in spaced opposed, substantially parallel relationship, each plate having first and second slots opening into an edge of the plate and each being aligned with a slot on the other plate, the slots all opening in the same direction, each aligned pair of slots being adapted to receive a common insulated wire forced into these slots, so that the edges of these slots pierce the insulation of the wire to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive core of the wire, there being provided a further plate having a wire severing edge integrally connected to each of the first and second plates on the side of such plate remote from the other plate, the wire severing edge of the further plate extending across only one of the first and second slots and the further plates being offset from one another so that only one wire severing edge extends across each pair of aligned slots, the first and second plates being connected at their edges into which the slots open by a rectilinear strut or struts extending at right angles to the first and second plates.

2. An electrical connector for electrically connecting the electrically conductive cores of insulated wires, the connector comprising an insulating housing having a box-like base with upstanding side and end walls defining a wire access opening, said base having an interior defining a cavity receiving a contact, said contact comprising first and second metal plates supported in the base in spaced opposed relationship, each plate having an edge facing away from said base, a pair of slots opening into said edges of each plate, each slot of each plate being aligned with a slot of the other plate and being capable of receiving an insulated wire forced into the slot, said base end walls each having upper edges and being formed with a pair of notches defining wire lead out openings extending downwardly from said upper edges and in line with said slots in said plates, an integral lid connected by a web hinge to the upper edge of one said side wall, said lid having internal ribs having first portions for forcing wires into said slots and second portions positioned to enter said notches when said lid is moved to a position closing the cavity to thereby close the lead out openings, a pair of further plates each having a wire severing edge associated with one slot only of each pair of aligned slots, and each said further plate having disposed on the side of the slot remote from the other slot of the aligned pair, each wire severing edge being positioned for cooperation with said lid to trim a wire received in the associated slot as the wire is forced into the slot by the lid.

3. A connector according to claim 2 in which the edges of the first and second plates into which edges the slots open are joined by a connecting strut, the housing having an internal rib supporting said strut.

4. A connector according to claim 2 in which wire locating flanges are provided at the top of a portion of said end walls between each notch and protrude partway across each notch.