U.S. patent number 3,920,306 [Application Number 05/511,883] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-18 for tap connections for multi-conductor cables.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AMP Inc.. Invention is credited to Miles Edmond Barnett, Jr., George Hails Foster, Jr., George Allen Patton.
United States Patent |
3,920,306 |
Barnett, Jr. , et
al. |
November 18, 1975 |
Tap connections for multi-conductor cables
Abstract
A tap-type connection for a multi-conductor cable comprises a
multi-contact connector disposed beside the cable. The wires from
the cable extend laterally with respect to the cable axis and are
connected to terminals on the rearward side of the connector. The
wires extend from these terminals back to the axis of the cable and
become part of the cable again. The tap is contained in a housing
comprising two panel-like members hinged together clamshell
fashion. The housing has inlet and outlet openings for the cable
along one side and, in its closed condition, is assembled to the
rearward side of the connector so that the laterally extending
wires are contained in the housing.
Inventors: |
Barnett, Jr.; Miles Edmond
(Kernersville, NC), Foster, Jr.; George Hails
(Winston-Salem, NC), Patton; George Allen (Pfafftown,
NC) |
Assignee: |
AMP Inc. (Harrisburg,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
24036848 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/511,883 |
Filed: |
October 2, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/459;
439/466 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/506 (20130101); H01R 13/516 (20130101); H01R
9/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/502 (20060101); H01R 13/516 (20060101); H01R
13/506 (20060101); H01R 9/00 (20060101); H01R
013/58 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/13R,13C,13M,44R,44M,36,75R,76,107 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lake; Roy
Assistant Examiner: Jones; DeWalden W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pitts; Robert W. Raring; Frederick
W. Seitchik; Jay L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A housing in combination with an electrical cable comprising a
plurality of wires and an electrical connector, said connector
having a forward side and a rearward side, said connector having
spaced-apart electrical contact terminals therein, said terminals
having wire receiving portions at said rearward side, intermediate
portion of said cable extending along a predetermined axis, said
connector being disposed beside said axis, said wires having
intermediate portions extending laterally from said axis to said
rearward side with a portion of each of said wires being in said
wire-receiving portion of one of said terminals, and said wires
extending from said rearward side back to said axis, said housing
comprising:
first and second cover members, said cover members being hinged
together by hinge means extending between said cover members and
along one side thereof, said cover members extending from said one
side to said rearward side of said connector and over said
terminals at said rearward side,
sidewalls extending between said cover members, said sidewalls and
said cover members forming an enclosure surrounding said
intermediate portions of said wires, and
openings in said sidewalls adjacent to said hinge means, said cable
extending through said openings into, and from, said enclosure.
2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said sidewalls having
interengaging latching means for latching said cover members to
each other.
3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said sidewalls and said
cover means having ear means extending laterally therefrom, said
ear means extending from, and surrounding said openings said ear
means extending over portions of said cable which extend into, and
from, said enclosure.
4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 including clamping means
on said ear means, said ear means being clamped to said portions of
said cable to provide a first strain relief for said intermediate
portions of said wires.
5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 including wire guide
means in said enclosure, said wire guide means comprising a guide
surface extending between said cover means and serving to guide
said wires from said axis towards said rearward side of said
connector.
6. The combination set forth in claim 1 including second strain
relief means within said enclosure, said second strain relief means
being mounted on said rearward side of said connector, said
intermediate portions of said wires extending through said second
strain relief means to said wire-receiving portions of said
terminals then from said strain relief means.
7. The combination set forth in claim 6, said second strain relief
means comprising holding means extending across said rearward side
of said connector and over said wire-receiving portions of said
terminals.
8. A housing for enclosing a tap on a multi-conductor cable said
tap comprising an electrical connector having a mating side and a
rearward side, a plurality of contact terminals in said connector,
each of said terminals having a wire-receiving portion at said
rearward side, the wires in said cable extending from said cable to
said rearward side and being in said wire-receiving portions of
said terminals, said wires extending from said terminals back to
said cable, said housing comprising:
first and second cover members, said cover members being connected
to each other clamshell fashion along one side thereof, said side
constituting a rear side and having hinge means whereby said cover
members can be moved from an open position to a closed
position,
each of said cover members comprising a panel section extending
from said rear side, each of said panel sections having flanges
extending from opposite side edges thereof, said panel sections
said flanges, and said rear side forming an enclosure when said
cover members are closed, said enclosure having an open side which
is opposite to said rearward side
internal surface portions of said enclosure which are proximate to
open side conforming to said rearward side of said connector,
cable openings in said flanges adjacent to said rear side, said
openings conforming in size to said cable, and
means for latching said cover members to each other in said closed
position whereby,
portions of said cable adjacent to said connector can be positioned
in said cable openings and said cover members can be closed onto
said rearward side of said connector whereby said wires extending
from said cable to said connector will be contained in said
enclosure.
9. A housing as set forth in claim 8, said cover member having
strain relief ears extending laterally in opposite directions from
portions thereof which surround said openings, whereby said ears
can be clamped to said cable to provide strain relief means
therefore.
10. A housing as set forth in claim 9 including guide means in said
enclosure for guiding wires extending between said cable and said
connector.
11. A multi-contact electrical connector and a multi-conductor
cable, said cable extending along a predetermined axis, said
connector comprising an insulating housing having a mating side and
a rearward side, a rib extending from said rearward side, a
plurality of electrical contact terminals extending through said
housing from said rearward side to said mating side, said terminals
having wire-receiving portions arranged in two rows, said
wire-receiving portions facing in opposite directions on oppositely
directed surfaces of said rib, said connector being disposed beside
said cable with said rib being proximate to, and extending parallel
to, said cable,
a pair of clamping bars disposed against said oppositely directed
surfaces of said rib,
first portions of said conductors extending from said cable
laterally of said axis and towards said rib, each of said
conductors being in said wire-receiving portion of one of said
terminals, said conductors extending from said terminals in a
reverse direction and being wrapped over said clamping bars, second
portions of said conductors extending from said clamping bars
towards said axis and thence along said axis.
12. A connector and a cable as set forth in claim 11, and cover
means on said cable, said cover means having openings at opposite
ends thereof, said cable extending through said openings into, and
from, the interior of said cover means, portions of said cover
means being secured to said housing in surrounding relationship to
said rib and said clamping bars.
13. The combination set forth in claim 12, said cover means
comprising two opposed parts.
14. The combination set forth in claim 13, said parts of said cover
means being hinged to each other.
15. The combination set forth in claim 12, said cover means having
clamping means at said openings, said clamping means holding said
cover means in clamping engagement with said cable.
16. The combination set forth in claim 11, said clamping bars
having conductor-receiving grooves therein, said conductors being
in said grooves.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The patent to Roberts et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,530 discloses and
claims a tap for a multi-conductor cable comprised of a plurality,
for example fifty, individual wires. The term "tap connection", as
used herein, denotes connections of branch wires to the individual
wires in the cable, in other words, T connections involving a
relatively large number of wires. The tap is made with a
multi-contact connector, of the type fully disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,760,335, which is located beside the cable. The wires in the
cable extend to and from the connector without being cut. A strain
relief and wire holding means is provided in accordance with the
teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,530 which is assembled to the
rearward side of the connector and which serves to guide the wires
into and out of the connector. The portions of the wires extending
from the cable to the connector are not, however, covered or
otherwise enclosed. It is good practice to use a so-called back
cover on electrical connectors of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No.
3,824,530 to enclose the portions of the wires which are
immediately adjacent to the connector to which they extend.
However, none of the presently available back covers are suitable
for use with tap-type connections as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,824,530.
The instant invention is specifically addressed to the achievement
of a cover means for tap-type connections for multi-conductor
cables. An object of the invention is to provide a cover for a tap
connection of the type comprising a multi-contact electrical
connector having terminals to which cable wires are connected. A
further object is to provide a cover or housing for a cable tap
which will provide strain relief means for the cable and for the
individual wires which extend from the cable to the terminals in
the connector. A further object is to provide a cover or housing
which can be produced as a one piece molding and which will
completely enclose wires extending from the cable to the tap
connector.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a
preferred embodiment thereof which is briefly described in the
foregoing abstract, which is described in detail below, and which
is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cable tap in accordance with
the invention.
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the tap housing cover
in its open position.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of connecting
the wires in the cable to the terminals in a connector to form a
tap in accordance with the invention, one part of the connector
strain relief being exploded from the connector in this view.
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing both parts of the
connector strain relief assembled to the connector housing.
FIG. 5 is a view taken through the rear side of an open housing
showing details of the hinge means and the backwall.
FIG. 6 is a perspective fragmentary view of a preferred type of
connector for cable taps in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side view of the housing
mounted on a connector.
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cable tap in accordance with
the invention is made by removing a portion of the sheath 44 of the
cable 40 to expose the individual wires 42 thereof. Intermediate
portions 2 of these wires are connected to the terminals on the
rearward side of a connector 8 and a housing or cover in accordance
with the invention, as will be described below, is then placed over
the ends of the cable sheath 44 and the rearward side of the
connector 8 so as to completely enclose the rearward side of the
connector and the portions of the wires which extend to, and from,
the connector.
The connector 8 is shown in FIG. 6 and is briefly described below
for a better understanding of the invention. In accordance with the
instant invention, intermediate portions 2 of the wires 2 are
connected to the wire-receiving portions 4 of contact terminals 6
which are contained in the housing 10 of the connector 8. The
housing has a mating face 12 and a rearward face 14. A central rib
16 extends from the rearward side or face and a plurality of
side-by-side contact receiving cavities 18 extend through the
housing on the upper and lower sides of the rib. Each cavity
contains an individual terminal 6 and each terminal has a forward
contact portion 20, and intermediate shank 22, and the previously
identified wire receiving portion 4 which comprises two plate-like
members 24, 26 which are connected at their upper ends by strap
sections 28. The wire 2 is moved laterally of its axis into the gap
between the strap members 28 and into slots 30 in the plate
sections, the width of these slots being such that the insulation
of the wire is penetrated and electrical contact is established
with the conducting core. When the terminals are mounted in the
cavities, the contact portions extend forwardly and into a
trough-like recess 32 in the mating face 12 which is adapted to
receive a complementary male connector.
Adjacent terminals in the two rows are separated from each other by
barriers 36 and the end barriers 38 extend somewhat beyond the
other barriers 36 as shown. The housing 10 is provided with a
radially extending flange 34 by means of which it may be mounted in
a panel or the like.
It will thus be apparent that after an intermediate portion 2 of
each wire has been connected to one of the terminals 6, it will be
possible to form tap connections to the cable by merely plugging a
complementary connector into the trough-like recess 32 of the
connector 8. It is desirable, however, to enclose the laterally
extending portions of the wires 42a, 42b in a housing as will now
be described.
A preferred form of housing in accordance with the invention
comprises a clamshell like molding having a first or top section 46
and a second or bottom section 48, these two sections being hinged
together on their lefthand ends as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, and as
shown in FIG. 5. It will be understood that the terms "top" and
"bottom" are used as a matter of convenience and that the housing
may occupy any desired orientation. Top section 46 comprises a
generally rectangular panel 50 having depending flanges 52
extending from its opposite side edges. The internal opposed
surfaces 53 of these flanges are spaced apart by a distance equal
to the distance between the ends of a bar-like connector strain
relief 84 which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that the housing will
snugly receive the rearward end or side of the connector 8. The
external surfaces of the flanges 52 are recessed as shown at 54
adjacent to the forward edge 56 of panel section 50 and an ear 58
extends outwardly from the center of each recess, these ears
providing upwardly facing shoulders for cooperation with latch arms
70 on the bottom section 48. The flanges 52 do not extend to the
rearward side of the panel 50 so that openings remain for the cable
40 and clamping ears 60, comprising planar extensions of panel
section 46, project laterally in opposite directions over these
openings.
Top section 46 has a flange 62 extending from its rearward edge and
this flange is connected by a thin flexible integral hinge 64 with
a flange 65. The flange 65 extends from the panel portion 66 of the
bottom part of the housing. Flanges 68 project upwardly from the
side edges of the panel section 66 these flanges being opposed to,
and in alignment with, the flanges 52. The opposed internal
surfaces of flanges 68, like the opposed surfaces 53, conform to
the rearward side of the connector 8 with the strain relief means
assembled thereto. Integral latch arms 70 extend upwardly from the
frontal portions of flanges 68 and these latch arms have centrally
located slots 69 which receive the latching ears 58.
Three cable clamping ears 72, 74, 76 extend from each side of the
bottom section, one of these ears extending from the flange 68, one
of these ears 72 extending from the panel 66, and the remaining ear
76 being in alignment with the backwall 62. All of the ears 60, 72,
74, 76 are somewhat flexible so that they can be clamped to the
cable sheath as shown in FIG. 1. Advantageously, the internal
surfaces of the ears have transversely extending ribs 77 which bear
against the cable sheath.
The top and bottom sections 46, 48 when closed, provide an
enclosure which is open on its forwardly facing side to receive the
connector 8. It is desirable to provide means in this enclosure to
neatly dress the laterally extending portions 42a, 42b of the wires
which extend to and from the connector. In the disclosed
embodiment, a guide means is provided in the form of opposed
U-shaped internal walls 80 which extend from the internal surface
of panel section 66. The inner ends of these guide walls are spaced
apart and define a restricted passageway 82 having curved surfaces
against which the wires bear as shown best in FIG. 2.
The ears 60, 72, 74, 76 provide first strain relief means for the
cable and it is desirable to provide a second or additional strain
relief means for the portions 2 of the wires which extend in the
vicinity of the rearward side of the connector 8. This strain
relief means as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 comprises two identical bar
members 86, each of which has a flexible latch arm 88 extending
from one end thereof and a recess 90 on its opposite end. A
shoulder 91 is provided in each of the recesses 90 for cooperation
with a slot 94 in the latch arm 88 of the other clamping member so
that these two clamping bars can be assembled to the rearward side
of the connector as shown in FIG. 3. The opposed edges 93 of these
two clamping members are spaced apart so that the wires can pass
through the resulting slot as shown in FIG. 4 to the terminals in
the connector. The wires extend from the terminals and between the
clamping bar and the housing and are reversely bent over the
outwardly facing surface of the clamping bar. Advantageously, this
outwardly facing surface on each bar is provided with spaced apart
grooves 100 which receive the wires. The clamping bars 84 are held
on the rearward side of the connector by the latch arms 88 but it
is desirable to provide additional latch arms 96 and additional
latching ears 98 on each clamping bar to clamp the central portions
of the bars to each other. This additional clamping means prevents
bowing of the clamping bars in their central sections. The clamping
bars shown in FIG. 3 are further described in the above identified
U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,530 although the clamping bars shown here are
modified in some respects.
While the connector with the clamping bars 84 assembled thereto has
a snug fit in the open side of the housing and is frictionally held
to some extent, it is desirable to provide a positive stop or
holding means for the connector. Accordingly there are provided
integral rectangular stop blocks 87 at the corners of the internal
surfaces of the panel sections 50, 66. These stop blocks are
received in complementary recesses 89 in the ends of the bar
members 84. As shown in FIG. 7, the opposed surfaces of these stop
blocks and the recesses in the bar members prevent the connector
from moving out of the housing when the housing is closed onto the
connector.
The clamshell housing and the clamping bars 84 are preferably
manufactured by an injection molding process, any suitable molding
material being used such as nylon or a polyphenylene oxide material
or polypropolene.
In order to make a cable tap in accordance with the invention a
portion of the b cable sheath is removed as previously explained to
expose the wires 42. Intermediate portions 2 of these wires are
then inserted into the wirereceiving portions 4 of the appropriate
terminals in the connector. This wire inserting operation may be
carried out by means of the apparatus disclosed in the above
identified U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,530 or in any other manner as
desired. The clamping bars 84 are then assembled to the rearward
side of the connector and the wires in the ends of the cable sheath
are placed in the lower section of the housing. The connector is
located between the opposed surfaces 78 of the flanges 68 and the
upper section 46 is swung downwardly until the ears 58 lodge in the
slots 69 of latch arms 70. Finally, bundle tie devices 102 are
placed around the ears 60, 72, 74, 76 and drawn taut so that the
ears are firmly clamped to the cable sheath 44.
By virtue of the clamping ears, the housing is firmly supported on
the cable sheath and the connector, being snugly held in the open
end of the housing, is also supported on the cable sheath. The
portions of the wires which extend from the cable to the terminals
are thus not subjected to any tensile forces which might be applied
to the cable and the electrical connections of the conductors to
these terminals will not be disturbed. The portions of the wires in
the enclosure, and particularly those portions in the wire
receiving slots in the terminals, are further protected by the
clamping and strain relief bars 84, this second strain relief means
for the individual wires being independent of the first strain
relief formed by the ears and the bundle ties 102.
Additional protection for the electrical connections between the
portions 2 of the wires and the contact terminals is achieved by
virtue of the opposed curved surfaces of the walls 80 which define
the constricted passageway 82. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that
the wires 42a and 42b curve gently from the axis of the cable until
they extend normally of the cable axis and they then diverge
towards the connector in the front of the housing. It can be seen
that if the wires in the cable should be subjected to tensile
forces acting in the direction of the cable axis, these tensile
forces would be dissipated on the curved surfaces 82; in other
words, the reaction forces to the tensile forces in the wire would
arise in the portions of the wires extending through the
constriction 82. The integrity of the electrical connections of the
portions 2 of the wires to the terminals is further guaranteed by
the fact that these electrical connections would be disturbed by
moving the wires laterally of their axes and away from a connector
to cause them to move out of the wire receiving slots in the
terminals. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that any tensile forces
imposed on the wires would not have any force components tending to
move the wires laterally of their axes and out of the
terminals.
Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and
various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be
made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter
set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is
offered by way of illustration only.
* * * * *