U.S. patent number RE32,760 [Application Number 07/018,685] was granted by the patent office on 1988-10-04 for electrical connector.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AMP Domestic Inc.. Invention is credited to Curtis S. Chandler, Larry G. Novotny, Elvert S. Watts.
United States Patent |
RE32,760 |
Chandler , et al. |
October 4, 1988 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Electrical connector
Abstract
An electrical connector in which preselected terminals are
shunted. Contact portions of the terminals are aligned with a shunt
bar and are resiliently deformable from positions engaging the
shunt bar in an unmated condition of the connector to positions
spaced from the shunt bar in a mated condition of the connector by
mating engagement with a complimentary connector. The shunt bar
comprises a bridge portion from which contact lugs depend spaced
asymmetrically along the bridge. Two shunt bars are located in
tandem in back-to-back relation in a connector housing so that
alternate contact tongues are aligned with respective contact lugs
on respective shunt bars.
Inventors: |
Chandler; Curtis S. (King,
NC), Novotny; Larry G. (Clemmons, NC), Watts; Elvert
S. (Walkertown, NC) |
Assignee: |
AMP Domestic Inc. (Wilmington,
DE)
|
Family
ID: |
26691375 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/018,685 |
Filed: |
February 25, 1987 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
652430 |
Sep 20, 1984 |
04501459 |
Feb 26, 1985 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/188; 439/455;
439/295 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/65912 (20200801); H01R 13/7032 (20130101); H01R
9/032 (20130101); H01R 13/6593 (20130101); H01R
31/08 (20130101); H01R 13/5841 (20130101); H01R
13/28 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/70 (20060101); H01R 13/703 (20060101); H01R
13/658 (20060101); H01R 31/08 (20060101); H01R
31/00 (20060101); H01R 13/02 (20060101); H01R
13/28 (20060101); H01R 13/58 (20060101); H01R
025/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/188,284-295,514,515,607-610,455 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1280477 |
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Jul 1972 |
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GB |
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1378674 |
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Dec 1974 |
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GB |
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2025711 |
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Jan 1980 |
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GB |
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1585407 |
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Mar 1981 |
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GB |
|
Other References
Engineering and Purchasing Guide, Fifth edition, AMP catalog No.
4507-1, pp. C291, C412. .
AMP Shielded and Filtered Products for EMC, AMP catalog No. 82-683,
(Issued 5-83), p. 28. .
"Approaches to EMI Control in Digital Data Transmission Systems",
Nov., 1982; pp. 355-364. .
"Developing a Metal Shell Circular Plastic Connector", Nov., 1982;
pp. 365-374. .
"A Shielded Computer Interface Connector", Nov., 1981; pp. 113-118.
.
"Metallized Plastic Connector Protects Computers", Design News;
8/3/81; p. 116. .
Robinson Nugent catalog IC-8210. .
"Berg PC Board Modular Jacks Plug and Unplug as Fast as They
Eliminate Hard Wiring Costs"; Elec. Pack. & Prod.; 8/81. .
"The Molex KK Interconnection System" advertisement. .
Molex catalog No. 800. .
"Creating Components that Simplify Circuitry" Molex Publication,
1977. .
"Jaguar Multiple Termination Systems", Methode Electrons Inc.
catalog. .
"Powerpole Modular Connectors", Anderson Power Products catalog,
Rev. 1977. .
"Berg/Serpent Connector", DuPont Co. Wire Products Bulletin 2000,
Sep., 1980. .
"12 Amp Power Connector Introduced by Methode", Electronic News;
5/25/81. .
"Interconnection City News Digest", Methode Electroics Inc.
catalog..
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Primary Examiner: Abrams; Neil
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Groen; Eric J.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 452,170
filed Dec. 22, 1982, now abandoned.
Claims
We claim:
1. A hermaphroditic electrical connector comprising an insulating
terminal housing having a front, mating face and a rear, wire
connecting face, a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing
with wire connecting portions at the wire connecting face and
resilient contact tongues at the mating face, electrical shunt
means mounted in the housing aligned with preselected contact
tongues, the shunt means comprising two one-piece shunt bars
located in tandem relation, each having a bridge portion extending
transversely of all the contact tongues and a pair of spaced
contact lugs extending from each bridge portion toward respective
preselected contact tongues, the contact tongues being resiliently
deformable from positions engaging the shunt means in an unmated
condition of the connector to positions spaced from the shunt means
in a mated condition of the connector by mating engagement with a
complementary hermaphroditic connector.
2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 in which the
contact tongues are reversely bent with rearwardly extending free
ends aligned with the respective contact lugs.
3. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the contact lugs
of each shunt bar extend toward alternate contact tongues.
4. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the shunt bars are
substantially identical, each shunt bar being oriented 180.degree.
from the other.
5. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein the contact
lugs on each shunt bar are asymmetrically located along the bridge
portion.
6. An electrical connector according to claim 5 in which the bridge
portions have coding lugs at their ends and the housing is formed
with axially spaced coding slots on respective opposite side walls
for receiving the respective lugs. .[.7. A hermaphroditic electric
connector for mating with a complementary hermaphroditic electrical
connector comprising:
an insulating terminal housing having a front, mating face, a rear
wire connecting face, and a terminal supporting platform extending
between said faces,
a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing with contact
portions toward the mating face and wire connecting portions toward
the wire connecting face, each contact portion being reversely bent
at the mating face to form a resilient contact tongue spaced from
said platform and having a free end remote from the mating face,
each contact tongue being matable against the contact tongue of the
complementary connector to urge the contact tongues in each
connector toward respective platforms,
electrical shunt means fixedly mounted in said housing transversely
of all said contact portions and disposed adjacent to said contact
tongues toward the free ends thereof, said shunt means engaging
preselected contact tongues when said connector is in an unmated
condition, said shunt means being spaced from said preselected
contact portions when said connector is in a mated condition,
conductive electrical shield means assembled to said housing, said
shield means having contact portions toward the mating face, said
contact portions being matable with complementary contact portions
of the electrical shield means in a complementary connector,
and
insulating cover means assembled to said housing externally of said
shield means..]. .[.8. An electrical connector as in claim 7
wherein said preselected contact tongues are alternate contact
tongues..]. .[.9. An electrical connector as in claim 7 wherein all
of said contact tongues are engageable by said shunt means when
said connector is in an unmated condition..]. .[.10. An electrical
connector as in claim 7 wherein the free end of each contact tongue
is formed toward the platform to form a step which engages the
electrical shunt means..]. .[.11. An electrical connector as in
claim 7 wherein each said wire connecting portion comprises a
slotted wire receiving barrel portion upstanding from said
platform, said connector further comprising a wire stuffer profiled
to insert wires into respective barrels, said shield means being
assembled to said housing externally of said wire stuffer..].
.[.12. An electrical connector as in claim 7 wherein said shunt
means comprises a first one-piece shunt bar having a bridge portion
extending transversely of the tongues, said bar having a pair of
spaced contact lugs extending toward a first pair of alternate
contact tongues, said lugs being in contact with said alternate
contact tongues when said connector is in an unmated condition..].
.[.13. An electrical connector as in claim 12 wherein said housing
comprises a pair of opposed sidewalls upstanding from opposite side
edges of said platform, said sidewalls having a pair of respective
opposed slots therein which receive said shunt bar..]. .[.14. An
electrical connector as in claim 12 wherein said shunt means
comprises a second similar shunt bar located in tandem relation to
the first shunt bar, said contact lugs on said second shunt bar
being in contact with a second pair of alternate contact
tongues..]. .[.15. An electrical connector as in claim 14 wherein
said housing comprises a pair of opposed sidewalls upstanding from
opposite side edges of said platform, said sidewalls having two
pairs of respective opposed slots therein which receive said shunt
bars..]. .[.16. An electrical connector as in claim 15 wherein the
bridge portions have coding lugs at their ends and each pair of
opposed slots is coded to receive the respective shunt bar oriented
at
180.degree. from the other shunt bar..]. 17. An electrical
connector of the type comprising an insulating housing having a
front mating face for mating with a complementary connector and a
plurality of terminals mounted thereon, each terminal having a
resilient contact tongue extending from proximate the mating face
to a free end remote from the mating face, and electrical shunt
means fixed in said housing aligned with the free ends of
preselected contact tongues, the contact tongues being resiliently
deformable from positions engaging the shunt means in an unmated
condition of the connector to positions spaced from the shunt means
in a mated position of the connector by mating engagement with the
complementary connector, characterized in that,
the connector is a shielded connector for mating with a
complementary hermaphroditic connector, the housing having a rear
wire connecting face opposite said front mating face and a terminal
supporting platform extending between said faces, each contact
tongue being matable against the contact tongue of the
complementary connector whereby the contact tongues in each
connector are urged toward respective platforms, said shunt means
comprising two one-piece shunt bars located in tandem relation,
each having a bridge portion extending transversely of all the
contact tongues, and disposed above the free ends thereof, and a
pair of spaced contact lugs extending from each bridge portion
toward respective preselected contact tongues, each shunt bar
engaging a pair of preselected contact tongues when said connector
is in an unmated condition, each of said shunt bars being spaced
from said preselected contact portions when
said connector is in a mated condition. 18. The electrical
connector of claim 17 wherein the contact lugs of each shunt bar
extend toward
alternate contact tongues. 19. The electrical connector according
to claim 17 wherein the contact lugs on each shunt bar are
asymetrically located
along the bridge portion. 20. An electrical connector as in claim
19 wherein the shunt bars are substantially identical, each shunt
bar being
oriented 180.degree. from the other. .Iadd.21. An electrical
connector comprising an insulative terminal housing having a front
mating face and a conductor connecting face, a plurality of
terminals mounted in the housing with conductor connecting portions
adjacent the conductor connecting face, and resilient contact
portions defined by reversely bent portions of the terminals
disposed adjacent to the front mating face, with the reversely bent
portions extending rearwardly to form terminal free ends,
electrical shunt means positioned in the housing between the mating
face and the conductor connecting portions and adjacent to said
free ends, said shunt means comprising at least two shunts wherein
the first shunt commons at least two contact portions leaving at
least one intermediate contact portion bridged and at least one
further contact portion not shunted, and the second shunt commons
the at least one bridged contact portion with the at least one
contact portion not shunted by the first shunt, the first and
second shunts being in shunted relation when said connector is in
an unmated condition, the contact portions being resiliently
deformable from positions engaging the shunt means in an unmated
condition of the connector to positions spaced from the shunt means
in a mated condition of
the connector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The electrical connector of
claim 21 wherein the insulative terminal housing further comprises
a terminal support platform adjacent the front mating face with the
terminals positioned side-by-side along the terminal support
platform, each reversely bent portion forming a contact tongue
spaced from said terminal support platform. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The
electrical connector of claim 21 wherein the shunts include
contacting portions which extend towards respective preselected
contact tongues for engagement therewith in an unmated condition of
the connector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The electrical connector of
claim 23 wherein the shunts are disposed in tandem relation with
the contacting portions spaced to contact alternate contact
tongues, and bridging portions integral with the contacting
portions for bridging over intermediate contact portions. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.25. The electrical connector of claim 21 wherein the shunt
means is stationary relative to the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26.
The electrical connector of claim 21 further comprising conductive
shield means including an upper shield member overlying the
terminals and shunt means, and a lower shield member below and
adjacent to the terminal support platform, the shield means having
contact portions which are matable with complementary contact
portions of the electrical shield means in a complementary
connector.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.27. An electrical connector for mating with a
complementary electrical connector, comprising:
an insulative housing means having a front mating face, a conductor
connecting face, and a terminal supporting means adjacent to the
front mating face of the insulative housing means, the insulative
housing means comprising a base and a cover, and the terminal
supporting means comprising a terminal support platform, the base
having and open upper face, the terminal support platform being
insertable into the open upper face of the base, the cover being
assembled to the base over the terminal support platform;
a plurality of terminals positioned side-by-side on the terminal
supporting means, the terminals having conductor connecting
portions at the conductor connecting face and resilient contact
portions at the front mating face, the resilient contact portions
being intermatable with like contact portions in a complementary
connector; and
electrical shunt means secured in a stationary position relative to
the insulative housing means and positioned adjacent to and
engaging free ends of the contact portions when the connector is
unmated, the free ends being deflectable away from the shunt means
when the connector is mated with the complementary connector.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein
the shunt means is insertable through the open upper face of the
base. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The electrical connector of claim 27
wherein the conductor connecting portions comprise insulation
displacement portions integral with the terminals profiled for
insertion of the conductors through the open upper face of the
base. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A hermaphroditic electrical connector for
interconnecting to a plurality of insulated conductors of a
multiconductor shielded cable, the connector comprising:
an insulative housing means, having a front mating face and a rear
face, and further including a terminal support platform as part of
the front mating face with a cavity above the terminal support
platform being defined by the terminal support platform, two
sidewalls, and an upper wall;
a plurality of electrical terminals positioned side-by-side along
the terminal support platform, the terminals having wire connecting
portions towards the rear face and contact portions reversely bent
at the front mating face to form contact tongues which extend
towards the rear face to a free end remote from the front mating
face for interconnection to like contacts in the matable connector,
each free end including a stepped portion which extends rearwardly
and has a slope relative to the terminal support platform which is
less than the slope relative to the terminal support platform of
the associated contact tongue; and
shunt means, comprising two shunting elements, disposed adjacent to
the stepped portions of the terminals for commoning preselected
terminals, the stepped portions of the electrical terminals of the
electrical connector being resiliently biased against the shunting
elements to common preselected terminals when the electrical
connector is in an unmated position, the electrical connector being
matable with an identical connector when the mating faces of the
connector and the identical connector are facing each other and
rotated 180.degree. relative to each other, the terminal support
platform being insertable into the cavity of the identical
connector causing respective terminals of the electrical connector
and the identical connector to resiliently deform out of
contact
with the shunting elements. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The electrical
connector of claim 30 further comprising an upper shield member
which is disposed beneath the upper wall and above the terminals
and shunt means, and a lower shield member which is disposed below
and adjacent to the terminal support platform. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32.
The electrical connector of claim 31 wherein the upper shield
member includes upper contact portions extending towards the front
mating face and the lower shield portion includes lower contact
portions extending towards the front mating face, and when in a
mated position, the upper contact portions of the connector are
commoned to the lower contact portions of the matable identical
connector, and the lower contact portions of the connector are
commoned to the upper contact portions of the matable identical
connector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The electrical connector of claim 30
wherein the sidewalls have front edges which extend at
substantially 45.degree. from a position adjacent to the front
mating face rearwardly towards the rear face. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34.
The electrical connector of claim 33 wherein the terminal support
platform extends forwardly of the front edges of the sidewalls, the
terminal support platform of the connector being closely toleranced
to fit into the cavity and between the front edges of an identical
connector aligning the respective terminals of the connector and
the identical connector.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.35. A hermaphroditic electrical connector for
interconnecting to a plurality of insulated conductors of a
multiconductor shielded cable, the connector comprising:
an insulative housing means, having a front mating face and a rear
face, and further including a terminal support platform as part of
the front mating face with a cavity above the terminal support
platform being defined by the terminal support platform, two
sidewalls, and an upper wall;
a plurality of electrical terminals side-by-side along the terminal
support platform, the terminals having wire connecting portions
towards the rear face and contact portions defined by reversely
bent portions of the terminals disposed at the front mating face
for interconnection to matable contacts in the matable connector,
and
shunt means, comprising two shunting elements positioned within the
housing means and in tandem relationship relative to a longitudinal
direction of the terminals and disposed adjacent to free ends of
the terminals for commoning preselected terminals, the reversely
bent portions of the electrical terminals of the electrical
connector being resiliently biased against the respective shunting
elements to common preselected terminals when the electrical
connector is in a unmated position, the electrical connector being
matable with an identical connector when the mating faces of the
connector and the identical connector are facing each other and
rotated 180.degree. relative to each other, the terminal support
platform being insertable into the cavity of the identical
connector causing reversely bent portions of respective terminals
of the electrical connector and the identical connector to
resiliently deform out of contact
with the shunt means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. An electrical connector
according to claim 1 wherein the bridge portions of the one-piece
shunt bars span across all of the contact tongues. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.37. An electrical connector according to claim 36 wherein the
terminal housing comprises a terminal support platform profiled for
positioning said terminals in side-by-side registration along said
platform, and a pair of opposed sidewalls upstanding from the
terminal support platform with the terminals mounted between the
two sidewalls, each sidewall including two inwardly facing vertical
slots, forming two opposed pairs of slots for receiving respective
shunt bars. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The electrical connector of claim
30 wherein the two shunting elements are disposed in a parallel,
side-by-side fashion relative to each other, and extend above the
terminal stepped portions, transversely thereto. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.39. The electrical connector of claim 38 wherein the shunting
elements include shunt contacts spaced along the shunting elements
to common the preselected terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. The
electrical connector of claim 39 wherein the shunt contacts of a
first shunting element are spaced to common the stepped portions of
a first pair of alternate contacts with a recessed portion
intermediate the shunt contacts to bridge the stepped portion of a
first intermediate contact in a noncontacting relation. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.41. The electrical connector of claim 40 wherein the shunt
contacts of a second shunting element are spaced to common the
stepped portions of a second pair of alternate contacts with a
recessed portion intermediate the shunt contacts of the second
shunting element to bridge the stepped portion of a second
intermediate contact in a noncontacting relation, the second
intermediate contact being one of the first alternate contacts.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.42. The electrical connector of claim 35 wherein
the free ends of the terminals are formed as stepped portions which
are resiliently biased against the shunting elements, each stepped
portion having a slope which is less than the slope of the
associated contact
tongue. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The electrical connector of claim 42
wherein the two shunting elements overlie the stepped portions in a
spaced apart tandem relation, and in a transverse relation relative
to a longitudinal direction of the terminals, a first and second
shunting element each having shunt contacts extending towards
preselected free ends of the terminals, the shunt contacts in the
first and second shunting elements being laterally staggered such
that when in the unmated condition, each stepped end is aligned
with, and engaged by, only one shunt contact, thereby forming two
sets of commoned terminals. .Iaddend.
Description
The invention relates to an electrical connector, more
particularly, to an electrical connector for use in the data
communications industry.
There is requirement to protect the equipment from which an open
data link-line extends to prevent spurious and potentially damaging
electrical signals being conveyed along the link-line to the
equipment, as a result of misconnection or electrical strays.
Accordingly, it has been proposed to shunt preselected terminals of
an interface connector. A disadvantage of some prior proposals is
that the shunting mechanism must be manually removed prior to
mating of the connector to establish the data link.
In addition, it is important that the resulting construction is
simple and reliable in operation and adapted for manufacture by
mass production techniques.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electrical connector
comprises an insulating housing having a front, mating face and a
rear, wire connecting face, a plurality of terminals mounted in the
housing with wire connecting portions at the wire connecting face
and resilient contact portions at the mating face, electrical shunt
means mounted in the housing aligned with preselected contact
portions, the contact portions being resiliently deformable from
positions engaging the shunt means in a unmated condition of the
connector to positions spaced from the shunt means in a mated
condition of the connector by mating engagement with a
complementary connector. Any need for manipulation of the shunt
means prior to mating is thereby avoided.
Preferably, the shunt means comprises a one-piece shunt bar having
a bridge portion extending transversely of the contact portions
which are formed as tongues, a plurality of mutually spaced contact
lugs extending transversely of the bridge portion towards
respective preselected contact tongues for engagement therewith in
an unmated condition of the connector.
Accordingly, only, spaced preselected terminals need to be shunted,
with intermediate terminals being bridged.
More specifically, the contact lugs are asymmetrically located
along the bridge portion, and an additional, similar, shunt bar
located in tandem relation to and oriented at 180.degree. with the
first mentioned shunt bar, the arrangement being such that
alternate contact tongues are aligned with respective contact lugs
on respective shunt bars.
Coding means may be provided on the shunt bars to ensure that
receipt of the shunt bars in the housing in only one predetermined
orientation or combination of orientations is possible.
Preferably, the contact tongues are reversely bent with rearwardly
extending free ends aligned with the respective contact lugs.
As the tongues pivot about the axis of their fold line during
mating engagement, the displacement of the ends away from the
contact lugs of the shunt bar is advantageously greater than the
displacement of their contact portions.
An example of a connector according to the invention, will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector with orthogonal cable
lead out;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector with axial cable lead
out;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the connector;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 of
a pair of similar connectors aligned for mating;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connector pair of FIG. 4
after mating;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a terminal housing
of the connector in greater detail;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal housing taken
along line 7--7 of FIG. 3; and,
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bush for use with the
connector.
Each connector is of identical hemaphroditic construction and as
shown particularly in FIG. 3, comprise a bipartite cover 10 having
upper and lower cover parts 11 and 12, respectively, of insulating
plastics material, upper and lower cable clamping ground shields 13
and 14 respectively, a housing 15 for terminals 16 and a wire
stuffer 17. A rear cap 18 is provided for attachment to the cover
where axial cable lead out is not required.
As shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 6, the upper and lower cover
parts 11 and 12 are each moulded in one piece of plastics material
and comprise box-like constructions open at a front having
respectively, base walls 21 and 22, pairs of opposite side walls 23
and 24 and rear walls 25 and 26. The covers are integrally formed
with latching arms 27 and 28, respectively joined to the exterior
of the side walls intermediate front and rear ends by web hinges 29
and 30 (as shown particularly in FIG. 5). Panel mounting ribs 31
and 32 defining rearwardly facing shoulders 33 and 34 and having
canted, forwardly facing surfaces extend transversely across the
arms adjacent front, mating ends which are formed with
complementary latches comprising a T-slot 36 in one arm 27 for
receiving a T-bar 37 in the other arm 28 having, respectively,
canted lead-in surfaces 39 and 40. The side walls of the upper
cover part 11 are rebated towards a front end to provide a terminal
housing, receiving recess 41. A transverse sheild-locating rib 42
extends across the cover interior in parallel relation to a
locating lip 42 stepped back from the front end.
The side walls 24 of the lower cover part 12 are also rebated
towards a front end to provide a terminal housing receiving recess
44 and a pair of terminal housing locating studs 45 upstand from
the base wall 22 adjacent the front end. Frangible portions 46 are
provided in the side walls of both upper and lower cover parts to
permit optional cable lead out directions. Cable receiving recesses
49 and 51 are provided in both rear walls to permit axial cable
lead out. Cap 18 has a locating boss 53 with a peripheral groove 54
receiving the lips of the recesses 49 and 51 when axial lead out is
not desired.
The upper shield 13 is stamped and formed from a single piece of
sheet metal and comprises a base panel 61 from opposite sides of
which depend flanges 62 having latching apertures 63 on each side
of a cable receiving recess 64. A braid contacting tab 65 depends
from a rear of the panel and forwardly extending portion 66 is
stepped and extends to a bifurcated contact portion having contact
tabs with enlarged, upturned contact surfaces 67 at their front
ends.
The lower shield 14 is also stamped and formed from one piece of
sheet metal stock and comprises flanges 69, 70 that upstand from
the opposite sides and the rear of a base panel 71, cable receiving
apertures 73 and 74 being provided in such flange and being defined
by inturned cable gripping lips 75 on respective opposite sides of
each aperture. Braid connecting tabs 76 are pushed out of the base
panel adjacent each aperture. Latching detents 77 are provided on
the flanges for receipt in the latching apertures 63 where the
upper shield is applied to the lower shield. A forwardly extending
portion of the base panel is provided with a pair of stud receiving
apertures 78 and the front of the base panel is bifurcated and
stepped to provide contact surfaces 79 for establishing electrical
connection with the contact surfaces 67 of the shield of a mating
connector half, as shown in FIG. 5.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the terminal housing 15 is moulded in
one piece of plastics material and comprises a foot 80 supporting a
terminal supporting platform 82 extending between forward, mating
and rear, wire connecting faces of the housing. A series of
parallel channels 83 extend forwardly across the terminal
supporting platform 82 from the wire connecting face defining
between them undercut terminal supporting ribs 84. Parallel locking
grooves 87 extend rearwardly in alignment with the ribs from the
front of the platform. Side walls 88 and 89 upstand from respective
opposite side edges of the terminal supporting platform and are
bridged at a front end by a hood 91. The side walls have canted
leading edges 92 extending from locations adjacent the platform 82
to locations adjacent the front end of the hood. Pairs of aligned
downwardly extending slots 93 and 95, 94 and 96 are formed in the
side walls adjacent the hood, slots 94 and 95 being less extensive
than aligned slots 93 and 96. Slots 97 and 98 are also formed
across the ribs 84 in alignment with the respective slots in the
side walls.
Adjacent the rear of the housing 15, longitudinally extending
portions of the side walls are formed with vertical locating ribs
99, 101 and laterally extending side wall portions 90, 90' define
forwardly facing mounting shoulders 105, 105' for abutment with the
edges of a panel aperture. Vertically extending guide channels 102
and 103 are located in each side wall intermediate the ribs 99, 101
and the front of the terminal platform 82.
Each terminal 16 is stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet
metal stock and comprises an upstanding slotted wire-receiving
barrel 106 portion similar to that described in our U.S. Pat. No.
3,860,318 connected by a neck to a body portion 107 from a front
end of which extends a reversely bent contact tongue 108 formed
with a step 109 at a free end. A locking lance 110 is pushed out
from the body portion 107 and locking ears 111 upstand from
respective opposite edges of the body portion. The terminals are
assembled with the housing 15 by insertion from the rear until
their locking lances resile into the locking slots 87 when the side
edges of the body portion 107 will be located in the undercut areas
under adjacent rear surfaces of the adjacent barrier walls 86,
preventing further movement of the terminals in any direction. The
contact tongues 108 will then be exposed at the mating face.
Identical shunting bars 113, 113' are stamped from single pieces of
sheet metal with spaced apertures 114, 114' and 115, 115' defining
between them contact lugs 116, 116' and 117, 117' extending from a
bridge portion. Tabs 118, 118' extend from an end of each shunting
bar. The shunting bars 113, 113' are located in respective aligned
slots 93, 95, 97 and 94, 96, 98, mutually orientated at 180.degree.
so that tabs 118, 118' are received in the shorter slots 95, 94
respectively. It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 7, the
apertures 114, 115 of one shunting bar 113 are aligned with the
contact lugs 116', 117' of the other bar 113' because of the
asymmetric location of the apertures with the result that the
contact lugs 116, 117 engage stepped ends 109 and shunt the first
and third terminals and contact lugs 116', 117' engage stepped ends
of the second or fourth terminals.
The stuffer 17 is moulded in one piece of stiffly flexible plastics
material with a series of internal partition walls 123 defining
wire receiving passageways extending between outer and inner wire
gripping lip pairs 121 and 124 to a cylindrical barrel receiving
portion having a cylindrical wire engaging projection 125 similar
to that described in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,984. Vertical guiding
ribs 126 extend on respective opposite ends.
In assembling the connector, the terminals 16 are inserted into the
housing 15 as described above and the shunting bars 113, 113' are
then inserted into the slots to shunt desired alternate
terminals.
A hinged bush 127 is applied to a stripped shielded cable 128 in
which shielding braid 129 has been reversely bent to extend
rearwardly across a waisted supporting ferrule to clamp the braid
and the individual insulated cable wires located in the stuffer
passageways shown in FIG. 3. The stuffer is then urged downwardly
guided by the cooperation of the ribs 126 and the grooves 102, 103
simultaneously into the wire receiving slots of the barrel
portions.
The lower ground shield 14 may be heat staked or otherwise secured
in the cover part 12 with the studs 45 registering within apertures
78. The terminal housing 15 terminating the wires is then assembled
with the lower ground shield, the exposed braid portion being urged
between the resilient lips 75 supported by the ferrule to establish
electrical contact with the cable shield and ground. A tab 76 also
engages the braid. The upper ground shield 13 is then applied to
the housing 15 with the contact surfaces 67 inserted under the hood
91 on opposite sides of an axial rib and to the lower ground shield
14 so that the latching detents 77 are received in apertures 63
when the tab 55 will also engage the cable (with axial lead out) or
the lips of a cable receiving recess 64.
The upper cover 11 is then applied to the terminal housing 15 and
to the lower cover 12 (with the rear cap 18 omitted where axial
lead out is desired) the locating ribs 99, 101 on the terminal
housing cooperating with the grooved lugs 47.
On inserting the connector in a panel aperture, the shoulders 33 of
the mounting ribs 31 snap behind the edges of the panel aperture on
the other side of the panel preventing withdrawal while the
shoulders 105, 105' abut the edges on the rear side preventing over
insertion. An identical connector rotated through 180.degree. is
mated with the mounted connector by the T-bar being received in the
T-slot providing a remarkably stable structure. On mating, the
contact tongues 108 of the two connectors interengage depressing
the stepped ends 109 out of engagement with the contact lugs 116,
116', 117, 117' of the shunting bars 113, 113' and the contact
surfaces 79 and 67 of respective shields 13, 14 engage so that the
ground shields substantially completely surround the exposed wires
and the contacts irrespective of cable lead out direction providing
braid-to-braid shielding.
The connector assembly is relatively inexpensive to manufacture in
relation to its versatility and reliability of operation providing
both reliable electrical characteristics and mechanical mating and
mounting characteristics.
* * * * *