Abstract:
A wire-formed multiple terminal solderless connector element is presented. The connector element is comprised of plural loops which are in part defined by straight parallel side sections. The straight side sections of adjacent loops are in abutting contact and adjacent loops are interconnected by base portions which include nonparallel extensions of the straight side sections. The wire conductor receiving portions of the straight side sections have incorporated therein novel installation cutting edges to facilitate insulation removal and insure electrical contact.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 271,603 filed June 8, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,466. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of solderless, electrical connectors. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a solderless, multiple terminal connector comprising a single length of wire formed into a series of abutting loops, having incorporated therein a novel installation cutting case to facilitate insulation removal and insure electrical contact. 
     (2) Description of the Prior Art 
     In many applications, particularly in the telephone art, it is necessary to make multiple interconnections between small diameter insulated conductors in confined places where the use of screw type terminal strips or similar connecting devices is undesirable and/or impractical. In addition, it is often difficult to remove insulation from such small conductors without materially damaging the conductor. Similarly, it is difficult to hold such small conductors in place while the connector components are manipulated to perfect fastening. The desirable features of known solderless connectors, which are directed to overcoming these problems, are offset by the number and the sizes of the components usually found in such connectors. A further deficiency of known solderless connectors resides in the alternative difficulty of tinning the contact surfaces, in the interest of insuring good electrical contact, without materially inhibiting the ability of the connector to penetrate the insulation covering the conductor. 
     Heretofore known methods of forming solderless connector structures from round wire stock overcome the above-mentioned difficulties but are generally unacceptable in applications such as those regularly encountered in the telephone art where high connector to conductor interfacial contact pressures are essential in order to perfect a noiseless connection. One type of solderless multiple terminal electrical connector, which was an improvement over the prior art clip type connectors, is disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,913. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the above briefly discussed deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a novel and improved terminal defining element for use in a solderless connector. A terminal element in accordance with the present invention is formed from a length of round conductive wire stock and has a plurality of adjacent interconnected loops. These loops are, in part, defined by straight side sections which are parallel. Straight side sections of adjacent loops are in abutting relationship. In accordance with the present invention, the entrance or receiving portion of the straight side sections have incorporated therein a pair of cooperating cutting or stripping edges which are to facilitate insulation removal during wire conductor installation and insure electrical contact. The adjacent loops are interconnected by base portions which include arcuate, preferably semi-circular, sections which join nonparallel extensions of straight side sections of adjacent loops. The terminal defining elements are formed such that the level at which the loop side sections depart from parallelism to define the loop-to-loop interconnections is at or below the stop which determines the limit of conductor insertion in a connector in which the terminal element is to be used. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several FIGURES, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a solderless multiple connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the connector in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3A is a sectional view along the line 3A--3A in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3B is a sectional view along the line 3B--3B in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a mounting block useful for housing the connector of FIG. 1, with portions of the block and connector shown in phantom. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 a portion of a solderless multiple connector in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at 10. Connector 10 is comprised of a discrete number of connector loops 12. Connector loops 12 are generally tear shaped and have two straight side sections 14 which are parallel. The discrete loops 12 of connector 10 are interconnected by base loops 16. The straight parallel side section 12 has a straight nonparallel extension 26 with interconnecting arcuate sections forming the base loops 16, with the length of each nonparallel extension being greater than the radius of the interconnecting arcuate sections. The connector 10 is formed from a continuous filament of round, electrically conductive wire stock. The complete connector 10 is shaped so that the straight side sections 14 of adjacent connector loops 12 are in contact throughout their entire length. As seen in FIG. 1, the length of the parallel side sections 14 is preferably half the distance, A, between parallel lines which extend through the centers of the connector loops 14 and the interconnecting base loops 16. 
     The straight side sections 14 of adjacent loops 12 define individual connecting sites for wire conductors. At the entrance or receiving portion 13 of each individual connecting site is a novel pair of installation cutting or stripping edges 15. As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, these cutting edges 15 are integrally incorporated into the straight side sections 14. Each individual cutting edge 15 is preferably comprised of two blade sections 17 which converge to a common edge line 19 and are joined by an arcuate portion 21. These blade sections 17 are positioned only in the receiving portion 13. Both above and below the blade sections 17, the continuous connector retains its round cross-sectional shape (see FIG. 3B). As discussed, two sets of blade sections 17 with their edge lines 19 in an abutting relationship, form each pair of cutting or stripping edges 15. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, the connector 10 of the present invention will typically be placed within a connector block 18. Block 18 is configured so as to retain the shape of the individual connector loops 12. An example of a connector block 18 suitable for use with the present invention is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,880 assigned to the assignee hereof and which is incorporated by reference herein. As fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,880, block 18 is provided with slots for receiving discrete lengths of connectors 10 and has a snap-on retainer 20 which secures plural connectors 10 within the block 18. Block 18 is further provided with an internal floor or surface 22. Portions of the connectors 10 extend above floor 22. This arrangement allows wires such as the insulated conductors 24 to be inserted between the two adjacent side sections 14 of a pair of loops 12. 
     In order to assure electrical contact between the side sections 14 and the wire conductors 24, it is preferable that floor 22 of block 18 be located at or slightly above the level where the side sections of the loops 12 of the connectors deviate from parallelism to define the base loops 16. This assures that when a conductor is inserted into the receiving portion 13 of connector 10 it will lie within the cutting edges 15 of two initially straight and parallel abutting side sections 14. If it is desired to position two electrical conductors between one pair of abutting side sections 14 then it is permissible to vary the position of floor 22, i.e., the distance A/2,±30% from the mid-point between the centers of the opposite loops 12 and 16. This will be accomplished by varying the slope of the nonparallel side walls 26 of the loops. 
     In addition to the requirement that the parallel abutting straight side sections 14 of each adjacent pair of loops extend to or below the point to which a conductor may be inserted, adjacent base loops 16 should also preferably have points of contact. These points of contact, and the prevention of overlapping or other significant lateral movement of loops 12 which results from the configuration of block 18, causes the straight sections 14 to function as end supported beams which can bend to accept an inserted conductor or conductors. The foregoing, in turn, results in the application of an insulation shearing force to an inserted conductor which is initially high and which decreases in the direction of insertion. Accordingly, the connector will remove the insulation but will not produce cold working of the conductor of an inserted wire. This removal of insulation is enhanced by the incorporation of the previously described novel cutting or stripping edges 15 which act to facilitate insulation removal during wire conductor installation. Thus, electrical contact is insured between an insulated wire conductor and the connector 10 which has been inserted through the cutting edges of the present invention. 
     While the preferred embodiment have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.