CONNECTOR WITH COMPRESSIBLE INSULATIVE BODY

Abstract: A connector (1) comprises contacts (5, 6; 5, 6) slidably received within passages (40, 40) and cavities (44, 44; 49,49) within an insulative body (3), the assembly of which is further received within a shell (2). Upon assembly of the insulative body (3) and shell (2), the insulative body (3) is compressed about the contacts securing the insulative body (3) and the con­ tacts (5, 6; 5, 6) within the shell (2).

Description: The invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and, more particularly, to an electrical connector assembly with electrical contacts retained within a passage of an insulative body. A known electrical connector assembly is disclosed in US-A-4,666,231 as having a rigid shell enclosing an insulative body, a passage extending along the insulative body and conductive electrical contacts. Portions of the contacts that project from the cavities are bent transversely of their lengths to register within recesses that intersect the cavities, thereby to resist sliding movement of the contacts. A disadvantage associated with assembly of the contacts is that sliding movement of the assembled parts must be resisted by bending the contacts after insertion of the contacts. The present invention consists in an electrical connector assembly comprising a rigid shell encircling an insulative body, a passage extending along said insulative body, conductive electrical contacts extending along the passage, and electrical contact portions and electrical terminal portions on the electrical contacts, characterized in that the insulative body is made from a compressible material, cavities in an end portion of the insulative body extend axially along the passage and extend across the width of the passage, base portions of the contacts in the end portion of the insulative body extend axially along corresponding cavities and extend across the width of the passage, the insulative body is compressed by the encircling shell, the width of the passage extending along the insulative body is constricted by compression of the insulative body, and the cavities are constricted and thereby closed against the base portions of the contacts to resist withdrawal of the base portions from the cavities. An advantage of the invention is that the electrical contacts can be assembled with a sliding fit within the cavities of the insulative body, and assembly of the body in the rigid shell retains the contacts in the cavities and retains the body within the shell without reliance upon a pin or reliance upon bending the contacts after insertion in the cavities. The compressible insulative body may be retained with a wedge fit in the rigid shell and with a compression fit between the shell and lateral edges along thickness planes of corresponding electrical contacts that have been assembled with a sliding fit within cavities of the body. The body is compressed between the shell and edges of the contacts to resist movement of the body with respect to the shell, and the cavities are closed against the edges of the contacts to resist movement of the edges with respect to the body. A contact portion of one of the electrical contacts may extend outwardly from a corresponding base portion of the contact and be curved back along itself in a direction toward the base portion and into engagement with another contact portion of the corresponding electrical contact, an interior wall of the insulative body being arranged to bias the curved back contact portion in compression against the other contact portion. Another advantage of the invention resides in the ease of assembly of the parts and the retention of the parts in assembled configuration without a requirement for an operation to be performed on either the insulative body or the contacts subsequent to insertion of the contacts in the body and insertion of the body in the shell. In order that the invention may be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly with parts shown exploded. Figure 1A is an enlarged perspective view of a contact of the connector assembly. Figure 1B is an enlarged perspective view of another contact of the connector assembly. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the connector assembly shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an elevational view of a part of the connector assembly shown in Figure 1 with parts shown exploded and with parts shown in section. Figure 4 is an elevational view of the connector assembly shown in Figure 1 and with parts shown partially assembled. Figure 4A is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the connector shown in Figure 1. Figure 4B is a sectional view taken along the line 4B-4B of Figure 6. Figure 5 is a sectional view of the connector assembly shown in Figure 1 assembled, and with a mating connector assembly shown with parts cut away and in section. Figure 5A is a view similar to Figure 5, illustrating the connector assemblies shown in Figure 5 mated together. Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 4. Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5. Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged sectional views taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 7, with Figure 8 illustrating the parts partially assembled, and with Figure 9 illustrating the parts fully assembled. Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 5 of another embodiment of an electrical connector assembly and mating connector assembly as shown in Figure 5. Figure 10A is a view similar to Figure 10 of the connector assemblies shown in Figure 10 mated together. With reference to Figures 1-5 a connector assembly 1 is illustrated by way of example, and includes, a rigid external shell 2 that is conductive, an insulative body 3 assembled in the shell 2, a first pair 4 of conductive electrical contacts 5,6 and a second pair 4 of conductive electrical contacts 5,6 assembled in the body 3. An insulative tray 7 supports the shell 2 and the contacts 5,6, 5,6 and becomes a part of the connector assembly 1 when mounted thereto. As shown in Figure 1B, the contact 5,5 of each corresponding pair 4,4 of contacts 5,6, 5,6 is an elongated and unitary strip of metal, and includes a planar base 8, an elongated contact portion 9 and an elongated electrical terminal 10. Raised bulges 11,11 are formed in the thickness plane of the base 8. The bulges 11,11 are axially aligned in series along the lateral side edges 12,12 of the base. The terminal 10 extends from the base 8 rearwardly, meaning in a direction toward a rear of the contact 5. The terminal 10 is formed with a bend 13 to extend at an angle to the plane of the base 8. The terminal 10 also may extend without the bend 13 if desired. A means comprising a raised rib 14 extends along the length of the terminal 10 and extends partially along the base 8 for resisting undesired bending of the terminal 10 and base 8. The rib 14 is formed by a bulge in the thickness plane of the terminal 10 and the base 8. An enlarged circumference section 15 of the terminal 10 is provided by a channel cross section of the terminal 10. The contact portion 9 extends from the base 8 forwardly, meaning in a direction toward a front of the contact 5, and outwardly of the plane of the base 8, and is curved back on itself, at a curved back portion 16 and extends rearwardly and toward the other contact 6 of the corresponding pair 4 of contacts 5,6. The contact portion 9 is provided with a first bend 17, adjacent to the base 8 and a second bend 18 spaced along the contact from the first bend 17 and spaced from the curved back portion 16. The contact portion 9 is sloped from the first bend 17 at a first oblique angle with respect to the base 8. The contact portion 9 is sloped from the second bend 18 at a second oblique angle of less slope. The contact portion 9 is an elongated and resilient leaf spring. The side edges 12,12 are in the plane of thickness of the base 8 and extend axially along the base 8. A width of the base 8 from side edge 12 to side edge 12 is larger than the width of the terminal 10 or the width of the contact portion 9. Forwardly facing shoulders 19,19 are on a front end of the base 8. Projecting barbs 20,20 extend laterally from the corresponding side edges 12,12 of the base 8 and are in the thickness plane of the base 8. As shown in Figure 1A, the other contact 6 of each corresponding pair 4,4 of contacts 5,6, 5,6 is an elongated and unitary strip of metal and includes a planar base 21, a contact portion 22 and an electrical terminal 23. The terminal 23 extends from the base 21 rearwardly. The terminal 23 is formed with a bend 24 to extend at an angle to the plane of the base 21. The terminal 23 also may extend without the bend if desired. The tray 7 is not assembled if the terminals 23,23 and 10,10 extend without the corresponding bends. A means in the form of a raised rib 25 extends along the length of the terminal 23 and extends partially along the base 21 for resisting undesired bending of the terminal 23 and the base 21. The rib 25 is formed by a bulge in the thickness plane of the terminal 23 and the base 21. An enlarged circumference 26 of the terminal 23 is provided by a channel shaped cross section of the terminal 23. The contact portion 22 extends from the base 21 forwardly. A means in the form of a raised rib 27 extends along the length of the contact portion 22 for resisting undesired bending of the contact portion 22. The rib 27 is formed by a bulge in the thickness plane of the contact portion 22. Raised bulges 28,28 are formed in the thickness plane of the base 21, and are axially aligned in series along the lateral edges 29,29 of the base. Additional raised bulges 28,28 are formed in the thickness plane of the contact portion 22. The bulges 28,28 are along the lateral side edges 30,30 of the contact portion 21. Side edges 29,29 in the plane of thickness of the base 21 extend axially along the base 21. A width of the base 21 from side edge 29 to side edge 29 is larger than the width of the terminal 23 and the width of the contact portion 22. Forwardly facing shoulders 31,31 are on a front end of the base. Projecting barbs 32,32 extend laterally from the corresponding side edges 29,29 of the base 21 and are in the thickness plane of the base 21. Additional projecting barbs 33,33 extend laterally from the side edges 30,30 of the contact portion 22 and are in the thickness plane of the contact portion 22. As shown in the Figure 2, the body 3 is fabricated by moulding a resiliently compressible and insulative material. The body 3 has a stepped cylindrical exterior defining an enlarged diameter rearward end portion 34, a forwardly facing external shoulder 35 at a front end of the rearward end portion 34 and a smaller diameter forward end portion 36. An exterior flat surface 37 extends axially and intersects the cylindrical exterior. An axially extending keyway 38 in the exterior of the body 3 is laterally across from the flat surface 37. The keyway 38 communicates with a front end 39 of the body 3. As shown in Figures 3-7 a pair of passages 40,40 communicate with rear end 41 of the body 3 and extend axially of the body 3 toward the front end 39 of the body 3. One of a pair of slender and axially extending openings 42,42 in the front end 39 of the body 3 communicates with a corresponding passage 40,40. Each opening 42 extends along a ledge 43 that is laterally adjacent the opening 42. The ledge 43 is part of the front end 39 of the body 3 and extends axially into the corresponding passage 40. As shown in Figures 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9, each passage 40,40 intersects a corresponding first cavity 44,44 that communicates with the rear end 41 of the body. Each cavity 44 has a height extending between an axially extending top wall 45 and an axially extending planar bottom wall 46 opposite the top wall 45. Each cavity 44 has spaced apart opposite sides 47,47 and has a width extending between the opposite sides 47,47 . As shown in Figure 4B, a relatively wide, base receiving portion 48 of the cavity 44 extends axially forwardly of the rearward end portion 34 of the body 3. The width of the cavity 44 along the base receiving portion 48 is greater than the width of the base 8 of a corresponding contact 5, and is less than a combined width determined by the widths of the barbs 20,20 added to the width of the base 8. As shown in Figure 6, the height of the cavity 44 along the base receiving portion 48 is greater than the thickness of the base 8, and is less than a combined height determined by the height of each individual bulge 11,11 added to the thickness of the base 8. Each contact 5 is assembled with a sliding fit into a corresponding cavity 44. During sliding fit assembly, the bulges 11,11 engage the top wall 45 of the cavity 44 and urge the base 8 against the bottom wall 46 of the cavity 44, for supporting the contact 5 and for guiding the contact 5 into the cavity 44 and corresponding passage 40. Resistance to sliding movement is reduced, because clearances are defined between the sides 47,47 of the cavity 44 and the side edges 12,12 of the base 8 of the contact 5, and because relatively small depressions are made in the body 3 where the bulges 11,11 and the barbs 20,20 compress against and resiliently deform the body 3. As shown in Figure 3, each passage 40,40 intersects a corresponding second cavity 49,49 that is in the rear end 41 of the body 3. Each second cavity 49,49 has a height extending between an axially extending top wall 50 and an axially extending planar bottom wall 51 opposite the top wall 50. As shown in Figure 6, each second cavity 49 has spaced apart opposite sides 52,52 and has a width extending between the opposite sides 52,52. As shown in Figure 4 B, a relatively wide, base receiving portion 53 of the cavity extends axially forwardly of the rearward end portion 34 of the body 3. The width of the cavity 49 along the base receiving portion 53 is greater than the width of the base 21 of a corresponding second contact 6, and is less than a combined width determined by the widths of the barbs 32,32 added to the width of the base 21. As shown in Figure 6, the height of the cavity 49 along the base receiving portion 53 is greater than the thickness of the base 21, and is less than a combined height determined by the height of each individual bulge 28,28 added to the thickness of the base 21. As shown in Figures 4B and 3, a contact receiving portion 54 of each second cavity 49 extends forwardly of the base receiving portion 53, and extends as an undercut 55 of the ledge 43. The width of the contact receiving portion 54 is less than the width of the base receiving portion 53. The width of the contact receiving portion 54 is greater than the width of a corresponding contact portion 22 of a contact 6, and is less than a combined width determined by the widths of the barbs 32,32 added to the width of the contact portion 22. The height of the second cavity 49 along the contact receiving portion 54 is greater than the thickness of the contact portion 22, and is less than the combined height determined by the height of each individual bulge 28,28 added to the thickness of the contact portion 22. Each contact 6 is assembled with a sliding fit into a corresponding second cavity 49. The contact portion 22 of each contact extends along the forward end of the passage 40. During sliding fit assembly, the bulges 28,28 engage the top wall 50 of the second cavity 49 and urge the contact portion 22 and the base 21 against the bottom wall 51 of the second cavity 49, for supporting the contact 6 and for guiding the contact portion 22 into the undercut 54. Resistance to sliding movement is reduced, because clearances are defined between the sides 52,52 of the second cavity 49 and the corresponding side edges 29,29, 30,30 of the base 21 and of the contact portion 22, and because relatively small depressions are made in the body 3 where the bulges 28,28 and the barbs 32,32 compress against and resiliently deform the body 3. Following assembly of the second contact 6, the first contact 5 is assembled into a corresponding cavity 44 and corresponding passage 40. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first contact 5 has its contact portion 9 with a height greater initially than the distance between the planar second contact 6 and a top wall 56 of the passage 40. The top wall 56 engages and resiliently deflects the contact portion 9 toward and into compressive engagement with the contact portion 22 of the second contact 6. The curved back portion 16 is resiliently pivoted toward the contact portion 22, and is partially bent further to a smaller radius of curvature, to produce a resilient spring force against the contact portion 22 of the second contact 6. The stress resulting from deflection is distributed along the contact portion 9, due to the length and the shape of the contact portion 9. The contact portion 9 will bow arcuately along its length to distribute the internal stress along the length of the contact portion 9. The sliding fit between the body 3 and the contacts 5,5, 6,6 is an advantage for enabling ease of assembly. The sliding fit becomes a disadvantage because the contacts 5,5, 6,6 would be easily dislodged from their desired positions in the connector assembly 1. As explained below, the disadvantage is overcome by compressing the body 3 and closing the sides 47,47, 52,52 of the cavities 44,49 against corresponding side edges 12,12, 29,29 of the base portions 8,21. As shown in Figures 4 and 4A the shell 2 has a body receiving cavity 57 extending from an open rear end 58 of the shell 3 to an open front end 59 of the shell 3. An interior projecting key 60 extends axially of and is on a front end portion 61 of the shell across the interior from an axially extending flat interior surface 62 of the shell 3. The key 60 mates with the keyway 38, and the flat surfaces 62,37 engage each other to align the compressible body 3 and the shell 2. The cavity 57 has a cross section that is stepped to provide a rearward facing interior wall 63 within the cavity 57. A rear end portion 64 of the shell 2 extends from the rear end 58 forwardly to the wall 63 and meets the front end portion 61. The cavity 57 within the rear end portion 64 has a cross section with a shape similar to that of the body 3. The cross section is of less cross sectional area than the cross section of the rear end portion 34 of the body 3. As shown in Figure 8, as the body 3 and the contacts 5,5, 6,6 that previously were assembled to the body 3 are inserted in the rear end 58 of the shell 2, the end portion 34 of the insulative body 3 is encircled by the rear end portion 64 of the encircling shell 2. The insulative body 3 is frustoconical by being tapered externally from the rear end 41 and axially to the shoulder 35. The interior of the rear end portion 64 of the shell 2 and the rear end portion 34 of the insulative body 3 are complementary tapered. Thereby the body 3 enters the shell 2 without having to traverse through a constriction at the rear end 58 of the shell. When the body 3 is nearly fully inserted, compression, applied by the rear end portion 64 of the shell 2, is distributed over the surface of the rear end portion 34 of the insulative body 3. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the base receiving portions 48,48, 53,53 of the insulative body 3 are closed against the base portions 8,8, 21,21 of the contacts 5,5, 6,6 to resist movement or withdrawal of the base portions 8,8, 21,21 from the cavities 44,44, 49,49. The sides 47,47, 52,52 of the corresponding cavities 44,49 are compressed against the side edges 12,12, 29,29 of the corresponding base portions 8,21. The base portions 8,21 resist deformation, because compressive forces are applied along the thickness planes of the respective base portions 8,21. The barbs 20,20, 32,32 in the thickness planes penetrate into the body 3 to resist withdrawal or movement of the base portions 8,21. The body 3 is compressed between the base portions 8,21 and the interior of the end portion 64 of the shell 2. Thereby, withdrawal of the body 3 from the shell 2 is resisted. The body 3 is resiliently deformed inwardly and radially. As shown in Figure 7, in response to deformation, portions of the body 3 are displaced into the cavities 44,49, for example, into the clearances between the bulges 11,11, 28,28. This allows the cavities 44,49 to collapse partially and grip the base portions 8,21. Forwardly of the shoulder 35, the forward end portion 36 of the body 3 fits within the interior portion 61 of the shell 2 with a sliding fit, rather than a more constrictive, compression fit. Within the forward end portion 36 of the body 3, forward ends of the passages 40,40 are less constricted than are the cavities 44,49. The contact portion 9 of the contact 5 is unconstricted and has freedom to move in the passage 40 toward and away from the contact portion 22 of the second contact 6. The tray 7 has a base portion 65 supporting the shell 2. The base portion 65 has apertures 66,66 in alignment with corresponding apertures 67,67 in legs 68,68 of the shell 2. Corresponding aligned apertures 66,67 receive a fastener, not shown. An insulative fin 69 separates one pair 4 of contacts from the other pair 4. Passages 70,70, 70,70 through the tray 7 receive corresponding widened sections 15,15, 26,26 of the terminals 10,10, 23,23 with a corresponding compression fit. The channel shapes of the terminals 10,10, 23,23 are partially inwardly deflected and are held in that condition by the corresponding passages 70,70, 70,70. As shown in Figure 5, each ledge 43 extends between a corresponding opening 42 and an end of a corresponding contact portion 22, and between the end of the contact portion 22 and the curved back portion 16 of the contact 5. A complementary connector 71 for mating with the connector assembly 1 has a conductive shell 72 that telescopes within and engages the shell 2 to establish an electrical connection, an internally threaded coupling fastener 73 for threaded connection to the externally threaded shell 2, an insulative body 74 within the shell and a pair of electrically conductive contacts 75,75, one of which is shown supported in the body 74. Each corresponding contact 75 is a conductive pin that extends through the opening 42 and is supported along and against the ledge 43. The pin 75 deflects the contact portion 9 away from the corresponding contact portion 22 and establishes an electrical connection with the contact portion 9 and not with the contact portion 22. For example, the contact portions 9,22 engage each other and are connected electrically to each other in the absence of the pin 75 of the complementary connector 71. When the connector assembly 1 and complementary connector 71 are mated together, the electrical connection of the contact portions 9,22 is interrupted, and another electrical connection is established between the pin 75 and the contact portion 9. The pin will deflect the contact portion 9, and the contact portion will bow further, to distribute internal stresses along the length from the base to the end 76. The contact portion 9 extends slightly bowed between the curved back portion 16 and an end 76 of the contact portion 9. As shown in Figures, 10 and 10A the contact portion 9 may be bent at a location 79 between the curved back portion 16 and the end 76 of the contact portion 9, thereby to extend toward the other contact portion 22 at a first acute angle with respect to the axis of the opening, and at a second angle that is greater than the first angle. The first acute angle is less than the angle of the contact portion 9 that extends between the curved back portion 16 and the end 17 of the contact portion 9. By lessening the angle of the contact portion 9 with respect to the axis of the opening 42, the amount of deflection of the contact portion 9 is lessened. Thereby, the amount of force which resists insertion of the pin 75 into the opening 42 is reduced, and also the amount of internal stress of the contact portion 9 is reduced. As shown in Figures 4, 6 and 7, each cavity 49 intersects a resistor receiving recess 78 that communicates with the end 41 of the body 3 and extends forwardly. A resistor 79 having an electrical lead 81 soldered to the base 21 of the contact 6 is inserted into a corresponding recess 78 during assembly of the contact 6 and the body 3. Another electrical lead 82 of the resistor 79 is assembled with a corresponding recess 83 in the end 58 of the shell 2 and is connected by solder. An empty recess 78 is shown in Figure 3 because the assembly 1 does not require a resistor 79 to practice the invention.

Claims: An electrical connector assembly (1) comprising, a rigid shell (2) encircling an insulative body (3), a passage (40) extending along said insulative body, conductive electrical contacts (5,6) extending along the passage (40), and electrical contact portions (9,22) and electrical terminal portions (10,23) on the electrical contacts (5, 6) characterized in that; the insulative body (3) is made from a compressible material, cavities (44,49) in an end portion of the insulative body (3) extend axially along the passage (40) and extend across the width of the passage (40), base portions (8,21) of the contacts (5,6) in the end portion of the insulative body (3) extend axially along corresponding cavities (44,49) and extend across the width of the passage (40), the insulative body (3) is compressed by the encircling shell (2), the width of the passage (40) extending along the insulative body (3) is constricted by compression of the insulative body (3), and the cavities (44,49) are constricted and thereby closed against the base portions (8,21) of the contacts (5,6) to resist withdrawal of the base portions (8,21) from the cavities (44,49). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 1, characterized in that the terminal portions (10,23) of the contacts (5,6) extend outwardly from the end portion of the insulative body (3) and outwardly from the shell (2). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a contact portion (9) is resilient and extends outwardly from a corresponding base portion (8) and is curved back along itself, in a direction toward the corresponding base portion (8) and into engagement with another contact portion (22) of a contact (6), and an interior wall (56) of the passage (40) biases the curved back contact portion (9) in compression against said other contact portion (22). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that an insulative tray (7) supports the shell (2) and apertures (70,70) through the tray (7) receive corresponding terminal portions (10, 23). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 1, characterized in that an opening (42) in a second end (39) of the insulative body (3) communicates with the passage (40), a ledge (43) of the insulative body (3) extends into the passage (40) and extends between the opening (42) and an end of a corresponding contact portion (22), and the opening (42) extends along the ledge (43). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 5, characterized in that a contact portion (9) projects toward and engages the corresponding contact portion (22), and is aligned with the opening (42), whereby a conductive pin (75) extending through the opening (42) is supported against the ledge (43) and deflects said contact portion (9) away from the corresponding contact portion (22). An electrical connector assembly (1) as recited in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the ledge (43) is between the end of the contact portion (22) and a doubled back portion of the corresponding contact portion (9).

Inventors: COHEN THOMAS SHACKNEY, COHEN, THOMAS, SHACKNEY
Applicants: WHITAKER CORP, THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13