Wire holding device

Abstract: A device for the containment and alignment of wire terminations (126) is in the form of a wire holder (100) with a slidable retainer (122). The front of the wire holder (100) has oval-shaped hollows (118) for partially receiving several oval-shaped wire terminations (126) to be connected to a terminal block, and for minimizing rotational motion of the wire terminations (126). Smaller holes (202) in line with the oval-shaped hollow (118) receive the wires (130), but prohibit further movement of the wire terminations (126) into the wire holder so that wire terminations uniformly protrude from the wire holder. Slots (120) at the back of the wire holder (100) receive the wires (130), which wires (130) are frictionally locked into place by the retainer (122).

Description: This invention relates to a wire holding device for holding a plurality of electrically conductive wires. The invention has a particular application to connecting electrically conductive wires, such as may be used in computer hardware systems, to the terminals of an electrical terminal block. The individual manual connection of such wires to the terminals of an electrical terminal block may result in misconnections, which can produce severe damage in computer systems, for example. WO-89/01247 discloses a multicontact plug and socket comprising a plug strip with fault plug-in contacts and a socket with assigned contact receptacles which are arranged in parallel chambers of a contact carrier. The contact receptacles extend through assigned openings of a safety plate 9, which is arranged to be displaceable in each contact carrier. The safety plate is required both to locate wires in the plug and lockably engage the wires in the plug, when in use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire holding device which facilitates the connection of wires to the terminals of a terminal block. Therefore, according to the present invention there is provided a wire holding device for holding a plurality of electrically conducting wires, the device incorporating receiving means adapted to receive wire termination means provided on said wires, locking means for securably locking said wires in place, and locating means adapted to establish the location of said wire termination means in said receiving means, whereby the received and located wire termination means are aligned and adapted for connection to respective terminals of a terminal block, characterized in that said locating means are disposed on said receiving means separate from said locking means, said receiving means being adapted to have inserted therethrough the unterminated ends of said wires whereby said wires may be pulled through said receiving means until said terminating means abut against said locating means, and said locking means being adapted to engage parts of said wires which have been bent away from the direction of feed through said receiving means, whereby said wires are maintained in their bent position. An advantage of a wire holder according to the invention, is that the amount of labour required for the attachment of wire terminations to the terminals of a terminal block, is low. One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an isometric view of the present inventive wire holder with its retainer shown in a position moved away from engagement with the wires in the wire holder; Figure 2 is a side view of the present inventive wire holder, with the retainer and wires removed; Figure 3 is a representation of a wire before insertion into the wire holder of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is an isometric view of the present inventive wire holder with its retainer in place. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a wire holder 100 is shown, which has a front portion 102, and a larger (in cross-sectional area) rear portion 104. Bridging the two portions 102 and 104 are rounds 106 and 108. The wire holder 100 has a rear hollow 110 and a number of front hollows (serving both as receiving and restricting means) 118. The rear hollow 110 has a vertical wall 112 and a pair of grooves 114 and 116 for receiving a retainer (or locking means) 122. The upper part of the rear portion 104 has a number of slots 120, each for receiving the unterminated portion 130 ("wire") of a wire assembly 124. The slots 120 extend from the rear of the wire holder 100 (as viewed in Figure 1) to a location close to the round 106. The wire assemblies 124 have wire terminations 126 with protective sleeves 128. The front hollows 118 are oval-shaped and have dimensions that correspond to the cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the wire terminations 126 (to be detailed infra). Figure 3 is an illustration of a typical terminated wire assembly 124. The wire termination 126 of the wire assembly 124 is firmly crimped around an exposed conductor 404 of the coated wire 130. The protective sleeve 128 helps to preserve the bond between the conductor 404 and the wire termination 126. The wire termination 126 has a slotted portion 402 which can be connected to a terminal of a terminal block (not shown) via a screw or similar fastening means. The wire holder 100 is prepared for use as follows. The unterminated ends of the wires 130 are inserted into the front hollows 118, and subsequently into smaller holes 202 (illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 2). The holes 202 and the front hollows 118 meet at an end wall 204. The wires 130 are pulled through hollows 118 and holes 202 until the wire terminations 126 (and sleeves 128) fit neatly into the hollows 118 (the wire terminations 126 and sleeves 128 are larger than the holes 202). The wires 130 are pulled up into the slots 120 to rest against the slot ends 121. Care is taken that each wire assembly 124 is matched to its correct hollow to prevent misconnections. When all of the wire assemblies 124 are correctly positioned (the wire terminations 126 in their corresponding hollows 118, and the wires 130 curved from the holes 202 into the slots 120), the retainer 122 (having ledges 123 and 125 for mating with the grooves 114 and 116) is inserted into the rear hollow 110, and pushed length-wise until its ends are aligned with the ends of the wire holder 100. The retainer 122 holds the wire assemblies 124 in place by pressing against the wires 130. The fully assembled wire holder is shown in Figure 4. As a result of the present invention, the wire terminations are properly spaced and located with respect to the wire holder 100, and are simultaneously available for connection. Because of the matching oval shapes of the hollows 118 and sleeves 128, rotation and other movement of the wire terminations 126 within the hollows 118 is reduced, thus making for easier placement of the wire terminations 126 at their ultimate electrical connections, such as the terminals of a terminal block (not shown). It will be appreciated that the hollows 118 and wire terminations 126 may have matching non-circular cross-sections other than oval cross-sections to provide the mentioned rotational movement restriction. Also, bending of the wires 130 through the slots 120 and installation of the retainer 122 prevents the installed wire terminations 126 from inadvertently separating from the wire holder 100. Thus, the described wire holder 100 enables the incidence of incorrect wire termination connections to be reduced.

Claims: A wire holding device for holding a plurality of electrically conducting wires (130), the device incorporating receiving means (118) adapted to receive wire termination means (126,128) provided on said wires (130), locking means (122) for securably locking said wires (130) in place, and locating means (204) adapted to establish the location of said wire termination means (126,128) in said receiving means (118), whereby the received and located wire termination means (126,128) are aligned and adapted for connection to respective terminals of a terminal block, characterized in that said locating means (204) are disposed on said receiving means (118) separate from said locking means (122), said receiving means (118) being adapted to have inserted therethrough the unterminated ends of said wires (130) whereby said wires (130) may be pulled through said receiving means (118) until said terminating means (126,128) abut against said locating means (204), and said locking means (122) being adapted to engage parts of said wires (130) which have been bent away from the direction of feed through said receiving means (118), whereby said wires (130) are maintained in their bent position. A wire holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that said receiving means (118) is adapted to restrict rotational movement of said wire termination means (126,128). A wire holding device according to claim 2, characterized in that said receiving means (118) has a non-circular cross-sectional shape, matching the cross-sectional shape of the wire termination means (126,128). A wire holding device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locating means (204) is an end wall of said receiving means (118), in that said receiving means (118), includes respective hollows adapted to receive said wire termination means (126,128), and in that said wire holding device includes a plurality of holes (202) having a size such as to permit passage therethrough of one of said conductive wires (130) and to prevent passage therethrough of one of said wire termination means (126,128). A wire holding device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conductive wires (130) pass through slots (120) provided in said holding device, and in that said locking means includes a slidable member (122) adapted to abut said conductive wires (130) located in said slots (120), whereby said wire termination means (126,128) are held in place.

Inventors: FISCHER ROBERT WALKER JR, SLOPPY RAYMOND FRANCIS, FISCHER, ROBERT WALKER, JR., SLOPPY, RAYMOND FRANCIS
Applicants: NCR INT INC, NCR INTERNATIONAL INC.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13, H01R43, H01R9, H01R11