Abstract:
A wire terminator assembly is for connecting a plurality of wires to an electrical connector having a plurality of terminals. The wire terminator assembly includes two terminator blades slidably retained within a base unit. Each terminator blade is configured for connecting a respective one of the wires to a respective one of the terminals of the electrical connector. A drive unit is configured for simultaneously sliding each of the terminator blades within the base unit to thereby connect the wires to the electrical connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wire terminator, and, more particularly, to a wire terminator for connecting wires to the terminals of an electrical connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known to connect wires to an electrical connector by individually pressing each wire onto a respective terminal of the electrical connector. Each terminal has a pair of sharp edges between which the wire is pressed. The sharp edges pierce the insulation surrounding the wire and thereby make electrical contact with the internal electrical conductor. Such a connector is known as an “insulation displacement” connector. Before being connected to the electrical connector, adjacent wires are twisted together in pairs in order to reduce crosstalk between the wires. The ends of each twisted wire pair are left untwisted so that they may be individually and sequentially inserted into a wire terminating apparatus. 
     The untwisted end of one of the wires of the twisted wire pair is pulled into the wire terminating apparatus such that the untwisted end of the wire engages a leading edge of a terminator blade within the apparatus. The terminator blade is then actuated to push the wire end into the terminal of the electrical connector. After the terminator blade has been retracted to its original position, and the wire end has been attached to the terminal, the terminator blade is then aligned with a second terminal of the electrical connector, with the second terminal being adjacent to the first terminal. The untwisted end of the second wire of the twisted wire pair is then pulled into the wire terminating apparatus, similarly to the first wire, such that the untwisted end of the second wire engages the leading edge of the terminator blade. The terminator blade is then again actuated to push the second wire end into the second terminal of the electrical connector. 
     A problem is that, for a couple of different reasons, a substantial length of the wire ends is left untwisted. One of the reasons is to avoid the second wire interfering with the connection of the first wire to the connector terminal. That is, the longer the length of untwisted wire ends, the further the second wire end can be pulled from the first wire end while the first wire end is being connected. Another reason is to provide slack for the travel distance of the terminator blade, particularly after the first wire end has been connected to the terminal and the second wire is being inserted into the terminating apparatus. A large travel distance for the terminator blade has the advantage of providing a larger space between the terminator blade and the electrical connector in which the wires can be threaded into the terminating apparatus, thus making operation of the terminating apparatus easier and quicker. However, the large travel distance has the disadvantage of requiring that the length of untwisted wire ends be longer, which results in more crosstalk between the wires. 
     Yet another problem associated with individual termination of the wire ends is that it causes the wire ends to have different lengths. In order to avoid electrical interference, it is very important that the spacing between the wires is consistent and that the two wires of the pair are of the same length. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a wire terminator assembly which can simultaneously connect both wires of a twisted wire pair to respective terminals of an electrical connector. 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a wire terminator assembly for connecting a plurality of wires to an electrical connector having a plurality of terminals. The wire terminator assembly includes two terminator blades slidably retained within a base unit. Each terminator blade is configured for connecting a respective one of the wires to a respective one of the terminals of the electrical connector. A drive unit is configured for simultaneously sliding each of the terminator blades within the base unit to thereby connect the wires to the electrical connector. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that both wires of a twisted wire pair can be simultaneously connected to an electrical connector. 
     Another advantage is that the lengths of the untwisted ends of the twisted wire pair are reduced, thereby minimizing crosstalk between the wires. 
     Yet another advantage is that by connecting two wires at a time instead of one, a group of wires can be connected the electrical connector more quickly. 
     A further advantage is that both wires of the pair have the same length, thus reducing loops that otherwise occur when wires are individually terminated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a simultaneous wire pair terminator of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base unit of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the terminator blades, the spacer blade and the drive unit of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the simultaneous wire pair terminator of FIG. 1 engaging a twisted wire pair; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of the terminator blades and the spacer blade of the simultaneous wire pair terminator of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top view of the terminator blades and the base unit of FIG.  1 . 
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of a wire terminator assembly  10  of the present invention including a base unit  12 , terminator blades  14  and a drive unit  16 . 
     Base unit  12 , best seen in FIG. 2, includes a channel  18  in which terminator blades  14  are slidingly received. Channel  18  has a widened area  20  in which base  12  is separated from contact blades  14 , thereby reducing friction therebetween. Channel  18  also has a rear narrow portion  22  and a front narrow portion  24  which work in conjunction to retain blades  14  in alignment. Base unit  12  also includes a front face  26  from which blades  14  extend out of channel  18 . An adapter portion  28  interfaces with an electrical connector (not shown) so that blades  14  can be aligned with respective pins or terminals  30  (FIG. 6) of the electrical connector. 
     Terminator blades  14 , shown assembled to drive unit  16  in FIG. 3, each include a recessed area  32  with a beveled surface  33  and a slot  34 . Front ends or leading edges  36  of terminator blades  14  each include a shoulder  38  with a substantially horizontal edge  40  and a substantially vertical edge  42 . Each terminator blade  14  can include a sharp bottom cutting edge  43 . A spacer blade  44  (FIG. 5) is disposed between terminator blades  14  and is received in recessed areas  32 . Spacer blade  44  includes a slot  46  which can be at least partially aligned with slots  34  of blades  14 . Front end or leading edge  48  of spacer blade  44  includes a shoulder  50  with a substantially horizontal edge  52  and a substantially vertical edge  54 . 
     A pin  56  is received in a through hole  57  which extends through base  12  on one or both sides of channel  18 . Pin  56  extends across channel  18  and through slots  34  and  46  of terminator blades  14  and spacer blade  44 , respectively. 
     Pneumatic drive unit  16  includes a notch  58  receiving terminator blades  14 . Drive  16  is placed over an air cylinder adapter (not shown) for actuating sliding movement of blades  14  within channel  18 . 
     In operation, drive unit  16  slides terminator blades  14  and spacer blade  44  rearward in channel  18 . Slots  34  allow leading edges  36  of terminator blades  14  to be moved further back in channel  18  than slot  46  allows leading edge  48  of spacer blade  44  to be moved. Thus, when terminator blades  14  and spacer blade  44  are in a rearward position, as best seen in FIG. 5, leading edge  48  of spacer blade  44  extends past front face  26 , while leading edges  36  of terminator blades  14  are recessed within channel  18 . 
     A twisted wire pair  60  (FIG. 4) is placed on horizontal edge  52  of shoulder  50  of spacer blade  44  such that each of two untwisted wire ends  62  and  64  falls adjacent to a separate side of spacer blade  44 . In this position, spacer blade  44  holds wire ends  62  and  64  at a predetermined vertical level such that wire ends may be engaged by shoulders  38  of terminator blades  14 . 
     Drive unit  16  then slides terminator blades  14  forward in channel  18  toward terminals  30  of the electrical connector (not shown). As blades  14  move forward, vertical edges  42  of blades  14 , as well as vertical edge  54  of spacer blade  44 , engage wire ends  62  and  64 . Also occurring as blades  14  move forward, their beveled surfaces  33  engage spacer blade  44 , thereby carrying spacer blade  44  forward for a distance limited by the length of slot  46 . Pin  56 , in conjunction with slots  34  and  46 , limits the longitudinal sliding movement of both terminator blades  14  and spacer blade  44 . 
     After spacer blade  44  has moved to its most forward position, each terminator blade  14  continues to move respective wire  62  or  64  of the wire pair  60  toward the electrical connector, thereby causing spacer blade  44  to lose contact with wire ends  62  and  64 . Spacer blade  44  ensures that each of wire ends  62  and  64  falls over a separate, respective one of shoulders  38 , thereby preventing both wire ends  62  and  64  from being connected to a same terminal  30 . 
     The electrical connector interfaces with adapter  28  such that terminals  30  are each aligned with a respective one of terminator blades  14 . Blades  14  continue to push wire ends  62  and  64  forward into respective terminals  30 . As wire ends  62  and  64  are pushed forward, the cutting edges of terminals  30  pierce the insulation surrounding wire ends  62  and  64  until terminals  30  make electrical contact with the electrical conductors within wire ends  62  and  64 . 
     At some point along the forward progression of terminator blades  14 , bottom cutting edges  43  of blades  14  can be used to cut off the tips of wire ends  62  and  64  against adapter portion  28 . Thus, after attachment to the electrical connector, wire ends  62  and  64  do not extend downward past terminals  30  for a substantial distance. 
     After wire ends  62  and  64  have been fully attached to respective terminals  30 , drive unit  16  can again move terminator blades  14  rearward in channel  18 , in a direction away from the electrical connector. The electrical connector can then be moved laterally in order to align each of another two terminals  30  with a respective one of terminator blades  14 . The above-described process is then cyclically repeated until all remaining wires have been attached to the electrical connector. 
     Wire terminator assembly  10  is shown as including two terminator blades  14 . However, it is to be understood that it is possible for terminator assembly  10  to include more than two terminator blades  14  for simultaneously terminating a corresponding number of wires. Further, it is possible for drive unit  16  to be powered other than pneumatically. For example, drive unit  16  may be hydraulic, manually actuated or mechanically driven by gears. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.