Abstract:
An insulation-displacement connector includes a base member defining first and second sides. The first side is configured to guide and secure a first cable in a first direction and the second side is configured to guide a second cable in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second pins each having first and second ends disposed through the base member. The first ends of the pins being configured to pierce the first cable and mechanically and electrically engage internally disposed conductors in the first cable and the second ends being configured to pierce the second cable and mechanically and electrically engage internally disposed conductors in the second cable. First and second covers are pivotably disposed on the base member. The first cover is positionable to mechanically force the first cable into engagement with the first ends of the first and second pins and the second cover is positionable to mechanically force the second cable into engagement with the second ends of the first and second pins.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION 
   This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/846,567 filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 22, 2006, entitled “Wire Snap Housing”. 

   BACKGROUND 
   1. Technical Field 
   The present disclosure relates to wire connectors, and in particular, to a snap-on insulation-displacement connector with perpendicular wire guides to allow perpendicular connection of two cable. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Wire connectors are devices that can connect one wire to another wire. These wire connectors are also referred to as wire interconnects. Sometimes the wire connector is designed to connect a grouping of wires to another grouping of wires, e.g., such as the wires found in a ribbon cable. A ribbon cable (also known as multi-wire planar cable) is a cable that includes a plurality of conducting wires running parallel to each other on the same flat plane. Thus, the cable appears wide and flat as contrasted to bundled cables that appear round. Its name comes from the resemblance of the cable to a piece of ribbon (which is likewise wide and flat). 
   Each wire includes a conductive core that is formed from an elongated strand of drawn cylindrical metal (or metallic material) or a grouping of the strands. The strands are covered with various insulating materials, such as plastic or rubber-like polymers that provide mechanical strength, prevent corrosion, prevent electrical shorts, and provide thermal insulation. The strands may also be wrapped concentrically and further protected with substances like paraffin, preservative compounds, bitumen, lead sheathing, steel taping, or the like. These protected wires may be glued or thermally fused together to form a ribbon cable. 
   One way of connecting two wires together is to “splice” them together. For splicing two wires together, the protective layers of both wires must be removed and the metallic strands of the two wires must be mechanically and electrically connected together. A wire stripper can be used to remove the protective covering. After the protective layers are removed, the strands can be fused together using heat, can be soldered together using a soldering iron and solder, or otherwise can be mechanically connected together (e.g., using screw terminals). 
   Another way of connecting two wires together is to use metal pins capable of piercing the protective layers of the wires forming the electrical connection. These types of connectors are commonly referred to as insulation-displacement connectors and may include one or more pins designed to pierce through the protective layer of one wire, touching the conductive core therein, to provide a conductive path to the conductive core of another wire. 
   Insulation-displacement connectors can include a row of pins with a wire guide ensuring that the wires are properly positioned. The wire may be secured by crimping. A crimper, and/or other type of securing device can push the pins through one or more wires while permanently (or temporarily) securing the wires. Some insulation-displacement devices have a row of male connector pins that can be inserted into a corresponding grouping of female connector pins to form the cable connection. Other insulation-displacement connectors directly connect the cables together to form the wire interconnect. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present disclosure relates to wire connectors, and in particular, to a snap-on insulation-displacement connector designed to splice cables in a perpendicular manner. 
   An insulation-displacement connector includes a base member defining first and second sides. The first side is configured to guide and secure a first cable in a first direction and the second side is configured to guide a second cable in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second pins each having first and second ends disposed through the base member. The first ends of the pins being configured to pierce the first cable and mechanically and electrically engage internally disposed conductors in the first cable and the second ends being configured to pierce the second cable and mechanically and electrically engage internally disposed conductors in the second cable. First and second covers are pivotably disposed on the base member. The first cover is positionable to mechanically force the first cable into engagement with the first ends of the first and second pins and the second cover is positionable to mechanically force the second cable into engagement with the second ends of the first and second pins. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the various embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings wherein: 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  show views of an insulation-displacement connector with perpendicular wire guides that includes two pins for piercing a pair of two-wire ribbon cables in accordance with the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 1C  is a schematically-illustrated view taken along line  1 C- 1 C of  FIG. 1A ; 
       FIG. 2  shows an insulation-displacement connector with perpendicular wire guides that includes three pins for piercing a pair of three-wire ribbon cables in accordance with the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 3  show an insulation-displacement connector with perpendicular wire guides that includes four pins for piercing a pair of four-wire ribbon cables in accordance with the present disclosure; and 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective schematic view of the insulation-displacement connector of  FIG. 3  with a secured four-wire ribbon cable electrically connected to another unsecured four-wire ribbon cable in accordance with the present disclosure. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an insulation-displacement connector  100  (the phrase “insulation-displacement connector” is herein abbreviated as “IDC”).  FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of two-wire IDC  100  shown in an open configuration and  FIG. 1B  is view of the IDC  100  shown with one cable engaged therein and another junction cable engaged with the IDC connector  100 . 
   IDC  100  includes pins  102  and  104  disposed through or integrally associated with a base  120  which is configured to support the splice connection as explained in more detail below. Pins  102  and  104  have a greater length than the thickest portion of base  120  to assure adequate electrical connection as described in more detail below. A pair of wire guides  120   a  and  120   b  are defined in base  120  and dimensioned to guide a two-wire cable  150  (see  FIG. 1B ) for subsequent piercing by pins  102  and  104 , respectively, as explained in more detail below. 
   The IDC connector  100  also includes a wire cover  110   a  which is pivotable about a living hinge  112   a  from a first position which facilitates loading a first two-ribbon cable  150  into mechanical and electrical connection with the IDC connector  100  to a second position which establishes secure electrical contact with IDC connector  100 . A second cover  110   b  is disposed perpendicular to cover  110   a  and, likewise, is moveable about a hinge  112   b  from a first position which facilitates loading a second two-wire cable  152  within IDC connector  100  to a second position which established electrical connection with cable  150  through the IDC connector  100  as explained in more detail below. 
   More particularly, two-wire cable  150  includes two internal conductors  151   a  and  151   b  which are surrounded by individually wrapped insulation  151   a ′ and  151   b ′, respectively (See  FIG. 1C ). Wire  150  also includes a separation contour  157  defined along the center thereof which allows separation of the two conductors  151   a  and  151   b  as needed for certain electrical applications such as an electrical tie-in or termination to electrical appliances. 
   In use, the IDC connector  100  facilitates perpendicular splicing of two (2) two-wire electrical cables for adding electrical connections along a standard electrical loop consistent with must commercial and residential applications. In other words, a user simply orients a first two-wire electrical cable, e.g.,  150 , in the direction of arrow “A” as shown in  FIG. 1B  and then orients a second two-wire cable  152  perpendicular to wire  150  (in the direction of arrow “B”) and snaps on the IDC connector  100  to make to the splice. It is important to note that the two-wire cable  150  may be a continuous cable disposed in a standard electrical loop and is not necessarily a butt ended cable or terminated end (although it is feasible to utilize the present disclosure with these types of connections as well). 
   More particularly and with particular respect to  FIG. 1B , wire  150  is oriented in the direction of arrow “A” and placed into IDC connector  100  such that wire connectors  151   a  and  151   b  are aligned in general vertical registration with wire guides  120   a  and  120   b , respectively. Once oriented, IDC connector cover  110   a  is moved towards the second position (See  FIG. 1B ) to secure cable  150  within base  120 . Corresponding wire guides  111   a  and  111   b  are formed in cover  110   a  to facilitate alignment and engagement of the cable  150  once secured. Some additional force is necessary to snap and secure the cover  110   a  atop base  120 . Moreover, a flange  114   a  is included with cover  110   a  which is configured to secure the cover  110   a  to base  120  by virtue of mating mechanical engagement in a corresponding slot  115   a  defined therein. The additional force also causes pins  102  and  104  to pierce the outer jacket of cable  150  and insulation  151   a ′ and  151   b ′ to mechanically and electrically engage conductors  151   a  and  151   b , respectively (See  FIG. 1C ). 
   In a similar manner, cable  152  may be oriented and engaged with the underside of base  120  in the direction of arrow “B”. More particularly, cable  152  is positioned within wire guides  122   a  and  122   b  defined in the underside of base  120  such that internally disposed conductors  153   a  and  153   b  align for mechanical and electrical engagement with pins  102  and  104 , respectively. Cover  110   b  is pivoted about hinge  112   b  in a similar manner as described above to force pins  102  and  104  through the outer jacket of cable  152  for mechanical and electrical engagement with conductors  153   a  and  153   b . The cover  110   b  is secured atop base  120  by virtue of the mating engagement of flange  114   b  within slot  115   b  defined in base  120 . Corresponding wire guides  124   a  and  124   b  are formed in cover  110   b  to facilitate alignment and engagement of the cable  152  once secured. 
   As can be appreciated, pin  102  provides electrical continuity between the internally dispose conductors  151   a  and  153   a  of cables  150  and  152 , respectively, and pin  104  provides electrical continuity between the internally dispose conductors  151   b  and  153   b . This allows a user to quickly and easily connect one or more electrical branches on an electrical loop without having to physically splice, twist and cap electrical connectors at an electrical junction. It is envisioned that the IDC connector  100  may include other insulative elements or surfaces to make the electrical connection water tight, e.g., rubber gaskets, seals, liquid insulators or self-hardening resins and the like. 
   Pins  102  and  104  are staggered along the length of the corresponding guide channels  120   a  and  120   b  (i.e., along base  120 ) to provide higher breakdown voltages between a pair of secured two-wire ribbon cables  150  and  152 . The pin placements and relative distances between the staggered pins  102  and  104  are preferably configured to account for the dimension of standard ribbon cables. Moreover, three-wire or four-wire cables may also be connected in a similar fashion using three-wire or four-wire IDC connectors,  200  and  300 , respectively. 
   For example and as shown in  FIG. 2 , a three-wire IDC connector  200  may be utilized to splice two (2) three-wire ribbon cables (not shown) to form an electrical junction therebetween. The three-wire IDC connector  200  may be employed along a three-wire electrical loop or at a terminal end in a similar fashion as described above with respect to the two-wire ribbon cable  100 . More particularly, the IDC connector  200  includes a series of three pins  202 ,  203  and  204  which are typically disposed through and staggered within corresponding wire guides  220   a ,  220   b  and  220   c  defined in one side of base  220 , respectively. The wire guides  220   a ,  220   b  and  220   c  align a first cable (not shown) with pins  202 ,  203  and  204 . Much like the above-described two-wire IDC connector  100 , the underside of base  220  also includes wire guides  222   a ,  222   b ,  222   c  which align the internal conductors (not shown) of a second three-ribbon cable (not shown). Covers  210   a  and  210   b  snap (usually sequentially snapped) atop base  220  to secure the first and second three-wire cables in a similar fashion as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1C  and flanges  214   a  and  214   b  engage slots  215   a  and  215   b  defined in base  220  to secure the IDC  200  to the three-wire cables to make the junction connection. 
   Much like the pins  102  and  104  mentioned above with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1C , pins  202 ,  203  and  204  are sequentially staggered relative to base  220  (i.e., along two axes). This staggering provides higher breakdown voltages between the three-wire ribbon cables (not shown). The pin  202 ,  203  and  204  placements and relative distances between the staggered pins  202 ,  203  and  204  are preferably configured to account for the dimension of standard three-wire ribbon cables. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  show a similar IDC connector  300  for use with splicing four-ribbon cables  350  and  352  and IDC connector  300  includes similar elements as described above which perform similar functions, namely, base  320  having pins  302 ,  303 ,  304  and  305  defined therethrough, covers  310   a  and  310   b  for securing four-wire cables  350  and  352  to base  320 . Much like above, wires guides  320   a - 320   d  and snap latches  314   a  (other snap latch not shown) align and secure the IDC connector  300  to the two cables  350  and  352  to complete the splice. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the IDC  300  is shown operatively connecting two four-wire ribbon cables  350  and  352 . 
   It is envisioned that pins  102 ,  104 ,  202 ,  203 ,  204 ,  302 ,  303 ,  304  and  305  (hereinafter collectively referred to as “pins  102 ”) are metallic and may be formed from one or more metals including aluminum, copper, gold iron, nickel, platinum, silver, steel, zinc, and the like. Additionally, the pins  102  may have a capacity of at least one ampere of electric current. 
   IDC  300  may be particularly used to conductively connect two SPT-3 cables together. “SPT” is an acronym for “service parallel thermoplastic”. The “3” refers to the 1/16″ Insulation of each respective wire. SPT cables are also referred to as “zip cords”. An SPT-3 cable includes four wires fused together. Each of the four wires has multi-strands of metal in the core, usually comprised of copper, and is commonly used in professional residential landscape lighting. The four strand SPT-3 cables used with IDC  300  typically have an American Wire Gauge (AWG) value of 16 (making it a 16AWG×4C cable) and a temperature rating of about 105 degrees Celsius. The AWG value is a number designating the aggregate diameter of the conductive portion of a wire. Therefore, different AWG values have different current carry capacities. Especially for direct current applications (and/or low frequency applications), the diameter of the conductive portion of a wire determines the impedance per unit distance, and thus, the maximum rated current capacity of the wire. 
   IDCs  100 ,  200 , and  300  (see  FIGS. 1A through 4 ) may be used as a power bus tapping connector. For example, a cable may be a power bus used for residential landscape lighting, such as a cable buried along a residential sidewalk. For example, IDC  300  (See  FIG. 4 ) may be utilized to connect to the power bus and carry current to a device, such as a sidewalk light. 
   IDCs  100 ,  200 , and  300  may be manufactured by an injection molding process using thermoplastic and/or thermosetting plastic materials. Some of the materials that can be used with an injection molding process are polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride, or the like. 
   It is also envisioned that the IDC connectors (in particular IDC connectors  200  and  300 ) may be utilized with two cables having a different number of conductors depending upon a particular purpose. For example, a ribbon cable may be configured to include two lead cables, a neutral and a ground. A splice (or junction) may be made with an IDC connector (not shown) which contains only two pins but is engageable atop a four-wire ribbon cable (e.g., cable  350 ). The corresponding pins would be designed to engage only one lead and the neutral conductors inside the four ribbon cable to supply to a particular electrical appliance (e.g., light) at a junction. It is envisioned that the cables may have to have some kind of indicia disposed thereon to orient the electrician to coordinate proper splicing of particular conductors. 
   Moreover, it is envisioned that the wire guides or IDC connectors may be formed or molded to allow similar connections of cables at various angles of orientations, for example, from about 15 degrees to about 165 degrees depending upon a particular purpose. In this instance it may be necessary to reorient the pins, guide channels or internal molds of the base of the IDC connector to accomplish this purpose. It may also be necessary to split the cable along contour  57  to make this type of connection. 
   While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.