Abstract:
A patchcord type electrical connector assembly includes an array of electrical contacts which have insulation piercing contact portions which are shielded and insulated by housing portions which have conductor receiving slots aligned with the respective insulation piercing contact portions. Each of the conductor receiving slots includes at least one recessed area for receiving and holding a conductor as a part of a strain relief mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to a patchcord type electrical connector assembly in which each of the electrical contacts of an array of contacts includes an insulation piercing portion which is housed within a respective electrical insulator. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Electrical connector assemblies comprising an array of electrical contacts are well known in the art. One type of such electrical connector assembly is widely used for patchcord applications and generally comprises a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in respective housings which are supported by a mounting plate. Each of the contacts includes a first portion for engaging a mating contact of a cooperable connector unit and a terminating portion which extends from the housing for connection to an electrical conductor. Heretofore, it has been necessary to strip the insulation from the electrical conductor so that the same may be soldered to or wrapped about the terminating portion of the contact. It is therefore readily apparent that termination of these contacts may become a time consuming procedure, particularly in applications where a great number of terminations are to be made. Also, there is also the possibility of short circuits being formed between the conductors or contacts, due to the close spacing of the contacts and the lack of electrical insulation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector assembly having an array of contacts which may be quickly electrically connected to respective electrical conductors. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly in which the electrical contacts thereof have conductor terminating portions which are insulated from one another. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly having an array of contacts which will receive and electrically contact a respective insulated conductor. 
     The above and other objects of the invention are realized by an electrical connector assembly which comprises a plurality of electrical contacts arranged and supported as an array of contacts. Each of the contacts includes a first portion which is adapted to engage a respective mating contact of a connector unit and an insulation piercing second portion including an insulation piercing slot for receiving and electrically contacting an insulated conductor. A separate electrical insulator, which is a portion of the contact housing, encloses the insulation piercing portion of the contact and includes a slot which is aligned with the insulation piercing slot for access to the insulation piercing slot by an insulated conductor. 
     The slot of the insulator includes an arcuate terminus which defines a terminal seating location for an insulated conductor and the insulator includes a pair of spaced flexible fingers which define the slot and which are moved away from each other as a conductor passes therethrough. As the conductor seats in the arcuate terminus, the elasticity of the fingers causes the same to move toward each other and provide strain relief. 
     Additional seating locations may be provided along the slot for subsequently terminated conductors by the provision of a bore having a diameter that is greater than the spacing of the flexible fingers. 
     The housing, including the insulator portion with the flexible fingers, may advantageously be molded from glass filled nylon which is a good electrical insulator and which may be produced in a variety of colors to aid in contact and circuit identification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention, its organization, construction and operation, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, on which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an electrical connector assembly constructed in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one connector unit taken substantially along the line II--II of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a connector unit taken substantially along the line III--III of FIG. 2, shown without the contact mounted therein; and 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, an electrical connector assembly is generally illustrated at 10 as comprising a mounting plate 12 having an array of apertures 14 therein for receiving portions of and mounting respective electrical connector units 16. 
     Each of the electrical connector units 16 includes an upper housing portion 18 for receiving a mating connector unit and a lower housing portion 20 which extends through the mounting plate 12 and houses an insulation piercing contact portion as described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The terms &#34;upper&#34; and &#34;lower&#34; are merely used herein with respect to the particular orientation illustrated on the drawing and it will be readily appreciated that the connector assembly may be supported in any desired orientation. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the lower housing portion 20 is illustrated as comprising a tip 22 which extends beyond and protects the end of the electrical contact 62. The contact 62 is mounted in the housing and includes a bifurcated upper portion including a pair of arms 64 and 66 which carry respective contact projections 68 and 70 which extend so as to interfere with and provide a wiping contact with a contact portion of a connector unit (not shown) as is well known in the art. The bifurcated portion of the contact 62 is disposed in a contact cavity 24 which is generally X-shaped. 
     The X-shaped cavity 24 includes joined end wall surfaces 26, 28 and 30 adjacent the arms 64, joined end wall surfaces 32, 34 and 36 adjacent the arm 66, joined end wall surfaces 46, 50 and 54 and opposite joined end wall surfaces 48, 52 and 56 which lie perpendicular to the arms 64 and 66. The inwardly directed and rounded surfaces 46 and 48 serve to guide the mating contact into the cavity 24. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 2, the surfaces 30 and 36 join with downwardly extending surfaces 38 and 40 of the housing portion 20 and the surfaces 54 and 56 join with downwardly extending surfaces 58 and 60 of the housing portion 20 to define a passageway for receiving the remaining part of the contact 62. 
     This remaining part of the contact 62 includes a pair of contact fingers 72 and 74 which are spaced apart to define an insulation piercing first slot 76 having opposite open and closed ends and a pair of opposite open sides for receiving and electrically contacting an insulated conductor in a manner which is well known in the art. The fingers 72 and 74 extend downwardly from an arcuate shaped fulcrum 78 and lie within the passageway in a close fit, some flexing being permitted near the tips of the arms 72 and 74 by a pair of outwardly flared surfaces 42 and 44 of the passageway. As an insulated conductor is received between the fingers 72 and 74, and passes by the location where the surfaces 42 and 44 meet the surfaces 38 and 40, spreading of the fingers is prevented to ensure piercing of the insulation and a wiping action of the conductor. 
     The electrical contact 62 is provided with a plurality of projections 80, 82, 84 and 86 in the portion intermediate the arms 64, 66 and the fingers 72, 74. These projections may advantageously be in the form of barbs and serve two purposes. First of all, it is readily apparent that the projections hold the contact within the housing. Attention is invited, however, to the fact that these projections also effect securement of the housing to the mounting plate 12. During assembly, the contact 62 is partially inserted into the housing to the point where the lower projections 84 and 86 enter the passageway below the surfaces 30 and 36. The housing portion 20 is then inserted through the aperture 14 until a shoulder 88 engages the upper surface of the mounting plate 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The contact 62 is then inserted to the position shown. During this last insertion operation the material of the housing portion undergoes a cold flow to mushroom as the projections 84 and 86 pass the lower surface of the mounting plate 12 to form an oppositely directed shoulder 90. The housing is then replaceably secured between the shoulders 88 and 90. 
     The housing portion 20 shields the lower portion of the contact 62 and includes a pair of second slots 92 on opposite sides of the contact fingers 72 and 74 that are formed between a pair of spaced flexible legs or fingers. Each of the slots 92 includes a funnel shaped open end or opening for guiding a conductor into slot 76 and opposed surfaces 94 and 96 which join at an arcuate terminus 98 which forms a shoulder means spaced from the closed end to hold the conductor against retraction from the slots. The arcuate terminus 98 has a diameter that is greater than the spacing between the surfaces 94 and 96 and performs two functions. First of all, as a conductor is forced through the slot 92, and the slot 76, and the fingers 72 and 74 flex, with slightly greater flexing permitted near the ends thereof, the bearing of the conductor on the surfaces 94 and 96 causes the flexible fingers of the insulator to spread apart about a fulcrum located at the arcuate terminus 98. As the conductor is pressed through the slots 92 and passes into the arcuate termini, the flexible fingers move back toward each other to form a strain relief. The conductor is therefore held by the insulator on each side of the insulation piercing portion of the contact. 
     The conductor is preferably pressed into the slots with an insertion tool which will sever the free end of the conductor at or near the outer surface of the lower housing portion 20. 
     Additional conductors may be terminated in the same manner, depending on the length of the insulation piercing portion of the contact. For each additional conductor so terminated, an additional conductor locator, similar to the arcuate terminus 98, is provided along the slot 92 in the form of a pair of opposed arcuate surfaces, as indicated at 100 in FIG. 1. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, it should be noted that the slots 92 are oriented to lie in the same direction in order to provide uniformity and ease in termination. 
     Although I have described my invention by reference to a particular illustrative embodiment thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I therefore intend to include within the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of my contribution to the art.