Patent Publication Number: US-6338642-B2

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
This is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 09/360,239 filed Jul. 23, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,231, and the entire disclosure of this prior application is considered to be part of the disclosure of the accompanying application and is hereby incorporated by reference therein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an electrical connector. The invention also relates to a lead frame for forming an electrical connector element, and a method of forming blanks for 5 forming electrical contact elements. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,647, for example, discloses an electrical connector having: electrical contact parts to which electrical connections to conductive wires are in use made; and a socket for receiving a mating plug such that elongate electrical contact portions of the connector electrically connect to connection parts of the plug, the elongate electrical contact portions being formed on respective separate electrical contact elements of the connector, which contact elements each have formed thereon such contact parts; the elongate contact portions being arranged, over substantial parts of the lengths thereof in generally parallel disposition substantially in a common plane, and the contact parts extending substantially normally away from said plane, at one side of the plane, to free ends of the contact parts arranged in rows extending generally parallel to the direction of extent of the elongate contact portions. 
     With prior connectors of this kind, each contact part is provided on a separate contact element and multiple connections to the contact elements via these may not be easily affected. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector which facilitates the making of plural connections to the connector elements. In this aspect, the invention provides that the first and second contact parts of each contact element are generally planar and disposed in angular disposition with respect to each other. 
     Preferably, the contact parts are bifurcated whereby the contact parts define respective insulation displacement connector parts. 
     Preferably, the first and second contact parts of each contact element are arranged in a V-shaped configuration, viewed in the direction of extent of these away from the plane. This permits an efficient manner of forming the contact elements. The electrical connector may, in that regard, have four contact elements with the first and second contact parts of two of these disposed in a first row and the first and second contact parts of the other two contact elements disposed in a second row, these rows being substantially parallel to the directions of extent of the elongate contact portions. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides a lead frame in the form of a strip defining substantially stamped out but interconnected contact blanks for forming respective electrical connector elements. In this aspect, a lead frame as last described is provided with: 
     first and second lengthwise extending rows of the contact blanks having side by side adjacent first portions, positioned at respective first and second edge portions of the strip adjacent respective first and second lengthwise edges of the strip; 
     the first portions each defining respective first and second bifurcated contact parts which are spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the strip; 
     the first and second contact parts of each said first portion joining at a base part of the respective first portion; 
     the base parts of the first portions being joined to elongate portions of the respective contact blanks; and 
     the elongate portions of the contact blanks extending away from the respective first portions transversely of the strip at an angle to the edges of the strip, and such that the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at one said side edge portion are parallel to and interposed between the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at the other said side edge portion. 
     The invention also provides a method of forming blanks for forming respective electrical contact elements, from a strip, the method including: 
     forming side by side adjacent first portions of the blanks, positioned at respective first and second edge portions of the strip adjacent respective first and second lengthwise edges of the strip, the first portions each defining respective first and second bifurcated contact parts which are spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the strip, the first and second contact parts of each first portion joining at a base part of the respective first portion; 
     forming elongate portions of the respective contact blanks, which are joined to the base parts of the first portions; 
     the elongate portions of the contact blanks extending away from the respective first portions transversely of the strip at an angle to the edges of the strip, and such that the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at one side edge portion are parallel to and interposed between the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at the other side edge portion. 
     The invention further provides an electrical connector having contact elements formed from the lead frame of the invention or by the method last described. 
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a right front top perspective view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the invention, having removable covers affixed thereto; 
     FIG. 2 is a right rear bottom perspective view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the invention, having removable covers affixed thereto; 
     FIG. 3 is a left rear bottom perspective view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the invention, having removable covers affixed thereto; 
     FIG. 4 is a left front top perspective view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the invention, having removable covers affixed thereto; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a right front top perspective view of an electrical connector of FIG. 1 with the covers removed; 
     FIG. 7 is a right rear bottom perspective view of an electrical connector of FIG. 1 with the covers removed; 
     FIG. 8 is a left rear bottom perspective view of an electrical connector of FIG. 1 with the covers removed; 
     FIG. 9 is a left front top perspective view of an electrical connector of FIG. 1 with the covers removed; and 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram of a lead frame for forming contact blanks used in forming contact elements of the electrical connector of FIGS. 1 to  4  and FIGS. 6 to  9 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in particular, thee electrical connector  10  shown in FIGS. 1 to  9  has an insulative connector body  12  with a first body portion  14  and a second body portion  16 . Body portion  14  is formed from upper and lower parts,  18  and  20 . The upper part  18  has upstanding posts  22  arranged in two rows  24 ,  26  (FIG. 5) and between which posts in each row are arranged bifurcated contact parts  28  which form insulation displacement connectors for making electrical connections to electrical conductors of insulated wires. Thus, the contact parts  28  have slots  30 , and connections to the wires are made by positioning end portions of the insulated wires into troughs between adjacent ones of the posts  22 , such that the wire end portions extend transversely to the directions of extent of the rows  24 ,  26  of posts, and then pressing the wires downwardly so that these enter the slots  30 . During this downward pressing, the portions of the contact parts  28  defining the edges of the slots  30  pierce the wire insulation and resiliently engage the inner conductors. 
     The body portion  16  is removably mountable to the body portion  14  by snap-fit fasteners having parts  66 ,  68  integrally formed on each of these. The parts  18 ,  20  of the body portion  14  likewise snap-fit together by means of interengaging snap-fit parts  70 ,  72 ,  15  particularly so as to define an internal cavity in which are received four electrical contact elements  32 . 
     Contact parts  28  are formed in pairs, there being two of these defined by each of contact element  32 . Particularly, as shown in FIG. 5, the contact parts  28  of each such pair  20  are formed on a single contact portion  38  of the respective contact element  32 . Each such portion  38  includes, in addition to the two parts  28 , a lower part  34  which interconnects those two contact parts  28 . 
     The portions  38  of each contact element  32  are connected, via intermediate portions  36  thereof, to side-by-side and generally parallel elongate portions  40  of the contact elements. 
     Substantial parts of the elongate portions  40  extend generally in a common plane, that plane also containing the intermediate portions  36 . Elongate portions  40  however have upwardly arched contact parts  42  disposed towards free ends thereof. 
     The body portion  16  has a socket  44  which is outwardly open and which is capable of receiving an electrical plug, particularly of the kind known as type RJ45. Plugs of this kind have, usually, eight electrical contacts on a face which, when the plug is assembled into the socket  44 , is adjacent a wall surface portion  46  of the socket  44 . The wall surface portion  46  has slots  48  and the upwardly arched contact parts  42  of the contact elements  32  extend within these in a fashion enabling them to electrically connect to four of the contacts of an RJ45 plug when inserted in the socket  44 . 
     Except for free end portions of the contact elements  32 , including the parts  42  thereof,  20  and exposed parts of the contact elements positioned between posts  22 , the remainders of these elements are accommodated within the internal cavity defined by the body portion  14 . Thus, as viewed in FIG. 5, the contact portions  38  extend downwardly from the upper part  18  of the body portion  14 , within the troughs between the posts  22 , and into the cavity defined within the body portion  14 . Thence, the intermediate portions  36  extend from the contact portions  38  transversely of the connector body (i.e. transversely of rows  24 ,  26 ) inwardly to join with respective ones of the elongate portions  40  of the contact elements  32 . The elongate portions  40  thence extend forwardly in generally parallel disposition to project through a forward wall of the body portion  14  and thence into the body portion  16 , so that parts  42  of the contact elements are accommodated within the slots  48  as mentioned earlier. 
     The contact parts  28  extend generally normally to the plane containing the major parts of the elongate portions  40  of contact elements  32 , and are generally planar. The contact parts  28  of each contact element  32  are however arranged in the V-shaped configuration illustrated, such that the planes of these are arranged at an angle of approximately 90° to each other, and also at approximately 45° to the lengthwise direction of the extent of the rows  24 ,  26 . That is to say, within the troughs between the posts  22 , the median planes of the contact parts  28  are inclined at 45° with respect to the lengthwise directions of the extent of the rows  24 ,  26 , when the contact parts  28  are viewed from above in the view shown in FIG.  5 . Further, apices of the V-shaped configurations of the contact parts  28  of the two contact portions  38  closest to body portion  16  face outwardly whereas the apices of the V-shaped configurations of the contact parts  28  of the two contact portions  38  which are furthest from body portion  16  face inwards. By this, in each adjacent row  24 ,  26 , ones of the contact parts  28  on the two contact portions  38  in the row are parallel and the contact parts  28  at the opposite ends of the row are also parallel, but disposed at 90° to the other contact parts of that row. 
     Two cover members  50  are provided which snap-fit, by means of interengaging snap-fit components (not shown), onto the upper part  18  of body portion  14 , so as in use to cover the upper ends of the posts  22  and the upper part  18  of the connector body portion  14 . These cover members are fitted to the connector  10  by downward pressing as viewed in FIG.  5  and are provided with internal pressing portions (not shown). Under the action of so connecting the cover members  50  to the body portion  14 , these pressing portions are each capable of engaging wires positioned at the upper ends of two of the contact parts  28  in each row  24 ,  26 , so as to press these wires downwardly into the slots  30  of the contact parts  28 , during the action of affixing the cover members  50  to the connector  10 . By this means, no separate tool is needed to facilitate entry of the wires into the contact parts  28 . 
     By the above arrangement each contact element can be connected to two wires by engaging those wires with the respective contact parts  28  of the contact element. The V-shaped configuration of the contact portions  38  enables a simple and compact arrangement for the connector  10 . 
     The body portion  16  is arranged at one end of the body portion  14 . The other end of the body portion  14  is provided with a loop-like retaining element  52  which is capable of accommodating wires to be connected, or already connected, to the connector  10 , to retain these on the connector  10 , or which may alternatively tie used as a means for tying wires to the body. 
     The particular form of the contact elements as described lends itself to formation of these by forming the lead frame  54  as shown in FIG.  10 . This lead frame  54  is in the form of a strip of electrically conductive material from which contact blanks  56   a ,  56   b  are stamped. These blanks are subsequently deformed, by bending, to form the contact elements  32 . 
     Lead frame  54  has two lengthwise extending side edges  58 ,  60  and the stamping of the blanks  56   a ,  56   b  is effected in the following way: 
     a) the portions  38  of the blanks  56   a ,  56   b  are arranged in lengthwise extending rows, those of blanks  56   a  being at side edge  58  and those of blanks  56   b  being at side edge  60 , such that portions  38  of blanks  56   a  occupy an edge portion  62  of the lead frame, adjacent side edge  38 , and portions  38  of blanks  56   b  occupy an edge portion  64  of the lead frame, adjacent side edge  60 ; 
     b) the parts  34  of the portions  38  connect to intermediate parts  36  of the blanks and thence to the elongate portions  40 ; 
     c) the elongate portions  40  of contact blanks  56   a , (those having portions  38  thereof at edge  58 ) extend towards edge  60  at an angle of 45°. Likewise, the elongate portions  40  of the contact blanks  56   b  (those disposed with portions  38  adjacent edge  60 ), extend towards edge  58  at 45° and parallel to the elongate portions  40  of the blanks  56   a;    
     d) the elongate portions  40  of the contact blanks  56   a  are interleaved with the 15 elongate portions  40  of the contact blanks  56   b , and spaced from those. 
     It will be observed that the blanks  56   a  adjacent the edge  58  differ slightly from those adjacent the edge  60  in that the elongate portions  40  of the blanks  56   a  are somewhat longer. When blanks  56   b  are bent to form contact elements  32 , they form the two contact elements  32  which are at the end of body portion  14  remote from body portion  16 , whereas the contact elements  32  formed from blanks  56   a  form the remaining two contact elements  32 . 
     The described arrangement is particularly convenient in that the contact elements  32  are formed in a way which limits wastage in the strip material from which the contacts are formed. 
     While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 
     APPENDIX 
       10  electrical connector 
       12  connector body 
       14  first body portion (of connector body) 
       16  second body portion (of connector body  12 ) 
       18  upper part body part (of body portion  14 ) 
       20  lower part body part (of body portion  14 ) 
       22  posts 
       24  row (of posts  22 , contact parts  28 ) 
       26  row (of posts  22 , contact parts  28 ) 
       28  bifurcated contact parts 
       30  slots (on contact parts  28 ) 
       32  electrical contact element 
       34  lower part (of contact portion  38 ) 
       36  intermediate portions (of contact portion  38 ) 
       38  contact portion (of contact elements  32 ) 
       40  elongate portions (of contact elements  32 ) 
       42  arched contact parts (of elongate portions  40 ) 
       44  socket 
       46  wall surface portion 
       48  slots 
       50  cover members 
       52  retaining element 
       54  lead frame 
       56   a  contact blanks 
       56   b  contact blanks 
       58  side edges (of lead frame  54 ) 
       60  side edges (of lead frame  54 ) 
       62  edge portion (of lead frame  54 ) 
       64  edge portion (of lead frame  54 ) 
       66  snap fit parts 
       68  snap fit parts 
       70  snap-fit parts 
       72  snap-fit parts