Patent Description:
In the art, multi-strand cables combine shielded and unshielded strands in one cable. Such cables may be applied for power transmission combined with data transmission. In prior art solutions, the transmission of a shielding and the protective earth connection via a metal housing is cumbersome, such that connector backshells terminating a multi-strand cable are not versatile.

<CIT> discloses an adaptor for an electrical connector which enables the screens of a number of screened electrical wires to be terminated and which will provide electromagnetic shielding for the wires; which comprises: (i) an electrically conductive body having an aperture through which the wires are intended to pass; (ii) an electrically conductive shielding member that can be positioned in the aperture substantially to close the aperture, the member having a plurality of recesses opening onto the periphery: (iii) a plurality of electrically conductive hollow deformable ferrules that are capable of receiving one or more wires so that the wires extend through and beyond the ferrules and the ferrules can be electrically connected to the screen of the wire or wires extending there through, each ferrule being capable of being held in one of the recesses in the periphery of the shielding member by deformation of the ferrule but being capable of being removed from the recess; (iv) a locking ring that can engage and be tightened on the body in order to retain the shielding member and ferrules in the aperture; and (v) means for holding the ferrules securely in the recesses when the locking ring is tightened on the body.

<CIT> relates to a connector with which stable transmission by suppressing variance in connection relation between a shield cable and the connector. The connector includes a contact; an inner holding member having a holding recess formed corresponding to the contact; an outer holding member having a housing portion, which houses the inner holding member, on a rear-end side; and a shell which is connected to a shield member and covers the outer holding member. The contact is fitted to an exposed conductive portion of an insulation wire of a shield case. The holding recess is configured to receive both a part of the contact and an exposed insulation portion of the insulation wire along a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the connector.

One aspect of the present invention is to improve prior art solutions of cable retainer inserts and connectors receiving such, in view of a shielding transfer provided and their versatility.

The cable retainer insert of the present invention has a cable contact portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced cable receptacles, each cable receptacle being configured to receive at least one strand of the multi-strand cable, each cable receptacle further comprising a cable strand insertion opening at a radially outward end, and a bottom at an opposite radially inward end, wherein a circle inscribed in the cable receptacle and touching the bottom of the cable receptacle extends radially outwards beyond the cable strand insertion opening. The inventive cable retainer insert is characterized by comprising a housing contact portion for electrically contacting the housing of the connector. A diameter of the cable contact portion is smaller than a diameter of the housing contact portion. Moreover, the cable receptacles extend through both the cable contact portion and the housing contact portion.

A connector according to the invention comprises a connector housing configured to receive a cable retainer insert, a cable retainer insert of the invention, a cable having an outer shielding and a multitude of cable strands with strand shieldings, wherein the cable contact portion is inserted into the outer shielding and at least one of the multitude of cable strands is inserted in the cable receptacle, wherein the cable retainer insert is electrically contacted by the strand shieldings of the cable strands in the cable receptacles, and wherein the outer shielding is arranged between the cable strand insertion openings and a clamping mechanism which extends circumferentially across the cable retainer insert.

The cable retainer insert and the connector according to the invention have the advantage that both an unshielded strand (e.g. a protective earth strand) and a shielded strand of a multi-strand cable may be securely received and held within the corresponding cable receptacle. The strand or the shielding of the strand may further be electrically contacted in a reliable way. The circle inscribed into the cable receptacle represents a cable diameter of a cable which is fully inserted into the cable receptacle. As the circle protrudes from the cable receptacle, so does the cable. This facilitates friction and clamping of the cable in the cable retainer insert. Providing a housing contact portion has the advantage that contacting the different shieldings of the multi-strand cable may be functionally separated from a connection to the housing of a connector. Leveling all shieldings to a common electrical potential may therefore not be disturbed by contacting the housing. A continued <NUM>° shielding is therefore guaranteed and may not be disturbed by any possible incorrect contacting of the housing contact portion and the housing of the connector.

In the following, further advantageous embodiments of the present invention will be described. These embodiments comprise additional technical features, which may be arbitrarily combined with each other or may be omitted if the technical effect obtained by the omitted technical feature is not essential to the present invention. The embodiments that will be described in the following are exemplary and do not limit the present invention.

The inventive connector may be a connector backshell for terminating a wire. It may in particular be applied in the agricultural sector, i.e. a connector in compliance with Agricultural Industry Electronic Foundation (AEF) standards. It may be applied to provide connectivity between a tractor and e.g. a tractor-trailer or tractor implements. The inventive connector has the advantage that an overall cable shielding of the multi-strand cable or a shielding of each strand of the multi-strand cable is reliably transferred to the connector, such that each shielded cable is continuously provided with a <NUM>° shielding.

The inventive cable retainer insert and the connector may be applied in different technological fields in which a reliable transfer of a shielding is required. The present invention may preferably be applied in the field of agricultural industry, in particular for electric devices being connected to each other.

A multi-strand cable may contain different strands of different functionality. Exemplarily, it may comprise power strands for transmitting electric current or power, data strands for transmitting data signals and a protective earth strand. Each strand may have its own shielding. An arbitrary number of each of those strands may be present. Moreover, multi-strand cables may comprise an outer shielding that surrounds all strands of the multi-strand cable. This continuous <NUM>° shielding is to be transferred and maintained by the inventive connector.

Each of the strands of the multi-strand cable may be provided with a ferrule which is surrounding the corresponding strand. Said ferrule may further comprise an outer contact ferrule comprising spring wires or lamellas, wherein each spring wire or each lamella is deflectable against the radial direction and provides an individual contact point. The outer contact ferrule may thus comprise a multitude of circumferentially arranged contact points.

The shielding of a strand may be electrically connected to said ferrule by means of electromagnetic pulse technology, which represents a method connecting different materials with each other by means of an electromagnetic pulse that accelerates the different parts to be joined together via a strong electromagnetic field. Said parts are accelerated in opposite directions towards each other, wherein both parts are substance-to-substance bonded with each other. However, any suitable means for electrically connecting the shielding of a strand with the ferrule, as well as connecting the ferrule electrically with the cable retainer insert may be applied.

The cable contact portion of the cable retainer insert may have an outer contour in the shape of a circle, wherein said circle may be interrupted by the insertion openings (at least one insertion opening) of the cable receptacles. The cable receptacles may be formed as grooves that extend axially and are open at both axial ends of the cable retainer insert.

The cable retainer insert may comprise a plug end face, a cable end face both facing in the axial direction, as well as an outside contour which extends circumferentially between the two end faces. The end faces may be located parallel to each other displaced in an axial direction, wherein the cable receptacles extend from the plug end face to the cable end face. The cable receptacles may open out into the outside contour of the cable retainer insert. They may thus open out in a radial direction, which is oriented perpendicular to the axial direction.

The cable strand insertion opening may be an opening from which a strand may be inserted into the cable receptacle of the cable retainer insert. The bottom of the cable receptacle may in particular be arcuate or may be semicircular in a cross-section being perpendicular to the axial direction.

The circle inscribed in the cable receptacle is an incircle or inscribed circle, being the largest circle contained in the cable receptacle and touching its bottom. Such an inscribed circle touches the cable receptacle in at least three points. The inscribed circle extends radially outwards beyond the cable strand insertion opening. The incircle may also extend beyond an excircle or escribed circle of the cable contact portion.

The cable retainer insert may be further improved in that the cable retainer insert is electrically conductive. This has the advantage that each shielding may be brought in mechanical and consequently electrical contact with the cable retainer insert, thereby leveling each of the shieldings to a common electric potential.

The inventive cable retainer insert may further comprise at least two cable retainer insert modules, which are positioned adjacent to one another in a circumferential direction. This embodiment has the advantage that the cable retainer insert may be flexible during assembly and that an almost arbitrary number of possible combinations of strands of different number and/or size may be reliably held and contacted by means of the cable retainer insert comprising at least two cable retainer insert modules. The cable retainer insert modules may thus form the cable retainer insert. If two cable retainer insert modules are comprised they may have a form similar to a half circle. If three or more cable retainer insert modules are provided, they may have a shape similar to a circular sector. A preferred embodiment provides four cable retainer insert modules shaped similar to a circular sector with an angle of <NUM>°. Any other number of cable retainer insert modules may be applied.

In a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert, each cable retainer insert member may comprise at least one cable receptacle. A multitude of cable receptacles may be provided in a cable retainer insert module.

As the diameter of the housing contact portion is larger than the diameter of the cable contact portion, contacting of the housing via the housing contact portion does not influence or (negatively) effect receiving and contacting the strands of the multi-strand cables in or via the cable receptacle.

The at least one cable receptacle extends through both the cable contact portion and the housing contact portion. The cable contact portion and/or the housing contact portion may have a shape similar to a cylinder. In the case of the embodiment of the cable retainer insert comprising at least two cable retainer insert modules, those modules may have a shape similar to a cylindrical section. The cylindrical section may comprise a cylindrical section of the cable contact portion and a cylindrical section of the housing contact portion. Preferably, the cylindrical sections of the cable contact portion and the housing contact portion have the same angle.

In a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert, an axial length of the cable contact portion may be larger than an axial length of the housing contact portion. The axial length is measured along the axial direction.

In an assembled state, the cable contact portion and/or the housing contact portion may correspond to a cylindrical shape, wherein a height of said cylinders may be defined along the axial direction, which is oriented perpendicular to the radial direction. The height of the cylinder describing the cable contact portion may be larger than the height of the cylinder describing the housing contact portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the cable retainer insert has at least one circumferential groove. The at least one circumferential groove may comprise a groove bottom facing in the radial direction.

The groove bottom may be located at a third radius, wherein the circle inscribed in the cable receptacle may extend beyond this third radius. In this embodiment, edges may be provided on both sides of the groove, wherein the edges are circumferentially arranged and limit the groove in and against the axial direction. In this embodiment, the inscribed circle extends radially outwards beyond the cable strand insertion opening and beyond the third radius. The cable strand insertion opening is at a radial height of the bottom of the groove. The groove is interrupted in a circumferential direction by the cable strand insertion openings. The cable strand insertion opening is recessed radially inwards at a position where the bottom of the groove crosses the cable receptacle.

This embodiment may be further improved by providing a clamping mechanism, which is configured to be inserted into the circumferential groove and configured to extend across the cable strand insertion opening in the circumferential direction. Preferably, the circumferential groove is provided at the cable contact portion and the clamping mechanism is configured to be inserted into the circumferential groove at the cable contact portion.

This has the advantage that the circumferential groove predetermines a position of the clamping mechanism and that once the clamping mechanism is installed to the cable retainer insert, its position is fixed by the circumferential groove.

Application of this embodiment of the cable retainer insert in the housing of the connector may securely fix the position of the outer shielding with respect to the cable retainer insert by means of the clamping mechanism. As the circle inscribed into the cable receptacle extends beyond the bottom of the circumferential groove, a shielding of a strand or a strand received in the cable receptacle also extends beyond the cable strand insertion opening at a position where the bottom of the groove crosses the cable receptacle. The outer shielding is displaced into the circumferential groove as well as towards the cable strand insertion opening by the clamping mechanism, thereby reliably electrically contacting the shielding of the strands and strands with the outer shielding and the cable retainer insert. At the same time, the clamping mechanism presses the outer shielding into the circumferential groove against the bottom of the circumferential groove in between adjacent cable strand insertion openings.

The cable strand insertion openings are located either at an outer contour of the cable contact portion or at the bottom of the circumferential groove provided in the cable contact portion. A clamping member may also be provided in an embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert without a circumferential groove.

As the clamping mechanism extends across the cable strand insertion opening in the circumferential direction, a circular strand with a diameter corresponding to the inscribed circle is in any case in electrical contact with the outer shielding due to the clamping mechanism.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert, a second, preferably circumferential, groove may be provided, which is configured to receive a radially elastic member. This second groove may be provided in particular in the housing contact portion and the radially elastic member is preferably electrically conductive.

Further, the cable contact portion and the housing contact portion are preferably monolithically connected to each other. Thus, the electrical potential provided by the outer shielding and/or the shieldings of the strands and/or a protective earth strand, are levelled and provided at the cable contact portion as well as at the housing contact portion. Thus, the electrically conductive radially elastic member may be configured to establish an electric contact between the cable retainer insert and the housing of the connector.

The electrically conductive radially elastic member may be a continuous coil spring, i.e. a coil spring which is connected at its two ends, e.g. by welding, or may be a circular self-locking ring, i.e. a metallic ring comprising elastic contact latches (leaf springs) deflectable in and against the radial direction. The latter embodiment of the radially elastic member may for instance be a circular V-spring.

It is particularly advantageous if the first and/or the second groove are open in a radially outward direction. This has the advantage that the clamping mechanism and/or the radially elastic member are on the one hand applied for electrical contacting and on the other hand may be applied for holding cable retainer insert modules in a fixed position to each other.

Thus, in a preassembled state, in which the strands of the multi-strand cable are received in a corresponding cable receptacle, the outer shielding is placed over the cable contact portion. The clamping mechanism may be installed at or around the cable contact portion and the clamping mechanism and/or the radially elastic member may releasably fix the position of the cable retainer insert modules and the strands relative to each other.

The inventive cable retainer insert may be further improved by providing a center through hole, which extends in an axial direction. Such a center through hole has the advantage that strands of the multi-strand wire, which do not have or do not require a shielding, may be easily fed through the cable retainer insert via the center through hole. However, strands without individual shielding may nevertheless be shielded by the outer shielding.

In a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert, a center insert module may be provided in the center through hole. The center insert module may comprise a polymer, preferably a nonconductive polymer and more preferably and elastomer.

In an embodiment comprising at least two cable retainer insert modules, these modules may be arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the center insert module. The center insert module may have a through hole for receiving at least one strand of the multi-strand wire. The material of the center insert module may have a lower hardness than the material of the cable insert modules. The center insert module may be vibration-reducing or vibration-isolating.

Any of the embodiments of the cable retainer insert may be applied in the inventive connector. The connector is preferably a connector backshell and more preferably a connector backshell applied in agricultural industry.

The inventive connector allows for terminating a multi-strand cable without deterioration of a shielding provided by said cable. The connector thus allows for a continuous <NUM>° shielding, which is not interrupted by the connector itself.

By means of a modular cable retainer insert, i.e. a cable retainer insert comprising at least two cable retainer insert modules, the inventive connector may be adapted to or applied for a wide variety of multi-strand cables and is thus very versatile.

If technical features in the previous description are introduced in singular or plural form, it is not excluded that more than one or only one of said technical features is provided.

In the following, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, which show exemplary embodiments. The present invention shall not be limited to the embodiments described below. In the following description of the figures, some technical features and technical features having the same technical effect are denoted using the same reference numeral. A repetitive description of technical features already introduced will be avoided, whereas differences will be explicitly given.

In <FIG>, different views of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM> are shown. A first embodiment is shown by <FIG>, a second embodiment by <FIG> and a third embodiment by <FIG>.

All embodiments of the cable retainer insert <NUM> comprise four cable retainer insert modules <NUM>. The embodiments shown are only exemplary embodiments, i.e. a different number of cable retainer insert modules <NUM> may be provided. In a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM>, the cable retainer insert <NUM> is one single piece, i.e. not modular.

In the embodiments shown, each of the cable retainer insert modules <NUM> comprises at least one cable receptacle <NUM>, wherein one of the cable retainer insert modules <NUM> comprises three cable receptacles <NUM>. For the sake of clarity, only in <FIG> are all cable receptacles <NUM> provided with a reference numeral.

Each of the cable receptacles <NUM> comprises a cable strand insertion opening <NUM>, which is, in a radial direction <NUM>, located at an outward end <NUM>. For clarification, in <FIG> the cable strand insertion opening <NUM> of the right cable retainer insert module <NUM> is indicated by a dashed line.

Opposite the outward end <NUM>, each cable receptacle <NUM> comprises a bottom <NUM> at a radially inward end <NUM>. The cable receptacles <NUM> therefore extend in the radial direction <NUM> and open out into the radial direction <NUM> and further correspond to a groove <NUM> in an axial direction <NUM>, which is oriented into the drawing plane and which is open in and against the axial direction <NUM>. The cable receptacles <NUM> are arranged in a circumferential direction <NUM>, which is perpendicular to the radial direction <NUM>.

The four cable retainer insert modules <NUM> of the first embodiment constitute a cable contact portion <NUM> of the cable retainer insert <NUM>. It is noted that the sense of rotation of the circumferential direction <NUM> is not important and only a question of definition.

In the case of the second and third embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM>, the cable contact portion <NUM> is best seen in <FIG>.

The second and third embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM> further comprise a housing contact portion <NUM>. This housing contact portion <NUM> is configured for electrically contacting a housing of a connector (see <FIG>).

A diameter <NUM> of the cable contact portion <NUM> is smaller than a diameter <NUM> of the housing contact portion <NUM>. This is indicated in <FIG>.

As can be seen in the perspective view shown in <FIG>, the cable contact portion <NUM> and the housing contact portion <NUM> are both cylindrical, wherein the cable retainer insert modules <NUM> of all embodiments shown are cylindrical sections <NUM> (the cylindrical sections <NUM> are only indicated by reference numerals in <FIG>).

As can be best seen in <FIG>, an axial length <NUM> of the cable contact portion <NUM> is larger than an axial length <NUM> of the housing contact portion <NUM>.

In <FIG>, it is indicated that an inscribed circle <NUM> (also: incircle <NUM>) in the cable receptacle <NUM>, which touches the bottom <NUM> of the cable receptacle <NUM> extends radially, i.e. in the radial direction <NUM> outwards beyond the cable strand insertion opening <NUM>. This is the case for all cable receptacles <NUM>, independent on their size.

It is noted that the bottom <NUM> of the cable receptacles <NUM> shown is formed as a half circle, where in different embodiments a different shape of the bottom <NUM> is conceivable. In such a case (not shown) the incircle <NUM> touches the cable receptacle <NUM> at at least three points. In any case, the incircle extends in the radial direction <NUM> beyond the cable strand insertion opening <NUM>, also in the embodiments having a housing contact portion <NUM> (see <FIG>).

As shown in <FIG>, the cable contact portion <NUM> comprises a first circumferential groove <NUM>. This first circumferential groove <NUM> is not present in the third embodiment shown in <FIG>.

Further, <FIG> show that a clamping mechanism <NUM>, in the form of a bandstrap <NUM> is provided at the cable contact portion <NUM> (<FIG>), respectively in the first circumferential groove <NUM> of the cable contact portion <NUM> (<FIG>).

The clamping mechanism <NUM> extends across the cable strand insertion openings <NUM> in the circumferential direction <NUM>.

Further, a second circumferential groove <NUM> is provided in the housing contact portion <NUM>. This second circumferential groove <NUM> is configured to receive a radially elastic member <NUM> which may be embodied as a continuous coil spring <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the first <NUM> and the second circumferential groove <NUM> both extend and open out into the radial direction <NUM>.

In the following, <FIG> show different assembly steps for an inventive connector <NUM>. The inventive connector <NUM> may in particular be a connector backshell <NUM> and preferably an agricultural industry connector <NUM> (see <FIG>).

In <FIG>, a multi-strand cable <NUM> is provided, which comprises a multitude of cable strands <NUM>, wherein some cable strands <NUM> may comprise a shielding <NUM> in the form of a mesh <NUM> or braid wire <NUM>. The multi-strand cable <NUM> may further comprise a protective earth strand <NUM> and several data strands <NUM>. The multi-strand cable <NUM> may in particular be a round hybrid cable 57a.

In the embodiment shown, in some of the cable receptacles <NUM> a cable strand <NUM> is received. Due to the geometry of the cable receptacles <NUM> (see the description referring to the incircle <NUM> above) the cable strand <NUM>, in particular the protective earth strand <NUM> and the shielding <NUM> extend radially outer walls beyond the cable strand insertion opening <NUM>. In <FIG> the insertion opening <NUM> is not shown, but <FIG> is referred to, in which the inscribed circles <NUM> may represent the three cable strands <NUM> having a shielding <NUM> and the protective earth strand <NUM>.

Consequently, each shielding <NUM> and the protective earth strand <NUM> extend in the radial direction <NUM> beyond the bottom <NUM> of the first circumferential groove <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the radially elastic member <NUM> is provided in the second circumferential groove <NUM> of the housing contact portion <NUM> , thereby fixing the position of the four cable retainer insert modules <NUM>.

In <FIG>, it is shown that the multi-strand cable <NUM> also comprises an outer shielding <NUM> which is not shown in <FIG> for the sake of clarity. The cable contact portion <NUM> is inserted into the outer shielding <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the clamping mechanism <NUM> in the form of the bandstrap <NUM> is inserted in the first circumferential groove <NUM>. Thereby the outer shielding <NUM> is pressed against the bottom <NUM> of the first circumferential groove <NUM> as well as against the shieldings <NUM> and against the protective earth strand <NUM> (this is for instance visible in <FIG>). As the cable retainer insert <NUM> is electrically conductive, it is electrically contacted by the shieldings <NUM> of the cable strands <NUM> and by the outer shielding <NUM>. In this preassembly state <NUM>, the outer shielding <NUM> is arranged between the cable strand insertion openings <NUM> (covered by the outer shielding <NUM> and the bandstrap <NUM>) and the clamping mechanism <NUM>.

Finally, as shown in <FIG>, the cable retainer insert <NUM> is received in a connector housing <NUM>, thereby forming the connector <NUM> in the assembled state <NUM>.

It can be seen in <FIG> that the outer shielding <NUM> and (not visible) the protective earth strand <NUM> and the other shieldings <NUM> are connected to a metallic housing portion <NUM> of the housing <NUM> via the housing contact portion <NUM> and the radially elastic member <NUM>. A backward portion 79a of the metallic housing portion <NUM> overlaps with the outer shielding <NUM>, thereby providing an uninterrupted shielding of all strands <NUM> of the multi-strand cable <NUM>.

The metallic housing portion <NUM> further comprises a forward portion 79b further providing shielding in the axial direction <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the entire connector <NUM>, which also comprises a front cover member <NUM>, which is attached to the metallic housing portion <NUM> by a holding mechanism <NUM>.

In <FIG>, a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM> is shown. This embodiment provides a center insert module <NUM> that is located in a center through hole <NUM>. The center through hole extends in the axial direction <NUM>. The center insert module <NUM> may comprise a polymer <NUM> and may preferably be nonconductive or elastic to reduce vibrations of the data strands <NUM> that are received in through holes 85a in the center insert module <NUM>. The center insert module <NUM> may also comprise an elastomer <NUM>.

<FIG> show a further embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM>, which differs from the previously shown embodiments of the cable retainer insert <NUM> in that only one cable retainer insert module <NUM> is provided. This cable retainer insert <NUM> is thus not modular.

This embodiment of the inventive cable retainer insert <NUM> shown in <FIG> further comprises another embodiment of the radially elastic member <NUM>, which is a circular leaf spring member <NUM> that comprises a circumferential base spring <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) and a multitude of leaf springs <NUM>. The circular leaf spring member <NUM> may also be denoted as a circular self-locking ring. In <FIG> and <FIG>, only some of the circumferentially arranged leaf springs <NUM> are provided with a reference numeral. Such a circular leaf spring member <NUM> provides electrical and mechanical connection between the cable retainer insert <NUM> and the metallic housing portion <NUM> of the connector <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The cable strands <NUM> shown in <FIG> are provided with a ferrule <NUM> which is electrically connected to the shielding <NUM> of the corresponding cable strand <NUM> via electromagnetic pulse technology.

Claim 1:
Cable retainer insert (<NUM>) for a multi-strand cable (<NUM>), the cable retainer insert (<NUM>) being configured to be inserted in a housing (<NUM>) of a connector (<NUM>), the cable retainer insert (<NUM>) having a cable contact portion (<NUM>), a plurality of circumferentially spaced cable receptacles (<NUM>), each cable receptacle (<NUM>) being configured to receive at least one strand (<NUM>) of the multi-strand cable (<NUM>), each cable receptacle (<NUM>) further comprising a cable strand insertion opening (<NUM>) at a radially outward end (<NUM>), and a bottom (<NUM>) at an opposite radially inward end (<NUM>), wherein a circle (<NUM>) inscribed in the cable receptacle (<NUM>) and touching the bottom (<NUM>) of the cable receptacle (<NUM>) extends radially outwards beyond the cable strand insertion opening (<NUM>) characterized in that the cable retainer insert (<NUM>) comprises a housing contact portion (<NUM>) for electrically contacting the housing (<NUM>) of the connector, wherein the cable receptacles (<NUM>) extend through both the cable contact portion (<NUM>) and the housing contact portion (<NUM>) and wherein a diameter (<NUM>) of the cable contact portion (<NUM>) is smaller than a diameter (<NUM>) of the housing contact portion (<NUM>).