Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present in~ention relates to electrical
connector assemblies.
According to one aspect of the present invention,
an electrical connector assembly comprises a multi-
conductor cable and an electrical connector includingan insulating housing having a body portio~ with forward
and rear faces and a transverse rib extending from the
~ear face between two rows o~ terminals and generally
parallel to the cable, the terminals of each row being
secured in ca~ities in the body portion and including
conductor connecting portions projecting from the rear
face of the body portion, the conductor connecting portions
. o one row being on opposite side surfaces ~f the rib and
~acing in oppo$ite directions from the conductor connecting
1~ portions of the other row, a shroud comprising a pair
of clamping hody halves arranged one on each side of the
~rib, fixs~ portions of said conductors extending tra~sversely
from said cable towards said rib and received in respective
wir~-receiving portions of the terminals, said first portions
of c~n~u~to.r~ extending from said terminals in a reverse
direction and being wrapped over said clamping body halves,
second portions of said conductors extending from said ~.
clamping body halves back to the cable.
According to another aspect of the invention, an
electrical connector assembly comprises a multi-conau~tor
cab.l~ having an insulating sheath encompassing a plurality
of conductors, an electrical connector, a shroud assembled
to a rear face of the connector and a cover, the electrical
connector including an insulating housing having a body
portion'with forward and rear facbs and a transverse rib
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extending fram the rear face between two rows of terminals
and parallel to the cable, each terminal beina secured
in a cavity in the body portion, each terminal including
~ conductor connecting portion projecting from the rear
.5 face of the body portion, each conductor connecting
portion comp~ising at least one pla~e having a slot
opening-into an edge of the plate and receiving a first
portion of conductor extendinq transversely from a
portion of the multi-conductor cable from which the sheath
has been removed, the plates of each row being u~standing
from opposite side surfaces of the rib with the slot .
openings remote from the rib, the shroud including a
palr of clamping body halves arranged one on each side
of the rib, each body half having a channel receiving
a row of plates, co-operating latch means being provided
on each bady half to maintain the halves together, the .
shroud having a lead-in opening for the passage there-
through of the individual conductors, the cover being
moun~d an th.e cable and surrounding that portion of
.20 . the cable from which the sheath has been removed and
` . fr~m w~ich the individual conductors extend, the cover
being ~oined to the shroud and encompassing the shroud
and the individual conductors extending from the cable
to the-connector, said first portions of con~uctors
extending from said terminals in a reverse direction and
being wrappe~ over said clamping body halves, second
portions of said conductors extending from said clamping
body hal.ves back to the cable.
P~efera~ly, the cover is a one-piece moulding and
includes.irst and second parts interconnected by a
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hinge part, the first and second parts being capable of
relative movement between an open condition and a closed
condition encompassing the shroud.
An embodiment of the invention will now be
d~scribed, by way of example, reference being made to
the Figures of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings
in which:-
Figure l is a perspective view of an electricalconnector assembly;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the assembly o
Figure l with a cover in its open position;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the
assembly o~ Figure l with the cover removed and a body
half of a shroud exploded from the detail;
Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure
3 showing the body half in its assembled condition;
Figure 5 is a aross-section of the cover shown in
Figure 2; and
Figure 6 is a perspective fragmentary view of a
connector forming part of the assembly of Figure l.
An electrical connector as~embly l comprises a
multi-conductor cable 40, an electrical connector 8, a
shroud 84 and a cover llO.
The cable 4~ comprises a plurality of conductors
42 encompassed by an insulating sheath 44. Each conduc~or
42 has a centxal conductive core surrounded by insulation.
The electrical connector 8 is described in detail
in our Patent No. 963551 (Ar~ ref. ~029) and comprises
an insulating pla$tics housing lO havina a central boay
portion 9 with opposed forward mating and rear ~aces l~, 14.
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A transverse rib 16 extends from the rear face 14.
Two rows o~ terminals 6 are secured in cavities 13
in the body portion 9, one row on each side of the
rib 16. Each terminal 6 has a forward contact
S portion 20 projecting into a recess 32 formed in the
~orward face 12 of the body portion 9 and a conductor
connecting portion 4 projecting fxom the rear face 14.
Each conductor connector po~tion 4 includes. a pair of
spaced-apart plates 24, 26 .joined to each other at their
10- upper ends tas shown) by parallel straps 28 between which
a conductor,42 can be moved transversely of its axis into
core contac~ing slots 30 in the plates to electrically
connect.the conductor 42 to the terminal 6. The individual
plates 24, 26 of each'row of terminals 6 are substantially
. co-planar and upstanding from opposite side surfaces 15,
11 of the ri~ 16 with the slot openings remo~e from thè
rib 16. As pr~viously men~ioned,,rib 16 extends from the
re~r face 14 o t~e ~ody pO~tiOh 9 and a shank portion 22
of ~ach terminal 6 is supported on one of its sur~aces. 15,
20, 17. Partitlons 36 extend from the surfaces 15, 17 between
adjacen~ shank portion$ 22 and isolate the individua- .
termlnals 6 ~rom each other. The housing 10 has a flange
34 ~y mean~.of which it can be mounted on a panel (not `~
sho~
When it is desired to make a connection ~o the
cable 40, a portio~ o the sheath 44 is removed to expose
~h~ individ~al con~u~ors 42,(see Figure 3). Intermediate
portions of the conductors 42 are moved transversely of
the long~tudinal axis of the'cable 40 and connected to
the terminals 6 On the rearward side of the connector
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by pushing individual conductors 42 into their respective
slots 30 in the conductor connecting portions 4. After
an intermediate portion of each conductor 42 has been
connected to one of the terminals 6 it is possible to
~orm a tap-connection to the cable 40 by merely putting
a complementary connector into the recess 32 of the
connector 8.
The sh~oud 84 which is described in detail in our
Canadian Patent No. 984948 which issued March 2, 1976,
comprises two substantially identical insulating body
halves 86. Each bady half 86.has an internal channel
(not shown) dimensioned to receive a row of plates 24, 26.
Each body half 86 has a flexible latch arm 88 extending
from one end and a recess 90 i9 formed in its opposite
end~ A shoulder 91 is provided in the recess 9O for
co-operation wi~h a slot 9~- in the la~ch a~m 88 of the
op~osed body half ~o that when the body halves are ~ressed
together from opposite rides of the rib 16 they are
. assemblbd together to the re~ward side of connector 8
as shown i~ Figure 3. The opposed èdges 9~ of the body
halves 86 arç r~cessed so that the conductors 42 can pass
t~ug~ a xear lead-in aperture defined by the recesses
as shown in Figure 4 to the terminals 6 in the conneator 8.
The IJonductors 42 extend ~om the terminals 6 and throu~h
a le~.d-out space between a body half and the rear face 14
of the body portion 9. The conductors 42 are then rever~ely
ben~. over the`outward facing surface of a body half which
is grooved ea.ch groove 100 receiving an individual
conductor 42. This last feature is not disclosed in our
Canadian patent No. 984948 which issued March 2, 1976.
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The body halves 86 are mounted on the rearwood slde of
the connector 8 by the latch arms 88. Additional latch
arms 96 and latching ears 98 are provided on each body
half 86 to clamp the central portlons of the body halves
to each other.
Referring in particular to Figures 3, 4 and 7, each
body half 86 has a pair of spaced recesses 89 which when
the shr~ud 84 is assembled to the connector 8 are
immedia~ely ad~acent the rear face 14.
A~ explained in our Canadian Patent No. 984948.which
is-~ued March ~., 1976 the shroud 84 provides a strain
relle~ ef~ect.
The cover 110 is a one-piece moulding of insula~ing
material, for example, nylon, polypropolene or polyPhenylene
o~lde and comprisea a. first or top part 46 hingedly
co~neted to a second or bot~om part 48 by a hin~e part 64.
The parts.46 are movable relative to each.other between an
apen position (see Figure 2) and a closed condition
embracing the shroud 84.
20~ The top p~r~ 4~ includes a panel 50 from which depe~d
a pair o~ spaced, opposed flanges 52. The inner surfaces
53 o~ the f1a~ges 52 ar~ spaced apart a distance sufieient "`
~o allow the ~over to receive the shroud 84 with a snug fit
when assembled to the rear of the connector 8. Each flange
2~ 52 ha~ an exte~nal recess 54 adjacent the forward edge 56
of the panel. An ear 58 is provided in each recess 54.
A depending flange 6~ depends from a rear edge of the
panel 50. The flanges 52 do not extend to the rear edge
o~ the panel 5b so that openings are, in effect, defined
~y ~h~ fla~ge 62 and the rea~ e~ges of the flang~s 52
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for the passage therethrough of the cable 40. Clamping
ears 60 formed with ribs 77 project laterally from the
panel 50. Stops 87 are provided at the forward edge 56.
The panel 50 is connected to the hinge part 64 by flange 62.
The bottom part 48 includes a panel 66 from which
extend a pair of spaced, opposed flanges 68. Flanges 68
ar~ opposed to and in alignment with the flanges 52. The
oppo~ed internal surfaces of the flanges 68, like the
surfaces 53, con~orm to the rear end of the connector 8
with the shroud 84 assembled to it. Latch arms 70 extend
upwardly (as shown3 rom the flanges 68, each latch arm
being formed with a slot 69.
Three cable clamping ears 72, 74, 76 extend laterally
from each side of the bottom part 48. All of the ears are
flexible and have ribs (not shown) similar to ribs 77 on
their internal surfaces. Guide means in the form of
U-shaped internal walls 80 extend from the internal surface
of the panel 66. l~he walls 80 are spaced apart and define
a restricted passageway 82. Stops 87 ~only one shown) are
provided ak the ~orward edge of the panel 66.
The panel 66 is connectçd to the hinge part 64 by
a flange 65.
While the connector 8 with the shroud 84 assembled
to it, is a snug fit in the open side of the cover 110 and
2S is frictionally held to some extent, the stops 87 are
rec~ived i~ complementary recesses 89 in the body halves
86 ~see Figur~ 7). As shown, the opposed surfaces of the
stops 87 and the recesses 89 preven~ the shroud 84 and
connector & from moving out of the cover 110 when the
cover is closed about the shroud 84.
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The shroud 84 may be made of a similar material as
the cover 110 and can be made by injection moulding
techniques.
In order to make a tap~connection with the cable
40 as explained previously, a portion o~ t~e sheath 44 is
removed to expose the conductors 42. Intermediate portions
o~ the conductors are then inserted into the wire-receiving
portion 4 of the appropriate terminals 6 in the c~nnector
8. The body halves 86 are then assembled to the rearward
side of th~ connector 8 and the eonductors 42 are then
placed ~n the panel 66 and positioned in the passageway 82
between the internal walls 80. The shroud 84 is located
between the internal opposed surfaces of the flanges 68.
The top part.46 is then swun~ downwardly until the ears 58
lodge in the slot 69 of the latch arm 70 and the cover
encompa~ses khe shroud 84.
Fi`nally, bundle ties 102 are placed around the ears
60, 72, 74, 76 and drawn taut so that the ears are firmly
clamped to the cable sheath.44.
20 The conductors 42 extending from the cable`40 are
encompassed and.~hereby protected by the caVer 110.
By ~l~tue o~ the clamping ears, the covex 11~ is~
m~unted ~irmly on the cable 40 and the assembled shxoud 84
and connector 8 are snugly held in the open end of the
. co~er and also supported on the cable. The portions of
the conductors 42 which extend transversely from the cable
40 to the terminals 6 ar~ not subjected to any tensile
forces which might be applied to the cable 40 and the
electrical connections o~ the con~uctors 42 to the
terminals 6 wilI not be disturbed. The portions of the
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conductors 42 in the cover 110, and particularly those
portions in the conductor-receiving-slots 30 in the
terminals, are further protected by the strain relief
shroud 84. This strain relief shroud 84 for the individual
conductors 42 is independent of the strain relief provided
by the ears and the bundle ties 102.
Additional protection for the electrical connections
between the conductors 42 and the terminals 6 is achieved
by virtue o~ the opposed curved surfaces of the walls 80
which define the restricted passageway 82. It will be
noted from Figure 2 that the conductors curve gently from
the axis of the cable 40 un~il they extend normally of the
: ca~le axis and they then diverge towards the connector 8 in
the direction of the cable axis, so that any tensile forces
wou~d be dissipated on the curved cur~aces of the walls 80.
In other words, the reaction ~orces to the tensile forces
in thb conductors would arise in the portions o~ the
conductors extending through the passageway 82.
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