Electrical contacting element

• US 4,194,805 A
• Filed: 02/06/1976
• Issued: 03/25/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Interconnect Products Corporation (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corporation
• Inventors: Ayer, George E., Blakeney, Hurley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US05/655,723
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 29/203 H, 29/509, 29/513, 339/45, 339/46, 339/107-110, 339/147, 339/195, 339/196, 339/206-210, 339/218, 339/219, 339/62, 339/63
• US Class Current: 439/465
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/504 different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic, or swaged together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53283 Means comprising hand-manipulatable implement

Abstract

This invention relates to an electrical assembly, such as an electrical cable assembly, to electrical elements such as electrical connector elements for terminating the assembly, and to housings for electrical elements. The housings for the electrical elements are formed of first and second housing members of insulating material, the housing members having mating sides which are fitted together to form the members into a housing. The first member has a plurality of pins projecting from the mating side thereof and the second member has a hole therethrough for each of the pins. The length of the pins and the relative position of the pins and holes are such that each pin passes through the corresponding hole and is exposed on the side of the second member opposite the mating side. The exposed portion of each pin is cold-flow expanded to hold the members together. At least one of the members has one or more grooves formed in its mating side in which groove an electrical contact or other electrical component may be positioned and held. For a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the pins passes through a hole in each contact to hold the contacts in the housing. Each housing also has a thin projecting rear portion with a stud or studs projecting therefrom.

Claims

1. An electrical connecting element comprising

a thin, generally flat insulating housing including longitudinally disposed forward and rear portions,

at least two electrical contacts secured in said forward portion and extending forwardly therefrom for connection to a mating connector,

the rear portion including a perimeter, a thinned, longitudinally-projecting portion within said perimeter including at least two longitudinal grooves laterally separated for receiving a pair of conductors and strain relief means disposed within each groove, and element removal means for removing said element from said mating connector and laterally disposed apart from said grooves, said removal means including at least one rearwardly-covered lateral opening accessible within said perimeter by lateral insertion of a tool into said opening without interference by said conductors, said housing including

first and second housing members each formed on an insulating material, said members having mating sides which are fitted together to form the members into a housing for the element, said first member having a plurality of pins projecting from the mating side thereof, said second member having a hole therethrough for each of said pins, the length of said pins and the relative positions of said pins and holes being such that each pin passes through a corresponding hole and is exposed on the side of said second member opposite its mating side, the portion of each pin exposed beyond the second member being cold-flow expanded to hold the members together, at least one of said members having one or more grooves formed in its mating side,

one of said electrical contacts being positioned and held in each of said grooves, at least one of said contacts having at least one hole formed therethrough.

and at least one of said pins being positioned to pass through a hole of a contact, when the element is fully assembled, to hold the contact in the housing.

2. A cable assembly comprising

a selected length of cable with opposite ends and containing at least two laterally separated conductors;

and

a pair of terminating elements, each element mounted at one of said ends of said cable and including a thin, generally flat insulating housing including longitudinally disposed forward and rear portions,

at least two electrical contacts secured in said forward portion and extending forwardly therefrom for connection to a mating connector,

the rear portion including a perimeter, a thinned, longitudinally-projecting portion within said perimeter including at least two longitudinal grooves laterally separated and adapted to receive said conductors, and strain relief means disposed within each groove, and element removal means for removing said element from said mating connector and laterally disposed apart from said grooves, said removal means including at least one rearwardly-covered lateral opening accessible within said perimeter by lateral insertion of a tool into said opening without interference by said conductors,

said housing including first and second housing members each formed of an insulating material, said members having mating sides which are fitted together to form the members into a housing for the element, said first member having a plurality of pins projecting from the mating side thereof, said second member having a hole therethrough for each of said pins, the length of said pins and the relative positions of said pins and holes being such that each pin passes through a corresponding hole and slightly beyond the side of said second member opposite its mating side, the portion of each pin extending beyond the second member being cold-flow expanded to hold the members together, at least one of said members having a groove formed in its mating side for each of the cable conductors, and one of said electrical contacts positioned and held in each of said grooves, each contact being attached at one end to one of said conductors and being adapted at its other end for connection with a mating contact,

each of said electrical contacts having at least one hole formed therethrough, and each contact having at least one of said pins positioned to pass through a hole of such contact, when the element is fully assembled, to hold the contact in the housing.