Panel mounted electrical connector including means for providing an indication of correct conductor termination

• US 4,820,193 A
• Filed: 04/04/1988
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Noorily, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Pirlot, David
• Application Number:
  US07/176,830
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 439/488-491, 40/316, 128/696, 174/112
• US Class Current: 439/488
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence

Abstract

Electrical connector which provides visual recognition of the correct termination of plural discrete conductors is disclosed. The connector includes a base which supports plural electrical contacts therein. A conductor support assembly supports individually plural discrete conductors in a one-to-one correspondence with the contacts. The conductor support assembly includes thereon color indicative markings which correspond to the color-coded insulation of the conductors. A cover is supportable over the base which encloses the conductor support assembly to enclose the connection assembly. The cover includes plural apertures therethrough which align with the color indicative markings of the conductor support assembly to permit external visual access to the markings so that a comparison may be made between the markings and the color coding of the insulation.

Claims

1. A conductor termination assembly comprising:

plural discrete insulated electrical conductors having distinguishing markings thereon;

an insulative termination housing having a first end accommodating said conductors and an open second end for cooperative electrical engagement with an electrical connector;

a plurality of electrical contacts supported in said housing each contact having an insulation displacing portion adjacent said first end of said housing and a terminal portion adjacent said second end of said housing;

an insulative conductor holding block including individual discrete support elements arranged in side-by-side relation each retentively supporting one of said plurality of said conductors, said holding block being supported in said housing to dispose said conductors in electrical engagement with said insulation displacing portions of said electrical contacts, said holding block further including identifying indicia adjacent each of said support elements, said identifying indicia corresponding to said distinguishing markings of said conductors; and

a cover supported on said housing over said holding block, said cover including visual accessing means for permitting visual inspection of said identifying indica on said holding block to assure correspondence of each of said distinguishing markings of said conductors to said identifying indicia of said holding block.

2. A termination assembly of claim 1 wherein said distinguishing markings of said conductors include color coded insulation.

3. A termination assembly of claim 2 wherein said identifying indicia of said holding block includes color-coded marks corresponding to said color-coded insulation of said conductors.

4. A termination assembly of claim 3 wherein said visual accessing means includes said cover having a cover surface including at least one opening therethrough for providing visual access to said color-coded marks on said holding block.

5. A termination assembly of claim 3 wherein said visual accessing means includes said cover having a cover surface including plural discrete openings therethrough for provding individual visual access to said color-coded marks on said holding block.

6. A termination assembly of claim 3 further including an electrically conductive shield supported by said housing adjacent said second end thereof.

7. A termination assembly of claim 6 further including conductive shorting means for selectively electrically commoning two or more contacts of said plurality.

8. A termination assembly of claim 7 wherein said shorting means includes a pair of electrically conductive shorting elements.

9. In combination, a plurality of discrete electrical conductors, each conductor including color-coded insulation thereover thereby uniquely distinguishing one of said conductors from the others and an electrical connector which terminates ends of said discrete conductors, said connector further comprising:

a connector housing;

plural electrical contacts supported in said housing, each contact having a conductor termination end and an engagement end for making external electrical connection with another connector;

an electrically insulative conductor support block which is insertably accommodated in said housing adjacent said terminating ends of said contacts, said support block including plural side-by-side channels each of which individually supports one of said electrical conductors, said support block being insertable into said housing in a manner such that said conductors are placed in electrical connection with said terminating ends of said contacts, said support block further including plural color-coded markings adjacent each channel, each said color-coded marking corresponding in color to the color-coded insulation of the conductor inserted therein; and

a cover adapted for disposition on said housing enclosing said conductor support block and said contacts, said cover including a visual access opening aligned with said color-coded markings on said support block to permit visual comparison between the color-coded insulation of said conductors and said color-coded markings.

10. A combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein said conductor support block includes an upper surface including said color-coded marking and an opposed lower surface including said side-by-side channels, said markings being in alignment with said channels.

11. A combination in accordance with claim 10 wherein said side-by-side channels are open ended to accommodate ends of said conductors.

12. A combination in accordance with claim 11 wherein said cover including said visual access opening includes plural apertures corresponding in number to said conductors, each of said apertures being in alignment with said markings to provide individual visual access to said markings.

13. A combination in accordance with claim 12 wherein said housing includes passage means to permit passage of said insulative conductors thereinto.

14. A combination in accordance with claim 13 wherein said passage means of said housing is adjacent said apertures of said cover to provide ease of comparison between said color-coded insulation and said color-coded markings.

15. A combination in accordance with claim 14 wherein said housing supports an electrical shield spaced from and substantially surrounding said contacts for shielding electromagnetic and radio frequency interferences.

16. A combination in accordance with claim 15 wherein said support block further supports in electrical isolation, a pair of conductive shorting elements, each of said elements for electrically commoning two or more of said contacts.