Dual diameter cable strain relief

• US 4,842,549 A
• Filed: 04/06/1988
• Issued: 06/27/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Asick, John C., Yingst, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desmond, Eugene F.
• Application Number:
  US07/177,795
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 439/449, 439/451, 439/453, 439/455, 439/469, 439/465, 439/471, 29/857
• US Class Current: 439/464
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/75 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5837 specially adapted for accommodating various sized cables H01R13/5825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A connector assembly (24) for terminating a cable (102) includes a two-piece housing (80, 98) having therein a dual diameter strain relief (200, 202, 159) incorporated in a cylindrical channel (166). The channel (166) has a smaller diameter portion (200) adjacent the termination of the cable conductors (154) and a larger portion (202) adjacent and axially aligned with the smaller diameter portion (200). Forces on cable (102) are transferred from cable (102) to covers (80, 98) through a cable tie in a recess (212, 220) appropriate for the diameter of the cable.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly for providing strain relief to a cable received therein, the cable having a cable tie wrapped therearound, comprising:

an insulative housing having first and second covers and defining a mating section, a strain relief section having a cylindrical strain relief passage, and a channel therebetween, said mating section terminating in a mating face, said strain relief section of said first and second covers having a semi-cylindrical passage opening into said channel, said semi-cylindrical passage having a wall, a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of a cable to be received therein, and a recess in the passage wall forming a semicircular arc around the axis of the passage, said recess adapted to receive therein a cable tie surrounding the cable; and

latching means on the first and second covers for detachably securing the first and second covers together, whereby the semi-cylindrical passages in the first and second covers form a cylindrical strain relief passage for receiving the cable and the semicircular recesses in the passage walls of the first and second covers form an annular recess for receiving the cable tie such that when the cable is received in the cylindrical strain relief passage and the cable tie is received in the recess, the cable tie engages wall means of the recess thereby preventing the cable from moving axially along the strain relief passage as forces to which the cable is subjected are transferred from the cable to the cable tie and recess, thence to the housing.

2. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cable tie has securing means and the strain relief section of the first cover further comprises a recess adapted to receive the cable tie securing means therein.

3. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

an insulative housing having first and second covers and defining a mating section, a strain relief section having a cylindrical strain relief passage, and a channel therebetween, said mating section terminating in a mating face, said strain relief section of said first and second covers having a semicylindrical passage opening into said channel, said semicylindrical passage having a wall, a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of a cable to be received therein, a recess in the passage wall forming a semicircular arc around the axis of the passage, said recess adapted to receive therein a cable tie surrounding the cable, said strain relief section of said first and second covers also having a further semicylindrical passage adjacent, opening into, and axially aligned with said semicylindrical passage, said further semicylindrical passage having a wall, a diameter greater than the diameter of said semicylindrical passage for receiving a greater diameter cable, said further semicylindrical passage having a recess in said further passage wall forming a semicircular arc around the axis of said further passage, the recess in said further passage adapted to receive therein a cable tie surrounding the greater diameter cable; and

latching means on the first and second covers for detachably securing the first and second covers together, whereby the semicylindrical passages and further semicylindrical passage walls in the first and second covers form axially aligned cylindrical strain relief passages for receiving the cable and the semicircular recesses in the passage walls and further semicylindrical passage of the first and second covers form annular recesses for receiving the cable tie.

4. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the cable tie has securing means and the strain relief section of the first cover further comprises a recess in the wall of said further passage proximate the recess therein adapted to receive the cable tie securing means therein.

5. A method of providing strain relief to a cable in a connector assembly having a cable receiving passage defined by first and second covers, the cable receiving passage defining in a wall thereof a cable tie receiving recess, the method comprising the steps of:

securing a cable tie around a cable;

positioning the cable in the cable receiving passage of a first cover of the connector assembly;

positioning the cable tie in the cable tie receiving recess in the first cover of the connector assembly;

simultaneously positioning a securing portion of the cable tie in a local enlargement of the cable tie receiving recess; and

positioning the second cover proximate the first cover, thereby completing the cable receiving passage defined thereby.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising the step of securing the first and second covers together.

7. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

an insulative housing having first and second covers and defining a mating section, a strain relief section having a cylindrical strain relief passage defining a diameter, and a channel therebetween, said mating section terminating in a mating face, said strain relief section of said first and second covers having a semi-cylindrical passage opening into said channel, said semi-cylindrical passage having a wall and a recess in the passages wall forming a semi-circular arc around the axis of the passage, said first and second covers detachably secured together;

a cable having an outside diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the cylindrical strain relief passage, said cable received in said strain relief passage; and

a cable tie, said cable tie wrapped around and secured to said cable, said cable tie received in said recess.

8. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said cable further extends into said channel.

9. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 7 further comprising latching means on said covers for detachably securing said covers together.