Connector for a cable having at least one wire

• US 5,938,475 A
• Filed: 04/17/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Contact GmbH Elektrische Bauelemente
• Original Assignee: Contact GmbH Elektrische Bauelemente
• Inventors: Cech, Markus, Penner, Jurgen, Andra, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US08/843,881
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 439/92, 439/98, 439/99, 439/607, 439/610
• US Class Current: 439/607.44
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6582 with resilient means for engaging mating connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6593 the shield being composed of different pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0527 Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector for a cable having at least one wire and one screening which surrounds the wire, and also a housing in which an insulator with at least one electrical contact and a screening contact which contacts the housing are arranged, the screening contact producing an electrically conductive connection between the housing and the screening of the cable. The screening contact is resilient in the radial and/or axial direction and contacts the inside wall of the housing.

Claims

1. A connector for a cable having at least one wire and one screening which surrounds the wire, the connector having a housing comprising:

a. an insulator having at least one electrical contact connectable to the wire of the cable; and

b. a screening contact which contacts the housing and which provides an electrically conductive connection between the housing and the screening of the cable, wherein the screening contact is elastically deflectable against a resilient bias in a radial and/or an axial direction and contacts an inside wall of the housing; and

, further wherein, the screening contact has a substantially cylindrical sleeve having a side opening which extends over the entire length of the sleeve, wherein the opening into the inside of the sleeve has resilient side walls that are elastically deflectable against a resilient bias, the free ends of which are to be directed towards each other to provide a constricted portion of the opening for retaining the cable.

2. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the screening contact is selectively insertable into the housing from a side of the housing facing the insulator.

3. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the screening contact is selectively insertable into the housing from a side of the housing remote from the insulator.

4. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has spring members distributed along its outer periphery which are resilient in the radial direction.

5. The connector according to claim 4 wherein an external diameter of the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact is arranged with respect to an internal diameter of the housing such that an insulating sleeve is insertable between the screening contact and the housing.

6. The connector according to claim 5 wherein the insulating sleeve has openings which pass through its surface, through which openings the spring members of the screening contact make contact with the inside wall of the housing.

7. The connector according to claim 6 wherein the insulating sleeve includes means for selectively opening the insulating sleeve along its surface.

8. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has a screening plate on at least one of its end faces, which screening plate has a recess.

9. The connector according to claim 8 wherein side walls of the screening contact which are resilient in the radial direction have sections which are directed toward each other, and wherein free ends of the side walls are directed away from each other.

10. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a plug connector.

11. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a socket connector.

12. A connector for a cable, the connector comprising:

a housing within which are provided;

an insulator having at least one electrical contact connectable to a wire of the cable, and

a screening contact which contacts the housing and which provides an electrically conductive connection between the housing and a screening which surrounds the wire of the cable;

wherein the screening contact is elastically deflectable against a resilient bias in a radial direction and contacts an inside wall of the housing, and comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve having a side opening which extends over an entire length of the sleeve, wherein the opening into an inside of the sleeve has resilient side walls that are elastically deflectable against a resilient bias, at least portions of free ends of side walls being directed towards one another to provide a constricted portion of the opening for retaining the cable.

13. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has spring members distributed along an outer periphery thereof, the spring members being elastically deflectable in the radial direction.

14. The connector according to claim 12, wherein side walls of the screening contact have sections which are directed towards one another, the free ends of the side walls being directed away from one another.

15. The connector according to claim 14 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has spring members distributed along the outer periphery thereof, the spring members being elastically deflectable in the radial direction.

16. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the free ends of the sidewalls are directed towards one another.

17. The connector according to claim 16 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has spring members distributed along the outer periphery thereof, the spring members being elastically deflectable in the radial direction.

18. The connector according to claim 17 wherein the insulating sleeve has openings which pass through the surface thereof, through which openings the spring members of the screening contact are able to contact the inside wall of the housing.

19. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the external diameter of the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact is smaller than the internal diameter of the housing to provide a gap between the contact and the housing within which an insulating sleeve may be inserted.

20. The connector according to claim 19 wherein the insulating sleeve comprises two portions joined at one edge thereby allowing the sleeve to be opened along its surface.

21. The connector according to claim 19 wherein the insulating sleeve has openings which pass through the surface thereof, through which openings the spring members of the screening contact are able to contact the inside wall of the housing.

22. The connector according to claim 21 wherein the insulating sleeve comprises two portions joined at one edge thereby allowing the sleeve to be opened along its surface.

23. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has a screening plate on at least one of the end faces thereof, which face plate has a recess.

24. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the screening contact can be introduced into the housing from a same side of the housing as the insulator.

25. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the screening contact can be introduced into the housing from an opposite side of the housing to that from which the insulator can be introduced.

26. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the connector is a plug connector.

27. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the connector is a socket connector.

28. A connector for a cable, the connector comprising:

a housing within which are provided;

an insulator having at least one electrical contact connectable to a wire of the cable, and

a screening contact which contacts the housing and which provides an electrically conductive connection between the housing and a screening which surrounds the wire of the cable;

wherein the screening contact is elastically deflectable against a resilient bias in a axial direction and contacts an inside wall of the housing, and comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve having a side opening which extends over an entire length of the sleeve, wherein the opening into an inside of the sleeve has resilient side walls that are elastically deflectable against a resilient bias, at least portions of free ends of side walls being directed towards one another to provide a constricted portion of the opening for retaining the cable.

29. The connector according to claim 28 wherein side walls of the screening contact have sections which are directed towards one another, the free ends of the side walls being directed away from one another.

30. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the free ends of the sidewalls are directed towards one another.

31. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the insulating sleeve has openings which pass through the surface thereof, through which openings the spring members of the screening contact are able to contact the inside wall of the housing.

32. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the external diameter of the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact is smaller than the internal diameter of the housing to provide a gap between the contact and the housing within which an insulating sleeve may be inserted.

33. The connector according to claim 32 wherein the insulating sleeve comprises two portions joined at one edge thereby allowing the sleeve to be opened along its surface.

34. The connector according to claim 32 wherein the insulating sleeve has openings which pass through the surface thereof, through which openings the spring members of the screening contact are able to contact the inside wall of the housing.

35. The connector according to claim 34 wherein the insulating sleeve comprises two portions joined at one edge thereby allowing the sleeve to be opened along its surface.

36. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the cylindrical sleeve which forms the screening contact has a screening plate on at least one of the end faces thereof, which face plate has a recess.

37. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the screening contact can be introduced into the housing from a same side of the housing as the insulator.

38. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the screening contact can be introduced into the housing from an opposite side of the housing to that from which the insulator can be introduced.

39. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the connector is a plug connector.

40. The connector according to claim 28 wherein the connector is a socket connector.