Electrical connector

• US 6,280,231 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Nicholls, Bryce Lindsay
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, PHUONG K
• Application Number:
  US09/360,239
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 439/397, 439/402, 439/403, 439/404, 439/400, 439/676, 439/395
• US Class Current: 439/402
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2429 mounted in an insulating base
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

Electrical connector having an insulative body (12) with contact elements (32). The contact elements (32) have at one end thereof spring contact portions (40) arranged within a socket (44). The other ends of the contact elements (32) have pairs of insulation displacement contact parts (28). The pairs of contact parts (28) enable two wires to be connected to each contact element (32). The contact elements (32) are formed from blanks (56a, 56b) stamped from a strip as a lead frame 54. Contact portions (38), on which each pair of contact parts (28) are formed, are formed in rows at each edge of the lead frame strip, with the spring contact portions (40) extending inwardly from the strip edges at 45° to the strip edges.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements having formed thereon respective first and second electrical contact parts for making electrical connections to conductive wires, a lower portion connecting said first electrical contact part with said second electrical contact part and said contact elements each having an elongate electrical contact portion connected to one of said first contact part, said second contact part and said lower portion to provide elongate electrical contact portions, said elongate contact portions being arranged in generally parallel disposition substantially in a common plane, said contact parts extending substantially normally away from said plane, with free ends of said contact parts arranged in rows extending generally parallel to a direction of extent of said elongate contact portions, said first and second contact parts of each contact element being generally planar and disposed in angular disposition with respect to each other; and

a socket for receiving a mating plug such that said elongate electrical contact portions of the connector electrically connect to contacts of the plug.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second contact parts of each contact element are arranged in a V-shaped configuration, viewed in a direction of extent of said first and second contact parts away from said plane.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 wherein four of said contact elements are provided with the first and second contact parts of two of said contact elements disposed in a first of said rows and the first and second contact parts of another two contact elements disposed in a second of said rows, said rows being substantially parallel to directions of extent of said elongate contact portions.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein adjacent said contact parts on the two contact element in each row are substantially parallel and angularly disposed with respect to the directions of extent of the rows.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact parts are bifurcated whereby the contact parts define respective insulation displacement connector parts.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in any claim 1, wherein the elongate contact portions define spring contacts for connection to the connection parts of the plug.

7. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the socket is configured to a shape for accepting an RJ 45 plug.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising;

an insulative body part which receives the contact elements;

a cover member affixable to the connector for covering the outer ends of the contact parts and surrounding parts of said insulative body and being affixable to the body by movement thereof towards said plane in a direction substantially corresponding to the direction of extent of the first and second contact parts, and having engagement means which, when the cover member is so moved, is effective to displace wires when positioned at the outer ends of the first and second contact parts into outwardly open slots in the contact parts so that insulation on the wires is displaced and the conductors of the wires are electrically engaged, and held, by the contact parts.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulative body part with a retaining element for facilitating holding wires to be connected to the contact parts.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the retaining element is in the form of a loop.

11. An electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first insulative body portion wherein said first and second contact parts are exposed for receiving said wires at said first insulative body portion; and

a second body portion, said socket being formed on said second insulative body portion said second body portion being disposed at one side of said first body portion and another side of said first body portion having a retaining element for facilitating holding of wires to be connected to the contact parts.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein said retaining element is in the form of a loop on said first body portion.

13. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact elements are formed from a lead frame in the form of a strip defining substantially stamped out but interconnected contact blanks for forming respective said electrical contact elements, first and second lengthwise extending rows of the contact blanks having side by side adjacent first portions, positioned at respective first and second edge portions of the strip adjacent respective first and second lengthwise edges of the strip, the first portions each defining respective first and second bifurcated said contact parts which are spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the strip, said first and second contact parts of each said first portion joining at a base part of the respective first portion, the base parts of the first portions being joined to elongate portions of said respective contact blanks, said elongate portions of the contact blanks extending away from the respective first portions transversely of the strip at an angle to the edges of the strip, and such that the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at one said side edge portion are parallel to and interposed between the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at the other said side edge portion, the contact blanks being deformed, to form the contact elements, so that the first portions thereof extends substantially normally to the respective elongate portions with the first and second contact parts thereof angularly disposed with respect to each other.

14. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements having formed thereon respective first and second electrical contact parts for making electrical connections to conductive wires, whereby said contact elements are formed from a lead frame in the form of a strip defining substantially stamped out but interconnected contact blanks for forming respective said electrical contact elements;

first and second lengthwise extending rows of the contact blanks having side by side adjacent first portions, positioned at respective first and second edge portions of the strip adjacent respective first and second lengthwise edges of the strip, said the first portions each defining respective first and second bifurcated said contact parts which are spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the strip, said first and second contact parts of each said first portion joining at a base part of the respective first portion, the base parts of the first portions being joined to elongate portions of said respective contact blanks;

elongate electrical contact portions being formed on respective said electrical contact elements of the connector, said elongate contact portions being arranged in generally parallel disposition substantially in a common plane, said contact parts extending substantially normally away from said plane, whereby elongate portions of the contact blanks extend away from the respective first portions transversely of the strip at an angle to the edges of the strip, and such that the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at one said side edge portion are parallel to and interposed between the elongate portions of the contact blanks having the first portions thereof at the other said side edge portion;

said contact blanks being deformed, to form the contact elements, so that the first portions thereof extends substantially normally to the respective elongate portions with the first and second contact parts thereof angularly disposed with respect to each other;

free ends of said contact parts arranged in rows extending generally parallel to a direction of extent of said elongate contact portions, said first and second contact parts of each contact element being generally planar and disposed in angular disposition with respect to each other;

a socket for receiving a mating plug such that said elongate electrical contact portions of the connector electrically connect to contacts of the plug; and

a lower contact portion connecting said first electrical contact part with said second electrical contact part.

15. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an insulative body part with a retaining element for facilitating holding wires to be connected to the contact parts.

16. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retaining element is in the form of a loop.

17. An electrical connector comprising:

elongated electrical elements, each having a contact part, said elongated elements being disposed in a generally positioned in a common plane, said contact parts extend and angles away from said plane, with free ends of said contact parts arranged in rows extending generally parallel to a direction of extent of said elongated electrical elements;

electrical contact elements, each of said electrical contact elements having a contact portion that includes a lower portion connecting said first contact part with said second contact part; and

each said contact portions having a first contact part and a second contact part cooperating to define a slot, said contact parts make electrical connections to conductive wires and said contact elements, said first and said second contact parts of each said electrical contact element being generally planar and disposed in an angular placement with respect to each other whereby at least one of said contact portions is integrally attached to a said elongated electrical element;

a socket for receiving a mating plug such that said contact parts of said elongated electrical elements electrically connect to the contacts of said plug.

18. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

an insulative body part which receives said electrical contact elements;

a cover member, having a pressing portion, affixable to the connector for covering said contact parts of said contact portions, said pressing portion engages wires positioned at upper ends of said first and said second contact parts so as to connect the wires into said slots of said first and said second contact parts.

19. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an insulative body part having a retaining element, in the form of a loop, for facilitating holding wires to be connected to the contact parts.

20. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein said electrical contact elements are formed from a lead frame in the form of a strip defining substantially stamped out but interconnected contact blanks for forming respective said electrical contact elements.

21. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first contact element including a first contact part formed of a first contact part first leg and first contact part second leg connected together to define a slot for receiving a first wire and a second contact part with a second contact part first leg and a second contact part second leg connected together to define a second slot for receiving a second wire, a lower portion connected to one or both of said first contact part and said second contact part and an elongate electrical contact portion extending in a plane and extending at an angle away from said plane and with a free end angled part;

a second contact element, including a first contact part formed of a first contact part first leg and first contact part second leg connected together to define a slot for receiving a first wire and a second contact part with a second contact part first leg and a second contact part second leg connected together to define a second slot for receiving a second wire, a lower portion connected to one or both of said first contact part and said second contact part and an elongate electrical contact portion extending in a plane and extending at an angle away from said plane and with a free end angled part, said second contact part elongated element being in the same plane as said first contact past elopqated element at least in a region with said free angled parts of each of said first contact element and second contact element being adjacent, and defining RJ plug contacts.

22. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first slot and said second slot of each contact element are disposed apart and are not aligned with respect to each other.

23. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a socket for receiving a mating plug such that said contact parts of said elongated electrical elements electrically connect to the contacts of said plug.