Connector assembly for undercarpet cable

• US 4,463,998 A
• Filed: 09/28/1983
• Issued: 08/07/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Bates, Reginald A., Weisenburger, Lawrence P., Reavis, Robert P., Willette, David, Mayberry, Mickey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): McQuade, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Austin, Paula
• Application Number:
  US06/536,593
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 339/17 F, 339/36, 339/40, 339/97 R, 339/97 P, 339/98, 339/99, 339/176 MF, 339/122-125, 174/48
• US Class Current: 439/137
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/67 insulation penetrating terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/77 for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/24 Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands

Abstract

An electrical connector for undercarpet flat, flexible cable includes a metal plate having plural lands raised in relief, a terminal block constructed to overlie selected lands and a fastener carried by the block to secure in one of the overlaid lands and apply the block and the overlaid lands in clamped relationship on a flat flexible cable, terminals in the terminal block are urged by the block to penetrate into the cable conductors to establish electrical connections.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for undercarpet flat and flexible cable that includes one or more flat electrical conductors contained in a flexible sheath of insulating material, comprising;

a planar metal plate having a plurality of lands raised in relief,

an insulative terminal block constructed to overlie selected lands of the plate with an undercarpet flat and flexible cable interposed between the block and the selected lands overlaid by the block,

mounting feet projecting from the block and constructed for locked registration with selected lands of the plate,

the block having terminal receiving cavities extending from one side of the block to a second side,

electrical terminals in the cavities of the block, the terminals having electrical receptacle portions opening toward the first side of the block and conductor terminating portions emerged from the cavities and overlying against the second side of the block,

lances on the conductor terminating portions, the lances facing outwardly away from the second side of the block,

a conductive fastener carried by the block and constructed to mechanically secure in one of the lands overlaid by the block and apply the block and the overlaid lands in clamped relationship on the cable, the block urging the lances of the conductor terminating portions to penetrate through a layer of cable insulation and penetrate into respective flat conductors of the cable, that is interposed between the block and the overlaid lands of the plate, thereby to establish electrical connections between the lances and the respective flat conductors, the conductive fastener constructed further to mechanically secure in one flat conductor of the cable,

a cover having a hollow interior receiving the block therein, and

fasteners carried by the cover and constructed to secure in selected lands of the plate.

2. A connector assembly for connecting electrical socket receptacles with corresponding flat conductors of an undercarpet cable comprises:

a base portion and an insulating terminal block structure;

the terminal block structure including a first side, a second side, and terminal receiving cavities extending between said sides;

electrical terminals situated in respective cavities in the terminal block;

each terminal being stamped and formed with a receptacle portion and a planar plate conductor terminating portion, the receptacle portion opening toward the first side of the block, the terminating portion emerging from the cavity and lying against the second side of the terminal block, the planar plate terminating portion having raised relief lances thereon which face outwardly from second side, said lances penetrating completely through a layer of insulation of the cable and into the flat conductors when said cable is clamped between said second side of said terminal block and the base portion such that the planar plate terminating portions face respective flat conductors in said cable.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2 and further including a faceplate overlying the first side of the terminal block and having profiled apertures aligned with the cavities in the block and with the electrical receptacle portions of the terminals, two cover sections each slidably mounted on the faceplate, and profiled apertures in each cover section that become aligned with the profiled apertures in the faceplate upon slidably positioning the cover sections in respect to the faceplate.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 2 and further including a plurality of tabs bent outwardly of the place of the base portion, a metal shield which overlies the cable being folded against the tabs, and conductive clips holding together the shield and tabs to establish electrical connections therebetween.