Insulation displacement electrical connector

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a body having a plurality of contact cavities therein, each contact cavity having an open contact insertion end;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating contacts, each contact sized to be inserted through the open contact insertion end of one of the contact cavities and positioned within the contact cavity, each contact having a first end portion and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion, the first end portion being configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors and the second portion having a protrusion projecting outward;
• a plurality of arms, each arm positioned adjacent to one of the contact cavities, each arm having an attachment portion attached to the body and a free end portion configured to engage the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity adjacent to which the arm is positioned when the contact is within the contact cavity and limit movement of the contact in a direction toward the open contact insertion end of the contact cavity, the arm being resiliently movable away from the second portion of the contact in the contact cavity adjacent to which the arm is positioned as the contact is inserted into the contact cavity from the open contact insertion end thereof in response to sliding engagement of the free end portion with the protrusion of the contact and being resiliently movable toward the second portion of the contact when the free end portion of the arm is out of sliding engagement with the protrusion of the contact to position the free end portion to retain the contact within the contact cavity against removal through the open contact insertion end thereof;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the free end portion of the arm positioned adjacent to the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the protrusion therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity with which the stop is associated when the contact is within the contact cavity and limit movement of the contact in a direction away from the open contact insertion end of the contact cavity.

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a dielectric body having a plurality of contact cavities therein, each contact cavity having first and second open ends;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating beam contacts, each contact being received within one of the contact cavities, each contact having a first end portion positioned at the first open end of the contact cavity and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion, the second portion of each contact having an outward projecting engagement member, the first end portion configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors;
• a plurality of spring arms, each spring arm being positioned at one of the contact cavities adjacent to the second portion of the contact received within the contact cavity, each spring arm having a resilient hinge portion attached to the body and a free end portion, the free end portion of the spring arm being in releasable engagement with the engagement member of the contact received within the contact cavity to releasably retain the contact within the contact cavity;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the free end portion of the spring arm positioned at the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the engagement member of the contact within the contact cavity therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the engagement member to retain the contact within the contact cavity.

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a body having a plurality of contact cavities therein, each contact cavity having an open end;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating beam contacts, each contact sized to be received within one of the contact cavities through the contact cavity open end, each contact having a first end portion and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion, the first end portion configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors, and the second portion of the contact having a protrusion;
• a plurality of resilient spring arms configured to each be operable independent of the other spring arms, each spring arm positioned at one of the contact cavities adjacent to the second portion of the contact when received within the contact cavity, each spring arm having a first portion attached to the body and a resiliently movable free end second portion, the free end second portion of the spring arm being in engagement with the protrusion of the second portion of the contact when received within the contact cavity to limit movement of the contact in a direction toward the open end of the contact cavity to retain the contact within the contact cavity against removal through the open end of the contact cavity;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the free end second portion of the spring arm positioned at the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the engagement member and limit movement of the contact in a direction away from the open end of the contact cavity to retain the contact within the contact cavity.

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a body having a plurality of contact cavities therein arranged in a common plane, each contact cavity having an open end;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating beam contacts, each contact sized to be received within one of the contact cavities through the contact cavity open end, the contact cavities being configured to hold the contacts therein in the common plane, each contact having a first end portion and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion with a protrusion projecting outward of the common plane, the first end portion configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors;
• a plurality of resilient spring members, each spring member having a first portion attached to the body and a resiliently movable second portion, each spring member positioned at one of the contact cavities with the second portion adjacent to the second portion of the contact when received within the contact cavity and in engagement with the protrusion to limit movement of the contact within the contact cavity toward the contact cavity open end, the spring members being arranged for the second portions thereof to be resiliently movable away from and toward the common plane, the second portion of each spring member being resiliently movable away from the common plane when engaged by the protrusion of the contact to permit the protrusion to move therealong as the contact is moved into the contact cavity through the contact cavity open end and being resiliently movable toward the common plane after the contact is received within the contact cavity to engage the protrusion;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the second portion of the spring member positioned at the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the protrusion and limit movement of the contact in a direction away from the contact cavity open end, whereby when the second portion of the spring member is in position to engage the protrusion with the protrusion positioned between the second portion of the spring member and the stop the contact is retained within the contact cavity against removal through the contact cavity open end.

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a body having a plurality of contact cavities therein, each contact cavity having an open end;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating beam contacts, each contact sized to be received within one of the contact cavities through the contact cavity open end, each contact having a first end portion and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion with a protrusion projecting outward, the first end portion configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors;
• a plurality of resilient spring arms, each spring arm having a first portion attached to the body and a resiliently movable second portion positioned at one of the contact cavities adjacent to the second portion of the contact received within the contact cavity, the spring arms each being configured to allow the second portion thereof to move independent of the second portion of adjacent ones of the spring arms and without interference with the simultaneous movement of the second portion of adjacent ones of the spring arms, the second portion of each spring arm being resiliently movable outward to permit the protrusion of the contact to pass therealong as the contact is moved into the contact cavity through the contact cavity open end and being resiliently movable inward in position for engagement with the protrusion after the contact is received within the contact cavity to limit movement of the contact within the contact cavity toward the contact cavity open end;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the second portion of the spring arm positioned at the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the protrusion and limit movement of the contact in a direction away from the contact cavity open end, whereby when the second portion of the spring member is in position to engage the protrusion with the protrusion positioned between the second portion of the spring member and the stop the contact is retained within the contact cavity against removal through the contact cavity open end.

An electrical connector of the type for electrically interconnecting a first set of insulated wire conductors with a second set of conductors, the connector comprising:

• a body having a plurality of contact cavities therein;
• a plurality of insulation penetrating beam contacts, each contact positioned within one of the contact cavities, each contact having a first end portion and a second portion spaced away from the first end portion and having an engagement member projecting outward, the first end portion configured to displace the insulation and make electrical contact with the wire of one of the insulated wire conductors of the first set of conductors;
• a plurality of resilient spring arms, each spring arm having a first portion attached to the body and a resiliently movable second portion positioned at one of the contact cavities adjacent to the second portion of the contact within the contact cavity, the spring arms each being configured to allow the second portion thereof to move independent of the second portion of adjacent ones of the spring arms and without interference with the simultaneous movement of the second portion of adjacent ones of the spring arms, the second portion of each spring arm being positioned to resiliently engage the protrusion of the contact in the contact cavity at which the second portion of the spring arm is positioned to limit movement of the contact within the contact cavity in a first direction;
• and
• a plurality of stops, each stop associated with one of the contact cavities and positioned spaced away from the second portion of the spring arm positioned at the contact cavity by a distance sufficient to receive the protrusion of the contact within the contact cavity therebetween, the stop being positioned to engage the protrusion and limit movement of the contact in a second direction different from the first direction such that when the second portion of the spring member is in position to engage the protrusion with the protrusion positioned between the second portion of the spring member and the stop, the contact is retained within the contact cavity.