US 7,407,407 B2 · Tap-off connecting arrangement for multi-conductor cables

Abstract

A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated conductors of a flat cable with an output load includes insulation-piercing contacts that extend upwardly from the horizontal upper surface of the rectangular base member of a connector housing. When a housing cover member is slidably displaced longitudinally of the base member from a first position toward a second position, a first wedge arrangement displaces an actuator plate and a cable support plate downwardly to force the cable into insulation-piercing engagement with the contacts. A locator insulating lug normally extends upwardly from the cable support plate for insertion within an access opening contained in the cable, and between the separated ends defined by an intermediate portion of a conductor that is separated by the access opening. When the cable is uniform and contains no access opening, the lug is displaced by the cable toward an inoperable position relative to the support plate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A flat cable connector arrangement for connecting an insulated conductor (3) of a flat multi-conductor cable (2, 2′) having an outer cable sheath (4) with an electrical load, comprising:

(a) housing means including a base member (8) and a cover member (7) that cooperate to define a through passage for receiving a linear intermediate portion of the flat cable;
(b) a plurality of insulation-piercing electrical contacts (9) mounted within said housing, each of said contacts being operable to pierce the cable sheath and the insulation layer (3a) of at least one of said conductors, thereby to electrically engage the conductor;
(c) at least one locator lug (41) formed from an electrically-insulating synthetic plastic material;
and
(d) mounting means normally supporting said locator lug within said housing through passage at an operable first position for entry within an access opening contained in the intermediate portion of said cable (2) and that extends between the adjacent ends of a conductor separated by the opening, said locator lug being operable during the assembly of the connector with a uniform cable (2′) that does not contain an access opening toward an inoperable second condition out of the plane defined by the adjacent surface of the cable intermediate portion.

2 more elements

A flat cable connector arrangement for connecting an insulated conductor (3) of a flat multi-conductor cable (2) with a tapped-off branch conductor (17), comprising:

(a) housing means (6) including a generally rectangular base member (8) having a longitudinal axis and a horizontal upper surface;
(b) a plurality of insulation-piercing electrical contacts (9) carried by said base member upper surface and extending upwardly therefrom, the upper extremities of said contacts having knife edges (10, 11);
(c) cable support means (22) for supporting the flat cable horizontally for vertical displacement above said base means with the conductors of the cable positioned above said contacts, respectively, said cable support means containing openings (26) opposite said contacts, respectively;
(d) a horizontal actuator plate (27) connected with said base member above said cable support means and a cable supported thereon for displacement between an upper position spaced above said contacts toward a lower position adjacent said contacts;
(e) displacing means for displacing said actuator plate downwardly to press the cable conductors into insulation-piercing engagement with the associated respective contacts, including:
(1) a housing cover member (28) arranged horizontally above and spaced from said actuator plate;
(2) engaging means (31, 40) connecting said cover member with said base member for horizontal longitudinal sliding displacement relative to said base member between a first position partially displaced from said base member and a second position over said base member;
(3) first wedge means (30) arranged between said actuator plate and said cover member, said first wedge means being operable by said actuator plate during the initial displacement of said cover member from said first position toward said second position to displace the cable and the cable support member downwardly, thereby to effect insulation-piercing engagement between said contact knife edges and the associated conductors;
and
(f) electrical connecting means (14) for connecting an electrical load with said electrical contacts, respectively;
(g) said cable support means including:
(1) a horizontal cable support plate (22) having an upper surface adapted to support the flat cable, said support plate being formed from an electrically insulating synthetic plastic material;
(2) means (24) connecting said support plate for vertical displacement between upper and lower positions relative to said base means;
(3) at least one locator lug (41) integral with and extending upwardly from said cable support plate, whereby when the lower surface of the cable contains an access opening (39) extending upwardly between a separated intermediate portion of one of the insulated conductors of the cable and when said cover member is displaced from said first position toward said second position, said lug will extend into said opening between said separated conductor portions;
and
(4) means operable when the lower surface of the cable is uniform, continuous and uninterrupted for producing downward displacement of said lug relative to said support plate, whereby said positioning lug will not interfere with the piercing by the electrical contacts of the outer sheath layer of the cable and the insulation layer of the associated conductor.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tap-off connecting arrangement for multi-conductor cables

Life of this patent

Tap-off connecting arrangement for multi-conductor cables

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20