# US 8,784,128 B2 · Insulation piercing connector housing

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- Number: US 8,784,128 B2
- Document ID: US8784128B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/742,634
- Filed: 2013-01-16
- Published: 2013-07-18
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2012-01-18
- Applicants: Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew D. Cawood; James L. Zahnen; Ronald A. Vallette
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784128B2

## CPC

- H01R 4/70: Insulation of connections (end caps H01R4/22)
- H01R 4/2408: actuated by clamping screws
- H01R 11/11: End pieces or tapping pieces for wires, supported by the wire and for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal or conductive member (H01R11/01 takes precedence)
- H01R 13/501: {comprising an integral hinge or a frangible part}
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A housing for retaining an insulation piercing connector (IPC) includes an upper housing, a lower housing, and a hinge. The lower housing includes a cavity formed therein. The hinge is coupled to the upper housing and the lower housing to permit movement of the upper housing and the lower housing into open and closed configurations. When in the closed configuration, the upper housing is aligned with the lower housing. The second cavity is configured to received\ the IPC. The lower housing includes an aperture formed transversely therethrough for receiving a cable extending from the IPC upon receipt of the IPC into the second cavity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A housing comprising:
an upper portion, including:
a first front wall including a first locking piece on an exterior surface of the first front wall;
a first panel;
a first side wall and a second side wall facing one another; and
a first rear wall facing the first front wall,
wherein the first front wall, the first panel, the first side wall, and the second side wall are joined at their edges to form a first cavity; and
a lower portion, including:
a second front wall including a second locking piece on an exterior surface of the second front wall;
a second panel;
a third side wall with a first hole;
a fourth side wall with a second hole; and
a second rear wall facing the second front wall,
wherein the second front wall, the second panel, the third side wall, and the fourth side wall are joined at their edges to form a second cavity,
wherein the upper portion and lower portion are attached to one another via a hinge that joins the first rear wall of the upper portion to the second rear wall of the lower portion,
wherein when an insulation piercing connector (IPC) with a cable is received into the second cavity,
the IPC with the cable is inserted into the lower portion such that the cable enters the housing via the first hole and exits the housing via the second hole,
the upper portion and the lower portion are brought into a contact at edges of the walls, and
the first locking piece and the second locking piece are secured together via a lock.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the second panel includes lengthwise ridges that strengthen the second panel, and the first panel includes lengthwise ridges that strengthen the first panel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the first panel further includes a first exterior surface area for displaying letters or images.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the first panel and the second panel include one or more holes through which moisture inside the housing escapes the housing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the third side wall of the lower portion includes a set of flaps that cover the first hole and protrude outwards from the surface of the third side wall,
wherein when the IPC is received into the second cavity, the cable enters the housing via the first hole through the flaps.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The housing of claim 5, wherein when the IPC is received into the second cavity, each of the flaps is tapered such that the flap is thicker toward the third wall and thinner away from the third wall.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein when the IPC is received into the second cavity, the third wall and the second wall form an opening through which one or more wires that tap the IPC exit the housing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The housing of claim 7, wherein the third wall and the fourth wall include fins that cover the opening,
wherein when the IPC is received into the second cavity, and the one or more wires are attached to the IPC, the one or more wires enter the housing between the fins and through the opening.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The housing of claim 8, wherein each of the fins is tapered such that the fin is thicker toward an end, of the fin, attached to the third wall and thinner away from the end.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The housing of claim 8, wherein each of the fins is separated from other fins by one slit or two slits, such that each of the fins bends independently of other fins to allow one of the one or more wires to enter the housing between two of the fins without causing others of the fins to expose the opening.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises thermo plastic polymer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the IPC includes a member and a component for piercing an insulation, of the cable, that covers a conductor within the cable and making a contact with the conductor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the IPC comprises one or more conductive materials.

### Claim 14

A housing for retaining an insulation piercing connector (IPC), comprising:
an upper housing;
a lower housing including a cavity formed therein; and
a hinge coupled to the upper housing and the lower housing to permit movement of the upper housing and the lower housing into open and closed configurations;
wherein, when in the closed configuration, the upper housing is aligned with the lower housing,
wherein a second cavity is configured to receive the IPC, and
wherein the lower housing includes an aperture formed transversely therethrough for receiving a cable extending from the IPC upon receipt of the IPC into the second cavity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The housing of claim 14, wherein the upper housing and the lower housing include lock elements to secure the upper housing to the lower housing in the closed configuration.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The housing of claim 15, wherein the lower housing includes a plurality of resilient portions for permitting cables tapped into the IPC to egress the lower housing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The housing of claim 16, wherein the plurality of resilient portions comprise a plurality of independently moveable resilient fins.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The housing of claim 17, wherein the plurality of independently moveable resilient fins are shaped to prevent ingress of cables while facilitating egress of the cables when the housing is in the closed configuration.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The housing of claim 16, wherein the upper housing includes a second plurality of resilient portions corresponding to the plurality of resilient portions in the lower housing, such that cables tapped into the IPC egress the lower housing and the upper housing via the resilient portions.

### Claim 20

An insulation piercing connector (IPC) housing comprising:
an upper portion including a first locking piece on an exterior surface of the upper portion; and
the lower portion including a second locking piece on an exterior surface of the lower portion, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are hinged together to open and close,
wherein when the housing is closed,
an IPC with a cable is inserted into the lower portion such that the cable enters the housing via a first hole on the lower portion and exits the housing via a second hole in the lower portion;
the upper portion and the lower portion are brought into a contact at edges of walls of the upper portion and the lower portion, and
the first locking piece and the second locking piece are prevented from separating via a lock.