Granted Patent B2

US 7,416,434 · App. 11/539,047 · Granted Aug 26, 2008

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A connector for electrically connecting corresponding conductors of at least first and second cables, the connector comprising:

a connecting portion having opposing first and second wire receiving slots for receiving associated first and second cables, respectively, the connecting portion further including a first set of at least two nubs associated with the first wire receiving slots and a second set of at least two nubs associated with the second wire receiving slots, the nubs being configured to retain the associated cables, and wherein the nubs of each set include a first nub spaced from a second nub along a length of the associated cable that the respective nubs retain;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal each disposed in the connecting portion and which terminate and electrically connect corresponding conductors of each cable, wherein each terminal includes a prong protruding into each wire receiving slot; and

first and second hinging members which snap onto the connecting portion and contact a respective associated cable so that each prong pierces an insulative sheath of a respective cable.

2. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each first and second hinging member includes:

an engaging member which engages with a matching void in the connecting portion and secures the corresponding first or second hinging member onto the connecting portion.

3. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion includes:

at least positive and negative terminal holders to which the positive and negative terminals are attached.

4. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each terminal includes:

a retaining feature which fixedly retains an associated terminal within the connecting portion.

5. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , further including:

voids into which dielectric gel is inserted for moisture protection.

6. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is hermetically sealed against ambient particles.

7. A plurality of opposing first and second cables, the corresponding opposing conductors of the cables are being electrically connected by the connector of claim 1 .

8. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the positive terminal includes a first prong positioned in the first wire receiving slots to contact a first wire of the associated first cable and a second prong positioned in the first wire receiving slots to contact a second wire of the associated first cable.

9. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a first nub of the first set of nubs and the second nub of the first set of nubs are axially aligned for retaining the associated first cable generally along an axis.

10. The connector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each set of nubs includes an upper nub that is spaced from a lower nub.

11. The connector as set forth in claim 10 , wherein each set of nubs includes at least two upper nubs that are spaced from one another and at least two lower nubs that are spaced from one another.

12. An insulation displacement connector (IDC) for electrically connecting insulated cables which each includes electric conductors, comprising:

a main body which includes first and second hinging members disposed on opposite respective sides of the main body, the main body further including wire receiving slots disposed on first and second opposing surfaces of the main body, which wire receiving slots receive and align conductors of the cables at corresponding first and second surfaces, wherein the hinging members push the cables toward the wire receiving slots when the hinging members are moved toward a closed position; and

a positive terminal and a negative terminal which electrically connect pairs of wires of corresponding conductors by insulation displacement method when the first and second hinging members are snapped closed.

13. The connector as set forth in claim 12 , wherein each terminal includes a prong and the main body further includes:

voids disposed proximately to the first and second surfaces with which voids each prong is aligned to protrude into the wire receiving slots, pierce insulation layer of each conductor when the hinging portions are snapped closed and electrically connect to an electric wire disposed within the insulation layer of an associated conductor.

14. An insulation displacement connector (IDC) for electrically connecting at least first and second cables each cable having parallel electric wires insulated from one another by a layer of insulative material, the IDC connector comprising:

a connecting portion including wire receiving slots and wire aligning members, into which wire receiving slots the wires surrounded by the insulative material are inserted;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal each having bifurcated end and being oriented toward a corresponding wire receiving slot, which each bifurcated end pierces the insulative layer of a respective wire and establishes electrical contact with the respective wire; and

first and second hinging portions disposed proximately to opposing first and second surfaces of the connecting portion, which push the insulative layer of each inserted wire onto the corresponding bifurcated end when first and second hinging portions are snapped closed onto the connecting portion.

15. The connector as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the bifurcated ends pierce the insulative layers of the respective wires simultaneously.

16. The connector as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the connecting portion further includes:

positive and negative terminal holders disposed proximately to opposing associated first and second surfaces of the connecting portion, to which terminal holders the positive and negative terminals are correspondingly attached, each bifurcated end is pushed into the insulative layer of the inserted wire by manually pressing the positive and negative terminal holders toward one another.

Assignments (8)