GB2109173A

GB2109173A - Connecting insulated conductors to electrical contacts

Info

Publication number: GB2109173A
Application number: GB08224934A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Otis Gallusser; Robert William Brush; David John Marmillion; Ann Elizabeth Peterson
Original assignee: Bendix Corp
Current assignee: Bendix Corp
Priority date: 1981-09-25
Filing date: 1982-09-01
Publication date: 1983-05-25
Also published as: GB2109173B

Abstract

A stranded wire 20 and a contact 30 are connected without stripping the wire by using connecting member 10 which has a base 11 inserted into a passage 32 of a contact 30, and a pin 12 connected to the base 11 and terminating at an angle 13. The pin axially pierces and enters the end of the wire 21 so that, when the wire 21 and connecting member 10 are inserted into the passage 32 and the passage is crimped, the connecting member 10 and the contact 30 are electrically and mechanically connected. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A connecting member This invention relates to an electrical connector and more specifically to a connecting member for facilitating the connection of a stranded wire conductor to an electrical contact mounted within the electrical connector.

Electrical connectors generally include a plug and receptacle, each of which has an insert of dielectric material provided with multiple openings within which electrical contacts are retained. Most connectors provide for insertion release of the electrical contacts. This is desirable to facilitate the connecting of wires to the contacts and repair of the connector.

An example of an electrical connector with removable contacts may be found in U.S. Patent 3,125,395 entitled "Electrical Connector" and issued March 17, 1964. In the foregoing type of connector each electrical contacts has a forward mating end and a rear wire receiving end to which an incoming wire is attached by one of three methods, i.e., soldering, crimping or wrapping the wire around the rear portion of the contact. In all such instances, to provide a good electrical connection, it is necessary to remove a portion of the insulation from around the wire before connecting the wire to the contact.

Disclosure of the invention This invention provides a connecting member for facilitating connection of a stranded wire conductor to an electrical contact of an electrical connector. The invention is characterized by a connecting member having a base adapted to be inserted into the wire receiving passage in a contact, and an elongated member connected at one end to the base and having an opposite end terminating in an angled free end which is adapted to axially pierce and enter into the end of the stranded wire so that when the wire and connecting member are inserted into the passage of the contact and crimped by an appropriate tool to the wire, the connecting member and the contact are electrically and mechanically connected together.

Accordingly, it is an advantage of this invention to provide a connecting member that makes it possible to eliminate the step of stripping insulation off of a wire before connecting itto an electrical contact.

Another advantage of this invention is that it reduces the assembly time required to attach a wire to a contact and insert it into an electrical connector insert. Hence, this reduces the cost of the connector.

Detailed description of the invention Figure 1 illustrates a connecting member incorporating the principles ofthis invention.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a stranded wire conductor.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate how the connecting member is used to connect the stranded wire conductor to an electrical contact.

Refering nowto the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a connecting member 10 comprised of an electrically conductive material such as beryllium copper for facilitating the connection of a stranded wire conductor to an electrical contact. The connecting member 10 has a base 11 and an elongated member 12 connected at one end to the base 11. The elongated member 12 has a pointed or a angled free end 13 opposite and connected to the base 11.

Opposite the surface of the base 11 from which the elongated member 12 extends is a surface portion 14 that is configured substantially the same as the configuration of the end surface of a passage in an electrical contact.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a wire 20 that includes a plurality of stranded and generally twisted wires 21 that are incased in a protective and dielectric sheath 22.

Figure 3 is an end view of the wire 20 shown in Figure 2 and illustrates the arrangement of the ends of the plurality of wires 21 surrounded by the dielectric sheath 22.

Figure 4 illustrates the connecting member 10 connected to the conductor 21 and inserted into the rear wire receiving passage 32 of a contact 30. The contact 30 includes a forward mating portion 34, which may be a pin or socket, and a rearwire receiving portion 31 that includes a passage 32 terminating in an end surface 33 having a configuration complimentary to the configuration of the surface 14 of the connecting member 10.

Figure 5 illustrates the wire 20 and contact 30 after it has been crimped 36 to the wire 20 by an appropriate tool.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, a stranded wire 21 having insulation 22 completely around the stranded wire 21 is connected to a metal contact 30 by first pressing the pointed end 13 of the elongated conductor 12 axially into the ends of the stranded wires 21; inserting the other end of the elongated conductor 12, with the base 11 thereon, into the passage 32 in the contact 30; and then crimping 36 the wire receiving portion 31 of the contact 30 to connect together the wire 20,the stranded wires 21, the conductor 12 and the contact 30. As illustrated in Figure 5, after crimping, the surface 14 of the base 11 of the connecting member 10 and the surface 33 of the contact 30 are pressed together to establish electrical contact between the stranded wires 21 and the contact 30.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the invention as set forth in the appended claims and, in some instances, certain features of the invention may be used to advantage without corresponding use of other features. For instance, the configuration of the surfaces 14 and 33 may be changed so long as they are matching and provide complimentary mating surfaces. Also, the elongated member 12 may be completely wedge shaped so that the angled free end 13 extends all the way to the base 11. Accordingly, it is intended that the illustrative and descriptive materials herein be used to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A connecting member (10) for facilitating the connection of a stranded wire conductor (21) to an electrical contact (30) of the type having a rear wire receiving portion (31) that includes a passage (32) terminating in a surface (33) having a predetermined configuration and a forward mating end (34), the connecting member (10) comprising: a base (11) adapted to be inserted into the passage in the contact; and an elongated member (12) having one end mounted to said base and an opposite end terminating in an angled free end (13) which is adapted to axially pierce and enter into an end of the stranded wire (21), whereby when the free end (13) of said elongated member (12) is pressed into said stranded wire (21), said base (11) inserted into the contact passage (32) and said wire receiving portion of said contact is crimped, said wire (21), said connecting member (10) and said contact (30) are electrically and mechanically connected together.

2. The connecting member as recited in Claim 1 wherein the stranded wire conductor (21) has an outer jacket of insulating material (22) along the entire length thereof.

3. The connecting member has recited in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the surface portion (14) of said base (11), opposite the surface from which the elongated member (12) extends, is configured substantially the same as the configuration of the end surface (33) of the passage (32) in the contact (30) whereby electrical contact between the base (11) and the end surface (33) of the contact passage (32) is enhanced when the base (11) is inserted against the end surface (33) of the contact passage (32) and the wire receiving portion (31) of said contact is crimped (36).

4. A method of terminating a stranded wire (21) having insulation (22) completely around the stranded wire to a metal contact (30) having a wire receiving passage (32) without the need to strip the insulation (22) off the wire (21), comprising the steps of: pressing one end of an elongated conductor (12) axially into an end of the stranded wire (21); inserting the other end (14) of the elongated conductor (12) into the passage (32) in the contact (30); and crimping (36) the wire receiving portion (31) of the contact (30) to connect together said wire (21), said conductor (12) and said contact (30).

5. An electrical connecting member substantially as described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.