Contact device for a multiconductor cable

Claim 2

Contact device for a multiconductor cable comprising a terminal support and a terminal cover of insulating material, in which the terminal support contains recesses in which terminals are located which terminals at the side of the terminal cover comprise bifurcated insulation piercing contacts and in which insulated electrical conductors of the multiconductor cable are passed through the terminal cover. to the bifurcated insulation piercing contacts, characterized in that the insulated electrical conductors contacting the terminals, have been bent in a U-shape over a part of their length and are supported here, in which-the base portion of the U-shaped bent conductor portion is pushed into the slid between the tines of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact in order to achieve the electrical contact with the terminal.

Claim 3

Contact device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cover comprises recesses for accomodating and supporting the U-shaped bent conductor portions, which recesses are located such that all U-shaped bent conductor portions are positioned in parallel planes, said cover also comprises channels for the bifurcated. insulation piercing contacts, which channels emerge into the recesses for the U-shaped bent conductor portions.

Claim 4

Contact device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the recesses in the terminal cover for the U-shaped bent conductor portions extend from the upper surface to the lower surface of the terminal cover, whereas the channels for the bifurcated insulation piercing contacts consist of slots extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the recesses for the U-shaped bent connector portions, said channels extend that far that in an assembled contact device a bifurcated insulation piercing contact is squeezed until within the recess, in which at both sides of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact sufficient space remains in the recess for pushing between the tines of this bifurcated insulation piercing contact a portion of an insulated electrical conductor passing lengthwise over the recess on the upper surface of the terminal cover.

Claim 5

Contact device as claimed in claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that in one row of recesses positioned behind one another in the terminal support, terminals are located having different distances between the center line of the terminal intermediate portion and the slit between the tines of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact, in which the terminals of one pair having equal said distances are mutually turned 180°.

Claim 6

Contact device as claimed in claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper surface of the terminal cover comprises parallel grooves adjacent to each other for at least partly receiving insulated electrical conductors, in which at least one of said recesses emerges in each groove for accomodating the U-shaped bent conductor portion, the longitudinal direction of each recess being in line with the longitudinal direction of the groove.

Claim 7

Contact device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized by a cable support, consisting of a plate having a lower surface resting on the insulated electrical conductors which in tuna rest upon the upper surface of the terminal cover, said lower surface comprising parallel grooves, located adjacent to each other for at least partly receiving the electrical conductors further comprising a clamp for holding the cable support in position upon the terminal cover.

Claim 8

Contact device as claimed in claim 6, characteri- z e d in that conductor pushing means are located in the grooves of the cable support, opposite to a recess in the terminal cover, said conductor pushing means each consist of a strip portion stretching in the direction to the terminal cover, the largest width of which extends transversely to the plane of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact located in the recess, whereas the length and position of each strip portion is chosen such, that upon lowering the cable support on the terminal cover each strip portion can be conducted in the slit between the tines of the bifurcated, insulation piercing contact.

Claim 9

Contact device according to claim 7, characterized in that the end surface of the conductor pushing means resting on the insulated electrical conductor are shaped in accordance with the outer surface of the insulated electrical conductor and comprises a recess, which in operative position of the conductor pushing means is positioned in the slit between the tines of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact.

Claim 10

Contact device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which each terminal comprises an upper portion having at least one bifurcated insulation piercing contact, which after inserting the terminal in the recess in the terminal support remains out of this recess, an intermediate portion received within the recess and having a cross section adapted to the cross section of this recess, in order to keep this terminal in position and a lower portion, forming the connecting means for an electrical conductor, characterized i n that each terminal consists of a rectangularly formed sheet of electrically conducting material, having opposite sides and at least one connecting strip in the intermediate portion between these sides, which sides are elongated at both ends with respect to the intermediate portion and on the one end comprise at least one bifurcated insulation piercing contact and on the other end comprise two narrowing side strips approaching each other and forming a conductor connection terminal., whereas the connecting strip of the intermediate portion is offset such with respect to the edges of the adjoining sides, that a support base is formed at the end of the conductor connoting terminal forming a shoulder, which support base upon introducing the terminal in a recess of the terminal support will come to rest on a cam in this recess the opposite edges of the side surface comprising protruding barbs for keeping the terminal in the recess.

Claim 11

Conductor pushing means for use in assembling the contact device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an anvil formed as a strip end, the end surface of which to be pushed on the insulated conductor being adapted to the external shape of the insulated electrical conductor whereas in the intermediate portion of the strip and a recess is formed, which extends transversely to the end face over the smallest width of the strip end, which recess has a width being larger than the wall thickness of the bifurcated insulation piercing contact.