Electrical connecting devices for terminating cords

Claim 2

An electrical connector for terminating a cord having a plurality of insulated conductors and for making electrical contact external to the connector, which comprises: an unipartite dielectric housing having one free end with internal surfaces of the housing defining a cavity that opens to the other end of the housing for receiving and substantially enclosing an end portion of a cord, with at least one portion of the housing adjacent the cavity being disposed in an initial position in a well and connected pivotally to the remainder of the housing toward the free end thereof, the pivotally connected portion having two intersecting externally facing surfaces, one of which has a stop formed thereon, the pivotally connected portion capable of being moved from the initial position to an actuated position at least partially into the cavity to clamp portions of the cord, and with a portion of the one externally facing surface of the pivotally moveable portion engaging an inwardly facing surface of the cavity of the remainder of the housing adjacent the cord-input end of the housing and the stop engaging a wall of the well adjacent the inwardly facing surface, the dual engagement of the one surface and of the stop with portions of the housing being effective to maintain the pivotally moveable portion in locked engagement with the cord during the application of retrograde forces to the cord; and a plurality of electrically conductive terminals positioned within the housing and extending between the cavity where the terminals pierce the insulation of and make electrical engagement with associated conductors of the cord and an external surface of the housing where the terminals make electrical contact external to the connector.

Claim 3

The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the free end of the housing is formed with an end wall which separates the cavity from the free end of the housing.

Claim 4

The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the pivotally moveable portion of the housing includes an anchoring member connected at one end through a hinged portion oriented toward the free end of the housing and the other end of the anchoring member oriented toward the cord-input end of the housing is connected by a frangible portion severably to the remainder of the housing so that the application of forces for moving the anchoring member form the initial to the actuated position causes the other end of the anchoring member to be separated from the remainder of the housing.

Claim 5

The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein the housing also includes a plurality of terminal-receiving openings communicating with the cavity and the exterior of the connector and each of the terminals includes: a first contact portion extending into the cavity for piercing the insulation of and making electrical engagement with an associated conductor of the cord, and a second contact portion positioned within the associated terminal-receiving opening for making electrical contact external to the connector.

Claim 6

The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the frangible portion includes a tapered web substantially planar with the adjacent surfaces of the portion of the remainder of the housing adjacent the cord-input end and which is connected to a surface of the moveable portion which protrudes into the cavity by a connecting surface and formed so that the application of forces causes the web to be separated from the remainder of the housing to form an elongated extension which is caused to assume a curved shape as the anchoring member is moved pivotally and together with the connecting surface to form a blunt portion which engages and clamps the cord without damaging the cord.

Claim 7

The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the other one of the surfaces of the anchoring member which is externally facing when the anchoring member is in the initial position and which is adjacent the severable portion is formed such that a portion thereof contiguous to the severable portion is moved into engagement with the cord, further the cord-input end of the housing having a flared entrance portion such that the portion of the stepped portion is aligned with a tangent to a portion of the flared entrance when the anchoring member is in the actuated position.

Claim 8

The electrical connector of claim 4, which also includes a conductor restraining bar formed integrally with the housing and disposed within an opening in the housing which is interposed between the well and the terminal-receiving openings and which communicates with the cavity, the restraining bar separated partially from the remainder of the housing by a first slot oriented toward the free end of the housing and second slot oriented toward the cord-input end of the housing, the second slot extending substantially further from the opening to the cavity than the first, the application of forces to the bar causing the bar to be reformed and upset into the cavity into engagement with the conductors in the cavity and causing the bar to fracture from the second slot to the cavity with relative displacement of the bar along the line of fracture to lock portions of the bar adjacent the second slot in engagement with the remainder of the housing and the cord.

Claim 9

The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the housing also includes conductor-receiving troughs formed in at least a portion of the cavity and with the plurality of terminal-receiving openings communicating with the troughs and with the exterior of the connector.

Claim 10

The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the troughs are formed between a plurality of parallel partitions extending through a portion of the cavity from the vicinity of the free end thereof toward the cord-input end thereof and between ones of the partitions and the side walls of the cavity.

Claim 11

The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the partitions extend from the surface of the cavity to which the terminal-receiving openings open to the opposed inwardly facing surface thereof.

Claim 12

The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the partitions extend partially between a surface to which the terminal-receiving openings open and a surface opposite thereto.

Claim 15

The cord terminating device of claim 12, wherein the free end of the housing is formed with an end wall which separates the cavity from the free end of the housing.

Claim 16

The cord terminating device of claim 12, wherein the moveable portion of the housing includes an anchoring member connected at one end through a hinged portion oriented toward the free end of the housing and the other end of the anchoring member oriented toward the cord-input end of the housing is connected by a frangible portion severably to the remainder of the housing so that the application of forces for moving the anchoring member from the initial to the actuated position causes the other end of the anchoring member to be separated from the remainder of the housing.

Claim 17

The cord terminating device of claim 14, wherein the anchoring member is connected severably to the housing through a tapered web substantially planar with the adjacent surface of the portion of the remiander of the housing adjacent the cord-input end and which is connected to a surface of the moveable portion which protrudes into the cavity by a connecting surface and formed so that the application of forces causes the web to be separated from the remainder of the housing to form an elongated extension which is caused to assume a curved shape as the anchoring member is moved pivotally and together with the connecting surface to form a blunt portion which engages and clamps the cord without damaging the cord.

Claim 18

The cord terminating device of claim 15, which also includes a restraining bar formed integrally with the housing and disposed within an opening the housing which is interposed between the well and the terminal-receiving openings and which communicates with the cavity, the restraining bar separated partially from the remainder of the housing by a first slot oriented toward the free end of the housing and a second slot oriented toward the cord-input end of the housing, the second slot being substantially further from the opening to the cavity than the first, the application of forces to the bar causing the bar to be reformed and upset into the cavity into engagement with portions of the cord in the cavity and causing the bar to fracture from the second slot the cavity with relative displacement of the bar along the line of fracture to lock portions of the bar adjacent the second slot in engagement with the remainder of the housing and the cord.

Claim 19

The cord terminating device of claim 16, wherein the housing also includes a plurality of terminal-receiving openings communicating with the cavity and the exterior of the connector, further the housing including a plurality of conductor-receiving troughs formed in at least a portion of the cavity and with the plurality of terminal-receiving openings communicating with the troughs and with the exterior of the connector.

Claim 20

The cord terminating device of claim 17, wherein the troughs are formed between a plurality of parallel partitions extending through a portion of the cavity from the vicinity of the free end thereof toward the cord-input end thereof and between ones of the partitions and the side walls of the cavity.

Claim 21

The cord terminating device of claim 18, wherein the partitions extend from the surface of the cavity to which the terminal-receiving openings open to the opposed inwardly facing surface thereof.

Claim 22

The cord terminating device of claim 18, wherein the partitions extend partially between a surface to which the terminal-receiving openings open and a surface opposite thereto.

Claim 23

A cord for a connection to telecommunications equipment, which comprises: a plurality of individually insulated conductors; a plastic jacket enclosing the conductors; and a connector for terminating at least one end of the cord, which comprises: an unipartite dielectric housing having one free end with internal surfaces of the housing defining a cavity that opens to the other end of the housing for receiving and substantially enclosing an end portion of a cord, with at least one portion of the housing adjacent the cavity being disposed in an initial position in a well and connected pivotally to the remainder of the housing toward the free end thereof, the pivotally connected portion having two intersecting externally facing surfaces, one of which has a stop formed thereon, the pivotally connected portion capable of being moved from the initial position to an actuated position at least partially into the cavity to clamp portions of the cord, and with a portion of the one externally facing surface of the pivotally moveable portion engaging an inwardly facing surface of the cavity of the remainder of the housing adjacent the cord-input end of the housing and the stop engaging a wall of the well adjacent the inwardly facing surface, the dual engagement of the one surface and of the stop with portions of the housing being effective to maintain the pivotally moveable portion in locked engagement with the cord during the application of retrograde forces to the cord; and a plurality of electrically conductive terminals positioned within the housing and extending between the cavity where the terminals pierce the insulation of and make electrical engagement with associated conductors of the cord and an external surface of the housing where the terminals make electrical contact with equipment external to the connector.

Claim 24

A cord for a connection to telecommunications equipment, which comprises: a plurality of individually insulated conductors; a plastic jacket enclosing the conductors; and a connector for terminating at least one end of the cord, which comprises: an unipartite dielectric housing having one free end with internal surfaces of the housing defining a cavity that opens to the other end of the housing for receiving and substantially enclosing an end portion of a cord, with at least one portion of the housing adjacent the cavity being disposed in an initial position in a well and connected pivotally to the remainder of the housing toward the free end thereof, the pivotally connected portion having two intersecting externally facing surfaces, one of which has a stop formed thereon, the pivotally connected portion capable of being moved from the initial position to an actuated position at least partially into the cavity to clamp portions of the cord, and with a portion of the one externally facing surface of the pivotally moveable portion engaging an inwardly facing surface of the cavity of the remainder of the housing adjacent the cord-input end of the housing and the stop engaging a wall of the well adjacent the inwardly facing surface, the dual engagement of the one surface and of the stop with portions of the housing being effective to maintain the pivotally moveable portion in locked engagement with the cord during the application of retrograde forces to the cord; and a plurality of electrically conductive terminals positioned within the housing and extending between the cavity where the terminals pierce the insulation of and make electrical engagement with associated conductors of the cord and an external surface of the housing where the terminals make electrical contact with equipment external to the connector.