Insulation displacement connector

Claim 1

An insulation displacement connector for an electric wire having a conductive core and an insulation overwrap, comprising the combination of a housing having walls defining an elongate channel, and a terminal adapted to fit within the channel and present an exposed wire securing end to which the wire is to be connected, said wire securing end having a base and a pair of opposed jaws integral with and upstanding from the base, said pair of jaws including a pair of opposed generally parallel sidewalls upstanding along axial fold lines from said base, each of said sidewalls being bent at each end thereof along fold lines transverse to said base to form a pair of flanges which together with the corresponding sidewall define a generally U-shaped jaw structure, said flanges each being approximately perpendicular to said sidewalls, said base and said sidewalls both being mechanically deformed to define embossment means extending crosswise of the axial fold lines thereby strengthening the sidewalls and increasing axial restraining of a wire held between said jaws, said flanges having lower edges that overlie and approximately abut said base on opposite sides of said embossment means, each of said jaws including a pair of cutting edges converging to opposed gripping edges adjacent said base, which gripping edges are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of said conductive core, said cutting and gripping edges being formed on the ends of each of said flanges thereby affording four cutting and gripping edges for cooperation with said wire, whereby when said wire with the overwrap thereon is aligned over the exposed pair of jaws and forced transversely therebetween and against the base, said cutting edges of said pair of jaws displace the insulation overwrap and frictionally contact said conductive core to establish an electrical connection between said terminal and wire and also to axially restrain said wire relative to said terminal.