Cable termination assembly with contact supporting housing and integrally molded strain relief

Claim 2

An insulation displacement cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable having at least one conductor, insulation displacement contact means for effecting electrical connection and having an IDC portion for connection with such conductor and a contacting portion for connection with an external member inserted to engagement therewith, a support body for holding said contact means, strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said contact means, cable and support body to form a substantially integral structure, and means including at least part of said contact means for shutting off flow of molding material of said strain relief means during molding thereof to prevent flow of molding material to said contacting portion of said contact means.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1, said support body having an opening therein for positioning of at least a part of said contacting means therein, and said means for shutting off comprising a close fit of said contact means with walls of said opening.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 1, said means for shutting off comprising a carrier that carries at least some of said contact means and cooperates with said contact means and said support body to effect such shut off.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1, said contact means comprising a plurality thereof in plural parallel rows, and said cable comprising a multiconductor cable.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 1, said contact means comprising a three dimensional contact.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 5, further comprising wall means in said support body for cooperating with a portion of said contact means other than said contacting portion thereof for supporting said contact in said support body during IDC connection function and molding of said strain relief without applying stress to said contacting portion.

Claim 8

An insulation displacement cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable having at least one conductor, insulation displacement contact means for effecting electrical connection and having an IDC portion for connection with such conductor and a contacting portion for connection with an external member inserted to engagement therewith, a support body for holding said contact means, strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said contact means, cable and support body to form a substantially integral structure, and means in said support body for supporting said contacting means during IDC connection and molding of said strain relief to avoid applying stress to said contacting portion.

Claim 9

An insulation displacement cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable having at least one conductor, insulation displacement contact means for effecting electrical connection and having an IDC portion for connection with such conductor and a contacting portion for connection with an external member inserted to engagement therewith, a support body for holding said contact means, strain relief means directly molded to at least part of said contact means, cable and support body to form a substantially integral structure, and means in said support body for supporting said contacting means during IDC connection and molding of said strain relief to avoid applying stress to said contacting portion.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 7, said contact means comprising a three dimensional contact.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 7, said contact means having plural support legs generally coplanar with said IDC connecting portion, a connector between said legs proximate an end thereof remote from said IDC connecting portion, and said contacting portion extending out of such plane from said connector.

Claim 12

The assembly of claim 7, further comprising means for supporting an end part of said contact means in engagement with a wall of said body portion.

Claim 13

The assembly of claim 7, further comprising shut off means for preventing flow of strain relief material during molding thereof to said contacting portion.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, wherein such contact comprises plural contacts, and such conductor comprises a plurality thereof, and said performing insulation displacement connection comprising connecting respective conductors and contacts.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12, further comprising closing such mold to perform insulation displacement connection and to provide a closed mold cavity within which strain relief material may be molded.

Claim 18

A cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable including at least one conductor, at least one electrical contact, support body means for at least preliminarily supporting said electrical contact, said electrical contact having a connection portion, a contacting portion, and a support between said portions, and said support body means having means for cooperating with said contact support to support said electrical contact during connecting of said connection portion to such conductor and during molding of a strain relief.

Claim 19

A cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable including at least one conductor, at least one electrical contact, support body means for at least preliminarily supporting said electrical contact, said electrical contact having a connection portion, a contacting portion, and a support between said portions, and said support body means having means for cooperating with said contact support to support said electrical contact during connecting of said connection portion to such conductor and during molding of a strain relief.

Claim 20

A cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable including at least one conductor, at least one electrical contact, support body means for supporting said electrical contact, and strain relief body means directly molded to at least part of said cable, said electrical contact and said support body means to form an integral structure therewith; said electrical contact having a connection portion for connecting with a said conductor to form a junction therewith, a contacting portion for contacting with an external member when in engagement therewith, and a base portion between said connection and contacting portions, said support body means including means for defining a chamber for said contacting portion, external opening means for permitting insertion of an external member into said chamber for electrical connection with said contacting portion, and means for cooperating with said contact properly to position said contacting portion of said electrical contact in said chamber; said contact including means to cooperate with said support body for supporting said contact during IDC connection and molding of said strain relief body; and said strain relief body means being molded against said support body means at a side thereof opposite said external opening means and over said connection portion and said junction.

Claim 21

A cable termination assembly, comprising an electrical cable including at least one conductor, at least one electrical contact, support body means for supporting said electrical contact, and strain relief body means directly molded to at least part of said cable, said electrical contact and said support body means to form an integral structure therewith; said electrical contact having a connection portion for connecting with a said conductor to form a junction therewith, a contacting portion for contacting with an external member when in engagement therewith, and a base portion between said connection and contacting portions, said support body means including means for defining a chamber for said contacting portion, external opening means for permitting insertion of an external member into said chamber for electrical connection with said contacting portion, and means for cooperating with said contact properly to position said contacting portion of said electrical contact in said chamber; said contact including means to cooperate with said support body for supporting said contact during IDC connection and molding of said strain relief body; and said strain relief body means being molded against said support body means at a side thereof opposite said external opening means and over said connection portion and said junction.

Claim 22

The assembly of claim 16, wherein said connection portion comprises insulation displacement connection means for IDC connecting with said conductor.

Claim 23

The assembly of claim 16, comprising a plurality of electrical contacts, and wherein said cable includes a plurality of conductors connected to respective contacts at respective junctions encapsulated by said strain relief body means.

Claim 24

The assembly of claim 18, wherein said cable comprises a multiconductor flat cable.

Claim 25

The assembly of claim 16, wherein said electrical contact comprises a three-dimensional contact.

Claim 26

The assembly of claim 20, wherein said three-dimensional contact comprises a U-shape contact having a support arm and a cantilever contacting portion.

Claim 29

The method of claim 22, wherein there are a plurality of electrical contacts and electrical conductors, and said insulation displacement connection effecting step comprises effecting substantially simultaneously insulation displacement connection of a plurality of the electrical contacts with respective electrical conductors, and said molding step comprises molding the strain relief body directly to at least the part of the electrical contacts blocking an end of the chambers for the contacting portions, the support body portion and the conductors.