Connector

Claim 2

A connector for use with multiple wires which comprise at least two wires, comprising: a housing; an upper connector means positioned within said housing and including at least one upper first contact for electrically engaging an upper surface of a respective first wire, and at least one upper second contact electrically coupled to, and positioned to provide an upper open area relative to, said upper first contact for electrically engaging an upper surface of a respective second wire; and a lower connector means positioned within said housing and including at least one lower first contact for electrically engaging a lower surface of a respective first wire, and at least one lower second contact electrically coupled to, and positioned to provide a lower open area relative to, said lower first contact for electrically engaging a lower surface of a respective second wire.

Claim 3

The connector of claim 1 wherein said upper connector means is positioned relative to said lower connector means such that each first wire will be pinched between each upper first contact and each lower first contact, and each second wire will be pinched between each upper second contact and each lower second contact, when said connector is assembled with a multiple wire cable.

Claim 4

The connector of claim 2 wherein each upper contact and each lower contact includes means for piercing cable insulation of said multiple wire cable and electrically engaging a respective wire.

Claim 5

The connector of claim 2 wherein each upper first contact and each lower first contact extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said first wire, and further wherein each upper second contact and each lower second contact extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said second wire.

Claim 6

The connector of claim 2 further including means associated with each upper contact and each lower contact for facilitating the positioning of a respective wire between a respective upper contact and a respective lower contact for effecting an electrical connection therebetween.

Claim 7

The connector of claim 5 wherein each facilitating means includes a wire engaging surface having a concave configuration.

Claim 8

The connector of claim 6 wherein each wire engaging surface includes a cutting edge for piercing cable insulation of said multiple wire cable and electrically engaging a respective wire.

Claim 9

The connector of claim 6 wherein said wire engaging surface of each upper contact is a mirror image of a respective wire engaging surface of each lower contact.

Claim 10

The connector of claim 8 wherein each wire engaging surface includes a cutting edge for piercing cable insulation of said multiple wire cable and electrically engaging a respective wire.

Claim 11

The connector of claim 1 wherein said upper connector means includes a plurality of pairs of upper first and upper second contacts, and further wherein said lower connector means includes a plurality of lower pairs of lower first and lower second contacts.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 10 wherein said plurality of upper pairs are bussed together and every other upper pair of said plurality of upper pairs includes a terminal electrically connected to a respective upper first and second contact, and further wherein said plurality of lower pairs are bussed together and every other lower pair of said plurality of lower pairs includes a terminal electrically connected to a first and second contact, said plurality of upper pairs being offset relative to said plurality of lower pairs such that an upper pair having a terminal will form a biting nip with a lower pair not having a terminal.

Claim 13

The connector of claim 1 further including at least one upper third contact positioned within said housing, each upper third contact having a wire engaging surface disposed about a line which extends between a respective upper first contact and a respective upper second contact for electrically engaging a respective third wire.

Claim 14

The connector of claim 12 further including at least one lower third contact positioned within said housing, each lower third contact having a wire engaging surface disposed about a line which extends between a respective lower first contact and a respective lower second contact for electrically engaging a respective third wire.

Claim 15

The connector of claim 1 wherein said at least one upper connector means includes a plurality of pairs of upper contacts, each pair of upper contacts including an upper first contact and an upper second contact, and further wherein said at least one lower connector means includes a plurality of pairs of lower contacts, each pair of lower contacts including a lower first contact and a lower second contact, further including a plurality of upper third contacts positioned within said housing, each upper third contact of said plurality of upper third contacts having a wire engaging surface which is disposed about a line which extends between an alternate pair of upper contacts, and further including a plurality of lower third contacts positioned within said housing, each lower third contact of said plurality of lower third contacts having a wire engaging surface which is disposed about a line which extends between an alternate pair of lower contacts, every other pair of said plurality of pairs of upper contacts including a terminal electrically connected to a respective upper first and second contact, and every other pair of said plurality of pairs of lower contacts including a terminal electrically connected to a respective lower first and second contact, each upper pair having a terminal forming a biting nip with each lower pair not having a terminal.

Claim 16

The connector of claim 14 wherein said plurality of pairs of upper first and second contacts are bussed together, and further wherein said plurality of pairs of lower first and second contacts are bussed together.

Claim 17

The connector of claim 14 wherein said housing comprises: an upper housing component and an upper strain relief component configured to mate with each other, said plurality of pairs of upper contacts and each upper third contact being sandwiched between said upper housing component and said upper strain relief component, each upper first, second and third contact extending through respective upper apertures which extend through said upper strain relief component toward a lower strain relief component; a lower housing component and a lower strain relief component configured to mate with each other, said plurality of pairs of lower contacts and each lower third contact being sandwiched between said lower housing component and said lower strain relief component, each lower first, second and third contact extending through respective lower apertures which extend through said lower strain relief component toward an adjacent upper first, second and third contact; and means associated with said upper strain relief component, said lower strain relief component, said upper housing component and said lower housing component for uniting said upper strain relief component and said lower strain relief component between said upper housing component and said lower component, for holding in place a plurality of said multiple wire cables between said upper strain relief component and said lower strain relief component, for facilitating electrical connection of said plurality of pairs of upper contacts and said plurality of pairs of lower contacts with respective of said first wires and said second wires, and for facilitating electrical connection of said upper third contacts and said lower third contacts with respective of said third wires.

Claim 18

The connector of claim 16 wherein said upper housing component includes a plurality of first grooves, said plurality of pairs of upper contacts and each upper third contact being disposed in a respective first groove of said plurality of first grooves, and further wherein said lower housing component includes a plurality of second grooves, said plurality of pairs of lower contacts and each lower third contact being disposed in a respective second groove of said plurality of second grooves.

Claim 19

The connector of claim 17 wherein said lower strain relief component includes a plurality of cable enclosing grooves each of which extends from an edge of said lower strain relief component to a respective of said lower apertures.

Claim 20

The connector of claim 18 wherein each cable enclosing groove has a first width adjacent to and extending from said edge, said first width being substantially equal to the width of a respective multiple wire cable, and a second width adjacent a respective lower aperture, said second width being less than said first width to accommodate a respective third wire of said respective multiple wire cable.