High density ribbon cable connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween, said housing having major and minor dimensions transverse to said passages, said housing having at least one row of contact receiving passages along the major dimension; and at least first and second contacts received in adjacent ones of said plurality of passages in said at least one row, each of said first and second contacts having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion along an edge most distant from said mating portion, said first contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a first predetermined distance from respective said conductor terminating portions, said second contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a second predetermined distance from a respective said conductor terminating portion, said second distance being less than said first distance, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to said at least one row thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in said row of passages, whereby said first contact can be inserted into a passage of said at least one row by applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently said second contact can be inserted into a passage of said at least one row by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool interfering with the insertion shoulder of the first contact.

Claim 3

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts are substantially parallel and the mating portions of said first and second contacts are also substantially parallel.

Claim 4

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 5

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 7

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 8

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductor terminating portion defines a pair of opposed edges, said edges received between a respective pair of ribs in said housing, whereby the position of the conductor terminating portion is prevented from moving laterally during termination of a cable to the connector.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the mating portion of said first contact defines an axis through substantially the center of the mating portion and respective first section of the intermediate portion, said insertion shoulder extending on opposite sides of said axis.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the mating portion of said second contact defines an axis through substantially the center of the mating portion and respective first section of the intermediate portion, said insertion shoulder extending on opposite sides of said axis.

Claim 11

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing is made from an insulating material having substantially no shrink rate.

Claim 12

An electrical connector as recited in claim 10, wherein the insulative material is a liquid crystal polymer.

Claim 13

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second row of contacts having conductor terminating portions, the conductor terminating portion of contacts in said first row spaced at least a predetermined minimum spacing from the conductor terminating portion of contacts in said second row.

Claim 14

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween with contacts secured therein; and at least first and second contacts of said plurality of contacts having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in a row of passages, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to an imaginary line drawn between the first and second contacts, the insertion shoulders thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining a width along a major dimension of the housing, the width of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension, a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 15

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween with contacts secured therein; and at least first and second contacts of said plurality of contacts having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in a row of passages, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to an imaginary line drawn between the first and second contacts, the insertion shoulders thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining a width along a major dimension of the housing, the width of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension, a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 16

An electrical connector as recited in claim 13, further comprising said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 17

An electrical connector as recited in claim 13, wherein the mating portion of said first contact defines an axis through the mating portion and respective first section of the intermediate portion, said insertion shoulder extending on both sides of said axis, said insertion shoulder being at least a predetermined minimum spacing from any features on adjacent contacts.

Claim 18

An electrical connector as recited in claim 13, wherein the conductor terminating portion defines a pair of opposed edges, said edges received between a respective pair of ribs in said housing.

Claim 19

An electrical connector as recited in claim 16, wherein said housing is made from an insulative material having substantially no shrink rate.

Claim 20

An electrical connector as recited in claim 17, wherein the insulative material is a liquid crystal polymer.

Claim 21

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween with contacts secured therein; and at least first and second contacts of said plurality of contacts having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, each of said intermediate portions defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to an imaginary line drawn between the first and second contacts, the insertion shoulders thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining a width along a major dimension of the housing, the width of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension, said first contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a first predetermined distance from a respective said conductor terminating portion, said second contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a second predetermined distance from a respective said conductor terminating portion, said second distance being less than said first distance, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in a row of passages, whereby said first contact can be inserted into a passage by applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently said second contact can be inserted into a passage by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool interfering with the insertion shoulder of the first contact.

Claim 22

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween with contacts secured therein; and at least first and second contacts of said plurality of contacts having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, each of said intermediate portions defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to an imaginary line drawn between the first and second contacts, the insertion shoulders thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining a width along a major dimension of the housing, the width of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension, said first contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a first predetermined distance from a respective said conductor terminating portion, said second contact having a respective said insertion shoulder positioned a second predetermined distance from a respective said conductor terminating portion, said second distance being less than said first distance, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in a row of passages, whereby said first contact can be inserted into a passage by applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently said second contact can be inserted into a passage by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool interfering with the insertion shoulder of the first contact.

Claim 23

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween, said housing having major and minor dimensions transverse to the contact receiving passages, said housing having at least one row of contact receiving passages along the major dimensions; and at least first and second contacts received in respective ones of said passages in said at least one row, each of said first and second contacts defining a length and having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of the intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion along an edge most distant from said mating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to said at least one row thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the insertion shoulder of one of said first and second contacts being positioned along the length thereof more forward than the insertion shoulder of the other of said first and second contacts along the length thereof, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in said row of passages, whereby one of said contacts can be inserted into a passage of said at least one row by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently the other contact can be inserted into an adjacent passage in said at least one row of passages by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool engaging the insertion shoulder of the already inserted contact.

Claim 24

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween, said housing having major and minor dimensions transverse to the contact receiving passages, said housing having at least one row of contact receiving passages along the major dimensions; and at least first and second contacts received in respective ones of said passages in said at least one row, each of said first and second contacts defining a length and having a mating portion on a first end, a conductor terminating portion on a second end and an intermediate portion between said ends, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of the intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion along an edge most distant from said mating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to said at least one row thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the insertion shoulder of one of said first and second contacts being positioned along the length thereof more forward than the insertion shoulder of the other of said first and second contacts along the length thereof, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in said row of passages, whereby one of said contacts can be inserted into a passage of said at least one row by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently the other contact can be inserted into an adjacent passage in said at least one row of passages by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool engaging the insertion shoulder of the already inserted contact.

Claim 25

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, wherein alternate contacts in said at least one row of contacts have respective insertion shoulders that are positioned along the length thereof more forward than the insertion shoulder of the remaining contacts.

Claim 26

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 27

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 28

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 29

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 30

An electrical connector as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least first and second contacts are of substantially the same length.

Claim 31

An electrical connector as recited in claim 26, wherein alternate contacts in said at least one row of contacts have respective insertion shoulders that are spaced respectively first and second predetermined distances from respective conductor terminating portions.

Claim 32

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween, said housing having major and minor dimensions transverse to said passages, said housing having a row of contact receiving passages along the major dimension; and first and second contacts received in adjacent ones of said plurality of passages in said row of passages, each of said first and second contacts having a mating portion, a conductor terminating portion and an intermediate portion therebetween, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to said at least one row thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining respective widths along the major dimension of the housing, the respective widths of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension of the housing, said first contact having a respective insertion shoulder positioned a first predetermined distance from a respective conductor terminating portion, said second contact having a respective insertion shoulder positioned a second predetermined distance from a respective conductor terminating portion, said second distance being less than said first distance, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in said row, whereby said first contact can be inserted into a passage in said row of passages by applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently said second contact can be inserted into a passage of said row of passages by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool interfering with the insertion shoulder of the first contact.

Claim 33

An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a mating face, a terminating face and a plurality of contact receiving passages extending therebetween, said housing having major and minor dimensions transverse to said passages, said housing having a row of contact receiving passages along the major dimension; and first and second contacts received in adjacent ones of said plurality of passages in said row of passages, each of said first and second contacts having a mating portion, a conductor terminating portion and an intermediate portion therebetween, said mating portion and a first section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar, said conductor terminating portion and a second section of said intermediate portion being substantially planar and formed to be substantially perpendicular to said mating portion and the first section of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion defining an insertion shoulder facing said conductor terminating portion, the insertion shoulder of said first and second contacts overlapping in a direction transverse to said at least one row thereby occupying a common tool insertion line, the conductor terminating portion of said first and second contacts defining respective widths along the major dimension of the housing, the respective widths of said conductor terminating portions of said first and second contacts overlapping in a profile transverse to the major dimension of the housing, said first contact having a respective insertion shoulder positioned a first predetermined distance from a respective conductor terminating portion, said second contact having a respective insertion shoulder positioned a second predetermined distance from a respective conductor terminating portion, said second distance being less than said first distance, said first and second contacts received in adjacent passages in said row, whereby said first contact can be inserted into a passage in said row of passages by applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof and subsequently said second contact can be inserted into a passage of said row of passages by a tool applying a force to the insertion shoulder thereof without the tool interfering with the insertion shoulder of the first contact.

Claim 34

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, whereby alternate contacts in said row have respective insertion shoulders that are positioned along the length thereof more forward than the insertion shoulders of the remaining contacts.

Claim 35

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 36

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said first contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said second contact.

Claim 37

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, further comprising a notch in the first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a rearwardly facing edge, said rearwardly facing edge positioned in said first section such that said rearwardly facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 38

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, further comprising a notch in said first section of said intermediate portion of said second contact, said notch defining a laterally facing edge, said laterally facing edge positioned in said first section such that said laterally facing edge is at least a predetermined minimum spacing from said first contact.

Claim 39

An electrical connector as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least first and second contacts are of substantially the same length.

Claim 40

An electrical connector as recited in claim 34, wherein alternate contacts in said at least one row of contacts have respective insertion shoulders that are spaced respectively first and second predetermined distances from respective conductor terminating portions.