Method of making in-molded plug connector

Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a plug connector of the type comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts having elongate connecting portions adjacent leading ends with front connecting surfaces exposed on respective opposite faces of a supporting insulating base for engagement with complementary surfaces of a female connector to establish electrical connection therewith, comprising the steps of: providing first and second contact strips comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts, respectively each contact having a connecting portion adjacent a leading end with an elongate, front connecting surface and an underlying back surface joined thereto by side surfaces the contacts of respective series being, attached at respective leading ends to respective, transversely extending carrier strips; supporting respective contact strips in a mold with the contacts extending in the same direction away from the respective carrier strips and the contacts of one strip located with respective back surfaces in opposed, back-to-back, coplanar relation with, and at a predetermined spacing apart from the respective back surfaces of the contacts of the other strip; forming a supporting base by injecting plastic material into the mold at locations between the two contact series covering the opposed back surfaces of the connecting portions and at least part of the side surfaces of portions of the contacts adjacent the carrier strips, while maintaining the front, connecting surfaces exposed so as to extend in parallel relation rearwardly across opposite faces of the base from a leading end thereof; forming a connector base by removing the carrier strips from the series of supported contacts; and, locating a cover on the connector base so formed.

Claim 2

A method for manufacturing a plug connector of the type comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts having elongate connecting portions adjacent leading ends with front connecting surfaces exposed on respective opposite faces of a supporting insulating base for engagement with complementary surfaces of a female connector to establish electrical connection therewith, comprising the steps of: providing first and second contact strips comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts, respectively each contact having a connecting portion adjacent a leading end with an elongate, front connecting surface and an underlying back surface joined thereto by side surfaces the contacts of respective series being, attached at respective leading ends to respective, transversely extending carrier strips; supporting respective contact strips in a mold with the contacts extending in the same direction away from the respective carrier strips and the contacts of one strip located with respective back surfaces in opposed, back-to-back, coplanar relation with, and at a predetermined spacing apart from the respective back surfaces of the contacts of the other strip; forming a supporting base by injecting plastic material into the mold at locations between the two contact series covering the opposed back surfaces of the connecting portions and at least part of the side surfaces of portions of the contacts adjacent the carrier strips, while maintaining the front, connecting surfaces exposed so as to extend in parallel relation rearwardly across opposite faces of the base from a leading end thereof; forming a connector base by removing the carrier strips from the series of supported contacts; and, locating a cover on the connector base so formed.

Claim 7

A method for manufacturing a plug connector of the type comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts having elongate connecting portions adjacent leading ends with front connecting surfaces exposed on respective opposite faces of a supporting insulating base for engagement with complementary surfaces of a female connector to establish electrical connection therewith, comprising the steps of: providing first and second contact strips comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts, respectively each contact having a connecting portion adjacent a leading end with an elongate, front connecting surface and an underlying back surface joined thereto by side surfaces, and anchoring portions protruding laterally from respective opposite side surfaces of the connecting portions, the contacts of respective series being, attached at respective leading ends to respective, transversely extending carrier strips; arm pairs on trailing ends of respective contacts extending perpendicularly thereto, respective arms of each pair defining between them wire receiving slots and the slots of contacts of each series opening away from each other, in opposite directions; supporting respective contact strips in a mold with the contacts extending in the same direction away from the respective carrier strips and the contacts of one strip located with respective back surfaces in opposed, back-to-back, coplanar relation with, and at a predetermined spacing apart from the respective back surfaces of the contacts of the other strip and supporting rear end portions of each contact remote from the carrier strip by placing a mold member therebetween; forming a supporting base by injecting plastic material into the mold at locations between the two contact series covering the opposed back surfaces of the connecting portions and at least part of the side surfaces of portions of the contacts adjacent the carrier strips including the anchoring portions, while maintaining the front, connecting surfaces exposed so as to extend in parallel relation rearwardly across opposite faces of the base from a leading end thereof, the mold member forming a cavity underlying respective arm pairs; forming a connector base by removing the carrier strips from the series of supported contacts; force-fitting an insulating plug into the cavity thereby supporting the trailing ends of respective series of contacts in predetermined spaced apart relation; and, locating a cover on the connector base so formed.

Claim 8

A method for manufacturing a plug connector of the type comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts having elongate connecting portions adjacent leading ends with front connecting surfaces exposed on respective opposite faces of a supporting insulating base for engagement with complementary surfaces of a female connector to establish electrical connection therewith, comprising the steps of: providing first and second contact strips comprising a first and a second series of elongate, strip-form contacts, respectively each contact having a connecting portion adjacent a leading end with an elongate, front connecting surface and an underlying back surface joined thereto by side surfaces, and anchoring portions protruding laterally from respective opposite side surfaces of the connecting portions, the contacts of respective series being, attached at respective leading ends to respective, transversely extending carrier strips; arm pairs on trailing ends of respective contacts extending perpendicularly thereto, respective arms of each pair defining between them wire receiving slots and the slots of contacts of each series opening away from each other, in opposite directions; supporting respective contact strips in a mold with the contacts extending in the same direction away from the respective carrier strips and the contacts of one strip located with respective back surfaces in opposed, back-to-back, coplanar relation with, and at a predetermined spacing apart from the respective back surfaces of the contacts of the other strip and supporting rear end portions of each contact remote from the carrier strip by placing a mold member therebetween; forming a supporting base by injecting plastic material into the mold at locations between the two contact series covering the opposed back surfaces of the connecting portions and at least part of the side surfaces of portions of the contacts adjacent the carrier strips including the anchoring portions, while maintaining the front, connecting surfaces exposed so as to extend in parallel relation rearwardly across opposite faces of the base from a leading end thereof, the mold member forming a cavity underlying respective arm pairs; forming a connector base by removing the carrier strips from the series of supported contacts; force-fitting an insulating plug into the cavity thereby supporting the trailing ends of respective series of contacts in predetermined spaced apart relation; and, locating a cover on the connector base so formed.