Electrical connector for high density ribbon cable

Claim 1

In an electrical connector for insulation displacing termination of ribbon cable having insulated conductors on predetermined close centerline spacing, including a dielectric housing having a mating face, an opposed cable-receiving face and a plurality of terminal-receiving passages extending between the faces, a plurality of terminals received in the passages, each terminal including a mating portion toward said mating face and a slotted U-shaped insulation displacement portion toward the cable-receiving face, the insulation displacement portions of the terminals being arranged staggered in at least two rows, and a dielectric cover for forcing the conductors into the U-shaped insulation displacement portions and embracing the cable between the cover and the cable-receiving face of the housing, the cover including surface means for engaging the cable and recess means in the surface means for receiving the U-shaped insulation displacement portions of the terminals, wherein the improvement comprises: said surface means of the cover define a plurality of parallel conductor support channels, each of the channels defining upper and lower conductor support levels arranged such that a lower conductor support level of one channel is between two upper conductor support levels of adjacent channels, and conductor hold down means operatively associated with each channel to hold a respective conductor therein, whereby the ribbon cable can be pressed into the conductor support channels of the cover and held on the cover for subsequent termination of the cable to the terminals on the connector housing.

Claim 9

A method of terminating an electrical connector for insulation displacing termination of ribbon cable having insulated conductors on predetermined close centerline spacing, the connector including a dielectric housing having a mating face, an opposed cable-receiving face and a plurality of terminal-receiving passages extending between the faces, a plurality of terminals received in the passages, each terminal including a mating portion toward said mating face and a slotted U-shaped insulation displacement portion toward the cable-receiving face, the insulation displacement portions of the terminals being arranged staggered in at least two rows, and a dielectric cover for forcing the conductors into the U-shaped insulation displacement portions and embracing the cable between the cover and the cable-receiving face of the housing, the cover including surface means for engaging the cable and recess means in the surface means for receiving the U-shaped insulation displacement portions of the terminals, said surface means having a plurality of parallel conductor support channels, each of the channels defining upper and lower conductor support levels arranged such that a lower conductor support level of one channel is between two upper conductor support levels of adjacent channels comprising the steps of: providing a press tool having a reciprocally movable press plate, said press plate having a cable engaging surface with a plurality of parallel conductor support channels, each of the channels defining upper and lower conductor support levels arranged such that a lower conductor support level is positioned between two upper conductor support levels of adjacent channels; positioning said cover in a cover nest of said press tool with said surface means facing in a first direction, said cover being oriented such that the upper conductor support levels of said press tool are aligned with the lower conductor support levels of said cover and the lower conductor support levels of said press tool are aligned with the upper conductor support levels of said cover; positioning said ribbon cable having insulated conductors adjacent said cover and said cover nest; engaging one side of said ribbon cable with said press plate to press the ribbon cable in a direction opposite said first direction and against said cover in order to separate a portion of said conductors of said ribbon cable and press said separated conductors into said conductor support channels of the cover to create a cover and cable subassembly; and moving said housing relative to said cover and cable subassembly to force said U-shaped insulation displacement portions of the terminals into engagement with said conductors to terminate said electrical connector to said cable.

Claim 10

A method of terminating an electrical connector for insulation displacing termination of ribbon cable having insulated conductors on predetermined close centerline spacing, the connector including a dielectric housing having a mating face, an opposed cable-receiving face and a plurality of terminal-receiving passages extending between the faces, a plurality of terminals received in the passages, each terminal including a mating portion toward said mating face and a slotted U-shaped insulation displacement portion toward the cable-receiving face, the insulation displacement portions of the terminals being arranged staggered in at least two rows, and a dielectric cover for forcing the conductors into the U-shaped insulation displacement portions and embracing the cable between the cover and the cable-receiving face of the housing, the cover including surface means for engaging the cable and recess means in the surface means for receiving the U-shaped insulation displacement portions of the terminals, said surface means having a plurality of parallel conductor support channels, each of the channels defining upper and lower conductor support levels arranged such that a lower conductor support level of one channel is between two upper conductor support levels of adjacent channels comprising the steps of: providing a press tool having a reciprocally movable press plate, said press plate having a cable engaging surface with a plurality of parallel conductor support channels, each of the channels defining upper and lower conductor support levels arranged such that a lower conductor support level is positioned between two upper conductor support levels of adjacent channels; positioning said cover in a cover nest of said press tool with said surface means facing in a first direction, said cover being oriented such that the upper conductor support levels of said press tool are aligned with the lower conductor support levels of said cover and the lower conductor support levels of said press tool are aligned with the upper conductor support levels of said cover; positioning said ribbon cable having insulated conductors adjacent said cover and said cover nest; engaging one side of said ribbon cable with said press plate to press the ribbon cable in a direction opposite said first direction and against said cover in order to separate a portion of said conductors of said ribbon cable and press said separated conductors into said conductor support channels of the cover to create a cover and cable subassembly; and moving said housing relative to said cover and cable subassembly to force said U-shaped insulation displacement portions of the terminals into engagement with said conductors to terminate said electrical connector to said cable.