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US5577930A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical connector with improved conductor retention means

Assignee: Molex LLC
•
Filing: 1995-06-28
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Granted: 1996-11-26
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Expires: 2015-06-28
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length. An electrical contact has an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove. A pair of inwardly-directed wings are provided in the groove and spaced from and facing one another to provide a slot therebetween. The conductor is movable through the slot past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact. A pair of retention ribs face inwardly of the side walls of the groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.

Inventors

  • 👤 Charles Dahlem
  • 👤 Paul Murphy
  • 👤 Joseph W. Nellington, Jr.
  • 👤 Paul A. Reisdorf
  • 👤 Stephen A. Sampson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 07:42
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/514; H01R4/00; H01R4/24; H01R4/2416; H01R4/2445; H01R4/245; H01R4/2454; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/942; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49174; Y10T29/49181; Y10T29/49185; Y10T29/49188; Y10T29/4919

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact wherein said ribs include inwardly facing, conductor-engaging edges located below the free ends of the wings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact wherein said ribs include inwardly facing, conductor-engaging edges located below the free ends of the wings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said retention ribs include inwardly facing generally flat edges for engaging the conductor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein the conductor includes a central conductive core surrounded by an insulative sheath, and said flat edges of the ribs are spaced apart a distance at least equal to the diameter of the conductive core.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said edges are generally flat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing, including said wings and said retention ribs, comprises a one-piece molded structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 136 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings including one pair of said retention ribs on each opposite longitudinal side of said contact for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 136 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings including one pair of said retention ribs on each opposite longitudinal side of said contact for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
The electrical connector of claim 6, including two pairs of said wings spaced longitudinally of the groove with the contact and said pairs of retention ribs disposed therebetween.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 132 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact wherein said retention ribs include deformed portions overlying the terminated conductor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 132 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having an insulation displacement termination section disposed in said groove; a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings in the groove and spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween through which the conductor is movable past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of said groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact wherein said retention ribs include deformed portions overlying the terminated conductor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 113 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having a termination section disposed in said groove; at least one flexible retaining leg in the groove and past which the conductor is movable into termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of the groove essentially below the retaining leg said retention ribs on each opposite longitudinal side of said contact for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 113 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length; an electrical contact having a termination section disposed in said groove; at least one flexible retaining leg in the groove and past which the conductor is movable into termination with the termination section of the contact; and a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls of the groove essentially below the retaining leg said retention ribs on each opposite longitudinal side of said contact for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein said retention ribs include inwardly facing generally flat edges for engaging the conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 17 words
The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein said retention ribs include deformed portions overlying the terminated conductor.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector, comprising the steps of providing a dielectric housing with a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls with a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween, and with a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls essentially below the wings; mounting an electrical contact on the housing with an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove; moving an elongated insulated conductor essentially normally of its length past free ends of the wings into insulation displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and deforming portions of said retention ribs over the top of the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector, comprising the steps of providing a dielectric housing with a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls with a pair of inwardly-directed flexible wings spaced from and facing one another thereby providing a slot therebetween, and with a pair of retention ribs facing inwardly of the side walls essentially below the wings; mounting an electrical contact on the housing with an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove; moving an elongated insulated conductor essentially normally of its length past free ends of the wings into insulation displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and deforming portions of said retention ribs over the top of the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 12, including molding said housing, including said wings and said retention ribs, as a one-piece structure.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector, comprising the steps of providing a dielectric housing with a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls; mounting an electrical contact on the housing with an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove; moving an elongated insulated conductor essentially normally of its length into insulation displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and deforming portions of the housing within the groove over the top of the conductor terminated by the contact.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector, comprising the steps of providing a dielectric housing with a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls; mounting an electrical contact on the housing with an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove; moving an elongated insulated conductor essentially normally of its length into insulation displacement termination with the termination section of the contact; and deforming portions of the housing within the groove over the top of the conductor terminated by the contact.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4191442A Cited
US4227763A Cited
EP0104013A1 Cited
US4653831A Cited
EP0251736A2 Cited
US4836803A Cited
GB2197548A Cited
US5073126A Cited
US5030136A Cited
DE4331036A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-11-26 2000-05-27 2000-11-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-11-26 2004-05-27 2004-11-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-11-26 2008-05-27 2008-11-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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