US6017245A — Stamped backshell assembly with integral front sh…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 97 words

A stamped and formed metal shielding arrangement for an electrical connector, comprising: a backshell made up of a base and a cover which form a chamber in which wires of a cable are terminated and a passage at a rear of the chamber through which the cable enters the chamber; and a front shield which surrounds mating ends of a set of electrical contacts, wherein said front shield is stamped and formed together with said base from a single blank to form a single seamless member that provides continuous shielding between a cable shield and said contacts.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 97 words

A stamped and formed metal shielding arrangement for an electrical connector, comprising: a backshell made up of a base and a cover which form a chamber in which wires of a cable are terminated and a passage at a rear of the chamber through which the cable enters the chamber; and a front shield which surrounds mating ends of a set of electrical contacts, wherein said front shield is stamped and formed together with said base from a single blank to form a single seamless member that provides continuous shielding between a cable shield and said contacts.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 62 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising interengaging means at a front of said base and at a front of said cover, said interengaging means engaging each other during assembly of the backshell to partially secure the cover to the base, the cover further being secured to the base by fastening means at the rear of the cover and base.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 68 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interengaging means includes interengaging tabs on said cover and base, and wherein said fastening means comprises two screws arranged to pass through holes in a cable gripping portion of the cover, fastening of the cover to the base simultaneously causing compression of the cable shield in order to ensure a continuous electrical connection between the cable shield and backshell.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two screws are the only screws required to assemble the cover to the base and to grip the cable shield.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said backshell further includes tabs for permitting an insert sub-assembly insert to be snapped into the base.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover includes tabs for securing a plastic insulator to the cover.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front shield extends forwardly from a front wall of said backshell and surrounds a contact grid to which said wires of said cable are terminated, and wherein said front shield has a trapezoidal shape.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 115 words

An electrical connector, comprising; electrical contacts arranged to be terminated to wires of a cable; a shielding arrangement; and a plastic insulator surrounding said shielding arrangement, wherein the shielding arrangement comprises: a backshell made up of a base and a cover which form a chamber in which said wires of the cable are terminated and a passage at a rear of the chamber through which the cable enters the chamber; and a front shield which surrounds mating ends of said electrical contacts, wherein said front shield is stamped and formed together with said base from a single blank to form a single seamless member that provides continuous shielding between a cable shield and said contacts.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 115 words

An electrical connector, comprising; electrical contacts arranged to be terminated to wires of a cable; a shielding arrangement; and a plastic insulator surrounding said shielding arrangement, wherein the shielding arrangement comprises: a backshell made up of a base and a cover which form a chamber in which said wires of the cable are terminated and a passage at a rear of the chamber through which the cable enters the chamber; and a front shield which surrounds mating ends of said electrical contacts, wherein said front shield is stamped and formed together with said base from a single blank to form a single seamless member that provides continuous shielding between a cable shield and said contacts.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 62 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, further comprising interengaging means at a front of said base and at a front of said cover, said interengaging means engaging each other during assembly of the backshell to partially secure the cover to the base, the cover further being secured to the base by fastening means at the rear of the cover and base.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said backshell further includes tabs for permitting an insert sub-assembly insert to be snapped into the base.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cover includes tabs and said plastic insulator includes openings for securing the plastic insulator to the cover.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cover is arranged to fit tightly over said backshell and thereby help secure the cover to the base.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a cable strain relief arranged to snap into a rear of the plastic insulator.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 51 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said plastic insulator includes grooves, and wherein when the plastic insulator is fitted over the backshell, said grooves cooperate with sides of the base to form interference fit passages through which pass jackscrews for securing the connector to a mating connector or component.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

an arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said front shield extends forwardly from a front wall of said backshell and surrounds a contact grid to which said wires of said cable are terminated, and wherein said front shield has a trapezoidal shape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 68 words

A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said interengaging means includes interengaging tabs on said cover and base, and wherein said fastening means comprises two screws arranged to pass through holes in a cable gripping portion of the cover, fastening of the cover to the base simultaneously causing compression of the cable shield in order to ensure a continuous electrical connection between the cable shield and backshell.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 29 words

A connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein said two screws are the only screws required to assembled the cover to the base and to grip the cable shield.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of assembling a connector, comprising: stamping and forming a base and front shield from a single blank; mounting an insert in the base, the insert including electrical contacts; terminating wires of a cable to the electrical contacts; attaching a cover to the base by causing interengaging features at the front of the cover and base to engage and securing to screws to the rear of the cover and base, the screws passing through openings adjacent a cable gripping section of the base and cover to not only secure the cover to the base, but also to compress a shield of the cable and thereby electrically connect the shield to the base and cover.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of assembling a connector, comprising: stamping and forming a base and front shield from a single blank; mounting an insert in the base, the insert including electrical contacts; terminating wires of a cable to the electrical contacts; attaching a cover to the base by causing interengaging features at the front of the cover and base to engage and securing to screws to the rear of the cover and base, the screws passing through openings adjacent a cable gripping section of the base and cover to not only secure the cover to the base, but also to compress a shield of the cable and thereby electrically connect the shield to the base and cover.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of mounting the insert in the base comprising the step of snapping the insert into the base.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 52 words

A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of sliding a plastic insulator over the base and cover from the rear until interengaging latching features on the cover and insulator engage each other to secure the insulator to the cover, the insulator further securing the cover to the base.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of inserting jackscrews through a passage formed between the insulator and side walls of the base.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-01-24	2003-07-26	2004-01-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-01-24	2007-07-26	2008-01-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-01-24	2011-07-26	2012-01-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stamped backshell assembly with integral front shield and rear cable clamp

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