Electrical cable connector shroud

Abstract

 An electrical connector assembly for multiconductor cable including a connector housing and plural electrical contacts supported therein. A shroud is removably attachable to the connector housing and at least partially surrounds an interconnection surface of the connector. The shroud permits interconnection of another electrical connector therein. The shroud is particularly useful wherein blind connection of one connector to another connector is made.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to an electrical cable assembly including a shroud which surrounds the connection end of the cable connector. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shroud for removable attachment to an electrical connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In interconnecting electrical cable, especially flat multiconductor cable, a pair of mating electrical connectors are formed. One electrical connector typically includes male insertion pins, while the other connector includes mating female sockets. Thus, the pins of one connector may be inserted into the sockets of the mating connector. In multiconductor cable connectors of the type shown herein, connection is typically made by directly inserting the male pins into the female sockets. A certain degree of manual dexterity is needed to assure that each of the pins is aligned with each of the sockets prior to insertion, in order to minimize possible damage to the pins upon insertion. This operation is further made difficult where one or the other of the connectors is not readily accessible or is in such a tight location as to make insertion difficult. This is the case where the connectors are used to connect components on printed circuit boards or similar locations where interconnection space is not typically abundant.

[0003] The art has seen the use of shroud members which surround pins which extend from the printed circuit board. These shrouds serve to protect the pin array from damage and further guide a mating connector into engagement with the pin array. Shrouds of this type are shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,589,718. However, these shrouds are directly supported on the printed circuit board surrounding pins which extend through the board. These shrouds would not permit connection at a location spaced from the board surface. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector shroud which would provide for ease of mating connection between two electrical cable connectors, either directly onto a printed circuit board or spaced therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical cable connector shroud for facilitating intermateability of two electrical connectors.

[0005] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector shroud which will protect the connection end of electrical connector and further provide a guide for interconnection of a pair of electrical connectors.

[0006] In the efficient attainment of these and other objects, the present invention provides a shroud for an electrical connector having an interconnection surface including a housing having an elongate bore therethrough. The housing includes means for engaging the electrical connector and locking the connector in the shroud. The interconnection surface of the electrical connector is disposed interiorly of the bore. The housing further includes an interconnection channel partially coextensive with the central bore of the housing for guiding and removably receiving another electrical connector for mating electrical connection with the first.

[0007] In a more specific embodiment, the invention includes an electrical connection assembly for terminating a multiconductor electrical cable. The assembly includes a housing for accommodating one end of the cable. Plural electrical contacts are supported in the housing for electrical engagement with the conductors of the cable. Portions of the contacts define either a male or female electrical connection surface. A shroud member having a central bore therethrough is removably attachable to the connection housing for surrounding the interconnection surface of the housing. The central bore of the shroud member is adapted for receipt of another connector housing thereby serving as a guide and mating member for the two connector housings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] 

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively, top elevational and front plan views of an electrical cable and male connector assembly.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively, top elevational and front plan views of an electrical cable and female connector assembly.

Figure 5 shows in top elevational view the mating connection of the connector assembly of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the electrical connector shroud of the present invention.

Figure 7 shows a vertical section of the shroud of Figure 6 taken through the line VII-VII.

Figure 8 is a front elevational showing of the shroud of Figure 6 and 7.

Figures 9 and 10 show the shroud of the present invention secured to male and female connectors respectively.

Figure 11 shows an interconnection assembly similar to that shown in Figure 5 employing the shroud of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0009] Referring to Figures 1-4, a flat multiconductor cable 10 is shown. Cable 10 includes a plurality of elongate flat copper conductors 12 sandwiched by upper and lower layers 14 and 16 of insulative plastic. In the present illustrative embodiment insulative layers 14 and 16 may be formed of Mylar or any similar plastic. One end of cable 10 is terminated in an electrical connector 20 shown additionally in Figures 2 and 4. Connector 20 includes an insulative plastic housing 22 which is generally rectangular in shape. Housing 22 supports, transversely thereacross a plurality of electrical contacts 24. Connector 20 is constructed to have a one-to-one correspondence between the number of electrical contacts 24 and the number of conductors 12 in cable 10. Each conductor 12 is electrically connected to one of the electrical contacts 24 of connector 20.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, electrical contacts 24 can be either of the male insertion pin type or the female socket type. The male insertion pin type contact includes an outwardly extending male pin 26 which is designed for insertable interconnection into the female socket (not shown) of the female connector of Figure 3. Connector housing 22 includes a plurality of transversely aligned apertures 28 which serve to captively retain a portion of the electrical contacts to secure the contacts in housing 22.

[0011] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the front edge of connector housing 22 defines an electrical interconnection surface 29 which provides for mating interconnection. As shown in Figure 2, male pins 26 extend outwardly from interconnection surface 29.

[0012] In Figure 4, interconnection surface 29 includes plural apertures 29a which permit interconnection access to the female sockets (not shown).

[0013] Referring to Figure 5, the connection of the male and female connectors of Figures 1 and 3 is shown. Each of the interconnection surfaces 29 are in abutting engagement thereby providing mating connection of the connector housings 22. Connection in this manner provides electrical interconnection between each of the cables 10. It can be seen that in order to facilitate proper connection of the male connector housing to the female connector housing it is necessary that the pins 24 of one connector 20 be inserted into the apertures 29a of the other connector 20. While typically this may be easily achieved by manually aligning the pins 24 with the apertures 29a there may be instances where access to one or other of the connectors 20 is not readily available.

[0014] Therefore, the present invention contemplates the use of a connector shroud 30 shown in Figures 6-8. Shroud 30 is a generally rectangular plastic member having a central bore 32 extending therethrough. Shroud 30 has a transverse dimension which is approximately equivalent to the transverse dimension of connector housing 22 to receive the connector housing therein as will be described in further detail hereinbelow. Shroud 30 includes a plurality of facing inwardly directed projections 34 extending transversely along the lower portion thereof. Projections 34 serve to lock connector 20 in shroud 30 by snapping into openings 28 of connector 20. As the shroud 30 is formed of a somewhat resilient plastic these projections 34 will deform to snap into openings 28 upon insertion of connector 20 through the bottom of shroud 30. In Figures 9 and 10, a male and female connector are shown respectively positioned in shroud 30.

[0015] Referring again to Figures 6-8, the upper portion of shroud 30 includes on one side thereof a centrally located channel 40 which opens toward the upper end of shroud 30. This channel is dimensioned to accommodate a protruding key 42 shown in Figures 3 and 4 which extends from connector housing 2 . This protruding key 42 provides for polarized receipt of connector 20 in shroud 30. Shroud 30 also includes a pair of mounting ears 44 which oppositely extend from the lower end of shroud 30. Mounting ears 44 include a central aperture 45 therethrough which permit the shroud 30 to be secured to a printed circuit board (not shown) or similar surface.

[0016] Referring now to Figure 11, the mating interconnection of two connectors 20 using shroud 30 may be described. As shown in Figure 11, the connector which is to be secured to the shroud 30 is male connector such as that shown in Figure 1. A female connector such as that shown in Figure 3 will be matingly connected thereto. However, it can be appreciated that female connector 20 could also be the shrouded connector for connection with male connector. Male connector 20 is inserted into shroud 30 from the lower end thereof. As described above, projections 34 of shroud 30 engage openings 28 of connector 20 to lock connector 20 into shroud 30. Bore 32 thereby forms a protective passageway for the insertion of female connector 20 shown in Figure 2 therein. In order to provide for polarized receipt of female connector 20 in shroud 30 it is necessary to mate the protruding key 42 with channel slot 40 of shroud 30. This assures that the connection will be properly polarized.

[0017] It can be seen that the shroud of the present invention serves to facilitate the interconnection of one connector to the other mating connector. Further, where access to the connectors may be hindered, blind insertion of one connector with the other connector is facilitated by the use of shroud 30.

[0018] Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A shrouded connector assembly for connecting a pair of electrical cables having pural conductors therein, comprising:
      a first electrical connector for terminating one cable of said pair;
      a second electrical connector for terminating the other cable of said pair;
      plural electrical contacts disposed in said first and second connectors for electrical engagement with said conductors of said pair of cables, said contacts of said first and second connectors being of complementary type for mating electrical connection; and
      a shroud member having a first end, a second end and a central bore therebetween, said shroud member interlockingly engaging said first connector at said first end for non-movable disposition in said bore, and slidably accommodating said second connector at said second end thereby disposing said contacts of said first and second connector in position for mating electrical connection.

2. A shrouded connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said contacts disposed in said first connector are of the male or female type and said contacts disposed in said second connector are of the opposite type.

3. A shrouded connector assembly of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said shroud member includes a plurality of projections adjacent said first end, inwardly directed into said central bore and wherein said first connector includes a like plurality of recesses therein for accommodating said projections in interlocking engagement upon disposition of said first connector in said bore of said shroud member.

4. A shrouded connector assembly of any one of Claims 1 to 3 further including polarization means for polarized receipt of said second connector in said shroud member.

5. A shrouded connector assembly of claim 4 wherein said polarization means includes a key extending from said second connector in a key-way on said shroud, said key positionable for receipt in said key-way.

6. A shroud for providing a connection guide for a pair of mating electrical connectors comprising:
      a housing having a first end for accommodating one connector of said pair, a second end opposed to said first end for accommodating the other connector of said pair and a central bore between said first end and said second end, said housing including means for interlockingly engaging said one connector of said pair to dispose an interconnection surface of said one connector interiorly of said bore, said housing thereby defining a passageway, extending beyond said interconnection surface of said one connector, partially co-extensive with said bore, said passageway slidably receiving said other connector of said pair to dispose an interconnection surface of said other connector in abutting engagement with said interconnection surface of said one connector.

7. A shroud in accordance with Claim 6 wherein said one connector is a connector for electrical cable.

8. A shroud in accordance Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein said pair of connectors are rectangular members having plural electrical contacts extending therealong adjacent respective ones of said interconnection surfaces, said contacts of said one connector being mateable with said contacts of said other connector.

9. A shroud in accordance with any one of Claims 6 to 8 wherein said housing includes an elongate channel opening toward said second end, and wherein said other connector includes a protrusion extending therefrom, configured for sliding disposition in said channel for polarized receipt of said other connector in said housing.

10. A shroud in accordance with Claim 7 wherein said other connector is a connector for electrical cable.

Drawing