Electrical connector

Abstract

 A connecting device has at least two multi-terminal connectors, each of which has a housing and a plurality of terminals which fit into bores in the housing. The terminals are formed by conductive links 2 each having a first end being a terminal 21 of a first multi-terminal connector and a second end being a terminal 22 of the second multi-terminal connector, each link 2 also having a centre portion 23 joining the first and second terminals 21, 22, said centre portion 23 of at least one link 2 also effecting a lateral displacement of the axis of the link 2 between the terminal 21 at its first end and the terminal 22 at its second end with respect to the other links 2. The housings 1, 1′ are arranged to abut and there is provided at least one channel 13 in at least one of the abutting surfaces 11, 11′ of the housings 1, 1′ to form a cavity 13 between the housings to accommodate the centre portion 23 of the or each link that has the said lateral displacement. The connecting device has particular application to convert a cable termination or connector on electrical equipment from a "male" type connector to a "female" type connector or vice versa.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to electrical connectors.

[0002] Electrical connectors are used very extensively for connecting multi-way cables to electrical equipment and joining cables. There are many different conventions as to which type of connector be used and even in the case of standard connectors, there are many different ways in which the pins are connected. Even where the pin configuration is standardized, a cable end or a piece of equipment may present either a "male" connector or a "female" connector. Because of this lack of standardization, there is a need for an adaptor which can be plugged into electical equipment or into a cable termination and which presents a connector of a different type or of a different pin configuration for connection to the cable. For example, in the case of electrical equipment which has a male connector, and it is desired to connect this to a cable also bearing a "male" connector, the adaptor would have two "female" connectors, one for connection to the equipment and one for connection to the cable.

[0003] Connectors that convert from a "male" type connector to a "female" type connector are referred to below as "switching devices". It is known to produce a switching device by connecting the individual terminal posts of one connector with the corresponding terminal posts of a like connector with small pieces of wire which are soldered on the terminals. The whole assembly is then encapsulated to protect the connections, usually by a hard setting resin or other insulating plastics material. The process of manufacturing the switching device is therefore complicated. It needs to be done by a relatively skilled worker so the cost is higher and production capacity is correspondingly low. It is also easy for errors to occur in the connection of the terminals and therefore the reject rate is high. All these factors lead to difficulty in the mass production of such devices.

[0004] More recently, a switching device has been developed employing a printed circuit board. Although the process of manufacturing is simpler, the costs are still comparatively high.

[0005] Another known arrangement is that shown below in Figure 1. In this arrangement, two insulating plastic blocks C and D are inserted between insulated housings which accommodate the respective sets of terminals of the two connectors of the switching device. These insulating blocks contain grooves which house and support a plurality of connecting links. Each of these connecting links has one end that forms a terminal of one connector of the switching device while the opposite end forms a terminal in the other connecting block. Between these two ends is a centre portion having a kink which effects the necessary lateral displacement to enable the connecting link to appear in the correct place in both of the electrical connectors. It would not be possible for the conductive links to pass straight through the switching device without a lateral displacement because this would then result in one of the connectors being a mirror image of the other. This switching device has received considerable acceptance in industry and has a lower cost of assembly than the earlier arrangements. It is also more compact. Even this arrangement, however, is not compact enough for some applications and the object of the present invention is to provide a switching device which is even more compact and has a simpler construction than the device of Figure 1. The invention also has a wider application than that of switching devices. For example, essentially the same construction can be used to produce a connector which converts from one pin configuration to another pin configuration. It could convert from a "male" connector to a "female" connector as with the switching device or it could preserve the same type of connector but provide only a crossover of certain terminals. Such an application may be necessary for example in the case of two-way data communication where it is necessary to connect a "receive" line to a "transmit" line.

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting device having formed on respective surface areas thereof at least a first and a second multi-terminal connector, and having
a plurality of conductive links each forming at a first end a terminal of the first multi-terminal connector and at a second end a terminal of the second multi-terminal connector, each link also having a centre portion joining the first and second terminals said centre portion of at least one link also effecting a lateral displacement of the axis of the link between the terminal at its first end and the terminal at its second end with respect to the other links,
the first and the second connector each having a housing of an insulating material with a plurality of bores to accept the terminals,
means for fastening the first and second housings together thereby trapping the links in position,
characterized in that the first and second housings are arranged to abut and there is provided at least one channel in at least one of the abutting surfaces of the housings to form a cavity between the housings to accommodate the centre portion of the or each link that has the said lateral displacement.

[0007] In the preferred embodiment, the connecting device is a switching device. Advantages accruing include a reduction in the total volume of the connector, reduction in manufacturing complexity, decrease in costs, all leading to greater convenience and acceptance by the user. The convenience in manufacturing and reduced cost generally arises from the elimination of the two switching blocks C and D in the prior art arrangement shown in Figure 1. Optional features of the invention are set out in the claims below that follow claim 1.

[0008] There will now be described by way of example only a number of connecting devices embodying the present invention. Reference will made to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an expanded perspective view of a prior art switching device;

Figure 2 is an expanded perspective view of a "male" connector constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the arrangement shown in Figure 2 when assembled;

Figure 4 is an expanded perspective view of another switching device embodying the present invention, which has "female" connectors;

Figure 5 is a section of the connector of Fig 4 when assembled;

Figure 6 is an expanded perspective view of another switching device having "female" terminals; and

Figure 7 is a section through the device shown in Fig 6.

[0009] In the description that follows, attention is generally confined to the components which differ from those in conventional terminals. It would be understood that each terminal will require means for fastening the various components together. Most suitably, this would consist of a metal cover or a metal frame which traps the various components of the connector assembly together. Alternatively, screw or wire clip fastenings may be provided. Connectors also often have locating arrangements. Such arrangements are well-known to the man skilled in the art and will not be described in detail below.

[0010] Figures 2 and 3 show a "switching device" for switching from a "female" connector to a "male" connector. Two housings 1, 1′ each of an insulating plastics material have a number of circular cross section bores 12. The bores 12 are arranged in two staggered rows. In the assembled switching device the housings fit back-to-back and the bores form holes out of which protrude respective sets of male terminals 21, 22 as can be seen more clearly in Figure 3. Preferably one housing 1 is identical to the other housing 1′. As can be seen in Figure 2, one of the housings 1,1′ is upside down with respect to the other. The assembled switching device therefore consists of two back-to-back connectors each with identical pin layouts but upside down with respect to each other. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, each terminal of one connector of the switching device is unitary with the corresponding terminal 22 of the other connector, together forming a conductive link 2. Between the two terminals 21,22 is a central portion 23 at right angles to the terminals 21, 22. This central portion 23 provides the necessary lateral displacement of the pin so that the terminals in the two connectors of the switching device are in the correct positions. Thus the left hand terminal on the row of four terminals on the connector facing to the right in Figure 2 connects via the link 2 to the left hand terminal of the row of four terminals of the left facing connector, (when viewed upside down so that the row of four is uppermost). In the device of Figures 2 and 3 all of the conductive links 2 are identical and can therefore be mass produced prior to assembly of the device. They may suitably be stamped from a single piece of metal or formed from cylindrical bars for the terminals 21, 22 and sheet metal from the central section 23, and rivetted together.

[0011] The housings 1,1′ also have a number of grooves 13 in the inwardly facing surfaces. When the housings 1, 1′ are assembled these grooves form a concave space between the housings. The grooves are sufficiently wide and deep to accommodate the central portion of the link 2, and each one runs from a respective bore 12 in one housing to a position opposite the corresponding bore in the other housing. The walls between the concave spaces 13 serve to hold the connective links in place and provide insulation between them. This can be seen clearly from Figure 3.

[0012] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a switching device with "female" connectors. Such a device would connect a "male" terminal on electrical equipment to a "male" terminal on a cable. The spaces 13′ which accommodate the central portion of the conductive links in this embodiment are in the form of a narrower channel formed in the bottom of a larger recess in the surface of the plastic housing 1, 1′. In this case, a separating flange 14 is provided to isolate the compartment containing one conductive link from that containing an adjacent conductive link. This separating flange can best be seen from Figure 5. In this embodiment, the conductive links 2 may suitably be formed of sheet metal stamped and crimped as appropriate. As can be seem from Figure 5 the bores in this arrangement have inwardly facing counterbores which accommodates the "female" type terminals, and presents circular cross section holes 12′ on the outer surfaces to allow admission of the "male" terminals of a mating connector.

[0013] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a type of switching device using "female" connectors of the double prong type. Each connector has two free ends 211, 212. This type of terminal can very conveniently be stamped from sheet metal. In this embodiment, the bores in the plastic housings 1, 1a are slot shaped on the side that abuts the other respective housing so as to accommodate the lamina terminal pins 21, 211, 212 and circular on the outer ends 121 to accept the pins of the electrical equipment or cable as appropriate. The use of flat conductive links 2 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 has the additional advantage that the channels 13 can be made as thin slots. The thinness of the material is not limited by the diameter of the connecting pins in this case. This has the additional advantage of ease of manufacture while at the same time providing a better insulating between adjacent pins.

[0014] It is also envisaged that a connecting device may be constructed in which the channels for the central portions of the conductive links are provided in only one of the insulating housings. It is also envisaged that the abutting surfaces of the housings be profiled with a series of ridges and grooves to help location of the two housings during assembly. The surfaces of the housings may also be profiled axially to stagger the abutting surfaces at adjacent pins so as to increase the insulation distance between adjacent conductive links.

[0015] It is also envisaged that the construction described above in respect of switching devices also be used in devices where a change in pin configuration is desired. In this case, the arrangment of the channels would be adapted to suit the changed configuration desired. In such a case the links may not all be identical. Also in such a case the links may not all be identical. It is also envisaged that the two connectors of the connecting device be side by side or one above the other with the connecting links running in channels from one to the other. In this case, one of the housings would also include a rear wall member disposed to abut the rear of the other housing, then to confine the conductive links. This rear wall member may be a separate component abutting the rear of both housings. It is also envisaged that the two housings be of different configurations and/or one be of "male" type and the other of "female" type.

Claims

1. A connecting device having formed on respective surface areas thereof at least a first and a second multi-terminal connector, and having
a plurality of conductive links (2) each forming at a first end a terminal (21) of the first multi-terminal connector and at a second end a terminal (22) of the second multi-terminal connector, each link (2) also having a centre portion (23) joining the first and second terminals (21, 22), said centre portion (23) of at least one link (2) also effecting a lateral displacement of the axis of the link (2) between the terminal (21) at its first end and the terminal (22) at its second end with respect to the other links (2),
the first and the second connector each having a housing (1, 1′) of an insulating material with a plurality of bores (12, 12′, 121) to accept the terminals (21, 22),
means for fastening the first and second housings together thereby trapping the links (2) in position,
characterized in that the first and second housings (1, 1′) are arranged to abut and there is provided at least one channel (13) in at least one of the abutting surfaces (11, 11′) of the housings (1, 1′) to form a cavity (13) between the housings to accommodate the centre portion (23) of the or each link that has the said lateral displacement.

2. A connecting device according to claim 1 wherein the terminals (21) of the first multi-terminal connector are of the same type as those (22) of the second multi-terminal device, thereby forming a switching device, from a connector of the "male" type to a connector of the "female" type.

3. A connecting device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the pin configuration of the two multi-terminal connectors is the same.

4. A connecting device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the channel(s) is (are) provided in both first and second housings (1, 1′).

5. A connecting device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the housings (1, 1′) are the same size and shape as each other.

6. A connecting device according to any of claims 1-5 wherein upstanding insulating separating flanges (14) are provided between adjacent centre portions (23) of the links (2).

7. A connecting device according to any preceding claim wherein the links (2) are formed by punching from sheet metal.

8. A connecting device according to claim 7 wherein the links (2) are flat and have "female" terminal ends consisting of a pair of spaced apart prongs (211, 212) for accommodating therebetween a terminal of a "male" connector.

9. A connecting device according to claim 8 wherein the width of the channel (13) in the housings and the bores (12) for the terminals correspond and are just sufficient width to accept the sheet metal links, except that a circular hole (12) is provided to be adjacent to the area between the prongs (211, 212) of sufficient diameter for the insertion of the terminal of the male connector.

10. A connecting device according to any preceding claim wherein all the conductive links (2) are identical.

Drawing