Three-row connector for mass terminating flat cable

Abstract

A three-row, fifty-position D-connector for mass termination of flat multiconductor cable includes contact elements having insulation-piercing end portions in longitudinally singular locations and terminal end portions conforming in position to the industry-dedicated D-pattern. A method for making the connector provides for deriving diverse contact element sets from a common contact element strip configuration.

I claim: 
     
       1. An electrical connector for insulation-piercing termination of flat multiconductor cable, said connector comprising an elongate housing supporting electrical contact elements in at least first, second and third laterally spaced parallel rows, each said contact element including a first end portion of insulation-piercing type and a second end portion, laterally opposite ones of said second end portions in said first and third rows being in corresponding first longitudinal positions, said second end portions in said second row being in second longitudinal positions different from said first positions, all of said first end portions being in non-corresponding longitudinal positions. 
     
     
       2. The connector claimed in claim 1 including a unitary cover supported by said housing in facing relation to said contact first end portions. 
     
     
       3. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein said second end portions of said contact elements in said second row are staggered longitudinally with respect to said second end portions of said contact elements in said first and third rows. 
     
     
       4. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein the spacing between longitudinally successive of such second end portions differs from the spacing between longitudinally successive of such first end portions. 
     
     
       5. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein each said contact element second end portion constitutes a connection terminal. 
     
     
       6. The connector claimed in claim 5 wherein each said contact element second end portion comprises a blade member, said housing defining a pin-receiving channel communicating with each such blade member. 
     
     
       7. The connector claimed in claim 1 further comprising first, second and third insert members respectively for supporting said first, second and third rows of contact elements. 
     
     
       8. The invention claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing and said insert members have cooperative latch means for retaining said insert members in said housing. 
     
     
       9. The invention claimed in claim 1 further comprising securement means supported fully interiorly of said housing and accessible exteriorly of said housing for securing said connector to accessory apparatus. 
     
     
       10. The connector claimed in claim 9 wherein said securement means comprises threaded means disposed longitudinally outwardly of said contact element second portions. 
     
     
       11. An electrical connector for insulation-piercing termination of flat multiconductor cable, said connector comprising an elongate housing and electrical contact elements supported in said housing in first and second laterally spaced parallel rows, each said contact element comprising a member integrally defining opposed first and second end portions, said first end portions being of insulation-piercing type, there being different spacings in said first row between the first and second end portions of contact elements at opposite ends of said first row defining thereby a configuration of said first row asymmetrical at said opposed ends thereof, the configuration of said first row being the mirror-image of the configuration of said second row.Iadd., said first and second contact element rows having respective corresponding contact elements, corresponding laterally opposed second end portions thereof being in corresponding row positions, said connector including further such contact elements supported in said housing in a third longitudinally extending row, laterally between said first and second rows and parallel therewith, said first end portions of contact elements of said first, second and third rows being in different longitudinal positions.Iaddend.. .[. 
     
     
       12.  The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein said first and second contact element rows have respective corresponding contact elements and wherein corresponding laterally opposed second end portions thereof are in corresponding row positions..]. .[.13. The connector claimed in claim 12 wherein all first end portions of contact elements of both said first and second rows are in different longitudinal positions..]. .[.14. The connector claimed in claim 13 comprising further such contact elements supported in said housing in a third longitudinally extending row, 
     
     
        laterally between said first and second rows..]. 15. The connector claimed in claim .[.14.]. .Iadd.11 .Iaddend.wherein second end portions of contact elements in said third row are staggered longitudinally with respect to second end portions of contact elements in said first and second rows. 
     
     
            The connector claimed in claim 15 wherein the spacing between longitudinally successive of such second end portions differs from the 
     
     
        spacing between longitudinally successive of such first end portions. 17. The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein each said contact element 
     
     
        second end portion constitutes a connection terminal. 18. The connector claimed in claim 17 wherein each said contact element second end portion comprises a blade member, said housing defining a pin-receiving channel 
     
     
        communicating with each such blade member. 19. The connector claimed in claim .[.14.]. .Iadd.11 .Iaddend.further comprising first, second and third insert members respectively for supporting said first, second and 
     
     
        third rows of contact elements. 20. The invention claimed in claim 19 wherein said housing and said insert members have cooperative latch means 
     
     
        for retaining said insert members in said housing. 21. The invention claimed in claim 11 further comprising securement means supported fully interiorly of said housing and accessible exteriorly of said housing for 
     
     
        securing said connector to accessory apparatus. 22. The connector claimed in claim 21 wherein said securement means comprises threaded means disposed longitudinally outwardly of said contact element second portions. .[.23. An electrical connector for insulation-piercing termination of flat multiconductor cable, said connector comprising an elongate housing and electrical contact elements supported in said housing in first and second laterally spaced parallel rows, each said contact element comprising a member integrally defining opposed first and second end portions, said first end portions being of insulation-piercing type, a central section of predetermined inclination extending between said first and second end portions of each contact element of said first and second rows, at least one pair of contact elements of said first and second rows having corresponding laterally opposed second end portions in corresponding row positions and having respective first end portions in different longitudinal positions, the central portions of each of said contact elements of such pair having respectively opposite sense inclinations..]. .[.24. An electrical connector for insulation-piercing termination of flat multiconductor cable, said connector comprising an elongate housing and electrical contact elements supported in said housing in first and second laterally spaced parallel rows of equal numbers of contact elements, each said contact element comprising a member integrally defining opposed first and second end portions, said first end portions being of insulation-piercing type, at least one contact element in each of said rows being different in configuration from another contact element within the respective same row of contact elements, the second end portions of the contact elements of said first row being in corresponding row positions with second end portions of the second row, the configuration of said first row being the reverse of the configuration of said second 
     
     
        row..]. .Iadd.25.  The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal configuration of said third row contact elements is identical to the longitudinal configuration of said first row contact elements, except for the absence from said third row contact elements of one of said contact elements at one of said opposite ends of said first row. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal succession of first end portions of said contact elements is in an order repetitively defined by a first row contact element, then a second row contact element and then a third row contact element..Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal spacing between each first row contact element first end portion and the longitudinally successive second row contact element first end portion is substantially equal to the pitch of said cable. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal spacing between each second row contact element first end portion and the longitudinally successive third row contact element first end portion is substantially equal to the pitch of said cable. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The connector claimed in claim 11 wherein the longitudinal spacing between each first row contact element first end portion and the longitudinally successive third row contact element first end portion is substantially equal to twice the pitch of said cable. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The connector claimed in claim 19 wherein a longitudinal succession of three such contact element first end portions is provided by contact elements supported respectively in order by said first, second and third insert members. .Iaddend.