Side Contact Cable Terminator with Piercing Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable termination assemblies require skill and time to assemble, are inefficient, and have limited mechanical strength, making them prone to disassembly due to the need to thread conductors through small openings and use of insulation displacement connectors.
Innovation Solution
A cable terminator assembly with a wire guide, securing cap, and piercing contacts that simplifies the installation process by allowing conductors to be secured without threading through small openings, enhancing mechanical strength through secure retention of conductors in slots and using piercing contacts for contact with terminal contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductors are threaded through small openings to be pierced by insulation displacement connectors, then electrical contact is established, but assembly requires skill and time, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: a body with conductor receiving slots, a cap that secures conductors, and piercing contacts that establish electrical connection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
Conductors are pre-positioned in receiving slots within the body before final assembly. The cap is pre-formed with integrated securing features. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for threading conductors through small openings during assembly, significantly improving productivity.
2Reliability
If conductors are secured using insulation displacement connectors, then electrical contact is made, but mechanical strength is limited allowing inadvertent disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The securing function and electrical contact function are merged into a single integrated assembly. The cap simultaneously secures conductors mechanically and positions piercing contacts for electrical connection, creating a unified structure that resists disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector combines different materials with complementary properties: the body and cap provide mechanical strength and structural integrity, while the piercing contacts provide reliable electrical conduction. This composite approach optimizes both mechanical strength and electrical performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If conductors are threaded through small openings, then assembly is possible, but the process is cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor insertion path is changed from a constrained linear path through small openings to a more open three-dimensional space within the body's receiving slots. This dimensional change allows easier conductor manipulation and significantly improves assembly efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The body acts as an intermediary structure with receiving slots that guide and hold conductors in the correct position. This intermediary component simplifies the assembly process by providing a prepared receptacle for conductors, eliminating the need for complex threading operations.
4Reliability
If piercing contacts are used to establish contact with conductors, then electrical connection is made, but the contacts must be precisely positioned opposite conductors
Solution Approach 1:
Conductors are pre-positioned in receiving slots within the body, and piercing contacts are pre-positioned in the cap. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for precise alignment during final assembly, as components are designed to mate in a predetermined configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap and body are designed with complementary geometries that automatically align piercing contacts with conductors during assembly. The structure itself provides the alignment function, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or procedures and reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly comprising a cable terminator comprising a wire guide, a cube shaped securing cap comprising an open end for installation over the wire guide, and pairs of piercing contacts for piercing respective conductors of the cable. When assembled, an outer end of each of the piercing contacts is exposed on an outer surface of a respective securing cap sidewall. The assembly also comprises a coupler connector comprising one of a modular (for example RJ-45 compatible) socket or a modular (for example RJ-45 compatible) plug, a rearward surface comprising a cable terminator receiving socket, wherein pairs of contacts are exposed along at least one side wall of the socket, and further wherein each of a plurality of the tines in the modular socket or the terminal contacts of the plug is interconnected with a respective one of the contacts.