Terminal holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016285189-A1
Application number	US-201514666903-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A terminal holder is provided for connecting a cable to a connector or another cable. The terminal holder includes a base plate configured to be held proximate an end of the cable. The base plate includes an edge. Terminal sleeves extend from the edge of the base plate for holding cable terminals of the cable and connector terminals of the connector or of the other cable. The terminal sleeves have internal passages extending from a cable end to a connector end. The internal passage is configured to receive a corresponding cable terminal therein through the cable end. The internal passage is configured to receive a corresponding connector terminal therein through the connector end such that the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal are engaged in electrical contact with each other within the internal passage.

First claim

1 . A terminal holder for connecting a cable to a connector or another cable, the terminal holder comprising:
a base plate configured to be held proximate an end of the cable, the base plate comprising an edge; terminal sleeves extending from the edge of the base plate for holding cable terminals of the cable and connector terminals of the connector or of the other cable, the terminal sleeves having internal passages extending from a cable end to a connector end, the internal passage being configured to receive a corresponding cable terminal therein through the cable end, the internal passage being configured to receive a corresponding connector terminal therein through the connector end such that the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal are engaged in electrical contact with each other within the internal passage; wherein the base plate is configured to be separated from the terminal sleeves once the corresponding cable and connector terminals have been terminated to the terminal sleeves to electrically isolate each terminal sleeve from each other terminal sleeve.

2 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves comprise internal surfaces that at least partially define the internal passages, the internal surfaces being configured to stictionally engage the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal.

3 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the cable terminals and the connector terminals each include four sides, the terminal sleeves comprising bodies that are configured to extend around at least a majority of each of the four sides of the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal.

4 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves are configured to be soldered to the corresponding cable and connector terminals.

5 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the base plate is configured to be separated from the terminal sleeves once the corresponding cable and connector terminals have been at least one of soldered, welded, or bonded together.

6 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves include base walls and side walls, the side walls being folded over the base wall such that free ends of the side walls oppose each other.

7 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the base plate and the terminal sleeves have a cut and formed structure that is cut from a sheet of material.

8 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves are configured to hold approximately flat cable terminals and approximately flat connector terminals.

9 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves are configured to hold at least one approximately cylindrical terminal.

10 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sleeves are configured to hold a cupped connector terminal.

11 . (canceled)

12 . A connector and cable assembly comprising:
a cable having cable terminals; a connector having connector terminals; and terminal sleeves extending from an edge of a base plate for holding the cable terminals and the connector terminals, the terminal sleeves having internal passages extending from a cable end to a connector end, the internal passage being configured to hold a corresponding cable terminal received through the cable end, the internal passage being configured to hold a corresponding connector terminal received through the connector end such that the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal are engaged in electrical contact with each other within the internal passage; wherein the base plate is configured to be separated from the terminal sleeves once the corresponding cable and connector terminals have been terminated to the terminal sleeves to electrically isolate each terminal sleeve from each other terminal sleeve.

13 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the terminal sleeves comprise internal surfaces that at least partially define the internal passages, the internal surfaces being configured to stictionally engage the corresponding cable terminal and the corresponding connector terminal.

14 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein corresponding cable and connector terminals are configured to be soldered to at least one of each other or the corresponding terminal sleeve.

15 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the base plate is configured to be separated from the terminal sleeves thereof once the cable terminals and the connector terminals are held by the terminal sleeves and fully terminated using at least one of solder, a weld, or a bond.

16 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the terminal sleeves include base walls and side walls, the side walls being folded over the base wall such that free ends of the side walls oppose each other.

17 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein the cable is a ribbon cable, the cable terminals are approximately flat, and the connector terminals are approximately flat.

18 . The connector and cable assembly of claim 12 , wherein each terminal sleeve is configured to hold two connector terminals or is configured to hold two cable terminals.

19 . A method for connecting a cable to a connector or another cable, the method comprising:
inserting first terminals of the cable into first ends of terminal sleeves that extend from a base plate; holding the base plate proximate an end of the cable such that the first terminals are retained within the terminal sleeves; and inserting second terminals of the connector or other cable into second ends of the terminal sleeves such that corresponding first and second terminals are engaged in electrical contact with each other within the corresponding terminal sleeve; and separating the base plate from the terminal sleeves such that each terminal sleeve is electrically isolated from each other terminal sleeve.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
soldering corresponding first and second terminals to the corresponding terminal sleeve.

21 . The terminal holder of claim 1 , wherein the base plate and the terminal sleeves are stamped and formed from a common, unitary body with each terminal sleeve discreet from each other terminal sleeve and extending from the base plate at separable interfaces, the base plate being separated from the discrete terminal sleeves at the separable interfaces.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Higgy Mohamed Hussein

Classifications

• H01R43/02

  for soldered or welded connections · CPC title

• H01R13/42 Primary

  Securing in a demountable manner · CPC title

• H01R4/02

  Soldered or welded connections {(H01R4/625, H01R4/723, H01R12/59 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01R43/16 Primary

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title

• H01R12/721

  cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits · CPC title