Hood for Electronic Cable Connector

This invention relates generally to the field of connectors for use with electronic cables, and more specifically to hoods for partially enclosing such connectors. More particularly it relates to such a hood which receives and partially encloses such a connector and grippingly engages a portion of an electronic cable connected to such connector.

In various electronics applications multiple pin or contact connectors are widely used to join multiple wire cables to other cables and to electronic devices. Frequently the cables to be connected comprise a large number (frequently several dozen) small diameter wires each of which is relatively delicate in its connection to the appropriate multiple pin connector. Accordingly, it is desirable to enclose the back side of the such a connector, where such delicate cable wires are connected thereto, within a hood that supports both the connector and a portion of the cable. It is particularly desirable to provide in such a hood some means for engaging the overall cable and thus relieving any strain that otherwise might be transmitted to the joint between the cable wires and the multiple wire connector.

In the past various types of such hoods have been provided. These have customarily been fabricated from metal or from synthetic resins. These hoods have provided various arrangements for receiving and holding a multiple wire connector and have included cable strain relief provisions that have clamped the cable to or within the hood in various manners. Such cable strain reliefs have taken various forms, including collars to be tightened about the cable by threaded fasteners, wedges that are forced into gripping engagement with the cable adjacent the entrance of the cable into the hood, and gripping blocks that slide along linear passages within the hood that extend generally transverse to the direction of the cable, with those blocks being slid into gripping engagement with the cable and held there by various forms of detents.

While various of these clamping arrangements have provided for satisfactory strain relief, most have required the use of various tools to effect their engagement in a manner strong enough to retain the cables. While the tools required have been as simple as screwdrivers or as complex as specially configured pliers, the requirement for such tool creates an inconvenience and extra burden upon those fabricating cable assemblies. When the hoods have been assembled without such necessary tools, the gripping force exerted upon the cable has frequently been insufficient to hold the cable firmly.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome certain of the difficulties suffered by prior art cable connector hoods and to provide such a hood that permits rapid assembly with a minimum requirement for tools. To achieve this object and others that will become apparent from the following description, this invention provides a hood for receiving and partially enclosing an electronic cable connector and for grippingly engaging a portion of an electronic cable connected to such connector. This hood includes a housing for receiving and partially enclosing the cable connector, with such housing having two spaced apart and generally opposed side portions with lateral edge portions extending therebetween, and including a first aperture through a first such lateral edge portion for receiving the cable connector and a second aperture through a second lateral edge portion for defining a cable channel and receiving the cable portion therethrough while restraining within the housing the movement of the cable transverse to the length of the cable. This housing comprises two mating housing portions, each including one of the first side portions and part of the lateral edge portions, a housing portion joining arrangement engagable with the housing portions for maintaining the housing portions in mating engagements with one another, at least one pivot support carried by at least one such housing portion and spaced from the cable channel, such pivot support having a pivot axis extending generally normal to that one housing portion first side portion, and detent structure carried by at least one of such housing portions and spaced from the pivot support. The hood further comprises at least one gripper element pivotably receivable onto the housing portion pivot support. This gripper element comprises a member having a first portion carrying a pivot structure including a predetermined pivot axis for pivotally engaging the housing portion pivot support and having a second, generally opposing, portion carrying detent engaging structure for resiliently engaging the housing portion detent structure when the gripper element is pivotally supported upon the housing portion pivot support. This gripper element is pivotable about that pivot support inwardly of the housing portions into gripping engagement with the cable portion.

In a preferred embodiment of this hood, described in detail below, the entire hood may be assembled by hand and without the use of any tools, the parts simply snapping together. In the preferred embodiment the pivotally mounted gripper element may be brought into gripping engagement with the cable portion by the person assembling the hoods simply applying hand pressure to those gripper elements.

Particularly preferred embodiments of the apparatus of this invention will be described in detail in connection with the illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the cable connector hood of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front perspective view of the cable connector hood of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one of the two housing portions and including two gripper elements of the hood of FIG. 1, with those gripper elements pivoted away from gripping engagement with a cable, shown in phantom used in connection with that housing;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3 but with the gripper elements pivoted inwardly into a cable gripping position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one of the housing portion of the connector of FIG. 1, illustrating the internal configuration thereof;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the housing portion of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of one of the gripper elements of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a end elevational view of the gripper element of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of an alternative configuration of gripper element.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the connector hood of this invention is best illustrated in the perspective views of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the partially assembled plan views of FIGS. 3 and 4. In general, this hood comprises a housing, generally indicated by reference numeral 2 and at least one gripper element 4. Preferably, and illustrated in this preferred embodiment, the hood assembly includes two such gripper elements 4a and 4b, although it should be obvious that the illustrated apparatus might function, albeit less efficiently, with a single such gripper element 4a. Preferably the housing and the gripper elements are all formed of a suitable synthetic resin, which may desirably be a material such as that known by the trademark "Nylon 66."

While it is not required in order to practice this invention, the housing 2 comprising this hood may most advantageously be formed of two identical, mirror-image housing portions 6 and 6' that mate together. Similarly, it is desirable, although not required, that the two gripper elements 4a and 4b likewise be identical. In this matter it may be necessary to utilize only two molds for fabricating all four parts of the hood assembly, one mold for the two gripper elements 4a and 4b and one mold for the two housing portions 6 and 6'. Because in this preferred embodiment the two housing portions 6 and 6' are substantially identical, only a single such housing portion 6 is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 5 through 8, housing portion 6 (and mating portion 6' not shown) suitably may be formed with a broad first side portion 8 having lateral edge portions 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d extending outwardly therefrom and preferably being molded as a single unit therewith. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the lateral edge portions of each housing portion matingly engage to define the lateral edge portions of the housing extending between the side portions 8 and 8'.

The combined lateral edge portions 10a and 10d may be considered as jointly comprising a first set of lateral edge portions, or a first such lateral edge portion. Similarly, the combination of lateral edge portions 10b and 10c may be considered as defining a second such lateral edge portion. Preferably by molding in an appropriate configuration, the housing provides, suitably but not necessarily at opposite ends thereof, a first aperture provided between, or through, lateral edge portions 10a and 10d and a second aperture, suitably provided through or between lateral edge portions 10b and 10c. This first aperture provides, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for reception within the hood of an appropriate cable connector 12, shown in phantom. The housing portion 6 may include as integrally molded therwith tabs or bosses 11 and 13 for engaging the connector 12 and holding it secure when the housing portions 6 and 6' are assembled. This cable connector 12 may, for example, be of the type known as an AMPLIMITE 25 Position Connector such as sold by AMP Special Industries. The second aperture may then define a cable channel for receiving a cable portion 14 (shown in phantom in FIGS. 3 and 4) which may be connected to the connector 12. This cable channel thus provides not only for the entry of the cable portion 14 into the housing but also serves to restrain within the housing the movement of the cable 14 transverse to the length of the cable.

As shown most clearly in the side elevation of FIG. 6, each housing portion has associated therewith joining means engagable with the mating housing portion for maintaining those two housing portions in the mating engagement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably these housing portion joining means may comprise a plurality of slotted tabs 16 and correspondingly positioned bosses 18, and may suitably be molded integrally with the respective housing portions 6 and 6'. In the illustrated embodiment each such housing portion includes two such joining tabs 16 and two such bosses 18. The tabs 16 on each of the mating housing portions are positioned to joiningly engage the bosses 18 on the opposed housing portion, with the slots 20 of each such tab 16 capturing the respective mating boss 18. In this manner the two housing portions may be snapped together with the engagement between the slotted tabs 16 and the bosses 18 thus maintaining that joining of the housing portions 6 and 6' into a single housing 2.

Carried by at least one of the housing portions 6, and preferably in this embodiment by both such portions 6 and 6', is at least one pivot support 22a. Preferably, as shown in illustrated embodiment in FIGS. 3-5, each such housing portion carries two such pivot supports 22a and 22b. Each of these pivot supports 22a and 22b is spaced from, suitably on opposite sides of, the cable channel through which enters the cable portion 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. These pivot supports 22a and 22b may suitably be molded integrally with the respective housing portion, and may preferably be joined to part of the respective lateral edge portions 10a and 10b by neck-like portions 24a and 24b, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. These necks portions 24a and 24b provide additional strength for the respective pivot support 22a and 22b. Each of these pivot supports 22a and 22b has a pivot axis 26a and 26b extending through the center of the pivot support and generally normal to the first side portion 8 of the housing portion 6.

Also carried by at least one of the housing portions 6 are detent means 28a, suitably in the form of a group of generally parallel ridges extending generally parallel to and in a direction toward the pivot support 22a and outwardly of at least one lateral edge portion 10b of the housing portion 6. In this preferred embodiment additional such detent means 28b, in the form of a group of generally parallel ridges, extend outwardly of the lateral edge portion 10c in a direction generally parallel and in a direction toward the pivot 22b. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the outermost extension of each ridge of the group 28a is spaced a distance from the pivot support axis 22a substantially equal to the distance of each other such ridge outermost extension, so that the group of ridges defines a generally arcuate pattern about the axis 26a of the pivot support 22a. As shown most clearly in FIG. 5, the height of the extension of each such ridge of the group 28a outwardly from the lateral edge portion is defined by the difference between the radii R1 and R2, respectively indicating the distance from the pivot axis 26a of the outermost extension and the base of each such ridge. Preferably, for reasons to be described more fully below, the height of the extension of the extension of each such ridge defined by the differences between R1 and R2, is at least 0.02 inch and desirably on the order of 0.03 inch.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hood includes at least one gripper element 4a pivotably receivable onto the housing portion pivot support 22a. In the illustrated embodiment the hood assembly preferably includes two such gripper elements 4a and 4b, pivotably receivable onto the respective pivot supports 22a and 22b. The gripper element 4a, illustrated on a larger scale and in more detail in FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises a member 30a having a first portion 32a carrying pivot means 34a. This pivot means 34a is suitably in the form of pivot jorrnal having a predetermined pivot axis 36a that engages the housing portion pivot support 22a generally as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In such engaged relationship, the gripper member pivot axis 36a is substantially coaxial with the pivot support axis 26a.

The gripper element member 30a also includes a second, generally opposing portion 38a carrying detent engaging means 40a, suitably in the form of a plurality of ridges. These ridges 40a are preferably arranged in the form of a group of generally parallel ridges extending outwardly from the gripper element member second portion 38a for resilient mating engagement with the housing detent means ridges 28a when the gripper element is pivotally supported upon the housing portion pivot support 22a in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Similar to the housing portion detent ridges 28a, the outermost extension of each gripper element detent engaging means ridge extends a distance from the gripper element pivot axis 36a substantially equal to the distance of each other such gripper element detent engaging means ridge outermost extension, so that the group of ridges 40a defines a generally arcuate pattern on the gripper element second portion, substantially concentric with the gripper element pivot axis 36a. Also, to facilitate mating engagement with the detent ridges 28a of the housing portion 6, the height of the extension of each such gripper element detent engaging means ridge outwardly of the second portion 38a of the gripper element member 30a is desirably at least 0.02 inch and preferably on the order of 0.03 inch, as defined by the differences between the radii R3 and R4 shown on FIG. 9.

In the preferred embodiment of the hood as illustrated, the housing detent means comprises two such groups of generally parallel ridges, 28a and 28b with the ridges of each respective group extending generally parallel to and in a direction toward the pivot axis of respective pivot supports 22a and 22b. These ridges extend outwardly of the respective lateral edge portions 10b and 10c from at least the one housing portion 6, as illustrated, and preferably both such housing protions 6 and 6'.

To urge the detent engaging means 40a of the gripper element 4a into mating engagement with the detent means ridges 28a while still permitting passage of the gripper element ridges past the housing detent means ridges, the gripper element 4a is provided with resilient biasing means urging those ridges 40a into mating engagement with the housing ridges 28a. In the gripper element embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 this resilient biasing means comprises an arrangement permitting resilient deflection of the position of the gripper element pivot axis 36a relative to the gripper element member 30a. This conveniently can be accomplished by forming the journal of that member 30a, that engages the shaft defined by the housing member pivot support 22a, of two connected journal portions 34a and 34a', with a resilient connection therebetween. This resilient connection may suitably comprise the synthetic resin material from which the gripper element 4a is molded. This resilient connection thus resiliently urges the journal portions 34a and 34a' into the predetermined relationship illustrated in FIG. 9, defining the normal position of the gripper element pivot axis 36a relative to the member 30a while permitting resilient deflection of the journal portions 34a and 34a' and thus such resilient deflection of the relative positions of the gripper element pivot axis 36a with respect to the member 30a. This resilient deflection of the gripper element relative to the pivot support 22a thus facilitates movement of the gripper element teeth 40a past the housing portion teeth 28a, while urging those two elements and their respectively mating teeth into engagement.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative configuration of the gripper element of this invention. For clarity of explanation, and because most of the components of the alternative gripper element 104a of FIG. 11 are substantially the same as those shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 9, corresponding reference numbers increased by 100 are utilized to indicated corresponding portions thereof. The primary differences between this gripper element 104a and the previously described gripper element 4a lie in the pivot means journal 134a and the resilient biasing arrangement. In gripper member 104a the pivot axis 136a thereof is fixed and does not move resiliently as in the gripper element 4a. Instead, the resilient biasing arrangement for the detent engaging means ridges 140a is provided a the slot, the edges of which are defined by reference numerals 144a and 146a, in the second portion of the elongated member 130a. Thus, the second portion 138a of the gripper element elongated member 130a is joined to the first portion 132a by that resilient section of reduced thickness indicated by reference number 148a. This permits the second portion 138a to be resiliently deflected about the reduced thickness portion 148a relative to the member first portion 132a. Thus, the functioning of this alternative embodiment of the gripper element is substantially similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 9 and 10. From this embodiment it should also be apparent that the shaft and journal components providing for pivoting of the gripper elements could, if desired, be interchanged between the gripper element member and the housing portions without loss of function.

While this invention provides for at least one gripper element 40a carried on at least one pivot support 22a and engaging detent means 28a, it is preferred that there be two opposing sets of such elements, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, so that the hood is substantially symmetrical on opposite sides of the cable channel. Thus, there preferably are provided two such pivot supports 22a and 22b substantially parallel to one another in carrying two such gripper elements 40a and 40b. Further, it is preferred that the two housing portions 6 and 6' each carry portions of the two pivot supports 22a and 22b so that each of the two mating housing portions 6 and 6' support the two gripper elements. Preferably the two housing portions 6 and 6' are substantially identical, mirror-images of one another, as are the two gripper elements 4a and 4b. Thus, the two gripper elements 4a and 4b may be positioned on the pivot supports 22a and 22b of one of the housing portions 6 with those gripper elements initially positioned away from, or just adjacent the cable channel, as shown in FIG. 3. Then, the desired cable connector 12 connected to its respective cable portion 14 may be laid in place, as shown in FIG. 3, with the other housing portion 6' then snapped onto housing portion 6, to complete the connector hood assembly.

With the hood assembly then joined as described above, the gripper element or elements may then be brought into gripping engagement with the cable portion 14 as shown in FIG. 4. Due to the resilient biasing means urging the gripper element detent engaging means ridges 40a and 40b into mating engagement with the housing detent means ridges 28a and 28b, simple hand pressure exerted on the outside surfaces 41a and 41b of the gripper elements 4a and 4b will pivot those gripper elements inwardly about the pivot axes 22a and 22b. The resilient biasing arrangement permits the gripper element ridges 40a and 40b to be moved resiliently away from the housing detent means ridges 28a and 28b to permit the desired pivoting under the manual pressure. This pivoting thus brings into engagement with the cable portion 14 the projections 42a of the gripper 4a (and 42b of the gripper 4b where so provided). This projection 42a is illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 and serves to provide highly localized gripping contact with the cable portion 14, as shown in FIG. 4. This projection 42 extends inwardly of the housing when the gripper element 4a is pivotally supported upon the pivot support 22a. When both gripper elements 4a and 4b of the preferred embodiment are pivoted inwardly, these projection 42a and 42b thus grip the cable 14 in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

While the housing detent means ridges 28a and 28b and the gripper element detent engaging means ridges 40a and 40b may be formed at any suitable angle, it is preferred that they be provided with the "saw-tooth" configuration shown in the illustrations. In this configuration the side of each such ridge facing away from the cable channel extends substantially in the direction radially from the respective pivot axes 26a and 36a with respect to gripper 4a and radially from pivots 26b and 36b with respect to gripper element 4b. The other side of each ridge, the side toward the cable channel, is thus angled. This provides for ratcheting movement of the gripper element inwardly of the housing, toward the cable channel, while strongly resisting any return pivoting of the respective gripper elements outwardly of the hood housing. Such a detent arrangement provides for a particularly secure engagement between the hood and the cable.

From the foregoing it may be seen that the cable connector hood of the present invention provides not only a simplified apparatus but one in which the pivoting cable gripper element provides a firm gripping engagement of the cable portion used therewith. This firm gripping engagement thus helps prevent potentially damaging stresses from being conveyed from the cable outside the hood to the relatively delicate connections between the cable wires and the connector with which it is used. An additional benefit of the preferred embodiment of this invention is the capability of complete assembly of the hood arrangement, including gripping engagement with the cable portion, without the use of any tools other than the assembler's fingers. Of course, it is to be understood that numerous other variations and embodiments of this invention beyond those illustrated and described, all encompassed within the scope of this invention, will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the described embodiments are to be considered only as illustrative of the principles of the invention and are not to be considered limitative thereof. The scope of this invention is to be limited solely by the claims appended hereto.