Electrical connector and cable termination apparatus therefor

Abstract

A cable termination sub-assembly is provided for electrically terminating insulated conductors of an electrical cable exteriorly of the housing of a shielded electrical connector, the sub-assembly being adapted for attachment to the housing subsequent to electrical termination of the cable conductors. The sub-assembly includes an insulative contact holder and an insulative conductor holding block that are adapted to be joined together in terminating insulated conductors of an electrical cable. A contact holder supports a plurality of electrical contacts each having an insulation displacement portion and a deflectable terminal portion. The conductor holding block includes means for frictionally retaining insulated conductors individually therein. The block further supports insulatively a pair of electrically conductive shorting elements, each element including a pair of spaced, exposed terminals. When the contact holder and the holding block are joined, the individual conductors are electrically engaged to the contacts through the insulation displacement portions and each terminal of each shorting element contacts a deflectable terminal portion of a unique different electrical contact for providing closed-loop circuit conditions for two selective pairs of cable conductors.