US3897130A - Flat cable connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A flat cable connector including a plug and a receptacle each having two parallel portions over which flat cables are wrapped. A slotted frame receives the parallel portions of the receptacle to retain the cable therein. The parallel portions of the plug are forced between the parallel portions of the receptacle extending beyond the frame so that the bared tracks of the flat cables on the two connector members frictionally engage each other. Hooked arms on the plug latch the plug to the receptacle. The plug may also carry spring members on spring contacts rather than a flat cable. Other forms of flat cable connectors are also disclosed.

Description

United States Patent .1191

Donnelly et al.

FLAT CABLE CONNECTOR Inventors: Robert William Donnelly; Anthony John Damoisiaux, both of Basingstoke; Raymond George Evans, Kingsclere near Newbury, all of England ITT Industries, Inc., New York, N.Y.

Filed: Dec. 3, 1973 Appl. No.: 421,256

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 339/176 MF; 339/17 F; 339/91 R Int. Cl. H01R 13/54; HOSK 1/02 Field of Search 339/17, 19, 21, 59, 60, 339/61, 75, 91,103,107,l76, 192, 97, 99,174

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,365,694 1/19'68 Parker 339/17 F 3,638,164 1/1972 Glance et al. 3,753,207 8/1973 Maheux et a1 339/17 F Primary Examiner Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Terrell F. Lewis Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Thomas L. Peterson [57] ABSTRACT A flat cable connector including a plug and a receptacle each having two parallel portions over which flat cables are wrapped. A slotted frame receives the parallel portions of the receptacle to retain the cable therein. The parallel portions of the plug are forced between the parallel portions of the receptacle extending beyond the frame so that the bared tracks of the flat cables on the two connector members frictionally engage each other. Hooked arms on the plug latch the plug to the receptacle. The plug may also carry spring members on spring contacts rather than a flat cable. Other forms of flat cable connectors are also disclosed.

5 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 2 9 I975 SHEET SHEET PATENTEI] JUL 2 9 I975 PATENTED JUL 2 91975 SHEET PATENTEDJULZQIHYS 3, 897, 130

SHEET PATENTED JUL29 197s SHEET FLAT CABLE CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to connectors for use in automobile wiring systems, especially where flat cable wiring is employed.

In the past it has been difficult to make electrical connections to flat cable because of its characteristic shape. Further, prior art connectors for flat cable have been complicated and expensive. It is therefore the purpose of the present invention to provide an improved connector for flat cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the principal aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat cable connector including a plug and a receptacle each having two parallel portions over which flat cables are wrapped. A slotted frame receives the parallel portions of the receptable to retain the cable therein. The parallel portions of the plug are forced between the parallel portions of the receptacle extending beyond the frame so that the bared tracks of the cables on the two connector members frictionally engage each other. Hooked arms on the plug latch the plug to the receptacle. The plug may also carry spring members on spring contacts rather than a flat cable. Other forms of flat cable connectors are also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 show in perspective the receptacle and plug, respectively, of a connector for flat cable;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show in perspective another receptacle-plug combination for flat cable;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plug connector member for connecting round wiring to flat cable, usable with the receptacles of FIG. 1 or FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show in perspective the parts of another receptacle element usable with the plug elements of FIGS. 2, 4 or 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a receptacle on a panel, usable with the plug elements of FIGS. 2, 4 or 5;

FIGS. 9 and 10 show two views in perspective, one exploded and one assembled, of a flat cable adaptor;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a fiat cable-round cable adaptor;

FIG. 12 is an exploded, perspective view of another flat cable adaptor;

FIG. 13 shows in perspective a fuse-box employing other forms of adaptors;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of one of the adaptors shown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view of one of the adaptors shown in FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS.land 2 show one embodiment of the connector of the inven- At the sides of the plug are two resilient, hookedarms 32 and 34.

Thereceptacle 36 illustrated in FIG. 1 also has twoparallel portions 38 and 40 integral with abody portion 41 and about whichflat cables 42 and 44, respectively, are wrapped, as shown. These parallel portions fit through parallelrectangular slots 46 and 48 in aseparate frame 49. The frame is held in place by latches ortines 50 formed on the opposite sides of each of theportions 38 and 40. At the sides of thereceptacle body 41 are twolugs 52 and 54. The hookedarms 32 and 34 fit into these lugs.

In use the twoconnector members 18 and 36 are mated, in which case theparallel portions 22 of the plug are forced between theportions 38 and 40 of the receptacle so that the flat cables, which have their conductors bared in these portions, engage. When this mating occurs the'hookedarms 32 and 34 are fitted into thelugs 52 and 54, respectively, to hold the members together. Note that the cables on theplug 18 can all be one single fiat cable wrapped around its twoportions 22, or can be two portions of flat cable, one on eachportion 22. Similarly, the cable on thereceptacle 36 can be a single cable or two separate portions, one on each of theportions 38 and 40. conductive tracks on strips of the cables are based on the co-operating surfaces.

Referring now to the connector illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the receptacle 36' illustrated in FIG. 3 is identical to thereceptacle 36 in FIG. 1 but is shown disassembled and with no cable. The member in FIG. 3 is fitted between the two parallel portions of the mating plug member 18' in FIG. 4 (like themember 26 in FIG. 2).

The receptacle 36' of FIG. 3 is used in a similar fashion to that of FIG. 1. In use, a flat cable is wrapped round theportions 38" and 40' with its end adjacent the face of the frame 49'. The conductive tracks of the cable are based on the inner-facing surfaces of the cables. The frame 49' is fitted over theportions 38' and 40 and moved against thebody 41, thus retaining the cables in place.

The mating plug member 18' of FIG. 4 is similar to theplug member 18 of FIG. 2, except that it has ametal clip 62 of springy material. The clip is formed with upper and lower rowsof resilient fingers 64 (only one row being visible in FIG. 4) located in recesses 65 so as to engage the back of a cable track when the connector is assembled. The fingers 64 provide additional contact pressure for the tracks, in case this is needed. Such extra contact pressure could be useful where vibration is a serious problem or where the nature of the insulating material makes it necessary to enhance the Contact pressure.

Thespring clip 62 could also be used as a shorting strip or a multiple ground connection, in which case some of the conductive tracks of the cable are based on the inner faces as well as on the outer faces.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5 which illustrates a plug member 18'', similar toplug members 18 and 18', but used for connecting round wires to flat cable. Themember 18" has a box-like body 20 withhooked arms 32" and 34" for co-operating with a receptacle such as that of FIG. 1 or 3. Thebody portion 20" carries spacedmetallic spring contacts 66 similar to the trackengaging fingers 64 of the clip 62 (FIG. 4). Each of these contacts is formed with an outwardly bowed contacting portion 66a and U-shapedterminal end 67 to each of which around wire 68 can be secured, as by crimping or soldering. The contacts are disposed on the upper and lower sides of abar 69 extending between side-walls 70 on thering 20".

When theplug member 18" is plugged into a receptacle such as those already described, each of the contact portions 66a of the contacts engages one of the tracks on a flat cable mounted onto the receptacle.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 and 7 which show the component parts of another flat cable receptacle connector in accordance with the invention.

This receptacle includes aflat plate 72 with conductive tracks on it, with aslot 74 cut in it defining twoleaf portions 76 and 78 bent slightly as shown. The material used for the plate is such that these leaf portions have a degree of resilience. There is also aframe 80 of insulating material withpins 82 at each corner for fitting intoholes 84 in theplate 72.

In use a plug, such as the ones described hereinbefore, is pushed into theslot 74, bending theleaf portions 76 and 78 so that their resilience gives good -contact with tracks (or contacts) in the plug. The

hooked arms of the plug pass throughslots 86 inplate 72 and alignedslots 88 inframe 80, and latch behind the frame of FIG. 6 to hold the various elements together.

FIG. 8 shows areceptacle connector member 90 fitted to an instrument panel 92 with printedwiring 94 connected (by soldering or the like) to conductive surfaces ortracks 96 inside the receptacle. This receptacle can receive any of the plug members described herein, and although not shown may have lugs to receive the hooked arms of the plugs.

FIGS. 9 and illustrate aflat cable adaptor 100 for attaching a section offlat cable 102 to a snap-ontab 104. The adaptor consists of a double-roll portion 106 of metal with anouter sheath 108 of an insulating material. In use theflat cable 104 and thetab 102 are forced into the adaptor together, the cable having had the conductive surface to be connected bared. The tab and flat cable are held in place by resilience of the rolled-over edges of themetal portion 106.

FIG. 11 shows a flat cable round cable adaptor generally designated 110. Here theflat cable 112 is retained in the same manner as in FIG. 12 below, the retention-spring therefor (not shown) being at the righthand end of the box-like member 114. There is also a retention pin in this device, just as in FIG. 12, below. Thebox 114 has afurther retention spring 116 for holding anequipment tab 118 in place, and on its side there is a hingedly-mountedsleeve 120 of an insulating material. This sleeve is used to hold a tab crimp bucket when such is needed.

FIG. 12 shows a flat cable component adaptor generally designated 122. This adaptor has aretention spring 124, a bent-overportion 126 and aledge portion 128 on a box-like member 130. Aflat cable 132, me formed as shown to the right, is held in place by theportion 126, and is secured to theledge portion 128 by asplit pin 134 as can be seen in FIG. 12. Also shown is aninstrument tab 136 which is inserted into the adaptor below thespring 124.

FIGS. 13-15 show a typicalmulti-component fusebox 140, with threeflat cables 142 connected to it byadaptors 144, 146 and 148, and afurther adaptor 150 about to be mated to a row oftabs 151 in the fuse box.

Note that each adaptor has one edge curved to accommodate a central shaft (not shown) entering thehole 152.

As seen in FIG. 14, each adaptor has a rectangular section channel 154 with a W-shapedspring 156 in it. Eachflat cable 142 is pinned by a pair ofpins 158 to one face of its adaptor the inner face as installed to the fuse box. As seen in FIG. 15, the ends of the cable tracks are bent over into the channels 154, which can each receive atab 151 from the equipment unit, in this case thefuse box 140. As in the case of the other adaptors described above, thesprings 156 provide retention and contact pressure.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical plug connector member for a flat strip cable having conductive tracks comprising: a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of the body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots, and two hooked arms one on each of the other two sides of said body and extending forwardly from said front face of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through each of said slots and is wrapped around each of said finger-like portions with the tracks of the cable bared at least on the outside of each said finer-like portion, a retainer being placed between said finger-like portions to urge the cable against the inner faces of the finger-like portions, the resilience of the finger-like portions holding the cable in place, and wherein in use the finger-like portions are adapted to be forced between two generally parallel portions of a receptacle connector member with said hooked arms engaged in lugs on the receptacle.

2. A plug connector member as set forth inclaim 1, wherein each of said finger-like portions has parallel recesses formed on its outer surface parallel to said arms, a spring member in each said recess, and each said spring member is a metal strip bowed outwardly so that when a flat cable is in place pressure is exerted on its tracks.

3. An electrical receptacle connector member for a flat strip cable having conductive tracks comprising: a first generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of said body, two parallel fingerlike portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots, outwardly-projecting tines on the narrow sides of said finger-like portions, a generally rectangular frame formed with two parallel slots each of which slidably receives one of said finger-like portions when a flat cable is mounted on it, and two lugs one on each of the other two sides of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through said slots on said body and wrapped around each said finger-like portions, the ends of the flat cable then being adjacent to said front face of said body between said finger-like portions, the tracks on the cables being bared at least on the portions thereof on the inner faces of said finger-like portions,

An electrical connector for flat cable having conductive tracks comprising:

plug and receptacle connector members;

said plug connector member comprising a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of the body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body toward said receptacle connector member, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots, and two hooked arms one on each of the other two sides of said body and extending forwardly from said front face of said body toward said receptacle connector member, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through each of said slots and is wrapped around each of said finger-like portions with the tracks of the cable bared at least on the outside of each said finger-like portion, a retainer being placed between said finger-like portions to urge the cable against the inner faces of the finger-like portions, the resilience of the finger-like portions holding the cable in place;

said receptacle connector member comprising a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of said body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body toward said plug connector member, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots and being spaced apart slightly greater than the distance between the opposite facing surfaces of said plug connector member finger-like portions, outwardly-projecting tines on the narrow sides of said finger-like portions, a generally rectangular frame formed with two parallel slots each of which slidably receives one of said finger-like portions when a flat cable is mounted on it, and two lugs one on each of the other two sides of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through said slots on said body and wrapped around each said finger-like portions, the ends of the flat cable then being adjacent to said front face of said body between said finger-like portions, the tracks on the cables being bared at least on the portions thereof on the inner faces of said finger-like portions, said frame being fitted over said two finger-like portions and urged against said body to hold said flat cables in place, said frame being held in place by said tines; and

d. said finger-like portions of said plug connector member are forced between said finger-like portions of said receptacle connector member with said hooked arms engaged in said lugs on said receptacle connector member.

5. A plug connector member as set forth inclaim 2 wherein:

said recesses extend to said rear face of said body;

and

said spring members are integrally joined to a plate lying adjacent to said rear face of said body.

Claims (5)

1. An electrical plug connector member for a flat strip cable having conductive tracks comprising: a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of the body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots, and two hooked arms one on each of the other two sides of said body and extending forwardly from said front face of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through each of said slots and is wrapped around each of said finger-like portions with the tracks of the cable bared at least on the outside of each said finer-like portion, a retainer being placed between said finger-like portions to urge the cable against the inner faces of the finger-like portions, the resilience of the finger-like portions holding the cable in place, and wherein in use the finger-like portions are adapted to be forced between two generally parallel portions of a receptacle connector member with said hooked arms engaged in lugs on the receptacle.

2. A plug connector member as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said finger-like portions has parallel recesses formed on its outer surface parallel to said arms, a spring member in each said recess, and each said spring member is a metal strip bowed outwardly so that when a flat cable is in place pressure is exerted on its tracks.

3. An electrical receptacle connector member for a flat strip cable having conductive tracks comprising: a first generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of said body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots, outwardly-projecting tines on the narrow sides of said finger-like portions, a generally rectangular frame formed with two parallel slots each of which slidably receives one of said finger-like portions when a flat cable is mounted on it, and two lugs one on each of the other two sides of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through said slots on said body and wrapped around each said finger-like portions, the ends of the flat cable then being adjacent to said front face of said body between said finger-like portions, the tracks on the cables being bared at least on the portions thereof on the inner faces of said finger-like portions, said frame being fitted over said two finger-like portions and urged against said body to hold said flat cables in place, said frame being held in place by said tines, and wherein when in use the conductor-bearing portions of a plug connector member are urged between said finger-like portions and two hooked portions on the plug connector member are received in said lugs.

4. An electrical connector for flat cable having conductive tracks comprising: a. plug and receptacle connector members; b. said plug connector member comprising a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of the body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body toward said receptacle connector member, said fingerlike portions being parallel to said two slots, and two hooked arms one on each of the other two sides of said body and extending forwardly from said front face of said body toward said receptacle connector member, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through each of said slots and is wrapped around each of said finger-like portions with the tracks of the cable bared at least on the outside of each said finger-like portion, a retainer being placed between said finger-like portions to urge the cable against the inner faces of the finger-like portions, the resilience of the finger-like portions holding the cable in place; c. said receptacle connector member comprising a generally rectangular one-piece body of an electrically insulating material having a front face and a rear face with two elongated slots extending from said front face to said rear face, each slot being parallel to a first pair of parallel sides of said body, two parallel finger-like portions each having its base between said slots and each projecting forwardly from said front face of said body toward said plug connector member, said finger-like portions being parallel to said two slots and being spaced apart slightly greater than the distance between the opposite facing surfaces of said plug connector member fingerlike portions, outwardly-projecting tines on the narrow sides of said finger-like portions, a generally rectangular frame formed with two parallel slots each of which slidably receives one of said finger-like portions when a flat cable is mounted on it, and two lugs one on each of the other two sides of said body, wherein in use flat cable is threaded through said slots on said body and wrapped around each said finger-like portions, the ends of the flat cable then being adjacent to said front face of said body between said finger-like portions, the tracks on the cables being bared at least on the portions thereof on the inner faces of said finger-like portions, said frame being fitted over said two finger-like portions and urged against said body to hold said flat cables in place, said frame being held in place by said tines; and d. said finger-like portions of said plug connector member are forced between said finger-like portions of said receptacle connector member with said hooked arms engaged in said lugs on said receptacle connector member.

5. A plug connector member as set forth in claim 2 wherein: said recesses extend to said rear face of said body; and said spring members are integrally joined to a plate lying adjacent to said rear face of said body.

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