Patent Application
20230198183
This invention relates to an electrical connector that is adapted for use with a flat flexible cable. More specifically, this invention relates to an electrical connector that is adapted to retain a flat flexible cable in a desired position relative to a connector housing.
A flat flexible cable is a type of electrical cable that includes a flat, flexible base that supports one or more flat electrical conductors thereon. Flat flexible cables are typically used in devices having a large amount of electronics in a relatively small space. In such devices, the flat flexible cable can provide for easier cable management than a conventional round electrical cable. It would be advantageous to have an improved electrical connector for attachment to a flat flexible cable.
The invention relates to an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a housing. The housing defines a terminal cavity that extends along a connector axis. The terminal cavity has a height that is perpendicular to the connector axis. The terminal cavity has a width that is perpendicular to the connector axis and also perpendicular to the height. The width is greater than the height. The terminal cavity is adapted to accommodate a flat cable inserted in an insertion direction parallel to the connector axis. The electrical connector also includes a polarizer that extends parallel to the height. The polarizer is located within the width. The polarizer is adapted to prevent insertion into at least part of the terminal cavity.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly includes an electrical terminal located in the terminal cavity. A flat cable extends into the terminal cavity. The flat cable includes a conductor. A cable lock is attached to the housing. The cable lock includes a lock tongue that extends into the terminal cavity. The flat cable is located at least partially between the electrical terminal and the lock tongue.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly includes a housing defining a terminal cavity. The electrical connector also includes an electrical terminal that is adapted to be moved in an insertion direction into the terminal cavity. The electrical terminal includes a terminal tab that extends out of the terminal cavity and engages the housing to retain the electrical terminal in position relative to the housing. The electrical connector also includes a terminal lock that is adapted to be moved in the insertion direction relative to the housing into engagement with the housing to be retained in a lock position. When the terminal lock is in the lock position, it is located opposite the insertion direction from the terminal tab to retain the electrical terminal in the terminal cavity. The electrical connector includes a cable lock that is adapted to be moved in the insertion direction relative to the housing into engagement with the housing to be retained in a locked position. The cable lock includes a cable lock body. A cable lock opening extends through the cable lock body and is aligned in the insertion direction with the terminal cavity. A polarizer extends across part of the cable lock opening in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. A lock tongue extends from the cable lock body into the terminal cavity. The terminal lock is located between the housing and the cable lock body. Also, a flat cable extends through the cable lock opening into the terminal cavity. The flat cable includes a notch that extends in the insertion direction. The polarizer is located in the notch. The flat cable is located between the electrical terminal and the lock tongue.
Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
Referring now to
The first connector 12 includes a plurality of first electrical terminals 30 that are adapted to be retained in the terminal cavity bays 26, as described below. The illustrated first connector 12 includes six of the first electrical terminals 30, but may include any desired number of first electrical terminals 30. The first electrical terminals 30 are described in detail below.
Referring now to
The illustrated first electrical terminal 30 is made from sheet metal folded into the illustrated shape, but may be made from any material and any desired process. The first electrical terminal 30 includes a conductor portion, indicated generally at 34, that is adapted to engage the first cable 16, as described below, and a contact portion, indicated generally at 36, that is adapted to engage a second electrical terminal (not shown) that is located in the second connector 14. The illustrated contact portion 36 is a male blade, but may be any desired type of contact.
To install the first electrical terminal 30 in the first connector 12, the first electrical terminal 30 is initially positioned parallel to the connector axis 28, with the connect portion 36 facing the terminal cavity bay 26. The first electrical terminal 30 is then moved in an insertion direction 38 parallel to the connector axis 28 so that the first electrical terminal 30 is moved into the terminal cavity bay 26.
The terminal cavity bay 26 extends from the insert end 22 to a housing stop 40. As best shown in
The first electrical terminal 30 includes a terminal tab 46 that is located on an end of the conductor portion 34 opposite the contact portion 36. The terminal tab 46 is a portion of the first electrical terminal 30 that extends in the insertion direction 38. When the first electrical terminal 30 is installed in the terminal cavity bay 26, the terminal tab 46 is received in one of the terminal catches 32. Each terminal catch 32 is adapted to receive a terminal tab 46 of one of the first electrical terminals 30 so as to retain the respective first electrical terminal 30 in place relative to the housing 20. The first electrical terminal 30 engages the housing 20 at the terminal catch 32 and at the housing stop 40 to limit movement of the first electrical terminal 30 relative to the housing 20. This limits movement of the first electrical terminal 30 relative to the housing 20 in the insertion direction 38 and also movement in any direction perpendicular to the connector axis 28.
The first connector 12 includes a terminal lock 48 that is adapted to retain the first electrical terminals 30 in their respective positions in the terminal cavity bays 26. The illustrated terminal lock 48 is molded from plastic, but may be made from any desired material using any desired process. The terminal lock 48 includes a terminal lock body 50. A plurality of terminal lock tabs 52 extend from the terminal lock body 50 in the insertion direction 38. The illustrated terminal lock 48 includes four terminal lock tabs 52, but may include any desired number of terminal lock tabs 52.
To attach the terminal lock 48 to the housing 20, the terminal lock 48 is initially positioned with the terminal lock tabs 52 facing the insert end 22. The housing 20 includes a plurality of terminal lock latches 54 in the insert end 22. The illustrated housing 20 includes four terminal lock latches 54, one for each terminal lock tab 52. The terminal lock 48 is then moved in the insertion direction 38 relative to the housing 20 so that each of the terminal lock tabs 52 engages one of the terminal lock latches 54. The terminal lock tabs 52 cooperate with the terminal lock latches 54 to retain the terminal lock 48 in the illustrated lock position relative to the housing 20. However, the first connector 12 may use any other desired lock to retain the terminal lock 48 in the lock position relative to the housing 20.
The terminal lock 48 includes terminal lock openings 56 that extend through the terminal lock body 50 parallel to the connector axis 28. The illustrated terminal lock 48 includes two terminal lock openings 56. When the terminal lock 48 is in the lock position, the terminal lock openings 56 are aligned with the terminal cavity bays 26 in the insertion direction 38.
Additionally, when the terminal lock 48 is in the lock position, the terminal lock 48 is located opposite the insertion direction 38 of a portion of the first electrical terminal 30. As best shown in
The terminal cavity bay 26 extends from the insert end 22 of the housing 20 to the housing stop 40. As previously described, the illustrated housing 20 includes two terminal cavity bays 26. As best shown in
The two terminal cavity bays 26 are similar, and only one will be described in detail. Referring to
As best shown in
As previously described, the conductor portion 34 of the first electrical terminal 30 is adapted to engage the first cable 16. The conductor portion 34 is located in the terminal cavity bay 26. The conductor portion 34 engages the first cavity wall 58 at both a first support 62 located near the insert end 22 and a second support 64 located near the housing stop 40. The conductor portion 34 includes a compression portion 66 between the first support 62 and the second support 64. The illustrated compression portion 66 is a part of the first electrical terminal 30 that is generally arcuate in shape and is spaced apart from the first cavity wall 58 between the first support 62 and the second support 64.
The first electrical terminal 30 includes a terminal stop 68 between the second support 64 and the contact portion 36. The illustrated terminal stop 68 is a portion of the first electrical terminal 30 that extends substantially perpendicular to the connector axis 28. The terminal stop 68 is located near the housing stop 40, but a space is provided between the housing stop 40 and the terminal stop 68 when the first electrical terminal 30 is installed in the terminal cavity bay 26, as shown in
Referring now to
The illustrated cable lock 70 is molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material and by any desired process. The cable lock 70 includes a cable lock body 72. A plurality of lock tongues 74 extends from the cable lock body 72 in the insertion direction 38. The illustrated cable lock 70 includes two lock tongues 74, but may include any desired number of lock tongues 74.
To attach the cable lock 70 to the housing 20, the cable lock 70 is initially positioned with the lock tongues 74 facing the insert end 22. The cable lock 70 is then moved in the insertion direction 38 relative to the housing 20 so that each of the lock tongue 74 passes through one of the terminal lock openings 56 and enters into one of the terminal cavity bays 26. Each of the lock tongues 74 extends between one of the first electrical terminals 30 and the respective second cavity wall 60.
Referring back to
The cable lock 70 includes cable lock openings 80 that extend through the cable lock body 72. When the cable lock 70 is in the pre-load position, the cable lock openings 80 are aligned with the terminal cavity bays 26 in the insertion direction 38 and provide access to the terminal cavity bays 26 through the cable lock body 72. The illustrated cable lock 70 includes two cable lock openings 80, but may include any desired number of cable lock openings 80.
Referring back to
The insulator 82 surrounds the electrical conductors 84 along most of the length of the first cable 16. The first cable 16 includes a stripped portion, indicated generally at 86, where portions of the electrical conductors 84 are not covered by the insulator 82. The stripped portion 84 may be created by removing a portion of the insulator 82 that would otherwise cover the electrical conductors 84. Each of the electrical conductors 84 can be engaged with one of the first electrical terminals 30 by inserting the first cable 16 into the terminal cavity bay 26.
The first connector 12 includes a polarizer 88 that restricts the insertion of the first cable 16 into the terminal cavity bay 26. The illustrated polarizer 88 is located on the cable lock 70, but may be on any desired part of the first connector 12. The polarizer is a stop that extends across a portion of the cable lock opening 80. The illustrated polarizer 88 is a physical stop that limits the first cable 16 from being inserted into a portion of the terminal cavity bay 26 in the insertion direction 38. As best shown in
Referring back to
To insert the first cable 16 into the first connector 12, the first cable 16 is initially positioned with the stripped portion 86 adjacent to the insert end 22. The first cable 16 is then moved in the insertion direction 38 relative to the first connector 12 so that the first cable 16 passes through the cable lock opening 80. As previously described, the polarizer 88 is positioned in the cable lock opening 80 and, therefore, prevents the insertion of the first cable 16 into the terminal cavity bay 26 unless it is properly oriented relative to the polarizer 88. As shown in
As previously described, the illustrated first connector 12 includes two terminal cavity bays 26. Referring back to
Referring back to
Referring to
As previously described, the illustrated cable lock 70 includes two lock tongues 74. The two lock tongues 74 are the same, and only one will be described in detail. When the cable lock 70 is moved from the pre-load position to the locked position, the lock tongue 74 is moved in the insertion direction 38 relative to the housing 24. The lock tongue 74 is located between the first electrical terminal 30 and the second cavity wall 60. The lock tongue 74 includes a first tongue surface 96 that faces the first electrical terminal 30 and a second tongue surface 98 that faces the second cavity wall 60. The first tongue surface 96 extends at an angle relative to the second tongue surface 98, and the second tongue surface 98 is parallel to the second cavity wall 60. As a result, a first thickness of the lock tongue 74 between the first tongue surface 96 and the second tongue surface 98 is greater near the cable lock body 72 than a second thickness at an outer end of the lock tongue 74.
When the cable lock 70 is attached to the housing 24, there is a terminal space, indicated generally at 100, between the first cavity wall 58 and the first tongue surface 96. At least part of the conductor portion 34 is located in the terminal space 100. When the first cable 16 is in the loaded position, at least a part of the stripped portion 86 is located in the terminal space 100.
When the cable lock 70 is moved from the pre-load position to the locked position, the second tongue surface 98 engages the second cavity wall 60 and is pushed toward the first cavity wall 58. This causes the first tongue surface 96 to also be moved toward the first cavity wall 58 and the terminal space 100 to become smaller. When the first tongue surface 96 is moved toward the first cavity wall 58, the first electrical cable 16 is pressed against a portion of the first electrical terminal 30. In particular, the electrical conductor 84 is pressed against the compression portion 66 of the conductor portion 34. This deflects the compression portion 66 toward the first cavity wall 58. The terminal tab 46 on the illustrated first electrical terminal 30 is held in the terminal catch 32 by the terminal lock 48 and is restrained from moving relative to the housing 24. However, the terminal stop 68 is able to move relative to the housing 24. Thus, when the compression portion 66 is deflected toward the first cavity wall 58, the terminal stop 68 is displaced in the insertion direction 38 toward the housing stop 40. When the cable lock 70 is retained in the locked position by the cooperation of the lock latches 94 and the cable lock tabs 76 (as shown in
The cable lock 70 also includes a second lock 102. When the cable lock 70 is moved to the locked position, the lock tongue 74 is moved relative to the lock body 72 by the engagement of the second tongue surface 98 and the second cavity wall 60. The second lock 102 is fixed relative to the lock body 72. The illustrated second lock 102 is a portion of the cable lock body 72, but may be located on any desired part of the cable lock 70. As shown in
The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.
