Flexible substrate connectors

An apparatus, comprising:

• a flexible substrate;
• a connector including a first connector piece defining a first plurality of through holes and a second connector piece defining a second plurality of through holes, the first connector piece defining a channel extending across the first connector piece;
• and
• a plurality of mechanical fasteners connecting the connector to the flexible substrate,
• wherein the first connector piece is disposed adjacent a top surface of the flexible substrate at a periphery of the flexible substrate and the second connector piece is disposed adjacent a bottom surface of the flexible substrate adjacent the periphery of the flexible substrate and in opposition to the first connector piece to align the first plurality of through holes and the second plurality of through holes to define a grommet, a plurality of first fastener receivers and a plurality of second fastener receivers, the plurality of mechanical fasteners being inserted through the fastener receivers and through the flexible substrate to connect the first connector piece, the second connector piece, and the flexible substrate,
• wherein the plurality of first fastener receivers are disposed on a first side of the channel and the plurality of second fastener receivers are disposed on a second side of the channel,
• wherein the first side of the channel corresponds to a position at which a flexible substrate is disposable between the first connector piece and the second connector piece, and
• wherein the second side of the channel corresponds to a position at which a flexible substrate is not disposed between the first connector piece and the second connector piece.

A method of forming a connector for a flexible substrate, comprising:

• disposing a first connector piece defining, at least in part, a channel extending across the first connector piece, a first plurality of through holes on a first side of the channel, and a second plurality of through holes on a second side of the channel, on a first side of a flexible substrate at a first peripheral portion of the flexible substrate;
• aligning a second connector piece defining a third plurality of through holes and a fourth plurality of through holes on a second side of the flexible substrate at the first peripheral portion in opposition to the first connector piece so that the third plurality of through holes are aligned with the first plurality of through holes and the fourth plurality of through holes are aligned with the second plurality of through holes;
• disposing the flexible substrate between the first connector piece and the second connector piece so that a reinforced periphery of the flexible substrate within the channel, the flexible substrate is disposed between the fourth plurality of through holes and the second plurality of through holes, and the flexible substrate is not disposed between the third plurality of through holes and the first plurality of through holes;
• securing a fastener receiver through at least one of the aligned third plurality of through holes and the first plurality of through holes to secure together the first connector piece and the second connector piece;
• and
• securing a fastener receiver through each of the aligned fourth plurality of through holes and the second plurality of through holes, and through the flexible substrate disposed therebetween, to secure together the first connector piece, the second connector piece and the flexible substrate.