Flat circuit connector

An electrical connector for terminating a flat electrical circuit having a bottom surface and a top surface, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having an opening for receiving an end of the flat circuit in a circuit-insertion direction;
• a plurality of terminals mounted on the housing in a side-by-side array and spaced laterally along the opening;
• an actuator movably mounted on the housing for movement between an open position allowing the flat circuit to be inserted into said opening and a closed position biasing the flat circuit against said terminals;
• and
• some of said terminals comprising pivot terminals having pivot means for engaging a pivot portion of the actuator to mount the actuator for pivotal movement between said open and closed positions, said pivot means preventing shifting movement of the actuator generally parallel to said circuit-insertion direction as well as in one direction generally perpendicular to the circuit-insertion direction, and other of said terminals comprising cam terminals for engaging the actuator and preventing shifting of the actuator in a direction opposite said one direction generally perpendicular to the circuit-insertion direction.

An electrical connector for terminating a flat electrical circuit having a bottom surface and a top surface, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having an opening for receiving an end of the flat circuit in a circuit-insertion direction;
• a plurality of terminals mounted on the housing in a side-by-side array and spaced laterally along the opening;
• an actuator movably mounted on the housing for movement between an open position allowing the flat circuit to be inserted into said opening and a closed position biasing the flat circuit against said terminals;
• a reinforcement fitting mounted on the housing for mounting the connector on a substrate;
• and
• complementary interengaging latch means between the reinforcement fitting and the actuator for holding the actuator in its closed position.