Flat Circuit Connector With Pivoted Actuator
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsKousuke Taketomi, Atsuhito Horino, Tomonari Kaneko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector is provided for terminating a flat electrical circuit. The connector includes a dielectric housing having an opening at a front end thereof for receiving an end of the flat circuit. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing in a side-by-side array and spaced laterally along the opening. An actuator is movably mounted for pivotal movement between an open position allowing the flat circuit to be inserted into the opening with substantially zero insertion forces, a closed position biasing the flat circuit against contact portions of the terminals and an intermediate position whereat the flat circuit is tentatively held in stable condition while allowing readjustment thereof.
Claims18
An electrical connector (14) for terminating a flat electrical circuit (58), comprising:
- a dielectric housing (16) having an opening (18) at a front end (16a) thereof for receiving an end of the flat circuit;
- a plurality of terminals (22,24) mounted on the housing in a side-by-side array and spaced laterally along the opening;
- and
- an actuator (20) movably mounted for pivotal movement between an open position allowing the flat circuit to be inserted into said opening with substantially zero insertion forces and a closed position biasing the flat circuit against contact portions of the terminals;
- characterised in that:
- the actuator (20) further having an intermediate position whereat the flat circuit is tentatively held in stable condition while allowing readjustment thereof.
An electrical connector (14) for terminating a flat electrical circuit (58), comprising:
- a dielectric housing (16) having an opening (18) at a front end (16a) thereof for receiving an end of the flat circuit;
- a plurality of terminals (22,24) mounted on the housing in a side-by-side array and spaced laterally along the opening;
- an actuator (20) movably mounted for pivotal movement between an open position allowing the flat circuit to be inserted into said opening with substantially zero insertion forces and a closed position biasing the flat circuit against contact portions of the terminals;
- a first plurality of said terminals (22) being generally U-shaped to define an upper hook arm (22a) extending over the opening (18) and a lower contact arm (22b) extending below the opening, the hook arm having a bearing portion (32a) and the contact arm having a contact portion (36), with the flat circuit (58) being tentatively held between the bearing portion and the contact portion in said intermediate position of the actuator;
- and
- a second plurality of said terminals (24) being generally U-shaped to define an upper cam arm (24a) extending over the opening (18) and a lower contact arm (24b) extending below the opening, the upper cam arm engaging a cam portion (48b) of the actuator (20) to lift the actuator in said intermediate position thereof;
- characterised in that:
- the actuator (20) further having an intermediate position whereat the flat circuit is tentatively held in stable condition while allowing readjustment thereof;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.