Electrical connector arrangement for flat conductors

A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated electrical conductors of a cable with the flat conductors of a photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• (a) a photovoltaic cell (1) including a generally horizontal planar panel (1a) having an upper surface, and a plurality of flat conductors (2) extending vertically upwardly from said panel upper surface;
• (b) conductor support means (3) attached to said panel upper surface for supporting the upper free end portions (2a) of said flat conductors relative to said photovoltaic cell;
• (c) connector means for connecting said flat conductor end portions with the cable conductors, respectively, including:
• (1) a hollow sectional connector housing (7) containing a chamber, said connector housing including:
• (a) a lower body section (8) adapted for displacement between unseated and seated positions relative to said conductor support means, said lower housing section having a lower surface containing a bottom opening (B) receiving said conductor support means when said lower body section is in said seated position;
• and
• (b) an upper cover section (9) arranged above said lower body section for displacement between disconnected and connected positions relative to said lower section, said cover section containing at least one cable opening (10) for receiving one end of the cable (15);
• (2) a plurality of resilient contacts (11) mounted in said housing chamber adjacent said lower section bottom opening, each of said resilient contacts including:
• (a) a first contact portion (12) arranged for engagement with the corresponding flat conductor end portion (2a) when said housing lower section is in said seated position on said conductor support member, and
• (b) a second contact portion (13) spaced from said first contact portion;
• and
• (3) a printed circuit board (14) arranged within said connector housing, said printed circuit board including a plurality of electrical circuit means connected with the cable conductors, respectively, said resilient contact second portions being arranged for engagement with respective ones of said printed circuit board electrical circuit means when said housing upper cover section is in said connected position relative to said housing lower body section;
• (4) said housing lower body section (8) and said conductor support member (3) remaining in the seated condition on said photovoltaic cell when said housing upper cover section (9) is displaced toward the disconnected position;
• (5) said printed circuit board (14) being connected with said upper cover section (9) for the simultaneous removal therewith as a unit from said housing lower body section when said upper housing section is displaced toward said disconnected position.

A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated electrical conductors of a cable with the flat conductors of a photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• (a) a photovoltaic cell (1) including a horizontal planar panel (1a) having an upper surface, and a plurality of flat conductors (2) extending vertically upwardly from said panel upper surface;
• (b) conductor support means supporting the upper free end portions (2a) of said flat conductors at given positions relative to said photovoltaic cell, said conductor support means comprising a support member (3) having:
• (1) a base portion (3a) secured to said panel upper surface adjacent said flat conductors;
• and
• (2) a plurality of integral bridge portions (4) extending upwardly from said base portion and terminating at their upper ends in coplanar horizontal upper edges (4a), said flat conductor upper end portions (2a) being reversely bent downwardly about said bridge portion upper edges, respectively;
• (c) connector means for connecting said flat conductor end portions with the cable conductors, respectively, said connector means including:
• (1) a hollow sectional connector housing (7) containing a chamber, said connector housing including:
• (a) a lower body section (8) having a bottom surface containing a bottom opening (B), said lower body section bottom being fastened to said panel upper surface with said conductor support member extending into said bottom opening;
• and
• (b) an upper cover section (9) arranged above said lower body section for displacement between disconnected and connected positions relative to said lower body section, said cover section containing at least one cable opening (10) for receiving one end of the cable (15);
• (2) a row of resilient contacts (11) mounted in said housing chamber on said lower body section adjacent said bottom opening, said row of contacts being parallel with the plane containing said bridge portion upper edges, each of said resilient contacts being bifurcated and including:
• (a) a first contact portion (12) arranged for engagement with the corresponding flat conductor reversely bent end portion (2a);
• and
• (b) a second contact portion (13) spaced from said first contact portion;
• and
• (3) a vertical printed circuit board (14) mounted within said connector housing in a direction parallel with said row of resilient contacts, said printed circuit board extending between said first and second resilient contact portions, thereby to bias said first contact portions into engagement with said flat conductor bend end portions, respectively, said printed circuit board having a first side remote from said first contact portions including a plurality of electrical circuit means connected with the cable conductors, respectively, said second contact portions being biased toward engagement with said electrical circuit means, respectively;
• (4) said printed circuit board being connected with said housing cover section for the removal therewith relative to said flat conductor support member and said housing lower section when said housing upper cover section is disconnected from said housing lower body section.