Electrical connector configured to connect to a flex cable
OwnerMotomu Kajiura, Jeroen de Bruijn +1inventors
InventorsMotomu Kajiura, Jeroen de Bruijn, Yasutoshi Kameda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrical connector includes a connector housing, and at least one electrical terminal supported by the connector housing. The electrical terminal defines a mating portion and a mounting portion. The electrical connector includes a lock movable between an unlocked position and a locked position so as to facilitate insertion of a flex cable and subsequent locking of the flex cable to the mounting portion.
Claims16
An electrical connector configured to mount to a flex cable, the electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing that defines a housing reception slot;
- at least one electrical terminal supported by the housing and configured to electrically connect to a flex cable, the electrical terminal defining a mating end and a mounting end, the mounting end disposed in the reception slot and spaced from an opposed inner housing surface, wherein the flex cable is configured to be received between the mounting end and the opposed inner housing surface;
- and
- a lock including a lock body and a locking member that extends from the lock body and is configured to be inserted into the housing reception slot, wherein the lock is movable from an unlocked position to a locked position, such that when in the locked position, the locking member is disposed between the mounting end and the opposed inner housing surface, so as to capture the flex cable between the locking member and the mounting end.
An electrical connector configured to mount to a flex cable, the electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing that includes an inner housing surface, the inner housing surface defining a housing reception slot;
- and
- at least one electrical terminal supported by the housing and configured to electrically connect to a flex cable, the electrical terminal defining a mating end and a mounting end, wherein (i) the mating end extends out the connector housing and is configured to mate with a complementary electrical terminal of a complementary electrical device, such that the mating end resiliently deflects toward the mounting end, and the electrical connector is devoid of a retention member that would attach to the complementary electrical device and secure the mating end against the complementary electrical terminal, and (ii) the mounting end is disposed in the reception slot and spaced from the inner housing surface, such the flex cable is configured to be received in the reception slot between the mounting end and the opposed inner housing surface.
A method of attaching a flex cable to an electrical connector of the type that includes a connector housing and at least one electrical terminal that is supported by the connector housing and includes a mating end and a mounting end, the method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a flex cable into a housing reception slot at a location between the mounting end and an opposed inner housing surface;
- biasing the mounting end away from the inner housing surface;
- resiliently capturing the flex cable between the mounting end and the inner housing surface;
- and
- bringing the mating end into contact with a complementary electrical terminal of a complementary electrical device so as to mate the mating end with the complementary electrical terminal, such that the mating end resiliently deflects toward the mounting end, without securing the electrical connector to the complementary electrical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.