Electrical connector

A connector for effecting positive contact between the individual conductor ends of a flat multi-conductor cable and the conductors of a corresponding electrical component, comprising:

• a. a support member having upper and lower surfaces;
• b. an aperture in said support member and extending in a direction perpendicular to said upper and lower surfaces for receiving one end of said multi-conductor cable being inserted from the upper surface to a position along the lower surface of the support member;
• c. a hinge member secured to the lower surface of the support member for rotatably engaging the electrical component;
• d. a biasing member depending from the lower surface of the support member to a position adjacent the conductor ends of the multi-conductor cable;
• e. and a latch member depending from the lower surface of the support member opposite from the hinge member, said latch member having a latching portion for engaging the edge of the electrical component upon rotation of the support member to a position adjacent the electrical component to latch the support member to the electrical component, said biasing means biasing the conductor ends of the multi-conductor cable into engagement with the conductor of the electrical component when the support member is in said latched position.

A connector for effecting releasable contact between the individual exposed conductor ends of a flat multi-conductor cable and the electrical conductors of a printed circuit board comprising:

• a. a support member having upper and lower planar surfaces;
• b. an elongated slot communicating with and extending perpendicular to said first and second planar surfaces for receiving the exposed conductor end of said multi-conductor cable inserted from the upper planar surface to a position along the lower planar surface of the support member;
• c. an elongated abutment member depending from the lower planar surface of said support member adjacent said slot, said abutment member extending to a position adjacent the exposed conductor ends of said multi-conductor cable;
• d. a plurality of depending hinge members formed in the front portion of the lower planar surface of the support member for rotatably mounting the support member to the printed circuit board;
• e. and a plurality of depending latch members formed in the rear portion of the lower planar surface of the support member, said latch members including a latching portion for latching the edge of the printed circuit board upon rotation of the support member to a position adjacent the printed circuit board to latch the support member to said board, said abutment member biasing the exposed conductor ends of said cable into contact with the conductors in said circuit board upon the latching of the support member.

A method of connecting a first electrical conductor to a second electrical conductor on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of

• a. threading the exposed end of the first electrical conductor through an elongated slot extending perpendicular between an upper and lower surface of a support member to a positonal adjacent the lower surface;
• b. pivotally mounting one end of the support member to the printed circuit board to align the first and second electrical conductors;
• c. orientating a depending rib member in the lower surface of the support member extending adjacent the slot;
• d. and latching the other end of the support member to the edge of the printed circuit board to allow the rib member to force the first electrical conductor into engagement with the second electrical conductor.

In combination,

• a. a circuit board of the type comprising a sheet of insulating material having a pattern of exposed electrical conductors on one of its sides, said circuit board having selectively positioned apertures located therein;
• b. a flat multi-conductor cable composed of a flexible nonconduction backing with a portion of the backing removed at one end exposing electrical conductors imbedded therein;
• c. an electrical connector for securing said cable to said circuit board to engage the exposed ends of the conductors in said cable with the conductors on said circuit board, said connector comprising an elongated support member having parallel upper and lower surfaces;
• d. an elongated slot extending through and orientated perpendicular to said upper and lower surfaces for receiving the exposed conductor end of said cable inserted from the upper surface to a position along the lower surface of said support member;
• e. an elongated abutment member depending from the lower surface of said support member adjacent said slot, said abutment member extending to a position adjacent the exposed conductor ends of said cable;
• f. hinge means located on the lower surface of said support members for insertion within said apertures for rotatably mounting said support member to said circuit board;
• g. and latching means located in the lower surface of said support member opposite from said hinge means for engaging the edge of said circuit board upon rotation of said support member to a latching position on said circuit board whereby the abutment member will force the exposed conductor ends of the cable into engagement with the conductors on said circuit board.

A connector for effecting releasable contact between the individual exposed conductor ends of a flat multi-conductor cable and the electrical conductors of a printed circuit board having a plurality of apertures therein comprising:

• a. a flat elongated body member of resilient insulating material having upper and lower planar surfaces;
• b. an elongated slot in the body member orientated in a direction perpendicular to said upper and lower planar surfaces and extending in a direction a distance equal to the width of said cable for receiving the exposed conductor ends of said cable threaded from a position adjacent the upper surface to a position adjacent the lower surface of the body member;
• c. an elongated rib member formed in the lower surface of the body member and depending therefrom to a position adjacent the exposed conductor ends of said multi-conductor cable, said rib member located adjacent to and parallel with said slot;
• d. a plurality of depending hinge members formed in the front portion of the lower surface for insertion through said apertures in said printed circuit board for rotatably mounting the support member to the printed circuit board;
• e. and a plurality of depending finger members formed in the rear portion of the lower planar surface of the body member, said finger members including a recessed area facing said hinge member and dimensioned in accordance with the configuration of the edge of the printed circuit board for latching the edge of the circuit board upon rotation of the body member to a position adjacent the circuit board whereby said rib member will be moved to a position to force the exposed conductor ends of the cable into engagement with the electrical contuctors of the printed circuit board.