Connector for terminating a flat multi-wire cable

The combination of claim in which:

• each contact of said plurality of first contacts further comprises a third terminal;
• each contact of said plurality of second contacts further comprises a fourth terminal;
• first conductive strip-like means connecting each of said third terminals to one of said plurality of first plate-like terminals;
• second conductive strip-like means connecting each of said fourth terminals to one of said second plate-like terminals;
• and
• in which said housing means further comprises retaining means for retaining said third and fourth terminals.

In combination, a flat multi-wire cable and a connector means for simultaneously terminating the plurality of wires of said cable and comprising:

• a plurality of first contacts each comprising a first plate-like terminal having first slot means formed therein open at one end and closed at the other and further comprising a third terminal means connected to said first plate-like terminal;
• a plurality of second contacts each comprising a second plate-like terminal having second slot means formed therein comprising a first slot extending from the top edge of said second plate-like element and open at one end and divided into second and third slots as it extends into said second plate-like terminal with each of said second and third slots having a closed end and constructed to receive a separate wire of said multi-wire cable through said first slot;
• said plurality of second contacts further comprising a fourth terminal means connected to each of said second plate-like terminals;
• a housing comprising:
• a flat bed surface for receiving and supporting said flat cable in a plane substantially the same as the plane of the cable as it enters said connector means;
• a plurality of separating means mounted on said flat bed surface;
• and
• a plurality of retaining means for retaining said third and fourth terminal means;
• said first plurality of contacts mounted in said housing with said first plate-like terminals mounted in a first row on said housing bed surface between given ones of said separating means and with said third terminal means retained in first selected ones of said retaining means;
• said second plurality of contacts mounted in said housing with said second plate-like terminals mounted in a second row on said housing bed surface between given ones of said separating means in interleaved manner with said first row of slotted plate-like terminals, and with said fourth terminal means retained in second selected ones of said retaining means;
• and
• the said plate-like terminals thereof and the terminal means connected thereto of said first and second plurality of contacts being constructed to be offset in opposite directions with respect to each other to enable positioning said first and second pluralities of contacts side-by-side in the connector housing with the said first and second plate-like terminals being interleaved and the third and fourth terminal means being stacked in first and second tiers one upon the other with complete electrical separation between the contacts of said first and second pluralities of contacts.

In combination, a flat multi-wire cable and connector means for simultaneously terminating the plurality of wires of said cable and comprising:

• a plurality of first contacts each comprising a first plate-like terminal having first slot means formed therein open at one end and closed at the other and a third terminal means connected to said plate-like terminal of each of said first contacts;
• a plurality of second contacts each comprising a second plate-like terminal having second slot means formed therein open at one end and dividing into second and third slots as it extends into said second plate-like terminal with each of said second and third slots constructed to receive a separate wire of said multi-wire cable and further comprising a fourth terminal means connected to said plate-like terminal of each of said second contacts;
• a housing comprising:
• a flat bed surface for receiving and supporting said flat cable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the cable as it enters said connector means;
• and
• a plurality of retaining means for retaining said third and fourth terminal means;
• means for mounting said first plurality of contacts in said housing with said first plate-like terminals positioned in a first row on said housing bed and with said third terminal means retained in first selected ones of said retaining means;
• said second plurality of contacts mounted in said housing with said second plate-like terminals mounted in a second row on said housing bed in interleaved manner with said first row of slotted plate-like terminals, and with said fourth terminal means retained in second selected ones of said retaining means;
• and
• the said first and second plate-like terminals thereof and the third and fourth terminal means connected thereto of said first and second plurality of contacts being contructed to be offset in opposite directions to each other to enable positioning said first and second pluralities of contacts side-by-side in the connector housing with the said first and second plate-like terminals being interleaved and with the third and fourth terminal means which are connected to adjacent interleaved first and second plate-like terminals being stacked one upon the other with complete electrical separation between the contacts of said first and second pluralities of contacts.