Grounding clip for use with shielded, jacketed flat cable

A method of grounding a shielded, jacketed flat cable with a one-piece resilient metallic grounding clip, said cable comprising an array of coplanar conductors embedded in a layer of insulation and extending between the cable sides with a metallic shield surrounding said conductors and an outer sheath of flexible insulative material;

• said clip comprising a first arm, a second arm, a web joining said arms and defining therewith a channel for receiving the shielded portion of the flat cable with the spacing between said arms being less than the thickness of said shielded portion, and an ear extending from said web for cooperating with one of said arms to deform said outer sheath;
• said method comprising the following steps:
• slitting said outer sheath at one side of said flat cable intermediate the cable ends to expose said shielded portion;
• inserting said arms through the slit so that they compressively engage said shielded portion;
• deforming said ear toward said arm to compress the outer sheath;
• and
• connecting said clip to ground.

The combination of a one-piece resilient metallic grounding clip and a connector assembly for terminating a shielded, jacketed flat cable having an array of coplanar conductors embedded in a layer of insulation and extending intermediate the cable sides, a metallic shield surrounding said conductors and an outer sheath of flexible insulative material;

• said assembly comprising a metallic housing having at least two components adapted to be assembled together with said housing defining a cavity for receiving an end portion of said cable and a connector for terminating said conductors, said clip comprising:
• a first arm;
• a second arm;
• a web joining said arms defining therewith a channel receiving the shielded portion of said cable, the spacing between said arms being less than the thickness of said shielded portion so that the shielded portion inserted in said channel is held compressively between said arms;
• and
• means for making good electrical and mechanical contact with said housing when said components are assembled.

The combination of a one-piece resilient metallic grounding clip and a shielded, jacketed flat cable of the type including (1) an array of generally parallel, regularly spaced and coplanar conductors, extending intermediate the sides of the cable and embedded in a layer of insulation, (2) a metallic shield surrounding said conductors, and (3) an outer sheath of flexible insulative material;

• said clip comprising:
• a first arm;
• a second arm;
• a web joining said arms and defining therewith a channel for receiving the shielded portion of the flat cable, the spacing between said arms being less than the thickness of said shielded portion;
• and
• an ear extending from said web for cooperating with one of said arms to deform a portion of said outer sheath, said cable having a slit in the outer sheath at one side of the cable intermediate the ends of the cable, said arms extending through said slit to flank said shielded portion to compressively hold said shielded portion therebetween.