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US 6,547,605 B2Granted
Flex circuit electrical connector
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames D. Daugherty, Kevin P. Phillips
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector uses a single flex circuit having two banks of electrical conductors each engaged to a series of terminals disposed or engaged in first and second carriers. The carriers are stacked upon one another and then inserted into a shroud of the electrical connector from a lateral direction. A clip retainer is then inserted from the rear into the shroud of the electrical connector between the first and second carriers to assure the position of the individual terminals within the respective carriers. The single flex circuit is replaced by a plurality of individual electrically insulated conductors in a second embodiment.
Claims15
An electrical connector comprising:
- an elongated first carrier having an inner face;
- an elongated second carrier having an inner face which faces and contacts the inner face of the first carrier;
- a first terminal engaged to the inner face of the first carrier;
- a second terminal accessible from the inner face of the second carrier;
- and
- a shroud having a forward annular portion engaged unitarily to a rearward clip portion, the clip portion having a side clearance, wherein the first and second carriers are snap fitted into the clip portion through the side clearance from a lateral direction.
3 more elements
An electrical connector comprising:
- an elongated first carrier having an inner face;
- an elongated second carrier having an inner face which faces the inner face of the first carrier;
- a first terminal engaged to the inner face of the first carrier;
- a second terminal engaged to the inner face of the second carrier;
- a shroud having a forward annular portion engaged unitarily to a rearward clip portion, the clip portion having a side clearance, wherein the first and second carriers are snap fitted into the clip portion through the side clearance from a lateral direction;
- an elongated ledge extended laterally within the shroud and projecting radially inwardly from the shroud;
- the first carrier having an outer face disposed opposite the inner face, the outer face defining a laterally extending slot which receives the respective ledge as the first and second carriers are side mounted into the clip portion of the shroud;
- wherein the first carrier has a first weld access port extending laterally through the first carrier exposing the first terminal, and wherein the second carrier has a second weld access port extending laterally through the second carrier exposing the second terminal;
- a retaining clip engaged to the first carrier, disposed between the first and second carriers and projecting rearward from the shroud, wherein the clip is constructed and arranged to assure the position of the first and second terminals within the first and second carriers, the clip having an aperture;
- and
- the first carrier having a projection snap fitted into the aperture.
8 more elements
An electrical connector comprising:
- a plurality of conductors;
- a plurality of terminals, each one of the plurality of terminals engaged to a respective one of the plurality of conductors;
- a first carrier having an inner face, a groove, and a forward face, the inner face defining the groove which extends forward through the forward face;
- a second carrier having an inner face, a groove, and a forward face, the inner face defining the groove which extends forward through the forward face, the inner face of the first carrier engaged to the inner face of the second carrier, wherein each one of the plurality of terminals are disposed within a respective one of the grooves of the first and second carriers, the plurality of terminals being exposed through the forward faces of the respective first and second carriers;
- the first and second carriers each having a cantilevered flex arm disposed within the respective grooves and engaged to the respective terminals of the first and second carriers, the flex arm of the first carrier engaged to the flex arm of the second carrier along an imaginary plane of the inner faces;
- and
- a shroud having a rearward clip portion and a forward annular portion defining a forward opening, the forward faces of the first and second carriers exposed through the forward opening, the clip portion having a side clearance, wherein the first and second carriers are snap fitted into the clip portion through the side clearance from a lateral direction.
4 more elements
An electrical connector comprising:
- an elongated first carrier having an inner face;
- an elongated second carrier having an inner face which faces the inner face of the first carrier;
- a first terminal engaged to the inner face of the first carrier;
- a second terminal engaged to the inner face of the second carrier;
- a shroud having a forward annular portion engaged unitarily to a rearward clip portion, the clip portion having a side clearance, wherein the first and second carriers are snap fitted into the clip portion through the side clearance from a lateral direction;
- and
- a flex circuit having a first bank having a first conductor engaged electrically to the first terminal and a second bank having a second conductor engaged electrically to the second terminal.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.