Connector for flexible printed circuit
First Claim
1. A unitary housing, of moldable dielectric material for connecting terminals to a flexible printed circuit comprising:
- a body portion having a substantially flat upper surface and a plurality of spaced generally rectangular terminal-receiving cavities extending therethrough perpendicularly to said substantially flat upper surface, said cavities having first openings at said substantially flat upper surface for inserting terminals into said cavities and second aligned openings at a lower surface of said body portion, each of said cavities having a side wall merging with said substantially flat upper surface of said body portion for wiping overhanging conductor strips of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit engaging said substantially flat upper surface into said cavities in cooperation with terminals upon insertion thereof into said cavities through said first openings;
a cover portion connected to said insulator body portion by a flexible hinge portion, said cover portion having a generally planar surface and being pivotally movable about said flexible hinge portion between a closed position whereat said planar surface of said cover portion overlies said substantially flat upper surface of said insulator body portion substantially parallel and in close proximity thereto for cooperative clamping engagement of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit, and an open position for providing access to said first openings of said cavities for insertion of terminals thereinto,means for retaining terminals in said cavities independently of the position of said cover,and means for retaining said cover portion in the closed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A unitary housing of moldable dielectric material having a body portion, a cover portion, and an interconnecting hinge portion is clamped onto a terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit having a plurality of uninsulated, cantilevered conductor strip end portions. The body portion of the housing has open ended cavities. Terminals are disposed in the cavities in biased engagement with portions of the conductor strip end portions wiped into the cavities by the terminals. The cover portion is movable between an open position providing access to the cavities for assembly of the terminals and a closed position for clamped engagement with the terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit. The terminal cavities may be in an irregular pattern and may include a part cylindrical surface to facilitate the conductor strip end portions being wiped into the cavities by the terminals. The cover portion may be releasably or permanently retained in the closed position and may include rounded projections aligned with the cavities and in biased engagement with the terminals disposed therein.
51 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A unitary housing, of moldable dielectric material for connecting terminals to a flexible printed circuit comprising:
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a body portion having a substantially flat upper surface and a plurality of spaced generally rectangular terminal-receiving cavities extending therethrough perpendicularly to said substantially flat upper surface, said cavities having first openings at said substantially flat upper surface for inserting terminals into said cavities and second aligned openings at a lower surface of said body portion, each of said cavities having a side wall merging with said substantially flat upper surface of said body portion for wiping overhanging conductor strips of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit engaging said substantially flat upper surface into said cavities in cooperation with terminals upon insertion thereof into said cavities through said first openings; a cover portion connected to said insulator body portion by a flexible hinge portion, said cover portion having a generally planar surface and being pivotally movable about said flexible hinge portion between a closed position whereat said planar surface of said cover portion overlies said substantially flat upper surface of said insulator body portion substantially parallel and in close proximity thereto for cooperative clamping engagement of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit, and an open position for providing access to said first openings of said cavities for insertion of terminals thereinto, means for retaining terminals in said cavities independently of the position of said cover, and means for retaining said cover portion in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A unitary housing, of moldable dielectric material for connecting terminals to a flexible printed circuit comprising:
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a body portion having a substantially flat upper surface and a plurality of spaced generally rectangular terminal-receiving cavities extending therethrough perpendicularly to said substantially flat upper surface, said cavities being disposed in an irregular pattern and having first openings at said substantially flat upper surface for inserting terminals into said cavities and second aligned openings at a lower surface of said body portion, each of said cavities having a side wall having an upper part cylindrical surface merging smoothly with said substantially flat upper surface of said body portion for wiping overhanging conductor strips of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit engaging said substantially flat upper surface into said cavities in cooperation with female terminals upon insertion thereof into said cavities through said first openings; a cover portion connected to said insulator body portion by a flexible hinge portion, said cover portion having a generally planar surface and being movable between a closed position whereat said planar surface of said cover portion overlies said substantially flat upper surface of said insulator body portion substantially parallel and in close proximity thereto for cooperative clamping engagement of a terminal portion of a flexible printed circuit, and an open position for providing access to said first openings of said cavities for insertion of terminals thereinto, said planar surface of said cover portion having a plurality of projections aligned with respective ones of said plurality of cavities when said cover portion is in the closed position for biasing terminals disposed in said cavities downwardly; and means for retaining said cover portion in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A connector for a flexible printed circuit comprising a terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit having a plurality of uninsulated, cantilevered conductor strip end portions, a unitary housing of moldable dielectric material having a body portion, a cover portion and an interconnecting hinge portion, said body portion having a surface supporting said terminal portion and a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities extending therethrough, said cavities having first openings at said surface and second aligned openings at an opposite surface of said body portion, terminals disposed in said cavities in biased engagement with portions of said conductor strip end portions disposed therein, means retaining said terminals in said cavities of said body portion independently of the position of said cover portion, said cover portion having a surface in clamped engagement with said terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit in a closed position, said cover portion being pivotally movable about said interconnecting hinge portion to said closed position from an open position providing access to said first openings of said cavities for insertion of said terminals thereinto,
and means integral with said housing for securing said cover portion in the closed position.
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6. A connector for a flexible printed circuit comprising a terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit having a plurality of uninsulated, cantilevered conductor strip end portions, a unitary housing of moldable dielectric material having a body portion, a cover portion and an interconnecting hinge portion, said body portion having a substantially flat upper surface for supporting said terminal portion and a plurality of spaced generally rectangular terminal-receiving cavities extending therethrough perpendicularly to said substantially flat upper surface, said cavities having first openings at said substantially flat upper surface and second aligned openings at a lower surface of said body portion, terminals disposed in said cavities in biased engagement with portions of said conductor strip end portion disposed therein, said terminals having transverse portions engaging said conductor strip end portions at locations spaced from said cavities, said cover portion having a generally planar surface overlying said substantially flat upper surface of said body portion substantially parallel and in close proximity thereto and in clamped engagement with said terminal portion of the flexible printed circuit in a closed position, said generally planar surface having a plurality of rounded projections engaging said transverse portions of said terminals when said cover portion is in said closed position, said cover portion being movable to said closed position from an open position providing access to said first openings of said cavities for insertion of terminals thereinto,
and means integral with said housing for securing said cover portion in the closed position.
Specification