Cam-actuated terminal connector
First Claim
1. A connector for achieving electrical continuity between a flat cable having at least one conductor and at least one mating conductor, the connector comprising:
- a housing having a first aperture for receiving the flat cable therethrough and a second aperture for receiving the mating conductor therethrough;
first and second cams mounted within the housing for rotation about parallel, spaced axes between respective first positions wherein confronting surfaces of the cams are spaced from one another by a first distance sufficiently large to receive the flat cable and the mating conductor therebetween in overlapping relationship to one another, and respective second positions wherein the confronting surfaces are spaced from one another by a second distance sufficiently small to clamp the overlapping flat cable conductor and the mating conductor into contact with one another;
means for biasing the cams toward the second positions; and
means on the cams for ensuring that the cams rotate in unison with one another and in opposite directions about their respective axes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connector for removably joining a plurality of electrical terminals to a flat cable. The connector has a housing containing two eccentric cams mounted on separate, parallel axes. The cams are spring biased to a closed position wherein the adjacent surfaces are relatively close together and are rotatable by a push-button actuated release mechanism to an open position wherein the surfaces are relatively far apart. An end of the flat cable is stripped of insulation to expose the conductors and is inserted through an aperture in the housing and between the adjacent surfaces of the cams from a first direction. The plurality of terminals is inserted through a second aperture and between the adjacent surfaces of the cams from the opposite direction into overlapping relationship with the flat cable. A ridge projecting from the surface of the first cam engages a trough formed in the surface of the second cam when the cams are in the closed position to clamp the terminals into contact with the respective conductors of the cable. Any tension on the cable tends to rotate the cams to clamp even more tightly on the cable and terminals so that it is very difficult to pull the cable out of the connector. The terminals and/or cable are easily removed from the connector by depressing the push-button release mechanism.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A connector for achieving electrical continuity between a flat cable having at least one conductor and at least one mating conductor, the connector comprising:
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a housing having a first aperture for receiving the flat cable therethrough and a second aperture for receiving the mating conductor therethrough; first and second cams mounted within the housing for rotation about parallel, spaced axes between respective first positions wherein confronting surfaces of the cams are spaced from one another by a first distance sufficiently large to receive the flat cable and the mating conductor therebetween in overlapping relationship to one another, and respective second positions wherein the confronting surfaces are spaced from one another by a second distance sufficiently small to clamp the overlapping flat cable conductor and the mating conductor into contact with one another; means for biasing the cams toward the second positions; and means on the cams for ensuring that the cams rotate in unison with one another and in opposite directions about their respective axes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18)
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10. A connector for achieving electrical continuity between a flat cable having at least one conductor and at least one electrical terminal having a blade portion and a coupling portion, the connector comprising:
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a housing having a first aperture for receiving the flat cable therethrough and a second aperture for receiving the at least one terminal therethrough; first and second cams mounted within the housing for rotation about parallel, spaced axes between respective first positions wherein confronting surfaces of the cams are spaced from one another by a first distance sufficiently large to receive the conductor and the terminal blade portion therebetween in overlapping relationship to one another, and respective second positions wherein the confronting surfaces are spaced from one another by a second distance sufficiently small to clamp the overlapping conductor into contact with the terminal blade portion; means for biasing the cams toward the second positions; and means mounted in the housing and actuated from outside the housing for rotating at least one of the cams toward the first position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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19. A connector for achieving electrical continuity between a flat cable having at least one conductor and at least one mating conductor, the connector comprising:
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a housing having a first aperture for receiving the flat cable therethrough and a second aperture for receiving the mating conductor therethrough; first and second cams mounted within the housing for rotation about parallel, spaced axes, the cams having confronting surfaces, the confronting surfaces of the first cam having a projection and the confronting surface of the second cam having a receptacle, the cams being rotatable between respective first positions wherein the confronting surfaces of the cams are spaced from one another by a first distance sufficiently large to receive the flat cable and the mating conductor therebetween in overlapping relationship to one another, and respective second positions wherein the confronting surfaces are spaced from one another by a second distance sufficiently small to clamp the overlapping flat cable and the mating conductor into contact with one another between the projection and the receptacle.
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Specification