Electrical connector having crimp-mounted electrical terminals
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrical terminal comprising:
- a mating portion defining a contact surface that is configured to removably electrically connect to an electrical terminal of a complementary electrical component; and
a mounting portion including a mounting member and a crimp member that extends from the mounting member, the crimp member having flexible crimp teeth that, when the mounting portion of the electrical terminal is mounted to a flat flex cable, crimp so as to
1) pierce through the flat flex cable along a first direction, and
2) fold back and pierce into the flat flex cable along a second direction substantially opposite the first direction,wherein the crimp member extends from the mounting member along a direction that is substantially parallel to a direction in which the mating portion is spaced from the mounting portion.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrical connector includes a connector housing, and at least one electrical terminal supported by the connector housing. The electrical terminal defines a mating portion and a mounting portion, the mounting portion carrying a crimp member having crimp teeth configured to pierce through a flex cable when crimped so as to mount the flat flex cable to the mounting portion of the electrical terminal.
104 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An electrical terminal comprising:
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a mating portion defining a contact surface that is configured to removably electrically connect to an electrical terminal of a complementary electrical component; and a mounting portion including a mounting member and a crimp member that extends from the mounting member, the crimp member having flexible crimp teeth that, when the mounting portion of the electrical terminal is mounted to a flat flex cable, crimp so as to
1) pierce through the flat flex cable along a first direction, and
2) fold back and pierce into the flat flex cable along a second direction substantially opposite the first direction,wherein the crimp member extends from the mounting member along a direction that is substantially parallel to a direction in which the mating portion is spaced from the mounting portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
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a connector housing that includes a first housing surface that defines a mating interface configured to mate with a complementary electrical connector, and a second housing surface that defines a mounting interface that is configured to secure to a flat flex cable; at least one electrical terminal supported by the housing, the electrical terminal defining a mating portion that faces out from the first housing surface, and a mounting portion that includes at least one crimp member that includes a plurality of crimp teeth that face out from the second surface and are configured to pierce the flat flex cable so as to electrically connect the mounting portion of the electrical terminal to the flat flex cable, the mating portion including a proximal region, a distal region, and a flexible bent intermediate region connected between proximal region and the distal region, wherein the proximal region defines a contact surface configured to contact a complementary electrical terminal, thereby causing the flexible bent intermediate region to flex such that the proximal region compresses toward the distal region; and a strain relief assembly configured to compress the flat flex cable against the connector housing after the mounting portion of the electrical terminal has been electrically connected to the flex cable, wherein the crimp member extends from the mounting member along a direction that is substantially parallel to a direction in which the mating portion is spaced from the mounting portion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electrical terminal comprising:
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a mating portion including a proximal region, a distal region, and a flexible bent intermediate region connected between proximal region and the distal region, wherein the proximal region defines a contact surface configured to contact an electrical terminal of a complementary electrical component so as to removably electrically connect to the electrical terminal, thereby causing the flexible bent intermediate region to flex such that the proximal region compresses toward the distal region; and a mounting portion including a mounting member and a crimp member that extends from the mounting member, the crimp member having flexible crimp teeth configured to pierce through a flat flex cable along a first direction so as to mount the flat flex cable to the mounting portion of the electrical terminal, wherein the crimp member extends from the mounting member along a direction that is substantially parallel to a direction in which the mating portion is spaced from the mounting portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrical terminal comprising:
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a mating portion defining a contact surface that is configured to removably electrically connect to an electrical terminal of a complementary electrical component; a mounting portion including a mounting member and a crimp member that extends from the mounting member, the crimp member having flexible crimp teeth configured to pierce through a flat flex cable along a first direction so as to mount the flat flex cable to the mounting portion of the electrical terminal, wherein the crimp member extends from the mounting member along a direction that is substantially parallel to a direction in which the mating portion is spaced from the mounting portion; and an intermediate portion that is connected between the mating portion and the mounting portion, wherein the mating portion and the mounting portion extend from spaced first and second locations, respectively, of the intermediate portion, wherein the mating portion and the mounting portion extend from the intermediate portion in the same direction such that the mating portion and the mounting portion overlap each other. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification