Ribbon cable connector system having stress relieving means

Claim 2

An electrical ribbon cable male connector for connection to a flat, flexible ribbon-cable comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented substantially parallel flexible conductive wires embedded in a thin flat belt-like insulating medium and having a portion of the insulating medium at the terminal end removed To expose a portion of each of the embedded wires, said electrical ribbon cable male connector comprising: a. a wafer of predetermined shape and comprised substantially of a flat non-conductive medium; b. a plurality of flat electrically conducted fingers affixed to a an array on either surface of said wafer, each of said plurality of electrically conductive fingers having three of its faces substantially embedded in said non-conductive medium and with its fourth face substantially exposed, each of said fingers further comprised of two sections each section having different lateral dimensions and with the first section having larger lateral dimensions than the second section, each of said fingers further being disposed of said wafer in parallel longitudinal relationship with each other for that portion of their longitudinal dimensions contained in said first section, and for the remainder of their longitudinal dimensions in said second portion converging toward constricted lateral dimensions in isolated independence one from the other; c. and non-conductive housing means for enveloping a portion of said wafer, and that portion of said plurality of conductive fingers in said second section, and a portion of the ribboncable when connected to the plurality of conductive fingers, said non-conductive housing means including stress-relieving means for minimizing stresses on the embedded conductive fingers when connected to the conductive wires of the electrical ribbon cable.

Claim 3

An electrical ribbon-cable connector for connection to a flat, flexible ribbon-cable as recited in claim 1 wherein said non-conductive housing means is comprised of two mating halves, each half further comprising an envelope section and in S-curve section, said envelope section having at least two notches on two of its peripheral sides, said notches for receiving mating protrusions from a female connector, when present, for locking the male connector to the female connector, said S-curve section containing the stress-relieving means, said S-curve section having lateral dimensions of the envelope sections, said lateral dimensions of said S-curve section flaring curvedly outwardly front to rear along the longitudinal access of S-curve section forming a curved flared grip-handle said curved flared grip-handle forming at least two cradles on its lateral periphery where said flared curved grip-handle joins said envelope section, whereby a thumb and forefinger may be cradled in each cradle respectively for ease in inserting or extracting said male connector into a female connector when present, said halves of said housing joined in mating alignment with the envelope sections enveloping a portion of said wafer and plurality of conductive fingers embedded therein and said S-curve sections in coordinated engagement with the flat ribbon cable when present thereinbetween.

Claim 4

An electrical ribbon-cable connector for connection to a flat, flexible ribbon-cable as recited in claim 2 further including on S-curve section lateral serrations on said flared curve handle means for firmly gripping said handle means with substantially no slippage when inserting or extracting said male connector into a female connector when present.

Claim 5

An electrical ribbon-cable connector for connection to a flat, flexible ribbon-cable as recited in claim 3 wherein a portion of said wafer with said plurality of conductive fingers affixed thereto protruding longitudinally beyond the envelope section of said non-conductive housing and including a section on a predetermined position of said protruding wafer devoid of any material therein for keying said connector to other mating connectors.

Claim 6

An electrical ribbon-cable connector for connection to a flat flexible ribbon-cable as recited in claim 4 wherein the plurality of flat electrically conductive fingers affixed in substantially parallel array on either face of said wafer as plated thereon.

Claim 7

An electrical ribbon-cable male connector for connection to a flaT, flexible ribbon-cable comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented substantially parallel flexible conductive wires embedded in a thin-flat belt-like insulating medium and having a portion of the insulating medium at the terminal end removed to expose a portion of each of the embedded wires, said electrical ribbon cable male connector comprising: a. a wafer of predetermined shape and comprised substantially of a flat non-conductive medium, said predetermined shape of said wafer having a recess on its rear peripheral edge, said recess having a depth dimension equal to at least the length by which said embedded wires are exposed, said recess also having a length dimension substantially equal to the width of the flat, flexible, ribbon cable; b. a plurality of flat electrically conductive fingers affixed on either face of said wafer, each of said plurality of electrically conductive fingers having 3 of its faces substantially embedded in said non-conductive medium and with its fourth face substantially exposed, each of said fingers further being disposed on said wafer and parallel longitudinal relationship with each other for a portion of their longitudinal dimensions, and for the remainder of their longitudinal dimensions converging toward constricted lateral dimensions and isolated independent ones from the other; c. in non-conductive housing means comprised of two mating halves, each half further comprising an envelope section and an S-curve section said halves of said housing joined in mating alignment, with the envelope sections enveloping a portion of said wafer, the portion of said wafer and conductive fingers thereon not enveloped by said envelope section protruding longitudinally forward of said envelope section, and with said S-curve section in coordinated engagement with the flat ribbon-cable when present thereinbetween.

Claim 8

An electrical ribbon-cable male connector for connection to a flaT, flexible ribbon-cable comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented substantially parallel flexible conductive wires embedded in a thin-flat belt-like insulating medium and having a portion of the insulating medium at the terminal end removed to expose a portion of each of the embedded wires, said electrical ribbon cable male connector comprising: a. a wafer of predetermined shape and comprised substantially of a flat non-conductive medium, said predetermined shape of said wafer having a recess on its rear peripheral edge, said recess having a depth dimension equal to at least the length by which said embedded wires are exposed, said recess also having a length dimension substantially equal to the width of the flat, flexible, ribbon cable; b. a plurality of flat electrically conductive fingers affixed on either face of said wafer, each of said plurality of electrically conductive fingers having 3 of its faces substantially embedded in said non-conductive medium and with its fourth face substantially exposed, each of said fingers further being disposed on said wafer and parallel longitudinal relationship with each other for a portion of their longitudinal dimensions, and for the remainder of their longitudinal dimensions converging toward constricted lateral dimensions and isolated independent ones from the other; c. in non-conductive housing means comprised of two mating halves, each half further comprising an envelope section and an S-curve section said halves of said housing joined in mating alignment, with the envelope sections enveloping a portion of said wafer, the portion of said wafer and conductive fingers thereon not enveloped by said envelope section protruding longitudinally forward of said envelope section, and with said S-curve section in coordinated engagement with the flat ribbon-cable when present thereinbetween.

Claim 9

An electrical ribbon-cable connector system comprising: a. a wafer of predetermined shape and comprised substantially of flat non-conductive medium, said predetermined shape of said wafer having a recess on its rear peripheral edge; b. a plurality of flat electrically conductive fingers affixed on either surface of said wafer, each of said plurality of electrically conductive fingers having three of its faces substantially embedded in said non-conductive medium and with its fourth face substantially exposed, each of said fingers further comprised of two sections each section having different lateral dimensions and with the first section having larger lateral dimensions than the second section; each of said fingers further being disposed on said wafer and parallel longitudinal relationship with each other for that portion of their longitudinal dimensions contained in said first section, and for the remainder of their longitudinal dimensions in said second section converging toward constricted lateral dimensions in isolated independence one from the other, said first section of said fingers for providing mating engagement with a female connector when present, and said fingers in said second section providing a surface for bonding thereto; c. a flexible ribbon-cable comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented substantially parallel flexible conductive wires embedded in a thin flat belt-like insulating medium having a portion of the insulating medium at the terminal end removed to expose a portion of each of the embedded wires said exposed wires of said flexible ribbon-cable disposed, relative to the constricted end of said conductive fingers affixed to said wafer, in registered contacting alignment each-to-each and said wafer, in registered contacting alignment each-to-each and bonded one each-to-each at the contact points to the bonding surface; d. and non-conductive housing means comprised of two mating halves, each half further comprising an envelope section and an S-curve section, said envelope section having at least two notches on two of its peripheral sides, said notches for receiving mating protrUsions from a female connector, when present, for locking the male connector the the female connector, said S-curve section containing the stress relieving means, said S-curve section having lateral dimensions which are smaller than the lateral dimensions of the envelope sections, said lateral dimensions of said S-curve section flaring curvedly outwardly front to rear along the longitudinal access of the S-curve section forming a curved flared grip handle said curved flared grip handle forming at least two cradles on its lateral periphery where said flared curved grip handle joins said envelope section, whereby a thumb and forefinger may be cradled in each cradle respectively for ease in inserting or extracting said male connector into a female connector when present , said halves of said housing joined in mating alignment, with an envelope section enveloping a portion of said wafer, the portion of said wafer and conductive fingers thereon not enveloped by said envelope section protruding longitudinally forward of said envelope section, and with said S-curve sections in coordinated engagement with said flat ribbon-cable.

Claim 10

An electrical ribbon-cable connector system comprising: a. a wafer of predetermined shape and comprised substantially of flat non-conductive medium, said predetermined shape of said wafer having a recess on its rear peripheral edge; b. a plurality of flat electrically conductive fingers affixed on either surface of said wafer, each of said plurality of electrically conductive fingers having three of its faces substantially embedded in said non-conductive medium and with its fourth face substantially exposed, each of said fingers further comprised of two sections each section having different lateral dimensions and with the first section having larger lateral dimensions than the second section; each of said fingers further being disposed on said wafer and parallel longitudinal relationship with each other for that portion of their longitudinal dimensions contained in said first section, and for the remainder of their longitudinal dimensions in said second section converging toward constricted lateral dimensions in isolated independence one from the other, said first section of said fingers for providing mating engagement with a female connector when present, and said fingers in said second section providing a surface for bonding thereto; c. a flexible ribbon-cable comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented substantially parallel flexible conductive wires embedded in a thin flat belt-like insulating medium having a portion of the insulating medium at the terminal end removed to expose a portion of each of the embedded wires said exposed wires of said flexible ribbon-cable disposed, relative to the constricted end of said conductive fingers affixed to said wafer, in registered contacting alignment each-to-each and said wafer, in registered contacting alignment each-to-each and bonded one each-to-each at the contact points to the bonding surface; d. and non-conductive housing means comprised of two mating halves, each half further comprising an envelope section and an S-curve section, said envelope section having at least two notches on two of its peripheral sides, said notches for receiving mating protrUsions from a female connector, when present, for locking the male connector the the female connector, said S-curve section containing the stress relieving means, said S-curve section having lateral dimensions which are smaller than the lateral dimensions of the envelope sections, said lateral dimensions of said S-curve section flaring curvedly outwardly front to rear along the longitudinal access of the S-curve section forming a curved flared grip handle said curved flared grip handle forming at least two cradles on its lateral periphery where said flared curved grip handle joins said envelope section, whereby a thumb and forefinger may be cradled in each cradle respectively for ease in inserting or extracting said male connector into a female connector when present , said halves of said housing joined in mating alignment, with an envelope section enveloping a portion of said wafer, the portion of said wafer and conductive fingers thereon not enveloped by said envelope section protruding longitudinally forward of said envelope section, and with said S-curve sections in coordinated engagement with said flat ribbon-cable.

Claim 11

An electrical ribbon-cable connector system as recited in claim 7 further including on the lateral edges of said housing a notch of predetermined shape for accommodating a resilient protrusion when said electrical ribbon-cable connector is in cooperating unison with another connector having a resilient protrusion attached to its lateral edges, and wherein the recess contained in the shape of said wafer has a depth dimension equal to at least the length by which said embedded wires are exposed, said recess also having a length dimension substantially equal to the width of the flat, flexible, ribbon-cable.