US3840840A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flat conductor cable connector
Assignee: Continental Wirt Electronics Corp
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Filing: 1973-08-10
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Granted: 1974-10-08
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Expires: 1993-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A connector for a multi-conductor insulated flat conductor cable tape having metal contact members which are respectively anchored to the several flat ribbon conductors of the cable, each said contact member having paired coplanar conductor-piercing prongs which are adapted to be so clinched together as to completely embrace and make electrical contact with a pierced segment of the insulated ribbon conductor to which it is anchored along a line which extends parallel to the longitudinally extending center line of the conductor. The contact member is stamped from a thin sheet of electrically conductive metal which is of a thickness much less than the width of the ribbon conductor to which it is anchored and since the clinching of the contact member to the conductor is ''''in line'''' with the conductor, i.e., lengthwise thereof, the connector may be employed for cables having very low center to center distances between the conductors thereof. Each contact member is provided with a terminal for connecting the conductor to electrical circuitry. Also, the connector is provided with strain relief means which prevents transmittal of disruptive strains to the interconnected conductor and contact.
Inventors
- 👤 S Worth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:42
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/59; H01R12/65; H01R12/67; H01R12/68
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
An electrical connector for an insulated flat cable having a plurality of flat ribbon conductors embedded in the cable insulation in coplanar side by side spaced relation comprising an insulated structure secured to the cable in transversely extending relation to the conductors thereof and a plurality of electrically conductive metal contact members mounted in said structure in spaced parallel planes respectively extending perpendicular to the flat plane of the cable and lengthwise of the conductors thereof, each of said contact members having an outer terminal part for connection to an electrical circuit or component thereof and an inner retention part for retaining said contact member in said structure, said retention part having extending from one edge thereof at least one pair of spaced-apart pointed elements for piercing a ribbon conductor of the insulated cable, one of said elements being of a length substantially exceeding the overall thickness of the insulated cable and so reversely bent and clinched about the cable as to substantially close the gap between the points of said spaced-apart elements whereby the latter conjointly embrace and make electrical contact with a longitudinally extending narrow segment of the ribbon conductor pierced thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
An electrical connector for an insulated flat cable having a plurality of flat ribbon conductors embedded in the cable insulation in coplanar side by side spaced relation comprising an insulated structure secured to the cable in transversely extending relation to the conductors thereof and a plurality of electrically conductive metal contact members mounted in said structure in spaced parallel planes respectively extending perpendicular to the flat plane of the cable and lengthwise of the conductors thereof, each of said contact members having an outer terminal part for connection to an electrical circuit or component thereof and an inner retention part for retaining said contact member in said structure, said retention part having extending from one edge thereof at least one pair of spaced-apart pointed elements for piercing a ribbon conductor of the insulated cable, one of said elements being of a length substantially exceeding the overall thickness of the insulated cable and so reversely bent and clinched about the cable as to substantially close the gap between the points of said spaced-apart elements whereby the latter conjointly embrace and make electrical contact with a longitudinally extending narrow segment of the ribbon conductor pierced thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
An electrical connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said pair of pointed elements constitute integral extensions of and are commonly disposed in coplanar relation to said retention part of each said contact member and wherein said elements are of a uniform thickness substantially less than the width of the ribbon conductor pierced thereby whereby the connector may be applied to a cable having a low center to center distance between the conductors thereof and thereby increase the density of contact members per unit length of the connector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electrical connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said connector structure is provided along the length thereof with a plurality of slits disposed in spaced parallel relation for respectively receiving therein said contact members with the terminals thereof projecting externally from one side of the structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
An electrical connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said retention part of each said contact member is provided with two of said pairs of spaced-apart pointed elements all disposed in a common plane extending lengthwise of a cable conductor pierced thereby whereby to provide each said conductor with a pair of longitudinally spaced coplanar areas of clinched electrical connection with its associated contact member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electrical connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said one edge of said contact member retention part extends lengthwise of the cable in contact with one insulated surface thereof along a line disposed intermediate the marginal side edges of the ribbon conductor pierced by said elements and wherein said elements effectively pinch therebetween said longitudinally extending segment of the pierced ribbon conductor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal part extends from said retention part in a direction opposite that of said pointed elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal part extends from said retention part in a direction normal to that of said pointed elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said insulated structure is provided with spaced parallel recesses extending lengthwise of the cable in which said contact members are respectively nested.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said insulatEd structure includes a multi-slitted base member and a mating multi-recessed cover member adapted to be secured together with the slits of said base member in coplanar registry respectively with the recesses of said cover member and wherein a multiconductor cable is clamped between said base and cover members with the several ribbon conductors of the cable each having clinched thereto one of said contact members nested in the slitted base member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
In a connector as defined in claim 9 wherein one of said mating members of said insulating structure is provided with a depending flange disposed in spaced parallel relation to one side of the other of said mating members to provide an angularly shaped space between proximate surfaces of the mating members in which to receive a correspondingly shaped section of the cable whereby to provide a strain relief means for the cable clamped in said structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a connector as defined in claim 9 wherein said base and cover members of said insulating structure are complementally shaped lengthwise thereof to seal the transversely cut end of the cable clamped therebetween.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
198 words
An electrical connection comprising in combination an insulated flat cable having a plurality of flat ribbon conductors embedded in the cable insulation and a contact member for each of a selected number of said conductors, said contact member being formed of a stamping of thin sheet metal which includes a body portion having extending from one edge thereof an elongated terminal strip and from another edge thereof at least one pair of conductor-piercing tooth-like elements having pointed extremities arranged in spaced tandem relation in the plane of said body portion, one of said paired elements being of a length substantially longer than and the other being of a length not exceeding the overall thickness of its associated insulated conductor, each of said paired elements being projected through said insulated conductor with said body portion of said contact member extending lengthwise of the conductor with the longer one of said elements reversely bent back into the opposite side of the insulated conductor to present its pointed extremity into closely adjoining relation to the pointed extremity of the shorter one of said elements and thereby encircle and pinch between said elements a longitudinally extending narrow segment of the ribbon conductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
198 words
An electrical connection comprising in combination an insulated flat cable having a plurality of flat ribbon conductors embedded in the cable insulation and a contact member for each of a selected number of said conductors, said contact member being formed of a stamping of thin sheet metal which includes a body portion having extending from one edge thereof an elongated terminal strip and from another edge thereof at least one pair of conductor-piercing tooth-like elements having pointed extremities arranged in spaced tandem relation in the plane of said body portion, one of said paired elements being of a length substantially longer than and the other being of a length not exceeding the overall thickness of its associated insulated conductor, each of said paired elements being projected through said insulated conductor with said body portion of said contact member extending lengthwise of the conductor with the longer one of said elements reversely bent back into the opposite side of the insulated conductor to present its pointed extremity into closely adjoining relation to the pointed extremity of the shorter one of said elements and thereby encircle and pinch between said elements a longitudinally extending narrow segment of the ribbon conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
An electrical connection as defined in claim 12 wherein said body portion of each said contact member is provided with a first pair of said longer length conductor-piercing elements and a second pair of shorter length elements all disposed in the flat plane of said body portion and in spaced tandem relation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
An electrical connection as defined in claim 13 wherein said first pair of longer length conductor-piercing elements are disposed centrally between said second pair of shorter length elements and are adapted respectively to be clinched to the shorter elements in embracing relation about a pair of longitudinally spaced segments of the conductor lying in a common plane extending vertically with respect to the plane of said conductor in parallel relation to the longitudinal center line of the conductor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-07 | 1978-04-08 | 1978-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-07 | 1982-04-08 | 1982-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-07 | 1986-04-08 | 1986-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |