Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – For direct connection to a flexible tape or printed circuit...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-07
2001-06-19
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
For direct connection to a flexible tape or printed circuit...
C439S492000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247951
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to electrical connectors for connecting two flexible circuits together.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible circuits, also known as flat cable or flexible printed circuits, comprise flat flexible conductors, usually copper, that are arranged side by side on a thin, flexible sheet or film of plastic insulation such as polyethylene. The flexible conductors may also be embedded in the plastic insulator or sandwiched between two flexible sheets of plastic insulation that are bonded together.
Flexible circuits commonly have a terminal portion where the plastic insulation is removed to expose at least one surface of the flat flexible conductors so that the flat flexible conductors can be connected to other conductors electrically. These other conductors can take the form of sheet metal terminals, electrical wires or cables, the flat conductors of printed circuit boards or the flat conductors of another flexible circuit.
Flexible circuits have been used in automotive wiring particularly in connection with instrument panels. The complexity of automotive wiring increases yearly resulting in increased use of flexible circuits and the need for an electrical connector for connecting one flexible circuit to another flexible circuit that is economical to manufacture and easy to install when connecting the flexible circuits to each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides an electrical connector for connecting two flexible circuits that is economical to manufacture and easy to install when connecting two flexible printed circuits to each other.
A feature of the electrical connector of the invention is that the electrical connector comprises two clamp members that are installed simply by snapping the two clamp members together manually in a clamping relationship with overlapping terminal portions of two flexible printed circuits.
Another feature of the electrical connector of the invention is that the electrical connector comprises two clamp members that can be identical for economy of manufacture.
Yet another feature of the electrical connector of the invention is that the electrical connector comprises two clamp members of molded plastic construction for economy of manufacture.
Still another feature of the electrical connector of the invention is that the electrical connector can be disassembled to service and/or replace one or both flexible circuits.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
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Di Liello Paul
Rimko Robert W.
Siegfried David Glen
Bradley Paula
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Gushi Ross
Jones Richard A.
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