IDC connector

Details IDC connector IDC connector

1999-10-14

2001-02-27

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Contact comprising cutter

Insulation cutter

C439S358000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06193541

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a IDC connector, and particularly to a IDC connector having a simple structure.
A conventional IDC (Insulation Displacement Connection) connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,006,957; 4,681,382; 5,104,336 and 5,762,513. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional electrical connector assembly
8
comprises a header
99
mounted on a PCB (not shown), an elongate electrical connector
80
, an elongate cover
82
and an elongate strain relief
84
. The electrical connector
84
mated and received in the header
99
includes an elongate insulative housing
83
and a plurality of terminals
86
retained in the housing
83
. The cover
82
is pre-assembled to the electrical connector
80
and defines a passage therebetween. A flexible cable
90
is inserted into the passage and a plurality of wires thereof coated with insulative material is aligned with the terminals
86
. The cover
82
is further pressed and the flexible cable
90
is sandwiched between the cover
82
and the terminal
86
. Each terminal
86
includes a pair of beams
88
and a mating portion
85
opposite the beams
88
for engaging with corresponding contacts
96
of the header
99
. Each pair of beams
88
pierces the insulative material and contacts the corresponding wire therein. The strain relief
84
includes a pair of latching arms
87
at opposite ends thereof for securing the strain relief
84
to the header
99
. However, such an electrical connector assembly
8
has a significant number of components thereby complicating assembly thereof. Thus, manufacture of the electrical connector assembly
8
is time and cost inefficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a first purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly having a simple structure.
A second purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly which can reliably engage with a flexible cable.
To fulfill the above-mentioned purposes, an electrical connector assembly for interconnecting a flexible cable and a PCB comprises an elongate cover, an elongate electrical connector and an elongate header. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals retained in the housing. Each terminal includes a pair of beams and mating ends opposite the beams. The cover forms a pair of latching arms at opposite ends thereof. Each latching arm forms a hook portion. A plurality of parallel grooves is defined in a bottom surface of the cover. The header includes a shrouded housing and a plurality of contacts retained in the housing for engaging with the terminals of the electrical connector. A cutout is formed in each lateral surface of the shrouded housing. When the assembly of the cover and electrical connector is affixed as a unit, the hook portions of the cover snappingly engages with upper edges of the cutouts thereby securing the cover, the electrical connector and the header together.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4006957 (1977-02-01), Narozny
patent: 4359257 (1982-11-01), Lopinski et al.
patent: 4621885 (1986-11-01), Szczesny et al.
patent: 4648677 (1987-03-01), Lang
patent: 4681382 (1987-07-01), Lockard
patent: 4960390 (1990-10-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5104336 (1992-04-01), Hatanaka et al.
patent: 5108308 (1992-04-01), Wellinsky et al.
patent: 5125850 (1992-06-01), Locati
patent: 5338221 (1994-08-01), Bowen et al.
patent: 5664961 (1997-09-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 5762513 (1998-06-01), Stine

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