Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-09
2001-06-05
Arbes, Carl J. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S866000, C029S761000, C439S877000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240629
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector element for connecting a flexfoil and a pin-like contact member. As far as applicant is aware of no such connector element does exist in practice. Flexfoils are widely used for interconnecting electronic components. However, no means are available yet to connect such flexfoils to pin-like contact members, e.g. of connectors, in a releasable way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector element for connecting a flexfoil and a pin-like contact member able to provide as many interconnecting and disconnecting operations as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention provides a connector element for connecting a flexfoil and a pin-like contact member, the connector element being made of a conducting material and comprising a base part, at least one clamping means extending from a first side of the connector element for clamping said flexfoil and at least one further clamping means extending from a second opposing side of the connector element for clamping said flexfoil, and wall means arranged relative to said base part to form an opening for receiving said pin-like contact member. Such a connector element is, in use, connected to the flexfoil by the action of the at least one clamping means, whereas the pin-like contact member may be inserted in the opening defined by the base part and the wall means arranged relative to said base part to form that opening. When inserted the pin-like contact member electrically contacts an exposed conducting path of the flexfoil.
Preferably the connector element comprises a back side provided with at least one clamping lip for clamping said flexfoil. This at least one clamping lip enhances the robustness of the clamping between the connector element and the flexfoil.
The connector element preferably comprises at least one opening in the base part adjacent to the at least one clamping lip. In use the at least one clamping lip is bent inward in the direction of the opening and pushes the rear side of the flexfoil into the opening thereby preventing any relative movement between the flexfoil and the connector element when a pin-like contact member is inserted into the connector element.
In order to further reduce any possibility of relative movement between the flexfoil and the connector element the latter may be provided with an eye in the base part for receiving a lip-like extension of the flexfoil.
At least one further opening may be provided in the base part below at least one of the clamping means for providing the same purpose as the at least one opening in the base part mentioned above.
The wall means arranged relative to said base part to form an opening for receiving the pin-like contact member preferably comprise two opposing, inward bent ears extending form opposite sides from the connector element. Such a connector element, then, may be integrally made by stamping from a thin sheet of metal and be bending the ears and the clamping means, as well as the clamping lip(s) if provided, into the proper position. This kind of connector elements can be easily and inexpensively produced.
The clamping means may be fingers cut out from the ears. Cutting out from the ears may be easily carried out after the stamping operation mentioned above.
Preferably the ears are arranged at the extremity of the connector designed for receiving the pin-like contact member and are provided with a beveled edge for supporting lead-in of the pin-like contact member. By providing these beveled edges insertion of a pin-like member into the connector element is an easy operation.
The present invention is, moreover, directed to a set of the flexfoil and the connector element being connected together, the clamping means being bent inward to clamp the flexfoil and to electrically contact an exposed conducting path of said flexfoil.
The connector element in such a set preferably comprises a back side provided with at least one clamping lip for clamping the flexfoil, each of the lips being bent inward and clamping the flex-foil by a crimping operation. Such a crimping operation is, preferably, carried out in such a way that the lips will be provided with dimples above corresponding openings within the base of the connector element in order to create a strain-relief. Then, it is impossible to establish a relative movement between the flexfoil and the connector element by inserting a mating pin-like contact member into the connector element.
The present invention is also related to a connecting tool for guiding a flexfoil into a connector element defined above and for crimping said flexfoil to said connector, comprising a crimping part at least provided with extensions for crimping the clamping means, and a guiding part for guiding the flexfoil into connector, the crimping part and the guiding part being slidable relative to one another.
In such a connecting tool for guiding a flexfoil into a connector element and for crimping said flexfoil to said connector, the guiding part of the connecting tool may be provided with a slanted wall extending somewhat from its bottom side and suitable to be inserted into the eye of the connector for guiding a lip-like extension of the flexfoil into said eye.
The invention also relates to a method of producing a set of a flexfoil and a connector element as defined above by using a connecting tool defined above, including the following steps:
a. locating said connecting tool and said connector in a predefined relation to one another in which the guiding part abuts the connector;
b. inserting the flexfoil into the connector;
c. pushing the connecting tool against the connector with a predefined force and crimping at least the clamping fingers by means of the extensions.
In step a of such a method of producing a set of a flexfoil and a connector element the slanted wall may be partly inserted into the eye of the connector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2921287 (1960-01-01), Mathysse et al.
patent: 4272879 (1981-06-01), Wigby et al.
patent: 4288918 (1981-09-01), Nijman
patent: 4335497 (1982-06-01), Casey
patent: 4831727 (1989-05-01), Johnson, Jr. et al.
patent: 5456005 (1995-10-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 239124 (1960-08-01), None
patent: 1786455 (1959-04-01), None
patent: 1465138 (1965-01-01), None
patent: 1590474 (1965-08-01), None
patent: 39 37 089 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 1337372 (1963-08-01), None
Arbes Carl J.
Berg Technology Inc.
Hamilla Brian J.
Page M. Richard
Trinh Minh
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