GB2319405A - Flat cable connector with position adjustable terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector for flat flexible cable comprises insulation piercing contacts, one of which, i.e. the contact (10), is a signal contact that can be positioned in a number of different positions (30,32) for plugging with a mating table (26) of a mating connector. The position of the terminal (10) enables various connector configurations to be provided for tapping off a flat flexible cable. The terminal (10) can be quickly, simply and easily stitched into its required position by a stitching machine.

Description

CONNECTOR FOR E AT FLEXIBLE CABLE This invention relates to a connector assembly for connection to flat flexible cable (FFC).

Flat Flexible Cable is used in many applications where a plurality of signal lines need to be provided in a compact manner. Such cable can be used as an electrical power and signal line bus along which connectors are positioned for tapping off the power and signal lines. An example of such an application is in automotive lighting systems where a plurality of lights throughout the automobile are interconnected by a single cable, or by a few cables transiting through the car. Different lights could be controlled by different signal lines. Connectors for connection to the FFC cable thus require connection to different lines of the cable.

It would be advantageous to provide an interconnection system that is as cost-effective and simple as possible. In particular, it would be advantageous if such a connection system would be made of a few parts cost-effective to manufacture and cost-effective to assemble.

It is an object of this invention to provide a connection system for flat flexible or ribbon cable with the above mentioned advantages.

Objects of this invention have been achieved by providing the connector according to claim 1. In particular a connection system for flat flexible cable is provided comprising a connector having a housing and electrical terminals mounted therein, the terminals comprising an insulation piercing or displacing section and a contact section, wherein at least one of the terminals is mountable in a plurality of different positions where the contact section thereof extends into a mating tab receiving cavity that receives the tab of a mating connector, the contact being pluggable to the mating tab in any of its positions.

In this manner, the various positions of the modular terminal enables contact to different conductors of the cable such that different connectors can be easy adapted to different signal line configurations whilst being matable to standard or identical tab connectors. The modular terminals can be stitched into the connector housings whereby the stitching machine can be simply automated to position the modular terminal in its required position in a particularly costeffective and simple manner. The FFC cable can be connected to the connector by merely depressing the cable onto the contacts and crimped in a single operation. In the latter situation, the insulation piercing sections of all of the terminals project upwardly from a base wall of the connector and are supported thereagainst.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the . accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded isometrview of a connector according to this invention and a portion of Flat Flexible Cable for connection thereto; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector according to this invention in exploded view; Figure 3 is an isometric view towards a base wall of the connector of Figure 1 without lid and Flat Flexible Cable; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a terminal according to this invention; Figure 5 is a schematic view of a means for assembling the connector according to this invention.

Referring to figure 1, the electrical connector 2 for Flat Flexible cable 4 comprises an insulative housing 6, component terminals 8 and a modular position plugging terminal 10. The housing 6 extends from a base wall 12 to a mating face 14 which is directed towards a mating tab connector pluggable therewith (not shown). Within a centrai portion 16 of the housing 6, are electrical components such as transformers and other electronic circuitry that process power and signal lines for supply to lighting assemblies of an automobile, for example.

Each of the terminals 8,10 comprises cable connection sections 18 in the form of insulation piercing sections 18, and contact sections 20,22, where the contact sections of the component terminals 8 are interconnected to electrical and electronic circuitry within the central section 16. The modular position plugging terminal 10, however, has a contact section 22 in the form of a receptacle terminal with opposed cantilever beam arms 24 that plug onto a tab 26 (see Figure 3) of a mating connector. The receptacle terminal 22 is received within a terminal receiving cavity 28 that extends from the base wall 12 to the mating face 14. The mating tab 26 of the mating connector substantially extends the whole width of the cavity 28 such that the modular position plugging terminal 10 can be positioned at a number of positions 30,32. A plurality of the positioning members 34 are arranged in a direction T transverse to the direction of the cable C as illustrated in Figure 3. Various trurisverse positions of the terminal in the cavity 28 are defined by the positioning members 34,38 which are in the form of studs defining recesses 30,32 therebetween, tic studs 34 engaging either side of a transition portion 36 that links the insulation piercing section 18 to the receptacle portion 22 of the terminal 10. The housing base wall further comprises grooves 38 proximate an end of the insulation piercing section 18 for engaging a protrusion 40 on the terminal. The grooves 38 also form part of the terminal positioning members. The protrusion 40 locates the terminal insulation piercing section 18 precisely with respect to the connector housing, corresponding to the position of the different signal conductors or lines 5 of the cable. In this manner, when a Flat Flexible Cable 4 is positioned thereover the insulation piercing section 18 pierces and contacts a specific signal line thereof. Various adjacent signal lines 5 (see Figure 1) of the Flat Flexible Cable 4 can thus be contacted depending on the modular positioning of the plugging terminal 10. In the latter case, however, the receptacle portion 22 always contacts a single complementary terminal which in this embodiment is a tab 26 such that the mating plug can be simplified. The mating connectors can thus be made identical yet enable connection to respective connectors 2 electrically connected to different signal lines 5 of the cable. The insulating piercing portions 18 of the terminals 8,10 are supported against the connector base wall 12 such that the Flat Flexible Cable is positioned thereover and depressed with a crimping tool that simultaneously pierces and crimps the insulation piercing ears 19 of the contacts to the respective conductor tracks 5 of the cable.

The Flat Flexible Cable is received in a channel 39 on an opposite side of the housing to the mating face 14, and the cable is located laterally with respect to the housing by being seated within a recess defined by side walls 41 that form the channel 39 extending in the cable direction C.

Further location protrusions 42 extend from the base wall 12 and engage through stamped cutouts in the Flat Flexible Cable for securely retaining and positioning the cable in the cable direction C.

Referring to Figure 5, an example of an assembly operation is schematically shown. A first power and signal cable 4' is supplied from a first cable supply 44 and crimped to a connector 2 at a crimping station QG. Crimping is effected by press tool 47 pressing the cable onto the insulation piercing sections 18 of the terminals 10,8 such that they pierce through and crimp onto the cable at their respective positions. Prior to crimping, the connector 2 is prepared at a stitching station 48 where component contacts 8 and modular position plugging terminals 10 are stitched into their respective positions. The stitching machine can be easily automated to vary the stitching position of the modular position plugging terminal 10 for various connector configurations. After the crimp station 46, a shielding layer in the form of Flat Flexible Cable 50 which has a ground plane i.e. a ground conductor covering a substantial width of the cable is applied with adhesive to the cable 4'.

The cable 50 or 4' can be provided with premounted selfadhesive for example. The shielding cable serves to shield the connector and signal conductors of the cable 4' from radiating or receiving electro-magnetic interference.

The housing 6 may further be provided with a cover 54 as best seen in Figure 2 or Figure 1 that has strain relief portions 56 for plugging a U-bend 58 of the cable 4 into corresponding housing strain relief portions in the form of recesses thereby providing a strain-relief means for securing the cable to the connector assembly. Cooperating latching means in the form of resilient latches 62 of the lid engage against shoulders 64 of the housing enable for securing the lid to the housing.

Claims (11)

1. A connector for connecting to flat flexible cable having a plurality of juxtaposed conductors extending in a cable direction and held apart by an insulating layer, the connector comprising an insulative housing and terminals mounted in the housing, wherein each terminal has a connection section for connection to a conductor and a contact section, and at least one of said terminals is a plugging terminal which has a contact section adapted for plugging connection with a complementary terminal of a mating connector, and which is received in a cavity of the housing, and wherein the housing has positioning members which locate the plugging terminal in a specific position in the cavity, a plurality of said positioning members enabliny the terminal to be positioned in the cavity in different transverse positions with respect to the cable direction for connection to different signal conductors of the cable, and the cavity is adapted pluggably to receive a single said complementary terminal for connection to the plugging terminal in any one of said different transverse positions.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the plugging terminal and cavity are adapted to receive a complementary terminal in the form of a tab extending substantially across a whole width of the cavity.

3. The connector of claim 1 or 2 wherein the connector housing comprises a channel adapted to receive and locate the flat flexible cable transversely to the cable direction.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein the channel is provided along a base wall facing in a direction opposed to a mating face of the connector, the mating face pluggably receiving said mating connector.

5. The connector of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the housing comprises locating protrusions engagable in complementary cutouts formed in the cable for locating and retaining the cable in the cable direction.

6. The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein the positioning members comprise studs arranged proximate an edge of the terminal receiving cavity.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein the positioning members include grooves for engaging and positioning the terminal at a connection end thereof.

8. The connector of any one of the preceding claims wherein the connection sections of the terminals comprise insulation piercing or displacing contacts projecting outwardly from a base wall of the connector for connection to the flat flexible cable received over the base wall.

9. The connector of any one of the preceding claims including a cover adapted to securely latch over a base wall of the connector thereby sandwiching the flat flexible cable therebetween, the cover having strain relief portions cooperating with complementary strain relief portions of the housing for securing the cable to the connector, the strain relief portions comprising a projection received in a complementary cavity which produces a U-bend in the cable.

10. The connector of claim 9 wherein the strain relief portions are provided at opposed ends of the connector with respect to the cable direction.

11. A connector for connecting to a flat flexible cable, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.