The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 29, 2002
Filed:
May. 24, 2001
Shinsuke Kunishi, Hatano, JP;
Yoshiyuki Mizuno, Kanagawa, JP;
Molex Incorporated, Lisle, IL (US);
Abstract
An electrical connector is provided for a flat cable having an upper surface and a lower surface. The connector includes a dielectric housing having an opening for receiving an end of the flat cable in a cable-insertion slot. A plurality of first terminals are mounted in the housing and each has a generally U-shaped configuration defining a base leg and an upper leg. Both legs are fixed in the housing and define a mouth therebetween coincident with the opening in the housing for receiving the end of the flat cable. A flexible contact arm extends from a distal end of the base leg into the mouth and defines a first contact section. A plurality of second terminals are mounted in the housing and each includes a base fixed in the housing and a bifurcated arm flexibly connected to the base and extending toward the opening in the housing. The bifurcated arm includes an upper arm extension and a lower arm extension having a second contact section. An actuator is pivotally mounted on the housing for movement between an open position and a closed position and includes a pivot section engageable with pivot sections of the upper legs of the first terminals and a pressure section facing downwardly toward the cable-insertion slot. The actuator in its open position allows the flat cable to be inserted freely into the slot. The actuator in its closed position causes the pressure section thereof to engage the upper surface of the flat cable and bias the lower surface of the cable against the second contact sections of the second terminals, while the upper arm extensions of the second terminals engage the upper surface of the flat cable and bias the lower surface of the cable against the first contact sections of the first terminals.