A method of, and apparatus for, terminating a conductor of a flat flexible cable

Claim 3

A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that K2<0.30 Kl; where Kl is the elastic characteristic of the terminal and K2 is the corresponding characteristic thereof in respect of the plastic deflection of the arm (46).

Claim 4

A method according to Claim 2, characterised in that where Fn is the contact force in respect of a cable of stripped thickness n, dl is the distance through which the contact surface (57) is moved away from the abutment (43) during the elastic deflection of the arm (46), dr. is the total distance through which the contact surface (57) is moved away from the abutment (43) in respect of a cable of stripped thickness n, e is the stripped thickness of the cable (C or Cl), E is the thickness of the camming element (16) as seen in cross-section through the contact surface (57) after the plastic deflection of the arm (46), and Do is the initial minimum distance between the contact surface (57) and the abutment (43).

Claim 5

A method according to Claim 3, characterised in that Kl = 10,000 N/m, K2 = 3,000 N/m, dl = 0.2 x 10 -3 , E = 0.8 x 10 -3 m and Do = 0.5 x 10 -3 m and Fn is between 2N and 3.5N in dependence upon the value of e.

Claim 6

An electrical connector comprising a one-piece electrical terminal (4) having a pair of spaced arms (40 and 46) upstanding in juxtaposed, spaced relationship from a base portion (34) of the terminal (4), and a camming element (16), which is insertable between the arms (40 and 46), to urge a conductor of a flat flexible cable against one (46) of the arms (40 and 46) when the camming element (16), has been fully inserted between the arms (40 and 46), the camming element (16) being patered in the direction of its insertion; characterised in that for use with a flat flexible film cable (C), the one arm (46) has, at a position remote from the base portion (34), a bowed contact surface (57) projecting towards the other arm which is restrained against movement away from the one arm (46), the thickness (E) of the camming element (16), as seen in cross-section through the contact surface (57) and the cable (C) when the camming element (16) has been fully inserted between the arms (40 and 46), being such that during the insertion of the camming element (16), after the one arm (46) has fist been elastically deflected to move the contact surface (57) away from the other arm (40), the one arm (46) is plastically deflected in the same direction over a distance which is at least equal to the thickness of the cable (C) with the conductor exposed; and in that K2 <0.30 Kl, where Kl is the elastic characteristic of the terminal (4) and K2 is its corresponding characteristic in respect of its plastic deformation.

Claim 7

An electrical connector comprising a one-piece electrical terminal (4) having a pair of spaced arms (40 and 46) upstanding in juxtaposed, spaced relationship from a base portion (34) of the terminal (4), and a camming element (16), which is insertable between the arms (40 and 46), to urge a conductor of a flat flexible cable against one (46) of the arms (40 and 46) when the camming element (16), has been fully inserted between the arms (40 and 46), the camming element (16) being patered in the direction of its insertion; characterised in that for use with a flat flexible film cable (C), the one arm (46) has, at a position remote from the base portion (34), a bowed contact surface (57) projecting towards the other arm which is restrained against movement away from the one arm (46), the thickness (E) of the camming element (16), as seen in cross-section through the contact surface (57) and the cable (C) when the camming element (16) has been fully inserted between the arms (40 and 46), being such that during the insertion of the camming element (16), after the one arm (46) has fist been elastically deflected to move the contact surface (57) away from the other arm (40), the one arm (46) is plastically deflected in the same direction over a distance which is at least equal to the thickness of the cable (C) with the conductor exposed; and in that K2 <0.30 Kl, where Kl is the elastic characteristic of the terminal (4) and K2 is its corresponding characteristic in respect of its plastic deformation.

Claim 8

A connector according to Claim 5, characterised in that the camming element (16) is captive to a housing (2) containing the terminal (4), and initially elastically deflects the other arm (40) against a wall (60) of the housing (2) as the camming element (16) is assembled to the housing (2).

Claim 9

A connector according to Claim 5, characterised in that..during the insertion of the camming element (16) between the arms (40 and 46), the former initially urges the other arm (40) resiliently against a wall (60) of a housing (2) containing the terminal (4); and in that the camming element (16), is mounted to the housing (2) with play laterally of the insertion direction of the camming element (16).

Claim 10

A connector according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the one arm (46) which is in the form of a cantilever, is of constant cross-section between the base member (34) and a cross-piece (53) at the free end of the one arm (46).