An electrical connector for flexible flat cable

Claim 1

An electrical connector for a flexible flat cable (4) having spaced-apart parallel conductive strips (7) mounted thereon, arranged at a regular distance (P) apart, said connector including a connector housing (2) having a terminal space (5), a plurality of terminals (6) mounted in the connector housing at regular intervals (P') corresponding to those ( P ) at which the strip conductors (7) of the flat cable (4) are arranged, and a cable holder (3) having a male projection (13) with a forward cable supporting surface (13a) and two lock elongations (A' and B') integrally connected to both sides of the projection, the male projection of said cable holder (3) being adapted to be inserted in the terminal space (5) with the lock elongations sliding along the walls (A and B) of the connector housing, said cable holder having a cable slot (14), permitting the insertion of the cable in the terminals space (5) when the cable holder is brought to the upper insertion limit, the strip conductors (7) of the cable lying on the cable supporting surface (13a) and adapted to be brought and kept in electrical contact with the corresponding terminals (6) when the cable holder is brought to the lower insertion limit and is locked, characterized in that each terminal (6) includes a pair of spaced-apart extensions (8 and 9) defining a bilateral fork, said pair of terminal extensions having contact points (8a and 9a) at their free ends in opposing relationship, whereby the cable holder is inserted in the connector housing (2) so that the cable supporting surface (13a) is brought into contact with either contact point (8a or 9a) of the terminal extension (8 or 9), assuring that cable (4) is resiliently pinched and held between the cable supporting surface and the opposing contact point (8a or 9a) regardless of which of the terminal extensions (8 and 9) the male projection of the cable holder faces.