Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprising: a mounting plate; a flat cable mounted over one end of said mounting plate, said mounting plate being substantially more rigid than said cable, said cable being substantially more flexible than said mounting plate; said one mounting plate end having a substantially uniform thickness; a block having a rectangular hole therethrough, said one mounting plate end and said cable being pushed through said hole to a position such that said block extends completely therearound, the width of said hole being substantially equal to the width of said mounting plate end plus that of said cable, said block fitting snugly around both said one mounting plate end and said cable, said mounting plate having stop means at the other end thereof to prevent it from being pushed all the way through said hole by engaging said block, said other end of said mounting plate embodying a pair of integral resilient arm sections having a thickness greater than that of said hole, said arm sections being surrounded by said block; a panel plate having a rectangular slot therethrough, said cable having a first conductor on the outer surface thereof, said one mounting plate end and said first conductor projecting through said slot from one side of said panel plate; and a second generally flat flexible conductor fixed relative to the face of said panel plate on said one side thereof, said second conductor extending through said slot in pressure and electrical contact with said first conductor.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said block is dimensioned so as to fit snugly between said stop means and said panel plate when said assembly means is in place.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1 including a pair of longitudinally extending slots through said mounting plate for mounting a pair of said flat cables.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 including at least one stud on said one mounting plate end engaged in an opening in said flat cable for holding said cable in a substantially fixed position relative to said mounting plate.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 1 including latching means on said block for releasably attaching said block to said panel plate.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 5 including additional latching means on said block for releasably retaining said mounting plate in said rectangular hole.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 1 including assembly means on the other side of said panel plate engaging said one mounting plate end to lock said mounting plate in a substantially fixed position in said rectangular slot.

Claim 9

An electrical connector comprising: a mounting plate; a flat flexible cable mounted over one end of said mounting plate, said mounting plate being substantially more rigid than said cable, said cable being substantially more flexible than said mounting plate; said one mounting plate end having a substantially uniform thickness; a block having a rectangular hole therethrough, said one mounting plate end and said cable being pushed through said hole to a position such that said block extends completely therearound, the width of said hole being substantially equal to the width of said mounting plate, said hole having a thickness equal to that of said one mounting plate end plus that of said cable, said block fitting snugly around both said one mounting plate end and said cable, said mounting plate having stop means at the other end thereof to prevent it from being pushed all the way through said hole by engaging said block; a flat panel plate having a rectangular slot therethrough, said cable having a first conductor on the outer exposed surface thereof, said one mounting plate end and said first conductor projecting through said rectangular slot from one side of said panel plate; and a second generally flat flexible conductor fixed relative to the face of said panel plate on said one side thereof, said second conductor extending through said rectangular slot in pressure and electrical contact with said first conductor; latch means on said block for releasably attaching said block to said panel plate and for releasably retaining said mounting plate in said rectangular hole in said block, said latch means comprising generally U-shaped resilient elements adjacent two opposite sides of said block, each said element including a short leg and a long leg, each short leg being integral with the rear of said block and extending in a direction away from said one side of said panel plate, an integral inwardly extending latch element on each said short leg engaging behind the rear of said mounting plate, recesses formed in said opposite sides of said block, said long legs being located outside of said short legs and aligned with said recesses, said long legs extending forwardly through said rectangular slot in said panel plate to the other side of said plate, and an integral outwardly extending latch element on the end of each of said long legs engaging said other side of said panel plate, whereby biasing of said long legs toward each other moves said long legs into said recesses causing said latch elements on the ends of said long legs to disengage from said other side of said panel plate and said latch elements on said short legs to disengage from said rear of said mounting plate.

Claim 10

An electrical connector comprising: a mounting plate; a flat flexible cable mounted over one end of said mounting plate, said mounting plate being substantially more rigid than said cable, said cable being substantially more flexible than said mounting plate; said one mounting plate end having a substantially uniform thickness; a block having a rectangular hole therethrough, said one mounting plate end and said cable being pushed through said hole to a position such that said block extends completely therearound, the width of said hole being substantially equal to the width of said mounting plate, said hole having a thickness equal to that of said one mounting plate end plus that of said cable, said block fitting snugly around both said one mounting plate end and said cable, said mounting plate having stop means at the other end thereof to prevent it from being pushed all the way through said hole by engaging said block; a flat panel plate having a rectangular slot therethrough, said cable having a first conductor on the outer exposed surface thereof, said one mounting plate end and said first conductor projecting through said rectangular slot from one side of said panel plate; and a second generally flat flexible conductor fixed relative to the face of said panel plate on said one side thereof, said second conductor extending through said rectangular slot in pressure and electrical contact with said first conductor; latch means on said block for releasably attaching said block to said panel plate and for releasably retaining said mounting plate in said rectangular hole in said block, said latch means comprising generally U-shaped resilient elements adjacent two opposite sides of said block, each said element including a short leg and a long leg, each short leg being integral with the rear of said block and extending in a direction away from said one side of said panel plate, an integral inwardly extending latch element on each said short leg engaging behind the rear of said mounting plate, recesses formed in said opposite sides of said block, said long legs being located outside of said short legs and aligned with said recesses, said long legs extending forwardly through said rectangular slot in said panel plate to the other side of said plate, and an integral outwardly extending latch element on the end of each of said long legs engaging said other side of said panel plate, whereby biasing of said long legs toward each other moves said long legs into said recesses causing said latch elements on the ends of said long legs to disengage from said other side of said panel plate and said latch elements on said short legs to disengage from said rear of said mounting plate.