Connector for flat cable

Claim 1

An electrical connector assembly for terminating flat multiconductor cable comprising: an elongate housing having a cable terminating face, an opposed mating face, and opposed endwalls having respective latch means thereon, a plurality of contacts in said housing, said contacts having respective conductor receiving portions extending from said cable terminating face in parallel rows, an elongate cover assembly having latch arms at opposite ends thereof, said latch arms engaging said latch means to retain said cover assembly along said cable terminating face, said cover assembly having a cable receiving passage therethrough, said passage being intersected by a plurality of apertures which receive respective conductor receiving portions of contacts, said passage being profiled to align conductors of the cable with respective apertures, said cover assembly having a rear surface, said electrical connector assembly characterized by a panel upstanding from said cable terminating face parallel to said rows of contacts to guide said cover assembly perpendicular to the cable terminating face to align and accurately engage the flat multiconductor cable with the rows of contacts, said panel having a pair of opposed ends proximate said endwalls of said housing, said cover assembly having channel means open to the rear surface, said channel means having adjacent first and second sections, said first section profiled to closely receive the ends of the panel therein to prevent said cover assembly from rotating or skewing relative to said cable terminating face of said housing, said second section remote from the rear surface and providing a passage through which the flat multiconductor cable passes.