Patent ID: 11955747
Assignee: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A watertight electrical connector for connecting to flat-wire conductors of a flexible circuit arranged substantially in a first direction and defining both flat and angled portions, the watertight electrical connector comprising:
a first portion that supports angled connector terminals each arranged substantially in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and defining an angled connector surface;
a second portion that houses the angled connector terminals within a cavity, the second portion having an angled contact surface configured to interface with the angled portion of the flexible circuit to mate one or more of the angled connector surfaces of the angled connector terminals with a respective one or more of the flat-wire conductors within an angled connection area on a surface of the angled portion of the flexible circuit; and
a seal surrounding an opening to the cavity to form a watertight connection between the angled connector terminals housed within the cavity and the one or more of the flat-wire conductors within the angled connection area on the surface of the angled portion of the flexible circuit,
the watertight connection being formed when an angled retainer is fitted over the angled portion of the flexible circuit and attached to the watertight electrical connector to compress the seal and form the watertight connection between the surface of the angled portion of the flexible circuit and the angled contact surface of the watertight electrical connector,
wherein an angle of the angled portion and the angled connection area of the flexible circuit, the angled connector surfaces of the angled connector terminals, the angle contact surface of the second portion, and the angled retainer are each an acute angle relative to both the first and second directions, and wherein the acute angle is substantially greater than zero degrees and substantially less than ninety degrees.