Patent Publication Number: US-11652313-B2

Title: Split cover electrical connector for flat cable

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an electrical connector that is adapted for use with a flat flexible cable. More specifically, this invention relates to an electrical connector that is adapted to engage a seal with a flat flexible cable. 
     A flat flexible cable is a type of electrical cable that includes a flat, flexible base that support one or more flat electrical conductors thereon. Flat flexible cables are typically used in devices having a large amount of electronics in a relatively small space. In such devices, the flat flexible cable can provide for easier cable management than a conventional round electrical cable. It would be advantageous to have an improved electrical connector for attachment to a flat flexible cable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a housing. The housing has a housing body. The housing has a cover mount. The housing has a cable cavity that extends through the cover mount along a connector axis. The electrical connector includes a first cover. The first cover is located on the first side of the connector axis. A second cover is located on a second side of the connector axis. The first cover engages the second cover to retain the covers in their relative positions. The covers also engage the cover mount to retain their position relative to the housing. 
     In another embodiment, the electrical connector includes a housing with a housing body and a cover mount. The cover mount includes a flange and a housing groove located between the flange and the housing body. A cable cavity extends through the cover mount along a connector axis. A first cover is located on a first side of the connector axis. The first cover includes a first cover flange. A second cover is located on a second side of the connector axis. The second cover includes a second cover flange. The first cover engages the second cover to retain the first cover in position relative to the second cover. The first cover flange and the second cover flange are located at least in part in the housing groove. 
     Another embodiment of the electrical connector includes a cable that is located in part in the cable cavity. The cable extends between the first cover and the second cover. 
     Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a front end of a split cover electrical connector in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a rear end of the split cover electrical connector shown in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded perspective view of the front end of the split cover electrical connector shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the partially assembled split cover electrical connector shown prior to insertion of a flat flexible cable. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view similar to  FIG.  4    showing the flat flexible cable after being inserted into a terminal cavity in a housing of the split cover electrical connector and prior to the installation of first and second covers. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view similar to  FIG.  5    showing the first and second covers positioned to be attached to the housing. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG.  2   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2    a split cover electrical connector, indicated generally at  10 .  FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the split cover electrical connector  10  from the front and  FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the split cover electrical connector  10  from the rear. The split cover electrical connector  10  includes a contact portion  12  that is adapted to engage a corresponding electrical connector (not shown) and a cable portion  14  that is adapted to engage a cable  16 . The illustrated cable  16  is a flat flexible cable, but may be any desired type of cable. 
       FIG.  3    is an exploded perspective view of the split cover electrical connector  10 . The split cover electrical connector  10  includes a connector housing  18 . The illustrated housing  18  is molded from plastic, but may be made from any desired material and by any desired process. The housing  18  includes a housing body  20 . A shroud  22  extends from the housing body  20  and defines a connector space  24 . When the split cover electrical connector  10  is mated with the corresponding electrical connector, at least a portion of the corresponding electrical connector is located in the connector space  24 . The housing  18  includes terminal cavities  26  that open into the connector space  24 . The illustrated housing  18  includes three terminal cavities  26 , but may include any desired number of terminal cavities  26 . The terminal cavities  26  extend parallel to a connector axis  28 . 
     The split cover electrical connector  10  includes a polarizer  30  that extends from the housing body  20 . The polarizer  30  is adapted to limit the orientation of the split cover electrical connector  10  relative to the corresponding electrical connector when the two are mated. The split cover electrical connector  10  also includes a connector latch  32  that is part of the housing  18 . The connector latch  32  is adapted to engage the corresponding electrical connector in order to retain the split cover electrical connector  10  in a mated position relative to the corresponding electrical connector. 
     The housing  18  includes a cover mount  34  that extends from the housing body  20 . The illustrated cover mount  34  extends from the housing body  20  in a direction parallel to the connector axis  28 , but the cover mount  34  may extend from the housing body  20  in any desired direction. The cover mount  34  includes a housing flange  36  and a housing groove  38  that is located between the housing flange  36  and the housing body  20 . The housing flange  36  extends generally perpendicular to the connector axis  28 , but may extend in any desired direction. The purpose of the cover mount  34  will be described below. 
     The split cover electrical connector  10  includes a connector seal  39 . The illustrated connector seal  39  is a ring made of an elastomeric material, but may be made of any desired material. The connector seal  39  is located in the connector space  24  when the split cover electrical connector  10  is assembled. The split cover electrical connector  10  also includes a cover seal  40 . The illustrated cover seal  40  is also a ring made of an elastomeric material, but may have any desired shape and be made of any desired material. The cover mount  34  includes a seal seat  42  located on the housing flange  36 . The seal seat  42  is a generally U-shaped groove on an outer surface of the housing flange  36 , and the cover seal  40  is located in the seal seat  42  when the split cover electrical connector  10  is assembled. 
     The split cover electrical connector  10  also includes a first cover  44   a  and a second cover  44   b . The illustrated split cover electrical connector  10  includes two covers  44   a  and  44   b , but may include any desired number of covers  44   a  and  44   b . Both the first cover  44   a  and the second cover  44   b  are molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material and by any desired process. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cover  44   a  and the second cover  44   b  have identical shapes, with the second cover  44   b  rotated 180-degrees around the connector axis  28  from the first cover  44   a . However, the first cover  44   a  and the second cover  44   b  may have different shapes, if desired. In this description and drawings, parts of the first cover  44   a  are identified with the suffix “a” and similar parts of the second cover  44   b  are identified with the suffix “b.” 
     The first cover  44   a  includes a cover body  46   a  and a housing mount  48   a  that extends from the cover body  46   a . The illustrated housing mount  48   a  extends from the cover body  46   a  in a direction parallel to the connector axis  28 , but the housing mount  48   a  may extend from the cover body  46   a  in any desired direction. The housing mount  48   a  includes a cover flange  50   a  and a cover groove  52   a  that is located between the cover flange  50   a  and the cover body  46   a . The cover flange  50   a  extends generally perpendicular to the connector axis  28 , but may extend in any desired direction. The cover flange  50   a  is adapted to fit at least in part within the housing groove  38  on the housing  18 . Additionally, the housing flange  36  is adapted to fit at least in part within the cover groove  52   a.    
     The first cover  44   a  includes a cable seal seat  54   a  that is defined in the cover body  46   a . The cable seal seat  54   a  is adapted to accommodate a first cable seal  56   a . Similarly, the second cover  44   b  includes a cable seal seat (not shown) that is adapted to accommodate a second cable seal  56   b.    
     Both the first cable seal  56   a  and the second cable seal  56   b  are made from an elastomeric material, but may be made of any desired material and by any desired process. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cable seal  56   a  and the second cable seal  56   b  have identical shapes, with the second cable seal  56   b  rotated 180-degrees around the connector axis  28  from the first cable seal  56   a . However, the first cable seal  56   a  and the second cable seal  56   b  may have different shapes, if desired. In this description and the drawings, parts of the first cable seal  56   a  are identified with the suffix “a” and similar parts of the second cable seal  56   b  are identified with the suffix “b.” 
     The first cable seal  56   a  includes a seal body  58   a  which has a cover surface  60   a . In  FIG.  3   , the cover surface  60   b  on second cable seal  56   b  is more visible. When the split cover electrical connector  10  is assembled and the first cable seat  56   a  is positioned in the cable seal seat  54   a , the cover surface  60   a  is engaged with the first cover  44   a . The first cable seal  56   a  includes a plurality of cover channels  62   a  that extend across the cover surface  62   a , generally perpendicular to the connector axis  28 . The first cable seal  56   a  also has a cable surface  64   a  that is on an opposite side of the seal body  58   a  from the cover surface  60   a . The first cable seal  56   a  includes a plurality of cable channels  66   a  that extend across the cable surface  64   a , generally perpendicular to the connector axis  28 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cover channels  62   a  and the cable channels  66   a  meet to provide continuous channels around the entire seal body  58   a . However, the cover channels  62   a  and the cable channels  66   a  may have any desired arrangement, relative size, and spacing. 
     The first cable seal  56   a  includes a tail  68   a  that extends from the seal body  58   a  generally parallel to the connector axis  28 . The tail  68   a  has a smaller cross-sectional shape, when viewed perpendicular to the connector axis  28 , than the seal body  58   a . The tail  68   a  is adapted to be positioned in a tail seat  70   a  on the first cover  44   a  to properly position the first cable seal  56   a  relative to the first cover  44   a.    
     The first cover  44   a  includes a plurality of cover latches  72   a . The first cover  44   a  includes two cover latches  72   a , but may include any desired number of cover latches  72   a . The first cover  44   a  also includes a plurality of cover catches  74   a . The first cover  44   a  includes two cover catches  74   a , but may include any desired number of cover catches  74   a . The function of the cover latches  72   a  and the cover catches  74   a  will be described below. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , there is illustrated a perspective view of the housing  18  and a cable assembly, indicated generally at  76 . The cable assembly  76  includes the flat flexible cable  16  and three electrical terminals  78  that are attached to the flat flexible cable  16 . The illustrated electrical terminals  78  are crimped onto the flat flexible cable  16 , but may be attached using any desired method. The illustrated electrical terminals  78  are female terminals, but may be any desired type of terminal. In  FIG.  4   , the cable assembly  76  is shown prior to the electrical terminals  78  being inserted into the terminal cavities  26  (which are shown in  FIG.  3   ). Also shown in  FIG.  4    is a housing retainer  79   a  and a portion of an assembly robot  79   b . In the illustrated embodiment, during assembly of the split cover electrical connector  10 , the housing  18  is held by the housing retainer  79   a , and the assembly robot  79   b  moves the cable assembly  76  relative to the housing  18 . However, the split cover electrical connector  10  may be assembled manually or by any other desired method. The housing  18  includes a single cable cavity  80  that extends through the housing mount  48   a  generally parallel to the connector axis  28 . The cable cavity  80  is in communication with the terminal cavities  26  inside the housing body  20 . As shown, the cover seal  40  is located in the seal seat  42  prior to the electrical terminals  78  being inserted into the terminal cavities  26 . 
       FIG.  5    is a view similar to  FIG.  4   , with the cable assembly  76  shown inserted into the cable cavity  80 . The electrical terminals  78  (not visible in  FIG.  5   ) can be retained in respective terminal cavities  26  by any desired lock mechanism. Also shown, the first cable seal  56   a  is located in the cable seal seat  54   a  on the first cover  44   a , and the second cable seal  56   b  is located in the cable seal seat  54   b  on the second cover  44   b . The first cover  44   a  and the second cover  44   b  are positioned on opposite sides of the connector axis  28  and on opposite sides of the flat flexible cable  16 , with the cable surfaces  64   a  and  64   b  facing the flat flexible cable  16 . 
     Referring back to  FIG.  2   , the split cover electrical connector  10  is shown assembled with the cable assembly  76 . As shown, the first cover  44   a  is engaged with the second cover  44   b , and each cover catch  74   a  on the first cover  44   a  is engaged by a respective cover latch  72   b  on the second cover  44   b . Similarly, though not visible in  FIG.  2   , each cover catch  74   b  on the second cover  44   b  is engaged by a respective cover latch  72   a  on the first cover  44   a . This retains the first cover  44   a  in the illustrated position relative to the second cover  44   b . As previously described, the housing flange  36  is adapted to fit (at least in part) within the cover groove  52   a , while the cover flange  50   a  and the cover flange  50   b  are adapted to fit at least in part within the housing groove  38 . This retains the assembly of the first cover  44   a  and the second cover  44   b  in position relative to the housing  18 . 
       FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view of the split cover electrical connector  10  taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG.  2   . One of the electrical terminals  78  is shown positioned in one of the terminal cavities  26 . The cable  16  extends from the terminal cavity  26  into the cable cavity  80  and between the first cable seal  56   a  and second cable seal  56   b . A portion of the flat flexible cable  16  is located between the first cable seal  56   a  and second cable seal  56   b . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the first cable seal  56   a  is engaged with the second cable seal  56   b  and the cable surface  64   a  is engaged with the cable surface  64   b . As best shown in  FIG.  7   , a portion of the flat flexible cable  16  is located between the cable surface  64   a  and the cable surface  64   b . Also, the cover seal  40  is located in the cover grooves  52   a  and  52   b.    
     The cover seal  40  is compressed between the connector housing  18  and the first cover  44   a  and is also compressed between the connector housing  18  and the second cover  44   b . As previously described, when the split cover electrical connector  10  is mated with the corresponding electrical connector, at least a portion of the corresponding electrical connector is located in the connector space  24 . The connector seal  39  is adapted to engage the corresponding electrical connector. When the split cover electrical connector  10  is mated with the corresponding electrical connector, the connector seal  39 , the cover seal  40 , the first cable seal  56   a , and the second cable seal  56   b  are adapted to provide a sealed space, indicated generally at  82 . The sealed space  82  includes the terminal cavities  26  and the cable cavity  80 . The electrical terminals  26  are located in the sealed space  82 . 
     The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.