Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a connection system for flexible flat strip cables. <CIT> discloses a method of interconnecting flat power cables. <CIT> discloses a connector for flexible wiring boards. <CIT> discloses a connection arrangement with a flexible foil positioning arrangement.

To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art an electrical connector according to claim <NUM> and an electrical connector according to claim <NUM> are provided. Advantageous embodiments are provided in the dependent claims.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, each conductor is formed of a solid, non-stranded conductive material and each of the wires has a generally rectangular profile that has a width and a height in which the width is at least twice the height.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the insulation is provided on either side of the stripped portion of at least one of the wires.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first housing portion includes a supplemental locating feature that includes a first set of barbs that are spaced apart from a second set of barbs. The first and second sets of barbs retain the stripped portion. The insulation includes edges that are adjacent to the first and second sets of barbs to longitudinally locate the wiring relative to the housing.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the housing includes at least one snap removably connects the first and second housing portions in the assembled connector condition.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the external electrical terminal includes a hole. A fastener is received in the hole to secure the external electrical terminal to the housing.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the leg is characterized as having a J-shape. A terminal end of the J-shape engages the stripped portion.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, first and second seals are respectively supported by the first and second housing portions and arranged on opposing sides of the wiring.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the insulation is provided on either side of the stripped portion of the wire. The first housing portion includes a supplemental locating feature that includes a first set of barbs spaced apart from a second set of barbs. The first and second sets of barbs retain the stripped portion. The insulation includes edges adjacent to the first and second sets of barbs to longitudinally locate the wire relative to the housing.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the housing includes at least one snap feature removably connects the first and second housing portions in the assembled connector condition.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the external electrical terminal includes a hole. A fastener is received in the hole to secure the external electrical terminal to the first housing portion.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, first and second seals are respectively supported by the first and second housing portions and are arranged on opposing sides of the wiring.

In an example not forming part of the invention, a method of assembling an electrical connector includes providing at least one wire that has a conductor covered in insulation. The wire has a stripped portion that exposes the conductors, and the insulation is provided on either side of the stripped portion of the wire. Each of the wires has a generally rectangular profile that have a width and a height in which the width is at least twice the height. The stripped portion is mounted into a first housing portion. The stripped portion engages with a spring carried by a second housing portion with the first and second housing portions arranged in an assembled connector condition.

In a further example not forming part of the invention, the mounting step includes engaging the stripped portion with an external electrical terminal.

In a further example not forming part of the invention, the engaging step includes clamping multiple stripped portions of multiple wires into engagement with one another.

An example electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>. The connector <NUM> is suitable particularly for use with flat wires and is configured as a splice connection for multiple wires. The connector <NUM> includes a housing <NUM>, which may be constructed from multiple plastic pieces, such as first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM>. The first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> may include features that are "keyed" to provide "fool proof" assembly. The exemplary housing <NUM> may vary from the configuration depicted, particularly the second housing portion <NUM>, which may be integrated with an electrical component such as a light, sensor, electrical connector, or other electrical device. In the example, the second housing portion <NUM> includes electrical contacts provided by springs <NUM> (<FIG>) that supply electrical continuity between wiring <NUM> and the electrical component.

A snap feature <NUM> is provided on each of opposing sides of the housing <NUM>. The snap includes a tab <NUM> provided on one of the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> and a ramped portion <NUM> is provided on the other of the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM>. It should be understood that one snap <NUM> may be provided on the housing <NUM>, particularly if a living hinge is used on the opposing side of the housing <NUM> to provide a one-piece clamshell-type configuration.

The connector <NUM> is used in conjunction with wiring <NUM>, which may include one or more wires 14a, 14b, 14c. Each wire includes a relatively flat conductor <NUM> that is generally rectangular and is encased in a non-conductive, flexible plastic insulation <NUM> to provide a cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least <NUM>:<NUM> with respect to the width and the height. As used herein, "generally rectangular" includes any shape having a width greater than its height in cross section and may include rectangular, parallelogram, trapezoid, oval, obround, and elliptical shapes. In some embodiments, the aspect ratio may be at least <NUM>:<NUM>. In other embodiments, the aspect ratio may be at least <NUM>:<NUM>. The conductor <NUM> is provided by non-stranded electrically conductive material, such as a flat copper wire plated with tin. The adjacent wires 14a, 14b, 14c may be interconnected with insulation material that forms webbing, which provides structurally integrity to the wiring <NUM> during handling. For the splice connection, this webbing may be removed to enable the wires 14a, 14b, 14c to be more easily arranged one on top of the other as shown.

It is desirable to positively locate the wiring <NUM> with respect to the housing <NUM> and to provide strain relief to the wires 14a, 14b, 14c. To this end, various locating features may be used between the housing <NUM> and wiring <NUM> to orient and securely hold the wiring <NUM> during assembly and use. Referring to <FIG>, the wires 14a, 14b, 14c each have a stripped portion <NUM> that expose the conductors <NUM> at a longitudinal location defined by edges <NUM> of the insulation <NUM>. That is, at least one of the stripped portions <NUM> are bounded by insulation <NUM> at either end. In the example, the first housing portion <NUM> includes a first set of barbs <NUM> spaced apart from a second set of barbs <NUM>. The conductors <NUM> are clipped in beneath and retained by the same set of barbs in a stacked relationship to one another. The first and second sets of barbs <NUM>, <NUM> retain the stripped portions <NUM> longitudinally as well, such that the edges <NUM> are longitudinally located by the barbs to orient the wiring <NUM> in the desired position relative to the housing <NUM>. In this manner, the edges <NUM> and barbs <NUM>, <NUM> cooperate to provide locating features that interact with one another to secure the wiring <NUM> relative to housing <NUM>.

A recess <NUM> on either side of the first housing portion <NUM> laterally locates the insulation <NUM> of the wiring <NUM>. A pair of ridges <NUM> extend from at least the first housing portion <NUM> and straddles the stripped portions <NUM>. The edges <NUM> are retained laterally between ridges <NUM>.

With the housing <NUM> arranged in the assembled connector condition, illustrated <FIG> and <FIG>, a spring <NUM> carried by the second housing portion <NUM> clamps the stripped portions <NUM> into engagement with one another. In the example arrangement, the spring <NUM> has a curved portion terminating in opposing ends <NUM> are received in a slot <NUM> of the second housing portion <NUM>, best shown in <FIG>.

With continuing reference to <FIG>, first and second seals <NUM>, <NUM> may be respectively provided in the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> to seal about the wiring <NUM> and between the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM>, providing a weatherproof seal.

Another type of electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>. The electrical connector <NUM> includes an external electrical terminal <NUM>, such as a ring terminal configured to be connected to a grounding stud. In the example, the electrical terminal <NUM> includes a connection portion <NUM>, which may be the ring terminal, a male blade terminal, or a female socket terminal, for example. The connector portion <NUM> adjoins a base <NUM> mounted to the housing <NUM>. In the example, the base <NUM> includes a hole <NUM> receiving a fastener <NUM> that secures the base <NUM> to the first housing portion <NUM>. In the example, the fastener <NUM> is an overmolded portion of the first housing portion <NUM>, although other types of fasteners may be used, such as rivets or threaded fastening elements.

The base <NUM> extends to a J-shaped end provided by first and second legs <NUM>, <NUM>. The second leg <NUM> is provided by a terminal end arranged beneath and engagement with the stripped portions <NUM>. The spring <NUM> biases the stripped portions <NUM> into engagement with the second leg <NUM> thereby providing electrical continuity between the stripped portions <NUM> and the electrical terminal <NUM>.

The electrical terminal <NUM> could instead be provided on the second housing portion <NUM> and electrically connected to the spring <NUM>.

In operation, a method of assembling an electrical connector, such as the spliced connector from <FIG> or the electrical terminal connector of <FIG> comprises the steps of providing at least one wire having a conductor <NUM> covered in insulation <NUM>. The wire <NUM> has a stripped portion <NUM> exposing the conductor <NUM>. The stripped portion <NUM> of one or more wires is mounted into the first housing portion <NUM>. The stripped portion <NUM> is engaged with a spring <NUM> carried by the second housing portion <NUM> with the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in the assembled-connector condition. A ring terminal or other external electrical terminal may be provided on the housing <NUM>.

It should also be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit herefrom. Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present invention.

Although the different examples have specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations.

Claim 1:
An electrical connector (<NUM>) comprising:
wiring (<NUM>) with multiple wires (14a, 14b), each wire having a conductor (<NUM>) covered in insulation (<NUM>), each wire having a stripped portion (<NUM>) exposing the conductors (<NUM>), wherein the stripped portions (<NUM>) are stacked on top of one another; and
a housing (<NUM>) having first and second housing portions (<NUM>, <NUM>) the first housing portion (<NUM>) receiving the stripped portions (<NUM>), and the second housing portion (<NUM>) includes a spring (<NUM>) configured to urge the stripped portions (<NUM>) into engagement with one another when the first and second housing portions (<NUM>, <NUM>) are secured to another in an assembled connector condition;
wherein the spring (<NUM>) has a curved portion engaging the stripped portion (<NUM>) and terminating in opposing ends (<NUM>) that are received in a slot (<NUM>) in the second housing portion (<NUM>);
characterized in that the electrical connector (<NUM>) further comprises an external electrical terminal (<NUM>) mounted to the housing (<NUM>) and electrically connected to the stripped portions (<NUM>),
wherein the external electrical terminal (<NUM>) includes a leg extending into the first housing portion (<NUM>) to engage the stripped portion (<NUM>) on a side opposite the spring (<NUM>) and wherein the first housing portion (<NUM>) is formed around the leg.