Patent ID: 7824190

Claim:
A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated electrical conductors of a cable with the flat conductors of a photovoltaic cell, comprising: (a) a photovoltaic cell ( 1 ) including a generally horizontal planar panel ( 1 a ) having an upper surface, and a plurality of flat conductors ( 2 ) extending vertically upwardly from said panel upper surface; (b) conductor support means ( 3 ) attached to said photovoltaic cell upper surface for supporting the upper free end portions ( 2 a ) of said flat conductors at given positions relative to said photovoltaic cell; (c) connector means for connecting said flat conductor end portions with the cable conductors, respectively, including: (1) a hollow sectional connector housing ( 7 ) containing a chamber, said connector housing including: (a) a lower body section ( 8 ) adapted for displacement between unseated and seated positions relative to said conductor support means, said lower housing section having a lower surface containing a bottom opening (B) receiving said conductor support means when said lower body section is in said seated position; and (b) an upper cover section ( 9 ) arranged above said lower body section for displacement between disconnected and connected positions relative to said lower section, said cover section containing at least one cable opening ( 10 ) for receiving one end of the cable ( 15 ); (2) a plurality of resilient contacts ( 11 ) mounted in said housing chamber adjacent said lower section bottom opening, each of said resilient contacts including: (a) a first contact portion ( 12 ) arranged for engagement with the corresponding flat conductor end portion ( 2 a ) when said housing lower section is in said seated position on said conductor support member, and (b) a second contact portion ( 13 ) spaced from said first contact portion; and (3) a printed circuit board ( 14 ) arranged within said connector housing, said printed circuit board including a plurality of electrical circuit means connected with the cable conductors, respectively, said resilient contact second portions being arranged for engagement with respective ones of said printed circuit board electrical circuit means when said housing upper cover section is in said connected position relative to said housing lower body section; (4) said housing lower body section ( 8 ) and said conductor support member ( 3 ) remaining seated on said photovoltaic cell when said housing upper cover section ( 9 ) is displaced toward the disconnected position.