Electrical terminal for flat flexible cables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11296432-B2
Application number	US-202016919855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2020
Priority date	Jul 2, 2020
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A cable assembly includes a flat flexible cable having a plurality of conductors embedded within an insulation material. A portion of each of the conductors is exposed via openings selectively formed in the insulation material, allowing for a crimping portion of an electrically conductive terminal to engage with the conductor within the opening. The crimping portion of the terminal includes a base defining at least one protrusion extending therefrom, and first and second sidewalls extending from the base. The base and the first and second sidewalls define an opening configured to receive the conductor therein. The first sidewall includes a first section attached to the base and a second section attached to the first section on an end opposite the base. In a crimped state of the terminal, the first sidewall rotated into the opening such that the first section at least partially surrounds the second section, and the second sidewall is rotated in a direction opposite the first section such that the first section at least partially surrounds the second section, for crimping the conductor within the opening and against the protrusion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical terminal for mating with an exposed conductor of a flat flexible cable, comprising:
an electrical contact; and
a crimping portion extending from the electrical contact in a longitudinal direction of the terminal for crimping to the conductor of the flat flexible cable, the crimping portion including:
a base defining at least one protrusion extending along the base in the longitudinal direction of the terminal;
a first sidewall extending from the base and comprising a first section attached to the base and a second section attached to the first section on an end opposite the base; and
a second sidewall extending from the base,
wherein the base and the first and second sidewalls define an opening configured to receive the conductor, the first sidewall defining serrations on a side thereof opposite the opening in an uncrimped state of the terminal, and wherein in a crimped state of the terminal, the first section and second sections of the first sidewall are rotated into the opening with the first section at least partially surrounding the second section for crimping the conductor within the opening and between the serrations and the protrusion.

2. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second sidewall comprises a first section and a second section opposing the first and second sections of the first sidewall, respectively, wherein in a crimped state, the first sidewall is rotated relative to the base in a first direction and into the opening, and the second sidewall is rotated into the opening in a direction opposite to the first direction such that the first section of the second sidewall at least partially surrounds the second section of the second sidewall.

3. The electrical terminal of claim 2 , wherein in the crimped state, the second sections of the first and second sidewalls are rotated at least 270 degrees from an angular orientation relative to the base in an uncrimped state of the terminal, each of the second sections being wound within a respective one of the first sections.

4. The electrical terminal of claim 2 , wherein first section of the first sidewall extends from the base in a direction extending away from the opening, and the second section of the first sidewall comprises a curved profile extending from an end of the first section and in a direction toward the opening.

5. The electrical terminal of claim 4 , wherein an axis of curvature of the second section of the first sidewall extends in the longitudinal direction of the terminal.

6. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second section of the first sidewall tapers in thickness from the first section to a free end thereof.

7. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a curved profile having an axis of curvature extending in the longitudinal direction of the terminal.

8. The electrical terminal of claim 7 , wherein the protrusion comprises:
first and second end protrusions;
a central protrusion arranged between the first and second end protrusions;
a first intermediate protrusion arranged between the first end protrusion and the central protrusion; and
a second intermediate protrusion arranged between the second end protrusion and the central protrusion,
wherein the first and second intermediate protrusions extend further into the opening than the first and second end protrusion and the central protrusion.

9. A cable assembly comprising:
a flat flexible cable including a plurality of conductors embedded within an insulation material, wherein a portion of each of the conductors is exposed via openings selectively formed in the insulation material; and
a plurality of electrically conductive terminals, each of the terminals having a crimping portion at least partially engaging with the openings in the insulation material and receiving the exposed portion of a respective conductor, the crimping portion including:
a base defining at least one protrusion extending along the base in a longitudinal direction of the terminal, the protrusion having a curved profile with an axis of curvature extending in the longitudinal direction of the terminal therefrom;
a first sidewall extending from the base and comprising a first section attached to the base and a second section attached to the first section on an end opposite the base; and
a second sidewall extending from the base, the base and first and second sidewalls defining an opening configured to receive the conductor,

wherein, in a crimped state of the terminal, the first section and second section of the first sidewall are rotated into the opening for crimping the conductor within the opening and against the protrusion, the first section at least partially surrounding the second section.

10. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first sidewall or the second sidewall defines serrations on a side thereof opposite the opening in an uncrimped state of the terminal, wherein in the crimped state of the terminal the conductor is crimped between the serrations and the protrusion.

11. The cable assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second sidewall comprises a first section and a second section opposing the first and second sections of the first sidewall, respectively, wherein in a crimped state, the first sidewall is rotated relative to the base in a first direction and into the opening and the second sidewall is rotated into the opening in a direction opposite to the first direction such that the first section of the second sidewall at least partially surrounds the second section of the second sidewall.

12. The cable assembly of claim 11 , wherein in the crimped state, the second sections of the first and second sidewalls are rotated at least 270 degrees from an angular orientation relative to the base in an uncrimped state of the terminal, each of the second sections being wound within a respective one of the first sections.

13. The cable assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first section of the first sidewall extends from the base in a direction extending away from the opening, and the second section of the first sidewall comprises a curved profile extending in a direction toward the opening.

14. The cable assembly of claim 13 , wherein an axis of curvature of the second section of the first sidewall extends in the longitudinal direction of the terminal.

15. The cable assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second section of the first sidewall tapers in thickness from the first section to a free end thereof.

16. An electrical terminal for mating with an exposed conductor of a flat flexible cable, comprising:
an electrical contact; and
a crimping portion extending from the electrical contact in a longitudinal direction of the terminal for crimping to the conductor of the flat flexible cable, the crimping portion including:
a base defining at least one protrusion extending therefrom;
a first sidewall extending from the base and comprising a first section attached to the base and a second section attached to the first section on an end opposite the base; and
a second sidewall extending from the base, the base and the first and second sidewalls defining an opening configured to receive the conductor, the first section of the first sidewall extending away from the opening, and the second section of the first sidewall tapering in thickness between the first section and a free end thereof,

wherein in a crimped state of the terminal, the first section and second section of the first sidewall are rotated into the opening for crimping the conductor within the opening and against the protrus

Assignees

• TE Connectivity Services Gmbh

Inventors

• Moll Hurley Chester
• Myer John Mark
• Kinsey Jr Forrest Irving

Classifications

• H01R12/69

  deformable terminals, e.g. crimping terminals · CPC title

• H01R4/182 Primary

  for flat conductive elements, e.g. flat cables (H01R4/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R4/188 Primary

  having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact · CPC title

• H01R4/2495 Primary

  Insulation penetration combined with permanent deformation of the contact member, e.g. crimping · CPC title

• H01R12/68

  comprising deformable portions · CPC title