Conductive shielding housing for flat cable connector

摘要

A flat cable connector which receives a flat cable having a conductive sheath is completely enclosed in a metallic casing which electrostatically and electromagnetically shields the electrical conductors within the connector. The casing is formed of stamped metal parts including two end cups and two side plates which are clamped over the edges of the end cups. The side plates have inwardly turned serrated sections which bite into and securely clamp the flat cable as it extends out of the flat cable connector housing. The side plate bottoms hook into slots in the bottoms of the end cups. The tops of the side plates have projections which latch into openings in the tops of the end cups to hold the housing together. In another embodiment, bifurcated clamping pins having tapered legs enter aligned slots on the side plates and end cups in order to hold them together. The flat cable follows a serpentine path within the conductive enclosure and its conductive sheath is pressed into engagement with the interior of the side plates. In other embodiments, a compressible conductive gasket which may be a conductive wire mesh gasket or the bunched-up foil of the cable itself surrounds the flat cable conductor within the metal housing and is compressed into engagement with the interior surfaces of the enclosing metal housing. A metal shroud surrounds the connector bottom and is connected to the side plates and end cups. The distance by which the shroud telescopes into the side plates and end cups is controlled by detents in the side plates.