Abstract: An electrical system comprises a flexible circuit (FC) comprising at least one conductive circuit trace disposed within or between one or more dielectric layers and defining at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion, an electrical device system comprising an electrical device disposed within a housing and at least one conductive terminal electrically connected to the electrical device and that extend substantially to an end of the housing, and an electrical connector configured to physically secure and electrically connect the at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion to the at least one conductive terminal of the electrical device system, wherein the electrical connector and the housing of the electrical device system define at least one connection feature for physically securing to each other.

Abstract: A watertight electrical connection system to flat-wire conductors of a flexible circuit is described including a watertight electrical connector that houses connector terminals within a cavity. A contact surface of the watertight electrical connector is configured to mate with a connection area on a surface of the flexible circuit. The connection area is of variable thickness. A seal surrounds an opening to the cavity to form a watertight connection between the connector terminals and one or more of the flat-wire conductors within the connection area on the surface of the flexible circuit. A retainer fits over the flexible circuit and onto the watertight electrical connector to compress the seal and form the watertight connection between the surface of the flexible circuit and the contact surface, which is of variable thickness.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing defining an outer surface, a wire cable at least partially disposed in the housing, and a robotic installation feature at least temporarily attached to or defined in the outer surface of the housing, wherein the robotic installation feature defines a slot that is configured to be interacted with by an end effector of a robotic installer during robotic installation of the electrical connector with a corresponding electrical connector. A method of robotic installation of the electrical connector comprises identifying the robotic installation feature, inserting at least two members of the end effector into the slot, expanding the at least two members of the end effector along at least one of two axes to thereby fix the at least two members therein and obtain movable control of the electrical connector, and installing the electrical connector with the corresponding electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical system comprises a flexible circuit (FC) comprising at least one conductive circuit trace disposed within or between one or more dielectric layers and defining at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion, an electrical device system comprising an electrical device disposed within a housing and at least one conductive terminal electrically connected to the electrical device and that extend substantially to an end of the housing, and an electrical connector configured to physically secure and electrically connect the at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion to the at least one conductive terminal of the electrical device system, wherein the electrical connector and the housing of the electrical device system define at least one connection feature for physically securing to each other.

Abstract: A staging system for robotic installation of a conductor assembly comprises a base member defining a base identifier that is identifiable by a robotic installer, a set of receptacles attached to the base member and defining respective receptacle identifiers, wherein each receptacle is configured to receive and temporarily secure one or more of a set of connectors of the conductor assembly, which also comprises respective sets of wire cables for the set of connectors, and a set of robotic installation features at least temporally attached to or defined by the set of connectors, respectively, and defining respective installation identifiers, wherein each robotic installation feature is configured to be temporarily interacted with by an end effector of the robotic installer such that the robotic installer obtains movable control of the connector to remove it from its respective receptacle and to install it with a corresponding electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting to flat-wire conductors of a flexible circuit (FC) is described. The electrical connector includes an elongated body, a split-blade terminal, and a spring terminal. The elongated body has a longitudinal axis. The split-blade terminal has two prongs separated by a distance and is configured to interface with an electrical terminal of an electrical device. The spring terminal is configured to mate with one or more of the flat-wire conductors within a connection area of the FC. The spring terminal and the split-blade terminal are positioned on the longitudinal axis at opposing ends of the electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical system comprises a flexible circuit (FC) comprising at least one conductive circuit trace disposed within or between one or more dielectric layers and defining at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion, an electrical device system comprising an electrical device disposed within a housing and at least one conductive terminal electrically connected to the electrical device and that extend substantially to an end of the housing, and an electrical connector configured to physically secure and electrically connect the at least one exposed conductive circuit trace portion to the at least one conductive terminal of the electrical device system, wherein the electrical connector and the housing of the electrical device system define at least one connection feature for physically securing to each other.

Abstract: A staging system for robotic installation of a conductor assembly comprises a base member defining a base identifier that is identifiable by a robotic installer, a set of receptacles attached to the base member and defining respective receptacle identifiers, wherein each receptacle is configured to receive and temporarily secure one or more of a set of connectors of the conductor assembly, which also comprises respective sets of wire cables for the set of connectors, and a set of robotic installation features at least temporally attached to or defined by the set of connectors, respectively, and defining respective installation identifiers, wherein each robotic installation feature is configured to be temporarily interacted with by an end effector of the robotic installer such that the robotic installer obtains movable control of the connector to remove it from its respective receptacle and to install it with a corresponding electrical connector.

Abstract: A watertight electrical connection system to flat-wire conductors of a flexible circuit is described including a watertight electrical connector that houses connector terminals within a cavity. A contact surface of the watertight electrical connector is configured to mate with a connection area on a surface of the flexible circuit. The connection area is of variable thickness. A seal surrounds an opening to the cavity to form a watertight connection between the connector terminals and one or more of the flat-wire conductors within the connection area on the surface of the flexible circuit. A retainer fits over the flexible circuit and onto the watertight electrical connector to compress the seal and form the watertight connection between the surface of the flexible circuit and the contact surface, which is of variable thickness.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing defining an outer surface, a wire cable at least partially disposed in the housing, and a robotic installation feature at least temporarily attached to or defined in the outer surface of the housing, wherein the robotic installation feature defines a slot that is configured to be interacted with by an end effector of a robotic installer during robotic installation of the electrical connector with a corresponding electrical connector. A method of robotic installation of the electrical connector comprises identifying the robotic installation feature, inserting at least two members of the end effector into the slot, expanding the at least two members of the end effector along at least one of two axes to thereby fix the at least two members therein and obtain movable control of the electrical connector, and installing the electrical connector with the corresponding electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting to flat-wire conductors of a flexible circuit (FC) is described. The electrical connector includes an elongated body, a split-blade terminal, and a spring terminal. The elongated body has a longitudinal axis. The split-blade terminal has two prongs separated by a distance and is configured to interface with an electrical terminal of an electrical device. The spring terminal is configured to mate with one or more of the flat-wire conductors within a connection area of the FC. The spring terminal and the split-blade terminal are positioned on the longitudinal axis at opposing ends of the electrical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a molded plastic connector body that is equipped with a moveable terminal lock member. The lock member includes flexible terminal latches and rigid terminal locks. The lock member is attached to the connector body in a pre-stage position where the flexible terminal latches are positioned to hold terminals in terminal cavities as the terminals are loaded into the plastic connector body. After the terminals are loaded, the lock member is moved to a lock position where the terminals are held by the rigid terminal locks.