Flat circuit connector

1. An electrical connector for mounting on a printed circuit board and for terminating a flat electrical circuit, comprising:

an elongated dielectric housing for mounting on the circuit board, the housing having an elongated opening at a front portion thereof, for receiving an end of the flat circuit, a rear portion opposite the front portion, and a mounting slot at the front portion of the housing;

a plurality of terminals mounted on the housing and spaced along the opening, each terminal having a tail portion, positioned along the rear portion for connection to an appropriate trace on the circuit board, and a contact portion extending along the elongated opening for engaging an appropriate conductor on the flat circuit; and

a grounding and retention member positioned adjacent the front portion of the housing, the grounding and retention member including:

an elongated base portion disposed beneath the front portion of the housing;

a locking finger bent back from a front edge of the base portion and projecting into the mounting slot in the direction of insertion of the flat circuit into the elongated opening;

a grounding finger projecting forwardly of the housing for securing the connector to a ground circuit on the printed circuit board; and

a flexible terminal tab bent back from the front edge of the base portion into the elongated opening at the front portion of the housing for engaging a ground conductor on the flat circuit inserted into the elongated opening.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 , including a plurality of said locking fingers, a plurality of said grounding fingers and a plurality of said flexible terminal tabs spaced along the elongated base portion.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the grounding and retention member further comprises a plurality of grounding fingers projecting forwardly of the housing.

4. An electrical connector for mounting on a printed circuit board and for terminating a flat electrical circuit, comprising:

a dielectric housing for mounting on the circuit board, the housing having a front portion, a rear portion opposite the front portion, and an opening at the front portion thereof for receiving an end of the flat circuit;

a plurality of terminals mounted on the housing, each terminal having a tail portion, positioned along the rear portion for connection to an appropriate trace on the circuit board, and a contact portion extending along the opening for engaging an appropriate conductor on the flat circuit; and

a unitarily formed grounding and retention member positioned adjacent the front portion of the housing, the grounding and retention member including:

a plurality of grounding fingers for securing the connector to ground circuits on the circuit board and extending along the front portion of the housing; and

a plurality of terminal portions each for engaging a ground conductor on the flat circuit upon insertion of the flat circuit into the opening.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 , wherein the grounding fingers project forwardly of the housing.

6. The electrical connector of claim 4 , wherein the grounding and retention member further includes a locking portion including a locking finger projecting into a mounting slot in the opening.

7. The electrical connector of claim 4 , wherein the terminal portions of the grounding and retention member comprise a plurality of flexible terminal tabs bent into the opening at the front portion of the housing.

8. The electrical connector of claim 4 , wherein the grounding and retention member is elongated and further includes an elongated base portion, a plurality of locking portions and a plurality of grounding portions.

9. The electrical connector of claim 4 , wherein the grounding and retention member further includes an elongated base portion, from which both a plurality of locking fingers and a plurality of the grounding portions extend, and a plurality of said terminal portions spaced along the elongated base portion.