CN111668639A

CN111668639A - Electrical connector for flat conductor

Info

Publication number: CN111668639A
Application number: CN202010150789.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 水泽翔一
Original assignee: Hirose Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hirose Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-07
Filing date: 2020-03-06
Publication date: 2020-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-06
Also published as: JP6936824B2; KR102431886B1; JP2020145078A; CN111668639B; KR20200107814A

Abstract

An electric connector for a flat conductor is provided, which can avoid the enlargement of the electric connector in the width direction of the connector and can well limit the displacement of a contact arm part of a terminal. The movable member (40) is provided with a first groove (46A) for accommodating the rear end (21B) of the first contact arm (21) of the first terminal (20) at a position corresponding to the rear end (21B) of the first contact arm (21) in the connector width direction and the front-rear direction when the movable member (40) is moved to the closed position, and a second groove (46B) for accommodating the rear end (31B) of the second contact arm (31) of the second terminal (30) at a position corresponding to the rear end (31B) of the second contact arm (31), wherein the second groove (46B) has a groove portion formed at the rear of the first groove (46A) when the movable member (40) is in the closed position, and the rear end (31B) of the second contact arm (31) is accommodated by the groove portion.

Description

Electrical connector for flat conductor

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electrical connector for a flat conductor, to which the flat conductor can be connected so as to be inserted and removed.

Background

For example, patent document 1 discloses an electrical connector. The electrical connector of patent document 1 is mounted on a mounting surface of a circuit board, and a flat conductor is inserted and removed in a front-rear direction parallel to the mounting surface. The electric connector comprises: a plurality of terminals arranged in a connector width direction (a direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction, the same direction as the width direction of the flat conductor); a housing for holding the plurality of terminals and allowing the flat conductor to be inserted into a receiving portion opened rearward; a movable member capable of reciprocating rotation in a coupling/decoupling direction with respect to the housing.

The movable member is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the connector width direction between a closed position in which the movable member is configured in a posture extending in the front-rear direction as viewed in the connector width direction and an open position in which the movable member is configured in a posture extending in the up-down direction (connector thickness direction) as viewed in the connector width direction. The movable member is rotated in a direction approaching the housing to be brought to a closed position where the extraction of the flat-type conductor inserted into the housing is prevented, and is rotated in a direction away from the housing to be brought to an open position where the extraction of the flat-type conductor is allowed.

The plurality of terminals are provided in two types, and the two types of terminals (first terminals and second terminals) are configured in different shapes and are alternately arranged in the connector width direction. Any of the terminals is formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate member in a plate thickness direction, and a connector width direction (terminal arrangement direction) is set as a terminal width direction. The overall shape of the first terminal is formed into a substantially crank shape, and the overall shape of the second terminal is formed into a substantially horizontal U shape that opens rearward when viewed in the connector width direction.

The first terminal and the second terminal have a first contact arm portion and a second contact arm portion extending rearward, respectively, and a first contact portion and a second contact portion protruding downward are formed at rear end portions of the first contact arm portion and the second contact arm portion, respectively, in a bent manner. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are formed at the same position in the front-rear direction, and are brought into contact with the flat type conductor inserted in the housing from above with contact pressure.

The movable member has a rotation base portion that is a portion including a rotation axis, and the rotation base portion is formed with a housing groove portion that houses a rear end of each contact arm portion at a position corresponding to each of the first contact arm portion and the second contact arm portion in the connector width direction.

Generally, in an electrical connector to which a flat conductor is connected, the rear ends of contact arm portions of terminals are often located in the vicinity of the rear end opening of a receiving portion of a housing, and an unexpected external force is likely to act on the rear ends of the contact arm portions. Therefore, it is desirable for the electrical connector to have a structure capable of reliably restricting displacement of the contact arm portion due to the above-described external force.

In patent document 1, as described above, since the rear ends of the first and second link arms are accommodated in the accommodating groove portions of the movable member, the partition walls that separate adjacent accommodating groove portions are located at positions where the partition walls can abut against the rear ends of the two contact arm portions in the connector width direction, and as a result, unexpected displacement of the two contact arm portions in the connector width direction is restricted.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 5651652.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

In the electrical connector described in patent document 1 in which a plurality of terminals are arranged in the connector width direction, the interval between adjacent terminals is often reduced in order to reduce the size of the connector in the connector width direction. In patent document 1, if the distance between the terminals is reduced, the thickness dimension of the partition wall of the movable member (the dimension in the connector width direction) that is located at a position corresponding to the distance in the connector width direction and that separates the housing groove portions from each other is also reduced. As a result, sufficient strength of the partition wall cannot be secured, the partition wall is easily deformed or damaged, and there is a possibility that unexpected displacement of the contact arm portion in the connector width direction cannot be restricted.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for a flat conductive member, which can prevent an increase in size of the electrical connector in a connector width direction and can satisfactorily restrict displacement of a contact arm portion of a terminal.

Technical scheme for solving technical problem

An electrical connector for a flat conductor according to the present invention is an electrical connector for a flat conductor, in which a flat conductor is connected to the electrical connector for insertion and removal in a front-rear direction, a width direction of the flat conductor perpendicular to the front-rear direction is a connector width direction, and a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the connector width direction is a connector thickness direction, the electrical connector for a flat conductor comprising: a housing made of an electrically insulating material, the housing being formed with a receiving portion that is a space into which the flat conductor can be inserted and that is open rearward; a plurality of terminals made of metal, the plurality of terminals being arranged and held in the housing in a range of the receiving portion in a connector width direction; and a movable member made of an electrically insulating material, the movable member being movable relative to the housing, the movable member being movable between a closed position and an open position in association with rotation about a rotation axis, wherein the rotation axis extends in a connector width direction, the movable member extends in a front-rear direction along the housing in the closed position as viewed in the connector width direction, and the movable member is raised at an angle relative to the housing in the open position, and the plurality of terminals have contact arm portions extending rearward and capable of contacting the flat-type conductor through contact portions formed at rear end portions of the contact arm portions.

In the above-described electrical connector for a circuit board, the plurality of terminals include a first terminal having a first contact arm portion and a second terminal having a second contact arm portion, a rear end of the first contact arm portion being located forward of a rear end of the second contact arm portion, the movable member has a first groove portion formed therein to accommodate the rear end of the first contact arm portion at a position corresponding to the rear end of the first contact arm portion in a connector width direction and a front-rear direction in a state where the movable member is moved to the closed position, and has a second groove portion formed therein to accommodate the rear end of the second contact arm portion at a position corresponding to the rear end of the second contact arm portion, the second groove portion having a groove portion formed rearward of the first groove portion in a state where the movable member is located at the closed position, and the rear end of the second contact arm portion is received by the groove portion.

In the present invention, the groove-like portion of the second groove portion accommodating the rear end of the second contact arm portion is formed at a position rearward of the first groove portion accommodating the rear end of the first contact arm portion. That is, the groove-like portions of the second groove portions adjacent in the connector width direction do not have the first groove portion therebetween. Therefore, the portion between the groove-like portions of the movable member can be made solid, in other words, the portion (partition wall) separating the groove-like portions can be made solid, so that the thickness dimension (dimension in the connector width direction) of the partition wall can be increased, and the partition wall can be ensured to have sufficient strength even if the interval between the terminals is reduced.

In the present invention having the above-described configuration, unexpected displacement of the first contact arm portion in the connector width direction is restricted by the inner wall surface (the surface perpendicular to the connector width direction) of the first groove portion, and unexpected displacement of the second contact arm portion in the connector width direction is restricted by the side surface (the surface perpendicular to the connector width direction) of the partition wall between the groove-like portions of the second groove portion, that is, the inner wall surface of the groove-like portion. In particular, in the partition wall between the groove-like portions of the second groove portion which is located rearward of the rear end of the first contact arm portion, i.e., on the opening side of the receiving portion, and which can be brought into contact with the rear end of the second contact arm portion which is susceptible to an unexpected external force, as described above, the partition wall can secure sufficient strength, and the rear end of the second contact arm portion, and more specifically, the displacement of the second contact arm portion can be more reliably restricted.

In the present invention, it is preferable that a rotation angle of the movable member from the closed position to the open position is an obtuse angle, the first groove portion of the movable member extends in the front-rear direction when the movable member is located at the open position as viewed in the connector width direction, and the first groove portion of the movable member is inclined rearward toward the receiving portion of the housing in the connector thickness direction when the movable member is located at the closed position.

With the above configuration, when the movable member and the housing are molded in the same process to manufacture the connector, if the movable member is molded in the state of being located at the open position, the first groove portion can be easily formed by moving the mold portion for molding the movable member straight in the front-rear direction. When the movable member molded as described above is moved to the closed position, the first groove portion is formed in a shape inclined rearward toward the receiving portion of the housing in the thickness direction of the connector. Therefore, the inner wall surface of the first groove portion is positioned away from the rear end of the first contact arm portion of the first terminal toward the receiving portion of the housing in the connector thickness direction. As a result, interference between the inner wall surface of the first groove portion and the rear end of the first contact arm portion can be more reliably avoided.

In the present invention, it is preferable that a protruding portion that protrudes toward the receiving portion side of the housing in the connector thickness direction and extends in the front-rear direction is provided at a position corresponding to the first terminal in the connector width direction on the rear end side when the movable member is located at the closed position, the first groove portion is formed to be recessed from a surface of the protruding portion on the receiving portion side when located at the closed position, and the second groove portion is formed between protruding portions adjacent to each other in the connector width direction.

Effects of the invention

In the present invention, as described above, the groove-like portions of the second groove portions that house the rear ends of the second contact arm portions are formed rearward of the first groove portions that house the rear ends of the first contact arm portions, and the first groove portions are not present between the groove-like portions of the second groove portions adjacent in the connector width direction, so that the portions between the groove-like portions of the movable member can be made solid, in other words, the portions (partition walls) that separate the groove-like portions can be made solid, the thickness dimension (dimension in the connector width direction) of the partition walls can be increased, and sufficient strength of the partition walls can be secured even if the intervals between the terminals are reduced. Therefore, according to the present invention, unexpected displacement of the first contact arm portion and the second contact arm portion in the connector width direction is restricted by the inner wall surface between the first groove portions and the inner wall surface of the groove-like portion of the second groove portion (the side surface of the partition wall), respectively, and particularly, displacement of the rear end of the second contact arm portion, more specifically, the entire second contact arm portion, which is located on the opening side of the receiving portion of the housing and is likely to receive unexpected external force, can be more reliably restricted by the partition wall between the second groove portions having sufficient strength.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector for a flat conductor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the electrical connector for a flat conductor of fig. 1 viewed from the front side, in which one first terminal, one second terminal, a movable member, and one metal fitting are shown separately.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat conductive electrical connector when the movable member is at the closed position, where (a) shows a section at the position of the first terminal, (B) shows a section at the position of the second terminal, and (C) shows a section at the position of the locking portion of the movable member.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat conductive electrical connector when the movable member is at the open position, where (a) shows a section at the position of the first terminal, (B) shows a section at the position of the second terminal, and (C) shows a section at the position of the locking portion of the movable member.

Fig. 5 (a) is a plan view of the electrical connector for a flat conductive member when the movable member is at the open position, and (B) is a bottom view of the electrical connector for a flat conductive member of (a).

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat conductive electrical connector when the movable member is at the closed position, where (a) shows a cross section at a position of the first shaft portion of the movable member, (B) shows a cross section at a position of the second shaft portion of the movable member, and (C) shows a cross section at a position of the third shaft portion of the movable member.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat conductive electrical connector when the movable member is at the open position, where (a) shows a cross section at a position of the first shaft portion of the movable member, (B) shows a cross section at a position of the second shaft portion of the movable member, and (C) shows a cross section at a position of the third shaft portion of the movable member.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector for a flat conductor when integrally molded, (a) shows a section at a position of the first shaft portion of the movable member in a state where a mold is disposed, and (B) shows a section at a position of the third shaft portion of the movable member in a state where a mold is disposed.

Fig. 9 (a) is a perspective view of the flat-type electric connector for conductor with the movable member located at the open position, partially enlarged, and viewed obliquely from above and forward, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the flat-type electric connector for conductor with the movable member located at the closed position, viewed from below, and partially enlarged.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electric connector for circuit board in a state after insertion of the flat conductor is completed, (a) shows a cross section at a position of the first terminal, (B) shows a cross section at a position of the second terminal, and (C) is a cross section at a position of the locking portion of the movable member.

Description of the symbols

1, a connector;

10a housing;

a 16C-1 axis limiting surface;

17A receiving part;

18a housing portion;

an 18A outer housing section;

18A-1 front inner wall surface;

18A-2 rear inner wall surface;

18B inner housing part;

an 18C intermediate storage section;

20 a first terminal;

21a first contact arm portion;

21A first contact portion;

21B back end;

30 a second terminal;

31a second contact arm portion;

31A second contact portion;

31B rear end;

32a held arm portion;

a 32C support portion;

a 32C-1 notch portion;

40 a movable member;

46 projection strip parts;

46A first groove portion;

46B second groove portions;

47a rotation shaft portion;

a 47A first shaft portion;

47B second shaft part;

a 47C third shaft portion;

47D a fourth shaft portion;

50 a metal fitting;

51 a movement restricting section;

52a front held portion;

52A forward bend;

53 rear held portion;

53A rear upper bend;

53B rear lower curve;

f a flat type conductor;

c1 fore and aft clearance;

c2 fore and aft clearance;

c3 vertical gap.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric connector 1 for a flat conductor (hereinafter referred to as "connector 1") according to the present embodiment. The connector 1 is mounted on a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown), and a flat conductor F serving as a mating connector is connected to be insertable and removable with a front-rear direction (X-axis direction) parallel to the mounting surface as an insertion and removal direction. The connector 1 electrically connects the circuit board and the flat conductor F by connecting the flat conductor F. In the present embodiment, the X1 direction is defined as the front and the X2 direction is defined as the rear with respect to the X axis direction (front-rear direction). In a plane (XY plane) parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board, a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the front-back direction (X-axis direction) is defined as a connector width direction, and a Z-axis direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the mounting surface of the circuit board is defined as a connector thickness direction.

The flat conductor F is formed in a band shape extending in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) with the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) set as the width direction, and a plurality of circuit portions (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction are formed in the connector width direction. The circuit portion is embedded in the insulating layer of the flat conductor F, extends in the front-rear direction, and reaches the front end position of the flat conductor F. The circuit portion includes a connection circuit portion F1 having only a distal end portion exposed on the upper surface of the flat conductor F, and is contactable with the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 of the connector 1 described later. The connection circuit portion F1 includes a first connection circuit portion F1A in contact with the first terminal 20 and a second connection circuit portion F1B in contact with the second terminal 30, which are shifted in the front-rear direction and alternately located in the connector width direction.

Further, notches F2 are formed on both side edges of the front end side portion of the flat conductor F, and the rear end edge of the front ear portion F3 located forward of the notch F2 functions as a locked portion F3A locked to a locking portion 45A described later of the connector 1. The flat conductor F is formed with rear lug portions F4 projecting in a substantially triangular shape from both side edges toward the outside in the connector width direction at positions rearward of the notch portions F2. The front end edge of the rear lug portion F4 extends obliquely rearward toward the outside in the connector width direction, and the flat conductor F is positioned at a regular insertion position in the front-rear direction by the front end edge coming into contact with a positioning surface 16C-2 of the housing 10 described later from the rear.

The connector 1 includes: a housing 10 made of an electrically insulating material; a plurality of metal first terminals 20 and second terminals 30, the plurality of first terminals 20 and second terminals 30 being arranged and held by the housing 10 by integral molding (see fig. 2); a movable member 40 made of an electrically insulating material, the movable member 40 being rotatable with respect to the housing 10 between a closed position and an open position, which will be described later; and a metal fitting 50, the metal fitting 50 is held to the housing 10 by integral molding, and further, the connector 1 is used for inserting and connecting the flat type conductor F from the rear. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30, the two terminals are collectively referred to as "

terminals

20 and 30".

Before describing the detailed configuration of the connector 1, first, an outline of the operation of inserting and extracting the flat conductor F into and from the connector 1 will be described. The movable member 40 of the connector 1 is movable by rotating between a closed position, which is a first position preventing the flat-type conductor F from being pulled out, and an open position, which is a second position allowing the flat-type conductor F to be pulled out. Before the flat conductor F is inserted into the connector 1, as shown in fig. 1, the movable member 40 of the connector 1 allows the flat conductor F to be inserted at the closed position, which is the first position where the movable member 40 assumes a posture parallel to the mounting surface (not shown) of the circuit board and the housing 10. The flat conductor F is inserted to a predetermined position (a normal insertion position) by abutting the

terminals

20 and 30 at the leading edge thereof and elastically displacing the abutting portions of the

terminals

20 and 30.

After the flat conductor F is inserted and connected, the movable member 40 is also maintained at the closed position in the used state of the connector 1, and as described later, the engagement portion 45A of the movable member 40 and the engaged portion F3A of the flat conductor F are located at positions capable of engagement, so that the flat conductor F is prevented from moving backward (X2 direction), and the flat conductor F is prevented from being inadvertently pulled out (see fig. 10C). When the flat conductor F is pulled out without using the connector 1, as shown in fig. 4, the movable member 40 is rotated in the rising direction and brought to the open position (see fig. 4C) where the movable member 40 is in the second position in the rising posture at an angle to the mounting surface of the circuit board and the housing 10, and the locking state of the locking portion 45A of the movable member 40 with respect to the locked portion F3A of the flat conductor F is released, and the flat conductor F is allowed to move backward, that is, the flat conductor F is allowed to be pulled out. In the present embodiment, the rotation angle of the movable member 40 from the closed position to the open position is an obtuse angle.

In the present embodiment, the movable member 40 moves between the closed position and the open position only by rotating about the rotation axis extending in the connector width direction, but the moving form of the movable member 40 is not limited to this, and for example, the movable member 40 may rotate while sliding.

Returning to the description of the structure of the connector 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connector 1 of fig. 1 viewed from the front side, showing one first terminal 20, one second terminal 30, the movable member 40, and one metal fitting 50 in a separated manner. In this fig. 2, the movable member 40 is shown in a posture at the same angle as when located at the open position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector 1 when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector 1 when the movable member 40 is located at the open position, and in fig. 3 and 4, (a) shows a section at the position of the first terminal 20 in the connector width direction, (B) shows a section at the position of the second terminal 30 in the connector width direction, and (C) shows a section at the position of the later-described locking portion 45A of the movable member 40 in the connector width direction.

As shown in fig. 2, the housing 10 has a rectangular frame shape (fig. 5B) having a connector width direction (Y-axis direction) as a longitudinal direction when viewed from above, and the housing 10 includes a front frame portion 10A and a rear frame portion 10B extending in the connector width direction in parallel with each other, and a pair of side frame portions 10C located symmetrically in the connector width direction and extending in the front-rear direction by connecting end portions of the front frame portion 10A and the rear frame portion 10B to each other.

As shown in fig. 2, the front frame 10A includes a front base portion 11 and a front wall 12, the front base portion 11 forming a lower portion facing a circuit board (not shown) and extending over a terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction, and the front wall 12 standing upward from the front base portion 11 and extending over the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction. The front base 11 and the front wall 12 of the front frame 10A are integrally molded to align and hold the first terminals 20 and the second terminals 30. The upper surface of the front wall 12 is configured to be in contact with the lower surface of the movable member 40 located at the closed position, and to face the lower surface (see fig. 3a and B), and to restrict the movable member 40 from being excessively displaced downward. The rear frame 10B extends in the connector width direction over the terminal arrangement range, and arranges and holds the second terminals 30 together with the front frame 10A by integral molding.

As shown in fig. 2, the side frame portion 10C includes: a plate-shaped side base portion 14, the side base portion 14 connecting the front base portion 11 and the end portion of the rear frame portion 10B in the connector width direction; a side wall 15, the side wall 15 being located at a position further outward than the side base portion 14 in the connector width direction and being connected to the side base portion 14; and a side protruding portion 16, the side protruding portion 16 being located on the inner side (terminal arrangement range side) of the side wall 15 in the connector width direction and protruding upward from the side base portion 14.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the substantially rear half portion of the side wall 15 protrudes inward in the connector width direction than the other portions, and as described later, an outer receiving portion 18A that receives the first shaft portion 47A and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 is formed so as to penetrate in the vertical direction and open inward in the connector width direction in a longitudinally intermediate region of the substantially rear half portion.

As shown in fig. 2, the side protruding portion 16 includes a front restricting projection 16A and a rear restricting projection 16B, wherein the front restricting projection 16A is located at a position close to the front end of the side base portion 14, and the rear restricting projection 16B is located at a position rearward of the front restricting projection 16A. When the movable member 40 is brought to the closed position, a later-described restricted projection 45B of the movable member 40 is received in a space between the front restricting projection 16A and the rear restricting projection 16B. In the closed position, the movement of the restricted projection 45B toward the front can be restricted by the rear surface of the front restricting projection 16A, and the movement of the restricted projection 45B toward the rear can be restricted by the front surface of the rear restricting projection 16B.

As shown in fig. 2, the side protruding portion 16 includes an axis regulating protrusion 16C, and the axis regulating protrusion 16C is formed lower than the front regulating protrusion 16A and the rear regulating protrusion 16B at a position rearward of the rear regulating protrusion 16B. The shaft restricting projection 16C extends rearward (X2 direction) from the rear surface of the rear restricting projection 16B, and then extends so as to be inclined outward in the connector width direction (Y axis direction) as it goes rearward. The upper surface of the shaft regulating projection 16C is formed as a shaft regulating surface 16C-1 (see fig. 6B) for regulating the second shaft portion 47B of the movable member 40 described below and for moving the second shaft portion 47B downward by a predetermined amount or more. The rear surface (inclined surface) of the shaft regulating projection 16C is formed as a positioning surface 16C-2 which abuts against the front end edge (inclined edge) of the rear lug part F4 of the flat conductor F inserted into the connector 1 to position the flat conductor F at a normal insertion position in the front-rear direction.

As shown in fig. 2, a receiving portion 18 is formed on the rear end side (X2 side) of the side frame portion 10C to receive the pivot shaft portion 47 of the movable member 40 in a range including the pivot shaft portion 47 when the housing 10 is viewed in the vertical direction (Z axis direction). The housing portion 18 has: an outer receiving portion 18A that mainly receives a first shaft portion 47A and a third shaft portion 47C, which will be described later, in the rotating shaft portion 47; an inner receiving portion 18B that is located more inward than the outer receiving portion 18A in the connector width direction and that mainly receives a second shaft portion 47B described later; and an intermediate housing portion 18C that is positioned between the outer housing portion 18A and the inner housing portion 18B in the connector width direction, and that houses a fourth shaft portion 47D, described later, of the movable member 40.

As described above, the outer housing portion 18A is formed as a space that penetrates the front-rear direction intermediate region of the substantially rear half portion of the side wall 15 in the up-down direction and is open toward the connector width direction inner side. As shown in fig. 5B, the outer housing portion 18A houses the first shaft portion 47A and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 (see fig. 6a and C). Of the inner wall surfaces forming the outer housing portion 18A, two inner wall surfaces facing each other in the front-rear direction are formed as surfaces perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and the inner wall surface positioned forward of the two inner wall surfaces is referred to as "front inner wall surface 18A-1", and the inner wall surface positioned rearward is referred to as "rear inner wall surface 18A-2" (see fig. 6a and 7 a).

The inner receiving portion 18B is formed in a space extending over a range between an upper surface of the shaft restricting projection 16C and an upper surface of the side wall 15 in the vertical direction at a position inside of an intermediate receiving portion 18C described later in the connector width direction. As described above, the inner housing portion 18B houses the second shaft portion 47B of the movable member 40.

The intermediate receiving portion 18C is formed as a space that penetrates the lateral base portion 14 in the vertical direction at a position between the side wall 15 and the shaft restricting projection 16C in the connector width direction. As shown in fig. 5 (B), the intermediate housing portion 18C houses a fourth shaft portion 47D of the movable member 40, which will be described later. As will be described later, the intermediate housing portion 18C is formed by pulling out a gate block (not shown) from below for molding the movable member 40 when the connector 1 is manufactured, after the movable member 40 is molded. A slope 18C-1 (see fig. 5B) that expands the inner width of the intermediate housing portion 18C downward is formed along the periphery of the intermediate housing portion 18C on the inner wall surface on the lower end side of the intermediate housing portion 18C. By forming the inclined surface 18C-1, the gate block for forming the movable member can be easily removed after the movable member 40 is formed.

The outer receiving portion 18A and the intermediate receiving portion 18C communicate with each other, and the outer receiving portion 18A and the intermediate receiving portion 18C together form a through portion in the form of one hole that vertically penetrates the side frame portion 10C (see fig. 5B).

As shown in fig. 4 (a), the housing 10 is formed with a space 17 having a receiving portion 17A, a receiving recess 17B, and a bottom hole portion 17C. That is, as can be seen from fig. 4 (a), the space 17 includes: a receiving portion 17A for receiving the flat type conductor F inserted toward the front; a housing recess 17B located above the receiving portion 17A and housing the movable member 40 located at the closed position; a bottom hole portion 17C, the bottom hole portion 17C is positioned below the receiving portion 17A.

The receiving portion 17A is located above the rear frame portion 10B in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and below a cover plate portion 42 of the movable member 40 located at the closed position, and is formed to extend from the rear end of the connector 1 to the rear surface of the front wall 12 of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), and to extend between the two side protruding portions 16 in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction). The receiving portion 17A is opened rearward and also opened upward, so that the front end side portion of the flat conductor F can be received from behind. Further, since the receiving portion 17A is opened not only rearward but also upward, the flat conductor F can be received in an inclined posture at the rear portion of the receiving portion 17A.

The housing recess 17B is located above the receiving portion 17A and communicates with the receiving portion 17A, and is formed between the two side walls 15 in the connector width direction. The receiving recess 17B is opened upward, and can receive the movable member 40 brought to the closed position. The receiving recess 17B is formed from a position near a rear end 31B of a second contact arm portion 31 of the second terminal 30 described later to a front end of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the housing recess 17B is located above the receiving portion 17A, but the above-mentioned "located above the receiving portion 17A" also includes a state in which the housing recess 17B is formed to partially overlap the receiving portion 17A in the vertical direction.

The bottom hole portion 17C is formed as a space surrounded by a rectangular frame-shaped portion (a portion constituted by the front frame portion 10A, the rear frame portion 10B, and the side frame portion 10C) of the housing 10 and penetrating in the vertical direction.

In the present embodiment, the terminal is constituted by two types of the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 which are different from each other in shape. As shown in fig. 2, the first terminals 20 and the second terminals 30 are configured in different shapes from each other, and are alternately arranged in the connector width direction.

As shown in fig. 2, the first terminal 20 is manufactured by bending a strip-shaped rolled metal plate having a dimension in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) as the terminal width direction in the plate thickness direction. The first terminal 20 has a first contact arm portion 21 extending in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) and elastically displaceable in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction), a first connection portion 22 extending forward at a position below the first contact arm portion 21, and a first connection portion 23 extending in the up-down direction and connecting the front end of the first contact arm portion 21 and the rear end of the first connection portion 22, and the first terminal 20 is formed in a substantially crank shape as a whole (see also fig. 3 a).

The first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20 extends so as to be slightly inclined downward as it goes toward the rear, and the first contact arm portion 21 has a first contact portion 21A formed to be curved so as to protrude downward at a position near the rear end. When the flat conductor F is inserted into the connector 1, the first contact arm portion 21 is elastically displaced upward, and the first contact portion 21A can contact the first connection circuit portion F1A located in the front row of the flat conductor F (see fig. 10 a).

The rear end side portion of the first connection portion 22 of the first terminal 20 and the first connection portion 23 are held by the front frame portion 10A of the housing 10 by integral molding (see also fig. 3 a). The first terminal 20 has a front end portion of the first connection portion 22 extending forward from the front frame portion 10A of the housing 10, and is connected by soldering to a circuit portion of a circuit board (not shown) via its lower surface.

As shown in fig. 2, the second terminal 30 is manufactured by bending a strip-shaped rolled metal plate in a plate thickness direction, the strip-shaped rolled metal plate having a dimension in a connector width direction as a terminal width direction, the second terminal 30 being formed with a second contact arm portion 31, a held arm portion 32, a bent second coupling portion 33, and a second connecting portion 34, wherein the second contact arm portion 31 extends in a front-rear direction and is elastically displaceable in a vertical direction, the held arm portion 32 extends in the front-rear direction at a position lower than the second contact arm portion 31, and the held arm portion 32 is held by the housing 10 at a front end portion and a rear end portion, the second coupling portion 33 extends in the vertical direction and couples the front ends of the second contact arm portion 31 and the held arm portion 32 to each other, the second connecting portion 34 extends rearward from the held arm portion 32.

The second terminal 30 has the second contact arm portion 31 as one arm portion, the held arm portion 32 as the other arm portion, and the second coupling portion 33 as described above, and forms a horizontal U-shaped portion (see also fig. 3B) opening rearward (in the X2 direction), and as described later, the second terminal 30 can receive the flat conductor F from the rear side through the horizontal U-shaped portion, and can press the flat conductor F by the second contact arm portion 31 and the held arm portion 32 by elastic displacement of the second contact arm portion 31 when receiving the flat conductor F.

As shown in fig. 3 (B), the second contact arm portion 31 of the second terminal 30 extends to be slightly inclined downward from the upper end of the second coupling portion 33 toward the rear, and the second contact arm portion 31 has a second contact portion 31A formed to be curved so as to protrude downward at a position close to the rear end. The second contact portion 31A is located rearward of the first contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 (see also fig. 3B), and is connected to a second connection circuit portion F1B located in a rear row of the flat conductor F. The rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31 is located behind the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20 (see also fig. 3B).

The arm portion 32 to be held of the second terminal 30 extends rearward from the lower end of the second coupling portion 33 in parallel with the second contact arm portion 31 to reach the position of the rear frame portion 10B of the housing 10. The portion of the arm portion 32 to be held near the rear end is held by the rear frame portion 10B of the housing 10 by integral molding. The portion of the held arm portion 32 near the distal end and the second coupling portion 33 are held by the front frame portion 10A by integral molding (see also fig. 3B). That is, as shown in fig. 3 (B), the held arm portion 32 is held in a double support beam shape by the housing 10.

As shown in fig. 3 (B), the held arm portion 32 includes: a distal end portion 32A, the distal end portion 32A being coupled to the second coupling portion 33; a rear end side portion 32B, the rear end side portion 32B being coupled to the second connecting portion 34; a support portion 32C that is located at a position in the front-rear direction including a range of the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31 and that links the front end side portion 32A and the rear end side portion 32B.

Fig. 5 (a) is a plan view of the connector 1 when the movable member 40 is located at the open position, and (B) is a bottom view of the connector 1 of (a). As shown in fig. 5B, the terminal width dimension (dimension in the Y axis direction) of the tip side portion 32A is larger than the second contact arm portion 31 (see also fig. 5 a), and is formed to have the same width over the entire region in the front-rear direction. The rear end side portion 32B is formed to have a terminal width dimension smaller than that of the front end side portion 32A.

As shown in fig. 5 (B), the support portion 32C is located within the range of the bottom hole portion 17C of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction and the connector width direction. As described above, the support portion 32C is located at a position in the front-rear direction including the range of the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31, and in a state where the flat conductor F is connected to the connector 1, the flat conductor F in contact with the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31 is supported from below by the rolled surface (support surface) constituting the upper surface of the support portion 32C (see fig. 10B).

As shown in fig. 5 (B), the side edge of support portion 32C on the Y1 side in the connector width direction is located further toward the Y1 side than front end side portion 32A, and at the side edge portion of Y2 on the opposite side thereof in the connector width direction, a notched portion 32C-1 is formed at a position overlapping with second contact portion 31A in the front-rear direction. The terminal width dimension of the range of the cutout portion 32C-1 in the front-rear direction of the support portion 32C is smaller than the terminal width dimension of the front end side portion 32A and is substantially equal to the terminal width dimension of the rear end side portion 32B. Further, the terminal width dimension of the support portion 32C in the range other than the cutout portion 32C-1 in the front-rear direction is larger than the terminal width dimensions of the front end side portion 32A and the rear end side portion 32B. In other words, the maximum terminal width dimension of the bearing portion 32C is larger than the maximum terminal width dimensions of the front end side portion 32A and the rear end side portion 32B.

In the present embodiment, the notch portion 32C-1 of the support portion 32C is formed at a position overlapping with a part of the second contact portion 31A when viewed in the opposing direction (up-down direction) of the second contact arm portion 31 and the held arm portion 32. In other words, support portion 32C has a range that does not overlap a portion of second contact portion 31A in the range of notch portion 32C-1. That is, as shown in fig. 5 (B), when the second terminal 30 is viewed from below, a part of the second contact portion 31A is exposed in the range of the cutout portion 32C-1 and can be viewed through the cutout portion 32C-1.

Therefore, a plating material (e.g., gold) is sprayed from below the held arm portion 32 through the notch portion 32C-1 onto the contact surface (lower surface) of the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31, and the plating material can be applied to the contact surface. In this way, since the plating material is applied through the notch 32C-1, the range to which the plating material is applied can be maintained at the contact surface of the second contact portion 31A and the vicinity thereof, and therefore the amount of the plating material used can be kept to a necessary minimum, and the manufacturing cost of the second terminal 30 can be suppressed. The plating material can be applied through the notch 32C-1 at any time before and after the second terminal 30 is integrally molded with the housing 10.

In the present embodiment, the maximum terminal width of the support portion 32C is formed to be larger than the maximum terminal width of the other portions of the arm portion 32 to be held, i.e., the front end side portion 32A and the rear end side portion 32B, and is formed to be wider, so that the strength of the support portion 32C itself becomes larger. Therefore, even if the notch portion 32C-1 is formed, the support portion 32C can sufficiently support the flat conductor F against the force applied from the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31 to the flat conductor F, that is, the downward force by the entire support portion 32 in the state where the flat conductor F is connected to the connector 1. Further, a circuit portion may be provided on the lower surface of flat conductor F so as to be in contact with supporting portion 32C, and the circuit portion may be electrically conducted to supporting portion 32C, so that supporting portion 32C may also function as a contact portion.

As shown in fig. 3B, the second connection portion 34 extends rearward from the rear frame portion 10B (see also fig. 5B), and is connected by soldering to a circuit portion of a circuit board (not shown) via its lower surface.

As shown in fig. 1, which shows the movable member 40 in the posture of being located at the closed position, the movable member 40 includes a main body portion 41, a protruding portion 46, and a rotating shaft portion 47, wherein the main body portion 41 is formed in a substantially plate shape that expands in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) and the connector width direction (Y-axis direction), and the protruding portion 46 and the rotating shaft portion 47 are formed on the rear end side (X2 side) of the main body portion 41 when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position.

As shown in fig. 1, the main body 41 includes: a cover plate portion 42 that extends over the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction, and that covers the

terminals

20 and 30 from above at the closed position (see also (a) and (B) of fig. 3); an end arm portion 43, the end arm portion 43 extending rearward at a position outside both sides of the cover plate portion 42; a coupling portion 44, the coupling portion 44 coupling the cover plate portion 42 and the front end of the end arm portion 43 to each other; and a locking arm portion 45, the locking arm portion 45 extending rearward from the connection portion 44 in a cantilever shape (see also fig. 2).

As shown in fig. 1, a hole 42A communicating with a first groove 46A of a protruding portion 46 described later in the front-rear direction and the connector width direction at the closed position is formed in the cover portion 42 so as to penetrate the cover portion 42 in the thickness direction of the cover portion 42 (see also fig. 3 a).

As shown in fig. 2, a lower end portion (rear end portion when in the closed position) of the end wall portion 43 when the movable member 40 is in the open position is located between a first shaft portion 47A and a second shaft portion 47B, described later, of the rotation shaft portion 47 in the connector width direction to constitute a part of the rotation shaft portion 47, and is formed as a fourth shaft portion 47D that couples the first shaft portion 47A and the second shaft portion 47B.

As shown in fig. 2 in which the movable member 40 is in the open position, a locking portion 45A that protrudes forward (downward in fig. 3C) is formed at the lower end portion of the locking arm portion 45 (the rear end portion in fig. 3C in which the movable member 40 is in the closed position). As shown in fig. 3 (C), when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, the above-described locking portion 45A enters the receiving portion 17A of the housing 10 from above. As shown in fig. 3C, the locking portion 45A has a guide surface 45A-1 at the rear and a locking surface 45A-2 at the front, wherein the guide surface 45A-1 is used to guide the flat conductor F forward during insertion of the flat conductor F in a state where the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, and the locking surface 45A-2 can be locked to a locked portion F3A formed in the flat conductor F from behind after insertion of the flat conductor F (see also fig. 10C).

As shown in fig. 3 (C), the guide surface 45A-1 is configured as an inclined surface that is inclined downward toward the front when the movable member 40 is at the closed position. The locking arm portion 45 is configured as an elastic arm portion, and when the tip end portion of the front ear portion F3 of the flat conductor F abuts against the guide surface 45A-1 during insertion of the flat conductor F, the locking arm portion 45 is easily elastically displaced upward by the abutting force.

Further, when the movable member 40 is located at the open position, as shown in fig. 4 (C), the guide surface 45A-1 extends in the up-down direction without being inclined as viewed in the connector width direction. In other words, the above-described guide surface 45A-1 is formed as a surface at right angles to the front-rear direction at the open position. In this way, in the open position, the guide surface 45A-1 extends in the vertical direction, so that the upper mold can be pulled straight upward after the movable member 40 is molded, as will be described later.

As shown in fig. 3 (C) and 10 (C), when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, the locking surface 45A-2 extends in the vertical direction without being inclined as viewed in the connector width direction. In other words, the locking surface 45A-2 is formed as a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction at the closed position. Therefore, in the closed position, the locking surface 45A-2 is located behind the locked portion F3A of the flat conductor F, and can be firmly locked to the locked portion F3A from behind, so that the flat conductor F can be prevented from being inadvertently pulled out.

As shown in fig. 2, the locking arm 45 has a restricted projection 45B near the lower end when the movable member 40 is in the open position, and the restricted projection 45B is formed to protrude outward in the connector width direction from the locking portion 45A. When the movable member 40 is brought to the closed position, the restricted projection 45B enters a space between the front restricting projection 16A and the rear restricting projection 16B of the housing 10, is positioned at a position where it can abut from behind the front restricting projection 16A and can abut from in front from behind the rear restricting projection 16B, and is restricted from moving in the front-rear direction (see fig. 1). The restricted projection 45B is formed in a range including a part of the locking portion 45A when viewed in the connector width direction, and also plays a role of reinforcing the strength of the locking portion 45A.

A plurality of protruding portions 46 are formed at intervals in the connector width direction at positions corresponding to the first terminals 20, and as shown in fig. 3a, the protruding portions 46 protrude from the lower surface of the rear end portion of the cover plate portion 42 when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position and extend rearward (see also fig. 1 and 2). Each protruding portion 46 is formed with a first groove portion 46A that is hidden from the lower surface (surface on the receiving portion 17A side) of the substantially front half of the protruding portion 46 when the protruding portion 46 is located at the closed position. The first groove portion 46A is formed at a position corresponding to the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20 in the connector width direction and the front-rear direction in a state where the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, and as shown in fig. 3a, the first groove portion 46A accommodates the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 at the closed position (see also fig. 9B). As shown in fig. 3 (a) and 4 (a), the first groove 46A is located at a position corresponding to the hole 42A of the cover plate 42 and communicates with the hole 42A. As shown in fig. 2, a substantially lower half portion (substantially rear half portion at the closed position) of the ridge portion 46 at the open position, that is, a portion (partition wall 46C described later) located below the first groove portion 46A (rearward at the closed position) is solid throughout the entire region of the ridge portion 46 in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) (see also (a) and (B) of fig. 9).

Second groove portions 46B extending over the entire regions of the protruding portions 46 in the vertical direction (the front-rear direction at the closed position) at the open position as shown in fig. 2 are formed between the protruding portions 46 adjacent to each other, in other words, at positions corresponding to the rear ends 31B of the second contact arm portions 31 of the second terminals 30 in the connector width direction (see also fig. 3B and 4B). As shown in fig. 3B, the second groove portion 46B accommodates the rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31 when the movable member 40 is brought to the closed position, through a substantially lower half portion thereof at the open position (substantially rear half portion at the closed position), that is, a groove-like portion formed at a position lower than the first groove portion 46A (rear portion at the open position) (see also fig. 9B).

As described above, in the present embodiment, in the state where the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 is accommodated in the first groove portion 46A, and the rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31 is accommodated in the second groove portion 46B, so that unexpected displacement of each of the first contact arm portion 21 and the second contact arm portion 31 in the connector width direction is restricted by the inner wall surface of the first groove portion 46A and the inner wall surface of the second groove portion 46B which are perpendicular to the connector width direction. Further, in the process of inserting the flat conductor F into the connector 1, the flat conductor F does not abut against the rear ends 21B of the first contact arm portions 21 and the rear ends 31B of the second contact arm portions 31, and damage to the

terminals

20 and 30 due to buckling or the like can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, in the state of being located at the closed position, the partition wall 46C is formed in a portion of the protruding portion 46 located rearward (below the open position) of the first groove portion 46A, in other words, in a portion that partitions the groove-like portions of the adjacent second groove portions 46B, and the partition wall 46C is solid over the entire area of the protruding portion 46 in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction).

In the present embodiment, the rear end of the second contact arm portion is located closer to the rear end side of the housing 10, in other words, closer to the opening side of the receiving portion 17A than the rear end of the first contact arm portion. When the insertion of the flat conductor F is started, that is, immediately after the insertion of the flat conductor F into the rear end opening of the receiving portion 17A is started, the position and posture of the flat conductor F in the connector width direction are also unstable, and therefore, the rear end of the second contact arm portion is more likely to receive an unexpected external force from the flat conductor F in the connector width direction than the rear end of the first contact arm portion.

However, in the present embodiment, since the strength of the partition wall 46C itself can be increased by making the partition wall 46C solid as described above and increasing the thickness dimension (the dimension in the connector width direction) of the partition wall 46C as much as possible, the strength of the partition wall 46C can be sufficiently ensured even when the plurality of

terminals

20 and 30 are provided and the interval between the second terminals 30 has to be reduced. Therefore, unexpected displacement of the second contact arm portion 31 in the connector width direction can be more reliably restricted by the side surface (surface perpendicular to the connector width direction) of the partition wall 46C, in other words, the inner wall surface of the groove-like portion of the second groove portion 46B.

As shown in fig. 2, in the lower portion of the partition wall 46C of each protruding strip 46 (the rear portion when the movable member 40 is at the closed position), inclined surfaces 46C-1 are formed on the side surfaces on both sides in the connector width direction, which are directed inward in the connector width direction as going forward (downward when the movable member 40 is at the closed position). In this way, in the present embodiment, since the inclined surface 46C-1 is formed in the partition wall 46C, even if the rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31 of the second terminal 30 is slightly deviated from the standard position in the connector width direction in the state where the movable member 40 is located at the open position, the rear end 31B comes into contact with the inclined surface 46C-1 and comes into sliding contact during the rotation of the movable member 40 from the open position toward the closed position, and is reliably guided into the second groove portion 46B of the movable member 40. Therefore, during the rotation, the rear end 31B is prevented from coming into contact with the partition wall 46C and causing unexpected deformation of the second contact arm portion 31. Further, as described above, since the partition wall 46C is formed to have a large thickness dimension, even if the inclined surface 46C-1 is formed on the partition wall 46C, the strength of the partition wall 46C can be sufficiently ensured.

As described above, the first groove portion 46A communicates with the hole portion 42A of the cover plate portion 42, and as shown in fig. 3 (a) and 4 (a), the inner wall surface of the first groove portion 46A is continuous with the inner wall surface of the hole portion 42A to form a flat surface. When viewed in the connector width direction, the continuous inner wall surfaces of the first groove portion 46A and the hole portion 42A and the inner wall surface of the second groove portion 46B extend straight without being inclined in the front-rear direction when the movable member 40 is at the open position (see fig. 4 (a) and (B)), and are inclined rearward as going downward when the movable member 40 is at the closed position (see fig. 3 (a) and (B)).

Therefore, when the connector 1 is manufactured by molding the movable member 40 and the housing 10 in the same step, if the movable member 40 is molded in the open position, the mold portion for molding the movable member 40 is moved straight in the front-rear direction, and the first groove portion 46A and the second groove portion 46B can be easily formed.

Further, as described above, when the movable member 40 is brought to the closed position, the inner wall surface forming the first groove portion 46A is inclined rearward as it goes downward when viewed in the connector width direction (see fig. 3 a). Therefore, in the closed position, the inner wall surface located on the rear side (X2 side) among the inner wall surfaces of the first groove portion 46A is positioned away from the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20 housed in the first groove portion 46A. As a result, the movable member 40 brought from the open position to the closed position can be more reliably prevented from interfering with the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21, and damage to the first contact arm portion 21 can be prevented.

As shown in fig. 4 (a) and (B), when the movable member 40 is located at the open position, the first groove portion 46A and the second groove portion 46B of the movable member 40 are located rearward of the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 and the rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31 (see also fig. 9 (a)). That is, the rear end 21B and the rear end 31B are not located in the first groove portion 46A and the second groove portion 46B, respectively. Therefore, when the connector 1 is manufactured by molding the movable member 40 and the housing 10 in the same step, if the movable member 40 is molded in the open position, it is not necessary to form the mold portions corresponding to the first groove portion 46A and the second groove portion 46B in the mold into a complicated shape for avoiding interference between the rear end 21B of the first contact arm portion 21 and the rear end 31B of the second contact arm portion 31, and it is possible to provide the mold portions in a simple shape corresponding to the first groove portion 46A and the second groove portion 46B. As a result, sufficient strength can be secured at the mold portion to avoid damage.

The outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft portion 47 of the movable member 40 around the rotation axis is configured as a non-cylindrical surface, and extends in the connector width direction at a position including the rotation axis of the movable member 40, and the rotating shaft portion 47 has a first shaft portion 47A, a second shaft portion 47B, a third shaft portion 47C, and a fourth shaft portion 47D, which will be described later. As shown in fig. 2, in a state where the movable member 40 is located at the open position, the first shaft portion 47A protrudes outward in the connector width direction from the fourth shaft portion 47D constituting the lower end portion of the end arm portion 43. The second shaft portion 47B is located below the locking arm portion 45, and connects the lower end portion of the protruding strip portion 46 located at the end portion position in the connector width direction to the fourth shaft portion 47D (the lower end portion of the end arm portion 43). The third shaft portion 47C protrudes outward in the connector width direction from the first shaft portion 47A. The fourth shaft portion 47D constitutes a lower end portion of the end arm portion 43, is located between the first shaft portion 47A and the second shaft portion 47B in the connector width direction, and connects the first shaft portion 47A and the second shaft portion 47B. The pivot shaft 47 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 18 of the housing 10.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the connector 1 when the movable member 40 is located at the closed position, and fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the connector 1 when the movable member 40 is located at the open position, and fig. 6 and 7 (a) show a section at the position of the first shaft portion 47A in the connector width direction, (B) show a section at the position of the second shaft portion 47B in the connector width direction, and (C) show a section at the position of the third shaft portion 47C in the connector width direction.

As shown in fig. 7 (a), the cross-sectional shape of the first shaft portion 47A perpendicular to the connector width direction when the movable member 40 is at the open position is a substantially rectangular shape with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction, and the cross-sectional area thereof is larger than the cross-sectional area of each of the second shaft portion 47B and the third shaft portion 47C. As shown in fig. 7 (a), the first shaft portion 47A has a cross-sectional shape in which the front surface and the rear surface are flat surfaces extending straight without being inclined in the vertical direction, the upper surface is a curved surface curved to protrude upward, and the lower surface is a curved surface curved to protrude downward. Here, the front surface of the first shaft portion 47A in the open position shown in fig. 7 (a) is referred to as "flat surface 47A-1", the rear surface is referred to as "flat surface 47A-2", the upper surface is referred to as "curved surface 47A-3", and the lower surface is referred to as "curved surface 47A-4".

In a state where the movable member 40 is rotated to the closed position, as shown in fig. 6 (a), the flat surface 47A-1 (front surface at the open position) and the flat surface 47A-2 (rear surface at the open position) of the first shaft portion 47A are positioned so as to be inclined rearward as facing upward, and the lower surface and the upper surface of the first shaft portion 47A are respectively constituted at the closed position. Further, the curved face 47A-3 (upper surface at the open position) and the curved face 47A-4 (lower surface at the open position) of the first shaft portion 47A constitute the front surface and the rear surface of the first shaft portion 47A, respectively, at the closed position.

As shown in fig. 7 (B), the cross-sectional shape of the second shaft portion 47B perpendicular to the connector width direction when the movable member 40 is in the open position is formed into a substantially pentagonal shape, the lower surface of the outer peripheral surface thereof is formed into a flat surface extending straight without being inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and the front surface of the upper portion of the second shaft portion 47B is formed into a flat surface inclined rearward as it goes upward. Here, the lower surface of the second shaft portion 47B at the open position shown in fig. 7 (B) is referred to as "flat surface 47B-1", and the front surface of the upper portion thereof is referred to as "flat surface 47B-2".

In the state where the movable member 40 is rotated to the closed position, as shown in fig. 6 (B), the flat surface 47B-1 (the front surface of the lower portion at the open position) of the second shaft portion 47B is positioned so as to be inclined forward as it faces upward, and constitutes the rear surface of the second shaft portion 47B. Further, the flat surface 47B-1 (front surface of the upper portion at the open position) is positioned so as to extend straight without being inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and constitutes the lower surface of the second shaft portion 47B.

As shown in fig. 6 (C) and 7 (C), the third shaft portion 47C is located below a movement restricting portion 51, described later, of the metal fitting 50, and functions as a movement restricted portion that receives restriction of upward movement by a predetermined amount or more from the movement restricting portion 51.

As shown in fig. 7 (C), the cross-sectional shape of the third shaft portion 47C perpendicular to the connector width direction when the movable member 40 is in the open position is formed into a substantially pentagonal shape whose longitudinal direction is the vertical direction, and the upper surface of the outer peripheral surface thereof is formed into a flat surface extending straight without being inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and the rear surface of the lower portion thereof is formed into a flat surface inclined rearward as it goes upward. Here, the upper surface of the second shaft portion 47B at the open position shown in fig. 7 (C) is referred to as "flat surface 47C-1", and the rear surface of the lower portion thereof is referred to as "flat surface 47C-2". At the above-described open position, as shown in fig. 7 (C), the flat surface 47C-1 of the third shaft portion 47C is in surface contact with the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50, whereby the movable member 40 is maintained at the open position.

In the state where the movable member 40 is rotated to the closed position, as shown in fig. 6 (C), the flat surface 47C-1 (upper surface at the open position) is positioned so as to be inclined forward as it faces upward, and constitutes the front surface of the third shaft portion 47C. Further, the flat surface 47C-2 (the rear surface of the lower portion at the open position) is positioned so as to extend straight without being inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and constitutes the upper surface of the third shaft portion 47C. At the above-described closed position, as shown in fig. 6 (C), the flat surface 47C-2 of the third shaft portion 47C is in surface contact with the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50, whereby the movable member 40 is maintained at the closed position.

In the present embodiment, in the process of the movable member 40 rotating between the closed position and the open position, the third shaft portion 47C receives the abutting force from the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50, and rotates in sliding contact with the lower surface. As described above, the third shaft portion 47C has a non-cylindrical outer peripheral surface, and a linear distance from the position of the rotational axis of the movable member 40 (the position of the rotational center) to the abutment position of the third shaft portion 47C with the movement restricting portion 51 as viewed in the connector width direction is not constant during the rotation of the movable member 40. Therefore, during the rotation, the position of the third shaft portion 47C in the up-down direction moves up and down due to the third shaft portion 47C receiving the abutting force from the movement restricting portion 51. That is, the third shaft portion 47C has a function of a so-called cam portion.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 6a and 7A, the first shaft portion 47A is housed in the outer housing portion 18A in a state where a gap in the front-rear direction (hereinafter referred to as "front-rear direction gap") is formed between the first shaft portion 47A and the front inner wall surface 18A-1 and the rear inner wall surface 18A-2 of the outer housing portion 18A, respectively. In the present embodiment, the front-rear direction gap between the movable member 40 and the front inner wall surface 18A-1 is "C1", and the front-rear direction gap between the movable member 40 and the rear inner wall surface 18A-2 is "C2" (see fig. 6 (a) and 7 (a)). As can be seen by comparing fig. 6 (a) and fig. 7 (a), the sizes of the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 at the closed position are smaller than the sizes of the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 at the open position. In this way, the first shaft portion 47A is configured in such a shape that the front-rear direction clearances C1, C2 at the closed position are smaller than the front-rear direction clearances C1, C2 at the open position.

As shown in fig. 6B and 7B, the second shaft portion 47B is housed in the inner housing portion 18B in a state where a gap in the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as "vertical gap") is formed between the second shaft portion 47B and the shaft restricting surface 16C-1, which is the upper surface of the shaft restricting projection 16C. In the present embodiment, the vertical gap with the shaft regulating surface 16C-1 when the movable member 40 is at the closed position is defined as "C3" (see fig. 6 (B) and 7 (B)). As can be seen by comparing fig. 6 (B) and fig. 7 (B), the vertical gap C3 at the closed position is smaller in size than the vertical gap C3 at the open position. In this way, the second shaft portion 47B is configured in a shape in which the vertical gap C3 at the closed position is smaller than the vertical gap C3 at the open position.

The housing 10 and the movable member 40 are so-called simultaneously molded articles, and are molded in the same process when the connector 1 is manufactured as described later. In the present embodiment, the movable member 40 is molded in a state of being located at the open position, and when the housing 10 and the movable member 40 are molded, a part of the mold is inserted into the front-rear direction gaps C1 and C2 in the vertical direction (see fig. 8 a), and a part of the mold is inserted into the front-rear direction gap C3 in the vertical direction. As described above, the sizes of the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 and the up-down direction gap C3 at the open position are larger than those at the closed position, and therefore, the front-rear direction size of the mold portions inserted into the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 and the up-down direction size of the mold portions inserted into the up-down direction gap C3 can be increased, thereby sufficiently securing the strengths of these mold portions.

In the present embodiment, the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 at the position of the first shaft portion 47A when the movable member 40 is at the open position are formed as slits extending linearly in the vertical direction with equal gap dimensions. Further, the vertical gap at the position of the second shaft portion 47B when the movable member 40 is at the open position is formed as a slit linearly extending in the front-rear direction with an equal gap size. Therefore, the shape of the mold portions into which the movable member 40 is inserted into the front-rear direction gaps C1 and C2 and the vertical direction gap C3, respectively, during molding can be simplified to a straight line.

Further, when the connector is used, the movable member 40 is brought from the open position to the closed position, and the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 and the up-down direction gap C3 become smaller than when the movable member 40 is located at the open position. Therefore, the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2, and the vertical direction gap C3 are equal to or smaller than the allowable gap amount, so that when the connector is used, even if the flat type conductor F receives external forces in the front-rear direction (insertion and extraction direction) and the vertical direction, the front-rear direction play at the position of the first shaft portion 47A is suppressed, and the vertical direction play at the position of the second shaft portion 47B is suppressed. As a result, the contact state between the flat conductor F and the

terminals

20 and 30 is not easily adversely affected.

As shown in fig. 2, the metal fitting 50 is held by the side wall 15 of the housing 10 by integral molding at a position corresponding to the outer receiving portion 18A of the housing 10 and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 in the connector width direction. The metal fitting 50 is formed by bending a strip sheet made of a rolled metal plate in the plate thickness direction thereof, and the metal fitting 50 is held on the side wall 15 with the rolled surface (plate surface) thereof being parallel to the connector width direction.

As shown in fig. 2, 6 (C), and 7 (C), the metal fitting 50 includes: a movement restricting portion 51, the movement restricting portion 51 extending in the front-rear direction; a front held portion 52, the front held portion 52 being bent at a front end of the movement restricting portion 51, extending downward, and being held by the housing 10; a rear held portion 53, the rear held portion 53 extending in a crank shape from a rear end of the movement restricting portion 51 and being held by the housing 10; and a fixing portion 54 extending from the rear held portion 53 rearward and outward of the housing 10, the fixing portion 54.

As shown in fig. 6 (C) and 7 (C), the movement restricting portion 51 is located in the outer housing portion 18A of the housing 10, extends forward and rearward in the front-rear direction, that is, in the facing direction between the front inner wall surface 18A-1 and the rear inner wall surface 18A-2 of the outer housing portion 18A, than the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40, and is exposed from the housing 10.

In the present embodiment, the rolled surface (plate surface) of the movement restricting portion 51 is perpendicular to the vertical direction (connector thickness direction), in other words, the vertical direction is the plate thickness direction. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the vertical dimension of the movement restricting portion 51 is smaller than that in the case where the movement restricting portion is provided in a posture in which the rolled surface (plate surface) of the plate-shaped movement restricting portion is perpendicular to the connector width direction. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the housing 10 holding the metal fitting, more specifically, the connector 1 can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 is located at a position in contact with the upper surface of the third shaft portion 47C (the flat surface 47C-1 at the closed position, the flat surface 47C-1 at the open position), but alternatively, a slight gap may be formed between the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 and the upper surface of the third shaft portion 47C. In this case, the movement restricting portion 51 restricts upward movement of the third shaft portion 47C by a predetermined amount or more corresponding to the size of the gap.

As shown in fig. 2, the movement restricting portion 51 is provided in the outer housing portion 18A at an intermediate position in the connector width direction. The spaces that respectively constitute a part of the outer housing portion 18A on both sides of the movement restricting portion 51 in the connector width direction are formed to have the same width over the entire area in the vertical direction when viewed in the front-rear direction. That is, the space is not formed in a shape that the width becomes narrower toward the upper side. Therefore, when manufacturing the connector 1, a part of a mold (upper mold M1 described later) can be arranged from above to a position corresponding to the space, and the metal fitting 50 and the housing 10 can be integrally molded by fitting the part of the mold to the movement restricting portion 51.

As shown in fig. 6 (C) and 7 (C), the front held portion 52 extends via a front bent portion 52A bent downward at the front end of the movement restricting portion 51. The front held portion 52 is integrally embedded and held in the housing 10 by integral molding.

As shown in fig. 6 (C) and 7 (C), the rear held portion 53 extends via a rear upper bent portion 53A bent downward at the rear end of the movement restricting portion 51, and further extends via a rear lower bent portion 53B bent rearward, thereby forming a crank shape as a whole. The rear held portion 53 is integrally embedded and held in the housing 10 by integral molding.

In this way, the metal fitting 50 is held by the housing 10 by the held

portions

52 and 53 by integral molding. Therefore, compared to the case where the metal fitting is press-fitted and held in the housing, the contact area of the metal fitting 50 and the housing 10, that is, the area where the metal fitting 50 is held by the housing 10 is large, and the metal fitting 50 is firmly held by the housing 10. As a result, even if a strong contact force is received from the third shaft portion 47C when the movement restricting portion 51 restricts the movement of the third shaft portion 47C, the third shaft portion 47C can be more reliably restricted from moving with sufficient strength to overcome the contact force.

In the present embodiment, since the bent portions (the front bent portion 52A, the rear upper bent portion 53A, and the rear lower bent portion 53B) bent in the plate thickness direction are formed in the front held portion 52 and the rear held portion 53 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "held

portions

52, 52" as necessary), the strength of the held

portions

52, 53 themselves can be improved. Further, by forming the bent portions as described above, the held

portions

52 and 53 held by the housing can be made longer, the area of surface contact with the housing 10 when the case 10 is integrally molded can be made larger, and the holding force by the housing 10 can be improved.

The fixing portion 54 linearly extends rearward from the rear held portion 53 and extends from the side wall 15. The lower surface of the fixing portion 54 as shown in fig. 6 (C) and 7 (C) is located at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the housing 10, and is fixed to a corresponding portion on the mounting surface of the circuit substrate by means of solder connection. Since the metal fitting 50 is fixed to the mounting surface of the circuit board by the fixing portion 54 by providing the fixing portion 54 to the metal fitting 50 as described above, when the movement of the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 is regulated by the movement regulating portion 51, the contact force received from the third shaft portion 47C can be overcome with sufficient strength.

Since the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50 is held by the housing 10 by the held

portions

52 and 53 formed on both sides of the movement restricting portion 51 in the front-rear direction, the movement restricting portion 51 is configured in a double support beam shape. Therefore, when the movement of the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 is restricted by the movement restricting portion 51, the force received from the third shaft portion 47C can be overcome with sufficient strength.

The connector 1 having the above-described structure is manufactured in the following manner.

First, the

terminals

20 and 30 and the metal fittings 50 are placed in molds (an upper mold M1, a lower mold M2, and a rear mold M3 described later) so that the rolling surfaces of these members are parallel to the connector width direction, and are held by the molds. Specifically, the first contact arm portions 21 of the first terminals 20, the held arm portions 32 of the second terminals 30, and the movement restricting portions 51 of the metal fittings 50 are held by an upper die M1 disposed from above, a lower die M2 disposed from below, and a rear die M3 disposed from behind (see fig. 8 (a) and (B)).

At this time, as shown in fig. 8a, at the position of the first shaft portion 47A in the connector width direction, the mold portion M1A of the upper mold M1 is arranged from above and the mold portion M2A of the lower mold M2 is arranged from below at the position corresponding to the front-rear direction gaps C1, C2 (see fig. 7A) in the front-rear direction. Further, at the position of the second shaft portion 47B in the connector width direction, a mold portion (not shown) of the rear mold M3 is arranged from the rear at a position corresponding to the vertical gap C3 (see fig. 7B) in the front-rear direction.

In the present embodiment, since the movable member 40 is molded in the state of being located at the open position, the front-rear direction clearances C1, C2 are secured to be large, and the mold portion M1A of the upper mold M1 and the mold portion M2A of the lower mold M2 are formed to have thickness dimensions (front-rear direction dimensions) corresponding to the front-rear direction clearances C1, C2. Therefore, strength according to the thickness dimension thereof can be ensured at the mold portions M1A, M2A, and damage to the mold portions M1A, M2A can be prevented well. Further, since the vertical gap C3 is also secured to be large, the mold part of the rear mold M3 is formed to have a thickness dimension (vertical dimension) corresponding to the vertical gap C3. Therefore, strength according to the thickness dimension of the mold part can be secured, and damage to the mold part can be prevented satisfactorily.

At the position of the metal fitting 50 and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 in the connector width direction, as shown in fig. 8 (B), the upper mold M1 abuts the entire upper surface of the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50, and the mold portion M2B of the lower mold M2 abuts the lower surfaces of the front end side portion and the rear end side portion of the movement restricting portion 51. In this way, the flat rolling surfaces, i.e., the upper and lower surfaces of the movement restricting portion 51 are used as abutment surfaces that abut against the dies M1, M2.

In the present embodiment, in the lower die M2, a cavity (not shown) for molding the movable member 40 is formed so as to penetrate the lower die M2 in the vertical direction in a range that overlaps with a space for molding the housing 10 in the die, specifically, in a range that corresponds to the intermediate housing portion 18C (see fig. 5B) of the housing 10 when viewed from below, outside the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction. A movable member molding gate block (not shown) for molding the movable member 40 is disposed in the movable member molding cavity from below. The gate block for molding the movable member injects a molten electrically insulating material from an injection port of the gate block for molding the movable member into a space for molding the movable member 40 in the mold.

A housing molding cavity (not shown) for molding the housing 10 is formed through any of the molds at a position different from the movable member molding cavity. A gate block for molding the housing 10 (not shown) is disposed in the cavity for molding the housing. The gate block for molding the housing is injected with a molten electrically insulating material from an injection port of the gate block for molding the housing into a space for molding the housing 10 in the mold.

Next, the electrically insulating material injected into the mold from the gate block for molding the movable member and the gate block for molding the housing is cooled and solidified, and the housing 10 and the movable member 40 in the open position are simultaneously molded. At this time, the

terminals

20 and 30 and the metal fitting 50 are held by the housing 10 by integral molding. Further, as shown in fig. 8 (B), at the position of the metal fitting 50 in the connector width direction, the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50 is formed in the outer receiving portion 18A of the housing 10, and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 is formed in a state of being in contact with the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 in the space surrounded by the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 and the lower die M2.

Next, the movable member molding gate block is pulled out from the movable member molding cavity, and the housing molding gate block is pulled out from the housing molding cavity. At this time, the intermediate housing portion 18C is formed in the housing 10 by pulling out the gate block for movable member molding. The upper mold M1 is moved straight upward (Z1 direction), the lower mold M2 is moved straight downward (Z2 direction), and the rear mold M3 is moved straight rearward (X2 direction), whereby the upper mold M1, the lower mold M2, and the rear mold M3 are removed.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the movable member 40 is molded in the state of being located at the open position as described above, immediately after molding, the guide surface 45A-1 of the locking portion 45A of the movable member 40 extends straight in the vertical direction when viewed in the connector width direction (see fig. 4 (C)). Therefore, when the upper mold M1 is removed, the upper mold M1 can be pulled upward along the guide surface 45A-1, and therefore, the connector 1 can be manufactured by the upper mold M1 having a simple shape.

After the molds M1, M2, and M3 are removed, the movable member 40 is rotated from the open position to the closed position side, and the third shaft portion 47C of the movable member 40 is separated from the lower surface of the movement restricting portion 51 of the metal fitting 50, whereby the movable member 40 is moved, and the connector 1 is manufactured in a usable state. The above-described turning operation of the movable member 40 may be performed at any stage after the removal of the molds M1, M2, and M3, for example, the turning operation may be performed by the manufacturer before the connector 1 is shipped from the factory, or the turning operation may be performed by the user after the connector is shipped from the factory and at the time of starting the use of the connector.

As such, the connector 1 of the present embodiment can be manufactured only by: after the

terminals

20 and 30 and the metal fitting 50 are molded integrally at the same time with the housing 10 and the movable member 40, the movable member 40 is moved between the open position and the closed position. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform any processing on the constituent members of the connector after the integral molding, and the connector can be easily manufactured by a small number of processes. Further, the manufacturing cost of the connector can be suppressed by reducing the number of steps.

In the present embodiment, the movable member molding cavity of the lower mold M2 is formed so as to open in a range overlapping with a space for molding the housing 10 in the mold and at a lower side in the connector thickness direction (up-down direction), that is, at a side opposite to the side (upper side) where the movable member 40 is provided. Therefore, even when the movable member molding cavity cannot be formed on the upper side of the mold in terms of the structure of the mold (shape dividing position, etc.), that is, even when the movable member molding gate block cannot be arranged on the upper side of the mold, the movable member molding cavity can be formed in advance on the lower side of the mold, and the movable member 40 can be molded by arranging the movable member molding gate block in the movable member molding cavity. Further, since the gate block for housing molding is disposed at a position different from the position of the gate block for movable member molding, the housing 10 and the movable member 40 can be molded by the same process.

In the present embodiment, the movable member molding gate block is disposed at the position of the intermediate housing portion 18C (see fig. 5B) of the housing 10, and the injection port of the movable member molding gate block is located in the range of the fourth shaft portion 47D (see fig. 5B) of the movable member 40. Therefore, when the gate block for molding the movable member is removed after the movable member 40 is molded, a so-called injection mark is formed on the surface of the fourth shaft portion 47D, which is a portion where the injection port is located. The injection mark may be formed in a protruding shape protruding from the surface of the fourth shaft portion 47D. In the present embodiment, since the injection trace is formed at the fourth shaft portion 47D located outside the range of the receiving portion 17A of the housing 10 in the connector width direction, even if the injection trace is in a protruding shape, the injection trace is not located at a position protruding into the receiving portion 17A. As a result, it is possible to avoid interference between the flat conductor F and the injection trace when and after the flat conductor F is inserted into the receiving portion 17A.

In the present embodiment, the movable member molding gate block is arranged outside the terminal array range in the connector width direction, that is, at the position of the intermediate housing portion 18C, when the movable member 40 is molded, and therefore, the movable member molding gate block does not interfere with the

terminals

20 and 30. Therefore, the mold may be formed in a simple shape in which the movable member molding cavity extends linearly in the connector thickness direction (vertical direction) toward a space (space for molding the movable member) in the mold, and the shape and structure of the mold are not complicated. The position at which the gate block for molding the movable member is disposed is not limited to the outside of the terminal array range, and may be any position as long as interference between the terminals and the mold can be avoided, and for example, may be a position between adjacent terminals.

Next, a connection operation between the connector 1 and the flat conductor F will be described.

First, the first connection portions 22 of the first terminals 20 and the second connection portions 34 of the second terminals 30 of the connector 1 are connected by soldering to corresponding circuit portions of a circuit board (not shown), and the fixing portions 54 of the metal fittings 50 are connected by soldering to corresponding portions of the circuit board. The connector 1 is mounted on a circuit board by solder connection of the first connecting portion 22, the second connecting portion 34, and the fixing portion 54.

Next, as shown in fig. 1, the flat conductor F is positioned behind the connector 1 in a state where the movable member 40 is brought to the closed position so as to extend in the front-rear direction along the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown). Then, the flat conductor F is inserted forward into the receiving portion 17A of the connector 1.

In the process of inserting the flat conductor F into the receiving portion 17A, the tip end of the flat conductor F first comes into contact with the second contact portion 31A of the second contact arm portion 31 of the second terminal 30, and the second contact portion 31A is pushed upward by the upward component force of the contact force, so that it is elastically displaced upward. When the flat conductor F is further inserted, the tip of the flat conductor F abuts against the first contact portion 21A of the first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20, and the first contact portion 21A is pushed upward and elastically displaced upward.

As shown in fig. 10 (a) and (B), when the insertion of the flat conductor F is completed, the first contact arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20 and the second contact arm portion 31 of the second terminal 30 are also held in an elastically displaced state. As a result, first contact portion 21A and second contact portion 31A are maintained in contact with first connection circuit portion F1A and second connection circuit portion F1B (see fig. 1) of flat conductor F, respectively, with contact pressures.

Further, in the process of inserting the flat conductor F into the receiving portion 17A, the front ear portions F3 located at positions close to both side ends in the width direction of the flat conductor F are brought into contact with the guide surfaces 45A-1 of the locking portions 45A formed in the locking arm portions 45 of the movable member 40 and are brought into sliding contact, whereby the flat conductor F is guided to the normal insertion position in the up-down direction. Further, the locking arm portion 45 is elastically displaced upward by the vertical component force of the abutting force of the front ear portion F3 against the guide surface 45A-1, and the locking arm portion 45 is brought to a position where the insertion of the flat-type conductor F is permitted. When the flat conductor F is further inserted and the front ear portion F3 passes the position of the locking portion 45A, the locking arm portion 45 is displaced downward to return to the free state so as to reduce the amount of elastic displacement, and enters the notch portion F2 of the flat conductor F. As a result, in the insertion-completed state of the flat conductor F shown in fig. 10 (C), the engaged portion F3A of the flat conductor F is positioned at a position where it can be engaged with the engagement surface 45A-2 of the engagement portion 45A in front of the engagement surface 45A-2, and the flat conductor F is prevented from being pulled out rearward. The locking arm portion 45 does not necessarily have to be completely restored to the free state. For example, the following configuration may be adopted: in a state where a slight amount of elastic displacement remains in the locking arm portion 45, the locking portion 45A enters the notch portion F2 of the flat conductor F and is located at a position where it can be locked with the locked portion F3A.

When the flat conductor F in the state shown in fig. 10 (a) to (C), that is, in the state connected to the connector 1 is intended to be pulled out from the connector 1, the movable member 40 in the closed position is rotated to be brought to the open position (see fig. 4 (C)). When the movable member 40 is located at the open position, the locking portion 45A of the locking arm portion 45 of the movable member 40 is located at a position away upward from the notch portion F2 of the flat conductor F. That is, the locking state of the locking portion 45A with respect to the locked portion F3A of the flat conductor F is released, and the flat conductor F is allowed to be pulled out rearward. In addition, in the above state, when the flat conductor F is pulled rearward, the flat conductor F can be easily pulled out from the connector 1.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for a flat conductor, to which a flat conductor is to be connected in a front-rear direction so as to be insertable and removable, wherein a width direction of the flat conductor perpendicular to the front-rear direction is set as a connector width direction, and a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the connector width direction is set as a connector thickness direction, the electrical connector for a flat conductor being an electrical connector for a circuit board, comprising:

a housing made of an electrically insulating material, the housing being formed with a receiving portion that is a space into which the flat conductor can be inserted and that is open rearward;

a plurality of terminals made of metal, the plurality of terminals being arranged and held in the housing in a range of the receiving portion in a connector width direction; and

a movable member made of an electrically insulating material, the movable member being movable relative to the housing,

the movable member being movable with rotation about a rotation axis extending in a connector width direction between a closed position where the movable member extends in a front-rear direction along the housing as viewed in the connector width direction and an open position where the movable member is angularly erected with respect to the housing,

the plurality of terminals have contact arm portions extending rearward, the contact arm portions being capable of contacting the flat conductor through contact portions formed at rear end portions of the contact arm portions,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the plurality of terminals include a first terminal having a first contact arm portion and a second terminal having a second contact arm portion, a rear end of the first contact arm portion being located forward of a rear end of the second contact arm portion,

the movable member is formed with a first groove portion that accommodates a rear end of the first contact arm portion at a position corresponding to a rear end of the first contact arm portion in a connector width direction and a front-rear direction in a state where the movable member is moved to the closed position, and is formed with a second groove portion that accommodates a rear end of the second contact arm portion at a position corresponding to a rear end of the second contact arm portion,

the second groove portion has a groove portion formed rearward of the first groove portion in a state where the movable member is located at the closed position, and a rear end of the second contact arm portion is received by the groove portion.

2. The electrical connector for flat type conductors according to claim 1,

the angle of rotation of the movable member from the closed position to the open position is an obtuse angle, the first groove portion of the movable member extends in the front-rear direction when the movable member is at the open position as viewed in the connector width direction, and the first groove portion of the movable member is inclined rearward toward the receiving portion of the housing in the connector thickness direction when the movable member is at the closed position.

3. The electrical connector for flat type conductors according to claim 1 or 2,

a protruding strip portion that protrudes toward the receiving portion side of the housing in the connector thickness direction and extends in the front-rear direction is provided on the rear end side when the movable member is located at the closed position and at a position corresponding to the first terminal in the connector width direction,

the first groove portion is formed so as to be recessed from a surface of the protruding portion on the receiving portion side when the protruding portion is located at the closed position,

the second groove portion is formed between the protruding strip portions adjacent to each other in the connector width direction.