CN114447665A

CN114447665A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: CN114447665A
Application number: CN202111304727.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 山口将平
Original assignee: Hirose Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hirose Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-06
Filing date: 2021-11-05
Publication date: 2022-05-06
Also published as: JP7461857B2; JP2022075343A

Abstract

Provided is an electrical connector which can suppress the size of the connector in the thickness direction of a mating connector and can be miniaturized in that direction. The terminal (20) has a first arm (30) and a second arm (40), the first arm (30) has a first base (32A), a first abutting arm (31) and a first mounting portion, the first abutting arm (31) has a first abutting portion (31B-1) capable of abutting with a counterpart connecting body (C), the second arm (40) has a second base (42A) and a second abutting arm (41), the second abutting arm is located at a position separated from the first abutting arm (31) in the thickness direction of the counterpart connecting body (C) and is opposite to the first abutting arm (31), the second abutting arm (41) has a second abutting portion (41A) capable of abutting with the counterpart connecting body (C), the first base (32A) and the second base (42A) are held in the housing (10) in a state of overlapping with each other in the thickness direction and in surface contact, the first contact portion (31B-1) and the second contact portion (41A) sandwich the mating connector (C), and at least the first contact portion (31B-1) is electrically connected to the mating connector (C).

Description

Electrical connector

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electrical connector mounted on a circuit board and connected to a mating connector.

Background

As such an electrical connector, for example, a connector of patent document 1 is known. The connector of patent document 1 includes: a plurality of connector terminals (in the example shown in patent document 1, both of the first connector terminal and the second connector terminal) made of a metal plate member extending in an arm shape; and a pressing plate made of a metal plate member for clamping the flat conductor as the mating connector together with the connector terminal. The connector terminals are arranged in parallel with the mounting surface of the circuit board. The pressing plate is formed as a member different from the connector terminals, and is provided over the entire area of the arrangement range of the connector terminals at an upper position apart from the connector terminals in the up-down direction at right angles to the mounting surface. The connector terminal is supported by the housing at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the terminal in a double support beam shape, and the pressing plate is supported by the housing at one end in the longitudinal direction in a cantilever beam shape.

In this way, in patent document 1, the flat conductor positioned above the connector terminal is pressed from above by the pressing plate, and the flat conductor is sandwiched between the connector terminal and the pressing plate, thereby securing the contact pressure between the connector terminal and the flat conductor.

The pressing plate in patent document 1 is formed as a pressing terminal, and the connector terminal and the pressing terminal can be electrically connected to the flat conductor at both surfaces of the flat conductor while the flat conductor is pinched by the connector terminal and the pressing terminal to secure a contact pressure.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2008-234998

Disclosure of Invention

In the connector of patent document 1, the connector terminal and the pressing plate that sandwich the flat type conductor are held by the housing at positions separated in the vertical direction (thickness direction of the flat type conductor), and therefore the connector is increased in size in this direction by the amount of separation.

Even if the pressing plate in patent document 1 is formed as a pressing terminal, the problem of the connector becoming larger remains.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector that can suppress the size of the connector in the thickness direction of a mating connector and can achieve miniaturization in that direction.

An electrical connector according to the present invention is an electrical connector mounted on a circuit board and connected to a mating connector, and includes: a terminal having a shape bent in a plate thickness direction of the metal plate member; and a housing holding the terminal.

In the electrical connector of the present invention, the terminal includes a first arm portion and a second arm portion extending in a front-rear direction, and the first arm portion includes: a first base portion formed at a part of the first arm portion in the front-rear direction; a first abutment arm portion located rearward of the first base portion and extending in a front-rear direction; and a first mounting portion extending from the first base portion and solder-mounted on a circuit board, the first contact arm portion having a first contact portion capable of contacting the mating connecting body, the second arm portion having: a second base portion formed at a part of the second arm portion in the front-rear direction; and a second abutting arm portion that is located at a position rearward of the second base portion, is located apart from the first abutting arm portion in the thickness direction of the mating connecting body, and is opposed to the first abutting arm portion, the second abutting arm portion having a second abutting portion that can abut against the mating connecting body, the first base portion and the second base portion being held in the housing in a state of overlapping with each other in the thickness direction of the mating connecting body and being in surface contact with each other, the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion sandwiching the mating connecting body, whereby at least the first abutting portion and the mating connecting body are electrically connected.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, since the first base portion of the first arm portion and the second base portion of the second arm portion of the terminal are held by the housing in a state of being overlapped in the thickness direction of the mating connecting body, the size of the connector in the thickness direction can be suppressed as compared with a case where the first base portion and the second base portion are separated.

In the present invention, the second contact arm portion may be elastically displaceable in a thickness direction of the mating connecting body, and the second base portion may be supported by the housing through a surface on a side opposite to a surface in surface contact with the first base portion.

In this way, since the opposite surface of the second base portion is supported by the housing, when the mating connector enters between the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion is elastically displaced in the thickness direction, it is possible to oppose a force acting on the plate surface of the second base portion in the direction of the elastic displacement, i.e., a force in the direction in which the second base portion separates from the first base portion, and thus it is possible to prevent the first base portion and the second base portion from separating. Therefore, a sufficiently large contact pressure against the mating connecting body for the first contact portion and the second contact portion to sandwich the mating connecting body can be ensured more reliably.

In the present invention, the second arm portion may have a coupling portion that is bent in a thickness direction of the mating connecting body at a rear end of the second base portion and is coupled to a front end of the second abutment arm portion, and a front surface of the coupling portion may be supported by the housing.

In this way, since the front surface of the coupling portion is supported by the housing, when the mating connecting body enters between the first abutting portion and the second abutting arm portion is elastically displaced in the thickness direction, a force having a component directed forward acting on the coupling portion can be resisted, and as a result, the first base portion and the second base portion can be prevented from being separated. Therefore, a sufficiently large contact pressure against the mating connecting body for the first contact portion and the second contact portion to sandwich the mating connecting body can be ensured more reliably.

In the present invention, the terminal may be held by the housing by insert molding. In this way, since the terminal is held by the housing by insert molding, the first base portion and the second base portion of the terminal can be held more firmly, and therefore, the contact pressure of the terminal and the mating connecting body can be ensured more reliably.

In the present invention, a portion extending from the first base portion of the first arm portion to the rear end of the first arm portion and a portion extending from the second base portion of the second arm portion to the rear end of the second arm portion may be located at the same position in the connector width direction so as to have the same terminal width. In this way, the plurality of terminals can be arranged closely in the connector width direction, and as a result, the connector can be downsized in the connector width direction.

In the present invention, the first arm portion and the second arm portion may be formed as different members. If the first arm portion and the second arm portion are to be formed from one member, it is necessary to perform bending so as to fold back a part of the metal plate member. In contrast, when the first arm portion and the second arm portion are formed as separate members, it is not necessary to perform bending processing for folding back the metal plate member, and therefore, the manufacturing of the terminal is facilitated and the yield of the material is improved.

In the present invention, the second arm portion may have a second mounting portion that extends from the second base portion and is solder-mounted to a circuit board, and the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion may be located adjacent to each other in the connector width direction.

In this way, by providing the second mounting portion in addition to the first mounting portion in the first arm portion, the terminal can be soldered to the circuit board via both the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, and the reliability of mounting can be improved.

In the present invention, the first mounting portion may be located in a range of the first base portion in a connector width direction, and the second mounting portion may be located in a range of the second base portion in the connector width direction. By positioning the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion in this manner, the terminal width of the terminal, that is, the dimension in the connector width direction can be suppressed from increasing.

In the present invention, the terminal may be a power supply terminal.

According to the present invention, since the first arm portion and the second arm portion are provided on the terminal made of the metal plate member, the mating connecting body is sandwiched in the plate thickness direction by the first abutting portion of the first arm portion and the second abutting portion of the second arm portion, and the first base portion and the second base portion are held by the housing in a state where the first base portion of the first arm portion and the second base portion of the second arm portion are overlapped and brought into surface contact with each other, the size of the connector in the thickness direction of the mating connecting body can be suppressed, and downsizing in this direction can be achieved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric connector for a flat conductive member according to an embodiment of the present invention together with the flat conductive member, in which fig. 1 (a) shows a state before insertion of the flat conductive member, and fig. 1 (B) shows a state after insertion of the flat conductive member.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the electrical connector for a flat conductor of fig. 1 in a state in which the movable member is located at the open position, fig. 2 (a) shows a state seen from the rear side, and fig. 2 (B) shows a state seen from the front side.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the respective members of the electrical connector for a flat conductive member of fig. 1 in a separated state.

Fig. 4 (a) is a perspective view showing the terminal in a state where the first arm member and the second arm member are overlapped, fig. 4 (B) is a perspective view showing the first arm member and the second arm member separated, and fig. 4 (C) is a perspective view showing the metal fitting.

Fig. 5 (a) is a longitudinal sectional view of the flat conductive electrical connector at the position of the slit of the first arm member in the terminal arrangement direction, fig. 5 (B) is a partially enlarged view of fig. 5 (a), and fig. 5 (C) is a plan view showing the mounting portion of the terminal of the flat conductive electrical connector of fig. 5 (a).

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector for a flat conductor after insertion of the flat conductor, where fig. 6 (a) shows a cross section at a position of the locking portion of the movable member in the terminal arrangement direction, and fig. 6 (B) shows a cross section at a position of the first contact arm portion of the first arm member in the terminal arrangement direction.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a mounting process of a movable member when manufacturing the electrical connector for a flat conductive body, in which fig. 7 (a) shows a state immediately before mounting, fig. 7 (B) shows a state in the middle of mounting, and fig. 7 (C) shows a state in which mounting is completed.

Fig. 8 (a) is a perspective view of a terminal in a modification, fig. 8 (B) is a perspective view of a terminal in another modification, and fig. 8 (C) is a side view of the terminal in fig. 8 (B).

Fig. 9 (a) is a perspective view showing a terminal in still another modification together with a housing and a metal fitting, and fig. 9 (B) is a perspective view showing the terminal in fig. 9 (a) with a first arm member and a second arm member separated from each other.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a connector in a further modification without the movable member.

Description of the symbols

1 connector

10. 310, 410 outer casing

20. 120, 220, 420 terminal

30. 130, 330, 430 first arm member (first arm portion)

31. 131, 231, 331 first abutment arm portion

32. 132, 232, 332 first front held part

32A, 132A, 232A, 332A first front transverse portion (first base portion)

33. 133, 233, 333 first front extension

33A, 133A, 233A, 333A first front mounting part

33A-1 first narrow width part

33A-2 first recess

40. 140, 340, 440 second arm member (second arm portion)

41. 141, 241, 341 second contact arm portion

42. 142, 342 second held portion

42A, 142A, 242A, 342A second transverse portion (second base portion)

43. 143, 243, 343 connecting part

44. 144, 333 second extension part

44A, 144A, 344A second mounting portion

44A-1 second narrow part

44A-2 second recess

Detailed Description

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

Fig. 1 (a) and (B) are perspective views showing an electrical connector 1 (hereinafter, referred to as "connector 1") of the present embodiment together with a flat conductor C as a mating connector, where fig. 1 (a) shows a state before insertion of the flat conductor C and fig. 1 (B) shows a state after insertion of the flat conductor C.

The connector 1 is an electrical connector for a flat conductor, which is disposed on a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown) and electrically connects the circuit board and the flat conductor C by connecting the flat conductor C. The flat conductor C has a belt shape extending in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) as shown in fig. 1 (a) and (B), and a distal end side portion thereof is connected to the connector 1. In the present embodiment, the X1 direction is the front, and the X2 direction is the rear. In the flat conductor C, a plurality of circuit portions (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction in the insulating layer of the flat conductor C are arranged in the tape width direction (Y-axis direction) of the flat conductor C, and the circuit portions reach the tip (end) position of the flat conductor C. The distal end side portion of the circuit portion is exposed on the lower surface, which is one surface of the flat conductor C, and is contactable with a terminal 20 of the connector 1 described later. Notches C1 are formed on both side edges of the distal end portion, and the rear end edge of the ear portion C2 located forward of the notch C1 functions as a locked portion C2A locked to a locking portion 54 of the movable member 50 of the connector 1 (see fig. 6 a). Further, a reinforcing plate C3 is attached to the upper surface of the other surface which is the portion on the tip end side of the flat conductor C.

The connector 1 includes: a housing 10 made of an electrically insulating material, the housing 10 being formed so as to be parallel to a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown) and extending with a connector width direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to a front-rear direction as a longitudinal direction; a plurality of terminals 20 made of metal, the plurality of terminals 20 being held by the housing 10 with the connector width direction set as the terminal arrangement direction; a movable member 50 made of an electrically insulating material, the movable member 50 being supported by the housing 10 so as to be movable (rotatable) between an open position and a closed position, which will be described later; and metal fittings 60, the metal fittings 60 are held at both end portions of the housing 10 in the terminal arrangement direction. The distal end side portion of the flat conductor C is inserted from the rear side (X2 side) and connected to the connector 1 (see the arrow in fig. 1). In addition, in the present embodiment, the terminal 20 is used as a power supply terminal, and as described later, has a first arm member 30 as a first arm portion and a second arm member 40 as a second arm portion formed as metal plate members independent of each other.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the housing 10 has side walls 11, a front wall 12, and a rear wall 13, the side walls 11 being located on both end sides in the terminal arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) and extending in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), the front wall 12 extending in the terminal arrangement direction and connecting the front end portions of the two side walls 11 to each other (see fig. 3), and the rear wall 13 extending in the terminal arrangement direction and connecting the rear end portions of the two side walls 11 to each other. A receiving portion 14 capable of receiving the front end side portion of the flat conductor C from behind is formed in a space surrounded by the two side walls 11 and the front wall 12 and opened rearward.

The side wall 11 has a guide portion 11A near the rear end thereof, and the guide portion 11A extends inward in the terminal array direction from an upper portion of the side wall 11. The guide portion 11A is provided at a position having a gap with the rear wall 13 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The vertical dimension of the gap is slightly larger than the thickness dimension (vertical dimension) of the flat conductor C, and the side edge portions (both end side portions in the Y axis direction) of the flat conductor C are allowed to enter the receiving portion 14 from behind through the gap. An upper guide surface 11A-1 is formed on the lower surface of the rear end of the guide portion 11A, and the upper guide surface 11A-1 is inclined downward toward the front, and the side edge portion of the flat conductor C is guided to the receiving portion 14 by the upper guide surface 11A-1.

Further, a side guide surface 11B is formed at the rear end portion of the side wall 11. The side guide surface 11B is a sloped surface that slopes inward in the connector width direction as it goes forward, and guides the side edge of the flat conductor C to the receiving portion 14.

In addition, a side groove 11C is formed in the rear half of the side wall 11, and the side groove 11C penetrates in the vertical direction at an intermediate position in the terminal arrangement direction and opens rearward. The side groove 11C is located below a later-described lateral arm portion 63B of the regulating arm portion 63 in the terminal array direction in correspondence with the later-described regulating arm portion 63 of the metal fitting 60 (see fig. 2B). In addition, rear protrusions 11D protruding upward at both sides of the side groove portion 11C are formed at the rear end portion of the side wall 11. The front surface of each rear protrusion 11D is a curved surface recessed in an arc shape, and the curved surface is formed as a support surface 11D-1 for rotatably supporting a rotation shaft portion 53 (described later) of the movable member 50 (see fig. 7 a to 7C).

The front wall 12 functions as a front holding portion that holds a first front held portion 32, which will be described later, of the first arm member 30 and a second held portion 42, which will be described later, of the second arm member 40 of the terminal 20 by insert molding (integral molding). On the front wall 12, at positions corresponding to the terminals 20 in the terminal arrangement direction, support projections 12A projecting rearward from the rear surface of the upper portion of the front wall 12 are formed. As described later, the support projection 12A supports the coupling portion 43 of the second arm member 40 by abutting against a front surface of the coupling portion 43 (see fig. 5a and 6B).

As shown in fig. 5 (a) to 5 (C), a downward projection 12B projecting downward from the lower surface of the front end portion of the front wall 12 and extending to the front end is formed on the front wall 12 at a position corresponding to a position between a first forward extending portion 33 and a second extending portion 44, which will be described later, of each terminal 20. The downward protrusion 12B is formed in the same size in the up-down direction as the first forward extending portion 33 and the second extending portion 44. The lower surface of the downward projecting portion 12B is located at the same height as the lower surfaces of the first forward extending portion 33 and the second extending portion 44, and can be in surface contact with the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown). The lower protrusion 12B has a front end protrusion 12B-1 protruding forward from the front surface of the front wall 12.

As shown in fig. 5 (a) to 5 (C), the distal end projection 12B-1 extends to an intermediate position in the front-rear direction in an insertion allowing space 20A, which will be described later, formed between a first recess 33A-2, which will be described later, of the first front mounting portion 33A and a second recess 44A-2, which will be described later, of the second mounting portion 44A. The upper surface of the distal end projection 12B-1 is formed as an inclined surface inclined downward toward the front.

The rear wall 13 functions as a rear holding portion that holds a first rear held portion 34 of the first arm member 30, which will be described later, by insert molding. As shown in fig. 5 (a), a lower guide surface 13A inclined upward as it goes forward is formed on the upper surface of the rear end portion of the rear wall 13, and the front end portion of the flat conductor C is guided to the receiving portion 14 by the lower guide surface 13A.

The terminal 20 has a first arm member 30 as a first arm portion and a second arm member 40 as a second arm portion formed as different members from each other. By forming the terminal as two members in this manner, it is not necessary to perform a bending process for folding back the metal plate member when manufacturing the terminal, and therefore, the manufacturing of the terminal becomes easy and the yield of the material also becomes high. Fig. 4 (a) is a perspective view showing the terminal 20 in a state where the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 are overlapped, and fig. 4 (B) is a perspective view showing the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 separated from each other. The first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 are formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate member extending in the front-rear direction in the plate thickness direction.

The first arm member 30 has: a first abutment arm portion 31, the first abutment arm portion 31 extending linearly in a range between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 in the front-rear direction; a first front held portion 32, which extends substantially in a horizontal L shape from the tip of the first contact arm portion 31, and which holds the first front held portion 32 on the front wall 12; a first forward extending portion 33, the first forward extending portion 33 extending forward from a lower end of the first forward held portion 32; a first rear held portion 34, the first rear held portion 34 extending from the rear end of the first contact arm portion 31 in a substantially L-shape, and held by the rear wall 13; and a first rear extending portion 35, the first rear extending portion 35 extending rearward from the rear end of the first rear held portion 34, as shown in fig. 4 (a) and (B), wherein a first front vertical portion 32B and a first front extending portion 33, which will be described later, of the first front held portion 32 of the first arm member 30 are formed on the Y2 side of the first arm member 30 so as to have a terminal width (dimension in the terminal arrangement direction) that is substantially half of the other portion of the first arm member 30.

As shown in fig. 3, the first contact arm portion 31 extends in the front-rear direction in a range between the rear end surface of the front wall 12 and the front end surface of the rear wall 13 with the vertical direction set as the plate thickness direction, and is exposed from the housing 10. A window-shaped slit 31A penetrating in the vertical direction and extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the first contact arm portion 31, and contact strip portions 31B extending in the front-rear direction and elastically displaceable in the vertical direction are formed at positions on both sides of the slit 31A in the terminal arrangement direction.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 4 (B), the slit 31A is formed in a substantially rhombic shape with the longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the contact strip portions 31B located on both sides of the slit 31A have the smallest terminal width at the intermediate position in the front-rear direction (the position where the width of the slit 31A in the terminal arrangement direction is largest), and have the largest terminal width at the front end position and the rear end position. The portion of the contact strip portion 31B having the smallest terminal width is formed as a first contact portion 31B-1, and the first contact portion 31B-1 can be brought into contact with the lower surface of the distal end side portion of the flat conductor C with a contact pressure. In the present embodiment, the circuit portion is exposed on the lower surface of the distal end portion of the flat conductor C, and the first contact portion 31B-1 functions as a contact portion that contacts and contacts the circuit portion.

In the present embodiment, the slit 31A is formed in the first contact arm portion 31, and the two first contact portions 31B-1 are provided in one first contact arm portion 31, whereby the reliability of contact with the flat conductor C can be improved. Further, since each of the contact strip portions 31B is thinner than the entire first contact arm portion 31 and is easily elastically displaced, the flat conductor C is easily inserted between the first contact portion 31B-1 and a second contact portion 41A described later. Further, as described above, since the terminal width of the contact strip portion 31B is smallest at the position of the first contact portion 31B-1, when the contact is made with the circuit portion, the contact strip portion 31B is easily elastically displaced in the vertical direction at the position of the first contact portion 31B-1, and since the terminal width is largest at the front end position and the rear end position, the strength of the contact strip portion 31B can be secured at the position.

The first front held portion 32 is formed by bending in the plate thickness direction so as to be substantially horizontal L-shaped when viewed in the terminal arrangement direction, and is held by insert molding to the front wall 12. The first front held portion 32 includes: a first front lateral portion 32A as a first base portion extending forward from the front end of the first contact arm portion 31; and a first front longitudinal portion 32B bent at the front end of the Y2-side portion of the first front lateral portion 32A and extending downward.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 4 (B), the first front lateral portion 32A is formed to have the same terminal width as the first contact arm portion 31, but the first front longitudinal portion 32B is formed to have a terminal width substantially half of the terminal width of the first contact arm portion 31 at a position closer to the Y2 side in the terminal array direction. The first front lateral portion 32A and the first front longitudinal portion 32B are embedded in the front wall 12.

The first front extending portion 33 is bent at the lower end of the first front vertical portion 32B at a position lower than the lower surface of the front wall 12 (excluding the downward projecting portion 12B) and extends forward. The first front extension 33 is located within the range of the front wall 12 in the front-rear direction, extends along the lower surface of the front wall 12, and extends further forward than the front surface of the front wall 12. The first front extension 33 is located in the range of the first front lateral portion 32A as the first base portion in the terminal array direction. A portion of the first forward extending portion 33 located forward of the front wall 12 is formed as a first forward mounting portion 33A to be solder-mounted on the mounting surface of the circuit board. When the connector 1 is disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board, the first front mounting portion 33A can be surface-contacted with a corresponding circuit portion (not shown) of the circuit board on the lower surface of the first front mounting portion 33A, and can be soldered to the corresponding circuit portion.

As shown in fig. 5 (C), a first narrow portion 33A-1 is formed at the rear end of the first front mounting portion 33A, i.e., at the end on the front wall 12 side. The side edge of the first narrow-width portion 33A-1 extending in the front-rear direction on the Y1 side is located at a position recessed further to the Y2 side than the side edge of the other portion in the first front extending portion 33 on the Y1 side, and thus the terminal width is smaller than the other portion in the first front extending portion 33. In the first front mounting portion 33A, a first recess 33A-2 serving as an opening is formed on the side Y1 of the rear end portion by the first narrow portion 33A-1. That is, the first recess 33A-2 has a shape in which the side edge of the rear end portion of the first front mounting portion 33A on the Y1 side is cut into an angular shape, and opens toward the Y1 side. As shown in fig. 5 (C), the rear end of the first narrow width portion 33A-1, in other words, the rear end of the first concave portion 33A-2, is at the same position as the front surface of the front wall 12 in the front-rear direction.

As shown in fig. 4 (a) and (B), the first rear held portion 34 extends from the rear end of the first abutment arm portion 31 so as to have the same terminal width as the first abutment arm portion 31. As shown in fig. 5 (a), the first rear held portion 34 is formed by bending in the plate thickness direction so as to be substantially horizontal L-shaped when viewed in the terminal array direction, and is held by the rear wall 13 by insert molding. The first rear held portion 34 includes: a first rear lateral portion 34A extending rearward from the rear end of the first contact arm portion 31; and a first rear longitudinal portion 34B bent at a rear end of the first rear lateral portion 34A and extending downward. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 (a), the first rear lateral portion 34A and the first rear vertical portion 34B are located inside the rear wall 13 and embedded in the rear wall 13.

The first rear extending portion 35 is bent at a lower end of the first rear longitudinal portion 34B and extends rearward. The first rear extension 35 is located within the range of the rear wall 13 in the front-rear direction, extends along the lower surface of the rear wall 13, and further extends to a position further rearward than the rear surface of the rear wall 13. A portion of the first rear extension portion 35 located more rearward than the rear wall 13 is formed as a first rear mounting portion 35A to be solder-mounted to the mounting surface of the circuit board. When the connector 1 is disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board, the first rear mounting portion 35A can be surface-contacted with a corresponding circuit portion (not shown) of the circuit board on the lower surface of the first rear mounting portion 35A, and can be soldered to the corresponding circuit portion.

The second arm member 40 has: a second abutment arm portion 41, the second abutment arm portion 41 extending in the front-rear direction; a second held portion 42, the second held portion 42 being located forward of the second contact arm portion 41 and being held by the front wall 12; a connecting portion 43 extending in the vertical direction and connecting the front end of the second contact arm portion 41 and the rear end of the second held portion 42; and a second extending portion 44, the second extending portion 44 extending forward from a lower end of the second held portion 42. As shown in fig. 4 (a) and (B), a second vertical portion 42B and a second extending portion 44, which will be described later, of the second held portion 42 of the second arm member 40 are formed on the Y1 side of the second arm member 40 so as to have a terminal width (dimension in the terminal arrangement direction) that is substantially half of the other portion of the second arm member 40.

The second abutment arm portion 41 extends rearward from the rear end position of the front wall 12 above the first abutment arm portion 31 of the first arm member 30 and at a position spaced apart from the first abutment arm portion 31. The second abutment arm portion 41 has the same terminal width as the first abutment arm portion 31, and is located at the same position as the first abutment arm portion 31 in the terminal arrangement direction. As shown in fig. 5a and 6B, the rear end (free end) of the second abutment arm portion 41 is located between the first abutment portion 31B-1 of the first abutment arm portion 31 and the rear end of the first abutment arm portion 31 in the front-rear direction. In the second contact arm portion 41, a second contact portion 41A projecting downward at the same position as the first contact portion 31B-1 in the front-rear direction is formed by bending the second contact arm portion 41 in the plate thickness direction. The gap formed between the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A in the vertical direction has a smaller dimension than the thickness of the flat conductor C. Further, a portion extending from the second contact portion 41A to the rear end of the second contact arm portion 41 is formed as a rear end inclined portion 41B inclined upward as going rearward.

As shown in fig. 4 (B), the second held portion 42 is formed by bending in the plate thickness direction so as to form a substantially horizontal L shape when viewed in the terminal array direction, and is held by insert molding to the front wall 12. The second held portion 42 includes: a second lateral portion 42A as a second base portion extending forward from the lower end of the coupling portion 43; and a second longitudinal portion 42B bent at the front end of the Y1-side portion of the second lateral portion 42A and extending downward.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 4 (B), the second lateral portion 42A is formed with the same terminal width as the second abutment arm portion 41, but the second lateral portion 42A is formed to have a terminal width substantially half of the second abutment arm portion 41 at a position closer to the Y1 side in the terminal arrangement direction. The second horizontal portion 42A and the second vertical portion 42B are embedded in the rear wall 13.

The second lateral portion 42A has the same terminal width as the first front lateral portion 32A of the first arm member 30, and is located at the same position as the first front lateral portion 32A in the terminal arrangement direction. In addition, a portion extending from the second lateral portion 42A to the rear end of the second abutment arm portion 41 is in the same position in the terminal arrangement direction so as to have the same terminal width as a portion extending from the first front lateral portion 32A to the rear end of the first abutment arm portion 31. In this way, the plurality of terminals 20 can be arranged densely, and as a result, the connector 1 can be downsized in the terminal arrangement direction. Here, "closely aligned" means that the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 are closely aligned such that the interval (indicated as "P2" in fig. 5 (C)) between the portions (the dotted line portions in fig. 5 (C)) of the first front extension portion 33 and the second extension portion 44, which are located more rearward than the front surface of the front wall 12 of the housing 10, is as small as possible.

The second vertical portion 42B has the same terminal width as the first front vertical portion 32B of the first arm member 30, is located at the same position as the first front vertical portion 32B in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and is located at a position different from the first front vertical portion 32B in the terminal arrangement direction and adjacent to the first front vertical portion 32B.

As shown in fig. 5 (a), the lower surface of the second lateral portion 42A is in surface contact with the upper surface of the first front lateral portion 32A of the first arm member 30, and is electrically communicable with the first front lateral portion 32A. As described above, in the present embodiment, the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A are held by the front wall 12 in a state of being vertically overlapped with each other and being in surface contact with each other, and therefore, the size of the connector 1 in the vertical direction can be suppressed, and the vertical size reduction, that is, the height reduction can be realized.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 (a), the second lateral portion 42A is supported by the front wall 12 at the upper surface thereof. Therefore, when the flat conductor C enters between the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A and the second contact arm portion 41 is elastically displaced upward, the force acting on the second lateral portion 42A in the direction of the elastic displacement, i.e., the upward force separating the second lateral portion 42A from the first front lateral portion 32A, can be resisted, and the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A can be prevented from separating. Therefore, a sufficiently large contact pressure against the flat conductor C for sandwiching the flat conductor C by the first abutting portion 31B-1 and the second abutting portion 41A can be ensured more reliably.

As shown in fig. 5 (a) and 6 (B), the coupling portion 43 has the same terminal width as the second abutment arm portion 41 and the second lateral portion 42A, and is bent upward at the rear end of the second lateral portion 42A and coupled to the front end of the second abutment arm portion 41. The coupling portion 43 extends along the rear surface of the support projection 12A of the front wall 12, i.e., the protruding top surface of the support projection 12A, at a position rearward of the front wall 12. The front surface of the coupling portion 43 is supported by the rear surface of the support protrusion 12A.

Since the front surface of the coupling portion 43 is supported by the rear surface of the support projection 12A, when the flat conductor C enters between the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A and the second contact arm portion 41 is elastically displaced upward, a force having a component toward the front direction acting on the coupling portion 43 can be resisted, and as a result, the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A can be prevented from being separated. Therefore, a sufficiently large contact pressure against the flat conductor C for sandwiching the flat conductor C by the first abutting portion 31B-1 and the second abutting portion 41A can be ensured more reliably.

The second extending portion 44 is bent at the lower end of the second vertical portion 42B at a position lower than the lower surface of the front wall 12 (except for the downward projecting portion 12B) and extends forward. The second extension 44 is located within the range of the front wall 12 in the front-rear direction, and extends along the lower surface of the front wall 12 to a position further forward than the front surface of the front wall 12. The second extending portion 44 is located in the range of the second lateral portion 42A as the second base portion in the terminal arrangement direction. The second extending portion 44 has the same terminal width as the first forward extending portion 33 of the first arm member 30, is located at the same position as the first forward extending portion 33 in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and is located at a position different from the first forward extending portion 33 in the terminal arrangement direction and adjacent to the first forward extending portion 33.

A portion of the second extension portion 44 located forward of the front wall 12 is formed as a second mounting portion 44A to be solder-mounted to a mounting surface of the circuit board. When the connector 1 is disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board, the second mounting portion 44A can be surface-contacted with a corresponding circuit portion (not shown) that is the same as the corresponding circuit portion of the first front mounting portion 33A to which the first arm member 30 is mounted, and can be soldered to the corresponding circuit portion, at the lower surface of the second mounting portion 44A. Further, it is not essential to provide the second longitudinal portion 42B and the second extending portion 44 on the second arm member 40.

As shown in fig. 5 (C), a second narrow portion 44A-1 is formed at the rear end of the second mounting portion 44A, i.e., at the end on the front wall 12 side. The side edge extending in the front-rear direction at the Y2 side of the second narrow-width portion 44A-1 is located at a position recessed further to the Y1 side than the side edge on the Y2 side of the other portion in the second extending portion 44, and thus the terminal width is smaller than the other portion in the second extending portion 44. In the second mounting portion 44A, a second recess 44A-2 serving as an opening is formed on the side Y2 of the rear end portion by the second narrow portion 44A-1. That is, the second recess 44A-2 has a shape in which the side edge of the rear end portion of the second attachment portion 44A on the Y2 side is cut into an angular shape, and opens toward the Y2 side.

In the present embodiment, a space between the first narrow portion 33A-1 and the second narrow portion 44A-1 in the terminal arrangement direction, in other words, a space formed between the first concave portion 33A-2 and the second concave portion 44A-2 is formed as the insertion allowing space 20A that allows insertion of a mold pin (not shown) provided in a molding die in the vertical direction when the terminal 20 is held by the housing 10 by insert molding.

In one terminal 20, the dimension of the gap between the first narrow width portion 33A-1 and the second narrow width portion 44A-1 in the terminal arrangement direction, in other words, the dimension of the insertion allowing space 20A (indicated as "P1" in fig. 5C) is larger than the gap between the first front longitudinal portion 32B and the second longitudinal portion 42B in the terminal arrangement direction, and is larger than the gap between the first front extending portion 33 (excluding the first narrow width portion 33A-1) and the second extending portion 44 (excluding the second narrow width portion 44A-1). Fig. 5C shows a state in which the dimension P1 of the insertion allowing space 20A in the terminal arrangement direction is larger than the interval P2 between the portions (the dotted line portions in fig. 5C) of the first front extending portion 33 and the second extending portion 44, which are located more rearward than the front surface of the front wall 12 of the housing 10.

The movable member 50 is provided above the housing 10 and the terminal 20, and is rotatable about an axis of a rotation shaft 53 described later between a closed position in which the movable member assumes a posture parallel to a circuit board (not shown) as shown in fig. 1 (a) and (B) and an open position in which the movable member assumes a posture standing up in the vertical direction as shown in fig. 2 (a) and (B). When the movable member 50 is in the closed position, the extraction of the flat type conductor C is prevented, and when the movable member 50 is in the open position, the extraction of the flat type conductor C is allowed.

As shown in fig. 3, which is shown in the same posture as when the movable member 50 is in the open position, the movable member 50 has: a plate-shaped body 51, the body 51 extending with a terminal arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) as a longitudinal direction; end plate parts 52, the end plate parts 52 are arranged at two ends of the main body part 51 in the terminal arrangement direction; a rotation shaft portion 53, the rotation shaft portion 53 being provided on the lower end side of the end plate portion 52; and an engaging portion 54, the engaging portion 54 protruding forward (in the direction X1) from the end plate portion 52 (see fig. 2B).

The movable member 50 is positioned in the substantially same range of the housing 10 in the terminal arrangement direction, and is positioned so as to cover substantially the entire area of the receiving portion 14 in the front-rear direction when in the closed position (see fig. 1a and B and fig. 5 a), and is positioned on the rear end side of the housing 10 in the open position (see fig. 2a and B).

As shown in fig. 2B, a groove-shaped main body groove portion 51A extending in the vertical direction at a position corresponding to the terminal 20 in the terminal array direction is formed in the front surface (surface on the X1 side) of the main body portion 51 when the movable member 50 is at the open position. In this way, since the body groove portion 51A is formed in the body portion 51, the body portion 51 can be prevented from interfering with the second contact arm portion 41 of the second arm member 40 of the terminal 20 when the body portion 51 is in the closed position.

As shown in fig. 2 (B), the end plate portion 52 is formed with a slit-shaped end groove portion 52A, and the end groove portion 52A extends downward from a position near the upper end in the terminal arrangement direction at a position corresponding to the side groove portion 11C of the housing 10 and a later-described restricting arm portion 63 of the metal fitting 60, and penetrates in the front-rear direction. The end groove portion 52A is located within the range of the side groove portion 11C of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction when the movable member 50 is at the closed position, and accommodates a bent arm portion 63B-2 (see fig. 7C) of the metal fitting 60, which will be described later. Further, as shown in fig. 2 (B) and 3, on the end plate portion 52, at a position corresponding to the guide portion 11A of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction and the terminal arrangement direction, the lower end of the end plate portion 52 is recessed more than the lower end of the body portion 51, thereby forming an end recessed portion 52B. As shown in fig. 1 (a), (B) and 2 (B), the end recess 52B accommodates the guide portion 11A, thereby avoiding interference of the movable member 50 with the guide portion 11A.

As shown in fig. 3, the turning shaft portion 53 is provided so as to be connected to the lower end of the end plate portion 52 at a position outside the end recess portion 52B in the terminal arrangement direction, and extends within a range including the end groove portion 52A. As shown in fig. 7 (a) to 7 (C), the cross-sectional shape of the rotation shaft 53 at a surface perpendicular to the terminal arrangement direction is substantially quadrangular, but the surface of the range from the rear surface to the lower surface when the movable member 50 is at the closed position is a single continuous convex curved surface. The convex curved surface is curved with substantially the same curvature as the supporting surface 11D-1 of the housing 10, and forms a supported surface 53A which is rotatably supported by the supporting surface 11D-1 during rotation of the movable member 50.

As shown in fig. 2B, the locking portion 54 is located slightly inside in the terminal arrangement direction above the end concave portion 52B in the state where the end plate portion 52 is at the open position, and protrudes from the front surface (lower surface at the closed position) of the end plate portion 52 (see also fig. 6 a). The locking portions 54 are positioned at both outer sides of the arrangement range of the terminals 20 in the terminal arrangement direction, specifically, corresponding to the side edge portions of the flat-type conductors C. As shown in fig. 6 (a), the lower surface of the locking portion 54 when the movable member 50 is in the closed position is formed as an inclined surface 54A inclined downward toward the front, the front surface of the locking portion 54 is formed as a locking surface 54B, and the locking surface 54B is formed as a flat surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. As shown in fig. 6 (a), when the movable member 50 is brought to the closed position after the flat conductor C is inserted, the locking portion 54 enters the notch portion C1 of the flat conductor C from above. As a result, the locking portion 54 is located at a position where it can be locked to the locked portion C2A by the locking surface 54B at the rear of the locked portion C2A, and the flat conductor C is prevented from being pulled out.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4 (C), the metal fitting 60 is formed by bending a metal plate member in the plate thickness direction. The two metal fittings 60 provided in the connector 1, that is, the metal fitting 60 on the Y1 side and the metal fitting 60 on the Y2 side have shapes symmetrical to each other in the terminal arrangement direction. The metal fitting 60 on the Y2 side will be described below, and the metal fitting 60 on the Y1 side will not be described. As shown in fig. 3 and fig. 4 (C), there are: a fixing portion 61, the fixing portion 61 extending opposite to a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown); a reinforcing portion 62, the reinforcing portion 62 being held by the housing 10 by insert molding; and a restricting arm portion 63, wherein the restricting arm portion 63 supports the rotating shaft portion 53 of the movable member 50 and restricts upward and forward movement of the rotating shaft portion 53.

The plate surface (surface perpendicular to the plate thickness direction) of the fixing portion 61 is formed in a flat plate shape parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown), and has a substantially L-shape when viewed from above. The fixing portion 61 has: a rear fixing portion 61A extending in the terminal arrangement direction; and a front fixing portion 61B extending forward from the rear fixing portion 61A at an inner position in the terminal arrangement direction. As shown in fig. 1 (a) and (B), the rear fixing portion 61A is located behind the side wall 11 of the housing 10. The front fixing portion 61B extends forward along the lower surface of the side wall 11 at a position further inward than the side groove 11C in the terminal alignment direction. The fixing portion 61 is in surface contact with a corresponding portion of the mounting surface of the circuit substrate at a lower surface thereof, and is fixed to the mounting surface by solder connection.

The reinforcing portion 62 includes a vertical plate portion 62A and a horizontal plate portion 62B, the vertical plate portion 62A being bent at an inner side edge in the terminal arranging direction of the front end portion of the front fixing portion 61B and extending upward, and the horizontal plate portion 62B being bent at an upper edge of the vertical plate portion 62A and extending inward in the terminal arranging direction. The reinforcement portion 62 is located within the range of the guide portion 11A of the side wall 11 in the front-rear direction. The vertical plate portion 62A is embedded in the inner portion of the side wall 11 inside the side groove portion 11C, and reinforces the inner portion. Lateral plate portion 62B is embedded inside guide portion 11A to reinforce guide portion 11A.

The regulating arm portion 63 includes a vertical arm portion 63A and a horizontal arm portion 63B, the vertical arm portion 63A extending upward while being bent at the front edge of the rear fixing portion 61A at a position outside the rear fixing portion 61A in the terminal arrangement direction, and the horizontal arm portion 63B extending forward while being bent at the upper edge of the vertical arm portion 63A. The regulating arm portion 63 is positioned in correspondence with the side groove portion 11C of the housing 10 and the turning shaft portion 53 of the movable member 50 in the terminal arranging direction. The vertical arm portion 63A is located rearward of the side groove portion 11C. The lateral arm portion 63B extends forward just above the side groove portion 11C, and is positioned to penetrate the end groove portion 52A of the movable member 50 in the open position as shown in fig. 2 (a).

As shown in fig. 4 and fig. 7 (C), the arm portion 63B is bent downward at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction, and then further bent obliquely upward and forward. As a result, the substantially rear half portion forms a linear arm portion 63B-1 linearly extending in the front-rear direction, and the substantially front half portion forms a bent arm portion 63B-2 having a substantially V-shape as viewed in the terminal arrangement direction. As shown in fig. 7 (C), the distal end side portion of the linear arm portion 63B-1 is formed as an upper regulating portion 63B-1A, and the upper regulating portion 63B-1A abuts on the turning shaft portion 53 from above and regulates excessive upward movement of the turning shaft portion 53. The vertically extending portion of the curved arm portion 63B-2 is formed as a forward restricting portion 63B-2A, and the forward restricting portion 63B-2A is positioned so as to be able to abut against the turning shaft portion 53 from the front, and restricts excessive forward movement of the turning shaft portion 53. Since the upper restriction portion 63B-1A and the front restriction portion 63B-2A can always restrict excessive upward and forward movement of the rotation shaft portion 53 when the movable member 50 is at any one of the rotation positions, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent the movable member 50 from being unintentionally detached from the housing 10.

The connector 1 of the present embodiment is manufactured by the following method. First, the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40 is disposed in a molding die (not shown) in a state of being overlapped with the first front lateral portion 32A of the first arm member 30 from above, and the metal fitting 60 is also disposed in the molding die. The molding die can be divided into a plurality of dies, and at least one of an upper die disposed from above and a lower die disposed from below is provided with a die pin extending in the vertical direction, the die pin being used for molding the housing in a state where the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 are positioned. The mold pin is inserted into the insertion-permitting space 20A formed between the first narrow width portion 33A-1 and the second narrow width portion 44A-1 in the vertical direction (see fig. 5C). At this time, the pin is inserted so as to be positioned in the front half portion in the insertion allowing space 20A.

In the present embodiment, since the mold pin of the molding die can enter the insertion allowing space 20A, even if the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40 adjacent to each other in the terminal arranging direction are arranged so that the interval therebetween is narrowed, the mold pin does not need to be formed thin, and the mold pin having sufficient strength can be arranged at the time of insert molding of the terminal 20 and the housing 10. Therefore, the terminals can be closely arranged while maintaining an accurate position without narrowing the width of the entire region of the terminals and without increasing the arrangement pitch of the terminals.

Next, the molten resin is injected into the molding die and then solidified to mold the housing 10. As a result, the first arm member 30, the second arm member 40, and the metal fitting 60 are held to the housing 10 by insert molding (integral molding).

Next, the movable member 50 is attached to the housing 10 from the front. A method of attaching the movable member 50 will be described based on fig. 7 (a) to 7 (C). First, as shown in fig. 7 (a), the movable member 50 in the closed position posture is disposed on the housing 10 at a position forward of the metal fitting 60. Then, the movable member 50 is moved rearward while maintaining the posture of the closed position. At this time, the pivot shaft 53 comes into contact with the front end side portion of the bent arm portion 63B-2 of the metal fitting 60, i.e., the portion inclined obliquely upward and forward, from the front, thereby elastically displacing the bent arm portion 63B-2 and further the arm portion 63B upward, and as a result, allowing the movable member 50 to move further rearward.

When the movable member 50 is mounted, the fixing portion 61 of the metal fitting 60 is not fixed to the mounting surface of the circuit board. Therefore, the metal fitting 60 can be elastically displaced with the full length of the portion extending along the range from the distal end portion of the regulating arm portion 63 to the distal end portion of the front fixing portion 61B as the arm length. That is, during the mounting of the movable member 50, the lateral arm portion 63B, the longitudinal arm portion 63A, and the fixing portion 61 are elastically displaced as shown in fig. 7 (B). In the present embodiment, the arm length can be secured to a large extent, and accordingly, the arm portion 63B is easily displaced upward, and as a result, the movable member 50 is easily attached.

When the pivot shaft 53 of the movable member 50 reaches a position rearward of the curved arm portion 63B-2, the arm portion 63B, the trailing arm portion 63A, and the fixing portion 61 are elastically displaced by a small amount. As a result, the arm portion 63B moves downward, and as shown in fig. 7 (C), the upper restriction portion 63B-1A of the linear arm portion 63B-1 abuts against the pivot shaft portion 53 from above, and the front restriction portion 63B-2A of the curved arm portion 63B-2 is positioned so as to be able to abut against the pivot shaft portion 53 from the front. Thus, the movable member 50 is attached to the housing 10, and the connector 1 is completed.

Next, a connection operation between the connector 1 and the flat conductor C will be described based on fig. 1, fig. 2, and (a) and (B) of fig. 6. First, the first front mounting portion 33A and the first rear mounting portion 35A of the first arm member 30 and the second mounting portion 44A of the second arm member 40 of the terminal 20 are soldered to the corresponding circuit portions of the circuit board, and the fixing portion 61 of the metal fitting 60 is soldered to the corresponding portion of the circuit board and fixed.

By soldering and fixing the metal fitting 60 to the circuit board, the portion of the metal fitting 60 that can be elastically displaced is only the restricting arm portion 63. Therefore, the arm length of the metal fitting 60 for elastic displacement is shorter than that in the case of attaching the movable member 50 when the connector 1 is manufactured, and the restricting arm 63 is less likely to be elastically displaced. As a result, after the connector 1 is mounted on the circuit board, the movable member 50 can be more reliably prevented from coming off the housing 10.

Next, as shown in fig. 1, in a state where the movable member 50 is brought to the closed position, the flat conductor C is positioned behind the connector 1 so as to extend in the front-rear direction along the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown).

Next, the flat conductor C is inserted into the receiving portion 14 of the connector 1 while facing forward. At this time, the flat conductor C is guided to the receiving portion 14 by the upper guide surface 11A-1, the side guide surface 11B, and the lower guide surface 13A of the housing 10. When the tip of the flat conductor C abuts against the inclined surface 54A of the locking portion 54 of the movable member 50 during insertion of the connector 1, a forward force (component force) and an upward force (component force) act on the inclined surface 54A. As a result, the locking portion 54 and, hence, the movable member 50 are lifted by an amount corresponding to the thickness dimension of the flat conductor C by the upward force, and the flat conductor C is allowed to further enter. At this time, the upper regulating portion 63B-1A of the metal fitting 60 receives an upward force from the pivot shaft portion 53 of the movable member 50, and the lateral arm portion 63B is elastically displaced upward, thereby allowing the movable member 50 to move upward.

Immediately after the tip of the flat conductor C starts to lift up the engagement portion 54, the tip of the flat conductor C abuts against the plate surface (inclined surface) of the rear end inclined portion 41B of the second abutment arm portion 41 of the second arm member 40, and the second abutment arm portion 41 is elastically displaced upward and enters between the second abutment portion 41A and the first abutment portion 31B-1 of the first arm member 30 (see fig. 6B).

When the front end of the flat conductor C abuts against the rear surface of the front wall 12, the ear portions C2 of the flat conductor pass through the positions of the locking portions 54 of the movable member 50, and the notch portions C1 reach the positions of the locking portions 54. As a result, as shown in fig. 6 (a), the movable member 50 returns to the closed position, the locking portion 54 enters the notch portion C1 from above, and the locking surface 54B of the locking portion 54 is positioned so as to be able to be locked with the locked portion C2A of the flat conductor C from behind. Thus, the locking portion 54 can be locked to the locked portion C2A, thereby preventing the flat conductor C from being inadvertently removed rearward.

When the front end of the flat conductor C abuts against the rear surface of the front wall 12 and the insertion of the flat conductor C is completed, the second abutment arm 41 is maintained in the elastically displaced state, and the second abutment portion 41A presses the flat conductor C from above, as shown in fig. 6 (B). That is, the flat conductor C is sandwiched in the vertical direction by the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A. The flat conductor C receives a pressing force from above via the second contact portion 41A, and as a result, the circuit portion exposed on the lower surface of the flat conductor C is pressed against the first contact portion 31B-1 from above, and is brought into contact with the circuit portion with a contact pressure, thereby being electrically conducted. At this time, as shown in fig. 6 (B), the first contact portion 31B-1 receives a force from above the circuit portion, and the contact bar portion 31B is slightly elastically displaced downward.

In the present embodiment, since the flat conductor C enters between the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A and elastically displaces the second contact arm portion 41 upward, a force in the direction of the elastic displacement, even if the upward force separating the second lateral portion 42A from the first front lateral portion 32A, acts on the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40. However, as shown in fig. 6 (B), since the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40 is supported by the front wall 12 at the upper surface thereof, the upward force acting on the second lateral portion 42A can be resisted, and the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A can be prevented from separating.

In the present embodiment, since the second contact arm portion 41 of the second arm member 40 is elastically displaced upward, a force having a component directed forward acts on the connecting portion 43. As shown in fig. 6 (B), since the front surface of the coupling portion 43 of the second arm member 40 is supported by the rear surface of the support projection 12A of the front wall 12, the above-described force acting on the coupling portion 43 can be resisted, and thus the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A can also be prevented from separating.

In this way, in the present embodiment, since the first front lateral portion 32A and the second lateral portion 42A are prevented from being separated from each other, a sufficiently large contact pressure against the flat conductor C for the flat conductor C to be sandwiched by the first contact portion 31B-1 and the second contact portion 41A can be ensured more reliably.

When the flat type conductor C is pulled out from the connector 1, the movable member 50 is rotated to be brought to the open position. As a result, the locking portion 54 of the movable member 50 is brought out of the notch portion C1 of the flat conductor C, and the locked state between the locking portion 54 and the locked portion C2A of the flat conductor C is released, so that the flat conductor C can be pulled rearward and easily pulled out from the connector 1.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. In the foregoing embodiment, it is assumed that the lower surface of the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40 is in surface contact so as to be electrically conductive with the upper surface of the first front lateral portion 32A of the first arm member 30, but it is not essential that electrical conduction is possible. For example, as a modification, there may be: by applying an insulating treatment to at least one of the upper surface of the first front lateral portion 32A and the lower surface of the second lateral portion 42A, electrical conduction is not established even if the upper surface of the first front lateral portion 32A and the lower surface of the second lateral portion 42A are in surface contact. In this case, the insulating treatment may be, for example, insulating coating or attaching an insulating sheet.

In the above-described embodiment, the second arm member 40 and the first arm member 30 are arranged so that the second lateral portion 42A is simply in surface contact with the first front lateral portion 32A from above, but as a modification, a locking piece located below the first front lateral portion may be further provided on the second arm member. Fig. 8 (a) is a perspective view of the terminal 120 in this modification. In fig. 8 (a), portions corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by reference numerals obtained by adding "100" to the reference numerals in the above-described embodiment. The same shape as that of the above-described embodiment will not be described.

The terminal 120 has a first arm member 130 and a second arm member 140. The first arm member 130 is formed in the same shape as the first arm member 30 of the foregoing embodiment. The later-described locking piece 145 of the second arm member 140 is formed to extend from one side edge (the side edge on the Y1 side in fig. 8 a) of the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40 of the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the locking piece 145 is folded back at the one side edge of the second lateral portion 42A and extends toward the other side edge (the side edge on the Y2 side in fig. 8 a), and the tip (free end) thereof is located within the range of the first front lateral portion 132A in the terminal array direction.

The upper surface of the locking piece 145 is in surface contact with the lower surface of the first front lateral portion 132A of the first arm member 130. That is, the second arm member 140 sandwiches the first front lateral portion 132A by the second lateral portion 142A and the locking piece 145. In the modification of fig. 8 (a), even if an external force directed upward acts on the second lateral portion 142A of the second arm member 140 in a state where the flat conductor is inserted into the connector, the locking piece 145 abuts and locks with the first front lateral portion 132A from below, and therefore, the external force is resisted by the locking force, and the second lateral portion 142A can be more reliably prevented from separating from the first front lateral portion 132A.

In the above-described embodiment, the terminal 20 is configured by two members, that is, the first arm member 30 and the second arm member 40, but as a modification, the terminal may be configured by one member as shown in fig. 8 (B) and (C). Fig. 8 (B) is a perspective view of the terminal 220 in this modification, and fig. 8 (C) is a side view of the terminal 220 in fig. 8 (B). In fig. 8 (B) and (C), portions corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by reference numerals obtained by adding "200" to the reference numerals in the above-described embodiment. The same shape as that of the above-described embodiment will not be described.

In the modification shown in fig. 8 (B) and (C), the terminal 220 is formed by punching out a single metal plate member and bending it in the plate thickness direction, and has a shape obtained by connecting the front end of the first front lateral portion 32A of the first arm member 30 and the front end of the second lateral portion 42A of the second arm member 40 of the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the terminal 220 has the following shape: a first front lateral portion 232A as a first base portion and a second lateral portion 242A as a second base portion, which are connected to each other via the tip ends of the folded-back portions 221 described later, overlap each other in the vertical direction and are in surface contact with each other. Further, the terminal 220 has a first front held portion 232 and a first front extending portion 233 on the front end side of the first abutment arm portion 231, and a first rear held portion 234 and a first rear extending portion 235 on the rear end side of the first abutment arm portion 231.

The first front held portion 232 and the first front extending portion 233 are formed by cutting a part of a connecting portion (folded portion) between the front end portion of the first contact arm portion 231 and the front end portion of the second contact arm portion 241 to the front side at a central region in the terminal arrangement direction and bending in the plate thickness direction. As shown in fig. 8 (C), the first front held portion 232 and the first front extending portion 233 extend in the same curved shape as the first front held portion 32 and the first front extending portion 33 of the terminal 20 of the foregoing embodiment when viewed in the terminal array direction. The folded portion 221 is formed by folding back the front end of the first front lateral portion 232A at both sides of the first front held portion 232 and the first front extending portion 233 in the terminal array direction. The second lateral portion 242A coupled to the front end of the first front lateral portion 232A by the folded-back portion 221 is in surface contact with the upper surface of the first front lateral portion 232A at the lower surface thereof.

As shown in fig. 8 (B) and (C), the first contact arm portion 231, the first rear held portion 234, the first rear extending portion 235, and the second contact arm portion 241 have the same shapes as the first contact arm portion 31, the first rear held portion 34, the first rear extending portion 35, and the second contact arm portion 41 of the above-described embodiment, respectively.

In the modification shown in fig. 8 (B) and (C), since the terminal 220 is formed as one member, the number of members constituting the terminal 220 can be kept to a minimum, and as a result, the connector can be easily manufactured.

In the above-described embodiment, the terminal 20 is held by the housing 10 by insert molding, but as a modification, the terminal may be held by press-fitting in the housing as shown in fig. 9 (a) and (B). Fig. 9 (a) is a perspective view showing the terminal 320 in the modification together with the housing 310 and the metal fitting 360, and fig. 9 (B) is a perspective view showing the terminal 320 in fig. 9 (a) with the first arm member 330 and the second arm member 340 separated from each other. In fig. 9 (a) and (B), portions corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by reference numerals obtained by adding "300" to the reference numerals in the above-described embodiment. The same shape as that of the above-described embodiment will not be described.

In the modification shown in fig. 9 (a) and (B), the first front lateral portion 332A as the first base portion of the first arm member 330 has first press-fitting projections 332A-1 projecting from both side edges (side edges extending in the front-rear direction), and the second lateral portion 342A as the second base portion of the second arm member 340 has second press-fitting projections 342A-1 projecting from both side edges. The terminal 320 of this modification has the same shape as the terminal 20 of the embodiment described above, except that it has the first press-fitting projection 332A-1 and the second press-fitting projection 342A-1.

A front receiving recess 312C is formed in the front wall 312 of the housing 310, and the front receiving recess 312C receives the first front held portion 332 (the first front lateral portion 332A and the first front vertical portion 332B) of the first arm member 330 and the second held portion 342 (the second lateral portion 342A and the second vertical portion 342B) of the second arm member 340. Further, a rear receiving recess 313B is formed in the rear wall 313 of the housing 310, and the rear receiving recess 313B receives the first rear held portion 334 (the first rear lateral portion 334A and the first rear vertical portion 334B) of the first arm member 330. The other portions of the housing 310 (portions other than the front accommodating recess 312C and the rear accommodating recess 313B) and the metal fitting 360 have the same shapes as the housing 10 and the metal fitting 60 of the above-described embodiment.

The first arm member 330 and the second arm member 340 are held by the first front held portion 332 and the second held portion 342 being press-fitted into the front holding recessed portion 312C from above and by the first press-fitting protrusion 332A-1 and the second press-fitting protrusion 342A-1 being caused to bite into the inner wall surface of the front holding recessed portion 312C. At this time, the first rear held portion 334 is housed from above into the rear housing recess 313B, and both side edges of the first rear held portion 334 are held by the inner wall surface of the rear housing recess 313B. The first rear held portion 334 is not necessarily required to be held, and may be housed in the rear housing recess 313B without contacting the inner wall of the rear housing recess 313B.

In the above-described embodiment, only one type of terminal, that is, the terminal 20 serving as the power supply terminal is provided in the connector, but as a modification, another type of terminal having a different shape from the terminal may be provided in the connector together with the terminal. In this case, as shown in fig. 10, other types of terminals, for example, signal terminals, may be provided. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the connector in such a modification, with the movable member omitted. In the modification shown in fig. 10, in the connector 1 of the above-described embodiment, a plurality of signal terminals are provided outside the arrangement range of the terminals 20. In fig. 10, portions corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by reference numerals obtained by adding "400" to the reference numerals in the above-described embodiment. The same shape as that of the above-described embodiment will not be described.

The signal terminal 470 in this modification is formed by punching out a flat metal plate member in the plate thickness direction. The signal terminals 470 are held by the front wall 412 of the housing 410 by insert molding in a posture in which the plate thickness direction coincides with the terminal arrangement direction. The signal terminal 470 is electrically connected to the flat conductor while sandwiching the flat conductor by two elastically displaceable contact arm portions 471 extending rearward from the front wall 412. The holding method of the signal terminal 470 is not limited to the holding by insert molding, and may be press-holding, for example. In the case of press-fitting, the signal terminal 470 is press-fitted into a terminal holding groove formed in the front wall 412 of the housing 410, for example.

In the above-described embodiment, all the terminals 20 are used as the power supply terminals, but instead, when a plurality of terminals of the same shape are provided, the purpose of use of some of the terminals may be different from that of the other terminals. For example, some of the plurality of terminals may be used as power supply terminals, and the other terminals may be used as signal terminals.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the circuit portion of the flat conductor is exposed at the lower surface of the distal end side portion of the flat conductor and is in contact with the first contact portion of the first arm member, but instead of this, the circuit portion may be exposed at the upper surface of the distal end side portion of the flat conductor and may be in contact with the second contact portion of the second arm member. Further, the flat conductor may be formed with circuit portions which are two-layered in the vertical direction, the circuit portions may be exposed on both the upper surface and the lower surface of the distal end portion of the flat conductor, the first contact portion of the first arm member may be in contact with the circuit portion on the lower surface, and the second contact portion of the second arm member may be in contact with the circuit portion on the upper surface.

Claims

1. An electrical connector mounted on a circuit board and connected to a mating connector,

the electrical connector has: a terminal having a shape bent in a plate thickness direction of the metal plate member; and a housing for holding the terminal, wherein the housing is provided with a plurality of through holes,

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

the terminal has a first arm portion and a second arm portion extending in the front-rear direction,

the first arm portion has: a first base portion formed at a part of the first arm portion in the front-rear direction; a first abutment arm portion located rearward of the first base portion and extending in a front-rear direction; and a first mounting portion extending from the first base portion and solder-mounted to a circuit substrate,

the first abutting arm has a first abutting portion capable of abutting against the mating connecting body,

the second arm portion has: a second base portion formed at a part of the second arm portion in the front-rear direction; and a second abutment arm portion located rearward of the second base portion, located apart from the first abutment arm portion in a thickness direction of the mating connecting body, and opposed to the first abutment arm portion,

the second abutting arm has a second abutting portion capable of abutting against the mating connector,

the first base portion and the second base portion are held by the housing in a state of overlapping each other in a thickness direction of the mating connecting body and in surface contact,

the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion sandwich the mating connecting body, whereby at least the first abutting portion and the mating connecting body are electrically connected.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1,

the second contact arm portion is elastically displaceable in a thickness direction of the mating connecting body,

the second base is supported by the housing through a surface on the opposite side of the surface in contact with the first base.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2,

the second arm portion has a coupling portion that is bent in a thickness direction of the counter connecting body at a rear end of the second base portion and is coupled to a front end of the second abutment arm portion,

the front surface of the coupling portion is supported by the housing.

4. The electrical connector of any one of claims 1 to 3,

the terminal is held to the housing by insert molding.

5. The electrical connector of any one of claims 1 to 4,

a portion extending from the first base portion of the first arm portion to the rear end of the first arm portion and a portion extending from the second base portion of the second arm portion to the rear end of the second arm portion are in the same position in the connector width direction so as to have the same terminal width.

6. The electrical connector of any one of claims 1 to 5,

the first arm and the second arm are formed as different members.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6,

the second arm portion has a second mounting portion that extends from the second base portion and is solder-mounted to a circuit substrate, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion being located at adjacent positions in a connector width direction.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7,

the first mounting portion is located in a range of the first base portion in a connector width direction, and the second mounting portion is located in a range of the second base portion in the connector width direction.

9. The electrical connector of any one of claims 1 to 8,

the terminals are power supply terminals.