EP1083628B1 - Electrical contact and connector for a flexible printed circuit - Google Patents

Electrical contact and connector for a flexible printed circuit Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1083628B1
EP1083628B1 EP00118292A EP00118292A EP1083628B1 EP 1083628 B1 EP1083628 B1 EP 1083628B1 EP 00118292 A EP00118292 A EP 00118292A EP 00118292 A EP00118292 A EP 00118292A EP 1083628 B1 EP1083628 B1 EP 1083628B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
flexible printed
printed circuit
fact
connector according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP00118292A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1083628A1 (en
Inventor
Alban Godefroy
Patrice Cappe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FCI SA
Original Assignee
FCI SA
Framatome Connectors International SAS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by FCI SA, Framatome Connectors International SAS filed Critical FCI SA
Publication of EP1083628A1 publication Critical patent/EP1083628A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1083628B1 publication Critical patent/EP1083628B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/436—Securing a plurality of contact members by one locking piece or operation
    • H01R13/4361—Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion
    • H01R13/4362—Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion comprising a temporary and a final locking position
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/428—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members
    • H01R13/432—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members by stamped-out resilient tongue snapping behind shoulder in base or case
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/10—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation
    • H01R4/18—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping
    • H01R4/182—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping for flat conductive elements, e.g. flat cables
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2495—Insulation penetration combined with permanent deformation of the contact member, e.g. crimping

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a connector for a flexible printed circuit according to the preamble portion of patent claim 1.
  • a connector is known from US-A-4,082,402.
  • Flexible printed circuits generally consist of a first sheet of flexible insulation material on which are arranged conducting tracks made, for example, of copper, the said tracks themselves being covered either with a second sheet of insulation material or with an insulating varnish. These circuits are used on a large scale in the electrical industry and several methods of connection exist for connecting them to electrical contacts or to electronic components
  • US-A-3 713 072 concerns a connection device of tabs arranged perpendicularly to the flexible printed circuit, formed by two staples which pierce the printed circuit, these staples comprising in their centre a hole to receive the tab, these staples being subsequently crimped on the flexible printed circuit.
  • US-A-4 749 368 concerns a connection device of a component to one or more tracks of a flexible printed circuit by means of staples equipped with a ring of piercing teeth embedded in the flexible printed circuit and subsequently crimped on the said circuit.
  • US-A-4 082 402 describes a connector for a flexible printed circuit with a contact for connection to a flexible printed circuit and a housing equipped with at least one cavity to receive the contact said contact comprising: an elongated central part that is equipped with a leg, a termination for connection to a supplementary contact, an elongated central part which forms the floor, an insulation-piercing connection part destined to come into contact with a track of a flexible printed circuit.
  • EP 0 700 124 A2 describes an electrical contact having improved locking lances.
  • the contact comprises an improved locking lance structure and has a body portion from which a locking lance is cantilevered from a base where the base is resiliently interconnected to the body portion to provide sufficient resiliency for easier seating of the contact within a passageway of a housing and sufficient resilience so that the locking lance may function to position the contact within the passageway.
  • connection of flexible printed circuits to connectors imposes constraints on the connection with contacts and, in the case of flexible printed circuits with multiple tracks connected by devices which pierce the insulation, necessitates a simultaneous connection of the tracks and the contacts and the retention of a good alignment of the said contacts, both in an axis parallel to the contacts, as well as in an axis perpendicular to the flexible printed circuit.
  • the insulation-piercing connection part may be elevated with respect to the elongated central part which forms the floor.
  • the insulation-piercing part may include at least one toothed ring destined to pierce the flexible insulation and to be crimped on the flexible printed circuit.
  • the contact may comprise two aligned crimping rings.
  • the contact may moreover comprise in its elongated central portion, lateral reinforcement flanks.
  • the lateral flanks of the contact may comprise a tab zone forming a stiffener which is substantially arranged opposite the lug.
  • the invention also concerns a connector for a flexible printed circuit comprising a contact according to the invention and a housing equipped with at least one cavity for the reception of the said contact for which purpose, in the pre-insertion position, the contact lug bears against the rim of a lower wall of the housing and may bend and flatten under the action of a thrust in the direction of the insertion of contacts.
  • the housing and the contact may advantageously comprise supplementary means of attachment and retention of the contact in the direction of its insertion.
  • the latter may comprise a shrouding cover component which can be manoeuvred in a direction perpendicular to the cavitys between a pre-insertion position of the contacts and a position of complete insertion and of the locking of the contacts, the shrouding cover component comprising at least one tab per contact, the said tab in its locked position bearing against the part of the contact connecting it with the flexible printed circuit.
  • the said tabs may support themselves between the said toothed rings.
  • Fig 2 shows a connection contact (general marking 6) for a flexible printed circuit equipped with an insulation-piercing termination (20) for connection to a supplementary contact, an elongated central portion (21) which forms the floor and an insulation-piercing connection part (22).
  • the connection termination may, in particular, be, as shown, of the female type and consist of a cage equipped with one or more elastic contact blades (50).
  • the connection termination according to the invention is extended on one of its faces by an elongated central part (21) which is itself extended by a flat zone (22) which forms part of the insulation-piercing connection.
  • the elongated central part is equipped with an elastic leg (26), this leg comprising a lug (27) curved under the elongated central part, This leg is destined to work in conjunction with the rim (32) of the lower wall (35) of a housing (1) for receiving the contact (6), as will be explained below.
  • the insulation-piercing connection part (22) is elevated with reference to the elongated central part (21) which forms the floor.
  • this arrangement makes it possible to remove the insulation-piercing part from the lower wall (35) of the housing which receives the contact.
  • the elongated central part of the contact may possess lateral flanks (24, 25). These flanks which extend the lower face of the contact termination serve as a reinforcement of the contact and as a lateral guidance of the contact into its reception cavity (2) in the housing (1). These flanks may comprise a pinch zone (28) around the zone of the elastic leg (26) comprising the lug (27) in such a way as to reinforce, by constriction of the metal, this part which was weakened by the cutting needed to form the leg (26). This pinch zone moreover makes it possible to create a continuous change of level so that the insulation-piercing connection part (22) may become elevated with reference to the elongated central part.
  • the termination (20) for connection to a supplementary contact may comprise a cage formed by successive bending in a direction parallel to the contact and comprise a folded shutter (30) at the transition to the elongated central part.
  • the insulation-piercing part is in the embodiment shown in the Fig., of the type comprising at least one toothed ring (23) destined to pierce the flexible printed circuit and to be crimped into the flexible printed circuit in order to create contact with a track 100 of the flexible printed circuit (10).
  • Other configurations such as piercing blades are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, such configurations being well known in the field of flexible printed circuits.
  • a single track 100 is shown in Fig 1, it being understood that there are several tracks on the flexible printed circuit.
  • Two aligned crimping rings (23, 23') are advantageously formed in order to improve the connection. It should be noted that although, for reason of clarity, Fig 3 does not show the flexible printed circuit, the piercing rings are shown in their condition after crimping. The rings in their condition before crimping are shown in Fig 3
  • Fig 1 shows a general view of a connector for a flexible printed circuit according to the invention which comprises a contact (6) as previously described, a housing (1) equipped with at least one cavity (2) for receiving the said contact (6) for which the contact lug (27) leans, in the pre-insertion position, against the rim (32) of the lower wall (35) of the housing.
  • This pre-insertion position makes it possible to supply connectors equipped with their contacts and, in a suitable tool, to position the flexible printed circuit and to crimp in a single operation, all the piercing and crimping components (23,23') on the tracks 100.
  • a thrust on the flexible printed circuit in the direction of insertion of the contacts causes the lugs (27) to bend and flatten and makes it possible for the contacts to penetrate fully into the insulator (1).
  • the kinematics of insertion of contacts is shown diagramatically in Figs 5A, 5B and 5C, where it is possible to see in section the respective pre-insertion phases of the contact, the contact crimped on the flexible printed circuit and the locked connector.
  • the housing (1) and the contact (6) may comprise supplementary means of fastening and retention of the contact in the direction of insertion of the contact.
  • These means may consist of a forked leg (51) on the contact, of a first retention stop (52) of the forked leg to prevent the coming out of the contact when it is in the pre-insertion position and a second retention stop (53) of the forked leg in order to retain the contact in a position of complete insertion.
  • the lowered cover may perform, aside from a possible contact locking function by the leaning of a ratchet (4) against a shutter (30) arranged at the rear of the contact connection part, the function of holding the flexible printed circuit and the contacts in position by means of the tabs (31) supporting the crimping zone (22).
  • the shrouding cover (5) which can bee seen in Fig 4 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the cavitys between a pre-insertion position of the contacts and a position of complete insertion and locking of the contacts. It comprises, for example, a window (60) which receives a lug (61) of the housing (1).
  • the shrouding cover When the contacts are completely inserted, the shrouding cover may be pushed vertically into a locked position. The locking of the shrouding cover is performed by the latching of the window (60) on a second lug (62).
  • the lower wall (35) of the housing (1) comprises ribs (40) which separate the cavitys (2).
  • the flexing of the crimping part (22) brings the flexible printed circuit into contact with the ribs framing the contacts and advantageously causes the flexible printed circuit to corrugate under the effect of opposing offset supports.
  • the contact may comprise a stop (30), consisting, for example, of a folded shutter of the termination (20) or of the cage of the termination itself, the shrouding cover comprising a supplementary retention ratchet (4) of the contact acting in conjunction with the stop (30) in order to bring about the locking of the contact (6) into the cavity, the shrouding cover being in a closed position.
  • a stop (30) consisting, for example, of a folded shutter of the termination (20) or of the cage of the termination itself
  • the shrouding cover comprising a supplementary retention ratchet (4) of the contact acting in conjunction with the stop (30) in order to bring about the locking of the contact (6) into the cavity, the shrouding cover being in a closed position.
  • the lug (27) of the contact (6) snaps into a hole (36) opening or otherwise from the reception of the lug (27) when the contact is in a completely inserted position. In this way, the leg locks the contact.
  • the invention does not restrict itself to the example described in the Figures and is, in particular, able to be adapted to any type of termination for connection to a supplementary contact such as, for example, a male termination.

Landscapes

  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
EP00118292A 1999-09-07 2000-09-05 Electrical contact and connector for a flexible printed circuit Expired - Lifetime EP1083628B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9911324A FR2798228B1 (fr) 1999-09-07 1999-09-07 Contact electrique et connecteur pour circuit souple
FR9911324 1999-09-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1083628A1 EP1083628A1 (en) 2001-03-14
EP1083628B1 true EP1083628B1 (en) 2006-10-18

Family

ID=9549703

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00118292A Expired - Lifetime EP1083628B1 (en) 1999-09-07 2000-09-05 Electrical contact and connector for a flexible printed circuit

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1083628B1 (es)
AT (1) ATE343231T1 (es)
DE (1) DE60031342D1 (es)
ES (1) ES2272226T3 (es)
FR (1) FR2798228B1 (es)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10348005A1 (de) * 2003-10-15 2005-07-07 Fci Elektrisches Kontaktelement für Flex-Flachbandkabel
DE202004001083U1 (de) * 2004-01-23 2005-06-09 Lear Corporation Electrical And Electronics Gmbh & Co. Kg Elektrisches Steckverbindergehäuse

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1474249A (en) * 1974-01-09 1977-05-18 Amp Inc Electrical contact for flat conductor cable
NL173118C (nl) * 1974-11-07 1983-12-01 Du Pont Berg Electronics Div Contactinrichting voor het verbinden van een meeraderige platte bandkabel met een plaat met gedrukte bedrading.
BR8701399A (pt) * 1986-04-03 1988-01-05 Du Pont Tira de contacto e processo para a producao de uma fileira de conectores de grampo de borda,ou de um unico conector de grampo de borda
GB9417572D0 (en) * 1994-09-01 1994-10-19 Amp Gmbh Electrical contact having improved locking lances
US5860832A (en) * 1997-01-29 1999-01-19 Ut Automotive Dearborn, Inc. Method for connecting flat flexible cable and a connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1083628A1 (en) 2001-03-14
ES2272226T3 (es) 2007-05-01
DE60031342D1 (de) 2006-11-30
FR2798228B1 (fr) 2001-10-12
ATE343231T1 (de) 2006-11-15
FR2798228A1 (fr) 2001-03-09

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