JP2001217028A - Branch connection structure of flat circuit unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a branch connection structure of a flat circuit, which enables branching of a circuit with minimum manufacturing processes and enhances reliability of electrical connection. SOLUTION: This is a branch connection structure of a flat circuit 21 in which branch circuit is formed by folding up the flat circuit at approximately the center in the length direction. The terminal 22 comprises an electric contact 29 to be connected with the opposite terminal and a connecting board 28 which is extended and disposed at the rear side of the electric contact 29 and provided with a conductor 31. A recess 28A is formed between the electric contact 29 of the connecting board 28 and the conductor 31 to house a bent portion 27A of the flat circuit 21. And the terminal 22 and the bent portion 27A of the flat circuit are housed freely in a connector housing 20. And further, the connector housing 20 has a pressing part 19 which house by pressing the bent portion 27A into the recess 28A, and locks the terminal 22 to the housing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a branch connection structure for a flat circuit such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when electrical connection between circuits is performed or a circuit is branched using a flat circuit body such as an FFC, a connector for branching is attached to a terminal of the flat circuit body, and this connector is connected to a mating side. Connect to the connector. As a branch connection structure of such a flat circuit body, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-35987 as shown in FIGS.
A technique according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5 (1993) -105 is known.

In this branch connection structure of a flat circuit body, a terminal 1 as shown in FIG. 5 is used. This terminal 1 has an electric contact portion 2 on the front side electrically connected to a mating terminal, and a crimp piece 3 having a high height (H1) on the rear side.
And a crimp piece 4 having a low height (H2).

[0006] As shown in FIG. 6, terminal portions of two flexible flat conductor cables 5 and 6 as flat circuit bodies are overlapped with each other by a predetermined distance with respect to a plurality of terminals 1 arranged in parallel. Together, the crimp pieces 3 and 4 are bent to connect the flexible flat conductor cables 5 and 6 to the terminals 1.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower flexible flat conductor cable 5 connected to the terminal 1 is electrically connected by the crimp piece 4 having a lower height, and the lower flexible conductor cable 5 is connected to the terminal 1. The flat conductor cable 6 is conducted by the crimp pieces 3 having a high height. As shown in FIG. 7, the flexible flat conductor cable 5 is formed by sandwiching a plurality of conductors 7, 7... Arranged in parallel with a pair of insulating coating layers 9, 9. I have. In addition, the flexible flat conductor cable 6
Are formed by sandwiching a plurality of conductors 8 arranged in parallel between a pair of insulating coating layers 10.

In manufacturing such a conventional branch connection structure of a flat circuit body, a crimping piece 4 of a terminal 1 is pierced into a terminal portion of a flexible flat conductor cable 5 and then a pressing jig (so-called piercing). The crimp piece 4 is bent using a jig (11), and is processed so that its tip comes into contact with the conductor (7). After that, the other flexible flat conductor cable 6 is overlapped with the edge of the connected flexible flat conductor cable 5 by being shifted by a predetermined distance, and the crimp piece 3 is pierced as shown in FIG. The crimping piece 3 is bent using the pressing jig 11 again, and is processed so that the tip thereof contacts the conductor 8. Thus, the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is manufactured.

[0007]

However, in the conventional branch connection structure of a flat circuit body, the connection process is performed in two steps at each of the crimp pieces 3 and 4 as described above, so that the number of manufacturing steps is large. There was a problem that tact was taken. Moreover, since the tensile force is easily applied to the upper flexible flat conductor cable 6 when the wire harness is assembled, the crimp piece 3 that is electrically connected may be deformed, and the contact resistance may increase.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a branch connection structure of a flat circuit body which can branch a circuit with a small number of manufacturing steps, has high durability, and can improve reliability of electrical connection. It is an object.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat circuit body comprising a plurality of conductors arranged at predetermined intervals and sandwiched by an insulating film. A flat circuit body branch connection structure in which a conductive circuit of a terminal is connected to each other, and a branch circuit is formed by folding a substantially middle portion of the flat circuit body in a longitudinal direction, wherein each of the terminals is An electrical contact portion connected to the side terminal; and a connection board portion extending to the rear side of the electrical contact portion and provided with the conductive portion, wherein the electrical contact portion and the conductive portion of the connection board portion are provided. A concave portion for accommodating a bent portion of the flat circuit body is formed between the terminal and the terminal and the bent portion of the flat circuit body connected to the terminal can be housed in a connector housing. One , Characterized in that the bent portion to the connector housing and freely mounted a pressing member for locking the said pin causes accommodated by pressing in the recess.

In this branch connection structure of a flat circuit body,
When a pressing member for locking the terminal is attached to the connector housing, the bent portion of the flat circuit body is accommodated in the concave portion of the connection board portion of the terminal, and the bent portion of the flat circuit body is placed in the connector housing by the pressing force of the pressing member. Is securely held.
Thus, since the bent portion of the flat circuit body accommodated in the concave portion of the connection plate substrate portion of the terminal is held (hung) in the concave portion, the strength for holding the flat circuit body is improved. Inconveniences such as poor connection and detachment of terminals do not occur. In addition, since the mounting force of the pressing member (the final locking insertion force) is reduced, the assembling workability is improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the branch connection structure for a flat circuit body according to the first aspect, the bent portion is accommodated in a position of the connection board portion facing the pressing portion of the pressing member. The recess is formed.

In the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body,
When the pressing member is mounted on the connector housing, the bent portion of the flat circuit body is reliably held between the pressing portion of the pressing member and the concave portion of the terminal, and the terminal is reliably prevented from being removed by the pressing member. .

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the branch connection structure for a flat circuit body according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, an explanation will be given by applying an FFC (flexible flat cable) as a flat circuit body.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body according to the present embodiment has an FFC 21 and an FFC 21.
A plurality of terminals 22 connected to the FC 21;
A connector housing 20 made of synthetic resin for housing
Each terminal 22 housed in the connector housing 20 and a spacer (pressing member) 19 made of synthetic resin for holding the FFC 21 are roughly constituted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the FFC 21 has a plurality of conductors 23 made of, for example, rolled copper foil or the like arranged in parallel.
A pair of base films (insulating film) using an adhesive
24, 24. In order to attach each terminal 22 at a substantially middle position in the longitudinal direction of the FFC 21, slits 25 are respectively formed between the adjacent conductors 23 in this portion, and notches are formed on both sides of the FFC 21 in the width direction. 26 are formed respectively. These slits 25 and notches 26 are formed in a pair of base films 24, 24 that are superposed.
It does not reach the conductor 23.

As described above, since the slit 25 and the notch 26 are formed at substantially the middle positions in the longitudinal direction of the FFC 21, the separated portions 27 each having one conductor 23 separated from each other are formed. ing. The width dimension of each separation portion 27 is determined by the connection board portion 28 of the terminal 22.
The width is set to be substantially the same as the width dimension.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the terminal 22 is accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber 20A of the connector housing 20, and has a square cylindrical electric contact portion 29 connected to a mating terminal on the front side. The connection board portion 28 is extended behind the electric contact portion 29 by integral molding.

On the rear side of the connection board portion 28 of the terminal 22, a pair of bending holding pieces 30, 30 as crimping portions are formed by bending upward from both side edges of the connection board portion 28, respectively. . Further, a pair of conducting projections (conducting portions) 3 at the front and rear from both side edges are provided at substantially the middle position of the connection board portion 28.
Reference numerals 1 and 31 are bent upward. On the front upper surface of the connection board portion 28, a concave portion 28A for accommodating the bent portion 27A of each separation portion 27 of the FFC 21 is formed. The distance between the pair of front and rear conductive projections 31, 31 erected on opposite sides substantially at the center of the connection board portion 28 is the distance between the pair of bent pieces 30, 30 and each of the FFC 21. The width is set shorter than the width of the conductor 23.

Next, the configuration of the connector housing 20 and the spacer 19 mounted thereon will be described. Figure 2
As shown in FIG. 4, the connector housing 20 has a rectangular parallelepiped box shape, and a plurality of terminals 22 and a plurality of terminal housing chambers 20A respectively accommodating the separated portions 27 of the FFC 21 connected thereto are formed in the front-rear direction. Is formed. Also, on the front end face of the connector housing 20, each terminal accommodating chamber 20A is inserted so that the mating terminal of the mating connector is inserted and connected to the electric contact portion 29 of the terminal 22 accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber 20A. An opening 20B communicating with the hole is formed.

A spacer insertion opening 20C is formed substantially at the center of the upper end surface of the connector housing 20 over substantially the entire width. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a spacer member 19 is attached to the spacer insertion opening 20C. The spacer 19 has on its lower surface a pressing portion 19A for pressing the bent portion 27A of each separation portion 27 of the FFC 21 against the reaction force of the bent portion 27A. The pressing portion 1 of the spacer 19
The position of 9A substantially matches the position of the concave portion 28A of the connection board portion 28 of each terminal 22 housed in each terminal housing chamber 20A of the connector housing 20. Further, the rear end of the electric contact portion 29 of each terminal 22 is locked by the spacer 19. Note that this locked state is maintained by full locking into the connector housing 20 by a locking portion (not shown) of the spacer 19.

Next, a procedure for assembling the members used in the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body according to the present embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, each separation portion 27 of the FFC 21 is pressed against the connection board 28 of the corresponding terminal 22, and a pair of bent holding pieces 30, 30 on the rear side of the connection board 28 are pressed. Place it between. At the same time, a portion of the conductor 23 included in each separation portion 27 is pierced by a pair of front and rear conduction projections 31, 31 so that each conduction projection 31 projects from the upper surface of the FFC 21.

In such a state, the bending holding pieces 30 of the terminal 22 and the conductive projections 31 are simultaneously crimped by using a pressing jig (so-called piercing jig) not shown. Then, each pair of the bent holding pieces 30 and the conductive projections 31 curls inward and is bent.

Here, a pair of bent holding pieces 3 of each terminal 22
0 and 30 have a function of holding each separation portion 27 of the FFC 21. The pair of conduction projections 31, 31 before and after each terminal 22 have a function of electrically connecting the conductor 23 in each separation portion 27 to each terminal 22. Note that the pair of bent holding pieces 30 of the terminal 22 hold the upper surface bent from the side of the separation portion 27.

A pair of front and rear conducting projections 31, 31 are provided.
Are the base film 24 and the conductor 2 under the separation portion 27.
3 and the upper base film 24, respectively, are bent out of the upper surface of the separation portion 27, and the leading end of each conductive projection 31 is bent from the upper surface to the upper base film 2.
4 and comes into contact with the conductor 23 again.

Next, after the FFC 21 and the terminals 22 are assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the separated portions 27 of the FFC 21 is folded back in front of the connection board portion 28 to
To be superimposed on the FFC 21 on the rear side. In this way, a branch circuit is formed which branches substantially at the center of the FFC 21 in the longitudinal direction.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the respective terminals 22 connected at substantially the center in the longitudinal direction of the FFC 21 are accommodated in the respective terminal accommodating chambers 20A of the connector housing 20. Then, the spacer 19 is attached to the spacer insertion opening 20C, and the pressing portion 19A of the spacer 19 presses the bent portion 27A of each separation portion 27 of the FFC 21 against the reaction force of the bent portion 27A. The spacer member 19 is locked to the connector housing 20 with each bent portion 27A inserted into the concave portion 28A of the connection board portion 28 of the terminal 22. On this occasion,
The locking of the locking portion (not shown) of the spacer 19 and the locking portion (not shown) of the connector housing 20 causes the spacer 19
Are permanently locked in the connector housing 20. As a result, the front end face of the spacer 19 is
9 and the connector housing 2 of each terminal 22 is locked.
0 is prevented from falling out of each terminal accommodating chamber 20A.

In the branch connection structure for a flat circuit body according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, when the spacer 19 is mounted on the spacer insertion opening 20C of the connector housing 20, the separation portion 27 of the FFC 21 is removed. Bending part 27
Since A enters the concave portion 28A of the connection board portion 28 of each terminal 22, the final locking insertion force of the spacer 19 can be reduced, and the insertion workability (assembly workability) of the spacer 19 can be improved. it can.

Further, behind each conduction projection 31 for electrically connecting each terminal 22 to the FFC 21, the FFC 21
Are held by a pair of bent holding pieces 30, and a spacer 19 is provided in front of each conductive projection 31.
For example, the upper FFC 21 branched when a pulling force (tension) acts in a direction indicated by an arrow F1 in FIG. 4 is securely held by the pressing force of the spacer 19 because the holding portion 19A is held by the pressing portion 19A. This pulling force F1 is applied to each of the conduction projections 31 of the terminal 22 which is an electrical connection portion and the FFC 21.
Can be reliably prevented from affecting a contact portion (electric connection) with each conductor 23.

When a pulling force acts in the direction indicated by the arrow F2 in FIG. 4, the lower FFC 21 serving as a branch source
Is held by the pair of bent holding pieces 30, 30 of each terminal 22, so that the pulling force F2 is applied to each conductive projection 31.
And the contact portion of the FFC 21 with the conductors 23 can be reliably prevented.

Further, a pair of bent holding pieces 3 of each terminal 22 are provided.
Since the 0, 30 and each conductive projection 31 can be simultaneously bent, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced. That is, one FFC 21 is simultaneously connected to the bent holding piece 30 and the conduction projection 31 of each terminal 22 so that the FFC 21
Since the branch circuit is formed by a simple operation of bending a substantially middle position in the longitudinal direction, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.

Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various changes accompanying the gist of the configuration are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the FFC 21 is applied as the flat circuit body. However, the FPC may be applied.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the mounting force of the pressing member can be reduced, the workability of assembling the pressing member can be improved.
Further, when the pressing member for locking the terminal is attached to the connector housing, the bent portion of the flat circuit body can be accommodated in the concave portion of the connection board part of the terminal, and the pressing force of the pressing member causes the flat circuit body to be bent. The bent portion can be securely held in the connector housing. Accordingly, since the bent portion of the flat circuit body accommodated in the concave portion of the connection board portion of the terminal is held in the concave portion, the strength for holding the flat circuit body can be improved, and the connection failure and the like can be improved. It is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of inconvenience such as detachment of the terminal.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the concave portion for accommodating the bent portion of the flat circuit body is formed at a position of the connection board portion of the terminal opposite to the pressing portion of the pressing member. When attached to the connector, the bent portion of the flat circuit body can be securely held between the pressing portion of the pressing member and the concave portion of the connection board portion of the terminal, and the pressing member surely prevents the terminal from coming off. It can be carried out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a branch connection structure of a flat circuit body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before assembling the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body to the connector housing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body according to the embodiment of the present invention is being assembled.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a completed state of assembly of the branch connection structure of the flat circuit body according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a terminal used in a conventional branch connection structure of a flat circuit body.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional branch connection structure of a flat circuit body.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view showing a branch terminal structure of a conventional flat circuit body.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state in which a conventional branch connection structure of a flat circuit body is being assembled.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 Spacer (pressing member) 19A Pressing part 20 Connector housing 21 FFC (flat circuit body) 22 Terminal 23 Conductor 24 Base film (insulating film) 27A Bend part 28 Connection board part 28A concave part 29 Electrical contact part 31 Conduction projection (Conduction) Part)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference)

Claims (2)

[Claims] A conductive part of a terminal is connected to each of the conductors at a substantially intermediate position in a longitudinal direction of a flat circuit body in which a plurality of conductors are arranged at predetermined intervals and sandwiched by an insulating film, A flat circuit body branch connection structure in which a branch circuit is formed by folding a substantially middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the flat circuit body, wherein each of the terminals has an electrical contact portion connected to a counterpart terminal,
A connection board portion extending to the rear side of the electrical contact portion and provided with the conductive portion, wherein the flat circuit body is bent between the electrical contact portion and the conductive portion of the connection board portion. The terminal housing is formed with a concave portion, and the terminal and the bent portion of the flat circuit body connected to the terminal are accommodated in the connector housing. A branch connection structure for a flat circuit body, wherein a pressing member for pressing a portion into the concave portion to be accommodated therein and locking the terminal is made freely attachable. 2. The branch connection structure for a flat circuit body according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion for accommodating the bent portion is formed at a position of the connection board portion facing the pressing portion of the pressing member. A branch connection structure for a flat circuit body.