JP2002015826A - Electrical connector for fpc - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical connector for an FPC capable of reducing a practical packaging area to a printed circuit board and making the height low. SOLUTION: This electrical connector for the FPC contains a terminal 4, having a contact part 17a facing opposite to one side of the FPC and a pivoting part 19a opposite to the other side of the FPC; an insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4; and a turning cover 2 for conducting pressure contact of the FPC against the contact part 17a. The rotating cover 2 has a pressing cam 24, positioned between the pivoting part 19a and the FPC and a terminal accepting groove 16, into which the pivoting part 9a is inserted so as to have a gap 16a. The pivoting part 19a has a recessed arc-shaped engaging part 23, which corresponding to the pressing cam 24. Thereby, the rotating cover 2 is engaged with the pivoting part 19c so as to be turnable on the pressing cam 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an FPC, an FFC,
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for an FPC which can connect a flat flexible cable generally referred to as the like (in this specification, these are collectively referred to simply as “FPC”).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an FPC in which a connection end portion can be inserted with a zero insertion force (ZIF) when connecting the FPC.
The electrical connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals arranged side by side on the insulating housing at a predetermined pitch, and a rotating cover having a pressing portion for pressing the FPC toward a contact portion of the terminal. (For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-50968,
No. 3671).

[0003] By rotating the rotating cover to the non-pressing position, the insertion opening of the FPC formed in the insulating housing is opened, and the FPC is opened.
Insert the connection end of the PC to the vicinity of the contact portion of the terminal under zero insertion force, and then rotate the rotating cover to the pressing position, and press the rotating cover through the pressing portion provided on the rotating cover. FP
C is pressed toward the contact portion of the terminal.

[0004]

In the conventional electrical connector for an FPC having the above-described structure, the rotation area of the rotation cover extends over a wide area inside and outside the insulating housing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a space for the rotation of the rotating cover outside the insulating housing. That is, when this type of FPC electrical connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, the side of the insulating housing should be left open without placing other electronic components and the like close to each other. The mounting area increases,
There were problems with effective use of the printed circuit board surface and high-density mounting. In particular, when trying to reduce the height of the insulating housing, the portion of the rotating cover that protrudes outside the insulating housing reaches near the surface of the printed circuit board, so it is difficult to reduce the height. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an FPC electrical connector having a structure in which a substantial mounting area on a printed circuit board can be reduced and the height of the FPC is not hindered. It is intended to be.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electric connector for an FPC according to the present invention having the above-mentioned object has a pivot portion for pivoting a pivot cover disposed on an insertion port side of the FPC. The cover is configured such that the back side of the shaft support moves above the insulating housing.

The structure of the FPC electrical connector of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The FPC electrical connector has a contact portion 17a facing one surface of the FPC and a pivot portion 19a facing the opposite surface of the FPC. An electrical connector for FPC including a terminal 4, an insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4, and a rotating cover 2 for pressing the FPC against the contact portion 17a, wherein the rotating cover 2
Has a pressing cam 24 located between the pivot 19a and the FPC, and a terminal receiving groove 16 into which the pivot 19a is inserted with a gap 16a.
Has a concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 corresponding to the pressing cam 24, whereby the rotating cover 2 is engaged with the pivot supporting portion 19a so as to be rotatable around the pressing cam 24. An FPC electrical connector characterized by the above-mentioned.

In the FPC electrical connector of the present invention having the above-described structure, the rotation area of the rotation cover 2 is FP.
Since the rotation cover 2 is accommodated in the width region of the insulating housing 3 extending from the insertion opening 5 of the C to the back side 6, the rotation cover 2 is located outside the insertion opening 5 of the insulating housing 3,
It can be prevented from projecting outside the back side 6. Also,
The height of the insulating housing 3 can be reduced without considering the rotation area of the rotation cover 2.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 3 are perspective views of an FPC electrical connector (hereinafter, also simply referred to as an “electric connector”) 1 of the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state in which an FPC (not shown) in which the rotating cover 2 has been rotated above the insulating housing 3 is inserted, and FIGS.
FPC in which the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3
This is the state at the time when the connection has been completed.

The electrical connector 1 includes an insulating housing 3 and
A plurality of terminals 4 are arranged side by side at a predetermined pitch on the insulating housing 3 and the rotating cover 2 rotatably provided on the insulating housing 3. The rotating cover 2 and the insulating housing 3 are formed of insulating plastics, and the terminals 4 are formed by punching a thin metal plate.

The insulating housing 3 has a left front side in FIGS. 1 and 2 as an insertion port 5 of an FPC to be connected, and a terminal fixing portion 7 is formed at the center of a rear side 6 behind the insertion port 5. is there. In this specification, the direction from the insertion port 5 to the back side 6 is defined as the width direction, and the direction orthogonal to the width direction is defined as the longitudinal direction.

On both sides of the insulating housing 3 in the longitudinal direction, cover supporting pieces 8 having a reverse L-shaped cross section are provided like cantilever arms toward the direction of the insertion opening 5 (ie, forward). The cover support piece 8 extends to near the tip of the bottom wall 9 that forms the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3. A plurality of terminal mounting grooves 10 are formed on the bottom wall 9 at a predetermined pitch so as to be able to receive a contact piece or the like of the terminal 4 whose structure will be described below. Terminal receiving groove 1
0 is a terminal receiving groove 1 toward the terminal fixing portion 7.
An engagement groove 11 that communicates with 0 is formed. The insertion port 5 side from the terminal fixing portion 7 above the bottom wall 9 is a terminal receiving cavity 12, and the F to be connected to the terminal receiving cavity 12.
The connection end of the PC can be inserted from the insertion port 5 side.

The rotating cover 2 extends from the rectangular plate-shaped main body 13 sized to fit between the cover support pieces 8 to the side of the terminal fixing portion 7 toward the back side 6. The operation arm piece 14 has a shape provided in a square shape. Cylindrical bosses 15 protrude from both sides of the main body 13 on the side of the insertion port 5, and the bosses 15 are formed in circular holes (not shown) formed inside the cover support piece 8 on the side of the insertion port 5. It is fitted in. The pivoting mechanism of the rotating cover 2 is configured by engagement between the cylindrical inner wall surface of the circular hole and the cylindrical outer wall surface of the boss 15, and the rotating cover 2 is formed by a pivoting mechanism configured near the insertion opening 5. It is rotatable around the shaft support. It is also possible to provide a configuration in which a circular hole is provided on the rotation cover 2 side and a columnar boss is provided on the cover support piece 8 side. Due to the rotation of the rotating cover 2, the back side 6 of the rotating cover 2 with respect to the shaft support mechanism,
It moves between the state shown in FIG. 1 and the state shown in FIG. 2 along a circular locus above the insulating housing 3.

The main body 13 constituting the rotating cover 2 includes:
A terminal receiving groove 16 is formed to penetrate the main body 13 so as to match a position of the terminal mounting groove 10 formed on the bottom wall 9 of the insulating housing 3.

The shape of the terminal 4 is shown in FIGS. That is, a cantilevered contact piece 17 extending along the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 and a pressing support piece 19 extending cantilevered opposite the contact piece 17 with the FPC receiving portion 18 interposed therebetween. It has a portion formed in a shape. Further, an extension base piece 20 is formed on the extension of the contact piece 17, and an engagement piece 21 is provided upright on an upper intermediate portion of the extension base piece 20, and formed on the terminal fixing portion 7 of the insulating housing 3. The engagement groove 11 fits and engages. A solder tail 22 is formed below the end of the extension base piece 20.

The terminal 4 can be mounted in the terminal mounting groove 10 of the insulating housing 3 from the bottom surface 3a side. When the engagement piece 21 protruding from the extension base piece 20 is attached so as to be engaged with the engagement groove 11 of the terminal fixing part 7, the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 are arranged in the terminal receiving cavity 12. The FPC receiving portion 18 between the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 opens to the insertion port 5 of the insulating housing 3. Also, Solder Tail 22
Extends substantially flush with the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 and extends rearward. The contact piece 17 and the extension base piece 20 are arranged such that their lower edges float slightly above the bottom surface 3a.

A contact portion 17a is formed on the upper edge of the contact piece 17 so as to protrude. Further, a tip portion 19a of the pressing support piece 19 is formed in a crank shape facing upward, and the bent portion thereof has a contact portion 17a.
A concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 formed of a substantially 1/4 arc is formed so as to be opposed to. The distal end portion 19a of the pressing support piece 19 formed as described above is accommodated in a terminal receiving groove 16 formed to penetrate the rotary cover 2.

As shown best in FIG. 4, a pressing cam 24 adapted to engage with the concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 in the terminal receiving groove 16 of the rotating cover 2 which has received the pressing supporting piece 19. Are provided coaxially with the boss 15, that is, on the center axis of the shaft support mechanism. The pressing cam 24 has a convex arcuate surface 25 having an outer surface having a circular cross section and a flat end surface 26 having a linear cross section.
And the direction of the flat surface 26 is set in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main body 13 of the rotating cover 2.

When the rotating cover 2 rotates about the pivot mechanism, the convex arc-shaped surface 25 of the pressing cam 24 is engaged with the concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 formed on the tip portion 19 a of the pressing support piece 19 of the terminal 4. It rotates between the state shown in FIG. 4 and the state shown in FIG. Thus, the distal end portion 19a of the pressing support piece 19 also constitutes a pivot supporting portion that supports the rotation of the rotation cover 2.

Focusing on FIGS. 4 and 5, the FPC of this embodiment
The following can be said when the configuration of the electrical connector for use is arranged. That is, the terminal 4 having the contact portion 17a facing one surface (lower surface) of the FPC and the pivotal support portion 19a facing the opposite surface (upper surface) of the FPC, the insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4, and the FPC FPC including rotating cover 2 for pressing against contact portion 17a
Electrical connector. And the rotating cover 2 is
The pivot support 19 includes a pressing cam 24 located between the pivot 19a and the FPC, and a terminal receiving groove 16 in which the pivot 19a is inserted with a gap 16a (FIG. 4).
9a has a concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 corresponding to the pressing cam 24, and thereby the rotating cover 2 is connected to the pivot supporting portion 19a.
, So as to be rotatable around the pressing cam 24.

Further, a terminal 4 having a contact portion 17a facing one surface of the FPC and a pivot portion 19a facing the opposite surface of the FPC, an insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4, and the FPC are connected to the contact portion. An electric connector for an FPC including a rotary cover 2 for pressing against the rotary cover 17a, wherein the pivotal support portion 19a is formed at a distal end portion of a pressing support piece 19 provided on the terminal 4.
Is a terminal receiving groove 16 through which the pivot 19a can be inserted.
Are formed so as to penetrate through the rotating cover 2, and the pivot support portion 19 a is inserted into the terminal receiving groove 16 of the rotating cover 2 so that the rotating cover 2 can insert the FPC.
It can also be said that the configuration is such that the PC can be rotated between the connected states.

The FPC electrical connector 1 configured as described above is mounted on, for example, a printed circuit board (not shown), and the solder tail 22 of the terminal 4 is electrically connected to a circuit in the printed circuit board. Used by soldering to the pad. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the L-shaped members appearing on both sides of the insulating housing 3 on the side of the insertion opening 5 are metal reinforcing brackets 27.
It is. The reinforcing metal fitting 27 can also be soldered to a land formed on the surface of the printed circuit board, or fixed to the printed circuit board by an appropriate fixing means such as a screw to reinforce the mounting strength.

The connection of the FPC to the electric connector 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotating cover 2 is rotated outward so as to be substantially perpendicular to the insulating housing 3. This operation can be performed by pulling up the operation arm piece 14. When the rotating cover 2 is rotated in this manner, the pressing cam 24 also has the flat surface 26 on the contact piece 17.
It turns so that it may face.

The distance between the flat surface 26 of the pressing cam 24 and the contact portion 17a of the contact piece 17 is set substantially equal to the thickness of the FPC to be connected. Therefore, FPC
Can be inserted into the FPC receiving portion 18 between the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 through the insertion port 5 with zero insertion force. By inserting the connection end of the FPC, the conductive wire exposed on the lower surface of the connection end and the contact portion 17a face each other in a one-to-one relationship.

After the connection end of the FPC is inserted in this way, the connection is completed by rotating the rotating cover 2 toward the insulating housing 3 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. can do. This operation can also be performed via the operation arm piece 14 of the rotating cover 2. When the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3, the pressing cam 24 is also rotated so that the flat surface 26 faces the insertion port 5 (see FIG. 4), and one side of the convex arc-shaped surface 25 is the contact piece 17. Contact part 1
It moves to a position facing 7a.

Convex arc-shaped surface 2 facing contact portion 17a
Since the distance between one side of the contact 5 and the contact portion 17a is smaller than the thickness of the connection end of the FPC, the pressing portion 28 can be formed on one side of the convex arc-shaped surface 25. That is, the pressing portion 28 presses the FPC toward the contact portion 17a, and the contact portion 17a and the conductor on the FPC side are electrically engaged. Therefore, the conductor of the FPC is connected to the circuit in the printed circuit board via the terminal 4.

In the connection state in which the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3, the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 are both formed in a cantilever shape, so that each can be elastically deformed. is there. Therefore, the engagement between the contact portion 17a and the conductor of the FPC is backed up by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the elasticity of the pressing support piece 19, and a highly reliable connection can be formed.

Also, the contact portions 17a in the parallel state
Even if the coplanarity of the FPC and the coplanarity of the exposed portion of the conductor of the FPC are insufficient, those defects can be absorbed by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19, and a highly reliable connection state can be ensured. Can be maintained. Further, even when vibrations or shocks are applied from the outside, vibrations and the like can be absorbed by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19, so that a highly reliable connection state can be maintained safely. Can be.

The rotation range of the rotation cover 2 is the range between the state shown in FIG. 1 and the state shown in FIG. That is, the insulating housing 3 extends from the insertion port 5 to the back side 6 of the insulating housing 3.
Is within the width region. Therefore, the rotation cover 2 does not protrude outside the insertion opening 5 of the insulating housing 3 or outside the back side 6 due to the rotation. This means that when the electrical connector 1 is mounted on a printed circuit board, there is no obstacle to the rotation of the rotating cover 2 even if other electronic components are arranged close to the electrical connector 1. .

As a result, on the printed circuit board, an area approximately equal to the area of the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 may be ensured, and the substantial occupied area is reduced. Enable implementation.

The fact that the rotating cover 2 does not protrude beyond the insertion opening 5 of the insulating housing 3 or the outside of the back side 6 due to the rotation can reduce the height of the insulating housing 3 and thus the electrical connector 1. It can be done without obstacles in planning. This is because it is not necessary to consider a collision between the rotating cover and another electronic component or the like arranged adjacent to the electric connector 1.

[0032]

As described above, according to the FPC electrical connector of the present invention, the rotating cover does not protrude outwardly on the insertion opening side and on the back side of the insulating housing when the rotating cover is rotated. Therefore, the substantial area occupied by the printed circuit board can be made substantially equal to the bottom area of the insulating housing, and other electronic components can be arranged close to each other, thereby enabling effective use of the printed circuit board and high-density mounting. Can contribute. Also, since the rotating cover does not protrude outside the insertion opening side and the back side of the insulating housing, the height can be easily reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector for an FPC according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a rotary cover is rotated upward to wait for connection of an FPC.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FPC electrical connector.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an FPC is connected by rotating a rotating cover downward.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 and viewed from the bottom surface side.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FPC electrical connector in the state of FIGS. 2 and 3;

5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FPC electrical connector in the state of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric connector for FPC 2 Rotating cover 3 Insulating housing 3a Bottom surface of insulating housing 4 Terminal 5 Insertion port 6 Back side 10 Terminal mounting groove 16 Terminal receiving groove 16a Gap 17 Contact piece 17a Contact part 18 FPC receiving part 19 Press supporting piece 19a Tip portion (pivot portion) 20 Extension base piece 21 Engagement piece 22 Solder tail 23 Concave arc-shaped engagement section 24 Pressing cam 25 Convex arc-shaped surface 28 Pressing section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A terminal 4 having a contact portion 17a facing one surface of an FPC (flat flexible cable) and a pivot portion 19a facing an opposite surface of the FPC; an insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4; An electrical connector for FPC including a rotating cover 2 for pressing an FPC against the contact portion 17a, wherein the rotating cover 2 includes a pressing cam 24 located between the pivoting portion 19a and the FPC. A terminal receiving groove 16 in which the pivot 19a is inserted with a gap 16a. The pivot 19a has a concave engaging portion 23 corresponding to the pressing cam 24. An electric connector for an FPC, wherein 2 is engaged with the pivot 19a so as to be rotatable around the pressing cam 24. 2. The pressing cam 24 has a convex arcuate surface 25 that contacts the concave arcuate engaging portion 23 of the pivot 19a.
2. The FPC electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein when the rotating cover 2 rotates, the convex arc surface 25 rotates while being in contact with the concave arc engaging portion 23. 3. 3. A terminal 4 having a contact portion 17a facing one surface of an FPC (flat flexible cable) and a pivot portion 19a facing an opposite surface of the FPC; an insulating housing 3 holding the terminal 4; An electrical connector for FPC including a rotary cover (2) for pressing an FPC against the contact portion (17a), wherein the pivotal support portion (19a) has a pressing support piece (19) provided on the terminal (4).
The pivot cover 2 is formed so that a terminal receiving groove 16 through which the pivot portion 19a can be inserted penetrates the pivot cover 2. The FPC electrical connector is characterized in that the rotary cover 2 is rotatable between a state in which the FPC can be inserted and a state in which the FPC is connected by passing through the terminal receiving groove 16.