JP2005063842A - Electric connector for fpc connection - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a lower height, stable contact pressure, and a low cost in an electric connector for FPC connection. <P>SOLUTION: A pressure plate 5 of a slider 6 is inserted together with an FPC 7 into an insertion concave part 2 up to a given position along an insertion direction Y of the FPC 7. There is exerted force of bending the pressure plate 5 toward a direction in an upward convex by contact pressure from a contact part 8. Against this, a swelling part 5b is set at a pressure face 5a of the pressing plate 5, and a concave part 5e is set at the opposite face 5d of the pressing plate 5. That is, by giving the pressing plate a convex reverse warping shape downward beforehand, the pressing plate 5 is prevented from an unnecessary bending to secure enough contact pressure against the FPC 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector for FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) connection.

  This type of connector includes a housing that holds a contact group in an insertion recess, and a slider (also referred to as a retainer) that slides through the connection arm in the housing, and the pressing plate of the slider is placed in the insertion recess of the housing together with the FPC. There is provided an electrical connector that is inserted into the connector and press-contacts the FPC with the contact group (for example, Patent Document 1).

An electrical connector comprising a housing that holds the contact group facing the opening, and a lid-shaped pressing plate that can be opened and closed by turning the opening, and presses and contacts the FPC to the contact group by the closed pressing plate. (For example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-52785 A JP 2002-252061 A

  In recent years, there has been a demand for a low-profile electronic device such as a mobile phone to have a height of an electrical connector of about 1 mm, for example. For this reason, the thickness of the pressure plate of Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 is very thin, and deformation such as warpage is likely to occur in the pressure plate. When the warp occurs, the contact pressure on the FPC becomes uneven in the contact group, and there is a possibility that a contact with unstable electrical conduction may appear.

  Therefore, in the electrical connector of Patent Document 2, reinforcement is performed by embedding a part of the metal reinforcing plate in the pressing plate, but it is difficult to embed it in the pressing plate having a small thickness, due to a manufacturing error or the like. In the unlikely event that a part of the metal reinforcing plate is exposed on the surface of the pressing plate, there is a risk of poor energization. On the other hand, if the thickness of the pressing plate is increased in an attempt to embed it securely, it is contrary to the demand for lowering the height. Moreover, since insert molding is required, manufacturing cost becomes high.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive FPC electrical connector that can achieve a low profile and can secure a stable contact pressure.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction, a plurality of contacts held side by side in the fixed housing, and a pair of left and right connecting means. A movable housing connected to the fixed housing and displaceable to a predetermined position of the fixed housing, the movable housing having a pressure surface for pressing the FPC against the contact portion of the contact in a state of being displaced to the predetermined position. A pressing plate made of a synthetic resin is included, and the pressing plate in a free state includes a curved bulging portion at an intermediate portion of the pressing surface in the FPC insertion direction.

  The intermediate part of the pressing plate of the movable housing in the FPC insertion direction tries to bend in the direction of escaping from the FPC by the contact pressure (contact pressure) received from the FPC side. By placing, it is possible to prevent unnecessary bending of the pressing surface of the pressing plate, and to ensure a sufficient contact pressure with respect to the FPC. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the pressing plate as much as possible, and to achieve a reduction in the height of the FPC connection electrical connector. It is no longer necessary to reinforce the movable housing by insert molding a metal member as in the prior art, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Preferably, in the present invention, the pressing plate of the movable housing can be slidably inserted into the insertion recess along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC, and the pair of connection means are arranged on the pressing plate on both sides of the pressing plate. It may consist of a pair of connecting arms extending in parallel. In this case, it can be suitably used for a slider-type FPC connection electrical connector in which a pressing plate is slid into the insertion recess.

  Preferably, in the present invention, a pair of guide grooves for guiding the corresponding side portions of the pressing plate are formed in the pair of side portions of the insertion recess of the fixed housing, respectively, and each guide groove is curved in the pressing plate. May be curved to encourage. In this case, in addition to the bulging portion provided in advance on the pressure surface itself of the pressing plate, the guiding groove can promote the bending of the pressing plate. Can be obtained more reliably.

  Preferably, in the present invention, the contact includes an elastic piece portion having a contact portion and a fixed piece portion facing the elastic piece portion, and the pressing plate presses the FPC by the pressure surface in a state received by the fixed piece portion. In some cases, the fixed piece portion of the contact includes a curved bulging portion for promoting the bending of the pressing plate inserted into the insertion concave portion. In this case, in addition to the bulging portion provided in advance on the pressing surface itself of the pressing plate, the pressing plate is urged to be curved by the bulging portion of the fixed piece portion directly above the elastic piece portion having the contact portion. And sufficient contact pressure can be obtained more reliably.

  In addition, the present invention is connected to the fixed housing through a fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction, a plurality of contacts held side by side in the fixed housing, and a pair of left and right connection arms. And a movable housing displaceable at a predetermined position of the fixed housing. The movable housing includes a pressing plate that can be slidably inserted along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC in the insertion recess. And a pressure groove for pressing the FPC against the contact portion of the contact in the displaced state, and a guide groove for guiding the corresponding side portion of the pressing plate is formed on each of the pair of side portions of the pressing plate. The guide groove is curved so as to promote the bending of the pressing plate inserted into the insertion recess, and the pressing plate whose bending is promoted by the guiding groove is inserted into the FPC on the pressing surface. Wherein the curved such that the intermediate portion of the direction swells. In the present invention, in the so-called slider-type FPC connecting electrical connector, the guide groove can promote the bending of the pressing surface of the pressing plate, and a sufficient contact pressure can be ensured. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the pressing plate as much as possible, and to achieve a reduction in the height of the FPC connection electrical connector. It is no longer necessary to reinforce the movable housing by insert molding a metal member as in the prior art, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  In addition, the present invention is connected to the fixed housing through a fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction, a plurality of contacts held side by side in the fixed housing, and a pair of left and right connection arms. And a movable housing displaceable at a predetermined position of the fixed housing. The movable housing includes a pressing plate that can be slidably inserted along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC in the insertion recess. The contact surface includes a pressing surface for pressing the FPC against the contact portion of the contact. The contact includes an elastic piece portion having a contact portion and a fixing piece portion facing the elastic piece portion, and the pressing plate is fixed. The FPC is pressed by the pressing surface while being received by the one portion, and the fixed piece of the contact promotes the bending of the pressing plate inserted in the insertion recess. Includes curved swelling portion of the fit, the pressing plate prompted curved by bulging portion of the fixing piece part, characterized in that the intermediate portion of the FPC insertion direction of the pressing surface is curved to bulge. According to the present invention, in the so-called slider-type FPC connection electrical connector, the pressing plate can be urged to be curved by the curved protrusion of the fixed piece directly above the elastic piece having the contact portion. Can be secured. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the pressing plate as much as possible, and to achieve a reduction in the height of the FPC connection electrical connector. It is no longer necessary to reinforce the movable housing by insert molding a metal member as in the prior art, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Preferably, in the present invention, there is a case in which the top of the curve of the pressing surface of the pressing plate faces the contact portion of the contact with the FPC sandwiched in a state where the movable housing is displaced to a predetermined position. In this case, a sufficient contact pressure can be secured by utilizing the curvature of the pressing plate most effectively.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 are a plan view and a front view of an electrical connector for FPC connection according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 2, this FPC connection electrical connector 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as electrical connector 1) is a fixed holding a plurality of contacts 3 arranged side by side in an insertion recess 2 that opens forward X. A housing 4 and a slider 6 as a movable housing including a pressing plate 5 inserted into and removed from the insertion recess 2 of the fixed housing 4 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the pressing plate 5 is inserted along the insertion direction Y of the FPC 7 together with the FPC 7 as shown in FIG. The FPC 7 is pressed against and brought into contact with the contact portions 8 of the plurality of contacts 3.

  The main feature of the present embodiment is that the pressing surface 5a includes a bulging portion 5b that is curved so that an intermediate portion in the insertion direction Y bulges, and the FPC 7 contacts the contact 3 by the bulging portion 5b. It is in the point which makes the part 8 press-contact reliably. In the inserted state of the pressing plate 5, the top portion 5 c of the bulging portion 5 b is positioned immediately above the contact portion 8 of the contact 3. On the opposite surface 5d opposite to the pressure surface 5a of the pressing plate 5, a recess 5e that is recessed corresponding to the bulging portion 5b is formed. That is, a so-called reverse warp shape opposite to the direction in which the pressing plate 5 is bent by receiving a load from the contact portion 8 side of the contact 3 is given to the pressing plate 5 in advance.

  The slider 6 is made of an integrally molded product of synthetic resin, and has a horizontally long main body 9, the pressing plate 5 extending from the main body 9 toward the insertion recess 2, and the pressing plates 5 from both sides of the pressing plate 5 of the main body 8. Connecting arms 10 and 11 as a pair of connecting means extending in parallel with each other. These connection arms 10 and 11 are symmetrical to each other.

  The fixed housing 4 includes a pair of symmetrical slide grooves 12 and 13 that are open to the front X and upward at left and right positions sandwiching the insertion recess 2. The connection arms 10 and 11 of the slider 6 are slidable back and forth (that is, along the insertion / removal direction) while being accommodated in the corresponding slide grooves 12 and 13.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, reinforcing tabs 14 and 15 as metal reinforcing plates are provided on the left and right sides of the fixed housing 4, respectively. The reinforcing tabs 14 and 15 are fixed by soldering to the first portions 14a and 15a embedded in the corresponding side portions of the fixed housing 4 and the surface 16a of the substrate 16 on which the electrical connector 1 is mounted. And a portion 14b, 15b.

  Each connection arm 10, 11 is provided with an engaging portion 17 made of, for example, a hook, and each engaging portion 17 is engaged with a lock portion 18 made of, for example, a recess provided in the corresponding slide groove 12, 13. As a result, the slider 6 can be locked against the stationary housing 4.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the contact 3 is disposed in an accommodation groove 20 formed in the lower plate portion 19 of the fixed housing 4 and the elastic piece portion 21 is disposed above the elastic piece portion 21. 21 and a fork-shaped fixed piece 22.

  The contact portion 8 is formed at the tip of the elastic piece portion 21, and the contact portion 8 protrudes from the receiving groove 20 to form a mountain shape. The base end portion of the fixed piece portion 22 is press-fitted and fixed in a fixed hole 25 defined between the upper plate portion 23 and the intermediate plate 24 of the fixed housing 4.

  The rear end portions of the elastic piece portion 21 and the fixed piece portion 22 are connected to each other by a main body portion 26, and a lead portion 27 having a substantially L shape is extended from the upper rear end portion of the main body portion 26. The lead portion 27 is soldered to the surface 16 a of the substrate 16.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in a state where the pressing plate 5 of the slider 6 together with the FPC 7 is inserted to a predetermined position in the insertion recess 2 of the fixed housing 4, the pressing plate 5 is convex upward due to the contact pressure from the contact portion 8. In this embodiment, by giving the pressing plate 5 a convex reverse warp shape in advance, unnecessary bending of the pressing plate 5 can be prevented. As a result, a sufficient contact pressure with respect to the FPC 7 can be ensured. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the pressing plate as much as possible, and to achieve a reduction in the height of the FPC connection electrical connector. It is not necessary to insert and reinforce a metal member in a movable housing such as a slider or a rotating cover as in the conventional case, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the concave portion 5e of the opposing surface 5d of the pressing plate 5 may be eliminated, and the opposing surface 5d may be configured as a flat surface.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the left and right side walls 28 (only one side wall 28 is shown in the figure) of the insertion recess 2 of the fixed housing 4, guide grooves for guiding the corresponding side portions 5 f and 5 g of the pressing plate 5 inserted into the insertion recess 2. 29 is formed, but the guide groove 29 may be curved so that the intermediate portion in the insertion direction Y is convex toward the FPC 7 side. As a result, the pressing plate 5 inserted into the insertion recess 2 can be urged to curve.

  In the present embodiment, even if the pressing surface 5a and the opposing surface 5d of the pressing plate 5 are both flat surfaces, the guide groove 5 can force the bending of the pressing plate 5 to ensure sufficient contact pressure. . However, the bulging portion 5c as in the embodiment of FIG. 4 may be provided on the pressing surface 5a of the pressing plate 5, and in this case, sufficient contact pressure can be obtained more reliably.

  Next, FIG. 7 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, a feature of the present embodiment is that a curved bulged portion 30 for urging the pressing surface 5 a of the pressing plate 5 is provided on the fixed piece portion 22 of the contact 3. In the point.

  The pressing plate 5 inserted into the insertion recess 2 is urged to bend toward the contact portion 8 side of the elastic piece portion 21 of the contact 3 while being received by the bulging portion 30 of the fixed piece portion 22 of the contact 3. As a result, the pressing plate 5 can reliably press the FPC 7 against the contact portion 8 of the contact 3 by the pressing surface 5a to ensure a sufficient contact pressure.

  In the present embodiment, even if the pressing surface 5a and the opposing surface 5d of the pressing plate 5 are both flat surfaces, the bulging portion 30 of the fixed piece portion 22 of the contact 3 forces the curve of the pressing plate 5 to be sufficient. A sufficient contact pressure can be secured. However, this embodiment is implemented in combination with the embodiment of FIG. 4 in which the bulging portion 5 c is provided on the pressing surface 5 a of the pressing plate 5 or the embodiment of FIG. 6 in which the guide groove 29 is curved. In this case, sufficient contact pressure can be more reliably obtained.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, For example, the movable housing of this invention may consist of the cover which rotates around a predetermined | prescribed rotation axis.

  Moreover, the type which a slide groove | channel opens to the side surface of a housing, ie, the type which is not an inner lock, may be used.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the lower surface of the FPC 7 is a so-called lower contact type that secures contact pressure with the lower contact. An upper contact type may be used.

It is a top view of the state which pulled out the slider in the electrical connector for FPC connection of one embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the electrical connector for FPC connection. It is a side view of the electrical connector for FPC connection. It is sectional drawing which follows the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the electrical connector for FPC connection of the state which connected FPC. It is a disassembled perspective view of the principal part of the electrical connector for FPC connection of another embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the electrical connector for FPC connection of another embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Electrical connector (FPC connection electrical connector)
2 Insertion space 3 Contact 4 Fixed housing 5 Press plate 5a Pressure surface 5b Swelling portion 5c Top portion 5d Opposing surface 5e Recess 6 Slider (movable housing)
7 FPC
8 Contact portion 9 Main body 10, 11 Connection arm 12, 13 Slide groove 14, 15 Reinforcement tab (reinforcement plate)
19 Lower plate part 20 Housing groove 21 Elastic piece part 22 Fixed piece part 27 Lead part 29 Guide groove 30 Swelling part X Front Y Insertion direction (FPC insertion direction)

Claims (7)

A fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction;
A plurality of contacts held side by side in a stationary housing;
A movable housing connected to the fixed housing via a pair of left and right connecting means and displaceable to a predetermined position of the fixed housing;
The movable housing includes a pressing plate made of a synthetic resin having a pressing surface for pressing the FPC against the contact portion of the contact in a state displaced to the predetermined position,
An electrical connector for FPC connection, wherein the pressing plate in the free state includes a curved bulge at an intermediate portion of the pressing surface in the FPC insertion direction.   In Claim 1, the pressing plate of the movable housing can be slidably inserted along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC into the insertion recess, and the pair of connecting means are parallel to the pressing plate on both sides of the pressing plate. An electrical connector for FPC connection comprising a pair of extending connection arms.   In Claim 2, a pair of guide groove for guiding the corresponding side part of a press plate is formed in a pair of side part of the insertion recessed part of the said fixed housing, respectively, so that each guide groove promotes the curve of a press plate An electrical connector for FPC connection, characterized in that it is curved.   4. The contact according to claim 2, wherein the contact includes an elastic piece portion having a contact portion and a fixed piece portion facing the elastic piece portion, and the pressing plate presses the FPC by the pressure surface in a state received by the fixed piece portion. The FPC connecting electrical connector is characterized in that the fixed piece portion of the contact includes a curved bulging portion for urging the pressing plate inserted into the insertion recess. A fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction;
A plurality of contacts held side by side in a stationary housing;
A movable housing connected to the fixed housing via a pair of left and right connection arms and displaceable to a predetermined position of the fixed housing;
The movable housing includes a pressing plate that can be slidably inserted along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC in the insertion recess. Having a pressure side,
A guide groove for guiding the corresponding side portion of the pressing plate is formed in each of the pair of side portions of the pressing plate, and the guiding groove is curved to promote the bending of the pressing plate inserted into the insertion recess. ,
An electrical connector for FPC connection, characterized in that the pressing plate that is urged to be curved by the guide groove is curved so that an intermediate portion of the pressing surface in the FPC insertion direction swells. A fixed housing having an insertion recess into which the FPC can be inserted along the FPC insertion direction;
A plurality of contacts held side by side in a fixed housing;
A movable housing connected to the fixed housing via a pair of left and right connection arms and displaceable to a predetermined position of the fixed housing;
The movable housing includes a pressing plate that can be slidably inserted along the FPC insertion direction together with the FPC in the insertion recess. Having a pressure side,
The contact includes an elastic piece portion having a contact portion and a fixed piece portion facing the elastic piece portion,
The pressing plate presses the FPC with its pressing surface in a state of being received by the fixing piece portion, and the fixing piece portion of the contact has a curved bulging portion for promoting the bending of the pressing plate inserted into the insertion recess. Including
An electric connector for FPC connection, characterized in that the pressing plate urged to be bent by the bulging portion of the fixed piece portion is bent so that the intermediate portion of the pressing surface in the FPC insertion direction swells.   7. The FPC according to claim 1, wherein a top of the curved surface of the pressing surface of the pressing plate faces the contact portion of the contact with the FPC interposed in a state where the movable housing is displaced to a predetermined position. Electrical connector for connection.

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