JP2005347173A - Flexible connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact and low-cost flexible connector. <P>SOLUTION: The flexible connector is the connector of a slide fastener structure in which elements juxtaposed at the end part of two webs are meshed by the movement of the slider, and couple the two webs mutually, the elements are provided with an insulating element and a conductive structure added with the electric wiring, and by coupling the webs with each other, the conductive elements are meshed and electrically connected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector having a slide fastener structure, and more particularly to a flexible connector capable of obtaining electrical continuity by closing the fastener.

  The slide fastener is well known by a name such as a chuck or a zipper, is often used for an opening / closing part of clothes and bags, and is also frequently used in the field of building materials. Compared to removing buttons, slide fasteners are easier and quicker to open and close, and recently, various colors have been added, and various shapes have emerged, constituting part of the design. It is supposed to do.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the slide fastener includes an element (service gear) 34 arranged in parallel at the ends of the two webs 30 a and 30 b, and a slider 32. There is a bottom stop 35. Moreover, in the example shown in FIG. 3, in order to increase the strength of the element holding portion, a reinforcing material 33 is provided at the end of the web.

  When closing the slide fastener, the arrangement of the elements is bent by the slider, the distance between the elements is increased, and the slider is moved to insert the element of one web between the elements of the other web. Engage the elements with each other and close the slide fastener. If the slider is pulled in the reverse direction, the elements engaged with each other are separated by a mechanism reverse to the above, so that the slide fastener can be opened.

On the other hand, a conventional connector used for obtaining an electrical connection requires a housing (housing) to hold individual terminals and position the terminals. For this reason, the connector itself becomes very large and has a rigid structure. Moreover, since it is necessary to produce both a housing and a terminal, the cost of a connector is high (refer patent document 1).
JP 2001-28281 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible connector that is compact and low in cost.

The flexible connector of the present invention is a slide fastener structure connector in which elements arranged in parallel at the ends of two webs mesh with each other by the movement of a slider to connect the webs,
The element comprises an insulating element and a conductive element with electrical wiring,
By connecting the webs, the conductive elements are engaged with each other and electrically connected.

  As the conductive element, an insulating element whose surface is coated with a conductive material can be used. The electric wiring is preferably a flexible printed circuit formed on a web. The electric wiring can be used by being sewn to the web, and a mode in which fibers constituting the web are used as the electric wiring is preferable. An embodiment having a cover for protecting the meshed elements is preferable, and the conductive element preferably has a coat layer made of a noble metal or a noble metal alloy. The electronic device of the present invention includes such a flexible connector.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a connection and a cutting | disconnection can be performed easily and for a short time, and the connector with large mechanical strength of a connection can be provided. Moreover, according to this invention, a flexible connector with low thickness can be provided at low cost.

  The flexible connector of the present invention typically has a slide fastener structure as shown in FIG. 1, and the elements 14 arranged in parallel at the ends of the two webs 10 a and 10 b mesh with each other by the movement of the slider 12. Connect the webs together. The element 14 includes an insulating element 14b and a conductive element 14a provided with an electric wiring 16, and is characterized in that by connecting the webs, the conductive elements are engaged and electrically connected.

  The flexible connector of the present invention has a slide fastener structure, and by closing the slide fastener, the conductive elements can be connected to each other, and electrical continuity can be obtained through electrical wiring formed on the web. The insulating element exhibits a function of blocking unnecessary electrical conduction between the conductive elements. Therefore, by using the element of the slide fastener as a terminal (contact), the element itself can have an electrical connection function and a mechanical connection function, and an extremely compact connector can be provided.

  Further, since the slide fastener structure is used, connection and disconnection can be performed easily and in a short time by moving the slider, and the elements are meshed and connected, so that the mechanical strength of the connection is large. Moreover, since the connection part of an element is flexible and the web which arranges an element in parallel is also flexible, a flexible connector with thin thickness can be provided. Furthermore, each element is held at the end of the web and meshes in order with the movement of the slider, so that the terminals are not displaced and connected, and the terminals can be positioned easily and reliably. Therefore, it is not necessary to hold a terminal and provide a housing (housing) for positioning the terminal, and a flexible connector with a small size and low cost can be provided. For this reason, an electronic device provided with such a connector can be made compact.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, in the element 14, the conductive elements 14a and the insulating elements 14b are alternately arranged, and all the conductive elements 14a are provided with the electric wiring 16, but the specification required for the connector is shown. Accordingly, a part of the insulating element may be replaced with a conductive element, the conductive elements may be continuously arranged side by side, and a part of the electrical wiring may be omitted.

  The conductive element can be formed of, for example, brass, nickel, or stainless steel. Moreover, what coated the electrically conductive material on the surface of the insulating element as a conductive element can also be used. As the insulating element, one made of a resin such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene can be used. Examples of the conductive material include metals such as iron and nickel.

  The conductive element preferably has a coating layer made of a noble metal such as gold, rhodium or palladium, or an alloy of noble metals, from the viewpoint of enhancing electrical contact and corrosion resistance. Further, if a coating layer made of conductive diamond-like carbon, CrN, TiN or the like is formed on the surface of the conductive element, the wear resistance can be improved.

  An embodiment in which the electrical wiring is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) formed on a web is preferable. The flexible printed circuit has high flexibility, and the web connected by the connector of the present invention has high flexibility. The connector of the present invention is required to have high flexibility. Therefore, the flexible printed circuit is suitable as an electrical wiring formed on the web. The flexible printed circuit is also useful as an electrical wiring in that it is thin and does not take up space, is lightweight, and can be miniaturized.

  The electrical wiring can be formed by sewing on the surface or inside of the web. Moreover, the aspect which utilizes the fiber which comprises a web as an electrical wiring at the point which can be reduced in size and weight is preferable. In addition, the conductive element of the connector and the electrical wiring can be connected by wire bonding, and a general material made of synthetic fiber such as polyester or cotton can be used for the web.

  When the slide fastener is opened and closed, the end of the web in which the elements are arranged side by side is greatly curved, and after the web is connected, the load concentrates on the element at the end. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to form a reinforcing layer 13 made of cloth or resin at the ends of the webs 10a, 10b arranged side by side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an embodiment having a cover 27 for protecting the meshed elements is preferable in that the meshed elements are electrically shielded and mechanically protected, and the adhesion of dirt is prevented. The protective cover can be made of resin or rubber, and is effective when provided on both the front and back of the web.

  The shape or size of the element or slider can be the same as that of a general slide fastener. As the slider, a free slider or a pin lock slider can be used, but an automatic slider or a semi-automatic slider is preferable in that it is locked after connection and the fastener does not open carelessly.

  It should be understood that the embodiments and examples disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  According to the present invention, a compact and low-cost flexible connector can be provided.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the flexible connector of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the flexible connector of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the conventional slide fastener.

Explanation of symbols

  10a, 10b web, 12 slider, 13 reinforcing layer, 14 element, 14a conductive element, 14b insulating element, 16 electrical wiring, 27 cover.

Claims (8)

A slide fastener structure connector in which elements arranged in parallel at the end portions of two webs mesh with each other by movement of a slider to connect the webs,
The element includes an insulative element and a conductive element with electrical wiring,
A flexible connector characterized in that conductive elements are meshed and electrically connected by connecting webs.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive element is obtained by coating a surface of an insulating element with a conductive material.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring is a flexible printed circuit formed on a web.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring is sewn to a web.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring is a fiber constituting a web.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, further comprising a cover for protecting the meshed elements.   The flexible connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive element has a coat layer made of a noble metal or a noble metal alloy.   An electronic device comprising the flexible connector according to claim 1.

Images