JP2007242393A - Assembly of non-zero insert force connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an assembly of a non-Zero Insertion Force connector capable of reducing stress generated in both and assembling easily and strongly when assembling a lock member having a fall-off prevention function of the substrate to the housing main body of the non-Zero Insertion Force connector to and from which a flexible substrate is inserted and drawn out. <P>SOLUTION: This is the assembly 10 of the non-Zero Insertion Force connector composed by assembling the lock member 50 which is a separate body from the housing main body 30 to the main body 30 of the non-Zero Insertion Force connector to and from which the flexible substrate 20 is inserted and drawn out, and when a leg part 51 of the lock member 50 is fitted and penetrated through a fitting hole 35 of the housing main body 30, a cantilever arm shaped tongue piece 38 installed at the housing main body 30 is elastically deformed and stress is released, and since a hook part 55 installed at the tip of the leg part 51 is engaged with a free end 38a of the tongue piece 38, the lock member 50 is assembled to the main body 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembly of a connector into which a flexible board is inserted and removed, and more particularly, to an assembly of a non-ZIF connector in which a lock member is assembled to a housing body of a non-diffitype connector.

  A non-diff connector is one of means for connecting a flexible board such as FPC (flexible printed circuit) or FFC (flexible flat cable) to a circuit board, and accommodates the board formed in the housing body. Push the flexible board or the tip of the board with the reinforcing plate against the elastic force of the terminal implanted in the housing into the space, so that the board and the terminal are elastically contacted to make electrical connection between them. It has a structure.

  Such a non-diff connector can be manufactured inexpensively because of its simple structure, and the board can be inserted and connected to the connector with one action (One-Action). It is excellent in workability and has a feature that almost no space for this work is required on the circuit board.

  However, in this type of non-difficult connector, since the flexible substrate is held only by the elastic force of the terminal, the substrate can be pulled out of the connector only by a slight pulling force acting unexpectedly. In general, it was necessary to take measures to prevent the loss.

  The invention described in Patent Document 1 is known as an example of a measure for preventing the non-difficult connector from coming off. The present invention attaches a reinforcing plate to the tip portion of a flexible substrate, forms notches on both side ends of the reinforcing plate to form outwardly bent protrusions, and thus inserts the substrate into a connector. Is said that the protrusion easily and smoothly elastically deforms, and conversely, if the same substrate is to be removed, the protrusion stands upside down and spreads outward, and exhibits its retaining function. is there.

  According to the present invention, although the effect of preventing the flexible substrate from being removed can be obtained, there is only a method of forcibly pulling out the substrate when removing it with intention. May break and become impossible to reuse (reinsert). In addition, since the protrusion is formed by cutting the side edge of the reinforcing plate, the width of the board is substantially widened, and the connector into which the board is inserted must be widened. As a result, the connector In other words, the area occupied by mounting on the circuit board increases.

  Patent Document 2 discloses an invention in which a flexible board is wound around an auxiliary member (reference numeral 10) and fitted to a connector. According to the present invention, latch arms having hook portions are provided on both side ends of the auxiliary member, and the hook portions are engaged with the side portions of the connector when inserted, thereby exhibiting a retaining function, and the same when the connectors are removed. The free end of the latch arm is operated to release the above-described engagement, and the flexible board and the auxiliary member can be smoothly pulled out from the connector.

  However, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to prepare an auxiliary member having an extremely complicated structure such as the provision of the latch arm, which increases the cost. In addition, a flexible substrate is attached to the auxiliary member in advance. Since it has to be wound, inserting the board into the connector has a problem that it is not actually one action.

JP-A-11-191326 JP-A-11-329621

  For this reason, there is a tendency that the user is reluctant to adopt this type of connector because of the disadvantage that the non-Diff type connector is easy to be removed while having many advantages.

  Under such circumstances, the present applicant is developing a non-diff connector assembly in which a lock member that exhibits a function of preventing the flexible substrate from being detached is assembled to the housing body of the non-diff connector. According to this assembly, the flexible board can be inserted into and removed from the housing body by bending the board so that it can be inserted and removed while avoiding the lock member, so that the advantages of the non-jiff connector that can be smoothly inserted and removed with one action are lost. The inserted board is prevented from coming off by the lock member, so that it can be surely prevented from coming off and the width of the connector is not increased.

  The present invention is an invention related to the assembly of the above-described non-diff type connector, and its object is to reduce the stress generated in both when the lock member is assembled to the housing body of the non-diff type connector, and to easily and firmly assemble the lock member. An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of a non-diff connector that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an elongated opening that allows insertion and removal of a flexible substrate, a substrate housing space that communicates with the opening, and a plurality of terminals that face the space and can elastically contact the conductor of the substrate. An assembly of a non-diff connector in which a lock member separate from the main body is assembled to a housing body of a non-diff connector provided with the housing body, wherein the leg of the lock member is fitted and penetrated An insertion hole, a cantilever-like tongue piece extending along the penetrating direction of the leg so as to define a portion outside the insertion hole, and having a fixed end on the penetrating side, and the tongue A slope formed on the inner side of the piece so as to incline toward the free end, and the lock member covers the opening above the opening to engage with the substrate inserted into the main body. A locking part formed as follows, A hook portion provided at a distal end of the legs for engagement with the free end of Kishitahen, in which a relief portion formed in correspondence with the slope.

  An air gap may be provided between the back surface of the leg portion and the wall surface of the fitting hole in order to allow bending that occurs in the leg portion when the hook portion rides on the slope.

  The tongue piece may form the slope by increasing its thickness toward its free end.

  The flexible substrate is formed by laminating a reinforcing plate on a flexible substrate body, and when the flexible substrate is inserted into the housing body, a part of the reinforcing plate of the substrate can engage with the locking portion. It may be like this.

  According to the assembly of the non-diff connector according to the present invention, when the lock member is assembled to the housing body of the non-diff connector, the stress generated on both of them can be reduced by elastically bending the tongue of the housing body. Since the hook portion of the lock member slides on the slope of the tongue piece of the housing body and engages with the free end, it can be assembled easily and firmly.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing an outline, 10 is a non-diff connector assembly (hereinafter simply referred to as a connector 10), and 20 is there. It is a flexible substrate to be inserted. The connector 10 includes a housing body 30 made of a synthetic resin such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), a plurality of metallic terminals 40 such as phosphor bronze disposed inside the body 30, and an upper portion of the housing body 30. And a lock member 50 made of PPS or the like incorporated therein. Reference numeral 60 denotes a mounting bracket attached to the housing main body 30 for fixing the main body 30 to a circuit board (not shown).

  3 and 4, the housing body 30 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is formed on the upper surface of the flexible substrate 20 so as to insert and remove the distal end portion thereof. An opening 31 that is elongated in the direction, a substrate housing space 32 that is connected to the opening 31 and formed therein, a press-fit groove 33 into which the terminal 40 is press-fitted, and a terminal groove 34 into which the terminal 40 is inserted and guided. And the fitting hole 35 into which the leg portion 51 of the lock member 50 is fitted, the positioning guide hole 36 of the terminal 40, and the abutting portion 37 that abuts against the distal end portion of the substrate 20 and restricts the insertion depth. And.

  The terminal 40 includes a base 41, a press-fit portion 42 that extends upward from the base 41 and can be fitted into the press-fit groove 33, and extends greatly upward from the base 41 to the terminal groove 34. The contact portion 43 to be loosely fitted, the contact portion 44 provided at the tip portion of the contact portion 43, the tail portion 45 extending from the base portion 41 to the side and mounted on a circuit board (not shown), A guide piece 46 corresponding to the guide hole 36 and an arrowhead 47 formed in the press-fit portion 42 are provided.

  Incidentally, the terminal 40 of the terminal body 40 with respect to the housing body 30 is distributed and arranged on the left side and the right side (so-called zigzag arrangement). Further, as shown in FIG. 1, 25 tail portions 45 and 25 in FIG. 2, the connector 10 has a total of 50 terminals implanted in the housing body 30. Of course, it is needless to say that all the contact portions 44 of the terminal 40 face the inside of the housing main body 30, that is, the board housing space 32 and are directed and aligned in the same direction. In addition, the terminal 40 is press-fitted from below to above the housing body 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the flexible substrate 20 has a reinforcing plate 22 laminated on one side surface 21 x of the distal end portion of the flexible substrate body 21. For convenience of explanation, the term “flexible substrate” or simply referred to as “substrate” hereinafter refers to the flexible substrate 20 with the reinforcing plate formed by attaching the reinforcing plate 22 to the substrate body 21 unless otherwise specified. To do.

  The substrate body 21 is made of a synthetic resin such as polyester and the like, and a conductor 23 made of a plurality of copper wires, copper foils, and the like arranged at intervals in the width direction of the flexible substrate 20 and the conductor 23. The base film 24, 25 made of an insulating material is provided, and the base film 25 opposite to the surface 21x on which the reinforcing plate 22 is laminated is removed at the tip portion, and the conductor 23 is exposed there. Yes.

  The reinforcing plate 22 is made of an insulating material made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate having an appropriate thickness and appropriate rigidity and flexibility. It is affixed so that it is substantially flush with it.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the lock member 50 includes a main body 52 disposed on the upper surface of the housing main body 30 adjacent to the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the opening 31, and the main body 52. A leg portion 51 that is suspended from the center of the main body 30 and is inserted into the insertion hole 35, a hook portion 55 that engages with a free end 38 a of a tongue piece portion 38 formed in the housing main body 30, and an upper portion of the main body 30. And an engaging portion 53 extending like a ridge above the opening 31. Two locking portions 53 are formed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the opening portion 31, and the upper end 26 of the reinforcing plate 22 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the locking portion 53. A stop surface 53x is prepared.

  The lock member 50 is molded separately from the housing body 30, and the leg portion 51 is later inserted into the insertion hole 35 so that the hook portion 55 is engaged with the free end 38 a of the tongue piece 38. Thus, the housing body 30 can be securely assembled without any play. As a result, even if the connector assembly 10 has a structure in which the locking portion 53 protrudes like a ridge above the opening 31 as described above, when the housing body 30 is molded, the mold does not come off. The said event does not occur.

  The assembly of the lock member 50 to the housing body 30 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. The tongue piece 38 has a portion outside the insertion hole 35 (the outer shell of the housing body 30). The leg portion 51 is formed in a cantilever shape having a fixed end on the penetrating port 35c side. A slope 38b is formed on the inner surface of the tongue piece 38, that is, the surface on the insertion hole 35 side so as to increase its thickness toward the free end 38a (note that the thickness of the tongue piece 38 is not increased. The piece 38 may be bent inward to form the slope 38b).

  In addition, the leg portion 51 is provided with a relief portion 56 formed so that the slope 38b is fitted in correspondence with the slope 38b, and a free end 38a of the tongue piece 38 is provided at the tip of the relief portion 56. The hook portion 55 is formed so as to be able to be engaged with the leg portion 51, and a predetermined gap 35 b is prepared between the back surface 57 of the leg portion 51 and the wall surface 35 a of the fitting hole 35. (However, the gap 35b may not be provided).

  Accordingly, when the leg portion 51 is inserted into the fitting hole 35 in order to assemble the lock member 50 to the housing main body 30, and the degree of insertion increases, the hook portion 55 slides down the slope 38b. As shown by arrows in (b), the tongue piece 38 is elastically deformed outward (leftward in the figure), and the leg 51 itself is elastically deformed inwardly (rightward in the figure) (however, the gap 35b is This is not the case), and the hook portion 55 climbs over the slope 38b and the elastic deformation is released as a result of further increasing the degree of entry, so that the hook portion 55 engages with the free end 38a, and FIG. The assembled state as shown in FIG.

  In the connector 10 having the housing main body 30 and the lock member 50 integrated in this way, the interval W (see FIG. 3) between the abutting portion 37 and the locking surface 53x of the locking portion 53 is determined by the reinforcing plate 22. The height H (refer to FIG. 5) is substantially matched. Alternatively, the interval W may be set slightly smaller than the height H, and the reinforcing plate 22 may be slightly bent between the abutting portion 37 and the locking surface 53x when the flexible substrate 20 is inserted. It is also effective to form the locking surface 53x so that the free end side is slightly lower than the fixed end side.

  Although the detailed shape of the mounting bracket 60 does not appear in FIGS. 1 to 4, a portion similar to the base portion 41 and the press-fit portion 42 of the terminal 40 and a pair of mounting portions extending from the portion to the left and right The former part is press-fitted into the housing body 30, and the latter part is soldered and fixed to a circuit board (not shown). Is omitted.

  Next, to explain the operation of the present embodiment, when inserting the flexible board 20 into the connector 10, first, the direction of the surface of the board 20 where the conductor 23 is exposed is changed to the direction of the contact portion 44 of the terminal 40. And the tip portion is inserted into the substrate housing space 32 from the opening 31. At this time, since the locking portion 53 of the lock member 50 extends above the opening portion 31, the substrate 20 is inserted obliquely in order to avoid interference therewith.

  In this case, the substrate 20 slides on the inner wall 39 (see FIGS. 3, 4, and 7) of the substrate housing space 32 while the front end of the back surface of the reinforcing plate 22 (the surface to which the substrate body 21 is not bonded) slides. Since it contacts the contact portion 44 of the terminal 40 and enters the space 32 while elastically deforming the contact portion 43, it receives a predetermined insertion resistance, but this resistance is not strong, so it enters very smoothly. Can go.

  When the flexible board 20 is continuously advanced, the front end of the back surface of the reinforcing plate 22 abuts against the inner wall 39, and the central portion or the upper part or the vicinity of the upper end of the back surface is the front end of the locking portion 53. When the substrate 20 is pushed in with a slight increase in insertion force, the substrate 20 enters the substrate housing space 32 while being bent like a bow. This is because the front end portion of the substrate 20 formed by laminating the reinforcing plate 22 on the substrate body 21 has appropriate rigidity and flexibility, so that it can smoothly enter without being buckled while being curved. Because you can.

  Further, the flexible substrate 20 is advanced, and at the same time as the tip portion of the flexible substrate 20 contacts the abutting portion 37, or prior to or without contact, the upper end 26 of the reinforcing plate 22 is engaged with the locking portion. Passing through the tip of the portion 53, the bow-like deformation is released, and as the tip portion is restored to a straight line, the reinforcing plate 22 sinks under the locking surface 53x, and the contact portion of the terminal 40 44 is pressed against the inner wall 39 and is held between the abutting portion 37 and the locking surface 53x or locked by the locking portion 53.

  At the same time, the conductor 23 of the flexible substrate 20 is pressed into contact with the contact portion 44 of the terminal 40, and the tail portion 45 of the terminal 40 is soldered to the circuit board. Thus, it is electrically connected to the circuit board.

  As described above, the tip portion of the flexible substrate 20 on which the reinforcing plate 22 is laminated is pressed toward the inner wall 39 by the spring force of the contact portion 43 that is elastically deformed, and the upper end 26 of the reinforcing plate 22 is further engaged. Since the engaging portion 53 is engaged, the tip portion does not come out of the substrate housing space 32 unless a special external force is applied.

  Further, the reinforcing plate 22 is sandwiched between the locking portion 53 and the abutting portion 37, or, as described above, the interval W is slightly smaller than the height H, so that the reinforcing plate 22 is slightly distorted. If it can be applied, the substrate 20 becomes more difficult to come off. Furthermore, it is also effective to improve the retaining function by slightly lowering the free end side of the locking surface 53x of the locking portion 53. However, since the tip portion of the substrate 20 is pressed against the inner wall 39 side by the contact portion 44 and the reinforcing plate 22 is engaged with the locking portion 53, a sufficient retaining effect can be exhibited. The above arrangement can be omitted.

  On the other hand, when the flexible board 20 is intentionally removed from the connector 10, by pushing the back surface of the reinforcing plate 22 indicated by symbol A in FIG. 1 to the free end side (right side in the figure) of the locking portion 53, Alternatively, by pulling a part of the substrate body 21 indicated by the symbol B in FIG. 1 in the direction of the free end (rightward in the drawing), the reinforcing plate 22 is bent to have its upper end 26 and the locking portion 53. This is achieved by slightly pulling the substrate 20 obliquely upward while releasing the engagement.

  In the present embodiment, unlike the one described in Patent Document 1, the flexible substrate 20 does not need to be provided with a protruding portion on the side of the reinforcing plate. There is no increase in the overall width, that is, the board mounting area. In addition, since it is not necessary to prepare an auxiliary member described in Patent Document 2, an inexpensive connector can be obtained.

  The connector 10 is not of a type having a movable member such as a slider or an actuator (jiff type), nor has an auxiliary member of Patent Document 2, and its structure remains a non-jiff type. The feature that the substrate 20 can be inserted and removed in one action is maintained.

  Since the lock member 50 is molded separately from the housing body 30 and later incorporated into the lock member 50, the locking portion 53 protrudes like a ridge above the opening 31. In the molding process, the event that the mold cannot be removed does not occur.

  Further, since a part of the insertion hole 35 of the housing main body 30 is partitioned by the tongue piece 38 having a cantilever shape, the lock member 50 is inserted into the insertion hole 35 as shown in FIGS. When the leg portion 51 is advanced, the tongue portion 38 is elastically deformed outward by the hook portion 55 and further pushed forward to release the deformation when the hook portion 55 passes over the free end 38a. As a result, the housing body 30 and the lock member 50 can be firmly integrated.

  At this time, since a gap 35b is provided between the back surface 57 of the leg portion 51 and the wall surface 35a of the fitting hole 35, the leg portion 51 can be elastically deformed in the direction opposite to the tongue piece 38. it can. Therefore, when the leg portion 51 enters the fitting hole 35, both the leg portion 51 and the tongue piece 38 can be displaced in opposite directions as indicated by arrows in FIG. Share (share) the amount and don't put a lot of stress on them. In other words, the synthetic resin such as PPS is relatively brittle, and there is a concern that the plastic deformation or breakage may occur at a displacement amount which is not so large. , So you can halve this concern. However, it is effective that both can be displaced in the opposite direction in this way, but this does not prevent the gap 35b from being omitted and only the tongue piece 38 being displaced.

  In addition, a slope 38b is formed on the inner surface of the tongue piece 38 so as to increase its thickness toward the free end 38a, and the leg portion 51 is provided with a relief portion 56 corresponding thereto. Since the hook portion 55 is positioned at the tip, the tongue piece 38 is thin on the fixed end side (the opposite side of the free end 38a) and is easily displaced. The thickness of the distal end side is thin and easy to be displaced, and the structure is easy to be elastically deformed. In addition, the engagement between the leg portion 51 and the tongue piece 38 is ensured.

  The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

  For example, in each figure, the substrate body 21 of the flexible substrate 20 is bent in a substantially right angle near the upper end 26 of the reinforcing plate 22, but this is simply connected to the other end of the substrate 20 in this direction. It only shows the image of the presence of another connector, etc., and does not have any special meaning including bending, and is substantially vertical (upward in the figure) while avoiding the locking portion 53. Does not prevent it from growing.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end 26 of the reinforcing plate 22 is described as being directly engaged with the locking portion 53, but the reinforcing plate 22 is fixed to the substrate body 21 as shown in FIG. 9 has a non-fixed portion 27 and a window-like locked portion 28 is provided on the non-fixed portion 27 so that the locked portion 28 engages with the locking portion 53. As shown in FIG. A locked portion 28a closed by the substrate body 21 is provided in the fixing portion 29 where the reinforcing plate 22 is laminated on the substrate body 21 so as to be engaged with the locking portion 53. Is also possible.

  Furthermore, although the abutting portion 37 (FIGS. 3 and 4) has been shown as an example provided in the housing 20, this role can be transferred to the base portion 41 of the terminal 40, or this can be omitted. is there.

  Further, the locking member 50 and the locking portion 53 are not limited to those arranged adjacent to the longitudinal center portion of the elongated opening 31 as shown in the figure, but both ends of the opening 31 and You may arrange | position adjacent to one end part. In short, it is only necessary to secure a portion (a portion A that is pressed to release the lock) that is not covered by the lock member 50 and the locking portion 53 when the flexible substrate 20 is inserted and locked.

  Further, the width of the locking surface 53x, that is, the protrusion amount of the hook of the locking portion 53 is made as small as possible in consideration of the thickness of the reinforcing plate 22, and the deformation amount of the reinforcing plate 22 and the like when the substrate 20 is inserted. It is also effective to minimize.

It is a perspective view of the assembly object of the non-diff type connector concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the assembly of Drawing 1 from the opposite side. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1. It is a perspective view of the flexible substrate inserted / extracted in the connector assembly of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. It is explanatory drawing corresponding to the IV-IV arrow directional cross section of FIG. 1 explaining the assembly | attachment process of a housing main body and a locking member, (a) is a figure which shows the first process and (b). It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the flexible substrate of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows another modification of the flexible substrate of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Connector 20 Flexible board 21 Board body 22 Reinforcement plate 23 Conductor 30 Housing body 31 Opening part 32 Board accommodation space 35 Insertion hole 35a Wall surface 35b Space | gap 35c Entrance 38 Tongue piece 38a Free end 38b Slope 40 Terminal 50 Lock member 51 Leg part 53 Locking part 55 Hook part 56 Escape part 57 Back

Claims (4)

In a housing body of a non-diff connector comprising a long and narrow opening allowing insertion and removal of a flexible substrate, a substrate housing space communicating with the opening, and a plurality of terminals facing the space and capable of elastically contacting a conductor of the substrate, An assembly of a non-diff connector formed by assembling a lock member separate from the main body,
The housing body extends along the penetrating direction of the leg portion so as to define a fitting hole through which the leg portion of the locking member can be fitted and penetrated, and a portion outside the fitting hole. A cantilever-like tongue piece having a fixed end, and a slope formed on the inside of the tongue piece so as to be inclined toward the free end thereof,
The lock member engages with a locking portion formed so as to cover the upper portion of the opening like a ridge so as to engage with the substrate inserted into the main body, and a free end of the tongue piece. A non-diff connector assembly comprising: a hook portion provided at a tip of the leg portion; and a relief portion formed corresponding to the slope.   2. The non-diff type according to claim 1, wherein a gap is provided between the back surface of the leg portion and the wall surface of the insertion hole to allow the hook portion to bend when the hook portion rides on the slope. Connector assembly.   The assembly of the non-diff connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tongue is formed by increasing its thickness toward the free end. The flexible substrate is formed by laminating a reinforcing plate on a flexible substrate body,
The non-diff type according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the flexible board is inserted into the housing body, a part of a reinforcing plate of the board can be engaged with the locking portion. Connector assembly.

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