JP2011034864A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector preventing a cam from coming off. <P>SOLUTION: In the connector 1, a terminal 4 has a U shape portion 41 bent into a U shape by bending, and including a pair of first and second side portions 42 and 43 while an end of the first side portion 42 is a free end. A cam 32 is arranged inside the U-shape portion 41 and provided to be turnable between a pressing position where a flat cable is pressed to the first side portion 42 and a release position where the pressing is released. The terminal 4 has: a slip-off prevention part 45 bent inside from the second side portion 43 and caught by the cam 32; and a fixed part 47 bent toward the reverse side from the second side portion 43 and fixed to a casing 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a technique for bringing an electrode of a flat cable and a terminal of the connector into contact with each other with a required pressure after the flat cable is inserted.

  In a connector used for a flat cable such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or FFC (Flexible Flat Cable), a flat cable is inserted into the connector, and then the cam is rotated, so that the electrode of the flat cable Press contact is made with the terminal of the connector.

JP 2008-91284 A

  By the way, the present inventors are considering forming a terminal by bending in order to improve the material removal of the terminal and to enable the batch insertion of the terminal. However, since the terminal formed by bending is more easily deformed than the terminal formed by punching, even if the cam is pressed by the terminal as in Patent Document 1, the cam may come off.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of suppressing cam detachment.

  In order to solve the above problems, the connector of the present invention includes one or a plurality of terminals, a housing that holds the terminals, and a cam. The terminal is bent into a U shape by a bending process, includes a pair of first side portions and a second side portion, and has a U-shaped portion in which an end of the first side portion is a free end. . The cam is disposed inside the U-shaped part, a pressing position for pressing a flat cable inserted into the U-shaped part against the first side part, and a releasing position for releasing the pressing, It is provided so as to be rotatable between the two. The terminal is bent from the second side part to the inside of the U-shaped part and is hooked to the cam, and the terminal is bent from the second side part to the opposite side of the stopper part, And a fixing part fixed to the body.

  According to the present invention, the retaining portion that is bent from the second side portion and hooked on the cam is provided, and the fixing portion that is bent to the opposite side and fixed to the housing is provided. The deformation in the vicinity is suppressed, and as a result, cam removal is effectively suppressed.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the retaining portion and the fixing portion are bent to the opposite sides from the end of the second side portion. According to this, since the retaining portion and the fixing portion are bent to the opposite sides from the same position, deformation in the vicinity of the retaining portion is further suppressed.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the first side portion has a contact portion protruding inside the U-shaped portion, and the retaining portion is open to the U-shaped portion more than the contact portion. Located on the end side. According to this, when a flat cable is pulled, it can suppress that force concentrates on a contact part.

  In the aspect of the invention, the first side portion has a contact portion protruding inside the U-shaped portion, and the cam and the contact portion face each other. According to this, the disconnection of the flat cable is effectively suppressed.

  In the aspect of the invention, the fixing portion extends along the second side portion. According to this, since the fixing portion is fixed beside the second side portion, deformation of the second side portion can be suppressed.

  In the aspect of the present invention, the U-shaped portion is disposed in a posture in which the open end is farther from the substrate than the closed end. According to this, insertion of a flat cable is easy.

It is a perspective view of the connector concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the same connector which omitted an actuator. It is a top view of the connector. It is a top view of the same connector which omitted an actuator. It is a top view of the housing | casing contained in the connector. It is sectional drawing of the connector when an actuator exists in a releasing position. It is sectional drawing of the connector when an actuator exists in a pressing position. It is a perspective view of the terminal contained in the connector. It is a figure showing a part of manufacturing process of the connector. It is a figure showing a part of manufacturing process of the connector. It is a figure showing a part of manufacturing process of the connector.

  An embodiment of a connector of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the connector 1. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the connector 1 with the actuator 3 omitted. FIG. 2A is a plan view of the connector 1. FIG. 2B is a plan view of the connector 1 with the actuator 3 omitted. FIG. 2C is a plan view of the housing 2 included in the connector 1. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of the connector 1. FIG. 3A shows the time when the actuator 3 is in the release position, and FIG. 3B shows the time when the actuator 3 is in the pressing position. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the terminal 4 included in the connector 1. 5A to 5C are diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the connector 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, the connector 1 has a substantially box-shaped housing 2 molded of an insulating resin material. An insertion port 1a is located on the upper surface of the housing 2, and a flat cable (not shown) is inserted therein. The flat cable is a flexible flat wiring member such as an FPC or FFC that has a flexible electrode group formed at one end of the surface. In this embodiment, the electrode group faces the rear side. It is inserted into the insertion port 1a. Inside the housing 2, a plurality of terminals 4 formed by bending a conductive metal thin plate are arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval. A horizontally long actuator 3 that is molded from an insulating resin material and extends to the left and right is attached to the upper front side of the housing 2. Support metal fittings 5 formed by bending a thin metal plate are attached to the left and right ends of the housing 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 1B, 2B, and 2C, the housing 2 has a rear wall portion 23 and a side wall portion 25 that form an outer shell, and between the opposing side wall portions 25, the rear wall portion 23 is provided. A rectangular box-shaped terminal holding portion 21 having a height of about half of the height is spanned. In the terminal holding portion 21, insertion ports 21 a penetrating in the vertical direction are arranged along the horizontal direction. The upper end of the insertion opening 21a has a shape in which the front part spreads in a T shape and the rear part spreads in a cantilevered manner to the left. Grooves 232 extending in the vertical direction are arranged in the rear wall 23 along the horizontal direction. Between the terminal holding part 21 and the rear wall part 23, an insertion port 23 a is provided corresponding to the groove part 232. The insertion port 21 a and the insertion port 23 a are partitioned by a partition portion 212 that is a part of the terminal holding portion 21. The terminal 4 described below is inserted into the insertion port 21a and the insertion port 23a.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4, the terminal 4 has a U-shaped portion 41 that is bent into a U-shape. The U-shaped part 41 has a pair of first side part 42 and second side part 43. The first side portion 42 is gradually narrowed upward, and its upper end is a free end. For this reason, the first side portion 42 can be elastically deformed in a direction approaching and moving away from the second side portion 43. A contact portion 42 a that is bent so as to protrude toward the inside of the U-shaped portion 41 is provided at the upper end portion of the first side portion 42.

  Further, the terminal 4 has a retaining portion 45, a fixing portion 47 and a connecting portion 49. The retaining portion 45 is formed by bending a part in the width direction from the upper end of the second side portion 43 toward the inside of the U-shaped portion 41, and covers a part of the open end of the U-shaped portion 41. ing. The fixing portion 47 is formed by bending the other portion in the width direction from the upper end of the second side portion 43 toward the side opposite to the retaining portion 45, and extends substantially parallel to the second side portion 43. . The fixing portion 47 extends below the closed end of the U-shaped portion 41, and serrated irregularities are provided on the side portion in the middle thereof. The connecting portion 49 is formed by being bent from the lower end of the fixed portion 47 toward the side opposite to the U-shaped portion 41.

  The terminals 4 are held by the housing 2 in such a posture that the open end side of the U-shaped portion 41 is the upper side and the closed end side is the lower side. Specifically, the first side portion 42 of the U-shaped portion 41 is inserted into the insertion port 23a formed between the terminal holding portion 21 and the rear wall portion 23, and the second side portion 43 and the fixing portion are inserted. 47 is inserted into an insertion port 21 a formed in the terminal holding portion 21. Moreover, the partition part 212 provided between the insertion port 21a and the insertion port 23a is located inside the U-shaped part 41. The groove part 232 of the rear wall part 23 is located away from the upper part of the first side part 42, thereby ensuring a movable range of the first side part 42. The upper end of the insertion port 21a corresponds to the shape of the retaining part 45 and the fixing part 47, the fixing part 47 is passed through the front part, and the retaining part 45 is passed through the rear part. The fixing portion 47 is fixed to the terminal holding portion 21 by the serrated side portion biting into the inner wall of the insertion port 21a. Since the fixing portion 47 is fixed to the terminal holding portion 21 in this way, the upper end of the second side portion 43 can be called a fixed end.

  2A, 3A, and 3B, the actuator 3 has a substantially triangular prism shape extending in the left-right direction. A side portion on the front side of the actuator 3 is an operation unit 34 for the user to rotate the actuator 3 with a finger. A comb tooth portion 33 that is arranged in a comb tooth shape along the left-right direction is provided on the lower side portion of the actuator 3. The tips of the comb teeth 33 are connected to each other by cams 32 having a non-circular cross section. The cam 32 is arranged inside the U-shaped portion 41 and faces the contact portion 42 a of the terminal 4. A flat cable is inserted between the cam 32 and the contact portion 42a. The retaining portion 45 of the terminal 4 is inserted between the adjacent comb teeth portions 33 and hooked on the cam 32.

  The actuator 3 arranged in this way rotates between the release position shown in FIG. 3A and the pressing position shown in FIG. 3B when the operation unit 34 is operated by the user. At the pressing position, the cam 32 takes a posture in which the major axis direction is along the front-rear direction, and tries to spread the first side portion 42 and the second side portion 43 of the U-shaped portion 41. Here, since the upper end of the first side portion 42 is a free end and the upper end of the second side portion 43 is a fixed end, the first side portion 42 is compared with the second side portion 43. Displaces greatly. The flat cable inserted into the U-shaped portion 41 is pressed by the cam 32 and pressed against the first side portion 42. At this time, the first side portion 42 generates a force that pushes back the cam 32 by elastic deformation, that is, a force that sandwiches the flat cable. As a result, the contact portion 42 a of the first side portion 42 is in pressure contact with the electrode of the flat cable 9.

  The assembly of the connector 1 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 5A, the terminal 4 is inserted into the housing 2 from below. Specifically, the first side portion 42 is inserted into the insertion port 23 a formed between the terminal holding portion 21 and the rear wall portion 23, and the second side is inserted into the insertion port 21 a formed in the terminal holding portion 21. The side portion 43, the retaining portion 45, and the fixing portion 47 are inserted. Here, each terminal 4 is formed as a part of the terminal assembly 60. The terminal assembly 60 has a shape in which a plurality of terminals 4 are held by a base 61, and is formed into such a shape by bending a single metal thin plate. Thereby, it is possible to insert a plurality of terminals 4 into the housing 2 all at once.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the actuator 3 is attached to the housing 2 from above. Specifically, the cam 32 of the actuator 3 is tilted so that the major axis direction is in the vertical direction, and passes between the contact portion 42 a of the terminal 4 and the retaining portion 45, so that the inside of the U-shaped portion 41. Then, it is hooked on the retaining portion 45 (see FIG. 3A). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5C, the support fitting 5 is press-fitted into the left and right ends of the housing 2 from below. The connector 1 thus obtained is attached to a circuit board (not shown) by soldering the connection part 49 of the terminal 4 and the mounting part 52 of the support metal 5 to a pad of the circuit board (not shown).

  In the present embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 3A, the retaining portion 45 is formed by bending a part in the width direction from the second side portion 43 to the inside of the U-shaped portion 41, Since the fixing portion 47 is formed by bending the other portion in the width direction from the second side portion 43 to the opposite side to the retaining portion 45, even if the vicinity of the retaining portion 45 receives a pressing force from the cam 32. Therefore, the cam 32 is prevented from coming off effectively.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the retaining portion 45 and the fixing portion 47 are bent to the opposite sides from the upper end of the second side portion 43, so that deformation in the vicinity of the retaining portion 45 is further suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the retaining portion 45 is located on the open end side of the U-shaped portion 41, that is, on the upper side with respect to the contact portion 42a. According to this, when the flat cable is pulled upward, the force that prevents the cam 32 from coming off acts on the upper side of the contact portion 42a, so that the concentration of force on the contact portion 42a can be suppressed. .

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the pressing position of the cam 32 faces the contact portion 42a of the first side portion 42 at the pressing position, the flat cable is effectively prevented from coming off.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the fixing portion 47 is folded back from the second side portion 43 and is fixed to the terminal holding portion 21 right next to the second side portion 43, so that the second side portion 43 deformation can be effectively suppressed.

  Further, in this embodiment, the terminal 4 is held by the housing 2 in such a posture that the open end side of the U-shaped portion 41 is the upper side and the closed end side is the lower side, and the flat cable is U from the upper side. Since it is inserted inside the character-shaped part 41, insertion of a flat cable is easy.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector, 1a insertion slot, 2 housing | casing, 21 terminal holding part, 212 partition part, 21a insertion slot, 23 rear wall part, 232 groove part, 23a insertion slot, 25 side wall part, 3 actuator, 32 cam, 33 comb tooth part , 34 operation section, 4 terminals, 41 U-shaped section, 42 first side section, 42a contact section, 43 second side section, 45 retaining section, 47 fixing section, 49 connection section, 5 support bracket, 52 mounting Part, 60 terminal assembly, 61 base.

Claims (6)

One or more having a U-shaped portion that is bent into a U-shape by bending and includes a pair of first side portions and a second side portion, and an end of the first side portion is a free end. The terminal of
A housing for holding the terminal;
Rotating between a pressing position for pressing a flat cable, which is arranged inside the U-shaped part and is inserted inside the U-shaped part, against the first side part and a releasing position for releasing the pressing. A cam provided movably,
With
The terminal is
A retaining portion that is bent from the second side portion to the inside of the U-shaped portion and is caught by the cam;
A fixing portion that is bent from the second side portion to the side opposite to the retaining portion and fixed to the housing;
Having
A connector characterized by that. The retaining portion and the fixing portion are bent to the opposite sides from the end of the second side portion,
The connector according to claim 1. The first side portion has a contact portion protruding inside the U-shaped portion,
The retaining portion is located closer to the open end of the U-shaped portion than the contact portion.
The connector according to claim 1. The first side portion has a contact portion protruding inside the U-shaped portion,
The cam and the contact portion face each other;
The connector according to claim 1. The fixing portion extends along the second side portion.
The connector according to claim 1. The U-shaped part is disposed in a posture in which the open end is farther from the substrate than the closed end.
The connector according to claim 1.

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