JP2020092045A - Flat conductor electrical connector and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a flat conductor electrical connector, for more surely regulating a movement of a to-be-regulated portion of a movable member by a regulation portion of a housing, capable of being easily manufactured with a small number of steps and a method of manufacturing the same.SOLUTION: A projecting portion 14 of a housing 10 has: a housing portion 14A, forming a space that is open toward a front and a bottom, for housing a to-be-regulated portion 33A of a movable member 30; a regulating portion 14B capable of abutting against the to-be-regulated portion 33A to regulate a movement of the movable member 30 from a second position to a side opposite to a first position by a predetermined amount or more; and a guide portion 14C for guiding a flat conductor F to a receiving portion 15. The to-be-regulated portion 33A is located at a first position with gaps P1, P2 between the guide portion 14C and the regulating portion 14B, respectively. A base wall 11 has an open portion 11C formed to be open in a connector thickness direction at a position corresponding to the gap P1 between the to-be-regulated portion 33A and the guide portion 14C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to an electric connector for a flat conductor in which a flat conductor is removably connected, and a method for manufacturing an electric connector for a flat conductor.

As such an electric connector for a flat conductor, it is movable and movable with respect to the housing between a first position that prevents the flat conductor such as an FPC from being pulled out and a second position that allows the flat conductor to be pulled out. Connectors having members are known. In the first position, the movable member is in a posture in which the flat conductor extends along the longitudinal direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the movable member, and in the second position, the rear end of the movable member is held above the front end. Go up and make a posture inclined to the front-back direction. In such a connector, the housing holding the terminals and the movable member are separate members. Therefore, the housing and the movable member are usually molded in separate steps, and then the housing and the movable member are assembled. It is manufactured by Therefore, since the molding of the housing, the molding of the movable member, and the assembly of the housing and the movable member are all performed in different steps, the number of steps is increased, the manufacturing work of the connector is complicated, and the manufacturing cost is increased.

Patent Document 1 discloses a connector capable of simultaneously molding and manufacturing a movable member and a housing. In the connector of Patent Document 1, a plurality of terminals (contacts) formed by bending a metal strip into a substantially horizontal U shape in the plate thickness direction and one end side portion of the terminals are integrally molded. It has a movable member (actuator) held by and a housing holding the other end side portion of the terminal by integral molding, and the movable member and the housing are connected via the terminal. The movable member is movable with respect to the housing by an elastic displacement of a part of the terminal that connects the movable member and the housing to each other.

Further, the movable member is formed with projecting portions projecting outward in the connector width direction at both ends in the connector width direction (direction matching the width direction of the flat conductor). On the other hand, in the housing, concave movement restricting portions for accommodating the protrusions of the movable member are formed on the inner side surfaces of the side walls located at both ends in the connector width direction. The movement restricting portion is opened downward and has an inner wall surface facing the protruding portion from three directions of upper side, front side, and rear side. Therefore, even if the movable member receives an inadvertent external force further upward from the second position, the protrusion of the movable member comes into contact with the upper inner wall surface of the movement restricting portion, so that the movable member is moved. The excessive movement of the connector is regulated to prevent the connector from being damaged.

In the connector of Patent Document 1, one end side portion of the terminal (metal strip) before being bent is held by the movable member by integral molding with the movable member, and the other end side portion of the metal strip is formed. Is held by the housing by integral molding with the housing, and then the intermediate portion of the metal strip (the portion not held by the movable member and the housing) is bent in the plate thickness direction.

Patent No. 5813411

In the connector of Patent Document 1, when the terminal is bent after the integral molding, the protruding portion of the movable member has an edge portion (hereinafter, referred to as “upper edge portion”) located above the movement restricting portion formed on the side wall of the housing. It will be accommodated in the movement control section. Therefore, the protrusion amount (dimension in the connector width direction) of the protrusion is limited to such an extent that it can ride over the upper edge of the housing. As a result, in the state where the protrusion is housed in the movement restricting portion, the facing area between the upper surface of the protrusion and the upper inner wall surface of the movement restricting portion, in other words, the upper surface of the protrusion and the movement restricting portion. The area that can come into contact with the upper inner wall surface of is not so large. Therefore, when an inadvertent external force acts on the movable member and the movable member is further lifted from the second position, the contactable area described above is not sufficiently secured, There is a possibility that the protruding portion may get over the upper edge portion of the housing and the movable member may come off the housing.

In order to prevent the movable member from coming off from the housing more reliably, the protrusion amount of the protrusion is increased to increase the area where the protrusion and the upper inner wall surface of the movement restricting portion can contact. There is a need. However, if the amount of protrusion of the protrusion is large, the protrusion cannot get over the upper edge of the housing when the terminal is bent. Therefore, in order to avoid such a problem, after bending the terminal prior to the integral molding, the movable member and the housing are integrated while the protrusion of the movable member is accommodated in the movement restricting portion of the housing. It must be formed by molding.

However, in Patent Document 1, the movement restricting portion formed in the housing is opened only downward and is closed at the upper side, the front side, and the rear side. Therefore, the mold forming the movement restricting portion is only from below. Can not be placed. However, even if an attempt is made to integrally mold the projecting portion of the movable member in the movement restricting portion of the housing by using the above-mentioned mold arranged from below, the protrusion and the upper inner wall surface of the movement restricting portion are No gap can be formed between them. That is, the connector of Patent Document 1 cannot be manufactured by a method of integrally molding after bending the terminal, and must be manufactured by a method of bending the terminal after integrally molding.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has a restricting portion for restricting excessive movement of a movable member in a housing, and a restricting portion that is restricted by the restricting portion in the movable member. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric connector for a flat conductor and a method for manufacturing the electric connector for a flat conductor, in which the movement of the electric conductor can be more surely restricted by the restricting portion and can be easily manufactured in a small number of steps.

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved by the following electrical connector for a flat conductor according to the first invention and a method for manufacturing an electrical connector for a flat conductor according to the second invention.

<First invention>
The electrical connector for a flat conductor according to the first aspect of the present invention is such that the flat conductor is removably connected in the longitudinal direction, which is the longitudinal direction thereof, and the width direction of the flat conductor is the connector width direction and the longitudinal direction and the connector width. A flat conductor electrical connector having a connector thickness direction in a direction perpendicular to both directions of the direction, a housing having a receiving portion formed as an open space into which the flat conductor can be inserted forward, A movable member, which is provided on one side of the receiving portion in the thickness direction of the connector and is movable with respect to the housing, and a bent shape which is made of a metal plate and bent in the thickness direction, and has a smooth plate surface. The housing includes the housing and a plurality of terminals that are held by the movable member by integral molding in a posture parallel to the width direction, and the movable member extends in the front-rear direction when viewed in the connector width direction. A first position in which the movable member is extended and a second position in which the movable member is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so that the rear end of the movable member is located on the one side in the connector thickness direction with respect to the front end. You can move between them.

In such a flat conductor electrical connector, in the first invention, the housing is located on the other side, which is opposite to the one side with respect to the receiving portion in the connector thickness direction, and the connector thickness direction. A base wall extending at a right angle to the connector, a pair of side walls standing upright toward the one side in the connector thickness direction at both end positions of the base wall in the connector width direction, and a connector from the wall faces of the pair of side walls. Projecting inward in the width direction and located in a range overlapping with both side edges of the flat conductor in the connector width direction in the connector width direction, and between the pair of side walls. A receiving portion is formed, the movable member has a regulated portion that is restricted in movement from the housing, and the protruding portion is directed forward and toward the other side in the connector thickness direction. An accommodating portion that forms an open space and accommodates at least a part of the regulated portion, and is located on one side of the accommodating portion in the connector thickness direction from the second position of the movable member to the one side. A regulating portion that can abut the regulated portion so as to regulate the movement of a predetermined amount or more toward the regulated portion, and a guide portion that is located behind the accommodating portion and that guides the flat conductor to the receiving portion. And the regulated portion is located at the first position with a gap between the regulated portion and the guide portion of the housing, and the base wall has the regulated portion and the guide portion. An open portion opened in the connector thickness direction is formed at a position corresponding to the above-mentioned gap between the connector and the connector.

In the first invention, the housing portion of the housing that houses at least a part of the regulated portion of the movable member forms a space that is open toward the other side in the front and connector thickness directions. Therefore, during integral molding that is performed after bending the terminals, after forming the regulated portion of the movable member in the space surrounded by the mold arranged from the other side and the mold arranged from the front side, The accommodating portion can be formed in the housing by moving and removing the respective molds to the other side and to the front. That is, in the first invention, even if the terminal is bent and then integrally molded, the regulated portion and the accommodating portion can be formed in a state where at least a part of the regulated portion is accommodated in the accommodating portion. Therefore, the size of the restricted portion in the connector width direction can be formed to be sufficiently large, and excessive movement of the restricted portion can be more reliably restricted by the restriction portion of the housing. Further, since the housing and the movable member are formed at the same time, the assembly work of the housing and the movable member is not necessary, and the connector can be easily manufactured with fewer steps than in the past.

In the first invention, when the movable member is in the first position, the movable member is locked from a rear side with respect to a locked portion formed on the flat conductor to prevent the flat conductor from being pulled out. The locking portion may be formed continuously with the regulated portion and integrally with the regulated portion.

By thus forming the locking portion so as to be integral with the restricted portion, the strength of the locking portion can be improved, so that the flat conductor can be locked with the locked portion. Thus, even if an inadvertent rearward external force acts on the flat conductor, the flat conductor can be sufficiently counteracted and the flat conductor can be properly prevented from coming off.

In the first invention, the terminal is a first arm portion extending in the front-rear direction along the base wall, and the one end in the connector thickness direction folded back at the front end of the first arm portion. The second arm portion that extends rearward on the side of the first arm portion and the second arm portion that is folded back at the rear end of the second arm portion and is directed forward between the first arm portion and the second arm portion in the connector thickness direction. And a third arm portion that is elastically displaceable in the thickness direction of the connector and has a dimension in the connector width direction smaller than that of the second arm portion. It may have a contact portion capable of contacting the flat conductor under elastic displacement of the arm portion.

In the first invention, the third arm portion extending forward from the second arm portion has a smaller dimension in the connector width direction than the second arm portion. Therefore, in the mold that is arranged from the rear side with respect to the terminal at the time of integral molding, the mold part brought to the position overlapping the third arm part in the front-rear direction is connected to the one side (second part) in the connector thickness direction. Interference between the mold and the third arm portion can be avoided by forming a groove portion that is open to the arm portion side) and extending in the front-rear direction and housing the third arm portion in the groove portion. Further, the third arm portion housed in the groove portion is formed by the mold from both sides in the connector width direction and the other side (first arm portion side) in the connector thickness direction, and in the connector thickness direction. Since it is possible to integrally mold from one side (second arm side) surrounded by the second arm, the elastic displacement state of the third arm can be maintained even after the integral molding. Can be secured.

<Second invention>
A method of manufacturing an electrical connector for a flat conductor according to a second aspect of the present invention is mounted on a mounting surface of a circuit board, and the flat conductor is connected so as to be insertable and removable in a front-rear direction which is a longitudinal direction of the flat conductor. In the connector width direction and a connector thickness direction in which the connector thickness direction is a direction perpendicular to both the front-back direction and the connector width direction, and the flat conductor is directed forward. A housing having a receiving portion formed as an insertable open space, a movable member provided on one side of the receiving portion in the thickness direction of the connector and movable with respect to the housing, and made of a metal plate in the thickness direction. The movable member is provided with a plurality of terminals held in the housing and the movable member by integral molding in a posture in which the smooth plate surface is in a bent shape and is parallel to the connector width direction. When viewed in the connector width direction, the first position is a posture that extends along the front-rear direction, and the rear end of the movable member is positioned on the one side in the connector thickness direction with respect to the front end. It is a method of manufacturing an electrical connector for a flat conductor that is movable between a second position in which it is inclined with respect to the front-back direction.

In the method of manufacturing an electrical connector for a flat conductor according to the second aspect of the invention, the metal plate member is bent in the plate thickness direction to form a plurality of terminals, and the plurality of terminals are formed by a smooth plate surface of the terminals. The housing is arranged parallel to the connector width direction and arranged in a mold so that the connector width direction is the array direction, and the molten electrically insulating material is injected into the mold and then solidified, And the movable member having a regulated portion whose movement is regulated from the housing, and the other part of the terminal is integrally molded with the housing and the movable member while a part of the terminal is exposed. Hold by molding, and solidify the electrical insulating material, the housing is positioned in the connector thickness direction at the other side opposite to the one side with respect to the receiving portion, and in the connector thickness direction. A base wall extending at a right angle to the connector, a pair of side walls standing up to the one side in the connector thickness direction at both end positions of the base wall in the connector width direction, and a connector width from the wall surface of the pair of side walls. Projecting inward with respect to both side edges of the flat conductor in the connector width direction and having an overlapping range in the connector width direction. A regulating portion located on one side of the regulated portion and capable of contacting the regulated portion so as to regulate movement of the movable member from the second position toward the one side by a predetermined amount or more; And a guide portion for guiding the flat conductor to the receiving portion, which is located rearward of the regulated portion, the mold is removed, and the other portion in the forward direction and the connector thickness direction is attached to the protruding portion. Is formed to form a space opened toward the side of the controlled portion and accommodates at least a part of the regulated portion, and the base wall corresponds to the gap between the regulated portion and the guide portion. It is characterized in that an open portion that is open in the thickness direction of the connector is formed at the position.

In the second invention, the electrical connector for a flat conductor to be manufactured has a housing part that houses at least a part of the regulated part of the movable member in the front and connector thicknesses, as in the first invention described above. Forming an open space toward the other side in the direction. Therefore, after the terminal is bent, the terminal after the terminal bending is held by the housing and the movable member by integral molding, so that the electrical connector for a flat conductor can be manufactured. At this time, the regulated portion and the accommodating portion can be formed in a state where at least a part of the regulated portion is accommodated in the accommodating portion. Therefore, the size of the restricted portion in the connector width direction can be formed to be sufficiently large, and excessive movement of the restricted portion can be more reliably restricted by the restriction portion of the housing. Further, since the housing and the movable member are formed at the same time, the assembly work of the housing and the movable member is not necessary, and the connector can be easily manufactured with fewer steps than in the past.

According to the present invention, as described above, the movable member is integrally molded in the space surrounded by the mold arranged from the base wall side of the housing in the connector thickness direction and the mold arranged from the front. After forming the regulated portion, by removing the respective molds, it is possible to form the accommodating portion capable of accommodating the regulated portion in the housing. That is, even if the terminal is bent and integrally molded, the regulated portion and the accommodating portion can be formed in a state where at least a part of the regulated portion is accommodated in the accommodating portion. Therefore, the dimension of the regulated portion in the connector width direction can be formed sufficiently large, and the excessive movement of the regulated portion can be reliably regulated by the regulation portion of the housing. Further, since the housing and the movable member are formed at the same time, the assembly work of the housing and the movable member is not necessary, and the connector can be easily manufactured with fewer steps than in the past.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an electric connector for a flat conductor according to the embodiment of the present invention together with the flat conductor, showing a state immediately before inserting the flat conductor. It is the perspective view which showed the state which inserted the flat conductor in the electric connector for flat conductors of FIG. It is the perspective view which showed the electric connector for flat conductors of FIG. 1 in the state which isolate|separated the movable member upward. It is the perspective view which showed the single terminal of the electrical connector for flat conductors of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view at the position of the terminal in the connector width direction of the electrical connector for a flat conductor of FIG. 1, (A) shows a state where the mold is removed, (B) shows the mold at the time of integral molding. The state where it is arranged is shown. FIG. 2A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the flat conductor electrical connector of FIG. 1 in the connector width direction at the position of the restricting portion of the housing and the locked portion of the movable member, FIG. B) shows a state in which the mold is arranged at the time of integral molding. FIG. 2 is a perspective sectional view showing one terminal of the electrical connector for a flat conductor of FIG. 1 together with a rear mold, and shows a vertical cross section of the terminal and the rear mold. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector for flat conductors just before insertion of a flat conductor, (A) is a cross section in the position of a terminal, (B) is a locking part of a housing, and a locked part of a movable member. The cross section at the position is shown. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector for flat conductors in the insertion process of a flat conductor, (A) is a cross section in the position of a terminal, (B) is a locking part of a housing, and a locked part of a movable member. The cross section at the position is shown. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector for flat conductors in the state where insertion of a flat conductor was completed, (A) is a cross section in the position of a terminal, (B) is the engagement part of a housing, and the engagement of a movable member. The cross section at the position of the stop is shown.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric connector 1 for a flat conductor (hereinafter referred to as “connector 1”) according to the present embodiment together with a flat conductor F, showing a state immediately before the flat conductor F is inserted. There is. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the flat conductor F is inserted in the connector 1 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the connector 1 of FIG. 1 in a state where a movable member 30 described later is separated upward.

The connector 1 is mounted on a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown), and the flat conductor F is connected so that the flat conductor F can be inserted and removed with the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) parallel to the mounting surface as the insertion and extraction direction. It has become. In the connector 1, the flat conductor F is connected to electrically connect the circuit board and the flat conductor F. In the present embodiment, the X1 direction is the front and the X2 direction is the rear in the X-axis direction (front-back direction). In addition, the Y-axis direction that is perpendicular to the front-back direction (X-axis direction) in the plane parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board (in the XY plane) is the connector width direction, and the Z-axis direction that is perpendicular to the XY plane. In other words, the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the mounting surface of the circuit board is the connector thickness direction.

The flat conductor F is, for example, an FPC, and extends in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) and has a strip shape with the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) as the width direction, and includes a plurality of circuit portions (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction. ) Are arranged and formed in the connector width direction. The circuit portion is embedded in the insulating layer of the flat conductor F, extends in the front-rear direction, and reaches the front end position of the flat conductor F. Further, the circuit portion has a connection circuit portion, only the front end side portion of which is exposed on the upper surface of the flat conductor F, and can be brought into contact with a terminal 20 of the connector 1 described later. Further, the flat conductor F has notches F1 formed on both side edge portions of the front end side portion, and a rear end edge of an ear portion F2 located in front of the notch portion F1 is a movable portion of the connector 1 which will be described later. It functions as a locked portion F2A that locks with the locking portion 33C of the member 30.

The connector 1 includes a housing 10 made of an electrically insulating material, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) terminals 20 made of a metal plate arranged and held in the housing 10 and a movable member 30 described later by integral molding. A movable member 30 made of an electrically insulating material and movable with respect to the housing 10 between a closed position (see FIG. 1) as a first position and an open position (see FIG. 2) as a second position. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, the flat conductor F is inserted and connected from the rear. The movable member 30 is positioned above and below the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10 in the vertical direction, which is one side (see FIGS. 5A and 6A).

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 10 includes a base wall 11 extending at right angles to the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and both end positions of the base wall 11 in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction). Has a pair of side walls 12 and a pair of front walls 13 that stand upright from the base wall 11, and a housing-side protruding portion 14 that protrudes inward in the connector width direction from the inner wall surfaces of the pair of side walls 12. is doing. Further, in the housing 10, a receiving portion 15 for receiving the flat conductor F from the rear is formed between the pair of side walls 12. The receiving portion 15 is opened rearward (X2 direction) and upward (Z1 direction), and forms an open space into which the flat conductor F can be inserted forward (X1 direction).

The base wall 11 is located below the receiving portion 15 on the other side (opposite to the movable member 30) in the vertical direction (see FIGS. 5A and 6A). As will be described later, the base wall 11 holds the below-described lower arm portions 21 of the plurality of terminals 20 in an array by integral molding, with the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) as the terminal array direction. At the rear end of the base wall 11, a space 11A is formed in the middle region including the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction, the space 11A being recessed forward (X1 side) from both end regions. The connection portion 27 of the terminal 20 is arranged. Further, the upper surfaces of the rear end portions of the base wall 11 in the both side end regions are inclined upward as they go forward, and the lower guide surface 11B for guiding the flat conductor F to the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10. Is formed as.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the base wall 11, at a position corresponding to both side edges of the flat conductor F in the connector width direction, a movable member-side protruding portion 33 of a movable member 30 described later is arranged in the front-back direction. An open portion 11C that penetrates the base wall 11 in the vertical direction and is open in the same direction is formed over the range including the same (see also FIG. 6A). As shown in FIG. 6A, the open portion 11C extends in the front-rear direction from a position of a front surface of a guide portion 14C, which will be described later, of the housing-side protrusion 14 from a position on a movable member-side protrusion 33, which will be described later, of the movable member 30. Is formed over a range to the position in front of the front surface of the. That is, as shown in FIG. 6A, the open portion 11C is located between the front surface of the guide portion 14C of the housing-side protruding portion 14 and the regulated portion 33A of the movable member-side protruding portion 33, which will be described later, in the front-rear direction. Is formed in a range including the gap P1.

The side wall 12 stands up from the upper surface of the base wall 11 and extends in the front-rear direction over the entire area of the base wall 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the front wall 13 stands up from the upper surface of the base wall 11 at the front end sides of both side edges of the base wall 11 in the connector width direction, and the inner wall surface (connector width The inner wall surface is perpendicular to the direction). The front wall 13 is located in a range that overlaps the receiving portion 15 in the vertical direction, and is located in a range that overlaps both side edge portions of the flat conductor F in the connector width direction. The rear surface 13A can come into contact with the front end edges of the ears F2 formed on both side edges of the flat conductor F (see FIG. 10B).

Further, the housing-side protrusion 14 protrudes inward in the connector width direction from the inner wall surface of the upper portion of the side wall 12 at a position on the rear end side of the side wall 12. The housing-side protruding portion 14 is located in a range overlapping with both side edges of the flat conductor F in the connector width direction in the connector width direction. Further, the housing-side protruding portion 14 is located above the receiving portion 15 in the vertical direction, and is located in front of the lower guide surface 11B of the base wall 11 in the front-back direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing-side protruding portion 14 includes an accommodation portion 14A (see also FIG. 6A) that accommodates a regulated portion 33A of the movable member 30, which will be described later, and an upper portion of the regulated portion 33A. It has a restricting portion 14B for restricting the movement toward a predetermined amount or more and a guide portion 14C for guiding the flat conductor F to the receiving portion 15 in the process of inserting the flat conductor F.

The accommodating portion 14A has a shape in which the lower portion of the front portion of the housing-side protruding portion 14 is cut out, and forms a space that is open forward (X1 direction) and downward (Z2 direction). The regulation portion 14B is located above the accommodation portion 14A, and the lower surface of the regulation portion 14B faces the upper surface of the regulated portion 33A of the movable member 30. The guide portion 14C is located rearward (in the X2 direction) of the housing portion 14A, and the lower surface of the rear portion of the guide portion 14C has an upper guide surface 14C-1 for guiding the flat conductor F to the receiving portion 15. (See FIG. 6A). As shown in FIG. 6A, the upper guide surface 14C-1 is an inclined surface that inclines downward as it goes forward.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the terminal 20 is formed by bending a strip-shaped rolled metal plate formed by punching out a rolled metal plate in the plate thickness direction. The terminal 20 has a dimension in the connector width direction (Y-axis direction) in the terminal width direction, that is, in a posture in which a smooth plate surface (rolled surface) is parallel to the connector width direction. There is. As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal 20 includes a lower arm portion 21 as a first arm portion extending in the front-rear direction, a front folding portion 22 folded at the front end of the lower arm portion 21, and a lower arm portion 21. The upper arm portion 23 as a second arm portion that extends rearward from the front folding portion 22 above, the rear folding portion 24 folded at the rear end of the upper arm portion 23, and the lower arm portion 21 in the vertical direction. An elastic arm portion 25 as a third arm portion that extends forward from the rear folding portion 24 between the upper arm portion 23 and the upper arm portion 23, and a transition portion 26 that extends downward and rearward from the rear end of the lower arm portion 21. It has a connecting portion 27 that extends further rearward from the transition portion 26 and a fixing portion 28 that is cut and raised downward at a position near the front end of the lower arm portion 21 (see also FIG. 5A).

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5A, the lower arm portion 21 extends in the front-rear direction along the upper surface of the base wall 11 of the housing 10 and is held on the base wall 11 by integral molding. There is. The lower arm portion 21 is embedded in the base wall 11 except for the front end side portion thereof, and the upper surface of the lower arm portion 21 is located at the same height as the upper surface of the base wall 11. It is exposed from 11. The front end portion of the lower arm portion 21 is exposed from the housing 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower arm portion 21 has a middle position in the front-rear direction (X axis direction) and a center position in the terminal width direction (Y axis direction). A pressing protrusion 21A protruding from the upper surface is formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the pressing protrusion 21A is located so as to face a contact portion 25A of the elastic arm 25, which will be described later. The vertical distance between the pressing protrusion 21A and the contact portion 25A is smaller than the thickness of the flat conductor F. Therefore, when the flat conductor F is completely inserted, the flat conductor F is pinched by the lower arm portion 21 and the contact portion 25A, and the contact pressure between the contact portion 25A and the circuit portion of the flat conductor F is reduced. It can be raised (see FIG. 10(A)). The pressing protrusion 21A is formed by, for example, an extrusion process.

The front turn-back portion 22 has a terminal width dimension (dimension in the connector width direction) slightly smaller than that of the lower arm portion 21 and extends in a substantially horizontal U-shape that opens rearward. It connects with the front end of 23. As will be described later, the front folding portion 22 is elastically deformed in the plate thickness direction and the upper arm portion 23 is displaced in the vertical direction, so that the movable member 30 holding the upper arm portion 23 is placed between the closed position and the open position. It has become possible to move around. In the present embodiment, the movable member 30 is in the closed position when the front turnback portion 22 is in the free state (see FIG. 5A).

The upper arm portion 23 has the same terminal width dimension as the front turn-back portion 22, extends in the front-rear direction along the lower surface of the movable member 30 as shown in FIG. 5(A), and is integrally molded with the movable member 30. Is held. The upper arm portion 23 is embedded in the movable member 30, and the lower surface of the upper arm portion 23 is located at the same height as the lower surface of the movable member 30 and is exposed from the movable member 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rear folding portion 24 has a terminal width dimension smaller than that of the upper arm portion 23 and extends in a substantially horizontal U shape that is open to the front. The rear end of the portion 25 is connected (see also FIG. 5A). The elastic arm portion 25 extends forward with the same terminal width dimension as the rear folding portion 24, and due to the elastic deformation of the rear folding portion 24, the rear folding portion 24 serves as a fulcrum in the vertical direction, that is, the plate thickness of the elastic arm portion 25. It can be displaced in any direction. At the front end side portion of the elastic arm portion 25, a contact portion 25A protruding downward just above the pressing protrusion portion 21A of the lower arm portion 21 is bent so that the front end side portion is bent so as to be convexly curved downward. Has been formed. The elastic arm portion 25 comes into contact with the circuit portion of the flat conductor F with a contact pressure by the contact portion 25A under the elastically displaced state (see FIG. 10A).

The transition portion 26 has a terminal width dimension smaller than that of the lower arm portion 21 (see FIG. 4 ), and extends downward from the rear end of the lower arm portion 21 and extends rearward as shown in FIG. There is. The transition portion 26 is embedded and held in the base wall 11 by integral molding so that the entire peripheral surface thereof is covered by the base wall 11 of the housing 10. The connecting portion 27 has the same width dimension as the transition portion 26, extends rearward from the rear end surface of the base wall 11, and is located in the space 11A as seen in FIG. 5(A) (FIG. 1). See also). The lower surface of the connecting portion 27 is located at the same height or lower as the lower surface of the housing 10 (see FIG. 5A), and is soldered to a corresponding circuit portion (not shown) on the mounting surface of the circuit board. It has become so.

The fixing portion 28 is formed by cutting and raising the front end side portion of the lower arm portion 21 downward in the center region in the terminal width direction (Y-axis direction). The fixing portion 28 forms a strip extending from the lower side to the front side, and the lower surface thereof is located at the same height or lower as the lower surface of the housing 10 (see FIG. 5(A)). It is adapted to be soldered and fixed to a corresponding portion (not shown) of the surface.

The movable member 30 has a closed position (refer to FIG. 1) as a first position in which the movable member 30 is in a posture extending along the front-rear direction when viewed in the connector width direction due to the elastic deformation of the front folded portion 22 of the terminal 20, Between the movable member 30 and the open position (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) that is the second position in which the rear end of the movable member 30 is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction so as to be located above the front end. It is movable.

As shown in FIG. 1, which shows the movable member 30 in the closed position, the movable member 30 has a substantially plate shape extending in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) and the connector width direction (Y-axis direction). As shown in FIG. 1, the movable member 30 is located between the pair of side walls 12 of the housing 10 in the connector width direction, and the front end of the movable member 30 is closer to the front end of the housing 10 in the front-back direction. Is also located in the front, and the rear end of the movable member 30 is located within the range of the housing-side protruding portion 14 of the housing 10. Further, the movable member 30 is located at substantially the same height as the housing-side protruding portion 14 in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the movable member 30 includes a main body 31 located within the range of the housing 10 when viewed in the vertical direction, an operation portion 32 projecting forward of the housing 10, and a main body 31. It has movable member side projections 33 that project outward in the connector width direction from both side surfaces in the connector width direction (surfaces located at both ends in the connector width direction) (see also FIG. 3). .. The operation portion 32 is a portion that receives a lock release operation when the flat conductor F is pulled out. Specifically, when the flat conductor F is pulled out, the operation portion 32 of the movable member 30 in the closed position (see FIGS. 10A and 10B, etc.) applies a pressing operation force for unlocking operation. When received from above, the movable member 30 is brought to the open position (see FIGS. 9A and 9B). In this way, when the movable member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position, the movable member 30 is lifted up around the front end side portion of the main body 31 when viewed in the connector width direction. Rotate.

The movable member-side protruding portion 33 is located in a range overlapping with the housing-side protruding portion 14 of the housing 10 and both side edge portions of the flat conductor F in the connector width direction. The movable member side protrusion 33 is connected at its upper portion to the main body 31 of the movable member 30, and when the movable member 30 is in the closed position, the upper portion is vertically arranged with respect to the housing side protrusion 14. It is located so as to overlap (see FIG. 6A). Further, the lower portion of the movable member-side protruding portion 33 extends below the main body portion 31 of the movable member 30 in the closed position and is positioned inside the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10 (see FIG. 6A). ..

The movable member-side protruding portion 33 has a regulated portion 33A that is restricted in movement from the regulating portion 14B of the housing-side protruding portion 14, and an inclined portion that abuts the front end of the flat conductor F during the insertion process of the flat conductor F. 33B and a locking portion 33C for preventing the inserted flat conductor F from being pulled out.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the regulated portion 33A is formed in the rear portion of the upper portion of the movable member side protrusion 33 and is accommodated in the accommodation portion 14A of the housing side protrusion 14. As shown in FIG. 6(A), the rear surface of the regulated portion 33A forms a gap P1 having a predetermined dimension in the front-rear direction between the rear inner wall surface of the housing portion 14A, that is, the front surface of the guide portion 14C. Face to face. As shown in FIG. 6A, the upper surface of the regulated portion 33A forms a gap P2 of a predetermined dimension in the vertical direction between the upper inner wall surface of the accommodation portion 14A, that is, the lower surface of the regulating portion 14B. Face to face. Movement of the movable member side protrusion 33 between the closed position and the open position is allowed by the gap P1 and the gap P2. In the present embodiment, the entire regulated portion 33A is accommodated in the accommodating portion 14A in the front-rear direction, the connector width direction, and the vertical direction, but instead of this, only a part of the regulated portion 33A is accommodated. You may make it accommodated in the part 14A.

In the present embodiment, the regulated portion 33A of the movable member 30 located inside the housing portion 14A of the housing 10 is positioned to face the regulating portion 14B in the vertical direction, and the movable member 30 is brought to the open position. At this time, the regulated portion 33A comes into contact with the lower surface of the regulation portion 14B (see FIG. 9B). Therefore, the movable member 30 that has reached the open position is restricted from moving further upward (to the side opposite to the closed position in the moving direction of the movable member 30). As a result, the movable member 30 receives an inadvertent external force and moves upward from the open position, so that the front turn-back portion 22 of the terminal 20 is not excessively deformed, and the terminal 20 and the connector 1 are well damaged. To be prevented.

In the present embodiment, the regulated portion 33A contacts the regulating portion 14B when the movable member 30 reaches the open position, but it is not essential that the regulated portion 33A contacts the regulating portion 14B, and the terminal 20 is damaged. It is sufficient that the movement of the movable member 30 upward (on the side opposite to the closed position in the moving direction of the movable member) by a predetermined amount or more is restricted within a range in which the above does not occur. Therefore, a predetermined gap may be formed between the regulated portion 33A and the regulating portion 14B when the movable member 30 reaches the open position. When such a gap is provided, the regulated portion 33A is allowed to move further to the opposite side by the amount of the gap, and further movement is regulated.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the inclined portion 33B is formed behind the lower portion of the movable member-side protruding portion 33, that is, below the regulated portion 33A, and is located inside the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10. ing. The inclined portion 33B has an inclined surface 33B-1 which is inclined downward as it goes forward, and the front end edge of the ear portion F2 of the flat conductor F in the insertion process of the flat conductor F has an inclined surface 33B. By abutting against -1 from the rear, the movable member side protruding portion 33 and thus the movable member 30 are lifted up toward the open position. At this time, the inclined portion 33B guides the flat conductor F forward by the inclined surface 33B-1 and also has a function as a guide portion.

The locking portion 33C is formed in the lower front portion of the movable member-side protruding portion 33, that is, in front of the inclined portion 33B, and is positioned inside the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10. The engagement portion 33C projects into the cutout portion F1 of the flat conductor F when the flat conductor F is completely inserted, and is located behind the ear portion F2 (see FIG. 10B). .. As a result, the locking surface 33C-1 formed on the front surface (the surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction) of the locking portion 33C can be locked from the rear side to the locked portion F2A of the flat conductor F. Inadvertent removal of the flat conductor F is prevented.

In this embodiment, as described above, the one movable member-side protruding portion 33 is provided with the regulated portion 33A, the inclined portion 33B, and the locking portion 33C. That is, the locking portion 33C is formed continuously with the regulated portion 33A and integrally with the regulated portion. By thus forming the locking portion 33C so as to be integrated with the regulated portion 33A, the strength of the locking portion 33C can be improved, so that the flat conductor F and the locked portion F2A. Even if an inadvertent rearward external force acts on the flat conductor F in the locked state, the flat conductor F can be sufficiently prevented from coming off and the detachment of the flat conductor F can be satisfactorily prevented.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the locking portion 33C and the regulated portion 33A of the movable member 30 are formed continuously and integrally by the one movable member-side protruding portion 33. When the strength of the stop portion 33C is sufficiently secured, it is not essential that these are continuously integrated, and they may be formed as separate and independent portions.

The connector 1 having the above configuration is manufactured in the following manner.

In the connector 1, with the plurality of terminals 20 arranged in the mold, the molten electric insulating material is poured into the mold and then solidified to simultaneously mold the housing 10 and the movable member 30. And it is manufactured by holding the terminal 20 by integral molding with the movable member 30.

Prior to further detailed description of the manufacturing process of the connector 1, the shape of a mold used for integral molding will be described.

The mold includes a first upper mold M1 and a second upper mold M2 arranged from above (see FIGS. 5B and 6B, respectively), and a first lower mold arranged from below. M3, the second lower mold M4, the third lower mold M5 (see FIG. 5B respectively) and the fourth lower mold M6 (see FIG. 6B), the front mold M7 arranged from the front ( 5(B) and 6(B)), the rear mold M8 arranged from the rear (see FIGS. 5(B) and 6(B)), the side arranged from the outside in the connector width direction It has a square mold (not shown).

Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the first upper mold and the second upper mold, these molds are generically referred to as “upper mold”, and the first lower mold or the fourth lower mold is referred to. When it is not necessary to distinguish them, these molds are collectively referred to as "lower mold". As shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B, the upper molds M1 and M2 are arranged side by side from the front in the order of the first upper mold M1 and the second upper mold M2. As shown in FIG. 5(B), the lower molds M3, M4, M5 are arranged side by side in the order of a first lower mold M3, a second lower mold M4, and a third lower mold M5 from the front. It Further, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 5B and 6B, the fourth lower mold M6 is located over the range extending in the front-rear direction across the lower molds M3, M4, M5.

As shown in FIG. 5(B), the first upper mold M1 has protrusions protruding from the lower surface of the first upper mold M1 at the intermediate position and the rear end position in the front-rear direction. M1A and a protrusion M1B are provided. As shown in FIG. 5B, the second lower mold M4 is provided with a protrusion M4A that projects from the upper surface of the second lower mold M4.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the fourth lower mold M6 is provided with a protrusion M6A protruding from the upper surface of the fourth lower mold M6 at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction. The protrusion M6A is formed with a recess M6A-1 that is recessed in the shape of the movable member side protrusion 33 from the upper surface, and the front lower insertion portion M6A-2 is formed in front of the recess M6A-1. A rear lower insertion portion M6A-3 is formed at the rear.

As shown in FIG. 6B, a front thin plate portion M7A formed in the rear end portion (end portion on the X2 side) of the front die M7 is formed to be thinner vertically than the other portions of the front die M7. Is provided. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6B, the rear half of the front thin plate portion M7A has a notched upper portion to form a front insertion portion M7A-1 that is thinner than the front half.

As shown in FIG. 7, a rear thin plate portion M8A, which is formed to be thinner in the vertical direction than other portions of the rear mold M8, is provided in a substantially front half portion of the rear mold M8. The rear thin plate portion M8A includes a long plate portion M8A-1 formed in the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction (see also FIG. 5B) and a long plate portion M8A-1 outside the terminal arrangement range. Also has a short plate portion M8A-2 (see also FIG. 6B) formed to be short in the front-rear direction. The long plate portion M8A-1 is provided with a groove-shaped accommodation groove portion M8A-11 extending in the front-rear direction and opening upward and forward at the position of the terminal 20 in the connector width direction.

As shown in FIG. 7, the accommodation groove portion M8A-11 is formed to be able to accommodate the lower half portion of the rear folded portion 24 of the terminal 20 and the elastic portion 25. The accommodation groove portion M8A-11 is formed to have a groove width substantially the same as the rear folded portion 24 of the terminal 20 in the connector width direction and wider than the width dimension of the elastic arm portion 25. Since the accommodation groove portion M8A-11 is formed in the long plate portion M8A-1, the interference between the long plate portion M8A-1 and the rear folding portion 24 of the terminal 20 and the elastic arm portion 25 is avoided. ..

The connector 1 is manufactured in the following manner using the mold having the above configuration. First, the metal plate member is bent in the plate thickness direction to form the plurality of terminals 20. Next, with the plurality of terminals 20 arranged in such a posture that their smooth plate surfaces (rolled surfaces) are parallel to the connector width direction (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the upper die M1, M2, lower molds M3, M4, M5, M6, front mold M7, and rear mold M8 are combined. At this time, at the position of the terminal 20 in the connector width direction, as shown in FIG. 5B, the first upper mold M1, the lower molds M3, M4, M5, and the rear mold M8 are connected to the respective terminals 20. The terminal 20 is held by coming into contact with the plate surface. Specifically, the protrusion M1A of the first upper mold M1 abuts on the upper surface of the front folding portion 22 and the upper surface of the upper arm 23, and the protrusion M1B of the first upper mold M1 contacts the upper surface of the upper arm 23. The first lower mold M3 contacts the lower surface of the lower arm portion 21 of the terminal 20 and the front surface of the front turn-back portion 22, and the protrusion M4A of the second lower mold M4 contacts the lower arm portion 21 of the terminal 20. The lower die abuts on the lower surface of the connecting portion 27 of the terminal 20, the rear die M8 abuts on the lower surface of the rear folding portion 24 of the terminal 20, the upper surface of the lower arm portion 21 and the connecting portion 27. Abut the top surface.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, as shown in FIG. 7, the lower half portion of the rear folding portion 24 and the elastic arm portion 25 are accommodated in the accommodation groove portion M8A-11 of the rear mold M8. (See also FIG. 5B). As a result, the elastic arm portion 25 is accommodated in the closed space surrounded and enclosed by the inner wall surface of the accommodation groove portion M8A-11, the lower surface of the upper arm portion 23 of the terminal 20, and the rear surface of the front turnback portion 22. Therefore, at the time of integral molding, the melted electric insulating material is prevented from flowing into the closed space and adhering to the elastic arm portion 25, and the elastic displacement of the elastic arm portion 25 is prevented after the integral molding. A space for ensuring the space is formed around the elastic arm portion 25.

As shown in FIG. 6B, outside the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction, in other words, at the position corresponding to the locked portion F2A of the flat conductor F, the second upper mold M2 and the front mold are disposed. A space surrounded by the front insertion portion M7A-1 of the mold M7 and the short plate portion M8A-2 of the rear mold M8 is formed as a space for molding the housing-side protruding portion 14. Further, the space surrounded by the protrusion M6A of the fourth lower mold M6 and the front thin plate M7A of the front mold M7, in other words, the recess M6A-1 of the fourth lower mold M6 is defined by the front thin plate M7A. The closed space is formed as a space for molding the movable member side protrusion 33.

In this manner, in a state in which the molds are combined and the terminals are arranged and held, the molten electrical insulating material is injected into the molds and then solidified, so that the housing 10 and the movable member 30 are simultaneously molded, and integrally molded. With this, the lower arm portion 21 and the transition portion 26 of the terminal 20 are held by the base wall 11 of the housing 10, and the upper half portion of the front folding portion 22, the upper arm portion 23, and the upper half portion of the rear folding portion 24 of the terminal 20. Are held by the main body 31 of the movable member 30.

As a result of this integral molding, as shown in FIG. 6B, outside the terminal arrangement range in the connector width direction, the second upper mold M2 and the front insertion portion M7A-1 of the front mold M7 are formed. And the housing-side protruding portion 14 is formed in the space surrounded by the short plate portion M8A-2 of the rear mold M8. Further, the movable member side protrusion 33 is formed in the space surrounded by the protrusion M6A of the fourth lower mold M6 and the front thin plate M7A of the front mold M7.

Next, the upper molds M1 and M2 are moved upward (Z1 direction), the lower molds M3 to M6 are moved downward (Z2 direction), the front mold M7 is moved forward (X1), and the rear mold M8 is moved backward ( Remove it by moving it straight in the X2 direction). As a result, as shown in FIG. 5A, the housing 10 is provided with the receiving portion 15 of the housing 10 at a position corresponding to the rear thin plate portion M8A of the rear mold M8 by removing the rear mold M8. It is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, by removing the fourth lower mold M6, the base wall 11 of the housing 10 is located at a position corresponding to the protrusion M6A of the fourth lower mold M6. The open portion 11C is formed.

As shown in FIG. 6(A), by removing the fourth lower mold M6 and the front mold M7, the housing-side projecting portion 14 can move the housing portion 14A that is opened forward and downward. It is formed in a state in which the regulated portion 33A of the member-side protruding portion 33 is accommodated. At this time, by removing the fourth lower mold M6, a position corresponding to the rear lower insertion portion M6A-3 of the fourth lower mold M6, in other words, the guide portion 14C of the housing side protrusion 14 and the movable member. A gap P1 is formed in the front-rear direction between the side protrusion 33 and the regulated portion 33A. Further, by removing the front mold M7, the position corresponding to the front insertion portion M7A-1 of the front mold M7, in other words, the restriction portion 14B of the housing-side protrusion 14 and the movable member-side protrusion 33 are covered. A gap P2 is formed in the vertical direction between the restriction portion 33A and the restriction portion 33A.

As described above, the connector 1 according to the present embodiment can be manufactured only by holding the terminal 20 with the housing 10 and the movable member 30 by integral molding. Therefore, since the housing 10 and the movable member 30 are formed at the same time, the assembling work of the housing 10 and the movable member 30 is not necessary, and the connector 1 can be easily manufactured in a smaller number of steps than in the past.

Further, in the present embodiment, the accommodation portion 14A of the housing 10 that accommodates the regulated portion 33A of the movable member 30 forms a space that is open toward the front and the bottom as seen in FIG. 6(A). There is. Therefore, in the integral molding that is performed after the bending of the terminal 20, the restricted portion of the movable member 30 is surrounded by the fourth lower mold M6 arranged from below and the front mold M7 arranged from the front. After forming 33A, the fourth lower mold M6 is moved downward and the front mold M7 is moved forward to be removed, whereby the housing portion 14A can be formed in the housing 10. That is, in the present embodiment, even if the terminal 20 is bent and integrally molded, the regulated portion 33A and the accommodating portion 14A can be formed in a state where the regulated portion 33A is accommodated in the accommodating portion 14A. Therefore, the dimension of the regulated portion 33A in the connector width direction, that is, the size of the range in which the regulated portion 14B of the housing 10 can abut is made sufficiently large, and the regulated portion 14B has an excess of the regulated portion 33A. Movement can be regulated more reliably.

Next, the connecting operation between the connector 1 and the flat conductor F will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a view immediately before inserting the flat conductor F, FIG. 9 is an inserting process of inserting the flat conductor F, and FIG. 10 is a plane perpendicular to the connector width direction (XZ in a state where the flat conductor F is completely inserted. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 taken along a plane), in which (A) shows a cross section at the position of the terminal 20 and (B) shows a cross section at the positions of the housing-side protruding portion 14 and the movable member-side protruding portion 33. Shows.

First, the connecting portion 27 of the terminal 20 of the connector 1 is soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board (not shown), and the fixing portion 28 of the terminal 20 is soldered to the corresponding portion of the circuit board. The connector 1 is attached to the circuit board by soldering the connecting portion 27 and the fixing portion 28.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the flat conductor F is provided on the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown) behind the connector 1 with the movable member 30 in the closed position. It is positioned so as to extend in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) (see also FIG. 1). Next, the flat conductor F is inserted forward into the receiving portion 15 of the connector 1 (in the X1 direction).

In the process of inserting the flat conductor F into the receiving portion 15, the front end of the ear portion F2 of the flat conductor F has the inclined surface 33B-1 of the inclined portion 33B formed on the movable member side protrusion 33 of the movable member 30. (See FIG. 8B). The movable member 30 receives the upward component force of the contact force with the flat conductor F at the inclined surface 33B-1, so that the movable member 30 is elastically deformed at the front turn-back portion 22 of the terminal 20 and is in the open position. It also rises toward. Further, further insertion of the flat conductor F toward the front is allowed, and as shown in FIG. 9B, the ear portion F2 of the flat conductor F is located directly below the locking portion 33C of the movable member side protrusion 33. The movable member 30 is lifted to the open position by pushing up the lower surface of the locking portion 33C at the position. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the amount of elastic deformation of the front turn-back portion 22 of the terminal 20 becomes maximum, and the movement of the movable member 30 to the open position is allowed.

When the flat conductor F is further inserted, the front end of the flat conductor F comes into contact with the contact portion 25A of the elastic arm portion 25 of the terminal 20 and the contact portion 25A as shown in FIG. 10(A). By pushing up, the elastic arm portion 25 is elastically displaced upward. Then, as shown in FIG. 10B, the front end of the ear portion F2 of the flat conductor F comes into contact with the rear surface 13A of the front wall 13 of the housing 10 to complete the insertion of the flat conductor F. As shown in FIG. 10A, even when the insertion of the flat conductor F is completed, the elastic arm portion 25 of the terminal 20 remains elastically displaced. As a result, the contact portion 25A is kept in contact with the connection circuit portion (not shown) exposed on the upper surface of the flat conductor F with a contact pressure. Further, the lower arm portion 21 of the terminal 20 is formed with a pressing protrusion 21A facing the contact portion 25A, and by pressing the lower surface of the flat conductor F from below, it cooperates with the contact portion 25A. Since the flat conductor F is clamped (see FIG. 10(A)), a good contact state between the contact portion 25A and the connection circuit portion can be more reliably ensured.

Further, when the flat conductor F is further inserted from the position shown in FIG. 9B and the ear F2 passes the position of the movable member side protrusion 33, as shown in FIG. The front folded-back portion 22 of 20 becomes free, the movable member 30 returns to the closed position, and the locking portion 33C of the movable-member-side protruding portion 33 projects into the cutout portion F1 of the flat conductor F. As a result, the locked portion F2A of the flat conductor F is positioned in front of the locking surface 33C-1 of the locking portion 33C so as to be locked to the locking surface 33C-1, and to the rear of the flat conductor F. Is prevented from being extracted. Note that it is not essential that the front turn-back portion 22 of the terminal 20 returns to a completely free state. For example, when the front turn-back portion 22 has a slight elastic deformation amount, the locking portion 33C of the flat conductor F does not. A configuration may be employed in which the protrusion F is inserted into the notch F1 and is positioned so as to be locked with the locked portion F2A.

10A and 10B, that is, when the flat conductor F in the connected state with the connector 1 is intentionally pulled out from the connector 1, the movable member 30 in the closed position is removed. The operating portion 32 is pressed from above to bring it to the open position shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B). As shown in FIG. 9B, when the movable member 30 is in the open position, the locking portion 33C of the movable member 30 is located above the cutout portion F1 of the flat conductor F upward. That is, the locked state of the locking portion 33C with respect to the locked portion F2A of the flat conductor F is released, and the flat conductor F is allowed to be pulled out rearward. When the flat conductor F is pulled rearward in this state, the flat conductor F can be easily pulled out from the connector 1.

1 Connector 15 Receiving Section 10 Housing 20 Terminal 11 Base Wall 21 Lower Arm (First Arm)
11C open part 23 upper arm part (second arm part)
12 Side wall 25 Elastic arm (third arm)
14 Housing Side Projection Part (Projection Part) 30 Movable Member 14A Housing Part 33A Regulated Part 14B Restriction Part F Flat Conductor 14C Guide Part P1, P2 Gap

Claims (4)

A flat conductor is removably connected in the longitudinal direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat conductor, and the width direction of the flat conductor is the connector width direction, and the connector thickness is the direction perpendicular to both the front-back direction and the connector width direction. An electrical connector for a flat conductor having a direction,
A housing having a receiving portion formed as an open space into which the flat conductor can be inserted forward, and a movable member provided on one side of the receiving portion in the connector thickness direction and movable with respect to the housing. And a plurality of metal plates made of a metal plate that are bent in the plate thickness direction and are held in the housing and the movable member by integral molding in a posture in which the smooth plate surface is parallel to the connector width direction. Equipped with
When viewed in the connector width direction, the movable member has a first position in which the movable member extends in the front-rear direction, and a rear end of the movable member is positioned on the one side in the connector thickness direction with respect to a front end. In the electrical connector for a flat conductor, which is movable between the second position and the second position which is inclined with respect to the front-back direction,
The housing is positioned on the other side, which is opposite to the one side with respect to the receiving portion in the connector thickness direction, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the connector thickness direction. A pair of side walls standing upright toward the one side in the connector thickness direction at both end positions of the base wall, and a flat type in the connector width direction protruding inward from the wall surface of the pair of side walls in the connector width direction. And a projecting portion positioned in a range overlapping with both side edge portions of the conductor in the connector width direction, the receiving portion is formed between the pair of side walls,
The movable member has a regulated portion that is restricted in movement from the housing,
The projecting portion forms a space that is open toward the other side in the front and connector thickness directions, and accommodates at least a part of the regulated portion, and the accommodating portion in the connector thickness direction from the accommodating portion. Is located on one side as well, and a regulating portion that can abut the regulated portion so as to regulate the movement of the movable member from the second position toward the one side by a predetermined amount or more, and than the accommodating portion. And a guide portion located at the rear for guiding the flat conductor to the receiving portion,
The regulated portion is located at a gap between the regulated portion and the guide portion of the housing at the first position,
The base wall has an open portion opened in the connector thickness direction at a position corresponding to the gap between the regulated portion and the guide portion. connector. The movable member has a locking portion that locks from the rear with respect to the locked portion formed on the flat conductor when the movable member is in the first position and prevents the flat conductor from being pulled out. Cage,
The electrical connector for a flat conductor according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is formed continuously with the regulated portion and integrally with the regulated portion. The terminal is a first arm portion that extends in the front-rear direction along the base wall, and is folded back at the front end of the first arm portion and is rearward on the one side in the connector thickness direction with respect to the first arm portion. A second arm portion extending toward the front end, and a connector thickness that is folded back at the rear end of the second arm portion and extends forward between the first arm portion and the second arm portion in the connector thickness direction. Has a third arm portion that is elastically displaceable in a direction,
The third arm portion has a smaller dimension in the connector width direction than the second arm portion, and includes a contact portion capable of contacting the flat conductor under the elastic displacement of the third arm portion. The electrical connector for a flat conductor according to claim 1 or 2, which is provided. A flat conductor is removably connected in the longitudinal direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat conductor, and the width direction of the flat conductor is the connector width direction, and the connector thickness is the direction perpendicular to both the front-back direction and the connector width direction. A method for manufacturing an electrical connector for a flat conductor having a direction, comprising:
A housing having a receiving portion formed as an open space into which the flat conductor can be inserted forward, and a movable member provided on one side of the receiving portion in the connector thickness direction and movable with respect to the housing. And a plurality of metal plates made of a metal plate that are bent in the plate thickness direction and are held in the housing and the movable member by integral molding in a posture in which the smooth plate surface is parallel to the connector width direction. Equipped with
When viewed in the connector width direction, the movable member has a first position in which the movable member extends in the front-rear direction, and a rear end of the movable member is positioned on the one side in the connector thickness direction with respect to a front end. In the method for manufacturing a flat conductor electric connector that is movable between a second position that is inclined with respect to the front-back direction as described above,
A metal plate member is bent in the plate thickness direction to form a plurality of terminals,
The plurality of terminals were arranged in a mold so that the smooth plate surfaces of the terminals were parallel to the connector width direction, and the connector width direction was the array direction, and melted in the mold. After the electric insulating material is injected and then solidified, the housing and the movable member having the regulated portion whose movement is regulated by the housing are molded, and the terminal is partially exposed. The other part of the terminal is held by the housing and the movable member by integral molding,
Due to the solidification of the electrical insulating material, the housing is located on the other side of the housing, which is opposite to the one side with respect to the receiving portion in the connector thickness direction, and spreads at right angles to the connector thickness direction. The base wall, a pair of side walls standing upright toward the one side in the connector thickness direction at both end positions of the base wall in the connector width direction, and protruding inward in the connector width direction from the wall surfaces of the pair of side walls. Protrusions that are positioned with overlapping ranges in the connector width direction are formed on both side edges of the flat conductor in the connector width direction, and the protrusions are formed in the connector thickness direction more than the regulated portion. A regulating portion located on one side and capable of contacting the regulated portion so as to regulate movement of the movable member from the second position toward the one side by a predetermined amount or more; Forming a guide portion located at the rear for guiding the flat conductor to the receiving portion,
While removing the mold, the protruding portion is provided with a housing portion that forms a space open toward the other side in the front and connector thickness directions and that houses at least a part of the regulated portion. An electrical connector for a flat conductor, characterized in that an opening portion opened in the connector thickness direction is formed in the base wall at a position corresponding to the gap between the regulated portion and the guide portion. Manufacturing method.

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