JP3316747B2 - Electrical connector for FPC - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an FPC, an FFC,
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for an FPC which can connect a flat flexible cable generally referred to as the like (in this specification, these are collectively referred to simply as “FPC”).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an FPC in which a connection end portion can be inserted with a zero insertion force (ZIF) when connecting the FPC.
The electrical connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals arranged side by side on the insulating housing at a predetermined pitch, and a rotating cover having a pressing portion for pressing the FPC toward a contact portion of the terminal. It is configured to include (e.g., JP-a-8-50968, JP-real fair 4-3
No. 3671).

[0003] By rotating the rotating cover to the non-pressing position, the insertion opening of the FPC formed in the insulating housing is opened, and the FPC is opened.
Insert the connection end of the PC to the vicinity of the contact portion of the terminal under zero insertion force, and then rotate the rotating cover to the pressing position, and press the rotating cover through the pressing portion provided on the rotating cover. FP
C is pressed toward the contact portion of the terminal.

[0004]

In the conventional electrical connector for an FPC having the above-described structure, the rotation area of the rotation cover extends over a wide area inside and outside the insulating housing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a space for the rotation of the rotating cover outside the insulating housing. That is, when this type of FPC electrical connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, the side of the insulating housing should be left open without placing other electronic components and the like close to each other. The mounting area increases,
There were problems with effective use of the printed circuit board surface and high-density mounting. In particular, when trying to reduce the height of the insulating housing, the portion of the rotating cover that protrudes outside the insulating housing reaches near the surface of the printed circuit board, so it is difficult to reduce the height. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an FPC electrical connector having a structure in which a substantial mounting area on a printed circuit board can be reduced and the height of the FPC is not hindered. It is intended to be.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electric connector for an FPC according to the present invention having the above-mentioned object has a pivot portion for pivoting a pivot cover disposed on an insertion port side of the FPC. The cover is configured such that the back side of the shaft support moves above the insulating housing.

In other words, the present invention provides a rotary housing having an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals arranged side by side at a predetermined pitch on the insulating housing, and a pressing portion for pressing the FPC toward a contact portion of the terminal. and a cover, the pivot
The cover is facing the insulating housing on the insertion port side of the FPC
Pivotally supported, viewed from the insertion port side of the FPC,
The back side of the shaft support follows the circular locus above the insulating housing
As well as the insulation housing extending from the insertion port side to the back side.
FPC electricity that can be rotated within the width of the housing
In the connector, each of the terminals is insulated housing
Terminal receiving cavity formed above the bottom wall on the insertion port side of the FPC
Along the bottom of the insulated housing
Extends and has a cantilevered tip with the tip facing the FPC insertion slot.
Tact piece and this contact piece with FPC receiving part sandwiched
Cantilever that extends in opposition and has its tip facing the FPC insertion slot
Having a substantially U-shaped portion with
The pivot cover is a book that fits in the terminal receiving cavity.
A body part and a concave arc formed inside the tip part of the pressing support piece
A press cam that engages with the engagement member.
Move the bar from the back of the insulating housing to the insertion port of the FPC.
And the rotating cover is approximately
When the FPC is turned to the vertical insertion position,
The pressing support piece of the terminal was exposed outside the insulating housing
And the tip of the pressing cam and the contact piece
The distance between the contact and the contact part formed in the FPC is the thickness of the FPC.
And the insertion of the FPC with zero insertion force
And the FPC can be contacted from the FPC slot.
And inserted into the FPC receiving portion between the
Rotate the cover from the FPC insertion port side of the insulating housing to the back.
To the FPC connection position
The main body is housed in the terminal receiving cavity and
Contact formed at the tip of the pressing cam and contact piece
The distance between the FPC and the FPC becomes narrower than the thickness of the FPC,
Press the FPC toward the contact part with the pressing cam
Pressing part is formed, and the FPC conductor and terminal
The connection of the contact part is made by the contact on which the contact part is formed.
The contact piece and the concave arc-shaped engaging portion that engages with the pressing cam
It is characterized in that it is performed by the elasticity of the formed pressing support piece.
This is an electrical connector for FPC.

In the FPC electrical connector of the present invention having the above-described structure, the rotation area of the rotation cover is limited to the FPC.
Is located in the width region of the insulating housing extending from the insertion port to the back side, so that the rotating cover does not protrude beyond the insertion port side of the insulating housing or outside of the back side during the rotation. Can be. Further, it is possible to reduce the height of the insulating housing without considering the rotation area of the rotation cover.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 3 are perspective views of an FPC electrical connector (hereinafter, also simply referred to as an “electric connector”) 1 of the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state in which an FPC (not shown) in which the rotating cover 2 has been rotated above the insulating housing 3 is inserted, and FIGS.
FPC in which the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3
This is the state at the time when the connection has been completed.

The electrical connector 1 includes an insulating housing 3 and
A plurality of terminals 4 are arranged side by side at a predetermined pitch on the insulating housing 3 and the rotating cover 2 rotatably provided on the insulating housing 3. The rotating cover 2 and the insulating housing 3 are formed of insulating plastics, and the terminals 4 are formed by punching a thin metal plate.

The insulating housing 3 has a left front side in FIGS. 1 and 2 as an insertion port 5 of an FPC to be connected, and a terminal fixing portion 7 is formed at the center of a rear side 6 behind the insertion port 5. is there. In this specification, the direction from the insertion port 5 to the back side 6 is defined as the width direction, and the direction orthogonal to the width direction is defined as the longitudinal direction.

On both sides of the insulating housing 3 in the longitudinal direction, cover supporting pieces 8 having a reverse L-shaped cross section are provided like cantilever arms toward the direction of the insertion opening 5 (ie, forward). The cover support piece 8 extends to near the tip of the bottom wall 9 that forms the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3. A plurality of terminal mounting grooves 10 are formed on the bottom wall 9 at a predetermined pitch so as to be able to receive a contact piece or the like of the terminal 4 whose structure will be described below. Terminal mounting groove 1
0 is the terminal mounting groove 1 toward the terminal fixing portion 7.
An engagement groove 11 that communicates with 0 is formed. The insertion port 5 side from the terminal fixing portion 7 above the bottom wall 9 is a terminal receiving cavity 12, and the F to be connected to the terminal receiving cavity 12.
The connection end of the PC can be inserted from the insertion port 5 side.

The rotating cover 2 extends from the rectangular plate-shaped main body 13 sized to fit between the cover support pieces 8 to the side of the terminal fixing portion 7 toward the back side 6. The operation arm piece 14 has a shape provided in a square shape. Cylindrical bosses 15 protrude from both sides of the main body 13 on the side of the insertion port 5, and the bosses 15 are formed in circular holes (not shown) formed inside the cover support piece 8 on the side of the insertion port 5. It is fitted in. The pivoting mechanism of the rotating cover 2 is configured by engagement between the cylindrical inner wall surface of the circular hole and the cylindrical outer wall surface of the boss 15, and the rotating cover 2 is formed by a pivoting mechanism configured near the insertion opening 5. It is rotatable around the shaft support. It is also possible to provide a configuration in which a circular hole is provided on the rotation cover 2 side and a columnar boss is provided on the cover support piece 8 side. Due to the rotation of the rotating cover 2, the back side 6 of the rotating cover 2 with respect to the shaft support mechanism,
It moves between the state shown in FIG. 1 and the state shown in FIG. 2 along a circular locus above the insulating housing 3.

The main body 13 constituting the rotating cover 2 includes:
A terminal receiving groove 16 is formed so as to match the position of the terminal mounting groove 10 formed on the bottom wall 9 of the insulating housing 3.

The shape of the terminal 4 is shown in FIGS. That is, a cantilevered contact piece 17 extending along the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 and a pressing support piece 19 extending cantilevered opposite the contact piece 17 with the FPC receiving portion 18 interposed therebetween. It has a portion formed in a shape. Further, an extension base piece 20 is formed on the extension of the contact piece 17, and an engagement piece 21 is provided upright on an upper intermediate portion of the extension base piece 20, and formed on the terminal fixing portion 7 of the insulating housing 3. The engagement groove 11 fits and engages. A solder tail 22 is formed below the end of the extension base piece 20.

The terminal 4 can be mounted in the terminal mounting groove 10 of the insulating housing 3 from the bottom surface 3a side. When the engagement piece 21 protruding from the extension base piece 20 is attached so as to be engaged with the engagement groove 11 of the terminal fixing part 7, the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 are arranged in the terminal receiving cavity 12. The FPC receiving portion 18 between the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 opens to the insertion port 5 of the insulating housing 3. Also, Solder Tail 22
Extends substantially flush with the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 and extends rearward. The contact piece 17 and the extension base piece 20 are arranged such that their lower edges float slightly above the bottom surface 3a.

A contact portion 17a is formed on the upper edge of the contact piece 17 so as to protrude. The distal end portion of the pressing support piece 19 is formed in a crank shape facing upward, and has a concave arcuate engagement formed of a substantially 1/4 arc so as to face the contact portion 17a at a bent portion thereof. A part 23 is formed. The pressing support piece 19 formed as described above is accommodated in the terminal receiving groove 16 formed in the rotating cover 2.

As shown best in FIG. 4, a pressing cam 24 adapted to engage with the concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 in the terminal receiving groove 16 of the rotating cover 2 which has received the pressing supporting piece 19. Are provided coaxially with the boss 15, that is, on the center axis of the shaft support mechanism. The pressing cam 24, the outer surface is convex arcuate surface 25 and formed of a cross-section straight Tan Taira surface formed in a circular arc cross sectional 26
And the direction of the flat surface 26 is set in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main body 13 of the rotating cover 2.

The FPC electrical connector 1 configured as described above is mounted on, for example, a printed circuit board (not shown), and the solder tail 22 of the terminal 4 is electrically connected to a circuit in the printed circuit board. Used by soldering to the pad. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the L-shaped members appearing on both sides of the insulating housing 3 on the side of the insertion opening 5 are metal reinforcing brackets 27.
It is. The reinforcing metal fitting 27 can also be soldered to a land formed on the surface of the printed circuit board, or fixed to the printed circuit board by an appropriate fixing means such as a screw to reinforce the mounting strength.

The connection of the FPC to the electric connector 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotating cover 2 is rotated outward so as to be substantially perpendicular to the insulating housing 3. This operation can be performed by pulling up the operation arm piece 14. When the rotating cover 2 is rotated in this manner, the pressing cam 24 also has the flat surface 26 on the contact piece 17.
It turns so that it may face.

The distance between the flat surface 26 of the pressing cam 24 and the contact portion 17a of the contact piece 17 is set substantially equal to the thickness of the FPC to be connected. Therefore, FPC
Can be inserted into the FPC receiving portion 18 between the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 through the insertion port 5 with zero insertion force. By inserting the connection end of the FPC, the conductive wire exposed on the lower surface of the connection end and the contact portion 17a face each other in a one-to-one relationship.

After the connection end of the FPC is inserted in this manner, the connection is completed by rotating the rotating cover 2 toward the insulating housing 3 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. can do. This operation can also be performed via the operation arm piece 14 of the rotating cover 2. When the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3, the pressing cam 24 is also rotated so that the flat surface 26 faces the insertion port 5 (see FIG. 4), and one side of the convex arc-shaped surface 25 is the contact piece 17. Contact part 1
It moves to a position facing 7a.

Convex arc-shaped surface 2 facing contact portion 17a
Since the distance between one side of the contact 5 and the contact portion 17a is smaller than the thickness of the connection end of the FPC, the pressing portion 28 can be formed on one side of the convex arc-shaped surface 25. That is, the pressing portion 28 presses the FPC toward the contact portion 17a, and the contact portion 17a and the conductor on the FPC side are electrically engaged. Therefore, the conductor of the FPC is connected to the circuit in the printed circuit board via the terminal 4.

In the connection state in which the rotating cover 2 is rotated toward the insulating housing 3, the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19 are both formed in a cantilever shape, so that each can be elastically deformed. is there. Therefore, the engagement between the contact portion 17a and the conductor of the FPC is backed up by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the elasticity of the pressing support piece 19, and a highly reliable connection can be formed.

Also, the contact portions 17a in the parallel state
Even if the coplanarity of the FPC and the coplanarity of the exposed portion of the conductor of the FPC are insufficient, those defects can be absorbed by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19, and a highly reliable connection state can be ensured. Can be maintained. Further, even when vibrations or shocks are applied from the outside, vibrations and the like can be absorbed by the elasticity of the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece 19, so that a highly reliable connection state can be maintained safely. Can be.

The rotation range of the rotation cover 2 is the range between the state shown in FIG. 1 and the state shown in FIG. That is, the insulating housing 3 extends from the insertion port 5 to the back side 6 of the insulating housing 3.
Is within the width region. Therefore, the rotation cover 2 does not protrude outside the insertion opening 5 of the insulating housing 3 or outside the back side 6 due to the rotation. This means that when the electrical connector 1 is mounted on a printed circuit board, there is no obstacle to the rotation of the rotating cover 2 even if other electronic components are arranged close to the electrical connector 1. .

As a result, an area approximately equal to the area of the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3 may be ensured on the printed circuit board, the actual occupied area is reduced, the effective use of the printed circuit board surface, and high density are achieved. Enable implementation.

The fact that the rotating cover 2 does not protrude beyond the insertion opening 5 of the insulating housing 3 or the outside of the back side 6 due to the rotation can reduce the height of the insulating housing 3 and therefore the electrical connector 1. it is also without Succoth failure in achieving.
This is because it is not necessary to consider a collision between the rotating cover and another electronic component or the like arranged adjacent to the electric connector 1.

[0029]

As described above, according to the FPC electrical connector of the present invention, the rotating cover does not protrude to the outside on the insertion opening side and the outside on the back side of the insulating housing during the rotation. With this configuration, the substantial area occupied by the printed circuit board can be made substantially equal to the bottom area of the insulating housing, and other electronic components and the like can be arranged close to each other. It can contribute to density mounting. Also, since the rotating cover does not protrude outside the insertion port side and the back side of the insulating housing,
The height can be easily reduced.

Further , the engagement between the conductive wire of the FPC and the contact portion formed on the contact piece can be backed up by the elasticity of the contact piece and the elasticity of the pressing support piece. Therefore, the imperfect coplanarity of the plurality of conductors of the FPC and the imperfect coplanarity of the plurality of contact portions can be absorbed, and vibrations and shocks from the outside can be absorbed.
High connection reliability can be ensured.

In addition, since the terminals are mounted from the bottom surface of the insulating housing, the moving stroke of the terminals for mounting can be shortened, and the production efficiency and the production yield can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector for an FPC according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a rotary cover is rotated upward to wait for connection of an FPC.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FPC electrical connector.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an FPC is connected by rotating a rotating cover downward.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 and viewed from the bottom surface side.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FPC electrical connector in the state of FIGS. 2 and 3;

5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FPC electrical connector in the state of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 FPC electrical connector 2 Rotating cover 3 Insulating housing 3a Bottom surface of insulating housing 4 Terminal 5 Insertion port 6 Back side 10 Terminal mounting groove 17 Contact piece 17a Contact part 18 FPC receiving part 19 Press support piece 20 Extension base piece 21 Engagement Piece 22 solder tail 23 concave arc-shaped engaging portion 24 pressing cam 25 convex arc-shaped surface 28 pressing portion

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 12/08 H01R 12/28

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An insulating housing and a plurality of terminals arranged side by side at a predetermined pitch on the insulating housing.
When, and a turning cover 2 having a pressing portion 28 for pressing the FPC toward the contact portion 17a of the terminal 4, before
The rotating cover 2 is insulated at the insertion port 5 side of the FPC.
And is rotatably supported with respect to the connector 3, and the insertion port 5 side of the FPC
As seen from above, the back side 6 of the shaft
It moves upward along a circular locus, and the insertion port 5 side
Can be rotated within the width region of the insulating housing 3 extending from
In the FPC electrical connector 1 having the function , each of the terminals 4 is inserted into the insulating housing 3 by the FPC.
Arranged in a terminal receiving cavity 12 formed above the bottom wall 9 on the mouth 5 side.
And along the bottom surface 3a of the insulating housing 3.
Extends and has a cantilevered tip whose tip faces the insertion port 5 of the FPC.
Contact piece 17 and contact piece 17 receive FPC
Extends oppositely with the part 18 interposed therebetween, and the tip of the FPC is inserted.
Forming a substantially U-shape with a cantilevered pressing support piece 19 facing the mouth 5
And the rotating cover 2 is
A main body 13 that fits in the terminal receiving cavity 12 and the pressing support
A concave arc-shaped engaging portion 23 formed inside the distal end of the piece 19;
And a pressing cam 24 that engages with the rotating cover 2.
From the back side 6 of the insulating housing 3 to the insertion port 5 side of the FPC
And the rotating cover 2 moves with respect to the insulating housing 3.
When it is turned to the FPC insertion position
The pressing support piece 19 of the terminal 4 is
While being exposed to the outside, the pressing cam 24
Contact part 17 formed at the tip of contact piece 17
a is substantially equal to the thickness of the FPC,
Can be inserted with zero insertion force.
To the contact piece 17 and the pressing support piece from the insertion port 5 of the FPC.
19 into the FPC receiving section 18 and rotate the cover.
-2 from the FPC insertion opening 5 side of the insulating housing 3 to the back side
6 and rotate to the FPC connection position
When the body 13 is placed in the terminal receiving cavity 12,
Both are formed at the tip of the pressing cam 24 and the contact piece 17.
The distance between the formed contact portion 17a and the contact portion 17a is the thickness of the FPC.
The FPC by the pressing cam 24
A pressing portion 28 for pressing the contact portion 17a is configured.
And the contact portion 1 of the conductor of the FPC and the terminal 4
7a is connected to the connector on which the contact portion 17a is formed.
A tact piece 17 and a concave arc-shaped engagement engaged with the pressing cam 24
It is operated by the elasticity of the pressing support piece 19 on which the joint portion 23 is formed.
An electrical connector for an FPC. 2. The main body 13 of the rotating cover 2 is rotated.
When the cover 2 is rotated to the connection position of the FPC,
Pressing support piece 19 of terminal 4 disposed in terminal receiving cavity 12
And a terminal receiving groove 16 for receiving the terminal.
4 is the bottom wall of the insulating housing 3
9 is provided in the terminal mounting groove 10.
The FPC electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein 3. The terminal 4 has an extension base piece 20 on the extension of the contact piece 17, and an engagement piece 21 for engaging with the insulating housing 3 on an upper intermediate portion of the extension base piece 20. In addition, a solder tail 22 is provided below the end of the extension base piece 20, and the solder tail 22 is mounted in the terminal mounting groove 10 from the bottom surface 3 a side of the insulating housing 3, and the engaging piece 21 is engaged with the insulating housing 3. The FPC electrical connector according to claim 2.