JP4606614B2 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting a flat flexible cable called FPC, FFC or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, this type of electrical connector includes an insulating housing into which a flat flexible cable is inserted, a plurality of terminals mounted side by side on the insulating housing at a predetermined pitch, contact pads formed on the flat flexible cable, and the terminals. And an actuator for engaging the contacts with a predetermined contact pressure.
[0003]
FIG. 15 shows this type of electrical connector disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2976327. In the figure, 300 is an insulating housing, 301 is a terminal mounted on the insulating housing 300 in a line-up state at a predetermined pitch, and 302 is an actuator provided so as to be rotatable between an open position and a closed position as indicated by an arrow 303. 304 are flat flexible cables (FPC). When the actuator 302 is rotated to the closed position in the figure, the rotation support piece 301 a of the terminal 301 is configured to be pushed upward as indicated by an arrow 303. When the rotation support piece 301a is pushed up, the contact piece 301b branched from the rotation support piece 301a is also lifted as indicated by an arrow 304, and the contact point 301c formed on the upper end edge of the contact piece 301b is connected to the flat flexible cable. The contact pad formed on the lower surface of 304 is pressed and engaged.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the flat flexible cable should be avoided from being twisted when being routed between devices, and is often bent in a U shape between adjacent devices. For this reason, the contact pad formed on one side surface of the flat flexible cable becomes the upper surface or the lower surface of the cable. However, in the electrical connector disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2976327 cited in the above example, the contact is provided facing the lower surface of the flat flexible cable. Therefore, the connection of the flat flexible cable having the contact pad formed on the upper surface is provided. There was a problem that could not cope.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electrical connector suitable for connecting a flat flexible cable having contact pads formed on the upper surface.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention based on the above object is configured such that the contact piece facing the contact pad on the upper surface of the flat flexible cable is drawn toward the lower flat flexible cable side by the rotation of the actuator. .
[0007]
That is, according to the present invention, an insulating housing into which a flat flexible cable is inserted, a plurality of terminals mounted side by side on the insulating housing at a predetermined pitch, a contact pad formed on the flat flexible cable, and a contact between the terminals are predetermined. in the electrical connector and a, and an actuator for engaging with the contact pressure, the actuator, via the rotation support brackets provided between the terminals, it is inserted flat flexible cable insulation housing in that insertion slot, it is rotatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the terminal includes a lower extending along the upper contact piece and a lower surface extending along the upper surface of the flat flexible cable inserted into the insulating housing has a U-shaped contact portion having a contact piece, wherein the pivotal support bracket, along with the lower contact piece along the bottom of the insulating housing Has a building bearing, upon rotating the actuator in the closed position, the actuator is pressed down the lower contact piece of the terminal through a flat flexible cable, flexible upper contact piece of the terminal in accordance with the lower pressure flat cable are attracted to the side, engage with the contacts formed on the upper contact piece is pressed against the contact pads formed on the upper surface of the flat flexible cable, the lower surface of the flat flexible cable on the bearing of the pivot support bracket edges in Ru it is supported.
[0008]
[Action]
According to the electrical connector of the present invention configured as described above, the contact piece extending along the upper surface of the flat flexible cable is drawn toward the flat flexible cable by the rotation of the actuator, and the contact is pressed against the contact pad. Match. As a result, an electrical connector capable of electrical connection with a flat flexible cable having contact pads formed on the upper surface is provided.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
Drawing 1 is a sectional view shown along terminal 2 of electrical connector 1 of an embodiment. The external appearance of the electrical connector 1 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 and FIGS.
[0011]
The electrical connector 1 includes an insulating housing 3 to which the terminal 2 is mounted and an actuator 4. The insulating housing 3 is formed by molding an insulating plastic and has a thin plate shape. On the upper side of the front part (front side in FIGS. 7 and 8), an insertion port 6 is formed so that an FPC 5 that is a flat flexible cable can be inserted, and the actuator 4 is installed in the portion of the insertion port 6. The actuator 4 is also formed by molding an insulating plastic and has a plate shape large enough to close the insertion opening 6.
[0012]
The actuator 4 can be rotated at the insertion port 6 between an open position shown in FIG. 7 and a closed position shown in FIG. The open position is a position where the FPC 5 can be inserted into the insulating housing 3 through the insertion port 6. Further, the closed position is a position where a connection between the inserted FPC 5 and the terminal 2 is formed.
[0013]
The terminal 2 is formed by punching a thin metal plate into a shape as shown in FIG. 1, and a plurality of terminals 2 side by side at a predetermined pitch (for example, 0.5 mm) in the width direction of the insulating housing 3. Is installed. Between these terminals 2, a rotation support bracket 7 (see FIGS. 10, 11, etc.), in which a thin metal plate is similarly punched, is mounted, and the actuator 4 is attached by this rotation support bracket 7. It can be rotated between an open position and a closed position.
[0014]
The terminal 2 is mounted from the bottom surface side of the insulating housing 3 and is provided with a mounting portion 9 that is inserted into and engaged with the mounting hole 8 of the insulating housing 3. A U-shaped contact portion 11 is provided substantially horizontally on one side of the mounting portion 9 via an elastic displacement portion 10, and a solder tail 12 is provided on the other side. The U-shaped contact portion 11 extends in the direction of the insertion port 6 of the insulating housing 3, the upper contact piece 13 extends along the upper surface of the FPC 5 inserted into the insulating housing 3, and the lower contact piece 14 extends along the lower surface of the FPC 5. It is made to extend. The lower contact piece 14 is slightly longer than the upper contact piece 13, and its tip protrudes forward from the tip of the upper contact piece 13 and faces the insertion port 6. A protrusion is formed on the lower edge of the tip of the upper contact piece 13 to serve as a contact 15. A protrusion is also formed on the upper edge of the tip of the lower contact piece 14 to form a contact 16.
[0015]
The solder tail 12 is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the insulating housing 3 and extends outward so that it can be soldered to the surface of a printed circuit board (not shown).
[0016]
Next, the rotation support fitting 7 has a shape as shown in FIGS. The mounting portion 17 is the same as that of the terminal 2 and is mounted from the bottom surface side of the insulating housing 3. A support piece 18 extending from the mounting portion 17 along the bottom of the insulating housing 3 in the direction of the insertion port 6 and aligned with the lower contact piece 14 of the terminal 2 is provided. The distal end portion of the support piece 18 is adjacent to the distal end portion of the lower contact piece 14 of the terminal 2, and the upper edge of the distal end portion is notched so as to be thinner than the base side 18 a. A rotation support piece 20 extending substantially parallel to the support piece 18 is provided via a rising portion 19 branched from the upper edge of the base side 18a of the support piece 18. The rotation support piece 20 includes a base portion 20a extending so as to substantially contact the lower side of the top plate portion 21 of the insulating housing 3, and an engaging portion 20b extending beyond the top plate portion 21 and offset upward. Yes. The engaging portion 20b is substantially opposed to the thinned tip portion of the support piece 18 in the vertical direction.
[0017]
An engagement portion 20b formed at the tip of the rotation support piece 20 is engaged with the actuator 4 to constitute a rotation support portion. That is, a window 22 is formed on the actuator 4 side so as to correspond to the engaging portion 20b. When the actuator 4 is set on the insulating housing 3 on which the rotation support piece 20 is mounted, the engaging portion 20b is It extends over the upper side of the cam 23 on the edge side of the window 22 and extends to the window 22 side.
[0018]
On the lower side of the engaging portion 20b, a concave arc-shaped portion 24 is formed. On the other hand, the cam 23 of the window 22 has an elliptical cross section, and one end is a circular enormous portion 23a. The arcuate portion 24 is engaged. That is, the enormous circular portion 23 a of the cam 23 constitutes the rotating shaft portion of the actuator 4. Thus, the actuator 4 is configured to rotate between the closed position (FIG. 10) and the open position (FIG. 11) using the engaging portion of the concave arc-shaped portion 24 and the circular enormous portion 23a as a rotation fulcrum. When the actuator 4 is in the closed position, the ellipse-shaped cam 23 has a posture in which the circular enormous portion 23a that is the rotation shaft portion is forward (left side in FIGS. 10 and 11) and is inclined obliquely downward toward the rear. It is made to take. When the actuator 4 is in the open position, the cam 23 takes a substantially horizontal posture with the circular enormous portion 23a in the rear.
[0019]
Next, a state when the FPC 5 is connected to the electrical connector 1 of this embodiment will be described.
[0020]
First, as shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 11, the actuator 4 is rotated to the open position, and in this state, the FPC 5 is inserted into the insulating housing 3 from the insertion port 6 of the insulating housing 3. The distance between the contact 15 of the upper contact piece 13 and the contact 16 of the lower contact piece 14 constituting the U-shaped contact portion 11 of the terminal 2 is substantially equal to the thickness of the FPC 5, and the FPC 5 receives insertion resistance. Without insertion with zero insertion force (ZIF). In a state where the FPC 5 has entered between the upper contact piece 13 and the lower contact piece 14 of the terminal 2, the portion of the rotation support fitting 7 disposed between the terminals 2 extends along the bottom of the insulating housing 3. Thus, the supported portion 18 extends along the lower surface of the FPC 5, and the upper edge of the base portion 18 a of the supporting piece 18 is in contact with the lower surface of the FPC 5 and is supported from below.
[0021]
Next, as indicated by an arrow 25 in FIGS. 9 and 11, the actuator 4 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction to the closed position in FIGS. As is clear from the structure shown in FIG. 1, when the actuator 4 is rotated to the closed position, the actuator 4 lowers the tip of the lower contact piece 14 of the terminal 2 via the FPC 5 and displaces it downward. . When the tip of the lower contact piece 14 is displaced downward in this manner, the tip of the upper contact piece 13 is also drawn toward the FPC 5 side following this displacement. That is, the entire U-shaped contact portion 11 is displaced in a direction of bowing downward toward the front. The elastic displacement part 10 of the terminal 2 is provided for this displacement. Therefore, the mounting portion 9 is prevented from being affected by the displacement of the U-shaped contact portion 11 so that the engagement state between the insulating housing 3 and the terminal 2 is not impaired.
[0022]
When the U-shaped contact portion 11 is displaced, the tip end portion of the upper contact piece 13 is drawn toward the lower FPC 5 side, whereas the region of the FPC 5 facing the tip portion is the rotation support bracket 7. Since it is a region that is supported by the upper edge of the base side 18a of the support portion 18 provided at the top, it does not move downward. As a result, the contact 15 formed on the upper contact piece 13 is brought into pressure contact with the contact pad 26 (FIG. 14) formed on the upper surface of the FPC 5 with a contact pressure sufficient for electrical connection, and is highly reliable. A connection is formed.
[0023]
FIG. 14 shows the tip portion of the FPC 5, that is, the portion inserted into the insertion port 6. Contact pads 26 are formed in parallel on the upper surface of the FPC 5 along the longitudinal direction at the same pitch as the parallel pitch of the terminals 2. In the figure, the range of the length L from the tip to the dotted line indicates the range in which the lower surface side reinforcing plate 27 is provided. Of course, a similar contact pad 26 may be formed on the lower surface of the reinforcing plate 27 in the middle, with a two-layer structure in which FPCs are vertically stacked. The contact pad 26 on the lower surface side faces the contact 16 formed at the tip of the lower contact piece 14 of the terminal 2. When the actuator 4 is in the closed position, the tip of the lower contact piece 14 is pressed down via the FPC 5, so that the contact 16 of the lower contact piece 14 and the contact pad 26 on the lower surface of the FPC 5 are also at an appropriate contact pressure. It can be pressed and engaged, and a reliable electrical connection can also be formed here.
[0024]
The characteristics of the electrical connector 1 will be further described with reference to the connection state of the actuator 4 shown in FIG. That is, the rotation support piece 20 cooperating with the circular enlarging portion 23 a that is the rotation shaft portion of the actuator 4 is substantially in contact with the lower surface of the top plate portion 21 of the insulating housing 3. For this reason, when the actuator 4 is rotated to the closed position, the rotation support piece 20 is prevented from being displaced upward. Therefore, the lower pressure and displacement of the FPC 5 by the actuator 4 and the lower pressure and displacement of the tip of the lower contact piece 14 can be reliably performed. As a result, the contact and engagement between the contact 15 (16) and the contact pad 26 are reliable and contribute to the formation of a highly reliable electrical connection.
[0025]
Further, when the actuator 4 is in the closed position, the cam 23 having an oval cross section is inclined obliquely toward the rear. That is, when the actuator 4 is rotated from the open position to the closed position, the cam 23 changes to the illustrated oblique inclination posture through a posture perpendicular to the FPC 5. Therefore, a click feeling can be given immediately before the actuator 4 is in the closed position. In addition, once the actuator 4 is turned to the open position, the actuator 4 has to overcome the resistance of the vertical posture in the rotation toward the open position. Therefore, it is possible to safely maintain the above-described reliable electrical connection state.
[0026]
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, when the actuator 4 is in the open position, the inner surface (upper surface) of the cam 23 that is in the horizontal state is engaged with the tip of the engaging portion 20 b of the rotation support piece 20. Therefore, a rotation stopper toward the open position of the actuator 4 is configured, and the actuator 4 can be stopped at a substantially constant position.
[0027]
Further, the configuration in which the actuator 4 is installed so as to be rotatable between the open position and the closed position via the rotation support fitting 7 installed between the terminals 2 in this way is provided with a rotation support portion on the terminal 2 itself. The height of the electrical connector 1 can be reduced as compared with a configuration in which the rotation support portion is provided on the insulating housing 3 side. In addition, since the rotation support portion is constituted by the metal plate rotation support fitting 7 and the plastic actuator 4, the plastic insulation housing 3 and the actuator 4 constitute the rotation support portion. Compared to it, it can be solid.
[0028]
FIGS. 12 and 13 show a cross section along the terminal 2 and a cross section along the rotation support fitting 7 when the actuator 4 is rotated to the closed position without the FPC 5 being inserted.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the terminal has a U-shaped contact portion including an upper contact piece extending along the upper surface of the flat flexible cable inserted into the insulating housing and a lower contact piece extending along the lower surface. When the actuator is rotated to the closed position, the actuator lowers the lower contact piece via the flat flexible cable, and the upper contact piece is pulled toward the flat flexible cable side according to this lower pressure, Since the formed contact is pressed and engaged with the contact pad formed on the upper surface of the flat flexible cable, an electrical connector suitable for connection of the flat flexible cable having the contact pad formed on the upper surface can be provided.
In addition, the actuator is rotatable between an open position and a closed position through an insertion port into which the flat flexible cable of the insulating housing is inserted via a rotation support fitting provided between the terminals. Since it is a structure, while being able to comprise firmly the rotation support part of an actuator, it can also make the electrical connector low-profile.
[0030]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the contact is also formed on the lower contact piece of the terminal, and is configured to press and engage the contact pad formed on the lower surface of the flat flexible cable by the lower pressure by the actuator. In addition, it is possible to provide an electrical connector suitable for connecting a flat flexible cable having contact pads formed on the lower surface.
[0031]
According to the invention of claim 3, the terminal has a mounting portion that engages with the insulating housing, and the mounting portion and the U-shaped contact portion are continuous via the elastic displacement portion. The U-shaped contact portion is displaced smoothly through the rotation, and the connection with the flat flexible cable can be surely formed, and the engagement between the terminal mounting portion and the insulating housing is impaired by this displacement. Can not be.
[0032]
According to the invention of claim 4, the pivot support metal fitting has the pivot support piece extending along the lower side of the top plate portion of the insulating housing, and is formed on the lower side of the distal end portion of the pivot support piece. Since the rotation shaft portion formed on the actuator is engaged with the concave arc-shaped portion, the rotation shaft portion is prevented from being displaced when the actuator is rotated, and the displacement of the terminal on the U-shaped contact portion side is prevented. Reliable and reliable electrical connection can be reliably formed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electrical connector of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the electrical connector of the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the electrical connector of the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a right side view of the electrical connector of the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the electrical connector according to the embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the electrical connector of the embodiment when the actuator is in an open position.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the electrical connector of the embodiment when the actuator is in a closed position.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3;
10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. FIG.
11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 3. FIG.
12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3 similar to FIG. 1, and is a view showing a state in which an FPC is not inserted.
13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3 similar to FIG. 10, and is a view showing a state in which an FPC is not inserted.
FIG. 14 is a plan view of an end portion of the FPC.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional electrical connector.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Electrical connector 2 Terminal 3 Insulating housing 4 Actuator 5 Flat flexible cable (FPC)
6 Insertion slot 7 Rotating support fitting 9 Terminal mounting portion 10 Elastic displacement portion 11 U-shaped contact portion 13 Upper contact piece 14 Lower contact piece 15 Contact of upper contact piece 16 Contact of lower contact piece 20 Rotation support piece 21 Insulating housing top plate portion 23a Circular enormous part (rotating shaft part)
24 Concave portion 26 FPC contact pad

Claims (4)

An insulating housing into which the flat flexible cable is inserted, a plurality of terminals mounted side by side at a predetermined pitch on the insulating housing, a contact pad formed on the flat flexible cable, and a contact of the terminal with a predetermined contact pressure An electrical connector comprising an actuator for engagement;
The actuator is rotatable between an open position and a closed position at an insertion port into which a flat flexible cable of an insulating housing is inserted via a rotation support fitting provided between the terminals.
The terminal has a U-shaped contact portion having an upper contact piece extending along the upper surface of a flat flexible cable inserted into the insulating housing and a lower contact piece extending along the lower surface,
The pivot support metal fitting has a support portion extending along the bottom contact piece along with the lower contact piece;
When the actuator is rotated to the closed position, the actuator lowers the lower contact piece of the terminal via the flat flexible cable, and the upper contact piece of the terminal is drawn toward the flat flexible cable side according to the lower pressure, The contact formed on the contact piece is pressed against and engaged with the contact pad formed on the upper surface of the flat flexible cable, and the lower surface of the flat flexible cable is supported by the upper edge of the support portion of the rotation support bracket. And electrical connector. 2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein a contact is also formed on the lower contact piece, and the terminal is brought into pressure contact with a contact pad formed on a lower surface of the flat flexible cable by a lower pressure by an actuator. The terminal includes a mounting portion for engagement with the insulating housing, electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2 and said mounting portion and the U-shaped contact portion are continuous through the elastic displacement portion. The rotation support bracket has a rotation support piece extending along the lower side of the top plate portion of the insulating housing, and is formed on the actuator in a concave arc-shaped portion formed below the tip end portion of the rotation support piece. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the rotating shaft portion is engaged.

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