JP6656808B2 - Assembly of electrical connector and flexible board - Google Patents

Description

  According to the present invention, a non-ZIF (which is configured to push a flexible board into a flexible board accommodation space of an electrical connector against a contact pressure of a contact portion provided on the terminal and connect and hold the flexible board to the terminal). The present invention relates to an assembly of a non-zero insertion force) type electrical connector and a flexible substrate.

  An electrical connector and a flexible board of this type are disclosed in Patent Document 1 in a third embodiment thereof. In the connector disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a slit-shaped space that opens to the rear end surface of the housing and extends forward and toward the back is formed in the housing, and the flexible board (FPC) is inserted (pushed) into the space. It has become. An upper terminal is held on the upper inner surface of the housing forming the space, and a lower terminal is held on the lower inner surface by the housing, so that it is applicable to connection with a double-sided wiring flexible board.

  In use, the flexible substrate is inserted (pushed) from the leading edge of the flexible substrate into the space between the two terminals with the contact pressure between the upper and lower terminals. In order to avoid damaging the plated lead, both terminals are formed with an R-shaped entrance to facilitate the introduction of the flexible substrate. In Patent Document 1, a double-sided wiring flexible substrate is not shown and described, but a single-sided wiring flexible substrate is shown in FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1. The flexible substrate has a plating portion (pad) provided on one surface thereof for contacting the terminal, and the pad is arranged at a position close to the leading edge of the flexible substrate and arranged behind the pad row. And a pad row. The pads in both pad rows are alternately located in the pad arrangement direction. Therefore, the connector to which the flexible board is connected is of a type in which terminals in contact with each pad are arranged in two rows corresponding to both pad rows on one surface of the flexible board.

  If a connector having such two rows of terminals is of the type of the third embodiment of Patent Document 1, two rows of upper terminals for contacting both rows of pads on one surface of the flexible substrate are provided. Must be provided for Even in this case, it is conceivable that the upper terminals of the two rows have an R-shaped entrance so as not to damage the plating lead connected to the pad. In that case, the lower terminal functions as a pressing member that presses the flexible substrate from below to generate a contact pressure between the flexible substrate and the upper terminal.

JP 2008-010308A

  In the case where the upper terminals of the connector of Patent Document 1 are arranged in two rows and the flexible substrate is pressed by the lower terminal as a pressing member, and the flexible substrate disclosed in FIG. Even when the entrance of the upper terminal is formed in an R-shape, the function is exhibited when the flexible substrate is pushed into the upper terminal at a regular position in the width direction, which is the arrangement direction of the pads, and the above-described width direction is applied to the upper terminal. When it is pushed out of position from the normal position, the upper terminal protrudes from the plating lead in the width direction, and as a result, in the process of inserting the flexible substrate, the upper terminal is placed on the base material surface of the flexible substrate from above the plating lead. There is a possibility that a dropping phenomenon may occur, in which the plated lead may be cut off to cut the side edge portion or the base material surface may be cut off. This scraping phenomenon occurs continuously from the start of the insertion of the flexible board to the completion thereof, and the edge of the lead or the base material is scraped over the pushing distance of the flexible board, thereby causing a contact failure.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of an electric connector and a flexible board that does not cause such a shaving phenomenon.

  An assembly of an electrical connector and a flexible board according to the present invention is characterized in that the electrical connector to which the flexible board is connected has an accommodation space for accommodating the flexible board, the terminals are arranged in the accommodation space, and the flexible board is in elastic contact with the flexible board. The connection area formed at the front part of the flexible substrate is pushed into the accommodation space forward to a predetermined position against the contact pressure with the contact part of the terminal, and is elastically contacted and held. .

In an assembly of such an electrical connector and a flexible board, the present invention is configured as in the following <First invention> and <Second invention>.
<First invention>
An electrical connector to which the flexible board is connected has a housing space for housing the flexible board between the housing and a movable member that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing,
A terminal made of a metal band-shaped member bent in the plate thickness direction is arranged in the accommodation space, and protruded and bent in a V-shape in the plate thickness direction of the metal band-shaped member toward the flexible substrate in order to make elastic contact with the flexible substrate. A contact portion having a shape, and a guiding portion that is inclined in a direction away from the flexible substrate toward the tip from the contact portion and is accommodated in a groove formed in the movable member, and is provided in the accommodation space in front of the flexible substrate. In the assembly of the electrical connector and the flexible board, the connection area formed in the portion is pushed forward against the contact pressure of the contact portion of the terminal to the predetermined position and is elastically contacted and held.
The terminal of the connector has a first terminal having a contact portion arranged in the width direction of the flexible board, and a second terminal arranged in the width direction behind the first terminal in the pushing direction of the flexible board, One terminal and the second terminal are alternately arranged in the width direction so as to form a staggered shape,
When the flexible substrate is pushed into the predetermined position, the first pad and the second pad that are in contact with the respective contact portions of the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in an array, and the adjacent first pad is provided. And the second pad overlap in both the front-back direction and the width direction. The first pad has a first rear wiring portion that is narrower than the first pad and extends rearward. The second front wiring portion and the second rear wiring portion, which are narrower than the pad and extend forward and backward, respectively, are conductive,
The first rear wiring portion has a portion adjacent to the second pad in the width direction, the second front wiring portion is positioned to be adjacent to the first pad in the width direction,
The width of the contact portion of the first terminal is set to be larger than the width of the guide portion of the first terminal and smaller than the width of the first pad,
The width of the contact portion of the second terminal is set to be larger than the width of the guide portion of the second terminal, smaller than the width of the second pad, and larger than the width of the second front wiring portion. Is larger than the distance between the second pad and the first pad, and the maximum width direction displacement of the flexible substrate with respect to the terminal is such that the contact portion of the second terminal located on the second pad is adjacent to the second pad. Located away from the first rear wiring portion of the first pad,
The contact portion of the second terminal has a curved surface or a slope on both edges of the contact surface that can contact the pad surface, and when the flexible substrate is at the position of the first pad in the pushing direction under the maximum width direction displacement. Wherein the contact portion of the second terminal can be located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad .
<Second invention>
The terminal of the connector has a first terminal having a contact portion arranged in the width direction of the flexible board, and a second terminal arranged in the width direction behind the first terminal in the pushing direction of the flexible board, One terminal and the second terminal are alternately arranged in the width direction so as to form a staggered shape, and when the flexible substrate is pushed into the predetermined position, each contact portion of the first terminal and the second terminal is A first pad and a second pad that are in contact with each other are provided in an array, and the adjacent first pad and the second pad are positioned so as to overlap in both the front-rear direction and the width direction. The first rear wiring portion and the second pad, which are narrower than one pad and extend rearward, are electrically connected to the second front wiring portion and the second rear wiring portion which are narrower than the second pad and extend forward and backward, respectively. The first rear wiring part is the second package in the width direction. And the second front wiring portion is located adjacent to the first pad in the width direction, and the width of the contact portion of the first terminal is set smaller than the width of the first pad. The width of the contact portion of the second terminal is set to be smaller than the width of the second pad, and larger than the width of the second front wiring portion. Is also set large, the maximum width direction displacement of the flexible substrate with respect to the terminal, the contact portion of the second terminal located on the second pad is the first rear of the first pad adjacent to the second pad A first front wiring portion is provided in front of the first pad, located away from the wiring portion, and is formed with the same width as the second front wiring portion, and the first front wiring portion is provided on each first pad. It is characterized by being formed in plurality.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, the flexible board receives the contact pressure with the contact portion of the terminal from the beginning of the pushing into the connector, is pushed into a predetermined position against the contact pressure, and in the pushing process. The situation is as follows.

<In case of regular position in width direction>
When the flexible board is pushed into the connector at the proper position with respect to the terminal in the width direction, the first terminal of the connector is located at the center in the width direction, and the second terminal is located at the center in the width direction. Are located in agreement with each other. Therefore, when the pressing of the flexible substrate is started, the front edge of the flexible substrate is first pressed in with the contact portion of the second terminal with a contact pressure, and the second front wiring portion connected to the second pad opposes the contact pressure. When the flexible substrate is pushed into the predetermined position after passing through the position of the contact portion of the second terminal, the second pad reaches the position of the contact portion of the second terminal. Since the flexible board is at the regular position with respect to the terminal in the width direction, from the start of pushing of the flexible board to the completion of pushing into the predetermined position, the contact portion of the second terminal passes through the corresponding second front wiring section and the second pad. And does not contact the first pad adjacent in the width direction.

  On the other hand, the contact portion of the first terminal located forward of the contact portion of the second terminal, that is, the contact portion of the first terminal located on the back side in the pushing direction of the flexible substrate is between the contact portions of the second terminal and the first terminal in the pushing direction. At the time when the flexible substrate has been pushed by the distance, the flexible substrate is located on the first pad beyond the front edge of the flexible substrate. At this time, the contact portion of the first terminal does not contact the second front wiring portion adjacent to the first pad in the width direction.

<When it is shifted in the width direction>
If the flexible board is displaced from its normal position in the width direction and is pushed into the connector, the contact portion of the second terminal having the contact pressure with the front edge of the flexible board first, if this misalignment is large, when the push-in of the flexible board starts , Both the second front wiring portion extending forward from the second pad and the first pad adjacent thereto. That is, since the width of the contact portion of the second terminal is larger than the width of the second front wiring portion and larger than the distance between the second front wiring portion and the first pad, The contact portion of the second terminal protrudes in the width direction from the second front wiring portion and extends across the second front wiring portion and the first pad. Under the maximum width direction deviation (allowable maximum value) where the deviation is even larger, the contact portion of the second terminal protrudes from the second front wiring portion in the width direction, and the contact portion on the first pad adjacent to the second front wiring portion. Will be located at Therefore, since the contact portions of the second terminals are supported by the second front wiring portion and the first pad or the adjacent first pad in the pushing process, both ends of the contact portion are dropped off and the flexible substrate is removed. It does not touch the base material surface.

  When the insertion of the flexible substrate further proceeds, the contact portion of the second terminal shifts from the second front wiring portion to the second pad. Since the second pad has a sufficient width with respect to the contact portion of the second terminal, even if the displacement in the width direction of the flexible substrate with respect to the terminal is the above-described displacement in the maximum width direction, the contact portion of the second terminal is not affected. Although a little may protrude in the width direction from the second pad, it contacts the second pad with a sufficient width and is positioned on the second pad in a stable posture. At this time, the contact portion of the second terminal is separated from the first rear wiring portion extending rearward from the first pad.

  Next, when the displacement is small, the contact portion of the second terminal is on the second front wiring portion extending from the second pad and is adjacent to the second front wiring portion even if it is displaced in the width direction. Is not located on the first pad. In this state, the contact portion of the second terminal is on the second front wiring portion with a width large enough to be stable in the second front wiring portion. Move to

  On the other hand, the first terminal into which the front edge of the flexible substrate is pushed in later than the second terminal is located on the first pad from the beginning so as to be in contact with only the first pad, regardless of the magnitude of the above-mentioned displacement. Thus, the respective contact portions of the first terminal and the second terminal shift to the corresponding first pad and the second pad in a stable posture, and during the pressing process, the contact portion has a narrow width after the first pad of the flexible substrate. It does not fall onto the exposed base material surface, and there is no shaving phenomenon.

  In the present invention, the contact portion of the second terminal has a curved surface or a slope formed avoiding a fracture surface on both edges of the contact surface capable of contacting the pad surface, and the flexible substrate is displaced in the maximum width direction, The contact portion of the second terminal may be located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad when in the pushing direction at the position of the first pad. In this case, the curved surface or the slope is located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad. When the second terminal has the curved surface or the inclined surface, the contact portion of the second terminal is in non-contact with the base material surface of the flexible substrate when the second terminal is located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad. Preferably, there is. In this state, the contact portion of the second terminal does not damage the base material surface of the flexible substrate after the first pad in the process of inserting the flexible substrate.

  In the present invention, the first front wiring portion is provided in front of the first pad, and may be formed to have the same width as the second front wiring portion. In this case, the contact portion of the first terminal shifts to the first pad via the first front wiring portion. The first front wiring portion may be formed as a single line for each first pad, or a plurality of first front wiring portions may be formed. In the case where a plurality of terminals are formed, even if the terminal is largely displaced, the possibility that the front edge of the flexible substrate contacts one of the first front wiring portions and the second front wiring portion becomes extremely large.

  In the present invention, at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal has a contact arm located on the front surface side on which the flexible substrate is formed and a pressing arm located on the rear surface side. At least one can be formed as an elastic arm.

  Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that the housing is provided with a width-direction restricting portion that determines the maximum displacement of the flexible substrate in the width direction.

  In the present invention, the first rear wiring portion conducting to the first pad and the second rear wiring portion conducting to the second pad have the same width behind the second pad and are narrower than the second pad. The direction can be wider than the first rear wiring portion in the range of the second pad.

  The present invention, as described above, both the first terminal and the second terminal, even if the flexible substrate is positioned offset from the terminal in the width direction, in the process of pushing up to the predetermined position, the pad and It is straddled by the wiring part and takes a stable position, or it is positioned in contact with the wiring part with a sufficient width to take a stable position. It does not tilt or tilt, and no shaving phenomenon occurs.

1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an assembly of an electric connector and a flexible board as one embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) is a cross section at a position of a first terminal, and (B) is a cutaway at a position of a second terminal. Have been. It is a perspective view which shows a terminal, (A) has shown the 1st terminal and (B) has shown the 2nd terminal. It is a perspective view showing the front part including the connection part of a flexible substrate. FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views showing a process of pushing the flexible substrate into the connector, wherein FIG. 7A shows the start of pushing, FIG. 7B shows the middle of pushing, and FIG. When the flexible board is at a regular position in the width direction, the positional relationship between the pad and the contact portion of the terminal in the process of pushing the flexible board is schematically shown as a plan view. (C) is during push-in, and (D) is when push-in is completed. In the case where the flexible substrate is shifted in the width direction, the positional relationship between the pad and the contact portion of the terminal in the process of inserting the flexible substrate is schematically shown as a plan view, and FIG. , (B), (B ′), and (C) are in the middle of the press-in, and (D) is the time when the press-in is completed. It is a modification about the shape of the side edge part in the contact part of a 2nd terminal, and (A)-(B) has shown the different contact state with a pad. FIG. 9 is a partial plan view showing a modification of the flexible substrate.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional perspective views showing the electrical connector 10 and the flexible board 40 in the present embodiment in a state where the flexible board 40 is connected to the electrical connector 10. The electrical connector 10 is arranged so that two kinds of terminals, a first terminal 20 and a second terminal 30, are alternately positioned by a housing 11. FIG. 1A shows the position of the first terminal 20 and FIG. (B) shows a cross section at the position of the second terminal 30.

  The housing 11 is made of an electrically insulating material, has a housing body 12 and a lid-shaped movable member 13 that can be opened and closed, and is formed at the front part (the right part in FIG. 1A) of the flexible substrate 40. An accommodation space 14 is formed between the housing main body 12 and the movable member 13 at the closed position so as to be opened rearward, so that a portion of the connection area is pushed forward.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the housing body 12 is formed by integrally molding the rear part of the first terminal 20 on the rear end side and the front part of the second terminal 30 on the front end side with the housing main body 12, respectively. keeping. The first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 will be described later in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the housing body 12 has a slit vertically penetrating between the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 in the front-rear direction in the terminal arrangement direction. A window 12A is formed.

  The housing body 12 is provided with side walls 15 at both ends in the width direction (terminal arrangement direction). The side wall 15 is provided with an upper regulating portion 16 for the flexible substrate 40 at a rear portion, and a shaft support portion 17 for rotatably supporting a rotating shaft of the movable member 13 at an intermediate portion immediately in front of the upper regulating portion 16. In addition, the front part, which is located forward of the pivot support part 17, is suspended from the bottom wall of the housing body 12 at a position spaced from the inner side surface of the side wall 15 to regulate the width direction position of the flexible substrate 40. The width direction regulating portion 18 is provided.

  When the flexible board 40 is pushed into the connector 10 to a predetermined position, the width-direction restricting section 18 comes into contact with the side edge of the front end of the flexible board 40 so that the width direction position of the flexible board 40 is set to the normal position. On the other hand, the flexible substrate 40 is regulated so as to fall within a predetermined range. On the other hand, the upper regulating portion 16 has a groove 16A that opens rearward and inward in the width direction at a lower portion thereof, and the upper surface of the corresponding upper regulated portion of the flexible substrate 40 that has been pushed into a predetermined position. It is received on the lower surface of the groove 16A and regulates upward movement of the flexible substrate 40. The flexible substrate 40 will be described later in detail.

  The movable member 13 rotatably supported by the shaft support 17 of the housing body 12 has a plate-like shape, has a shaft 13A protruding laterally near the rear end, and has a shaft support 17 of the housing body 12. And is rotatably supported. The movable member 13 has a rear end located immediately forward of the upper regulating portion 16 of the housing main body 12 as described above, and is located between the two side walls 15 of the housing main body 12 and by the upper regulating portion 16. Also, the housing body 12 is covered from above in the front area, and the front end is positioned so as to protrude forward from the housing body 12.

  Since the rear end of the movable member 13 is located forward of the upper regulating portion 16, the housing main body 12 has an extended portion behind the movable member 13 and not covered by the movable member 13. . The extended portion provides a surface on which the front portion of the flexible board 40 is arranged in preparation for the start of pushing into the connector.

  The movable member 13 has a rounded edge at the rear end where the shaft portion 13A is located, and pushes the flexible substrate 40 disposed on the extended portion of the housing body 12 into the movable member 13 for pushing. Prior to this, it is possible to smoothly enter the accommodation space 14. The movable member 13 has an operating portion 13B whose front edge protrudes from the front end of the housing body 12 and facilitates lifting when the movable member 13 is turned upward toward the open position. ing. In addition, when the movable member 13 pivots upward around the shaft portion 13A toward the open position due to the lifting by the operation portion 13B and then pivots downward again toward the closed position shown in FIG. A guided portion 13 </ b> C guided by the side wall 15 of the main body 12 is formed in an arm shape toward the rear from the front end side of the movable member 13. The guided portion 13 </ b> C is guided between the side wall 15 of the housing body 12 and the width direction regulating portion 18.

  Further, the movable member 13 is provided with an arm-shaped elastic locking portion 13F extending rearward from a front portion on a back surface (lower surface in FIG. 1) of a side portion of the movable member 13. The elastic locking portion 13F is provided with a downwardly projecting locking portion 13G at its rear end. When the movable member 13 is in the closed position, the flexible locking portion 13G is pressed when a flexible substrate described later is pushed in. At the front end of the substrate, the elastic locking portion 13F is elastically deformed upward by contacting the locking portion to further advance beyond the locking portion, and when the elastic deformation of the elastic locking portion 13F is released, the flexible The locking portion enters the concave locked portion formed on the substrate, thereby preventing the flexible substrate from being pulled backward.

  Further, in the movable member 13, grooves 13D and 13E into which the rear ends of the terminals 20, 30 described later enter are formed at the rounded rear edge so as to conform to the rear end shape of the terminals 20, 30. Have been. The grooves 13D, 13E are provided at the rear ends of the terminals 20, 30 so that the rear ends of the terminals 20, 30 do not hinder the rotation when the movable member 13 rotates between the open position and the closed position. Is stored. The movable member 13 covers the upper arms 21 and 31 of the terminals 20 and 30 on the back surface when the movable member 13 is in the closed position.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the first terminal 20 is formed by bending a metal band-shaped member in the thickness direction, has a substantially U-shaped hairpin shape, and has an upper arm portion 21 and the upper arm portion 21. It has a bent portion 22 bent at the front end position of the upper arm portion 21 and a lower arm portion 23 connected to the upper arm portion 21 via the bent portion 22 and extending rearward. The upper arm portion 21 has a contact portion 21A that protrudes downward in a V-shape at a position in front of a contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 described later in the middle of the front-rear direction. The upper arm portion 21 can be elastically bent in the up-down direction, that is, in the thickness direction. The contact portion 21A makes elastic contact with a corresponding pad of a flexible substrate 40 described later with a contact pressure, and is higher than the contact portion 21A. The rear portion has a guide portion 21B inclined so as to rise upward, and the guide portion 21B facilitates introduction of the flexible substrate 40. On the other hand, the lower arm portion 23 extends rearward in the front-rear direction more greatly than the upper arm portion 21 and reaches a position rearward of the rear end edge of the housing body 12. The rear end of the lower arm 23 is formed with a connecting portion 23A located below through an inclined portion. The connection portion 23A is used for solder connection with a corresponding circuit portion of a circuit board (not shown). The second terminal 30 is held at the rear part of the lower arm 23 and adjacent to the inclined part by the integrally formed housing body 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the second terminal 30 is formed by bending a metal band-shaped member in the plate thickness direction similarly to the first terminal 20, and has a substantially crank shape. A bent portion 32 extending downward from a front end (right end in the figure), and a connecting portion 33 extending forward from a lower end of the bent portion 32. The upper arm portion 31 has a contact portion 31A protruding downward in a V-shape on the rear end side. The upper arm portion 31 having the contact portion 31A is elastically bendable in the vertical direction, that is, in the plate thickness direction, similarly to the upper arm portion 21 of the first terminal 20, and the contact portion 31A is described later with a contact pressure. Makes elastic contact with the corresponding pad of the flexible substrate 40. The upper arm portion 31 has a guide portion 31B that is inclined so that a portion behind the contact portion 31A is lifted upward, and the guide portion 31B facilitates introduction of the flexible substrate. On the other hand, the connection portion 33 extends outside the housing main body 12 on the lower surface side of the housing main body 12, and is used for solder connection with a corresponding circuit portion of a circuit board (not shown). The second terminal 30 is held by the housing body 12 integrally formed at the bent portion 32.

  The upper arm 21 of the first terminal 20 is narrower than the lower arm 23, and the upper arm 31 of the second terminal 30 is narrower than the bent portion 32 and the connecting portion 33. Both the contact portion 21A of the second terminal 30 and the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 are formed to be wider than the above-described inclined portion, and the side edges thereof are curved. However, the width is smaller than the width of the corresponding pad of the flexible substrate 40 described later. When the contact portion 21A and the contact portion 31A are connected to the flexible board at the regular position in the direction, the contact portion 21A and the contact portion 31A are located in the width direction in a manner sufficiently accommodated in the corresponding pad. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the contact portion 21A and the contact portion 31A preferably have curved or inclined surfaces 21A-1 and 31A-1 formed on both side edges.

  1A and 1B, while receiving contact pressure from the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 and the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30, the connection area P is opposed to the contact pressure and the connection area P is accommodated in the housing space 14 of the connector. As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible board 40 pushed into the first terminal 20 and the first pad 41 in which connection areas P contacting and connected to the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are arranged along the front edge, and The first pad 41 and the second pad 42 are arranged such that the width of each pad overlaps when viewed in the front-rear direction, and is staggered. The arrangement is made. The first pad 41 is located at a position corresponding to the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 and the second pad 42 is located at a position corresponding to the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 in the width direction. Further, the first pad 41 and the second pad 42 The front end of the first pad 41 and the front end of the second pad 42 are substantially the same in the front-rear direction, and are located apart from each other in the front-rear direction by a distance corresponding to the distance between the contact portion 21A and the contact portion 31A. In position. In the region where the first pad 41 and the second pad 42 are arranged, the flexible substrate 40 forms a connection region P for connection with the connector 10.

  The first pad 41 and the second pad 42 are provided with conductive portions extending forward and backward, respectively. The wiring section is narrower than the corresponding pad. First, the first pads 41 arranged near the front edge of the flexible substrate 40 include a first front wiring portion 41A extending forward a short distance from the first pad 41 to the front edge of the flexible substrate 40; A first rear wiring portion 41B extending long from the rear end of the first pad 41 to the rear is provided in a conductive manner. The first rear wiring portion 41B extends rearward through a space between two second pads 42 adjacent to each other at a position behind the first pad 41. The narrow portion 41 </ b> B- 1 is formed narrower than a portion behind the two pads 42. Next, the second pad 42 includes a second front wiring portion 42 </ b> A extending between two adjacent first pads 41 and extending to the front edge of the flexible substrate 40, and a rear portion from the rear end of the second pad 42. The second rear wiring portion 42 </ b> B extending long is provided in a conductive manner. The second front wiring portion 42A has the same width as the narrow portion 41B-1, and the second rear wiring portion 42B has a width at the rear of the first rear wiring portion 41B extending rearward from the narrow portion 41B-1. It has the same width as.

  Both the first rear wiring portion 41B and the second rear wiring portion 42B are electrically connected to the corresponding wiring located behind the connection area P of the flexible substrate 40. The corresponding wiring is located in the inner layer of the flexible substrate 40 and is not shown in the drawing.

  The flexible substrate 40 has a rear surface side of the flexible substrate 40 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the front-rear direction, in a range extending to the connection area P where the first pad 41 and the second pad 42 are provided and further to the rear. 3, a reinforcing plate 43 is attached to the lower surface side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible board 40 has a concave locked portion 44 and a triangular wing-shaped upper restricted portion 45 on a side edge portion in a range where the reinforcing plate 43 is stuck. . When the flexible substrate 40 is pushed into the connector 10 to a predetermined position when the movable member 13 is in the closed position, the locked portion 44 is provided with the elastic locking portion 13F provided on the movable member 13 described above. The rear end of the flexible substrate 40 is positioned corresponding to the locking portion 13G protruding downward. The locking portion prevents the flexible substrate 40 from being pulled out of the flexible substrate 40 by entering the locked portion 44. I will be. The side edge of the front portion of the locked portion 44 forms a width-regulated portion 46 for restricting the position in the width direction of the flexible substrate 40 when the flexible substrate 40 is pushed into the connector 10. On the other hand, the upper regulated portion 45 has a triangular wing shape in which the front edge is an inclined edge and the rear edge is a right edge extending in the width direction, and when the flexible board 40 is pushed into a predetermined position, the above-described housing is formed. It is provided so as to be located in a groove 16 </ b> A formed below the upper regulating part 16 provided in the main body 12. Thus, the flexible board pushed into the predetermined position is prevented from being pulled out by the locked portion 44 being locked with the locking portion 13G of the movable member 13, and the upper restricted portion 45 is in the groove 16A. In this case, even if the flexible substrate 40 receives an external force that is lifted at a rear position outside the connector, the flexible board 40 is prevented from lifting upward at the lower surface of the upper regulating portion 16.

  The first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 have the following dimensions in the width direction with respect to the flexible substrate 40 formed in this manner. That is, the width of the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 is set smaller than the width of the first pad 41, the width of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is smaller than the width of the second pad 42, and The width is set to be larger than the width of the second front wiring portion 42A, and is set to be larger than the distance between the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41. Furthermore, the maximum displacement in the width direction allowed when the flexible substrate 40 is pushed into the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 is the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 located on the second pad 42. Is a range located away from the first rear wiring portion 41B of the first pad 41 adjacent to the second pad 42.

  With respect to the assembly of the electrical connector of the present invention and the flexible board in such a form, the procedure and the situation when the flexible board 40 is pushed into the electrical connector 10 and connected will be described with reference to FIGS. . In FIGS. 5 and 6, the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 and the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 are shown only by the contact position and range with the corresponding pad.

  Prior to connection of the flexible board 40, the movable member 13 of the electrical connector 10 is in the closed position, and the pushing of the flexible board 40 into the electrical connector 10 in such a state can be seen in FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (C). It is advanced.

4 (A) shows the start of the press-in, FIG. 4 (B) shows the middle of the press-in, and FIG. 4 (C) shows the end of the press-in to the predetermined position. In the present embodiment, the positions and states of the terminals 20 and 30 do not change even when the movable member 13 is opened and closed, and the flexible substrate 40 receives contact pressure from the contact portions 21A and 31A of the terminals 20 and 30 from the start of pushing into the connector. The push-in is advanced against this contact pressure. Hereinafter, the case where the flexible board 40 is pushed into the connector at the regular position in the width direction and the case where the flexible board 40 is pushed in the state shifted from the regular position in the width direction will be described separately.

<In case of regular position in width direction>
This is the case where both the connector and the flexible board are made with regular accuracy. In the process of pushing the flexible substrate 40 to the predetermined position into the connector, the width-direction regulated portion 46 formed at the front end side edge of the flexible substrate 40 is pushed into the width-direction regulating portion 18 of the housing body 12 and guided. In some cases, it is restricted in the width direction. Thus, when the flexible board 40 is pushed into the predetermined position, the relative position in the width direction with respect to the connector is in a state where it can be said that it is a normal position. FIG. 5 shows the process of inserting the flexible substrate 40 at the regular position in the width direction. The positional relationship between the contact portions 21A and 31A of the terminals 20 and 30 and the pads 41 and 42 of the flexible substrate 40 is shown. The relationship between the width-direction restricting portion 18 and the width-direction restricted portion 46 is mainly illustrated in a simplified manner.

  As described above, when the flexible board 40 is at the regular position in the width direction with respect to the connector 10, the flexible board 40 immediately before the insertion into the connector having the contact pressure with the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 is started. 5A, the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 of the connector 10 corresponds to the first pad 41, and the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 corresponds to the second pad 42. In each case, the center positions in the width direction coincide with each other (see FIG. 5A). Thus, when the pressing of the flexible substrate 40 is started, the front edge of the flexible substrate 40 is first pressed with the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 with a contact pressure, and the second front wiring portion 42A connected to the second pad 42 is moved. It passes through the position of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 against the contact pressure (see FIGS. 5B and 5C). Thus, when the flexible board 40 is pushed into the predetermined position, the second pad 42 reaches the position of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30. Since the flexible substrate 40 is located at a regular position with respect to the terminals (that is, the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30) in the width direction, the second terminal 30 is not pressed until the flexible substrate 40 is completely pushed into the predetermined position. The contact portion 31A moves in contact with the second pad 42 via the corresponding second front wiring portion 42A, does not contact the first pad 41 adjacent in the width direction, and may drop on the base material. Absent.

  On the other hand, the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 located in front of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30, that is, the back side of the flexible board 40 in the pushing direction is a contact portion of the second terminal 30 in the pushing direction. At the point in time when the flexible substrate 40 has been pushed in by the distance between the contact portion 31A and the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20, the flexible substrate 40 is positioned on the first pad 41 beyond the front edge thereof (FIG. 5C ), (D)). At that time, the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 does not come into contact with the second front wiring portion 42A adjacent to the first pad 41 in the width direction, and does not drop on the base material.

  Next, when the displacement is small within a range that can be said to be a normal position, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is on the second front wiring portion 42A extending from the second pad 42 and is located on the second front wiring portion 42A. Is not located on the adjacent first pad 41 even if it is shifted in the width direction. In this state, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is on the second front wiring portion 42A with a width large enough to be stable in the second front wiring portion 42A. , On the second pad 42.

<When it is shifted in the width direction>
Even if either the connector or the flexible board is out of the normal size and the flexible board is regulated in the width direction by the width direction regulation section of the housing at the width direction regulation section, the terminal and the pad are relatively opposed from the regular position in the width direction. There may be a deviation. Further, the flexible substrate may be inserted in a state of being inclined obliquely in the width direction. Of course, it is premised that the deviation is limited and falls within an allowable range that can be handled by the present invention.

  As described above, when the flexible board 40 is deviated from the normal position in the width direction and is pushed into the connector 10 (see FIG. 6A), first, the second terminal 30 having the contact pressure with the front edge of the flexible board 40 is first used. If the displacement is large, as shown in FIG. 6B, the contact portion 31A of the contact portion 31A has a second front wiring portion 41A extending forward from the second pad 42 and a first pad 41 and both. That is, the width of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is larger than the width of the second front wiring portion 42A and larger than the distance between the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41, so that the width deviation is smaller. Originally, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 protrudes in the width direction from the second front wiring portion 42A and extends over the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41. Under the maximum displacement in the maximum width direction (allowable maximum value) where the displacement is even larger, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 protrudes from the second front wiring portion 42A in the width direction and is adjacent to the second front wiring portion 42A. It comes to be located on the first pad 41 (see FIG. 6 (B ′)). Therefore, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is supported by the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41 or the adjacent first pad 41 during the pushing process, since both end portions of the contact portion 31A are supported. Does not fall off and come into contact with the base material surface of the flexible substrate 40.

  When the push-in of the flexible substrate 40 further proceeds, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 changes from a state of straddling the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D. Alternatively, the process shifts from the first pad to the second pad 42. Since the second pad 42 has a sufficient width with respect to the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30, even if the displacement in the width direction of the flexible substrate 40 with respect to the terminals 20 and 30 is limited by the maximum width direction displacement. Even if the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 slightly protrudes in the width direction from the second pad 42, the contact portion 31A contacts the second pad 42 with a sufficient width and is positioned on the second pad 42 in a stable posture. I do. At this time, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is separated from the first rear wiring portion 41B extending rearward from the first pad 41.

  On the other hand, the first terminal 20 into which the front edge of the flexible substrate 40 is pushed in later than the second terminal 30 is contacted only with the first pad 41 from the beginning, regardless of the magnitude of the displacement, so that the first pad 41 Located up. Thus, the contact portions 21A and 31A of the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 respectively move to the corresponding first pad 41 and the second pad 42 in a stable posture, and during the pressing process, the flexible substrate 40 The first and second pads 41 and 42, and further, a cutting phenomenon may occur at the side edge corners of the first rear wiring portion 41B and the second front wiring portion 42A without dropping onto the base material surface. Absent.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the contact portions 31A of the second terminals 30 have curved surfaces 31A on both edges of a contact surface that can contact a second pad surface (not shown). -1 or with the slope 31A-2, and when the flexible substrate 40 is at the position of the first pad 41 in the pushing direction under the maximum width direction displacement, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 It is good also as a form which enables it to be located over the two front wiring part 42A and the 1st pad 41. In this case, the curved surface 31A-1 or the inclined surface 31A-2 is located over the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41. When the second terminal 30 has the curved surface 31A-1 or the inclined surface 31A-2, when the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 is located over the second front wiring portion 42A and the first pad 41, It is preferable that the base material is not in contact with the base material surface of the flexible substrate 40. In this state, the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 does not damage the base material surface of the flexible substrate 40 in the process of pushing the flexible substrate 40.

  In the present invention, the maximum width direction displacement of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30 with respect to the second pad 42 is ／ of the width of the contact surface of the contact portion 31A. If the maximum displacement in the width direction is larger than 3/4 of the width of the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30, when the flexible board 40 is pushed in, the above-mentioned displacement is started at the time of starting pushing into contact with the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30. This is because the contact portion 31A is detached from the second front wiring portion 42A, is largely detached from the second pad 42 when the pushing is completed, becomes unstable, or comes into contact with the first rear wiring portion 41B, which causes inconvenience.

  In the present invention, the shape of the terminal may be different from that of the illustrated example. For example, at least one of the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 may be formed by placing the flexible substrate 40 on the surface side on which the pad is formed. The contact arm and the pressing arm located on the back side may be provided so that at least one of the contact arm and the pressing arm is formed as an elastic arm.

  In the present invention, the flexible substrate can be improved. In the flexible substrate 40 shown in FIG. 3, a first front wiring portion 41A and a second front wiring portion 42A are located at the front edge of the flexible substrate 40. Since both the first front wiring portion 41A and the second front wiring portion 42A have a narrower width direction than the pad, the distance between them is wider. Therefore, in the case of FIG. 3, if the terminal and the flexible substrate have a large displacement in the width direction, when the terminal is located at the front edge of the flexible substrate, the terminal is disengaged from one of the two, and the motherboard of the flexible substrate is displaced. There is a risk of scraping the surface. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 showing a modified example of the present invention, the risk is avoided by providing a plurality of, for example, two first front wiring portions 41A of the first pad 41 having a short distance to the leading edge. it can. In the example of FIG. 8, first front wiring portions 41A extending forward at both ends in the width direction of the first pad 41 are provided, and have two first front wiring portions. As a result, when the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 is at the regular position P in the width direction, the contact portion 21A straddles both the first front wiring portions 41A, and the contact portion 21A of the first terminal 20 or the contact portion 31A of the second terminal 30. Is located at the maximum displacement position Q in the width direction, the vehicle rides on the first front wiring portion 41A. Thus, even if the terminal is located at the position of the front edge of the flexible substrate, the base material surface of the flexible substrate is not shaved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electric connector 41 1st pad 18 Width regulation part 41A 1st front wiring part 20 1st terminal 41B 1st rear wiring part 21A contact part 42 2nd pad 30 2nd terminal 42A 2nd front wiring part 31A contact part 42B 1st Rear wiring section 40 Flexible board

Claims (6)

An electrical connector to which the flexible board is connected has a housing space for housing the flexible board between the housing and a movable member that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing,
A terminal made of a metal band-shaped member bent in the plate thickness direction is arranged in the accommodation space, and protruded and bent in a V-shape in the plate thickness direction of the metal band-shaped member toward the flexible substrate in order to make elastic contact with the flexible substrate. a contact portion having a shape, has a guide portion inclined in a direction away from the flexible substrate toward the rear end from the contact portion, the rear end of the leading portion is accommodated in a groove formed in the movable member, the A set of an electric connector and a flexible board, into which a connection area formed at a front portion of the flexible board is pushed forward to a predetermined position into a housing space against a contact pressure with a contact portion of a terminal to be elastically contacted and held. In three dimensions,
The terminal of the connector has a first terminal having a contact portion arranged in the width direction of the flexible board, and a second terminal arranged in the width direction behind the first terminal in the pushing direction of the flexible board, One terminal and the second terminal are alternately arranged in the width direction so as to form a staggered shape,
The flexible board has a first pad and a second pad arranged in contact with the contact portions of the first terminal and the second terminal when the flexible board is pushed into the predetermined position. And the second pad overlap in both the front-back direction and the width direction. The first pad has a first rear wiring portion that is narrower than the first pad and extends rearward. The second front wiring portion and the second rear wiring portion, which are narrower than the pad and extend forward and backward, respectively, are conductive,
The first rear wiring portion has a portion adjacent to the second pad in the width direction, the second front wiring portion is positioned to be adjacent to the first pad in the width direction,
The width of the contact portion of the first terminal is set to be larger than the width of the guide portion of the first terminal and smaller than the width of the first pad,
The width of the contact portion of the second terminal is set to be larger than the width of the guide portion of the second terminal, smaller than the width of the second pad, and larger than the width of the second front wiring portion. Is larger than the distance between the second pad and the first pad, and the maximum width direction displacement of the flexible substrate with respect to the terminal is such that the contact portion of the second terminal located on the second pad is adjacent to the second pad. Located away from the first rear wiring portion of the first pad,
The contact portion of the second terminal has a curved surface or a slope on both edges of the contact surface that can contact the pad surface, and when the flexible substrate is at the position of the first pad in the pushing direction under the maximum width direction displacement. Wherein the contact portion of the second terminal can be located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad.   The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion of the second terminal is not in contact with the base material surface of the flexible substrate when the contact portion is located over the second front wiring portion and the first pad. And flexible board assembly.   At least one of the first terminal and the second terminal has a contact arm located on the front surface side of the flexible substrate and a pressing arm located on the back surface, and at least one of the contact arm and the pressing arm is elastic. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is formed as an arm.   The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a width-direction restricting portion that determines a maximum width-direction displacement of the flexible board.   The first rear wiring portion conducting to the first pad and the second rear wiring portion conducting to the second pad have the same width behind the second pad, are narrower than the second pad, and have a second width in the front-rear direction. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is wider than the first rear wiring portion in the area of the pad. An electrical connector to which the flexible board is connected has an accommodation space for accommodating the flexible board,
The terminal is disposed in the accommodation space, and has a contact portion that makes elastic contact with the flexible board, and a connection area formed in a front portion of the flexible substrate is connected to the accommodation space with the contact portion of the terminal forward to a predetermined position. In an assembly of an electric connector and a flexible substrate, which are pushed in against a contact pressure to be elastically contacted and held,
The terminal of the connector has a first terminal having a contact portion arranged in the width direction of the flexible board, and a second terminal arranged in the width direction behind the first terminal in the pushing direction of the flexible board. One terminal and the second terminal are alternately arranged in the width direction so as to form a staggered shape,
When the flexible substrate is pushed into the predetermined position, the first pad and the second pad that are in contact with the respective contact portions of the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in an array, and the adjacent first pad is provided. And the second pad overlap in both the front-back direction and the width direction. The first pad has a first rear wiring portion that is narrower than the first pad and extends rearward. The second front wiring portion and the second rear wiring portion, which are narrower than the pad and extend forward and backward, respectively, are conductive,
The first rear wiring portion has a portion adjacent to the second pad in the width direction, the second front wiring portion is positioned to be adjacent to the first pad in the width direction,
The width of the contact portion of the first terminal is set smaller than the width of the first pad,
The width of the contact portion of the second terminal is set smaller than the width of the second pad, and larger than the width of the second front wiring portion, and is set larger than the distance between the second front wiring portion and the first pad. The maximum width direction shift of the flexible substrate with respect to the terminal is such that the contact portion of the second terminal located on the second pad is different from the first rear wiring portion of the first pad adjacent to the second pad. Located away,
A first front wiring portion is provided in front of the first pad, and is formed with the same width as the second front wiring portion,
An assembly of an electrical connector and a flexible substrate, wherein a plurality of first front wiring portions are formed for each first pad.

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