JPH0446393Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Purpose of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a connection device between an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) and a connection terminal that is an external circuit.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, there is a connection device of this type as shown in FIG. (Refer to Utility Model Application No. 62-33182).
In the figure, 1 is a male connector, and a terminal plate 4a of a terminal 4 is inserted through a side opening 3 of a housing 2.
An elastic contact piece 4b formed by folding back is exposed. 5 is a male connector, which has a recess 8 formed in a case 7 such as an electrical connection box housing the FPC 6;
The electrical contact part, which is a part of the circuit conductor 9 of the FPC 6, is bent and arranged along the wall of the recess 8. When the male connector 1 is inserted into the male connector 5, an elastic contact 4b and a circuit conductor 9 are formed as shown in FIG.
is in contact with the wire w crimped to FPC 6 and terminal 4
are electrically connected.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

According to the prior art, the stability of the electrical connection between the circuit conductor 9 and the terminal 4 depends on the contact pressure of the elastic contact piece 4b. However, since the elastic contact piece 4b is exposed to the outside, it has the disadvantage that it is easily deformed by external force or the contact resistance changes due to the adhesion of foreign matter such as dust. In addition, if the terminal 4 is made of a highly elastic material such as beryllium copper or phosphor bronze to increase the contact pressure,
It is difficult to mold and has high electrical resistance, making it difficult to obtain a stable electrical connection.

The present invention was developed with a focus on these problems, and it provides a stable electrical connection without having to worry about deformation of the material or shape of the terminal that contacts the circuit conductor of the FPC, and has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. The purpose is to provide a connection device that is easy to use.

Structure of the invention [Means for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses an FPC in which circuit conductors are arranged on an insulating sheet.
A reinforcing plate is provided to support the reinforcing plate, a terminal insertion hole is provided in the reinforcing plate and the insulating sheet through which a part of the circuit conductor crosses, and the circuit conductor is cut and separated at a central crossing portion to form a pair of contact pieces. Furthermore, a pair of elastic metal plate spring pieces supporting the pair of contact pieces are provided in the terminal insertion hole to face each other, and a male terminal of a connector, an electronic unit, etc. is inserted between the pair of contact pieces. Therefore, a structure is adopted in which the male terminal and the contact piece are brought into contact with each other by the spring back of the spring piece.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to drawings showing embodiments.

In Fig. 1, 10 is a case such as an electrical junction box, and a part of the FPC 12 housed inside is pulled out from an opening 11 on the top surface of the case as an external circuit connection part, and an insulating reinforcing plate is applied to the surface of the FPC 12. 1
3 and fixed to the case by screws 14.

15 is an insulating sheet of the FPC 12, and 16 is its circuit conductor. At the end of the circuit conductor 16, the insulating sheet 15, the reinforcing plate 13, and the case 10 are provided with a terminal insertion hole 17 through which the circuit conductor 16 crosses. A pair of contact pieces 16a and 16a' are formed by cutting and separating at the central transverse portion, and one separated contact piece 16a' is electrically connected to the other contact piece 16a through a round 16b. As is clear from FIG. 2, on the reinforcing plate 13, a pair of elastic metal plate spring pieces 18, 18 having claws 18a on both sides of the base end support the contact pieces 16a, 16a'. It is installed oppositely by press-fitting.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a male connector, and its housing 20 accommodates and locks a pin terminal 21 to which an electric wire w is connected.

In addition, locking arms 22 for the male connector 19 are erected on both sides of the case 10, and two locking guides 23 and locking holes 22a of the locking arms 22 are engaged with both end surfaces of the housing 20 of the male connector. A lock pawl 24 is provided to protrude.

FIG. 3 shows the contact pieces 16a, 16 of the circuit conductor 16.
Another embodiment of the spring piece for a' is shown, in which the reinforcing plate 13' itself is formed of an elastic metal plate, and a terminal insertion hole 17' is bored in the plate 13', leaving the spring pieces 18', 18'. It is. In this case, the reinforcing plate 13'
Use by sandwiching an insulating sheet between FPC12.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the pin terminal 2 of the male connector 19
1 into the pin insertion hole 17 of the FPC 12 from the contact pieces 16a, 16a' side, the pair of contact pieces 16a, 16a' are pushed apart as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, but the spring pieces 18 , 18, the pieces 16a, 16a' come into contact with the pin terminal 21 with a high contact piece, so that a stable electrical connection is achieved.

Since the spring piece 18 is a separate member from the pin terminal 21, a highly elastic material can be used without any restrictions on material or shape, and the contact pressure can be freely selected.

Furthermore, a male terminal with an extremely simple structure such as the pin terminal 21 can be used to connect the circuit conductor 16 or the contact piece 16a and the external connection wire w.
There is no need to form a male connector 5 on the case 10 on the FPC 12 side, unlike the conventional structure, and manufacturing is easy.
It also helps save space and downsize the case that houses the FPC12.

Furthermore, the pin terminal 21 is connected to the spring pieces 18, 18.
Due to the spring back of the pair of contact pieces 16a,
Since the pin terminal 21 makes contact with 16a' with a constant contact pressure, a stable electrical contact state can be obtained regardless of the insertion stroke, and even if there is some variation in the length of the pin terminal 21, there will be no influence. I don't receive it.

The above has explained an example in which the pin terminal 21 and the contact pieces 16a, 16a' in the FPC 12 are provided at the ends of the circuit conductor 16, but since they can be provided in the middle part and strong contact pressure can be obtained, one contact piece Round 16a' and round 16b can be omitted. Moreover, a plate-shaped male terminal may be used instead of the pin terminal 21. Note that the pin terminal 21 is not limited to those connected to electric wires, but can also be used with other FPCs or
It may be in the form of a form that is soldered and fixed to the PBC or a form of a connection terminal provided on an electrical component such as a fuse.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, the device for connecting an FPC and an external contact terminal of the present invention is provided with a reinforcing plate that supports an FPC in which a circuit conductor is arranged on an insulating sheet, and the reinforcing plate and the insulating sheet are provided with a reinforcing plate that supports the FPC. A terminal insertion hole is provided that partially crosses the circuit conductor, and a pair of contact pieces is formed by cutting and separating the circuit conductor at the center crossing part, and a pair of elastic pieces are provided in the terminal insertion hole to support the pair of contact pieces. Providing metal plate spring pieces facing each other,
A structure is adopted in which a male terminal such as a connector or an electronic unit is inserted between the pair of contact pieces, and the male terminal and the contact piece are brought into contact by the spring back of the spring piece, thereby increasing the reliability of the electrical connection. It is expensive, has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and is useful for downsizing the device. Further, since the male terminal comes into contact with the contact piece of the circuit conductor by the spring back of the pair of spring pieces made of elastic metal plates, a constant contact pressure can be obtained regardless of the insertion stroke.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device of the present invention in a separated state; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the same essential parts;
3 is a perspective view of the main parts showing another embodiment of the spring piece constituting the device of the present invention, FIGS. 4a and 4b are sectional views of the main parts showing the action of the device of the present invention, and FIGS.
The figures are a perspective view of a conventional example in a separated state and a cross-sectional view of an assembled state. 12...FPC, 13,13'...Reinforcement plate, 15
...Insulating sheet, 16...Circuit conductor, 16a, 1
6a'...Contact piece, 17,17'...Terminal insertion hole,
18, 18'...Spring piece.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A reinforcing plate is provided to support an FPC in which a circuit conductor is arranged on an insulating sheet, and a terminal insertion hole is provided in the reinforcing plate and the insulating sheet so that a part of the circuit conductor crosses, and the circuit conductor is inserted into a central cross section. A pair of contact pieces are formed by cutting and separating the contact pieces, and a pair of elastic metal plate spring pieces for supporting the pair of contact pieces is provided in the terminal insertion hole to face each other, and a pair of elastic metal plate spring pieces are provided in the terminal insertion hole to support the pair of contact pieces. A device for connecting an FPC and an external connection terminal, which has a structure in which a male terminal of a connector, an electronic unit, etc. is inserted and the male terminal and the contact piece are brought into contact by the spring back of the spring piece.