JP2002270290A - connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] An actuator can be operated with a small operating force,
Further, the amount of movement of the contact by the actuator can be increased to ensure the connection, and a low-profile connector is provided. An actuator has a cam portion and an operation portion, and a clearance groove between the two portions, in which a vicinity of a tip of a spring portion of each contact can be inserted and removed.
Is formed. When the actuator is rotated 90 ° clockwise about the fulcrum 31a, the cam portion elastically deforms the spring portion of each contact and the connection spring portion 13. Then, the contact part 1
1 protrusions 11a, 11b and the protrusions 12a, 1
2b, the FPC 50 is pinched. Therefore,
The FPC pattern is connected to the printed circuit board 60 via the terminal 17 of each contact. Insulator 20
Ceiling part 22 covers the contact part 11 of each contact,
A guide portion 22a for inserting the FPC into the connector is formed at a lower portion on the front side of the ceiling portion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wiring board for a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a connector for a flexible flat cable (FCC).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A first conventional FPC connector described in Japanese Patent No. 3047862 and a Japanese Patent No. 31019 are disclosed.
The gist of the second conventional FPC connector described in JP-A-51 will be described.

First, the first conventional FPC connector is:
As shown in FIG. 8, it is composed of a number of flat, substantially E-shaped contacts 71, an insulator 72 for holding each contact 71, and an actuator 73 attached to the insulator 72 with the center of rotation as C.

Each contact 71 is made of metal and has a contact portion 7.
1a, contact portion 71b, connecting spring portion 71c, spring portion 71d
And a base portion 71e. Contact part 71a and contact part 71
b, an FPC (not shown) is inserted. The hook 71f at the tip of the contact portion 71b is engaged with the inside of a substantially U-shaped portion 72a formed on the lower front side of the insulator 72, and the hook 71g formed near the center of the lower surface of the base portion 71e is , The lower end 72 of the rear surface of the insulator 72
b. At the rear end of the base 71e, a terminal 71h for connection to a printed circuit board (not shown) is formed. The actuator 73 has a cam portion 73a on one end and a finger-operated operation portion 73b on the other end.

When the actuator 73 is rotated clockwise about the rotation center C, the cam 73 a pushes up the rear end of the spring 71 d of each contact 71. Then, the spring portion 71
d, since the connecting spring portion 71c and the contact portion 71a are elastically deformed, the FPC is pressed against the contact 71i of the contact 71a and the contact 71j of the contact 71b.

Next, a second conventional FPC connector is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 9, a number of flat and substantially E-shaped contacts 81, an insulator 82 for holding each contact 81, and a center of rotation D near the rear end of the contact 81.
And an actuator 83 mounted as a

Each contact 81 is made of metal and has a rotating beam 81a, a column 81b, and a base beam 81c. The FPC 91 is inserted between the contact point 81d on the lower surface of the tip of the rotating beam 81a and the inner surface on the front side of the insulator 82. The base beam 81c is
And the terminal portion 8 is fixed from the rear end of the base beam 81c.
1e is formed to protrude. The terminal portion 81e contacts the pad 92a of the printed circuit board 92. Actuator 83
Has a cam portion 83a and a finger-operated operation portion 83b, and the cam portion 83a is in contact with the inner surface on the rear end side of the insulator 82. Contact 81 shown in FIG.
9 is not in contact with the pad 91a of the FPC 91, the distance between the lower rear end of the contact 81 and the inner surface of the insulator 82 is L1, and FIG.
The contact 81d of the contact 81 shown in FIG.
In a state where the pad 91 is in contact with the pad 91a, the distance between the lower rear end of the contact 81 and the inner surface of the insulator 82 is L2, and L2> L1.

When the actuator 83 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9A to the position shown in FIG. 9B, the support column 81b of the contact 81 is elastically deformed. Then, the contact 81d of the rotating beam 81a contacts the pad 91a of the FPC 91, and the FPC 91 is connected to the printed circuit board 92.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned conventional FPC connectors, the ceiling of the insulator is formed so as to cover substantially the entire length of the connector, and the two sides of the substantially E-shaped contact are formed of FPC. It is configured to extend linearly in parallel with Therefore, the contact 2
If the connecting spring portion or the column connecting the sides is configured to be long, the connector must be high.

In the first conventional FPC connector, the actuator 73 and each contact 71 do not interfere with each other except at the portion where the cam 73a of the actuator 73 contacts the rear end of the spring 71d of each contact 71. Therefore, the actuator 73 cannot be rotated largely. Therefore, the rotation of the actuator 73 by a small angle causes the actuator 7 to rotate.
3, since a required contact force must be obtained between the cam portion 73a of No. 3 and the rear end of the spring portion 71d of each contact 71.
The rotation of the actuator 73 requires a large operation force. Each contact 71 by the actuator 73
Since the amount of movement of the contact portion 71a is small, the dimensional variation between the actuator 73 and each contact 71 greatly varies the contact force, and the reliability of the connector is reduced.

Further, in the second conventional FPC connector, since the actuator 83 is mounted inside the rotating beam 81a, it is difficult to reduce the height of the connector.

Therefore, the present invention improves the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional FPC connectors, allows the actuator to be operated with a small operating force, and allows the contact to be moved by the actuator by a large amount, thereby ensuring reliable connection. Further, it is an object to provide a low-profile connector.

[0013]

The present invention employs the following means to solve the above-mentioned problems.

1. In a connector including: a contact, an insulator that holds the contact, and an actuator that is rotatably attached to the insulator, and that can elastically deform the contact to make contact with an object to be connected, wherein the contact is A contact portion with the connection target on one side, a first beam having an actuated portion by the actuator on the other side, and a contact portion with the connection target on one side,
A second beam having a terminal portion connected to the printed circuit board on the other side; and a connection spring portion connecting the first beam and the second beam. A connector having a ceiling portion for covering at least one contact portion from a fitting side, and a guide portion for guiding insertion of the connection object is formed on the ceiling portion.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein at least one contact portion of the contact has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the connection target near the connection spring portion.

3. The actuator has an operating portion, a cam portion that operates an actuated portion of the contact, and a clearance groove located between the operating portion and the cam portion. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the actuated portion is insertable into the clearance groove before connection.

4. In a connector including: a contact, an insulator that holds the contact, and an actuator that is rotatably attached to the insulator, and that can elastically deform the contact to make contact with an object to be connected, wherein the contact is A contact portion with the connection target on one side, a first beam having an actuated portion by the actuator on the other side, and a contact portion with the connection target on one side,
The second beam includes a second beam having a terminal portion connected to the printed circuit board on the other side, and a connection spring portion connecting the first beam and the second beam.
The beam contact portion has a first protrusion and a second protrusion projecting toward the connection object in the insertion direction of the connection object, the contact portion of the second beam, A third projection and a fourth projection protruding toward the connection object are arranged side by side in the insertion direction of the connection object, and the third projection is the first projection and the second projection. Or the first projection is located between the third projection and the fourth projection, and the first projection and the second projection, or A connector in which the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion are contact points that come into contact with the connection target.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FPC according to one embodiment of the present invention
1 to FIG. 7 will be described.

1 to 5 are a plan view, a front view, a side view, a bottom view, and a rear view of the FPC connector, respectively. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2 before connection between the FPC and the connector. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view after the connection between the FPC and the connector along line AA in FIG. 2.

The FPC connector is formed by printing a number of metal contacts 10, an insulator 20 for holding each contact 10, an actuator 30 made of synthetic resin for pressing each contact 10 to the FPC 50, and an FPC connector. A metal holddown 40 attached to the insulator 20 for fixing to the substrate 60 by soldering.

In FIG. 6, the contact 10 is formed in a flat and substantially E-shape from the contact portion 11, the contact portion 12, the connecting spring portion 13, the spring portion 14, and the spring portion 15. Contact part 1
Two projections 11a and 11b are formed on the lower surface on one end side of 1 slightly apart from each other, and the other end side of the contact portion 11 is bent to form an upwardly inclined portion 11c. Contact part 12
The two protrusions 12a and 12b are formed slightly apart from each other on the upper surface on one end side, and the other end side of the contact portion 12 is bent to form a downward inclined portion 12c. Further, a protruding portion 16 is formed at one end of the contact portion 12, a cam receiving recess 15 a is formed at the center upper surface of the spring portion 15, and a cam receiving recess 15 a is formed at the lower surface of one end side of the spring portion 15. The terminal 17 for connection to the printed board 60 by soldering is formed. The contact portion 11 and the spring portion 14 form one beam, and the contact portion 12 and the spring portion 15 also form one beam.

A number of grooves 21 are formed below the front side of the insulator 20, and the protrusions 16 of the contacts 10 are press-fitted into the respective grooves 21. In addition, a ceiling portion 22 that covers the contact portion 11 of each contact 10 is formed on the insulator 20, and a lower portion on the front side of the ceiling portion 22 includes:
An inclined guide portion 22a for guiding when the FPC 50 is inserted into the connector is formed. The ceiling 2
2 can be used as a suction surface when the insulator 20 is automatically mounted.

The actuator 30 has a cam portion 31 and an operation portion 33 formed by a finger, and a clearance groove 32 between the cam portion 31 and the operation portion 33 in which the vicinity 14a of the tip of the spring portion 14 of each contact 10 can be inserted and removed. Is formed. The actuator 30 is moved from the position shown in FIG.
To the right. When the actuator 30 rotates clockwise, the cam portion 31 elastically deforms the spring portion 14 and the connection spring portion 13 of each contact 10.
Then, the protrusions 11a and 11b of the contact portion 11 and the contact portion 12
The FPC 50 is pinched between the projections 12a and 12b. Therefore, a pattern (not shown) formed on the surface of the FPC 50 is connected to the printed board 60 via the terminal 17 of each contact 10. Projection (11a, 1
With the configuration 1b or 12a, 12b), the same connector can be used to connect both when the contact point of the FPC 50 is on the printed circuit board 60 side and when it is on the opposite side of the printed circuit board 60 side. In the state shown in FIG.
In 1, the clockwise moment is urged by the vicinity 14 a of the tip of the spring portion 14 and the cam receiving recess 15 a of the spring portion 15, so that the actuator 30 does not easily return to the state of FIG. 6.

In the present embodiment, the contact portion 11 of the contact 10 is covered by the ceiling portion 22, but the design can be changed so that the contact portion 12 is also covered by a separate ceiling portion. .

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following advantages.

1. In the conventional connector, the ceiling portion of the insulator is configured to cover substantially the entire length of the connector. In the present invention, the ceiling portion of the insulator covers at least one contact portion of the contact. Further, in the present invention, at least one contact portion of the contact has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the connection object near the connection spring portion. Therefore, the connector can be configured with a low profile.

2. Since the connecting spring portion can be configured to be long, the operating force of the actuator can be reduced, and
Since the amount of movement of the contact portion of the contact can be increased, the contact and the connection target are reliably connected.

3. Since a guide portion for guiding the insertion of the connection target is formed on the ceiling portion of the insulator, the connection target is properly inserted into the connector.

4. Since the relief groove is provided in the actuator, it is not necessary for the actuator to release the vicinity of the distal end 14a of the spring portion 14 over the entire length, and the rotation angle can be increased and the operation force can be reduced.

5. Two protrusions (11a, 11b or 12)
a, 12b), the connection reliability is high. In addition, the FPC is a portion of the protrusions 11a, 12a, 11b or 1
Since the flexure occurs at the portions 2a, 11b, and 12b, the holding force of the FPC (the force for pulling out the FPC while it is connected) increases.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the connector.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the connector.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the connector.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the connector.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view before connection between the FPC and the connector along line AA in FIG. 2;

7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view after the connection between the FPC and the connector along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a first conventional FPC connector.

9A and 9B are cross-sectional views of a second conventional FPC connector, in which FIG. 9A shows a state before connection, FIG. 9B shows a state after connection,
Shown respectively.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Contact 11 Contact part 11a, 11b Projection 11c Inclined part 12 Contact part 12a, 12b Projection 12c Inclined part 13 Connecting spring part 14 Spring part 14a Near the tip 15 Spring part 15a Cam receiving concave part 16 Projection part 17 Terminal part 20 Insulator 21 Groove 22 Ceiling part 22a guide part 30 actuator 31 cam part 31a fulcrum 32 relief groove 33 operation part 40 hold down 50 FPC 60 printed circuit board

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5E021 FA05 FB02 FB05 FC25 FC36 HB01 5E023 AA04 AA13 AA16 BB23 CC23 CC26 DD02 DD13 DD25 EE10 EE11 EE22 EE29 HH08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A connector comprising: a contact; an insulator for holding the contact; and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and capable of elastically deforming the contact to contact an object to be connected. In the contact, a first beam having a contact portion with the connection object on one side and an actuated portion by the actuator on the other side, and a contact portion with the connection object on one side. A second beam having a terminal portion connected to the printed circuit board on the other side, and a connecting spring portion connecting the first beam and the second beam, wherein the insulator comprises the contact A ceiling portion covering at least one contact portion from the fitting side, and inserting the connection object into the ceiling portion. Connector, wherein a guide portion for Id is formed. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein at least one contact portion of the contact has an inclined portion near the connection spring portion, the inclined portion being inclined toward the connection object. 3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator has an operating portion, a cam portion that operates an actuated portion of the contact, and a clearance groove located between the operating portion and the cam portion. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the actuated portion is insertable into the clearance groove before the connection between the connector and the connector. 3. 4. A connector comprising: a contact; an insulator for holding the contact; and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and capable of elastically deforming the contact to come into contact with an object to be connected. In the contact, a first beam having a contact portion with the connection object on one side and an actuated portion by the actuator on the other side, and a contact portion with the connection object on one side. A second beam having a terminal portion connected to the printed circuit board on the other side, and a connecting spring portion connecting the first beam and the second beam. The contact portion has a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding toward the connection object, which are arranged side by side in the insertion direction of the connection object, The contact portion of the second beam has a third projection and a fourth projection that project toward the connection object in the insertion direction of the connection object. The first projection is located between the first projection and the second projection, or the first projection is located between the third projection and the fourth projection. A connector, wherein the second projection or the third projection and the fourth projection serve as contact points for contacting the connection object.