JP2015079568A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A signal transmission medium F can be satisfactorily positioned or held with a simple configuration.
A lock member that engages with a part of a signal transmission medium F inserted in an insulating housing 11 and holds the signal transmission medium F in an insertion position is connected to a leading edge of the signal transmission medium F in the insertion direction. The insertion positioning portion 14b3 with which the portion abuts is provided, and the signal transmission medium F can be positioned without any dimensional error (tolerance) of the insulating housing 11 by the insertion positioning portion 14b3 provided in the lock member 14 itself. While simplifying the structure for positioning the transmission medium F, the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium F is improved, and in particular, a problem related to electrical connectivity due to the positional deviation in the rotation direction in the extending plane of the signal transmission medium F It is set as the structure which prevents generation | occurrence | production of favorable.
[Selection] Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector configured to insert a signal transmission medium into an insulating housing to make an electrical connection.

  In general, an electrical connector is mounted on a printed wiring board used in various electrical devices and the like, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a flexible flat cable (FFC), or the like is passed through the electrical connector. It is widely performed to electrically connect various signal transmission media to a printed wiring board. For example, in the electrical connector described in Patent Document 1 below, a signal transmission medium made of FPC, FFC, or the like is accommodated in a medium through an insertion port provided at a front end portion of the electrical connector mounted on a printed wiring board. After inserting into the passage and completing the insertion of the signal transmission medium (FPC, FFC, etc.), the contact member is elastically displaced by rotating the connection operation means (actuator), thereby The contact portion is brought into pressure contact with the electrode portion provided on the signal transmission medium so as to be electrically connected.

  As described above, the leading edge portion on the insertion side of the signal transmission medium (FPC, FFC, etc.) inserted into the medium housing passage of the insulating housing is the abutting wall provided so as to partition the medium housing passage of the insulating housing. The insertion of the signal transmission medium is completed in a state where the positioning is performed by the abutting wall. Thus, the abutting wall provided in the medium accommodating passage is formed so as to close the medium accommodating passage in the middle part in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium, and positioning is performed by contacting the abutting wall. The signal transmission medium that has been formed has a lock engaging portion formed by a notch or the like, and the lock engaging claw provided on the lock member is fitted to the lock engaging portion of the signal transmission medium. As a result, the signal transmission medium is prevented from coming off, and the signal transmission medium is held without dropping from the insulating housing.

  However, in such a conventional electrical connector, in addition to the dimensional error or tolerance that occurs between the lock engaging claw of the lock member and the lock engaging portion of the signal transmission medium (FPC, FFC, etc.), Dimensional errors (tolerances) that occur when the abutting wall of the insulating housing is formed overlap, and the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium may be reduced. When the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium is lowered, the engagement of the locking latching claw becomes insufficient, the signal transmission medium is not held well, and the so-called signal transmission medium displacement amount or backlash amount increases. There is a fear. Such poor holding due to positional displacement or backlash of the signal transmission medium causes a problem in electrical connectivity, and in particular, a small electrical with a small number of electrodes on which contact members are arranged. In the connector, even if the signal transmission medium is slightly displaced in the rotational direction that moves in the rotational direction within the plane in which the signal transmission medium extends, it is between the contact part of the contact member. Misalignment may occur and electrical connection failure may occur.

JP2013-26101A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of satisfactorily positioning or holding a signal transmission medium with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in the electrical connector including the lock member that engages with a part of the signal transmission medium inserted into the insulating housing and holds the signal transmission medium in the insertion position, the lock member In addition, a configuration is employed in which an insertion positioning portion is provided in which the leading edge in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium abuts.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, since the positioning when the signal transmission medium is inserted into the insulating housing is performed by the insertion positioning portion provided in the lock member itself, the dimensional error of the insulating housing ( Positioning of the signal transmission medium is performed without any tolerance), and the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium is improved while simplifying the structure for positioning the signal transmission medium, and in particular, the extension plane of the signal transmission medium. It is possible to satisfactorily prevent the occurrence of problems related to electrical connectivity due to positional deviation in the rotation direction.

  Further, in the present invention, the lock member has a pair of beam-like members mounted inside the insulating housing, and the insertion positioning portion is connected from one of the pair of beam-like members to the other. It is desirable to form so that it may protrude.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, the insertion positioning portion is formed at the same time when the lock member is molded, so that productivity can be improved.

  In the present invention, the signal transmission medium is provided with an engagement holding portion, and the lock member is provided with a locking lock claw that fits into the signal transmission medium. The distance L1 between the insertion positioning portion and the locking lock claw in the lock member is equal to the distance L2 between the distal end edge portion in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium and the engagement holding portion. It is desirable to set correspondingly (L1∽L2).

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium is reliably increased.

  As described above, the electrical connector according to the present invention is inserted into the signal transmission medium into the lock member that engages with a part of the signal transmission medium inserted into the insulating housing and holds the signal transmission medium in the insertion position. An insertion positioning part where the leading edge of the direction abuts is provided, and the signal transmission medium can be positioned without any dimensional error (tolerance) of the insulating housing by the insertion positioning part provided on the lock member itself. While simplifying the structure for positioning the medium, the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium is improved, and in particular, the occurrence of defects related to electrical connectivity due to the positional deviation in the rotation direction within the extension plane of the signal transmission medium is good. Therefore, the signal transmission medium can be satisfactorily positioned or held with a simple configuration, The reliability of the connector can be inexpensively and substantially improved.

In the electrical connector concerning one Embodiment of this invention, it is the external appearance perspective explanatory view which represented the state which raised the actuator to the release position from the upper part of the connector front side. It is front explanatory drawing of the electrical connector represented by FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing along the IV-IV line in FIG. FIG. 5 is an external perspective view illustrating a lock member used in the electrical connector illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 from above the front side of the connector. It is side surface explanatory drawing of the locking member represented by FIG. It is external appearance perspective explanatory drawing showing the terminal part of signal transmission media (FPC or FFC etc.). An external perspective view showing a state where a terminal portion of a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) is inserted into the electrical connector shown in FIGS. FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 in the electrical connector illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 in the electrical connector illustrated in FIG. 8.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[About overall connector structure]
First, the electrical connector 10 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 includes an insulating housing (insulator) 11 made of an insulating member extending in an elongated shape. This insulating housing 11 is formed from a thin hollow casing having a substantially rectangular shape on a plane. On one side (left end side in FIG. 3) of opposing long side end edge portions, a flexible printed A front insertion port 11a into which a signal transmission medium F (see FIG. 7) made of a circuit (FPC), a flexible flat cable (FFC), or the like is inserted is provided so as to have a horizontally elongated opening shape. Further, the other end side edge portion (the right end side edge portion in FIG. 3) opposite to the front side insertion port 11a is a rear side for mounting a conductive contact 12 (to be described later) and an actuator 13 as connection operation means. A side opening is provided, and a medium accommodation passage 11b in which a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is inserted and accommodated in a portion from the above-described front side insertion opening 11a to the rear side opening. Is formed.

  In the following, the direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the insulating housing 11 is referred to as “connector longitudinal direction”, and the respective directions toward the front insertion port 11a and the rear opening are respectively referred to as “connector front” and “connector rear”. I will call it. Further, a direction orthogonal to both the “connector longitudinal direction” and the “connector longitudinal direction” is referred to as “connector vertical direction”.

[About conductive contacts]
Inside the medium housing passage 11b provided in the insulating housing 11 described above, there are a plurality of (four) conductive contacts (contact members) made of thin plate-shaped metal members having a side surface shape with a substantially H-shaped sideways. 12 is inserted so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the connector. Each of the conductive contacts 12 is arranged so as to be arranged in a multipolar shape at an appropriate interval along the lateral width direction (connector longitudinal direction) of the insulating housing 11, and the same shape is adjacent to each other. Or the thing of a different shape is arrange | positioned alternately. Each of these conductive contacts 12 is used for either signal transmission or shielding. As will be described later, the rear end portion (right end portion in FIG. 3) of each conductive contact 12 is a printed wiring board (not shown). It is designed to be used on top.

  Each of the conductive contacts 12 is mounted so as to be pushed from the rear opening provided on the rear end side of the connector as described above toward the front side of the connector (left side in FIG. 3). A conductive path Fb (see FIG. 7) formed of either a signal transmission conductive path (signal line) or a shield conductive path (shield line) formed on the front or back surface of a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC, etc.) F Each of the conductive contacts 12 is arranged at a corresponding position. Each of these conductive contacts 12 has a movable contact beam 12a and a fixed contact beam 12b each composed of a pair of elongated beam members extending along the insertion / extraction direction of the signal transmission medium F (left and right direction in FIG. 3). Yes.

  The movable contact beam 12a and the fixed contact beam 12b are arranged in a state facing each other at an appropriate interval in the vertical direction of the connector in the internal space of the medium housing passage 11b provided in the insulating housing 11 described above. It extends so as to form an elongated shape along the connector longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3). Among them, the fixed contact beam 12b is arranged so as to extend along the inner wall surface of the bottom portion of the insulating housing 11, and is fixed so as to be substantially immobile inside the insulating housing 11.

  The fixed contact beam 12b extends in a substantially vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) slightly to the rear side (right side in FIG. 3) from the central portion in the connector longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 3). The narrow-plate-shaped connecting support column 12c is integrally connected. And the movable contact beam 12a mentioned above is integrally connected with the upper end part of the connection support | pillar part 12c so that it may extend in the connector front-back direction (left-right direction of FIG. 3). The movable contact beam 12a is elastically deformed so as to rotate around the connecting column portion 12c or the vicinity thereof, and thereby the movable contact beam 12a is elastically flexible with respect to the fixed contact beam 12b. Has been made. Each of the movable contact beams 12a is elastically deformed so as to rotate in an extending plane including the paper surface of FIG. 3, and both end portions in the extending direction of the movable contact beam 12a are elastically displaced in the vertical direction in the drawing. The structure is made.

  Further, a conductive path (for signal transmission or shielding) formed on the upper surface side of the signal transmission medium (FPC, FFC, etc.) F is provided at the front end portion (left end portion in FIG. 3) of the movable contact beam 12a described above. A terminal contact convex portion 12a1 is provided as a contact portion connected to the conductive path Fb (see FIG. 7) composed of any one of (not shown) so as to form a downward protruding shape in the drawing. The signal transmission medium F is sandwiched between the terminal contact convex portion 12a1 provided on the movable contact beam 12a and the fixed contact beams 12b arranged so as to face the position immediately below the terminal contact convex portion 12a1. ing.

  At this time, corresponding to the terminal contact convex portion 12a1 of the movable contact beam 12a described above, the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F formed on the lower surface side of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) is also formed on the fixed contact beam 12b side. It is also possible to provide a terminal contact convex portion connected to one of the shield conductive paths (not shown) so as to form an upwardly protruding shape in the figure. Also, these terminal contact convex portions can be arranged so that their positions are shifted to the front side of the connector (left side in the figure) or the rear side of the connector (right side in the figure). Further, the fixed contact beam 12b in the present embodiment is basically fixed so as to be stationary, but for the purpose of facilitating insertion of a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F, for example, The front end portion of the fixed contact beam 12b may be formed so as to be slightly lifted from the bottom wall surface of the insulating housing 11 so as to be elastically displaceable.

  In such a fixed contact beam 12b, the connector rear end portion (the right end portion in FIG. 3) is connected to the above-described printed circuit board by a board connection terminal portion 12b1 soldered to a conductive path (not shown). Is formed, and electrical connection to the printed wiring board is performed through the board bonding terminal portion 12b1.

  Further, the fixed contact beam 12b is provided with a cam receiving portion 12b2 formed in a portion adjacent to the above-described substrate bonding terminal portion 12b1 so as to be recessed in a substantially arc shape on the lower side in a side view. In a state where the pressing cam portion 13a of the actuator (connection operation means) 13 attached to the rear end portion of the insulating housing 11 is slidably contacted from the upper side in the figure in the substantially arc-shaped depression portion of the receiving portion 12b2. Has been placed. An actuated portion 12a2 provided at the connector rear end portion of the movable contact beam 12a is slidably pressed against the upper portion of the pressing cam portion 13a of the actuator 13.

[About the actuator]
The actuator 13 as the connection operation means described above is attached so as to be rotatable along the edge portion (the right end portion in FIG. 3) on the rear side of the connector in the insulating housing 11, and the actuator (connection operation means). ) 13 from the “release position” which is the initial position in the standing state substantially vertically upward as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, The movable contact beam 12a of the conductive contact 12 is elastically deformed as described above by rotating to the “clamping position” pushed down toward the rear side of the connector (right side in FIG. 3), and the signal transmission medium. The conductive contact 12 is electrically connected to F (such as FPC or FFC).

  More specifically, the actuator (connection operation means) 13 is entirely formed of a substantially plate-like member, and is connected to the connector rear end portion (right end portion in FIG. 3) of the insulating housing 11 in the connector longitudinal direction. It has the rotation operation part 13b extended in elongate shape along. In addition, a pair of rotation shaft portions (not shown) are provided on both end surfaces of the actuator 13 in the connector longitudinal direction so as to protrude outward in the same direction. The portion is rotatably supported by bearing members 11c and 11c provided on the insulating housing 11 side. Each of the bearing members 11c is formed of a plate-like member that protrudes in a cantilevered arm shape from the side wall surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the insulating housing 11 toward the connector rear side.

  As described above, the rotation shaft portions disposed at both ends of the actuator (connection operation means) 13 in the connector longitudinal direction extend in the connector longitudinal direction so as to be coaxial with the rotation shaft portion. It is integrally connected by the part 13a. The assembly operator applies an appropriate turning operation force to the turning operation portion 13b of the actuator 13, so that the entire actuator 13 is turned around the turning shaft and the pressing cam portion 13a. 1 to 4, and the “release position” that is the position in the initial state raised upward, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, and the state that is tilted substantially horizontally toward the rear side of the connector as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. It is designed to be rotated between the “clamping position”.

  Further, in the region near the rotation center of the actuator (connection operation means) 13, as described above, the actuator 13 is rotated in a substantially horizontal direction toward the rear side of the connector. The plurality of slit portions 13c that avoid interference with the conductive contact 12 are formed in a comb-teeth shape.

  Further, the pressing cam portion 13 a that connects the pair of rotating shaft portions disposed on both sides in the connector longitudinal direction is formed of a shaft-shaped member having a substantially elliptical cross section, and the actuator (connection operation means) 13 It extends along the center of rotation. A predetermined cam action surface 13a1 is formed at a position corresponding to both end portions in the long axis direction in the substantially elliptical cross section of the pressing cam portion 13a. Then, as described above, the actuator 13 performs a turning operation in which the actuator 13 is pushed down from the “release position” (see FIGS. 1 to 4) toward the “clamping position” (see FIGS. 8 to 10). At this time, the rotation radius of the pressing cam portion 13a changes in a direction increasing between the fixed contact beam 12b and the movable contact beam 12a, and the movable contact beam is changed according to the diameter change of the pressing cam portion 13a. The actuated portion 12a2 provided on the rear end side of the connector 12a is displaced so as to be lifted upward, and accordingly, the terminal contact convex portion 12a1 provided on the front end side of the connector is pushed downward. It has been made into a configuration.

  Further, in the minor axis direction of the substantially elliptical cross section of the pressing cam portion 13a, the cam receiving portion 12b2 of the fixed contact beam 12b when the actuator (connection operation means) 13 is in the initial state of the “release position”. From the initial state (see FIGS. 1 to 4) in which the curved rotation surface that slides upward is formed and the actuator 13 is in the “release position” (see FIGS. 1 to 4), the signal transmission medium (through the front insertion port 11a of the insulating housing 11). F is inserted into the medium accommodating passage 11b. Thereafter, the actuator 13 is tilted toward the rear side of the connector and rotated until it becomes substantially horizontal (see FIGS. 8 to 10), until the actuator 13 is just before the “holding position” that is the final rotation position. The rotation radius of the pressing cam portion 13a described above becomes maximum when it has been rotated, and the signal transmission medium F at the “clamping position”, which is a position further rotated by a minute angle from the position where the pressure cam portion 13a has reached. The terminal contact convex portion 12a1 of the movable contact beam 12a described above is maintained in pressure contact with either a signal transmission path or a ground conductive path (not shown) formed on the surface of the electrode. It is made the structure where a typical connection is made.

[About locking members]
On the other hand, the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F inserted into the insulating housing 11 is prevented from being removed at both end portions in the connector longitudinal direction of the insulating housing 11, that is, the outer portions on both sides of the conductive contact 12 described above. A pair of lock members 14 and 14 for performing the above are mounted so as to be pushed from the front end side of the connector toward the rear side (right side in FIG. 4). Each of these lock members 14 also has a movable lock beam 14a and a fixed lock beam 14b each made of a pair of elongated beam members extending along the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium F (the right direction in FIG. 4). Yes.

  The movable lock beam 14a and the fixed lock beam 14b constituting each of the lock members 14 face each other at appropriate intervals in the vertical direction on both side portions in the connector longitudinal direction in the medium accommodating passage 11b of the insulating housing 11. It is arrange | positioned so that it may be elongated in the connector front-back direction (left-right direction of FIG. 4). Among them, the fixed lock beam 14 b is disposed so as to extend along the inner wall surface of the bottom of the insulating housing 11, and is fixed so as to be substantially immobile within the insulating housing 11.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the connector front end side portion (left end side portion in FIG. 4) of the fixed lock beam 14b is bonded to the ground conductive path formed on the printed wiring board or to the soldering area for fixing. The terminal portion 14b1 is formed so as to protrude forward from the front insertion slot 11a of the insulating housing 11, and is fixed to the printed wiring board via the substrate bonding terminal portion 14b1.

  Such a fixed lock beam 14b has a narrow width extending in a substantially vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 4) from a central portion in a connector longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4) to a position slightly on the rear side of the connector. The plate-shaped connection support | pillar part 14c is connected integrally. And the movable lock beam 14a mentioned above is integrally connected with the upper end part of the connection support | pillar part 14c so that it may extend in the connector front-back direction (left-right direction of FIG. 4).

  Therefore, the movable lock beam 14a is configured to be elastically deformed so as to rotate about the upper end portion of the connecting support column 14c or the vicinity thereof, and the movable lock beam 14a is in contrast to the fixed lock beam 14b described above. It has elastic flexibility. The rotation of the movable lock beam 14a is performed in an extending plane including the paper surface of FIG. 4, and both end portions (left and right end portions in FIG. 4) in the extending direction of the movable lock beam 14a are in the vertical direction in the drawing. It is configured to be elastically displaced.

  Here, as described above, the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F inserted into the internal space of the medium housing passage 11b provided in the insulating housing 11 has both edge portions in the width direction (connector longitudinal direction). Is configured to be inserted between the fixed lock beam 14b and the movable lock beam 14a. An insertion positioning portion 14b3 is provided on the fixed lock beam 14b so that the leading edge in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium F abuts. The insertion positioning portion 14b3 is formed of a protruding piece that protrudes from the upper edge portion of the fixed lock beam 14b toward the upper movable lock beam 14a, and is located at a position slightly ahead of the above-described connecting column portion 14c. , Protruding over a height corresponding to the thickness of the signal transmission medium F.

  On the other hand, at the rear end portion of the connector (the right end portion in FIG. 4) of the fixed lock beam 14b, a cam receiving portion 14b2 that slidably receives the pressing cam portion 13a of the actuator 13 described above is substantially downward in a side view. The press cam portion 13a of the actuator 13 described above is slidably abutted from the upper side in the figure in the substantially arc-shaped recess portion of the cam receiving portion 14b2. Has been placed. Since the actuator 13 and the pressing cam portion 13a and the structures associated therewith are the same as those of the conductive contact 12 described above, the description thereof is omitted.

  Furthermore, a locking lock claw 14a1 that is fitted to a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is provided at the connector front end portion (left end side portion in FIG. 4) of the movable lock beam 14a described above. Then, in correspondence with the locking lock claw 14a1 provided on the lock member 14, the terminal portion of the signal transmission medium F has a width direction (see FIG. 7). Engagement positioning portions Fa, Fa formed of notch-shaped concave portions are formed at the edge portions on both sides of the connector longitudinal direction). The engagement positioning portions Fa and Fa provided on the signal transmission medium F and the above-described locking lock claws 14a1 and 14a1 provided on the electric connector 10 side are in a engagable relationship. Due to the locking action (locking action) of the locking claws 14a1 and 14a1, the insertion state of the signal transmission medium F is maintained and the retaining is performed.

  More specifically, the locking lock claw 14a1 provided on each lock member 14 described above is formed of a hook-shaped member having a substantially triangular side surface, and is on the front side of the connector (left side in FIG. 4). An inclined guide side 14a2 extending obliquely downward from the front end portion toward the rear (right side in FIG. 4) is provided. The inclined guide side 14a2 has a guide function when a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F is inserted into the medium accommodating passage 11b on the electric connector 10 side.

  That is, there is a space in which a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F is inserted in a loosely fitted state between the locking lock claw 14a1 provided on each lock member 14 and the above-described fixed lock beam 14b. However, when the terminal end edge of the signal transmission medium F comes into contact with the locking lock claw 14a1, the guide action of the inclined guide side 14a2 described above causes the movable lock beam 14a and the fixed lock beam 14b to move. A signal transmission medium F is inserted in the intermediate portion.

  Further, the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F is pushed toward the back of the connector (the right side in FIG. 4), and the leading edge in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium F is the above-described fixed lock. When the beam 14b is stopped by being abutted against the insertion positioning portion 14b3, the engagement positioning portion Fa provided on the signal transmission medium F is positioned immediately below the locking lock claw 14a1 provided on the movable lock beam 14a. Is set to a positional relationship. As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the actuator (connection operation means) 13 is rotated from the signal transmission medium F to the “clamping position” as shown in FIGS. The locking lock claw 14a1 descends due to the cam push-up action, and the locking lock claw 14a1 is engaged (locked) with the engagement positioning portion Fa of the signal transmission medium F, thereby transmitting the signal. The medium F is prevented from being removed.

  Here, as described above, the insertion positioning portion 14b3 provided in the fixed lock beam 14b is configured to position the signal transmission medium F when the leading edge of the signal transmission medium (FPC, FFC, etc.) abuts. In the formation of the fixed lock beam 14b, the locking lock pawl 14a1 described above is positioned within a predetermined tolerance range in the connector longitudinal direction with respect to the position where the insertion positioning portion 14b3 is disposed. It is set to become. That is, the distance L1 (see FIG. 6) formed between the insertion positioning portion 14b3 and the locking lock claw 14a1 is determined by the engagement positioning portion Fa provided on the signal transmission medium F side and the signal transmission medium. It is set corresponding to the distance L2 (see FIG. 7) between the front end edge of F (L1∽L2).

  More specifically, the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F is inserted into the medium accommodating passage 11b provided in the insulating housing 11 as described above, and inserted in the fixed lock beam 14b. Positioning in the inserted state is performed by contacting the positioning portion 14b3, and then the actuator (connection operation means) 13 is tilted toward the rear side of the connector and rotated to the “clamping position”, thereby locking. The lock claw 14a1 is engaged (locked) with the engagement positioning portion Fa of the signal transmission medium F, and the signal transmission medium F is prevented from being removed. Here, in this embodiment, between the insertion positioning portion 14b3 of the lock member 14 and the locking lock claw 14a1 so that the locking lock claw 14a1 is in a good fitting state with respect to the engagement positioning portion Fa. The distance L1 is set in correspondence with the distance L2 from the front end edge of the signal transmission medium F to the engagement positioning portion Fa. The distance L1 and the distance L2 at this time are not completely coincident (L1≈L2), and the locking lock claw 14a1 is smoothly fitted to the engagement positioning portion Fa as described above. The dimension is set so as to form a gap for going.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, positioning when the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC or the like) F inserted into the medium accommodating passage 11b of the insulating housing 11 is inserted is provided in the fixed lock beam 14b of the lock member 14 itself. Since the insertion positioning portion 14b3 is used, the signal transmission medium F is positioned without any dimensional error (tolerance) of the insulating housing 11. Therefore, the structure for positioning the signal transmission medium F is simplified, and the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium F is improved. Such an improvement in positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium F increases the reliability of electrical connectivity, and in particular, a signal in a small-width electrical connector in which the number of electrodes on which the conductive contacts 12 are arranged is set to a small number. It is possible to satisfactorily prevent the occurrence of problems related to electrical connectivity due to the positional deviation in the rotation direction within the extending plane of the transmission medium F.

  In particular, in this embodiment, since the insertion positioning portion 14b3 is integrally formed with the fixed lock beam 14b, the insertion positioning portion 14b3 is simultaneously formed when the lock member 14 is formed. Thus, productivity can be improved.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the distance L1 between the insertion positioning portion 14b3 of the lock member 14 and the locking lock claw 14a1 is the distance between the leading edge in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium F and the engagement holding portion Fa. Is set corresponding to the distance L2 (L1 確 実 L2), the positioning accuracy of the signal transmission medium F is reliably increased.

  Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the insertion positioning portion on which the leading edge of the signal transmission medium abuts is provided on the fixed lock beam side, but it may be provided on the movable lock beam side.

  In the above-described embodiment, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a flexible flat cable (FFC) are used as a signal transmission medium fixed to the electrical connector. The present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a medium for use is used.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electrical connector provided with a rotatable actuator as connection operation means. However, the present invention provides an actuator that reciprocates in a slide shape, for example. The present invention can also be applied to an electrical connector that is provided or an electrical connector that is not provided with connection operation means such as an actuator.

  Moreover, although the electrical connector according to the above-described embodiment uses conductive contacts having the same shape, the present invention can be similarly applied even if conductive contacts having different shapes are used. .

  The present invention can be widely applied to a wide variety of electrical connectors used in various electrical devices.

10 Electrical connector 11 Insulation housing (insulator)
11a Front insertion slot 11b Medium accommodating passage 12 Conductive contact (contact member)
12a Movable contact beam 12a1 Terminal contact convex part 12a2 Actuated part 12b Fixed contact beam 12b1 Substrate bonding terminal part 12b2 Cam receiving part 12c Connecting support part 13 Actuator (connection operation means)
13a Press cam part 13a1 Cam action surface 13b Rotation operation part 13c Slit part 14 Lock member 14a Movable lock beam 14a1 Locking lock claw 14a2 Inclined guide side 14b Fixed lock beam 14b1 Board joint terminal part 14b2 Cam receiving part 14b3 Insertion positioning part 14c Connecting strut F Signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC, etc.)
Fa engagement positioning part Fb conductive path

Claims (3)

In an electrical connector provided with a lock member that engages with a part of a signal transmission medium inserted in an insulating housing and holds the signal transmission medium in an insertion position.
The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the lock member is provided with an insertion positioning portion against which a leading edge portion in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium abuts. The locking member has a pair of beam-like members mounted inside the insulating housing,
The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the insertion positioning portion is formed so as to protrude from one of the pair of beam-shaped members to the other. The signal transmission medium is provided with an engagement holding portion, and a locking lock claw that fits into the engagement holding portion of the signal transmission medium is provided on the lock member,
The distance L1 between the insertion positioning portion and the locking lock claw in the lock member corresponds to the distance L2 between the distal end edge portion in the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium and the engagement holding portion. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is set (L1∽L2).

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