JPH09161863A - Electric connector for flexible circuit board - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently contract a height dimension. SOLUTION: Each contact 8L, BR has a contact part 8a protruded from the side surface laid along the contact arrangement direction of a housing 10 and a spring part 8b for elastically energizing the contact part 8a in the direction of protruding it from the side surface of the housing 10. A cover member 20 is formed of a frame body having an opening 21 for exposing a flexible circuit board 2 arranged on the housing 10, and beams for pressing and elastically bringing the flexible circuit board 2 into contact with the contact parts 8a of the contacts are constituted by frame parts 23, 23 extended along the arrangement direction of the contacts of the frame body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector for flexible circuit boards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a flexible circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "FPC") has been known as one for electrically connecting a movable part of an optical system to other fixed parts or movable parts in a copying machine or the like. .

Further, various connectors have been proposed for electrically connecting the exposed end of the FPC to the movable portion or the fixed portion and mechanically fixing the same.

In these FPC connectors, a plurality of contacts are arranged in a predetermined direction so that at least their contact portions are exposed, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-117682 and US Pat. No. 4,693,063. And an insulating housing, and a cover member made of synthetic resin or metal for crimping and fixing an FPC arranged on the housing so as to come into contact with the contact portions of the plurality of contacts. ing. A connector of this type is generally configured to be fixed on the printed wiring board in such a manner that the bottom surface of the housing is parallel to the printed wiring board surface.

[0005]

Recently, miniaturization is also required for this type of connector, and the size in the height direction when it is fixed on a printed wiring board is severely restricted.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional FPC connector, a plurality of contacts are arranged in the housing with their contact portions facing upward, and the FPC and the cover member are superposed above these contact portions. Therefore, even if a metal cover member that can ensure a predetermined strength is used even if the thickness is reduced, there is a certain limit in reducing the height dimension.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized FPC electric connector capable of sufficiently reducing the height dimension.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, an FPC connector according to the present invention comprises an insulating housing in which a plurality of contacts are arranged in a predetermined direction so that at least their contact portions are exposed. A cover member for crimping and fixing the FPC arranged on the housing so as to come into contact with the contact portions of the plurality of contacts, the contact has a tip protruding from a side surface of the housing. A frame-shaped body that includes a contact portion and a spring portion that elastically biases the contact portion in a direction in which the contact portion protrudes from the side surface of the housing, and the cover member has an opening that is disposed on the housing and exposes the FPC. The frame portion of the frame-like body extending along the contact arrangement direction presses the FPC from the side to elastically contact the contact portion of the contact. And it is characterized in that it constitutes a beam.

[0009]

In the FPC connector according to the present invention, the FPC is elastically crimped from the side to the contact portion of the contact protruding from the side surface of the housing, and the cover member is mounted on the housing. Placed FP
Since it is composed of a frame-like body having an opening for exposing C, the thickness of the cover member can be made independent of the height of the entire connector when the FPC is connected. It is possible to obtain a microminiature FPC connector in which the height dimension in the state where the FPC is connected is reduced to the limit.

Further, the contact is provided with a spring portion for elastically urging the contact portion in the direction of projecting from the side surface of the housing, and the frame portion of the cover member along the arrangement direction of the contacts presses the FPC from the side. Since the beam is elastically contacted with the contact portions of the contacts, a constant and stable contact pressure can be obtained in good balance for all the contact portions.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an FPC electric connector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of an FPC electric connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which an FPC is connected, FIG. 3 is a front view, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the housing shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 2 corresponding to the line V, and FIG. 6 is a rear view of the FPC.

The connector 1 in this embodiment is shown in FIG.
It is a connector for connecting the FPC 2 having the configuration shown in FIG. This FPC 2 has a plurality of long and short conductive strips 4L and 4S arranged in parallel and alternately on the back surface of a ribbon-shaped insulating substrate 3 extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 6 along the extending direction. And conductive pads 5L and 5S provided at the tips of the conductive strips 4L and 4S, respectively.

The conductive pads 5L are arranged in the vicinity of the edge portion 3a on the front end side of the substrate 3 along the edge portion 3a, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the FPC 2 at substantially equal intervals. Further, the conductive pad 5S group is aligned at substantially equal intervals in a direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the FPC 2 at a position separated from the edge portion 3a side by a predetermined distance with respect to the conductive pad 5L group. .. Further, the substrate 3 is provided with alignment tab-shaped portions 6 on both edge portions 3b, 3b along the extension direction thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 comprises an insulating housing 10 and a metal cover member 20, and the housing 10 is an FPC as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.
2 is provided with a curved FPC mounting surface 10a that can be mounted in a state of being curved in a concave shape on the back surface side so that the portions where the conductive pads 5L and 5S are provided are substantially vertical. The contact insertion groove 7 is formed inward from both side surfaces of the FPC mounting surface 10a along the longitudinal direction.

A contact 8L which is inserted into the groove 7 of the housing 10 from the side and mounted on the housing 10,
As shown in FIG. 5, 8S is a contact portion 8a protruding from both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the FPC mounting surface 10a of the housing 10.
(Free end), a bent spring portion 8b for urging the contact portion 8a in a direction to project the contact portion 8a from the side surface along the longitudinal direction of the FPC mounting surface 10a, and the contacts 8L and 8S in the groove 7 of the housing 10. And a tine portion 8d protruding laterally from the lower edges 10b, 10b in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10 and soldered to a printed wiring board (not shown) or the like. FIG.
Of the contact 8S arranged on the left side of FIG. 5 and the contact 8L arranged on the right side of FIG.
Although they have different shapes, they may have the same shape.

The contact portions 8a of the contact 8L group are in contact with the conductive pads 5L group of the FPC 2 respectively, and the contact portion 8a of the contact 8S group is the conductive pad 5 of the FPC 2 respectively.
The intervals and positions of the groove 7 and the contacts 8L group and 8S group are set so that they can contact the S group respectively.

Positioning means for the FPC 2 is provided on the tops of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the FPC mounting surface 10a of the housing 10. The alignment means comprises a pair of projecting edges 10d, 10d facing each other with a predetermined gap 10c therebetween. As shown in FIG. 2, these projecting edges 10d, 10d are formed.
Engages with both side edges 3b, 3b of the FPC 2 to define the position of the FPC 2 in the width direction, and
The position of the FPC 2 in the longitudinal direction is regulated by inserting the positioning tab-shaped portion 6 of the FPC 2 into the gap 10c between the d and 10d. Further, on both end faces 10e, 10e in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, protrusions 11, 11 for engaging the cover member 20 and locking the cover member 20 at a predetermined position are provided.

As means for aligning the FPC 2, besides the above, a post may be provided so as to project from the top of the housing 10 and the hole formed in the FPC 2 may be engaged with the post.

A cover member 20 produced from a metal plate body
Is a frame-shaped body having an opening 21, and the conductive pad 5
Housing 1 with L and 5S sides facing FPC mounting surface 10a
The FPC 2 mounted on the No. 0 FPC mounting surface 10a is exposed from the opening 21. The cover member 20 is configured to be capped on the housing 10 from above the housing 10 on which the FPC 2 is mounted on the FPC mounting surface 10a, and both frame portions 23 along the longitudinal direction of the cover member 20, 23 and both end portions 20 in the longitudinal direction
a and 20a have appropriate elasticity. Both ends 2
Openings 22 and 22 that engage with the protrusions 11 and 11 of the housing 10 are formed in the holes 0a and 20a.

As shown by phantom lines in FIG. 1, F in a flat state
When the cover member 20 is capped on the housing 10 after the PC 2 is positioned on the FPC mounting surface 10a of the housing 10, the FPC 2 is moved along the FPC mounting surface 10a of the housing 10 by the two frame portions 23, 23 of the cover member 20. To bend. Then, the openings 22, 22 of the cover member 20 are engaged with the protrusions 11, 11 of the housing 10 to cover the cover member 20.
3 is fixed to the housing 10, the conductive pad 5 of the FPC 2 can be clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 5.
The portions where L and 5S are provided are substantially vertical, and the conductive pads 5L and 5S are connected to the contact pads 8L and 8S by the frame portions 23 and 23 of the cover member 20 extending along the arrangement direction of the contacts 8L and 8S. The contact portion 8a is elastically pressure-contacted from the lateral direction or the diagonal lateral direction, respectively, and the FPC2
A mechanical and electrical connection between the connector 1 and the connector 1 is achieved. That is, the frame portions 23, 23 are the conductive pads 5 of the FPC 2.
The L and 5S functions as a beam for pressing the contact portions 8a of the contacts 8L and 8S.

Further, when the cover member 20 is fixed to the housing 10, as shown in FIG.
The four protruding edges 10d of 0 are the four of the openings 21 of the cover member 20.
The upper surface 3c of the substrate 3 between the conductive pads 5L group and 5S group of the FPC 2 is exposed in the corner and is exposed in the opening 21 over the entire width. Then, as is clear from FIG. 5, the FPC 2 exposed in the opening 21.
Since the upper surface 3c of the substrate 3 and the peripheral edge 21a of the opening 21 on the upper surface of the cover member 20 are aligned substantially on the same plane with the upper surfaces of the four protruding edges 10d, the connector 1 has its contacts 8L. , 8S tine 8d
The thickness of the cover member 20 is irrelevant to the height from the plate surface of the printed wiring board or the like when soldered to the printed wiring board or the like, and the height of the entire connector 1 to which the FPC 2 is connected is limited to the maximum. The height can be reduced to (in the present embodiment, the height is only 2 mm).

Further, the frame portion 23 constituting the beam,
In order to reinforce 23, the pair of reinforcing tongues of the cover member 20 are bent from both end portions 20a, 20a in the longitudinal direction toward the frame portions 23, 23 and extend on the outer surface of the frame portions 23, 23. The tongue pieces 24, 24 are provided with the pieces 24, 24.
Is configured to support the frame portions 23, 23 from the side.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the conductive pads 5 of the FPC 2 are attached to the contact portions 8a of the contacts 8L and 8S protruding from the side surface of the housing 10.
Since L and 5S are configured to be elastically pressure-bonded from the side, and the cover member 20 is composed of a frame-like body having an opening 21 for exposing the FPC 2 mounted on the housing 10. , The thickness of the cover member 20 can be made irrelevant to the height of the entire connector 1 when the FPC 2 is connected.
It is possible to obtain a microminiature FPC connector 1 in which the height dimension with C2 connected is reduced to the limit.

Further, the contacts 8L and 8S are provided with a spring portion 8b which elastically biases the contact portion 8a in a direction in which the contact portion 8a projects from the side surface of the housing 10, and the contact 8
The frame portion 23 of the cover member 20 along the arrangement direction of L and 8S,
23 presses the FPC 2 from the side and the conductive pad 5
Since a beam for making L, 5S elastically contact the contact points 8a of the contacts 8L, 8S is formed, a constant and stable contact pressure can be obtained between all the contact points 8a and the conductive pads 5L, 5S in good balance. be able to.

Further, the pair of reinforcing tongue pieces 24 of the cover member 20 are bent from both end portions 20a, 20a in the longitudinal direction toward the frame portions 23, 23 and extend on the outer side surfaces of the frame portions 23, 23. , 24, it is possible to prevent the elastic pressure of the beam (frame portions 23, 23) against the FPC 2 from changing with time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the same FPC is connected.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a housing with contacts attached.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 2 corresponding to line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the FPC.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Connector 2 FPC (Flexible Circuit Board) 3 Insulating Substrate of FPC 5L, 5S Conductive Pad of FPC 6 Tab of FPC 7 Groove for Inserting Contact 8L, 8S Contact 8a Contact of Contact 8b Contact Spring 8d Contact Tine part 10 Housing 20 Cover member 21 Opening of cover member 23 Frame part (beam) of cover member 24 Reinforcing tongue piece

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An insulative housing in which a plurality of contacts are arranged in a predetermined direction so that at least their contact portions are exposed, and an insulating housing arranged on the housing so as to contact the contact portions of the plurality of contacts. In a flexible circuit board electric connector including a cover member for crimping and fixing a flexible circuit board to the contact portion, the contact has a contact portion protruding from a side surface along a contact arrangement direction of the housing, and the contact portion. A spring portion that elastically urges the housing in a direction of protruding from a side surface of the housing, and the cover member includes a frame-shaped body having an opening that exposes the flexible circuit board arranged on the housing. And a frame portion extending along the arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts of the frame-shaped body laterally extends the flexible circuit board. Flexible circuit board for electrical connectors, characterized in that by Luo pressed constitutes the beam to be elastically contacted to the contact portion of the contact.