The present invention relates to a circuit board connector and in particular, to a circuit board connector having a sliding structure, and a connecting method of circuit board.
As communication technologies develop, mobile communication apparatus and various personal terminal devices, such as a mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), and MP3/MP4, etc., are widely used. Flexible printed circuit (FPC) connectors are used to realize signal connection or transmission between various functional modules of these devices, or between these devices and external devices.
For example, an existing mobile phone usually includes a housing, a communication module, a human interface, and a power supply module, wherein the communication module is provided inside the housing, and the human interface usually includes a liquid crystal display screen arranged on the housing and electrically connected to the host circuit board via an FPC connector.
However, in the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention, the applicant found that defects existed in the prior art, since the FPC connector of such a hinge structure needs a gasket or a film to be added at the top to prevent hinge rebounding (i.e. being not locked firmly).
Furthermore, the FPC connector of such a hinge structure needs relatively large space, that is, extra space is needed in both vertical direction (see the parts shown by circles in
The embodiments of the present invention provide a circuit board connector having a sliding structure, and a connecting method of circuit board, with the object being to press or loosen the circuit board through the sliding of a sliding cover body, realizing the reliable connection of the circuit board.
According a first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a circuit board connector, the circuit board connector including:
an insulation housing, including opposed left and right side walls and a bottom wall arranged between the left and right side walls, the left and right side walls and bottom wall forming an accommodating space accommodating a circuit board;
terminals arranged on the bottom wall of the insulation housing, the terminals having contact portions within the accommodating space;
runners arranged in parallel at the left and right side walls of the insulation housing; and
a sliding cover body, with the two ends of the sliding cover body being connected to the runners and sliding along the runners.
According a second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the left and right edges of the sliding cover body have sliding blocks, the sliding blocks being embedded in the runners, so that the sliding cover body slides along the runners through the sliding blocks.
According a third aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the sliding blocks are in a shape of a cylinder.
According a fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the circuit board connector further includes a supporting body arranged under the sliding cover body, the supporting body including:
a bottom end fixed to the bottom wall of the insulation housing;
a contact end arranged corresponding to the terminals; and
a free end arranged opposite to the contact end, the supporting body forming a “T” shaped structure through the free end, the contact end and the bottom end.
According a fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the contact end has a projection through which the supporting body clasps the circuit board.
According a sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the runners are in a shape of an arc.
According a seventh aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a connecting method of circuit board, in which the above-described circuit board connector is used, the connecting method including:
extending the circuit board into an accommodating space of the circuit board connector, with the conductive pins of the circuit board corresponding to a contact portion of a terminal of the circuit board connector; and
sliding a sliding cover body of the circuit board connector against the circuit board, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
According a ninth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the accommodating space is formed by opposed left and right side walls in the insulation housing of the circuit board connector and a bottom wall arranged between the left and right side walls; and the sliding cover body slides along runners arranged at the left and right side walls;
exposing the sliding cover body from the accommodating space before the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board correspond to the contact portion of the terminal after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space; and
the sliding cover body is pressed downwards after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
According a tenth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the sliding cover body slides along the runners through sliding blocks at the left and right edges.
According a eleventh aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the circuit board connector further includes a supporting body having a bottom end, a free end and contact end;
the sliding cover body is pressed against the free end before the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the accommodating space is formed between the contact end and bottom end of the supporting body; and
the sliding cover body is pressed against the contact end after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
According a twelfth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, a projection of the contact end clasps the circuit board after the sliding cover body is pressed against the contact end.
The advantages of the present invention exist in that the circuit board is pressed or loosened through the sliding of the sliding cover body, thereby realizing the connection of the circuit board, with no need of a gasket or a film, and with no need of an extra space.
These and further aspects and features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and attached drawings. In the description and drawings, particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but it is understood that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope. Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications and equivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the appended claims.
Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.
It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. To facilitate illustrating and describing some parts of the invention, corresponding portions of the drawings may be exaggerated in size, e.g., made larger in relation to other parts than in an exemplary device actually made according to the invention. Elements and features depicted in one drawing or embodiment of the invention may be combined with elements and features depicted in one or more additional drawings or embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and may be used to designate like or similar parts in more than one embodiment.
The drawings are included to provide further understanding of the present invention, which constitute a part of the specification and illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are used for setting forth the principles of the present invention together with the description. The same element is represented with the same reference number throughout the drawings.
In the drawings:
The interchangeable terms “electronic apparatus” and “electronic device” include portable radio communication apparatus. The term “portable radio communication apparatus”, which hereinafter is referred to as a “mobile terminal”, “portable electronic device”, or “portable communication device”, includes all apparatuses such as mobile telephones, pagers, communicators, electronic organizers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, portable communication devices or the like.
In the present application, embodiments of the invention are described primarily in the context of a portable electronic device in the form of a mobile telephone (also referred to as “mobile phone”). However, it shall be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the context of a mobile telephone and may relate to any type of appropriate electronic apparatus, examples of such electronic apparatus including a media player, gaming devices, a PDA, a computer, and a digital video camera, etc.
In this embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board connector may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board connector, and the circuit board may be a flexible printed circuit board. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and is applicable to other circuit board connectors in implementation. Following description is provided taking an FPC connector as an example.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described as follows in reference to the drawings.
A plurality of terminals 402 are arranged on the bottom wall 401B of the insulation housing 401, each terminal having a contact portion which is within the accommodating space.
The two runners 403 are arranged in parallel at the left and right side walls 401L, 401R of the insulation housing 401.
A sliding cover body 404, with the two ends 404L, 404R of the sliding cover body is connected to the runners 403 and sliding (slidable) along the runners 403.
In this embodiment, the sliding cover body 404 may have a first position and a second position and may slide between the first and second positions through the runners 403.
Thereafter, the sliding cover body 404 may slide through the runners 403 and reach a second position. The sliding cover body 404 is pressed toward and applies pressure to the flexible printed circuit board in the second position, so that the conductive pins of the flexible printed circuit board are in contact with the contact portions 402C of the terminals 402 and thus electrically connected to them (also see
Thus, a reliable connection of the circuit board may be realized by pressing the flexible printed circuit board through the sliding of the sliding cover body. The flexible printed circuit board may be pressed with this sliding structure and there is no need to add a gasket or a film. And, as can be clearly seen from
In an embodiment of the present invention, the left and right edges of the sliding cover body 404 may have sliding blocks, the sliding blocks being embedded into the runners 403, so that the sliding cover body 404 slides along the runners through the sliding blocks.
Preferably, two sliding blocks 601 may be arranged at each side of the sliding cover body 404, and the sliding blocks 601 are in a shape of a cylinder. Here, in the integration of a mobile phone, the sliding cover body may be more easily pushed and will not be loosened when it is pressed.
As shown in
The above description of the sliding cover body in sliding is just illustrative; however, the present invention is not limited thereto, and particular implementation may be determined as actually required.
Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention provide an FPC connector.
As shown in
As shown in
After the flexible printed circuit board (not shown) is inserted into the accommodating space 705, the conductive pins of the flexible printed circuit board may correspond to (align with) the contact portion 402C of the terminal 402 of the circuit board connector; thereafter, the sliding cover body 404 may slide through the runners and reach a second position.
Furthermore, as shown in
Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the runners 403 may be in a shape of an arc.
It can be seen from the above embodiments that the reliable connection of the flexible printed circuit board may be realized through the FPC connector having a sliding structure and the flexible printed circuit board is firmly pressed, with no need of a gasket or a film. And the sliding cover body slides within the space formed by the left and right side walls and bottom wall of the insulation housing, with no need of an extra space.
The embodiments of the present invention further provide a connecting method for circuit board, in which the above-described circuit board connector is used.
step 901: extending the circuit board into an accommodating space of the circuit board connector, with the conductive pins of the circuit board corresponding to a contact portion of a terminal of the circuit board connector; and
step 902: sliding a sliding cover body of the circuit board connector, the sliding cover body being pressed downwards, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the accommodating space is formed by opposed left and right side walls in the insulation housing of the circuit board connector and a bottom wall arranged between the left and right side walls; and the sliding cover body slides along runners arranged at the left and right side walls;
exposing the sliding cover body from the accommodating space before the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board correspond to the contact portion of the terminal after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space; and the sliding cover body is pressed downwards after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
Furthermore, the sliding cover body may slide along the runners through sliding blocks at the left and right edges.
In another embodiment, the circuit board connector may further include the supporting body as described above; and the connecting method may further include:
pressing the sliding cover body against the free end of the supporting body of the circuit board connector before the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the accommodating space is formed between the contact end and bottom end of the supporting body; and pressing the sliding cover body against the contact end after the circuit board is extended into the accommodating space, such that the conductive pins of the circuit board are in contact with the contact portion of the terminal and thus electrically connected to it.
Furthermore, the circuit board may be clasped by a projection of the contact end after the sliding cover body is pressed against the contact end.
It can be seen from the above embodiments that the reliable connection of the flexible printed circuit board may be realized through the FPC connector having a sliding structure and may firmly press the flexible printed circuit board, with no need of a gasket or a film. And the sliding cover body slides within the space formed by the left and right side walls and bottom wall of the insulation housing, with no need of an extra space.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. The many features and advantages of the embodiments are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope thereof. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventive embodiments to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope thereof.
It should be understood that each of the parts of the present invention may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods may be realized by software or firmware that is stored in the memory and executed by an appropriate instruction executing system. For example, if it is realized by hardware, it may be realized by any one of the following technologies known in the art or a combination thereof as in another embodiment: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for realizing logic functions of data signals, application-specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combined logic gate circuit, a programmable gate array (PGA), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.
The description or blocks in the flowcharts or of any process or method in other manners may be understood as being indicative of including one or more modules, segments or parts for realizing the codes of executable instructions of the steps in specific logic functions or processes, and that the scope of the preferred embodiments of the present invention include other implementations, wherein the functions may be executed in manners different from those shown or discussed, including executing the functions according to the related functions in a substantially simultaneous manner or in a reverse order, which should be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.
The logic and/or steps shown in the flowcharts or described in other manners here may be, for example, understood as a sequencing list of executable instructions for realizing logic functions, which may be implemented in any computer readable medium, for use by an instruction executing system, device or apparatus (such as a system including a computer, a system including a processor, or other systems capable of extracting instructions from an instruction executing system, device or apparatus and executing the instructions), or for use in combination with the instruction executing system, device or apparatus.
The above literal description and drawings show various features of the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may prepare appropriate computer codes to carry out each of the steps and processes as described above and shown in the drawings. It should be also understood that all the terminals, computers, servers, and networks may be any type, and the computer codes may be prepared according to the disclosure to carry out the present invention by using the apparatus.
Particular embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the present invention is applicable in other environments. In practice, there exist many embodiments and implementations. The appended claims are by no means intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the above particular embodiments. Furthermore, any reference to “a device to . . . ” is an explanation of device plus function for describing elements and claims, and it is not desired that any element using no reference to “a device to . . . ” is understood as an element of device plus function, even though the wording of “device” is included in that claim.
Although a particular preferred embodiment or embodiments have been shown and the present invention has been described, it is obvious that equivalent modifications and variants are conceivable to those skilled in the art in reading and understanding the description and drawings. Especially for various functions executed by the above elements (portions, assemblies, apparatus, and compositions, etc.), except otherwise specified, it is desirable that the terms (including the reference to “device”) describing these elements correspond to any element executing particular functions of these elements (i.e. functional equivalents), even though the element is different from that executing the function of an exemplary embodiment or embodiments illustrated in the present invention with respect to structure. Furthermore, although the a particular feature of the present invention is described with respect to only one or more of the illustrated embodiments, such a feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments as desired and in consideration of advantageous aspects of any given or particular application.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110059913.7 | Mar 2011 | CN | national |