Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the embodiment, a reinforcement sheet 3 is attached to an upper surface of the flat conductive member 1. Further, the flat conductive member 1 is provided with engaging step portions 4 in an ear shape at both side edges on a distal end side of the reinforcement sheet 3. In
The electrical connector 10 to be connected to the flat conductive member 1 includes a housing 11 formed of an insulative material and arranged above a circuit board (not shown); a plurality of flat terminals 12 arranged and held on the housing 11; metal members 13 attached to the housing 11 and disposed adjacent to ones of the terminals 12 at both side edges thereof in a direction that the terminals 12 are arranged; and a pressing member 14 supported on the terminals 12 and the housing 11 to be freely rotatable.
As shown in
In the embodiment, each of the terminals 12 retained in the terminal receptacle groove 15 is formed of a metal plate having a flat shape. As shown in
In the embodiment, each of the terminals 12 is inserted into each of the terminal receptacle grooves 15 from the left side before the metal members 14 is attached. Accordingly, as shown in
When the terminal 12 is inserted into the terminal receptacle groove 15, the fixing groove 17B is fitted into a left side of a bottom surface of the housing 11, so that the terminal 12 does not come off the terminal receptacle groove 15. The connecting portion 17A has a lower edge slightly protruding downward with respect to a bottom surface of a lower wall 11A of the housing 11. Accordingly, it is possible to securely connect to a corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board with solder.
In the embodiment, the contacting arm 18 has a short and small shape. Further, as shown in
In the embodiment, the supporting arm 19 has an upper edge abutting against an inner surface of an upper wall 11B of the housing 11 for support. A distal end of the supporting arm 19 protrudes forward beyond the upper wall 11B and reaches the upper opening 15B of the terminal receptacle groove 15. The distal end of the supporting arm 19 is formed in an inverted U character shape to form a groove portion as a rotation supporting portion 20 for supporting the pressing member 14. Further, the distal end of the supporting arm 19 is situated in the upper opening portion 15B of the terminal receptacle groove 15, and has elasticity.
The terminal receptacle groove 15 between the contacting arm 18 and the supporting arm 19 extends in a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface of
In the embodiment, the pressing member 14 has a flat plate shape as shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment, the pressing member 14 has groove portions 21 having a slit shape at positions corresponding to the terminals 12 along the arrangement direction of the terminals 12, so that the distal end portions of the supporting arms 19 of the terminals 12 enter the groove portions 21. As shown in
In the embodiment, the pressing member 14 is supported to be rotatable not only with the shaft portions 22 but also supporting portions 11C of the housing 11 in sub-shaft portions 22A provided on the both edges (only the right edge side is shown in
In the embodiment, as shown in the
In the embodiment, each of the metal members 13 is formed of a metal plate, and includes an attachment portion 23 to be attached to the housing 11 (shown in
The arm portions 24 extend backward outside the housing 11 from the attachment portions 23 outside of the arrangement range of the terminals 12. The plate surfaces of the arm portions 24 are parallel to side edge surfaces of the flat conductive member and plate surfaces of the terminals 12. The arm portions 24 include groove portions 24A at upper edges thereof next to the extending portions 25. The groove portions 24A have a size large enough to retain the engaging step portions 4 with an ear shape of the flat conductive member 1.
As shown in
When the flat conductive member 1 is inserted in the connector at a correct position, the extending portions 25 are situated to overlap the reinforcement sheet 3 of the flat conductive member 1 in a direction of a thickness of the reinforcement sheet 3. Therefore, when the flat conductive member 1 is inserted into the regular location and the ear-shaped engaging step portions 4 are retained in the groove portions 24A provided in the arm portions 24 of the metal members 13, the back surfaces of the engaging step portions 4 face engaging surfaces 25A or front surfaces of the extending portions 25. Further, the regulating surfaces 25B provided on the distal edge surfaces of the extending portions 25 in the extending direction face the side edge faces of the flat conductive member 1. Fixing portions 13A attached to the circuit board with solder are provided in the lower edges of the metal members 13 from the extending portions 25 and the arm portions 24.
An operation of the connector will be explained next.
(1) First, the connector 10 is placed on the circuit board (not shown) at a specific position. Then, the contacting portions 17A of the terminals 12 are connected to the corresponding circuit portions with solder. Further, the fixing portions 13A of the metal members 13 are fixed to corresponding portions on the circuit board thereof.
The flat conductive member 1 to be connected to the connector 10 is also prepared. The width of the flat conductive member 1 (in the terminal arrangement direction) before attaching the reinforcement sheet 3 is almost the same as a distance between the regulating surfaces 25B of the extending portions 25 of the metal members 13 on the both edges in the terminal arrangement direction. Each of the conductive members is exposed on the lower surface at the end side of the flat conductive member, and the reinforcement sheet 3 is attached on the upper surface to provide the contact portion.
A width of the reinforcement sheet 3 is almost the same as the width of the flat conductive member 1, except that in part the engaging step portions 4 are protruding in an ear shape. When the flat conductive member 1 is inserted into the regular position of the connector, the protruding portions of the engaging step portions 4 reach the groove portions 24A provided in the arm portions 24 of the metal members 13 of the connector, and the engaging step portions 4 have a shape and a size for fitting into the groove portions 24A.
(2) Then, when the pressing members 14 moves to the open position shown in the
(3) Further, the flat conductive member 1 is inserted obliquely from above in the arrow direction A, so that the ear-shaped engaging step portions 4 move over the extending portion 25 of the metal members 13 and fit into the groove portions 24A Once the engaging step portions 4 fit into the groove portions 24A, the cables exposed at the lower surface of the extending portion of the flat conductive member 1 are located on the contacting portions 18A of the terminals 12. At this point, even when the flat conductive member 1 receives a force backward, the flat conductive member 1 does not come off as far as the engaging step portions 4 fit into the groove portions 24A.
(4) When the pressing member 14 rotates to the close position shown in
(5) In the flat conductive member 1, the rear edges of the engagement step portions 4 face the engaging surfaces 25A, i.e., the plate thickness surfaces of the front edges of the extending portions 25 of the metal members 13, or the rear edges of the groove portions 24A. In a state that the pressing member 14 is situated at the open position and just after the flat conductive member 1 is inserted, even when the flat conductive member 1 is pulled backward, the engaging step portions 4 abut against the plate thickness surfaces of the extending portion 25, thereby preventing the flat conductive member 1 from coming off. Further, the flat conductive member 1 does not move from the regular position, so that the contact portions 18A securely maintain electrical connection with the conductive members of the flat conductive member 1.
(6) The flat conductive member 1 may have the reinforcement sheet 3 without the engaging step portions in an ear-shape or the like. In this case, as shown in
In the case that the flat conductive member 1 has the same width as the distance described above and is not provided with the ear-shaped engagement step portions or the like, when the pressing member 14 is situated at the open position, the flat conductive member 1 is inserted into the connector while the regulating surfaces 25B of the extending portions 25 guide the side edges of the flat conductive member 1 in a regular position in the width direction. Then, the pressing members 14 rotate to the close position shown in
When the width of the flat conductive member 1 is smaller than the distance described above, the width of the reinforcement sheet 3 attached to the flat conductive member 1 may be set to the distance described above. In this case, an engaging step portion with an ear-shape or the like may be attached to the reinforcement sheet to prevent the flat conductive member 1 from coming off. Even when the engaging step portion is not provided, the regulating surfaces guide and position the flat conductive member 1 in the width direction upon insertion.
As described above, the extending portions are effective whether or not the engaging step portions are provided in the flat conductive member.
In the present invention, in addition to the embodiments shown in Figs, various modifications are possible. For example, the engaging step portions of the flat conductive member may be dented portions provided in the side edges of the flat conductive member instead of the ear-shape portions as shown in Figs. It is sufficient to provide a step portion with a rear surface engaging the front surface of the extending portion as the engaging step portion.
The extending portions of the metal members may be made of metal plates as shown in Figs, or made of metal members, as far as the extending portions overlap with the flat conductive member in the direction of the thickness. That is, it is sufficient that the front surfaces of the extending portions face with a back surface of the engaging step portions of the reinforcement sheet attached to the flat conductive member at least partially in the back and front direction.
The extending portions may be formed in a simple plate shape, may have curved distal end portions in the extending direction as shown in Figs, or may have front side edges curved in the extending direction. For example, the distal edges of the extending portions larger than the arm portions and the groove portions in a vertical direction may be curved backward inside the housing, or may be curved toward inside the housing and then curved as the extending portions.
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-195201, filed on Jul. 18, 2006, is incorporated in the application by reference.
While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-195201 | Jul 2006 | JP | national |