JP4908606B2 - connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) and FFC (Flexible Flat).
The present invention relates to a connector that is connected to a plate-like or sheet-like connection object such as a cable.

  Examples of this type of connector include those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3.

  Among these, the connector of Patent Document 1 includes a metal reinforcing member provided so as to be separated from the actuator, and a ground contact is provided on a part of the metal reinforcing member. Therefore, the ground contact is not directly deformed or displaced by the operation of the actuator. Further, the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that the contact portion of the signal contact and the contact portion of the ground contact are brought into contact with the same surface of the FPC / FFC in which the contact portion is inserted.

  The connector of Patent Document 2 has a structure in which a ground portion is provided on one surface of an operating member that is rotated. The ground portion is moved while being pressed onto the ground layer of the FPC / FFC as the operating member rotates.

  The connector of Patent Document 3 includes a metal reinforcing member that directly defines a part of the insertion port, and a ground portion having a substantially L shape is formed in a part of the metal reinforcing member. When the FPC / FFC is inserted into the insertion slot, the ground portion is brought into contact with the FPC / FFC while sliding relatively on the ground layer. The ground portion of the metal reinforcing member is provided so as to be separated from the actuator.

Japanese Patent No. 4098290 Japanese Patent No. 2913156 JP 2008-235272 A

  The connector of Patent Document 1 has a problem that due to the structure as described above, the actuator is opened due to the reaction force from the ground contact and the contact becomes unstable.

  The connector of Patent Document 2 has a problem that the ground portion may scrape the ground layer of the FPC / FFC due to the rotation operation of the operating member.

  In the connector of Patent Document 3, since the ground portion is provided at the insertion port, the ground portion is in sliding contact with the FPC / FFC ground layer for a long time when inserted into the insertion port of the FPC / FFC. There is a risk that will be cut.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which contact stability is ensured without damaging the FPC / FFC ground layer.

According to the present invention, as the first connector,
A connector having an insertion portion having an insertion port at a front end and connected to a plate-like or sheet-like first connection object inserted rearward from the insertion port,
A housing;
A contact held by the housing, the contact having a lower jaw portion provided with a first contact portion, an upper jaw portion, and a connecting portion connecting the lower jaw portion and the upper jaw portion;
An actuator supported by the housing so as to be rotatable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the actuator is rotated from the open position toward the closed position according to a rotation operation. An actuator having a lift-up part for connecting the first connection object and the contact by pressing an upper jaw part;
A ground contact having a second contact portion, wherein the second contact portion is positioned below the upper jaw portion, and the second contact portion is not displaced by the turning operation of the actuator. An attached ground contact, connecting the first connection object inserted into the insertion part and the first contact part by the turning operation of the actuator, and the first connection object. connector is obtained which held between the insertion portion of the lower receiving surface and the second contact portion.

According to the present invention, the second connector is a first connector,
The second contact portion can be a connector disposed in the vicinity of the lift-up portion.

According to the present invention, the third connector is a first or second connector,
A connector is obtained in which the first contact portion of the contact and the second contact portion of the ground contact are disposed at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction.

Further, according to the present invention, the fourth connector is any one of the first to third connectors,
The connector is used by being attached to the second connection object,
A metal reinforcement member attached to the housing to at least partially reinforce the housing;
A connector in which the ground contact is formed as a part of the metal reinforcing member is obtained.

According to the present invention, the fifth connector is a fourth connector,
The metal reinforcing member provides a connector that reinforces the insertion port in a plane perpendicular to the rear.

According to the present invention, the sixth connector is a fifth connector,
The ground contact has a contact support portion extending rearward and downward from the front end of the connector,
The contact support portion provides a connector that supports the second contact portion.

According to the present invention, as the seventh connector, any one of the fourth to sixth connectors,
In the metal reinforcing member, a connector provided with a hold-down portion for connecting and fixing the connector to the second connection object is obtained.

Moreover, according to the present invention, as the eighth connector, any one of the fourth to seventh connectors,
The second connection object includes a ground portion,
A connector in which a ground terminal connected to the ground portion of the second connection object is provided on the metal reinforcing member is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, as the ninth connector, any one of the first to eighth connectors,
The lift-up part is a connector that displaces the first contact part upward by lifting the upper jaw part when the actuator is rotated from the open position to the closed position.

According to the present invention, as the tenth connector, any one of the first to ninth connectors,
When the first connection object is not inserted and the actuator is in the open position, the vertical distance between the lower receiving surface and the second contact portion is the upper and lower distances of the first connection object. A connector narrower than the thickness in the direction is obtained.

According to the present invention, as the eleventh connector, any one of the first to tenth connectors,
A housing part is formed in the actuator,
The lift-up part is located in the housing part;
The ground contact is partially accommodated in the accommodating portion,
A connector in which the ground contact is attached to the housing is obtained so that the second contact portion contacts the first connection object inserted into the insertion portion in the housing portion.

  According to the present invention, the contact portion (second contact portion) of the ground contact is positioned below the upper jaw portion of the contact, and the displacement of the second contact portion is changed according to the turning operation of the actuator. Therefore, the actuator is not opened by the reaction force from the ground contact, and the ground layer of the connection object such as FPC / FFC is not damaged at the second contact portion. Can do.

It is a front perspective view which shows the connector by embodiment of this invention. Here, the actuator included in the connector is in the open position. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the connector of FIG. 1. Here, the actuator is in the open position. It is sectional drawing which shows the connector of FIG. Here, the actuator is in the open position. It is a front perspective view which shows the connector of FIG. Here, the actuator is in the closed position. It is sectional drawing which shows the connector of FIG. Here, the actuator is in the closed position. It is a perspective view which shows the actuator of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the actuator of FIG. 6 along the VII--VII line. It is a figure which expands and shows the VIII area | region of the actuator of FIG. It is a front perspective view which shows the metal reinforcement member contained in the connector of FIG. FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view showing the metal reinforcing member of FIG. 9.

  1 to 5, a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a circuit board (second connection object: not shown) and connected to an FPC / FFC (first connection object) 80. To do. The FPC / FFC 80 has a signal layer (a plurality of signal terminals) 82 in the vicinity of the lower surface front end, and has a ground layer 84 in the vicinity of the upper surface front end.

  The connector 1 has a front end 2 and a rear end 3, and further has an insertion port 4 for inserting the FPC / FFC 80 at the front end 2. The connector 1 is connected to the FPC / FFC 80 inserted rearward from the insertion port 4. The structure of the connector 1 and how to connect to the FPC / FFC 80 will be described in detail below.

  The connector 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 10 made of an insulating material, a plurality of contacts 20 made of metal, an actuator 30 made of an insulating material, a metal reinforcing member 40 made of metal, and a ground contact 50. I have.

  The housing 10 includes a front end upper portion 11 and an upper inner surface 12 that are protected by the metal reinforcing member 40, a lower receiving surface 13 that is a plane that defines a lower surface of the insertion portion 5 having the insertion port 4, and an upper surface of the insertion portion 5. It includes an upper receiving surface 16 that is a defining plane, a holding portion 14 that is a hole for holding the contact 20, and a rear end upper portion 15 that constitutes the upper side of the holding portion 14. The insertion port 4 according to the present embodiment is defined by a part of the metal reinforcing member 40 that protects the front end upper portion 11 and the upper inner surface 12 and the lower receiving surface 13, and the holding portion 14 in the X direction (front-rear direction). Communicate.

  Each contact 20 includes a lower jaw portion 22 provided with a first contact portion 21, an upper jaw portion 23, a connecting portion 24 that connects the lower jaw portion 22 and the upper jaw portion 23, elastically supporting the connecting portion 24, and a holding portion 14 and a signal terminal 26 extending rearward and downward (-Z direction and X direction) from the held portion 25. The connecting portion 24 connects the lower jaw portion 22 and the upper jaw portion 23 in a substantially tuning fork shape. The signal terminal 26 is connected to a corresponding signal terminal (not shown) on a circuit board (not shown).

  In this embodiment, since the connecting portion 24 is elastically supported by the held portion 25, the upper jaw portion 23 and the lower jaw portion 22 rotate around the portion held by the held portion 25 of the connecting portion 24. A movement similar to the movement will be performed. Therefore, when the upper jaw portion 23 is lifted upward, the lower jaw portion 22 is also lifted, and the first contact portion 21 moves upward.

  The actuator 30 is held by the housing 10 so as to be rotatable between an open position (see FIGS. 1 to 3) and a closed position (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

  Referring also to FIGS. 6 to 8, in detail, the actuator 30 includes a shaft portion 32 that protrudes outward at the front ends of the left and right end portions (Y direction both end portions), and a housing portion 34 that is formed corresponding to the contact 20. And a lift-up portion 36 provided in the accommodating portion 34 and an enclosing portion 38 constituting the rear portion of the actuator 30.

  The shaft portion 32 according to the present embodiment is held by the housing 10 so as to be rotatable and movable in the vertical direction (Z direction).

  The accommodating part 34 is formed in a slit shape parallel to the XZ plane. In particular, the accommodating portion 34g corresponding to the ground contact 50 in the accommodating portion 34 includes an upper accommodating portion 34a that mainly accommodates a part of the upper jaw portion 23 of the contact 20 when the actuator 30 is in the closed position, and the actuator 30 is closed. And a lower accommodating portion 34b that mainly accommodates the ground contact 50 when in the position. The other accommodating portion 34 that does not correspond to the ground contact 50 also has an upper accommodating portion 34a and a lower accommodating portion 34c. The upper accommodating portion 34a corresponding to the ground contact 50 is substantially the same in size as the other upper accommodating portion 34a. However, the lower accommodating portion 34b is configured so as not to disturb the deformation and movement of the ground contact 50. It is configured to be slightly wider in the Y direction than the size of 34c. In this way, by making only the accommodating portion 34g corresponding to the ground contact 50 different from the other accommodating portions 34, the ground contact 50 can be smoothly deformed and moved while keeping the pitch of the contacts 20 to a minimum. It can be.

  The lift-up part 36 has an eccentric shape, and connects the inner walls constituting the accommodation part 34 in each accommodation part 34 in the Y direction. That is, the lift-up part 36 is located in the storage part 34. The lift-up portion 36 is shown in FIG. 5 in response to a turning operation for turning the actuator 30 from the open position (see FIGS. 1 to 3) to the closed position (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Then, the upper jaw portion 23 of the contact 20 is lifted up. When the lift-up part 36 lifts up the upper jaw part 23, the first contact part 21 provided on the lower jaw part 22 is displaced upward as described above. When the first contact portion 21 is displaced upward, the FPC / FFC 80 is sandwiched between the first contact portion 21 and the upper receiving surface 16 of the insertion portion 5 and connected to the FPC / FFC 80.

  The surrounding portion 38 surrounds the upper rear end 15 of the housing 10 when the actuator 30 is in the closed position. By the surrounding, the held portion 25 of the connector 20 is also protected and enclosed.

  The metal reinforcing member 40 is attached to the housing 10 so as to partially protect and reinforce the housing 10. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the metal reinforcing member 40 is positioned so as to surround the insertion opening 4 in a plane parallel to the YZ plane. Specifically, a part of the metal reinforcing member 40 according to the present embodiment defines the insertion port 4, and the other part surrounds the insertion port 4 at a position away from the insertion port 4.

  9 and 10, in detail, the metal reinforcing member 40 includes an upper reinforcing member 41 extending in the Y direction, a front end reinforcing portion 43 extending downward from the front end of the upper reinforcing member 41, and the Z direction. A lower reinforcing member 44 facing the upper reinforcing member 41, a connecting portion 45 connecting the upper reinforcing member 41 and the lower reinforcing member 44, and side reinforcing portions 46 extending from both ends of the upper reinforcing member 41 in the Y direction. It has. The upper reinforcing member 41 has an elongated plate shape and extends substantially parallel to the YX plane. A fixed portion 42 a that protrudes rearward is provided on the rear edge of the upper reinforcing member 41. The fixed portion 42 a is a portion fixed to the housing 10. The front reinforcing member 43 also has an elongated plate shape, and extends between the two connecting portions 45 substantially in parallel with the YZ plane. The lower reinforcing member 44 has an elongated plate shape and a U-shape, and extends substantially parallel to the XY plane. At the rear edge of the lower reinforcing member 44, a fixed portion 42b protruding rearward is provided. The fixed portion 42 b is a portion fixed to the housing 10. Further, a ground terminal 49 protrudes forward (−X direction) from the front edge (inside of the U-shape) of the lower reinforcing member 44. The ground terminal 49 is a part connected to a ground portion (not shown) provided on a circuit board (not shown) on which the connector 1 is mounted. The connecting portion 45 has a surface substantially parallel to the YZ plane. The side reinforcing portion 46 is provided with a press-fit portion 47 that is press-fitted into the housing 10 and a hold-down portion 48 for connecting and fixing the connector 1 to a circuit board (not shown). In the present embodiment, solder is used to connect the hold-down part 48 to a circuit board (not shown). When the metal reinforcing member 40 having such a configuration is attached to the housing 10, the front end upper portion 11 of the housing 10 is protected and reinforced by the upper reinforcing member 41 and the front reinforcing member 43. At this time, the connecting portion 45 is located on both the left and right sides of the insertion port 4. The lower reinforcing member 44 protects and reinforces the bottom side of the housing 10.

  A ground contact 50 is integrally formed with the metal reinforcing member 40 according to the present embodiment. In other words, the ground contact 50 according to the present embodiment is formed as a part of the metal reinforcing member 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the metal reinforcing member 40 and the ground contact 50 may be provided separately.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the ground contact 50 extends from the front end 2 of the connector 1 into the insertion portion 5. Specifically, the ground contact 50 includes a contact support portion 51 extending in a direction obliquely intersecting both the lower edge rear (+ X direction) and the lower portion (−Z direction) of the front reinforcement member 43 of the metal reinforcement member 40, and the contact support portion. And a second contact portion 52 elastically supported by 51. The second contact portion 52 is located on the far side from the insertion port 4 and is a portion that is electrically connected to the ground layer 84 of the FPC / FFC 80. In addition, the second contact portion 52 is also a portion that sandwiches the FPC / FFC 80 inserted into the insertion portion 5 with the lower receiving surface 13 of the insertion portion 5.

  Specifically, as can be understood from FIGS. 3, 5, and 7, the ground contact 50 is partially accommodated in the wide lower accommodating portion 34 b of the accommodating portion 34 g and inserted into the insertion portion 5. The second contact portion 52 is attached to the housing 10 so as to come into contact with the ground layer 84 of the FPC / FFC 80 in the accommodating portion 34g. Specifically, the second contact portion 52 is located on the lower side (−Z direction) of the upper jaw portion 23. That is, the second contact part 52 is disposed in the vicinity of the lift-up part 36. For this reason, when the FPC / FFC 80 inserted into the insertion portion 5 is sandwiched between the lower receiving surface 13 of the insertion portion 5 and the second contact portion 52, an extreme shear stress is not applied to the FPC / FFC 80. . In particular, the second contact portion 52 according to the present embodiment is disposed at substantially the same position as the first contact portion 21 of the contact 20 in the X direction (front-rear direction). Therefore, the actuator 30 does not open due to the reaction force from the ground contact 50, and since the sliding amount between the ground layer 84 and the second contact portion 52 is small, the ground layer 84 is less scraped, and the above-described shearing is performed. The stress is reduced as much as possible.

  The ground contact 50 according to the present embodiment is attached to the housing 10 so that the second contact portion 52 is not displaced by the turning operation of the actuator 30 from the open position to the closed position. In other words, the ground contact 50 according to the present embodiment is not pressed by the actuator 30 from the open position toward the closed position. As described above, in the present embodiment, the displacement of the first contact portion 21 of the contact 20 and the displacement of the second contact portion 52 of the ground contact 50 according to the rotation of the actuator 30 are made independent from each other. The ground layer 84 is not damaged by the second contact portion 52 during the rotation of 30.

  In the connector 1 according to the present embodiment, in the Z direction (vertical direction), when the FPC / FFC 80 is not inserted and the actuator 30 is in the open position, the lower receiving surface 13 of the housing 10 and the ground contact 50 The distance between the two contact portions 52 is narrower than the thickness of the FPC / FFC 80. Therefore, when the FPC / FFC 80 is inserted into the insertion portion 5 with the actuator 30 in the open position, the FPC / FFC 80 can be temporarily held in the connector 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 2 Front end 3 Rear end 4 Insertion slot 5 Insertion part 10 Housing 11 Front end upper part 12 Upper inner surface 13 Lower receiving surface 14 Holding part 15 Rear end upper part 16 Upper receiving surface 20 Contact 21 First contact part 22 Lower jaw part 23 Upper jaw part 24 Connecting part 25 Held part 26 Signal terminal 30 Actuator 32 Shaft part 34, 34g Housing part 36 Lift-up part 38 Enclosing part 40 Metal reinforcing member 41 Upper reinforcing part 42a, 42b Fixed part 43 Front end reinforcing part 44 Lower reinforcing part 45 Connecting part 46 Side reinforcing part 47 Press-in part 48 Hold-down part 49 Ground terminal 50 Ground contact 51 Contact support part 52 Second contact part 80 FPC / FFC (first connection object)
82 Signal layer 84 Ground layer

Claims (11)

A connector having an insertion portion having an insertion port at a front end and connected to a plate-like or sheet-like first connection object inserted rearward from the insertion port,
A housing;
A contact held by the housing, the contact having a lower jaw portion provided with a first contact portion, an upper jaw portion, and a connecting portion connecting the lower jaw portion and the upper jaw portion;
An actuator supported by the housing so as to be rotatable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the actuator is rotated from the open position toward the closed position according to a rotation operation. An actuator having a lift-up part for connecting the first connection object and the contact by pressing an upper jaw part;
A ground contact having a second contact portion, wherein the second contact portion is positioned below the upper jaw portion, and the second contact portion is not displaced by the turning operation of the actuator. An attached ground contact, connecting the first connection object inserted into the insertion part and the first contact part by the turning operation of the actuator, and the first connection object. connector for clamping between the lower receiving surface and the second contact portion of the insertion portion. The connector according to claim 1,
The second contact portion is a connector disposed in the vicinity of the lift-up portion. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The connector in which the first contact portion of the contact and the second contact portion of the ground contact are disposed at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The connector is used by being attached to the second connection object,
A metal reinforcement member attached to the housing to at least partially reinforce the housing;
The ground contact is a connector formed as a part of the metal reinforcing member. The connector according to claim 4, wherein
The metal reinforcing member is a connector that reinforces the insertion port in a plane orthogonal to the rear. The connector according to claim 5, wherein
The ground contact has a contact support portion extending rearward and downward from the front end of the connector,
The contact support portion is a connector that supports the second contact portion. The connector according to any one of claims 4 to 6,
The metal reinforcing member is a connector provided with a hold-down portion for connecting and fixing the connector to the second connection object. The connector according to any one of claims 4 to 7,
The second connection object includes a ground portion,
The metal reinforcing member is a connector provided with a ground terminal connected to the ground portion of the second connection object. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The lift-up part is a connector that displaces the first contact part upward by lifting up the upper jaw part when the actuator is rotated from the open position to the closed position. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
When the first connection object is not inserted and the actuator is in the open position, the vertical distance between the lower receiving surface and the second contact portion is the upper and lower distances of the first connection object. Connector narrower than thickness in direction. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A housing part is formed in the actuator,
The lift-up part is located in the housing part;
The ground contact is partially accommodated in the accommodating portion,
The connector in which the ground contact is attached to the housing such that the second contact portion comes into contact with the first connection object inserted into the insertion portion in the housing portion.

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