WO1998009345A1

WO1998009345A1 - Flexible circuit board connector

Info

Publication number: WO1998009345A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/014678
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kazushige Asakawa
Original assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
Priority date: 1996-08-28
Filing date: 1997-08-21
Publication date: 1998-03-05
Also published as: JPH1069949A; JP3775703B2; AU4154897A

Abstract

A flexible circuit board connector (10) comprises an insulating housing (30) having an opening (30c) and a plurality of contacts (50) which extend into the opening. The housing has a circuit board installation part (39a, 39b) along one edge of the opening in which a flexible circuit board (F) may be positioned with a portion of the flexible circuit board extending over the opening, and a plug member (70) is mounted on the housing in a provisional anchoring position exterior to the opening. The plug member (70) is mounted for pivoting movement from the provisional anchoring position to a full anchoring position wherein the plug member is moved into the opening (30c), thus causing the flexible circuit board to be pushed into the opening and to be electrically connected with the plurality of contacts.

Description

FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT BOARD CONNECTOR

The invention relates to a flexible circuit board connector which accommodates a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) and is electrically connected therewith. One example of a conventional flexible circuit board connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 61-131382. As shown in Figure 5 (a) , this flexible circuit board connector 100 has an insulating housing 130 which accommodates fork type contacts 150, and a separate plug member 110. As is seen from the sectional views shown in Figures 5(b) and 5(c), the flexible circuit board connector 100 receives a flexible circuit board F with the plug member 110 positioned in a provisional anchoring position (shown in Figure 5 (b) ) . Next, the plug member 110 is caused to slide downwardly to a full anchoring position (shown in Figure 5(c)) so that the flexible circuit board F is elastically clamped between the plug member 110 and the contacts 150, thus realizing an electrical connection between the flexible circuit board F and contacts 150.

However, although the flexible circuit board connector 100 is suitable for use in cases where flexible circuit boards are manually connected, this flexible circuit board connector 100 is not suitable for use in automated assembly and connection processes performed by robots, etc. The reasons for this unsuitability are that, since the connector 100 is constructed so that the plug member 110 moves from the provisional anchoring position to the full anchoring position by a linear sliding motion, the plug member 110 cannot be stably maintained in the provisional anchoring position, and it is difficult to accommodate the flexible circuit board F in the insulating housing 130 with the plug member 110 positioned in the provisional anchoring position. A problem presented is how to provide a flexible circuit board connector that is suitable for use in automated assembly and connection processes.

The problem is solved by a flexible circuit board connector comprising an insulating housing having an opening and a plurality of contacts which extend into the opening, the housing having a circuit board installation part along one edge of the opening in which a flexible circuit board may be positioned with a portion of the flexible circuit board extending over the opening, and a plug member mounted on the housing in a provisional anchoring position exterior to the opening, characterized in that the plug member is mounted for pivoting movement from the provisional anchoring position to a full anchoring position wherein the plug member is moved into the opening, thus causing the flexible circuit board to be pushed into the opening and to be electrically connected with the plurality of contacts . The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a flexible circuit board connector according to the invention shown in a pre-assembled condition, along with a flexible circuit board which can be received therein;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector showing a plug member of the connector in a provisional anchoring position; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the plug member in an intermediate position during pivoting;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the plug member in the full anchoring position;

Figure 5 (a) is an isometric view of a prior art flexible circuit board connector;

Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the prior art connector having a plug member in a provisional anchoring position; and Figure 5(c) is a cross-sectional view of the prior art connector with the plug member in a full anchoring position.

As shown in Fig. 1, a flexible circuit board connector 10 has an insulating housing 30 which accommodates a plurality of contacts 50, and a plug member 70. The plurality of contacts 50 are disposed in a row, and the insulating housing 30 is formed as a long, slender member extending in alignment with the row of contacts 50. The flexible circuit board connector 10 is adapted for mounting on a circuit board (not shown) . Reinforcing members 80 which reinforce the fastening of the flexible circuit board connector 10 to the circuit board are attached to both end wall surfaces 30a and 30b in the direction of length of the insulating housing 30. Furthermore, the plug member 70 is pivotally supported on both end wall surfaces 30a and 30b, and is thus held so that the plug member 70 can pivot relative to the insulating housing 30 on a pivot axis P as shown in Figures 1-4. As shown in Figure 1, the pivot axis P passes through substantially L- shaped arms 72 which extend along sides of main body 71 of the plug member 70. Specifically, the arms 72 are provided with shaft- supporting means which are used to attach the plug member 70 so that the plug member 70 can pivot relative to the insulating housing 30. Furthermore, attitude- maintaining projections 32 which are used to maintain the plug member 70 in the provisional anchoring position by engaging with the arms 72 are formed on both end wall surfaces 30a and 30b. As will be described later, the attitude-maintaining projections 32 have recesses 33 which accommodate the arms 72, and pawls 34 which are formed in positions alongside these recesses 33.

As shown in Figures 2-4, each of the contacts 50 has a contact part 51 which has a deformed fork shape, a retention part 52 which is used to fasten the contact to the insulating housing 30, and a solder tine part 53 used for connection to the circuit board. The contact part 51 has a plug-suppor ing arm 55 which is disposed in a position relatively close to the retention part 52, and a contact arm 56 which extends to a position remote from the retention part 52. End 55a of the plug- supporting arm 55 is disposed in a higher position than the end 56a of the contact arm 56, and a tongue-form part 55b is formed in a vicinity of the end 55a so that this tongue- form part 55b protrudes horizontally, thus forming a substantially L-shaped arm. Furthermore, a contact projection 56b is formed in a vicinity of the end 56a of the contact arm 56. The effect of the contact part 51 will be described later.

As will be seen from Figures 1-4, a substantially rectangular opening 30c which opens upwardly is formed in the insulating housing 30. The contact parts 51 of the plurality of contacts 50 are disposed inside this opening 30c, and these contact parts 51 are electrically connected with the flexible circuit board F which is accommodated inside the opening 30c by cooperative action with the plug member 70 as will be described later. As will be seen from Figures 2-4, the pivot axis P of the plug member 70 is positioned toward edge 36 of the opening 30c. When the plug member 70 is in a provisional anchoring position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plug member 70 is positioned at this edge 36 of the insulating housing 30. Furthermore, a circuit board installation part comprising a substantially flat circuit board accommodating part 39a and engaging projections 39b (used for positioning) , which are positioned at both ends of the circuit board accommodating part 39a and which engage with recesses 99 formed in the flexible circuit board F, is constructed at opposite edge 37 of the opening 30c which faces the edge 36. Below, the automated assembly and connection process of the flexible circuit board connector and the flexible circuit board F will be described in order. In a first step of the assembly and connection process, the plug member 70 is positioned in the provisional anchoring position, and the flexible circuit board F is positioned at top surface 30d of the insulating housing 30. In this case, since the recesses 99 formed in the flexible circuit board F are engaged with the pair of projections 39b formed on the insulating housing 30, the flexible circuit board is accurately maintained in a specified position. In Figure 2, the flexible circuit board F is shown positioned in the specified position mentioned above. In the second step of the assembly and connection process, the plug member 70 is caused to pivot in the direction shown by arrow R in Figure 3 from the provisional anchoring position shown in Figure 2 to the full anchoring position shown in Figure 4. As is shown in Figure 2, the plug member 70 has a first surface 70a, a second surface 70b which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface 70a, a projection 70c which is formed on the opposite side of the plug member 70 from the second surface 70b, a third surface 70d which is positioned alongside the projection 70c, and a fourth surface 70e which is positioned on the opposite side of the plug member 70 from the first surface 70a. Furthermore, as is shown in Figure 2 , in the provisional anchoring position the plug member 70 is disposed in an upright position so that the first surface 70a is oriented in a substantially vertical direction, and so that the second surface 70b is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction. As is shown in Figure 2, the first surface 70a functions as a stop surface which determines the end position of the flexible circuit board F. Furthermore, the second surface 70b which extends in a horizontal direction constitutes a suction-gripping surface which may be suction-gripped by means of a suction-gripping device so that the flexible circuit board connector 10 may be positioned on the circuit board by automatic positioning equipment. Moreover, the third surface 70d makes substantial contact with the tongue- form parts 55b of the contacts 50.

Figure 3 shows the plug member 70 at an intermediate position during the pivoting. In the pivoting process, the first surface 70a and curved surface 70f located at the boundary between the first surface 70a and the second surface 70b push the flexible circuit board F into the opening 30c. As shown in the drawings, the third surface 70d which runs alongside the projection 70c of the plug member 70 contacts the tongue-form parts 55b of the contacts 50 even during the pivoting process.

In Figure 4, the plug member 70 is shown in the full anchoring position, in which the pivoting of the plug member 70 has been completed. In the process of moving from the provisional anchoring position to the full anchoring position, the plug member 70 is caused to pivot approximately 90 degrees, so that the arms 72 of the plug member 70 are accommodated inside the recesses 33. When the plug member 70 reaches the full anchoring position, the pawls 34 engage with engaging shoulders (not shown in the figures) formed in the plug member 70, so that the plug member 70 is maintained in the full anchoring position. When the plug member 70 is in the full anchoring position, the flexible circuit board F is elastically clamped between the contact arms 56 of the contacts 50 and the second surface 70b of the plug member 70, so that the flexible circuit board F is electrically connected via the contact projections 56b. The connected flexible circuit board F is guided by guide part 78 of the plug member 70 so that the flexible circuit board F is caused to extend to the side (i. e., in a horizontal direction) . The plug-supporting arms 55 of the contacts 50 elastically contact the projection 70c of the plug member 70 on the opposite side of the plug member 70 from the contact projections 56b, and thus support the plug member 70. Since the shaft- supporting means of the plug member 70 has a slight amount of play, the plug member 70 and the flexible circuit board F are elastically clamped between the contact arms 56 and plug-supporting arms 55 of the contacts 50, so that a stable electrical connection is obtained between the flexible circuit board F and the contacts 50. Furthermore, while the plug member 70 pivots from the provisional anchoring position to the full anchoring position, the third surface 70d which runs alongside the projection 70c of the plug member 70 is positioned so that this surface 70d maintains more or less constant contact with the tongue-form parts 55b of the contacts 50. As a result, the projection 70c of the plug member 70 can rotate smoothly into a position on the undersides of the tongue- form parts 55b of the contacts 50, so that there is no danger of any unnecessary force being applied to the plug-supporting arms 55.

Furthermore, as seen in Figure 4, when the plug member 70 is in the full anchoring position, the fourth surface 70e is substantially flush with the top surface 30d of the insulating housing 30. Accordingly, in the pivoting process of the plug member 70 shown in Figures 2 through 4, the plug member 70 may be caused to pivot (the pivoting direction is indicated by arrow R in

Figure 3) by applying a pivoting force as indicated by Tr in Figure 3 , or by applying a pushing force by means of a member which slides linearly as indicated by Fs in Figure 3. In the latter case, the plug member 70 can be caused to pivot completely into the full anchoring position by causing a portion of the sliding member to slide along the top surface 30d of the insulating housing 30.

A flexible circuit board connector constituting a preferred working configuration of the present invention was described above. However, this working configuration does not limit the present invention; various modifications and alterations may be made by a person skilled in the art.

In the flexible circuit board connector of the present invention, [a] a substantially rectangular opening is formed in one surface of an insulating housing which accommodates a plurality of contacts, [b] a circuit board installation part in which a flexible circuit board is positioned and installed is formed in one edge of the opening, [c] a plug member which can be caused to pivot relative to the insulating housing is provisionally anchored in the opposite edge of the opening, and [d] the flexible circuit board positioned in the circuit board installation part is pushed into the opening in the insulating housing by causing the plug member to pivot toward a full anchoring position. Accordingly, the assembly and connection of the flexible circuit board and the connector can easily be accomplished by means of an automated assembly apparatus. In particular, since the flexible circuit board can be installed and connected in a specified position, the reliability of the connection is high; furthermore, the plug member can be stably maintained on the insulating housing until connection and assembly are completed. In addition, since an effective wiping action is performed by the pivoting of the plug member during connection with the flexible circuit board, a secure electrical connection can be obtained.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit board connector (10) comprising an insulating housing (30) having an opening (30c) and a plurality of contacts (50) which extend into the opening, the housing having a circuit board installation part (39a, 39b) along one edge of the opening in which a flexible circuit board (F) may be positioned with a portion of the flexible circuit board extending over the opening, and a plug member (70) mounted on the housing in a provisional anchoring position exterior to the opening, characterized in that: the plug member (70) is mounted for pivoting movement from the provisional anchoring position to a full anchoring position wherein the plug member is moved into the opening (30c) , thus causing the flexible circuit board to be pushed into the opening and to be electrically connected with the plurality of contacts.

2. The flexible circuit board connector according to claim 1 wherein the plug member (70) is substantially flush with the insulating housing (30) when the plug member is in the full anchoring position.