Abstract:
An electrical connector for connecting a sheet-like connection member includes an insulating housing ( 1 ) with a receiving cavity ( 10 ) and a supporting portion ( 16 ) on a first end thereof, a plurality of terminals ( 2 ) arranged in the insulative housing ( 1 ) and a stuffer ( 3 ) comprising a tongue plate ( 31 ) insertable to the receiving cavity ( 10 ) and a pivot portion ( 32 ) defined at one end thereof. The pivot portion ( 32 ) is assembled on the supporting portion ( 16 ) of the insulative housing and the stuffer ( 3 ) rotates about the pivot portion ( 32 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particular to an electrical connector for a sheet-like connection member such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a flexible flat cable and so forth. All of these cables and circuit hereafter will be generally referred to as “FPC” for simplification. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,901 discloses a conventional electrical connector adapted for connecting an FPC. The connector comprises an insulating housing having an insertion cavity into which the FPC is adapted to be inserted and a pair of guiding grooves respectively at two ends thereof. A stuffer includes a tongue plate and two plastic arms at two opposite ends. The tongue plate is pushed into and stuffers the insertion cavity with the plastic arms sliding along the guiding grooves. To ensure the stuffer to be retained in the housing, each of the arms has a projection to firmly contact with a corresponding projection on the guiding groove. 
         [0005]    If the stuffer is needed to be drawn out after it is retained in the housing, user needs a large force exerted on it to overcome the friction between the tongue plate and FPC and said two projections. However, it is difficult to control said larger force, which may result in the plastic arms of the stuffer broken. Therefore, a new design is required. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with an anti-broken stuffer. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve above-mentioned objects, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing with a receiving cavity and a supporting portion on a first end thereof; a plurality of terminals arranged in the insulative housing; a stuffer comprising a tongue plate insertable to the receiving cavity and a pivot portion defined at one end thereof; wherein the pivot portion is assembled on the supporting portion of the insulative housing and the stuffer rotates about the pivot portion. 
         [0008]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention, wherein the stuffer is in a closed position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the electrical connector, wherein the stuffer is in an open position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is another view of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of conductive terminals  2 , a stuffer  3 , a pair of retaining terminals  4 , a locking ring  5  and a shaft  161 . 
         [0015]    The housing  1  comprises a first wall  11 , a second wall  12 , a first and a second endwalls  13 ,  14  respectively connecting the first and second walls and a receiving cavity  10  defined therebetween. The first and the second walls  11 ,  12  respectively define a plurality of grooves  15  communicating with the receiving cavity  10 . The conductive terminals  2  and the retaining terminals  4  are retained in the grooves  15 . 
         [0016]    Each conductive terminal  2  comprises a base section  20 , a fixing arm  23  extending upwards from the base section  20 , a first resilient arm  21  extending substantially parallel to the fixing arm  23 , and a second resilient arm  22  branching from a root portion of the fixing arm  23 . After the conductive terminal  2  mounted on the housing  1 , tips on the fixing arm  23  fasten the terminal  2  to the groove  15  and the resilient arms  21 ,  22  extend forward with contact portions  210 ,  220  formed in the distal ends facing the receiving cavity  10 , as best shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0017]    The pair of retaining terminals  4  are used to retain the FPC. The structure of the retaining terminal  4  is similar to the conductive terminal  2 , but without a second resilient arm. Each of the retaining terminals  4  is retained in the groove  15  near the endwalls  13 ,  14  with a locking portion  41  projecting to the receiving cavity  10 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a pair of supporting portions  16  with a hole  160  project near the insertion open of the receiving cavity  10  from the first endwall  13 . The first and second walls  11 ,  12  respectively extend outwards beyond the second endwall  14  to form a first and a second extending portions  110 ,  120  with a groove (not figured) therebetween. A projection  141  is formed in the middle of the groove. The first and second extending portions  110 ,  120  respectively define a hole  101  near the bottom of the groove and a retaining protrusion  100  above the hole  101  on the out surface. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the stuffer  3  has a rectangular base plate  30  with a first end portion  301  and a second end portion  302 , and a tongue plate  31  vertically extending from the base plate  30 . A pivot portion  32  with a pivoting hole  320  in the middle specially extends along the extending direction of the tongue plate  31  from the first end portion  301 . The pivot portion  32  is pushed into the supporting portions  16 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 , then the shaft  161  is inserted through the hole  160  and the pivot hole  320 . Therefore, the first end portion  301  of the stuffer is assembled on the housing  1 . Furthermore, the stuffer  3  defines a latching arm  33  with a hook portion  330  at its distal end, and the latching arm extends parallel to the tongue plate  31  from the second end portion  302 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the rectangle shaped locking ring  5  which is made by bending a metal shaft with two free ends  51  facing each other is retained in the housing  1  with two free ends  51  received in the hole  101 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows an open position of the connector, wherein the stuffer is not inserted into the receiving cavity. Push the FPC(not shown) into the receiving cavity  10 , and then rotate the stuffer  3  to the insertion open of the receiving cavity  10 . When the tongue plate  31  is completely inserted into the receiving cavity  10 , the hook portion  330  of the latching arm  33  hooks with the projection  141 , as best shown in  FIG.4 . Finally, the locking ring  5  is rotated to the second end portion  302  until it surpasses the retaining protrusion  100 , thus the stuffer  3  is in a closed position (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) wherein the FPC contacts with the terminals. The retaining protrusion  100  can prevent the locking ring  5  releasing from the second end portion  302 , and the locking ring  5  can fixedly retain the stuffer on the housing. 
         [0022]    When the stuffer  3  needs to be pulled out, first rotate the locking ring  5  to go across the retaining protrusion  100 , then draw the latching arm  33  out of the groove and rotate it to the open position. The whole process is very simple and the force exerted on the stuffer will not damage the arm. 
         [0023]    The present invention is not limited to the electrical connector mentioned above. This disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shapes, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.