Abstract:
The present invention includes an efficient method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals in respective arrays on respective electronic board units, such as a combination of a liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel) and a circuit board therefor assembled as a display unit, by interposing a press-contact connector therebetween. Instead of simply interposing the connector between arrays of electrode terminals, the connector is conjoined with a clip member of a metal by which the connector is secured to the LCD panel or circuit board by clipping a periphery thereof with resilient clipping parts at both end portions of the clip member. The resulting efficiency and reliability of the assemblage of a LCD panel and circuit board can be greatly improved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals in array on the respective electronic board units such as a combination of a liquid crystal display panel, which may be referred to as a LCD panel hereinafter, and circuit board for driving the LCD panel. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals on the respective electronic board units such as a combination of two circuit boards and a combination of a LCD panel and a circuit board for driving the LCD panel by using a press-contact connector interposed therebetween. 
     Although the following description is given mainly for the combination of a LCD panel and a circuit board therefor, it may be too much to say that the scope of the present invention can be extended to any combinations of two electronic board units each bearing an array of electrode terminals. 
     It is a widely practiced prior art method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals in array on the respective electronic board units such as a LCD panel and a heat-adhesive circuit board therefor that an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is used for adhesively bonding a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board to the arrays of electrode terminals on the LCD panel and the circuit board under heating and pressing. 
     In the above mentioned method by hot-pressing with interposition of an ACF, however, it is indispensable to conduct an exact position matching work between the electrode terminals of the LCD panel and the electrode terminals of the circuit board so that the productivity of the assemblage process involving the above mentioned positioning work cannot be high enough. 
     Besides the above mentioned disadvantage of low productivity, the above mentioned electrical connecting method by hot-press bonding has a problem that the LCD panel is sometimes damaged by the pressure under heating. When the LCD panel is of the chip-on-glass (COG) type, in particular, the residual stress due to hot-press bonding causes a load on the LCD panel per se or the LCD panel-driving ICs resulting in softening of the ACF connecting the IC by the heat of hot-press bonding to cause failure of electrical connection of the IC for LCD panel driving. 
     The above mentioned troubles due to the heat in hot-press bonding can of course be alleviated by decreasing the temperature of hot-press bonding but at the sacrifice of the adhesive bonding strength of the ACF and reliability of electrical connection therewith. 
     Another serious problem in the above mentioned method for electrical connection is that, once a LCD panel and a circuit board have been connected together by hot-pressing of an ACF, the assemblage can hardly be disassembled into the respective parts without damaging the parts more or less even in need for testing or inspection desirably followed by repairing. Accordingly, it is the usual way that, when disorder is found in the assemblage, the most expensive LCD panel must be discarded even when the performance disorder is not due to the LCD panel per se. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention accordingly has an object, in view of the above described problems and disadvantages in the prior art method for electrically connecting a LCD panel and a circuit board by using an ACF, to provide an easy and efficient method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals in array on the respective electronic board units such as a combination of a LCD panel and a circuit board therefor without necessitating discarding of the expensive LCD panel in re-assembling the parts after disassemblage into parts for inspection or repairing. 
     The method provided by the invention is a method for electrically connecting two sets of electrode terminals in array each on an electronic board unit by interposing a press-contact connector having conductive bodies between the arrays of the electrode terminals on a first electronic board unit and on a second electronic board unit which comprises the steps of: 
     (a) integrating a press-contact connector with a clip member of a metallic material having clipping parts to form a connector device; 
     (b) securing the connector device to the first electronic board unit by clipping a periphery thereof with the clipping parts at a position not on the electrode terminal array thereof in such a fashion that the electrode terminal array is in contact with the conductor bodies of the press-contact connector; 
     (c) bringing the conductor bodies of the press-contact connector into contact with the electrode terminal array of the second electronic board unit; and 
     (d) compressing the press-contact connector between the electrode terminal array of the first electronic board unit and the electrode terminal array of the second electronic board unit so as to electrically connect the electrode terminals of the first and second electronic board units through the conductor bodies of the press-contact connector. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional illustration of the inventive method for electrically connecting a LCD panel and a circuit board by using a connector device. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the LCD panel assemblage of FIG. 1 disassembled into parts. 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the connector device of Example 2 disassembled into a press-contact connector and a clip member and FIG. 3B is a perspective view thereof as integrated. 
     FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the connector device of Example 3 disassembled into a press-contact connector and a clip member and FIG. 4B is a perspective view thereof as integrated. 
     FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the connector device of Example 4 disassembled into a press-contact connector and a clip member and FIG. 5B is a perspective view thereof as integrated. 
     FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the connector device of Example 5 disassembled into a press-contact connector and a clip member and FIG. 6B is a perspective view thereof as integrated. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following, a detailed description is given on an embodiment of the inventive method for electrically connecting a LCD panel and a circuit board by using a press-contact connector making reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of the LCD panel unit  100  assembled according to an embodiment of the inventive method by using a connector device  10 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same LCD panel unit  100  as above as disassembled into parts including a circuit board  101 , LCD panel  102 , LED  103  for backlighting, light guide  104  for conducting the light of LED  103  to the back surface of the LCD panel  102 , shield case  105  and IC  106  for LCD panel driving as well as an electrode terminal array  101 A formed on the circuit board  101  and an electrode terminal array  102 A formed on the LCD panel  102 . These electrode terminal arrays  101 A and  102 A are electrically connected through the connector device  10 . 
     The connector device  10  is an integration of a press-contact elastomer connector  12  and a clip member  14  made from a metallic material. Electrical connection of the circuit board  101  and the LCD panel  102  is accomplished in the following manner. The press-contact elastomer connector  12  of the connector device  10  is attached to the electrode terminal array  102 A of the LCD panel  102  by clipping a periphery of the LCD panel with the clipping parts  14 A,  14 A of the metal-made clip member  14  and then the press-contact elastomer connector  12  is compressed between the LCD panel  102  and the circuit board  101  so as to establish an electrical connection between the electrode terminal arrays  102 A and  101 A on the LCD panel  102  and circuit board  101 , respectively. The detailed structure of the connector device  10  will be described later in Example 1. 
     The type of the press-contact connector is not particularly limited, but the connector should be selected in consideration of the driving electric current for the LCD panel. For example, the elastomer connector  62  of only a limited current capacity illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B is sufficient for the purpose when the IC for driving the liquid crystal cells is mounted on the circuit board, and the input current to the LCD panel is not too large. On the other hand, the elastomer connector  62  of this type is not suitable when the liquid crystal-driving IC is mounted directly on the LCD panel, requiring a relatively large electric current, because this elastomer connector has a high electric resistance and a small current capacity. A high electric resistance and small current capacity results in eventual heat generation from the electric current therethrough, or eventual delay or loss of signals. 
     In case where the elastomer connector  62  illustrated in FIGS. 6A,  6 B is not suitable, the press-contact connector to be used should be a press-contact connector of a larger current capacity prepared by using a multiplicity of finely slitted metal foils, fine metal wires, or filaments. Non-limiting examples include the connector  12 , having a generally X-formed cross section as illustrated in FIG. 1; the metal filament connector  32 , having a U-formed cross section illustrated in FIGS. 3A,  3 B; and the metal wire connectors  42  and  52 , illustrated in FIGS. 4A,  4 B and FIGS. 5A,  5 B, respectively. 
     The above mentioned metal filament connector  52  illustrated in FIGS. 5A,  5 B is prepared by alternately laminating layers of fine metal filaments  52 C aligned to run in the same direction at a regular pitch and unvulcanized rubber sheets  52 A in such a fashion that all of the metal filaments  52 C in the metal filament layers run in one and the same direction followed by curing of the rubber sheets  52 A by heating under compression to integrate the metal filament layers and the rubber sheets into an integral block which is subsequently sliced in a plane perpendicular to the running direction of the metal filaments  52 C. This metal filament connector  52  can be a substitute for the metal filament connector  42  illustrated in FIGS. 4A,  4 B. 
     It is a remarkable trend in recent years that the mechanical strength of ICD panels per se is decreasing year by year in order to comply with the requirement for smaller and smaller thickness and lighter and lighter weight of LCD panels. It is accordingly desirable that the press-contact connector is the X-formed connector  12 , illustrated in FIG. 1, by virtue of the advantage that the compressive load on the connector  12  under electrical connection can be relatively small. 
     When fine metal filaments obtained by slitting a metal foil are used as the conductor bodies in a press-contact connector, the metallic material thereof can be selected, though not particularly limitative, from copper, aluminum, aluminum-silicon alloys, brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, nickel, nickel-titanium alloys, molybdenum, tungsten, stainless steels, iron, steels and the like. It is preferable that these metal filaments are surface-plated with gold or a gold-based alloy. More preferable are gold-plated stainless steel filaments in respects of low contact resistance and excellent elastic resilience not to cause buckling of the filaments even by repeated compression of the connector as well as relatively low costs. 
     The metal foil from which the filaments are prepared by slitting should have a thickness in the range from 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm or, preferably. from 0.02 mm to 0.5 mm. When the thickness is too small, the mechanical strength of the filaments is insufficient, and consequently the durability of the connector using such filaments is unsatisfactory. Furthermore, if the thickness is too small. the processability of press-contact connectors using filaments thereof decreases. When the thickness is too large, the filaments have a rigidity so high that the compressive load on the connector for press-contact connection therewith is unduly increased. Similarly, when the thickness is too large, the processability of press-contact connectors using the filaments decreases. 
     The metal foil can be worked into electroconductive filaments aligned at a regular pitch by several methods including the etching method, laser beam working method, punching method by using a stamping press and the like. Assuming that accuracy of the pitch is important and the electrode terminals to be connected each have a small width requiring a small pitch of, for example, 0.03 to 0.5 mm, the metal foil is preferably worked by the etching method. When the electrode terminals have a relatively large width requiring a pitch of, for example, 0.5 to 2.0 mm, the laser beam working method and punching method by using a stamping press are suitable for mass production of filaments in alignment at a low cost. 
     When the press-contact connector is prepared by using fine metal wires as the conductor bodies, the metallic material of the wires can be selected from gold, gold-based alloys, copper, aluminum, aluminum-silicon alloys, brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, nickel, nickel-titanium alloys, molybdenum, tungsten, stainless steels, iron, steels and the like. In view of expense of gold and gold-based alloys, it is preferable to use wires of a metallic material other than gold and gold-based alloys that have a plating layer of gold or a gold-based alloy. 
     The metal wires should have a diameter in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mm or, preferably, from 0.02 to 0.1 mm. When the diameter of the wires is too small, the mechanical strength of the wire is so low as to adversely affect the processability of the wires into a connector while, when the diameter is too large, the wires are so rigid that the compressive load on the press-contact connector prepared therefrom must be unduly increased. 
     The press-contact connector used in the inventive method can be a so-called rubber connector which is an integral body made of an alternately stratified block consisting of electroconductive rubber layers and insulating rubber layers and, optionally, reinforced by a pair of supporting members of an insulating rubber bonded to the opposite surfaces of the block perpendicular to the pressing surfaces for press-contacting. 
     The rubber material of the above mentioned insulating rubber layers can be selected from a variety of known rubbers including silicone rubbers, polybutadiene rubbers, natural rubber, polyisoprene rubbers, urethane rubbers, polychloroprene rubbers, polyester-based rubbers, styrene-butadiene copolymeric rubbers, epichlorohydrine rubbers and the like without particular limitations, of which silicone rubbers are preferred in respect of their excellent electric insulation and heat resistance as well as their low permanent compression set. Foamed rubbers prepared from these rubbery materials can also be used. 
     The above mentioned electroconductive rubber layers are formed from a rubber composition prepared by compounding the above named various insulating rubbers with a conductivity-imparting particulate material including particles of a conductive material such as carbon, graphite, gold, silver, copper, nickel and the like as well as particles of an insulating material such as plastics having a metallic plating layer on the surface. 
     The rubbery materials of the insulating and electroconductive rubber layers should have a relatively low rubber hardness in order to have a small compressive load on the rubber connector prepared from the rubbery materials. However, it should be taken into account that a rubbery material of lower rubber hardness is generally more susceptible to the phenomena of permanent compression set and compressive fatigue at an elevated temperature. In order to obtain a good balance between the compressive load and the permanent compression set, the rubbery materials should have a rubber hardness in the range from 10 to 70° H or, preferably, from 30 to 60° H. 
     The metallic material of the clip member, which should have a resilience sufficient to behave as a spring member, can be selected from a variety of metallic materials including copper, aluminum, aluminum-silicon alloys, brass, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, nickel, nickel-titanium alloys, molybdenum, tungsten, stainless steels, iron, steels and the like, of which stainless steels are preferred as a result of their excellent resilience as a spring member, good workability and low costs. 
     Needless to say, the form and size of the clip member of a metal should be selected depending on the size and thickness of the LCD panel and type and size of the press-contact connector so that the clip member is designed for the respective combinations of the LCD panel and press-contact connector. It is essential, however, that a clip member has at least one or, preferably, at least two clipping parts by which the clip member is held by and secured to the LCD panel. The clip member is an elongated body having a length approximately equal to the length of the LCD panel along the periphery at which the clip member is secured to the LCD panel. This is because of the working efficiency of exact relative positioning of the LCD panel and the clip member which can be accomplished by truing up the respective end surfaces of the LCD panel and the clip member. 
     The clipping part of the clip member preferably has a U-formed or C-formed cross section having two free legs between which a periphery of the LCD panel is pinched to secure the clip member with resilience. However, any other forms of the clip member can be adopted, provided that such a clip member can be prepared with good efficiency in working of a metallic base material and the clip member can be secured to the LCD panel with high reliability. 
     The above given description relative to securing of the clip member to the LCD panel is applicable to the case where the clip member is secured to the circuit board by rewording all instances of the phrase “LCD panel” in the above given description with the phrase “circuit board”. More generally, the above description is applicable to any combination of two electronic board units each bearing an array of electrode terminals by replacing the phrase “LCD panel” with the phrase “first electronic board unit.” and replacing the phrase “circuit board” with the phrase “second electronic board unit”. 
     The first and second supporting members  12 A,  12 B were each coated with a silicone-based adhesive in a thickness of 0.020 mm and adhesively bonded in a jig to the slitted metal sheet prepared above, followed by trimming for the metal filament alignment  12 C, thereby obtaining a press-contact connector  12  having a generally point-symmetrical X-formed cross section (see FIG. 2) having a width of 1.5 mm, height of 1.5 mm and length of 15 mm, wherein the aligned metal filaments  12 C serve as the electroconductor body. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     Following is a description of the preparation procedure of the connector device  10  illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 by a vertical cross sectional view and a perspective view of the disassembled parts, respectively. 
     A 30 mm by 100 mm wide rectangular stainless steel sheet of 0.050 mm thickness was subjected to an etching treatment on the 10 mm by 80 mm wide area excepting the 10 mm wide framing area to form 10 mm long slits at a pitch of 0.07 mm followed by a dual plating treatment first with nickel for underplating and then with gold for top plating. 
     Separately, the supporting members  12 A, 12 B of an insulating silicone rubber of 50° H rubber hardness each having an approximately V-formed cross section were prepared by molding a curable silicone rubber composition and heating the same at 120° C. for 5 minutes under compression. These supporting members  12 A,  12 B are referred to as the first and second supporting members, respectively, hereinafter. 
     The first and second supporting members  12 A, 12 B were each coated with a silicone-based adhesive in a thickness of 0.020 mm and adhesively bonded each to the other in a jig for adhesive bonding together with the slitted metal sheet prepared above followed by trimming for the metal filament alignment  12 C thus to obtain a press-contact connector  12  having a generally point-symmetrical X-formed cross section (see FIG. 2) having a width of 1.5 mm, height of 1.5 mm and length of 15 mm with the aligned metal filaments  12 C to serve as the electroconductor body. 
     Further separately, a metal-made clip member  14  having a width of 2.5 mm, height of 2.0 mm and length of 40 mm was prepared from a 0.010 mm thick stainless steel sheet which was subjected to a press-punching work in a profile of the development of the member  14  illustrated in FIG. 2 followed by a bending work of the development sheet into the clip member  14  having two clipping parts  14 A, 14 A each having a U-formed cross section at the end portions of the clip member  14 . 
     The thus prepared clip member  14  was then adhesively bonded by using a silicone-based adhesive at the flap portion  14 B to the press-contact connector  12  having a generally X-formed cross section to complete a connector device  10  consisting of the connector  12  and the clip member  14 . 
     The connector device  10  was secured to a chip-on-glass-type (“COG-type”) LCD panel  102  by pinching a periphery of the LCD panel  102  with the clipping parts  14 A,  14 A at the positions not to overlay the electrode terminals  102 A to form an assembly which was encased in a casing  105  and mounted on and pressed against a circuit board  101  with a spacer  104  interposed therebetween thus to bring the electrode terminals  102 A on the LCD panel  102  and the electrode terminals  101 A on the circuit board  101  into electrical connection through the metal filament alignment  12 C in the press-contact connector device  10  which was secured to the LCD panel  102  by means of the clip member  14 . The electrical connection between the sets of electrode terminals  101 A and  102 A was found to be very stable absolutely without shakiness. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     Following is a description of the preparation of the connector device  30  illustrated by a perspective view in FIGS. 3A and 3B for the parts disassembled and the assembled connector device per se, respectively. 
     Brass wires  32 C of 0.040 mm diameter provided with an under-plating layer of nickel and top plating layer of gold were aligned at a regular pitch of 0.10 mm on a 0.10 mm thick uncured silicone rubber sheet to have a rubber hardness of 50° H after curing followed by a heat treatment at 120° C. for 30 minutes to cure the silicone rubber sheet. The thus cured silicone rubber sheet supporting the brass wires  32 C in alignment was subjected to slitting in a direction perpendicular to the running direction of the brass wires  32 C into strips having a width of 9 mm. 
     This 9 mm wide rubber strip  32 A was then set on a jig having a groove-formed cavity of a U-formed cross section of 3 mm width and 2 mm depth in such a fashion that the aligned brass wires  32 C supported on the rubber sheet  32 A were in direct contact with the cavity surface and the cavity behind the cured rubber sheet  32 A was filled with an uncured foamable silicone rubber composition  32 B under a covering followed by a heat treatment at 120° C. for 5 minutes to effect expansion and curing of the foamable silicone rubber composition into a foamed rubber body  32 B of 20° H rubber hardness which was integrated with the cured rubber sheet  32 A. The thus integrated body was taken out of the jig and divided by cutting in the length-wise direction into individual connectors  32  of a U-formed cross section each having a length of 10 mm, width of 2 mm and height of 3 mm, of which the aligned brass wires  32 C served as the conductor body. 
     Separately, a clip member  34  having a length of 30 mm, width of 2.5 mm and height of 2.0 mm as shown in FIG. 3A was prepared from a 0.10 mm thick stainless steel sheet in the same manner as in the preparation of the clip member  14  in Example 1. This clip member  34  was adhesively bonded by using a silicone-based adhesive to the flat surface of the connector  32  to give a connector device  30  illustrated in FIG.  3 B. 
     The connector device  30  was secured to a LCD panel by clipping a periphery of the LCD panel having an array of electrode terminals with the clipping parts  34 A, 34 A in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  32 C on the connector  32 . The LCD panel securing the connector device  30  was pressed against a circuit board in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  32 C of the connector  32  to find that the LCD panel could be driven with stability. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     A connector device  40  illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B was prepared as described below. 
     Brass wires  42 C of 0.030 mm diameter having an underplating of nickel and top plating of gold were put on a first uncured silicone rubber sheet of 0.10 mm thickness in alignment at a pitch of 0.05 mm. A second uncured silicone rubber sheet of also 0.10 mm thickness was put on the array of the brass wires  42 C which were sandwiched between the two uncured silicone rubber sheets followed by a heat treatment at 120° C. for 30 minutes so that the silicone rubber sheets were cured into cured rubber sheets of 30° H rubber hardness to give an integral silicone rubber sheet  41  holding the array of the brass wires  42 C embedded therein. Two silicone rubber sheets  42 A, 42 B of 0.9 mm thickness having a rubber hardness of 30° H to serve as supporting members were adhesively bonded with intervention of a 0.020 mm thick adhesive layer to both surfaces of the wire-supporting rubber sheet  41  followed by a heat treatment at 120° C. for 10 minutes. The thus obtained laminated sheet  42  holding the array of the brass wires  42 C was subjected to slitting into strips having a width of 5 mm in the running direction of the brass wires  42 C and each strip was divided into connector bodies  42  of 20 mm length as illustrated in FIG.  4 A. 
     Separately, a clip member  44  having a length of 30 mm, width of 3 mm and height of 3 mm as illustrated in FIG. 4A was prepared by a bending work of a cut sheet of a 0.080 mm thick stainless steel sheet. Each of the clipping parts  44 A, 44 A at both ends of the clip member  44  had a C-formed cross section. This clip member  44  was adhesively bonded by using a silicone-based adhesive to the surface of the supporting member  42 A of the connector  42  to give a connector device  40  illustrated in FIG.  4 B. 
     The connector device  40  was secured to a COG-type LCD panel by clipping a periphery of the LCD panel having an array of electrode terminals with the clipping parts  44 A, 44 A in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  42 C of the connector  42 . The LCD panel securing the connector device  40  was pressed against a circuit board in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  42 C of the connector  42  to find that the LCD panel could be driven with stability. 
     EXAMPLE 4 
     Following is a description of the preparation procedure of the connector device  50  illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. 
     Brass wires  52 C of 0.040 mm diameter having an underplating of nickel and top plating of gold were put on a first uncured silicone rubber sheet of 0.10 mm thickness in alignment at a pitch of 0.2 mm. A second uncured silicone rubber sheet of also 0.10 mm thickness was put on the array of the brass wires  52 C which were sandwiched between the two uncured silicone rubber sheets followed by a heat treatment at 120° C. for 30 minutes so that the silicone rubber sheets were cured into cured rubber sheets of 50° H rubber hardness to give an integral silicone rubber sheet holding the array of brass wires  52 C embedded therein. 
     Ten of the thus prepared brass wire-holding rubber sheets were stacked one on the other in such a fashion that the running directions of the brass wires  52 C in the respective sheets were the same to give a laminated sheet which was subjected to a heat treatment at 120° C. for 10 minutes under compression to give an integral laminated rubber sheet  52  holding ten parallel arrays of the brass wires  52 C embedded within a matrix phase  52 A of the cured silicone rubber, which was divided by cutting into connectors  52  having a length of 15 mm, width of 2 mm and height of 2.5 mm as illustrated in FIG.  5 A. 
     Separately, a stainless steel clip member  54  having a length of 25 mm, width of 3 mm and height of 3 mm as illustrated in FIG. 5A was prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of the clip member  44  in Example 3 from a stainless steel sheet of 0.10 mm thickness. This clip member  54  having clipping parts  54 A, 54 A of C-formed cross section was adhesively bonded to the connector  52  by using a silicone-based adhesive to give a connector device  50  illustrated in FIG.  5 B. 
     The connector device  50  was secured to a COG-type LCD panel by clipping a periphery of the LCD panel having an array of electrode terminals with the clipping parts  54 A, 54 A with resilience in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  52 C of the connector  52 . The LCD panel securing the connector device  50  was pressed against a circuit board in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the aligned brass wires  52 C of the connector  52  to find that the LCD panel could be driven with stability. 
     EXAMPLE 5 
     Following is a description of the preparation procedure of the connector device  60  illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. 
     A plurality of uncured insulating silicone rubber sheets of 0.050 mm thickness and a plurality of uncured electroconductive silicone rubber sheets of 0.050 mm thickness were stacked alternately one on the other to give a laminated block which was subjected to a heat treatment under compression to give a stratified cured rubber block alternately consisting of insulating and conductive silicone rubber layers, which was sliced in a plane perpendicular to the laminating direction of the layers to give striped rubber sheets  61  of each 0.6 mm thickness consisting of alternately aligned stripes  62 A and  62 C of the insulating and conductive, respectively, silicone rubbers. 
     The thus obtained striped rubber sheet  61  was coated on both surfaces with a silicone-based adhesive in a thickness of 0.020 mm and a 0.93 mm thick silicone rubber sheet of 20° H rubber hardness as a supporting member was bonded to each of the adhesive-coated surfaces of the striped rubber sheet  61  followed by a heat treatment at 140° C. for 10 minutes so as to have the striped rubber sheet  61  sandwiched between the supporting members  62 B, 62 B, which was then divided by cutting to give individual rubber connectors  62  each having a length of 30 mm, width of 2.5 mm and height of 3.0 mm as illustrated in FIG.  6 A. 
     Separately, a stainless steel clip member  64  having a length of 45 mm, width of 3 mm and height of 3 mm as illustrated in FIG. 6A was prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of the clip member  44  in Example 3 from a stainless steel sheet of 0.10 mm thickness. This clip member  64  having clipping parts  64 A, 64 A was adhesively bonded to the connector  62  by using a silicone-based adhesive to give a connector device  60  illustrated in FIG.  6 B. 
     The connector device  60  was secured to a LCD panel by clipping a periphery of the LCD panel having an array of electrode terminals with the clipping parts  64 A, 64 A with resilience in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the conductive stripes  62 C of the connector  62 . The LCD panel securing the connector device  60  was pressed against a circuit board in such a fashion that the electrode terminals thereon were in contact with the conductive stripes  62 C of the connector  62  to find that the LCD panel could be driven with stability.