Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 1 ) for a flexible circuit includes an insulative housing ( 2 ) defining a circuit-insertion slot ( 201 ) in one face thereof and a pair of actuator holes ( 211 ) in opposite sides thereof, a number of terminals ( 3 ) mounted to the housing and spaced along the slot for engaging conductors spaced along the flexible circuit, and an actuator ( 4 ) having a shaft ( 41 ) pivotally located in the actuator holes for movement between an open position allowing insertion of the flexible circuit into the slot and a closed position biasing the circuit and its conductors against the contact portions of the terminals, and a pair of positioning members ( 5 ) formed on the shaft to prevent the shaft from falling out of the actuator holes.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly, to an electrical connector for flexible flat cables or flexible printed circuit boards.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Typical electrical connectors for flexible flat cables (FFC) or flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) comprise an insulating or dielectric housing having an insertion aperture and a plurality of terminals disposed within the housing in side-by-side relationship with a predetermined pitch. The terminals have contact portions which extend into the insertion aperture in such a way that they can contact conductive areas of the FFC or FPC. The housing also often comprises a pivoting actuator (pressure clamp) which can be moved from an “open” state in which the FFC or FPC can be inserted into the insertion aperture, into a “closed” state in which the FFC or FPC and the connections thereof are pressed against the contact region of the terminals. Such conventional flexible board connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,639,260, 5,580,272 and 6,206,723 B1.  
         [0005]     However, the conventional connector mentioned above, the actuator is coupled to the housing simply by engagement between both ends of the actuator and the housing. With this structure, the actuator is often released or disengaged from the housing. If the FPC or FFC is subjected to pull force while it is brought into contact with the terminals, the shaft portion of the actuator is also pulled due to friction between the FPC or FFC and the shaft portion. In this event, the actuator will undesiredly be released from the housing.  
         [0006]     Hence, a flexible board electrical connector with a reliable actuator is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which is capable of preventing disengagement of an actuator with high reliability.  
         [0008]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible board electrical connector which is capable of suppressing the risk of disengagement of an actuator even if a flexible flat cable or flexible printed circuit board connected to the connector is subjected to pull force.  
         [0009]     In order to achieve the above object, a flexible board electrical connector according to the present invention for a flexible circuit includes an insulative housing defining a circuit-insertion slot in one face thereof and a pair of actuator holes in opposite sides thereof, a number of terminals mounted to the housing and spaced along the slot for engaging conductors spaced along the flexible circuit, an actuator having a shaft pivotally located in the actuator holes for movement between an open position allowing insertion of the flexible circuit into the slot and a closed position biasing the circuit and its conductors against the contact portions of the terminals, and a pair of positioning members formed on the shaft to prevent the shaft from falling out of the actuator holes.  
         [0010]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a flexible board electrical connector according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 , with an actuator in an open position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 , wherein the actuator is in a closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     The present invention will be discussed hereafter in detail in terms of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set for the in order to provided a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific detail. In other instances, well-known structures are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessary obscurity of the present invention  
         [0015]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a flexible board electrical connector  1  in accordance with the present invention is adapted for connecting a flexible flat cable (FFC, not shown) or flexible printed circuit board (FPC, not shown) to a motherboard (not shown). The electrical connector includes an elongate insulative housing  2 , a plurality of conductive terminals  3 , an actuator  4  pivotally mounted on the housing  2  for movement between an open position (shown in  FIG. 2 ) and a closed position (shown in  FIG. 3 ), and a pair of positioning members  5  for securely holding the actuator  4  in the housing  2 . In the open position, the actuator  4  allows insertion of the FFC or FPC into the electrical connector  1 . In the closed position, the actuator biases the FFC or FPC against the terminals  3  mounted in the housing  2 , as described hereinafter. Although the FFC or FPC is not shown in the drawings, the FFC or FPC typically will have generally parallel conductor strips running the length thereof and to a distal end of the circuit which is inserted into the connector.  
         [0016]     As best shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing  2  includes an elongate base  20  and a pair of side walls  21  integrally formed on opposite sides of the base  20 . The base  20  defines an insertion slot  210  on a front side thereof for receiving the FFC or FPC, and a plurality of terminal channels  200  in a bottom side thereof. The terminal channels  200  are spaced apart with a predetermined interval therebetween for receiving the conductive terminals  3 . Each side wall  21  defines a recess  210  for receiving the positioning member  5 , and an actuator hole  211  running through thereof and separating the recess  210  into two parts. The side walls  21  respectively define a notch  212  facing toward each other for engaging with the actuator  4 , as will be fully discussed.  
         [0017]     Generally, the electrical connector  1  has two types of conductive terminals  3  mounted on the housing  1  at spaced intervals along the insertion slot  210 . Specifically shown in  FIG. 1 , one type of conductive terminal which will be called a retention terminal, generally designated  31 , and a second type of conductive terminal which will be called a non-retentive terminal, generally designated  32 . Retention terminals  31  and non-retentive terminals  32  alternate in spaced, generally parallel relationship along the length of insertion slot  15 .  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , the actuator  4  is pivotally mounted on the housing  1  for pivotal movement between its open position ( FIG. 2 ) and its closed position ( FIG. 3 ). The actuator  4  comprises an elongate pressure section  40  and a driving shaft  41  positioned in a rear portion of the pressure section  40 . The elongate pressure section  40  includes a pressure surface  401  for pressing against an upper surface of the insertion FFC or FPC. A plurality of partition walls  402  are periodically spaced along the rear portion of the elongate pressure section  40 , thereby forming a plurality of passages  403  between adjacent two partition walls  402 . The pressure section  40  further has a pair of positioning bars  404  on opposite sides thereof for engaging with corresponding notches  212  of the housing  2  when the electrical connector  1  is in its closed state. The driving shaft  41  includes a pair of pivot portions  410  projecting from opposite ends of the pressure section  40 , and a pair of cam portions  411  respectively extending outwardly from the pivot portions  410  and vertically offset from the pivot portions  410 . Each cam portion  411  is integrally formed with the pivot portion  410  and has a section defined by a semicircle connected by two straight lines. However, the shape of the cam portion  411  may be modified in various manners.  
         [0019]     The positioning members  5  are stamped from a metal sheet and are substantially F-shaped. Each positioning member  5  comprises first and second latching legs  50  and a connecting leg  51  connecting the first and second latching legs  50 . Each latching leg  50  forms a plurality of barbs  200  on opposite sides thereof for latchably engaging with the recesses  210  of the housing  2 .  
         [0020]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , in assembly, the conductive terminals  3  are respectively inserted into corresponding terminal channels  200  of the housing  2  with contacting portions (not labeled) exposed to the insertion slot. The actuator  4  is movably mounted on the housing  2 . The pivot portions  410  and the cam portions  411  of the driving shafts  41  are received in the actuator holes  211  of the housing  2 . The positioning members  5  are mounted on the housing  2  thereafter. The barbs  500  of the latching legs  50  of the positioning member  5  are interferentially fitted in the recess  210  of the housing  2 , and the connecting legs  51  respectively abut against the cam portions  411  of the pressure section  40 . It should be noted that the latching legs  50  may selectively extend through the recess  210  and extend beyond a bottom surface of the housing  2  for being soldered to a motherboard (not shown), thereby capturing the electrical connector to the motherboard.  
         [0021]     In operation of the electrical connector  1  herein, the actuator  4  is pivoted upwardly to its open position as shown in  FIG. 2 . The FFC or FPC then is inserted into the insertion slot  201  of the electrical connector  1 , until a tip or front edge of the FFC or FPC abuts against the contact portions of the terminals  3 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the actuator  4  then is pulled forward to its closed position for pressing against the FFC or FPC. During this operation, the pivot portions  410  of the driving shaft  41  move along the actuator holes  211  of the housing  2  until the positioning bars  404  are held in the notches  212  of the housing  2  by an interference fit respectively. Thus, the actuator  4  is secured in a closed position and the pressure section  40  biases against the upper surface of the FFC or FPC, thereby establishing the electrical connection between the terminals  3  and the FPC or FFC. It should be noted that, during the pivot movement of the actuator  4 , the connecting legs  51  of the positioning members  5  abut against the cam portions  411  of the driving shaft  41  to ensure the pivot portions  410  in the actuator holes  211  respectively. Therefore, a reliable electrical transmission path between FFC or FPC and the terminal  3  is established.  
         [0022]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.