Abstract:
In a connector having a rotary actuator ( 14 ) for bringing a sheet-like object ( 11 ) into press contact with a contact ( 13 ) held by a housing ( 12 ), the rotary actuator is engaged with the contact in a predetermined direction parallel to the sheet-like object and perpendicular to a center axis of a shaft portion ( 22 ) of the rotary actuator. The shaft portion is rotatably engaged with the housing. The contact has a contacting portion ( 15 ) to be faced to one surface of the sheet-like object and a supporting portion ( 16 ) to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object. The actuator has a cam portion ( 21 ) integrally connected to the shaft portion and located between the supporting portion and the sheet-like object. The supporting portion has a recess ( 17 ) which receives the cam portion to engage the cam portion with the supporting portion in the predetermined direction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a connector for connecting a sheet-like object such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). 
     A conventional connector of the type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications (JP-A) Nos. H09-35828 and H09-92411. The conventional connector comprises a plurality of contacts each of which has a contacting portion to be faced to one surface of a sheet-like object such as a FFC or a FPC and a supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a housing holding the contacts, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portions of the contacts. The actuator has a cam portion inserted into the housing from its front side and rotatably coupled thereto. 
     In order to connect the sheet-like object, the sheet-like object is at first inserted into the connector from the front side thereof to an area between the contacting portions of the contacts and the cam portion of the actuator. Then, the actuator is rotated so that the cam portion of the actuator brings the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portions of the contacts. Thus, the sheet-like object is connected to the connector by such a simple operation. The connector of the type described will hereinafter called a rotary-actuation connector. 
     In the conventional rotary-actuation 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. For example, if the sheet-like object is subjected to pull force while it is brought into contact with the contacting portions of the contacts, the cam portion of the actuator is also pulled due to friction between the sheet-like object and the cam portion. In this event, the actuator will undesiredly be released from the housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector which is capable of suppressing the risk of disengagement of an actuator even if a sheet-like object connected to the connector is subjected to pull force. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector which is capable of preventing disengagement of an actuator with high reliability and without increasing the height of the connector. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector in which an actuator is easily coupled and prevented from disengagement with high reliability. 
     Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for use in connecting a sheet-like object. The connector comprises a contact having a contacting portion to be faced to one surface of the sheet-like object and a supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a housing holding the contact, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portion. The actuator comprises a cam portion located between the supporting portion and the sheet-like object and a shaft portion integrally connected with the cam portion and rotatably engaged with the housing. The supporting portion has a recess which receives the cam portion to make the cam portion and the supporting portion be engaged with each other in a predetermined direction parallel to the sheet-like object and perpendicular to a center axis of the shaft portion. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for use in connecting a sheet-like object. The connector comprises a first contact having a first contacting portion to be faced to one surface of the sheet-like object and a first supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a second contact having a second contacting portion to be faced to the one surface of a sheet-like object and a second supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object, a housing holding the first and the second contacts at a predetermined pitch, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the first and the second contacting portions. The actuator comprises a first cam portion located between the first supporting portion and the sheet-like object, a second cam portion located between the second supporting portion and the sheet-like object, and a shaft portion integrally connected with the first and the second cam portions and rotatably engaged with the housing. The first supporting portion has a recess which receives the first cam portion to make the first cam portion and the first supporting portion be engaged with each other in a predetermined direction parallel to the sheet-like object and perpendicular to a center axis of the shaft portion. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a characteristic part of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the characteristic part of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1 in a state in which an actuator is decoupled from a housing; 
     FIG. 3B is a sectional view of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1 during a coupling operation of the actuator; 
     FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1 with the actuator in an opened state; 
     FIG. 4B is a sectional view of the connector illustrated in FIG. 1 with a sheet-like object connected thereto; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6A is an enlarged perspective view obtained by cutting the connector illustrated in FIG. 5 at a first position; 
     FIG. 6B is an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 6A except that the actuator is in a closed state; 
     FIG. 7A is an enlarged perspective view obtained by cutting the connector illustrated in FIG. 5 at a second position; 
     FIG. 7B is an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 7A except that the actuator is in the closed state; 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6A as seen in a different direction; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6A; 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 7A; 
     FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention with an actuator in an opened state, as obtained by cutting the connector at a first position; 
     FIG. 11B is a perspective view similar to FIG. 11A except that the actuator is in a closed state; 
     FIG. 12A is a perspective view similar to FIG. 11A but taken at a second position; 
     FIG. 12B is a perspective view similar to FIG. 12A except that the actuator is in a closed state; 
     FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12A as seen in a different direction; 
     FIG. 14A is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 11A; 
     FIG. 14B, is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 11B; 
     FIG. 14C is a sectional view similar to FIG. 14B with a sheet-like object connected to the connector; 
     FIG. 15A is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 12A; 
     FIG. 15B is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 12B; 
     FIG. 15C is a sectional view similar to FIG. 15B with the sheet-like object connected to the connector; 
     FIG. 16A is a front view of a part of a connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 16B is a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 16A; 
     FIG. 17A is a sectional view taken along a line A—A in FIG. 16A; 
     FIG. 17B is a sectional view taken along a line B—B in FIG. 16A; and 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG.  17 B. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, description will be made of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The connector comprises an insulator housing  12  for receiving an FPC  11  as one of sheet-like objects to be connected thereto, a number of conductive elastic contacts  13  arranged in the housing  12  at a predetermined pitch in a transversal direction and fixedly held by the housing  12 , and an insulating actuator  14  for bringing the FPC  11  into press contact with the contacts  13 . 
     Each of the contacts  13  has two contacting portions  15  to be faced to one surface of the FPC  11  and a supporting portion  16  integrally connected to the contacting portion  15  to be faced to the other surface of the FPC  11  which is opposite to the one surface. The contacting portion  15  and the supporting portion  16  are faced to each other in a vertical direction as a first direction with a predetermined space kept therebetween. The supporting portion  16  is provided with a recess  17  formed at a position faced to the contacting portion  15 . 
     The housing  12  is provided with an FPC insert portion  18  in conformity with the predetermined space. The FPC  11  is inserted into the FPC insert portion  18  in a back-and-forth direction as a second direction or a predetermined direction perpendicular to the first direction. Since the space between the contacting portion  15  and the supporting portion  16  is sufficiently greater than the thickness of the FPC  11 , the FPC  11  can easily be inserted. 
     The actuator  14  comprises a plate-like member extending in the transversal direction and is provided with a number of through holes  19  in one-to-one correspondence to the supporting portions  16  of the contacts  13 . With the supporting portions  16  inserted into the holes  19 , the actuator  14  is coupled to the housing  12 . Each of the through holes  19  has such a size that allows insertion of the supporting portion  16  with a gap therearound. 
     The actuator  14  has a number of cam portions  21  each of which is located in the recess  17  of the supporting portion  16  when the actuator  14  is coupled to the housing  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, each of the cam portions  21  has a section defined by two semicircles connected by two straight lines. However, the shape of the cam portion  21  may be modified in various manners. Thus, the actuator  14  is engaged with the supporting portions  16  to be rotatable around the cam portions  21 . 
     Furthermore, the actuator  14  has a pair of shaft portions  22  formed at both transversal ends thereof. On the other hand, the housing  12  has a pair of guide grooves  23  extending in the back-and-forth direction or the second direction, and a pair of engaging grooves  24  each of which is connected to a rear end of the guide groove  23  and extending upward therefrom. The guide grooves  23  serve to guide the shaft portions  22  to introduce each cam portion  21  to an area between the contacting portion  15  and the supporting portion  16  when the actuator  14  is coupled. Each of the engaging grooves  24  is formed as a notch in a wall portion  12   a  defining an upper wall of the guide groove  23  and allows the shaft portion  22  to move upward so that the cam portion  21  is moved towards the supporting portion  16 . Thus, the engaging grooves  24  engaged with the shaft portions  22  and the supporting portions  16  engaged with the cam portions  21  cooperate to rotatably support the actuator  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, description will be made of an operation of coupling the actuator  14  to the housing  12 . At first, the actuator  14  is located in front of the housing  12  as depicted by dash-and-dot lines in FIG.  3 B. Then, the actuator  14  is moved rearward with the shaft portions  22  guided by the guide grooves  23 . As a consequence, the cam portion  21  is introduced into the area between the contacting portion  15  and the supporting portion  16  of the contact  13  as depicted by solid lines in FIG.  3 B. When the shaft portion  22  reaches a rear end of the guide groove  23 , the actuator  14  is moved upward to insert the shaft portion  22  into the engaging groove  24 . Simultaneously, the cam portion  21  is fitted into the recess  17  of the supporting portion  16 , so that an engaging cam surface  21   a  of the cam portion  21  is engaged with the supporting portion  16  in each of the upper direction and the back-and-forth direction of the second direction. Thus, the connector illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is obtained. 
     Next referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, description will be made of an operation of connecting the FPC  11  by the use of the above-mentioned connector. When the actuator  14  is located at a first position where the actuator  14  is opened as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the cam portion  21  is held in the recess  17  in a laid position. As a result, a space greater than the thickness of the FPC  11  is kept between the contacting portion  15  of the contact  13  and the cam portion  21 . Therefore, when the actuator is located at the first position, the FPC  11  can easily be inserted into the FPC insert portion  18  of the housing  12 . 
     In the state where the FPC  11  is inserted into the FPC insert portion  18 , the actuator  14  is rotated from the first position in FIG. 4A to a second position illustrated in FIG.  4 B. In this event, the FPC  11  is pressed by a pressing cum surface  21   b  of the cam portion  21  rotated from the laid position into a standing position. As a result, the FPC  11  is brought into press contact with the contacting portion  15 , which is then elastically deformed, to achieve electrical connection. When the actuator  14  is at the second position where the actuator  14  is closed, the cam portion  21  is clamped between the supporting portion  16  and the contacting portion  15  through the FPC  11  to be subjected to the force to keep the actuator  14  closed. Thus, at the second position (closed position), the actuator  14  is prevented from being easily moved in a releasing direction, i.e., towards the first position. 
     With the above-mentioned connector, sufficient contacting force is assured with small operating force by utilizing the principle of the lever. Therefore, appropriate operability can be maintained even if the number of contacts is increased. The cam portions  21  of the actuator  14  are restricted in movement in three directions including, upward, leftward, and rightward directions by the supporting portions  16  of the contacts  13  and the engaging grooves  24  of the housing  12 . Therefore, even if the number of contacts is increased, the cam portions  21  are prevented from being swept out by the friction between the FPC  11  and the cam portions  21  so that all of the contacts can be reliably connected. 
     As mentioned above, even if the number of contacts is great, the actuator  14  can be operated with small operating force and with high reliability. In addition, the reliability of connection is improved. Furthermore, the above-mentioned structure is advantageous in view of the reduction in size. 
     Since the shaft portions  22  are engaged with the engaging grooves  24  and the cam portions  21  are engaged with the recesses  17  of the supporting portions  16  of the contacts  13 , the actuator  14  is prevented from being moved frontward to be released. Thus, even if the FPC  11  being connected is subjected to pull force, the risk of disengagement of the actuator  14  from the housing  12  is reduced. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 through 10, description will be made of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals and will not be described any longer. 
     In the connector of the second embodiment, the above-mentioned contacts  13  are replaced by a number of first and second conductive elastic contacts  31  and  32 . The first and the second contacts  31  and  32  are held in the housing  12  and alternately arranged at a predetermined pitch in the transversal direction. Thus, the first and the second contacts  31  and  32  are adjacent to each other in the transversal direction at the predetermined pitch. 
     Each of the first contacts  31  has a first contacting portion  35  to be faced to one surface of the FPC  11 , a first supporting portion  36  to be faced to the other surface of the FPC  11  which is opposite to the one surface, and a first external connection terminal  37  formed below the first supporting portion  36  and extending frontward. The first contacting portion  35 , the first supporting portion  36 , and the first external connection terminal  37  are integrally formed. The first contacting portion  35  and the first supporting portion  36  are substantially faced to each other with a space kept therebetween in the vertical direction. The first supporting portion  36  is provided with a recess  38  formed at a position faced to the first contacting portion  35 . 
     Each of the second contacts  32  has a second contacting portion  45  to be faced to the one surface of the FPC  11 , a second supporting portion  46  to be faced to the other surface of the FPC  11  which is opposite to the one surface, and a second external connection terminal  47  extending rearward. The second contacting portion  45 , the second supporting portion  46 , and the second external connection terminal  46  are integrally formed. The second connecting portion  45  is located frontward from the second supporting portion  46 . Each of the first and the second external connection terminals  37  and  47  are connected by soldering or the like to a circuit pattern of a circuit board (not shown) when the connector is mounted on the circuit board. 
     The actuator  14  has a number of first and second cam portions  51  and  52  to be engaged with the first and the second supporting portions  36  and  46 , respectively. Each of the first cam portions  51  has a first pressing cam surface for pressing the other surface of the FPC  11  and an engaging cam surface to be engaged with the recess  38  of the first supporting portion  36  of the first contact  31 . The first pressing cam surface and the engaging cam surface are placed at positions deferent from each other in a circular direction of each of the first cam portions  51 . The actuator  14  is provided with a number of through holes  19  each of which is formed adjacent to the engaging cam surface. The first supporting portions  36  of the first contacts  31  are inserted into the through holes  19 . Thus, the actuator  14  is rotatably supported by the first supporting portions  36  of the first contacts  31 . 
     On the other hand, each of the second cam portions  52  has a second pressing cam surface  52   a  for pressing the other surface of the FPC  11  and an engaging cam groove  53  for receiving the second supporting portion  46  of the second contact  32 . As illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the second cam portion  52  has dimensions a and b selected so that the relationship a&lt;b is satisfied. 
     With the above-mentioned connector, the operability is excellent upon insertion of the FPC  11  even if the FPC  11  has a large number of contacts extending in a longitudinal direction thereof. Furthermore, the shaft portions  22  are engaged with the engaging grooves  24  and the first cam portions  51  are engaged with the recesses  38  of the first supporting portions  36 . Therefore, the actuator  14  is prevented from being moved frontward to be released. Thus, even if the FPC  11  being connected is subjected to pull force, the risk of disengagement of the actuator  14  from the housing  12  is reduced. 
     Referring to FIGS. 11A through 15C, description will be made of a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals and will not be described any longer. 
     In the connector of the third embodiment, the actuator  14  has an opening angle selected to be equal to about 100°. Each of the first cam portions  51  has a section defined by two semicircles connected by two straight lines. The first supporting portion  36  of the first contact  31  has a shape adapted to be engaged with the first cam portion  51  of the above-mentioned shape. The second supporting portion  46  of the second contact  32  is slightly modified in shape. 
     On the other hand, each of the second cam portions  52  has the second pressing cam portion  52   a  and a generally L-shaped notch  52   b  formed by cutting off an edge of the second cam portion  52  and opened in two directions. Since the notch  52   b  is formed, the second pressing cam portion  52   a  serves as a reduced pressing portion. 
     When the actuator  14  is opened as illustrated in FIG. 1 5 A, the second supporting portion  46  is locked by a bottom portion  52   c  of the notch  52   b  . When the actuator  14  is closed as illustrated in FIGS. 15B and 15C, the second supporting portion  46  is brought into contact with a neighborhood (inner edge) of the second pressing cam portion  52   a  . Thus, the second contact  32  locks the actuator  14 . 
     Each of the first and the second cam portions  51  and  52  is brought into contact with the FPC  11  at a position where the first contacting portion  35  of the first contact  31  is pressed. Therefore, a stable and reliable contacting condition is achieved between the FPC  11  and the contacts. 
     With the above-mentioned connector, the operability is excellent upon insertion of the FPC  11  even if the FPC  11  has a large number of contacts extending in a longitudinal direction thereof. Furthermore, the shaft portions  22  are engaged with the engaging grooves  24  and the first cam portions  51  are engaged with the recesses  38  of the first supporting portions  36 . Therefore, the actuator  14  is prevented from being moved frontward to be released. Thus, even if the FPC  11  being connected is subjected to pull force, the risk of disengagement of the actuator  14  from the housing  12  is reduced. 
     Referring to FIGS. 16A through 18, description will be made of a connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals and will not be described any longer. 
     In the connector of the fourth embodiment, each of the first contacts  31  has a first holding portion  61  formed at its rear part and held in the housing  12  by press fitting. The first holding portion  61  is provided with a first press-fit portion  61   a  protruding therefrom to be locked by the housing  12 . The first contact  31  has a plate portion  62  formed in the vicinity of the first external connection terminal  37 . The plate portion  62  is provided with a protrusion  63  formed by cutting and bending a part of its flat plane to protrude in the thickness direction. 
     Each of the second contacts  32  has a second holding portion  64  formed at its rear end and held in the housing  12  by press fitting. The second holding portion  64  is provided with a second press-fit portion  64   a  protruding therefrom to be locked by the housing  12 . 
     The housing  12  has a generally box-like shape elongated in one direction. The housing  12  comprises a mount-side plate portion  12   b,  a top plate portion  12   c,  and first and second partition wall portions  12   d  and  12   e.  The mount-side plate portion  12   b,  the top plate portion  12   c,  and the first and the second partition wall portions  12   d  and  12   e  define a plurality of first receptacle holes  65  for receiving the first contacts  31  and a plurality of second receptacle holes  66  for receiving the second contacts  32 . Each of the first and the second receptacle holes  65  and  66  penetrates the housing  12  in the back-and-forth direction (second direction). Each of the first partition wall portions  12   d  has a stopper portion  67  formed at its end. The stopper portion  67  is engaged with the protrusion  63  of the first contact  31  to inhibit upward movement of the first contact  31 . 
     The first external connection terminal  37  is slightly protruded downward from a notch  68  formed by cutting an end of the mount-side plate portion  12   b.  On the other hand, the second external connection terminal  47  is slightly protruded downward from a notch  69  formed by cutting an end of the mountside plate portion  12   b.    
     The first receptacle hole  65  has a rear part reduced in size in the vertical direction. In the rear part of the first receptacle hole  65 , the first holding portion  61  of the first contact  31  is located. The second receptacle hole  66  has a rear part in which the second holding portion  62  of the second contact  32  is located. 
     The first contact  31  is coupled to the housing  12  from its front side. On the other hand, the second contact  32  is coupled to the housing  12  from its rear side. After coupling the contacts, the protrusion  63  of each of the first contacts  31  is prevented by the stopper portion  67  from being moved upward. This improves positional accuracy of the first external connection terminal  37  and prevents the first external connection terminal  37  from being rotated around the first press-fit portion  61   a  to move upward even if external force is applied in an upward direction. 
     The protrusion  63  is received in a receiving portion  71  which may be a simple groove or recess. Alternatively, the receiving portion  71  may be formed so that the first and the second receiving holes  65  and  66  communicate with each other. 
     With the above-mentioned connector, the shaft portions  22  are engaged with the engaging grooves  24  and the first cam portions  51  are engaged with the recesses  38  of the first supporting portions  36 . Therefore, the actuator  14  is prevented from being moved frontward to be released. In addition, the first contacts  31  are reliably prevented from upward movement so that the first cam portions  51  and the recesses  38  of the first supporting portions  36  are inhibited from being disengaged from each other. Furthermore, the upward movement of the first contact  31  is prevented by engagement between the protrusion  63  protruding from the flat plane of the first contact  31  and the stopper portion  67  of the housing  12 . Therefore, the dimension of the connector in the vertical direction need not be increased.