Structure of conductive terminal of electrical connector

An electrical connector includes a housing, a conductive terminal, and a pressing member. The conductive terminal is received and fixed in the housing. The conductive terminal includes a fixing arm and a depressed arm extending in the same direction and substantially parallel to each other. The depressed arm has an end forming a depressed portion. The fixing arm is fixed with respect to the housing. The fixing arm has a side forming an engaging portion for electrically engaging an electrical cable and an opposite side forming at least one abutment portion positioned against an inner wall of the housing. The pressing member includes a pivot, which is extended in a given direction to form a depressing portion that is operable to depress the depressed arm. The pressing member is movable to switch between an open condition and a clamped condition.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a conductive terminal of an electrical connector, and more particularly to a conductive terminal of an electrical connector that has a structure that is simple and cost-saving.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

To ensure a desired electrical connection with a flexible circuit board, such a flexible circuit board is often coupled to an electrical connector. An electrical connector of such a purpose is often composed of a housing, conductive terminals, and a pressing member. When the pressing member of the electrical connector is operated, the pressing member acts upon the conductive terminals to have the terminals depressed against the flexible circuit board.

As shown inFIG. 6, which schematically illustrates a conventional electrical connector, the conventional connector comprises a housing1, conductive terminals2, and a pressing member3. Each of the conductive terminals2is received and fixed inside the housing1. The conductive terminal2comprises a fixing arm21, a connection arm24, and a depressed arm22. The depressed arm22has an end forming a depressed portion. The connection arm24has one side forming an engaging portion25for electrically engaging an electrical cable. The fixing arm21is fixed with respect to the housing1. The pressing member3comprises a pivot31that is extended in a given direction to form a depressing portion32that is operated to depress the depressed arm22. The pressing member3is movable to switch between an open condition and a clamped condition.

With such a structure, when an electrical cable is inserted into the electrical connector, the pressing member3is operated in such a way that the pressing member3undergoes a movement in a given direction to switch the pressing member3to the clamped condition, whereby the engaging portion25of the connection aim24is brought into electrical engagement and connection with the electrical cable.

Such a conventional electrical connection, when put into operation, shows several drawbacks, which should be improved.

For example, the structure of the conductive terminal2of the conventional connector is very complicated, which leads to excessively high cost for manufacturing a mold for making the terminal2. This requires further improvement.

Thus, the present invention aims to provide a solution for such an improvement in respect of the structure and manufacturing cost of conductive terminals of electrical connectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above discussed problems, the present invention provides a novel structure of conductive terminals for an electrical connection, which is of a structure that is simple and cost saving.

Thus, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a conductive terminal of an electrical connector that has a structure that is simple and cost saving.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an electrical connector that comprises a housing, a conductive terminal, and a pressing member. The conductive terminal is received and fixed in the housing. The conductive terminal comprises a fixing arm and a depressed arm extending in the same direction and substantially parallel to each other. The depressed arm has an end forming a depressed portion. The fixing arm is fixed with respect to the housing. The fixing arm has a side forming an engaging portion for electrically engaging an electrical cable and an opposite side forming at least one abutment portion positioned against an inner wall of the housing. The pressing member comprises a pivot, which is extended in a given direction to form a depressing portion that is operable to depress the depressed arm. The pressing member is movable to switch between an open condition and a clamped condition.

The fixing arm of the conductive terminal according to the present invention forms an engaging portion that is electrically engageable with an electrical cable, so that when an electrical cable is inserted into a housing of an electrical connector of the present invention, the engaging portion forms an effective electrical engagement with the electrical cable. Further, the pressing member is operated in such a way that the pressing member undergoes a movement in a given direction to set the pressing member in the clamped condition whereby the electrical connection can securely clamp the electrical cable. With such an arrangement, the present invention makes the structure of electrical connector simple and also simplifies a corresponding mold and thus achieves the goals of reducing costs and providing a practical improvement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, which shows a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the present invention comprises the following constituent components:

a housing1;

a conductive terminal2, which is received and fixed in the housing1, the conductive terminal2comprising a fixing arm21and a depressed arm25extending in the same direction and substantially parallel to each other, wherein the depressed arm25has an end forming a depressed portion26and the fixing arm21is fixed with respect to the housing1, the fixing arm21having a side forming an engaging portion22for electrically engaging an electrical cable4and an opposite side forming at least one abutment portion23positioned against an inner wall of the housing1, the fixing arm21forming, at the same side as the abutment portion23, a support portion24; and

a pressing member3, which comprises a pivot31, the pivot31being extended in a given direction to form a depressing portion32that is operated to apply a force to and thus depress the depressed arm25, the pressing member3being movable to switch between an open condition and a clamped condition.

In the embodiment, the abutment portion23is arranged as a single one.

Referring toFIG. 2, which shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment according to the present invention, the present invention comprises the following constituent components:

a housing1;

a conductive terminal2, which is received and fixed in the housing1, the conductive terminal2comprising a fixing arm21and a depressed arm25extending in the same direction and substantially parallel to each other, wherein the depressed arm25has an end forming a depressed portion26and the fixing arm21is fixed with respect to the housing1, the fixing arm21having a side forming an engaging portion22for electrically engaging an electrical cable and an opposite side forming at least one abutment portion23positioned against an inner wall of the housing1, the fixing arm21forming, at the same side as the abutment portion23, a support portion24; and

a pressing member3, which comprises a pivot31, the pivot31being extended in a given direction to form a depressing portion32that is operated to apply a force to and thus depress the depressed arm25, the pressing member3being movable to switch between an open condition and a clamped condition.

In the embodiment, the abutment portions23are arranged as two such portions, so that improved structural stability of the fixing arm21fixed in the housing1can be realized.

According to the above discussed structure and arrangement, the operation of the present invention will be described as follows, reference being had toFIGS. 3-5, which demonstrate an operation of the present invention. Since the present invention comprises a conductive terminal2, which has a fixing aim21and a depressed arm25extending in the same direction and substantially parallel to each other and since the fixing arm21has a side forming an engaging portion22for electrically engaging an electrical cable4, when an electrical cable4is inserted into the housing1, the pressing member3is operated in such a way that the pressing member3undergoes a movement in a given direction to securely fix the electrical cable4inside the housing1and also to cause the engaging portion22to electrically engage the electrical cable4.

With the above discussed structure and operation, the present invention makes the conductive terminal2, which serves as a conductive terminal of an electrical connector, simple in structure, whereby a mold for making the terminal can be simplified to thereby achieve the goals of reducing cost and showing a practical improvement.

As compared to the existing techniques, the present invention, when put into practice, shows the following advantages:

The present invention provides a conductive terminal2for an electrical connector, which comprises a fixing arm21having one side forming an engaging portion22for electrically engaging an electrical cable4, whereby with the arrangement of the engaging portion22, when an electrical cable4is inserted into the housing1, the engaging portion22can be operated to form electrical engagement and connection with the electrical cable4. With such an arrangement, the structure of conductive terminal2is simplified, and thus the cost of making a corresponding mold is reduced, thereby showing a practical improvement in respect of reduction of manufacturing cost.