Connector for flexible circuit cable

The connector of the Present Disclosure for a flexible circuit cable comprises a housing on the front whereof is formed an insertion slot for a flexible circuit cable, and on the front and rear whereof is formed a terminal insertion hole; a plurality of contact terminals inserted into the front and rear of the housing via the terminal insertion holes; an actuator that pivots around a pivot axis and, when in closed position, creates electrical contact between the contact terminal and the conductor part of the flexible circuit cable by pressing the inserted flexible circuit cable down and into the housing; and a molded dust cover that pivots with the actuator and is installed on the housing to enable rotation and thus prevent the introduction of dust; and has a structure wherein on either end part of the molded dust cover is formed a rotation axis groove, and rotation axis projections are formed on either side of the housing to enable coupling with the rotation axis grooves.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The Present Disclosure claims priority to prior-filed Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0012730, entitled “Connector for Flexible Circuit Cable,” filed on 8 Feb. 2012 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The content of the aforementioned Patent Application is incorporated in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The Present Disclosure relates, generally, to a connector for connecting a flexible circuit cable to a printed circuit board, and, more particularly, to a flexible circuit cable connector wherein the molded dust cover is integrated with the actuator so that it is actuated together with the actuation of the actuator, and is made of synthetic resin so that the assembly process is simplified and noise is not generated in the circuit.

In order to increase design freedom in information technology products and the like, it has been conventional to use Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC) and Flexible Flat Cables (FFC) of a flexible material rather than rigid printed circuit boards.

Most conventional flexible circuit cable connectors have a structure wherein a conductor part, e.g., a contact terminal, is exposed in certain places after the actuator was closed. If dust or other contaminants are present between conductor and conductor in the exposed conductor part, an electrical short occurs and causes circuit damage or malfunction, so a separate structure such as a dust cover is added, or temporary taping is applied.

However, these methods require additional processes and in terms of durability, are no more than temporary and unsafe fixes, since, for example, the taped part can easily drop off under heat.

In Korean Patent No. 10-0666111, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety, a dust cover for a cable connector is disclosed. However, this dust cover for a conventional cable connector art has a structure that couples to the housing, and is not connected to the actuator. This creates the structural problem that the action of coupling or separating the dust cover and housing is inconvenient, and can also hinder the operation of the actuator.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The dust covers of the prior art are generally configured in two ways, either with the actuator being fastened in a separate work process or with it being configured to rotate using a metal material. In the former case, it is necessary to deal with difficulties due to the additional process, while in the latter case the metal material produces a problematic amount of circuit noise. The Present Disclosure has the objective of providing a flexible circuit cable connector wherein the molded dust cover is coupled together with the actuator in a single unit so that it is actuated by the actuation of the actuator, and is made of synthetic resin, thus simplifying the assembly process and avoiding the production of circuit noise.

To achieve the above-described objective, the flexible circuit cable connector according to one embodiment of the Present Disclosure comprises a housing on the front whereof is formed an insertion slot for a flexible circuit cable, and on the front and rear whereof a terminal insertion hole is formed; a plurality of contact terminals inserted into the front and rear of the housing via the terminal insertion holes; an actuator that pivots around a pivot axis and when in closed position creates electrical contact between the contact terminal and the conductor part of the flexible circuit cable by pressing the inserted flexible circuit cable downward and into the housing; and a molded dust cover that pivots together with the actuator and is installed on the housing so as to enable rotation, thus preventing the introduction of dust. The connector has a structure such that on either side of the molded dustcover is formed a rotation axis groove, and rotation axis projections are formed on either side of the housing so as to couple with the rotation axis grooves.

On the front end of the molded dust cover is formed a guide projection prevent separation from the actuator and guide the slip of the molded dust cover when the actuator is pivoted. On either side of the housing, a detachment prevention wall is formed to prevent detachment of the molded dust cover.

As described hereinabove, the Present Disclosure has the effects that due to coupling of the molded dust cover with the actuator as a single unit, it operates together with the actuator, and due to being made of synthetic resin, the assembly process is simplified and noise is not produced in the circuit.

In addition, the Present Disclosure can increase product reliability by preventing improper actuation or damage to the circuit due to a short, by effectively preventing the introduction of dust and contaminants into the actuator due to the molded dust cover being configured to slip (or slide) with respect to the actuator when the actuator is switched from open to closed position.

In addition, the Present Disclosure has the effect of enabling smooth actuation of the circuit by guiding the slip of the molded dust cover during axis rotation, in addition to preventing the molded dust cover from detaching from the actuator by the use of two guide projections.

In addition, the Present Disclosure can increase the reliability of the product by preventing downward separation of the molded dust cover when external force, etc. is applied to the actuator or the molded dust cover, due to the separation prevention wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the Present Disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the Figures, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments, with the understanding that the Present Disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the Present Disclosure, and is not intended to limit the Present Disclosure to that as illustrated.

As such, references to a feature or aspect are intended to describe a feature or aspect of an example of the Present Disclosure, not to imply that every embodiment thereof must have the described feature or aspect. Furthermore, it should be noted that the description illustrates a number of features. While certain features have been combined together to illustrate potential system designs, those features may also be used in other combinations not expressly disclosed. Thus, the depicted combinations are not intended to be limiting, unless otherwise noted.

In the embodiments illustrated in the Figures, representations of directions such as up, down, left, right, front and rear, used for explaining the structure and movement of the various elements of the Present Disclosure, are not absolute, but relative. These representations are appropriate when the elements are in the position shown in the Figures. If the description of the position of the elements changes, however, these representations are to be changed accordingly.

Referring toFIGS. 1-10, a flexible circuit cable connector100according to an embodiment of the Present Disclosure comprises a housing110, on the front whereof is formed an insertion slot111for a flexible circuit cable, and on the front and rear whereof a terminal insertion hole113is formed; a plurality of contact terminals120inserted into the front and rear of the housing via the terminal insertion holes113; an actuator130that pivots around a pivot axis131and, when in closed position, creates electrical contact between the contact terminal120and the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1by pressing the inserted flexible circuit cable1down and into the housing110; and a molded dust cover140that pivots with the actuator130and is installed on the housing110so as to enable rotation and thus prevent the introduction of dust. The flexible circuit cable connector100has a structure wherein on either end part140′ of the molded dust cover140is formed a rotation axis groove141, and rotation axis projections115are formed on either side of the housing110so as to enable coupling with the rotation axis grooves141. Looking at the configuration of the flexible circuit cable connector100according to an embodiment of the Present Disclosure, the housing110is ordinarily formed of synthetic resin, etc., for the purpose of insulation.

Within the terminal insertion hole111, a plurality of contact terminals120are inserted and coupled. Into the front of the housing110are inserted the first contact terminals121, and into the rear of the housing110are inserted the second contact terminals122. One end of the contact terminal120is fixed to the printed circuit board (not shown), and the other end of the contact terminal120is configured to connect to and electrically contact the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1. The contact terminal120is ordinarily formed of a copper alloy.

The actuator130is configured to pivot around a pivot axis131, and to cause electrical contact between the contact terminal120and the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1in closed position, by pressing the flexible circuit cable1downward when it has been inserted into the housing110. The molded dust cover140is made of synthetic resin, and acts to prevent the introduction of dust and contaminants by being installed so as to pivot within the housing110along with the actuator130.

To support the rotation of the molded dust cover140, a rotation axis groove141(SeeFIG. 9) is formed on either end part140′ of the molded dust cover140, and a rotation axis projection115(SeeFIG. 8) is formed on either side of the housing110to enable coupling to the rotation axis groove141. In the closed position of the actuator130, the either end part140′ should preferably have a “U” or cap shape so that the molded dust cover140cannot detach in either a vertical or horizontal direction. The molded dust cover140has a rotatable central axis, and an inclined surface115a(SeeFIG. 8) is formed on the rotation axis projection115so that the molded dust cover140can readily be inserted. In the closed position of the actuator130, the molded dust cover140prevents external exposure of the contact terminal120by covering it, thus effectively preventing shorts and improper actuation due to the introduction of dust or impurities.

On the front end of the molded dust cover140, a guide projection143(SeeFIG. 9) is formed in order to prevent detachment from the actuator130and to guide the slip motion of the molded dust cover140when the actuator130is pivoted. Somewhat more specifically, the two guide projections143not only prevent detachment of the molded dust cover140and the actuator130, but also act to ensure smooth operation when the actuator130is pivoted, by virtue of being positioned at the front and back of the actuator130, by guiding the slip motion of the molded dust cover140when the molded dust cover140is pivoted at the same rotation angle as the actuator130.

On either side of the housing110, a detachment prevention wall117(SeeFIG. 8) is formed to prevent detachment of the molded dust cover140. The detachment prevention wall117acts to prevent detachment of the molded dust cover140in an outward direction when an external force, etc., is applied to the actuator130or the molded dust cover140.

Flexible circuit cables here include not only FPCs and FFCs, but also flexible cables of 0.1 mm or less, such as a chip on film or tape carrier packages loaded with a display driver IC. Further, “open position” refers to the actuator130being positioned vertically, in the state prior to the insertion of a flexible circuit cable into the housing110; “closed position” refers to the position with the actuator130pivoted to horizontal position after the insertion of the flexible circuit cable into the housing110, in which electrical contact is established between the contact terminal120and the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1.

The effected operation of the flexible circuit cable connector100according to the thus-configured embodiment of the Present Disclosure can be described as follows. When switching the actuator130from open to closed position, when the actuator130is pivoted, the actuator130pivots around the pivot axis131. The molded dust cover140then pivots around the pivot axis projection115together with the actuator130(SeeFIGS. 10a-10b). The guide groove143acts to prevent detachment (separation) of the molded dust cover140from the actuator130, and to guide the slip motion of the molded dust cover140when the actuator130is pivoted. The detachment prevention wall117formed on either side of the housing110acts to prevent unintended detachment (separation) of the molded dust cover140. In the closed position of the actuator130, the molded dust cover140prevents external exposure of the contact terminal120by covering it, thus effectively preventing shorts and improper actuation due to the introduction of dust or impurities (SeeFIG. 10c).

Referring toFIGS. 11-21, the flexible circuit cable connector200according to another embodiment of the Present Disclosure comprises a housing210, on the front whereof is formed an insertion slot211for a flexible circuit cable, and on the front and rear whereof a terminal insertion hole213is formed; a plurality of contact terminals220inserted into the front and rear of the housing210via the terminal insertion holes213; an actuator230that pivots around a pivot axis231and, when in closed position, creates electrical contact between the contact terminal220and the conductor part of the flexible circuit cable1by pressing the inserted flexible circuit cable1down and into the housing210; and a molded dust cover240that pivots with the actuator230and is installed on the housing210to enable rotation and thus prevent the introduction of dust. On either end of the molded dust cover240is formed a rotation axis groove241, and rotation axis projections215are formed on either side of the housing210so as to enable coupling with the rotation axis grooves241. Considering the configuration of the flexible circuit cable connector200according to this embodiment in somewhat greater detail, the housing210is ordinarily formed of synthetic resin, etc., for the purpose of insulation.

Into the terminal insertion hole211are inserted a plurality of contact terminals220, and into the front side of the housing210are inserted the first contact terminals221, while into the rear side of the housing210are inserted the second contact terminals222. One end of the contact terminal220is fixed to the printed circuit board (not shown) and the other end of the contact terminal220is configured to connect to and electrically contact the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1. The contact terminal220is ordinarily formed of a copper alloy.

The actuator230is configured to pivot around a pivot axis231, and to cause electrical contact between the contact terminal220and the conductor part1aof the flexible circuit cable1in closed position, by pressing the flexible circuit cable1downward when it has been inserted into the housing210. The molded dust cover240acts to prevent the introduction of dust by being installed on the housing210so as to be able to pivot, thus causing it to pivot together with the actuator230. To support the pivoting of the molded dust cover240, a rotation axis projection241(SeeFIG. 18) is formed on either end of the molded dust cover240, and a rotation axis groove215is formed on either side of the housing210so as to enable it to be coupled with the rotation axis projection241.

On either exterior side of the housing10that adjoins the rotation axis grooves215, an inclined surface215ais formed for the convenient insertion of the molded dust cover240. The rotation axis projection241is inserted into the rotation axis groove215, and the rotation axis projection241is configured so as to prevent upward detachment of the molded dust cover240due to a detachment prevention lip215c,215d(FIG. 22(a)) formed on circumference of the rotation axis groove215. In the closed position of the actuator230, the molded dust cover240prevents external exposure of the contact terminal220by covering it, thus effectively preventing shorts and improper actuation due to the introduction of dust or impurities.

On the front end of the molded dust cover240is formed a guide projection243(SeeFIG. 18) to prevent detachment from the actuator230and to guide the slip motion of the molded dust cover240when the actuator230is pivoted. Somewhat more specifically, the two guide projections243not only prevent detachment of the molded dust cover240and the actuator230, but also, by virtue of being positioned at the front and back of the actuator230, act to ensure smooth operation when the actuator230is pivoted, by guiding the slip motion of the molded dust cover240when the molded dust cover240is pivoted at the same rotation angle as the actuator230.

On either side of the housing210is formed a detachment prevention wall217(SeeFIG. 19) to prevent detachment of the molded dust cover240; on either side of the molded dust cover240is formed a detachment prevention projection241a,241b,241c(SeeFIGS. 18 and 22(b)) to correspond to the detachment prevention walls217. In other words, when the actuator230is pivoted, the detachment prevention projections241a,241b,241calways remain caught (overlapped) on the detachment prevention wall217, so that when external force, etc., is applied to the actuator230or the molded dust cover240, the molded dust cover240cannot detach in a downward direction (SeeFIGS. 20-21and22(b)).

The effected operation of the flexible circuit cable connector100according to the thus-configured embodiment of the Present Disclosure can be described as follows. When switching the actuator230from open to closed position, when the actuator230is pivoted, the actuator230pivots around the pivot axis231. The molded dust cover240then pivots with the actuator130around the rotation axis projection241(SeeFIGS. 20-1). The guide groove243acts to prevent detachment (separation) of the molded dust cover240from the actuator230, and to guide the slip motion of the molded dust cover240when the actuator230is pivoted. When the molded dust cover240rotates with the actuator230, unintended detachment (separation) of the molded dust cover240from the housing210is prevented in closed position by overlapping of the detachment prevention projections241a,241b,241c,formed on either side of the molded dust cover240to correspond with the detachment prevention walls217, with the prevention walls217formed on either side of the housing210. In the closed position of the actuator230, the molded dust cover240prevents external exposure of the contact terminal220by covering it, thus effectively preventing shorts and improper actuation due to the introduction of dust or impurities (SeeFIG. 22).

As described hereinabove, the Present Disclosure has the effects that due to coupling of the molded dust cover with the actuator as a single unit, it operates together with the actuator, and due to being made of synthetic resin, the assembly process is simplified and noise is not produced in the circuit. In addition, the Present Disclosure can increase product reliability by preventing improper actuation or damage to the circuit due to a short, by effectively preventing the introduction of dust and contaminants into the actuator due to the molded dust cover being configured to slip (or slide) with respect to the actuator when the actuator is changed from open to closed position. In addition, the Present Disclosure has the effect of enabling smooth actuation of the circuit by guiding the slip motion of the molded dust cover during axis rotation, in addition to preventing detachment of the molded dust cover from the actuator by the use of two guide projections. In addition, the Present Disclosure can increase the reliability of the product by preventing downward separation of the molded dust cover when external force, etc. is applied to the actuator or the molded dust cover, due to the separation prevention wall.

While a preferred embodiment of the Present Disclosure is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the foregoing Description and the appended Claims.