Electrical connector

An electrical connector including a housing having an opening through which an FPC is inserted into the housing, conductive contacts arranged on the housing for contacting with signal connecting terminals on the FPC, and a conductive shell member mounted on the housing and provided therein with a holding portion for holding the FPC inserted in the housing and a releasing portion for releasing the FPC from holding by the holding portion, wherein the holding portion extends into the housing from an end wall portion of the conductive shell member covering a side end portion of the housing to engage with the FPC and the releasing portion is movable in an operating direction intersecting a direction of arrangement of the conductive contacts and provided thereon with an engaging projection for engaging with the holding portion to release the same from the engagement with the FPC.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an improvement in an electrical connector which has a housing, holding means for engaging with a flat circuit device, such as a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter, referred to as an FPC) or a flexible flat cable assembly (hereinafter, referred to as an FFC) inserted in the housing, so as to hold the same to be prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly, and a plurality of conductive contacts provided for coming into contact with connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device so as to put the flat circuit device in electrical connection with another electrical device, such as a solid circuit board.

A flat circuit device, such as a relatively small-sized FPC or FFC, used in various kinds of electronic apparatus is often mounted on a solid circuit board, on which various electrical parts are directly mounted, with an electrical connector which is fixed to and connected electrically with the solid circuit board. The electrical connector has a plurality of conductive contacts, an end portion of each of which is connected electrically with a conductive circuit pattern portion formed on the solid circuit board and which are provided for coming into contact with connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device, and is operative to connect electrically, through the conductive contacts, each of the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device with the conductive circuit pattern portion formed on the solid circuit board.

A first type of previously proposed electrical connector used for connecting electrically a flat circuit device, such as an FPC, with a solid circuit board, has a housing made of insulator, which is mounted on the solid circuit board and has an opening through which at least a part of the flat circuit device is inserted into the housing. On the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts are provided to be arranged along the opening provided also on the housing. These conductive contacts are operative to come into contact respectively with a plurality of connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device when the flat circuit device is inserted in the housing through the opening provided thereon. The previously proposed electrical connector of the first type is also provided with a conductive shell member which covers wholly or partially the housing and is grounded to be operative to contribute to adjustment on characteristic impedance of each of the conductive contacts and to shield the conductive contacts in the housing from electromagnetic wave noises coming from the outside. The previously proposed electrical connector of the first type is further provided with an actuator which is provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing so as to engage with each of the conductive contacts arranged in the housing. When the actuator is rotated in a first direction in regard to the housing, an operating portion of each of the conductive contacts is moved by the actuator to put the conductive contact in press-contact with a corresponding one of the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device, and then, when the actuator is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction in regard to the housing, the conductive contacts put in press-contact with the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device are released from the press-contact with the connecting terminals. With the conductive contacts put in press-contact with the connecting terminals which are provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, the flat circuit device is put in electrical connection with the solid circuit board.

A second type of previously proposed electrical connector used for connecting electrically the flat circuit device with the solid circuit board is provided with a housing to be mounted on the solid circuit board, a plurality of conductive contacts and a conductive shell member in such a manner as mentioned above but is not provided with an actuator rotatable in regard to the housing. In the previously proposed electrical connector of the second type thus constituted, when the flat circuit device is inserted into the housing through an opening provided thereon, each of the conductive contacts provided in the housing to be arranged along the opening is automatically put in press-contact with a corresponding one of connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device. That is, the flat circuit device is put in electrical connection with the solid circuit board by means of only inserting correctly the flat circuit device into the housing through the opening provided thereon.

In the previously proposed electrical connector with or without the actuator rotatable in regard to the housing, when the flat circuit device is inserted into the housing through the opening provided thereon and the conductive contacts arranged on the housing are put in press-contact with the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device so that the flat circuit device is put in electrical connection with the solid circuit board, it is required to prevent the flat circuit device inserted in the housing from getting out of the housing unwillingly. It is a matter of course that it is necessary for the flat circuit device inserted in the housing to be held stably so as not to get out of the housing unwillingly in order to keep the conductive contacts arranged on the housing properly in a condition of press-contact with the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device.

There has been also proposed previously an electrical connector belonging to the above mentioned first type having the housing, the conductive contacts, the conductive shell member and the actuator, which is provided also with holding means for engaging with a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FTC, inserted in the housing so as to hold the same to be prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly, as shown in, for example, the Japanese patent application published before examination under publication number 2008-52993 (hereinafter, referred to as published patent document 1).

Besides, there has been further proposed previously an electrical connector belonging to the above mentioned second type having the housing, the conductive contact and the conductive shell member except the actuator rotatable in regard to the housing, which is provided also with holding means for engaging with a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FFC, inserted in the housing so as to hold the same to be prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly, as shown in, for example, the Japanese patent application published before examination under publication number 2008-192574 (hereinafter, referred to as published patent document 2).

In the electrical connector shown in the published patent document 1, the holding means (a locking portion11c) is formed in a part of the conductive shell member (a shield plate11) to be able to seesaw with an engaging end portion (a claw portion11d) curved to the inside of the conductive shell member. The holding means shifts its position in response to a movement of the actuator (an actuator9) provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing (a housing3).

Then, when the actuator is rotated in a first direction in regard to the housing after the flat circuit device (an FPC21) is inserted into a receiving space (an FPC receiving space34) provided in the housing, each of the conductive contacts (first contacts5and second contacts6) provided in the housing is caused by a cam (a cam portion92or93) formed on the actuator to shift its position so as to be put in press-contact with a corresponding one of connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and the holding means is caused by a com (a cam portion94) formed on the actuator to shift its position so as to cause the engaging end portion of the holding means to engage with an engaging portion (a recess21a) formed on the flat circuit device. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly.

After that, when the actuator is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction in regard to the housing under a condition wherein the engaging end portion of the holding means is put in engagement with the engaging portion formed on the flat circuit device, the cam (the cam portion94) formed on the actuator allows the holding means to release the engaging end portion of the holding means from the engagement with the engaging portion formed on the flat circuit device. As a result, the flat circuit device is put in a condition to be able to get out of the housing.

Further, in the electrical connector shown in the published patent document 2, the conductive shell member (a shell4) is provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing (a housing body2) and the holding means (a leg portion46) in the form of a leaf spring is formed in a part of the conductive shell member. The holding means has an engaging projection (44) formed at an end of the holding means to be curved to the inside of the shell member.

When the flat circuit device (an FPC) is inserted into the housing through the opening (an opening21) provided thereon under a condition wherein the shell member is positioned to keep lying down on the housing so as to be close in its entirety to the housing, each of the conductive contacts (upper contacts31and lower contacts32) provided in the housing is caused to be put in press-contact with a corresponding one of connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and the engaging projection formed on the holding means is caused to engage with an engaging portion (an FPC engaging hole2) provided on the flat circuit device. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly.

After that, when the conductive shell member is rotated to be positioned to keep rising from the housing under a condition wherein the engaging projection formed on the holding means is put in engagement with the engaging portion formed on the flat circuit device, the holding means formed in the conductive shell member shifts its position in response to a movement of the conductive shell member so as to release the engaging projection provided on the holding means from the engagement with the engaging portion formed on the flat circuit device. As a result, the flat circuit device is put in a condition to be able to get out of the housing.

In each of the electrical connectors thus proposed previously, which has the holding means operative to prevent the flat circuit device inserted in the housing from getting out of the housing unwillingly, the holding means is provided to be operative to shift its position in response to rotational movements of the actuator provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing, or the conductive shell member for covering wholly or partially the housing is provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing and the holding means is formed in a part of the conductive shell member to be operative to prevent the flat circuit device inserted in the housing from getting out of the housing unwillingly.

In the case of the previously proposed electrical connector which has the holding means operative to shift its position in response to the rotational movements of the actuator provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing, it is required that the holding means and the actuator are provided as separate parts independent from each other and this results in problems or disadvantages that miniaturization in the electrical connector is undesirably hindered, the number of constitutive parts of the electrical connector increases undesirably, and a production cost of the electrical connector rises disagreeably. Besides, it is necessary, for causing the holding means to engage with or disengage from the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, to rotate the actuator in regard to the housing and this results in undesirable increase in an open space around the electrical connector.

In the case of the previously proposed electrical connector which has the conductive shell member provided to be rotatable in regard to the housing and the holding means formed in the part of the conductive shell member, since the conductive shell member is operative to rotate in regard to the housing, any part of the conductive shell member not be used for fastening the electrical connector to the solid circuit board so that a separate holding-down member for fastening the electrical connector to the solid circuit board is required and this results in problems or disadvantages that miniaturization in the electrical connector is undesirably hindered, the number of constitutive parts of the electrical connector increases undesirably, and a production cost of the electrical connector rises disagreeably.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector used for connecting electrically a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FFC, with a solid circuit board, which comprises a housing provided thereon with an opening through which a flat circuit device is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts provided to be arranged on the housing and a conductive shell member covering partially the housing, and which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages encountered with the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector used for connecting electrically a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FFC, with a solid circuit board, which comprises a housing provided thereon with an opening through which a flat circuit device is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts provided to be arranged on the housing and a conductive shell member covering partially the housing, and in which the flat circuit device inserted in the housing can be put in holding by a holding member formed in the conductive shell member to be surely prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly and then released from the holding by the holding member to be able to get out of the housing with a structure in which the electrical connector can be miniaturized on the whole and the number of structural parts can be reduced.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector used for connecting electrically a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FFC, with a solid circuit board, which comprises a housing provided thereon with an opening through which a flat circuit device is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts provided to be arranged on the housing and a conductive shell member covering partially the housing, and in which the flat circuit device inserted in the housing can be easily released from holding by a holding portion formed in the conductive shell member with a considerably simple manipulation to a releasing portion formed in the conductive shell member.

According to the present invention, as claimed in any one of claims, there is provided an electrical connector, which comprises a housing made of insulator to be mounted on a solid circuit board and provided thereon with an opening through which a flat circuit device, such as an FPC or an FFC, is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts arranged on the housing, each of which has a contacting portion positioned in the housing and a connecting terminal portion projecting from the housing to the outside thereof and is operative to come into contact with a connecting terminal provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing through the opening provided thereon, and a conductive shell member mounted on the housing for covering partially the same and provided with a holding portion formed integrally therein to be put in engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing for holding the same and a releasing portion formed integrally therein to be manipulated to release the holding portion from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, wherein the holding portion extends into the inside of the housing from each of a pair of end wall portions of the conductive shell member covering respectively a pair of side end portions of the housing to be movable for engaging with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and then disengaging from the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, and the releasing portion is connected with the conductive shell member to be movable entirely in an operating direction which intersects the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged and provided thereon a manipulatable part elongating in a direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged and an engaging projection operative to engage with the holding portion to shift the same so that the holding portion is released from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing.

In the electrical connector thus constituted in accordance with the present invention, when the flat circuit device on which the connecting terminals are provided is inserted into the housing thorough the opening provided thereon, the contacting portion of each of the conductive contacts arranged on the housing comes into contact with a corresponding one of the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, and the holding portion formed integrally in the shell member, which extends into the inside of the housing from each of the pair of end wall portions of the conductive shell member to be movable for engaging with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and then disengaging from the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, is put in engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing for holding the same. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is held by the holding member so as to be prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly and the conductive contacts arranged on the housing are stably kept in contact with the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing.

Then, when the manipulatable part of the releasing portion, which is formed integrally, together with the holding portion, in the conductive shell member to elongate in the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged, is manipulated, for example, to be moved toward the housing by pressing, for releasing the holding portion from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing, the releasing member operates to move, together with the engaging projection, in the operating direction intersecting the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged and thereby the engaging projection is operative to engage with the holding portion to move the same so that the holding portion is released from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is released from holding by the holding member so as to be able to get out of the housing.

Functions or roles of the respective portions of the electrical connector constituted as mentioned above in accordance with the present invention are further explained in the concrete as follows, for example.

In the electrical connector according to the present invention, each of the holding portion and the releasing portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member is, for example, provided to constitute a resilient movable portion. The holding portion is, for example, formed to extend from the end wall portion of the conductive shell member toward the opening on the housing through which the flat circuit device is inserted into the housing and provided thereon with an engaging opening. A portion of an opening forming part of the holding portion which forms the engaging opening is operative to engage with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing. The releasing portion is, for example, provided thereon with a pair of engaging projections at ends of the manipulatable part opposite to each other in the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged and operative to move in the operating direction, which intersects the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged, with a linear fulcrum placed between the manipulatable part and the conductive shell member when the manipulatable part is manipulated by pressing.

When the manipulatable part of the releasing portion is manipulated to be moved toward the housing by pressing under a condition wherein the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is put in holding by the holding portion, the releasing portion is moved entirely in the operating direction, which intersects the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged, with the linear fulcrum placed between the manipulatable part and the conductive shell member and thereby the engaging projection of the releasing portion engages with the holding portion to shift the same so that the holding portion is released from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing. Then, when the manipulatable part of the releasing portion is released from manipulation by pressing for shifting the manipulatable part toward the housing, each of the holding portion and the releasing portion is restored to its former condition by means of its own restoring resilient force.

On that occasion, the holding portion is, for example, operative to move with a linear fulcrum placed between the holding portion and the end wall portion of the conductive shell member under a condition wherein a guiding projection provided on the housing is inserted into the engaging opening provided on the holding portion and the opening forming part of the holding portion is guided by the guiding projection provided on the housing, or operative to move to approach the end wall portion of the conductive shell member with a linear fulcrum placed between the holding portion and the end wall portion of the conductive shell member when the engaging projection of the releasing portion comes into press-contact with a slant surface provided on a free-end part extending from the opening forming part of the holding portion and moves in the operating direction intersecting the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged. With such operations of the holding portion, the movements of the holding portion with the linear fulcrum placed between the holding portion and the end wall portion of the conductive shell member are smoothly carried out.

Further, when the manipulatable part of the releasing portion is manipulated by pressing under the condition wherein the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is put in holding by the holding portion, the releasing portion is, for example, operative to cause the engaging projection to come into press-contact with the holding portion and also to move in the operating direction intersecting the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged so that the holding portion is moved to approach the end wall portion of the conductive shell member with the linear fulcrum placed between the holding portion and the end wall portion of the conductive shell member and thereby the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is released from holding by the holding portion. With such operations of the releasing portion, the release of the flat circuit device from the holding by the holding portion is smoothly and surely carried out.

With the electrical connector constituted in accordance with the present invention, as described above, when the flat circuit device, such as the FPC, the FTC and so on, is inserted into the housing thorough the opening provided thereon, the contacting portion of each of the conductive contacts arranged on the housing comes into contact with the corresponding one of the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and the holding portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member is put in engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing for holding the same. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is held by the holding portion of the conductive shell member so as to be prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly and the conductive contacts arranged on the housing are stably kept in electrical connection with the connecting terminals provided on the flat circuit device inserted in the housing.

Then, when the releasing portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member in addition to the holding portion is manipulated to release the holding portion from the engagement with the flat circuit device inserted in the housing under the condition wherein the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is put in holding by the holding portion, the releasing portion is moved to engage with the holding portion for shifting the same so that the holding portion is released from the engagement with the flat circuit device. As a result, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing is released from the holding by the holding portion so as to be able to get out of the housing.

Accordingly, with the electrical connector according to the present invention, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing can be put in holding by the holding portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member to be surely prevented from getting out of the housing unwillingly and then released from the holding by the holding portion to be able to get out of the housing with an improved structure with which the electrical connector can be miniaturized on the whole and the number of structural parts can be reduced with the holding portion and the releasing portion each formed integrally in the conductive shell member.

Further, in the electrical connector thus constituted in accordance with the present invention, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing and put in holding by the holding portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member is released from the holding by the holding portion only with manipulation on the manipulatable part of the releasing portion formed integrally in the conductive shell member for moving the releasing portion in the operating direction intersecting the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged. On that occasion, the manipulation on the manipulatable part of the releasing portion is, for example, done with pressing the manipulatable part and therefore considerably simple. Further, since the manipulatable part of the releasing portion elongates in the direction along which the conductive contacts are arranged, the manipulation applied on the manipulatable part of the releasing portion can be easily and surely carried out. Consequently, the flat circuit device inserted in the housing can be easily released from holding by the holding portion with a considerably simple and easy manipulation to the releasing portion.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Each ofFIG. 1which is a schematic front, top and left side perspective view,FIG. 2which is a schematic rear, top and right side perspective view,FIG. 3which is a schematic plan view,FIG. 4which is a schematic front view andFIG. 5which is a schematic bottom view, shows an embodiment of electrical connector according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, for the sake of clear explanations, upper, lower, left and right sides of a front view shown inFIG. 4are referred to as upper or top, lower or bottom, left and right portions or parts, respectively.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5, an electrical connector10, which constitutes the embodiment of electrical connector according to the present invention, has a housing11made of, for example, insulator such as plastics or the like. The housing11has a front end portion11aand a rear end portion11bwhich constitute a first pair of opposite end portions of the housing11, and a left side end portion11cand a right side end portion11dwhich constitute a second pair of opposite end portions of the housing11. Further, the housing11is provided thereon with an opening12which opens on the front end portion11aof the housing11and extends from the front end portion11aof the housing11through an inside of the housing11toward the rear end portion11bof the housing11. When the electrical connector10is put in practical use, the housing11is mounted on a solid circuit board in an electronic apparatus (not shown in the drawings) with a bottom end portion thereof facing the solid circuit board so that the electrical connector10is fixed in its entirety to the solid circuit board. For example, an FPC constituting a flat circuit device as explained later is inserted through the opening12into the housing11which is mounted on the solid circuit board.

A plurality of conductive contacts13, each of which is made of resilient conductive material, are provided on the housing11of the electrical connector10to be arranged in a longitudinal direction of the housing11. Each of the conductive contacts13has a contacting portion13apositioned in the housing11, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 9which is the schematic cross sectional view taken along line IX-IX onFIG. 3, and a connecting terminal portion13bprojecting from the rear end portion11bof the housing11to the outside of the housing11, as shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 9. The contacting portion13aof the conductive contact13is operative to come into contact with a corresponding one of connecting terminals provided on the FPC inserted in the housing11from the side of a top end portion opposite to the bottom end portion of the housing11so as to be electrically connected with the same, and the connecting terminal portion13bof the conductive contact13is operative to be electrically connected with a signal terminal provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted, for example, by means of soldering. Thereby, the connecting terminals provided on the FPC inserted in the housing11are electrically connected through the conductive contacts13with the signal terminals provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted.

The electrical connector10has also a conductive shell member14mounted on the housing11for covering an outer surface of the housing11except the front end portion11asurrounding the opening12, a major part of the rear end portion, and a part of the bottom end portion of the housing11. That is, the conductive shell member14is provided for covering partially the housing11and a major part of each of the left and right side end portions11cand11dof the housing11is covered by the conductive shell member14.

The conductive shell member14is formed by means of processing a resilient metal thin plate and grounded to be operative to contribute to adjustment on characteristic impedance of each of the conductive contacts13and to shield the conductive contacts13arranged on the housing11from electromagnetic wave noises coming from the outside.

As shown inFIG. 6which is a schematic front, bottom and left side perspective view showing the conductive shell member14,FIG. 7which is a schematic enlarged partial perspective view showing a part of the conductive shell member14andFIG. 8which is a schematic enlarged partial perspective view showing the part of the conductive shell member14shown inFIG. 7, the conductive shell member14is provided with an upper portion15for covering a major part of the top end portion of the housing11, a lower portion16for covering a part of the bottom end portion of the housing11, a left end wall portion17for covering the major part of the left side end portion11cof the housing11, a right end wall portion18for covering the major part of the right side end portion11dof the housing11, a front end portion positioned at the side of the front end portion11aof the housing11for forming an opening and a rear end portion positioned at the side of the rear end portion11bof the housing11for forming an opening.

The lower portion16of the conductive shell member14is provided with a plurality of grounding contacts20, each of which extends from the rear end portion of the conductive shell member14to be bent into an inside of the conductive shell member14toward the front end portion of the conductive shell member14, as shown inFIG. 9. Each of the grounding contacts20is operative to come into contact with a ground connecting terminal provided on the FPC inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon from the side of the lower portion16of the conductive shell member14. The left and right end wall portions17and18of the conductive shell member14are provided with board connecting portions21and22, respectively. Each of the board connecting portions21and22is electrically connected with a grounded portion provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted, for example, by means of soldering.

With the grounding contacts20and the board connecting portions21and22thus provided on the conductive shell member14, the ground connecting terminals provided on the FPC inserted in the housing11are electrically connected through the conductive shell member14with the grounded portion provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted. Each of the board connecting portions21and22is operative to supply the conductive shell member14with a ground potential from the solid circuit board and to be used for mounting the housing11on the solid circuit board.

As shown clearly inFIGS. 6,7and8, the conductive shell member14is also provided with holding portions25and26respectively at left and right end portions thereof. The holding portion25is formed to extend from a rear end of the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14into the inside of the housing11toward the front end portion of the conductive shell member14, that is, toward the front end portion11aof the housing11and the holding portion26is formed to extend from a rear end of the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14into the inside of the housing11toward the front end portion of the conductive shell member14, that is, toward the front end portion11aof the housing11.

Each of the holding portions25and26is formed integrally in the conductive shell member14to constitute a resilient movable portion. The holding portion25is operative to approach or go way from the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with a linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25and the holding portion26is operative to approach or go way from the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with a linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26.

The holding portion25extending from the rear end of the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14is provided thereon with a frame-shaped part28forming a rectangular engaging opening27and a slant surface29formed on a free-end part of the holding portion25extending from the frame-shaped part28. A portion28aof the frame-shaped part28of the holding portion25is operative to engage with an engaging portion of the FPC inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon.

The holding portion26extending from the rear end of the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14is constituted in the same manner as the holding portion25. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 1, the holding portion26is provided thereon with a frame-shaped part31forming a rectangular engaging opening30and a slant surface32formed on a free-end part of the holding portion26extending from the frame-shaped part31. A portion31aof the frame-shaped part31of the holding portion26is operative to engage with an engaging portion of the FPC inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon.

When the FPC is inserted into the housing11through the opening12provided thereon, each of the holding portions25and26extending respectively from the rear end of the left end wall portion17and the rear end of the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14is operative to cause each of the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28and the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31to engage with the engaging portion of the FPC inserted in the housing11so as to hold the FPC.

The conductive shell member14is further provided with a releasing portion35formed integrally in the conductive shell member14to constitute a resilient movable portion connected with the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14, as clearly shown inFIGS. 6 to 9. The releasing portion35has a manipulatable part36which is formed by folding back a flat plate, which extends from the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14toward the front end portion of the conductive shell member14, to the rear end portion of the conductive shell member14at a front end portion of the flat plate and a pair of engaging projections37and38which are provided respectively at both end portions of the manipulatable part36positioned respectively close to the left and right end wall portions17and18of the conductive shell member14, as shown also inFIGS. 1 and 3.

When the conductive shell member14is mounted on the housing11, the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35elongates in a direction along which the conductive contacts13are arranged, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the housing11, so that a longitudinal direction of the manipulatable part36is set along the longitudinal direction of the housing11and the engaging projections37and38are provided at the end portions in the longitudinal direction of the manipulatable part36. Each of the engaging projections37and38is formed in the shape of a triangle plate projecting downward from the end portion of the manipulatable part36.

When the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is manipulated to be moved toward the inside of the conductive shell member14by pressing, the manipulatable part36is entirely moved downward in an operating direction which intersects the longitudinal direction of the manipulatable part36, that is, the direction along which the conductive contacts13are arranged, with a linear fulcrum placed between the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14and the manipulatable part36. On that occasion, as shown inFIG. 8, with such a movement of the manipulatable part36in the operating direction, the engaging projection37of the releasing portion35comes to contact with the slant surface29of the holding portion25to cause the holding portion25to move to approach the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portions25. Similarly, although not shown in the drawings, with the movement of the manipulatable part36in the operating direction, the engaging projection38of the releasing portion35comes to contact with the slant surface32of the holding portion26to cause the holding portion26to move to approach the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portions26.

After that, the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is made free from the manipulation by pressing, the releasing portion35is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the lower portion16of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14and the manipulatable part36so as to be restored in its entirety to its former condition. With such a movement of the releasing portion35, the engaging projections37and38provided on the manipulatable part36are put in disengagement respectively from the slant surface29of the holding portion25and the slant surface32of the holding portion26, so that the holding portion25is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25so as to be restored to its former condition and the holding portion26is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26so as to be restored to its former condition

In a condition wherein the conductive shell member14is mounted on the housing11and the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is free from the manipulation by pressing, as shown inFIG. 9, the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25is positioned in the opening12provided on the housing11and, although not shown in the drawings, the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26is also positioned in the opening12provided on the housing11. When the FPC is inserted into the housing11through the opening12provided thereon under the condition wherein the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25and the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26are positioned in the opening12provided on the housing11, each of the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25and the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26engages with the engaging portion provided on the FPC so that each of the holding portions25and26is operative to hold the FPC.

Further, as shown inFIG. 10showing a part of a cross section taken along line X-X onFIG. 3, a left guiding projection11eprovided on the housing11is inserted in the rectangular engaging opening27formed on the holding portion25and, although not shown in the drawings, a right guiding projection provided on the housing11to correspond to the left guiding projection11eis inserted in the rectangular engaging opening30formed on the holding portion26. Thereby, when the holding portion25is moved to approach or go away from the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25, the left guiding projection11eprovided on the housing11is operative to guide the holding portion25for causing the same to move smoothly. Similarly, when the holding portion26is moved to approach or go away from the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26, the right guiding projection provided on the housing11is operative to guide the holding portion26for causing the same to move smoothly. As a result, each of the holding portions25and26are able to move quite smoothly in the conductive shell member14.

FIG. 11shows an FPC40which is an example of the FPC constituting the flat circuit device to be inserted into the housing11of the electrical connector10through the opening12provided on the housing11.

Referring toFIG. 10, a plurality of signal connecting terminals41each made of conductive material and formed into a rectangular plate member are provided on a first surface opposite to a second surface of the FPC40to be arranged at a top end portion of the first surface. Although an illustrative explanation is omitted, a ground connecting flat portion is also provided on the second surface of the FPC40. Further, a pair of engaging edged recesses43and44are provided respectively on side end portions of the FPC40which are opposite each other with the signal connecting terminals41between. Each of the engaging edged recesses43and44constitutes the engaging portion provided on the FPC40. A top flat portion46is formed at the outside of the engaging edged recess43provided on one of the side end portions of the FPC40and another top flat portion47is formed at the outside of the engaging edged recess44provided on the other of the side end portions of the FPC40.

The FPC40is wrapped with a covering film45except a portion thereof on which the signal connecting terminals41, the ground connecting flat portion, the engaging edged recesses43and44and the top flat portions46and47are provided.

FIG. 12shows the electrical connector10and the FPC40which is inserted in the housing11of the electrical connector10through the opening12provided on the housing11. InFIG. 12, the first surface of the FPC40, on which the signal connecting terminals41are provided, faces upward to appear on the side of the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14, and the second surface of the FPC40, on which the ground connecting flat portion is provided, faces downward to be not shown. A top end of a part of the FPC40on which the signal connecting terminal41are provided is postured to be parallel with the rear end portion11bof the housing11in a condition wherein the FPC40is properly inserted into the housing11through the opening12provided on the housing11.

Just before the FPC40is inserted in the housing11of the electrical connector10through the opening12provided on the housing11as shown inFIG. 12, the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25is positioned in the opening12provided on the housing11as shown inFIG. 13, and, although not shown in the drawings, the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26is also positioned in the opening12provided on the housing11under the condition wherein the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is not manipulated by pressing.

Then, the FPC40is inserted into the housing11through the opening12provided to open on the front end portion11aof the housing11with the top end thereof facing the rear end portion11bof the housing11. With the FPC40inserted continuously into the housing11, the top flat portion46formed at the outside of the engaging edged recess43of the FPC40comes into contact with the slant surface29of the holding portion25and thereby causes the holding portion25to move to approach the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25. Then, the top flat portion46passes over the slant surface29to reach a location facing the rear end portion11bof the housing11. Thereby, the holding portion25is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25so as to be restored to its former condition and to cause the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25to engage with the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40. As a result, the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25is put in engagement with the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40, as shown inFIG. 14.

Similarly, With the FPC40inserted continuously into the housing11, the top flat portion47formed at the outside of the engaging edged recess44of the FPC40comes into contact with the slant surface32of the holding portion26and thereby causes the holding portion26to move to approach the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26. Then, the top flat portion47passes over the slant surface32to reach a location facing the rear end portion11bof the housing11. Thereby, the holding portion26is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26so as to be restored to its former condition and to cause the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26to engage with the engaging edged recess44provided on the FPC40. As a result, the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26is put in engagement with the engaging edged recess44provided on the FPC40.

As described above, when the FPC40is completely inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon as shown inFIG. 12, the holding portion25is operative to hold the FPC40with the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25for engaging with the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40and the holding portion26is also operative to hold the FPC40with the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26for engaging with the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40. Thereby, the FPC40inserted in the housing11is held by each of the holding portions25and26so as to be prevented from getting out of the housing11unwillingly. Further, when the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25engages with the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40and the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26engages with the engaging edged recess44provided on the FPC40, a resistive force acting on the FPC40moved in the housing11is suddenly reduced and therefore an operator who inserts the FPC40into the housing11through the opening12provided thereon is able to feels a certain click through the FPC40.

Under a condition wherein the FPC40inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon takes up a predetermined appropriate position in the housing11so as to be held by each of the holding portions25and26in such a manner as described above, the contacting portion13aof each of the conductive contacts13arranged on the housing11comes into press-contact with a corresponding one of the signal connecting terminals41provided on the FPC40, which is inserted in the housing11with the first surface thereof provided thereon with the signal connecting terminals41and facing upward, from the side of the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14. As a result, the signal connecting terminals41provided on the FPC40inserted in the housing11are electrically connected through the conductive contact13with the signal terminals provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted.

Further, each of the grounding contacts20extending from the rear end portion of the conductive shell member14to be bent into the inside of the conductive shell member14comes into contact with the ground connecting flat portion provided on the second surface of the FPC40inserted in the housing11from the side of the lower portion16of the conductive shell member14. As a result, the ground connecting flat portion provided on the FPC40inserted in the housing11is electrically connected through the conductive shell member14including the grounding contacts20with the grounded portion provided on the solid circuit board on which the housing11is mounted.

After that, when the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is manipulated to be moved downwardly toward the inside of the conductive shell member14by pressing under the condition wherein the FPC40inserted in the housing11is held by the holding portions25and26, the releasing portion35is entirely moved downward in an operating direction which intersects the longitudinal direction of the manipulatable part36, that is, the direction along which the conductive contacts13are arranged, with the linear fulcrum placed between the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14and the manipulatable part36. With such a movement of the releasing portion35in the operating direction, as shown inFIG. 15, the engaging projection37of the releasing portion35moves downward to approach the slant surface29of the holding portion25and, although not shown in the drawings, the engaging projection38of the releasing portion35moves also downward to approach the slant surface32of the holding portion26. InFIG. 15, a cross section of the engaging projection37of the releasing portion35appears above an imaginary plane including thereon a cross section of the FPC40in a direction perpendicular to the paper on which the drawings are described.

With a further downward movement of the releasing portion35, as shown inFIG. 16, the engaging projection37of the releasing portion35moves continuously downward to come into contact with the slant surface29of the holding portion25and, although not shown in the drawings, the engaging projection38of the releasing portion35moves also continuously downward to come into contact with the slant surface32of the holding portion26. The engaging projection37in contact with the slant surface29of the holding portion25operative to commence releasing the FPC40from holding by the holding portion25and the engaging projection38in contact with the slant surface32of the holding portion26operative to commence releasing the FPC40from holding by the holding portion26.

The engaging projection37of the releasing portion35which is in contact with the slant surface29of the holding portion25and in process of downward movement, causes the holding portion25to move to approach the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portions25. Similarly, the engaging projection38of the releasing portion35which is in contact with the slant surface32of the holding portion26and in process of downward movement, causes the holding portion26to move to approach the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the rear end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26.

Thereby, when releasing portion35accompanied with the engaging projections37and38has finished its downward movement, as shown inFIG. 17, the engaging projection37of the releasing portion35is operative to disengage the portion28aof the frame-shaped part28provided on the holding portion25from the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40and, although not shown in the drawings, the engaging projection38of the releasing portion35is operative also to disengage the portion31aof the frame-shaped part31provided on the holding portion26from the engaging edged recess43provided on the FPC40. As a result, the FPC40is released from the holding by each of the holding portions25and26so as to be put in a condition to be caused intentionally to get out of the housing11through the opening12provided thereon.

After that, the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is made free from the manipulation by pressing, the releasing portion35is moved by means of its own resiliency upward toward the outside of the housing11with the linear fulcrum placed between the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14and the manipulatable part36so as to be restored in its entirety to its former condition. With the upward movement of the releasing portion35, the engaging projections37and38provided on the manipulatable part36are moved away respectively from the slant surface29of the holding portion25and the slant surface32of the holding portion26, so that the holding portion25is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the left end wall portion17of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the left end wall portion17and the holding portion25so as to be restored to its former condition and the holding portion26is moved by means of its own resiliency to go away from the right end wall portion18of the conductive shell member14with the linear fulcrum placed between the end of the right end wall portion18and the holding portion26so as to be restored to its former condition.

As shown inFIG. 18, the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is provided on a lower portion thereof positioned in the inside of the conductive shell member14with a pair of ribs36aelongating in parallel with each other along the longitudinal direction of the manipulatable part36. With the ribs36athus provided, the manipulatable part36is reinforced to have required stiffness. When the manipulatable part36is manipulated by pressing so as to shift downward with the linear fulcrum placed between the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14and the manipulatable part36, one of the ribs36acomes into contact with an upper surface of an upper plate portion11fof the housing11so as to prevent the manipulatable part36from shifting downward excessively. Thereby, such a situation that the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is manipulated by pressing excessively and moved downward excessively to be deformed plastically or damaged is able to be avoided and an operator who manipulates the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35by pressing is able to sense a condition wherein the rib36acomes into contact with the upper surface of the upper plate portion11fof the housing11and then to control the manipulation on the manipulatable part36.

In the electrical connector10thus constituted as the embodiment of electrical connector according to the present invention, as described above, when the FPC40is inserted into the housing11through the opening12provided thereon, the contacting portion13aof each of the conductive contacts13arranged on the housing11comes into contact with the corresponding one of the signal connecting terminals41provided on the FPC40inserted in the housing11and the holding portions25and26formed integrally in the conductive shell member14are put in engagement respectively with the engaging edged recesses43and44provided on the FPC40inserted in the housing11for holding the same. As a result, the FPC40inserted in the housing11are held by the holding portions25and26so as to be surely prevented from getting out of the housing11unwillingly and the conductive contacts13arranged on the housing11are stably kept in electrical connection with the signal connecting terminals41provided on the FPC40inserted in the housing11.

Then, when the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35, which is also formed integrally in the conductive shell member14in addition to the holding portions25and26, is manipulated by pressing under the condition wherein the FPC40inserted in the housing11is held by the holding portions25and26, the releasing portion35accompanied with the engaging projections37and38is moved downward and the engaging projections37and38of the releasing portion35come into engagement respectively with the holding portions25and26to move the same to go away from the FPC40inserted in the housing11. As a result, the FPC40inserted in the housing11is released from the holding by each of the holding portions25and26so as to be able to get out of the housing11.

Accordingly, the FPC40inserted in the housing11through the opening12provided thereon can be put in the holding by the holding portions25and26formed integrally in the conductive shell member14to be surely prevented from getting out of the housing11unwillingly and then released from the holding by the holding portions25and26to be able to get out of the housing11with an improved structure with which the electrical connector10can be miniaturized on the whole and the number of structural parts can be reduced with the holding portions25and26and the releasing portion35each formed integrally in the conductive shell member14.

Further, the FPC40inserted in the housing11and put in holding by the holding portions25and26formed integrally in the conductive shell member14is released from the holding by the holding portions25and26only with the manipulation on the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35formed integrally in the conductive shell member14for moving the releasing portion35downward in the operating direction intersecting the direction along which the conductive contacts13are arranged. On that occasion, the manipulation on the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35is done with pressing the manipulatable part36and therefore considerably simple. Besides, since the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35elongates in the direction along which the conductive contacts13are arranged, the manipulation applied on the manipulatable part36of the releasing portion35can be easily and surely carried out. Consequently, the FPC40inserted in the housing11can be easily released from the holding by the holding portions25and26with a considerably simple and easy manipulation to the releasing portion35.

Incidentally, although the FPC40is inserted in the housing11with the first surface thereof, which is provided thereon with the signal connecting terminal41and faces upward, under a condition wherein the contacting portion13aof each of the conductive contacts13provided for coming into contact with the signal connecting terminal41on the first surface of the FPC40is arranged to project into the inside of the opening12provided on the housing11from the side of the upper portion15of the conductive shell member14, in the electrical connector10described above, it is also possible to modify the electrical connector10in such a manner that the FPC40is inserted in the housing11with the first surface thereof, which is provided thereon with the signal connecting terminal41and faces downward, under a condition wherein the contacting portion13aof each of the conductive contacts13provided for coming into contact with the signal connecting terminal41on the first surface of the FPC40is arranged to project into the inside of the opening12provided on the housing11from the side of the lower portion16of the conductive shell member14.