Electrical connector for connecting heat seal film to a printed wiring board

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing (2) having a first groove (2A) for receiving a heat seal film (1) therein and a second groove (2B) for receiving therein a printed wiring board (3). A spring contact (4) is supported by the housing (2) for electrically connecting an electrode (1A) on the film (1) received in the first groove (2A) and an electrode (3A) on the substrate (3) received in the second groove (2B). The first groove (2A) is preferably formed to have a wider opening at its entrance to permit the heat seal film (1) to be wedged into engagement with the spring contact (4) in the first groove (2A). An actuator (5) is slidably supported in the housing (2) for bringing the spring contact (4) into contact with the electrode (3A) on the substrate (3) and for holding the substrate (3) in the housing (2).

Description: This device relates to a connector for achieving electrical connection between a heat seal film and a substrate such as a printed wiring board. To connect a heat seal film or the like and a printed wiring board or the like together, it has heretofore been popular to mount and dismount them directly to a connector actually mounted on the printed wiring board, or through a base plate. In such cases, however, there have been problems involving time and labor to actually mount (solder) the connector on the board. Since the heat seal film, which is readily deformable, is mounted or dismounted after the connector is actually mounted on the base plate, the heat seal film may often be damaged. US-A-4397514 discloses a self-clamping electrical connector having entrance passages for inserting conductive cores of leads. Spring contacts clamp these cores in position. GB-A-2162380 describes a housing with grooves in order to connect electrically two circuit boards inserted from opposite directions into the housing or to connect two circuit boards with a third circuit board being inserted in opposite direction to the other two boards. In US-A-4747790 an electrical connector is disclosed comprising: a housing including a front face and a rear wall, said housing having a first groove extending therein and opening through said housing front face, said groove being adapted for receiving therein a substrate, said housing having a second groove for receiving therein a second substrate, said second groove opening through said housing front face and said substrate being insertable in said housing from the same direction and mountable in said housing while being spaced apart in a vertical direction from each other and substantially parallel to each other; and a spring contact supported by said housing for electrically connecting an electrically conductive electrode of the substrate received in said first groove and an electrically conductive electrode on said substrate received in said second groove. However, none of the prior art documents describes a device for electrically connecting a printed wiring board with a heat seal film. The present device has as its object the provision of a connector which does not have such disadvantages peculiar to the prior art. According to the invention, there is provided an electrical connector comprising: a housing including a front face and a rear wall, said housing having a first groove extending therein and opening through said housing front face, said first groove being defined by relatively inclined housing surfaces to have a wedge-shaped configuration with a wider portion thereof opening at said housing front face, said groove being adapted for receiving therein a flexible film in a wedge-like manner, said housing having a second groove for receiving therein a substrate, said second groove opening through said housing front face, said film and said substrate being insertable in said housing from the same direction and mountable in said housing while being spaced apart in a vertical direction from each other and substantially parallel to each other; a spring contact supported by said housing for electrically connecting an electrically conductive electrode of the film received in said first groove and an electrically conductive electrode on said substrate received in said second groove; and an actuator slidably supported in said housing through said rear wall for bringing said spring contact into contact with said electrode on said substrate and for holding said substrate in said housing. The heat seal film is thus easily and reliably connected to the printed substrate. The construction of the connector according to the present device will hereinafter be described with respect to an embodiment there shown in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the present device. Figure 2 is a partly broken away perspective view showing the embodiment of Figure 1 in use. Figures 3 to 5 are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing the preferred embodiment as it is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: Referring to Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 designates a heat seal film provided with electrodes 1A (conductors) formed by causing a plurality of traces of electrically conductive material such as carbon to adhere to or be deposited by evaporation on a layer of flexible insulation. The reference numeral 2 denotes a housing having a first groove 2A as depicted in Figure 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing has an opening portion which is wide open for receiving the heat seal film therein, the housing has a second groove 2B for receiving a substrate, such as a printed wiring board 3 therein. The first and second grooves communicate with each other in the housing 2. The reference numeral 2C designates a latch projection provided on a side portion of the housing 2. The latch projection 2C fits into a latch hole 3B (Figure 1) in the printed wiring board 3 when the printed wiring board is contained in the housing. The reference numeral 4 denotes a spring contact for electrically connecting an electrode (such as a lead or a conductor) 1A of the heat seal received in the first groove 2A and an electrically conductive electrode (such as a lead or a conductor) 3A of the printed wiring board or the like received in the second groove 2B. The reference numeral 5 designates an actuator (cam) slidably supported in the housing for bringing the spring contact into contact with the printed wiring board and holding the printed wiring board in the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat seal film and the printed wiring board are substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction when they are contained in the housing. The details of the spring contact 4 are shown in Figures 2 and 3, and there are a plurality of such spring contacts 4 in conformity with the number of the electrodes of the heat seal film. Each of the spring contacts 4 comprises a first contact portion 4A disposed in the first groove 2A of the housing, a second contact portion 4B disposed in said second groove 2B, and a connecting portion 4C connecting the first and second contact portions together. The first contact portion 4A, in the illustrated embodiment, is disposed in a contact containing slot 2E formed by partition walls 2D (see Figure 2) provided in housing 2. The second contact portion 4B is formed into a reversely bent edge-like shape. The actuator 5 specifically comprises an operating portion 5A, a plate-like acting portion 5B and a latch frame 5C. The plate-like acting portion 5B is inserted into the second containing groove 2B from a side opposite to the direction in which the printed wiring plate 3 is inserted. The acting portion on the plate 5B is provided with a cam projection 5D cooperating with the spring contact to sandwich and hold the printed wiring board 3 contained in said second containing groove 2B. The latch frame 5C protrudes from the operating portion 5A in parallel to the acting portion 5B on at least one side of the actuator in the lengthwise direction thereof. The latch frame 5C comes into engagement with a latch projection 2F provided on the bottom of the housing when the actuator 5 is pushed into the housing, and strikes against a latch projection 2G provided on the bottom of the housing for stopping the actuator when the actuator is drawn out relative to the housing, thereby preventing the actuator from slipping out of the housing. Figures 3 to 5 show a case where the heat seal film and the printed wiring board 3 are actually connected together by the use of the connector of the present device. First, as shown in Figure 3, the heat seal film 1 is wedged into the first groove 2A and an electrical connection between the electrode of the heat seal film and the spring contact 4 is achieved. Then as shown in Figure 4, the actuator 5 is drawn out relative to the housing 2, and the printed wiring board 3 is inserted into the second groove 2B in the housing. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 5, the actuator 5 is pushed into the housing 2, whereupon the printed wiring board 3 is biased toward the spring contact 5 by the camming action 5D of the actuator 5. The electrode of the printed wiring board 3 is brought into contact with the spring contact 4 to thereby electrically connect them together. During connection the latch projection 2C (Figure 2) of the housing fits into a latch groove 3B in the printed wiring board and the latch frame 5C of the actuator comes into engagement with the latch projection 2F of the housing, whereby the printed wiring board is held in the housing. The connector of the present device need not be actually mounted (soldered) on the printed wiring board. Also, unlike prior-art connectors which are actually mounted on a board and thereafter on which a readily deformable heat seal film is mounted or dismounted, the connector of the present device assumes the so-called non-insertion force type structure in which the actuator is operated to thereby connect the printed wiring board to the connector. Therefore, the connection of the printed wiring board to the heat seal film can be readily accomplished without the heat seal film being damaged. Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention herein, it should be appreciated that variations may be made thereto. For example, instead of a heat seal film, other electrical devices, such as a flexible jumper, may be used. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment described herein is intended in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense. The true scope of the invention is set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Claims: An electrical connector comprising: a housing (2) including a front face and a rear wall, said housing having a first groove (2A) extending therein and opening through said housing front face, said first groove (2A) being defined by relatively inclined housing surfaces to have a wedge-shaped configuration with a wider portion thereof opening at said housing front face, said groove (2A) being adapted for receiving therein a flexible film (1) in a wedge-like manner, said housing having a second groove (2B) for receiving therein a substrate (3), said second groove (2B) opening through said housing front face, said film (1) and said substrate (3) being insertable in said housing from the same direction and mountable in said housing while being spaced apart in a vertical direction from each other and substantially parallel to each other; a spring contact (4) supported by said housing for electrically connecting an electrically conductive electrode (1A) of the film received in said first groove and an electrically conductive electrode (3A) on said substrate received in said second groove; and an actuator (5) slidably supported in said housing through said rear wall for bringing said spring contact into contact with said electrode on said substrate and for holding said substrate in said housing. A connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that said housing has a latch projection (2C) to be fitted in a hole (3B) of said substrate. A connector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that said spring contact of substantially U-shaped cross-section comprises a first contact portion (4A) disposed in said first groove, a second contact portion (4B) disposed in said second groove, and a connecting portion (4C) connecting said first and second contact portions together. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said first and second grooves communicate with each other. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that opening portions of said first and second grooves are formed so as to be in the same surface of said housing. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said actuator comprises an operating portion (5A), a plate-like acting portion (5B) and a latch frame (5C), and a bottom surface of said housing is interposed between said acting portion and said latch frame. A connector according to Claim 6, characterized in that said plate-like acting portion is provided with a cam projection (5D) cooperating with said spring contact to sandwich and hold the substrate received in said second groove.

Inventors: YAMADA YOSHIO, YAMADA, YOSHIO
Applicants: THOMAS & BETTS CORP, THOMAS & BETTS CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01R9
IPC codes: H01R24, A47G35, H01R12, B44C5