Abstract:
A connector capable of facilitating the insertion of a connected object, and obtaining a sufficient contact force. Contacts are held by a housing including a receiving space into which is inserted FPC. An actuator is mounted in the housing in a manner pivotally movable between open position for inserting FPC into the space, and closed position for holding FPC therein. The contacts have respective seesaw-type beams having one ends thereof formed with portions for contact with FPC, and the other ends thereof formed with power point portions for receiving the turning force of the actuator. The actuator has pressing portions for pushing downward the power point portions when open, to thereby lift them to move the contact portions out of the space, and cam portions for pushing upward the same when closed, to thereby push them downward to cause the contact portions to enter the space.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector suitable for electrically connecting between an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) and a printed circuit board. 
         [0003]    2. Prior Art 
         [0004]    Conventionally, there has been proposed a connector comprising a plurality of contacts, a housing that holds the contacts, and an actuator that is rotatably mounted on the housing and elastically deforms the contacts to thereby bring the contacts into contact with an FPC (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-221067). 
         [0005]    The contacts each include a seesaw-type beam that has one end thereof formed with a contact portion for contact with the FPC, and the other end thereof formed with a power point portion on which the turning force of the actuator acts. 
         [0006]    When the actuator is pivotally moved from an FPC-inserting position to an FPC-connecting position, the power point portions of the contacts are pushed upward by the actuator, and the contact portions of the contacts are pushed downward such that they enter a receiving space in the housing, to be urged against the FPC. As a result, it is possible to obtain a contact force required for bringing the contacts into contact with the FPC. 
         [0007]    However, in some connectors configured as above, when the actuator is in the FPC-inserting position, part of the contact portions of the contacts stand in a track along which the FPC is inserted. This has been a factor which causes an increase in the force required for inserting the FPC into the receiving space of the housing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector which is capable of facilitating the insertion of a connected object, and obtaining a sufficient contact force. 
         [0009]    To attain the above object, the present invention provides a connector comprising a housing that has a receiving space into which a connected object is inserted, a plurality of contacts that are held by the housing, and each include a seesaw-type beam having one end thereof formed with a contact portion for contact with the connected object, and the other end thereof formed with a power point portion, and an actuator mounted in the housing such that the actuator is pivotally movable between an open position for allowing insertion of the connected object into the receiving space and a closed position for holding the connected object in the receiving space, the actuator including urging portions for enabling a turning force of the actuator to act on the power point portions when the actuator is in the open position, to push downward the power point portions to thereby move the contact portions out of the receiving space, and cam portions for enabling the turning force of the actuator to act on the power point portions when the actuator is in the closed position, to push upward the power point portions to thereby move the contact portions into the receiving space. 
         [0010]    With the arrangement of the connector according to the present invention, it is easy to insert the connected object into the receiving space, and after the connected object is inserted into the receiving space, a large contact force is generated between the contact portions of the contacts and the connected object. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the housing includes seesaw-type locking sections each having one end thereof formed with a nail portion for engagement with the connected object, and the other end thereof formed with a locking power point portion on which the turning force of the actuator acts, and the actuator includes urging portions for the nail portions, for pushing downward the locking power point portions when the actuator is in the open position, to thereby move the nail portions away from the connected object, and cam portions for the nail portions, for pushing upward the locking power point portions when the actuator is in the closed position, to thereby move the nail portions toward the connected object. 
         [0012]    With the arrangement of the preferred embodiment, it is possible to prevent the connected object from being easily removed from the connector. 
         [0013]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a plan view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a front view of the connector; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1C  is a bottom view of the connector; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1D  is a side view of the connector; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken on line II-II of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a first contact of the  FIG. 1  connector; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a second contact of the  FIG. 1  connector; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of an actuator of the  FIG. 1  connector; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the actuator; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the actuator; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken on line X-X of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken on line XI-XI of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken on line XII-XII of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13A  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which the actuator is closed with no FPC inserted into the connector; 
           [0030]      FIG. 13B  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which the actuator is being moved from the  FIG. 13A  state to an open state; 
           [0031]      FIG. 13C  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which contact portions of contacts are lifted by the actuator; 
           [0032]      FIG. 14  is a plan view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 15  is a plan view of one end of the  FIG. 14  connector; 
           [0034]      FIG. 16A  is a plan view of the  FIG. 14  connector in a state in which no FPC has been inserted therein yet; 
           [0035]      FIG. 16B  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in the same state as shown in  FIG. 16A ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which an FPC is inserted therein, and an actuator is open; and 
           [0037]      FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which the actuator is closed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0038]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing preferred embodiments thereof. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the connector is for an FPC (connected object), and is comprised of a housing  3 , the first contacts  5 , the second contacts  6 , and the actuator  9 . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the housing  3  includes a ceiling  31 , a bottom  32 , and a connecting portion  33 . Formed between the ceiling  31  and the bottom  32  is an FPC-receiving space (receiving space)  34 . 
         [0041]    The ceiling  31  has accommodation grooves  31   a  and accommodation grooves  31   b  formed in a lower surface thereof such that they are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction of the housing  3 . An upper surface of the ceiling  31  is covered with a shield plate  11 . 
         [0042]    The bottom  32  has accommodation grooves  32   a  and accommodation grooves  32   b  formed in an upper surface thereof such that they are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction of the housing  3 . 
         [0043]    The connecting portion  33  connects the ceiling  31  and the bottom  32 . The connecting portion  33  has accommodation holes  33   a  and accommodation holes  33   b  formed therein such that they are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction of the housing  3 . Each accommodation hole  33   a  extends along the direction of insertion of the FPC, not shown, and communicates with associated ones of the accommodation grooves  31   a  and  32   a.  Each accommodation hole  33   b  extends along the direction of insertion of the FPC, and communicates with associated ones of the accommodation grooves  31   b and  32   b . The accommodation hole  33   a  has a press contact piece  33   c  formed therein. The accommodation hole  33   b  has a press contact piece  33   d  formed therein. 
         [0044]    The above-described accommodation grooves  31   a  and  32   a  and accommodation holes  33   a  form a first contact-accommodating space  35 . The above-described accommodation grooves  31   b  and  32   b  and accommodation holes  33   b  form a second contact-accommodating space  36 . 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the ceiling  31  has opposite ends in the longitudinal direction thereof formed with seesaw-type lances (locking sections)  37 . Each lance  37  has one end thereof formed with a nail portion  37   a . The other end of the lance  37  is formed with a locking power point portion  37   b  for engagement with a third cam portion (cam portion for the nail portion)  94  of the actuator  9 , referred to hereinafter. The lance  37  is fixed to the bottom  32  via a spring piece  38  such that it can perform a seesaw operation. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , each first contact  5  includes a first beam  51 , a spring piece  52 , and a second beam  53 . The first beam  51  is connected to the second beam  53  via the spring piece  52  such that it can perform a seesaw operation. The first beam  51  and the second beam  53  are substantially parallel to each other. The first beam  51  has a portion toward one end thereof (portion on the left side of the spring piece  52  as viewed in  FIG. 5 ) formed as a contact portion  51   a , and a portion toward the other end thereof (portion on the right side of the spring piece  52  as viewed in  FIG. 5 ) formed as a power point portion  51   b . The contact portion  51   a  is formed with a contact point  51   c . The power point portion  51   b  has a rear end thereof formed with an engaging portion  51   d.    
         [0047]    The second beam  53  has a portion toward one end thereof (portion on the left side of the spring piece  52  as viewed in  FIG. 5 ) formed as a first beam portion  53   a , and a portion toward the other end thereof (portion on the right side of the spring piece  52  as viewed in  FIG. 5 ) formed as a second beam portion  53   b . The first beam portion  53   a  is formed with a press-fitted piece  53   c . The press-fitted piece  53   c  is press-fitted into the press contact piece  33   c , whereby the first contact  5  is held in a state fixed within the first contact-accommodating space  35 . The second beam portion  53   b  is formed with a terminal portion  53   d . The terminal portion  53   d  is soldered to a printed wiring board, not shown. Further, the second beam portion  53   b  is formed with a recess  53   e.    
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , each second contact  6  includes a first beam  61 , a spring piece  62 , and a second beam  63 . The first beam  61  is connected to the second beam  63  via the spring piece  62  such that it can perform a seesaw operation. The first beam  61  is slightly inclined with respect to the second beam  63 . The first beam  61  has a portion toward one end thereof (portion on the left side of the spring piece  62  as viewed in  FIG. 6 ) formed as a contact portion  61   a , and a portion toward the other end thereof (portion on the right side of the spring piece  62  as viewed in  FIG. 6 ) formed as a power point portion  61   b . The contact portion  61   a  is formed with a contact point  61   c.    
         [0049]    The second beam  63  has a portion toward one end thereof (portion on the left side of the spring piece  62  as viewed in  FIG. 6 ) formed as a first beam portion  63   a , and a portion toward the other end thereof (portion on the right side of the spring piece  62  as viewed in  FIG. 6 ) formed as a second beam portion  63   b . The first beam portion  63   a  has a foremost end thereof formed with a terminal portion  63   c . The terminal portion  63   c  is soldered to the printed wiring board, not shown. The second beam portion  63   b  is formed with a press-fitted piece  63   d . The press-fitted piece  63   d  is press-fitted into the press contact piece  33   d , whereby the second contact  6  is held in a state fixed within the second contact-accommodating space  36 . 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 to 12 , the actuator  9  has one end in the direction of the width thereof formed with an operating section  91 , and the other end in the direction of the width thereof formed with first cam portions  92 , second cam portions  93 , and third cam portions  94 . The first cam portions  92 , the second cam portions  93 , and the third cam portions  94  each have a substantially elliptical shape in cross section. Although in the present embodiment, the sizes thereof are different from each other, they may have the same size. 
         [0051]    The operating section  91  has a substantially convex shape. The actuator  9  is operated by putting a finger on the operating section  91 . 
         [0052]    The first cam portions  92  and the second cam portions  93  are in an alternate arrangement. 
         [0053]    Each first cam portion  92  is sandwiched by the power point portion  51   b  and the second beam portion  53   b  of an associated one of the first contacts  5 , and is further engaged with the engaging portion  51   d  and the recess  53   e  such that the first cam portion  92  is prevented from dropping off the associated first contact  5 . Each second cam portion  93  is sandwiched by the power point portion  61   b  and the second beam portion  63   b  of an associated one of the second contacts  6 . Therefore, the actuator  9  is pivotally held by the first contacts  5  such that it can be pivotally moved between an open position (position of the actuator  9  in a state where it can receive the FPC: the state shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and a closed position (position of the actuator  9  in a state where the first and second contacts are brought into contact with the FPC: a state shown in  FIG. 13A ). Further, the first and second cam portions  92  and  93  each having a substantially elliptical shape in cross section are configured such that they are sandwiched by the power point portion  51   b  and the second beam portion  53   b  of the associated one of the first contacts  5 , and the power point portion  61   b  and the second beam portion  63   b  of the associated one of the second contacts  6 , respectively, and hence when the actuator  9  is in a position close to the open position, a moment for pivotally moving the actuator  9  toward the open position is generated, whereas when the actuator  9  is in a position close to the closed position, a moment for pivotally moving the actuator  9  toward the closed position is generated. 
         [0054]    When the actuator  9  is in the closed position, the first cam portion  92  pushes upward the power point portion  51   b  of the associated first contact  5 , whereby the contact portion  51   a  of the associated first contact  5  is pushed downward such that the contact portion  51   a  enters the FPC-receiving space  34 . 
         [0055]    The actuator  9  has through holes  95  formed therethrough at respective locations adjacent to the first cam portions  92 . Each through hole  95  has an associated one of the power point portions  51   b  inserted therethrough. 
         [0056]    When the actuator  9  is in the closed position, the second cam portion  93  pushes upward the power point portion  61   b  of the associated second contact  6 , whereby the contact portion  61   a  of the associated second contact  6  is pushed downward such that the contact portion  61   a  enters the FPC-receiving space  34 . 
         [0057]    The actuator  9  has through holes  96  formed therethrough at respective locations adjacent to the second cam portions  93 . Each through hole  96  has an associated one of the power point portions  61   b  extended therethrough. 
         [0058]    The third cam portions  94  are formed at opposite ends of the actuator  9  in the longitudinal direction thereof. When the actuator  9  is in the closed position, each third cam portion  94  pushes upward an associated one of the locking power point portions  37   b  such that the nail portion  37   a  is inserted into a cutout formed in the FPC, not shown. The actuator  9  is formed with through holes  97  at respective locations adjacent to the third cam portions  94 . 
         [0059]    Edges of the through holes  95  and  96 , toward the operating section  91 , form pressing portions  98 . 
         [0060]    When the actuator  9  is in the open position (the state shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the pressing portions  98  push downward the power point portions  51   b  and  61   b  inserted into the respective through holes  95  and  96 , whereby the contact portions  51   a  and  61   a  of the respective first and second contacts  5  and  6  are lifted such that they are moved out of the FPC-receiving space  34 . 
         [0061]    Referring to  FIG. 13A , when the actuator  9  is pivotally moved to the closed position without the FPC inserted into the connector, the first beam  61  of the second contact  6  is set such that it performs the seesaw operation through a larger pivot angle than that of the first beam  51  of the first contact  5 , so that there is a fear that the spring piece  62  undergoes plastic deformation. Assuming that the spring piece  62  has been plastically deformed as shown in  FIG. 13B , even if the actuator  9  is pivotally moved toward the open position, the first beam  61  remains in the FPC-receiving space  34 . In the prior art, the FPC cannot be inserted when the connector is in this state. 
         [0062]    In the present embodiment, however, as shown in  FIG. 13C , it is possible to urge the power point portions  61   b  by the pressing portions  98  of the actuator  9 . This makes it possible to move the contact portions  61   a  away from the FPC-receiving space  34 . 
         [0063]    At this time, the power point portions  51   b  of the first contacts  5  are also pressed by the pressing portions  98 , and therefore the contact portions  51   a  of the first contacts  5  are also moved away from the FPC-receiving space  34  simultaneously. 
         [0064]    As described hereinabove, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to facilitate the insertion of the FPC and obtain a sufficient contact force. 
         [0065]    Component parts identical to those of the connector according to the first embodiment are designated by identical reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted, while only main component parts different in construction from those of the first embodiment will be described hereinafter. 
         [0066]    Although in the first embodiment, operating section-side edges of the through holes  97  of the actuator  9  are configured such that they do not press the lances  37 , in the second embodiment, pressing portions  298  of the actuator  209  for pressing the nail portions press the locking power point portions  37   b  of the lances  37 . The pressing portions  298  perform the same operation as that pressing portions  98  of the actuator  9 . 
         [0067]    Referring to  FIGS. 16A and 16B , the nail portion  37   a  of each lance  37  is configured to be slightly inserted into the FPC-receiving space  34  when the actuator  209  is in the open position. This causes the FPC  21  to be brought into slight contact with the nail portion  37   a , when the FPC  21  is inserted into the FPC-receiving space  34 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0068]    With this construction, the insertion of the FPC  21  is hardly hindered by the nail portion  37   a , and further it is possible to prevent the FPC  21  from being displaced when the actuator  209  is pivotally moved from the open position to the closed position. If the actuator  209  is pushed until it reaches the closed position, the nail portion  37   a  can be positively inserted into a cutout  21   a  formed in the FPC  21 , thereby making it possible to positively lock the FPC  21 . 
         [0069]    According to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same advantageous effects as provided by the first embodiment, to prevent the FPC  21  from being easily removed from the connector. 
         [0070]    It should be note that although in the above-described embodiments, the present invention is applied to the connector for an FPC, this is not limitative, but the present invention can also be applied to a connector e.g. for an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable). 
         [0071]    It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing are the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that various changes and modification may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.