Patent Publication Number: US-9425528-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is based on, and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-132104, filed Jun. 27, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to a connector for a flat connecting member having a plurality of circuits. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In order to make an electrical connection with a circuit board externally, a substrate connector is provided on the circuit board. The substrate connector has a configuration and structure that can connect a flat connecting member. The flat connecting member is an electrical connecting member having a flat shape such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), flexible flat cable, and the like, which may be simply called a flat cable. A connector is also provided on a terminal of such a flat connecting member. 
     JP2010-009915A discloses a conventional connector for a flat connecting member. The conventional connector includes a terminal of the flat connecting member, a slider assembled to the terminal, and a cover which also is assembled to the terminal. In the conventional connector, the terminal is first mounted and fixed on a predetermined position of the slider, and thereafter, the cover is fitted onto the slider so that the mounted and fixed part is covered, thus completing the assembly. That is, the assembly is completed in two steps. 
     SUMMARY 
     Since the conventional connector for a flat connecting member has the slider and the cover besides the terminal of the flat connecting member, it is considered that there is room for reducing the number of component parts. Further, regarding the assembly of the conventional connector, since the assembly is performed in two steps, it is considered that there also is room for reducing the number of steps relating to the assembly. 
     The present application is made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and it aims to provide a connector which can reduce the number of component parts and which can improve the assembly performance. 
     In order to solve the above problems, a connector according to an aspect of the present application is a connector for a flat connecting member having a plurality of circuits, and includes a terminal provided at an end portion of the flat connecting member and a resin slider that can be assembled to the terminal. The terminal has assembly holes provided at both sides in a width direction thereof respectively. The slider has a terminal penetration part through which the terminal penetrates and locking projections with which the assembly holes are fitted. The terminal penetration part has a middle holding part which is arranged at an exit side of the terminal penetration part and which holds a middle portion in the width direction of the terminal. The locking projections are arranged at both neighboring sides of the middle holding part respectively, and are formed in a shape that temporarily bend the both sides that are exposed from the terminal penetration part to make the both sides climb thereover. 
     With such a structure, it is possible to construct the connector with only two components of the terminal of the flat connecting member and the resin slider. The assembly of the terminal with the slider is performed in one step of penetrating the terminal through the slider, and fitting of the terminal with the slider is performed along with the penetration also. Therefore, in the connector according to the aspect of the present application, after the assembly of the terminal with the slider, falling of the terminal or the slider does not occur. As a result, in the connector according to the aspect of the present application, effects of reducing the number of component parts and improving the assembly performance can be achieved. 
     Each of the locking projections may be formed in a shape having a taper. 
     With such a structure, the both sides of the terminal that are exposed from the terminal penetration part of the slider are bent while contacting the tapers of the locking projections and climb over the locking projections. By forming the tapers, bending and climbing over can be performed smoothly. As a result, an effect of further improving the assembly performance of the connector can be achieved. 
     Each of the locking projections may be formed in a shape that protrudes higher than an opening height of the exit of the terminal penetration part. 
     With such a structure, even if one simply tries to pull out the flat connecting member from the slider, the assembly holes of the terminal do not come off from the locking projections of the slider. Specifically, the middle portion in the width direction of the terminal is held by the middle holding part of the terminal penetration part, and in this state, even if one simply tries to pull out the flat connecting member from the slider, the assembly holes do not come off from the locking projections which protrude higher than the opening height of the exit of the terminal penetration part. As a result, an effect of improving the assembly reliability of the connector can be achieved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a connector according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a flat connecting member of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a slider of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a locking projection and its periphery of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view illustrating an assembly state of the connector according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A connector for a flat connecting member having a plurality of circuits includes a terminal provided at an end portion of the flat connecting member and a resin slider that can be assembled to the terminal. When the terminal penetrates through the slider, in the process of this penetration, assembly holes of the terminal fit into locking projections of the slider, thus completing the assembly. 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment will be explained by referring to the drawings. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a connector  1  according to the embodiment is used for connecting a flat connecting member  2  having a plurality of circuits, and includes a terminal  3  provided at an end portion of the flat connecting member  2  and a resin slider  4  that can be assembled to the terminal  3 . The connector  1  is formed such that it mechanically fits with a substrate connector (not illustrated) mounted on a circuit board (not illustrated) and electrical connection is made along with this fitting. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flat connecting member  2  is the so-called flat cable, and specifically, it corresponds to a flat electrical connecting member such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), flexible flat cable (FFC), and the like. The flat connecting member  2  is formed with various conditions such as a predetermined width, number of circuits, length, and the like. In the embodiment, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) is adopted as the flat connecting member  2 . 
     A connector connecting part  5  for electrical connection with the substrate connector (not illustrated) is formed on the terminal  3  of the flat connecting member  2 . The connector connecting part  5  is formed also as a portion accommodated in a connecting member housing of the substrate connector. The connector connecting part  5  is formed over the whole width at the end portion of the terminal  3 . Strip-like terminals are exposed at the connector connecting part  5 . Guide portions  6  are formed respectively at both sides in the width direction of the connector connecting part  5 . The pair of guide portions  6  are formed as the portions guided by terminal guide portions  26  of the slider  4 . 
     A holding fitting part  7  as a portion that is continuous from the connector connecting part  5  and an accommodation part  8  as a portion that is further continuous from the holding fitting part  7  are formed on the terminal  3 . The terminal  3  is formed such that from this end, the connector connecting part  5 , the holding fitting part  7 , and the accommodation part  8  are arranged in order. The holding fitting part  7  and the accommodation part  8  are formed to be wider than the connector connecting part  5 . Since the holding fitting part  7  and the accommodation part  8  are formed wider than the connector connecting part  5 , stepped portions  9  generated by this difference in width are formed between the holding fitting part  7  and the connector connecting part  5 . 
     The holding fitting part  7  is formed with its middle portion  10  in the width direction as the part to be held by a middle holding part  21  of the slider  4 . Further, both sides  11  in the width direction (the sides  11 ,  11 ) of the holding fitting part  7  are formed as portions that fit with locking projections  18  of the slider  4 . The middle portion  10  is formed as a portion that is flat on the front and back faces. 
     The both sides  11  of the holding fitting part  7  are formed at a section that includes part of the stepped portions  9 ,  9 . The both sides  11  of the holding fitting part  7  are formed at a section where corner portions  12  tend to be lifted. At the both sides  11  of the holding fitting part  7 , assembly holes  13  each having a circular shape are opened and formed. The assembly holes  13  are formed so as to penetrate from the front to the back faces. In a case that the shape of the locking projections  18  of the slider  4  is made for example to be rectangular, the assembly holes  13  are formed to match this shape. 
     The accommodation part  8  is a portion that is accommodated in a terminal penetration part  17  of the slider  4  over the whole width, and is formed in a flat shape on the front and back faces. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the slider  4  includes a basal part  14 , a part that is inserted into a substrate connector (not illustrated) to be mechanically fitted therewith, and a part that guides the terminal  3  of the flat connecting member  2  inward of the substrate connector along with the fitting, and thus is formed into a shape as illustrated in the figures. Specifically, the slider  4  includes the basal part  14 , a substrate connector insertion part  15 , and a substrate connector fitting part  16 , thus being formed into a shape as illustrated in the figures. 
     The terminal penetration part  17  and the pair of locking projections  18  are formed on the basal part  14 . The terminal penetration part  17  is formed as a section through which the terminal  3  of the flat connecting member  2  penetrates. The terminal penetration part  17  is formed such that a space that matches the planar shape and cross-sectional shape of the terminal  3  is generated. 
     The terminal  3  is inserted into the interior through an entrance  19  of the terminal penetration part  17  with the connector connecting part  5  as a tip of the insertion. Thereafter, when the connector connecting part  5  is exited from an exit  20  of the terminal penetration part  17 , the terminal  3  becomes in a penetrated state. 
     A middle holding part  21  is formed at the terminal penetration part  17 . The middle holding part  21  is arranged at the exit  20  side of the terminal penetration part  17 . The middle holding part  21  is formed such that it can hold the middle portion  10  of the holding fitting part  7  of the terminal  3  so that it does not bend. 
     The middle holding part  21  is arranged at a position opposite to a terminal mounting face  22  of the terminal penetration part  17 . The middle holding part  21  is formed to have a length that matches the width of the middle portion  10 . Further, the middle holding part  21  is arranged at a position that matches the middle portion  10 . Therefore, stepped portions  23  are formed respectively at both sides of the middle holding part  21 . 
     The pair of locking projections  18  are arranged and formed at positions facing on from the pair of stepped portions  23  when the basal part  14  is seen from the above. Each of the locking projections  18  is formed in a circular boss shape that protrudes vertically from the terminal mounting face  22 . Each of locking projections  18  is formed in a shape that has a taper  24  on a side facing the exit  20  of the terminal penetration part  17 . Each of locking projections  18  is formed in a shape that protrudes higher than an opening height of the exit  20 . The locking projections  18  are formed as the portions to be fitted with the assembly holes  13  of the terminal  3 . 
     The substrate connector insertion part  15  is formed as a portion to be inserted into the substrate connector (not illustrated). A connecting part mounting face  25  for mounting the connector connecting part  5  of the terminal  3  is formed on the substrate connector insertion part  15 . A pair of terminal guide portions  26  are formed on the substrate connector insertion part  15 . The terminal guide portions  26  are arranged at both sides of the connecting part mounting face  25  and are formed as portions that guide the pair of guide portions  6  of the connector connecting part  5 . 
     The substrate connector fitting part  16  is formed as a portion to be fitted with the substrate connector (not illustrated). The substrate connector fitting part  16  is a portion having a lock structure. 
     In such a configuration and structure, assembly of the connector  1  composed of the terminal  3  of the flat connecting member  2  and the slider  4  is performed in one step of simply penetrating the terminal  3  through the slider  4 , and fitting of the terminal  3  and the slider  4  is also performed along with the penetration. 
     Specifically, the terminal  3  is inserted into the entrance  19  of the terminal penetration part  17  of the slider  4  from the connector connecting part  5  side, and thereafter, when the connector connecting part  5  is exposed from the exit  20  to be mounted on the connecting part mounting face  25 , the terminal  3  becomes in a penetrated state and the assembly is completed. At this time, the both sides  11  of the terminal  3  that are exposed from the exit  20  of the terminal penetration part  17  abut the pair of locking projections  18  to be bent temporarily, and thereafter, slide on the tapers  24  to become in a state of climbing over the locking projections  18 . Then, once the assembly holes  13  fall on the locking projections  18 , the both sides  11  return to the non-bending original state, which completes the fitting. 
     Even if one simply tries to pull out the flat connecting member  2  from the slider  4  in a fitting state of the connector  1 , the assembly holes  13  of the terminal  3  do not come off from the locking projections of the slider  4 . Specifically, the middle portion  10  in the width direction of the terminal  3  is held by the middle holding part  21  of the terminal penetration part  17 , and in this state, even if one simply tries to pull out the flat connecting member  2  from the slider  4 , the assembly holes  13  do not come off from the locking projections  18  which protrude higher than the opening height of the exit  20  of the terminal penetration part  17 . 
     As explained by referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , with the connector  1  according to the embodiment, effects of reducing the number of component parts as well as improving the assembly performance can be achieved. Further, with the connector  1  according to the embodiment, an effect of improving the assembly reliability can be achieved.