Patent Publication Number: US-2022216627-A1

Title: Connector and connector mounting body

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector and a connector mounting body. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a surface mount connector and includes contacts and a housing. The housing is made of synthetic resin and box-shaped and has a bottom surface to be held in contact with a circuit board. The contact is made of metal and tab-shaped and includes a contact portion to be connected to a mating female terminal in one end part and a connecting portion to be connected to the circuit board in the other end part. A tip part of the connecting portion is arranged along a surface of the circuit board and soldered to the circuit board. 
     A connector disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes contacts, a housing for holding the contacts and a flexible terminal to be interposed between the contacts and a board. The flexible terminal includes an upper end part to be connected to the contacts and a lower end part to be connected to the board. The upper end part includes insertion holes penetrating through the flexible terminal in a stepped manner. The contact is made of metal and pin-shaped and is crimped and connected to the flexible terminal by splitting a forked rear end open while being inserted into the insertion hole. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: JP 2015-204165 A 
         Patent Document 2: JP 2014-165163 A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved 
     In Patent Document 1, if heating is applied using a heating device such as a reflow furnace, for example, when the contacts are connected to the circuit board, the circuit board and the housing may receive a heat load and be warped and deformed. Since there is a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the housing and the circuit board, if the circuit board and the housing are warped and deformed, the housing is partially lifted from the circuit board and the rear end parts of the contacts are separated from the circuit board. Accordingly, in the case of Patent Document 1, it becomes difficult to make such an adjustment that the rear end parts of the respective contacts are located on the same plane, making an operation process cumbersome, and the connection reliability of the contacts and the circuit board is a problem. 
     In contrast, in the case of Patent Document 2, the shape of the insertion holes are complicated and a crimping operation needs to be performed in connecting the contacts and the flexible terminal after the rear ends of the contacts are processed into a forked shape. Thus, there is a problem that an operation process becomes cumbersome. 
     Accordingly, it is aimed to provide a connector and a connector mounting body capable of ensuring good workability at the time of manufacturing and connection reliability with a circuit board. 
     Means to Solve the Problem 
     The present disclosure is directed to a connector with a connector housing, and a flexible cable arranged in the connector housing, the flexible cable including a conductive path, wherein the flexible cable includes a terminal connecting portion to be connected to a mating terminal on one end side of the conductive path and a board connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board on the other end side of the conductive path, and the connector includes a reinforcement plate for reinforcing a region of the flexible cable on the side of the terminal connecting portion. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector and a connector mounting body capable of ensuring good workability at the time of manufacturing and connection reliability with a circuit board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view in section showing a state where supporting portions are supporting support receiving portions in an intermediate part of a connector housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view in section showing a state where the supporting portions are supporting the support receiving portions in both end parts of the connector housing. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the connector housing viewed from below. 
         FIG. 5  is a longitudinal section of the connector housing having fixing members mounted thereon. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of cable units viewed from above. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the cable unit. 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of a holding member. 
         FIG. 9  is a longitudinal section showing a state where a board connecting portion is connected to a circuit board. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION 
     Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     (1) The connector of the present disclosure includes a connector housing, and a flexible cable arranged in the connector housing, the flexible cable including a conductive path, wherein the flexible cable includes a terminal connecting portion to be connected to a mating terminal on one end side of the conductive path and a board connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board on the other end side of the conductive path, and the connector includes a reinforcement plate for reinforcing a region of the flexible cable on the side of the terminal connecting portion. According to this configuration, the board connecting portion can exhibit the flexibility (deformability) of the flexible cable itself. Thus, even if the connector housing and the like are warped and deformed in a reflow process, a state where the board connecting portion is connected to the circuit board can be maintained. On the other hand, since the region on the side of the terminal connecting portion is reinforced by the reinforcement plate, which is a part of the flexible cable, the terminal connecting portion can have strength not to be deformed at the time of connection to the mating terminal. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an operation of crimping a contact made of metal and the flexible cable and workability at the time of manufacturing is improved. 
     (2) Preferably, a holding member is provided which holds the flexible cable and is accommodated into the connector housing. According to this configuration, the postures of the terminal connecting portion and the board connecting portion can be corrected by the holding member in advance. 
     (3) The holding member may include an angle restricting portion for restricting an angle of the board connecting portion with respect to the circuit board. According to this configuration, the board connecting portion can be connected to the circuit board while being set in a proper posture (angle) by the angle restricting portion. 
     (4) The reinforcement plate may be integrated with the flexible cable, and the holding member may include a position restricting portion for restricting a position of the reinforcement plate. If the position of the reinforcement plate is restricted by the position restricting portion, the position of the terminal connecting portion of the flexible cable is also restricted and, consequently, the terminal connecting portion can be satisfactorily connected to the mating terminal. 
     (5) The flexible cable may be held by being sandwiched between the connector housing and the holding member. According to this configuration, the flexible cable is held in the housing by a simple configuration. Further, a holding state of the flexible cable and the holding member can be stably maintained. 
     (6) The terminal connecting portion and the reinforcement plate may be integrated and provided to project toward a tip of the terminal connecting portion, and the connector housing may include a supporting portion for supporting the reinforcement plate from a side opposite to the tip. According to this configuration, when the terminal connecting portion is connected to the mating terminal, a force applied to the reinforcement plate from the mating terminal can be received by the supporting portion and a position shift of the reinforcement plate with respect to the connector housing can be prevented. 
     (7) A connector mounting body includes the connector of any one of (1) to (6) described above and a circuit board, the board connecting portion being soldered to a surface of the circuit board. According to this configuration, since the board connecting portion can exhibit flexibility, it is possible to provide the connector mounting body having high connection reliability of the board connecting portion and the circuit board. 
     Details of Embodiment of Present Disclosure 
     Specific examples of a connector and a connector mounting body of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this illustration and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a connector according to this embodiment includes fixing members  90 , a connector housing  10 , flexible cables  30 , reinforcement plates  50  and a holding member  70 . The flexible cable  30  and the reinforcement plate  50  are integrated with each other to constitute a cable unit  40 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connector is mounted on a circuit board  60  (rigid printed circuit board) to constitute a connector mounting body together with the circuit board  60 . 
     The connector housing  10  is connected to a mating connector housing  100 . The mating connector housing  100  is made of synthetic resin and, although not shown in detail, accommodates a plurality of mating terminals  130  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Each mating terminal  130  is a plate member made of metal and connected to an end part of a wire  190 , and includes a tubular box portion  131 . The box portion  131  includes a deflectable and deformable resilient contact piece  132  inside. 
     &lt;Fixing Members  90 &gt; 
     The fixing member  90  is a flat plate member made of metal, and a pair of the fixing members  90  are provided on both end sides in a width direction of the connector. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the fixing member  90  has an L-shaped cross-section and includes a first plate portion  91  to be arranged along a vertical direction and a second plate portion  92  to be arranged along the width direction. The first plate portion  91  is mounted on the connector housing  10 . The second plate portion  92  is soldered and fixed to the circuit board  60 . The connector housing  10  is fixed to the circuit board  60  via the fixing members  90 . 
     &lt;Connector Housing  10 &gt; 
     The connector housing  10  is made of synthetic resin and includes a receptacle  11  in the form of a rectangular tube long in the width direction as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the receptacle  11  includes a peripheral wall  12  and a separation wall  13 . The peripheral wall  12  includes front and rear walls paired in the front-rear direction and both side walls paired in a lateral direction (width direction), and arranged along the vertical direction. The separation wall  13  is integrally connected to an inner lower part of the peripheral wall  12  and arranged along the width direction. A space above the separation wall  13  in the receptacle  11  serves as a fitting space  14  into which the mating connector housing  100  is inserted. A space below the separation wall  13  in the receptacle  11  serves as an accommodation space  15  into which the holding member  70  is inserted. 
     The separation wall  13  includes a plurality of insertion holes  16 . Each insertion hole  16  penetrates through the separation wall  13  in the vertical direction and a multitude of the insertion holes  16  are arranged in the width direction in two front and rear rows. Later-described terminal connecting portions  32  of the flexible cables  30  are inserted into the respective insertion holes  16  of the separation wall  13 . 
     The peripheral wall  12  includes a pair of mounting portions  17  on both side walls. The mounting portions  17  are shaped to extend forward and rearward in lower parts of the side walls. The first plate portions  91  of the fixing members  90  are held by being inserted into groove parts formed inside the mounting portions  17 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the peripheral wall  12  includes a plurality of supporting portions  18  on the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls. The respective supporting portions  18  are in the form of claws projecting into the accommodation space  15  and provided at intervals in the width direction on lower ends of the front and rear walls. The upper surfaces of the respective supporting portions  18  are flatly arranged in the front-rear direction toward the fitting space  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cable units  40  can be supported from below by the respective supporting portions  18 . 
     The respective supporting portions  18  are provided on both widthwise end parts (see  FIG. 2 ) and in intermediate parts (see  FIG. 3 ) on both sides across widthwise centers on the lower ends of the front and rear walls. The respective supporting portions  18  on the both end parts have a larger vertical dimension than the respective supporting portions  18  in the intermediate parts. The upper surfaces of the respective supporting portions  18  of the both end parts are located below those of the respective supporting portions  18  in the intermediate parts. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , recesses  19  are provided at positions adjacent to the respective supporting portions  18  of the both end parts in the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls of the peripheral wall  12 . Further, recessed parts  21  are provided on both sides across the respective supporting portions  18  in the intermediate parts in the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls. The recesses  19  are shaped to extend in the vertical direction in the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls. 
     &lt;Flexible Cables  30 &gt; 
     The flexible cable  30  is a cable illustrated as a PBC (Flexible Flat Cable) or a FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) and has flexibility (deformability) to be easily deformed by receiving an external force. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the flexible cable  30  includes a coupling portion  31  in the form of a rectangular strip extending in the width direction, a plurality of terminal connecting portions  32  projecting upward while being arranged in the width direction on the upper end of the coupling portion  31  and a plurality of board connecting portions  33  projecting downward while being arranged in the width direction on the lower end of the coupling portion  31 . 
     Further, the flexible cable  30  includes conductive paths  34  extending in the vertical direction from the respective terminal connecting portions  32  to the respective board connecting portions  33  and a protecting portion  36  configured to cover both surfaces of the respective conductive paths  34  except one surface of each of the terminal connecting portions  32  and the board connecting portions  33  and form the coupling portion  31  extending in the width direction when viewed in a plate thickness direction shown in  FIG. 9 . Each conductive path  34  is, for example, formed by a copper foil. The protecting portion  36  is formed, for example, by a film or sheet made of synthetic resin. One surface of each of the terminal connecting portions  32  and the board connecting portions  33  is not covered by the protecting portion  36 , whereby each conductive path  34  is exposed. Each conductive path  34  is provided in an individually separated state on the one surface of each of the terminal connecting portions  32  and the board connecting portions  32 . In this way, the terminal connecting portion  32  is arranged on one end side (upper end side) of the conductive path  34  and the board connecting portion  33  is arranged on the other end side (lower end side) of the conductive path  34 . 
     A pair of front and rear flexible cables  30  are provided in the connector. The respective terminal connecting portions  32  of the front and rear flexible cables  30  are inserted into the respective insertion holes  16  in the front and rear rows. 
     &lt;Reinforcement Plates  50 &gt; 
     The reinforcement plate  50  is made of polyimide resin or glass epoxy resin and reinforces a region of the flexible cable  30  on the side of the respective terminal connecting portions  32 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the reinforcement plate  50  is molded into a shape corresponding to an upper part of the coupling portion  31  and the respective terminal connecting portions  32  and provided on the other surface sides (surface sides having the protecting portion  36 ) of the upper part of the coupling portion  31  and the respective terminal connecting portions  32 . For example, the reinforcement plate  50  is bonded to the other surfaces of the upper part of the coupling portion  31  and the respective terminal connecting portions  32  of the flexible cable  30  via an adhesive. The reinforcement plate  50  and the flexible cable  30  are integrated with separation restricted, whereby the cable unit  40  is configured. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the reinforcement plate  50  is provided on an upper end side of the outer surface (opposite to a surface facing the other flexible cable  30  in the connector) of each flexible cable  30  with the pair of flexible cables  30  arranged on front and rear sides in the connector. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a part of the reinforcement plate  50  corresponding to the upper part of the coupling portion  31  is configured as a base portion  51  extending in the width direction. The base portion  51  includes protruding portions  52  on both widthwise end parts. The protruding portions  52  are shaped to protrude on both widthwise sides of the coupling portion  31 . The base portion  51  has upper and lower edges along the width direction. 
     The base portion  51  includes a plurality of lock receiving portions  53  on upper and lower edges. As shown in  FIG. 7 , a pair of the lock receiving portions  53  are provided on both sides across a widthwise center on the upper edge of the base portion  51 , and a pair of the lock receiving portions  53  are provided on each of both sides across a widthwise center on the lower edge of the base portion  51 . The respective lock receiving portions  53  on the upper edge and the respective lock receiving portions  53  on the lower edge are arranged at different positions in the width direction. The respective lock receiving portions  53  are rectangularly cut into recesses on the upper and lower edges of the base portion  51 . 
     The coupling portion  31  of the flexible cable  30  likewise includes lock receiving portions  53  in parts corresponding to the respective lock receiving portions  53  of the base portion  51 . The respective lock receiving portions  53  of the coupling portion  31  are provided by rectangularly cutting the upper edge of the coupling portion  31  between the terminal connecting portions  32  adjacent in the width direction, and are in the form of rectangular openings penetrating in a vertically intermediate part of the coupling portion  31 . The respective lock receiving portions  53  of the coupling portion  31  penetrate through the protecting portion  36  at positions separated from the respective conductive paths  34 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the base portion  51  includes a plurality of support receiving portions  54  on the lower edge. The respective support receiving portions  54  are provided at intervals on both widthwise end parts (protruding portions  52 ) of the lower edge of the base portion  51  and in intermediate parts on both sides across a widthwise center. The respective support receiving portions  54  of the protruding portions  52  are L-shaped by being rectangularly cut on corner parts of the lower edge of the base portion  51 , and open downward and laterally. The respective support receiving portions  54  in the intermediate parts are in the form of recesses rectangularly cut on the lower edge of the base portion  51 , and open downward. The respective support receiving portions  54  in the intermediate parts are provided between the lock receiving portions  53  paired in the width direction. 
     The coupling portion  31  of the flexible cable  30  likewise includes the support receiving portions  54  in parts corresponding to the respective support receiving portions  54  in the intermediate parts. The respective support receiving portions  54  of the coupling portion  31  are in the form of rectangular openings penetrating in the vertically intermediate part of the coupling portion  31 . The respective support receiving portions  54  of the coupling portion  31  penetrate through the protecting portion  36  at positions separated from the respective conductive paths  34 . 
     &lt;Holding Member  70 &gt; 
     The holding member  70  is made of synthetic resin and long in the width direction and has a trapezoidal cross-section. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the holding member  70  includes an opening  71  open downward inside. 
     The lower end surface of the holding member  70  is arranged in parallel to a surface of the circuit board  60 . The upper surface of the holding member  70  is flat and arranged in parallel to the lower surface of the separation wall  13  of the connector housing  10 . The front and rear surfaces of the holding member  70 , except both end parts in the width direction, are configured as mounting surfaces  72 , on which the coupling portions  31  of the cable units  40  are mounted while facing as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Upper parts of the mounting surfaces  72  of the holding member  70  are arranged along the vertical direction. Lower parts of the mounting surfaces  72  of the holding member  70  serve as angle restricting portions  73  which are in the form of curved surfaces connected to the upper parts and curved to be more separated toward a lower side. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the angle restricting portion  73  supports the upper parts of the respective board connecting portions  33  and the lower part of the coupling portion  31  of the cable unit  40  in a curved state. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the holding member  70  includes a plurality of lock portions  74  on the mounting surface  72 . A pair of the lock portions  74  are provided on both sides across a widthwise center of the upper end of the mounting surface  72 , and a pair of the lock portions  74  are provided on each of both sides across a widthwise center of a vertically intermediate part of the mounting surface  72 . The respective lock portions  74  on an upper side and those on a lower side are arranged at positions different in the width direction. 
     Each lock portion  74  is in the form of a claw projecting on the mounting surface  72  of the holding member  70 . Groove portions  75  due to mold removal are open in ranges of downward projection of the respective lock portions  74  in the mounting surface  72  of the holding member  70 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the respective lock portions  74  are inserted into the respective lock receiving portions  53  to lock the cable unit  40  by vertically sandwiching the cable unit  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the holding member  70  includes base end portions  76  extending in the front-rear direction on both widthwise end parts and position restricting portions  77  rising upward from front and rear end parts of the respective base end portions  76 . Each position restricting portion  77  is in the column having a rectangular cross-section and an insertion space  78  extending in the vertical direction and open upward is defined between each position restricting portion  77  and the front or rear surface. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the protruding portions  52  of the cable unit  40  are inserted into the insertion spaces  78 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the holding member  70  includes escaping portions  79  recessed from adjacent parts on the mounting surface  72 . The escaping portions  79  are provided on both widthwise end parts and in intermediate parts on both sides across a widthwise center on the mounting surface  72  of the holding member  70 . Parts of the cable unit  40  can be deflected and deformed to enter the escaping portions  79  when interfering with the supporting portions  18  as described later. 
     &lt;Manufacturing Method of Connector and Connector Mounting Body&gt; 
     The cable units  40  are mounted on the holding member  70  before being mounted into the connector housing  10 . In mounting the cable unit  40 , the respective protruding portions  52  are inserted into the respective insertion spaces  78  of the holding member  70  from above. In the process of inserting the cable unit  40 , the coupling portion  31  is slid along the mounting surface  72  of the holding member  70 . The coupling portion  31  interferes with the respective lock portions  74  of the holding member  70  to be deflected and deformed. When the cable unit  40  is properly inserted, the coupling portion  31  resiliently returns and the respective lock portions  74  of the holding member  70  are fit into the respective lock receiving portions  53  of the cable unit  40  (see  FIG. 6 ). The detachment of the cable unit  40  from the mounting surface  72  of the holding member  70  in a separating direction is prevented by the contact of the respective protruding portions  52  with the respective position restricting portions  77  of the holding member  70 . 
     As described above, the position of the reinforcement plate  50  in the front-rear direction is specified by the respective position restricting portions  77  and the position of the reinforcement plate  50  in the vertical direction is specified by the respective lock portions  74 , whereby the reinforcement plate  50  is held positioned on the holding member  70 . If the position of the reinforcement plate  50  is restricted with respect to the holding member  70  via the respective position restricting portions  77  and the like, the positions of the respective terminal connecting portions  32  are also restricted. The pair of front and rear cable units  40  are mounted on the holding member  70  to correspond to the respective front and rear mounting surfaces  72 . 
     With the cable unit  40  mounted on the holding member  70 , the coupling portion  31 , the respective terminal connecting portions  32  and the reinforcement plate  50  are arranged along the vertical direction. The respective terminal connecting portions  32  are aligned at certain intervals in the width direction together with the corresponding parts of the reinforcement plate  50 , and arranged to rise upward. The respective board connecting portions  33  are curved and deformed along the angle restricting portion  73  of the holding member  70  together with the lower part (part not reinforced by the reinforcement plate  50 ) of the coupling portion  31 , and inclined and arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the front-rear direction. 
     The holding member  70  having the cable units  40  mounted thereon is inserted into the accommodation space  15  of the connector housing  10  from below. In the process of insertion into the accommodation space  15 , the cable units  40  interfere with the respective supporting portions  18  of the connector housing  10  and parts of the cable units  40  are deflected and deformed to enter the escaping portions  79 . When the holding member  70  is properly inserted, the parts of the cable units  40  resiliently return and the respective supporting portions  18  of the connector housing  10  are fit into the respective support receiving portions  54  of the cable units  40 . The upper surfaces of the respective supporting portions  18  are in such a state as to contact the back end surfaces of the respective support receiving portions  54 . In this way, the respective supporting portions  18  can support the reinforcement plate  50  of the cable unit  40  from a side (lower side) opposite to the tip sides of the respective terminal connecting portions  32  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     When the holding member  70  is inserted into the accommodation space  15 , the respective position restricting portions  77  are matched and inserted into the respective recesses  19  of the connector housing  10 . Further, the tips of the respective support receiving portions  54  are arranged to enter the respective recessed parts  21  of the connector housing  10 . Then, the cable units  40  are fixed by being press-fit and sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the accommodation space  15  of the connector housing  10  and the mounting surfaces  72  of the holding member  70 . 
     The upper surface of the holding member  70  is arranged to face the separation wall  13 . The respective terminal connecting portions  32  are passed through the respective insertion holes  16  of the separation wall  13  together with the corresponding parts of the reinforcement plates  50  and arranged to project into the fitting space  14  of the receptacle  11 . Here, the respective terminal connecting portions  32  have the positions restricted by the respective position restricting portions  77  and are kept in an upright posture along the vertical direction. Thus, the respective terminal connecting portions  32  are smoothly inserted through the respective insertion holes  16 . 
     Subsequently, the connector housing  10  having the cable units  40  and the holding member  70  mounted therein (hereinafter, referred to as the connector) is placed on the surface of the circuit board  60 . Here, the respective board connecting portions  33  are not reinforced by the reinforcement plates  50  and have an original easily deformable property of the flexible cables  30 . Further, the conductive paths  34  on the one surface sides of the respective board connecting portions  33  are curved downward by the angle restricting portions  73  and an installation angle with respect to the circuit board  60  is adjusted in advance. Thus, the respective board connecting portions  33  are flexibly deflected and deformed along the surface of the circuit board  60  as a load (self-weight) of the connector is applied in the process of installation, and the conductive paths  34  on the one surface sides can smoothly contact the surface of the circuit board  60  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     Subsequently, the connector is carried into an unillustrated reflow furnace. In a reflow process, paste solder applied onto the surface of the circuit board  60  is melted and the melted solder is attached to the respective board connecting portions  33 . Thereafter, the solder is cooled and solidified. In this way, the board connecting portions  33  are electrically connected to conductive paths on the surface of the circuit board  60 . Even if the circuit board  60  and the connector housing  10  are deformed by heat during reflow soldering, the respective board connecting portions  33  can maintain a connected state to the circuit board  60  by the flexibility thereof without lifting up from the surface of the circuit board  60 . Further, the second plate portions  92  of the respective fixing members  90  are also fixed to the circuit board  60  by reflow soldering. In the above way, the connector is mounted on the surface of the circuit board  60  to obtain a connector mounting body. 
     Subsequently, the connector is connected to the mating connector housing  10 . The mating connector housing  100  is inserted into the fitting space  14  of the receptacle  11  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The respective terminal connecting portions  32  enter the box portions  131  of the respective mating terminals  130 . Then, the conductive paths  34  on the one surface sides of the respective terminal connecting portions  32  resiliently contact the resilient contact pieces  132  of the respective mating terminals  130 . In this way, the respective terminal connecting portions  32  are electrically connected to the respective mating terminals  130 . Here, the respective terminal connecting portions  32  are reinforced by the reinforcement plates  50  provided on the other surface sides. As a result, the respective terminal connecting portions  32  can ensure strength against loads from the respective mating terminals  130  and are prevented from being deformed at the time of connection to the respective mating terminals  130 . Further, the respective position restricting portions  77  and the respective lock portions  74  restrict the positions of the reinforcement plates  50  with respect to the holding member  70 , whereby the respective terminal connecting portions  32  can smoothly enter the box portions  131  of the corresponding mating terminals  130 . Therefore, good connection of the terminal connecting portions  32  and the mating terminals  130  can be realized. 
     When the both connector housings  10 ,  100  are connected, the flexible cables  30  receive a downward force (connecting force) from the side of the mating connector housing  100 . Here, the respective supporting portions  18  of the connector housing  10  contact the back end surfaces of the respective support receiving portions  54 , thereby being able to support the reinforcement plates from below against the above force. Therefore, position shifts of the reinforcement plates  50  with respect to the connector housing  10  are prevented. 
     As described above, according to this embodiment, even if heat is applied in the reflow process, the respective board connecting portions  33  can maintain a state connected to the circuit board  60  by being flexibly deformed. Thus, a state where the respective board connecting portions  33  are located on the surface (plane) of the circuit board  60  can be easily realized. As a result, the connection reliability of the flexible cables  30  and the circuit board  60  can be ensured. On the other hand, since being reinforced by the reinforcement plates  50 , the terminal connecting portions  32  have strength not to be deformed at the time of connection to the mating terminals  130 . 
     Further, in the case of this embodiment, the flexible cable  30  and the reinforcement plate  50  are integrated to configure the cable unit  40 , and the cable units  40  are assembled with the connector housing  10  while being held on the holding member  70 . Since the flexible cables  30  are held on the holding member  70 , the postures of the terminal connecting portions  32  and the board connecting portions  33  can be corrected in advance by the holding member  70  before the flexible cables  30  are assembled with the connector housing  10 . As a result, an assembling operation with the connector housing  10  can be smoothly and quickly performed. 
     Further, the respective board connecting portions  33  can be connected to the circuit board  60  while being held in a proper posture (angle) by the angle restricting portions  73 . Furthermore, since the flexible cables  30  are held by being sandwiched between the connector housing  10  and the holding member  70 , a holding state of the cable units  40  and the holding member  70  can be stably maintained by a simple configuration. 
     OTHER EMBODIMENTS OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered illustrative in all aspects, rather than restrictive. 
     Although the reinforcement plate  50  is provided from the respective terminal connecting portions  32  to the upper part of the coupling portion  31  in the case of the above embodiment, the reinforcement plate  50  may be provided only on the respective terminal connecting portions  32  or may be provided from the respective terminal connecting portions  32  to the entire coupling portion  31  as another embodiment. The reinforcement plate  50  may be provided to correspond to a region of the flexible cable  30  on the side of the terminal connecting portions  32 . 
     Although the pair of flexible cables  30  are assembled with the connector housing  10  in the case of the above embodiment, only one or three or more flexible cables may be assembled with the connector housing  10  as another embodiment. 
     Although the flexible cables  30  are assembled with the connector housing  10  while being held on the holding member  70  in the case of the above embodiment, the flexible cables  30  may be directly assembled with the connector housing  10  without via the holding member  70  as another embodiment. 
     Although the reinforcement plate  50  and the flexible cable  30  are integrated to configure the cable unit  40  in the case of the above embodiment, the reinforcement plate  50  and the flexible cable  30  may be separably provided as another embodiment. 
     Although the respective board connecting portions  33  of the flexible cable  30  are connected to the circuit board  60  by reflow soldering in the case of the above embodiment, the respective board connecting portions  33  of the flexible cable  30  may be connected to the circuit board  60  by manual soldering as another embodiment. Here, the deformation of the connector housing  10  and the circuit board  60  is not limited to the case of the reflow process. For example, if the connector mounting body is installed under high heat near a heat source and the connector housing  10  and the circuit board  60  are possibly warped and deformed, the configuration of the present disclosure can be applied. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10  . . . connector housing 
               11  . . . receptacle 
               12  . . . peripheral wall 
               13  . . . separation wall 
               14  . . . fitting space 
               15  . . . accommodation space 
               16  . . . insertion hole 
               17  . . . mounting portion 
               18  . . . supporting portion 
               19  . . . recess 
               21  . . . recessed part 
               30  . . . flexible cable 
               31  . . . coupling portion 
               32  . . . terminal connecting portion 
               33  . . . board connecting portion 
               34  . . . conductive path 
               36  . . . protecting portion 
               40  . . . cable unit 
               50  . . . reinforcement plate 
               51  . . . base portion 
               52  . . . protruding portion 
               53  . . . lock receiving portion 
               54  . . . support receiving portion 
               60  . . . circuit board 
               70  . . . holding member 
               71  . . . opening 
               72  . . . mounting surface 
               73  . . . angle restricting portion 
               74  . . . lock portion 
               75  . . . groove 
               76  . . . base end portion 
               77  . . . position restricting portion 
               78  . . . insertion space 
               79  . . . escaping portion 
               90  . . . fixing member 
               91  . . . first plate portion 
               92  . . . second plate portion 
               100  . . . mating connector housing 
               130  . . . mating terminal 
               131  . . . box portion 
               132  . . . resilient contact piece 
               190  . . . wire