Patent Publication Number: US-7712215-B2

Title: Method for assembling flexible bus connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a method for assembling an electrical connector, and particularly to a method for assembling a flexible bus connector and preventing from damaging. 
   2. Related Art 
   A flexible bus connector is typically used to connect a flexible bus for communicating the flexible bus with a circuit board. A flexible bus connector of prior art comprises an insulative housing, and terminals inserted along slots into the insulative housing. The maximum height of the terminals is not larger than interior height of the insulative housing. So no deformation or distortion occurs during insertion of the terminals. 
   However, electronic products are prone to miniature profile. Correspondingly decreasing overall height inside the electronic products is desired. But it is necessary to guarantee strength of the terminals. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,816 discloses a flexible bus connector, which reduces overall height of the connector and maintains strengths of the terminals by means of extending rotation support portions of the terminals beyond an insulative housing. In assembly, the terminals are inclined slightly rearward and downward. Flexible lower arms of the terminals bend inwardly. The rotation support portions of the terminals are mounted from a rear of the insulative housing into the insulative housing, and move forwardly. As the terminals are pushed to a predetermined position, the rotation support portions of the terminals return, by resiliency, to an original state, and are fixed. 
   As for the method described above, due to flexibility of the terminals, the rotation support portions, which are of height larger than inside height of the insulative housing, are assembled to the insulation housing and slide to be positioned, and then return by resiliency. But the terminals suffer from large distortion. As a result, the rotation support portions tend to be deformed or damaged during sliding for assembly. Especially, the rotation support portions normally support rotation of pressure elements. The distortion may make the pressure elements work abnormally. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a flexible bus connector, which prevents terminals from distortion and damage during assembly. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a flexible bus connector, which increases efficiency of connector assembly. 
   To achieve the above objects, the method for assembling a flexible bus connector according to the present invention comprises the following steps. The first is a preparing step. An insulative housing and a plurality of terminals are provided. The insulative housing defines an opening and a plurality of passageways, and forms an upper side wall, a lower side wall, and a rear wall corresponding to the opening. The second is an assembling step. Each terminal is inserted from the opening, along the upper side wall and the lower side wall, into the passageways of the insulative housing. Each terminal includes at least a contact portion, a support portion and a soldering portion. The contact portion and the support portion are located near the opening when assembled, and the soldering portion extend toward the rear wall of the insulative housing. The third is a positioning step. The soldering portion of each terminal is bent downwardly by mechanically machining. A lower end of the soldering portion is located on a position where the lower end is lower than an inner surface of the lower side wall of the insulative housing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled view of a flexible bus connector according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the flexible bus connector of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 3A-3D  exemplarily illustrate a method for assembling the flexible bus connector. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the flexible bus connector of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a flexible bus connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a substantially rectangular insulative housing  10 , a plurality of terminals  20 , an upper cover  30  and a pair of pads  40 . 
   The insulative housing  10  defines an opening  11  in a front thereof. The insulative housing  10  forms an upper side wall  13 , a lower side wall  14 , and a rear wall  12  at a rear thereof and corresponding to the opening  11 . A plurality of passageways  15  are defined in the insulative housing  10  and are arrayed lengthwise. A stop portion  16  is formed on the rear wall  12  and between the upper side wall  13  and the lower side wall  14 . 
   The terminals  20  are respectively assembled on the passageways  15  of the insulative housing  10 . Each terminal  20  substantially has a lateral H shape, and includes a contact portion  21  and a support portion  22  at one side thereof and opposing to each other, and a soldering portion  23  and a positioning portion  24  at another side thereof and opposing to each other. The support portion  22  extends beyond other parts of the terminal  20 . The overall height of other parts of the terminal  20  corresponds to a length between the upper side wall  13  and the lower side wall  14 . 
   The upper cover  30  forms a rotation shaft  31  for fitting to the support portions  22  of the terminals  20 . The upper cover  30  is capable of rotating freely about the opening  11  within a scope by interaction of the rotation shaft  31  and the support portion  22 . In the case that the upper cover  30  is located on an open position, an end of a flexible bus  50  is inserted through the opening  11  and into the insulative housing  10 . In the case that the upper cover  30  rotates downward to a close position, the upper cover  30  presses against the flexible bus  50 . In such a way, the flexible bus  50  electrically contacts the contact portion  21  of each terminal  20 , and disengagement therebetween is prevented. 
   In order to decrease the overall height, height of the support portion  22  of each terminal  20  is larger than inside height of the insulative housing  10 . At the same time, the support portion  22  of each terminal  20  is slightly higher than the upper side wall  13 . According to prior art, the terminal  20  has a certain of flexibility itself, so the support portion  22  tends to be distorted during the terminal  20  is assembled to the insulative housing  10 . Moreover, in the case that an inner surface of the upper side wall  13  is not flat sufficiently, the support portion  22  is prone to be shocked and be distorted, obstructing the upper cover  30  in rotating. 
   The present invention provides a method for assembling the connector, which prevents higher parts of the terminals  20  from distortion because of pressure. The method for assembling a flexible bus connector comprises the following steps. The first is a preparing step. Referring to  FIG. 3A , an insulative housing  10  and a plurality of terminals  20  are provided. Except for the support portion  22  of each terminal  20 , the height of each terminal  20  is substantially as the same as the length between the upper side wall  13  and the lower side wall  14 . Referring to  FIGS. 3B and 3C , the soldering portion  23  of each terminal  20  is brought to be inserted from the opening  11  of the insulative housing  10 , along the upper side wall  13  and the lower side wall  14 , and into the passageway  15 , and extends toward the rear wall  12  of the insulative housing  10  to be positioned. The positioning portion  24  is fixed between the upper side wall  13  and the stop portion  16 , reliably retaining each terminal  20 . The soldering portion  23  substantially extends rearward beyond the lower side wall  14 . The support portion  22  is positioned in the opening  11 , and is located at generally the same height as the upper side wall  13 . The third is a positioning step, as shown in  FIG. 3D . The soldering portion  23  is bendable in such a way that a lower end  231  of the soldering portion  23  does not contact the lower side wall  14  of the insulative housing  10 . In one embodiment, the soldering portion  23  is substantially bent downwardly by mechanically machining. A lower end  231  of the soldering portion  23  remains a position where the lower end  231  is lower than an inner surface of the lower side wall  14 . Generally, the lower end  231  of the soldering portion remains a position where the lower end  231  and an outward surface of the lower side wall  14  are at a common plane for soldering to a circuit board. 
   The upper cover  30  is assembled on the opening  11  of the insulative housing. The rotation shaft  31  of the upper cover  30  and the support portion  22  of each terminal  20  support each other, making the upper cover  30  able to rotate within a scope. Notably, the step of assembling the upper cover  30  may follow or be followed by the positioning step. 
   During assembly, the support portion  22  of each terminal  20  is guarded against distortion since the support portion  22  does not pass through interior of the insulative housing  10 . Each terminal  20  interferentially fits to the upper side wall  13  and the lower side wall  14 . Besides this, the positioning portion  24  of each terminal  20  is interferentially retained on the stop portion  16 , enhancing retention of the terminal  20  and increasing efficiency of the assembly. 
   It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.