Patent Publication Number: US-2023146656-A1

Title: Connector and flat cable

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Number 63/276846 filed on Nov. 8, 2021. The entire contents of the above-identified application are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The disclosure relates to a connector and a flat cable to be electrically connected to the connector. 
     A flat cable is employed in a signal wiring line for displaying on a liquid crystal panel. Various troubles occur when connecting a flat cable to a connector. For example, since the tip of a flat cable is typically in a state with the connection terminal uncovered, when the tip of the flat cable is inserted into a connector, the connection terminal is damaged to cause display abnormality in some cases. In addition, the flat cable may be fixed while being inserted askew into the connector, so that the display abnormality may be caused. In order to prevent the problems mentioned above, the connection of the flat cable to the connector needs to be carefully carried out, and thus it takes time to connect the flat cable to the connector, which makes it difficult for the connection work to be carried out efficiently. 
     Then, JP 2005-063948 A and JP 07-153531 A each disclose a technique in which a flat cable is disposed in a connector from above, and then the flat cable is pulled frontward to connect and fix a connection terminal of the flat cable and a contactor of the connector to each other. According to these techniques, the flat cable is connected to the connector from a side opposite to the connection terminal, so that even when the connection terminal is uncovered at the tip thereof, breakage of the connection terminal at the tip is unlikely to occur because the insertion into the connector is not carried out from the connection terminal tip side. 
     SUMMARY 
     However, in the techniques disclosed in JP 2005-063948 A and JP 07-153531 A, the flat cable is pulled frontward to be electrically connected to the contactor of the connector. Thus, depending on a scheme of pulling the flat cable, there is a risk that the flat cable is fixed to the connector in a state in which the flat cable is set askew with respect to the connector. That is, in the techniques disclosed in  JP 2005-063948 A and JP 07-153531 A, the flat cable may be fixed askew with respect to the connector, thereby raising a risk of display abnormality. 
     The disclosure has been contrived in view of the above-described problems, and intends to provide a connector and a flat cable that may prevent breakage of a connection terminal and also prevent a situation in which the flat cable is inserted askew into and fixed to the connector at the time of mounting the flat cable into the connector. 
     (1) An embodiment of the disclosure is a connector configured to electrically connect a flat cable, the connector including a housing including an opening space configured to receive the flat cable and a plurality of contactors configured to be electrically connected to connection terminals of a terminal section formed at one surface side of a first portion of the flat cable, respectively. The housing includes an upper section, a bottom section opposing the upper section, and a first side section coupling the upper section and the bottom section on one end side in a first direction. The opening space is a space surrounded by the upper section, the bottom section, and the first side section. The plurality of contactors are formed on a first inner face of the bottom section facing the opening space. The housing further includes an insertion opening on the other end side in the first direction, the insertion opening allowing a second portion of the flat cable excluding the first portion to be inserted from a side portion of the second portion into the opening space. The flat cable is allowed to move from a first position at which the second portion is located in the opening space to a second position at which the first portion is located in the opening space. At a second inner face of the upper section facing the opening space, the connector includes a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion to be fitted with a first protruding portion or a first recessed portion provided at the other surface side of the first portion of the flat cable, in a state in which the flat cable is located at the second position and the connection terminals of the terminal section are electrically connected with the plurality of contactors, respectively. 
     (2) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (1) described above, the first protruding portion or the first recessed portion is provided extending in a width direction of the flat cable, and the second protruding portion or the second recessed portion is provided extending in the first direction. 
      (3) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (1) or (2) described above, the housing further includes a second side section on the other end side in the first direction, the second side section extends along a normal direction of the first inner face from the bottom section to the insertion opening, and the opening space is a space surrounded by the upper section, the bottom section, the first side section, and the second side section. 
     (4) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to any one of the configurations of (1) to (3) described above, the second recessed portion is a through-hole passing through the upper section in a normal direction of the second inner face. 
     (5) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to any one of the configurations of (1) to (4) described above, in the housing, a side surface on the other end side in the first direction is inclined toward the one end side in the first direction as closer to the insertion opening. 
     (6) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (5) described above, the side surface on the other end side in the first direction in the housing includes a side surface on the other end side in the first direction in the upper section. 
     (7) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to any one of the configurations of (1) to (6) described above, a side surface on one side in a second direction in the upper section is inclined toward a side surface on the other side in the second direction in the upper section as closer to the bottom section, and the second direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel to the second inner face. 
     (8) A connector of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (7) described above, in a case that the flat cable is located at the first position, the first portion of the flat cable is located on the one side in the second direction relative to the housing. 
     (9) A certain embodiment of the disclosure is a flat cable configured to be electrically connected to a connector, the flat cable including a first portion including an end in a longitudinal direction of the flat cable, and a terminal section constituted of a plurality of connection terminals formed at one surface side of the first portion. At the other surface side of the first portion, the flat cable includes a first protruding portion or a first recessed portion to be fitted, in a state in which the connection terminals of the terminal section are electrically connected with a plurality of contactors of the connector, respectively, with a second recessed portion or a second protruding portion provided at a second inner face of the connector, the second inner face opposing a first inner face where the contactors within the connector are formed. 
     (10) A flat cable of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (9) described above, the first protruding portion or the first recessed portion is provided extending in a width direction of the flat cable, and the second protruding portion or the second recessed portion is provided extending in a first direction corresponding to the width direction of the flat cable in the above-mentioned state. 
     (11) A flat cable of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (9) or (10) described above, the first protruding portion is formed on a reinforcement spacer provided at the other surface side of the first portion and configured to reinforce the flat cable. 
      (12) A flat cable of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (9) or (10) described above, the first recessed portion is formed in a reinforcement spacer provided at the other surface side of the first portion and configured to reinforce the flat cable. 
     (13) A flat cable of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (11) described above, a surface of the reinforcement spacer is inclined in such a manner that a thickness of the reinforcement spacer is thinner farther from the end. 
     (14) A flat cable of a certain embodiment of the disclosure is such that, in addition to the configuration of (12) described above, a surface of the reinforcement spacer is inclined in such a manner that a thickness of the reinforcement spacer is thinner farther from the end. 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, a flat cable is not inserted from the tip thereof into a connector, and making it possible to prevent a situation in which the flat cable is inserted askew into and fixed to the connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
        The disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  are diagrams illustrating a schematic configuration of a flat cable to be fixed to a connector. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of a connector. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram describing a method for connecting a flat cable. 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram illustrating a connection structure of a flat cable. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a side view of a connector. 
         FIG.  8    is a side view of a flat cable. 
         FIG.  9    is a diagram describing a method for connecting a flat cable. 
         FIG.  10    is a diagram illustrating a connection structure of a flat cable. 
         FIG.  11    is a side view of a connector and a flat cable according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  12    is a diagram illustrating a connection structure of a flat cable. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     An embodiment of the disclosure will be described below. In the present embodiment, as a flat cable electrically connected to a connector, a flat cable used as a signal wiring line for displaying on a liquid crystal panel is exemplified and described, but the flat cable is not limited thereto. 
     Overview of Connector 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic perspective view of a connector  101  according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the connector  101  includes a housing  11 , an opening space  12 , a contact portion  13 , and an insertion portion (insertion opening)  14 . 
     The housing  11  is a housing made of resin. The housing  11  includes an upper section including an upper face  11   a , an inner face  12   b  (second inner face), and a first side face  11   d ; a sidewall  12   e  (first side section) including a side surface  11   b ; a bottom section including a bottom face  11   c  and an inner face  12   a  (first inner face); and a sidewall  12   d  (second side section) including a second side face  11   e . The upper section and the bottom section oppose each other, more specifically the inner face  12   b  of the upper section facing the opening space  12  opposes the inner face  12   a  of the bottom section facing the opening space  12 . The sidewall  12   e  couples the upper section and the bottom section at one end side (the left end side in  FIG.  1   ) in a first direction (the right-left direction in  FIG.  1   , and a longitudinal direction of the housing  11  in the present embodiment). The sidewall  12   d  extends along the normal direction of the inner face  12   a  from the bottom section to the insertion portion  14  at the other end side (the right end side in  FIG.  1   ) in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11 . The opening space  12  is an interior space surrounded by the upper section, the sidewall  12   e , and the bottom section of the housing  11 , and is an interior space surrounded by the upper section, the sidewall  12   e , the bottom section, and the sidewall  12   d  of the housing  11  in the present embodiment provided with the sidewall  12   d . The opening space  12  is an opening hole passing through from a front face to a back face of the housing  11 , and a width in a longitudinal direction is formed to be equal to or slightly wider than a width of a flat cable  201  ( FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B ). The insertion portion  14  for inserting the flat cable  201  from a side surface  21   c  of a cable main body  21  (a portion where none of a terminal section  22  and a fitting portion  23  are formed) of the flat cable  201  is provided at the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11 . The flat cable  201  includes a first portion in which an end in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable  201  is included and the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  are formed, and a second portion other than the first portion. That is, the insertion portion  14  allows the second portion of the flat cable  201  to be inserted from the side surface  21   c  (side section) of the second portion into the opening space  12 . 
     The insertion portion  14  is formed between two side faces (the first side face  11   d  and the second side face  11   e ) at the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11  (between the upper section and the sidewall  12   d ). The first side face  11   d  and the second side face  11   e  are disposed on upper and lower sides respectively, and a gap may be or may not be provided between the first side face  11   d  and the second side face  11   e  having such a size that allows the second portion of the flat cable  201  to be inserted (for example, a gap of a size substantially equal to the thickness of the second portion of the flat cable  201 ). When a gap is not provided between the first side face  11   d  and the second side face  11   e , a portion between the first side face  11   d  and the second side face  11   e  is opened with a force of inserting the flat cable  201  into the insertion portion  14  by making use of elasticity of the housing  11 . It is preferable for the first side face  11   d  and second side face  11   e  to be formed inclining toward the interior of the opening space  12 , in other words, formed inclining toward the one end side in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11  as closer to the insertion portion  14 . This makes it easy to insert the flat cable  201  into the insertion portion  14 . 
     The contact portion  13  constituted of a plurality of contactors  13   a  is formed on the inner face  12   a  of the housing  11 . An opening  12   c  (second recessed portion) passing through the upper section of the housing  11  from the inner face  12   b  to the upper face  11   a  is formed in the inner face  12   b , which is a face opposing the inner face  12   a . The opening  12   c  is provided extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11 . The size of the opening  12   c  is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient for the opening  12   c  to have such a size that allows a protruding portion  23   a  (first protruding portion) ( FIG.  2 A  and  FIG.  2 B ), which constitutes the fitting portion  23  formed in the first portion of the flat cable  201 , to be appropriately fitted. Details of the fitting of the protruding portion  23   a  into the opening  12   c  will be described later. In this case, a situation in which the fitting can be appropriately carried out refers to a state in which the protruding portion  23   a  of the flat cable  201  is completely fitted into the opening  12   c  of the housing  11  while the contact portion  13  and the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  are electrically connected to each other appropriately. 
      The sidewall  12   d  perpendicular to the inner face  12   a  is formed on the insertion portion  14  side of the opening space  12 . By providing the sidewall  12   d , it makes it possible to prevent the flat cable  201  set in the opening space  12  from being easily detached from the insertion portion  14 . Since the sidewall  12   d  and the sidewall  12   e  opposing thereto in the opening space  12  are perpendicular to the inner face  12   a , the inserted flat cable  201  may be corrected to be perpendicular to the connector  101 . 
     Overview of Flat Cable 
       FIG.  2 A  indicates a schematic perspective view of the flat cable  201  to be electrically connected to the connector  101  illustrated in  FIG.  1   , and  FIG.  2 B  indicates a side view of the flat cable  201  when viewed from a short-hand direction. 
     In the flat cable  201 , the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  are formed in the first portion including the end in the longitudinal direction of the cable main body  21 . When, of both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the cable main body  21 , the end portion side where the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  are formed is defined as an upstream side, and the opposite end portion side is defined as a downstream side, the side surface  21   c  of the cable main body  21  (in other words, the side surface  21   c  in the second portion of the flat cable  201 ) to be inserted into the insertion portion  14  formed in the housing  11  of the connector  101  is located on the downstream side when viewed from the side where the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  of the cable main body  21  are formed. Depending on the shape and size of the insertion portion  14  of the housing  11 , part of or all of the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  formed in the cable main body  21  may be inserted from the width direction of the cable main body  21  through the insertion portion  14 . In this case, the insertion portion  14  of the housing  11  needs to have such a shape and a size that allow part of or all of the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  formed in the cable main body  21  to be inserted. 
     The terminal section  22  is constituted of a plurality of connection terminals (not illustrated), and is formed on a first surface  21   a  in the first portion of the flat cable  201 . Each connection terminal of the terminal section  22  is electrically connected to each of the contactors  13   a  of the contact portion  13  in the connector  101  in a state in which the flat cable  201  is mounted in the connector  101 . 
     The fitting portion  23  is formed on a second surface  21   b  (a surface on the opposite side to the first surface  21   a ) in the first portion of the flat cable  201 , and is constituted of a reinforcement spacer  23   b  configured to reinforce the cable main body  21  and the protruding portion  23   a  formed on the reinforcement spacer  23   b . 
     The reinforcement spacer  23   b  is formed of a resin sheet having a predetermined thickness and having a flat plate shape fully extended in the width direction of the cable main body  21 . The reinforcement spacer  23   b  may have or may not have elasticity. 
     The protruding portion  23   a  is a resin molding member having a semicircular columnar shape extended in the width direction of the cable main body  21  on the reinforcement spacer  23   b . The protruding portion  23   a  is formed in a size that fits into the opening  12   c  of the connector  101 . The protruding portion  23   a  is formed at a position opposing the terminal section  22  formed on the first surface  21   a , which is an opposite surface of the cable main body  21 . The protruding portion  23   a  may be a different member from the reinforcement spacer  23   b  as described above, or may be integrally formed therewith. 
     Details of Opening  12   c  of Connector  101   
       FIG.  3    illustrates a side view seen from the insertion portion  14  side of the connector  101  illustrated in  FIG.  1   . As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the opening  12   c  of the connector  101  is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape in cross section being wide at the inner face  12   b  side of the upper section and becoming narrower toward the upper face  11   a  side of the upper section in the housing  11 . The opening  12   c  passes through from the inner face  12   b  of the upper section to the upper face  11   a  in the housing  11 , and therefore the protruding portion  23   a  of the flat cable  201  fitted into the opening  12   c  may be confirmed from the upper face  11   a  side of the connector  101 . In other words, the attachment of the flat cable  201  to the connector  101  can be confirmed from the opening  12   c . 
     The opening  12   c  is formed to oppose the contact portion  13  formed on the inner face  12   a  of the bottom section in the housing  11 . Thus, in a state in which the flat cable  201  is mounted in the connector  101 , when the protruding portion  23   a  of the flat cable  201  fits into the opening  12   c , the terminal section  22  opposing the protruding portion  23   a  is in contact with the contact portion  13 . 
     A cable receiver  15  for receiving the flat cable  201  inserted from the insertion portion  14  is formed on a back face side of the connector  101 . The back face side of the connector  101  refers to one side in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (the longitudinal direction of the housing  11 ) and parallel to the inner face  12   b , and is the right side in  FIG.  3   . The cable receiver  15  is constituted of an inclined surface  11   f  provided on the back face side of the connector  101 , and an opening  11   g . The inclined surface  11   f  is a side surface on the side receiving the fitting portion  23  of the flat cable  201  from the short-hand direction of the opening space  12  of the housing  11 , and is inclined toward the opening space  12  side. That is, the side surface on the one side (the right side in  FIG.  3   ) in the second direction of the upper section in the housing  11  is inclined toward a side surface on the other side (the left side in  FIG.  3   ) in the second direction of the upper section as closer to the bottom section. The opening  11   g  is an opening that communicates with the opening space  12 . 
     When the flat cable  201  inserted from the insertion portion  14  of the connector  101  is pulled toward the opposite side to the cable receiver  15  (toward the other side in the second direction), the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  are inserted from the cable receiver  15  into the opening space  12  of the connector  101 . Since the inclined surface  11   f  constituting the cable receiver  15  is inclined toward the opening space  12  side, the fitting portion  23  of the cable main body  21  is easily inserted into the opening space  12  by making use of the inclined surface  11   f . 
     Mounting of Flat Cable  201  into Connector  101   
       FIG.  4    illustrates an explanatory diagram for describing a method for mounting the flat cable  201  into the connector  101 .  FIG.  5    illustrates a diagram viewed from the side surface of the connector  101  when the mounting of the flat cable  201  into the connector  101  is completed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  4   , the second portion of the flat cable  201  is inserted first into the opening space  12  from the side surface  21   c  of the second portion through the insertion portion  14  of the connector  101 . The flat cable  201 , the second portion of which is inserted into the opening space  12 , can move toward the other side in the second direction (the lower side in  FIG.  4   ) until the first portion in which the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  23  are formed is located inside the opening space  12 . In other words, the connector  101  is configured in such a manner that the flat cable  201  can move from a first position at which the second portion of the flat cable  201  is located in the opening space  12  to a second position at which the first portion of the flat cable  201  is located in the opening space  12 . When the flat cable  201  is located at the first position, the first portion of the flat cable  201  is located on the one side in the second direction (the upper side in  FIG.  4   ) relative to the housing  11 . After the insertion of the second portion of the flat cable  201  is completed, the flat cable  201  is pulled toward the opposite side to the side where the fitting portion  23  is formed (toward the other side in the second direction), so as to move the first portion to the opening space  12 , thereby fitting the protruding portion  23   a  of the fitting portion  23  of the flat cable  201  into the opening  12   c  of the connector  101 , as illustrated in  FIG.  5   . With this, the mounting of the flat cable  201  into the connector  101  is completed. 
     In this case, when pulling the flat cable  201 , whether the protruding portion  23   a  of the fitting portion  23  of the flat cable  201  is properly fitted can be easily determined by visually observing the opening  12   c  of the connector  101  from above. In other words, it makes it possible to easily determine whether the flat cable  201  is set at a predetermined position in the connector  101 , that is, whether the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  is set at the position properly connected with the contact portion  13  in the connector  101 . This makes it possible to prevent the terminal section  22  from being inserted askew into the connector  101 . 
      Since the reinforcement spacer  23   b  constituting the fitting portion  23  is a sheet having a flat plate shape with a predetermined thickness, the reinforcement spacer  23   b  has a function of a shaft-like role to maintain the terminal section  22  to be level, and also has a function of pressure-bonding the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  to the contact portion  13  of the connector  101  when the protruding portion  23   a  is fitted into the opening  12   c . 
     Advantageous Effects 
     By using the connector  101  and the flat cable  201  each having the configuration described above, the protruding portion  23   a  provided on the second surface  21   b  as a surface on the opposite side to the first surface  21   a  as a forming surface where the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  is formed, is fitted into the opening  12   c , which is a recessed portion provided in the inner face  12   b  opposing the inner face  12   a  as a forming surface where the plurality of contactors  13   a  of the housing  11  are formed, whereby each of the connection terminals of the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  is made to be electrically connected with the plurality of contactors  13   a  of the housing  11 . At this time, the side surface  21   c  in the second portion of the flat cable  201  on the downstream side relative to the terminal section  22  is inserted through the insertion portion  14  formed at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the opening space  12  of the housing  11 , and thereafter the flat cable  201  is pulled toward the opposite side to the terminal section  22 , whereby the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201  is guided to the opening space  12  of the housing  11 . Then, the protruding portion  23   a  on the flat cable  201  side is fitted into the opening  12   c , which is a recessed portion on the housing  11  side, and thus, the flat cable  201  is fixed at an appropriate position, and the terminal section  22  and the plurality of contactors  13   a  are electrically connected. 
     As discussed above, when the flat cable  201  is mounted in the connector  101 , the flat cable  201  is not connected to the contactors  13   a  of the connector  101  from the tip thereof, thereby making it possible to prevent the breakage of the connection terminals at the tip of the flat cable  201  when mounted in the connector  101 . Moreover, because it makes it possible to visually confirm, from the opening  12   c , that the protruding portion  23   a  provided on the flat cable  201  is fitted into the opening  12   c , which is a recessed portion provided on the connector  101  side, it may be easily confirmed that the flat cable  201  is mounted at an appropriate position with respect to the connector  101 . Accordingly, the flat cable  201  can be prevented from being inserted askew with respect to the connector  101 . As described above, the breakage of the connection terminals at the tip of the flat cable and the case of the flat cable being inserted askew that have been considered to be troublesome issues in the prior art, may be prevented at the same time. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure will be described below. In the present embodiment, members having the same functions as the members in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs, and detailed description thereof is omitted. In the second embodiment, points different from the first embodiment will mainly be described. 
     Overview of Connector 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a schematic perspective view of a connector  101 A according to the present embodiment.  FIG.  7    illustrates a side view seen from the side of an insertion portion  14  of the connector  101 A illustrated in  FIG.  6   . As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the connector  101 A includes a housing  11 A, an opening space  12 , a contact portion  13 , and the insertion portion  14 . 
     The contact portion  13  constituted of a plurality of contactors  13   a  is formed on an inner face  12   a  of the housing  11 A. A protruding portion  12   f  (second protruding portion) protruding toward the inner face  12   a  is formed on an inner face  12   b , which is a face opposing the inner face  12   a . The protruding portion  12   f  is a resin molding member having a semicircular columnar shape extended in the longitudinal direction of the housing  11 A. The size of the protruding portion  12   f  is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient for the protruding portion  12   f  to have such a size that allows the protruding portion  12   f  to be appropriately fitted into a recessed portion  24   a  (first recessed portion) ( FIG.  8   ) constituting a fitting portion  24  formed in a first portion of the flat cable  201 A. Details of the fitting of the recessed portion  24   a  onto the protruding portion  12   f  will be described later. 
     The protruding portion  12   f  is formed to oppose the contact portion  13  formed on the inner face  12   a . Thus, in a state in which the flat cable  201 A is mounted in the connector  101 A, when the recessed portion  24   a  of the flat cable  201 A is fitted onto the protruding portion  12   f , a terminal section  22  opposing the recessed portion  24   a  is in contact with the contact portion  13 . 
     Overview of Flat Cable 
       FIG.  8    illustrates a side view seen from a short-hand direction of the flat cable  201 A. In the flat cable  201 A, the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  24  are formed at one end side (first portion) of a cable main body  21 . The terminal section  22  is constituted of a plurality of connection terminals (not illustrated), and is formed on a first surface  21   a  of the cable main body  21 . Each connection terminal of the terminal section  22  is electrically connected to each of the contactors  13   a  of the contact portion  13  in the connector  101 A in a state in which the flat cable  201 A is mounted in the connector  101 A. 
     The fitting portion  24  is constituted of a reinforcement spacer  24   b  formed on a second surface  21   b  on the opposite side to the first surface  21   a  of the side where the terminal section  22  is formed, and the recessed portion  24   a  recessed on the reinforcement spacer  24   b . In other words, the recessed portion  24   a  is formed in the reinforcement spacer  24   b . The reinforcement spacer  24   b  includes, across the recessed portion  24   a , a first inclined surface  24   c , where the downstream side of the flat cable  201 A inclines downward toward the recessed portion  24   a  side, and a second inclined surface  24   d  arranged on the opposite side to the first inclined surface  24   c  and inclined downward toward the cable main body  21  side. The protruding portion  12   f  of the connector  101 A is easily fitted into the recessed portion  24   a   by the first inclined surface  24   c . When the terminal section  22  of the cable main body  21  is mounted in the connector  101 A, the second inclined surface  24   d  facilitates the insertion into the inclined surface  11   f  of the cable receiver  15  of the housing  11 A. 
     Mounting of Flat Cable  201 A into Connector  101 A 
       FIG.  9    illustrates an explanatory diagram for describing a method for mounting the flat cable  201 A into the connector  101 A.  FIG.  10    illustrates a diagram viewed from the side surface of the connector  101 A when the mounting of the flat cable  201 A into the connector  101 A is completed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  9   , a second portion of the flat cable  201 A is inserted first into the opening space  12  through the insertion portion  14  of the connector  101 A from a side surface  21   c  of the second portion. After the insertion of the second portion of the flat cable  201 A is completed, the flat cable  201 A is pulled toward the opposite side to the side where the fitting portion  24  is formed (toward the other side in the second direction) so as to move the first portion to the opening space  12 , thereby fitting the recessed portion  24   a  of the fitting portion  24  of the flat cable  201 A onto the protruding portion  12   f  of the connector  101 A, as illustrated in  FIG.  10   . With this, the mounting of the flat cable  201 A into the connector  101 A is completed. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     The connector  101 A and the flat cable  201 A each having the configuration described above exhibit the same effects as those exhibited by the connector  101  and the flat cable  201  of the first embodiment. 
     Since the reinforcement spacer  24   b  constituting the fitting portion  24  is a sheet having a flat plate shape with a predetermined thickness, the reinforcement spacer  24   b  has a function of a shaft-like role to maintain the terminal section  22  to be level, and also has a function of pressure-bonding the terminal section  22  of the flat cable  201 A to the contact portion  13  of the connector  101 A when the recessed portion  24   a  is fitted onto the protruding portion  12   f . 
     In the first and second embodiments, after inserting the flat cable from the insertion portion formed at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the connector, the opposite side to the terminal section forming side of the flat cable is pulled in the short-hand direction of the connector so as to fit the fitting portion of the flat cable into the recessed portion or onto the protruding portion of the connector, thereby completing the mounting of the flat cable into the connector. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto; the flat cable may be inserted from the cable receiver of the connector, not from the insertion portion of the connector, and then the mounting of the flat cable into the connector may be completed. An example of the above case will be described below in a third embodiment. 
     Third Embodiment 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure will be described below. In the present embodiment, members having the same functions as the members in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference signs, and detailed description thereof is omitted. 
     Overview of Connector 
       FIG.  11    illustrates a side view of a state in which a flat cable  201 B is mounted from a side of a cable receiver  15  of a connector  101 B.  FIG.  12    illustrates a side view of a state in which the mounting of the flat cable  201 B into the connector  101 B is completed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  11   , the connector  101 B includes a housing  11 B, an opening space  12 , a contact portion  13 , and the cable receiver  15 . The connector  101 B has substantially the same configuration as the connector  101 A of the second embodiment. The connector  101 B may include or may not include the insertion portion  14  included in the connector  101 A. In a case where the insertion portion  14  is provided, the insertion may be carried out from a side surface (a side surface of a portion where none of a terminal section  22  and a fitting portion  24  are formed) of a second portion of the flat cable  201 B into the insertion portion  14 , or part of or all of the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  24  formed in a cable main body  21  may be inserted from the insertion portion  14  depending on the shape and size of the insertion portion  14 . 
     In the connector  101 B, an inner face  12   b  of the upper section of the housing  11  is inclined upward in a direction toward the cable receiver  15 . This makes an opening of the cable receiver  15  large, and facilitates the insertion from the end portion on the opposite side to the portion where the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  24  are formed in the flat cable  201 B. 
     The flat cable  201 B has substantially the same configuration as the flat cable  201 A of the second embodiment, but differs in that a reinforcement spacer  24   b  of the fitting portion  24  is inclined. In the present embodiment, the surface of the reinforcement spacer  24   b  is inclined so that the thickness of the reinforcement spacer  24   b  is thinner farther from an end of the side where the fitting portion  24  is formed in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable  201 B. This makes it possible to easily guide the fitting portion  24  to an appropriate position (a position at which a protruding portion  12   f  is formed) in the connector  101 B even when the insertion is carried out from the end portion on the opposite side to the forming portion of the terminal section  22  and the fitting portion  24  in the flat cable  201 B. Note that a protruding portion may be provided on the reinforcement spacer  24   b  with the surface inclined, and a recessed portion may be provided on the inner face  12   b  of the connector  101 B. 
     The reinforcement spacer  24   b  is set to be sized for being housed inside the opening space  12  in a state in which the flat cable  201 B is mounted in the connector  101 B, as illustrated in  FIG.  12   . By causing the thickness of the reinforcement spacer  24   b  to be slightly larger than that of the opening space  12 , the terminal section  22  may be pressure-bonded toward the contact portion  13  in a state in which the mounting of the flat cable  201 B into the connector  101 B is completed. 
      Advantageous Effects 
     The connector  101 B and the flat cable  201 B each having the configuration described above exhibit the same effects as those exhibited by the connector  101 A and the flat cable  201 A of the second embodiment. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.