Patent Publication Number: US-8540528-B2

Title: Flat cable electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting a flat conductive member. 
     Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional electrical connector for connecting a flat conductive member. The conventional electrical connector has a plurality of terminals with a plurality of contact sections. In the conventional electrical connector, the contact sections are formed at the terminals to contact with the flat conductive member, so that the terminals can securely and stably contact with the flat conductive member. 
     Patent Reference Japanese Patent Publication No. 4192203 
     In the conventional electrical connector described in Patent Reference, each of the terminals includes a first flexible contact arm portion (a rear contact beam) that extends backward, i.e., a direction of pulling out the flat conductive member, from a lower part of a basal section, which extends in a vertical direction (i.e., a direction orthogonal to a surface of the flat conductive member). Each of the terminals further includes a second flexible contact arm portion that extends backwards in parallel to the first contact arm in the vertical direction at a position of the basal section. 
     In the conventional electrical connector described in Patent Reference, the first contact arm includes a front contact section that protrudes upward at a rear end thereof for contacting with the flat conductive member. The second contact arm has a rear-side portion that extends diagonally upward to the same position as the front contact section in the vertical direction, and includes a rear contact section that protrudes upward for contacting with the flat conductive member. 
     Accordingly, each of the terminals includes two contact sections, i.e., the front contact section of the first contact arm and the rear contact section of the second contact arm. The front contact section and the rear contact section are provided away from each other in the front-and-back direction, and are situated at the same height level in the vertical direction. 
     According to the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, when an actuator presses the flat conductive member downward towards the front contact section and the rear contact section after inserting the flat conductive member frontward, the front contact section and the rear contact section elastically displace and contact with a corresponding circuit section, which is formed on a lower face of the flat conductive member, with a certain contact pressure. 
     In the conventional electrical connector of the type described above, it has been required to reduce a dimension in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the flat conductive member. In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the two contact arms, i.e., the first contact arm and the second contact arm, are formed in parallel to each other at positions that are away from each other in the vertical direction. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a space to allow the first contact arm and the second contact arm to elastically displace downward. As a result, it is difficult to reduce a dimension of the terminals and a dimension of the electrical connector in the vertical direction, which is orthogonal to the flat conductive member. 
     In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for a flat conductive member. In the electrical connector of the present invention, it is possible to reduce a size of terminal and a size of the electrical connector, even when the terminal includes a plurality of contact sections to securely contact with the flat conductive member, thereby ensuring stable contact. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to attain the objects described above, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector for a flat conductive member includes a housing that has a receiving section, to which a connecting portion of the flat conductive member formed at a front end thereof is inserted forward, and a plurality of terminals arranged and held in the housing in a direction orthogonal to a flat surface of a sheet metal thereof while maintaining the flat surface. 
     According to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one of the terminals has a plurality of contact sections to contact with one surface of the flat conductive member, and an extending arm portion that extends in the front-and-back direction so as to be away from the one face of the flat conductive member in a direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member relative to the contact sections. The contact sections are provided at different positions in the front-and-back direction. 
     According to the first aspect of the present invention, one of the contact sections is formed at a distal end portion of a flexible contact arm portion that extends from the extending arm portion toward the other of the contact sections. The housing or a member attached to the housing includes a pressing portion to contact the flat conductive member with the contact sections of the one of the terminals. 
     According to the first aspect of the present invention, the contact sections are provided at different positions in the front-and-back direction. Among two of the contact sections, one of the contact sections is formed at the distal end portion of the flexible contact arm portion that extends from the extending arm portion toward the other of the contact sections. 
     Further, the contact arm that has one of the contact sections formed thereon is provided being behind/in front of the other of the contact sections within a range not to overlap with the other of the contact sections in the front-and-back direction. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the both contact sections at the positions that are close to each other within the range that overlaps in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member, or even if there is no overlaps. As a result, it is possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member and in turn the dimension of the electrical connector. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, the contact arm, on which the one of the contact sections is formed, may be preferably provided at the same position as the other of the contact sections in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member. As a result, it is possible to further reduce the dimensions of the terminals in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member and in turn the dimension of the electrical connector. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention, the other of the contact sections may be preferably formed at a distal end portion of a flexible contact arm portion that extends towards the one of the contact sections. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it may be configured such that the pressing portion preferably presses the flat conductive member at a position between the one of the contact sections and the other of the contact sections in the front-and-back direction. With the configuration, when the pressing portion presses the flat conductive member at a position between one of the contact sections and the other of the contact sections in the front-and-back direction, a distance from a position where the pressing portion presses the flat conductive member to the one of the contact sections and the other of the contact sections becomes substantially the same. Therefore, it is possible to make a contact pressure of the flat conductive member against the one contact section and the other contact section substantially the same, thereby making it possible to improve contact reliability. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the pressing portion may be formed of a pressing member that can move between an open position that enables insertion of the flat conductive member and a closed position that enhances the contact pressure of the flat conductive member against the contact sections of the terminals. Further, the pressing member may press the flat conductive member towards the contact sections at the closed position. With the pressing member, it is possible to easily insert the flat conductive member with a little insertion force at the open position. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the electrical connector may further include a movable member, which can move between the open position that enables insertion of the flat conductive member and the closed position that enhances the contact pressure of the flat conductive member against the contact sections of the terminals. 
     Further, each of the terminals may have a stationary arm portion, a movable arm portion and a joint section to join the stationary arm portion and the movable arm portion at a middle position in the front-and-back direction. The stationary arm portion and the movable arm are provided in parallel to each other in the front-and-back direction. 
     Further, the stationary arm portion is secured onto the housing, and has a support section to support a cam section formed on the movable member at a frontal end side thereof and a contact section at a rear end side thereof. The movable arm portion has a pressed section at the front end side and a pressing section as a pressing member at the rear end side. The movable arm portion may be configured such that, when the movable member moves from the open position to the closed position, the pressed section pivotally displaces by an angle being pressed by the cam section of the movable member and the pressing member presses the flat conductive member towards the contact sections. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the electrical connector may further include a movable member, which can move between the open position, which enables insertion of the flat conductive member, and the closed position, which enhance the contact pressure of the flat conductive member against the contact sections of the terminals. 
     Further, the terminal may have a stationary arm portion and a movable arm portion, which extend in the front-and-back direction in parallel to each other. The terminal may further include a joining section to join the stationary arm portion and the movable arm portion at a middle position in the front-and-back direction. 
     Further, the stationary arm portion may be secured on the housing and has a support section to support the cam section formed at the movable member at a front end side and a pressing section as a pressing member at a rear end side. The movable arm portion may have a pressed section at the front end side and a contact section on the rear end side. The movable arm portion may be configured such that, when the movable member moves from the open position to the closed position, the movable arm portion pivotally displaces being pressed by the cam section of the movable member and the pressing section presses the flat conductive member against the contact section with the counterforce. 
     As described above, according to the present invention, in the terminals, the two contact sections among the contact sections are provided at different positions in the front-and-back direction. Further, one of the contact sections is formed at the distal end portion of the flexible contact arm portion that extends towards the other of the contact sections. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the contact arm, in which one of the contact sections is formed, within a range where there is no overlap with the other of the contact sections in the front-and-back direction. 
     Further, the terminals have the contact sections for securing the contact between the flat conductive member and the terminals and securing the stability of the contacts. The contact sections are disposed at positions that are close to each other in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals in the direction orthogonal to the flat conductive member and the dimension of the electrical connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B)  are perspective views showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein  FIG. 1(A)  is a perspective view showing the electrical connector in a state that a pressing member is situated at an open position and  FIG. 1(B)  is a perspective view showing the electrical connector in a state that the pressing member is situated at a closed position; 
         FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C)  are sectional views showing the electrical connector for the flat conductive member taken along a line II-II in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B)  according to the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein  FIG. 2(A)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector before the flat conductive member is inserted into the electrical connector,  FIG. 2(B)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector when the flat conductive member is completely inserted into the electrical connector, and  FIG. 2(C)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector in the state that the pressing member is situated at the closed position after the flat conductive member is inserted into the electrical connector; 
         FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector for a flat conductive member according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a vertical sectional view showing a modified example of the electrical connector for the flat conductive member according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
     A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained.  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B)  are perspective views showing an electrical connector  1  for a flat conductive member F according to the first embodiment of the present invention. More specifically,  FIG. 1(A)  is a perspective view showing the electrical connector  1  in a state that a pressing member  30  is situated at an open position and  FIG. 1(B)  is a perspective view showing the electrical connector in a state that the pressing member  30  is situated at a closed position. 
       FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C)  are sectional views showing the electrical connector  1  for the flat conductive member F taken along a line II-II in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B)  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. More specifically,  FIG. 2(A)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector  1  before the flat conductive member F is inserted into the electrical connector  1 ,  FIG. 2(B)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector  1  when the flat conductive member F is completely inserted into the electrical connector  1 , and  FIG. 2(C)  is a sectional view showing the electrical connector  1  in the state that the pressing member  30  is situated at the closed position after the flat conductive member F is inserted into the electrical connector  1 . 
     In the embodiment, the electrical connector  1  for the flat conductive member F (hereinafter may be simply referred to as the connector  1 ) is to be disposed on a circuit board (not illustrated) and to insert a connecting part of the flat conductive member F, e.g., a FPC, into the front side thereof (right side in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) ) for electrical connection between the flat conductive member and the circuit board. In  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , a middle part of the connector  1  in the longitudinal direction, i.e., a terminal arrangement direction, is indicated with a phantom line, and detailed illustration in the range is omitted. 
     The connector  1  includes a housing  10  that has an outer shape of a generally rectangular prism and is made of an electrically insulating material, e.g. synthetic resin, a plurality of terminals  20  made of metal, which are arranged and held at equal intervals in the housing  10 , a pressing member  30  made of an electrically insulating material, e.g. synthetic resin, which is to be rotatably supported with the housing  10  and the plurality of terminals  20 , and a securing hardware  40  made of metal, which is held by the housing  10  at the both ends of the housing  10  in the terminal arrangement direction. 
     The flat conductive member F shown in  FIGS. 2(B) and 2(C)  has a corresponding circuit section on the lower face, which is to be connected to the terminals  20 , at the positions that respectively correspond to the plurality of terminals  20  in the terminal arrangement direction (in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface in  FIGS. 2(B) and 2(C) ) upon insertion into the connector  1 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1(A)-1(B)  and  2 (A)- 2 (C), the housing  10  includes a bottom wall  11 , a front wall  12  that is provided above the bottom wall  11  on a flat conductive member insertion destination side, and side walls  13  (not illustrated in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) ) that extend upward from the bottom wall  11  at the both ends of the housing  10  in the terminal arrangement direction of the housing  10 . The housing  10  has terminals holding grooves  14  to hold the terminals  20 , which extend in the front-and-back direction and are provided at equal intervals along the terminal arrangement direction of the housing  10 . The housing  10  composes an open space with the rear part thereof being cut out and opened upward over the terminal arrangement range. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , each of the terminal holding grooves  14  extends over the bottom  11  of the housing  10  and the front wall  12  that extends above the bottom wall  11  on the front side thereof, has a generally L-shape as a whole, and is made to have a slit-like shape that extends parallel to the paper surface. Each of the terminal holding grooves  14  is provided through in the front-and-back direction except at the rear end of the bottom wall  11 . 
     In addition, each terminal holding groove  14  is covered with a rear wall  11 A formed at the rear end of the bottom wall  11  and is not provided through on the rear side. On an inner face of the rear wall  11 A, there is formed a holding hole  11 A- 1  to hold a section  27  of each terminal  20  to be held. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , each of the side walls  13  is dented on the upper edge in the middle of the front-and-back direction, and has an end shaft housing section  13 A as space to freely rotatably house an end shaft section  33  of the pressing member  30 , which will be described later. In addition, each side wall  13  has a slit-like securing hardware holding groove  13 B to hold the securing hardware  40 , being opened on the rear side of the side wall  13 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , there is an open space formed at the upper half part of the rear half part of the housing  10 , so as to be provided through the terminal arrangement range and opened upward as described above. A lower half part of the open space forms receiving space  15  to receive the flat conductive member F from the rear side. In addition, the upper half part of the open space forms movable member moving space  16  to allow the movement of the pressing member  30  between the open position and the closed position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , each terminal  20  is made, for example by punching, while keeping a flat surface of sheet metal, and is arranged in the housing  10 , with the terminal arrangement being orthogonal to a sheet surface of the sheet metal. The terminals  20  are attached in the terminal holding grooves  14  of the housing  10  towards an opposite direction to the direction of inserting the flat conductive member (pulling direction), i.e. leftward in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , each of the terminals  20  has a support arm  21  that extends backward along the upper side part of the terminal holding groove  14  at an upper part in the terminal holding groove  14  and extends like an arm towards the movable member moving space  16 ; an extending arm portion  22  that extends backward along the lower part of the terminal holding groove  14  at a lower part of the terminal holding groove  14 ; a connecting section  23  that extends frontward and downward outside the housing  10 ; and a joining section  24  that extends in a vertical direction at a front part in the terminal holding groove  14  and joins a front end of the support arm  21 , a front end of the extending arm portion  22  and a rear end of the connecting section  23 . 
     A flexible front contact arm  25  extends backward above the extending arm portion  22  from the front end of the extending arm portion  22 , and a flexible rear contact arm  26  extends frontward above the extending arm portion  22  from the rear end of the extending arm portion  22 . According to the embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26  are provided at substantially the same height level in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a section to be held  27  to be held in the housing  10  is formed to extend backward from the rear end of the extending arm portion  22 . 
     The support arm  21  has at its rear end a concave rotary support section  21 A, which is opened downward and is provided on a side of the movable member moving space  16 . As will be described, the rotary support section  21 A houses a shaft  32 , which is a center of rotation of the pressing member  30  and freely rotatably support the shaft  32  upon rotation of the pressing member  30  between the open position and the closed position. 
     The connecting section  23  has a lower edge positioned slightly below a lower face of the bottom wall  11  of the housing  10 , and is configured so as to be able to connect by soldering to a corresponding circuit section by contacting with the corresponding circuit section of a circuit board when the connector  1  is disposed on the circuit board (not illustrated). In addition, the joining section  24  is pressed into the terminal holding groove  14  at the upper and lower edges. 
     The front contact arm  25  extends to generally a center of the extending arm portion  22  in the front-and-back direction, and has a front contact section  25 A for contacting with a corresponding circuit section on a lower face of the flat conductive member F, which is formed so as to protrude upward at the rear end of the front contact arm  25 . 
     Moreover, the rear contact arm  26  extends frontward towards the front contact section  25 A so as to be close to the front contact section  25 A, and has a rear contact section  26 A to contact with a corresponding circuit section on the lower face of the flat conductive member F, which is formed to protrude upward at the front end of the rear contact arm  26 . As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , the rear contact section  26 A is provided behind the front contact section  25 A but close to the front contact section  25 A. 
     Generally, in a case of forming a protruding contact section at an end of a contact arm of a terminal that extends straight, the end of the contact arm including the contact section often has a generally triangular shape, for example, like the front contact section  25 A in the embodiment. 
     On the other hand, as shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , the rear contact section  26 A in the embodiment has a shape in which generally the right portion of the triangular shape is omitted. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the rear contact section  26 A can be provided further closer to the front contact section  25 A, so that the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A can have complementary shapes to each other based on the partial omission of the triangular shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C)  and also already described, the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26  extend in the front-and-back direction at substantially the same height level in the vertical direction. An end of the front contact arm  25  and an end of the rear contact arm  26  are provided at the same level in the vertical direction in the receiving space  15 . There is space in the vertical direction between the front contact arm  25  or rear contact arm  26  and the extending arm portion  22 , which thereby allows the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26  to elastically displace within range between the gaps. 
     According to the embodiment, the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26  are provided within range so as not to overlap with each other in the front-and-back direction. Therefore, by providing the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26  at the same height level in the vertical direction, it is possible to share the space in the vertical direction for elastic displacements of the front contact arm  25  and the rear contact arm  26 . Therefore, it is possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals  20  and in turn the connector  1  in the vertical direction, in comparison with a case where a plurality of contact arms are provided at different height levels in the vertical direction and therefore space is separately required to allow elastic displacement of each contact arm as in a conventional configuration. 
     The pressing member  30  functions as a pressing portion to press the flat conductive member F towards the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A of each terminal  20 . The pressing member  30  is configured to be able to rotate between an open position that enables insertion of the flat conductive member F upon extending in the vertical direction as shown in  FIGS. 2(A)  and (B), and a closed position that enhances the contact pressure of the flat conductive member F to the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A of each terminal  20  upon extending in the front-and-back direction as shown in  FIG. 2(C) . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , the pressing member  30  is formed to have a width to cover the arrangement range of the terminals  20  in the terminal arrangement direction. As shown in  FIGS. 1(A) ,  2 (A), and  2 (B), the pressing member  30  has grooves  31 , each of which is like a slit having a groove width that is slightly wider than the plate thickness of the terminal  20 , and is formed at generally lower half part at the open position. Therefore, as shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , the generally lower half part of the pressing member  30  has a comb tooth-like appearance within the terminal arrangement range when viewed in the front-and-back direction. As shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , the grooves  31  allow entrance of the rotary support  21 A of the terminal  20  from the front thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2(A)  and (B), the groove  31  has a shaft  32 , which is separately formed like an island, near the lower end of the pressing member  30 , and the facing walls of the groove  31  are joined with the shaft  32 . The shaft  32  has a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , the pressing member  30  has an end shaft section  33 , which protrudes from the both end surfaces that extend orthogonally to the terminal arrangement direction. Each of the end shaft sections  33  is formed coaxially with the shaft  32 , and has a generally oval cross-sectional shape, which is partially cut away. As shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , each end shaft section  33  is housed in the end shaft housing section  13 A of each side wall  13  of the housing  10  that is already described. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) , a rear face of the pressing member  30  in the closed position is formed as a pressing face  34  to press the flat conductive member F downward when the pressing member  30  is at the closed position (also see  FIG. 2(C) ). 
     The securing hardware  40  is made by punching sheet metal, and as shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) , and is attached to a slit-like securing hardware holding groove  13 B of the housing  10  from the rear side, with the sheet surface being orthogonal to the terminal arrangement direction. If a lower edge of the securing hardware  40  is connected by soldering to a circuit board, the connector  1  becomes secured onto the circuit board. 
     The connector  1  of the configuration may be assembled in the following manner. First, while keeping the pressing member at the closed position, dispose the pressing member  30  in the movable member moving space  16  so as to house the end shaft sections  33  of the pressing  30  within the end shaft housing sections  13 A of the housing  10 . With the arrangement, the pressing member  30  is brought below the position shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C)  by its own weight, more specifically, to a position where the end shaft sections  33  reach the bottoms of the end shaft housing sections  13 A and become supported by the bottoms. 
     Then, pressing the terminals  20  from the front wall  12  side of the housing  10 , to the terminal holding grooves  14  of the housing  10 , i.e., leftward from the right side in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , attach the terminals  20  thereto. As a result, as shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , the joining sections  24  are pressed in the terminal holding grooves  14  at their upper and lower edges and the sections to be held  27  become pressed into the holding holes  11 A- 1 , so that the terminals  20  are held within the terminal holding grooves  14 . 
     As described above, the end shaft section  33  is on the bottom of the end shaft housing section  13 A, so that the pressing member  30  is located below the position shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) . Therefore, upon attaching the terminals  20  to the housing  10 , it is possible to easily insert the rotary support  21 A of each terminal into the groove  31  above the shaft  32  without interfering with the shaft  32  of the pressing member  20 . 
     Thereafter, pressing the securing hardware  40  into the securing hardware holding groove  13 B of the housing  10 , attach the securing hardware  40  thereto. As a result of attachment of the securing hardware  40 , an upper edge of the securing hardware  40  lifts the end shaft section  33  of the pressing member  30  from therebelow. Accordingly, the moving member  30  moves upward to the position shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , and thereby the shaft  32  becomes housed in the rotary supports  21 A of the terminals  20 , and thereby assembly of the connector  1  is completed. 
     Hereunder, referring to  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) , an operation of connecting the connector  1  to the flat conductive member F will be described. As shown in  FIG. 2(A) , the pressing member  30  is moved to the open position. Then, the flat conductive member F is inserted from the rear side to the front side so as to put into the receiving space  15  of the housing  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2(B) , the flat conductive member F is inserted to a regular position, where a front end face of the flat conductive member F contacts with a rear face of the front wall  12 . According to the embodiment, having the pressing member  30  at the open position, it is possible to easily insert the flat conductive member F with no insertion force or small insertion force. 
     Next, pivotally moving the pressing member  30  in the open position, the pressing member  30  is moved to the closed position shown in  FIG. 2(C) . At the closed position, the pressing member  30  presses the flat conductive member F downward with its pressing face  34  towards the front contact sections  25 A and the rear contact sections  26 A of the terminals  20 . 
     Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 2(C) , the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A are pressed downward by the flat conductive member F to displace, and thereby the contact pressure between a corresponding circuit section, which is formed on a lower face of the flat conductive member F, and the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A, is enhanced. Accordingly, by bringing the pressing member  30  to the closed position, connection between the connector  1  and the flat conductive member F is completed. 
     According to the embodiment, since the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A are provided being close to each other, it is possible to make the contact pressure to the flat conductive member F substantially the same between the front contact section  25 A and the rear contact section  26 A, and thereby it is possible to improve the contact reliability. 
     In addition, according to the embodiment, the front contact sections  25 A and the rear contact sections  26 A are provided below the shaft  32  of the pressing member  30  and are close to the shaft  32  in the front-and-back direction. Since the shaft  32  is also a center of the pivotal movement of the pressing member  30 , the displacement of the lower end portion (the right end portion in FIG.  2 (C)), where the shaft  32  is provided in the pressing member  30  of  FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) , in the vertical direction upon pivotal movement of the pressing member  30  is smaller than the displacements of other portion of the pressing member  30 . 
     Therefore, even if unexpected external force to lift the flat conductive member F, i.e. external force that slightly pivotally moves the pressing member  30  in the closed position (the position shown in  FIG. 2(C) ) towards the open position (the positions shown in  FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) ) acts on the pressing member  30 , since the displacement of the portion, where the shaft  32  is provided, in the vertical direction is small, the pressing force to the flat conductive member F near the contact sections  25 A and  26 A provided near the shaft  32  is hardly influenced by the external force. As a result, since high contact pressure between the flat conductive member F and the contact sections  25 A and  26 A is stably maintained, it is possible to improve the contact reliability. 
     Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the rear contact section  26 A is provided behind the shaft  32  and the front contact section  25 A is provided in front of the shaft  32 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 2(C) , when the pressing member  30  is at the closed position, the reaction force towards the pressing member  30  to the pressing force that the rear contact section  26 A receives from the pressing member  30  via the flat conductive member F acts on the pressing member  30  in the direction of the pivotal movement of the pressing member  30  towards the open position, i.e. clockwise in  FIG. 2(C) . 
     On the other hand, the reaction force to the pressing member  30  to the pressing force that the front contact section  25 A receives from the pressing member  30  via the flat conductive member F acts on the pressing member  30  in the direction to keep the pressing member  30  at the closed position, i.e. counterclockwise in  FIG. 2(C) . Therefore, since the direction of the pivotal movements for those reaction force to act are opposite, they offset each other, and thereby the pressing member  30  stably stays at the closed position, the contact pressures between the flat conductive member F and the contact sections  25 A and  26 A are stably maintained, and thereby it is possible to improve the contact reliability. 
     In the embodiment, the front contact arm and the rear contact arm are provided at the same height level in the vertical direction. However, the positions to provide those contact arms do not have to be the same height level in the vertical direction. For example, the contact arms may be provided to be slightly staggered partially overlapping in the vertical direction, or may be provided close to each other in the vertical direction without overlapping. Even if the contact arms are provided at such positions, similarly to the embodiment, it is still possible to form one space (gap) between the contact arms and the extending arm portion so as to allow the elastic displacement of the contact arms, and it is possible to reduce dimensions of the terminals and connector in the vertical direction. 
     According to the embodiment, the pressing member  30  attached to the housing is provided as the pressing portion. Alternatively, without providing the pressing member  30 , the housing  10  may be modified to have the pressing portion as a modified example. 
       FIG. 9  is a vertical sectional view showing the modified example of the electrical connector  1  for the flat conductive member F according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 9 , for example, it is possible to configure such that a receiving space may be formed between an upper wall  312  and the bottom wall  11 , which face each other in the vertical direction in the housing  10 . The upper wall  312  has a protruding portion  332  protruding downwardly. Further, it is configured such that a distance between the contact sections  25 A and  26 A of the terminals and the protruding portion  332  of the upper wall  312  in the receiving space is set smaller than a thickness of the flat conductive member F. 
     According to the connector  1  with the configuration described above, when the flat conductive member F is inserted in the receiving space, the contact sections  25 A and  26 A press the flat conductive member F towards the protruding portion  332  of the upper wall  312 . Accordingly, a reaction force from the protruding portion  332  of the upper wall  312  presses the flat conductive member F towards the contact sections  25 A and  26 A, thereby exerting a contact pressure between the flat conductive member F and the contact sections  25 A and  26 A. 
     In the connector  1  with the configuration, the protruding portion  332  of the upper wall  312  functions as the pressing portion for pressing the flat conductive member F toward the contact sections  25 A and  26 A. 
     According to the embodiment, each terminal has two contact sections, but the number of the contact sections may not be have to be two and it is possible to provide three or more contact sections. For example, there may be provided three contact sections by forming each terminal, which includes a straight section that extends further backward from a rear end of the extending arm portion of the terminal shown in  FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C)  and a contract arm of the same shape as the rear contact arm, which extends from the rear end of the straight section to near the rear contact arm. 
     Second Embodiment 
     A second embodiment of the present invention will be explained next. Since the terminals are attached to a connector from the backside, the connector of the embodiment differs from the connector of the first embodiment, in which the terminals are attached to the connector from the front side. Since the basic configuration of the connector in the embodiment is the same as the configuration of the connector in the first embodiment, the configurations of the housing and the terminals will be mainly discussed and the same portions as in the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals but adding “100” to the numerals used in the first embodiment and explanation is omitted. 
       FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector  101  for a flat conductive member F according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , terminal holding grooves  114  of a housing  110  of a connector  101  are formed so as to be open on the backside, and are not provided through in the front-and-back direction. 
     Each of the terminals  120  includes a support arm  121 , which extends backward in an upper part inside the terminal holding groove  114  and then extends like an arm towards the movable member moving space  116 ; an extending arm portion  122 , which extends backward in a lower portion of the terminal holding groove  114 ; a connecting section  123 , which extends backward from the rear end of the extending arm portion  122  to outside of the housing  110 ; a joining section  124 , which extends in the vertical direction in a front side portion of the terminal holding groove  114  and joins between the front end of the support arm  121  and the front end of the extending arm portion  122 . 
     A flexible front contact arm  125  extends backward above the extending arm portion  122  from the front end of the extending arm portion  122 , and a flexible rear contact arm  126  extends frontward above the extending arm portion  122  from the rear end of the extending arm portion  122 . The front contact arm  125  and the rear contact arm  126  are provided at substantially the same height level in the vertical direction. 
     Each connecting section  123  has at its front edge a fitting section  123 A to fit to a rear edge of the bottom wall  111  of the housing  110 , those fitting sections  123 A are formed as recesses that are opened at their front side. 
     Upon assembling the connector  101 , each terminal  120  is attached being pressed into the terminal holding groove  114  from the rear side. As a result, as shown in  FIG. 3 , an upper edge and a lower edge of each joining section  124  are pressed in the terminal holding groove  114 , and the fitting section  123 A fits into the rear edge of the bottom wall  111  of the housing  110 , so that the terminal  120  becomes held within the terminal holding groove  114 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     A third embodiment of the present invention will be explained next. The terminals  120  are not limited to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , and there may be various modifications and alterations.  FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view showing the electrical connector  101  for the flat conductive member F according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , it may be possible to omit the rear contact arm  126  and form the rear contact section  126 A to protrude upward from the rear end of the extending arm portion  122 . In the embodiment, the front contact arm  125  and the front contact section  125 A are provided at the same height level as the rear contact section  126 A in the vertical direction, and thereby the dimensions of the terminals  120  and the connector  101  in the vertical direction are reduced. In addition, since the rear contact arm  126  is omitted, it is also possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals  120  and the connector  101  in the front-and-back direction. 
     Fourth Embodiment 
     A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained next.  FIG. 5  is a vertical sectional view showing the electrical connector  101  for the flat conductive member F according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , it is also possible to omit the front contact arm  125  and form the front contact section  125 A so as to protrude upward from the front end of the extending arm portion  122 . In the embodiment, the rear contact arm  126  and the rear contact section  126 A are provided at the same height level as the front contact section  125 A in the vertical direction and thereby the dimensions of the terminals  120  and the connector  101  are reduced in the vertical direction. Furthermore, since the front contact arm  125  is omitted, it is also possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals  120  and the connector  101  in the front-and-back direction. Moreover, it is also possible to arrange those terminals of the fourth embodiment and the terminals of the first embodiments alternately. 
     Fifth Embodiment 
     A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained next.  FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector  201  for the flat conductive member F according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     Since the connector of the embodiment is configured to attach onto a circuit board so as to insert the flat conductive member in a direction vertical to the circuit board, the connector according to the embodiment has a different configuration from the first embodiment, which is attached to a circuit board so as to insert a flat conductive member in a direction parallel to the circuit board. Since the basic configuration of the connector in the embodiment is the same as the configuration of the connector in the first embodiment, the configurations of the housing and the terminals will be mainly described and the same portions as in the first embodiment are indicated with the same reference numerals but adding “200” to the numerals used in the first embodiment and explanation will be omitted. 
       FIG. 6  is the vertical sectional view of the connector  201 , which is taken at a position of a terminal. In the figure, a pressing member  230  is provided at the closed position. The connector  201  according to the embodiment is a type of connector, in which a flat conductive member is inserted from thereabove, as if the connector  1  of the first embodiment were placed vertically, so that the receiving space is opened upward. In other words, according to the embodiment, the lower part is the front part (insertion destination side) in the direction of inserting the flat conductive member. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , each terminal  220  includes a support arm  221 , which extends upward on the right side in the terminal holding groove  214  and then extends like an arm towards the movable member moving space  216 ; the extending arm portion  222 , which extends upward on the left side in the terminal holding groove  214 ; a connecting section  223  that extends rightward from a lower part of the support arm  221  towards outside the housing  210 ; and a joining section  224 , which laterally extends at a lower part in the terminal holding groove  214  and joins a lower end of the support arm  221 , a lower end of the extending arm portion  222  and the upper end of the connecting section  223 . 
     In the terminal holding groove  214 , a flexible front connecting arm  225  extends upward from a lower end of the extending arm portion  222  and a flexible rear contact arm  226  extends downward from an upper end of the extending arm portion  222 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the front contact arm  225  and the rear contact arm  226  extend diagonally rightward, i.e. towards the receiving space  215 . The front contact arm  225  is provided generally right below the rear contact arm  226  in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the extending arm portion  222 . In addition, a section to be held  227 , which is to be held by the housing  210 , protrudes upward from the upper end of the extending arm portion  222 . 
     The front contact arm  225  extends to generally the center of the extending arm portion  222  in the vertical direction, and has a front contact section  225 A to contact with a corresponding circuit section of the flat conductive member F, which protrudes rightward from the upper end of the front contact arm  225  towards inside of the receiving space  215 . In addition, the rear contact section  226 A to contact with the corresponding circuit section of the flat conductive member F is formed to protrude rightward from the lower end of the rear contact arm  226  towards inside of the receiving space  215 . 
     According to the embodiment, the front contact arm  225  is provided generally right below the rear contact arm  226  when viewed in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the extending arm portion  222 , and thereby the dimensions of the terminals  220  and in turn the connector are reduced in the lateral direction. 
     Sixth Embodiment 
     A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be explained next.  FIG. 7  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector  301  for the flat conductive member F according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     Since a pressing member is composed of a pressing section, which is a part of a terminal, the connector of the embodiment differs from the first embodiment, in which the pressing member is composed of the pressing member. 
     In the embodiment, once a movable member, which will be described later, is pivotally moved from the open position to the closed position, a pressing arm, which has a pressing section formed on a terminal as a pressing member, presses a flat conductive member towards the contact section by action of a cam shaft of the movable member. 
     Hereunder, detailed configuration of the connector  301  in the embodiment will be described. The connector  301  includes a housing  310  that is generally rectangular, terminals  320  that are to be arranged and held in the housing  310 , and a movable member  330  that is supported so as to be able to freely pivotally move between the housing  310  and the terminals  320  between the open position and the closed position. 
     The housing  310  is provided through in the front-and-back direction at the positions of the terminals  320  along the terminal arrangement direction (a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of  FIG. 7 ), and have slit-like grooves that extend in directions parallel to the paper surface. There are provided dividing walls  311  between the adjacent grooves in the terminal arrangement direction, which extend in the vertical direction at a position close to the front side. In each groove, a portion that extends over the upper wall  312 , dividing walls  311 , and the bottom wall  313 , is formed as a terminal holding groove  314 . 
     The groove has space, which is provided through a part behind the diving wall  311  between the upper wall  312  and the bottom wall  313  along the terminal arrangement direction and is opened on the rear side, as receiving space  315 . In addition, the groove has its upper half portion in front of the dividing wall  311  be provided through in the terminal arrangement direction and be opened upward as open space, and the open space composes a movable member moving space  316  to allow movement of the movable member  330  between the open position and the closed position. 
     On each dividing wall  311 , there is formed like an island, a terminal holding section  317  near the left side of the middle part in the vertical direction. The terminal holding section  317  joins facing wall surfaces of the dividing wall  311 . 
     Each terminal  320  is made by punching sheet metal while keeping its sheet surface, and includes a stationary arm portion  321 , which extends in the front-and-back direction along the lower portion of the terminal holding groove  314 ; a movable arm portion  322 , which extends in the front-and-back direction along the upper portion of the terminal holding groove  314 ; and a joining section  323 , which extends in the vertical direction and joins the stationary arm portion  321  and the movable arm portion  322  at the middle position in the front-and-back direction. 
     The stationary arm portion  321  is secured onto the housing  310 , and has a support section  324  to support a cam shaft section  332  of the movable member  330 , which will be described below, from therebelow near the front end side in comparison with the joining section  323 . The support section  324  supports the cam shaft section  332  with its recess formed on an upper edge from therebelow so as to be able to pivotally move. 
     A connecting section  324 A extends downward from a front end of the support section  324 . The connecting section  324 A has its lower edge slightly lower than a lower face of the bottom wall  313  of the housing  310 . When the connector  1  is disposed on a circuit board (not illustrated), the connecting section  324 A contacts with a corresponding circuit section of the circuit board and can be connected by soldering to the corresponding circuit section. In addition, there is a fitting section  324 A- 1 , which fits to a front edge of the bottom wall  313  and is formed at the rear edge of the connecting section  324 A so as to be opened backward. 
     In the stationary arm portion  321 , a portion closer to the rear end side than the joining section  323  has a similar shape to those of the extending arm portion  22 , the front contract arm  25 , and the rear contact arm  26  in the first embodiment. More specifically, a front contact arm  326  extends backward from a front end of the extending arm portion  325 , which extends straight in the front-and-back direction along a lower part of the terminal holding groove  314 , and a rear contact arm  327  extends frontward from a rear end. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the front contact arm  326  and the rear contact arm  327  are provided at substantially the same height level in the vertical direction. With the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A, which are respectively formed on an end of each contact arm, it is possible to connect with a corresponding circuit section on a lower face of the flat conductive member. Furthermore, on a basal part of the front contact arm  326 , a holding protrusion  326 B to hold each terminal  320  in the terminal holding groove  314  protrudes upward. 
     As such, also in the embodiment, since the front contact arm  326  and the rear contact arm  327  are provided at the same positions in the vertical direction, similarly to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce the dimensions of the terminals  320  and in turn the connector  301  in the vertical direction. 
     The movable arm portion  322  of each terminal  320  has a pressed section  328 , which is pressed by a cam shaft section  332  of the movable member  330  as will be described, at a position that is closer to the front end side than the joining section  323 , and a pressing arm  329 , which has a protrusion-like pressing section  329 A as a pressing member to press the flat conductive member downward as will be described, at a position closer to the rear end side than the joining section  323 . 
     The pressed section  328  extends like an am from inside of the terminal holding groove  314  towards the movable member moving space  316 , and is designed to be pressed from the cam shaft section  332  at its lower edge. In addition, the pressing arm  329  extends in the terminal holding groove  314  in the front-and-back direction and has a pressing section  329 A formed at the rear end so as to protrude downward into the receiving space  315 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the pressing section  329 A is provided between the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A in the front-and-back direction, and is designed to press the flat conductive member downward towards the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A when the movable member  330  is moved to the closed position. As such, since the pressing section  329 A is provided between the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A in the front-and-back direction, it is possible to make the distances from the position to press the flat conductive member by the pressing section  329 A to the front contact section  326 A to the rear contact section  327 A generally the same. Therefore, it is possible to make the contact pressure to the flat conductive member from the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A generally the same and thereby it is possible to enhance the contact reliability. 
     The movable member  330  is configured to be able to pivotally move between the open position, which enables insertion of the flat conductive member, and the open position, which enhances the contact pressure of the flat conductive member to the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A of the terminal  320 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a state where the movable member  330  is at the open position. The movable member  330  has generally the same shape as that of the pressing member  30  in the first embodiment. More specifically, the movable member  330  has a slit-like groove  331  formed like an island near generally lower half portion of the movable member  330  at the open position as shown in  FIG. 7 , and the facing walls of the groove  331  are joined by the island-like cam shaft section  332  formed near a lower end of the movable member  330 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the groove  331  allows entrance of the pressed section  328  of the terminal  320  from the backside and the pressed section  328  is provided above the cam shaft section  332 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the movable member  330  is at the open position, the cam shaft section  332  has a laterally elongated sectional shape. The dimension in the short axial direction (a vertical direction in  FIG. 7 ) of the cam shaft section  332  is smaller than the distance between the pressed section  328  and the support section  324  in the vertical direction, and the dimension in the longer axial direction (a lateral direction in  FIG. 7 ) is slightly larger than the aforementioned distance. 
     Therefore, when the movable member  330  is at the open position, as shown in  FIG. 7 , there is formed a gap in the vertical direction between the cam shaft section  332  and the pressed section  328 . Once the movable member  330  is brought to the closed position by about 90 degrees of clockwise pivotal movement in  FIG. 7  from the open position, the cam shaft section  332  becomes elongated in the vertical position, and the upper end at the closed position (the left end at the open position in  FIG. 7 ) presses the lower edge of the pressed section  328  upward. 
     The connector  301  of the configuration may be assembled as follows. First, attach the terminals  320  to the housing  310  by inserting from the front side of the housing  310 , i.e. right side in  FIG. 7 , towards the rear side so as to press into the terminal holding grooves  314  of the housing  310 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the holding protrusion  326 B become engaged onto a lower face of the terminal holding grooves  317  of the housing  310  and the fitting section  324 A- 1  fit to the front edge of the bottom wall  313  of the housing  310 , and thereby the terminals  320  are held in the terminal holding grooves  314 . 
     Next, while keeping the movable member  330  at the closed position, moving the cam shaft section  332  of the movable member  330  from the rear side in between the pressed section  328  of the terminal  320  and the support section  324 , attach the movable member  330  thereto. With the procedure like this, assembly of the connector  301  can be completed. 
     Hereunder, operation of connecting between the connector  301  and the flat conductive member will be described referring to  FIG. 7 . First, as shown in  FIG. 7 , bring the movable member  330  to the open position. Then, insert the flat conductive member from the backside to the front side so as to be into the receiving space  315  of the housing  310 . The flat conductive member is inserted to a regular position, where the front end face contacts with a rear face of the dividing wall  311 . 
     Thereafter, pivotally move the movable member  330  at the open position to the closed position. As the movable member  330  moves to the closed position, the cam shaft section  332  of the movable member  330  pivotally moves and the cam shaft section  332  presses the pressed section  328  of the terminal  320  upward, and thereby the movable arm portion  322  of the terminal  320  pivotally displaces for certain angle with the joining section  323  being as a fulcrum. As a result, the pressing arm  329  displaces downward, and thereby the pressing section  329 A provided at the rear end of the pressing arm  329 , presses the flat conductive member downward towards the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A. 
     At the closed position, the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A displaces being pressed downward by the flat conductive member, and as a result, the contact pressure between the corresponding circuit section of the flat conductive member and the front contact section  326 A or the rear contact section  327 A become enhanced. Moving the movable member  330  to the closed position as described above, it is possible to complete the connection between the connector  301  and the flat conductive member. 
     Seventh Embodiment 
     A seventh embodiment of the present invention will be explained next.  FIG. 8  is a vertical sectional view showing an electrical connector  301  for the flat conductive member F according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     Since a stationary arm portion has a pressing arm formed thereto, and a movable arm portion has an extending arm portion formed thereto, a front contact arm and a rear contact section formed thereon in each terminal, the connector in the embodiment differs from the connector shown in  FIG. 7 , in which the movable arm portion has the pressing arm and the stationary arm portion has the extending arm portion, the front contact arm, and the rear contact section. 
     Since the connector according to the embodiment is basically configured similarly to the connector of  FIG. 7  except the physical relations between the pressing arm and the extending arm portion and between the front contact arm and the rear contact section, the extending arm portion, the front contact arm, the rear contact section, and the pressing arm will be mainly described and the same portions as in the connector of  FIG. 7  will be indicated with the same reference numerals in  FIG. 7  and the explanation will be omitted. Furthermore, in the embodiment, a corresponding circuit section of the flat conductive member is formed on an upper face of the flat conductive member. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , each terminal  320  of the connector  301  according to the embodiment has a shape as if a rear-side part behind a joining section  323  of the terminal  320  in the connector of  FIG. 7  were inversed in the vertical direction. More specifically, a stationary arm portion  321  has a pressing arm  329  formed thereon, and a movable arm portion  322  has an extending arm portion  325 , a front contact arm  326 , and a rear contact arm  327 . 
     If the movable member  330  is brought to the closed position after insertion of a flat conductive member into the connector  301 , a cam shaft section  332  presses a pressed section  328  of the terminal  320  upward, and thereby the movable arm portion  322  pivotally displaces for a certain angle. As a result, the extending arm portion  325 , the front contact arm  326 , and the rear contact arm  327  displace downward, and thereby the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A press the flat conductive member downward towards the pressing section  329 A of the pressing arm  329 , and contact with the corresponding circuit section on an upper face of the flat conductive member. 
     As such, pressing the flat conductive member towards the pressing section  329 A, the pressing section  329 A presses the flat conductive member upward towards the front contact section  326 A and the rear contact section  327 A by a reaction force. As a result, the contact pressure between the corresponding circuit section of the flat conductive member and the front contact section  326 A or the rear contact section  327 A becomes enhanced, and the connection between the connector  301  and the flat conductive member is completed. 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-073505, filed on Mar. 26, 2010 is incorporated in the application by reference. 
     While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.