Patent Publication Number: US-8979570-B2

Title: Connector configured to temporarily hold an object being connected while an actuator which is closed to lock the object is in an open state

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     An Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Applications No. JP2012-045805 filed Mar. 1, 2012. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a connector configured to be connected to a plate-like or sheet-like object such as a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) or a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). 
     For example, this type of connector is disclosed in JP-A 2011-181439, contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The connector disclosed in JP-A 2011-181439 comprises an actuator pivotable between an open position and a close position (see  FIG. 13A ). The actuator is provided with a lock portion. On the other hand, a plate-like or a sheet-like object is formed with a notch (see  FIG. 13B ). The object is inserted in the connector when the actuator is located at the open position. When the actuator pivots to the close position, the lock portion protrudes downward to be received in the notch. Accordingly, the object is prevented from being removed from or coming off the connector. 
     However, as for the connector of JP-A 2011-181439, the object might move out of position before the actuator is operated to pivot. In other words, the connector of JP-A 2011-181439 is unable to temporarily hold the object at a proper position when the actuator is located at the open position. Moreover, when the actuator is located at the close position, a movement of the object is regulated by the lock portion of the actuator. Accordingly, for example, if the connector has such a small size that does not allow the lock portion to have a large width or a large protruding length, the lock portion is unable to lock the object securely. The object therefore might be removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which is more securely preventable the object both from moving out of position before the actuator is operated to pivot and from coming off after the actuator is operated to pivot. 
     One aspect (first aspect) of the present invention provides a connector into which a plate-like or sheet-like object comprising an interposed portion and a locked portion is insertable rearward along an insertion direction from a front end of the connector. The connector comprises a receiving portion, a housing and an actuator. The receiving portion has a bottom surface. The receiving portion is configured to receive the inserted object. The housing has a lock portion and a recess. The lock portion protrudes upward over the bottom surface of the receiving portion. The recess is located rearward of the lock portion. The recess has a bottom portion. The bottom portion of the recess is located below the bottom surface of the receiving portion. The actuator has a pressing portion. The actuator is supported by the housing so as to be pivotable between an open position and a close position. The actuator located at the open position allows the object to be received in the receiving portion. The interposed portion of the received object is located above the recess. The locked portion of the received object is located rearward of the lock portion. The pressing portion located above the recess and the bottom portion of the recess interposes the interposed portion of the received object when the actuator pivots from the open position to the close position. 
     An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention and a front end of an object, wherein an actuator of the connector is located at an open position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 1  under a state where the actuator is located at a close position. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a rear side o the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view showing the object of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partially cut away, enlarged, perspective view showing a side portion of the connector of  FIG. 1 , taken along line V-V, wherein lines V-V pass in the vicinity of a lock portion of the connector. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 1 , taken along line VI-VI, wherein dashed lines schematically illustrate a position of an interposed portion of the object which passes above the lock portion. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 1  in a state where the object is received and temporarily held, taken along line VII-VII. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 2  in a state where the object is received and held, taken along line VIII-VIII, wherein lines VIII-VIII pass in the vicinity of the lock portion. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 1 , taken along line IX-IX, wherein lines IX-IX pass the lock portion. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 1 , taken along line X-X, wherein lines X-X pass an accommodating portion of the actuator and a pushing portion of a shell. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of FIG.  2  in the state where the object is received and held, taken along line XI-XI, wherein lines XI-XI pass the accommodating portion of the actuator and the pushing portion of the shell. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector and the object of  FIG. 1 , taken along line XII-XII, wherein lines XII-XII pass the accommodating portion of the actuator and a grasp portion of the shell. 
         FIG. 13A  is a cross-sectional view showing an existing connector and an object held by the existing connector, wherein an actuator of the connector is located at a close position.  FIG. 13B  is a top view showing the object of  FIG. 13A . 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a connector  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to be mounted on a circuit board (not shown). The connector  10  is shaped in a rectangular column-like shape extending along a right-to-left direction (Y-direction). The connector  10  has a front end  10 F and a rear end  10 R in a front-to-rear direction (X-direction). 
     The connector  10  is configured so that a plate-like or sheet-like object  20  such as an FPC or an FFC is insertable thereinto from the front end  10 F toward the rear end  10 R (i.e. rearward) along an insertion direction (X-direction). In detail, the connector  10  is formed with a receiving portion  30  therewithin. The receiving portion  30  opens toward the front end  10 F. A width in the Y-direction of the vicinity of the opening of the receiving portion  30  is slightly larger than a width in the Y-direction of the object  20 . The object  20  is inserted and received into the receiving portion  30  from the front end  10 F to be electrically connected to the connector  10 . In other words, the connector  10  comprises the receiving portion  30  which is configured to receive the inserted object  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the object  20  according to the present embodiment is formed to have a sheet-like shape extending in parallel to the XY-plane. In detail, the object  20  has two principal surfaces, namely, an upper surface  210  and a lower surface  220  opposing in an upper-to-lower direction (Z-direction), and an insertion end  230  configured to be inserted in the receiving portion  30  of the connector  10 . The object  20  has opposite side portions in the Y-direction. Each of the side portions of the object  20  is partially cut so that the object  20  is formed with two notches  240 . The notch  240  according to the present embodiment has a rectangular shape so as to be formed with a locked portion  250  having a planar shape perpendicular to the X-direction. The notch  240  is located in the vicinity of the insertion end  230 . The object  20  further has two interposed portions  260 . Each of the interposed portions  260  is formed between the notch  240  and the insertion end  230 . The shape of the notch  240  may not be rectangular, provided that the object  20  comprises the interposed portion  260  and the locked portion  250  configured as described above. 
     The object  20  has a ground pattern  212  and a belt-like region  222  provided on the upper surface  210  and the lower surface  220 , respectively. Each of the ground pattern  212  and the belt-like region  222  extends along the Y-direction. The belt-like region  222  is provided with a plurality of signal patterns (contact points)  224 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the connector  10  comprises a plurality of contacts  100  each made of a metal, a housing  300  made of an insulating material, a shell  400  made of a metal and an actuator  500  made of an insulating material. The contacts  100  are held by the housing  300  so as to be connectable to the respective contact points  224  of the object  20 . The shell  400  according to the present embodiment is attached to the housing  300  from the front end  10 F so as to partially cover the housing  300 . 
     The housing  300  is formed so as to extend long in the Y-direction. The housing  300  has two side portions  340  at opposite ends in the Y-direction, respectively. Each of the side portions  340  is formed with a first protrusion  342  protruding inward in the Y-direction (see  FIG. 3 ). The housing  300  has a holding portion  310  and a bottom plate  320  each extending in the Y-direction between the two side portions  340 . In detail, the two side portions  340  are coupled by the holding portion  310  at the rear end  10 R, and also coupled by the bottom plate  320  at a lower side (i.e. the negative Z-side) of the connector  10 . 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 5 , the housing  300  further has an upper structure  330  which couples the two side portions  340  in the Y-direction. The upper structure  330  extends in the Y-direction above the receiving portion  30 . The upper structure  330  has a lower surface in the Z-direction while the receiving portion  30  has an upper surface in the Z-direction. The lower surface of the upper structure  330  is the upper surface of the receiving portion  30  at a side portion of the receiving portion  30  in the Y-direction. ID other words, the upper structure  330  defines an upper part of the receiving portion  30  at the side portion of the receiving portion  30  in the Y-direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 , the housing  300  has a guide portion  322 , a mount portion  324 , two recesses  326  and two lock portions  350  which are formed on an upper surface of the bottom plate  320 . According to the present embodiment, two sets each comprised of the one recess  326  and the one lock portion  350  are provided at opposite side portions of the bottom plate  320 , respectively. The mount portion  324  extends in the Y-direction so as to couple the two lock portions  350  with each other. In detail, the lock portions  350  is formed at opposite ends of the mount portion  324  so as to be corresponding to the locked portions  250  of the object  20  in the Y-direction, respectively. The guide portion  322  extends on the front side of the mount portion  324  and the lock portions  350  in the Y-direction. 
     The guide portion  322  is a slope which gently slopes upward from the front end  10 F of the connector  10  (i.e. an entrance of the receiving portion  30 ) to front ends (i.e. the negative X-side ends) of the mount portion  324  and the lock portion  350 . In other words, the guide portion  322  extends in the Y-direction while obliquely crossing the X-direction. The mount portion  324  is a horizontal plane extending in parallel to the XY-plane. The mount portion  324  according to the present embodiment is a bottom surface which defines a lower part of the receiving portion  30 . In other words, the receiving portion  30  according to the present embodiment has the bottom surface which is formed from the mount portion  324  of the housing  300  (i.e. a part of the housing  300 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the recess  326  is located rearward of the lock portion  350 . In other words, the recess  326  is located between the lock portion  350  and the rear end  10 R in the X-direction. The recess  326  according to the present embodiment is a recess formed in the upper surface of the bottom plate  320 . The recess  326  has a bottom portion  328  and a rear wall  329 . The bottom portion  328  according to the present embodiment is a plane extending in parallel to the XY-plane. The bottom portion  328  is located below the mount portion  324  (i.e. the bottom surface of the receiving portion  30 ) in the Z-direction. The rear wall  329  according to the present embodiment is a plane perpendicular to the X-direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  9 , the lock portion  350  protrudes upward (i.e. in the positive Z-direction) from the recess  326  over the mount portion  324 . In other words, the lock portion  350  protrudes upward over the bottom surface of the receiving portion  30 . The lock portion  350  has a top portion  352 , a slope portion  354  and a lock surface  356 . The top portion  352  according to the present embodiment is a plane extending in parallel to the XY-plane. The slope portion  354  slopes obliquely downward and forward (i.e. in the negative X-direction) from the top portion  352  to reach to the guide portion  322 . The lock surface  356  according to the present embodiment is formed to have a planar shape perpendicular to the X-direction. The lock surface  356  is located rearward of the top portion  352 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 to 3  and  5 , the shell  400  according to the present embodiment is formed by stamping and bending a single metal sheet. The shell  400  has an upper portion  410 , a lower portion  420  and two side portions  430 . The upper portion  410  extends in the Y-direction so as to cover the upper structure  330  of the housing  300  (see  FIG. 5 ). The lower portion  420  extends in the Y-direction along a lower surface of the bottom plate  320  of the housing  300  (see  FIG. 5 ). The two side portions  430  are located at opposite ends of the shell  400  in the Y-direction, respectively. Each of the side portions  430  connects the upper portion  410  and the lower portion  420  to each other in the Z-direction. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 2 ,  10  and  12 , a middle part in the Y-direction of the upper portion  410  is, for the most part, bent toward the inside of the housing  300  so as to cover a lower side of the upper structure  330 . In detail, the middle part of the upper portion  410  has a plurality of pushing portions  412  (see  FIG. 10 ) and a plurality of grasp portions  416  (see  FIG. 12 ) which are formed intermittently. 
     The pushing portion  412  extends in the positive X-direction so as to be resiliently deformable in the Z-direction. More specifically, the pushing portion  412  extends beyond the lock portion  350  in the X-direction while sloping downward. The grasp portion  416  is located above the guide portion  322 . More specifically, the grasp portion  416  covers the lower side of the upper structure  330  so as to grasp the upper structure  330  in the Z-direction. According to the present embodiment, the grasp portion  416  configured as described above prevents the upper portion  410  from moving in the Z-direction. As can be seen from the above description, the pushing portions  412  and the grasp portions  416  define the upper part of the receiving portion  30  at a middle part of the receiving portion  30  in the Y-direction. The pushing portion  412  has an end which is slightly curved downward so that the pushing portion  412  is formed with a contact part  414 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 to 3  and  10 , the lower portion  420  of the shell  400  is provided with a plurality of connecting portions  422  configured to be electrically connected to a ground pattern of the circuit board (not shown). Each of the side portions  430  is provided with a hold-down  432  configured to be fixed to the circuit board (not shown). The hold-down  432  extends downward (i.e. in the negative Z-direction) from an upper part of the side portion  430 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the actuator  500  has a plate-like shape which is long in the Y-direction. The actuator  500  has two pivot shafts  510  formed at opposite ends thereof in the Y-direction, respectively. The pivot shafts  510  are supported by the housing  300  so as to be pivotable. In detail, the actuator  500  is supported by the housing  300  so as to be pivotable between an open position (the position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) where the object  20  is insertable into the receiving portion  30  of the connector  10  and a close position (the position shown in  FIG. 2 ) where the object  20  is held by and connected to the connector  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the actuator  500  is formed with two second protrusions  520  at opposite ends thereof in the Y-direction, respectively. The second protrusions  520  protrude outward in the Y-direction. When the actuator  500  pivots to the close position, each of the second protrusion  520  surmounts the first protrusion  342  to be located under the first protrusion  342 . The first protrusion  342  locks the second protrusion  520  so that the actuator  500  located at the close position is prevented from pivoting to the open position. According to the present embodiment, the actuator  500  located at the close position is prevented from unintentionally returning to the open position. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  6  and  8 , the actuator  500  is formed with two pressing portions  530  at the opposite ends thereof in the Y-direction, respectively. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the pressing portion  530  extends toward the rear end  10 R of the connector  10  (i.e. in the positive X-direction) when the actuator  500  is located at the open position. As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the actuator  500  is located at the close position, the pressing portion  530  is located above the recess  326  and extends downward (i.e. in the negative Z-direction). 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 3 and 10 , the actuator  500  is formed with a plurality of accommodating portions  540  each corresponding to the contact  100 . The accommodating portion  540  according to the present embodiment is a slit piercing the actuator  500  located at the open position in the X-direction (see  FIG. 10 ). Each of the accommodating portions  540  is formed with a push-up portion  542  therewithin. The push-up portion  542  extends long in the X-direction when the actuator  500  is located at the open position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 10 , the contacts  100  are press-fit in the housing  300  forward from the rear end  10 R of the connector  10 . Each of the contacts  100  has a terminal portion  120  and a held portion  130 . The terminal portion  120  is configured to be electrically connected to a signal pattern of the circuit board (not shown). The held portion  130  is caught by the holding portion  310  and the bottom plate  320  of the housing  300  in the Z-direction so that the contact  100  is fixed to the housing  300 . A part of the contact  100  has a U-like shape which is comprised of an upper arm  140  and a lower arm  150 . The upper arm  140  and the lower arm  150  extend in the negative X-direction (i.e. toward the front end  10 F) from the held portion  130  while facing in the Z-direction each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the upper arm  140  of the contact  100  passes through the accommodating portion  540  so as to be located on the push-up portion  542  of the actuator  500 . The lower arm  150  extends along the upper surface of the bottom plate  320  to be accommodated in a ditch formed in the bottom plate  320 . The lower arm  150  is provided with a contact portion  152  at an end thereof. The contact portion  152  protrudes upward (i.e. in the positive Z-direction). 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 5 to 7 , when the actuator  500  of the connector  10  configured as described above is located at the open position, the object  20  is able to be inserted and received into the receiving portion  30  along the positive X-direction. In other words, as described below, the actuator  500  located at the open position allows the object  20  to be received in the receiving portion  30 . At first, the interposed portion  260  of the object  20  inserted in the receiving portion  30  is guided by the guide portion  322  and the slope portion  354  of the lock portion  350  to move toward the rear end  10 R while inclining upward. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , according to the present embodiment, each of a minimum distance D 1  between the upper structure  330  and the slope portion  354  of the lock portion  350  and a minimum distance D 2  between the upper structure  330  and the top portion  352  of the lock portion  350  is larger than a thickness TH of the object  20 . Moreover, the object  20  according to the present embodiment has such a flexibility that allows the object  20  to be partially resiliently deformed without being damaged. Accordingly, the interposed portion  260  is able to surmount the top portion  352  while bending upward even if a distance D 3  in the Z direction between the upper structure  330  and the top portion  352  of the lock portion  350  is smaller than the thickness TH of the interposed portion  260  of the object  20  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the interposed portion  260  surmounts the top portion  352 , the object  20  is received in the receiving portion  30 . The interposed portion  260  of the received object  20 , which is received in the receiving portion  30 , is located above the recess  326 , and the locked portion  250  of the received object  20  being located rearward of the lock portion  350 . The lock portion  350  is thus received in the notch  240  so that the interposed portion  260  moves downward. When the lock portion  350  is located in the notch  240 , the object  20  is in a temporarily-held state. When the object  20  in the temporarily-held state is further moved in the positive X-direction, the insertion end  230  is brought into abutment with the rear wall  329  of the recess  326  so that the object  20  is (fully) received in the connector  10 . As can be seen from the above description, the insertion end  230  is unable to move rearward beyond the rear wall  329 . In other words, the rear wall  329  defines a moving range of the object  20  in the positive X-direction. 
     When the object  20  is in the temporarily-held state, the locked portion  250  of the object  20  and the lock surface  356  of the lock portion  350  are partially brought into abutment with each other even if the object  20  receives a forward force (i.e. a force toward the negative X-direction). This abutment temporarily prevents the object  20  from moving forward to be out of position or removed. In other words, the connector  10  comprises the lock surface  356  which locks the locked portion  250  of the object  20  in the temporarily-held state so as to prevent the object  20  from moving out of position. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to support the object  20  by some members when the actuator  500  pivots from the open position to the close position. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 10 and 11 , under a state where the object  20  is not inserted, a distance in the Z-direction between the pushing portion  412  and the mount portion  324  is designed to be smaller than the thickness TH of the insertion end  230  of the object  20 . The object  20 , which is inserted into the receiving portion  30 , moves in the positive X-direction while receiving a downward force from the pushing portion  412 . Accordingly, when the locked portion  250  surmounts the top portion  352  and the object  20  is transferred to the temporarily-held state (see  FIG. 7 ), a click feeling is generated. It is possible to know by this click feeling that the object  20  is in the temporarily-held state. According to the present embodiment, the thickness TH of a middle part of the insertion end  230  in the Y-direction is same as the thickness TH of the interposed portion  260 . However, these two thicknesses may be different from each other. For example, the thickness of the interposed portion  260  may be larger. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 7 ,  10  and  11 , when the object  20  is in the temporarily-held state, a middle part of the object  20  in the Y-direction is pushed downward by the pushing portion  412  of the shell  400 . Accordingly, the belt-like region  222  provided on the lower surface  220  of the object  20  is pressed against the mount portion  324 . In other words, the pushing portion  412  according to the present embodiment pushes the belt-like region  222  of the object  20 , which is received in the receiving portion  30 , toward the mount portion  324  when the actuator  500  is located at the open position so that the object  20  is temporarily prevented from moving upward. According to the present embodiment, the upper surface  210  of the object  20  is pushed by the pushing portion  412  so that the temporarily-held state of the object  20  is maintained. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the actuator  500  is able to be turned from the open position to the close position when the object  20  is received in the receiving portion  30  to be in the temporarily-held state. The pressing portion  530  of the actuator  500  and the bottom portion  328  of the recess  326  interpose the interposed portion  260  of the received object  20  when the actuator  500  pivots from the open position to the close position. According to the present embodiment, the interposed portion  260  is pressed against the bottom portion  328  by the pressing portion  530  so that the object  20  is transferred to a (completely) held state. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 8 , when the object  20  is in the held-state, the interposed portion  260  is sandwiched by the pressing portion  530  and the bottom portion  328 . Accordingly, a forward movement of the object  20  is prevented if a forward force (i.e. a force along the negative X-direction) is applied to the object  20 . Even if the object  20  moves forward, the locked portion  250  of the object  20  and the lock surface  356  of the lock portion  350  are brought into contact with each other so that the object  20  is prevented from further moving forward to come off the connector  10 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 8 and 9 , according to the present embodiment, it is possible to shorten the distance D 3  in the Z-direction between the upper structure  330  and the top portion  352  of the lock portion  350  without enlarging a height (i.e. a size in the Z-direction) of the connector  10  (see  FIG. 9 ). In other words, even when a distance in the Z-direction between the mount portion  324  and the top portion  352  (i.e. a height of the lock surface  356  relative to the mount portion  324 ) is small, it is possible to enlarge a height D 4  of the lock surface  356  without enlarging the height of the connector  10 . Moreover, it is possible to enlarge a distance in the Z-direction between the bottom portion  328  and the top portion  352  (i.e. the height D 4  of the lock surface  356 ) by depressing the recess  326  deeply while keeping the height of the lock surface  356  relative to the mount portion  324  at a predetermined size. As can be seen from the above description, according to the present embodiment, it becomes possible to more securely temporarily-hold or hold the object  20  without enlarging the height (i.e. the size in the Z-direction) of the connector  10 . 
     Moreover, it is possible to more securely hold the object  20  if the height D 4  of the lock surface  356  is larger than the thickness TH of the object  20 . However, the height D 4  of the lock surface  356  may be smaller than the thickness TH of the object  20  if the recess  326  is unable to be depressed deeply, for example, when the connector  10  is required to have as small height as possible. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an angle value of the slope portion  354  according to the present embodiment is larger than an angle value of the guide portion  322 . Accordingly, it is possible to make the height D 4  of the lock surface  356  higher. 
     The lock surface  356  according to the present embodiment is a vertical plane. Nevertheless, if the object  20  has a sufficient flexibility, it is possible to remove the object  20  in the temporarily-held state even when the height D 4  of the lock surface  356  is large. However, an upper part of the lock surface  356  may be formed as a slope if it is important to more easily remove the object  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the push-up portion  542  of the actuator  500  rotates to extend long in the Z-direction when the actuator  500  pivots to the close position under the state where the object  20  is received in the receiving portion  30 . Accordingly, the push-up portion  542  pushes the upper arm  140  upward and presses the pushing portion  412  downward toward the object  20 . The object  20  is pressed downward by a pressing force applied from the push-up portion  542  so that the belt-like region  222  of the object  20  is placed on and pressed against the mount portion  324 . 
     As can be seen from the above description, the object  20  is securely held between the resiliently deformed pushing portion  412  and the mount portion  324 . Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the object  20  is caught by the pushing portion  412  and the lower arm  150  so that the held state of the object  20  is more securely maintained. Moreover, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the middle part of the object  20  in the Y-direction from bending upward even when the interposed portions  260  (i.e. the side portions in the Y-direction) of the object  20  move downward (see  FIG. 8 ). It is preferred to provide a plurality of the regularly spaced pushing portions  412  in order to obtain the aforementioned effect. Otherwise, the pushing portion  412  may be provided at a central part of the connector  10  in the Y-direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , when the object  20  is in the held state, the contact portion  152  of the lower arm  150  is moved upward by the movement of the actuator  500  toward the close position. Meanwhile, the object  20  is pressed toward the mount portion  324  so that the contact point  224  of the object  20  moves downward. The upward moved contact portion  152  is pressed against the downward moved contact point  224  so that the contact point  224  is electrically connected to the contact portion  152  of the lower arm  150 . Simultaneously, the contact part  414  of the pushing portion  412  is electrically connected to the ground pattern  212  of the object  20 . Accordingly, the contact point  224  and the ground pattern  212  are electrically connected to the signal pattern and the ground pattern of the circuit board (not shown), respectively. 
     The present embodiment may be modified variously. For example, the bottom surface of the receiving portion  30  (i.e. the mount portion  324 ) may be not a part of the housing  300  but a part of the shell  400 . For example, the lower portion  420  of the shell  400  may be bent rearward after extending forward so that the mount portion  324  may be formed. Moreover, the pushing portion  412  may be formed separately from the shell  400 . Moreover, the lock portion  350  may be provided at a proper position corresponding to the shape of the object  20 . For example, the only one lock portion  350  may be formed at the central part of the connector  10  in the Y-direction. 
     The present application is based on a Japanese patent application of JP2012-045805 filed before the Japan Patent Office on Mar. 1, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.