Abstract:
A flat cable connector has one or more contact bodies. Each contact body is formed from a bent plate body and has a terminal part and a circuit board contact part. The terminal part of the contact has a u-shape for contacting a flexible circuit board. The circuit board contact part has a flexible curved end for contacting a main circuit board. A housing case is positioned around the contact bodies and has openings on at least one side. The openings are positioned to expose parts of the contact bodies and include an insertion hole and a contact hole. The insertion hole provides access for a connection terminal part of a main circuit board to the circuit board contact parts of the contacts. The contact hole provides access for a flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contacts. A moveable cover fits loosely in the insertion hole and anchors the flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contacts to form an electrical connection. A device on the main circuit board side of the connector positions and anchors the flat cable connector to the main circuit board to enable the circuit board contact parts of the contacts to make electrical contact with connection terminal parts of the main circuit board. A device on the component side of the housing positions and anchors the flat cable connector to the component.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector for attaching a flexible printed board to a printed circuit board. The flexible printed board is connected to electronic components such as a liquid crystal display and the like. More specifically, the present invention provides a connector having positioning and anchoring means which enable attachment of a component and a printed circuit board without having to simultaneously maintain the positions of the electronic component and the main printed circuit board. 
     A flexible printed board is made of a flexible connection cable and a board having a plurality of connection terminals formed on one end of the board. The flexible printed board is connected to electronic components, such as liquid crystal displays and the like, via a number of connection wires. The flexible printed board connects the electronic component and the main printed circuit board using a variety of connection terminals formed on the end part of the flexible printed board. For example, in cellular telephones, to attach a small liquid crystal display to a main printed circuit board, a flexible printed board comes out of the liquid crystal display and is inserted into a flat cable connector, which has been soldered in advance to a main printed circuit board. Next, the liquid crystal display and the main printed circuit board are connected electrically. Finally, the liquid crystal display is anchored to the main printed circuit board. 
     Referring to FIG. 12, a prior art example is shown. In the prior art, a flexible printed board  100  is made of a flexible material that can be bent without breaking. One end is anchored by soldering or the like to an electronic component (not shown), such as a small liquid crystal display and the like. A connection terminal part  101  is formed on the other end of the flexible printed board. 
     A flat cable connector  102  includes: a housing  103 , a contact  104  and a cover  105 . The housing  103  is a case. The contact  104  is inserted inside the housing  103  in advance. The cover  105  is attached to one side of the housing. An opening  109  is made on one side of the housing  103 . The cover  105  is inserted into the opening  109  and is freely detachable therefrom. 
     On one end of the contact  104  is a terminal  107 , which can be soldered to a main printed circuit board  106 . A terminal part  108  is located on the other end of contact  104  and contacts connection terminal part  101  of flexible printed board  100  inside housing  103 . As a result, main printed circuit board  106  and flexible printed board  100  are connected at contact  104 . A plurality of contacts  104  may be arranged in a row and anchored inside the housing  103  such that a terminal part  108  is positioned on an opening  109  side of the housing  103  and the terminal  107  protrudes from the side opposite the opening  109  side. Terminals  107  of contacts  104  arranged in a row and anchored inside flat cable connector  102  in this way, are soldered onto a specified position on the main printed circuit board  106 . As a result, a flat cable connector  102  is anchored to the main printed circuit board  106 . 
     Next, the connection terminal part  101  of flexible printed board  100  is inserted from opening  109  of flat cable connector  102 , and cover  105  is pushed inside opening  109 . The connection terminal part  101  is pressed against terminal part  108  of contact  104  by cover  105 . As a result, the connection terminal part  101  of the flexible printed board and the terminal part  108  of the contact  104  are pushed into contact and anchored and connected. Terminal  107  of contact  104  is attached to main printed circuit board  106  by soldering. As a result, flat cable connector  102  and main printed circuit board  106  become connected. 
     In this configuration, the top of the main printed circuit board  106  is crowded. In addition, many other components are attached at the position where the liquid crystal display (not show) is to be anchored. As a result, the prior art configuration poses problems such as a small working space and difficulty in attaching a flexible printed board  100  to a flat cable connector  102  of a main printed circuit board  106  by pushing in cover  105 . 
     Furthermore, inserting flexible printed board  100  into flat cable connector  102  of main printed circuit board  106  must be conducted without moving the position of the liquid crystal display (not shown). As a result, the liquid crystal display (not shown) and the main printed circuit board  106  must be handled simultaneously. This makes the connection difficult and time consuming. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Considering these problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector, wherein, connecting electronic components having flexible printed board components such as liquid crystal displays and the like to a main printed circuit board, is made easier. The attachment operation is conducted without spending a large amount of operation time. 
     Briefly stated, the present invention is a flat cable connector having at least one contact body. Each contact body is formed from a bent plate body and has a terminal part and a circuit board contact part. The terminal part of the contact has a u-shape for contacting a flexible circuit board. The circuit board contact part has a flexible curved end for contacting a main circuit board. A housing case is positioned around the at least one contact body and has openings on at least one side. The openings are positioned to expose part of the contact body and include an insertion hole and a contact hole. The insertion hole provides access for a connection terminal part of a main circuit board to the circuit board contact parts of the contact body. The contact hole provides access for a flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contact body. A moveable cover fits loosely in the insertion hole and anchors the flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contact body to form an electrical connection. A device on the side of the housing facing the main circuit board positions the flat cable connector with the main circuit board to enable the circuit board contact part of the contact body to make electrical contact with connection terminal parts of the main circuit board. A device on the component side of the housing positions and anchors the flat cable connector to the component. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the curved end of the circuit board contact bodies have curved ends which protrude from the insertion hole and are deformed when the main circuit board is pressed against them. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, a flat cable connector is provided where the devices on the side of the housing used to position the flat cable connector with the main circuit board or the component is a boss designed to fit a corresponding boss hole on the main circuit board or component, respectively. 
     The action of the present invention is described below. 
     A flexible printed board is inserted into the flat cable connector through an insertion hole of a housing. When the flexible printed board is inserted a cover is pushed into the insertion hole. The cover being pushed into the insertion hole forces the flexible printed board and the terminal part of the contact to come into contact. 
     A positioning means provided on the housing and a positioning means provided on a main printed circuit board are joined. Once the main printed circuit board and the housing are in position, a circuit board contacting part of the contact which protrudes from the contact hole of the housing can contact the main printed circuit board at a specified position. 
     The positioned housing is pushed against the main printed circuit board. The circuit board contact part, which protrudes from the housing, has elastic properties. While being pressed into contact with the main printed circuit board, the circuit board contact part recedes so that it is flush with the housing. After being joined in this manner, the main printed circuit board and the housing are in tight contact. The housing is thus anchored to the main printed circuit board. In this way, the flexible printed board and the main printed circuit board are connected via the flat cable connector. 
     The positioning means provided on the housing may be formed as a boss protruding from the housing surface. The positioning means provided on the main printed circuit board may be a boss hole formed on the surface of the main printed circuit board. The housing and main printed circuit board are anchored by inserting the boss into the boss hole. With this design, the main printed circuit board and the housing are anchored by joining the boss and the boss hole. w of the first embodiment. 
     The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 is a plane view of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 1 along line A—A. 
     FIG. 4 is a back view of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 is a descriptive drawing showing the attached arrangement for the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-section view showing the same attached arrangement for the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective descriptive drawing showing a contact body of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 is a longitudinal central cross-section of the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the third embodiment along line B—B. 
     FIG. 11 is a central longitudinal cross sectional descriptive drawing of the fourth embodiment. 
     FIG. 12 is a descriptive drawing of the prior art. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  6 , a first embodiment is shown. A flat cable connector  1 , comprises: contacts  2 , a housing  3  and a cover  4 . The contacts are made of bent conductive plates. The housing contains contacts  2  are arranged in a row. The cover  4  is detachable from the housing  3 . Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, flat cable connector  1  serves as a linking connector. A flexible printed board FPC and main printed circuit board PCB are connected by inserting the flat cable connector  1  into a flexible printed board FPC and anchoring the main printed circuit board PCB to the flat cable connector  1 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the main printed circuit board PCB is a printed circuit board upon which electrical equipment of IC and the like (not shown) is mounted. In this embodiment, the main printed circuit board PCB is mounted internally in a cellular telephone. A connection terminal part PCB 1 , having a plurality of exposed contact points, is formed on top of the main printed circuit board PCB. In addition, the main printed circuit board PCB has boss holes BH near the connection terminal part PCB 1 . A boss hole BH is a positioning means for determining the attachment position of flat cable connector  1 . The boss hole BH is also an anchoring means. 
     A flexible printed circuit board FPC is made of a thin flexible board. A connection terminal part FPC 1  (not shown) is formed on one end of the FPC with a plurality of contact points arranged in a row. The other end of the FPC is connected to the component W to be mounted on the main printed circuit board PCB. The component W may be a liquid crystal display or the like. The component W is electrically connected to the main printed circuit board PCB by having connection terminal part FPC 1  connect to the flat cable connector  1  which in turn is connected to the main printed circuit board PCB. In this embodiment, component W is a small size liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as liquid crystal display W). A boss hole BH is formed underneath the liquid crystal display W surface where flat cable connector  1  attaches to liquid crystal display W. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, contact  2  is formed by bending a conductive metal plate. The central part of the contact  2  forms a contact body  21 , which is anchored to housing  3 . A terminal part  22  extends from one end of the contact body  2  while a circuit board contact part  23  extends from another end of the contact body. Terminal part  22  extends at a right angle from the central portion of the contact body  21 . Terminal part  22  is curved in a U-shape so that cover  4  and flexible printed board FPC can be inserted into it. The U-shaped groove of terminal part  22  is widened when the flexible printed board FPC is inserted and the cover  4  is pushed in. The flexible printed board FPC is pushed against one end of terminal part  22  by cover  4 , and they become electrically connected. The flexible printed board FPC is anchored to flat cable connector  1  by the restorative spring force of terminal part  21  whose U-shaped groove has been widened. 
     Similarly, a circuit board contact part  23  is on the side of contact body  21  opposite the terminal part  22 . This circuit board contact part  23  is bent at a right angle from the contact body  21  and opens in the opposite direction from that of terminal part  22 . The end of circuit board contact part  23  has elasticity and is curved in a U-shape. One side of the U-shaped end is a curved end  24  which curves outward. When contacts  2  are arranged in a row in housing  3 , the curved end  24  of circuit board contact part  23  protrudes outward from housing  3  surface. Even when the circuit board contact part  23  contacts the printed circuit board and is pressed and deformed, it remain connected to the main printed circuit board PCB with which it is in contact. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the flat cable connector has a thin-plate case housing  3 . One side has a thin rectangular shaped opening which serves as an insertion hole  31 . On the opposite side of the housing  3  from the insertion hole  31  is an open contact hole  32 . The circuit board contact part  23  of contact  2  protrudes from the contact hole  32 . On one surface of the housing  3  is a circuit board contact surface  33 . On the surface of the housing  3  opposite the circuit board contact surface  33  is a component anchoring surface  34 . The component anchoring surface  34  anchors with liquid crystal display W. A plurality of contacts  2  are provided in a row inside the housing  3 . For each of the contacts  2 , a curved end  24  of the circuit board contact part  23 , protrudes from contact hole  32  towards the circuit board contact surface  33  side of the housing  3 . A terminal part  22  of contact  2  is positioned at insertion hole  31 . The plurality of contacts  2 , that are arranged in a row, are aligned so that the terminal part  22  of each of the contacts  2  can contact each of the contact points of connection terminal part FPC 1  on the flexible printed board FPC. In addition, the contacts  2  are aligned so that the circuit board contact part  23  of each contact  2  can contact the connection terminal part PCB 1  provided on main printed circuit board PCB. In this configuration, the spacing for each of the contact points of connection terminal parts PCB 1  and the spacing for each of the contact points of connection terminal part FPC 1  are equal. In other words, the spacing for terminal part  22  of contact  2  and each of the contact points of circuit board contact part  23  are the same as the spacing for each of the contact points of connection terminal part PCB 1 . 
     In other configurations, the spacing for each of the contact points of connection terminal part PCB 1  and the spacing for each of the contact points of connection terminal part FCP 1  can be made different. In this situation, a flat cable connector  1  can be formed by changing the shape of each of contacts  2  which are anchored to housing  3 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 a circuit board side boss  35 , which is a positioning means for determining the attachment position to the main printed circuit board PCB, is provided on housing  3 . The circuit board side boss  35  protrudes from circuit board contact surface  33  so that it is opposite boss hole BH. Circuit board side boss  35  is shaped to fit boss hole BH. When circuit board side boss  35  is inserted into boss hole BH, the curved end  24  of each of contact  2  contact the connection terminal parts PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB. The housing  3  is attached to main printed circuit board PCB by inserting circuit board side boss  35  into boss hole BH, so that the curved ends  24  of each of contact  2  are in contact with their respective connection terminal part PCB 1 . The shape of the circuit board side boss  35  is designed to join with boss hole BH securely and to anchor the housing  3  to main printed circuit board PCB with circuit board contact surface  33  of flat cable connector  1  opposite main printed circuit board PCB. As a result, each contact  2  and connection terminal part PCB 1  are electrically connected. In a similar manner, component anchoring surface  34  provided on housing  3  is also fitted with a protruding component side boss  36 . Component side boss  36  is placed opposite a boss hole BH of a liquid crystal display W. Flat cable connector  1  is anchored to liquid crystal display W by inserting component side boss  36  into boss hole BH. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 6, a cover  4  is provided with a cover base part  41  having an insertion part  42  that is capable of contacting insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . The insertion part  42  is narrower than cover base part  41  and is capable of being inserted through insertion hole  31  inside contact  2  anchored inside housing  3 . Cover  4  is capable of being inserted inside insertion hole  31  until the protruding insertion part  42  contacts insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . Insertion part  42  of cover  4  is loosely inserted inside insertion hole  31  of housing  3  in advance. In this position, connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC can be inserted into insertion hole  31 . When terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC is inserted into insertion hole  31  of housing  3  having a plurality of contacts  2  anchored therein, flexible printed board FPC and terminal part  22  of contact  2  are anchored by the pressure of cover  4  being pushed into insertion hole  31 . 
     With the first embodiment formed in this manner, cover  4  is inserted loosely into insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . The connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC is inserted into insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . As a result, each of the contact points of connection terminal part FPC 1  is positioned at a terminal part  22  of each of contacts  2 , inside insertion hole  31 . Once in this position, insertion part  42  of cover  4  is pushed into insertion hole  31  until cover base part  41  of cover  4  contacts insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . As a result, connection terminal part FPC 1  is pressed by cover  4  against terminal part  22  of contact  2  and is anchored in an electrically connected condition. Next, component side boss  36  of housing  3  is inserted into boss hole BH of liquid crystal display W. Thereupon, flat cable connector  1  is anchored to liquid crystal display W by boss hole BH of liquid crystal display W fitted snugly in component side boss  36 . 
     Next, circuit board side boss  35  of housing  3  is inserted into connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB. Thereupon, the curved end  24  of each of contacts  2 , which are anchored inside housing  3 , make contact with connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB. In addition, housing  3  is pushed against main printed circuit board PCB. As a result, curved end  24  of circuit board contact part  23  of contact  2  is deformed. Contact  2  is maintained in position by the spring force of the deformed circuit board contact part  23  whereby it is pushed against and in contact with connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB. Therefore, housing  3  is anchored to main printed circuit board PCB by having boss  35  and boss hole BH join. In addition, circuit board contact part  23  of contact  2  and connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB become electrically connected. 
     In this manner, connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC is inserted into insertion hole  31  of housing  3 . Liquid crystal display W is thus attached and anchored to main printed circuit board PCB via flat cable connector  1  by joining circuit board side boss  35  and component side boss  36  with boss holes BH of liquid crystal display W and main printed circuit board PCB, respectively. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, flat cable connector  1  is shown as a linking connector which connects flexible printed board FPC and main printed circuit board PCB by anchoring an inserted flexible printed board FPC, and by further anchoring with main printed circuit board PCB. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, a longitudinal center cross-section of a second embodiment is shown, corresponding to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 8, in the second embodiment, the position at which connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC is inserted into insertion hole  31  of housing  3  is different from that of the first embodiment. The insertion of flexible printed board FPC via connection terminal part FPC 1  into insertion hole  31  is on the circuit board contact surface  33  side of housing  3 . In the second embodiment, the mode of action and results are the same as in the first embodiment, except for the different orientation and/or shape of the part where flexible printed board FPC of flat cable connector  1  is inserted. 
     Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a third embodiment of the invention is show. In the third embodiment, component side boss  36  is not provided as in flat cable connector  1  of the first embodiment. In the third embodiment, instead of component side boss  36 , an anchoring means  37  is provided on the component anchoring surface  34  of housing  3 . Flat cable connector  1  is attached and anchored at the desired position of liquid crystal display W by anchoring means  37  either before or after terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC is inserted into insertion hole  31  of housing  3  and anchored by cover  4 . 
     Therefore, in the third embodiment, a component side boss  36  is not provided. As a result, when the attachment position of flat cable connector  1  to liquid crystal display W does not need to be accurate, efficiency of the attachment operation can be improved. In addition, in the third embodiment, even if the object to which flat cable connector  1  is to be attached is not determined, each connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC need only be at the same position as each respective contact  2  of flat cable connector  1 . As a result, in the third embodiment, the range of uses of the present invention as a generic product is expanded. In this manner, the position at which flat cable connector  1  is anchored to main printed circuit board PCB is restricted by the positional relationship with curved end  24  of circuit board contact part  23  provided on contact  2  and connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB. However, with flat cable connector  1  and liquid crystal display W, they are electrically connected by inserting connection terminal part FPC 1  of flexible printed board FPC and the position attachment position is not restricted by the electrical connection. As a result, in the third embodiment, flat cable connector  1  need only be anchored within a certain range. In the third embodiment, anchoring means  37  is of a double sided tape which has an adhesive surface on both sides. However, the anchoring means is not limited to this embodiment. Other means can be used, such as adhesives and the like, as long as it serves to anchor the flat cable connector  1 . 
     In the first and second embodiments, each of boss holes BH and circuit board side boss  35  and component side boss  36  are constructed so that by joining the respective boss holes BH with circuit board side boss  35  and component side boss  36 , flat cable connector  1 , main printed circuit board PCB and liquid crystal display W are anchored. However, although each boss BH and circuit board side boss  35  and component side boss  36  can determine positions, flat cable connector  1  can be constructed so that it is anchored to each by having an adhesive means or the like on circuit board contact surface  33  and component anchoring surface  34  of housing  3 , even if anchoring of each of these can not be done by joining. 
     The first and second embodiments were positioned by boss and boss holes. However, referring to FIG. 11, a fourth embodiment is shown, wherein the flat cable connector  1  and main printed circuit board PCB can be positioned and anchored by an attachment tab  38  which protrudes from flat cable connector  1 . In other words, an attachment hole PCB 2  can be formed in advance at the flat cable connector  1  attachment position of main printed circuit board PCB. An attachment tab  38 , with a protruding part  39 , is provided in an upright manner on circuit board contact surface  33  of housing  3 . Therefore, at a position similar to boss  35  in the first embodiment where curved end  24  of each contact  2  contacts connection terminal part PCB 1  of main printed circuit board PCB, attachment tab  38  protrudes at a position where it can be inserted into attachment hole PCB 2 . The protruding end of the attachment tab  38  forms a protruding part  39 , which is cable of catching with attachment hole PCB 2 . 
     Attachment tab  38  is inserted into attachment hole PCB 2 , and protruding part  39  latches with attachment hole PCB 2  at the surface opposite connection terminal part PCB 1 . Thereupon, with flat cable connector  1 , circuit board contact surface  33  of housing  3  is in contact with main printed circuit board PCB surface. Flat cable connector  1  is anchored in a position where each of contacts  2  and connection terminal part PCB 1  are connected electrically. This configuration eliminates the problem of loosening of boss  35  and boss hole BH by anchoring attachment hole PCB 2  to attachment tab  38 . 
     The positioning means and anchoring means of flat cable connector  1 , main printed circuit board PCB and liquid crystal display W shown in each of the embodiments can be appropriately combined and used depending on how and where the flat cable connector is to be used. Furthermore, as long as connection terminal part PCB of main printed circuit board PCB and curved end  24  of flat cable connector  1  are electrically connected, other positioning and anchoring means may be used. 
     According to the present invention, even if there is little work space from mounted components causing crowding of the main printed circuit board, a flat cable connector can be easily positioned and attached to the main printed circuit board by a positioning means or a boss to improve efficiency of the connector. Furthermore, the flat cable connector is anchored to the main printed circuit board after a flexible printed board is attached to the flat cable connector and after the flat cable connector is first anchored to an attachment component of a liquid crystal display or the like. As a result, flexible printed board and the main printed circuit board do not have to be anchored while simultaneously maintaining the positions of the attachment component of a liquid crystal display or the like and the main printed circuit board. As a result, connections which have been difficult in the prior art, can now be done quickly, easily and more efficiently than in the past. 
     Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.