Connector for securing a flat cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698510-B2
Application number	US-201415037014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

In the connector, each terminal has a base portion, a rear upper beam, a front upper beam, a rear lower beam, and a front lower beam. The actuator includes a cam portion pushing the rear upper beam upwards, and the rear lower beam includes a fixed portion. The front lower beam includes a contact point which establishes contact with the flat cable, and a front end of the lower surface of the front lower beam establishing contact with the upper surface of the bottom portion of the housing. The contact point is positioned to the rear of the upper end of the lower surface of the front lower beam, and the front lower beam and the rear lower beam curve upward when the rear upper beam is pushed upwards, the front end of the lower surface of the front lower beam and the fixed portion serving as the support point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector which is configured to have a flat cable inserted therein, the connector comprising:
a housing having a bottom portion;
a plurality of terminals housed within the housing, each terminal having a base portion, front and rear upper beams and front and rear lower beams, the base portion extending vertically and having an upper end and a lower end, the rear upper beam extending rearward from the upper end of the base portion, the front upper beam extending forward from the upper end of the base portion, the rear lower beam extending rearward from the lower end of the base portion, the front lower beam extending forward from the lower end of the base portion, the rear lower beam has a fixed portion at a rear end thereof, the fixed portion being configured to be fixed to an external circuit board, the front lower beam has an upwardly protruding contact point which is configured to establish contact with the flat cable to be inserted into the connector, the front lower beam has a lower surface having a front end which establishes contact with an upper surface of the bottom portion of the housing, the contact point being positioned rearward of the front end of the lower surface of the front lower beam; and
an actuator having a cam, the cam being arranged between the rear lower beam and the rear upper beam,
wherein, when the flat cable is inserted into the connector and the actuator is actuated, the cam is configured to push the rear upper beam upwards, which causes the front upper beam to extend downward at an angle to establish contact with the inserted flat cable, and which causes the front lower beam and the rear lower beam to curve upward with the front end of the lower surface of the front lower beam and the fixed portion of the rear lower beam serving as support points.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein, when the rear upper beam is pushed upwards, the housing is inclined so that a rear end of the bottom portion of the housing is positioned above a front end of the bottom portion of the housing, and wherein a gap allowing the housing to be inclined is formed between the upper surface of the rear end of the bottom portion of the housing and the rear lower beam.

3. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the gap extends at least from the rear end of the bottom portion of the housing to the cam and a bottom end of the base portion.

4. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the gap is configured by forming a recess in the upper surface of the bottom portion of the housing.

5. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the front end of the front lower beam is not secured by the housing.

6. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has a ceiling portion, and wherein a tab portion extends upwardly from the upper end of the base portion of each terminal, each tab portion being hooked by the ceiling portion of the housing in order to secure the plurality of terminals in the housing.

7. A connector comprising:
a housing having an accommodating portion and left and right actuator holding portions, the accommodating portion having left and right side walls and a ceiling panel, the left and right side walls composing the left and right side surfaces of the housing, the ceiling panel composing an upper surface of the housing, the left and right actuator holding portions extending rearwardly from a rear of the accommodating portion from the left and right side walls;
a plurality of terminals housed within the housing, each terminal including an upper beam and a lower beam which each extend rearwardly, the lower beam having a stopper having a protruding portion which projects further upwards than a remaining portion of the lower beam, the lower beam being positioned below the upper beam;
an actuator having a cam portion arranged between the upper and lower beams, the actuator arranged between the left and right actuator holding portions, the actuator having left and right first temporary stopping portions protruding toward the cam portion and toward the left and right actuator holding portions, the actuator holding portions each including a second temporary stopping portion protruding toward the actuator, the second temporary stopping portions regulating rearward movement of the first temporary stopping portions when the first temporary stopping portions are in front of the second temporary stopping portions; and
left and right grooves which extend from a front end of the ceiling panel to a front end of the respective second temporary stopping portion.

8. The connector according to claim 7 , wherein the front end of the second temporary stopping portions can be seen inside the respective groove when the ceiling panel is viewed from above.

9. A connector comprising:
a housing having an accommodating portion and left and right actuator holding portions, the accommodating portion having left and right side walls and a ceiling panel, the left and right side walls composing left and right side surfaces of the housing, the ceiling panel composing an upper surface of the housing, the left and right actuator holding portions extending rearwardly from a rear of the accommodating portion from the left and right side walls;
a plurality of terminals housed within the housing, each terminal including an upper beam and a lower beam which each extend rearwardly, the lower beam having a stopper having a protruding portion which projects further upwards than a remaining portion of the lower beam, the lower beam being positioned below the upper beam; and
an actuator having a cam portion arranged between the upper and lower beams and forward of the stopper, the actuator being arranged between the left and right actuator holding portions and restricting upward movement, wherein the actuator includes first protruding portions projecting towards the actuator holding portions, and the actuator holding portions, each includes a second protruding portion projecting towards the actuator, upward movement of the actuator being restricted by the first protruding portions engaging the second protruding portions.

Assignees

• Molex Inc
• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Ono Takumi
• Iijima Hideki

Classifications

• H01R12/77

  for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures · CPC title

• H01R12/88 Primary

  acting manually by rotating or pivoting connector housing parts · CPC title

• H01R13/62

  Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement · CPC title