Flexible printed circuit connector

[0002] The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to a zero insertion force electrical connector for terminating a flexible printed circuit or the like.

[0003] A wide variety of flexible printed circuit (FPC) connectors are presently used in different environments. These FPC connectors conventionally have a housing mounting a plurality of terminals in a generally parallel array spaced along an elongated hollow portion thereof for receiving an end of a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Typically, the connector uses an actuator to press the FPC against the terminals.

[0004] The actuator of the FPC connector typically is movable between a first temporary position allowing free insertion of the FPC into the elongated cavity in the housing, and a second position wherein a pressure plate of the actuator biases the FPC against the terminals. Furthermore, the first temporary position usually is unstable and insecure, and inconvenient for manually manipulating the FPC connector.

[0005] One of the ever-increasing problems with FPC connectors of the character described above involves manually manipulating the housing, the actuator and the FPC to terminate the FPC. Simply put, there are three components that must be manipulated, and the operator has only two hands. In other words, to carry out a termination operation, the operator must hold the connector with one hand and insert and hold the FPC with the other hand while using one or both of the hands to move the actuator while the FPC is still held in the hollow portion of the housing. Quite often, the FPC moves or shifts while the actuator is being moved, resulting in an inadequate or defective termination. It can be understood that this problem is magnified as the connectors become longer to accommodate more terminals.

[0006] Hence, an improved FPC connector is needed to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies of current FPC connectors.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector which has an actuator preliminarily mounted on a housing for facilitating manipulation or insertion of a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0008] An FPC connector of the present invention comprises a substantially rectangular housing, a plurality of terminals received in the housing, an actuator and a pair of solder pads mounted on two sides of the housing for soldering the FPC connector to a circuit board.

[0009] The housing includes a front wall with a cavity exposed therein for receiving an end of the FPC, a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall and a pair of sidewalls opposite to each other. Each sidewall forms a first and a second bosses near the rear wall and defines a cutout between the first and second bosses.

[0010] The actuator comprises a main body with a pair of manual portions and a pair of locking arms formed at opposite sides of the main body for engaging the actuator with the housing. An elongated pressure plate extends rearward from the main body between the locking arms for biasing the FPC against the terminals. Each locking arm forms an upper protrusion on a top face thereof for securing the actuator to the housing at a first position, and a lateral protrusion at an inner side thereof for latching the first boss of the housing at the first position.

[0011] Each solder pad comprises a front part, a rear arm offset and spaced a distance apart from the front part, and a base connecting the front part with the rear arm for soldering to a circuit board.

[0012] When the FPC is inserted into the FPC connector, the actuator is at the first position. At the first position the actuator is preliminarily mounted on the housing with the upper protrusions being clamped by the front parts of the solder pads, and the lateral protrusions latching the first bosses of the housing. After the FPC is fully inserted into the FPC connector, the actuator is moved to a second position. In the second position, the actuator biases the FPC against the terminals while the front parts of the solder pad clamp the locking arms of the actuator, and the lateral protrusions of the actuator latch the rear wall of the housing. Thus, the FPC is secured.

[0013] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a view of the FPC connector of FIG. 1 from another perspective;

[0016] FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2, wherein a flexible printed circuit is inserted into the FPC connector and an actuator of the FPC connector is at a first position; and

[0017] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the actuator of the FPC connector at a second position.

[0018] Reference will now be made in greater detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector 1 in accordance with the present invention includes a substantially rectangular housing 10, a plurality of terminals 20, an actuator 40 and a pair of solder pads 30.

[0020] The housing 10 includes an elongated bottom wall 101 and an elongated top wall 102 parallel to each other, a pair of sidewalls 103 opposite to each other, a rear wall 106 and a front wall 104. A cavity 105 is defined in the housing 10 through the front wall 104 for receiving an end of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 5 therein (see. FIG. 3). A plurality of passageways 107 is defined in inner surfaces (not labeled) of the bottom and top walls 101, 102 and through the rear wall 106 which are in communication with the cavity 105 for receiving the terminals 20. A pair of slots 108 is defined through the top wall 102 and the bottom wall 101 and near the sidewalls 103. Each sidewall 103 forms a first boss 109 and a second boss 110, and defines a cutout 111 between the first and second bosses 109, 110. Each first boss 109 has a relatively narrow and generally planar outward first edge 113, with an inclined face 112 and a planar face 114 on opposite sides of the first edge 113. The planar face 114 is perpendicular to the sidewall 103. The second boss 110 is located rearward of the first boss 109, and has a geometry similar to that of the first boss 109 except that an outward second edge (not labeled) has a height lower than the first edge 113 of the first boss 109 and a rearward face (not labeled) is inclined rather than perpendicular to the sidewall 103.

[0021] The actuator 40 is unitarily formed and includes an elongated main body 401, and a pair of manual portions 408 on opposite sides of the main body 401. A locking arm 406 rearwardly extends from a rear face of each manual portion 408 for engaging the actuator 40 with the housing 10.

[0022] The main body 401 has a pressure plate 403 and a cover plate 404 opposite to each other, and defines an elongated hollow portion 405 between the pressure plate 403 and the cover plate 404 for receiving an end of the FPC 5. An elongated tongue 402 extends rearwardly from the elongated pressure plate 403, and is shaped with a decreasing thickness toward its rear for facilitating insertion into the cavity 105 of the housing 10. The locking arm 406 has a top face lower than a top face of the main body 401. A lateral protrusion 409 protrudes from a distal end of the locking arm 406 and has an engaging face 412 perpendicular to the locking arm 406. An upper protrusion 410 upwardly protrudes from a top face of each locking arm 406. Each upper protrusion 410 has a generally narrow and planar top face 411 and has a pair of inclined faces on front and rear sides of the top face 411. A pair of openings 407 is respectively defined between the pressure plate 403 and the locking arms 406 to permit entrance of the sidewalls 103 of the housing 10.

[0023] Each solder pad 30 includes a rear arm 302 for locking into a corresponding slot 108 for anchoring onto the housing 10, an outwardly facing U-shaped front part 303 for engaging with the locking arms 406 of the actuator 40, and a base 301 connecting the rear arm 302 with the front part 303 for soldering to a circuit board (not shown). Each front part 303 has a top arm (not labeled) parallel to the base 301 and defines a channel (not labeled) for not only guidably receiving the corresponding rib 404 therein but also providing intermediate restraint to the rib 404 when the rib 404 is locked at the first boss with regard to the housing. The rear arm 302 is offset and spaced a distance apart from the front part 303.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 3, before the FPC 5 is inserted into the FPC connector 1, the actuator 40 is preliminarily mounted in the housing 10 at a first position. To reach this position, the locking arms 406 of the actuator 40 slide rearwardly across the bases 301 of the solder pads 30. Each lateral protrusion 409 slides over a corresponding inclined face 112, the first edge 113 and the planar face 114 in sequence and is finally received in the cutout 111. The engaging face 412 of the lateral protrusion 409 abuts against the planar face 114 of the first boss 109. Thus, the lateral protrusion 409 latches against the first boss 109 of the housing 10 and thus the actuator 40 is prevented from disengaging from the housing 10. At the same time, the first edge 113 of the first boss 109 abuts an inner side of the locking arm 406, thereby providing an enlarged space between the actuator 40 and the housing 10 for facilitating insertion of the FPC 5 into the cavity 105 of the housing 10. A front end of the elongated tongue 402 of the actuator 40 is received in the housing 10. The front part 303 of the solder pad 30 reliably couples the actuator 40 to the housing 10 by restraining the top face 411 of the upper protrusion 410. At this first stable position, an end of the FPC 5 is freely inserted through the hollow portion 405 into the cavity 105 of the housing 10.

[0025] With reference to FIG. 4, when the FPC 5 is fully inserted into the FPC connector 1, the actuator 40 is pushed to a second position. An external force is exerted rearward against the manual portions 408 to push the locking arms 406 of the actuator 40 to slide across the bases 301. The lateral protrusions 409 slide across the second boss 110, and the engaging face 412 of each lateral protrusion 409 abuts against the rear wall 106 to securely fasten the actuator 40 onto the housing 10 and to prevent release of the FPC 5 from the housing 10. The hollow portion 405 of the actuator 40 is aligned with the cavity 105 of the housing 10. The front part 303 of the solder pad 30 retains the actuator 40 to the housing 10 by clamping at a front section of the locking arm 406. With the elongated tongue 402 completely received in the cavity 105 of the housing 10, the pressure plate 403 is partly received in the cavity 105 and biases the FPC 5 against the terminals 20.

[0026] While the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.