Connector for flexible printed circuit

• US 20060030205A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Chi, Li, Ren-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 7,112,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/492
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/774 Retainers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/89 acting manually by moving connector housing parts linearly, e.g. slider
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms

Abstract

An connector (100) for a flexible printed circuit (FPC) includes a first housing (1) having a tongue plate(12), a pair of arms (13) disposed beside the tongue plate respectively, and retention spaces (16) defined between the tongue plate and each arm; a second housing (4) movably assembled to the first housing, and having two opposite sidewalls (45) and a bottom wall between the sidewalls, the bottom wall facing the tongue plate to form a cavity therebetween for receiving the FPC (6), the sidewall configured to slide into the retention space to be retained therein with an upper surface and an under surface thereof exposed to exterior; and terminals arranged in the cavity to engage with the FPC.

Claims

1. A connector for a flexible printed circuit (FPC) comprising:

a first housing having a tongue plate, a pair of arms disposed beside the tongue plate respectively, and retention spaces defined between the tongue plate and each arm;

a second housing movably assembled to the first housing and having two opposite sidewalls and a bottom wall between the sidewalls, the bottom wall facing the tongue plate to form a cavity therebetween for receiving the FPC, the sidewall having an upper surface and an under surface and being retained in the retention space with the upper surface and the under surface thereof exposed outwardly; and

terminals arranged in the cavity for engaging with the FPC.

2. The connector as described in claim 1, wherein the first housing comprises a body portion joining the tongue plate and the arms.

3. The connector as described in claim 2, wherein the body portion extends along a direction perpendicular to the tongue plate and defines an under surface vertically spaced from the tongue plate.

4. The connector as described in claim 1, wherein the arm defines a recess opening upward and communicating with the retention space, and wherein the sidewall of the second housing has a bulge portion interferentially engaged with the recess to be held therein.

5. The connector as described in claim 4, wherein the bulge portion comprises two tubers protruding from outer side of the sidewall and spaced in a direction along which the second housing is assembled to the first housing.

6. The connector as described in claim 5, wherein the tongue plate of the first housing defines a first slant and the bottom wall of the second housing defines a second slant, the second slant being substantially parallel to the first slant to form an FPC insertion port when only one of the tubers on the sidewall mates with the recess.

7. The connector as described in claim 1, wherein the sidewall defines a notch to fittingly receive a lateral edge of the tongue plate.

8. The connector as described in claim 1, further comprising a retainer adapted to fasten the first housing to a printed circuit board (PCB), and comprising one end fixed to the first housing and another end adapted to be soldered to the PCB.

9. A connector for a flexible printed circuit (FPC) comprising:

a first insulative housing defining an upper tongue plate; and

a second insulative housing assembled to the first housing and moveable relative to the first housing along a front-to-back direction between a first position and a second position, said second housing defining a lower bottom wall, said lower bottom wall being vertically overlapped under the upper tongue when said second housing is located in a first position but offset from said upper tongue with a distance in said front-to-back direction at the second position so as to allow said second insulative housing to be assembled to the first housing in a downward direction initially at said second position;

wherein

the first housing defines a first downward surface and a first upward surface, and the second housing defines a second upward surface engaged with the first downward surface and a second downward surface engaged with the first upward surface for preventing relative movement between the first housing and the second housing when said second housing is located at the first position.

10. The connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second upward surface and said first downward surface are not engaged with each other when said second housing is located in the second position so as to allow the second housing is upwardly moveable relative to the first housing at said second position for removal from the first housing.

11. The connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first housing defines first front and rear engaging surfaces, and said second housing defines second front and rear engaging surfaces cooperating with said first front and rear engaging surfaces to restrain movement of said second housing relative to the first housing between said first and second positions in said front-to-back direction.

12. The connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein a plurality of contacts disposed in the first housing.

13. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first housing defines a pair of side arms by two sides of the tongue, and said first housing defines said first front and rear engaging surfaces.

14. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second housing defines a pair of side arms by two sides of the bottom wall, and said second housing defines said second front and rear engaging surfaces.

15. The connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein said pair of side arms are exposed upwardly to an exterior when said second housing is located in the first position.

16. A method of assembling a connector for a flexible printed circuit, comprising the steps of:

providing a first insulative housing with a forward upper tongue and a upward engaging surface;

disposing a plurality of contacts in the first housing for mounting to a printed circuit board;

providing a second insulative housing with a rearward lower bottom wall and a downward engaging surface;

initially downwardly assembling the second housing unto the first housing when said second connector is located in an outer position relative to the first housing until engagement occurs between the upward engaging surface and the downward engaging surface; and

successively rearwardly moving the second housing relative to the first housing until the second housing reaches an inner position relative to the first housing;

wherein

said first housing further includes a downward engaging surface and the second housing further includes an upward engaging surface engaged with the downward engaging surface of the first housing when said second housing is located in the inner position so as to prevent upward withdrawal of the second housing from the first housing.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said bottom wall and said tongue commonly defines a cavity for receiving a flexible printed circuit, when said second housing is located in the inner position.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first housing defines a pair of first side arms by two sides of the tongue, and the second housing defines a pair of second side arms by two sides of the bottom wall, and wherein said second side arms are upwardly exposed to an exterior when said second housing is located in the inner position.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first housing defines first front and rear engaging surfaces, and said second housing defines second front and rear engaging surfaces cooperating with said first front and rear engaging surfaces to restrain movement of said second housing relative to the first housing between said first and second positions in said front-to-back direction.