INTER-MEMBER CONNECTION STRUCTURE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING INTER-MEMBER CONNECTION STRUCTURE

• US 20060286857A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Soeta, Kaoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,341,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/492
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/61 connecting to flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2407 characterized by the resilient means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0311 Metallic part with specific elastic properties, e.g. bent piece of metal as electrical contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10265 Metallic coils or springs, e.g. as part of a connection element
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/365 by abutting, i.e. without alloying process
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4015 using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. pieces of metal foil, metallic spheres

Abstract

An inter-member connection structure is provided. The inter-member connection structure has a contact-attached sheet having spiral contactors and a flexible printed circuit having electrode portions thereon that face each other. An elastic member and a fixed member are installed on the contact-attached sheet, and both ends of the fixed member are fixed on the mother board by mounting members. As an elastic force is applied to the spiral contactor from the elastic member, the spiral contactor appropriately comes in contact with the electrode portion, and the contact-attached sheet and the flexible printed circuit can be securely supported on the board. A method of manufacturing an inter-member connection structure is provided.

Claims

1. An inter-member connection structure comprising:

a first member that has electrode portions formed thereon; and

a contact member that has contacts formed on a surface of the contact member facing the electrode portions,

wherein an elastic force is applied to the contacts of the contact member in a first member direction, and the contacts and the electrode portions are connected to each other.

2. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 1,

wherein a fixed member is installed on a surface opposite to the surface of the contact member facing the electrode portions, and has both ends supported on the first member or another member different from the first member and the contact member.

3. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 2,

wherein both ends of the fixed member are fitted into the first member or another member different from the first member and the contact member.

4. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 3,

wherein the fixed member comes into contact with at least a portion of the opposite surface of the surface of the contact member facing the electrode portions, and

the contacts are pressurized on the electrode portions when the elastic force is received from the fixed member in the first member direction.

5. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 2,

wherein an elastic member is installed between the contact member and the fixed member, and

the contacts are pressurized on the electrode portions when the elastic force is received from the elastic member in the first member direction.

6. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 1,

wherein an elastic arm extending in the first member direction is installed in the contact, and

the contact is pressurized on the electrode portion by the elastic force of the elastic arm in the first member direction.

7. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 6,

wherein the elastic arm extends from a base end to a front end in a spiral shape.

8. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second member that has electrode portions formed thereon,

wherein the contact member includes first contacts connected to the electrode portions of the first member and second contacts connected to the electrode portions of the second member, and

the first contacts and the second contacts are opposite to each other and connected to each other by conductive patterns.

9. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 8,

wherein the first member and/or the second member is a flexible printed circuit board.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising the inter-member connection structure according to claim 1.

10. An inter-member connection structure comprising:

a first member that has electrode portions formed thereon; and

a contact member that has contacts formed on a surface of the contact member facing the electrode portions,

wherein elastic arms extending in a first member direction are installed in the contacts,

the elastic arms are connected to the electrode portions, and

the first member and the contact member are adhesively fixed to each other.

11. The inter-member connection structure according to claim 10,

wherein the elastic arm extends from a base end to a front end in a spiral shape.

12. A method of manufacturing an inter-member connection structure, comprising:

forming contacts on a sheet with a sacrificial layer interposed therebetween, each of the contacts having a mounting portion and an elastic arm, different internal stresses being applied to top and bottom surfaces of the contacts, the sacrificial layer being not interposed at least between the mounting portion and the elastic arm;

making the contacts face electrode portions of a first member, the first member having the electrode portions formed thereon;

interposing an adhesive between the contact member and the first member; and

bending the elastic arm in a direction of the electrode portion by means of a heat treatment so as to connect the elastic arm to the electrode portion.

13. The method of manufacturing the inter-member connection structure according to claim 12,

wherein a thermosetting adhesive is used as the adhesive, and the adhesive is hardened by the heat treatment.