Connector

• US 20070117451A1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JST Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: JST Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Hiromasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/495
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/88 acting manually by rotating or pivoting connector housing parts

Abstract

A connector includes: an approximately box-shaped housing having an insertion opening for the insertion of an FPC; forked contact members provided within the housing; and a lever which is provided so as to face the insertion opening of the housing, and which is turnably held by the housing. Upon raising the lever through a handle portion, a distance between tips of the forked engaging arm is increased through a first plate cam, thereby increasing a distance between an upper arm and a lower arm of the forked contact member.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

an approximately box-shaped housing having an insertion opening for insertion of a flat flexible cable;

a forked contact member provided within said housing; and

a lever which is provided so as to face the insertion opening of said housing, and which is turnably held by said housing,

wherein said forked contact member includes a base held by said housing, an upper arm and a lower arm extending toward said insertion opening from said base, and a forked engaging arm provided so as to extend from said base in the opposite direction of said insertion opening, and

said lever includes a handle portion, a rotational shaft which is provided to said handle portion, and which is held by said housing, and a first plate cam which is provided to said rotational shaft, and which is engaged with said engaging arm,

upon raising said lever through said handle portion, a distance between tips of said forked engaging arm is increased through said first plate cam, thereby increasing a distance between the upper arm and the lower arm of said forked contact member.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a pair of connection tabs for connection to a printed board, embedded in both side ends thereof with said insertion opening introduced therebetween, and

the connection tabs hold both side ends of rotational shaft of said lever rotatably.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said rotational shaft is formed of rigid metal, and

said handle portion is formed of an insulating material and,

said rotational shaft and said handle shaft form a single unit.

4. A connector according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein said lever includes second plate cam which is provided to said rotational shaft, and which is engaged with said housing.

5. A connector according to claim 4, wherein said first plate cams and said second plate cams are alternately disposed along the axial direction of said rotational shaft.