Device for connecting a flat cable to a wiring board

• US 5,839,916 A
• Filed: 05/09/1995
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Chishima, Masamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pirlot, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, YONG KI
• Application Number:
  US08/437,364
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 439/260, 439/267, 439/329, 439/492, 439/493, 439/494, 439/495
• US Class Current: 439/495
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/52 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/341 Surface mounted components

Abstract

A device for connecting a flat cable to a wiring board in which the cable is composed of a plurality of layers. A first insulating layer carries a shield foil layer upon which a central insulation layer is placed. A plurality of conductors, parallel to each other and spaced apart transversely, are on the central layer and, in turn, are covered by a second insulating layer. The cable has a connecting end wherein the first layer and second layer are absent, thus exposing portions of the conductors and the shield layer for making contact with the device.

The device itself is made up of a housing containing a series of cavities which correspond to the conductors. Each cavity contains a fixed terminal. The terminals project out of the cavities and contact the wiring board. The other ends of the contacts have a pressing element and a terminal contact. A slide plate is introduced between the pressing element and an interior of the housing, whereby the terminal contact is urged firmly against the conductors, thereby forming a good electrical connection.

A holder is also provided in the housing on the shield foil layer side of the cable. Thus, the slide plate, after installation, forces the fixed terminals and the cable against the inner wall of the housing, thereby ensuring that good electrical contact is made for both circuits.

Claims

1. A device for connecting a flat cable to a wiring board wherein

said cable comprises a first insulating layer, a shield foil layer thereon, a central insulation layer on said shield foil layer, a plurality of conductors parallel to each other on said central layer, and a second insulating layer on said plurality of conductors, said cable terminating in a connecting end, said first layer and said second layer terminating at points spaced longitudinally away from said connecting end, thereby providing exposed portions of said plurality of conductors and said shield layer,

said device comprises a housing and a slide adapted to enter therein, said housing having a plurality of cavities corresponding to said conductors, said cavities extending forwardly in communication with an insertion space, a plurality of fixed terminals, corresponding to said cavities, one of said fixed terminals in each of said cavities,

each of said fixed terminals comprising a wiring board contact, projecting rearwardly out of one of said cavities, a pressing element in said insertion space, and a terminal contact forward of said pressing element, said pressing element spaced apart from an inner surface of said insertion space,

a holder in said housing having a first contact forming an electrical connection with said wiring board, said holder having a second contact adjacent said insertion space on a side of said pressing portion away from said inner surface,

said exposed portions located between said pressing portion and said second contact, a slide plate between said pressing element and said inner surface, said slide plate urging said pressing element toward said second contact whereby said wiring board contact, said pressing element, said terminal contact are electrically connected to each of said conductors, and said first contact and said second contact are in electrical connection with said shield layer,

said wiring board carrying a plurality of circuit contacts corresponding to said plurality of said conductors and in electrical contact with said wiring board contacts, said wiring board carrying a ground contact corresponding to said first contact and in electrical contact therewith, said ground contact connected to ground.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said wiring board contacts are soldered to said wiring board.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said holder is soldered to said wiring board.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein there are arms on said slide plate which enter guide grooves on said housing and are retained in an initial position by an initial stop in at least one of said grooves which initial stop is engaged by said arms.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said slide plate is inserted further into said housing to a normal position and said guide grooves carry normal stops which are engaged by said arms and retain said slide plate in said normal position.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing has a holder receiving surface therein, said holder being a generally planar surface and having a leg depending therefrom at at least one side, a leg groove complementary to, and adapted to receive, said leg, an end of said leg remote from said holder constituting said second contact.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein there are two legs, one of each side of said holder, and there are two corresponding leg grooves adapted to receive said legs.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein each said leg carries a friction stop which, when said slide is fully inserted, bears against said housing to resist withdrawal of said slide plate.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said holder comprises a planar body, a holder leg on at least one side thereof, a holder contact on an end of said holder leg remote from said body, said holder contact being parallel to said body and spaced therefrom by said holder leg.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein there are two said holder legs.

11. A device for connecting a wiring board to a flat cable wherein

said cable comprises a first insulating layer, a shield foil layer thereon, a central insulation layer on said shield foil layer, a plurality of conductors parallel to each other on said central layer, and a second insulating layer on said plurality of conductors, said cable terminating in a connecting end, said first layer and said second layer terminating at points spaced longitudinally away from said connecting end, thereby providing exposed portions of said plurality of conductors and said shield layer,

said wiring board having a plurality of circuit terminals at ends of a plurality of electrical circuits, and a ground contact at an end of a grounding circuit,

a connector fixed to said wiring board by a holder, said connector having a plurality of fixed terminals, spaced apart transversely from, and parallel to, each other, one end of each of said fixed terminals electrically connected to one of said circuit terminals, and another end of each of said fixed terminals electrically connected to one of said conductors, and

a holder in said device electrically connected to a ground contact on said wiring board and to said shield foil layer.