Flexible circuit connector

• US 6,203,345 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chandrasekhar, Rajagopalan, Roque, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US09/438,125
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 439/260, 439/495, 439/910
• US Class Current: 439/260
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/91 Observation aide, e.g. transparent material, window in housing

Abstract

A flexible circuit connector includes a housing defining an interior space for receiving a flexible circuit. Conductive contacts are retained in the housing, each having a concave portion extending into the interior space for electrically engaging the flexible circuit. An actuator pivotally attached to the housing for being moveable between an open position where an opening is formed between the actuator and the housing for insertion of the flexible circuit into the housing and a closed position where the actuator engages and thus securely retains the circuit board in the housing. The contacts are arranged to have the concave portions thereof substantially aligned with a rotational axis of the actuator for reducing coupling force required for moving the actuator from the open position to the closed position. At least one inspection window is defined in the housing in communication with the interior space for visual inspection of the flexible circuit received in the housing. The actuator has two spaced arms each forming a pivot pin received in a hole defined in the housing. A slot is defined in the housing extending from the hole for guiding the pivot pin into the hole. A retainer is mounted to the housing and engages the pivot pin for retaining the pivot pin in the hole. A soldering tab extends from the retainer for being soldered to a circuit board to fix the connector to the circuit board.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit connector comprising:

an insulative housing having horizontally extending top and bottom walls connected by opposite side walls defining an interior space therebetween adapted to receive a flexible circuit;

a plurality of conductive contacts retained in the housing, each contact comprising an engaging section having a concave portion extending into the interior space wall; and

an insulative actuator pivotally attached to the housing by pivot means having a rotational axis, the actuator being movable between an open position for allowing insertion of the flexible circuit into the housing and a closed position where the actuator presses the flexible circuit against the concave portions of the conductive contacts;

wherein the conductive contacts are dimensioned and positioned to have the concave portion substantially aligned with the rotational axis in a vertical direction;

wherein the actuator comprises an elongate bar with two arms extending from opposite ends thereof, the pivot means comprising pivot pins extending from the arms along the rotational axis, the pivot means further comprising holes defined in the side walls for rotatably receiving the pivot pins;

wherein a pivot receiving slot is defined in each side wall of the housing extending from the hole to a front face of the housing thereby forming a side opening of the hole through which the pivot pin is moved into the hole, an actuator retainer being attached to each side wall of the housing for closing the side opening of the hole and engaging and thus securely retaining the pivot pin in the hole;

wherein the actuator retainer comprises a retaining section interferentially received in a slit defined in the corresponding side wall, the retaining section having an edge engaging and retaining the pivot pin;

wherein a soldering tab extends from the retaining section adapted to be mounted to a circuit board for fixing the flexible circuit connector to the circuit board;

wherein at least one inspection window is defined in the top wall of the housing for visual inspection of the flexible circuit received in the housing;

wherein each contact comprises an anchoring section interferentially received in a blind hole defined in the housing for retaining the contact in the housing, the anchoring section having a length substantially corresponding to a depth of the blind hole;

wherein each contact comprises a support section received in a slot defined in a rear face of the housing for properly positioning the contact with respect to the housing.