MXPA98008372A - Connectors for circuiteria flexible pl - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a female connector (10) adapted to electrically interconnect the conductors (14) in a flat flexible circuit (12) to the conductors of a complementary matching conductive device. The connector (10) includes a female housing (22) having the wall portions (22a, 22b) defining a cavity (26) for receiving the flexible circuit (12). The wall portions (22a, 22b) are relatively movable between an open condition allowing a utility backing structure (38, 38A) to be assembled on one side of the cavity of at least one of the wall portions 22a and a closed condition that defines the cavity (26). The utility backing structure (38, 38A) elastically deflects the conductors (14) of the flexible circuit (12) received in the cavity (26) against the conductors of the matching connector device when the connector is matched to the device.

Description

** CONNECTORS FOR CIRCUITERI & FLEXIBLE P ANA DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the technique of electrical connectors and, in particular, the connectors for electrically interconnecting flat flexible circuitry. A planar flexible circuit conventionally includes an elongated flat flexible dielectric substrate having strips of conductors laterally spaced over one or both sides of it. The conductors may be covered by a thin flexible protective layer on one or both sides of the circuit. If protective layers are used, openings are formed in the same to expose the underlying conductors at the desirable contact locations where The conductors are to be coupled to the conductors of a complementary matching connector device which may be a second flat flexible circuit, a printed circuit board or the terminals of a matching connector. Over the years they have designed a wide variety of connectors to terminate or interconnect flat flexible circuits with complementary matching connectors. The problems continue to invade such connectors, particularly in the area of costs, complexity and reliability. Not only the costs of the direct material of such connectors are relatively high, but an undesired amount of working time is required when assembling such connectors. In addition, * each connector is designed and manufactured to accommodate a particular flexible circuit size and therefore must be designed, manufactured and inventory made for each individual connector size. In addition to the cost and time associated with the application of tools for connectors and their flexible circuits, the problems associated with such connectors also increase. The present invention is directed to solve these problems by providing simple, cheap and reliable connector structures that are not available until now. An objective, therefore, of the invention is to provide a novel and improved connector for flexible and flat circuitry. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved female connector for electrically interconnecting the conductors of a flexible flat circuit to the conductors of a complementary matching connector device. In general, the connector of the invention includes a female housing having means of wall that define a cavity to receive the flexible circuit. The wall means includes wall portions that are relatively movable between an open condition that allows the utility backing structure to be assembled on one side of the cavity of at least one of the wall portions, and a closed condition that defines the cavity A utility backing structure is provided on the cavity side of one of the wall portions to elastically bias the conductors of the flexible circuit received in the cavity against the conductors of the matching connector device when the connector is made to match the device. As described herein, the female housing is molded of plastic material and the relatively movable wall means are joined by a hinge which is molded integrally. The utility backing structure can be a detachable component assembled to the wall portion when the wall means is in the open condition. The utility backing structure can be a molded component on its lighter, made with the wall means in the open condition. In the embodiment of the example of the invention, the female housing is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of side wall portions defining the opposite sides of the cavity and a back wall portion :: defining a rear part of the cavity. One of the utility backing structures is provided on the cavity side of each of the side wall portions.

A slot can be provided in the rear wall po- lic through which the flexible flat circuit is placed. The invention also contemplates that the female body is surrounded by a generally rigid cover having an opening aligned with the cavity in the housing. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the housing includes end wall portions cooperating with the side wall portions and the rear wall portion to define a box-like structure with a front opening for receiving the flexible circuit. Bolt means are operatively associated between at least some of the wall portions for securing all of the wall portions in their box-like configuration. In this mode, the rigid outer cover can be removed. The invention contemplates that a single size connector can connect a variety of flexible circuit conductor designs within the flexible circuit of the same size since the individual terminals are eliminated. Also, because the connector does not use terminals, the cost and time associated with the application of tools is completely eliminated. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the invention that are believed to be novel are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, can be better understood with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers identify similar elements in the figures and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a female connector terminating a flexible flexible circuit, according to the invention, together with a printed circuit board that can be matched to the connector; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the female canector and the flat flexible circuit; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, showing utility back-up structures as separate components; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the female housing in a partially open condition; Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to that of Figure 2, but with the connector adapted to terminate a flexible circuit of double sides; Figure 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the connector of Figure 5, with utility backing structures shown as separate components; Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a female housing in a substantially open condition; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the female housing of Figure 7 about to be closed and latched; Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the female connector adapted for mounting on a panel; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the connector of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a male connector for terminating a flat flexible circuit, according to one embodiment of the invention, wherein the utility backing member is a molded component in place; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the connector of Figure 11, with the flexible circuit terminated therein; Figure 13 is a view similar to that of Figure 12, but with "connector locks of a different configuration; Figure 14 is a view similar to that of Figure 11, but the utility backing structure is a separate component; Figure 15 is a view similar to those of Figure 14, but with the male connector adapted as a double walled connector; Figure 16 is a view similar to that of the Figure 11, but with an alternative mode to provide strain relief of the flexible circuit by passing the flexible circuit through a fully molded slot; Figure 17 is a view similar to that of Figure 16, but the utility backing structure is a plurality of integrally measured spring fingers; Figure 18 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a male connector that modalizes a movable cable clamp; and Figure 19 is a perspective view of a form of a male connector similar to that of Figure 18, but with a movable cable clamp incorporating a bolt mechanism. With reference to the drawings in greater detail, the concepts of the invention are described herein as embodied in a connector assembly, which includes a female connector and a male connector. In Figure 1-10 various modalities of the female connector are shown. Various embodiments of the male connector are shown in Figures 11-18. It will be understood that the female connector can be matched to the male connector as a connector assembly, or that the female connector or the male connector can be used only to electrically interconnect the connectors of a flexible flat circuit to the conductors of a variety of other matching flat connector devices. For example, Figure 1 shows a female connector, generally designated 10, for terminating a flat flexible circuit 12 and electrically interconnecting the conductors 14 of the flexible circuit to the conductors or circuit pads 16 on one or both sides of a board 18 of rigid printed circuit. Figure 2 shows a female connector 10 together with the flat flexible circuit 11 which has been bent for assembly purposes. For naming reference purposes, the flexible circuit has been bent to include a front upper fold 12a and a lower front fold 12b between which the flexible circuit is bent to a generally U-shaped configuration to define a back fold 12c. This configuration defines an opening, generally designated 20. The distal end 12 of the flexible circuit is bent in a backward direction, as shown. Even with reference to Figure 2, the female connector 10 includes a female housing, generally designated 22, and a similar outer shell in a box, generally designated 24. The female housing is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of side wall portions 22a defining opposite sides of a cavity, generally designated 26, together with a rear wall portion 22b defining the back of a cavity. The upper side wall portion includes a pair of tabs 28 at the opposite edges thereof that settle into the recesses 30 at the opposite edges of the flexible circuit 12 to suitably locate the circuit with respect to the female housing 22 and to provide relief of information for the circuit. The female housing is a one-piece structure integrally molded of a dielectric material such as plastic or the like. The side wall portions 22a are joined to the back wall portion 22b by the hinges 32 which are kept integrally molded, allowing the wall portions of the female housing to be movable between an open condition and a closed condition, as described in the present later.

The rigid outer cover 24, (Figure 2) of the female connector 10 is also a one-piece structure that includes the upper and lower walls 24a and 24b, respectively and a pair of opposite walls 24c. The side walls are provided with the bolt openings 34 for the purposes described hereinafter. The cover has an opening 36 in front of which is aligned with the cavity 2C of the female housing 22 when the connector is in the assembled condition as shown in Figure 1. The invention contemplates that the female housing 22 be provided with a structure 38 of utility backing on the side of the cavity of one or both side wall portions 22a for resiliently biasing the conductors 14 of the flexible circuit 12 received in the cavity 26 against the conductors of the matching connector device (such as the board 18 of printed circuit) when the connector is matched to the device. With the flexible circuit 12 folded as shown in Figure 2, the upper front fold 12a will encompass the upper side wall portion 22a, and the lower front fold 12b will encompass the lower side wall portion 22a, so that both wall portions laterals will be provided with one of the utility backing structures 38. In Figure 2, it can be seen that each utility backing structure is elongated in the direction of the width of the flexible circuit so that the backing structure is at least sufficiently wide to elastically bias all of the conductors 14 of the circuit against their respective conductors of the complementary matching conductive device. It can further be seen that the backrest structure 38 has a generally uniform size and can therefore elastically bias a flexible circuit having any configuration or thickness of conductor. That is, while there are no discrete terminals in the connector, the arrangement of the flexible circuit and the position of the conductors therein is not critical to the size of the connector or the current connector. Therefore, in distal applications such as high current applications where the conductor thickness must be greater than in the other, the applications of minor current, the connector configurations may remain the same. Figure 2 depicts an embodiment of the invention wherein the utility backing structures 38 comprise the molded components in place, as described below. Figure 3 depicts an embodiment wherein the utility backing structure 38A are separately molded components secured in place by the tabs 40 inserted in the holes 42 in the side wall portions 22a of the female housing. Adhesives can be used to additionally secure utility backing structures 38A in position. While the female housing 22 is molded of relatively hard or rigid plastic material, the utility backing structures 38 or 38A are molded or otherwise made of elastomeric material such as silicone rubber or the like. Figure 4 shows the female housing 22 in a partially open condition compared to the closed U-shaped condition of Figure 2. In particular, the side wall portions 22a can be moved or rotated relative to the rear wall portion 22b around the hinges 32 which is maintained until the entire female housing is in a completely open flat condition. In this condition, the utility backing structures 38 can be assembled or fabricated with great ease to the side wall portions, i.e. in a much easier manner than if the female housing were a rigid closed structure. With the embodiment of Figure 3, utility backing structures 38A are simply placed on the open side wall portions and fixed in place by means of heat addition., by bolt, by ultrasonic welding or similar. In the embodiment of Figure 2, utility backing structures 38 can be easily molded into place in the elongated recesses in the side wall portions, with the side wall portions in their flat open condition. The invention contemplates that the backrest structures 38 molded in place can be inserted molded into the recesses in the side wall portions. On the other hand, it is contemplated that the backing structures can be molded in a manufacturing process of "two molding cycles" wherein the plastic material of the female housing is injected in a molding cycle, the silicone rubber of the structures 38 The backing is injected into a molding cycle, and the materials are cured sequentially, i.e., the plastic material is cured during the injection molding cycle. Figure 5 shows a mode very similar to that of Figure 2, but an elongated slot 44 is formed in the rear wall portion 22 of the female housing 22 * immediately below the upper side wall portion 22a. This slot allows the connector to be used with a flat flexible circuit 12 that is "double sides". In other words, the circuit has the conductors 14 on both sides thereof. By assembling the double-sided circuit to the female housing 22 with the slot 44, the circuit, as in 46, projects through the slot 44 so that the rear fold 12c of the circuit is placed on the outer portion of the loop. 22 rear wall of the female housing. The flexible circuit is then folded around the outside of the lower side wall 22a until the distal end 12d of the circuit is placed over the cavity 20 on top of the lower utility backrest structure 38. Therefore, the conductors 14 on the lower side of the circuit now face upwards in the cavity, whereby the conductors on both sides of the circuit are engageable on both sides of a suitable complementary matching device. In the wall mode of Figure 5, the utility backing structures 38 are molded components in place, as described above. Figure 6 shows substantially the same embodiment, but the utility backing structures 38A are mechanically fixed and stuck in place as described in the above with respect to Figure 3. Figures 7 and 8 show an alternative embodiment of a housing female, designated generally 22A, which not only has the portions 22a of opposite side walls and the back wall portion 22b, but the construction of the housing of Figure 7 includes a pair of opposite end wall portions 22c. The end wall portions are pivotally connected to the side wall portions by the holding hinges 45. The side wall portions have the latch arms 46 engaged which engage by bolt through the bolt holes 48 in the portions. 22c of end wall to hold the construction of the female housing in a configuration similar to a closed box. This construction can be used to remove the outer cover 24. However, the female housing 22A can still be fully opened to allow the utility backing structures 38 (or 38A) to be assembled or molded in place over the side wall portions 22a, after which the structure can be closed for define a cavity to receive the bent flexible circuit. Figures 9 and 10 show one embodiment of a female connector, generally designated 10A, which is adapted to be mounted in an opening in a panel. The female housing 22 is substantially identical to that described in the above. However, the cover 24A includes the flexible arms 50 and the rigid arms 52 for coupling the opposite sides of a panel, with the cover 24A and, thereby, the connector 10A (Figure 10) disposed in an opening in the panel. Frequently, such panel mounted connectors are mounted in "blind fit" environments and consequently flanged flanges or flanges 54 are provided around the opening 36 in the cover in alignment with the cavity 26 in the female housing thereby a self-alignment feature is provided for a complementary matching device such as a matching connector. Figures 11 and 12 show a male connector, generally designated 60, for electrically interconnecting the conductors 14 of the flat flexible cables 12 to the conductors of a complementary connector device. For example, the male connector may have the latch arms 62 engaged at opposite ends thereof to engage by bolt inside the bolt openings 34 (Figures 1 and 2) in the side walls 24c of the cover 24 of the female connector 10 . The male connector is sized appropriately for insertion through the front opening 36 in the cover and in the cavity 26 in the female housing 22. More particularly, the male connector 60 has the male body member, generally designated 64, which defines the opposite sides 64a and a front edge 64b. In the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, a utility backing structure 66 is molded in place in a recess or indentation on one or both opposite sides 64a of the body member 64. In a similar way to. 22 female housing and the utility backing structure 38 of the female connector 10, the male body member 64 can be molded of relatively rigid plastic material, and the utility backing structure 66 can be molded of elastomeric material such as rubber of sylicon. The utility backing structure or structures may either be inserted molded onto the male body member, or the backing structure or structures and the body member may be molded simultaneously as a "two injection molding" process, as described in the above. By assembling the flexible circuit 12 to the male connector 60, the flexible circuit is bent around the front edge 64b of the male body member 64 as shown in Figure 12, with the conductors 14 of the flexible circuit facing away from the body member . The positioning holes 68 are provided in the flexible circuit for pressure fitting engagement with the lugs 70 on opposite sides of the body member 64 to position and provide strain relief for the flexible circuit wrapped around the male body member. The utility backing structure or structures 66, therefore, lie beneath the flexible circuit to elastically bias the conductors of the circuit against the conductors. of the matching connector device when the connector is matched to the device.

Figure 13 shows an alternative embodiment of a female bolt structure 72 at each opposite end of the male connector 60. These female bolt structures can be interlocked by bolting with the appropriate bolts on a complementary female connector device. On the other hand, in Figure 13 it can be seen that the female bolts 72 are deflected upwards out of the plane of the body member 64 to a degree in which the bolt arms 62 (Figures 11 and 12) can be inserted therein to allowing the two separate male connectors to be interengaged with the respective utility backing structures 66 of the respective male connectors by diverting the two respective flexible circuits toward each other to interconnect their. respective connectors. Figure 14 is similar to Figure 11, except that the male connector includes the utility backing structures 66A that are separately molded from the body member 64 and subsequently positioned within the recesses 74 in one or both sides 64a of the body member. The utility backing structure or structures may be fixed within the recesses 74. Figure 15 shows a plug embodiment wherein a flexible circuit of individual sides is terminated on both sides of the connector, i.e., a rounded contact configuration. Unlike the embodiments shown in Figures 11 and 14, instead of wrapping around the body member 64, the flexible circuit 12 is inserted in the direction of the arrow "B" through the slot 82 and below a flange 84 upper. The flexible circuit is then wrapped around a stacked utility structure configuration 66, and exits through a groove similar to 82 (not shown) on the lower part of the body member 64. Each of the utility backing structures 66 is located in a recess 74 on opposite sides of an integrally molded sunken wall 80 and can be molded separately, as shown in Figure 14, or molded into place, as in Figure 11. Figure 16 shows a modality similar to that of Figure 15, but the backing structure 66B is shown as a bar molded in unitary form with the body member 64 of the male connector and the wall 80 is the utility structure that provides the elasticity for the relatively rigid support structure that thus allows the flexible circuit conductors to be deflected against their respective conductors of the complementary matching conductive device. Figure 17 shows one embodiment of a male connector 60 ^ where the flexible circuit is once again inserted in the direction of the arrow "B" through a slot 82 below an upper flange 84 similar to the modes d * . Figures 15 and e In e: * C¡ m < > ddl i Ci, 1 utility backing structure is provided by a plurality of flexible spring fingers 66C which engage the lower side of the flexible circuit after it passes through the slot 82. The flexible circuit passes under a flange 86 forward and outward through a front slot 88 after which the flexible circuit is bent, as in 90, below the male connector. Figure 18 shows a modality of a male connector 60 that includes a jaw arm or bar 92 connected to the body 64 by a hinge 94 that remains integrally molded. The jaw arm is pivotal with respect to the hinge in the direction of the arrow "D" with respect to the flexible jaw circuit 12 against the connector and provides strain relief for the flexible circuit. Therefore, if force is applied to the flexible circuit itself, the jaw arm will minimize the possibility of the flexible circuit being pulled out of the body member 64. Instead, the force will be imparted to the jaw arm or to the deformation relief. The jaw arm has the holes 96 which frictionally engage the lss bores 70 for clamping the jaw arm in a clamped position Figure 19 shows a similar connector 60 with a strain relief clamp arm that is provided with a mechanism of bolt to hold the deformation relief in place by means of a releasable latch structure 102. The connector 60 of Figures 18 and 19 also has a window 98 through which the flexible circuit is exposed to couple the conductors of the latch. Complementary matching connector device If the flexible circuit used in the connector is double-sided, another window 98 would similarly be located on the underside of the connector so that a matching connector, or connectors, could be brought into contact with both sides of the flexible circuit. The connector 60 shown in Figures 18 and 19 does not include a utility backing structure, as is evident from the location with recesses of the flexible circuit inside the window. Instead, the matching connector, such as the types described in Figures 1-10, will include a utility backing structure for fitting in the window or windows 98 to make a connection to the flexible circuit. It will be understood that the invention can be modalized in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The examples and embodiments herein, therefore, should be considered in all respects in an illustrative and non-restrictive manner, and the invention should not be limited to the details given herein.

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS 1. A female connector for electrically interconnecting the conductors of a flexible flat circuit to the conductors of a complementary matching connector device, characterized in that it comprises: a female housing having the wall portions defining a cavity to receive the flexible circuit, the wall portions are relatively movable between an open condition allowing the utility backing structure to be assembled on one side of the cavity of at least one of the wall portions and a closed condition defining such a cavity; and a utility backing structure on such side of the cavity of at least one wall portion for elastically biasing the conductors of the flexible circuit received in the cavity against the conductors of the matching connector device when the connector is matched to the device. The female connector according to claim 1, characterized in that each female housing is molded from plastic material and the wall potions are joined by a hinge that is kept molded integrally to provide such relative movement of the wall portions. . 3. The female connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the female housing is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of side wall portions defining the opposite sides of the cavity and a rear wall portion defining a rear portion of the wall. cavity. The female connector according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes at least one of the backing structures of utility on the side of the cavity of each of the side wall portions. The female connector according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes a slot in such a rear wall portion through which the flexible flexible circuit is placed. The female connector according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes a generally rigid outer cover substantially surrounding the female housing and having an opening aligned with the cavity. The female connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the female housing is molded of plastic material and the side wall portions are joined to the rear wall portion by the hinges that remain integrally molded to provide movement. relative of the wall portions. The female connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the female housing includes the end wall portions cooperating with such side wall portions and the rear wall portion to define a box-like structure with a front opening for receive the flexible circuit. The female connector according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes bolt means operatively associated between at least some of the wall portions for securing all of the wall portions in their box-like configuration. The female connector according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a generally rigid outer cover substantially surrounding the female housing and having an opening aligned with the cavity. The female connector according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes bolt means operatively associated between such relatively movable wall portions for securing the wall portions in their closed condition. 12. In combination with the female connector according to claim 1, a male connector characterized in that it mounts a second flexible flat circuit, the male connector is adapted for insertion into the socket of the female connector and couples the conductors of the second flat flexible circuit with the conductors of the flexible circuit received in such a cavity. A method for manufacturing a female connector for electrically interconnecting the conductors of a flexible flat circuit to the conductors of a complementary matching connector device, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a female housing having the wall portions defining a cavity to receive the flexible circuit; and molding a utility backing structure on one side of the cavity of at least one of the wall portions to elastically bias the conductors of the flexible circuit received in the cavity against the conductors of the matching connector device when the connector is matched to the device. 14. The method of compliance with the claim 13, characterized in that the utility backing structure is inserted molded on such a side of the cavity of at least one wall portion. 15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the female housing is molded of plastic material and the utility backing structure is molded of an elastomeric material in a two-cycle molding operation and cures simultaneously in a subsequent manner. .