FPC connector with self-locking function

Abstract

The invention discloses an FPC connector with a self-locking function, and belongs to the technical field of connectors. The FPC connector with the self-locking function comprises a wiring terminal and a plastic body connected to the top of the wiring terminal, the wiring terminal is internally provided with a wire groove, the FPC connector further comprises a rotary connecting assembly arranged between the wiring terminal and the plastic body, and when the plane where the plastic body is located is parallel to the top face of the wiring terminal, the distance between the two planes can be adjusted; the locking assembly is arranged at the bottom of the plastic body, and when the plane where the plastic body is located tends to be parallel to the top face of the wiring terminal, the locking assembly pulls a connector of the FPC flat cable; according to the FPC connector, the pressing gap between the wiring terminal and the plastic body can be adjusted according to the thickness size of the FPC flat cable joint; the plug is continuously pulled into the wiring terminal, so that the joint of the FPC flat cable is ensured to be completely inserted into the plastic body; the locking structure is simple, operation is convenient and fast, and the pressing stability between the pressing plate and the elastic piece is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of connectors, and in particular to an FPC connector with a self-locking function. Background Art

[0002] FPC is a flexible printed circuit board. Generally speaking, it is an FPC connector made of soft materials (materials that can be folded and bent). It is used to connect LCD display screens to driving circuits. It mainly uses 0.5mm pitch products. As a signal transmission component, flexible cables have the advantages of being able to bend arbitrarily and transmitting high signals. Therefore, they are widely used in many electronic products.

[0003] When the FPC connector and FPC cable are assembled and produced, the FPC cable connector is inserted into the plastic shell base of the FPC connector to connect the FPC cable to the terminal block, and the FPC cable connector is locked with the FPC connector. The FPC cable connector and the hook of the FPC connector need to be completely aligned to achieve the locking effect.

[0004] In actual production, whether the connector of the FPC cable is inserted mechanically or manually, incomplete insertion will always occur. This results in the connector of the FPC cable and the FPC connector being unable to form a lock, and only relying on the friction force after insertion to maintain a temporary connection state. Once external force occurs, it is easy to detach. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that the connector of the FPC cable and the FPC connector in the prior art cannot be locked, and only rely on the friction force after insertion to maintain a temporary connection state. Once an external force occurs, it is easy to be separated and the connection effect is not firm enough. A self-locking FPC connector is proposed.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] An FPC connector with a self-locking function comprises a terminal and a plastic body connected to the top of the terminal, wherein a wire groove is arranged in the terminal, and further comprises: a rotating connection component arranged between the terminal and the plastic body, when the plane where the plastic body is located is parallel to the top surface of the terminal, the distance between the two sets of planes can be adjusted; and a locking component arranged at the bottom of the plastic body, when the plane where the plastic body is located is parallel to the top surface of the terminal, the locking component pulls the connector of the FPC cable.

[0008] Preferably, a locking block is connected to one side of the plastic body, two groups of elastic plug-in components are symmetrically arranged on the top outside the terminal, the elastic plug-in component includes an ear seat, a locking shaft is slidably installed in the ear seat, a first spring is connected between the locking shaft and the ear seat, a shaft head is connected to one end of the locking shaft, locking holes are symmetrically opened in the locking block, and the shaft head and the locking hole are matched.

[0009] Preferably, a groove is provided in the wire trough, a spring sheet is installed in the groove, a bend is provided in the middle of the spring sheet, and the horizontal end of the spring sheet is installed in the spring sheet, a second spring is installed between the bent raised end of the spring sheet and the surface of the groove, and a pressure plate is equidistantly arrayed at the bottom of the plastic body, and the installation position of the pressure plate is matched with the position of the spring sheet.

[0010] Preferably, the rotating connection assembly comprises a rotating shaft and a sleeve arranged on one side of the connecting terminal, the sleeve and the rotating shaft are rotatably connected, a socket is provided in the plastic body, and the plastic body is rotatably connected to the outside of the sleeve through the socket.

[0011] In order to adjust the pressing gap between the terminal block and the plastic body according to the thickness of the FPC cable connector, an adjustment disk is integrally formed on one side of the sleeve, and the outer ring of the adjustment disk has protrusions in an equidistant array. A hole is opened in the sleeve and the adjustment disk, and the central axis of the hole and the central axis of the sleeve are eccentrically arranged.

[0012] Preferably, the locking assembly comprises a connecting rod and pressing blocks arranged in an equidistant array on the surface of the connecting rod, and fixing frames are provided on the fixing sleeves at both ends of the connecting rod, and the fixing frames are fixedly connected to the inner bottom surface of the plastic body.

[0013] In order to make the pressing block have a certain buffering force during the process of pressing the FPC cable connector and avoid damage to the FPC cable connector, further, the connecting rod surface is equidistantly arrayed with connecting seats, one side of the connecting seat is pinned with a fastening plate, the pressing block is connected to the bottom of the fastening plate, and a buffer pad is provided on the bottom surface of the pressing block.

[0014] In order to keep the force direction of the pressing block in a vertical downward state, further, ear plates are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connecting seat, and pins are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fastening plate. The pins are rotatably connected in the ear plates, and a torsion spring is arranged between the ear plates and the pins.

[0015] In order to enable the pressing block and the fastening plate to be slidably connected, guide grooves are symmetrically provided on both sides of the fastening plate, one side of the pressing block is connected to two groups of symmetrically arranged support strips, the support strips are connected to guide blocks, and the guide blocks are slidably connected in the guide grooves.

[0016] In order to make the above sliding connection structure match the size of the FPC cable connector, further, a third spring is arranged in the guide groove, one end of the third spring is fixedly connected to one end of the guide block, and the other end of the third spring is fixedly connected to the top of the guide groove.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides an FPC connector with a self-locking function, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. The self-locking FPC connector is provided with a rotating connection component between the terminal and the plastic body, which includes a set of sleeves provided between the rotating shaft and the jack. The eccentric structure of the sleeve enables the FPC connector to adjust the pressing gap between the terminal and the plastic body according to the thickness of the FPC cable connector;

[0019] 2. The FPC connector with self-locking function is provided with a locking component on the bottom of the plastic body. During the buckling process of the plastic body, the buffer pad at the bottom of the pressing block contacts the plug, and then the plug continues to be pulled into the terminal block following the flipping of the plastic body, ensuring that the connector of the FPC cable is fully inserted into the plastic body;

[0020] 3. The FPC connector with self-locking function has an elastic plug-in component arranged on the upper surface of the terminal. When the plastic body is completely attached to the surface of the terminal, the locking shafts on both sides are subjected to the elastic tension of the first spring, and the shaft head at one end of the locking shaft extends into the locking hole. The terminal and the plastic body are locked. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient, and the pressing stability between the pressure plate and the spring sheet is further increased.

[0021] The parts not involved in the device are the same as the prior art or can be implemented by using the prior art. The present invention enables the FPC connector to adjust the pressing gap between the terminal and the plastic body according to the thickness of the FPC cable connector; the plug is further pulled into the inside of the terminal to ensure that the connector of the FPC cable is completely inserted into the plastic body; the locking structure is simple and easy to operate, and the pressing stability between the pressure plate and the spring sheet is further increased. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of an elastic plug-in assembly of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a plastic body of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention in an open state;

[0025] Figure 4A schematic diagram of the connection structure of an adjustment disk and a shaft sleeve of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a shaft sleeve of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a connection terminal of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the bottom surface structure of the plastic body of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional structure of a connection terminal of an FPC connector with a self-locking function proposed by the present invention;

[0030] Fig. 9 The present invention provides a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a locking assembly of an FPC connector with a self-locking function.

[0031] In the figure: 1, terminal; 2, plastic body; 3, wire groove; 4, locking block; 5, locking shaft; 6, first spring; 7, ear seat; 8, shaft head; 9, locking hole; 10, channel; 11, shaft sleeve; 12, adjustment plate; 13, protrusion; 14, shaft; 15, spring piece; 16, second spring; 17, pressure plate; 18, jack; 19, connecting rod; 20, fixing frame; 21, connecting seat; 22, fastening plate; 23, pressing block; 24, buffer pad; 25, ear plate; 26, pin shaft; 27, support bar; 28, guide block; 29, guide groove; 30, third spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0034] Example:

[0035] Reference Figure 1-Figure 9A self-locking FPC connector includes a wiring terminal 1 and a plastic body 2 connected to the top of the wiring terminal 1, and a wire groove 3 is arranged in the wiring terminal 1.

[0036] The present embodiment provides an FPC connector, wherein the shell of the terminal block 1 and the plastic body 2 are both made of insulating materials, and the interior of the terminal block 1 is provided with a sheet-like grid structure arranged equidistantly, and wire grooves 3 are provided between the sheet-like grid structures for maintaining the arrangement of the terminals and having a certain holding force on the connector of the FPC cable, and is applied to an electrical connector of a flexible printed circuit board FPC.

[0037] A groove is provided in the wire trough 3, in which a spring 15 is installed. A bend is provided in the middle of the spring 15, and the horizontal end of the spring 15 is installed in the spring 15. A second spring 16 is installed between the bent raised end of the spring 15 and the surface of the groove. A pressure plate 17 is arranged in an equidistant array at the bottom of the plastic body 2, and the installation position of the pressure plate 17 matches the position of the spring 15.

[0038] In this embodiment, a groove is opened in the wire slot 3 near one end inside the wiring terminal 1, and a group of support plate structures with an upward force are arranged in the groove. Specifically, a group of bent spring sheets 15 are arranged, one end of which is higher than the horizontal end after bending, and the horizontal end is fixed in the groove. A second spring 16 is connected between the bottom surface of the other end of the spring sheet 15 and the groove. When the connector is inserted, the extrusion force generated between the elastically connected spring sheet 15 and the pressure plate 17 is utilized to better plug and tighten the connector, so as to prevent the connector of the FPC cable from falling off, causing the connector to fail and affecting the use of the electronic equipment.

[0039] A rotating connection component is arranged between the terminal 1 and the plastic body 2. When the plane where the plastic body 2 is located is parallel to the top surface of the terminal 1, the distance between the two sets of planes can be adjusted; the rotating connection component includes a rotating shaft 14 and a sleeve 11 arranged on one side of the terminal 1. The sleeve 11 and the rotating shaft 14 are rotatably connected. A socket 18 is opened in the plastic body 2, and the plastic body 2 is rotatably connected to the outside of the sleeve 11 through the socket 18.

[0040] In this embodiment, a rotating connection component is provided between the wiring terminal 1 and the plastic body 2, which can not only ensure the connection performance between the wiring terminal 1 and the plastic body 2, but also can open the plastic body 2 when the connector of the FPC cable needs to be inserted. After insertion, the pressure plate 17 and the spring 15 at the bottom of the plastic body 2 are used in combination to lock the plug.

[0041] Specifically, in order to adjust the pressing gap between the terminal 1 and the plastic body 2 according to the thickness of the FPC cable connector, an adjustment disk 12 is integrally formed on one side of the sleeve 11, and the outer ring of the adjustment disk 12 has protrusions 13 in an equidistant array. A hole 10 is opened in the sleeve 11 and the adjustment disk 12, and the central axis of the hole 10 and the central axis of the sleeve 11 are eccentrically arranged.

[0042] In this embodiment, considering that the height dimensions of connectors of various models are slightly different, which may lead to insufficient squeezing force of the pressure plate 17 and the spring 15, an adjusting disk 12 with an eccentric structure is provided at the rotational connection position of the plastic body 2 and the terminal block 1, and the terminal block 1 is inserted into the channel 10 of the adjusting disk 12 through two sets of rotating shafts 14. A shaft sleeve 11 is integrally formed on one side of the adjusting disk 12, and the shaft sleeve 11 is rotationally inserted into the jack 18. The central axis of the shaft sleeve 11 and the channel 10 is set to an eccentric structure. Therefore, when the adjusting disk 12 is rotated, the distance between the terminal block 1 and the plastic body 2 can be changed, thereby changing the distance between the pressure plate 17 and the spring 15, so as to adapt to FPC cable connectors of more sizes.

[0043] A locking block 4 is connected to one side of the plastic body 2, and two groups of elastic plug-in components are symmetrically arranged on the top of the terminal 1. The elastic plug-in component includes an ear seat 7, a locking shaft 5 is slidably installed in the ear seat 7, a first spring 6 is connected between the locking shaft 5 and the ear seat 7, and a shaft head 8 is connected to one end of the locking shaft 5. Locking holes 9 are symmetrically opened in the locking block 4, and the shaft head 8 and the locking hole 9 are matched.

[0044] In this embodiment, a locking block 4 is provided on one side of the plastic body 2, and two groups of elastic plug-in components are symmetrically provided on one side of the terminal 1. When the plastic body 2 is pressed down to fit the plastic body 2, the locking shafts 5 on both sides are subjected to the elastic tension of the first spring 6, and the shaft head 8 at one end of the locking shaft 5 extends into the locking hole 9, and the terminal 1 and the plastic body 2 are locked. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient, and the pressing stability between the pressure plate 17 and the spring sheet 15 is further increased.

[0045] The locking assembly is arranged at the bottom of the plastic body 2 , and when the plane where the plastic body 2 is located tends to be parallel to the top surface of the terminal block 1 , the locking assembly pulls the connector of the FPC cable.

[0046] The locking assembly includes a connecting rod 19 and pressing blocks 23 arranged in an equidistant array on the surface of the connecting rod 19 . A fixing frame 20 is fixedly sleeved at both ends of the connecting rod 19 . The fixing frame 20 is fixedly connected to the inner bottom surface of the plastic body 2 .

[0047] In this embodiment, a set of locking components is added to the bottom of the plastic body 2 near the side of the plug hole 18, and a pressing block 23 that can be turned over with the plastic body 2 is used. During the buckling process of the plastic body 2, the buffer pad 24 at the bottom of the pressing block 23 contacts the plug and continues to follow the turning of the plastic body 2 to continue to pull the plug into the terminal block 1, ensuring that the connector of the FPC cable is fully inserted into the plastic body 2.

[0048] The surface of the connecting rod 19 is provided with connecting seats 21 in an equidistant array, a fastening plate 22 is pinned to one side of the connecting seat 21, a pressing block 23 is connected to the bottom of the fastening plate 22, and a buffer pad 24 is provided on the bottom surface of the pressing block 23.

[0049] In this embodiment, a buffer pad 24 is provided at the bottom of the pressing block 23. The buffer pad 24 is in the form of cylindrical particles and is evenly distributed on the lower surface of the pressing block 23. After the pressing block 23 follows the rotation of the plastic body 2 and contacts the connector of the FPC cable, the buffer pad 24 and the connector of the FPC cable fit together, so that the pressing block 23 has a certain buffering force during the pressing process of the FPC cable connector, thereby avoiding damage to the FPC cable connector.

[0050] Ear plates 25 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connection seat 21 , and pin shafts 26 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fastening plate 22 . The pin shafts 26 are rotatably connected in the ear plates 25 , and a torsion spring is arranged between the ear plates 25 and the pin shafts 26 .

[0051] In this embodiment, an ear plate 25 and a pin 26 are arranged between the connecting seat 21 and the fastening plate 22, and a torsion spring is arranged between the ear plate 25 and the pin 26, so that in the absence of external force, the connecting seat 21 and the fastening plate 22 are arranged horizontally, and the plastic body 2 of the pressing block 23 is arranged vertically, ensuring that the force direction of the pressing block 23 remains vertically downward after the plastic body 2 is closed.

[0052] The pressing block 23 is slidably connected to the fastening plate 22, and guide grooves 29 are symmetrically provided on both sides of the fastening plate 22. One side of the pressing block 23 is connected to two groups of symmetrically arranged support bars 27, and the support bars 27 are connected to guide blocks 28. The guide blocks 28 are slidably connected to the guide grooves 29. A third spring 30 is provided in the guide grooves 29, and one end of the third spring 30 is fixedly connected to one end of the guide block 28, and the other end of the third spring 30 is fixedly connected to the top of the guide groove 29.

[0053] Since the pressing block 23 is connected to the bottom of the fastening plate 22, in this embodiment, the sliding connection of the guide block 28 and the guide groove 29 is utilized so that the position of the pressing block 23 at one end of the fastening plate 22 can be adjusted. At the same time, to ensure that the pressing block 23 has a pressing force on the connector of the FPC cable, a third spring 30 is provided in the guide block 28 so that the above-mentioned sliding connection structure can match the size of the FPC cable connector, thereby increasing the application range of the FPC connector, i.e., the versatility.

[0054] In the present invention, before using the FPC connector, the adjustment disk 12 with the protrusion 13 is turned, and during the process of the hole 10 and the rotating shaft 14 fitting and rotating, the outer wall of the sleeve 11 rotates in the jacks 18 on both sides of the plastic body 2. Since the central axis of the sleeve 11 and the central axis of the hole 10 have an eccentric dimension in the horizontal direction, the plastic body 2 can change the spacing during the rotation of the adjustment disk 12. According to the height dimension of the connector, the spacing can be adjusted to the required spacing, and the plastic body 2 is flipped at a certain angle to open the terminal 1;

[0055] After the connector of the FPC cable is inserted into the wire slot 3 in the terminal block 1, as the plug is inserted, the bent end of the spring 15 is slightly lifted by the elastic tension of the second spring 16, and the plastic body 2 is turned over and buckled. The pressure plate 17 on the inner surface of the plastic body 2 contacts the connector as the plastic body 2 is buckled, so that the connector is pressed between the pressure plate 17 and the spring 15, and the connector of the FPC connector is self-locked;

[0056] During the buckling process of the pressing plate 17, the buffer pad 24 fits the joint, and the pressing block 23 starts to squeeze the joint downward. As the pressing plate 17 continues to flip, the pressing block 23 uses elastic squeezing force to pull the joint to continue to be inserted into the terminal block 1. When the plastic body 2 flips to be parallel to the terminal block 1, the joint is fully inserted.

[0057] Since the locking shaft 5 is elastically connected to the upper surface of the terminal 1 by the first spring 6, when the plastic body 2 is flipped to be parallel to the terminal 1, the locking shaft 5 on both sides is subjected to the elastic tension of the first spring 6, and the shaft head 8 at one end of the locking shaft 5 extends into the locking hole 9, and the terminal 1 and the plastic body 2 are locked. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient, and the pressing stability between the pressure plate 17 and the spring sheet 15 is further increased.

[0058] The above description is only a preferred specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can make equivalent replacements or changes according to the technical scheme and inventive concept of the present invention within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An FPC connector with a self-locking function, comprising a terminal (1) and a plastic body (2) connected to the top of the terminal (1), wherein a wire groove (3) is arranged in the terminal (1), characterized in that: Also includes: A rotating connection component is arranged between the connecting terminal (1) and the plastic body (2), and when the plane where the plastic body (2) is located is parallel to the top surface of the connecting terminal (1), the distance between the two sets of planes can be adjusted; A locking component is arranged at the bottom of the plastic body (2), and when the plane where the plastic body (2) is located tends to be parallel to the top surface of the terminal block (1), the locking component pulls the connector of the FPC cable.

2. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A locking block (4) is connected to one side of the plastic body (2); two groups of elastic plug-in components are symmetrically arranged on the top of the outer side of the wiring terminal (1); the elastic plug-in components include an ear seat (7); a locking shaft (5) is slidably installed in the ear seat (7); a first spring (6) is connected between the locking shaft (5) and the ear seat (7); a shaft head (8) is connected to one end of the locking shaft (5); locking holes (9) are symmetrically opened in the locking block (4); and the shaft head (8) and the locking hole (9) are matched and arranged.

3. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A groove is provided in the wire trough (3), a spring sheet (15) is installed in the groove, a bend is provided in the middle of the spring sheet (15), and the horizontal end of the spring sheet (15) is installed in the spring sheet (15), a second spring (16) is installed between the bent raised end of the spring sheet (15) and the surface of the groove, and pressure plates (17) are arranged in an equidistant array at the bottom of the plastic body (2), and the installation position of the pressure plates (17) matches the position of the spring sheet (15).

4. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating connection assembly comprises a rotating shaft (14) and a shaft sleeve (11) arranged on one side of the connecting terminal (1); the shaft sleeve (11) and the rotating shaft (14) are rotatably connected; a plug hole (18) is provided in the plastic body (2), and the plastic body (2) is rotatably connected to the outside of the shaft sleeve (11) via the plug hole (18).

5. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 4, characterized in that: An adjusting disk (12) is integrally formed on one side of the shaft sleeve (11), and the outer ring of the adjusting disk (12) has protrusions (13) in an annular equidistant array. A hole (10) is provided in the shaft sleeve (11) and the adjusting disk (12), and the central axis of the hole (10) and the central axis of the shaft sleeve (11) are eccentrically arranged.

6. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking assembly comprises a connecting rod (19) and pressing blocks (23) arranged in an equidistant array on the surface of the connecting rod (19); fixing frames (20) are fixedly sleeved at both ends of the connecting rod (19); and the fixing frames (20) are fixedly connected to the inner bottom surface of the plastic body (2).

7. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 6, characterized in that: The surface of the connecting rod (19) is provided with connecting seats (21) in an equidistant array, a fastening plate (22) is pinned to one side of the connecting seat (21), the pressing block (23) is connected to the bottom of the fastening plate (22), and a buffer pad (24) is provided on the bottom surface of the pressing block (23).

8. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 7, characterized in that: Ear plates (25) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connection seat (21), and pin shafts (26) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fastening plate (22). The pin shafts (26) are rotatably connected in the ear plates (25), and a torsion spring is arranged between the ear plates (25) and the pin shafts (26).

9. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pressing block (23) and the fastening plate (22) are slidably connected, and guide grooves (29) are symmetrically provided on both sides of the fastening plate (22). One side of the pressing block (23) is connected to two groups of symmetrically arranged support bars (27), and the support bars (27) are connected to guide blocks (28), and the guide blocks (28) are slidably connected to the guide grooves (29).

10. The FPC connector with self-locking function according to claim 9, characterized in that: A third spring (30) is arranged in the guide groove (29), one end of the third spring (30) is fixedly connected to one end of the guide block (28), and the other end of the third spring (30) is fixedly connected to the top of the guide groove (29).

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