Terminal for flexible cable, and connector having same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a terminal for a flexible cable and a connector having same. The terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is electrically connected to a flexible cable, which is a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and comprises a connection part which couples to a first connection terminal of the flexible cable, wherein, when a first component, which is any one of the first connection terminal and the connection part, is positioned at the top and a second component, which is the other one, is positioned at the bottom, parts of the first and second components have an interlock-based primary coupling structure, so as to allow the coupling of the flexible cable.

Description

Terminals for flexible cables and connectors having the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal for a flexible cable and a connector having the same, and more particularly, to a terminal for electrically connecting a flexible cable such as an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) and a connector having the terminal.

[0002] In devices utilizing electrical signals, cables and connectors are used to transmit various electrical signals. The connector functions by connecting the cables transmitting the electrical signals to various connection terminals. For example, a vehicle connector can be used to connect cables transmitting various electrical signals to connection terminals in a vehicle.

[0003] Meanwhile, wire-shaped cables were primarily used in the past, considering durability and other factors. These wires may be circular. In particular, in the case of vehicles, various types of vibrations occur during operation, and wire-shaped cables are primarily used to ensure durability against such vibrations.

[0004] Accordingly, in order to electrically connect a wire-shaped cable to a connection terminal in a connector, a first conventional technique was used, which involved performing a soldering process or an ultrasonic welding process on the end of the wire-shaped cable. That is, the first conventional technique used a method of electrically connecting the end of the wire-shaped cable to the connection terminal by soldering or ultrasonic welding, and then cleaning the connection portion and sealing it by compressing it with a shrink tube or enclosing it with a housing after curing it with epoxy.

[0005] However, when using the first conventional technology, the connection process is inconvenient and time-consuming, resulting in increased manufacturing costs (hereinafter referred to as "the first problem"). Of course, this first problem may also be due to the connector's need to connect wire-type cables.

[0006] Figure 1 shows an example of the second prior art.

[0007] Even when using the first conventional technology, the connection between the terminal and the wire-type cable has a very weak connection structure. Consequently, the connection can easily become detached due to vibration or other factors (hereinafter referred to as the "second problem").

[0008] Meanwhile, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a second conventional technique may be used to connect a wire-shaped cable (CA) by crimping it using a crimp-type terminal (T).

[0009] Fig. 2 shows various examples of cross-sections of a terminal (T) for A-A' in Fig. 1. That is, Fig. 2(a) shows an example in which no air gap (G) occurs within the terminal (T), and Fig. 2(b) shows an example in which an air gap (G) occurs within the terminal (T).

[0010] However, according to the second prior art, when a plurality of wires exposed at the end of a cable (CA) are crimped with a crimp-type terminal (T), a gap (G) may be generated within the terminal (T), as illustrated in Fig. 2(b). In this case, a second problem may still occur in that the connection between the terminal (T) and the wire-type cable (CA) has a very weak connection structure, and the connection may easily come off due to vibration, etc.

[0011] In addition, since the wire-shaped cable (CA) has a thick thickness, when a large number of wire-shaped cables (CA) are used to transmit a large number of electrical signals, the connection structure becomes very complex and bulky, which makes it difficult to apply to narrow spaces such as the interior of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the “third problem”).

[0012] Accordingly, flexible cables such as Flexible Flat Cables (FFCs) or Flexible Printed Circuits (FPCs), which can transmit multiple electrical signals simultaneously, may be used in place of wire-type cables (CAs). In this case, the flexible cable's connection structure can be simplified to reduce volume while simultaneously transmitting multiple electrical signals. This allows for easy application in confined spaces without spatial constraints, and also offers the advantage of reducing manufacturing processes and costs.

[0013] However, when using the first and second conventional techniques to connect connectors to such flexible cables, not only will the first problem described above still occur, but the second problem described above may become more severe. Accordingly, it is virtually impossible to connect connecting cables using a soldering process or an ultrasonic welding process according to the first conventional technique, and to connect flexible cables using a crimp-type terminal (T) according to the second conventional technique.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows an example of a method for electrically connecting a flexible cable (FC) to a circuit board (P) according to a third prior art.

[0015] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 3, a third conventional technology is also used to electrically connect a flexible cable (FC) to a circuit board (P) such as a rigid PCB (Printed Circuit Board) using a plurality of connectors (C1, C2, C3) and a wire-shaped cable (CA).

[0016] At this time, the first connector (C1) is configured such that one side thereof is connected to a terminal of a circuit board (P), and the second connector (C2) is configured such that one side thereof and the other side thereof of the first connector (C1) are connected to each other in a male-female manner. In addition, the other side of the second connector (C2) and one side of the third connector (C3) are configured such that they are connected to each other via a wire-shaped cable (CA), and the other side of the third connector (C3) is configured such that they are connected to a terminal of one side of a flexible cable (FC).

[0017] However, since this third prior art uses a number of connectors (C1, C2, C3) and a wire-shaped cable (CA) to connect a flexible cable (FC) to a circuit board (P), the first to third problems described above are bound to still occur.

[0018] Accordingly, there is a need to develop a technology that can increase the durability of the fastening structure for flexible cables, can be easily applied to narrow spaces such as the interior of a vehicle without space constraints, and can reduce the number of connectors used when connecting a flexible cable to a circuit board without using a wire-type cable (CA).

[0019] However, the above-described content merely provides background information on the present invention and does not correspond to previously disclosed technology.

[0020] In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal for a flexible cable capable of increasing the durability of a fastening structure for a flexible cable such as an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), and a connector having the terminal.

[0021] In addition, another purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal for a flexible cable that can be easily applied to narrow spaces such as the interior of a vehicle without space constraints, and a connector having the terminal.

[0022] In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible cable terminal and a connector having the terminal, which can reduce the number of connectors used when connecting a flexible cable to a circuit board without using a wire-type cable.

[0023] However, the problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-described problem, a terminal is a terminal electrically connected to a flexible cable of an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), and includes a connection portion that is connected to a first connection terminal of the flexible cable, and wherein one of the first connection terminal and the connection portion, a first configuration, is located at the top and the other, a second configuration, is located at the bottom, and a portion of the first and second configurations has a primary connection structure based on an interlock, thereby connecting the flexible cable.

[0025] In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a terminal is a terminal electrically connected to a flexible cable of an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), and includes a connection portion that is connected to a first connection terminal of the flexible cable, and wherein one of the auxiliary connection plate and the connection portion, a first configuration, is located at the top, and the other, a second configuration, is located at the bottom, and a through-hole of the flexible cable is located between the first and second configurations, and a part of the first and second configurations has a primary connection structure based on an interlock in the through-hole, thereby connecting the flexible cable.

[0026] The above first fastening structure may be a structure including an undercut shape in which a portion of the first and second configurations are inserted.

[0027] The first configuration includes a first recessed portion recessed in a downward direction and a first recessed wall which is a side portion of the first recessed portion, and the second configuration includes a second recessed portion recessed in a downward direction corresponding to the first recessed portion, and a second recessed wall which is a side portion of the second recessed portion, and at least one of the first and second recessed walls may include the undercut shape.

[0028] The outer surface of the first recessed wall may include the undercut shape according to the first taper in which the diameter increases from the upper side to the lower side, and the inner surface of the second recessed wall may include the undercut according to the second taper in which the diameter decreases from the upper side to the lower side corresponding to the outer surface of the first recessed wall.

[0029] The terminal may further include a fixing portion protruding upward from a portion extending toward the rear from the connecting portion. In this case, the terminal may additionally fasten the flexible cable by having a secondary fastening structure in which the fixing portion is bent toward the flexible cable and compresses the flexible cable.

[0030] The terminal may further include first and second fingers extending from the connection portion toward the front side and spaced apart from each other. In this case, when the connector is connected to a board connector of a circuit board, the terminal may be electrically connected to a second connection terminal of the circuit board that is electrically connected to the connection pin by inserting the connection pin exposed to the board connector between the first and second fingers and making contact with the first and second fingers.

[0031] The first and second fingers have an elastic force that attempts to narrow the distance between them when the distance between them increases, and a contact force may be generated for the inserted connecting pin according to the elastic force.

[0032] The terminal may further include a first bending portion for bending the first finger at the top in a downward direction, and a second bending portion for bending the second finger at the bottom in an upward direction.

[0033] The terminal may further include a third bending portion for bending the first end, which is an end of the first finger, in an upward direction, and a fourth bending portion for bending the second end, which is an end of the second finger, in a downward direction.

[0034] The above connecting pin may not contact the first and second ends during the insertion process.

[0035] The third and fourth bending portions may act as contact points for the connecting pins being inserted.

[0036] The terminal may further include a terminal catch portion that protrudes downwards more than the lower portion of the connecting portion. In this case, the terminal catch portion may catch on an internal groove of the housing when the terminal is installed within the housing of the connector.

[0037] When the connector is connected to the electrical component, the terminal can electrically connect the first connection terminal of the flexible cable and the second connection terminal of the electrical component.

[0038] The above-mentioned electrical component may be a vehicle electrical component.

[0039]

[0040] A connector according to one embodiment of the present invention is a connector that is coupled to a substrate connector of an electrical component to electrically connect a first connection terminal of a flexible cable including an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) with a second connection terminal of the electrical component, the connector comprising: a terminal including a connection portion that is engaged with the first connection terminal; and a housing into which the terminal is inserted.

[0041] The terminal can fasten the flexible cable by having a primary fastening structure based on an interlock basis in which a first configuration, which is one of the first connection terminal and the connection portion, is positioned at the top and a second configuration, which is the other, is positioned at the bottom.

[0042] The terminal can fasten the flexible cable by having a first configuration, which is one of the auxiliary fastening plates and the connecting portion, positioned at the top and the other, the second configuration, positioned at the bottom, and a through-hole for the flexible cable located between the first and second configurations, and by providing a primary fastening structure based on an interlock basis in the through-hole of the flexible cable in part of the first and second configurations.

[0043] The connector may further include a retainer that is fastened to the housing by engaging the housing while covering at least a portion of an opening in the rear of the housing while the terminal is inserted into the housing.

[0044] When the retainer is fastened to the housing, the insertion portion of the retainer is inserted into the opening and comes into contact with the terminal, thereby fixing the terminal in the internal space of the housing.

[0045] The retainer includes an exposed space that exposes a portion of the opening toward the rear when fastened to the housing, and the flexible cable can contact a wall surrounding the exposed space as it passes through the exposed space.

[0046] The housing has a plurality of guide walls spaced apart from each other in both directions in the internal space, and the terminal can be inserted into the guide space formed by the plurality of guide walls. At this time, the plurality of guide walls may have a structure that prevents the terminal from being inserted in the reverse direction in the internal space.

[0047] The present invention, which is configured as described above, uses a method of connecting a flexible cable (30, 30') such as an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) instead of a method of connecting a wire-shaped cable, and therefore has the advantage of being able to perform the connection simply and quickly without the need for a soldering process or an ultrasonic fusion process. Accordingly, the present invention can easily solve the first problem described above.

[0048] Furthermore, the present invention enhances the durability of the connection structure by performing primary and secondary connections to increase the connection strength between the flexible cable and the terminal, thereby providing the advantage of maintaining the connection structure even in environments such as vibration. Accordingly, the present invention can readily address the second problem described above.

[0049] Furthermore, since the present invention utilizes a flexible cable instead of a wire-type cable, its connection structure is extremely simple and compact, allowing it to be easily applied to confined spaces such as vehicle interiors without space constraints. Accordingly, the present invention can readily address the third problem described above.

[0050] In addition, unlike the third conventional technology that connects a flexible cable to a circuit board (P) using three or more connectors (C1, C2, C3) and a wire-shaped cable (CA), the present invention can connect a flexible cable to a circuit board with a smaller number of connectors without using a wire-shaped cable, so it has the advantage of reducing the manufacturing process and cost.

[0051] In addition, the present invention can be applied not only to an environment where vibration occurs due to the improved durability of the fastening structure as described above, but can also be easily applied to a narrow space environment as described above, and thus has the advantage of being optimally applicable to electrical components for vehicles exposed to all of the above environments.

[0052] The effects that can be obtained from the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0053] Figure 1 shows an example of the second prior art.

[0054] Figure 2 shows various examples of cross-sections of terminals (T) for A-A' in Figure 1.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows an example of a method for electrically connecting a flexible cable (FC) to a circuit board (P) according to a third prior art.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a state in which a connector (10, 10'), a circuit board (20), and a flexible cable (30, 30') are each combined according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a disassembled view of a connector (10, 10'), a circuit board (20), and a flexible cable (30, 30') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] FIG. 6 shows upper and lower perspective views of a housing (100) of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows a drawing of the front and rear sides of a housing (100) of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows upper and lower perspective views of a retainer (200) of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] FIG. 9 shows upper and lower perspective views of a terminal (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] FIG. 10 shows a drawing of one side and a plane of a terminal (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] FIG. 11 shows a drawing of the front and rear sides of a terminal (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Fig. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of one side of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention to which a flexible cable (30, 30') is connected before and after being coupled to a substrate connector (21).

[0065] FIG. 13 shows the appearance of a terminal (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') before being connected to a flexible cable (30, 30') according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] FIG. 14 shows the upper and lower views of the terminals (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') according to one embodiment of the present invention after the first and second connections are made to the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0067] Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view along line B-B' in Figure 14.

[0068] Fig. 16 shows a connector (10'), a board connector (21), and a flexible cable (30') each combined according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Fig. 17 shows the connector (10'), the board connector (21), and the flexible cable (30') in an exploded state according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] FIG. 18 shows upper and lower perspective views of a terminal (300') of a connector (10') according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] FIG. 19 shows a drawing of one side and a plane of a terminal (300') of a connector (10') according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] FIG. 20 shows a drawing of the front and rear sides of a terminal (300') of a connector (10') according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Fig. 21 shows the appearance of a terminal (300') of a connector (10') before being connected to a flexible cable (30') according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] FIG. 22 shows the upper and lower views of a terminal (300, 300') of a connector (10, 10') according to another embodiment of the present invention after it has been first connected to a flexible cable (30, 30').

[0075] Figure 23 shows a cross-sectional view along line C-C' in Figure 22.

[0076] The above-described objects, means, and resulting effects of the present invention will become more apparent through the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will be able to readily implement the technical concepts of the present invention. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if a detailed description of known technology related to the present invention is deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0077] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms, unless specifically stated otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "include," "provide," "provide," or "have" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components other than the mentioned components.

[0078] In this specification, terms such as "or", "at least one", etc. may refer to one of the words listed together, or to a combination of two or more. For example, "A or B", "at least one of A and B" may include only one of A or B, or may include both A and B.

[0079] In this specification, descriptions using the phrase "for example" or the like should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of the invention in terms of the effects of variations such as tolerances, measurement errors, limitations of measurement accuracy, and other commonly known factors, including the information presented, such as cited characteristics, variables, or values, may not be exact matches.

[0080] In this specification, when a component is described as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but that there may be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is described as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0081] In this specification, when a component is described as being "on" or "in contact with" another component, it should be understood that it may be directly on or connected to the other component, but there may be another component in between. Conversely, when a component is described as being "directly on" or "in direct contact with" another component, it should be understood that there is no other component in between. Other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between", can be interpreted similarly.

[0082] In this specification, terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. Furthermore, these terms should not be construed to limit the order of each component, but rather may be used to distinguish one component from another. For example, a "first component" may be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a "second component" may also be referred to as a "first component."

[0083] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein may be used in their common sense by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise.

[0084]

[0085] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0086] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 23, a connector (10, 10') according to various embodiments of the present invention is a connector that electrically connects a flexible cable (30, 30') having a first connection terminal (31) and a circuit board (20) having a second connection terminal (not shown) between a first connection terminal (31) and a second connection terminal. However, although the circuit board (20) is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the circuit board (20) is omitted in FIGS. 16 and 17.

[0087] The circuit board (20) may be composed of a harder material than the flexible cable (30, 30'), and the flexible cable (30, 30') may be composed of a softer material than the circuit board (20). For example, the circuit board (20) may be a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), and the flexible cable (30, 30') may be an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), but is not limited thereto.

[0088] The circuit board (20) has a second connection terminal on the rear side. Referring to Fig. 4, a board connector (21) is mounted on the rear side of the circuit board (20). In addition, the board connector (21) has a connector opening (22) opened on the rear side and has a connection pin (23) therein. At this time, the connection pin (23) is electrically connected to a part of the front side to the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) when the board connector (21) is mounted on the circuit board (20), and a part of the rear side is exposed through the connector opening (22).

[0089] Referring to FIG. 5, the connector (10, 10') may include a housing (100), a retainer (200), and a terminal (300, 300'), and has a structure in which these components can be fastened and unfastened. At this time, the terminal (300, 300'), also referred to as a "plug terminal", may be inserted into the housing (100) and connected while the flexible cable (30, 30') is fastened as a connecting pin of the connector (10, 10'), and the retainer (200) may fix the terminal (300, 300') and the flexible cable (30, 30') inserted into the housing (100).

[0090] The structure of the terminal (30, 30') of these connectors (10, 10') may vary depending on the type of flexible cable (30, 30') to be connected. That is, the connector (10') according to one embodiment of the present invention connects the flexible cable (30) using the terminal (300), and the connector (10') according to another embodiment of the present invention can connect the flexible cable (30') using the terminal (300').

[0091] At this time, the flexible cable (30') may have a thinner thickness than the flexible cable (30). Accordingly, the flexible cable (30) can be firstly and secondarily fastened using the terminal (300) without the auxiliary fastening plate (40), and the flexible cable (30') can be firstly fastened using an auxiliary fastening plate (40) in addition to the terminal (300'). Of course, if necessary, the terminal (300') may have the same structure as the terminal (300). In this case, the flexible cable (30') can be secondarily fastened not only by first fastening the flexible cable (30') but also by additionally using the auxiliary fastening plate (40). These first and second fastenings will be described later.

[0092] In particular, the housing (100) is connected in a male-female manner by having its protruding front portion inserted into the connector opening (22) of the board connector (21) mounted on the circuit board (20), and the terminal (300, 300') to which the flexible cable (30, 30') is connected at the rear portion is connected by having its front portion inserted into the second opening (105) at the rear portion of the housing (100). Accordingly, the connector (10, 10') can connect the circuit board (20) and the flexible cable (30, 30') between the circuit board (20) and the flexible cable (30, 30'), respectively. Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a "connection state of the connector (10, 10')."

[0093] The terminal (300, 300') is electrically connected to the first connection terminal (31) of the front side of the flexible cable (30, 30') by being fastened to the first connection terminal (31) according to an interlock-based fastening method to be described later. When the connector (10, 10') is connected, the terminal (300, 300') can be installed in the internal space of the housing (100) by having the front side of the terminal (300, 300') inserted into the second opening (105) of the rear side of the housing (100). At this time, the front side of the terminal (300, 300') is exposed to the first opening (104) of the front side of the housing (100) and comes into contact with the connection pin (23) exposed to the connector opening (22). Accordingly, the terminal (300, 300') can be electrically connected to the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) via the connection pin (23).

[0094] That is, when the connector (10, 10') is in a connected state, the connector (10, 10') can electrically connect the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') and the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) while the terminal (300, 300') is electrically connected to the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') and the connection pin (23) of the circuit board connector (20).

[0095] For example, when a signal is transmitted in the first direction when the connector (10, 10') is in the connected state, a signal transmitted from the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) can be transmitted to the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') via the connection pin (23) and the terminal (300, 300'). In addition, when a signal is transmitted in the second direction when the connector (10, 10') is in the connected state, a signal transmitted from the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') can be transmitted to the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) via the terminal (300) and the connection pin (23).

[0096] Of course, the connector (10, 10') may be detached from the circuit board (20) and disconnected from the circuit board (20) according to the user's intention. Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a "disconnected state of the connector (10, 10')." In this disconnected state of the connector (10, 10'), the contact between the connection pin (23) of the board connector (20) and the terminal (300, 300') is broken, and thus the electrical connection between the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') and the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) may be disconnected.

[0097] The circuit board (20) and the flexible cable (30, 30') may include a wiring pattern on the inside or the surface so that a signal can be transmitted. At this time, the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) may be electrically connected to the wiring pattern of the circuit board (20). In addition, the front side of the flexible cable (30, 30') is provided with a first connection terminal (31) for connection with a terminal (300, 300'), and this first connection terminal (31) may be electrically connected to the wiring pattern of the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0098] Meanwhile, in the flexible cable (30, 30'), a plurality of first connection terminals (31) may be formed in a finger shape that protrudes from the main body (33) of the flexible cable (30, 30') and is spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Of course, the flexible cable (30, 30') may further include a finger insulation portion (32), which is an insulated portion among these finger shapes, so that the first connection terminals (31) are not exposed. That is, a plurality of finger insulation portions (32) that are spaced apart from each other protrude toward the front from the main body (33) of the flexible cable (30, 30'), and the first connection terminals (31) may protrude from each of these finger insulation portions (32) toward the front and be exposed to the outside. Of course, the inside of each finger insulation part (32) includes a wire connected to each first connection terminal (31), and the finger insulation part (32) has the function of insulating the surface of this wire.

[0099] The circuit board (20) may correspond to a circuit board of various electronic devices. That is, the connector (10, 10') may be used to connect to the circuit boards of various electronic devices and transmit signals required by the electronic devices. For example, the circuit board (20) may be a circuit board for processing various signals from various electrical components in a vehicle. For example, the connector (10, 10') may correspond to a vehicle connector (i.e., a connector for an electrical component of a vehicle).

[0100] The housing (100) is configured to have a terminal (300, 300') installed in an internal space and to function as a case surrounding the terminal (300, 300'). Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the housing (100) includes a first opening (104) open at the front and a second opening (105) open at the rear, respectively. These first and second openings (104, 105) can be connected to each other by a passage and can be connected to the internal space of the housing (100).

[0101] The housing (100) may further include a first protrusion (101) formed to protrude on each side. This first protrusion (101) acts as a catch for the connector opening (22) of the board connector (20) mounted on the circuit board (20) when the connector (10, 10') is in a connected state.

[0102] The housing (100) may further include a plurality of spaced-apart second protrusions (102) on both sides, which are provided closer to the rear end than the first protrusions (101). That is, on one side of the housing (100), the plurality of second protrusions (102) may be formed in a structure in which they are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the housing (100) (i.e., in the direction from the front end to the rear end or from the rear end to the front end). In addition, on the other side of the housing (100), the plurality of second protrusions (102) may be formed in a structure in which they are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the housing (100). These plurality of second protrusions (102) may serve as handles for the connector (10, 10') and the housing (100) when assembling, disassembling, connecting, and disconnecting the connector (10, 10'), and may serve as an anti-slip function according to the spaced-apart structure described above.

[0103] The housing (100) may further include a penetration portion (103) formed on both sides to penetrate the upper surface and the lower surface. This penetration portion (103) is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the housing (100) and is provided at a portion adjacent to one side of the housing (100) and a portion adjacent to the other side, respectively.

[0104] That is, the first penetration portion (103a) is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the housing (100) at a portion spaced a predetermined distance inward from one side of the housing (100), and the second penetration portion (103b) is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the housing (100) at a portion spaced a predetermined distance inward from the other side of the housing (100).

[0105] Referring to Fig. 6, L1 can be reduced by applying pressure inwardly through the second protrusions (102) to both sides of the housing (100). At this time, L1 may be referred to as a “first gap” as a gap between the first protrusions (101) on both sides. Of course, it may be preferable that L1 be smaller than the gap between the second protrusions (102) on one side and the second protrusions (102) on the other side. This gap between the second protrusions (102) on one side and the second protrusions (102) on the other side may be referred to as a “second gap”.

[0106] That is, L1 can be reduced by applying pressure in the opposite direction to the first through-hole (103a) by the second protrusion (102) on one side, and applying pressure in the opposite direction to the second through-hole (103b) by the second protrusion (102) on the other side. In this state where L1 is reduced, the housing (100) can be fastened to the board connector (21) or the housing (100) can be released from the board connector (21). In particular, as L1 is reduced, the housing (100) has an elastic force that pushes outward from both sides by the first and second through-holes (103a, 103b). This elastic force can support the state where the housing (100) is fastened to the board connector (21) and can strengthen the engaging action of the first protrusion (101) with respect to the connector opening (22).

[0107] The internal space of the housing (100) may be provided with a plurality of guide walls (106) spaced apart from each other in both directions. The guide walls (106) may be walls extending upward in the internal space of the housing (100). At this time, the guide walls (106) are spaced apart from each other in both directions, and a hollow space is naturally created due to the spacing of the guide walls (106). Hereinafter, this space is referred to as a "guide space." In other words, the guide space may be a space between the guide walls (106).

[0108] When the connectors (10, 10') are connected, one terminal (300, 300') can be inserted into each guide space. That is, each terminal (300, 300') can be inserted into the housing (100) while being guided through a plurality of guide spaces formed by the guide walls (106).

[0109] The guide wall (106) can form a guide space so that the terminal (300, 300') is inserted only when it is in the correct direction (e.g., the third direction) and prevents complete insertion of the terminal (300, 300') when it is in the wrong direction (e.g., the fourth direction). That is, when the terminal (300, 300') to which the flexible cable (30, 30') is connected is inserted into the second opening (105) of the housing (100) while it is placed in the third direction, the terminal (300, 300') is guided through the guide space of the guide walls (106) and can be easily inserted. On the other hand, when the terminal (300, 300') to which the flexible cable (30, 30') is connected is inserted into the second opening (105) of the housing (100) in a state where it is placed in the fourth direction (i.e., in a direction opposite to the third direction), the terminal (300, 300') is blocked by the guide space of the guide walls (106) and is not inserted. According to this function, the present invention can prevent reverse insertion of the terminal (300, 300') and the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0110] The housing (100) may further include a housing catch (107) formed to protrude from the upper surface. This housing catch (107) is configured to catch the retainer (200) when the retainer (200) is fastened to the housing (100). At this time, the retainer (200) includes a retainer catch (205) in the shape of a groove or hole formed to correspond to the housing catch (107). That is, when the retainer (200) is fastened to the housing (100), the housing catch (107) may be inserted into the retainer catch (205) to perform a catch function.

[0111] Referring to Fig. 12, the housing (100) may further include a plurality of internal grooves (108) formed in a groove shape in the internal space. These multiple internal grooves (108) may be spaced apart from each other in both directions, and may be provided one by one in the guide space of the guide wall (107). These internal grooves (108) are configured to engage with a terminal engaging portion (370) of the terminal (300, 300'), which will be described later, when the terminal (300, 300') is installed in the housing (100). That is, the internal grooves (108) are connected to the internal space, and the first and second openings (104, 105) and the passages may be connected to each other.

[0112] When installing a terminal (300, 300') in a housing (100), the terminal (300, 300') to which the flexible cable (30, 30') is connected is inserted into the internal space of the housing (100) through the second opening (105) of the housing (100). In this inserted state, the retainer (200) covers at least a portion of the second opening (105) of the housing (100) and at least a portion of the upper surface of the housing (100), and a hooking action of the housing hooking portion (107) and the retainer hooking portion (205) occurs, whereby the retainer (200) can be fastened to the housing (100).

[0113] Meanwhile, the retainer (200) functions as a cover for the housing (100), and may therefore be referred to differently as a "cover." Of course, the retainer (200) may provide fixing force for the terminal (300, 300') inserted into the housing (100), while also providing a function for maintaining various insertion shapes for the flexible cable (30, 30') inserted into the housing (100).

[0114] Referring to FIG. 8, the retainer (200) may include a first cover portion (201) extending vertically in the rear portion, a plurality of insert portions (202) protruding and extending toward the front portion from the first cover portion (201) and spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions, and a second cover portion (203) protruding and extending upwardly from the plurality of insert portions (202) but in the front direction from the first cover portion (201). At this time, a spaced portion (204) in the shape of a recessed groove is provided between the second cover portion (203) and the insert portion (202). In addition, the cover portion (203) is provided with the above-described retainer catch portion (205).

[0115] When the terminal (300, 300') is inserted into the guide space of the guide wall (106) through the second opening (105) of the housing (100), the flexible cable (30, 30') fastened to the terminal (300, 300') is also inserted into the second opening (105) of the housing (100). At this time, when the retainer (200) is fastened to the rear end of the housing (100), the insertion portion (202) is inserted into the guide space of the guide wall (106) and contacts the already inserted terminal (300, 300'), thereby fixing the terminal (300, 300') so that it does not move. At the same time, the first cover portion (201) can cover at least a part of the second opening (105) of the housing (100) and block external substances such as rainwater from entering the second opening (105). In addition, when the retainer catch (205) provided in the second cover part (203) catches the housing catch (107) of the housing (100), the fastening force of the retainer (200) to the housing (100) can be maintained.

[0116] The retainer (200) may be formed with a vertical length such that the first cover portion (201) does not completely cover the second opening (105) of the housing (100) when fastened to the housing (100). Accordingly, when the retainer (200) is fastened to the housing (100), the first cover portion (201) may cover only a portion of the second opening (105) of the housing (100), and an exposed space may be generated in which a portion of the second opening (105) is exposed to the outside from the rear side of the retainer (200). At this time, the flexible cable (30, 30') passes through the exposed space, and a part of the flexible cable (30, 30') can be supported by contacting a part of the housing (100) and the return liner (20) corresponding to the surrounding of the exposed space (i.e., the wall surrounding the exposed space).

[0117] Of course, the retainer (200) may be formed with a vertical length such that the first cover portion (201) covers the entire vertical separation space of the guide wall (106) when fastened to the housing (100). In this case, the first cover portion (201) may be provided with an insertion groove (not shown) formed by recessing. Accordingly, when the retainer (200) is fastened to the housing (100), a portion of the second opening (105) of the housing (100) may be exposed to the outside through the insertion groove. In other words, the insertion groove acts as an exposed space. At this time, the flexible cable (30, 30') passes through the insertion groove, and a part of the flexible cable (30, 30') can be supported by contacting a part of the housing (100) and the return liner (20) corresponding to the periphery of the insertion groove (i.e., the periphery wall of the insertion groove).

[0118] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11 and 18 to 20, the terminal (300, 300') may include first and second fingers (310, 320). At this time, the first finger (310) is configured to be positioned at the upper portion of the front portion of the terminal (300, 300'), and the second finger (320) is configured to be positioned at the lower portion of the front portion of the terminal (300, 300'). These first and second fingers (310, 320) have a shape spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0119] Referring to Fig. 12, when the connector (10, 10') is in a connected state, the first and second fingers (310, 320) are inserted into the second opening (105) of the housing (100) and are exposed to the first opening (104) of the housing (100), and the first and second fingers (310, 320) each come into contact with the connecting pin (23) exposed to the connector opening (22) of the board connector (20). At this time, when the connecting pin (23) is inserted between the first and second fingers (310, 320), the lower surface of the first finger (310) comes into contact with the upper surface of the connecting pin (23), and the lower surface of the second finger (320) comes into contact with the upper surface of the connecting pin (23). As a result, the terminal (300, 300') can be electrically connected to the second connection terminal of the circuit board (20) connected to the connection pin (23). For reference, in Fig. 12, the flexible cable (30) may also be a flexible cable (30').

[0120] In particular, the first and second fingers (310, 320) are formed to have elasticity. At this time, the first and second fingers (310, 320) may have an elasticity that tries to narrow the distance between them when the distance between them increases due to an external force. That is, the first finger (310) may have a first elasticity that tries to return downward when the first finger (310) is moved upward by an external force. In addition, the second finger (320) may have a second elasticity that tries to return upward when the second finger (320) is moved downward by an external force.

[0121] If the connecting pin (23) is inserted between the first and second fingers (310, 320), the vertical thickness of the connecting pin (23) is greater than the distance between the first and second fingers (310, 320), so that the distance between the first and second fingers (310, 320) increases. Accordingly, the first or second elastic force described above is generated by at least one of the first and second fingers (310, 320), thereby increasing the contact force of the first and second fingers (310, 320) against the inserted connecting pin (23).

[0122] In order to strengthen the first and second elastic forces described above, the terminal (300, 300') may further include first and second bending portions (340, 350). That is, the first bending portion (340) is provided at a portion extending from the first finger (310) toward the rear, and bends the first finger (310) downward. Due to the bending shape of the first bending portion (340), the first finger (310) can have a greater first elastic force. In addition, the second bending portion (350) is provided at a portion extending from the second finger (320) toward the rear, and bends the second finger (320) upward. Due to the bending shape of the second bending portion (350), the second finger (320) can have a greater second elastic force.

[0123] Meanwhile, in the process of inserting the connecting pin (23) between the first and second fingers (310, 320), the connecting pin (23) may come into contact with the first end (311), which is the end of the first finger (310), or the second end (321), which is the end of the second finger (320). In this case, since the first and second ends (311, 321) may have a sharp shape, scratches may be generated on the connecting pin (23). Accordingly, in order to prevent such scratches, the first and second ends (311, 321) may be bent upward and downward, respectively.

[0124] That is, the first finger (310) may include a third bending portion (312) for bending the first end (311) in an upward direction, and the second finger (320) may include a fourth bending portion (322) for bending the second end (321) in a downward direction.

[0125] As the first and second ends (312, 322) have a shape in which they are bent upward and downward, respectively, in the process of inserting the connecting pin (23) between the first and second fingers (310, 320), the connecting pin (23) may not come into contact with the sharp first and second ends (312, 322), but instead may come into contact with the middle portion of the first and second fingers (310, 320) that are not sharp, thereby preventing scratches from occurring due to the first and second ends (312, 322).

[0126] For example, the third and fourth bent portions (312, 322) or the surroundings thereof may act as contact points for the connecting pin (23) inserted between the first and second fingers (310, 320). That is, the third bent portion (312) is provided between the first end (311) and the first bent portion (340). Accordingly, the inner surface (i.e., the lower surface) of the third bent portion (312) has a shape that protrudes downward, so that the inner surface or the surroundings thereof can contact the upper surface of the connecting pin (23) inserted between the first and second fingers (310, 320). Similarly, the fourth bent portion (332) is provided between the second end (321) and the second bent portion (350). Accordingly, the inner surface (i.e., the upper surface) of the fourth bending portion (322) has a shape that protrudes upward, so that the inner surface or its surroundings can contact the lower surface of the connecting pin (23) inserted between the first and second fingers (310, 320).

[0127] Between the first bending portion (340), a terminal penetration portion (360) formed to penetrate the upper surface and the lower surface may be provided. By means of this terminal penetration portion (360), first bending portions (340a, 340b) may be provided on both sides of the terminal (300, 300'), respectively. In this case, the second bending portion (350) may be provided at a lower position corresponding to the terminal penetration portion (360).

[0128] The terminal penetration portion (360) may have a function of appropriately adjusting the first elastic force formed by the first bend portions (340a, 340b) on both sides. That is, as the length of the terminal penetration portion (360) in both directions increases, the thickness of each first bend portion (340a, 340b) in both directions decreases, so the first elastic force of each first bend portion (340a, 340b) may become weaker. Conversely, as the length of the terminal penetration portion (360) in both directions decreases, the thickness of each first bend portion (340a, 340b) in both directions increases, so the first elastic force of each first bend portion (340a, 340b) may become stronger.

[0129] The terminal (300, 300') may further include a connecting portion (330). At this time, the connecting portion (330) is a portion extending from the first and second fingers (310, 320) and the first and second bending portions (340, 350) toward the rear, and corresponds to a portion that is connected to the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30') according to an interlock-based connecting method (hereinafter, such connecting is referred to as "primary connecting"). By such primary connecting, the terminal (300, 300') can be electrically connected to the first connection terminal (31) and the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0130] At this time, referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, the first connection is a method of fixing the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30) and the connection portion (330) by pressing the upper and lower surfaces of a part of the contact structure of the first connection terminal (31) and the connection portion (330) using a projection of a specific shape, etc., so as to form a recessed portion (34, 392) including an undercut (UC) in the contact structure of the first connection terminal (31) and the connection portion (330).

[0131] For example, referring to FIG. 15, the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30) is positioned to contact the upper portion of the connection portion (330), and the inlet portion (34, 392) and the first and second connection protrusions (35, 391) can be formed through the above-described compression.

[0132] That is, in Fig. 15, a first recessed portion (34) having a shape recessed downward is formed on the upper portion of the first connecting terminal (31). A first connecting protrusion (35) having a shape protruding downward is formed on the lower portion of the first connecting terminal (31) corresponding to this first recessed portion (34). That is, the first connecting protrusion (35) is a portion that protrudes downward corresponding to the first recessed portion (34) on the upper portion. In particular, an undercut (UC) is formed on the first recessed wall (36), which is a side portion of the first recessed portion (34). At this time, the "undercut (UC)" refers to a portion having a first tapered shape in which the diameter or area increases from the upper side to the lower side. In particular, an undercut having a first tapered shape may be formed on the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first recessed wall (36).

[0133] In addition, in FIG. 15, a second recessed portion (392) that is recessed downwards corresponding to the first connecting protrusion (35) is formed on the upper portion of the connecting portion (330). A second connecting protrusion (391) that has a shape that protrudes downwards is formed on the lower portion of the connecting portion (330) corresponding to this second recessed portion (392). That is, the second connecting protrusion (391) is a portion that protrudes downwards corresponding to the first connecting protrusion (35) and the second recessed portion (392) on the upper portion. Of course, a third recessed portion (393) that has a shape that is recessed upwards may be formed at the center of the second connecting protrusion (391). In particular, a second tapered shape corresponding to the undercut (UC) of the first recessed wall (36) is formed on the second recessed wall (394), which is a side portion of the second recessed portion (392). At this time, the second tapered shape may be a shape in which the diameter or area decreases from the top to the bottom. In particular, in response to the first tapered undercut formed on the lower portion of the outer surface of the first concave wall (36), a second tapered undercut may be formed on the lower portion of the inner surface of the second concave wall (394).

[0134] That is, in FIG. 15, a first tapered undercut is formed on the first inlet wall (36) of the first inlet portion (34) of the first connection terminal (31) located at the top, and a second tapered shape corresponding to the first tapered shape is formed on the second inlet wall (394) of the second inlet portion (392) of the connection portion (330) located at the bottom. As a result, the first connection terminal (31) located at the top and the connection portion (330) located at the bottom can be fastened in an interlock manner (i.e., fastened according to the undercut) according to the first and second taper shapes, so that the first connection terminal (31) at the top is strongly fixed to the connection portion (330) at the bottom, and the terminal (300) can first fasten the flexible cable (30).

[0135] Of course, in order to further increase the bonding force between the first connection terminal (31) and the connecting portion (330), multiple parts related to the structure of the first bonding described above may be implemented.

[0136] However, the first fastening described above according to FIG. 15 is caused by performing the above-described crimping in a state where the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30) is positioned on the upper side of the connection portion (330). Conversely, the first fastening may also be caused by performing the above-described crimping in a state where the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30) is positioned to contact the lower side of the connection portion (330). In this case, the configuration of the first connection terminal (31) related to the first fastening described above according to FIG. 15 may be formed in the connection portion (330) located at the upper side, and the configuration of the connection portion (330) related to the first fastening described above according to FIG. 15 may be formed in the first connection terminal (31) located at the lower side.

[0137] Accordingly, with respect to the first fastening, one of the first connection terminal (31) and the connection portion (330) may be referred to as a "first configuration" and the other may be referred to as a "second configuration." In this case, the first configuration may be a configuration positioned above the first fastening portion, and the second configuration may be a configuration positioned below the first fastening portion.

[0138] In summary, the fastening according to the interlock based on Fig. 15 may mean that the first and second components are arranged in contact with each other from above and below, and that the fastening is achieved by having a locking structure between parts of the first and second components. This interlock structure may be a structure related to the undercut shape described above according to Fig. 15.

[0139] Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 21 to 23, the terminal (300') may additionally use an auxiliary fastening plate (40) to primarily fasten a flexible cable (30'). In this case, the flexible cable (30') may be provided with a through hole (37), which is an opening through which the flexible cable (30') is penetrated for the primary fastening.

[0140] At this time, in a state where the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') is arranged to be in contact between the auxiliary fastening plate (40) and the connection portion (330), the upper and lower surfaces of a part of the contact structure of the auxiliary fastening plate (40), the first connection terminal (31) and the connection portion (330) are pressed using a projection of a specific shape, etc., so that an indentation (41, 392) including an undercut (UC) is formed around the through hole (37) (e.g., the upper or lower portion of the through hole (37)) in the auxiliary fastening plate (40) and the connection portion (330), and accordingly, the undercut shape is fixed by being inserted into the through hole (37), thereby fixing the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') between the auxiliary fastening plate (40) and the connection portion (330).

[0141] For example, referring to FIG. 23, in a state where the lower portion of the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') is in contact with the upper portion of the connection portion (330) and the upper portion of the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') is in contact with the lower portion of the auxiliary fastening plate (40), the indentation portion (41, 392) and the first and second connection protrusions (42, 391), etc. can be formed through the above-described pressing.

[0142] That is, in Fig. 23, a first concave portion (41) having a shape concave in a downward direction is formed on the upper portion of the auxiliary fastening plate (40). A first connecting protrusion (42) having a shape protruding downwardly is formed on the lower portion of the auxiliary fastening plate (40) corresponding to this first concave portion (41). That is, the first connecting protrusion (42) is a portion that protrudes downward corresponding to the first concave portion (41) on the upper portion. In particular, an undercut (UC) is formed on the first concave wall (43), which is a side portion of the first concave portion (41). In particular, an undercut having a first tapered shape may be formed on the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first concave wall (43).

[0143] In addition, in FIG. 23, a second recessed portion (392) that is recessed downwards corresponding to the first connecting protrusion (42) is formed at the upper portion of the connecting portion (330). A second connecting protrusion (391) that has a shape that protrudes downwards is formed at the lower portion of the connecting portion (330) corresponding to this second recessed portion (392). That is, the second connecting protrusion (391) is a portion that protrudes downwards corresponding to the first connecting protrusion (42) and the second recessed portion (392) at the upper portion. Of course, a third recessed portion (393) that has a shape that is recessed upwards may be formed at the center of the second connecting protrusion (391). In particular, a second tapered shape corresponding to the undercut (UC) of the first recessed wall (43) is formed at the second recessed wall (394), which is a side portion of the second recessed portion (392). At this time, in response to the first tapered undercut formed on the lower portion of the outer surface of the first inlet wall (43), a second tapered undercut may be formed on the lower portion of the inner surface of the second inlet wall (394).

[0144] That is, in Fig. 23, a first tapered undercut is formed at the lower or upper portion of the through hole (37) in the first inlet wall (43) of the first inlet portion (41) of the auxiliary fastening plate (40) located at the upper portion, and a second tapered shape corresponding to the first tapered shape is formed at the lower or upper portion of the through hole (37) in the second inlet wall (394) of the second inlet portion (392) of the connection portion (330) located at the lower portion. As a result, the auxiliary fastening plate (40) located at the upper portion and the connection portion (330) located at the lower portion can be fastened in an interlock manner (i.e., fastened according to the undercut) according to the first and second tapered shapes, so that the flexible cable (300') can be strongly fixed between the upper auxiliary fastening plate (40) and the lower connection portion (330), and the terminal (300') can primarily fasten the flexible cable (30').

[0145] Of course, in order to further increase the fastening force between the auxiliary fastening plate (40), the first connection terminal (31) and the connecting portion (330), multiple parts related to the structure of the first fastening described above may be implemented.

[0146] However, the first fastening described above according to FIG. 23 is performed by performing the above-described crimping in a state where the auxiliary fastening plate (40) is positioned at the top, the connecting portion (330) is positioned at the bottom, and the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') is positioned between them. Conversely, the first fastening may also be performed by performing the above-described crimping in a state where the connecting portion (330) is positioned at the top, the auxiliary fastening plate (40) is positioned at the bottom, and the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') is positioned between them. In this case, the configuration of the auxiliary fastening plate (40) related to the first fastening described above according to FIG. 23 may be formed in the connecting portion (330) located at the top, and the configuration of the connecting portion (330) related to the first fastening described above according to FIG. 23 may be formed in the auxiliary fastening plate (40) located at the bottom.

[0147] Accordingly, with respect to the first fastening, one of the auxiliary fastening plate (40) and the connecting portion (330) may be referred to as a "first configuration" and the other may be referred to as a "second configuration." In this case, the first configuration may be a configuration positioned above the first fastening portion, and the second configuration may be a configuration positioned below the first fastening portion.

[0148] In summary, the fastening according to the interlock based on Fig. 23 may mean that the first and second configurations are arranged upper and lower, with the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30') arranged between them, and that the fastening is performed by providing a locking structure for some of the first and second configurations to the through hole (47) of the flexible cable (30'). The structure of this interlock may be a structure related to the undercut shape described above according to Fig. 23, and the structure of the interlock may be a structure that is fixed to the through hole (47).

[0149] The terminal (300, 300') may further include a terminal catch (370). In this case, the terminal catch (370) is configured to extend from the second bend (350) toward the rear and protrude downward. At this time, it may be preferable that the terminal catch (370) be formed to protrude further downward than the lower portion of the connecting portion (330). Accordingly, when the terminal (300, 300') is installed within the housing (100), the terminal catch (370) may catch within the internal groove (108) of the housing (100).

[0150] The terminal (300) may further include a plurality of fixing portions (380a, 380b) protruding upward from a portion extending toward the rear from the connecting portion (330). Of course, although not shown in the drawing, the terminal (300') may also further include a plurality of fixing portions (380a, 380b). These multiple fixing portions (380a, 380b) may be provided on each side of the corresponding extension portion, and one or more pairs may be provided.

[0151] A plurality of fixing parts (380a, 380b) can be fastened to the flexible cable (30, 30') by being bent and compressed toward the flexible cable (30, 30') by external pressure. Hereinafter, such fastening is referred to as "secondary fastening." In the case of such secondary fastening, at least one of the plurality of fixing parts (380a, 380b) can be bent and compressed after penetrating the flexible cable (30, 30') in the penetration state. Accordingly, the penetrating fixing part (380) comes into contact with the conductive portion within the finger insulation part (32) by the penetration.

[0152] At this time, since the conductive portion of the flexible cable (30, 30') corresponds to a portion electrically connected to the first connection terminal (31), the penetrating fixed portion (380) can be electrically connected to the first connection terminal (31) and the flexible cable (30, 30') through the penetration. This electrical connection can supplement the electrical connection of the terminal (300, 300') to the first connection terminal (31) and the flexible cable (30, 30') according to the first fastening.

[0153] Of course, in order to increase the fastening force of the secondary fastening, multiple fixing parts (380a, 380b) may all pass through the flexible cable (30, 30'). In addition, in order to increase the fastening force of the secondary fastening, multiple fixing parts (380a, 380b) may be provided at different length positions based on the longitudinal direction of the terminal (300, 300'). That is, among the multiple fixing parts (380a, 380b), one may be provided relatively closer to the front side, and the other may be provided relatively closer to the rear side.

[0154] Meanwhile, the portion of the flexible cable (30, 30') where the secondary fastening is performed may be a finger insulation portion (32) or a first connection terminal (31). Of course, at least one of the multiple fixing portions (380a, 380b) may be brought into contact with the first connection terminal (31) of the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0155] For a smoother penetration action on the flexible cable (30, 30'), at least one of the plurality of fixing parts (380a, 380b) may be formed so that its cross-section becomes smaller as it goes toward the end, so that the end may be formed sharply.

[0156] For example, referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, when the finger insulation portion (32) of the flexible cable (30, 30') is positioned above a plurality of fixing portions (380a, 380b), an external force of gravity is applied to the flexible cable (30, 30') and the terminal (300, 300'), and the plurality of fixing portions (380a, 380b) can penetrate the finger insulation portion (32) of the flexible cable (30, 30'). Of course, if necessary, the corresponding penetration hole may be provided in advance in the flexible cable (30, 30'). In this penetration state, the terminal (300, 300') can be secondarily fastened to the flexible cable (30, 30') by being deformed by an external force so that a plurality of fixing parts (380a, 380b) are each bent and compressed toward the flexible cable (30, 30').

[0157] As described above, when the terminal (300, 300') connected to the flexible cable (30, 30') is installed in the housing (100), the first and second ends (311, 321) of the first and second fingers (310, 320) are inserted toward the second opening (105) of the housing (100). At this time, the terminal (300, 300') is inserted into the guide space while being guided by the guide wall (106) of the housing (100), and the terminal (300, 300') is supported while making contact with the inner wall of the housing (100). In addition, the first and second ends (311, 321) of the first and second fingers (310, 320) are exposed to the first opening (104) of the housing (100).

[0158] At this time, when the terminal catch (370) catches the inner groove (108) of the housing (100), the terminal (300, 300') can be primarily fixed within the housing (100). In this state, when the retainer (200) is fastened to the housing (100), the insertion portion (202) of the retainer (200) is inserted into the guide space of the guide wall (106) and comes into contact (close contact) with the terminal (300, 300'), thereby providing a fixing force to the terminal (300, 300'), and accordingly, the terminal (300, 300') can be secondarily fixed within the housing (100). By implementing a structure that increases the fixing force for the terminal (300, 300') within the housing (100) through these primary and secondary fixing methods, unintended detachment of the terminal (300, 300') from the housing (100) can be prevented in advance.

[0159] Meanwhile, for the terminal (300, 300') and flexible cable (30, 30') installed in the housing (100), the terminal (300, 300') can be separated from the housing (100) by separating the retainer (200) from the housing (100) and pushing the terminal catch (370) that catches the inner groove (108) of the housing (100). Accordingly, the terminal (300, 300') can be easily installed in the connector (10, 10') and firmly fixed to the installed connector (10, 10'), and when necessary, the terminal (300, 300') can be easily separated from the connector (10, 10'), which can be advantageous for installation and maintenance.

[0160] The present invention, which is configured as described above, uses a method of connecting a flexible cable (30, 30') such as an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) instead of a method of connecting a wire-shaped cable, and therefore has the advantage of being able to perform the connection simply and quickly without the need for a soldering process or an ultrasonic fusion process. Accordingly, the present invention can easily solve the first problem described above.

[0161] In addition, the present invention can improve the durability of the connection structure by performing primary and secondary connection to increase the connection force between the flexible cable (30, 30') and the terminal (300, 300'), thereby having the advantage of being able to maintain the connection structure even in environments such as vibration. Accordingly, the present invention can easily solve the second problem described above.

[0162] Furthermore, since the present invention uses a flexible cable (30, 30') instead of a wire-shaped cable, its connection structure is very simple and takes up little space, making it easily applicable to narrow spaces such as vehicle interiors without space constraints. Accordingly, the present invention can easily solve the third problem described above.

[0163] In addition, unlike the third conventional technology that electrically connects a flexible cable (FC) to a circuit board (P) using three or more connectors (C1, C2, C3) and a wire-shaped cable (CA), the present invention electrically connects a flexible cable (30, 30') to a circuit board (20) with a smaller number of connectors (21, 10) without using a wire-shaped cable, so there is an advantage in that the manufacturing process and cost can be reduced.

[0164] In addition, the present invention can be applied not only to an environment where vibration occurs due to the improved durability of the fastening structure as described above, but can also be easily applied to a narrow space environment as described above, and thus has the advantage of being optimally applicable to electrical components for vehicles exposed to all of the above environments.

[0165]

[0166] While the detailed description of the present invention has described specific embodiments, it should be understood that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0167] The present invention relates to a terminal for a flexible cable and a connector having the same, and more specifically, to a terminal for electrically connecting a flexible cable such as an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) and a connector having the terminal, and thus has industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A terminal electrically connected to a flexible cable of FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). Includes a connecting portion that is connected to the first connecting terminal of the above flexible cable, A terminal for connecting the flexible cable, wherein a first configuration, which is one of the first connection terminal and the connecting portion, is located at the top and the other, the second configuration, is located at the bottom, and a portion of the first and second configurations has a primary connecting structure based on an interlock basis.

2. A terminal electrically connected to a flexible cable of FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). Includes a connecting portion that is connected to the first connecting terminal of the above flexible cable, A terminal for fastening a flexible cable, wherein a first configuration, which is one of the auxiliary fastening plates and the connecting portion, is positioned at the top, and a second configuration, which is the other, is positioned at the bottom, and a through-hole for the flexible cable is positioned between the first and second configurations, and a portion of the first and second configurations has a primary fastening structure based on an interlock in the through-hole.

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above first fastening structure is a terminal having an undercut shape in which a portion of the first and second configurations are inserted.

4. In paragraph 3, The above first configuration includes a first inlet portion that is indented downward, and a first inlet wall that is a side portion of the first inlet portion, The above second configuration includes a second inlet portion that is indented downward corresponding to the first inlet portion, and a second inlet wall that is a side portion of the second inlet portion, A terminal wherein at least one of the first and second inlet walls comprises the undercut shape.

5. In paragraph 4, The outer surface of the first inlet wall includes the undercut shape according to the first taper whose diameter increases from the top to the bottom, A terminal in which the inner surface of the second recessed wall includes an undercut according to a second taper whose diameter decreases from the upper side to the lower side corresponding to the outer surface of the first recessed wall.

6. In paragraph 1 or 2, It further includes a fixing portion protruding upward from a portion extending toward the rear from the above connecting portion, A terminal that additionally fastens the flexible cable by having a secondary fastening structure in which the fixed portion is bent toward the flexible cable and compresses the flexible cable.

7. In paragraph 1 or 2, Each of the first and second fingers extending from the above connecting portion toward the front side and spaced apart from each other is further included, A terminal electrically connected to a second connection terminal of the circuit board, which is electrically connected to the connecting pin when the connector is connected to the board connector of the circuit board, by the connecting pin exposed on the board connector being inserted between the first and second fingers and making contact with the first and second fingers.

8. In paragraph 7, A terminal in which the first and second fingers have an elastic force that tries to narrow the distance between them when the distance between them increases, and a contact force is generated for the inserted connecting pin according to the elastic force.

9. In paragraph 7, A terminal further comprising a first bending portion for bending the first finger of the upper portion in a downward direction, and a second bending portion for bending the second finger of the lower portion in an upward direction.

10. In paragraph 7, Each further includes a third bending portion for bending the first end, which is the end of the first finger, in an upward direction, and a fourth bending portion for bending the second end, which is the end of the second finger, in a downward direction. The above connecting pin is a terminal that does not contact the first and second ends during the insertion process.

11. In paragraph 10, The third and fourth bending portions are terminals that act as contact points for the connecting pins to be inserted.

12. In paragraph 1 or 2, It further includes a terminal catch that protrudes further downward than the lower portion of the above connecting portion, The above terminal catch portion is a terminal that catches in the inner groove of the housing when the terminal is installed in the housing of the connector.

13. In paragraph 1 or 2, A terminal that electrically connects the first connection terminal of the flexible cable and the second connection terminal of the electrical component when the connector is connected to the electrical component.

14. In paragraph 13, The above-mentioned electrical component is a terminal, which is an electrical component for a vehicle.

15. A connector that is coupled to a substrate connector of an electrical component to electrically connect a first connection terminal of a flexible cable including an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) to a second connection terminal of the electrical component. A terminal including a connecting portion connected to the first connection terminal; and A housing into which the terminal is inserted; A connector for connecting the flexible cable, wherein the terminal has a first connection structure based on an interlock basis, wherein the first configuration, which is one of the first connection terminal and the connection portion, is located at the top and the other, the second configuration, is located at the bottom.

16. A connector that is coupled to a substrate connector of an electrical component to electrically connect a first connection terminal of a flexible cable including an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) to a second connection terminal of the electrical component. A terminal including a connecting portion connected to the first connection terminal; and A housing into which the terminal is inserted; A connector for connecting a flexible cable, wherein the terminal has a first configuration, which is one of the auxiliary fastening plates and the connecting portion, positioned at the top and the other, the second configuration, positioned at the bottom, and a through-hole for the flexible cable is positioned between the first and second configurations, and a portion of the first and second configurations has a primary fastening structure based on an interlock in the through-hole, thereby connecting the flexible cable.

17. In paragraph 15 or 16, The terminal further includes a retainer that is fastened to the housing by engaging the housing while covering at least a portion of an opening in the rear of the housing while the terminal is inserted into the housing, A connector in which, when the retainer is fastened to the housing, the insertion portion of the retainer is inserted into the opening and comes into contact with the terminal, thereby fixing the terminal in the internal space of the housing.

18. In paragraph 17, The retainer includes an exposed space that exposes a portion of the opening toward the rear when fastened to the housing, and the connector contacts a wall surrounding the exposed space as the flexible cable passes through the exposed space.

19. In paragraph 15 or 16, The above housing has a plurality of guide walls spaced apart from each other in both directions in the internal space, and the terminal is inserted into the guide space formed by the plurality of guide walls. A connector having a structure in which the above plurality of guide walls prevent the terminal from being inserted in the reverse direction in the internal space.

20. In paragraph 15 or 16, The above-mentioned electrical component is a connector, which is an electrical component for a vehicle.

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