Flexible Cable Connector Structure for Reflow-Stable PCB Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face challenges with thermal warping and deformation during reflow processes, leading to unreliable connections and cumbersome manufacturing processes due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients between housing and circuit boards, and complex crimping operations required for flexible terminals.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a flexible cable with a conductive path, a reinforcement plate for the terminal connecting portion, and a holding member that corrects and stabilizes the posture and position of the cable, ensuring flexibility for board connections and strength for terminal connections, thereby maintaining reliable connections and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating is applied using a heating device such as a reflow furnace to connect contacts to the circuit board, then the contacts are connected to the circuit board, but the circuit board and the housing receive a heat load and are warped and deformed due to difference in thermal expansion coefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the connector into two separate parts: a rigid connector body that connects to the circuit board and a flexible terminal that connects to the cable. This segmentation allows each part to handle different mechanical stresses independently, preventing warping and deformation of the housing during heating while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining a rigid connector body (made of resin or metal) with a flexible terminal (made of flexible printed circuit board or similar material). This composite structure enables the rigid part to maintain stability during thermal processing while the flexible part accommodates dimensional changes without causing warping.
2Reliability
If the circuit board and the housing are warped and deformed, then the housing is partially lifted from the circuit board, but the rear end parts of the contacts are separated from the circuit board
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the connector into a rigid body and flexible terminal, the invention ensures that the rigid body maintains stable contact with the circuit board during heating, while the flexible terminal can independently adjust its position. This prevents the housing from lifting and contacts from separating, maintaining both connection reliability and contact planarity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the flexible terminal includes an upper end part to be connected to the contacts and a lower end part to be connected to the board with insertion holes penetrating through in a stepped manner, then the contacts can be connected to the flexible terminal, but the shape of the insertion holes are complicated and a crimping operation needs to be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the structural parameters of the connection interface by using a simplified insertion hole design in the flexible terminal that matches the contact shape. This eliminates the need for complex stepped holes and crimping operations, making the manufacturing process easier while maintaining secure connections.
Data Source
AI summary
It is aimed to provide a connector and a connector mounting body capable of ensuring good workability at the time of manufacturing and connection reliability with a circuit board. A connector includes a connector housing and a flexible cable arranged in the connector housing and including conductive paths. The flexible cable includes terminal connecting portions to be connected to mating terminals on one end sides of the conductive paths and board connecting portions to be connected to a circuit board on the other end sides of the conductive paths. The connector includes a reinforcement plate for reinforcing a region of the flexible cable on the side of the terminal connecting portions.