JP2011014397A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to enable efficient operation of a lock release operation member 16 accompanying insertion / removal of a signal transmission medium F with a simple configuration.
A lock release operation member 16 is urged in a direction to return from a release position to a standby position by an elastic force of an elastic connecting member 14 extending integrally from a shield shell 13 covering a main body housing 11. After the release operation member 16 is moved to the release position, the lock release operation member 16 is automatically returned to the original standby position by simply releasing the lock release operation member 16 as it is. A configuration is adopted in which a new signal transmission medium can be immediately inserted without performing an operation of returning the member to the original state.
[Selection] Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a configuration in which a lock portion is fitted to a signal transmission medium inserted therein and the lock portion is released by a movement operation of a lock release operation member.

  In general, electrical connectors are widely used in various electrical devices. In such electrical connectors, flat cables such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a flexible flat cable (FFC), and others A device having a configuration in which a terminal portion of the signal transmission medium is connected by being inserted into an electrical connector mounted on a main wiring board is known. In recent years, the electrical connector having such a configuration has been attracting attention because it is advantageous in terms of cost because only a single connector has to be used.

  On the other hand, in order to take countermeasures against electromagnetic interference (EMI countermeasures), which is often a problem in such an electrical connector, it has been conventionally performed to cover the outer surface of the main body housing with a shield shell made of a conductive member. The shield shell is provided with an elastic connecting member that extends integrally, and a lock portion is provided in a part of the elastic connecting member, so that a signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) inserted into the main body housing is provided. ) Is often used to prevent the signal transmission medium from coming off by engaging the lock portion with the elastic force of the elastic connecting member described above. Thus, in the electrical connector having the lock mechanism for the signal transmission medium, when the signal transmission medium is removed from the main body housing, the unlocking operation member provided so as to be able to reciprocate is moved from the standby position to the release position. Therefore, a configuration is adopted in which the above-described lock portion fitting state is switched to the released state.

JP 2008-52993 A

  However, in the conventional electrical connector provided with the lock mechanism as described above, once the lock release operation member is moved to the release position, the lock release operation member is maintained in the release position. Yes. Therefore, when the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) is removed from the electrical connector and then a new signal transmission medium is inserted and locked again, after the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) is inserted into the electrical connector, the release position It is necessary to perform a moving operation for returning the unlocking operation member that has been moved to the original standby position again. Further, the operability of the electrical connector is lowered by the amount of the return operation of the unlocking operation member, and there is a problem that the manufacturing efficiency is lowered because an extra work is essentially required. . In addition, although it is possible to add a part for performing the return operation to the above-described unlocking operation member, it is not desirable from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost or the like to add such a new part. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a simple configuration and capable of efficiently performing operation of an unlocking operation member associated with insertion / removal of a signal transmission medium.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured to fit a lock portion to a signal transmission medium inserted into a main body housing, and the lock portion is formed from a shield shell covering the main body housing. A direction in which the lock portion is fitted to a locking lock portion of the signal transmission medium by the elastic force of the elastic connection member provided in a part of the elastic connection member extending integrally as a band plate shape In the electrical connector configured to release the lock portion from the fitted state with the signal transmission medium by moving the lock release operation member from the standby position to the release position. The member is disposed so as to urge the unlocking operation member in a direction of returning from the release position to the standby position by the elastic force of the elastic connecting member. Configuration has been adopted.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, when the lock portion is released from the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) by moving the lock release operation member to the release position, the operation from the lock release operation member is continued. The release operation member is automatically returned to the original standby position by the elastic force of the elastic connecting member only by releasing the button. Therefore, it is possible to immediately insert a new signal transmission medium without performing an operation for returning the lock release operation member to the original state.

  Further, in the present invention, the unlocking operation member is configured to reciprocate in the connector longitudinal direction, and the elastic connecting member has a substantially U-shaped side surface toward the unlocking operation member. A folding elastic portion that protrudes is provided, and the unlocking operation member is brought into contact with the folding elastic portion of the elastic coupling member, and the elastic force of the folding elastic portion is returned to the unlocking operation member. It is desirable to provide a tapered guide that converts force.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, a return acting force for the unlocking operation member can be obtained by the folded elastic portion obtained by bending the elastic connecting member, and thus a simpler configuration can be achieved. .

  In the present invention, it is desirable that the unlocking operation member is disposed so as to protrude toward the rear end side of the connector.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, when the unlocking operation is performed by pushing the unlocking operation member protruding toward the rear end side of the connector toward the front side of the connector, a signal that is subsequently performed The removal operation of the transmission medium (FPC or FFC) is performed in substantially the same direction (forward direction of the connector) as the previous pushing operation of the unlocking operation member. Accordingly, since the pushing operation of the unlocking operation member and the subsequent operation of removing the signal transmission medium are smoothly continued in the direction of the operation, the removal work of the signal transmission medium is efficiently performed. .

  As described above, the electrical connector according to the present invention biases the unlocking operation member in the direction of returning from the release position to the standby position by the elastic force of the elastic connecting member integrally extending from the shield shell covering the main body housing. As a result, after the unlocking operation member is moved to the release position without adding new parts, the unlocking operation member is moved toward the original standby position by simply releasing the unlocking operation member. A simple configuration is adopted because a new signal transmission medium can be inserted immediately without performing an operation of automatically returning and returning the unlocking operation member to the original as in the past. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently operate the unlocking operation member when the signal transmission medium is inserted and removed, and to greatly improve the operability of the electrical connector. It can be.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is an external appearance perspective explanatory view when the electrical connector concerning one Embodiment of this invention is seen from the front side. It is an external appearance perspective explanatory view when the electric connector shown in Drawing 1 is seen from the back side. It is front explanatory drawing of the electrical connector tab shown by FIG.1 and FIG.2. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional explanatory view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing along the VV line in FIG. FIG. 6 is an external perspective explanatory view showing a terminal portion of a flexible flat cable (FFC) as an example of a signal transmission medium inserted into the electrical connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The operation of the lock unit when inserting the signal transmission medium (FFC) is shown, wherein (a) shows the initial state in which the signal transmission medium (FFC) is inserted, and (b) shows the signal transmission medium (FFC). FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a state in which the FFC) is inserted to the final position, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross sectional explanatory view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view illustrating an enlarged IX instruction portion in FIG. 2. FIG. 10 is an external perspective explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 9 showing a state in which the unlocking operation member is pushed and moved from the standby position shown in FIG. 9 to the release position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, the electrical connector 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 includes a main body housing 11 made of an insulating member formed so as to form an elongated hollow thin housing. I have. On the front end side (left end side in FIG. 4) in the width direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body housing 11, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a flexible flat An elongated insertion opening 11a is formed through which a signal transmission medium F composed of a flat cable such as a cable (FFC) can be inserted, and the width direction of the main body housing 11 (the left-right direction in FIG. 4). On the rear end side (right end side in FIG. 4), there is provided a component insertion mounting port 11b for inserting and assembling the conductive contact (conductive terminal) 12.

  A shield shell 13 made of a thin metal member is mounted on the outer surface of the main body housing 11. The shield shell 13 is formed to be bent along the surface shape of the main body housing 11, and substantially excludes the insertion opening 11 a and the component insertion attachment port 11 b on the outer surface of the main body housing 11. It is provided so as to cover the entire surface. The shield shell 13 has a plurality of hold-downs 13f placed on the printed wiring board, and the hold-downs 13f are soldered to a ground wiring conductive path (not shown) formed on the printed wiring board. By being connected, a ground circuit is formed and the entire connector is firmly held.

  Further, on the rear side (right side in FIG. 4) of the component insertion mounting port 11b provided in the main body housing 11 described above, an unlocking operation member 16 having a configuration as described later is provided in the connector longitudinal direction (see FIG. 4 in the left-right direction).

  The electrical connector 10 according to the present embodiment generally has such a structure. However, the electrical connector 10 is used in a state of being mounted on a main wiring board (not shown), and the front side of the electrical connector 10 (FIG. 4). The flat cable such as FFC or FPC or other signal transmission medium (hereinafter simply referred to as a signal transmission medium) F is inserted from the insertion opening 11a on the left side of the connector (see the right side in FIG. 4). ) To be inserted into the body housing 11. As the signal transmission medium F, a shielded flat cable or the like in which a signal transmission conductive path (signal line) is covered with a metal foil or the like is used.

  As described above, the thin housing constituting the main body housing 11 is formed in a hollow shape, and a conductive contact (conductive terminal) 12 is inserted and assembled in the hollow shape. . Each of the conductive contacts 12 has the same shape along the horizontal width direction (longitudinal direction) of the main body housing 11 and is arranged in a multipolar shape with appropriate intervals. Each of these conductive contacts 12 is used for either signal transmission or grounding. As will be described later, one end portion (right end portion in FIG. 4) of each conductive contact 12 is placed on the printed wiring board. Has been used.

  As described above, each of the conductive contacts 12 is mounted so as to be pushed from the component attachment port 11b provided on the rear end side of the connector toward the front side (left side in FIG. 4). (FPC or FFC) Each of the conductive contacts 12 is arranged at a position corresponding to either a signal transmission conductive path or a ground conductive path formed on the front or back surface of F. Each of these conductive contacts 12 has a movable beam 12a and a fixed beam 12b each made of a pair of elongated beam members extending along the insertion direction of the signal transmission medium F (right direction in FIG. 4).

  The movable beam 12a and the fixed beam 12b are arranged in the inner space of the main body housing 11 so as to face each other at an appropriate interval in the vertical direction in the figure, and in the connector front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 4). It is extended. Among them, the fixed beam 12 b is arranged so as to extend along the bottom inner wall surface of the main body housing 11, and is fixed so as to be substantially immobile in the main body housing 11.

  Such a fixed beam 12b has a narrow-plate-shaped connecting support column 12c extending in a substantially vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 4) at a substantially central portion in the connector longitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 4). They are connected together. The movable beam 12a is integrally connected to the upper end portion of the connecting column 12c so as to form a cantilever, and the movable beam 12a rotates around the connecting column 12c or the vicinity thereof. The movable beam 12a is elastically flexible with respect to the fixed beam 12b by being elastically deformed so as to move. At this time, each movable beam 12a is rotated in a plane including the paper surface of FIG. 4, and the front end portion (the left end portion in FIG. 4) in the extending direction of the movable beam 12a It is configured to be elastically displaced in the direction.

  Further, the front end portion of the connector of the movable beam 12a (the left end portion in FIG. 4) has either a signal transmission path or a ground conductive path formed on the upper surface side of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F described above. A terminal contact convex portion 12a1 is provided as a contact portion to be connected to the bottom so as to form a downward convex shape in the figure.

  On the other hand, the shield shell 13 mounted on the surface of the main body housing 11 described above has a terminal that contacts a ground conductive path provided on the back surface side (lower surface side in FIG. 6) of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F. The contact convex part 13a is provided over several places. That is, the bottom plate portion 13b of the shield shell 13 according to the present embodiment is formed so as to extend from the front end edge portion of the insertion opening portion 11a of the main body housing 11 toward the opening inward side. The terminal contact convex portion 13a described above is provided in a small protrusion shape at a portion where the portion 13b covers the opening inner portion of the insertion opening portion 11a. These terminal contact protrusions 13a are arranged so as to form a multipolar shape at positions corresponding to the above-described conductive contacts 12, and as described above, the terminal contact protrusions 13a provided on the shield shell 13 The terminal contact convex portion 12a1 provided on the movable beam 12a is disposed so as to face in the vertical direction.

  That is, the ground conductive path is arranged so that the terminal contact convex portion 13a provided on the shield shell 13 and the terminal contact convex portion 12a1 provided on the movable beam 12a face each other in the vertical direction. The ground circuit can be formed regardless of whether the medium F is disposed on the upper surface side or the rear surface side. When the ground conductive path is formed on the upper surface side of the signal transmission medium F, a ground conductive path may be newly arranged in addition to the portion where the signal transmission conductive path of the signal transmission medium F is disposed. The signal transmission conductive path may be used as a ground conductive path.

  When the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is inserted between the terminal contact convex portions 12a1 and 13a, the movable beam 12a is pushed up around the above-mentioned connecting support post portion 12c or its vicinity. The signal transmission medium F is sandwiched between the movable beam 12a and the shield shell 13 by the elastic restoring force at that time.

  The two terminal contact convex portions 12a1 and 13a can be arranged so that their positions are shifted to the front side of the connector (left side in FIG. 4) or the rear side of the connector (right side in FIG. 4). It is also possible to provide only one terminal contact convex portion. In addition, the bottom plate portion 13b of the shield shell 13 in the present embodiment is basically fixed so as to be stationary, but for the purpose of facilitating the insertion of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F, etc. The rear edge portion of the bottom plate portion 13b of the shield shell 13 may be formed so as to be slightly lifted from the bottom wall surface of the main body housing 11 so as to be elastically displaceable.

  Further, at the connector rear end side portion (right end side portion in FIG. 4) of the fixed beam 12b described above, there is a board connection terminal portion 12b1 that is solder-connected to a wiring conductive path (not shown) formed on the printed wiring board. The signal connection and the ground connection are made through the board connection terminal portion 12b1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, the rear end edge portion of the shield shell 13 (the right end edge portion in FIG. 5) is located at a position slightly inward from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the shield shell 13. The elastic connection members 14 projecting integrally from each other are provided. Each of the elastic connecting members 14 extends so as to be folded back to the front side of the connector (left side in FIG. 5) as will be described in detail below. There is provided a lock portion 15 that is fitted to the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F inserted in the, and prevents the removal.

  That is, the elastic connecting member 14 is formed of a band plate-like member having an appropriate width dimension, and as described above, from the rear end edge portion of the shield shell 13 toward the rear side (right side in FIG. 5). The protruding elastic portion 14a is formed on the protruding portion so as to be bent so as to form a substantially U-shaped side surface. The folded elastic portion 14a is formed from an upper beam 14a1 that extends substantially horizontally from the rear end edge portion of the shield shell 13 through a lower step, and is bent so as to bend downward from the upper beam 14a1 and then forward. The lower beam 14a2 is folded back to the side (left side in FIG. 5). Further, the lower beam 14a2 extends obliquely downward from the above-described folded portion toward the front side (left side in FIG. 5), whereby the distance from the upper beam 14a1 is increased to the front side ( It expands continuously toward the left side of FIG. Therefore, the upper beam 14a1 and the lower beam 14a2 are formed to have a substantially wedge shape in a side view.

  Further, a support beam 14b extends substantially horizontally from the lower beam 14a2 of the folded elastic portion 14a to the front side (left side in FIG. 5), and the front end portion of the support beam 14b (FIG. 5). The lock portion 15 described above is provided on the left end portion so as to protrude downward. The lock portion 15 is formed of a plate-like member having a substantially triangular shape in a side view, and extends from the front end portion (left end portion in FIG. 5) formed in a spire shape toward the rear side (right side in FIG. 5). And a guide inclined surface 15a extending obliquely downward. Thus, the lock portion 15 is configured to be elastically supported by the elastic connecting member 14 described above. Therefore, for example, when the lower beam 14a2 of the folded elastic portion 14a in the elastic coupling member 14 in the initial state as shown in FIG. 5 is forcibly displaced upward, for example, the elastic restoring force of the elastic coupling member 14 Thus, the lock portion 15 is biased downward, which is a direction to return to the original initial state.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6 in particular, the terminal portions of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F described above are notched and formed with locking lock portions Fa at both edge portions in the width direction. Yes. Both the locking lock portions Fa are formed so as to have a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and are open toward the outside in the width direction of the signal transmission medium F. The locking lock portion Fa is not limited to a shape opened outward in the width direction of the signal transmission medium F, and may be a through hole as long as the lock portion 15 is engaged.

  When such a terminal portion of the signal transmission medium F is inserted into the main body housing 11, the distal end portion of the signal transmission medium F on the insertion side is the lock portion described above as shown in FIG. 15, the entire locking portion 15 is pushed upward as the signal transmission medium F is inserted. As described above, the lock portion 15 lifted upward in this manner is biased in the initial state, that is, in the direction of returning downward by the elastic restoring force of the elastic connecting member 14.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the locking lock portion Fa formed by notching the both ends of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is inserted to the position just below the lock portion 15 described above. The lock portion 15 is dropped from the upper side by the elastic restoring force of the elastic connecting member 14 with respect to the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium F, whereby the lock portion 15 is moved to the signal transmission medium. It is comprised so that it may be in a fitting state with the locking lock part Fa of F. Thus, when the lock portion 15 is fitted inside the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium F, the entire signal transmission medium F is immovable by the fitting action of these two members. Thus, the signal transmission medium F is prevented from being detached.

  On the other hand, the unlocking operation of the lock portion 15 that is engaged with the signal transmission medium F as described above is performed by pushing the unlocking operation member 16 disposed at the rear end portion of the connector (the right side portion in FIG. 5). It is done by operation. That is, the unlocking operation member 16 is arranged so as to face the rear side (the right side in FIG. 5) with respect to the component insertion mounting port 11b of the main body housing 11 described above, and is in the connector longitudinal direction. Are formed from a long member having a substantially rectangular cross section. The unlocking operation member 16 is mounted so as to be reciprocally movable in the connector front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7) with respect to the shield shell 13 described above.

  That is, as particularly shown in FIG. 9, sliding shafts 16 a and 16 a made up of a pair of rod-like members protrude outwardly at each of both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the unlocking operation member 16. Is provided. On the other hand, on both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the shield shell 13 described above, standing support plates 13c projecting in a plate shape toward the connector rear side (right side in FIG. 5) are provided. These standing support plates 13c are disposed so as to face each other from the outside with respect to both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the unlocking operation member 16 described above, and a pair of elongated holes formed through the standing support plate 13c. The sliding shafts 16a and 16a on the unlocking operation member 16 side are inserted in the guide support holes 13d and 13d, respectively, in a loosely fitted state.

  At this time, the guide support hole 13d provided in the standing support plate 13c is formed to have an appropriate length in the connector front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7), and the length of the guide support hole 13d. The sliding shaft 16a on the unlocking operation member 16 side described above is configured to be able to reciprocate in the connector front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7) together with the entire unlocking operation member 16.

  Further, such an unlocking operation member 16 is provided with an operation guide hole 16b for receiving the folded elastic portion 14a of the elastic connecting member 14 at a position corresponding to the folded elastic portion 14a of the elastic connecting member 14 described above. Yes. The operation guide hole 16b is formed so as to penetrate in the connector longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7), and as described above, the unlocking operation member 16 reciprocates in the connector longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7). Accordingly, the folded elastic portion 14a of the elastic connecting member 14 is configured to move relatively in the connector front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 7) in the operation guide hole 16b.

  More specifically, the operation guide hole 16b has an upper wall surface 16b1 and a lower wall surface 16b2 that are in contact with the upper beam 14a1 and the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic coupling member 14 described above. Of these, the upper wall surface 16b1 extends substantially horizontally so as to be substantially parallel to the upper beam 14a1 of the elastic connecting member 14. Accordingly, the upper wall surface 16b1 of the operation guide hole 16b is configured to slide in a state where it contacts the upper beam 14a1 of the elastic connecting member 14 as the above-described reciprocating movement of the unlocking operation member 16. On the other hand, the lower wall surface 16b2 of the operation guide hole 16b is an inclined surface in the same direction as the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic connecting member 14, that is, an inclined surface continuously descending toward the front of the connector (leftward in FIG. 7). It is composed of The inclined surface provided to the lower wall surface 16b2 of the operation guide hole 16b is a tapered guide portion for the folded elastic portion 14a of the elastic connecting member 14.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is not inserted, the inclination angle formed by the lower wall surface 16b2 of the unlocking operation member 16 described above is the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic connecting member 14. The inclination angle is set so as to be a gentler angle. Therefore, when the unlocking operation member 16 is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 5 toward the front of the connector (leftward in FIG. 5), the tapered guide that is the lower wall surface 16b2 of the unlocking operation member 16 is provided. The portion comes into pressure contact with the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic connecting member 14 from the lower side, whereby the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic connecting member 14 is lifted by receiving an upward biasing force.

  More specifically, in the state shown in FIG. 7B, that is, in the state where the lock portion 15 is fitted to the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F, the unlocking operation is performed. The member 16 is in the standby position as shown in FIG. Next, when the unlocking operation member 16 at the standby position is pushed toward the front of the connector (leftward in FIG. 7) by the operator's operation force, as described above, the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic coupling member 14 Is lifted upward together with the lock portion 15. When the unlocking operation member 16 is pushed to the final release position as shown in FIGS. 7C and 10, the lock is released from the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F. The portion 15 is released upward.

  When the lock release operation member 16 is pushed to the release position in this way and the lock portion 15 is lifted upward, the folded elastic portion 14a of the elastic connecting member 14 is pressed and contracted in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 7). It is bent to the state. Therefore, the elastic coupling member 14 generates a repulsive stress at that time, that is, an elastic restoring force, and the elastic restoring force causes the lock portion 15 to lock the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F. The state is biased downward so as to return to the fitted state. Thus, in the unlocked state of the lock portion 15, the lower beam 14a2 presses the lower wall surface 16b2 of the lock release operation member 16, that is, the tapered guide portion, downward due to the elastic restoring force of the elastic connecting member 14. However, the lower wall surface 16b2 of the unlocking operation member 16 which is the tapered guide portion has an acting force in a direction to return the above-described downward pressing force to the unlocking operation member 16 in the rear direction of the connector (right direction in FIG. 7), That is, it is configured to convert the return force to the standby position.

  That is, as described above, the elastic connection member 14 returns the lock release operation member 16 from the release position in FIG. 7C to the standby position in FIG. 7B by the elastic restoring force of the elastic connection member 14. It is arranged so as to be biased in the direction. In the present embodiment, the lower wall surface 16b2 of the unlocking operation member 16 is formed with a gentler inclination than the inclination angle of the lower beam 14a2 of the elastic coupling member 14, but the lower wall surface 16b2 may be flat. Good. However, since a certain degree of inclination functions as a guide for the lower beam 14a2, in order to further stabilize the operation of the unlocking operation member 16, it is better to use an inclined surface than the lower wall surface 16b2. .

  Furthermore, return auxiliary plates 13e are provided at both end portions of the shield shell 13 in the longitudinal direction so as to protrude toward the rear side of the connector (right side in FIG. 5). The return auxiliary plate 13e is formed so as to extend obliquely downward from the ceiling plate of the shield shell 13, and the distal end portion on the extension side of the return auxiliary plate 13e is formed by the lock release operation member 16 described above. The arrangement relationship is in contact with the front end face (left end face in FIG. 5). Also by the elastic restoring force of the return auxiliary plate 13e, the unlocking operation member 16 is urged in a direction to return from the release position of FIG. 7C to the standby position of FIG. 7B.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the unlocking operation member 16 is biased in the direction of returning from the release position toward the standby position by the elastic restoring force of the elastic coupling member 14 extending from the shield shell 13. Then, after the unlocking operation member 16 is moved so as to release the lock unit 15 from the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC), the unlocking operation can be performed simply by releasing the hand from the unlocking operation member 16. The member 16 is automatically returned to the original standby position by the elastic restoring force of the elastic connecting member 14. Therefore, it is possible to immediately insert a new signal transmission medium F without performing an operation of returning the lock release operation member 16 as in the conventional case.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, a return acting force on the unlocking operation member 16 is obtained by the folded elastic portion 14a formed by bending the elastic connecting member 14 formed integrally with the shield shell 13. A simpler configuration is possible without adding additional parts.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the unlocking operation member 16 is disposed so as to protrude toward the connector rear end side, the unlocking operation member 16 protruding toward the connector rear end side is directed toward the connector front side. When the unlocking operation of the lock unit 15 is performed so as to be pushed in, the subsequent removal operation of the signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC) F is performed in substantially the same direction as the pushing operation of the previous unlocking operation member 16. This is done in the direction of the connector front. Accordingly, the pushing operation of the unlocking operation member 16 and the subsequent extraction operation of the signal transmission medium F are smoothly continued in the direction of the operation, so that the extraction operation of the signal transmission medium F is efficient. To be done.

  Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a flexible flat cable (FFC) is used as a signal transmission medium fixed to the electrical connector. The present invention can be similarly applied to the case where a medium or the like is used. The signal transmission medium is not limited to a shield / signal transmission medium in which a signal transmission conductive path (signal line) as in the above-described embodiment is covered with a metal foil or the like.

  Furthermore, although the electrical connector according to the above-described embodiment has conductive contacts of the same shape arranged side by side, the present invention can be similarly applied to those employing conductive contacts of different shapes. It is.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the locking lock portion Fa of the signal transmission medium F is formed so as to penetrate the signal transmission medium F, but may be formed in a concave shape without penetrating. Is possible.

  As described above, the present invention can be widely applied to various electric connectors used in various electric devices.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electrical connector 11 Main body housing 11a Insertion opening part 11b Component insertion attachment port 12 Conductive contact (conductive member)
12a Movable beam 12a1 Terminal contact convex part 12b Fixed beam 12b1 Board connection terminal part 12c Connection support part 13 Shield shell 13a Terminal contact convex part 13b Bottom plate part 13c Standing support plate 13d Guide support hole 13e Return auxiliary plate 13f Hold down 14 Elastic connection member 14a Folding elastic part 14a1 Upper beam 14a2 Lower beam 14b Support beam 15 Locking part 15a Guide inclined surface 16 Unlocking operation member 16a Sliding shaft 16b Operation guide hole 16b1 Upper wall surface 16b2 Lower wall surface F Signal transmission medium (FPC or FFC)
Fa locking lock

Claims (3)

The lock portion is configured to be fitted to the signal transmission medium inserted into the main body housing,
The lock portion is provided in a part of an elastic connecting member that integrally extends from a shield shell that covers the main body housing so as to form a strip plate, and the lock portion is formed by the elastic force of the elastic connecting member. While being urged in the direction of fitting with the locking portion of the signal transmission medium,
In the electrical connector configured to release the lock portion from the fitted state with the signal transmission medium by moving the lock release operation member from the standby position to the release position,
The electrical connector, wherein the elastic connecting member is arranged so as to urge the unlocking operation member in a direction of returning from the release position to the standby position by an elastic force of the elastic connection member. The unlocking operation member is configured to reciprocate in the connector longitudinal direction,
The elastic connecting member is provided with a folded elastic portion that protrudes in a substantially U-shaped side surface toward the unlocking operation member,
The unlocking operation member is provided with a tapered guide portion that contacts the folded elastic portion of the elastic connecting member and converts the elastic force of the folded elastic portion into the return acting force of the unlocking operation member. The electrical connector according to claim 1.   The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking operation member is disposed so as to protrude toward the rear end side of the connector.

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