Flexible board electrical connector with rotatable cover

Details Flexible board electrical connector with rotatable cover Flexible board electrical connector with rotatable cover

2000-01-05

2001-07-03

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With contact preventer or retractable cover part

Movably mounted

C439S495000, C439S260000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06254406

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flexible board electrical connector with a rotatable cover, more particularly to a flexible board electrical connector, which includes a housing that is provided with a pair of barb elements for retaining a free side portion of the cover on the housing to ensure electrical contact between a flexible board and the contact elements of the housing when the cover is at a closed position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional flexible board electrical connector is shown to include a generally rectangular housing (
30
a
), a plurality of contact elements (
40
a
) (only one is shown for the sake of clarity), and a front cover (
50
a
). The housing (
30
a
) has an opening (
301
a
) formed in an upper surface thereof, two pivot accommodating holes (
302
a
) formed in two end surfaces of the housing (
30
a
), and a longitudinal row of transverse support channels (
303
a
) formed in the housing (
30
a
) between the holes (
302
a
). The contact elements (
40
a
) are fitted respectively within the support channels (
303
a
) in the housing (
30
a
). The cover (
50
a
) is generally U-shaped, and has two parallel swing arms (
501
a
), each of which is formed integrally with an inwardly extending pivot pin (
502
a
) that is inserted into a corresponding one of the pivot accommodating holes (
302
a
) in the housing (
30
a
), thereby mounting the cover (
50
a
) rotatably on the housing (
30
a
). As such, the cover (
50
a
) can rotate relative to the housing (
30
a
) between an open position, where a flexible board (not shown) can be inserted into a space between the housing (
30
a
) and the cover (
50
a
), and a closed position, where the cover (
50
a
) presses the flexible board (not shown) against the contact elements (
40
a
). However, the cover (
50
a
) cannot be retained effectively at the closed position. Furthermore, the cover (
50
a
) may separate untimely and undesirably from the housing (
30
a
).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a flexible board electrical connector, in which a cover can be retained effectively at a closed position relative to a housing, thereby securing electrical contact between a flexible board and a plurality of contact elements.
Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible board electrical connector, in which a cover can be retained effectively on a housing, thereby preventing removal of the cover from the housing during rotation of the cover relative to the housing.
According to this invention, a flexible board electrical connector includes a housing with two integral lower barb elements, and a front cover, which rotates on the housing between open and closed positions. Each of the lower barb elements has a vertical plate portion, and a lateral projection that extends laterally from an upper end of the vertical plate portion. When the cover is at the closed position, two retaining projections of the cover engage the lateral projections of the housing, thereby preventing upward removal of the retaining projections of the cover from the housing. The cover has two integral pivot pins on two end portions thereof, which are mounted respectively and rotatably in two accommodating spaces in the housing. Preferably, the housing further includes two integral upper barb elements, each of which has a horizontal plate portion, and a downward projection that extends downwardly from a front end of the horizontal plate portion into an inlet of a pivot accommodating space in the housing. The downward projections are shaped and positioned so that the pivot pins can pass through the downward projections into the accommodating spaces, thereby subsequently preventing removal of the pivot pins from the accommodating spaces.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6089905 (2000-07-01), Shimmyo et al.

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