Flat cable connector

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector, and in particular to a connector for connecting to a flat cable.

2. Description of Prior Art

A common electronic device is constituted of various electronic elements. In order to facilitate the transmission of signals or data among respective electronic elements, a flat cable of flexible printed circuit is often used as a bridge for the transmission of signals or data among respective electronic elements.

A conventional flat cable connector often has an adapter serving as a connecting means for each electronic element, so that the flat cable can be electrically connected to each electronic element smoothly. Usually, the adapter has an insulating base. The base has an accommodating space thereon for accommodating the flat cable. The base is connected with a casing, thereby sandwiching the flat cable therebetween while exposing terminals of the flat cable. Since the electro-magnetic waves generated when the flat cable is powered is taken into consideration, the casing is usually made of metallic materials and abuts against the flat cable directly, thereby generating an electro-magnetic shielding effect for the flat cable. Thus, the normal operation of other surrounding electronic elements can be protected from being affected by the electro-magnetic interference.

In prior art, since the fact that the normal operation of other electronic elements will be affected by the electro-magnetic waves generated when the flat cable is powered has been taken into consideration, the casing made of metallic materials is employed to generate an electro-magnetic shielding effect. However, such a protection is merely feasible for single surface. In other words, the electro-magnetic waves generated in the other surface of the flat cable cannot be shielded by means of the metallic casing. As a result, the flat cable still generates an electro-magnetic interference to affect the functions of other electronic elements in transmitting signals or data. Thus, this will affect the normal operation of an electronic device and become an important issue for those skilled in this art.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention is to provide a flat cable connector having double electro-magnetic protections. Both ends of an adapter of the connector are connected with a casing made of metallic materials respectively, and fixing terminals extending from the casing abut against an inserted flat cable directly, thereby generating an electro-magnetic shielding effect for the flat cable connector. Via this arrangement, the electro-magnetic waves generated when the flat cable is powered can be obviated, thereby blocking the electro-magnetic interference.

The present invention is to provide a flat cable connector comprising an insulating base. Both ends of the insulating base have a protruding buckling end respectively. The buckling ends on both ends of the insulating base and a plate body of the insulating base form an accommodating space for accommodating the flat cable therein. The insulating base is provided thereon with a plurality of penetrating holes for penetrating the plate body. Both surfaces of the insulating base are connected with an upper conductive cover and a lower conductive cover respectively. The upper conductive cover and the lower conductive cover are provided with a plurality of fixing terminals. After the upper conductive cover is connected with the insulating base, the fixing terminals of the upper conductive cover abut against the flat cable directly. After the lower conductive cover is connected with the insulating base, the fixing terminals of the lower conductive cover abut against the flat cable via the penetrating holes, thereby blocking the electro-magnetic interference generated by the flat cable connector.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the present invention.

The technical contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the present invention. As shown in these figures, the adapter includes an insulating base 1 . Both ends of the insulating base 1 have a protruding buckling end 11 respectively that is symmetric with each other. A surface of the insulating base 1 is provided thereon with at least one penetrating holes 12 . In the present embodiment, there is a plurality of penetrating holes 12 . Further, the insulating base 1 and the buckling ends 11 protruding from both ends thereof form an accommodating space 13 , thereby accommodating the flat cable 2 . Further, a pressing plate 3 is disposed on a position corresponding to that of the accommodating space 13 , thereby pressing the flat cable 2 and fixing it in the accommodating space 13 . Both ends of the pressing plate 3 have a connecting end 31 respectively that is secured to the buckling end 11 on each end of the insulating base 1 . Further, an upper plate surface of the pressing plate 3 is provided with a protruding block 32 . In the present embodiment, the profile of the protruding block 32 has an elliptic shape

With reference to FIG. 1 again, the upper and lower plate surfaces of the insulating base 1 are connected to an upper conductive cover 4 and a lower conductive cover 5 respectively, thereby generating an electro-magnetic shielding effect for the adapter of the connector. The upper conductive cover 4 covers the accommodating space 13 of the insulating base 1 completely, while it presses and fixes the flat cable 2 and the pressing plate 3 . The surface of the upper conductive cover 4 contacting with the flat cable 2 has at least one fixing terminals 41 that are formed by means of bending. In the present embodiment, there is a plurality of fixing terminals. When the upper conductive cover 4 is connected with the insulating base 1 , the plurality of fixing terminals 41 abut against the flat cable 2 . Further, on the same surface as the fixing terminal 41 , an accommodating trough 42 is provided thereon near the plurality of fixing terminals 41 . The shape and position of the accommodating trough 42 corresponds to those of the protruding block 32 of the pressing plate 3 exactly. After the upper conductive cover 4 is connected with the insulating base 1 , the protruding block 32 is exactly accommodated in the accommodating trough 42 , so that the pressing plate is further secured. As shown in the top view of FIG. 2 , both ends of the upper conductive cover 4 have a buckling trough 43 respectively that is to be connected with the buckling end 11 of the insulating base 1 . Further, both ends of the lower conductive cover 5 have a buckling trough 51 respectively. When the lower conductive cover 5 is connected with the other surface of the insulating base 1 , the buckling troughs 51 are connected with the buckling ends 11 of the insulating base 1 . The surface of the lower conductive cover 5 connected to the insulating base 1 is provided thereon with at least one fixing terminals 52 that are formed by means of bending. In the present embodiment, there is a plurality of fixing terminals 52 . Further, the number of the fixing terminals 52 is identical to that of the penetrating holes 12 . The positions of the fixing terminals 52 of the lower conductive cover 5 correspond to those of the penetrating holes 12 of the insulating base 1 exactly. After the lower conductive cover 5 is connected with the insulating base 1 , each fixing terminal 52 is exactly accommodated in the penetrating hole 12 , so that the fixing terminals 52 abut against the flat cable 2 , as shown in the bottom perspective view of FIG. 3 .

Please refer to FIG. 4 , and it is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the adapter of the flat cable connector of the present invention utilizes the pressing plate 3 and the upper conductive cover 4 to fix the flat cable 2 on the insulating base 1 , while the fixing terminals 41 provided on the upper conductive cover 4 abut against the flat cable directly. Further, the fixing terminals 52 of the lower conductive cover 5 abut against the flat cable directly via the penetrating holes 12 provided on the insulating base 1 . As a result, the upper conductive cover 4 and the lower conductive cover 5 generate a double effect of shielding the electro-magnetic waves for the flat cable 2 , thereby blocking the electro-magnetic waves generated by the flat cable 2 .

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiment, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.