Electrical connector for flexible printed circuit boards

Claim 1

A connector adapted to be detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts each having an upper and lower contact portion one above the other adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable having contact portions at both upper and lower surfaces, a housing holding and fixing said contacts therein and having an insertion opening through which said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable is inserted into said housing, and a rotary slider located to the rear of said insertion opening for urging said contacts against said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, wherein said contacts consist of contacts of two kinds, said contacts of two kinds are arranged alternately staggered in said housing, and said contact portions provided on both surfaces of said flexible printed circuit board are also arranged alternately staggered and said upper and lower contacts portions of said contacts arranged alternately staggered are arranged to contact respective contact portions, each of said contacts of said first kind comprises a connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion provided between said contact portion and said connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion positioned in opposition to said connection portion and extending from said elastic portion, and an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion and in opposition to said contact portion so that said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion are arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and each of said contacts of said second kind comprises a connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion provided between said contact portion and said connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in the opposite direction to said contact portion, and an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion and in opposition to said pressure receiving portion so that said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion are arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and wherein said rotary slider comprises urging portions arranged parallel to each other in its longitudinal direction and is mounted in said housing such that said urging portions are able to be pivotally moved between said connection portions and said pressure receiving portions of the contacts of said first kind and between said extension portion and said pressure receiving portions of said contacts of the second kind.