Electrical connector for connecting an electric wire to a flat flexible conductor and an electrical connector assembly therefor

1. A connector for connecting an electric wire to a flexible conductor having a sheet-like shape and including a first surface and a second surface facing in opposite directions to each other, the connector comprising:

a housing which is attached to the flexible conductor and holds an end portion of the electric wire; and

a contact which is made of a conductive material and accommodated in the housing, the housing including:

a first insulator which is disposed on the first surface of the flexible conductor; and

a second insulator which is disposed on the second surface of the flexible conductor and attached to the first insulator along a first direction which is a thickness direction of the flexible conductor,

wherein the first insulator includes a projection projecting in the first direction toward the second insulator, the projection including an electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion opening in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

wherein the second insulator includes a contact accommodating portion which is recessed in the first direction and accommodates the contact,

wherein the contact includes a plurality of side wall portions extending in the first direction, and a projection accommodating portion which is surrounded by the plurality of side wall portions and recessed in the first direction,

wherein the plurality of side wall portions include at least one side wall portion formed from an electric-wire connection piece having at a tip thereof in the first direction an electric-wire contact portion which makes contact with the electric wire, and at least one side wall portion formed from a conductor contact piece which makes contact with the flexible conductor,

wherein the contact is accommodated in the contact accommodating portion, the end portion of the electric wire is accommodated in the electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion of the projection, and the projection is accommodated in the projection accommodating portion of the contact such that the flexible conductor is sandwiched therebetween and that the electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion opening in the second direction is opposed to the electric-wire connection piece, and

wherein the electric wire extends in the second direction from the electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion and makes contact with the electric-wire contact portion of the electric-wire connection piece of the contact, and a part of the flexible conductor is sandwiched between an outer surface of the projection and the conductor contact piece of the contact and makes contact with the conductor contact piece of the contact, whereby the electric wire is electrically connected to the flexible conductor via the contact.

2. The connector according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first insulator includes a first holding surface which is disposed around the projection so as to surround the projection and is opposed to the first surface of the flexible conductor,

wherein the second insulator includes a second holding surface which is disposed around the contact accommodating portion so as to surround the contact accommodating portion and is opposed to the second surface of the flexible conductor, and

wherein the flexible conductor is held to the housing by being sandwiched between the first holding surface of the first insulator and the second holding surface of the second insulator.

3. The connector according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electric-wire contact portion is composed of a slit which is disposed at a tip of the electric-wire connection piece and extends in the first direction, and

wherein the electric wire is inserted in the slit, whereby the electric-wire connection piece makes contact with the electric wire.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion has a width dimension slightly smaller than an outside diameter of the electric wire in a direction orthogonally intersecting the second direction.

5. The connector according to claim 1 ,

wherein the contact includes a bottom plate portion of rectangular shape, and

wherein the projection accommodating portion is surrounded by the bottom plate portion and the plurality of side wall portions.

6. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the contact includes two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute a first side wall pair facing each other in the second direction, and an other two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute a second side wall pair facing each other in a third direction intersecting the first direction.

7. The connector according to claim 6 ,

wherein one of the two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the first side wall pair is formed from the electric-wire connection piece, and

wherein each of the other two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the second side wall pair is formed from the conductor contact piece.

8. The connector according to claim 7 , wherein another one of the two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the first side wall pair is formed from a contact holding piece for fixing the contact to the first insulator and the second insulator.

9. The connector according to claim 6 ,

wherein the two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the first side wall pair are separately formed from the electric-wire connection piece and the conductor contact piece, and

wherein each of the other two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the second side wall pair is formed from a contact holding piece for fixing the contact to the first insulator and the second insulator.

10. The connector according to claim 8 , wherein the first insulator includes an electric-wire-connection-piece accommodating portion of recess shape accommodating a tip of the electric-wire connection piece, and a contact-holding-piece accommodating portion of recess shape accommodating a tip of the contact holding piece.

11. The connector according to claim 10 , wherein the second insulator includes an electric-wire-connection-piece holding portion of recess shape communicating with the contact accommodating portion and holding the electric-wire connection piece, and a contact-holding-piece holding portion of recess shape communicating with the contact accommodating portion and holding the contact holding piece.

12. The connector according to claim 11 ,

wherein the electric-wire connection piece includes a first press-fitted portion which is press-fitted to the electric-wire-connection-piece holding portion of the second insulator, and

wherein the contact holding piece includes a second press-fitted portion which is press-fitted to the contact-holding-piece holding portion of the second insulator, and a third press-fitted portion which is press-fitted to the contact-holding-piece accommodating portion of the first insulator.

13. The connector according to claim 10 , wherein a tip of the electric-wire connection piece and a tip of the contact holding piece of the contact pass through an opening portion which is formed in advance in the flexible conductor and are respectively accommodated in the electric-wire-connection-piece accommodating portion and the contact-holding-piece accommodating portion of the first insulator.

14. The connector according to claim 10 , wherein each of a tip of the electric-wire connection piece and a tip of the contact holding piece of the contact has a blade portion which tears the flexible conductor.

15. The connector according to claim 6 ,

wherein each of the two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the first side wall pair is formed from the electric-wire connection piece, and

wherein each of the other two of the plurality of side wall portions which constitute the second side wall pair is formed from the conductor contact piece.

16. The connector according to claim 15 , wherein the first insulator includes two electric-wire-connection-piece accommodating portions of recess shape each accommodating a tip of the electric-wire connection piece.

17. The connector according to claim 16 , wherein the second insulator includes two electric-wire-connection-piece holding portions of recess shape communicating with the contact accommodating portion and each holding the electric-wire connection piece.

18. The connector according to claim 17 , wherein the electric-wire connection piece includes a first press-fitted portion which is press-fitted to the electric-wire-connection-piece holding portion of the second insulator, and a fourth press-fitted portion which is press-fitted to the electric-wire-connection-piece accommodating portion of the first insulator.

19. The connector according to claim 16 , wherein a tip of the electric-wire connection piece of the contact passes through an opening portion which is formed in advance in the flexible conductor and is accommodated in the electric-wire-connection-piece accommodating portion of the first insulator.

20. The connector according to claim 16 , wherein each of a tip of the electric-wire connection piece and a tip of the contact holding piece of the contact has a blade portion which tears the flexible conductor.

21. The connector according to claim 1 ,

wherein the contact has a flange which is disposed on a tip in the first direction of the conductor contact piece and extends out of the projection accommodating portion, and

wherein the second insulator has a flange accommodating portion of step shape communicating with the contact accommodating portion and accommodating the flange.

22. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the electric wire is disposed on the first surface of the flexible conductor.

23. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the electric wire is disposed on the second surface of the flexible conductor.

24. A connector assembly comprising:

the flexible conductor;

the connector according to claim 1 which is attached to the flexible conductor; and

the electric wire which is electrically connected to the flexible conductor via the contact by means of the connector.

25. The connector assembly according to claim 24 , wherein when viewed in the first direction, the electric-wire contact portion of the contact is disposed at a position where the electric-wire contact portion overlaps the flexible conductor.

26. The connector assembly according to claim 24 , wherein the flexible conductor has a pad shape.

27. The connector assembly according to claim 24 ,

wherein the electric wire is a covered electric wire in which a conductor portion is covered with an insulating portion, and

wherein the electric-wire contact portion of the contact makes contact with the conductor portion.

28. The connector assembly according to claim 27 , wherein an end portion of the electric wire is accommodated in the electric-wire-end-portion accommodating portion of the projection of the first insulator in a state where the conductor portion is covered with the insulating portion.