# US 12,113,308 B2 · Terminal-equipped flexible circuit board and connector-equipped flexible circuit board > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,308 B2 - Document ID: US12113308B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/615,980 - Filed: 2020-06-10 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-18 - Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Hideo Takahashi; Yasuo Omori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113308B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/777: {Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts (H01R12/78, H01R12/79 take precedence)} - H01R 12/778: {Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous counter-contacts (H01R12/78, H01R12/79 take precedence)} - H01R 12/59: for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures - H01R 12/592: {connections to contact elements} - H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/118: {specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions} - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - H05K 2201/055: Folded back on itself - H05K 2201/10189: Non-printed connector - H05K 2201/10446: Mounted on an edge - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract Provided is a terminal-equipped flexible circuit board provided with a flexible circuit board that is flexible and a plurality of terminals. The flexible circuit board extends in a longitudinal direction, the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of conductive paths, the plurality of terminals each include a conductive path connection portion that is connected to a conductive path and a terminal connection portion that extends in an extending direction from the conductive path connection portion and is connected to a partner terminal, the plurality of terminals are arranged on the flexible circuit board in a state in which the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board intersects the extending direction of the plurality of terminals, and the plurality of terminals are arranged in a plurality of levels in a state in which the flexible circuit board is folded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A terminal-equipped flexible circuit board provided with a flexible circuit board that is flexible and a plurality of terminals, wherein the flexible circuit board extends in a longitudinal direction, the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of conductive paths that are formed on an upper or lower surface of the flexible circuit board, the plurality of terminals each include a conductive path connection portion that is connected to a conductive path among the plurality of conductive paths and a terminal connection portion that extends in an extending direction from the conductive path connection portion and is connected to a partner terminal, the plurality of terminals are arranged on the flexible circuit board in a state in which the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board intersects the extending direction of the plurality of terminals, the plurality of terminals are arranged side by side at both side edges along the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board, the flexible circuit board includes: a first mountain fold line that extends from a front end portion of the flexible circuit board to a position rearward of the plurality of terminals in the longitudinal direction, at a central position in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the upper surface being folded into a protruding shape along the first mountain fold line; a first valley fold line that extends in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at a position rearward of a rear end portion of the first mountain fold line, the upper surface being folded into a recessed shape along the first valley fold line; a second mountain fold line and a third mountain fold line that respectively extend from the rear end portion of the first mountain fold line to intersections of both side edges of the flexible circuit board and the first valley fold line, and a second valley fold line that extends from the rear end portion of the first mountain fold line to one side edge of the flexible circuit board in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of terminals are arranged in a plurality of levels in a state in which the flexible circuit board is folded along the first mountain fold line, the second mountain fold line, the third mountain fold line, the first valley fold line, and the second valley fold line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The terminal-equipped flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a through hole that extends through the flexible circuit board in the up-down direction is formed in the rear end portion of the first mountain fold line in the flexible circuit board. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The terminal-equipped flexible circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the extending direction of the plurality of terminals and the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board are parallel with each other in a state in which the flexible circuit board is folded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A connector equipped flexible circuit board comprising: the terminal-equipped flexible circuit board according to claim 1, and a connector housing including a plurality of cavities that are arranged in a plurality of levels and house the plurality of terminals. ### Claim 5 A terminal-equipped flexible circuit board provided with a flexible circuit board that is flexible and a plurality of terminals, wherein the flexible circuit board extends in a longitudinal direction, the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of conductive paths that are formed on an upper or lower surface of the flexible circuit board, the plurality of terminals each include a conductive path connection portion that is connected to a conductive path among the plurality of conductive paths and a terminal connection portion that extends in an extending direction from the conductive path connection portion and is connected to a partner terminal, the plurality of terminals are arranged on the flexible circuit board in a state in which the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board intersects the extending direction of the plurality of terminals, the plurality of terminals are arranged side by side at one side edge along the longitudinal direction of the flexible circuit board, the flexible circuit board includes: a first slit that extends from the one side edge of the flexible circuit board in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, at a position rearward of a front end portion of the flexible circuit board in the longitudinal direction; a second slit that extends from the one side edge of the flexible circuit board in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, in a position rearward of the first slit, a width dimension of the second slit in the longitudinal direction being greater than that of the first slit; a mountain fold line that extends from an end portion of the first slit toward another side edge of the flexible circuit board in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the upper surface being folded in a protruding shape along the mountain fold line; and a valley fold line that extends from a front end portion of the second slit to a position on the other side edge of the flexible circuit board that corresponds to a rear end portion of the second slit, the upper surface being folded in a recessed shape along the valley fold line, and the plurality of terminals are arranged in a plurality of levels in a state in which the flexible circuit board is folded along the mountain fold line and the valley fold line.