Development of Middle Level Current Connectors for FPC

In the automotive industry there is currently a trend toward modularization, integrating several functional components into a single module. Among a variety of wiring materials, the flexible printed circuit (FPC) is a remarkable advance for the module wiring. However, the present FPC connectors have the current capacity of a few amperes, hence applications of the FPC have been limited. This paper describes the design and performance of an FPC connector intended for middle level currents, especially the connection between the terminal and the copper foil.