JP2000277194A - Fitting type connecting terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide easy-to-manufacture fitting type connecting terminals achieving both an effective reduction in the force to insert the terminals and good soldering of the male terminal while achieving a reliable electrical contact between the male and female terminals. SOLUTION: A contact projection 5 is formed at the elongate plate-shaped tub portion 4 of a male terminal 2. Tinning thicker than the tinning applied to a female contact 10 is applied to the entire male contact 2. A resilient pressing piece 13 is folded back and extended from the end of the bottom face portion 12a of a terminal compartment 12 in the female contact 10 into the terminal compartment 12. The extension end of the resilient pressing piece 13 is formed at a resilient contact portion 13a brought into resilient contact with the bottom face portion 12a inside the terminal compartment 12, and the middle portion of the resilient pressing piece 13 is formed at a pressure contact portion 13b which is approximately parallel to the top face portion 12b of the terminal compartment 12. The interval between the pressure contact portion 13b and the top face portion 12b is smaller than the thickness of the tub portion 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fitting connection terminal used for electric wiring of automobiles, industrial equipment and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, fitting-type connection terminals generally used for connection of electric wires in electric wiring of automobiles, industrial equipment, etc., as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. Contact protrusion 63 formed on piece 62
Is generally brought into point contact or line contact with the elongated plate-shaped tab portion 51 of the male terminal 50 so as to obtain electrical contact between the female terminal 60 and the male terminal 50.

As described above, the contact protrusion 63 on the female terminal 60 side is used.
The point contact or the line contact with the tab portion 51 on the male terminal 50 side is achieved by concentrating the pressing force of the elastic pressing piece 62 on the local portion of the contact protrusion 63 so that both terminals 50, 6 are connected.
This is to ensure reliable electrical contact between zero.

The male terminal 50 and the female terminal 60
In general, tin plating is applied to the surface. In this connection, when the terminals 50 and 60 are connected, the surface oxide film of the tin plating is broken by friction, and fresh tin is adhered to thereby stably obtain a low contact resistance.

[0005]

However, when the tin plating is applied in this manner, cohesive wear of the tin plating occurs when the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 60 are fitted and connected, and the resistance against the deformation resistance of the tin is reduced. Since the fitting is performed here, the terminal insertion force is increased.

With the recent increase in the number of connectors,
It has been strongly desired to reduce the insertion force of the terminal.

Therefore, as means for reducing the insertion force of the fitting type connection terminal, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-302864, either the male terminal 50 or the female terminal 60 is set to 0.1 μm to 0.1 μm. 3μm thin tin plating, the other 1μ
m or more.

In this fitting type connection terminal, the apparent hardness is increased by thinning the tin plating of either the male terminal 50 or the female terminal 60, thereby suppressing the adhesion of the tin plating to the terminal. It is intended to reduce the insertion force.

For example, in the case of the fitting connection terminals of the type shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the female terminals 60 are thin tin-plated compared to when both are thick tin-plated. Insertion force can be reduced by 10% or more.
When the male terminal 50 side is plated with thin tin, the terminal insertion force can be reduced by 30% or more.

That is, when the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 60 are fitted and connected, the contact protrusion 63 of the female terminal 60 slides on the tab portion 51 of the male terminal 50 in a straight line. The area of the sliding portion of the male terminal 50 is larger than that of the male terminal 50. In such a case, it can be said that by increasing the apparent hardness of the male terminal 50 having the larger area of the sliding portion by thin tin plating, the effective terminal insertion force can be reduced. .

For this reason, in order to lower the terminal insertion force, the male terminal 50 is often plated with thin tin.

Incidentally, generally, the male terminal 50 is
In many cases, the male terminal 50 itself is directly soldered to a printed wiring board in the electric device.

However, when the male terminal 50 side is made of thin tin plating, there is a problem that the solder wettability is poor and the soldering cannot be performed well.

In other words, in the fitting connection terminals of the type shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, there is a demand to effectively reduce the insertion force between the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 60,
The desire to improve the solderability of No. 0 is in conflict.

Here, in order to improve the solder wettability,
There is a method in which only the portion of the male terminal 50 to be soldered is further plated with tin later and the portion is plated with thick tin. However, there are problems such as an increase in the work process and manufacturing cost.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to ensure reliable electrical contact between a male terminal and a female terminal, and to effectively reduce terminal insertion force. An object of the present invention is to provide a fitting-type connection terminal that can achieve good soldering of male terminals and that can be easily manufactured.

[0017]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a fitting type connection terminal according to the present invention is a fitting type connection terminal which obtains electrical contact by fitting a male terminal and a female terminal. A connection terminal, a male terminal having an elongated plate-shaped tab portion, and a contact projection protruding on one side of the tab portion, and a housing for accommodating the tab portion inserted from the front end side. A terminal accommodating portion, and an elastic pressing piece that is folded back from the distal end side of the bottom portion of the terminal accommodating portion toward the terminal accommodating portion, and an extended end of the elastic pressing piece extends inside the terminal accommodating portion. And an intermediate portion of the elastic pressing piece is formed in a pressing contact portion substantially parallel to the top surface portion of the terminal accommodating portion, and the pressing contact portion is formed. The distance between the top and the top is smaller than the thickness of the tab. Female terminal, the entirety of the male terminal is subjected to tin plating thicker than the tin plating applied to the female terminal, the tab portion the top surface portion and the elastic pressing piece in the terminal accommodating portion. The male terminal and the female terminal are connected in a state in which the contact protrusion is inserted between the male terminal and the pressing contact part or the inner surface of the top surface part.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A fitting type connection terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fitting type connection terminal 1 includes a male terminal 2 and a female terminal 10, and both terminals 2, 1
An electrical contact is obtained by a zero fitting connection.

The male terminal 2 has a soldering portion 3 used for soldering to a printed wiring board and the like, and an elongated plate-shaped tab portion 4 connected in a straight line.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the tab portion 4 has a semi-spherical contact projection 5 projecting to one side of a substantially middle portion in the longitudinal direction and a middle portion in the width direction. Are integrally formed. Further, both surfaces of the distal end portion of the tab portion 4 are tapered surfaces 4 which are inclined inwardly toward the distal end direction.
a.

The male terminal 2 is formed by pressing a thin metal plate having a predetermined thickness of tin plating on the surface of a base material made of copper or a copper alloy into a predetermined shape. The entire surface including the tab portion 4 is plated with tin of a predetermined thickness. It is necessary that the thickness of the tin plating is larger than the thickness of the tin plating applied to the female terminal 10.
Specifically, the thickness of the tin plating is preferably 0.3 μm to 1 μm.

The female terminal 10 has a crimping portion 11 for crimping with the electric wire W and a hollow box-shaped terminal accommodating portion 12 for accommodating the tab portion 4 from an opening on the tip end side in a straight line. .

The bottom surface 12a of the terminal housing 12
The portion extended from the tip of the terminal is folded back into the terminal accommodating portion 12 to form the elastic pressing piece 13. The extended end of the elastic pressing piece 13 is bent in an arc toward the bottom 12a of the terminal accommodating portion 12, and the outer peripheral surface of the end of the arc is elastically contacted with the inner surface of the bottom 12a. It is formed on the elastic contact portion 13a. Further, an intermediate flat portion of the elastic pressing piece 13 is formed in a pressing contact portion 13b substantially parallel to the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b of the terminal accommodating portion 12.

The distance between the pressing contact portion 13b and the top surface portion 12b is smaller than the thickness of the tab portion 4.
By inserting the tab portion 4 of the male terminal 2 between the contact portions 13b, the elastic force of the folded portion 13c of the pressing contact portion 13b and the elastic contact portion 1
The pressing contact portion 13b against the elastic force of 3a
When the pressing contact portion 13b is pushed down to the side 2a, the pressing contact portion 13b receives the elastic restoring force of both the folded portion 13c and the elastic contact portion 13c from the front and rear sides thereof, and the tab portion 4 maintains the attitude substantially parallel to the top surface portion 12b. Up to the top surface 12b side.

The female terminal 10 is also formed by pressing a thin metal plate having a predetermined thickness on a surface of a base material made of copper, a copper alloy, or the like into a predetermined shape. Is tin plated. The thickness of the tin plating needs to be smaller than the thickness of the tin plating applied to the male terminal 2, and specifically, the thickness of the tin plating is 0.1 to
0.3 μm is preferred.

With the fitting type connection terminal thus configured,
When the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 are connected, the following occurs.

First, a case where the two terminals 2 and 10 are connected with the contact protrusion 5 of the male terminal 2 facing downward will be described.

First, when the tab portion 4 of the male terminal 2 is inserted into the terminal accommodating portion 12 of the female terminal 10 from the distal end side, the distal end portion of the tab portion 4 is guided by the tapered surface 4a to the top of the terminal accommodating portion 12. It enters between the surface portion 12b and the pressing contact portion 13b,
When the tab portion 4 is further pushed in, the upper surface of the tab portion 4 slides on the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b of the terminal accommodating portion 12, and the lower surface of the tab portion 4 slides on the pressing contact portion 13b of the elastic pressing piece 13, The pressing contact portion 13b is pushed down toward the bottom surface portion 12a against the elastic force of the folded portion 13c of the pressing contact portion 13b and the elastic force of the elastic contact portion 13a.

When the male terminal 2 is inserted further inward, the contact protrusion 5 of the tab portion 4 slides on the upper surface of the pressing contact portion 13b, and the lower surface of the tab portion 4 and the upper surface of the pressing contact portion 13b are moved. Non-contact. At this time, the contact protruding portion 5 moves on the pressing contact portion 13b, which has been subjected to thin tin plating and has an apparent hardness, so that the terminal insertion resistance due to the deformation resistance of tin becomes small.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the male terminal 10 is inserted to a predetermined connection position, the pressing contact portion 13b is connected to the folded portion 13c and the elastic contact portion 13a.
Receiving the elastic restoring force of both, is urged toward the top surface portion 12b while maintaining a substantially parallel posture with the top surface portion 12b,
The fitting connection between the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 is performed in a state where the contact protrusion 5 is in point contact with the pressing contact portion 13b. In this state, the contact protruding portion 5 is
, The tin oxide films on the surfaces of each other are broken, and the contact protrusion 5 and the press contact 13b come into contact with each other in a state where fresh tin is adhered to each other. I have.

On the other hand, when the two terminals 2 and 10 are connected in such a manner that the surface on the side from which the contact protrusion 5 protrudes faces upward, the contact protrusion 5 of the male terminal 2 is connected to the top surface of the female terminal 10. 1
2b slide on the inner surface. At this time, the contact protruding portion 5 moves on the top surface portion 12b where the apparent hardness is increased by applying the thin tin plating, so that the terminal insertion resistance due to the deformation resistance of tin becomes small as described above. ing.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the male terminal 10 is inserted to a predetermined connection position, the male terminal 10 receives the elastic restoring force of both the folded portion 13c and the elastic contact portion 13a to connect with the top surface portion 12b. The pressing contact portion 13b urged toward the top surface portion 12b while maintaining the substantially parallel posture of
Since the tab portion 4 is urged toward the top surface portion 12b, the contact protrusion 5 is in point contact with the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b.
The fitting connection between the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 is made. In this state, the contact protrusion 5 slides on the top surface 12b, so that the tin-plated oxide film on each surface is destroyed, and the contact protrusion 5 and the top surface 12b condense fresh tin on each other. It is in a state of contact while wearing.

According to the fitting type connection terminal configured as described above, the contact projection 5 is formed so as to project from the tab portion 4 of the male terminal 2, while the tip of the bottom surface portion 12 a of the terminal accommodating portion 12 of the female terminal 10. From the side toward the inside of the terminal accommodating portion 12.
3 is extended back and the extended end of the elastic pressing piece 13 is formed in the elastic contact portion 13a elastically contacted with the bottom surface 12a in the terminal accommodating portion 12, and the intermediate portion of the elastic pressing piece 13 is It is formed on the pressing contact portion 13b substantially parallel to the top surface portion 12b of the terminal accommodating portion 12, and the interval between the pressing contact portion 13b and the top surface portion 12b is formed smaller than the thickness of the tab portion 4. When the tab portion 4 is inserted between the top surface portion 12b in the terminal accommodating portion 12 and the elastic pressing piece 13 and the pressing contact portion 13b is pressed down, the pressing contact portion 13b is Due to the elastic restoring force of the folded portion 13c and the elastic contact portion 13a, it is urged toward the top surface 12b in a posture substantially parallel to the top surface 12b. Therefore, the fitting connection between the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 is performed in a state where the contact protrusion 5 of the tab portion 4 is in point contact with the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b or the pressing contact portion 13b. At this time, the contact protrusion 5 is moved to the top surface 12b or the pressing contact 13
b, the tin oxide film on each surface is destroyed, and the contact protrusion 5 and the top surface 12b or the press contact 13b contact each other in a state where fresh tin adheres to each other. And the pressing force of the elastic pressing piece 13 is concentrated on the contact portion between the contact protrusion 5 and the top surface portion 12b or the pressing contact portion 13b.
And the female terminals 10 can be surely contacted with each other.

In particular, the pressing contact portion 13b receives the elastic restoring force of the folded portion 13c of the elastic pressing piece and the elastic contact portion 13a from both ends thereof, and is attached to the top surface portion 12b in a posture substantially parallel to the top surface portion 12b. Even when the insertion position of the male terminal 2 is slightly displaced along the insertion direction, the contact protruding portion 5 is securely connected to the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b or the pressing contact portion 13b. There is an advantage that it can be contacted.

Further, since the entire male terminal 2 is plated with tin which is thicker than the tin plating applied to the female terminal 10, the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 can be fitted together.
Top surface portion 12b of female terminal 10 having the larger sliding area
The apparent contact hardness can be increased by forming the pressing contact portion 13b with thin tin plating, and the effective terminal insertion force can be reduced.

Since the male terminal 2 can be plated with thick tin as described above, the male terminal 2 is excellent in solder wettability, and the soldered portion 3 can be soldered to a printed wiring board or the like. Can be.

At this time, the soldered portion 3 of the male terminal 2
Need not be partially plated with thick tin, and the production of this fitting-type connection terminal can be facilitated.

In the fitting connection terminals shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the terminals 50 and 60 are connected, abrasion (damage) to the contact projection 63 of the female terminal 60 which is locally subjected to a force. large. Therefore, in consideration of the good soldering of the male terminal 50 first, when the male terminal 50 side is made of thick tin plating and the female terminal 60 side is made of thin tin plating, the thin tin plated contact The protrusion 63 was greatly worn, and the contact reliability was uneasy. However, in the present embodiment, the side of the male terminal 2 on which the contact protrusion 5 receiving the force concentrated locally is formed of thick tin plating, and this contact protrusion 5 is slid on the press contact portion 13b of thin tin plating. With this configuration, the above-mentioned anxiety caused by wear of the contact protrusion 5 is eliminated.

In the above embodiment, the contact protrusion 5 of the male terminal 2 may be slid and contacted with the inner surface of the top surface 12b of the terminal accommodating portion 12, or may be slidably contacted with the press contact portion 13b. Although the configuration is assumed, the shape of the male terminal 2 and the female terminal 10 inevitably determines whether the contact protrusion 5 is slid or contacted with either the top surface portion 12b or the pressing contact portion 13b. It may be a configuration.

The contact projection 5 formed on the tab 4 of the male terminal 2 is, as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, a middle part of the tab 4 in the longitudinal direction. Is bulged into a semi-cylindrical peripheral surface, leaving only both side edges thereof.
A line contact may be made with the inner surface of 2b or the pressing contact portion 13b.

6 (a) and 6 (b), the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the tab portion 4 protrudes in the shape of a horizontal triangular pyramid except for both side edges thereof. Then, a line contact may be made with the inner surface of the top surface portion 12b or the pressing contact portion 13b.

[0043] In the case of the contact protruding part 5C of FIG. 6 (a) and FIG. 6 (b), by reducing the width as the contact protruding part 5C ₂ in FIG. 7, the inner surface of the top face portion 12b or A point contact may be made to the pressing contact portion 13b.

The elastic contact portion 13a of the female terminal 10 is
And a modification shown in FIG. In the description of this modification, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

That is, in this modification, the elastic pressing piece 1
3 is bent obliquely toward the bottom surface portion 12a and bent upward at a position where the bent portion comes into contact with the bottom surface portion 12a, whereby the elastic contact portion 13D is formed.
a is formed. The elastic contact portion 13Da is in contact with the inner surface of the bottom portion 12a at an outer corner of the bent portion, and the elastic contact portion 13Da performs the same function as the elastic contact portion 13a in the above embodiment.

[0046]

As described above, according to the fitting type connection terminal of the present invention, the contact projection is formed so as to protrude from the tab portion of the male terminal, while the contact projection is formed from the front end side of the bottom portion of the terminal accommodating portion of the female terminal. The elastic pressing piece is folded back toward the terminal accommodating portion, and the extended end of the elastic pressing piece is formed in an elastic contact portion elastically contacting the bottom surface portion in the terminal accommodating portion. Since the intermediate portion is formed in a pressing contact portion substantially parallel to the top surface portion of the terminal accommodating portion and the spacing between the pressing contact portion and the top surface portion is formed smaller than the thickness dimension of the tab portion, When the tab portion of the male terminal is inserted between the top surface portion in the terminal accommodating portion and the elastic pressing piece and the pressing contact portion is pushed down, the pressing contact portion is folded from the both ends and the elastic contacting portion and the elastic contact portion. Receiving the elastic restoring force on the top surface in a posture substantially parallel to the top surface. The state. Therefore, the fitting connection between the male terminal and the female terminal is made in a state where the contact projection of the tab portion is in point or line contact with the inner surface of the top surface portion or the pressing contact portion, and here the male terminal and the female terminal are connected. Reliable electrical contact with the terminal is obtained.

In particular, the state where the pressing contact portion receives the elastic restoring force of the folded portion of the elastic pressing piece and the elastic contact portion from both ends thereof and is urged toward the top surface in a position substantially parallel to the top surface. Therefore, even when the insertion position of the male terminal is slightly shifted along the insertion direction, the pressing contact portion of the tab portion can be reliably brought into contact with the inner surface of the top surface portion or the pressing contact portion. There is an advantage.

Further, since the entirety of the male terminal is plated with tin which is thicker than the tin plating applied to the female terminal, a sliding portion is formed when the male terminal and the female terminal are fitted and connected. The apparent hardness of the top surface portion and the pressing contact portion of the female terminal having the larger area can be increased, and the effective terminal insertion force can be reduced.

Since the male terminals can be made of thick tin plating as described above, the male terminals are excellent in solder wettability, and can be favorably soldered to a printed wiring board or the like.

At this time, it is not necessary to partially apply thick tin plating to the soldered portion of the male terminal, so that the fitting type connection terminal can be easily manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing a fitting type connection terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one connection state of the fitting connection terminal of the above.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another connection state of the fitting connection terminal of the above.

FIG. 4 (a) is a side view of a contact protrusion formed on a male terminal, and FIG. 4 (b) is a bottom view of the contact protrusion.

FIG. 5A is a side view showing a modification of the contact protrusion formed on the male terminal, and FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the contact protrusion.

FIG. 6 (a) is a side view showing another modification of the contact protrusion formed on the male terminal, and FIG. 6 (b) is a bottom view of the contact protrusion.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing still another modification of the contact protrusion formed on the male terminal.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the elastic contact portion of the female terminal.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of the modification of the above.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a conventional fitting-type connection terminal.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of the fitting type connection terminal of the above.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fitting type connection terminal 2 Male terminal 4 Tab part 5 Contact protrusion 10 Female terminal 12 Terminal accommodating part 12a Bottom part 12b Top surface part 13 Elastic pressing piece 13a Elastic contact part 13b Press contact part 13c Folding part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fitting connection terminal for obtaining electrical contact by fitting a male terminal and a female terminal, comprising: an elongated plate-shaped tab portion; and a contact protruding from one of the tab portions. A male terminal having a protrusion, a terminal accommodating portion for accommodating the tab portion inserted from the distal end side, and a folded back extending from the distal end side of the bottom surface portion of the terminal accommodating portion into the terminal accommodating portion. An elastic pressing piece, an extended end of the elastic pressing piece is formed in an elastic contact portion elastically contacted with a bottom surface in the terminal accommodating portion, and an intermediate portion of the elastic pressing piece is A female terminal formed at a pressing contact portion substantially parallel to the top surface portion of the terminal accommodating portion and having a spacing dimension between the pressing contact portion and the top surface portion smaller than a thickness dimension of the tab portion, A tin plate thicker than the tin plating applied to the female terminal is formed on the entire male terminal. In the state where the tab portion is inserted between the top surface portion and the elastic pressing piece in the terminal accommodating portion and the contact protrusion contacts the pressing contact portion or the inner surface of the top surface portion. And a fitting connection terminal in which the male terminal and the female terminal are connected.