JP2001085095A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connector allowing its connection terminals to be cleaned at the time of coupling and assuring a high contact stability of connection terminals. SOLUTION: The electric connector is composed of two case members 2 and 3 shaped so as to enable fitting to each other, a connection terminal 4 provided in the fitting part 2a of the case member 2, and a resilient connection terminal 5 provided in the fitting part 3a of the other case member 3, wherein the resilient connection terminal consists of a two-side supported spring formed by folding back a metal material in plate form, and the folded-back piece 5a has two angle-shaped contacts 5b and 5c to be put in pressure contact one after the other to the contact 4a of the connection terminal, and a support arm 5d makes resilient support so that the angle-shaped contacts are positioned over the space by fitting the two case members to each other. The folded-back piece 5a is provided with a slot 5e from the end face of the support arm to the angle-shaped contact 5c to be put in pressure contact at the second time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly, to an electrical connector in which connection terminals are brought into pressure contact with each other so as to be in an electrically connected state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric connector used for a power supply section of a power tool or the like has a pair of case members 52 formed in a shape that can be fitted into each other as shown in FIG. , 53, a connection terminal 54 provided at the fitting portion 52a of the one case body 52, and each of the case bodies 52, 5 provided at the fitting portion 53a of the other case body 53.
There is known a spring connection terminal 55 which is pressed into contact with the connection terminal 54 by fitting the members 3 into each other to be electrically connected. This electrical connector 51
A cantilever spring obtained by folding a plate-like metal material as shown in FIG. 6 is used for the spring connection terminal 55. When the pair of case bodies 52 and 53 are combined, the cantilever spring repels. Since the connection terminal 54 is pressed into contact with the force, it is electrically connected.

However, such an electrical connector 5
In the case of No. 1, in the case where foreign matter is mixed, a press-contact state may be caused while being sandwiched between the connection terminal 54 and the spring connection terminal 55, and there is a possibility that electrical connection may not be possible. Further, since the connection terminal 54 and the spring connection terminal 55 are in contact at one point, there is a possibility that a contact failure may occur due to vibration or the like.

In order to solve such difficulties, it is conceivable to use a double-ended spring having a higher resilience than a cantilever spring for the spring connection terminal. However, the insertion pressure when connecting a pair of case bodies is reduced. Since the strength must be increased, an excessive force may be applied to the case body or the like, and the durability may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and can clean a connection terminal at the time of connection, thereby improving the contact stability of the connection terminal. An object is to provide an electrical connector.

[0006]

An electric connector according to the present invention that achieves the above object is provided with a pair of case bodies formed into shapes that can be fitted into each other and a fitting portion of one of the case bodies. Electrical connector comprising: a connection terminal, which is disposed at a fitting portion of the other case body, and a spring-like connection terminal which is brought into pressure contact with the connection terminal by fitting each case body to each other to be electrically connected. In the spring connection terminal,
A plate-shaped metal material is formed of a double-ended spring which is folded back. On this folded piece, two mountain-shaped contacts which are sequentially pressed against the contacts of the connection terminals are formed, and a pair of case bodies are fitted into each other. Thereby, a support arm for elastically supporting the two mountain-shaped contacts so as to be positioned on the space is formed, and after the pair of case bodies are fitted into each other, the contact of the connection terminal is formed.
The mountain-shaped contacts that are pressed against the contacts of the connection terminal for the second time are in an electrically connected state.

According to such an electrical connector of the present invention, when a pair of case bodies are fitted into each other, the contacts of the connection terminals incorporated in one of the case bodies are first assembled into the other case body. The first spring contact terminal is pressed against the first mountain-like contact formed on the spring connection terminal. After crimping, the contact of the connection terminal is 1
The second mountain-shaped contact is pressed away from the first mountain-shaped contact, and the connection of the pair of case bodies is completed at this time. At this time, the contact of the connection terminal is slid in a press-contact state with respect to the first mountain-shaped contact of the spring connection terminal to be cleaned, and then is pressed against the second mountain-shaped contact to be electrically connected. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a contact failure due to the entry of foreign matter or the like.

[0008] In the electrical connector of the present invention, the folded piece of the spring connection terminal may have two ends from the end face of the support arm.
It is preferable that a notch is provided over the mountain-shaped contact point pressed in the second time. Thereby, the folded piece including the second mountain-shaped contact, which is pressed second time, is divided into two along the fitting direction of the pair of case bodies. Even if the contact and one of the divided mountain-shaped contacts have a poor contact, the other mountain-shaped contact can maintain the contact state with the contact of the connection terminal.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the electrical connector of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The electric connector of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), a pair of case bodies 2 and 3 formed into shapes that can be fitted into each other, a connection terminal 4 disposed in a fitting portion 2a of one case body 2, and the other case body And a spring connection terminal 5 which is disposed in the fitting portion 3a of the third case 3 and is brought into pressure contact with the connection terminal 4 by being fitted into the pair of case bodies 2 and 3 to be electrically connected. In addition,
The connection terminal 4 and the resilient connection terminal 5 are
(FIGS. 2A and 2B).
(C), (d)).

The fitting portions 2a, 3 of the pair of case bodies 2, 3
a is formed in a U-shape, and one of the case bodies 2
A guide rib 2b is formed in the fitting portion 2a of the guide member 3 and a guide slit 3b fitted in the guide rib 2b is formed in the other case body 3.
Are cut out (FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C).
Thereby, if the pair of case bodies 2 and 3 are mutually fitted so that the guide rib 2b and the guide slit 3b are fitted,
The connection terminal 4 and the spring connection terminal 5 can be brought into contact. When the pair of case bodies 2 and 3 are combined, a space of a predetermined size is formed in the pair of case bodies 2 and 3. This is for disposing the spring connection terminal 5 having a shape described later.

The connection terminal 4 is formed in an L-shape, and is provided with a plate-shaped contact 4a having an end face bent at a predetermined angle on one side. The L-shaped connection terminal 4 is incorporated in the one case body 2 so that the contact 4a is located on the surface of the fitting portion 2a of the one case body 2. The metal material of the connection terminal 4 is preferably brass from the viewpoint of cost, but is not limited to this, and any metal material having good conductivity may be used.

The spring connection terminal 5 is formed of a double-ended spring in which a plate-like metal material is folded. Specifically, mountain-shaped contacts 5b and 5c that are sequentially connected to the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 incorporated in one of the case bodies 2 are formed at predetermined two locations on the folded piece 5a. Further, a support arm 5d is formed on the folded piece 5a and elastically supports the two mountain-shaped contacts 5b and 5c so as to be positioned in a space by fitting the pair of case bodies 2 and 3 into each other. After the pair of case members 2 and 3 are fitted into each other, the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 and the mountain-shaped contact 5c that is pressed against the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 for the second time are electrically connected. It is arranged to be in a state.

The folded piece 5a is formed, for example, in a substantially M-shape when viewed from the side.

Further, a notch 5e is provided on the folded piece 5a from the end face of the support arm 5d to the mountain-shaped contact 5c. The notch 5e allows the folded piece 5
Since a is divided into two along the direction in which the pair of case bodies 2 and 3 are fitted, the two divided mountain-like contacts 5c individually undergo spring deformation.

The metal material of the spring connection terminal 5 is preferably phosphor bronze for spring from the viewpoint of spring characteristics, but is not limited thereto. A metal material having good spring characteristics and conductivity is preferable. If so, it can be anything.

The operation of the resilient connection terminal 5 when the electric connector 1 thus configured is connected will be described with reference to FIG.

Before the electric connector 1 is connected, the spring connection terminal 5 incorporated in the other case body 3 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the folded end 5d of the folded piece 5a
Is located in the space. When the other case body 3 and the one case body 2 are fitted into each other, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 incorporated in one case body 2 is first connected to the first mountain-like contact 5b formed in the spring connection terminal 5 incorporated in the other case body 3. It is pressed. At this time, the support arm 5d of the folded piece 5a
Is pressed into contact with one portion 5f of the resilient connection terminal 5 fixed to the fitting portion 3a of the other case body 3, so that the two mountain-shaped contacts 5b and 5c are elastically supported so as to be positioned in space. Will be. When the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 and the mountain-like contact 5b of the spring connection terminal 5 are pressed into contact with each other and further fitted into each other until the other case body 3 and one case body 2 come into contact with each other, FIG. As shown in (c), the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 is the first mountain-like contact 5b of the spring connection terminal 5.
, And is pressed into contact with the second mountain-shaped contact 5c. At this point, the joining of the case bodies 2 and 3 is completed.

As described above, the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 is cleaned by sliding the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 against the first mountain contact 5b of the spring connection terminal 5 in a press-contact state. Since it is electrically connected to the contact 5c, it is possible to prevent a contact failure due to entry of foreign matter or the like. In addition, the mountain-shaped contact 5c is elastically supported by the support arm 5d of the folded piece 5a.
Since the folded piece 5a is divided into two from the end face of the support arm 5d to the mountain-shaped contact 5c, the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4 and one of the mountain-shaped contacts 5c are contacted by vibration or the like. Even if a failure occurs, the other mountain-shaped contact 5c can maintain the contact state with the contact 4a of the connection terminal 4. Thereby, contact stability can be improved. Further, since the folded piece 5a is divided into two, the insertion pressure when connecting the pair of case bodies 2, 3 can be made weaker than the conventional double-supported spring.
Spring connection terminal 5, connection terminal 4, pair of case bodies 2, 3
Etc. can be prevented from lowering.

[0020]

As described above, according to the electric connector of the present invention, the contact of the connection terminal is slid in a press-contact state with respect to the first mountain-like contact of the spring connection terminal for cleaning. After that, since it is possible to press and contact the second mountain-shaped contact to make an electrical connection, it is possible to prevent a contact failure due to entry of foreign matter or the like. In addition, since the folded piece is divided into two portions from the end face of the support arm to the mountain-shaped contact (second mountain-shaped contact) which is pressed for the second time, the contact of the connection terminal is formed by vibration or the like. Even if one of the divided mountain-shaped contacts has a poor contact, the other mountain-shaped contact can maintain the contact state with the contact of the connection terminal, so that the contact stability can be improved, and the conventional Since the pressure contact force of the connection terminal with respect to the contact point can be reduced as compared with the double-ended spring, the pair of case bodies can be easily and reliably connected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory views showing a preferred embodiment of an electric connector according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view and FIG.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the appearance of the electrical connector of FIG. 1,
(A) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view,
(D) is a rear view.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the appearance of the electrical connector of FIG. 1,
(A) is a perspective view of one case body, (b) is a perspective view of the other case body, (c) is a perspective view of the other case body viewed from a different direction from (b).

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing a connection state of the electric connector of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view before connection, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view during connection, and FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a conventional electric connector.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a connection terminal and a spring connection terminal used in a conventional electric connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric connector 2 ... One case body 2a ... Fitting part 3 ... The other case body 3a ... Fitting part 4 ... Connection terminal 5 ... Spring connection terminal 5a. ..Folded pieces 5b, 5c: mountain contact 5d: support arm 5e: notch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pair of case bodies formed in shapes that can be fitted into each other, a connection terminal provided at a fitting section of one of the case bodies, and a connection terminal provided at a fitting section of the other case body. An electrical connector comprising: a spring connection terminal that is brought into pressure contact with the connection terminal by fitting each of the case bodies to each other to be in an electrically connected state; wherein the spring connection terminal is a plate-shaped metal material. Is formed by folding back a double-ended spring, and the folded piece is formed at two places with mountain-like contacts which are sequentially pressed against the contacts of the connection terminal, and the pair of case bodies are fitted into each other to thereby form the above-mentioned case. A support arm that elastically supports the two mountain-shaped contacts so as to be positioned on the space is formed, and after the pair of case bodies are inserted into each other, the contact of the connection terminal and the contact of the connection terminal are formed. Pressed the second time The electrical connector is characterized by being electrically connected to the crest-shaped contact. 2. A notch is provided in the folded piece of the spring connection terminal from an end face of the support arm to a mountain-shaped contact to be pressed second time. 2. The electrical connector according to 1.