JP2002343496A - Terminal structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent deformation and degeneration of a terminal due to arc discharge by suppressing arc discharge, in a terminal face accompanying attachment and detachment of the terminal. SOLUTION: A meshed conductive member 24 is provided in a tip portion of the female terminal 2, and the meshed conductive member 24 maintains continuity state with a counterpart terminal, immediately after the detachment of both terminals 1 and 2, when mutually separating both terminals 1 and 2 from the engaged state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal structure applied to a connector or the like of a wire harness for an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a male terminal and a female terminal are fitted to each other, a conductor such as an electric wire connected to each terminal is electrically connected to a connector or the like of an automobile wire harness. ing.

[0003] This connector is attached and detached about once every several months to several years for maintenance and inspection even after assembly of the vehicle, so that both the connection reliability of the connector and the ease of connection work are improved. Although required, if the connector is disengaged in a current-carrying state during maintenance, inspection, or the like, an arc discharge may occur between the terminals at the moment when the terminals are separated.

[0004] The total energy amount of arc discharge is proportional to the voltage between the two terminals at which discharge occurs. Therefore, particularly in consideration of the recent increase in battery voltage, a larger arc is required when the connector is disengaged in an energized state. It is conceivable that a discharge is generated and the damage of the terminal and the peripheral portion caused by the discharge increases.

In general, the terminal structure of a connector is such that a male terminal provided with a rod-shaped or plate-shaped tab and a female terminal provided with an elastic tongue and the like are fitted together. Due to the occurrence of arc discharge at the tip of the terminal due to the above, there is a possibility that both terminals are deformed and deteriorated, such as the tip of the tab of the male terminal is rounded, the elastic tongue of the female terminal is melted, etc. For this reason, there is a possibility that a contact failure or, in the worst case, the connector cannot be re-fitted.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and suppresses the occurrence of arc discharge on the terminal surface due to the attachment and detachment of the terminal, and allows the deformation of the terminal due to the arc discharge. Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal structure capable of preventing deterioration.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a male terminal and a female terminal housed in a housing are fitted to each other, so that each terminal A terminal structure for electrically connecting two consecutive conductors, comprising a mesh-shaped conductive member at a tip portion of a female terminal, immediately after disengagement of both terminals when both terminals are separated from each other from a fitted state. In the above terminal structure, the mesh-shaped conductive member maintains a conductive state with a male terminal.

According to this structure, the mesh-shaped conductive member is provided at the tip of the female terminal, and immediately after the two terminals are disengaged from each other when the terminals are disengaged from the fitted state, the mesh-shaped conductive member is closed. Since the conductive state with the male terminal is maintained, no voltage difference is generated between the separated terminal surfaces, so that arc discharge on the terminal surface can be suppressed.

The invention according to claim 2 is the terminal structure according to claim 1, characterized in that a tip portion of the male terminal is provided with a tapered slope portion.

[0010] According to this configuration, since the male terminal has the tapered slope at the tip, the mesh-shaped conductive member provided at the tip of the female terminal can be more easily inserted into the gap of the mesh structure. In addition, the male terminal can be smoothly inserted.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a terminal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the terminal structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the terminal structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to these drawings, the illustrated terminal structure has a configuration in which a male terminal 1 and a female terminal 2 are opposed to each other. The male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 form a part of a connector for connecting a conductor such as an electric wire, for example, and are each stored in a housing of a connector (not shown). The housing of each connector has a shape that can be fitted to each other, guides the fitting of both terminals 1 and 2 in a straight line, and fixes them in the fitted state to prevent deterioration of both terminals 1 and 2 due to oxidation and the like. Take a role.

The two terminals 1, 2 of the male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 housed in the housing (not shown) are fitted together to electrically connect two conductors (not shown) connected to each terminal. To connect to.

The male terminal 1 is, for example, a bar-shaped or plate-shaped hard metal. When the male terminal 1 is inserted into the female terminal 2 and fitted therein, the male terminal 1 is provided at the tip of the female terminal 2 and will be described later. The male terminal 1 is provided with a tapered slope portion 1a at the tip end so that the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 can be easily pushed open.

The female terminal 2 includes a fitting portion 21, a tongue piece 23 located in the fitting portion 21, a mesh-shaped conductive member 24, and an electric wire disposed behind the fitting portion 21. Crimping part 2
5 and an electric wire covering crimping section 26.

The fitting portion 21 is a rectangular cylindrical metal member capable of fitting the male terminal 1 described above.
And is locked inside so as to surround the male terminal 1.

The base 23 of the tongue 23 is connected to the front end of the lower wall of the fitting portion 21 and the base 2
The contact 23a is formed by being folded back from the rear of the contact 2a.
(FIG. 3) is formed. Further, the tongue piece 23 has an appropriate elasticity for receiving the male terminal 1 and pressing the male terminal 1 against the male terminal 1.

When the male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 are separated from each other from the fitted state, the mesh-shaped conductive member 24
Immediately after the two terminals 1 and 2 are dissociated, it is a conductive member having a mesh structure provided at the distal end of the female terminal 2 in order to maintain a conductive state with the counterpart terminal. The male terminal 1 is inserted into the fitting portion 21 of the female terminal 2 so that the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 is pushed open by the provided tapered slope portion 1 a, and fitted to the female terminal 2. Is done.

The wire crimping portion 25 is a pair of substantially rectangular protrusions provided to connect the ends of the wires (not shown) connected to the female terminal 2 by crimping or the like. It is for crimping so as to surround it.

The wire covering crimping section 26 is provided with a pair of substantially rectangular protrusions provided to connect the covering end of an electric wire (not shown) connected to the female terminal 2 by crimping or the like, like the wire crimping section 25. This is a part for crimping so as to surround the covering end of the electric wire, similarly to the electric wire crimping part 25 described above.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

When the male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 are electrically connected to each other, the fitting portion 21 is opposed to the male terminal 1 so as to surround the male terminal 1 so as to be inside thereof. The male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 are engaged with each other.
When the female terminal 2 is fitted to the female terminal 2, the tapered slope portion 1a provided at the tip of the male terminal 1 as described above.
However, the male terminal 1 is inserted into the female terminal 2 so as to push open the mesh conductive member 24.

At this time, since the base end portion 22 and the tongue piece 23 have appropriate elasticity, the male terminal 1 is received and the male terminal 1 is locked together in cooperation. Then, when the contact 23a formed on the top and the male terminal 1 come into contact with each other, the electrical connection between the male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 is established.

On the contrary, when the male terminal 1 is turned on and the female terminal 2
When the distal end of the male terminal 1 and the upper wall of the fitting portion 21 of the female terminal 2 are separated from each other,
Until the terminals are separated by a predetermined distance or more, the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 provided at the tip of the male terminal 1 comes into contact with the male terminal 1 and conducts to the other terminal immediately after the two terminals 1 and 2 are dissociated. Maintain state.

As described above, when the male terminal 1 separates from the female terminal 2, the conduction state of the two terminals 1 and 2 is maintained, so that no voltage difference is generated between the terminal surfaces. Arcing is avoided. Further, even if an arc is generated between the male terminal 1 and the female terminal 2 at the time of detachment, an arc is generated only between the male terminal 1 and the mesh-shaped conductive member 24. The two terminals are not deformed or deteriorated, for example, the tip of the tab becomes round or the elastic tongue of the female terminal is melted.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the mesh-shaped conductive member is provided at the tip of the female terminal, and the two terminals are disengaged when they are disengaged from each other. Immediately after that, the mesh-shaped conductive member maintains a conductive state with the male terminal, so that no voltage difference is generated between the separated terminal surfaces, so that arc discharge on the terminal surfaces can be suppressed.

Further, since the tapered slope portion 1a is provided at the tip of the male terminal 1, the gap between the mesh structures of the mesh-shaped conductive members 24 provided at the tip of the female terminal 2 is more tight. The male terminal 1 can be easily and smoothly inserted.

The arc discharge between the male terminal 1 and the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 is performed because the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 is originally a flexible member. The effect of the deformation and alteration due to the influence on the performance of the terminal structure is small.

The above embodiment is merely an example of a preferred specific example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, the mesh structure of the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 does not necessarily have to be formed by diagonally forming a thin line as shown in the figure, but may be formed vertically and horizontally. The pattern is not limited as long as the obtained network structure is obtained.

In the fitting portion 21 of the female terminal 2, the base end portion 22 and the tongue piece 23 do not necessarily have to have the shapes shown in the figure, and the male terminal and the female terminal are fitted to each other. Accordingly, if the terminal structure electrically connects two conductors connected to each terminal and the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 is provided, various design changes can be made.

In any case, when the terminals 1 and 2 are disengaged from each other from the fitted state, the mesh-shaped conductive member 24 is in a conductive state with the terminal on the other side immediately after the terminals 1 and 2 are dissociated. Is maintained, no voltage difference occurs between the detached terminal surfaces, so that arc discharge on the terminal surfaces can be avoided.

It goes without saying that various design changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of arc discharge on the terminal surface due to the detachment of the terminal, thereby preventing the terminal from being deformed and deteriorated by the arc discharge.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a terminal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a terminal structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a terminal structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Male terminal 1a Slope part 2 Female terminal 24 Mesh conductive member

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshifumi Saka 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi F-term in the Auto Network Engineering Laboratory Co., Ltd. 5E087 EE02 EE06 FF08 HH01 MM05 QQ04 RR34

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A terminal structure for electrically connecting two conductors connected to each terminal by fitting a male terminal and a female terminal housed in a housing, respectively. A mesh-shaped conductive member is provided at the tip end of the mold terminal, and immediately after dissociation of the two terminals when the two terminals are separated from each other from the fitted state, the mesh-shaped conductive member maintains a conductive state with the male terminal. A terminal structure, characterized in that: 2. The terminal structure according to claim 1, wherein a tip portion of the male terminal is provided with a tapered slope portion.