JP2003007383A - Terminal metal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal metal capable of electrically connecting conductors without fail. SOLUTION: A turning fork terminal 1 as a terminal metal is provided with a pair of electric contacting parts 10 and a jointing part 11. The electric contacting parts 10 are provided with a pair of nipping pieces 12 and a supporting part 13, respectively. The supporting part 13 continues to the one ends 12a of the nipping pieces 12. The nipping parts 12 of the electric contacting part 10 are parallel with each other and extend from the supporting part 13 in the same direction. The jointing part 11 joints both of the supporting parts 13 of the pair of the electric contacting parts 10. The supporting part 13 of the one electric contacting part 10 continues to the electric back side 10 of the other contacting part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal fitting provided with an electric contact portion for elastically deforming a pair of sandwiching pieces in a direction away from each other to electrically connect with a conductor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When electrically connecting the electrical contact portions of a male terminal fitting as a conductor, or when the male terminal fitting and a flexible printed circuit (Flexible Printed C
ircuit: hereinafter referred to as FPC), for example, use the tuning fork terminal 100 (shown in FIG. 8) as a terminal fitting disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-158778. There is.

The tuning fork terminal 100 illustrated in FIG. 8 includes a pair of electric contact portions 101 and a connecting portion 102 that connects the electric contact portions 101 to each other. Each electric contact portion 101 includes a pair of sandwiching pieces 103. The pair of sandwiching pieces 103 of one electric contact portion 101 extend in parallel to each other and in the same direction from the connecting portion 102. The sandwiching piece 103 of the pair of electric contact portions 101 is connected to the connecting portion 102.
Extend in opposite directions from each other.

The conventional tuning fork terminal 100 having the above-described structure is
The electric contact portion of the male terminal fitting or the conductor of the FPC is inserted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 along the extending direction of the sandwiching pieces 103. Then, each of the pair of electric contact portions 101 is electrically connected to the male terminal fitting or the FPC. Thus, the conventional tuning fork terminal 1 having the above-mentioned configuration
In 00, the electric contact portion or the conductor is press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 to electrically connect with a male terminal fitting or an FPC.

The above-mentioned conventional tuning fork terminal 100 is
When electrically connected to the male terminal fitting or the FPC, the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 elastically deform in a direction away from each other. Then, the electric contact portion 101 includes the pair of sandwiching pieces 10
The electric contact portion and the conductor are sandwiched between the three to prevent the electric contact portion and the conductor from coming off.

[0006]

The tuning fork terminal 100 having the above-described structure is elastically deformed in the direction in which the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 are separated from each other, and is electrically connected to the male terminal fitting or the FPC.

On the other hand, in recent years, the wire harness using the tuning fork terminal 100 and the like has been desired to be further downsized. For this reason, of course, miniaturization of the tuning fork terminal 100 is also desired. Therefore, the pair of sandwiching pieces 103
When the total length along the direction in which the connecting portion 102 extends from the connecting portion 102 is shortened, when the electric contact portion of the male terminal fitting is press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 of the one electric contact portion 101, the stress caused by this press-fitting, etc. The other electrical contact 1
It is conceivable that the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 of No. 01 are deformed in a direction approaching each other. In the worst case, it may be difficult to press fit the electrical contact portion of the male terminal fitting or the conductor of the FPC between the pair of sandwiching pieces 103 of the other electrical contact portion 101.

As described above, in the conventional tuning fork terminal 100, it becomes difficult to electrically connect the male terminal fittings to each other or the male terminal fittings to the FPC, and the conductors can be electrically connected to each other. It could be difficult.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a terminal fitting capable of reliably electrically connecting conductors. A second object is to provide a terminal fitting that can be downsized.

[0010]

In order to achieve the first object, the terminal fitting of the present invention according to claim 1 comprises a pair of electric contact portions which are electrically connected to conductors on the other side, respectively.
In a terminal fitting including a connecting portion that connects the electric contact portions to each other, the electric contact portions are respectively elastically deformed in a direction in which the electric contact portions are separated from each other, and a pair of sandwiching pieces that sandwich the conductor therebetween, And a support portion that is continuous with the base end portions of the pair of sandwiching pieces, and the connecting portion connects the support portions to each other.

In addition to the first object, in order to achieve the second object, the terminal fitting of the present invention according to claim 2,
The terminal fitting according to claim 1 is characterized in that the support portion of one electric contact portion overlaps with the other electric contact portion.

According to the terminal metal fitting of the present invention described in claim 1, the pair of electric contact portions respectively include a pair of sandwiching pieces,
And a support portion connected to the base end portion of the sandwiching piece. Therefore, even if the pair of sandwiching pieces of the one electric contact portion are elastically deformed in a direction away from each other, the support portion of the one electric contact portion supports the stress generated by the elastic deformation. Therefore, the stress generated by the elastic deformation of the pair of sandwiching pieces of the one electric contact portion in the direction away from each other is not transmitted to the other electric contact portion.

According to the terminal metal fitting of the present invention as defined in claim 2, the supporting portion of one electric contact portion overlaps with the other electric contact portion. Therefore, the length of the terminal fitting can be suppressed.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A tuning fork terminal 1 as a terminal fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The tuning fork terminal 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the like is housed in the terminal housing chamber 3 of the male connector housing 2 shown in FIG. The tuning fork terminal 1 has a male connector housing 2
6 and 7, the plate-shaped electrical contact portion 5 of the male type terminal fitting (hereinafter referred to as a male terminal) 4 and the plate-shaped electrical contact portion of the male terminal (not shown) are electrically connected to each other. Connect to each other. The electrical contact portions of these male terminals have substantially the same configuration.

The tuning fork terminal 1 is housed in a male connector housing 2 and has an electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4.
And Flexible Printed Circuit
Circuit: hereinafter referred to as FPC). The electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 and the conductor of the FPC are the counterpart conductors described in this specification.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tuning fork terminal 1 includes a pair of electric contact portions 10 and a connecting portion 11. Each of the electric contact portions 10 includes a pair of sandwiching pieces 12 that are parallel to each other, and a support portion 13 that is connected to one end portion (corresponding to the base end portion described in the specification) 12 a of each of the pair of sandwiching pieces 12. I have it. The pair of sandwiching pieces 12 extend from the supporting portion 13 to the outside of the supporting portion 13. The pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of each of the electric contact portions 10 is formed by the support portion 1
3 extend parallel to each other and in the same direction as each other.

Of the pair of electric contact portions 10, the supporting portion 13 of the one electric contact portion 10 located on the front side in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 3, it overlaps with the other electric contact portion 10 located on the back side in FIG. Thus, the pair of electric contact portions 10 overlap each other. Further, the pair of electric contact portions 10 are arranged such that the sandwiching pieces 12 extend in opposite directions from the support portion 13. Further, the pair of electric contact portions 10 are arranged such that the sandwiching pieces 12 are parallel to each other.
It is distributed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the electrical contact portion 10 is also connected with a locking piece 14 which is locked to the inner surface of the terminal accommodating chamber 3 of the male connector housing 2. . The locking piece 14 extends from the support portion 13 in the opposite direction of the pair of sandwiching pieces 12. Also, the locking piece 1
4 is slightly bent outward from the support portion 13 along the direction in which the pair of electric contact portions 10 overlap each other. When the tuning fork terminal 1 is housed in the terminal housing chamber 3, the locking piece 14 locks on the inner surface of the terminal housing chamber 3 to prevent the tuning fork terminal 1 from slipping out of the terminal housing chamber 3.

The other electric contact portion 1 located on the back side in FIG.
The end portion 14 of the locking piece 14 that is continuous with 0 apart from the support portion 13
As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, a is bent toward one electric contact portion 10 located on the front side in FIG. A curved surface 14b (shown in FIG. 3) is formed on the end portion 14a. The curved surface 14b facilitates insertion of the tuning fork terminal 1 into the terminal accommodating chamber 3. It should be noted that the end portion 14a of the locking piece 14 connected to the one electric contact portion 10 located on the front side in FIG.
Is not bent, and the curved surface 14b and the like described above are not formed.

When the electrical contact portion 10 having the above-described structure is electrically connected to the electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 or the like, first, as shown in FIG. Four
To the electric contact part 5 of. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 is connected to the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 along the direction in which the one sandwiching piece 12 extends from the supporting portion 13.
Press in between. When the electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 is press-fitted, the electric contact portion 10 elastically deforms in the direction in which the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 are separated from each other. The stress generated by this elastic deformation is supported by the portion P of the supporting portion 13 indicated by parallel diagonal lines in FIG. The portion P is a portion where the one end portion 12a and the support portion 13 are continuous.

The connecting portion 11 is formed in a strip shape. The connecting portion 11 has a support portion 13 of the electric contact portion 10 having one end.
To the support portion 13 of the electric contact portion 10 of which the other end is connected to
It is connected to. In this way, the connecting portion 11 connects the supporting portions 13 of the pair of electric contact portions 10 to each other.

The tuning fork terminal 1 having the above-described structure is formed by bending a conductive sheet metal 20 (shown in FIG. 4). The sheet metal 20 is obtained by punching out a conductive metal plate made of copper or a copper alloy (including brass, beryllium copper, etc.). As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet metal 20 integrally includes a pair of contact-corresponding portions 21, one connecting-corresponding portion 22, and a pair of locking-piece-corresponding portions 23.

The contact corresponding parts 21 correspond to the electric contact parts 10, respectively. The contact corresponding portions 21 are respectively along the outer shape of the electric contact portion 10. The connection equivalent part 22 is
It corresponds to the connecting portion 11. The connection corresponding portion 22 is along the outer shape of the connection portion 11. The connection corresponding part 22 connects the pair of contact corresponding parts 21 to each other. Locking piece equivalent part 23
Respectively correspond to the locking pieces 14. Locking piece equivalent part 2
3 respectively follow the outer shape of the locking piece 14. The locking piece corresponding parts 23 are connected to the contact corresponding parts 21, respectively.

The tuning fork terminal 1 is obtained by bending the sheet metal 20 along fold lines R1, R2, R3 shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. The tuning fork terminal 1 having the above-mentioned configuration,
When electrically connected to the male terminal 4, the electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 is arranged along the direction in which the sandwiching piece 12 extends from the support portion 13, and the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the one electrical contacting portion 10 are connected to each other. It is pressed in between. The electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 which is press-fitted is sandwiched between the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 by the elastic restoring force generated by the elastic deformation. And one electric contact part 10
Is electrically connected to the electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 or the like.

When connecting the electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 and the like to the other electric contact portion 10, the same operation is performed. Furthermore, when connecting the conductor of the FPC to the electrical contact portion 10, the FP
C is wrapped around a member made of a rigid body, and the FPC for each member is press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 along the direction in which the sandwiching piece 12 extends from the support portion 13. In this way, tuning fork terminal 1
Can electrically connect the electrical contact portions 5 of the male terminal 4 to each other,
The electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 and the conductor of the FPC can be electrically connected. The tuning fork terminal 1 electrically connects the conductors to each other.

According to this embodiment, a pair of electric contact portions 1
0 includes a pair of sandwiching pieces 12 and a supporting portion 13 that is continuous with one end 12a of the sandwiching piece 12. Therefore, even if the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the one electric contact portion 10 elastically deform in a direction away from each other, the support portion 13 of the one electric contact portion 10 supports the stress generated by the elastic deformation. Therefore, the stress generated by elastically deforming the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the one electric contact portion 10 in the direction away from each other is not transmitted to the other electric contact portion 10.

Therefore, even if the electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 or the conductor of the FPC as a conductor on the other side is press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the electric contact portion 10 on the other side, the electric contact of the other side is made. It is possible to prevent the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the portion 10 from approaching each other. Therefore, between the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of the other electric contact portion 10, the electric contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 as the mating conductor, the conductor of the FPC, or the like can be reliably press-fitted.

Therefore, the mating conductors such as the electric contact portion 5 and the FPC can be securely press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces 12 of both the electric contact portions 10. Therefore, the tuning fork terminal 1
The mating conductors such as the electric contact portion 5 and the FPC can be reliably electrically connected to each other.

Further, the supporting portion 13 of the one electric contact portion 10 is provided.
Overlaps the other electric contact portion 10. Therefore, the length L (shown in FIG. 1) of the tuning fork terminal 1 along the direction in which the clip piece 12 extends from the support portion 13 is equal to the electrical contact portion along the direction in which the clip piece 12 extends from the support portion 13. Length 10
It is smaller than the value obtained by doubling (shown in FIG. 1 etc.). Therefore, the sandwiching piece 1 is formed by connecting the electrical contact portions 10 to each other along the direction in which the sandwiching piece 12 extends from the support portion 13.
The length of the tuning fork terminal 1 along the direction in which 2 extends from the support portion 13 can be suppressed. Therefore, the tuning fork terminal 1 can be surely downsized.

Further, the sandwiching pieces 12 of the pair of electric contact portions 10 are provided.
Extend in opposite directions from the support portion 13. Therefore, between the sandwiching pieces 12 of both of the pair of electric contact portions 10,
The electrical contact portion 5 of the male terminal 4 and the conductor of the FPC can be reliably press-fitted.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, each electric contact portion has a pair of sandwiching pieces,
And a support portion connected to the base end portion of the sandwiching piece. Therefore, the stress generated by the elastic deformation of the pair of sandwiching pieces of the one electric contact portion in the direction away from each other is not transmitted to the other electric contact portion. Therefore, even if the conductor is press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces of the one electrical contact portion, the pair of sandwiching pieces of the other electrical contact portion can be prevented from approaching each other, and the conductor on the other side is paired with the pair of electrical contact portions. It can be securely press-fitted between the pair of sandwiching pieces. Therefore, the conductors on the other side can be reliably electrically connected to each other.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the support portion of one electric contact portion overlaps with the other electric contact portion. Therefore, the length of the terminal fitting can be suppressed. Therefore, in addition to the fact that the conductors on the other side can be reliably electrically connected to each other, the size of the terminal fitting can be surely reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tuning fork terminal as a terminal fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a side view of the tuning fork terminal shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a metal plate forming the tuning fork terminal shown in FIG.

5 is a perspective view showing the tuning fork terminal and the male connector housing shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

6 is a side view showing a state in which an electric contact portion of a male terminal is made to face between a pair of sandwiching pieces of the tuning fork terminal shown in FIG.

7 is a side view showing a state in which the electrical contact portion of the male terminal shown in FIG. 6 is press-fitted between a pair of sandwiching pieces.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional tuning fork terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tuning fork terminal (terminal bracket) 5 Electric contact part (other conductor) 10 Electric contact part 11 Connection 12 scissors 12a One end (base end) 13 Support

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A terminal fitting, comprising: a pair of electric contact portions that are electrically connected to a conductor on the opposite side; and a connecting portion that connects the electric contact portions to each other; A pair of sandwiching pieces that elastically deform in a direction away from each other to sandwich the conductor between each other, and a support portion that is continuous with the base end portions of the pair of sandwiching pieces, the connecting portion, the support portion A terminal fitting characterized by being connected. 2. The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the support portion of one electric contact portion overlaps with the other electric contact portion.