JP2003308912A - Terminal contact structure and wiring board used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a terminal contact structure and a wiring board used for the same wherein a whole height of the contact part can be suppressed low while a sure contact characteristic/retaining characteristic against the counter terminal is secured, and down-size a fuse housing box and an electric connecting box. <P>SOLUTION: At the end part of the longitudinal direction of a band plate-type bus bar 21 in which a plate face is installed in parallel with a face of the wiring board, a contact part 23 composed of a spring part 25 having an S-shaped tip and formed by bending a bus bar 21 in the S-shape, and a retaining part 29 facing the spring part 25 over the counter terminal inserting gap 27 is installed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal contact structure in which a contact portion of a mating terminal is directly provided on a bus bar and a wiring board used for the terminal contact structure, and more particularly to an improved technique for suppressing the height of the contact portion from the wiring board to be low. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is desirable that a fuse housing box, an electric junction box, and the like mounted on a vehicle be miniaturized in order to eliminate interference with other members and improve mountability. Due to such a demand, conventionally, a wiring board housed in such a fuse housing box or an electrical connection box has adopted a terminal contact structure capable of directly connecting terminals such as fuses and relays to a bus bar to be routed. There is. As a contact portion used in this type of low-profile terminal contact structure, for example, there is a tuning fork terminal 1 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tuning fork terminal 1 has a substantially C-shaped mating terminal insertion gap in which an end portion of a bus bar 3 arranged on a wiring board (not shown) is vertically bent to stand up and opened at an upper end edge. By notching 5, the pair of spring parts 7, 7 are opposed to each other. Then, in the tuning fork terminal 1, as shown in FIG. 7, by inserting the mating terminal 9a such as the fuse 9 into the mating terminal insertion gap 5, the pair of spring portions 7, 7 are bent within the elastic limit. The mating terminal 9a is held by using the elastic restoring force as a contact load. With such a terminal contact structure, a dedicated member for connecting to the mating terminal can be omitted, and the fuse 9 and the like can be held at a low height with respect to the wiring board. As a result, the fuse accommodating box or the electrical junction box can be held. Can be downsized.

[0004]

However, the conventional terminal contact structure in which the tuning fork terminal is provided at the end of the bus bar described above has a height l1 so that the pair of spring portions can apply a contact load within the elastic limit. It was necessary to provide the terminal leg portion 11 having a height of 12 on the lower portion of the spring portion 7. Therefore, in the case of a tuning fork terminal, in order to be able to apply a predetermined contact load within the spring elasticity limit, a total height of l1 + l2 is required,
This total height was determined by the correlation between the amount of flexure of the spring portion and the contact load. Therefore, even if the overall height of the fuse, relay, etc. is reduced, the terminal leg portion 11 cannot be eliminated, and miniaturization of these fuses and electrical junction boxes leads to miniaturization of the fuse housing box and electrical junction box. There was a problem that was difficult to be reflected. In addition, since the terminal contact structure that uses the tuning fork terminal is formed by cutting out the plate-shaped bus bar, the contact surface with the mating terminal becomes the end surface (the surface parallel to the thickness direction) of the plate material bus bar, ensuring a sufficient contact area. It became difficult to do. Further, the tuning fork terminal is liable to buckle due to local deformation when the mating terminal is flexed, which makes it difficult to obtain a stable contact load, resulting in deterioration of the holding property of the mating terminal. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a terminal contact structure and a wiring board used for the terminal contact structure, which can suppress the overall height of the contact portion to be low while ensuring reliable contactability / retention with a mating terminal. Therefore, it is intended to reduce the size of the fuse housing box and the electrical connection box.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a terminal contact structure according to a first aspect of the present invention is a terminal end in the longitudinal direction of a strip-shaped bus bar having a plate surface parallel to the surface of a wiring board. And a contact portion formed of a spring portion having an S-shaped tip formed by bending the bus bar in an S shape, and a holding portion facing the spring portion with a mating terminal insertion gap therebetween. To do.

In this terminal contact structure, the contact portion including the spring portion and the holding portion can be arranged in contact with the wiring board. Therefore, as in the case of a tuning fork terminal, for example, a terminal leg portion that stands up from the wiring board in order to obtain a contact load and strength is not required, and the height of the contact portion from the wiring board is reduced accordingly. This enables downsizing of the electrical junction box and the fuse housing box. Also, compared to tuning fork terminals that make contact with the mating terminal on the end face of the plate bus bar (a plane parallel to the thickness direction), the mating terminal comes into contact with the plate faces of the spring part and the holding part, so the contact area is increased and the current density increases. The contact resistance and heat generation can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal contact structure according to the first aspect.
In the terminal contact structure described above, a punching-out portion in which the bus bar is partially projected is provided on a surface of the holding portion facing the spring portion.

In this terminal contact structure, the mating terminal is provided by, for example, projecting a projecting portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the bus bar at a substantially central portion in the width direction on the surface of the holding portion obtained by bending the plate-shaped bus bar. The electrical contact with the mating terminal inserted in the insertion gap is further enhanced. Further, by providing the plate-shaped holding portion with the unevenness, the holding portion has a three-dimensional structure, and the strength of the entire holding portion is increased.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal contact structure according to the first aspect.
Alternatively, in the terminal contact structure according to 2, the bus bar is
It is characterized in that it has a stopper for locking the wiring board and restricting its movement at a position separated from the holding portion by a predetermined distance.

In this terminal contact structure, the portion of the bus bar separated from the holding portion by a predetermined distance is locked to the wiring board by the stopper. Therefore, the free end is movable from the stopper to the tip side. That is, not only the S-shaped bent contact portion but also the bus bar between this contact portion and the stopper can be made flexible, and the spring elasticity range can be widened. As a result, the contact load due to elastic deformation for contact with the mating terminal can also be taken up by this portion, and the terminal retainability can be improved.

A terminal contact structure according to a fourth aspect is the terminal contact structure according to the first, second or third aspect, in which the bus bar is provided on an arbitrary wiring board in which a plurality of layers are laminated, and the bus bar of the arbitrary wiring board is removed. An interlayer through plate for leading out the contact portion is provided on the surface of the uppermost wiring board between the contact portion and the bus bar.

In this terminal contact structure, when a bus bar is placed on a wiring board other than the uppermost wiring layer formed by stacking a plurality of sheets, the end portion of the bus bar is the surface of the uppermost wiring board due to the extending interlayer through plate. And the contact portion formed at the tip of the interlayer through plate is disposed on the surface of the uppermost wiring board. As a result, the bus bar can be arranged in a plurality of layers of the laminated wiring board, and the number of circuits adopting this terminal contact structure can be easily increased.

A wiring board according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the wiring board used in the terminal contact structure according to the first, second or third aspect, wherein the spring portion of the contact portion is provided at the tip end side so as to project on the surface of the wiring board. It is characterized in that it is provided with a cavity which is covered from above and accommodated and held inside.

In this terminal contact structure, the spring portion is surrounded by the cavity provided on the surface of the wiring board so that the spring portion does not deform more than necessary (in other words, the deformation of the spring portion falls within the elastic limit). Therefore, the spring portion maintains an appropriate contact load and reliably holds the mating terminal.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a terminal contact structure according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
1 is a perspective view of a terminal contact structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a terminal contact structure composed of a bus bar and a wiring board, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wiring board having a cavity, and FIG. 4 is a contact portion. FIG. 5 is a side view of the punched-out portion formed in FIG. 5, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the contact portion with the mating terminal inserted in the mating terminal insertion gap.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view in the case where the terminal contact structure of FIG. 1 is adopted in a wiring board having a plurality of laminated layers.

The terminal contact structure according to this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a contact portion 23 is formed at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped bus bar 21 in which the board surface is placed parallel to the surface of the wiring board. The contact portion 23 includes an S-shaped tip spring portion 25 formed by bending the bus bar 21 in an S-shape, and a holding portion 29 facing the spring portion 25 with a mating terminal insertion gap 27. . Therefore, the holding portion 29 has an n-shape and stands up from the wiring board. That is, the contact portion 23 is arranged in contact with the wiring board.

The bus bar 21 has a pair of stoppers 31, 31 at a position separated from the holding portion 29 by a predetermined distance. The stopper 31 is formed by bending a tongue piece, which is formed by partially separating the bus bar 21 from the bus bar 21 by cutting out the bus bar 21 in a U-shape, in a downward direction (a direction opposite to the standing direction of the holding portion 29). . As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of stoppers 31, 31 are locked in the pair of locking holes 35, 35 provided in the wiring board 33, respectively, and restrict the movement of the bus bar 21.

In this manner, by locking the portion of the bus bar 21 that is separated from the holding portion 29 by a predetermined distance to the wiring board 33 by the stopper 31, the tip end side of the stopper 31 becomes a movable free end, and the S-shape is formed. Not only the contact portion 23 that is bent in a curved shape but also the bus bar portion 21a between the contact portion 23 and the stopper 31 can be made flexible, and the spring elasticity range can be widened. As a result, the contact load due to elastic deformation for contact with the mating terminal is also taken up by this portion, and the terminal holding property can be improved.

The contact portion 23 is provided on the surface of the wiring board 33.
A cavity 37 is provided so as to cover the spring portion 25 from the front end side and accommodate and hold it inside. As shown in FIG. 3, the cavity 37 includes a front plate 37 a facing the spring portion 25,
Both side plates 37b, 37b, front plate portion 37a and both side plates 3
7b and 37b and an upper plate 37c that is provided on the upper ends of the 7b and 37b form a box shape with one side surface opened. Cavity 37
As shown in FIG. 2, by housing the spring portion 25 inside from this opening, the tip of the spring portion 25 is moved to the front plate 37a,
It abuts on the upper plate 37c or is located with a slight gap.

In this way, the spring portion 25 is connected to the wiring board 33.
By being surrounded by the cavity 37 protruding from the surface of the spring part 25, the spring part 25 is prevented from being deformed more than necessary (in other words, the deformation of the spring part 25 is kept within the elastic limit).
5 maintains an appropriate contact load and securely holds the mating terminal.

As shown in FIG. 4, the surface of the holding portion 29 facing the spring portion 25 is provided with a punching portion 41 in which the bus bar 21 is partially projected. As a result, electrical contact with the mating terminal inserted into the mating terminal insertion gap 27 is enhanced. Further, by providing the plate-shaped holding portion 29 with the projections and depressions 41 to form the projections and depressions, the holding portion 29 has a three-dimensional structure, and the strength of the entire holding portion is increased.

Further, at the bent portion between the bus bar 21 and the holding portion 29, a bead 43 shown in FIG. 1 which is locally projected over the holding portion 29 and the bus bar 21 is formed. . By providing the bead 43, the contact portion 23 has an increased spring elasticity limit and strength in the bent portion with the bus bar 21.

Next, the operation of the terminal contact structure constructed as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, when the mating terminal 45a, which is the contact portion of the fuse 45 that is the mating partner, is inserted into the mating terminal insertion gap 27 between the spring portion 25 and the holding portion 29, the spring portion 25 is formed. The holding portion 29 elastically deforms in the separating direction, and the elastic restoring force holds the mating terminal 45a so as to sandwich it from the front and back surfaces.

At this time, when the spring portion 25 comes into contact with the cavity 37 due to the deformation, the spring portion 25 receives a reaction force from the cavity 37. This reaction force is received by the wiring board 33 by the stoppers 31, 31 provided on the bus bar 21.
That is, in addition to the contact load due to the elastic return force of the spring portion 25 and the contact portion 23, the contact load due to the elastic return force of the entire bus bar between the tip of the spring portion and the stopper 31 is reflected on the mating terminal 45a. The Rukoto. This ensures that the mating terminal 45a can be held.

As described above, according to the above-mentioned terminal contact structure, the contact portion 23 including the spring portion 25 and the holding portion 29 can be arranged in contact with the wiring board 33. Therefore, unlike the case of a tuning fork terminal, for example, a terminal leg portion that stands up from the wiring board 33 to obtain a contact load and strength becomes unnecessary,
Accordingly, the height of the contact portion 23 from the wiring board 33 becomes lower. This enables downsizing of the electrical junction box and the fuse housing box. Further, compared to a tuning fork terminal that contacts the mating terminal on the end surface (surface parallel to the thickness direction) of the plate bus bar 21,
Since the plate surfaces of the spring portion 25 and the holding portion 29 come into contact with the mating terminals 45a, the contact area can be increased, the current density can be lowered, and the contact resistance and heat generation can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the case where the terminal contact structure is adopted for the single-layer wiring board 33 has been described as an example. However, the terminal contact structure according to the present invention is, as shown in FIG. The bus bar 21 is attached to an arbitrary wiring board 33 in which the sheets are stacked.
And an interlayer penetrating plate 51 that guides the contact portion 23 from the bus bar 21 of the arbitrary wiring board 33 to the surface of the uppermost wiring board 33 is provided between the contact portion 23 and the bus bar 21. Good. With such a configuration, when the bus bar 21 is placed on the wiring board 33 other than the uppermost layer laminated by a plurality of sheets, the end portion of the bus bar 21 is formed on the uppermost layer by the extending interlayer through plate 51. The contact portion 23, which is led to the surface of the wiring board 33 and formed at the tip of the interlayer penetration plate 51, is arranged on the surface of the wiring board 33 of the uppermost layer. As a result, the bus bar 21 can be arranged in a plurality of layers, and the number of circuits adopting this terminal contact structure can be easily increased.

[0027]

As described above in detail, according to the terminal contact structure of the present invention, the bus bar is bent into an S-shape at the end portion of the strip-shaped bus bar and the spring portion having the S-shaped tip is formed. Since the contact portion including the holding portion facing the other terminal insertion gap is formed in the spring portion, the contact portion including the spring portion and the holding portion can be arranged in contact with the wiring board. As in the case of the terminal, the terminal leg portion that stands up from the wiring board to obtain the contact load and strength is unnecessary, and the height of the contact portion from the wiring board can be reduced accordingly. As a result, the electric connection box and the fuse storage box can be downsized. Also, compared to tuning fork terminals that make contact with the mating terminal on the end surface of the plate bus bar (the surface parallel to the thickness direction), the mating terminal can be contacted with the plate surface of the spring part and the holding part, increasing the contact area and increasing the current density. The contact resistance and heat generation can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terminal contact structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a terminal contact structure composed of a bus bar and a wiring board.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wiring board having a cavity.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a punching portion formed on a contact portion.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the contact portion with the mating terminal inserted into the mating terminal insertion gap.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view when the terminal contact structure of FIG. 1 is adopted in a wiring board in which a plurality of sheets are laminated.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional terminal contact structure using a tuning fork terminal.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the tuning fork terminal shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 bus bar 23 Contact part 25 Spring 27 Opposite terminal insertion gap 29 holding part 31 Stopper 33 wiring board 37 cavities 41 launching section 51 Interlayer penetration plate

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A spring portion having an S-shaped tip formed by bending the bus bar in an S shape at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of a strip-shaped bus bar provided with a board surface parallel to a surface of a wiring board, and the spring. A terminal contact structure, wherein the terminal contact structure is provided with a contact part formed of a holding part facing each other across a mating terminal insertion gap. 2. The terminal contact structure according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the holding portion facing the spring portion is provided with a punched-out portion in which the bus bar is partially projected. . 3. The terminal contact structure according to claim 1, wherein the bus bar has a stopper that locks with the wiring board and restricts movement of the bus bar at a portion separated from the holding portion by a predetermined distance. A terminal contact structure characterized in that 4. The terminal contact structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the busbar is provided on an arbitrary wiring board having a plurality of laminated layers, and the busbar of the arbitrary wiring board is provided on the surface of the uppermost wiring board. The terminal contact structure, wherein an interlayer penetrating plate for leading out the contact portion is provided between the contact portion and the bus bar. 5. The wiring board used in the terminal contact structure according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the spring portion of the contact portion, which is projected from the surface of the wiring board and covers from the tip side, is housed and held inside. A wiring board having a cavity for