JP2003331963A - Terminal fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent crushing deformation of a rectangle cylinder part without fitting a special reinforcing means. <P>SOLUTION: Out of a ceiling plate 15 and a bottom plate 12 opposing with an elastic contact piece 16 in between, an extended end 16a of the elastic contact piece 16 extended from a rear end of the ceiling plate 15 is in contact with the bottom plate 12, so that the elastic contact piece 16 exerts a function of reinforcement for preventing the two plate parts (the ceiling plate 15 and the bottom plate 12) from getting closer. Therefore, there is no need of setting a special reinforcing means between the ceiling plate 15 and the bottom plate 12, and a crushing deformation of the rectangle cylinder part 10 can be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a terminal fitting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a terminal fitting having a square tubular portion penetrating in the front-rear direction at its front end and accommodating an elastic contact piece in the square tubular portion. In this terminal fitting 100, an elastic contact piece 103 is cantilevered rearwardly from a front end edge of a bottom plate 102 constituting the rectangular tube portion 101, and a mating terminal is provided between the elastic contact piece 103 and the ceiling plate 104. By elastically sandwiching the tab (not shown) of the metal fitting,
It is designed to be connected to the mating terminal fitting.

Incidentally, a terminal fitting of this type has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-161971.

[0004]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned conventional terminal fitting 1
The square tube portion 101 in 00 is formed by only bending a flat metal plate material along a fold line in the front-rear direction, and the left and right side edges in the unfolded state before bending are simply contacted with each other even after bending. They just touch or come close to each other and are not fixed. That is, the rectangular tube portion 10
In No. 1, the tubular shape is maintained only by the rigidity of the metal plate material itself.

Therefore, when a strong external force is applied to the square tube portion 101, the square tube portion 101 may be crushed and deformed to a slight extent. If the crushing deformation is such that the bottom plate 102 and the ceiling plate 104 are brought close to each other, that is, the crushing is performed in the elastic bending direction of the elastic contact piece 103, the contact pressure between the tab and the elastic contact piece 103 is reduced. There is a concern that will not be appropriate. As means for preventing the crush deformation of the rectangular tube portion 101, one of the bottom plate 102 and the ceiling plate 104 (for example, the bottom plate 102) is connected to a reinforcing side plate (not shown), and the edge of the reinforcing side plate is connected. It is conceivable that the bottom plate 102 and the ceiling plate 104 are restricted from approaching each other by abutting the other plate portion (for example, the ceiling plate 104). However, if such a reinforcing side plate is provided, a new problem arises that the material cost is correspondingly increased.

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to prevent crush deformation of a rectangular tube portion without providing a dedicated reinforcing means.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a square tube portion formed by bending a metal plate material along a fold line in the front-rear direction, and an elastic contact piece provided in the square tube portion. A terminal metal fitting, wherein the elastic contact piece is elastically brought into contact with a tab of a mating terminal metal fitting inserted into the square tubular portion from the front, wherein the elastic contact piece includes the square tubular portion. The plate portion is configured to be folded back from any one of front and rear edges of the plate portion and extend, and the extended end portion is brought into contact with another plate portion located on the side opposite to the plate portion. It was configured.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an electric wire crimping portion is provided continuously behind the square tube portion, and the elastic contact piece is provided from a rear end edge of the plate portion. The tab is extended and folded back, and the tab is pressed between the plate portion and the elastic contact piece. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the extending end portion of the elastic contact piece is in contact with the plate portion of the terminal fitting in a bent shape so as to be folded back. .

[0009]

[Advantageous Effects of the Invention] [Invention 1] Out of two corresponding plate portions sandwiching the elastic contact piece, the extending end of the elastic contact piece extending from one plate portion is the other plate portion. Since they are in contact with each other, this elastic contact piece exerts a reinforcing function of preventing two corresponding plate portions from approaching each other with the elastic contact piece sandwiched therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to prevent crush deformation of the rectangular tube portion without providing a dedicated reinforcing means between the two plate portions.

[Invention of Claim 2] When the elastic contact piece is extended from the front end edge of the plate portion, it is elongated from a wide plate-like portion for forming the rectangular tube portion in the expanded state before bending. Since the elastic contact piece extends forward, it is necessary to greatly cut off the side portion of the elastic contact piece when cutting the metal plate material into a predetermined shape, resulting in poor yield. However, in the present invention, since the elastic contact piece extends rearward along the wire crimping portion from the plate portion forming the rectangular tube portion in the expanded state, the area of the cut-off portion can be small and the yield is good.

[Invention of Claim 3] The elastic contact piece folded back from the rear end edge of the plate portion has its extended end portion positioned at the front end portion of the rectangular tube portion. Since the extension end is bent backward in a folded shape, even if a foreign object interferes with the extension end, the interference position is an arc-shaped surface formed by the folding and the foreign object slides on the arc-shaped surface. Like Therefore, there is no fear that the extended end portion will cause buckling deformation due to interference with the foreign matter.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the following description, with respect to the front-rear direction, the left side in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 will be referred to as the front side.
The terminal fitting F of the present embodiment is of a so-called female terminal fitting, and has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole. Front end of terminal fitting F (approximately the first half)
Is a rectangular tube portion 10 penetrating in the front-rear direction, and a tab T at the front end of a male terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted into the rectangular tube portion 10. The rear end portion (substantially the latter half portion) of the terminal fitting F is an open barrel-shaped electric wire crimping portion 11, and an end portion of an electric wire (not shown) is connected to the electric wire crimping portion 11 by crimping so as to be conductive. It is supposed to be done.

The rectangular tube portion 10 includes a bottom plate 12 (another plate portion with which the extending end 16a of the elastic contact piece 16 which is a constituent of the present invention abuts) having a constant width elongated in the front-rear direction, and the left side of the bottom plate 12. A left side plate lower portion 13a extending upward from the edge and having a constant height in the front-rear direction, and a constant height higher than the left side plate lower portion 13a extending upward from the right side edge of the bottom plate 12 in the front-back direction. An elongated right side plate 14,
A ceiling plate 15 (a plate portion which is a constituent feature of the present invention) protruding from the upper edge of the right side plate 14 to the left in the right angle direction and having an elongated shape in the front-rear direction with a width substantially the same as that of the bottom plate 12, and the ceiling plate 15 It is composed of a left side plate upper portion 13b extending downward from the left side edge and having a vertical height smaller than the height of the right side plate 14 and having a constant height in the front-rear direction. The left side plate lower portion 13a and the left side plate upper portion 13b are vertically arranged with a slight gap therebetween, and these two plate portions constitute the left side plate 13. The rear end of the bottom plate 12 is connected to the wire crimping portion 11.

An elastic contact piece 16 which is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole is accommodated in the rectangular tube portion 10. The elastic contact piece 16 is substantially U downward from the rear edge of the ceiling plate 15 to the front.
It is bent so as to be folded back in a letter shape, extends forward from the bent portion (hereinafter referred to as the rear bent portion 17), and the front end portion of the extended portion 18 (the extended end portion 16 of the elastic contact piece 16).
In a), the shape is bent so as to be folded back in a rearward and rearward direction into a substantially U-shape (S-shape extending as a whole in the front-rear direction). The flat end 20 of the bent portion (hereinafter, referred to as the front bent portion 19) of the extended end 16a of the elastic contact piece 16
Is the bottom plate 12 (that is, the ceiling plate 1 with the elastic contact piece 16 interposed therebetween).
5 is in contact with the upper surface (inner surface) of the plate portion corresponding to 5 in a surface contact state. In this state, the elastic contact piece 16 is elastically bent, and the elastic restoring force of the elastic contact piece 16 causes the flat end portion 20.
Touches the bottom plate 12 elastically.

Further, of the extended portion 18, a rear end portion 18c connected to the rear bent portion 17 and a front end portion 1 connected to the front bent portion 19 are connected.
8a is inclined obliquely downward to the front (direction approaching the bottom plate 12), and the central portion 18b between the rear end 18c and the front end 18a is inclined obliquely downward to the rear. The central portion 18b and the front end portion 18a are connected in a mountain shape, and the continuous portion (the peak portion) is in contact with the tab T.
It is 1. A space smaller than the thickness of the tab T is provided between the upper surface of the contact portion 21 and the lower surface of the ceiling plate 15. The tab T inserted in the rectangular tube portion 10 enters between the contact portion 21 and the ceiling plate 15 and enters the elastic contact piece 16.
Is elastically bent, and is elastically sandwiched between the elastic contact piece 16 and the ceiling plate 15 by the elastic restoring force of the elastic contact piece 16, so that the terminal fitting F of the present embodiment and the mating terminal fitting F can be conducted. Connected to.

It should be noted that from the front edge of the bottom plate 12, the protective plate portion 22 is formed.
Of the elastic contact piece 16 is positioned in front of the front bent portion 19 (extended end portion 16a) of the elastic contact piece 16, and foreign matter may come into contact with the front bent portion 19 from the front. Prevent interference. Further, at the lower edge of the right side plate 14, a square plate-shaped stabilizer 23 extends downward from a substantially central position in the front-rear direction. An area corresponding to the stabilizer 23 is opened on the bottom plate 12, and this opening allows a resin lance (not shown) in the housing when the terminal fitting F is inserted into the housing (not shown). It is a lance hole 24 for locking. The flat end 2 of the elastic contact piece 16
The rear end of 0 does not protrude into the opening region of the lance hole 24 in both the free state in which the elastic contact piece 16 does not elastically bend and the state in which the elastic contact piece 16 elastically bends due to contact with the tab T. . That is, the rear end of the flat end portion 20 is kept in a state of being positioned in front of the lance hole 24.

The terminal fitting F is formed by bending a flat metal plate material Fa punched into a predetermined shape. Explaining the shape of the expanded state before bending, the plate-shaped portion forming the rectangular tube portion 10 is at the leftmost end (see FIG. 4).
The left side plate lower part 13a is located at the lowermost end), the bottom plate 12 is connected to the right side edge of the left side plate lower part 13a, and the right side plate 14 is connected to the right side edge of the bottom plate 12 plate.
4 is connected to a ceiling plate 15, and the ceiling plate 15 is connected to an upper left side plate 13b. That is, the left side plate lower portion 13a, the bottom plate 12, the right side plate 14, the ceiling plate 15 and the left side plate upper portion 13b.
The five plate portions are connected in parallel (in parallel) to each other, and have a substantially rectangular shape as a whole.

An electric wire crimping portion 11 extends rearward from the rear end of the bottom plate 12. An elastic contact piece 16 slightly narrower than the ceiling plate 15 extends rearward from the rear end edge of the ceiling plate 15 so as to be along the electric wire crimping portion 11 (in a line). A protective plate portion 22 projects from the front edge of the bottom plate 12. The bending of the metal plate material Fa is performed in the following steps. First, at the rear edge of the ceiling plate 15 (the base end of the elastic contact piece 16), the elastic contact piece 16 is attached to the ceiling plate 15
To the rear bent portion 1
7 is formed, and two points in the middle of the extending portion 18 of the elastic contact piece 16 are bent at an obtuse angle to form a rear end portion 18c and a central portion 18
b, the contact portion 21 with the front end portion 18a and the tab T is formed,
Further, the front bent portion 19 and the flat end portion 20 are formed by bending the front end portion 18a so as to be folded back into a substantially U shape.
The order of the bending process for the elastic contact piece 16 is not limited to the above, and may be changed arbitrarily.

After the elastic contact piece 16 is formed in this manner, the bottom plate 12 is bent at a right angle to the lower left plate 13a, the right side plate 14 is bent at a right angle to the bottom plate 12, and the right side plate 14 is bent. On the other hand, the ceiling plate 15 is bent at a right angle, the left side plate upper portion 13b is bent at a right angle with respect to the ceiling plate 15, and the protection plate portion 22 is bent at a right angle with respect to the bottom plate 12 to form the square tube portion 10 and the stabilizer 23. Mold. This square tube part 10
Bending of each plate portion for forming is performed along the fold line 25 in the front-rear direction. As described above, the bending process is completed and the terminal fitting F is formed.

According to the above terminal fitting F, the elastic contact piece 1
Of the two plate portions (ceiling plate 15 and bottom plate 12) corresponding to the upper and lower sides with 6 in between, the extending end 16a of the elastic contact piece 16 extending from the rear end of the ceiling plate 15 is in contact with the bottom plate 12. Therefore, the elastic contact piece 16 exerts a reinforcing function of preventing the corresponding ceiling plate 15 and bottom plate 12 from approaching each other with the elastic contact piece 16 interposed therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rectangular tubular portion 10 from being crushed and deformed in the vertical direction without providing a dedicated reinforcing means between the two plate portions (the ceiling plate 15 and the bottom plate 12).

Further, when the elastic contact piece is extended from the front end edge of the plate portion (for example, the ceiling plate or the bottom plate) forming the square tube portion, the square tube portion is formed in the unfolded state before bending. Since the slender elastic contact piece extends forward from the wide plate-like portion, the side portion of the elastic contact piece needs to be largely cut off when the metal plate material is cut into a predetermined shape, resulting in poor yield. However, in the present embodiment, since the elastic contact piece 16 extends rearward from the ceiling plate 15 forming the rectangular tube portion 10 along the wire crimping portion 11 in the expanded state,
Five plate parts (left side plate lower part 13a,
Bottom plate 12, right side plate 14, ceiling plate 15 and left side plate upper part 13
There is no narrow protruding portion in front of b). Therefore, the area of the portion cut off when the metal plate material Fa is cut into a predetermined shape is small, and the yield is good.

Further, the elastic contact piece 16 folded back from the rear end edge of the ceiling plate 15 has the extending end portion 16a of the extending portion 18 thereof.
Although the (front end) is located at the front end of the rectangular tube portion 10, in the present embodiment, since the protection plate portion 22 is provided in front of the extension end portion 16a, the protection plate portion 22 is provided outside the extension end portion 16a. The interference of foreign matter from the outside is prevented. Further, even if a foreign object interferes with the extension end portion 16a, the extension end portion 16a
Has a front side bent portion 19 which is bent backward so as to be folded back, so that the foreign matter can slide on the arcuate surface. Therefore, unlike the case where the extending end portion of the elastic contact piece projects forward, in the present embodiment, the extending end portion 16a does not cause buckling deformation due to interference with foreign matter.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the terminal fitting Fb of this embodiment, the elastic contact piece 30 has a configuration different from that of the first embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment,
The same reference numerals are given and the description of the structure, action and effect is omitted. In the terminal fitting Fb of this embodiment, the elastic contact piece 30 extends from the front edge of the ceiling plate 15. That is, the elastic contact piece 30 is bent so as to be folded back from the front edge of the ceiling plate 15 downward and rearward in a substantially U shape, and is extended rearward from the bent portion (hereinafter, referred to as the front bent portion 31). The extended end portion 30a is bent downward so as to be folded back in a substantially U shape, and the bent portion (hereinafter referred to as the rear bent portion 3).
2) and the extension end portion 3 of the extension portion 33 extending forward from
0b (front end portion) is inclined obliquely downward to the front. The lowermost end of the rear bent portion 32 of the elastic contact piece 30 is the bottom plate 12 (that is, the ceiling plate 1 with the flexible contact piece 30 interposed therebetween.
5 is in contact with the upper surface (inner surface) of the plate portion corresponding to 5 in a line contact state (point contact state when viewed from the side). In this state, the elastic contact piece 30 is elastically bent, and the elastic restoring force of the elastic contact piece 30 elastically abuts the bottom plate 12 on the bottom plate 12.

The front bent portion 3 of the elastic contact piece 30.
The lower end portion of 1 and the upper end portion of the extending portion 33 are contact portions 34 corresponding to the upper and lower sides with a gap narrower than the thickness dimension of the tab T. The tab T inserted in the rectangular tube portion 10 enters between the upper and lower contact portions 34 to elastically bend the elastic contact piece 30, and the elastic restoring force of the elastic contact piece 30 causes a gap between the contact portions 34. It is elastically pinched by. Also in the terminal fitting Fb of the second embodiment, of the two corresponding plate portions sandwiching the elastic contact piece 30, the extending end 30a of the elastic contact piece 30 extending from the ceiling plate 15 comes into contact with the bottom plate 12. Therefore, the elastic contact piece 30 exerts a reinforcing function of preventing the ceiling plate 15 and the bottom plate 12 from approaching each other. Therefore, the crush deformation of the square tube portion 10 can be prevented without providing a dedicated reinforcing means between the ceiling plate 15 and the bottom plate 12.

Now, in the second embodiment, the rectangular tube portion 1
The tab T inserted into 0 contacts only the elastic contact piece 30 without contacting with the plate portion forming the rectangular tube portion 10. Therefore, even if there is a vertical displacement between the terminal fitting Fb and the tab T, the displacement is absorbed by the bending deformation of the elastic contact piece 30, and the displacement between the elastic contact piece 30 and the tab T is good. Secure contact state is secured. [Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(1) In the above embodiment, the extending end portion of the elastic contact piece is bent in a folded shape. However, according to the present invention, the extended end portion is not bent in a folded shape and abuts on the bottom plate. You may let me. (2) In the above-described embodiment, the elastic contact piece extends from the ceiling plate, that is, the plate portion that is not directly connected to the wire crimping portion, but according to the present invention, the elastic contact piece is directly connected to the wire crimping portion. You may make it extend from a bottom plate. (3) In the first embodiment, the case where the left side plate extends from both the bottom plate and the ceiling plate and is vertically divided into two is described. However, in the present invention, the left side plate is either the bottom plate or the ceiling plate. The present invention can also be applied to the case of a single plate shape that extends from only one plate portion and is not divided.

(4) In the first embodiment, the end of the bent portion at the extended end of the elastic contact piece is formed into a substantially flat plate shape so as to be in surface contact with the bottom plate. The ends may be arcuate to make line contact with the bottom plate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of Embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view with a tab inserted.

[Figure 3] Front view

4 is an end view of XX in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a development view before bending the metal plate material.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

F ... Terminal fitting T ... tab 10 ... Square tube 12 ... Bottom plate (other plate) 15 ... Ceiling board (board part) 16 ... Elastic contact piece 16a ... Extension end of elastic contact piece Fb ... Terminal fitting 30 ... Elastic contact piece 30a ... Extension end of elastic contact piece

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A square tube portion formed by bending a metal plate along a fold line in the front-rear direction, and an elastic contact piece provided in the square tube portion. A terminal fitting in which the elastic contact piece is elastically brought into contact with a tab of an inserted other-side terminal fitting, wherein the elastic contact piece is one of front and rear edges of a plate portion forming the rectangular tube portion. A terminal fitting, wherein the terminal fitting is formed so as to be folded back from the plate and extended, and the extended end is brought into contact with another plate located on the side opposite to the plate. 2. An electric wire crimping portion is continuously provided behind the rectangular tube portion, and the elastic contact piece extends from a rear end edge of the plate portion and is folded back forward,
The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the tab is pressed between the plate portion and the elastic contact piece. 3. The terminal fitting according to claim 2, wherein the extending end portion of the elastic contact piece is in contact with the plate portion of the terminal fitting so as to be bent so as to be folded back. .