JP2004087139A

JP2004087139A - Terminal fitting for ground

Info

Publication number: JP2004087139A
Application number: JP2002242335A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Riichi Sakurai; 櫻井　利一; Masayasu Fujii; 藤井　雅康
Original assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2002-08-22
Filing date: 2002-08-22
Publication date: 2004-03-18

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal fitting for grounding capable of thoroughly keeping the strength of a connection part between a terminal fitting main body and a wire crimping part even when the thickness of a plate is thin. SOLUTION: The terminal fitting 10 for ground made of a metal plate formed into a prescribed shape comprises the nearly flat-shaped terminal fitting main body 13, the connection part 16 extending from the external peripheral edge of terminal fitting main body 13, and the wire crimping part 17 further extended from the end part for draw-out of the connection part 16. A reinforcing means formed by laying a second reinforcing plate 26 on a first reinforcing plate 20 is formed at the connection part 16 of the terminal fitting 10 for ground. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、アース用端子金具に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
従来、アース用端子金具として、図１０に示すものがある。これは、所定形状に打ち抜いた所定厚さの金属板材を曲げ加工してなり、平板状の端子本体１０１と、端子本体１０１の外周縁より延出する延出部の先端側に形成された電線圧着部１０２が設けられている。そして、この端子本体１０１と電線圧着部１０２の間を連結部１０５が連結している。電線圧着部１０２は、端子本体１０１に連なる底壁１０３の両側縁から一対のカシメ部１０４を立ち上げたオープンバレルと称される形状をなし、底壁１０３に電線（図示せず）を載置し、その電線を包み込むようにカシメ部１０４を塑性変形させることにより、電線圧着部１０２に電線が圧着される。
【０００３】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
近年、ワイヤーハーネスにおいて電線の小径化が要望されているが、アース用端子金具に圧着される電線もその例外ではない。ところが、上記のような電線圧着部１０２を備えたアース用端子金具では、電線を小径化した場合にアース用端子金具特有の不具合が生じる。それは、電線圧着部１０２のカシメ部１０４はその板厚が厚くなるほど曲げ難くなることから、圧着可能な電線の最小線径はカシメ部１０４の板厚によって制約を受ける、という事情によるものであって、カシメ部１０４の板厚に対して電線の径が細くなり過ぎると、電線に対するカシメ部１０４の固着力が低下し、ひいては、アース用端子金具と電線の接触信頼性低下を招くことになる。
【０００４】
そこで、細い電線に対応させるためには、カシメ部１０４の板厚、即ちアース用端子金具全体の板厚を薄くすればよいのであるが、板厚を薄くすることはアース用端子金具の強度低下を意味する。そのため、アース用端子金具が通常はハウジング内に収容されずに剥き出しのままで取り扱われる、ということを考慮すると、板厚を薄くした場合には、アース用端子金具が他の部材によって容易に変形や折損を来すことが懸念される。特に、当該アース端子金具の取付先に固定される端子本体１０１と電線圧着部１０２の間を連結する連結部１０５は、応力が集中しやすく、変形・折損が生じやすい。
【０００５】
本発明は上記のような事情に基づいて完成されたものであって、板厚を薄くした場合であっても、端子本体と電線圧着部の間の連結部の強度が十分確保可能となるアース用端子金具を提供することを目的とする。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記の目的を達成するための手段として、請求項１の発明は、所定形状に打ち抜いた金属板材からなり、略平板状の端子本体と、この端子本体の外周縁から延出する略平板状の連結部と、この連結部の延出端から更に延出する電線圧着部とを備えたアース用端子金具において、前記連結部に、補強板を重ね合わせた形態の補強手段が設けられたことを特徴とする。
【０００７】
請求項２の発明は、請求項１に記載のものにおいて、略平板状の端子本体部と、この端子本体部の外周縁から表面側へその端子本体部の板厚と略同寸法だけ立ち上がる係止部とを備えた他のアース用端子金具に対して組付け可能とされ、前記端子本体が、前記補強板に対して一枚板状に連なる積層板を重ね合わせた積層形態とすることで前記組付先の端子本体部の板厚と同一厚さとされ、この積層形態の端子本体には、その外周縁から表面側へ前記組付先の係止部と同寸法だけ立ち上がる係止片が形成され、前記他のアース用端子金具との組付け状態では、前記組付先の端子本体部を前記端子本体の表面と前記係止片との間で挟む形態、又は前記組付先の端子本体部の表面と前記組付先の係止部との間で前記端子本体が挟まれる形態とされるところに特徴を有する。
【０００８】
請求項３の発明は、請求項１または請求項２に記載のものにおいて、前記補強板が、前記連結部の側縁から折返し状に延出された形態とされているところに特徴を有する。
【０００９】
請求項４の発明は、請求項１ないし請求項３のいずれかに記載のものにおいて、前記連結部に、その側縁に沿って立ち上がる側壁部が形成されているところに特徴を有する。
【００１０】
請求項５の発明は、請求項３に記載のものにおいて、前記連結部に、その側縁に沿って立ち上げられた側壁部が形成され、この側壁部と前記補強板とが、前記連結部の側縁に沿って並び且つ互いに連なる構成をなすところに特徴を有する。
【００１１】
請求項６の発明は、請求項４又は請求項５に記載のものにおいて、前記電線圧着部が、前記連結部に連なる底板の側縁からカシメ片が立ち上がる形態にてバレル状に形成されてなり、そのカシメ片と前記側壁部とが、前記連結部の側縁に沿って並び且つ互いに連なる構成をなすところに特徴を有する。
【００１２】
請求項７の発明は、請求項１ないし請求項６に記載のものにおいて、前記連結部に、この連結部の延出方向に沿って細長く延びるリブ状補強部が叩き出しにより形成されているところに特徴を有する。
【００１３】
【発明の作用及び効果】
＜請求項１の発明＞
請求項１のような構成とすることにより、板厚を薄くして曲げ加工を行いやすい構成とした場合であっても、変形・折損が生じやすい部分の強度が十分確保可能となる。即ち、薄い板材により電線圧着部等の曲げ加工を容易に行えるようにする一方、強度が必要な端子本体と電極圧着部の間の連結部については補強板を重ね合わせた形態とすることにより十分な強度が確保される構成となり、部分毎に適した板厚を設定することが可能となる。
【００１４】
＜請求項２の発明＞
請求項２の構成によれば、本願のアース用端子同士が積層して組付け可能であり、さらに本願のアース用端子金具と他のアース用端子金具とが上下自在に積層して組み付け可能となる。また、このような構成とすると、本願のアース用端子金具に対し、その本願の端子本体の厚さとほぼ同じ厚さを有する一枚板の端子本体部を有する端子金具が互いに組付け可能となり、異なる厚さの板材にて形成されるような複数種のアース用端子金具の組合せが可能となるのである。より具体的には、例えば太い電線を対象とする端子金具については厚い板材によってカシメ付ける構成とし、一方、細い電線を対象とする場合には薄い板材を用いてカシメ付け、かつその構成を請求項２のようにすれば、端子本体の厚さを、厚い板材からなるアース用端子金具の端子本体部と同じくすることができ、それらが互いに組合せ可能となる。
【００１５】
＜請求項３の発明＞
請求項３のような構成とすれば、補強板が連結部と一体に形成されることとなるため補強が特に必要な連結部に対し、別部材を設けたり、複雑な構成を採らずとも効果的に補強することができる。
【００１６】
＜請求項４の発明＞
請求項４のように、補強手段とともに側壁部を設けるようにすれば、上記補強手段だけでなく他の補強構成がなされることとなるため一層補強効果が高まる。
【００１７】
＜請求項５の発明＞
請求項５のように側壁部と補強板が延出方向に並び連なる構成とすれば、それら側壁部と補強板の間の境界における局所的な強度低下がなく十分な強度が確保され、応力が集中しやすい境界部分であっても変形や折損を効果的に防止することができる。
【００１８】
＜請求項６の発明＞
請求項６のように、電線圧着部のカシメ片と側壁部とが連なるように形成すれば、それらの間が連続的に補強できる構成となり、境界部分を強度高く構成できる。
【００１９】
＜請求項７の発明＞
請求項７のように、延出方向に沿って叩き出しによるリブ状補強部を設けるようにすれば、補強手段による補強効果を簡易な加工方法にて一層高めることができる。
【００２０】
【発明の実施の形態】
＜第１実施形態＞
本発明の第１実施形態を図１ないし図７によって説明する。
まず、本発明の第１実施形態にかかるアース用端子金具１０の各部について説明する。
図３に示すように、本実施形態に係るアース用端子金具１０は、所定形状に打ち抜いた金属板材を曲げ加工したものであり、平板状をなすとともに中心に円形のボルト孔１２が貫通して形成された略平板状の端子本体１３と、その端子本体１３の外周縁から延出する略平板状の連結部１６と、この連結部１６の延出端からさらに延出するオープンバレル状の電線圧着部１７との３つの構成要素に大別される。なお、本実施形態において、端子本体１３に対し連結部１６が延出する側を後方側（図３の左方側）、これとは反対側を前方側（図３の右方側）としており、端子本体１３の主表面と平行な面方向においてその前後方向と直交する方向をこのアース用端子金具１０の幅方向としている。さらに、表側とは、アース用端子金具１０において電線が載置される側（図３の平面図に示される側）のことであり、裏側はこれとは反対側を指す。
【００２１】
まず、端子本体１３について説明すると、図３のような平板形状をなす端子本体１３は、図７のような形状をなす金属板材を折り返すようにして第２の補強板２６に対して一枚板状に連なる積層板を重ね合わせた積層形態とされる。即ち、図７のような一枚板からなる金属板材を、積層側部分５０Ａと被積層側部分５０Ｂの間の折り返し線（破線）に沿って折り返すことにより、積層側部分５０Ａが、端子本体１３の上板１３Ａ及び第２の補強板２６をなすよう積層され、端子本体１３が上板１３Ａ及び下板１３Ｂの２枚重ね構造をなすこととなる。
【００２２】
さらに、図３に示すように、端子本体１３は、ボルト孔１２と同心の略円形をなす環状部１９と、この環状部１９の外周縁から前方へ面一状に突出する回転規制部１４とからなる。回転規制片１４には、別のアース用端子金具に形成された回転規制孔に挿入して当該アース用端子金具１０の回転を規制するための回転規制片１４Ａと、別のアース用端子金具に形成された回転規制片を挿入して回転を規制するための回転規制孔１４Ｂがそれぞれ形成されている。
【００２３】
そして、図３及び図４に示すように、環状部１９の外周縁における右前部と左後部には、夫々、表側へ逆Ｌ字形に立ち上がる係止片１５が、ボルト孔１２を挟んで径方向に対向する配置で形成されている。本実施例では、係止片１５は、端子本体１３の上板１３Ａより立ち上がる形態をなす立ち上がり部分と、下板１３Ｂより立ち上がる形態をなす立ち上がり部分とが重なる積層構造をなしている。そして、径方向で対向する形態で２つ設けられた係止片１５において、各々の下板１３Ｂからの立ち上がり部分が、その対向方向に上板１３Ａ及びその上板１３Ａからの立ち上がり部分を挟む構成をなしており、下板１３Ｂに対する上板１３Ａの面方向（端子本体１３の表面と平行方向）への相対移動を拘束している。
【００２４】
さらに、その立ち上がる係止片１５の端部は内側（図３においてボルト孔１２の中心へ向かう側）へ屈曲する形態をなしており、下板１３Ｂから立ち上がる部分が内側に屈曲することにより、その屈曲部が下板１３Ｂとの間で上板１３Ａからの立ち上がり部分を挟みこみ、上板１３Ａの上下方向（端子本体１３の表面と直交する方向）の相対移動を規制することとなる。このように、下板１３Ｂに対する上板１３Ａの面方向の移動、及び上下方向の移動が拘束され、上板１３Ａ及び下板１３Ｂが積層構造をとりつつ互いに一体化されている。なお、このような回転規制部１４、係止片１５については、図７のような金属板材を折り返して上板１３Ａ、下板１３Ｂの２枚重ね構造をなす端子本体１３を形成した後に、それに所定の加工を施して形成することができる。
【００２５】
図３及び図４に示すように、電線圧着部１７は、その底板１７Ｃを連結部１６に対してほぼ面一状に連続させるとともに、その底板１７Ｃの左右両側縁部から一対のカシメ片１７Ａ、１７Ｂを立ち上げた形態で連成されている。そのカシメ片は、電線Ｗ（図５参照）における金属線材部分をカシメ付ける一対のカシメ片１７Ａと、樹脂被覆部分をカシメ付ける一対のカシメ片１７Ｂがそれぞれ形成されている。そして、図５に示すように、その底板１７Ｃに載置された電線Ｗに対して包み込むようにそれらカシメ片１７Ａ，１７Ｂを塑性変形させつつカシメ付けることにより、電線Ｗが電線圧着部１７に圧着接続される。これにより、カシメ片１７Ａと底板１７Ｃが電線Ｗの金属線材部分と密着し、これらが導通可能となる。
【００２６】
次に図３及び図４を参照して連結部１６について説明する。
図３及び図４に示すように、連結部１６は端子本体１３と電線圧着部１７の間に形成されており、端子本体１３の下板１３Ｂより面一状に延びる形態として形成され、かつその連結部１６の後方側には電線圧着部１７の底板１７Ｃが面一状に延びる形態をなしている。これら面一状に形成される下板１３Ｂ、連結部１６、及び底板１７Ｃは、一体的な一枚板として形成されている。そして、図３の平面図に示すように、連結部１６は、端子本体１３における環状部１９の径よりその幅が狭くなるように形成されている。さらに具体的に述べると、端子本体１３において連結部１６近傍には、環状部１９から連結部１６に至るまでの移行部１３Ｃが後方側へ向かうにつれ幅が漸次狭くなるように形成され、その移行部１３Ｃのさらに後方側に、連結部１６が連続して形成されるようになっている。そして、連結部１６はその幅が一定幅をなす定幅部１６Ａと、この定幅部１６Ａに隣接し、定幅部１６Ａより電線圧着部１７側（後方側）に向かうにつれ幅が狭くなる幅減少部１６Ｂが形成されており、その幅減少部１６Ｂの後方側に電線圧着部１７が配置される。このように、連結部１６は、端子本体１３の環状部１９の径よりその幅が狭くなるように形成され、上記のように下板１３Ｂより面一状に延びているので変形・折損を来たすことが懸念されるが、この連結部１６には補強板２０，２６を重ね合わせた形態の補強手段が設けられている。
【００２７】
この補強手段は、連結部１６の左右両側縁から折返し状に延出された形態をなす第１の補強板２０と、端子本体１３の上板１３Ａから連結部１６の上部に重ね合わされ、且つ第１の補強板２０と連結部１６の間で挟まれるように延出された第２の補強板２６とからなる。この第２の補強板２６は図７に示すような積層側部分５０Ａにおいて上板１３Ａから延出する形態にて形成されるものであり、積層側部分５０Ａの折り返しにより連結部１６の位置に配置され、その後に、第１の補強板２０が第２の補強板２６の上部に重なるように折り返され、図３に示す配置構成をなすこととなる。そして、図３のように、第１の補強板２０は連結部１６における定幅部１６Ａの前半部分において左右両側縁より折り返される形態をなし、この第１の補強板２０により押さえ付けられることにより、第２の補強板２６の連結部１６からの離間が規制されて、連結部１６の表面の上部に第２の補強板２６が安定的に固定される。なお、この例では、第１の補強板２０は定幅部１６Ａの前半部において、その定幅部１６Ａの前後方向のほぼ半分の範囲にわたり形成されているため、応力の集中しやすい連結部１６の基端部の強度を効果的に高めている。なお、第１の補強板２０の形成領域についてはこれに限定されず、定幅部１６Ａの前後方向の大部分にわたる領域、或いは全体にわたって第１の補強板２０を形成することもできる。また、定幅部１６Ａにおける前後方向中間位置、或いは後方側に形成することも可能である。
【００２８】
そして、連結部１６には、その左右両側縁に沿って立ち上がる側壁部２２が形成されている。この側壁部２２は、連結部１６の表面よりほぼ垂直に立ち上がるように形成されており、図４に示すように、この側壁部２２は、上端縁が連結部１６の表面に対しほぼ水平にとなる水平部２２Ａと、この水平部２２Ａに対し連続的に隣接し、連結部１６の表面と上端縁の距離が前方に向かうについて漸次減少するよう傾斜する傾斜部２２Ｂが設けられている。そして、この水平部２２Ａの上端縁は、第２の補強板２６の上面よりも上部に位置するように立ち上がり高さが設定されている。他方、傾斜部２２Ｂは、前方に向かうにつれ立ち上がり高さが低くなっており、その傾斜部２２Ｂの前端縁における側壁部２２の上端縁は、第２の補強板２０の上面とほぼ同じ高さとなるように設定されている。そして、傾斜部２２Ｂの前端縁に隣接して第１の補強板２０が設けられる形態をなしている。また、図３に示すように、水平部２２Ａは、前後方向において、定幅部１６Ａの後方寄りの位置から、定幅部１６Ａと幅減少部１６Ｂの双方に跨る形態にて形成され、さらに、幅減少部１６Ｂの全体にわたり、かつ電線圧着部１７の位置に達するまでの範囲にて形成される。さらに、傾斜部２２Ｂは、前後方向において、定幅部１６Ａのほぼ中間領域に形成されており、定幅部１６Ａのほぼ中央位置、又は中央よりわずかに前方側に寄った位置から、定幅部１６Ａの後方寄りの位置までの範囲にて形成されている。
【００２９】
さらに、図３に示すように、本実施形態においては、側壁部２２が形成される領域の前後方向の長さが、第１の補強板２０が形成される領域の前後方向の長さよりも大きくなるように設定されている。なお、側壁部２２の領域設定に付いてはこれに限定されず、その前後方向において第１の補強板２０の方が長くなるようにしてもよく、ほぼ同程度としてもよい。
【００３０】
そして、図４のようにこの側壁部２２と第１の補強板２０の折り返し部とは、連結部１６の側縁に沿って並び且つ互いに連なる構成をなしている。さらに、電線圧着部１７におけるカシメ片１７Ａと側壁部２２とが、連結部１６の側縁に沿って並び且つ互いに連なる構成をなしている（具体的には、水平部２２Ａとカシメ片１７Ａとが連なる形態をなす）。このように、補強板２０，２６、側壁部２２、及びカシメ片１７Ａが連なる構成をなすことにより、連結部１６と電線圧着部１７の底板１７Ｃにおいて、これらの境界部分の局所的な応力集中を防止できるため、境界部分が折れ曲がったり、磨耗するようなことがなく、衝撃、負荷等に強い構成となる。また、図３に示すように、左右両側壁部２２と第１の補強板２０は、第２の補強板２６の幅方向への移動を規制する効果をも有している。
【００３１】
次に、図１及び図２を参照し、アース用端子金具１０が組付け可能な他のアース用端子金具（組付先端子金具３０）、及びこれらの組付け構成について説明する。
図１の斜視図、及び図２の平面図に示すように、ここではアース用端子金具１０と、組付先となる他のアース用端子金具３０（以下、組付先端子金具３０ともいう）が同一種の部品である場合について例示しており、換言すれば同一形状の２つのアース用端子金具１０を積層させて互いに組付けた構成が図１及び図２の形態であると言える。したがって、組付先端子金具３０は上述したアース用端子金具１０と同様に、略平板状の端子本体部３３（端子本体１３に相当する部分）と、この端子本体部３３の外周縁から表面側へその端子本体部３３の板厚と略同寸法だけ立ち上がる係止部４５（係止片１５に相当する部分）とを備えて構成されている。なお、本発明に係るアース用端子金具の端子本体及び係止片と区別するため、他のアース用端子金具については端子本体部及び係止部と称することとする。
【００３２】
この組付け形態では、アース用端子金具１０における端子本体１３の裏面がの組付先端子金具３０の表面に密着しており、この組付先端子金具３０が図示しないアース用取付部材に対して密着することにより、これらアース用端子金具１０、３０及びアース用取付部材が電気的に接続されることとなる。なお、アース用取付部材は、例えば導電性部材（金属板材等）に雌ねじ孔が形成される形態をなすものであり、アース用端子金具１０のボルト孔１２にボルトを貫通させ、このボルトをその雌ネジ孔に螺合させることにより、アース用端子金具１０がアース用取付部材に対して固定できることとなる。
【００３３】
そして、両アース用端子金具１０，３０を組み付ける際には、ボルト孔１２，３２同士が整合するように組付先端子金具３０の上板３３の上にアース用端子金具１０の端子本体１３を重ね、そのアース用端子金具１０を平面視時計回り方向に相対回転させることにより、その被係止部２３（図３及び図４も参照）を組付先端子金具３０の端子本体部３３と係止部４５との間に潜り込ませるとともに、組付先端子金具３０の回転規制片３４Ａをアース用端子金具１０の回転規制孔１４Ｂに係止させる。これにより、両アース用端子金具１０，３０が上下方向への離間を不能に、且つ回転方向の相対遊動を規制された状態で組み付けられる。
【００３４】
この状態では、図１に示すように、ボルト孔１２，３２同士が整合して両孔１２，３２にボルトを貫通させることができるようになっている。また、電線圧着部１７，３７同士は周方向にずれて互いに干渉しないようになっている。このように組み付けた両アース用端子金具１０，３０は、図示しないボルトによってアース用取付部材（図示略）に固定されることとなる。
【００３５】
次に、図６の説明図を参照し、端子本体の厚さ及び係止片１５、係止部４５の立ち上がり高さ等について説明する。
図６（ａ）は係止部４５と端子本体１３の組付け形態を概念的に示す説明図であり、端子本体１３は、その全体厚さＴｂ（即ち、上板１３Ａと下板１３Ｂの合計厚さ）が、端子本体部３０の表面と係止部４５の間の間隔Ｓａとほぼ同じようになるように設定されている。このように厚さ設定されることにより、組付先端子本体部３０の表面と組付先の係止部４５との間で端子本体１３の周縁部が挟まれる形態をなし、端子本体１３の上下方向の相対移動が拘束される。なお、アース用端子金具１０と組付先端子金具３０は同形状であるため、図６（ｂ）のように、組付先の端子本体部３３を端子本体１３の表面と係止片１５との間で挟むような双方逆の積層形態も可能であり、本願のアース用端子金具同士が積層して上下自在に組付け可能となっている。
【００３６】
さらに、図６（ｃ）のように、端子本体１３の表面と係止片１５との間隔Ｓｂとほぼ同じ厚さＴｃの一枚板材からなる端子本体部６３を備える肉厚アース用端子金具６０をアース用端子金具１０に対して組付けることも可能である。本実施形態においては、図６（ｃ）に示すように、端子本体１３と係止片１５との間隔Ｓｂを、アース用端子金具３０よりも板厚の厚い肉厚アース用端子金具６０の板厚寸法に合わせて設定してある。なお、この肉厚アース用端子金具６０は、アース用端子金具１０又はアース用端子金具３０の板厚Ｔａ（図６（ａ）参照）の２倍の板厚をなし、かつ積層構造をなさないものであるが、端子本体部、係止部、電線圧着部などはこれらアース用端子金具１０、３０と同様に形成することができる。
【００３７】
さらには、図６（ｄ）に示すような、図６（ｃ）とは逆の形態、即ち肉厚アース用端子金具６０の端子本体部６３と係止片６５の間に端子本体１３が挟まれるようにアース用端子金具１０を組付けるようにしてもよい。なお、アース用端子金具１０の板厚Ｔａは、電線圧着部１７においてカシメ片１７Ａが細い電線Ｗに対して確実に密着して接触信頼性を確保するために、肉厚アース用端子金具６０の板厚Ｔｃ、即ち端子本体部６３と係止片６５との間の間隔Ｓｃよりも薄くしてある。そこで、その寸法差を埋めるために、金属板材を２枚重ねに構成して端子本体１３の全体厚さを間隔Ｓｃに相当する２倍厚の寸法に設定している。これにより、共通のアース用端子金具１０に対して、板厚の異なる２つのアース用端子金具（アース用端子金具３０と肉厚アース用端子金具６０）の双方を組み付けることが出来るようになっている。従って、本願のアース用端子金具と他のアース用端子金具とを上下自在に積層して組み付け可能となる。
【００３８】
＜第２実施形態＞
本発明の第２実施形態を図８によって説明する。
第２実施形態は、連結部１６において、この連結部１６の延出方向に沿って細長く延びるリブ状補強部４７が叩き出しにより形成されているところが第１実施形態と異なる。なお、その他の構成については上記実施形態１と同じであるため、同じ構成については、同一符号を付し、構造、作用及び効果の説明は省略する。図８では、第２の補強板２６に対し叩き出しにより表側に凸となるリブ状補強部４７を形成した例について示している。そして、このリブ状補強部４７の両側に第１の補強板２０が配置される構成をなしている。なお、リブ状補強部４７については、このような形態に限らず、連結部１６にのみ加工を施してもよく、第２の補強板２６及び連結部１６の双方に共に加工を施すようにしてもよい。
【００３９】
さらに、図８では表側に凸となるリブ状補強部の例を示したが、裏側に凸となるような叩き出しを行うようにしても良く、第１の補強板２０に加工を施し、これにリブ状補強部を形成するといったことも可能である。また、リブ状補強部を端子本体部１３まで延長させるように形成してもよい。いずれにしても、このようなリブ状補強部を設けることにより、連結部１６に対する補強効果が一層高まり、変形、折損に極めて強い構造を実現できることとなる。
【００４０】
＜他の実施形態＞
本発明は上記記述及び図面によって説明した実施形態に限定されるものではなく、例えば次のような実施態様も本発明の技術的範囲に含まれ、さらに、下記以外にも要旨を逸脱しない範囲内で種々変更して実施することができる。
（１）図１及び図２の例では、図９（ａ）のように２つの補強板（第１の補強板２０及び第２の補強板２６）を用いる構成を例示したが、いずれか片方のみの構成でもよい。即ち、図９（ｂ）のように第１の補強板２０のみを連結部１６の表面上に重ね合わせるようにしてもよく、第１の補強板２０を設けずに第２の補強板２６のみを連結部１６の表面上に積層させるようにしてもよい。
（２）また、第１の補強板２０の形状に付いては、図９（ａ）及び（ｂ）のように、第１の補強板２０が平板状に折り返されて、その平板状をなす第１の補強板２０が、第２の補強板２６又は連結部１６の表面に密着して積層される構成について示したが、図９（ｃ）のように、補強板２０が所定の曲率で屈曲し、内側へ曲げ返されるような構成でも良い。また図９（ｄ）のように、連結部１６と補強板２０のなす角度が所定角度の鋭角となるように第１の補強板２０を曲げ返すようにしてもよい。またこれらの例に限らず、連結部１６と第１の補強板２０が上下方向に密着して、或いは所定の空間を介して重なり合う構成であればよい。
（３）上記の例では、第１の補強板を表側に折り返すようにしたが、裏側へ折り返すようにしてもよい。
（４）上記の例では第２の補強板を表側に積層させるようにしたが裏側でもよい。例えば、図７に示す積層側部分５０Ａを裏側に折り返すようにしてもよい。
（５）上記の例では、図７に示す積層側部分５０Ａを折り返す積層形態を例示したが、この積層側部分５０Ａと同様の形状をなす別部材を端子本体１３の表側又は裏側に重ね合わせるように配置してもよい。
（６）上記の例では、２つのアース用端子金具を組み付ける場合について説明したが、本発明は、３つ以上のアース用端子金具を順次に重ねて組み付ける場合にも適用することができる。この場合、図６に示すような板厚の異なる２種類のアース用端子金具同士を任意に組み合わせることができ、また、それらのアース用端子金具を重ねる順序も任意に設定することができる。
（７）また、上記の例では、アース用端子金具１０と同一形状の２層構造をなす組付先端子金具３０と、単層の肉厚端子金具をアース用端子金具１０に組付ける構成を例示したが、組付先はこのような構成のものに限らず、他の形状のアース用端子金具に対しても組付け可能である。例えば、端子本体部の全体厚さが、端子本体１３と係止片１５の間隔Ｓｂと同じ（即ち、端子本体１３の厚さと同じ）である３層以上の積層構造をなすアース用端子金具に対して組付けることも可能である。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】第１実施形態のアース用端子金具と他のアース用端子金具を組み付けた状態を示す斜視図
【図２】図１の平面図
【図３】第１実施形態のアース用端子金具を例示する平面図
【図４】第１実施形態のアース用端子金具を例示するアース用端子金具の側面図。
【図５】図４において電線を圧着した形態を示す側面図
【図６】第１実施形態のアース用端子金具と他のアース用端子金具を組み付けた状態における係止構造を概念的にあらわす部分拡大図
【図７】曲げ加工を施す前の金属板材を示す図
【図８】第２実施形態のアース用端子金具を例示する平面図
【図９】補強板による補強構造をいくつか例示する説明図
【図１０】従来例を示す平面図
【符号の説明】
１０…アース用端子金具
１３…端子本体
１５…係止片
１６…連結部
１７…電線圧着部
１７Ａ…カシメ片
２０…第１の補強板
２２…側壁部
２６…第２の補強板
３０…他のアース用端子金具
４７…リブ状補強部[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ground terminal fitting.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there is a ground terminal fitting shown in FIG. This is formed by bending a metal plate material having a predetermined thickness punched into a predetermined shape, and forming a flat terminal body 101 and an electric wire formed on a tip side of an extension portion extending from an outer peripheral edge of the terminal body 101. A crimp portion 102 is provided. A connecting portion 105 connects between the terminal body 101 and the wire crimping portion 102. The wire crimping portion 102 has a shape called an open barrel in which a pair of caulking portions 104 are raised from both side edges of a bottom wall 103 connected to the terminal main body 101, and an electric wire (not shown) is placed on the bottom wall 103. Then, the caulked portion 104 is plastically deformed so as to wrap the wire, whereby the wire is crimped to the wire crimping portion 102.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In recent years, a wire harness has been required to have a smaller diameter wire, and a wire crimped to a ground terminal fitting is no exception. However, in the case of the ground terminal provided with the wire crimping portion 102 as described above, when the diameter of the wire is reduced, a problem peculiar to the ground terminal is generated. This is due to the fact that the crimping portion 104 of the wire crimping portion 102 is harder to bend as its thickness increases, so that the minimum wire diameter of the crimpable wire is limited by the thickness of the crimping portion 104. If the diameter of the electric wire is too small with respect to the thickness of the caulked portion 104, the fixing force of the caulked portion 104 to the electric wire is reduced, and the contact reliability between the ground terminal fitting and the electric wire is reduced.
[0004]
Therefore, in order to cope with a thin electric wire, the plate thickness of the caulking portion 104, that is, the plate thickness of the entire grounding terminal fitting may be reduced, but reducing the plate thickness decreases the strength of the grounding terminal fitting. Means Therefore, considering that the grounding terminal is usually not exposed in the housing and is handled as it is exposed, when the plate thickness is reduced, the grounding terminal is easily deformed by other members. It is feared that it may be damaged. In particular, stress is easily concentrated on the connecting portion 105 connecting the terminal main body 101 and the wire crimping portion 102 fixed to the mounting destination of the ground terminal fitting, and deformation and breakage are likely to occur.
[0005]
The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above-described circumstances, and even when the plate thickness is reduced, a ground that can sufficiently secure the strength of the connecting portion between the terminal body and the wire crimping portion. It is an object to provide a terminal metal fitting for use.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape, a substantially flat terminal body, and a substantially flat terminal body extending from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal body. In a grounding terminal having a connecting portion and an electric wire crimping portion further extending from an extending end of the connecting portion, the connecting portion may be provided with reinforcing means in a form in which a reinforcing plate is overlapped. Features.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a substantially flat terminal body is provided, and the terminal body rises from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal body to the surface side by substantially the same dimension as the thickness of the terminal body. It is possible to assemble with other grounding terminal fittings provided with a stop portion, and the terminal body is formed by laminating a laminated plate that is continuous with the reinforcing plate in a single plate shape. The thickness of the terminal body portion to be assembled is the same as the thickness of the terminal body portion, and a locking piece that rises from the outer peripheral edge to the surface side by the same size as the locking portion of the mounting destination from the outer peripheral edge to the surface side is provided in the terminal body. In the assembled state with the other grounding terminal fitting, the terminal body portion of the assembly destination is sandwiched between the surface of the terminal body and the locking piece, or the terminal of the assembly destination. The terminal main body is sandwiched between the surface of the main body and the engaging portion of the assembly destination. Having the features the time.
[0008]
A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the reinforcing plate is formed in a form extending in a folded shape from a side edge of the connecting portion.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 3, the connecting portion is formed with a side wall portion that rises along a side edge thereof.
[0010]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the connecting portion is formed with a side wall portion rising along a side edge thereof, and the side wall portion and the reinforcing plate are connected to the connecting portion. Are characterized in that they are arranged along the side edges of and are connected to each other.
[0011]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth or fifth aspect, the wire crimping portion is formed in a barrel shape in a form in which a caulking piece stands up from a side edge of a bottom plate connected to the connecting portion. The crimping piece and the side wall portion are characterized in that they are arranged along the side edge of the connecting portion and connected to each other.
[0012]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion is provided with a rib-like reinforcing portion which is elongated in an extending direction of the connecting portion by punching. It has features.
[0013]
Function and effect of the present invention
<Invention of claim 1>
According to the configuration as described in the first aspect, even when the plate thickness is reduced and the bending process is easily performed, the strength of a portion where deformation and breakage are likely to occur can be sufficiently secured. That is, while the bending process of the wire crimping portion and the like can be easily performed by the thin plate material, the connecting portion between the terminal main body and the electrode crimping portion that requires strength is sufficiently formed by overlapping the reinforcing plate. Thus, it is possible to set a suitable plate thickness for each part.
[0014]
<Invention of Claim 2>
According to the configuration of claim 2, the grounding terminals of the present application can be laminated and assembled, and the grounding terminal of the present application and another grounding terminal can be vertically laminated and assembled. Become. Further, with such a configuration, the terminal fitting having a single-plate terminal body having substantially the same thickness as the thickness of the terminal body of the present application can be assembled to the ground terminal fitting of the present application, It is possible to combine a plurality of types of ground terminal fittings formed of plate members having different thicknesses. More specifically, for example, a terminal metal fitting for a thick electric wire is configured to be caulked with a thick plate, while a thin metal material is caulked for a thin metal wire, and the structure is claimed. In the case of 2, the thickness of the terminal main body can be made the same as that of the terminal main body of the ground terminal fitting made of a thick plate material, and these can be combined with each other.
[0015]
<Invention of Claim 3>
According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the reinforcing plate is formed integrally with the connecting portion, the effect is obtained without providing a separate member for the connecting portion that particularly requires reinforcement or adopting a complicated configuration. Can be reinforced.
[0016]
<Invention of Claim 4>
If the side wall is provided together with the reinforcing means as in the fourth aspect, not only the reinforcing means but also other reinforcing structures are provided, so that the reinforcing effect is further enhanced.
[0017]
<Invention of claim 5>
If the side wall portion and the reinforcing plate are arranged in a row in the extending direction as in claim 5, sufficient strength is secured without local strength reduction at the boundary between the side wall portion and the reinforcing plate, and stress is concentrated. Deformation and breakage can be effectively prevented even at a boundary portion that is likely to occur.
[0018]
<Invention of claim 6>
If the caulking piece of the wire crimping part and the side wall part are formed so as to be continuous as in claim 6, the structure between them can be continuously reinforced, and the boundary part can be configured with high strength.
[0019]
<Invention of Claim 7>
By providing the rib-shaped reinforcing portion by punching out along the extending direction, the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing means can be further enhanced by a simple processing method.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<First embodiment>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, each part of the ground terminal fitting 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the ground terminal fitting 10 according to the present embodiment is formed by bending a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape, and has a flat plate shape and a circular bolt hole 12 passing through the center. A substantially flat terminal body 13 formed, a substantially flat connecting portion 16 extending from an outer peripheral edge of the terminal body 13, and an open barrel-shaped electric wire further extending from an extending end of the connecting portion 16. It is roughly divided into three components, namely, a crimping portion 17. In this embodiment, the side on which the connecting portion 16 extends from the terminal body 13 is defined as the rear side (the left side in FIG. 3), and the opposite side is defined as the front side (the right side in FIG. 3). The direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction in the plane direction parallel to the main surface of the terminal body 13 is defined as the width direction of the ground terminal fitting 10. Further, the front side is a side of the ground terminal fitting 10 on which the electric wire is placed (the side shown in the plan view of FIG. 3), and the back side indicates the opposite side.
[0021]
First, the terminal body 13 will be described. The terminal body 13 having a flat plate shape as shown in FIG. 3 is formed by folding a metal plate material having a shape as shown in FIG. It is a lamination form in which laminated plates that are continuous in a shape are overlapped. That is, by folding a metal plate material made of a single plate as shown in FIG. 7 along a folding line (broken line) between the lamination side portion 50A and the lamination side portion 50B, the lamination side portion 50A is connected to the terminal body 13. Are laminated so as to form the upper plate 13A and the second reinforcing plate 26, and the terminal body 13 has a two-layer structure of the upper plate 13A and the lower plate 13B.
[0022]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the terminal body 13 includes an annular portion 19 having a substantially circular shape concentric with the bolt hole 12, and a rotation restricting portion 14 protruding forward from the outer peripheral edge of the annular portion 19 in a plane. Consists of The rotation restricting piece 14 includes a rotation restricting piece 14A inserted into a rotation restricting hole formed in another grounding terminal fitting for restricting rotation of the grounding terminal fitting 10, and a separate grounding terminal fitting. The rotation restricting holes 14B for inserting the formed rotation restricting pieces to restrict the rotation are formed.
[0023]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at the right front and left rear portions of the outer peripheral edge of the annular portion 19, locking pieces 15 rising in an inverted L-shape to the front side are provided in the radial direction with the bolt hole 12 interposed therebetween. Are formed so as to oppose to each other. In this embodiment, the locking piece 15 has a laminated structure in which a rising portion that rises from the upper plate 13A of the terminal body 13 and a rising portion that rises from the lower plate 13B overlap. Then, in the two locking pieces 15 provided so as to face each other in the radial direction, the rising portion from each lower plate 13B sandwiches the upper plate 13A and the rising portion from the upper plate 13A in the facing direction. And restricts relative movement of the upper plate 13A with respect to the lower plate 13B in the surface direction (parallel to the surface of the terminal body 13).
[0024]
Furthermore, the end of the rising engaging piece 15 is bent inward (toward the center of the bolt hole 12 in FIG. 3), and the part raised from the lower plate 13B is bent inward, thereby The bent portion sandwiches the rising portion from the upper plate 13A between the lower plate 13B and regulates the relative movement of the upper plate 13A in the vertical direction (the direction orthogonal to the surface of the terminal body 13). In this way, the movement of the upper plate 13A in the surface direction and the movement in the vertical direction with respect to the lower plate 13B are restricted, and the upper plate 13A and the lower plate 13B are integrated with each other while forming a laminated structure. The rotation restricting portion 14 and the locking piece 15 are formed by folding a metal plate material as shown in FIG. 7 to form a terminal body 13 having a two-layer structure of an upper plate 13A and a lower plate 13B. It can be formed by performing predetermined processing.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the wire crimping portion 17 has its bottom plate 17C substantially continuous with the connecting portion 16 and a pair of caulking pieces 17A from the left and right side edges of the bottom plate 17C. 17B. The caulking pieces are formed with a pair of caulking pieces 17A for caulking the metal wire portion of the electric wire W (see FIG. 5) and a pair of caulking pieces 17B for caulking the resin-coated portion. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the electric wire W is crimped to the electric wire crimping portion 17 by plastically deforming the caulking pieces 17A and 17B so as to wrap the electric wire W placed on the bottom plate 17C. Connected. As a result, the caulking piece 17A and the bottom plate 17C come into close contact with the metal wire portion of the electric wire W, and these can be conducted.
[0026]
Next, the connecting portion 16 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connecting portion 16 is formed between the terminal body 13 and the wire crimping portion 17, and is formed so as to extend flush with the lower plate 13 B of the terminal body 13. A bottom plate 17C of the electric wire crimping portion 17 extends flush with the rear side of the connecting portion 16. The lower plate 13B, the connecting portion 16, and the bottom plate 17C which are formed to be flush with each other are formed as an integrated single plate. Then, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, the connecting portion 16 is formed so that its width is smaller than the diameter of the annular portion 19 in the terminal body 13. More specifically, a transition portion 13C from the annular portion 19 to the coupling portion 16 is formed near the coupling portion 16 in the terminal main body 13 so that the width gradually decreases toward the rear side. The connecting portion 16 is formed continuously behind the portion 13C. The connecting portion 16 has a constant width portion 16A having a constant width, and a width which is adjacent to the constant width portion 16A and whose width decreases toward the wire crimping portion 17 side (rear side) from the constant width portion 16A. The reduced portion 16B is formed, and the wire crimping portion 17 is arranged behind the reduced width portion 16B. As described above, the connecting portion 16 is formed so as to have a width smaller than the diameter of the annular portion 19 of the terminal main body 13 and extends flush with the lower plate 13B as described above. However, this connecting portion 16 is provided with a reinforcing means in a form in which reinforcing plates 20 and 26 are overlapped.
[0027]
This reinforcing means is superimposed on the first reinforcing plate 20 having a form extending in a folded shape from the left and right side edges of the connecting portion 16 and the upper portion of the connecting portion 16 from the upper plate 13A of the terminal main body 13, and It comprises a first reinforcing plate 20 and a second reinforcing plate 26 extending so as to be sandwiched between the connecting portions 16. The second reinforcing plate 26 is formed so as to extend from the upper plate 13A at the laminated side portion 50A as shown in FIG. 7, and is arranged at the position of the connecting portion 16 by folding back the laminated side portion 50A. Then, the first reinforcing plate 20 is folded back so as to overlap the upper portion of the second reinforcing plate 26, and the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the first reinforcing plate 20 is folded back from the left and right side edges in the first half of the fixed width portion 16 A of the connecting portion 16, and is pressed by the first reinforcing plate 20. The separation of the second reinforcing plate 26 from the connecting portion 16 is regulated, and the second reinforcing plate 26 is stably fixed to the upper portion of the surface of the connecting portion 16. In this example, since the first reinforcing plate 20 is formed in the front half of the constant width portion 16A over substantially half the range in the front-rear direction of the constant width portion 16A, the connecting portion 16 in which stress tends to concentrate is formed. Effectively enhances the strength of the base end. Note that the formation region of the first reinforcing plate 20 is not limited to this, and the first reinforcing plate 20 may be formed over a region that covers most of the constant width portion 16A in the front-rear direction or over the entire region. Further, it may be formed at the middle position in the front-rear direction or the rear side in the constant width portion 16A.
[0028]
The connecting portion 16 is formed with side wall portions 22 that stand up along the left and right side edges. The side wall portion 22 is formed so as to rise substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the connecting portion 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the side wall portion 22 has an upper end edge substantially horizontal with respect to the surface of the connecting portion 16. A horizontal portion 22A and an inclined portion 22B that is continuously adjacent to the horizontal portion 22A and that is inclined so that the distance between the surface of the connecting portion 16 and the upper edge gradually decreases toward the front. The rising edge of the upper edge of the horizontal portion 22A is set so as to be located above the upper surface of the second reinforcing plate 26. On the other hand, the rising height of the inclined portion 22 B decreases toward the front, and the upper end edge of the side wall portion 22 at the front end edge of the inclined portion 22 B is substantially the same height as the upper surface of the second reinforcing plate 20. It is set as follows. The first reinforcing plate 20 is provided adjacent to the front edge of the inclined portion 22B. As shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal portion 22A is formed in the front-rear direction so as to straddle both the constant width portion 16A and the width reduction portion 16B from a position near the rear of the constant width portion 16A. It is formed over the entire width reducing portion 16B and in a range up to the position of the wire crimping portion 17. Further, the inclined portion 22B is formed substantially in the middle area of the constant width portion 16A in the front-rear direction, and is set at a substantially central position of the constant width portion 16A or a position slightly shifted forward from the center. It is formed in a range up to the position of 16A near the rear.
[0029]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the length in the front-rear direction of the region where the side wall portion 22 is formed is larger than the length in the front-rear direction of the region where the first reinforcing plate 20 is formed. It is set to be. The setting of the area of the side wall portion 22 is not limited to this, and the first reinforcing plate 20 may be longer in the front-rear direction, or may be substantially the same.
[0030]
Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the side wall portion 22 and the folded portion of the first reinforcing plate 20 are arranged along the side edge of the connecting portion 16 and connected to each other. Furthermore, the crimping piece 17A and the side wall part 22 in the wire crimping part 17 are arranged along the side edge of the connecting part 16 and are connected to each other (specifically, the horizontal part 22A and the caulking piece 17A are connected to each other). Form a series). In this way, by forming a configuration in which the reinforcing plates 20, 26, the side wall portion 22, and the caulking piece 17A are continuous, local stress concentration at the boundary between the connecting portion 16 and the bottom plate 17C of the wire crimping portion 17 can be reduced. Since the boundary can be prevented, the boundary portion does not bend or wear, and the configuration is strong against impact, load, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the left and right side walls 22 and the first reinforcing plate 20 also have an effect of restricting the movement of the second reinforcing plate 26 in the width direction.
[0031]
Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, other grounding terminal fittings (attachment destination terminal fittings 30) to which the grounding terminal fitting 10 can be attached, and an assembly configuration thereof will be described.
As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1 and the plan view of FIG. 2, here, a grounding terminal fitting 10 and another grounding terminal fitting 30 to be assembled (hereinafter, also referred to as an assembling destination terminal fitting 30). Are examples of the same kind of parts. In other words, it can be said that the configuration in which two grounding terminal fittings 10 of the same shape are stacked and assembled together is the form shown in FIGS. Therefore, as in the case of the above-described grounding terminal fitting 10, the assembling destination terminal fitting 30 includes a substantially flat terminal body 33 (a portion corresponding to the terminal body 13) and a surface side from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal body 33. A locking portion 45 (a portion corresponding to the locking piece 15) that rises by substantially the same size as the plate thickness of the navel terminal main body 33 is provided. In addition, in order to distinguish from the terminal main body and the locking piece of the grounding terminal metal according to the present invention, other grounding terminal metal fittings will be referred to as a terminal main body part and a locking part.
[0032]
In this assembling mode, the back surface of the terminal body 13 of the ground terminal fitting 10 is in close contact with the surface of the assembling destination terminal fitting 30, and this assembling destination terminal fitting 30 is attached to an earth mounting member (not shown). The close contact allows the ground terminal fittings 10, 30 and the ground mounting member to be electrically connected. The grounding attachment member has a form in which a female screw hole is formed in, for example, a conductive member (a metal plate or the like), and a bolt is passed through the bolt hole 12 of the grounding terminal fitting 10, and the bolt is inserted into the bolt hole 12. By screwing into the female screw hole, the ground terminal fitting 10 can be fixed to the ground mounting member.
[0033]
When assembling the grounding terminal fittings 10, 30, the terminal body 13 of the grounding terminal fitting 10 is placed on the upper plate 33 of the mounting destination terminal fitting 30 so that the bolt holes 12, 32 are aligned with each other. The latched portion 23 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4) is engaged with the terminal body 33 of the assembling destination terminal fitting 30 by overlapping and rotating the grounding terminal fitting 10 clockwise in a plan view. It is sunk into the stopper 45, and the rotation restricting piece 34A of the mounting destination terminal fitting 30 is locked in the rotation restricting hole 14B of the ground terminal fitting 10. As a result, the grounding terminal fittings 10 and 30 are assembled in such a manner that they cannot be separated from each other in the vertical direction and the relative play in the rotation direction is restricted.
[0034]
In this state, as shown in FIG. 1, the bolt holes 12 and 32 are aligned with each other so that the bolts can pass through both holes 12 and 32. The wire crimping portions 17, 37 are shifted in the circumferential direction so as not to interfere with each other. The two ground terminal fittings 10 and 30 assembled in this manner are fixed to a ground mounting member (not shown) by bolts (not shown).
[0035]
Next, the thickness of the terminal body, the height at which the locking pieces 15 and the locking portions 45 rise, and the like will be described with reference to the explanatory view of FIG.
FIG. 6A is an explanatory view conceptually showing an assembling mode of the locking portion 45 and the terminal main body 13. The terminal main body 13 has an overall thickness Tb (that is, the total thickness of the upper plate 13A and the lower plate 13B). (Thickness) is set to be substantially the same as the interval Sa between the surface of the terminal body 30 and the locking portion 45. By setting the thickness in this manner, the peripheral portion of the terminal body 13 is sandwiched between the surface of the terminal body 30 to be assembled and the engaging portion 45 of the assembly destination, and the terminal body 13 The relative movement in the vertical direction is restricted. In addition, since the grounding terminal fitting 10 and the assembling destination terminal fitting 30 have the same shape, as shown in FIG. 6B, the assembling destination terminal body part 33 is connected to the surface of the terminal body 13 and the locking piece 15. It is also possible to have a stacking structure in which the grounding terminal fittings of the present invention are stacked one on the other and can be vertically assembled.
[0036]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), a thick grounding terminal fitting 60 having a terminal body 63 made of a single plate material having a thickness Tc substantially equal to the distance Sb between the surface of the terminal body 13 and the locking piece 15 is provided. Can be assembled to the ground terminal fitting 10. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6C, the distance Sb between the terminal body 13 and the locking piece 15 is set to be larger than the thickness of the grounding terminal fitting 30 by the thickness of the thick grounding terminal fitting 60. It is set according to the thickness dimension. The thick grounding terminal 60 has a thickness twice as large as the thickness Ta (see FIG. 6A) of the grounding terminal 10 or 30 and does not have a laminated structure. However, the terminal body, the locking portion, the wire crimping portion, and the like can be formed in the same manner as the grounding terminal fittings 10, 30.
[0037]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6D, the terminal body 13 is sandwiched between the terminal body 63 of the thick earth terminal fitting 60 and the locking piece 65, that is, in a form opposite to that of FIG. The terminal metal fitting 10 for grounding may be assembled so as to be connected. The thickness Ta of the ground terminal fitting 10 is determined by the thickness of the thick grounding terminal fitting 60 in order to ensure that the crimping piece 17A closely adheres to the thin electric wire W in the electric wire crimping portion 17 and secures contact reliability. The thickness Tc is smaller than the thickness Sc, that is, the interval Sc between the terminal body 63 and the locking piece 65. Therefore, in order to fill in the dimensional difference, two metal plate members are stacked to set the overall thickness of the terminal main body 13 to a double thickness corresponding to the interval Sc. Thereby, it is possible to assemble both of the two grounding terminal fittings (the grounding terminal fitting 30 and the thick grounding terminal fitting 60) having different plate thicknesses into the common grounding terminal fitting 10. I have. Therefore, the ground terminal fitting of the present invention and another ground terminal fitting can be vertically laminated and assembled.
[0038]
<Second embodiment>
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a rib-like reinforcing portion 47 that extends in the connecting portion 16 and extends in the extending direction of the connecting portion 16 is punched out. Since other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the structure, operation, and effects is omitted. FIG. 8 shows an example in which a rib-like reinforcing portion 47 that is convex toward the front side is formed by punching out the second reinforcing plate 26. Further, the first reinforcing plate 20 is arranged on both sides of the rib-shaped reinforcing portion 47. The rib-shaped reinforcing portion 47 is not limited to such a form, and may be processed only on the connecting portion 16, and may be processed on both the second reinforcing plate 26 and the connecting portion 16. Is also good.
[0039]
Further, FIG. 8 shows an example of the rib-shaped reinforcing portion which is convex on the front side. However, the rib may be punched out so as to be convex on the back side, and the first reinforcing plate 20 is processed. It is also possible to form a rib-shaped reinforcing portion on the base. Further, the rib-shaped reinforcing portion may be formed so as to extend to the terminal main body portion 13. In any case, by providing such a rib-like reinforcing portion, the effect of reinforcing the connecting portion 16 is further enhanced, and a structure extremely resistant to deformation and breakage can be realized.
[0040]
<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Can be implemented with various modifications.
(1) In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the configuration using two reinforcing plates (the first reinforcing plate 20 and the second reinforcing plate 26) as illustrated in FIG. 9A is illustrated. Only a configuration may be used. That is, as shown in FIG. 9B, only the first reinforcing plate 20 may be superimposed on the surface of the connecting portion 16, and only the second reinforcing plate 26 is provided without providing the first reinforcing plate 20. May be laminated on the surface of the connecting portion 16.
(2) As for the shape of the first reinforcing plate 20, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the first reinforcing plate 20 is folded into a flat plate shape to form the flat plate shape. Although the structure in which the first reinforcing plate 20 is laminated in close contact with the surface of the second reinforcing plate 26 or the connecting portion 16 has been described, as shown in FIG. 9C, the reinforcing plate 20 has a predetermined curvature. It may be configured to bend and bend back inside. Further, as shown in FIG. 9D, the first reinforcing plate 20 may be bent back so that the angle formed between the connecting portion 16 and the reinforcing plate 20 is a predetermined acute angle. The configuration is not limited to these examples, and any configuration may be used as long as the connecting portion 16 and the first reinforcing plate 20 are closely attached in the vertical direction or overlap each other via a predetermined space.
(3) In the above example, the first reinforcing plate is folded back to the front side, but may be folded back to the back side.
(4) In the above example, the second reinforcing plate is laminated on the front side, but may be on the rear side. For example, the laminated side portion 50A shown in FIG. 7 may be folded back.
(5) In the above example, the laminated form in which the laminated side portion 50A shown in FIG. 7 is folded is illustrated. However, another member having the same shape as the laminated side portion 50A is overlapped on the front side or the back side of the terminal main body 13. May be arranged.
(6) In the above example, the case where two ground terminal fittings are assembled has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where three or more ground terminal fittings are sequentially stacked and assembled. In this case, it is possible to arbitrarily combine two types of ground terminal fittings having different plate thicknesses as shown in FIG. 6, and to arbitrarily set the order in which the ground terminal fittings are stacked.
(7) Also, in the above example, the assembling destination terminal fitting 30 having the same shape as the grounding terminal fitting 10 and having a two-layer structure, and a configuration in which a single-layer thick terminal fitting is assembled to the grounding terminal fitting 10. Although illustrated as an example, the assembling destination is not limited to the one having such a configuration, and the assembling destination can also be assembled to a grounding terminal fitting having another shape. For example, a grounding terminal fitting having a laminated structure of three or more layers in which the entire thickness of the terminal body is the same as the distance Sb between the terminal body 13 and the locking piece 15 (that is, the same as the thickness of the terminal body 13). It is also possible to assemble them.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a ground terminal of the first embodiment and another ground terminal are assembled.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a ground terminal according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a ground terminal fitting illustrating the ground terminal fitting of the first embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a side view showing a form in which the electric wire is crimped in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view conceptually showing a locking structure in a state where the ground terminal fitting of the first embodiment and another ground terminal fitting are assembled.
FIG. 7 is a view showing a metal plate material before bending processing is performed.
FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a ground terminal according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view exemplifying some reinforcing structures by a reinforcing plate.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Ground terminal fittings
13 Terminal body
15 ... locking piece
16 ... connecting part
17 ... wire crimping part
17A ... caulking piece
20: first reinforcing plate
22 ... side wall
26 ... second reinforcing plate
30 Other ground terminal fittings
47 ... rib-shaped reinforcement

Claims

A substantially flat terminal body made of a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape, a substantially flat connection portion extending from an outer peripheral edge of the terminal body, and an electric wire crimp extending further from an extension end of the connection portion. And a ground terminal fitting having a
A grounding terminal fitting, wherein a reinforcing means having a form in which a reinforcing plate is superposed on the connecting portion is provided.

Assembled with another grounding terminal fitting having a substantially flat terminal body and a locking portion that rises from the outer peripheral edge of the terminal body to the surface side by approximately the same thickness as the thickness of the terminal body. It is possible to attach
The terminal body has the same thickness as the thickness of the terminal body portion to which the terminal body is attached by forming a laminated form in which a single-plate-like laminated plate is stacked on the reinforcing plate.
A locking piece that rises from the outer peripheral edge to the surface side by the same dimension as the locking portion of the assembly destination is formed on the terminal body in this laminated form,
In the assembled state with the other grounding terminal fitting, the terminal body portion of the mounting destination is sandwiched between the surface of the terminal body and the locking piece, or the terminal main body portion of the mounting destination is The ground terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the terminal main body is configured to be sandwiched between a front surface and a locking portion of the assembly destination.

The grounding terminal according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing plate is formed to be folded back from a side edge of the connecting portion. 4.

The grounding terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connecting portion has a side wall that rises along a side edge thereof.

The connecting portion is formed with a side wall portion raised along a side edge thereof, and the side wall portion and the reinforcing plate are arranged along the side edge of the connecting portion and connected to each other. The ground terminal fitting according to claim 3, wherein:

The wire crimping portion is formed in a barrel shape in a form in which a crimping piece rises from a side edge of a bottom plate connected to the connecting portion, and the caulking piece and the side wall portion extend along a side edge of the connecting portion. The ground terminal fitting according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the ground terminal fittings are arranged side by side and connected to each other.

7. The grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is formed with a rib-like reinforcing portion which is elongated in a direction in which the connecting portion extends. Terminal fittings.