JP2007087808A - Connection terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply branch and connect a branch cable from/to a main cable. <P>SOLUTION: A crimp terminal 10 is composed by integrally including a base bottom part 12 having core crimp pieces 13 capable of connecting a cable thereto and covering crimp pieces 14, and a contact part 20. The contact part 20 comprises a tubular fitting part 22, a connection part 23 extending from the front end of the tubular fitting part 22, and a tab-like fitting part 24 extending nearly in parallel with the tubular fitting part 22 by being folded back by the connection part 23. By longitudinally fitting the tubular fitting part 22 of the crimp terminal 10 to a tab-like fitting part 34 of a crimp terminal 30 having the same shape as that of the crimp terminal 10, the crimp terminal 10 is connected to the crimp terminal 30. An energization part 26 extending into a fitting space 25 is formed in the tubular fitting part 22, and the crimp terminal 10 is connected to the crimp terminal 30 in the state where the energization part 26 and the inside surface of the tubular fitting part 22 catch the tab-like fitting part 34 of the crimp terminal 30 received in the fitting space 25 by elastic energization of the energization part 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection terminal for crimping a cable, and more particularly to a connection terminal for electrically branching and connecting a branch cable to a main cable (main cable).

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are many locations where branch lines branch from a main line in a wire harness disposed in an automobile or the like. FIG. 7 shows the inside of an instrument panel of an automobile as an example. As shown in FIG. 7, a main wire harness 501 connected to a power source such as an in-vehicle battery is disposed inside the instrument panel. A branch wire harness 502 is branched from 501 toward a meter 503 of an instrument such as a speedometer. The branch wire harness 502 branched from the main wire harness 501 is connected to the back side of the meter 503 by a connector or the like. Then, at the branch position between the main wire harness 501 and the wire harness 502, as described in Patent Document 1, the binding tape 504 is wound around the electric wire group so that the branch position does not shift.
JP 2005-027463 A

  The above-mentioned tape winding work at the branching position requires skill, and the winding degree is likely to vary depending on the skill level of the operator, and the work takes longer if the number of branching positions of the wire harness is large. There is. The same applies to a method in which the insulation coating of the main line is exposed at the branch position and the branch connection is made by welding the branch line to the main line at this position. In order to prevent this, it is very troublesome because an insulating binding tape must be wound to cover the vicinity of the branching position again. Furthermore, when welding the conducting wires inside the coating, since a welding machine is used, the equipment becomes large and skill is required. As described above, when many branch wire harnesses are branched and connected from the main wire harness, there is a problem that the work is troublesome.

  In view of the above problems, in the present invention, when the branch wire harness is pulled out from the main wire harness and branched, the conventional work process of binding with a binding tape at the branch position is omitted, and the wire harnesses can be easily branched and connected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection terminal that can be used.

  In order to solve the above problems, the connection terminal according to the present invention includes a cable connection portion (for example, the base portion 12, the core wire crimping piece 13 and the coated crimping piece 14 in the embodiment) and a terminal connection portion (for example, a cable connection). , The contact portion 20 in the embodiment is integrally formed, and the terminal connection portion is connected to the front end of the cable connection portion and extends forward, for example, a female fitting connection portion (for example, the cylindrical fitting portion in the embodiment) 22), a coupling portion extending from the front end of the female fitting connection portion, and a male fitting connection portion which is folded back by the coupling portion and extends substantially parallel to the female fitting connection portion toward the rear end side of the female fitting connection portion. (For example, the tab-shaped fitting portion 24 in the embodiment), and the female fitting connection portion of one connection terminal (for example, the crimp terminal 10 in the embodiment) of the two connection terminals is connected to the other connection terminal (for example, To the embodiment Configured kicking male fitting connection and the longitudinal direction of the crimp terminal 30) is fitted and connected to connecting two connection terminals.

  Further, in the connection terminal configured as described above, the female fitting connection portion is a fitting that can receive the male fitting connection portion of the other connection terminal fitted in the front-rear direction from any one of the openings provided in the front-rear direction. The joint space is composed of a cylindrical fitting portion formed inside, and the male fitting connection portion is formed of a tab-like fitting portion formed in a tab shape, and the cylindrical fitting portion is attached to the fitting space. The urging portion is formed, and the urging portion and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical fitting portion are received in the fitting space, and the tab-like fitting portion of the other connection terminal is held by the elastic urging force of the urging portion. In this state, it is preferable to be connected to the other connection terminal.

  According to the connection terminal according to the present invention, the two connection terminals fitted in the front-rear direction to the cylindrical fitting portion of one connection terminal of the two connection terminals are clamped by elastic urging. Connection terminals are connected. At this time, one cable crimped to one connection terminal and the other cable crimped to the other connection terminal are conducted through the two connection terminals connected to each other. If a plurality of cables with crimped connection terminals having such a configuration are prepared, for example, at a desired position where a pair of branch cables are to be branched and connected to the main cable, a cylinder of the connection terminals with the main cable crimped The main cable and a pair of branch cables can be branched and connected via these connection terminals by a simple operation such as fitting and connecting the tab-like fitting portion of the connection terminal to which the branch fitting cable is crimped. It is possible. For this reason, branch connection can be easily performed without performing the troublesome work of removing the insulation coating of the cable and welding the conductors.

  It is also possible to connect a plurality of connection terminals in series, and at least one other connection terminal and one connection terminal of the plurality of connected connection terminals are fitted as described above. If connected, a plurality of branch cables crimped to the other connection terminal can be branched and connected to one main cable crimped to one of the connection terminals. Further, the branch connection of such a large number of branch cables can be done in a short time because it is only necessary to fit and connect the connection terminals, and it is possible to omit a troublesome work process.

  Here, a preferred embodiment of the connection terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the following description, a crimp terminal that crimps and connects a cable is described as an example of the connection terminal. However, the connection terminal according to the present invention is not limited to a crimp terminal, and may be a press contact terminal that press-connects a cable, for example.

  Here, a first embodiment of the crimp terminal will be described first. FIG. 1 shows a crimp terminal 10 according to the present embodiment and a cable 100 (covered electric wire) that is crimp-connected to the crimp terminal 10. The crimp terminal 10 shown in the figure has a contact portion 20 at the tip, and the crimp terminal 10 is fitted and connected to a mating terminal having the same shape.

  The crimp terminal 10 includes a contact portion 20 having a cylindrical fitting portion extending in the front-rear direction, and a plate-like shape extending rearward by being integrally connected to the rear end of the contact portion 20 via a connecting portion 11. A base portion 12, a pair of left and right core wire crimping pieces 13, 13 projecting upward from the left and right side ends of the front portion of the base portion 12, and a pair of left and right coverings projecting upward from the left and right side ends of the rear portion of the base portion 12. A conductive metal plate material comprising crimping pieces 14 and 14 and a connecting portion 16 that forms the base portion 12 and is formed by connecting the core crimping pieces 13 and 13 and the covering crimping pieces 14 and 14 and is inclined. It is stamped and bent and is integrally formed.

  In the configuration as described above, the connecting portion 16 serves to connect and reinforce between the core wire crimping pieces 13 and 13 and the coated crimping pieces 14 and 14. Further, the cable 100 to be crimped and connected to the crimping terminal 10 having such a configuration has an insulating property composed of a core wire 101 in which a plurality of strands are bundled and PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) covering the core wire 101. The covering 102 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the crimping terminal 10 has a core wire 101 that is exposed by peeling off the coating 102 at the tip, and is sandwiched by the core wire crimping pieces 13 and 13 from the left and right sides. The crimping pieces 14, 14 are wrapped and sandwiched from the left and right sides and attached to the tip of the cable 100. This attachment is performed by bending the core crimping pieces 13 and 13 and the covering crimping pieces 14 and 14 inward as shown in the drawing using a crimping tool.

  The crimp terminal 10 having a cable 100 crimped to the tip is electrically connected by fitting and connecting the contact portion 20 to a crimp terminal which is a counterpart terminal of the same shape.

  The contact portion 20 is formed integrally with the connecting portion 11, and has an inclined portion 21 that is inclined upward and connected to the connecting portion 11, and a fitting space 25 that receives the mating terminal with the extending direction of the base portion 12 as the longitudinal direction. A cylindrical fitting portion 22 having a substantially rectangular cross section formed therein, a plate-like connecting portion 23 extending in a substantially vertical direction from the distal end side of the cylindrical fitting portion 22 to the cylindrical fitting portion 22; The base end side is connected to the cylindrical fitting portion 22 via the connecting portion 23, and is folded back by the connecting portion 23 so as to extend substantially parallel to the fitting connecting portion 22 toward the rear end side of the fitting connecting portion 22. And a tab-like tab-like fitting portion 24. As shown in FIG.2 (d), the part comprised with the cylindrical fitting part 22, the connection part 23, and the tab-shaped fitting part 24 is substantially U shape by side view.

  As described above, the cylindrical fitting portion 22 having the longitudinal direction as the longitudinal direction has substantially rectangular openings 27 and 27 formed on the front end side and the rear end side thereof. The joining portion 34 is configured to be fitted in the front-rear direction into the fitting space 25 of the cylindrical fitting portion 22 from either the front or rear opening 27. A plate-like urging portion 26 that is curved downward in the fitting space 25 and elastically displaceable in the vertical direction extends from the vicinity of both front and rear ends on the upper inner wall surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 22. .

  The crimp terminal 10 configured in this manner is fitted and connected to the crimp terminal 30 which is one of the other terminals. As shown in FIG. 5, the crimp terminal 30 has the same shape as the crimp terminal 10, and includes a cylindrical fitting part 32, a connecting part 33, a tab-like fitting part 34, an urging part 36, and the like. A fitting space 35 extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the cylindrical fitting portion 32 is formed inside the cylindrical fitting portion 32, and openings 37, 37 are formed at the front and rear ends thereof. The crimp terminal 30 can be fitted into the tubular fitting portion 22 of the crimp terminal 10, and the tab-like fitting portion 34 of the crimp terminal 30 can be inserted into the tubular fitting portion 22 from either the front or rear opening 27. When inserted in the front-rear direction, the tab-like fitting portion 34 of the crimp terminal 30 abuts against the biasing portion 26 of the crimp terminal 10, and elastically moves toward the inner wall surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 22 of the biasing portion 26. It is clamped by the urging portion 26 and the inner wall surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 22 by urging. In this manner, the crimp terminal 10 and the crimp terminal 30 are fitted and connected to the tubular fitting part 22 in the tab-like fitting part 24 direction.

  On the other hand, the crimp terminal 10 can be connected to the crimp terminal 40 which is the other counterpart terminal as follows. As shown in FIG. 5, the crimp terminal 40 has the same shape as the crimp terminal 10 like the crimp terminal 30, and has a cylindrical fitting part 42, a connecting part 43, a tab-like fitting part 44, and an urging part. 46, and a fitting space 45 extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the tubular fitting portion 42 is formed inside the tubular fitting portion 42, and openings 47, 47 are formed at the front and rear ends thereof. Is formed. The crimp terminal 10 can be fitted into the tubular fitting portion 42 of the crimp terminal 40, and the tab-like fitting portion 24 of the crimp terminal 10 is inserted into the tubular fitting portion 42 from either the front or rear opening 47. When inserted in the front-rear direction, the tab-shaped fitting portion 24 comes into contact with the urging portion 46 of the crimp terminal 40 that is the mating terminal, and the elastic force of the urging portion 46 toward the inner wall surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 42. Due to the normal urging, the urging portion 46 and the inner wall surface of the cylindrical fitting portion 42 of the crimp terminal 40 are sandwiched. In this way, the crimp terminal 10 and the crimp terminal 40 are fitted and connected to the tubular fitting part 22 in the tab-like fitting part 24 direction.

  4 illustrates an example in which the crimp terminal 30 and the crimp terminal 40 are connected to the left and right sides of the crimp terminal 10 as mating terminals, but another crimp terminal is connected to the crimp terminal 30 in a chain shape in the arrow A direction. It is possible to connect a plurality of crimping terminals to the right and left by connecting another crimping terminal to the crimping terminal 40 in a chain shape in the arrow B direction. At this time, by changing the insertion direction of the mating terminal of the tab-like fitting portion into the cylindrical fitting portion, that is, depending on which of the two openings before and after the cylindrical fitting portion is inserted, The direction of extending the cable to be crimped to the crimp terminal can be changed. In FIG. 4, the cable 300 extends in the opposite direction to the cable 100 or 400, but the cable 300 is moved in the same direction as the cable 100 or 400 by changing the mounting direction of the crimp terminal 30 to the crimp terminal 10. It can be extended.

  Further, in FIG. 4, by using three crimp terminals 10, 30, and 40, the branch cable 100 that is crimped to the crimp terminal 10 and the crimp terminal 40 to the main cable 300 that is crimped to the crimp terminal 30. 400, for example, if a plurality of crimp terminals are connected to the crimp terminal 30 in the direction of arrow A or arrow B in addition to the crimp terminal 10 and the crimp terminal 40, the main cable 300 is connected. On the other hand, it is possible to branch a plurality of branch cables by the number of connected crimp terminals.

  Next, a second embodiment of the crimp terminal will be described with reference to FIG. Since the base portion 12 composed of the core crimping piece 13 and the covering crimping piece 14 of the crimping terminal 10 ′ according to the present embodiment has the same shape as those of the crimping terminal 10 described in the first embodiment, Here, the contact portion 20 ′ having a shape different from that of the contact portion 20 of the crimp terminal 10 will be mainly described.

  The contact portion 20 ′ is formed integrally with the connecting portion 11 and is connected to the connecting portion 11 while being inclined upward, a female fitting connecting portion 50 connected to the inclined portion 21 and extending forward and backward, and a female fitting. A connecting portion 23 ′ extending from the front end of the connecting portion 50, and a flat tab shape which is folded back by the connecting portion 23 ′ and extends substantially parallel to the female fitting connecting portion 50 toward the rear end side of the female fitting connecting portion 50. And a tab-like fitting portion 24 'formed in the above.

  The female fitting connection portion 50 is integrally connected to the inclined portion 21 and has a rectangular flat plate-like female substrate portion 53 having a longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction and a female substrate portion 53 curved upward from the left and right ends of the female substrate portion 53, and the distal end side is a female substrate And a pair of substantially U-shaped sandwiching portions 51 and 52 that are folded back toward the portion 53 side. Of the pair of clamping parts 51, 52, the first clamping part 51 is formed forward and backward along the left side edge of the female substrate part 53, and the second clamping part 52 is formed on the right side edge of the female board part 53. It is formed along the front and back.

  The crimp terminal 10 ′ thus configured is fitted and connected to a mating terminal having the same shape as the crimp terminal 10 ′ as follows. When the tab-shaped fitting portion of the mating terminal is inserted into the female mating connection portion 50 of the crimp terminal 10 ′ so as to overlap the female substrate portion 53 in the front-rear direction from either of the front and rear ends, the tab-shaped fitting of the mating terminal The surface of the connecting portion comes into contact with the tips of the first and second sandwiching portions 51 and 52 of the crimp terminal 10 ′, and the sandwiching portions 51 and 52 and the female substrate portion 53 are brought into contact by elastic biasing of the sandwiching portions 51 and 52. It is pinched by.

  Further, the tab-like fitting connection portion 24 ′ of the crimp terminal 10 ′ is used as a female fitting connection portion of a mating terminal different from the mating terminal (this mating terminal also has the same shape as the crimping terminal 10 ′). When inserted so as to overlap the female substrate portion of the mating terminal in the front-rear direction from any of the front and rear end sides, the tab-like fitting connection portion 24 ′ of the crimp terminal 10 ′ has first and second surfaces of the mating terminal. It abuts on the tip of the clamping part and is clamped by the clamping part of the mating terminal and the female substrate part of the mating terminal by elastic biasing of the clamping part of the mating terminal. In this way, it is possible to connect a plurality of crimp terminals by fitting and connecting a plurality of mating terminals to the crimp terminal 10 '.

  Here, the effects achieved in the present invention are summarized as follows. That is, according to the connection terminal according to the present invention, the other connection terminal fitted in the front-rear direction to the cylindrical fitting portion of one connection terminal of the two connection terminals is clamped by elastic bias. These two connection terminals are connected. At this time, one cable crimped to one connection terminal and the other cable crimped to the other connection terminal are conducted through the two connection terminals connected to each other. If a plurality of cables with crimped connection terminals having such a configuration are prepared, for example, at a desired position where a pair of branch cables are to be branched and connected to the main cable, a cylinder of the connection terminals with the main cable crimped The main cable and a pair of branch cables can be branched and connected via these connection terminals by a simple operation such as fitting and connecting the tab-like fitting portion of the connection terminal to which the branch fitting cable is crimped. It is possible. For this reason, branch connection can be easily performed without performing the troublesome work of removing the insulation coating of the cable and welding the conductors.

  It is also possible to connect a plurality of connection terminals in series, and at least one other connection terminal and one connection terminal of the plurality of connected connection terminals are fitted as described above. If connected, a plurality of branch cables crimped to the other connection terminal can be branched and connected to one main cable crimped to one of the connection terminals. Further, the branch connection of such a large number of branch cables can be done in a short time because it is only necessary to fit and connect the connection terminals, and it is possible to omit a troublesome work process.

It is a perspective view of a crimp terminal which is an example of a connection terminal concerning the present invention. It is a figure which shows the said crimp terminal, (a) is a top view, (b) is a rear view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right view. It is a bottom view of the said crimp terminal. It is a perspective view showing the state where a plurality of branch cables were branched and connected to the main cable by connecting a plurality of the crimp terminals. It is sectional drawing which shows the state by which the several branch cable was branch-connected with respect to the main cable by connecting the said crimp terminal two or more. It is a figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of the said crimp terminal, (a) is a top view, (b) is a rear view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right view. It is a perspective view which shows the electric wire inside the instrument panel of a motor vehicle as an example of the wire harness arrange | positioned in a motor vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

10 Crimp terminal (one connection terminal)
12 Base (cable connection)
13 Core wire crimping piece (cable connection part)
14 Coated crimping piece (cable connection)
20 Contact part (terminal connection part)
21 inclined part 22 cylindrical fitting part (female fitting connection part)
23 connecting part 24 tab-like fitting part (male fitting connection part)
25 Fitting space 26 Energizing portion 27 Opening 30 Crimp terminal (the other connection terminal)
32 tubular fitting part 33 connecting part 34 tab-like fitting part 35 fitting space 36 biasing part 37 opening 40 crimping terminal 42 cylindrical fitting part 43 connecting part 44 tab-like fitting part 45 fitting space 46 biasing Portion 47 Opening 100 Branch cable 300 Main cable 400 Branch cable

Claims (2)

A connection terminal configured integrally with a cable connection part capable of connecting a cable and a terminal connection part,
The terminal connecting portion is connected to the front end of the cable connecting portion and extends forward, a connecting portion extending from the front end of the female fitting connecting portion, and the female fitting folded by the connecting portion. It consists of a male fitting connection part extending substantially parallel to the female fitting connection part toward the rear end side of the connection part,
The two connection terminals are connected by fitting and connecting the female fitting connection portion of one of the connection terminals in the two connection terminals in the front-rear direction with the male fitting connection portion of the other connection terminal. A connection terminal characterized by being configured as described above. A fitting space in which the female fitting connection part can receive the male fitting connection part of the other connection terminal inserted in the front-rear direction from any one of the openings provided in the front and rear is formed inside Made up of a cylindrical fitting portion,
The male fitting connection part is composed of a tab-like fitting part formed in a tab shape,
A biasing portion extending into the fitting space is formed in the cylindrical fitting portion,
The tab-like fitting portion of the other connection terminal in which the biasing portion and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical fitting portion are received in the fitting space is clamped by the elastic biasing of the biasing portion. 2. The connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the connection terminal is connected to the other connection terminal in a state of being connected.

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