JP2007103207A - Connection terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connection terminal of which "reversed insertion" into a housing part of a connector can be easily recognized by an operator. <P>SOLUTION: The connection terminal 10 is provided with a nearly rectangular cylinder-shaped box-shaped part 14. An elastic metal piece 17 having a base end part 17a contacting a lower wall part 14b and a tip end part 17b arranged more upward than the base end part 17a is arranged in the box-shaped part 14. The tip end part 17b of the elastic metal piece 17 is branched into two in a lateral (right and left)direction. Two relief holes 24 are arranged on the lower wall part 14b of the box-shaped part 14 in a lateral direction so as to correspond to the shape of the tip end part 17b of the elastic metal piece 17. By the above, when the connection terminal 10 is inserted into the housing part of the housing in reverse, a housing lance in the housing part is not hitched on any of the respective relief holes 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a metal connection terminal used for electrical wiring, and more particularly to a female connection terminal having a box-like portion into which a male metal terminal can be inserted.

  Conventionally, for example, a connection terminal (terminal fitting) described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a connection terminal to be inserted into a housing portion formed in a housing of a connector. This connection terminal includes a box-shaped portion having a substantially rectangular tube shape into which a male metal terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as “metal terminal”) can be inserted, and an electric wire holding portion for holding an electric wire. And the box-shaped part is provided with the latching | locking part latched by the housing lance formed in the said housing. Furthermore, a metal elastic piece that is elastically displaced in a direction crossing the insertion direction of the metal terminal when pressed by the metal terminal inserted into the box-shaped portion is provided in the box-shaped portion.

Also, one side surface (for example, the lower side surface) of each side surface of the box-shaped portion is formed such that when the metal elastic piece is elastically displaced by a metal terminal inserted into the box-shaped portion, the metal elastic piece is An escape hole for avoiding contact with one side surface is formed. Then, the connection terminal is inserted into the connector accommodating portion with the other side surface (for example, the upper side surface) where the escape hole is not formed facing the housing lance. ing.
JP-A-8-236186 (Claim 1, FIG. 1)

  By the way, the connection terminal described in Patent Document 1 is provided in the housing portion of the connector so that the box-shaped portion faces one side surface where the escape hole is formed facing the housing lance due to an operator's work mistake. It may be inserted. That is, the connection terminal may be so-called “reversely inserted” into the connector housing. In this case, in the connection terminal described in Patent Document 1, when the housing lance is caught in the escape hole, the operator may mistakenly think that the locking portion of the connection terminal is locked to the housing lance. there were. That is, an unknown contact failure may occur between the connection terminal and the metal terminal in the housing portion.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. The purpose is to provide a connection terminal that allows an operator to easily recognize that the connector is “reversely inserted” into the connector housing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is configured so as to be housed in a housing portion formed in the housing of the connector, and is provided in the housing when housed in the housing portion. In a connection terminal comprising a locking portion locked to a housing lance and a box-shaped portion into which a male metal terminal is inserted, a piece having a base end portion fixed to the inner surface of the box-shaped portion. A cantilever-shaped metal elastic piece is provided, and when the male metal terminal is inserted into the box-shaped portion, the metal elastic piece is elastically displaced in a direction crossing the insertion direction of the metal terminal. Thus, the metal elastic piece is formed at a portion corresponding to the tip of the metal elastic piece on the inner side surface of the box-like part. An escape hole to avoid contact with the tip of the Width is characterized in that it is formed such that the width becomes narrower than the width of the housing lance.

  In the above configuration, the escape hole is formed so that its lateral width is narrower than the lateral width of the housing lance. Therefore, even if the connection terminal is “reversely inserted” into the housing insertion part in the connector, the housing lance will not get caught in the escape hole, so the operator misunderstood that the locking part of the connection terminal was locked in the housing lance. Can be suppressed. That is, the operator can easily recognize that the connector is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion of the connector.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the connection terminal according to the first aspect, the metal elastic piece has a tip portion branched into a plurality of portions, and the escape hole is a branch of the tip portion of the metal elastic piece. It is characterized in that a plurality are formed in the horizontal direction according to the shape.

  According to the above configuration, since a plurality of escape holes are formed in the lateral direction, when the connection terminal is “reversely inserted” into the insertion portion of the housing in the connector, the housing lance is prevented from being caught in the escape hole. it can.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the connection terminal according to the first aspect, the metal elastic piece is formed so that a tip end portion thereof is tapered.
According to the above configuration, the escape hole is formed so as to correspond to the shape of the distal end portion of the metal elastic piece. Therefore, when the connection terminal is “reversely inserted” into the insertion portion of the housing in the connector, the housing lance is It is possible to avoid being caught in the escape hole.

  According to the present invention, the operator can easily recognize that the connector is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion of the connector.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description in the present specification, “up and down direction”, “left and right direction”, and “front and back direction” are the up and down direction, left and right direction, and front and rear direction (indicated by arrows in FIG. 1A). Each shall be shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the connection terminal 10 of the present embodiment is obtained by bending a single metal plate 11 along the alternate long and short dash line shown in FIG. 1 (b). The wire holding part 13 which hold | maintains 12 and the substantially square cylindrical box-shaped part 14 arrange | positioned rather than this electric wire holding part 13 are provided. When the metal plate 11 is bent so as to form a substantially rectangular tube shape along the alternate long and short dash line, the box-shaped portion 14 is an outer surface of the right end portion (one opposing portion) 11a of the metal plate 11. A left end portion (the other facing portion) 11b is in contact with and superimposed on the side. And in the box-shaped part 14, the site | part which piled up the both ends 11a and 11b of the left-right direction in this metal plate 11 becomes the overlapping part 16, and comprises a part of upper wall part 14a of the box-shaped part 14. Yes.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, in the box-shaped portion 14, a cantilever-shaped metal elastic piece 17 having a base end portion 17a fixed to the lower wall portion 14b extends in the front-rear direction. Is formed. That is, the base end portion 17a of the metal elastic piece 17 is joined to the inner side surface 14c of the lower wall portion 14b of the box-shaped portion 14, and the tip end portion 17b is located on the rear side of the base end portion 17a. Is arranged. The metal elastic piece 17 has a tip portion 17b branched in a plurality (two in this embodiment) in the lateral direction (left-right direction). That is, the tip 17b of the metal elastic piece 17 has a bifurcated shape. The metal elastic piece 17 extends obliquely from the base end portion 17a to the midway portion toward the upper wall portion 14a from the lower wall portion 14b of the box-like portion 14, and from the midway portion to the tip portion 17b. It is formed in a substantially “h” shape so that the upper end extends obliquely from the upper wall portion 14a side to the lower wall portion 14b side. In addition, in the following description, the part located on the uppermost side of the metal elastic piece 17 (the above-mentioned “midway part”) is referred to as a “top part 17c”.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, when the connection terminal 10 is inserted into the housing portion 20 formed in the housing 19 of the connector 18, the housing terminal 14 is accommodated in the box-shaped portion 14 of the connection terminal 10. A male metal terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as “metal terminal”) 21 provided in the portion 20 and extending in the front-rear direction is inserted. At this time, in the box-shaped portion 14, the metal elastic piece 17 has its top portion 17 c pressed against the metal terminal 21, and as a result, intersects the insertion direction (front-rear direction) of the metal terminal 21 (downward in this embodiment). ) Is elastically displaced. That is, the metal elastic piece 17 is elastically displaced toward the lower wall portion 14 b by being pressed by the metal terminal 21 inserted into the box-shaped portion 14.

  On the outer surface of the upper wall portion 14a of the box-shaped portion 14, a plurality of concave grooves 22 recessed inwardly in a position corresponding to the top portion 17c of the metal elastic piece 17 in the front-rear direction are arranged in the left-right direction (in this embodiment, 2) are provided. Therefore, the metal terminal 21 inserted into the box-shaped portion 14 is given an upward urging force by the metal elastic piece 17 that is in pressure contact. As a result, each concave groove 22 in the upper wall portion 14a of the box-shaped portion 14 is provided. The bulging portion 22a bulging inwardly at the formation location comes into contact with the box-shaped portion 14 from inside.

  Further, a through-hole 23 having a substantially rectangular hole shape is formed in the upper wall portion 14 a of the box-shaped portion 14 on the front side of each of the concave grooves 22. When the connection terminal 10 is correctly inserted into the housing part 20, the tip of the housing lance 24 in the housing part 20 is caught in the through hole 23. That is, in the present embodiment, the through hole 23 functions as a locking portion that is locked to the housing lance 24 provided in the housing 19. Note that “the connection terminal 10 is correctly inserted into the housing portion 20” means that the connection terminal 10 is in the housing portion 20 in a state where the upper wall portion 14 a in which the through hole 23 is formed faces the housing lance 24. Is inserted.

  On the other hand, on the lower wall portion 14b of the box-shaped portion 14, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. A plurality of escape holes 25 (two in the present embodiment) for avoiding contact with the distal end portion 17b are formed in a portion corresponding to the above. Each escape hole 25 is formed so as to correspond to the shape (bifurcated shape) of the distal end portion 17 b of the metal elastic piece 17. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the escape holes 25 are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction (left and right direction), and the horizontal width dimension of each escape hole 25 is the horizontal width dimension (that is, the through hole 23). , The width of the housing lance 24 in the lateral direction) is sufficiently narrow.

Next, the superposition unit 16 will be described in detail.
As described above, the overlapping portion 16 is formed by overlapping the right end portion 11 a and the left end portion 11 b of the metal plate 11. 5A and 5B, the end portions 11a and 11b of the metal plate 11 constituting the overlapping portion 16 have a plate thickness (for example, about 0.15 mm) d1 superimposed on the metal plate 11. It is formed so as to be thinner than the plate thickness (for example, about 0.25 mm) d2 of the portion not constituting the portion 16. That is, the end portions 11 a and 11 b of the metal plate 11 are thinly extended before the connection terminal 10 is formed.

  Further, the upper surface (outer surface) 29 of the left end portion 11b which is the outer side of the end portions 11a and 11b of the metal plate 11 is other than the overlapping portion 16 of the outer surface of the upper wall portion 14a in the box-shaped portion 14. The upper surface (outer surface) 30 of this part is positioned substantially in the same plane in the vertical direction. Further, the lower surface (inner side surface) 31 of the right end portion 11a which is the inner side among the end portions 11a and 11b of the metal plate 11 is positioned above the bulging portion 22a corresponding to each concave groove 22. It has become.

  A locking claw 26 is formed at the right end 11a of the end portions 11a, 11b of the metal plate 11 constituting the overlapping portion 16, and a locking claw 26 is formed at the left end 11b. A locking hole 27 having a corresponding relationship is formed. Then, when the connection terminal 10 is formed by bending a single metal plate 11, a locking claw 26 is fitted into the locking hole 27 and locked to thereby form a substantially square cylindrical box-shaped portion. 14 is formed. That is, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 28 is configured by the locking claw 26 formed in the right end portion 11a and the locking hole 27 formed in the left end portion 11b. The locking mechanism 28 is disposed so as to correspond to the top portion 17c of the metal elastic piece 17 in the front-rear direction.

Next, the operation when the connection terminal 10 of this embodiment is inserted into the housing portion 20 of the housing 19 in the connector 18 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, an operation when the connection terminal 10 is so-called “reversely inserted” in the housing portion 20 in the housing 19 will be described. Note that “reverse insertion” indicates that the connection terminal 10 is inserted into the housing portion 20 with the upper wall portion 14a of the box-like portion 14 in which the through hole 23 is formed facing downward. .

  Now, as shown in FIG. 6, when the connection terminal 10 is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20, the connection terminal 10 is not locked to the housing lance 24 provided in the housing 19. It is inserted to the back (back) of the accommodating part 20. Here, when the connection terminal 10 is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20 as described above, in the conventional connection terminal, the lateral width of the escape hole is substantially the same as the lateral width of the housing lance 24. The tip of the housing lance 24 is inadvertently caught in the escape hole, and the operator may misunderstand that the insertion of the connection terminal into the housing portion 20 is completed. However, in the connection terminal 10 of this embodiment, the width of each escape hole 25 is sufficiently narrower than the width of the housing lance 24. For this reason, even if the operator has “reversely inserted” due to an operator's mistake or the like, the operator has noticed that the connection terminal 10 has been “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20. Thus, the connection terminal 10 is correctly inserted into the housing portion 20. When the connection terminal 10 is correctly reinserted into the housing portion 20, the housing lance 24 is caught in the through hole 23 of the box-shaped portion 14, and the insertion of the connection terminal into the housing portion 20 is completed.

Next, an operation when the connection terminal 10 is correctly inserted into the housing portion 20 will be described.
Now, when the connection terminal 10 is correctly inserted into the housing part 20, the metal terminal 21 is inserted into the box-shaped part 14 of the connection terminal 10. Then, in the box-shaped part 14, the metal elastic piece 17 is elastically displaced downward by being pressed by the metal terminal 21, and the metal elastic piece 17 is based on an elastic return action with respect to the metal terminal 21. A biasing force is applied upward. Therefore, the metal terminal 21 is pressed against the bulging portion 22a corresponding to each concave groove 22 and presses the upper wall portion 14a of the box-shaped portion 14 upward. However, in the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 28 is disposed at the portion where the upward stress by the metal terminal 21 is most applied (the portion in the front-rear direction), and the overlapping portion 16 is formed. Therefore, the box-shaped portion 14 is prevented from expanding based on the upward pressing of the metal terminal 21.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When the male metal terminal 21 is inserted into the box-shaped portion 14, the locking mechanism 28 is disposed at a portion of the box-shaped portion 14 where the stress in the expanding direction is most applied. . The strength of the box-shaped portion 14 against the stress in the expanding direction accompanying the insertion of the metal terminal 21 is increased by the locking force between the locking claw 26 and the locking hole 27 constituting the locking mechanism 28. Yes. Accordingly, the strength of the box-shaped portion 14 is improved by the locking force of the locking mechanism 28, so that the box-shaped portion 14 is expanded when the male metal terminal 21 is inserted into the box-shaped portion 14. Can be suppressed.

  (2) When the male metal terminal 21 is inserted into the box-shaped portion 14, the stress in the expanding direction that acts as a reaction force of the urging force that the metal elastic piece 17 imparts to the metal terminal 21 overlaps the portion. 16, even if it acts on the left end portion 11 b which is the inner side, the right end portion 11 a which is the outer side is suppressed, so that the box-shaped portion 14 is prevented from expanding. That is, the strength of the box-shaped portion 14 can be further improved as compared with a conventional connection terminal in which the overlapping portion 16 is not formed.

  (3) By making the plate thickness d1 of each end part 11a, 11b of the metal plate 11 constituting the superposition part 16 thinner than the plate thickness d2 of the part other than the superposition part 16, the thickness of the whole superposition part 16 is reduced. It can be configured to be thinner than when the end portions that are not thinned are stacked. That is, the enlargement of the box-shaped part 14 can be suppressed.

  (4) The overlapping portion 16 is such that the upper surface (outer side surface) 29 of the left end portion 11b which is the outer side of the end portions 11a and 11b of the metal plate 11 is the overlapping portion 16 of the upper wall portion 14a of the box-shaped portion 14. It is comprised so that it may be located in the substantially same surface in the up-down direction with the upper surface (outer surface) 30 of parts other than. Therefore, the outline shape of the box-shaped part 14 can be made into the substantially same shape as the box-shaped part in the conventional connection terminal in which the superimposition part 16 is not comprised. That is, an increase in the size of the box-shaped portion 14 due to the configuration of the overlapping portion 16 can be suppressed.

  (5) The escape hole 25 is formed so that its lateral width is narrower than the lateral width of the housing lance 24. Therefore, even if the connection terminal 10 is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20 of the housing 19 in the connector 18, the housing lance 24 does not get caught in the escape hole 25, so that an operator can connect the connection terminal 10 to the housing lance 24. It is possible to suppress misunderstanding that the through hole (locking portion) 23 is locked. That is, the operator can easily recognize that the connector 18 has been “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20.

  (6) Since a plurality (two) of the relief holes 25 are formed at intervals in the lateral direction, the housing when the connection terminal 10 is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20 of the housing 19 in the connector 18. The lance 24 can be prevented from being caught in the escape hole 25.

  (7) Further, the escape hole 25 is formed so that the width in the lateral direction (left-right direction) is smaller than that in the conventional case. Therefore, it is possible to suppress foreign matters (such as dust) from entering the connection terminal 10 through the escape hole 25. That is, it is possible to avoid contact failure caused by foreign matter intervening between contact portions of the connection terminal 10 and the male metal terminal 21.

The embodiment may be changed to another embodiment (another example) as follows.
-In the said embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, as for the box-shaped part 14, the locking mechanism 28 comprised from the locking claw 26 and the locking hole 27 has two or more along the insertion direction of the metal terminal 21 (FIG. 7 may be a configuration in which two are formed. However, it is desirable that one of the locking mechanisms 28 is disposed at a position corresponding to the metal elastic piece 17 in the front-rear direction. When comprised in this way, the intensity | strength of the box-shaped part 14 can further be improved by forming the some latching mechanism 28 along the insertion direction (front-back direction) of the metal terminal 21. FIG.

  In the above-described embodiment, the overlapping portion 16 is configured such that the upper surface 29 of the left end portion 11b on the outside of the end portions 11a and 11b of the metal plate 11 is other than the overlapping portion 16 of the upper wall portion 14a of the box-shaped portion 14. You may comprise so that it may become an upper position rather than the upper surface (outer surface) 30 of this part.

  -In the said embodiment, it is made to make the plate | board thickness of one edge part among each edge part 11a, 11b of the metal plate 11 which comprises the superimposition part 16 thinner than the plate | board thickness of parts other than the superimposition part 16. Good.

In the embodiment, the overlapping portion 16 may not be formed on the box-shaped portion 14.
-In the said embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the latching mechanism 28 was comprised from the latching claw 26 and the latching recessed part 40 formed so that this latching claw 26 might be corresponded. May be.

  -In the said embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the metal elastic piece 17 may be formed so that the front-end | tip part 17b may taper. In this case, the relief hole 41 formed in the lower wall portion 14 b of the box-shaped portion 14 has a lateral width (width in the left-right direction) of the housing lance 24 so as to correspond to the shape of the tip portion 17 b of the metal elastic piece 17. The width needs to be narrower than the lateral width. Therefore, when the connection terminal 10 is “reversely inserted” into the housing portion 20 of the housing 19 in the connector 18, the housing lance 24 can be prevented from being caught in the escape hole 41.

  In the embodiment, the metal elastic piece 17 may have a configuration in which the tip end portion 17b is branched into three or more (for example, four). In this case, three or more (for example, four) escape holes 25 are formed at intervals in the lateral direction so as to correspond to the branched shape of the tip end portion 17b. It is desirable.

  In the embodiment, the metal elastic piece 17 may have a configuration in which the base end portion 17a is disposed on the rear side of the tip end portion 17b.

(A) is a perspective view of the connection terminal in this embodiment, (b) is an expanded view of the part which comprises a box-shaped part in a connection terminal. (A) is sectional drawing of the box-shaped part in a connection terminal, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the state in which the connection terminal was correctly inserted in the accommodating part of the housing in a connector. The perspective view of the connecting terminal in this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. (A) is the sectional view on the AA line in FIG. 2 (a), (b) is sectional drawing on the BB line in FIG.2 (b). Sectional drawing which shows the state by which the connection terminal was "reversely inserted" in the accommodating part of the housing in a connector. The perspective view which shows the structure of the box-shaped part of another example. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the locking mechanism of another example. Sectional drawing which shows the metal elastic piece of another example.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Connection terminal, 11 ... Metal plate, 11a ... Right side edge part (one opposing site | part), 11b ... Left side edge part (other opposing site | part), 14 ... Box-shaped part, 14c ... Inner side surface, 16 ... Superimposition 17, metal elastic piece, 17 a, proximal end portion, 17 b, tip portion, 18, connector, 19, housing, 20, housing portion, 21, male metal terminal, 23, through hole (locking portion), 24 ... Housing lance, 25, 41 ... Relief hole, 26 ... Locking claw, 27 ... Locking hole, 28 ... Locking mechanism, 29 ... Upper surface (outer surface of the end located outside of each end), 30 ... Upper surface (outer surface of a portion other than the overlapping portion), 40 ... Locking recess, d1 ... Plate thickness of each end of the metal plate, d2 ... Plate thickness of the portion other than the overlapping portion in the metal plate.

Claims (3)

A locking portion that is locked to a housing lance provided in the housing when being accommodated in a receiving portion formed in the housing of the connector, and is received in the receiving portion, and a male metal terminal In a connection terminal comprising a box-like portion into which is inserted,
In the box-shaped part, a cantilever-shaped metal elastic piece whose base end is fixed to the inner side surface thereof is provided, and the male elastic metal piece is inserted into the box-shaped part. In this case, by elastically displacing in the direction intersecting with the insertion direction of the metal terminal, the tip portion is formed so as to be displaced toward the inner surface of the box-shaped portion, and the inner surface of the box-shaped portion In the portion corresponding to the tip of the metal elastic piece, an escape hole for avoiding contact with the tip of the metal elastic piece has a width that is narrower than the width of the housing lance. Connection terminal formed as follows. 2. The connection according to claim 1, wherein the metal elastic piece has a tip portion branched into a plurality of portions, and the relief holes are formed in a plurality in a lateral direction according to a branch shape of the tip portion of the metal elastic piece. Terminal. The connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the metal elastic piece is formed so that a tip end thereof is tapered.

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