JP2007165058A - Tab terminal, its fastening structure, its connecting structure, and electric connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tab terminal capable of connecting electric wires certainly, its fastening structure, connecting structure, and an electric connection box. <P>SOLUTION: The tab terminal 4 is made of one sheet of metal piece and its base end has a J-shape folded and bent. A long plate member at top end side of the metal piece is made a connecting terminal part 4a and the folded portion on base plate side is made a wire connecting part 4b. As for the connecting terminal part 4a, a locking member 4c is formed by applying cut line at the three sides of bottom side, right and left sides and folding up on the opposite side to the wire connecting part 4b in the position connecting to the wire connecting part 4b. Furthermore, the top end part of the connecting terminal part 4a is chamfered so that the member may be narrower toward the upper part and is jointed electrically to a connector of an external electric component. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connection box for connecting terminals and wiring of electrical components mounted on an automobile or the like, a tab terminal installed on the electrical connection box, a fixing structure thereof, a connection structure thereof, and an electrical connection box.

In recent years, with the increasing functionality of automobiles and the like, the number of electrical components mounted on automobiles and the like is increasing. Generally, the wire harness which is the terminal of these electrical components and wiring of an electrical component is collected for every site | part connected, and is connected to an electrical junction box.

  The electrical junction box is configured to include a circuit that electrically connects electrical components and a case that houses the circuit inside and includes a connector that engages with relays, fuses, and other electrical components on the outer surface. .

  The circuit material of the conventional electrical junction box is constituted by a bus bar in which a metal plate is punched and bent into an arbitrary shape, and it costs high to manufacture a die for punching the metal plate, and the degree of freedom in circuit design is low.

Then, the wiring electrical connection box which uses an electric wire instead of a bus bar as a circuit material and electrically connects the terminal of an electrical component and a wire harness is also proposed (Patent Documents 1 and 2). This eliminates the need for a metal mold manufacturing step such as a bus bar electrical junction box, and can reduce the cost by using an inexpensive electric wire, and can be freely formed by wiring with the electric wire, so that the degree of freedom in circuit design is high.
JP-A-8-37719 JP-A-8-185906

  However, in such a wiring distribution box, the tab terminal used as the terminal of the circuit material uses a press contact terminal as in Patent Document 1 or a metal plate bent into an L shape as in Patent Document 2. In the former case, the wire breakage due to overpressure contact or contact failure due to insufficient pressure contact is caused. In the latter case, the tab terminal is in contact with the flat wire, so the wire The contact area between the tab terminal and the tab terminal is small and the reliability is low.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and it aims at providing the tab terminal which can connect an electric wire reliably, its fixing structure, its connection structure, and an electrical-connection box.

  The first tab terminal according to the present invention includes a connection terminal portion made of a plate piece, and a latch for fixing the connection terminal portion to the terminal receiving hole of the insulating base formed on the base end side of the connection terminal portion. And a conductor connecting portion that is provided on the base end side of the connection terminal portion and extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the connection terminal portion extends, and a conductor connection portion that is joined in surface contact with each other, by bending one metal piece It is formed integrally.

  The second tab terminal according to the present invention includes a connection terminal portion made of a plate piece, a wire connection portion that is formed by folding back from a proximal end side of the connection terminal portion into a U shape, and accommodates and connects an electric wire inside. The connection terminal portion and the engagement portion formed in the vicinity of the connection portion of the wire connection portion and opened from the connection terminal portion to the outside of the wire connection portion are bent into one metal piece. And formed integrally.

  The third tab terminal according to the present invention includes a connection terminal portion made of a plate piece, a wire connection portion that is formed by folding back from the base end side of the connection terminal portion into a U shape, and accommodates and connects an electric wire inside. A tab terminal formed by integrally forming the connecting terminal portion and a locking portion made of a locking hole formed in the vicinity of the connecting portion of the wire connecting portion by bending a single metal piece.

  In the tab terminal fixing structure according to the present invention, the second or third tab terminal is accommodated in a terminal accommodating hole of an insulating base, and an end portion of the electric wire connecting portion is formed in a step portion formed in the terminal accommodating hole. The tab terminal is fixed to the terminal receiving hole by bringing the locking portion into contact with a locking receiving portion formed on the side opposite to the stepped portion of the terminal receiving hole. And

In the tab terminal connection structure according to the present invention, the electric wire connection portion of the second or third tab terminal accommodates the electric wire conductor exposed at the intermediate lead portion of the intermediate lead wire, and the electric wire connection portion. The connection between the part and the wire conductor is intended.

  Furthermore, the electrical junction box according to the present invention has the tab terminal connection structure.

  According to the present invention, since the conductor connection portion of the tab terminal is joined to the conductor by surface contact, it is possible to reliably connect the conductor as compared with the conventional tab terminal.

  Embodiments of an electrical junction box according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a part of an electrical junction box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on one side (wiring surfaces 1S, 2S) of the first and second insulation panels 1, 2 made of an insulating material such as resin, grooves 1a for accommodating the electric wires 2 at predetermined positions, 2a and locking holes 1b and 2b, which are terminal accommodating portions that engage with the tab terminal 3 that is electrically connected to an external electrical component (not shown), are formed. The electric wire 3 is wired so as to straddle the wiring surfaces 1S and 2S of the two insulation panels 1 and 2 arranged via a predetermined gap d via one edge portions 1e and 2e. 2a.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tab terminal 4.

  The tab terminal 4 is made of a single piece of metal and has a J shape with its proximal end bent. Here, the long plate piece on the tip side of the metal piece is referred to as a connection terminal portion 4a, and the bent portion on the substrate side is referred to as an electric wire connection portion 4b. At a position where the connection terminal portion 4a and the wire connection portion 4b are connected, a locking piece 4c is formed by making a cut in three sides of the lower side and the left and right sides and folding back to the opposite side of the wire connection portion 4b. Further, the tip end portion of the connection terminal portion 4a is chamfered so that the member becomes thinner toward the upper portion, and is electrically joined to a connector of an external electrical component (not shown).

  FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the electric wire 3. The covering material 3a is peeled off at an arbitrary portion of the electric wire 3, and the conductive material 3b inside the electric wire 3 and the tab terminal 4 are electrically joined at that position. Here, it is preferable that the electric wire 3 uses a stranded thick wire 3c in a large current circuit, and a stranded wire or a single thin wire 3d in a middle and small current circuit. Moreover, as a connection method of the electric wire 3 and the tab terminal 4, any method of resistance welding, laser welding, soldering, or ultrasonic welding can be used. Moreover, the electric wire 3 and the tab terminal 4 can also be connected by press-contacting so that the electrically conductive material 3b may be wound in the electric wire connection part 4b.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 1. The J-shaped tab terminal 4 is fitted into the locking hole 1b (2b) of the insulation panel 1 (2) up to the vicinity of the position where the end of the wire connecting portion 4b rises. The tip end portion of the wire connecting portion 4b is engaged with the first locking portion 1c (2c) which is a step facing the Y side of the locking hole 1b (2b) facing the wire connecting portion 4b, and the tab terminal 4 is X To prevent it from coming out to the side. The locking piece 4c is a second locking portion which is a step facing the X side formed on the wall surface of the locking hole 1b (2b) opposite to the first locking portion 1c (2c). 1d (2d) is engaged to prevent the tab terminal 4 from coming off to the Y side. Further, inside the U-shaped curved portion of the wire connecting portion 4 b of the tab terminal 4, the conductive material 3 b led out from the middle of the wire 3 is held so as to be held.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the electric junction box.

  As for the 1st and 2nd insulation panels 1, 2, the back surfaces which are not wired via the insulating material 8 are overlapped. A box-shaped upper case 5 opened in a direction facing the first insulation panel 1 is disposed on the wiring surface side of the upper first insulation panel 1, and a second insulation disposed on the lower side. A lower case 6 that is detachably engaged with the upper case 5 is disposed on the wiring surface side of the adjustment panel 2. Here, a fuse mounting portion 5b and a relay mounting portion 5a that are detachably engaged with the fuse 9 and the relay 10 are integrally formed on the upper surface of the upper case 5, and a connector 11 is formed on the bottom surface of the lower case 6. A connector mounting portion 6a that is detachably engaged is integrally formed.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a tab terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sectional view in which the tab terminal is mounted on an insulation panel.

  Similar to the tab terminal 4 in the first embodiment, the tab terminal 12 includes a connection terminal portion 12a and a wire connection portion 12b, and one end of the connection terminal portion 12a that does not contact the wire connection portion 12b is tapered. Has been. The difference from the first embodiment is that a locking hole 12c, which is a rectangular hole, is formed at the position of the locking piece 4c instead of the locking piece 4c. When such a tab terminal 12 is used, a locking member (lance) 13d (14d) is provided on the surface of the first and second insulation panels 13 (14) in contact with the locking hole 12c. The locking member 13d (14d) is formed so as to rise upward from the lower portion of the side wall of the locking hole 13a (14a), and a convex portion 13d (14d) that engages with the locking hole 12c is formed on the upper portion. Is formed. As described above, the protrusion 13d (14d) engages with the locking hole 12c, whereby the tab terminal 12 is temporarily fixed to the insulation panel 13 (14), and the connection with the electric wire 3 is facilitated.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a tab terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  The tab terminal 15 includes a connection terminal portion 15a formed by bending a metal piece, a conductor connection portion 15b, and a locking piece 15c. The tip of the connection terminal portion 15a is tapered as in the first and second embodiments, and the base end portion of the connection terminal portion 15a is cut off on three sides and folded outward. A locking piece 15c is formed. The conductor connection portion 15b is formed in a planar shape in consideration of the connection with the planar conductor.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a tab terminal according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  The tab terminal has a one-step staircase shape in which a single metal plate is bent in two opposite directions. Here, the upper vertical surface of the staircase shape is the first surface 16a, the subsequent horizontal surface is the second surface 16b, and the lower vertical surface is the third surface 16c. A planar conductor is connected to the second surface 16b. A tapered portion is provided at the upper end portion of the first surface 16a as in the first to third embodiments, and a cutout portion in which three sides are cut out in a rectangular shape is provided on the third surface 16c. A locking piece 16d is formed by folding the notch portion outward.

  The present invention can also be implemented with such a tab terminal shape.

It is a partial expansion perspective view of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of the tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is A-A 'sectional drawing of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the same electrical junction box. It is a perspective view of the other tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of further another tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of further another tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of further another tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of further another tab terminal of the electrical junction box concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1, 2, 13, 14 ... insulation panel, 3 ... electric wire, 4, 12, 15, 16 ... tab terminal, 5 ... upper case, 6 ... lower case, 9 ... fuse, 10 ... relay, 11 ... connector.

Claims (7)

A connection terminal portion made of a plate piece,
A locking portion formed on the base end side of the connection terminal portion for fixing the connection terminal portion to the terminal receiving hole of the insulating base,
A conductor connecting portion provided on the base end side of the connecting terminal portion and extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the connecting terminal portion extends and a conductor connecting portion joined by surface contact;
A tab terminal that is formed by bending a single piece of metal. A connection terminal portion made of a plate piece,
An electric wire connecting portion that is formed in a U shape from the base end side of the connecting terminal portion and accommodates and connects an electric wire inside;
A locking portion formed of a locking piece formed near the connection portion of the connection terminal portion and the wire connection portion and opened from the connection terminal portion to the outside of the wire connection portion,
A tab terminal that is formed by bending a single piece of metal. A connection terminal portion made of a plate piece,
An electric wire connecting portion that is formed in a U shape from the base end side of the connecting terminal portion and accommodates and connects an electric wire inside;
A locking portion formed of a locking hole formed in the vicinity of the connection portion of the connection terminal portion and the wire connection portion,
A tab terminal that is formed by bending a single piece of metal.   The tab terminal according to claim 2 or 3 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating hole of an insulating base, an end portion of the electric wire connecting portion is brought into contact with a step portion formed in the terminal accommodating hole, and the locking portion is A tab terminal fixing structure, wherein the tab terminal is fixed to the terminal receiving hole by being engaged with an engaging receiving portion formed on the side opposite to the stepped portion of the terminal accommodating hole.   A wire conductor exposed in the intermediate lead-out portion of the intermediate lead-out wire is accommodated in the electric wire connection portion of the tab terminal according to claim 2 or 3, and connection between the electric wire connection portion and the electric wire conductor is intended. Features a tab terminal wire connection structure.   The wire connection structure for a tab terminal according to claim 5, wherein the wire connection portion and the wire conductor are connected by resistance welding, laser welding, soldering, or ultrasonic welding.   An electric junction box having the tab terminal electric wire connection structure according to claim 5.

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