JP2011159640A - Terminal fitting and connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal fitting easily inserted into a cavity even when an electric wire of a small diameter is crimped. <P>SOLUTION: The front end of a top plate 21 is provided with a tab guide 32 extending in a direction of the plate surface of the top plate 21 and bent toward a bottom plate 23, and both side portions of the tab guide 32 at the front end of the top plate 21 are rounded to have round portions 33 to prevent a wire crimping portion 40 from deforming downward in a cavity 11 and setting a terminal fitting T in an oblique position to cause the front end of a body part 20 to abut on the upper wall of the opposite side of the cavity 11 in such a way as to bite into the upper wall, i.e., increase the insertion resistance to thus interfere with smooth insertion of the terminal fitting T, so that the terminal fitting T is smoothly inserted into the cavity 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal fitting and a connector.

  Conventionally, the thing of patent document 1 is known as an example of a terminal metal fitting. This terminal fitting is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and has a main body part in which a mating terminal is inserted in the substantially first half part, and a wire crimping part in which the terminal part of the electric wire is crimped in the substantially latter half part. Department. The terminal fitting is used by being inserted into a cavity formed in the connector housing.

JP 2005-285371 A

  By the way, in the connector as described above, there is a case where an electric wire having a wire diameter different from that of the terminal fitting is selectively crimped and used while the terminal fitting and the connector housing are made common. In that case, when the small diameter side electric wire is crimped to the terminal fitting, the height of the electric wire crimping portion is lower than that when the large diameter side electric wire is crimped. On the other hand, the cavity is formed in such a size that the terminal fitting (wire crimping part) can be inserted even when the large-diameter side wire is crimped. A large gap is formed between the portion and the bottom wall of the cavity, for example.

Then, when inserting the terminal fitting into the cavity, especially when a pressing force is applied from the lance that locks the terminal fitting, the terminal fitting tilts due to the above gap, and the front end of the main body is opposite to the cavity. There was a dislike that the end faced so as to bite into the ceiling wall on the side, that is, the insertion resistance increased and smooth insertion was hindered. In particular, when inserting the terminal fitting manually, a method of picking and pushing the electric wire with a finger is used, but since a thin electric wire is weak and easily buckled when subjected to a large insertion resistance as described above, it is even more so. There was a problem that it could not be inserted smoothly.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal fitting that can be smoothly inserted into a cavity even when a thin wire is crimped.

  The present invention is a terminal fitting fixed to a terminal portion of an electric wire and inserted into a cavity of a connector housing, and is formed into a rectangular tube shape and a main body portion into which a counterpart terminal is inserted, An electric wire crimping portion provided at the rear of the main body portion and adapted to crimp the terminal portion of the electric wire, and the main body portion is suspended from the top plate and both side edges of the top plate. A pair of side plates and a bottom plate bent from the lower end of one side plate to the other side plate of both side plates, and on the side of the top plate facing the bottom plate, on the front side An elastic contact piece extending in a cantilevered manner is provided, and when the tab of the mating terminal fitting is inserted into the main body, the tab is sandwiched between the elastic contact piece and the bottom plate. So that electrical connections can be made. A tab guide portion is provided at the front end of the top plate, extending in the plate surface direction of the top plate, and then bent to the bottom plate side. The tab at the front end of the top plate It is characterized by a configuration in which both side portions of the guide portion are rounded.

  Further, the present invention is a connector comprising the terminal fitting described above and a connector housing provided with a plurality of cavities for accommodating the terminal fitting, wherein the roundness is such that the wire crimping portion is displaced downward. In this case, it is characterized in that it is provided at the portion closest to the upper wall of the cavity.

  The upper edge portion at the front end of the main body portion is a portion that is closest to the upper wall of the cavity when the wire crimping portion is displaced downward. Therefore, as in the present invention, if the edge is rounded, the upper edge is rounded even if the terminal fitting is slightly inclined and the front end of the main body touches the inner surface of the cavity. Since it is harder to catch than when there is no (upper edge is a corner), the insertion work of the terminal fitting into the cavity can be performed more smoothly.

The following configuration is preferable as an embodiment of the present invention.
The said roundness is good also as a structure which continues to the both-sides edge part of the said tab guide part from the both-sides part of the said tab guide part in the front end of the said top plate.

  The said roundness is good also as a structure distribute | arranged from the both sides part of the said tab guide part in the front end of the said top plate to the said both sides plate.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when a small diameter electric wire is crimped | bonded, the terminal metal fitting which can insert smoothly into a cavity can be provided.

Side view of terminal fitting in this embodiment Front view of terminal fitting Partially enlarged perspective view of terminal fitting Cross section of insulation barrel with wire crimped Side sectional view showing the terminal fitting inserted into the cavity

<Embodiment>
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The terminal fitting T of this embodiment is a female terminal fitting that is inserted into the cavity 11 of the connector housing 10 and used. Hereinafter, in each component member, the insertion direction of the terminal fitting T with respect to the cavity 11 will be described as the front (right side in FIG. 1).

  The terminal fitting T is formed by punching a conductive metal plate and then bending it. The terminal fitting T includes a main body portion 20 into which a tab (not shown) of a mating terminal is inserted, and a wire crimping portion 40 that crimps a terminal portion of the electric wire W.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 20 has a rectangular tube shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction, and its cross-sectional shape is a substantially rectangular shape that is slightly longer in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the main body 20 includes a top plate 21, side plates 22A and 22B that are suspended downward from both side edges of the top plate 21, and one of the side plates 22A and 22B from the lower end of one side plate 22A to the other side plate 22B. A bottom plate 23 bent toward the bottom, and an outer plate 24 bent to overlap the bottom plate 23 from the lower end of the other side plate 22B. A tab of the mating terminal is inserted into the main body 20 from the front (right side in FIG. 1).

  A locking projection 25 that can be locked to the lance 13 provided in the cavity 11 of the connector housing 10 to be described later is provided at a front position on the outer plate 24. The locking projection 25 is formed by knocking out so as to protrude outward. The locking projection 25 has a substantially pyramid shape as a whole, and the taper gradually decreases in width and height (vertical dimension) from the rear end to the front end. It is formed into a shape.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a notch 26 is formed on the rear side of the locking projection 25 in the outer plate 24. When the terminal fitting T is inserted into the notch 26, the lance 13 enters.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a stabilizer 27 formed by bending outward from a side edge on the side corresponding to one side plate 22 </ b> A is provided at the rear end portion of the outer plate 24. When the terminal fitting T is inserted into the cavity 11, the stabilizer 27 is fitted into a groove (not shown) formed at a predetermined position in the cavity 11. Insertion) and the insertion posture of the terminal fitting T is stabilized.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, an elastic contact piece 30 extending in a cantilevered manner toward the front (left side in FIG. 5) is provided below the top plate 21. The elastic contact piece 30 can be elastically deformed in the vertical direction in the main body 20. The front side portion of the elastic contact piece 30 has an inverted mountain shape with a gentle slope such that a position slightly rearward from the front end forms an apex 30A closest to the bottom plate 23.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a receiving portion 31 bulging from the bottom plate 23 inward (upward in the drawing) is provided at the front portion of the bottom plate 23. The receiving portion 31 has a shape that is long in the front-rear direction, and the apex 30 </ b> A of the elastic contact piece 30 faces the substantially central position in the front-rear direction.

  Then, when the tab of the mating terminal fitting is inserted into the main body portion 20, the tab is sandwiched between the vertex 30A of the elastic contact piece 30 and the receiving portion 31, and electrical connection is achieved. ing.

  A tab guide portion 32 is provided at the front end of the top plate 21 as shown in FIGS. The tab guide portion 32 is formed by being slightly extended from the front end edge of the top plate 21 along the plate surface direction of the top plate 21 and then bent downward (bottom plate 23 side). As shown in FIG. 5, the tip position of the tab guide portion 32 reaches substantially the same position as the front end position of the elastic contact piece 30, that is, the gap between the front end of the elastic contact piece 30 and the top plate 21 is viewed from the front. The tab guide portion 32 is configured to cover, so that the tab of the mating terminal fitting is not inserted between the elastic contact piece 30 and the top plate 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, roundness 33 is attached to both side portions of the tab guide portion 32 at the front end of the top plate 21. The roundness 33 has a shape in which a corner portion of an upper edge portion of the front end edge of the top plate 21 excluding a portion where the tab guide portion 32 is extended is scraped off. Further, the roundness 33 is continuous from both side portions of the tab guide portion 32 to both side edge portions of the tab guide portion 32 and the front end portions of both side plates 22A and 22B. It is distributed over.

  The wire crimping portion 40 is provided continuously to the rear (left side in FIG. 1) of the top plate 21 of the main body 20, and a wire barrel 41 for caulking the core wire of the wire W and a wire barrel 41 provided behind the wire barrel 41. And an insulation barrel 42 for caulking the portion Wa. The insulation barrel 42 and the wire barrel 41 each have a pair of caulking pieces extending from both side edges of the substrate 43 connected to the top plate 21 of the main body 20 to the bottom plate 23 side (lower side in FIG. 1) of the main body 20. I have.

  The insulation barrel 42 is of a wrap type in which the covering portion Wa of the electric wire W is caulked so that the pair of caulking pieces 44A and 44B are overlapped. As shown in FIG. 4, one of the two caulking pieces 44A and 44B arranged on the outer side has a portion overlapping the other caulking piece 44B arranged on the outer side (downward in FIG. 4). ) And bent so as to protrude toward the surface. The portion of the one caulking piece 44A protruding outward corresponds to the protrusion 45 in the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion 45 has a height dimension (vertical dimension) of the insulation barrel 42 including the protrusion 45 in a state where the covering portion Wa of the electric wire W is caulked to the insulation barrel 42. However, it has a height dimension that is approximately the same as the height dimension of the main body 20 including the locking projection 25.

  The connector housing 10 into which the terminal fitting T is inserted is made of synthetic resin and includes a plurality of cavities 11 for accommodating the terminal fitting T. As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of cavities 11 are formed in two upper and lower stages. Each cavity 11 is formed in the front-rear direction, and the terminal fitting T can be inserted from the rear (right side in FIG. 5).

  The cross-sectional shape of each cavity 11 has a substantially rectangular shape that is slightly longer in the vertical direction through which the main body 20 of the terminal fitting T can be inserted, and the height dimension thereof is substantially the same across the front and rear. The lower wall 12 in each cavity 11 is provided with a lance 13 formed by cutting out the lower wall 12. The lance 13 is formed in a double-supported beam shape in which both front and rear ends are supported, and can be elastically bent in the vertical direction with the connecting portions at the front and rear ends as bending fulcrums. The upper surface of the lance 13 is provided with a locking portion 13A that protrudes into the cavity 11 over a position corresponding to the rear end of the locking protrusion 25 of the terminal fitting T from the rear end position to the approximately center position in the front-rear direction. ing. The front surface of the locking portion 13 </ b> A is a locking surface 14 that stands up so as to be orthogonal to the insertion direction of the terminal fitting T, and can be locked to the locking protrusion 25. The upper surface of the locking projection 13A is a horizontal plane 15 in which a substantially first half portion is substantially horizontal, and a substantially second half portion (a portion from the horizontal plane 15 to the rear end edge of the lance 13) has a gentle slope that descends rearward. An inclined surface 16 is formed.

  A tab insertion port 17 for inserting a tab of the mating terminal fitting is provided at a position corresponding to each cavity 11 on the front wall of the connector housing 10. Further, a groove portion (not shown) through which the stabilizer 27 of the terminal fitting T can be inserted is formed along one side edge on the rear side of the lance 13 in the lower wall 12 of the cavity 11.

Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
In order to attach the terminal fitting T to which the terminal portion of the electric wire W is fixed in the cavity 11, the terminal fitting T is inserted from the rear of the cavity 11 so that the locking projection 25 faces the lance 13 side of the cavity 11. To go. Then, the main body portion 20 of the terminal fitting T is gradually inserted into the cavity 11 and passes through a substantially latter half portion (right side portion in FIG. 5) in the cavity 11 relatively smoothly. Then, the front portion of the wire crimping portion 40 together with the main body portion 20 is also inserted into the cavity 11, and when the front end of the main body portion 20 reaches the rear end portion of the inclined surface 16 of the lance 13, The end, that is, the protrusion 45 of the insulation barrel 42 enters the cavity 11. At this time, the protruding end (lower end) of the protrusion 45 of the insulation barrel 42 is in a state of being close to the lower wall 12 of the cavity 11 and the upper surface of the substrate 43 is close to the upper wall of the cavity 11 with almost no gap. That is, the protrusion 45 fills a gap in the height direction (vertical direction in FIG. 5) between the rear end portion of the terminal fitting T (the portion where the insulation barrel 42 is provided) and the cavity 11. It has become.

  Next, the jig 18 is applied to the rear of the protrusion 45 reaching the cavity 11, and the terminal fitting T is further pushed in. Then, the front end portion of the main body 20 gradually climbs onto the inclined surface 16 of the lance 13 to press the lance 13 downward, and the lance 13 is bent and deformed downward. At the same time, the main body 20 receives a force to restore the lance 13 and is pressed to the upper wall side of the cavity 11. Here, when the insulation barrel 42 does not have the protrusion 45, the electric wire W has a small diameter, so that a relatively large gap is left below the electric wire crimping portion 40. For this reason, when the main body portion 20 receives the restoring force of the lance 13, the electric wire crimping portion 40 is displaced downward (toward the gap) and the main body portion 20 is displaced to the upper wall side, and the terminal fitting T may be inclined. There is. Then, the upper edge (the edge opposite to the side where the protrusion 45 is provided) at the front end of the main body 20 contacts the upper wall of the cavity 11 while riding on the inclined surface 16 of the lance 13. However, the insertion resistance may increase, making it difficult to perform the insertion work. However, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, since the gap below the rear end portion of the terminal fitting T is filled by the protrusion 45, the displacement of the wire crimping portion 40 is restricted, so that the main body portion 20 is connected to the lance 13. Even if it receives the restoring force from the terminal, it cannot be displaced to the upper wall side, and the terminal fitting T is maintained in a substantially horizontal posture.

  When the jig 18 is further pushed in, the terminal fitting T moves forward in a state where the main body portion 20 presses the horizontal surface 15 of the lance 13 downward and the lance 13 is bent and deformed while maintaining a substantially horizontal posture. Go. As soon as the rear end of the locking projection 25 of the terminal fitting T reaches the position of the locking surface 14 of the lance 13, the lance 13 is restored and the locking surface 14 is engaged with the rear end of the locking projection 25. The terminal fitting T is locked in the retaining state.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the insulation barrel 42 of the electric wire crimping portion 40 has a projection that fills the gap in the height direction between the cavity 11 and the covering portion Wa of the electric wire W. Since the portion 45 is provided, the terminal fitting T is inserted into the cavity 11 while maintaining a substantially horizontal posture even when the thin wire W is crimped. As a result, the wire crimping portion 40 is displaced downward in the cavity 11, the terminal fitting T is in an oblique posture, and the upper edge portion at the front end of the main body portion 20 comes into contact with the upper wall of the cavity 11. Is prevented.

  Further, when the upper edge portion at the front end of the main body 20, that is, the wire crimping portion 40 is slightly displaced downward (on the side where the protrusion 45 is provided), the portion 33 closest to the upper wall of the cavity 11 is rounded 33. Therefore, even if the terminal fitting T is slightly tilted and the upper edge touches the upper wall of the cavity 11, it is less likely to be caught than when the upper edge is a corner. As a result, even when a small-diameter electric wire W is crimped, it is avoided that the front end of the terminal fitting T comes into contact with the upper wall of the cavity 11 to increase the insertion resistance, and thus the terminal fitting T to the cavity 11 is prevented. Insertion can be performed smoothly.

  In addition, since the terminal fitting T is inserted by pushing the protrusion 45 with the jig 18, it is not necessary to grip the electric wire W and push the terminal fitting T into it, and the electric wire W is buckled. It can be avoided reliably. In particular, in this embodiment, the electric wire W has a small diameter and is lower in strength than that of the large diameter, and thus preventing the buckling of the electric wire W facilitates the insertion work of the terminal fitting T. It is very effective in doing.

  The protrusion 45 has a shape that is bent so that one of the caulking pieces 44A and 44B of the insulation barrel 42 protrudes outward, and is relatively easy to manufacture. It has become.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the insulation barrel 42 provided with the protrusion 45 is of a wrap type that caulks the covering portion Wa of the electric wire W so that the pair of caulking pieces 44A and 44B overlap. However, the shape of the wire crimping portion provided with the protrusions may not be, for example, a shape that is crimped by a heart shape or a configuration that is shifted in the front-rear direction without overlapping a pair of caulking pieces. The thing etc. may be sufficient.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the upper edge at the front end of the main body 20 is rounded 33 so that the terminal fitting T can be inserted more smoothly. However, the upper edge is not necessarily rounded. May not be attached.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the terminal fitting T is a female terminal fitting, but the present invention can also be applied to a male terminal fitting.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, the protrusion 45 has a shape that is bent so that one of the caulking pieces 44A and 44B of the insulation barrel 42 protrudes outward. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the protrusion may be formed by cutting and raising a part of the caulking piece.

T ... Terminal metal fitting W ... Electric wire 10 ... Connector housing 11 ... Cavity 20 ... Body part 21 ... Top plate 22A, 22B ... Side plate 23 ... Bottom plate 32 ... Tab guide part 33 ... Roundness 40 ... Electric wire crimping part 44A, 44B ... A pair of caulking Piece 45 ... Projection

Claims (4)

A terminal fitting that is fixed to the terminal portion of the electric wire and inserted into the cavity of the connector housing,
A main body portion that is formed in a rectangular tube shape and into which a counterpart terminal is inserted,
An electric wire crimping portion provided behind the main body portion and adapted to crimp the terminal portion of the electric wire;
The main body includes a top plate, a pair of side plates that hang downward from both side edges of the top plate, and a bottom plate that is bent from the lower end of one of the side plates toward the other side plate. Configured with
On the side of the top plate facing the bottom plate, an elastic contact piece extending in a cantilevered manner toward the front is provided, and when the tab of the mating terminal fitting is inserted into the main body, The tab is sandwiched between an elastic contact piece and the bottom plate so that electrical connection is achieved,
The front end of the top plate is provided with a tab guide portion that extends along the plate surface direction of the top plate and is then bent to the bottom plate side. The tab guide portion at the front end of the top plate A terminal fitting with rounded sides.   2. The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the roundness is continued from both side portions of the tab guide portion at a front end of the top plate to both side edge portions of the tab guide portion.   3. The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the roundness is arranged from both side portions of the tab guide portion at the front end of the top plate to the both side plates. The terminal fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A connector provided with a connector housing provided with a plurality of cavities for accommodating the terminal fittings,
The roundness is provided at a portion closest to the upper wall of the cavity when the wire crimping portion is displaced downward.

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