JP2012150998A - Terminal fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve tension strength in a terminal fitting having a terminal body and a tab formed separately from each other.SOLUTION: A terminal fitting T is configured such that a rear end of a tab 30 formed separately from a terminal body 10 is coupled, in an electrically conductive manner, to a front end of the terminal body 10 provided with an electrical wire crimping part 12 (a connection to an electrical wire). A locking protrusion 21 (a locking part) is formed on the terminal body 10, and a locking hole 34 (another locking part) is formed on the tab 30. When the locking protrusion 21 is locked with the locking hole 34, the tab 30 is restricted from being detached to the front with respect to the terminal body 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal fitting.

  In Patent Document 1, a male terminal fitting in a form in which a rear end portion of a tab that is separate from the terminal main body is joined to and integrated with a front end portion of a terminal main body in which a connection portion with an electric wire is formed. Is disclosed. Since the terminal body is wide in the unfolded state, the tab is narrow, so that the terminal body and the tab are separate parts, which is advantageous in terms of yield of material.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-037051

In the terminal fitting described in Patent Document 1, laser welding is used as a means for joining the terminal body and the tab. However, the joining method by laser welding has a problem in terms of tensile strength, and thus improvement is desired. .
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the tensile strength of a terminal fitting in which a terminal body and a tab are separated.

  As a means for achieving the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the rear end portion of the tab that is separate from the terminal body is electrically connected to the front end portion of the terminal body in which the connection portion with the electric wire is formed. In the male terminal fitting of the form that can be coupled, the terminal main body and the tab are formed with a locking portion that locks the tab main body and prevents the tab from being separated forward with respect to the terminal main body. It has the characteristics where it is done.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the locking portion on the tab side is configured such that the outer surface of the tab is recessed, and the locking portion on the terminal body side is It is characterized in that it has a protruding shape that enters and is locked into the locking portion on the tab side.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the terminal main body comes into contact with the tab at a plurality of positions spaced in the front-rear direction, so that the tab is the terminal main body. However, it is characterized in that a restricting portion that restricts relative displacement in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction is formed.

<Invention of Claim 1>
Even if a tensile force in the front-rear direction acts on the tab and the terminal body, there is a possibility that the tab and the terminal body may be detached in the front-rear direction due to the locking part of the terminal body and the locking part of the tab locking. Absent.

<Invention of Claim 2>
The terminal main body and the tab are separated from each other by causing the protruding locking portion on the terminal main body side to enter and lock the concave locking portion on the tab side.

<Invention of Claim 3>
Since the restricting portion is in contact with the tab at a plurality of positions spaced in the front-rear direction, the tab does not have a risk of being displaced so as to swing the neck with respect to the terminal body.

The top view showing the state which connected the electric wire to the terminal metal fitting of Embodiment 1. Side view showing the state where the wires are connected to the terminal fittings Partial enlarged view of FIG. XX line end view of FIG. YY sectional view of FIG. Development of terminal body Top view of tab

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The terminal fitting T of the present embodiment is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and is a front end portion of the terminal main body 10 formed by bending a metal plate material having a predetermined shape shown in FIG. 6 (the right end in FIGS. 1 to 3). Portion) and the rear end portion of the tab 30 which is a separate component from the terminal body 10 and is formed in the shape shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a box portion 11 is formed at the front end portion of the terminal body 10, and an open barrel-shaped electric wire crimping portion 12 (which is a constituent element of the present invention) at the rear end portion of the terminal body 10. The connection part with an electric wire) is formed. The electric wire crimping portion 12 is connected (fixed) to the front end portion of the electric wire W so as to be conductive by crimping. From the front end of the wire crimping portion 12, a connecting portion 13 whose top and bottom are opened extends forward, and the front end of the wire W is located behind the front end of the connecting portion 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the box portion 11 has a bottom plate portion 14 that is elongated in the front-rear direction (a restricting portion that is a constituent element of the present invention) and left-right symmetry that rises substantially perpendicularly from the left and right side edges of the bottom plate portion 14. A pair of side plate portions 15 (regulatory portions which are constituent elements of the present invention) and a pair of overlapping upper and lower plate plates 15 extending substantially in parallel with the bottom plate portion 14 from the substantially latter half region. And an upper plate portion 16. The box portion 11 has a substantially rectangular tube shape in which the internal space is opened in both rear directions. Of the upper end edge of the side plate portion 15, a region in front of the upper plate portion 16 is an inclined edge portion 15 </ b> S that is inclined so as to be inclined downward. From the front edge of the outer (upper) upper plate portion 16 of the pair of upper plate portions 16, a plate-shaped presser portion 17 (a restricting portion which is a constituent element of the present invention) extends along the inclined edge portion 15S. It extends in a cantilevered way down diagonally forward. The front end edge of the presser portion 17 extends to the front end of the side plate portion 15 (box portion 11).

  At the rear end of the box part 11, a coupling part 18 extends rearward. The connecting portion 18 includes a bottom wall portion 19 (regulating portion that is a constituent element of the present invention) that is continuous with the rear end of the bottom plate portion 14, and a substantially right angle upward from the left and right side edges of the bottom wall portion 19. A pair of symmetrical left and right side wall portions 20 (regulating portions which are constituent elements of the present invention) and a pair of left and right symmetrical protrusions 21 extending in a cantilever manner from the upper edge of the side wall portion 20 (the present invention). And a terminal main body side locking portion). The bottom wall portion 19 is continuous with the bottom plate portion 14 of the box portion 11 and the bottom wall of the connecting portion 13 in a flush manner. The side wall part 20 is connected to the side plate part 15 of the box part 11 in a flush manner and is connected to the side wall of the connecting part 13 at an obtuse angle.

  The locking projection 21 is a means for connecting a tab 30 and a terminal body 10 to be described later in a conductive manner. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the locking projection 21 is substantially the same as the bottom wall portion 19 from the upper edge of the side wall portion 20. A flat plate-like upper wall portion 22 extending in parallel (a restricting portion, which is a constituent element of the present invention), and bent from the extending edge of the upper wall portion 22 toward the bottom wall portion 19 and cantilevered downward. It is comprised from the flat-shaped latching end part 23 extended in the shape. The pair of locking end portions 23 are positioned so as to be close to each other and arranged side by side at the central portion in the width direction of the coupling portion 18.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the tab 30 is elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and has a bilaterally symmetric shape in a state in which the plate thickness direction is directed in the up-down direction. The front end side region of the tab 30 is a contact portion 31 for contacting a mating female terminal fitting (not shown). A pair of front protrusions 32 projecting outward in the width direction (left and right direction) from a position slightly rearward (that is, rearward from the contact portion 31) to the left and right side edges of the tab 30; A pair of rear-side protrusions 33 that protrude outward in the width direction (left-right direction) from the rear end position are formed. The outer edge of the front protrusion 32 and the outer edge of the rear protrusion 33 extend linearly in the front-rear direction (direction parallel to the length direction of the tab 30).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and 7, the tab 30 is formed with a locking hole 34 (a tab-side locking portion which is a constituent element of the present invention) as a coupling means with the terminal body 10. The locking hole 34 is disposed in a rear end portion of the tab 30, that is, in a region corresponding to the rear protrusion 33 in the front-rear direction. The locking hole 34 has a form that penetrates the tab 30 in the vertical direction (plate thickness direction), in other words, a form in which the outer surface of the tab 30 is recessed. The opening shape of the locking hole 34 on the outer surface of the tab 30 is a rectangle that is long in the front-rear direction.

  The procedure for assembling the terminal fitting T (the procedure for joining the terminal body 10 and the tab 30) will be described. First, in the terminal body 10, the wire crimping portion 12 is formed in an open barrel shape, the connecting portion 13 is formed in a regular shape, and the presser portion 17 is made substantially parallel to the bottom plate portion 14 with respect to the box portion 11. Parts other than the presser portion 17 are formed into a regular shape. With respect to the coupling portion 18, the upper wall portion 22 of the locking projection 21 is flush with the side wall portion 20 (the locking projection 21 is retracted above the entry path of the tab 30 with respect to the coupling portion 18. In standby).

  In this state, the rear end portion of the tab 30 is inserted into the box portion 11 from the front, and further deeply inserted, and tightened while the locking hole 34 corresponds to the locking protrusion 21 of the coupling portion 18. Thereafter, the locking projection 21 is bent inward, the left and right locking end portions 23 are fitted into the locking holes 34, and the coupling portion 18 is formed into a regular shape. In the molded state, the locking end 23 is surrounded by the inner surface of the locking hole 34 from the front, rear, left and right, so that the locking end 23 and the locking hole 34 can be locked. As a result, the tab 30 is coupled to the terminal body 10 in a state where the relative displacement in the direction of separating forward and the relative displacement in the direction of pushing backward are restricted. Thus, in the step of forming the coupling portion 18, the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 are coupled at the same time.

  In a state where the tab 30 is assembled (coupled) to the coupling portion 18, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper wall portion 22 is pressed against the upper surface of the tab 30, and the tab 30 is moved to the bottom wall portion 19 and the upper wall portion 22. Between the top and bottom. By this clamping, the rear end portion of the tab 30 is restricted from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the vertical direction, and the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 are connected to be conductive. In addition, since the inner surfaces of the left and right side wall portions 20 abut against the outer edges of the left and right rear projections, the rear end portion of the tab 30 is sandwiched between the left and right side wall portions 20 from the left and right sides. By this clamping, the rear end portion of the tab 30 is restricted from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the left-right direction, and the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 are connected so as to be conductive.

  In addition, after the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 are coupled, the presser portion 17 is bent downward in the box portion 11. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the front end edge of the presser portion 17 is pressed against the upper surface of the tab 30, and the tab 30 is sandwiched between the presser portion 17 and the bottom plate portion 14. By this clamping, the portion of the tab 30 slightly ahead of the rear end is restricted from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the vertical direction, and the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 can be electrically connected. Connected. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, since the inner surfaces of the left and right side plate portions 15 abut on the outer edges of the left and right front projections, the portion of the tab 30 that is forward of the rear end portion is the left and right side plate portions 15. It is sandwiched between the left and right. By this clamping, the portion of the tab 30 in front of the rear end portion is restricted from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the left-right direction, and the tab 30 and the terminal body 10 are connected so as to be conductive. Is done.

  By the above, the assembly (combination) of the terminal body 10 and the tab 30 is completed, and the terminal fitting T is molded. An electric wire W is connected by crimping to the terminal fitting T completed by combining the terminal body 10 and the tab 30. The terminal fitting T of the present embodiment mechanically engages the locking protrusion 21 formed on the terminal body 10 and the inner surface of the locking hole 34 formed on the tab 30 as a means for connecting the terminal fitting T and the tab 30. The structure that stops is adopted. Therefore, even if an external force that pulls in the front-rear direction acts between the tab 30 and the terminal body 10, the tab 30 is not detached from the terminal body 10 and is excellent in terms of tensile strength.

  Further, the terminal body 10 is abutted against the tab 30 at two positions spaced in the front-rear direction, thereby restricting the tab 30 from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the left-right direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Side plate portions 15 and side wall portions 20 are formed as restricting portions. Therefore, the tab 30 is not likely to be displaced so as to swing the head from side to side with respect to the terminal body 10. Similarly, the terminal body 10 is restrained from being displaced relative to the terminal body 10 in the vertical direction intersecting the front-rear direction by abutting the tab 30 at two positions spaced in the front-rear direction. A bottom plate portion 14, a presser portion 17, a bottom wall portion 19, and an upper wall portion 22 are formed as regulating portions. Therefore, the tab 30 is not likely to be displaced so as to swing the head up and down with respect to the terminal body 10.

<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.
(1) In the above embodiment, the tab-side locking portion is recessed (locking hole), and the terminal body-side locking portion is a protrusion (locking protrusion). It is good also as a form which the part was dented and the latching | locking part by the side of a tab is made into protrusion shape.
(2) In the above embodiment, the tab-side locking portion (locking hole) has a through-hole shape, but the tab-side locking portion may have a shape recessed in a bag path without penetrating. .
(3) In the above embodiment, a pair of locking portions (locking protrusions) on the terminal body side is provided, but only one locking portion (locking protrusion) on the terminal body side may be provided.
(4) In the above embodiment, the pair of locking portions (locking protrusions) on the terminal main body side are symmetrical, but the pair of locking portions (locking protrusions) on the terminal main body side are asymmetrical. There may be.
(5) In the above embodiment, the two locking portions (locking protrusions) on the terminal body side are locked to one locking portion (locking hole) formed on the tab side. A plurality of locking portions may be formed, and one locking portion on the tab side and one locking portion on the terminal body side may be locked.
(6) In the above-described embodiment, the right and left direction restricting portions are arranged at two positions spaced in the front-rear direction. However, the left and right restricting portions may be arranged at three or more places spaced in the front and rear direction. Good.
(7) In the above embodiment, the vertical restricting portions are arranged at two places spaced in the front-rear direction, but the vertical restricting portions may be arranged at three or more places spaced in the front-rear direction. Good.
(8) In the above-described embodiment, the tab and the electric wire are connected so as to be indirectly conductive. However, the rear end portion of the tab and the front end portion of the electric wire may be brought into direct contact. In this case, you may crimp | bond a tab and an electric wire together with respect to an electric wire crimping | compression-bonding part.

T ... Terminal metal fittings W ... Electric wire 10 ... Terminal body 12 ... Electric wire crimping part (connection part with electric wire)
14 ... Bottom plate (regulator)
15 ... side plate part (regulation part)
17 ... Presser part (Regulator part)
19 ... bottom wall (regulation)
20 ... Side wall part (regulation part)
21 ... Locking protrusion (locking part on the terminal body side)
22 ... Upper wall part (regulation part)
30 ... Tab 34 ... Locking hole (Locking part on the tab side)

Claims (3)

In the male terminal fitting of the form in which the rear end portion of the tab that is separate from the terminal main body is connected to the front end portion of the terminal main body where the connection portion with the electric wire is formed, in a conductive manner,
A terminal fitting, wherein the terminal main body and the tab are formed with a locking portion that locks the tab main body and the tab so as to prevent the tab from being detached forward with respect to the terminal main body. The locking portion on the tab side is configured to have a recessed outer surface of the tab,
2. The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion on the terminal body side has a protruding shape that enters and locks into the locking portion on the tab side.   The terminal body is restricted from relative displacement in the direction intersecting the front-rear direction with respect to the terminal body by contacting the rear end of the tab at a plurality of positions spaced in the front-rear direction. The terminal fitting according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a regulating portion is formed.

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