JP2014002871A - Terminal fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize the shape of a rectangular tube part while enhancing the yield of material.SOLUTION: A terminal fitting 10 includes a rectangular tube part 12, a substrate part 15 constituting the rectangular tube part 12, a pair of side plate parts 16L, 16R constituting the rectangular tube part 12 and standing up in a substantially right angle from the edges on the right and left side of the substrate part 15, a pair of top plate parts 17H, 17L constituting the rectangular tube part 12 and disposed to extend in a substantially right angle from the pair of side plate parts 16L, 16R so as to face substantially in parallel with each other, and a protrusion 27 formed by partially protruding one top plate part 17L out of the pair of top plate parts 17H, 17L so as to abut against the other top plate part 17H.

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal fitting.

  Patent Document 1 describes a terminal fitting having a rectangular tube portion. The square tube portion includes a substrate portion, a pair of side plate portions that rise substantially at right angles from the left and right side edges of the substrate portion, and a pair of top plate portions that extend from the pair of side plate portions at substantially right angles and face each other. And is configured.

JP 2002-190336 A

In the above terminal fitting, a rectangular tube portion is formed by bending a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape. However, as a means for improving the yield of the material, it is located inside the pair of top plate portions. It is conceivable to reduce the rising dimension of the side plate connected to the top plate. However, if the rising dimension of the side plate portion connected to the inner top plate portion is reduced, there is a concern that a gap is left between the outer top plate portion and the inner top plate portion, and the shape of the rectangular tube portion becomes unstable. Is done.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to stabilize the shape of the rectangular tube portion while improving the yield of the material.

As means for achieving the above object, the present invention provides:
A square tube,
A substrate portion constituting the rectangular tube portion;
A pair of side plate portions that constitute the rectangular tube portion and rise substantially perpendicularly from the left and right side edges of the substrate portion;
A pair of top plate portions that constitute the rectangular tube portion, extend substantially at right angles from the pair of side plate portions, and are arranged to face each other substantially in parallel with each other;
One of the pair of top plates is a part of the top plate that protrudes, and is characterized in that it includes a protruding part that comes into contact with the other top plate.

  In order to improve the yield of the material, when the rising dimension of the side plate portion connected to the top plate portion located on the inner side of the pair of top plate portions is reduced, the facing distance between the pair of top plate portions is increased. However, since the protruding portion in a form in which one top plate portion is partially protruded contacts the other top plate portion, the shape of the rectangular tube portion is stable. According to the present invention, the shape of the rectangular tube portion can be stabilized while improving the yield of the material.

Front view of the terminal fitting of Example 1 Side view of terminal fitting Plan view of terminal fitting AA line sectional view of FIG. Partial enlarged view of FIG. BB sectional view of FIG. CC sectional view of FIG. Exploded view of terminal fitting Sectional drawing of the terminal fitting of Example 2 DD sectional view of FIG. Exploded view of terminal fitting

The terminal fitting of the present invention is
The contact area of the protruding portion with the other top plate portion may be a plane parallel to the other top plate portion.
According to this configuration, since the projecting portion and the other top plate portion come into contact with each other, it is difficult to cause an inclination between the pair of top plate portions, and the shape of the rectangular tube portion is more stable.

The terminal fitting of the present invention is
A front plate-shaped portion that is arranged in the front end side region of the rectangular tube portion and constitutes the top plate portion;
A height with respect to the substrate portion is lower than the front plate-like portion, and is arranged behind the front plate-like portion to constitute the top plate portion, and
The square tube portion is formed on the rear edge of the front plate-like portion, and is engaged with a lance formed on the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber in a state where the rectangular tube portion is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber. A locking part for retaining,
An elastic contact piece that extends in a cantilevered manner so as to be folded back from the front end of the front plate-like portion, and is accommodated in the rectangular tube portion;
An auxiliary spring portion that cantilevered forward from the rear plate-shaped portion, and that supports the elastic contact piece from the lance side at the support portion of the extended end;
A bent portion formed in the auxiliary spring portion and bent in such a manner that a region behind the support portion is bent closer to the lance may be provided.

  According to this structure, the latching | locking part is formed using the height difference of a front side plate-shaped part and a back side plate-shaped part. Further, when the position of the rear plate-like portion is displaced away from the lance in order to increase the engagement margin with the engagement portion of the lance, the position of the auxiliary spring portion is also displaced away from the lance. In this case, there is a concern that the support portion of the auxiliary spring portion is located on the opposite side of the lance across the elastic contact piece, and as a result, the support function of the auxiliary spring portion is lost. However, since the bent portion of the auxiliary spring portion that is bent so as to approach the lance is formed in the region behind the support portion for the elastic contact piece, when the bent portion is not formed. In comparison, the position of the support portion is displaced to the lance side. Thereby, a support part can support an elastic contact piece correctly from the lance side.

<Example 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment is formed by bending a metal plate 11 having a certain thickness punched into the shape shown in FIG. 8, and is formed in the front-rear direction as shown in FIGS. It is molded into an elongated shape. A rectangular tube portion 12 is formed at the front end portion of the terminal fitting 10, and an open barrel-shaped wire crimping portion 13 for connecting an electric wire (not shown) is formed at the rear end portion of the terminal fitting 10. The rear end of the rectangular tube portion 12 and the front end of the wire crimping portion 13 are connected via a connecting portion 14 having a substantially U-shaped cross section. In the following description, the left side of FIGS. 2 to 5 is the front in the front-back direction, and the left and right directions are based on FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal fitting 10 is inserted from the rear into a terminal accommodating chamber 31 formed in a synthetic resin housing 30. A lance 32 is formed on the upper inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber 31 so as to extend forward in a cantilever manner. When the terminal fitting 10 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 31, the terminal fitting 10 (square tube portion 12) is prevented from being pulled out by being locked to the lance 32. A tab of a mating terminal (not shown) is inserted into the rectangular tube portion 12 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 31 from the front thereof.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the rectangular tube portion 12 includes a substrate portion 15, a right side plate portion 16 </ b> R (a side plate portion that is a constituent element of the present invention), and a left side plate portion 16 </ b> L (a side plate portion that is a constituent element of the present invention). A pair of top plate portions 17H and 17L, an elastic contact piece 23 and an auxiliary spring portion 24 are provided. The substrate part 15 has a substantially rectangular shape elongated in the front-rear direction.

  The right side plate portion 16R is elongated in the front-rear direction, and rises at a substantially right angle upward from the entire region in the front-rear direction of the right side edge toward the front of the substrate portion 15, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper end edge (rising end edge) of the right side plate portion 16 </ b> R is high at the front end portion, and the region behind the front end portion is lowered stepwise. The left side plate portion 16L is elongated in the front-rear direction, and as shown in FIG. 1, rises from the entire region in the front-rear direction of the left side edge toward the front of the substrate portion 15 at a substantially right angle. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper end edge (rising end edge) of the left side plate portion 16 </ b> L has a substantially front half region in the front-rear direction, and a substantially rear half region behind it has a stepped lower shape.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of top plate portions 17H and 17L includes an inner top plate portion 17L that is not exposed on the outer surface (upper surface) of the rectangular tube portion 12, and an inner top plate portion 17L that covers and hides the rectangular tube portion. 12 and the outer top plate portion 17H exposed on the outer surface. The inner top plate portion 17L is divided into two in the front-rear direction, and includes a front inner plate portion 18F (a front plate portion that is a constituent element of the present invention) and a rear inner plate portion 18R (a rear plate portion that is a component of the present invention). Part). The outer top plate portion 17H is divided into two parts in the front-rear direction, and a front side outer plate portion 19F (a front side plate-like portion which is a constituent element of the present invention) and a rear side outer plate portion 19R (a rear side plate-like which is a constituent element of the present invention). Part).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front inner plate portion 18 </ b> F extends in a cantilevered manner from the front end portion (front end side region) that is higher in the upper end edge of the right plate portion 16 </ b> R to the substrate portion 15. It is located approximately parallel. As shown in FIG. 6, a front locking projection 20F is formed on the extended end (free end) of the front inner plate portion 18F. The front outer plate portion 19F extends from a substantially front half region (front end side region) that is higher in the upper end edge of the left plate portion 16L in a cantilevered manner and is positioned substantially parallel to the substrate portion 15. Yes. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the front outer plate portion 19F is arranged so as to face the outer surface of the front inner plate portion 18F (the upper surface opposite to the substrate portion 15) in parallel with a predetermined gap S therebetween. Has been. A rear end edge of the front side outer plate portion 19 </ b> F is a locking portion 21 that is locked to the lance 32.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a front locking hole 22F is formed at a corner edge where the upper edge of the left side plate portion 16L and the left side edge of the front side outer plate portion 19F are connected at a substantially right angle. By inserting and locking the front locking projection 20F into the front locking hole 22F, relative displacement in the direction in which the front inner plate portion 18F and the front outer plate portion 19F are separated vertically is restricted. Is positioned. The vertical direction is a direction in which the tab is sandwiched between the elastic contact piece 23 and the substrate portion 15, in other words, a direction in which the elastic contact piece 23 is elastically deformed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the base end portion (front end portion) of the elastic contact piece 23 is connected to the front end of the front inner plate portion 18F. The elastic contact piece 23 is a form that is folded back obliquely downward and rearward from the front end of the front inner plate portion 18F and cantilevered, and can be elastically deformed in the vertical direction with the base end portion as a fulcrum. . The distance between the substrate portion 15 and the elastic contact piece 23 in the vertical direction is gradually narrowed from the front end toward the rear end, and is the narrowest at the rear end portion of the elastic contact piece 23. The tab inserted from the front into the rectangular tube portion 12 enters so as to interrupt between the base plate portion 15 and the elastic contact piece 23, and elastically displaces the elastic contact piece 23 upward. Accordingly, the tab is elastically sandwiched between the elastic contact piece 23 and the substrate portion 15 by the elastic restoring force of the elastic contact piece 23.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rear inner plate portion 18 </ b> R is cantilevered from the rear end portion of the lower region of the upper end edge of the right plate portion 16 </ b> R and is positioned substantially parallel to the substrate portion 15. doing. The height of the upper surface of the rear inner plate portion 18R with respect to the substrate portion 15 is lower than the lower surface of the front inner plate portion 18F. A rear locking projection 20R is formed at the extended end (free end) of the rear inner plate portion 18R. The rear outer plate portion 19R extends in a cantilevered manner from the lower half of the upper end edge of the left side plate portion 16L (rear end side region) at a substantially right angle and is positioned substantially parallel to the substrate portion 15. And it is overlaid on the outer surface of the rear inner plate portion 18R (the upper surface on the side opposite to the substrate portion 15).

  The height of the upper surface of the rear outer plate portion 19R with respect to the substrate portion 15 is lower than the lower surface of the front inner plate portion 18F. A rear locking hole 22R is formed at a position near the upper edge of the left side plate portion 16L. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear locking projection 20R is inserted and locked into the rear locking hole 22R, so that the rear inner plate portion 18R, the left side plate portion 16L, and the rear outer plate portion 19R are connected. In this state, the relative displacement in the vertical direction is regulated.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the base end portion (rear end portion) of the auxiliary spring portion 24 is connected to the front end of the rear inner plate portion 18 </ b> R. The auxiliary spring portion 24 has a form that cantilevered forward from the front end of the rear inner plate portion 18R, and can be elastically deformed in the vertical direction with the rear end portion as a fulcrum. The front end portion (extending end portion) of the auxiliary spring portion 24 serves as a support portion 25 for increasing the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 23. The support portion 25 is disposed so as to be able to contact the rear end portion of the elastic contact piece 23 from above (from the lance 32 side).

  The auxiliary spring portion 24 extends substantially parallel to the substrate portion 15 as a whole. Specifically, a bent portion 26 that is bent so as to rise upward (to the lance 32 side) at a substantially central position in the extending direction (front-rear direction) of the auxiliary spring portion 24 (that is, located behind the support portion 25). Is formed. Compared to the case where the bent portion 26 is not formed, a portion of the auxiliary spring portion 24 in front of the bent portion 26 is displaced upward (to the lance 32 side) by the rising dimension of the bent portion 26. A region where the bent portion 26 is formed in the auxiliary spring portion 24 is exposed above the rectangular tube portion 12 between the rear end of the front outer plate portion 19F and the front end of the rear outer plate portion 19R. .

  When the tab enters between the elastic contact piece 23 and the substrate portion 15 and the elastic contact piece 23 is elastically displaced, the rear end portion of the elastic contact piece 23 presses the support portion 25 upward to move the auxiliary spring portion 24 upward. Displace elastically. Then, since the support portion 25 presses the elastic contact piece 23 against the tab by the elastic restoring force of the auxiliary spring portion 24, the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 23 is increased, and the contact pressure between the elastic contact piece 23 and the tab is increased. Becomes higher.

  In the terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment, the rectangular tube portion 12 is formed by bending a metal plate material 11 punched into a predetermined shape. However, as a means for improving the yield of the material, an outer top plate portion is used. The height of the right side plate portion 16R connected to the inner top plate portion 17L of 17H and the inner top plate portion 17L (rising dimension from the substrate portion 15), in particular, the height of the front end side region connected to the front inner plate portion 18F. Is low. However, by reducing the height dimension of the front end side region of the right side plate portion 16R, between the front side outer plate portion 19F (outer top plate portion 17H) and the front side inner plate portion 18F (inner top plate portion 17L). Since there is a gap S, there is a concern that the shape of the rectangular tube portion 12, particularly the shape of the front end portion of the rectangular tube portion 12, becomes unstable. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the protruding portion 27 is formed on the front inner plate portion 18F as means for stabilizing the shape of the rectangular tube portion 12 while improving the yield of the material.

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the protruding portion 27 is formed by knocking out one portion of the front inner plate portion 18 </ b> F upward (that is, the front outer plate portion 19 </ b> F side). The formation region of the protruding portion 27 in the front-rear direction is the central portion of the front inner plate portion 18F, and the formation region of the protruding portion 27 in the left-right direction is also the central portion of the front inner plate portion 18F. Moreover, the planar shape of the protrusion 27 is a substantially square shape. The upper surface of the projecting portion 27 is a flat contact that is parallel to the region where the projecting portion 27 is not formed on the upper surface (outer surface) of the front inner plate portion 18F and the lower surface (inner surface) of the front outer plate portion 19F. Surface 28 is formed. The contact surface 28 of the protrusion 27 is in contact with the lower surface of the front outer plate portion 19F in a substantially surface contact state.

  In the first embodiment, as described above, the relative displacement of the both plate portions 18F and 19F in the vertical separating direction is restricted by the locking of the front locking hole 22F and the front locking protrusion 20F, and the protrusion The portion 27 restricts relative displacement in the direction approaching the upper and lower sides of both plate portions 18F and 19F. Even if the facing distance (gap S) between the front inner plate portion 18F and the front outer plate portion 19F is widened in order to improve the yield of the material, the upper and lower sides of the front inner plate portion 18F and the front outer plate portion 19F are increased. The positional relationship in the direction is stabilized, and the shape of the rectangular tube portion 12 is stabilized. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the shape of the rectangular tube portion 12 can be stabilized while improving the yield of the material.

  Moreover, since the contact area | region with the front side outer plate part 19F in the protrusion part 27 is the contact surface 28 (plane) parallel to the inner surface of the front side outer plate part 19F, the protrusion part 27 and the front side outer plate part 19F Will come across. Thereby, it becomes difficult to produce the inclination of the front-back direction and the inclination of the left-right direction between the front side inner board part 18F and the front side outer board part 19F, and the shape of the square cylinder part 12 becomes more stable.

  Further, the terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment is lower in height than the front outer plate portion 19F with respect to the front outer plate portion 19F disposed in the front end side region of the rectangular tube portion 12 and the substrate portion 15. A rear outer plate portion 19R disposed behind the front outer plate portion 19F, and a locking portion 21 formed at the rear edge of the front outer plate portion 19F are provided. The locking portion 21 locks the rectangular tube portion 12 (terminal fitting 10) by locking with the lance 32 formed on the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber 31 in a state where the rectangular tube portion 12 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 31. Stop it. This configuration means that the locking portion 21 is formed by using the height difference between the front side outer plate portion 19F and the rear side outer plate portion 19R.

  Further, the terminal fitting 10 according to the first embodiment includes a resilient contact piece 23 that extends in a cantilever manner so as to be folded back from the front end of the front inner plate portion 18F, and a front cantilever from the rear inner plate portion 18R. The auxiliary spring portion 24 that extends from the lance 32 side and the auxiliary spring portion 24 supports the elastic contact piece 23 from the lance 32 side in the support portion 25 at the extended end, and the area behind the support portion 25 is the lance 32. And a bent portion 26 that is bent so as to approach.

  The technical significance of providing the bent portion 26 is as follows. When the position of the rear inner plate portion 18R is displaced downward (in the direction approaching the substrate portion 15) away from the lance 32 in order to increase the locking allowance of the lance 32 with the locking portion 21, the auxiliary spring The position of the portion 24 is also displaced to a position far from the lance 32. Therefore, when the auxiliary spring portion 24 has a form extending downward from the front end of the rear inner plate portion 18R without forming the bent portion 26, the support portion 25 of the auxiliary spring portion 24 is elastic. It is located on the opposite side of the lance 32 across the contact piece 23 (so as to sink under the elastic contact piece 23), and as a result, there is a concern that the support function by the auxiliary spring portion 24 is lost. However, in the first embodiment, the bent portion 26 is formed in the auxiliary spring portion 24 in a region behind the support portion 25 for the elastic contact piece 23 so as to be bent so as to approach the lance 32. Compared with the case where the part 26 is not formed, the support part 25 is displaced to the lance 32 side. Therefore, the support portion 25 can be supported by being in contact with the elastic contact piece 23 from the lance 32 side.

<Example 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the terminal fitting 40 of the second embodiment, the protruding portion 41 is formed at a position different from that of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numeral is given to the same configuration, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted.

  In the terminal fitting 10 of the first embodiment, the protruding portion 27 is formed on the front inner plate portion 18F and brought into contact with the inner surface (lower surface) of the front outer plate portion 19F. The protruding portion 41 is formed on the front outer plate portion 19F and protrudes downward. The projecting portion 41 has a flat abutting surface 42, and the abutting surface 42 abuts against the outer surface (upper surface) of the front inner plate portion 18F in a surface contact state.

<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 said Example 1, 2, although the protrusion part was formed in only any one among a pair of top plate parts, you may form a protrusion part in both a pair of top plate parts. In this case, both projecting portions may be brought into contact with a region of the other top plate portion where no projecting portion is formed, or both projecting portions may be brought into contact with each other.
(2) In the said Example 1, 2, although the contact area | region with the other top-plate part in a protrusion part was a plane parallel to the other top-plate part, contact with the other top-plate part in a protrusion part. The region may be in the form of a long and thin line, or may be narrow and locally limited like a point.
(3) In Examples 1 and 2, the number of contact portions with the other top plate portion in the protruding portion is one, but there are a plurality of contact portions with the other top plate portion in one protruding portion. It may be.
(4) In the first and second embodiments, one projection is formed on one top plate, but a plurality of projections may be formed on one top plate.
(5) In the first and second embodiments, the protruding portion is formed only on the front plate-like portion (the front inner plate portion or the front outer plate portion). You may form in both and may form only in a back side plate-shaped part.
(6) In Examples 1 and 2, the protruding portion is formed by knocking out, but the protruding portion may be formed by cutting and raising.
(7) In the first and second embodiments, the elastic contact piece is directly connected to the front inner plate portion (inner top plate portion). However, the front inner plate portion may not be directly connected to the elastic contact piece.
(8) In the first and second embodiments, the lance is locked to the top plate portion, but the lance may be locked to a portion different from the top plate portion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Terminal metal fitting 12 ... Square tube part 15 ... Board | substrate part 16L ... Left side board part (side board part)
16R ... right side plate (side plate)
17H ... Top plate portion 17L ... Top plate portion 18F ... Front side inner plate portion (front side plate-like portion)
18R ... rear inner plate (rear plate)
19F ... front side outer plate part (front side plate-like part)
19R: Rear outer plate (rear plate)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Locking part 23 ... Elastic contact piece 24 ... Auxiliary spring part 25 ... Support part 26 ... Bending part 27 ... Protrusion part 31 ... Terminal storage chamber 32 ... Lance 40 ... Terminal metal fitting 41 ... Protrusion part

Claims (3)

A square tube,
A substrate portion constituting the rectangular tube portion;
A pair of side plate portions that constitute the rectangular tube portion and rise substantially perpendicularly from the left and right side edges of the substrate portion;
A pair of top plate portions that constitute the rectangular tube portion, extend substantially at right angles from the pair of side plate portions, and are arranged to face each other substantially in parallel with each other;
A terminal fitting having a configuration in which one top plate portion of the pair of top plate portions is partially protruded, and a protruding portion that comes into contact with the other top plate portion.   The terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein a contact area of the protruding portion with the other top plate portion is a plane parallel to the other top plate portion. A front plate-shaped portion that is arranged in the front end side region of the rectangular tube portion and constitutes the top plate portion;
A height with respect to the substrate portion is lower than the front plate-like portion, and is arranged behind the front plate-like portion to constitute the top plate portion, and
The square tube portion is formed on the rear edge of the front plate-like portion, and is engaged with a lance formed on the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber in a state where the rectangular tube portion is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber. A locking part for retaining,
An elastic contact piece that extends in a cantilevered manner so as to be folded back from the front end of the front plate-like portion, and is accommodated in the rectangular tube portion;
An auxiliary spring portion that cantilevered forward from the rear plate-shaped portion, and that supports the elastic contact piece from the lance side at the support portion of the extended end;
The bending part of the form which was formed in the said auxiliary | assistant spring part and bent the area | region behind the said support part so that it may approach the said lance is provided, The Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Terminal fitting.

Images