JP2014011147A - Joint terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a joint terminal capable of preventing a terminal body part from being deformed even when an external force is applied to the terminal body part.SOLUTION: A joint terminal 20 includes a box-shaped terminal body part 22 formed by applying bending processing to a conductive plate of a prescribed shape and neighboring terminal body parts 22 come into contact with each other to be electrically connected to each other. The terminal body part 22 includes: a side wall 22B on which a male-side contact piece 27 protruding toward the outside is formed; a side wall 22C on which a female-side slit 28 capable of being inserted by the male-side contact piece 27 is formed; a spring piece 24 and contact point parts 29, 30 as female-side contact point parts, which come into contact with the male-side contact piece 27 inserted into the female-side slit 28; and a front wall surface 22E which closes an opening at the tip of the terminal body part 22. Bent pieces 33, 34 bent into the terminal body part 22 and capable of contacting the front wall surface are continuous on the side walls 22B, 22C.

Description

  The present invention relates to a joint terminal formed by bending a conductive plate having a predetermined shape.

  Conventionally, a joint terminal is attached to the end of an electric wire, and a plurality of joint terminals are brought into contact with each other to be electrically connected (for example, see Patent Document 1). This type of joint terminal is formed by bending a conductive plate having a predetermined shape.

  Specifically, the joint terminal includes an electric wire connection portion to which an electric wire is connected and a box-shaped terminal main body portion provided integrally with the electric wire connection portion. The terminal body portion is formed in a box shape, and the tip is opened.

  A male contact piece (tongue-like engagement piece) bent in a substantially L shape is provided on one side wall of the terminal main body. A female side insertion hole into which a male side contact piece of an adjacent joint terminal is inserted is formed on the other side wall of the terminal main body.

  And the male side contact piece inserted in the female side insertion hole contacts with the female side contact part formed in the terminal main-body part of a joint terminal. Thereby, a male side contact piece contacts the female side contact part of an adjacent joint terminal via a female side insertion hole, and adjacent joint terminals are electrically connected.

JP 2007-87810 A

  However, the above-described conventional joint terminal has a problem that the terminal body portion is deformed when an external force is applied to the terminal body portion because the tip of the box-shaped terminal body portion is open.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a joint terminal that can prevent deformation of the terminal body even when an external force is applied to the terminal body.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention has the following features. First, the first feature of the present invention includes a box-shaped terminal body portion formed by bending a conductive plate having a predetermined shape, and the adjacent terminal body portions are in contact with each other. An electrically connected joint terminal, wherein the terminal main body portion is provided along an extending direction from the front end to the rear end of the terminal main body portion, and a male contact piece protruding outward is provided. A first side wall surface to be formed, a second side wall surface facing the first side wall surface and having a female side slit into which the male side contact piece can be inserted, and the terminal main body portion are provided. A female contact portion that contacts the male contact piece inserted into the female slit, and a direction that intersects the extending direction of the terminal main body, and the tip of the terminal main body A front wall surface that closes the opening; The side wall surface or the second side wall surface, and summarized in that bent piece which can contact with the front wall bent in the terminal body portion is contiguous.

  According to this feature, the first side wall surface or the second side wall surface is connected with a bent piece that is bent into the terminal main body and can contact the front wall surface. Thereby, the front-end | tip of a terminal main-body part is reinforced and the rigidity of a terminal main-body part improves. Accordingly, even when an external force is applied, for example, when the tip of the terminal main body contacts the connector housing, the terminal main body can be prevented from being deformed.

  A second feature of the present invention is a joint terminal according to the first feature of the present invention, wherein the terminal main body portion is connected to the first side wall surface and the second side wall surface, and the terminal main body. A third side wall surface extending in the extending direction of the portion, and a fourth side wall surface facing the third side wall surface, wherein the front wall surface is bent from the third side wall surface The gist of the present invention is that the front wall surface is formed with a front end folding surface that is bent outward from the fourth side wall surface, and the bent piece contacts the front end folding surface.

  According to this feature, the folded piece comes into contact with the tip folding surface. Thereby, even when an external force is applied to the terminal main body in the direction in which the terminal main body opens when the electric wire is assembled or the like, the bent piece is caught on the tip folding surface. Therefore, in addition to deformation in the direction in which the terminal main body portion is crushed, deformation in the opening direction of the terminal main body portion can also be prevented.

  A third feature of the present invention is a joint terminal according to the second feature of the present invention, wherein the front wall surface and the corner of the third side wall surface, or the front wall surface and the tip folding surface. The gist is that the corner portion is bent or chamfered.

  According to this feature, bending R or chamfering is applied to the corner between the front wall surface and the third side wall surface or the corner between the front wall surface and the tip folding surface. Thereby, when the joint terminal is inserted into the connector housing, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the insertability of the joint terminal without colliding with the angular portion of the connector housing.

  A fourth feature of the present invention is a joint terminal according to the second or third feature of the present invention, wherein the tip folding surface is provided flush with the fourth side wall surface. .

  According to this feature, the tip folding surface is provided flush with the fourth side wall surface. Thereby, the balance of the joint terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodation chamber of the connector housing can be ensured, and the connection of the adjacent joint terminal is stabilized. In addition, when the joint terminal is detached from the connector housing, the tip folding surface can be prevented from being caught in the terminal accommodating chamber, and deterioration of the joint terminal detachability can be prevented.

  According to the characteristics of the present invention, it is possible to provide a joint terminal that can prevent deformation of the terminal body even when an external force is applied to the terminal body.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a joint connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the joint connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the joint connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view seen from the upper wall side of the joint terminal according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the joint terminal according to the present embodiment as viewed from the bottom wall side. FIG. 6 is a developed view showing the joint terminal according to the present embodiment.

  Next, an embodiment of a joint connector provided with a joint terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and ratios of dimensions and the like are different from actual ones. Accordingly, specific dimensions and the like should be determined in consideration of the following description. Moreover, the part from which the relationship and ratio of a mutual dimension differ also in between drawings may be contained.

(Composition of joint connector)
First, the configuration of the joint connector 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a joint connector 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the joint connector according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the joint connector 1 according to this embodiment. 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the joint terminal 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a development view showing the joint terminal 20 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the joint connector 1 includes a connector housing 10 and a plurality of joint terminals 20 accommodated in the connector housing 10, and a plurality of joint terminals inserted into the connector housing 10. 20 are electrically connected. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, only one joint terminal 20 is shown, but the other joint terminals 20 are omitted.

  The connector housing 10 is provided with a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 12 each partitioned by a partition wall 11. Each partition wall 11 is formed with a communication groove 11 </ b> A (see FIG. 2) that allows the adjacent terminal accommodating chambers 12 to communicate with each other. The communication groove 11 </ b> A is provided at a position (upper surface side in the present embodiment) shifted from the center in the vertical direction of the terminal accommodating chamber 12.

  The connector housing 10 is integrally formed with a lance 13 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Each lance 13 protrudes into each terminal accommodating chamber 12 so as to be displaceable.

  The joint terminal 20 is formed by bending a conductive plate having a predetermined shape shown in FIG. The joint terminal 20 includes an electric wire connection portion 21 to which an electric wire W (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is connected, a box-shaped terminal main body portion 22 provided integrally with the electric wire connection portion 21, and an electric wire of the terminal main body portion 22. A lance locking portion 23 provided on the connection portion 21 side and locked by the lance 13 is provided.

  The wire connecting portion 21 includes a core wire crimping portion 21A for crimping and fixing the core wire of the electric wire W, and an insulating layer crimping portion 21B for crimping and fixing the insulating layer covering the core wire of the electric wire W. Such a wire connecting portion 21 is provided at a position shifted from the terminal main body portion 22 (close to a side wall 22B described later), and when the joint terminal 20 is inserted into the connector housing 10, the terminal main body portion 22 (male side described later) is provided. It does not come into contact with the contact piece 27).

  The terminal main body 22 is provided along the extending direction from the front end to the rear end of the terminal main body 22 (hereinafter, the insertion direction ID of the joint terminal 20 into the connector housing 10). The terminal body 22 includes a bottom wall 22A (fourth side wall surface), a pair of side walls 22B and 22C (first side wall surface, second side wall surface), and an upper wall 22D along the insertion direction ID of the joint terminal 20. (Third side wall surface) and a front wall surface 22E and a rear wall 22F along a direction intersecting the insertion direction ID of the joint terminal 20 are provided.

  The bottom wall 22A is provided flush with the tip folding surface 22G bent from the front wall surface 22E. The bottom wall 22A is integrally formed with a cantilevered spring piece 24 that is folded back from the distal end side in the insertion direction ID of the joint terminal 20. The spring piece 24 is provided in the terminal main body portion 22 and constitutes a female side contact portion that contacts an adjacent terminal main body portion 22 (a male side contact piece 27 described later).

  The side wall 22B is provided with a male side contact piece 27 that protrudes by being bent outward (horizontal direction) from the side wall 22B. The male side contact piece 27 is provided at a position shifted from the center in the vertical direction of the side wall 22B so as to correspond to the communication groove 11A (in this embodiment, on the side of the upper wall 22D of the side wall 22C). The male contact piece 27 is inserted into the communication groove 11 </ b> A when the joint terminal 20 is attached to the connector housing 10.

  The side wall 22B is connected with a bent piece 33 that is bent into the terminal body 22 from the edge of the side wall 22B near the front wall surface 22E and can contact the front wall surface 22E. The bent piece 33 is provided so as to be in contact with the tip folding surface 22G.

  The side wall 22C faces the side wall 22B. The side wall 22C is formed by a bottom side wall 22C-1 bent from the bottom wall 22A and an upper side wall 22C-2 bent from the top wall 22D. The bottom side wall 22C-1 and the top side wall 22C-2 are spaced apart in the vertical direction.

  That is, the female side slit 28 into which the male side contact piece 27 of the adjacent joint terminal 20 can be inserted is formed in the side wall 22C. The female slit 28 is formed on the side wall 22C so as to penetrate the terminal body 22 along the insertion direction ID. Similarly to the male contact piece 27 described above, the female slit 28 is displaced from the center of the side wall 22C in the vertical direction so as to correspond to the communication groove 11A (in this embodiment, the upper wall 22D side of the side wall 22C). Is provided. Both ends of the female slit 28 in the insertion direction ID are formed so as to gradually spread toward the outside (front wall surface 22E or rear wall surface 22F).

  The bottom side wall 22C-1 is connected with a bent piece 34 that is bent into the terminal body 22 from the edge of the bottom side wall 22C-1 near the front wall surface 22E and can contact the front wall surface 22E. The bent piece 34 is provided so as to be able to contact the tip folding surface 22G.

  The upper wall 22D is formed by being bent from the side wall 22B. The upper wall 22D is provided with contact portions 29 and 30 projecting inward of the terminal main body portion 22. The contact portions 29 and 30 constitute a female-side contact portion that is provided in the terminal main body portion 22 and makes contact with the male-side contact piece 27 in the same manner as the spring piece 24 described above.

  That is, when the joint terminal 20 is attached to the connector housing 10, the male contact piece 27 is inserted into the female slit 28 of the adjacent terminal main body portion 22 through the communication groove 11A, and the spring piece as the female contact portion. 24 and the contact portions 29 and 30. Thereby, adjacent terminal main-body parts 22, ie, the joint terminals 20, are electrically connected.

  The front wall surface 22E is provided at the distal end in the insertion direction ID, and closes the opening at the distal end of the terminal main body portion 22. The front wall surface 22E is formed by being bent from the upper wall 22D. The front wall surface 22E is connected to a front end folding surface 22G that is bent outward from the bottom wall 22A and is in close contact with the bottom wall 22A. The tip folding surface 22G is provided flush with the bottom wall 22A. The bent portion T1 between the front wall surface 22E and the upper wall 22D and the bent portion T2 between the front wall surface 22E and the tip folding surface 22G are bent or chamfered.

  The rear wall 22F is provided behind the front wall 22E with respect to the insertion direction ID, and closes the opening at the rear end of the terminal body 22. The rear wall 22F is formed by being bent from the upper wall 22D. The rear wall 22F is connected to a rear end folding surface 22H that is bent inwardly of the bottom wall 22A and is in close contact with the bottom wall 22A.

  The front wall surface 22E and the rear wall surface 22F are formed with cutouts 31 and 32 that are formed at positions along the female slit 28 and through which the male contact piece 27 can pass. The notches 31 and 32 are formed corresponding to the positions of the male contact piece 27 and the female slit 28. The notches 31 and 32 are formed so as to open to the female slit 28 and gradually become narrower from the side wall 22C side toward the side wall 22B side.

(Assembly method of joint connector 1)
Next, a method for assembling the joint connector 1 will be briefly described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the joint terminals 20 are gradually inserted into the terminal housing chambers 12 of the connector housing 10. Then, the male-side contact piece 27 is gradually inserted into the female-side slit 28 of the adjacent terminal body portion 22 through the communication groove 11A and the notches 31 and 32.

  When the joint terminal 20 is completely fitted into the connector housing 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the male contact piece 27 is sandwiched between the spring piece 24 and the contact portions 29 and 30. Thereby, adjacent terminal main-body parts 22 (namely, joint terminals 20) are electrically connected.

  At this time, since the bent portion T1 and the bent portion T2 are bent or chamfered, the corner portion of the connector housing 10 does not collide, and the insertion property of the joint terminal 20 to the connector housing 10 is deteriorated. Can be prevented.

(Action / Effect)
In the present embodiment described above, the side wall 22B and the side wall 22C (bottom side wall 22C-1) are connected with the bent pieces 33 and 34 that are bent into the terminal body 22 and can come into contact with the front wall surface 22E. Thereby, the front-end | tip of the terminal main-body part 22 is reinforced, and the rigidity of the terminal main-body part 22 improves. Accordingly, even when an external force is applied, for example, when the tip of the terminal body 22 is brought into contact with the connector housing 10, the terminal body 22 can be prevented from being deformed.

  In the present embodiment, the bent pieces 33 and 34 are in contact with the tip folding surface 22G. Thereby, even when an external force is applied to the terminal main body 22 in the opening direction of the terminal main body 22 at the time of assembling the electric wire, the bent pieces 33 and 34 are caught on the tip folding surface 22G. Therefore, in addition to the deformation in the direction in which the terminal main body portion 22 is crushed, deformation in the opening direction of the terminal main body portion 22 can be prevented.

  In the present embodiment, the bent portion T1 and the bent portion T2 are subjected to bending R or chamfering. As a result, when the joint terminal 20 is inserted into the connector housing 10, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the insertability of the joint terminal 20 without colliding with an angular portion of the connector housing 10.

  In the present embodiment, the tip folding surface 22G is provided flush with the bottom wall 22A. Thereby, the balance of the joint terminal 20 accommodated in the terminal accommodation chamber of the connector housing 10 can be ensured, and the connection of the adjacent joint terminal 20 is stabilized. In addition, when the joint terminal 20 is detached from the connector housing 10, it is possible to prevent the tip folding surface 22G from being caught in the terminal accommodating chamber, and it is possible to prevent the joint terminal 20 from being deteriorated.

(Other embodiments)
Although the contents of the present invention have been disclosed through the embodiments of the present invention as described above, it should not be understood that the descriptions and drawings constituting a part of this disclosure limit the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples, and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  For example, the embodiment of the present invention can be modified as follows. Specifically, the shape and the like of the joint connector 1 are not limited to those described in the embodiment, and can be set as appropriate. That is, it is needless to say that the shape of the connector housing 10 and the joint terminal 20 can be set as appropriate.

  Further, the communication groove 11A is not necessarily provided at a position shifted from the center of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 to the upper surface side, and may be formed at the center of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 or a position shifted from the center to the lower surface side. Good. In this case, the male contact piece 27, the female slit 28, and the notches 31, 32 may be formed corresponding to the position of the communication groove 11A.

  Moreover, the electric wire connection part 21 does not necessarily need to be provided in the position (side wall 22B side) shifted | deviated with respect to the terminal main-body part 22, and does not need to shift | deviate from the terminal main-body part 22. FIG.

  As described above, the present invention naturally includes various embodiments that are not described herein. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is determined only by the invention specifying matters according to the scope of claims reasonable from the above description.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Joint connector 10 ... Connector housing 11 ... Partition wall 11A ... Communication groove 12 ... Terminal accommodating chamber 20 ... Joint terminal 21 ... Electric wire connection part 22 ... Terminal main-body part 22A ... Bottom wall (4th side wall surface)
22B ... Side wall (first side wall surface)
22C ... Side wall (second side wall surface)
22C-1 ... Bottom side wall 22C-2 ... Upper side wall 22D ... Upper wall (third side wall surface)
22E ... Front wall 22F ... Rear wall 22G ... Bottom of tip 23 ... Lance locking part 24 ... Spring piece 25 ... Convex part 26 ... Inclined piece 27 ... Male side contact piece 28 ... Female side slit 29, 30 ... Contact part 31, 32 ... notches 33, 34 ... bent pieces W ... electric wires

Claims (4)

A joint terminal provided with a box-shaped terminal main body formed by bending a conductive plate having a predetermined shape, and being electrically connected by contact between adjacent terminal main bodies. ,
The terminal body is
A first side wall surface provided with a male side contact piece provided along an extending direction from the front end of the terminal main body portion toward the rear end and projecting outward;
A second side wall surface facing the first side wall surface and having a female side slit into which the male side contact piece can be inserted; and
A female contact point provided in the terminal main body and in contact with the male contact piece inserted into the female slit;
Provided along a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the terminal body, and comprising a front wall surface that closes the opening at the tip of the terminal body,
The joint terminal, wherein the first side wall surface or the second side wall surface is connected with a bent piece that is bent into the terminal main body and can contact the front wall surface. The joint terminal according to claim 1,
The terminal body is
A third side wall surface extending along the extending direction of the terminal main body portion connected to the first side wall surface and the second side wall surface;
A fourth side wall surface facing the third side wall surface,
The front wall surface is formed by being bent from the third side wall surface,
The front wall surface is continuous with a tip folding surface that is bent outward from the fourth side wall surface,
The joint terminal, wherein the bent piece comes into contact with the tip folding surface. The joint terminal according to claim 2,
Bending R or chamfering is performed on a corner portion of the front wall surface and the third side wall surface or a corner portion of the front wall surface and the tip folding surface. The joint terminal according to claim 2 or claim 3,
The joint terminal, wherein the tip folding surface is provided flush with the fourth side wall surface.

Images