JP2023105850A - Female terminal and connector - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a female terminal capable of securing a required spring reaction force while maintaining economical efficiency and attaining downsizing, and a connector comprising the female terminal.SOLUTION: A female terminal 1 comprises: a storage part C in which a mating terminal (4) inserted from a front side F to a rear side R is stored; a first spring 11 extending from the front side F to the rear side R of the storage part C and including a contact part 110 in contact with the mating terminal (4); and a second spring 12 extending from the rear side R to the front side F of the storage part C and configured to pressurize the first spring 11 toward the mating terminal (4). The first spring 11 includes a first abutment part 101 which abuts on the second spring 12 at the rear side R with resect to the contact part 110 at least in an insertion process of the mating terminal (4). The second spring 12 includes a second abutment part 102 which abuts on the first spring 11 at the front side F with resect to the first abutment part 101 at least in the insertion process of the mating terminal (4).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a female terminal and an electrical connector having the female terminal.

The female terminal is made of a metal plate material and has a cantilever spring piece having a contact portion that contacts the male terminal. A certain type of female terminal includes a main spring having a contact portion and an auxiliary spring arranged behind the main spring and pressing the main spring toward the male terminal (Patent Documents 1 to 3). ). The main spring extends rearward from the vicinity of the insertion opening into which the male terminal is inserted to the tip of the auxiliary spring. The auxiliary spring extends forward from the rear side of the space accommodating the male terminal.
In the terminal fittings disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the male terminal is inserted from the front into the housing space in a state where the tip of the main spring and the tip of the auxiliary spring overlap and abut each other. As the male terminal is inserted, the main spring and the auxiliary spring are displaced while maintaining their tip portions in contact with each other. At this time, the main spring and the auxiliary spring are in contact only at their tip portions, and are not in contact at other portions.

JP 2014-002871 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-232701 JP 2017-041338 A

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, miniaturization of connectors has been promoted for use in, for example, automobile-mounted equipment. Due to the miniaturization, the size of the spring provided inside the female terminal is also reduced, and the thickness of the plate is also reduced. Therefore, when attempting to miniaturize the female terminal, it is difficult to obtain the reaction force of the spring necessary for realizing a predetermined contact pressure at the contact portion.
The same is true when the main spring and the auxiliary spring are provided as in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Due to the miniaturization, the respective reaction forces of the main spring and the auxiliary spring are reduced. If a material with better physical properties is used to obtain a reaction force even if the size is reduced, the cost will increase, and if the spring has a large cross-sectional area and a complicated shape, the productivity will be poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a female terminal capable of securing a necessary reaction force of a spring while ensuring economy and miniaturization, and a connector having the female terminal. and

The female terminal of the present invention includes a receiving portion for receiving the mating terminal inserted from the front side toward the rear side, and a contact portion extending from the front side toward the rear side of the receiving portion and contacting the mating terminal. A spring and a second spring extending from the rear side to the front side of the accommodating portion and capable of pressing the first spring toward the mating terminal are provided.
The first spring includes a first contact portion that contacts the second spring behind the contact portion at least in the process of inserting the mating terminal.
The second spring includes a second contact portion that contacts the first spring on the front side of the first contact portion at least in the process of inserting the mating terminal.

In the female terminal of the present invention, the first contact portion contacts the second spring as the contact portion is displaced due to the insertion of the mating terminal, and the second contact portion is adapted to contact the second spring of the first contact portion. The abutment on the first spring is preferably followed by abutment on the first spring.

In the female terminal of the present invention, the first contact portion is curved in a convex direction toward the second spring, and the second contact portion is curved in a convex direction toward the first spring. It is preferable that the apex of the first contact portion is separated from the apex of the second contact portion by a predetermined distance to the rear side.

In the female terminal of the present invention, the distance after insertion of the mating terminal is preferably greater than the distance before inserting the mating terminal.

In the female terminal of the present invention, a gap may exist between the first contact portion and the second spring and between the second contact portion and the first spring before the mating terminal is inserted. preferable.

In the female terminal of the present invention, the accommodating portion has an opposing wall facing the first spring and receiving the mating terminal between itself and the first spring. It is preferable that the area and the guide area for guiding the mating terminal on the front side of the contact area are formed so as to protrude toward the first spring.

A connector of the present invention includes the female terminal described above and a housing that holds the female terminal.

The first spring and the second spring are in contact with each other in an overlapping state between two points of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, so that the first spring and the second spring behave integrally. . Then, since the thickness of the spring is doubled over the distance between the two points, the elastic deformation of the first spring and the second spring is more effective than when the first spring and the second spring are in contact with each other only at one point. The available reaction force can be increased.
According to the present invention, it is not necessary to use materials with good physical properties in order to secure the reaction force of the spring while miniaturizing. Moreover, even if the plate thickness must be reduced for miniaturization, it is not necessary to bend the spring into a complicated shape with a large cross-sectional area.

According to the present invention, since at least one of the first spring and the second spring may be extended by a distance corresponding to the overlapping distance of the first spring and the second spring, compared to the case of using a material with good physical properties, Material cost can be suppressed, and productivity can be improved compared to the case of processing into a complicated shape.
In other words, it is possible to secure the necessary reaction force while ensuring economic efficiency and downsizing, so it is small and can withstand external forces such as vibration and impact based on strong terminal contact. It is possible to provide a female terminal with high connection reliability at low cost. Miniaturization of the female terminals, and thus weight reduction, also contributes to the miniaturization and weight reduction of connectors with one or more female terminals.

1 is a perspective view of a connector having female terminals and a housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the female terminal shown in FIG. 1; FIG. (b) is a front view as seen from arrow IIb in (a). (a) is a perspective view of a partially broken female terminal. (b) is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the female terminal. [FIG. 2] is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a male terminal is inserted into a female terminal; (a) to (c) are partial longitudinal sectional views showing the process of inserting the male terminal into the female terminal. (a) is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to a comparative example. (b) is a front view as seen from arrow XIb in (a). It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the female terminal which concerns on the modification of this invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A connector 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of female terminals 1 and a housing 2 that holds the female terminals 1 . Only one of the plurality of female terminals 1 is shown in FIG. An electric wire 3 is joined to each of the female terminals 1 .
The housing 2 is formed with a plurality of cavities (not shown) for individually accommodating a plurality of female terminals 1 . When the female terminal 1 is inserted into the cavity, it is locked to the housing 2 by a lance 2A (FIG. 3(b)) provided on the housing 2. As shown in FIG.

The connector 100 is incorporated in, for example, equipment mounted in an automobile, and is fitted with a mating connector (not shown). The female terminal 1 is electrically connected to a male terminal 4 (FIG. 4) as a mating terminal provided in a mating connector.

As shown in FIG. 2, the female terminal 1 includes a terminal portion 10 electrically connected to the mating terminal 4 and a crimping portion 20 to which the electric wire 3 is crimped. The crimping portion 20 includes a core wire crimping portion 21 that is crimped onto the core wire of the electric wire 3 (FIG. 1), and a covering crimping portion 22 that is crimped onto the covering 31 that covers the core wire. A connecting portion 25 is interposed between the core wire crimping portion 21 and the terminal portion 10 .

An example of the configuration of the terminal portion 10 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. The terminal portion 10 is integrally formed by punching and bending a metal plate material such as a copper alloy.
The terminal portion 10 includes an accommodating portion C that accommodates the tab-shaped male terminal 4 that is inserted from the front side F toward the rear side R, a first spring 11 that includes a contact portion 110 that contacts the male terminal 4, A second spring 12 configured to press the first spring 11 toward the male terminal 4 is provided.

Both the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 correspond to cantilevers. As shown in FIG. 4, the male terminal 4 and the terminal portion 10 are separated from each other by the reaction force F1 of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 acting when the male terminal 4 is inserted to a prescribed position in the housing portion C. contacts with a predetermined contact pressure.
In addition, in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A to 5C described later, it is assumed that the structure having the same dimensions as the structure shown in FIG. 3B (including the springs 11 and 12) is deformed.

The accommodating portion C is formed in a rectangular tubular shape extending in the front-rear direction and has a substantially rectangular cross section. The accommodation portion C includes an upper wall 13 and a lower wall 14 facing each other in the vertical direction, and a left wall 15 and a right wall 16 facing each other in the horizontal direction.
The upper wall 13 is formed with an opening 131 in which the lance 2A is arranged and a locking portion 132 that is locked by the lance 2A. Lance 2A and locking portion 132 prevent female terminal 1 from coming out of housing 2 to the rear.
The upper wall 13 includes a front upper wall 13F positioned on the front side F of the opening 131 and a rear upper wall 13R positioned on the rear side R of the opening 131 . The rear upper wall 13R is located slightly above the front upper wall 13F.

The first spring 11 continues to the rear side R from the inner wall 133 overlapping the inner side of the front upper wall 13F and extends rearward. The male terminal 4 is inserted between the first spring 11 and the lower wall 14 facing the first spring 11 through an insertion opening 17 located at the front end of the housing portion C. As shown in FIG.
As for the shape of the first spring 11 before the male terminal 4 is inserted, as shown in FIG. It extends toward the rear side R while gradually approaching the lower wall 14 over the first section S1. A contact portion 110 of the first spring 11 bulges toward the lower wall 14 . The contact portion 110 is formed, for example, in a circular shape in plan view.

A first contact portion 101 that contacts the second spring 12 is included in a second section S2 from the contact portion 110 to the free end 11B of the first spring 11 . The second section S2 extends rearward beyond the free end 12B of the second spring 12 . The first contact portion 101 of this embodiment corresponds to the free end 11B of the first spring 11 .
The first contact portion 101 contacts the second spring 12 on the rear side R of the contact portion 110 in the process of inserting the male terminal 4 . The second spring 12 contacts the first spring 11 in the process of inserting the male terminal 4 on the front side F of the first contact portion 101 .

Note that the first contact portion 101 does not have to be the free end of the first spring 11 . For example, a non-contact portion as a free end may extend rearward from the first contact portion 101 and downward away from the second spring 12 . The same applies to the second contact portion 102 as well.

More specifically, the second section S2 includes an extension portion 11C extending rearward from the contact portion 110 substantially parallel to the lower wall 14, and the first contact portion 101. As shown in FIG.
The first contact portion 101 extends upward from the extending portion 11C and is curved in a convex direction toward the second spring 12 positioned higher.

The second spring 12 has a second contact portion 102 that contacts the first spring 11 . The second spring 12 presses the first spring 11 toward the male terminal 4 by the second contact portion 102, thereby contributing to securing the reaction force F1.
As shown in FIG. 3(b), the second spring 12 gradually approaches the lower wall 14 toward the front side F from the inner wall 134 overlapping the inner side of the rear upper wall 13R. extending upwards. The second spring 12 extends from a support end 12A supported by the rear upper wall 13R to a free end 12B.

The second spring 12 extends forward beyond the position of the first contact portion 101 . The second contact portion 102 of the second spring 12 of this embodiment corresponds to the free end 12B of the second spring 12 and is positioned near the contact portion 110 . The second contact portion 102 is curved in a convex direction toward the first spring 11 positioned below.
The positions of the second contact portion 102 and the contact portion 110 in the front-rear direction are such that the second contact portion 102 is displaced upward due to the displacement of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 due to the insertion of the male terminal 4. In this case, the second contact portion 102 does not interfere with the lance 2A, and the male terminal 4 is smoothly inserted between the contact portion 110 and the contact area 141. As shown in FIG.

Before the male terminal 4 is inserted, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are not necessarily in contact with each other. In this embodiment, a gap G1 is set between the first contact portion 101 and the second spring 12, and the gap G1 is managed within a tolerance range. That is, before the male terminal 4 is inserted, the first contact portion 101 is not in contact with the second spring 12 and the contact portion 110 is not in contact with the contact area 141 .
The tolerance of the gap G1 can be controlled, for example, by emitting a laser beam from one end of the female terminal 1 in the axial direction and controlling the incident state of the laser beam from the other end in the axial direction.
On the other hand, the gap G2 between the second contact portion 102 and the first spring 11 does not necessarily need to be managed. There is

By managing the gap G1 between the first contact portion 101 and the second spring 12 within the tolerance, a gap is provided between the contact portion 110 and the contact area 141 in which the male terminal 4 can be smoothly inserted. In addition, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are brought into contact with each other at predetermined positions, and a constant reaction force F1 can be stably obtained from the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 .
It is not always necessary to set the gaps G1 and G2, and it is permissible for the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 to abut (contact) before the male terminal 4 is inserted. That is, the first contact portion 101 contacts the second spring 12 at least during the insertion process of the male terminal 4, and the second contact portion 102 also contacts the first spring 11 at least during the insertion process of the male terminal 4. touch.

A first vertex 101T on the outer peripheral side of the curve of the first contact portion 101 and a second vertex 102T on the outer peripheral side of the curve of the second contact portion 102 are arranged in the front-rear direction by a predetermined distance before the male terminal 4 is inserted. are separated by a distance X ₀ .
Also, before the male terminal 4 is inserted, the first vertex 101T is located above the second vertex 102T. At this time, the first vertex 101T and the second vertex 102T are separated from each other by a predetermined distance _Z0 in the vertical direction. Even after the male terminal 4 is inserted (FIG. 4), the first vertex 101T is positioned above the second vertex 102T.

The first spring 11 and the second spring 12 extend in the front-rear direction while being aligned vertically over the range from the first vertex 101T to the second vertex 102T.
As shown in FIG. 4, when the male terminal 4 is inserted to the prescribed position of the receiving portion C, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are displaced upward while the first contact portion 101 is moved backward. , the second contact portion 102 is displaced forward. Accordingly, the distance _X0 shown in FIG. 3(b) increases to the distance X shown in FIG.
Based on the structural design, it is preferable that the first contact portion 101 abuts on a position approximately half the length of the second spring 12 from the viewpoint of ensuring a sufficient reaction force F1.

The lower wall 14 includes a contact region 141 facing the contact portion 110 of the first spring 11 and a contact region 141 between the contact portion 110 and the contact region 141 on the front side F of the contact region 141 so that the posture of the male terminal 4 is adjusted. A guiding region 142 is formed. The contact area 141 and the guide area 142 are each formed with a predetermined amount of protrusion toward the first spring 11 . The contact area 141 and the guide area 142 are formed, for example, in a rectangular shape in plan view. The amount of protrusion of the guide area 142 from the bottom wall 14 is less than the amount of protrusion of the contact area 141 from the bottom wall 14 . Since the guide region 142 is formed on the front side F of the contact region 141, the maximum value of the insertion load when inserting the male terminal 4 into the receiving portion C can be reduced.

An example of the displacement behavior of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 in the process of inserting the male terminal 4 into the housing portion C will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c).
As shown in FIG. 5(a), when the contact portion 110 is pushed by the male terminal 4 and displaced upward, the first contact portion 101 is also displaced upward (see the arrow). When the first contact portion 101 contacts the flat region of the second spring 12 , the first contact portion 101 contacts a fixed position of the second spring 12 stably, which is preferable. This leads to stably obtaining a constant reaction force F1 from the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 .

As the male terminal 4 moves further rearward, the first spring 11 is displaced further upward (see the arrow) as shown in FIG. abut. As with the first contact portion 101 , it is preferable that the second contact portion 102 also contacts the flat region of the first spring 11 so as to stably contact a predetermined position of the first spring 11 . At this time, the first contact portion 101 is maintained in contact with the second spring 12 .

As the male terminal 4 moves rearward, the first contact portion 101 and the second contact portion 102 move apart in the front-rear direction while both the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 bend further upward. Therefore, the distance in the longitudinal direction between the first vertex 101T and the second vertex 102T increases.
As shown in FIG. 5(c), when the male terminal 4 is inserted to a prescribed position in the receiving portion C, the downward reaction force F1 of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 bent upward causes the , the male terminal 4 is pressed against the contact portion 110 and the contact area 141 with a predetermined contact pressure. The male terminal 4, the contact portion 110 and the contact area 141 are in surface contact, for example, as shown in FIG. 5(c).

At this time, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are in contact at at least two points, the first vertex 101T of the first contact portion 101 and the second vertex 102T of the second contact portion 102 . The first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are in contact over most of the range between the two points. A slight gap between the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 is allowed in the range between the two points. The gap is sufficiently smaller than the gaps G1 and G2 before the male terminal 4 is inserted.

When the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are in contact with each other over the distance X between the two points, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 behave integrally. As a result, the dimension of the spring in the plate thickness direction is doubled over the distance X. The reaction force F1 obtained by elastic deformation of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 can be increased.

That is, not only is the second spring 12 that presses the first spring 11 by the second contact portion 102 provided, but also the first contact portion 101 of the first spring 11 is located behind the second contact portion 102 . is brought into contact with the second spring 12, and the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are integrated as spring behavior over the distance X between the two contact points, thereby reducing the size of the female terminal 1 , the reaction force F1 required for a predetermined contact pressure can be ensured.

The state of displacement of the springs 11 and 12 during the insertion process of the male terminal 4 changes depending on the specific dimensions, shape, positional relationship, and the like of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 . Therefore, in the same manner as in the insertion process shown in FIGS. It does not necessarily come into contact. Before the first contact portion 101 contacts the second spring 12, the second contact portion 102 contacts the first spring 11, or the first contact portion 101 contacts the second spring 12. At the same time, the second contact portion 102 may contact the first spring 11 . Even in such a case, the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 are in contact with the first contact portion 101 and the second contact portion 102 in a state of being overlapped, so that the same effect as in the above embodiment can be achieved. effect can be obtained.

The female terminal 9 of the comparative example shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) is configured to be able to press the first spring 91 having a contact portion 910 and the first spring 91 toward the male terminal. and a second spring 92 . When the first spring 91 is displaced upward in the process of inserting the male terminal (not shown) into the receiving portion, the second contact portion 902 of the second spring 92 contacts the first spring 91 .
In such a structure, the first spring 91 and the second spring 92 abut only one point, that is, within a very limited range of the free ends of each spring 91 and 92 . The vertices 901T and 902T respectively set at the free ends of the springs 91 and 92 are at almost the same positions in the front-rear direction, and the distance _XC between the vertices 901T and 902T is substantially zero. Even if the distance _XC slightly increases with the displacement of the springs 91 and 92, the effect of sufficiently increasing the reaction force of the springs 91 and 92 cannot be obtained.
The effect of increasing the reaction force of the present embodiment with respect to the comparative example is calculated by analysis.

According to this embodiment, it is not necessary to use materials having good physical properties such as elastic modulus in order to ensure the reaction force of the springs 11 and 12 while downsizing the female terminal 1 . In addition, due to the structure in which the springs 11 and 12 are built in the terminal portion 10, even if the plate thickness must be reduced for miniaturization, the springs are used to compensate for the lack of reaction force due to the thin plate thickness. It is not necessary to bend 11 and 12 into a complicated shape with a large cross-sectional area. According to the present embodiment, it is sufficient to extend the first spring 11 rearward by an amount corresponding to the distance X to provide the first contact portion 101 to the first spring 11. Therefore, compared to the case of using a material having good physical properties, Therefore, the material cost can be reduced, and the productivity can be improved as compared with the case of processing into a complicated shape.
In other words, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to secure the necessary reaction force F1 while ensuring economic efficiency and miniaturization.

The female terminal 1 of this embodiment can be made smaller than the female terminal 9 of the comparative example under the conditions of the same material, the same plate thickness, and the same reaction force. The width Y of the terminal portion 10 of the female terminal 1 (FIG. 2B) is narrower than the width _YC of the terminal portion of the female terminal 9 of the comparative example (FIG. 6B).
By miniaturizing the female terminal 1 in this way, it is possible to promote the miniaturization and weight reduction of the connector 100 having a single or a plurality of female terminals 1 and a housing 2 for holding them. can be done.

From the viewpoint of increasing the reaction force F1, it is preferable that the distance X that the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 extend in the front-rear direction in an overlapping state is longer. In order to lengthen the distance X, for example, the first spring 11 of the present embodiment is extended rearward, and the first contact portion 101 is moved to the rear end of the first spring 11, or the second contact portion 101 of the present embodiment is extended backward. It is preferable to extend the spring 12 forward and move the second contact portion 102 to the front end of the second spring 12 . It is also possible to extend both the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 to increase the distance X between the first contact portion 101 and the second contact portion 102 .

However, it is preferable to set the distance X within a limit where the respective strengths of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 can be secured. For example, if the first spring 11 is long until it reaches the vicinity of the support end 12A of the second spring 12 and the rear end thereof is provided with the first contact portion 101, the first contact portion 101 causes the second spring 12 to move. Since the displacement of is regulated, the stress of the second spring 12 may become excessive. In that case, since the deflection of the second spring 12 is restricted by the first spring 11, the overlapping of the springs 11 and 12 over the distance X reduces the effect of increasing the reaction force F1.

Depending on the respective lengths and positional relationships of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12, the distance X is determined in consideration of the stress generated in the first spring 11 when the second contact portion 102 contacts the first spring. Good.

FIG. 7 shows a female terminal 5 according to a modification. Since the second spring 12 extends forward to a position directly above the contact portion 110 or to a position beyond the front side F of the contact portion 110, the overlapping range of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 is A distance _X1 is provided which is longer than the distance _X0 in the above embodiment. In this example, in order to avoid interference between the second spring 12 and the lance 2A (FIG. 3(b)), the housing 2 is formed with a lance 2B for locking the step 10S at the rear end of the terminal portion 10. there is

The range in which the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 overlap can be set at an appropriate position in the front-rear direction according to the dimensions, shape, positional relationship, and the like of the first spring 11 and the second spring 12 . When modifying the comparative example shown in FIG. 6A, for example, the second spring 92 is extended forward from the position of the first contact portion 901 without changing the position of the first contact portion 901, It is preferable to move the second contact portion 902 to the front end thereof. By doing so, a distance equivalent to the distance X in the above embodiment can be given to the range where the first spring 91 and the second spring 92 overlap.

In addition to the above, it is possible to select the configurations described in the above embodiments or to change them to other configurations as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1, 5, 9 female terminal 2 housing 2A, 2B lance 3 electric wire 4 male terminal (mating terminal)
10 Terminal portion 10S Step 11 First spring 11A Support end 11B Free end 11C Extension portion 12 Second spring 12A Support end 12B Free end 13 Upper wall 13F Front upper wall 13R Rear upper wall 14 Lower wall (facing wall)
15 Left wall 16 Right wall 17 Insertion port 20 Crimping part 21 Core wire crimping part 22 Covering crimping part 25 Connecting part 31 Covering 91 First spring 92 Second spring 100 Connector 101 First contact part 101T First vertex 102 Second contact Portion 102T Second vertex 110 Contact portion 131 Opening 132 Locking portions 133, 134 Inner wall 141 Contact region 142 Guide region 901 First contact portion 901T Vertex 902 Second contact portion 902T Vertex 910 Contact portion C Accommodating portion F Front side F1 Reverse Force G1, G2 Gap R Rear side S1 First section S2 Second section X, X ₀ , X ₁ , X _C distance Y, Y _C width Z ₀ distance

Claims (7)

an accommodating portion for accommodating the mating terminal inserted from the front side toward the rear side;
a first spring extending from the front side to the rear side of the accommodating portion and including a contact portion that contacts the mating terminal;
a second spring extending from the rear side to the front side of the accommodating portion and configured to press the first spring toward the mating terminal;
The first spring includes a first contact portion that contacts the second spring on the rear side of the contact portion at least in the process of inserting the mating terminal,
The female terminal, wherein the second spring includes a second contact portion that contacts the first spring on the front side of the first contact portion at least in the process of inserting the mating terminal. the first contact portion contacts the second spring as the contact portion is displaced by insertion of the mating terminal;
The second contact portion contacts the first spring following contact of the first contact portion with the second spring,
A female terminal according to claim 1. The first contact portion is curved in a convex direction toward the second spring,
The second contact portion is curved in a convex direction toward the first spring,
The apex of the first contact portion is separated from the apex of the second contact portion by a predetermined distance to the rear side,
The female terminal according to claim 1 or 2. The distance after insertion of the mating terminal is greater than the distance before inserting the mating terminal,
A female terminal according to claim 3. gaps exist between the first contact portion and the second spring and between the second contact portion and the first spring before the mating terminal is inserted;
A female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The accommodating portion has an opposing wall that faces the first spring and receives the mating terminal between the first spring and the first spring,
A contact area facing the contact portion of the first spring and a guide area for guiding the mating terminal on the front side of the contact area are formed on the opposing wall so as to protrude toward the first spring. has been
A female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5. a female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6;
and a housing that holds the female terminals.

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