JP2024066582A - Male terminal fitting, terminal fitting body and fitting connector - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To ensure contact pressure at the mating completion position while reducing insertion force. [Solution] A male terminal connecting portion has a guide groove 113 that guides a contact portion 13 of a female terminal connecting portion 12 to just before the mating completion position, and the guide groove has a first groove portion 113A with a first groove bottom 113a that is the deepest groove depth, a second groove portion 113B with a second groove bottom 113b that slides the contact portion that has entered the groove to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion 113B that slides the contact portion that has entered through the first groove bottom out of the groove just before the mating completion position. and a third groove portion 113C provided with a groove bottom 113c, the second groove bottom being an inclined surface whose groove depth becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom, and the third groove bottom being an inclined surface whose groove depth becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom, and the guide groove is configured such that the inclination angle θ1 of the second groove bottom with respect to the base axis BL is greater than the inclination angle θ2 of the third groove bottom with respect to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom. [Selected Figure] FIG.

Description

The present invention relates to male terminal fittings, terminal fittings, and fitting connectors.

The female fitting part is, for example, a female connector or a female terminal block, and includes a female terminal fitting and a female housing that accommodates the female terminal fitting. The male fitting part is, for example, a male connector or a male terminal block, and includes a male terminal fitting and a male housing that accommodates the male terminal fitting. The terminal fitting body is a fitting body in which the female terminal fitting and the male terminal fitting are fitted and connected. The fitting connection body is a fitting body in which the female fitting part and the male fitting part are fitted and connected. The fitting connection body fits and connects the female terminal connection part of the female terminal fitting and the male terminal connection part of the male terminal fitting by fitting and connecting the female housing and the male housing, and physically and electrically connects them to each other. The female terminal fitting and the male terminal fitting are electrically connected to each other by contacting the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection part with a plurality of contact parts that bulge from the inner wall surface inside the cylindrical female terminal connection part. The following patent documents 1 to 3 disclose this type of terminal fitting and fitting connection body.

JP 2021-089867 A JP 2019-153401 A JP 2016-054095 A

The contact portion of the female terminal connection portion protrudes higher from the inner wall surface and increases the contact pressure with the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, thereby ensuring contact with this outer wall surface and contributing to stabilizing the electrical conductivity between the male terminal connection portion and the male terminal connection portion. On the other hand, by increasing the contact pressure of this contact portion, the sliding resistance increases when the male terminal connection portion is inserted and fitted into the female terminal connection portion, which increases the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion into the female terminal connection portion.

The present invention aims to provide a male terminal fitting, a terminal fitting, and a fitting connector that can simultaneously ensure contact pressure at the fully mated position and reduce insertion force.

The male terminal fitting according to the present invention has a male terminal connection part that is fitted into a cylindrical female terminal connection part and is fitted and connected to the female terminal connection part at a mating completion position with the female terminal connection part, and the female terminal connection part has a plurality of contact parts that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within the cylinder and contact the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection part at the mating completion position, and the male terminal connection part is a groove part that recesses a part of its outer wall surface from the tip side to the base side along the cylindrical axis direction of the female terminal connection part within the cylinder of the female terminal connection part to allow the contact parts to enter, and has a guide groove for each contact part that guides the contact parts along the cylindrical axis direction to just before the mating completion position, and the guide groove is provided with a first groove part having a first groove bottom that has the deepest groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection part, and a guide groove that is located on the tip side of the male terminal connection part relative to the first groove part and guides the contact parts that have entered the groove along the cylindrical axis direction The second groove portion has a second groove bottom that slides to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion that is located closer to the base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion, slides the contact portion that entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction, and causes the contact portion to exit the groove before the mating completion position. The second groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction, and the third groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction. The guide groove is characterized in that the inclination angle of the second groove bottom with respect to a base axis along the cylindrical axis direction is larger than the inclination angle of the third groove bottom with respect to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom.

The terminal fitting according to the present invention comprises a female terminal fitting having a cylindrical female terminal connection portion, and a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion that is fitted into the cylindrical female terminal connection portion and fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion at a mating completion position with the female terminal connection portion, the female terminal connection portion having a plurality of contact portions that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within the cylindrical tube and contact an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position, the male terminal connection portion having a groove portion that recesses a part of its outer wall surface from the tip side to the base side along the cylindrical axis direction of the female terminal connection portion within the cylindrical tube of the female terminal connection portion to allow the contact portions to enter, and a guide groove that guides the contact portions along the cylindrical axis direction to just before the mating completion position is provided for each of the contact portions, the guide groove having a first groove portion having a first groove bottom that is the deepest groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, and a contact portion that is located on the tip side of the male terminal connection portion relative to the first groove portion and that has entered into the groove The second groove portion has a second groove bottom that slides the contact portion along the cylindrical axis direction to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion that is located closer to the base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and slides the contact portion that entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction and causes the contact portion to exit the groove before the mating completion position. The second groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction, and the third groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction, and the guide groove is characterized in that the inclination angle of the second groove bottom with respect to a base axis along the cylindrical axis direction is larger than the inclination angle of the third groove bottom with respect to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom.

The fitting connection body according to the present invention comprises a female fitting part and a male fitting part with which the female fitting part is fitted and connected at the fitting completion position, the female fitting part comprises a female terminal fitting having a cylindrical female terminal connection portion, and a female housing that accommodates the female terminal connection portion within the cylindrical female fitting part, the male fitting part comprises a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion that is fitted into the cylindrical female terminal connection portion and fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion at the fitting completion position, and a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion that is fitted into the cylindrical female terminal connection portion and fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion at the fitting completion position, the male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion that is fitted into the internal space of the male fitting part in which the male terminal connection portion is accommodated, and a male housing that is fitted into the internal space of the male fitting part in which the male terminal connection portion is accommodated, and a male housing that is fitted into the internal space of the male fitting part in which the male terminal connection portion is accommodated, and a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion ... inserted, and a female terminal a male housing for fitting and connecting the female side fitting portion to the male side fitting portion at the mating completion position, the female terminal connection portion has a plurality of contact portions that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within a cylinder and contact an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position, the male terminal connection portion has a groove portion that recesses a part of its outer wall surface from a tip side to a base side along a cylindrical axis direction of the female terminal connection portion within the cylinder of the female terminal connection portion to allow the contact portions to enter, and a guide groove that guides the contact portions along the cylindrical axis direction to just before the mating completion position, The guide groove has a first groove portion provided with a first groove bottom having a deepest groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, a second groove portion located closer to the tip end of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a second groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered into the groove along the cylindrical axis direction to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion located closer to the base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a third groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction and for causing the contact portion to come out of the groove just before the mating completion position. The second groove bottom is an inclined surface in which the groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection part becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the axial direction, and the third groove bottom is an inclined surface in which the groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection part becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the axial direction, and the guide groove is characterized in that the inclination angle of the second groove bottom with respect to a base axis along the axial direction is larger than the inclination angle of the third groove bottom with respect to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact part at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact part at the third groove bottom.

The male terminal fitting, terminal fitting, and fitting connection body according to the present invention can reduce the contact pressure of the contact portion against the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion by the guide groove while the male terminal connection portion is being fitted into the tube of the female terminal connection portion, thereby reducing the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion into the tube of the female terminal connection portion. The male terminal fitting, terminal fitting, and fitting connection body guide the contact portion with the guide groove to just before the mating completion position. In other words, the male terminal fitting, terminal fitting, and fitting connection body form a guide groove so that the female terminal connection portion and the male terminal connection portion are in the mating completion position when the contact portion that has come out of the bottom of the third groove rides up onto the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion. Therefore, the male terminal fitting, terminal fitting, and fitting connection body can ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion against the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position. Therefore, the male terminal fitting, terminal fitting body, and fitting connection body of the present invention can simultaneously ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion against the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the completed fitting position and reduce the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion during the fitting connection work.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a female fitting part according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the female fitting part of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the female fitting part of the embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the male fitting part of the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the male fitting part of the embodiment as viewed from a different angle. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a male fitting component according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the male fitting part of the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the female terminal fitting. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the female terminal fitting. FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the male terminal connecting portion and the male terminal connecting portion in the mating completed position. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the contact portion is located in the second groove portion. FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the contact portion is located in the first groove portion. FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the contact portion is located in the third groove portion.

Below, embodiments of the male terminal fitting, terminal fitting, and connector fitting according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[Embodiment]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a male terminal fitting, a terminal fitting body, and a fitting connection body according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 indicates a female fitting part such as a female connector or a female terminal block. The female fitting part 1 includes a female terminal fitting 10, a female housing 20 that accommodates and holds the female terminal fitting 10, and a cover member 30 that is attached to the female housing 20 (Fig. 1 to Fig. 4). Reference numeral 101 in Fig. 5 to Fig. 9 indicates a male fitting part such as a male connector or a male terminal block. The male fitting part 101 includes a male terminal fitting 110 and a male housing 120 that accommodates and holds the male terminal fitting 110 (Fig. 5 to Fig. 9). The terminal fitting body refers to a fitting body in which the female terminal fitting 10 and the male terminal fitting 110 are fitted and connected at the fitting completion position. The fitting connection body refers to a fitting body in which the female fitting part 1 and the male fitting part 101 are fitted and connected at the fitting completion position. In this fitting connection body, when the female fitting part 1 and the male fitting part 101 are in the fully fitted position, the female terminal fittings 10 and the male terminal fittings 110 are also in the fully fitted position, and the female terminal fittings 10 and the male terminal fittings 110 are physically and electrically connected. Here, the female fitting part 1 as a female connector and the male fitting part 101 as a male terminal block are illustrated. The female fitting part 1 shown here has two female terminal fittings 10. And the male fitting part 101 shown here has one male terminal fitting 110 for each female terminal fitting 10.

The female mating part 1 is attached to one end of the electric wire We (Figs. 1 to 4) and electrically connects the electric device (not shown) at the other end of the electric wire We to the electric device (not shown) on the male mating part 101 side.

The female terminal fitting 10 has an electric wire connection portion 11 that is physically and electrically connected to one end of the electric wire We, and a cylindrical female terminal connection portion 12 (Figs. 3 and 4). The male terminal fitting 110 has a male terminal connection portion 112 that is fitted into the cylindrical female terminal connection portion 12 and is fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion 12 at the mating completion position (Figs. 5 to 9).

The female terminal connection portion 12 shown here is formed in a cylindrical shape. And the male terminal connection portion 112 shown here is formed in a cylindrical shaft shape. In the female terminal fitting 10 and the male terminal fitting 110, the cylindrical axis direction of the female terminal connection portion 12 and the axis direction of the male terminal connection portion 112 are the mating connection direction between the female terminal connection portion 12 and the male terminal connection portion 112. In the female terminal fitting 10 shown here, the electric wire connection portion 11 and the female terminal connection portion 12 are arranged in a row. Therefore, in the female terminal fitting 10 and the male terminal fitting 110, the arrangement direction of the electric wire connection portion 11 and the female terminal connection portion 12 is the mating connection direction between the female terminal connection portion 12 and the male terminal connection portion 112.

Here, the female terminal connection part 12 has multiple contact parts 13 that bulge from the inner wall surface 12a inside the cylinder and contact the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112 at the mating completion position (Figures 3, 10, and 11). These contact parts 13 increase the contact pressure with the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112, and ensure contact with this outer wall surface 112a, thereby stabilizing the electrical conduction function between the female terminal connection part 12 and the male terminal connection part 112.

In the female terminal connection part 12 shown here, two contact parts 13 are formed at a circumferential distance from each other at the tip (i.e., the insertion opening side where the male terminal connection part 112 begins to be inserted) (Figs. 3, 10, and 11). Furthermore, in the female terminal connection part 12 shown here, the two contact parts 13 are arranged on one of the semicircular arc walls obtained by dividing the inner peripheral wall surface 12a in half along the cylindrical axis (Fig. 11).

The female terminal connection part 12 has two other contact parts 14 on the wire connection part 11 side of the contact parts 13, which contact the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112 at the mating completion position (Fig. 3). At the mating completion position, the contact parts 14 contact the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112, with the guide groove 113 described below placed between the contact parts 13 (Fig. 12).

The male terminal connection part 112 is a groove part in which a part of its outer wall surface 112a is recessed from the tip side to the base side along the axial direction of the female terminal connection part 12 (i.e., the mating connection direction) inside the female terminal connection part 12 to allow the contact part 13 to enter, and each contact part 13 has a guide groove 113 that guides the contact part 13 along the axial direction of the cylinder to just before the mating completion position (Figures 5, 6, 9, and 12 to 15). The tip of the male terminal connection part 112 is provided with a cap 114 to prevent touching by fingers (Figures 5 and 6).

The guide groove 113 ensures the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 at the mating completion position (FIG. 12). On the other hand, the guide groove 113 is provided to reduce the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 while the male terminal connection portion 112 is being fitted into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12, thereby reducing the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112 into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12 (FIGS. 13 to 15). Therefore, the guide groove 113 extends from the tip side of the male terminal connection portion 112, which is the starting point of the insertion of the female terminal connection portion 12 into the tube, to the base side along the tube axis direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection portion 12 (FIGS. 5, 6, 9, and 12 to 15). This guide groove 113 extends toward the base of the male terminal connection part 112 until the contact part 13, which has come out toward the base, rides up onto the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112, where the female terminal connection part 12 and the male terminal connection part 112 reach the mating completion position (Figure 12).

The guide groove 113 has a first groove portion 113A provided with a first groove bottom 113a that has the deepest groove depth from the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 (FIGS. 5, 6, 9, and 12 to 15). Furthermore, this guide groove 113 has a second groove portion 113B provided with a second groove bottom 113b that is located closer to the tip of the male terminal connection portion 112 than the first groove portion 113A and slides the contact portion 13 that has entered the groove along the cylindrical axis direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection portion 12 to the first groove bottom 113a (FIGS. 5, 6, 9, and 12 to 15). Furthermore, the guide groove 113 has a third groove portion 113C that is located closer to the base of the male terminal connection portion 112 than the first groove portion 113A, and has a third groove bottom 113c that slides the contact portion 13 that has entered through the first groove bottom 113a along the axial direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection portion 12 and causes the contact portion 13 to exit the groove just before the mating completion position (Figures 5, 6, 9, and 12 to 15).

In this manner, in the guide groove 113, the first groove portion 113A has a groove depth from the outer wall surface 112a that is deeper than the groove depths from the outer wall surface 112a of the second groove portion 113B and the third groove portion 113C. In this guide groove 113, the second groove portion 113B is the entrance side of the contact portion 13 and the third groove portion 113C is the exit side of the contact portion 13, and the contact portion 13 that has entered the second groove portion 113B from the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove is quickly guided to the first groove bottom 113a of the deepest first groove portion 113A, and the contact portion 13 that has entered the third groove portion 113C from the first groove portion 113A is gently guided to the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove. In other words, this guide groove 113 drops the contact portion 13 from the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove to the first groove bottom 113a of the deepest first groove portion 113A in one go, and then takes longer than this drop to gradually guide the contact portion 13 to the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove in the third groove portion 113C.

Therefore, the second groove bottom 113b is formed as an inclined surface in which the groove depth from the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112 becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom 113a in the axial direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection part 12 (Fig. 9 and Figs. 12 to 15). Also, the third groove bottom 113c is formed as an inclined surface in which the groove depth from the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112 becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom 113a in the axial direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection part 12 (Figs. 9 and Figs. 12 to 15). The guide groove 113 has an inclination angle θ1 of the second groove bottom 113b with respect to the base axis BL along the axial direction (fitting connection direction) of the female terminal connection part 12 that is greater than an inclination angle θ2 of the third groove bottom 113c with respect to the base axis BL, making the sliding range of the contact part 13 at the second groove bottom 113b shorter than the sliding range of the contact part 13 at the third groove bottom 113c (Figure 9).

In order to reduce the contact pressure of the contact portion 13, it is desirable that the first groove portion 113A is formed in a space large enough to accommodate the contact portion 13 in contact with the first groove bottom 113a (FIG. 14). It is desirable that this first groove portion 113A is formed in a storage space large enough to accommodate the entire contact portion 13. However, it is desirable that this first groove portion 113A is arranged at a position where the groove depth from the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 is shallower than the protruding height of the contact portion 13 from the inner wall surface 12a of the female terminal connection portion 12 within the range of the storage space large enough to accommodate the entire contact portion 13, and to suppress an increase in sliding resistance due to contact between the inner wall surface 12a of the female terminal connection portion 12 and the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112.

The larger the inclination angle θ1 of the second groove bottom 113b relative to the base axis BL of the second groove portion 113B, the shorter the time it takes for the contact portion 13 to reach the first groove bottom 113a of the deepest first groove portion 113A from the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove, and the quicker the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112 into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12 is reduced (Figure 13).

The smaller the inclination angle θ2 of the third groove bottom 113c relative to the base axis BL, the more the insertion force of the male terminal connection part 112 into the tube of the female terminal connection part 12 when the contact part 13 slides on the third groove bottom 113c is reduced (Figure 15). This third groove part 113C is positioned so that the mating completion position is reached when the contact part 13, having come out of the third groove bottom 113c, rides up onto the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection part 112.

This allows the guide groove 113 to drop the contact portion 13 from the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove to the first groove bottom 113a of the deepest first groove portion 113A in one go, and gradually guide the contact portion 13 to the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove over a longer period of time than the drop time. Therefore, the guide groove 113 quickly guides the contact portion 13 to the first groove bottom 113a of the deepest first groove portion 113A immediately after the male terminal connection portion 112 begins to be inserted into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12, and can reduce the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112. The guide groove 113 slowly guides the contact portion 13 along the third groove bottom 113c of the third groove portion 113C to the outer wall surface 112a outside the groove, thereby gradually increasing the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112. In this way, the guide groove 113 reduces the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 while the male terminal connection portion 112 is being inserted into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12, thereby reducing the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112 into the tube of the female terminal connection portion 12.

Furthermore, this guide groove 113 guides the contact portion 13 to just before the mating completion position. In other words, this guide groove 113 is formed so that the female terminal connection portion 12 and the male terminal connection portion 112 are in the mating completion position when the contact portion 13, which has come out from the third groove bottom 113c, rides up onto the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112. Therefore, this guide groove 113 makes it possible to ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 at the mating completion position.

In this way, the guide groove 113 can ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 at the mating completion position while reducing the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112 during the mating connection operation.

In the female fitting part 1, the female housing 20 and the cover member 30 are assembled together to form an accommodation chamber S inside, and the female terminal fitting 10 and one end of the electric wire We are accommodated in this accommodation chamber S. The accommodation chamber S is a space formed by combining the first accommodation chamber 20a and the second accommodation chamber 30a in the female housing 20 and the cover member 30 after assembly (Figs. 3 and 4). The electric wire We is accommodated in the accommodation chamber S with one end bent at a right angle, and the other end side of the one end is pulled out of the accommodation chamber S from the electric wire outlet Op. The electric wire outlet Op is a communication opening formed by combining the first groove portion 20b and the second groove portion 30b in the female housing 20 and the cover member 30 after assembly to communicate the inside and outside of the accommodation chamber S (Figs. 3 and 4).

The female housing 20 and the cover member 30 are molded from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The female housing 20 has the first housing chamber 20a and the first groove portion 20b shown above, and also has an insertion opening 20c for the female terminal fitting 10 and one end of the electric wire We (Figs. 3 and 4). The first housing chamber 20a accommodates the female terminal fitting 10 and one end of the electric wire We inserted from the insertion opening 20c. The cover member 30 has the second housing chamber 30a and the second groove portion 30b shown above, and also has a cover main body 31 that closes the insertion opening 20c of the female housing 20 (Figs. 3 and 4). Here, the space created by recessing the cover main body 31 from the inner wall surface side toward the outside of the housing chamber S is used as the second housing chamber 30a. In the female housing 20 and the cover member 30, the first groove 20b and the second groove 30b are each formed as semicircular grooves, and when combined, they form a circular wire outlet Op.

The female housing 20 is provided with a cylindrical terminal holding portion 22 that holds and accommodates the female terminal fitting 10 in the female terminal accommodating chamber 22a inside the cylinder (Figs. 1 to 4). The female terminal fitting 10 is held in the female terminal accommodating chamber 22a by a locking mechanism (not shown) consisting of a claw portion or the like. The terminal holding portion 22 is provided with a cylindrical female side fitting portion 22b that accommodates the female terminal connecting portion 12 inside the cylinder (Figs. 1 to 4). The terminal holding portion 22 is disposed inside the first accommodating chamber 20a.

Specifically, the female housing 20 includes an outer housing 21 in which a first receiving chamber 20a, a first groove portion 20b for each electric wire We, and an insertion port 20c are formed (FIGS. 1 to 4). The female housing 20 also includes an inner housing 22 as a terminal holder 22 for each female terminal fitting 10 (FIGS. 1 to 4).

The outer housing 21 has an electric wire accommodating section 21a in which one end of each of the two electric wires We is accommodated, and a terminal accommodating section 21b in which the two female terminal fittings 10 are accommodated together with the respective inner housings 22 (FIGS. 1 to 4). In this outer housing 21, the first accommodating chamber 20a is formed by the space inside the electric wire accommodating section 21a and the space inside the terminal accommodating section 21b. The first groove section 20b and the insertion opening 20c are formed in the electric wire accommodating section 21a. A cover member 30 is attached to the electric wire accommodating section 21a, and the cover member 30 is held in place by a locking mechanism (not shown) at multiple locations consisting of claws and the like.

The inner housing (terminal holding portion) 22 is inserted into the first housing chamber 20a through the insertion opening 20c of the outer housing 21, and is assembled to the outer housing 21 within the first housing chamber 20a. This inner housing (terminal holding portion) 22 is housed in the space inside the cylindrical terminal housing portion 21b, and is held against this terminal housing portion 21b by a locking mechanism (not shown) at multiple locations consisting of claws and the like.

The opening at one end of the inner housing (terminal holding portion) 22 in the axial direction is used as an insertion opening (hereinafter referred to as the "first terminal insertion opening") 22c when inserting the female terminal fitting 10 into the female terminal receiving chamber 22a (Figure 3).

The opening at the other end of the inner housing (terminal holding portion) 22 in the axial direction is used as an insertion opening (hereinafter referred to as the "second terminal insertion opening") 22d when inserting the male terminal connection portion 112 into the female terminal accommodating chamber 22a (FIGS. 1 and 3). In the female terminal fitting 10 in the female terminal accommodating chamber 22a, the male terminal connection portion 112 inserted into the female terminal accommodating chamber 22a from the second terminal insertion opening 22e is fitted into the female terminal connection portion 12. Therefore, in the inner housing (terminal holding portion) 22, the second terminal insertion opening 22d side in the axial direction becomes the female side fitting portion 22b, and the female terminal connection portion 12 is accommodated inside the female side fitting portion 22b, and the female side fitting portion 22b is fitted and connected to the male side fitting portion 121 (FIGS. 5 to 9) of the male housing 120. The female side fitting portion 22b is formed in a cylindrical shape.

In this female fitting part 1, the terminal accommodating part 21b is inserted from the tip into a through hole (not shown) in the male wall part of the male fitting part 101. For this reason, this female fitting part 1 is provided with an annular first waterproof member 41 that fills the annular gap between the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating part 21b and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole in the male wall part. This first waterproof member 41 is a so-called packing, and is assembled to the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating part 21b (Figs. 1, 3, and 4). Therefore, the female housing 20 is provided with an annular front holder 23 that is assembled to the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating part 21b from the tip and holds the first waterproof member 41 in the assembled position relative to the terminal accommodating part 21b (Figs. 1 to 4).

Here, the wire accommodating portion 21a forms a ring shape concentric with the terminal accommodating portion 21b outside the outer peripheral surface of the base of the terminal accommodating portion 21b, and the ring-shaped portion is arranged facing the wall surface of the male side wall portion when the terminal accommodating portion 21b is inserted and fitted into the through hole of the male side wall portion. Therefore, this female fitting part 1 is provided with a ring-shaped second waterproof member 42 that fills the gap between the ring-shaped portion of the wire accommodating portion 21a and the wall surface of the male side wall portion (Figures 1, 3, and 4). This second waterproof member 52 is a so-called packing, and is assembled to the ring-shaped portion of the wire accommodating portion 21a.

The female fitting part 1 also includes a third waterproofing member 43 that fills the gap between the periphery of the insertion opening 20c in the wire housing 21a and the cover main body 31, and blocks the wire outlet Op from the inside of the housing chamber S (Figs. 3 and 4). The third waterproofing member 43 is a so-called packing, and is disposed closer to the housing chamber S than the wire outlet Op, and allows the wire We to pass through it in a state where it is in close contact with its outer peripheral surface all around. The third waterproofing member 43 allows the wire We to pass through each individual wire We.

Furthermore, this female fitting part 1 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber S and is provided with a vibration suppressor 50 that suppresses the vibration of the electric wire We within this accommodation chamber S (Figs. 3 and 4). This vibration suppressor 50 is a so-called inner holder composed of a pair of vibration suppression members 51 assembled together, and is molded from an insulating material such as synthetic resin (Figs. 3 and 4).

The sway suppressor 50 has a wire holding passage 50a for each wire We through which the wire We is inserted and held (FIGS. 3 and 4). The sway suppressor member 51 has a semi-cylindrical wire holding groove 51a for each wire We (FIGS. 3 and 4). In this sway suppressor 50, a pair of wire holding grooves 51a combined by assembling a pair of sway suppressor members 51 form a cylindrical wire holding passage 50a. In the wire holding passage 50a, the wire We is sandwiched and held from its outer peripheral side by a plurality of protrusions 51b protruding from the groove walls of each wire holding groove 51a (FIG. 4).

The first accommodating chamber 20a has an insertion portion _20a1 into which one of the vibration suppressing members 51 of the vibration suppressing device 50 is inserted (FIG. 3). The second accommodating chamber 30a has an insertion portion _30a1 into which the other of the vibration suppressing members 51 of the vibration suppressing device 50 is inserted (FIG. 3). The vibration suppressing device 50 is held by being sandwiched between the insertion portions _20a1 , _40a1 of the female housing 20 and the cover member 30 after assembly.

The male housing 120 is molded from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The male housing 120 has an internal space in which the male terminal connection portion 112 is housed, and has a male fitting portion 121 into which the female fitting portion 22b is fitted (FIGS. 5 to 9). The male fitting portion 121 is formed in a tubular shape (here, cylindrical) for each male terminal fitting 110, and fits and connects the female fitting portion 22b that has been fitted into the tubular interior (internal space) at the mating completion position.

The male fitting 121 has a male terminal receiving chamber 122 in which the male terminal fitting 110 is received, leaving a cylindrical space 122a between the male fitting 121 and the inner wall surface 121a of the internal space, and into which the female fitting 22b of the inner housing 22 is concentrically inserted (FIGS. 5 to 9). The female terminal fitting 10 has the female terminal connecting portion 12 fitted into the male terminal connecting portion 112 of the male terminal fitting 110 in the male terminal receiving chamber 122 at the mating completion position.

In the mating connection body, the terminal accommodating portion 21b is inserted and fitted from the tip into the through hole of the male side wall portion, and the inner housing 22 assembled to the terminal accommodating portion 21b is inserted into the through hole together with the female terminal fitting 10 inside. Accordingly, in this mating connection body, the female fitting portion 22b of the inner housing 22 is fitted into the internal space of the male fitting portion 121 of the male housing 120 arranged in the through hole, and the female fitting portion 22b is fitted and connected to the male fitting portion 121 at the mating completion position. In this mating connection body, the female terminal connection portion 12 of the female terminal fitting 10 is fitted and connected to the male terminal connection portion 112 of the male terminal fitting 110 inside the male fitting portion 121 at the mating completion position with the mating connection.

As described above, the male terminal fitting 110, terminal fitting body, and fitting connection body of this embodiment can reduce the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connecting portion 112 by the guide groove 113 while the male terminal connecting portion 112 is being fitted into the tube of the female terminal connecting portion 12, thereby reducing the insertion force of the male terminal connecting portion 112 into the tube of the female terminal connecting portion 12. The male terminal fitting 110, terminal fitting body, and fitting connection body guide the contact portion 13 to just before the fitting completion position by the guide groove 113. In other words, the male terminal fitting 110, terminal fitting body, and fitting connection body form the guide groove 113 so that the female terminal connecting portion 12 and the male terminal connecting portion 112 are in the fitting completion position when the contact portion 13 that has come out of the third groove bottom 113c rides up onto the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connecting portion 112. Therefore, the male terminal fitting 110, the terminal fitting body, and the fitting connection body can ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 at the mating completion position. Therefore, the male terminal fitting 110, the terminal fitting body, and the fitting connection body of this embodiment can simultaneously ensure the contact pressure of the contact portion 13 against the outer wall surface 112a of the male terminal connection portion 112 at the mating completion position and reduce the insertion force of the male terminal connection portion 112 during the mating connection work.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 female fitting part 10 female terminal fitting 12 female terminal connection part 12a inner peripheral wall surface 13 contact part 20 female housing 22b female fitting part 101 male fitting part 110 male terminal fitting 112 male terminal connection part 112a outer wall surface 113 guide groove 113A first groove part 113B second groove part 113C third groove part 113a first groove bottom 113b second groove bottom 113c third groove bottom 120 male housing 121 male fitting part BL base axis θ1, θ2 inclination angle

Claims (6)

a male terminal connection portion that is inserted into a cylindrical female terminal connection portion and that is engaged and connected to the female terminal connection portion at a position where engagement with the female terminal connection portion is completed;
the female terminal connection portion has a plurality of contact portions that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within a cylinder and contact an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position;
the male terminal connection portion is a groove portion in which a part of an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion is recessed from a tip side to a base side along a cylindrical axis of the female terminal connection portion within the cylinder of the female terminal connection portion to allow the contact portion to enter, and each contact portion has a guide groove that guides the contact portion along the cylindrical axis to just before the mating completion position,
the guide groove has a first groove portion provided with a first groove bottom having a deepest groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, a second groove portion located closer to a tip end of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a second groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered into the groove along the cylindrical axis direction to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion located closer to a base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a third groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction and for causing the contact portion to come out of the groove just before the mating completion position,
the second groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
the third groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
the guide groove has an inclination angle of the second groove bottom relative to a base axis along the tubular axis direction greater than an inclination angle of the third groove bottom relative to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the first groove portion is formed in a space large enough to accommodate the contact portion in contact with the bottom of the first groove. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the smaller the inclination angle of the third groove bottom with respect to the base axis, the less the insertion force of the male terminal connection part into the tube of the female terminal connection part when the contact part is sliding on the third groove bottom. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the third groove portion is arranged so that the mating completion position is the position where the contact portion that has come out of the bottom of the third groove rides up onto the outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion. A female terminal fitting having a cylindrical female terminal connection portion;
a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connection portion which is fitted into the female terminal connection portion and is fitted and connected to the female terminal connection portion at a fitting completion position with the female terminal connection portion;
Equipped with
the female terminal connection portion has a plurality of contact portions that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within a cylinder and contact an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position;
the male terminal connection portion is a groove portion in which a part of an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion is recessed from a tip side to a base side along a cylindrical axis of the female terminal connection portion within the cylinder of the female terminal connection portion to allow the contact portion to enter, and each contact portion has a guide groove that guides the contact portion along the cylindrical axis to just before the mating completion position,
the guide groove has a first groove portion provided with a first groove bottom having a deepest groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, a second groove portion located closer to a tip end of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a second groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered into the groove along the cylindrical axis direction to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion located closer to a base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a third groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction and for causing the contact portion to come out of the groove just before the mating completion position,
the second groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
the third groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
a terminal fitting comprising: a guide groove having an inclination angle of the second groove bottom relative to a base axis along the axial direction of the cylinder that is greater than an inclination angle of the third groove bottom relative to the base axis; and a sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom that is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom. A female mating part;
a male fitting part to which the female fitting part is fitted and connected at a fitting completion position;
Equipped with
The female fitting part includes a female terminal fitting having a cylindrical female terminal connection portion, and a female housing that accommodates the female terminal connection portion within a cylindrical female fitting part,
the male fitting part comprises a male terminal fitting having a male terminal connecting portion which is fitted into a tube of the female terminal connecting portion and is fitted and connected to the female terminal connecting portion at the fitting completion position, and a male housing which fits the female fitting portion into an internal space of the male fitting portion in which the male terminal connecting portion is housed and which fits and connects the female fitting portion to the male fitting portion at the fitting completion position,
the female terminal connection portion has a plurality of contact portions that bulge from an inner peripheral wall surface within a cylinder and contact an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion at the mating completion position;
the male terminal connection portion is a groove portion in which a part of an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion is recessed from a tip side to a base side along a cylindrical axis of the female terminal connection portion within the cylinder of the female terminal connection portion to allow the contact portion to enter, and each contact portion has a guide groove that guides the contact portion along the cylindrical axis to just before the mating completion position,
the guide groove has a first groove portion provided with a first groove bottom having a deepest groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion, a second groove portion located closer to a tip end of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a second groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered into the groove along the cylindrical axis direction to the first groove bottom, and a third groove portion located closer to a base of the male terminal connection portion than the first groove portion and provided with a third groove bottom for sliding the contact portion that has entered through the first groove bottom along the cylindrical axis direction and for causing the contact portion to come out of the groove just before the mating completion position,
the second groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes deeper as it approaches the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
the third groove bottom is an inclined surface whose groove depth from an outer wall surface of the male terminal connection portion becomes shallower as it moves away from the first groove bottom in the cylindrical axis direction,
The guide groove has an inclination angle of the second groove bottom relative to a base axis along the tubular axis direction greater than an inclination angle of the third groove bottom relative to the base axis, and the sliding range of the contact portion at the second groove bottom is shorter than the sliding range of the contact portion at the third groove bottom.

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