JP3211235U - Protective device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic component having a terminal protruding from a main body and easy to insert and remove is provided. An electronic component having a main body and a terminal, wherein the terminal is provided so as to protrude from the main body, and the terminal becomes narrower toward the tip at the tip of the terminal. An electronic component characterized by [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic component having a main body and a terminal.

  Various electronic components are used in the electric device. For example, in a motor or the like, when an electric current flows excessively and the electric device becomes an abnormally high temperature, or when the electric device temperature becomes an abnormally high temperature for any reason other than an excessive current, etc. A protection device that cuts off the current flowing through the electrical device when an abnormality occurs is used. As one of methods for electrically connecting such electronic components to other electric elements such as an electric device, a method by welding is known. In the connection by welding, in order to maintain the strength against electrical connection and external vibration, it is preferable that the connection terminal has a planar structure throughout so that the contact area becomes large.

  The connection between the electronic component and the electric device by welding as described above is preferable from the viewpoint of achieving a reliable and strong connection, but the number of steps required for welding increases, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of labor and cost. On the other hand, as a simpler connection method, a connection method by inserting and removing terminals (so-called a connection method using a male terminal and a female terminal, for example, connector connection, faston connection) is known.

  In connection by insertion / extraction, in order to ensure the strength against external vibration, it is preferable that the female terminal (insertion port) of the electric device and the male terminal of the electronic component are in a close contact state in the connected state. That is, it is preferable that the male terminal of the electronic component and the female terminal of the electric device have a planar structure so that the contact area between them is larger. Moreover, it is preferable that the size of the male terminal of the electronic component is substantially the same as the size of the female terminal of the electric device, and no gap is generated.

  However, it is difficult to insert a male terminal having a planar structure over the female terminal of the same size, especially when automating the insertion for industrial mass production, the terminal is not inserted well, and the insertion is poor. Problems such as system errors and terminal damage due to damage are likely to occur.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component that has a terminal projecting from a main body and can be easily inserted and removed.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by facilitating the insertion and removal of the terminals by thinning the tip of the terminal of the electronic component, It came to this invention.

According to the gist of the present invention,
An electronic component comprising a main body and a terminal,
The terminal is provided protruding from the main body,
An electronic component is provided in which the terminal is narrowed toward the tip at the tip of the terminal.

  According to the present invention, in an electronic component having a main body portion and a terminal protruding from the main body portion, the terminal can be easily inserted and removed by narrowing the terminal toward the front end portion of the terminal. can do.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an electronic component 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 schematically shows a plan view of the electronic component 1 of FIG. FIG. 3 schematically shows a side view of the electronic component 1 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing another aspect of the tip of the lead of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the tip of the lead of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a front view (viewed from the tip side) showing another embodiment of the tip portion of the lead of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view showing still another aspect of the tip portion of the lead of the present invention.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the electronic component 1 of this embodiment includes a PTC element 2 and leads 3 and 4 electrically connected to electrodes on the main surfaces of the PTC element, respectively. That is, the leads 3 and 4 sandwich the PTC element 2. The lead has a first region 5 electrically connected to each main surface of the PTC element and a second region 6 protruding from the first region. The second region 6 is electrically connected to other electrical elements. In the electronic component 1 of the present invention, the PTC element 2 and the first regions of the leads 3 and 4 electrically connected to the electrodes of the PTC element 2 are collectively referred to as a main body portion 7. The second regions 6 of the terminals 3 and 4 protrude from the main body 7 and function as terminals 8 and 9 for electrical connection to other electrical elements, respectively. That is, the second region 6 has the same meaning as the terminals 8 and 9. The terminals 8 and 9 have their tip portions narrowed toward the tip. The electronic component of this embodiment can be used as a protective element.

  The PTC element 2 may be either a ceramic PTC element or a polymer PTC element. In a preferred embodiment, the PTC element is a polymer PTC element. The polymer PTC element is advantageous in that the resistance value of the element itself is lower than that of the ceramic PTC element and self-destruction is unlikely to occur even when the temperature exceeds a certain level. In addition, the polymer PTC element has a lower voltage required to maintain the trip state than the ceramic PTC element, and can maintain the trip state even when the circuit voltage is low. Furthermore, when the holding current values are equal, the polymer PTC element is preferable in that it is smaller and has a lower resistance than the ceramic PTC element.

  The polymer PTC element is obtained by extruding a conductive composition comprising a polymer (for example, polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, etc.) in which a conductive filler (for example, carbon black, nickel alloy, etc.) is dispersed. It has a layered PTC element and electrodes (for example, metal foil) arranged on both sides thereof. Note that the PTC element and the electrodes arranged on both sides thereof are not essential elements and may not exist. In this case, the PTC element is electrically connected directly to the leads 3 and 4.

  The size and shape of the polymer PTC element are not particularly limited, but in the electronic component of the present invention, for example, the length is 20 mm or less (preferably 15 mm or less), the width is 15 mm or less (preferably 10 mm or less), and the thickness is 1.0 mm or less ( A plate-like material having a thickness of preferably 0.5 mm or less can be used.

  The materials constituting the leads 3 and 4 used in the present invention may be the same or different. In a preferred embodiment, the materials constituting the leads 3 and 4 are the same. The material constituting the leads 3 and 4 is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive material. For example, a conductive metal material, specifically nickel, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, tin, titanium, or these metals Alloy, such as brass.

  In a preferred embodiment, the leads 3 and 4 are plated with gold, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, tin, or an alloy thereof.

  The lead has a first region 5 and a second region 6. The first region 5 is electrically connected to the main surface of the PTC element. The second region 6 protrudes from the first region and functions as the terminals 8 and 9.

  The lead has a plate shape, and can have a substantially uniform thickness except for the tip of the second region 6. At the tip of the second region, one surface is gradually scraped toward the tip, and the thickness is gradually reduced. That is, the terminal is narrowed toward the tip at the tip. Here, “thinning toward the tip at the tip” means that the cross-sectional area is decreasing toward the tip. By reducing the thickness of the tip of the second region of the lead, in other words, by reducing the tip, it becomes easier to insert the terminal of the electronic component of the present invention into the female terminal of another electrical element. Such an effect is increased when the process of attaching the electronic component of the present invention to another electrical element is automated. In particular, the above-described effect is further enhanced when an electronic component that easily varies in size of the main body, for example, the main body includes a PTC element.

  The length of the second region along the protruding direction (hereinafter, simply referred to as “the length of the second region” or “the length of the terminal”) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 15.0 mm or less, preferably It may be 10.0 mm or less, more preferably 6.0 mm or less. By making the length smaller, it is advantageous for downsizing. Further, the length is preferably 1.0 mm or more, preferably 3.0 mm or more, and more preferably 5.0 mm or less. By making the length longer, the fixing strength becomes stronger, and the contact resistance between the terminal and other electrical elements can be made smaller.

  The “tip portion” is a region from the tip of the second region to 1/3 of the length of the second region, and a portion from the point where the reduction of the cross-sectional area starts toward the tip to the tip Say.

  Preferably, the tip is present in the region from the tip of the second region, preferably up to 1/5, more preferably up to 1/8 of the length of the second region. Preferably, the tip portion may be a region of 2.0 mm or less, more preferably 2.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.6 mm or less from the tip of the second region.

  The “cross-sectional area” refers to the area of the terminal cross section in a plane perpendicular to the length direction of the second region (or terminal).

  The thickness of the lead (excluding the tip) is not particularly limited, but may be preferably 1.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or less. By reducing the thickness of the lead, the height of the electronic component can be reduced. The thickness of the lead is not particularly limited, but may be preferably 0.1 mm or more, more preferably 0.2 mm or more. By increasing the thickness of the lead, it is possible to ensure the strength of the lead, particularly the second region.

  The thickness of the tip of the second region of the lead (tip of the terminal) is not particularly limited as long as it is smaller than the thickness of the lead, but may be preferably 0.5 mm or less, more preferably 0.3 mm or less. By reducing the thickness of the tip, the terminal can be easily inserted and removed. Further, the thickness of the tip is not particularly limited, but may be preferably 0.05 mm or more, more preferably 0.10 mm or more. By increasing the thickness of the tip, the strength of the tip can be ensured.

  In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the tip of the lead is preferably 50% or less, more preferably 30% or less of the cross-sectional area at the boundary of the tip of the second region (that is, the position where the reduction of the cross-sectional area starts). More preferably, it may be 20% or less.

  The second region of the lead may further have a convex portion or a concave portion. By having such a convex portion or a concave portion, it is possible to prevent the electronic component fitted to the concave portion or the convex portion on the female terminal side from being dropped and attached to another electrical element.

  In the present embodiment, the lead has a plate shape, but the shape of the lead is not particularly limited as long as it has a terminal protruding from the main body of the electronic component. For example, the lead may have a rod shape or the like. In addition, the lead may have a first area of the lead having a plate shape and a second area protruding in a rod shape. Preferably, as shown in the embodiment, the lead has a plate shape.

  In the present embodiment, the shape of the tip of the lead is not limited as long as the cross-sectional area decreases toward the tip. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the inner side (PTC element side) surface of the tip portion is cut away, but the outer surface may be cut away. Further, the shape is not limited to a shape in which only one surface is cut, and may be a shape in which two surfaces, for example, the inner and outer surfaces of the tip portion are cut, and four surfaces including both side surfaces. The shape (see FIGS. 4 to 6) that is cut off may be used. Further, the tip of the terminal (the apex of the terminal) may be planar as in the above-described embodiment, but may have a rounded shape or a needle-like shape. Moreover, although the front-end | tip part may be thinned uniformly toward the front-end | tip, it may be thinned in multiple steps, for example, two steps (refer FIG. 7).

  The electronic component of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, the electronic component may have a size of 20.0 mm or less and 15.0 mm or less, preferably 15.0 mm or less and 10.0 mm or less. Typically, the size may be 14.0 mm in length and 9.0 mm in width.

  As described above, the electronic component of the present invention has been described by taking the protective element having the PTC element as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the electronic component has a terminal protruding from the main body, and the terminal is at the tip. You only need to get thinner.

  The electronic component of the present invention can be suitably used as various electric devices, for example, a protective element such as a motor.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic component 2 ... PTC element 3, 4 ... Lead 5 ... 1st area | region 6 ... 2nd area | region 7 ... Main-body part 8, 9 ... Terminal

Claims (8)

An electronic component comprising a main body and a terminal,
The terminal is provided protruding from the main body,
An electronic component, wherein a terminal is narrowed toward a tip at a tip of the terminal.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the terminal has a plate shape.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is narrowed toward the tip within a range of 1.0 mm or less from the tip of the terminal.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the terminal has a thickness of 1.0 mm or less.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the terminal has a thickness of 0.5 mm or less.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the terminal is plated.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is a protective device.   The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes a PTC element including a PTC element and electrodes located on both main surfaces thereof.

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