JP3400561B2 - Female terminal - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a female terminal, and more particularly to a female terminal applied to an electric vehicle charging connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional charging system for an electric vehicle is composed of a combination of a charger side or power feeding side connector 10 and an electric vehicle side or power receiving side connector 30. In the configuration of FIG. 7, the power receiving side connector 3
0 has a female terminal 31 incorporated therein, and a power supply side connector 10 has a male terminal (not shown) incorporated therein, and both male and female terminals are fitted and connected during charging. In such a charging system for an electric vehicle, both the male and female terminals must be constructed to have a structure capable of adapting to a large current capacity. Therefore, in order to realize high current capacity and low contact resistance, a separate electric contact elastic member is built in the female terminal, and a male terminal having a round pin-shaped tab is fitted and connected to the electric contact elastic member. The composition is known.

A female terminal having such a conventional structure is disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,083,622 or Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-58.
It is disclosed as an electrical connector in Japanese Patent No. 21788. The female terminal having the above-described conventional structure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a partial sectional side view of a conventional male and female terminal. FIG. 6 is a schematic view for explaining the operation of the electric contact elastic member in the state of being attached to the female terminal shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the male terminal 11 has a cylindrical tab 11A having a radius R1 at its tip. Female terminal 31
Is provided with a hollow cylindrical male terminal fitting chamber 34 into which the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 can be fitted, at one end of the conductive hollow columnar female terminal body 32. Further, the other end of the female terminal body 32 is provided with an electric wire connecting portion 35 to which the electric wire 6 can be caulked and connected.

A guide surface 34A having a tubular wall parallel to the axial direction is integrally provided at the tip of the male terminal fitting chamber 34. The radius of the guide surface 34A is R3, which is slightly larger than the radius R1 of the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 and guides the insertion of the tab 11A into the male terminal fitting chamber 34. Further, a fitting recess 36 is provided so as to be continuous with the inner periphery of the male terminal fitting chamber 34. The fitting recess 36 has a substantially circular tubular shape with an outer radius R2 and has standing wall portions 36A extending toward the center at both ends thereof. That is, the standing wall portion 36A has an outer radius R2 and an inner radius R3.

Both the male and female terminals make electrical contact in the male terminal fitting chamber 34, but in order to make the contact state of the male and female terminals good and to realize a low contact resistance, the hollow cylindrical electrical contact elastic member 33. Is fitted into the fitting recess 36. The electric contact elastic member 33 is made of a highly conductive material having a rectangular expansion surface and is rich in elasticity, and is a twist louver formed by twisting a plurality of strip-shaped pieces formed between a plurality of longitudinal slits. It is configured by bending a flat plate having 33A into a tubular shape. FIG. 5 shows a case where the electric contact elastic member 33 is mounted in the fitting recess 36 and the tab 11A is not fitted yet. In the figure, the outer side in the radial direction of the twist louver 33A is in contact with the inner wall of the male terminal fitting chamber 34 when the tab 11A is not inserted. On the other hand, the radially inner side of the twist louver 33A has a radius R4 which is smaller than the radius R1 of the tab 11A at its innermost portion.

The operation of the twist louver 33A of the electric contact elastic member 33 will be described below with reference to the schematic view of FIG. In the figure, 33B is a twist louver 33A when the electric contact elastic member 33 is not mounted in the fitting recess 36.
The cross section of is shown. The position P1 of the radially outer side of the twist louver cross section 33B is outside the radius R2 of the fitting recess 36. The position P2 of the radially inner side of the twist louver cross section 33B is inside the radius R1 of the tab 11A.

When the electric contact elastic member 33 is mounted in the fitting recess 36, the radially outer side of the twist louver 33A is fitted into the fitting recess 3 as shown by a cross section 33C drawn by a dotted line.
6 Contact the inner wall. The radially outer side of the twist louver 33A is further pushed toward the center along the inner wall of the fitting recess 36, and as a result, the position P3 is strongly pressed on the inner wall of the fitting recess 36. The position P4 on the radially inner side of the twist louver is the radius R1 of the tab 11A.
More inside.

Here, when the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 is fitted and inserted into the electric contact elastic member 33 in the female terminal 31,
The inner side in the radial direction of the twist louver 33A is the tab 11
It is pushed up to the A surface. However, since the radially outer side of the twist louver is strongly pressed onto the inner wall of the fitting recess 36 as described above, even if the radially inner side is pushed up as described above, the electric contact elastic member 33 is pushed. The whole does not rotate in the female terminal. As a result, as shown in the cross section 33D surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line, the radially inner side of the twist louver 33A is in contact with the surface of the inserted tab 11A and stays at the position P5. Further, good electrical connection is realized between the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 and the electric contact elastic member 33, and between the electric contact elastic member 33 and the female terminal body 32.

[0009]

However, in the conventional structure as described above, when the tab of the male terminal is inserted and removed a large number of times, for example, about 10,000 times, the electric contact elastic member is slid by each insertion and removal. 33, particularly the surface of the tab 11A of the male terminal that comes into contact with the radially inner side of the twist louver 33A, is scraped into a line, the plating of the tab 11A is peeled off, the base material is exposed, and the surface is roughened by oxidation. However, there is a problem that the electrical contact resistance becomes high. This is because the same sliding contact portion of the tab 11A is repeatedly shaved every time. The reason why the same portion is repeatedly shaved each time is that when the tab 11A is inserted into and removed from the electric contact elastic member 33, the tubular electric contact elastic member 33 rotates in the fitting recess 36 in which the tab 11A rotates with respect to the central axis. This is because it does not move or rotate. The reason why the electric contact elastic member 33 does not rotate is that the outer side in the radial direction of the twist louver 33A is strongly pressed and restrained against the inner wall of the female terminal body 32 at the position P3 (see FIG. 6) as described above. It depends. By this restraint,
When the tab 11A is inserted into or removed from the electric contact elastic member 33, the electric contact elastic member 33 cannot freely rotate within the female terminal main body 32, so that the sliding contact portion does not change and the same portion is repeatedly shaved each time. Is.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and problems, and its purpose is to intensively remove a specific portion even when the male terminal is inserted and removed a number of times due to repeated charging operations. The object is to provide a female terminal having excellent insertion / removal durability without being damaged.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a female terminal according to the present invention is integrally formed of a conductive hollow column, and has a male terminal fitting chamber into which a male terminal can be inserted at one end. A female terminal main body having an electric wire connecting portion capable of connecting an electric wire at the other end, the female terminal main body having a fitting recess provided along the male terminal fitting chamber inner circumference, and a hollow body separate from the female terminal main body. A plurality of twist louvers are formed on the side wall of the central portion of the cylindrical conductor in the axial direction, and have a plurality of twist louvers having elasticity and integrally extending with the conductor and having two sides extending in the axial direction. Of the two sides of the electric contact elastic member having a twisted structure in which one side overhangs to the outside in the radial direction of the hollow tubular conductor and the other one side is twisted inward in the radial direction of the hollow tubular conductor. The electric contact elastic member is provided in the fitting recess of the female terminal body. In the female terminal constituting assembling inscribed fitted, the time of the electrical contact elastic member attached set fitted inscribed in the fitting recess, the male terminal is挿時fitted un, the electrical contact elastic member The one side of the twisted louver protruding outward in the radial direction is not in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess, and the twisted louver when the male terminal is disengaged.
The electric contact elastic member is fitted by the reaction due to the restoration of the bar.
It is characterized in that it is configured to be rotatable in the fitting recess .

Further, the electric contact elastic member has a plurality of engaging protrusions at both ends thereof, and the tip of the engaging protrusion is raised to the outside of the electric contact elastic member in the radial direction, and the engaging protrusions are protruded. The radius formed by the tips of the pieces is configured to be larger than the radius formed by the maximum overhanging portion of one side overhanging in the radial direction of the plurality of twist louvers. Alternatively, the electric contact elastic member is formed of a flat plate having a rectangular expanded shape, is annularly mounted in a size of a predetermined shape, and is assembled in the fitting recess.

[0013]

In the female terminal according to the present invention, a separate electric contact elastic member is internally fitted and fitted into the fitting recess of the hollow cylindrical male terminal fitting chamber of the female terminal body. When the male terminal is not inserted, one side of the twisted louver, which is twisted and extends outward in the radial direction, is not in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess. Alternatively, the tips of the engaging projections at both ends of the electric contact elastic member are bent outward in the radial direction, and the radius formed by the tips of the engaging projections is the maximum of one side extending outward in the radial direction of the plurality of twist louvers. The radius is larger than the radius formed by the overhang portion.

With the above-mentioned structure, when the tab of the male terminal is inserted into the male terminal fitting chamber, the tab is inserted into the electric contact elastic member, and is inserted into the radial inside of the twist louver. It abuts and pushes up the sides, thus forming good electrical contact between the tab and the electrical contact resilient member. As the side that is pulled in further in the radial direction is pushed outward by the tabs in the radial direction, the side that extends outward in the radial direction of the twist louver is also pushed outward in the radial direction, resulting in no contact before the tab is inserted. A contact state is established between the twisted louver and the inner wall of the fitting recess, which are in the above state, so that good electrical contact between the electric contact elastic member and the female terminal body is formed. As a result of the above, good electrical contact between the male and female terminals is made through the electrical contact elastic member.

When charging is completed and the inserted male terminal tab is separated from the female terminal, the twist louver pushed by the tab is restored to its original position as the tab is separated. Recoil acts on the entire electric contact elastic member. First, as the release of the male terminal progresses, the displacement of the twist louver gradually decreases, and the outer side of the twist louver that was in contact with the inner wall of the female terminal also releases the contact with the inner wall of the female terminal. The restraint that prevents the rotation of the electric contact elastic member is released.

As a result, the electric contact elastic member is slightly rotated in the female terminal due to the reaction caused by the restoration of the twist louver displacement. Since the rotation of the electric contact elastic member occurs each time the tab is inserted and removed, the contact portion between the tab of the male terminal and the electric contact elastic member changes each time, and the contact portion is updated every time. As a result, a specific portion of the tab of the male terminal is not repeatedly and intensively slid repeatedly, so that the tab is not scraped at the specific portion. As described above, since the scraping does not occur at the specific portion, the number of times of inserting and removing the male terminal is improved.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of a female terminal according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, a female terminal F according to the present invention comprises a female terminal body 2 which is integrally formed from a conductive hollow column, and a hollow cylindrical conductor G which is separate from the female terminal body 2. And an electric contact elastic member 1 made of. The electric contact elastic member 1 is internally fitted and assembled in the female terminal body 2. The female terminal main body 2 has a hollow cylindrical female terminal fitting chamber 4 into which a male terminal can be fitted, at one end of a conductive hollow column. At the other end of the conductive hollow column of the female terminal main body 2, an electric wire connecting portion 5 to which the electric wire 6 can be crimped and connected is provided.

A guide surface 4A having a tubular wall parallel to the axial direction is integrally provided at the tip of the female terminal fitting chamber 4. The radius of the guide surface 4A is R3, and the male terminal 11 is
It is configured to be slightly larger than the radius R1 of the tab 11A (see FIG. 5) and guides the insertion of the tab 11A into the male terminal fitting chamber 4. Further, a fitting recess 3 is provided so as to be continuous with the inner circumference of the female terminal fitting chamber 4. The fitting concave portion 3 forms a substantially circular tubular shape with an outer radius R2, and the standing wall portions 3 that extend toward the center at both ends thereof.
It constitutes A. That is, the standing wall 3A has an outer radius R
2. The inner radius is R3.

The male and female terminals make electrical contact in the female type terminal fitting chamber 4, but the contact state of the male and female terminals is made good,
In order to realize even lower contact resistance, a hollow cylindrical electric contact elastic member 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is mounted in the fitting recess 3. The electric contact elastic member 1 has a rectangular expansion surface,
Manufactured from highly conductive material with high elasticity such as brass and beryllium-copper, with multiple slits provided in the vertical direction (twist louver formed by twisting multiple strips between them) A rectangular flat plate provided with is circulated in a predetermined size to form a conductor G as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, a conductive electric contact elastic member 1 is provided in an axially central side wall of a conductor G, has two sides E1 and E2 extending in the axial direction, and is elastic. A plurality of twist louvers 1B each having the above are formed integrally with the conductor G. Each twist louver 1B has a shape in which one side E1 of the twisted louver 1B projects outward in the radial direction of the conductor G, and the other side E2 of the twisted louver 1B is recessed inward of the conductor G in the radial direction.
It is configured as a twist plate having an angle as indicated by a thick arrow inside. Here, the electric contact elastic member 1 is inscribed and fitted in the fitting recess 3 and assembled, and the male terminal (FIG.
(Refer to FIG. 3), when not fitted, the side E1 of the electric contact elastic member 1 extending outward in the radial direction of the twist louver 1B is not in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess 3. That is, side E
The maximum distance between 1 and the central axis is R5, which is smaller than the radius R2 of the inner wall of the fitting recess 3. Therefore, the side E1 of the twist louver 1B does not contact the inner wall of the fitting recess 3 when the electric contact elastic member 1 is mounted on the inner wall of the fitting recess 3.

On the other hand, the conductor G of the twist louver 1B
The maximum distance between the center axis and the other side E2 that is folded inward in the radial direction is R6, and this R6 is the tab 11 of the male terminal 11.
It is smaller than the radius R1 of A. Therefore, when the tab 11A is fitted into the electric contact elastic member 1, the side E2 of the twist louver 1B surely contacts the surface of the tab 11A.

The above structure is shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2 and FIG.
More specifically, the electric contact elastic member 1 has a plurality of engaging projecting pieces 1A at both ends, and the tip of the engaging projecting piece 1A is bent outward in the radial direction of the electric contact elastic member 1. The radius formed by the tip of the engaging protrusion 1A is R2. This radius R2 is a radius R5 formed by the maximum overhanging portion of one side E1 that overhangs the plurality of twist louvers 1B in the radial direction.
Configured to be larger than.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a main portion of the female terminal F with the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 fitted therein. When the tab 11A having the tapered surface 11B at the tip is inserted into the electric contact elastic member 1, the tab 11A comes into contact with the twist louver 1B and pushes it outward in the radial direction to be in an electrically contacted state. The operation of the twist louver 1B when the tab 11A is fitted and inserted will be described below with reference to the schematic view of FIG. In the figure, 1D shows a cross section of the twist louver 1B when the electric contact elastic member 1 is mounted in the fitting recess 3 and the tab 11A is not fitted. The position T1 of the side E1 on the radially outer side of the cross section 1D of the twist louver is the radius R2 of the fitting recess 3.
More inside. The position T2 of the side E2 on the radially inner side of the twist louver cross section 1D is the radius R of the tab 11A.
It is inside 1.

When the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 is fitted into the electric contact elastic member 1, the side E2 on the radially inner side of the twist louver is pushed up to the outer side in the radial direction while contacting the surface of the tab 11A. As a result, the side E1 on the outer side in the radial direction of the twist louver is also pushed up to the outer side in the radial direction, and as a result, the side E1 is strongly connected to the inner wall of the fitting recess 3 at the position T3 as shown by the cross section 1C surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line. Abut. On the other hand, the side E2 contacts the surface of the inserted tab 11A and stays at the position T4. As a result, good electrical connection between the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 and the electric contact elastic member 1 and between the electric contact elastic member 1 and the female terminal body 2 is simultaneously realized, and the male and female terminals F and 11 are connected to each other. Good electrical contact
It is formed via the electric contact elastic member 1.

Then, when charging is completed and the tab 11A of the inserted male terminal 11 is separated from the female terminal F, the twist louver 1 is pushed by the tab 11A and elastically displaced.
B is restored to the original position as the tab 11A is detached, but the reaction at that time acts on the entire electric contact elastic member 1. First, as the detachment of the tab 11A progresses, the displacement of the twist louver 1B gradually decreases. That is, the side E2 that has been pushed outward in the radial direction returns to the inside in the radial direction by a small amount. Here, first, the outer side E1 of the twist louver 1B, which is strongly in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess 3, is released from the contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess 3. As a result, the restraint that prevents the rotation of the electric contact elastic member 1 is released.

In this state, the twist louver 1B
Restoration still exists because the whole has not yet been completely restored. As a result, the twist louver 1B continues to push the tab 11A inward in the radial direction at the position E4 so that the side E2 restores the displacement to zero. When the tab 11A is eventually separated, the twist louver 1B is restored all at once, but as a reaction resulting from this, the entire electric contact elastic member 1 slightly rotates in the fitting recess 3 in the direction of arrow V in FIG. Since the rotation of the electric contact elastic member 1 occurs every time the tab 11A is inserted and removed, the contact portion between the tab 11A of the male terminal 11 and the electric contact elastic member 1, that is, the radially inner side of the twist louver 1B. The contact area with E2 changes each time, and the contact area is updated every time. As a result, the specific part of the tab of the male terminal is not repeatedly and intensively slid repeatedly,
Therefore, no scraping occurs at a specific part of the tab. In this way, by not causing scraping at a specific place,
The number of insertion / removal durability is improved.

[0027]

As is apparent from the embodiments described above, the female terminal according to the present invention is integrally formed by the conductive hollow column, and the male terminal fitting chamber into which the male terminal can be inserted is inserted. A female terminal main body having an electric wire connecting portion capable of connecting an electric wire at the other end, and a fitting recess provided along the circumference of the male terminal fitting chamber, and a separate body from the female terminal main body. A plurality of twist louvers having two sides extending in the axial direction and having elasticity integrally with the conductor are formed in the side wall of the central portion of the conductor in the form of a hollow cylinder. One of the two sides of each twist louver projects outward in the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical conductor, and the other side is twisted inward in the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical conductor to provide electrical contact elasticity. The electrical contact elastic member and the fitting of the female terminal body. In the female terminal constituting assembly fitted inscribed in the recess, when the electrical contact elastic member attached set fitted inscribed in the fitting recess, the male terminal is not selected fitted挿時, the electrical contact One side of the twist louver of the elastic member, which extends outward in the radial direction, is not in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess, and the male terminal is detached from the twister.
The electrical contact elastic member is
It is configured to be rotatable within the fitting recess .

As a result of this construction, each time the inserted male terminal is detached, the twist louver displaced by being pushed by the tab is restored to its original position as the tab is detached, but the recoil at that time occurs. It acts on the entire electric contact elastic member.
That is, when the male terminal is disengaged, the outer side of the twist louver that was in contact with the inner wall of the female terminal is also released by releasing the strong contact with the inner wall of the female terminal. The restraint that was blocking was released.

As a result, the electric contact elastic member slightly rotates within the female terminal in response to the reaction caused by the restoration of the twist louver. Since the rotation of the electric contact elastic member 1 occurs each time the tab is inserted and removed, the contact portion between the male terminal and the electric contact elastic member changes each time the tab is inserted and removed, and the contact portion is updated every time. It That is, since the sliding position moves uniformly on the tab surface, the scraping of the tab surface is dispersed. As a result, a specific portion of the tab surface of the male terminal is not repeatedly and intensively slid, and therefore, only a specific portion of the tab surface is not intensively scraped. As described above, since no abrasion occurs at a specific place, the number of insertion / removal durability can be dramatically improved, and therefore, the occurrence of defects due to abrasion can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a female terminal according to the present invention, in which an electric contact elastic member is fitted and a male terminal is not inserted.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electric contact elastic member forming the female terminal of FIG.

3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an essential part of a state where a male terminal is fitted and inserted into the female terminal of FIG.

4 is a schematic explanatory view showing a main part of a cross section taken along line XX of the electric contact elastic member of FIG. 2. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a conventional male and female terminal.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory view showing a cross section of a main part of an electric contact elastic member of a conventional female terminal.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a charging connector terminal for an electric vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electric contact elastic member 1A engagement protrusion 1B twist louver 2 Female terminal body 3 Fitting recess 3A Standing wall 4 Male terminal fitting room 4A guide surface 5 Electric wire connection 6 electric wires F Female terminal

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Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A male terminal fitting chamber into which a male terminal can be fitted and which is integrally formed of a conductive hollow column is provided at one end, and a wire connecting portion to which a wire can be connected is provided at the other end. A female terminal main body provided with a fitting recess along the circumference of the terminal fitting chamber, and a hollow cylindrical conductor formed separately from the female terminal main body in the axial center side wall thereof. A plurality of twist louvers having elasticity and integrally extending with the body and having two sides extending in the axial direction are formed, and one side of the two sides of each twist louver extends outward in the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical conductor. And, the other side is composed of an electric contact elastic member having a twisted structure that is laid inward in the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical conductor, and the electric contact elastic member is provided in the fitting concave portion of the female terminal body. In the female terminal that is internally assembled and assembled, the electrical contact In sex member fitted inscribed into the fitting recess set <br/> attach seen, one side the male terminal that the non-fitted挿時, overhanging the radially outer twist louvers of said electrical contact elastic member Is not in contact with the inner wall of the fitting recess ,
When the twist louver is restored when the male-type terminal is detached,
The electric contact elastic member rotates within the fitting recess due to recoil.
A female terminal characterized by being configured as possible . 2. The electric contact elastic member has a plurality of engaging protrusions at both ends, the tip of the engaging protrusion is bent outward in the radial direction of the electric contact elastic member, and each of the engaging protrusions is bent. The radius formed by the tips of the pieces is configured to be larger than the radius formed by the maximum overhanging portion of one side of the plurality of twist louvers that extends outward in the radial direction. Female terminal. 3. The female die according to claim 1, wherein the electric contact elastic member is formed of a flat plate having a rectangular expanded shape, and is annularly mounted in a size of a predetermined shape and assembled in the fitting recess. Terminal.