JP4592460B2 - Terminal fitting - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal fitting used for a wire harness.

  A wide variety of electronic devices are mounted on a vehicle as a moving body. In the automobile, a wire harness is routed to transmit electric power, a control signal, and the like to the electronic device. The wire harness includes a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors. The electric wire is a so-called covered electric wire including a conductive core wire and an insulating covering portion that covers the core wire.

  The connector includes a pair of insulating connector housings that are fitted together, and conductive terminal fittings that are accommodated in these housings. The terminal fitting includes an electric wire connecting portion that is attached to one end of the electric wire and is electrically connected to the core wire, and an electric contact portion that contacts the other terminal fitting. The wire harness transmits a control signal and the like to the electronic device by connector-connecting the connector housings.

  In the manufacturing process of wire harnesses, terminal fittings with different shapes of wire connection portions are used depending on the connection processing method and the type of wire, and as these terminal fittings, for example, the covering portion of the wire is peeled off. One having a crimp connection part for caulking the exposed core wire (hereinafter referred to as a crimp terminal and shown in Patent Document 1), one having a pressure connection part that cuts the sheath of the electric wire and makes contact with the core wire (hereinafter referred to as a pressure contact terminal) And a piercing connection portion that penetrates a flat wire and contacts the core wire (hereinafter referred to as a piercing terminal and shown in Patent Literature 3).

  In addition, the connection using a crimp terminal is suitable for the connection of a power supply line etc. in which high connection reliability is required, and the connection using a pressure contact terminal is suitable for automation of the manufacturing process. Moreover, the connection using a piercing terminal has the advantage that it is suitable for the connection of a flat-type electric wire and the wiring space can be reduced.

Further, each of these terminal fittings has a male electrical contact portion (hereinafter referred to as a male contact portion and shown in Patent Document 4) and a female electrical contact portion (hereinafter referred to as a female contact portion). There are some which are shown in patent document 5. The male contact part of one terminal fitting is accommodated in the female contact part of the other terminal fitting, and both are electrically connected. In order to maintain compatibility in fitting, the male contact portion and the female contact portion are formed in the same shape even between the terminal fittings having different types of wire connecting portions.
JP 2004-193073 A JP 2003-217698 A JP 2002-194142 A JP-A-8-162191 JP 2002-63961 A

The conventional terminal fitting described above is formed by bending a sheet metal obtained by punching a conductive metal plate with a die provided for each part number of the terminal fitting, and the wire connection portion and the electrical contact portion. Was integrally molded. That is, since parts having the same shape are manufactured by different molds, there is a problem in that variations in performance occur due to tolerances generated for each part, and the molds of the parts having the same shape are wasted.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal fitting that is inexpensive, has no variation, and has stable performance.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the invention described in claim 1 is electrically connected to an electric wire connecting portion connected to an electric wire, and a counterpart terminal fitting provided separately from the electric wire connecting portion. In the terminal fitting constituted by the electrical contact portion, (a) the wire connection portion is constituted by a wire connection portion selected from a plurality of types of wire connection portions having different shapes, and (b) the The electrical contact portion is composed of an electrical contact portion selected from a plurality of types of electrical contact portions having different shapes, and (c) the plurality of types of electric wire connection portions include (a) a bottom wall and a bottom wall A crimping connection portion comprising a pair of crimping pieces standing from both ends in the width direction and crimping the electric wire, and a connecting portion extending from an end in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall; A pair of press-contacts that press-connect the electric wires by standing from both ends of the bottom wall in the width direction. And a press-connecting connection portion provided from a longitudinal end portion of the bottom wall, and (d) the crimp-connecting portion and the press-connecting connection portion independently connect to the electric wire. (E) Each of the plurality of types of electrical contact portions is provided with a connection portion connected to the connection portion of the crimp connection portion or the connection portion of the pressure contact connection portion, and (f ) The connecting portion of the electrical contact portion is erected from the bottom wall and both end portions in the width direction of the bottom wall so that the tip portion can break through the flat electric wire and caulk the electric wire. A plurality of sharply pointed piercing pieces, and (g) one of the connection portions selected from the crimp connection portion and the pressure contact connection portion is selected from the plurality of types of electrical contact portions. The plurality of pins are overlapped on the bottom wall of the selected one connecting portion. It is a terminal fitting, characterized in that crimped a single piece.

According to the terminal fitting according to claim 1 , since it is possible to make the parts common among the terminal fittings of different product numbers, it becomes possible to minimize the performance variation due to the tolerance generated for each part. The cost of each part of the terminal fitting can be reduced by the mass production effect. In addition, since the electrical contact unit alone can be used as a piercing terminal, the part number can be reduced. Furthermore, only the electric wire connection portion can be operated before the electric contact portion and the electric wire connection portion are assembled, and damage and deformation of the electric contact portion in the wire harness manufacturing process can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, a terminal fitting and a method of manufacturing the terminal fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The manufacturing method of the terminal fitting of this embodiment includes a crimp terminal 1A (shown in FIG. 1) having a male electrical contact portion (hereinafter referred to as a male contact portion) 10 and a pressure contact having the male contact portion 10. A crimp terminal 2A (shown in FIG. 3) having a terminal 1B (shown in FIG. 2) and a female electrical contact portion (hereinafter referred to as a female contact portion) 20, and a press contact terminal 2B having a female contact portion 20 (Shown in FIG. 4).

  The terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B are accommodated in a connector housing (not shown) made of an insulating synthetic resin, and the terminal fittings accommodated in the mating connector housing and an electric wire (not shown) are electrically connected to each other. Used to connect to. In addition, the electric wire used in the present specification is a so-called covered electric wire having a round cross-sectional shape in which a core wire made of a conductive metal is covered with an insulating synthetic resin, or a well-known flexible flat cable (Flexible Flat Cable: A flat coated electric wire (flat circuit body) such as FFC) is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the crimp terminal 1A includes a male contact portion 10 and a crimp connection portion 30 as a wire connection portion to which an electric wire is electrically connected.

  The male contact portion 10 is made of a conductive metal or the like, and is manufactured separately from the crimp connection portion 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). An inserter 11 to be inserted into the mold contact part, a main body part 12 and a connecting part 13 are provided.

  The main body 12 is provided with a bottom wall 14, side walls 15, 15 erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall 14, and connected to the side walls 15, 15 and spaced from the bottom wall 14. It is formed in a hollow prism shape having four walls with the ceiling wall 16. As for the main-body part 12, the one end part of the longitudinal direction is continued with the inserter 11, and the bottom wall 14 of the other end part is continued with the connection part 13. FIG.

  The inserter 11 is connected to the main body 12 and is formed in an elongated prismatic shape. The inserter 11 is formed thinner than the main body 12. The inserter 11 is inserted into the female contact portion of the mating terminal fitting, and is electrically connected to the mating terminal fitting.

The connecting portion 13 extends from the other end portion of the bottom wall 14 of the main body portion 12 (corresponding to “bottom wall” in the claims), and both ends in the width direction of the extended portion of the bottom wall 14. a plurality of piercing piece 17 erected from parts, and a. The plurality of piercing pieces 17 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the male contact portion 10, and the plurality of piercing pieces 17 facing each other are arranged in a staggered manner. The connecting portion 13 is connected (connected) to a connecting portion 34 of a crimp connecting portion 30 described later.

  The male contact portion 10 having the above-described configuration can also be used for connection with a flat wire. In that case, a plurality of piercing pieces 17 penetrates (breaks through) a conductor of a flat-type electric wire such as an FFC and comes into contact with the conductor, and the leading ends of the plurality of penetrated piercing pieces 17 are bent inward from each other. And caulk a flat wire. In this way, the male contact portion 10 and the flat electric wire are electrically and mechanically connected.

  The crimp connection portion 30 is made of a conductive metal or the like, and is erected from the bottom wall 31 and both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall 31 as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). The pair of crimping pieces 32, 32, and the pair of caulking pieces 33 provided on both sides of the bottom wall 31 in the width direction and provided on the side farther from the male contact portion 10 than the pair of crimping pieces 32, 32. , 33.

  The crimping connection part 30 is placed in a direction in which the end part is peeled on the bottom wall 31 and the electric wire having a round cross section is exposed, and then the core part of the electric wire is pressed toward the bottom wall 31. The crimping pieces 32 and 32 are bent, that is, the core portions of the electric wires are crimped by the crimping pieces 32 and 32 to be electrically connected to the electric wires. Similarly, the caulking pieces 33 and 33 are bent in a direction in which the covering portion of the electric wire is pressed toward the bottom wall 31, that is, the covering portion of the electric wire is caulked with the caulking pieces 33 and 33 to be fixed to the electric wire.

  The crimp connection portion 30 further includes a connecting portion 34. The connecting portion 34 is provided on the bottom wall 31 on the crimping piece 32 side, and extends from the bottom wall 31 in the longitudinal direction.

In the crimp terminal 1A, as shown in FIG. 1B, the coupling portion 34 of the crimp connection portion 30 is overlapped on the extended portion of the bottom wall 14 of the coupling portion 13 of the male contact portion 10, and a plurality of piercings are further provided. The distal end portions of the pieces 17 are bent inward from each other, thereby caulking the connecting portion 34 of the crimp connection portion 30. Thus, the male contact portion 10 and the crimp connection portion 30 are electrically and mechanically connected. In the crimp terminal 1 </ b> A having the above-described configuration, the inserter 11, the main body portion 12, the coupling portion 13, and the crimp connection portion 30 are sequentially arranged in a line.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the press contact terminal 1B includes a male contact portion 10 and a press contact connection portion 40 as a wire connection portion to which an electric wire is electrically connected. The male contact portion 10 is the same as the male contact portion 10 of the crimp terminal 1A described above. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as the crimp terminal 1A shown in FIG. 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The male contact portion 10 has a connecting portion 13 connected to a connecting portion 44 of a press contact connecting portion 40 described later.

  The press-connecting portion 40 is made of a conductive metal or the like, and is erected from the bottom wall 41 and both ends of the bottom wall 41 in the width direction, as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). And a pair of caulking pieces 43 provided upright from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall 41 and provided on the side farther from the male contact portion 10 than the pair of press contact pieces 42, 42. , 43. The pressure contact pieces 42, 42 include a plurality of pressure contact blades 42a. The press contact blade 42 a is cut and raised from the press contact piece 42 and arranged in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the press contact connection portion 40.

  In the press-connecting portion 40, the end portion of the electric wire having a round cross section is press-fitted between the press-contacting pieces 42, 42, and the press-contact blade 42a cuts the covering portion of the electric wire to contact the core wire and is electrically connected to the electric wire. . Further, the caulking pieces 43 and 43 are bent in a direction in which the electric wire is pressed toward the bottom wall 41, that is, the electric wires are caulked with the caulking pieces 43 and 43 to be fixed to the electric wire.

  The press-connecting portion 40 further includes a connecting portion 44. The connecting portion 44 is provided on the pressure contact piece 42 side of the bottom wall 41 and extends from the bottom wall 41 in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the pressure contact terminal 1 </ b> B has a plurality of piercings in which a connection portion 44 of the pressure contact connection portion 40 is superimposed on an extension of the bottom wall 14 of the connection portion 13 of the male contact portion 10. The distal end portions of the pieces 17 are bent inward from each other to caulk the connecting portion 44 of the pressure contact connecting portion 40. In this way, the male contact portion 10 and the press contact connection portion 40 are electrically and mechanically connected. In the press contact terminal 1 </ b> B having the above-described configuration, the inserter 11, the main body portion 12, the connecting portion 13, and the press contact connection portion 40 are sequentially arranged in a line.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the crimp terminal 2A includes a female contact portion 20 and a crimp connection portion 30 as a wire connection portion to which an electric wire is electrically connected. The crimp connection part 30 is the same as the crimp connection part 30 of the above-described crimp terminal 1A. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as the crimp terminal 1A shown in FIG. 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The female mold contact portion 20 is made of a conductive metal or the like, and is manufactured separately from the crimp connection portion 30 as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). A cylindrical portion 21 that accommodates the child, a spring piece (not shown), and a connecting portion 22 are provided.

  The cylindrical portion 21 is provided with a bottom wall 23, side walls 24, 24 erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall 23, continuous with the side walls 24, 24, and spaced apart from the bottom wall 23. It is formed in the shape of a hollow prism having four walls with the ceiling wall 25. The cylinder part 21 is provided with an opening part at one end part in the longitudinal direction, and an inserter of a mating terminal fitting is inserted through the opening part. And the said spring piece urges | biases this inserter toward the inner surface of the cylinder part 21, and the female-type contact part 20 and the other party metal fitting are electrically connected. Further, the bottom wall 23 of the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical portion 21 is continuous with the connecting portion 22.

The connecting portion 22 extends from the other end portion of the bottom wall 23 of the cylindrical portion 21 (corresponding to “bottom wall” in the claims), and both ends in the width direction of the extended portion of the bottom wall 23. a plurality of piercing piece 27 erected from parts, and a. The plurality of piercing pieces 27 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the female contact portion 20, and the plurality of piercing pieces 27 facing each other are arranged in a staggered manner. The connecting portion 22 is connected (connected) to the connecting portion 34 of the crimp connecting portion 30.

  The female contact portion 20 having the above-described configuration can also be used for connection with a flat wire. In that case, a plurality of piercing pieces 27 penetrates (breaks through) a conductor of a flat-type electric wire such as an FFC and comes into contact with the conductor, and the leading ends of the plurality of piercing pieces 27 that are penetrated are bent inward from each other. And caulk a flat wire. In this way, the female contact portion 20 and the flat electric wire are electrically and mechanically connected.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the crimp terminal 2 </ b> A has a plurality of coupling portions 34 of the above-described crimp connection portion 30 overlaid on the extended portion of the bottom wall 23 of the coupling portion 22 of the female contact portion 20. The connecting portions 34 of the crimping connection portion 30 are caulked by bending the tip portions of the piercing pieces 27 inward. Thus, the female contact portion 20 and the crimp connection portion 30 are electrically and mechanically connected. In the crimp terminal 2 </ b> A having the above-described configuration, the cylinder portion 21, the coupling portion 22, and the crimp connection portion 30 are sequentially arranged in a line.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the press contact terminal 2B includes a female contact portion 20 and a press contact connection portion 40 as a wire connection portion to which an electric wire is electrically connected. The female contact portion 20 is the same as the female contact portion 20 of the crimp terminal 2A described above, and the press contact connection portion 40 is the same as the press contact connection portion 40 of the press contact terminal 1B described above. Yes. The same components as those of the crimp terminal 2A shown in FIG. 3 and the press contact terminal 1B shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the pressure contact terminal 2 </ b> B has the connection portion 44 of the pressure contact connection portion 40 overlapped on the extended portion of the bottom wall 23 of the connection portion 22 of the female contact portion 20. The connecting portion 44 of the pressure contact connecting portion 40 is caulked by bending the front end portions of the piercing pieces 27 inward. In this way, the female contact portion 20 and the press contact connection portion 40 are electrically and mechanically connected. In the press contact terminal 2B having the above-described configuration, the cylinder portion 21, the connecting portion 22, and the press contact connection portion 40 are sequentially arranged in a line.

  A method for manufacturing the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B described above will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 5, the male contact portion 10, the female contact portion 20, the crimp connection portion 30, and the press contact connection portion 40 described above are manufactured separately. These are manufactured by bending a sheet metal obtained by punching a conductive metal sheet with a mold.

Next, one of the male contact part 10 and the female contact part 20 and one of the crimp contact part 30 and the pressure contact part 40 are selected according to the application, and the selected electrical contact parts 10 and 20 are connected. The connecting portions 34 and 44 of the selected wire connecting portions 30 and 40 are overlapped on the extended portions of the bottom walls 14 and 23 of the portions 13 and 22, and the distal ends of the plurality of piercing pieces 17 and 27 are folded inward to each other. Then, the connecting portions 34 and 44 of the wire connecting portions 30 and 40 are caulked. In this way, the electrical contact portions 10 and 20 and the wire connection portions 30 and 40 are electrically and mechanically connected to manufacture the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B of the present embodiment.

  Thus, according to the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B of this embodiment and the manufacturing method of the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B having different product numbers Since the parts 10, 20, 30, and 40 that make up the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B can be shared, it is possible to minimize the performance variation that has occurred in the conventional terminal fittings. At the same time, the production cost of the terminal fittings 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B can be reduced by the mass production effect. Moreover, since the electric contact parts 10 and 20 can be used as piercing terminals, the part number can be reduced.

  Moreover, in embodiment mentioned above, the connection of the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40 is carried out by bending the front-end | tip of several piercing pieces 17 and 27 provided in the connection parts 13 and 22 of the electric contact parts 10 and 20 mutually inward. The parts 34 and 44 are crimped. However, the terminal fitting of the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of piercing pieces 17a (FIG. 6 (b) are obtained by cutting and raising the bottom wall 14 of the male contact portion 10 as in the case of the terminal fitting 1C shown in FIG. ) And a plurality of slits 34a through which the plurality of piercing pieces 17a can pass, and the piercing pieces 17a are passed through the slits 34a. The connecting portion 34 of the crimp connecting portion 30 may be caulked by bending the piece 17a toward the bottom wall 14.

  Moreover, the connection method of the electric contact parts 10 and 20 and the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40 includes the connection parts 13 and 22 of the electric contact parts 10 and 20 and the connection parts 34 and 44 of the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40. After joining using methods, such as ultrasonic joining and spot welding, the connection parts 34 and 44 of the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40 can also be crimped with the some piercing pieces 17 and 27. FIG. By doing so, the connection strength between the electrical contact portions 10 and 20 and the wire connection portions 30 and 40 can be further increased.

  Moreover, the connection process of the electrical contact parts 10 and 20 and the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40 may be performed after the electric wire connection parts 30 and 40 are connected to the electric wire, and may be performed before being connected to the electric wire. It may be performed simultaneously with the connection with the electric wire. In addition, by performing this connection process after the electric wire connection portions 30 and 40 are connected to the electric wires, the electric contact portions 10 and 20 are damaged or deformed when the electric wires and the electric wire connection portions 30 and 40 are connected in the wire harness manufacturing process. Can be prevented.

  Further, the gist of the present invention is to stabilize the performance of the product by sharing parts and to reduce the cost due to the mass production effect, and the electrical contact portions 10 and 20 and the wire connection portions 30 and 40 are not necessarily manufactured. Also good. That is, only one type of the electrical contact portions 10 and 20, for example, only the male contact portion 10 is manufactured, and the male contact portion 10 and any one selected from the wire connection portions 30 and 40 can be connected. Alternatively, only the female contact portion 20 may be manufactured, and the female contact portion 20 may be connected to any one selected from the wire connection portions 30 and 40. Further, only one type of the wire connection portions 30 and 40, for example, only the crimp connection portion 30 may be manufactured, and the crimp connection portion 30 and any one selected from the electrical contact portions 10 and 20 may be coupled. In addition, it is possible to manufacture another wire connection portion having a shape different from that of the wire connection portions 30 and 40 described in the present embodiment, and to connect to any one selected from the electrical contact portions 10 and 20. is there.

  In addition, embodiment mentioned above only showed the typical form of this invention, and this invention is not limited to embodiment. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Fig.1 (a) is a perspective view which shows the crimp terminal which has the male contact part concerning one Embodiment of this invention, FIG.1 (b) is a decomposition | disassembly of the crimp terminal shown by Fig.1 (a). It is a perspective view. 2A is a perspective view showing a press contact terminal having a male contact portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the press contact terminal shown in FIG. 2A. It is a perspective view. Fig.3 (a) is a perspective view which shows the crimp terminal which has the female-type contact part concerning one Embodiment of this invention, FIG.3 (b) is a decomposition | disassembly of the crimp terminal shown by Fig.3 (a). It is a perspective view. 4A is a perspective view showing a press contact terminal having a female contact portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is an exploded view of the press contact terminal shown in FIG. 4A. It is a perspective view. It is a perspective view explaining the manufacturing method of the terminal metal fitting shown in FIG. It is a perspective view explaining the modification of the terminal metal fitting shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1A, 2A, 1C Crimp terminal (terminal fitting)
1B, 2B Pressure contact terminals (terminal fittings)
10 Male contact part (electric contact part)
17 Piercing piece 20 Female contact part (electric contact part)
27 Piercing piece 30 Crimp connection (wire connection)
40 Pressure connection (wire connection)

Claims (1)

In the terminal fitting composed of the electric wire connecting portion connected to the electric wire, and the electric contact portion provided separately from the electric wire connecting portion, electrically connected to the other terminal fitting,
(A) The wire connection portion is constituted by a wire connection portion selected from a plurality of types of wire connection portions having different shapes,
(B) The electrical contact portion is composed of an electrical contact portion selected from a plurality of types of electrical contact portions having different shapes.
(C) In the plurality of types of electric wire connecting portions,
(A) a bottom wall, a pair of crimping pieces that are erected from both end portions in the width direction of the bottom wall and crimp the electric wire, and a connection portion that is extended from a longitudinal end portion of the bottom wall, Crimp connection provided , and
(B) a bottom wall, a pair of press contact pieces that are erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall and press-contact the electric wire, and a connecting portion that is extended from an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall. A pressure contact connection portion provided,
(D) The crimp connection part and the press contact connection part are provided so that they can be connected to the electric wire alone,
(E) Each of the plurality of types of electrical contact portions is provided with a connection portion connected to the connection portion of the crimp connection portion or the connection portion of the pressure contact connection portion,
(F) The connecting portion of the electrical contact portion can be caulked with a bottom wall and a tip end portion that is erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall and breaks through the flat wire. A plurality of piercing pieces sharply sharpened to the extent,
(G) One said connection part selected from the said crimping | compression-bonding connection part and the said press-contact connection part is on the said bottom wall of the said one connection part selected from the said multiple types of electrical contact parts. overlaid with the terminal fitting, characterized in <br/> that caulked said plurality of piercing piece.

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