JPH10125376A - Male terminal metal fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the strength of the base of a contact projection by use of a simple structure. SOLUTION: A contact projection 5 is extended straight from the end of a rectangular part 4, is formed continuously, and takes the form of a groove of U-cross section open on one side, which is perpendicular to the opening direction of barrels 2, 3. At the base 6 of the contact projection 5, a pair of ribs 8 going along the longitudinal direction of the contact projection 5 are formed symmetrical on the inner surfaces of two opposite plates. Both of the ribs 8 are formed by knocking metallic plates out from outer surfaces, and are formed during a press working process involved in the bending of a male terminal metal fitting 1 or during the process of cutting an expanded form. The tops of the peak parts of the ribs 8 are made to abut each other. In addition to the enhancement of the flexural rigidity of the metallic plates by the ribs 8, the quasi-solid-state of a groove that is filled as the ribs 8 about to each other provides increased reinforcement against bending.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a male terminal fitting having a contact projection inserted into a mating female terminal fitting and having a U-shaped cross section, and more particularly to a reinforcement for the contact projection. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, terminal fittings used for connecting electric wires having a relatively low current value, such as signal lines for communication in automobiles, are made of a thin metal plate as a material and have a small size. used. Conventionally, as this type of male terminal fitting, one having the structure shown in FIG. 11 is known. This includes a barrel portion a for fixing the electric wire, a contact protrusion b inserted into the mating female terminal fitting, and a square tube portion c located between the barrel portion a and the contact protrusion b. Is formed integrally by bending a metal plate material such as a copper alloy plate having excellent conductivity. Here, the contact protrusion b is formed so as to form a U-shaped groove in cross section. Thus, the cross section U
The reason for making the contact shape is to secure the rigidity of the contact protrusion b, for example, as is often seen in other types of male terminal fittings, when a metal plate material is folded in close contact and folded, as described above. In the case of a thin metal plate, there is a concern that cracks may be formed in the bent portion, so that the metal plate is intentionally formed in a U-shaped cross section.

[0003]

However, if the above structure is maintained, the strength is still insufficient particularly at the base d of the contact protrusion b called the neck, and there is a possibility that the base may be deformed from the base d when an external force acts. It has been found. When the contact protrusion b is deformed, problems such as a failure to fit with the mating female terminal fitting occur. The present invention has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a male terminal fitting with a simple structure capable of improving the strength of a base at a contact protrusion.

[0004]

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a method of bending a conductive metal plate so that a distal end side of a fixed portion of an electric wire is provided with a female female. In the male terminal fitting integrally formed with a contact projection having a U-shaped cross section to be inserted into the side terminal fitting, a reinforcing portion formed by pressing a metal plate and plastically deforming is formed at the base of the contact projection. It is characterized by its structure.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the reinforcing portion is a projection that taps the plate surface of the metal plate inward. A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the second aspect of the invention, a pair of the protrusions are formed symmetrically on opposite plate surfaces of the base. A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the third aspect of the invention, the pair of protrusions are configured to abut each other.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, the reinforcing portion is a bent portion obtained by bending an edge of the metal plate inward. A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the fifth aspect of the invention, a pair of the bent portions are formed symmetrically at an edge of the metal plate facing the base.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the invention of the sixth aspect, the pair of bent portions are formed so as to abut each other. An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the invention of the seventh aspect, the distal ends of the pair of bent portions are bent at a right angle, and the two right-angled bent portions abut each other.

[0007]

According to the present invention, by providing the reinforcing portion, the bending rigidity of the metal plate is increased, and the metal plate can be reliably reinforced against the bending force acting on the base of the contact projection. In addition, since the reinforcing portion is formed by pressing a metal plate, it is possible to cut the developed shape of the male terminal fitting from the material or to form the male terminal fitting when bending it into a predetermined shape. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a separate processing step, and the device can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. <First Embodiment> A male terminal fitting according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. When the male terminal fitting 1 of the present embodiment is housed in the connector housing, the cover 21 is attached and housed as described later in detail. First, the structure of the male terminal fitting 1 alone will be described. I do. This male terminal fitting 1 is made of a plate material made of a copper alloy having excellent conductivity, and is punched out from a flat plate by a press forming machine, and then sequentially bent and formed. The shape is formed as shown in FIG. That is, the wires 11 (see FIG. 5) are sequentially arranged from the rear end side.
An insulation barrel 2 for fixing the terminal of the coating 12, a wire barrel 3 for fixing the terminal of the core wire 13, a rectangular tube portion 4 serving as a main body, and a contact protrusion inserted into a mating female terminal (not shown). 5 are integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the contact protruding portion 5 is continuously formed in such a manner that the tip end side of the rectangular cylindrical portion 4 is tapered in two steps and then straightened. And
Each of the barrels 2 and 3 has a U-shaped cross section with one side open perpendicular to the leg opening direction, and its tip is tapered.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of bases 6 of the contact protrusion 5 are provided on the inner surfaces of the two opposing plate surfaces 7 along the length direction of the contact protrusion 5. Are formed symmetrically. The both ridges 8 are formed by beating a metal plate from the outer surface side, and in a pressing process during bending the male terminal fitting 1 shown in FIG.
Alternatively, they are formed together in the step of cutting the developed shape. The tops of the ridges 8 are in contact with each other.

In the male terminal fitting 1 of the present embodiment formed as described above, the ridge 8 is formed at the base 6 of the contact projection 5 which is most likely to bend and deform, so that the bending rigidity of the metal plate is increased. In addition to being raised, the two ridges 8 abut each other to fill the groove, as if it were solid, so that the reinforcement against bending was made strong and the contact projection 5 was subjected to impact. Also, deformation from the base 6 of the contact protrusion 5 is prevented. In addition, the ridges 8 are formed by punching out a metal plate, and can be formed during the pressing process. Therefore, the ridges 8 can be manufactured at low cost without adding an extra processing step.

Next, a case where the male terminal fitting 1 of the first embodiment is housed in the connector housing 15 will be described with reference to FIG. The connector housing 15 is made of a synthetic resin, and has, for example, a hood 16 formed on the left side in the figure, and cavities 17 opening in the hood 16 are formed in two upper and lower stages. A locking projection 18 for locking the male terminal fitting 1 is provided in the cavity 17, and a through hole 19 is formed in the end on the hood 16 side.
Is formed.

On the other hand, a cover 21 is mounted on the square tube portion 4 of the male terminal fitting 1 as shown in FIG. The cover 21 is formed by bending a plate material of, for example, stainless steel having a higher rigidity than the copper alloy constituting the male terminal fitting 1 to form a rectangular tube. The contact projection 5 is fitted to the outer periphery of the square tube portion 4 of the male terminal fitting 1 while projecting, as shown in FIG.
A pair of locking pieces 23 is provided in a groove 24
It is fixed to the male terminal fitting 1 by being bent inward. A lance 25 is formed on the upper surface of the cover 21 so as to be cut and raised.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a cover 21 is fitted and fixed to the male terminal fitting 1,
The ends of the electric wire 11 are fixed to the barrels 2 and 3. When the male terminal fitting 1 is inserted into the cavity 17 of the connector housing 15 from the rear side as shown in FIG. 6, the lance 25 provided on the cover 21 engages with the locking projection 18 of the cavity 17. And is housed in a retaining state. At this time, the contact protrusion 5 of the male terminal fitting 1 penetrates through the through hole 19 on the front surface of the cavity 17 and protrudes into the hood 16 so that the base 6 provided with the protrusion 8 is located in the through hole 19. It has become.

As described above, the connector housing 15 in which the male terminal fitting 1 is accommodated is fitted with the female connector housing in which the female terminal fitting (not shown) is accommodated.
The contact protrusion 5 of each male terminal fitting 1 is inserted and connected to the mating female terminal fitting, and at this time, the load is most applied to the base 6 of the contact protrusion 5 located in the through hole 19. As described above, since the base 6 is reinforced by the ridges 8 as described above, the base 6 is smoothly connected to the female terminal fitting without causing bending deformation or the like.

The reinforcing ridges need not necessarily be in contact with each other. Further, it is not always necessary to provide them at symmetrical positions, and they may be provided only on one plate surface, or may be provided at the bottom of the U-shape.
These also make it possible to reinforce the base 6 of the contact projection 5.

<Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the male terminal fitting 31 of the second embodiment, the base 32 of the contact protrusion 5 is provided.
Is as shown in FIG. That is, at the edge of the opposing plate surface 33 in the base portion 32, a bent portion 34 is formed that is bent twice at right angles inward and outward,
The bent portions 34 have a structure in which the bent portions 34 abut against each other. More specifically, when the developed shape of the male terminal fitting 31 is cut from a flat plate, the base 32 is cut while being bent into a cross-sectional shape having bent portions 34 at both ends as shown in FIG. By bending the contact protrusion 5 so as to form a U-shape, the bent portion 34 is formed into a cylindrical shape in which the bent portions 34 abut each other. Other structures, including the fact that the cover 21 is fitted on the outer periphery of the square tube portion 4, are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the portions having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be repeated. Is omitted.

As described above, the male terminal fitting 3 of the second embodiment
In FIG. 1, the bent portion 34 is formed at the base portion 32 of the contact protrusion 5 where bending is most likely to be deformed, so that the bending rigidity of the metal plate is increased. Since it is formed in a shape, the reinforcement against bending is made strong, and even when an impact is applied to the contact protrusion 5, deformation from the base 32 of the contact protrusion 5 is prevented. In addition, since the bent portion 34 is formed by bending a metal plate and can be formed during the pressing process, it can be manufactured at low cost without adding an extra processing step.

When the male terminal fitting 31 is accommodated in the connector housing 15, the base 32 of the contact protrusion 5 is formed in the through hole 19 in the front surface of the cavity 17 as in the first embodiment.
And when it is fitted to the mating female terminal fitting, the base 32 has the greatest load. However, since the base 32 is reinforced by the bent portion 34 as described above, it is bent. It is smoothly connected to the female terminal fitting without deformation. The above-mentioned reinforcing bending portion has a shape in which the edge of the metal plate is bent once at a right angle, and may have a structure in which the edges are abutted with each other, or may not necessarily be abutted. By them,
The reinforcement of the base 32 of the contact projection 5 can be achieved.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiments, the cover is fitted to the male terminal fitting, but this is not essential and can be omitted. In this case, for example, a lance may be cut and raised in the rectangular tube portion, or an engagement hole with which a resin lance provided on the connector housing side engages may be formed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a male terminal fitting according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a state before a cover is attached.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a male terminal fitting to which a cover and an electric wire are fixed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a connector housing accommodating a male terminal fitting.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a male terminal fitting and a cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state where a cover is mounted.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a base of a contact protrusion before bending.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional male terminal fitting.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Male terminal fitting 2, 3 ... Barrel 5 ... Contact protrusion 6 ... Base (of contact protrusion 5) 7 ... Plate surface 8 ... Projection (reinforcing part) 11 ... Electric wire 31 ... Male terminal fitting 32 ... ( The base 34 of the contact protrusion 5...

Claims (8)

[Claims] A male member having a U-shaped contact projection integrally formed on a leading end of a fixed portion of an electric wire, which is inserted into a mating female terminal fitting by bending a conductive metal plate. A side terminal fitting, wherein a reinforcing portion formed by pressing a metal plate and deforming plastically is formed at a base of the contact protrusion. 2. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing portion is a protrusion that taps the plate surface of the metal plate inward. 3. The male terminal fitting according to claim 2, wherein a pair of said protrusions are formed symmetrically on a plate surface facing said base. 4. The male terminal fitting according to claim 3, wherein said pair of projections are in contact with each other. 5. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing portion is a bent portion obtained by bending an edge of the metal plate inward. 6. The male terminal fitting according to claim 5, wherein a pair of the bent portions are formed symmetrically at an edge of the metal plate facing the base. 7. The male terminal fitting according to claim 6, wherein the pair of bent portions are formed so as to abut each other. 8. The male terminal fitting according to claim 7, wherein the distal ends of the pair of bent portions are bent at a right angle, and the two right-angled bent portions abut against each other.