JPH11153615A - Electric device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a position shift from an assembled opposite component by preventing a terminal from deforming excessively when an external force is applied to the terminal. SOLUTION: The terminal is made of a metallic material (e.g. phosphor bronze) having elasticity and consists of an internal conduction part 5A, a collar-shaped part 5B (displacement suppression part), and an external conduction part 5C. The collar-shaped part 5B is positioned below a lower housing 3 while the internal conduction part 5A is fixed to terminal fitting parts 2b and 3b of both housings 2 and 3 and the upper end surface of the collar-shaped part 5B is arranged nearly abutting against the lower wall surface 3c of the lower housing 3. When this terminal has its external conduction part 5C applied with an external force laterally, the terminal is pushed with the external force and the external conduction part 5C is displaced, but the upper end surface of the collar-shaped part 5B abuts against the lower wall surface 3c of the lower housing 3 at this time, thereby preventing the external conduction part 5C from being further displaced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric device having a terminal for conducting electrical connection with a part to be assembled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an instrument used for a speedometer, a water temperature gauge and the like of a vehicle (for example, see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-124465). As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the meter has a terminal mounting portion 110 provided on a resin housing 100.
The internal conductive portion 210 of the terminal 200 is press-fitted into the external conductive portion 2 extending downward from the internal conductive portion 210.
Reference numeral 20 is electrically connected to an external circuit such as a printed circuit board.

[0003]

However, in the above-described meter, since the portion connecting the internal conductive portion 210 and the external conductive portion 220 of the terminal 200 is formed in a plate shape, it is shown in FIG. Thus, when an external force in the thickness direction is applied to the external conductive portion 220 of the terminal 200, the external conductive portion 220 is greatly deformed as shown by the arrow (A), and the positional relationship with the counterpart component is shifted. As a result, there has been a problem that it is difficult to electrically connect the terminal 200 (external conducting portion 220) and the mating component. The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric device capable of preventing excessive deformation of a terminal when an external force is applied to the terminal and preventing displacement of the terminal from a mating component.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a displacement suppressing portion is provided between a fixed portion fixed to a housing and an external conducting portion connected to a mating component. The displacement suppressing portion has an opposing portion facing the wall surface of the housing, and the opposing portion contacts the wall surface of the housing, whereby the displacement of the external conducting portion can be suppressed to a predetermined amount or less. Thereby, even if an external force is applied to the external conductive portion, it is possible to prevent the external conductive portion from being excessively deformed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the allowable displacement of the external conducting portion suppressed by the displacement suppressing portion is set within the elastic range of the terminal itself. In this case, even if an external force is applied to the external conducting portion and the external conducting portion is displaced, the displacement amount is suppressed within the range of the allowable displacement amount (that is, the predetermined amount or less according to claim 1) by the displacement suppressing portion. Then, the terminal can return to its normal position by its own elasticity.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the allowable displacement of the external conducting portion suppressed by the displacement suppressing portion is allowed in the plastic region exceeding the elastic range of the terminal itself in assembling the mating component and the external conducting portion. Is set within the allowable error range. In this case, even if the external conducting portion is displaced by an external force, the displacement amount is within a predetermined range by the displacement suppressing portion (a plastic region exceeding the elastic range of the terminal itself).
Therefore, when the external force is removed, the terminal returns to its own position by the elasticity of the terminal itself, and can return to the position displaced by the amount of plastic deformation. Since the displacement amount of the plastic deformation is within an allowable error range in assembling the mating component and the external conducting portion, it is possible to prevent the displacement between the mating component and the external conducting portion.

[0007]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a half sectional view of an electric device (instrument). The electric device according to the present embodiment is, for example, an instrument 1 such as a vehicular speedometer or a water temperature meter. As shown in FIG. 1A, a resin upper housing 2 and a lower housing 2 are vertically divided into two parts. 3, two coils 4 are wound around the bobbins 2a, 3a formed by the housings 2, 3 so as to cross each other. Each coil 4 is energized through a terminal 5 (see FIG. 2) which is electrically connected to an unillustrated counterpart (for example, a connector provided on a printed circuit board). Inside the bobbins 2a, 3a, a magnet 6 that rotates in accordance with a combined magnetic field of the two coils 4 is provided, and a pointer shaft 7 is attached to a center portion of the magnet 6, so that the two housings 2, 3 Supported rotatably. At the tip of the pointer shaft 7, a pointer (not shown) for indicating the scale of a dial (not shown) is attached.

The terminal 5 is made of a metal material having a spring property (for example, phosphor bronze) and, as shown in FIG. 2, is composed of an internal conductive portion 5A, a brim-shaped portion 5B (displacement suppressing portion), and an external conductive portion 5C. Have been. The internal conducting portion 5A is formed in a thin plate shape, and is press-fitted vertically into terminal mounting portions 2b, 3b provided on both housings 2, 3, and an upper end portion projects upward from the upper housing 2, and The end of the coil 4 is connected to the upper end. Brim shape part 5B
Is provided below the internal conduction portion 5A,
A pair of metal pieces provided on both the left and right sides are bent around the center to form a quadrangular cylindrical section. The brim-shaped portion 5B is configured such that the inner conducting portion 5A is fixed to the terminal mounting portions 2b, 3b of the housings 2, 3, and the lower housing 3
The upper end surface 5b (see FIG. 2) of the brim-shaped portion 5B is substantially in contact with the lower wall surface 3c of the lower housing 3 (a small gap may be provided, (Which may be in contact with each other) (see FIG. 1).
The external conducting portion 5C is formed to extend substantially in a cylindrical shape below the brim-shaped portion 5B, and is electrically connected to an assembly partner component.

(Operation and Effect of this Embodiment) For example, FIG.
As shown in (b), when an external force is applied to the external conductive portion 5C of the terminal 5 from the lateral direction, the external conductive portion 5C is displaced in the direction of the arrow (A) by being pushed by the external force. 3 on the lower wall surface 3c, the upper end surface 5 of the brim-shaped portion 5B
The contact of b allows the external force applied to the external conductive portion 5C to be received by the lower housing 3 via the brim-shaped portion 5B, so that further displacement of the external conductive portion 5C can be prevented. Thereby, since the displacement of the external conductive portion 5C can be suppressed to a predetermined amount or less, excessive deformation of the external conductive portion 5C can be prevented. In particular, the brim-shaped portion 5
If the amount of displacement (allowable displacement) of the external conducting portion 5C suppressed by B is set within the elastic range of the terminal 5 itself,
Even if an external force is applied to the external conductive portion 5C and the external conductive portion 5C is displaced, the amount of displacement is suppressed within the elastic range of the external conductive portion 5C. The portion 5C returns in the direction of the arrow (B), and can return to its normal position independently. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the displacement between the external conduction portion 5C and the mating component.

Normally, an allowable assembly error (allowable error) is set between the terminal 5 (external conductive portion 5C) and the counterpart component. Therefore, the displacement amount (allowable displacement amount) of the external conducting portion 5C suppressed by the brim-shaped portion 5B may be set within the range of the assembly error in a plastic region exceeding the elastic range of the terminal 5 itself. In this case, even if an external force is applied to the external conductive portion 5C and the external conductive portion 5C is displaced, the amount of the displacement is suppressed within a predetermined range by the brim-shaped portion 5B. , It can return to the position displaced by the amount of plastic deformation. Since the amount of displacement of the plastic deformation is within the range of an allowable error in assembling the mating component and the external conductive portion 5C, the external conductive portion 5C
Plastic deformation can be absorbed, and misalignment with the mating part can be prevented.

In the terminal 5 of the above embodiment, the brim-shaped portion 5B is provided only on one side with respect to the thickness direction of the internal conducting portion 5A, but may be provided on both sides in the thickness direction.
In this case, even if an external force is applied to the external conductive portion 5C from a direction opposite to the external force shown in FIG. 1B, excessive deformation of the external conductive portion 5C can be prevented. Misalignment can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a half sectional view of an electric device (instrument).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a terminal.

FIG. 3 is a half sectional view of a meter (prior art).

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 Instrument (electric device) 2 Upper housing (housing) 3 Lower housing (housing) 3c Lower wall surface of housing (wall surface of housing) 5 Terminal 5A Internal conduction part (fixed part) 5B Collar-shaped part (displacement suppression part) 5C External conduction Part 5b Upper end face of brim-shaped part (opposing part)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electric device comprising a terminal for conducting with an assembling part, the terminal comprising: a fixing portion fixed to a housing of the electric device; An external conductive portion protruding to the outside of the housing and electrically connected to the mating component; and an opposing portion provided between the fixed portion and the external conductive portion and facing a wall surface of the housing. An electrical device comprising: a displacement suppressing portion that suppresses a displacement of the external conducting portion to a predetermined amount or less by contacting the facing portion with a wall surface of the housing. 2. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein an allowable displacement amount of the external conducting portion suppressed by the displacement suppressing portion is set within an elastic range of the terminal itself. 3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the allowable displacement amount of the external conducting portion suppressed by the displacement suppressing portion exceeds a range of elasticity of the terminal itself in a plastic region. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the electric device is set within a range of an allowable error.