Male terminal fitting and terminal fitting structure

Abstract

A male terminal fitting having a hollow portion reduces the insertion resistance when fitting with a female terminal fitting while ensuring electrical connection with the female terminal fitting. The male terminal fitting has a tab portion connected to the female terminal fitting, and a support portion continuous with the tab portion along a fitting direction into the female terminal fitting. The tab portion extends along a front-rear direction and has a bottom wall portion, a first side wall portion rising continuously from an end portion of the bottom wall portion on one side in a width direction intersecting the fitting direction, a second side wall portion rising continuously from an end portion on the other side in the width direction, and an upper wall portion extending continuously from an upper end portion of the first side wall portion toward an upper end portion of the second side wall portion and overlapping the upper end portion of the second side wall portion. Further, a first recess is provided on a central portion in the width direction on an upper surface of the upper wall portion, the first recess extending along the fitting direction and being recessed downward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This technology relates to male terminal fittings and terminal fitting structures. Background Technology

[0002] As a male terminal accessory (connector male terminal), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-89309 discloses a male terminal accessory. This male terminal accessory has a groove in the portion through which the female terminal slides when mated with a female terminal accessory (connector female terminal). By providing the groove, the sliding contact area between the male and female terminal accessories is reduced; therefore, to reduce insertion resistance during mating, it is desirable to form the groove to be wide. Furthermore, this male terminal accessory has a solid structure in the main body portion where the groove is provided, without any hollow portion.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-89309 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] On the other hand, unlike the above, it is known that male terminal fittings with a hollow structure are formed by bending thin sheet metal using a stamping process. For male terminal fittings with this hollow structure, the width of the groove is limited due to the bending process.

[0008] This disclosure was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a technique for reducing the insertion resistance when a male terminal fitting with a hollow portion is engaged with a female terminal fitting while ensuring electrical connection with the female terminal fitting.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] This disclosure discloses a male terminal fitting, comprising a tab portion for connection with a female terminal fitting, and a support portion continuous with the tab portion along a fitting direction of fitting the female terminal fitting, wherein the tab portion extends along the fitting direction and comprises: a bottom wall portion; a first side wall portion that continuously rises from one end of the bottom wall portion intersecting the fitting direction in a width direction; a second side wall portion that continuously rises from the other end in the width direction; and an upper wall portion that continuously extends from the upper end of the first side wall portion toward the upper end of the second side wall portion and overlaps with the upper end of the second side wall portion, wherein a first recess is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall portion at the central portion in the width direction, the first recess extending along the fitting direction and recessed downward.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to this disclosure, for a male terminal accessory with a hollow portion, it is possible to reduce the insertion resistance when mating with the female terminal accessory while ensuring electrical connection with the female terminal accessory. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing a connector including a terminal fitting structure of one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a left-side view of the male terminal fitting according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A 3D view of the male terminal accessory.

[0016] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 2 A perspective view of the main part of the tab of the male terminal accessory.

[0017] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Bottom view of the main parts of the male terminal fitting.

[0018] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view along line VI-VI.

[0019] Figure 7 It is shown Figure 6 Enlarged cross-sectional view of the protruding part.

[0020] Figure 8 It is shown Figure 1 Enlarged view of the main parts of the terminal fitting structure.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a unfolded diagram showing the sheet metal before it is bent. Detailed Implementation

[0022] [Description of embodiments of this disclosure]

[0023] First, embodiments of this disclosure will be described.

[0024] (1) The male terminal fitting disclosed herein includes a tab portion connected to a female terminal fitting and a support portion continuous with the tab portion along the fitting direction of the female terminal fitting, wherein the tab portion extends along the fitting direction and includes: a bottom wall portion; a first side wall portion that continuously stands upright with one end of the bottom wall portion intersecting the width direction of the fitting direction; a second side wall portion that continuously stands upright with the other end of the width direction; and an upper wall portion that continuously extends from the upper end of the first side wall portion toward the upper end of the second side wall portion and overlaps with the upper end of the second side wall portion, wherein a first recess is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall portion at the central portion in the width direction, the first recess extending along the fitting direction and recessed downward.

[0025] The aforementioned tab is configured such that a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and an upper wall form a series, surrounding a central hollow portion. The tab will be described in detail later, but typically, it is formed by bending a flat, thin sheet of material connecting the bottom wall, first side wall, second side wall, and upper wall to surround the hollow portion. During the bending process of this type of tab, it may be difficult to thin the wall near the corner to maintain the forming accuracy of the corners where the walls are continuous; therefore, a recess is provided. In the above structure, a first recess is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall, which has a free end that is not continuous with the second side wall. The upper wall is configured to overlap with the upper end of the second side wall, thus allowing it to be wider than, for example, the opposing bottom wall and second side wall, enabling the first recess to be provided without compromising the shape accuracy of the corners. By providing a first recess in the upper wall in this way, the insertion resistance when engaging with a female terminal fitting can be reduced. Furthermore, the upper surface of the upper wall portion can make electrical contact with the female terminal fitting on both sides of the first recess. Thus, for the male terminal fitting with the hollow portion, it is possible to ensure electrical connection with the female terminal fitting while reducing the insertion resistance when mating with the female terminal fitting.

[0026] (2) In a preferred embodiment of the male terminal fitting disclosed herein, the width dimension of the first recess is 45% or more and 80% or less relative to the separation distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. With this structure, the width of the first recess can be increased while maintaining the forming accuracy of the corner where the upper wall and the first sidewall are continuous.

[0027] (3) In a preferred embodiment, the thickness at the first recess of the upper wall portion is 60% or more and 95% or less relative to the maximum thickness at the corner of the upper wall portion and the first side wall portion. With this structure, the insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting can be reliably reduced while ensuring the thickness of the upper wall portion. Furthermore, the thickness in this technology refers to a dimension equivalent to the thickness of the sheet material constituting the tab portion (in other words, a dimension in the thickness direction orthogonal to the sheet surface).

[0028] (4) In a preferred embodiment, the width dimension of the bottom wall portion is greater than the vertical dimension of the first side wall portion. A second recess is provided at the center of the lower surface of the bottom wall portion in the width direction. This second recess extends along the mating direction and is recessed upwards. The width dimension of the second recess is smaller than the width dimension of the first recess. According to the above structure, since the second recess is provided in the bottom wall portion, the insertion resistance when mating with the female terminal fitting can be further reduced. Furthermore, since the second recess is relatively narrower than the first recess, a wider electrical contact area during mating can be ensured while avoiding any impact on the forming accuracy of the corners where the bottom wall portion meets the first and second side wall portions.

[0029] (5) In a preferred embodiment, the width dimension of the second recess is 55% or more and 85% or less relative to the width dimension of the first recess. With this structure, the width of the second recess can be increased while maintaining the forming accuracy of the corner.

[0030] (6) In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises: a first top end portion continuous with the front end of the upper wall portion and inclined downward toward the front; and a second top end portion continuous with the front end of the bottom wall portion, inclined upward toward the front, and abutting against the first top end portion, wherein the first recess extends to the upper surface of the first top end portion. With this structure, the insertion resistance when engaging with a female terminal fitting can be reduced more effectively.

[0031] (7) In a preferred embodiment, a stepped portion recessed upwards is provided in the region on the lower surface of the upper wall portion that overlaps with the upper end portion of the second side wall portion. With this structure, the vertical dimension of the second side wall portion can be increased by the amount of the step in the stepped portion. As a result, the forming accuracy of the corner connecting the bottom wall portion and the second side wall portion can be maintained, and springback caused by bending processing can be suppressed, making this a preferred embodiment.

[0032] (8) In a preferred embodiment, the vertical dimension of the portion of the second sidewall that rises upward from the upper surface of the bottom wall is greater than the width dimension of the second sidewall. With this structure, the vertical dimension, which corresponds to the length of the second sidewall, is set sufficiently long relative to the width dimension, which corresponds to its thickness. This suppresses springback of the second sidewall, whose upper end is a free end, thus stabilizing the shape of the tab.

[0033] (9) The terminal fitting structure of this disclosure includes a male terminal fitting as described in any one of (1) to (8) above, and a female terminal fitting connected to the male terminal fitting, wherein the female terminal fitting includes: a connecting cylindrical portion for the male terminal fitting to be inserted; and an elastic connecting piece that is capable of elastic deformation and disposed inside the connecting cylindrical portion, the connecting cylindrical portion having a connecting wall at a position opposite to the elastic connecting piece, and the male terminal fitting being electrically connected by being sandwiched between the elastic connecting piece and the connecting wall.

[0034] Because the male terminal accessory with the above-described structure has a first recess, it achieves the following structure: when sandwiched between the elastic connecting piece and the connecting wall, it ensures electrical connection with the female terminal accessory on both sides of the first recess while reducing insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal accessory. This provides a terminal accessory structure that is easy to engage and provides good electrical connection. Furthermore, this effect is even more pronounced when the female terminal accessory employs a structure in which no protrusions are provided on the opposing surfaces of the elastic connecting piece and the connecting wall, and is therefore preferred.

[0035] (10) In a preferred embodiment of the terminal fitting structure disclosed herein, when the male terminal fitting is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion, the upper wall portion abuts against the elastic connecting piece. In the male terminal fitting of this technology, the upper wall portion is configured to overlap the second side wall portion from above. Therefore, when the male terminal fitting is fitted into the female terminal fitting and the elastic connecting piece is pressed against the upper wall portion, the upper wall portion can be reliably supported by the second side wall portion. As a result, downward displacement of the male terminal fitting under the elastic force of the elastic connecting piece of the female terminal fitting is suppressed, and the electrical connection between the male terminal fitting and the female terminal fitting can be stably maintained.

[0036] (11) In a preferred embodiment, when the male terminal fitting is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion, the bottom wall portion abuts against the connecting wall. In the male terminal fitting of this technology, the lower surface of the bottom wall portion is flat or has a second recess that is narrower than the first recess, thus ensuring a wider contact area between the male terminal fitting and the connecting wall. This results in a terminal fitting structure that provides good electrical connection with the female terminal fitting.

[0037] [Details of the embodiments disclosed herein]

[0038] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described. This disclosure is not limited to these examples, but rather to all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0039] <Implementation Method>

[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 9 A terminal fitting structure according to one embodiment will be described. In the following description, the direction indicated by arrow Z is upward, the direction indicated by arrow Y is forward, and the direction indicated by arrow X is to the right. The directions described above are set for ease of explanation. However, the content of this disclosure is not limited by the directions described above. Furthermore, for multiple identical components, sometimes only some components are labeled, while the labels are omitted for other components.

[0041] [Terminal accessory structure]

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the terminal accessory structure 1 is constructed by fitting a male terminal accessory 20 and a female terminal accessory 80 together. Typically, the terminal accessory structure 1 is constructed by fitting a male connector 10, which has a male terminal accessory 20, and a female connector 70, which has a female terminal accessory 80, together internally. In this embodiment, the fitting direction of the male connector 10 and the female connector 70 is the same as the front-back direction. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the width direction of the male connector 10 and the female connector 70 in this embodiment is the same as the left-right direction.

[0043] [Male Connector]

[0044] The male connector 10 includes a male terminal accessory 20 and a male connector housing 11 for housing the male terminal accessory 20. The male connector 10 additionally includes a front stop 53, a gasket seal 55, and a retainer 57.

[0045] [Male terminal accessories]

[0046] The male terminal accessory 20 is an element that is in mechanical contact and electrically connected to the female terminal accessory 80. The male terminal accessory 20 is constructed by using a thin sheet 49 (see reference) made of a metal material such as copper or copper alloy. Figure 9 It is formed by processing into a specified shape. For example... Figure 1 As shown, typically, the male terminal accessory 20 of this embodiment is connected to the front end of the wire 50. The wire 50 is connected to the rear end of the male terminal accessory 20. The wire 50 has a metal core wire 51 and an insulating sheath 52 made of insulating synthetic resin surrounding the outer periphery of the core wire 51. The front end of the wire 50 exposes the core wire 51 by peeling off the insulating sheath 52.

[0047] More specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the male terminal fitting 20 is elongated along the front-to-back direction and has a protrusion 30 that connects to the female terminal fitting 80 and a support portion 21 that is continuous behind the protrusion 30.

[0048] First, the support portion 21 will be described. The support portion 21 is an element that supports the wire 50 at the top end. The support portion 21 includes, from the front, a main body portion 22, a wire spool portion 26, and an insulating spool portion 27.

[0049] The main body 22 is an element used to properly hold the male terminal accessory 20 in the male connector housing 11 in position and orientation. The main body 22 is generally cylindrical. The main body 22 includes a base wall 23, side walls 24 extending upward from both ends of the base wall 23, and a cover wall 25 extending from the upper end of one side wall 24 toward the other side wall 24. The sheet metal 49 is bent so that each wall is approximately 90 degrees. A downwardly protruding stabilizer 28 is formed at the front end of the base wall 23. The stabilizer 28 is formed into a mountain shape that protrudes downward when viewed from the side. With the stabilizer 28, when the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the retainer 57 (described later), it is possible to restrict the male terminal accessory 20 to be inserted in opposite orientations in the vertical direction.

[0050] Furthermore, the main body 22 includes a connecting portion 29 at its front. The base wall 23, a pair of side walls 24, and the covering wall 25 of the main body 22 are respectively configured in the connecting portion 29 such that their height and width dimensions decrease as they face forward, so as to be continuous with the tab portion 30 described later. The shape of the connecting portion 29 is defined such that the position of the tab portion 30 relative to the main body 22 becomes suitable.

[0051] The spool portion 26 is crimped to the exposed core wire 51 within the wire 50. The spool portion 26 is in electrical and mechanical contact with the core wire 51 and holds the core wire 51 in place. The spool portion 26 is continuously disposed with the rear end of the base wall 23. The insulating spool portion 27 is crimped to a portion of the insulating sheath 52 of the wire 50 and holds the wire 50 in place. The insulating spool portion 27 is continuously disposed with the rear end of the spool portion 26.

[0052] Next, the tab portion 30 will be described. The tab portion 30 is an element for electrical and mechanical contact with the female terminal fitting 80. The tab portion 30 is continuously provided with the front end of the main body portion 22. In the vertical direction, the height dimension of the tab portion 30 is set to be smaller than the height dimension of the cylindrical main body portion 22. Furthermore, in the horizontal direction, the width dimension of the tab portion 30 is set to be smaller than the width dimension of the cylindrical main body portion 22. In this embodiment, the tab portion 30 is continuous with the base wall 23 of the main body portion 22. In this embodiment, the base wall 23 and the tab portion 30 are formed such that their lower surfaces are coplanar. The tab portion 30 is provided to extend elongatedly forward.

[0053] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the protrusion portion 30 includes a bottom wall portion 34, a first side wall portion 36, a second side wall portion 37, and an upper wall portion 31. The bottom wall portion 34 extends continuously forward from the front end of the base wall 23. The left (width direction) end of the first side wall portion 36 and the bottom wall portion 34 rises continuously. The right (width direction) end of the second side wall portion 37 and the bottom wall portion 34 rise continuously. The upper wall portion 31 extends continuously from the upper end of the first side wall portion 36 toward the upper end of the second side wall portion 37, overlapping with the upper end of the second side wall portion. In the protrusion portion 30, the right end of the upper wall portion 31 and the upper end of the second side wall portion 37 are free ends without continuous wall portions.

[0054] The upper wall portion 31 and the bottom wall portion 34 of the wall portions constituting the tab portion 30 become the portions that contact the female terminal fitting 80. More specifically, the upper wall portion 31 is designed to contact the elastic connecting piece 86 of the female terminal fitting 80, and the bottom wall portion 34 contacts the connecting wall 84 of the female terminal fitting 80. Not limited to this, however, the width dimension of the upper wall portion 31 and the bottom wall portion 34 is designed to be greater than the height dimension of the first side wall portion 36 and the second side wall portion. For example, in this embodiment, the width dimension L1 of the bottom wall portion 34 is set to be greater than the vertical dimension L2 of the first side wall portion 36. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the volume occupied by the tab portion 30 while ensuring a wider connection area with the female terminal fitting 80.

[0055] The upper wall portion 31, the first side wall portion 36, the bottom wall portion 34, and the second side wall portion 37 form a series and are formed into a square tube shape by bending (which may include stamping) in a manner that surrounds the hollow portion S. The sheet metal 49 is bent such that the continuous wall portions 31, 34, 36, and 37 are at approximately 90 degrees. The upper wall portion 31 and the bottom wall portion 34 are separated by the hollow portion S throughout the entire front-rear direction of the tab portion 30. The upper wall portion 31 and the bottom wall portion 34 are supported by the first side wall portion 36 and the second side wall portion 37 in an opposing manner.

[0056] like Figure 6As shown, a recessed step 33 is provided in the area of ​​the lower surface 46 of the upper wall portion 31 opposite the upper end of the second side wall portion 37. The thickness of the upper wall portion 31 in the step 33 is thinner than the thickness of other parts. Moreover, the upper end of the second side wall portion 37 abuts against the lower surface 46 of the upper wall portion 31 in the step 33. As a result, the vertical dimension of the second side wall portion 37, which has a free end, can be increased by, for example, the amount of the step of the step 33 compared to the opposing first side wall portion 36. This structure makes bending the second side wall portion 37, whose vertical dimension is relatively small compared to the bottom wall portion 34, easier and therefore effective.

[0057] Furthermore, regarding the second sidewall portion 37 of this embodiment, as... Figure 7 As shown, the vertical dimension L6 of the portion that rises upward relative to the upper surface 47 of the bottom wall portion 34 is designed to be larger than the width dimension L7 of the second side wall portion 37. With this structure, the second side wall portion 37, which bends relative to the bottom wall portion 34, can ensure a larger volume than the portion forward of the corner, thus stabilizing the bent shape. As a result, the springback of the second side wall portion 37 in the protrusion portion 30 can be effectively suppressed.

[0058] The tab portion 30 also includes a first tip portion 41 and a second tip portion 42. The first tip portion 41, in its unfolded state, is triangular in shape, continuous with the front end of the upper wall portion 31, and slopes downwards towards the front. The second tip portion 42, in its unfolded state, is triangular in shape, continuous with the front end of the bottom wall portion 34, and slopes upwards towards the front. The tips of the first tip portions 41 abut against the tips of the second tip portions 42. Thus, the vertical dimension of the tab portion 30 decreases both upwards and downwards as it faces forward, reducing the initial insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80 described later.

[0059] In the above-described tab portion 30, a first recess 32 recessed downwards is provided on the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31 connected to the female terminal fitting 80. The first recess 32 reduces the contact area with the female terminal fitting 80, which helps to reduce the insertion resistance between the upper wall portion 31 and the female terminal fitting 80 during mating. In this technology, the first recess 32 is provided on the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31, which has a free end. Since the right end of the upper wall portion 31 is a free end, there are no design constraints on the upper wall portion 31 required to improve the shape accuracy of the corner. Furthermore, since the upper wall portion 31 is configured to overlap the upper end of the second side wall portion 37 in a discontinuous state with the second side wall portion 37, it can be wider (longer in the width direction) compared to, for example, the opposing bottom wall portion 34 or other first side wall portions 36 and second side wall portions 37. Accordingly, a first recess 32 with sufficient width direction dimension can be provided. Furthermore, by providing the first recess 32 on a portion of the flat upper surface 45, the sliding contact surface with the female terminal fitting 80 also becomes flat, which is preferable in that it does not damage the female terminal fitting 80. As a result, the sliding contact area when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80 can be reduced, thereby reducing insertion resistance.

[0060] The first recess 32 is configured to extend along the front-rear direction from the central portion of the upper wall portion 31 in the width direction. In the front-rear direction, the first recess 32 is configured to be included in the portion connected to the female terminal fitting 80 when engaged with it. That is, the front of the first recess 32 extends to the upper surface of the first top portion 41. The rear of the first recess 32 is, for example, positioned further rearward than the connection portion connected to the elastic connecting piece 86 of the female terminal fitting 80 (described later). With this structure, insertion resistance can be reliably reduced from the initial engagement with the female terminal fitting 80 until the end of engagement.

[0061] The first recess 32 is designed to be narrow on both the left and right sides in the width direction (left-right direction) compared to the contact portion with the female terminal fitting 80. In other words, it is designed so that the female terminal fitting 80 can connect to the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31 across the first recess 32 on both sides in the width direction. Thus, for the male terminal fitting 20 having the hollow portion S, it is possible to ensure electrical connection with the female terminal fitting 80 while reducing the insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80. In a typical structure, the width dimension L3 is set to be less than the separation distance L4 between the first side wall portion 36 and the second side wall portion 37. The dimension L3 relative to the separation distance L4 can be, for example, 80% or less (preferably 77.5% or less, typically 75% or less). On the other hand, from the viewpoint of reducing insertion resistance, it is preferable that the width dimension of the first recess 32 is larger. Therefore, the dimension L3 relative to the separation distance L4 can be, for example, 45% or more (preferably 48.7% or more, typically 50% or more). This structure allows for a more appropriate reduction in insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80.

[0062] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving conductivity when in contact with the female terminal fitting 80, the width dimension L3 of the first recess 32 relative to the width dimension L1 of the bottom wall portion 34 is typically 45% or less (preferably 40% or less, for example 38.7% or less). And, from the viewpoint of reducing insertion resistance, the width dimension L3 of the first recess 32 relative to the width dimension L1 of the bottom wall portion 34 is typically 25% or more (preferably 29.3% or more, for example 30% or more).

[0063] Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the depth dimension of the first recess 32, within the range where the bottom surface of the first recess 32 does not contact the female terminal fitting 80 when it is engaged with the female terminal fitting 80. The depth dimension of the first recess 32 is typically 2% or more (preferably 2.73% or more, for example 3% or more) of the thickness of the upper wall portion 31, and typically can be targeted to be less than 27.5% (preferably less than 20%, for example less than 10%).

[0064] Furthermore, when the first recess 32 is provided near the corner of the upper wall portion 31 and the first side wall portion 36, it is difficult to form the first recess 32 simultaneously with the bending process. Therefore, the bending process is performed after the first recess 32 is formed on the thin sheet 49. In this disclosure, the thickness T1 at the first recess 32 of the upper wall portion 31 is set to be less than the maximum thickness T2 at the corner of the upper wall portion 31 and the first side wall portion 36. The thickness T1 relative to the maximum thickness T2 is, for example, 95% or less (preferably 92.8% or less, typically 90% or less). As a result, the sliding contact between the female terminal fitting 80 and the first recess 32 can be prevented more reliably, and the insertion resistance during mating can be reliably reduced. Furthermore, the thickness T1 at the first recess 32 of the upper wall portion 31 relative to the maximum thickness T2 at the corner of the upper wall portion 31 and the first side wall portion 36 can be, for example, 60% or more (preferably 64% or more, typically 70% or more). With this structure, the thickness of the upper wall portion 31 can be ensured, the shape accuracy of the corner portion can be ensured, and the strength of the tab portion 30 can also be improved.

[0065] A second recess 35, recessed upwards, is provided on the lower surface 48 of the bottom wall portion 34. The second recess 35 reduces the contact area with the female terminal fitting 80, thus helping to reduce insertion resistance during engagement. In this technology, a second recess 35 is also provided on the lower surface 48 of the bottom wall portion 34. The second recess 35 is configured to extend along the front-rear direction from the central portion in the width direction of the bottom wall portion 34. In the front-rear direction, the second recess 35 is configured to be included in the portion connected to the female terminal fitting 80 during engagement. The front of the second recess 35 extends to the upper surface of the second top portion 42. The rear of the second recess 35 is, for example, positioned further rearward than the contact portion that contacts the connecting wall 84 of the female terminal fitting 80 (described later). With this structure, insertion resistance can be reliably reduced from the initial engagement with the female terminal fitting 80 to the end of engagement.

[0066] The bottom wall portion 34 has corner portions at both ends in the width direction. Therefore, the width dimension L5 of the second recess 35 is set to be smaller than the width dimension L3 of the first recess 32. By adopting such a structure, the bottom wall portion 34 can ensure a wider contact area with the female terminal fitting 80, enabling good electrical connection. In a typical structure, the width dimension L5 of the second recess 35 relative to the width dimension L3 of the first recess 32 can be, for example, 85% or less (preferably 81.4% or less, typically 75% or less). Furthermore, from the viewpoint of reducing the insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80, it is preferable that the dimension L5 of the second recess 35 is larger. From this viewpoint, the width dimension L5 of the second recess 35 relative to the width dimension L3 of the first recess 32 can be, for example, 55% or more (preferably 58% or more, typically 60% or more). Thus, a high level of electrical connection with the female terminal fitting 80 and a reduction in insertion resistance can coexist.

[0067] Furthermore, the dimension L1 in the width direction of the bottom wall portion 34 can be the dimension in the width direction of the lower surface 48 of the bottom wall portion 34 (overall dimension). The dimension L2 in the vertical direction of the first side wall portion 36 can be the dimension in the vertical direction of the outer surface (left surface) of the first side wall portion 36 (overall dimension). The dimension L3 in the width direction of the first recess 32 can be the dimension in the width direction of the first recess 32 on the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31 (overall dimension). The separation distance L4 can be the distance between the inner surface (right surface) of the first side wall portion 36 and the inner surface (left surface) of the second side wall portion 37. The dimension L5 in the width direction of the second recess 35 can be the dimension in the width direction of the second recess 35 on the lower surface 48 of the bottom wall portion 34 (overall dimension). The dimension L6 in the vertical direction of the raised portion of the second side wall portion 37 can be the dimension from the upper surface 47 of the bottom wall portion 34 to the upper end of the second side wall portion 37. The dimension L7 of the second side wall portion 37 in the width direction can be the dimension of the second side wall portion 37 along the tangent (section) of the upper surface 47 of the bottom wall portion 34 in the width direction.

[0068] Furthermore, the thickness T1 at the first recess 32 of the upper wall portion 31 can be taken as the dimension in the thickness direction of the first recess 32 of the upper wall portion 31 (for example, the arithmetic mean of dimensions measured at three points). The maximum thickness T2 at the corner of the upper wall portion 31 and the first side wall portion 36 can be taken as the maximum dimension between the intersection point P of the lower surface 46 of the upper wall portion 31 and the inner surface of the first side wall portion 36 and the outline of the curved surface from the upper wall portion 31 to the first side wall portion 36. This maximum thickness T2 is generally equivalent to the radius of curvature of the outer surface at the corner. All the above dimensions can be measured using values ​​based on a cross-sectional image of the tab portion 30 orthogonal to the front-back direction.

[0069] [Male Connector Housing]

[0070] The male connector housing 11 is a shell-shaped structure that is flat in the vertical direction and extends in the horizontal direction, and is approximately cuboid in shape. The male connector housing 11 is constructed by injection molding of insulating synthetic resin. On the inner side of the male connector housing 11, a tower portion 13 for holding multiple male terminal fittings 20 is provided in the central portion in the front-rear direction.

[0071] A cover 12 is provided at the front end of the male connector housing 11. The cover 12 houses and holds the female connector 70, which is positioned in front of the tower portion 13, in the mating state. The cover 12 is a square tube with an opening at the front, forming a structure that surrounds the front portion of the tower portion 13.

[0072] The tower portion 13 is an element that holds the male terminal accessory 20 in a forward-backward orientation within the male connector housing 11. At the front end of the tower portion 13, a window portion 18 is provided for the protrusion portion 30 of the male terminal accessory 20 to pass through, and a cavity 14 is provided within the tower portion 13 for receiving the support portion 21 of the male terminal accessory 20. Furthermore, the tower portion 13 has an intermediate wall 15, which divides the cavity 14 approximately into upper and lower layers. Figure 1 The diagram shows a case where one male terminal accessory 20 is housed in the upper cavity 14; the male terminal accessories 20 are omitted from the illustrations of the other cavities 14. In the tower section 13, cavities 14 are arranged in a left-right direction, allowing multiple (e.g., eight in this embodiment) male terminal accessories 20 to be housed in each layer in a left-right direction. The shape of the cavity 14 is not limited as long as it allows the male terminal accessories 20 to be housed in a prescribed posture.

[0073] Inside the cavity 14, a spear-shaped member 16 extending forward from the inner wall of the cavity 14 is provided. The spear-shaped member 16 is configured such that its front end can flex and deform in the vertical direction. When the male terminal accessory 20 is housed in the cavity 14 at an appropriate position, the spear-shaped member 16 can flex to a position where it is locked from the rear to the main body 22 of the male terminal accessory 20. Thus, the spear-shaped member 16 can restrict the rearward displacement of the male terminal accessory 20, keeping it in a non-detached state within the cavity 14.

[0074] At the front end of the tower portion 13, a front stop 53 is fitted from the front. The front stop 53 is made of insulating synthetic resin. The front stop 53 has a locking portion 54 extending rearward. With the front stop 53 fully fitted into the tower portion 13, the locking portion 54 is positioned within the flexural space of the spear-shaped member 16, ensuring that the spear-shaped member 16 locks the male terminal accessory 20. Thus, with the front stop 53 fitted into the tower portion 13, the male terminal accessory 20 is doubly locked to the male connector housing 11 by the spear-shaped member 16 and the front stop 53.

[0075] A gasket seal 55 is housed at the rear end of the male connector housing 11. The gasket seal 55 is made of synthetic rubber, and multiple through holes 56 are formed throughout in the front-rear direction. A wire 50 fixed to the rear of the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the through holes 56 of the gasket seal 55, and the gasket seal 55 retains the wire 50 while maintaining a tight, liquid-tight contact with the outer periphery of the wire 50.

[0076] At the rear end of the male connector housing 11, a retainer 57 is assembled at a position rearward of the storage area of ​​the gasket seal 55. By installing the retainer 57 onto the male connector housing 11, the gasket seal 55 is held in a non-detachable state within the male connector housing 11.

[0077] [Female connector]

[0078] like Figure 8 As shown, the female connector 70 includes a female terminal accessory 80 and a female connector housing 72 for housing the female terminal accessory 80. The female connector housing 72 houses a plurality of female terminal accessories 80 at positions corresponding to the male terminal accessories 20 to which they are connected. The female connector housing 72 is housed within the cover portion 12 of the male connector 10 and is positioned in front of the tower portion 13.

[0079] [Female terminal accessories]

[0080] The female terminal fitting 80 includes a connecting cylindrical portion 82 into which the male terminal fitting 20 is inserted, and an elastic connecting piece 86 disposed inside the connecting cylindrical portion 82. The connecting cylindrical portion 82 is formed into a rectangular cylindrical shape that is longer in the front-to-back direction by processing a thin sheet of metal material such as copper or copper alloy into a predetermined shape. The elastic connecting piece 86 includes two elastic pieces 87 and 88 obtained by forming a plate of metal material such as copper or copper alloy into a V-shape and a U-shape, respectively. The V-shaped elastic piece 87 is fixed to the inner bottom surface of the connecting cylindrical portion 82 in a bent position near the rear end of the connecting cylindrical portion 82. The U-shaped elastic piece 88 is welded to the inner bottom surface of the connecting cylindrical portion 82 in a bent position in front of the V-shaped elastic piece 87. Furthermore, the connecting cylindrical portion 82 has a connecting wall 84 that protrudes flatly upward at a position opposite to the elastic connecting piece 86. As described above, the elastic connecting piece 86 is connected to the upper wall portion 31 of the male terminal fitting 20, and the connecting wall 84 is connected to the bottom wall portion 34 of the male terminal fitting 20.

[0081] Furthermore, the lower surface of the connecting wall 84 is a flat surface, for example, without any downward protrusions. Also, the uppermost surface of each elastic connecting piece 86 is a flat surface in the width direction, for example, without any upward protrusions.

[0082] When the male connector 10 and the female connector 70 are engaged, such as Figure 1 As shown, the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion 82. Furthermore, the male terminal accessory 20 is configured to be sandwiched between the elastic connecting piece 86 and the connecting wall 84, thus electrically connecting to the female terminal accessory 80. When the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion 82, the upper wall portion 31 abuts against the elastic connecting piece 86. Also, when the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion 82, the bottom wall portion 34 abuts against the connecting wall 84.

[0083] [Manufacturing process of connector structure]

[0084] First, an example of the manufacturing process of the terminal fitting structure 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The manufacturing process of the terminal fitting structure 1 is not limited to the following description.

[0085] First, the manufacturing process of the male connector 10 will be explained.

[0086] First, the thin sheet 49, which serves as the manufacturing material for the male terminal accessory 20, is punched to obtain its approximate unfolded shape. Next, a stamping process is performed to form the first recess 32 and the second recess 35 at specified locations, and a knurling process is performed to form patterns on the tubular portion 26. Then, the thin sheet 49 is stamped to obtain its approximate shape. Figure 9The male terminal fitting 20 is shown in its unfolded shape, and a portion of the punched sheet metal 49 is bent. Next, by performing bending and stamping processes, the main body 22, the tab 30, the first top end 41, and the second top end 42 are formed into a predetermined shape. Alternatively, bending and stamping processes can be performed simultaneously on a portion of the sheet metal.

[0087] Next, a male terminal accessory 20 is installed on the front end of the stripped wire 50. Specifically, the wire spool portion 26 is crimped to the core wire 51 of the wire 50, and the insulating spool portion 27 is crimped to the insulating sheath 52 of the wire 50 (see reference). Figure 1 ).

[0088] On the other hand, a gasket seal 55 is inserted into the receiving recess 17 of the male connector housing 11, and then a retainer 57 is installed from the rear end of the male connector housing 11. Furthermore, a front stop 53 is temporarily locked (also known as a semi-locking or similar) from the front at the tower portion 13 of the male connector housing 11.

[0089] The male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the male connector housing 11 from the rear retainer 57 with the protrusion 30 positioned at the front and the stabilizer 28 positioned below. In the male terminal accessory 20, the protrusion 30 penetrates the window 18 of the tower 13 and protrudes forward of the tower 13, while the support 21 is housed within the cavity 14. Thus, the spear-shaped member 16 elastically engages with the rear end of the main body 22 of the male terminal accessory 20 from the rear, holding the male terminal accessory 20 in an anti-dislodgement state within the male connector housing 11. Furthermore, the gasket seal 55 is in close contact with the outer periphery of the insulation layer 52 of the wire 50, thereby sealing the wire 50 and the gasket seal 55 in a liquid-tight manner.

[0090] Then, the front stop 53 is moved to its deepest point and truly engages with the tower portion 13, thereby doubly engaging the male terminal fitting 20 with the engaging portion 54 of the front stop 53. Through the above, the male connector 10 (see reference) is completed. Figure 1 ).

[0091] Next, the construction of the terminal fitting structure 1, or in other words, the engagement of the male terminal fitting 20 and the female terminal fitting 80, will be described. The prepared female connector 70 is fitted into the cover portion 12 of the male connector 10. At this time, the female connector 70 is fitted with the elastic connecting piece 86 of the female terminal fitting 80 positioned above and the connecting wall 84 positioned below. Consequently, the protruding tab portion 30 of the male terminal fitting 20, protruding forward towards the tower portion 13, is inserted into the connecting sleeve portion 82 of the female terminal fitting 80, and moves forward relative to each other between the elastic connecting piece 86 and the connecting wall 84. Figure 8As shown, the male terminal accessory 20 slides forward while its upper wall 31 of the protrusion 30 slides in contact with the elastic connecting piece 86 and its bottom wall 34 slides in contact with the connecting wall 84. The male connector 10 and the female connector 70 are engaged by the female connector housing 72 abutting against the front stop 53. Through the above, the male terminal accessory 20 and the female terminal accessory 80 are engaged to form the terminal accessory structure 1.

[0092] [Effects of the Implementation Method]

[0093] Next, the effects of this implementation method will be explained.

[0094] In the structure disclosed herein, a first recess 32 is provided on the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31, which has one end that is a free end not continuous with the second side wall portion 37. The upper wall portion 31 is configured to overlap with the upper end of the second side wall portion 37, thus, for example, it can be wider than the opposing bottom wall portion 34 and the first side wall portion 36, allowing the first recess 32 to be configured as a wide structure without compromising the shape accuracy of the corner between it and the first side wall portion 36. By providing the first recess 32 on the upper wall portion 31 in this way, the insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80 can be reduced. Furthermore, the upper surface 45 of the upper wall portion 31 is electrically connected to the female terminal fitting 80 on both sides of the first recess 32. Therefore, for the male terminal fitting 20 having a hollow portion, the insertion resistance when engaging with the female terminal fitting 80 can be reduced while ensuring electrical connection with the female terminal fitting 80.

[0095] Furthermore, according to the above structure, when the male terminal accessory 20 is inserted into the connecting sleeve portion 82 of the female terminal accessory 80, the upper wall portion 31 becomes abutting against the elastic connecting piece 86. The elastic connecting piece 86 is designed to elastically press against the protruding portion 30 of the male terminal accessory 20 from above. Therefore, for example, a greater insertion resistance is generated between the upper wall portion 31 and the elastic connecting piece 86 compared to that between the bottom wall portion 34 and the connecting wall 84. Here, for example, a first recess 32 that is wider than the second recess 35 is formed in the upper wall portion 31, thus effectively reducing the insertion resistance generated between it and the elastic connecting piece 86. Furthermore, the upper wall portion 31 is configured to overlap with the second side wall portion 37 from above, thus forming a structure in which even when the elastic connecting piece 86 is elastically pressed against it from above by fitting, the upper wall portion 31, which is subjected to a downward force, can be reliably supported by the second side wall portion 37. Thus, a terminal fitting structure 1 is realized that can suppress the deformation of the male terminal fitting 20 by the elastic force of the elastic connecting piece 86 of the female terminal fitting 80, and can stably maintain the electrical connection between the male terminal fitting 20 and the female terminal fitting 80.

[0096] Furthermore, according to the above structure, when the male terminal fitting 20 is inserted into the connecting sleeve portion 82 of the female terminal fitting 80, the bottom wall portion 34 abuts against the connecting wall 84. In the male terminal fitting 20 of this disclosure, the lower surface 48 of the bottom wall portion 34 is flat, and a second recess 35, narrower than the first recess 32, is provided at its center in the width direction. Therefore, the second recess 35 reduces the insertion resistance generated between the bottom wall portion 34 and the connecting wall 84 while ensuring a wider electrical contact area between the bottom wall portion 34 and the connecting wall 84. Thus, a terminal fitting structure 1 with good electrical connection is achieved.

[0097] When the female terminal fitting 80, which constitutes the terminal fitting structure 1, adopts a structure in which no protrusions are provided on the opposing surfaces of the elastic connecting piece 86 and the connecting wall 84, the advantages of the above-mentioned effects of the present disclosure are particularly evident, and therefore it is preferred.

[0098] Furthermore, the advantages of the present disclosure are particularly evident when applied to a male terminal fitting 20 where a recess cannot be easily provided on the electrical contact surface with the female terminal fitting 80, and therefore it is preferred. Examples of such a male terminal fitting 20 include any one or more male terminal fittings that combine the following features.

[0099] • Male terminal fittings made of sheet metal with a thickness of 1 mm or less (e.g., 0.9 mm or less, 0.8 mm or less, 0.7 mm or less) used as manufacturing material.

[0100] Male terminal fittings whose constituent parts have a wall thickness of 0.6 mm or less (e.g., 0.5 mm or less, 0.4 mm or less, 0.3 mm or less) and 0.1 mm or more (e.g., 0.2 mm or more).

[0101] Male terminal fittings with a width dimension of 1.5mm or less (e.g., 1mm or less, 0.9mm or less) for the tab portion.

[0102] Male terminal fittings with a thickness dimension of 1 mm or less (e.g., 0.9 mm or less, 0.8 mm or less, 0.7 mm or less) in the tab direction.

[0103] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0104] (1) In the male terminal fitting 20 of this embodiment, the rear end of the bottom wall portion 34 of the tab portion 30 is continuous with the front end of the support portion 21 (base wall 23). However, it is also possible that any one of the upper wall portion 31, bottom wall portion 34, first side wall portion 36, and second side wall portion 37 of the tab portion 30 is continuous with the support portion 21. Furthermore, the portion of the tab portion 30 that is continuous is not limited to the base wall 23 of the support portion 21, but may also be the side wall 24, the covering wall 25, etc.

[0105] (2) In the male terminal fitting 20 of this embodiment, the second recess 35 and the step portion 33 of the upper wall portion 31 can also be omitted independently.

[0106] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0107] 1…Terminal accessory structure, 10…Male connector, 11…Male connector housing, 12…Cover, 13…Tower, 14…Cavity, 15…Intermediate wall, 16…Spear-shaped piece, 17…Receiving recess, 18…Window, 20…Male terminal accessory, 21…Support, 22…Main body, 23…Base wall, 24…Side wall, 25…Covering wall, 26…Spool, 27…Insulating cylinder, 28…Stabilizer, 29…Connecting part, 30…Protrusion, 31…Upper wall, 32…First recess, 33…Step, 34…Bottom wall, 35…Second recess, 36…First side wall, 37… …Second side wall portion, 41…First top portion, 42…Second top portion, 45…Upper surface, 46…Lower surface, 47…Upper surface, 48…Lower surface, 49…Sheet metal, 50…Wire, 51…Core wire, 52…Insulation coating, 53…Front stop, 54…Locking part, 55…Press seal, 56…Through hole, 57…Retainer, 70…Female connector, 72…Female connector housing, 80…Female terminal fitting, 82…Connecting cylinder portion, 84…Connecting wall, 86…Elastic connecting piece, 87…V-shaped elastic piece, 88…U-shaped elastic piece, S…Hollow portion.

Claims

1. A male terminal fitting, comprising a protrusion portion for connection to a female terminal fitting, and a support portion continuous with the protrusion portion along an engagement direction of the female terminal fitting, wherein, The tab extends along the engagement direction. The protrusion portion has: bottom wall part; The first side wall portion, its end which intersects with the bottom wall portion in the width direction of the fitting direction, stands continuously; The second side wall portion rises continuously from the end on the other side of the width direction; as well as The upper wall portion extends continuously from the upper end of the first side wall portion toward the upper end of the second side wall portion and overlaps with the upper end of the second side wall portion. The upper wall portion and the bottom wall portion are separated by a hollow portion in the front-back direction of the protruding piece portion. On the upper surface of the upper wall portion, a first recess is provided at the central portion in the width direction. This first recess extends along the fitting direction and is recessed downwards. The width dimension of the first recess is 45% or more and 80% or less relative to the separation distance between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion. The thickness at the first recess of the upper wall portion is 60% or more and 95% or less relative to the maximum thickness at the corner of the upper wall portion and the first side wall portion.

2. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1, wherein, The width dimension of the bottom wall portion is greater than the vertical dimension of the first side wall portion. On the lower surface of the bottom wall portion, a second recess is provided at the central portion in the width direction. This second recess extends along the fitting direction and is recessed upwards. The width dimension of the second recess is smaller than the width dimension of the first recess.

3. The male terminal fitting according to claim 2, wherein, The width dimension of the second recess is more than 55% and less than 85% of the width dimension of the first recess.

4. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The male terminal accessory includes: The first top portion, which is continuous with the front end of the upper wall portion, slopes forward and downward; and The second top end portion is continuous with the front end of the bottom wall portion, slopes upwards and forwards, and abuts against the first top end portion. The first recess extends to the upper surface of the first top end.

5. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, A stepped portion recessed upwards is provided in the area on the lower surface of the upper wall portion that overlaps with the upper end portion of the second side wall portion.

6. The male terminal fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The vertical dimension of the portion of the second sidewall that rises upward from the upper surface of the bottom wall is greater than the width dimension of the second sidewall.

7. A terminal fitting structure comprising a male terminal fitting as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, and a female terminal fitting connected to the male terminal fitting, wherein, The female terminal accessory includes: The connecting cylindrical portion, into which the male terminal fitting is inserted; and An elastic connecting piece, capable of elastic deformation, is disposed inside the connecting cylinder portion. The connecting cylinder portion has a connecting wall at a position opposite to the elastic connecting piece. The male terminal fitting is configured to be electrically connected by being sandwiched between the elastic connecting piece and the connecting wall.

8. The terminal fitting structure according to claim 7, wherein, When the male terminal fitting is inserted into the connecting cylinder, the upper wall abuts against the elastic connecting piece.

9. The terminal fitting structure according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, When the male terminal fitting is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion, the bottom wall portion abuts against the connecting wall.

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