Terminal and electronic device

Abstract

A terminal is fastened to a connection-side terminal using an external thread member and an internal thread member, the terminal including: a flat plate-shaped connection portion configured to overlap the connection-side terminal; and a pair of restriction wall portions connected to the connection portion and integrally formed, wherein the external thread member is inserted through and penetrates the connection-side terminal and the connection portion by the connection-side terminal being configured to overlap the connection portion, the external thread member is threadedly connected to the internal thread member, whereby the terminal is fastened to the connection-side terminal, and the pair of restriction wall portions are configured to approach and oppose a side surface of the external thread member or a side surface of the internal thread member, and restrict rotation of the external thread member or the internal thread member when threadedly connected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a terminal and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 58-021492 discloses a terminal connection structure in which a terminal plate having bolt holes and a crimp terminal are connected using a bolt (external threaded member) and a nut. In this terminal connection structure, the crimp terminal is disposed on the upper side of the terminal plate, and the bolt is inserted and passes through from the lower side of the terminal plate.

[0003] At this point, a retaining metal part is disposed between the terminal plate and the bolt to restrict the rotation of the bolt head. An anti-rotation plate is formed on the retaining metal part, which locks onto the side of the bolt head to prevent the bolt head from rotating due to the torque input when the nut is tightened.

[0004] In the technology described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 58-021492, since a metal anti-rotation plate is used to limit the rotation of the bolt head, a higher tightening torque can be set for the nut during fastening. However, since the metal part is held between the terminal plate and the bolt, there is a problem of increased component count and increased manufacturing cost. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to set a higher tightening torque when fastening a terminal fastened to a connection side terminal using external threaded members and internal threaded members, while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0006] The first aspect of this disclosure relates to a terminal fastened to a connecting side terminal using an external threaded member and an internal threaded member. The terminal includes: a flat connecting portion disposed overlapping the connecting side terminal; and a pair of limiting wall portions integrally formed and connected to the connecting portion. The connecting side terminal is disposed overlapping the connecting portion, the external threaded member is inserted into and passes through the connecting side terminal and the connecting portion, and the external threaded member is threadedly connected to the internal threaded member, thereby fastening the terminal to the connecting side terminal. The pair of limiting wall portions are close to and opposite to the side surface of the external threaded member or the side surface of the internal threaded member, restricting rotation of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member during threaded connection.

[0007] According to this disclosure, the terminal has a flat connecting portion that overlaps with the connecting side terminal, and a pair of limiting wall portions integrally formed with and connected to the connecting portion. The terminal is secured to the connecting side terminal by inserting an external threaded member into and passing through the overlapping connecting side terminal and the connecting portion, and by threading the external threaded member to an internal threaded member. Here, the pair of limiting wall portions provided on the terminal are configured to be close to and opposite to the side of the external threaded member or the side of the internal threaded member, restricting rotation of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member during threaded connection. Thus, the terminal with the above structure integrally forms a pair of limiting wall portions, which restrict rotation of one of the external threaded member and the internal threaded member when secured to the connecting side terminal. Therefore, since these parts are integrally formed from the same material into one component, the number of components can be reduced, and the strength of the terminal can be used to restrict rotation of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member. Consequently, a higher tightening torque can be set during securing, achieving cost reduction. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing an exploded view of a portion of the electronic device according to the first embodiment;

[0010] Figure 2 This is a bottom view of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0011] Figure 3 It shows along Figure 2 A sectional view of the terminal block cut along line III-III;

[0012] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0013] Figure 5A This is a planar perspective view of the base portion of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0014] Figure 5B This is a perspective view of the base portion of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0015] Figure 5C This is a bottom view showing the base portion of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0016] Figure 6A This is a planar perspective view of the terminals of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0017] Figure 6BThis is a perspective view of the bottom side of the terminals of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0018] Figure 6C This is a top view showing the terminals of the terminal block according to the first embodiment;

[0019] Figure 7A This is a planar perspective view showing a first modified example of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0020] Figure 7B This is a partial top view showing an example of a pair of limiting wall portions of a first modified example of a terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0021] Figure 7C This is a partial top view showing an example of a pair of limiting wall portions of a first modified example of a terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0022] Figure 8A This is a planar perspective view showing a second modified example of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0023] Figure 8B This is a partial top view showing an example of a pair of limiting walls of a second variation of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0024] Figure 8C This is a partial top view showing an example of a pair of limiting walls of a second variation of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0025] Figure 9A This is a planar perspective view showing a third modified example of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0026] Figure 9B This is a partial top view showing a third variation of the terminal according to the first embodiment;

[0027] Figure 10 This is an exploded perspective view showing a modified example of the terminal block according to the second embodiment;

[0028] Figure 11 This shows a cross-section of the terminal block according to the second embodiment. Figure 3 The corresponding sectional view. Detailed Implementation

[0029] [First Implementation Method]

[0030] See below. Figures 1 to 6CThe first embodiment of this disclosure will be described. In this embodiment, for ease of explanation, the directions indicated by the arrows appropriately shown in each figure (up / down, left / right, and front / back) are defined as the up / down direction, left / right direction, and front / back direction of the electronic device 1, respectively. Furthermore, in each figure, some reference numerals are sometimes omitted for ease of observation.

[0031] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electronic device 1 includes a housing 2, a circuit board 3 housed inside the housing 2, and multiple terminal blocks 4 mounted on the housing 2. The circuit board 3 includes a wiring board 3A formed by forming a conductor wiring pattern on the surface and inside an insulating substrate, and multiple electronic components mounted on the wiring board 3A. As an example of the multiple electronic components, a control unit (not shown) containing multiple circuit elements such as a CPU, and multiple semiconductor elements 3B are mounted on the wiring board 3A. The control unit and the multiple semiconductor elements 3B are electrically connected through the wiring pattern formed on the wiring board 3A. The multiple semiconductor elements 3B can be configured as rectifier elements in a rectifier circuit, switching elements in an inverter circuit, etc., by the control of the control unit.

[0032] The housing 2 is an upward-opening box-shaped component, and as an example, it is formed of metals such as aluminum or iron. The housing 2 includes a front wall portion 2A, a rear wall portion 2B, a left wall portion 2C, a right wall portion 2D, and a bottom wall portion 2E. Multiple terminal block mounting portions 5 are formed on the rear wall portion 2B of the housing 2. Each terminal block mounting portion 5 is a slot that extends through the rear wall portion 2B in the front-to-back direction and opens upwards. Terminal blocks 4 are respectively mounted at each of the multiple terminal block mounting portions 5.

[0033] Terminal block 4 has a base portion 40 made of resin material and a terminal 6 disposed on the base portion 40. A connecting terminal 7 is connected to the top (rear end) side of the terminal 6. The terminal 6 and the connecting terminal 7 are connected by means of an internal thread member 8A embedded in the base portion 40 and an external thread member 8B threadedly connected to the internal thread member 8A (see [reference]). Figure 3 ).

[0034] The base portion 40 is box-shaped with an opening on the lower side of the device, and has a longitudinal wall portion 42 forming the front side wall portion. The longitudinal wall portion 42 is a longitudinal wall with a predetermined thickness in the front-rear direction, and grooves 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the longitudinal wall portion 42 to fit into the terminal block mounting portion 5. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the longitudinal wall portion 42 is installed in the housing 2, it becomes part of the rear wall portion 2B of the housing 2 and divides the housing 2 into the inner and outer parts.

[0035] Figure 5AA perspective view of the base portion 40 of the terminal block 4, viewed from a planar side, is shown. As shown in the figure, a U-shaped through groove 44 extending through the longitudinal wall portion 42 in the front-to-back direction is formed in the center of the longitudinal wall portion 42. Figure 4 As shown, the first connecting portion 61 of the terminal 6 and a pair of limiting wall portions 64 are inserted into the through groove 44 of the longitudinal wall portion 42 from the front side of the base portion 40.

[0036] Figure 5C The figure shows a bottom view of the base portion 40 as seen from the bottom side. As shown, a rectangular block-shaped platform 45 is provided inside the base portion 40, and an internally threaded member 8A is embedded in this platform. The platform 45 has a square hole 46 recessed into a hexagonal shape, and the internally threaded member 8A is embedded inside the square hole 46. Figure 4 As shown, the internal thread member 8A is composed of a hexagonal nut, and has a hexagonal torque input portion 81 and an internal thread portion 82 that passes through and is formed at the center of the shaft of the torque input portion 81. The side of the torque input portion 81 includes six torque input surfaces 81A arranged circumferentially.

[0037] Side grooves 47 extending forward and backward are formed on both sides of the platform 45. For the internally threaded member 8A embedded in the square hole 46, the two torque input surfaces 81A of the hexagonal torque input part 81, positioned face-to-face, are respectively arranged facing the left and right side grooves 47. A pair of limiting wall parts 64 of the terminal 6, which are inserted into and pass through the through groove 44 of the longitudinal wall part 42, are inserted into the left and right side grooves 47 and engage with them (see...). Figure 3 Thus, the pair of limiting wall portions 64, described later, are positioned close to and opposite to the two torque input surfaces 81A of the torque input portion 81, which are arranged face-to-face.

[0038] Figure 6A A perspective view of terminal 6 as seen from the planar side is shown. Figure 6B A perspective view of terminal 6 as seen from the bottom side is shown. Figure 6C A top view of terminal 6 is shown. As these figures show, terminal 6 is formed by bending a metal sheet. Terminal 6 has a flat first connecting portion 61, and a [missing information - likely a component or part] disposed at one end of the first connecting portion 61. Figure 2 The second connecting part 62 (located on the front end side).

[0039] The first connecting portion 61 is formed as a flat plate that is longer in the front-to-back direction and has a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. A through hole 63 extending through the plate in the thickness direction is formed at the rear end of the first connecting portion 61. A pair of limiting wall portions 64 are configured to connect to the two ends of the first connecting portion 61 in the left-to-right direction (width direction). The pair of limiting wall portions 64 are integrally formed with the first connecting portion 61 by bending the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 61 upwards at approximately right angles. Thus, the first connecting portion 61 and the pair of limiting wall portions 64 are connected via a bend 66 bent into an R-shape. In the terminal 6, the first connecting portion 61, the bend 66, and the pair of limiting wall portions 64 constitute a plate with a generally U-shaped cross-section.

[0040] The second connecting portion 62 is a long strip of plate whose thickness is in the left-right direction and its length is in the front-back direction. This second connecting portion stands approximately at a right angle to the flat first connecting portion 61. With the terminal 6 held on the terminal block 4, the front end of the second connecting portion 62 is configured to protrude forward from the longitudinal wall portion 42 of the base portion 40. Therefore, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the terminal block 4 is installed on the housing 2, the second connecting portion 62 protrudes toward the wiring board 3A housed in the housing 2. When the second connecting portion 62 is sandwiched between the clip-shaped connecting terminals 32 installed on the upper surface of the wiring board 3A, it is electrically connected to the wiring board 3A by brazing or welding.

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, the first connecting portion 61 of terminal 6, together with a pair of limiting wall portions 64, is inserted into the through groove 44 formed in the longitudinal wall portion 42 of the base portion 40, thereby holding it in the base portion 40. In this state, as Figure 3 As shown, a flat first connecting portion 61 is configured to cover the internally threaded member 8A provided on the base portion 40 from below. A through hole 63 formed in the first connecting portion 61 is coaxially arranged with the internally threaded portion 82 of the internally threaded member 8A. Furthermore, a pair of limiting wall portions 64 integrally formed with the first connecting portion 61 are inserted into left and right side grooves 47 extending vertically inside the base portion 40, clamping the sides of the internally threaded member 8A from both sides. Thus, of the plurality of torque input surfaces 81A of the torque input portion 81 of the internally threaded member 8A, two torque input surfaces 81A arranged face-to-face are close to and opposite to the pair of limiting wall portions 64. Specifically, the pair of limiting wall portions 64 extend from the first connecting portion 61 with the thickness direction being approximately orthogonal to the surface direction of the torque input surfaces 81A, and the side surfaces in the width direction of the pair of limiting wall portions 64 are close to and opposite to the two torque input surfaces 81A respectively.

[0042] Furthermore, the states in which the two torque input surfaces 81A are close to and relatively configured with the pair of limiting wall portions 64 include two states: the states in which the two torque input surfaces 81A are separated from the pair of limiting wall portions 64 at close range, and the states in which the two torque input surfaces 81A are in contact with the pair of limiting wall portions 64.

[0043] like Figures 6A to 6C As shown, in terminal 6, an elliptical recess 68 is formed on the bent portion 66 connecting the first connecting portion 61 to a pair of limiting wall portions 64. The recess 68 includes a through hole formed in the bent portion 66. As described above, when the first connecting portion 61 of terminal 6 is configured to cover the internally threaded member 8A from below, the corner portion 81B of the torque input portion 81 of the internally threaded member 8A is inserted into the recess 68 of the bent portion 66 (see...). Figure 3 Additionally, the corner 81B of the torque input section 81 mentioned here refers to the corner formed at the axial end of the torque input surface 81A on the constitutive side of the torque input section 81.

[0044] The purpose of forming a recess 68 on the bent portion 66 and inserting the corner portion 81B of the internal thread member 8A (torque input portion 81) into the inside of the recess 68 is to ensure that the pair of limiting wall portions 64 are close to and opposite the torque input surface 81A, regardless of the plate thickness of the terminal 6. That is, inside the base portion 40, the inner surface of the bent portion 66, which is bent into an R shape, is arranged opposite to the corner portion 81B of the torque input portion 81. Here, in a typical bending process, the size of R (the size of the curvature) of the bent portion 66 increases proportionally to the plate thickness of the terminal 6. Therefore, if the plate thickness of the terminal 6 is set to be large, it is necessary to set a large gap between the limiting wall portion 64 and the torque input surface 81A to avoid interference between the corner portion 81B of the torque input portion 81 and the bent portion 66. The larger the gap between the limiting wall 64 and the torque input surface 81A is set, the more rotation of the internal thread member 8A caused by the tightening torque is allowed. Therefore, from the viewpoint of effectively limiting the rotation of the internal thread member 8A, it is preferable to set the gap between the limiting wall 64 and the torque input surface 81A to be as small as possible.

[0045] In contrast, in this embodiment, a recess 68 is formed on the bent portion 66, and the corner portion 81B of the internally threaded member 8A (torque input portion 81) is inserted into the inside of the recess 68. This allows the protrusion of the corner portion 81B to retract into the recess 68, thereby enabling the limiting wall portion 64 to easily approach the torque input surface 81A. Therefore, regardless of the plate thickness of the terminal 6, a pair of limiting wall portions 64 can be configured to approach the torque input surface 81A. Furthermore, by setting a larger plate thickness for the terminal 6, a terminal structure capable of handling high-current circuits can be achieved.

[0046] According to the terminal 6 of the above structure, the connecting terminal 7 overlaps with the first connecting portion 61 from the lower side of the base portion 40, and the external threaded member 8B is inserted into and passes through the first connecting portion 61 from the lower side of the connecting terminal 7. As an example, the connecting terminal 7 includes a crimp terminal mounted on the front end of the cable 90, and the connecting terminal 7 has a through hole 72 at the front end connected to the terminal 6 for the external threaded member 8B to be inserted and pass through. As an example, the external threaded member 8B is made of a hexagonal bolt. The external threaded member 8B has a head 84 for applying tightening torque by a tool and a shaft portion 86 with external threads formed on its outer peripheral surface. By inserting the shaft portion 86 of the external threaded member 8B into and passing through the through hole 63 of the first connecting portion 61 and the through hole 72 of the connecting terminal 7, and by threading the shaft portion 86 with the internal thread portion 82 of the internal threaded member 8A, the terminal 6 and the connecting terminal 7 are thereby fastened and fixed.

[0047] During the aforementioned fastening process, if a fastening torque is applied to the externally threaded member 8B, the internally threaded member 8A tends to rotate due to the effect of the fastening torque transmitted from the externally threaded member 8B. At this time, a pair of limiting wall portions 64 extending from the terminal 6 abut against the two circumferential torque input surfaces 81A of the torque input portion 81 disposed on the internally threaded member 8A, thereby limiting the rotation of the internally threaded member 8A. In this way, the first connecting portion 61 of the terminal 6 and the pair of limiting wall portions 64 are integrally formed into a single component from a single metal plate. As a result, even if an excessive torque is input to the torque input portion 81 of the internally threaded member 8A that would damage the base portion 40 made of resin material, the rotation of the internally threaded member 8A is limited by the pair of limiting wall portions 64, thereby preventing damage to the base portion 40. Therefore, a higher fastening torque can be set during fastening.

[0048] (Functions and effects)

[0049] As described above, the electronic device 1 of this embodiment has a terminal block 4 mounted on a housing 2 that houses the wiring board 3A, and a terminal 6 provided on the terminal block 4. The terminal 6 has a flat first connecting portion 61 that overlaps with the connecting-side terminal 7, and a pair of restricting wall portions 64 integrally formed with and connected to the first connecting portion 61. By inserting and penetrating the connecting-side terminal 7 and the first connecting portion 61 with an external threaded member 8B, and threading the external threaded member 8B to the internal threaded member 8A, the terminal 6 is fastened to the connecting-side terminal 7. Here, the pair of restricting wall portions 64 provided on the terminal 6 are configured to be close to and opposite to the side of the internal threaded member 8A, restricting the rotation of the internal threaded member 8A during threaded connection. Thus, a pair of restricting wall portions 64 are integrally formed on the terminal 6 of the above structure, and when fastened to the connecting-side terminal 7, these pair of restricting wall portions 64 restrict the rotation of the internal threaded member 8A. Therefore, since these parts are integrally formed from the same material into a single component, the number of components can be reduced, and the strength of the terminal 6 can be used to limit the rotation of the internally threaded member 8A. As a result, a higher tightening torque can be set during fastening, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the internal thread member 8A is composed of a hexagonal nut and has a hexagonal torque input portion 81. Therefore, among the plurality of torque input surfaces 81A arranged on the circumferential side of the hexagonal torque input portion 81, a pair of limiting walls 64 of the terminal 6 are close to and opposite to the two torque input surfaces 81A arranged in a face-to-face position. That is, the pair of limiting walls 64 are close to and opposite to each other in such a way that they sandwich the opposite side surfaces (torque input surfaces 81A) of the torque input portion. Thus, by arranging a pair of limiting walls 64 at a position that effectively prevents rotation of the torque input portion 81, the tightening torque can be effectively increased.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first connecting portion 61 is connected to a pair of limiting wall portions 64 via a bend 66, allowing the corner portion 81B of the internally threaded member 8A (torque input portion 81) to be inserted into the recess 68 formed in the bend 66. This allows the pair of limiting wall portions 64 to be positioned close to the torque input surface 81A regardless of the plate thickness of the terminal 6. Furthermore, by setting a larger plate thickness for the terminal 6, a terminal structure capable of handling high-current circuits can be achieved.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of limiting wall portions 64 are provided as a plate extending from the first connecting portion 61, and the thickness direction of the plate is set to be approximately orthogonal to the surface direction of the torque input surface 81A of the adjacent and opposite internal thread member 8A. Thus, the cross-section of the terminal 6 can be formed into an approximately U-shape by the first connecting portion 61 and the pair of limiting wall portions 64, and warping of the first connecting portion 61 caused by the tightening torque can be suppressed.

[0053] (First variation of the terminal)

[0054] See below. Figures 7A to 7C A first variation of the terminal 6 according to the first embodiment will be described. Furthermore, for structural parts identical to those in the first embodiment described above, the same reference numerals will be used, and their descriptions will be omitted. In this first variation of the terminal 100, a pair of limiting wall portions 106A are disposed only at a position close to and opposite to the torque input surface 81A of the internal thread member 8A.

[0055] like Figure 7A As shown, the terminal 100 in the first modified example has a flat first connecting portion 102, a second connecting portion 104 disposed connected to the front end side of the first connecting portion 102, and a pair of limiting wall portions 106A extending upward from the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 102. Since the structure of the first connecting portion 102 and the structure of the second connecting portion 104 are the same as those of the first connecting portion 61 and the second connecting portion 62 in the first embodiment, their description is omitted.

[0056] like Figure 7B As shown, a pair of limiting wall portions 106A extend upwards in an arm-like manner from the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 102. In each limiting wall portion 106A, the side of the internal thread member 8A facing the torque input portion 81 in the width direction is set to the same size as the adjacent and opposing torque input surface 81A. In this structure, when the internal thread member 8A tends to move towards the torque input surface 81A by applying a tightening torque, Figure 7B When rotated in the direction of the arrow shown, the side of the wall portion 106A abuts against the torque input surface 81A, which can restrict the rotation of the internal thread member 8A. As a result, the terminal 100 can be miniaturized and made lighter, and the tightening torque during fastening can be set to be higher.

[0057] Furthermore, not limited to the structure described above, the size of the pair of limiting walls can also be set to be smaller than the size of the torque input surface. In this case, such as Figure 7CAs shown in the diagram, the pair of limiting wall portions 106B are preferably arranged close to and opposite to the two corner portions 81C of the internal thread member 8A located at the circumferential end of the torque input surface 81A. These two corner portions 81C are located diagonally opposite the hexagonal torque input portion 81. When the internal thread member 8A tends to rotate by applying a tightening torque, the pair of limiting wall portions 106B abut against the corner portions 81C of the torque input portion 81, thereby limiting the rotation of the internal thread member 8A. Since the corner portions 81C are located at the position furthest from the rotation center of the torque input portion 81, the rotation of the torque input portion 81 can be limited by a small force. Thus, by optimizing the arrangement of the pair of limiting wall portions relative to the direction of the tightening torque, the pair of limiting wall portions can be made smaller.

[0058] (Second variation of the terminal)

[0059] See below. Figures 8A to 8C A second variation of the terminal 6 according to the first embodiment will be described. Furthermore, for structural parts identical to those in the first embodiment described above, the same reference numerals will be used, and their descriptions will be omitted. The terminal 200 in this second variation is characterized in that a pair of limiting wall portions 206A are configured as a plate, the thickness direction of which is set along the surface direction of the torque input surface 81A of the internal thread member 8A, thereby improving the strength of the limiting wall portions 206A relative to the fastening torque direction.

[0060] like Figure 8A As shown, the terminal 200 in the second modification example has a flat first connecting portion 202, a second connecting portion 204 disposed connected to the front end side of the first connecting portion 202, and a pair of limiting wall portions 206A disposed connected to the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 202. Since the structure of the first connecting portion 202 and the structure of the second connecting portion 204 are the same as those of the first connecting portion 61 and the second connecting portion 62 in the first embodiment, their description is omitted.

[0061] A pair of limiting wall portions 206A are formed at the front ends of a pair of protrusions 208, which extend outwards from the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 202. The pair of limiting wall portions 206A are formed by bending the front ends of the left and right protrusions 208 upwards at right angles. Thus, when the internal thread member 8A is arranged between the pair of limiting wall portions 206A, the end face of each limiting wall portion 206A facing the plate thickness direction approaches and faces the two torque input surfaces 81A of the torque input portion 81 of the internal thread member 8A, which are arranged face-to-face.

[0062] When the internal threaded component 8A tends to move towards the tightening torque applied, Figure 8BWhen rotating in the direction of the arrow shown, the limiting wall portion 206A abuts against the torque input surface 81A, thereby limiting the rotation of the internal thread member 8A. By bearing the rotation of the internal thread member 8A with its end face facing the plate thickness direction, the limiting wall portion 206A can ensure strength relative to the tightening torque direction.

[0063] In addition, Figure 8A and Figure 8B In one example shown, the structure is configured such that the end face of the limiting wall 206A is close to and opposite the center of the torque input surface 81A, but it can also be configured as follows: Figure 8C The limiting wall portion 206B shown is configured such that the end face of the limiting wall portion 206B is close to and opposite to the two corner portions 81C provided at the circumferential end of the torque input surface 81A. According to this configuration, with... Figure 7C Similarly, the variation shown can effectively restrict the rotation of the internally threaded member 8A with a small force, thus enabling it to be used with... Figure 8B The same plate thickness of the limiting wall portion 206A shown allows for an even higher setting of the fastening torque.

[0064] (Third variation of the terminal)

[0065] See below. Figure 9A and Figure 9B A third variation of the terminal 6 according to the first embodiment will be described. Furthermore, for structural parts identical to those in the first embodiment described above, the same reference numerals will be used, and their descriptions will be omitted. The terminal 300 in this third variation is characterized by having three limiting wall portions 306 configured to connect to the first connecting portion 302.

[0066] like Figure 9A As shown, the terminal 300 in the third variation includes a flat first connecting portion 302, a second connecting portion 304 configured to connect to the front end of the first connecting portion 302, and three limiting wall portions 306. Since the structures of the first connecting portion 302 and the second connecting portion 304 are the same as those of the first connecting portion 61 and the second connecting portion 62 in the first embodiment, their description is omitted.

[0067] The three limiting wall portions 306 include a pair of first limiting wall portions 306A extending upward from the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 302, and a second limiting wall portion 306B configured to connect to the top end of one of the first limiting wall portions 306A. The pair of first limiting wall portions 306A extend upward in a side-arm shape from the left and right ends of the first connecting portion 302. When the torque input portion 81 of the internal thread member 8A is disposed between the pair of first limiting wall portions 306A, the two torque input surfaces 81A of the hexagonal torque input portion 81, which are disposed face-to-face, are close to and opposite the first limiting wall portions 306A.

[0068] A connecting wall portion 308 is provided on a first limiting wall portion 306A, extending from its top end opposite to the first connecting portion 302. This connecting wall portion 308 is disposed opposite to the axial end face of the torque input portion 81 of the internal thread member 8A. A second limiting wall portion 306B, covering the side surface of the torque input portion 81, hangs down from the end of the connecting wall portion 308. The second limiting wall portion 306B is disposed side-by-side with the first limiting wall portion 306A along the circumference of the torque input portion 81, and similarly, is disposed close to and opposite to a torque input surface 81A.

[0069] A small gap is formed between the first limiting wall portion 306A and the second limiting wall portion 306B by forming a slit-shaped recess 310. The corner portion 81C of the internal thread member 8A, located at the circumferential end of the torque input surface 81A, is inserted into the inside of this recess 310. As a result, since no R-shaped bending deformation is formed between the first limiting wall portion 306A and the second limiting wall portion 306B, the side surfaces of the first limiting wall portion 306A and the second limiting wall portion 306B can be configured to be closer to the torque input surface 81A.

[0070] According to the above structure, the limiting wall portions 306A and 306B of the terminal 300 and the internal thread member 8A are arranged close to and opposite to three of the plurality of torque input surfaces 81A in the circumferential direction of the torque input portion 81. Therefore, when a tightening torque is applied, the torque input portion 81 tends to... Figure 9B When rotating in the direction of the arrow shown, the three limiting walls 306A and 306B abut against the torque input surface 81A, which can limit the rotation of the internal thread member 8A.

[0071] [Second Implementation]

[0072] See below. Figure 10 and Figure 11 The terminal block 400 according to the second embodiment will be described below. Furthermore, for structural parts identical to those in the first embodiment described above, the same reference numerals will be used, and their descriptions will be omitted. The terminal block 400 according to this second embodiment is characterized in that an external threaded member 500 is embedded in the base portion 40 made of resin material. Other structures are the same as those in the terminal block 40 according to the first embodiment.

[0073] like Figure 10 As shown, the external threaded member 500 of this embodiment is composed of a hexagonal bolt, and has a torque input portion 502 with a hexagonal shape (hexagonal prism) and a shaft portion 504 with external threads formed on its outer peripheral surface. The side of the torque input portion 502 is composed of six torque input surfaces 502A arranged circumferentially.

[0074] In the terminal block 400, the torque input portion 502 of the external threaded member 500 is embedded in the square hole 46 of the platform portion 45 formed in the base portion 40. The terminal 6 and the connecting side terminal 7 overlap with the external threaded member 500 from below, and the shaft portion 504 of the external threaded member 500 is inserted into and passes through the through hole 63 of the terminal 6 and the through hole 72 of the connecting side terminal 7. The terminal 6 and the connecting side terminal 7 are fastened and fixed by the internal threaded member 8A disposed on the lower side of the connecting side terminal 7 and the shaft portion 504 of the external threaded member 500 through a threaded connection.

[0075] In the above structure, the pair of limiting walls 64 of the terminal 6 are close to and opposite to the side surface (torque input surface 502A) of the torque input portion 502 of the external thread member 500. Furthermore, if the external thread member 500 rotates due to the application of a tightening torque, the pair of limiting walls 64 abut against the torque input surface 502A, thereby restricting the rotation of the external thread member 500. Therefore, the terminal block 400 according to the second embodiment can also achieve the same function and effect as the terminal block 4 of the first embodiment.

[0076] [Additional Explanation]

[0077] The structures of the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined and modified without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0078] Furthermore, although the internal threaded member and the terminal are integrated into a terminal block in the above embodiments and variations, this disclosure is not limited thereto. As needed, the internal threaded member and the terminal block can be separated from the terminal block and constructed independently.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiments and variations, a structure is adopted in which the internal threaded member and the terminal are integrated with the base portion made of resin material by outsert forming. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and a structure that is integrated with the base portion by insert forming can also be adopted.

[0080] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the torque input portions 81 and 502 of the external thread member and the internal thread member are hexagonal in shape, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The torque input portion can be polygonal; for example, it can also be a structure in which the external thread member and the internal thread member are composed of a square bolt and a square nut, thereby forming the torque input portion into a quadrilateral shape.

[0081] Furthermore, the internal threaded component in the first and second embodiments described above is composed of a hexagonal nut, but is not limited thereto. For example, the internal threaded component may also be composed of a hexagonal cap nut.

[0082] Furthermore, the adjacent and opposite sides of the pair of limiting walls are not limited to being formed in a polygonal shape, as long as at least two sides adjacent and opposite to the pair of limiting walls are formed on the side of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member.

Claims

1. A terminal that is fastened to a connection-side terminal using external threaded members and internal threaded members, said terminal comprising: A flat connecting portion, which is configured to overlap with the connecting side terminal; as well as A pair of limiting wall portions, said pair of limiting wall portions being connected to and integrally formed with the connecting portion, wherein, The terminal is configured to be inserted into the terminal block. The external threaded member or the internal threaded member is embedded in the square hole of the terminal block. A pair of side grooves are formed on both sides of the square hole. The pair of limiting wall portions of the terminal inserted into the terminal block are configured to be inserted into the pair of side grooves of the terminal block. By aligning the connecting terminal with the connecting portion, the external threaded member is inserted into and passes through the connecting terminal and the connecting portion, thereby threading the external threaded member with the internal threaded member, and thus securing the terminal to the connecting terminal. The pair of limiting walls of the terminal set in the pair of side grooves of the terminal block become the walls on both sides of the square hole, and are configured to be close to and opposite to the side of the external thread member or the side of the internal thread member embedded in the square hole, thereby restricting the rotation of the external thread member or the internal thread member during threaded connection.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein, The external threaded component or the internal threaded component includes a polygonal torque input section. Among the plurality of torque input surfaces arranged on the circumferential side of the torque input section, the pair of limiting wall portions are close to and opposite to the two polygonal torque input surfaces arranged face-to-face.

3. The terminal according to claim 2, wherein the terminal includes a bent portion. The curved portion connects the connecting portion to the pair of limiting wall portions respectively. The curved portion has a recess for the corner portion of the torque input portion to be inserted.

4. The terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The pair of limiting walls are each composed of a plate, the thickness direction of which is set to be approximately orthogonal to the surface direction of the side of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member that is close to and opposite to it. The side of the limiting wall that has a dimension in the width direction is arranged close to and opposite to the side of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member.

5. The terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pair of limiting walls are each composed of a plate, the thickness direction of which is set along the surface direction of the side of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member that is close to and opposite to it. The side of the limiting wall that has a size in the thickness direction is arranged close to and opposite to the side of the external threaded member or the internal threaded member.

6. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: Wiring board; A housing that accommodates the wiring board; as well as Terminals, which are electrically connected to the wiring board, and are secured to the connection-side terminals using external and internal threaded members; wherein, The terminals include: A flat, plate-shaped connecting portion, which overlaps with the connecting-side terminal; and a pair of limiting wall portions, which are connected to and integrally formed with the connecting portion. The terminal is configured to be inserted into the terminal block. The external threaded member or the internal threaded member is embedded in the square hole of the terminal block. A pair of side grooves are formed on both sides of the square hole. The pair of limiting wall portions of the terminal inserted into the terminal block are configured to be inserted into the pair of side grooves of the terminal block. By aligning the connecting terminal with the connecting portion, the external threaded member is inserted into and passes through the connecting terminal and the connecting portion, thereby threading the external threaded member with the internal threaded member, and thus securing the terminal to the connecting terminal. The pair of limiting walls of the terminal set in the pair of side grooves of the terminal block become the walls on both sides of the square hole, and are configured to be close to and opposite to the side of the external thread member or the side of the internal thread member embedded in the square hole, thereby restricting the rotation of the external thread member or the internal thread member during threaded connection.

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