Female terminal and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention provides a female terminal and a manufacturing method, and the manufacturing method comprises the steps: cutting a first metal circular tube to form a plurality of strip-shaped first pre-forming arms which are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the first metal circular tube, and enabling the first pre-forming arms to extend to the first end of the first metal circular tube in the axial direction of the first pre-forming arms; the first pre-forming arm is extruded at the position, close to the first end of the first metal round pipe, of the first pre-forming arm, so that a force arm is formed; the second metal round pipe is cut, so that a plurality of second pre-forming arms arranged in the circumferential direction of the second metal round pipe at intervals are formed, and the second pre-forming arms extend to the first end, in the axial direction of the second metal round pipe, of the second metal round pipe; the second pre-forming arm is extruded at the position, close to the first end of the second metal round pipe, of the second pre-forming arm, so that a tightening arm is formed; and sleeving the periphery of the cut first metal circular tube with the cut second metal circular tube, so that the tightening arm is tightly attached to the force arm. The female terminal solves the problems that an existing female terminal is low in strength and poor in wiring stability, and consequently conductivity becomes poor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to a female terminal and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, connectors (also known as terminals) are mostly used to connect two electrical devices to achieve power and signal transmission between them. Connectors include male terminals and female terminals. Existing female terminals are made by stamping. Specifically, a semi-finished female terminal structure is first stamped out from a flat sheet, and then the two sides of the semi-finished product are joined together to form a cylindrical structure. The resulting female terminal not only has low strength, but also the method of wrapping the wire harness to the female terminal on both sides can easily reduce the stability of the wiring and lead to poor conductivity of the female terminal. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a female terminal and its manufacturing method, which solves the problems of low strength and poor wiring stability of existing female terminals, resulting in poor conductivity.

[0004] This application is implemented as follows: a method for manufacturing a female terminal includes: Cut a first metal tube to form a plurality of strip-shaped first preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the first metal tube, the first preformed arms extending to a first end of the first metal tube along its own axial direction. The first preformed arm is pressed at a position near the first end of the first metal tube to form a lever arm; Cut a second metal tube to form a plurality of second preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the second preformed arms extending to a first end of the second metal tube along its own axial direction; The second preformed arm is pressed at a position near the first end of the second metal tube to form a tightened arm; The cut second metal tube is fitted over the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm is in close contact with the lever arm.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first metal tube and the second metal tube are cut using a laser device.

[0006] In some embodiments, before fitting the cut second metal tube around the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube to make the tightening arm fit tightly against the lever arm, the method further includes: Cut the first metal tube to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced limiting holes around the first metal tube; The second metal tube is cut to form a plurality of first limiting members and a plurality of second limiting members arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the first limiting members and the second limiting members being spaced apart along the axial direction of the second metal tube; The step of fitting the cut second metal tube onto the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube, so that the tightening arm is tightly against the lever arm, further includes: The first limiting member and the second limiting member are bent so that the plurality of first limiting members are inserted into the plurality of limiting holes in a one-to-one correspondence, and the plurality of second limiting members are inserted into the gaps between the plurality of first preformed arms in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0007] In some embodiments, the length of the limiting hole in the axial direction of the first metal tube is greater than or equal to the length of the first limiting member in the axial direction of the first metal tube.

[0008] In some embodiments, before fitting the cut second metal tube around the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube to make the tightening arm fit tightly against the lever arm, the method further includes: Cut the second metal tube to form a plurality of connecting plates arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube; The connecting plate is bent outward toward the second metal tube to form a connector for connecting external devices.

[0009] This application embodiment also provides a female terminal, manufactured using the manufacturing method described in any of the above embodiments, comprising a terminal body and a tightening sleeve. Both the terminal body and the tightening sleeve are cylindrical. The terminal body has a wiring port and a connection port, which are arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the terminal body. The wiring port is used to connect a wire harness. The terminal body includes a plurality of strip-shaped lever arms arranged at intervals along the circumference of the terminal body, and the lever arms extend to the connection port. The tightening sleeve is sleeved on the outer periphery of the terminal body. The tightening sleeve has a sleeve interface and a tightening opening opposite to each other along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve. The tightening sleeve includes a plurality of tightening arms arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve, and the tightening arms extend to the tightening opening. The tightening arms abut against the lever arms.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lever arm includes a first elastic segment and a second elastic segment connected to each other, the second elastic segment being closer to the connection port than the first elastic segment, and the second elastic segment being radially recessed within the first elastic segment along the terminal body; The tightening arm includes a first tightening section and a second tightening section connected to each other. The first tightening section extends along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve, and the extension direction of the second tightening section intersects with the extension direction of the first tightening section. The second tightening section is radially recessed into the first tightening section along the tightening sleeve. Each of the first tightening segments abuts against the first elastic segment, and each of the second elastic segments abuts against the second tightening segment.

[0011] In some embodiments, along the radial direction of the terminal body, the end of the second elastic segment away from the first elastic segment is tilted in a direction away from the central axis of the terminal body.

[0012] In some embodiments, the terminal body is provided with a plurality of limiting holes, and the plurality of limiting holes are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the terminal body; The tightening sleeve also includes a plurality of first limiting members and a plurality of second limiting members, the plurality of first limiting members and the plurality of second limiting members being arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve, and the first limiting members and the second limiting members being spaced apart from each other; Multiple elastic holes are formed between the multiple lever arms, and multiple first limiting members are respectively inserted into the multiple limiting holes, and multiple second limiting members are respectively inserted into the multiple elastic holes; The first limiting member abuts against the side wall of the limiting hole away from the wiring port, and the second limiting member abuts against the side wall of the elastic hole away from the connection port, so as to restrict the axial movement of the tightening sleeve on the tightening sleeve.

[0013] In some embodiments, the tightening sleeve further includes a connector that protrudes from the outer surface of the tightening sleeve.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the female terminal and manufacturing method provided in this application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, both the terminal body and the tightening sleeve of this application are cylindrical, so there will be no splicing seam extending along the axial direction of the terminal body on the side wall of the terminal body and the tightening sleeve. When the cylindrical tightening sleeve is fitted around the outer periphery of the cylindrical terminal body and the male terminal is inserted into the terminal body, the terminal body and the tightening sleeve can be prevented from being deformed by the stretching, which improves the strength of the female terminal structure and the insertion and extraction life. Moreover, the cylindrical terminal body can press the wire harness from six points when connecting the wire harness, making the connection between the wire harness and the terminal body more stable and reliable. In addition, the terminal body includes multiple lever arms, and the tightening arms include multiple tightening arms that abut against the lever arms. When the male terminal is inserted into the terminal body, the lever arms will generate a squeezing force on the male terminal, and the tightening arms will further enhance the squeezing force, making the connection between the male terminal and the female terminal structure more firm, thereby improving the conductivity. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the method for manufacturing the female terminal provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another method for manufacturing a female terminal provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the female terminal provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the female terminal provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the female terminal provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the terminal body of the female terminal provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a side view of the terminal body of the female terminal provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tightening sleeve of the female terminal provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is another angled schematic diagram of the tightening sleeve of the female terminal provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0016] Reference numerals: 100, female terminal; 200, male terminal; 10. Terminal body; 101. Wiring port; 102. Connection port; 11. Lever arm; 111. First elastic segment; 112. Second elastic segment; 12. Limiting hole; 13. Spring hole; 20. Tightening sleeve; 201. Socket; 202. Tightening opening; 21. Tightening arm; 211. First tightening section; 212. Second tightening section; 22. First limiting member; 23. Second limiting member; 24. Connecting member. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0018] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0019] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0020] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] It should also be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same component or part. For the same part in the embodiments of this application, the reference numerals may only be used to mark one part or component as an example. It should be understood that the reference numerals are also applicable to other identical parts or components.

[0022] This application provides a female terminal and its manufacturing method, which solves the problems of low strength and poor wiring stability of existing female terminals, resulting in poor conductivity.

[0023] refer to Figure 1 The method for manufacturing a female terminal provided in this application includes the following steps: S101. Cut the first metal tube to form a plurality of strip-shaped first preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the first metal tube, the first preformed arms extending to the first end of the first metal tube along its own axial direction.

[0024] The first metal tube can be a copper tube. The axial direction of the first metal tube is the opposite of its length, i.e., direction X. It should be noted that direction X can also be used to describe the axial direction of the second metal tube, the axial direction of the terminal body 10, and the axial direction of the tightening sleeve 20.

[0025] S102. The first pre-formed arm is pressed at the first end of the first pre-formed arm near the first end of the first metal tube to form the lever arm 11.

[0026] S103. Cut the second metal tube to form a plurality of second preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the second preformed arms extending to a first end of the second metal tube along its own axial direction.

[0027] The second metal tube can be a stainless steel tube.

[0028] It should be noted that the second preformed arm is T-shaped and includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment extends along the axial direction of the second metal tube, and the second segment is connected to the side of the first segment near the first end of the second metal tube. The extension direction of the second segment intersects the extension direction of the first segment, specifically, the extension direction of the second segment and the extension direction of the first segment are perpendicular to each other.

[0029] S104. The second pre-formed arm is pressed at the first end of the second metal tube to form the tightening arm 21.

[0030] S105. The cut second metal tube is fitted around the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm 21 is close to the lever arm 11.

[0031] It should be noted that the cut second metal tube can be fitted with the cut first metal tube with a clearance of zero, meaning that the inner diameter of the second metal tube can be equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first metal tube.

[0032] In this embodiment, the lever arm 11 is formed by cutting and machining directly on the first metal tube, and the tightening arm 21 is formed by cutting and machining on the second metal tube. This allows the female terminal 100 to be manufactured as a single integral structure, increasing the strength of the female terminal 100 and eliminating the risk of cracking when the male terminal 200 is inserted. This helps extend the insertion and extraction life. Furthermore, the wire harness is fully covered, unlike the two-sided wrapping method in the prior art. This allows for a six-point crimping method to connect the wire harness to the female terminal 100, resulting in a more stable and reliable connection between the female terminal 100 and the wire harness.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first metal tube and the second metal tube can be cut using a laser device.

[0034] Compared to the existing technology that uses stamping to manufacture the female terminal 100, which involves stamping multiple pre-formed plates arranged in parallel on a single sheet of material, cutting each pre-formed plate, and finally joining the two sides of the pre-formed plates together to form a cylindrical female terminal 100, this method involves leaving an extra section of material between adjacent pre-formed plates as a spare for cutting offset during stamping. This results in increased material waste in the manufacture of the female terminal 100. In this embodiment, the female terminal 100 is directly cut from the first and second metal tubes, eliminating material waste and significantly reducing material waste compared to the prior art, thus saving costs. Furthermore, using laser cutting to obtain the female terminal 100 also improves the manufacturing efficiency of the female terminal 100.

[0035] In addition, existing stamping forming methods can cause edge collapse at the cut position of the sheet metal, making it impossible to accurately control the manufacturing size of the female terminal 100 and affecting its use. In this embodiment, the female terminal 100 is obtained by laser cutting, which can avoid edge collapse at the cut position, thus making the size of the female terminal 100 more accurate and not affecting its normal use.

[0036] Due to process limitations, stamping can only be used for sheet metal within a certain thickness range. If the sheet metal thickness exceeds 1.5 mm, it is very difficult to stamp. However, the laser cutting method used in this application embodiment is not limited by the sheet metal thickness. This allows for the use of thicker metal tubes to make the female terminal 100, thereby enhancing the overall strength and conductivity of the female terminal 100.

[0037] Oil stains can occur during the stamping process, which are difficult to handle in the subsequent electroplating process and require cleaning, increasing costs. In this embodiment, the metal tube is laser-cut, which eliminates oil stains during the cutting process and eliminates the need for pre-cleaning in the subsequent electroplating process, thus reducing cleaning costs.

[0038] refer to Figure 2 Another method for manufacturing a female terminal provided in this application includes the following steps: S201. Cut the first metal tube to form a plurality of strip-shaped first preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the first metal tube, the first preformed arms extending to a first end of the first metal tube along its own axial direction.

[0039] The first metal tube can be a copper tube.

[0040] S202, the first pre-formed arm is pressed at the first end of the first pre-formed arm near the first end of the first metal tube to form the lever arm 11.

[0041] S203. Cut the first metal tube to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced limiting holes 12 around the first metal tube.

[0042] S204. Cut the second metal tube to form a plurality of first limiting members 22 and a plurality of second limiting members 23 arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, wherein the first limiting members 22 and the second limiting members 23 are arranged axially around the second metal tube.

[0043] S205. Cut the second metal tube to form a plurality of second preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the second preformed arms extending to a first end of the second metal tube along its own axial direction.

[0044] The second metal tube can be a stainless steel tube.

[0045] S206. The second pre-formed arm is pressed at the first end of the second pre-formed arm near the second metal tube to form the tightening arm 21.

[0046] S207. The cut second metal tube is fitted around the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm 21 is close to the lever arm 11.

[0047] S208, bend the first limiting member 22 and the second limiting member 23 so that the multiple first limiting members 22 are inserted into the multiple limiting holes 12 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple second limiting members 23 are inserted into the gaps between the multiple first preformed arms in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0048] It should be noted that after performing the above step S208, the cut second metal tube can be prevented from moving in its axial direction, thus preventing it from falling off the outer periphery of the cut first metal tube. This ensures that the tightening arm 21 can continuously provide auxiliary tightening force, which not only enhances the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200, but also effectively extends the insertion and extraction life of the female terminal 100.

[0049] By manufacturing the female terminal 100 using the above method, the strength of the female terminal 100 is improved, and the overall structure is more stable when connecting wire harnesses or male terminals 200 are plugged in and out. This helps to extend the service life of the male terminal 200 during plugging and unplugging, and also further improves the conductivity. When the female terminal 100 and male terminal 200 are plugged in and out, because the lever arm 11 and the tightening arm 21 are elastic, when the male terminal 200 is inserted into or pulled out of the female terminal 100, the lever arm 11 will abut against the male terminal 200, and the tightening arm 21 will abut against the lever arm 11. This makes the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200 into or out of the female terminal 100 more stable, the insertion and extraction life longer, and the male terminal 200 can be firmly connected to the female terminal 100 after being inserted into it. This helps to make the wire harness connected to the male terminal 200 and the female terminal 100 more tightly contacted, thus improving the conductivity of the connection between the female terminal 100 and the male terminal 200.

[0050] In some embodiments, when performing the above steps S203 and S204, it should be noted that the length of the limiting hole 12 in the axial direction of the first metal tube is greater than or equal to the length of the first limiting member 22 in the axial direction of the first metal tube.

[0051] It should be noted that after the cut second metal tube is placed around the cut first metal tube, the first limiting member 22 needs to be bent to be inserted into the limiting hole 12. At this time, the first limiting member 22 will be bent toward the limiting hole 12. Through the above setting, the first limiting member 22 can be bent smoothly in the limiting hole 12.

[0052] In some embodiments, before fitting the cut second metal tube around the cut first metal tube to make the tightening arm 21 close to the lever arm 11, the method further includes the following steps: cutting the second metal tube to form a plurality of connecting plates arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube; bending the connecting plates toward the outside of the second metal tube to form a connector 24 for connecting external devices.

[0053] Since the female terminal 100 of this application embodiment is usually fixed in the electrical equipment that needs to be connected during actual use, in order to make the female terminal 100 easy to fix, the above steps can be performed when cutting the second metal tube to form the connector 24. In this way, the connector 24 can be connected to the matching parts in the electrical equipment to fix the female terminal 100 in the electrical equipment, so as to better insert and remove the male terminal 200.

[0054] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 This application also provides a female terminal 100, including a terminal body 10 and a tightening sleeve 20. Both the terminal body 10 and the tightening sleeve 20 are cylindrical. The female terminal 100 is manufactured using the manufacturing method of any of the above embodiments, wherein the terminal body 10 is obtained by cutting a first metal cylindrical tube using the above manufacturing method, and the tightening sleeve 20 is obtained by cutting a second metal cylindrical tube using the above manufacturing method.

[0055] The terminal body 10 has a wiring port 101 and a connection port 102, which are arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the terminal body 10. The wiring port 101 is used to connect wire harnesses. The terminal body 10 includes a plurality of strip-shaped lever arms 11 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the terminal body 10, and the lever arms 11 extend to the connection port 102. The tightening sleeve 20 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the terminal body 10. The tightening sleeve 20 has a sleeve interface 201 and a tightening opening 202 that are opposite to each other along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve 20. The tightening sleeve 20 includes a plurality of tightening arms 21 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve 20, and the tightening arms 21 extend to the tightening opening 202 and abut against the lever arms 11.

[0056] It should be noted that the female terminal 100 structure of this application consists of a tightening sleeve 20 fitted around the outer periphery of the terminal body 10. Both the terminal body 10 and the tightening sleeve 20 are cylindrical. This can be understood as the terminal body 10 being formed by cutting a section of cylindrical tube, and the tightening sleeve 20 being formed by cutting another section of cylindrical tube. Thus, the terminal body 10 and the tightening sleeve 20 are a single integral structure. In contrast, the female terminal 100 in the prior art is formed by joining the two sides of a stamped sheet, resulting in a seam on the side wall of the female terminal 100. When connecting the wire harness or the male terminal 200, the female terminal 100 is easily stretched open, causing it to malfunction. This not only results in lower strength but also shortens the lifespan for plugging and unplugging the male terminal 200, significantly affecting the conductivity of the female terminal 100. In this application, because there are no gaps extending along the central axis of the female terminal 100 structure on the outer periphery of the entire female terminal 100 structure, the strength of the female terminal 100 structure is improved. The overall structure is more stable when connecting the wire harness or plugging and unplugging the male terminal 200, which helps to extend the lifespan for plugging and unplugging the male terminal 200 and further improves the conductivity.

[0057] Understandably, reference Figure 5 In this application, the female terminal 100 structure is specifically used in conjunction with the matching male terminal 200 to connect two independent electrical devices, enabling the connection and transmission of power and signals between them. Specifically, a wire harness can be inserted into one end of the terminal body 10 of the female terminal 10 structure and the wire harness can be clamped to connect the wire harness to the terminal body 10. The male terminal 200 is then inserted into the other end of the terminal body 10, so that the male terminal 200 contacts the wire harness inserted into the terminal body 10, thus achieving the connection between the wire harness and the male terminal 200. The wire harness can be connected to one electrical device, and the male terminal 200 can be connected to another electrical device, thereby enabling the electrical connection between the two independent electrical devices. The electrical connection between the two electrical devices can be disconnected by pulling the male terminal 200 out of the other end of the terminal body 10.

[0058] In this embodiment, the terminal body 10 is configured as a cylindrical tube. Specifically, the end of the wire harness inserted into the terminal body 10 is inserted into the side of the terminal body 10 without the lever arm 11. That is, the wire harness is inserted into the cylindrical terminal body 10 from the wiring port 101 of the terminal body 10. In order to firmly connect the wire harness to the terminal body 10, the terminal body 10 can be pressed with a six-point pressing method. That is, the terminal body 10 is pressed from six points evenly distributed along the circumference of the terminal body 10 on the outer side of the terminal body 10 toward the center of the terminal body 10. This makes the connection between the terminal body 10 and the wire harness firm and helps to improve the reliability of the conductivity of the terminal body 10.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, both the terminal body 10 and the tightening sleeve 20 are directly cut from a section of round tube. Compared to the prior art, which involves stamping multiple preformed plates arranged in parallel on a single sheet of material, cutting off each preformed plate, and finally joining the two sides of the preformed plates together to form a cylindrical female terminal 100, in order to ensure that each preformed plate can be joined together to form a female terminal 100 after cutting, an extra section of material is left between two adjacent preformed plates as a spare plate for cutting offset when stamping the preformed plates. This results in an increase in the amount of material wasted in the production of the female terminal 100. In contrast, this embodiment directly produces the female terminal 100 on the round tube, which eliminates the waste of excess material and greatly reduces material waste compared to the prior art, thus saving costs.

[0060] In this embodiment, the terminal body 10 includes a plurality of lever arms 11 arranged circumferentially around the terminal body 10. The lever arms 11 are elastic, and one end of the lever arm 11 that passes through the connection port 102 can move radially in the terminal body 10. In this way, when the male terminal 200 is inserted into or pulled out of the connection port 102 into the terminal body 10, the lever arm 11 will abut against the male terminal 200, making the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200 into or out of the terminal body 10 more stable, the insertion and extraction life longer, and the male terminal 200 can be firmly connected to the terminal body 10 after being inserted into the terminal body 10. This is conducive to a tighter contact between the male terminal 200 and the wire harness in the terminal body 10, thereby improving the conductivity of the connection between the terminal body 10 and the male terminal 200.

[0061] Furthermore, a cylindrical tightening sleeve 20 is fitted around the outer periphery of the terminal body 10. The tightening sleeve 20 includes multiple tightening arms 21 arranged circumferentially along the tightening sleeve 20. The tightening arms 21 abut against the lever arms 11. Thus, when the male terminal 200 is inserted into or pulled out of the terminal body 10 from the connection port 102, the lever arms 11 abut against the male terminal 200, applying a tightening force to the male terminal 200. The tightening arms 21 provide an auxiliary tightening force, making the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200 into or out of the terminal body 10 more stable and extending the insertion and extraction life. When the male terminal 200 is inserted into the terminal body 10 and the lever arms 11 apply a force towards the outside of the terminal body 10, the lever arms 11 and the tightening arms 21 together apply a reaction force to the male terminal 200, making it less likely for the male terminal 200 to detach after being inserted into the terminal body 10. For example, if the diameter of the male terminal 200 is relatively large, it is not possible to firmly fix the male terminal 200 in the terminal body 10 by relying solely on the elastic force of the lever arm 11. Instead, the lever arm 11 and the tightening arm 21 can be used together to apply a reaction force to the male terminal 200, thereby firmly fixing the male terminal 200 in the terminal body 10.

[0062] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 The lever arm 11 includes a first elastic segment 111 and a second elastic segment 112 connected to each other. The second elastic segment 112 is closer to the connection port 102 than the first elastic segment 111. The second elastic segment 112 is radially recessed in the first elastic segment 111 along the terminal body 10. The tightening arm 21 includes a first tightening segment 211 and a second tightening segment 212 connected to each other. The first tightening segment 211 extends axially along the tightening sleeve 20. The extension direction of the second tightening segment 212 intersects the extension direction of the first tightening segment 211. The second tightening segment 212 is radially recessed in the first tightening segment 211 along the tightening sleeve 20. Each first tightening segment 211 abuts against the first elastic segment 111, and each second elastic segment 112 abuts against the second tightening segment 212.

[0063] The extension direction of the second tightening section 212 intersects the extension direction of the first tightening section 211, that is, the tightening arm 21 is T-shaped. In this way, the second tightening section 212 can simultaneously abut against multiple second elastic sections 112, so that multiple second elastic sections 112 can be superimposed with the same amount of auxiliary tightening force, which is beneficial to apply a uniform tightening force to the male terminal 200 from different positions.

[0064] It is understandable that the second elastic segment 112 of the lever arm 11 is radially recessed into the first elastic segment 111 along the terminal body 10. That is, the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the second elastic segment 112 is smaller than the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the first elastic segment 111. Furthermore, the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the second elastic segment 112 is closer to the connection port 102. When the male terminal 200 is inserted from the connection port 102 into the terminal body 10, it will first pass through the inner surface of the second elastic segment 112, and then through the inner surface of the first elastic segment 111. Thus, the male terminal 200 passes through the second elastic segment 112... When the male terminal 200 passes the inner side of the first elastic segment 111, the second elastic segment 112 applies a tightening force to the male terminal 200, making the male terminal 200 more stably inserted into the terminal body 10. When the male terminal 200 passes the inner side of the first elastic segment 111, the tightening force it experiences decreases, which is beneficial for the male terminal 200 to be smoothly inserted into the terminal body 10. Thus, the male terminal 200 can be stably and smoothly inserted into the terminal body 10. The design of the lever arm 11 ensures that even after multiple insertions and removals of the male terminal 200, the second elastic segment 112 will still apply a tightening force to the male terminal 200, thereby extending the insertion and removal life of the terminal body 10.

[0065] Furthermore, the second tightening section 212 of the tightening arm 21 is radially recessed within the first tightening section 211 along the tightening sleeve 20. That is, the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the second tightening section 212 is smaller than the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the first tightening section 211. The first tightening section 211 abuts against the first elastic section 111, and the second tightening section 212 abuts against the second elastic section 112. This allows the second elastic section 112 to apply a tightening force to the male terminal 200 while simultaneously applying an auxiliary tightening force, increasing the tightening force on the male terminal 200. This helps the male terminal 200 to have a more stable insertion and extraction force, enabling more stable insertion into the terminal body 10. Moreover, the recessed design of both the second elastic section 112 and the second tightening section 212 ensures that the male terminal 200 receives tightening force even after multiple insertions and extractions, further extending the insertion and extraction life of the terminal body 10.

[0066] It should be noted that multiple lever arms 11 and tightening arms 21 are provided. The specific number of lever arms 11 can be set according to the diameter of the inserted male terminal 200. When the diameter of the male terminal 200 is larger, more lever arms 11 can be set. This reduces the width of each lever arm 11 in the circumferential direction of the terminal body 10, increases the elasticity of the lever arm 11, and allows multiple lever arms 11 to apply a greater tightening force to the male terminal 200, making the connection between the male terminal 200 and the terminal body 10 more secure. The number of tightening arms 21 is not limited, as long as each lever arm 11 can abut against the tightening arm 21. In other words, the tightening arm 21 can assist in superimposing the tightening force on each lever arm 11.

[0067] Example, reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 The number of lever arms 11 can be six, and the number of tightening arms 21 can be three, with each tightening arm 21 abutting against two lever arms 11.

[0068] In some embodiments, reference Figure 7 Along the radial direction of the terminal body 10, the end of the second elastic segment 112 away from the first elastic segment 111 is tilted away from the central axis of the terminal body 10.

[0069] It should be noted that, since the second elastic segment 112 is recessed within the first elastic segment 111, the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the first elastic segment 111 is smaller than the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the first elastic segment 111. However, the diameter of the male terminal 200 is larger than the diameter of the circle formed by the inner surfaces of the first elastic segment 111. Therefore, through the above arrangement, the diameter of the circle formed by the end of the second elastic segment 112 away from the first elastic segment 111 can be increased, which is beneficial for the male terminal 200 to be inserted more smoothly from the connection port 102 into the terminal body 10.

[0070] Furthermore, the raised portion of the second elastic segment 112 is inclined relative to the central axis of the terminal body 10 towards the surface of the male terminal 200. This means that when the male terminal 200 is inserted into the terminal body 10 from the connection port 102, it passes through a frustum-shaped opening, first through the larger area end and then through the smaller area end. This facilitates easier and more convenient insertion of the male terminal 200 into the terminal body 10, allowing users to quickly insert the male terminal 200 into the female terminal 100 structure for electrical connection.

[0071] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 The multiple lever arms 11 are all the same in shape and size, and the multiple lever arms 11 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the terminal body 10.

[0072] With the above settings, the elastic force of each lever arm 11 can be made equal, so that when the male terminal 200 is inserted into the terminal body 10, each lever arm 11 can apply the same tightening force to the male terminal 200. The multiple lever arms 11 are arranged at equal intervals, so that a uniform tightening force can be applied to the male terminal 200 in the circumferential direction, making the male terminal 200 have a more stable insertion and extraction force, and can be inserted into the terminal body 10 more stably and smoothly.

[0073] In some embodiments, reference Figure 8 The multiple tightening arms 21 are all the same in shape and size, and are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve 20.

[0074] It should be noted that the tightening arm 21 provides auxiliary tightening force to the lever arm 11 and can apply tightening force to the male terminal 200 simultaneously with the lever arm 11. Therefore, through the above arrangement, the auxiliary tightening force applied by each tightening arm 21 can be the same. Moreover, the multiple tightening arms 21 are arranged at equal intervals so that the multiple tightening arms 21 can apply a uniform tightening force to the male terminal 200 in the circumferential direction. Combined with the multiple lever arms 11 arranged at equal intervals applying a uniform tightening force to the male terminal 200 in the circumferential direction, the tightening force applied to the male terminal 200 can be effectively increased, so that the male terminal 200 has a more stable insertion and extraction force and can be inserted into the terminal body 10 more stably and smoothly.

[0075] In this embodiment, the female terminal 100 structure is composed of a tightening sleeve 20 sleeved on the outside of the terminal body 10, and the tightening arm 21 of the tightening sleeve 20 abuts against the lever arm 11 to provide auxiliary tightening force. It can apply tightening force to the male terminal 200 together with the lever arm 11, so that the male terminal 200 can be more firmly connected to the terminal body 10 after being inserted into the terminal body 10. Therefore, the tightening sleeve 20 needs to be firmly sleeved on the outside of the terminal body 10.

[0076] Based on this, in some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8The terminal body 10 has multiple limiting holes 12, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the terminal body 10. The tightening sleeve 20 also includes multiple first limiting members 22 and multiple second limiting members 23, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve 20. The first limiting members 22 and the second limiting members 23 are spaced apart from each other. Multiple elastic holes 13 are formed between multiple lever arms 11. The multiple first limiting members 22 are respectively inserted into the multiple limiting holes 12, and the multiple second limiting members 23 are respectively inserted into the multiple elastic holes 13. The first limiting members 22 abut against the side wall of the limiting hole 12 away from the wiring port 101, and the second limiting members 23 abut against the side wall of the elastic hole 13 away from the connection port 102, so as to restrict the axial movement of the tightening sleeve 20.

[0077] It should be noted that a limiting hole 12 is provided on the terminal body 10, and the tightening sleeve 20 includes a first limiting member 22 and a second limiting member 23. When the tightening sleeve 20 is fitted on the outside of the terminal body 10, the first limiting member 22 is inserted into the limiting hole 12, and the second limiting member 23 is inserted into the elastic hole 13 formed between two adjacent lever arms 11. Since the first limiting member 22 and the second limiting member 23 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve 20, the tightening sleeve 20 can not move in its axial direction, so it cannot fall off from the outer periphery of the terminal body 10. This ensures that the tightening arm 21 can continuously provide auxiliary tightening force, which can not only enhance the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200, but also effectively extend the insertion and extraction life of the female terminal 100 structure.

[0078] It is understandable that, since multiple lever arms 11 are spaced apart, there will be gaps between two adjacent lever arms 11, namely elastic holes 13. Inserting the second limiting member 23 into the elastic hole 13 can avoid setting more additional limiting holes 12 for the second limiting member 23 to be inserted, reducing the waste of material in the production of the female terminal 100 structure and improving the production efficiency of the female terminal 100 structure.

[0079] Furthermore, since the number of lever arms 11 is set according to the diameter of the male terminal 200 inserted into the terminal body 10, when the number of lever arms 11 is large, the width of the elastic hole 13 between two adjacent lever arms 11 will become smaller. If the width of the elastic hole 13 is less than the width of the second limiting member 23 in the circumferential direction of the tightening sleeve 20, then the end of the elastic hole 13 away from the connection port 102 can be expanded outward along the circumferential direction of the terminal body 10, so that the width of the expanded part of the elastic hole 13 is greater than or equal to the width of the second limiting member 23 in the circumferential direction of the tightening sleeve 20, thereby allowing the second limiting member 23 to be smoothly inserted into the elastic hole 13.

[0080] It should be noted that expanding the elastic hole 13 outward is equivalent to reducing the width of the lever arm 11 on both sides of the expanded portion of the elastic hole 13. In order not to affect the use of the lever arm 11, when expanding the elastic hole 13 outward, it is necessary to ensure that the width of the expansion on one side of the elastic hole 13 is not greater than half the width of the lever arm 11. Moreover, when the width of the lever arm 11 is small, it is advisable to consider that only one of the two adjacent elastic holes 13 of the same lever arm 11 can be expanded outward. This can prevent the two adjacent elastic holes 13 of the same lever arm 11 from being expanded outward, resulting in the width of the part of the lever arm 11 located between the two expanded portions being too small. This would make it easy to break after long-term use, thus reducing the service life of the female terminal 100 structure.

[0081] In some embodiments, reference Figure 8 The portion of the first limiting member 22 inserted into the limiting hole 12 extends outside the limiting hole 12.

[0082] It should be noted that the connection of the wire harness to the terminal body 10 specifically involves inserting the wire harness into the terminal body 10 through the connector 101. To ensure the accurate length of the wire harness inserted into the terminal body 10, and thus to ensure that the male terminal 200 can be electrically connected to the wire harness after being inserted into the terminal body 10, the first limiting member 22 can be set to an appropriate length so that the portion of the first limiting member 22 inserted into the limiting hole 12 extends outside the limiting hole 12. In this way, when the wire harness is inserted into the terminal body 10, once the wire harness abuts against the first limiting member 22, the movement of the wire harness in the terminal body 10 can be stopped, thereby determining the length of the wire harness inserted into the terminal body 10. This makes it easier for operators to quickly determine the length of the wire harness inserted into the terminal body 10 when connecting the terminal body 10 and the wire harness, thereby improving the connection efficiency between the wire harness and the terminal body 10.

[0083] In some embodiments, reference Figure 9 The portion of the second limiting member 23 inserted into the elastic hole 13 bends toward the wiring port 101 at the position where it contacts the edge of the elastic hole 13, and the bent section contacts the inner side of the terminal body 10.

[0084] It should be noted that the male terminal 200 needs to be inserted into the terminal body 10 to contact the wire harness in order to achieve electrical connection with the wire harness. Therefore, by bending the part of the second limiting member 23 inserted into the elastic hole 13 towards the terminal 101 at the position where it contacts the edge of the elastic hole 13, the male terminal 200 can contact the bent part of the second limiting member 23 when passing through the elastic hole 13, so that it can pass through the elastic hole 13 smoothly without being obstructed, and thus connect to the wire harness.

[0085] It is understandable that during the process of the male terminal 200 being inserted into the terminal body 10 and contacting the wire harness, it will pass through the spring hole 13 and the first limiting member 22 extending outside the limiting hole 12. The above-mentioned arrangement ensures that the second limiting member 23 will not obstruct the movement of the male terminal 200 within the terminal body 10. In order for the male terminal 200 to contact the wire harness without contacting the first limiting member 22, a male terminal 200 with a small front diameter and a large rear diameter can be selected. In this way, the front end of the male terminal 200 contacts the wire harness, while the small front diameter will not contact the first limiting member 22, and will smoothly connect with the wire harness.

[0086] In some embodiments, reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The tightening sleeve 20 also includes a connector 24, which protrudes from the outer side of the tightening sleeve 20.

[0087] It should be noted that the female terminal 100 structure of this application embodiment is usually fixed in the electrical equipment to be connected during actual use. In order to facilitate the fixing of the female terminal 100 structure, the connector 24 can be formed at the same time when the tightening sleeve 20 is made. In this way, the connector 24 can be connected to the matching parts in the electrical equipment to realize the fixing of the female terminal 100 structure in the electrical equipment, so as to better insert and remove the male terminal 200.

[0088] In some embodiments, the terminal body 10 is made of conductive metal, and the tightening sleeve 20 is made of stainless steel.

[0089] The above settings can improve the conductivity of the female terminal 100 structure. The tightening sleeve 20 is made of stainless steel, which not only gives the tightening arm 21 good elasticity, but also allows the auxiliary force arm 11 to apply a greater tightening force to the male terminal 200 inserted into the terminal body 10, thereby enhancing the insertion and extraction force of the male terminal 200 and extending the insertion and extraction life of the female terminal 100 structure, but also reduces the manufacturing cost of the female terminal 100 structure.

[0090] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a female terminal, characterized in that, include: Cut a first metal tube to form a plurality of strip-shaped first preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the first metal tube, the first preformed arms extending to a first end of the first metal tube along its own axial direction. The first preformed arm is pressed at a position near the first end of the first metal tube to form a lever arm (11). Cut a second metal tube to form a plurality of second preformed arms arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the second preformed arms extending to a first end of the second metal tube along its own axial direction; The second preformed arm is pressed at a position near the first end of the second metal tube to form a tightening arm (21). The cut second metal tube is fitted around the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm (21) is in close contact with the lever arm (11).

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second metal tubes are cut using a laser device.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Before placing the cut second metal tube around the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm (21) is tightly against the lever arm (11), the method further includes: Cut the first metal tube to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced limiting holes (12) around the first metal tube. The second metal tube is cut to form a plurality of first limiting members (22) and a plurality of second limiting members (23) arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube, the first limiting members (22) and the second limiting members (23) being spaced apart along the axial direction of the second metal tube; After the step of fitting the cut second metal tube onto the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm (21) is tightly against the lever arm (11), the method further includes: The first limiting member (22) and the second limiting member (23) are bent so that the multiple first limiting members (22) are inserted into the multiple limiting holes (12) in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple second limiting members (23) are inserted into the gaps between the multiple first preformed arms in a one-to-one correspondence.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The length of the limiting hole (12) in the axial direction of the first metal tube is greater than or equal to the length of the first limiting member (22) in the axial direction of the first metal tube.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Before placing the cut second metal tube around the outer circumference of the cut first metal tube so that the tightening arm (21) is tightly against the lever arm (11), the method further includes: Cut the second metal tube to form a plurality of connecting plates arranged circumferentially around the second metal tube; The connecting plate is bent outward toward the second metal tube to form a connector (24) for connecting external equipment.

6. A female terminal, characterized in that, The product is manufactured using the manufacturing method described in any one of claims 1-5, comprising: The terminal body (10) is in the shape of a cylindrical tube. The terminal body (10) has a wiring port (101) and a connection port (102). The wiring port (101) and the connection port (102) are arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the terminal body (10). The wiring port (101) is used to connect a wire harness. The terminal body (10) includes a plurality of strip-shaped lever arms (11) arranged circumferentially along the terminal body (10). The lever arms (11) extend to the connection port (102). The tightening sleeve (20) is in the shape of a round tube and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the terminal body (10). The tightening sleeve (20) has a sleeve interface (201) and a tightening opening (202) that are opposite to each other along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve (20). The tightening sleeve (20) includes a plurality of tightening arms (21) arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve (20). The tightening arms (21) extend to the tightening opening (202) and abut against the lever arm (11).

7. The female terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lever arm (11) includes a first elastic segment (111) and a second elastic segment (112) connected to each other. The second elastic segment (112) is closer to the connection port (102) relative to the first elastic segment (111). The second elastic segment (112) is concave in the radial direction of the terminal body (10) to the first elastic segment (111). The tightening arm (21) includes a first tightening section (211) and a second tightening section (212) connected to each other. The first tightening section (211) extends along the axial direction of the tightening sleeve (20), and the extension direction of the second tightening section (212) intersects the extension direction of the first tightening section (211). The second tightening section (212) is radially recessed in the first tightening section (211) along the tightening sleeve (20). Each of the first tightening segments (211) abuts against the first elastic segment (111), and each of the second elastic segments (112) abuts against the second tightening segment (212).

8. The female terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that, Along the radial direction of the terminal body (10), the end of the second elastic segment (112) away from the first elastic segment (111) tilts upward in a direction away from the central axis of the terminal body (10).

9. The female terminal according to any one of claims 6-8, characterized in that, The terminal body (10) is provided with a plurality of limiting holes (12), and the plurality of limiting holes (12) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the terminal body (10); The tightening sleeve (20) also includes a plurality of first limiting members (22) and a plurality of second limiting members (23). The plurality of first limiting members (22) and the plurality of second limiting members (23) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tightening sleeve (20), and the first limiting members (22) and the second limiting members (23) are spaced apart from each other. Multiple elastic holes (13) are formed between the multiple lever arms (11), and multiple first limiting members (22) are respectively inserted into the multiple limiting holes (12), and multiple second limiting members (23) are respectively inserted into the multiple elastic holes (13); The first limiting member (22) abuts against the side wall of the limiting hole (12) away from the wiring port (101), and the second limiting member (23) abuts against the side wall of the elastic hole (13) away from the connection port (102) to restrict the tightening sleeve (20) from moving axially in the tightening sleeve (20).

10. The female terminal according to claim 9, characterized in that, The tightening sleeve (20) also includes a connector (24) that protrudes from the outer side of the tightening sleeve (20).

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