Automotive terminal and automotive connector

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of vehicle terminal and vehicle connector, vehicle connector includes insulating body and the vehicle terminal of containing in insulating body, vehicle terminal includes a barrel part, barrel part is equipped with elastic contact arm and support arm, contact arm is equipped with first contact part, the bottom wall of barrel part is equipped with second contact part, first contact part and second contact part respectively contact the upper and lower sides of the butt terminal, support arm is used to support contact arm to increase the contact normal force at first contact part, from the first side wall of barrel part inwardly bending and extending a limit part, limit part is located the rear of contact arm and with second contact part upper and lower opposite, limit part has a limit surface to limit butt terminal upward movement, prevent excessive upward displacement of butt terminal under vibration environment, avoid contact arm and support arm elasticity fatigue, ensure that first contact part and second contact part are contacted with the firmness of butt terminal.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This utility model relates to an automotive terminal and an automotive connector, and more particularly to an automotive connector that can improve the contact reliability of the automotive terminal. [Background Technology]

[0002] An existing automotive connector includes an insulating body and a plurality of automotive terminals housed within the insulating body. Each automotive terminal includes a bottom wall and a top wall that are vertically opposite each other, and two side walls connected between the top wall and the bottom wall. An elastic contact arm extends from the top wall, and the elastic contact arm has a first contact portion and a second contact portion protruding from the bottom wall. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are used to contact the upper and lower sides of a mating terminal, respectively. Each terminal also has an elastic support arm that abuts against the side of the elastic contact arm opposite to the first contact portion to increase the support force on the first contact portion.

[0003] Existing connectors use only elastic support arms to abut against elastic contact arms to increase the contact pressure at the first contact portion. At the same time, they lack a limiting structure to restrict the mating terminals. When the connector is in a strong vibration environment, the strength of a single support arm is limited. The up-and-down vibration of the mating terminals can easily cause the support arm to become fatigued. When the support arm is fatigued, its support function fails, resulting in insufficient positive contact force. This makes the first and second contact portions not make reliable contact with the mating terminals, affecting the stability of automotive connectors.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design an improved automotive terminal and automotive connector to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. [Utility Model Content]

[0005] To address the problems in the background technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an automotive terminal and an automotive connector having the automotive terminal, wherein the limiting part is bent inward from the first side wall, the limiting part is located behind the contact arm and is vertically opposite to the second contact part, and the limiting part limits the vertical movement of the mating terminal to ensure stable contact between the first contact part and the second contact part and the mating terminal.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A vehicle terminal includes: a cylindrical portion extending in a front-rear direction, the front end of the cylindrical portion having an opening for inserting a mating terminal, the cylindrical portion including a bottom wall and a top wall opposite each other, a first side wall and a second side wall located on the left and right sides of the bottom wall and the top wall, an elastic contact arm extending from the top wall into the cylindrical portion, the contact arm having a root connected to the top wall, and the contact arm having a first contact portion facing the bottom wall, at least one second contact portion protruding from the bottom wall into the cylindrical portion, the first contact portion and the second contact portion being used to abut against the upper and lower sides of the mating terminal respectively, the cylindrical portion also includes an inwardly extending support arm, the support arm being used to support the side of the contact arm away from the first contact portion, a limiting portion extending bent from the first side wall into the cylindrical portion, the limiting portion being located behind the contact arm, the limiting portion and the second contact portion being opposite each other, the limiting portion having a limiting surface on the side facing the second contact portion, the limiting surface being higher than the first contact portion and lower than or flush with the root portion, the limiting surface being used to limit the upward movement of the mating terminal.

[0007] Furthermore, the first sidewall includes a first transition portion connected to the top wall and a second transition portion connected to the limiting portion. The second transition portion is further away from the opening than the first transition portion. The first sidewall is provided with at least two notches that penetrate along its thickness direction. One of the notches is adjacent to the first transition portion and the other notch is adjacent to the second transition portion in the front-back direction. The bottom ends of both notches are lower than the bottom ends of the first and second transition portions.

[0008] Furthermore, the contact arm extends from front to back in a direction away from the opening, and the support arm extends in the opposite direction to the contact arm. The support arm has a support portion that abuts against the contact arm, and the limiting portion is located behind the support portion. The height of the limiting surface is not higher than the top of the support portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the second contact portion has a guide surface connected to the bottom wall and a contact surface connected to the guide surface on the side near the opening. The guide surface extends backward and upward from the bottom wall. The end of the guide surface is further forward than the front end of the limiting portion or the end of the guide surface is vertically aligned with the front end of the limiting portion. The limiting portion and the contact surface partially or completely overlap in the vertical direction.

[0010] Furthermore, the distance between the end of the limiting portion extending into the cylinder in the left-right direction and the second sidewall is less than half the distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

[0011] Furthermore, the width of the contact arm in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the support arm, and a groove is provided through the contact arm in the up-down direction. The groove extends from the root and ends at the first contact part, and the length of the groove extends more than one-third of the length of the contact arm.

[0012] Furthermore, a top plate extends from the second side wall toward the first side wall, the top plate being located on the upper side of the top wall. The top plate includes a front section and a rear section spaced apart front and rear, and a connecting beam connecting the front section and the rear section. A support arm is formed by bending forward and inward from the front edge of the rear section and extending into the cylinder. The connecting beam in the left-right direction is located on one side of the support arm, and the connecting beam and the support arm in the up-down direction together cover the limiting part.

[0013] This utility model also adopts the following technical solution: A vehicle connector includes: an insulating body and a plurality of vehicle terminals housed in the insulating body. Each vehicle terminal includes a cylindrical portion extending in a front-rear direction. The front end of the cylindrical portion has an opening for inserting a mating terminal. The cylindrical portion includes a bottom wall and a top wall that are vertically opposite each other. A first side wall and a second side wall are located on the left and right sides of the bottom wall and the top wall. An elastic contact arm extends from the top wall into the cylindrical portion. The contact arm has a part connected to the top wall and a first contact part facing the bottom wall. At least one second contact part protrudes from the bottom wall into the cylindrical portion. The first contact part and the second contact part are used to abut against the upper and lower sides of the mating terminal, respectively. The cylindrical portion also includes an inwardly extending support arm for supporting the side of the contact arm away from the first contact part. A limiting part extends from the first side wall into the cylindrical portion by bending. The limiting part is located behind the contact arm and is vertically opposite to the second contact part. The side of the limiting part facing the second contact part has a limiting surface. The limiting surface is higher than the first contact part and is used to limit the upward movement of the mating terminal.

[0014] Furthermore, the insulating body includes a base and a plurality of plug-in posts extending forward from the base. The plurality of plug-in posts are spaced apart in the left-right direction. A plurality of terminal receiving slots are provided through the rear end face of the base corresponding to the plurality of plug-in posts. The cylindrical parts of the plurality of automotive terminals are respectively received in the plurality of terminal receiving slots. Each terminal receiving slot has an insertion port on the front surface of the plug-in post. The insertion port is used for inserting the mating terminal. The limiting surface is flush with or higher than the upper wall surface of the insertion port.

[0015] Furthermore, each automotive terminal includes a welding portion extending rearward from the cylindrical portion, the welding portion being exposed on the rear end face of the base, and multiple partitions protruding rearward from the rear end face of the base, the multiple partitions extending rearward beyond the welding portion, the center distance between each two adjacent partitions being greater than the width of the plug post in the left-right direction, the multiple partitions being spaced apart and each partition being located between two adjacent welding portions, and reinforcing ribs extending obliquely from the rear end face of the base toward at least one side of each partition.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages: When the mating terminal is inserted into the automotive terminal, the support part abuts against the side of the contact arm away from the first contact part (i.e., the upper side of the contact arm), thereby increasing the positive contact force between the first contact part and the mating terminal. This helps the automotive terminal maintain stable contact with the mating terminal even when applied to a vibration environment, avoiding poor electrical contact. Furthermore, both the contact arm and the support arm are elastic arm structures. The mating terminal abuts against the contact arm, causing the contact arm to undergo elastic deformation and, under the action of elastic recovery, apply a reverse force to the mating terminal, making the mating terminal tend to move towards the second contact part to maintain stable contact with the second contact part. The limiting part is located behind the contact arm, and the limiting part and the second contact part are arranged vertically opposite each other. The limiting part has a limiting surface on the side facing the second contact part. The limiting surface is higher than the first contact part but lower than the root part, so as to limit the vertical vibration of the mating terminal within a certain range. This limits the deviation of the mating terminal away from the opening from the second contact part, prevents the mating terminal from excessively displacing upward under strong vibration environment and pressing the contact arm and support arm, and avoids plastic deformation and elastic fatigue of the contact arm and support arm. This ensures the reliability of the first contact part and the second contact part in contact with the mating terminal. At the same time, it limits the allowable vertical vibration range of the mating terminal to between the limiting surface and the second contact part, and avoids the problem that the end of the mating terminal will tilt upward due to vibration and fail to abut the second contact part. This further enhances the reliability of the contact between the automotive terminal and the mating terminal. [Attached Image Description]

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional assembly view of the automotive connector of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional disassembled view of the automotive connector of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional assembly view of the automotive connector of this utility model from another perspective;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the automotive terminal of this utility model, omitting the welding portion;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a top view of the automotive terminal of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the automotive terminal of this utility model, with a portion of the top plate removed.

[0023] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0024] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified view of region C circled in the center;

[0025] Figure 9 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0026] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the automotive connector and the mating connector of this utility model when they are mated.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the accompanying drawings for the specific implementation methods:

[0028]

[0029]

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0030] To facilitate a better understanding of the purpose, structure, features, and effects of this utility model, the present utility model will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, this utility model discloses an automotive terminal 2 and an automotive connector 100. The automotive connector 100 includes an insulating body 1 and a plurality of automotive terminals 2 housed within the insulating body 1. The plurality of automotive terminals 2 are inserted into a plurality of mating terminals 4 of a mating connector 200 along a front-rear direction. Each automotive terminal 2 includes a cylindrical portion 21 and a welding portion 22 extending rearward from the cylindrical portion 21. The front end of the cylindrical portion 21 has an opening 216 for the mating terminal 4 to be inserted. The cylindrical portion 21 includes a top wall 214 and a bottom wall 211 that are vertically opposite, and a first side wall 212 and a second side wall 213 that are horizontally opposite. An elastic [structure / mechanism] is provided inside the cylindrical portion 21. A contact arm M and a support arm S are provided. The contact arm M has a first contact portion M2 and a second contact portion P on its bottom wall 211. The first contact portion M2 and the second contact portion P respectively contact the upper and lower sides of the mating terminal 4. The support arm S is used to support the contact arm M on the side away from the first contact portion M2. A limiting portion L extends inward from the first side wall 212. The limiting portion L is located behind the contact arm M, and the side of the limiting portion L facing the second contact portion P is a limiting surface L1. The limiting surface L1 is used to restrict the upward movement of the mating terminal 4. Multiple welding portions 22 are exposed at the rear end of the insulating body 1 for electrical connection with a circuit board 300. In this embodiment, the front-back direction is the X-axis direction, with the positive X-axis direction being front; the left-right direction is the Y-axis direction, with the positive Y-axis direction being right; and the up-down direction is the Z-axis direction, with the positive Z-axis direction being up.

[0032] like Figure 4The vehicle terminal 2 of this utility model is shown. It extends upward from the left and right sides of the bottom wall 211 to form a first side wall 212 and a second side wall 213 respectively. It bends from the first side wall 212 toward the second side wall 213 to form a top wall 214. It bends from the second side wall 213 toward the first side wall 212 to form a top plate 215. The top plate 215 is located on the upper side of the top wall 214. The bottom wall 211, the top wall 214, the first side wall 212 and the second side wall 213 together form the opening 216 at the front end of the cylindrical part 21.

[0033] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, a contact arm M extends backward from the top wall 214 away from the opening 216 and downward at an angle to form a contact arm M. The contact arm M has a root part M1 connected to the top wall 214. The lower surface of the root part M1 is approximately flush with the lower surface of the top wall 214. A first contact part M2 protrudes from the end of the contact arm M toward the bottom wall 211 to form a first contact part M2. The first contact part M2 is used to abut against the upper surface of the mating terminal 4. A groove M3 is provided through the contact arm M in the vertical direction. The groove M3 extends backward from the root part M1 and ends at the first contact part M2. The groove M3 improves the stress concentration at the root part M1 of the contact arm M, prevents the contact arm M from breaking and being damaged. The length of the groove M3 extends more than one-third of the length of the contact arm M, so that the groove M3 extends a longer length along the entire contact arm M, thereby improving the fatigue resistance of the contact arm M and extending the service life of the contact arm M.

[0034] like Figures 4 to 7As shown, the top plate 215 includes a front section 2151 and a rear section 2153 spaced apart, and a connecting beam 2152 connecting the front section 2151 and the rear section 2153. The support arm S is formed by bending forward from the front edge of the rear section 2153 and extending into the cylindrical portion 21. Compared with some existing technologies that punch out the contact arm M and the support arm S from the same wall, the limited material of the same wall plate causes the length and width of the contact arm M and the support arm S to be limited. In this utility model, the support arm S and the contact arm M are formed on different walls. The forming of the contact arm M and the support arm S is not limited by the same wall. Therefore, relatively longer / wider contact arms M and support arms S can be set, so that the elastic performance of the contact arm M and the support arm S is better. A support portion S1 is formed at the free end of the support arm S. When the docking terminal 4 is not inserted, there is a small gap between the support portion S1 and the contact arm M. When the docking terminal 4 is inserted into the vehicle terminal 2, the support portion S1 abuts against the side of the contact arm M away from the first contact portion M2 (i.e., the upper side of the contact arm M), thereby increasing the positive contact force between the first contact portion M2 and the docking terminal 4. This helps the vehicle terminal 2 to maintain stable contact with the docking terminal 4 even when applied to a vibration environment, avoiding poor electrical contact. Furthermore, both the contact arm M and the support arm S are elastic arm structures. When the docking terminal 4 abuts against the contact arm M, the support arm S and the contact arm M undergo elastic deformation and, under the action of elastic recovery, apply a reverse force to the docking terminal 4, causing the docking terminal 4 to have a tendency to displace toward the second contact portion P in order to maintain stable contact with the second contact portion P. The support arm S extends in the opposite direction to the contact arm M, and overlaps only in the area of ​​the first contact part M2, so that the contact arm M can be fully elastically deformed. The width of the contact arm M in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the support arm S, which not only increases the contact area of ​​the first contact part M2, but also makes it difficult for the support part S1 to slide off the wider contact arm M when the mating terminal 4 is inserted, thus ensuring the support effect of the support part S1. The larger width of the contact arm M also improves the structural strength of the contact arm M, which is beneficial for the automotive terminal 2 to be used in high vibration and high current environments. The front section 2151 and the rear section 2153 of the top plate 215 are connected by the connecting beam 2152, thereby increasing the structural stability of the top plate 215. In particular, the strength of the rear section 2153 connected to the support arm S is enhanced, ensuring the stability of the support position of the support arm S. It is not necessary to fix the front section 2151 and the rear section 2153 to the first side wall 212, which simplifies the structure of the vehicle terminal 2 and ensures that the vehicle terminal 2 has good structural strength. The connecting beam 2152 along the left and right direction is located on one side of the support arm S to protect the support arm S from foreign object interference from the side and also to limit the sway of the support arm S toward the connecting beam 2152.

[0035] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, two second contact portions P are provided protruding upward from the bottom wall 211 with a front-to-back spacing. Each second contact portion P has a guide surface P1 connected to the bottom wall 211 and a contact surface P2 connected to the guide surface P1 on the side near the opening 216. The contact surface P2 is used to abut against the lower surface of the docking terminal 4. The guide surface P1 extends backward and upward from the bottom wall 211 to guide the end of the docking terminal 4 during the insertion process. The two second contact portions P and the first contact portion M2 are staggered. The first contact portion M2 is located between the two second contact portions P in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the positions of the first contact portion M2 and the second contact portion P in contact with the docking terminal 4 are dispersed front-to-back to avoid excessive insertion and extraction force between the vehicle terminal 2 and the docking terminal 4, and to prevent increased friction between the two from causing wear of the surface plating and affecting electrical performance.

[0036] like Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, a limiting portion L extends from the first sidewall 212 into the cylindrical portion 21 by bending. The limiting portion L is located behind the contact arm M and is used to limit the side of the mating terminal 4 away from the opening 216. The limiting portion L is vertically opposite to a second contact portion P located on the rear side. The side of the limiting portion L facing the second contact portion P has a limiting surface L1. The limiting surface L1 is higher than the first contact portion M2 but lower than the root portion M1, so as to limit the vertical vibration of the mating terminal 4 within a certain range, thereby limiting the side of the mating terminal 4 away from the opening 216 from deviating from the second contact portion P. To prevent excessive upward displacement of the docking terminal 4 under strong vibration conditions, which could compress the contact arm M and support arm S, and to avoid plastic deformation and elastic fatigue of the contact arm M and support arm S, this ensures the reliable contact between the first contact part M2 and the second contact part P and the docking terminal 4. Simultaneously, it limits the allowable vertical vibration range of the docking terminal 4 to between the limiting surface L1 and the second contact part P, preventing the end of the docking terminal 4 from tilting upwards due to vibration and failing to abut against the second contact part P, further enhancing the reliability of the contact between the automotive terminal 2 and the docking terminal 4. The limiting part L is located below the support arm S and behind the support part S1, and the limiting surface L1 is not higher than the top of the support part S1, further limiting the upward movement of the docking terminal 4. This prevents excessive upward displacement of the docking terminal 4 from excessively compressing the contact arm M, which could lead to elastic fatigue of the contact arm M and support arm S. This ensures that the support part S1 stably supports the contact arm M, guaranteeing that the positive contact force between the first contact part M2 and the docking terminal 4 always meets the requirements. In other embodiments, the limiting surface L1 may also be flush with the root M1 of the contact arm M.

[0037] like Figure 8As shown, the end of the guide surface P1 of the second contact portion P located on the rear side is further forward than the front end of the limiting portion L, so that the mating terminal 4 is first well guided to a horizontal state during insertion. After the guidance is completed, the limiting portion L limits the horizontal mating terminal 4, preventing the end of the mating terminal 4, which is inserted at an angle, from tilting upwards and directly contacting the limiting portion L, thus protecting the end of the mating terminal 4 and preventing the limiting portion L from being bent. The limiting portion L and the contact surface P2 partially overlap in the vertical direction, so that the lower side of the mating terminal 4 is well supported by the contact surface P2 while the upper side of the mating terminal 4 is limited by the limiting portion L, thereby suppressing the vibration amplitude of the mating terminal 4. In other embodiments, the end of the guide surface P1 can also be aligned vertically with the front end of the limiting portion L to achieve the same effect. In this embodiment, the contact surface P2 overlaps with the upper and lower parts of the limiting part L. In other embodiments, when the size of the automotive terminal is large, the contact surface P2 and the limiting part L can completely overlap in the vertical direction, which increases the limiting area of ​​the limiting surface L1 and further enhances the limiting effect of the limiting part L on the upper area of ​​the contact point between the docking terminal 4 and the contact surface P2.

[0038] like Figure 9 As shown, the distance D1 between the end (i.e., the side end) of the limiting part L extending into the cylindrical part 21 in the left-right direction and the second side wall 213 is less than half of the distance D2 between the first side wall 212 and the second side wall 213, so that the limiting part L has a larger limiting surface L1 to fully limit the docking terminal 4. In this embodiment, there is a gap between the limiting part L and the second side wall 213. In other embodiments, the distance D1 between the limiting part L and the second side wall 213 can be zero, that is, the limiting part L and the second side wall 213 can directly contact each other.

[0039] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the connecting beam 2152 and the support arm S together cover the limiting part L in the vertical direction to prevent foreign objects from accidentally touching the limiting part L from the top, which would cause changes in the positioning of the limiting part L and ensure that the limiting part L has a good limiting effect. The first sidewall 212 includes a first transition portion 2121 connected to the top wall 214 and a second transition portion 2122 connected to the limiting portion L. A plurality of notches 2123 are provided through the first sidewall 212 along its thickness direction. One notch 2123 is adjacent to the rear side of the first transition portion 2121, and the other two notches 2123 are adjacent to the front and rear sides of the second transition portion 2122, respectively. The bottom of the notches 2123 is lower than the bottom of the first transition portion 2121 and the second transition portion 2122. The relatively deep notches 2123 enhance the deformation capability of the contact arm M connected to the top wall 214 and the limiting portion L, increase the elastic performance of the contact arm M, and facilitate the bending and forming of the limiting portion L. It also makes the limiting portion L have some elasticity (less than the elasticity of the contact arm M), which helps to maintain the correct position of the limiting surface L1 under the elastic recovery action. At the same time, the two notches 2123 also improve the stress concentration at the first transition portion 2121 and the second transition portion 2122, preventing fracture. Similarly, a notch 2123 may also be provided on the second sidewall 213 adjacent to the connection between the second sidewall 213 and the rear section 2153, which can also increase the elasticity of the support arm S and prevent breakage. In this embodiment, multiple notches 2123 are provided; in other embodiments, at least two notches 2123 are sufficient. Ensuring that both the first transition portion 2121 and the second transition portion 2122 are adjacent to the notch 2123 can achieve the effect of increasing elasticity.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 10 As shown, multiple automotive terminals 2 are assembled to an insulating body 1 from back to front. The insulating body 1 includes a base 11 and multiple plug-in posts 12 extending forward from the base 11. The multiple plug-in posts 12 are spaced apart in the left-right direction. Multiple terminal receiving slots 111 are provided forward through the multiple plug-in posts 12 from the rear end face of the base 11. Multiple cylindrical portions 21 of the multiple automotive terminals 2 are respectively received in the multiple terminal receiving slots 111. Specifically, an anti-retraction spring Q extends backward and upward from the rear edge of the front section 2151. A stop block 1111 protrudes downward from the terminal receiving slot 111. The stop block 1111 stops the rear end of the anti-retraction spring Q to prevent the automotive terminals 2 from exiting the terminal receiving slot 111 backward. Each terminal receiving slot 111 has an insertion port O and a tool inlet T connected to the insertion port O on the front end face of the plug-in post 12. The insertion port O is used for inserting the docking terminal 4, and the tool inlet T is used for inserting an external tool to unlock the anti-retraction spring Q of the automotive terminal 2.

[0041] like Figure 10As shown, the docking housing 3 of the docking connector 200 is provided with a docking terminal 4. The docking terminal 4 has a proximal end 41 close to the inner wall of the docking housing 3. The docking terminal 4 is inserted into the insertion port O and connected to the vehicle terminal 2 in the terminal receiving groove 111. The two opposing upper and lower walls of the insertion port O limit the range of vertical vibration of the proximal end 41 of the docking terminal 4. The limiting surface L1 is slightly higher than the upper wall of the insertion port O to limit the range of vertical vibration of the docking terminal 4 away from the proximal end 41. Therefore, multiple positions of the docking terminal 4 are well limited, thereby ensuring the reliability of the contact between the vehicle terminal 2 and the docking terminal 4. In this embodiment, the distance between the upper and lower walls of the insertion port O is 0.75 mm, and the limiting surface L1 is 0.002-0.025 mm higher than the upper wall of the insertion port O. In other embodiments, the limiting surface L1 can also be flush with the upper wall of the insertion port O.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, the automotive connector 100 has multiple insertion pins 12 spaced apart to provide a larger gap between adjacent automotive terminals 2, thereby increasing electrical insulation performance and facilitating the application of the automotive connector 100 in high-current environments. A soldering portion 22 extends rearward from the cylindrical portion 21 of each automotive terminal 2, protruding from the rear end face of the base 11 for soldering to the external circuit board 300. Multiple partitions 112 protrude rearward from the rear end face of the base 11, all extending rearward beyond the soldering portion 22. The center distance D3 between any two partitions 112 is greater than the width W of the insertion pin 12 in the left-right direction. The partitions 112 are arranged at intervals, with each partition 112 located between two adjacent welded parts 22. This increases the creepage path between adjacent welded parts 22 by requiring the creepage path to pass through the side surface of the partition 112, thereby further enhancing the electrical insulation performance. The multiple partitions 112 are used to correspond to the multiple through holes 5 inserted into the circuit board 300. Multiple reinforcing ribs 113 extend obliquely from the rear end face of the base 11 toward the side of each partition 112. Each reinforcing rib 113 is connected at the root of the connection between the partition 112 and the base 11, strengthening the structural strength of the partition 112 and preventing the partition 112 from breaking. In this embodiment, multiple reinforcing ribs 113 are provided on three sides (top side and left and right sides) of each partition 112. In other embodiments, only one reinforcing rib 113 may be provided on one side of each partition 112, as long as the structural strength of the partition 112 is strengthened.

[0043] In summary, the automotive terminal 2 and automotive connector 100 of this utility model have the following beneficial effects:

[0044] (1) When the docking terminal 4 is inserted into the automotive terminal 2, the support S1 abuts against the side of the contact arm M away from the first contact part M2 (i.e., the upper side of the contact arm M), thereby increasing the positive contact force between the first contact part M2 and the docking terminal 4. This helps the automotive terminal 2 maintain stable contact with the docking terminal 4 even when applied to a vibration environment, avoiding poor electrical contact. Both the contact arm M and the support arm S are elastic arm structures. The docking terminal 4 abuts against the contact arm M, causing the contact arm M to undergo elastic deformation and, under the action of elastic recovery, to apply a reverse force to the docking terminal 4, making the docking terminal 4 tend to displace toward the second contact part P to maintain stable contact with the second contact part P. The limiting part L is located behind the contact arm M, and the limiting part L is arranged vertically opposite to the second contact part P. The limiting part L faces the second contact part P. One side has a limiting surface L1, which is higher than the first contact part M2 and lower than the root part M1, so as to limit the vertical vibration of the docking terminal 4 within a certain range. This limits the side of the docking terminal 4 away from the opening 216 from deviating from the second contact part P, preventing the docking terminal 4 from excessively displacing upward under strong vibration and pressing the contact arm M and the support arm S. It also avoids the contact arm M and the support arm S from plastic deformation and elastic fatigue, thereby ensuring the reliability of the first contact part M2 and the second contact part P in contact with the docking terminal 4. At the same time, it limits the range of vertical vibration of the docking terminal 4 to between the limiting surface L1 and the second contact part P, avoiding the problem that the end of the docking terminal 4 will tilt upward due to vibration and fail to abut the second contact part P. This further enhances the reliability of the contact between the vehicle terminal 2 and the docking terminal 4.

[0045] (2) At least two notches 2123 are provided through the first sidewall 212 along its thickness direction. One notch 2123 is adjacent to the first transition part 2121, and the other notch 2123 is adjacent to the second transition part 2122. The bottom of the notches 2123 is lower than the bottom of the first transition part 2121 and the second transition part 2122. By providing a deeper notch 2123, the elastic deformation capability of the contact arm M and the limiting part L connected to the top wall 214 is improved, the elastic performance of the contact arm M is increased, and the bending and forming of the limiting part L is facilitated. The limiting part L also has a part of elasticity (less than the elasticity of the contact arm M), which is conducive to maintaining the correct position of the limiting surface L1 under the elastic recovery action. At the same time, the two notches 2123 also improve the stress concentration at the first transition part 2121 and the second transition part 2122, and prevent fracture.

[0046] (3) The limiting part L is located behind the support part S1, and the limiting surface L1 is not higher than the top of the support part S1, which further restricts the upward movement of the docking terminal 4, prevents the docking terminal 4 from excessively shifting upward and excessively pressing the contact arm M, which would cause the contact arm M and the support arm S to become fatigued, and ensures that the positive contact force between the first contact part M2 and the docking terminal 4 always meets the requirements.

[0047] (4) The end of the guide surface P1 of the second contact part P is further forward than the front end of the limiting part L, so that the docking terminal 4 is first well guided to a horizontal state during the insertion process, and the limiting part L limits the horizontal docking terminal 4 after the guidance is completed, so as to prevent the end of the docking terminal 4 inserted in an inclined posture from tilting upward and directly touching the limiting part L, thus protecting the end of the docking terminal 4 and preventing the limiting part L from being knocked off. The limiting part L and the contact surface P2 partially overlap in the vertical direction, so that the lower side of the docking terminal 4 is well supported by the contact surface P2 while the upper side of the docking terminal 4 is limited by the limiting part L, thereby suppressing the vibration amplitude of the docking terminal 4.

[0048] (5) The width of the contact arm M in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the support arm S. This not only increases the contact area of ​​the first contact part M1, but also makes it less likely for the support arm S to slide off the wider contact arm M, ensuring the support effect of the support arm S. In addition, the larger width of the contact arm M also improves the structural strength of the contact arm M, which is beneficial for the application of the automotive terminal 2 in high vibration and high current environments. A groove M3 is provided through the contact arm M in the up-down direction. The groove M3 extends backward from the root M1 and ends at the first contact part M2. The groove M3 improves the stress concentration at the root M1 of the contact arm M, preventing the contact arm M from breaking and being damaged. The length of the groove M3 extends more than one-third of the length of the contact arm M, so that the groove M3 extends a longer length along the entire contact arm M, thereby improving the fatigue resistance of the contact arm M and extending the service life of the contact arm M.

[0049] (6) The connecting beam 2152 along the left-right direction is located on one side of the support arm S to protect the support arm S from interference by foreign objects from the side, and also to limit the sway of the support arm S toward the connecting beam 2152. The connecting beam 2152 and the support arm S together cover the limiting part L along the up-down direction to prevent foreign objects from accidentally touching the limiting part L from the top and causing changes in the positioning of the limiting part L, so as to ensure that the limiting part L has a good limiting effect.

[0050] (7) Each terminal receiving groove 111 has an insertion port O on the front end face of the plug post 12. The two opposing upper and lower walls of the insertion port O limit the range of vertical vibration of the near end 41 of the docking terminal 4 near the inner wall of the docking housing 3. The limiting surface L1 is flush with or higher than the upper wall of the insertion port O. The top plate 215 of the insertion port O limits the range of vertical vibration of the docking terminal 4 away from the near end 41. Therefore, multiple positions of the docking terminal 4 are effectively limited, thereby ensuring the reliability of the contact between the vehicle terminal 2 and the docking terminal 4.

[0051] (8) The multiple plug pins 12 of the automotive connector 100 are spaced apart to provide a larger gap between adjacent automotive terminals 2, thereby increasing electrical insulation performance and facilitating the application of the automotive connector 100 to high current environments. Multiple partitions 112 extend backward beyond the soldering portion 22. The center distance between any two partitions 112 is greater than the width of the plug pin 12 in the left-right direction. The multiple partitions 112 are spaced apart and each partition 112 is located between two adjacent soldering portions 22, so that the creepage path between two adjacent soldering portions 22 needs to pass through the side surface of the partition 112, thereby increasing the creepage path and further enhancing electrical insulation performance. The multiple partitions 112 are used to correspond to the multiple through holes 5 inserted into the circuit board 300. Multiple reinforcing ribs 113 extend obliquely from the rear end face of the base 11 toward the side of each partition 112. Each reinforcing rib 113 is connected at the root of the partition 112 connected to the base 11, which strengthens the structural strength of the partition 112 and prevents the partition 112 from breaking.

[0052] The above detailed description is only a description of the preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the patent scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the content of this invention's specification and illustrations are included within the patent scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle terminal, characterized in that, include: A cylindrical section extending in a front-rear direction has an opening at its front end for inserting a mating terminal. The cylindrical section includes a bottom wall and a top wall that are vertically opposite each other, a first side wall and a second side wall located on the left and right sides of the bottom wall and the top wall, respectively. An elastic contact arm extends from the top wall into the cylindrical section. The contact arm has a root connected to the top wall and a first contact portion facing the bottom wall. At least one second contact portion protrudes from the bottom wall into the cylindrical section. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are used to abut against the upper and lower sides of the mating terminal, respectively. The cylindrical section also includes an inwardly extending support arm for supporting the side of the contact arm away from the first contact portion. A limiting portion extends from the first side wall into the cylindrical section by bending. The limiting portion is located behind the contact arm and is vertically opposite to the second contact portion. The limiting portion has a limiting surface on the side facing the second contact portion. The limiting surface is higher than the first contact portion but lower than or flush with the root portion. The limiting surface is used to limit the upward movement of the mating terminal.

2. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first sidewall includes a first transition portion connected to the top wall and a second transition portion connected to the limiting portion. The second transition portion is further away from the opening than the first transition portion. The first sidewall is provided with at least two notches that penetrate along its thickness direction. One of the notches is adjacent to the first transition portion and the other notch is adjacent to the second transition portion in the front-back direction. The bottom ends of both notches are lower than the bottom ends of the first and second transition portions.

3. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact arm extends from front to back in a direction away from the opening, and the support arm extends in the opposite direction to the contact arm. The support arm has a support portion that abuts against the contact arm, and the limiting portion is located behind the support portion. The height of the limiting surface is not higher than the top of the support portion.

4. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second contact part has a guide surface connected to the bottom wall and a contact surface connected to the guide surface on the side near the opening. The guide surface extends backward and upward from the bottom wall. The end of the guide surface is further forward than the front end of the limiting part or the end of the guide surface is vertically aligned with the front end of the limiting part. The limiting part and the contact surface partially or completely overlap in the vertical direction.

5. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The distance between the end of the limiting part extending into the cylinder in the left-right direction and the second side wall is less than half the distance between the first side wall and the second side wall.

6. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the contact arm in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the support arm. A groove is provided through the contact arm in the up-down direction. The groove extends from the root and ends at the first contact part. The length of the groove extends more than one-third of the length of the contact arm.

7. The automotive terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: A top plate extends from the second sidewall toward the first sidewall, the top plate being located on the upper side of the top wall. The top plate includes a front section and a rear section spaced apart, and a connecting beam connecting the front section and the rear section. A support arm is formed by bending forward and inward from the front edge of the rear section and extending into the cylinder. The connecting beam in the left-right direction is located on one side of the support arm, and the connecting beam and the support arm in the up-down direction together cover the limiting part.

8. A vehicle connector, characterized in that, include: An insulating body and a plurality of automotive terminals housed within the insulating body, each automotive terminal including a cylindrical portion extending in a front-rear direction, the front end of the cylindrical portion having an opening for inserting a mating terminal, the cylindrical portion including a bottom wall and a top wall opposite each other, a first side wall and a second side wall located on the left and right sides of the bottom wall and the top wall, a resilient contact arm extending from the top wall into the cylindrical portion, the contact arm having a portion connected to the top wall and having a first contact portion facing the bottom wall, at least one second contact portion protruding from the bottom wall into the cylindrical portion, the first contact portion and the second contact portion being used to abut against the upper and lower sides of the mating terminal respectively, the cylindrical portion also including an inwardly extending support arm for supporting the side of the contact arm away from the first contact portion, a limiting portion extending bent into the cylindrical portion from the first side wall, the limiting portion being located behind the contact arm, the limiting portion and the second contact portion being vertically opposite each other, the limiting portion having a limiting surface on the side facing the second contact portion, the limiting surface being higher than the first contact portion, the limiting surface being used to limit the upward movement of the mating terminal.

9. The automotive connector according to claim 8, characterized in that: The insulating body includes a base and a plurality of plug-in posts extending forward from the base. The plurality of plug-in posts are spaced apart in the left-right direction. A plurality of terminal receiving slots are provided through the rear end face of the base corresponding to the plurality of plug-in posts. The cylindrical parts of the plurality of automotive terminals are respectively received in the plurality of terminal receiving slots. Each terminal receiving slot has an insertion port on the front surface of the plug-in post. The insertion port is used for inserting the mating terminal. The limiting surface is flush with or higher than the upper wall surface of the insertion port.

10. The automotive connector according to claim 9, characterized in that: Each automotive terminal includes a welding portion extending rearward from the cylindrical portion, the welding portion being exposed at the rear end face of the base, and multiple partitions protruding rearward from the rear end face of the base, each partition extending rearward beyond the welding portion, the center distance between each two adjacent partitions being greater than the width of the plug post in the left-right direction, the multiple partitions being spaced apart and each partition being located between two adjacent welding portions, and reinforcing ribs extending obliquely from the rear end face of the base toward at least one side of each partition.

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