Terminal and manufacturing method for the same

Abstract

To provide a terminal and a manufacturing method for the same that can suppress the falling off of a cap.SOLUTION: A terminal 10 includes a terminal body 11 made of a conductor and a cap 12 made of an insulator provided on the terminal body 11. The terminal body 11 has a cylindrical electrical connection part 21. The cap 12 has a columnar shape having a length direction. A portion of the length direction of the cap 12 is located inside the electrical connection part 21. On the outer surface of the cap 12, a protrusion part 33 is formed, in which the tip of the electrical connection part 21 is embedded in the inner diameter side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a terminal and a method for manufacturing a terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal including a terminal body made of a conductor and a cap made of an insulator provided on the terminal body. The terminal body has a cylindrical electrical connection part that is electrically connected to a mating terminal. The cap is provided on the tip of the electrical connection part. The cap makes it possible to prevent the electrical connection part from being touched by fingers, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-4391 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With regard to the above-mentioned terminal, a structure has been studied as to how to make the cap not come off from the electrical connection portion of the terminal body. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal and a method for manufacturing a terminal that can prevent a cap from falling off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The terminal of the present disclosure is a terminal comprising a terminal body made of a conductor and a cap made of an insulator provided on the terminal body, wherein the terminal body has a cylindrical electrical connection portion, the cap is columnar with a length direction, a portion of the cap in the length direction is located inside the electrical connection portion, and a biting portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cap where the tip of the electrical connection portion bites into the inner diameter side. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the terminal and the method for manufacturing the terminal of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the cap from falling off. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terminal according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the periphery of an electrical connection portion of a terminal in the same embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a manufacturing method of the terminal in the same embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The terminal of the present disclosure is [1] A terminal comprising a terminal body made of a conductor and a cap made of an insulator provided on the terminal body, wherein the terminal body has a cylindrical electrical connection portion, the cap is columnar with a length direction, a portion of the cap in the length direction is located inside the electrical connection portion, and a biting portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cap where a tip end of the electrical connection portion bites into the inner diameter side.

[0009] With this configuration, the cap catches onto the tip of the electrical connection portion at the biting portion formed on the outer surface of the cap, into which the electrical connection portion of the terminal body bites, thereby making it possible to prevent the cap from coming loose from the electrical connection portion.

[0010] [2] In the above item [1], the tip of the electrical connection portion may have a tapered portion that narrows in diameter toward the tip, and the tapered portion may be bitten into the biting portion. According to this configuration, the tapered portion of the electrical connection portion bites into the biting portion of the cap, making it possible to more effectively prevent the cap from coming off the electrical connection portion.

[0011] [3] In the above [1] or [2], the electrical connection portion may have a recess on an inner circumferential surface of the electrical connection portion, and the cap may have a filling portion that fills the recess. According to this configuration, the filling portion of the cap is embedded in the recess provided on the inner circumferential surface of the electrical connection portion, so that the filling portion can be engaged with the recess of the electrical connection portion in the length direction of the cap, thereby making it possible to more reliably prevent the cap from coming off the electrical connection portion.

[0012] [4] In the above [3], the filling portion may be in close contact with an inner surface of the recess. According to this configuration, the filling portion of the cap can be more suitably engaged with the recess of the electrical connection portion.

[0013] [5] A method for manufacturing a terminal as described in any one of [1] to [4] above, comprising: a placing step of placing a columnar substrate which serves as the substrate of the cap on a plate-shaped substrate which serves as the substrate of the terminal body; and a molding step of molding the electrical connection portion and the cap by bending a part of the plate-shaped substrate into a cylindrical shape so as to surround the columnar substrate, wherein the biting portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cap in the molding step.

[0014] According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture a terminal in which the biting portion prevents the cap from falling off. Furthermore, according to the above manufacturing method, since the cap is formed simultaneously in the molding process for forming the electrical connection portion into a cylindrical shape, it is possible to reduce the number of attachment steps, which can contribute to reducing manufacturing costs.

[0015] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the terminal and the method for manufacturing the terminal according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, for the convenience of explanation, some of the configurations may be exaggerated or simplified. Also, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ from one drawing to another.

[0016] In addition, the term "cylindrical" used in the description of this specification does not only refer to a cylindrical shape having a continuous wall formed around the entire circumference, but also includes a cylindrical shape formed by combining multiple parts, and a C-shape having a notch in a part of the circumference. In addition, the shape of a "cylindrical shape" includes a circle, an ellipse, and a polygon with sharp or rounded corners.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a terminal 10 includes a terminal body 11 made of a conductor and a cap 12 made of an insulator. (Terminal body 11) The terminal body 11 is an integrally molded product made of, for example, a metal material. The terminal body 11 is molded from a plate-shaped base material B1, which will be described later. The terminal body 11 includes an electrical connection portion 21 and a barrel portion 22. The electrical connection portion 21 is connected to a mating terminal (not shown). An electric wire (not shown) is connected to the barrel portion 22.

[0018] The cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 shows a vertical cross-section along the axis of the terminal 10 in the peripheral region of the electrical connection portion 21. The electrical connection portion 21 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. With respect to both axial ends of the electrical connection portion 21, the end closer to the barrel portion 22 is the base end, and the opposite end is the tip end. The tip end of the electrical connection portion 21 has a tapered portion 23 that reduces in diameter toward the axial tip. The electrical connection portion 21 also has a recess 24 on its inner peripheral surface. For example, a plurality of recesses 24 are provided in line in the axial direction of the electrical connection portion 21. The recesses 24 are provided, for example, in a portion of the electrical connection portion 21 other than the tapered portion 23. The recesses 24 are also provided, for example, partially in the circumferential direction of the electrical connection portion 21.

[0019] (Cap 12) 2, the cap 12 has a columnar shape extending along the axis of the electrical connection part 21. The cap 12 is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin. The cap 12 is provided on the electrical connection part 21 such that a portion of the cap 12 in the longitudinal direction is located inside the electrical connection part 21. That is, the cap 12 includes an inner part 31 located inside the electrical connection part 21, and a touch prevention part 32 exposed from the tip of the electrical connection part 21 to the outside of the electrical connection part 21. The outer diameter of the touch prevention part 32 is formed to be, for example, equal to the outer diameter of the tip of the electrical connection part 21 (in this embodiment, the minimum outer diameter of the tapered part 23).

[0020] The outer peripheral surface of the cap 12 is formed with a biting portion 33 in which the tapered portion 23 of the electrical connection portion 21 bites into the inner diameter side. The biting portion 33 is formed by the biting of the tapered portion 23, so that the outer diameter of the inner portion 31 is smaller than the outer diameter of the finger prevention portion 32. The tapered portion 23 bites into the biting portion 33, so that the inner portion 31 abuts against the finger prevention portion 32 in the axial direction of the electrical connection portion 21. The outer peripheral surface of the inner portion 31 at the biting portion 33 is tapered along the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 23. At the biting portion 33, the outer peripheral surface of the inner portion 31 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 23. As a result, the outer peripheral surface of the inner portion 31 engages with the inner peripheral surface of the tapered portion 23 in the direction of coming out of the electrical connection portion 21. This prevents the cap 12 from coming out of the electrical connection portion 21.

[0021] The cap 12 has a filling portion 34 that fills the recess 24 of the electrical connection portion 21. For example, a plurality of filling portions 34 are formed corresponding to the plurality of recesses 24. For example, each filling portion 34 is filled into each recess 24 without any gaps. That is, the filling portion 34 is in close contact with the inner surface of the recess 24. In the axial direction of the electrical connection portion 21, the filling portion 34 is engaged with the recess 24, so that the cap 12 is less likely to move axially relative to the electrical connection portion 21.

[0022] Next, a method for manufacturing the terminal 10 will be described. The manufacturing method of the terminal 10 includes a shape punching step, a bending step, a placing step, and a forming step.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, the terminal body 11 is formed from a plate-shaped substrate B1 such as a metal plate. The plate-shaped substrate B1 has, for example, a strip-shaped base 41 and a plurality of terminal bodies 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d connected to the base 41. Each of the terminal bodies 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d is a part of the plate-shaped substrate B1. In Fig. 3, the terminal body 11a shows the state of the terminal body after the outline punching process, the terminal body 11b shows the state of the terminal body after the bending process, the terminal body 11c shows the state after the placing process, and the terminal body 11d shows the state of the terminal body after the molding process.

[0024] In the outline punching process, the terminal body 11a is formed by pressing the plate-shaped base material B1. After the outline punching process, the terminal body 11a has a flat plate shape as a whole, including the electrical connection portion 21 and the barrel portion 22. In addition, in the outline punching process, each recess 24 is formed in the electrical connection portion 21.

[0025] After the outer shape punching process, the terminal body 11a is subjected to a bending process to form the terminal body 11b. In the bending process, the electrical connection portion 21 and the barrel portion 22 are bent into a substantially U-shape. After the bending step, a placing step is performed. In the placing step, the columnar base material B2, which is the base material of the cap 12, is placed on the electrical connection portion 21 of the terminal body 11b. The terminal body 11c shows a state in which the columnar base material B2 is placed on the electrical connection portion 21. The columnar base material B2 has, for example, a cylindrical shape with a uniform outer diameter in the length direction. The columnar base material B2 is formed, for example, by cutting a resin filament into pieces of a predetermined length. That is, prior to the molding step described below, there are no irregularities on the outer peripheral surface of the columnar base material B2.

[0026] In the placing step, the columnar substrate B2 is placed inside the electrical connection portion 21 bent into a substantially U-shape. That is, the columnar substrate B2 can be positioned by the electrical connection portion 21 bent into a substantially U-shape. In addition, in the placing step, the columnar substrate B2 is placed so that a portion of the columnar substrate B2 in the longitudinal direction protrudes from the electrical connection portion 21. The portion of the columnar substrate B2 protruding from the electrical connection portion 21 becomes the finger-touch prevention portion 32 through a subsequent molding step.

[0027] After the placing step, a molding step is performed. In the molding step, the substantially U-shaped electrical connection portion 21 in the terminal body 11c is bent, for example, into a cylindrical shape so as to surround the columnar base material B2. In the molding step, for example, the electrical connection portion 21 is molded into a cylindrical shape so that a pair of free ends of the substantially U-shaped electrical connection portion 21 come into contact with each other. In the molding step, as shown in the terminal body 11d of FIG. 3, a tapered portion 23 is formed in the electrical connection portion 21. At this time, the tapered portion 23 bites into the outer peripheral surface of the columnar base material B2, thereby forming the bite portion 33 described above. In addition, a part of the columnar base material B2 enters each recess 24 of the electrical connection portion 21 by the molding step. As a result, each filling portion 34 described above is formed. In this way, the cap 12 described above is molded by the molding step. Then, after the molding step, for example, the terminal body 11d is cut out from the plate-shaped base material B1 to complete the terminal 10.

[0028] The effects of this embodiment will be described. (1) The outer peripheral surface of the cap 12 is formed with a biting portion 33 where the tip of the electrical connection portion 21 bites into the inner diameter side. According to this configuration, the cap 12 is caught by the tip of the electrical connection portion 21 at the biting portion 33 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cap 12, so that it is possible to prevent the cap 12 from coming off the electrical connection portion 21.

[0029] (2) The tip of the electrical connection part 21 has a tapered part 23 that narrows toward the tip. Then, the tapered part 23 bites into the outer peripheral surface of the cap 12 to form a biting part 33. According to this configuration, the tapered part 23 of the electrical connection part 21 bites into the biting part 33 of the cap 12, so that it is possible to more suitably prevent the cap 12 from coming off the electrical connection part 21.

[0030] (3) The electrical connection portion 21 has a recess 24 on the inner circumferential surface of the electrical connection portion 21. The cap 12 has a filling portion 34 formed by filling the recess 24. According to this configuration, the filling portion 34 of the cap 12 is filled in the recess 24 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the electrical connection portion 21, so that the filling portion 34 can be engaged with the recess 24 of the electrical connection portion 21 in the length direction of the cap 12. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the cap 12 from coming off the electrical connection portion 21.

[0031] (4) The filling portion 34 is in close contact with the inner surface of the recess 24. This configuration allows the filling portion 34 of the cap 12 to be more appropriately engaged with the recess 24 of the electrical connection portion 21.

[0032] (5) The manufacturing method of the terminal 10 includes a placing step and a molding step performed after the placing step. In the placing step, a columnar base material B2 serving as a base material of the cap 12 is placed on a plate-shaped base material B1 serving as a base material of the terminal body 11. In the molding step, a part of the plate-shaped base material B1 (for example, the electrical connection part 21 of the terminal body 11c) is bent into a cylindrical shape so as to surround the columnar base material B2, thereby forming the electrical connection part 21 and the cap 12. In this molding step, a biting part 33 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cap 12. According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture a terminal 10 in which the biting part 33 prevents the cap 12 from falling off. Furthermore, according to the above manufacturing method, the cap 12 is also molded at the same time as the molding step of forming the electrical connection part 21 into a cylindrical shape, so that it is possible to reduce the number of attachment steps, which can contribute to reducing manufacturing costs.

[0033] (Example of change) This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that there is no technical contradiction.

[0034] In the manufacturing method of the terminal 10 in the above embodiment, the columnar base material B2 is placed inside the electrical connection portion 21 that is bent into a substantially U-shape. However, in addition to this, for example, the columnar base material B2 may be placed on the electrical connection portion 21 that is in a flat state.

[0035] The number of recesses 24 is not limited to that in the above embodiment and may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration. The filling portions 34 of the cap 12 that fill the recesses 24 are formed in the same number as the recesses 24.

[0036] In the terminal 10 of the above embodiment, the tapered portion 23 may be omitted from the electrical connection portion 21. That is, the electrical connection portion 21 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having a uniform cross-sectional shape in the axial direction. Even with this configuration, it is possible to form a biting portion where the tip portion of the electrical connection portion 21 bites into the outer circumferential surface of the cap 12.

[0037] The electrical connection portion 21 may be formed in a polygonal tube shape, such as a square tube shape, other than a cylindrical shape. The embodiments and modified examples disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects, and the present invention is not limited to these examples. That is, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10 Terminals 11, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d Terminal body 12 Cap 21 Electrical connections 22 Barrel section 23 Tapered section 24 Recess 31 Internal part 32 Finger prevention part 33 Biting part 34 Filling section 41 Base B1 Plate-shaped substrate B2 Columnar base material

Claims

1. A terminal comprising a terminal body made of a conductor and a cap made of an insulator provided on the terminal body, The terminal body has a cylindrical electrical connection portion, The cap has a columnar shape having a length direction, a portion of the cap in the length direction is located inside the electrical connection portion, A biting portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cap, in which the tip end of the electrical connection portion is biting into the inner diameter side. Terminal.

2. The tip of the electrical connection portion has a tapered portion that decreases in diameter toward the tip, The tapered portion is biting into the biting portion. The terminal according to claim 1 .

3. The electrical connection portion has a recess on an inner circumferential surface of the electrical connection portion, The cap has a filling portion that fills the recess. The terminal according to claim 1 .

4. The filling portion is in close contact with the inner surface of the recess. The terminal according to claim 3.

5. A method for manufacturing the terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the steps of: a placing step of placing a columnar base material serving as a base material of the cap on a plate-like base material serving as a base material of the terminal body; a molding step of molding the electrical connection portion and the cap by bending a part of the plate-shaped substrate into a cylindrical shape so as to surround the columnar substrate after the placing step, In the molding step, the biting portion is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the cap. A method for manufacturing terminals.

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