Contact and contact structure

Abstract

To provide a contact which can be easily attached to / detached from a mating contact without damaging the contact.SOLUTION: A contact 1 of the invention includes: a base part 2 fixed to a first installation object O1; and a tab terminal part 3 configured to contact with a mating terminal part C1 of a mating contact C. The tab terminal part 3 includes: a plate-like first terminal part 31 extending from the base part 2; and a plate-like second terminal part 32 extending from the base part 2 in parallel with the first terminal part 31. The contact 1 further includes: a first elastic part which integrally connects a base end part 31b of the first terminal part 31 with the base part 2; and a second elastic part which integrally connects a base end part 32b of the second terminal part 32 with the base part 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to contacts and contact structures. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, a device equipped with a motor includes a motor main body equipped with motor windings and a control board that controls the motor main body, and power is supplied to the motor main body by soldering a tab terminal to which the motor windings are pressure-welded to the control board. Specifically, the tab terminal provided on the motor main body side is inserted into a through hole penetrating the control board, and the tab terminal is soldered to the control board.

[0003] If the tab terminals are soldered to the control board in this manner, if an abnormality occurs in the control board, the control board cannot be easily separated from the motor body, and the entire motor body must be discarded, which is uneconomical.

[0004] Meanwhile, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure that allows connection between a terminal and a board without soldering. The device in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a lead terminal fixed to an electronic component is inserted into a through hole in the board, and the lead terminal is connected to a board terminal provided on the board. The board terminal has a right terminal portion, a left terminal portion, a front terminal portion, and a rear terminal portion, and the lead terminal is clamped from all sides by these terminal portions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-91925 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In a structure in which terminals are connected to each other as in Patent Document 1, the substrate, electronic components, terminals, etc. may be displaced from their designed positions due to various factors such as manufacturing errors of components such as the terminals, substrate, and the housing to which the substrate is fixed, and misalignment of the installation positions of the components when they are installed. In such cases, for example, the relative positional relationship between the through hole provided in the substrate and the terminal inserted into the through hole, and the relative positional relationship between the terminals to be connected to each other may be displaced from the designed positional relationship. In such cases, the terminal may not be able to be inserted into the through hole of the substrate, or the substrate may move vertically relative to the terminal after the terminal is inserted into the through hole, causing damage to the terminal.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a contact and contact structure that can be easily attached to and detached from a mating contact without damaging the contact, even if a positional misalignment occurs between the tab terminal portion of the contact and a through hole formed in an installation object in which the mating contact is provided, or between the tab terminal portion of the contact and the mating contact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The contact of the present invention is a contact that is installed on a first installation target and electrically connected to a mating contact that is installed on a second installation target, the contact comprising a base portion that is fixed to the first installation target and a tab terminal portion that is configured to come into contact with a mating terminal portion of the mating contact, the tab terminal portion comprising a plate-shaped first terminal portion that extends from the base portion and a plate-shaped second terminal portion that extends from the base portion in parallel to the first terminal portion. The contact further includes a first elastic portion that integrally connects a base end of the first terminal portion and the base portion, and a second elastic portion that integrally connects a base end of the second terminal portion and the base portion.

[0009] The contact structure of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned contact fixed to the first installation object, and a mating contact fixed to the second installation object and having a mating terminal portion into which the tab terminal portion is inserted, the mating terminal portion having a pair of elastic pieces configured to sandwich the tab terminal portion in a thickness direction of the tab terminal portion. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the contact and contact structure of the present invention, even if there is a positional misalignment between the tab terminal portion of the contact and a through hole formed in the installation object in which the mating contact is provided, or between the tab terminal portion of the contact and the mating contact, the contact can be easily attached to and detached from the mating contact without damaging the contact. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a contact structure in which a contact according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a mating contact; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the contact structure of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of a contact provided in the contact structure of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the contact of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a side view of the contact of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the tab terminal portion of the contact is inserted into the through hole of the second installation target and connected to the mating terminal portion. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are elastically deformed from the state shown in FIG. 7, causing the tab terminal portion to tilt. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a perspective view showing a contact structure in which a contact according to a second embodiment is connected to a mating contact; FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the contact structure of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mating contact to be connected to the contact of the second embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective view of a contact provided in the contact structure of FIG. 9. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view of the contact of FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are elastically deformed and the tab terminal portion is tilted in the contact of the second embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, a contact and a contact structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiment shown below is merely an example, and the contact and the contact structure of the present invention are not limited to the following embodiment. Note that in this specification, "perpendicular to A" and similar expressions do not only refer to a direction completely perpendicular to A, but also refer to a direction that is approximately perpendicular to A. Also, in this specification, "parallel to B" and similar expressions do not only refer to a direction completely parallel to B, but also refer to a direction that is approximately parallel to B. Also, in this specification, "C-shape" and similar expressions do not only refer to a perfect C-shape, but also refer to a shape that visually resembles a C-shape (approximately a C-shape), such as a shape with chamfered corners of a C-shape.

[0013] First Embodiment 1 and 2, the contact 1 of this embodiment is installed on a first installation target O1 and electrically connected to a mating contact C installed on a second installation target O2. As shown in Fig. 1 and 4, the contact 1 includes a base portion 2 fixed to the first installation target O1 and a tab terminal portion 3 configured to come into contact with a mating terminal portion C1 of the mating contact C.

[0014] In the following description, the length direction of the tab terminal portion 3 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1) of the contact 1 is called the length direction D1, the thickness direction of the tab terminal portion 3 is called the thickness direction D2, and the width direction of the tab terminal portion 3 is called the width direction D3. In this embodiment, the length direction D1, the thickness direction D2, and the width direction D3 are perpendicular to each other. The length direction D1, the thickness direction D2, and the width direction D3 can be rephrased as the first direction D1, the second direction D2, and the third direction D3. In the following, the respective directions of the mating contact C and other members (for example, the first installation target O1, the second installation target O2, etc.) are described using the length direction D1, the thickness direction D2, and the width direction D3 of the contact 1 in a state in which the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected (in a state in which the contact 1 is attached to the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2).

[0015] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the contact 1 is connected to a mating contact C. Electrical connection between the contact 1 and the mating contact C enables the supply of power and the transmission of electrical signals. In this specification, the combination of the contact 1 and the mating contact C is referred to as a contact structure. Also, the combination of the first installation target O1, the contact 1, the second installation target O2, and the mating contact C in a state in which the contact 1 is connected to the first installation target O1 and the mating contact C is mounted on the second installation target O2 is referred to as a contact device.

[0016] The first installation target O1 is a target on which the contact 1 is installed. The first installation target O1 is configured to be able to attach the contact 1 and is configured to support the attached contact 1. In this embodiment, the first installation target O1 is a housing (motor housing) in which motor components such as motor windings are housed, and a contact device including the first installation target O1, the contact 1, the second installation target O2, and the mating contact C is a motor assembly. The shape and structure of the first installation target O1 are not particularly limited, and may be a housing other than a motor housing, a board, or the like. In this embodiment, the first installation target O1 has an attachment portion O11 to which the contact 1 is attached, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Specifically, the contact 1 is installed on the first installation target O1 by attaching a part of the contact 1 (the base portion 2 in this embodiment) to the attachment portion O11. In this embodiment, the attachment portion O11 has a recess capable of accommodating the base portion 2, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. 1 and 2, the attachment portion O11 is formed in a box shape having four side walls protruding in a direction substantially perpendicular to a base of the first installation target O1, and a pair of opposing side walls are formed with slits SL1 through which an end of the motor winding W is inserted. In this embodiment, the contact 1 is attached to the first installation target O1 by being press-fitted into the attachment portion O11. However, the method of attaching the contact 1 to the first installation target O1 is not particularly limited.

[0017] The second installation target O2 is an object on which the mating contact C is installed. The second installation target O2 is configured to be able to attach the mating contact C and to support the attached mating contact C. In this embodiment, the second installation target O2 is a board, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and specifically, a control board that controls a motor (not shown). The shape and structure of the second installation target O2 are not particularly limited, and may be a plate-like member other than a control board, a housing, or the like. In this embodiment, the second installation target O2 has a second attachment portion O21 to which the mating contact C is attached. The second attachment portion O21 has an attachment hole O211 through which the leg portion C21 of the mating contact C described later is inserted. In this embodiment, the leg portion C21 of the mating contact C is inserted into the attachment hole O211 and soldered, so that the mating contact C is attached to the second attachment portion O21. The structure of the second attachment portion and the method of attaching the mating contact C to the second installation target O2 are not particularly limited.

[0018] In this embodiment, the second installation target O2 has a through hole O22 provided penetrating the second installation target O2 which is a substrate. The through hole O22 is configured so that the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 is inserted therethrough, as described later (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the through hole O22 is provided between a pair of mounting holes O211. The through hole O22 is formed as an elongated hole whose length in the width direction D3 is longer than its length in the thickness direction D2, corresponding to the shape of the tab terminal portion 3, so that the tab terminal portion 3 can be inserted therethrough. The through hole O22 is formed to be slightly larger than the tab terminal portion 3, and is configured so that a slight clearance is generated between the periphery of the through hole O22 when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted therein.

[0019] Although not shown, for example, when the contact device is a motor assembly, a plurality of contacts 1 are provided on the first installation target O1, and a plurality of mating contacts C corresponding to the number of the contacts 1 are provided on the second installation target O2. In this case, a plurality of through holes O22 are provided on the second installation target O2, and the tab terminal portions 3 of the contacts 1 fixed to the first installation target O1 are inserted into the respective through holes O22.

[0020] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the first installation target O1 is a housing (motor housing) and the second installation target O2 is a board, but both the first installation target and the second installation target may be boards (for example, both the first installation target and the second installation target are boards and are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart in the length direction D1). Also, as in a second embodiment described later, the first installation target O1 may be a board on which the contact 1 is arranged, and the second installation target O2 may be a housing (see FIG. 9). Also, the first installation target and the second installation target may be housings.

[0021] The first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 are fixed directly or indirectly so that their relative positions are determined by a predetermined positioning portion (positioning pin, screw, guide member, etc.) not shown in the figure at a location other than the portion where the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected. Note that the contact 1 and the mating contact C may be configured to be connected in a state where the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 are positioned relative to each other by the positioning portion (in a state where the relative positions of the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 do not change), or the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 may be positioned relative to each other by the positioning portion in a state where the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected (after the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected). When the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected with the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 positioned relative to each other by the positioning portion, for example, but not limited to, a guide member (positioning portion) extending in the length direction D1 is provided on the first installation target O1, and the second installation target O2 is moved by the guide member to approach the first installation target O1 without changing its relative position in the thickness direction D2 and width direction D3 with respect to the first installation target O1, thereby connecting the contact 1 and the mating contact C. Furthermore, in a state where the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected, when the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 are positioned relative to each other by the positioning portion, for example, but not limited to, the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 is inserted into the through hole O22 and connected to the mating contact C in a state where the second installation target O2 is not fixed to another portion (for example, the first installation target O1) and can move in the thickness direction D2 (and width direction D3) relative to the first installation target O1, and thereafter, the second installation target O2 is fixed to another portion by a screw or the like. Note that the method of fixing the first installation target O1 and the second installation target O2 is not limited to the above-mentioned fixing method, and they may be fixed by a fixing method other than the above.

[0022] Next, the mating contact C will be described. The mating contact C is installed on the second installation target O2 and electrically connected to the contact 1 installed on the first installation target O1. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the mating contact C is fixed to the second installation target O2 and includes a mating terminal portion C1 into which the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted. In this embodiment, the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 is inserted into the mating terminal portion C1 of the mating contact C, whereby the contact 1 and the mating contact C are electrically connected, enabling the supply of power and the transmission of electrical signals. The material constituting the mating contact C is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive metal material that can electrically connect the contact 1 and the mating contact C.

[0023] The shape and structure of the mating contact C are not particularly limited as long as it can be electrically connected to the contact 1. In this embodiment, the mating contact C includes a mating terminal portion C1 and a mating base portion C2 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The mating contact C is installed on the second installation target O2 via the mating base portion C2. Specifically, the mating base portion C2 has legs C21 that are inserted into the mounting holes O211 provided in the second installation target O2 as described above. In this embodiment, the mating base portion C2 has a pair of legs C21 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and is fixed by soldering in a state in which the legs C21 are inserted into the mounting holes O211 provided in the second installation target (substrate) O2.

[0024] The mating base portion C2 has a body portion C22 configured to stand approximately perpendicular to the surface of the second installation target O2, which is a substrate, opposite to the first installation target O1, when the mating contact C is installed on the second installation target O2. The body portion C22 stands approximately perpendicular to the second installation target O2 so as to surround the through hole O22 through which the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted.

[0025] The mating terminal portion C1 is a portion into which the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 is inserted to electrically connect the contact 1 and the mating contact C. The shape and structure of the mating terminal portion C1 are not particularly limited as long as it can be electrically connected to the contact 1. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the mating terminal portion C1 has a pair of elastic pieces C11, C12 configured to sandwich the tab terminal portion 3 in the thickness direction D2 of the tab terminal portion 3.

[0026] The elastic pieces C11 and C12 are configured to sandwich the tab terminal portion 3 in the thickness direction D2. By configuring the tab terminal portion 3 to be sandwiched between the elastic pieces C11 and C12, the contact 1 can be easily attached to and detached from the mating contact C1. The elastic pieces C11 and C12 are configured to be elastically deformable in the thickness direction D2. As a result, when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted, the elastic pieces C11 and C12 elastically deform to sandwich the tab terminal portion 3. In this embodiment, the elastic pieces C11 and C12 are configured such that the distance between the contact portions CT of the pair of elastic pieces C11 and C12 is smaller than the thickness of the tab terminal portion 3 (the total thickness of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 described later) in the no-load state of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 (the state shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). As a result, the elastic pieces C11 and C12 can sandwich the tab terminal portion 3 while applying a predetermined pressure to the tab terminal portion 3, and the contact between the mating terminal portion C1 and the tab terminal portion 3 is ensured. The elastic pieces C11 and C12 extend in the length direction D1 from the mating base portion C2. The shape of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the elastic pieces C11 and C12 extend so that the interval between the elastic pieces C11 and C12 in the thickness direction D2 becomes smaller as they move away from the mating base portion C2 in the length direction D1, and extend bent from the contact portion CT with the tab terminal portion 3 toward the free end of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 so that the interval in the thickness direction D2 becomes larger. The space between the elastic pieces C11 and C12 is closed by the elastic pieces C11 and C12 in the thickness direction D2, but is open in the width direction D3. Therefore, even if the relative position of the tab terminal portion 3 in the width direction D3 with respect to the elastic pieces C11, C12 changes, the elastic pieces C11, C12 can maintain the state in which the tab terminal portion 3 is sandwiched therebetween.

[0027] 1 and 3, the mating contact C has a protective portion C3. The protective portion C3 prevents other members from coming into contact with components of the mating contact C, such as the elastic pieces C11 and C12, during assembly of the contact device. The protective portion C3 extends from the mating base portion C2 in the length direction D1 and is folded back at a position beyond the tips of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 to cover the tips of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 from one side in the length direction D1 (the upper side in FIG. 1). This prevents other members from coming into contact with the elastic pieces C11 and C12, such as bending the elastic pieces C11 and C12, during assembly of the contact device, thereby preventing damage to the components of the mating contact C.

[0028] In this embodiment, the mating contact C is made of a single metal plate by bending a stamped metal plate. Therefore, the legs C21 and the body C22 of the mating base part C2, the elastic pieces C11 and C12 of the mating terminal part C1, and the protective part C3 can be integrally formed from a single metal plate.

[0029] Next, the contact 1 will be described. As described above, the contact 1 is electrically connected to the mating contact C. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 to 6, the contact 1 includes a base portion 2 fixed to a first installation object O1 and a tab terminal portion 3 configured to contact a mating terminal portion C1 of the mating contact C. Although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the tab terminal portion 3 includes a plate-shaped first terminal portion 31 extending from the base portion 2 and a plate-shaped second terminal portion 32 extending from the base portion 2 in parallel to the first terminal portion 31. The contact 1 further includes a first elastic portion 41 that integrally connects a base end portion 31b of the first terminal portion 31 to the base portion 2, and a second elastic portion 42 that integrally connects a base end portion 32b of the second terminal portion 32 to the base portion 2.

[0030] The base portion 2 is a portion that is attached to the first installation target O1. The shape and structure of the base portion 2 are not particularly limited as long as the contact 1 can be attached to the first installation target O1. In this embodiment, the base portion 2 is attached to an attachment portion O11 provided on the first installation target O1, as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the base portion 2 is configured to be press-fitted into the attachment portion O11, and the base portion 2 is press-fitted into the attachment portion O11 in the length direction D1, thereby fixing the contact 1 to the first installation target O1. In this embodiment, the base portion 2 is configured by bending a metal plate into a U-shape. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the base portion 2 has a pair of side walls 2a, 2b facing each other in the width direction D3, and a bottom wall 2c that connects the pair of side walls 2a, 2b in the width direction D3, and the pair of side walls 2a, 2b and the bottom wall 2c are connected in a U-shape. 4 and 5, the base portion 2 has locking claws 21 for preventing the contacts 1 from coming off the mounting portion O11. The locking claws 21 engage with the inner walls of the mounting portion O11 in the length direction D1 to prevent the contacts 1 from coming off the mounting portion O11. In this embodiment, four locking claws 21 are provided (one on each end of the side walls 2a, 2b in the thickness direction D2), but the number of locking claws is not particularly limited.

[0031] In this embodiment, the base portion 2 has a slit SL2 through which an end of the motor winding W is inserted. The motor winding W is inserted into the slit SL2 and comes into contact with the base portion 2, thereby electrically connecting the motor winding W to the base portion 2. As described above, the motor winding W is inserted not only into the slit SL2 of the base portion 2 but also into the slit SL1 provided in the attachment portion O11, and the end of the motor winding W is held at a predetermined position.

[0032] The first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 are portions that constitute the tab terminal portion 3 and are electrically connected to the mating terminal portion C1. In this embodiment, the tab terminal portion 3 is composed of two terminal portions, the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 are each formed in a plate shape and extend parallel to each other along the length direction D1. The first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 contact each other in the thickness direction D2 or face each other with almost no gap in the thickness direction D2. The first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 may be separated from each other in the thickness direction D2 as long as they can be electrically connected to the mating contact C. Since the tab terminal portion 3 is composed of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32, the tab terminal portion 3 has a predetermined thickness in the thickness direction D2 and rigidity is ensured. This makes the tab terminal portion 3 less likely to deform and easier to handle large currents.

[0033] Hereinafter, the specific configuration of the tab terminal portion 3 will be described mainly with reference to the first terminal portion 31, but since the second terminal portion 32 has a similar configuration to the first terminal portion 31, a specific description of the second terminal portion 32 will be omitted. Note that the following description of the first terminal portion 31 can be applied to the second terminal portion 32 by replacing the first terminal portion 31 with the second terminal portion 32.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first terminal portion 31 is a tab-shaped portion that extends linearly in a predetermined length in the length direction D1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the dimension of the first terminal portion 31 in the length direction D1 is longer than the dimension in the width direction D3, and the dimension of the first terminal portion 31 in the width direction D3 is longer than the dimension in the thickness direction D2 of the first terminal portion 31. The specific dimensions of the first terminal portion 31 in each direction are appropriately changed depending on the application to which it is applied, and are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the length of the first terminal portion 31 in the length direction D1 is configured to be a length that exceeds the tips of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22 of the second installation target O2. The dimension of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 in the thickness direction D2 combined is smaller than the width of the through hole O22 in the thickness direction D2 and larger than the separation distance in the thickness direction D2 between the elastic pieces C11 and C12. The dimension of the first terminal portion 31 in the width direction D3 is smaller than the dimension of the through hole O22 in the width direction D3. The positions where the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 contact the elastic pieces C11 and C12 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the positions where the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 contact the contact portions CT of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 are set to be near the tip of the tab terminal portion 3, that is, within half, preferably within 1 / 3, and more preferably within 1 / 4 of the length in the length direction D1 of the tab terminal portion 3 from the tip of the tab terminal portion 3.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the tip portion (tip region near the tip) 31a of the first terminal portion 31 has a first tapered portion T1 in which the dimension in the thickness direction D2 becomes smaller as it approaches the tip (similar to the tip portion 32a of the second terminal portion 32). When the first tapered portion T1 is provided, the tab terminal portion 3 becomes tapered in the thickness direction D2, so that when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22, the tab terminal portion 3 is easily inserted into the through hole O22. In addition, when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22 in a state in which there is a positional deviation between the center of the through hole O22 in the thickness direction D2 and the center of the tab terminal portion 3 in the thickness direction D2, the first tapered portion T1 abuts against the periphery of the through hole O22, and the tab terminal portion 3 is guided into the through hole O22.

[0036] 4 and 6, the tip 31a of the first terminal portion 31 has a second tapered portion T2 whose dimension in the width direction D3 becomes smaller toward the tip (similar to the tip 32a of the second terminal portion 32). When the second tapered portion T2 is provided, the tab terminal portion 3 becomes tapered in the width direction D3, so that when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22, the tab terminal portion 3 can be easily inserted into the through hole O22.

[0037] The first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are portions that elastically deform so that the tab terminal portion 3 can tilt with respect to the initial state (unloaded state) when a force is applied to the tab terminal portion 3 in a predetermined direction. Specifically, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformable so that the tip portion of the tab terminal portion 3 (the tip portion 31a of the first terminal portion 31 and the tip portion 32a of the second terminal portion 32) is displaced in the thickness direction D2. When the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 elastically deform, the tab terminal portion 3 is difficult to deform because the two plate-shaped portions of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 are joined together, and the tab terminal portion 3 is configured to tilt as a whole in a state in which deformation is suppressed. As a result of the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 elastically deforming, the contact 1 can be easily attached to and detached from the mating contact C without damaging the contact 1, even if a positional misalignment occurs between the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 and the through hole O22 formed in the second installation target O2 in which the mating contact C is provided, as will be described in detail later.

[0038] The specific configurations of the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 will be described below, focusing on the first elastic portion 41. Since the second elastic portion 42 has a similar configuration to the first elastic portion 41, some specific descriptions of the second elastic portion 42 will be omitted. Note that the following description of the first elastic portion 41 can be applied to the second elastic portion 42 by replacing the first elastic portion 41 with the second elastic portion 42.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first elastic portion 41 integrally connects the base end 31b of the first terminal portion 31 to the base portion 2, and the second elastic portion 42 integrally connects the base end 32b of the second terminal portion 32 to the base portion 2. More specifically, the base portion 2, the first terminal portion 31, the second terminal portion 32, the first elastic portion 41, and the second elastic portion 42 are made of one metal plate. In this case, the contact 1 can be easily processed. Furthermore, even if the thickness of the metal plate used for the contact 1 is reduced, the tab terminal portion 3 has a thickness of twice the thickness of the metal plates of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32, ensuring high rigidity, while the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 have a thickness of one metal plate, making them more susceptible to elastic deformation. The manufacturing method of the contact 1 of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but the contact 1 shown in the figure is formed by punching and bending a metal plate.

[0040] The shape and structure of the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are not particularly limited as long as they can elastically deform so that the tab terminal portion 3 can be tilted relative to the initial state. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the first elastic portion 41 extends from the base end portion 31b of the first terminal portion 31 in a substantially semicircular curve and is connected to the base portion 2. Similarly, the second elastic portion 42 extends from the base end portion 32b of the second terminal portion 32 in a substantially semicircular curve in the opposite direction to the first elastic portion 41 and is connected to the base portion 2. In this embodiment, the curved portions constituting the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are bent so as to change direction by about 180° with respect to the direction in which the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 extend, and are configured to be substantially semicircular. However, the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion may be configured to form a partial arc by changing the direction at an angle other than 180° (for example, 90°) with respect to the extension direction of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32. As described above, when the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are formed in a substantially semicircular shape, the length of the portion functioning as a spring becomes longer (compared to, for example, a 1 / 4 partial arc), and the stress applied to the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 can be released, thereby improving the durability of the contact 1.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first elastic portion 41 is connected to the extension portion 5 that extends in a cantilever manner in the width direction D3 from one side wall 2b (see FIG. 4) of the base portion 2 toward the opposing side wall 2a. The first elastic portion 41 is curved and folded back from one end (the lower end in FIG. 4) of the extension portion 5 in the length direction D1 to the thickness direction D2, and is connected to the first terminal portion 31. The second elastic portion 42 is similar. In this embodiment, the extension portion 5 is connected to the side wall 2b of the base portion 2 in a cantilever manner, so that the tab terminal portion 3 can not only be inclined in the thickness direction D2 by the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42, but also be slightly inclined in the width direction D3 with the connection point between the extension portion 5 and the side wall 2b as a fulcrum. This makes it possible for the contact 1 to respond to positional deviation in the thickness direction D2 as well as positional deviation in the width direction D3.

[0042] Next, the effect of the contact 1 of this embodiment will be described in more detail. As described above, since the contact 1 has the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42, when a force is applied in a predetermined direction after the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22, or when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, and the tab terminal portion 3 can be tilted with respect to the initial state (unloaded state). This point will be described below with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.

[0043] 7 and 8 show an example in which a second installation target O2 (hereinafter referred to as the board O2) which is a board is fixed to a first installation target O1 (hereinafter referred to as the housing O1) which is a housing by a screw (positioning portion). In this example, it is assumed that the relative positions of the tab terminal portion 3 and the through hole O22 in the thickness direction D2 are shifted from the designed relative positions due to manufacturing errors of parts, etc. When the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22 to connect the contact 1 and the mating contact C, the board O2 is not fixed to the housing O1, and after the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected, the board O2 is fixed to the housing O1 by a screw. When the board O2 is fixed to the housing O1 by the screw, it is assumed that the board O2 moves in the thickness direction D2 with respect to the housing O1. Note that the screw and the part where the housing O1 and the board O2 are fixed by the screw are not shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

[0044] First, the state shown in FIG. 7 is a state before the substrate O2 is fixed to the housing O1 with a screw, and the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22 of the substrate O2 and sandwiched between the elastic pieces C11 and C12 of the mating terminal portion C1. In the state shown in FIG. 7, the substrate O2 is not yet fixed to the housing O1, so that it can move relative to the contact 1 in the thickness direction D2, and the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into the through hole O22 without being inclined with respect to the unloaded state. When the substrate O2 is fixed to the housing O1 with a screw from the state shown in FIG. 7, when the screw is screwed into the screw hole (not shown) of the housing O1, the substrate O2 moves in the thickness direction D2 so as to correct the positional deviation between the tab terminal portion 3 and the through hole O22. For example, when the substrate O2 moves leftward from the state shown in FIG. 7, the through hole O22 of the substrate O2 also moves leftward. As a result, the tab terminal portion 3 receives a force to the left from the periphery of the through hole O22. When the tab terminal portion 3 receives a force on the left side, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, so that the entire tab terminal portion 3 tilts from the state shown by the two-dot chain line to the state shown by the solid line in Fig. 8. As a result, even if the positions of the contacts 1 and the positions of the through holes O22 of the substrate O2 are misaligned with respect to the designed positions, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, so that the tab terminal portion 3 tilts, and the above-mentioned misalignment can be absorbed.

[0045] The same applies to the case where the substrate O2 does not move in the thickness direction D2 when attached to the housing O1 (for example, the substrate O2 moves closer to the housing O1 in a state where the relative position in the thickness direction D2 and the width direction D3 with respect to the housing O1 does not change due to the guide member, so that the contact 1 and the mating contact C are connected). Specifically, when the substrate O2 moves closer to the housing O1 in a state where the position of the center of the thickness direction D2 of the tab terminal portion 3 and the center of the thickness direction D2 of the through hole O22 are shifted in the thickness direction D2, the periphery of the through hole O22 abuts against the first tapered portion T1 at the tip of the tab terminal portion 3. When the substrate O2 moves further in the length direction D1 in this state, the tab terminal portion 3 receives a force in the thickness direction D2 from the periphery of the through hole O22. At this time, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, so that the entire tab terminal portion 3 tilts from the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 8 to the state shown by the solid line, thereby absorbing the above-mentioned positional deviation.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the tab terminal portion 3 is composed of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32, the first elastic portion 41 is connected to the first terminal portion 31, and the second elastic portion 42 is connected to the second terminal portion 32. As a result, the portion connected to the mating terminal portion C1 is thickened by the two terminal portions, the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32, and the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42, which are elastically deformable portions, are in a thin state. Therefore, the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 increase the rigidity of the tab terminal portion 3, and a sufficient thickness capable of handling a large current is secured, and the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42, which are thin and easily elastically deformable, make it possible to easily tilt the tab terminal portion 3.

[0047] 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the width of the base end 31b of the first terminal portion 31 and the width of the first elastic portion 41 are narrower than the width of the central portion 31c between the base end 31b and the tip end 31a of the first terminal portion 31, and the width of the base end 32b of the second terminal portion 32 and the width of the second elastic portion 42 are narrower than the width of the central portion 32c between the base end 32b and the tip end 32a of the second terminal portion 32. In this way, the narrow portions of the base end 31b of the first terminal portion 31 and the first elastic portion 41 and the narrow portions of the base end 32b of the second terminal portion 32 and the second elastic portion 42 make elastic deformation easier, and the portion in contact with the mating terminal portion C1 is wide, ensuring the strength of the tab terminal portion 3 and making it easier to handle large currents.

[0048] <Second embodiment> Next, the contact of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 14. In the following description, some of the descriptions of the matters common to the first embodiment described above will be omitted, and the differences will be mainly described. All of the matters described in the first embodiment can be applied to the contact of the second embodiment as long as the object of the invention can be achieved, and the configuration of this embodiment can be used in combination with the contents described in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the effects obtained by the configuration described in the first embodiment can also be obtained in the contact of the second embodiment as long as it has a similar configuration.

[0049] In the second embodiment, the positional relationship between the contact 1 and the mating contact C in the first embodiment is reversed. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the contact 1 is installed on a first installation object O1 which is a board, and the mating contact C is installed on a second installation object O2 which is a housing. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the first installation object O1 has a through hole O12 through which the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 is inserted, and an attachment hole O13 through which a leg portion 6 of the contact 1 described later is inserted. The second installation object O2 has an attachment portion O23 to which a mating base portion C2 of the mating contact C is attached.

[0050] In this embodiment, the mating base part C2 of the mating contact C has a configuration similar to that of the base part 2 in the first embodiment. Specifically, the mating base part C2 is configured by bending a metal plate into a U-shape. As shown in FIG. 11, the mating base part C2 has a locking claw C23 for preventing the mating base part C2 from coming off the mounting part O23. The mating base part C2 has a slit SL2 through which an end of the motor winding W is inserted. The motor winding W is inserted not only through the slit SL2 of the mating base part C2 but also through a slit SL1 provided in the mounting part O23, and the end of the motor winding W is held at a predetermined position.

[0051] 9 to 11, the mating contact C has a mating terminal portion C1. The mating terminal portion C1 has a pair of elastic pieces C11, C12. The elastic pieces C11, C12 have substantially the same configuration as the elastic pieces C11, C12 of the first embodiment.

[0052] As described above, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, 12, and 13, the contact 1 includes the base portion 2 fixed to the first installation target O1 and the tab terminal portion 3 configured to contact the mating terminal portion C1 of the mating contact C. Similarly to the first embodiment, the tab terminal portion 3 includes the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32. The contact 1 also includes a first elastic portion 41 and a second elastic portion 42. The contact 1 also includes a protective portion 7 that covers the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 from one side (the upper side in Fig. 9) in the length direction D1. The protective portion 7 prevents other members from contacting the first elastic portion 41, the second elastic portion 42, etc., during assembly of the contact device, thereby preventing damage to the components of the contact 1.

[0053] The base portion 2 has a similar configuration to the mating base portion C2 described in the first embodiment. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, Fig. 10, and Fig. 12, the base portion 2 has a pair of legs 6 that are inserted into mounting holes O13 provided in the first installation target O1, and the legs 6 are inserted into the mounting holes O13 and soldered to fix the contact 1 to the first installation target O1.

[0054] In this embodiment, a first elastic portion 41 extends from the base portion 2 in a curved manner, and a first terminal portion 31 is connected to the first elastic portion 41. A second elastic portion 42 extends from the base portion 2 in a curved manner, and a second terminal portion 32 is connected to the second elastic portion 42. The first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32 configure a tab terminal portion 3. The tab terminal portion 3 is inserted into a through hole O12 as shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 12, a tip portion 31a of the first terminal portion 31 and a tip portion 32a of the second terminal portion 32 are provided with a tapered portion T3 whose width in the width direction D3 decreases toward the tip.

[0055] In this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the base portion 2, the first terminal portion 31, the second terminal portion 32, the first elastic portion 41, and the second elastic portion 42 constituting the contact 1 are made of one metal plate. In this case, the contact 1 can be easily processed. Furthermore, even if the thickness of the metal plate used for the contact 1 is thinned, the tab terminal portion 3 has a thickness equivalent to two metal plates of the first terminal portion 31 and the second terminal portion 32, ensuring high rigidity, while the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 have a thickness equivalent to one metal plate, making them more susceptible to elastic deformation. Although the manufacturing method of the contact 1 of this embodiment is not particularly limited, the contact 1 shown in the figure is formed by punching and bending a metal plate. The mating contact C is also made of one metal plate, and the mating contact C is formed by bending the punched metal plate.

[0056] In this embodiment, even if the center position of the tab terminal portion 3 in the thickness direction D2 and the center position of the elastic pieces C11 and C12 of the mating terminal portion C1 are misaligned, as shown in Fig. 14, when the tab terminal portion 3 is inserted between the elastic pieces C11 and C12, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, so that the entire tab terminal portion 3 is tilted from the state shown by the two-dot chain line to the state shown by the solid line in Fig. 14. As a result, even if a misalignment occurs between the tab terminal portion 3 of the contact 1 and the mating terminal portion C1 of the mating contact C, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are elastically deformed, so that the tab terminal portion 3 is tilted, and the above-mentioned misalignment can be absorbed.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first elastic portion 41 and the second elastic portion 42 are configured to be thinner than the elastic pieces C11 and C12, as shown in Fig. 14. In this case, even if the elastic pieces C11 and C12 are thick and difficult to deform, the thin first elastic portion 41 and second elastic portion 42 can be deformed to easily absorb positional deviation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Contact 2 Base 2a, 2b side wall 2c bottom wall 21 Locking claw 3 Tab terminal 31 1st terminal section 31a Tip of first terminal 31b Base end of first terminal 31c Center of the first terminal 32 2nd terminal section 32a Tip of second terminal 32b Base end of second terminal 32c Center of second terminal 41 First elastic part 42 Second elastic part 5 Extension 6 legs 7 Protective part C Counterpart Contact C1 Mating terminal part C11, C12 Elastic piece C2 Counterpart base C21 Legs C22 Torso C23 Locking claw C3 protection part CT contact part D1 Length direction D2 Thickness direction D3 Width direction O1 First installation target O11 Mounting part O12 through hole O13 Mounting hole O2 2nd installation target O21 2nd mounting part O211 Mounting hole O22 through hole O23 Mounting part SL1 Slit SL2 Slit T1 First taper section T2 Second taper section T3 Tapered section W Motor winding

Claims

1. A contact that is installed on a first installation target and is electrically connected to a mating contact that is installed on a second installation target, The contact is A base portion fixed to the first installation target; a tab terminal portion configured to contact the mating terminal portion of the mating contact; Equipped with The tab terminal portion is a plate-shaped first terminal portion extending from the base portion; a plate-shaped second terminal portion extending from the base portion in parallel to the first terminal portion; Equipped with The contact further comprises: a first elastic portion that integrally connects a base end portion of the first terminal portion and the base portion; a second elastic portion that integrally connects a base end portion of the second terminal portion and the base portion; A contact.

2. The contact according to claim 1 , wherein the base portion, the first terminal portion, the second terminal portion, the first elastic portion, and the second elastic portion are formed from a single metal plate.

3. the first elastic portion extends from a base end of the first terminal portion in a substantially semicircular curve and is connected to the base portion; The contact according to claim 1 , wherein the second elastic portion extends from a base end of the second terminal portion in a substantially semicircular shape, curved in a direction opposite to that of the first elastic portion, and is connected to the base portion.

4. a width of the base end of the first terminal portion and a width of the first elastic portion are narrower than a width of a central portion between the base end and the tip end of the first terminal portion, The contact according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the base end of the second terminal portion and a width of the second elastic portion are narrower than a width of a central portion between the base end and the tip end of the second terminal portion.

5. 2. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the second installation object is a substrate, and the tab terminal portion is configured to be inserted into a through hole provided through the second installation object.

6. The contact according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is fixed to the first installation target; a mating contact fixed to the second installation object and including a mating terminal portion into which the tab terminal portion is inserted; Equipped with The mating terminal portion has a pair of elastic pieces configured to sandwich the tab terminal portion in a thickness direction of the tab terminal portion. Contact structure.

Images