Female terminal and terminal unit

Abstract

To provide a female terminal which can cope with a higher current while preventing an increase in size of the female terminal, and which can also reduce a deformation risk of a contact spring part at the time of manufacturing.SOLUTION: A female terminal 10 comprises: a body part 20 having a connection part 16 and a cylindrical conductor part 18; and a contact formation metal fitting 22 assembled to the cylindrical conductor part 18. The cylindrical conductor part 18 has: a male terminal insertion port 24; a rear opening window 26; and a welded part 38 made of a chamfered part provided on an inner peripheral portion of an end surface 37 on the male terminal insertion port 24 side or the rear opening window 26 side. The contact formation metal fitting 22 has: a frame body part 52 which is assembled to an inner surface 35 of a wall part of the cylindrical conductor part 18; a contact spring part 54 to be brought into pressure-contact with a male terminal 12 which protrudes to the inner side of the frame body part 52 so as to be inserted from the male terminal insertion port 24; and a welding part 56 which is provided by bending, along the inclination of the chamfered part, an edge portion of the frame body part 52 on the male terminal insertion port 24 side or the rear opening window 26 side. The welding part 56 and the welded part 38 are welded to each other in an overlapping manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a female terminal and a terminal unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a female terminal formed by press-working a metal flat plate. An electric wire connection part formed by overlapping a pair of flat plate parts is provided on the base end side of the female terminal, and a male terminal mounting cylinder part into which a flat tab-shaped male terminal is inserted is provided on the tip end side of the female terminal, and it is provided as a terminal unit composed of the female terminal and the male terminal. The male terminal mounting cylinder part has a pair of support plate parts in an L shape that protrude from each flat plate part in the opposite direction to the overlapping direction and then protrude toward the tip end side. Further, the male terminal mounting cylinder part also has a pair of contact spring parts that are connected in a cantilever shape via semi-circular curved parts to the protruding end parts of the pair of support plate parts and protrude toward the base end side. The pair of contact spring parts are arranged opposite to each other with a male terminal insertion gap therebetween, and a separate contact pressure applying spring is mounted on the tip end parts of the pair of contact spring parts. By this contact pressure applying spring, contact pressure to the male terminal of the pair of contact spring parts is added, and a stable connection state of the male and female terminals can be maintained.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since the female terminal of Patent Document 1 is formed by pressing a metal flat plate, the contact spring portion also requires a thickness corresponding to the current capacity. Therefore, when it is necessary to pass a large current, the plate thickness of the contact spring portion also increases. As a result, in order to ensure the followability of the contact spring portion to the male terminal, it is necessary to make the contact spring portion longer, and the female terminal tends to be enlarged. In addition, since the contact spring portion is open on the side, it is likely to come into contact with other members and tools during the manufacturing stage of the female terminal, and there is also a risk of deformation.

[0005] Therefore, a female terminal and a terminal unit are disclosed that can cope with an increase in current while suppressing an increase in the size of the female terminal and can also suppress the risk of deformation during the manufacture of the contact spring portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The female terminal of the present disclosure is a pressed product of a first metal flat plate, and has a main body portion having a connection portion conductively connected to other members and a hollow cylindrical conductor portion, and a pressed product of a second metal flat plate having a thickness thinner than that of the first metal flat plate, and a contact forming fitting assembled to be conductively connected to the cylindrical conductor portion. The cylindrical conductor portion includes a male terminal insertion opening that opens toward one end side, a rear opening window that opens toward the other end side, and a welded portion configured by a chamfered portion provided at an inner peripheral edge portion of an end face on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side. The contact forming fitting includes a frame portion assembled to an inner surface of a wall portion of the cylindrical conductor portion, a contact spring portion held by the frame portion and protruding inward of the frame portion to be press-contacted to a male terminal inserted from the male terminal insertion opening, and a welded portion provided by bending an edge portion of the frame portion on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side along an inclination of the chamfered portion. The welded portion and the welded portion are overlapped with each other and welded.

[0007] The terminal unit of the present disclosure is a terminal unit including a female terminal and a male terminal connected to the female terminal, wherein the female terminal is the female terminal described in the present disclosure.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a female terminal and a terminal unit that can cope with an increase in current while suppressing an increase in the size of the female terminal and can also suppress the risk of deformation during the manufacture of the contact spring portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] <Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The female terminal of the present disclosure is (1) A pressed product of a first metal plate, comprising a main body having a connection part conductively connected to another member and a hollow cylindrical conductor part, and a pressed product of a second metal plate thinner than the first metal plate, the second metal plate being a contact forming fitting assembled to the cylindrical conductor part so as to be electrically conductive. The cylindrical conductor part has a male terminal insertion opening opening toward one end side, a rear opening window opening toward the other end side, and a welded part formed by a chamfered part provided at an inner peripheral edge of an end face on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side. The contact forming fitting has a frame part assembled to an inner surface of a wall part of the cylindrical conductor part, a contact spring part held by the frame part and protruding inward of the frame part to be pressed against a male terminal inserted from the male terminal insertion opening, and a welded part provided by bending an edge of the frame part on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side along an inclination of the chamfered part. The welded part and the welded part are overlapped with each other and welded.

[0011] According to the female terminal of the present disclosure, a main body having a connection part with another member and a hollow cylindrical conductor part, and a contact forming fitting assembled to the cylindrical conductor part of the main body so as to be electrically conductive are configured as separate parts. Further, the contact forming fitting is formed using a second metal plate having a thickness thinner than that of the first metal plate forming the main body. Thereby, when it is necessary to cope with an increase in current, while ensuring the capacitance in the main body having a large plate thickness dimension, the contact spring part can be provided with a thickness thinner than that of the main body. Therefore, even when it is necessary to cope with an increase in current, compared with the conventional structure, the necessity of increasing the length of the contact spring part in order to obtain the followability of the contact spring part to the male terminal can be reduced, and it is possible to cope with an increase in current while suppressing the enlargement of the female terminal.

[0012] In addition, the contact forming fitting has a frame portion assembled to the inner surface of the wall portion of the cylindrical conductor portion and a contact spring portion pressed against the male terminal, and the contact spring portion is held by the frame portion and is formed to project inward of the frame portion. Thereby, even when assembling the contact forming fitting to the cylindrical conductor portion of the main body portion, the assembling work can be performed while holding the frame portion, so that the assembling work can be easily performed. Further, since the risk of other members or tools interfering with the contact spring portion during the assembling work can be reduced by the frame portion, the risk of deformation during the manufacture of the contact spring portion can also be suppressed as compared with the conventional structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the main body portion has a welded portion constituted by a chamfered portion provided at the inner peripheral edge portion of the end face on the male terminal insertion port side or the rear opening window side, and the contact forming fitting has a welded portion provided by bending the edge portion of the frame portion on the male terminal insertion port side or the rear opening window side along the inclination of the chamfered portion. And these welded portions and the welded portion to be welded are overlapped with each other and welded. Thereby, even if the main body portion and the contact forming fitting are configured as separate parts, an increase in conduction resistance can be suppressed and it becomes possible to cope with a large current. In particular, since the welded portion and the welded portion to be welded are constituted by a press working surface that is not a sheared cross section during press working, the problem of a gap occurring between the welded portion and the welded portion to be welded can be reduced as compared with the case where the welded portion and / or the welded portion to be welded are constituted by a sheared cross section, and it becomes easy to ensure conduction stability.

[0014] Moreover, since the chamfered portion which is the welded portion to be welded and the welded portion overlapped therewith are inclined outward in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the cylindrical conductor portion at one end side or the other end side in the cylindrical conductor portion of the main body portion provided with the male terminal insertion port or the rear opening window, the execution of the welding process of the welded portion and the welded portion to be welded becomes easy. For example, in laser welding, it also becomes easy to make the laser light incident perpendicularly to the welded portion and the welded portion to be welded, and good joinability of the welded portion and the welded portion to be welded can be realized.

[0015] (2) In the above (1), the welded portion and the portion to be welded spread outward in the Z direction perpendicular to the X direction as they go outward in the X direction, which is the axial direction of the cylindrical conductor portion, and it is preferable that the inclination angles of the welded portion and the portion to be welded with respect to the X direction are the same. Since the inclination angles of the welded portion and the portion to be welded with respect to the X direction are the same, the risk of a gap occurring between the contact surfaces of the welded portion and the portion to be welded can be more advantageously reduced or eliminated, better joint performance between the welded portion and the portion to be welded can be realized, and the conduction stability of the female terminal can be ensured.

[0016] (3) In the above (1) or (2), it is preferable to have a pressing portion that presses the welded portion against the portion to be welded. By further providing the pressing portion, the welded portion can be pressed against the portion to be welded to improve the adhesion, and thus the joint performance between the main body portion and the contact forming fitting by laser welding or the like can be improved.

[0017] Note that the pressing portion may be integrally formed using the main body portion or the contact forming fitting, or may be formed using an elastic member separate from the main body portion or the contact forming fitting.

[0018] (4) In the above (3), the contact forming fitting is inserted from the male terminal insertion port on the one end side of the cylindrical conductor portion toward the other end side and assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion. The cylindrical conductor portion has a locking hole that opens on the inner surface of the wall portion. The frame portion of the contact forming fitting has a locking claw that is fitted into the locking hole and constitutes the pressing portion. When the locking claw elastically deforms, insertion of the contact forming fitting toward the other end side is allowed, and when the locking claw elastically returns and engages with the locking hole, due to the elastic restoring force of the locking claw, the welded portion is pressed against the portion to be welded, which is preferable.

[0019] A pressing portion can be provided with a simple structure using a locking hole provided in the cylindrical conductor portion of the main body portion and a locking claw provided in the frame portion of the contact forming fitting. Moreover, by skillfully using a contact forming fitting having a plate thickness thinner than that of the main body portion, a locking claw that generates an elastic restoring force serving as a pressing force can be provided in a compact shape. Therefore, it is possible to improve the joining property between the welded portion and the portion to be welded, and thus the conduction stability of the female terminal, with a compact structure and a small number of parts.

[0020] (5) In the above (4), the cylindrical conductor portion has a rectangular cylindrical shape having a pair of side walls and an upper wall and a lower wall connected by the pair of side walls, and the frame portion of the contact forming fitting has a pair of side portions that are respectively superposed on the pair of side walls of the cylindrical conductor portion, and an upper portion and a lower portion that are respectively superposed on the upper wall and the lower wall of the cylindrical conductor portion, and has a rectangular frame shape. By partially raising at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion inward, the cantilever-shaped contact spring portion is configured. On the other hand, a pair of beveled portions are provided on the end surfaces on the male terminal insertion port side of the upper wall and the lower wall, respectively, to form a pair of portions to be welded. A pair of welding portions are provided at the ends of the upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion on the male terminal insertion port side, respectively. The pair of welding portions are respectively welded to the pair of portions to be welded. The locking holes are provided in the pair of side walls, and the locking claws are provided in the pair of side portions, respectively, which is preferable.

[0021] Since the cylindrical conductor portion is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape and the contact forming fitting is formed in a rectangular frame shape, their rigidity can be advantageously ensured. Moreover, by partially raising at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion of the contact forming fitting inward, a cantilever-shaped contact spring portion is configured, so that the contact spring portion can be easily manufactured with good yield. Furthermore, by adjusting the length of the inward raising of the upper portion and the lower portion, the spring rigidity and the deflection amount of the contact spring portion can be easily set to desired values, and the manufacturability is excellent.

[0022] More preferably, both the upper and lower portions are partially cut and raised inwardly to form a pair of upper and lower contact spring portions facing each other. Thereby, the pair of upper and lower contact spring portions can be brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the male terminal, and the connection stability between the male and female terminals can be improved.

[0023] In addition, since the welding portions provided on the upper and lower sides of the terminal forming fitting can be welded to the welded portions provided on the upper and lower sides of the cylindrical conductor portion, it is also possible to improve the rigidity and conduction stability of the female terminal.

[0024] In addition, by effectively using a pair of side walls and a pair of side portions arranged opposite to each other, a pair of lock holes and lock claws that constitute a pressing portion for pressing the welded portion against the welded portion can be provided. Thereby, without increasing the size of the female terminal, the assembly stability of the contact forming fitting and the cylindrical conductor portion and the closeness between the welded portion and the welded portion can be maintained.

[0025] (6) In any one of (1) to (5) above, the contact forming fitting is inserted from the male terminal insertion port on the one end side of the cylindrical conductor portion toward the other end side and assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion, and the welded portion of the contact forming fitting is overlapped with the welded portion constituted by the chamfered portion on the end face of the male terminal insertion port side of the cylindrical conductor portion, so that the insertion end of the contact forming fitting into the cylindrical conductor portion is defined, which is preferable.

[0026] Since the contact forming fitting is inserted from the male terminal insertion port of the cylindrical conductor portion toward the other end side and assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion, the assembling workability is good. Moreover, by overlapping and abutting the welded portion of the contact forming fitting on the end face of the welded portion on the male terminal insertion port side of the cylindrical conductor portion, the insertion end of the contact forming fitting into the cylindrical conductor portion is defined, so that the assembling work can be performed more easily.

[0027] (7) In the above (5), the contact forming fitting has a rear opening on the other end side of the cylindrical conductor portion. The contact spring portion includes a first contact spring portion and a second contact spring portion. The upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion have a pair of upper and lower first contact spring portions and second contact spring portions that protrude inward toward the other end side while being held by the frame portion at the one end side and extend in a cantilever shape. A contact pressure applying spring is further provided that is arranged to sandwich the protruding end portions of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion and has a size that allows insertion through the rear opening. As the male terminal is press-fitted between the opposing surfaces of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion, the contact pressure applying spring biases the protruding end portions toward each other, and the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion are press-contacted to the male terminal. This is preferable.

[0028] The contact pressure applying spring biases the protruding end portions of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion toward each other. The first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion are press-contacted to the male terminal that is press-fitted between the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion with a high contact pressure. Thereby, while advantageously reducing the size of the female terminal, it is possible to advantageously ensure the contact pressure between the male and female terminals while ensuring the flexibility and followability of the contact spring portion. Furthermore, since the contact pressure applying spring has a size that allows insertion through the rear opening, the contact pressure applying spring can be arranged from the front side in the protruding direction with respect to the protruding end portions of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion by inserting through the rear opening. As a result, the assemblability of the female terminal is improved compared to the conventional structure that could only be assembled from the side, which is a direction orthogonal to the protruding direction of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion.

[0029] The terminal unit of the present disclosure is (8) A terminal unit including a female terminal and a male terminal connected to the female terminal, wherein the female terminal is the female terminal according to any one of (1) to (7) above. In the terminal unit of the present disclosure, since the female terminal is configured in the manner according to any one of (1) to (7) above, it is possible to provide a terminal unit that can exhibit the same operational effects as those obtained by any one of (1) to (7).

[0030] <Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Specific examples of the female terminal and the terminal unit of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, and is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0031] <Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure and the terminal unit 14 including the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 connected to the female terminal 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The female terminal 10 is a terminal that connects between a member on the power supply side such as a battery and a member on the load side such as a motor. Then, when the female terminal 10 provided on one of the power supply side and the load side and the male terminal 12 provided on the other of the power supply side and the load side come into contact with each other to be in a conductive state, power is supplied from a power supply such as a battery to a load such as a motor. Note that the female terminal 10 can be arranged in any orientation, but hereinafter, the upper direction refers to the upper direction in FIG. 3, the lower direction refers to the lower direction in FIG. 3, the front direction refers to the left direction in FIG. 2, the rear direction refers to the right direction in FIG. 2, the left direction refers to the upper direction in FIG. 2, and the right direction refers to the lower direction in FIG. 2. Also, for a plurality of identical members, only some members may be labeled with reference numerals, and reference numerals may be omitted for other members.

[0032] <Female Terminal 10> The female terminal 10 includes a main body 20 having a connection portion 16 electrically connected to another member (e.g., a member on the power supply side such as a battery) and a hollow cylindrical conductor portion 18. The main body 20 is a press-worked product of a first metal flat plate (not shown). The female terminal 10 also includes a contact forming fitting 22 assembled to be electrically conductive with the cylindrical conductor portion 18. The contact forming fitting 22 is a press-worked product of a second metal flat plate (not shown) having a thickness thinner than that of the first metal flat plate. For clarity, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 below, the contact forming fitting 22 is shown by a dashed line. Also, in FIG. 2, in addition to the contact forming fitting 22, the male terminal 12 and a clip spring 114 (described later) serving as a contact pressure applying spring are also shown by dashed lines.

[0033] <Male terminal 12> The male terminal 12 is a tab terminal having a plate shape as a whole. The male terminal 12 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, has a predetermined width dimension (left-right direction dimension) and a thickness dimension (up-down direction dimension), and extends substantially straight in the front-rear direction. In Embodiment 1, the male terminal 12 has a horizontally long shape in which the width dimension is larger than the thickness dimension. In the male terminal 12, the end portion (rear end portion) on the front side in the insertion direction into the female terminal 10 has a tapered shape. The male terminal 12 has conductivity and is formed of a metal with low electrical resistance such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, or aluminum alloy. A bolt insertion hole, for example, is provided in the base end portion (front end portion) of the male terminal 12, and the male terminal 12 is fixed to another member (e.g., a member on the load side such as a motor) by a bolt (not shown). Alternatively, when no bolt insertion hole is provided, an electric wire on the load side or the like is fixed to the base end portion of the male terminal 12 by crimping or the like.

[0034] <Connection portion 16> The connecting portion 16 is generally in a substantially plate shape. When the female terminal 10 is arranged as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the connecting portion 16 extends in the front-rear direction as a whole, and is in a substantially rectangular shape where the front-rear dimension is larger than the vertical dimension in a side view (left-right direction view). At the rear end portion of the connecting portion 16, for example, bolt insertion holes penetrating in the plate thickness direction (left-right direction) are formed, and the female terminal 10 can be fixed to other members (for example, members on the power supply side such as a battery) by bolts inserted into these bolt insertion holes. For example, terminals of electric wires or bus bars (not shown) can be connected to the connecting portion 16 as other members.

[0035] <Cylindrical conductor portion 18> The cylindrical conductor portion 18 is generally in a substantially cylindrical shape that is open on both sides in the front-rear direction, and has a male terminal insertion port 24 that opens toward one end side (front end side) in the length direction of the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and a rear opening window 26 that opens toward the other end side (rear end side) in the length direction. In Embodiment 1, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is in a substantially horizontally long rectangular cylindrical shape. Specifically, the wall portion of the cylindrical conductor portion 18 has an upper wall 28 and a lower wall 30 that are oppositely arranged in the Z direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the X direction (front-rear direction) which is the axial direction of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and a left side wall 32 and a right side wall 34 as a pair of side walls. In other words, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is in a rectangular cylindrical shape having left and right side walls 32, 34 and an upper wall 28 and a lower wall 30 connected by these left and right side walls 32, 34. That is, the inner surfaces 35 of the respective wall portions (upper wall 28, lower wall 30, and left and right side walls 32, 34) of the cylindrical conductor portion 18 are composed of an upper inner surface 35a that is the inner surface of the upper wall 28, a lower inner surface 35b that is the inner surface of the lower wall 30, a left inner surface 35c that is the inner surface of the left side wall 32, and a right inner surface 35d that is the inner surface of the right side wall 34.

[0036] And, by making the left-right dimension of the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30 larger than the vertical dimension of the left and right side walls 32, 34, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is in a substantially horizontally long rectangular cylindrical shape. Each wall portion (upper wall 28, lower wall 30, and left and right side walls 32, 34) constituting the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is in a substantially rectangular plate shape. In Embodiment 1, the above-described connecting portion 16 is integrally formed with the lower wall 30 and extends rearward from the lower wall 30.

[0037] As described above, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 (main body portion 20) is a pressed product of the first metal flat plate. In the first embodiment, between the upper wall 28 and the left side wall 32, between the left side wall 32 and the lower wall 30, and between the lower wall 30 and the right side wall 34, bent portions 36 are provided respectively. In other words, by bending each bent portion 36 in the first metal flat plate that extends in a substantially planar shape, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 having a rectangular cylindrical shape is configured.

[0038] <Welded portion 38> Further, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 has a welded portion 38 formed by a chamfered portion provided at the inner peripheral edge of the front end face 37 which is the end face on the male terminal insertion port 24 side. In the first embodiment, in the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30 of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, front projecting portions 40 projecting forward from each bent portion 36 are provided respectively, and chamfered inclined surfaces 42 are provided at the inner peripheral edge of the front end face 37 in each front projecting portion 40. The chamfered portion and the welded portion 38 are configured including this inclined surface 42. In particular, in the first embodiment, each front projecting portion 40 and each inclined surface 42 are formed over substantially the entire length in the width direction (left - right direction) of the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30.

[0039] Each of these welded parts 38 (each inclined surface 42) is formed with a predetermined inclination angle α (see FIG. 5) with respect to the X direction (front-rear direction), and gradually widens outward in the Z direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the X direction as it goes outward (forward) in the X direction. In short, each inclined surface 42 on both the upper and lower sides is inclined in a direction of separating from each other as it goes forward. Therefore, the inclination angle α of each inclined surface 42 is set to an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° (0° < α < 90°). The inclination angle α of each inclined surface 42 is preferably set within a range of, for example, 20° ≤ α ≤ 60°. By setting the inclination angle α of each inclined surface 42 within the above range, it is possible to prevent the generation of a gap between each welded part 38 and each welding part 56 described later, and it is also possible to avoid the female terminal 10 becoming unnecessarily long in the front-rear direction. And as will be described later, the cylindrical conductor part 18 and the contact forming fitting 22 are configured such that the welding part 56 provided on the contact forming fitting 22 is overlapped with the welded part 38 composed of each inclined surface 42 in the cylindrical conductor part 18 and welded to each other.

[0040] In Embodiment 1, the welded part 38 includes a first welded part 38a provided on the upper wall 28 side and a second welded part 38b provided on the lower wall 30 side as a pair of welded parts 38, 38. In the overlapping portion of the welding part 56 and the welded part 38 in Embodiment 1, a welding region R (an upper welding region UR and a lower welding region LR (both shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4)) where a laser is irradiated and actually welded as will be described later has a predetermined front-rear dimension and a left-right dimension. That is, the first welded part 38a and the second welded part 38b are each constituted by a part of each inclined surface 42. Specifically, in each front-rear intermediate portion of the inclined surfaces 42, 42 on both the upper and lower sides, the first and second welded parts 38a, 38b are constituted over substantially the entire length in the width direction.

[0041] In Embodiment 1, a fitting convex portion 44 protruding toward the right side wall 34 is provided at the middle portion in the front-rear direction at the right end portion of the upper wall 28, and a fitting concave portion 46 opening toward the upper wall 28 is provided at the middle portion in the front-rear direction at the upper end portion of the right side wall 34. Thus, when the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is formed by subjecting the first metal flat plate to press working or the like, for example, by fitting the fitting convex portion 44 of the upper wall 28 into the fitting concave portion 46 of the right side wall 34, it is possible to prevent the upper wall 28 and the right side wall 34 from being unintentionally separated during the formation of the cylindrical conductor portion 18.

[0042] Furthermore, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 has locking holes 48 that open to the inner surface 35 of the wall portions (the upper wall 28, the lower wall 30, and the left and right side walls 32, 34). In Embodiment 1, locking holes 48, 48 that open to the left and right inner surfaces 35c, 35d are formed at the middle portions in the front-rear direction of the left and right side walls 32, 34. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each locking hole 48 is formed to penetrate the left and right side walls 32, 34 in the thickness direction (left-right direction). Each locking hole 48 is substantially rectangular in a side view (viewed in the left-right direction) and has a front-rear dimension and an up-down dimension of a predetermined size. And, at the front end portions of the left and right side walls 32, 34 of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, contact portions 50 protruding forward from the respective bent portions 36 are provided. Thereby, when the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 are connected, each contact portion 50 comes into contact with a housing (not shown) that holds the male terminal 12.

[0043] <Main body portion 20> Although illustration is omitted, the state of the first metal flat plate before press working is, for example, that each wall portion (the upper wall 28, the lower wall 30, the left and right side walls 32, 34, and the connecting portion 16) constituting the main body portion 20 extends in a planar shape. And, as described above, by bending each bent portion 36 and fitting the fitting convex portion 44 into the fitting concave portion 46, the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is formed in the front portion of the main body portion 20. The metal material constituting the main body portion 20 is not limited, but a metal having excellent conductivity can be adopted, and for example, pure copper can be adopted.

[0044] <Contact forming fitting 22> The contact forming fitting 22 has a frame portion 52 that is assembled to the inner surface 35 of the wall portions (the upper wall 28, the lower wall 30, and the left and right side walls 32, 34) of the cylindrical conductor portion 18. Further, the contact forming fitting 22 has a contact spring portion 54 that is held by the frame portion 52, projects inward of the frame portion 52, and is pressed against the male terminal 12 inserted from the male terminal insertion port 24. Furthermore, the contact forming fitting 22 has a welding portion 56 provided by bending the edge portion on the male terminal insertion port 24 side in the frame portion 52 along the chamfered portions (the inclined surfaces 42 in the first and second welded portions 38a, 38b) in the cylindrical conductor portion 18.

[0045] <Frame portion 52> Fig. 9 shows the contact forming fitting 22 in a single-piece state before being assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion 18. As shown in Fig. 9 and the like, the frame portion 52 of the contact forming fitting 22 is generally rectangular frame-shaped as a whole. That is, the frame portion 52 has a left side portion 58 and a right side portion 60 as a pair of side portions that are respectively overlapped with the left and right side walls 32, 34 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, an upper portion 62 that is overlapped with the upper wall 28, and a lower portion 64 that is overlapped with the lower wall 30. In short, the left side portion 58 and the right side portion 60 are respectively connected by the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64. As a result, the frame portion 52 is open on both sides in the front-rear direction, and a front opening 66 and a rear opening 68 are provided.

[0046] Substantially rectangular through window portions 70 penetrating in the thickness direction (vertical direction) are respectively formed in the middle portions in the front-rear direction of these upper portion 62 and lower portion 64, and each through window portion 70 is formed over the entire length in the left-right direction of the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64. As a result, the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64 are divided on both the front and rear sides by the respective through window portions 70, and the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64 are each configured to include a front connection portion 72 that connects the left and right side portions 58, 60 in the front portion and a rear connection portion 74 that connects them in the rear portion. In other words, the left side portion 58 and the right side portion 60 are connected by the respective front connection portions 72 in the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64 in the front portion and are connected by the respective rear connection portions 74 in the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64 in the rear portion.

[0047] <Contact spring portion 54> In Embodiment 1, the contact spring portion 54 includes a first contact spring portion 76 that protrudes inward from the lower portion (lower part 64) of the frame portion 52 toward the inside of the frame portion 52, and a second contact spring portion 78 that protrudes inward from the upper portion (upper part 62) of the frame portion 52 toward the inside of the frame portion 52. Specifically, in each of the upper part 62 and the lower part 64, the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78 extend rearward in a cantilever shape from the rear end of each front connection portion 72 inside each through window portion 70. That is, the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78 are held by each front connection portion 72 in the frame portion 52 on the front side which is one end side, and protrude inward toward the rear side which is the other end side and extend in a cantilever shape. As a result, spaces (gaps) are provided on three sides (both sides in the left - right direction and the rear) around the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78, and the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78 are elastically deformable in the vertical direction with the connection portions with the respective front connection portions 72 at the front ends as the bases.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, in the assembled state of the contact forming fitting 22, the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78 are inclined in a direction (inward in the vertical direction) in which they approach each other as they go rearward. As a result, the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78 are provided as a pair in the vertical direction and face each other in the vertical direction. The first contact spring portion 76 has a first contact 80 to the male terminal 12 on the facing surface (lower surface) to the second contact spring portion 78, and the second contact spring portion 78 has a second contact 82 to the male terminal 12 on the facing surface (upper surface) to the first contact spring portion 76.

[0049] In Embodiment 1, in the state before the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10, the protruding end portions 84, 84 of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78 are relatively close to each other, and the first contact 80 and the second contact 82 are in contact with each other or are slightly separated and face each other in the vertical direction. In particular, in Embodiment 1, on the outer surface in the vertical direction of each protruding end portion 84, a chamfered curved surface 86 that gradually inclines upward and inward toward the rear is formed. As will be described later, the clip spring 114 is easily assembled to each protruding end portion 84 of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78.

[0050] Further, bending portions 88 are provided at the protruding tip portions of the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78, and the first contact 80 and the second contact 82 are provided at the formation positions of the respective bending portions 88. These first contact 80 and second contact 82 are formed in a curved arc shape in the longitudinal section shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, have a predetermined left - right dimension at the central portion in the left - right direction of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78, and are provided so as to straddle both sides in the front - rear direction with the bending portion 88 interposed therebetween in the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78. Such first and second contacts 80, 82 are formed in an oval shape in a plan view (projection in the vertical direction) in which the dimension in the front - rear direction, which is the insertion direction of the male terminal 12, is larger than the dimension in the left - right direction.

[0051] Thereby, even when the male terminal 12 inserted into the female terminal 10 swings and displaces in the vertical direction, the contact area between the first and second contacts 80, 82 and the male terminal 12 can be stably ensured. In Embodiment 1, the first and second contacts 80, 82 are formed by performing pressing on the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78 respectively. Concave portions 90 are formed at positions corresponding to the first and second contacts 80, 82 on the outer side in the opposing direction (outer side in the vertical direction) of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78.

[0052] And in Embodiment 1, at the front connection part 72 in the upper part 62, first contact spring parts 76, 76 are provided at a plurality of positions (two positions) spaced apart from each other in the plate width direction (left - right direction) of the male terminal 12. Also, at the front connection part 72 in the lower part 64, second contact spring parts 78, 78 are provided at a plurality of positions (two positions) spaced apart from each other in the plate width direction of the male terminal 12. That is, as also shown in FIG. 2 and the like, by providing a slit 92 extending over substantially the entire length in the front - rear direction at the center in the left - right direction of a substantially rectangular portion extending rearward from each front connection part 72, the pair of first contact spring parts 76, 76 are provided spaced apart from each other in the left - right direction, and the pair of second contact spring parts 78, 78 are provided spaced apart from each other in the left - right direction.

[0053] The upper and lower slits 92 are formed with substantially equal length dimensions (front - rear direction dimensions). Particularly in Embodiment 1, each slit 92 is formed with a length dimension slightly longer than the length dimensions (front - rear direction dimensions) of each of the first and second contact spring parts 76, 78. Thereby, the front end portions of the respective slits 92 slightly reach the respective front connection parts 72 in the upper part 62 and the lower part 64. Note that the length dimensions of these slits 92 are not limited, and the front end portions of the slits 92 may be located, for example, more forward than the positions shown in FIG. 2 and the like. Also, since the length dimensions of the first and second contact spring parts 76, 78 can be changed by the length dimensions of these slits 92, the spring characteristics of the first and second contact spring parts 76, 78 can be set to a desired mode by adjusting the length dimensions of the slits 92.

[0054] Further, each of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78 is provided with an engagement protrusion 94 that protrudes outward in the vertical direction on the side of each clamping plate portion 118 of the clip spring 114 described later. In Embodiment 1, an engagement protrusion 94 is provided on each of the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78, and a total of four engagement protrusions 94 are provided on the contact forming fitting 22. Each engagement protrusion 94 is formed with a predetermined protrusion dimension outward in the left-right direction at both side edges of each of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78, that is, at the rear end portions (each protruding end portion 84) of each of the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78. These engagement protrusions 94 are each substantially rectangular in side view (viewed in the left-right direction).

[0055] <Welding portion 56> As described above, the frame body portion 52 is provided with a welding portion 56 that is overlapped with the aforementioned welded portion 38 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and welded to each other. In Embodiment 1, the welding portion 56 includes a first welding portion 56a welded to the aforementioned first welded portion 38a and a second welding portion 56b welded to the aforementioned second welded portion 38b as a pair of welding portions 56, 56. That is, front projecting portions 96 that project forward at the ends (front end portions) on the male terminal insertion port 24 side are integrally formed at the front connection portions 72 of the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64 in the frame body portion 52, and each outer surface 98 of each front projecting portion 96 is overlapped with each inclined surface 42 that constitutes the first and second welded portions 38a, 38b. Thereby, the first and second welding portions 56a, 56b are constituted by these outer surfaces 98 in particular on the front projecting portions 96. And in Embodiment 1, each front projecting portion 96 and each outer surface 98 are formed over substantially the entire length in the width direction (left-right direction) of each front connection portion 72 in the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64.

[0056] Each of these welded portions 56 (each outer surface 98) is formed with a predetermined inclination angle β (see FIG. 5) with respect to the X direction (front-rear direction), and gradually widens outward in the Z direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the X direction as it goes outward (forward) in the X direction. In short, the outer surfaces 98 on both the upper and lower sides are inclined in a direction of separating from each other as they go forward. In Embodiment 1, the inclination angle α with respect to the X direction in each of the above-described welded portions 38 and the inclination angle β with respect to the X direction in each welded portion 56 are set to the same magnitude. Therefore, the inclination angle β in each welded portion 56 is set within the range of 0° < β < 90°, and preferably, for example, within the range of 20° ≤ β ≤ 60°.

[0057] Note that the welding method between each welded portion 56 (the first and second welded portions 56a, 56b) and each welded portion 38 (the first and second welded portions 38a, 38b) is not limited, but in Embodiment 1, it is welded by laser welding. In particular, since each of these welded portions 56a, 56b and each welded portion 38a, 38b are inclined with predetermined inclination angles α, β with respect to the front-rear direction, a laser can be irradiated from a direction orthogonal to each of these welded portions 56a, 56b and each welded portion 38a, 38b.

[0058] <Pressing portion (locking claw 100)> The female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1 has a pressing portion that presses the welded portion 56 against the welded portion 38. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the pressing portion is provided on the frame portion 52 of the contact forming fitting 22, and is constituted by locking claws 100 that fit into the locking holes 48 in the above-described cylindrical conductor portion 18. That is, since a pair of locking holes 48, 48 are provided in the left and right side walls 32, 34 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, a pair of locking claws 100, 100 are provided on the left and right side portions 58, 60 that are overlapped with the left and right side walls 32, 34 in the frame portion 52.

[0059] Specifically, in the front portions of the left and right side portions 58, 60 of the contact forming fitting 22, substantially rectangular through holes 102, 102 penetrating the respective side portions 58, 60 in the thickness direction (left - right direction) are formed, and from the rear portions of the inner peripheral surfaces of the respective through holes 102, the above - mentioned respective locking claws 100 project forward. Spaces (gaps) are provided on three sides (both sides in the up - down direction and the front) around each locking claw 100, and each locking claw 100 is made elastically deformable in the left - right direction.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 9 and the like, in the assembled state of the contact forming fitting 22, each locking claw 100 projects in a direction that gradually inclines outward in the left - right direction from the rear portion to the front on the inner peripheral surface of each through hole 102. Further, a bent portion 104 is provided in the middle portion in the length direction (front - rear direction) of each locking claw 100, and the front portion of each locking claw 100 extends in a direction that gradually heads inward in the left - right direction as it goes forward. As a result, substantially the entire length of each locking claw 100 is located outward in the left - right direction from the left and right side portions 58, 60, and the front end portion 106 of each locking claw 100 is at a position substantially equal in the left - right direction with respect to the left and right side portions 58, 60. In short, the front end portion 106 of each locking claw 100 is located inward in the left - right direction from the left and right side walls 32, 34 that are superposed from the outside in the left - right direction with respect to the left and right side portions 58, 60.

[0061] The contact forming fitting 22 provided with such locking claws 100 is inserted into the cylindrical conductor part 18 from the male terminal insertion port 24 in the cylindrical conductor part 18. By overlapping the inner surfaces 35 (left inner surface 35c and right inner surface 35d) of the left and right side walls 32, 34 in the cylindrical conductor part 18 with the outer surfaces of the left and right side parts 58, 60 of the contact forming fitting 22, each locking claw 100 is elastically deformed inward in the left - right direction by each inner surface 35c, 35d. As a result, further insertion of the contact forming fitting 22 into the cylindrical conductor part 18 is allowed. And when the bent part 104 of each locking claw 100 reaches each locking hole 48 in the left and right side walls 32, 34, each locking claw 100 elastically restores and deforms, and each locking claw 100 protruding outward in the left - right direction from the left and right side parts 58, 60 enters and engages with each locking hole 48. The insertion end of the contact forming fitting 22 into the cylindrical conductor part 18 is defined by overlapping each welding part 56a, 56b (each front protruding part 96) in the contact forming fitting 22 with each welded part 38a, 38b (each inclined surface 42) in the cylindrical conductor part 18. And in the state where the contact forming fitting 22 is located at the insertion end into the cylindrical conductor part 18, as shown in FIGS. 2, 7, etc., the front end part 106 of each locking claw 100 is in contact with the front edge part in the inner side in the left - right direction of each locking hole 48 from the obliquely rearward side.

[0062] That is, by the contact of each welding part 56a, 56b (each front protruding part 96) in the contact forming fitting 22 with each welded part 38a, 38b (each inclined surface 42) in the cylindrical conductor part 18, the backward displacement of the contact forming fitting 22 with respect to the cylindrical conductor part 18 is blocked. Also, by the contact of the front end part 106 of each locking claw 100 in the contact forming fitting 22 with the front edge part in the inner side in the left - right direction of each locking hole 48 from the rearward side, the forward displacement of the contact forming fitting 22 with respect to the cylindrical conductor part 18 is blocked.

[0063] In a state where the contact forming fitting 22 is positioned at the insertion end into the cylindrical conductor portion 18, for example, with respect to the contact forming fitting 22 in a single-piece state before assembly, the front end portions 106 of the respective locking claws 100 are pressed by the front edge portions in the inward direction in the left-right direction of the respective locking holes 48, and are elastically deformed slightly rearward. As a result, an elastic restoring force (biasing force) in the forward direction is generated at the front end portions 106 of the respective locking claws 100, and the respective front end portions 106 bias the front edge portions in the inward direction in the left-right direction of the respective locking holes 48 forward. As a result, a force for separating the respective front end portions 106 rearward is generated at the front edge portions in the inward direction in the left-right direction of the respective locking holes 48 as a reaction force against the biasing force.

[0064] In short, in the first embodiment, when the respective locking claws 100 elastically deformed at the time of insertion into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 in the contact forming fitting 22 elastically return, the respective front end portions 106 come into contact with the front edge portions in the inward direction in the left-right direction of the respective locking holes 48 and elastically return only slightly rearward from the initial position. As a result, a biasing force in the forward direction with respect to the respective locking holes 48 is generated at the respective front end portions 106, and at the same time, the above-described reaction force for separating the contact forming fitting 22 rearward with respect to the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is generated. Therefore, by this reaction force, the respective welded portions 56a, 56b can be pressed against the respective welded portions 38a, 38b.

[0065] And the contact forming fitting 22 having the above-described structure is formed by performing pressing or the like on the second metal flat plate that is thinner in plate thickness than the first metal flat plate as described above. The metal material of the second metal flat plate constituting the contact forming fitting 22 is not limited, but a metal having conductivity and springiness can be adopted, and for example, a copper alloy can be adopted. In Embodiment 1, as also shown in FIG. 9, when the second metal flat plate is bent to form the contact forming fitting 22, the portions that are abutted against each other are provided at the left side portion 58. That is, at the left end portions of the front connection portion 72 and the rear connection portion 74 in the upper portion 62, a first left side portion 108a extending downward is provided, and at the left end portions of the front connection portion 72 and the rear connection portion 74 in the lower portion 64, a second left side portion 108b extending upward is provided. The left side portion 58 is constituted by the first left side portion 108a and the second left side portion 108b being abutted against each other in the vertical direction.

[0066] In particular, in Embodiment 1, an engaging convex portion 110 protruding upward is provided at the upper end of the second left side portion 108b, and an engaging concave portion 112 opening downward is provided at the lower end of the first left side portion 108a. Thereby, when forming the contact forming fitting 22, for example, by hitting the engaging convex portion 110 from the outside and fitting it into the engaging concave portion 112, the left side portion 58 is constituted, and it can be prevented that the first left side portion 108a and the second left side portion 108b are unintentionally separated. The contact forming fitting 22 having the above-described shape is substantially vertically symmetric, and can be assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion 18 without distinguishing the up and down directions.

[0067] Although illustration is omitted, before press working on the second metal plate, for example, each wall part (left side part 58, right side part 60, upper part 62, and lower part 64) constituting the contact forming fitting 22 extends in a planar shape. In Embodiment 1, each of the first contact spring parts 76 and each of the second contact spring parts 78 are configured by partially raising the wall parts constituting the upper part 62 and the lower part 64. That is, in the second metal plate before press working, each of the first contact spring parts 76 and each of the second contact spring parts 78 are raised from the wall parts constituting the upper part 62 and the lower part 64, for example, to one side in the thickness direction. When the second metal plate is bent to form the contact forming fitting 22, each of the first and second contact spring parts 76, 78 protrude inward of the frame part 52.

[0068] Similarly, each locking claw 100 is configured by partially raising the wall parts constituting the left side part 58 (first left side part 108a and second left side part 108b) and the right side part 60. That is, in the second metal plate before press working, each locking claw 100 is raised from the wall parts constituting the left side part 58 and the right side part 60, for example, to the other side in the thickness direction. When forming the contact forming fitting 22, it protrudes outward in the left - right direction in the contact forming fitting 22. Note that each of the first contact spring parts 76, each of the second contact spring parts 78, and each locking claw 100 may be bent to protrude inward of the frame part 52 or outward in the left - right direction after forming the contact forming fitting 22 into a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0069] <Contact pressure - applying spring (clip spring 114)> The female terminal 10 includes a clip spring 114 as a pressure-applying spring that is arranged to sandwich the protruding end portions 84 of the respective first contact spring portions 76 and the respective second contact spring portions 78. When the male terminal 12 is press-fitted into the female terminal 10, the clip spring 114 biases the protruding end portion 84 of each first contact spring portion 76 and the protruding end portion 84 of each second contact spring portion 78 in a direction approaching each other. In Embodiment 1, the clip spring 114 is inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 from the male terminal insertion port 24 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and in a front view (viewed in the front-rear direction), the clip spring 114 is formed to have a size that can pass through the male terminal insertion port 24. Further, since the clip spring 114 is inserted into the contact forming fitting 22 from the rear and is arranged inside the contact forming fitting 22, in a front view (viewed in the front-rear direction), it is formed to have a size that can pass through the rear opening 68 in the contact forming fitting 22.

[0070] Specifically, as also shown in FIG. 8 and the like, the clip spring 114 has a rectangular flat plate-shaped connecting plate portion 116 and a pair of rectangular flat plate-shaped sandwiching plate portions 118, 118 that protrude from both side edges (upper and lower side edges) of the connecting plate portion 116 in a direction approaching each other (inward in the up-down direction). In Embodiment 1, slits 120 extending in the front-rear direction are provided at the centers in the left-right direction, which is the plate width direction of the male terminal 12, on each of the upper and lower sides of the connecting plate portion 116, so that a plurality (two) of sandwiching plate portions 118, 118 that are separated from each other are provided, and a total of four sandwiching plate portions 118 are provided in the clip spring 114. That is, a pair of sandwiching plate portions 118, 118 facing each other in the up-down direction are provided at positions separated from each other in the left-right direction via the respective slits 120. Each of these sandwiching plate portions 118 is elastically deformable in the up-down direction with the connection portion with the connecting plate portion 116 as a base point.

[0071] Note that the left - right dimension of each clamping plate portion 118 is made larger than the left - right dimension of each recess 90 provided outward in the up - down direction of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78. Also, a bent portion 122 is provided at the intermediate portion in the length direction of each clamping plate portion 118. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10 and the bent portion 122 in each clamping plate portion 118 abuts on the formation position of each recess 90 in each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78, both end portions in the left - right direction of each clamping plate portion 118 abut on portions outward in the left - right direction from each recess 90 in each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78.

[0072] And, since the bent portion 122 is provided at the intermediate portion in the length direction of each clamping plate portion 118, the protruding tip portions of each clamping plate portion 118 extend in directions away from each other from the bent portion 122. Therefore, the opposing distance between the opposing clamping plate portions 118 facing each other in the up - down direction is made smallest at the bent portion 122 provided at the intermediate portion in the length direction. The gap between these bent portions 122 is an insertion port 124 for inserting and assembling each protruding end portion 84 of each of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78.

[0073] The opening dimension (up - down dimension) of each insertion port 124 before elastic deformation of each clamping plate portion 118 in the clip spring 114 may be made equal to the separation distance (up - down dimension) between the outer surfaces of each protruding end portion 84 of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78, or may be made slightly larger or smaller. Such a clip spring 114 is inserted into the contact forming fitting 22 from the rear opening 68 of the contact forming fitting 22 and assembled so that each clamping plate portion 118 sandwiches each protruding end portion 84 of each of the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78. Also, in Embodiment 1, at the intermediate portion in the front - rear direction of each clamping plate portion 118, a notch - shaped engaged portion 126 that opens outward in the left - right direction and penetrates in the thickness direction of each clamping plate portion 118 is formed, and each engaged portion 126 can be engaged with each engaging protrusion 94 in the contact forming fitting 22.

[0074] When assembling the clip spring 114 as described above to the contact forming fitting 22, the clip spring 114 is inserted through the rear opening 68 of the contact forming fitting 22, and the protruding ends 84 of the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78 do not contact the bending portions 122 located most inward in the vertical direction in each clamping plate portion 118, or while the bending portions 122 are pushed and expanded outward in the vertical direction by the protruding ends 84 of the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78, the protruding ends 84 of the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78 are inserted into the insertion openings 124.

[0075] Also, by approaching the clip spring 114 from the rear with respect to the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78, the engaging protrusions 94 provided on the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78 contact both the left and right end portions at the front end of each clamping plate portion 118. Then, by moving the clip spring 114 forward with respect to the contact forming fitting 22, each clamping plate portion 118 is elastically deformed inward in the left - right direction by the engaging protrusions 94, and further forward movement of the clip spring 114 is allowed. In the clip spring 114 that has moved forward, when the engaging protrusions 94 enter the engaged portions 126, each clamping plate portion 118 elastically returns to its original shape, and the clip spring 114 is assembled in a state where it is positioned in the front - rear direction with respect to the contact forming fitting 22. Therefore, the insertion end position of the clip spring 114 inward of the contact forming fitting 22 is defined as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, etc., by the engaging protrusions 94 provided on the first and second contact spring portions 76, 78 entering the engaged portions 126 provided on each clamping plate portion 118 and the engaging protrusions 94 contacting the rear inner surface of each engaged portion 126.

[0076] <Assembly of the female terminal 10> Hereinafter, a specific example of a method for assembling the female terminal 10 will be described. Note that the assembly method of the female terminal 10 is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0077] First, prepare the first metal flat plate that constitutes the main body 20, bend each bent portion 36, and insert the fitting convex portion 44 into the fitting concave portion 46. Thereby, the main body 20 having the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the connection portion 16 is formed. Also, prepare the second metal flat plate that constitutes the contact forming fitting 22, bend it into the shape shown in FIG. 9, and insert the engaging convex portion 110 of the second left side portion 108b into the engaging concave portion 112 of the first left side portion 108a. Thereby, the contact forming fitting 22 having the frame portion 52 and the contact spring portions 54 (each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78) is formed.

[0078] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact forming fitting 22 and the clip spring 114 are arranged to face each other in the front-rear direction, and the clip spring 114 is assembled into the contact forming fitting 22 through the rear opening 68 of the contact forming fitting 22. The method of assembling the clip spring 114 to the contact forming fitting 22 is as described above. The assembly of the contact forming fitting 22 and the clip spring 114 is arranged to face the male terminal insertion port 24 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18 in the front-rear direction, and the assembly is inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 from the male terminal insertion port 24 toward the rear opening window 26. As a result, each pressing portion (each locking claw 100) in the contact forming fitting 22 abuts against the inner surfaces 35 (the left and right inner surfaces 35c, 35d) of the left and right side walls 32, 34, so that each locking claw 100 is elastically deformed inward in the left-right direction. As a result, further insertion of the assembly into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is allowed, and while each locking claw 100 is brought into contact with the left and right inner surfaces 35c, 35d, the assembly is inserted into and assembled in the cylindrical conductor portion 18.

[0079] The insertion end into the interior of the cylindrical conductor portion 18 in the above-described assembled body is defined by the front projecting portions 96 that project outward from the respective front connection portions 72 on the upper and lower sides in the contact forming fitting 22 coming into contact with the respective inclined surfaces 42 that are chamfered at the front projecting portions 40 of the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18. Further, in a state where the above-described assembled body is inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 up to the insertion end, the respective locking claws 100 in the contact forming fitting 22 enter the respective locking holes 48 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the respective locking claws 100 elastically return and deform. Then, the elastically returned respective locking claws 100 are fitted into the respective locking holes 48, and the front end portions 106 of these respective locking claws 100 come into contact with the front edge portions in the inward direction in the left-right direction of the respective locking holes 48, thereby preventing displacement of the above-described assembled body in the extraction direction (frontward) from the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the contact forming fitting 22 is held in the assembled state to the cylindrical conductor portion 18.

[0080] Particularly, in a state where the above-described assembled body is inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 up to the insertion end, since the respective locking claws 100 do not completely elastically return to the initial position, the outer surfaces 98 of the respective front projecting portions 96 are pressed against and overlapped with the respective inclined surfaces 42 by the reaction force against the elastic restoring force of these respective locking claws 100. Then, these overlapping surfaces are welded and fixed by laser welding. That is, the first welded portion 56a provided on the upper outer surface 98 and the first welded portion 38a provided on the upper inclined surface 42 are welded to form the upper welding region UR. Also, the second welded portion 56b provided on the lower outer surface 98 and the second welded portion 38b provided on the lower inclined surface 42 are welded to form the lower welding region LR. Thereby, the above-described assembled body is welded and fixed in a state of being inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1 is completed. Note that the order of welding in the upper welding region UR and the lower welding region LR is not limited.

[0081] <Assembly of the terminal unit 14> Hereinafter, a specific example of a method for assembling the terminal unit 14 in a state where the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1 and the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 are connected will be described.

[0082] First, the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 assembled as described above are opposed to each other in the front-rear direction. Then, the male terminal 12 is inserted into the inside of the cylindrical conductor portion 18 through the male terminal insertion port 24 and press-fitted between the opposing surfaces of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 at each first contact 80 and each second contact 82. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, each first contact 80 in each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact 82 in each second contact spring portion 78 come into contact with the upper surface and the lower surface of the male terminal 12, respectively, and each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 are pushed and expanded in a direction in which they are separated from each other.

[0083] Then, each bent portion 88 in each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 that is pushed and expanded outward in the vertical direction comes into contact with each bent portion 122 in the clip spring 114 from the inside in the vertical direction, and each clamping plate portion 118 is elastically deformed outward in the vertical direction. Due to the elastic restoring force of each of these clamping plate portions 118, each protruding end portion 84 of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 is clamped by each clamping plate portion 118, and each protruding end portion 84 of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 is biased in a direction in which they approach each other. As a result, each first contact 80 and each second contact 82 are pressure-connected to the upper surface and the lower surface of the male terminal 12 press-fitted between the opposing surfaces of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78. As a result, the male terminal 12 and the female terminal 10 are electrically connected, and the terminal unit 14 in a state where the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 are connected is completed.

[0084] That is, after the male terminal 12 is inserted, the vertical distance A (see FIG. 3) at each bending portion 88 of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 that are press-connected to the male terminal 12 from both the upper and lower sides is larger than the vertical dimension B (see FIG. 5) of each bending portion 88 before the insertion of the male terminal 12. As a result, with the insertion of the male terminal 12, not only each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 but also each clamping plate portion 118 of the clip spring 114 are pushed and expanded outward in the vertical direction, and each first contact 80 and each second contact 82 are pressed against the upper and lower surfaces of the male terminal 12 by the elastic restoring force not only of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 but also of each clamping plate portion 118.

[0085] In particular, in Embodiment 1, a pair of first contact spring portions 76, 76 and a pair of second contact spring portions 78, 78 that are separated from each other in the left-right direction are provided, and a pair of clamping plate portions 118, 118 that are separated from each other in the left-right direction are provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the clip spring 114. Thereby, on both sides in the left-right direction, the clamping plate portions 118, 118 on the upper and lower sides sandwich the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78, and the first contact 80 and the second contact 82 are pressed against the male terminal 12.

[0086] According to the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1, the contact forming fitting 22 having each first contact 80 and each second contact 82 is provided as a separate body from the main body portion 20 having the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the contact forming fitting 22 is assembled into the cylindrical conductor portion 18. Thereby, compared with the case of forming a contact by bending a metal flat plate as in the conventional structure, the member (contact forming fitting 22) constituting the contact can be formed from a second metal flat plate having a relatively small plate thickness, and the female terminal 10 can be miniaturized. In addition, since the main body portion 20 having the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is formed by bending a first metal flat plate having a relatively large plate thickness, it can also cope with a large current, and both an improvement in the conduction capacity and an avoidance of an increase in the size of the terminal can be achieved.

[0087] In particular, the contact forming fitting 22 includes a frame body portion 52 and contact spring portions 54 (each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78), and each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 protrude inwardly of the frame body portion 52. Thereby, when assembling the contact forming fitting 22 to the cylindrical conductor portion 18, the possibility of unintentionally contacting the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78 when gripping the contact forming fitting 22 is reduced, and the first contact spring portions 76 and the second contact spring portions 78 are prevented from being deformed when the contact forming fitting 22 and the cylindrical conductor portion 18 are assembled.

[0088] The cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the contact forming fitting 22 are fixed by welding each welding portion 56 (first welding portion 56a and second welding portion 56b) provided on the contact forming fitting 22 and each welded portion 38 (first welded portion 38a and second welded portion 38b) provided on the cylindrical conductor portion 18. These welded portions 38a, 38b are constituted by chamfered portions (each inclined surface 42) provided on the inner peripheral edge portion of the end surface (front end surface 37) on the male terminal insertion port 24 side in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and each welding portion 56a, 56b is provided by bending the edge portion on the male terminal insertion port 24 side of the frame body portion 52 in the contact forming fitting 22 along the inclination of each welded portion 38a, 38b (each inclined surface 42). That is, each inclined surface 42 where each welded portion 38a, 38b and each welding portion 56a, 56b are provided and the outer surface 98 of each front protruding portion 96 are not shear surfaces formed by shearing during pressing of the first metal flat plate and the second metal flat plate constituting the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the contact forming fitting 22, and each welded portion 38a, 38b and each welding portion 56a, 56b are formed in portions that are not these shear surfaces. Thereby, on each of the inclined surfaces 42 and the outer surfaces 98, no curved surface (sagging surface) associated with shearing is generated, and each welded portion 38a, 38b and each welding portion 56a, 56b can be overlapped with substantially no gap, thereby improving the welding strength at these overlapping surfaces and, consequently, improving the conduction efficiency between the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12.

[0089] In particular, each inclined surface 42 constituting each welded portion 38a, 38b and each outer surface 98 constituting each welding portion 56a, 56b are inclined with substantially equal inclination angles α, β with respect to the front-rear direction, respectively. Thereby, the generation of a gap between each welded portion 38a, 38b and each welding portion 56a, 56b can be more efficiently prevented, and further improvement in the welding strength at these overlapping surfaces and the conduction efficiency between the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 can be achieved.

[0090] The female terminal 10 has a pressing portion that presses each welding portion 56a, 56b against each welded portion 38a, 38b. In Embodiment 1, the pressing portion is constituted by each locking claw 100 formed on the frame portion 52 of the contact forming fitting 22. These locking claws 100 are elastically deformed inward in the left-right direction when the contact forming fitting 22 and the cylindrical conductor portion 18 are assembled, and when elastically restored and deformed to fit into each locking hole 48 in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, they contact the inner peripheral edge portion of each locking hole 48. This elastic restoring force acts on the inner peripheral edge portion of each locking hole 48, and by utilizing the reaction force against the restoring force, each welding portion 56a, 56b can be pressed against each welded portion 38a, 38b. In particular, since each locking claw 100 is formed on the contact forming fitting 22 composed of a second metal flat plate with a relatively thin plate thickness, elastic deformation of each locking claw 100 is likely to occur, and the generation of a gap between each welding portion 56a, 56b and each welded portion 38a, 38b can be more reliably suppressed. Therefore, further improvement in the welding strength at the overlapping surfaces of each welding portion 56a, 56b and each welded portion 38a, 38b and the conduction efficiency between the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 can be achieved.

[0091] Both the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the frame portion 52 of the contact forming fitting 22 have a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the front-rear direction. On both the upper and lower sides thereof, respective welded portions 38a, 38b and respective welding portions 56a, 56b are provided, and on both the left and right sides, respective lock holes 48 and respective lock claws 100 are formed. In this way, by skillfully utilizing the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides of both the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the contact forming fitting 22, which are both substantially rectangular, the respective welded portions 38a, 38b, the respective welding portions 56a, 56b, the respective lock holes 48, and the respective lock claws 100 can be formed. This not only improves the welding strength and the conductive efficiency but also enables miniaturization of the female terminal 10.

[0092] By overlapping the respective welding portions 56a, 56b (respective front protruding portions 96) of the contact forming fitting 22 and the respective welded portions 38a, 38b (respective inclined surfaces 42) of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, the insertion end of the contact forming fitting 22 into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 is defined. Also, by fitting the respective lock claws 100 of the contact forming fitting 22 into the respective lock holes 48 of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, extraction of the contact forming fitting 22 from the respective cylindrical conductor portions 18 is prevented. Thus, the contact forming fitting 22 can be assembled in a state where it is positioned in the front-rear direction with respect to the cylindrical conductor portion 18. Therefore, there is no need to separately provide a portion for defining the insertion end of the contact forming fitting 22 into the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and it is also possible to configure the above-described pressing portion using the respective lock claws 100 for preventing extraction of the contact forming fitting 22 from the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the structures of the contact forming fitting 22 and the cylindrical conductor portion 18 can be made relatively simple.

[0093] The cylindrical conductor portion 18 is rectangular cylindrical having left and right side walls 32, 34, an upper wall 28, and a lower wall 30, and the frame portion 52 of the contact forming fitting 22 is rectangular frame-shaped having left and right side portions 58, 60, an upper portion 62, and a lower portion 64. Since both the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the contact forming fitting 22 have a rectangular outer shape in this way, displacement (such as rattling) of the contact forming fitting 22 within the cylindrical conductor portion 18 can be suppressed. Further, since each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 in the contact forming fitting 22 are formed by partially raising the upper portion 62 and the lower portion 64, respectively, when forming the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion, there is no need to employ another member separate from the frame portion, and the contact forming fitting 22 can be formed with a good yield.

[0094] The female terminal 10 has a clip spring 114 as a contact pressure applying spring that is arranged to sandwich the protruding end portions 84 of each of the first contact spring portions 76 and each of the second contact spring portions 78. In Embodiment 1, after the clip spring 114 is assembled into the contact forming fitting 22 through the rear opening 68 in the contact forming fitting 22, these assemblies are inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 from the front through the male terminal insertion port 24. That is, in the conventional structure, the clip spring was assembled from the side with the opening widened, whereas in the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1, the clip spring 114 can be assembled to the contact forming fitting 22 without widening the clip spring 114, so that the workability when assembling the clip spring 114 is improved.

[0095] In Embodiment 1, a clip spring 114 is adopted as a contact pressure applying spring that applies contact pressure to each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 when the male terminal 12 is inserted. Thereby, by inserting each protruding end portion 84 of each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78 into the insertion port 124 in the clip spring 114, the clip spring 114 can be assembled to each first contact spring portion 76 and each second contact spring portion 78. In particular, in Embodiment 1, a pair of first contact spring portions 76, 76 and a pair of second contact spring portions 78, 78 are provided so as to be mutually separated in the left - right direction via the slit 92. Further, in the clip spring 114, on each of the upper and lower sides of the connecting plate portion 116, two clamping plate portions 118 are provided so as to be mutually separated in the left - right direction via each slit 120. Thereby, on each of the left and right sides separately, the upper and lower clamping plate portions 118 can apply contact pressure to the first contact spring portion 76 and the second contact spring portion 78. As a result, even when, for example, after the insertion of the male terminal 12 into the female terminal 10, the male terminal 12 rotates and displaces around the central axis extending in the front - rear direction, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of problems such as insufficient contact pressure being exerted on either the left or the right side.

[0096] <Modification Example> As described above, as a specific example of the present disclosure, Embodiment 1 has been described in detail. However, the present disclosure is not limited by this specific description. Modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope that can achieve the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, modification examples of the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0097] (1) In the above - mentioned embodiment, the male terminal 12 is a flat tab - shaped terminal, and the cylindrical conductor portion 18 and the contact - forming fitting 22 are each a substantially horizontally long rectangular shape, but it is not limited to this aspect. For example, when the male terminal is a cylindrical pin terminal, the cylindrical conductor portion and the contact - forming fitting may each be a cylindrical shape. Similarly, when the male terminal is a vertically long terminal, the cylindrical conductor portion and the contact - forming fitting may each be a substantially vertically long rectangular shape, and in that case, the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion constituting the contact spring portion may be provided on each of a pair of side portions of the contact - forming fitting.

[0098] (2) In the above embodiment, the first and second welded portions 38a and 38b are constituted by inclined surfaces 42 provided on the front protruding portions 40 on both the upper and lower sides of the cylindrical conductor portion 18, and the first and second welding portions 56a and 56b are constituted by the outer surfaces 98 of the front protruding portions 96 on both the upper and lower sides of the contact forming fitting 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. That is, instead of or in addition to the above mode, front protruding portions and chamfered portions (chamfered inclined surfaces) may be provided on the side wall portions on both the left and right sides of the cylindrical conductor portion, and front protruding portions may be provided on the side portions on both the left and right sides of the contact forming fitting. It should be noted that the welded portion and the welding portion are not limited to the mode provided on both the upper and lower sides or both the left and right sides in the cylindrical conductor portion and the contact forming fitting, and may be provided only on one side in the vertical direction or one side in the horizontal direction.

[0099] (3) In the above embodiment, the contact forming fitting 22 is inserted from the front male terminal insertion port 24 side in the cylindrical conductor portion 18, but it may be inserted from the rear rear opening window side. When the contact forming fitting is inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion from the rear, the chamfered portion (inclined surface) constituting the welded portion may be provided on the inner peripheral edge portion of the end surface on the rear opening window side of the cylindrical conductor portion, or the welding portion may be provided by bending the edge portion on the rear opening window side of the frame portion. Further, the locking claws provided on the contact forming fitting may be in a mode protruding from the front to the rear. It should be noted that the locking claws and the locking holes are not essential for the female terminal according to the present disclosure.

[0100] (4) In the above-described embodiment, after the clip spring 114 is assembled to the contact forming fitting 22, these assembled bodies are inserted into the cylindrical conductor portion 18 from the male terminal insertion port 24 side. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. That is, for example, a contact pressure applying spring (for example, a clip spring) may be inserted into the contact forming fitting and then inserted from the rear into the contact forming fitting through the rear opening window in the cylindrical conductor portion and the rear opening in the contact forming fitting. Note that the contact forming fitting and the contact pressure applying spring (for example, a clip spring) are not limited to the mode fixed by the engagement between the respective engaging protrusions 94 and the respective engaged portions 126 as in the above-described embodiment. Instead, a member for preventing the rearward drop of the contact pressure applying spring inserted from the rear with respect to the contact forming fitting may be assembled to the contact forming fitting or the cylindrical conductor portion.

[0101] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the inclination angle α of each inclined surface 42 constituting each welded portion 38a, 38b and the inclination angle β of each outer surface 98 constituting each welded portion 56a, 56b are set to the same magnitude. However, they do not necessarily have to be exactly the same magnitude. As long as the above-described inclined surface and the above-described outer surface can be overlapped so as to be weldable and no gap is generated between these overlapping surfaces such that a problem occurs in the joining by welding, the above-described inclination angles α and β may be different from each other.

[0102] (6) In the above-described embodiment, each first contact spring portion 76 is formed by partially raising the upper portion 62 of the contact forming fitting 22, and each second contact spring portion 78 is formed by partially raising the lower portion 64 of the contact forming fitting 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. That is, the first contact spring portion and / or the second contact spring portion may be formed separately from the frame portion of the contact forming fitting and then fixedly attached to the metal flat plate constituting the frame portion by welding or the like. Thereafter, the contact forming fitting may be formed by performing press working on this metal flat plate.

[0103] (7) In the above-described embodiment, each locking claw 100 constituting the pressing portion protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the left and right side portions 58, 60 of the contact forming fitting 22, and the bending portion 104 is provided in the middle portion in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of each locking claw 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this aspect. That is, the locking claw may be curved in an arc shape as a whole or in part in the longitudinal direction, may protrude outward or inward in the left-right direction from the left and right side portions, and the front end portion of the locking claw may be in contact with the front edge portion on the inner side in the left-right direction in the locking hole. From the viewpoint of securing a space for inserting the male terminal, it is preferable that the locking claw protrudes outward in the left-right direction from the left and right side portions. Further, the pressing portion that presses the welded portion against the welded portion is not limited to the aspect constituted by the locking claw, and may be provided separately from the locking claw. In that case, the shape of the pressing portion and the like are not limited, and the locking claw may protrude substantially straight in a direction gradually going outward in the left-right direction as it goes forward, for example. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, each locking hole 48 is formed in the form of a through hole penetrating the left and right side walls 32, 34, but the locking hole only needs to open on the inner surface of the side wall, and may have a bottomed hole shape in which the outer surface side of the side wall is closed.

[0104] (8) In the above-described embodiment, the female terminal 10 includes the clip spring 114 as the contact pressure applying spring. However, the contact pressure applying spring is not essential for the female terminal according to the present disclosure. That is, when the male terminal is inserted, the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion are pushed and expanded outward in the up-down direction, and due to the elastic restoring force of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion, the first contact and the second contact in the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion may be pressed against the male terminal. Further, even when a contact pressure applying spring is adopted, it does not have to be a clip spring, and a contact pressure applying spring having an arbitrary structure such as a coil spring or an annular elastic body may be adopted.

[0105] (9) In the above-described embodiment, a pair of first contact spring portions 76, 76 are provided on the upper portion 62 of the contact forming fitting 22, and a pair of second contact spring portions 78, 78 are provided on the lower portion 64. However, the number of these first contact spring portions and second contact spring portions is not limited. That is, one or more first contact spring portions may be provided on the upper portion of the contact forming fitting, and one or more second contact spring portions may be provided on the lower portion of the contact forming fitting. Similarly, the number of the upper and lower clamping plate portions of the clip spring is not limited, and one or more may be provided respectively. Note that the number of the first contact spring portions and the number of the upper clamping plate portions may be different from each other, and the number of the second contact spring portions and the number of the lower clamping plate portions may be different from each other.

[0106] (10) In the above-described embodiment, the connection portion 16 that is conductively connected to another member extends rearward from the lower wall 30 of the cylindrical conductor portion 18. However, for example, it may extend rearward from the upper wall or the left and right side walls of the cylindrical conductor portion.

[0107] (11) In the above-described embodiment, the portion that abuts against each other when the contact forming fitting 22 is formed by pressing the second metal flat plate is provided on the left side portion 58 of the contact forming fitting 22. However, it is not limited to this aspect, and the portion that abuts against each other during pressing can be set at any position on the contact forming fitting.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0108] 10 Female terminal 12 Male terminal 14 Terminal unit 16 Connection portion 18 Cylindrical conductor portion 20 Main body portion 22 Contact forming fitting 24 Male terminal insertion port 26 Rear opening window 28 Upper wall 30 Lower wall 32 Left side wall (side wall) 34 Right side wall (side wall) 35 Inner surface Upper inner surface of 35a Lower inner surface of 35b Left inner surface of 35c Right inner surface of 35d Bending part 36 Front end face (end face) 37 Welded part (chamfered part) 38 First welded part 38a Second welded part 38b Front protruding part 40 Inclined surface 42 Fitting convex part 44 Fitting concave part 46 Lock hole 48 Contact part 50 Frame body part 52 Contact spring part 54 Welded part 56 First welded part 56a Second welded part 56b Left side part 58 Right side part 60 Upper part 62 Lower part 64 Front opening 66 Rear opening 68 Through window part 70 Front connection part 72 Rear connection part 74 First contact spring part 76 Second contact spring part 78 First contact 80 Second contact 82 Protruding end part 84 Curved surface 86 Bending part 88 Concave part 90 Slit 92 Engaging protrusion 94 Front protruding part 96 Outer surface 98 Lock claw (pressing part) 100 Through hole 102 Bending part 104 Front end part 106 First left side part 108a Second left side part 108b Engaging convex part 110 112 engaging concave part 114 clip spring (contact pressure applying spring) 116 connecting plate part 118 clamping plate part 120 slit 122 bending part 124 insertion port 126 engaged part R welding area UR upper welding area LR lower welding area

Claims

1. A pressed product of a first metal plate, comprising a main body portion having a connection portion conductively connected to another member and a hollow cylindrical conductor portion, a pressed product of a second metal plate thinner than the first metal plate, and a contact forming fitting assembled to be conductively connected to the cylindrical conductor portion, wherein the cylindrical conductor portion has a male terminal insertion opening opening toward one end side, a rear opening window opening toward the other end side, and a welded portion formed by a chamfered portion provided at an inner peripheral edge portion of an end face on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side, the contact forming fitting has a frame portion assembled to an inner surface of a wall portion of the cylindrical conductor portion, a contact spring portion held by the frame portion and protruding inward of the frame portion to be pressed against a male terminal inserted from the male terminal insertion opening, and a welded portion provided by bending an edge portion of the frame portion on the male terminal insertion opening side or the rear opening window side along an inclination of the chamfered portion, a female terminal in which the welded portion and the welded portion are overlapped and welded to each other.

2. The female terminal according to claim 1, wherein the welded portion and the welded portion expand outward in a Z direction orthogonal to the X direction as they go outward in the X direction which is the axial direction of the cylindrical conductor portion, and an inclination angle of the welded portion and the welded portion with respect to the X direction is the same.

3. The female terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2, having a pressing portion for pressing the welded portion against the welded portion.

4. The contact forming fitting is inserted from the male terminal insertion opening on the one end side of the cylindrical conductor portion toward the other end side and assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion, the cylindrical conductor portion has a lock hole opening in the inner surface of the wall portion, the frame portion of the contact forming fitting has a lock claw that is fitted into the lock hole and constitutes the pressing portion, the female terminal according to claim 3, wherein insertion of the contact forming fitting toward the other end side is allowed by elastic deformation of the lock claw, and the lock claw elastically returns to engage with the lock hole, and the welded portion is pressed against the welded portion by an elastic restoring force of the lock claw.

5. The cylindrical conductor portion has a rectangular cylindrical shape having a pair of side walls and an upper wall and a lower wall connected by the pair of side walls, The frame portion of the contact forming fitting has a rectangular frame shape having a pair of side portions that are respectively overlapped with the pair of side walls of the cylindrical conductor portion, and an upper portion and a lower portion that are respectively overlapped with the upper wall and the lower wall of the cylindrical conductor portion. At least one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion is partially cut and raised inwardly to form the cantilevered contact spring portion. A pair of welded portions formed by the pair of chamfered portions are provided on the end surfaces of the upper wall and the lower wall on the male terminal insertion port side. A pair of welding portions are provided at the ends of the upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion on the male terminal insertion port side, and the pair of welding portions are respectively welded to the pair of welded portions. The female terminal according to claim 4, wherein the pair of locking holes are provided in the pair of side walls, and the pair of locking claws are provided in the pair of side portions respectively.

6. The contact forming fitting is inserted from the male terminal insertion port on one end side of the cylindrical conductor portion toward the other end side and assembled to the cylindrical conductor portion. The female terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the welding portion of the contact forming fitting is overlapped with the welded portion formed by the chamfered portion on the end surface of the cylindrical conductor portion on the male terminal insertion port side, thereby defining the insertion end of the contact forming fitting into the cylindrical conductor portion.

7. The contact forming fitting has a rear opening on the other end side of the cylindrical conductor portion. The contact spring portion includes a first contact spring portion and a second contact spring portion. The upper portion and the lower portion of the frame portion have a pair of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion that protrude inwardly toward the other end side while being held by the frame portion at the one end side and extend in a cantilever shape. Further provided is a contact pressure applying spring that is arranged to sandwich the protruding end portions of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion and has a size that allows it to pass through the rear opening. The female terminal according to claim 5, wherein with the press-fitting of the male terminal between the opposing surfaces of the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion, the contact pressure applying spring biases the protruding end portions toward each other, and the first contact spring portion and the second contact spring portion are pressed against the male terminal.

8. A terminal unit including a female terminal and a male terminal connected to the female terminal. The terminal unit, wherein the female terminal is the female terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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