Female terminal

Abstract

We disclose a female terminal that can suppress an increase in the size of the female terminal and an increase in conductivity resistance, even when it is necessary to handle high currents. [Solution] The female terminal 10 comprises a terminal body 18 having a cylindrical male terminal mounting portion 14 that is electrically connected to a male terminal 12 on one end, and a contact member 20 that is assembled to the male terminal mounting portion 14. The contact member 20 has a cylindrical retaining plate portion 36 fitted into the opening 22 of the male terminal mounting portion 14, and a contact spring portion 42 that is cantilevered by the retaining plate portion 36 and has a contact portion 40 for the male terminal 12 on the protruding end 38 side. The retaining plate portion 36 of the contact member 20 has a plurality of joint portions 72 that are welded to a plurality of locations on the inner circumferential surface of the opening 22 of the male terminal mounting portion 14 that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and a slit 76 that is arranged between the plurality of joint portions 72 in the circumferential direction, opens to the base end surface 74 of the retaining plate portion 36 and extends into the back of the contact member 20, and penetrates the circumferential wall 44 of the contact member 20 in the plate thickness direction.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to female terminals.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a female terminal formed by press-working a metal flat plate. On the base end side of the female terminal, a wire connection part formed by overlapping a pair of flat plate parts is provided. On the tip end side of the female terminal, a male terminal mounting cylinder part into which a flat tab-shaped male terminal is inserted is provided. 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, a pair of contact spring parts that are connected in a cantilever shape via semicircular curved parts at the protruding end parts of the pair of support plate parts and protrude toward the base end side are also provided. The pair of contact spring parts are arranged to face 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

[0005] Therefore, we disclose a female terminal that can suppress an increase in the size of the female terminal and an increase in conductivity resistance, even when it is necessary to handle high currents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The female terminal of the present disclosure comprises a terminal body formed from a first metal plate, having a cylindrical male terminal mounting portion at one end that is electrically connected to a male terminal, and a connecting portion at the other end that is electrically connected to another member, and a contact member formed from a second metal plate having a thinner plate thickness than the first metal plate and assembled to the male terminal mounting portion, wherein the contact member has a cylindrical retaining plate portion fitted into the opening of the male terminal mounting portion, and a contact spring portion held in a cantilevered manner by the retaining plate portion, which protrudes inclined inward in the direction of insertion of the male terminal into the male terminal mounting portion and has a contact portion for the male terminal at the protruding end, wherein the retaining plate portion of the contact member has a plurality of joint portions welded to a plurality of locations on the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the male terminal mounting portion that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and a slit arranged between the plurality of joint portions in the circumferential direction, opening to the base end surface of the retaining plate portion and extending into the back of the contact member, and penetrating the circumferential wall of the contact member in the plate thickness direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, even when it is necessary to handle high currents, it is possible to provide a female terminal that can suppress an increase in the size of the female terminal while suppressing an increase in conduction resistance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the female terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the female terminal shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the female terminal shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the contact members that make up the female terminal shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the contact members that constitute the female terminal according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a front perspective view showing the female terminal according to Embodiment 3, with the terminal body omitted. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the contact member and clip spring shown in Figure 7, viewed from the rear side. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] <Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure> First, embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. The female terminal in this disclosure is (1) A terminal body formed from a first metal plate, having a cylindrical male terminal mounting portion at one end that is electrically connected to a male terminal and a connecting portion at the other end that is electrically connected to another member; and a contact member formed from a second metal plate having a thinner plate thickness than the first metal plate and assembled to the male terminal mounting portion, wherein the contact member has a cylindrical retaining plate portion fitted into the opening of the male terminal mounting portion, and a contact spring portion held in a cantilevered manner by the retaining plate portion, which protrudes inclined inward in the direction of insertion of the male terminal into the male terminal mounting portion and has a contact portion for the male terminal on the protruding end side, wherein the retaining plate portion of the contact member has a plurality of joint portions welded to a plurality of locations on the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the male terminal mounting portion that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and a slit arranged between the plurality of joint portions in the circumferential direction, opening to the base end surface of the retaining plate portion and extending into the back of the contact member, and penetrating the circumferential wall of the contact member in the plate thickness direction.

[0010] The female terminal of this disclosure comprises a terminal body and a contact member formed from a second metal plate having a thinner thickness than the first metal plate forming the terminal body. This allows the terminal body to accommodate the current capacity required by the increased current by increasing its thickness, while the contact member's conformability to the male terminal can be ensured by keeping the contact member thin. This enables the female terminal to handle high currents while suppressing an overall increase in size. Furthermore, although the terminal body and the contact member are formed as separate parts, the multiple joints of the contact member are welded to the terminal body, thereby suppressing an increase in conductivity resistance.

[0011] Furthermore, the joints of the contact members are welded to multiple points on the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the male terminal mounting portion, which are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Slits are placed between the multiple joints in the circumferential direction, and these slits open to the base end surface of the retaining plate portion and extend into the back of the contact member, while also penetrating the circumferential wall of the contact member in the thickness direction. As a result, when welding the joints of the contact members to the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the male terminal mounting portion of the terminal body, the slits can absorb any displacement of the contact member fitted into the male terminal mounting portion when one of the joints is pressed with a jig or the like to ensure the required tight contact between the joint and the inner circumferential surface of the opening. Therefore, deformation of the joints due to pressing during welding of thin-walled contact members can be suppressed, and the tight contact of multiple joints to the terminal body can be stably ensured, preventing welding defects and, as a result, advantageously suppressing an increase in conductivity resistance.

[0012] (2) In the above (1), it is preferable that the male terminal mounting portion has a rectangular cylindrical shape and has an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion that are arranged opposite to each other in the thickness direction of the flat male terminal, and a pair of side wall portions that are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the male terminal, and the holding plate portion of the contact member has an upper plate and a lower plate that are superimposed on the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion, respectively, and a pair of side plates that are superimposed on the pair of side wall portions, respectively, and the contact spring portion is held in a cantilevered manner on the upper plate and the lower plate, and a plurality of joint portions are provided on the upper plate and the lower plate of the holding plate portion, and a pair of slits are provided on the pair of side plates, respectively.

[0013] The male terminal mounting section into which the flat male terminal is inserted is provided in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The contact spring portion is held in a cantilevered manner and protrudes from the upper and lower plates of the contact member holding plate, which are superimposed on the upper and lower walls of the male terminal that are opposite each other in the thickness direction, thereby ensuring contact with the female terminal on both sides of the male terminal in the thickness direction. Furthermore, since the upper and lower plates that hold the contact spring portion are directly joined to the upper and lower walls of the terminal body by welding, the current-carrying distance between the contact portion and the terminal body can be shortened, further reducing conductivity resistance. Moreover, since slits are provided in the pair of side plates that are superimposed on the pair of side walls of the terminal body that are opposite each other in the width direction, deformation of the joint portion due to pressing during welding of the contact member can be stably suppressed by the slits in both side plates, and the tight adhesion of the upper and lower joint portions to the terminal body can be stably ensured, thereby stably reducing conductivity resistance.

[0014] (3) In (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the slit has a constant width dimension and extends from the base end face of the retaining plate portion to the back of the contact member. Since the width dimension of the slit is constant in the direction of its extension, the rigidity of the contact member can be uniformly maintained in the insertion direction of the male terminal while providing the slit.

[0015] (4) In the above (1) or (2), it is preferable that the width dimension of the slit gradually increases from the depth side of the contact member toward the base end surface of the holding plate portion. Since the width dimension of the slit gradually increases from the depth side of the contact member toward the base end surface of the holding plate portion, displacement due to tolerances of the contact member and the terminal body can be reliably absorbed by the large gap of the slit on the side of the holding plate portion where a plurality of joint portions that are likely to have a problem with positional displacement are provided.

[0016] <Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> A specific example of the female terminal 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 intended to be defined by the claims and to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0017] <Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. This female terminal 10 is provided, for example, in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. When a male terminal 12 (illustrated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3), which is a mating terminal with respect to the female terminal 10, is inserted and contacts the female terminal 10, the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 are conductively connected. The location where the female terminal 10 is disposed is not limited. For example, it is provided on a member on the motor side, and the male terminal 12 is provided on a member on the battery side. By conductively connecting the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12, the battery and the motor are electrically connected. Note that the female terminal 10 can be disposed in any orientation. Hereinafter, the upper side refers to the upper side in FIG. 3, the lower side refers to the lower side in FIG. 3, the front refers to the left side in FIG. 2, the rear refers to the right side in FIG. 2, the left side refers to the upper side in FIG. 2, and the right side refers to the lower side 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.

[0018] <Female Terminal 10>​The female terminal 10 has a male terminal mounting portion 14 at one end (front end) which is electrically connected to the male terminal 12, and a connecting portion 16 at the other end (rear end) which is electrically connected to another member (for example, a busbar, which is a member on the motor side), and comprises a terminal body 18 formed from a first metal plate. The female terminal 10 also comprises a contact member 20 formed from a second metal plate which is thinner than the first metal plate and is assembled to the male terminal mounting portion 14. In Figure 1, for clarity, the contact member 20 inside the male terminal mounting portion 14 is shown with a dashed line, but the clip spring 86, which will be described later and is also provided inside the male terminal mounting portion 14, is not shown.

[0019] <Male terminal 12> The male terminal 12 in Embodiment 1 is a flat tab and has a rectangular cross-section that extends in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, for example. This male terminal 12 extends in the front-to-back direction with the above rectangular cross-section, and the base portion (front portion) of the male terminal 12 is fixed to a component on the battery side, such as a busbar, by a bolt (not shown). Since the male terminal 12 is inserted into the male terminal mounting portion 14 from front to rear, the direction from front to rear is the insertion direction of the male terminal 12.

[0020] <Terminal body 18> As described above, the terminal body 18 has a male terminal mounting portion 14 at its front end and a connecting portion 16 at its rear end. The terminal body 18 is formed by press-forming a single metal plate (first metal plate) having a predetermined thickness. That is, the male terminal mounting portion 14 and the connecting portion 16 are integrally formed in the terminal body 18. The material of the first metal plate constituting the terminal body 18 is preferably a metal with excellent conductivity, for example, pure copper is used. The male terminal mounting portion 14 provided at the front end of the terminal body 18 is configured as a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction so that the male terminal 12 can be inserted, and is a rectangular cylindrical shape to match the shape of the male terminal 12. That is, the male terminal mounting portion 14 has a front opening 22 and a rear opening 24, which are openings that open on both sides in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the male terminal mounting section 14 includes an upper wall section 26, a lower wall section 28, and a pair of side walls, the left wall section 30 and the right wall section 32. The upper wall section 26 and the lower wall section 28 are positioned opposite each other in the thickness direction of the male terminal 12, while the left wall section 30 and the right wall section 32 are positioned opposite each other in the width direction of the male terminal 12.

[0021] In Embodiment 1, as will be described later, the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 and the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 on the inner circumferential surface of the opening (front opening 22) constitute the joint portion to which each joint portion 72 of the contact member 20 is welded.

[0022] Furthermore, the lower wall portion 28 that constitutes the male terminal mounting portion 14 extends further rearward than the male terminal mounting portion 14, and the rear end of this lower wall portion 28 constitutes a connecting portion 16 provided at the rear end of the terminal body 18. A bolt insertion hole 34 is formed in the connecting portion 16. The female terminal 10 is fixed to, for example, a busbar or other component on the motor side by a bolt (not shown) inserted through this bolt insertion hole 34.

[0023] <Contact Member 20> As shown in Figure 5 and other figures, the contact member 20 includes a cylindrical retaining plate portion 36 that is fitted into the opening (front opening 22) of the male terminal mounting portion 14. The contact member 20 is also held in a cantilevered manner by the retaining plate portion 36 and protrudes inward in the vertical direction in the direction of insertion of the male terminal 12 into the male terminal mounting portion 14 (from front to rear), and has a contact spring portion 42 on the protruding end 38 side (rear end side) that has a contact portion 40 for contacting the male terminal 12. In Embodiment 1, the contact member 20 is formed by press-forming a single metal plate (second metal plate) having a smaller thickness dimension than the first metal plate. That is, the retaining plate portion 36 and the contact spring portion 42 are integrally formed in the contact member 20. The material of the second metal plate constituting the contact member 20 is preferably a metal that has excellent conductivity and is elastically deformable, for example, a copper alloy is used.

[0024] Specifically, the contact member 20 has a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape extending in the front-to-back direction as a whole, and is equipped with a cylindrical peripheral wall 44 extending in the front-to-back direction, and a front opening 46 and a rear opening 48 that open the inner hole of the peripheral wall 44 on both sides in the front-to-back direction. This peripheral wall 44 is composed of an upper wall portion 50, which is the upper wall portion, a lower wall portion 52, which is the lower wall portion, and a left wall portion 54 and a right wall portion 56, which are the left and right side walls. An upper opening window 58 is formed in the middle portion of the upper wall portion 50 in the front-to-back direction, penetrating the upper wall portion 50 in the vertical direction, with a predetermined front-to-back dimension, and this upper opening window 58 is formed along the entire width (left-to-right direction) of the upper wall portion 50. Therefore, the upper wall portion 50 is divided on both sides in the front-to-back direction by this upper opening window 58. Similarly, a lower opening window 60 is formed in the middle of the lower wall portion 52 in the front-rear direction, and this lower opening window 60 divides the lower wall portion 52 on both sides in the front-rear direction. In short, the contact member 20 has a front cylindrical portion and a rear cylindrical portion 62, both of which are roughly rectangular in shape, on both sides in the front-rear direction, and these front cylindrical portion and rear cylindrical portion 62 are connected by a left wall portion 54 and a right wall portion 56. The front cylindrical portion of the contact member 20 constitutes a cylindrical retaining plate portion 36 that is fitted into the opening (front opening 22) of the male terminal mounting portion 14.

[0025] <Holding plate part 36> As described above, the retaining plate portion 36 is configured as a rectangular cylindrical shape. Specifically, the retaining plate portion 36 comprises an upper plate 64 (the front portion divided by the upper opening window 58 in the upper side wall portion 50), a lower plate 66 (the front portion divided by the lower opening window 60 in the lower side wall portion 52), and a pair of side plates, a left plate 68 and a right plate 70 (the front portions of the left side wall portion 54 and the right side wall portion 56, respectively). As described above, since the retaining plate portion 36 is fitted into the front opening 22 of the male terminal mounting portion 14, the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36 are superimposed on the front portions of the upper wall portion 26 and the lower wall portion 28 of the male terminal mounting portion 14, respectively. Also, the left plate 68 and the right plate 70 of the retaining plate portion 36 are superimposed on the front portions of the left wall portion 30 and the right wall portion 32 of the male terminal mounting portion 14, respectively.

[0026] Here, the retaining plate portion 36 is provided with a plurality of joint portions 72 (shown by dashed lines in Figure 1, etc.) that are welded to a plurality of locations on the inner circumferential surface of the opening (front opening 22) of the male terminal mounting portion 14, which are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the retaining plate portion 36 is provided with a slit 76 that is positioned between the plurality of joint portions 72 in the circumferential direction and opens to the front end surface 74, which is the base end surface of the retaining plate portion 36, and extends to the rear of the contact member 20. This slit 76 penetrates the circumferential wall 44 of the contact member 20 in the thickness direction.

[0027] In Embodiment 1, multiple joints 72 are provided on the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36, which are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. In short, when the contact member 20 is assembled to the terminal body 18, the upper plate 64 and the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 are welded to each other at the upper joint 72, and the lower plate 66 and the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 are welded to each other at the lower joint 72. Known welding methods can be used for welding these joints 72, but in Embodiment 1, welding is performed by laser welding. Note that the width dimension (front-to-back dimension) and length dimension (left-to-right dimension) of each joint 72 are not limited to the illustrated configuration. Furthermore, when the welding method for the joints 72 is laser welding, since there are walls directly above and below each joint 72 that are opposite in the vertical direction, the laser light for welding is irradiated from a direction that is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. While the irradiation angle of the laser beam is not limited, it is preferable that the angle is inclined within the range of 20°±5° in the vertical direction. This results in a good welding condition and can improve the bonding strength (joint strength).

[0028] Furthermore, slits 76, 76 are provided in the left plate 68 and the right plate 70, which are located circumferentially between the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66, respectively. Each slit 76 extends behind the left plate 68 and the right plate 70 of the retaining plate portion 36 (in short, the front portions of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56 of the contact member 20), and extends to the intermediate portions in the front-rear direction of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56. In Embodiment 1, each slit 76 extends from the base end surface (front end surface 74) of the retaining plate portion 36 to the rear of the contact member 20 with a constant width dimension (vertical dimension). In particular, in Embodiment 1, each slit 76 is provided in the upper end portion of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56. The presence of each slit 76 allows the contact member 20 to be deformed in a direction that expands the front opening of each slit 76, and in short, it is possible to deform the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66 of the holding plate portion 36 so that they are separated from each other outward in the vertical direction.

[0029] <Contact spring part 42> In Embodiment 1, contact spring portions 42 are provided on both the upper and lower sides of the contact member 20, and each contact spring portion 42 protrudes in a cantilevered manner toward the rear from the front end surface (rear end surface) of the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36. In particular, in Embodiment 1, a spring portion side slit 78 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the center in the left-right direction of each contact spring portion 42, and each contact spring portion 42 on both the upper and lower sides is divided into left and right sides by each spring portion side slit 78. As a result, the contact member 20 of Embodiment 1 is provided with a total of four contact spring portions 42. Each spring portion side slit 78 extends along the entire length (front-rear direction) of each contact spring portion 42 and is formed spanning from the protruding end 38 (rear end) of each contact spring portion 42 across the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66. Each contact spring portion 42 is the same shape as the others, and each contact spring portion 42 gradually inclins inward in the vertical direction as it moves toward the rear. Each of these contact spring portions 42 is provided with a bent portion 80 that bends inward in the vertical direction, with the protruding end 38 side (rear end side) being convex, and each bent portion 80 constitutes the aforementioned contact portion 40.

[0030] In particular, in Embodiment 1, each contact portion 40 is formed on a curved arc in the vertical cross-section shown in Figure 3, and each contact spring portion 42 has a predetermined left-right dimension in the rear portion, and is provided so as to span both the front-rear and rear-bend portions 42, sandwiching the bent portion 80. As shown in Figure 2, each such contact portion 40 has a roughly oval shape in plan view (projection in the vertical direction), with the front-rear dimension being larger than the left-right dimension. This ensures that even when the male terminal 12 inserted into the female terminal 10 is oscillating in the vertical direction, the contact area between each contact portion 40 and the male terminal 12 can be stably secured. In Embodiment 1, as described above, the contact member 20 is formed by press-forming a single metal plate (second metal plate), and recesses 82 are formed at positions corresponding to each contact portion 40 in the opposing outward direction (outward in the vertical direction) of each contact spring portion 42.

[0031] Before inserting the male terminal 12, the vertical distance A (see Figure 3) between the contact portions 40 on both the upper and lower sides is smaller than the thickness dimension (vertical dimension) B (see Figure 3) of the male terminal 12. As a result, when the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10, both the upper and lower surfaces of the male terminal 12 come into contact with the contact portions 40 on both the upper and lower sides, pushing the contact portions 40 outward in the vertical direction. Consequently, the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10 in a press-fit state.

[0032] As described above, each contact portion 40 is bent so as to be convex inward in the vertical direction, and the rear end of each contact portion 40 gradually slopes outward in the vertical direction as it moves towards the rear. However, the outer surface in the vertical direction of the protruding end 38 (rear end) of each contact spring portion 42 is provided with a guide surface 84 that gradually slopes inward in the vertical direction as it moves towards the rear. This reduces the risk of the protruding end 38 and the clip spring 86, which will be described later, coming into contact with each protruding end 38 of each contact spring portion 42 when the clip spring 86 is assembled to it.

[0033] <Clip spring 86> A clip spring 86 is assembled to the protruding end 38 (rear end) of each of the above-mentioned contact spring portions 42. As shown in Figure 4, the clip spring 86 comprises a connecting plate portion 88 and a pair of clamping plate portions 90, 90 that protrude from both side edges of the connecting plate portion 88 in a direction toward each other. The clip spring 86 is installed so as to sandwich each protruding end 38 of each contact spring portion 42 between the pair of clamping plate portions 90, 90, and as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, when the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10, the clip spring 86 biases the upper and lower protruding ends 38, 38 toward each other.

[0034] These connecting plate portions 88 and each clamping plate portion 90 are each in the shape of a substantially rectangular flat plate. The clip spring 86 in Embodiment 1 can also be formed, for example, by press-forming a single metal plate. In particular, in Embodiment 1, forward extension portions 92 are provided extending forward from both the upper and lower ends of the connecting plate portion 88, and each clamping plate portion 90 is connected to the connecting plate portion 88 via each forward extension portion 92. As a result, in the clip spring 86 of Embodiment 1, when the bent portions 98, which will be described later, expand and deform to separate from each other, not only the connection portion between the connecting plate portion 88 and each forward extension portion 92, but also the connection portion between each forward extension portion 92 and each clamping plate portion 90 can be deformed. As a result, the clip spring 86 can be made relatively small while ensuring a relatively large displacement allowance for the bent portions 98.

[0035] In Embodiment 1, each clamping plate portion 90 on both the upper and lower sides is divided into left and right sides by a clip-side slit 94 that penetrates the central part in the width direction (left-right direction) in the thickness direction and extends in the length direction (front-back direction). As a result, a total of four clamping plate portions 90 are formed on the clip spring 86 of Embodiment 1. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each clip-side slit 94 on both the upper and lower sides extends rearward from the protruding end 96 (front end) of each clamping plate portion 90 and is formed along the entire length of each clamping plate portion 90, reaching the connecting plate portion 88.

[0036] Furthermore, the left-right dimension of each clamping plate portion 90 is larger than the left-right dimension of each recess 82 provided on the vertically outward side of each contact spring portion 42. In addition, a bent portion 98 is provided in the middle of the length of each clamping plate portion 90. As a result, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the male terminal 12 is inserted into the female terminal 10 and the bent portion 98 of each clamping plate portion 90 contacts the formation position of each recess 82 in each contact spring portion 42, the left-right ends of each clamping plate portion 90 contact the recess 82 in each contact spring portion 42 at a point further outward in the left-right direction than the recess 82 in each contact spring portion 42.

[0037] Furthermore, since a bent portion 98 is provided in the middle of the length of each clamping plate portion 90, the front end portion of each clamping plate portion 90, including each protruding end 96, extends outward in the vertical direction from the bent portion 98. Therefore, the distance between opposing clamping plate portions 90 in the vertical direction is minimized at the bent portion 98 provided in the middle of the length. The gap between these vertically opposing bent portions 98 is the insertion opening 100 for inserting and assembling the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42. That is, when the clip spring 86 is attached to the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42, the connecting plate portion 88 of the clip spring 86 is positioned opposite each protruding end 38 of each contact spring portion 42 in the front-rear direction, and each clamping plate portion 90 of the clip spring 86 protrudes from the connecting plate portion 88 via each forward extension portion 92 in the direction opposite to the protruding direction of each contact spring portion 42. The direction opposite to the protruding direction of each contact spring portion 42 (from rear to front) is the mounting direction for the clip spring 86.

[0038] In Embodiment 1, in the clip spring 86 in its individual state before assembly, the vertical dimension of the insertion opening 100 is smaller than the maximum vertical dimension of the protruding ends 38 (rear ends) of the contact spring portions 42 on both the upper and lower sides. As a result, when the clip spring 86 is mounted on the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42, the vertical dimension between each bent portion 98, 98 in each insertion opening 100 is increased, and the contact spring portions 42 on both the upper and lower sides are displaced in a direction that brings them closer to each other, thereby reducing the maximum vertical dimension of the protruding end 38 of each contact spring portion 42. As a result, insertion of the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42 into the insertion opening 100 is permitted, and each bent portion 98 overcomes the part of each protruding end 38 that is located furthest outward in the vertical direction, and contacts the bent portion 80 of each contact spring portion 42 from the outward direction in the vertical direction. Furthermore, when attaching such a clip spring 86, each clamping plate portion 90 is elastically deformed outward in the vertical direction. Due to the elastic restoring force of these elastic deformations, each clamping plate portion 90 biases the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42 toward each other (inward in the vertical direction). Therefore, in Embodiment 1, simply attaching the clip spring 86 to the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42 prevents the clip spring 86 from falling off each contact spring portion 42.

[0039] <Assembly method for female terminal 10> The following describes a specific example of how to assemble the female terminal 10. However, the assembly method for the female terminal 10 is not limited to the description below.

[0040] First, the terminal body 18 is formed in the aforementioned shape by press working on the first metal plate. Similarly, the contact member 20 is formed in the aforementioned shape by press working on the second metal plate. Furthermore, the clip spring 86 is formed in the aforementioned shape by press working on the metal sheet. This prepares the terminal body 18, the contact member 20, and the clip spring 86. Then, the clip spring 86 is inserted through the rear opening 48 of the contact member 20, and the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42 are inserted into the insertion opening 100 of the clip spring 86. As a result, each clamping plate portion 90 of the clip spring 86 elastically deforms outward in the vertical direction, and each contact spring portion 42 elastically deforms inward in the vertical direction, so that the clip spring 86 is attached to the protruding ends 38 of each contact spring portion 42. During this assembly, since each contact spring portion 42 has a guide surface 84 formed on the protruding end 38, each bent portion 98 comes into contact with each guide surface 84, thereby stably achieving elastic deformation of each clamping plate portion 90 outward in the vertical direction and elastic deformation of each contact spring portion 42 inward in the vertical direction. As a result, an assembly of the contact member 20 and the clip spring 86 is formed.

[0041] Next, the assembly of the contact members 20 and the clip spring 86 is inserted through the front opening 22 of the male terminal mounting section 14, and the retaining plate portion 36 of the contact member 20 is fitted into the front opening 22 of the male terminal mounting section 14. When inserting the contact member 20 into the male terminal mounting section 14 from the front, the insertion end of the contact member 20 can be defined by placing another member (not shown) in the rear opening 24 of the male terminal mounting section 14. With the retaining plate portion 36 of the contact member 20 fitted into the front opening 22 of the male terminal mounting section 14, the upper plate 64 of the retaining plate portion 36 is pressed against the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 using, for example, a jig, and laser-welded at the joint 72. Similarly, the lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36 is pressed against the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 using, for example, a jig, and laser-welded at the joint 72. This fixes the assembly of the contact member 20 and the clip spring 86 to the male terminal mounting portion 14 (terminal body 18), completing the female terminal 10 of Embodiment 1.

[0042] <Connection between female terminal 10 and male terminal 12> As shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, the male terminal 12 is inserted from the front into the female terminal 10 manufactured as described above. Each contact portion 40 provided on each contact spring portion 42 of the contact member 20 comes into contact with both the upper and lower surfaces of the male terminal 12, causing each contact spring portion 42 and each clamping plate portion 90 of the clip spring 86 to be elastically deformed so as to be pushed outward in the vertical direction. Due to the elastic restoring deformation accompanying these elastic deformations, each contact portion 40 is pressed against both the upper and lower surfaces of the male terminal 12 and comes into contact. As a result, the female terminal 10 and the male terminal 12 are electrically connected.

[0043] With the female terminal 10 having the structure described above, the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56 of the contact member 20 are provided with slits 76 extending rearward from the front end surface 74. This allows the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 in the holding plate portion 36 to be displaced in a direction that separates them from each other by widening the front openings of each slit 76. As a result, when fitting the contact member 20 into the male terminal mounting portion 14 and welding it, the upper plate 64 can be pressed against the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 using a jig or the like, so that the upper plate 64 and the inner surface 26a can be overlapped with virtually no gap. Similarly, the lower plate 66 can be pressed against the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 using a jig or the like, so that the lower plate 66 and the inner surface 28a can be overlapped with virtually no gap. This allows for stable welding at the joints 72 on both the upper and lower sides, and prevents gaps from forming between the contact member 20 and the male terminal mounting portion 14, thereby improving the conductivity when the male terminal 12 and female terminal 10 are connected.

[0044] Joint portions 72 are provided on the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36, and contact spring portions 42 extend from the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66. This allows the joint portions 72 to be provided along the path from the contact area between the male terminal 12 and each contact portion 40 to the male terminal mounting portion 14 (terminal body 18). As a result, the conductive path from the male terminal 12 to the male terminal mounting portion 14 (terminal body 18) can be shortened, further improving the conductivity performance between the male terminal 12 and the female terminal 10.

[0045] In Embodiment 1, each slit 76 is formed with a constant width dimension, thereby making the rigidity of the contact member 20 substantially constant in the front-rear direction. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each slit 76 is formed only in the upper end portions of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56. This makes it possible to bring the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 of the holding plate portion 36 into close contact with the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 and the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 without significantly impairing the strength of the contact member 20, thereby improving the fixing strength.

[0046] <Embodiment 2> Hereinafter, the contact member 110 used in the female terminal of Embodiment 2 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 6. Since the female terminal of Embodiment 2 differs from that of Embodiment 1 only in the shape of the contact member 110, other parts are not shown. Furthermore, since the basic structure of the contact member 110 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, parts that are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figure as those of Embodiment 1, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0047] Specifically, the contact member 110 of Embodiment 2 has a larger width dimension (vertical dimension) for each slit 112 compared to the contact member 20 of Embodiment 1. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each slit 76 was provided only at the upper end portions of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56, whereas in Embodiment 2, each slit 112 is formed over a relatively wide area in the vertical intermediate portion of the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56. In other words, the width dimensions of the connection portions between the upper plate 64 and the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56, and between the lower plate 66 and the left wall portion 54 and the right wall portion 56, can be made relatively smaller. As a result, when pressed by a jig, the displacement allowance of the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 can be increased compared to Embodiment 1, allowing the upper plate 64 and the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 to be overlapped with a smaller gap, and the lower plate 66 and the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 to be overlapped with a smaller gap. As a result, the conductivity between the male terminal 12 and the female terminal 10 is further improved.

[0048] <Embodiment 3> Hereinafter, the contact member 120 used in the female terminal of Embodiment 3 of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In Figures 7 and 8, the contact member 120 is shown in the state of an assembly 121 with the clip spring 86 attached. In short, Figures 7 and 8 show the female terminal of Embodiment 3 with the terminal body 18 omitted. The female terminal of Embodiment 3 differs from that of Embodiment 1 only in the shape of the contact member 120, and the basic structure of the contact member 120 is the same as that of Embodiment 1. Therefore, parts that are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures as those of Embodiment 1, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0049] In Embodiment 1, the contact member 20 was substantially rectangular in shape, with a front cylindrical portion (holding plate portion 36) and a rear cylindrical portion 62 connected by a left wall portion 54 and a right wall portion 56. However, in Embodiment 3, the rear cylindrical portion 62 is omitted. Specifically, the peripheral wall 122 of the contact member 120 in Embodiment 3 is composed of the walls that make up the cylindrical holding plate portion 124 in the front part, and includes an upper plate 64, a lower plate 66, a left plate 126, and a right plate 128. And, similar to Embodiment 1, each contact spring portion 42 protrudes rearward from the front end surface (rear end surface) of the upper plate 64 and lower plate 66 of the holding plate portion 124.

[0050] In Embodiment 3, the left plate 126 constituting the retaining plate portion 124 is substantially V-shaped, opening forward, as shown in Figure 8. As a result, the retaining plate portion 124 of Embodiment 3 has a slit 130 that opens at the base end surface (front end surface 74) and penetrates the left plate 126 in the thickness direction, which is formed by the gap inside the substantially V-shaped left plate 126. That is, in Embodiment 3, the slit 130 provided on the left side of the retaining plate portion 124 includes a portion in which the width dimension (vertical dimension) gradually increases toward the base end surface (front end surface 74), and the width dimension of the slit 130 is largest at the front end surface 74.

[0051] On the other hand, the right plate 128, which constitutes the holding plate portion 124, is composed of a downward projection 132 that protrudes downward from the right end of the upper plate 64 and an upward projection 134 that protrudes upward from the right end of the lower plate 66, as shown in Figure 7. These downward projection 132 and upward projection 134 are not connected to each other, and the respective protruding end faces of the downward projection 132 and the upward projection 134 face each other with a predetermined gap between them in the vertical direction. That is, the right plate 128 has a slit 136 that extends in the front-rear direction between the downward projection 132 and the upward projection 134 in the vertically central portion. Note that, as in Embodiment 3, by composing the right plate 128 with a downward projection 132 and an upward projection 134, the shape of the holding plate portion 124 can be made to be a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape, making it easier to hold.

[0052] Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, positioning protrusions 138 projecting outward in the vertical direction are formed on the central left-right portion of the front end surfaces 74 of the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66. In short, the positioning protrusions 138 project upward from the front end surface 74 of the upper plate 64, and the positioning protrusions 138 project downward from the front end surface 74 of the lower plate 66. As a result, when inserting the assembly 121 of the contact member 120 and the clip spring 86 shown in Figures 7 and 8 into the male terminal mounting portion 14 from the front, the insertion end of the assembly 121 can be defined by the contact between each positioning protrusion 138 and the front end surfaces of the upper wall portion 26 and the lower wall portion 28.

[0053] Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, a contact projection 140 that protrudes inward in the vertical direction is formed at the left-right outward end of the rear portion of each contact spring portion 42. In short, each upper contact spring portion 42 has a contact projection 140 that protrudes downward, and each lower contact spring portion 42 has a contact projection 140 that protrudes upward. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, these contact projections 140 on both the upper and lower sides come into contact with each other when the clip spring 86 is assembled to the contact member 120 and each contact spring portion 42 deforms inward in the vertical direction. By these contact projections 140 on both the upper and lower sides coming into contact with each other, further inward deformation of each contact spring portion 42 in the vertical direction is suppressed, and a predetermined gap is formed between each contact portion 40 in the vertical direction when the clip spring 86 is assembled to the contact member 120. This makes it possible to keep the insertion resistance relatively low when inserting the male terminal 12 into the female terminal (contact member 120) of Embodiment 3.

[0054] In the female terminal employing the contact member 120 of Embodiment 3, which has the structure described above, slits 130 and 136 are formed in the left plate 126 and the right plate 128 that constitute the retaining plate portion 124, respectively. Furthermore, when welding the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66, the upper plate 64 can be pressed against the inner surface 26a of the upper wall portion 26 and the lower plate 66 can be pressed against the inner surface 28a of the lower wall portion 28 using, for example, a jig, thus achieving the same effects as in Embodiment 1. In particular, in the slits 130 and 136 of Embodiment 3, the width dimension at the front end surface 74 is the largest, so the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 can be stably pressed against the inner surfaces 26a and 28a of the upper wall portion 26 and the lower wall portion 28, respectively. Furthermore, in the contact member 120 of Embodiment 3, since there is no rear cylindrical portion 62, left side wall portion 54, and right side wall portion 56 as in Embodiment 1, the amount of metal plate required to form the contact member 120 can be reduced, thereby reducing costs and weight.

[0055] <Variation> While Embodiments 1 to 3 have been described in detail above as specific examples of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited by these specific descriptions. Modifications, improvements, etc., to the extent that they can achieve the objectives of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, the following modifications of embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] (1) In Embodiment 1, joints 72 were provided on the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 of the retaining plate portion 36, and slits 76 were provided on the left plate 68 and the right plate 70, respectively. However, the embodiment is not limited to this form, and for example, joints may be provided on each of the pair of side plates (left plate and right plate) of the retaining plate portion, and slits may be provided on the upper plate and the lower plate, respectively. The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3.

[0057] (2) In Embodiment 1, one joint portion 72 extending in the left-right direction was provided in each of the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and multiple joint portions that are separated from each other in the left-right direction or the front-back direction may be provided in each of the upper plate and the lower plate. Similarly, the number of slits provided in each of the pair of side plates (left plate and right plate) is not limited to one, and multiple slits that are separated from each other in the up-down direction may be provided in the side plates (left plate and / or right plate). The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3. The shape of the slit is not limited to one with a constant width dimension as in Embodiments 1 and 2, or one with a width dimension that gradually increases toward the front as in Embodiment 3, but the width dimension may increase in stages toward the front, or the width dimension may gradually or gradually decrease toward the front.

[0058] (3) In Embodiment 1, when assembling the contact member 20 and the clip spring 86 to the male terminal mounting portion 14, the assembly of the contact member 20 and the clip spring 86 was inserted from the front opening 22 of the male terminal mounting portion 14, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the assembly of the contact member and the clip spring may be inserted from the rear opening of the male terminal mounting portion, or the contact member may be inserted from the front opening of the male terminal mounting portion and fixed by welding, and then the clip spring may be inserted from the rear opening of the male terminal mounting portion and assembled to the protruding end of each contact spring portion. The same applies to Embodiments 2 and 3.

[0059] (4) In the embodiment 1 described above, when the clip spring 86 was assembled to the contact member 20, the bent portion 98 of each clamping plate portion 90 overlapped with the bent portion 80 of each contact spring portion 42 from the outward direction in the vertical direction, and each clamping plate portion 90 biased the protruding end 38 of each contact spring portion 42 toward each other, thereby preventing the clip spring 86 from falling off the contact member 20. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. The contact member and the clip spring may, for example, have interlocking protrusions and recesses so that when they are assembled together, these protrusions and recesses engage to prevent the clip spring from falling off, or the clip spring may be prevented from falling off by assembling a separate member to the rear opening of the male terminal mounting portion. Note that when the clip spring is attached to the contact spring portion, the clamping plate portion does not necessarily exert a biasing force on each contact spring portion, and when the clip spring is attached to each contact spring portion, each contact spring portion may extend parallel to the front-rear direction. The same applies to Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10 Female terminal (Embodiment 1) 12 male terminal 14 Male terminal mounting section 16 Connection part 18 Terminal body 20 Contact Member 22 Front opening (opening) 24 Rear opening 26 Upper wall 26a (Inner surface of the upper wall) 28 Lower wall part 28a (Inner surface of the lower wall) 30 Left wall section (side wall section) 32 Right wall section (side wall section) 34 bolt insertion holes 36 Holding plate part 38 Projecting end 40 Contact point 42 Contact spring section 44 Peripheral wall 46 Front opening 48 Rear opening 50 Upper wall 52 Lower wall 54 Left side wall 56 Right side wall 58 Upper opening window 60 Lower opening window 62 Rear cylindrical part 64 Top plate 66 Lower plate 68 Left plate (side plate) 70 Right plate (side plate) 72 Joint 74 Anterior end surface (proximal end surface) 76 slits 78 Spring-side slit 80 Flexed section 82 recess 84 Invitation surface 86 Clip spring 88 Connecting plate part 90 Holding plate part 92 Front extension 94 Clip-side slit 96 Projecting end 98 Bent part 100 sockets 110 Contact Member (Embodiment 2) 112 slits 120 Contact Member (Embodiment 3) 121 Assembly body 122 Peripheral wall 124 Holding plate part 126 Left board 128 Right plate 130 slits 132 Downward protrusion 134 Upper protrusion 136 slits 138 Positioning projection 140 Contact protrusion

Claims

1. A terminal body formed from a first metal plate has a cylindrical male terminal mounting portion at one end that is electrically connected to a male terminal, and a connecting portion at the other end that is electrically connected to another member, The device comprises a contact member formed from a second metal plate that is thinner than the first metal plate and assembled to the male terminal mounting portion, The contact member comprises a cylindrical retaining plate portion fitted into the opening of the male terminal mounting portion, and a contact spring portion held in a cantilevered manner by the retaining plate portion, which protrudes inward in the direction of insertion of the male terminal into the male terminal mounting portion and has a contact portion for the male terminal on the protruding end side. The retaining plate portion of the contact member has a plurality of joints welded to a plurality of locations on the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the male terminal mounting portion that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and a slit positioned between the plurality of joints in the circumferential direction, opening to the base end face of the retaining plate portion, extending into the interior of the contact member, and penetrating the circumferential wall of the contact member in the thickness direction. Female terminal.

2. The male terminal mounting portion has a rectangular cylindrical shape and has an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion that are arranged opposite each other in the thickness direction of the flat male terminal, and a pair of side wall portions that are arranged opposite each other in the width direction of the male terminal. The holding plate portion of the contact member has an upper plate and a lower plate that overlap the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion, respectively, and a pair of side plates that overlap the pair of side walls, respectively, and the contact spring portion is held in a cantilevered manner on each of the upper plate and the lower plate. The female terminal according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the aforementioned joints are provided on the upper plate and the lower plate of the retaining plate portion, and a pair of the aforementioned slits are provided on a pair of the aforementioned side plates, respectively.

3. The female terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the slit has a constant width dimension and extends from the base end face of the retaining plate portion to the back of the contact member.

4. The female terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the width dimension of the slit gradually increases from the back of the contact member toward the base end face of the retaining plate portion.

Images