Terminal and processing method thereof

Abstract

The present application provides a terminal and a processing method thereof. The terminal includes a connection part, a first fixing part, and a conductive part, which are connected in order, the connection part is for connecting to a cable, and the conductive part includes a plurality of elastic plates spaced apart from each other around a circumference, each of the first ends of the elastic plates is fixedly connected to the first fixing part, and a first groove is provided between two adjacent elastic plates. The present application alleviates the technical problems of high contact resistance and high temperature rise at the connection point in conventional mating terminals.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application with application number 202110803154.4 filed on July 15, 2021, and a Chinese utility model application with application number 202121615279.6 filed on July 15, 2021, and incorporates the contents disclosed in the above applications as part of this application.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of electrical devices, and in particular to terminals and methods for processing the same. [Background technology]

[0003] In electrical connections, it is common for wire harnesses to conduct current and transmit signals, and the ends of the wire harnesses are equipped with insertable terminals for connection to corresponding conductors. Insertable terminals can be divided into male and female terminals that fit together, and typically the female terminal has a hole into which the male terminal can be inserted. By inserting the male terminal into the female terminal, the male terminal and the female terminal come into contact with each other and conduct electricity through the contact area. However, conventional insertable terminals have technical problems, such as high contact resistance and high temperature rise at the connection point. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application aims to provide a terminal and a processing method thereof that alleviates the technical problems of conventional insertion terminals, such as high contact resistance and high temperature rise at the connection point.

[0005] The above object of the present application can be achieved by the following technical solutions. An embodiment according to a first aspect of the present application provides a terminal including a connection portion, a first fixing portion, and a conductive portion connected in sequence, the connection portion being for connection to a cable, the conductive portion including a plurality of elastic plates spaced apart circumferentially, first ends of the elastic plates all fixedly connected to the first fixing portion, and a first groove portion being provided between two adjacent elastic plates.

[0006] An embodiment according to the second aspect of the present application includes: a step S10 of forming a connection part, a first fixing part, a conductive part, and a second fixing part, wherein the connection part is for connection to a cable, the conductive part includes a plurality of elastic plates spaced apart around a circumference, first ends of the elastic plates are all fixed to the first fixing part, a first groove is provided between two adjacent elastic plates, the second fixing part is located at one end of the conductive part away from the first fixing part, and second ends of the elastic plates are all fixed to the second fixing part; a step S20 of forming a plurality of overhang plates arranged at circumferential intervals on the outer end of the second fixing portion; and step S30 of folding back the overhang plate outward until an end of the overhang plate is fixed to the first fixing portion.

[0007] The features and advantages of the present application are as follows: The terminal may be a male terminal or a female terminal. When the terminal is a male terminal, the elastic plate expands outward due to its own elastic force, making close contact with the mating female terminal to ensure a reliable connection and prevent loosening, while the elastic plate maintains close contact with the female terminal due to its own elastic force, increasing the contact area during insertion and mating. When the terminal is a female terminal, the elastic plate contracts inward due to its own elastic force, making close contact with the mating male terminal to ensure a reliable connection and prevent loosening, while the elastic plate maintains close contact with the male terminal due to its own elastic force, increasing the contact area during insertion and mating. This terminal has the following advantages.

[0008] (1) The reliability of the mechanical connection during insertion and fitting can be ensured, and since there is elasticity during insertion, loosening can be prevented. (2) The contact area of ​​the insertion / fitting is increased, the contact resistance is reduced, and the conductive performance is improved. (3) The temperature rise in the contact area during electrical connection can be reduced, the elasticity of the terminal can be reduced, deformation can be reduced, and the service life of the terminal can be extended. (4) The processing and installation are easy and simple, saving materials and costs.

[0009] The drawings described herein are provided to provide a further understanding of the invention, constitute a part of this application, and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of one embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of one embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of one embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of one embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of a terminal provided by the present application; [Figure 9] Schematic diagram of a terminal provided by the present application in which a conductive barrel and a conductive portion are combined. [Figure 10] Schematic diagram of a terminal provided by the present application in which a conductive barrel and a conductive portion are combined. [Figure 11]Schematic diagram of a terminal provided by the present application in which a conductive barrel and a conductive portion are combined. [Figure 12] Schematic diagram of a terminal processing method provided by the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, wherein the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and the description thereof are for interpreting the present invention but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0012] An embodiment of a first aspect of the present application provides a terminal, and as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the terminal includes a connecting portion 10, a first fixing portion 21, and a conductive portion 30 connected in this order, the connecting portion 10 is for connection to a cable, the conductive portion 30 includes a plurality of elastic plates 31 spaced apart in the circumferential direction, each of the first ends of the elastic plates 31 is fixedly connected to the first fixing portion 21, and a first groove portion 32 is provided between two adjacent elastic plates 31.

[0013] The terminal may be either a male terminal or a female terminal. When the terminal is a male terminal, the elastic plate 31 expands outward due to its own elastic force, thereby making close contact with the mating female terminal, ensuring a reliable connection and preventing loosening. At the same time, the elastic plate 31 maintains close contact with the female terminal due to its own elastic force, thereby increasing the contact area during insertion and mating. When the terminal is a female terminal, the elastic plate 31 contracts inward due to its own elastic force, thereby making close contact with the mating male terminal, ensuring a reliable connection and preventing loosening. At the same time, the elastic plate 31 maintains close contact with the male terminal due to its own elastic force, thereby increasing the contact area during insertion and mating. This terminal has the following advantages: (1) It can ensure a reliable mechanical connection during insertion and mating, and its elasticity during insertion prevents loosening. (2) It increases the contact area during insertion and mating, reducing contact resistance and improving electrical conductivity. (3) It reduces the temperature rise in the contact area when the terminal is in a conductive state, prevents the loss of elasticity of the terminal, reduces deformation, and extends the service life of the terminal. (4) It is easy to process and install, and is simple to process, saving materials and costs.

[0014] In one embodiment, the terminal includes a second fixing portion 22 located at one end of the conductive portion 30 away from the first fixing portion 21, and the second ends of the elastic plate 31 are both fixedly connected to the second fixing portion 22, and the first fixing portion 21 and the second fixing portion 22 close both ends of the first groove portion 32, which further improves the reliability of the mechanical connection during insertion and mating and prevents loosening.

[0015] 1 to 8, the terminal is provided with a terminal hole 11 that penetrates the second fixing portion 22 and the conductive portion 30, and the terminal is a female terminal, and an external terminal can be inserted into the terminal hole 11. In this embodiment, the cylindrical structure that is sheathed on the outside of the conductive portion 30 is omitted, saving material, reducing the difficulty of processing and assembly, making processing easier, and reducing costs. Furthermore, to facilitate insertion of the external terminal into the terminal hole 11 during insertion, the end of the terminal hole 11 that is away from the first fixing portion 21 is chamfered or rounded.

[0016] In one embodiment, the conductive portion 30 includes an inward recess 40, the inner diameter of which gradually increases from the center toward both ends, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. When the external terminal is inserted into the terminal hole 11, it presses outward against the sidewall of the terminal hole 11, causing the sidewall to expand outward due to its own elasticity. The inward recess 40 increases the contact area with the external terminal when the terminal expands outward, thereby reducing contact resistance and improving electrical conductivity. This also ensures a reliable mechanical connection and better prevents loosening. As shown in FIG. 7, the outer wall of the inward recess 40, along with its inner wall, gradually increases in size from the center toward both ends.

[0017] 2 and 6, the first groove 32 is inclined relative to the axis 12 of the terminal, and the elastic plate 31 is also inclined relative to the axis 12 of the terminal. When the external terminal is inserted into the terminal hole 11, the inclined elastic plate 31 generates a large resistance force against the external terminal, preventing the external terminal from retracting along the axis 12 of the terminal and simultaneously preventing the external terminal from rotating around the axis 12 of the terminal, thereby providing a more stable connection between the external terminal and the terminal. The inclination angle of the first groove 32 relative to the axis 12 of the terminal is equal to the inclination angle of the elastic plate 31 relative to the axis 12 of the terminal.

[0018] The method of arranging the first groove portion 32 at an angle relative to the axis 12 of the terminal is not limited to one type. For example, when one vertical boundary line of one first groove portion 32 is located within one plane and the plane is arranged at an angle relative to the axis 12 of the terminal, the first groove portion 32 extends at an angle relative to the axis 12 of the terminal, and the angle of inclination of the tangent line of each vertical point of the first groove portion 32 relative to the axis 12 of the terminal changes.

[0019] The inventors have further improved the terminal so that the included angle formed by the tangent line of the first groove portion 32 and the terminal axis 12 is equal everywhere, thereby further improving the stability and conductivity of the connection between the terminal and an external terminal. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the included angle β formed by the tangent line of the first groove portion 32 and the terminal axis 12 ranges from 10° to 60°.

[0020] To test the influence of different included angles β on conductivity, the inventors conducted an experiment on 10 terminals made of the same material, with the same dimensions and different angles. After the terminals were mated, a current was passed through the mated terminal structure to measure the conductivity of the mated portion of the corresponding terminal. The test results are shown in Table 1. In this example, the ideal conductivity is greater than 99%.

[0021] Table 1, Effect of different angles on conductivity:

[0022] [Table 1]

[0023] As can be seen from Table 1, when the included angle β is less than 10°, the conductivity does not reach the ideal range and the conductive effect is reduced. When the included angle β is greater than 60°, the conductivity also meets the ideal range, but the tendency begins to decline, and when the included angle β is greater than 60°, it is very difficult to process the terminal and it has no practical value. Therefore, the inventors have set the included angle β to a value between 10° and 60°, which is optimal for production processing and provides very ideal conductive performance.

[0024] In one embodiment, the conductive part 30 and the first fixing part 21 are connected by crimping, welding, or screwing. In another embodiment, the conductive part 30 includes a plurality of independent elastic plates 31, one end of which is fixedly connected to the first fixing part 21, and the elastic plates 31 are circumferentially spaced apart, and the fastening method may be crimping, welding, or screwing. In another embodiment, the conductive part 30 and the first fixing part 21 have an integral structure. Specifically, the first fixing part 21 and the conductive part 30 may have an integral hollow cylindrical structure, with a plurality of first grooves 32 formed in the cylindrical wall and an elastic plate 31 formed between two of the first grooves 32. In this case, the difficulty of assembling the terminal is reduced, which is advantageous for cost savings.

[0025] To improve the electrical conductivity of the terminal, the inventor further improved the terminal as follows: the terminal includes a conductive barrel 50 exteriorly mounted on the conductive part 30, the conductive barrel 50 having a second groove 51 extending axially along the terminal, the elastic plate 31 being able to fit into the second groove 51, and the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive part 30 forming a two-layer structure; when the terminal is a female terminal, the external terminal drives the elastic plate 31 of the conductive part 30 to expand outward into the second groove 51, thereby simultaneously bringing the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive part 30 into contact with the external terminal, increasing the contact area between the terminal and the external terminal, improving electrical conductivity, while also improving the stability of the connection between the external terminal and the terminal, and better preventing the external terminal from rotating relative to the terminal. Preferably, a gap is provided between the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive part 30, i.e., a deformation space is provided between the inner wall of the conductive barrel 50 and the outer wall of the conductive part 30 to allow the conductive part 30 to expand outward. Preferably, the conductive barrel 50 has elasticity so that the conductive barrel 50 can expand outward when pressed by the external terminal.

[0026] Furthermore, the second groove 51 is inclined relative to the axis 12 of the terminal, and the elastic plate 31 is aligned with the second groove 51. In some cases, as shown in Figure 9, the inclination angle of the second groove 51 is equal to the inclination angle of the elastic plate 31. In other cases, the inclination angle of the second groove 51 is not equal to the inclination angle of the elastic plate 31. Preferably, as shown in Figure 10, the inclination angle of the second groove 51 is smaller than the inclination angle of the elastic plate 31.

[0027] Furthermore, the conductive barrel 50 is provided with a barrel recess 52, the inner diameter of which gradually increases from the center toward both ends. This allows the barrel recess 52 to expand outward under pressure from the external terminal, and the barrel recess 52 and the inward recess 40 simultaneously apply pressure to the external terminal, improving connection stability. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, if the recess depth of the barrel recess 52 is greater than that of the inward recess 40, it is advantageous for the conductive barrel 50 and the elastic plate 31 to simultaneously contact the external terminal, increasing the contact area. It is preferable that the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive portion 30 have an integral structure.

[0028] Furthermore, the ratio of the surface area of ​​the portion of the elastic plate that is inserted into the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove is 50% to 90%. By ensuring a sufficient contact area, the electrical conductivity can be ensured to meet actual needs.

[0029] To test the effect of different ratios on the conductivity of the terminal, the inventors prepared and tested ten different conductive portions 30 with the same specifications and different dimensions of conductive barrels 50. The ratios of the surface area of ​​the portion of the elastic plate inserted into the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove were 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, and 95%, respectively. After mating the terminals, a current was passed through the mating terminal structure to measure the conductivity of the mating portion of the corresponding terminal. The test results are shown in Table 2. In this example, the ideal conductivity is greater than 99%.

[0030] Table 2, Effect of different ratio values ​​on terminal conductivity

[0031] [Table 2]

[0032] As can be seen from Table 1, when the ratio of the surface area of ​​the elastic plate that enters the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove is less than 50%, the conductivity does not reach the ideal range and a significant decrease in the conductivity of the terminal is observed, but when the ratio of the surface area of ​​the elastic plate that enters the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove is greater than 90%, the conductivity meets the ideal range, but the tendency begins to decrease. Considering that when the ratio of the surface area of ​​the elastic plate that enters the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove is greater than 90%, it is difficult to process the terminal and assemble the terminal, the inventors have selected an optimal range for the ratio of the surface area of ​​the elastic plate that enters the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove to be 50% to 90%.

[0033] In some embodiments, the material of the conductive portion 30 and / or the conductive barrel 50 includes tellurium.

[0034] Furthermore, the material of the conductive portion 30 and / or the conductive barrel 50 contains 0.1% to 5% tellurium.

[0035] That is, when the conductive portion 30 and / or the conductive barrel 50 are made of a tellurium copper alloy, the terminal has good conductivity and is easy to cut, and can improve workability while ensuring electrical performance. At the same time, the tellurium copper alloy also has excellent elasticity. Preferably, the tellurium copper alloy has a tellurium content of 0.2% to 1.2%.

[0036] The inventors conducted a test using 10 identically shaped terminals. The conductive portion 30 and conductive barrel 50 of each terminal were identical in size and made of a tellurium-copper alloy with tellurium contents of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, 0.8%, 1.2%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 6%, and 7%, respectively. After mating the terminals, a current was passed through the mating terminal structure to measure the conductivity of the mating portion of the corresponding terminal. The test results are shown in Table 3. In this example, the ideal conductivity is greater than 99%.

[0037] Table 3: Effect of different tellurium content on terminal conductivity

[0038] [Table 3]

[0039] As can be seen from Table 2, when the tellurium content is less than 0.1% or more than 5%, the conductivity is significantly reduced and the ideal conductivity requirement cannot be met. When the tellurium content is 0.2% or more and 1.2% or less, the conductivity performance is the best. When the tellurium content is more than 1.2% and 5% or less, the conductivity meets the ideal value requirement, but the conductivity gradually decreases and the conductivity performance also deteriorates. Therefore, the inventors select tellurium copper alloys with a tellurium content of 0.1% to 5%. Most ideally, tellurium copper alloys with a tellurium content of 0.2% to 1.2% are selected.

[0040] In some embodiments, the conductive portion 30 and the conductive barrel 50 are provided with a plating layer to improve corrosion resistance, improve electrical conductivity, increase the number of insertion cycles, and better extend the service life of the conductive portion 30 and the conductive barrel 50.

[0041] Plating layers can be formed by methods such as electroplating, electroless plating, magnetron sputtering, or vacuum plating. Electroplating utilizes electrolytic principles to deposit thin layers of other metals or alloys on the surface of a metal. Electroless plating is a deposition process that generates metal through a controllable oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalytic action of the metal. Magnetron sputtering utilizes the interaction of magnetic and electric fields to cause electrons to spiral near the target surface, increasing the probability that the electrons will collide with argon gas and generate ions. The generated ions collide with the target surface under the influence of an electric field, sputtering the target material. Vacuum plating deposits various metallic and non-metallic thin films on the surface of parts using methods such as evaporation or sputtering under vacuum conditions.

[0042] The thickness of the plating layer is the same on the conductive part 30 and the conductive barrel 50. If the plating layer has the same thickness, it can be formed by electroplating in one step during processing, eliminating the need for complex electroplating processes to obtain plating layers of different thicknesses in different regions, thereby saving processing costs and reducing electroplating pollution.

[0043] The material of the plating layer in the conductive portion 30 is not the same as the material of the plating layer in the conductive barrel 50. Different plating layers can be selected as needed, for example, a combination with higher conductivity or a combination with better corrosion resistance can be selected as needed, or a combination that is optimal for the actual working environment can be selected by comprehensively considering various factors.

[0044] The plating layer is made of one or more of the following materials: gold, silver, nickel, tin, zinc, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite silver, graphene silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy. Copper is an active metal, and therefore undergoes oxidation reactions with oxygen and water during use. Therefore, to extend the service life of the terminal, one or more inactive metals are required for the plating layer. Furthermore, for metal contacts that require frequent insertion and removal, a highly wear-resistant metal is required for the plating layer, which can significantly extend the service life of the contact. Furthermore, the contacts must have good electrical conductivity, and the above metals have superior conductivity and stability to copper or copper alloys, thereby providing the terminal with better electrical performance and a longer service life.

[0045] In order to verify the influence of different plating layer materials on the overall performance of the terminal, the inventors used terminals with the same specifications and materials but different plating layer materials as samples, and used mating connecting members of the same specifications to conduct a series of insertion / withdrawal cycles and corrosion resistance time tests. In order to prove the advantages and disadvantages of the selected materials compared to other common electroplating materials, the inventors also used tin, nickel, and zinc as the experimental plating layer materials. The experimental results are shown in Table 4 below.

[0046] The number of insertions and removals in Table 4 below was determined by fixing each terminal to a testing table and using a mechanical device to simulate insertion and removal of the terminal, observing the damage to the plating layer on the terminal surface every 100 insertions and removals, and recording the number of insertions and removals at that time. In this example, products with fewer than 8,000 insertions and removals were deemed to have failed.

[0047] The corrosion resistance time test in Table 4 below was performed by placing the terminals in a salt mist spray test box, spraying salt mist at various positions on the terminals, and then removing and cleaning them every 20 hours to observe the surface corrosion. The test was stopped until one cycle was reached, when the surface corrosion area of ​​the terminals exceeded 10% of the total area, and the number of cycles at that time was recorded. In this example, products with fewer than 80 cycles were deemed to have failed.

[0048] As can be seen from Table 4 below, when the plating layer is made of the common metals tin, nickel, or zinc, the experimental results are far inferior to those of other metals. The nickel plating layer passed the insertion / removal test but did not exceed the standard by much, and did not pass the salt fog test. The experimental results for other metals far exceeded the standard values, showing stable performance. Therefore, the inventors chose to use one or more of gold, silver, silver-antimony alloy, graphite silver, graphene silver, palladium-nickel alloy, tin-lead alloy, or silver-gold-zirconium alloy as the plating layer material.

[0049] Table 4: Effect of different plating layer materials on terminal insertion / removal cycles and corrosion resistance

[0050] [Table 4]

[0051] In some embodiments, the plating layer includes an underlayer and a surface layer.

[0052] Furthermore, the plating layer is formed using a multi-layer plating method, and after the conductive part 30 and the conductive barrel 50 are processed, many slits and holes still exist at the microscopic interface between their surfaces, which are the biggest cause of wear and corrosion of the conductive part 30 and the conductive barrel 50 during use. Therefore, the surfaces of the conductive part 30 and the conductive barrel 50 are first plated with a base layer to fill the slits and holes on the surface and make the surfaces of the conductive part 30 and the conductive barrel 50 flat and hole-free. Then, the top plating layer is plated, which makes the bond stronger, flatter, and the surface of the plating layer free of slits and holes. This improves the wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and electrical performance of the barrel terminal, significantly extending the service life of the barrel terminal.

[0053] The material of the underlayer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, and zinc, and the material of the surface layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite silver, graphene silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

[0054] In another embodiment, the thickness of the underlayer is between 0.01 μm and 12 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the underlayer is between 0.1 μm and 9 μm.

[0055] In another embodiment, the thickness of the surface layer is between 0.5 μm and 50 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the surface layer is between 1 μm and 35 μm.

[0056] In order to verify the effect of changes in the thickness of the plating layer, which is the base layer, on the overall performance of the terminal, the inventors used terminals of the same specifications and material, but with different nickel plating base layer thicknesses and the same silver plating surface layer thicknesses, as samples, and used mating connecting members of the same specifications to conduct a series of temperature rise and corrosion resistance time tests, and the experimental results are shown in Table 5 below.

[0057] Table 5: The effect of different thicknesses of the plating layer on the temperature rise and corrosion resistance of terminals

[0058] [Table 5]

[0059] The temperature rise test in Table 5 involves passing the same current through the mated terminal and the mating terminal 30, detecting the temperature at the same position on the terminal before and after the temperature stabilizes in a closed environment, and taking the difference as the absolute value. In this example, a temperature rise of more than 50 K is deemed a failure.

[0060] The corrosion resistance time test in Table 5 was performed by placing the terminals in a salt mist spray test box, spraying salt mist at various positions on the terminals, and then removing and cleaning them every 20 hours to observe the surface corrosion. The test was stopped until the terminal surface corrosion area exceeded 10% of the total area, and the number of cycles was recorded. In this example, products with fewer than 80 cycles were deemed unacceptable.

[0061] As can be seen from Table 5 above, when the thickness of the nickel plating layer (base layer) is less than 0.01 μm, the temperature rise of the terminal passes the test, but because the plating layer is too thin, the number of corrosion resistance cycles of the terminal is less than 80, which does not meet the performance requirements of the terminal. This significantly affects the overall performance and lifespan of the mating connection member, and in the worst case, it can significantly shorten the product lifespan and even cause a fire accident due to inoperability. When the thickness of the nickel plating layer (base layer) is greater than 12 μm, the thick plating layer (base layer) prevents heat generated from the terminal from being dissipated, resulting in a failure of the temperature rise of the terminal. Furthermore, a thick plating layer can easily peel off from the terminal surface, resulting in a decrease in the number of corrosion resistance cycles. Therefore, the inventors set the thickness of the plating layer (base layer) to 0.01 μm to 12 μm. Preferably, the inventors have found that the overall effect of temperature rise and corrosion resistance of the terminal is better when the thickness of the plating layer serving as the base layer is 0.1 μm to 9 μm. Therefore, in order to further improve the safety reliability and practicality of the product itself, the thickness of the plating layer serving as the base layer is preferably 0.1 μm to 9 μm.

[0062] In order to verify the effect of changes in the thickness of the surface plating layer on the overall performance of the terminal, the inventors used terminals of the same specifications and material, with the same thickness of the nickel-plated underlayer and different thicknesses of the silver-plated surface, as samples, and used mating connecting members of the same specifications to conduct a series of temperature rise and corrosion resistance time tests. The experimental results are shown in Table 6 below.

[0063] The experimental method was the same as that described above.

[0064] Table 6: Effect of different thicknesses of plating layers on temperature rise and corrosion resistance

[0065] [Table 6]

[0066] As can be seen from Table 6 above, when the thickness of the surface silver plating layer is less than 0.5 μm, the terminal temperature rise passed the test, but the plating layer was too thin, resulting in fewer than 80 corrosion resistance cycles, which does not meet the terminal performance requirements. This significantly affects the overall performance and lifespan of the mating connection member, and in the worst case, it can significantly shorten the product lifespan and even cause a fire accident due to inoperability. When the thickness of the surface silver plating layer is greater than 50 μm, the thick plating layer (base layer) prevents heat generated from the terminal from being dissipated, resulting in a failure of the terminal temperature rise. Furthermore, a thick plating layer can easily peel off from the terminal surface, resulting in a decrease in the number of corrosion resistance cycles. Furthermore, because the metal used for the surface plating layer is expensive, a thick plating layer not only fails to improve performance but is also useless. Therefore, the inventors limit the thickness of the surface silver plating layer to 0.1 μm to 55 μm. Preferably, the inventors have discovered that when the thickness of the plating layer serving as the base layer is 1 μm to 35 μm, the overall effects of temperature rise and corrosion resistance of the terminal are better. Therefore, in order to further improve the safety reliability and practicality of the product itself, the thickness of the plating layer serving as the base layer is preferably 1 μm to 35 μm.

[0067] The terminal is connected to a mating terminal via the conductive portion 30 and to a cable via the connecting portion 10. The connecting portion 10 may be cylindrical, solid columnar, or solid plate-shaped. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 10 is circular, elliptical, polygonal, flat, diamond-shaped, semicircular, arc-shaped, or wavy. The cross-sectional shape of the connecting portion 10 can be designed in various shapes, allowing designers to easily select terminals of different shapes depending on the environment in which the actual terminal will be installed, thereby reducing the volume of the mating structure, optimizing the contact area, and enhancing the electrical performance of the terminal. Furthermore, the terminal's inscribed cross-sectional shape can be varied to match a wider variety of mating terminal shapes, providing designers with more options.

[0068] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a method for processing a terminal, and as shown in FIG. 12, the method for processing a terminal includes a step S10 of forming a connecting portion 10, a first fixing portion 21, a conductive portion 30, and a second fixing portion 22, wherein the connecting portion 10 is for connection to a cable, and the conductive portion 30 includes a plurality of elastic plates 31 spaced apart from one another around a circumference, and first ends of the elastic plates 31 are all fixedly connected to the first fixing portion 21, and two adjacent elastic plates 3 The method includes step S10 in which a first groove portion 32 is provided between the conductive portion 30 and the second fixing portion 22 is located at one end of the conductive portion 30 away from the first fixing portion 21, and the second ends of the elastic plate 31 are all fixedly connected to the second fixing portion 22; step S20 in which a plurality of overhang plates are formed at the outer end of the second fixing portion 22 and spaced apart circumferentially; and step S30 in which the overhang plates are folded back outward until their ends are fixedly connected to the first fixing portion 21.

[0069] The terminal processed and formed by this terminal processing method has both ends of the overhang plate fixed to the first fixing portion 21 and the second fixing portion 22, respectively, and the conductive barrel 50 formed from multiple overhang plates has a two-layer structure, and the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive portion 30 form a two-layer structure, allowing the conductive barrel 50 and the conductive portion 30 to contact the external terminal simultaneously, increasing the contact area between the terminal and the external terminal and improving the conductive performance, as well as better preventing the external terminal from rotating relative to the terminal, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the external terminal and the terminal.

[0070] In one embodiment of the present application, in step S30, the overhang plate is fixed to the first fixing portion 21 by using a connecting method such as crimping, welding, or screwing.

[0071] The above is merely an example of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present application. It should be understood that any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application are included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A terminal, a connecting portion, a first fixing portion, and a conductive portion, which are connected in this order; The connection portion is connected to a cable, the conductive portion includes a plurality of elastic plates spaced apart around a circumference; The first ends of the elastic plates are both fixed to the first fixing portions, a first groove is provided between two adjacent elastic plates; a conductive barrel exteriorly covering the conductive portion; the conductive barrel is provided with a second groove extending along the axial direction of the terminal, and the elastic plate can be inserted into the second groove; a two-layer structure is formed by the conductive barrel and the conductive portion, When the terminal is mated with an external terminal, the external terminal drives the elastic plate of the conductive part to expand outward into the second groove, so that the conductive barrel and the conductive part simultaneously come into contact with the external terminal; the elastic plate and the second groove are inclined with respect to an axis of the terminal, When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis, the inclination angle of the second groove portion is different from the inclination angle of the elastic plate. Terminal.

2. the terminal includes a second fixed portion located at one end of the conductive portion away from the first fixed portion, The second ends of the elastic plates are both fixed to the second fixing portions. The terminal according to claim 1 .

3. A terminal hole is provided that penetrates the second fixed portion and the conductive portion. The terminal according to claim 2 .

4. The conductive portion includes an inwardly facing recess whose inner diameter gradually increases from the center toward both ends. The terminal according to claim 3 .

5. The angle formed by the tangent line of the first groove and the axis of the terminal is equal everywhere. The terminal according to claim 4.

6. The angle formed between the tangent of the first groove and the axis of the terminal is in the range of 10° to 60°. The terminal according to claim 5.

7. The conductive portion and the first fixing portion have an integral structure, or the conductive portion and the first fixing portion are connected by any one of crimping, welding, and screwing. The terminal according to claim 1 .

8. The ratio of the surface area of ​​the portion of the elastic plate that is inserted into the second groove to the surface area of ​​the second groove is 50% to 90%. The terminal according to claim 1 .

9. The material of the conductive portion and / or the conductive barrel contains tellurium. The terminal according to claim 1 or 8.

10. The material of the conductive portion and / or the conductive barrel has a tellurium content of 0.1% to 5%. The terminal according to claim 9.

11. The conductive portion and / or the conductive barrel is provided with a plating layer. The terminal according to claim 1 or 8.

12. The thickness of the plating layer in the conductive portion and / or the conductive barrel is the same. The terminal according to claim 11.

13. The material of the plating layer in the conductive portion and / or the conductive barrel is different. The terminal according to claim 11.

14. The material of the plating layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, zinc, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite silver, graphene silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy. The terminal according to claim 11.

15. The plating layer includes a base layer and a surface layer. The terminal according to claim 11.

16. The plating layer is formed by electroplating, electroless plating, magnetron sputtering, or vacuum plating. The terminal according to claim 11.

17. The material of the underlayer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, a tin-lead alloy, and zinc, and the material of the surface layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, a tin-lead alloy, a silver-antimony alloy, palladium, a palladium-nickel alloy, graphite silver, graphene silver, and a silver-gold-zirconium alloy. The terminal of claim 15.

18. The thickness of the underlayer is 0.01 μm to 12 μm. The terminal of claim 15.

19. The thickness of the underlayer is 0.1 μm to 9 μm. The terminal of claim 15.

20. The thickness of the surface layer is 0.5 μm to 50 μm. The terminal of claim 15.

21. The thickness of the surface layer is 1 μm to 35 μm. The terminal of claim 15.

22. The cross-sectional shape of the connection part is circular, elliptical, polygonal, flat, diamond-shaped, semicircular, arc-shaped or wavy. The terminal according to claim 1 .

23. The terminal processing method according to claim 1, a step S10 of forming a connecting portion, a first fixing portion, a conductive portion, and a second fixing portion, wherein the connecting portion is connected to a cable, the conductive portion includes a plurality of elastic plates spaced apart around a circumference, first ends of the elastic plates are all fixed to the first fixing portion, a first groove is provided between two adjacent elastic plates, the second fixing portion is located at one end of the conductive portion away from the first fixing portion, and second ends of the elastic plates are all fixed to the second fixing portion; Step S20: forming a plurality of overhang plates spaced apart from one another around the circumference of the second fixing portion at an outer end of the second fixing portion; and step S30 of folding the overhang plate outward until an end thereof is fixed to the first fixing portion to form the conductive barrel with the overhang plate, wherein the conductive barrel is provided with a second groove extending along the axial direction of the terminal, the elastic plate can enter the second groove, the conductive barrel and the conductive portion form a two-layer structure, and when the terminal is mated with an external terminal, the external terminal drives the elastic plate of the conductive portion to expand outward into the second groove, so that the conductive barrel and the conductive portion simultaneously come into contact with the external terminal, and the elastic plate and the second groove are provided at an angle with respect to the axis of the terminal, and an angle of inclination of the second groove is different from an angle of inclination of the elastic plate when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis. Terminal processing method.

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