Terminal block

JP7904652B1Active Publication Date: 2026-08-13MATSUO KOGYO CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-11-11
Publication Date
2026-08-13

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

【0006】 本開示の端子台では、ハウジングのベースプレートの裏面が支持壁に重ねられて、支持壁の開口部を塞ぐ。ここで、ハウジングには、ベースプレートの表面から突出し、複数の表側端子接続部の並び方向(以下、これを適宜「第1方向」という)でベースプレートの略全体に亘って延びるメイン突壁が備えられている。このメイン突壁により、ベースプレートの第1方向の曲げ強度が高くなる。また、ベースプレートの表面のうちメイン突壁を挟んだ両側の第1領域及び第2領域には、メイン突壁と交差する複数の第1交差リブ及び複数の第2交差リブが備えられているので、第1方向と直交する第2方向においてもベースプレートの曲げ強度が高くなる。つまり、本開示の端子台では、従来の端子台のように、ベースプレートから起立する筒壁を備えなくても、ベースプレートの2次元的な曲げ強度が高くなり、支持壁の開口部を確実に塞ぐことができる。また、ハウジングには、ナット受容空間を挟んでメイン突壁に対向する壁がないので、ハウジングの成形後に、ナットを隣り合う仕切壁同士の間に圧入することができる。これにより、本開示の端子台では、従来の端子台のようにハウジングの成形を2回に分ける必要がなくなり、従来より製造コストを抑えることができる。

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Abstract

Reduce the manufacturing cost of terminal blocks. [Solution] In the terminal block 10A of this disclosure, a main projection 22X extends over substantially the entire length in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple front terminal connection portions 32 on the surface 11A of the base plate 11X of the housing 20X. Furthermore, multiple first crossing ribs 25 and multiple second crossing ribs 26 that intersect with the main projection 22X are provided in the first region R1 and second region R2 on both sides of the main projection 22X on the surface 11A of the base plate 11X, so that the bending strength of the base plate 11X is increased without the need for a cylindrical wall rising from the base plate as in conventional terminal blocks. In addition, since there is no wall in the housing 20X that faces the main projection 22X on either side of the nut receiving space 22K, the nut 40 can be press-fitted after the housing 20X has been formed. As a result, it is no longer necessary to divide the housing forming into two stages as in conventional methods, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a terminal block.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional terminal block, a plurality of L-shaped bus bars penetrate a base plate of a housing, and one end of each of the plurality of bus bars serves as a plurality of front-side terminal connection portions having through holes and are arranged in a line within the same plane. Further, the plurality of front-side terminal connection portions are partitioned by a plurality of partition walls, and nuts are press-fitted between the partition walls below each front-side terminal connection portion. And this terminal block is fixed by overlapping the lower surface of the base plate on the opening edge of a support wall having an opening. Further, in order to prevent bending deformation of the base plate, the conventional terminal block is provided with a cylindrical wall that stands up from the base plate and surrounds the plurality of front-side terminal connection portions (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described conventional terminal block, since it is necessary to form the cylindrical wall after press-fitting the nuts, the molding of the housing is performed in two steps, which has been a problem in that it increases the manufacturing cost. Therefore, in the present application, a technique for suppressing the manufacturing cost of the terminal block is disclosed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present invention made to solve the above problems is a terminal block comprising: a housing which is an insert molded product including a plurality of busbars; a base plate provided in the housing through which the plurality of busbars pass; a bent portion formed near one end of the plurality of busbars and positioned on the front side of the base plate; and a plurality of front terminal connection portions provided on one end of the plurality of busbars from the bent portion, arranged in a line in the same plane and facing the outer surface of the housing with a nut receiving space in between, each having a through hole, wherein the back surface of the base plate is superimposed on the opening edge of a support wall having an opening and fixed, the plurality of front terminal connection portions protruding from the surface of the base plate The terminal block comprises: a main projection extending substantially over the entire surface of the base plate in the direction of arrangement, dividing the surface of the base plate into a first region and a second region on the opposite side; a plurality of first crossing ribs protruding from the first region of the base plate and intersecting the main projection; a plurality of second crossing ribs protruding from the second region of the base plate and intersecting the main projection; a plurality of partition walls arranged in the direction of arrangement of the plurality of front-side terminal connection portions, dividing the nut receiving space for each of the front-side terminal connection portions; and a plurality of nuts press-fitted between adjacent partition walls and superimposed on the back surface of the plurality of front-side terminal connection portions, wherein the housing does not have walls facing the main projection on either side of the nut receiving space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the terminal block of this disclosure, the back surface of the base plate of the housing is superimposed on the support wall, closing the opening in the support wall. The housing is provided with a main projection wall that protrudes from the surface of the base plate and extends over substantially the entire surface of the base plate in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple front terminal connection portions (hereinafter referred to as the "first direction" as appropriate). This main projection wall increases the bending strength of the base plate in the first direction. Furthermore, the first and second regions on both sides of the main projection wall of the surface of the base plate are provided with multiple first crossing ribs and multiple second crossing ribs that intersect with the main projection wall, thus increasing the bending strength of the base plate in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction as well. In other words, in the terminal block of this disclosure, the two-dimensional bending strength of the base plate is increased and the opening in the support wall can be reliably closed without providing a cylindrical wall rising from the base plate, as in conventional terminal blocks. In addition, since the housing does not have a wall facing the main projection wall across the nut receiving space, the nuts can be press-fitted between adjacent partition walls after the housing has been formed. As a result, the terminal block of this disclosure does not require the housing to be molded in two stages, as is the case with conventional terminal blocks, and thus manufacturing costs can be reduced compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a terminal block according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the base plate. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a bottom view of the base plate. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a color perspective view. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the terminal block in cross-section AA of Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the terminal block in the BB cross-section of Figure 2. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a plan view of the CC section of the terminal block in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the nut receiving section. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the busbar. [Figure 10] Figure 10A is a perspective view of the nut, and Figure 9B is a plan cross-sectional view of the nut receiving section. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a partially broken perspective view of the terminal block. [Figure 12] Figures 12A and 12B are plan views of the modified base plate. [Figure 13] Figures 13A to 13C are plan views of the modified base plate. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a plan view of the base plate according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a partially broken perspective view of the terminal block. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a perspective view of a terminal block relating to another embodiment. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a plan view of the base plate. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a side cross-sectional view of the terminal block in the DD cross-section shown in Figure 17. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is an enlarged perspective view of the nut receiving portion of the front nut holding portion. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the nut receiving portion of the nut holding portion on the back side. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] [First Embodiment] A terminal block 10A according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. The terminal block 10A of this embodiment is fixed to the outer surface of a case housing a motor (not shown) and is used to connect the motor inside the case to a drive control circuit outside the case. The case is made of, for example, cast aluminum, and Figure 1 shows a support wall 90 which is the part of the case to which the terminal block 10A is attached.

[0009] In a portion of the support wall 90 where the outer surface is flat, a substantially rectangular opening 91 penetrates therethrough. Further, in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the opening 91, a total of four screw holes 92 are formed in pairs. On the inner surface of the portion of the support wall 90 where the screw holes 92 are disposed, there are bosses (not shown), and the screw holes 92 do not penetrate the support wall 90.

[0010] Note that the support wall 90 of the present embodiment is a part of a case that houses a motor, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it may be a part of a building or a part of a bracket. Further, the opening 91 of the support wall 90 is rectangular, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it may be circular, oval, or the like.

[0011] The terminal block 10A includes an insulating resin housing 20X, which is an insert molded product including a plurality of bus bars 30X and a plurality of collars 50, and the housing 20X includes a base plate 11X that is fixed by being overlapped on the outer surface of the support wall 90. As shown in FIG. 2, the planar shape of the base plate 11X has, for example, a shape in which the four corners of a rectangle bulge in the short side direction of the rectangle.

[0012] In the following description of each part of the terminal block 10A, the longitudinal direction in the planar shape of the base plate 11X is referred to as the first direction H1, and the short side direction is referred to as the second direction H2. Further, the surface of the base plate 11X that is overlapped with the support wall 90 is referred to as the back surface 11B (see FIG. 3), and the opposite side is referred to as the front surface 11A (see FIG. 2). Furthermore, the thickness direction of the housing 20X is appropriately referred to as the "vertical direction", the back surface 11B side of the housing 20X is referred to as the "lower side", and the front surface 11A side is referred to as the "upper side".

[0013] The base plate 11X is provided with four mounting holes 15 that penetrate vertically through its four corners, and the aforementioned collars 50 are fixed inside these mounting holes 15. The collar 50 is shown in its entirety in Figure 4 and has a structure in which a strip of sheet metal is rolled into a cylindrical shape and the ends are joined together. In addition, two rectangular recesses 50C are formed on the entire outer surface of the collar 50, arranged vertically. The entire outer surface of each collar 50 is covered with the resin of the base plate 11X, and for example, the upper and lower ends protrude slightly from the base plate 11X (see Figure 6).

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, a portion of the base plate 11X that covers each collar 50 is an arc-shaped resin wall 16 that follows the outer surface of the collar 50. The butt joints 51 of the ends of the strip-shaped sheet metal that make up the collar 50 are positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped resin wall 16. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, for example, at the upper end of each arc-shaped resin wall 16 approximately in the center in the lateral direction, there is an injection port opposing portion 16A that faces the resin injection port (not shown) of the mold used to form the housing 20X. As shown in Figure 2, the butt joints 51 of each collar 50 are positioned on the opposite side of the injection port opposing portion 16A from the center of the collar 50, or more specifically, on the opposite side of the injection port opposing portion 16A from the center of the collar 50. Immediately after molding the housing 20X, a runner is connected to the injection port opposing portion 16A, and the cut marks of the runner remain on the injection port opposing portion 16A.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, a packing receiving groove 17 is formed on the back surface 11B of the base plate 11X, and a packing 60 is received therein. The packing receiving groove 17 and the packing 60 form a rectangle that is slightly larger than the opening 91 of the support wall 90. The packing 60 is then placed against the opening edge of the opening 91 on the outer surface of the support wall 90 (see Figure 1), and bolts passed through each collar 50 are tightened into the screw holes 92, thereby fixing the terminal block 10A to the support wall 90 and closing the opening 91.

[0016] The base plate 11X is approximately rectangular in shape, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be square, circular, or elliptical, or it may be polygonal, as in the terminal block 10B of the second embodiment (see Figure 14). The base plate 11X is fixed to the support wall 90 by bolts, but it may also be fixed to the support wall 90 by fastening components other than bolts (e.g., rivets). The space between the base plate 11X and the support wall 90 is sealed with a packing 60, but it may also be sealed with a sealing member other than a packing 60 (e.g., an O-ring or adhesive). Furthermore, a sealing member such as a packing 60 may not be provided at all.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the housing 20X is provided with a main projection wall 22X that protrudes from the surface 11A of the base plate 11X and extends over the entire length of the base plate 11X in a first direction H1. This main projection wall 22X divides the surface 11A of the base plate 11X into a first region R1 and a second region R2 in a second direction H2.

[0018] As shown in Figure 7, the main protruding wall 22X consists of a main rib 22A that extends over the entire first direction H1 of the base plate 11X, and a block portion 22B that protrudes toward the first region R1 from the middle portion of the main rib 22A, excluding both ends. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the upper surface of the block portion 22B is flush with the upper surface of the main rib 22A. Although the interface between the main rib 22A and the block portion 22B is not shown, in this embodiment, the interface between the main rib 22A and the block portion 22B is defined as the extended surface of the main rib 22A that is exposed from the block portion 22B and faces toward the first region R1, and the main rib 22A is assumed to extend with a substantially uniform thickness from one end to the other in the first direction H1.

[0019] As shown in Figure 7, the block portion 22B has a structure in which a rectangular parallelepiped (block body) extending in the first direction H1 has, for example, six nut receiving portions 22C in the first direction H1. In the following description of the block portion 22B, the side away from the main rib 22A will be referred to as the "front side," and the first direction H1 will be referred to as the "lateral direction" as appropriate.

[0020] As shown in Figure 8, each nut receiving portion 22C opens onto the front and top surfaces of the block portion 22B, with the inside forming a nut receiving space 22K. In other words, the portions of the block portion 22B that face each other across the nut receiving spaces 22K in the first direction H1 form multiple partition walls 71 that separate the nut receiving spaces 22K from each other.

[0021] On the opposing sides 71S of the partition walls 71, press-fitting protrusions 71W extending in the second direction H2 are provided at two locations, at the top and near the top. The bottom 22D of the nut receiving portion 22C is provided with a flat surface 22E located in the lateral center and a pair of arcuate surfaces 71R located on either side of it, which are continuous with the flat surface 22E and the sides 71S of the partition wall 71. The flat surface 22E is flush with the surface 11A of the base plate 11X in front of the block portion 22B. In other words, the partition wall 71 rises from the surface 11A of the base plate 11X, and the corners between the surface 11A and the sides 71S of the partition wall 71 are rounded off.

[0022] The bottom 22D of the nut receiving portion 22C is provided with a flat surface 22E and a pair of arcuate surfaces 71R. However, the flat surface 22E may be omitted, and the pair of arcuate surfaces 71R may be connected to form a semicircle for the entire bottom 22D. In this embodiment, the width of the flat surface 22E when viewed from above is extremely narrow compared to the arcuate surfaces 71R, but they may be the same width or the flat surface 22E may be wider. Furthermore, an inclined surface may be provided instead of the arcuate surfaces 71R. That is, the area between the flat surface 22E and the side surface 71S may be chamfered with a C-chamfer instead of an R-chamfer.

[0023] On the inner surface 73 of the nut receiving portion 22C, vertical grooves 73M are formed on both sides, and between the vertical grooves 73M are protrusions 73T with a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

[0024] The back surface 73 of the nut receiving portion 22C is not limited to the shape described above; it may be a flat surface overall, or it may have a shape with a vertical groove in the center in the lateral direction, or a shape with a vertical rib in the center in the lateral direction of the back surface 73.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, a back main projection 28 is provided on the back surface 11B of the base plate 11X, directly opposite the block section 22B. The back main projection 28 has a size in the first direction H1 that is approximately the same as the block section 22B, and a size in the second direction H2 that is smaller (thinner) than the block section 22B. Multiple busbars 30X penetrate the block section 22B, the base plate 11X, and the back main projection 28 vertically.

[0026] As shown in Figure 9, the bus bar 30X is formed by bending a strip-shaped sheet metal, for example, with through holes 32H and 33H at both ends, at approximately a right angle near one end, so that the whole thing is L-shaped. The longer side of the L-shape of the bus bar 30X extends vertically, while the shorter side extends horizontally. The entire shorter side of the bus bar 30X forms the front terminal connection part 32, and the lower end of the longer side of the bus bar 30X forms the back terminal connection part 33. As shown in Figure 5, the longer side of the bus bar 30X penetrates the housing 20X vertically at a position near the main rib 22A between each nut receiving part 22C and the main rib 22A. As shown in Figure 1, multiple rear terminal connection portions 33 are exposed from the housing 20X on the underside of the base plate 11X and are arranged in the same plane and aligned in the first direction H1, while multiple front terminal connection portions 32 are exposed from the housing 20X on the upper side of the base plate 11X and are arranged in the same plane and aligned in the first direction H1. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, each nut receiving portion 22C is covered from above by these front terminal connection portions 32.

[0027] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the width of the busbar 30X is slightly larger than the width of the upper opening of the nut receiving portion 22C. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, a portion of the side surfaces of the front terminal connection portion 32 and the bent portion 31 are embedded in the resin of the block portion 22B. More specifically, a triangular-shaped build-up portion 22N is formed on the upper surface of the block portion 22B at the boundary with the front terminal connection portion 32 and the bent portion 31. The upper end of these build-up portions 22N is located approximately in the center of the front terminal connection portion 32 in the vertical direction, and the lower surface of the bent portion 31 is located even lower than the upper surface of the block portion 22B. In this way, by embedding a portion of the front terminal connection portion 32 and the bent portion 31 in the resin of the block portion 22B, the front terminal connection portion 32 is stabilized, and the busbar 30X is prevented from coming loose. This reinforcement of the prevention of coming loose is also achieved by the trapezoidal cross-sectional shape of the bent portion 31 of the busbar 30X. In other words, the long and short sides of the busbar 30X have the same width, and the pair of sides at both ends in the width direction are parallel to each other. In contrast, the bent portion 31 of the busbar 30X has a pair of inclined surfaces 31K at both ends in the width direction, as shown in Figure 9, which are inclined to move away from each other as they move from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the bent portion 31. The shape of the cross-section at the center of the inner 90-degree corner of the bent portion 31 (i.e., the 45-degree position) is trapezoidal as described above, and the width of the bent portion 31 is approximately the same as the width of the long and short sides of the busbar 30X on the outside, and gradually increases towards the inside.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, a nut 40 is press-fitted into each nut receiving portion 22C (i.e., between the partition walls 71), and the screw hole 40H of the nut 40 and the through hole 32H of the front terminal connection portion 32 are arranged coaxially. The nut 40 is, for example, a cap nut, and as shown in Figure 10A, comprises a nut body 40A and a hemispherical cap portion 40B. The nut body 40A is square in plan view, with a screw hole 40H passing through its center. On the other hand, the hemispherical cap portion 40B has a hemispherical dome structure and is, for example, welded to the lower surface of the nut body 40A. Then, as shown in Figure 10B, one pair of opposing sides of the nut body 40A are pressed against the two pairs of press-fitting protrusions 71W of each nut receiving portion 22C, and the nut body 40A is pressed into the nut receiving portion 22C, and when it comes into contact with the back surface 73, the entire nut 40 fits into the nut receiving portion 22C, and as shown in Figure 5, the screw hole 40H of the nut 40 and the through hole 32H of the busbar 30X are arranged coaxially. In the vertical direction, a small clearance is provided between the nut receiving portion 22C and the nut 40.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, a nut 41 is fixed to the through hole 33H of each rear terminal connection part 33. The nut 41 is cylindrical in shape, with one end having a stepped outer diameter reduction and a press-fit portion 41A. The outer surface of the press-fit portion 41A is, for example, knurled and has a mesh-like recess (not shown). The press-fit portion 41A is press-fitted into the through hole 33H, and the threaded hole 41H of the nut 41 and the through hole 33H of the rear terminal connection part 33 are arranged coaxially.

[0030] In this embodiment, the main protrusion 22X consists of an integrated main rib 22A and a block portion 22B, but the "main protrusion" can have any shape as long as it is a wall that protrudes from the surface 11A of the base plate 11X and extends over substantially the entire length of the first direction H1. For example, the main protrusion may consist only of the main rib 22A described above (for example, a structure in which the main rib 22A and the block portion 22B are separated in the second direction H2, or a structure without a block portion 22B). Also, in this embodiment, both ends of the main protrusion 22X are located at both ends of the base plate 11X in the first direction H1, but the main protrusion 22X may be shorter than the base plate 11X as long as it extends over substantially the entire length of the first direction H1 of the base plate 11X. Furthermore, the nuts 40 and 41 are not limited to the above structure.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, multiple first intersecting ribs 25 protrude from a first region R1 on the surface 11A of the base plate 11X, intersecting the main protruding wall 22X. The multiple first intersecting ribs 25 include triangular ribs 27B, 27C and partition ribs 27A, all of which are plate-shaped and parallel to the second direction H2, and perpendicular to the main protruding wall 22X.

[0032] Specifically, the triangular ribs 27C extend along the outer edges of both ends in the first direction H1 in the first region R1 and are connected to both ends of the main ribs 22A. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the first region R1 is provided with a pair of stepped portions 11D extending forward from both ends in the first direction H1 of the block portion 22B (only one stepped portion 11D is shown in Figure 11), and the surface 11A of the base plate 11X is stepped higher on both sides than the front portion of the block portion 22B. The pair of triangular ribs 27B extend along the pair of stepped portions 11D and are connected to the block portion 22B.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the partition ribs 27A are positioned between adjacent front-side terminal connection portions 32, and, for example, as shown in Figure 5, when viewed from the first direction H1, they form a roughly rectangular shape that is higher than the main protrusion 22X and partially embedded in the main protrusion 22X. One end of each of the partition ribs 27A in the second direction H2 is located at the front outer edge of the first region R1, and the other end is located above the main rib 22A. The upper corner of one end of the partition rib 27A in the second direction H2 is chamfered with a C-chamfer, and the upper corner of the other end is chamfered with an R-chamfer.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, multiple rear crossing ribs 29 protrude from the rear surface 11B of the base plate 11X. All of these rear crossing ribs 29, except for the rear crossing rib 29 located at one end in the first direction H1, are arranged in the same plane as multiple section ribs 27A. The rear crossing rib 29 at one end is arranged in the same plane as the triangular rib 27B. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when viewed from the first direction H1, the multiple rear crossing ribs 29 form a roughly elongated rectangle, protruding in both directions of the second direction H2 perpendicular to the rear main projection wall 28, and extending below the bus bar 30X.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, from the second region R2 of the surface 11A of the base plate 11X, a plurality of second intersecting ribs 26 that intersect with the main protrusion 22X and an outer edge rib 23 that extends parallel to the main protrusion 22X protrude. The second intersecting rib 26 also includes a plurality of orthogonal ribs 26C and triangular ribs 27D perpendicular to the main protrusion 22X, and a plurality of inclined ribs 26A and 26B that are inclined with respect to the first direction H1 and the second direction H2.

[0036] The triangular rib 27D extends along the outer edges of both ends in the first direction H1 of the second region R2 and is connected to both ends of the main rib 22A. The outer edge rib 23 extends along the outer edge of the second region R2 away from the main protrusion 22X and is lower than the main protrusion 22X, as shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 1, the inclined ribs 26A, 26B and the orthogonal rib 26C connect the main protrusion 22X and the outer edge rib 23, and these inclined ribs 26A, 26B and orthogonal rib 26C gradually decrease in height from the main protrusion 22X toward the outer edge rib 23.

[0037] More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, there are, for example, three orthogonal ribs 26C, which are positioned on the extensions of the central section rib 27A and the pair of section ribs 27A at both ends of the multiple section ribs 27A. The inclined ribs 26A and 26B are inclined at angles symmetrical with respect to the first direction H1. The inclined ribs 26A and 26B are arranged in a diagonal bracing manner in each of the two squares surrounded on all sides by the orthogonal ribs 26C, the main protruding wall 22X, and the outer edge rib 23.

[0038] Furthermore, an inclined rib 26A is provided to connect one end of the main protrusion 22X in the first direction H1 (the right end in Figure 2) to the intersection of the orthogonal rib 26C and the outer edge rib 23 near that end, and an inclined rib 26B is provided to connect the intersection of the orthogonal rib 26C and the main protrusion 22X to an intermediate portion between the inclined rib 26A and the inclined rib 26C. Also, symmetrically, an inclined rib 26B is provided to connect the other end of the main protrusion 22X in the first direction H1 (the left end in Figure 2) to the intersection of the orthogonal rib 26C and the outer edge rib 23 near that other end, and an inclined rib 26A is provided to connect the intersection of the orthogonal rib 26C and the main protrusion 22X to an intermediate portion between the inclined rib 26B and the inclined rib 26C.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the surface 11A of the base plate 11X in the second region R2, outside of the inclined ribs 26A and 26B connected to both ends of the main protruding wall 22X, is at approximately the same height as the surface 11A of the base plate 11X in the first region R1, outside of the stepped portion 11D, and is higher than the other parts. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the surface 11A of the base plate 11X in the second region R2, inside of the inclined ribs 26A and 26B connected to both ends of the main protruding wall 22X, is located slightly above the surface 11A of the base plate 11X in the front portion of the block portion 22B in the first region R1.

[0040] This concludes the explanation of the structure of terminal block 10A in this embodiment. Next, the operation and effects of terminal block 10A will be explained.

[0041] The terminal block 10A of this embodiment is fixed to the outer surface of the support wall 90 of the case housing the motor shown in Figure 1. Before fixing, the motor cables inside the case are pulled out through the opening 91, and terminal fittings (not shown) at their ends are fixed by bolts to a plurality of rear terminal connection parts 33 on the back side of the terminal block 10A. In this state, the back surface 11B of the base plate 11X of the terminal block 10A is placed over the opening edge of the opening 91 in the support wall 90, and bolts passed through the collars 50 at the four corners of the base plate 11X are tightened into the screw holes 92 of the support wall 90. As a result, the terminal block 10A is fixed to the support wall 90 with the packing 60 compressed, the opening 91 of the support wall 90 is closed, and the lubricating oil of the motor inside the case is prevented from splashing.

[0042] In this case, if the base plate 11X is bent, a gap may form between the support wall 90 and the base plate 11X, potentially causing lubricating oil to leak out. To address this, the housing 20X of the terminal block 10A in this embodiment is provided with a main projection wall 22X that protrudes from the surface 11A of the base plate 11X and extends over substantially the entire base plate 11X in the first direction H1 (i.e., the direction in which the multiple front terminal connection portions 32 are aligned). This main projection wall 22X increases the bending strength of the base plate 11X in the first direction H1. Furthermore, the first region R1 and the second region R2 on both sides of the main protruding wall 22X on the surface 11A of the base plate 11X are provided with a plurality of first intersecting ribs 25 (partition ribs 27A, triangular ribs 27B, 27C) and a plurality of second intersecting ribs 26 (inclined ribs 26A, 26B, orthogonal ribs 26C, triangular rib 27D) that intersect with the main protruding wall 22X, so that the bending strength of the base plate 11X is also increased in the second direction H2 which is orthogonal to the first direction H1. In other words, in the terminal block 10A of this embodiment, the two-dimensional bending strength of the base plate is increased even without a cylindrical wall rising from the base plate, as in conventional terminal blocks. In addition to these, the terminal block 10A of this embodiment is provided with a back side main protruding wall 28 and a plurality of back side intersecting ribs 29 that are orthogonal to the back side main protruding wall 28 on the back side of the base plate 11X. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the rear main projection wall 28 is positioned directly behind the main projection wall 22X, and as shown in Figure 6, the multiple rear crossing ribs 29 are positioned in the same plane as the multiple partition ribs 27A included in the multiple first crossing ribs 25 and the multiple orthogonal ribs 26C included in the second crossing rib 26. As a result, these are integrated to reinforce the base plate 11X, which also increases the two-dimensional bending strength of the base plate 11X, and ensures that the opening 91 of the support wall 90 is reliably closed by the base plate 11X.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, since the housing 20X does not have a wall facing the main protruding wall 22X with the nut receiving space 22K in between, the nut 40 can be press-fitted between adjacent partition walls 71 after the housing 20X has been formed. More specifically, as mentioned above, in conventional terminal blocks, the cylindrical wall needs to be formed after the nut has been press-fitted, so the housing has to be formed in two stages, and the nut has to be press-fitted at an intermediate stage of the housing's formation. However, in the terminal block 10A of this embodiment, the nut 40 can be press-fitted after the housing 20X has been formed. As a result, the terminal block 10A of this embodiment does not need to be formed in two stages like conventional terminal blocks, and manufacturing costs can be reduced compared to conventional designs.

[0044] After the terminal block 10A is fixed to the support wall 90, the terminal fittings (not shown) of the cable group extending from the motor drive circuit outside the case are fixed by bolts to the front terminal connection portions 32 of the multiple busbars 30X shown in Figure 1. That is, bolts passed over each terminal fitting are passed through the front terminal connection portion 32H of the front terminal connection portion 32 and tightened to the nuts 40 shown in Figure 5. At this time, metal powder may be generated by the screwing of the bolt and nut 40. However, since the nut 40 of the terminal block 10A in this embodiment is a cap nut, the following problems caused by the metal powder described above do not occur. That is, if the nut 40 is a normal nut with a through-hole, metal powder may be discharged downward from the nut and get stuck in the gap between the housing and the nut, for example, and may not be removable by cleaning. Subsequently, if the terminal block 10A is subjected to vibration, the metal powder may fall out of the gap, which can become a problem if the dustproofing of the motor drive circuit is incomplete. However, in this embodiment, such problems do not occur. Although the nut 41 on the rear terminal connection part 33 is not a cap nut, the nut 40 on the front terminal connection part 32 is located outside the case and exposed to the outside air, and is in the environment where semiconductors are mounted, so the scattering of metal powder can be a problem. In contrast, the nut 41 on the front and rear terminal connection parts 33 is located in the lubricating oil inside the case, so the scattering of metal powder does not occur.

[0045] Furthermore, since the aforementioned cap nut 40 has a structure with a hemispherical cap portion 40B, an arcuate surface 71R can be formed in the portion adjacent to the hemispherical cap portion 40B. As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the corners between the partition wall 71 and the surface from which it rises can be rounded, increasing the strength of the partition wall 71. This stabilizes the holding of the nut 40 that is press-fitted between the partition walls 71.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, in the terminal block 10A of this embodiment, the second crossing rib 26 of the second region R2 gradually becomes lower as it moves away from the main protruding wall 22X, so the second crossing rib 26 does not get in the way when placing terminal fittings on the front terminal connection portions 32 of the multiple busbars 30X.

[0047] Furthermore, the bent portions 31 and front terminal connection portions 32 of the multiple busbars 30X, which are insert components in the housing 20X, are covered with the resin that constitutes the main protruding wall 22X, thus ensuring stable fixing of the busbars 30X. When placing the terminal fitting on top of the front terminal connection portion 32, the direction in which the terminal fitting is moved is free, but with the above configuration of this embodiment, for example, the terminal fitting can be moved by sliding it smoothly from the second crossing rib 26 side, for example, from the upper surface of the main rib 22A to the upper surface of the front terminal connection portion 32.

[0048] Furthermore, in the collar 50, which is an insert part of the housing 20X, the butt joint portion 51 of the metal plate constituting the collar 50 is positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped resin wall 16, which has a relatively thinner resin wall thickness compared to other parts of the resin molded product. This prevents damage to the arc-shaped resin wall 16 due to stress concentration caused by the butt joint portion 51. Moreover, since the butt joint portion 51 of the collar 50 is positioned furthest from the multiple resin injection ports of the molding die, the resin flows smoothly around the collar 50, improving molding quality.

[0049] Figures 12 and 13 illustrate five modified examples of the second intersecting rib 26 of the terminal block 10A in the first embodiment. Modified example 1, shown in Figure 12A, differs from the structure of the first embodiment in that all inclined ribs 26A and 26B except for those at both ends in the first direction H1 are eliminated, and the orthogonal rib 26C is arranged on all extensions of the multiple partition ribs 27A.

[0050] Modification 2, shown in Figure 12B, is a structure in which, compared to the structure of Modification 1 (see Figure 12A), orthogonal ribs 26C are added on the extension of a pair of triangular ribs 27B, and a parallel rib 83 is added in the center between the main rib 22A and the outer edge rib 23, extending parallel to the outer edge rib 23 and connecting the inclined ribs 26A and 26B.

[0051] Modification 3, shown in Figure 13A, has a structure in which all of the multiple orthogonal ribs 26C are eliminated compared to the structure of the first embodiment.

[0052] Modification 4, shown in Figure 13B, has a structure in which the parallel ribs 83 described in Modification 2 above are added to the structure of Modification 3 (see Figure 13A).

[0053] Modified example 5, shown in Figure 13C, features a honeycomb structure of ribs in the area enclosed by the inclined ribs 26A and 26B at both ends of the first direction H1, the main rib 22A, and the outer edge rib 23. Specifically, the multiple second intersecting ribs 26 of Modified Example 5 include the inclined ribs 26A and 26B at both ends of the first direction H1 and the triangular rib 27D, as well as orthogonal ribs 26D located on two sides perpendicular to the main rib 22A among the six sides of the hexagon of the honeycomb structure, and inclined ribs 26E located on the remaining four sides. Note that while Figure 13C shows a honeycomb structure with multiple hexagons, it is not limited to this; for example, a honeycomb structure with squares or circles may also be used. In the case of circles, the ribs constituting the honeycomb structure may be curved ribs instead of orthogonal or inclined ribs.

[0054] [Second Embodiment] Figures 14 and 15 show the terminal block 10B of the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the base plate 11Y included in the housing 20Y of the terminal block 10B has a planar shape, for example, a trapezoid with one slanted side bent outward. And, similar to the terminal block 10A of the first embodiment, collars 50 are provided at the four corners of the base plate 11Y, and a packing 60 is attached to the back surface 11B of the base plate 11Y.

[0055] In this embodiment, the direction extending parallel to the pair of outer edges corresponding to the bottom and top edges of the trapezoidal shape of the base plate 11Y is referred to as the first direction H1, and the direction perpendicular to these pair of outer edges is referred to as the second direction H2. Additionally, in the second direction H2, the bottom edge side of the trapezoid (the upper side in Figure 14) is referred to as the "front side," and the opposite side as the "rear side." Furthermore, similar to the first embodiment, the thickness direction of the base plate 11Y is referred to as the "up and down direction," the surface 11A side of the base plate 11Y is referred to as the "upper side," and the back surface 11B side of the base plate 11Y is referred to as the "lower side."

[0056] As shown in Figure 14, the surface 11A of the base plate 11Y is provided with a main rib 22A that extends from approximately the center of the second direction H2 to the entire length of the first direction H1. Furthermore, a block portion 81 that extends in the first direction H1 and is higher than the main rib 22A is provided near the front end of the surface 11A of the base plate 11Y (see Figure 15). In addition, the block portion 81 and the longitudinal intermediate portion of the main rib 22A opposite it are connected by a thickened portion 80 that is the same height as the main rib 22A. The main projection wall 22Y is formed from the main rib 22A, the thickened portion 80, and the block portion 81, with the area in front of the main rib 22A being the first region R1 and the area behind it being the second region R2. Note that in the first region R1, the surface 11A of the base plate 11Y remains only slightly in front of the block portion 81 compared to the sides of the thickened portion 80 and the block portion 81.

[0057] The terminal block 10B of this embodiment has, for example, three busbars 30Y, and the front terminal connection portions 32 of these three busbars 30Y are arranged in a first direction H1 between a pair of mounting holes 15 (collars 50) and positioned on the upper surface of the block portion 81. The block portion 81 is a modified version of the block portion 22B of the first embodiment, with the length in the first direction H1 shortened to accommodate the three front terminal connection portions 32, and its basic structure is the same as that of the block portion 22B of the first embodiment.

[0058] In the first embodiment, the rear main projection wall 28 was provided directly below the block portion 22B (see Figure 5). However, as shown in Figure 15, in this embodiment, the rear main projection wall 28 is positioned directly below the end of the thickened portion 80 that is away from the block portion 81 and closer to the main rib 22A. Furthermore, the busbar 30Y has a structure in which the long side portion of the L-shaped busbar 30X of the first embodiment is bent in a crank shape, so that the portion of the busbar 30Y between the front terminal connection portion 32 and the rear terminal connection portion 33 is embedded within the block portion 81, the thickened portion 80, and the rear main projection wall 28.

[0059] In this embodiment, the hemispherical socket portion 40B of the nut 40 corresponding to the front terminal connection portion 32 is integrally attached to the nut body 40A rather than being welded, and the pilot hole for the screw hole 40H is drilled to a position midway through the hemispherical socket portion 40B. The nut 41 of the rear terminal connection portion 33 is assembled to the side of the rear terminal connection portion 33 that faces away from the front terminal connection portion 32.

[0060] As shown in Figure 14, the multiple first intersecting ribs 25 of the first region R1 consist of multiple partition ribs 27A and multiple triangular ribs 27B, similar to those in the first embodiment, and side ribs 27E extending along both side edges of the first region R1. Also, as shown in Figure 15, multiple trapezoidal ribs 82 protrude from the upper surface of the thickened portion 80, parallel to the second direction H2, and are connected to the block portion 81. The upper surfaces of the trapezoidal ribs 82 are flush with the upper surface of the block portion 81. Some of the multiple trapezoidal ribs 82 extend along the outer edges of both ends of the thickened portion 80 in the first direction H1 and are arranged in the same plane as a pair of triangular ribs 27B. As shown in Figure 14, the remaining trapezoidal ribs 82 are positioned on the extension of the upper surface of the thickened portion 80 that extends in the second direction H2 between each section rib 27A and the front terminal connection portions 32 on both sides thereof, with one pair of trapezoidal ribs 82 corresponding to each section rib 27A positioned next to each other. The rear end of the section rib 27A is located on the front end of the thickened portion 80 and is integrated with the front end of the pair of trapezoidal ribs 82.

[0061] The second region R2 is provided with an outer edge rib 23 similar to that of the first embodiment, and a parallel rib 83 positioned in the center between the outer edge rib 23 and the main protruding wall 22Y, extending parallel to the outer edge rib 23 throughout the entire second region R2. Multiple second intersecting ribs 26 connect the main protruding wall 22Y and the parallel rib 83, and the parallel rib 83 and the outer edge rib 23. The multiple second intersecting ribs 26 include inclined ribs 26A, 26B and orthogonal ribs 26C, similar to that of the first embodiment, as well as a pair of side ribs 27F extending along the side edges at both ends of the first direction H1 of the second region R2. Furthermore, the orthogonal rib 26C intersects the parallel rib 83 in a cross shape at three locations, and at two of these intersections other than the center, the inclined ribs 26A and 26B intersect with each other. In addition, a recess 27G is formed in the center of these two intersections other than the center, taking into consideration sink marks during resin molding.

[0062] Except for the configuration described above, the structure is the same as that of the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used for the same structural components as in the first embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted. The terminal block 10B of this embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment, in addition to the following effects. In this embodiment, multiple front-side terminal connection parts 32 are arranged between a pair of mounting holes 15 (a pair of collars 50) for fixing to the support wall 90 (see Figure 1) of the base plate 11Y, so the load received when attaching terminal fittings to the front-side terminal connection parts 32 is received by bolts passed through the pair of mounting holes 15, preventing deformation of the base plate 11Y. In addition, since the portion of the bus bar 30Y that is embedded in the housing 20Y is bent in a crank shape, the retention of the bus bar 30Y with respect to the resin of the housing 20Y is stable.

[0063] [Other embodiments] In the first and second embodiments described above, terminal blocks 10A and 10B in which a nut 40 is press-fitted into a nut receiving portion 22C from a direction parallel to the surface 11A of the base plates 11X and 11Y were shown to have characteristic structures such as the nut 40 being a cap nut or having an arcuate surface 71R. However, the above characteristic structures may also be applied to terminal blocks in which the nut 40 is press-fitted into a nut receiving portion 22C from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the base plate. Hereinafter, an example of such a terminal block 10C will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 20. In the following description, the upper side in Figure 16 will be referred to as the "upper side" of terminal block 10C, and the lower side in Figure 16 will be referred to as the "lower side" of terminal block 10C.

[0064] As shown in Figure 16, the housing 20Z of the terminal block 10C includes a mating portion 101 with a flat cross-sectional shape, for example, an oval, and a base plate 11Z is provided at the upper end of the mating portion 101. Furthermore, an annular groove 17M is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the mating portion 101, and a sealing member 60M is received therein.

[0065] As shown in Figure 17, the base plate 11Z has a shape that is, for example, an oval shape slightly larger than the flat cross-sectional shape of the fitting portion 101, with a pair of extensions extending from both ends. In addition, a collar 50 similar to that of the first embodiment is provided in the mounting hole 15 that penetrates the tips of the pair of extensions vertically.

[0066] The terminal block 10C is then fitted into an oval-shaped opening formed in a support wall 90 (not shown) with a mating portion 101, and the opening is sealed by a sealing member 60M. The terminal block 10C is also fixed to the support wall 90 by tightening bolts, which are passed through a pair of collars 50, into screw holes similar to those in the first embodiment, which are provided on both sides of the opening in the support wall 90.

[0067] The terminal block 10C of this embodiment has multiple (for example, three) busbars 30Z, as shown in Figure 18, with a structure in which a pair of through holes 34H are formed at both ends of a straight strip. The multiple busbars 30Z are arranged side by side in the same plane (see Figure 17) and penetrate vertically through the mating portion 101 and the base plate 11Z at a position closer to one end in the shorter direction. Furthermore, both ends of the multiple busbars 30Z protrude similarly from the upper surface of the base plate 11Z and the lower surface of the mating portion 101.

[0068] The housing 20Z includes a front nut retaining portion 100 that protrudes from the upper surface of the base plate 11Z and a rear nut retaining portion 102 that protrudes from the lower surface of the mating portion 101. Multiple front terminal connection portions 32, which are the upper exposed portions of multiple busbars 30Z, overlap one side of the front nut retaining portion 100, and multiple rear terminal connection portions 33, which are the lower exposed portions of multiple busbars 30Z, overlap one side of the rear nut retaining portion 102.

[0069] As shown in Figure 19, the front nut holding portion 100 is provided with a plurality (for example, three) of nut receiving portions 100C that open on the side and top surfaces. The nut receiving portions 100C are identical to the nut receiving portion 22C of the first embodiment, except that the side openings are covered by a plurality of front terminal connection portions 32 and the nut 40 is press-fitted through the top opening. The press-fitted nut 40 is also the same cap nut as in the first embodiment.

[0070] In the partition wall 71 between adjacent nut receiving portions 100C of the front nut holding portion 100, a weight-reducing portion 100G is formed to account for shrinkage during resin molding. The weight-reducing portion 100G is an opening on the upper surface of the front nut holding portion 100, extending from a position near one side to a position near the opposite side.

[0071] The front nut holding portion 100 is provided with multiple partition ribs 100L that separate adjacent front terminal connection portions 32. The partition ribs 100L protrude from one side of the front nut holding portion 100 and are connected to the base plate 11Z. The upper end of the partition ribs 100L is located slightly above the upper surface of the front nut holding portion 100 and overlaps with the opening edge of the weight-reducing portion 100G on the upper surface of the front nut holding portion 100.

[0072] As shown in Figure 20, the rear nut holding portion 102 is provided with a plurality (for example, three) of nut receiving portions 102C that open on the side and bottom. The side openings of the nut receiving portions 102C are covered by a plurality of rear terminal connection portions 33, and a nut 43 is press-fitted through the bottom opening. The nut 43 is not a cap nut, but rather has a structure in which, for example, its planar shape is a square, and a screw hole 43H passes through the center of the square. In other words, the nut 43 is structured by removing the hemispherical cap portion 40B from the aforementioned nut 40 (see Figure 19), leaving only the nut body 40A. In contrast, the nut receiving portion 102C is structured in which a pair of arcuate surfaces 71R are removed from a pair of side surfaces 71S of the aforementioned nut receiving portion 100C (see Figure 19), and the spacing between the side surfaces 71S in the area where the arcuate surfaces 71R were formed is narrowed in a stepped manner, resulting in a structure with a pair of stepped portions 71D. Then, a nut 43 is press-fitted between one pair of stepped portions 71D of the nut receiving portion 102C and the rear terminal connection portion 33.

[0073] The rear nut holding portion 102 is also provided with multiple partition ribs 102L that separate adjacent front terminal connection portions 33. The partition ribs 102L protrude from one side of the rear nut holding portion 102, are connected to the base plate 11Z, and extend downward from the lower surface of the rear nut holding portion 102. In addition, multiple protruding walls 102M, which are thicker than the partition ribs 102L, hang down from between the nut receiving portions 102C on the lower surface of the rear nut holding portion 102, and are integrated with the partition ribs 102L.

[0074] In the terminal block 10C described above, the upper surface of the base plate 11Z may be provided with a main rib 22A similar to that in the first and second embodiments, and a plurality of intersecting ribs may be provided on the opposite side of the front nut holding portion 100, with the main rib 22A in between, intersecting with the main rib 22A. <Note> The following describes the features extracted from the above embodiment, explaining their effects and other aspects as needed. For ease of understanding, corresponding configurations in the above embodiment will be indicated in parentheses as appropriate, but these features are not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0075] [Feature 1] A housing (20X, 20Y) is an insert molded product containing multiple busbars (30X, 30Y); a base plate (11X, 11Y) is provided on the housing (20X, 20Y) and through which the multiple busbars (30X, 30Y) pass; a bent portion (31) is formed near one end of the multiple busbars (30X, 30Y) and is located on the front side of the base plate (11X, 11Y); and the multiple busbars (30X, 30Y) are provided on one end of the busbars (30X, 30Y) from the bent portion (31) and are arranged in a single row in the same plane. A terminal block (10A, 10B) comprising a plurality of front terminal connection portions (32) arranged in a line and facing the outer surface of the housing (20X, 20Y) with a nut receiving space (22K) in between, each having a through hole (32H), wherein the back surface (11B) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) is superimposed and fixed to the opening edge of a support wall (90) having an opening (91), wherein the back surface (11A) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) protrudes from the surface (11A) of the base plate (11X, 11Y), and the base plate ( A main projection wall (22X, 22Y) extends over substantially the entire surface (11X, 11Y) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) and divides the surface (11A) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) into a first region (R1) and a second region (R2) on the opposite side; a plurality of first intersecting ribs (25) protrude from the first region (R1) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) and intersect with the main projection wall (22X, 22Y); a plurality of second intersecting ribs (25) protrude from the second region (R2) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) and intersect with the main projection wall (22X, 22Y) A terminal block (10A, 10B) comprising: two intersecting ribs (26); a plurality of partition walls (71) arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of front terminal connection portions (32) and dividing the nut receiving space (22K) for each of the front terminal connection portions (32); and a plurality of nuts (40) that are press-fitted between adjacent partition walls (71) and superimposed on the back surface (11B) of the plurality of front terminal connection portions (32), wherein the housing (20X, 20Y) does not have walls facing the main protruding walls (22X, 22Y) on either side of the nut receiving space (22K).

[0076] In the terminal block of Feature 1, the back surface of the housing's base plate is superimposed on the support wall, closing the opening in the support wall. Here, the housing is provided with a main projection wall that protrudes from the surface of the base plate and extends over substantially the entire surface of the base plate in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple front-side terminal connection parts (hereinafter referred to as the "first direction" as appropriate). This main projection wall increases the bending strength of the base plate in the first direction. In addition, the first and second regions on both sides of the main projection wall of the base plate's surface are provided with multiple first crossing ribs and multiple second crossing ribs that intersect with the main projection wall, thus increasing the bending strength of the base plate in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction as well. In other words, in the terminal block of Feature 1, the two-dimensional bending strength of the base plate is increased and the opening in the support wall can be reliably closed without the need for a cylindrical wall rising from the base plate as in conventional terminal blocks. Furthermore, since the housing does not have a wall facing the main projection wall across the nut receiving space, the nuts can be press-fitted between adjacent partition walls after the housing has been formed. As a result, the terminal block of Feature 1 no longer requires the housing to be molded in two stages, as with conventional terminal blocks, thus reducing manufacturing costs compared to conventional designs.

[0077] [Feature 2] The aforementioned nut (40) is a cap nut (40) as described in Feature 1 of the terminal block (10A, 10B).

[0078] When terminal fittings are placed on the front terminal connection section and bolts are threaded through them and screwed into nuts, metal powder generated by the screwing process may be discharged from the nuts. In contrast, in the terminal block of Feature 2, the nuts are cap nuts, which prevents metal powder from being discharged from the nuts.

[0079] [Feature 3] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to feature 2, wherein the cap nut (40) is provided with a hemispherical cap portion (40B), and an arcuate surface (71R) is formed on the outer surface of the housing (20X, 20Y) that is opposite to the hemispherical cap portion (40B) and continuous with the side surface (71S) of the partition wall (71).

[0080] According to Feature 3, the cap nut has a structure with a hemispherical cap portion. Furthermore, because an arcuate surface is provided opposite the hemispherical cap portion and continuous with the side surface of the partition wall, the corners between the partition wall and the surface on which it rises are rounded, increasing the strength of the partition wall.

[0081] [Feature 4] A terminal block (10A, 10B) according to any one of the features 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of busbars (30X, 30Y) penetrate the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) in the height direction, and the tip surfaces of the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) are arranged to intersect with the outer curved surface of the bent portion (31) in the plurality of busbars (30X, 30Y).

[0082] According to Feature 4, the resin constituting the main protrusion covers the bent portion of the busbar, ensuring stable fixation of the busbar. Furthermore, if there are no obstructing walls around the front terminal connection portion of the busbar, the terminal fitting placed on the tip surface of the main protrusion can be smoothly slid from the bent portion of the busbar onto the front terminal connection portion. This makes it easier to attach the terminal fitting to the terminal block.

[0083] [Feature 5] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to feature 4, wherein both ends of the bent portion (31) in the width direction are provided with a pair of inclined surfaces (31S) that are inclined to move away from each other as they move from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the bent portion (31), and at least a portion of the pair of inclined surfaces (31S) is embedded in the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y).

[0084] According to Feature 5, at least a portion of the pair of inclined surfaces is embedded within the main protrusion, which prevents the busbar from coming loose from the main protrusion and stabilizes the busbar's hold by the main protrusion.

[0085] [Feature 6] Terminal block (10A, 10B) according to any one of features 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of second intersecting ribs (26) have a connection portion with the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) that is approximately the same height as the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y), and the height gradually decreases as they move away from the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y).

[0086] According to Feature 6, the second crossing rib does not get in the way when placing terminal fittings on top of multiple front-side terminal connection points.

[0087] [Feature 7] A terminal block (10A, 10B) according to any one of features 1 to 6, comprising an outer edge rib (23) that rises from the outer edge of the second region (R2) of the base plate (11X, 11Y) and extends parallel to the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y), wherein the plurality of second intersecting ribs (26) connect the outer edge rib (23) and the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y).

[0088] [Feature 8] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to feature 7, wherein the plurality of second intersecting ribs (26) include a plurality of orthogonal ribs (26C) perpendicular to the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) and the outer edge rib (23), and a plurality of inclined ribs (26A, 26B) that extend inclined with respect to the opposing direction of the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) and the outer edge rib (23) and intersect with each other.

[0089] [Feature 9] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to any one of features 1 to 8, wherein the back side of the base plate (11X, 11Y) is provided with a back main protruding wall (28) positioned directly behind the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) and extending in the direction of the alignment of the plurality of front terminal connection portions (32), and a back crossing rib (29) positioned in the same plane as the plurality of first crossing ribs (25) and intersecting the back main protruding wall (28), and the plurality of bus bars (30X, 30Y) penetrate the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y) and the back main protruding wall (28).

[0090] According to Feature 9, the main protruding wall and the rear main protruding wall, as well as the multiple first intersecting ribs and the rear intersecting ribs, are connected via the base plate, thereby increasing the overall strength of the terminal block.

[0091] [Feature 10] A terminal block (10A, 10B) according to any one of features 1 to 9, comprising: a plurality of mounting holes (15) that penetrate the outer edge of the base plate (11X, 11Y) and through which fastening members for fixing the base plate (11X, 11Y) to the support wall (90) are passed; a plurality of collars (50) that are insert parts for the housing (20X, 20Y), which are made by winding a metal plate into a cylindrical shape and are fixed inside the plurality of mounting holes (15); and a plurality of arc-shaped resin walls (16) provided on the base plate (11X, 11Y) that overlap a part of the outer surface of the plurality of collars (50), wherein the abutting portions (51) of the ends of the metal plates of the plurality of collars (50) are positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped resin walls (16).

[0092] In the insert component, the abutting joint between the ends of the metal plates in the collar can cause stress concentration in the resin portion surrounding the collar. In Feature 10, the abutting joint between the ends of the metal plates in the collar is positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped resin wall of the resin molded product, where the resin thickness is relatively thinner compared to other parts, thus preventing damage to the arc-shaped resin wall.

[0093] [Feature 11] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to feature 10, wherein injection port opposing portions (16A) are arranged on the outer surface of the plurality of arc-shaped resin walls (16) and face a plurality of resin injection ports of a molding die for molding the housing (20X, 20Y), and the abutting portions (51) of each collar (50) are arranged on the opposite side of the injection port opposing portions (16A) with the center of each collar (50) in between.

[0094] In Feature 11, the butt joints between the ends of the metal plates in the collar are positioned away from the multiple resin injection ports of the molding die, allowing the resin to flow smoothly around the collar and improving molding quality.

[0095] [Feature 12] A terminal block (10A, 10B, 10C) comprising: a housing (20X, 20Y, 20Z) which is an insert molded product containing a plurality of busbars (30X, 30Y, 30Z); a plurality of front terminal connection portions (32) provided on one end of the plurality of busbars (30X, 30Y, 30Z) and exposed from the housing (20X, 20Y, 20Z), each having a through hole (32H); a plurality of cap nuts (40) arranged to overlap one side of the front and back surfaces of the plurality of front terminal connection portions (32); and a plurality of partition walls (71) provided on the housing (20X, 20Y, 20Z) that face each other with the portion where the cap nuts (40) are placed in between, and into which the nuts (40) are press-fitted.

[0096] According to Feature 12, it produces the same effect as Feature 2 above.

[0097] [Feature 13] The terminal block (10A, 10B, 10C) according to feature 12, wherein the cap nut (40) has a structure in which a hemispherical cap portion (40B) is provided on one end face of the nut (40) body, and an arcuate surface (71R) is formed on the outer surface of the housing (20X, 20Y, 20Z) in the portion facing the press-fitted cap nut (40), facing the hemispherical cap portion (40B) and continuous with the side surface (71S) of the partition wall (71).

[0098] According to Feature 13, it produces the same effect as Feature 3 above.

[0099] [Feature 14] A housing (20X, 20Y) is an insert molded product containing multiple busbars (30X, 30Y), a bent portion (31) is formed near one end of the multiple busbars (30X, 30Y), and multiple front terminal connection portions are provided on one end of the multiple busbars (30X, 30Y) from the bent portion (31), exposed from the housing (20X, 20Y), arranged in a line in the same plane, and each having a through hole (32H). A terminal block (10A, 10B) comprising (32) and a main projection wall (22X, 22Y) provided in the housing (20X, 20Y), through which the other end portion of the plurality of bus bars (30X, 30Y) penetrates from the bent portion (31), wherein the tip surface of the main projection wall (22X, 22Y) is arranged to intersect with the outer curved surface of the bent portion (31) of the plurality of bus bars (30X, 30Y).

[0100] According to Feature 14, it produces the same effect as Feature 4 above.

[0101] [Feature 15] The terminal block (10A, 10B) according to feature 14, wherein both ends of the bent portion (31) in the width direction are provided with a pair of inclined surfaces (31S) that are inclined to move away from each other as they move from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the bent portion (31), and at least a portion of the pair of inclined surfaces (31S) is embedded in the main protruding wall (22X, 22Y).

[0102] According to Feature 15, it produces the same effect as Feature 5 above.

[0103] [Feature 16] A resin molded product (20A, 20B) which is an insert molded product having a plurality of collars (50) made by winding a metal plate into a cylindrical shape inside a plurality of mounting holes (15), wherein the plurality of mounting holes (15) are arranged on the outer edge of the resin molded product (20A, 20B) and a plurality of arc-shaped resin walls (16) are provided that overlap a part of the outer surface of the plurality of collars (50), and the abutting portions (51) of the ends of the metal plates of the plurality of collars (50) are positioned so as not to overlap with the arc-shaped resin walls (16).

[0104] According to Feature 16, it produces the same effect as Feature 10 above.

[0105] [Feature 17] The resin molded products (20A, 20B) according to feature 16, wherein injection port opposing portions (16A) are arranged on the outer surface of the plurality of arc-shaped resin walls (16) and face a plurality of resin injection ports of a molding die for molding the resin molded products (20A, 20B), and the abutting portions (51) of each collar (50) are arranged on the opposite side of the injection port opposing portions (16A) with the center of each collar (50) in between.

[0106] According to Feature 17, it produces the same effect as Feature 11 above.

[0107] While this specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but also includes various modifications and changes to these examples, as well as parts of the examples taken individually. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0108] 10A,10B terminal block 11A surface 11B Back side 11X, 11Y base plate 20X, 20Y Housing 22K Nut Receiving Space 22X, 22Y Main wall 23 Outer edge rib 25. First intersecting rib 26. Second intersecting rib 26A, 26B, 26E Inclined Ribs 26C, 26D orthogonal ribs 28 Main pier on the back side 29 Reverse side crossing ribs 30X, 30Y Busbar 31. Bending section 31S Slope 32 Front terminal connection section 32H through hole 40 nuts 40B Hemispherical bag part 71 Partition wall 71S side view 71R arc surface 90 Supporting wall 91 Opening R1 1st area R2 2nd area

Claims

1. A housing which is an insert molded product containing multiple busbars, A base plate provided in the housing, through which the plurality of busbars pass, A bent portion is formed near one end of the plurality of busbars and is positioned on the front side of the base plate, A terminal block comprising: a plurality of front-side terminal connection portions provided at one end of the plurality of busbars from the bent portion, arranged in a line in the same plane and facing the outer surface of the housing with a nut receiving space in between, each having a through hole, wherein the back surface of the base plate is superimposed on the opening edge of a support wall having an opening and fixed, A main projection extends from the surface of the base plate, extends substantially over the entire base plate in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of front-side terminal connection portions, and divides the surface of the base plate into a first region and a second region on the opposite side, A plurality of first intersecting ribs protrude from the first region of the base plate and intersect with the main protruding wall, A plurality of second intersecting ribs protrude from the second region of the base plate and intersect with the main protruding wall, Multiple partition walls are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple front terminal connection portions, and divide the nut receiving space for each of the front terminal connection portions, It comprises a plurality of nuts that are press-fitted between adjacent partition walls and superimposed on the back surfaces of the plurality of front terminal connection portions, A terminal block in which the housing does not have a wall facing the main protruding wall across the nut receiving space.

2. The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the nut is a cap nut.

3. The terminal block according to claim 2, wherein the cap nut comprises a hemispherical cap portion, and an arcuate surface is formed on the outer surface of the housing that faces the hemispherical cap portion and is continuous with the side surface of the partition wall.

4. The aforementioned multiple busbars penetrate the main protruding wall in the height direction, The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the tip surface of the main protrusion is arranged to intersect with the outer curved surface of the bent portion in the plurality of busbars.

5. The terminal block according to claim 4, wherein both ends of the bent portion in the width direction are provided with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined to move away from each other as they move from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the bent portion, and at least a portion of the pair of inclined surfaces is embedded in the main protruding wall.

6. The terminal block according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of second intersecting ribs have a connection portion with the main protruding wall that is at approximately the same height as the main protruding wall, and gradually become lower as they move away from the main protruding wall.

7. The base plate is provided with an outer edge rib that rises from the outer edge of the second region and extends parallel to the main protruding wall, The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second intersecting ribs connect the outer edge rib and the main protruding wall.

8. The plurality of second intersecting ribs include: Multiple orthogonal ribs perpendicular to the main protruding wall and the outer edge rib, The terminal block according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of inclined ribs that extend inclined with respect to the opposing direction between the main protruding wall and the outer edge rib, and intersect with each other.

9. On the back side of the aforementioned base plate, A rear main protrusion is positioned directly behind the main protrusion and extends in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple front terminal connection portions, The device is provided with rear crossing ribs arranged in the same plane as the plurality of first crossing ribs and intersecting the rear main projection wall, The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of busbars penetrate the main protruding wall and the rear main protruding wall.

Citation Information

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