Terminals, wires with terminals

Abstract

To provide a terminal which enables a core wire of a coated electric wire to be satisfactorily welded, and an electric wire with a terminal, to which the terminal is connected.SOLUTION: An electric wire 1 with a terminal comprises a coated electric wire 2 and a terminal 3 which is connected to a terminal of the coated electric wire 2. The terminal 3 includes a fitting portion 31 which is fitted with a mating terminal, and an electric wire connection portion 33. The electric wire connection portion 33 includes: a bottom plate 34 on which a portion where a cover 22 is provided, in the coated electric wire 2 is mounted; a core wire connection portion 36 where an exposed core wire 21 of the coated electric wire 2 is placed and welded; and a pair of side plates 35 where the core wire connection portion 36 is positioned between the side plates 35. The core wire connection portion 36 is formed by upwardly embossing a portion between two slits, which are formed on the bottom plate 34, and positioned higher than the bottom plate 34. Two grooves 38 are formed in the core wire connection portion 36, and a part of the melt and solidified core wire 21 is present in the grooves 38.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal connected to a coated electric wire and a coated electric wire with a terminal to which the terminal is connected.

Background Art

[0002] As a terminal connected to a coated electric wire, for example, a terminal 303 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is known (see Patent Document 1). This terminal 303 is obtained by subjecting a metal plate to pressing or the like, and includes a fitting portion 331 that fits with a mating terminal (not shown), a core wire clamping portion 333 that clamps the exposed core wire 21 of the coated electric wire 2, and a coating clamping portion 337 that clamps the portion of the coated electric wire 2 where the coating 22 is provided.

[0003] The core wire clamping portion 333 includes a front portion of the bottom plate (a name when the fitting portion 331 side is the front and the coating clamping portion 337 side is the rear) 334 and a pair of core wire clamping pieces 335 erected from both side edges of the front portion of the bottom plate 334. Serrations 332 are formed on the clamping pieces 335.

[0004] The coating clamping portion 337 includes a rear portion of the bottom plate 338 and a pair of coating clamping pieces 339 erected from both side edges of the rear portion of the bottom plate 338. The rear portion of the bottom plate 338 is continuous flush with the front portion of the bottom plate 334.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The inventors of this application have investigated a terminal connection structure in which, instead of crimping the core wire 21 of the insulated wire 2 with a pair of core wire crimping pieces 335 using the terminal 303 described above, the core wire 21 is welded to the front part 334 of the bottom plate.

[0007] However, as shown in Figure 7, when the insulated wire 2 is set in the terminal 303, a gap g1 equal to the thickness of the insulation 22 is created between the core wire 21 and the front part of the bottom plate 334. When these are welded, it is found that proper contact between the core wire 21 and the front part of the bottom plate 334 cannot be ensured, making welding defects likely.

[0008] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, even when the core wire 21 is bent so that it is in contact with the front part 334 of the base plate, gaps g2 and g3 still appear in places, making it impossible to control the amount of gaps and resulting in poor reproducibility.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a terminal that can properly weld the core wire of an insulated electric wire, and an electric wire with the terminal to which the terminal is connected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The terminal of the present invention comprises a base plate on which the insulated portion of an insulated wire is placed, and a core wire connection portion located above the base plate on which the exposed core portion of the insulated wire is placed and welded, wherein a groove is formed in the core wire connection portion. Furthermore, the core wire connection portion is the part that protrudes upward between the two slits formed in the bottom plate. It is characterized by the following:

[0011] The wire with a terminal of the present invention comprises a coated wire having a core wire exposed portion and the terminal, characterized in that the core wire connection portion, including the inner surface of the groove, and the core wire exposed portion are welded together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the exposed core portion of the insulated wire can be brought into close contact with the core connection portion, thereby enabling good welding between them. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a wire with a terminal, in which the terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention is connected to an insulated wire. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view of a wire with terminals. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the terminals in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of a conventional terminal. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the terminal with an insulated wire set in place. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the core wire in a state where it has been bent so that it is in contact with the front part of the terminal's bottom plate. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] A "terminal" and a "wire with terminal" according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0015] The wire with terminals 1 shown in Figures 1-3 comprises an insulated wire 2 and a terminal 3 connected to the end of the insulated wire 2.

[0016] The insulated wire 2 consists of a core wire 21 made up of multiple conductive strands and an insulating coating 22 covering the outer circumference of the core wire 21. The insulated wire 2 is a round wire with a circular cross-section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. At the end of the insulated wire 2, a portion of the coating 22 is cut away, exposing the core wire 21 (this portion corresponds to the "exposed core wire portion").

[0017] Terminal 3 is obtained by subjecting a metal plate to pressing or the like. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, terminal 3 includes a fitting portion 31 that fits with a mating terminal (not shown) and a wire connection portion 33 that is electrically connected to the exposed core wire 21 (core wire exposed portion) of the coated wire 2. Thus, terminal 3 is not provided with a coating clamping portion for clamping the portion of the coated wire 2 where the coating 22 is provided.

[0018] The fitting portion 31 is formed in a square tubular shape and receives a rod-shaped or plate-shaped mating terminal inside it.

[0019] The wire connection portion 33 includes a bottom plate 34 on which the portion of the coated wire 2 where the coating 22 is provided is placed, a core wire connection portion 36 on which the exposed core wire 21 of the coated wire 2 is placed and welded, and a pair of side plates 35.

[0020] The core wire connection portion 36 is a portion where the part between two parallel slits 37 formed in the bottom plate 34 protrudes upward and is formed by stamping. The surface of the core wire connection portion 36 on which the core wire 21 is placed is a flat surface parallel to the bottom plate 34, and it is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the terminal 3 when viewed from above. Two grooves 38 are formed in the core wire connection portion 36. Each groove 38 is recessed from the surface of the core wire connection portion 36 on which the core wire 21 is placed toward the bottom plate 34 side and extends in the short hand direction of the terminal 3.

[0021] The pair of side plates 35 stand upright upward from both side edges of the bottom plate 34, face each other, and position the core wire connection portion 36 between them. The terminal of the coated wire 2 is positioned between the pair of side plates 35. The portion of the coated wire 2 where the coating 22 is provided is placed on the bottom plate 34, and the exposed core wire 21 is placed on the core wire connection portion 36 and welded. Also, in the wire with terminal 1 of this example, the core wire 21 is laser welded to the core wire connection portion 36.

[0022] Reference numeral 4 in FIGS. 2 and 3 indicates the welded portion between the core wire connection portion 36 and the core wire 21. In this welded portion 4, the core wire connection portion 36 including the inner surface of the groove 38 and the core wire 21 are welded. Also, a part of the core wire 21 melted and solidified by laser welding exists in the groove 38.

[0023] In the above configuration of the wire with terminal 1, the core wire connection portion 36 is located above the base plate 34. Therefore, when the portion of the insulated wire 2 with its insulation 22 is placed on the base plate 34, the exposed core wire 21 is placed on the core wire connection portion 36 (the height of the core wire connection portion 36 is set to ensure this). As a result, the interface between the core wire 21 and the core wire connection portion 36 can be made to adhere tightly across the surface, enabling reproducible melting and joining during welding. In other words, by providing the core wire connection portion 36 on the terminal 3, the adhesion between the core wire 21 and the terminal 3 can be improved, thereby improving the welding quality.

[0024] Furthermore, in the above-described configuration of the terminal-equipped wire 1, a portion of the core wire 21 that liquefied during welding flows into the groove 38 of the core wire connection portion 36 and solidifies therein. By forming the groove 38 in the core wire connection portion 36 in this way, the contact area with the core wire 21 can be increased, and the strength of the welded portion 4 can be improved in the height direction and shear direction of the terminal-equipped wire 1. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the coating crimping portion that was provided in conventional products.

[0025] In the above-described embodiment, the core wire connection portion 36 was formed by the portion between the two slits 37 formed in the bottom plate 34 being pushed upward. However, the core wire connection portion may also protrude upward simply by a part of the bottom plate 34 being pushed upward without the formation of slits 37.

[0026] In the embodiment described above, the core wire connection portion 36 and the core wire 21 were welded by laser welding, but the core wire connection portion 36 and the core wire 21 may be welded by laser soldering.

[0027] The embodiments described above merely represent typical forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention. As long as such modifications still possess the configuration of the present invention, they are of course included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0028] 1. Wire with terminals 2. Insulated wire 3 terminals 21 core wires 22 Covering 31 Fitting part 33 Wire connection section 34 Bottom plate 35 Side panel 36 Core wire connection section 38 Groove

Claims

1. A base plate on which the portion of an insulated electric wire having its insulation is placed, It comprises a core wire connection portion located above the base plate, on which the exposed core wire portion of the insulated electric wire is placed and welded, A groove is formed in the core wire connection portion. The core wire connection portion is the part that protrudes upward between the two slits formed in the bottom plate. A terminal characterized by the following features.

2. The base plate is provided with a pair of side plates that are erected upward from both side edges, facing each other, and with the core wire connection portion positioned between them. The terminal according to feature 1.

3. A covered electric wire having an exposed core portion, and a terminal according to claim 1 or 2, The core wire connection portion, including the inner surface of the groove, and the core wire exposed portion are welded together. A wire with terminals characterized by the following features.

4. A portion of the molten and solidified core wire is present in the aforementioned groove. The wire with terminals as described in feature 3.

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