Terminal with coil spring

Abstract

To increase a contact area that functions as a contact point of a coil spring.SOLUTION: A plurality of vertical grooves 12 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction along the fitting direction of a male terminal on the inner peripheral wall of a fitting hole of a terminal body into which the male terminal is fitted, and a coil spring 20 which serves as a contact point for electrical connection with the male terminal when the male terminal is fitted along the axial direction is fitted into each of the vertical grooves 12 along the vertical groove 12 with the contact point exposed from the vertical groove 12 to prevent it from coming out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal with a coil spring provided with a coil spring as a contact member, which is used for a high-voltage connector such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, for example.

Background Art

[0002] FIG. 6 shows a conventional example of a female terminal with a coil spring described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. 6, this female terminal 101 with a coil spring has a cylindrical terminal body 110, a coil spring 120 as a contact member, and a ring-shaped cap 130.

[0003] In the terminal body 110, a fitting hole 111 into which a columnar male terminal is fitted from the front-end opening is formed along the axial direction (the fitting direction of the male terminal = the direction of arrow L). The cap 130 is fitted and fixed to the front end of the fitting hole 111 of the terminal body 110. An annular step portion 112a is formed on the inner peripheral wall near the front end of the fitting hole 111, and a coil spring 120 formed in an annular shape is fitted into a groove-shaped annular space 112 secured between the cap 130 and the step portion 112a.

[0004] The cap 130 is fitted and fixed to the front-end opening of the fitting hole 111 after the coil spring 120 is fitted into the annular step portion 112a, and this cap 130 prevents the coil spring 120 from falling off. The inner peripheral portion of the coil spring 120 is exposed from the groove-shaped annular space 112, and this exposed portion functions as a contact. When the female terminal 101 and the male terminal are fitted, the coil spring 120 comes into pressing contact with the male terminal by its own elastic repulsive force to establish conduction between both terminals.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] Incidentally, in the conventional female terminal 101 with a coil spring shown in Figure 6, the coil spring 120 is fitted into the inner circumference of the fitting hole 111 of the terminal body 110 in a ring-shaped state. Therefore, although there are continuous contacts in the circumferential direction, there is only one contact in the axial direction. As a result, there is a limit to how much the contact area of ​​the contact member can be increased, which leads to problems such as temperature rise when connecting large currents between terminals.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a terminal with a coil spring that can increase the contact area that functions as a contact point for the coil spring. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the terminal with a coil spring according to the present invention is characterized by the following:

[0009] It has a cylindrical terminal body with a fitting hole aligned in the axial direction into which the male terminal is fitted, Multiple longitudinal grooves are formed on the inner circumferential wall of the fitting hole, at intervals in the circumferential direction, along the fitting direction of the male terminal. A coil spring, which serves as a contact point for electrical communication with the male terminal when the male terminal is fitted along the axial direction, is fitted into each of the aforementioned vertical grooves with the contact portion exposed from the vertical groove and secured in place. Occasionally, The longitudinal groove is formed as a rectangular groove with the same cross-section from the end face to the inner end of the terminal body. Terminal with coil spring. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, since the coil springs fitted into each longitudinal groove function as contact members, contacts exist in both the circumferential and axial directions, which increases the contact area and reduces the risk of poor contact with the male terminal.

[0011] The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by referring to the attached drawings and reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a female terminal with a coil spring according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the vertical groove on the terminal body and the coil spring of the terminal. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the terminal body, coil spring, and cap. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a front view of the female terminal with the coil spring. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a conventional female terminal with a coil spring. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures.

[0014] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a female terminal with a coil spring according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the vertical groove of the terminal body and the coil spring; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the terminal body, the coil spring and the cap; Figure 4 is a front view of the female terminal with a coil spring; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow AA in Figure 4.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the female terminal 1 with a coil spring of the present embodiment has a cylindrical terminal body 10, a coil spring 20 formed by spirally winding a wire rod, and a cap 30 fitted and fixed to the front end of the terminal body 10. The terminal body 10, the coil spring 20, and the cap 30 are formed of a metal material having good electrical conductivity.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the terminal body 10 has a fitting hole 11 with a circular cross-section formed along the axial direction (connector fitting direction = arrow L direction). A male terminal in the shape of a cylindrical rod not shown is fitted into the fitting hole 11 of the terminal body 10 by moving along the axial direction.

[0017] On the inner peripheral wall of the fitting hole 11 of the terminal body 10, a plurality (four in the present embodiment) of straight vertical grooves 12 parallel to the fitting direction of the male terminal are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. And in each of these vertical grooves 12, a coil spring 20 that becomes a conduction contact point with respect to the male terminal when the male terminal is fitted along the axial direction is fitted along the vertical groove 12 with the contact part exposed from the vertical groove 12.

[0018] Each vertical groove 12 is formed as a rectangular groove with the same cross-section from the end face to the inner end of the terminal body 10, and the depth of the groove is formed to a dimension such that one side portion of the accommodated coil spring 20 is exposed as a contact portion. The coil spring 20 is inserted into these vertical grooves 12 along the axial direction.

[0019] Also, a ring-shaped cap 30 for preventing the coil spring 20 from coming off is fitted and fixed to the front end portion of the terminal body 10. The ring-shaped cap 30 is fitted and fixed to the annular step portion 15 at the front end of the terminal body 10, and the inner diameter portion 31 of the cap 30 is set to the same dimension as the fitting hole 11 of the terminal body 10.

[0020] With the female terminal 1 with a coil spring configured in this way, the exposed portion of the coil spring 20 fitted into each vertical groove 12 exists as multiple contacts in the circumferential direction, as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, it exists as a continuous contact in the axial direction (arrow LX). Therefore, the contact area can be increased, and the risk of poor contact with the male terminal when a large current is flowing can be reduced.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc., as appropriate. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited, as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0022] Here, the coil spring terminals according to the embodiments of the present invention described above are briefly listed below in [1] and [2]. [1] Having a cylindrical terminal body (10) with a fitting hole (11) aligned in the axial direction into which a male terminal is fitted, Multiple vertical grooves (12) are formed on the inner circumferential wall of the fitting hole (11) at intervals in the circumferential direction, along with the fitting direction of the male terminal. A coil spring (20) is fitted into each of the aforementioned vertical grooves (12) in such a way that it is not removed, with the contact portion of the coil spring (20) exposed from the vertical groove (12) when the male terminal is fitted along the axial direction. Terminal with coil spring (1).

[0023] According to the configuration described in [1] above, the contacts of the coil springs (20) fitted into each vertical groove (12) are present in both the circumferential and axial directions, thereby increasing the contact area and reducing the risk of poor contact with the male terminal, thereby improving connection reliability.

[0024] [2] A ring-shaped cap (30) is fitted and fixed to the end of the terminal body (10) to prevent the coil spring (20) from coming out. The terminal with a coil spring (1) as described in [1] above.

[0025] According to the configuration described in [2] above, the coil spring 20 can be reliably prevented from coming off by attaching the cap (30). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0026] 1 Female terminal with coil spring 10 Terminal body 11 Fitting holes 12 vertical grooves 15 Annular step section 20 Coil Springs 30 caps 31 Inner diameter

Claims

1. It has a cylindrical terminal body with a fitting hole aligned in the axial direction into which the male terminal is fitted, Multiple longitudinal grooves are formed on the inner circumferential wall of the fitting hole, at intervals in the circumferential direction, along the fitting direction of the male terminal. A coil spring, which serves as a contact point for electrical communication with the male terminal when the male terminal is fitted along the axial direction, is fitted into each of the aforementioned vertical grooves with the contact portion exposed from the vertical groove and secured to prevent it from coming loose. The longitudinal groove is formed as a rectangular groove with the same cross-section from the end face to the inner end of the terminal body. Terminal with coil spring.

2. A ring-shaped cap is fitted and fixed to the end of the terminal body to prevent the coil spring from coming out. Terminal with coil spring as described in claim 1.

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