Terminal with protective cap

Abstract

Disclosed is a terminal with a protective cap capable of improving the ease of mounting a protective cap to a terminal.　A terminal 10 with a protective cap includes a terminal 12 having a connection section 16 protruding in a flat plate shape, and a protective cap 14 attached to the connection section 16. The connection section 16 of the terminal 12 has an end surface protrusion 28 provided on a protruding end surface 26 and a pair of side surface recesses 34 opening to a pair of side surfaces 30, 32. The protective cap 14 has an end surface cover section 52 covering the protruding end surface 26 of the connection section 16 and having an end surface recess 50 to which the end surface protrusion 28 is fitted, and a pair of side surface cover sections 56 provided with a pair of side surface protruding sections 54 that protrude in a cantilever shape from both ends of the end surface cover section 52, cover the pair of side surfaces 30, 32 of the connection section 16, and are fitted to the pair of side surface recesses 34. A guide section 64 indicating a center position of each side surface cover section 56 in the plate thickness direction of the connection section 16 is provided on the protruding end side of each side surface cover section 56.

Description

Terminal with a protective cap

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a terminal with a protective cap.

[0002] Conventionally, in high-voltage connectors used in, for example, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, it is necessary to have an electric shock prevention structure to prevent electric shock caused by an operator's finger or tool touching the terminal when handling the connector. For example, Patent Document 1 shows a terminal with a protective cap in which a protective cap covering the periphery of the tip portion of a connection portion having a connection portion protruding in a flat plate shape is attached. The protective cap integrally includes a tip covering portion covering the tip surface of the connection portion and a pair of side covering portions protruding from both end portions of the tip covering portion and covering both side surfaces of the connection portion. The tip covering portion of the protective cap is provided with an end face recess into which an end face convex portion provided on the tip surface of the connection portion is fitted. On the other hand, side face convex portions that are fitted into side face recesses opening on both side surfaces of the connection portion are provided at the protruding end portions of the pair of side covering portions. In the state where the protective cap is assembled to the connection portion of the terminal, the end face convex portion of the connection portion is fitted into the end face recess of the protective cap, and the side face convex portion of the protective cap is fitted into the side face recess of the connection portion, so that the protective cap is fixed to the connection portion.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-150213

[0004] However, in the terminal with a protective cap disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the connection portion of the terminal is flat plate-shaped and the plate thickness dimension is smaller than the plate width dimension, the plate thickness dimensions of the tip covering portion and the pair of side covering portions of the protective cap also become smaller. Assembling such a protective cap with a small plate thickness dimension to the tip portion of a connection portion with a small plate thickness dimension and performing the fitting of the end face convex portion and the end face recess and the fitting of the pair of side face convex portions and the side face recess without misalignment is a very difficult operation, and some measures to improve the assembling workability have been demanded.

[0005] Therefore, a terminal with a protective cap that can improve the assembling workability of the protective cap with respect to the terminal is disclosed.

[0006] The terminal with a protective cap of the present disclosure comprises a terminal having a flat, protruding connecting portion and a protective cap attached to the connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion of the terminal has an end face projection provided on the protruding end face and a pair of side recesses opening to a pair of side surfaces, and the protective cap comprises an end face covering portion having an end face recess that covers the protruding end face of the connecting portion and into which the end face projection fits, and a pair of side covering portions having a pair of side projections that protrude in a cantilever-like manner from both ends of the end face covering portion and cover a pair of side surfaces of the connecting portion and into the pair of side recesses, and a guide portion indicating the central position of each side covering portion in the thickness direction of the connecting portion is provided on the protruding end side of each side covering portion.

[0007] The terminal with protective cap of this disclosure improves the ease of assembly of the protective cap to the terminal.

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a terminal with a protective cap according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a plan view of the terminal with a protective cap shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 2. Figure 7 is a perspective view taken from the top side showing the terminal with the protective cap removed from the terminal shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a perspective view taken from the bottom side showing the terminal with the protective cap removed from the terminal shown in Figure 1. Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the terminal with the protective cap removed from the terminal shown in Figure 1, and corresponds to Figure 3.

[0009] <Description of Embodiments of the Disclosure> First, embodiments of the Disclosure will be listed and described. The terminal with a protective cap of the Disclosure comprises: (1) a terminal having a connecting portion that protrudes in a flat plate shape; and a protective cap attached to the connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion of the terminal has an end face projection provided on the protruding end face and a pair of side recesses that open to a pair of side surfaces; the protective cap comprises an end face covering portion that covers the protruding end face of the connecting portion and has an end face recess into which the end face projection fits; and a pair of side covering portions that protrude in a cantilever shape from both ends of the end face covering portion and have a pair of side projections that cover a pair of side surfaces of the connecting portion and fit into a pair of side recesses, wherein a guide portion is provided on the protruding end side of each side covering portion to indicate the central position of each side covering portion in the thickness direction of the connecting portion.

[0010] According to the protective cap terminal of this disclosure, guide portions are provided on the protruding ends of a pair of side coverings of the protective cap, indicating the central position of each side covering in the thickness direction of the connection portion. This allows the connection portion and the protective cap to be properly positioned in the thickness direction of the connection portion by using the guide portions provided on the protruding ends of the pair of side coverings that first come into contact with the connection portion as a guide when assembling a protective cap with a small thickness to the tip of a connection portion with a small thickness. Therefore, misalignment between the connection portion and the protective cap during subsequent fitting of the end face protrusion and end face recess and fitting of the pair of side protrusions and side recesses can be suppressed, and the assembly workability when assembling the protective cap to the connection portion can be improved.

[0011] (2) In the above (1), each side covering portion has a base end connected to the end covering portion, a side projection provided at the protruding end, and a connecting portion connecting the base end and the side projection, wherein the side projection is formed to protrude on both sides of the connecting portion in the plate thickness direction, the connecting portion extends in a V-shape from the base end and is connected to both protruding ends of the side projection, and the guide portion is configured to include the V-shaped connecting portion.

[0012] Each side covering portion, which cantilever-like protrusion from the end face covering portion of the protective cap, is provided with a connecting portion at its protruding end. This connecting portion extends from a base end connected to the end face covering portion, widening in a V-shape, and is connected to the protruding ends of side convex portions that extend outwards on both sides in the thickness direction of the connecting portion. Therefore, the base of the V-shaped connecting portion can function as a guide to indicate the central position of each side covering portion in the thickness direction of the connecting portion, allowing for advantageous positioning of the protective cap and the connecting portion during assembly. Furthermore, since the side convex portions extend outwards on both sides in the thickness direction of the connecting portion, the base of the connecting portion, which forms the vertex of a triangle in side view formed by the side convex portion and the V-shaped connecting portion, can be visually advantageously used as a guide, further improving assembly workability.

[0013] Furthermore, since the pair of side covering portions of the protective cap have side protrusions that extend from the base end through a V-shaped connecting portion to both sides in the thickness direction of the connection portion, even when a large rotational moment is applied to the terminal connection portion in the thickness direction, the deformation of the pair of side covering portions is suppressed, thereby preventing the protective cap from detaching from the terminal portion.

[0014] (3) In the above (2), it is preferable that the connecting portion of the terminal has side engagement projections protruding from each of the pair of side surfaces, the side engagement projections are positioned on the protruding end face side of the pair of side recesses, and each of the side covering portions, which is elastically deformed by each of the side projections contacting each of the side engagement projections, elastically returns to its original state by overcoming the side engagement projections, so that each of the side projections of each of the side covering portions fits into each of the side recesses of the connecting portion, and each of the side engagement projections of the connecting portion is inserted into the through hole partitioned by the V-shaped connecting portion of each of the side covering portions.

[0015] By cleverly utilizing the V-shaped connecting portions provided on a pair of side coverings as through holes, a structure can be constructed in which the side engaging protrusions protruding from a pair of sides of the terminal connection portion engage with the through holes in the connecting portions of the elastically returned side coverings. This allows for more advantageous control of the displacement of the protective cap in response to the rotational displacement of the terminal connection portion with fewer parts, and further enhances the effect of suppressing the detachment of the protective cap from the terminal portion.

[0016] (4) In any one of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that the protruding end faces of the pair of side covering portions are provided with a pair of guide grooves that open in the central part of the connecting portion in the thickness direction and extend toward the end covering portion, and that the guide portion is configured to include the pair of guide grooves, and that the pair of guide grooves fit onto the side surface of the connecting portion so that the pair of side protrusions of the pair of side covering portions are guided into the pair of side recesses of the connecting portion. Since the guide portion is provided on the protruding end faces of the pair of side covering portions of the protective cap and includes a pair of guide grooves that open in the central part of the connecting portion in the thickness direction and extend toward the end covering portion, the protruding end faces of each side covering portion that come into contact with the connecting portion at the beginning of assembly of the protective cap to the connecting portion can be accurately positioned relative to the connecting portion by the fitting of the side surface of the connecting portion into the guide grooves, and the assembly workability when assembling the protective cap to the connecting portion can be further improved to the advantage.

[0017] (5) In any one of (1) to (4) above, the protruding end face of the connecting portion is provided with an end face projection in the central part in the plate width direction, and a pair of non-protruding parts without the end face projection are provided on both sides of the end face projection in the plate width direction, and the dimensions of each of the non-protruding parts in the plate width direction are larger than the dimensions of the end face projection, and the end face covering portion of the protective cap has a pair of solid parts without a hollow portion on both sides of the plate width direction that overlap the pair of non-protruding parts with respect to the central part in the plate width direction where the end face recess into which the end face projection is fitted is provided. As a result, even when a large rotational moment is applied to the terminal connection in the thickness direction, the rigidity of the end face covering of the protective cap can be ensured, suppressing deformation and effectively preventing the protective cap from detaching from the terminal.

[0018] (6) In the above (4) or (5) which is subordinate to (4), it is preferable that the end face projection of the connecting portion has a tapered portion in which the dimension in the plate thickness direction gradually decreases toward the direction of projection, and the end face recess into which the end face projection is fitted has a corresponding tapered shape. By having a tapered portion in the end face projection, the end face recess that accommodates the end face projection can also be made into a corresponding tapered shape, which is advantageous in securing the plate thickness dimension and rigidity of the end face covering portion at the end face recess formation site, and is effective in suppressing deformation of the end face covering portion and preventing the protective cap from detaching from the terminal portion.

[0019] <Details of Embodiments of the Disclosure> Specific examples of the protective cap terminals of the Disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the Disclosure is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims as indicated by the claims.

[0020] <Embodiment 1> Hereinafter, an embodiment 1 of the protective cap terminal 10 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The protective cap terminal 10 is constructed by attaching an insulating protective cap 14 to the tip of a terminal 12, thereby preventing electric shock caused by an unintentional touch of the tip of the terminal 12 by a worker. The terminal 12 is equipped with a connecting portion 16 at its tip, and the terminal 12 and the mating terminal 18 (shown by a dashed line in Figures 2 and 3) are electrically connected by overlapping the connecting portion 16 in the thickness direction. The protective cap terminal 10 can be positioned in any orientation, but in the following description, "up" refers to the top in Figure 3, "down" refers to the bottom in Figure 3, "left" refers to the top in Figure 2, "right" refers to the bottom in Figure 2, "front" refers to the left in Figure 2, and "back" refers to the right in Figure 2. In addition, for multiple identical components, reference numerals may be assigned to only some of the components, while the reference numerals for other components may be omitted.

[0021] <Protective Cap Terminal 10> As described above, the protective cap terminal 10 comprises a terminal 12 having a flat, protruding connecting portion 16 and a protective cap 14 attached to the connecting portion 16. The shape of the mating terminal 18 that connects to the terminal 12 is not limited, but for example, as shown in Figure 2, a pair of mating terminals 18, 18 that are substantially rectangular in plan view may be provided spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, each of these mating terminals 18 may contact the terminal 12 not only from the upper surface 20 side but also from the lower surface 22 side, and each mating terminal 18 may contact the terminal 12 at a total of four points. The length and width dimensions of each mating terminal 18 are not limited to the illustrated configuration.

[0022] <Terminal 12> Terminal 12 is a flat tab in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate overall, and is made of a metal such as copper (including copper alloys) or aluminum (including aluminum alloys) which has excellent conductivity. The tip portion (front portion) of this terminal 12 is a connecting portion 16 that connects to each mating terminal 18. The boundary between the connecting portion 16 and the rest of terminal 12 is not clearly defined, but for example, the connecting portion 16 may be considered to be the portion from the front end to the part that contacts each mating terminal 18, or if the front portion of terminal 12 has a smaller width dimension (left-right dimension) than the rear portion, the front portion with the smaller width dimension may be considered to be the connecting portion 16. The shape of the base portion (rear portion) 24 of terminal 12 is not limited, and for example, a bolt insertion hole (not shown) may be provided so that it can be bolted to a component on the battery or motor side. In other words, terminal 12 is shaped so that a flat plate-shaped connecting portion 16 protrudes forward from the base portion 24.

[0023] The terminal 12 has a predetermined thickness dimension (vertical dimension) A (see Figure 9), and this thickness dimension A of the terminal 12 is slightly smaller than the width dimension (vertical dimension) B (see Figure 9) of the guide groove 82 provided on each side protrusion 54, which will be described later.

[0024] <Connection portion 16> The connection portion 16 of the terminal 12 includes an end face projection 28 provided on the front end face 26, which is a protruding end face, and a pair of side recesses 34 that open onto the left side face 30 and the right side face 32, which are a pair of side faces. The connection portion 16 also includes side engagement projections 36 that protrude outward in the left-right direction on the left side face 30 and the right side face 32, respectively. Each of the side recesses 34 is provided in the rear portion of the connection portion 16, and each of the side engagement projections 36 is provided in front of each side recess 34, on the side of the protruding end face (front end face 26).

[0025] <End Face Protrusion 28> The end face protrusion 28 is provided in the central part of the front end face 26 in the width direction (left-right direction), and a pair of non-protrusions 38, 38 without protrusions are provided on both sides (left-right sides) of the end face protrusion 28 on the front end face 26. The left-right dimensions of these end face protrusions 28 and each non-protrusion 38 are not limited, but in Embodiment 1, the left-right dimension C (see Figure 4) of each non-protrusion 38 is made larger than the left-right dimension D of the end face protrusion 28. The front end face 26 and the left face 30 and right face 32 are connected by chamfered curved surfaces, and the left-right outer ends of each non-protrusion 38 are portions that do not begin to curve backward from the front end face 26, and each non-protrusion 38 is a portion that spreads in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Furthermore, both left and right ends of the end face projection 28 protrude forward from the flat front end surface 26 (each non-protruding portion 38) via a curved surface, and the left and right outer ends of the end face projection 28 are the parts where the curve begins to move forward from the front end surface 26. Both left and right surfaces of the end face projection 28 gradually incline in the left and right direction toward the front, and the left and right width dimension of the end face projection 28 gradually decreases toward the front.

[0026] Furthermore, the end face projection 28 has a tapered portion 40 in the middle of the projection direction (from rear to front) where the dimension in the plate thickness direction (vertical direction) gradually decreases toward the front. That is, both the upper and lower surfaces of the tapered portion 40 are composed of inclined surfaces that gradually slope inward in the vertical direction toward the front, and the thickness dimension of the base end (rear end) of the tapered portion 40 is the same as the thickness dimension of the terminal 12, A, while the thickness dimension of the tip (front end) of the tapered portion 40 is smaller than A, E (see Figure 9). In the end face projection 28, a tip projection 42 protrudes toward the front from the front end of the tapered portion 40, and this tip projection 42 has a substantially constant thickness dimension E in the front-rear direction.

[0027] <Side Recess 34> As described above, each side recess 34 is provided on the left surface 30 and the right surface 32 in the rear portion of the connecting portion 16, and is of the same shape to each other. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, etc., in a plan view (projection in the vertical direction), the inner surface of each side recess 34 is substantially U-shaped, and the bottom surface of each side recess 34 is formed by an arc-shaped curved surface 44. Flat surfaces 46 extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction are connected to both ends of this curved surface 44 in the circumferential direction. As a result, each side recess 34 is formed from the left surface 30 and the right surface 32 with a predetermined depth dimension (left-right dimension).

[0028] <Side Engagement Protrusions 36> As described above, each side engagement protrusion 36 is provided in front of each side recess 34 on the left side 30 and the right side 32, and is of the same shape to each other. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, in a plan view (projection in the vertical direction), each side engagement protrusion 36 is substantially trapezoidal, and the front end surface of each side engagement protrusion 36 is composed of an inclined surface 48 that gradually slopes inward in the left-right direction as it moves forward. In particular, in Embodiment 1, each side recess 34 and each side engagement protrusion 36 are formed adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and the rear end surface of each side engagement protrusion 36 is composed of the front flat surface 46 on the inner surface of each side recess 34.

[0029] <Protective Cap 14> The protective cap 14 is made of an insulating synthetic resin. The protective cap 14 includes an end face covering portion 52 that covers the protruding end face (front end face 26) of the connecting portion 16 and has an end face recess 50 into which an end face projection 28 fits, and a pair of side covering portions 56, 56 that protrude in a cantilever-like manner from both ends of the end face covering portion 52 and are provided with side projections 54 that cover each side surface (left surface 30 and right surface 32) of the connecting portion 16 and fit into each side surface recess 34.

[0030] <End Face Covering Part 52> The end face covering part 52 is substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in plan view, and has dimensions in the left-right direction that can cover the front end face 26 of the connecting part 16, and has a thickness dimension (vertical direction dimension) that is equal to or slightly smaller than that of the connecting part 16. At the left-right central portion of the rear end face of the end face covering part 52, an end face recess 50 is formed that opens to the rear, into which the end face projection 28 fits. In Embodiment 1, the end face recess 50 is formed as a through hole that penetrates the end face covering part 52 in the front-rear direction. This end face recess 50 is formed as a substantially rectangular through hole overall, but is formed in a shape that substantially corresponds to the end face projection 28 into which it fits.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the inner surfaces on both the left and right sides of the end face recess 50 are inclined inward in the left and right direction as they move forward, and the left and right dimensions of the front opening of the end face recess 50 are smaller than those of the rear opening. Furthermore, the rear portion of the end face recess 50 has a shape corresponding to the tapered portion 40 of the end face convex portion 28, and the inner surfaces on both the up and down sides of the end face recess 50 are tapered surfaces 58 whose inclination direction is equal to that of the upper and lower tapered surfaces that constitute the tapered portion 40. In Embodiment 1, the upper and lower tapered surfaces that constitute the tapered portion 40 and the upper and lower tapered surfaces 58 of the end face recess 50 have approximately equal taper angles. That is, the upper and lower tapered surfaces 58 are inclined inward in the up and down direction as they move forward. Furthermore, in the end face recess 50, the vertical dimension is approximately constant in the front-to-back direction in the portion forward of each tapered surface 58, and the vertical dimension is made slightly larger than E so that the tip projection 42, which is the protruding tip of the end face convex portion 28, can be inserted.

[0032] In short, the end face recess 50 has a vertical dimension A at the rear opening that is equal to that of the terminal 12, and the tapered surfaces 58 on both the upper and lower surfaces gradually reduce the vertical dimension as it moves forward, so that the vertical dimension at the front opening is slightly larger than the vertical dimension E of the tip projection 42. Therefore, the end face recess 50 gradually narrows in both the vertical and horizontal directions as it moves forward from the rear opening, and the inclined or tapered surfaces that make up the inner surface of the end face recess 50 guide the insertion of the end face projection 28 into the end face recess 50, making it easier to achieve fitting between the end face projection 28 and the end face recess 50.

[0033] Furthermore, on both the upper and lower surfaces of the end face covering portion 52, reinforcing portions 60 are provided that protrude in the vertical direction on both sides of the portion forming the rear opening of the end face recess 50. That is, since the thickness dimension of the upper and lower wall portions forming the rear opening of the end face recess 50 would decrease and the strength would be reduced, reinforcing portions 60 protruding in the vertical direction on both sides are provided to improve the strength. Although each of these reinforcing portions 60 protrudes outward in the vertical direction from the terminal 12, as shown in Figure 2, each mating terminal 18 contacts the terminal 12 on both the left and right sides of each reinforcing portion 60, so that each reinforcing portion 60 does not interfere with the contact between the terminal 12 and the mating terminal 18.

[0034] Furthermore, in the end face covering portion 52, base portions 62, 62 with relatively high rigidity are provided on both the left and right sides, away from the end face recess 50 that penetrates in the front-rear direction. Each of these base portions 62 does not have a hollow portion like the end face recess 50, for example, but is configured as a solid portion. When the protective cap 14 is attached to the terminal 12, each of these base portions 62 is superimposed in the front-rear direction on the non-protruding portions 38 located on both the left and right sides of the end face protrusion 28 on the front end surface 26 of the connecting portion 16. In addition, each side covering portion 56 protrudes in a cantilevered manner toward the rear from the left and right outer ends of each base portion 62.

[0035] <Side Covering Section 56> As described above, each side covering section 56 protrudes toward the rear, and a guide section 64 is provided at the protruding end (rear end) of each side covering section 56 to indicate the central position of each side covering section 56 in the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the connecting section 16. In Embodiment 1, each side covering section 56 is composed of a base end section 66 connected to each base section 62 of the end face covering section 52, a side projection 54 provided at the protruding end (rear end) of each side covering section 56, and a connecting section 68 that connects these base end section 66 and the side projection 54. As will be described later, the connecting section 68 has a V-shape in which the vertical dimension increases toward the rear, and is equipped with a pair of inclined sections 70, 70 that gradually incline outward in the vertical direction as they move toward the rear. Each of these inclined sections 70 is connected to a rear extension section 72 that extends further toward the rear at its rear end, and the rear end of each rear extension section 72 is connected by a rear connecting section 74 that extends in the vertical direction. The upper and lower ends of the rear connecting portion 74 are provided with inward projections 76 that protrude inward in the vertical direction. Each of the connecting portions 68 is composed of an inclined portion 70 and a rear extension portion 72. Furthermore, each of the side projections 54 is composed of these rear connecting portions 74 and the inward projections 76.

[0036] Each base end 66 has a thickness dimension approximately equal to that of each base portion 62 (end face covering portion 52) and extends rearward from each base portion 62 by a predetermined front-to-back dimension. As a result, when the protective cap 14 is attached to the terminal 12, each base end 66 covers the front portions of the left surface 30 and right surface 32 of the connection portion 16 from the left-to-right outward direction.

[0037] <Side protrusions 54> Each side protrusion 54 (especially the rear connecting portion 74) provided at the protruding end (rear end) of each side covering portion 56 has a vertical dimension that is larger than the plate thickness dimension A of the connecting portion 16. In short, each rear connecting portion 74 is formed to protrude on both sides of the connecting portion 16 in the plate thickness direction (vertical direction). That is, the upper and lower ends of each rear connecting portion 74 form protruding ends 78 that extend above and below the connecting portion 16 on both sides.

[0038] Here, as described above, each inward projection 76 protrudes inward in the left-right direction from both the upper and lower ends of each rear connecting portion 74. As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, each inward projection 76 is approximately semicircular in plan view, and the protruding tip surface of each inward projection 76 is a curved surface 80 that curves in an arc shape. Note that the specific shape and size of the protruding tip surface of each inward projection 76 are not limited.

[0039] <Guide section 64 (guide groove 82)> Furthermore, each inward projection 76 does not extend over the entire vertical length of the rear connection section 74 with a substantially semicircular cross-section as described above, but rather each has a predetermined vertical dimension. The inward projections 76 on both the upper and lower sides face each other with a predetermined gap between them, and between these inward projections 76 on both the upper and lower sides, a guide groove 82 is formed that opens inward in the left-right direction and extends in the front-rear direction. Each of these guide grooves 82 is located in the vertical central part of the rear connection section 74. Therefore, the aforementioned guide section 64, which indicates the vertical central position of each side covering section 56, is formed including these guide grooves 82.

[0040] As described above, since each inward projection 76 constituting each guide groove 82 is provided on the rear connection portion 74, which is the rear end of each side covering portion 56, the guide groove 82 formed between each inward projection 76, 76 also opens onto the rear end surface 84 (the rear end surface 84 of the rear connection portion 74), which is the protruding end surface of each side covering portion 56. In other words, each guide groove 82 extends forward toward the end covering portion 52 side at the central part in the vertical direction of the rear end surface 84, which is the protruding end surface of each side covering portion 56. The width dimension B of each guide groove 82 with this shape (in short, the distance between the opposing inward projections 76, 76 on both the upper and lower sides) is made slightly larger than the plate thickness dimension A of the connection portion 16, as described above.

[0041] <Guide section 64 (connecting section 68)> As described above, each connecting section 68 is composed of an inclined section 70 that gradually slopes outward in the vertical direction toward the rear, and a rearward extension section 72 that extends rearward from each inclined section 70. The upper and lower rearward extension sections 72 are connected by rearward connecting sections 74 that constitute each side projection 54. As a result, a roughly pentagonal area is formed in the rear portion of each side covering section 56, surrounded by each inclined section 70, each rearward extension section 72, and the rearward connecting section 74, and a through hole 86 that penetrates in the left-right direction is formed in the central part of this area. That is, each connecting section 68 that extends in a V-shape from each base end 66 is connected to each protruding end 78 of each side projection 54. As will be described later, the guide section 64 is also composed of each connecting section 68 with this shape and each through hole 86 that is partitioned by each connecting section 68.

[0042] When attaching the protective cap 14, which has the shape described above, to the connection portion 16 of the terminal 12, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, the protective cap 14 and the connection portion 16 are positioned facing each other in the front-to-back direction, bringing them close together. As a result, first, both left and right ends of the connection portion 16 are inserted into the guide grooves 82 provided in the vertical center of each side protrusion 54, allowing the connection portion 16 to approach the protective cap 14 in a straight line in the front-to-back direction. That is, each guide groove 82 fits onto the left side 30 and right side 32, which are both sides of the connection portion 16, allowing the connection portion 16 to be guided forward. In particular, since the width dimension B of each guide groove 82 is slightly larger than the plate thickness dimension A of the connection portion 16, the connection portion 16 can be inserted into each guide groove 82 smoothly, and the forward displacement of the connection portion 16 relative to the protective cap 14 can be stably guided.

[0043] After that, by further approaching the protective cap 14 and the connecting portion 16, the inclined surfaces 48 of the respective side engaging convex portions 36 protruding outward in the left - right direction from the left surface 30 and the right surface 32 of the connecting portion 16 contact the rear end surface 84 which is the protruding end surface of each side covering portion 56 (that is, the rear end surface 84 of the rear connecting portion 74). As a result, each side covering portion 56 is elastically deformed outward in the left - right direction along the inclination of each inclined surface 48. Then, each side covering portion 56 that has been elastically deformed outward in the left - right direction gets over each side engaging convex portion 36 and elastically returns, so that each rear connecting portion 74 constituting each side convex portion 54 of each side covering portion 56 fits into each side concave portion 34 in the connecting portion 16. Further, along with the elastic return of each side covering portion 56, each side engaging convex portion 36 located in front of each side concave portion 34 is inserted into each through - hole 86 located in front of each rear connecting portion 74.

[0044] Furthermore, in the state where the rear connecting portion 74 in each side convex portion 54 fits into each side concave portion 34 as described above, the end face convex portion 28 provided at the central portion in the left - right direction on the front end face 26 of the connecting portion 16 is inserted into and fits into the end face concave portion 50 provided at the central portion in the left - right direction of the end face covering portion 52. Also, each base portion 62 located on both the left and right sides of the end face concave portion 50 abuts against each non - convex portion 38 located on both the left and right sides of the end face convex portion 28 from the front. Thereby, the front end face 26 of the connecting portion 16 is covered by the end face covering portion 52, and the left surface 30 and the right surface 32 are covered by each side covering portion 56, and the attachment of the protective cap 14 to the connecting portion 16 of the terminal 12 is completed.

[0045] With the protective cap terminal 10 having the structure described above, the end face projection 28 and the end face recess 50 are fitted together at the front end of the connection portion 16, and the rear connection portions 74 that constitute the side projections 54 on both the left and right sides of the connection portion 16 are fitted into the side recesses 34. In addition, the side engagement projections 36 on both the left and right sides of the connection portion 16 enter into and engage with the through holes 86 provided in the rear portion of the side covering portion 56. As a result, the terminal 12 (connection portion 16) and the protective cap 14 are fixed at three points: the front and both sides. For example, in the vertical cross-sectional view shown in Figure 3, even when the rear portion (base end portion 24) of the terminal 12 swings vertically around the front fitting portion, the risk of the protective cap 14 falling off the terminal 12 can be reduced.

[0046] In particular, the protective cap terminal 10 is provided with a guide portion 64 that guides the connection portion 16 to the vertical center of the protective cap 14, which allows for efficient assembly of the terminal 12 and the protective cap 14, thereby improving work efficiency during the assembly of the protective cap terminal 10.

[0047] In Embodiment 1, the guide portion 64 is configured to include a V-shaped connecting portion 68. In particular, the side engagement protrusions 36 provided on both the left and right sides of the connecting portion 16 engage with each through hole 86, which includes the connecting portion 68, thereby guiding the connecting portion 16 to the vertical center of the protective cap 14. This ensures a stable fit between the end face protrusion 28 and the end face recess 50 at the front of the connecting portion 16, further improving the assembly workability of the terminal with protective cap 10.

[0048] Further, the guide portion 64 includes, in addition to the connecting portion 68, guide grooves 82 provided at the rear ends of the side surface covering portions 56. When the protective cap 14 is assembled to the connecting portion 16, the left and right end portions of the connecting portion 16 are first inserted into the guide grooves 82. Thus, the connecting portion 16 can be stably positioned at the vertical center of the protective cap 14. As a result, the engagement of the side engaging convex portions 36 with the through holes 86 and the fitting of the end face convex portion 28 and the end face concave portion 50 caused by further insertion can be realized stably, and the assembly workability of the terminal 10 with the protective cap can be further improved.

[0049] In the end face covering portion 52, base portions 62 as solid portions having no hollow portion are provided on both the left and right sides of the end face concave portion 50 at the center in the left-right direction. Thereby, the strength of the end face covering portion 52, and thus the strength of the connection portion between the end face covering portion 52 and the side surface covering portions 56, can be improved, and damage to the protective cap 14 can be suppressed even when the terminal 12 is displaced with respect to the protective cap 14.

[0050] The end face convex portion 28 has a tapered portion 40, and the end face concave portion 50 has a portion having a tapered shape corresponding to the tapered portion 40. These tapered surfaces guide the insertion of the end face convex portion 28 into the end face concave portion 50, so that the assembly of the protective cap 14 and the terminal 12 (connecting portion 16) can be realized more easily.

[0051] <Modification Example> Although the first embodiment has been described in detail as a specific example of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is not limited by this specific description. Modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope that can achieve the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, modification examples of the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0052] (1) In the above embodiment, each side recess 34 had a substantially U-shaped cross-section and each curved surface 44, and each side protrusion 54 had a substantially semicircular cross-section and each curved surface 80, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shapes of each side recess and each side protrusion are not limited, and for example, each side recess may have a substantially rectangular cross-section of a size that allows the rear connecting portion of each side protrusion to be fitted. Also, the cross-sectional shape of each side protrusion may be a polygon such as a triangle or a quadrilateral, or it may have a cross-sectional shape larger than the cross-sectional shape of each side recess.

[0053] Furthermore, the guide grooves that divide each inward projection vertically at the protruding end of each side covering portion are not essential, and each side protrusion (each inward projection) may extend continuously along its entire length in the vertical direction. In that case, for example, as in the above embodiment, it is preferable that each side recess has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and each side protrusion has a substantially semicircular cross-section, so that the upper and lower intermediate portion of each side protrusion fits into each side recess. That is, it is preferable that the bottom surface of each side recess is an arc-shaped curved surface, and the protruding end surface of each side protrusion is an arc-shaped curved surface, and in particular, it is preferable that the curvature of the curved surface of each side protrusion is greater than the curvature of the curved surface in each side recess. This makes it easy to fit each side protrusion into each side recess.

[0054] (2) The shape of the mating terminal connected to the terminal according to the present disclosure is not limited. In the above embodiment, a pair of mating terminals 18, 18 that are separated from each other in the left-right direction are provided, and these pairs of mating terminals 18, 18 are provided on both the upper and lower sides, but for example, the mating terminal may be a single terminal that extends in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction on one of the vertical directions. In that case, a reinforcing portion that reinforces the position of the end face recess in the end face covering portion is not required.

[0055] (3) In the above embodiment, the end face recess 50 into which the end face projection 28 fits was formed as a through hole, but the embodiment is not limited to this form, and for example, it may be a bottomed hole with a bottom at the front and an opening at the rear. However, from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency, it is preferable that the end face recess be formed as a through hole.

[0056] 10 Terminal with protective cap 12 Terminal 14 Protective cap 16 Connection part 18 Mating terminal 20 Top surface 22 Bottom surface 24 Base part 26 Front end surface (protruding end surface of connection part) 28 End surface protrusion 30 Left side surface (side) 32 Right side surface (side) 34 Side recess 36 Side engaging protrusion 38 Non-protruding part 40 Tapered part 42 Tip protrusion 44 Curved surface 46 Flat surface 48 Inclined surface 50 End surface recess 52 End surface covering part 54 Side protrusion 56 Side covering part 58 Tapered surface 60 Reinforcement part 62 Base part (solid part) 64 Guide part 66 Base end part 68 Connecting part 70 Inclined part 72 Rear extension part 74 Rear connection part 76 Inward projection 78 80 Protruding end portion 82 Curved surface 82 Guide groove 84 Rear end surface (protruding end surface of side covering portion) 86 Through hole

Claims

1. A terminal having a flat, protruding connecting portion, and a protective cap attached to the connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion of the terminal has an end face projection provided on the protruding end face and a pair of side recesses opening to a pair of side surfaces, the protective cap has an end face covering portion that covers the protruding end face of the connecting portion and has an end face recess into which the end face projection fits, and a pair of side covering portions that protrude in a cantilever-like manner from both ends of the end face covering portion and have a pair of side projections that cover a pair of side surfaces of the connecting portion and fit into a pair of side recesses, and a guide portion is provided on the protruding end side of each side covering portion to indicate the central position of each side covering portion in the thickness direction of the connecting portion, wherein a guide portion is provided on the protruding end side of each side covering portion to indicate the central position of each side covering portion in the thickness direction of the connecting portion.

2. Each side covering portion has a base end connected to the end covering portion, a side projection provided at the protruding end, and a connecting portion connecting the base end and the side projection, the side projection is formed to protrude on both sides of the connecting portion in the plate thickness direction, the connecting portion extends in a V-shape from the base end and is connected to both protruding ends of the side projection, and the guide portion is configured to include the V-shaped connecting portion, as described in claim 1.

3. The terminal with a protective cap according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion of the terminal has side engagement projections protruding from each of the pair of side surfaces, the side engagement projections are positioned on the protruding end face side of the pair of side recesses, and each side covering portion, which is elastically deformed by contact of each side projection with each of the side engagement projections, elastically returns to its original position over the side engagement projections, so that each side projection of each side covering portion fits into each of the side recesses of the connecting portion, and each side engagement projection of the connecting portion is inserted into a through hole partitioned by the V-shaped connecting portion of each side covering portion.

4. The terminal with a protective cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protruding end faces of the pair of side covering portions are provided with a pair of guide grooves that open in the center of the connecting portion in the thickness direction and extend toward the end covering portion, the guide portion is configured to include the pair of guide grooves, and the pair of guide grooves fit onto the side surfaces of the connecting portion so that the pair of side protrusions of the pair of side covering portions are guided into the pair of side recesses of the connecting portion.

5. The terminal with a protective cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protruding end face of the connecting portion has a protruding end face portion in the central part in the width direction of the plate, and on both sides of the protruding end face portion in the width direction of the plate, there is a pair of non-protruding portions where the protruding end face portion is not provided, and the dimensions of each non-protruding portion in the width direction of the plate are larger than the dimensions of the protruding end face portion, and the end face covering portion of the protective cap has a pair of solid portions without a hollow portion in the central part in the width direction of the plate where the end face recess into which the protruding end face portion is fitted is provided, and these solid portions overlap the pair of non-protruding portions on both sides in the width direction of the plate.

6. The terminal with a protective cap according to claim 4, wherein the end face projection of the connecting portion has a tapered portion in which the dimension in the plate thickness direction gradually decreases toward the direction of protrusion, and the end face recess into which the end face projection is fitted has a corresponding tapered shape.

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