JP2000243498A - Box type female terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a box-shaped female terminal enhanced in deformation strength of its peripheral wall without increasing its external sizes. SOLUTION: In this box-shaped female terminal, an elastic tongue piece 12 and a peripheral wall 14 are integrally formed out of one metal plate, the peripheral wall 14 is formed into a box shape so as to surround the elastic tongue piece 12 and having a joint 16 of end edges of the metal plate at a part of the periphery thereof, and male terminals 24, 26 are inserted between the elastic tongue piece 12 and the peripheral wall 14. Lock projection pieces 30 each having an end part wider than its root are formed on the end edge of a front wall 14a forming the joint 16 while cut-out parts 32 each widened toward its interior and having a shape in which the lock projection piece 30 fits are formed in the end edge of a side wall 14c, and the deformation of the peripheral wall 14 is prevented by fitting the lock projection pieces 30 into the cut-out parts 32, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a box-type female terminal used for electrical components of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional box-shaped female terminal is shown in FIGS.
(G). This box-shaped female terminal 10 is formed by punching and bending from a single metal plate,
It is formed integrally with a box-shaped peripheral wall 14 surrounding the periphery. The elastic tongue piece 12 is formed to be folded into the peripheral wall 14 from one open end (upper end) of the box-shaped peripheral wall 14 and to have a free end 12f near the other open end (lower end).

As shown in FIG. 6 (e), this box-shaped female terminal 10 has an arrow P between an elastic tongue 12 and a front wall 14a of a peripheral wall 14 (a portion facing the front of the elastic tongue 12). The first male terminal is inserted from the direction, and the elastic tongue 12 and the rear wall of the peripheral wall 14 (elastic tongue
In general, a second male terminal is inserted in the direction of arrow Q between a portion facing the rear surface of 12) and 14b, and is used as a relay terminal for connecting the male terminals. Note that the male terminal here includes a male tab.

Since the box-type female terminal 10 having such a structure is formed of a single metal plate, the peripheral wall 14 always has a seam 16 at the edge of the metal plate at a part in the circumferential direction. Joint
At 16, the peripheral wall 14 becomes discontinuous. For this reason, the strength of the peripheral wall 14 is low, and when the male terminal is inserted, particularly when the male terminal is twisted, the peripheral wall 14 is deformed in the direction in which the joint 16 opens (box opening), and the original contact The pressure may not be maintained.

[0005] As an improvement on this point, FIG.
Box-shaped female terminals as shown in FIGS.
7, the same parts as those in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this box-type female terminal 10, the joint 16 of the peripheral wall 14 is
14a and the corner of one side wall 14c.
A pressing piece 18 is protruded from the edge of the edge c, and the pressing piece 18 is folded on the surface of the front wall 14a. With such a structure, even if a force that pushes open the peripheral wall 14 is applied to the box-shaped female terminal 10, the pressing piece 18 acts as a stopper, so that deformation of the peripheral wall 14 (opening of the box) can be suppressed.

[0006]

However, since the box-type female terminal as shown in FIG. 7 has a structure in which the pressing piece 18 is folded on the front wall 14a of the peripheral wall 14, only the thickness of the pressing piece 18 is required. There is a problem that the thickness of the box-type female terminal is increased. as a result,
In some cases, it cannot be used for equipment having a small terminal arrangement pitch, and the versatility is impaired.

For example, FIG. 8 shows that three box-shaped female terminals 10 of FIG. 7 are arranged in the relay terminal housing 20 in the thickness direction, and the male terminals 24 of the relay 22 are arranged from the top and the busbars of the electric connection box are arranged from the bottom. In the case where the male terminal 26 is inserted and connected, if the arrangement pitch of the male terminals 24 and 26 (that is, the arrangement pitch of the box-shaped female terminals 10) is set to a certain value or less due to the miniaturization of equipment, the relay terminal The thickness d of the partition wall 28 in the housing 20 becomes too thin, so that there is a problem that the relay terminal housing 20 cannot be injection-molded (therefore, the box-type female terminal 10 in FIG. 7 cannot be used).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a box-shaped female terminal in which the deformation strength of the peripheral wall is increased without increasing the external dimensions.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve this object, the present invention provides an elastic tongue formed of a single metal plate and a box-like shape formed in a box shape so as to surround the periphery of the elastic tongue. In a box-shaped female terminal in which a male terminal is inserted between the elastic tongue piece and the peripheral wall, a peripheral wall having a joint of the edge of the metal plate is integrally formed with the peripheral wall. At the edge of one of the walls forming the joint, a locking protrusion having a width wider at the tip than at the base is formed, and the locking protrusion is fitted into the edge of the other wall. A wide notch portion is formed, and deformation of the peripheral wall is prevented by fitting the locking projection into the notch portion.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 3, the same parts as those of the box-type female terminal of FIG. 6 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals. The difference between this box-shaped female terminal 10 and the
The joint 16 of the 14 edges is a front wall 14a and one side wall 14c.
At the corner of the front wall 14a, a substantially shackle-shaped locking projection 30 having a wider end than the base is formed at the edge of the front wall 14a as shown in FIG. The locking projection on the edge
A notch 32 is formed in which the fitting 30 is fitted, and the locking projection 30 is bent at the base and fitted into the notch 32. The other configuration is the same as the conventional one.

With the above configuration, the male terminals 24 and 26 are inserted from the directions of arrows P and Q as shown in FIG. 1, and a force (direction of arrow R) in which the peripheral wall 14 is pushed open from the inside. In this case, the distal end of the locking projection 30 is caught by the narrow portion of the notch 32 and acts as a stopper.
Deformation (box opening) can be prevented. Further, since the locking projection 30 is fitted into the notch 32, the outer dimensions of the peripheral wall 14 do not increase.

FIG. 4 shows a case in which the male terminal 24 of the relay 22 and the male terminal 26 of the bus bar of the electric connection box are connected at the same terminal arrangement pitch as in FIG. Indicates the status. Since the box-shaped female terminal 10 of this embodiment is thinner than the conventional box-shaped female terminal shown in FIG. 7 by the thickness of the holding piece 18, the partition wall 28 in the relay terminal housing 20 is accordingly reduced. The thickness d can be increased, so that the injection molding of the relay terminal housing 20 is not hindered. That is, it is possible to cope with a narrow pitch terminal arrangement, and the versatility is expanded.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show other embodiments of the present invention. (A) shows a T-shaped locking projection 30 formed at the edge of the front wall 14a, and a T-shaped notch 32 to be fitted into the side wall 14c.
(B) shows an L-shaped notch 32 into which the locking projection 30 formed on the edge of the front wall 14a is fitted and which is fitted into the side wall 14c. Surrounding wall even in such a form
14 deformation can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the case where the joint 16 of the peripheral wall 14 is provided at the corner of the front wall 14a and the side wall 14c, but the joint of the peripheral wall is the corner of the rear wall and one of the side walls. In such a case, a locking projection may be formed at the edge of the rear wall, and a notch may be formed at the edge of the side wall.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, a box-shaped female terminal having a small outer dimension and a high deformation strength of the peripheral wall can be obtained. For this reason, a small and highly reliable terminal connection part can be constituted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a box-shaped female terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing process of the box-shaped female terminal of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 (a) is a front view of the box-shaped female terminal of FIG. 1,
(B) is a plan view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a right side view,
(E) is a sectional view taken along line AA of (a), (f) is a rear view,
(G) is a left side view, (h) is a sectional view taken along line BB of (a),
(I) is a sectional view taken along line CC of (b).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of a use state of the box-shaped female terminal of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are left side views of essential parts showing another embodiment of the box-shaped female terminal according to the present invention.

6 (a) is a front view, FIG. 6 (b) is a plan view, FIG. 6 (c) is a bottom view, FIG. 6 (d) is a right side view, and FIG. ) Is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA, (f) is a rear view, (g) is a left side view, and (h) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (a).

7 (a) is a front view, FIG. 7 (b) is a plan view, FIG. 7 (c) is a bottom view, FIG. 7 (d) is a right side view, and FIG. (A) is a sectional view taken along line AA, (f) is a rear view, (g) is a left side view, and (h) is a sectional view taken along line BB of (a).

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an example of a use state of the box-shaped female terminal of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Box-type female terminal 12: Elastic tongue 14: Peripheral wall 14a: Front wall 14b: Back wall 14c: Side wall 16: Seam 30: Locking projection 32: Notch

Claims (1)

[Claims] An elastic tongue and a peripheral wall formed in a box shape so as to surround a periphery of the elastic tongue and having a joint of an edge of the metal plate at a part in a circumferential direction. Are formed integrally, and a male terminal is inserted between the elastic tongue piece and the peripheral wall. In the box-shaped female terminal, a root is attached to an edge of one wall forming a joint of the peripheral wall. Forming a locking projection having a wider tip end portion, and forming a notch of a medium and wide shape into which the locking projection is fitted at the edge of the other wall; A box-shaped female terminal, wherein the peripheral wall is prevented from being deformed by fitting the wire into the notch.