JP2016201291A - Contact connection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a contact connection structure capable of reducing contact resistance without increasing the size of a terminal or making it as complex as possible. A first contact portion 2 in which an indent portion 4 protrudes and a plating layer 1B is formed on the outer surface of a base material 1A, and a second contact portion 12 in which a plating layer 11B is formed on the outer surface of a base material 11A. In the terminal insertion completion position, the indent portion 4 of the first contact portion 2 is in contact with the contact surface 12a of the second contact portion 12 by the contact load F, and the indent portion 4 contacts. As for the base material 11A of the location of the 2nd contact part 12, the unevenness | corrugation 11d is provided in the outer surface, and the plating layer 11B is formed on this unevenness | corrugation 11d. [Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact connection structure that performs electrical connection between a first contact portion (first terminal) and a second contact portion (second terminal).

  FIG. 6 shows a female terminal 51 and a male terminal 61 to which a conventional contact connection structure is applied (see Patent Document 1 as a similar technique).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the female terminal 51 includes a rectangular box portion 52 and an elastic bending portion 53 that is provided integrally with the box portion 52 and disposed in the box portion 52.

  The elastic bending portion 53 is provided with an indent portion 54 that protrudes toward the bottom surface portion 52 a side of the box portion 52.

  The indent portion 54 has a substantially spherical outer peripheral surface (surface on the bottom surface portion 52a side), and the center vertex is located at the lowest position.

  Although not shown in FIG. 6, the female terminal 51 is connected to the entire outer surface of the copper alloy base material 51A in a high temperature environment as shown in FIG. 7A. Plating (for example, tin plating) is performed from the viewpoint of improving the corrosion resistance and the corrosion resistance in a corrosive environment, and the plated layer 51B is provided. An oxide film 51C is formed on the outer surface side of the plating layer 51B.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the male terminal 61 has a flat tab portion 62.

  Although not shown in FIG. 6, the male terminal 61 is connected to the entire area of the outer surface of the base material 61A of the copper alloy material in a high temperature environment as shown in FIG. 7B. Plating (for example, tin plating) is applied from the viewpoint of improving the corrosion resistance and the corrosion resistance in a corrosive environment, and the plated layer 61B is provided. An oxide film 61C is formed on the outer surface side of the plating layer 61B.

  In the above configuration, when the tab portion 62 of the male terminal 61 located at the position of FIG. 6 is inserted into the box portion 52 of the female terminal 51, the elastic bending portion 53 is bent and deformed by being pushed by the tab portion 62. The tab portion 62 is allowed to be inserted.

  In the insertion process of the tab portion 62, the indent portion 54 of the elastic bending portion 53 slides on the contact surface 62a of the tab portion 62, and at the terminal insertion completion position, as shown in FIG. 54 and the contact surface 62a of the tab part 62 contact.

  As described above, when the indent portion 54 comes into contact with the contact surface 62a of the tab portion 62, the bending return force of the elastic deflection portion 53 acts as a contact load, thereby forming the indent portion 54 as shown in FIG. The formed oxide film 51C is destroyed, and the plated layer 61B formed on the tab portion 62 is pushed, whereby the oxide film 61C is destroyed.

  Thus, when the oxide films 51C and 61C are destroyed, the metal (for example, tin) of the plating layers 51B and 61B enters the cracks 51Ca and 61Ca of the oxide films 51C and 61C, thereby indenting the female terminal 51. The part 54 and the contact surface 62a of the tab part 62 of the male terminal 61 are in contact with each other.

  By the way, the oxide films 51C and 61C have an extremely high electric resistance as compared with tin and copper.

  Therefore, in order to reduce the contact resistance, it is necessary to destroy the oxide films 51C and 61C to make many (wide) contact surfaces (ohmic points) between the plated layers 51B and 61B.

JP 2008-282802 A

  In the conventional contact connection structure described above, the oxide film 61C is plated by the contact load of the indent portion 54 at the portion x in FIG. 9 (the tip portion of the indent portion 54; the bottom portion of the recess formed in the tab portion 62). Push into 61B. However, although the reaction force of the plating layers 51B and 61B is high, the oxide film 51C and 61C is not cracked only by being pushed in, as shown in FIG.

  9, the oxide films 51C and 61C are stretched by the contact load of the indent portion 54, and many cracks 51Ca and 61Ca are generated.

  Since the reaction force of the plating layers 51B and 61B is high, the metal of the plating layers 51B and 61B enters the cracks 51Ca and 61Ca of the oxide films 51C and 61C, and the plating layer 51B and the plating layer 61B come into contact with each other.

  Further, in the portion z (upper peripheral portion of the recess formed in the tab portion 62) in FIG. 9, the oxide films 51C and 61C are less stretched by the contact load of the indent portion 54, and the generation of cracks 51Ca and 61Ca is reduced. .

  Then, the reaction force of the plating layers 51B and 61B is lowered by the movement of the metal of the plating layers 51B and 61B due to the contact load of the indent portion 54, whereby the plating layers 51B and 61Ca are formed on the cracks 51Ca and 61Ca of the oxide films 51C and 61C. As shown in FIG. 10B, the plated layer 51B and the plated layer 61B do not come into contact with each other because the metal of 61B does not completely enter.

  As described above, since many contact surfaces (ohmic points) between the plating layers 51B and 61B cannot be formed, the pushing amount of the plating layer 61B is increased when the terminals 51 and 61 are in contact with each other at the terminal insertion completion position, and the oxide film 51C. , 61C may be promoted by increasing the contact pressure between the contact portions.

  However, since the plating layer 61B is thin and the pushing amount of the plating layer 61B is small, there is a problem that the terminals 51 and 61 are enlarged or complicated.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a contact connection structure capable of reducing contact resistance without increasing the size of a terminal or complicating it as much as possible. .

  The contact connection structure of the present invention has a first contact portion having an indented portion projecting and having a plating layer formed on the outer surface of the base material, and a second contact portion having a plating layer formed on the outer surface of the base material. In the terminal insertion completion position, the indent portion of the first contact portion has a contact connection structure that contacts the contact surface of the second contact portion by a contact load, and the base material of the indent portion and the indent portion At least one of the base materials at the location of the second contact portion in contact with is provided with irregularities on the outer surface, and the plating layer is formed on the irregularities.

  According to the contact connection structure of the present invention, at least one of the base material of the second contact portion where the base material of the indent portion and the indent portion contact is provided with unevenness on the outer surface, and the plating layer is formed on the unevenness. As a result, the metal of the plating layer of at least one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is prevented from moving when the indent portion contacts the contact surface of the second contact portion by a contact load. Is done.

  As described above, the movement of the metal of the plating layer of at least one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is suppressed, so that the metal (for example, tin) of the plating layer enters the cracks in the oxide film, and plating is performed. The contact part between layers can be increased and the contact surface between plating layers can be widened.

  Therefore, the contact resistance can be reduced without increasing the size of the terminal or making it as complex as possible.

It is sectional drawing of the female terminal and male terminal before connection which show one Example of this invention. (A) is schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the molding material which shape | molds the female terminal in one Example of this invention, (b) is schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the molding material which shape | molds the male terminal in one Example of this invention. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the female terminal after connection and the male terminal which shows one Example of this invention. In one Example of this invention, it is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state which the indent part contacted the tab part. (A) is an expanded sectional view of the part x of FIG. 4, (b) is an expanded sectional view of the part z of FIG. It is a sectional view of a female terminal and a male terminal before showing a conventional example and connecting. A prior art example is shown, (a) is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the molding material which shape | molds a female terminal, (b) is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the molding material which shape | molds a male terminal. It is sectional drawing of the female terminal and male terminal after a prior art example and showing a connection. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows a prior art example and shows the state which the indent part contacted the tab part. (A) is an expanded sectional view of the part x of FIG. 9, (b) is an expanded sectional view of the part z of FIG.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In FIG. 1, a female terminal (first terminal) 1 is disposed (accommodated) in a terminal accommodating chamber in a female connector housing (not shown). The female terminal 1 is formed by bending a conductive metal (for example, a copper alloy material; a molding material) punched into a predetermined shape. The female terminal 1 has a box portion 2 that is a first contact portion. The box part 2 has a rectangular shape with the front (left side in FIG. 1) opened. In the box part 2, there is disposed an elastic bending part 3 that is bent from the front upper surface part of the box part 2 and extends from the front to the rear.

The elastic bending portion 3 is provided with a substantially spherical indent portion 4 protruding toward the bottom surface portion 2a side of the box portion 2. The indent portion 4 has a central vertex located at the lowermost position, and is displaced upward by elastic deformation of the elastic bending portion 3. The elastic bending part 3 and the bottom part 2a of the box part 2 which is a fixed surface part are arranged at intervals. A male terminal 11 shown in FIG. 1 is inserted between the elastic bending portion 3 and the bottom surface portion 2 a of the box portion 2.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the female terminal 1 is provided on the entire outer surface of the conductive metal base material 1A in terms of improving connection reliability in a high temperature environment and improving corrosion resistance in a corrosive environment. Plating (for example, tin plating) is applied, and a plating layer 1B is provided. An oxide film 1C is formed on the outer surface side of the plating layer 1B.

  In FIG. 1, a male terminal (second terminal) 11 is disposed (accommodated) in a terminal accommodating chamber in a male connector housing (not shown). The male terminal 11 is formed by bending a conductive metal (for example, a copper alloy material; a molding material) punched into a predetermined shape. The male terminal 11 has a tab portion 12 that is a second contact portion. The tab portion 12 has a flat plate shape.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the male terminal 11 includes a conductive metal base material 11A, a plating layer 11B provided over the entire outer surface of the conductive metal base material 11A, and the plating layer 11B. It is structured with an oxide film 11C formed on the outer surface side.

  Concavities and convexities 11d are provided on the outer surface of the base material 11A. For example, the unevenness 11d is formed when the base material 11A is rolled. The irregularities 11d are formed by increasing the surface roughness of the base material. The irregularities 11d are regularly arranged in a vertical and horizontal manner, randomly provided, irregularities of a certain size, or irregularities of different sizes. May be.

  Next, the connection between the female terminal 1 and the male terminal 11 will be described. When the tab portion 12 of the male terminal 11 located at the position of FIG. 1 is inserted into the box portion 2 of the female terminal 1, the elastic bending portion 3 is bent and deformed by being pushed by the tab portion 12. Insertion is allowed.

  In the insertion process of the tab portion 12, the indent portion 4 of the elastic bending portion 3 slides on the contact surface 12a of the tab portion 12, and at the terminal insertion completion position, as shown in FIG. 3, the indent portion of the elastic bending portion 3 4 contacts the contact surface 12 a of the tab portion 12.

  As described above, when the indent portion 4 comes into contact with the contact surface 12a of the tab portion 12, the bending return force of the elastic deflection portion 3 acts as a contact load, thereby forming the indent portion 4 as shown in FIG. The oxidized film 1C is destroyed and the plated layer 11B formed on the tab portion 12 is pushed, whereby the oxide film 11C is destroyed (cut).

  In the portion x of FIG. 4 (the tip portion of the indent portion 4; the bottom portion of the recess formed in the tab portion 12), the oxide film 11C is pushed into the plating layer 11B by the contact load F of the indent portion 4. Here, when the contact load F is received, the metal of the plating layer 11B tends to escape to the outside, but the metal in the recess of the base material 11A is on both sides as shown by the arrow b in FIG. The convex portion cannot escape to the outside, and the reaction force of the metal in the concave portion in the direction of arrow a increases. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5A, cracks 1Ca and 11Ca are generated in the oxide films 1C and 11C, and the metal enters the cracks 1Ca and 11Ca is promoted. Thereby, the contact location of metals increases.

  In the portion y of FIG. 4 (the middle circumferential portion of the recess formed in the tab portion 12), the portion x is pushed toward the plating layer 11B, so that the amount of extension of the plating layer 11B is large. Therefore, although the plating layers 1B and 11B are easily cracked, the generation of the cracks 1Ca and 11Ca in the oxide films 1C and 11C is promoted by the unevenness 11d of the base material 11A and for the reason described above. Therefore, compared with the case where the surface of 11 A of base materials is flat, the contact location of metals increases.

  In the portion z (upper peripheral portion of the recess formed in the tab portion 12) in FIG. 4, only a small contact load acts, so the oxide film 11C has a small elongation, but due to the unevenness 11d of the base material 11A and for the reasons described above. Cracks 1Ca and 11Ca in the oxide films 1C and 11C are generated. Therefore, compared with the case where the surface of 11 A of base materials is flat, the contact location of metals increases.

  In this way, by forming (providing) the unevenness 11d on the base material 11A, the movement of the metal of the plating layer 11B is suppressed, so that the plating metal enters the cracks 1Ca and 11Ca of the oxide films 1C and 11C. The contact surface between metals can be increased and the contact surface between metals can be widened.

  Therefore, the contact resistance can be reduced without increasing the size of the terminal or making it as complex as possible.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the indentation 4 is formed on the outer surface of the base material 11A of the female terminal 1 and the plating layer 11B is formed on the irregularity 11d. The metal of the plating layer 11 </ b> B is restrained from moving when contacted by the contact load F.

  In this way, by suppressing the movement of the metal of the plating layer 11B, the metal of the plating layers 1B and 11B enters the cracks 1Ca and 11Ca of the oxide films 1C and 11C, and there are many contact portions between the plating layers 1B and 11B. Thus, the contact surface between the plating layers 1B and 11B can be widened.

  Therefore, the contact resistance can be reduced without increasing the size of the terminal or making it as complex as possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, the female terminal 1 is described as an example in which the plating layer 11B is formed on the base material 11A having the unevenness 11d formed on the surface. However, the male terminal is plated on the base material having the unevenness formed on the surface. Even if formed, the same effect can be obtained.

  Therefore, even if at least one of the female terminal (first contact portion) and the male terminal (second contact portion) is formed with a plating layer on the base material having irregularities formed on the surface, the same effect can be obtained. it can.

1 Female terminal (1st terminal)
1A Base material 1B Plating layer 1C Oxidation layer 1Ca Crack 2 Box part (first contact part)
2a Bottom (fixed surface)
3 Elastic Deflection Part 4 Indentation Part 11 Male Terminal (Second Terminal)
11A Base material 11B Plating layer 11C Oxidation layer 11Ca Crack 11d Concavity and convexity 12 Tab part (second contact part)
12a Contact surface 13 Plating layer 14 Oxide film F Contact load

Claims (1)

An indented portion is provided, and includes a first contact portion in which a plating layer is formed on the outer surface of the base material, and a second contact portion in which a plating layer is formed on the outer surface of the base material. A contact connection structure in which the indent portion of the first contact portion contacts the contact surface of the second contact portion by a contact load;
At least one of the base material at the location of the second contact portion where the base material of the indent portion and the indent portion are in contact is provided with irregularities on the outer surface, and the plating layer is formed on the irregularities. A contact connection structure characterized by that.

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