JP6842372B2 - Terminal locking structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal locking structure.

For example, some terminals attached to the connector have a locking plate. The locking plate is locked to a flexible locking arm formed in the housing of the connector that houses the terminals. The terminal is restricted from coming out of the housing by locking the locking plate to the flexible locking arm.

The locking plate can be formed, for example, by cutting an unnecessary outer peripheral portion of a metal rod and cutting it into a flange shape. Further, the intermediate portion of the hollow cylinder can be formed as a brim by overhanging (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As the overhanging process, a bulge processing method or the like can be used in which the hollow cylinder is bulged outward in the radial direction by applying hydraulic pressure or the like.

On the other hand, it is desirable that the terminals form a locking plate by press working. A so-called press terminal having a locking plate formed by press working can be manufactured relatively easily and inexpensively as compared with the above-mentioned machined terminal and terminal to be overhanged.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-263061

However, when the press terminal is pulled in the terminal disconnection direction, a force in the terminal opening direction tends to act due to the characteristics of the press terminal. For example, in the case of a press terminal in which a pair of parallel locking plates are raised by bending, the separation direction of the pair of locking plates is the engagement width direction. If the pair of locking plates are engaged and deformed by opening the press terminal in the width direction, the press terminal may come off from the locking surface of the flexible locking arm and cannot be held.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal locking structure capable of improving terminal holding reliability.

The above object according to the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) A flexible locking arm in which the terminal and the end along the terminal mounting direction of the terminal are the longitudinal direction and the end on the terminal mounting direction side is the base end and are supported, and the opposite side of the base end is the protruding tip. A locking claw that protrudes from the protruding tip in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and a locking plate formed on the terminal that protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction and whose plate surface is parallel to the terminal mounting direction. , The rear end surface of the plate formed on the locking plate in the direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction and opposite to the terminal mounting direction, and the locking claw of the flexible locking arm formed on the locking claw. The central portion in the engagement width direction that protrudes from the side surface of the protruding arm and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the flexible locking arm is inclined in a V shape that is recessed in the direction opposite to the terminal mounting direction to lock the rear end surface of the plate. A terminal locking structure comprising a locking surface.
(2) The terminal locking structure according to (1) above, wherein the terminal includes a pair of locking plates with a central portion in the engagement width direction interposed therebetween. Construction.
(3) The terminal locking structure according to (2) above, wherein the terminal is formed of a metal plate and has a bottom plate portion, and a pair of the locking plates are mounted on the terminal portion of the bottom plate portion. A terminal locking structure characterized in that both ends in a direction orthogonal to the direction are erected in parallel.
(4) The terminal locking structure according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the locking surface is more than a low portion in the engagement height direction protruding from the side surface of the arm. A terminal locking structure characterized in that a high place portion has an inclination toward the terminal mounting direction side.

According to the terminal locking structure having the configuration of (1) above, the terminals are moved in the terminal mounting direction along the longitudinal direction of the flexible locking arm. When the locking claw hits the locking plate of the moving terminal, the flexible locking arm receives a reaction force from the locking plate and bends in the direction in which the protruding tip side separates from the locking plate. That is, the locking claw gets over the locking plate. The flexible locking arm returns to its original position due to the elastic restoring force when the locking claw gets over the locking plate. When the flexible locking arm returns to its original position, the locking surface of the locking claw locks the rear end surface of the locking plate. By locking the rear end surface of the plate to the locking surface, the terminal is restricted from coming off in the direction opposite to the terminal mounting direction.
Here, the locking surface is inclined in a V shape in which the central portion in the engagement width direction is recessed on the side opposite to the terminal mounting direction. Therefore, when the terminal is pulled in the rearward pulling direction, the locking plate presses the locking surface whose rear end surface is inclined in a V shape. The locking plate receives a reaction force from the locking surface by pressing the locking surface. This reaction force can be decomposed into a component force that resists the movement of the locking plate in the backward escape direction and a component force that moves the locking plate to the V-shaped central portion. Therefore, when the terminal is pulled in the rearward exit direction, the locking plate is guided to the central portion side of the V-shaped locking surface. By arranging the locking plate on the central portion side of the V-shaped locking surface, the terminals are less likely to come off from both sides in the engagement width direction. As a result, the terminals can be locked with high holding reliability.
According to the terminal locking structure of the configuration (2) above, the pair of terminal locking plates enables locking with twice the locking strength as compared with the single configuration. Since each of the pair of locking plates is in contact with the one-sided flow surface toward the central portion, the pair of locking plates are simultaneously guided to the central portion and are difficult to come off. As a result, the terminals can be locked with high holding reliability and high strength.
According to the terminal locking structure having the configuration of (3) above, the terminal is a so-called press terminal obtained by pressing a metal plate. Press terminals can be manufactured at a lower cost than machined terminals made by cutting bar materials and terminals made by overhanging locking plates. The press terminal is formed by a pair of locking plates standing upright in parallel at both ends in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction of the bottom plate portion. That is, the pair of locking plates are erected by bending both ends of the bottom plate portion. When the press terminal is pulled in the rearward pulling direction, a force acts on the pair of locking plates to escape to the outside in the engagement width direction. This is because a force for each locking plate to return to the opening direction (force to return to the original shape: so-called springback) easily acts on the pair of locking plates due to molding by press working. .. At that time, in the locking structure of this terminal, the locking surface (gradient) formed in a V shape in the engagement width direction serves as a guide for the pair of locking plates to be expanded. By this guide action, the locking surface regulates the movement of the locking plate in the direction of escaping to the outside in the engagement width direction.
According to the terminal locking structure having the configuration of (4) above, the locking surface has an inclination such that the high portion is closer to the terminal mounting direction than the low portion in the engagement height direction. When the rear end surface of the locking plate is locked, the locking surface receives a component force that moves in the direction of deeply locking the rear end surface of the plate due to this inclination. That is, the flexible locking arm is likely to be deformed in the direction in which the locking claw is locked deeper.

According to the terminal locking structure according to the present invention, the terminal holding reliability can be improved.

The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through the embodiments described below (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings. ..

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector having a terminal locking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing the locking structure of the terminals of the connector shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the developed shape of the terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the locking claw. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the locking claw according to the comparative example. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the deformation direction of the locking plate. FIG. 8A is an operation explanatory view of the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example, and FIG. 8B is an operation explanatory diagram showing the locking plate disconnection state of the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example. .. FIG. 9A is an operation explanatory view of the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 9B is an operation description showing the locking plate disconnection regulation state of the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment. It is a figure. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a terminal according to a modified example having a pair of locking plates that project horizontally without being bent from both side portions of the bottom plate portion. FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the flexible locking arm used in the modified example of FIG. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a terminal locking structure according to a modified example in which the rear end surface of the locking plate is formed by a tapered surface along the inclination of the locking surface.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector having a terminal locking structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing the terminal locking structure of the connector shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, the directions of up, down, front, back, left, and right follow the directions of the arrows shown in FIG.

The terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment can be suitably used for, for example, a connector on the power receiving side mounted on a vehicle. Of course, the terminal locking structure according to the present invention may be used for the connector on the power feeding side. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, this connector will be described as a charging connector 11 mounted on a vehicle.

The charging connector 11 is a housing 15 having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 13 (see FIG. 2), and a press terminal 19 which is a terminal connected to the end of an electric wire 17 and accommodated in each terminal accommodating chamber 13 (see FIG. 2). (See FIG. 2) and a rear holder 23 having a terminal insertion opening 21.

The housing 15 has a connector fitting portion 25, a mounting flange portion 27 projecting laterally from the connector fitting portion 25, and an inner cylinder portion projecting from the mounting flange portion 27 on the side opposite to the connector fitting portion 25. 29, which is a housing made of an insulating resin. The front end faces of the connector fitting portion 25 are opened at the tip ends of the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 13, and the mating female terminals (not shown) of the mating connector (not shown) serving as the connector on the power feeding side are inserted from the openings. The tip surface of the connector fitting portion 25 is opened and closed by a lid (not shown). The charging connector 11 is bolted to the vehicle body side using the mounting hole 31 of the mounting flange portion 27. Each terminal accommodating chamber 13 is open on the rear end surface of the inner cylinder portion 29. The electric wires 17 such as the power supply electric wire, the grounding electric wire, and the signal electric wire connected to the press terminals 19 are drawn out into the vehicle body from the respective openings.

In the housing 15, a plurality of main locking projections 33 (a total of four pairs of upper and lower pairs and a pair of left and right sides in the present embodiment) for main locking the rear holder 23 are projected from the outer periphery of the inner cylinder portion 29. The front end side of the locking projection 33 is a vertical surface orthogonal to the holder insertion direction, and the rear end side is an inclined surface.

The rear holder 23 is attached to the rear end surface of the inner cylinder portion 29 in the housing 15. The rear holder 23 is formed with a plurality of terminal insertion openings 21 that allow the press terminal 19 to be inserted from the rear. The rear holder 23 is preferably integrally molded with a resin material having excellent mechanical strength such as POM (polyoxymethylene).

The rear holder 23 has a plurality of holder main locking arms 35 for attaching to the housing 15. The rear holder 23 is attached to the housing 15 by the holder main locking arm 35. A total of four holder main locking arms 35 are provided in pairs of up, down, left and right.

The base end of the holder main locking arm 35 is supported by the upper and lower portions and the left and right portions of the rear holder 23, and the insertion tip is a free end. The holder main locking arm 35 has a locking portion 37 at its tip. The locking portion 37 is locked to the main locking projection 33 of the housing 15. When the locking portion 37 of the holder main locking arm 35 is locked to the main locking projection 33, the rear holder 23 is held in the housing 15 in the main locked state.

In the housing 15, the press terminal 19 can be inserted into each terminal accommodating chamber 13 via the terminal insertion opening 21 of the rear holder 23 temporarily locked to the inner cylinder portion 29.
A plurality of press terminals 19 are inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers 13. The plurality of press terminals 19 may be, for example, a power receiving terminal connected to a power supply electric wire, a grounding terminal connected to a grounding electric wire, or the like.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the press terminal 19 shown in FIG.
The press terminal 19 is formed by press working (punching, bending) from a metal plate of one conductive metal (copper, copper alloy, etc.). The press terminal 19 includes a mating terminal contact portion 39, a bottom plate portion 41, a rising portion 43, and an electric wire connecting portion 45.

The mating terminal contact portion 39 is formed in a cylindrical shape. At the tip of the mating terminal contact portion 39, four slits 47 (one of the four slits 47 is a bent mating portion) cut rearward are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The tip of the mating terminal contact portion 39 becomes a dome portion 49 by bending each small piece portion sandwiched between the slits inward in the radial direction. That is, the mating terminal contact portion 39 is a male terminal whose tip of the cylindrical body is closed by the dome portion 49. In the mating terminal contact portion 39, the inner peripheral surface of the mating female terminal comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface.

The press terminal 19 has a bottom plate portion 41 extending from the lower part of the rear end of the mating terminal contact portion 39. The bottom plate portion 41 has a rising portion 43 which is a pair of left and right locking plates that are erected upward from both left and right edges.

The terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment is provided with a pair of rising portions 43, but the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment has one locking plate (starting portion 43). It may be configured.

The rising portion 43 projects in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction of the press terminal 19, and the plate surface is parallel to the terminal mounting direction. The rising portion 43 has a plate rear end surface 51 at an edge portion orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction and opposite to the terminal mounting direction. In the present embodiment, the press terminal 19 includes a pair of rising portions 43 with the central portion 53 (see FIG. 5) in the engagement width direction W (see FIG. 5) interposed therebetween. Here, the engagement width direction is the separating direction of the pair of rising portions 43. The pair of rising portions 43 are formed by standing both ends of the bottom plate portion 41 in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction in parallel. The rising portion 43 is a locked portion in which the press terminal 19 is prevented from coming off from the housing 15. A housing flexible piece 77, which is a flexible locking arm described later, of the housing 15 is locked to the plate rear end surface 51.
The rising portion 43 may have its front edge abutting against the stopper step portion 55 (see FIG. 2) of the housing 15 to simultaneously regulate the front removal of the press terminal 19.

The bottom plate portion 41 forms an electric wire connecting portion 45 behind the rising portion 43. The electric wire connecting portion 45 has a pair of left and right crimping pieces 57 that are erected upward from the left and right side edges of the bottom plate portion 41. The crimping piece 57 is bent inward so as to wrap the conductor (not shown) of the electric wire 17, so that the crimping piece 57 crimps the conductor in close contact with the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 41.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the developed shape of the press terminal 19 shown in FIG.
The press terminal 19 is formed by punching a base plate using a punch and a die to form a developing material 59 before bending. The developing material 59 of the press terminal 19 includes a rectangular plate portion 61, a connecting portion 63, a pair of blade portions 65, and a square portion 67. The rectangular plate portion 61 is bent into a cylindrical shape to become a mating terminal contact portion 39. The connecting portion 63 is bent into a semi-cylinder to become a bottom plate portion 41. Three slits 47 (see FIG. 3) for forming the dome portion 49 are cut in the front end of the rectangular plate portion 61. The bottom plate portion 41 extends from the rear end in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate portion 61. The wing portion 65 protrudes from both side portions of the bottom plate portion 41 and becomes a rising portion 43. The square portion 67 is connected to the rear end of the bottom plate portion 41 and serves as a crimping piece 57. In the square portion 67, a ridge 71 (serration or the like) for increasing the crimping strength of the conductor is formed on the conductor contact surface 69.

The press terminal 19 is formed in the shape shown in FIG. 3 by bending the mating terminal contact portion 39, the bottom plate portion 41, the rising portion 43, and the square portion 67 of the developing material 59 with a plurality of types of dies and punches. ..
The press terminal 19 formed in the shape shown in FIG. 3 is crimped to the conductor of the electric wire 17 by the crimping piece 57 of the electric wire connecting portion 45. The area between the electric wire connecting portion 45 and the electric wire 17 is waterproofed by covering the outer peripheral surface with a heat shrink tube 73.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the locking claw 75.
A housing flexible piece 77 is formed in the terminal accommodating chamber 13 (see FIG. 2) of the housing 15 to prevent the press terminal 19 from coming off and fix it. The housing flexible piece 77 has a cantilever shape in which the base is connected to the ceiling surface (not shown) of each terminal accommodating chamber 13. The housing flexible piece 77 is arranged in the terminal accommodating chamber 13 so that the free end (protruding tip 79) on the side opposite to the base portion extends to the rear of the housing along the insertion direction of the press terminal 19. That is, the housing flexible piece 77 has a longitudinal direction along the terminal mounting direction. The housing flexible piece 77 is supported by the end of the press terminal 19 on the terminal mounting direction side as the base end, and the opposite side of the base end is the protruding tip 79.

The housing flexible piece 77 has a locking claw 75 protruding from the protruding tip 79 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. More specifically, the locking claw 75 hangs down from the lower surface of the protruding tip of the housing flexible piece 77 shown in FIG.

The locking claw 75 has a locking surface 81. The locking surface 81 projects from the arm side surface 83 on which the locking claw 75 of the housing flexible piece 77 projects. Further, in the locking surface 81, the central portion 53 in the engagement width direction (arrow W direction in FIG. 5) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the housing flexible piece 77 is on the opposite side to the terminal mounting direction (arrow F direction in FIG. 5). It is inclined in a V shape that dents in. The V-shaped slope has one-sided flow surfaces 85 on both sides of the central portion 53. The locking surface 81 locks the plate rear end surface 51 of the rising portion 43. The locking claw 75 requires a locking surface 81 that is inclined in a V shape.

Further, in the present embodiment, the locking surface 81 is inclined so that the high portion 89 is on the terminal mounting direction side with respect to the low portion 87 in the engagement height direction (arrow H direction in FIG. 5) protruding from the arm side surface 83. Have. The locking surface 81 can be arbitrarily inclined in the height direction.

The locking claw 75 locks the plate rear end surface 51, which is the locked portion of the press terminal 19, and restricts the press terminal 19 from coming out behind. When the press terminal 19 is inserted, the housing flexible piece 77 is pushed up by the dome portion 49 of the mating terminal contact portion 39. When the press terminal 19 of the housing flexible piece 77 is inserted to a predetermined position, the locking surface 81 coincides with the plate rear end surface 51. When the locking surface 81 of the housing flexible piece 77 coincides with the plate rear end surface 51, the housing flexible piece 77 returns to its original position by an elastic restoring force and locks the plate rear end surface 51 (state of FIG. 2).

The terminal accommodating chamber 13 has a flexible space 91 (see FIG. 2) between the ceiling surface (not shown) and the protruding tip 79 of the housing flexible piece 77. The flexible space 91 makes the protruding tip 79 of the housing flexible piece 77 pushed up by the mating terminal contact portion 39 of the press terminal 19 movable. On the other hand, in the housing flexible piece 77, the release of the lock to the press terminal 19 is restricted by inserting the retainer portion (not shown) of the rear holder 23 into the flexible space 91.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
Prior to explaining the operation of the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the operation of the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example will be described.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the locking claw 93 according to the comparative example, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the deformation direction of the locking plate, and FIG. An explanatory view, FIG. 8B is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the locking plate of the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example is disengaged.
In the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking surface 97 of the housing flexible piece 95 is provided with the same gradient as described above only in the engagement height direction H, and is in the engagement width direction. W is not angled (not tilted in a V shape).

In the terminal locking structure according to the comparative example shown in FIG. 6, when the press terminal 19 is pulled in the terminal disconnection direction (direction opposite to the arrow F), due to the characteristics of the press terminal 19, a pair of rising portions ( As shown in FIG. 7, a force tends to act on the locking plate) 43 in the terminal opening direction P. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8A, the pair of rising portions 43 are deformed to the outside in the engagement width direction W, respectively. In the housing flexible piece 95, the pair of rising portions 43 are deformed to the outside in the width direction W, respectively, so that the rising portions 43 are disengaged from the locking surface 97 as shown in FIG. 8 (b). There is a possibility that the press terminal 19 cannot be held.

FIG. 9A is an operation explanatory view of the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 9B is an operation description showing the locking plate disconnection regulation state of the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment. It is a figure.
In the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, when the press terminal 19 is mounted, the press terminal 19 is moved in the terminal mounting direction (arrow F direction in FIG. 5) along the longitudinal direction of the housing flexible piece 77. .. When the locking claw 75 hits the riser portion 43, which is the locking plate of the moving press terminal 19, the housing flexible piece 77 receives a reaction force from the riser portion 43 and the protruding tip side separates from the riser portion 43. Bend in the direction. That is, the locking claw 75 gets over the rising portion 43. When the locking claw 75 gets over the rising portion 43, the housing flexible piece 77 returns to its original position due to the elastic restoring force. When the housing flexible piece 77 returns to its original position, the locking surface 81 of the locking claw 75 locks the plate rear end surface 51 of the rising portion 43. In the press terminal 19, the rear end surface 51 of the plate is locked to the locking surface 81, so that the press terminal 19 is restricted from coming out in the direction opposite to the terminal mounting direction.

Here, the locking surface 81 is inclined in a V shape in which the central portion 53 in the engagement width direction is recessed on the side opposite to the terminal mounting direction. Therefore, when the press terminal 19 is pulled in the direction of pulling out (in the direction opposite to the arrow F), the rising portion 43 presses the locking surface 81 whose plate rear end surface 51 is inclined in a V shape. The rising portion 43 receives a reaction force from the locking surface 81 by pressing the locking surface 81. This reaction force is decomposed into a component force that resists the movement of the riser portion 43 in the backward pulling direction and a component force that moves the riser portion 43 to the central portion 53 of the V-shaped locking surface 81. it can. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the rising portion 43 is guided to the central portion 53 side of the V-shaped locking surface 81 when the press terminal 19 is pulled in the rearward exit direction. Since the rising portion 43 of the press terminal 19 is arranged on the central portion 53 side of the V-shaped locking surface 81, the press terminal 19 is less likely to come off from both sides in the engagement width direction W. As a result, the press terminal 19 can be locked to the locking surface 81 of the housing flexible piece 77 with high holding reliability.

Further, in the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the rising portions 43 of the press terminals 19 are paired so that the terminals can be locked with twice the locking strength as compared with the single configuration. Then, since each of the pair of rising portions 43 is in contact with the one-sided flow surface 85 toward the central portion 53 side, they are simultaneously guided to the central portion 53 side and are less likely to come off. As a result, the press terminal 19 can be locked with high holding reliability and high strength.

Further, in the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the press terminal 19 is a so-called press terminal obtained by pressing a metal plate. The press terminal 19 can be manufactured at a lower cost than a machined terminal obtained by cutting a bar material or a terminal having an overhanging locking plate. The press terminal 19 is formed by having a pair of rising portions 43 standing upright in parallel at both ends in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction of the bottom plate portion 41. That is, the pair of rising portions 43 are erected by bending both ends of the bottom plate portion 41. When the press terminal 19 is pulled in the rearward pulling direction, a force is exerted by the pair of rising portions 43 to escape to the outside in the engagement width direction W. Because the pair of risers 43 are likely to exert a force (force to return to the original shape: so-called springback) at which each riser 43 tends to return to the opening direction due to molding by press working. Is. At that time, in the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the locking surface 81 (gradient) formed in a V shape in the engagement width direction W serves as a guide for the pair of rising portions 43 to be expanded. .. By this guide action, the locking surface 81 regulates the movement of the rising portion 43 in the direction of escaping to the outside in the engagement width direction W.

Further, in the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the locking surface 81 has an inclination such that the high portion 89 is on the terminal mounting direction F side with respect to the low portion 87 in the engagement height direction H. When the plate rear end surface 51 of the rising portion 43 is locked, the locking surface 81 receives a component force that moves in the direction of deeply locking the plate rear end surface 51 due to this inclination. That is, the housing flexible piece 77 is likely to be deformed in the direction in which the locking claw 75 is locked deeper.

Next, a modified example of the above embodiment will be described.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a terminal according to a modified example having a pair of locking plates 99 protruding horizontally without being bent from both side portions of the bottom plate portion 41, and FIG. 11 is a flexible connector used in the modified example of FIG. It is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of a stop arm.
In the terminal locking structure according to this modification, a pair of locking plates 99 of the press terminals 101 project horizontally from both side portions of the bottom plate portion 41. The pair of housing flexible pieces 103 lock the tip portions of the locking plates 99 projecting in the horizontal direction with the press terminal 101 interposed therebetween. The pair of housing flexible pieces 103 are arranged so that both locking claws 75 face each other.
According to the terminal locking structure according to this modification, the press terminal 101 can be locked by the two housing flexible pieces 103 from both sides, so that the locking strength can be increased.

Next, another modification will be described.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of a terminal locking structure according to a modified example in which the plate rear end surface 51 of the rising portion 105 is formed by a tapered surface 107 along the inclination of the locking surface 81.
In the terminal locking structure according to another modification, the plate rear end surface of each rising portion 105 of the press terminal 109 is formed by a tapered surface 107 along the inclination of the one-sided flow surface 85 of the locking surface 81.
According to the terminal locking structure according to the other modification, the pair of rising portions 105 of the press terminal 109 are more easily moved to the central portion 53 side along the one-sided flow surface 85 by the tapered surface 107, so that the standing portion 105 is standing. The raised portion 105 can be made more difficult to come off from the locking surface 81.

Therefore, according to the terminal locking structure according to the present embodiment, the terminal holding reliability can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved, and the like. In addition, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

Here, the features of the above-described embodiment of the terminal locking structure according to the present invention are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4], respectively.
[1] Terminal (press terminal 19) and
The direction of the terminal (press terminal 19) along the terminal mounting direction (F) is the longitudinal direction, and the end on the terminal mounting direction (F) side is the base end and is supported, and the opposite side of the base end is the protruding tip. Flexible locking arm (housing flexible piece 77) and
A locking claw (75) protruding from the protruding tip in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,
A locking plate (starting portion 43) formed on the terminal (press terminal 19) and protruding in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction (F) and having a plate surface parallel to the terminal mounting direction.
A plate rear end surface (51) formed on the locking plate (raising portion 43) and orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction (F) and opposite to the terminal mounting direction (F).
The flexible locking arm (housing) formed on the locking claw (75) and protrudes from the side surface (83) of the arm on which the locking claw (75) of the flexible locking arm (housing flexible piece 77) protrudes. The central portion (53) in the engagement width direction (W) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the flexible piece 77) is inclined in a V shape recessed on the side opposite to the terminal mounting direction (F), and the plate rear end surface (51). With a locking surface (81) that locks
A terminal locking structure characterized by being provided with.
[2] The terminal locking structure according to the above [1].
A terminal locking structure, wherein the terminal (press terminal 19) includes a pair of locking plates (starting portion 43) sandwiching a central portion (53) in the engagement width direction (W).
[3] The terminal locking structure according to the above [2].
The terminal (press terminal 19) is formed of a metal plate and has a bottom plate portion (41), and a pair of the locking plates (starting portion 43) are formed in the terminal mounting direction (41) of the bottom plate portion (41). A terminal locking structure characterized in that both ends in a direction orthogonal to F) are erected in parallel.
[4] The terminal locking structure according to any one of the above [1] to [3].
The locking surface (81) has a higher portion (89) on the terminal mounting direction (F) side than a lower portion (87) in the engagement height direction (H) protruding from the arm side surface (83). A terminal locking structure characterized by having an inclination of.

19 ... Press terminal (terminal)
41 ... Bottom plate 43 ... Starting up (locking plate)
51 ... Plate rear end surface 53 ... Central portion 75 ... Locking claw 77 ... Housing flexible piece (flexible locking arm)
79 ... Protruding tip 81 ... Locking surface 83 ... Arm side surface 87 ... Low place 89 ... High place F ... Terminal mounting direction H ... Engagement height direction W ... Engagement width direction

Claims (4)

With terminals
A flexible locking arm whose longitudinal direction is along the terminal mounting direction of the terminal and the end on the terminal mounting direction side is the base end and is supported, and the opposite side of the base end is the protruding tip.
A locking claw that protrudes from the protruding tip in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,
A locking plate formed on the terminal and protruding in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction and having a plate surface parallel to the terminal mounting direction.
A plate rear end surface formed on the locking plate in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction and opposite to the terminal mounting direction.
The central portion in the engagement width direction formed on the locking claw and protruding from the side surface of the arm on which the locking claw of the flexible locking arm protrudes and orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the flexible locking arm is the terminal mounting direction. A locking surface that is inclined in a V shape that is recessed on the opposite side to lock the rear end surface of the plate, and
A terminal locking structure characterized by being provided with. The terminal locking structure according to claim 1.
A terminal locking structure, wherein the terminal includes a pair of locking plates with a central portion in the engagement width direction interposed therebetween. The terminal locking structure according to claim 2.
The terminal is formed of a metal plate and has a bottom plate portion, and the pair of locking plates are formed by erecting both ends of the bottom plate portion in a direction orthogonal to the terminal mounting direction in parallel. The locking structure of the terminal. The terminal locking structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The locking surface is a terminal locking structure characterized in that the high portion has an inclination toward the terminal mounting direction side with respect to the low portion in the engagement height direction protruding from the side surface of the arm.

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