JP7640398B2 - Female terminal, manufacturing method of female terminal, inspection method of female terminal, connector, electric wire with terminal, electric wire with connector, and wire harness - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a female terminal for an electric circuit through which a large current flows, a manufacturing method for a female terminal, an inspection method for a female terminal, a connector, an electric wire with a terminal, an electric wire with a connector, and a wire harness.

Conventionally, electrical equipment forms an electrical circuit by connecting an electric device and a power supply device with a wire harness. The wire harness and the electric device, as well as the wire harness and the power supply device, are connected to each other via connectors attached to each.

For example, the connector shown in Patent Document 1 has a female terminal housed in a connector housing. The female terminal has a terminal body formed by a base and a spring member, and a plate for the spring member is provided along a pair of side walls that form the base.

JP 2009-245701 A

In electrical circuits such as drive systems in automobiles, where large currents flow, it is conceivable to weld the side wall and the base plate together to ensure good electrical conductivity. However, if the spring member is formed from a thick plate material to ensure even better electrical conductivity, the welding heat tends to dissipate easily, resulting in shallow penetration and the risk of the welding being unreliable. For this reason, there was a demand for a female terminal that would show on the outside whether the welded condition between the side wall and the base plate was good or bad.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a female terminal in which the quality of the weld between the side wall and the base plate is visible from the outside, a manufacturing method for a female terminal, an inspection method for a female terminal, a connector, an electric wire with a terminal, an electric wire with a connector, and a wire harness.

This invention is a female terminal characterized in that a terminal body is provided by a base portion connected to an electric wire and a spring member attached to the base portion, the base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined distance apart so that a male terminal can be inserted, the spring member has a mounting plate arranged along the side wall in a state where it is fitted into the side wall, a weld is formed by welding the side wall and the mounting plate, a weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the mounting plate in the depth direction of the weld , the mounting plate is arranged along at least the tip surface of the side wall, and the weld is formed by welding the mounting plate to the tip surface of the side wall, and the weld confirmation portion is a groove portion provided from the outer surface of the side wall to at least the heat-affected zone of the weld .
In the present invention, the heat-affected zone refers to a zone in which the base metal structure has been changed by the welding heat.

In this invention, the depth direction refers to the direction in which the base material penetrates into the weld. In addition, in this invention, the specified distance refers to the depth distance that does not exceed the deepest point of the heat-affected area (the area where the base material structure is changed by the welding heat) of the weld formed when the weld condition between the side wall and the installation plate is good.

This invention also includes a connector having the female terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the female terminal, as well as a terminal-attached electric wire having the female terminal and the electric wire that is connected to the base portion of the female terminal.

Furthermore, this invention includes an electric wire with a connector that includes the electric wire with terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the electric wire with terminal, as well as a wire harness that includes at least one of the electric wire with terminal and the electric wire with connector.

The present invention further includes a method for manufacturing a female terminal, which includes a welding process for welding the side wall and the base plate to form a welded portion, and a detection process for detecting that the heat-affected zone of the welded portion has reached the weld confirmation portion, as well as a method for inspecting a female terminal, which includes determining whether the welded state is good or bad based on the surface properties of the weld confirmation portion.

According to the present invention, the quality of the welding state between the side wall and the base plate is visible to the outside.
More specifically, in the female terminals and the like according to the present invention, the weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the base plate in the depth direction of the weld portion. Therefore, when welding heat is applied at an appropriate position, angle, and amount, the weld confirmation portion will show signs of discoloration or the like. In other words, the quality of the weld between the side wall and the base plate will be apparent to the outside.

The welding confirmation portion further includes a groove portion extending from the outer surface of the side wall to at least the heat-affected zone of the weld, and the groove portion is provided along the outer surface of the side wall, and the weld confirmation portion has a groove portion extending along at least the heat-affected zone of the weld .

According to the above-mentioned configuration, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, a trace such as discoloration appears on the inner surface of the groove, which is the weld confirmation portion. Therefore, by checking the trace that appears on the inner surface of the groove, it is possible to judge whether the welding state between the side wall and the installation plate is good or bad.

In addition, the traces can be seen from a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the male terminal. Therefore, even when the male terminal is inserted inside the female terminal, it is easy to determine whether the welding condition between the side wall and the base plate is good or not.

The present invention also relates to a female terminal, characterized in that a terminal body is provided by a base portion connected to an electric wire and a spring member attached to the base portion, the base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined distance apart so that a male terminal can be inserted, the spring member has a mounting plate arranged along the side wall in a state where it is fitted into the side wall, a weld is formed by welding the side wall and the mounting plate, a weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the mounting plate in the depth direction of the weld , the mounting plate is arranged along at least an outer surface of the side wall, the weld is formed by welding the mounting plate to the outer surface of the side wall, and the weld confirmation portion is a groove portion provided from the tip surface of the side wall to at least a heat-affected zone of the weld.
The heat-affected zone in the present invention also refers to a zone in which the base metal structure has been changed by the welding heat.

In the present invention, the depth direction refers to the direction in which the base material penetrates into the welded portion, and the predetermined distance refers to the depth distance that does not exceed the deepest point of the heat-affected zone (the portion where the base material structure is changed by the welding heat) of the welded portion formed when the welding state between the side wall and the base plate is good.

The present invention also includes a connector having the aforementioned female terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the female terminal, as well as an electric wire with a terminal having the aforementioned female terminal and the electric wire connected to the base portion of the female terminal.

Furthermore, the present invention includes an electric wire with a connector including the above-mentioned electric wire with terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the electric wire with terminal, as well as a wire harness including at least one of the above-mentioned electric wire with terminal and the above-mentioned electric wire with a connector.

Furthermore, the present invention includes a method for manufacturing a female terminal, characterized by comprising a welding step of welding the side wall and the base plate to form a weld, and a detection step of detecting that the heat-affected zone of the weld has reached the weld confirmation portion, as well as a method for inspecting a female terminal, characterized by judging the quality of the welding condition from the surface properties of the weld confirmation portion.

According to the present invention, the quality of the welding state between the side wall and the base plate is visible to the outside.
More specifically, in the female terminals and the like according to the present invention, the weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the base plate in the depth direction of the weld portion. Therefore, when welding heat is applied at an appropriate position, angle, and amount, the weld confirmation portion will show signs of discoloration or the like. In other words, the quality of the weld between the side wall and the base plate will be apparent to the outside.

The welding confirmation portion is a groove portion extending from the tip surface of the side wall to at least the heat-affected area of the welded portion, and has a plate extending along at least the outer surface of the side wall, and the plate is welded to the outer surface of the side wall to form the welded portion.

According to the above configuration, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, traces such as discoloration will appear on the inner surface of the groove, which is the welding confirmation area. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the inner surface of the groove, it is possible to determine whether the welding condition between the side wall and the installation plate is good or bad.

In addition, the traces can be seen from a direction that is approximately parallel to the insertion direction of the male terminal. Therefore, even when inserting a male terminal inside a female terminal, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall and the base plate can be judged at the same time as the insertion operation.

As a further aspect of the present invention, the groove may be formed so that the groove width gradually increases from the deepest side to the opening side of the groove.
In the present invention, the groove width refers to the distance between a pair of opposing inner surfaces among the inner surfaces that form the groove portion.

With this invention, traces such as discoloration appear on the inner surface of the inclined groove, making it easy to see the shape of the trace as well as the size of the trace, making it easy to judge the quality of the weld. In this regard, it is preferable that the inner surface on the weld side is inclined in the depth direction of the weld. Furthermore, it makes it easier to expel sand and dust that has entered the groove.

As a further aspect of the present invention, the welded portion may be formed continuously in a predetermined direction, and the groove may be provided at a position corresponding to at least a welding start point of the welded portion.
In the present invention, "continuous" includes not only a solid line but also a dotted line.

This invention ensures the rigidity of the sidewall compared to a design with a long groove along the weld. Furthermore, the time required for cutting to create the groove in the sidewall is reduced, improving productivity.

In addition, if the penetration depth is appropriate at the position corresponding to the welding start point, where the penetration is most likely to be shallow, it can be assumed that the subsequent penetrations are good without needing to be checked. Therefore, by checking the trace corresponding to the welding start point, it is possible to quickly judge the quality of the entire weld.

The present invention also relates to a female terminal, characterized in that a terminal body is provided by a base portion connected to an electric wire and a spring member attached to the base portion, the base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined distance apart so that a male terminal can be inserted, the spring member has a mounting plate arranged along the side wall in a state where it is fitted into the side wall, a weld is formed by welding the side wall and the mounting plate, a weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the mounting plate in a depth direction of the weld , the mounting plate is arranged along at least an end surface of the side wall, the weld is formed by welding the mounting plate to the end surface of the side wall, and the weld confirmation portion is an outer surface of the side wall that intersects the depth direction of the weld.

In the present invention, the depth direction refers to the direction in which the base material penetrates into the welded portion, and the predetermined distance refers to the depth distance that does not exceed the deepest point of the heat-affected zone (the portion where the base material structure is changed by the welding heat) of the welded portion formed when the welding state between the side wall and the base plate is good.

The present invention also includes a connector having the aforementioned female terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the female terminal, as well as an electric wire with a terminal having the aforementioned female terminal and the electric wire connected to the base portion of the female terminal.

Furthermore, the present invention includes an electric wire with a connector including the above-mentioned electric wire with terminal and a connector housing that accommodates the electric wire with terminal, as well as a wire harness including at least one of the above-mentioned electric wire with terminal and the above-mentioned electric wire with a connector.

Furthermore, the present invention includes a method for manufacturing a female terminal, characterized by comprising a welding step of welding the side wall and the base plate to form a weld, and a detection step of detecting that the heat-affected zone of the weld has reached the weld confirmation portion, as well as a method for inspecting a female terminal, characterized by judging the quality of the welding condition from the surface properties of the weld confirmation portion.

According to the present invention, the quality of the welding state between the side wall and the base plate is visible to the outside.
More specifically, in the female terminals and the like according to the present invention, the weld confirmation portion is provided at a position a predetermined distance from the base plate in the depth direction of the weld portion. Therefore, when welding heat is applied at an appropriate position, angle, and amount, the weld confirmation portion will show signs of discoloration or the like. In other words, the quality of the weld between the side wall and the base plate will be apparent to the outside.

The welding confirmation portion is an outer surface of the side wall that intersects with the depth direction of the welded portion, and has a plate that is disposed along at least the tip surface of the side wall, and the plate is welded to the tip surface of the side wall to form the welded portion.

According to the above configuration, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, traces such as discoloration will appear on the outer surface of the side wall, which is the weld confirmation area. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the outer surface of the side wall, it is possible to determine whether the weld between the side wall and the installation plate is good or bad.

In addition, since traces such as discoloration appear on the outer surface of the side wall, it is easy to see the shape of the trace as well as the size of the trace, making it easy to judge whether the welding condition is good or not. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide grooves or the like on the side wall to function as welding confirmation areas, it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity due to providing grooves or the like on the side wall.

In another aspect of the present invention, the side wall has an installation plate provided along at least the inner surface of the side wall, and the installation plate is welded to the inner surface of the side wall to form the welded portion, and the weld confirmation portion may be a groove portion provided from the tip surface or outer surface of the side wall to at least the heat-affected zone of the welded portion.
The heat-affected zone in the present invention also refers to a zone in which the base metal structure has been changed by the welding heat.

With this invention, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, a trace such as discoloration appears on the inner surface of the groove, which is the weld confirmation portion. Therefore, by checking the trace that appears on the inner surface of the groove, it is possible to judge whether the welding condition between the side wall and the installation plate is good or bad.

In addition, when a groove is provided on the tip surface of the side wall, the trace can be confirmed from a direction approximately parallel to the insertion direction of the male terminal. Therefore, even when inserting a male terminal into the inside of a female terminal, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall and the longitudinal plate can be judged at the same time as the insertion operation. On the other hand, when a groove is provided on the outer surface of the side wall, the trace can be confirmed from a direction approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the male terminal. Therefore, even when the male terminal is inserted into the inside of the female terminal, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall and the longitudinal plate can be easily judged.

FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. Front view of the female terminal. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 6. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 6 and a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a male terminal inserted inside a female terminal. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a front view of a female terminal according to another embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a production process of a female terminal. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a production process of a female terminal.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a connector 1. In Fig. 1, a connector housing 4 that accommodates female terminals 10 is shown by dashed lines.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the female terminal 10. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the female terminal 10. Figure 4 is a side view of the female terminal 10, Figure 5 is a front view of the female terminal 10, and Figure 6 is a plan view of the female terminal 10. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Figure 6, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B and C-C in Figure 6. Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the female terminal 10, and Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the female terminal 10 with a male terminal 5 inserted inside it.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 is attached to the tip of the electric wires 3 that make up the wire harness 2. The connector 1 has two female terminals 10 housed in parallel in the connector housing 4.

The wire harness 2 is composed of multiple electric wires 3 bundled together. The electric wires 3 are made up of a core wire 3a, which is an electric conductor, covered with an insulating coating 3b, and the core wire 3a exposed at the tip is connected to the base portion 20 of the female terminal 10.

The connector housing 4 has an electric wire insertion portion 41 through which the electric wire 3 is inserted, and a terminal accommodating portion 42 that accommodates the female terminal 10. The accommodating space 4S that accommodates the female terminal 10 has a roughly rectangular opening, and the protruding portion of the connector housing that accommodates the male terminal 5 (see FIG. 10) is fitted into this opening. At that time, the male terminal 5 is inserted inside the female terminal 10, and the terminals are electrically connected to each other.

As shown in Figures 2 to 10, the female terminal 10 is composed of an electric wire connection portion 11 and a terminal connection portion 12. The electric wire connection portion 11 and the terminal connection portion 12 are arranged in series on an extension line of the electric wire 3. In this application, this direction is described as the longitudinal direction L. Also, the direction parallel to the direction in which the male terminal 5 (see Figure 10) is inserted is described as the height direction H, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the height direction H is described as the width direction W.

The electric wire connection section 11 is provided with a connection plate 111 that is perpendicular to the width direction W. The upper and lower ends of the connection plate 111 are bent to provide guide pieces 112. Each guide piece 112 serves to prevent the core wire 3a connected to the connection plate 111 from spreading.

The terminal connection portion 12 is provided with a terminal body 13 that is electrically connected to the male terminal 5 (see FIG. 10). In the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, the terminal body 13 is composed of a base portion 20 that is integrally formed with the electric wire connection portion 11, and a spring member 30 that is attached to the base portion 20. The base portion 20 and the spring member 30 will be described in detail below.

The base portion 20 has a pair of side walls 21 spaced apart at a predetermined distance so that the male terminal 5 can be inserted. More specifically, the base portion 20 has a pair of side walls 21 spaced apart at a predetermined distance, each of which is perpendicular to the width direction W. The base portion 20 also has a bottom wall 22 that connects the lower ends of each side wall 21. Therefore, the base portion 20 is generally U-shaped when viewed from the longitudinal direction L (see FIG. 4).

The side wall 21 on one side of the base portion 20 is formed by extending the connection plate 111 in the longitudinal direction L. The side wall 21 on the other side is formed by folding back the plate material (the base material of the base portion 20) to the side where the guide piece 112 is formed. Therefore, the base portion 20 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the height direction H (see FIG. 6). In this way, the base portion 20 achieves a compact female terminal 10 by forming the side wall 21 on the other side on the side where the guide piece 112 is formed.

Furthermore, the upper guide piece 112 of the base part 20 is formed by bending the upper end of the connection plate 111, and a notch 11a is provided to prevent the side wall 21 from being distorted when the guide piece 112 is formed. Similarly, the lower guide piece 112 of the base part 20 is formed by bending the lower end of the connection plate 111, and a notch 11b is provided to prevent the side wall 21 from being distorted when the guide piece 112 is formed. Note that a part of the spring member 30 is exposed at the notch 11b, making it possible to remove the spring member 30 by pushing it from the lower side (see FIG. 5).

In addition, the base 20 is formed by cutting out and bending a conductive plate material such as a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy. The surface of the base 20 is not plated, but this is not a limitation. Therefore, the surface may be plated with silver plating or tin plating to improve conductivity. Alternatively, the surface may be partially plated. An example of a partially plated surface would be one where the electric wire connection portion 11 or one where the terminal connection portion 12 is plated. Alternatively, only the electric wire connection portion 11 or only the terminal connection portion 12 is plated.

The spring member 30 has an inner plate 31 that fits along the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21 when fitted between the pair of side walls 21. It also has a flange plate 33 that extends outward in the width direction W from the upper end of each inner plate 31 and fits along the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21. It also has a bottom plate 34 that connects the lower end of each inner plate 31 and fits along the inner surface 22a of the bottom wall 22. Therefore, the spring member 30 is substantially U-shaped when viewed from the longitudinal direction L (see FIG. 4).

In addition, the inner plate 31 on one side of the spring member 30 extends in the longitudinal direction L along the opening edge of the side wall 21, and six arm springs 35 extend from this inner plate 31 toward the opposing side wall 21 (see FIG. 7). These arm springs 35 all have the same shape, and specifically, when viewed from the longitudinal direction L, they extend diagonally downward so as to approach the opposing side wall 21, and are partially folded back, including the tip edge (see FIG. 8).

The arm spring 35 provided on one side of the inner plate 31 extends from the lower edge of the inner plate 31 along the opening edge of the side wall 21, and the boundary with the inner plate 31 is the base point Pb of the arm spring 35 (see FIG. 8). In this female terminal 10, the base point Pb is always in contact with the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21. However, it may be structured so that it comes into contact with the deformation when the male terminal 5 is inserted inside the female terminal 10.

Furthermore, the inner plate 31 on the other side of the spring member 30 also extends in the longitudinal direction L along the opening edge of the side wall 21, and six arm springs 35 extend from this inner plate 31 toward the opposing side wall 21 (see FIG. 7). These arm springs 35 all have the same shape, and specifically, when viewed from the longitudinal direction L, they extend diagonally downward so as to approach the opposing side wall 21, and are shaped such that a portion of them, including their tip edge, is folded back (see FIG. 8).

The arm spring 35 provided on the other inner plate 31 also extends from the lower edge of the inner plate 31 along the opening edge of the side wall 21, and the boundary with the inner plate 31 is the base point Pb of the arm spring 35 (see FIG. 8). In this female terminal 10, the base point Pb is always in contact with the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21. However, it may be structured so that it comes into contact with the deformation when the male terminal 5 is inserted inside the female terminal 10.

In addition, the spring member 30 has the flange plate 33 in surface contact with the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L at the center of the width direction W of this surface contact area. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the flange plate 33 (see Figures 6 to 10). The welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm where part of the side wall 21 or the flange plate 33 melts and then cools and solidifies again, and the surrounding heat-affected region Ph (the portion where the base material structure is changed by the welding heat). The welded portion Pw is formed by a laser welding machine, but is not limited to this.

In addition, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, a groove 23 is provided at a position a predetermined distance D away from the flange plate 33 in the depth direction of the weld Pw (the height direction H and the penetration direction along the center line C of the weld Pw). The groove 23 is a concave groove provided from the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 toward the inward side in the width direction W, and the groove depth exceeds at least the center line C of the weld Pw. With this configuration, the heat-affected area Ph reaches the groove 23 as the weld Pw is formed, and therefore, traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23.

In the female terminal 10 according to the present embodiment, the groove 23 extends from edge to edge of the side wall 21 along the longitudinal direction L. The above-mentioned predetermined distance D is determined so that the heat-affected area Ph of the welded portion Pw reaches the groove 23 when the welded state between the side wall 21 and the flange plate 33 is good. However, the predetermined distance D may be slightly shortened so that the solidified portion Pm of the welded portion Pw reaches the groove 23. In this manner, a trace of the solidified portion Pm (a trace of the base material melting and cooling again and solidifying in addition to discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appears on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23. In any case, the groove 23 functions as a weld confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge the quality of the welded state by visual inspection or observation via a sensor, etc.

In this regard, as shown in FIG. 11(a), a plating layer 24 may be formed on the inner surface 23s of the groove portion 23. This can improve the visibility of discoloration, which is a trace of the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected area Ph. The plating layer 24 may be formed not only on the inner surface 23s of the groove portion 23, but also on the entire base portion 20. This configuration also contributes to improving electrical conductivity.

Also, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the groove width may be gradually increased from the deepest side to the opening side of the groove portion 23. Specifically, the inner surface 23s located on the welded portion Pw side may be inclined with respect to the depth direction of the welded portion Pw (the height direction H and the penetration direction along the center line C of the welded portion Pw), thereby gradually increasing the groove width from the deepest side to the opening side. In this way, it is possible to improve the visibility of discoloration, which is a trace of the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected zone Ph.

Next, a female terminal 10 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In this embodiment, the spring member 30 has an outer plate 32 that is provided along the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. In addition, the flange plate 33 has an opening (so-called confirmation window) 33h that overlaps with the groove portion 23 described below.

The spring member 30 is in a state where the outer plate 32 is in surface contact with the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L in the upper part of the height direction H of this surface contact area. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the outer plate 32. As described above, the welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected region Ph formed around it.

In addition, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, a groove 23 is provided at a position a predetermined distance D away from the outer plate 32 in the depth direction of the weld Pw (the width direction W and the penetration direction along the center line C of the weld Pw). The groove 23 is a concave groove provided downward in the height direction H from the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, and the depth of the groove exceeds at least the center line C of the weld Pw. With this configuration, the heat-affected area Ph reaches the groove 23 as the weld Pw is formed, and the inner surface 23s of the groove 23 shows traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material).

In the female terminal 10 according to the present embodiment, the groove 23 extends from edge to edge of the side wall 21 along the longitudinal direction L. The above-mentioned predetermined distance D is determined so that the heat-affected area Ph of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23 when the welded state between the side wall 21 and the outer plate 32 is good. However, the predetermined distance D may be slightly shortened so that the solidified portion Pm of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23. In this manner, a trace of the solidified portion Pm (a trace of the base material melting and cooling again and solidifying in addition to discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appears on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23. As described above, a plating layer 24 may be formed on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, or the groove width may be gradually increased from the deepest side of the groove 23 to the opening side. In any case, the groove 23 functions as a welding confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge the quality of the welding state by visual inspection or observation through a sensor, etc.

Next, a female terminal 10 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13. In this embodiment, the spring member 30 does not have an outer plate 32 provided along the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, but may have an outer plate 32. In addition, the flange plate 33 has an opening (so-called confirmation window) 33h formed therein that overlaps with the groove portion 23 described below.

The spring member 30 is in a state where the inner plate 31 is in surface contact with the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21 above the base point Pb of the arm spring 35. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L in the upper part of the height direction H of this surface contact area. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the inner plate 31. As described above, the welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected area Ph formed around it.

In addition, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, a groove 23 is provided at a position a predetermined distance D away from the inner plate 31 in the depth direction of the weld Pw (the width direction W and the penetration direction along the center line C of the weld Pw). The groove 23 is a concave groove provided downward in the height direction H from the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, and the depth of the groove exceeds at least the center line C of the weld Pw. With this configuration, the heat-affected area Ph reaches the groove 23 as the weld Pw is formed, and the inner surface 23s of the groove 23 shows traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material).

In the female terminal 10 according to the present embodiment, the groove 23 extends from edge to edge of the side wall 21 along the longitudinal direction L. The above-mentioned predetermined distance D is determined so that the heat-affected area Ph of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23 when the welded state between the side wall 21 and the inner plate 31 is good. However, the predetermined distance D may be slightly shortened so that the solidified portion Pm of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23. In this manner, a trace of the solidified portion Pm (a trace of the base material melting and cooling again and solidifying in addition to discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appears on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23. As described above, a plating layer 24 may be formed on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, or the groove width may be gradually increased from the deepest side of the groove 23 to the opening side. In any case, the groove 23 functions as a welding confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge the quality of the welding state by visual inspection or observation through a sensor, etc.

Next, a female terminal 10 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14. In this embodiment, the spring member 30 does not have an outer plate 32 provided along the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, but may have an outer plate 32. If the outer plate 32 is included, an opening (so-called confirmation window) that overlaps with the groove portion 23 described below is formed in the outer plate 32.

The spring member 30 is in a state where the inner plate 31 is in surface contact with the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21 above the base point Pb of the arm spring 35. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L in the upper part of the height direction H of this surface contact area. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the inner plate 31. As described above, the welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected area Ph formed around it.

In addition, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, a groove 23 is provided at a position a predetermined distance D away from the inner plate 31 in the depth direction of the weld Pw (the width direction W and the penetration direction along the center line C of the weld Pw). The groove 23 is a concave groove provided from the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 toward the inner side in the width direction W, and the groove depth exceeds at least the deepest point E of the weld Pw (the deepest point when the groove 23 is not provided). With this configuration, the heat-affected area Ph reaches the groove 23 as the weld Pw is formed, and therefore, traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23.

In the female terminal 10 according to the present embodiment, the groove 23 extends from edge to edge of the side wall 21 along the longitudinal direction L. The above-mentioned predetermined distance D is determined so that the heat-affected area Ph of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23 when the welded state between the side wall 21 and the inner plate 31 is good. However, the predetermined distance D may be slightly shortened so that the solidified portion Pm of the weld Pw reaches the groove 23. In this manner, a trace of the solidified portion Pm (a trace of the base material melting and cooling again and solidifying in addition to discoloration due to a change in the structure of the base material) appears on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23. As described above, a plating layer 24 may be formed on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, or the groove width may be gradually increased from the deepest side of the groove 23 to the opening side. In any case, the groove 23 functions as a welding confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge the quality of the welding state by visual inspection or observation through a sensor, etc.

Next, a female terminal 10 according to a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 15. In this embodiment, the spring member 30 does not have an outer plate 32 provided along the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, but may have an outer plate 32. If the outer plate 32 is provided, an opening (so-called confirmation window) that overlaps with the groove portion 23 described below is formed in the outer plate 32.

The spring member 30 is in a state where the inner plate 31 is in surface contact with the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L in this surface contact area. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the inner plate 31. As described above, the welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected region Ph formed around it.

In this regard, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, the center line C of the welded portion Pw is inclined, and the welded portion Pw is formed at an angle toward the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. The heat-affected area Ph of the welded portion Pw intersects with the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. With this configuration, since the heat-affected area Ph intersects with the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to changes in the structure of the base material) appear on this outer surface 21b. Therefore, the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 functions as a weld confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge whether the welding condition is good or bad by visual inspection or observation via a sensor, etc.

Next, a female terminal 10 according to a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 16. In this embodiment, the spring member 30 has an outer plate 32 that is provided along the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. In addition, the flange plate 33 has an opening (so-called confirmation window) 33h that overlaps with the groove portion 23 described below.

The spring member 30 is in a state where the outer plate 32 is in surface contact with the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. Then, welding is performed along the longitudinal direction L in the area of this surface contact. Therefore, a linear welded portion Pw is formed along the longitudinal direction L on the outer plate 32. As described above, the welded portion Pw refers to the solidified portion Pm and the heat-affected region Ph formed around it.

In this regard, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, the center line C of the welded portion Pw is inclined, and the welded portion Pw is formed at an angle toward the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21. The heat-affected area Ph of the welded portion Pw intersects with the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21. With this configuration, since the heat-affected area Ph intersects with the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, traces of appropriate welding (such as discoloration due to changes in the structure of the base material) appear on this tip surface 21c. Therefore, the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21 functions as a weld confirmation portion 40, and it is possible to judge the quality of the welded state by visual inspection or observation via a sensor, etc.

As described above, the female terminal 10 according to each embodiment includes a base portion 20 connected to the electric wire 3 and a spring member 30 attached to the base portion 20, which constitutes the terminal body 13. The base portion 20 has a pair of side walls 21 arranged at a predetermined distance so that the male terminal 5 can be inserted, and the spring member 30 has an installation plate (e.g., flange plate 33) that is installed along the side wall 21 while being fitted into the side wall 21, and a welded portion Pw is formed by welding the side wall 21 and the installation plate (flange plate 33). The welded portion Pw is characterized in that a weld confirmation portion 40 is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance D from the installation plate (flange plate 33) in the depth direction of the welded portion Pw.

According to such a female terminal 10, the quality of the welding state between the side wall 21 and the adjacent plate (for example, the flange plate 33) is visible to the outside.
More specifically, in the female terminal 10 according to the present invention, the weld confirmation portion 40 is provided at a position separated by a predetermined distance D from the longitudinal plate (flange plate 33) in the depth direction of the welded portion Pw. Therefore, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, a trace such as discoloration will appear on the weld confirmation portion 40. In other words, the quality of the welded state between the side wall 21 and the longitudinal plate (flange plate 33) will be apparent to the outside.

The female terminal 10 according to the first embodiment has a flange plate 33 that is provided along at least the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, and the flange plate 33 is welded to the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21 to form a welded portion Pw, and the weld confirmation portion 40 is a groove portion 23 that is provided from the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 to at least the heat-affected area Ph of the welded portion Pw.

When an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied to an appropriate position at an appropriate angle with this type of female terminal 10, traces such as discoloration will appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, which is the welding confirmation portion 40. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, it is possible to determine whether the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the flange plate 33 is good or bad.

In addition, the traces can be confirmed from a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the male terminal 5. Therefore, even when the male terminal 5 is inserted inside the female terminal 10, it is easy to determine whether the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the flange plate 33 is good or bad.

The female terminal 10 according to the second embodiment has an outer plate 32 that is provided along at least the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, and the outer plate 32 is welded to the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 to form a welded portion Pw, and the weld confirmation portion 40 is a groove portion 23 that is provided from the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21 to at least the heat-affected region Ph of the welded portion Pw.

When such a female terminal 10 is used, when an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied at an appropriate position and angle, traces such as discoloration will appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, which is the weld confirmation portion 40. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, it is possible to determine whether the weld between the side wall 21 and the outer plate 32 is good or bad.

In addition, the traces can be confirmed from a direction that is approximately parallel to the insertion direction of the male terminal 5. Therefore, when inserting the male terminal 5 into the inside of the female terminal 10, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the outer plate 32 can be determined at the same time as the insertion operation.

The female terminal 10 according to the third and fourth embodiments has an inner plate 31 that is provided along at least the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21, and the inner plate 31 is welded to the inner surface 21a of the side wall 21 to form a welded portion Pw, and the weld confirmation portion 40 is a groove portion 23 that is provided from the tip surface 21c or the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 to at least the heat-affected region Ph of the welded portion Pw.

When an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied to an appropriate position at an appropriate angle with such a female terminal 10, traces such as discoloration will appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, which is the welding confirmation portion 40. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the inner surface 23s of the groove 23, it is possible to determine whether the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the inner plate 31 is good or bad.

In addition, when a groove 23 is provided on the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, the trace can be confirmed from a direction that is approximately parallel to the insertion direction of the male terminal 5. Therefore, even when inserting a male terminal 5 into the inside of the female terminal 10, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the inner plate 31 can be judged at the same time as the insertion operation. On the other hand, when a groove 23 is provided on the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, the trace can be confirmed from a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the male terminal 5. Therefore, even when the male terminal 5 is inserted into the inside of the female terminal 10, the quality of the welding condition between the side wall 21 and the inner plate 31 can be easily judged.

In addition, in the female terminal 10 according to the first to fourth embodiments, the groove 23 may be formed so that the groove width gradually increases from the deepest side to the opening side of the groove 23. The groove width is the distance between a pair of opposing inner surfaces 23s that form the groove 23.

With such a female terminal 10, traces such as discoloration appear on the inner surface 23s of the inclined groove 23, making it easy to see the size of the trace as well as the shape of the trace, and to judge the quality of the welded state. In this regard, it is preferable that the inner surface 23s on the side of the welded portion Pw is inclined with respect to the depth direction of the welded portion Pw. Furthermore, sand and dust that has entered the groove 23 can be easily expelled.

The female terminal 10 according to the fifth embodiment has a flange plate 33 that is provided along at least the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21, and the flange plate 33 is welded to the tip surface 21c of the side wall 21 to form a welded portion Pw, and the weld confirmation portion 40 is the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21 that intersects with the depth direction of the welded portion Pw.

When an appropriate amount of welding heat is applied to an appropriate position at an appropriate angle with this type of female terminal 10, traces such as discoloration will appear on the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, which is the weld confirmation portion 40. Therefore, by checking the traces that appear on the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, it is possible to determine whether the weld between the side wall 21 and the flange plate 33 is good or bad.

In addition, since traces such as discoloration appear on the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21, it is easy to see the shape of the trace as well as the size of the trace, making it easy to judge whether the welding condition is good or not. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide a groove or the like that functions as a welding confirmation portion 40 in the side wall 21, it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity due to providing a groove or the like in the side wall 21.

In the configuration of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment, the connector of the present invention corresponds to the connector 1,
Similarly,
The wire harness corresponds to Wire Harness 2.
The wire corresponds to wire 3,
The connector housing corresponds to the connector housing 4,
The male terminal corresponds to the male terminal 5,
The female terminal corresponds to the female terminal 10,
The terminal body corresponds to the terminal body 13,
The base portion corresponds to the base portion 20,
The side wall corresponds to the side wall 21;
The inner surface corresponds to the inner surface 21a.
The outer surface corresponds to the outer surface 21b.
The tip surface corresponds to tip surface 21c,
The spring member corresponds to the spring member 30,
The installation plates correspond to the inner plate 31, the outer plate 32, and the flange plate 33.
The arm spring corresponds to the arm spring 35.
The welding confirmation unit corresponds to the welding confirmation unit 40,
The weld corresponds to the weld Pw,
The heat-affected area corresponds to the heat-affected area Ph,
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and many other embodiments can be obtained.

For example, in a female terminal 10 in which the groove portion 23 functions as the weld confirmation portion 40, the groove portion 23 is formed over the entire longitudinal direction L of the side wall 21. Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5, the groove portion 23 is formed over the entire longitudinal direction L on the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21.

However, the groove portion 23 may be formed only in a portion of the side wall 21. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the groove portion 23 may be formed only in a portion of the outer surface 21b of the side wall 21. In such a configuration, it is preferable that the groove portion 23 is formed at a position corresponding to the welding start point Po of the weld portion Pw.

This is because the welding start point Po, which was at room temperature, is heated by the welding heat, and it takes time for it to reach the appropriate temperature, so if the welding has progressed before that time, the penetration will be shallow. Therefore, if the penetration depth is appropriate at the position corresponding to the welding start point Po, it can be assumed that it will be good from that point onwards without needing to be checked. Therefore, it is sufficient that the groove portion 23 is formed only at the position corresponding to the welding start point Po.

As described above, in the female terminal 10 according to this embodiment, the welded portion Pw is formed continuously in the longitudinal direction L, and the groove portion 23 is provided at a position corresponding to at least the welding start point Po of the welded portion Pw. "Continuous" includes not only a solid line shape but also a dotted line shape.

This type of female terminal 10 ensures the rigidity of the side wall 21 compared to a terminal with a long groove 23 along the welded portion Pw. Furthermore, the time required for cutting to provide the groove 23 in the side wall 21 is shortened, improving productivity.

In addition, if the penetration depth is appropriate at the position corresponding to the welding start point Po, where the penetration is most likely to be shallow, it can be assumed that the penetration depth thereafter is good without needing to be checked. Therefore, by checking the trace corresponding to the welding start point Po, the quality of the entire weld Pw can be quickly determined.

As shown in FIG. 18, the production process of the female terminal 10 according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments includes a welding process S2 and a detection process S3 after the assembly process S1. The assembly process S1 is a process of attaching the spring member 30 to the base portion 20, the welding process S2 is a process of welding the side wall 21 of the base portion 20 to the installation plate (e.g., the flange plate 33) of the spring member 30 to form the welded portion Pw, and the detection process S3 is a process of detecting that the heat-affected area Ph of the welded portion Pw has reached the weld confirmation portion 40.

In such a production process, if the detection step S3 is realized using a detection means such as a temperature sensor St, it is possible to carry out the welding step S2 and the detection step S3 in parallel. In other words, it is possible to perform welding and judge the quality of the welding condition simultaneously in parallel. In other words, the quality of the welding condition is judged while welding is being performed, and welding is performed while judging the quality of the welding condition. If it can be detected that the heat-affected zone Ph of the weld Pw has reached the welding confirmation section 40, this indicates that the welding condition is good.

As shown in FIG. 19, the production process of the female terminal 10 according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments may have an inspection process S4 instead of the detection process S3. The inspection process S4 is a process for determining whether the welding condition is good or bad from the surface properties of the weld confirmation portion 40. Such an inspection process S4 can be applied not only to the production process, but also to inspection for each production lot, inspection before shipment, and inspection after market distribution. Therefore, it can be said to be an inspection method for the female terminal 10 independent of the above-mentioned welding process S2 and detection process S3.

Such an inspection process S4 can be realized by visual inspection or by using imaging means such as a camera (image sensor Si). For example, by imaging the welding confirmation area 40, traces such as discoloration that appear on the welding confirmation area 40 can be confirmed. If the size of the traces that appear on the welding confirmation area 40 as well as the shape of the traces are appropriate, this indicates that the welding condition is good.

Reference Signs List 1...connector 2...wire harness 3...electric wire 4...connector housing 5...male terminal 10...female terminal 13...terminal body 20...base portion 21...side wall 21a...inner surface 21b...outer surface 21c...tip surface 30...spring member 31...inner plate 32...outer plate 33...flange plate 35...arm spring 40...welding confirmation portion Pw...welding portion Ph...heat-affected area

Claims (11)

A base portion to be connected to the electric wire;
A terminal body is provided by the spring member attached to the base portion,
The base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined interval into which the male terminal can be inserted,
the spring member has an extension plate that is fitted to the side wall and provided along the side wall,
A welded portion is formed by welding the side wall and the side plate,
a welding confirmation portion is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the longitudinal plate in a depth direction of the weld portion ,
The side wall has a plate provided along at least the tip end surface of the side wall,
The side wall has a tip end surface to which the longitudinal plate is welded, thereby forming the welded portion.
The weld confirmation portion is a groove portion provided from the outer surface of the side wall to at least the heat affected area of the weld.
Female terminal. A base portion to be connected to the electric wire;
A terminal body is provided by the spring member attached to the base portion,
The base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined interval into which the male terminal can be inserted,
the spring member has an extension plate that is fitted to the side wall and provided along the side wall,
A welded portion is formed by welding the side wall and the side plate,
a welding confirmation portion is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the longitudinal plate in a depth direction of the weld portion,
The side wall has an outer surface provided with the above-mentioned installation plate,
The side plate is welded to an outer surface of the side wall to form the welded portion,
The weld confirmation portion is a groove portion provided from the tip surface of the side wall to at least the heat-affected area of the weld. The groove width is gradually increased from the deepest side to the opening side of the groove.
The female terminal according to claim 1 or 2 . The welded portion is formed continuously in a predetermined direction,
4. The female terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is provided at a position corresponding to at least a welding start point of the welded portion. A base portion to be connected to the electric wire;
A terminal body is provided by the spring member attached to the base portion,
The base portion has a pair of side walls arranged at a predetermined interval into which the male terminal can be inserted,
the spring member has an extension plate that is fitted to the side wall and provided along the side wall,
A welded portion is formed by welding the side wall and the side plate,
a welding confirmation portion is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the longitudinal plate in a depth direction of the weld portion,
The side wall has a plate provided along at least the tip end surface of the side wall,
The side wall has a tip end surface to which the longitudinal plate is welded, thereby forming the welded portion.
The weld confirmation portion is a female terminal that is an outer surface of the side wall that intersects with the depth direction of the weld. A method for manufacturing a female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
a welding process for welding the side wall and the longitudinal plate to form the welded portion;
and detecting whether the heat-affected zone of the weld has reached the weld confirmation zone. A method for inspecting a female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
A female terminal inspection method for determining whether the welding condition is good or bad based on the surface properties of the weld confirmation portion. A female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
and a connector housing that receives the female terminal. A female terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
and the electric wire connected to the base portion of the female terminal. The electric wire with terminal according to claim 9 ,
and a connector housing that accommodates the electric wire with terminal. A wire harness comprising at least one of the electric wire with terminal according to claim 9 and the electric wire with connector according to claim 10 .

Images