JP7744668B2 - Connector terminal and connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector terminal and a connector equipped with the connector terminal. In particular, it relates to a connector terminal that is inserted into a receiving hole in a housing and a connector equipped with the connector terminal.

Patent Document 1 below discloses a terminal fitting that is inserted into a terminal accommodating hole formed in a housing. This terminal fitting has a pair of rectangular stabilizers that stand upright. A guide ridge is formed on the upper surface of the terminal accommodating hole into which the terminal fitting is inserted, protruding in the axial direction. With this configuration, the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodating hole with the pair of stabilizers straddling the guide ridge. After the terminal fitting is inserted, the pair of stabilizers straddle the guide ridge, sandwiching it between them, preventing the terminal fitting from rotating.

Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 6-45269

However, the terminal fitting disclosed in Patent Document 1 is formed with a stabilizer, which makes the terminal fitting larger. In other words, in conventional terminal fittings, a stabilizer is provided in addition to the barrel and contact portion to prevent the terminal fitting from rotating, and the stabilizer increases the length of the terminal fitting.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a terminal with a compact configuration while maintaining its functionality as a terminal, and a connector equipped with the same.

The inventors believed that a connector terminal accommodated in a housing's accommodation hole could be made compact by having the contact portion with the mating terminal also function as a vibration prevention portion that prevents the connector terminal from vibrating when it comes into contact with the housing. Based on this idea, they invented the following new connector terminal and a connector equipped with it.

(1) The connector terminal according to the present invention is a connector terminal accommodated in an accommodating hole of a housing, and includes a contact portion for contacting a mating terminal and a vibration prevention portion that contacts a contacted portion of the housing to prevent the connector terminal from vibrating when the connector terminal is accommodated in the accommodating hole, and the contact portion also serves as the vibration prevention portion.

(2) The contacted portion may be formed to protrude from the inner surface of the accommodating hole, and the vibration prevention portion may be configured as a pair to sandwich the contacted portion.

(3) A connector according to the present invention comprises a housing having an accommodating hole formed therein and a connector terminal accommodated in the accommodating hole, wherein the housing has a contacted portion formed to protrude from the inner surface of the accommodating hole, and the connector terminal has a contact portion for contacting a mating terminal and a vibration prevention portion that contacts the contacted portion to prevent the connector terminal from vibrating when the connector terminal is accommodated in the accommodating hole, and the contact portion also serves as the vibration prevention portion.

(4) The contacted portion may be formed along the axial direction of the accommodating hole, and one end of the contacted portion in the axial direction may be located at the opening of the accommodating hole.

The connector terminal of the present invention has a contact portion with the mating terminal that also serves as a vibration prevention portion that prevents the connector terminal from vibrating when it comes into contact with the housing, allowing for a compact configuration while maintaining the functionality of the terminal.

1 is a front perspective view of a connector terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a connector including the connector terminal according to the embodiment, with a portion cut away. FIG. 2 is a right side view, partially in cross section, showing an example of a connector including a connector terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a housing in which the connector terminal according to the embodiment is accommodated, with a portion cut away; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a housing in which the connector terminal according to the embodiment is accommodated. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 5.

The following describes how to implement the present invention with reference to the drawings.

The connector terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention is a component that, together with the housing, constitutes a connector, and is formed by bending a plate-shaped metal material. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the connector terminal 1 of this embodiment includes a first connection portion 3 and a second connection portion 4 for connecting an electric wire 2, a contact portion 5 for contacting a mating terminal, and a vibration prevention portion 7 for the connector terminal 1 housed within the housing 6.

In this specification, the direction in which the accommodating hole 18 formed in the housing 6 extends is referred to as the up-down direction, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and along which the first connecting portion 3 (first extending piece 8), second connecting portion 4 (second extending piece 9), and contact portion 5 of the connector terminal 1 accommodated in the accommodating hole 18 extend is referred to as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

The first connection portion 3 is located at the upper end of the connector terminal 1. The first connection portion 3 is a plate-like member that is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above and opens forward. Specifically, the first connection portion 3 is integrally formed into a roughly U-shape by left and right first extension pieces 8, 8 that branch out so that they move away from each other as they extend forward.

The second connection portion 4 is located below the first connection portion 3. The second connection portion 4 is a plate-like member that is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above and opens forward. Specifically, the second connection portion 4 is integrally formed into a roughly U-shape by left and right second extension pieces 9, 9 that branch out so that they move away from each other as they extend forward. The extension length of the second extension piece 9 is shorter than the extension length of the first extension piece 8.

The rear ends of the second connection portion 4 and the first connection portion 3 are connected by a plate-shaped connecting portion 10. Specifically, the lower end of the rear end of the first connection portion 3 is connected to the upper end of the connecting portion 10, and the upper end of the rear end of the second connection portion 4 is connected to the lower end of the connecting portion 10. As a result, the first connection portion 3 and the second connection portion 4 are connected via the connecting portion 10 in a state that opens forward. As shown in FIG. 1, gaps 11 that open forward are formed between the left first extension piece 8 and the left second extension piece 9, and between the right first extension piece 8 and the right second extension piece 9.

The contact portions 5 are formed in pairs. Each of the pair of contact portions 5, 5 has a roughly rectangular plate shape. The pair of contact portions 5, 5 are positioned spaced apart on the left and right with the plate surfaces facing left and right. In other words, the pair of contact portions 5, 5 are positioned facing each other while spaced apart on the left and right. Each of the pair of contact portions 5, 5 has a protrusion 12 that protrudes inward. The protrusion 12 is roughly mountain-shaped when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the contact portions 5 also serve as anti-vibration portions 7. In other words, the anti-vibration portions 7 are also formed in pairs.

The rear ends of the pair of contact portions 5, 5 are connected by a plate-shaped connecting portion 13. Specifically, the rear end of the contact portion 5 located on the left side is connected to the left end of the connecting portion 13, and the rear end of the contact portion 5 located on the right side is connected to the right end of the connecting portion 13. As a result, the pair of contact portions 5, 5 and the connecting portion 13 form a generally U-shaped portion 14 that opens forward at the lower end of the connector terminal 1.

The rear ends of the U-shaped portion 14 and the second connection portion 4 are connected by a plate-shaped connecting portion 15. Specifically, the lower end of the rear end of the second connection portion 4 is connected to the upper end of the connecting portion 15, and the upper end of the rear end of the U-shaped portion 14 is connected to the lower end of the connecting portion 15. As a result, the U-shaped portion 14 and the second connection portion 4 are connected via the connecting portion 15 in a state where they are open forward. As shown in FIG. 1, gaps 16 that open forward are formed between the left second extension piece 9 and the left contact portion 5, and between the right second extension piece 9 and the right contact portion 5.

As shown in Figure 2, the connecting portion 13, whose plate surface faces forward and backward, has a rectangular cut-and-raised portion 17 cut and raised toward the rear. The cut-and-raised portion 17 slopes upward from the base end toward the rear, and then extends upward.

The connector terminal 1 configured as described above is housed in a housing 6. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the housing 6 is a generally rectangular block. The housing 6 has a plurality of housing holes 18 that are generally rectangular in plan view and open upward. The housing holes 18 are aligned in the left-right direction.

A contacted portion 19 that protrudes rearward and comes into contact with the anti-vibration portion 7 is formed on the inner surface of the accommodating hole 18. In this embodiment, the contacted portion 19 is formed along the vertical direction, which is the axial direction of the accommodating hole 18. In the illustrated example, the contacted portion 19 is formed continuously from the lower end to the upper end of the accommodating hole 18. Therefore, the upper end of the contacted portion 19 is located at the upper end, which is the opening of the accommodating hole 18.

An insertion hole 20 is formed vertically through the bottom wall of the accommodating hole 18, allowing the mating terminal to be inserted into the accommodating hole 18. A communication hole 21 is formed in the rear wall of the accommodating hole 18, connecting the inside and outside of the accommodating hole 18. The rear wall of the housing 6 is cut out between adjacent accommodating holes 18 and at both left and right ends, opening downward so as to be continuous with this communication hole 21. Therefore, the rear wall of the accommodating hole 18 can elastically deform outward, with its upper end serving as a fulcrum.

Next, we will explain the use of the connector terminal 1 according to this embodiment and the connector 22 equipped with it, while also explaining their functions and effects.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the connector 22 of this embodiment includes a connector terminal 1 and a housing 6. When using this connector 22, first, an electric wire 2 is connected to the connector terminal 1. To connect the electric wire 2 to the connector terminal 1, the pair of first extension pieces 8, 8 of the first connection portion 3 and the pair of second extension pieces 9, 9 of the second connection portion 4 are placed between them, and the pair of first extension pieces 8, 8 and the pair of second extension pieces 9, 9 are then crimped. Then, the connector terminal 1 with the electric wire 2 connected to it is inserted from above into the receiving hole 18 of the housing 6. Note that Figures 2 and 3 omit the portion of the connector terminal 1 that is crimped to connect the electric wire 2 to it.

While the connector terminal 1 is being inserted into the accommodating hole 18, the raised portion 17 of the connector terminal 1 comes into contact with the rear wall of the accommodating hole 18, causing the rear wall of the accommodating hole 18 to elastically deform outward with its upper end as a fulcrum. When the connector terminal 1 reaches the bottom wall of the accommodating hole 18, the raised portion 17 of the connector terminal 1 is positioned within the communicating hole 21 formed in the rear wall of the housing 6. The rear wall of the accommodating hole 18 then returns to its state before elastic deformation. As a result, when the connector terminal 1 accommodated in the accommodating hole 18 attempts to move in the direction of removal from the accommodating hole 18, the raised portion 17 comes into contact with the inner surface of the communicating hole 21 in the housing 6, preventing the connector terminal 1 from being removed from the accommodating hole 18.

In addition, while the connector terminal 1 is being inserted into the accommodating hole 18, the contacted portion 19 of the housing 6 is sandwiched between the pair of contact portions 5, 5, so the connector terminal 1 is guided by the contacted portion 19 and inserted into the accommodating hole 18. Even after the connector terminal 1 is accommodated in the accommodating hole 18, the contacted portion 19 of the housing 6 remains sandwiched between the pair of contact portions 5, 5.

In this way, the connector terminal 1 connected to the electric wire 2 is accommodated in the accommodation hole 18 of the housing 6. Although not shown, the mating terminal of the connector terminal 1 is inserted into the accommodation hole 18 through an insertion hole 20 formed in the bottom wall of the accommodation hole 18. When inserted into the accommodation hole 18, the mating terminal comes into contact with the protrusion 12 formed on the contact portion 5 of the connector terminal 1.

In this embodiment, when the connector terminal 1 is accommodated in the accommodation hole 18 of the housing 6, the anti-vibration portion 7, which is the contact portion 5, contacts the contacted portion 19 of the housing 6. Specifically, the contacted portion 19 is sandwiched between a pair of anti-vibration portions 7. This prevents the connector terminal 1 from rotating horizontally, preventing it from vibrating. In this way, according to this embodiment, the contact portion 5 with the mating terminal also serves as the anti-vibration portion 7, allowing the connector terminal 1 to have a more compact configuration than conventional connector terminals while maintaining its functionality as a terminal.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contacted portion 19 is formed along the axial direction of the accommodating hole 18 of the housing 6, with one end of the contacted portion positioned at the opening of the accommodating hole 18. Therefore, when attempting to insert the connector terminal 1 into the accommodating hole 18 with the U-shaped portion 14 etc. opening rearward, the lower end of the rear end of the connector terminal 1 comes into contact with the upper end of the contacted portion 19 of the housing 6, preventing the connector terminal 1 from being inserted into the accommodating hole 18. Thus, according to this embodiment, the contacted portion 19 not only prevents the connector terminal 1 from vibrating, but also prevents incorrect insertion by preventing the connector terminal 1 from being inserted into the accommodating hole 18 in an orientation different from its intended orientation.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes modifications and improvements that achieve the objectives of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the contacted portion 19 of the housing 6 is formed continuously from the lower end to the upper end of the accommodating hole 18, but it may also be formed continuously from a position where it can be sandwiched between a pair of contact portions 5, 5 above the protrusion 12 formed on the contact portion 5 to the upper end.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 connector terminal 5 contact portion 6 housing 7 vibration prevention portion 18 accommodation hole 19 contacted portion 22 connector

Claims (1)

a housing having a receiving hole formed therein;
a connector terminal accommodated in the accommodation hole,
the housing has a contacted portion formed to protrude from the inner surface of the receiving hole,
The connector terminal is
a contact portion for contacting a mating terminal;
a vibration prevention portion that contacts the contacted portion to prevent the connector terminal from vibrating when the connector terminal is accommodated in the accommodation hole,
The contact portion also serves as the vibration prevention portion ,
the contacted portion is formed along the axial direction of the receiving hole,
A connector , wherein one end of the contacted portion in the axial direction is located at an opening of the accommodating hole on the side into which the connector terminal is inserted .