JP2013093133A - Connector terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector terminal that can have an elastic contact piece for electric conduction prevented from breaking or being deformed in processes up to insertion into a connector housing, and has high rigidity and superior contact reliability.SOLUTION: A connector terminal 100 includes: a conductive sheath-like part 101 inserted into a terminal accommodation chamber 301 formed in a connector housing 300; an elastic contact piece 102 provided in the sheath-like part 101 while electrically connected to the sheath-like part 101; an opening 104 for projection bored in an upper surface of the sheath-like part 101 so as to protrude an electric conduction contact part 103 provided to the elastic contact piece 102 from the sheath-like part 101; projection parts 105 formed on right and left sides of the elastic contact piece 102 respectively while projecting in directions crossing the projection direction of the electric conduction contact part 103; and openings 106 for exposure bored in right and left side faces of the sheath-like part 101 so as to expose the projection parts 105 from an external surface of the sheath-like part 101.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector terminal that is a component of a card edge connector, and more particularly to a connector terminal that is a member that forms a card edge connector by being inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber established in a housing of the card edge connector.

  As a connector terminal which is a constituent member of the card edge connector, for example, there is a connector terminal 500 as shown in FIG. The connector terminal 500 includes a conductive sheath-like portion 501 inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber (not shown) established in the housing of the card edge connector, an opening portion 502 established in the sheath-like portion 501, and an opening portion. An elastic contact piece 504 provided in the sheath-like portion 501 with the energization contact portion 503 protruding from 502, and a binding portion 505 for fixing a cable (not shown) by pressure bonding are provided.

  Since the connector terminal 500 has a shape in which the vicinity of the energizing contact portion 503 of the elastic contact piece 504 protrudes outside the opening portion 502, in the process of cable crimping work, wire harness work or connector housing work on the connector terminal 500. When contacted with other members or work equipment, the elastic contact piece 504 may be damaged or deformed, or the energizing contact portion 503 may be soiled.

  Therefore, in order to avoid such a problem, a “connector” having a function of protecting the spring piece for electrical contact in the terminal and protecting it from being damaged until it is inserted into the connector housing has been proposed (for example, (See Patent Document 1).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-62972

  As described above, in the case of the “connector” described in Patent Document 1, since the spring piece for electrical contact is kept in the surrounding wall until it is inserted into the connector housing, the scratch prevention function is excellent. However, an opening for projecting the electrical contact portion of the spring piece from the surrounding wall and a slit for allowing the spring piece pushing protrusion to enter the surrounding wall are opened in the surrounding wall in a state of facing each other. Therefore, there is a possibility that rigidity is insufficient and contact reliability is impaired.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the elastic contact piece for energization can be prevented from being damaged or deformed until it is inserted into the connector housing, and has high rigidity and high contact reliability. The object is to provide a connector terminal having excellent properties.

  The connector terminal of the present invention is a conductive sheath-like portion inserted into a terminal housing chamber formed in the connector housing, and an elastic contact piece provided in the sheath-like portion in a state of being electrically connected to the sheath-like portion, A projecting opening formed on the upper surface of the sheath-like portion for projecting the energizing contact portion provided on the elastic contact piece from the upper surface of the sheath-like portion, and projecting in a direction intersecting the projecting direction of the energizing contact portion A convex portion formed on the side edge of the elastic contact piece in a shape that forms an opening, and an opening for exposure opened on the side surface of the sheath-like portion to expose the convex portion from the side surface of the sheath-like portion. When inserting the sheath-like portion into the terminal accommodating chamber, the energizing contact portion projects from the projecting opening by moving the convex portion along a guide portion provided in the terminal accommodating chamber. Features.

  With such a configuration, in the connector terminal before being inserted into the terminal housing chamber formed in the connector housing, the elastic contact piece is maintained in the state of being housed in the sheath-like portion. It is possible to prevent the elastic contact piece from coming into contact with other articles and being damaged or deformed. In addition, since the protruding opening of the energizing contact portion and the opening for exposing the convex portion are not disposed to face each other, the sheath-shaped portion has high rigidity and is difficult to be deformed. Yes.

  In addition, since the convex portion is formed on the side edge of the elastic contact piece, when the circuit board as a connection partner is connected to the connector terminal inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber of the connector housing, the circuit of the circuit board Since the pressing force applied from the terminal portion to the energizing contact portion of the elastic contact piece can be received by the convex portion located in the vicinity of the energizing contact portion, the contact reliability of the energizing contact portion can be improved.

  Furthermore, as described above, when the circuit terminal portion of the circuit board that is the connection partner is connected to the elastic contact piece, a force that causes the elastic contact piece to be twisted or twisted is applied from the connection counterpart. Even if this occurs, the force can be received by the convex portions formed on the side edges of the elastic contact piece, so that deformation of the elastic contact piece can be prevented.

  In addition, it is desirable that the elastic contact piece is connected to the sheath portion via a U-shaped bent portion formed at a front edge portion in the insertion direction of the sheath portion.

  With such a configuration, the sheath-like portion and the elastic contact piece can be integrally formed of a continuous material, so that productivity can be improved and the sheath can be inserted into the terminal housing chamber of the connector housing. Then, the elastic contact piece can exhibit stable elasticity.

  Furthermore, it is desirable to provide an auxiliary elastic portion that urges the elastic contact piece in a direction protruding from the protrusion opening.

  With such a configuration, a stronger elastic pressing force is applied to the circuit terminal portion of the circuit board connected to the card edge connector formed by inserting the connector terminal into the terminal housing chamber of the connector housing. Therefore, it is effective for improving the contact reliability.

  Moreover, the cross-sectional shape of the said sheath-shaped part can be made into U shape or C shape.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to form a sheath-like portion that has high rigidity and is difficult to be deformed without incurring a complicated manufacturing process.

  A groove is formed on the side surface of the sheath-like portion parallel to the insertion direction of the sheath-like portion and recessed toward the inside of the sheath-like portion, and the opening for exposure is formed in a region corresponding to the bottom of the grooved portion. You can also

  With such a configuration, the rigidity of the sheath-like portion is increased by forming the concave groove, and when the connector terminal is inserted into the terminal housing chamber of the connector housing, and with respect to the inserted connector terminal When the circuit board which is the connection partner is connected, the sheath portion is difficult to deform, which is effective in improving the contact reliability.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the elastic contact piece for energization from being damaged or deformed until it is inserted into the connector housing, and the connector terminal has high rigidity and excellent contact reliability. Can be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows the connector terminal which is 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a state where the connector terminal shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into a connector housing. FIG. 3 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a partially omitted side view showing the movement of the elastic contact piece when the connector terminal shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into the connector housing. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a state in which the connector terminal shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into the connector housing. FIG. 6 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5. FIG. 2 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing a connection relationship between a card edge connector completed after insertion of the connector terminal shown in FIG. 1 and a circuit board. It is a perspective view which shows the connector terminal which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a state where the connector terminal shown in FIG. 8 is inserted into the connector housing. FIG. 10 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view seen from the direction of arrow C in FIG. 9. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional connector terminal.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the connector terminal 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a conductive sheath portion 101 inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber 301 formed in the connector housing 300, and a sheath shape. An elastic contact piece 102 provided in the sheath-like portion 101 in a conductive state with the portion 101 and a current-carrying contact portion 103 provided in the elastic contact piece 102 are protruded from the sheath-like portion 101 on the upper surface of the sheath-like portion 101. The opening 104 for protrusion which was established, the convex part 105 formed in the right-and-left side edge of the elastic contact piece 102 in the shape which makes the direction which cross | intersects the protrusion direction of the electricity supply contact part 103, and the convex part 105 are sheath-like In order to be exposed to the outer surface of the part 101, there are provided exposure openings 106 respectively formed on the left and right side surfaces of the sheath-like part 101. As shown in FIG. 2, a bundling portion 107 for crimping and fixing the cable 400 is provided behind the sheath-like portion 101.

  Further, in order to smoothly contact the convex portion 105 and the guide portion 303 when the connector terminal 100 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 301 of the connector housing 300 to be described later, the convex portion 105 has a front portion thereof. It is formed so that it has a shape that springs up, that is, a side view shape has a convex ridge shape.

  Note that the expressions “front and rear”, “up and down” and “left and right” indicate that the insertion direction of the connector terminal 100 with respect to the terminal accommodating chamber 301 of the connector housing 300 (the direction of the arrow X shown in FIGS. The opposite direction is “rear”, the direction in which the energizing contact portion 103 protrudes from the protruding opening 104 is “up”, the opposite direction is “lower”, and the above-mentioned “front / rear” and “up / down” are described above. The direction perpendicular to both directions is expressed as “left / right” (the same applies hereinafter).

  The elastic contact piece 102 is continuously provided from the bottom portion 109 of the sheath-like portion 102 via a U-shaped bent portion 108 formed at the front edge portion of the sheath-like portion 101. Further, the elastic contact piece 102 is protruded by bending the rear portion of the elastic contact piece 102 so that the shape in a side view forms a “tsu” shape and keeping its tip in contact with the bottom 109 of the sheath-like portion 102. An auxiliary elastic portion 110 that biases upward toward the opening 104 is provided.

  The cross-sectional shape of the sheath-like portion 101 is U-shaped, and ribs 111 that are parallel to the bottom portion 109 are provided on the left and right upper edge portions (portions located on the left and right sides of the protruding opening 104). The sheath portion 101, the elastic contact piece 102, the binding portion 107 and the like constituting the connector terminal 100 are integrally formed by bending a metal plate having good conductivity.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, guide grooves 302 that are parallel to the insertion direction of the connector terminal 100 (the arrow X direction in FIG. 2) are provided on the left and right inner surfaces of the terminal housing chamber 301 of the connector housing 300. In addition, a roof-type guide portion 303 that protrudes upward from the bottom portion 304 of the terminal accommodating chamber 301 is provided at a portion near the front end of the guide groove 302.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sheath-like portion 101 of the connector terminal 100 in which the cable 400 is fixed by crimping to the binding portion 107 is directed toward the terminal accommodating chamber 301 from the back side of the connector housing 300 with the bent portion 108 facing forward. When inserted in the direction of the arrow X, the convex portions 105 of the elastic contact pieces 102 exposed from the left and right side surfaces of the sheath-like portion 101 move forward along the guide grooves 302 on the left and right inner side surfaces of the terminal accommodating chamber 301, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4A, it moves and comes into contact with the rear slope 303 b of the guide portion 303. The elastic contact piece 102 is kept in its original shape when the convex portion 105 contacts the rear slope 303b of the guide portion 303, and its height H1 is lower than the height of the sheath-like portion 101.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the sheath-like portion 101 is further inserted, the convex portion 105 rises along the rear inclined surface 303b, and the elastic contact piece 102 rises along with this. The vicinity of the energizing contact portion 103 protrudes above the rib 111, and its height H2 is higher than that of the sheath portion 101. Further, as the elastic contact piece 102 rises, the auxiliary elastic portion 110 also rises, but the curved portion 110a near the tip thereof is kept in contact with the bottom portion 109 of the sheath-like portion 102.

  Thereafter, with the insertion of the sheath-like portion 101, the convex portion 105 moves in a direction over the top 303c of the guide portion 303, and when the sheath-like portion 101 reaches a predetermined position, as shown in FIG. Further, the convex portion 105 is in contact with the front inclined surface 303 a of the guide portion 303. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the vicinity of the energizing contact portion 103 of the elastic contact piece 102 protrudes higher than the rib 111, and the height H <b> 3 is a circuit terminal of a card edge type circuit board to be described later. This is the height required to obtain electrical connection with the part.

  FIG. 7 shows a state in which the card edge type circuit board 600 is connected to the card edge connector 305 completed after the insertion of the plurality of connector terminals 100. In the housing 300 of the card edge connector 305, a plurality of connector terminals 100 are arranged with the elastic contact pieces 102 facing each other with the board insertion groove 306 interposed therebetween. When the circuit board 600 is inserted into the board insertion groove 306, the circuit terminal portion 601 deforms the respective elastic contact pieces 102 into the sheath-like portion 101, so that after the connection is completed, the elastic contact pieces 102 are elastically restored. Due to the force, the energization contact portion 103 is pressed against the circuit terminal portion 601, and a stable electrical connection can be maintained.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the connector terminal 100 before being inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 301 formed in the connector housing 300, the elastic contact piece 102 is kept in a state of being accommodated in the sheath-like portion 101. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the elastic contact piece 102 for energization from coming into contact with other articles and being damaged or deformed. Further, since the protruding opening 104 of the energizing contact portion 102 and the exposing opening 106 of the convex portion 105 are not disposed to face each other, the sheath-shaped portion has high rigidity and is deformed during and after insertion. Because it is difficult to do so, it has excellent contact reliability.

  Since the elastic contact piece 102 is connected to the sheath-like portion 101 via a U-shaped bent portion 108 formed at the front edge portion of the sheath-like portion 101, the sheath-like portion 101, the elastic contact piece 102, Can be formed integrally with a continuous material, and productivity can be improved. Further, the elastic contact piece 102 after being inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 301 of the connector housing 300 can exhibit stable elasticity.

  Further, by providing the auxiliary elastic portion 110 that urges the elastic contact piece 102 in the direction of protruding from the protruding opening 104, the elastic contact piece 102 has strong elasticity against the circuit terminal portion 601 of the circuit board 600 connected to the card edge connector 305. Since a pressing force can be applied, it is effective for improving contact reliability.

  Further, since the cross-sectional shape of the sheath-like portion 101 is a U-shape, the sheath-like portion 101 having high rigidity and not easily deformed can be formed without incurring a complicated manufacturing process. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of a sheath-shaped part can also be made into C shape.

  Next, a connector terminal 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, in the part which comprises the connector terminal 200 shown in FIGS. 8-10, the part which has a structure and a function common to the component part of the connector terminal 100 mentioned above has the same code | symbol as the code | symbol described in FIGS. A description thereof will be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, in the connector terminal 200, the right and left side surfaces of the sheath portion 201 are parallel to the insertion direction (arrow X direction) of the sheath portion 201 and are recessed toward the inside of the sheath portion 201. An indentation groove 202 is formed, and an exposure opening 206 is formed in a region corresponding to the bottom 202 a of the indentation groove 202. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, on the left and right inner surfaces of the terminal housing chamber 301a of the connector housing 300a, a roof-shaped guide portion 303 that protrudes upward from the bottom of the terminal housing chamber 301a is projected. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the sheath portion 201 of the connector terminal 200 is inserted in the arrow X direction from the back side of the connector housing 300a toward the terminal accommodating chamber 301a with the bent portion 108 facing forward, The convex portions 105 exposed from the portions corresponding to the bottoms of the concave grooves 202 on the left and right side surfaces of the sheath-like portion 201 move to the front of the terminal accommodating chamber 301a, and contact the rear inclined surface 303b of the guide portion 303. Touch. The elastic contact piece 102 is kept in its original shape when the convex portion 105 contacts the rear slope 303 b of the guide portion 303, and the height thereof is lower than the height of the sheath-like portion 201.

  Further, when the sheath-like portion 201 is inserted, the convex portion 105 rises along the rear inclined surface 303b, and the elastic contact piece 102 rises along with this, so that the vicinity of the energizing contact portion 103 is the rib 111. It protrudes further upward and its height is higher than that of the sheath portion 201.

  Thereafter, with the insertion of the sheath-like portion 201, the convex portion 105 gets over the top 303c of the guide portion 303, and when the sheath-like portion 201 reaches a predetermined position, the convex portion 105 abuts against the front slope 303a of the guide portion 303. It will be in the state. As a result, the vicinity of the current-carrying contact portion 103 of the elastic contact piece 102 protrudes higher than the rib 111, and the height is necessary to obtain electrical connection with the circuit terminal portion of the card edge type circuit board described above. It becomes a height.

  By providing the concave groove 202 in the connector terminal 200, the rigidity of the sheath-like portion 201 is increased, and when the connector terminal 200 is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 301a of the connector housing 300a, and with respect to the inserted connector terminal 200, When the circuit board which is the connection partner is connected, the sheath portion 201 is not easily deformed, which is effective in improving the contact reliability.

  The press-fit terminal of the present invention can be widely used in various fields such as the electric / electronic industry and the automobile industry as a component of an electric connector for various electric / electronic devices or an in-vehicle electric connector.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,200 Connector terminal 101,201 Sheath-like part 102 Elastic contact piece 103 Current supply contact part 104 Projection opening 105 Projection part 106,206 Exposure opening 107 Binding part 108 Bending part 109, 202a, 304 Bottom part 110 Auxiliary elastic part 110a Curve Part 111 rib 201w width 202 concave groove 300, 300a connector housing 301, 301a terminal accommodating chamber 302 guide groove 303 guide part 303a front slope 303b rear slope 303c top 305 card edge connector 306 board insertion groove 600 circuit board 601 circuit terminal part

Claims (5)

  A conductive sheath-like portion inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber formed in the connector housing; an elastic contact piece provided in the sheath-like portion in a state of being electrically connected to the sheath-like portion; and provided in the elastic contact piece. A protruding opening formed in the sheath-like part for projecting the energized contact part from the sheath-like part, and a side edge of the elastic contact piece in a shape projecting in a direction intersecting the protruding direction of the energizing contact part A projection formed on the side surface of the sheath-like portion for exposing the convex portion to the outer surface of the sheath-like portion, and the sheath-like portion to the terminal accommodating chamber. The connector terminal, wherein when inserted, the energizing contact portion projects from the projecting opening by moving the convex portion along a guide portion provided in the terminal accommodating chamber.   The connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein the elastic contact piece is connected to the sheath-like portion via a U-shaped bent portion formed at a front edge portion in the insertion direction of the sheath-like portion.   The connector terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary elastic portion that urges the elastic contact piece in a direction protruding from the protrusion opening.   The connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the sheath-shaped portion is a U shape or a C shape.   A groove is formed on the side surface of the sheath-like portion parallel to the insertion direction of the sheath-like portion and recessed toward the inside of the sheath-like portion, and the opening for exposure is formed in a region corresponding to the bottom of the grooved portion. The connector terminal according to claim 1.

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