Patent Grant
10103455
The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-201869 filed in Japan on Oct. 13, 2016.
The present invention relates to a crimp terminal and a terminal crimping method.
There has been conventionally a crimp terminal that integrally covers a core wire and a covering of a wire. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-69449 discloses a technique of a crimp terminal that includes barrel pieces constituting a crimping portion that surrounds and crimps an exposed portion of an aluminum core wire, at both sides in a width direction, and performs crimping using the barrel pieces so that the crimping portion integrally surrounds a portion from a distal end side of a distal end of the aluminum core wire to a distal end side covering portion of a covering wire.
Here, if the crimp terminal fails to be appropriately crimped onto the wire, a failure may occur. For example, crimping strength may decrease, or a clearance gap may be generated. Such a failure causes a decrease in waterproof performance, and the like, which are not desirable.
The object of the present invention is to provide a crimp terminal that can be appropriately crimped onto a wire, and a terminal crimping method that can appropriately crimp a crimp terminal onto a wire.
In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a crimp terminal according to one aspect of the present invention includes a wire connection portion including a bottom wall portion, and a pair of side wall portions facing each other in a width direction of the bottom wall portion, and protruding from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall portion, wherein the wire connection portion includes a core wire crimping portion provided on one end side in a longitudinal direction, and to be crimped onto a core wire of a wire, and a covering crimping portion provided on another end side in the longitudinal direction, and to be crimped onto a covering of the wire, and integrally covers the core wire and the covering by being crimped onto the wire, in the core wire crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions is widest at an end portion on the covering crimping portion side, and in the covering crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions is widest at an end portion on the core wire crimping portion side.
According to another aspect of the present invention, in the crimp terminal, it is preferable that in the core wire crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions becomes narrower toward an end portion on an opposite side of the covering crimping portion, and in the covering crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions becomes narrower toward an end portion on an opposite side of the core wire crimping portion.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, in the crimp terminal, it is preferable that in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion, a length of one side wall portion of the pair of side wall portions is longer than a length of another side wall portion.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a terminal crimping method includes a crimping step of crimping a wire connection portion onto a core wire and a covering of a wire by a mold, the wire connection portion including a bottom wall portion, and a pair of side wall portions facing each other in a width direction of the bottom wall portion, and protruding from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall portion, wherein the mold includes a first mold configured to support a bottom wall portion of the wire connection portion, and a second mold configured to come into contact with outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions while relatively moving with respect to the first mold, and bend the pair of side wall portions inward to crimp the pair of side wall portions onto the wire, and in the crimping step, the second mold starts contact with the outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions at a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, in the terminal crimping method, it is preferable that a position at which the second mold starts contact with the outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions is a position corresponding to an end portion of the covering of the wire.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
A crimp terminal and a terminal crimping method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the present invention is not limited by the embodiment. In addition, components in the following embodiment include the ones easily-conceived by those skilled in the art, or the ones that are substantially identical.
A first embodiment will be described with reference to
First of all, a crimp terminal 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. The crimp terminal 1 illustrated in
The crimp terminal 1 includes a terminal fitting 10 and a water stop member 20. The terminal fitting 10 is a main portion of the crimp terminal 1. The terminal fitting 10 is formed of a conductive metal plate serving as a base material (e.g., copper plate, copper alloy plate). The terminal fitting 10 is formed into a predetermined shape that enables connection to the other terminal and the wire 50, through punching processing, bending processing, and the like that are performed on the base material. The terminal fitting 10 includes a terminal connection portion 11 and a wire connection portion 12. The terminal connection portion 11 is a portion to be electrically-connected to the other terminal. The wire connection portion 12 is a portion to be crimped onto the wire 50, and is electrically-connected to the core wire 51. A joint portion 13 is provided between the terminal connection portion 11 and the wire connection portion 12. In other words, the terminal connection portion 11 and the wire connection portion 12 are joined via the joint portion 13. The joint portion 13 includes side walls 13a and 13a that link side walls 11a and 11a of the terminal connection portion 11 and barrel piece portions 15 and 16 being side walls of the wire connection portion 12. One side wall 13a links one side wall 11a and a first barrel piece portion 15, and the other side wall 13a links the other side wall 11a and a second barrel piece portion 16. A height of the side walls 13a is lower than heights of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, and the side walls 11a. More specifically, the height of the side walls 13a becomes lower from the terminal connection portion 11 toward the wire connection portion 12.
The terminal fitting 10 may be a male terminal or a female terminal. When the terminal fitting 10 is a male terminal, the terminal connection portion 11 is formed into a male type, and when the terminal fitting 10 is a female terminal, the terminal connection portion 11 is formed into a female type.
In the description of the crimp terminal 1, a direction in which the crimp terminal 1 is connected to the other terminal, that is, a direction in which the crimp terminal 1 is inserted into the other terminal will be referred to as a first direction L. The first direction L is a longitudinal direction of the crimp terminal 1. A parallel arrangement direction of the crimp terminals 1 will be referred to as a second direction W. As described later, the parallel arrangement direction is a direction in which the crimp terminals 1 are arranged in parallel in a terminal chain member 30, and is a width direction of the crimp terminal 1. In the crimp terminal 1, a direction perpendicular to both of the first direction L and the second direction W will be referred to as a third direction H. The third direction H is a height direction of the crimp terminal 1.
In a forming process, the crimp terminal 1 is formed into a flat plate shape, and from this state, in a terminal connection portion shaping process, the terminal connection portion 11 is formed into a tubular shape as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Lengths from roots on the bottom portion 14 side to end surfaces of distal ends 15a and 16a of the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 may be equal to each other, or one length may be longer than the other length. In the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, the length from the root to the distal end 16a of the second barrel piece portion 16 is longer than the length from the root to the distal end 15a of the first barrel piece portion 15. For example, the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 are wound around the wire 50 while overlapping each other. In the present embodiment, the second barrel piece portion 16 overlaps on the outside of the first barrel piece portion 15. Caulking referred to as so-called B crimping may be performed on the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16. In the B crimping, both of the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 are bent toward the bottom portion 14 side, and caulked so that the distal ends 15a and 16a are pressed against the wire 50. Because the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the water stop member 20 to be described later, the former caulking processing is employed.
The end portion of the wire 50 is inserted into a U-shaped inner space from a U-shaped opening portion of the wire connection portion 12, that is, from a clearance gap between the distal ends 15a and 16a. The wire connection portion 12 is formed so that the end portion of the wire 50 can be easily inserted. More specifically, in the wire connection portion 12, a distance in the second direction W between the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 widens from the bottom portion 14 side toward the end surfaces of the distal ends 15a and 16a.
As illustrated in
The core wire crimping portion 12A is a region to be crimped onto the core wire 51 at the distal end of the wire 50. The core wire crimping portion 12A is a region closest to the joint portion 13 in each of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16. The covering crimping portion 12B is a region to be crimped onto an end portion of the covering 52. The covering crimping portion 12B is a region positioned on the farthest side from the joint portion 13 side in each of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16. The joint crimping portion 12C is a region linking the core wire crimping portion 12A and the covering crimping portion 12B. The joint crimping portion 12C is crimped onto a boundary portion between the core wire 51 and the covering 52 of the wire 50. By being crimped onto the wire 50, the wire connection portion 12 integrally covers the core wire 51 and the covering 52.
As illustrated in
Here, ingress of water between the core wire 51 and the wire connection portion 12 crimped onto the core wire 51 is not preferable. For example, when the metal material of the core wire 51 and the metal material of the wire connection portion 12 have different ionization tendencies, corrosion may occur. As an example, when the material of the core wire 51 is aluminum, and the material of the wire connection portion 12 is copper, the core wire 51 may corrode. The crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the water stop member 20. The water stop member 20 suppresses ingress of water between the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51.
For example, the water stop member 20 is a member formed into a sheet mainly containing adhesive such as acrylic adhesive. As the water stop member 20 of the present embodiment, an adhesive sheet being formed of sheet-like nonwoven cloth saturated with adhesive, and having an adhesive effect on the both sides is used.
For example, the water stop member 20 is attached onto the inner wall surface of the flat-plate-shaped wire connection portion 12 illustrated in
The second water stop portion 22 stops water ingress into a portion on the terminal connection portion 11 side from the distal end of the core wire 51. The second water stop portion 22 is disposed at an end portion on the terminal connection portion 11 side of the wire connection portion 12, and extends in the second direction W. At least part of the second water stop portion 22 is desirably provided in a region in which the core wire 51 is placed. For example, the second water stop portion 22 forms a water stop region in a clearance gap between the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 by being sandwiched between the overlapping barrel piece portions 15 and 16. The second water stop portion 22 can also block a clearance gap provided on the terminal connection portion 11 side from the distal end of the core wire 51, by overlapping each other in a crimping process. The second water stop portion 22 suppresses ingress of water between the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51 from the terminal connection portion 11 side.
The third water stop portion 23 suppresses ingress of water from a clearance gap between the wire connection portion 12 and the covering 52. The third water stop portion 23 is disposed at an end portion on an opposite side of the terminal connection portion 11 side of the wire connection portion 12, and extends in the second direction W. The third water stop portion 23 forms a water stop region between the covering 52 and the wire connection portion 12 by being sandwiched between the covering 52 and the wire connection portion 12.
Through a press process performed on one metal plate serving as a base material, the above-described terminal fitting 10 is processed into a configuration having the flat-plate-shaped wire connection portion 12 illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the terminal chain member 30 illustrated in
The terminal chain member 30 is an aggregate of the crimp terminals 1. The terminal chain member 30 includes a joint piece 31, the plurality of crimp terminals 1, and a plurality of link portions 32. The joint piece 31, the crimp terminals 1, and the link portions 32 are integrally formed of the same base material. In the terminal chain member 30, the crimp terminals 1 are oriented in the same direction, and arranged in parallel at equal intervals. In the terminal chain member 30, one end portions of the respective crimp terminals 1 are linked to each other by the joint piece 31. For example, the shape of the joint piece 31 is a thin and long oblong plate shape. The joint piece 31 extends in the second direction W. The wire connection portions 12 are connected to the joint piece 31 via the link portions 32. More specifically, the link portions 32 link the end portions on the opposite side of the terminal connection portion 11 side of the bottom portions 14 to the joint piece 31.
A plurality of terminal feed holes 31a are formed in the joint piece 31. The terminal feed holes 31a are arranged at equal intervals in a feed direction of the terminal chain member 30. The terminal feed holes 31a are through-holes penetrating through the joint piece 31 in a plate thickness direction. The crimp terminals 1 are positioned by the terminal feed holes 31a on a crimping device 102 to be described later. The terminal chain member 30 is set into the terminal crimping apparatus 100 in a state of being wound up in a reel shape.
As illustrated in
The terminal supply device 101 pulls out the terminal chain member 30 wound up in a reel shape, sequentially from the outer peripheral side. The terminal supply device 101 supplies the crimp terminals 1 of the pulled-out terminal chain member 30 to crimping positions, sequentially from the forefront side. When the forefront crimp terminal 1 is crimped onto the wire 50, and cut off from the joint piece 31, the terminal supply device 101 supplies the crimp terminal 1 that newly comes at the forefront, to the crimping position. Each time the crimping process and the cutting process of one crimp terminal 1 are completed, the terminal supply device 101 performs a supply operation to supply the next crimp terminal 1 to the crimping position.
The terminal supply device 101 includes a terminal feed member 101a and a power transmission mechanism 101b. The terminal feed member 101a includes a protruding portion to be inserted into the terminal feed hole 31a of the joint piece 31. The terminal feed member 101a moves the terminal chain member 30 in the feed direction in a state in which the protruding portion is inserted into the terminal feed hole 31a. The power transmission mechanism 101b operates the terminal feed member 101a in conjunction with a crimping operation performed by the crimping device 102 (up-and-down movement of a ram 114A or the like that is to be described later). The terminal supply device 101 supplies the crimp terminal 1 to the crimping position by moving the terminal feed member 101a in the up-down direction and the feed direction in conjunction with the crimping operation of the crimping device 102.
The crimping device 102 executes the crimping process of crimping the supplied the crimp terminal 1 onto the wire 50, and a cutting process of cutting off the crimp terminal 1 from the joint piece 31. The crimping device 102 includes a crimping machine 110 and a terminal cutting mechanism 120.
The crimping machine 110 is a device that crimps the crimp terminal 1 onto the wire 50 by caulking the crimp terminal 1 to the end portion of the wire 50. The crimping machine 110 of the present embodiment crimps the crimp terminal 1 onto the wire 50 by caulking the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 of the crimp terminal 1 so as to be wound around the core wire 51 and the covering 52 of the wire 50. The crimping machine 110 includes a frame 111, a first mold 112, a second mold 113, and a power transmission mechanism 114.
The frame 111 includes a base 111A, an anvil supporting member 111B, a transmission portion supporting member 111C, and a support base 111D. The base 111A is a member serving as a basis of the terminal crimping apparatus 100. The base 111A is fixed to a placement base on which the terminal crimping apparatus 100 is to be placed. The anvil supporting member 111B, the transmission portion supporting member 111C, and the support base 111D are fixed onto the base 111A.
The transmission portion supporting member 111C is disposed on the rear side (right side on a paper surface in
The first mold 112 and the second mold 113 form a pair. The first mold 112 and the second mold 113 are disposed at an interval in the up-down direction. As illustrated in
The first anvil 112A and the first crimper 113A oppose each other in the up-down direction. The first anvil 112A and the first crimper 113A crimp the core wire crimping portion 12A. More specifically, the first anvil 112A and the first crimper 113A wind the U-shaped core wire crimping portion 12A around the core wire 51 of the wire 50 to crimp the core wire crimping portion 12A onto the core wire 51, by narrowing a distance therebetween.
The second anvil 112B and the second crimper 113B oppose each other in the up-down direction. The second anvil 112B and the second crimper 113B crimp the covering crimping portion 12B. More specifically, the second anvil 112B and the second crimper 113B wind the U-shaped covering crimping portion 12B around the covering 52 to crimp the covering crimping portion 12B onto the covering 52, by narrowing a distance therebetween.
In the crimping process, by transmitting power to the power transmission mechanism 114, the driving device 103 narrows a distance between the first mold 112 and the second mold 113 to crimp the wire connection portion 12 onto the wire 50. On the other hand, when the crimping process is completed, the driving device 103 widens the distance between the first mold 112 and the second mold 113. In the crimping device 102 of the present embodiment, a distance between the pair of molds 112 and 113 changes by the second mold 113 moving up and down with respect to the first mold 112.
Note that, in the first mold 112, the first anvil 112A and the second anvil 112B may be separately formed, and in the second mold 113, the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B may be separately formed. In this case, the driving device 103 and the power transmission mechanism 114 may be configured to separately move the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B up and down.
The power transmission mechanism 114 transmits power output from the driving device 103, to the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B. As illustrated in
The ram 114A is a movable member supported so as to be movable up and down with respect to the ram supporting portion 111C2. The second mold 113 is fixed to the ram 114A. Thus, the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B move up and down integrally with the ram 114A, with respect to the ram supporting portion 111C2. For example, the shape of the ram 114A is a parallelepiped. A female screw portion (not illustrated) is formed in the ram 114A. The female screw portion is formed on the inner circumferential surface of a hole in the up-down direction that is formed from an inner side of the ram 114A toward an upper end surface.
The ram bolt 114B includes a male screw portion (not illustrated), and the male screw portion is screwed with the female screw portion of the ram 114A. Thus, the ram bolt 114B moves up and down integrally with the ram 114A, with respect to the ram supporting portion 111C2. In addition, the ram bolt 114B includes a bolt head portion 114B1 disposed on the upper side of the male screw portion. A female screw portion (not illustrated) is formed in the bolt head portion 114B1. The female screw portion of the bolt head portion 114B1 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of a hole in the up-down direction that is formed from an inner side of the bolt head portion 114B1 toward an upper end surface.
The shank 114C is a cylindrically-shaped hollow member, and includes a male screw portion 114C1 and a connection portion (not illustrated) at each end portion. The male screw portion 114C1 of the shank 114C is formed on the lower side of the hollow member, and is screwed with the female screw portion of the bolt head portion 114B1 of the ram bolt 114B. Thus, the shank 114C moves up and down integrally with the ram 114A and the ram bolt 114B, with respect to the ram supporting portion 111C2. The connection portion of the shank 114C is connected to the driving device 103.
The driving device 103 includes a driving source (not illustrated), and a power conversion mechanism (not illustrated) that converts drive power of the driving source into power in the up-down direction. The connection portion of the shank 114C is joined to an output shaft of the power conversion mechanism. Thus, the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B move up and down integrally with the ram 114A, the ram bolt 114B, and the shank 114C, with respect to the ram supporting portion 111C2, according to an output of the driving device 103 (output of the power conversion mechanism). As the driving source of the driving device 103, an electrical actuator of an electrical motor or the like, a hydraulic actuator of a hydraulic cylinder or the like, an air pressure actuator of an air cylinder or the like, and the like can be applied.
A relative position in the up-down direction of the first crimper 113A with respect to the first anvil 112A, and a relative position in the up-down direction of the second crimper 113B with respect to the second anvil 112B can be changed by adjusting a screw amount of the female screw portion of the bolt head portion 114B1 and the male screw portion 114C1 of the shank 114C. A nut 114D is screwed with the male screw portion 114C1 of the shank 114C on the upper side of the ram bolt 114B. Thus, the nut 114D functions as a so-called locknut together with the female screw portion of the bolt head portion 114B1. By being tightened toward the ram bolt 114B side after the completion of the adjustment of the above-described relative positions, the nut 114D can fix the first crimper 113A and the second crimper 113B at the relative positions.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The crimp terminal 1 having been subjected to the crimping processing in the crimping machine 110 is cut off from the joint piece 31 by the terminal cutting mechanism 120. The terminal cutting mechanism 120 cuts the link portion 32 of the crimp terminal 1 supplied to the crimping position by sandwiching the link portion 32 between two terminal cutting portions, and performs the cut off in conjunction with the progress of the crimping process. As illustrated in
The terminal cutting member 121 is formed into a parallelepiped, and is disposed so as to be slidable in the up-down direction along the front surface of the second anvil 112B. As illustrated in
The terminal cutting member 121 cuts the link portion 32 while relatively moving up and down with respect to the first mold 112 and the crimp terminal 1. Here, a position at which the joint piece 31 and the like can be inserted into the slit 121b is assumed to be a default position in the up-down direction of the terminal cutting member 121. As illustrated in
The pressing member 122 is fixed to the ram 114A, and moves up and down integrally with the ram 114A. The pressing member 122 is disposed on the upper side of the terminal cutting member 121, and presses down the terminal cutting member 121 by lowering. The pressing member 122 is formed into a parallelepiped. The elastic member 123 is a member that adds upper urging force to the terminal cutting member 121, and is formed of a spring member or the like. The elastic member 123 returns the terminal cutting member 121 to the default position in the up-down direction when pressing force applied from the pressing member 122 is released.
In the terminal cutting mechanism 120, the pressing member 122 lowers together with the lowering of the second mold 113 in the crimping processing, to press down the terminal cutting member 121. By the terminal cutting member 121 lowering, the link portion 32 is sandwiched between the opening edge 121c of the slit 121b and the top surface edge 112a (
As illustrated in
Here, the predetermined position is a position at which the end portion of the wire 50 not having been subjected to the crimping processing exists on the upper side of the bottom portion 14 of the flat-plate-shaped wire connection portion 12. In addition, the predetermined position is a position at which the core wire 51 can be placed on the bottom portion 14 of the core wire crimping portion 12A so that the distal end of the core wire 51 that has been pressed down at the start of the crimping processing does not protrude from the core wire crimping portion 12A. The core wire 51 elongates in an axis line direction in accordance with the crimping processing, and a distal end position of the core wire 51 sometimes moves in the axis line direction. The predetermined position is desirably determined in consideration of the elongation.
The end portion (the core wire 51 at the distal end and the covering 52) of the wire 50 is pressed down by the second mold 113 toward the inner wall surface side of the wire connection portion 12. Thus, if no holding is provided, the wire 50 is uplifted from the top surface 121d of the terminal cutting member 121, and the core wire 51 at the distal end and the covering 52 may be crimped in a state of not being placed on the bottom portion 14 of the wire connection portion 12. Thus, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a wire holding mechanism that holds the wire 50 at the predetermined position between itself and the upper portion of the terminal cutting member 121, and suppresses a position shift of the end portion of the wire 50 with respect to the wire connection portion 12 that occurs in the crimping processing.
The wire holding mechanism includes a wire retaining member 118 (
Here, it is desired that a failure in crimping the wire connection portion 12 onto the wire 50 by winding the wire connection portion 12 around the wire 50 using the crimping machine 110 can be suppressed. Examples of expected failures include reversal (sign Pr2) of an overlap order of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, interference (sign Pr1) between the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, and the like, as will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
In addition, a distance R2 from a lowest point 14a of the bottom portion 14 to the end surface 16b of the second barrel piece portion 16 is longer than a distance R1 from the lowest point 14a to the end surface 15b of the first barrel piece portion 15. Because dimension of the first barrel piece portion 15 and the second barrel piece portion 16 are in such relationship, when the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 are bent inward by the second mold 113, the second barrel piece portion 16 overlaps the outside of the first barrel piece portion 15. In addition, the first barrel piece portion 15 includes a bent portion 15d bent so as to protrude outward. In the first barrel piece portion 15, a portion on the distal end side from the bent portion 15d is slightly inclined toward the second barrel piece portion 16 side. Thus, the first barrel piece portion 15 is formed to easily collapse into inner side of the second barrel piece portion 16.
In addition, in the present embodiment, winding with respect to the wire 50 is started from a center portion of the wire connection portion 12 so that airtightness and water-tightness can be assured after the crimping. Because the wire connection portion 12 of the present embodiment integrally covers the core wire 51 and the covering 52 of the wire 50, the center portion of the wire connection portion 12 corresponds to an end portion of the covering 52, that is, a boundary between an exposed portion of the core wire 51 and the covering 52. In other words, in the present embodiment, winding of the wire connection portion 12 with respect to the wire 50 is started from a position corresponding to the end portion of the covering 52.
As will be described with reference to
In the core wire crimping portion 12A before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is widest at an end portion 12A2 (hereinafter, referred to as “a second end portion 12A2”.) on the covering crimping portion 12B side. On the other hand, in the core wire crimping portion 12A, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is narrowest at an end portion 12A1 (hereinafter, referred to as “a first end portion 12A1”.) on a side opposite to the covering crimping portion 12B. In addition, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes narrower from the second end portion 12A2 toward the first end portion 12A1. Note that,
In the covering crimping portion 12B before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is widest at an end portion 12B1 (hereinafter, referred to as “a third end portion 12B1”.) on the core wire crimping portion 12A side. On the other hand, in the covering crimping portion 12B, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is narrowest at an end portion 12B2 (hereinafter, referred to as “a fourth end portion 12B2”.) on a side opposite to the core wire crimping portion 12A. In addition, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes narrower from the third end portion 12B1 toward the fourth end portion 12B2. Note that,
In a state before crimping, a cross-sectional area of an internal space of the covering crimping portion 12B is made wider than a cross-sectional area of an internal space of the core wire crimping portion 12A. This difference in area corresponds to a difference between an outer diameter of the covering 52 and an outer diameter of the core wire 51 as crimping target. According to the difference in sizes of the internal spaces, the value Wd3 of the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces at the third end portion 12B2 becomes larger than the value Wd2 of the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces at the second end portion 12A2. In other words, in the joint crimping portion 12C, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes wider from the core wire crimping portion 12A toward the covering crimping portion 12B.
When the wire connection portion 12 having such a configuration is crimped by the second mold 113, the second mold 113 initially comes into contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c at the position of the third end portion 12B1. In other words, the position at which the second mold 113 initially comes into contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 is a position of the third end portion 12B1 in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. The third end portion 12B1 corresponds to a position corresponding to the end portion of the covering 52, that is, a position at which the core wire 51 starts to be exposed in the wire 50.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As described above, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, in the core wire crimping portion 12A before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is widest at the second end portion 12A2 being an end portion on the covering crimping portion 12B side. In addition, in the covering crimping portion 12B before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces is widest at the third end portion 12B1 being an end portion on the core wire crimping portion 12A side. In this manner, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes the widest at a position closer to the center in the longitudinal direction in the wire connection portion 12. Thus, the winding of the wire connection portion 12 with respect to the wire 50 is started from the center portion, and the start of the winding is delayed at the both ends in the longitudinal direction. This suppresses interference between the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, and the reversal of a winding order, as described below.
For example, as indicated by the sign Pr1 in
On the other hand, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces in the core wire crimping portion 12A is the widest at the position of the second end portion 12A2, and the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces in the covering crimping portion 12B is the widest at the third end portion 12B1. Thus, in the core wire crimping portion 12A and the covering crimping portion 12B, winding is started from the end portions 12A2 and 12B1 closer to the center in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. As illustrated in
Thus, according to the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, a start of winding at a position different from a desired position and a delay of a winding start at the center portion are suppressed. The winding and crimping of the wire connection portion 12 with respect to the wire 50 can be thereby performed stably. Thus, the generation of interference between the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 and the reversal of the winding order is suppressed. By the winding being sequentially performed from a predetermined position toward the both ends, as illustrated in
As described above, the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment includes the wire connection portion 12. The wire connection portion 12 includes the core wire crimping portion 12A provided at one end side in the longitudinal direction, and the covering crimping portion 12B provided at the other end side in the longitudinal direction, and integrally covers the core wire 51 and the covering 52 by being crimped onto the wire 50. In the core wire crimping portion 12A before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 is widest at the second end portion 12A2 on the covering crimping portion 12B side. In addition, in the covering crimping portion 12B before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 is widest at the third end portion 12B1 on the core wire crimping portion 12A side.
Thus, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, winding with respect to the wire 50 is started in a region closer to the center in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. In addition, winding and crimping with respect to the wire 50 progress from the region closer to the center in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12, toward the both ends. Thus, the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment can be appropriately crimped onto the wire 50.
In addition, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, winding is started from the center portion of the wire connection portion 12. This can cause the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51 to equally extend toward the both sides in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. Because winding and crimping with respect to the wire 50 progress from the center portion of the wire connection portion 12 toward the both ends, elongation of the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51 is difficult to be disturbed by the second mold 113. Thus, the wire connection portion 12 is appropriately crimped onto the wire 50.
In addition, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, in the core wire crimping portion 12A before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes narrower toward the first end portion 12A1 on a side opposite to the covering crimping portion 12B. In addition, in the covering crimping portion 12B before crimping onto the wire 50, the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces becomes narrower toward the fourth end portion 12B2 on a side opposite to the core wire crimping portion 12A. Thus, winding and crimping with respect to the wire 50 progress more smoothly from the center side in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12 toward the both ends.
In addition, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12, the length Ln2 of the second barrel piece portion 16, which is one of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, is longer than the length Ln1 of the first barrel piece portion 15. In other words, when comparison is performed at the same position in the first direction L, the length Ln2 from a root on the bottom portion 14 side of the second barrel piece portion 16 to the end surface 16b is longer than the length Ln1 from a root on the bottom portion 14 side of the first barrel piece portion 15 to the end surface 15b. Thus, the first barrel piece portion 15 easily collapses into inner side of the second barrel piece portion 16. Because the lengths Ln1 and Ln2 of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 are different in this manner, the reversal of the winding order of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 with respect to the wire 50 is difficult to be generated.
Note that, in the crimp terminal 1 of the present embodiment, although the core wire crimping portion 12A and the covering crimping portion 12B are linked via the joint crimping portion 12C, the joint crimping portion 12C may be omitted. A portion corresponding to the joint crimping portion 12C of the present embodiment may be provided as a part of the core wire crimping portion 12A, or may be provided as a part of the covering crimping portion 12B.
In the present embodiment, in the core wire crimping portion 12A, intervals Wd between outer wall surfaces have relationship represented by the following formula (1), and in the covering crimping portion 12B, intervals Wd between outer wall surfaces have relationship represented by the following formula (2).
Wd1<Wd2 (1)
Wd4<Wd3 (2)
Alternatively, in the core wire crimping portion 12A, the intervals Wd between outer wall surfaces may have relationship represented by the following formula (3), and in the covering crimping portion 12B, the intervals Wd between outer wall surfaces may have relationship represented by the following formula (4).
Wd1≤Wd2 (3)
Wd4≤Wd3 (4)
Note that, the material of the core wire 51 of the wire 50 is not limited to aluminum. For example, the core wire 51 may be copper or copper alloy, or another conductive metal. The material of the crimp terminal 1 is not limited to copper and copper alloy, and may be another conductive metal.
A second embodiment will be described with reference to
Note that, the crimp terminal 1 to be crimped by the second mold 113 of the present embodiment may be the one having a defined interval Wd between outer wall surfaces, similar to the crimp terminal 1 of the above-described first embodiment, but may be another crimp terminal.
On the other hand, the second wall surface 116 of the second mold 113 comes into contact with the outer wall surface 16c of the second barrel piece portion 16 to press the second barrel piece portion 16 toward the first wall surface 115 side. For example, the second wall surface 116 starts contact with the outer wall surface 16c at a corner portion at which the outer wall surface 16c and the end surface 16b of the second barrel piece portion 16 intersects with each other, or in the vicinity of the corner portion.
As illustrated in
The covering side wall surfaces 115B and 116B are wall surfaces corresponding to the covering crimping portion 12B. The covering side wall surfaces 115B and 116B come into contact with the covering crimping portion 12B to crimp the covering crimping portion 12B onto the covering 52. An interval between the covering side wall surfaces 115B and 116B remains constant along the first direction L.
The joint wall surface 115C is a wall surface connection the core wire side wall surface 115A and the covering side wall surface 115B. The joint wall surface 115C is inclined with respect to the first direction L. The joint wall surface 115C is inclined in a direction to go away from the second wall surface 116, from the core wire side wall surface 115A toward the covering side wall surface 115B. The joint wall surface 116C is a wall surface connecting the core wire side wall surface 116A and the covering side wall surface 116B. The joint wall surface 116C is inclined with respect to the first direction L. The joint wall surface 116C is inclined in a direction to go away from the first wall surface 115, from the core wire side wall surface 116A toward the covering side wall surface 116B. The joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C face each other while sandwiching at least the third end portion 12B1 of the covering crimping portion 12B therebetween. In addition, the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C face each other while sandwiching the joint crimping portion 12C therebetween.
The second mold 113 is formed so as to start contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c at the center portion in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. The second mold 113 of the present embodiment is configured to initially come into contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c at the position of the third end portion 12B1 in the center portion in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. The position of the third end portion 12B1 is a position corresponding to the end portion of the covering 52 in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12.
The inclination of the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C is defined so that the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C initially come into contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c at the position of the third end portion 12B1. An inclination angle of the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C with respect to the first direction L is smaller than an inclination angle of the joint crimping portion 12C with respect to the first direction L. In other words, a degree of change in the interval between the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C in the first direction L is smaller than a degree of change in the interval Wd between outer wall surfaces in the joint crimping portion 12C in the first direction L. Thus, clearance gaps between the joint crimping portion 12C and the joint wall surfaces 115C and 116C become narrower from the core wire crimping portion 12A toward the covering crimping portion 12B.
When the second mold 113 having such a configuration lowers toward the first mold 112 in the crimping process, the second mold 113 initially comes into contact with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c at the position of the third end portion 12B1. When the second mold 113 further lowers, a range in which the second mold 113 and the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c are in contact extends in the first direction L from the third end portion 12B1 toward the both sides. While extending a contact area with the outer wall surfaces 15c and 16c, the second mold 113 bends the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 inward to wind the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 around the wire 50. When the second mold 113 further lowers, the second mold 113 presses the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 wound around the wire 50, against the wire 50. The wire connection portion 12 is thereby crimped onto the wire 50.
In this manner, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment causes a winding start of the center portion of the wire connection portion 12 to precede a winding start of the both end portions. In addition, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 makes the progress of the winding of the center portion faster than the progress of the winding of the both end portions. Then, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 causes the crimping of the center portion to be completed prior to the completion of the crimping of the both end portions. The winding of the wire connection portion 12 with respect to the wire 50 sequentially progresses from the center portion toward the both end portions. This suppresses the uplift of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16, the generation of a clearance gap resulting from deformation, and the like. Thus, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can appropriately crimp the wire connection portion 12 onto the wire 50, assure required crimping strength, and suppress a decrease in water stop performance offered by the water stop member 20.
According to the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, winding of the wire connection portion 12 with respect to the wire 50 is initially started at the third end portion 12B1 being a position corresponding to the end portion of the covering 52. In the crimp terminal 1 integrally covering the core wire 51 and the covering 52, the outer diameter of the covering crimping portion 12B easily becomes larger than the outer diameter of the core wire crimping portion 12A. Thus, by the winding being started from the third end portion 12B1, the winding easily progresses smoothly toward the both sides in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. Thus, the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can appropriately crimp the wire connection portion 12 onto the wire 50, assure required crimping strength, and suppress a decrease in water stop performance offered by the water stop member 20.
In addition, according to the terminal crimping apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, because the winding is started from the center portion of the wire connection portion 12, the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51 can be caused to equally elongate toward the both sides in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12. Because the winding and crimping progress from the center portion of the wire connection portion 12 toward the both ends, elongation of the wire connection portion 12 and the core wire 51 is difficult to be disturbed by the second mold 113. Thus, the wire connection portion 12 is appropriately crimped onto the wire 50.
The second mold 113 of the present embodiment is not limited to the one having a defined interval Wd between outer wall surfaces as in the crimp terminal 1 of the above-described first embodiment, and can be applied to a crimp terminal integrally covering the core wire 51 and the covering 52. The crimping target wire connection portion 12 includes the core wire crimping portion 12A and the covering crimping portion 12B, and integrally covers the core wire 51 and the covering 52 by being crimped onto the wire 50. In the wire connection portion 12 before crimping, the outer diameter of the covering crimping portion 12B is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the core wire crimping portion 12A. Nevertheless, the wire connection portion 12 is not limited to this.
A modified example of the above-described first and second embodiments will be described. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion 12, lengths of the barrel piece portions 15 and 16 may be equal. In this case, the second mold 113 is formed so as to cause the first barrel piece portion 15 to collapse into inner side of the second barrel piece portion 16.
The matters disclosed in the above-described embodiments and the modified example can be executed while being appropriately combined.
A crimp terminal according to the embodiment includes a wire connection portion including a bottom wall portion, and a pair of side wall portions facing each other in a width direction of the bottom wall portion, and protruding from both ends in the width direction of the bottom wall portion. The wire connection portion includes a core wire crimping portion provided on one end side in a longitudinal direction, and to be crimped onto a core wire of a wire, and a covering crimping portion provided on another end side in the longitudinal direction, and to be crimped onto a covering of the wire, and integrally covers the core wire and the covering by being crimped onto the wire. In the core wire crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions is widest at an end portion on the covering crimping portion side, and in the covering crimping portion before crimping onto the wire, an interval between outer wall surfaces of the pair of side wall portions is widest at an end portion on the core wire crimping portion side.
In the crimp terminal according to the embodiment, winding with respect to the wire is started from a position closer to the center in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion. Thus, the crimp terminal according to the embodiment brings about such an effect that the crimp terminal can be appropriately crimped onto the wire.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-201869 | Oct 2016 | JP | national |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180109010 A1 | Apr 2018 | US |
