Patent Grant
9419400
The invention is related to a terminal which is connected to a cable with a shielded conductor such as a coaxial cable, especially to a structure of a terminal chain by which a terminal and a signal conductor can be connected easily and a connecting method of the terminal and the signal conductor.
Conventionally, as disclosed in PTLs 1, 2 and 3, when a signal conductor of a cable with a shielded conductor such as a coaxial cable is connected to a terminal, the signal conductor is crimped by a barrel formed to the terminal (a crimping barrel 31b in the PTL 1, a crimping piece 32d in the PTL 2 and a crimping piece 11c in the PTL 3).
[PTL 1] JP-A-2008-159312
[PTL 2] JP-A-2006-302790
[PTL 3] JP-A-2003-317882
However, when the barrel is crimped to connect the signal conductor to the terminal as described above, it is necessary to remove from a die the terminal formed by press-forming, and place the terminal in a terminal crimping device which includes an anvil and a crimper.
The invention was made in view of the fact described above. The purpose of the invention is to provide a terminal chain so that it is possible for a terminal to be connected with a signal conductor only by being press-formed by dies.
To achieve the purpose described above, the terminal chains according to the invention are characterized by the (1)-(4) below.
(1) A terminal chain, comprising:
a carrier; and
a plurality of rectangular pieces which are connected to an end part extending in a longitudinal direction of the carrier, wherein
each of the rectangular pieces is press-formed so as to enclose a signal conductor exposed at one end of a wire, so that each of the rectangular pieces is formed to be a hollow cylindrical terminal.
(2) The terminal chain according to above (1), wherein
each of the rectangular pieces is connected to the end part of the carrier by a carrier link that joints the end part of the carrier and an end part of the rectangular piece, and
the carrier link is shaped so that the rectangular piece is placed in a position higher than a plane containing the carrier.
(3) The terminal chain according to above (1), wherein
a width of the carrier is shorter than a length of an exposed portion of the signal conductor in a longitudinal direction thereof.
(4) The terminal chain according to above (1), wherein
the carrier includes a narrow part a width of which is shorter than a length of an exposed portion of the signal conductor in a longitudinal direction thereof, and a wide part a width of which is longer than a dimension of the narrow part in a width direction thereof, and wherein
the rectangular piece is connected to the end part at the narrow part.
According to the terminal chain with the configuration of the above (1), the process for press-forming into the shape of a terminal and the process for connecting a signal conductor of the wire with the terminal can be performed simultaneously during the process for press-forming.
According to the terminal chains with the configurations of the above (2)-(4), since the position where the carrier and the rectangular piece are disconnected can be located at the rear end of the terminal, a burr that would hinder efficient contact of the front end of the terminal with the counterpart terminal can be prevented from being formed.
According to the terminal chain of the invention, a terminal can be connected with a signal conductor only by being press-formed by dies.
The invention is explained in brief above. Further, details of the invention will become more apparent after the embodiments of the invention described below are read with reference to the accompanying figures.
The forming processes of a terminal of the first embodiment of the invention, together with changes of the shape of the terminal, are explained with reference to
First, as shown in
Then, the rectangular piece 12 which is press-disconnected by the die block M1 is placed in a die block M2 for press-forming and is pressed. In
Then, the rectangular piece 12 which is press-formed by the die block M2 is placed in a die block M3 for press-forming and is pressed. In
In
Thereafter, the rectangular piece 12, which is press-formed by the die block M3 and whose rectangular piece body 121 carries the signal conductor W1, is placed in a die block M4 for press-forming and is pressed. As shown in
Through the processes shown in
Above, according to the terminal of the embodiment of the invention, the process for press-forming the rectangular piece 12 to the shape of the terminal and the process for connecting the signal conductor W1 of the wire W with the terminal can be performed at the same time. In other words, it is not necessary as before to remove from the die the terminal which is formed by press-forming, and place the terminal in a terminal crimping device which includes an anvil and a crimper. For this reason, the producing of wires to which terminals are attached can be improved, and a higher operating efficiency can be achieved.
Next, a terminal chain manufacturing method which is applicable to the structure of the terminal of the first embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to
As shown in
In particular, a carrier base 411 on which the carrier 11 of the terminal chain 30 is carried is formed in the terminal accommodating groove 41. A plurality of rectangular piece bases 412 on which the rectangular pieces 12 of the terminal chain are carried are formed in the terminal accommodating groove 41 to bridge the carrier base 411 and respective wire accommodating grooves 42. In the five rectangular piece bases 412 shown in
In addition, the wire accommodating grooves 42 are formed in positions corresponding to the positions of the rectangular piece bases 412 after the die block M3. In more detail, the positions of the wire accommodating grooves 42 are so determined that the signal conductor W1 of the wire W that is carried in a wire accommodating groove 42 is substantially located in the center of the corresponding rectangular piece base 412. When the wire W is carried on the wire accommodating groove 42, the signal conductor W1 of the wire W1 can be carried on the rear end part of the rectangular piece body 121 which is press-formed by the die block M3 to be opened at the top. After the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is carried on the rear end part of the rectangular piece body 121, since it is necessary to move in such a state to the following die blocks, the other wire accommodating grooves 42 are formed similarly in positions corresponding to the positions of the rectangular piece bases 412 of the die blocks M4 and M5.
In addition, in the embodiments of the invention, although it is described that the rectangular piece 12 is formed to the shape of a terminal by five press-forming processes in which the dies M1-M5 are used, the number of the processes is not limited to 5. Needless to mention the increase of the number of the processes, it is applicable as long as the die block for press-disconnecting to form the shape of the rectangular piece 12, the die block for press-forming to form the shape of the terminal, and the die block for press-disconnecting to disconnect the carrier link 122 are included.
The die blocks as described above have shapes that can be embedded in the terminal accommodating groove 41, are suitable die blocks necessary to press-form the rectangular piece 12, and can press-form the terminal to a shape in accordance with the specification when they are embedded in the terminal accommodating groove 41.
On the other hand, wire accommodating grooves 52 for accommodating wires W to prevent the wires W from being crushed when the upper die 50 falls onto the lower die 40, and bosses 53 which are fitted to the boss holes of the lower die 40 are formed in the upper die 50. Further, die blocks, which correspond to the respective die blocks of the lower die 40, are installed at the bottom of the upper die 50 in positions corresponding to the respective die blocks (not shown in the figure). The die blocks of the upper metal mould 50 also have shapes that can be embedded, are suitable die blocks necessary to press-form the rectangular piece 12, and can press-form the terminal to a shape in accordance with the specification when they are embedded.
Above, according to the terminal chain of the embodiment of the invention, the process for press-forming the rectangular piece 12 to the shape of a terminal and the process for connecting the signal conductor W1 of the wire W with the terminal can be performed at the same time. In other words, it is not necessary to remove from the die the terminal which is formed by press-forming, and place the terminal in a terminal crimping device which includes an anvil and a crimper, as conventional. For this reason, the producing of wires to which terminals are attached can be improved, and a higher operating efficiency can be achieved.
In the embodiment of the invention, a method was described in which after the nearly half part of the rectangular piece body 121 that is near the front end side is closed by the die block M3, and the nearly half part of the rectangular piece body 121 that is near the rear end side is closed by the die block M4 when the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is carried on the rear end part of the rectangular piece body 121. The signal conductor W1 can be definitely carried on the rectangular piece body 121 by forming in advance a receiving part for receiving the signal conductor W1. As another example of using the receiving part, for example, it is also possible that after the rectangular piece 12 is formed to a substantial U shape when the part beside the center of the rectangular piece is erected by the die block M2 from the two side of the center of the rectangular piece body 121, the rectangular piece body 121 is closed as a whole when the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is carried on the rear end part of the rectangular piece body 121. On the other hand, it is not necessary to configure with such receiving part. For example, it is also possible that after the rectangular piece 12 is formed by being press-disconnected by the die block M1, the rectangular piece body 121 is press-formed to be closed as a whole when the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is carried on the rear end part of the rectangular piece body 121.
In the first embodiment, as shown in
Thus, in the second embodiment of the invention, a terminal chain 80 in which a burr formed by disconnecting the carrier would be formed at the rear end of a terminal, and terminals 70 constructing the terminal chain 80 are described.
Similar to the first embodiment, in accordance with the aligned die blocks, the terminals 70 of the second embodiment are press-formed to the shapes of the terminal as shown by the respective rectangular pieces 62 in
First, a belt-shaped carrier 61 and a rectangular piece 62 which is connected to an end part extending in the longitudinal direction of the carrier 61 are formed by placing a flat metal plate in a die block M11 for press-disconnecting and pressing the flat metal plate. Then, the rectangular piece 62 is constructed of a rectangular piece body 621 which is press-formed to encloses a signal conductor of a wire to conduct with the signal conductor, a carrier link 622 which joints the rectangular piece body 621 and the carrier 61, and contacts 623 which extend from one end of the rectangular piece body 621 opposite to the end that is connected to the carrier link 622 towards a direction away from the carrier 61. Thereafter, for the rectangular piece 62 which is jointed to the carrier 61 through the carrier link 622, a side which is far from the carrier 61 is called the front end side, and a side which is near the carrier 61 is called the rear end side (please note that they are different from the definitions of the front end side and the rear end side of the first embodiment). The carrier link 622 is divided into two parts from the rear end side of the rectangular piece body 621, and the two parts are connected to the carrier 61, respectively. The carrier link 622 is shaped so that a part of the carrier link 622 is folded vertically from the horizontal plane containing the rectangular piece body 621. Thus, the rectangular piece body 621 is located in a position higher than the horizontal plane containing the carrier 61. The difference between the height of the rectangular piece body 621 and that of the carrier 61 corresponds to the size of the diameter of the wire carried on the rectangular piece body 621, more specifically, half of the wire diameter. In addition, the contacts 623 are two contacts that extend from the two sides of the rectangular piece body 621 towards a direction away from the carrier 61. When the rectangular piece 62 becomes a terminal, the contacts 623 will form the front end of the terminal (a portion in contact with a counterpart terminal).
Thereafter, the rectangular piece 62 which is press-disconnected by the die block M11 is placed in a die block M12 for press-forming and is pressed. Then, in the rectangular piece 62, the two parts beside the center of the rectangular piece body 621 and the two contacts 623 are folded towards the center of the rectangular piece body 621. Then, the rectangular piece 62 is formed to have a cross section of a substantial U shape whose bottom edge is the center part of the rectangular piece body 621, and the parts beside the center part of the rectangular piece body 621 are erected from the two sides of the center part, respectively.
After the rectangular piece 62 is formed to a substantial U shape when the parts beside the center of the rectangular piece are erected by the die block M12 from the two sides of the center of the rectangular piece body 621, the signal conductor W1 exposed at one end of the wire W is placed on the rear end of the rectangular piece body 621. Then, the wire W, as shown by the top view of the terminal chain of the second embodiment of the invention of
Thereafter, the rectangular piece 62, whose rectangular piece body 621 carries the signal conductor W1, is placed in a die block M13 for press-forming and is pressed. Then, the rectangular piece body 621 of the rectangular piece 62 in which the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is placed is totally closed. In other words, the rectangular piece body 621 is formed by making close the two parts beside the center part of the rectangular piece body 621.
Through the processes described above, the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is connected to the rectangular piece body 621, and the rectangular piece 62 is formed to the shape of a terminal at the same time. Then, the rectangular piece 62 which is press-formed by the die block M13 is placed in a die block M14 for press-disconnecting, and the carrier 61 and the carrier link 622 are disconnected at the carrier disconnecting positions as shown in
Above, according to the terminal chain of the second embodiment of the invention and the terminals constructing the terminal chain, the e for press-forming the rectangular piece 62 to the shape of a terminal and the process for connecting the terminal with the signal conductor W1 of the wire W can be performed at the same time. In other words, it is not necessary as before to remove from the die the terminal which is formed by press-forming, and place the terminal in a terminal crimping device which includes an anvil and a crimper. For this reason, the producing of wires to which terminals are attached can be improved, and a higher operating efficiency can be achieved.
In addition, since the disconnecting position of the carrier 61 and the rectangular piece 62 is located at the rear end of the terminal 70, burrs that are formed during the process of disconnecting are also formed at the rear end of the terminal 70. As a result, the burrs that would hinder efficient contact of the front end of the terminal 70 with the counterpart terminal can be prevented from forming.
Further, since the height of the rectangular piece body 621 is provided to be different from that of the carrier 61, the wire W is hold by the carrier 61 and the dies during the process of press-forming, and will not be crushed.
In the third embodiment, a terminal chain 110 in which a burr formed by disconnecting the carrier would be formed at the rear end of a terminal, and terminals 100 constructing the terminal chain 80 are described. In the second embodiment, the wire W is hold by the carrier 61 and the dies. In order to avoid the problem of being crushed, the height of the rectangular piece body 621 is provided to be different from that of the carrier 61. In order to avoid the same problem, the third embodiment is characterized in dimensions in the width direction of the carrier 61.
Similar to the first and the second embodiments, in accordance with the aligned die blocks, terminals 100 of the third embodiment are press-formed to the shapes of the terminal as shown in
First, a jagged shaped carrier 91 with narrow parts 911 whose width is short and wide parts 912 whose width is long alternately aligned in the longitudinal direction and a rectangular piece 92 which is connected to a narrow part 911 among the end parts extending in the longitudinal direction of the carrier 91 are formed by placing a flat metal plate in a die block M21 for press-disconnecting and pressing the flat metal plate. The width of the narrow parts 911 of the carrier 91 is shorter than the length in the longitudinal direction of a signal conductor W1 which is exposed at one end of the wire W, and the width of wide parts 912 is longer than the width of the narrow parts 911. The narrow parts 911 and the wide parts 912 are connected alternately and aligned at one side in their width direction. In the third embodiment, although the width of the wide parts 912 is longer than the width of the narrow parts 911, any width is possible as long as the width of the carrier 91 at the part that is connected to the rectangular piece 92 (corresponding to the narrow part 911 in the third embodiment) is shorter than the length in the longitudinal direction of the signal conductor W1 which is exposed at one end of the wire W. Further, in the third embodiment, although it is described that the narrow parts 911 and the wide parts 912 are connected and aligned at one side in their width direction, the invention is not limited in terms of the connecting positions of the narrow parts 911 and the wide parts 912.
In addition, the rectangular piece 92 is constructed of a rectangular piece body 921 which is press-formed to enclose a signal conductor of a wire to conduct with the signal conductor, and contacts 923 which extend from one end of the rectangular piece body 921 opposite to the end that is connected to the carrier 91 towards a direction away from the carrier 91. Thereafter, for the rectangular piece 92 which is jointed to the carrier 91, a side which is far from the carrier 91 is called the front end side, and a side which is near the carrier 91 is called the rear end side. (Please note that they are different from the definitions of the front end side and the rear end side of the first embodiment.) The contacts 923 are two contacts that extend from the two sides of the rectangular piece body 921 towards a direction away from the carrier 91. When the rectangular piece 92 becomes a terminal, the contacts 923 will form the front end of the terminal (a portion in contact with a counterpart terminal).
Then, the rectangular piece 92 which is press-disconnected by the die block M21 is placed in a die block M22 for press-forming and is pressed. Then, in the rectangular piece 92, the two parts beside the center of the rectangular piece body 921 and the two contacts 923 are folded towards the center of the rectangular piece body 921. Then, the rectangular piece 92 is formed to have a cross section of a substantial U shape whose bottom edge is the center part of the rectangular piece body 921, and the parts beside the center part of the rectangular piece body 921 are erected from the two sides of the center part, respectively.
Further, after the rectangular piece 92 is formed to a substantial U shape when the parts beside the center of the rectangular piece are erected by the die block M22 from the two sides of the center of the rectangular piece body 921, the signal conductor W1 exposed at one end of the wire W is placed on the rear end of the rectangular piece body 921. Then, the wire W, as shown by the top view of the terminal chain of the third embodiment of the invention of
Thereafter, the rectangular piece 92, whose rectangular piece body 921 carries the signal conductor W1, is placed in a die block M23 for press-forming and is pressed. Then, the rectangular piece body 921 of the rectangular piece 92 on which the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is placed is totally closed. In other words, the rectangular piece body 921 is formed by making close the two parts beside the center part of the rectangular piece body 921.
Through the processes described above, the signal conductor W1 of the wire W is connected to the rectangular piece body 921, and the rectangular piece 92 is formed to the shape of a terminal at the same time. Then, the rectangular piece 92 which is press-formed by the die block M23 is placed in a die block M24 for press-disconnecting, and the narrow part 911 of the carrier 911 is disconnected at the carrier disconnecting positions as shown in
Above, according to the terminal chain and the terminals constructing the terminal chain of the third embodiment of the invention, the process for press-forming the rectangular piece 92 to the shape of a terminal and the process for connecting the terminal with the signal conductor W1 of the wire W can be performed at the same time. In other words, it is not necessary as before to remove from the die the terminal which is formed by press-forming, and place the terminal in a terminal crimping device which includes an anvil and a crimper. For this reason, the producing of wires to which terminals are attached can be improved, and a higher operating efficiency can be achieved.
In addition, since the disconnecting positions of the carrier 91 and the rectangular piece 92 are located at the rear end of the terminal 100, burrs that are formed during the process of disconnecting are also formed at the rear end of the terminal 100. As a result, the burrs that would hinder efficient contact of the front end of the terminal 100 with the counterpart terminal can be prevented from forming.
Further, since the signal conductor W1 is carried on the rectangular piece 92 which is connected to the narrow part 911 of the carrier 91, the wire W is hold by the carrier 91 and the die during the process of press-forming, and will not be crushed.
Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the embodiments, it is apparent that various modifications and amendments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is based on the Japanese patent application No. 2009-179091 filed on Jul. 31, 2009, whose content is incorporated herein by way of reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-179091 | Jul 2009 | JP | national |
This is a Divisional Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/387,896 filed on Jan. 30, 2012, which claims priority from PCT/JP2010/062955 filed on Jul. 30, 2010, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-179091, filed on Jul. 31, 2009 in the Japanese Intellectual Property Office the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140190008 A1 | Jul 2014 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13387896 | US | |
| Child | 14205884 | US |
