Patent Application
20240170231
The present invention relates to a terminal module.
A butting-type electrical connection structure in which facing contact points are butted against and brought into contact with each other has been conventionally known. Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal module used in a butting-type electrical connection structure developed for large current application. This terminal module includes a case made of metal and having an opening, through which a mating contact point enters, a coil spring accommodated in the case and a contact point portion biased toward the opening by the coil spring and configured to move while compressing the coil spring by being pressed by the mating contact point.
Since the adhesion of an external matter between the contact points causes a conduction failure and is not preferable in the butting-type electrical connection structure, the external matter between the contact points is removed by sliding the both contact points against each other when the both contact points are butted against each other. In the terminal module of Patent Document 1, when the contact point portion moves by being pressed by the mating contact point, the contact point portion slides in contact with a guide portion provided in the case, thereby being guided to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to a moving direction. As a result, the both contact points are slid against each other when being butted against each other.
In the terminal module shown in Patent Document 1, the contact points can be slid against each other when being butted against each other, but the separate coil spring and a braided wire or the like for coupling an external connecting portion of a terminal fitting and the contact point to allow a displacement of the contact point are necessary. Therefore, a further improvement to simplify a structure has been required.
Accordingly, a terminal module is disclosed which can realize mutual sliding of both contact points when the contact points are butted against each other by a simple structure.
The present invention is directed to a terminal module with a case including an opening, a mating contact point entering the opening, and an empty space for accommodating the mating contact point having entered through the opening, and a terminal fitting held in the case, the terminal fitting including a fixing portion to be fixed to the case and a leaf spring portion cantilevered from the fixing portion toward the opening, the leaf spring portion being deflectably and deformably accommodated in the empty space, the leaf spring portion including a base end part extending from the fixing portion toward the opening, a tip part extending from the base end part toward one side in a plate thickness direction of the base end part and a contact point portion provided on the tip part, and the contact point portion being displaced toward the fixing portion and toward the one side in the plate thickness direction by deflection and deformation of the leaf spring portion when being pressed by the mating contact point.
According to the terminal module of the present disclosure, mutual sliding of the both contact points when the contact points are butted against each other can be realized by a simple structure.
First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described.
(1) The terminal module of the present disclosure is provided with a case including an opening, a mating contact point entering the opening, and an empty space for accommodating the mating contact point having entered through the opening, and a terminal fitting held in the case, the terminal fitting including a fixing portion to be fixed to the case and a leaf spring portion cantilevered from the fixing portion toward the opening, the leaf spring portion being deflectably and deformably accommodated in the empty space, the leaf spring portion including a base end part extending from the fixing portion toward the opening, a tip part extending from the base end part toward one side in a plate thickness direction of the base end part and a contact point portion provided on the tip part, and the contact point portion being displaced toward the fixing portion and toward the one side in the plate thickness direction by deflection and deformation of the leaf spring portion when being pressed by the mating contact point.
According to the terminal module of the present disclosure, the terminal fitting held in the case includes the leaf spring portion extending from the fixing portion fixed to the case toward the opening, through which the mating contact point enters. The leaf spring portion includes the base end part extending from the fixing portion toward the opening, the tip part extending from the base end part toward the one side in the plate thickness direction of the base end part and the contact point portion provided on the tip part, and is deflectably and deformably accommodated in the empty space of the case. In this way, when the contact point portion is pressed by the mating contact point having entered through the opening, the contact point portion is displaced toward the fixing portion of the terminal fitting and toward the one side in the plate thickness direction of the base end part by the deflection and deformation of the leaf spring portion. That is, if the mating contact point is butted against the contact point portion of the leaf spring portion, a moment rotating with a fixed point as a center of rotation and the contact point portion as a point of action is applied to the leaf spring portion. Thus, a component toward the fixing portion in a pressing direction of the mating contact point pressing the contact point portion and a component toward the one side in the plate thickness direction intersecting the pressing direction are generated as displacement direction components of the contact point portion. As a result, the both contact points can be slid against each other when being butted against each other. Particularly, since the leaf spring portion includes the base end part extending from the fixing portion toward the opening and the tip part extending from the base end part toward the one side in the plate thickness direction, the position of the contact point portion (point of action) with respect to the fixed point (center of rotation) of the leaf spring portion can be set in a range between a position immediately below the fixed point (cos θ=0°) and the same position as the fixed point (cos θ=90°) with the both positions excluded from the range. As a result, out of the displacement components of the contact point portion, a large component toward the one side in the plate thickness direction can be secured, and mutual sliding amounts of the both contact points can be advantageously obtained. As just described, according to the terminal module of the present disclosure, mutual sliding when the both contact points are butted against each other can be realized by a simple structure.
Note that the base end part and the tip part of the leaf spring portion may be coupled via a right-angled corner portion or may be coupled via a curved portion. The base end part may extend straight or may obliquely extend from the fixing portion toward the opening. Further, an angle of inclination may be constant or varying. The tip part may extend straight in the plate thickness direction of the base end part or may obliquely extend with respect to the plate thickness direction.
(2) Preferably, the base end part of the leaf spring portion is coupled to the tip part via a curved portion curved toward the one side in the plate thickness direction as extending toward the opening. The base end part of the leaf spring portion is more easily deflected and deformed because of the curved portion provided in the base end part, and a displacement amount when the contact point portion is butted against the mating contact point can be increased. As a result, it is possible to increase a sliding amount and a contact pressure of the contact point portion with the mating contact point.
(3) Preferably, the base end part of the leaf spring portion includes a bent portion bent toward the one side in the plate thickness direction, and a part of the base end part closer to the tip part than the bent portion is inclined toward the one side in the plate thickness direction. Since the part of the base end part closer to the tip part than the bent portion is inclined toward the one side in the plate thickness direction by the bent portion provided in the base end part, the base end part of the leaf spring portion is more easily deflected and deformed. As a result, it is possible to increase a displacement amount when the contact point portion is butted against the mating contact point and increase a sliding amount and a contact pressure of the contact point portion with the mating contact point in butting the contact point portion against the mating contact point.
A terminal module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these illustrations, but is represented by claims and intended to include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents.
Hereinafter, a terminal module 10 of the embodiment of the present disclosure is described using
<Terminal Module 10>
The terminal module 10 is provided with a case 22 including an opening 18, through which the mating contact point 14 enters, and an empty space 20 for accommodating the mating contact point 14 having entered through the opening 18. The terminal fitting 16 is held in the case 22.
<Case 22>
The case 22 has a box shape open downward as a whole, and formed of insulating synthetic resin or the like. In this embodiment, the case 22 has a stepped box shape, and a lower part of the case 22 projects more forward than an upper part thereof. That is, the case 22 includes an upper wall portion 24, a pair of side wall portions 26, 26 extending downward from both sides in a lateral direction of the upper wall portion 24 and a rear wall portion 28 extending downward from a rear side of the upper wall portion 24. Further, an upper front wall portion 30 extending downward from a front side of the upper wall portion 24 is provided in an upper part of a front side of the case 22, and a lower front wall portion 32 located forward of the upper front wall portion 30 is provided in a lower part of the front side of the case 22. A step wall portion 34 extending in a horizontal direction (direction orthogonal to a vertical direction) is provided between the upper and lower front wall portions 30, 32. The lower end of the upper front wall portion 30 is connected to the step wall portion 34, and the upper end of the lower front wall portion 32 is connected to the step wall portion 34.
An internal space of the case 22 is larger in a lower part than in an upper part. As described later, the upper part of the internal space of the case 22 is a space for fixing the terminal fitting 16 to the case 22, and the lower part of the internal space of the case 22 is the empty space 20 for accommodating the mating contact point 14. That is, in the case 22, the opening 18 through which the mating contact point 14 enters is constituted by a lower opening of the case 22. Further, the empty space 20 for accommodating the mating contact point 14 having entered through the opening 18 is constituted by a space surrounded by the lower front wall portion 32, the step wall portion 34, the pair of side wall portions 26, 26 and the rear wall portion 28.
In the upper wall portion 24 of the case 22, an insertion hole 36 through which an upper end part of the terminal fitting 16 is inserted is formed to penetrate through a substantially central part in a thickness direction (vertical direction). Further, an engaging claw 38 projecting outward in the lateral direction is provided on each side wall portion 26 of the case 22. An upper part of the rear wall portion 28 of the case 22 is formed with a part thicker than a lower part. The thickened part of the rear wall portion 28 is provided with a nut accommodating portion 40 open forward, and a nut 42 is accommodated in the nut accommodating portion 40.
The upper front wall portion 30 is provided with an insertion window 44 penetrating in a thickness direction (front-rear direction). The insertion window 44 has predetermined dimensions in the vertical direction and lateral direction. In this embodiment, the insertion window 44 is formed over an entire length in the lateral direction of the upper front wall portion 30. In a single state of the case 22 before the terminal fitting 16 is fixed to the case 22, the nut accommodating portion 40 is exposed to outside through the insertion window 44. In this way, the nut 42 can be accommodated into the nut accommodating portion 40 through the insertion window 44 and a bolt 72 to be described later can be inserted and tightened into the nut 42.
This insertion window 44 is covered by a lid member 46. That is, the lid member 46 is formed in such a size as to be able to cover the insertion window 44, and mounting pieces 48, 48 projecting rearward are provided on both end parts in the lateral direction. Each mounting piece 48 is formed with an engaging hole 50 penetrating in a thickness direction (lateral direction). The lid member 46 is brought closer to the insertion window 44 from front and the respective engaging claws 38 of the case 22 are locked into the engaging holes 50, whereby the lid member 46 is fixed while covering the insertion window 44.
<Terminal Fitting 16>
The terminal fitting 16 includes a fixing portion 52 to be fixed to the case 22 and a leaf spring portion 54 cantilevered from the fixing portion 52 toward a lower side, which is the side of the opening 18, and deflectably and deformably accommodated in the empty space 20. The terminal fitting 16 is formed of electrically conductive metal. In this embodiment, as also shown in
A bolt insertion hole 56 penetrating in a thickness direction (front-rear direction) is formed in a lower side of a part extending substantially straight in the vertical direction in the terminal fitting 16, i.e. a substantially central part in the vertical direction in the terminal fitting 16. As described later, this bolt insertion hole 56 and an inner hole of the nut 42 provided in the case 22 are aligned and the bolt 72 inserted through the bolt insertion hole 56 is tightened into the nut 42, whereby the terminal fitting 16 is fixed to the case 22. Therefore, a part around the bolt insertion hole 56 in the terminal fitting 16, i.e. the substantially central part in the vertical direction in the terminal fitting 16, is the fixing portion 52 to be fixed to the case 22.
Further, a connection hole 58 penetrating in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) is formed in a part above the part extending substantially straight in the terminal fitting 16, i.e. an upper end part in the terminal fitting 16. In fixing the terminal fitting 16 to the case 22, the upper end part of the terminal fitting 16 projects to the outside of the case 22 through the insertion hole 36 in the upper wall portion 24 of the case 22. The terminal fitting 16 is electrically connected to an external wire or the like by an unillustrated bolt inserted through the connection hole 58.
<Leaf Spring Portion 54 of Terminal Fitting 16>
The fixing portion 52 is provided in the substantially central part in the vertical direction of the terminal fitting 16. The leaf spring portion 54 is provided below the fixing portion 52. The leaf spring portion 54 is cantilevered from the fixing portion 52. The leaf spring portion 54 is constituted by a strip fitting deflectable and deformable in a plate thickness direction, i.e. a so-called leaf spring. The leaf spring portion 54 includes a base end part 60 extending downward from the fixing portion 52 toward the opening 18, a tip part 62 extending forward, i.e. toward one side in the plate thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the base end part 60, from the base end part 60, and a contact point portion 64 provided on the tip part 62. In the terminal fitting 16, at least the leaf spring portion 54 is resiliently deformable in the plate thickness direction. Note that, in this embodiment, the entire terminal fitting 16 is integrally formed by a single strip fitting having a substantially constant plate thickness.
The base end part 60 may extend straight downward from the fixing portion 52, but includes a bent portion 66 bent toward the one side in the plate thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the base end part 60 in an intermediate part in the vertical direction in this embodiment. In this way, in the base end part 60, a part above the bent portion 66 extends straight downward and a part closer to the tip part 62 than the bent portion 66 is inclined forward, i.e. toward the one side in the plate thickness direction of the base end part, with respect to the upper part.
In a longitudinal section shown in
The contact point portion 64 is a part to be brought into contact with the mating contact point 14 on the tip part 62 as described later and, in this embodiment, provided to project downward on the lower surface of the tip part 62. Particularly, in this embodiment, the contact point portion 64 is provided on a front end, which is a projecting tip, of the tip part 62, and provided substantially over an entire length in a width direction (lateral direction) of the tip part 62 (leaf spring portion 54). The shape of the contact point portion 64 is not limited, but the lower surface of the contact point portion 64 is a curved surface 70 and has a substantially semicircular shape in a longitudinal cross-section shown in
By forming the leaf spring portion 54 into the above shape, a downward projecting tip (substantially center in the front-rear direction of the curved surface 70) on the contact point portion 64 is at a position rotationally displaced clockwise by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the vertical direction in the longitudinal cross-section shown in
<Assembly of Terminal Module 10>
The terminal module 10 of this embodiment is, for example, assembled by the following method. First, the nut 42 is accommodated into and fixed to the nut accommodating portion 40 in the case 22 from front through the insertion window 44. Then, the terminal fitting 16 bent into the above shape is inserted through the lower opening (opening 18) of the case 22, and the upper end part of the terminal fitting 16 is inserted through the insertion hole 36 of the upper wall portion 24 and caused to project further upward than the upper wall portion 24. Subsequently, with the bolt insertion hole 56 in the fixing portion 52 and the inner hole of the nut 42 aligned with each other, the bolt 72 is inserted through the bolt insertion hole 56 from front and tightened into the nut 42 through the insertion window 44. Thereafter, the lid member 46 is brought closer to the insertion window 44 from front, the engaging claws 38 are locked into the engaging holes 50, and the lid member 46 is fixed to the case 22 while covering the insertion window 44. In this way, the terminal module 10 is completed.
In the terminal module 10 assembled as described above, the leaf spring portion 54 of the terminal fitting 16 is accommodated in the empty space 20 of the case 22. Particularly, since the internal space of the case 22 is shaped such that the lower part (empty space 20) projects more forward than the upper part, the tip part 62 projecting forward from the base end part 60 is accommodated well. Then, as described above, the projecting tip of the contact point portion 64 is at a position to have a center angle θ with respect to a straight line extending in the vertical direction in the longitudinal cross-section shown in
<Connection of Terminal Module 10 and Mating Contact Point 14>
The structure of a mating device including the mating contact point 14 is not limited, but the substantially L-shaped mating terminal fitting 12 is held in a mating housing 74 in this embodiment. The mating housing 74 is provided, in an upper end part, with an inserting portion 76 to be inserted into the case 22 through the opening 18 at the time of connection to the terminal module 10. Step surfaces 78 are provided on both sides in the front-rear direction of the lower end of the inserting portion 76. An insertion hole 80, through which the mating terminal fitting 12 is inserted, is provided to penetrate through the mating housing 74 in the vertical direction. A part extending in the vertical direction in the mating terminal fitting 12 is inserted in the insertion hole 80.
The mating terminal fitting 12 is bent forward in an upper end part, and the upper end part of the mating terminal fitting 12 is arranged on the upper end surface of the inserting portion 76 and exposed to outside. A part exposed to outside in the upper end part of the mating terminal fitting 12 is the mating contact point 14. The upper end surface of this mating contact point 14 and the step surfaces 78 are separated by a predetermined dimension B (see
To connect the terminal module 10 and the mating contact point 14, the mating housing 74 including the mating contact point 14 is first brought closer to the case 22 from below and the inserting portion 76 is inserted into the empty space 20 through the opening 18 as shown in
That is, the contact point portion 64 is displaced upward toward the fixing portion 53 and forward toward the one side in the plate thickness direction of the base end part 60 by the deflection and deformation of the leaf spring portion 54 when being pressed by the mating contact point 14. Specifically, as shown in
Such a deformation of the contact point portion 64 is caused by the contact point portion 64 being pressed by the mating contact point 14 to apply a rotational moment centered on the fixed point (fixing portion 52) to the leaf spring portion 54. By applying a pressing force by the mating contact point 14 as the rotational moment to the contact point portion 64, which is a point of action, the center angle with respect to the vertical direction, which was θ before deformation, increases to θ′ as shown in
By applying a resilient restoring force of the leaf spring portion 54 deformed upward as a biasing force to the mating contact point 14 located below, the contact point portion 64 and the mating contact point 14 are overlapped and electrically connected with a large contact pressure. Further, the case 22 and the mating housing 74 are fixed to each other by unillustrated bolts. In this way, the contact point portion 64 and the mating contact point 14 are held in an overlapping state with a large contact pressure.
According to the terminal module 10 of this embodiment, at the time of connection to the mating contact point 14, the contact point portion 64 is pressed upward by the mating contact point 14, whereby the contact point portion 64 slides forward on the surface of the mating contact point 14. Particularly, since a rotational moment centered on the fixing portion 52 is applied to the leaf spring portion 54 by the mating contact point 14 pressing the contact point portion 64 upward, the contact point portion 64 is stably deformed forward. In this way, an external matter such as an oxide is removed by the sliding of the mating contact point 14 and the contact point portion 64 on the overlapping surfaces of the mating contact point 14 and the contact point portion 64, and the mating contact point 14 and the contact point portion 64 can be satisfactorily electrically connected. Further, since a resilient restoring force of the contact point portion 64 is applied to the mating contact point 14 according to upward deformation of the contact point portion 64, a contact pressure between the contact point portion 64 and the mating contact point 14 can also be secured. Therefore, in the terminal module 10 of this embodiment, both an effect of removing an external matter and an effect of improving a contact pressure can be accomplished.
In the leaf spring portion 54, the base end part 60 and the tip part 62 are coupled via the curved portion 68. In this way, the deformation of the substantially entire leaf spring portion 54 can be easily realized. As a result, a large deformation amount at the contact point portion 64 can be secured and the effect of removing an external matter according to a forward displacement of the contact point portion 64 is improved. Further, a downward resilient restoring force, i.e. a contact pressure with the mating contact point 14, can be improved and a satisfactory electrically connected state of the contact point portion 64 and the mating contact point 14 can be maintained as an upward deformation amount of the contact point portion 64 increases.
The base end part 60 of the leaf spring portion 54 is provided with the bent portion 66 bent forward. That is, by bending the leaf spring portion 54 forward in advance, a part closer to the tip part 62 than the bent portion 66 can be stably deformed when the contact point portion 64 is pressed by the mating contact point 14. In this way, the effect of removing an external matter and the effect of improving a contact pressure according to forward and upward displacements of the contact point portion 64 can be more stably achieved.
Although the terminal module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment. The present disclosure includes modifications, improvements and the like within a range in which the aim of the present disclosure can be accomplished. For example, the following modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.
(1) Although the base end part 60 and the tip part 62 in the leaf spring portion 54 are coupled by the curved portion 68 in the embodiment, these may be coupled via a right-angled corner portion.
(2) Although the base end part 60 includes the bent portion 66 and the part closer to the tip part 62 than the bent portion 66 is inclined forward in the embodiment, the bent portion may not be provided. That is, for example, the base end part may substantially entirely extend straight toward the opening and be coupled to the tip part or may be substantially entirely curved and coupled to the tip part.
(3) The tip part may extend straight forward as in the embodiment or may extend forward while being inclined or curved with respect to the front-rear direction as long as the contact point portion is pressed by the mating contact point at the time of connection to the mating contact point. Therefore, the leaf spring portion may be, for example, substantially entirely curved from the fixing portion to the contact point portion.
(4) The fixing of the terminal fitting and the case is not limited to the one by a bolt as in the embodiment, but a conventionally known fixing structure such as adhesion, welding, concave-convex fitting or insert molding can be adopted.
(5) The plate thickness in the terminal fitting needs not be constant. For example, the leaf spring portion may be formed to be relatively thin to be easily resiliently deformed, and the fixing portion and the upper end part may be formed to be relatively thick to be stably connectable to the case, an external wire or the like.
(6) The specific structure of the case is not limited. For example, the case may have a substantially constant dimension in the front-rear direction substantially over the entire length in the vertical direction.
(7) Although the terminal module 10 is illustrated to be connected to the mating terminal fitting 12 provided in the mating device such as an inverter in the embodiment, there is no limitation to this mode. For example, a mating terminal to be connected to the terminal module 10 may be provided in a connector provided on an end of a wire or the like.
The terminal module 10 of the shown embodiment may be referred to as a first terminal module. An assembly or module of the mating terminal fitting 12 and the mating housing 74 may be referred to as a second terminal module. The upward direction of
A pair of the terminal fitting 16 and the mating terminal fitting 12 of the shown embodiment may be referred to as a butting-type terminal fitting pair. The terminal fitting 16 and the mating terminal fitting 12 may be respectively referred to as a first terminal fitting and a second terminal fitting.
The mating contact point 14 of the mating terminal fitting 12 of the shown embodiment may be referred to as a flat surface or butting surface extending in a direction intersecting or orthogonal to the assembling direction of the first and second terminal modules. The mating housing 74 may be referred to as a housing block for undeflectably and undeformably supporting the mating contact point 14 of the mating terminal fitting 12.
The terminal fitting 16 of the shown embodiment may be referred to as a J-shaped terminal fitting having a free end and a fixing portion or a terminal fitting including a J-shaped leaf spring. The base end part 60 of the terminal fitting 16 may be referred to as a linear plate-like base extending in parallel to the assembling direction of the first and second terminal modules. The leaf spring portion 54 of the terminal fitting 16 can be continuous with the linear plate-like base and extend in an inclined and/or intersecting direction with respect to the assembling direction. The bent portion 66 of the terminal fitting 16 of the embodiment may be a bending line formed on a boundary between the base end part 60 and the leaf spring portion 54. The tip part 62 of the terminal fitting 16 may be referred to as a free end. The curved surface 70 of the contact point portion 64 of the terminal fitting 16 may be referred to as a pressing surface configured to contact the mating contact point 14 to wipe the mating contact point 14 and resiliently press the mating contact point 14. The displacement amount δH of this embodiment may be referred to as a wiping length of the contact point portion 64 of the terminal fitting 16 with respect to the mating contact point 14. The front-rear direction of
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The present disclosure includes the following implementation examples. Reference numerals of several constituent elements of illustrative embodiments are given not for limitation, but for understanding assistance. Matters described in the following implementation examples may be partly omitted or several of the matters described in the implementation examples may be selected or extracted and combined.
[Addendum 1]
One or more implementation examples of the present disclosure are directed to a butting-type electrical connection structure with a first terminal module (10) and a second terminal module (12, 74),
[Addendum 2]
In a certain implementation example of the present disclosure, a virtual line connecting the electrically conductive free end (62, 64) of the first terminal fitting (16) and the fixing portion (52) can be inclined at a first angle of inclination (e.g. θ) with respect to the assembling direction when the electrically conductive free end (62, 64) of the first terminal fitting (16) is not in contact with the electrically conductive flat surface (14) of the second terminal fitting (12), and
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-052708 | Mar 2021 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/033132 | 9/9/2021 | WO |
