Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-30
2003-10-14
Arbes, Carl J. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S881000, C029S884000, C029S874000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06631560
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a method of forming a connector press-connecting terminal, and more particularly to a method of forming a press-connecting terminal (press-connecting blades) provided in a press-connecting connector, to which a conductor of a cable is electrically press-connected.
2. Related Art
Typical examples of known conventional connector press-connecting terminals of the type described are shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, respectively. In the press-connecting terminal
50
shown in
FIG. 5
, a pair of press-connecting blades
52
a
and
52
b
are disposed in opposed relation to each other, and a plating treatment is applied to contact surfaces (encircled by a broken line in this Figure) of these blades in order to enhance the reliability of the connection to a cable. In this case, there are also the type of products to which the plating treatment is not applied.
In the press-connecting terminal
60
shown in
FIG. 6
, upstanding opposite (right and left) side wall plates, formed by pressing a metal sheet, are inwardly bent at their respective intermediate portions by press working to provide a pair of opposed press-connecting blades
62
a
and
62
b
, respectively. In this case, also, a plating treatment is usually applied to the surface of the metal sheet.
3. Problems to be Solved
In the former terminal shown in
FIG. 5
, in accordance with the required performance, the plating need to be applied to the contact surfaces of the two press-connecting blades
52
a
and
52
b
for contact with a conductor of the cable. In this case, after the press-shaping operation, the plating treatment is applied (that is, the intermediate- or the post-plating is needed), and therefore the cost increases.
On the other hand, in the latter terminal shown in
FIG. 6
, the plating is beforehand applied to the metal sheet, and therefore the cost is reduced. However, in the press working, the metal sheet is pressed merely once (one shot) or a plurality of times in a die, and therefore a distal end portion of each of the press-connecting blades
62
a
and
62
b
is thinned as shown in
FIG. 7
, or is susceptible to cracking, and besides there has been encountered a problem that the plated surfaces of these portions are much roughened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of forming a connector press-connecting terminal by press-shaping a metal sheet, beforehand plated with an electrically-conductive material, in which each press-connecting blade is not reduced in thickness at its distal end, but has a uniform thickness, and the surface of the press-connecting blade is finished into a good condition free from cracking, plated-surface roughening and so on. With this method, the invention seeks to stabilize the quality of the product (i.e., the connector press-connecting terminal member), to secure a properly press-connected condition of a cable, and to enhance the yield rate of the products.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a connector press-connecting terminal including a pair of opposed press-connecting blades formed respectively on opposite right and left side wall plates thereof formed by a metal sheet, the press-connecting blades being adapted to be electrically press-connected to a connection end portion of a cable in a gripping manner; CHARACTERIZED in that the method comprises the steps of:
forming cuts respectively in press-connecting blade-forming portions of the flat metal sheet beforehand plated with an electrically-conductive material;
applying a plurality of drawing operations to the press-connecting blade-forming portion at each of the cut portions sequentially from a proximal end portion of the press-connecting blade to a distal end portion thereof, thereby forming the press-connecting blade of a bent shape; and
press-bending the metal sheet along two longitudinal lines, passing respectively through the cut portions, so that the opposite right and left sidewall plates, having the opposed press-connecting blades, respectively, are formed upright respectively at opposite side edges of a bottom wall plate of the terminal.
In this case, the cuts are not particularly limited to any special configuration, and may have merely a slit-like configuration, or may be in the form of a stamped-out triangular hole corresponding to the bent shape of the press-connecting blade. In the case of using the stamped-out triangular hole, any protrusion is not formed on the bottom wall plate when the press-connecting blade of the bent shape is formed, and this is pleasing in appearance.
Preferably, the press-connecting blade-forming step comprises the drawing of the proximal end portion of the press-connecting blade to be formed into the bent shape, the drawing of an intermediate portion of the press-connecting blade, and the drawing of the distal end portion of the press-connecting blade, and these drawing operations are carried out such that a curvature of the distal end portion of the press-connecting blade is gradually reduced.
In the drawing of the press-connecting blade by press-shaping, the drawing of the proximal end portion of the press-connecting blade, disposed near to the cut portion, is first effected, and subsequently the intermediate portion of the bent press-connecting blade is effected, and finally the drawing of the distal end portion of the press-connecting blade is effected. Thus, the plastically-deformed portions of the metal sheet are sequentially shifted from the proximal end portion of the press-connecting blade to the distal end portion thereof, and therefore the abrupt plastic deformation of the press-connecting blade portion is avoided, and besides the press-connecting blade of a uniform thickness is formed. However, the drawing does not need to be effected in a three-stage process, but the press-connecting blade may be finished in a two-stage process, or a four- or more stage drawing process can be used, depending on the amount (degree) of projection of the press-connecting blade.
Preferably, the metal sheet is cut obliquely to a plane thereof so that the press-connecting blade can have such a contour that an apex end surface of the press-connecting blade, formed on each of the opposite right and left side wall plates, becomes a slanting surface slanting inwardly downwardly relative to the bottom wall plate of the terminal. Therefore, in the operation for press-connecting the cable, the cable can be smoothly inserted between the opposed press-connecting blades, and can be positively and firmly press-connected to the two press-connecting blades in a fitted manner.
The connector press-connecting terminal member, produced by this production method, can be used as a terminal for press-connection to various cables including a coaxial cable and a parallel paired cable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4940425 (1990-07-01), Hass et al.
patent: 5007865 (1991-04-01), Jakobeit
patent: 5380218 (1995-01-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5588868 (1996-12-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 5709565 (1998-01-01), Okamoto
patent: 5879181 (1999-03-01), Okabe
patent: 5913695 (1999-06-01), Okabe
patent: 5921804 (1999-07-01), Nagai
patent: 5980300 (1999-11-01), Okabe
patent: 6007365 (1999-12-01), Atsumi et al.
patent: 6012942 (2000-01-01), Volstorf
patent: 6033255 (2000-03-01), Murofushi
patent: 6155865 (2000-12-01), Abe
patent: 6206721 (2001-03-01), Ishida
patent: 6283802 (2001-09-01), Sato et al.
patent: 6296512 (2001-10-01), Akeda
Arbes Carl J.
Autonetworks Technologies Ltd.
Nguyen Tai
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
Method of forming connector press-connecting terminal does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of forming connector press-connecting terminal, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of forming connector press-connecting terminal will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3160152