Electrical connectors – Metallic connector or contact also having securing part...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-08
2003-09-30
Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Metallic connector or contact also having securing part...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626711
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press-clamping terminal (or crimp-type terminal) for press-fastening a sheathed wire in connecting relation thereto by press-clamping, in which whether or not a press-clamped condition is good can be easily confirmed. Further, the present invention also relates to a press-clamping terminal (or crimp-type terminal) for press-clamping a sheathed wire in connecting relation thereto by its bottom portion and press-deforming side piece portions formed respectively at opposite side edges of the bottom portion. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a method of examining the press-clamped condition of the press-clamping terminal.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-175731 and 2000-175732, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the processing of the wiring in an electric system for a vehicle or the like, press-clamping terminals, formed by pressing a metal sheet into a predetermined shape, have been used to connect wires together or to connect a wire to an electrical equipment.
FIG. 1
shows such press-clamping terminals formed from a metal sheet. The plurality of press-clamping terminals
1
of a predetermined shape are formed from one metal sheet by a pressing machine (not shown) in such a manner that these terminals
1
are interconnected by a connecting plate
6
, each of the press-clamping terminals
1
having a barrel
2
for press-clamping a sheathed wire in connecting relation thereto. The barrel
2
includes a pair of side piece portions
4
a
and
4
b
formed on and extending generally upright respectively from opposite side edges of a bottom portion
3
of the press-clamping terminal
1
, and the barrel
2
, before press-clamping the sheathed wire, has a generally U-shaped cross-section. In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
5
denotes an electrical connection portion for connection to a mating terminal.
The press-clamping terminal
1
is arranged in such a manner that the bottom portion
3
of the barrel
2
is set on an anvil of a pressing apparatus, and then the sheathed wire is inserted into the barrel to be disposed on the inner surface of the bottom portion
3
in the longitudinal direction. Then, a crimper of the pressing apparatus is moved downward to curve the two side piece portions
4
a
and
4
b
of the barrel
2
inwardly in such a manner that the side piece portions
4
a
and
4
b
are opposed to the bottom portion
3
, and as a result the bottom portion
3
and the side piece portions
4
a
and
4
b
press-clamp a conductor portion
7
of the sheathed wire in an embracing manner, as shown in FIG.
2
.
In a first examination technique of the related art, after the conductor portion
7
is thus press-clamped, an examination is conducted to determine whether or not the press-clamping has been carried out properly. In the first examination technique, the barrel
2
is cut, and the cross-section thereof is observed, and it is judged from its cross-sectional shape whether or not the clamping is good. More specifically, when the two side piece portions
4
a
and
4
b,
press-clamping the conductor portion
7
, are disposed symmetrically, this terminal is regarded as a good product.
On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the right side piece portion
4
b
extends into the conductor portion
7
as shown in
FIG. 3A
, or the left side piece portion
4
a
extends into the conductor portion
7
as shown in
FIG. 3B
, so that the two side piece portions are not disposed symmetrically, and therefore either of the two side piece portions is shifted or deviated from the proper press-clamping position (This will here in after be referred to as “press-clamping position deviation”) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the wire, it is judged that this terminal is a defective product.
During the examination, the degree of processing of the conductor is calculated from the following formula, using the above cross-sectional shape, and it is judged whether or not this conductor-processing degree is good.
Conductor-Processing Degree=(area within barrel after press-clamping÷cross-sectional area of conductor before press-clamping)×100(%)
In the first examination technique, however, the press-deformed barrel portion
2
of the press-clamping terminal
1
is cut, and whether or not the press-clamped condition is good is judged by observing its cross-sectional shape. And, the conductor-processing degree is examined by measuring the area within the barrel. Therefore, the first examination technique may encounter a problem that much time and labor have been required for the examination.
Next, the other examination techniques of the related art will be described.
FIG. 4
shows the other press-clamping terminals formed from a metal sheet. The plurality of press-clamping terminals
100
of a predetermined shape are formed from one metal sheet by a pressing machine (not shown) in such a manner that these terminals
100
are interconnected by a connecting plate
70
, each of the press-clamping terminals
100
having a barrel
200
for press-clamping a sheathed wire in connecting relation thereto. The barrel
200
includes a pair of side piece portions
40
a
and
40
b
formed on and extending generally upright respectively from opposite side edges of a bottom portion
30
of the press-clamping terminal
100
, and the barrel
200
, before press-clamping the sheathed wire, has a generally U-shaped cross-section. In
FIG. 4
, reference numeral
90
denotes an electrical connection portion for connection to a mating terminal.
The press-clamping terminal
100
is arranged in such a manner that the bottom portion
30
of the barrel
200
is set on an anvil of a pressing apparatus, and then the sheathed wire is inserted into the barrel to be disposed on the inner surface of the bottom portion
30
in the longitudinal direction. Then, a crimper of the pressing apparatus is moved downward to curve the two side piece portions
40
a
and
40
b
of the barrel
200
inwardly in such a manner that the side piece portions
40
a
and
40
b
are opposed to the bottom portion
30
, and as a result the bottom portion
30
and the side piece portions
40
a
and
40
b
press-clamp a conductor portion
80
a
of the sheathed wire
80
in an embracing manner, as shown in FIG.
5
.
In this case, the sheathed wire
80
is press-clamped in such a manner that the conductor portion
80
a
slightly projects from a distal end of the barrel
200
as shown in
FIG. 6
, and bell mouths
50
, which produce a locking effect as a result of expansion of the conductor portion
80
a,
are formed on the barrel
200
. As shown in
FIG. 7
, serrations
60
, each defined by a groove or notch of a channel-shaped cross-section, are formed in the inner surface of the bottom portion
30
of the barrel
200
, and the conductor portion
80
a
is firmly held by this serrated portion. The bell mouths
50
and the serrations
60
serve to prevent the sheathed wire
80
from being withdrawn from the press-deformed terminal.
After the press-clamping terminal
100
is press-deformed, a press-clamped condition of the terminal is examined.
In a second examination technique, judgment is made by observing the appearance of the terminal.
However, the second examination technique may encounter the following problem. In the second technique, the press-clamped condition is judged by observing the appearance with the eyes, and therefore this judgment is liable to be subjective, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the judgment differs from one inspector to another.
In a third technique, dimensions
a
and
b
of the bell mouths
50
, formed respectively at the opposite ends of the barrel
200
, are measured, and an abutment deviation of the crimper is judged from these measured values. At this time, in some cases, the cross-section is observed in order to confirm the positional relation between the serrations
60
and the press-clamped
Ito Naoki
Kitagawa Hironori
Maki Toshihiro
Takayama Tsutomu
Gushi Ross
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
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