Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-02
2001-10-02
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S399000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296512
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press-connecting terminal used in the wiring in a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure of pairs of press-connecting blades which can rapidly and positively grip and electrically contact any one of electric wires of various sizes to be press-connected to the press-connecting terminal.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-231785, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle having various electronic equipment mounted thereon, press-connecting terminals have been extensively used in the connection between the electronic equipment and in the connection between electric wire harnesses. One known conventional press-connecting terminal
30
, shown in
FIGS. 7
to
11
, includes a connection portion
31
for connection to a mating press-connecting terminal (not shown), a press-connecting portion
32
of an upwardly-open channel-shaped cross-section for press-connection to an end portion of an electric wire
21
, and barrel portions
33
for clamping or gripping the electric wire
21
. A resilient contact piece portion
35
is provided within the connection portion
31
, and the mating press-connecting terminal, inserted into the connection portion
31
through an insertion opening
31
a
formed in a front end thereof, contacts this resilient contact piece portion
35
. A lance
36
, formed on an upper surface of the connection portion
31
, serves to retain the press-connecting terminal against withdrawal when the press-connecting terminal is inserted into a connector housing (not shown). A stabilizer
37
serves to control the direction of insertion of the press-connecting terminal.
The press-connecting portion
32
includes two pairs of front and rear press-connecting blades
41
and
42
. As shown in
FIG. 10
, the front press-connecting blades
41
are formed by inwardly bending a pair of stamped-out piece portions
44
of opposed right and left side plates
39
of the press-connecting portion
32
, and a press-connecting groove
45
is formed between the pair of piece portions
44
. The width of the press-connecting groove
45
is smaller than the diameter of a conductor
23
of the electric wire
21
.
FIG. 10
is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X—X of FIG.
9
.
As shown in
FIG. 8
, the rear press-connecting blades
42
are formed by stamping out a relevant portion of a bottom plate
47
and then by bending this stamped-out portion upwardly in perpendicular relation to the bottom plate
47
. The rear press-connecting blades
42
are spaced a predetermined distance from the front press-connecting blades
41
. As shown in
FIG. 11
, a press-connecting groove
49
is formed between the pair of press-connecting blades
42
, and the width of this press-connecting groove
49
is equal to the width of the press-connecting groove
45
.
FIG. 11
is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI—XI of FIG.
9
.
Next, the process of press-connecting the electric wire
21
will be described. The end portion of the electric wire
21
is press-fitted toward the press-connecting blades
41
and
42
from the upper side of the press-connecting portion
32
as indicated by an arrow in FIG.
7
. As a result, opposed side edges of the press-connecting groove
45
, formed between the press-connecting blades
41
, and opposed side edges of the press-connecting groove
49
, formed between the press-connecting blades
42
, cut a sheath
22
of the electric wire
21
, so that the conductor
23
of the electric wire is brought into contact with the side edges of these press-connecting grooves
45
and
49
, as shown in
FIGS. 10 and 11
. Then, the electric wire
21
is clamped by the pair of barrel portions
33
through the sheath
22
, thus completing the fixing of the electric wire
21
to the press-connecting terminal
30
.
In the case where the electric wires
21
to be used have various diameters, that is, their respective conductors
23
have different diameters, the press-connecting terminal
30
can not be suitably used for all of these electric wires
21
of different diameters since the width of the press-connecting grooves
45
and
49
is fixed, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that there have been needed various press-connecting terminals each for exclusive use with the electric wire
21
of a particular diameter.
Particularly, unless the conductor
23
is adequately press-connected to the press-connecting blades
41
and
42
of the conventional press-connecting terminal
30
, a contact electrical resistance at the press-connecting position increases, and as a result problems, such as the generation of heat, have been encountered. In order to prevent such problems, it is necessary to prepare many kinds of press-connecting terminals having the respective press-connecting grooves whose widths correspond to the electric wires
21
of various sizes, respectively. However, this is obviously disadvantageous from the viewpoints of the material control, the processing of the parts, the assembling operation, the maintenance and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problems in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a press-connecting terminal which can rapidly and positively grip and electrically contact any one of electric wires of various sizes (varying in diameter over a relatively-wide range) to be press-connected to the press-connecting terminal.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a press-connecting terminal which comprises an electrically-conductive plate including a connection portion electrically connectable to another terminal, and a press-connecting portion to which an electric wire including a conductor and a sheath circumscribing the conductor is electrically connectable, a first pair of press-connecting blades disposed in the press-connecting portion, the first pair of press-connecting blades being opposed to each other to form therebetween a first gap into which the electric wire is insertable so that an outer surface of the sheath of the electric wire is gripped between the first pair of press-connecting blades, and a second pair of press-connecting blades disposed in the press-connecting portion, the second pair of press-connecting blades being opposed to each other to form therebetween a second gap into which the electric wire is insertable so that the sheath of the electric wire is pierced by the second pair of press-connecting blades, and the conductor of the electric wire is electrically connected to the second pair of press-connecting blades.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the width of the first gap is slightly larger than the width of the second gap.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that when the electric wire is inserted into the first and second gaps, the first and second pairs of press-connecting blades are respectively arranged in intersecting relation to an axis of the electric wire.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the second pair of press-connecting blades have edged portions for piercing the sheath of the electric wire.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the first pair of press-connecting blades are located adjacent to the connection portion.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the press-connecting terminal further comprises a third pair of press-connecting blades formed in the press-connecting portion, the third pair of press-connecting blades being opposed to each other to form therebetween a third gap into which the electric wire is insertable so that the sheath of the electric wire is pierced by the third pair of press-connecting blades, and the conductor of the electric wire is electrically connected to the third pair
Nasri Javaik
Sircus Brian
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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