Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2002-01-29
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
active
06341978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press-connecting terminal used in the wiring installed in a vehicle such as an automobile. More particularly, the present invention relates to press-connecting blades of the press-connecting terminal which can be electrically connected to an electric wire, connected to the press-connecting terminal, with a small electrical resistance.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-322956, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In automobiles having various electronic equipments mounted thereon, press-connecting terminals have been extensively used for connecting the electronic equipments together and for connecting wire harnesses together.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a conventional press-connecting terminal
30
includes a connection portion
31
for connection to a mating male terminal (not shown), a press-connection portion
32
for being press-connected to an end portion of an electric wire
21
, and retaining piece portions
33
for press-holding the electric wire
2
. A resilient contact piece portion
35
for contact with the mating male terminal, inserted into the connection portion
31
through an insertion port
31
a
in a front end thereof, is provided within the connection portion
31
. A lance
36
for retaining the press-connecting terminal, inserted in a connector housing (not shown), against withdrawal, is formed on an upper surface of the connection portion
31
, and also a stabilizer
37
for limiting the inserting direction is formed on the upper surface of the connection portion
31
.
The press-connecting portion
32
includes two press-connecting blades
41
and
42
.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, the front press-connecting blade
41
is defined or formed by a pair of opposed projecting pieces
44
which are stamped respectively from opposed (right and left) side plates
39
of the press-connecting portion
32
, and then are bent inwardly. A press-connecting groove
45
is formed between the opposed projecting pieces
44
. The width of this press-connecting groove
45
is smaller than the diameter of a conductor
23
of the electric wire
21
.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, the rear press-connecting blade
42
is formed by stamping a relevant portion of a bottom wall
47
and then by bending it upwardly. This rear press-connecting blade
42
is spaced a predetermined distance from the front press-connecting blade
41
. As shown in
FIG. 10
, a press-connecting groove
49
is also formed in the press-connecting blade
42
, and the width of this press-connecting groove is equal to the width of the press-connecting groove
45
.
Next, the process of press-connecting the electric wire
21
will be described.
An end portion of the electric wire
21
is press-fitted into the press-connecting blades
41
and
42
from the upper side of the press-connecting portion
32
as indicated by arrow A in FIG.
6
. As a result, opposed side edges of each of the press-connecting grooves
45
and
49
cut a sheath
22
of the electric wire
21
to contact the conductor
23
, as shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10
.
Then, the electric wire
21
is fastened by the pair of retaining piece portions (barrel portion)
33
through the sheath
22
as shown in
FIG. 8
, thus completing the fixing of the electric wire
21
to the press-connecting terminal
30
.
In the above conventional press-connecting terminal
30
, however, the press-connecting portion
32
is mainly designed to merely firmly press-connect and hold the conductor
23
, and the area of contact of each press-connecting blade
41
,
42
with the conductor
23
has often been inadequate.
Because of this inadequate contact area, an electrical resistance, developing between the conductor
23
and each press-connecting blade
41
,
42
, increases to generate heat, so that those members around the press-connecting portion are subjected to deterioration, improper contact and so on, and this has resulted in a problem that the safety of the vehicle is affected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to overcome the above problems of the conventional construction, and an object of the present invention is to provide a press-connecting terminal provided with press-connecting blades which can be electrically connected to an electric wire with a small electrical resistance.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a press-connecting terminal which includes:
a base;
a connection portion, to which a connection terminal of a mating connector is electrically connectable, disposed on the base; and
a press-connecting portion, to which a conductor of an electric wire is electrically connectable, disposed on the base, the press-connecting portion including plural pairs of press-connecting blades, each pair of which have:
a pair of bladed, tapering guide surfaces which slant inwardly downwardly, and
a pair of opposed inner surfaces, between which a gap smaller than a diameter of the conductor of the electric wire is formed, and which downwardly extend respectively from the pair of tapering guide surfaces;
wherein when an electric wire is press-fitted into the gap, the conductor of the electric wire is electrically connected to and held by the plural pairs of press-connecting blades, and
wherein an effective total contact area of the opposed inner surfaces of the press-connecting blades with the conductor is set to a value equal to or greater than a cross-sectional area of the conductor.
In the press-connecting terminal of the above construction, the functions of the press-connecting blades to press-contact and hold the conductor, as well as the electrical connection of the press-connecting blades to the conductor, can be suitably achieved. Accordingly, those members around the press-connecting portion are prevented from being subjected to deterioration, improper contact and so on by heat produced by the electrical resistance developing between the conductor and each press-connecting blade, and therefore the safety of the vehicle is positively prevented from being affected.
In the press-connecting terminal of the above construction, the effective total contact area is such a total of areas that the conductor of the electric wire contacts with the opposed inner surfaces of the press-connecting blades.
Therefore, a necessary width of each of the opposed inner surfaces of the press-connecting blades, a necessary size of the gap, and the necessary number of the press-connecting blades may be determined on the basis of the cross-sectional area of the conductor of the electric wire.
In other words, the effective total contact area may be set on the basis of at least one of the width of each of the opposed inner surfaces, the size of the gap, and the number of the opposed inner surfaces, with respect to the conductor.
REFERENCES:
patent: RE31132 (1983-01-01), Hoppe, Jr.
patent: 4806120 (1989-02-01), Baker
patent: 5588868 (1996-12-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 6007365 (1999-12-01), Atsumi et al.
patent: 7-272772 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 10-154535 (1998-06-01), None
Bradley P. Austin
Hammond Briggitte R.
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