Female terminal

A female terminal in which excessive flexing of a resilient contact piece portion is prevented by simple working. The female terminal of the invention includes deformation prevention folded portions which are bent respectively at opposite side portions of a second folded piece portion toward a first folded piece portion. The deformation prevention folded portion supports the first folded piece portion in a maximumly-flexed position of the first folded piece portion. When a male terminal, having a proper thickness, is inserted into the female terminal, a predetermined gap is formed between the first folded piece portion and the deformation prevention folded portion. Even when the first folded piece portion is flexed upon insertion of a thick foreign object into a hollow contact portion or upon prizing of the first folded piece portion in the hollow contact portion, the deformation prevention folded portion supports the first folded piece portion in the maximumly-flexed position thereof, and therefore a resilient contact piece portion will not be permanently deformed. And besides, the deformation prevention folded portion can be formed by simple working.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a female terminal having a resilient contact 
piece portion provided within a hollow contact portion. 
2. Background 
FIG. 7 shows a female terminal 1. This female terminal 1 includes a hollow 
contact portion 5 formed at one end thereof, and a wire connecting portion 
7 integrally formed at the other end thereof, and the hollow contact 
portion 5 has a flat bottom plate portion 3, and the wire connecting 
portion 7 is formed integrally with the hollow contact portion 5. A 
resilient contact piece portion 9, folded back from a distal end 3a of the 
bottom plate portion 3, is provided within the hollow contact portion 5. A 
mating terminal (plate-like male terminal) can be inserted between the 
resilient contact piece portion 9 and a top plate portion 11 of the hollow 
contact portion 5. 
The resilient contact piece portion 9 includes a first folded piece portion 
15, folded back from the distal end 3a of the bottom plate portion 3 
toward the wire connecting portion 7, and a second folded piece portion 17 
folded back from a distal end of the first folded piece portion 15 toward 
the distal end of the bottom plate portion 3 and lying between the first 
folded piece portion 15 and the bottom plate portion 3. 
As shown in FIG. 8, the female terminal 1 is received in a terminal 
receiving chamber 21 formed in a connector housing 19, and is engaged with 
an elastic retaining arm 23 to be prevented from withdrawal from the 
terminal receiving chamber 21. In this condition, when the mating terminal 
13 is inserted into the hollow contact portion 5 through a hole in the 
connector housing 19, the mating terminal 13 is fitted between the first 
folded piece portion 15 and the top plate portion 11, and is resiliently 
held therebetween with a predetermined contact pressure, thus achieving an 
electrical connection therebetween. 
However, if a foreign object 25 larger in thickness than the mating 
terminal 13 is inserted into the hollow contact portion 5 as shown in FIG. 
9, the resilient contact piece portion 9 is excessively flexed or bent, 
and is permanently deformed. Also, if a foreign object 27 smaller in 
thickness than the mating terminal 13 is inserted into the hollow contact 
portion 5 in an inclined manner as shown in FIG. 10, the resilient contact 
piece portion 9 is excessively flexed, and is permanently deformed. 
Further, if the resilient contact piece portion 9 is prized or pried by a 
screw driver 28 or the like, for example, in a process by a car maker or 
by a car dealer (see FIG. 11), there is a possibility that the resilient 
contact piece portion 9 is excessively flexed to be permanently deformed 
and damaged. In such a case, when the proper mating terminal 13 is 
inserted, it can not be resiliently held between the resilient contact 
piece portion 9 and the top plate portion 11, so that the reliability of 
the electrical connection through this contact is adversely affected. 
Under the circumstances, Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 
1-106084 proposes a female terminal 31 of such a construction that a 
resilient contact piece portion 29 is prevented from excessive flexing. As 
shown in FIG. 12, in this female terminal 31, opposite side portions of 
the resilient contact piece portion 29 adjacent to its free end are bent 
toward a bottom plate portion 33 to form rear prizing prevention portions 
35, and each rear prizing prevention portion 35 is further bent at its 
lower portion to form an auxiliary resilient piece portion 37 underlying 
the resilient contact piece portion 29 and extending from the rear prizing 
prevention portion 35 toward the proximal end of the resilient contact 
piece portion 29. The distance between the auxiliary resilient piece 
portion 37 and the resilient contact piece portion 29 is larger at the 
distal end of the auxiliary resilient piece portion 37 than at the rear 
prizing prevention portion 35, and the distal end of the auxiliary 
resilient piece portion 37 is held against the bottom plate portion 33. 
Further, the distal end portion of the auxiliary resilient piece portion 
37 is bent toward the resilient contact piece portion 29 to form a front 
prizing prevention portion 39 spaced a predetermined distance from the 
resilient contact piece portion 29. 
Against a thick foreign objection and a prizing action, the rear prizing 
prevention portions 35 and the front prizing prevention portions 39 
prevent the resilient contact piece portion 29 from being excessively 
flexed, thereby preventing permanent deformation of the resilient contact 
piece portion 29, thus enhancing the reliability of the electrical 
connection. 
However, in the female terminal 31 disclosed in the above publication, the 
distal end portion of the auxiliary resilient piece portion 37 is bent to 
form the front prizing prevention portion 39 having a small size L2, and 
therefore if the length L1 of the auxiliary resilient piece portion 37 is 
short, it is difficult to bend the front prizing prevention portion 39 by 
pressing, and much time and labor are required for the manufacture. If the 
length L1 of the auxiliary resilient piece portion 37 is long, a 
sufficient strength, acting against a force directed toward the bottom 
plate portion 33, can not be obtained structurally. Namely, since it is 
difficult to provide and maintain the perpendicularity between the sheet 
material (having a thickness, for example, of 0.2 mm or 0.25 mm) and the 
bottom plate portion 33, it is difficult to bring the auxiliary resilient 
piece portion 37 into complete contact with the bottom plate portion 33. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a female terminal in 
which excessive flexing of a resilient contact piece portion is prevented 
by simple working. 
To achieve the above object, the invention provides a female terminal 
including a resilient contact piece portion provided within a hollow 
contact portion having a flat bottom plate portion, the resilient contact 
piece portion including a first folded piece portion, folded back from a 
distal end of the bottom plate portion, and a second folded piece portion 
folded back from a distal end of the first folded piece portion toward the 
distal end of the bottom plate portion and lying between the first folded 
piece portion and the bottom plate portion; in which there is provided a 
deformation prevention folded portion which is bent at at least one side 
portion of the second folded piece portion toward the first folded piece 
portion; the deformation prevention folded portion supports the first 
folded piece portion in a maximumly-flexed position of the first folded 
piece portion; and when a male terminal, having a proper thickness, is 
inserted into the hollow contact portion, a predetermined gap is formed 
between the first folded piece portion and the deformation prevention 
folded portion. 
Therefore, when a load is applied to the resilient contact piece portion to 
flex the same upon insertion of a thick foreign object into the hollow 
contact portion or upon prizing of the resilient contact piece portion in 
the hollow contact portion, the deformation prevention folded portion 
supports the resilient contact piece portion in the maximumly-flexed 
portion. Therefore, excessive flexing of the resilient contact piece 
portion is prevented, and permanent deformation thereof is prevented. When 
the mating terminal, having the proper thickness, is inserted into the 
hollow contact portion, the predetermined gap is formed between the 
deformation prevention folded portion and the first folded piece portion, 
and in the maximumly-flexed position of the resilient contact piece 
portion, this gap is eliminated. 
The deformation prevention folded portion is disposed in overlying and 
overlapping relation to the second folded piece portion. 
Therefore, the deformation prevention folded portion is easily formed by 
folding the side portion of the second folded piece portion thereon. The 
deformation prevention folded portion firmly supports the first folded 
piece portion in the maximumly-flexed position thereof. 
The deformation prevention folded portion is bent generally perpendicularly 
at the side portion of the second folded piece portion toward the first 
folded piece portion, and has such a height as to support the first folded 
piece portion in the maximumly-flexed position of the first folded piece 
portion. 
Therefore, the deformation prevention folded portion is formed by bending 
the side portion of the second folded piece portion. 
The deformation prevention folded portion includes folded half portions 
which are folded respectively at the opposite side portions of the second 
folded piece portion. 
Therefore, the deformation prevention folded portion can be easily formed 
by folding the folded half portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A preferred embodiment of a female terminal of the present invention will 
now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a 
partly-broken, perspective view of the female terminal 41, showing the 
interior thereof, and FIGS. 2a to 2c show an electrical contact portion 43 
of the female terminal 41, and more specifically FIG. 2a is a 
front-elevational view thereof, FIG. 2b is a cross-sectional view taken 
along the line b--b of FIG. 2a, and FIG. 2c is a cross-sectional view 
taken along the line c--c of FIG. 2b. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the female terminal 41 includes the electrical contact 
portion 43 formed at one end thereof, and a wire connecting portion 45 
integrally formed at the other end thereof. The electrical contact portion 
43 includes a hollow contact portion 49 having a flat bottom plate portion 
47, and a resilient contact piece portion 51, folded back from a distal 
end 47a of the bottom plate portion 47, is provided within the hollow 
contact portion 49. 
The resilient contact piece portion 51 includes a first folded piece 
portion 53, folded back from the distal end 47a of the bottom plate 
portion 47 toward the wire connecting portion 45, and a second folded 
piece portion 55 folded back from a distal end 53a of the first folded 
piece portion 53 toward the distal end 47a of the bottom plate portion 47 
and lying between the first folded piece portion 53 and the bottom plate 
portion 47. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, within the hollow contact portion 
49, the first folded piece portion 53 is slanting upwardly toward the 
electrical contact portion 43, and the second folded piece portion 55 is 
slanting downwardly toward the distal end 47a of the bottom plate portion 
47. A contact projection 57 is formed on an upper surface of the first 
folded piece portion 53, and a predetermined gap 63 is formed between the 
contact projection 57 and contact projections 61 formed on a top plate 59 
of the hollow contact portion 49. A mating male terminal 65 is inserted 
into this gap 63. 
In the female terminal 41 of this embodiment, a deformation prevention 
folded portion 69 includes folded half portions which are folded 
respectively at opposite side portions of the second folded piece portion 
55 to be disposed between the first folded piece portion 53 and the second 
folded piece portion 55, and the deformation prevention folded portion 69 
serves to support the first folded piece portion 53 in a maximumly-flexed 
position thereof. When the male terminal 65 with a proper thickness is 
inserted, a predetermined gap 67 is formed between the deformation 
prevention folded portion 69 and the first folded piece portion 53. The 
deformation prevention folded portion 69 thus includes folded half 
portions 69a and 69b folded respectively at the opposite side portions of 
the second folded piece portion 55. 
A distal end portion of the second folded piece portion 55 is bent into an 
arcuate shape toward the first folded piece portion 53. 
As shown in FIG. 3, when the mating male terminal 65, having the proper 
thickness, is inserted into the hollow contact portion 49, the first 
folded piece portion 53 is flexed or turned toward the bottom plate 
portion 47 about the distal end 47a, and at this time the second folded 
piece portion 55 is flexed, with the distal end portion of the second 
folded piece portion 55 sliding over the bottom plate portion 47. In this 
condition, the gap 67, having a height L3, is formed between the 
deformation prevention folded portion 69 and the lower surface of the 
first folded piece portion 53. 
Explanation will be made of the case where a foreign object larger in 
thickness than the mating male terminal 65 is inserted into the hollow 
contact portion 49 of the female terminal 41, or the case where the 
resilient contact piece portion is prized or pried by a foreign object 
inserted into the hollow contact portion 49. 
As shown in FIG. 4, when a foreign object 71 larger in thickness than the 
mating male terminal 65 is inserted into the hollow contact portion 47, 
the first folded piece portion 53 is flexed or turned toward the bottom 
plate portion 47 about the distal end 47a, and at this time the second 
folded piece portion 55 is flexed about the distal end 53a, with the 
arcuate distal end portion of the second folded piece portion 55 sliding 
over the bottom plate portion 47. Then, when the first folded piece 
portion 53 is flexed to the maximum degree, the deformation prevention 
folded portion 69 is held against the lower surface 53b of the first 
folded piece portion 53, and thus supports the first folded piece portion 
53 in its maximumly-flexed position. The thickness of the foreign object 
71 shown in FIG. 4 is generally equal to the height of the gap 63 between 
the contact projection 57 and the contact projection 61 in the 
maximumly-flexed condition of the first folded piece portion 53. Namely, a 
foreign object, having a thickness larger than the height of the gap 63 
between the contact projections 61 and the contact projection 57 in the 
fully-flexed condition of the first folded piece portion 53, can not be 
inserted into the hollow contact portion 49. Therefore, FIG. 4 shows the 
condition in which the foreign object, having such maximum thickness that 
it can be inserted into the hollow contact portion 49, is inserted in the 
hollow contact portion 49. 
As shown in FIG. 5, when a relatively thin foreign object 73 is inserted 
into the hollow contact portion 49, and is moved in a prized manner within 
the hollow contact portion 49, the first folded piece portion 53 is flexed 
toward the bottom plate portion 47. In this case, in the maximumly-flexed 
condition of the first folded piece portion 53, the deformation prevention 
folded portion 69 is held against the lower surface of the first folded 
piece portion 53, so that the first folded piece portion 53 is supported 
by the deformation prevention folded portion 69 in the maximumly-flexed 
position. Therefore, the first folded piece portion 53 will not be 
excessively flexed, and hence the resilient contact piece portion 51 will 
not be permanently deformed. 
In this embodiment, since there is provided the deformation prevention 
folded portion 69 which supports the first folded piece portion 53 in the 
maximumly-flexed position thereof, the excessive flexing of the first 
folded piece portion 53 is positively prevented, and the resilient contact 
piece portion 51 will not permanently be deformed and damaged. Therefore, 
when the mating male terminal 65 is inserted into the hollow contact 
portion 49, this mating terminal can be resiliently retained within the 
hollow contact portion 49, and therefore the reliability of the connection 
is enhanced. 
In this embodiment, the deformation prevention folded portion 69 is formed 
by folding the opposite side portions of the second folded piece portion 
55 over the second fold piece portion 55 into facing relation to the first 
folded piece portion 53, and thus the sheet width of the second folded 
piece portion 55 is fully utilized, and therefore the working of the sheet 
is simple. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. 
In this embodiment, by increasing the length of the deformation prevention 
folded portion 69 (in the direction of insertion of the mating terminal 
65), the area of supporting the first folded piece portion 53 is 
increased, and therefore the first folded piece portion 53 can be 
positively supported in its maximumly-flexed position. 
Another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6a and 6b. A 
female terminal 75 of this embodiment has a deformation prevention folded 
portion 77 different in configuration from that of the preceding 
embodiment. 
As shown in FIG. 6a, in the female terminal 75 of this embodiment, the 
deformation prevention folded portion 77 includes folded half portions 77a 
and 77b which are formed respectively by generally perpendicularly bending 
opposite side portions of a second folded piece portion 55 toward a first 
folded piece portion 53. More specifically, in the female terminal 41 of 
the preceding embodiment, the deformation prevention folded portion is 
bent and folded into overlying and overlapping relation to the second 
folded piece portion 55, but in this embodiment the deformation prevention 
folded portion 77 is bent perpendicularly (or right-angularly) relative to 
the second folded piece portion 55. As shown in FIG. 6b, the deformation 
prevention folded portion 77 of this embodiment has a predetermined height 
L4. This height is so determined that when the first folded piece portion 
53 is flexed toward a bottom plate portion 47 to the maximum degree, the 
deformation prevention folded portion 77 is held against the lower surface 
of the first folded piece portion 53 to support the same in the 
maximumly-flexed position. 
In the female terminal 75 of this embodiment, also, similar effects as 
described for the female terminal 41 of the preceding embodiment are 
achieved, and even when the first folded piece portion 53 is flexed upon 
insertion of a thick foreign object into a hollow contact portion 49 or 
upon prizing of the first folded piece portion 53, the deformation 
prevention folded portion 77 positively supports the first folded piece 
portion 53 in the maximumly-flexed position thereof, and therefore 
permanent deformation of a resilient contact piece portion 51 is 
prevented. 
The deformation prevention folded portion 77 of this embodiment is formed 
merely by generally perpendicularly bending the opposite side portions of 
the second folded piece portion 55 to form the folded half portions 77a 
and 77b, and therefore the deformation prevention folded portion 77 can be 
formed or shaped by simple working. 
In the female terminals 41, 75, although the deformation prevention folded 
portions 69, 77 are formed by the folded half portions 69a and 69b, 77a 
and 77b folded respectively at the opposite side portions of the second 
folded piece portion 55, the deformation prevention folded portion may be 
formed by folding only one side portion of the second folded piece portion 
55. 
As described above, when a load is applied to the resilient contact piece 
portion to flex the same upon insertion of a thick foreign object into the 
hollow contact portion or upon prizing the resilient contact piece portion 
in the hollow contact portion, the deformation prevention folded portion 
is abutted against the first folded piece portion in the maximumly-flexed 
portion, and therefore excessive flexing of the resilient contact piece 
portion is prevented, and permanent deformation thereof is prevented. The 
deformation prevention folded portion is formed by folding the side 
portion of the second folded piece portion, and therefore it can be formed 
or shaped by simple working. 
Further, the side portion of the second folded piece portion is folded to 
form the deformation prevention folded portion disposed in overlying and 
overlapping relation to the second folded piece portion, and therefore the 
deformation prevention folded portion can be formed or shaped by simple 
working. Since the deformation prevention folded portion is disposed in 
overlapping relation to the second folded piece portion, it can firmly 
support the first folded piece portion in the maximumly-flexed position 
thereof. 
Furthermore, the deformation prevention folded portion is formed by bending 
the side portion of the second folded piece portion, and therefore the 
deformation prevention folded portion can be formed by simple working. 
Furthermore, the deformation prevention folded portion is formed by the 
folded half portions folded respectively at the opposite side portions of 
the second folded piece portion, and therefore the deformation prevention 
folded portion can be formed or shaped by simple working.