Electronic component and electronic component assembly structure

An electronic component includes a component main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of lead terminals, and each lead terminal is disposed to droop along a side surface of the component main body facing the lead terminal. The plurality of lead terminals having different rigidities are arranged in a width direction of at least one side surface of the component main body, and the lead terminal having a highest rigidity among the plurality of lead terminals is disposed to protrude more in a direction in which it gets apart from the corresponding side surface of the component main body than the other lead terminals. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent deformation of the lead terminal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic component and an electronic component assembly structure, and more particularly, to an electronic component assembly structure provided to an electrical junction box which is mounted on a moving object such as an automobile.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a moving object such as an automobile is equipped with an electrical junction box in which an electronic component such as a relay is accommodated to control connection between a power supply device and an electric component (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-221787).

FIG. 9is a longitudinal-sectional view of a relay module according to the related art. As illustrated inFIG. 9, a relay1according to the related art includes a relay main body2formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and plural plate-like lead terminals3protruding in a straight line shape from one surface (bottom surface) of the relay main body2. Such a type of relay is assembled into a resinous holding member6, which holds terminal fittings5connected to electrical wires4, to constitute a relay module. The relay module is assembled into an electrical junction box. Each terminal fitting5is provided with a spring portion7to which the lead terminal3is fitted. The relay1is held by the holding member6by inserting tips of the plural lead terminals3into the spring portions7. InFIG. 9, the relay module according to the related art is basically illustrated in a longitudinal-sectional view but only the relay main body2is illustrated in a side view.

However, since such a type of relay module is assembled in a state in which the relay main body2is placed on an end surface (top surface) of the holding member6, for example, the height dimension (in the up-down direction inFIG. 9) of the relay module increases.

Therefore, for example, as illustrated inFIG. 10, it can be considered that each lead terminal12of a relay11is bent and formed in an L shape.FIG. 10is a side view illustrating an example of a relay. Each lead terminal12includes a base end14protruding from a side surface of a relay main body13having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a contact portion15drooping along the side surface of the relay main body13from which the base end14protrudes. According to this configuration, since the relay main body13can be accommodated in an opened box-like housing member (not illustrated) by inserting the relay11into the housing member in the arrow direction and fitting the lead terminals12(contact portions15) to the terminal fittings held in the housing member, it is possible to reduce the height dimension of the relay module.

For example, a case where a relay is transported in a state in which the relay is assembled into a housing member and a case where a relay is transported alone can be considered as a transport form of such a relay. When a relay is transported in a state in which the relay is assembled into a housing member, lead terminals weak to an external force are protected by the housing member. However, when a relay is transported alone, exposed lead terminals may be deformed with an external force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in consideration of the above-mentioned problem and an object thereof is to suppress deformation of a lead terminal.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electronic component according to one aspect of the present invention includes a component main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of lead terminals. Herein, each of the lead terminals is disposed to droop along a side surface of the component main body facing the lead terminal, and the plurality of the lead terminals having different rigidities are arranged in a width direction of at least one side surface of the component main body, and the lead terminal having a highest rigidity among the plurality of the lead terminals is disposed to protrude more in a direction in which it gets apart from the corresponding side surface of the component main body than the other lead terminals.

In this case, since the lead terminal having a highest rigidity can be inserted into the terminal fitting earlier than the other lead terminals, it is possible to reduce a load in inserting the lead terminal having a relatively low rigidity and thus to prevent deformation of the lead terminal.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electronic component assembly structure according to another aspect of the present invention, the electronic component assembly structure includes an electronic component which includes a component main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of lead terminals, a housing member in which the electronic component is inserted and accommodated, and a plurality of terminal fittings which are held in the housing member and to which the plurality of the lead terminals are fitted. Herein, each of the lead terminals is disposed to droop along a side surface of the component main body facing the lead terminal. Further, the plurality of the lead terminals having different rigidities are arranged in a width direction of at least one side surface of the component main body, and the lead terminal having a highest rigidity among the plurality of the lead terminals is disposed to protrude more in a direction in which it gets apart from the corresponding side surface of the component main body than the other lead terminals. Further, the plurality of the terminal fittings are positioned such that the lead terminal having a highest rigidity among the plurality of the lead terminals arranged in the width direction of one side surface of the component main body is first inserted therein. Further, the electronic component is inserted and accommodated in the housing member, the plurality of the lead terminals come in contact with the plurality of the terminal fittings, respectively, and the electronic component is assembled into the housing member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an electronic component assembly structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, a relay module in which a relay is used as an electronic component and the relay is accommodated in a housing member will be described, but the electronic component assembly structure according to the present invention can be applied to electronic components other than the relay.

The use of the relay module according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, but a case can be considered in which the relay module is used for equipment or the like for controlling a connection state between a power supply device and an electric component in a moving object such as an automobile. Specifically, for example, it can be considered that the relay module is introduced into an electrical junction box (junction box) disposed between an electric component and a battery which are mounted on an automobile and is used as a relay module for controlling input and cutoff of power. Such a type of relay module may be integrally formed with the electrical junction box, but may be formed as an independent body.

FIG. 1is an assembly diagram of a relay module20according to an embodiment.FIG. 2is a diagram illustrating the entire configuration of the relay module20illustrated inFIG. 1.FIG. 3is a cross-sectional view of the relay taken along arrow A-A inFIG. 2.FIG. 4is a cross-sectional view illustrating an operation of assembling a relay into a housing member.FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view of a relay module into which the relay illustrated inFIG. 4has been assembled. In the following description, a direction indicated by arrow X inFIG. 1is defined as a front-back direction, a direction indicated by arrow Y is defined as a right-left direction, and a direction indicated by arrow Z is defined as an up-down direction (hereinafter, the same applies toFIG. 2). However, the up-down direction, the right-left direction, and the front-back direction may not match the respective directions in a state in which the relay module20is actually mounted on a moving object. InFIGS. 3 to 5, various components accommodated in a relay main body24are not illustrated.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the relay module20according to this embodiment has a configuration in which a relay21, terminal fittings22, and a housing member23are mutually assembled. In this embodiment, it is assumed that one relay module20includes two relays21aand21b. However, the number of relays constituting a relay module is not limited to two and the relay module may include only one relay or may include three or more relays. When the relay module includes plural relays, relays21having the configuration illustrated inFIG. 1may be employed or relays having configurations (for example,FIGS. 6 and 7) other than the configuration illustrated inFIG. 1may be mixed.

Each relay21includes the relay main body24which is a component main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and which is formed of a resin or the like and four plate-like lead terminals25ato25dwhich protrude from the relay main body24. The relay main body24is a box-like container in which an electronic component and the like is accommodated. The relays21aand21bhave the same configuration but the right and left sides thereof are reversed.

The relay main body24has a top surface26located above, a bottom surface27located below, a left side surface28and a right side surface29facing each other in the right-left direction, and a front surface30and a back surface31facing each other in the front-back direction. The relay main body24has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape which is long in the right-left direction, and four surfaces of the left side surface28, the right side surface29, the front surface30, and the back surface31are set as side surfaces. The front surface30is provided with a locking protrusion33which engages with a penetration groove32formed in the housing member23. The relay main body24according to this embodiment is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but may be formed in a square parallelepiped shape.

Each of the lead terminals25ato25dincludes a plate-like base end34protruding from the side surfaces of the relay main body24and a plate-like contact portion35extending from the base end34and drooping along one of the opposite side surfaces of the relay main body24. The lead terminals25ato25camong lead terminals25include base ends34ato34cperpendicularly protruding from the left side surface28of the relay main body24with a gap therebetween in the width direction (the front-back direction) of the relay main body24and contact portions35ato35cdrooping along the left side surface28from the base ends34ato34cwith a predetermined gap from the left side surface28of the relay main body24. On the other hand, the lead terminal25dincludes a base end34dperpendicularly protruding from the right side surface29of the relay main body24and a contact portion35ddrooping from the base end34dwith a predetermined gap from the right side surface29of the relay main body24.

The base ends34ato34dprotrude in parallel to the top surface26or the bottom surface27, and the protruding position is set to the same height position below the top surface26. On the other hand, the contact portions35ato35dextend in parallel with the opposite side surfaces of the relay main body24and the height positions of the tips (lower ends) thereof are set to the same height position above the bottom surface27of the relay main body24. The widths in the front-back direction of the base ends34aand34cand the contact portions35aand35cof the lead terminals25aand25care set to the same magnitude, and the widths in the front-back direction of the base ends34band34dand the contact portions35band35dof the lead terminals25band25dare set to the same magnitude. The widths in the front-back direction of the base ends34band34dand the contact portions35band35dof the lead terminals25band25dare set to be greater than the widths in the front-back direction of the base ends34aand34cand the contact portions35aand35cof the lead terminals25aand25c.

The housing member23is a resinous casing for receiving and holding the relay21and the terminal fittings22and includes a first housing chamber36that guides and accommodates the relay main body24therein and a second housing chamber37that accommodates and holds the terminal fittings22therein. In this embodiment, the housing member23is treated as a single member independent of an electrical junction box not illustrated. However, the housing member23may be formed as a part of a casing which is formed in the electrical junction box and may be formed as a unified body with the electrical junction box.

Two first housing chambers36are formed in the housing member23according to this embodiment, and two second housing chambers37aand37bare arranged with each first housing chamber36interposed therebetween. The lead terminals25ato25care accommodated in the second housing chamber37a, the lead terminal25dis accommodated in the second housing chamber37b, and the terminal fittings22are held at predetermined positions to correspond to the lead terminals25inserted into the second housing chambers37.

As illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the first housing chamber36is surrounded with a bottom wall38and wall portions39rising upright from the bottom wall38to form a concave space of which the top is opened to the outside. The wall portions39rise upright from the bottom wall38so as to surround the side surfaces (the left side surface28, the right side surface29, the front surface30, and the back surface31) of the relay main body24from four directions and guide and accommodate the relay main body24in the first housing chamber36. The first housing chamber36is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape which is slightly larger than the relay main body24, smoothly accommodates the relay main body24guided by the wall portions39therein, and holds the posture of the relay main body24by causing four side surfaces of the accommodated relay main body24to interfere with the wall portions39.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the penetration groove32directing the first housing chamber36to the outside of the housing member23is formed in a wall portion39d(the wall portion facing the front surface30of the relay body24) other than a wall portion39apartitioning the neighboring first housing chambers36and wall portions39band39cas partition walls from the second housing chambers37among the four wall portions39forming the first housing chamber36so as to extend in the height direction of the wall portions39d. The penetration groove32is configured to lock the locking protrusion33of the relay main body24when the relay main body24is accommodated in the first housing chamber36.

The second housing chambers37aand37bare disposed outside the wall portions39band39cof the first housing chamber36, that is, on the opposite sides of the first housing chamber36with the wall portions39band39cinterposed therebetween, and are surrounded with a rectangular tubular frame formed by the wall portions39band39cand a frame portion40of the housing member23to form a rectangular parallelepiped space of which the top and the bottom are opened to the outside. In the second housing chamber37adisposed outside the wall portion39bof the first housing chamber36, at least the vicinity of an opening into which the lead terminals25are inserted is partitioned by a partition wall41formed over the wall portion39band the frame portion40. The second housing chambers37aand37bare provided with lances42(locking pieces) at positions facing the terminal fittings22as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5. Each lance42serves to hold the corresponding terminal fitting22in the second housing chamber37, is integrally molded to extend in a cantilever shape from the wall portion39or the frame portion40to the second housing chamber37so as to be elastically deformed.

The terminal fitting22is an interface member that is connected to a terminal portion of an electrical wire43so as to electrically connect the electrical wire43to the relay21. Only one terminal fitting22is illustrated inFIG. 1, but four terminal fittings are disposed to correspond to the lead terminals25ato25dand are formed by machining a conductive metal sheet.

The terminal fittings22have the contact portions35aand35dfitted thereto and each includes a female fitting portion44which supports the contact portion35, a pair of core clamping pieces46which caulks a core wire exposed by peeling an insulating coating45of the terminal portion of the electrical wire43, and a pair of external clamping pieces47which caulks a tip of the insulating coating45of the electrical wire43. The fitting portion44includes a tubular portion48having a rectangular tubular shape and having a space into which the contact portions35band35dare inserted and a spring portion49which is formed by folding a plate-like member connected to a side plate forming the tubular portion48from the vicinity of the insertion hole of the tubular portion48into the space. The contact portions35are supported by the fitting portion44by pressing the contact portions35inserted into the space of the tubular portion48against another side plate facing the side plate with an elastic force of the spring portion49. Since the dimensions of the tubular portions48and the like are appropriately set depending on the sizes of the inserted contact portions35and the terminal fittings22have the same basic configuration, only the terminal fitting22into which the contact portion35dis inserted is illustrated inFIG. 1. In this embodiment, two types of the terminal fittings22into which the contact portions35aand35care inserted and the terminal fittings22into which the contact portions35band35dare inserted are provided to correspond to the sizes of the contact portions35(35ato35d). The terminal fittings22are not limited to the structure in this embodiment. For example, a terminal fitting called a fastening type may be employed.

In this embodiment, three terminal fittings22are accommodated in the second housing chamber37aand one terminal fitting22is accommodated in the second housing chamber37b. The three terminal fittings22accommodated in the second housing chamber37amay be connected to each other or may be accommodated separately from each other. The terminal fittings22are supported in the second housing chamber37by the lances42.

Each lance42forms a so-called spring mechanism, serves to press the lower edge of the spring portion49of the terminal fitting22with a restoration force from elastic deformation and to lock the lower edge, achieves fixation of the terminal fitting22to the second housing chamber37, and holds the terminal fitting22in the second housing chamber37. In this embodiment, one lance42extends from the frame portion40and the other lance42extends from the wall portion39as illustrated inFIG. 5, but the right and left lances42may be disposed to extend from the frame portion40or the wall portion39so as to be symmetric with respect to each other.

For example, in order to accommodate the terminal fittings22in the second housing chamber37band to hold the terminal fittings using the lances42, the terminal fittings22are inserted from an opening50(FIG. 5) on the bottom of the second housing chamber37b. Then, the terminal fittings22are inserted into the second housing chamber37buntil the tips (the fitting portions44) thereof come in contact with the lances42. When an upward force (insertion force) is applied to the terminal fitting22so as to further insert the terminal fittings22into the second housing chamber37bin this state, the lances42are pressed by the terminal fittings22and are elastically deformed to approach the frame portion40. When an insertion force is applied to the terminal fittings22against the restoration force from elastic deformation, the terminal fittings22move upward in a state in which the lance42comes in sliding contact with the fitting portion44. When the terminal fittings22move and the lances42relatively reach the lower edges of the spring portions49along the fitting portions44, the lances42are elastically deformed to engage with the lower edges of the spring portions49. By causing the lances42to engage with the terminal fittings22in this way, the terminal fittings22are locked to the lances42. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the terminal fittings22from getting out of the second housing chamber37b. That is, the terminal fittings22are held in the second housing chamber37b.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the position in the up-down direction of the relay21in a state in which the relay21is accommodated in the housing member23, that is, when the contact portions35of the lead terminals25are fitted to the fitting portions44of the terminal fittings22, is set to a predetermined height position such that the top surface26of the relay21does not protrude upward from the top of the housing member23as illustrated inFIG. 5. Here, the height position of the top surface26can be determined depending on the positions at which the contact portions35of the lead terminals25are fitted to the spring portions49of the terminal fittings22. That is, each terminal fitting22is held in the second housing chamber37at the height position at which the spring portion49holding the contact portion35of the lead terminal25faces the side surface of the relay main body24accommodated in the first housing chamber36with the wall portion39interposed therebetween. The top end face of the wall portion39is disposed at a predetermined height position below the top end surface of the housing member23so as not to contact with the base end34of the lead terminal25when the contact portion35of the lead terminal25is fitted to the spring portion49of the terminal fitting22, and the bottom wall38is disposed at a predetermined height position not coming in contact with the bottom surface27of the relay main body24. Accordingly, except for the portions in which the contact portions35of the lead terminals25are fitted to the spring portions49of the terminal fittings22, the relay21is held in the housing member23without interfering with the bottom wall38or the top end face of the wall portion39in the height direction of the housing member23. Accordingly, it is possible to satisfactorily bring the lead terminals25into contact with the terminal fittings22and thus to stabilize a holding force of the relay21in the housing member23.

In assembling the relay21into the housing member23in this embodiment, the relay main body24is guided along the wall portion39and is inserted into the first housing chamber36. When the vicinity of the lower end of the relay main body24is accommodated in the first housing chamber36, the tips (lower ends) of the contact portions35of the lead terminals25are positioned to face the fitting portions44above the terminal fittings22. When the relay main body24is inserted to the vicinity of the bottom wall38of the first housing chamber36in a state in which the contact portions35are positioned in this way, the contact portions35are inserted into the tubular portions48of the fitting portions44and the contact portions35are supported (fitted) with the pressing force of the spring portions49. In the relay module20assembled in this way, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 5, the relay21is held in the housing member23and the relay21is electrically connected to the electrical wire43via the terminal fittings22.

Distinctive configurations of this embodiment will be described below. In the relay21according to this embodiment, plural (three) lead terminals are disposed on one side surface (the left side surface28) of the relay main body24, and the thickness and the width in the front-back direction of the lead terminal25blocated at the center among these lead terminals are set to be greater than those of the lead terminals25aand25clocated at both ends. That is, the lead terminal25bis set to have the highest rigidity out of the lead terminals25ato25cdisposed on the left side surface28of the relay main body24depending on the differences in thickness and width.

In this embodiment, a side surface, which faces the opposite side to the left side surface28, of the lead terminal25bhaving the highest rigidity (the outside surface of the contact portion35b) is disposed to protrude more in the direction in which it gets apart from the left side surface28of the relay main body24than the side surfaces, which face the opposite side to the left side surface28, of the other lead terminals25aand25c(the outside surfaces of the contact portions35aand35c). That is, when the distance between the outside surface of the contact portion35band the left side surface28is defined as L1and the distance between the outside surfaces of the contact portions35aand35cand the left side surface28is defined as L2, as illustrated inFIG. 3, L1is set to be greater than L2.

According to this configuration, when the relay21is transported in a state in which the lead terminals25are exposed without receiving the relay21in the housing member23, an external force (an external force due to contact) is first applied to the lead terminal25bdisposed to protrude outside among three lead terminals25ato25c. For example, when another member comes in contact with the relay21from the left side ofFIG. 3, the member first comes in contact with the lead terminal25band an external force is concentrated on the lead terminal25b. However, since the rigidity of the lead terminal25bis set to the highest, it is possible to prevent deformation due to an external force. Since an external force applied to the lead terminals25aand25chaving a relatively low rigidity can be reduced by causing the external force to act on the lead terminal25b, it is possible to prevent deformation of the lead terminals25ato25c.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the insertion holes of the terminal fittings22are partitioned by the partition wall41in the second housing chamber37and set to the same height position. Accordingly, for example, the contact portions35ato35cof the lead terminals25ato25care substantially simultaneously inserted into the insertion holes. However, the relay21may be inserted into the housing member23in a state in which the relay is inclined, and the contact portions35aand35chaving a relatively low rigidity may be earlier inserted into the insertion holes than the contact portion35bhaving the highest rigidity depending on the inclination direction. In this case, the lead terminals25aand25cmay be deformed due to an external force acting thereon at the time of inserting the contact portions35aand35cinto the insertion holes.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the length of the contact portion35bof the lead terminal25bamong the lead terminals25ato25cis set such that the tip in the insertion direction of the contact portion35bis positioned below the tips in the insertion direction of the contact portions35aand35cof the other lead terminals25aand25c. Accordingly, even when the relay21is inclined in any direction, the contact portions35aand35ccan be prevented from being earlier inserted into the insertion holes than the contact portion35band it is thus possible to prevent deformation of the lead terminals25aand25c.

The heights of the insertion holes of the terminal fittings22instead of the lengths of the contact portions35of the lead terminals25may be appropriately set. For example, the height position of the insertion hole into which the contact portion35bis inserted is set to be higher (the upper side inFIG. 1) than the height positions of the insertion holes into which the contact portions35aand35care inserted such that the contact portion35bof the lead terminal25bamong the lead terminals25ato25cis earlier inserted than the other contact portions35aand35c. Accordingly, since the contact portions35aand35ccan be prevented from being earlier inserted into the insertion holes than the contact portion35b, it is possible to prevent deformation of the lead terminals25aand25c. In this way, by appropriately setting at least one of the lengths of the contact portions35of the lead terminals25and the height positions of the insertion holes, it is possible to prevent deformation of the lead terminals25at the time of insertion thereof.

In the relay21according to this embodiment, the lead terminal25bhaving the highest rigidity among plural (three) lead terminals25ato25cdisposed on the left side surface28of the relay main body24is disposed at the center. However, when three or more lead terminals25are disposed on one side surface of the relay main body24, the lead terminal25having the highest rigidity may be disposed at one of both ends. However, in order to cause an external force to stably act on the lead terminal25having the highest rigidity, it is preferable that the lead terminal having the highest rigidity be disposed at an inside position other than the positions of both ends.

In the relay21according to this embodiment, the thickness of the lead terminal25blocated at the center among the three lead terminals25ato25cdisposed on the left side surface28of the relay main body24is set to be larger than the thicknesses of the other lead terminals25aand25c. Accordingly, for example, when points at which the three lead terminals25ato25care bent in an L shape are set to positions at which distances from the left side surface28are the same, the contact portion35bhaving the highest rigidity is disposed to protrude more outward than the other contact portions35aand35c. On the other hand, for example, when the thicknesses of the three lead terminals25ato25care the same, the contact portion34bof the lead terminal25bcan be disposed to protrude outward by setting the bending position at which the base end34bof the lead terminal25bis bent in an L shape to a position farther separated from the left side surface28of the relay main body24than the bending positions of the other lead terminals25aand25c.

A type of electronic component other than the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1will be described below. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the relay module20into which the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1is assembled is described as the electronic component assembly structure according to the present invention, but the configuration of the electronic component is not limited to this example. An electronic component having the following configuration may be employed. That is, the electronic component includes a component main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape (which includes a square parallelepiped shape) and plural lead terminals, the lead terminals are disposed to droop along the corresponding side surface of the component main body and plural lead terminals having different rigidities are arranged in the width direction of at least one side surface of the component main body. Here, the lead terminal having the highest rigidity among the plural lead terminals is disposed to protrude more in the direction in which it gets apart from the side surface of the component main body than the other lead terminals. For example, the same advantages as in the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1can be achieved in electronic components (for example, relays) having the following configurations. Differences from the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1will be described below.

FIG. 6is a perspective view illustrating another example of the relay according to this embodiment. In the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1, each of a pair of opposite side surfaces of the relay main body24is provided with the lead terminals25, but two neighboring side surfaces29and30may be provided with the lead terminals25like a relay52illustrated inFIG. 6. In the example illustrated inFIG. 6, the contact portion35bof the central lead terminal25bamong the plural lead terminals25ato25cdisposed on one side surface30of the relay main body24is disposed to protrude more in the direction in which it gets apart from the side surface30of the relay main body24than the contact portions35aand35cof the other lead terminals25aand25c. In this embodiment, in the housing member23receiving the relay52, the second housing chamber37is formed at two positions adjacent to the first housing chamber36to correspond to the arrangement of the lead terminals25(25ato25d) and the second housing chambers37are arranged to be perpendicular to each other. In each second housing chamber37, the terminal fittings22corresponding to the number of lead terminals25inserted into the second housing chamber37are held to correspond to the lead terminals25.

In the relay52illustrated inFIG. 6, one side surface among two neighboring side surfaces of the relay main body24is provided with three lead terminals and the other side surface is provided with one lead terminal, but the numbers of lead terminals25disposed on the side surfaces are not particularly limited except for a case where all the side surfaces are provided with the lead terminals25, respectively, and may be equal to or different from each other. The number of side surfaces of the relay main body24on which the lead terminals25are disposed is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. In this case, the second housing chambers37can be disposed at one or more positions adjacent to the first housing chamber36depending on the arrangement of the lead terminals25.

FIG. 7is a perspective view illustrating another example of the relay according to this embodiment.FIG. 7illustrates a relay53in which four lead terminals25ato25dare disposed on one side surface of the relay main body24. In the example illustrated inFIG. 7, the contact portions35band35cof the lead terminals25band25camong the lead terminals25ato25ddisposed on the front surface30of the relay main body24are disposed to protrude more in the direction in which it gets apart from the side surface30of the relay main body24than the contact portions35aand35dof the other lead terminals25aand25d. In this case, the lead terminals25band25care set to have the same thickness and are set to have a thickness larger than that of the other lead terminals25aand25d. Accordingly, since the lead terminals25band25chave a rigidity higher than that of the other lead terminals25aand25d, it is possible to prevent deformation of all the lead terminals25ato25dby disposing two lead terminals having a higher rigidity to protrude more outward. In this embodiment, in the housing member23receiving the relay53, the second housing chamber37is disposed at one position adjacent to the first housing chamber36to correspond to the arrangement of the lead terminals25. The same number of terminal fittings22is held in the second housing chamber37to correspond to the four lead terminals25ato25d.

In the above-mentioned relays, the base ends34of the lead terminals25are completely exposed, but at least a part of each base end34may be covered with a resin.FIG. 8Ais a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a relay in which the base ends34are covered with a resin and which is another example of the relay according to this embodiment andFIG. 8Bis a side view of the relay illustrated inFIG. 8A. A relay54illustrated inFIGS. 8A and 8Bis equal to the relay illustrated inFIG. 1, in that three lead terminals25ato25care disposed to face the left side surface28of the relay main body24and one lead terminal25dis disposed to face the right side surface29.

As illustrated inFIG. 8A, a plate-like insulating member55is attached to the relay54according to this embodiment along one surface of the relay main body24. The insulating member55is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view by molding an insulating resin or the like. The insulating member55extends in a direction perpendicular to the side surfaces28and29facing the lead terminals25and is formed to cover the base ends34of the lead terminals25.

As illustrated inFIG. 8B, the base ends34are covered with the insulating member55in the axial direction thereof and the contact portions35are disposed to protrude from the bottom surface of the insulating member55. Protrusions56are formed to have a level difference at positions at which the insulating member55and the side surfaces28and29intersect each other. The protrusions56come in contact with the top end faces of the wall portions39in assembling the relay54into the housing member23.

By disposing the insulating member55in the relay main body24, the base ends34of the lead terminals25can be supported from the upper side by the insulating member55. Accordingly, since a load applied to the lead terminals25at the time of insertion of the lead terminals25into the terminal fittings22can be greatly reduced, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent deformation of the lead terminals25, in addition to the effects of the relay21illustrated inFIG. 1.

In this way, by disposing the lead terminal having a highest rigidity among the plural lead terminals disposed on one side surface of the component main body so as to protrude more in the direction in which it gets apart from the side surface of the component main body than the other lead terminals, an external force is concentrated on the lead terminal having a highest rigidity, for example, when the electronic component is brought into contact with another member or the like and thus the external force acts thereon. Accordingly, since an external force can be prevented from being applied to the lead terminals having relatively low rigidities, it is possible to prevent deformation of a lead terminal.

According to this configuration, since the lead terminal having a highest rigidity can be inserted into the terminal fitting earlier than the other lead terminals, it is possible to reduce a load in inserting the lead terminal having a relatively low rigidity and thus to prevent deformation of the lead terminal.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent deformation of a lead terminal.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples of the present invention and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Therefore, modifications in design or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

For example, the embodiments have described the relay module using a relay as an electronic component, but the electronic component is not limited to the relay. The embodiments may be applied to other electronic components as long as electronic components include a component main body and lead terminals having configurations and appearance similar to the relay main body and the lead terminals according to the embodiments. Specifically, the embodiments may be applied to, for example, a control module or a fuse in which components such as an electronic circuit board are accommodated in a resinous case.