Terminal module

A terminal module A includes a plurality of terminal fittings (30) each including a horizontal plate-like connecting portion (31) and a wire connecting portion (35) extending rearward from the plate-like connecting portion (31), a locking wall (38) rising from a front end edge of the plate-like connecting portion (31) and including a locking hole (42), and an insulating case (10) including accommodating portions (11) configured to individually accommodate the plurality of terminal fittings (30). Each accommodating portion (11) includes a receiving portion (23) configured such that a wire connecting portion (35) is to be placed thereon, a front panel (13) facing the locking wall (38), a locking projection (16) formed on the front panel (13) so that a locking hole (42) is to be locked thereto, and a support (22) facing the plate-like connecting portion (31) from behind.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a terminal module.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-301874 discloses a structure in which an insulator is placed on a lid body of a battery case constituting a battery module. Metal terminals are mounted on the upper surface of the insulator and adjacent metal terminals are coupled by busbars using bolts and nuts. The metal terminals are components constituting electrodes of secondary batteries. Thus, the electrodes of adjacent secondary batteries are connected by the busbars. A voltage of the secondary battery can be detected if a terminal fitting connected to a voltage detection circuit is connected to the metal terminal together with the busbar by a bolt.

Plural busbars are mounted one by one on the metal terminals in the above-described battery module. Thus, plural terminal fittings are mounted one by one on the metal terminals when mounting the terminal fittings for voltage detection. Individually handling the terminal fittings this way is inefficient, and an improvement is desired.

The invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to enable plural terminal fittings to be handled collectively.

SUMMARY

The invention is directed to a terminal module with plural terminal fittings. Each terminal fitting includes a horizontal plate-like connecting portion formed with a mounting hole through which a bolt of a fastening member is to be inserted. A wire connecting portion extends rearward from an outer periphery of the plate-like connecting portion. A locking wall rises from a front edge of the plate-like connecting portion and includes a locking hole. An insulating case includes accommodating portions configured for individually accommodating the terminal fittings with both upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like connecting portions open outward. Each accommodating portion includes a receiving portion that is configured so that the wire connecting portion is to be placed thereon. The accommodating portion has a front wall that faces a front surface of the locking wall and a locking projection is formed on the front wall so that the locking hole is to be locked thereto. The accommodating portion further has a support facing the plate-like connecting portion from behind.

The terminal fitting accommodated in the accommodating portion is positioned in a front-rear direction by causing the locking wall and the plate-like connecting portion to face the front wall and the supporting portion. The terminal fitting also is positioned in a vertical direction by locking the locking hole to the locking projection and placing the wire connecting portion on the receiving portion. The plural terminal fittings are positioned and mounted into the insulating case in this way so that the plural terminal fittings can be collectively handled.

A front rotation stop may be formed on the front wall and may be configured to restrict lateral displacement by locking the locking wall. According to this configuration, the terminal fitting can be prevented from being dragged to rotate when a bolt inserted through the mounting hole is fastened or when a nut screwed onto the bolt inserted through the mounting hole is fastened.

A rear rotation stop may be formed on the plate-like connecting portion and may be configured to restrict a lateral relative displacement by locking the support. According to this configuration, the terminal fitting is prevented from being dragged to rotate when a bolt inserted through the mounting hole is fastened or when a nut screwed onto the bolt inserted through the mounting hole is fastened.

A resilient retaining piece may be formed in the accommodating portion and may face an outer peripheral edge of the plate-like connecting portion from above. According to this configuration, the terminal fitting is prevented from being lifted from the insulating case.

A guide may project at a position of the front wall above the locking projection and may be configured to avoid interference of a lower end edge of the locking wall with the locking projection by causing an upper end edge of the locking wall to slide down in contact therewith. According to this configuration, the lower end edge of the locking wall is not hooked to the locking projection when the locking wall is accommodated into the accommodating portion along the front wall. Thus, the locking hole can be locked to the locking projection without any problem.

An upper end edge of the locking wall may be folded into two. According to this configuration, the strength of the upper end edge of the locking wall is enhanced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 11. Note that, in the following description, an oblique right-upper side inFIGS. 1, 7 and 10and a right side inFIGS. 2 to 6, 8, 9 and 11are defined as a front concerning a front-rear direction. Concerning a vertical direction, upper and lower sides inFIGS. 1, 4 to 7, 9 and 10are defined as upper and lower sides. Concerning a lateral direction, a lower side inFIGS. 2, 8 and 11is defined as a right side.

A terminal module A of this embodiment is an integrated assembly of one insulating case10made of synthetic resin and a plurality of terminal fittings30. The terminal fittings30are connected conductively to electrodes50provided on the upper surfaces o secondary batteries (not shown) of a battery module using fastening members51. Each fastening member51has a bolt52projecting up from the electrode50and a nut53to be screwed onto the bolt52from above. A wire43is fixed to each terminal fitting30and can be connected to a detection circuit (not shown) for detecting a voltage of the secondary battery.

The insulating case10is formed with accommodating portions11connected side by side in the lateral direction. For the sake of convenience, only one accommodating portion11is shown inFIGS. 1 to 9. The upper surface of the accommodating portion11is open upward over substantially over the entire area thereof, and the lower surface of the accommodating portion11is open downward in a wide area excluding a receiving portion23thereof. One terminal fitting30is accommodated into each accommodating portion11by being dropped down from above. The accommodating portion11includes a frame-shaped peripheral wall12with a front panel13, a right side panel14R, a left side panel14L and a rear panel15.

A locking projection16in the form of a laterally long projecting rib is formed on the rear surface of the front panel13(inner surface of the peripheral wall12). Similarly, left and right guide ribs17(front rotation stopping portion as claimed) are formed on the rear surface of the front panel13and are bilaterally symmetrically arranged across the locking projection16. The guide ribs17extend vertically and parallel to a mounting direction of the terminal fitting30into the accommodating portion11. A formation range of each guide rib17is continuous from the lower end to the upper end of the front panel13.

Bilaterally symmetrical left and right guide projections18are arranged along the inner surfaces of the guide ribs17and are formed on the rear surface of the front wall13. Each guide projection18has a guide slope19inclined down toward the rear. The left and right guide projections18are arranged above the locking projection16in the vertical direction and are at opposite lateral sides of the locking projection16in a plan view.

The rear panel15is composed of a right wall portion15R extending from the right end of the accommodating portion11(peripheral wall12) to a position slightly to the right of a lateral center and an arcuate wall portion15L arranged on a left end part of the accommodating portion11. A part of the right wall portion15R defines a resilient retaining piece20cantilevered down from the upper end of the right panel15R (seeFIGS. 3 and 4) and is resiliently deflectable in the front-rear direction. A retaining projection21is formed on the front surface of the resilient retaining piece20(inner surface of the peripheral wall12).

The accommodating portion11is formed with a support22in the form of a rib projecting forward from a left end part of the right wall15R. The support22is formed continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the right wall15R, and an upper half area of the front end edge of the support22is inclined down toward the front. The accommodating portion11is formed with the receiving portion23in the form of a horizontal plate. The receiving portion23is arranged in an area behind the rear panel15in the front-rear direction and is arranged between the right wall portion15R and the arcuate wall portion15L in the lateral direction.

The terminal fitting30is formed by applying bending and the like to a metal plate material stamped into a predetermined shape. For the sake of convenience, only one terminal fitting30is shown inFIGS. 1 to 6, 10 and 11. The terminal fitting30is formed integrally with a horizontal plate-like connecting portion31, a wire connecting portion35and a locking wall38. A substantially circular mounting hole32penetrates through a central part of the plate-like connecting portion31in a plate thickness direction is formed in. The mounting hole32is disposed substantially in a central part of the plate-like connecting portion31both in the lateral direction and in the front-rear direction.

A locking recess33(rear rotation stopping portion as claimed) is formed on the rear end edge of the plate-like connecting portion31. The locking recess33is formed by cutting a laterally central part of the rear end edge of the plate-like connecting portion31forwardly. In the lateral direction, the entire area of the locking recess33is disposed within the range of an opening area of the mounting hole32. A retaining wall34is formed in an area of the rear end edge of the plate-like connecting portion31to the right of the locking recess33and rises at a substantially right angle. In the lateral direction, a left end part of the retaining wall34is arranged within the range of the opening area of the mounting hole32.

The wire connecting portion35is cantilevered rearward from an area of the rear edge of the plate-like connecting portion31to the left of the locking recess33and includes an open insulation barrel36and an open wire barrel portion37. The insulation barrel36is crimped to a front part of an insulation coating of the wire43, and the wire barrel37is crimped to a front part of the wire43where a conductor is exposed. In the lateral direction, a right area of the wire connecting portion35is arranged within the range of the opening area of the mounting hole32.

The locking wall38is cantilevered up from a laterally central part of the front end of the plate-like connecting portion31. The locking wall38includes a substantially rectangular base plate39directly connected to the front end of the plate-like connecting portion31and a substantially rectangular folded portion40folded to turn toward a rear from the entire area of the upper end of the base plate39and extending down. A vertical dimension of the folded portion40is smaller than that of the base plate39and the lower edge of the folded portion40is above that of the base plate39(locking wall38). In this way, an upper end38U of the locking wall38has a double wall structure. The outer surface (upper surface) of the upper end38U of the locking wall38is formed into an arcuate surface41having a substantially semicircular cross-section.

A wide rectangular locking hole42penetrates from the front surface to the rear surface of the base plate39of the locking wall38. The locking hole42is disposed below the upper end38U of the double wall structure and is formed only in the base plate39. The upper edge of an opening area of the locking hole42is at the same height as the lower end edge of the folded portion40. A vertical dimension between the upper end of the locking wall38and the upper edge of the opening area of the locking hole42is slightly smaller than a vertical distance between the upper surface of the locking projection16and the lower surface of the guide projection18. Further, in the lateral direction, a formation area of the locking wall38is substantially equal to the opening area of the mounting hole32. The locking wall38is at a position opposite to the locking recess33and the retaining wall34across the mounting hole32.

Functions and Effects of Embodiment

In mounting the terminal fitting30into the accommodating portion11, the terminal fitting30is inclined so that a front end of the plate-like connecting portion31faces obliquely down and the plate-like connecting portion31is accommodated into a space enclosed by the peripheral wall12. At this time, the locking wall38is fit between the left and right guide ribs17and the plate-like connecting portion31is displaced down while the upper end38U of the locking wall38slides in contact with the rear surface of the front wall13. After the upper end38U of the locking wall38reaches the upper end of the guide projection18, the upper end38U (arcuate surface41) of the locking wall38slides down in contact with the guide slope19of the guide projection18as shown by an imaginary line inFIG. 5.

A lower end38L of the locking wall38is below the upper end38U and the locking projection16projects rearward from the front wall13. Thus, the lower end38L of the locking wall38may interfere with the locking projection16in the process of displacing the locking wall38down. However, the locking wall38is guided toward an oblique lower side with respect to the front wall13by the inclination of the guide slope19, i.e. guided in a direction rearward of and away from the locking projection16in the front-rear direction. Thus, the lower end38L of the locking wall38does not interfere with the locking projection16.

When the upper end38U of the locking wall38reaches the lower end of the guide slope19, as shown by a solid line inFIG. 5, in the process of accommodating the plate-like connecting portion31into the accommodating portion11, the lower end38L of the locking wall38is located below the upper end of the locking projection16. A vertical dimension from the upper end of the locking hole42to the upper end of the locking wall38is slightly smaller than a vertical distance between the locking projection16and the guide projection18. Thus, even if the upper end edge portion38U of the locking wall38is separated down from the lower end of the guide slope19and the entire locking wall38is displaced obliquely to a lower-front side, the lower end38L of the locking wall38does not interfere with the locking projection16and a tip part (rear end part) of the locking projection16is fit shallowly into the locking hole42, as shown inFIG. 6. During this time, the terminal fitting30is in such an inclined posture that the front part of the plate-like connecting portion31is facing obliquely down.

The locking projection16is fit deeply into the locking hole42when the upper end38U of the locking wall38is brought into contact with the front panel13from a state shown inFIG. 6, and when the terminal fitting30is returned to a horizontal posture with the contact part serving as a support, as shown inFIG. 4. Thus, the locking wall38is fit between the left and right guide ribs17and the wire connecting portion35is inserted between the right wall portion15R and the arcuate wall portion15L and placed on the receiving portion23, as shown inFIG. 3. Additionally, the locking recess33is fit to the support22, as shown inFIG. 2. Further, in the process of returning the terminal fitting30to the horizontal posture, the retaining wall34of the terminal fitting30interferes with the retaining projection21to resiliently displace the resilient retaining piece20rearward. When the terminal fitting30returns to the horizontal posture, the upper end of the retaining wall34passes over the retaining projection21so that the resilient retaining piece20resiliently returns forward and the retaining projection21becomes lockable to the upper end of the retaining wall34from above.

The front surface of the locking wall38and the rear surface of the front panel13face each other and a back end part of the locking recess33and the front end of the support22face each other to position the terminal fitting30in the front-rear direction with respect to the accommodating portion11. Fitting the locking projection16in the locking hole42and fitting the locking wall portion38and the guide ribs17positions the front end part of the terminal fitting30in the lateral direction with respect to the accommodating portion11. Fitting the locking recess33and the support22positions a rear end part of the plate-like connecting portion31in the lateral direction with respect to the accommodating portion11. The terminal fitting30is positioned in the vertical direction with respect to the accommodating portion11by: fitting the locking projection16and the locking hole42; sandwiching the upper end38U of the locking wall38between the locking projection16and the guide projection18; placing the wire connecting portion35on the receiving portion23; and causing the upper end of the retaining wall34and the retaining projection21of the resilient retaining piece20to face each other.

In the above way, each terminal fitting30is positioned individually and mounted into each accommodating portion11of the insulating case10. With the terminal fitting30mounted, at least the mounting hole32and a part around the mounting hole32in the lower surface of the plate-like connecting portion31are open downward of the accommodating portion11, as shown inFIG. 3. In this way, it is possible to arrange the terminal module A above the battery module, place the plate-like connecting portions31on the upper surfaces of the electrodes50and insert the bolts52of the electrodes50into the mounting holes32.

Further, since the entire area of the plate-like connecting portion31is open upward of the accommodating portion11, as shown inFIG. 2, the nut53can be screwed from above onto the bolt52projecting up from the mounting hole32. The screwed nut53is accommodated in the space enclosed by the peripheral wall12and contacts the upper surface of the plate-like connecting portion31. When the nut53is tightened from this state, the plate-like connecting portion31is sandwiched strongly between the electrode50and the nut53and the electrode50and the terminal fitting30are connected conductively.

In fastening the nut53, the terminal fitting30may be dragged to rotate together with the nut53due to friction between a seat surface of the nut53and the upper surface of the plate-like connecting portion31. However, a lateral displacement of the terminal fitting30with respect to the accommodating portion11is restricted by fitting the locking projection16and the locking hole42, fitting the locking wall38and the guide ribs17and fitting the locking recess33and the support22. Therefore the terminal fitting30is not dragged to rotate. Further, the drag rotation in the case of loosening the nut53also is prevented by these engagements.

As described above, the terminal module A includes the plural terminal fittings30and the insulating case10. Each terminal fitting30includes the horizontal plate-like connecting portion31, the wire connecting portion35and the locking wall38. The plate-like connecting portion31is formed with the mounting hole32through which the bolt52of the fastening member51is to be inserted. The wire connecting portion35extends rearward from the outer periphery of the plate-like connecting portion31. The locking wall38rises from the front end of the plate-like connecting portion31and includes the locking hole42.

The insulating case10includes the accommodating portions11for individually accommodating the terminal fittings30with both upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like connecting portion31open out. The accommodating portion11includes the receiving portion23on which the wire connecting portion35is to be placed, the front panel13facing the front of the locking wall38, the locking projection16on the front panel13so that the locking hole42is to be locked thereto, and the support22facing the plate-like connecting portion31from behind.

According to this configuration, the terminal fitting30accommodated in the accommodating portion11is positioned in the front-rear direction by causing the locking wall38and the plate-like connecting portion31to face the front wall13and the supporting portion22, and positioned in the vertical direction by locking the locking hole42to the locking projection16and placing the wire connecting portion35on the receiving portion23. The terminal fittings30can be handled collectively since the plural terminal fittings30are mounted in the insulating case10in the terminal module A.

The front wall13has the guide ribs17for restricting lateral relative displacement by locking the locking wall38. Accordingly, when the nut53screwed onto the bolt52inserted through the mounting hole32is fastened, the terminal fitting30can be prevented from being dragged to rotate. Further, the plate-like connecting portion31may include the locking recess33for restricting a lateral relative displacement by locking the supporting portion22. Also by this configuration, the terminal fitting30can be prevented from being dragged to rotate when the nut53screwed onto the bolt52inserted through the mounting hole32is fastened.

Further, the accommodating portion11is formed with the resilient retaining piece20facing an outer peripheral edge part of the plate-like connecting portion31from above. Thus, the terminal fitting30mounted into the accommodating portion11can be prevented from being lifted with respect to the insulating case10. Further, the guide projection18for avoiding the interference of the lower end edge portion38L of the locking wall38with the locking projection16by causing the upper end edge portion38U of the locking wall38to slide down in contact therewith is formed at the position of the front panel13above the locking projection16. According to this configuration, since the lower end portion38L of the locking wall38is not hooked to the locking projection16in accommodating the locking wall38into the accommodating portion11along the front panel13, the locking hole42can be locked to the locking projection16without any problem. Further, since the upper end38U of the locking wall38is folded into two, the strength of the upper end edge portion38U of the locking wall38is high.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the scope of the invention.

Although the front panel is formed with the front rotation stopping portion in the above embodiment, the front panel may not include the front rotation stopping portion.

Although the plate-like connecting portion is formed with the rear rotation stopping portion in the above embodiment, the plate-like connecting portion may not include the rear rotation stopping portion.

Although the resilient retaining piece is formed on the rear panel of the accommodating portion in the above embodiment, the resilient retaining piece may be formed on the front panel or side panel of the accommodating portion.

Although the front panel is formed with the guide projection in the above embodiment, the front panel may not include the guide projection.

Although the upper end edge of the locking wall is folded into two in the above embodiment, the upper end edge of the locking wall portion may be in the form of a single plate.

Although the bolt projecting from the electrode is inserted through the mounting hole in the above embodiment, the bolt may be inserted through the mounting hole from above the terminal fitting.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS