# Patent

## Title
Crimp terminal

## Abstract

A crimp terminal includes a bottom portion. A pair of conductor press-fastening portions respectively extend from opposite side edges of the bottom portion. A serration is formed in a face of the bottom portion on which a conductor of a wire is to be placed. The serration extends in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the placed conductor. A direction indication mark portion is provided on the face of the bottom portion. The direction indication mark portion is indicative of a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the serration.

## Background
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/395,574 filed Mar. 12, 2012, which is a 371 National Stage Application of PCT/JP2010/072723 filed Dec. 10, 2010, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-281484 filed on Dec. 11, 2009; the entire disclosures of the prior applications are considered part of the disclosure of the accompanying Continuation Application and are hereby incorporated by reference.


TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a crimp terminal to which a wire is crimped.
BACKGROUND ART
Various crimp terminals have been proposed (refer to PTL 1). One conventional example of the crimp terminals is shown in FIG. 4.
In FIG. 4, a crimp terminal 50 is made of an electrically-conductive material. The crimp terminal 50 includes a mating terminal connection portion 51 for connection to a mating terminal, and a wire crimping portion 52 to which a wire W is crimped.
The mating terminal connection portion 51 extends forwardly from a bottom portion 53 of the wire crimping portion 52. The wire crimping portion 52 includes the bottom portion 53, a pair of conductor press-fastening portions 54 projecting respectively from opposite side edges of the bottom portion 53, and a pair of sheath press-fastening portions 55 projecting respectively from the opposite side edges of the bottom portion 53. A conductor w1 of the wire W placed on the bottom portion 53 is crimped by deforming the pair of conductor press-fastening portions 54, and two portions of a sheath w2 of the wire W placed on the bottom portion 53 are crimped by deforming the pair of sheath press-fastening portions 55, whereby the wire W is crimped to the wire crimping portion 52.
Three serrations 56a, 56b and 56c which are grooves are formed in a face of the bottom portion 53 on which the conductor w1 of the wire. W is to be placed, and are disposed at a region where the pair of conductor press-fastening portions 54 are formed. The serrations 56a, 56b and 56c are disposed at substantially equal intervals in an axial direction of the conductor w1, and extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the conductor w1.
It is thought that the serrations 56a, 56b and 56c have advantages such as: an effect of cleaning between the conductor w1 and the bottom portion 53; an enhanced electrical performance due to an increased area of contact between the conductor w1 and the bottom portion 53; and an enhanced wire holding force, that is crimping characteristic, due to biting of the serrations into the conductor w1 and so on.
The Applicant has found that by providing a construction, as shown in FIG. 5, for reducing a shearing force of opposite end-side serrations 56a and 56c against the conductor w1 and securing a strong wire holding force (see PTL 1). In the construction, a central serration 56b among the three serrations 56a, 56b and 56c has an inverted trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and its inner and outer angles θ2 are the same. Each of the serrations 56a and 56c disposed respectively at the opposite end sides among the three serrations 56a, 56b and 56c has an inverted trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and is bilaterally asymmetrical that its outer angle θ1 is formed into an obtuse angle larger than its inner angle θ2.
In order to confirm whether or not the angles of the three serrations 56a, 56b and 56c have been set respectively to the above-mentioned desired angles, it is necessary to accurately measure the angles of the three serrations 56a, 56b and 56c formed in the bottom portion 53. In order to accurately measure the angles of each of the serrations 56a, 56b and 56c, it is necessary to cut the bottom portion 53 along a cutting line 60 parallel to a direction L perpendicular to the direction of extending of each serration 56a, 56b, 56c and then to measure the angles of each serration 56a, 56b, 56c utilizing its cut surface, as shown in FIG. 6.
CITATION LIST


    [PTL 1] JP-A-10-125362


SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
In the above conventional crimp terminal 50, there is provided no means for specifying the direction L perpendicular to the extending direction of each serration 56a, 56b, 56c. Therefore a measurer has to suitably cut the bottom portion 53 by only visual inspection. Therefore, the bottom portion 53 may be cut along a cutting line 61 inclined relative to the direction L perpendicular to the extending direction of each serration 56a, 56b, 56c, as shown in FIG. 7. When the bottom portion 53 is cut along the cutting line 61 inclined relative to the accurate direction L, there is a problem that the angles of the serrations 56a, 56b and 56c can not be accurately measured.
It is therefore one advantageous aspect of the present invention is to provide a crimp terminal in which the angles of serrations can be accurately measured.
Solution to Problem
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a crimp terminal comprising:
a bottom portion;
a pair of conductor press-fastening portions respectively extending from opposite side edges of the bottom portion;
a serration formed in a face of the bottom portion on which a conductor of a wire is to be placed, and extending in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the placed conductor; and
a direction indication mark portion provided on the face of the bottom portion and indicative of a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the serration.
The direction indication mark portion may be a linear mark portion provided along the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the serration.
The direction indication mark portion may be a slot formed through the bottom portion and extending along the direction perpendicular to the direction extending of the serration.
The crimp terminal may be configured such that: a plurality of the serrations are provided on the face of the bottom portion, the serrations are arranged in the axial direction of the placed conductor.
The crimp terminal may be configured such that: a pair of the slots are formed on the face of the bottom portion, the slots extend across the serrations, and the slots are arranged in the extending direction of the serrations.
The crimp terminal may be configured such that: two pairs of the linear mark portions are provided on the face of the bottom portion, the two pairs of the linear mark portions are respectively disposed each of outsides of a region between two of the serrations which are disposed at opposite end-sides, and the linear mark portions of each pair of the linear mark portions are arranged in the extending direction of the serrations.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the present invention, by cutting the bottom portion on the basis of the direction indication mark portion, the bottom portion can be accurately cut in the direction perpendicular to the direction of extending of the serration, and therefore the angles of the serration can be accurately measured.
According to the present invention, the strength of the bottom portion will hardly or will not at all be decreased.
According to the present invention, the angles of the serration can be visually confirmed through the slot, and therefore the angles of the serration can be accurately measured without cutting the bottom portion.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crimp terminal in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a developed view of a wire crimping portion of the crimp terminal shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a developed view of a wire crimping portion of a crimp terminal in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional crimp terminal.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a bottom portion of a wire crimping portion of the conventional crimp terminal shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a view of the conventional crimp terminal shown in FIG. 6, showing a cutting line extending along a direction perpendicular to a direction of extending of serrations.
FIG. 7 is a view of the conventional crimp terminal shown in FIG. 6, showing a cutting line inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to the direction of extending of the serrations.



DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Exemplified embodiments of the invention will be described below in detail with reference the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crimp terminal 1. FIG. 2 is a developed view of an important portion of a wire crimping portion 3 of the crimp terminal 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the crimp terminal 1 is formed from an electrically-conductive material, and includes a mating terminal connection portion 2 for connection to a mating terminal, and the wire crimping portion 3 to which a wire W is crimped.
The mating terminal connection portion 2 is defined by a portion extending forwardly from a bottom portion 4 of the wire crimping portion 3. The wire crimping portion 3 includes the bottom portion 4, a pair of conductor press-fastening portions 5 projecting respectively from opposite side edges of the bottom portion 4, and a pair of sheath press-fastening portions 6 projecting respectively from the opposite side edges of the bottom portion 4. A conductor w1 of the wire W placed on the bottom portion 4 is crimped by deforming the pair of conductor press-fastening portions 5 due to the press-fastening, and two portions of a sheath w2 of the wire W placed on the bottom portion 4 are crimped by deforming the pair of sheath press-fastening portions 6 due to the press-fastening, whereby the wire W is crimped to the wire crimping portion 3.
Three serrations 10 are formed in a face of the bottom portion 4 on which the conductor w1 of the wire W is to be placed. The serrations 10 may be grooves. The serrations 10 are disposed at a region where the pair of conductor press-fastening portions 5 are formed. These serrations 10 are disposed at substantially equal intervals in an axial direction of the conductor w1, and extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the conductor w1.
Linear mark portions 11 which are direction indication mark portions indicative of a direction L perpendicular to an extending direction of the serrations 10 are provided on the face of the bottom portion 4 on which the wire W is to be placed. The linear mark portions 11 are provided by making fine linear scratches on the face of the bottom portion 4 or by forming colored linear marks on the face of the bottom portion 4. Two pairs of the linear mark portions 11 are provided on the face of the bottom portion 4. The pairs of the linear mark portions 11 are respectively disposed each of outsides of a region between the opposite end-side serrations 10. The linear mark portions 11 of each pair of the linear mark portions 11 are arranged in the extending direction of the serrations.
For measuring angles between each side surface of each of the serrations 10 and the bottom portion 4, the bottom portion 4 is cut along an extending direction of the linear mark portions 11. Accordingly the bottom portion 4 can be cut accurately and easily in the direction L perpendicular to the extending direction of each serration 10. Therefore the angles of each serration 10 can measured accurately and efficiently.
The direction indication portions are formed by the linear mark portions 11 respectively. Therefore the strength of the bottom portion 4 can be maintained.
FIG. 3 is a developed view of an important portion of a wire crimping portion 3 of a crimp terminal 1 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
The crimp terminal 1 of this second embodiment differs from the crimp terminal of the above first embodiment only in the construction of direction indication mark portions.
The direction indication portions of the second embodiment are respectively slots 12 formed through a bottom portion 4 and extending along a direction L perpendicular to the extending direction of each serration 10. The slots 12 are formed to extend across the three serrations 10. A pair of the slots 12 is formed respectively at right and left portions of the bottom portion 4 so as to be arranged in the extending direction of the each serration 10.
The other construction is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore repeated description will be omitted. In the drawings, those portions identical in construction respectively to the corresponding portions of the first embodiment are designated by identical reference numerals, respectively, for clear understanding.
When measuring the angles of each serration 10, the angles of each serration 10 can be visually confirmed utilizing the slots 12 by the cross-sectional shape of the each serration 10. Therefore a measuring operation can be effected without cutting the bottom portion 4. The angles of each serration 10 which can be viewed from the slot 12 are the angles in a direction L perpendicular to the direction of extending of each serration 10. With the above construction, the angles of the serrations 10 can be accurately measured without cutting the bottom portion 4. In addition, the measuring operation can be carried out efficiently since it is not necessary to cut the bottom portion 4.
In each of the above embodiments, although the three serrations 10 are provided at the bottom portion 4, any desired number of the serrations may be provided. Furthermore, the serrations 10 may extend beyond the bottom portion 4 into the conductor press-fastening portions 5.
Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein. Such changes and modifications as are obvious are deemed to come within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-281484 filed on Dec. 11, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein for reference.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention is extremely useful in providing a crimp terminal in which the angles of serrations can be accurately measured.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST


    1 crimp terminal
    4 bottom portion.
    5 conductor press-fastening portion
    10 serration
    11 linear mark (direction indication mark portion)
    12 slot
    W wire
    w1 conductor

## Claims

1. A crimp terminal comprising:
a bottom portion;
a pair of conductor press-fastening portions respectively extending from opposite side edges of the bottom portion;
more than two serrations located proximately at a center portion of the conductor press-fastening portions and formed in a face of the bottom portion on which a conductor of a wire is to be placed, and each of the serrations extending in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the conductor; and
a direction indication mark portion provided on the face of the bottom portion and indicative of a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the more than two serrations,
wherein the direction indication mark portion includes a pair of direction indication marks which are positioned respectively at right and left portions of a region where the serrations are located, and are provided approximately on a line perpendicular to the extending direction of the serration,
wherein the direction indication marks are slots respectively formed through the bottom portion and extending along the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the serrations.

2. The crimp terminal according to claim 1, wherein
the slots extend across the serrations.

3. The crimp terminal according to claim 1, wherein
the slots are formed such that the slots respectively extend across all of the serrations.