Patent Publication Number: US-8979583-B2

Title: Terminal-mounting structure and terminal used in the same terminal-mounting structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-178092 filed on Aug. 10, 2012. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a terminal-mounting structure configured to attach a terminal having heat-dissipating portion to a terminal-receiving portion. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a conventional terminal having a heat-dissipating portion (see Japanese design resister No. 968944), and  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a terminal-mounting structure in which the terminal of  FIG. 6  is used. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , a terminal  302  is electrically connected to a terminal or end portion of an electrical wire  303  which at least partly defines a vehicle wiring harness. The terminal  302  is provided with an elongated plate-shaped connecting portion  321 , a pair of heat-dissipating portions  322  each extending perpendicularly with respect to both edges of the connecting portion  321  which are located in a width direction of the connection portion  321 , a locking hole  323  which is formed through the connection portion  321 , a pair of core-caulking pieces  324  configured to caulk a core wire of the electrical wire  303 , and a pair of covering-caulking pieces  325  configured to caulk an insulating covering of the electrical wire  303 . In this configuration, the pair of heat-dissipating portions  322  extends in the same direction. 
     The connecting portion  321  is electrically connected to a terminal other than an electronic part such as fusible link or the terminal  302 . The pair of heat-dissipating portions  322  is configured to dissipate heat which is created by the electrical wire  303  and the terminal  302 . The pair of heat-dissipating portions  322  is inwardly bent at a right angle at its middle portion. Furthermore, there is a relatively small gap or short distance K between the tips of the pair of heat-dissipating portions  322 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the locking hole  323  is provided for a lance  342  to be locked thereto. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , in the terminal-mounting structure  301  the afore-mentioned terminal  302  is coupled or attached to a terminal-receiving portion  304 . Furthermore, referring to  FIG. 7 , the electrical wire  303  to be electrically connected to the terminal  302  is not shown. The terminal-receiving portion  304  is provided with a tube portion  341  for receiving the terminal  302  therein, the lance  342  for locking to the locking hole  323  of the terminal  302 . Furthermore, the terminal-receiving portion  304  is formed in a synthetic-resin frame  307  used for a vehicle electric junction box. In this terminal-mounting structure  301 , the terminal  302  is coupled to the terminal-receiving portion  304  by locking the tip portion of the lance  342  to the locking hole  323 . 
     However, the afore-mentioned terminal-mounting structure  301  has the following problem. When the lance  342  is intended to be locked to the locking hole  323 , it is generally preferable to lock the lance  342  to the locking hole  323  from the side in which the heat-dissipating portion  322  of the connecting portion  321  vertically extends rather than the case as drawn in  FIG. 7  in light of decreasing inner dimension H of the tube portion  341 . However, as mentioned previously, because the pair of heat-dissipating portions  322  is inwardly bent at a right angle at its middle portion, there is only a small gap (or short distance) K between tip portions of the pair of heat-dissipating portions  322 . As a result, the lance  342  cannot be passed between the tip portions of the pair of heat-dissipating portions  322 . For this reason, the lance  342  cannot be locked to the locking hole  323  from the side in which the heat-dissipating portion  322  of the connecting portion  321  vertically extends, and instead, cannot but be locked to the locking hole  323  from the opposite site to the above side. In this case, the inner dimension H of the tube portion  341  accordingly increases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the invention provides a terminal-mounting structure, which allows for space-saving of a terminal-receiving portion, and a terminal used for the terminal-mounting structure. 
     In order to attain the objective, the invention provides a terminal-mounting structure for mounting a terminal to a terminal-receiving portion, which includes the terminal and the terminal-receiving portion. The terminal includes an elongated plate-shaped connecting portion, a pair of wings extending from both edges of the connecting portion which are disposed in a width direction of the connecting portion and being perpendicular to the connecting portion, and a locking hole formed in the connecting portion and located between the pair of wings. The terminal-receiving portion includes a tube portion for receiving the terminal therein, and a lance capable of being locked to the locking hole of the terminal and positioned between the pair of wings. A front face of the connecting portion is not covered by the pair of wings at all. In other words, a distance between the pair of wings is not less than the width of the connecting portion. The pair of wings extends in a same direction. 
     In the terminal-mounting structure, the terminal-receiving portion may further include a pair of lance-protecting walls configured to position the lance therebetween and positioned between the pair of wings. 
     In the terminal-mounting structure, the pair of lance-protecting walls may have a tapered portion, which is configured to guide the terminal to its normal position. 
     In the terminal-mounting structure, the pair of wings may be inserted into the tube portion along an inner surface of the tube portion. 
     As another aspect of the invention, a terminal suited for used in the terminal-mounting structure as mentioned previously is also provided. The terminal includes an elongated plate-shaped connecting portion, a pair of wings extending from both edges of the connecting portion which are disposed in a width direction of the connecting portion and being perpendicular to the connecting portion, and a locking hole formed in the connecting portion and located between the pair of wings. A front face of the connecting portion is not covered by the pair of wings at all. The pair of wings extends in a same direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a terminal-mounting structure in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a terminal used in the terminal-mounting structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the terminal-mounting structure of  FIG. 1  along the line A-A; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the terminal-mounting structure of  FIG. 1  along the line B-B; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the terminal-mounting structure of  FIG. 1  along line C-C; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a conventional terminal; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a terminal-mounting structure in which the terminal of  FIG. 6  is used. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , one embodiment of a terminal-mounting structure in accordance with the invention and a terminal used in the one embodiment of the terminal-mounting structure will be hereinafter described in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a terminal-mounting structure  1  is provided to attach or couple a terminal  2  to a terminal-receiving portion  4 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the terminal  2  is electrically connected to a terminal or end portion of an electrical wire which constitutes vehicle wiring harness. In  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an electrical wire  3  to be electrically connected to the terminal  2  is not shown. A terminal-receiving portion  4  is mounted to a frame  7 , which is used for a vehicle electric junction box. The frame  7  is formed of synthetic polymer composition, and includes a bus bar-receiving portion  5  for mounting a bus bar therein, a part-receiving portion  6  for mounting a part such as a fusible link therein, and etc. in addition to the terminal-receiving portion  4 .  FIGS. 1 ,  3 - 5  depict not an overall of the frame  7  but a part of the frame  7 . 
     The terminal  2  can be obtained by, for example, pressing a metallic plate. The terminal  2  is provided with an elongated plate-shaped connecting portion  21 , a pair of wings  22  extending from both edges or ends of the connecting portion  21  which are disposed in a width direction of the connecting portion  21 , and being perpendicular to the connecting portion  21 , a locking hole (through-hole)  23  formed in the connecting portion  21  and is disposed between the pair of wings  22 , a pair of core-caulking pieces  24  configured to caulk a core wire of the electrical wire  3 , and a pair of covering-caulking pieces  25  configured to caulk an insulating covering of the electrical wire  3 . In this configuration, the pair of wings  22  extends from each edge of the connecting portion  21  in a same direction. 
     A tip portion of the connecting portion  21  is electrically connected to a fusible link, which is coupled or attached to a part-receiving portion  6 . The pair of wings  22  is configured to dissipate heat which is created by the terminal  2  and the electrical wire  3 . The pair of wings  22  is perpendicular to the connecting portion  21 . Furthermore, there is totally opened between the pair of wings  22 . In other words, the front surface of the connecting portion  21  is not covered by the pair of wings  22  at all. The tip portion of a lance  42  of the terminal-receiving portion  4  is locked to the locking hole  23 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the terminal-receiving portion  4  includes a tube portion  41  configured to receive the terminal  2  therein, the lance  42 , which is locked to the locking hole  23  of the terminal  2  and is disposed between the pair of wings  22 , and a pair of lance-protecting walls  43  configured to position the lance  42  therebetween and located between the pair of wings  22 . 
     The tube portion  41  is angular tube-shaped. Referring to  FIG. 3 , one end of the tube portion  41  communicates with the part-receiving portion  6 . The other end of the tube portion  41  corresponds to a terminal inlet through which the terminal  2  is inserted. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each of the pair of the lance-protecting walls  43  is provided with a tapered portion  44 , which is configured to guide the terminal  2  to a normal position. The tapered portion  44  is formed at the end of the lance-protecting wall  43  adjacent to the terminal inlet. The tapered portion  44  is inclined away from the inner surface of the tube portion  41  communicating with the lance-protecting wall  43  of the tube portion  41 , as going toward the part-receiving portion  6  side away from the terminal insert side. 
     When attaching the terminal  2  is intended to be attached to the terminal-receiving portion  4 , the core wire of the electrical wire  3  is caulked by the pair of core-caulking pieces  24  and the insulating covering of the electrical wire  3  is caulked by the pair of covering-caulking piece  25  in advance so that the terminal  2  is attached to the end or terminal of the electrical wire  3 . Subsequently, the terminal  2  is inserted from the connecting portion  21  into the tube portion  41 . As such, the terminal  2  is inserted into the tube portion  41  so that the tip portion of the lance  42  is locked to the locking hole  23  of the terminal  2 , and terminal  2  is then attached or coupled to the terminal-receiving portion  4 . Furthermore, while the lance  42  locked to the locking hole  23 , the tip portion of the connecting portion  21  is located inside the part-receiving portion  6 . 
     When the terminal  2  is inserted into the tube portion  41 , the tip portion of the connecting portion  21  slides on the tapered portion  44  of the lance-protecting portion  43  so that the terminal  2  is smoothly guided to its normal position. Accordingly, the tip portion of the connecting portion  21  is avoided to collide against the lance  42 , and thus possible breakage or damage of the lance  42  can be effectively avoided. Moreover, the pair of the wings  22  is inserted into the tube portion  41  along the inner surface of the tube portion  41  so that the terminal  2  can be inserted into the tube portion  41  in a smooth manner. In other words, the pair of wings  33  is configured to guide the terminal  2  to insert into the tube portion  41 . 
     Moreover, the terminal  2  is erroneously inserted into the tube portion  41  upside down, the tip portion of the connecting portion  21  abuts against the tapered portion  44  of the lance-protecting portion  43  during the insertion of the terminal  2 , thereby not allowing the terminal to progress any further. Accordingly, erroneous insertion of the terminal  2  into the tube portion  41  can be effectively prevented. As such, due to the presence of the lance-protecting wall  43  the tip portion of the connecting portion  21  is avoided to collide against the lance  42 , and breakage or damage of the lance  42  is thus avoided. 
     As described previously, due to the terminal-mounting structure  1  the lance  42  can be located between the pair of wings  22 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the inner dimension of the tube  41  can be suppressed to the height of the wing  22 , thereby allowing the size of the terminal-receiving portion  4  to be reduced. 
     While the afore-mentioned examples is directed to a case in which the terminal-mounting structure  1  is applied to a vehicle electric junction box, the terminal-mounting structure  1  can be applied to a connector or other electrical or electronic devices other than the vehicle electric junction box. 
     The present invention has been described in terms of one or more preferred embodiments, and it should be appreciated that many equivalents, alternatives, variations, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the invention.