Patent Publication Number: US-7901257-B2

Title: Terminal fitting

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a terminal fitting. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2006-228759, 2007-12341 and H11-219735 disclose conventional terminal fittings. A connecting portion is formed at the front end of each of these terminal fittings for connection with a mating connecting portion of a mating terminal. The terminal fitting also includes a bottom plate that is flat in forward and backward directions. Front and rear pairs of crimping pieces stand up from the opposite left and right edges of the bottom plate to form a wire barrel and an insulation barrel rearward of the wire barrel. The front crimping pieces are pressed from above and crimped to surround and engage a core exposed by removing an insulation coating at an end of a wire. The rear crimping pieces are pressed from above and crimped to surround and engage an insulated part of the wire in the insulation barrel. 
     A force that presses the crimping pieces of each of the above-identified terminal fittings from above is likely to act on the bottom plate while crimping the wire barrel and the insulation barrel, thereby warping the terminal fitting upwardly. More particularly, the wire barrel must be fastened strongly to the core. Thus, the crimping pieces are pressed from above with a large force that acts on the bottom plate and warps the terminal fitting upwardly. 
     If the wire barrel presses the core, the bottom plate is squashed and elongates in forward and backward directions, thereby elongating the entire terminal fitting. Elongation of the terminal fitting may cause problems, such as protrusion of the terminal fitting from a cavity if the terminal fitting is accommodated in the cavity of a connector or the like. 
     The wire may have a core formed by twisting strands made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. In this case, a force for crimping the wire barrel needs to be increased to destroy an insulating oxide coating formed on the outer surface of the core. Therefore, the terminal fitting is likely to warp. 
     The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to prevent a warping and/or elongation of a terminal fitting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a terminal fitting with a connecting portion to be connected with a mating connecting portion. A crimping portion is substantially continuous with the rear end of the connecting portion. The crimping portion has a bottom plate and crimping pieces that project from the bottom plate. The crimping portion is to be crimped into connection with a wire so that an end portion of the wire is at least partly surrounded by the bottom plate and the crimping pieces. The bottom plate is formed with at least one reinforcing rib extending in substantially forward and backward directions. The reinforcing rib increases rigidity of the bottom plate and prevents warping deformation and elongation deformation of the terminal fitting even if a pressing force on the crimping pieces acts on the bottom plate while crimping the crimping portion. 
     The reinforcing rib preferably projects toward a wire side, and preferably is formed by being hammered or embossed. More particularly, the reinforcing rib preferably is formed by being hammered toward a wire side. Thus, there is no likelihood of the enlargement of the terminal fitting. 
     The crimping portion preferably includes at least one wire barrel to be crimped into connection with a core exposed by removing an insulation coating at an end portion of the wire. The reinforcing rib is formed at least over the entire region of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions. 
     The wire barrel must be fastened strongly to the core. Thus, the crimping pieces are pressed from above with a large force. The large force acts on the bottom plate of the wire barrel from above and can warp the terminal fitting upwardly. However, the reinforcing rib is formed at least over the entire region of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions. Thus, warping deformation and/or elongation of the terminal fitting is prevented reliably even if a large force acts on the bottom plate portion of the wire barrel from above. 
     The crimping portion is crimped so that the leading ends of the crimping pieces substantially face the bottom plate, and the reinforcing rib is formed at a position to substantially face the leading ends of the crimping pieces when the crimping portion is crimped. 
     A force that presses the crimping pieces upon crimping the crimping portion acts most strongly at a position of the bottom plate facing the leading ends of the crimping pieces and may warp the terminal fitting. However, the reinforcing rib is at a width position of the bottom plate substantially aligned with the leading ends of the crimping pieces upon crimping the crimping portion. Thus, warping deformation of the terminal fitting is prevented more reliably. 
     The reinforcing rib preferably is formed by applying a bending process to a plate material. Thus, the reinforcing rib strengthens the bottom plate and it is difficult to squash the bottom plate. Thus, the bottom plate is lees likely to be elongated by squashing the bottom plate portion and elongation of the entire terminal fitting is suppressed. 
     The reinforcing rib preferably is formed by folding the plate material. Thus, the plate material need not be cut to form the reinforcing rib. Further, the thickness of the reinforcing rib is double the thickness of the plate material when the two plate parts are put together. 
     The reinforcing rib may project toward a wire side. Thus, the surface area of the bottom plate that contacts the wire is increased and an electrically connected state of the wire and the terminal fitting is improved. 
     The bending process preferably is applied to the reinforcing rib so that the leading end of a U-shaped folded part is bent laterally and substantially faces in a width direction. 
     The folded part of a plate that merely is folded may be opened when an excessive compression force acts during a crimping operation. However, the leading end of the U-shaped folded part is bent substantially in the width direction in this embodiment. Thus, the folded part is less susceptible to a force in a direction to open the folded part, and the folded part is less likely to open. 
     At least one embossment preferably is formed in the outer surface of the reinforcing rib by press working. Additionally, a large pressure is exerted in the outer surface of the reinforcing rib during the crimping operation. Thus, the wire is abraded by the embossment with a large pressure and an oxide film formed on the outer surface of the wire is broken. 
     The reinforcing rib preferably extends continuously in substantially forward and backward directions from the neck to the insulation barrel. Thus, the rigidity of the bottom plate is increased. Further, the neck, which tends to be narrower than the other parts, also is reinforced. 
     The projecting end surface of the reinforcing rib functions as a supporting surface for the wire, and hence the wire may wobble if the reinforcing rib is narrow. Accordingly, the reinforcing rib is wider in the insulation barrel than in the wire barrel to prevent the wire from wobbling. 
     Angular edges are formed at corners of the projecting end of the reinforcing rib at least along the wire barrel, and/or rounded R-portions are formed at positions of the corners of the projecting end of the reinforcing rib at least partly along the insulation barrel. Thus, any insulating coating formed on a core of the wire is removed mechanically by the edges. Further, the rounded R-portions formed at the corners of the projecting end of the reinforcing rib corresponding to the insulation barrel will not damage the outer circumferential surface of the wire when supporting the wire. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a terminal fitting according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a section along X-X of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a section showing the shape of a wire barrel portion before being crimped. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a terminal fitting according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a section along A-A of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a first bending process. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing a second bending process. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a crimper and an anvil at the time of a crimping operation. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a terminal fitting according to a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a section along B-B of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of an embossed portion formed in the outer surface of a reinforcing rib. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram showing a first bending process. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram showing a second bending process. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram showing a folded state reached from a state of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a section of a terminal fitting according to a fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a section of a terminal fitting according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a development of a terminal fitting of a fifth embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a section along Y-Y of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is a section of a wire barrel portion crimped into connection with a core of a wire. 
         FIG. 20  is a development of a terminal fitting of a sixth embodiment. 
         FIG. 21  is a section of an insulation barrel portion crimped into connection with an insulation coating of a wire. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A female terminal fitting in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is identified by the numeral  10  in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The terminal fitting  10  is configured to be crimped, bent or folded into connection with an end portion of the wire  30  of a wiring harness. The terminal fitting  10  is formed by applying a bending process, a folding process, an embossing process or the like to a conductive (preferably metal) plate material stamped, punched out or cut into a specified shape. A polygonal tubular connecting portion  11  is formed at the front end of the terminal fitting  10  and is configured to receive a long narrow male tab of a mating male terminal. 
     A crimping portion  12  is formed near a rear end of the terminal fitting  10  for crimped, bent or folded connection with the wire  30 . The crimping portion  12  is comprised of a wire barrel  13  and an insulation barrel  14  located behind the wire barrel  13 . The wire barrel  13  is continuous with the connecting portion  11  and has a base plate  21  and two crimping pieces  22  project from the opposite left and right edges of the bottom plate  21 . The bottom plate  21  and the crimping pieces  22  are laterally symmetrical. The insulation barrel  14  is made up of the bottom plate  21  located behind the wire barrel  13  and two crimping pieces  23  projecting from the opposite left and right edges of the bottom plate  21 . The bottom plate  21  and the crimping pieces  23  also are laterally symmetrical. First couplings  25 F couple the front ends of the crimping pieces  22  of the wire barrel  13  close to the bottom plate  21  to the rear ends of side walls of the connecting portion  11 . Second couplings  25 R couple bottom parts of the rear ends of the crimping pieces  22  of the wire barrel  13  to bottom parts of the front ends of the crimping pieces  23  of the insulation barrel  14 . 
     The bottom plate  21  of the terminal fitting  10  is hammered, embossed or stamped to project in toward the wire  30  to form a reinforcing rib  24  that extends continuously and straight in forward and backward directions FBD. The reinforcing rib  24  extends over substantially the entire region of the wire barrel  13  and may extend beyond the wire barrel  13  in forward and backward directions FBD. The reinforcing rib  24  is formed to be substantially laterally symmetrical by locally hammering, embossing or stamping only a central part of the bottom plate  21  with respect to a width direction. A lateral cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing rib  24  is substantially constant over the entire length or is substantially trapezoidal. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the reinforcing rib  24  raises the upper surface of the bottom plate  21  up toward the wire and toward the crimping pieces  22  and the lower surface thereof is indented before the wire barrel  13  is crimped into connection with a core  31 . 
     The core  31  of the wire  30  is exposed e.g. by removing an insulation coating at an end portion of the wire  30 . The wire  30  then is placed on the bottom plate  21  of the terminal fitting  10  so that the core  31  is in the wire barrel portion  13  and so that an insulated part  32  of the end portion of the wire  30  is in the insulation barrel  14 . In this state, the crimping pieces  22  of the wire barrel  13  and the crimping pieces  23  of the insulation barrel  14  are pressed from above. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bottom plate  21  and the crimping pieces  22  in the wire barrel  13  substantially surrounds the core  31  and leading end edges  22 T of the crimping pieces  22  are deformed to face toward the bottom plate portion  21  for fastening the core  31 . The reinforcing rib  24  formed at the bottom plate  21  of the terminal fitting  10  is formed at a position to face the leading end edges  22 T of the crimping pieces  22  in the width direction of the bottom plate  21 . The bottom plate  21  and the crimping pieces  23  in the insulation barrel  14 , are deformed to surround the insulated part  32  of the end portion of the wire  30  for crimped, bent or folded connection with the insulated part  32  of the end portion of the wire  30 . 
     The reinforcing rib  24  that extends in forward and backward directions FBD along the bottom plate  21  in the above-described wiring harness increases the rigidity of the bottom plate  21 . Thus, a force that acts on the bottom plate  21  from above while crimping the wire barrel  13  and the insulation barrel  14  will not warp the terminal fitting  10  upwardly and will not elongate the terminal fitting  10 . 
     The reinforcing rib  24  is formed in a width position of the bottom plate  21  to oppose the leading end edges  22 T of the crimping pieces  22  where a force acts most strongly on the bottom plate  21  when the crimping pieces  22  are pressed from above. Therefore, upward warping deformation of the terminal fitting  10  is prevented even more reliably. 
     In the first embodiment, for example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. 
     The above-described reinforcing rib is formed at least over the entire region of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions FBD. However, the reinforcing rib may be formed: only in a partial region of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions FBD; or from a part of the bottom plate before the wire barrel to a portion of the bottom plate behind the wire barrel; or from a part of the bottom plate before the wire barrel to an intermediate part or the rear end of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions FBD; or from the front end or an intermediate part of the wire barrel in forward and backward directions FBD to the part of the bottom plate behind the wire barrel; or along the entire region of the bottom plate behind the connecting portion. 
     The above-described reinforcing rib is formed at a width position of the bottom plate to substantially face the leading ends of the crimping pieces when the crimping portion is crimped. However, the formation area of the reinforcing rib may be displaced to the left or right with respect to the widthwise center of the bottom plate. Further, the reinforcing rib may be at a position so as not to face the leading end edges of the crimping pieces when the crimping portion is crimped. Furthermore, a plurality of reinforcing ribs may be formed in the width direction of the bottom plate. 
     The invention also is applicable to a male terminal fitting with a connecting portion in the form of a long narrow male tab. 
     A terminal-mounted wire  110  according to a second embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 to 8 . The terminal-mounted wire  110  is formed by crimping, bending or folding a female terminal fitting  130  into connection with an end portion of an insulated wire  120  and may be arranged between devices (not shown) such as a battery, an inverter or a motor constituting a driving power source in an electrical car or a hybrid car. In the following description, left and right sides of  FIG. 4  are referred to respectively as the front and rear. 
     The insulated wire  120  has a core  121  formed by spirally twisting a plurality of metal strands  121 A made e.g. of aluminum, aluminum alloy or other metal. The core  121  is covered by an insulation coating  122  made e.g. of resin, and the insulation coating  122  is stripped off to expose the core  121  at an end portion of the insulated wire  120 . 
     The terminal fitting  130  is of the open barrel type and is made of a material (e.g. copper or copper alloy) that is stronger than the material used for the core  121  (e.g. aluminum). The terminal fitting  130  includes a box-shaped or tubular connecting portion  131  and a crimping portion  140  that is unitary with the connecting portion  131 . The crimping portion  131  is to be connected with the insulated wire  120 . 
     The connecting portion  131  is aligned substantially longitudinally with the crimping portion  140  along a forward and backward direction FBD (lateral direction of  FIG. 4 ) of the wire  120  and is to be connected electrically with a connecting portion of a mating male terminal by insertion of an unillustrated male terminal into an insertion hole  131 A. 
     The crimping portion  140  has an insulation barrel  141  for holding the insulated wire  120  and a wire barrel  145  to be connected with the core  121 . The insulation barrel  141  has two crimping pieces  141 A that project from left and right edges of a bottom plate  148  that is continuous with the wire barrel  145 . The insulated wire  120  is held so as not to be displaced by crimping, bending or folding the crimping pieces  141 A toward the insulated wire  120 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the wire barrel  145  is comprised of the substantially flat bottom plate  148  and two crimping pieces  147  that extend up from the opposite sides of the bottom plate  148 . The crimping pieces  147  extend in a width direction from the opposite sides of the bottom plate  148 . The bottom plate  148  has a substantially flat rectangular shape. However, a reinforcing rib  150  projects down and out on the lower or outer surface of the bottom plate  148  on a side substantially opposite to the side to which the crimping pieces  147  project. 
     The reinforcing rib  150  projects from a substantially widthwise center of the lower surface of the bottom plate  148  and extends in forward and backward directions FBD, i.e. in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the wire  120  (directions forward and backward of the plane of  FIG. 5 ). Additionally, the reinforcing rib  150  is formed in a part of the bottom plate  148  extending substantially from the front ends to the rear ends of the crimping pieces  147  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     The reinforcing rib  150  is formed by folding or bending a flat surface  148 B of the bottom plate  148  to define a U-shaped fold that projects down and out substantially in the widthwise center of the bottom plate  148 . The bottom plate  148  then is bent to extend laterally to define a substantially flat surface  148 C of the bottom plate  148 . 
     This reinforcing rib  150  is formed by punching, pressing or bending a conductive metal plate. More particularly, the metal plate with a specified thickness is punched out or cut to form a substantially flat terminal fitting plate (not shown). The terminal fitting plate then is pressed from above and below by molds  158 ,  159  in a press machine to form a terminal plate  161  with a widthwise central part that projects slightly up, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The terminal plate  161  then is placed on a supporting table  160 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Supports  166 ,  167  then press the opposite widthwise sides of the terminal plate  161  against the supporting table  160 . The supports  166 ,  167  then are urged toward one another and toward the widthwise central part (directions of arrows in  FIG. 7 ). The supports  166 ,  167  are rectangular parallelepipeds that have lengths in the longitudinal direction of the wire  120  that substantially equal the length of the reinforcing rib  150 . 
     The terminal plate  161  then is turned upside down (see  FIG. 5 ). The widthwise central part is urged down to become convex at the lower surface of the bottom plate  148  and a depressed part  161 A is squeezed closed. Thus, the upper surface  148 B,  148 C of the bottom plate  148  becomes a substantially flat surface. 
     The terminal-mounted wire  110  is produced by placing the terminal fitting  130  on an anvil  170  and placing the exposed core  121  of the wire  120  on the crimping portion  140  of the terminal fitting  130 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . A recess (not shown) for accommodating the reinforcing rib  150  may be formed in the upper surface of the anvil  170 . 
     A crimper  171  is above the terminal fitting  130  and is lowered to deform the crimping pieces  147  of the terminal fitting  130  in conformity with the inner surface shape of the crimper  171 . Thus, the crimping pieces  147  are pressed down to squeeze and surround the core  121 . The bottom plate  148  is located below the core  121 , and hence also is pressed down with the core  121 . However, the portion of the bottom plate  148  corresponding to the crimping pieces  147  is strengthened by the reinforcing rib  150 , and therefore is not squashed or elongated. The crimping of the terminal-mounted wire  110  is completed when the crimper  171  is lowered to a specified position. 
     As described above, the reinforcing rib  150  of the second embodiment is formed by bending the portion of conductive metal bottom plate  148  corresponding to the crimping pieces  147  and extends in the longitudinal direction of the wire  120 . The reinforcing rib  150  strengthens the bottom plate portion  148 . Hence, the bottom plate  148  is difficult to squash and is not likely to warp or elongate. 
     A thicker plate material has been considered to suppress the elongation of the bottom plate  148 . However, a thicker plate material contradicts the miniaturization and weight saving of the terminal fitting. A separate member also could be placed on the bottom plate  148  to locally increase the thickness of the bottom plate  148  for suppressing elongation. However, the additional steps of positioning the separate member on the bottom plate  148  are not preferable. However, the reinforcing rib  150  of the second embodiment can be produced by a simple operation while achieving miniaturization and weight saving. 
     Further, the reinforcing rib  150  is formed by folding the plate material having the specified thickness. Thus, the reinforcing rib  150  can have double the thickness of the plate because of two plate parts put together and the strength thereof can be increased. Therefore, the elongation of the bottom plate  148  and the entire terminal fitting can be suppressed. 
     A third embodiment of the invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 9 to 14 . Elements with the same or similar construction as the second embodiment are identified by the same reference numerals, but are not described. 
     The reinforcing rib  150  of the second embodiment projects down and out from the bottom plate  148 . However, a reinforcing rib  250  in a terminal-mounted wire  210  of the third embodiment projects up and in from the bottom plate  148  toward the core  121 . Further, one reinforcing rib  150  is shown in the second embodiment. However, at least two reinforcing ribs  250  are formed substantially side by side in the third embodiment. Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a bottom plate  148  is formed with substantially U-shaped folds formed by folding a conductive metal plate having a specified thickness to define two reinforcing ribs  250  extending in a longitudinal direction of a wire  120  (forward and backward directions FBD). 
     The reinforcing ribs  250  are formed at positions substantially corresponding to the respective crimping pieces  147  in a width direction, i.e. at a central part of the left half of the bottom plate  148  and a central part of the right half of the bottom plate  148 . The reinforcing ribs  250  are formed substantially from the front ends to the rear ends of the crimping pieces  147  of the bottom plate  148  in the longitudinal direction of the wire  120  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     Embossments  255  are formed in the outer surfaces of the reinforcing ribs  250 , for example, by press working. As shown in  FIG. 11 , each embossment  255  has many grooves  256  arranged substantially in parallel and many grooves  257  similarly arranged substantially in parallel to intersect at substantially right angles to form rectangular convex sections  258 . 
     The reinforcing ribs  250  can be formed by punching, stamping, bending folding and/or embossing a terminal fitting plate having a specified thickness. 
     A first bending process then is applied to the terminal fitting plate. More particularly, the terminal fitting plate is pressed from above and blow by molds  258 ,  259  in a press machine so that a widthwise central part of the terminal fitting plate becomes an upwardly concavity  261 A and the opposite widthwise sides become upwardly convexities  261 B,  261 C so that the terminal fitting plate becomes wavy, as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     A second bending process then is applied. More particularly, a terminal plate  261  formed by the first bending process is placed on a supporting table  160 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . A support  266  is arranged above the concavity  261 A in the central part of the terminal plate  261  after the first bending process and supports  267 ,  268  are arranged above the opposite widthwise ends of the terminal plate  261  left to be substantially flat. The supports  266  to  268  are rectangular parallelepipeds with lengths in the longitudinal direction of the wire that are substantially equal to those of the reinforcing ribs  250 . 
     The support  266  in the center is pressed down toward the supporting table  160  and the supports  267 ,  268  at the opposite sides are moved toward the center to squeeze the convexities and to form the reinforcing ribs  250 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . In this way, the central part of the left half of the bottom plate  148  and the central part of the right half of the bottom plate  148  are raised up at the upper side of the terminal plate  262 . On the other hand, parts depressed by the first bending process are squeezed closed by the second bending process on the lower side of the terminal plate  262 . Thus, the lower surface of the bottom plate  148  becomes substantially flat. 
     The reinforcing ribs  250  project toward the core  121  in the third embodiment. Thus, the area of the surface of the bottom plate  148  held in contact with the core  121  is increased and an electrically connected state of the core and the terminal fitting is improved in addition to the effects of the second embodiment. 
     Further, the embossments  255  are formed in the outer surfaces of the reinforcing ribs  250  by press working. A strong pressure acts on the outer surfaces of the projecting reinforcing ribs  250  during a crimping operation, and the embossments  255  in the outer surfaces of the reinforcing ribs  250  abrade the core  121  with a strong pressure. Thus, an oxide film formed around the core  121  can be broken reliably. 
     Reinforcing ribs  350  of a fourth embodiment are formed by laterally bending the reinforcing ribs  250  of the third embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 15 . Specifically, the reinforcing ribs  350  are formed by bending the leading ends of U-shaped folded parts that stand perpendicularly up from a bottom plate  148  in a width direction (left in  FIG. 15 ) to change the projecting direction. 
     The reinforcing ribs  350  are formed by applying lateral forces (left in  FIG. 15 ) to parts of the vertically standing reinforcing ribs above their middle portions with respect to a height direction to bend the reinforcing ribs as a third bending process after the second bending process of the third embodiment. 
     The core  121  is pressed against the upper ends of the vertically standing reinforcing ribs with a strong force during a crimping operation and may open a reinforcing rib that merely has been folded open. On the other hand, the extending direction of the reinforcing rib of the fourth embodiment is changed after the reinforcing ribs are formed to stand up substantially vertically from the bottom plate  148 . Therefore, the folded parts are not likely to open. 
     The reinforcing ribs  150 ,  250  and  350  of the second through fourth embodiments are formed by folding the plate material. Three sides of a rectangular shape corresponding to a reinforcing rib  450  shown in  FIG. 16  may be cut with the remaining one side left in the punching process and a part to become the reinforcing rib  450  may be bent to stand up from a cut side. However, a cutting operation and an operation of causing the reinforcing rib to stand up can be omitted and operability can be improved if the reinforcing rib  150  is formed by folding the plate material as in the above embodiments. 
     Although the reinforcing ribs  150 ,  250 ,  350  and  450  are formed by the pressing process and the bending process, it is also possible to form reinforcing ribs using another processing method or another type of bending process without limiting to this processing method. 
     A fifth embodiment of the invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 17 to 19 . A terminal fitting  510  of this embodiment is illustrated as an LA terminal integrally formed by applying a bending process and the like to an electrically conductive metal plate material made of copper or copper alloy and connected with an end of a wire  590  arranged as one of various power supply lines directly connected with an unillustrated battery or the like. 
     The wire  590  is comprised of a core  591  formed by twisting strands made of aluminum or aluminum alloy with a high aluminum content. An insulation coating (not shown) surrounds the core  591  and may take the form of the insulation coating  598  shown in  FIG. 21 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , the insulation coating is stripped off to expose the core  591  at an end of the wire  590 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , the terminal fitting  510  has a substantially ring-shaped connecting portion  511  at the front end, a wire barrel  512  behind the connecting portion  511  and an insulation barrel  513  behind the wire barrel  512 . The wire barrel  512  and the insulation barrel  513  define a crimping portion. 
     The connecting portion  511  is formed with a through hole  514  for receiving an unillustrated mating connecting portion, such as a stud bolt. A substantially strip-shaped bottom plate  515  extends substantially straight in forward and backward directions FBD from the rear end of the connecting portion  511  to the rear end of the insulation barrel  513 . The bottom plate  515  is shared by both the wire barrel  512  and the insulation barrel  513  and functions to support the wire  590  in forward and backward directions FBD. 
     The wire barrel  512  has two crimping pieces  516  that project from opposite sides of the bottom plate  515  with respect to a width direction that is substantially orthogonal to forward and backward directions FBD. Similarly, the insulation barrel  513  has two crimping pieces  517  that project from the opposite widthwise sides of the bottom plate  515 . The crimping pieces  516 ,  517  are substantially rectangular plates. Dimensions of the crimping pieces  516  in forward and backward directions FBD exceed the corresponding dimensions of the crimping pieces  517 . Additionally, the projecting lengths of the crimping pieces  517  exceed the projecting lengths of the crimping pieces  516 . The crimping pieces  516  are crimped around the core  591  exposed at the end of the wire  590 , and the crimping pieces  517  are crimped around the insulation coating of the wire  590  at positions behind the crimping pieces  516 . Further, recessed grooves  518  extend in the width direction over the crimping pieces  516  and the bottom plate  515  in the inner surface of the wire barrel  512 . The core  591  is bent and deformed to enter the recessed grooves  518  to restrict displacements of the core  591  in forward and backward directions FBD. 
     The bottom plate  515  is comprised of a first bottom plate portion  521  at the bottom of the wire barrel  512 , a second bottom plate portion  522  at the bottom of the insulation barrel  513 . A trunk  523  is located between the front end of the second bottom plate portion  522  and the rear end of the first bottom plate portion  521  and a neck  524  is located between the front end of the first bottom plate portion  521  and the rear end of the connecting portion  511 . The neck  524 , the first bottom plate portion  521 , the trunk  523  and the second bottom plate portion  522  are connected unitarily in this order from the front. The neck  524  and the trunk  523  are narrowest parts of the terminal fitting  510 . 
     A substantially widthwise central part of the bottom plate  515  is hammered or embossed over substantially the entire length in forward and backward directions FBD from the front end of the neck  524  to the rear end of the insulation barrel  513  to form a reinforcing rib  525  that extends substantially straight in forward and backward directions FBD. The reinforcing rib  525  is formed in the bottom plate  515  to define angular U-shaped projection that projects inwardly toward the wire  590 , as shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 . Additionally, the reinforcing rib  525  has a substantially strip-shaped plan view longitudinally crossing the bottom plate  515 . A projecting end surface of the reinforcing rib  525  defines a substantially horizontal supporting surface  526  for supporting the wire  590 . Substantially vertical side surfaces  527  extend from opposite sides of the supporting surface  526  and angular edges  528  unitarily connect the supporting surface  526  and the side surfaces  527 . 
     The terminal fitting  510  is set in a mold (not shown). Additionally, the core  591  exposed at the end of the wire  590  is placed on the supporting surface  526  of the bottom plate  515  of the wire barrel  512  and the insulation coating of the wire  590  is placed on the supporting surface  526  of the bottom plate  515  of the insulation barrel  513  behind the exposed core  591 . An unillustrated movable mold is moved toward an unillustrated fixed mold in this state to crimp, bend or fold the crimping pieces  516  into connection with the core  591  and to crimp, bend or fold the crimping pieces  517  into connection with the insulation coating. The edges  528  of the first bottom plate portion  521  of the wire barrel  512  are pressed into contact with the outer surface of the core  591  to exhibit an edge action, as shown in  FIG. 19 , for breaking an aluminum oxide film on the other surface of the core  591 . 
     A large compression force is exerted on the first bottom plate  521  in a thickness direction as the wire barrel  512  is crimped. This force can warp the bottom plate  515  in a direction to displace the neck  524 , the trunk  523  and the second bottom plate portion  525  in a height direction and can elongate the first bottom plate portion  521 . The deformed terminal fitting  510  may not be able to face opposite to the mating connecting portion. However, the reinforcing rib  525  resists warping of the bottom plate  515  so that the terminal fitting  510  is not bent up. Further, the bottom plate  515  will not elongate and the neck  524 , which is narrower than other parts in the terminal fitting  510 , is more rigid. 
     Further, the reinforcing rib  525  projects toward the side where the wire  590  is to arranged, and does not enlarge the terminal fitting  510 . 
     A terminal fitting  510  according to a sixth embodiment is described with reference to  FIGS. 20 and 21 . In the sixth embodiment, the shape of a reinforcing rib  525  differs from that in the fifth embodiment. Other structural parts are the same as or similar to the fifth embodiment. Those parts that are the same as or similar to the fifth embodiment are identified by the same reference numerals and not described again. 
     The reinforcing rib  525  includes front and rear reinforcing ribs  531  and  529  respectively. The front reinforcing rib  525  extends in forward and backward directions FBD along a neck  524 , a first bottom plate portion  521  and a trunk  523  and has a constant narrow width similar to the fifth embodiment. On the other hand, the rear reinforcing rib  529  extends along a second bottom plate portion  522  and increases gradually in width from the rear end of the front reinforcing rib  531  to the rear end of the entire terminal fitting  510 . In other words, a supporting surface  526  of the rear reinforcing rib  529  is wider than that  526  of the front reinforcing rib  531 . 
     Angular edges  528  are provided at the corners of the projecting end of the front reinforcing rib  531  and extend along positions corresponding at least to the wire barrel  512  and preferably along substantially the entire length of the front reinforcing rib  531 . The angular edges  528  connect the supporting surface  526  and both side surfaces  527 . On the other hand, rounded R-portions  533  connect the supporting surface  526  and the side surfaces  527  at the corners of the projecting end of the rear reinforcing rib  529  and are provided at positions corresponding to the insulation barrel  513 , as shown in  FIG. 21 . 
     The supporting surface  526  of the rear reinforcing rib  529  is widened according to the sixth embodiment. Thus, the wire  590  is supported reliably thereon without wobbling. Further, the edges  528  are provided at the corners of the projecting end of the front reinforcing rib  531 . The edges  528  remove any insulating oxide coating formed on a core  591  of a wire  590  similar to the fifth embodiment. On the other hand, since the rounded R-portions  533  are provided at the corners of the projecting end of the rear reinforcing rib  529 , the wire  590  is supported stably without damaging an insulation coating  598 . 
     The terminal fitting may be a female terminal fitting with a box-shaped connecting portion for receiving a male tab. Further, the terminal fitting may be a male terminal fitting with a connecting portion including a male tab. Furthermore, the terminal fitting may include a wire barrel in the form of a tubular closed barrel. 
     The wire may be a copper wire with a core formed by copper strands made of copper or copper alloy. 
     Further, the reinforcing rib may be formed in a range from an intermediate position of the neck portion in forward and backward directions to an intermediate position of the insulation barrel portion in forward and backward directions. Furthermore, the reinforcing rib may project outward toward a side opposite to the side where the wire is arranged.