JP3214393B2 - Ground terminal fitting - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a ground terminal fitting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A ground terminal fitting has a terminal body in contact with a grounding portion and an electric wire connection portion to which the electric wire is crimped. The electric wire connection portion includes an insulation barrel which is crimped to a resin coating of the electric wire; And a wire barrel that is crimped to the exposed core wire facing the resin coating.

[0003]

The core wire is formed by twisting a plurality of thin metal wires. However, in the conventional ground terminal fitting, the core wire is left exposed at the crimping portion with the wire barrel. Was. For this reason, when water adheres to the exposed portion of the core wire, there is a risk that the water may penetrate into the interior of the resin coating through the gap between the fine metal wires due to capillary action. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to prevent infiltration of a core wire at a wire connection portion into the inside of a wire.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal body which is brought into conductive contact with a grounding portion, and an electric wire which is connected to the terminal body and which allows the exposed core wire to be crimped. In a grounding terminal fitting comprising a connecting portion, a heat-shrinkable tube capable of surrounding the electric wire connecting portion and the core wire crimped to the electric wire connecting portion and having a coating agent applied to an inner periphery thereof is provided. And the electric wire connection portion and the
Inflow of the coating agent into the terminal body between the terminal body
Is provided so as to cover the core wire with the coating agent by bringing the tube into close contact with the wire connection portion and the core wire by a heat shrinkage action.

[0005]

[0006]

Function and Effect of the Invention

<Invention of Claim 1> Since the core wire crimped to the electric wire connection portion is covered with the coating agent using the adhesive force due to the heat shrinkage action of the tube, the core wire does not remain exposed, and Water in the electric wire is prevented.

In addition, the provision of the inflow restricting means restricts the coating material from flowing into the terminal main body, so that it is possible to prevent poor contact due to the coating material adhering to the terminal main body. .

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment> Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, 2
An example in which the present invention is applied to a ground terminal fitting 10 assembled as one set will be described. Each ground terminal fitting 10
Are each provided with a generally flat terminal body 11 and an electric wire connection portion 12 extending from a rear edge of the terminal body 11. Both of the ground terminal fittings 10 are
The wires are overlapped vertically and locked, and the wire connection portions 12 are assembled in such a manner as to be parallel to the left and right.
The assembled ground terminal fitting 10 has a stud bolt (not shown) having its mounting hole 13 erected on a ground plane for grounding.
And grounded by tightening a nut (not shown) screwed to the stud bolt.

Next, the structure of the ground terminal fitting 10 will be described in detail.
Have the shape inverted upside down and the wire connection portion 12 has the same shape, so only one ground terminal fitting 10 will be described, and the description of the other ground terminal fitting 10 will be omitted. The terminal body 11 has flat overlapping portions 11A arranged on both front and rear sides of the mounting hole 13.
And overlapping portions 11 arranged on both left and right sides of the mounting hole 13.
A and a locking portion 11B connected in a step-like manner, and the upper surface of the overlapping portion 11A of one grounding terminal fitting 10 is overlapped with the overlapping portion 11A of the other grounding terminal fitting 10, and The locking portion 11B of the other grounding terminal fitting 10 goes under the locking portion 11B of the grounding terminal fitting 10 to form a locking hole 11C and a locking claw 11D (shown in FIG. 3) of the locking portion 11B. And the two grounding terminal fittings 10 are integrally assembled.

The wire connection portion 12 is integrally formed so as to extend rearward from a position on the rear edge of the terminal body 11 which is deviated to the left or right, and is formed integrally with the wire barrel 12A near the terminal body 11 and the terminal body 11. And the insulation barrel 12B on the far side. A portion of the terminal of the grounding electric wire W covered with the resin coating Wa is crimped to the insulation barrel 12B, and a core wire Wb that is obtained by peeling the resin coating Wa of the electric wire W and exposing is crimped to the wire barrel 12A. I have. Since the core wire Wb is formed by twisting a plurality of thin metal wires (not shown), water may enter the resin coating Wa through gaps between the thin metal wires due to a capillary phenomenon. Water penetration is prevented by a covering means described later.

The electric wire connection portion 12 and the electric wire connection portion 1 of the electric wire W
2 and a portion of the electric wire W extending from the electric wire connection portion 12 are covered with a tube 20 and an adhesive 21 (a coating material which is a constituent element of the present invention). The tube 20 is made of a heat-shrinkable resin material, and is previously fitted to the electric wire W before crimping. The adhesive 21 is applied to the inner periphery of the tube 20 and maintains a high viscosity that does not easily flow out of blood at normal temperature.
When the tube 20 is heated to a temperature that causes heat shrinkage, the viscosity is reduced and the tube 20 flows easily.

In the strip-shaped region of the wire connecting portion 12 connected to the terminal body 11, a part of the band-shaped portion is bent so as to wrinkle so as to extend in the left-right direction over the entire width thereof. Is formed. Further, an inflow-regulating concave portion in which a region closer to the electric wire connecting portion 12 than the inflow regulating weir 25 is lower than the electric wire connecting portion 12 (inflow regulating means which is a constituent element of the present invention)
26. Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. When the electric wire W is connected to the ground terminal fitting 10, first, as shown in FIG. 2, a tube 20 coated with an adhesive 21 is externally fitted to the electric wire W, and a resin coating Wa of the electric wire W is formed. And the core wire Wb, which has been exposed by stripping the resin coating Wa, is pressed against the insulation barrel 12B and the wire barrel 12A, respectively. In this state, the core wire Wb is still exposed.

Next, the tube 20 is slid along the electric wire W, and the electric wire connecting portion 12 and the electric wire connecting portion 1 of the electric wire W are slid.
Position around the extension from 2. In this state,
The tube 20 is heated by a heating means such as an electric heater.
Then, the tube 20 is thermally contracted, and tightens the wire connection portion 12, the crimp portion of the wire W to the wire connection portion 12, and the portion of the wire W extending from the wire connection portion 12. Along with this,
The adhesive 21 comes into close contact with the electric wire connection portion 12, the core wire Wb, and the resin coating Wa due to the contraction force of the tube 20. In addition, the adhesive 21 has a reduced viscosity due to heating and is easily flowed, so that a large gap is not left between the adhesive 21 and each of the members. Further, the adhesive 21 slightly flows from the front end of the tube 20 to the terminal main body 11 side, so that not only the outer peripheral surface of the core wire Wb but also the front end surface is completely covered. As described above,
The electric wire connection portion 12, the crimped portion of the electric wire W to the electric wire connection portion 12, and the extended portion of the electric wire W from the electric wire connection portion 12 are covered and protected from the outside by the tube 20 and the adhesive 21 to be protected in a watertight state. It is done.

Further, since the tube 20 has a simple cylindrical shape, it is difficult to cover and hide the front end face of the core wire Wb with the tube 20 alone. Therefore, the application amount of the adhesive 21 at the front end of the tube 20 is increased, and the adhesive 21 is connected to the core wire Wb.
It is preferable to sufficiently wrap around to the front end face of the rim. However, when the amount of the adhesive 21 is increased, the adhesive 21 may excessively flow toward the terminal body 11 when heated. However, even if the amount of the adhesive 21 flowing out is large, the adhesive 21 is prevented from reaching the terminal main body 11 by being stored in the inflow regulating concave portion 26. For example, even if the inflow amount overflows from the inflow regulating concave portion 26, the inflow into the terminal body 11 can be reliably regulated by the inflow regulating weir 25.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the core wire Wb crimped to the electric wire connection portion 12 is covered with the adhesive 21 by utilizing the adhesive force due to the heat shrinkage action of the tube 20. Wb is not left exposed,
Water from the core wire Wb to the inside of the electric wire W can be reliably prevented. Also, the inflow regulating recess 26 and the inflow regulating weir 25
Is provided, the flow of the adhesive 21 into the terminal body 11 is restricted, so that the occurrence of poor contact due to the adhesion of the adhesive 21 to the terminal body 11 is prevented.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Embodiment 2
Has a configuration in which the inflow restricting means is different from that of the first embodiment. Other configurations are described in the first embodiment.
Therefore, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the structure, operation, and effect is omitted. In the ground terminal fitting 30 of the second embodiment, a pair of side walls 31 are formed on both left and right edges of a connection portion of the wire connection portion 12 with the terminal body 11, and extend inward from the rear edges of the side walls 31. Pair of inflow restricting walls (inflow restricting means which is a component of the present invention)
32 are formed, and the inner edges of the two inflow regulating walls 32 are brought into close contact with each other. The adhesive (not shown in FIG. 4) that has flowed out from the wire connection portion 12 is blocked by the pair of inflow regulating walls 32, thereby preventing the adhesive from flowing into the terminal body 11.

<Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Embodiment 3
Also, the inflow restricting means has a different configuration from the first embodiment. In the grounding terminal fitting 40 of the third embodiment, the inflow restricting wall (inflow restricting means which is a constituent element of the present invention) is obtained by partially raising the connection portion of the wire connection portion 12 with the terminal main body 11 substantially vertically. 41 are formed. The adhesive (not shown in FIG. 5) which has flowed out from the electric wire connection portion 12 is prevented from flowing into the terminal main body 11 by the flow being regulated by the inflow regulating wall 41.
Even if the adhesive bypasses the inflow regulating wall 41 and passes on both the left and right sides, the passage 42 has an elongated shape, so that it drips before reaching the terminal body 11, and There is no danger of flowing.

<Fourth Embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Embodiment 4
Also, the inflow restricting means has a different configuration from the first embodiment. In the ground terminal fitting 50 of the fourth embodiment, an inflow regulating hole (inflow regulating means, which is a component of the present invention) 51 is formed by punching out a connection portion of the wire connection portion 12 with the terminal body 11. Wire connection part 12
The adhesive (not shown in FIG. 6) that has flowed out from the side falls into the inflow regulating hole 51, thereby preventing the adhesive from flowing into the terminal body 11. It should be noted that the adhesive flows into the inflow regulating hole 51.
Route 5
Since 2 has an elongated shape, it hangs down before reaching the terminal main body 11, and there is no possibility of flowing into the terminal main body 11.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the inflow restricting means is formed integrally with the ground terminal fitting. However, according to the present invention, a separate inflow restricting component may be assembled to the ground terminal fitting.

(2) In the above embodiment, the means for restricting the inflow of the coating material is provided. However, if there is no possibility that the coating material flows into the terminal body, the means for restricting the inflow may be omitted. (3) In the above embodiment, the case where the ground terminal fitting is a combination type that can be assembled with another ground terminal fitting has been described. However, the present invention provides an independent grounding that is not assembled with another ground terminal fitting. The present invention can also be applied to a ground terminal fitting of the type described above.

(4) In the above embodiment, an adhesive is used as a coating agent. However, according to the present invention, a material other than the adhesive can be used as the coating agent. (5) In the first embodiment, the inflow restricting recess and the inflow restricting wall are provided as the inflow restricting means, but the inflow of the adhesive may be restricted by only one of the inflow restricting concave and the inflow restricting wall.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before a tube is mounted in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state before a tube is mounted in a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state before a tube is mounted in a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state before a tube is mounted in a fourth embodiment.

[Description of Signs] W: electric wire Wb: core wire 10: ground terminal fitting 11: terminal body 12: electric wire connection portion 20: tube 21: adhesive (coating agent) 25: inflow regulating weir (inflow regulating means) 26: inflow Restriction recess (inflow restricting means) 30 ... ground terminal fitting 32 ... inflow restricting wall (inflow restricting means) 40 ... ground terminal fitting 41 ... inflow restricting wall (inflow restricting means) 50 ... ground terminal fitting 51 ... inflow restricting hole (Inflow control means)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ground terminal fitting comprising: a terminal main body that is in conductive contact with a grounding portion; and a wire connecting portion that is connected to the terminal main body and that is capable of crimping an exposed core wire of the wire. A heat-shrinkable tube that can surround the electric wire connection portion and the core wire crimped to the electric wire connection portion and has a coating agent applied to an inner periphery thereof, and the wire connection portion and the terminal
Between the terminal body and the terminal body.
A grounding terminal fitting , wherein a controllable inflow restricting means is provided and the core wire is covered with the coating agent by bringing the tube into close contact with the wire connection portion and the core wire by a heat shrinkage action.