This invention relates to a press-contacting terminal.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show known related press-contacting terminals (see, for example, JP-A-2003-217700 (Pages 2 and 4 to 5, FIGS. 4 and 15)).
The press-contacting terminal 1, shown in FIG. 4, is formed by stamping and bending a single electrically-conductive metal sheet. This press-contacting terminal 1 includes a terminal connection portion 2 of a generally rectangular tubular shape into which a mating terminal can be inserted to be electrically connected thereto, and a wire connection portion 3 extending from the terminal connection portion 2 in a direction of connecting of the mating terminal to the terminal 1.
The wire connection portion 3 includes a base plate portion 4, a pair of side plate portions 5 formed on and projecting perpendicularly respectively from widthwise-opposite side edges of the base plate portion 4, and press-contacting portions 6 for cutting an insulating sheath of a sheathed wire to be brought into contact with an internal conductor of the sheathed wire. Each press-contacting portion 6 includes a pair of press-contacting blades 8 which are formed by stamping predetermined opposed portions of the pair of side plate portions 5 and then by bending these stamped-out portions inwardly. A slot 9 is formed between the pair of press-contacting blades 8. The two press-contacting blade portions 6 are arranged in the mating terminal-connecting direction.
The sheathed wire is press-fitted into a space between the pair of side plate portions 5 from the upper side, and the insulating sheath of the sheathed wire is cut by upper end portions of the press-contacting blades 8, and then the internal conductor of the sheathed wire is inserted into the slots 9, so that the sheathed wire is press-contacted with the press-contacting portions 6, and therefore is electrically connected to the press-contacting terminal 1.
Like the above-mentioned press-contacting terminal 1, the press-contacting terminal 11 of FIG. 11 is formed by stamping and bending a single electrically-conductive metal sheet. This press-contacting terminal 11 includes a terminal connection portion 12 of a generally rectangular tubular shape into which a mating terminal can be inserted to be electrically connected thereto, and a wire connection portion 13 extending from the terminal connection portion 12 in a direction of connecting of the mating terminal to the terminal 11.
Two press-contacting piece portions 17a and 17b, each having a pair of press-contacting blades 18 cooperating with each other to define a slot 19 therebetween, are formed on the wire connection portion 13, and are arranged in the mating terminal-connecting direction. The terminal connection portion 12 is formed on a front side portion of the press-contacting terminal 11, and the rear press-contacting piece portion 17a is formed by bending a distal end portion of a base plate portion 14, extending from a base plate portion of the terminal connection portion 12, at a right angle. A strip-like portion 15 extends from a top plate portion of the terminal connection portion 12, and is bent to be superposed on the base plate portion 14 in a direction of the height, and the front press-contacting piece 17b is formed by bending a distal end portion of the strip-like portion 15 at a right angle.
A sheathed wire is pressed down from the upper side of the press-contacting blades 17a and 17b, and an insulating sheath of the sheathed wire is cut by upper end portions of the press-contacting blades 18, and then an internal conductor of the sheathed wire is inserted into the slots 19, so that the sheathed wire is press-contacted with the press-contacting piece portions 17a and 17b, and therefore is electrically connected to the press-contacting terminal 11.
The above-mentioned press-contacting terminals 1 and 11 are mounted within a connector housing of a connector, and with an increasing demand for a compact design of recent connectors, it has now been required to achieve a low-height design of the press-contacting terminals (that is, the reduction of the size of the press-contacting terminals in the direction of their height) and a narrow-pitch arrangement of the terminals (that is, the reduction of the size of the presscontacting terminals in the direction of their width). However, the related press-contacting terminals, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, have the following problems which are to be solved in order to meet the above requirements.
In the press-contacting terminal 1 of FIG. 4, the pair of press-contacting blades 8 of each press-contacting portion 6 are formed by bending the stamped-out portions of the pair of side plate portions 5, and are disposed between the pair of side plate portions 5. The sheathed wire to be press-contacted with the terminal is press-fitted into the space between the pair of side plate portions 5. Therefore, the width of the press-contacting terminal 1 is at least the sum of the width of the sheathed wire and the thicknesses of the pair of side plate portions 5 (that is, a thickness twice larger than the thickness of the metal sheet forming the press-contacting terminal 1). Therefore, the reduction of the press-contacting terminal 1 in the direction of the width thereof is limited, and this is disadvantageous with respect to the achievement of the narrow-pitch arrangement.
On the other hand, in the press-contacting terminal 11 of FIG. 5, the front press-contacting piece portion 17b is formed by bending the distal end portion of the strip-like portion 15 (superposed on the base plate portion 14 in the direction of the height) at a right angle. Therefore, the thickness of the strip-like portion 15 (that is, the thickness of the metal sheet forming the press-contacting terminal 11) is interposed between the press-contacting piece portion 17b and the base plate portion 14 in the direction of the height. This is disadvantageous with respect to the reduction of the press-contacting terminal 11 in the direction of the height. And besides, the wire connection portion 13 of the press-contacting terminal 11 has a flat plate-like shape, and therefore there is a fear that its strength is reduced.