Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Autonetworks Technologies, Limited

Osamu Hirabayashi

Yutaka Noro

Yoshihiro Mizutani

Michiaki Okamoto

Daisuke Hirasawa

Hiroki Hirai

Hiroshi Nakano

Kenji Okamura

Masahide Hio

Hiroomi Hiramitsu

A rectangular tube () of a terminal fitting (T) includes a lid plate () extending substantially at a right angle from the extending end of a right side plate () and formed with a locking hole () extending over the entire width. A front plate (F) is cantilevered from the right side plate () and arranged before the locking hole (). A rear plate (R) is cantilevered from the right side plate independently of the front plate (F) and is behind and adjacent to the locking hole (). A retracted portion () is formed over the entire width at the rear plate (R), retracted inwardly of the rectangular tube () from the front plate (F) to provide a height difference within the range of an engagement margin with a locking projection () and capable of facing a rear end of the locking projection ().

Terminal fitting having a retracted portion extending from one side plate to another side plate

A terminal fitting () includes a tubular main portion () into which a mating male tab () is insertable. A resiliently deformable contact piece () which is to be resiliently held in contact with the male tabis formed in the main portion (), and a contact portion () which receives the male tab () is formed fixedly at a position facing the resilient contact piece (). A ceiling wall () is at a position opposite to the resilient contact piece outward of the contact portion (). A ceiling wall lance hole () penetrates through the ceiling wall () and can receive a locking lance () for retaining the terminal fitting () in a connector (). A clearance () is formed between the ceiling wall () and the contact portion () for allowing the entry of the locking lance ().

Terminal fitting

A terminal fitting (T) includes a locking plate () extending from a first side plate () and a stabilizer () projecting from a second side plate (). A cutout () is formed at the extending end edge of the locking plate () and engages the stabilizer () to restrict relative displacements of the locking plate () and the second side plate () to define a first linking portion () that links the base plate () and a first contact piece (). A second linking portion () links the second side plate () and a second contact piece (). A restricting portion () is formed on the locking plate () and restricts displacement of the second contact piece () away from the first plate-like contact piece ().

A terminal fitting () includes a tubular main portion () into which a mating male tab () is insertable from the front. A resilient contact piece () which is to be resiliently held in contact with the male tab () is resiliently deformably formed in the main portion (), and a contact portion () which receives the male tab () is fixedly formed at a position facing the resilient contact piece (). The contact portion () includes a folded part formed by folding a backward extending part of an outer wall of the main portion () inwardly and forwardly. A curved R surface () is formed on the outer surface of the folded part of the contact portion ().

Terminal fitting and connector

A board connector () has a housing () and terminal fittings () penetrate through the back wall () of the housing (). A board connecting portion () of each terminal fitting () penetrates through the back wall () and is solder-connected to a board (). The housing () has a heat transfer inhibiting portion for inhibiting heat transfer to the back wall (). The heat transfer inhibiting portion has a through-hole () or heat-insulating grooves () in the back wall (). As a result, heat transfer to the back wall () is inhibited and deformation of the back wall () due to thermal expansion also is inhibited. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the terminal fittings () from separating from the board () and going into a state of being not solder-connected thereto.

Growing community of inventors

Yokkaichi, Japan

Osamu Hirabayashi