Terminal connecting-fixing construction

• US 5,997,341 A
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Toshirou, Ushiyama, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US09/113,374
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 439/801, 439/476.1, 439/480, 439/483
• US Class Current: 439/480
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/12 End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/26 End pieces terminating in a screw clamp, screw or nut
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/20 Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/305 having means for facilitating engagement of conductive member or for holding it in position
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/34 Conductive members located under head of screw

Abstract

A terminal connecting-fixing construction for fixedly fastening at least two plate-like terminals to a mating connection portion having connection bolts corresponding respectively to the terminals, each of the terminals including a wire connection portion formed integrally with and extending from an electrical contact portion having a screw insertion hole, the terminal connecting-fixing construction comprises: a terminal retaining piece portion for positioning the terminal, formed on that edge of the electrical contact portion directed away from the wire connection portion; and a positioning member which includes positioning terminals for fitting respectively on the terminal retaining piece portions, and a mounting board fixedly holding the positioning terminals such that the positioning terminals correspond respectively to the connection bolts, wherein the terminals are fixedly fastened, together with the positioning member, to the mating connection portion.

Claims

1. A terminal connecting-fixing construction for fixedly fastening at least two plate-like terminals to a mating connection portion having connection bolts corresponding respectively to the terminals, each of the terminals including a wire connection portion formed integrally with and extending from an electrical contact portion having a screw insertion hole, the terminal connecting-fixing construction comprising:

a terminal retaining piece portions for positioning the terminals, each formed on an edge of the electrical contact portion directed away from the respective wire connection portions; and

a positioning member which includes positioning terminals for fitting respectively on the terminal retaining piece portions, and a mounting board fixedly holding the positioning terminals such that the positioning terminals correspond respectively to the connection bolts, wherein the terminals are fixedly fastened, together with the positioning member, to the mating connection portion.

2. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 1, wherein each of the positioning terminals includes an electric conductor portion for the electrical contact portion of the terminal, a positioning portion for fitting on the terminal retaining piece portion to prevent the angular movement and withdrawal of the terminal, and a fixing portion fixedly mounted on the mounting board, and the electric conductor portion, the positioning portion and the fixing portion are formed integrally with one another, and the electric conductor portion has a screw hole corresponding to the screw insertion hole in the electrical contact portion, and the positioning portion includes a pair of angular movement prevention guide grooves for guiding the terminal retaining piece portion, and a retaining pawl for preventing the terminal retaining piece portion from moving in a withdrawing direction.

3. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 2, in which the terminal retaining piece portion has a pair of opposed side portions, and a lock hole for engagement with the retaining pawl.

4. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 3, wherein the lock hole has such a large size that the terminal retaining piece portion is formed into a U-shaped frame-like configuration.

5. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 3, wherein the retaining pawl has a wedge shape gradually higher toward the positioning member.

6. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 1, wherein a width of the terminal retaining piece portion between outer edges of the opposed side portions is smaller than a width of the electrical contact portion between opposite side edges thereof extending in a direction of an axis of the terminal, so that stoppers for engagement with the angular movement prevention grooves are formed at the junction between the terminal retaining piece portion and the electrical contact portion.

7. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 1, wherein the terminal has a plurality of guide pawls formed on a peripheral edge of the electrical contact portion, and a nut member angularly movably mounted on the electrical contact portion by the guide pawls.

8. The terminal connecting-fixing construction according to claim 1, wherein the mounting board of the positioning member is made of a synthetic resin.