Terminal for high-voltage variable resistor

• US 5,532,669 A
• Filed: 11/29/1993
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hokuriku Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hokuriku Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Saikatsu, Hiromasa, Ohta, Tsuyoshi, Tsunezawa, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Application Number:
  US08/158,943
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 338/118, 338/273, 338/274, 338/276, 338/322, 338/70, 338/184, 338/199, 338/272, 338/277, 338/322, 338/219, 411/516, 411/519-520, 411/521-522, 174/153 G, 174/267
• US Class Current: 338/184
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 1/14 Terminals or tapping points or electrodes specially adapted for resistors in general H01R; Arrangements of terminals or tapping points or electrodes on resistors

Abstract

A high-voltage variable resistor includes a terminal fitment having an increased number of edge elements while being simplified in structure and down-sized. A circuit substrate which includes a circuit pattern having a plurality of electrodes and resistor elements formed thereon is received in a substrate receiving section of an insulating casing. The insulating casing is charged with insulating resin through an opening thereof to form an insulating resin layer on a rear surface of the circuit substrate. Terminal fitments are provided each of which includes a core holding section provided with three or more edge elements biting into a periphery of a core of a lead wire inserted thereinto. The edge elements each are formed between each adjacent two of three or more slits formed at a plate-like section of the terminal fitment so as to radially extend from a center thereof. The edge element, when a core of a lead wire is inserted through the edge elements into the terminal fitment, are forcibly inclined in a direction of insertion of the core, so that application of drawing force to the lead wire permits the edge elements to bite into the core. The edge elements each are formed into a triangle shape, resulting in having a pointed distal end. An increase in the number of edge elements is accomplished by increasing the number of slits.

Claims

1. A high-voltage variable resistor comprising:

a circuit substrate having a circuit pattern formed on a front surface thereof;

an insulating casing made of an insulating resin material and provided therein with a circuit substrate receiving section open at one end thereof;

said circuit substrate being received in said circuit substrate receiving section of said insulating casing and arranged so as to define a space between an inner surface of said insulating casing and said front surface of said circuit substrate;

at least one sliding element arranged in said space in a manner to be operable from an outside of said insulating casing; and

at least one terminal fitment to which a core of a lead wire is connected without soldering and which is electrically connected to an electrode incorporated in said circuit pattern;

said terminal fitment including a core holding section provided with four edge elements each having a pointed distal end adapted to bite into a periphery of the core of the lead wire inserted;

said edge elements each being formed between each adjacent two of four slits formed at a plate-like section of said terminal fitment so as to radially extend from a center of said plate-like section;

said plate-like section being formed into a substantially rectangular configuration;

said four slits being formed so as to extend toward corners of said plate-like section, respectively;

said edge elements each being constructed so as to be forced by the core of the lead wire when the core is inserted through said center of said plate-like section into said terminal fitment, to thereby be inclined in a direction of insertion of the core into said terminal fitment and bite into the periphery of the core of the lead wire when drawing force is applied to the lead wire.

2. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal fitment includes a wall section arranged so as to extend from each of at least three sides of said plate-like section in the direction of insertion of the core.

3. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein each two of said edge elements positioned opposite to each other are arranged so as to define therebetween an interval smaller than a diameter of the core of the lead wire.

4. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge elements each are previously inclined in the direction of insertion of the core of the lead wire into said terminal fitment.

5. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein said insulating casing includes at least one terminal fitment receiving section for receiving said terminal fitment therein;

said terminal fitment being connected through a conductive connection member to said electrode on said circuit substrate.

6. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said circuit substrate receiving section of said insulating casing is provided therein with a terminal fitment receiving section for receiving said terminal fitment therein;

said terminal fitment receiving section being defined by a wall means;

said wall means being formed with a through-hole through which the core of the lead wire is inserted thereinto;

said terminal fitment being received in said terminal fitment receiving section so as to cause said core holding section to be opposite to an inner end of said through-hole;

said terminal fitment being electrically connected through an elastic conductive connection member to said electrode on said circuit substrate.

7. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein said insulating casing is provided therein with a terminal fitment receiving section for receiving said terminal fitment therein in a manner to be adjacent to said circuit substrate receiving section;

said terminal fitment receiving section being defined by a wall means;

said wall means being formed with a through-hole through which the core of the lead wire is inserted thereinto;

said terminal fitment being received in said terminal fitment receiving section so as to cause said core holding section to be opposite to an inner end of said through-hole;

said terminal fitment being electrically connected through a conductive connection member to said electrode on said circuit substrate.

8. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal fitment is disposed on a rear surface of said circuit substrate;

and

said terminal fitment has a connection terminal arranged so as to extend through said circuit substrate to the front surface of said circuit substrate and connected to said electrode by soldering.

9. A high-voltage variable resistor comprising:

a circuit substrate having a circuit pattern formed on a front surface thereof;

an insulating casing made of an insulating resin material and provided therein with a circuit substrate receiving section open at one end thereof and at least one terminal fitment receiving section;

a circuit substrate fixing rib which is provided on an inner periphery of said circuit substrate receiving section for supporting said circuit substrate thereon in a manner to define a space between said front surface of said circuit substrate and an inner surface of said rib and to which said circuit substrate is attached by means of an adhesive;

said circuit substrate receiving section being partitioned by at least one anti-discharge rib connected at both ends thereof to said circuit substrate fixing rib and arranged so as to surround an electrode incorporated in said circuit pattern on said circuit substrate while keeping said circuit substrate received therein;

said insulating casing being formed with a through-hole extending from an outer surface of said insulating casing to said circuit substrate receiving section;

at least one sliding element arranged in said space in a manner to be operable from an outside of said insulating casing;

an insulating resin layer formed of insulating resin charged on a rear surface of said circuit substrate; and

at least one terminal fitment which is received in said at least one terminal fitment receiving section and to which a core of a lead wire is connected without soldering;

said terminal fitment being electrically connected to the electrode incorporated in said circuit pattern through an elastic conductive connection member;

said terminal fitment including a core holding section provided with four edge elements each having a pointed distal end adapted to bite into a periphery of the core of the lead wire inserted;

said edge elements each being formed between each adjacent two of four slits formed at a plate-like section of said terminal fitment so as to radially extend from a center of said plate-like section;

said plate-like section being formed into a substantially rectangular configuration;

said four slits being formed so as to extend toward corners of said plate-like section, respectively;

said edge elements each being constructed so as to be forced by the core of the lead wire when the core is inserted through said center of said plate-like section into said terminal fitment, to thereby be inclined in a direction of insertion of the core into said terminal fitment and bite into the periphery of the core of the lead wire when drawing force is applied to the lead wire.

10. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 9, wherein said conductive connection member comprises a conductive rubber member arranged between said circuit substrate and said terminal fitment while being kept compressed;

one of said terminal fitment and conductive connection section being formed with a positioning projection means and the other being formed with a positioning recess means fittedly engaged with said positioning projection means.

11. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 9, wherein said terminal fitment includes a wall section extending from each of sides of said plate-like section in the direction of insertion of the core of the lead wire into said terminal fitment.

12. A high-voltage variable resistor comprising:

a circuit substrate having a circuit pattern formed on a front surface thereof;

an insulating casing made of an insulating resin material and provided therein with a circuit substrate receiving section open at one end thereof;

said circuit substrate being received in said circuit substrate receiving section of said insulating casing and arranged so as to define a space between an inner surface of said insulating casing and said front surface of said circuit substrate;

at least one sliding element arranged in said space in a manner to be operable from an outside of said insulating casing;

an insulating resin layer formed of insulating resin charged on a rear surface of said circuit substrate; and

at least one terminal fitment to which a core for a lead wire is connected without soldering;

said terminal fitment being fixed on said rear surface of said circuit substrate and being partially embedded in said insulating resin layer;

said terminal fitment including a connection section connected through said circuit substrate to an electrode incorporated in said circuit pattern by soldering;

said terminal fitment being formed therein with a core holding section which is provided with four edge elements each having a pointed distal end adapted to bite into a periphery of the core of the lead wire;

said edge elements each being formed between each adjacent two of four slits formed at a plate-like section of said terminal fitment so as to radially extend from a center of said plate-like section;

said plate-like section being formed into a substantially rectangular configuration;

said four slits being formed so as to extend toward corners of said plate-like section, respectively;

said edge elements each being constructed so as to be forced by the core of the lead wire when the core is inserted into said terminal fitment, to thereby be inclined in a direction of insertion of the core into said terminal fitment and bite into the periphery of the core of the lead wire when drawing force is applied to the lead wire.

13. A high-voltage variable resistor as defined in claim 12, wherein a portion of said terminal fitment in which said core receiving section is formed is formed thereon with a mark indicating a limit position of charging of the insulating resin for said insulating resin layer.