Terminal fitting and connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10218102-B2
Application number	US-201615770429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A terminal fitting that can reduce the terminal insertion force and can suppress surface oxidation of a plating film, even if the terminal fitting is exposed to a hot and humid environment, and a connector that uses the terminal fitting. The terminal fitting includes a metal base material, and the plating film. The plating film includes a Ni foundation layer, an outermost layer exposed at the outermost surface, and a Ni 3 Sn 4 layer formed between the Ni foundation layer and the outermost layer. The outermost layer includes a Sn parent phase, and intermetallic compound that is dispersed in the Sn parent phase, and is made of (Ni 0.4 Pd 0.6 )Sn 4 . The intermetallic compound protrudes from the lower side of the outermost layer to the Ni 3 Sn 4 layer side, and is partially buried in the Ni 3 Sn 4 layer. A connector includes the terminal fitting, and a housing that holds the terminal fitting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A terminal fitting comprising:
a metal base material; and
a plating film that covers a surface of the metal base material,
wherein the plating film includes a Ni foundation layer that is formed on the surface of the metal base material, an outermost layer that is formed above the Ni foundation layer and is exposed at an outermost surface, and a Ni 3 Sn 4 layer that is formed between the Ni foundation layer and the outermost layer,
the outermost layer includes a Sn parent phase, and an intermetallic compound that is dispersed in the Sn parent phase, and is made of (Ni 0.4 Pd 0.6 )Sn 4 , and
the intermetallic compound protrudes from a lower side of the outermost layer to the Ni 3 Sn 4 layer side, and is partially buried in the Ni 3 Sn 4 layer.

2. The terminal fitting according to claim 1 ,
wherein the Ni 3 Sn 4 layer has a thickness of at least 0.4 μm.

3. The terminal fitting according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intermetallic compound has a particle diameter in a range from 0.1 to 10 μm.

4. The terminal fitting according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intermetallic compound in the outermost layer is exposed from the outermost surface of the plating film.

5. The terminal fitting according to claim 1 ,
wherein the outermost layer has a thickness in a range from 0.1 to 4 μm.

6. A connector comprising:
the terminal fitting according to claim 1 ; and
a housing that holds the terminal fitting.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Watanabe Hajime
• Saka Yoshifumi

Classifications

• C25D5/505

  of electroplated tin coatings, e.g. by melting · CPC title

• H01R12/585

  Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R13/03 Primary

  characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials · CPC title

• H01R12/58

  terminals for insertion into holes · CPC title

• H01R43/16

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title