Connection terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023042851-A1
Application number	US-202117789716-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2021
Priority date	Jan 14, 2020
Publication date	Feb 9, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A connection terminal having a copper alloy as a base material, the copper alloy comprising Zn in an amount of 21 mass % or more and 27 mass % or less, Sn in an amount of 0.6 mass % or more and 0.9 mass % or less, Ni in an amount of 2.5 mass % or more and 3.7 mass % or less, and P in an amount of 0.01 mass % or more and 0.03 mass % or less, and the balance being Cu and inevitable impurities, wherein the copper alloy has: a 0.2% proof stress of 620 MPa or higher and 700 MPa or lower, and an electrical conductivity of 15% IACS or higher and 20% IACS or lower.

First claim

1 . A connection terminal comprising a copper alloy as a base material, the copper alloy comprising:
Zn in an amount of 21 mass % or more and 27 mass % or less; Sn in an amount of 0.6 mass % or more and 0.9 mass % or less; Ni in an amount of 2.5 mass % or more and 3.7 mass % or less; and P in an amount of 0.01 mass % or more and 0.03 mass % or less, and the balance being Cu and inevitable impurities, wherein the copper alloy has:
a 0.2% proof stress of 620 MPa or higher and 700 MPa or lower; and
an electrical conductivity of 15% IACS or higher and 20% IACS or lower.

2 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein a solid solution strengthening index τ s calculated by a formula below satisfies 60≤τ s ≤75,
τ s =(164[Zn] 2/3 +858[Sn] 2/3 +45.6[Ni] 2/3 )/(190−0.1[Zn]−0.9[Sn]+0.1[Ni]) 2/3 ,

where [Zn], [Sn], and [Ni] represent the amount of Zn, Sn, and Ni in the base material in mass %, respectively.

3 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein the copper alloy has an average grain size of 2.0 μm or larger and 5.0 μm or smaller.

4 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein the copper alloy further comprises Fe in an amount of 0.02 mass % or less.

5 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein the copper alloy further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, Zr, Ti, Mn, and V in a total amount of 0.1 mass % or less.

6 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein the copper alloy has the 0.2% proof stress of 620 MPa or higher and 700 MPa or lower in a direction perpendicular to a rolling direction.

7 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 , comprising:
a spring portion where the copper alloy in the form of a place is bent in a direction perpendicular to a rolling direction of the copper alloy, in a region that includes a contact portion that makes electrical contact with a counterpart electrical contact portion.

8 . The connection terminal according to claim 7 ,
wherein the connection terminal is a female terminal.

9 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein a tab width, which is defined as the width of a tab of a mating counterpart male terminal if the connection terminal is a female terminal, and which is defined as the width of the tab of a male terminal if the connection terminal is the male terminal, is 0.5 mm or smaller.

10 . The connection terminal according to claim 1 ,
wherein the copper alloy constitutes the connection terminal in the form of a plate with a thickness of 0.20 mm or smaller.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries
• Mitsubishi Materials Corp

Inventors

• Sakai Toshiro
• Furukawa Kingo
• Masuda Takeshi
• Kuwabara Tetsuya
• Takasaki Michio

Classifications

• C22C9/04 Primary

  with zinc as the next major constituent · CPC title

• C22F1/08

  of copper or alloys based thereon · CPC title

• H01R13/113

  co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section · CPC title

• H01R13/03 Primary

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