Connection structure for terminal fitting, connection method for terminal fitting, and wire harness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9825375-B2
Application number	US-201715468318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connection structure for a terminal fitting ( 1010 ). The connection structure includes a terminal fitting ( 1010 ) including a terminal body ( 1011 ) to be fastened and fixed to a grounding surface and a plurality of terminal connecting portions ( 1021 ) extended from the terminal body; and a junction terminal ( 1030 ) electrically connected to ground wire (D) and electrically connected to the terminal connecting portions ( 1021 ). This connection structure enables a plurality of ground wires to be electrically connected all together to a grounding surface in a space-saving manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection structure for a terminal fitting, the connection structure comprising:
a terminal fitting including: a terminal body to be fastened and fixed to a grounding surface; and a plurality of terminal connecting portions extended from the terminal body; and
a junction terminal electrically connected to a ground wire and electrically connected to the terminal connecting portion, the junction terminal having a pair of crimping pieces,
the pair of crimping pieces being crimped on the terminal connecting portion in such a manner to externally roll up both sides of the terminal connecting portion without crimping the ground wire, and thus fastening the junction terminal to the terminal fitting to connect the terminal fitting to the ground wire via the junction terminal.

2. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of ground wires are electrically connected to the junction terminal.

3. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal connecting portion has engagement walls extended from both sides of the terminal connecting portion to rise on a plane on which the terminal connecting portion is extended from the terminal body, and
the crimping piece is crimped to engage with the engagement walls.

4. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 3 , wherein
the engagement wall has an engaging piece formed by folding an upper end of the engagement wall inward.

5. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 1 , wherein
the junction terminal defines a holding space surrounded by the crimping pieces, and
side surfaces of the crimping pieces facing the holding space serve as rotation restricting surfaces to restrict rotation of the terminal connecting portion around an axis along an inserting direction into the holding space by contacting with both sides of the terminal connecting portion inserted into the holding space.

6. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 5 , wherein
a bottom of the holding space is curved to be swollen downward.

7. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal connecting portions are extended radially on a same plane.

8. The connection structure for a terminal fitting according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal connecting portions are extended on a same plane in a same direction to have a space between each other.

9. A wire harness comprising the connection structure for a terminal fitting according to any one of claim 1 .

10. A connection method for a terminal fitting,
the method being to connect the terminal fitting including a terminal body and a plurality of terminal connecting portions extended from the terminal body with a junction terminal connected to a ground wire by crimping a pair of crimping pieces formed in the junction terminal to the terminal connecting portion,
the method comprising:
a first step of forming a holding space in the junction terminal by using the crimping pieces to allow the terminal connecting portion to be inserted into the holding space;
a second step of holding the terminal connecting portion with the junction terminal by inserting the terminal connecting portion into the holding spaces; and
a third step of crimping the crimping piece in such a manner to externally roll up both sides of the terminal connecting portion located in the holding space without including the ground wire in the holding space.

11. The connection method for a terminal fitting according to claim 10 , wherein
the ground wire is electrically connected to the junction terminal before the second step.

Assignees

• Yazaki Corp

Inventors

• Naganishi Yukinari
• Kinoshita Kousuke
• Yamamoto Takatatsu
• Mita Keiichi
• Terada Tomoyasu
• Uehara Takehiko

Classifications

• H01R11/09

  the connecting locations being identical · CPC title

• H01R43/048

  Crimping apparatus or processes (H01R43/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R11/32

  End pieces with two or more terminations · CPC title

• H01R4/185

  combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion · CPC title

• H01R4/186 Primary

  using a body comprising a plurality of cable-accommodating recesses or bores · CPC title