An electric wire and a terminal metal fitting, comprising:
- the electric wire including a conductor portion, and an insulating coating portion surrounding an outer periphery of the conductor portion;
- and
- the terminal metal fitting including an electric-wire coupling portion coupled to a terminal portion of the electric wire and a partner-terminal coupling portion connected to the electric-wire coupling portion, wherein
- the electric-wire coupling portion includes:
- an exposed-conductor press-bonded portion disposed on a front end side of the electric-wire coupling portion in an extending direction of the electric wire and press-bonded to the conductor portion of the electric wire exposed by removing a portion of the insulating coating portion of the electric wire from a distal end of the terminal portion of the electric wire;
- an insulation-coating press-bonded portion disposed on a rear end side of the electric-wire coupling portion in the extending direction of the electric wire and press-bonded to the insulating coating portion of the electric wire;
- and
- a tapered intermediate integrated continuous-contact portion integrally and continuously connecting between the exposed-conductor press-bonded portion and the insulation-coating press-bonded portion along the extending direction of the electric wire such that the conductor portion of the electric wire is not exposed to an outside, wherein
- the electric-wire coupling portion of the terminal metal fitting has an inner side surface where an insulating resin layer is formed at least on a front end portion and a rear end portion thereof in the extending direction of the electric wire, and, on the inner side surface of the electric-wire coupling portion, the insulating resin layer is not formed on at least a part of a portion of the exposed-conductor press-bonded portion, wherein
- the insulating resin layer includes a thermoplastic resin, and insulating resin of the insulating resin layer is heated at a temperature where the insulating resin is melted such that a gap between the terminal metal fitting and the electric wire is sealed by the insulating resin at a front end portion and a rear end portion of the electric-wire coupling portion, wherein
- the exposed-conductor press-bonded portion and the intermediate integrated continuous-contact portion completely encircle the electric wire in a circumferential direction of the electric wire continuously throughout an extension of the exposed-conductor press-bonded portion and the intermediate integrated continuous-contact portion in the extending direction of the electric wire, and wherein
- the electric-wire coupling portion includes a front end opening on a front end side thereof in a direction extending toward the partner-terminal coupling portion, and the insulating resin is melted to cover a distal end portion of the conductor portion of the electric wire, including a distal front longitudinal face of the conductor portion.