Terminal fitting and its manufacturing method, and connector using the terminal fitting

A method for manufacturing a terminal fitting, the terminal fitting comprising a first connection terminal portion having one end connected to a first circuit, a second connection terminal portion having a pattern contact portion provided on one side of an arm extending from another end of the first connection terminal portion to contact a conductor pattern on a surface of a circuit body, and a circuit body pressing arm extending from the other end of the first connection terminal portion to form a gap between the circuit body pressing arm and the pattern contact portion, allowing the circuit body to be inserted into the gap, and to press the circuit body inserted into the gap toward the pattern contact portion, wherein the pattern contact portion is a portion of a surface of a contact portion plate section, the contact portion plate section being punched in a one piece together with the arm so as to be contiguous with one side of the arm and bent in a plate thickness direction of the arm such that the surface of the contact portion plate section faces the circuit body pressing arm, the method comprising:

• a punching step of forming a terminal base metal by punching a metal plate, the terminal base metal having a plurality of terminal base plates arranged at a constant pitch on one side of a carrier plate, each of the terminal base plates having the first connection terminal portion, the second connection terminal portion, the circuit body pressing arm, and the contact portion plate section that are expanded in a planar manner;
• a bending step of bending the contact portion plate section of each of the terminal base plates in the plate thickness direction of the arm to form the terminal base plates into the terminal fittings;
• and
• a cutting step of cutting off the plurality of terminal base plates or the terminal fittings connected to the carrier plate from the carrier plate.

A connector comprising:

• a circuit body insertion portion into which a connector coupling portion of a circuit body on which a plurality of conductor patterns is arranged at a predetermined pitch is inserted;
• and
• a plurality of terminal fittings arranged inside the circuit body insertion portion to contact the respective conductor patterns of the circuit body inserted into the circuit body insertion portion,
• wherein each of the plurality of terminal fittings comprises:
• a first connection terminal portion comprising one end connected to a first circuit;
• a second connection terminal portion comprising a pattern contact portion provided on one side of an arm extending from another end of the first connection terminal portion to contact a corresponding one of the conductor patterns on a surface of the circuit body;
• and
• a circuit body pressing arm extending from the other end of the first connection terminal portion to form a gap between the circuit body pressing arm and the pattern contact portion, allowing the circuit body to be inserted into the gap, and to press the circuit body inserted into the gap toward the pattern contact portion,
• wherein the pattern contact portion is a portion of a surface of a contact portion plate section, the contact portion plate section being punched in a one piece together with the arm so as to be contiguous with one side of the arm and bent in a plate thickness direction of the arm such that the surface of the contact portion plate section faces the circuit body pressing arm.