Method for manufacturing linkage terminal

A method for manufacturing a linkage terminal mounted in a housing of a joint connector, comprising:

• providing first and second terminal elements, each terminal element including a strip-shaped carrier and terminals integral with the carrier, each terminal including a projecting piece configured to be connected to another terminal, the terminals being arranged at equal intervals along a longitudinal direction of the carrier and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom, each of the carriers of the first and second terminal elements being wound in a reel;
• unwinding the reels and shifting the first and second terminal elements relative to each other in the longitudinal directions of the carriers to stack the first and second terminal elements;
• bending boundary portions between the carriers and the terminals such that the terminals are arranged with generally even heights when the carriers are welded;
• welding the carriers of the first and second terminal elements along the longitudinal directions of the carriers after bending the boundary portions;
• and
• bending each of the projecting pieces not required to be connected to another terminal.