Male terminal fitting and method of manufacture
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorEiji Kojima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A male tab (3) is formed by bending an electrically conductive plate. The male tab (3) has a first panel (3A), a second panel (3B) opposed to the first panel (3A), a connecting panel (3C) connecting the first and second panels (3A, 3B), and a foldable support panel (3D) folded from the second panel (3B). The foldable support panel (3D) is held in close contact with the front and rear panels (3A, 3B) and prevents the leading ends of the first and second panels (3A, 3B) from being inclined inward during the pressing.
Claims9
A male tab formed unitarily from a folded electrically conductive plate, said male tab comprising a first panel having a selected thickness, a second panel disposed over and spaced from the first panel, the second panel having a selected thickness, and at least one supporting panel, the supporting panel extending unitarily from a side of the second panel and being folded and held tightly between the first and second panels, the supporting panel having a thickness less than the thicknesses of the first and second panels.
A male terminal fitting formed from an electrically conductive plate and comprising a wire connecting portion configured for connection to a wire and a male tab, the male tab including a first panel having a selected thickness, a second panel disposed over and spaced from the first panel, the second panel having a selected thickness, and at least one supporting panel, the supporting panel extending unitarily from a side of the second panel and being folded and held tightly between the first and second panels, the supporting panel having a thickness less than the thicknesses of the first and second panels.
A method of forming a male tab, comprising:
- stamping an electrically conductive plate to define a planar development with opposite first and second surfaces and opposite first and second side edges;
- pressing the plate at locations in proximity to the first side edge to define a pressed portion of the plate in proximity to the first side edge and having a thickness less than thicknesses at other parts of the plate;
- folding the pressed portion of the plate along a first fold line so that a portion of the plate between the first fold line and the first edge defines a supporting panel lying in face-to-face contact with a portion of the first surface;
- folding the plate along a second fold line parallel to the first fold line to define a first panel between the first and second fold lines, and to define a connecting panel extending from the second fold line;
- and
- folding the plate about a third fold line parallel to the first and second fold lines and between the connecting panel and the second edge to define a second panel opposed to the first panel and supported at least partly on the supporting panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.