Terminal fitting and method of producing it

A terminal fitting, comprising a tube for receiving a mating terminal, the tube including:

• a base plate with opposite first and second sides;
• first and second side plates projecting respectively from the first and second sides of the base plate;
• and
• a ceiling plate bent from an end of the first side plate opposite the base plate and extending substantially parallel to the base plate, an extending end edge thereof being supported in contact with a receiving portion formed on the second side plate;
• the ceiling plate being shaped to project inwardly of the tube to form a contact portion with the mating terminal;
• the extending end edge part of the ceiling plate being deformed inwardly of the tube while maintaining a uniform plate thickness, thereby forming a bent portion, and an outer surface of the bent portion being set at the same height position as or below the inner surface of the ceiling plate at locations disposed laterally of and adjacent to the contact portion;
• and
• at least one pressing portion bent from the end of the second side plate opposite the base plate to extend substantially parallel to the base plate so that opening of the ceiling plate is prevented by the contact of the pressing portion with the outer surface of the bent portion,
• wherein the receiving portion is formed by making at least one cut extending in a longitudinal direction in the second side plate and causing a corresponding portion of the second side plate to project inwardly of the tube so that a cut side becomes a base surface of a substantially semi-conical shape, and an end surface of a projecting part at the cut side is a substantially flat surface substantially perpendicular to the second side plate.

A terminal fitting, comprising a tube for receiving a mating terminal, the tube including:

• a base plate with opposite first and second sides;
• first and second side plates projecting respectively from the first and second sides of the base plate;
• and
• a ceiling plate bent from an end of the first side plate opposite the base plate and extending substantially parallel to the base plate, an extending end edge thereof being supported in contact with a receiving portion formed on the second side plate;
• the ceiling plate being shaped to project inwardly of the tube to form a contact portion with the mating terminal;
• the extending end edge part of the ceiling plate being deformed inwardly of the tube while maintaining a uniform plate thickness, thereby forming a bent portion, and an outer surface of the bent portion being set at the same height position as or below the inner surface of the ceiling plate at locations disposed laterally of and adjacent to the contact portion;
• and
• at least one pressing portion bent from an end of the second side plate opposite the base plate to extend substantially in parallel to the base plate so that opening of the ceiling plate is prevented by contact of the pressing portion with the outer surface of the bent portion,
• wherein the receiving portion is formed by making a pair of cuts extending in a longitudinal direction in the second side plate and spaced apart in a height direction and causing an area between the cuts to project inwardly of the tube to have an arcuate shape, and surfaces formed by the end edges of a projecting part are substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the second side plate.