Fitting type connecting terminal and method for producing same

A method for producing a fitting type connecting terminal which comprises a male terminal and a female terminal, each of the male and female terminals being made of a tin-plated electrically conductive base material, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming grooves or recessed portions, which are spaced from each other in longitudinal directions, in a portion of a surface of an electrically conductive base material of one of the male and female terminals corresponding to a contact portion of the one of the male and female terminals with the other of the male and female terminals so that d≦b, d≦a≦L and a+c≦L, are satisfied assuming that each of the grooves or the recessed portions is has a width a (μm), a depth b (μm) and a distance {right arrow over (c)} (μm) from an adjacent one of the grooves or recessed portions in the longitudinal directions and that the fitting type connecting terminal allows a sliding distance L (μm) between the male terminal and the female terminal in a state that the male terminal is fitted into and fixed to the female terminal, the fitting type connecting terminal producing an oxide of abrasion powder having a maximum grain size d (μm) due to sliding between the male terminal and the female terminal;
• and
• thereafter, plating the electrically conductive base material of each of the male and female terminals with tin.

A method for producing a fitting type connecting terminal which comprises a male terminal and a female terminal, each of the male and female terminals being made of a tin-plated electrically conductive base material, said method comprising the steps of:

• plating an electrically conductive base material of each of the male and female terminals;
• and
• thereafter, forming grooves or recessed portions, which are spaced from each other in longitudinal directions, in a surface of a contact portion of one of the male and female terminals with the other of the male and female terminals so that d≦b, d≦a≦L and a+c≦L, are satisfied assuming that each of the grooves or the recessed portions has a width a (μm), a depth b (μm) and a distance c (μm) from an adjacent one of the grooves or recessed portions in the longitudinal directions and that the fitting type connecting terminal allows a sliding distance L (μm) between the male terminal and the female terminal in a state that the male terminal is fitted into and fixed to the female terminal, the fitting type connecting terminal producing an oxide of abrasion powder having a maximum grain size d (μm) due to sliding between the male terminal and the female terminal.