IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,542,390
Granted Patent B2
US 12,542,390 · App. 18/038,848 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Terminal unit having male terminal with inclined portions

Inventor: Seido Nishijima (Mie, JP)
Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.; SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.; SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
H01R13/18H01R13/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,542,390
App. No.
18/038,848
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A terminal unit includes a plate-like male terminal and a female terminal to be connected to the male terminal. The female terminal includes a pair of connecting portions arranged to face each other across a male terminal insertion gap, and a resilient member for biasing the pair of connecting portions in directions approaching each other. The male terminal includes a pair of inclined portions inclined toward one side in a plate thickness direction of the male terminal on both sides in a plate width direction intersecting an inserting direction into the male terminal insertion gap. The connecting portion of the female terminal facing a surface on the other side in the plate thickness direction of the male terminal includes a pair of first projection-like contact point portions configured to respectively contact the pair of inclined portions of the male terminal arranged in the male terminal insertion gap.

Claims (26)

1 . A terminal unit, comprising:

a plate-like male terminal; and

a female terminal to be connected to the male terminal,

the female terminal including a pair of connecting portions arranged to face each other across a male terminal insertion gap, the male terminal being inserted into the male terminal insertion gap to be arranged, and a resilient member for biasing the pair of connecting portions in directions approaching each other,

the male terminal including a pair of inclined portions inclined toward one side in a plate thickness direction of the male terminal on both sides in a plate width direction, the plate width direction being a direction intersecting an inserting direction into the male terminal insertion gap, and

the connecting portion of the female terminal facing a surface on the other side in the plate thickness direction of the male terminal including a pair of first projection-like contact point portions configured to respectively contact the pair of inclined portions of the male terminal arranged in the male terminal insertion gap,

wherein the inclined portions of the male terminal and the first projection-like contact point portions of the female terminal are configured to generate component forces directed inward in the plate width direction, thereby limiting lateral displacement of the male terminal relative to the female terminal and reducing fine sliding friction between the terminals caused by vibration of the terminal unit.

2 . A terminal unit, comprising:

a plate-like male terminal; and

a female terminal to be connected to the male terminal,

the female terminal including a pair of connecting portions arranged to face each other across a male terminal insertion gap, the male terminal being inserted into the male terminal insertion gap to be arranged, and a resilient member for biasing the pair of connecting portions in directions approaching each other,

the male terminal including a pair of inclined portions inclined toward one side in a plate thickness direction of the male terminal on both sides in a plate width direction, the plate width direction being a direction intersecting an inserting direction into the male terminal insertion gap, and

the connecting portion of the female terminal facing a surface on the other side in the plate thickness direction of the male terminal including a pair of first projection-like contact point portions configured to respectively contact the pair of inclined portions of the male terminal arranged in the male terminal insertion gap,

wherein:

the male terminal includes a flat portion arranged between the pair of inclined portions in the plate width direction, and

the connecting portion of the female terminal facing the surface on the one side in the plate thickness direction of the male terminal includes a second projection-like contact point portion configured to contact the flat portion of the male terminal arranged in the male terminal insertion gap,

wherein the inclined portions of the male terminal and the first projection-like contact point portions of the female terminal are configured to generate component forces directed inward in the plate width direction, thereby limiting lateral displacement of the male terminal relative to the female terminal and reducing fine sliding friction between the terminals caused by vibration of the terminal unit.

3 . The terminal unit of claim 1 , wherein the respective first projection-like contact point portions continuously extend in the inserting direction of the male terminal into the male terminal insertion gap.

4 . The terminal unit of claim 2 , wherein:

the respective first contact point portions are provided at two positions separated from each other in the inserting direction of the male terminal into the male terminal insertion gap, and

a separation distance in the inserting direction between the two positions is larger than a dimension in the plate width direction of the flat portion of the male terminal.

5 . The terminal unit of claim 1 , wherein a part located on a front side in the inserting direction of the male terminal into the male terminal insertion gap in each of the first projection-like contact point portions has a round chamfered shape.

6 . The terminal unit of claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of each of the inclined portions with respect to a horizontal direction is 5° or more and 45° or less.

7 . The terminal unit of claim 1 , wherein the male terminal includes a flat portion arranged between the pair of inclined portions in the plate width direction, and

the connecting portion of the female terminal facing the surface on the one side in the plate thickness direction of the male terminal includes a second projection-like contact point portion configured to contact the flat portion of the male terminal arranged in the male terminal insertion gap.

8 . The terminal unit of claim 1 , wherein each of the first projection-like contact point portions has a front end portion located on a front side in the inserting direction of the male terminal into the male terminal insertion gap, the front end portion having a round chamfered shape.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2023
From: NISHIJIMA, SEIDO
To: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.; SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.; SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063763/0678 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-206267 · Dec 11, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230420877A1 · Dec 28, 2023
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