JP7418735B2 - Terminal block and terminal block manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal block that allows electric wires to be connected with one touch, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal block that can connect terminals with one touch and includes a conductive plate that electrically connects to an inserted terminal and a lever that rotates when a button is pressed. Furthermore, this terminal block includes a stopper that is biased by the first compression spring and regulated by the lever. Then, when the lever is rotated to release the restriction, the stopper is moved to the second position by the biasing force of the first compression spring. In the connection waiting state where the stopper is in the second position, the lever is held, so even if the operator releases the button, the lever does not rotate.

Next, when the operator inserts the terminal into the first terminal hole, the second contact portion of the stopper is pushed by the tip of the terminal, and the stopper moves to the first position. As a result of this movement of the stopper, the front portion of the lever biased by the second compression spring pivots toward the conductive plate. In the wire connection state in which the stopper is located at the first position, the lever is in contact with the upper surface of the terminal, and the lower surface of the terminal is pressed against the upper surface of the conductive plate to make surface contact.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-228287

The terminal block described in Patent Document 1 is a terminal block for connecting electric wires each having a terminal attached to its tip. In this regard, an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal block having a configuration that allows easy electrical connection of flexible electric wires in which a terminal is not attached to a single wire or a stranded wire.

A terminal block according to one aspect of the present invention includes a conductive plate electrically connected to an inserted electric wire, a rotating member rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate, and a rotating member configured to rotate so that the rotating member rotates. a biasing member that biases the member; and a biasing member that is in a first position in a standby state in which the electric wire can be inserted, is in a second position in a connected state in which the electric wire is connected, and is in the first position and the second position. a lever that is rotatable about an axis between the lever and the lever, the lever includes a pressing part that extends toward the rotating member and is in contact with the rotating member; It is characterized by having an operation part formed on the opposite side to the plate.

A method for manufacturing a terminal block according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a conductive plate electrically connected to an inserted electric wire; a rotating member rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate; and a rotating member configured to rotate. a biasing member that biases the rotating member; and a biasing member that is in a first position in a standby state in which the electric wire can be inserted, is in a second position in a connected state in which the electric wire is connected, and is in the first position. The case body includes a lever rotatable between the second position and the second position, the conductive plate, the rotating member, the biasing member, and the lever. A method for manufacturing a terminal block having an accommodation space for accommodating a biasing member and an overhanging portion in which a communication space communicating with the accommodation space is formed, the method comprising: the lever; and the conductive plate. and the rotating member are assembled to the case body, the biasing member is inserted into the communication space, and the biasing member is moved from the communication space to the accommodation space.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the terminal block of the first embodiment. A schematic explanatory diagram of a standby state and a wiring state of the terminal block. A schematic perspective view of a conductive plate. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a rotating member. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a biasing member. A schematic perspective view of a lever. A schematic perspective view of the case body. A schematic perspective view of the lid. Schematic exploded view of the terminal block. Flowchart of the manufacturing method. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a terminal block according to a second embodiment. A schematic explanatory diagram of a standby state and a wiring state of the terminal block. Schematic exploded view of the terminal block.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of components described in the following embodiments can be set arbitrarily, and can be changed depending on the configuration of the device to which the present invention is applied or various conditions. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments specifically described below. In this specification, when the side of the terminal blocks 100, 200 that is attached to the board is defined as the downward direction, the opposite direction corresponds to the upward direction. Furthermore, when the terminal ports 57, 257 side is defined as the front, the opposite direction corresponds to the rear.

[First embodiment]
First, the terminal block 100 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the internal state of the terminal block 100 with the lid 51 (FIG. 9) removed, and shows the terminal block 100 seen from the front and upper side. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the standby state (left side in FIG. 2) and connection state (right side in FIG. 2) of the terminal block 100, and for convenience of explanation, illustration of a part of the conductive plate 10 is omitted. are doing. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, the shapes of the lever 40 and the like are simply illustrated for convenience of explanation. Note that FIG. 1 shows the terminal block 100 in a standby state shown on the left side of FIG. 2, with the lever 40 in the first position, which is the initial position.

As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal block 100 includes a conductive plate 10 that is electrically connected to an inserted electric wire W (not shown), and a leaf spring that is a rotating member 20 that is rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate 10. It is equipped with In addition, the terminal block 100 is biased by the urging member 30 via the leaf spring and the urging member 30 that urges the rotating member 20 so that the rotating member 20 rotates. , and a lever 40 in which an insertion opening 45 for the electric wire W is formed. The conductive plate 10, the rotating member 20, the biasing member 30, and the lever 40 are housed between the case body 50 and the lid 51 in a state where they are assembled to the case body 50.

The lever 40 is in an initial position, which is a first position, in a standby state in which the electric wire W shown on the left side of FIG. 2 can be inserted. Further, the lever 40 is in the second position, which is the connection position, in the connection state in which the electric wire W shown on the right side of FIG. 2 is connected. That is, the lever 40 is rotatable between the initial position and the connection position around the first shaft portion 43, which is the shaft of the lever 40. In addition, as an example, the electric wire W is an insulated electric wire, and includes a single wire, a stranded wire, etc. covered with an insulator. In the following description, a case where the electric wire W has a single wire S will be described as an example.

Next, each component constituting the terminal block 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the conductive plate 10 has a connecting portion 11 extending downward. Two connecting portions 11 are formed, and the lower ends of both connecting portions 11 can be electrically connected to a substrate (not shown) using solder or the like. As an example, the connecting portion 11 can be formed by punching out a part of the metal plate material of the conductive plate 10 and bending it.

Further, an upper protrusion 12 that is a first protrusion that protrudes upward toward the lever 40 is formed at the front portion of the conductive plate 10 (the portion on the terminal port 57 side, which will be described later). The upper protrusion 12 comes into contact with the single wire S of the electric wire W to be inserted. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 10 are electrically connected. Further, since the upper protrusion 12 is caught on the single wire S, it is possible to prevent the electric wire W from slipping out from the terminal block 100. As an example, the upper protrusion 12 can be formed by cutting and raising a part of the plate material of the conductive plate 10.

Further, the conductive plate 10 has a first support portion 13 and a second support portion 14 that extend upward. Two first support parts 13 are formed in the front part of the conductive plate 10, and each has a first shaft hole 16 into which the first shaft part 43 of the lever 40 is inserted. Two second support parts 14 are formed approximately at the center of the conductive plate 10, and each has a second shaft hole 18 into which the second shaft part 24 of the rotating member 20 is inserted. As an example, the first support part 13 and the second support part 14 can be formed by punching out a part of the plate material of the conductive plate 10 and bending it. Each of the first support portions 13 has a substantially L-shaped outer shape, and each of the second support portions 14 has a substantially rectangular outer shape.

In the space between the first support parts 13 and the second support parts 14, the upper surface 15 of the conductive plate 10 extends in the front-rear direction of the terminal block 100 so as to be inclined from the bottom to the top. ing. Then, the single wire S of the electric wire W pressed against the rotating member 20 comes into surface contact with the upper surface 15 of the conductive plate 10. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 10 are electrically connected. The conductive plate 10 can be formed from a copper alloy plate material such as brass. Furthermore, the conductive plate 10 may be formed from a plate made of other materials. Furthermore, a conductive layer made of a conductive material such as gold, silver, copper, or tin may be formed on the conductive plate 10 by plating.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotating member 20 has a substantially L-shaped outer shape, and has a pressing portion 23 extending in the extending direction of the conductive plate 10 and a direction intersecting the pressing portion 23. The contact portion 21 is provided with a contact portion 21 extending to When the rotating member 20 is a leaf spring, the rotating member 20 has elasticity. As an example, the rotating member 20 is formed from a plate made of phosphor bronze, and can be formed by punching and bending the plate. Alternatively, the rotating member 20 may be a plate-like member made of another metal such as stainless steel or a non-metal, or may be a plate-like member with high rigidity.

The contact portion 21 extends upward and is in contact with the pressing portion 41 of the lever 40 and the urging portion 31 of the urging member 30 . That is, the contact portion 21 is sandwiched between the pressing portion 41 and the urging portion 31. In the connected state, the front surface of the upper part of the contact section 21 is in contact with the pressing section 41, and the rear surface of the substantially central portion of the contact section 21 is in contact with the biasing section 31. During the transition from the standby state to the connection state, the pressing portion 41 slides in contact with the front surface of the contact portion 21. The pressing portion 23 extends forward along the conductive plate 10 and presses the single wire S of the electric wire W against the conductive plate 10.

The rotating member 20 has a downward protrusion 22 that is a second protrusion that protrudes toward the conductive plate 10 . The downward protruding portion 22 is formed on the pressing portion 23 and protrudes downward toward the conductive plate 10 . Then, the downward protrusion 22 presses the single wire S of the electric wire W to be inserted against the upper surface 15 of the conductive plate 10. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 10 are electrically connected. Furthermore, since the downward protrusion 22 is caught on the single wire S, it is possible to prevent the electric wire W from slipping out from the terminal block 100. As an example, the downward protrusion 22 can be formed by punching out a part of the plate material of the rotating member 20 and bending it.

The upper protrusions 12 and the lower protrusions 22 of the conductive plate 10 are formed at alternate positions in the extending direction of the conductive plate 10. As a result, the single wire S is held between the rotating member 20 and the conductive plate 10 in a substantially S-shaped deformed state. Therefore, compared to the case where there is only one protrusion, the contact area with the conductive plate 10 increases, and since the single wire S is caught on both the upper protrusion 12 and the lower protrusion 22, the electric wire W is prevented from coming out. It can be suppressed.

Further, the rotating member 20 has a second shaft portion 24 that projects laterally between the contact portion 21 and the pressing portion 23. Each of the second shaft portions 24 is inserted into a second shaft hole 18 formed in the second support portion 14 . Further, the second shaft portion 24 is formed in a bent portion of the rotating member 20, and has a substantially semicircular shape that draws an arc. Alternatively, the rotating member 20 may have a substantially circular second shaft portion 24, and a separate second shaft portion 24 may be fixed to the rotating member 20. When the operator rotates the lever 40 using the electric wire W, the rotating member 20 is pushed by the lever 40 and rotates backward around the second shaft portion 24 . As a result, the pressing portion 23 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 10. Further, the rotating member 20 rotates forward about the second shaft portion 24 by being urged by the urging member 30 . As a result, the pressing portion 23 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the biasing member 30 has a biasing portion 31 that is in contact with the contact portion 21 of the rotating member 20, and a substantially C-shaped shape that is partially open upward. The curved portion 33 has a curved portion 33. Furthermore, the biasing member 30 has a regulating portion 32 that is in contact with the inner surface of the case body 50. The biasing portion 31 extends upwardly on the front side at an angle from the curved portion 33, and its front end portion is curved approximately semicircularly. Further, the restricting portion 32 extends rearward and upward at an angle from the curved portion 33, and its tip abuts against the inner surface of the case body 50. Then, the drag force applied from the case body 50 to the restricting portion 32 acts as resistance, and the upward movement of the biasing member 30 is restricted. As an example, the biasing member 30 is formed from a plate made of phosphor bronze, and can be formed by punching and bending the plate. Alternatively, the biasing member 30 may be another spring such as a compression coil spring, or may be a spring made of another metal such as stainless steel or a non-metal.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the lever 40 has a pressing portion 41 that extends toward the rotating member 20 and is in contact with the rotating member 20. Further, the lever 40 has a first shaft portion 43 that is supported by the first support portion 13 of the conductive plate 10 . Furthermore, the lever 40 has an operating portion 42 formed on the opposite side of the conductive plate 10 with respect to the first shaft portion 43 . Further, the lever 40 has an insertion opening 45 into which the electric wire W is inserted, and a contact portion 44 that comes into contact with a part of the electric wire W when the electric wire W is inserted.

When the lever 40 rotates around the first shaft portion 43 by the operator tilting the operating portion 42 backward in the wire connection state, the pressing portion 41 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 10 . On the other hand, when the lever 40 rotates around the first shaft portion 43 by tilting the operating portion 42 forward in the standby state, the pressing portion 41 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 10 . Further, as the lever 40 rotates, the tip of the pressing portion 41 slides while being in contact with the front surface of the contact portion 21 of the rotating member 20. Therefore, the tip of the pressing portion 41 has a tapered shape so as to reduce the resistance during sliding.

The pressing portion 41 is in contact with the contact portion 21 of the rotating member 20 and protrudes toward the rotating member 20 at the rear. Further, the operating section 42 protrudes upward and is exposed to the outside through the upper opening 52 of the case body 50 so that the operator can operate it with his or her fingers. Further, the first shaft portion 43 has a substantially cylindrical shape and protrudes laterally. Note that the operating portion 42 may have other shapes as long as the lever 40 can be rotated.

The contact portion 44 has a curved shape and extends toward the conductive plate 10. That is, the contact portion 44 protrudes toward the front and lower side, and an insertion port 45 is formed at the tip of the contact portion 44 . Further, the contact portion 44 is provided such that its tip (lower end) is located outside the conductive plate 10. Specifically, in the connected state, the tip of the contact portion 44 is located closer to the terminal port 57 than the conductive plate 10 is. Therefore, the contact portion 44 is curved so as to extend forward. Further, in the standby state, the tip of the contact portion 21 is exposed to the outside from the terminal opening 57. In this way, with the center of the terminal block 100 as a reference, the tip of the contact portion 44 is located outside the conductive plate 10 in the connection state and standby state. Therefore, when inserting the electric wire W into the insertion opening 45, the insertion of the electric wire W is not obstructed by the conductive plate 10.

The insertion opening 45 into which the single wire S of the electric wire W is inserted has a substantially U-shaped shape with the conductive plate 10 side open. The insertion opening 45 is formed in such a size that the covering portion of the electric wire W comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the insertion opening 45 . That is, when the single wire S is inserted into the insertion port 45, the end surface (the frontmost surface) of the covering portion that covers the single wire S comes into contact with the edge around the insertion port 45. Thereby, the operator can rotate the lever 40 by pushing the lever 40 through the covering portion of the electric wire W.

Further, in the connected state, when the bent electric wire W moves in the vertical direction, the upper side of the single wire S inserted into the insertion opening 45 comes into contact with the upper inner surface of the insertion opening 45 . Therefore, movement of the single wire S can be restricted above the single wire S. Further, in the connected state, when the bent electric wire W moves in the horizontal direction (direction perpendicular to the vertical direction), both sides of the single wire S inserted into the insertion port 45 abut the inner surface of the insertion port 45, respectively. Therefore, movement of the single wire S can be restricted on both sides of the single wire S.

Alternatively, the insertion port 45 may be omitted. In this case, the operator can insert the single wire S into the gap between the lower end of the contact portion 44 and the conductive plate 10. Then, the covering portion that covers the single wire S comes into contact with the lower edge of the contact portion 44 . Thereby, the operator can rotate the lever 40 by pushing the lever 40 through the covering portion of the electric wire W. Further, when the lever 40 is rotated by bringing the covering portion into contact with the lower edge of the contact portion 44, a terminal wider than the single wire S may be connected to the tip of the single wire S. Furthermore, although the insertion port 45 has a substantially U-shape, it may have an opening shape such as a rectangular shape or a circular shape so as to form a closed opening. However, since the lower part is open, the distance between the single wire S and the conductive plate 10 near the insertion port 45 is shortened.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the case body 50 to which the conductive plate 10, rotating member 20, biasing member 30, and lever 40 are assembled will be described. Note that FIG. 7 shows the front side (outside after assembly) and the back side (inside after assembly) of the case main body 50, and the upper side of FIG. 7 shows the back side of the case main body 50. Further, the lower side of FIG. 7 shows the front side of the case body 50.

As shown in FIG. 7, the substantially box-shaped case body 50 has walls on the top and bottom and on the front and back. The case body 50 has an upper opening 52 formed in the upper wall to expose the operating part 42 of the lever 40, and a terminal opening 57 into which the electric wire W is inserted is formed in the front wall. Further, the case body 50 has a lower opening 58 formed in the lower wall thereof into which each of the connecting portions 11 of the conductive plate 10 is inserted. The case body 50 has a mounting portion 53 on which the conductive plate 10 is mounted. Further, in the standby state, the front surface of the contact portion 44 of the lever 40 comes into contact with the upper edge 57A of the case body 50. Therefore, rotation of the lever 40 from the initial position is restricted. Further, in the wire connection state, the front surface of the operating portion 42 of the lever 40 comes into contact with the front edge 52A of the upper opening 52. Therefore, rotation of the lever 40 from the wire connection position is restricted.

Alternatively, rotation of the lever 40 in the standby state may be regulated by the rear surface of the operating portion 42 coming into contact with the rear edge of the upper opening 52. Furthermore, rotation of the lever 40 in the standby state may be regulated by the tip of the pressing part 41 coming into contact with the upper surface of the pressing part 23. Furthermore, the rotation of the lever 40 in the connected state may be restricted by the upper surface of the pressing portion 41 coming into contact with the inner surface of the case body 50. Further, the rotation of the lever 40 in the connected state may be restricted by the tip of the contact portion 44 coming into contact with the conductive plate 10.

The case body 50 is configured to be connectable with a lid 51 or another case body 50. For this purpose, a plurality of bosses 54 are formed on the back side of the case body 50, and a plurality of boss holes 55 are formed on the front side of the case body 50. The plurality of bosses 54 and the plurality of boss holes 55 have complementary shapes. Further, the plurality of boss holes 55 are formed at positions facing the plurality of bosses 54 when the back side of the case main body 50 faces the front side of another case main body 50. Then, by fitting the plurality of bosses 54 into the plurality of boss holes 55, the plurality of terminal blocks 100 can be connected. Note that when a plurality of terminal blocks 100 are connected, the boss hole 55 may not be formed on the front side of the case body 50 in the terminal block 100 located at the end and to which the lid 51 cannot be attached.

The mounting portion 53 on which the conductive plate 10 is mounted has a substantially triangular cross section and protrudes from the inner surface of the case body 50. Further, the upper surface of the mounting portion 53 is inclined from the bottom to the top along the conductive plate 10. Further, since the mounted conductive plate 10 extends downward from the terminal opening 57, the operator cannot easily insert the electric wire W even when the terminal block 100 is connected to the board. can. Alternatively, the mounting portion 53 may have an inclined plate shape. Furthermore, the mounting portion 53 may be configured with at least two protrusions. In this case, the plurality of protrusions are arranged such that a line connecting all the protrusions is inclined along the conductive plate 10.

Further, the case body 50 has a housing space P1 for the biasing member 30 formed therein. The case body 50 is formed with a communication space P2 that communicates with the housing space P1 so as to facilitate insertion of the biasing member 30 into the housing space P1. The case body 50 has a projecting portion 59 in which a communication space P2 is formed. That is, the rear wall of the case body 50 is inclined toward the upper rear side, and the upper rear side of the case body 50 overhangs the lower rear side of the case body 50.

In other words, in the rear part of the case body 50, the length of the upper part in the front-back direction is set longer than the length of the lower part. As a result, on the rear side of the case body 50, the upper part of the case body 50 protrudes from the lower part of the case body 50. A communication space P2 is formed inside the projecting portion 59. Thereby, after the biasing member 30 is inserted into the communication space P2 where it is easy to insert, the biasing member 30 can be moved from the communication space P2 to the accommodation space P1 as shown by the arrow.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the lid 51 has an external shape complementary to the case body 50. Note that FIG. 8 shows the front side and the back side of the lid 51, and the upper side of FIG. 8 shows the back side of the lid 51. Moreover, the lower side of FIG. 8 shows the front side of the lid 51. Further, the lid 51 is configured to be connectable to the case body 50. For this purpose, a plurality of boss holes 55 are formed on the front side of the lid 51.

The plurality of boss holes 55 of the lid 51 and the plurality of bosses 54 of the case body 50 have complementary shapes. Further, the plurality of boss holes 55 are formed at positions facing the plurality of bosses 54 of the case body 50 when the back side of the lid 51 faces the back side of the case body 50. Then, by fitting the plurality of bosses 54 into the plurality of boss holes 55, the case body 50 can be closed with the lid 51. Note that in FIG. 8, all of the plurality of boss holes 55 have bottoms, but all of the plurality of boss holes 55 may be through holes.

[Method for manufacturing terminal block 100]
Next, a method for assembling and manufacturing the terminal block 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 9, which is a schematic exploded view of the terminal block 100, and FIG. 10. When assembling the terminal block 100, the rotating member 20 is inserted between the second support parts 14 of the conductive plate 10 (ST11). At this time, the second support portion 14 is inclined so as to spread outward. That is, the second support portion 14 is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Therefore, the upper ends of the second support portions 14 are further apart from each other than when completed. After inserting the second shaft portion 24 of the rotating member 20 into the second shaft hole 18 of the second support portion 14, the second support portion 14 is transforms into an upright state. Alternatively, if the second support part 14 has sufficient restoring force and returns to its original shape, the second support part 14 before the second shaft part 24 is inserted is vertical in the vertical direction. It may be erected.

Next, the lever 40 is inserted between the first support parts 13 of the conductive plate 10 (ST12). At this time, the first support portion 13 is inclined so as to spread outward. That is, the first support portion 13 is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Therefore, the upper ends of the first support portions 13 are further apart from each other than when completed. After inserting the first shaft portion 43 of the lever 40 into the first shaft hole 16 of the first support portion 13, the first support portion 13 is inserted so that the distance between the upper ends of the first support portion 13 is narrowed. Transform into an upright position. Alternatively, if the first support part 13 has sufficient restoring force and returns to its original shape, the first support part 13 before the first shaft part 43 is inserted is vertically aligned in the vertical direction. It may be erected.

Alternatively, the lever 40 and the conductive plate 10 may be combined first, and then the rotating member 20 and the conductive plate 10 may be combined. However, by first combining the rotating member 20 and the conductive plate 10, the lever 40 does not inhibit insertion of the rotating member 20. Therefore, the rotating member 20 and the conductive plate 10 can be combined more easily.

Subsequently, the assembly consisting of the conductive plate 10, rotating member 20, and lever 40 is inserted into the internal space of the case body 50 (ST13). At this time, the assembly is inserted so that the conductive plate 10 is positioned above the mounting portion 53 of the case body 50. Thereafter, the biasing member 30 is inserted into the communication space P2 of the case body 50 (ST14). Then, the inserted biasing member 30 is moved downward into the housing space P1 of the case body 50 (ST15). Here, the rear wall of the case body 50 is inclined toward the upper rear side. Therefore, the communication space P2 into which the biasing member 30 is inserted is defined by the inner surface of the projecting portion 59. That is, a communication space P2 is defined by the upper surface and rear surface of the projecting portion 59 and the rotating member 20.

Alternatively, the communication space P2 may be wider than the accommodation space P1. As a result, by inserting the biasing member 30 into the wide communication space P2 and then moving it to the narrow accommodation space P1, the biasing member 30 that comes into contact with the inner surface of the rear wall and the rotating member 20 is gradually deformed. become. Therefore, the urging member 30 can be inserted more easily than when the urging member 30 is accommodated in the accommodation space P1 in a contracted state against the elastic force.

Thereafter, a plurality of other case bodies 50 having the same shape as the case body 50 are connected as necessary. That is, the boss 54 of the case body 50 is fitted into the boss hole 55 of another case body 50. Finally, the lid 51 corresponding to the case body 50 is connected to the case body 50 (ST16). That is, the boss 54 of the case body 50 is fitted into the boss hole 55 of the lid 51. Thereby, the terminal block 100 is completed. Alternatively, the case bodies 50 and the case body 50 and the lid 51 may be connected to each other by bonding, screwing, or the like.

[Operation of each part]
Returning to FIG. 2, the operation of each member within the terminal block 100 will be described. Note that the left side of FIG. 2 shows a standby state before the single wire S of the electric wire W is inserted. Moreover, the right side of FIG. 2 shows the connection state after the single wire S of the electric wire W is inserted and electrically connected to the conductive plate 10. Further, although FIG. 2 is a side view of the terminal block 100 with the lid 51 removed, illustration of the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 14 of the conductive plate 10 is omitted for convenience of explanation.

In the standby state shown on the left side of FIG. 2, the lever 40 is at the initial position, and the front surface of the contact portion 44 of the lever 40 is in contact with the case body 50. As a result, since the contact portion 44 is in contact with the case body 50, rotation of the lever 40 is restricted. Furthermore, a biasing force is applied to the lever 40 by a biasing member 30 via the rotating member 20. Therefore, a force is applied to the lever 40 to rotate it in the direction of arrow A.

That is, the rotating member 20 is urged by the urging section 31 of the urging member 30. A force is applied to the rotating member 20 to rotate it in the direction of arrow B (forward). As a result, the urging force of the urging member 30 is applied to the pressing portion 41 of the lever 40 via the rotating member 20. At this time, the force applied to the pressing portion 41 can be divided into forward and downward forces, as shown by the broken line arrows. Therefore, the pressing portion 41 is pushed downward, and a force is applied to the lever 40 to rotate it in the direction of arrow A.

Thereafter, the operator inserts the single wire S into the insertion opening 45 of the contact portion 44 and brings the covered portion of the electric wire W into contact with the edge of the insertion opening 45. Further, the operator presses the contact portion 44 with the covering portion of the electric wire W to rotate the lever 40 in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A (backward). Then, the lever 40 rotates from the initial position to the connection position in the direction of arrow C shown on the right side of FIG. At this time, when the pressing portion 41 passes through a position where it perpendicularly contacts the contact portion 21 of the rotating member 20, the urging force applied via the rotating member 20 is also applied upward. Here, the force applied to the pressing portion 41 can be divided into forward and upward forces, as shown by the broken line arrows. Thereby, when the single wire S is inserted deep into the case body 50, the lever 40 is automatically rotated by the biasing force. Therefore, the operator can rotate the lever 40 with less force.

As the lever 40 rotates, the rotating member 20 biased by the biasing member 30 also rotates. Therefore, the pressing portion 23 of the rotating member 20 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 10. However, until the urging force is applied upward, the pressing portion 23 rotates in the direction away from the conductive plate 10. That is, in the biasing member 30, the distance between the biasing part 31 and the regulating part 32 is closest at the position where the pressing part 41 of the lever 40 perpendicularly contacts the contact part 21 of the rotating member 20. Therefore, the rotating member 20 rotates backward until the position is reached.

In the wire connection state shown on the right side of FIG. 2, the lever 40 is in the second wire connection position, and the front surface of the operating portion 42 of the lever 40 is in contact with the case body 50. As a result, the lever 40 is restricted from rotating at the wire connection position, and is held in a state where the biasing force of the biasing member 30 is applied. Further, the pressing portion 23 of the rotating member 20 presses the single wire S against the conductive plate 10. That is, the rotating member 20 is urged by the urging section 31 of the urging member 30. A force is applied to the rotating member 20 to rotate it in the direction of arrow B (to the left in FIG. 2). That is, a force is applied to the rotating member 20 that causes the pressing portion 23 to rotate in the direction toward the conductive plate 10 (downward).

Although a gap is shown between the pressing portion 23 and the single wire S on the right side of FIG. 2, the lower surface of the pressing portion 23 and the single wire S are actually in contact with each other. When the rotating member 20 is a leaf spring, the pressing portion 23 is slightly deformed due to the thickness of the single wire S. Therefore, the restoring force that causes the pressing portion 23 to return to its original shape is applied in the direction (downward) that presses the single wire S against the conductive plate 10. Thereby, the force pressing the single wire S against the conductive plate 10 becomes stronger, and the conductivity can be improved.

After that, when canceling the wire connection state, the operator tilts the operating portion 42 of the lever 40 backward. As a result, the operating section 42 rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow C (backwards). When the pressing part 41 of the lever 40 presses the rotating member 20, the contact part 21 of the rotating member 20 rotates in the opposite direction (backward) to the direction of arrow B against the urging force of the urging member 30. do. At this time, when the pressing portion 41 passes through a position where it perpendicularly contacts the contact portion 21, the urging force applied via the rotating member 20 is also applied downward. Here, the force applied to the pressing portion 41 can be divided into forward and downward forces. Therefore, the lever 40 is automatically rotated by the applied force, and the operator can rotate the lever 40 with less force.

As the lever 40 rotates, the biasing member 30 pushed by the rotating member 20 deforms. Then, the pressing portion 23 of the rotating member 20 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 10. However, when the biasing force is applied downward, the pressing portion 23 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 10. That is, in the biasing member 30, the distance between the biasing part 31 and the regulating part 32 is closest at the position where the pressing part 41 of the lever 40 perpendicularly contacts the contact part 21 of the rotating member 20. Therefore, the rotating member 20 rotates forward from this position. Thereafter, when the front surface of the contact portion 44 of the lever 40 comes into contact with the case body 50, the lever 40 is prevented from rotating at the initial position and is held in a state where the biasing force of the biasing member 30 is applied. Therefore, the insertion port 45 and the conductive plate 10 are kept separated, and the operator can pull out the electric wire W from the terminal block 100.

According to the first embodiment described above, even if no terminal is attached to the flexible single wire S, automatic wiring can be performed simply by inserting the electric wire W into the insertion opening 45 of the terminal block 100. In addition, if the sheathing part of the wire is sized so that it comes into contact with the periphery of the insertion port 45, automatic wiring can be performed simply by inserting the wire, even if a terminal is attached to the tip of the wire. . Further, the lever 40 includes a pressing portion 41 and a contact portion 44. Thereby, there is no need to separately provide a member for rotating the rotating member 20, and the number of parts can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to provide a terminal block 100 that is lower in cost and smaller in size than conventional ones.

Note that although the rotating member 20 in this embodiment is a leaf spring, the rotating member 20 may be another member having a substantially L-shaped cross section. However, by using a leaf spring as the rotating member 20, while the lever 40 rotates from the initial position to the connection position, the contact portion 21 of the rotating member 20 is deformed using the position where it contacts the biasing member 30 as a fulcrum. . As a result, the restoring force of the contact portion 21 is applied to the pressing portion 41 .

In addition to the urging force of the urging member 30, a restoring force that causes the rotating member 20 to return to its original shape is applied to the lever 40. Therefore, the urging force of the urging member 30 can be reduced. Further, when the electric wire W is connected, the pressing portion 23 of the rotating member 20 pressed by the lever 40 is deformed due to the thickness of the electric wire W. Then, a force that causes the pressing portion 23 to return to its original shape is applied to the electric wire W, so that the electric wire W can be pressed more strongly against the conductive plate 10.

Note that at least one of the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 14 may be formed on the case body 50 or the lid 51. As an example, one of the two first support parts 13 may be formed by a shaft hole formed in the inner surface of the case body 50, and the other may be formed by a shaft hole formed in the inner surface of the lid 51. The two second support parts 14 can also be configured in the same manner. Thereby, the shape of the conductive plate 10 can be simplified.

An engagement groove or an engagement protrusion that engages with the tip of the restriction portion 32 of the biasing member 30 may be formed on the inner surface of the rear wall of the case body 50. As an example, an engagement groove or an engagement protrusion may be formed at the position indicated by arrow E on the right side of FIG. As a result, the tip of the restricting portion 32 rides over the engagement groove or the engagement protrusion when the biasing member 30 is accommodated. The distal end of the restricting portion 32 engages with the engaging groove or the engaging protrusion, thereby restricting the movement of the biasing member 30 within the accommodation space and suppressing rattling.

Further, although the rotating member 20 is bent to form a right angle, the rotating member 20 may be bent to form an obtuse angle. As an example, the angle formed by the rotating member 20 may be greater than 90 degrees and less than or equal to 110 degrees. Further, the rotating member 20 may have another shape as long as it includes the contact portion 21 extending in the vertical direction and the pressing portion 23 extending in the direction in which the conductive plate 10 extends. As an example, the rotating member 20 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[Second embodiment]
A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shapes of a conductive plate 210, a rotating member 220, a lever 240, and a case body 250.

First, the terminal block 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of terminal blocks 200 are connected, and shows five terminal blocks 200 viewed from the front and upper side. In FIG. 11, the three terminal blocks 200 located on the back side are in a standby state, and the two terminal blocks 200 located on the front side are in a connected state. Note that for convenience of explanation, illustration of the electric wire W is omitted. Further, FIG. 12 is a schematic side view illustrating the standby state (left side in FIG. 12) and connection state (right side in FIG. 12) of the terminal block 200.

Although details will be described later, the terminal block 200 includes a conductive plate 210 that is electrically connected to the inserted electric wire W, and a leaf spring that is a rotating member 220 that is rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate 210. In addition, the terminal block 200 is biased by the biasing member 230 via the rotary member 220 and a leaf spring that is a biasing member 230 that biases the rotary member 220 so that the rotary member 220 rotates. , and a lever 240 in which an insertion opening 245 for the electric wire W is formed. The conductive plate 210, the rotating member 220, the biasing member 230, and the lever 240 are housed between the case body 250 and the lid 251 in a state where they are assembled to the case body 250.

[Operation of each part]
As shown on the left side of FIG. 12, the lever 240 is in the initial position, which is the first position, in a standby state in which the electric wire W can be inserted. Further, as shown on the right side of FIG. 12, the lever 240 is in the second position, which is the connection position, in the connection state in which the electric wire W is connected. That is, the lever 240 is rotatable between the initial position and the wire connection position around the first support part 213, which is the axis of the lever 240.

In the standby state, the lever 240 is at the initial position, and the front surface of the contact portion 244 of the lever 240 is in contact with the case body 250. As a result, since the contact portion 244 is in contact with the case body 250, rotation of the lever 240 is restricted. Furthermore, a biasing force is applied to the lever 240 by a biasing member 230 via the rotating member 220. That is, the rotating member 220 is urged by the urging section 231 of the urging member 230. A force is applied to the rotating member 220 to rotate it forward. As a result, the urging force of the urging member 230 is applied to the pressing portion 241 of the lever 240 via the rotating member 220. At this time, the force applied to the pressing portion 241 can be divided into forward and downward forces. Therefore, the pressing portion 241 is pushed downward, and a force is applied to the lever 240 to rotate it in a direction away from the conductive plate 210.

The operator inserts the electric wire W into the insertion opening 245 of the contact portion 244 and brings the covered portion of the electric wire W into contact with the insertion opening 245. Further, the operator pushes the contact portion 244 with the covering portion of the electric wire W to rotate the lever 240 backward. Then, the lever 240 rotates from the initial position to the wire connection position. Here, the force applied to the pressing portion 241 can be divided into forward and upward forces. As a result, when the single wire S (not shown) is inserted deep into the case body 250, the lever 240 is automatically rotated by the biasing force. Therefore, the operator can rotate the lever 240 with less force.

As the lever 240 rotates, the rotating member 220 biased by the biasing member 230 also rotates. Therefore, the pressing portion 223 of the rotating member 220 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 210. In the wire connection state, the lever 240 is in the second wire connection position, and the front surface of the operating portion 242 of the lever 240 is in contact with the case body 250. As a result, the rotation of the lever 240 is restricted in the wire connection position, and the lever 240 is held in a state where the biasing force of the biasing member 230 is applied. Further, the pressing portion 223 of the rotating member 220 presses the single wire S against the conductive plate 210. That is, the rotating member 220 is urged by the urging section 231 of the urging member 230. A force is applied to the rotating member 220 that causes the pressing portion 223 to rotate in the direction toward the conductive plate 210 (downward).

To release the wire connection state, the operator tilts the operating portion 242 of the lever 240 backward. As a result, the operating section 242 rotates backward. Then, when the pressing portion 241 of the lever 240 presses the rotating member 220, the contact portion 221 of the rotating member 220 rotates backward against the urging force of the urging member 230. Here, the force applied to the pressing portion 241 can be divided into forward and downward forces. Therefore, the lever 240 is automatically rotated by the applied force, and the operator can rotate the lever 240 with less force.

As the lever 240 rotates, the biasing member 230 pushed by the rotating member 220 deforms. Then, the pressing portion 223 of the rotating member 220 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 210. Thereafter, when the front surface of the contact portion 244 of the lever 240 comes into contact with the case body 250, the lever 240 is restricted from rotating at the initial position and is held in a state where the biasing force of the biasing member 230 is applied. Therefore, the insertion port 245 and the conductive plate 210 are kept separated, and the operator can pull out the electric wire W from the terminal block 200.

[Configuration of each part]
Next, with reference to FIG. 13, each component constituting the terminal block 200 will be described. As shown in FIG. 13, the conductive plate 210 has a connecting portion 211 extending downward. Two connecting portions 211 are formed, and the lower ends of both connecting portions 211 can be electrically connected to a substrate (not shown) using solder or the like. The interval between the connecting parts 211 in the second embodiment is set shorter than in the first embodiment. Further, an upper protrusion 212 that is a first protrusion that protrudes upward toward the lever 240 is formed at the front portion of the conductive plate 210 (a portion on the terminal port 257 side, which will be described later). The upper protrusion 212 comes into contact with the single wire S of the electric wire W to be inserted. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 210 are electrically connected. Furthermore, since the upper protrusion 212 is caught on the single wire S, it is possible to prevent the electric wire W from slipping out from the terminal block 200.

The conductive plate 210 of the second embodiment does not have the first support part 13 and the second support part 14. This makes it possible to increase the number of conductive plates 210 and reduce manufacturing costs. Instead, the case body 250 is formed with a first support portion 213 that functions as the shaft of the lever 240 and a second support portion 214 that functions as the shaft of the rotating member 220. One first support part 213 is formed so as to protrude laterally from the front part of the case body 250, and is inserted into the first shaft hole 243 of the lever 240. Further, one second support portion 214 is formed so as to protrude laterally from a substantially central portion of the case body 250, and is inserted into the second shaft hole 224 of the rotating member 220.

Further, the conductive plate 210 of the second embodiment is bent to have a substantially U-shaped cross section. This adds rigidity to the conductive plate 210. Further, the upper surface 215 of the conductive plate 210 extends in the front-back direction of the terminal block 200 so as to be inclined from the bottom to the top. Then, the single wire S of the electric wire W pressed against the rotating member 220 comes into surface contact with the upper surface 215. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 210 are electrically connected.

Next, the rotating member 220 includes a pressing portion 223 that extends in the direction in which the conductive plate 210 extends, and a contact portion 221 that extends in a direction that intersects the pressing portion 223. The pressing portion 223 of the second embodiment is bent to have a substantially U-shaped cross section, and a pair of rising pieces are formed as the reinforcing portion 225. As a result, deformation of the pressing portion 223 is suppressed, and the electric wire W can be pressed against the conductive plate 210 with stronger force. Specifically, in the reinforcing portion 225 facing the case body 250, the end surface thereof facing the contact portion 221 contacts the lower front surface of the contact portion 221 in the connected state. This suppresses deformation of the pressing portion 223.

Further, the reinforcing portion 225 is formed with a second shaft hole 224 into which the second support portion 214 of the case body 250 is inserted. When the operator rotates the lever 240 using the electric wire W, the rotating member 220 is pushed by the lever 240 and rotates backward around the second support portion 214 . As a result, the pressing portion 223 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 210. Furthermore, the rotating member 220 rotates forward about the second support portion 214 by being urged by the urging member 230 . As a result, the pressing portion 223 rotates in a direction approaching the conductive plate 210.

The contact part 221 of the second embodiment extends upward, and the upper part of the contact part 221 is bent backward from the lower part of the contact part 221. The contact portion 221 is in contact with the pressing portion 241 of the lever 240 and the urging portion 231 of the urging member 230. That is, the contact portion 221 is sandwiched between the pressing portion 241 and the urging portion 231. Further, in the connected state, the lower front surface of the contact portion 221 is in contact with the pressing portion 241 , and the upper rear surface of the contact portion 221 is in contact with the biasing portion 231 . During the transition from the standby state to the connection state, the pressing portion 241 slides in contact with the front surface of the contact portion 221. The pressing portion 223 extends forward along the conductive plate 210 and presses the single wire S of the electric wire W against the conductive plate 210. When the rotating member 220 is a leaf spring, the contact portion 221 has elasticity. A convex portion 226 that engages with the engagement groove 247 of the lever 240 is formed on the lower front surface of the contact portion 221 . By engaging the engagement groove 247 and the convex portion 226, rotation of the lever 240 in the wire connection state can be restricted.

Further, the rotating member 220 has a downward protrusion 222 that is a second protrusion that protrudes toward the conductive plate 210 . The downward protruding portion 222 is formed on the pressing portion 223 and protrudes downward toward the conductive plate 210. Then, the downward protrusion 222 presses the single wire S of the electric wire W to be inserted against the upper surface 215 of the conductive plate 210. Thereby, the electric wire W and the conductive plate 210 are electrically connected. Furthermore, since the downward protrusion 222 is caught on the single wire S, it is possible to prevent the electric wire W from slipping out from the terminal block 200. Furthermore, the lower protrusion 222 and the upper protrusion 212 of the conductive plate 210 are formed at alternate positions in the extending direction of the conductive plate 210.

Next, the biasing member 230 includes a biasing portion 231 that is in contact with the contact portion 221 of the rotating member 220, and a curved portion 233 that has a substantially C-shape that is partially open upward. have. Further, the biasing member 230 has a regulating portion 232 that is in contact with the inner surface of the case body 250. The biasing portion 231 extends forward and upward from the curved portion 233, and its front end portion is curved approximately semicircularly. Further, the restriction portion 232 extends rearward and upward at an angle from the curved portion 233, and its tip abuts a restriction groove 232A formed on the inner surface of the case body 250. This restricts upward movement of the biasing member 230.

Next, the lever 240 has a pressing portion 241 that extends toward the rotating member 220 and is in contact with the rotating member 220. Furthermore, the lever 240 of the second embodiment has a first shaft hole 243 into which the first support portion 213 of the case body 250 is inserted. Furthermore, the lever 240 has an operating portion 242 formed on the opposite side of the conductive plate 210 with respect to the first shaft hole 243 . Further, the lever 240 has an insertion opening 245 into which the electric wire W is inserted, and a contact portion 244 that comes into contact with a part of the electric wire W when the electric wire W is inserted.

When the lever 240 rotates around the first support section 213 by the operator tilting the operating section 242 backward in the wire connection state, the pressing section 241 rotates in a direction toward the conductive plate 210 . On the other hand, when the lever 240 rotates around the first support part 213 by the operator tilting the operating part 242 forward in the standby state, the pressing part 241 rotates in a direction away from the conductive plate 210. Further, as the lever 240 rotates, the tip of the pressing portion 241 slides while being in contact with the front surface of the contact portion 221 of the rotating member 220. Therefore, the tip of the pressing portion 241 is rounded to reduce resistance during sliding.

The pressing portion 241 is in contact with the contact portion 221 of the rotating member 220 and protrudes toward the rotating member 220 at the rear. Further, a stepped portion 246 is formed in the pressing portion 241 of the second embodiment. This can prevent the reinforcing portion 225 of the rotating member 220 from interfering with the rotation of the lever 240. Although not shown in FIG. 13, a stepped portion 246 is also formed on the side of the pressing portion 241 facing the case body 250. Further, the operating section 242 protrudes upward and is exposed to the outside through the upper opening 252 of the case body 250 so that the operator can operate it with his or her fingers.

The wall portions of the contact portion 244 in the second embodiment are configured such that the distance therebetween is different in the front-rear direction. Further, the wall portion extends toward the conductive plate 210 to form an insertion opening 245, and the insertion opening 245 is narrower on the rear side (inside) than on the front side (outside). That is, the contact portion 244 protrudes toward the front and lower side, and an insertion opening 245 is formed at the tip of the contact portion 244 so that a narrowed portion (for example, a step or a taper) is formed inside. Thereby, when the electric wire W is inserted, the covering portion of the electric wire W comes into contact with the insertion opening 245 at the narrowed portion. Further, the contact portion 244 is provided such that its tip (lower end) is located outside the conductive plate 210. Specifically, in the connected state, the tip of the contact portion 244 is located closer to the terminal port 257 than the conductive plate 210 is. Therefore, the contact portion 244 is inclined so as to extend forward. Further, in the standby state, the tip of the contact portion 221 is exposed to the outside through the terminal port 257. In this way, with the center of the terminal block 200 as a reference, the tip of the contact portion 244 is located outside the conductive plate 210 in the connection state and standby state. Therefore, when inserting the electric wire W into the insertion opening 245, the insertion of the electric wire W is not hindered by the conductive plate 210.

The insertion port 245 into which the single wire S of the electric wire W is inserted has a substantially U-shaped shape with the conductive plate 210 side open. The insertion port 245 is formed in such a size that the covering portion of the electric wire W comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the insertion port 245. That is, when the single wire S is inserted into the insertion port 245, the end surface of the covering portion that covers the single wire S comes into contact with the edge around the insertion port 245. Thereby, the operator can rotate the lever 240 by pushing the lever 240 via the covering portion of the electric wire W.

In the connected state, when the bent electric wire W moves in the vertical direction, the upper side of the single wire S inserted into the insertion opening 245 comes into contact with the upper inner surface of the insertion opening 245. Therefore, movement of the single wire S can be restricted above the single wire S. Furthermore, when the bent electric wire W moves in the horizontal direction in the connected state, both sides of the single wire S inserted into the insertion port 245 abut on the inner surface of the insertion port 245, respectively. Therefore, movement of the single wire S can be restricted on both sides of the single wire S.

Next, the case body 250 has walls on the top and bottom and on the front and back. The case body 250 has an upper opening 252 formed in the upper wall to expose the operating portion 242 of the lever 240, and a terminal opening 257 into which the electric wire W is inserted is provided in the upper part of the front wall. Further, the case body 250 has a lower opening 258 formed in the lower wall thereof into which each of the connecting portions 211 of the conductive plate 210 is inserted. Further, in the standby state, the front surface of the contact portion 244 of the lever 240 comes into contact with the upper edge 257A of the case body 250. Therefore, rotation of the lever 240 from the initial position is restricted. Further, in the connected state, the front surface of the operating portion 242 of the lever 240 comes into contact with the front edge (not shown) of the upper opening 252. Therefore, rotation of the lever 240 from the wire connection position is restricted. Further, a mounting portion 253 on which the conductive plate 210 is mounted protrudes from the inner surface of the case body 250.

The case body 250 is configured to be connectable with a lid 251 or another case body 250. For this purpose, a plurality of bosses 254 are formed on the back side of the case body 250, and a plurality of boss holes 255 (not shown) are formed on the front side of the case body 250. Further, the plurality of boss holes 255 are formed at positions facing the plurality of bosses 254 when the back side of the case body 250 faces the front side of another case body 250. Then, by fitting the plurality of bosses 254 into the plurality of boss holes 255, the plurality of terminal blocks 200 can be connected. Note that for convenience of explanation, only one boss 254 among the eight bosses 254 is given a reference numeral.

Furthermore, the case body 250 has a housing space P1 for the biasing member 230 formed therein. The case body 250 is formed with a communication space P2 that communicates with the housing space P1 so as to facilitate insertion of the biasing member 230 into the housing space P1. The case body 250 has a projecting portion 259 in which a communication space P2 is formed. That is, the rear wall of the case body 250 is bent toward the upper rear side, and the upper rear side of the case body 250 overhangs the lower rear side of the case body 250.

In other words, in the rear part of the case body 250, the length of the upper part in the front-rear direction is set longer than the length of the lower part. As a result, on the rear side of the case body 250, the upper part of the case body 250 protrudes from the lower part of the case body 250. A communication space P2 is formed inside the projecting portion 259. Thereby, after the biasing member 230 is inserted into the communication space P2 where it is easy to insert, the biasing member 230 can be moved from the communication space P2 to the accommodation space P1.

Next, the lid 251 has an external shape complementary to the case body 250. Further, the lid 251 is configured to be connectable to the case body 250. For this purpose, a plurality of boss holes 255 are formed on the front side of the lid 251. The plurality of boss holes 255 of the lid 251 and the plurality of bosses 254 of the case body 250 have complementary shapes. Further, the plurality of boss holes 255 are formed at positions facing the plurality of bosses 254 of the case body 250 when the back side of the lid 251 faces the back side of the case body 250. Then, by fitting the plurality of bosses 254 into the plurality of boss holes 255, the case body 250 can be closed with the lid 251. For convenience of explanation, only one boss hole 255 among the eight boss holes 255 is given a reference numeral.

[Method for manufacturing terminal block 200]
Next, a method for assembling and manufacturing the terminal block 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 13, which is a schematic exploded view of the terminal block 200. When assembling the terminal block 200, the conductive plate 210 is assembled to the case body 250 so that the connecting portion 211 of the conductive plate 210 is inserted into the lower opening 258. Next, the rotating member 220 is assembled to the case body 250 so that the second support portion 214 is inserted into the second shaft hole 224 of the rotating member 220. Subsequently, the lever 240 is assembled to the case body 250 so that the first support part 213 is inserted into the first shaft hole 243 of the lever 240. Note that the order in which the conductive plate 210, rotating member 220, and lever 240 are assembled may be changed. For example, the lever 240 may be assembled to the case body 250 first, and the conductive plate 210 may be assembled to the case body 250 last.

After the conductive plate 210, rotating member 220, and lever 240 are assembled to the case body 250, the biasing member 230 is inserted into the communication space P2 of the case body 250. Then, the inserted biasing member 230 is moved downward into the housing space P1 of the case body 250. As a result, the tip of the restriction portion 232 of the biasing member 230 comes into contact with the restriction groove 232A formed on the inner surface of the case body 250. This restricts upward movement of the biasing member 230. Thereafter, a plurality of other case bodies 250 having the same shape as the case body 250 are connected as necessary. That is, the boss 254 of the case body 250 is fitted into the boss hole 255 of another case body 250. Finally, the lid 251 corresponding to the case body 250 is connected to the case body 250. That is, the boss 254 of the case body 250 is fitted into the boss hole 255 of the lid 251. Thereby, the terminal block 200 is completed.

In the second embodiment, the second support part 214 is inserted into the second shaft hole 224 of the rotating member 220, and the first support part 213 is inserted into the first shaft hole 243 of the lever 240. Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, assembly of the lever 240 and the rotating member 220 becomes easier. Thereby, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced, the manufacturing time can be shortened, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Moreover, since the upward movement of the biasing member 230 after assembly is regulated by the regulation groove 232A, wobbling of the biasing member 230 can be suppressed.

According to the second embodiment described above, even if no terminal is attached to the flexible single wire S, automatic wiring can be performed simply by inserting the electric wire W into the insertion opening 245 of the terminal block 200. In addition, if the wire sheath is sized so that it comes into contact with the periphery of the insertion port 245, even if a terminal is attached to the tip of the wire, automatic wiring can be performed just by inserting the wire. . Further, the lever 240 includes a pressing portion 241 and a contact portion 244. Thereby, there is no need to separately provide a member for rotating the rotating member 220, and the number of parts can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to provide a terminal block 200 that is lower in cost and smaller in size than conventional ones. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, manufacturing time can be shortened and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to each embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention includes inventions modified within the scope of the present invention and inventions equivalent to the present invention. Moreover, each embodiment and each modification can be combined as appropriate within a range that does not contradict the present invention.

For example, the conductive plates 10 and 210 may extend horizontally in the front-rear direction. That is, the conductive plates 10 and 210 may extend parallel to the lower wall of the case body 50 and 250. Further, the conductive plates 10 and 210 may be inclined so that the front part is downward and the rear part is upward. In these cases as well, the terminal ports 57, 257 are formed at positions corresponding to the front ends of the conductive plates 10, 210. Further, the upper protrusions 12 and 212 are formed on the front portions of the conductive plates 10 and 210 so as not to come into contact with the lower protrusions 22 and 222. The lower protruding parts 22, 222 are formed at the rear of the pressing parts 23, 223 of the rotating members 20, 220 so as not to contact the upper protruding parts 12, 212. However, the upper protrusions 12, 212 may be formed at the rear of the conductive plates 10, 210, and the lower protrusions 22, 222 may be formed at the front of the pressing parts 23, 223. Also in this manner, the upper protrusions 12, 212 and the lower protrusions 22, 222 are formed alternately.

10: Conductive plate, 12: Upper protrusion (first protrusion), 20: Rotating member, 22: Lower protrusion (second protrusion), 30: Biasing member, 40: Lever, 41: Pressing part, 42 : Operation part, 43: First shaft part (shaft), 44: Contact part, 45: Insertion port, 50: Case body, 51: Lid, 57: Terminal port, 59: Overhanging part, 100: Terminal block, 200: Terminal block, 210: Conductive plate, 212: Upper protrusion (first protrusion), 213: First support portion (shaft), 244: Contact portion, 245: Insertion port, 250: Case body, 251: Lid, 257 : terminal, 220: rotating member, 222: downward protruding part (second protruding part), 230: biasing member, 240: lever, 241: pressing part, 242: operation part opening, 259: projecting part, P1: accommodation space , P2: Communication space, W: Electric wire

Claims (9)

a conductive plate that electrically connects the inserted electric wire;
a rotating member rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate;
a biasing member that biases the rotating member so that the rotating member rotates;
It is in a first position in a standby state in which the electric wire can be inserted, is in a second position in a connected state in which the electric wire is connected, and is rotatable about an axis between the first position and the second position. and a lever that is
The lever has a pressing part extending toward the rotating member and in contact with the rotating member, and an operating part formed on the opposite side of the conductive plate with respect to the shaft,
In the terminal block, when the lever is in the second position, the biasing member biases the rotating member so that the rotating member presses the electric wire against the conductive plate. The lever further has a contact portion formed with an insertion opening into which the electric wire is inserted and comes into contact with the electric wire when the electric wire is inserted,
The terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion extends toward the conductive plate. further comprising a terminal port in the case body into which the electric wire is inserted;
The terminal block according to claim 2, wherein a tip of the contact portion is located closer to the terminal opening than the conductive plate. The terminal block according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the insertion opening is open on the conductive plate side. The rotating member has elasticity and includes a pressing portion extending in the direction in which the conductive plate extends, and a contact portion extending in a direction intersecting the pressing portion. 5. The terminal block according to any one of 1 to 4. The terminal block according to claim 5, wherein the contact portion deforms using a position where it contacts the biasing member as a fulcrum while the lever rotates from the first position to the second position. The conductive plate has a first protrusion that protrudes toward the lever,
The terminal block according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rotating member has a second protrusion that protrudes toward the conductive plate. further comprising a case body in which the conductive plate, the rotating member, the urging member, and the lever are assembled,
The terminal according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the case body has an accommodation space for accommodating the biasing member, and has an overhang portion in which a communication space communicating with the accommodation space is formed. The stand. a conductive plate electrically connected to the inserted electric wire; a rotating member rotatable in a direction toward the conductive plate; an urging member urging the rotating member so that the rotating member rotates; a lever that is in a first position in a standby state in which an electric wire can be inserted, is in a second position in a connected state in which the electric wire is connected, and is rotatable between the first position and the second position; The case body includes a case body in which the conductive plate, the rotation member, the biasing member, and the lever are assembled, and the case body has a housing space for accommodating the biasing member, and A method for manufacturing a terminal block having an overhanging portion in which a communication space communicating with the accommodation space is formed, the method comprising:
Assembling the lever, the conductive plate, and the rotating member to the case body,
inserting the biasing member into the communication space;
A method for manufacturing a terminal block, including moving the biasing member from the communication space to the accommodation space.

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