Wire with terminal and manufacturing method therefor

• US 10,128,628 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ootsuka, Takuji, Hirai, Hiroki, Ono, Junichi, Miyamoto, Kenji, Oota, Toshiya, Nakashima, Takahito, Kobayashi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H
• Application Number:
  US15/533,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 174 74 R, 174 84 R, 174 84 C
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/11 End pieces or tapping pieces for wires, supported by the wire and for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal or conductive member H01R11/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/18 by crimping H01R4/01, H01R4/2495 take precedence; for coaxial cables H01R9/0518
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/185 combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/62 Connections between conductors of different materials; Connections between or with aluminium or steel-core aluminium conductors H01R4/68 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/625 Soldered or welded connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0207 Ultrasonic-, H.F.-, cold- or impact welding
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/05 with wire-insulation stripping
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/28 for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire including an electric wire including a core wire having plurality of strand wires, and a female terminal including wire barrels crimped around the core wire. The method includes a first step of applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire, and a second step of crimping the wire barrels in a region of the core wire to which ultrasonic vibrations have been applied. The first step includes applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire while leaving a compression margin for the crimping by the second step such that the resistance between the electric wire and the female terminal is stabilized until the strand wires of the terminal-attached electric wire are severed when the core wire of the terminal-attached electric wire is further compressed after the second step.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire including an electric wire including a core wire having a plurality of strand wires, and a terminal including a crimp portion crimped around the core wire,

the method comprising:

a first step of applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire; and

a second step of crimping the crimp portion in a region of the core wire in which the ultrasonic vibrations have been applied,

wherein the first step includes applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire according to a first compression ratio that is between 85% and 95%, inclusive, so as to leave a compression margin for the crimping in the second step such that resistance between the electric wire and the terminal is stabilized until the strand wires of the terminal-attached electric wire are severed when the core wire of the terminal-attached electric wire is further compressed after the second step, and the second step includes crimping the crimp portion according to a second compression ratio that is between 50% and 80%, inclusive, wherein the first compression ratio is defined as the quotient of a cross sectional area of the core wire after the first step divided by a cross sectional area of the core before the first step, multiplied by 100%, and the second compression ratio is defined as the quotient of a cross sectional area of the core wire after the second step divided by a cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step, multiplied by 100%.

2. The method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 1, wherein the strand wires include aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

3. The method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of strand wires include 20 or more strand wires; and

in a state in which the crimp portion is crimped on the core wire, the 20 or more strand wires are crimped on the crimp portion.

4. A terminal-attached electric wire comprising:

an electric wire including a core wire having a plurality of strand wires; and

a terminal including a crimp portion crimped around the core wire,

wherein;

the terminal-attached electric wire is manufactured by executing a first step of applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire, and a second step of crimping the crimp portion in a region of the core wire to which ultrasonic vibrations have been applied;

the first step includes applying ultrasonic vibrations to the core wire according to a first compression ratio that is between 85% and 95%, inclusive, while leaving a compression margin for the crimping by the second step such that resistance between the electric wire and the terminal is stabilized until the strand wires of the terminal-attached electric wire are severed when the core wire of the terminal-attached electric wire is compressed, and the second step includes crimping the crimp portion according to a second compression ratio that is between 50% and 80%, inclusive, wherein the first compression ratio is defined as the quotient of a cross sectional area of the core wire after the first step divided by a cross sectional area of the core before the first step, multiplied by 100%, and the second compression ratio is defined as the quotient of a cross sectional area of the core wire after the second step divided by a cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step, multiplied by 100%.