Crimp connection for mesh shielding material used in steering wheel with capacitive sensing

• US 10,355,376 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2018
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Inventors: de la Garza Fernandez, Gerardo Edel, Gonzalez Reyes, Carlos Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H.
• Application Number:
  US16/039,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20180323517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 174 74 R, 174 78, 1741261, 29825, 29864, 29828, 29862, 29517, 29871, 29516, 29518, 324686, 3404571, 340438, 219204, 439 98, 439 99, 439100, 439607, 439609, 439610
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/12 by twisting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/182 for flat conductive elements, e.g. flat cables H01R4/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/184 comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/20 using a crimping sleeve H01R4/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence

Abstract

An example assembly includes an electrically conductive member, an electrically conductive mesh, and a crimp connector. The electrically conductive mesh includes a first area and a second area. The second area extends along a second longitudinal axis and is larger than the first area. The first area is twisted and extends from the second area along a first longitudinal axis that is transverse to the second longitudinal axis. One of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area is twisted around the other of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area to form a twisted connection. The crimp connector is crimped onto the twisted connection to form a crimped connection. The first area of the electrically conductive mesh, including the crimped connection, is folded onto the second area of the electrically conductive mesh.

Claims

1. An assembly, comprising:

an electrically conductive member;

an electrically conductive mesh comprising;

a second area that extends along a second longitudinal axis; and

a first area that is twisted and extends from the second area along a first longitudinal axis that is transverse to the second longitudinal axis;

wherein one of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area is twisted around the other of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area to form a twisted connection; and

a crimp connector that is crimped onto the twisted connection to form a crimped connection;

wherein the first area of the electrically conductive mesh, including the crimped connection, is folded onto the second area of the electrically conductive mesh; and

wherein the second area is larger than the first area.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first area of the electrically conductive mesh comprises a rectangular tab.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive member is a wire, and wherein the wire and the twisted first area are twisted around each other to form the twisted connection.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interlocking loops that are electrically conductive, and the loops of each row wrap about legs of the loops in an adjacent row.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive mesh comprises aluminum, copper, or tungsten.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the electrically conductive mesh comprises a nickel-copper alloy.

7. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a steering wheel core; and

an aesthetic cover that is wrapped around the steering wheel core;

wherein the second area of the electrically conductive mesh is wrapped around the steering wheel core, and is at least partially situated between the steering wheel core and the aesthetic cover.

8. The assembly of claim 7, comprising:

a capacitive sensor situated between the aesthetic cover and the second area of the electrically conductive mesh; and

a heating element situated between steering wheel core and the second area of the electrically conductive mesh;

wherein the second area of the electrically conductive mesh is configured as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield to shield the capacitive sensor from EMI of the heating element.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area are both meshed areas.

10. A method of electrically connecting an electrically conductive member to an electrically conductive mesh, comprising:

twisting a first area of the electrically conductive mesh, which extends along a first longitudinal axis from a second area of the electrically conductive mesh, to form a twisted mesh area, wherein the second area extends along a second longitudinal axis that is transverse to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the second area is larger than the first area;

twisting one of the electrically conductive member and the twisted mesh area around the other of the electrically conductive member and the twisted mesh area to form a twisted connection;

crimping a crimp connector over the twisted connection to form a crimped connection; and

folding the first area of the electrically conductive mesh, including the crimped connection, onto the second area of the electrically conductive mesh.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first area of the electrically conductive mesh comprises a rectangular tab.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first area and the second area are both meshed areas.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive member is a wire, and wherein twisting one of the wire and the twisted mesh area around the other of the wire and the twisted mesh area to form a twisted connection comprises twisting the wire and the twisted mesh area around each other.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein prior to the crimping, the crimp connector has a cylindrical shape.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive mesh comprises a plurality of interlocking loops that are electrically conductive.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive mesh comprises aluminum, copper, or tungsten.

17. The method of claim 10, comprising:

wrapping the electrically conductive mesh around a steering wheel core; and

wrapping a capacitive sensor layer around the steering wheel core, such that the electrically conductive mesh is situated between the steering wheel core and the capacitive sensor layer.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

wrapping a heating element around the steering wheel core, such that the heating element is situated between the steering wheel core and the electrically conductive mesh, and the electrically conductive mesh acts as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield to shield the capacitive sensor layer from EMI of the heating element.

19. A steering wheel assembly, comprising:

a steering wheel core;

an electrically conductive shield layer comprising;

a second area that extends along a second longitudinal axis; and

a first area that is twisted and extends from the second area along a first longitudinal axis that is transverse to the second longitudinal axis;

wherein one of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area is twisted around the other of the electrically conductive member and the twisted first area to form a twisted connection, and the second area is larger than the first area;

a crimp connector that is crimped onto the twisted connection to form a crimped connection, wherein the first area of the shield layer, including the crimped connection, is folded onto the second area of the shield layer;

a sensor layer;

wherein each of the shield layer and sensor layer at least partially surround the steering wheel core;

wherein the shield layer is situated between the steering wheel core and the sensor layer and acts as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for the sensor layer.

20. The steering wheel assembly of claim 19, wherein the electrically conductive shield layer is knitted and includes a plurality of interlocking loops that are electrically conductive.

21. The steering wheel assembly of claim 19, wherein the electrically conductive member is a wire, and wherein the wire and the twisted first area are twisted around each other to form the twisted connection.