Aluminum alloy wire, aluminum alloy stranded wire, covered electric wire, and wire harness

• US 10,418,142 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Automotive Systems Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited), Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Sho, Mitose, Kengo, Sekiya, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H.
• Application Number:
  US16/236,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20190139668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 1741261, 1741262
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/02 Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/003 Aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/02 with silicon as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/06 with magnesium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/00 Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working apparatus for mechanical working of metal B21, B23, B24
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/05 of alloys of the Al-Si-Mg type, i.e. containing silicon and magnesium in approximately equal proportions
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/08 of copper or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/02 mainly consisting of metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/023 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/02 Single bars, rods, wires, or strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/08 Several wires or the like stranded in the form of a rope
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/00 Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/18 by crimping H01R4/01, H01R4/2495 take precedence; for coaxial cables H01R9/0518

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an aluminum alloy wire or the like which can secure a high conductivity and a moderately low yield strength, and realize both a high elongation and a moderate tensile strength.

An aluminum alloy wire of the present disclosure contains 0.10 to 1.00% by mass of Mg, 0.10 to 1.20% by mass of Si, 0.10 to 1.40% by mass of Fe, 0 to 0.10% by mass of Ti, 0 to 0.030% by mass of B, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0 to 0.50% by mass of Ni, the balance being Al and 0.30% by mass or less of impurities. Coarse crystal grains are present in a vertical cross-sectional structure of the wire taken in a lengthwise direction of the wire. The greatest grain size of the coarse crystal grains as measured in the lengthwise direction of the wire is equal to or greater than a diameter of the wire. A proportion of an area of the coarse crystal grains to the total of the areas of all the crystal grains within a range of the vertical cross-sectional structure in which the vertical cross-sectional structure is measured, is 50% or more. Elongation of the wire is 10% or more.

Claims

1. An aluminum alloy wire having a chemical composition comprising 0.10 to 1.00% by mass of Mg, 0.10 to 1.20% by mass of Si, 0.10 to 1.40% by mass of Fe, 0 to 0.10% by mass of Ti, 0 to 0.030% by mass of B, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0 to 0.50% by mass of Ni, the balance being Al and 0.30% by mass or less of impurities,

wherein:

coarse crystal grains are present in a vertical cross-sectional structure of the wire taken in a lengthwise direction of the wire;

the greatest grain size of the coarse crystal grains as measured in the lengthwise direction of the wire is equal to or greater than a diameter of the wire;

a proportion of an area of the coarse crystal grains to the total of the areas of all the crystal grains within a range of the vertical cross-sectional structure in which the vertical cross-sectional structure is measured, is 50% or more; and

elongation of the wire is 10% or more.

2. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein a dispersion density of a Mg—

Si-based compound having the maximum dimension of 1 μ

m or less in the vertical cross-sectional structure is 0.1 grain/μ

m² or more on average.

3. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 2,

wherein:

a film thickness of an oxide layer formed on a surface of the wire is 500 nm or less;

a concentration of each of Mg and Si other than a compound in the vertical cross-sectional structure is 2.0% by mass or less; and

the elongation is 15% or more, 0.2% yield strength is 200 MPa or less, and tension strength is 120 MPa or more.

4. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 2,

wherein:

the proportion of the area of the coarse crystal grains is 70% or more; and

the elongation is 20% or more, 0.2% yield strength is 150 MPa or less, and tension strength is 120 MPa or more.

5. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 2, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.001 to 0.100% by mass of Ti and 0.001 to 0.030% by mass of B.

6. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 2, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Ni.

7. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1,

wherein:

a film thickness of an oxide layer formed on a surface of the wire is 500 nm or less;

a concentration of each of Mg and Si other than a compound in the vertical cross-sectional structure is 2.0% by mass or less; and

the elongation is 15% or more, 0.2% yield strength is 200 MPa or less, and tension strength is 120 MPa or more.

8. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 7,

wherein:

the proportion of the area of the coarse crystal grains is 70% or more; and

the elongation is 20% or more, 0.2% yield strength is 150 MPa or less, and tension strength is 120 MPa or more.

9. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 7, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.001 to 0.100% by mass of Ti and 0.001 to 0.030% by mass of B.

10. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 7, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Ni.

11. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1,

wherein:

the proportion of the area of the coarse crystal grains is 70% or more; and

the elongation is 20% or more, 0.2% yield strength is 150 MPa or less, and tension strength is 120 MPa or more.

12. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 11, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.001 to 0.100% by mass of Ti and 0.001 to 0.030% by mass of B.

13. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 11, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Ni.

14. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.001 to 0.100% by mass of Ti and 0.001 to 0.030% by mass of B.

15. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein the chemical composition contains one or two selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0.01 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0.01 to 0.50% by mass of Ni.

16. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein a total of contents of Fe, Ti, B, Cu, Mn, Cr, Zr, and Ni is 0.10 to 2.00% by mass.

17. The aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of a strand is 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

18. An aluminum alloy stranded wire obtained by stranding a plurality of the aluminum alloy wires according to claim 1.

19. A covered electric wire comprising a covering layer at an outer periphery of the aluminum alloy wire according to claim 1.

20. A wire harness comprising:

the covered electric wire according to claim 19; and

a terminal fitted at an end portion of the covered electric wire, the covering layer being removed from the end portion.