WIRE WITH TERMINAL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20170331243A1
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Published: 11/16/2017
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,128,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 while leaving 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.

2. The method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 1, wherein a first compression ratio defined by (cross sectional area of the core wire after the first step/cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step)×

100(%) is not less than 85%.

3. The method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 1, wherein a first compression ratio defined by (cross sectional area of the core wire after the first step/cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step)×

100(%) is not more than 95%.

4. The method for manufacturing a terminal-attached electric wire according to claim 1, wherein a second compression ratio defined by (cross sectional area of the core wire after the second step/cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step)×

100(%) is not less than 50%.

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

6. 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.

7. 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 to which ultrasonic vibrations have been applied,

wherein a first compression ratio defined by (cross sectional area of the core wire after the first step/cross sectional area of the core wire before the first step)×

100(%) is not less than 85% and not more than 95%.

8. 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 resistance between the electric wire and the terminal is stabilized until the strand wires are severed when the core wire of the terminal-attached electric wire is compressed.

9. 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 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.