CRIMP TERMINAL FOR ALUMINUM WIRE

• US 3,831,132 A
• Filed: 04/25/1973
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen J. Bury, Wade R. Bowden Jr
• Original Assignee: Allen J. Bury, Wade R. Bowden Jr
• Inventors: Bury, Allen J., Bowden, Wade R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US05/354,186
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 339/95,97-99,223,276 174/84C
• US Class Current: 439/442
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/185 combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/188 having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact

Abstract

A terminal, which may be a male or female pin terminal, or any other type of terminal commonly used for crimping onto electrical wire leads, is provided with an inner liner in the electrical crimping area which liner has a plurality of inwardly protruding asperities or open-top punched projections resembling volcanoes for biting into the aluminum or other wire, the conductor extruding within the asperities, and the outer portion of the terminal providing an air and moisture excluding housing for the electrical connection between the inner lining and the aluminum wire.

Claims

1. A crimp terminal especially for crimping to an aluminum conductor comprising an electrical mating contact portion, and a sheet metal conductor-gripping portion adjacent to an end of said mating contact portion and adapted for crimping about a wire, said conductor gripping portion being subdivided into longitudinally adjacent crimp portions, one of said crimp portions being constructed with means to provide a crimp force against the wire that is less than the crimp force of the other crimp portion but having greater mechanical strength than said other crimp portion, and a metallic liner secured in said other crimp portion but outside of said one crimp portion, said liner being considerably thinner than the metal of said crimp portions and being further characterized as being of foil thickness, said liner having means for making pressure engagement with the wire when the conductor gripping portion is crimped thereto and with the engagement of said liner with said wire serving to rupture any oxide film thereon and maintain the liner in its crimped condition against the wire.

2. A crimp terminal according to claim 1 in which said means has openings through which the wire is extruded.

3. A crimp terminal according to claim 1 in which said liner is of the order of 0.003 inches thick.

4. A crimp terminal according to claim 1 in which said one crimp portion has ribs comprising the means that provides said greater mechanical strength.

5. In combination with an electrical conductor having surrounded insulation and a bare length projecting axially beyond an end of said insulation, a sheet metal terminal comprising means forming an electrical mating contact portion, an insulation gripping portion in crimped engagement with said insulation, a conductor gripping portion in crimped engagement with said bare length and including opposed deformed wings joined by a bight, said conductor gripping portion being subdivided into longitudinally adjacent crimp portions, one of said crimp portions being constructed with means providing a crimp force against said bare length that is less than the crimp force of said other crimp portion but having greater mechanical strength than said other crimp portion, and a metallic liner in said other crimp portion but outside of said one crimp portion, said liner being consiDerably thinner than the metal of said conductor gripping portion and being of foil thickness, said liner being permanently deformed into pressure engagement with said bare length and having means rupturing any oxide film thereon and serving to maintain said liner in electrical contact with said bare length.

6. In a combination according to claim 5, said last-named means including apertured portions of said liner.