Insulated wire termination, method, and machine

• US 6,125,533 A
• Filed: 05/07/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliance Winding Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Joyal Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Warner, Allan S., Riordan, Edward D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): VEREENE, KEVIN G
• Application Number:
  US08/852,323
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 29/860, 29/861, 29/863, 29/867, 29/868, 228/131, 228/173.2, 228/173.4, 228/179.1
• US Class Current: 29/868
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/002 specially adapted for particular articles or work
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/32 Wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/023 between cables or wires and terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0228 without preliminary removing of insulation before soldering or welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 by metal fusion bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

A method, machine and termination for connecting two or more insulated wire ends comprises placing them in a metal tube held between fusing electrodes. The electrodes are shaped to deform the tube and wires therein with the application of fusing pressure. During fusing, pressure builds first to press the assembly together, then heat and current are applied as the tube and internal wires are compressed. Fusing current first flows from a longitudinal region of the tube equally in both direction through the tube metal to soften the tube and distribute the fusing heat broadly. As the wire insulation is burned off or flows away, current also passes through the bare wire ends to aid the fusing process. For tinned copper tubes, some of the inside tin layer flows to wet copper surfaces and dissolve copper impurities. Some tin flows to seal small spaces between the fused wires. Some of the tin on the outside surface and inside surface of the tube may vaporize. A fusing machine is also disclosed for carrying out the method that is suspended from a standard retractable winch cable so that the electrodes can be easily positioned in free space.

Claims

1. A method of joining at least two elongated insulated metal wires comprising:

placing the insulated wires longitudinally in an elongated metal tube having a length less than that of the wires and having an inner surface,

applying fusing pressure to deform the tube and compress the insulated wires and the tube inner surface together such that the insulated wires are pressed against other insulated wires or other insulated wires and the inner surface, and

after initiating and during said applying fusing pressure step, applying to the deformed tube fusing heat and current to remove the wire insulation from the metal wires and to soften the tube and wire metals while the same are under said fusing pressure, said heat and current being insufficient to melt the tube or wire metals.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of applying heat and current comprises applying initial current at one longitudinal region of the tube and causing said initial current to flow equally in both directions through the tube metal in opposite directions from said one longitudinal region.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the metal of the insulated wires is copper based and the tube is tin-coated, the method further comprising wetting at least one of said wires with tin from the tin-coating during the step of applying the fusing heat and current.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the metal of the insulated wires is copper based and the tube is tin-coated, the method further comprising causing the tin from the tin-coating to flow during the step of applying fusing heat and current to seal small spaces formed at least in part by the wires within the deformed tube.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said fusing pressure is applied to a significant region of the tube to prevent said region from deforming.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the fusing pressure is applied to deform the tube into a bow shaped termination when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the deformed tube.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a slight pressure to the tube prior to and during the step of placing the insulated wires into the tube to hold the tube fixed in space during the step of placing the insulated wires in the tube and maintaining the slight pressure until applying greater pressure toward the magnitude of the fusing pressure.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of applying the fusing heat and current comprises flowing current through the metal wires after the wire insulation has been removed to further heat and soften the metal wires.

9. A method of joining at least two insulated metal wires comprising:

placing the insulated wires longitudinally in an elongated metal tube having a longitudinal axis,

applying fusing pressure to deform the tube and compress the insulated wires and the tube interior together, and

applying to the deformed tube fusing heat and current to remove the wire insulation from the metal wire and soften the tube and wire metals while the same are under said fusing pressure, and wherein said tube comprises a continuous cylinder open at both ends and said at least two wires comprise a plurality of magnet wires.

10. A method of joining at least two insulated metal wires comprising:

placing the insulated wires longitudinally in an elongated metal tube having a longitudinal axis,

applying fusing pressure to deform the tube and compress the insulated wires and the tube interior together, and

applying to the deformed tube fusing heat and current to remove the wire insulation from the metal wire and soften the tube and wire metals while the same are under said fusing pressure and wherein said step of placing comprises placing the at least two insulated wires into one end of the metal tube and placing at least two wires into the other end of the metal tube.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of placing comprises the first mentioned insulated wires being of different type from the second mentioned insulated wires.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of placing comprises the first mentioned insulated wires are magnet wires and the second mentioned wires are stranded cable wires.