Extra-fine copper alloy wire, extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire, extra-fine insulated wire, coaxial cable, multicore cable and manufacturing method thereof

• US 7,544,886 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Ryuji, Okada, Ryohei, Seya, Osamu, Masui, Shinichi, Matsui, Hakaru, Detian, Huang, Okikawa, Hiroshi, Kuroda, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III; William H
• Application Number:
  US11/641,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20070187134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/110.R, 174/113.R, 174/106.R, 174/102.R, 174/102.C, 174/103.C, 174/28
• US Class Current: 174/36
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/08 of copper or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/20 Cables having a multiplicity of coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/08 Several wires or the like stranded in the form of a rope

Abstract

An extra-fine copper alloy wire has: a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm; 1 to 3 weight % of silver (Ag), and a balance consisting copper (Co) and an inevitable impurity; a tensile strength of not less than 850 MPa; an electrical conductivity of not less than 85% IACS; an elongation of 0.5 to 3.0%; and a lowering rate in tensile strength of not more than 2%. The lowering rate is represented by [(1−σ_h1/σ_h0)×100%] where σ_h1 is a tensile strength of the wire measured after a heat treatment under conditions of a heating temperature of not more than 350° C. and a heating time of not more than 5 seconds, and σ_h0 is a tensile strength of the wire measured before the heat treatment.

Claims

1. An extra-fine copper alloy wire, comprising:

a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm;

1 to 3 weight % of silver (Ag), and a balance consisting copper (Co) and an inevitable impurity;

a tensile strength of not less than 850 MPa;

an electrical conductivity of not less than 85% IACS;

an elongation of 0.5 to 3.0%; and

a lowering rate in tensile strength of not more than 2%, the lowering rate being represented by [(1−

σ

_h1/σ

_h0)×

100%] where σ

_h1 is a tensile strength of the wire measured after a heat treatment under conditions of a heating temperature of not more than 350°

C. and a heating time of not more than 5 seconds, and σ

_h0 is a tensile strength of the wire measured before the heat treatment.

2. The extra-fine copper alloy wire according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plated layer comprising tin (Sn), silver (Ag) or nickel (Ni) and formed on a surface of the extra-fine copper alloy wire.

3. An extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire, comprising:

a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires according to claim 1 twisted together.

4. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.025 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 6000 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

5. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.023 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 7000 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

6. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.020 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 9500 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

7. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.018 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 11500 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

8. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.016 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 15000 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

9. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.013 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 22000 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

10. The extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires comprise the seven extra-fine copper alloy wires with a wire diameter of 0.010 mm, and

the twisted wire comprises an electric resistance of not more than 38000 Ω

/km at 20°

C.

11. A coaxial cable, comprising:

a central conductor comprising a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires according to claim 1 twisted together;

an insulation cover formed on an outer circumference of the central conductor;

an outer conductor comprising a copper or a copper alloy formed on an outer circumference of the insulation cover; and

a jacket layer formed on an outer circumference of the outer conductor.

12. A multicore cable, comprising:

a shield layer;

a plurality of the coaxial cables according to claim 11 disposed in the shield layer; and

a sheath formed on an outer circumference of the shield layer.

13. A method of making an extra-fine copper alloy wire, comprising the steps of:

adding 1 to 3 weight % of silver to a pure copper so as to produce a copper alloy;

conducting a wire drawing work to the copper alloy to form an extra-fine copper alloy wire with a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm; and

conducting a heat treatment to the extra-fine copper alloy wire at a temperature of 300 to 500°

C. for 0.2 to 5 seconds such that the extra-fine copper alloy wire comprises a tensile strength of 850 MPa or more, an electrical conductivity of 85% IACS or more, an elongation of 0.5 to 3.0%, and a lowering rate in tensile strength of not more than 2%, the lowering rate being represented by [(1−

σ

_h1/σ

_h0)×

100%] where σ

_h1 is a tensile strength of the wire measured after a test heat treatment under conditions of a heating temperature of not more than 350°

C. and a heating time of not more than 5 seconds, and σ

_h0 is a tensile strength of the wire measured the test heat treatment.

14. The method of making the extra-fine copper alloy wire according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

after forming the extra-fine wire with a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm, forming a plated layer formed of tin (Sn), silver (Ag) or nickel (Ni) on a surface of the extra-fine copper alloy wire.

15. A method of an extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire, comprising the steps of:

adding 1 to 3 weight % of silver to produce a copper alloy;

conducting a wire drawing work to the copper alloy to form an extra-fine copper alloy wire with a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm;

twisting a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires together to form an extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire; and

conducting a heat treatment to the twisted wire at a temperature of 300 to 500°

C. for 0.2 to 5 seconds.

16. A method of making an extra-fine insulated wire, comprising the steps of:

adding 1 to 3 weight % of silver to a pure copper to produce a copper alloy;

conducting a wire drawing work to the copper alloy to form an extra-fine copper alloy wire comprising a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm;

twisting a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires together to obtain an extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire;

conducting a heat treatment the twisted wire at a temperature of 300 to 500°

C. for 0.2 to 5 seconds; and

forming a solid insulation comprising a thickness of not more than 0.07 mm on an outer circumference of the extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire.

17. A method of making a coaxial cable, comprising the steps of:

adding 1 to 3 weight % of silver to a pure copper to produce a copper alloy;

conducting a wire drawing work to the copper alloy to form an extra-fine wire comprising a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm;

twisting a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires together to obtain an extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire;

conducting a heat treatment to the twisted wire at a temperature of 300 to 500°

C. for 0.2 to 5 seconds;

forming a solid insulation comprising a thickness of not more than 0.07 mm on an outer circumference of the extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire to obtain an extra-fine insulated wire;

winding a plurality of conductor wires on an outer circumference of the extra-fine insulated wire along a longitudinal direction thereof in a spiral form to form an outer conductor; and

forming a jacket layer on a surface of the outer conductor.

18. A method of making a coaxial cable, comprising the steps of:

adding 1 to 3 weight % of silver to a pure copper to produce a copper alloy;

conducting a wire drawing work to the copper alloy to form an extra-fine wire comprising a wire diameter of 0.010 to 0.025 mm;

twisting a plurality of the extra-fine copper alloy wires together to obtain an extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire;

conducting a heat treatment to the twisted wire at a temperature of 300 to 500°

C. for 0.2 to 5 seconds;

forming a foamed insulation comprising a thickness of not more than 0.28 mm on an outer circumference of the extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire;

forming a skin layer on an outer circumference of the foamed insulation;

winding a plurality of conductor wires on an outer circumference of the skin layer along a longitudinal direction of the extra-fine copper alloy twisted wire in a spiral form to form an outer conductor; and

forming a jacket layer on a surface of the outer conductor.