Aluminum alloy wire

• US 8,353,993 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusakari, Misato, Nakai, Yoshihiro, Nishikawa, Taichirou, Takaki, Yoshiyuki, Ootsuka, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORILLO, JANELL COMBS
• Application Number:
  US13/058,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 148/440, 420/547, 420/550, 420/551, 1741261-133
• US Class Current: 148/440
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/00 Manufacture of metal sheets, metal wire, metal rods, metal tubes by drawing
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• 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 1/02 in inert or controlled atmosphere or vacuum adjusting the composition of the atmosphere C21D1/76
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/023 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/02 Disposition of insulation

Abstract

An aluminum alloy, an aluminum alloy wire, an aluminum alloy stranded wire, a covered electric wire, and a wire harness that are of high toughness and high electrical conductivity, and a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy wire are provided. The aluminum alloy wire contains not less than 0.005% and not more than 2.2% by mass of Fe, and a remainder including Al and an impurity. It may further contain not less than 0.005% and not more than 1.0% by mass in total of at least one additive element selected from Mg, Si, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Ag, Cr, and Zr. The Al alloy wire has an electrical conductivity of not less than 58% IACS and an elongation of not less than 10%. The Al alloy wire is manufactured through the successive steps of casting, rolling, wiredrawing, and softening treatment. The softening treatment can be performed to provide an excellent toughness such as elongation and impact resistance and thereby reduce fracture of the electric wire in the vicinity of a terminal portion when the wire harness is installed.

Claims

1. An electric wire for a wire harness used as an electric wire of a wire harness for a motor vehicle,

said electric wire comprising an electrical conductor formed of a single or a plurality of aluminum alloy wires and an insulating cover layer formed on an outer periphery of said conductor, and

said aluminum alloy wire comprising not less than 0.90% and not more than 1.20% by mass of Fe, not less than 0.05% and not more than 0.5% by mass of Mg, and a remainder including Al and an impurity,

said aluminum alloy wire comprising at least one of Ti and B, and a content by mass ratio of Ti is not less than 100 ppm and not more than 500 ppm, and a content by mass ratio of B is not less than 10 ppm and not more than 50 ppm,

said aluminum alloy wire having an electrical conductivity of not less than 58% IACS, and

said aluminum alloy wire having an elongation of not less than 10%.

2. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein

in an observation field of 2400 nm×

2600 nm taken from a cross section of said aluminum alloy wire, the number of precipitates present in the observation field and having a circle-equivalent diameter of not more than 100 nm is not more than 10.

3. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein

in an observation field of 2400 nm×

2600 nm taken from a cross section of said aluminum alloy wire, the number of precipitates present in the observation field and having a circle-equivalent diameter of not more than 100 nm is more than 10.

4. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein

said aluminum alloy wire has a 0.2% proof stress of not less than 40 MPa.

5. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1 wherein

said aluminum alloy wire has a tensile strength of not less than 110 MPa and not more than 200 MPa.

6. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein

said aluminum alloy wire has a wire diameter of not less than 0.2 mm and not more than 1.5 mm.

7. The electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein said conductor is an aluminum alloy stranded wire formed by standing together a plurality of said aluminum alloy wires, or a compressed wire formed by compressing said stranded wire.

8. A wire harness for a motor vehicle comprising the electric wire as recited in claim 1, and a terminal portion attached to an end of the electric wire.