Connecting structure for an aluminum electric conductor and a connector

• US 8,882,549 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Tanshi Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: PL Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US13/574,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20120295496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 439/882, 439/442, 439/423, 439/877, 439/884
• US Class Current: 439/882
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/184 comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/188 having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/203 having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2429 mounted in an insulating base
• 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

Abstract

To prevent electric resistance between an electric conductor and a coupling part made of aluminum from becoming larger by stopping cold flow in an aluminum electric conductor, an end section of the aluminum electric conductor is crimped at a crimping section of the coupling part, multiple projections are formed in the crimping section, each of the projections has a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape and also has four inclined planes, the projections are pressed into the surface of the aluminum electric conductor but bases of the projections are not inserted, a distorted region is formed on the surface of the aluminum electric conductor along the inclined plane, thereby forming multiple independent regions, each surrounded by distorted regions, on the surface of the aluminum electric wire.

Claims

1. A connecting structure for connecting a conductor made of aluminum and a coupling part with each other, the connecting structure comprising:

a coupling part provided with a set of projections having inclined sides;

a solid conductor made of aluminum having the projections pressed into a surface portion thereof, and

a set of distorted regions continuously formed along the inclined sides in the surface portion of the solid conductor for stopping cold flows of aluminum.

2. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the set of distorted regions comprises distorted regions enclosing a region in the surface portion of the solid conductor.

3. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the set of distorted regions comprises opposite distorted regions at a region in the surface portion of the solid conductor.

4. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the inclined sides have inclination angles within a range of 45 to 75 degrees.

5. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the set of distorted regions has degrees of distortion within a range of 16 to 32%.

6. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the solid conductor comprises a single solid conductor of an aluminum electric wire, and the projections have center-to-center distances thereof within a range of 0.25 to 1.25 times a diameter of the single solid conductor.

7. A connector for connecting a conductor made of aluminum, comprising:

a connector body;

a crimping section provided at the connector body to be crimped on a solid conductor made of alumina;

a projection bearing member fixed to the crimping section; and

a set of projections projecting from the projection bearing member, the projections having inclined sides, the projections being configured to be pressed into a surface portion of the solid conductor, to have a set of distorted regions continuously formed along the inclined sides in the surface portion for stopping cold flows of aluminum.

8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the projection bearing member is brazed to fix to the crimping section.

9. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the projection bearing member is made of copper.

10. A connector for connecting a conductor made of aluminum, comprising:

a post member comprising a crimping section to be crimped on a solid conductor made of alumina;

a set of first projections provided at the crimping section, the first projections having first inclined sides, the first projections being configured to be pressed into a first surface portion of the solid conductor, to have a set of distorted regions continuously formed along the first inclined sides in the first surface portion for stopping cold flows of aluminum;

an anchor member configured for the crimping section of the post member to be fit therein; and

a set of second projections provided at an inside of the anchor member, the second projections having second inclined sides, the second projections being configured to be pressed into a second surface portion of the solid conductor, to have a set of distorted regions continuously formed along the second inclined sides in the second surface portion for stopping cold flows of aluminum.

11. The connector according to claim 10, wherein the crimping section of the post member is formed in a rectangular shape.

12. The connector according to claim 10, wherein the anchor member comprises a tabular member flexed in a U shape.

13. The connector according to claim 10, wherein the post member is made of copper.

14. The connector according to claim 10, wherein the anchor member is made of copper.

15. A connector for connecting a conductor made of aluminum, comprising:

a connector body; and

a pressure contact section provided at the connector body,

the pressure contact section comprising;

three or more tabular portions; and

a groove defined by edges of the tabular portions,

the edges of the tabular portions respectively comprising projections having inclined sides, the projections being configured to be pressed into a surface portion of a solid conductor made of aluminum and inserted in the groove, to have a set of distorted regions continuously formed along the inclined sides in the surface portion for stopping cold flows of aluminum.

16. The connector according to claim 15, wherein a single tabular member is flexed to provide the three or more tabular portions.

17. The connector according to claim 15, wherein the pressure contact section is made of copper.