Terminal, wire harness, terminal and coated conductor wire connection method, and wire harness structure

• US 9,755,325 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Automotive Systems Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited), Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Automotive Systems Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited), Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Tonoike, Takashi, Kawamura, Yukihiro, Kihara, Yasushi, Orito, Hiroshi, Abe, Kyutaro, Aoi, Tsuneo, Yamanaka, Koji, Kawamura, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US15/088,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20160218443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 439877-882, 29863-867
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/183 for cylindrical elongated bodies, e.g. cables having circular cross-section H01R4/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/188 having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence

Abstract

A conductor wire crimping portion (7) has depressions (13a, 13b, 13c) that are disposed at prescribed intervals in the axial direction and that are linear locking portions. The depressions (13a, 13b, 13c) are continuously depressed grooves on the inner surface of a crimping portion (5). On an upper die (30a), at a portion corresponding to the conductor wire crimping portion (7), a straight portion is formed, and in the front-back direction thereof, tapered portions are formed. More specifically, the upper die (30a) is formed to have an inverted trapezoid shape, a middle portion of which protrudes in the crimping direction. Consequently, at each boundary between the straight portion and the tapered portion, a die angled portion (32) is formed. At an area corresponding to the straight portion of the upper die (30a), the depression (13a) is provided, and at an area corresponding to the die angled section (32), the depression (13b) is provided.

Claims

1. A terminal connected to a covered conductor wire, the terminal comprising:

a terminal main body; and

a cylindrical crimping portion;

the crimping portion including;

a cover crimping portion that crimps a covering portion, and

a conductor wire crimping portion that crimps a conductor wire exposed from the covering portion, wherein

the edge portions of the crimping portion are joined at a joining portion on an upper side of the crimping portion, a sealing portion is provided on a front end portion of the crimping portion, the crimping portion being sealed in all areas excluding an area through which the covered conductor wire is inserted to prevent penetration of moisture into the crimping portion;

the conductor wire crimping portion includes a plurality of depressions on an inner surface thereof, the depressions being formed in a plurality of rows in an axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and including main depressions formed at a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and sub-depressions formed on both sides of the main depressions, the main depressions being formed substantially across an entire periphery of the wire crimping portion, at least one of the sub-depressions is formed in a region of the front portion of the wire crimping portion where the height of the crimping portion decreases toward the sealing portion, the sub-depressions having a formation range shorter than that of the main depressions and not being formed on an the upper side of the wire crimping portion,

the depressions are formed by a plurality of small depressions that are provided in a circumferential direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, and

the small depressions include first small depressions provided on substantially upper and lower portions corresponding to a crimping direction, second small depressions provided on both side portions substantially orthogonal to the crimping direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, and third small depressions provided between the first small depressions and the second small depressions, in the circumferential direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, a length in the circumferential direction of the first small depressions being less than a length in the circumferential direction of the third small depressions, and a length in the circumferential direction of the second small depressions being greater than the length in the circumferential direction of the third small depressions.

2. A wire harness including a covered conductor wire and a terminal that are connected with each other, wherein

the terminal includes a terminal main body and a cylindrical crimping portion;

the crimping portion includes a cover crimping portion that crimps a covering portion and a conductor wire crimping portion that crimps a conductor wire exposed from the covering portion, the crimping portion being sealed in all areas excluding an area through which the covered conductor wire is inserted;

the conductor wire crimping portion includes a plurality of depressions on an inner surface thereof, the depressions being formed in a plurality of rows in an axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and including main depressions formed at a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and sub-depressions formed on both sides of the main depression;

the main depressions are formed substantially across an entire periphery of the wire crimping portion, and the sub-depressions have a formation range shorter than that of the main depressions and not being formed on an upper side of the wire crimping portion; and

the conductor wire crimping portion includes a straight portion at a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, the straight portion having high compressibility and tapered portions on both sides of the straight portion in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, the main depressions being positioned in the straight portion, and the sub-depressions being positioned at a boundary portion between the straight portion and one of the tapered portions.

3. The wire harness according to claim 2, wherein the conductor wire is made of an aluminum-based material.

4. A terminal and covered conductor wire connection method in which the terminal includes a terminal main body and a cylindrical crimping portion;

the crimping portion includes a cover crimping portion that crimps a covering portion and a conductor wire crimping portion that crimps a conductor wire exposed from the covering portion, the crimping portion being sealed in all areas excluding an area through which the covered conductor wire is inserted; and

the conductor wire crimping portion includes a plurality of depressions on an inner surface thereof, the depressions being formed in a plurality of rows in an axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and including main depressions formed at a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and sub-depressions formed on both sides of the main depressions, the main depressions being formed substantially across an entire periphery of the wire crimping portion; and

the sub-depressions having a formation range shorter than at of the main depressions and not being formed on an upper side of the wire crimping portion, the method comprising the steps of;

inserting the covered conductor wire into the crimping portion; and

crimping the conductor wire crimping portion using a die, wherein

the die includes a straight portion in an area corresponding to a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and tapered portions in areas corresponding to both sides of the straight portion in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, the die compressing an area having the main depressions disposed therein at the straight portion, and areas having the sub-depressions disposed therein at a boundary portion between the straight portion and one of the tapered portions.

5. A wire harness structure comprising:

a plurality of wire harnesses tied in a bundle, each of the wire harnesses including a covered conductor wire and a terminal that are connected with each other;

the terminal including a terminal main body and a cylindrical crimping portion;

the crimping portion including a cover crimping portion that crimps a covering portion and a conductor wire crimping portion that crimps a conductor wire exposed from the covering portion, the edge portions of the crimping portion are joined at a joining portion on an upper side of the crimping portion, a sealing portion is provided on a front end portion of the crimping portion, and the crimping portion being sealed in all areas excluding an area through which the covered conductor wire is inserted to prevent penetration of moisture into the crimping portion;

the conductor wire crimping portion including a plurality of depressions on an inner surface thereof, the depressions being formed in a plurality of rows in an axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and including main depressions formed at a substantial center in the axial direction of the conductor wire crimping portion and sub-depressions formed on both sides of the main depressions; and

the main depressions being formed substantially across an entire periphery of the wire crimping portion, at least one of the sub-depressions is formed in a region of the front portion of the wire crimping portion where the height of the crimping portion decreases toward the sealing portion, the sub-depressions having a formation range shorter than that of the main depressions and not being formed on the upper side of the wire crimping portion,

the depressions being formed by a plurality of small depressions that are provided in a circumferential direction of the conductor wire crimping portion,

the small depressions including first small depressions provided on substantially upper and lower portions corresponding to a crimping direction, second small depressions provided on both side portions substantially orthogonal to the crimping direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, and third small depressions provided between the first small depressions and the second small depressions, in the circumferential direction of the conductor wire crimping portion, a length in the circumferential direction of the first small depressions being less than a length in the circumferential direction of the third small depressions, and a length in the circumferential direction of the second small depressions being greater than the length in the circumferential direction of the third small depressions.