Aluminum alloy wire

• US 10,304,581 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries 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): Wyszomierski, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morillo, Janell C
• Application Number:
  US14/828,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20150357072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 148437, 420550
• 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. A covered electric wire for a wire harness, comprising:

a conductor formed of aluminum alloy stranded wire formed by stranding together a plurality of aluminum alloy wires, and

an insulating cover layer formed on an outer periphery of said conductor,

said aluminum alloy wires consisting of not less than 1.05% and not more than 2.20% by mass of Fe, not less than 0.05% and not more than 0.5% by mass of Mg, not less than 0.005% and not more than 0.15% by mass in total of at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ni, Mn, Ag, Cr, and Zr, and a remainder of Al and an impurity,

wherein the percentage by mass of Mg is greater than the percentage by mass of each one of the at least one additive element.

2. The covered electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein a content of said Mg is not less than 0.2% by mass.

3. The covered electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein a content of said Mg is not less than 0.1% and not more than 0.4% by mass.

4. The covered electric wire for a wire harness according to claim 1, wherein said group consists of Ni, Mn, Ag, and Zr.

5. The covered electric wire according to claim 1, wherein each of said aluminum alloy wires includes precipitates having a circle-equivalent diameter of 100 nm or less in a cross section of said aluminum alloy wire.

6. The covered electric wire according to claim 1, wherein each of said aluminum alloy wires has a diameter of not less than 0.2 mm and not more than 1.5 mm.