Connecting structure, connecting device and connecting method for electric wire and terminal, and wire harness

• US 9,065,261 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• 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: Kawamura, Yukihiro, Takamura, Satoshi, Takeda, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R
• Application Number:
  US13/854,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20130213709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 174/74.R, 174/68.1, 174/68.3, 174/72.A, 174/72.R, 174/84.C, 439/730, 439/936, 425/116, 298/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/18 by crimping H01R4/01, H01R4/2495 take precedence; for coaxial cables H01R9/0518
• 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 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0406 Details thereof installation or suspension of conduit channels and other supports H02G3/263
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A connecting structure is applied for connecting an electric wire and a terminal. For coating a connecting portion of a conductor of the electric wire and the terminal, which form a wire harness, with a coating resin, a portion of an insulator, which is to be inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing, is subjected to a diameter reduction process such that an outer diameter of the coating resin coated on the insulator is smaller than the terminal insertion hole.

Claims

1. A connecting structure for an electric wire and a terminal, in which a terminal to be inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing is crimped to a conductor exposed by stripping off a coated insulator at an end portion of an electric wire, and

a coating resin coated on a connecting portion formed of a conductor exposed portion of the conductor exposed at the end portion of the electric wire, an insulator coated portion which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and is coated with the insulator, and a conductor crimping portion of the terminal, to which the conductor is connected, is formed into a thickness which allows it to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing, wherein

a diameter of a portion, which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and covered by the coating resin, is smaller than that of the insulator coated portion which is away from the conductor exposed portion;

the terminal separates from the insulator coated portion; and

the coating resin covers from the conductor crimping portion of the terminal to the insulator coated portion.

2. A connecting structure for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 1, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off, and the insulator of the insulator coated portion, which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin.

3. A connecting structure for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 1, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin, and a portion of the insulator, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off, leaving the insulator coated portion which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole.

4. A connecting structure for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire is stripped off such that the conductor is exposed for a long length to an outer side from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole.

5. A wire harness formed of an electric wire having a connecting structure according to claim 1.

6. A wire harness formed of an electric wire having a connecting structure according to claim 2.

7. A wire harness formed of an electric wire having a connecting structure according to claim 3.

8. A wire harness formed of an electric wire having a connecting structure according to claim 4.

9. A connecting device for connecting an electric wire and a terminal, in which a terminal to be inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing is crimped to a conductor exposed by stripping off a coated insulator at an end portion of an electric wire, comprising:

insulator stripping means for stripping off the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire;

terminal crimping means for crimping the terminal to the conductor exposed by stripping off the insulator; and

resin coating means for coating a coating resin on a connecting portion formed of a conductor exposed portion of the conductor exposed at the end portion of the electric wire, an insulator coated portion which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and is coated with the insulator, and a conductor crimping portion of the terminal to which the conductor is connected, into a thickness which allows it to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing, wherein

a diameter of a portion, which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and covered by the coating resin, is smaller than that of the insulator coated portion which is away from the conductor exposed portion;

the terminal separates from the insulator coated portion; and

the coating resin covers from the conductor crimping portion of the terminal to the insulator coated portion.

10. A connecting device for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 9, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off by the insulator stripping means, and the insulator of the insulator coated portion, which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin by insulator thinning means.

11. A connecting device for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 9, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin by the insulator thinning means, and a portion of the insulator, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off by the insulator stripping means, leaving the insulator coated portion which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole.

12. A connecting device for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 9, wherein:

the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire is stripped off by the insulator stripping means such that the conductor is exposed for a long length to an outer side from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole.

13. A connecting method for an electric wire and a terminal, in which a terminal to be inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing is crimped to a conductor exposed by stripping off a coated insulator at an end portion of an electric wire, wherein:

the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire is stripped off, and the terminal is crimped to the conductor exposed by stripping off the insulator; and

a connecting portion formed of a conductor exposed portion of the conductor exposed at the end portion of the electric wire, an insulator coated portion which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and is coated with the insulator, and a conductor crimping portion of the terminal to which the conductor is connected, is coated with a coating resin into a thickness which allows it to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing, wherein

a diameter of a portion which is adjacent to the conductor exposed portion and covered by the coating resin, is smaller than that of the insulator coated portion which is away from the conductor exposed portion;

the terminal separates from the insulator coated portion; and

the coating resin covers from the conductor crimping portion of the terminal to the insulator coated portion.

14. A connecting method for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 13, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off, and the insulator of the insulator coated portion, which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin.

15. A connecting method for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 13, wherein:

a portion of the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire, which is to be inserted into the terminal insertion hole, is processed to be thin, and a portion of the insulator, which is to be inserted further from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole, is stripped off, leaving the insulator coated portion which is to be inserted around the inlet of the terminal insertion hole.

16. A connecting method for an electric wire and a terminal according to claim 13, wherein:

the insulator coated on the end portion of the electric wire is stripped off such that the conductor is exposed for a long length to an outer side from an inlet of the terminal insertion hole.