A terminal with memory function

Abstract

The application provides a terminal with a memory function, which comprises a memory contact section (3), the memory contact section (3) comprises a plurality of contact claws (31), all or part of the contact claws (31) are made of a memory alloy, the plurality of contact claws (31) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the memory contact section (3), and the plurality of contact claws (31) can be radially contracted. The terminal with the memory function can realize butt joint without insertion force, the contact area and the contact force of the terminal and a counter terminal are realized by temperature rise in work, the contact reliability is improved, and work is more relaxed and work efficiency is improved due to the fact that the requirement of insertion force is omitted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application relates to a terminal with a memory function. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the gradual popularity of electric vehicles, the market demand for charging plugs and charging sockets is gradually increasing. In the prior art, the terminals on the charging plugs, charging piles, charging sockets and vehicles are all realized by mechanical structure modes such as elastic sheets and bolt tightening to realize contact with the counter terminals, and a certain insertion force and tools are required to complete the installation, and there are problems of low terminal docking efficiency and inconvenient installation. SUMMARY

[0003] In order to improve the efficiency of terminal docking, the application provides a terminal with a memory function, which can realize insertion force-free docking, and the contact area and contact force of the terminal and the counter terminal are ensured by temperature rise in work, and the contact reliability is improved. Since the requirement of insertion force is eliminated, the work is more relaxed, and the work efficiency is improved.

[0004] The technical scheme adopted by the application to solve the technical problems is:

[0005] A terminal with a memory function, the terminal with the memory function comprises a memory contact section, the memory contact section contains a plurality of contact claws, all or part of the contact claws are made of a memory alloy, the plurality of contact claws are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the memory contact section, and the plurality of contact claws can be radially contracted.

[0006] All or part of the contact claws are made of a memory alloy, the memory contact section has a cylindrical structure, the cross-sectional outer contour of the memory contact section is circular or polygonal, and the cross-sectional inner contour of the memory contact section is circular or polygonal.

[0007] The cross section of the contact claw is circular, rectangular, rhombic, triangular, sector-shaped or trapezoidal.

[0008] The metamorphic temperature of the memory contact section is 40-70 DEG C; when the temperature of the memory contact section is lower than the metamorphic temperature, the plurality of contact claws are in an expanded state; and when the temperature of the memory contact section is higher than the metamorphic temperature, the plurality of contact claws are in a contracted state.

[0009] The memory contact section has a cylindrical structure, the number of contact claws is greater than or equal to 3, and when the temperature of the memory contact section is lower than the metamorphic temperature, the distances from the outer end inner surfaces of the plurality of contact claws to the axis of the memory contact section along the circumference of the memory contact section are alternately arranged in far and near.

[0010] The memory contact section has a cylindrical structure, the number of contact claws is greater than or equal to 3, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of contact claws along the circumference of the memory contact section are alternately arranged in large and small.

[0011] The outer end of the contact claw is provided with a first inner protruding part.

[0012] The terminal with the memory function further comprises a cable connecting section and a transition section, and the cable connecting section, the transition section and the memory contact section are sequentially arranged.

[0013] The cable connecting section is in a flat plate structure, a U-shaped structure, an arcuate structure, a cylindrical structure, a circular column structure, a bowl structure or a polygonal structure.

[0014] The transition section is externally provided with a groove, and a sealing ring is assembled in the groove.

[0015] The sealing ring is made of rubber material.

[0016] The transition section is externally provided with a through hole, and a temperature sensor is arranged in the through hole.

[0017] The temperature sensor is partially or entirely arranged in the through hole.

[0018] The temperature sensor is in interference fit with the through hole.

[0019] An outer wall of the temperature sensor is provided with external threads, the through hole is provided with internal threads, and the temperature sensor is in threaded connection with the through hole.

[0020] The temperature sensor is externally provided with a shielding layer.

[0021] The temperature sensor is an NTC temperature sensor or a PTC temperature sensor.

[0022] An included angle between a plug-in direction of the memory contact section and a wiring direction of the cable connecting section is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 180°.

[0023] The memory contact section is in a cylindrical structure, the outer end of the contact claw is externally provided with a conductive contact part, the material of the conductive contact part is different from that of the contact claw, and the distance from the conductive contact part to the axis of the memory contact section is less than the distance from the contact claw to the axis of the memory contact section.

[0024] The memory contact section is in a cylindrical structure, the contact claw comprises an inner conductive contact strip and an outer memory strip which are arranged in an inner-outer layer structure, the material of the outer memory strip is memory alloy, and the materials of the inner conductive contact strip and the outer memory strip are different.

[0025] The length of the inner conductive contact strip is the same as that of the outer memory strip.

[0026] The outer end of the inner conductive contact strip is provided with a second protruding part.

[0027] The contact claw is provided with a plating layer.

[0028] The plating layer material is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, zinc, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphene-silver and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

[0029] The plating layer comprises a bottom layer and a surface layer.

[0030] The bottom layer material is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy and zinc; and the surface layer material is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphene-silver and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

[0031] The bottom layer has a thickness of 0.01-18 microns.

[0032] The bottom layer has a thickness of 0.1-9 microns.

[0033] The surface layer has a thickness of 0.6-56 microns.

[0034] The surface layer has a thickness of 1-30 microns.

[0035] The memory alloy is a nickel-titanium alloy.

[0036] The cable connecting section and the transition section are made of copper or copper alloy.

[0037] The cable connecting section and / or the transition section are made of tellurium-containing copper.

[0038] The content of tellurium in the cable connecting section and / or the transition section is 0.1-5%.

[0039] The present application has the following advantages:

[0040] 1. The terminal with memory function has multiple contact claws in radial expansion state when the temperature is below the metamorphic temperature, so that the terminal can be connected to the counterpart terminal without insertion force, and the operator can easily connect the electrical appliance.

[0041] 2. The plug-in terminal of the present application uses tellurium copper alloy, which has good electrical conductivity and easy cutting performance, ensures electrical performance and improves machinability, and the elasticity of tellurium copper alloy is also excellent.

[0042] 3、The plug-in terminal of the present application adopts a plating layer, which can better increase the corrosion resistance, preferably adopts a composite plating layer, which can better improve the firmness of the plating layer, and still can ensure that the plating layer does not fall off and is corrosion resistant after multiple plugging and unplugging.

[0043] 4、The temperature sensor can go deep into the terminal interior to obtain the most accurate terminal temperature value, thereby helping the staff to understand the temperature condition of the terminal during work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0044] The drawings accompanying the specification of this application form a part thereof, serve to provide further understanding of the present application, and together with the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present application, serve to explain the present application, and do not constitute improper limitations on the present application.

[0045] Figure 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the contact claw of the terminal with a memory function in the expanded state according to the present application in Embodiment 1.

[0046] Figure 2 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the contact claw of the terminal with a memory function in the contracted state according to the present application in Embodiment 1.

[0047] Figure 3 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the contact claw of the terminal with a memory function in the contracted state according to the present application in Embodiment 1.

[0048] Figure 4 Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the contact claw of the terminal with a memory function in Embodiment 1, in which the included angle between the plug-in direction of the memory contact section and the wiring direction of the cable connection section is 90°.

[0049] Figure 5 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the terminal with a memory function according to the present application in Embodiment 2.

[0050] Figure 6 Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the terminal with a memory function according to the present application in Embodiment 2.

[0051] Figure 7 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the terminal with a memory function according to the present application in Embodiment 3.

[0052] Figure 8 Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the terminal with a memory function according to the present application in Embodiment 3.

[0053] 1, cable connection section; 2, transition section; 3, memory contact section; 4, mating terminal; 5, cable;

[0054] 21, sealing ring mounting groove; 22, through hole;

[0055] 31, contact claw; 32, first inner protrusion; 33, inner conductive contact strip; 34, outer memory strip; 35, conductive contact part; 36, second protrusion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0057] Embodiment 1

[0058] A terminal with memory function comprises a memory contact section 3, the memory contact section 3 contains a plurality of contact claws 31, all or part of the contact claws 31 are made of memory alloy, the plurality of contact claws 31 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the memory contact section 3, and the plurality of contact claws 31 can be radially contracted or expanded, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 .

[0059] The plurality of contact claws 31 of the memory contact section 3 are generally in a radially expanded state at room temperature, and the plurality of contact claws 31 will be radially contracted when the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is higher than the transformation temperature. When the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is lower than the transformation temperature, the memory contact section 3 will be radially expanded. Thus, the contact area and contact force of the terminal and the mating terminal are ensured by temperature rise, and the contact reliability is improved. Since the insertion force requirement is eliminated, the work is more relaxed, and the work efficiency is improved.

[0060] In the present embodiment, the memory contact section 3 is made of memory alloy as a whole or in part, the memory contact section 3 has a cylindrical structure, the cross-sectional outer contour of the memory contact section 3 is circular or polygonal (such as triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal or octagonal), and the cross-sectional inner contour of the memory contact section 3 is circular or polygonal.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the contact claw 31 has a long strip-shaped columnar structure, and the cross-section of the contact claw 31 can be circular, rectangular, rhombic, triangular, sector-shaped or trapezoidal. The cross-sectional size of the contact claw 31 can be obtained according to needs and limited experiments, and the length of the contact claw 31 can also be obtained according to needs and limited experiments.

[0062] The memory contact section 3 is made of memory alloy, and the transformation temperature thereof is 40-70°C; when the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is lower than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws 31 are in an expanded state; and when the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is higher than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws 31 are in a contracted state.

[0063] Memory alloy refers to a special metal material which can occur plastic deformation in a certain temperature range and can restore the original macro shape in another temperature range. In the present application, the temperature point of the plastic deformation is referred to as the transformation temperature, and the transformation temperature of the memory alloy can be changed by changing the content of different metals in the memory alloy. Generally, the transformation temperature is selected between 40℃ and 70℃. If the transformation temperature is lower than 40℃, the ambient temperature of the terminal can reach close to 40℃ without conducting current, at this time, the plurality of contact claws 31 are in the contracted state, the aperture of the terminal becomes small, the plug-in end terminal cannot be inserted into the terminal with memory function, which can cause the electrical device to be unable to be plugged, and thus the work cannot be carried out.

[0064] At room temperature, the plug-in end terminal is plugged into the terminal with memory function to start conducting. Since the plurality of contact claws 31 are in the expanded state at the beginning of plugging, the contact area of the terminal with memory function and the plug-in end terminal is small, and the current is large, so that the terminal starts to heat after plugging. If the transformation temperature is higher than 70℃, the terminal heating time is long, the electrical device is in a large current state for a long time, which can easily cause electrical aging, and in severe cases, the electrical device can be overloaded and damaged, causing unnecessary loss.

[0065] Therefore, generally, the transformation temperature of the terminal with memory function is set between 40℃ and 70℃.

[0066] In the present embodiment, the material of the memory contact section 3 is nickel-titanium alloy, and the transformation temperature (which can also be referred to as phase transition temperature or jump temperature) of the memory contact section 3 is 40℃. When the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is lower than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws 31 are in the expanded state; when the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is higher than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws 31 are in the contracted state, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 .

[0067] In the present embodiment, the memory contact section 3 has a cylindrical structure, and the number of contact claws 31 is greater than or equal to 3 (such as 8). When the temperature of the memory contact section 3 is lower than the transformation temperature, the distance from the outer end inner surface of the plurality of contact claws 31 to the axis of the memory contact section 3 can be alternately set to be far and near along the circumference of the memory contact section 3. When the cylindrical structure is plugged into the plug-in end terminal, only the contact claws 31 with small distance contact the plug-in end terminal, which can make the plug-in end terminal exert a small insertion force to be inserted into the cylindrical structure,

[0068] The terminal with memory function of the present application has a cylindrical structure, and the distance from the outer end inner surface of the plurality of contact claws 31 to the axis of the memory contact section 3 can be alternately set to be far and near when the cylindrical structure is plugged into the plug-in end terminal, which can eliminate the requirement of insertion force, and make the work more relaxed and the work efficiency improved.

[0069] In this embodiment, the memory contact segment 3 has a cylindrical structure, and the number of contact claws 31 is greater than or equal to 3 (e.g., 8). Along the circumference of the memory contact segment 3, the cross-sectional areas of the multiple contact claws 31 can be arranged in alternating sizes. The size of the cross-sectional area of ​​the contact claw 31 is related to the elasticity of the contact claw 31 itself. The larger the cross-sectional area, the better the elasticity of the contact claw 31. In order to make the gripping force between the cylindrical structure and the mating terminal uniform, the cross-sectional areas of the multiple contact claws 31 are arranged in alternating sizes so that the elastic force of the contact claws can be evenly distributed on the mating terminal.

[0070] In addition, to reduce the insertion force when the cylindrical structure is mated with the mating terminal, the distance from the inner surface of the outer end of the contact claw 31 with a larger cross-sectional area to the axis of the memory contact segment 3 can be greater than the distance from the inner surface of the outer end of the contact claw 31 with a smaller cross-sectional area to the axis of the memory contact segment 3. In this way, the contact claw with a larger cross-sectional area and greater elasticity will not restrict the insertion of the mating terminal, while the contact claw with a smaller cross-sectional area and less elasticity will guide the insertion of the mating terminal. This ensures that the mating terminal can be smoothly inserted into the cylindrical structure, while also greatly reducing the insertion force and improving work efficiency.

[0071] The outer end of the contact claw 31 ( Figure 1 The upper end of the contact claw 31 may be provided with a first inner protrusion 32. The mating terminal is generally a male terminal. When used in harsh environments or for extended periods outdoors, the surface of the mating terminal may accumulate dirt, grime, or foreign matter. If left untreated, this will not only affect the contact effect between the contact claw 31 and the mating terminal, reducing electrical performance, but also damage both surfaces, destroying the plating and significantly reducing the lifespan of the mating terminal. In severe cases, increased contact resistance can lead to overheating and combustion of the mating connector, causing a safety accident. By providing a first inner protrusion 32 at the outer end of the contact claw 31, which fits against the outer surface of the mating terminal, during mating, the inner surface of the first inner protrusion 32 scrapes against the surface of the mating terminal, effectively removing dirt, grime, and foreign matter, thus enabling a tighter contact and better electrical performance.

[0072] In this embodiment, the terminal with memory function also includes a cable connection segment 1 and a transition segment 2, which are connected sequentially. The transition segment 2 is the connection transition area between the cable connection segment 1 and the memory contact segment 3, and it is also the area where the terminal with memory function is assembled and fixed with the electrical device. The cable connection segment 1 can be electrically connected to the cable, thereby realizing the transmission of electrical energy through the mating of the terminal with memory function and the mating terminal.

[0073] The cable connecting section 1 is in a flat plate structure or a U-shaped structure or an arcuate structure or a cylindrical structure or a bowl-shaped structure or a polygonal structure. Generally, a crimping or welding process is used for electrical connection with the cable, and the cable connecting section 1 is designed in various structures, which can be selected according to the requirements of electrical connection and the assembly environment of the electrical device, and can establish stable electrical connection with the cable. Generally, the U-shaped structure or the arcuate structure or the cylindrical structure or the polygonal structure is suitable for crimping and welding, and the flat plate structure or the bowl-shaped structure is suitable for welding.

[0074] Crimping is a mechanical deformation method that applies pressure to deform the cable connecting section 1 and part of the internal wires together. The wires and the internal wires of the cable connecting section 1 are in full contact and connected together by friction. The welding method includes ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, arc welding, pressure welding, electromagnetic welding, laser welding, etc. The cable connecting section 1 and part of the wires are welded together to achieve stable electrical and mechanical properties.

[0075] The ultrasonic welding method is to use high-frequency vibration waves to transmit to the surfaces of two objects to be welded. Under pressure, the surfaces of the two objects are rubbed to form a molten layer between the molecules.

[0076] The resistance welding method is a method that uses a strong current through the contact points between the electrode and the workpiece to generate heat from the contact resistance to achieve welding.

[0077] The arc welding method is a method that uses an electric arc as a heat source to convert electrical energy into heat and mechanical energy required for welding to achieve metal connection. The main methods include stick arc welding, submerged arc welding, and gas shielded welding.

[0078] The pressure welding method is a method that applies pressure to the welded parts to make the joint surfaces tightly contact and produce plastic deformation to complete the welding.

[0079] The electromagnetic welding method is to use an electromagnetic induction coil to generate a short and very strong current from a pulse generator. The electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil can instantly collide and press the materials to be welded together.

[0080] The laser welding method is a high-efficiency and precise welding method that uses a high-energy density laser beam as a heat source.

[0081] According to the needs, a sealing ring mounting groove 21 can be provided outside the transition section 2. The sealing ring is installed in the groove 21, and the sealing ring is made of rubber material, which has a large deformation and water resistance, and can be directly compressed to form a sealing structure between the transition section 2 and the mating terminal, effectively preventing water from entering the terminal, ensuring the safety of electrical connection and the service life of the terminal.

[0082] The transition section 2 can be provided with a sensor mounting through hole 22, and a temperature sensor is arranged in the through hole 22.

[0083] The temperature sensor is in interference fit with the through hole 22.

[0084] The outer wall of the temperature sensor is provided with external threads, the through hole 22 is provided with internal threads, and the temperature sensor is in threaded connection with the through hole 22.

[0085] The temperature sensor is externally provided with a shielding layer. The shielding layer can avoid external interference on the data of the temperature sensor, and ensure the accuracy of the data.

[0086] The temperature sensor is an NTC temperature sensor or a PTC temperature sensor. The two temperature sensors have the advantages of small size, capable of measuring gaps that cannot be measured by other thermometers, convenient to use, resistance value can be selected at will between 0.1-100kΩ, easy to process into complex shapes, mass production, good stability, strong overload capacity, and suitable for products such as transition joints which require small size and stable performance.

[0087] In some embodiments, a temperature acquisition device is provided: the output module includes a programmable controller, a transmission unit and a power supply, the temperature sensor is electrically connected with the programmable controller, and the transmission unit sends the temperature information obtained by the programmable controller wirelessly (or wiredly).

[0088] Further, in some embodiments, a temperature acquisition system is provided: the acquisition terminal obtains temperature information through an information receiving device, a storage unit is used to store the temperature information, a comparison unit is used to compare the temperature information with preset safety information, if the acquired information exceeds the preset information, the acquisition terminal sends an alarm to the staff through an alarm unit. A plurality of acquisition terminals are remotely connected with a server, the server monitors all the acquired temperature information, and can also send the temperature information to a mobile terminal, so that the staff can grasp the temperature information of each terminal in the working area at any time and anywhere.

[0089] In the embodiment, according to the installation direction of the electric device and the outlet direction of the cable, the included angle between the plug-in direction A of the memory contact section 3 and the wiring direction B of the cable connection section 1 can be greater than 0° and less than or equal to 180°, which facilitates the designer to select different outlet directions according to the actual environment of the terminal with memory function, reduces the size of the electric device, optimizes the contact area of the terminal and the wire, and enhances the electrical performance of the terminal with memory function. As shown in Figure 3 The included angle between the plug-in direction A of the memory contact section 3 and the wiring direction B of the cable connection section 1 is equal to 180°. As shown in Figure 4As shown, the included angle between the insertion direction A of the memory contact section 3 and the wiring direction B of the cable connection section 1 is equal to 90°.

[0090] In the embodiment, the contact claw 31 has a plating layer. The plating layer is made of one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, zinc, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphene-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy. Copper or aluminum is a kind of active metal, which will be oxidized with oxygen and water during use, so one or more kinds of non-active metal is needed as the plating layer to prolong the service life of the terminal with memory function. In addition, for the metal contact that needs to be frequently plugged and unplugged, a better wear-resistant metal is also needed as the plating layer, which can greatly increase the service life of the contact. In addition, the contact needs to have good electrical conductivity, and the electrical conductivity and stability of the above-mentioned metals are better than those of copper or copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy, which can make the terminal with memory function have better electrical performance and longer service life.

[0091] In order to demonstrate the influence of different plating layer materials on the overall performance of the terminal with memory function, the inventor uses the same specification and material to make terminal samples with memory function with different plating layer materials, and uses the same specification of the plug-in terminal to do a series of insertion and extraction times and corrosion resistance time tests. The experimental results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0092] The insertion and extraction times in Table 1 below are that the terminal with memory function and the plug-in terminal are respectively fixed on the experimental table, and a mechanical device is used to simulate the insertion and extraction of the terminal with memory function and the plug-in terminal. Every 100 times of insertion and extraction, the damage of the plating layer on the surface of the terminal with memory function is observed, and when the plating layer on the surface of the terminal with memory function is scratched and the material of the terminal with memory function is exposed, the experiment is stopped and the number of insertion and extraction is recorded. If the number of insertion and extraction is less than 8000 times, it is unqualified.

[0093] The corrosion resistance time test in Table 1 below is that the terminal with memory function is put into a salt spray test box, and salt spray is sprayed on each position of the terminal. Every 20 hours, the surface corrosion is observed after cleaning, which is one cycle. Until the corrosion area of the surface of the terminal with memory function is greater than 10% of the total area, the test is stopped, and the number of cycles is recorded. In the embodiment, if the number of cycles is less than 80, it is unqualified.

[0094] Table 1: Influence of different plating layer materials on the insertion and extraction times and corrosion resistance of the terminal with memory function

[0095]

[0096] As can be seen from the above table, when the plating layer material is gold, silver, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphite-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy, the experimental results exceed the standard values more, and the performance is relatively stable. When the plating layer material is nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, and zinc, the experimental results can also meet the requirements, so the inventors select one or more combinations of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, zinc, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphite-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy as the plating layer material.

[0097] In the present embodiment, the plating layer includes a bottom layer and a surface layer. In some embodiments, the plating layer is plated by a multi-layer plating method. After processing, there are still many gaps and holes under the actual surface micro-interface of the terminal with memory function. These gaps and holes are the main cause of wear and corrosion of the terminal with memory function during use. Therefore, a bottom layer is first plated on the surface of the terminal with memory function to fill the surface gaps and holes, so that the surface of the terminal with memory function is smooth and free of holes. Then, a surface layer is plated, which is combined more firmly and is more smooth, and the surface of the plating layer is free of gaps and holes, so that the wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and electrical performance of the terminal with memory function are more excellent, and the service life of the terminal with memory function is greatly prolonged.

[0098] The bottom layer material is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, and zinc; and the surface layer material is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphite-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

[0099] In the present embodiment, the thickness of the bottom layer is 0.01 μm-18 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the bottom layer is 0.1 μm-9 μm.

[0100] In the present embodiment, the thickness of the surface layer is 0.6 μm-56 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the surface layer is 1 μm-30 μm.

[0101] In order to demonstrate the influence of the thickness of the bottom layer plating on the overall performance of the terminal with memory function, the inventors use terminal samples of the same specification and material, with different nickel-plated bottom layer thicknesses and the same silver-plated surface layer thickness, and use the same specification of the plug-in end terminal to conduct a series of temperature rise and corrosion resistance time tests. The experimental results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0102] The temperature rise test in Table 2 below is to detect the temperature of the same position of the terminal with memory function before power-on and after temperature stabilization in a closed environment by passing the same current through the plug-in terminal with memory function and the plug-in end terminal, and taking the absolute value of the difference. In the present embodiment, a temperature rise greater than 50 K is considered unqualified.

[0103] The corrosion resistance time test in Table 2 below is to put the terminal with memory function into a salt spray test chamber, spray salt mist on each position of the terminal with memory function, take out and clean every 20 hours to observe the surface corrosion, which is one cycle, until the surface corrosion area of the terminal with memory function is greater than 10% of the total area, stop the test, and record the cycle number at that time. In this embodiment, the cycle number less than 80 times is considered unqualified.

[0104] Table 2: Influence of different thickness of bottom layer plating on temperature rise and corrosion resistance of terminal with memory function

[0105]

[0106] As can be seen from Table 2 above, when the thickness of the bottom layer of nickel plating is less than 0.01 μm, the temperature rise of the terminal with memory function is qualified, but the corrosion resistance cycle number of the terminal with memory function is less than 80, which does not meet the performance requirements of the terminal with memory function. It has a great influence on the overall performance and service life of the connector, and in severe cases, it can cause a sudden decrease in product life or even failure and combustion accidents. When the thickness of the bottom layer of nickel plating is greater than 15 μm, the heat generated by the terminal with memory function cannot be dissipated due to the thick bottom layer, resulting in unqualified temperature rise of the terminal with memory function, and the thick plating is prone to fall off from the surface of the terminal, causing the corrosion resistance cycle number to decrease. Therefore, the inventors choose the thickness of the bottom layer of plating to be 0.01 μm-15 μm. Preferably, the inventors find that when the thickness of the bottom layer of plating is 0.1 μm-9 μm, the temperature rise and corrosion resistance of the terminal with memory function are better, therefore, in order to further improve the safety, reliability and practicability of the product itself, the thickness of the bottom layer of plating is preferably 0.1 μm-9 μm.

[0107] In order to demonstrate the influence of the thickness of the surface layer plating on the overall performance of the terminal with memory function, the inventors use terminal samples of the same specification, material and the same thickness of nickel plating bottom layer but different thickness of silver plating surface layer, and use the same specification connector to do a series of temperature rise and corrosion resistance time tests, and the experimental results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0108] The experimental method is the same as the above experimental method.

[0109] Table 3: Influence of different thickness of surface layer plating on temperature rise and corrosion resistance of terminal with memory function

[0110]

[0111] As can be seen from Table 3, when the thickness of the silver-plated surface layer is less than 0.5 μm, the temperature rise of the terminal with memory function is qualified, but the corrosion resistance period of the terminal with memory function is less than 80, which does not meet the performance requirement of the terminal with memory function. The overall performance and service life of the terminal with memory function are greatly affected, and in severe cases, the service life of the product is greatly reduced or even failure and combustion accidents occur. When the thickness of the silver-plated surface layer is greater than 55 μm, the heat generated by the terminal with memory function cannot be dissipated due to the thick bottom layer, so the temperature rise of the terminal with memory function is unqualified. In addition, the thick surface layer is prone to falling off from the surface of the terminal, resulting in a decrease in the corrosion resistance period. Moreover, since the metal of the surface layer is expensive, the use of a thick surface layer does not improve the performance and is not cost-effective. Therefore, the inventors select the thickness of the silver-plated surface layer to be 0.1 μm-55 μm. Preferably, the inventors find that when the thickness of the surface layer is 1 μm-35 μm, the terminal with memory function has better comprehensive effects of temperature rise and corrosion resistance. Therefore, in order to further improve the safety, reliability and practicability of the product itself, the thickness of the surface layer is preferably 1 μm-35 μm.

[0112] The plating layer can be provided on the contact claw 31 by electroplating, electroless plating, magnetron sputtering or vacuum plating.

[0113] The electroplating method is a process of plating a thin layer of other metal or alloy on the surface of certain metal by electrolysis principle.

[0114] The electroless plating method is a deposition process of metal produced by controllable oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalytic action of metal.

[0115] The magnetron sputtering method is to make electrons run in a spiral shape near the target surface by the interaction of magnetic field and electric field, so as to increase the probability of ion production by electron impact on argon gas. The generated ions are impacted on the target surface under the action of electric field to sputter the target material.

[0116] The vacuum plating method is to deposit various metal and non-metal thin films on the surface of the plastic part by distillation or sputtering under vacuum conditions.

[0117] The material of the cable connecting section 1 is a memory alloy, which is an intelligent metal with memory. The microstructure of the memory alloy has two relatively stable states. At high temperature, the alloy can be changed into any desired shape. At a lower temperature, the alloy can be stretched, but if it is reheated, it will remember its original shape and return to it. The crystal structure of the memory alloy is different above and below the transformation temperature, but when the temperature changes above and below the transformation temperature, the memory alloy will shrink or expand, causing its shape to change.

[0118] In some embodiments, the specific material of the memory alloy is a nickel-titanium alloy, which is a binary alloy composed of nickel and titanium, and has two different crystal structure phases, i.e. austenite phase and martensite phase, due to the change of temperature and mechanical pressure. By using nickel-titanium alloys with different metal contents, the contact claw 31 with a transformation temperature of 40-70°C can be obtained.

[0119] The material of the cable connecting section and the transition section is copper or copper alloy. Copper has good electrical conductivity and excellent ductility, and is one of the commonly used materials for electrical conductors.

[0120] When the material of the barrel terminal is selected as a copper alloy, preferably, the copper material contains tellurium material, so that the terminal has good electrical conductivity and easy cutting performance, ensures that the electrical performance can also improve the machinability, and at the same time, the elasticity of the tellurium copper alloy is also very good.

[0121] Preferably, the content of tellurium in the tellurium copper alloy is 0.1%-5%, and further preferably, the content of tellurium in the tellurium copper alloy is 0.2%-1.2%.

[0122] The inventor selected 10 plug-in terminals with the same shape and the same expansion and contraction gap width for testing, and each terminal was a tellurium copper alloy, in which the content of tellurium was 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 1%, 1.2%, 1.8%, 3%, 5%, 6%, and 7%, respectively. The test results are shown in Table 4. In this embodiment, the electrical conductivity of the tellurium copper alloy is greater than 99%, which is the ideal value.

[0123] Table 4, influence of different tellurium contents of tellurium copper alloy on electrical conductivity.

[0124] Teller content 0.05％ 0.1％ 0.2％ 1％ 1.2％ 1.8％ 3％ 5％ 6％ 7％ Electrical conductivity 98.7％ 99.1％ 99.3％ 99.6％ 99.9％ 99.5％ 99.3％ 99.1％ 98.9％ 98.6％

[0125] As can be seen from Table 4, when the content of tellurium is less than 0.1% or greater than 5%, the electrical conductivity decreases significantly, which cannot meet the actual demand. When the content of tellurium is greater than or equal to 0.2% and less than or equal to 1.2%, the electrical conductivity is the best, so the inventor selects the tellurium copper alloy with a content of 0.1%-5% of tellurium. In the most ideal case, the content of tellurium copper alloy is 0.2%-1.2%.

[0126] The working process of the terminal with memory function is introduced below

[0127] The cable connector segment 1 is made of shape memory alloy, a type of intelligent metal with memory properties. Its microstructure has two relatively stable states. At high temperatures, this alloy can be molded into any desired shape; at lower temperatures, it can be stretched. However, if reheated, it remembers its original shape and reverts to its original form. The crystal structure of the shape memory alloy differs above and below its deformation temperature. When the temperature changes around the deformation temperature, the shape memory alloy contracts or expands, causing its shape to change. Utilizing this characteristic, this invention selects a shape memory metal with a deformation temperature of 40℃-70℃ to fabricate a terminal with memory function. The terminal with memory function is then manufactured to the required size at temperatures above the deformation temperature.

[0128] For example, in some embodiments, the shape memory alloy is specifically made of nickel-titanium alloy. The shape memory contact segment 3 of the terminal with shape memory function is inserted into the mating terminal 4, and the shape can be matched according to requirements. The shape memory contact segment 3 is a segmented ring with an inner diameter of φ10mm. When the temperature is below 40°C, the segments (contact claws 31) of the shape memory contact segment 3 are opened and inserted into the mating terminal 4. After heating to above 40°C, the shape memory contact segment 3 returns to its original inner diameter of φ10mm, thus the shape memory contact segment 3 is in a radially contracted state, achieving close contact with the mating terminal 4. Since the terminal with shape memory function generates a temperature rise during operation, when the temperature reaches above 40°C, it will maintain the size of the radially contracted state, thus achieving close contact with the mating terminal 4 during operation. When it is necessary to loosen the mating terminal 4, the temperature of the shape memory contact segment 3 is reduced to below 40°C, and the shape memory contact segment 3 will be in a radially expanded state, allowing the mating terminal 4 to be pulled out.

[0129] Example 2

[0130] This embodiment is a modification of Embodiment 1. The main difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is:

[0131] The outer end of the contact claw 31 ( Figure 5 A conductive contact portion 35 is provided on the upper end of the middle contact claw 31. The material of the conductive contact portion 35 is different from that of the contact claw 31. The contact claw 31 is made of shape memory alloy, while the conductive contact portion 35 is made of a non-shape memory alloy conductive metal. The distance from the inner surface of the conductive contact portion 35 to the axis of the shape memory contact segment 3 is less than the distance from the inner surface of the contact claw 31 to the axis of the shape memory contact segment 3. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown.

[0132] The advantage of this embodiment is that it can save some shape memory alloy. The other technical features in this embodiment are the same as those in Embodiment 1. To save space, this embodiment will not be described in detail.

[0133] Example 3

[0134] The embodiment is a change of the embodiment 1, and the main difference between the embodiment and the embodiment 1 is that a part of the contact claw 31 is made of a memory alloy, and another part of the memory contact section 3 is made of a non-memory alloy.

[0135] Specifically, the contact claw 31 contains the inner conductive contact strip 33 and the outer memory strip 34 which are connected in layers, the material of the outer memory strip 34 is a memory alloy, the material of the inner conductive contact strip 33 is a non-memory alloy conductive fixed metal, and the materials of the inner conductive contact strip 33 and the outer memory strip 34 are different. The memory contact section 3 contains the inner conductive contact cylinder and the outer memory cylinder which are connected in layers, the inner conductive contact strip 33 is a part of the inner conductive contact cylinder, and the outer memory strip 34 is a part of the outer memory cylinder, as shown in Figure 7 .

[0136] The length of the inner conductive contact strip 33 and the length of the outer memory strip 34 can be the same, the thickness of the inner conductive contact strip 33 is less than or equal to the thickness of the outer memory strip 34. The outer end of the inner conductive contact strip 33 is internally provided with a second protruding part 36, as shown in Figure 8 .

[0137] The advantage of the embodiment is that part of the memory alloy can be saved, and the remaining technical features in the embodiment can be the same as those in the embodiment 1, and in order to save space, the embodiment will not be described in detail.

[0138] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, and cannot limit the scope of the application. Therefore, the replacement of equivalent components or equivalent changes and modifications made within the scope of the present application should still be within the scope of the present patent. In addition, the technical features in the present application can be freely combined with each other, and the technical features can be freely combined with each other.

Claims

1. A terminal with a memory function, characterized by comprising: The terminal with the memory function comprises a memory contact section (3), the memory contact section (3) is in a cylindrical structure, the memory contact section (3) comprises a plurality of contact claws (31), the contact claws (31) are made of a memory alloy, the plurality of contact claws (31) are arranged along the circumference of the memory contact section (3), and the plurality of contact claws (31) can be radially contracted; The number of the contact claws (31) is greater than 3, the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of contact claws (31) are alternately arranged along the circumference of the memory contact section (3), the greater the cross-sectional area of the contact claw (31), the better the elasticity of the contact claw (31); when the temperature of the memory contact section (3) is lower than the transformation temperature, the distances from the inner surfaces of the outer ends of the plurality of contact claws (31) to the axis of the memory contact section (3) are alternately arranged along the circumference of the memory contact section (3), and the distance from the inner surface of the outer end of the contact claw (31) with the larger cross-sectional area to the axis of the memory contact section (3) is greater than the distance from the inner surface of the outer end of the contact claw (31) with the smaller cross-sectional area to the axis of the memory contact section (3).

2. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by The outer contour of the cross section of the memory contact section (3) is circular or polygonal, and the inner contour of the cross section of the memory contact section (3) is circular or polygonal.

3. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by The cross section of the contact claw (31) is circular, rectangular, rhombic, triangular, sector-shaped or trapezoidal.

4. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by The transformation temperature of the memory contact section (3) is 40-70 DEG C; when the temperature of the memory contact section (3) is lower than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws (31) are in an expanded state; when the temperature of the memory contact section (3) is higher than the transformation temperature, the plurality of contact claws (31) are in a contracted state.

5. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by The outer end of the contact claw (31) is internally provided with a first inner protruding part (32).

6. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by The terminal with the memory function further comprises a cable connecting section (1) and a transition section (2), and the cable connecting section (1), the transition section (2) and the memory contact section (3) are sequentially arranged.

7. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 6, wherein The cable connecting section (1) is in a flat plate structure, a U-shaped structure, an arcuate structure, a cylindrical structure, a circular column structure, a bowl structure or a polygonal structure.

8. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 6, wherein The transition section (2) is externally provided with a groove, and a sealing ring is assembled in the groove.

9. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 8, wherein The sealing ring is made of rubber.

10. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 6, wherein The transition section (2) is externally provided with a through hole (22), and a temperature sensor is arranged in the through hole (22).

11. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 10, wherein The temperature sensor is partially or entirely arranged in the through hole (22).

12. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 10, wherein The temperature sensor is in interference fit with the through hole (22).

13. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 10, wherein An outer wall of the temperature sensor is provided with external threads, the through hole (22) is provided with internal threads, and the temperature sensor is in threaded connection with the through hole (22).

14. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 10, wherein An outer part of the temperature sensor is provided with a shielding layer.

15. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 10, wherein The temperature sensor is an NTC temperature sensor or a PTC temperature sensor.

16. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, wherein An included angle between the plug-in direction of the memory contact section (3) and the wire connection direction of the cable connecting section (1) is greater than 0 DEG and less than or equal to 180 DEG.

17. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, characterized by An outer end of the contact claw (31) is externally provided with a conductive contact part (35), the material of the conductive contact part (35) is different from that of the contact claw (31), and the distance from the conductive contact part (35) to the axis of the memory contact section (3) is less than the distance from the contact claw (31) to the axis of the memory contact section (3).

18. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, wherein The contact claw (31) comprises an inner conductive contact strip (33) and an outer memory strip (34) arranged in layers.

19. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 18, wherein The length of the inner conductive contact strip (33) is the same as the length of the outer memory strip (34).

20. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 18, wherein The outer end of the inner conductive contact strip (33) is internally provided with a second protruding part (36).

21. The terminal with a memory function according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized by The contact claw (31) is provided with a plating layer.

22. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 21, wherein The material of the plating layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, zinc, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphite-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

23. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 21, wherein The plating layer comprises a bottom layer and a surface layer.

24. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 23, wherein The material of the bottom layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, and zinc; the material of the surface layer is one or more of gold, silver, nickel, tin, tin-lead alloy, silver-antimony alloy, palladium, palladium-nickel alloy, graphite-silver, graphite-silver, and silver-gold-zirconium alloy.

25. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 23, wherein The thickness of the bottom layer is 0.01-18 μm.

26. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 23, wherein The thickness of the bottom layer is 0.1-9 μm.

27. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 23, wherein The thickness of the surface layer is 0.6-56 μm.

28. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 23, wherein The thickness of the surface layer is 1-30 μm.

29. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 1, wherein The memory alloy is a nickel-titanium alloy.

30. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 6, wherein The material of the cable connecting section (1) and the transition section (2) is copper or copper alloy.

31. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 30, wherein The material of the cable connecting section (1) and / or the transition section (2) contains tellurium.

32. The terminal with a memory function according to claim 30, wherein The content of tellurium in the material of the cable connecting section (1) and / or the transition section (2) is 0.1-5%.

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