Conductor connection structure and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a conductor connection structure that enables an end portion of an element wire bundle and an end portion of a conductor to be easily butt-joined together without using a welding machine such as an ultrasonic welding machine or a resistance welding machine.SOLUTION: A conductor connection structure 1 includes an electric wire 10 that includes an element wire bundle 11 having a plurality of bundled element wires 13, an end portion of the element wire bundle 11 being formed in a plate-like shape, a conductor 20 whose end portion is formed in a plate-like shape, and a terminal 30 including an element wire bundle crimping portion 31 for crimping the element wire bundle 11, and a conductor guide portion 32 for guiding the conductor 20 such that the tip of the conductor 20 abuts against the tip of the element wire bundle 11. The end portion of the element wire bundle 11 is joined to the end portion of the conductor 20 in an abutting state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conductor connection structure and a method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure.

Background Art

[0002] Automobiles are equipped with a variety of electronic devices, and in order to electrically connect the electronic devices, wire harnesses are routed. A wire harness includes a plurality of electric wires and connectors, and terminals are connected to the ends of each electric wire. Then, the wire harness is formed by connecting the terminals to the connectors.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a wire with a terminal including an electric wire and a terminal connected to a conductor portion exposed at one end of the electric wire. The conductor portion includes a plurality of strands, has a fusion joint portion where the ends of the plurality of strands are fusion-joined on one end side of the electric wire, and discloses that the fusion joint portion is connected to the terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a conventional fusion joint portion connected to a terminal, the ends of a plurality of strands are fusion-joined. Here, in order to form the fusion joint portion, a welder such as an ultrasonic bonder or a resistance welder is required. However, when using a welder, it becomes expensive and time-consuming, which is an obstacle to cost reduction.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of such prior art. And an object of the present invention is to provide a conductor connection structure and a method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure capable of easily butting and joining the end of a stranded wire bundle and the end of a conductor without using a welder such as an ultrasonic bonding machine or a resistance welding machine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The conductor connection structure according to an aspect of the present invention includes a stranded wire bundle in which a plurality of stranded wires are bundled, and includes an electric wire in which the end of the stranded wire bundle is formed in a plate shape and a conductor in which the end is formed in a plate shape. The conductor connection structure includes a terminal including a stranded wire bundle crimping portion that crimps the stranded wire bundle and a conductor guide portion that guides the conductor so that the tip of the conductor abuts against the tip of the stranded wire bundle. The end of the stranded wire bundle is joined in a butted state with respect to the end of the conductor.

[0008] The method for manufacturing a conductor connection structure according to another aspect of the present invention includes a step of preparing an electric wire including a stranded wire bundle in which a plurality of stranded wires are bundled, a conductor in which an end is formed in a plate shape, a stranded wire bundle crimping portion that crimps the stranded wire bundle, and a terminal including a conductor guide portion that guides the conductor so that the tip of the conductor abuts against the tip of the stranded wire bundle. The method includes a step of crimping the stranded wire bundle with the stranded wire bundle crimping portion of the terminal and crimping the end of the stranded wire bundle to form a stranded wire bundle having a plate-shaped end. The method for manufacturing a conductor connection structure includes a step of guiding the conductor with the conductor guide portion and butting the end of the stranded wire bundle and the end of the conductor. The method for manufacturing a conductor connection structure includes a step of joining the end of the stranded wire bundle crimped to the stranded wire bundle crimping portion and the end of the conductor guided by the conductor guide portion in a butted state.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conductor connection structure and a method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure capable of easily butting and joining the end of a stranded wire bundle and the end of a conductor without using a welder such as an ultrasonic bonding machine or a resistance welding machine.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, the conductor connection structure and the manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios.

[0012] [First Embodiment] [Conductor Connection Structure] First, the conductor connection structure 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the conductor connection structure 1. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the conductor connection structure 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the plane cut along line III-III in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment includes an electric wire 10, a conductor 20, and a terminal 30.

[0013] The conductor connection structure 1 according to this embodiment may be an electric wire with a conductor and can be used as a wire harness routed in an automobile or the like. In this specification, the direction in which the electric wire 10 and the conductor 20 abut against each other is defined as the length direction X, the direction perpendicular to the length direction X is defined as the width direction Y, and the direction perpendicular to the length direction X and the width direction Y is defined as the height direction Z for explanation.

[0014] The electric wire 10 includes a strand bundle 11 and an insulating coating 12 that coats the outer periphery of the strand bundle 11. At the end of the electric wire 10, the insulating coating 12 is stripped off and the strand bundle 11 is exposed from the insulating coating 12. The strand bundle 11 includes a plurality of strands 13, and the plurality of strands 13 are bundled together. At the end of the strand bundle 11, the plurality of strands 13 are crimped to form the end of the strand bundle 11 in a plate shape as shown in FIG. 4. The end of the strand bundle 11 may be formed in the same plate shape as the end of the conductor 20. The plurality of strands 13 may include a collective stranded wire formed by bundling a plurality of strands 13. Also, the strand bundle 11 may be composed of only one collective stranded wire, or may be a composite stranded wire formed by bundling a plurality of collective stranded wires.

[0015] Each of the plurality of strands 13 may contain copper or aluminum as a main component. The main component means the metal with the highest molar ratio among the metals contained in each strand 13. Among the metals contained in each strand 13, the metal with the highest molar ratio may be contained in a molar ratio of 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more. The material of each strand 13 may be, for example, copper, aluminum, or an alloy containing these metals. From the viewpoint of weight reduction, it is preferable that each of the plurality of strands 13 is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0016] As the material of the insulating coating 12, a thermoplastic resin capable of ensuring electrical insulation can be used. The material of the insulating coating 12 may contain, for example, at least one of an olefin resin and polyvinyl chloride. The olefin resin may contain, for example, at least one or more resins selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), ethylene copolymers, and propylene copolymers.

[0017] The end of the conductor 20 is formed in a plate shape. Further, the conductor 20 is formed of a conductive metal. The conductor 20 may be formed of a single metal plate, or may be a stack of a plurality of plates 22 as shown in FIG. 5. When a plurality of plates 22 are stacked, the conductor 20 can be made to have a desired thickness by increasing or decreasing the number of plates 22. The conductor 20 may be, for example, a bus bar.

[0018] The end of the stranded wire bundle 11 is joined in a butted state with respect to the end of the conductor 20. And the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are connected via the joint portion W. By butting and joining the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20, it is possible to connect with less space than by overlapping and connecting, and the added value can be improved.

[0019] The conductor 20 may contain copper or aluminum as a main component. Here, the main component means the metal having the largest molar ratio among the metals contained in the conductor 20. Among the metals contained in the conductor 20, the metal having the largest molar ratio may be contained in a molar ratio of 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more. The material of the conductor 20 may be, for example, an alloy containing these metals such as copper or aluminum. From the viewpoint of conductivity, the conductor 20 is preferably formed of copper or a copper alloy.

[0020] Terminal 30 includes a stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31, a conductor guide portion 32, and an intermediate portion 33. The stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 is provided at one end of the terminal 30 in the X direction, and the conductor guide portion 32 is provided at one end on the side opposite to the conductor guide portion 32. The intermediate portion 33 is disposed between the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 and the conductor guide portion 32.

[0021] The stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 crimps the stranded wire bundle 11. By the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31, repulsion between the individual wires 13 is suppressed, preventing the stranded wire bundle 11 from spreading, and enabling the stranded wire bundle 11 to be connected to the terminal 30. The stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 includes a bottom wall 34, a pair of side walls 35, and a pair of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36. The bottom wall 34 extends in the length direction X and the width direction Y. The side walls 35 extend in the height direction Z from both ends of the bottom wall 34 in the width direction Y.

[0022] The stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 hold down the stranded wire bundle 11. The stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 extend in the width direction Y from the end on the side opposite to the bottom wall 34 in the height direction Z of the side wall 35 toward the other side wall 35. The pair of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 have the same length in the width direction Y, and at the center of the terminal 30, the end faces of the stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 face each other without a gap. However, the lengths of the pair of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 may be different from each other, and the end faces of the stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 may not face each other at the center of the terminal 30 in the width direction Y.

[0023] Note that the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 may include only one stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36, or may include a plurality of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36. The plurality of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 may be three or more. Even in such a case, the stranded wire bundle 11 can be held down by the stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36. The stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 includes, for example, only one stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36, one end of the stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36 may be integrally connected to the side wall 35, and the other end of the stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36 may be in contact with the end of the other side wall 35 without being integrally and continuously connected.

[0024] In the strand bundle crimping portion 31, the strand bundle 11 is crimped within a rectangular space surrounded by the bottom wall 34, the side walls 35, and the strand bundle crimping piece 36 as viewed from the X direction. Specifically, the strand bundle 11 is clamped by a pair of side walls 35. Thereby, the movement of the strand bundle 11 in the width direction Y can be suppressed. Also, the strand bundle 11 is clamped by the bottom wall 34 and the strand bundle crimping piece 36. Thereby, the movement of the strand bundle 11 in the height direction Z can be suppressed. The strand bundle 11 is crimped by the strand bundle crimping portion 31, and the strand bundle 11 is formed in a rectangular shape as viewed from the X direction.

[0025] The conductor guide portion 32 guides the conductor 20 so that the tip of the conductor 20 abuts against the tip of the strand bundle 11. The conductor 20 can be guided by the conductor guide portion 32. Thereby, the positioning mechanism of the jig on the bonding machine side between the strand bundle 11 and the conductor 20 can be simplified, and the positioning time can be shortened. The conductor guide portion 32 includes a bottom wall 34, a pair of side walls 35, and a pair of conductor guide pieces 37. The bottom wall 34 extends in the length direction X and the width direction Y. The side walls 35 extend in the height direction Z from both ends of the bottom wall 34 in the width direction Y.

[0026] The conductor guide piece 37 extends in the width direction Y from the end portion of the side wall 35 on the side opposite to the bottom wall 34 in the height direction Z toward the other side wall 35. The pair of conductor guide pieces 37 have the same length in the width direction Y, and a gap is provided between the end faces of the pair of conductor guide pieces 37. However, the lengths of the pair of conductor guide pieces 37 may be different from each other. Also, the pair of conductor guide pieces 37 may be in contact with each other. The conductor guide piece 37 is shorter than the strand bundle crimping piece 36 in the width direction Y. Thereby, since the materials to be used can be reduced, the weight reduction and cost reduction of the conductor connection structure 1 can be realized.

[0027] In the conductor guide portion 32, the conductor 20 is disposed within a rectangular space surrounded by the bottom wall 34, the side walls 35, and the conductor guide pieces 37. Specifically, the movement of the conductor 20 in the width direction Y is restricted by the pair of side walls 35. Thereby, the movement of the conductor 20 in the width direction Y can be suppressed. Further, the movement of the conductor 20 in the height direction Z is restricted by the bottom wall 34 and the pair of conductor guide pieces 37. Thereby, the movement of the conductor 20 in the height direction Z can be suppressed.

[0028] The intermediate portion 33 connects the stranded wire crimping portion 31 and the conductor guide portion 32. The intermediate portion 33 includes the bottom wall 34 and the pair of side walls 35. The bottom wall 34 extends in the length direction X and the width direction Y. The pair of side walls 35 extend in the height direction Z from both ends of the bottom wall 34 in the width direction Y, respectively. In the intermediate portion 33, the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are placed on the bottom wall 34. And, in the intermediate portion 33, a joint portion W where the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are joined is disposed. The joint portion W may be a portion where the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are joined, or at least one of the bottom wall 34 and the side wall 35 of the terminal 30 may also be joined. By joining the joint portion W to the bottom wall 34 and the side wall 35 of the terminal 30, a defective joint between the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 can be suppressed.

[0029] The intermediate part 33 is in contact with the joint part W between the wire strand bundle 11 and the conductor 20 and surrounds the joint part W in a state of being along it. By surrounding the joint part W with the intermediate part 33, in the case of welding and joining the wire strand bundle 11 and the conductor 20, etc., since the intermediate part 33 serves as a tray, it is possible to suppress the molten material from melting and dropping to the lower side of the wire strand bundle 11 or the conductor 20. Further, when the intermediate part 33 includes the side wall 35, it is also possible to suppress the material on the side surface from melting and dropping during joining. Since it is possible to suppress the material from melting and dropping, the wire strand bundle 11 or the conductor 20 can be melted under slightly stronger conditions, so that joining defects can be suppressed. Also, since the joining conditions can be strengthened, the management range of the joining conditions can be widened, and the productivity can be improved. Furthermore, in order to insulate the wire strand bundle 11, the conductor 20, and the terminal 30, even when coated with a coating material such as an insulating tape or a tube, etc., it is possible to suppress the material from falling out and causing protrusions. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the coating material from being broken by the protrusions, and the thickness of the coating material can be made thinner.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate part 33 may be provided with an opening 38 through which the joint part W between the wire strand bundle 11 and the conductor 20 can be visually confirmed from the outside of the terminal 30. In the present embodiment, the intermediate part 33 is provided with a plurality of circular through holes, and the joint part W can be visually confirmed from the outside of the terminal 30 through the through holes. Since the state of the joint part W can be visually confirmed from the outside of the terminal 30 by the opening 38, by visually confirming the joint state of the joint part W, it is possible to quickly determine the joining defect.

[0031] In this embodiment, the openings 38 are provided side by side in the height direction Z on the side wall 35 of the intermediate portion 33. For example, when irradiating a laser from above the terminal 30 to weld the end of the wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20, the irradiation energy attenuates above the wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20, and it tends not to reach the bottom wall 34. Therefore, melting tends to be large above the wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 and small below. If the irradiation energy of the laser is small, the wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 may not melt up to the bottom wall 34 of the terminal 30, and there is a risk of poor welding. However, by providing the openings 38 arranged in the height direction Z in the terminal 30, it is possible to easily confirm how much the irradiation energy of the laser is insufficient, and for example, the irradiation intensity of the laser can be adjusted.

[0032] Although not shown in the figure, the opening 38 may be provided not only on the side wall 35 but also on the bottom wall 34, or may be provided only on the bottom wall 34. In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the intermediate portion 33 has a plurality of through holes has been described, but the intermediate portion 33 may have at least one opening 38. That is, the intermediate portion 33 may have only one opening 38, or may have two or more openings 38. Further, in this embodiment, the shape of the through hole is circular, but the shape of the opening 38 is not particularly limited, and may be a polygon such as an ellipse, a square, and a rectangle, a teardrop shape, or an irregular shape. By providing a plurality of openings 38 in the intermediate portion 33 or making the shape of the opening 38 a long shape such as an ellipse or a rectangle, it is possible to reduce the false detection of poor bonding due to the displacement of the joint portion W.

[0033] In this embodiment, the terminal 30 is formed by bending a single metal plate-like member. Therefore, the bottom wall 34 of the wire bundle crimping portion 31, the conductor guide portion 32, and the intermediate portion 33 are continuously formed as a single common bottom wall 34. In addition, the side walls 35 of the wire bundle crimping portion 31, the conductor guide portion 32, and the intermediate portion 33 are continuously formed as a single common side wall 35.

[0034] The terminal 30 may contain copper, aluminum, or iron as a main component. Here, the main component means the metal with the highest molar ratio among the metals contained in the terminal 30. Among the metals contained in the terminal 30, the metal with the highest molar ratio may be contained at 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more in terms of molar ratio. The material of the terminal 30 may be, for example, copper, aluminum, iron, or an alloy containing these metals, respectively. From the perspective of conductivity, it is preferable that the terminal 30 is formed of copper or a copper alloy.

[0035] [Manufacturing Method of Conductor Connection Structure] Next, a manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 will be described. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions of overlapping parts with the above-described embodiment are omitted. The manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment includes a preparation step, a stranded wire bundle crimping step, a conductor guiding step, and a first joining step.

[0036] (Preparation Step) The preparation step is a step of preparing the electric wire 10, the conductor 20, and the terminal 30.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the electric wire 10 includes a stranded wire bundle 11 and an insulating coating 12 that covers the outer periphery of the stranded wire bundle 11, and the stranded wire bundle 11 is exposed from the insulating coating 12. The stranded wire bundle 11 includes a plurality of strands 13, and the plurality of strands 13 are bundled. In the preparation step, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 does not have to be formed in a plate shape.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the strand bundle 11 has an end face 14. The end face 14 of the strand bundle 11 is formed to have the same shape as the end face 21 of the conductor 20. In the present embodiment, the end face 14 of the strand bundle 11 is formed in a plate shape with a rectangular cross section. The aspect ratio of the end face 14 of the strand bundle 11 may be 1 to 8. When the aspect ratio of the strand bundle 11 is within the above range, good connectivity, conduction performance, and connection portion strength can be ensured. Note that the aspect ratio is the ratio of the width b to the height a of the end face 14 of the strand bundle 11. The height a of the end face 14 of the strand bundle 11 is the length of the end face 14 that is the longest in the height direction Z. The width b of the end face 14 is the length of the end face 14 that is the longest in the width direction Y.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, the end of the conductor 20 is formed in a plate shape. The conductor 20 has an end face 21 that extends in the width direction Y and the height direction Z at the end in the length direction X. In the present embodiment, the end face 21 of the conductor 20 is formed in a rectangular shape. The aspect ratio of the end face 21 of the conductor 20 may be 1 to 8. When the aspect ratio of the end face 21 is within the above range, good connectivity, conduction performance, and connection portion strength can be ensured. Note that the aspect ratio is the ratio of the width b to the height a of the end face 21 of the conductor 20. The height a of the end face 21 of the conductor 20 is the length of the end face 21 that is the longest in the height direction Z. The width b of the end face 21 is the length of the end face 21 that is the longest in the width direction Y. The height a of the conductor 20 may be 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less. The width b of the conductor 20 may be 3 mm or more and 48 mm or less.

[0040] The terminal 30 includes a stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 that crimps the stranded wire bundle 11, a conductor guiding portion 32 that guides the conductor 20 so that the tip of the conductor 20 abuts against the tip of the stranded wire bundle 11, and an intermediate portion 33 that connects the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 and the conductor guiding portion 32. The stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 includes a bottom wall 34, a pair of side walls 35, and a pair of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36. The pair of stranded wire bundle crimping pieces 36 are provided so as to be openable and closable. The conductor guiding portion 32 includes a bottom wall 34, a pair of side walls 35, and a pair of conductor guiding pieces 37. The intermediate portion 33 connects the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 and the conductor guiding portion 32. The intermediate portion 33 includes a bottom wall 34 and a pair of side walls 35.

[0041] (Stranded wire bundle crimping process) The stranded wire bundle crimping process is a process of crimping the stranded wire bundle 11 with the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 of the terminal 30 and crimping the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 to form a plate-shaped stranded wire bundle 11. The stranded wire bundle crimping process can be carried out by a crimping machine. The crimping machine is less expensive and has a faster forming speed compared to a welder such as an ultrasonic bonding machine or a resistance welding machine. Therefore, the tact time in the manufacture of the conductor connection structure 1 can be shortened, and an inexpensive conductor connection structure 1 can be provided.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state before the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 is crimped with the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 of the terminal 30. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state before the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 is crimped with the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 of the terminal 30. FIG. 8 is a front view showing a state of crimping the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11. FIG. 9 is a front view showing a state after the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 is crimped.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the stranded wire bundle crimping step, first, a plurality of stranded wires 13 are placed on the bottom wall 34 of the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31. Then, by bending the stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36, the plurality of stranded wires 13 are accommodated in the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31. Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the press device 40 crimps the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 in which the stranded wire bundle 11 is accommodated. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9, the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 in which the stranded wire bundle 11 is crimped can be formed. Since the terminal 30 can suppress the repulsion of the plurality of stranded wires 13 by the stranded wire bundle crimping piece 36, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 can be effectively crimped to form the plate-shaped stranded wire bundle 11.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 8, the press device 40 includes a crimping portion press portion 41 that presses the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 and a stranded wire bundle press portion 42 that presses the stranded wire bundle 11. The crimping portion press portion 41 is connected to the stranded wire bundle press portion 42, and the stranded wire bundle press portion 42 protrudes more than the crimping portion press portion 41 toward the conductor connection structure 1 in the height direction Z. Thereby, while suppressing the deformation of the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31, the tip of the stranded wire bundle 11 can be shaped so as to be abutted against the tip of the conductor 20 for joining.

[0045] (Conductor guiding step) As shown in FIG. 10, the conductor guiding step is a step of guiding the conductor 20 by the conductor guiding portion 32 and abutting the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end portion of the conductor 20. In the conductor guiding step, the conductor 20 is inserted into the conductor guiding portion 32. The conductor 20 is introduced into the conductor guiding portion 32 while the movement in the width direction Y is restricted by the pair of side walls 35 and the movement in the height direction Z is restricted by the bottom wall 34 and the pair of conductor guiding pieces 37. By guiding the conductor 20 by the conductor guiding portion 32, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end portion of the conductor 20 can be easily abutted.

[0046] (First joining step) As shown in FIG. 10, the first joining step is a step of joining the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 crimped to the stranded wire bundle crimping portion 31 and the end of the conductor 20 guided by the conductor guide portion 32 in a butted state. Thereby, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20 can be joined in an aligned state. By such a process, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 is joined to the end of the conductor 20 in a butted state.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 10, in the first joining step, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20 may be joined by a laser. In a joining method such as laser welding, high energy can be concentrated in a narrow range and control is also easy. Further, in laser welding, since the laser can deeply penetrate into the metal, the metal can be melted deeply.

[0048] Here, if the melting of the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20 is insufficient, a portion where the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are not joined is generated, and the joining strength between the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 becomes weak. On the other hand, if the ends of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are melted too much, the metal at these ends melts and falls off, and the joining area becomes small, so the joining strength between the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 becomes weak.

[0049] Therefore, in the first joining step according to the present embodiment, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20 may be joined in a state of being surrounded by the terminal 30. Thereby, even when the ends of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are melted too much, the terminal 30 serves as a receiving tray and receives the melted metal, so that the melting of the metal can be suppressed. Further, even when the metal is melted excessively, the end of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end of the conductor 20 can be joined within the terminal 30. Therefore, by melting the metal under slightly strong conditions, joining failure due to insufficient melting can be suppressed.

[0050] As described above, the conductor connection structure 1 includes a stranded wire bundle 11 in which a plurality of fine wires 13 are bundled, and includes an electric wire 10 having an end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 formed in a plate shape and a conductor 20 having an end portion formed in a plate shape. The conductor connection structure 1 includes a terminal 30 including a stranded wire crimping portion 31 that crimps the stranded wire bundle 11 and a conductor guide portion 32 that guides the conductor 20 so that the tip of the conductor 20 abuts against the tip of the stranded wire bundle 11. The end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 is joined in a state of being abutted against the end portion of the conductor 20.

[0051] The manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 includes a step of preparing an electric wire 10 including a stranded wire bundle 11 in which a plurality of fine wires 13 are bundled, a conductor 20 having an end portion formed in a plate shape, and a terminal 30. The terminal 30 includes a stranded wire crimping portion 31 that crimps the stranded wire bundle 11 and a conductor guide portion 32 that guides the conductor 20 so that the tip of the conductor 20 abuts against the tip of the stranded wire bundle 11. The manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 includes a step of crimping the stranded wire bundle 11 with the stranded wire crimping portion 31 of the terminal 30 and crimping the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 to form the stranded wire bundle 11 having an end portion in a plate shape. The manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 includes a step of guiding the conductor 20 with the conductor guide portion 32 and abutting the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 against the end portion of the conductor 20. The manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 includes a step of joining the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 crimped to the stranded wire crimping portion 31 and the end portion of the conductor 20 guided by the conductor guide portion 32 in a butted state.

[0052] According to the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, the end portions of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are formed in a plate shape. Further, the stranded wire bundle 11 is crimped by the stranded wire crimping portion 31, and the conductor 20 is guided by the conductor guide portion 32. Therefore, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 crimped to the stranded wire crimping portion 31 and the end portion of the conductor 20 guided by the conductor guide portion 32 can be easily abutted against each other. Therefore, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end portion of the conductor 20 can be easily joined in a butted state. Therefore, the conductor connection structure 1 and the manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment can easily abut and join the end portion of the stranded wire bundle and the end portion of the conductor without using a welder such as an ultrasonic bonding machine or a resistance welding machine.

[0053] In addition, in the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, a stranded wire bundle 11 with an end portion formed in a plate shape and a conductor 20 with an end portion formed in a plate shape are joined in a butted state. Therefore, compared with the case where the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20 are overlapped and joined, miniaturization in the height direction Z can be achieved. Further, in the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, even when the metal is excessively melted, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle 11 and the end portion of the conductor 20 can be joined within the terminal 30. Therefore, by melting the metal under slightly stronger conditions so that insufficient melting of the metal does not occur, poor joining due to insufficient melting can be suppressed.

[0054] [Second Embodiment] Next, the conductor connection structure 1 and the manufacturing method of the conductor connection structure 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. Note that the same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions of the portions overlapping with the above embodiment are omitted.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 11, in the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, the stranded wire crimping portion 31 includes a stranded wire crimping piece 36 that presses the stranded wire bundle 11. One end of the stranded wire crimping piece 36 is joined to a part of the stranded wire crimping portion 31, so that the terminal 30 including the stranded wire crimping piece 36 surrounds the stranded wire bundle 11 and crimps the stranded wire bundle 11. When the rigidity and durability against bending are not sufficient only by butting and joining the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20, by joining the stranded wire crimping piece 36 to the stranded wire bundle 11, the joint portion W is reinforced by the terminal 30.

[0056] In addition, in the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, the conductor guide portion 32 includes a conductor guide piece 37 that guides the conductor 20 into the terminal 30. One end of the conductor guide piece 37 is joined to the conductor 20. When the rigidity and durability against bending are not sufficient only by butting and joining the stranded wire bundle 11 and the conductor 20, by joining the conductor guide piece 37 to the conductor 20, the joint portion W is reinforced by the terminal 30.

[0057] Note that the single-strand bundle crimping portion 31 may include only one single-strand bundle crimping piece 36, and one end of the single-strand bundle crimping piece 36 may be joined to the side wall 35. Even in such a form, the rigidity or durability of the joint portion W can be improved. Also, only one of the pair of conductor guide pieces 37 may be joined to the conductor 20.

[0058] Next, a method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure 1 according to the second embodiment includes a preparation step, a single-strand bundle crimping step, a conductor guiding step, a first joining step, and a second joining step. The method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure 1 according to the second embodiment further includes a second joining step as compared with the method for manufacturing the conductor connection structure 1 according to the first embodiment. Since the rest is the same as in the above embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] (Second Joining Step) As shown in FIG. 11, the second joining step is a step of joining one ends of the pair of single-strand bundle crimping pieces 36 after the first joining step. Also, as shown in FIG. 11, the second joining step is a step of joining the pair of conductor guide pieces 37 to the conductor 20. In the second joining step, similar to the first joining step, joining can be performed by a joining method such as laser welding.

[0060] As described above, in the conductor connection structure 1 according to the present embodiment, the single-strand bundle crimping portion 31 includes the single-strand bundle crimping piece 36 that presses the single-strand bundle 11. One end of the single-strand bundle crimping piece 36 is joined to a part of the single-strand bundle crimping portion 31, so that the terminal 30 including the single-strand bundle crimping piece 36 surrounds the single-strand bundle 11 and crimps the single-strand bundle 11. Also, the conductor guiding portion 32 includes the conductor guide piece 37 that guides the conductor 20 into the terminal 30. One end of the conductor guide piece 37 is joined to the conductor 20. Therefore, the rigidity and durability against bending at the joint portion W can be improved. As a result, when the conductor connection structure 1 is attached to other members, it is not necessary to handle it more carefully than necessary, so that the attachment workability can be improved.

[0061] As described above, although the present embodiment has been described, the present embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0062] 1 Conductor connection structure 10 Electric wire 11 Strand bundle 13 Strand 20 Conductor 30 Terminal 31 Strand bundle crimping part 32 Conductor guide part 33 Intermediate part 36 Strand bundle crimping piece 37 Conductor guide piece 38 Opening W Joint

Claims

1. An electric wire including a stranded wire bundle formed by bundling a plurality of individual wires, wherein an end portion of the stranded wire bundle is formed in a plate shape, a conductor having an end portion formed in a plate shape, a stranded wire bundle crimping portion for crimping the stranded wire bundle, and a terminal including a conductor guiding portion for guiding the conductor such that a tip end of the conductor abuts against a tip end of the stranded wire bundle, and a conductor connection structure in which an end portion of the stranded wire bundle is joined in a state of being abutted against an end portion of the conductor.

2. The terminal includes an intermediate portion connecting the stranded wire bundle crimping portion and the conductor guiding portion, and an opening is provided in the intermediate portion so that a joint portion between the stranded wire bundle and the conductor can be visually confirmed from the outside of the terminal. The conductor connection structure according to claim 1.

3. The stranded wire bundle crimping portion includes a stranded wire bundle crimping piece for pressing the stranded wire bundle, and one end of the stranded wire bundle crimping piece is joined to a part of the stranded wire bundle crimping portion, whereby the terminal including the stranded wire bundle crimping piece surrounds the stranded wire bundle and crimps the stranded wire bundle. The conductor guiding portion includes a conductor guiding piece for guiding the conductor into the terminal, and one end of the conductor guiding piece is joined to the conductor. The conductor connection structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A step of preparing an electric wire including a stranded wire bundle formed by bundling a plurality of individual wires, a conductor having an end portion formed in a plate shape, a stranded wire bundle crimping portion for crimping the stranded wire bundle, and a terminal including a conductor guiding portion for guiding the conductor such that a tip end of the conductor abuts against a tip end of the stranded wire bundle, a step of crimping the stranded wire bundle with the stranded wire bundle crimping portion of the terminal and crimping an end portion of the stranded wire bundle to form a stranded wire bundle having an end portion in a plate shape, a step of guiding the conductor with the conductor guiding portion and abutting an end portion of the stranded wire bundle and an end portion of the conductor, and a step of joining the end portion of the stranded wire bundle crimped to the stranded wire bundle crimping portion and the end portion of the conductor guided by the conductor guiding portion in a state of being abutted against each other. A method for manufacturing a conductor connection structure, including

5. In the joining step, the end portion of the stranded wire bundle and the end portion of the conductor are joined by a laser. The method for manufacturing a conductor connection structure according to claim 4.

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