Wiring member and method for joining wiring member

Abstract

To improve the resistance of a terminal joined to a bus bar to external force.SOLUTION: A wiring member 1 includes an electric wire 10, a terminal 20 connected to the electric wire, and a plate-shaped bus bar 30 to which the terminal is connected. The terminal includes an electric wire connection portion 22 crimped onto a conductive exposed portion 11 at the end of the electric wire, and a joint portion 21 provided on the tip side of the electric wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar, and the joint portion is joined to the main surface of the bus bar such that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the electric wire connection portion covers the main surface 31 of the bus bar.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiring member and a method for joining a wiring member. [Background technology]

[0002] In an electric vehicle (EV), high-voltage electricity stored in a power storage device such as a battery is supplied to a motor that drives the wheels via an inverter. In an electric vehicle, the power supply path from the battery to the motor uses a wiring member formed by combining an electric wire compatible with high-voltage electricity and a bus bar (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 215286 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In wiring components used in the power supply paths of electric vehicles, terminals such as crimp terminals are used to connect bus bars and electric wires. When connecting a bus bar and an electric wire using a crimp terminal, the crimp terminal is attached to an end of the electric wire, and the joint of the crimp terminal connected to the electric wire is joined to the bus bar by various methods such as welding. The wire barrel of the crimp terminal is joined to the stripped end of the electric wire by crimping, and the insulation barrel of the crimp terminal is joined to the part of the electric wire where the insulation is provided by crimping.

[0005] In a conventional wiring member, when a crimping portion of a crimp terminal joined to a bus bar, including a wire barrel and an insulation barrel, is located outside the end of the plane (hereinafter referred to as the "main surface") having the largest area of the plate-shaped bus bar, it is conceivable that an external force will be applied to the portion between the crimping portion and the joint portion joined to the bus bar. For this reason, there is a need for a wiring member that can suppress the external force applied to the portion between the crimping portion and the joint portion joined to the bus bar, thereby improving the resistance of the terminal joined to the bus bar to external forces.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a wiring member that can improve the resistance of terminals joined to bus bars to external forces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A wiring member according to an embodiment of the present invention is a wiring member including an electric wire, a terminal connected to the electric wire, and a plate-shaped bus bar to which the terminal is connected, wherein the terminal has a wire connection portion crimped to an end of the electric wire, and a joint portion provided on a tip side of the wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar, and the joint portion is joined to a main surface of the bus bar so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion covers the main surface of the bus bar.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the region of the predetermined length has a length equal to or greater than half of the length of the electric wire connection portion in the longitudinal direction.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wire connection portion includes a wire barrel crimped to a conductive exposed portion provided on the tip side of the wire, and an insulation barrel crimped to an insulating portion of the wire provided on the rear end side of the wire relative to the conductive exposed portion, and the joint portion is joined to the bus bar so that an area of at least half of the longitudinal length of the wire barrel covers a main surface of the bus bar.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wire barrel is joined to the bus bar so that a part of the wire barrel in the longitudinal direction covers a main surface of the bus bar.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wire connection portion is formed by crimping.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the joint portion is joined to the bus bar so that an area of the insulation barrel that is equal to or greater than half of the length in the longitudinal direction covers a main surface of the bus bar.

[0013] A method for joining a wiring member according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for joining a terminal and a busbar of a wiring member including an electric wire, a terminal connected to the electric wire, and a plate-shaped busbar to which the terminal is connected, wherein the terminal has a wire connection portion crimped to an end of the electric wire and a joint portion provided on a tip side of the wire connection portion and joined to the busbar, and the joint portion is welded to a main surface of the busbar so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion of the terminal covers the main surface of the busbar. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the resistance of terminals joined to bus bars to external forces. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member according to a reference example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] 1. Overview of the embodiment First, a typical embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application will be outlined. In the following description, for example, reference numerals in the drawings corresponding to components of the invention are written in parentheses.

[0017] [1] A wiring member (1, 1B, 1C, 1D) according to a representative embodiment of the present invention is a wiring member including an electric wire (10), a terminal (20) connected to the electric wire, and a plate-shaped bus bar (30) to which the terminal is connected, wherein the terminal has an electric wire connection portion (22) crimped onto an end portion (11) of the electric wire, and a joint portion (21, 21D) provided at a tip side of the electric wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar, and the joint portion is joined to a main surface (31) of the bus bar so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the electric wire connection portion covers the main surface (31) of the bus bar.

[0018] [2] In the wiring member (1, 1B, 1C, 1D) described in [1] above, the region of the predetermined length is at least half the length of the electric wire connection portion in the longitudinal direction.

[0019] [3] In the wiring member (1, 1B, 1C, 1D) described in [1] and [2] above, the wire connection portion has a wire barrel (221) crimped to a conductive exposed portion (11) provided on the tip side of the wire, and an insulation barrel (222) crimped to an insulating portion (12) of the wire provided on the rear end side of the wire relative to the conductive exposed portion, and the joint portion is joined to the bus bar so that the wire barrel covers the main surface of the bus bar.

[0020] [4] In the wiring member (1B, 1C) described in [3] above, a part of the wire barrel in the longitudinal direction is joined to the bus bar so as to cover a main surface of the bus bar.

[0021] [5] In the wiring member (1, 1B, 1C, 1D) described in [1] above, the electric wire connection portion is formed by crimping.

[0022] [6] In the wiring member (1B, 1C) described in [3] above, the joint portion is joined to the bus bar so that the insulation barrel covers a main surface of the bus bar.

[0023] [7] A method for joining a wiring member (1, 1B, 1C, 1D) according to a representative embodiment of the present invention is a method for joining a terminal of a wiring member including an electric wire (10), a terminal (20) connected to the electric wire, and a plate-shaped bus bar (30) to which the terminal is connected, to the bus bar, wherein the terminal has an electric wire connection portion (22) crimped to an end portion (11) of the electric wire, and a joint portion (21, 21D) provided at a tip side of the electric wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar, and the joint portion is welded to a main surface (31) of the bus bar so that a predetermined length of the longitudinal region of the electric wire connection portion of the terminal covers the main surface (31) of the bus bar.

[0024] 2. Specific examples of embodiments Specific examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components common to each embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element may differ from the actual situation. The drawings may also include portions with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0025] First Embodiment

[0026] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] For ease of explanation, the direction parallel to the long side 32 of the main surface 31 of the bus bar 30 in the wiring member 1 shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as the x-axis direction. The x-axis direction is also referred to as the left-right direction or horizontal direction. The direction perpendicular to the x-axis direction and parallel to the short side 33 of the main surface 31 of the bus bar 30 is referred to as the y-axis direction. The y-axis direction is also referred to as the front-rear direction or vertical direction. The direction perpendicular to the main surface 31 of the bus bar 30 in the wiring member 1 shown in FIG. 1, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis directions, is referred to as the z-axis direction. The z-axis direction is also referred to as the thickness direction of the bus bar 30. In the following explanation, when the positional relationship and direction of each component are described as right side, left side, front side, rear side, upper side, and lower side, these refer only to the positional relationship and direction in the drawing and do not limit the positional relationship and direction in the actual wiring member.

[0028] 1, the wiring member 1 includes an electric wire 10, a crimp terminal 20 which is an example of a terminal, and a bus bar 30. Note that Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram mainly showing the joint portion between the crimp terminal 20 and the bus bar 30 in the wiring member 1, and the length of the electric wire 10 and the dimensions of the bus bar 30 are not limited to the example in Fig. 1.

[0029] The electric wire 10 has a conductive portion formed of a copper wire or the like, and an insulating portion 12 formed of an insulator on the outer peripheral surface of the conductive portion and covering the conductive portion. The electric wire 10 has an exposed conductive portion 11 at its end where the insulating portion 12 is removed and the conductive portion is exposed to the outside.

[0030] The crimp terminal 20 includes a joint portion 21, a crimping portion 22 which is an example of a wire connecting portion, and a connecting portion 23. The crimp terminal 20 is formed from a metal material, such as a copper plate, that is conductive, can be easily crimped onto the electric wire 10, and can be joined to the bus bar 30 by an appropriate method such as welding to enable electrical connection. The crimp terminal 20 is formed by integrally molding the joint portion 21, the crimping portion 22, and the connecting portion 23 by, for example, pressing the copper plate. The material and method of forming the crimp terminal 20 are not limited to the above-mentioned examples. In addition to the crimp terminal 20, terminals also include those in which the connection portion between the electric wire and the terminal, i.e., the electric wire connecting portion, is welded.

[0031] The joint 21 is a portion to be joined to the main surface 31 of the busbar 30. The joint 21 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular or approximately rectangular plate in a plan view. The joint 21 is connected to the crimping portion 22 by a connecting portion 23 provided between the crimping portion 22 and the joint 21. The joint 21 preferably has a flat surface with a sufficient area so as to reliably contact the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 when joining the crimp terminal 20 and the busbar 30 to electrically connect them. The joint 21 is joined to the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 by a method such as laser welding. During laser welding, it is preferable to join two or more points of the joint 21 to the main surface 31, and linear welding may be used. The linear welding may be one or more lines, and the line may be straight, curved, or spiral. The shape of the joint 21 is not limited to a rectangular or approximately rectangular shape. The dimensions of the joint 21 can be determined by comparing it with the dimensions of the main surface 31 of the bus bar 30 to be joined.

[0032] The crimping portion 22 has a wire barrel 221, an insulation barrel 222, and an intermediate portion 223. The crimping portion 22 is integrally molded with the joining portion 21 and the connecting portion 23 in the crimp terminal 20 as described above.

[0033] The wire barrel 221 is provided on the front side of the crimping portion 22, closer to the joint portion 21 and the connecting portion 23, i.e., on the +y-axis direction side. The insulation barrel 222 is provided on the rear side of the crimping portion 22, farther from the joint portion 21 and the connecting portion 23, i.e., on the -y-axis direction side.

[0034] The wire barrel 221 and the insulation barrel 222 are formed in a plate shape with open ends in the left-right direction (x-axis direction). After the electric wire 10 is placed in the crimping portion 22, the wire barrel 221 and the insulation barrel 222 are crimped to the electric wire 10 by an appropriate method such as using a crimping tool or machine. Specifically, the wire barrel 221 is crimped to the exposed conductor portion 11 provided on the tip side (front side) of the electric wire 10. The wire barrel 221 is crimped to the exposed conductor portion 11 to establish an electrical connection between the electric wire 10 and the crimp terminal 20. The insulation barrel 222 is crimped to the insulating portion 12 provided on the rear end side (rear side) of the electric wire 10 relative to the exposed conductor portion 11. The insulation barrel 222 is crimped to the insulating portion 12 to fix the crimp terminal 20 and the electric wire 10. The wire barrel 221 and the insulation barrel 222 have a circular or substantially circular (C-shaped) shape in a side view (shape seen from the longitudinal cross section of the wire 10) after being crimped to the wire 10.

[0035] As described above, the connecting portion 23 is provided between the joining portion 21 and the crimping portion 22. The connecting portion 23 is a portion having a smaller planar area than the joining portion 21, in order to connect the joining portion 21 and the crimping portion 22, which are formed in a plate shape.

[0036] Busbar 30 has a main surface 31, long sides 32, and short sides 33. Busbar 30 is formed, for example, in a generally plate shape and is a conductor made of, for example, copper, capable of conducting a large amount of current. Main surface 31 is the flat surface with the largest area in busbar 30. Joint 21 of crimp terminal 20 is joined to main surface 31. The shape of busbar 30 is not limited to a rectangular or generally rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 1 as long as main surface 31 is formed in a plate shape with a larger area than the other surfaces (side surfaces on the long side 32 and short side 33 sides).

[0037] In the wiring member 1, the joint portion 21 and the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 are joined so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the crimping portion 22 covering the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 corresponds to, for example, a portion of the longitudinal region of the wire barrel 221 in Figure 1.

[0038] By joining the joint portion 21 of the crimp terminal 20 and the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 as described above, the wiring member 1 has the connecting portion 23 between the joint portion 21 and the crimping portion 22 of the crimp terminal 20 located on the inside (+y-axis direction side) of the end of the busbar 30, i.e., on the inside of the long side 32 in FIG. 1 . The wire barrel 221 portion of the crimping portion 22 is crimped to the exposed conductive portion 11 of the electric wire 10 to form a ring or a substantially ring shape, and therefore has a higher strength than the connecting portion 23. Therefore, the wiring member 1 can suppress the application of external force to the connecting portion 23 compared to when the crimping portion 22 is located outside the end of the main surface 31, thereby improving the resistance of the crimp terminal 20 joined to the busbar 30 to external forces. Here, in the wiring member 1, the region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the crimping portion 22 covering the main surface 31 may be at least a part of the region of the wire barrel 221, but the larger the range of the above-mentioned predetermined length, the greater the effect of improving the resistance of the crimp terminal 20 to external forces.

[0039] In the wiring member 1, the length of the portion of the wire barrel 221 on the main surface 31 is more than half the length in the longitudinal direction, making it less susceptible to external forces and improving the resistance of the crimp terminal 20 joined to the bus bar 30 to external forces.

[0040] Second Embodiment FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, in the wiring member 1B according to the second embodiment, the joint 21 and the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 are joined together so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the crimping portion 22 covering the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 is, for example, the entire longitudinal region of the wire barrel 221 and a portion of the longitudinal region of the insulation barrel 222.

[0042] In wiring member 1B, by joining joint portion 21 of crimp terminal 20 and main surface 31 of bus bar 30 as described above, connecting portion 23 between joint portion 21 of crimp terminal 20 and crimping portion 22 is located on the end of bus bar 30, inward (+y-axis direction side) of long side 32 in FIG. 1 , as in wiring member 1 described above. In crimping portion 22, the insulation barrel 222 is crimped to exposed conductive portion 11 of wire 10 to form a ring or approximately ring shape, and therefore has greater strength than connecting portion 23. Therefore, in wiring member 1B, application of external force to connecting portion 23 can be suppressed, thereby improving the resistance of crimp terminal 20 joined to bus bar 30 to external forces.

[0043] Third Embodiment FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member 1C according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, in the wiring member 1C according to the third embodiment, the joint 21 and the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 are joined together so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the crimping portion 22 covering the main surface 31 of the busbar 30 is, for example, the entire longitudinal region of the wire barrel 221 and the insulation barrel 222.

[0045] In wiring member 1C, by joining joint portion 21 of crimp terminal 20 and main surface 31 of busbar 30 as described above, similarly to wiring members 1 and 1B described above, connecting portion 23 between connecting portion 21 and crimp portion 22 of crimp terminal 20 is positioned on the end of busbar 30, that is, on the inner side (+y-axis direction side) of long side 32 in FIG. 1 . Therefore, in wiring member 1C as well, application of external force to connecting portion 23 can be suppressed, and resistance of crimp terminal 20 joined to busbar 30 to external force can be improved.

[0046] Fourth Embodiment

[0047] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member 1D according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the wiring member 1D differs from the shape of the joint 21 of the crimp terminal 20 in the previously described wiring member 1 in that the shape of the crimp terminal 20D, specifically the shape of the joint 21D, is annular (donut-shaped).

[0049] As described above, in wiring member 1D, the shape of joint 21D is not limited to the rectangular or approximately rectangular shape of joint 21, but may be any flat surface having a sufficient area to ensure contact with main surface 31 of bus bar 30 when joining to establish electrical connection with bus bar 30. When joining joint 21D to main surface 31 of bus bar 30 by a method such as laser welding, linear weld 24D is preferably formed in an arc shape corresponding to the shape of joint 21D.

[0050] ≪Reference example≫ 5 is a plan view showing an outline of a wiring member 100 according to a reference example of the present invention. The wiring member 100 of the reference example is a conventional wiring member, and the crimp terminal 20 joined to the bus bar 30 has a crimp portion 22 including a wire barrel 221 and an insulation barrel 222 located outside the end of the main surface 31 of the bus bar 30. In this case, as described above, an external force is easily applied to the connecting portion 23. On the other hand, according to the wiring members 1, 1B, 1C, and 1D of the embodiments described above, the external force applied to the connecting portion 23 between the crimping portion 22 and the joining portion 21 can be suppressed, thereby improving the resistance of the crimp terminal 20 joined to the bus bar 30 to external forces.

[0051] <<Extension of Embodiment>> The invention made by the present inventors has been specifically described above based on an embodiment, but it goes without saying that the invention is not limited thereto and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0052] For example, the wiring members 1, 1B, 1C, and 1D described above can be used for a power supply path from the battery to the motor of an electric vehicle, a power supply path of a hybrid vehicle, and other purposes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1, 1B, 1C, 1D: Wiring components 10: Electric wire 11: Exposed conductive part 12: Insulation section 20, 20D: Crimp terminal (terminal) 21,21D:Joint part 22: Crimping part (wire connection part) 23:Connection part 24D: Welded section 30: Busbar 31: Main surface 32: Long side 33: Short side 100: Wiring material 221: Wire barrel 222: Insulated barrel 223: Middle section

Claims

1. Electric wires and a terminal connected to the electric wire; a plate-shaped bus bar to which the terminals are connected; A wiring member comprising: The terminal is a wire connection portion connected to an end of the wire; and a joint portion provided on a tip side of the wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar. and the joint portion is joined to the main surface of the bus bar such that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the electric wire connection portion covers the main surface of the bus bar. Wiring components.

2. The region of the predetermined length has a length equal to or greater than half of the longitudinal length of the electric wire connection portion. The wiring member according to claim 1 .

3. The electric wire connection portion is a wire barrel connected to a conductive exposed portion provided on a front end side of the electric wire; and an insulation barrel crimped to an insulating portion of the electric wire provided on a rear end side of the electric wire relative to the conductive exposed portion, The joint is The wire barrel is joined to the bus bar so as to cover a main surface of the bus bar. The wiring member according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a portion of the wire barrel in the longitudinal direction being joined to the bus bar so as to cover a main surface of the bus bar; The wiring member according to claim 3 .

5. The electric wire connection portion is formed by crimping. The wiring member according to claim 3 .

6. The joint is the insulation barrel is joined to the bus bar so as to cover a main surface of the bus bar; The wiring member according to claim 3 .

7. Electric wires and a terminal connected to the electric wire; a plate-shaped bus bar to which the terminals are connected; a method for joining the terminal and the bus bar of a wiring member, The terminal is a wire connection portion that is crimped to an end of the wire; and a joint portion that is provided on a tip side of the wire connection portion and joined to the bus bar. and the joint portion is welded to the main surface of the bus bar so that a region of a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the wire connection portion of the terminal covers the main surface of the bus bar. A method for joining wiring components.

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