Aluminum Wire Terminal Crimping with Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric wires with terminals experience a creep phenomenon, leading to decreased contact load and increased connection resistance, especially when using aluminum conductors due to large thermal expansion coefficient differences, resulting in unreliable connections.
Innovation Solution
An electric wire with a terminal where the connecting portion is formed by compressing a tubular part on the terminal while heating, allowing the conductor to be inserted, which increases the contact area and facilitates oxide film destruction, thereby enhancing connection reliability. The process involves a compression ratio of 30% to 70% and a temperature range of 300°C to 500°C to prevent damage to the insulating coating and conductor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a wire barrel is crimped onto the exposed conductor without heating, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the contact load decreases due to creep phenomenon and connection resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heating to change the physical state of the tubular part, making it softer and more formable during compression. This parameter change (temperature increase) allows for better deformation characteristics and improved connection reliability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through controlled thermal processing
2Reliability
If high compression is applied to increase contact area, then connection reliability improves, but the conductor may break due to excessive compression force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs heating on the tubular part before compression to soften it in advance. This preliminary thermal treatment prepares the material to undergo high compression without causing conductor breakage, as the softened tubular part deforms more easily and distributes the compression force more uniformly
3Device complexity
If the tubular part is compressed without heating, then the process is straightforward, but the contact area between terminal and conductor is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the tubular part to soften it during compression. This thermal parameter change enables the tubular part to deform more effectively under compression, increasing the contact area between the terminal and conductor while maintaining a relatively simple compression process
4Ease of manufacture
If heating temperature is increased to soften the tubular part, then deformation becomes easier and contact area increases, but the insulating coating may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the heating temperature parameter to achieve softening of the tubular part without exceeding the damage threshold of the insulating coating. This controlled parameter change balances material formability with protection of sensitive components
5Reliability
If heating is applied to the tubular part, then the oxide film on the conductor is destroyed and connection reliability improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines heating and compression operations into a single integrated process step. By merging these two operations, the oxide film destruction and connection formation occur simultaneously, improving reliability while minimizing the increase in manufacturing process complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method improves connection reliability by increasing the contact area between the terminal and conductor, reducing the likelihood of conductor breakage, and ensuring the connection remains stable without thinning the conductor or deforming the terminal.
Implementation Method 1
forming the connecting portion by compressing while heating the tubular part
Implementation Method 2
forming the connecting portion by compressing while heating the tubular part
Data Source
AI summary
An electric wire with a terminal includes an electric wire that has a conductor made of aluminum or aluminum alloy and an insulating coating covering the conductor, and a terminal that has a connecting portion to which an exposed conductor that is exposed at a terminal end of the electric wire is connected. The connecting portion is formed by compressing while heating a tubular part in a state in which the exposed conductor is inserted into the tubular part, the tubular part being provided on the terminal and being capable of allowing the exposed conductor to be inserted thereinto.