Crimping Terminal Serrations for Flat Circuitry Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for connecting terminals to flat conductors in flat circuitry, such as FFC and FPC, are costly and prone to electrical contact failures due to inadequate crimping forces and conductor displacement, especially when using crimping pieces with widely opened ends that struggle to deform correctly.
Innovation Solution
A crimping terminal with serrations on the inner walls of conductor crimping pieces, positioned away from the conductor's abutting portions, ensures reliable crimping by allowing the conductor to be securely crimped around the terminal, preventing slipping and ensuring a strong connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If crimping pieces have widely opened ends to easily accept the conductor, then ease of operation is improved, but the crimping pieces cannot deform at the prescribed position and the conductor is not well crimped, worsening manufacturing precision and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The crimping pieces are pre-formed with predetermined bend positions and deformation characteristics before assembly. The widely opened ends are prepared in advance to guide the conductor in, while the predetermined bend positions ensure correct deformation location during crimping, resolving the contradiction between ease of conductor insertion and precision of crimping position
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the crimping pieces have different properties: the ends are made widely opened for easy conductor acceptance, while specific predetermined positions are designed with appropriate thickness and rigidity to ensure correct bend locations. This local differentiation allows the crimping pieces to both easily accept the conductor and deform at the prescribed positions with manufacturing precision
2Ease of operation
If crimping pieces have widely opened ends to easily accept the conductor, then ease of operation is improved, but the conductor is easily displaced and possibly left from the electric connection portion, worsening reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The crimping pieces are pre-formed with predetermined bend positions that will automatically engage and secure the conductor during the crimping process. The widely opened ends facilitate easy insertion, while the pre-positioned bend locations ensure the conductor is firmly held, preventing displacement and improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The predetermined bend positions in the crimping pieces are designed to counteract potential conductor displacement before it can occur. As the crimping pieces deform at these predetermined positions, they create securing forces that prevent the conductor from slipping or being left from the electric connection portion, thus providing preliminary anti-action against reliability failures
3Manufacturing precision
If a metal mold is used to form the conductor to match the terminal shape, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the cost of connecting the terminal increases, worsening ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a metal mold to form the conductor to match the terminal shape (traditional approach), the invention inverts the approach by forming the crimping pieces with predetermined shapes and bend positions that automatically guide and secure the conductor. This eliminates the need for expensive conductor-forming metal molds while achieving the same shape-matching result, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The crimping pieces are pre-formed with copies or replicas of the required bend positions and geometric features needed to match the terminal shape. Rather than molding the conductor itself, the crimping pieces contain the shape information in their predetermined bend positions, which then guide the conductor into the correct configuration, achieving shape matching without expensive conductor-forming molds
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is to provide a terminal for a flat circuitry. The terminal assuredly crimps a conductor of the flat circuitry and provides an improved electric connection. An electric connection portion of a crimping terminal includes a bottom wall for placing a flat conductor of a FFC and a pair of conductor crimping pieces. The conductor crimping pieces are upstanding at both ends of the bottom wall for crimping the conductor. A plurality of serrations are disposed outside ends of the conductor placed on the bottom wall of the electric connection portion and arranged in series with a distance between the serrations. The conductor crimping pieces start to deform at the serrations, or the best deforming position, for crimping the conductor.