Progressive Crimp Wing Geometry for Reliable Electrical Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical crimp terminals often exhibit low mechanical and electrical reliability, are prone to disconnection, and require special tools or more space due to their L-shaped geometry or multiple crimp portions, which increases costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The electrical crimp terminal features conductor crimp wings with a progressive height increase along the longitudinal direction, providing increased wire compression from rear to front, and optional notches for improved mechanical strain relief and shock-absorption, ensuring compatibility with standard crimping tools and minimal space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductor crimp wings have uniform height, then manufacturing is simple, but wire compression is insufficient at the front leading to poor electrical reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor crimp wings feature a progressive height increase from rear to front, creating local variation in compression force. The front portion has greater height to provide enhanced wire compression where electrical contact is critical, while the rear maintains lower height. This local quality differentiation ensures reliable electrical connection without requiring complete uniform complexity throughout the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The height parameter of the conductor crimp wings is varied progressively along the longitudinal axis. Instead of maintaining a constant height, the design implements a gradient where height increases from rear to front, optimizing the compression parameter distribution to achieve both good electrical contact at the front and manageable manufacturing complexity.
2Strength
If L-shaped geometry is used, then connector strength is improved, but terminal length increases requiring more space
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending strength reinforcement in the longitudinal direction through L-shaped geometry, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by varying the crimp wing height progressively. This dimensional approach provides structural reinforcement and wire compression where needed without increasing the terminal's longitudinal footprint, thus maintaining compact overall dimensions.
3Reliability
If multiple distinct crimp portions are used, then crimping reliability is improved, but special crimping tools are required increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive height design allows a single crimping tool to perform the function that would otherwise require multiple specialized tools. The varying height profile enables one tool to achieve both the compression needed at the front and the securing needed at the rear in a single crimping action, making the system universal rather than requiring multiple specialized crimping devices.
4Reliability
If wire compression is increased uniformly, then electrical contact is improved, but conductor breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The progressive height design applies wire compression locally where needed rather than uniformly throughout. The front portion with greater height provides enhanced compression for optimal electrical contact, while the rear portion maintains lower compression to avoid excessive stress on the conductor. This localized approach to compression quality ensures good electrical connection without compromising conductor integrity.
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
This design enhances mechanical and electrical reliability, reduces the risk of conductor breakage, maintains signal integrity, and allows for higher data transmission rates while using standard tools and existing connector designs.
Implementation Method 1
the wire compression onto the conductor increases along the length of the crimp terminal from a low wire compression at the rear of the conductor connection portion to a high wire compression at the front of the conductor connection portion
Implementation Method 2
optional notches for improved mechanical strain relief and shock-absorption, ensuring compatibility with standard crimping tools
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention concerns an electrical crimp terminal 1 for connection with a conductor 32 of an electrical cable 30 having an insulation 34 surrounding the conductor 32, the electrical crimp terminal 1 comprising a conductor connection portion 10, wherein the conductor connection portion 10 comprises conductor crimp wings 12, 14 for being crimped onto the conductor 32 of the electrical cable 30; wherein each of the conductor crimp wings 12, 14 in the non-crimped state has at least one progressive portion 40 having a progressively increasing height h(L) in a longitudinal direction L to a tip 36 of the conductor 32 to be crimped characterized in that the progressive portion 40 extends along the complete length 1 of each conductor crimp wing 12, 14.