Solderless Litz Wire Termination with Serrated Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for connecting a terminal to a Litz wire require stripping or dipping the insulation, which is time-consuming, hazardous, and costly, and mechanical crimp connections often fail to engage each strand effectively, potentially breaking them.
Innovation Solution
An electrical contact assembly with a Litz wire termination portion featuring serrations that engage the braided Litz wire, allowing for electrical connection with each individual wire without the need for pre-treatment, and a crimped design that ensures secure contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical crimp connections are used to connect to Litz wire, then the connection process is simple and fast, but the connection fails to engage each strand effectively and may break strands
Solution Approach 1:
The termination portion is segmented into multiple serrations, each capable of engaging individual strands within the Litz wire bundle. This segmentation allows simultaneous contact with multiple strands without requiring separate connections for each strand, maintaining speed while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The serrations provide localized engagement points distributed along the termination portion. Each serration is positioned to contact specific strands at different locations, ensuring comprehensive strand engagement throughout the Litz wire cross-section without requiring uniform pressure distribution.
2Reliability
If soldering or insulation stripping is performed before termination, then reliable electrical connection to each strand is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming, hazardous, and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The serrations are pre-formed on the termination portion during manufacturing, creating ready-to-engage contact points that will automatically penetrate and contact strands during the crimping process. This eliminates the need for preliminary strand preparation steps such as insulation stripping or soldering.
Solution Approach 2:
The serrated structure enables the termination portion to self-penetrate the insulation and self-contact the strands during normal crimping operation. The mechanical action of crimping causes the serrations to naturally engage the strands without requiring separate preparation operations, making the system self-sufficient.
3Strength
If aggressive mechanical crimp design is used to ensure secure contact, then mechanical strength is improved, but strand integrity is compromised due to strand breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented serrated structure distributes mechanical stress across multiple localized engagement points rather than concentrating force in a single aggressive crimp zone. This segmentation allows each serration to engage strands gently while collectively providing strong mechanical attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The serrations change the pressure distribution parameters during crimping, creating localized high-pressure contact points at the serration edges that penetrate insulation, while the overall pressure remains distributed and controlled to prevent strand damage. The geometry parameters of the serrations are optimized to balance penetration capability with strand protection.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical contact assembly having a braided Litz wire and an electrical contact. The electrical contact has a contact portion and a Litz wire termination portion. The contact portion is configured to make an electrical connection with a mating contact. The Litz wire termination portion has serrations which engage the braided Litz wire. The Litz wire termination portion has a length to allow the Litz wire termination portion to make an electrical connection with each individual wire of the Litz wire.