Vehicle Power Connector with Copper Insert for Aluminum Conductor
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle electrical systems, existing power connectors face challenges with weight savings due to high intrinsic weight of cables, particularly with aluminum materials that tend to cold flow and form oxidation layers, leading to increased contact resistance and connection instability over time.
Innovation Solution
A power connector design featuring a strip-shaped current conductor with a through-opening and a contact insert made of a mechanically stronger material, such as copper, which forms a material-bonded connection to prevent cold flow and oxidation, ensuring high fatigue strength and electrical conductivity through a screw or bolt connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If aluminum material is used for weight savings in vehicle electrical systems, then weight is reduced, but the material tends to cold flow and form oxidation layers, leading to increased contact resistance and connection instability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure consisting of an aluminum current conductor (for weight savings) and a copper contact insert (for reliable electrical connection). The copper insert is mechanically pressed into the aluminum conductor, creating a bimetallic composite that combines the advantages of both materials: aluminum provides lightweight construction while copper ensures low contact resistance and high connection stability.
2Reliability
If copper material is used for high mechanical strength and low oxidation, then connection reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using copper specifically at the contact insert location where electrical connection reliability is critical, while the rest of the current conductor remains aluminum to maintain lightweight construction. This localized use of copper optimizes the connection interface without unnecessarily increasing the overall weight of the cable assembly.
3Ease of manufacture
If screw connection is used for simple assembly, then ease of manufacture is improved, but aluminum cold flow causes loosening over time
Solution Approach 1:
The copper contact insert acts as an intermediary between the screw connection and the aluminum current conductor. The screw connects to the copper insert, which has high mechanical strength and does not cold flow, while the aluminum conductor remains unaffected by the mechanical fastening forces. This intermediary prevents the cold flow problem that would otherwise occur with direct screw connection to aluminum.
4Weight of moving object
If oxidation layer forms on aluminum surface, then weight is unchanged, but contact resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the contact surface from the aluminum material and places it on the copper material. The copper contact insert is exposed at the connection interface, providing an oxidation-resistant surface for electrical contact. This separates the electrical contact function from the aluminum conductor, eliminating the oxidation layer problem that would otherwise increase contact resistance.
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 solution provides a durable, lightweight, and low-maintenance electrical connection with reduced contact resistance and increased mechanical strength, effectively addressing weight and reliability issues in vehicle electrical systems.
Implementation Method 1
aluminum tends to cold flow and thus only ensures a comparatively unfavorable fatigue strength of the screw connection
Implementation Method 2
aluminum tends to form an oxidation layer in reaction with atmospheric oxygen, which, among other things, can undesirably increase the contact resistance
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A current connector (1), in particular a busbar, for the electrical system of a vehicle is proposed. The current connector (1) has a ribbon-shaped conductor (2) made of a first metallic material and having at least one through-hole (5) penetrating the conductor (2) in its thickness direction. Furthermore, the current connector (1) has at least one contact insert (6) which is arranged in the through-hole (5) of the conductor (2) to make electrical contact with it, extends at least partially over the thickness of the conductor (2), and is made of a second metallic material that is mechanically stronger than the first metallic material.