Method for sealing electric terminal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018278003-A1
Application number	US-201715469953-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is disclosed of sealing a wire terminal assembly including a conductive cable core connected to a conductive terminal along a conductive connection interface. According to the method, a coating composition is dispensed over the conductive connection interface. The coating composition includes (1) a polymerizable compound with an unsaturated bond, and (2) a free radical photoinitiator. The dispensed coating composition is then subjected to actinic radiation for a duration of less than 0.7 seconds.

First claim

1 . A method of sealing a wire terminal assembly comprising a conductive cable core and a conductive terminal connected to the conductive cable core along a conductive connection interface, the method comprising:
dispensing a coating composition over the conductive connection interface, the coating composition comprising: (1) a polymerizable compound comprising an unsaturated bond, and (2) a free radical photoinitiator; and exposing the coating composition to actinic radiation for a duration of less than 0.7 seconds.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to the actinic radiation for a duration of less than 0.6 seconds.

3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to the actinic radiation for a duration of less than 0.5 seconds.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to the actinic radiation for a duration of less than 0.4 seconds.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to the actinic radiation for a duration of at least 0.2 seconds.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the actinic radiation comprises UV radiation.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the actinic radiation has a peak wavelength between 380 nm and 400 nm.

8 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to energy from the actinic radiation in a range of 0.5 to 16 joules.

9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising exposing the coating composition to the actinic radiation from an actinic radiation source positioned within 10 mm of the coating composition.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises greater than 4 parts per hundred by weight of the free radical photoinitiator, based on the total weight of polymerizable compound.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating composition comprises at least 6 parts per hundred by weight of the free radical photoinitiator, based on the total weight of polymerizable compound.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating composition comprises at least 8 parts per hundred by weight of the free radical photoinitiator, based on the total weight of polymerizable compound.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating composition comprises at least 10 parts per hundred by weight of the free radical photoinitiator, based on the total weight of polymerizable compound.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the free radical photoinitiator comprises a xanthone, a quinone, a hydroxyalkylphenone, a benzophenone, an aminoalkylphenone, an acetophenone derivative, a benzoin derivative, a benzylketal, a 1,2-diketone, an O-acyl oximoketone, an acylphosphonate, a thiobenzoic S-ester, or a triazine, or a mixture comprising any combination of the foregoing.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises at least 1000 parts per million by weight of an ultraviolet light absorber, based on the total weight of polymerizable compound.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further comprises an oligomer comprising at least two unsaturated bonds.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive cable core further comprises an electrically insulating outer cover, from which a lead portion of the conductive cable core extends, and wherein the conductive connection interface comprises a first crimp connection of a structure of the conductive terminal onto the lead portion of the conductive cable core and a second crimp connection onto the electrically insulating outer cover.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition has a cured thickness of 50 μm to 5 mm.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating composition is dispensed and exposed to the actinic radiation at a coating station, and further comprising removing the wire terminal assembly from the coating station after completion of said duration of exposure to the actinic radiation.

20 . A sealed wire terminal assembly made by the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Delphi Tech Inc

Inventors

• Smith Robert A
• Sacco Gina
• Krompegel Sean P
• Rubino Evangelia
• Rudzinskas Christopher R

Classifications

• H01R13/5216

  characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins · CPC title

• Y10T29/49176

  with molding of electrically insulating material · CPC title

• H01R43/005 Primary

  for making dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof connection, coupling, or casing · CPC title

• C08F2/48

  by ultraviolet or visible light · CPC title

• H01R4/62

  Connections between conductors of different materials; Connections between or with aluminium or steel-core aluminium conductors (H01R4/68 takes precedence) · CPC title