Terminal, method of manufacturing terminal, and termination connection structure of electric wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9246292-B2
Application number	US-201414290503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2014
Priority date	Jul 27, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A terminal includes a tubular crimp portion that crimp connects with an electric wire. The tubular crimp portion is composed of a metal member. The tubular crimp portion includes a non-weld portion and a weld portion, the weld portion being formed by welding. A metal base material constituting the metal member of the non-weld portion includes a normal portion and an annealed portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A terminal comprising a tubular crimp portion that crimp connects with an electric wire,
the tubular crimp portion being composed of a metal member,
the tubular crimp portion including a non-weld portion and a weld portion, the weld portion being formed by laser welding,
wherein a metal base material constituting the metal member of the non-weld portion includes a normal portion and an annealed portion, and the annealed portion has a hardness of 70 to 90% of a hardness of the normal portion.

2. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion, an area of the annealed portion is 5 to 60% of an area of the weld portion and the non-weld portion.

3. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion, an area of the weld portion is 2 to 5% of an area of the non-weld portion.

4. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a hardness of the normal portion with respect to a hardness of the weld portion is 2.1 to 2.7.

5. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the metal base material is made of one of copper and a copper alloy.

6. The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the metal base material is made of one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

7. A method of manufacturing a terminal having a tubular crimp portion that crimp connects with an electric wire, comprising:
forming a crimp portion having a C-shape in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion by bending a metal member; and
forming the tubular crimp portion by laser welding both ends of the crimp portion,
wherein, by the welding laser, a weld portion is formed in the tubular crimp portion, and a normal portion and an annealed portion are formed in a non-weld portion, the annealed portion having a hardness of 70 to 90% of a hardness of the normal portion.

8. The method of manufacturing a terminal according to claim 7 , wherein a tubular crimp portion is formed by welding such that, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion, an area of the annealed portion is 5 to 60% of an area of the weld portion and the non-weld portion.

9. The method of manufacturing a terminal according to claim 7 , wherein a tubular crimp portion is formed by welding such that, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion, an area of the weld portion is 2 to 5% of an area of the non-weld portion.

10. The method of manufacturing a terminal according to claim 7 , wherein the tubular crimp portion is formed by welding such that, a ratio of the hardness of the normal portion with respect to the hardness of the weld portion is 2.1 to 2.7.

11. The method of manufacturing a terminal according to claim 7 , wherein a metal base material constituting the metal member is made of one of copper and a copper alloy.

12. The method of manufacturing a terminal according to claim 7 , wherein a metal base material constituting the metal member is made of one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

13. A method of manufacturing a terminal having a tubular crimp portion that crimp connects with an electric wire, comprising:
forming a crimp portion having a C-shape in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubular crimp portion by bending a metal member; and
forming the tubular crimp portion by welding both ends of the crimp portion,
wherein, by the welding, a weld portion is formed in the tubular crimp portion, and a normal portion and an annealed portion are formed in a non-weld portion;
wherein the welding is laser welding.

14. A termination connection structure of an electric wire comprising a configuration in which a terminal as claimed in claim 1 and an electric wire are crimp connected at the tubular crimp portion of the terminal.

15. The termination connection structure of an electric wire according to claim 14 , wherein the electric wire is made of one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

Assignees

• Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
• Furukawa Automotive Sys Inc
• Furuawa Automotive Systems Inc

Inventors

• Tachibana Akira
• Mitose Kengo
• Yagi Saburo

Classifications

• Y10T29/49213

  Metal · CPC title

• H01R4/184

  comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion · CPC title

• H01R43/16

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title

• B23K26/3213

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• H01R43/02 Primary

  for soldered or welded connections · CPC title