Electrical connection element, process to manufacture an electrical connection element and use of an electrical connection element

Abstract

Electrical connection element having a first flat part made of a metallic substrate and a metallic contact layer applied to one surface of the substrate. A reliable coating is possible through the substrate being friction coated with the contact layer.

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of a connection element comprising: providing a metallic substrate having a first flat part; friction coating a surface of the substrate using a rotating metal rod that simultaneously is moved in a translational manner along a path along which a metallic contact layer is applied, wherein the metallic contact layer is made from a different metal than the metallic substrate, wherein one of the metals is copper or a copper alloy and the other one of the metals is aluminium or aluminium alloy.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising coating the substrate and the contact layer with a metallic coating such that the contact layer is free from the coating in a central area at a distance from at least one joint between the contact layer and the substrate.

3. The process according to claim 1, further comprising masking a central area of the contact layer after the contact layer has been applied to the substrate and coating the contact layer along at least one joint between the contact layer and the substrate, wherein the coating extends a distance from the at least one joint toward the central area.

4. The process according to claim 2, wherein coating comprises galvanizing.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided continuously as a strip or a sheet, and friction coating takes place along the longitudinal direction of the strip or sheet, further comprising separating the flat part from the strip or sheet after coating the flat part.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided continuously as a strip or a sheet, further comprising separating the flat part from the strip or sheet and coating the flat part after the separation of the flat part from the strip or sheet.

Description

(1) The subject matter is described in greater detail below by means of figures showing embodiments of the invention. In the drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a plan view of a connection element according to an embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 a sectional view of a connection element;

(4) FIG. 3 a further sectional view a connection element;

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic structure of a manufacturing facility;

(6) FIG. 5 a schematic structure of an alternative manufacturing approach;

(7) FIG. 6 a sectional view of a connection element with a contact part welded to it.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a connection element 2 which is formed from a flat part 4 and a contact layer 6. The connection element 2 is preferably a vehicle conductor connection element 2. A vehicle conductor connection element 2 is described below in a manner representative of all other contact elements. The vehicle conductor connection element 2 has, as shown in FIG. 1, two joints 8 between the substrate of the flat part 4 and a contact layer 6. The joints 8 are shown with a dotted line in FIG. 1 as a coating is placed on the connection element 2 over the joints 8. The coating is preferably a metallic coating. In particular, the coating can be formed from tin, nickel, alloys thereof or the like.

(9) As shown in FIG. 1, the connection element 2 can be formed as a connecting lug and have a hole 10 to receive for example a screw or a bolt.

(10) The contact layer 6 is placed on the connection element 2 by means of friction coating. In order to do this, a basic material is rubbed onto the surface of the flat part 4. The basic material is provided by means of a friction rod or a friction pin and remains adhered to the substrate of the flat part 4. The width 6a of the contact layer 6 is derived from the diameter of the friction rod or friction pin which is effective during the friction coating. The joints 8 are created on the outer ends of the contact layer 6.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view A-A through the connection element 2 according to FIG. 1. It should be noted that the contact layer 6 is applied to a surface of the substrate of the flat part 4. Joints 8 are created on the outer edges of the contact layer 6 between the flat part 4 and the contact layer 6, which joints moisture can attack and on which joints contact corrosion can occur.

(12) In order to protect these joints 8, in particular because the thickness of the contact layer 6 is between a number of micrometers and a number of millimeters and can quickly be destroyed by contact corrosion, the contact layer is coated with a metallic coating 12 in the area of the joints 8. A complete coating 12 of the flat part 4 is shown, but this can also be on just a partial area of the surface of the flat part 4. During coating, a galvanic coating, a coating using dip painting, a coating using powder coating or any another method of coating can for example be used.

(13) Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that a central area 14 of the contact layer 6 is free from the coating 12. The central area 14 is at a distance from the joints 8.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view B-B through the connection element 2 according to FIG. 1. It should be noted that the metallic coating 12 completely covers the joints 8 on the lateral surfaces of the flat part 4.

(15) FIG. 4 shows the manufacture of a connection element. Initially, a strip 22 can be rolled from a coil 20. The strip 22 is preferably a few centimeters wide and has a thickness of a few millimeters.

(16) The strip 22 is initially passed by a friction coating device 24 in the direction of feeding 28. In the friction coating device 24, a friction rod 26, which is for example formed from aluminium, is pressed onto the strip 22, which is for example formed from copper, and rotated at the same time. The strip 22 is guided underneath the rod 26 in the direction of movement 28 while this rotates or oscillates. The rotation or oscillation of the rod 26 and the pressing on the strip results in heat at the point of contact and the material of the rod 26 remains adhered to the strip 22 as a contact layer 6.

(17) The strip 22 coated with the contact layer 6 can then be fed into a masking device 30. In this masking device, a protective element 32, for example an adhesive film or another film-like coating, can be applied to the central area 14 of the contact layer 6 and fixed there.

(18) The masked and coated strip 22 can then be fed into a punch 34. In the punch 34 the connection elements 2 are stamped from the strip 22 and for example guided to a coating device 36 as stamped goods or cut goods.

(19) In the coating device 36 the connection element 2 is coated. The central area 14 of the contact layer 6 which was previously masked is not coated at the same time.

(20) The masking can then be removed and the connection element 2 is free from the coating 12 in the central area 14 of the contact layer 6 and otherwise fully coated with the coating 12.

(21) With a connection element of this type, it is possible to connect an aluminium cable to a copper cable, thereby ensuring homogenous connections to the connection element.