Manufacturing method for terminal-equipped electric wire

Abstract

A manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire in which a terminal is crimped to an electric wire including a core wire bundle bundled by a plurality of conductor core wires, the manufacturing method includes ultrasonically bonding the core wire bundle so as to form a bonded core wire in which the plurality of conductor core wires are bonded to each other and crimping the terminal to the bonded core wire. The bonded core wire is formed so that a clearance ratio which is a percentage of a clearance area in which the conductor core wires do not exist to a whole area surrounded by an outer periphery of the bonded core wire is larger than 3 and equal to or less than 15 in a section view orthogonal to an axis of the bonded core wire.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire in which a terminal is crimped to an electric wire including a core wire bundle bundled by a plurality of conductor core wires, the manufacturing method comprising: ultrasonically bonding the core wire bundle so as to form a bonded core wire in which the plurality of conductor core wires are bonded to each other; and crimping the terminal to the bonded core wire, wherein the bonded core wire is formed so that a clearance ratio, expressed as a percentage, is a ratio of a clearance area divided by a whole area that is larger than 3 and equal to or less than 15, in a section view orthogonal to an axis of the bonded core wire; wherein the clearance area is between the bonded core wire and a portion of the terminal, and the whole area is the bonded core wire surrounded by an outer periphery of the bonded core wire.

2. The manufacturing method for the terminal-equipped electric wire according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral shape of the bonded core wire in the section view is approximated to be a polygon.

3. The manufacturing method for the terminal-equipped electric wire according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductor core wires are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

4. The manufacturing method for the terminal-equipped electric wire according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonically bonding includes destroying oxide films formed on surfaces of the plurality of conductor core wires and bonding the plurality of conductor core wires.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A to 1D explain the outline of a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire according to an embodiment. FIGS. 1A to 1D are respectively perspective views of the end of the electric wire.

(2) FIGS. 2A to 2C explain an electric wire to which a terminal is crimped. FIG. 2A is a front view of the end of the electric wire. FIG. 2B is a front view of the end of the electric wire in which a bonded core wire is formed. FIG. 2C is a front view of the bonded core wire.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an ultrasonic bonding machine for ultrasonically bonding a core wire bundle.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a terminal crimping machine for crimping a terminal to an electric wire and electric wires etc.

(5) FIGS. 5A and 5B explain a method for crimping a terminal using the terminal crimping machine. FIG. 5A is a front view of the terminal crimping machine in which a terminal and the bonded core wires of the electric wire are arranged, and FIG. 5B is a front view of an anvil in which the terminal and the bonded core wires of the electric wire are arranged.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front view of the terminal crimping machine in a state where it has crimped the terminal to the electric wire.

(7) FIG. 7 is a section view of the crimped portion of a terminal-equipped electric wire where the terminal is crimped to the electric wire.

(8) FIG. 8 is a graph which comparatively shows the relationships between a clearance ratio and electric resistance value in a crimped portion before and after a thermal shock test.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a state where a portion of the bonded core wire is peeled off from the terminal due to occurrence of creep deformation in the bonded core wire, correspondingly to FIG. 7.

(10) FIGS. 10A to 10E are section views of various variations of the shape of the crimped portions of a terminal-equipped electric wire according to other embodiments, respectively corresponding to FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiment

(11) With reference to the drawings, description is given below of a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire according to an embodiment of the invention.

(12) In a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire according to the embodiment, firstly, as shown in FIG. 1A, an insulation coating 14 of an electric wire 11 is peeled off to expose a core wire bundle 13 composed of multiple conductor core wires 12. Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, ultrasonic bonding processing (the details of which are described later) is applied to the core wire bundle 13 to form a bonded core wire 13A in which adjacent conductor core wires 12 are bonded to each other. Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, the bonded core wire 13A is arranged in a predetermined portion of a terminal 31 and, after then, as shown in FIG. 1D, the terminal 31 is crimped to the bonded core wire 13A (and its adjacent insulation coating 14), thereby manufacturing a terminal-equipped electric wire 1.

(13) As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, the electric wire 11 is configured such that the outer periphery of the core wire bundle 13 composed of a plurality of bundled conductor core wires 12 is covered with the insulation coating 14. In this embodiment, each conductor core wire 12 is a non-plated wire made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. In other words, the electric wire 11 is a so-called aluminum electric wire or aluminum alloy electric wire.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B, the bonded core wire 13A composed of the ultrasonically bonded core wire bundle 13 of the electric wire 11 has a rectangular (in this embodiment, an oval) shape in its section orthogonal to its axis. In the bonded core wire 13A, the multiple conductor core wires 12 constituting the core wire bundle 13 are bonded to each other by ultrasonic vibrations.

(15) As shown in FIG. 3, an ultrasonic bonding machine 20 for ultrasonically bonding the core wire bundle 13 of the electric wire 11 includes a horn 21, an anvil plate 22, a gliding jaw 23, and an anvil 24. The horn 21 can be ultrasonically oscillated in the back-and-forth direction of the page of FIG. 3 by an ultrasonic oscillator. In the upper surface (surface to be contacted with the core wire bundle 13) of the horn 21, there is formed a knurl (not shown) composed of multiple ridges extending orthogonally to the oscillation direction, thereby suppressing slippage between the upper surface of the horn 21 and core wire bundle 13. In the ultrasonic bonding machine 20, a space, which is defined by the horn 21, anvil plate 22, gliding jaw 23 and anvil 24 and has a rectangular cross section, is used as a bonding processing room S, while the conductor core wires 12 of the core wire bundle 13 arranged within the bonding processing room S are ultrasonically bonded to each other.

(16) The anvil plate 22 is arranged in the lateral portion of the horn 21. The gliding jaw 23 is arranged on the upper surface of the horn 21 at a position opposed to the anvil plate 22 and is movable towards or away from, the anvil plate 22. In FIG. 3, the gliding jaw 23 is moving in a direction shown by the arrow A to thereby press against the core wire bundle 13 in this direction.

(17) The anvil 24 is arranged above the horn 21 and anvil plate 22 and, when it moves up and down, it is movable towards or away from the horn 21. In FIG. 3, the anvil 21 is moving in a direction shown by the arrow B to thereby press against the core wire bundle 13 in this direction.

(18) The ultrasonic bonding machine 20, by moving the gliding jaw 23 and anvil 24 in the above-mentioned manner, can freely change the width and height of the bonding processing room S (and thus the width and height of the bonded core wire 13A produced by bonding the core wire bundle 13). By adjusting the width and height of the bonding processing room S in this manner, a bonded core wire 13A having a desired clearance ratio (the details of which are described later) can be formed.

(19) Referring again to FIGS. 1A to 1D, as shown in FIG. 1C, the terminal 31 includes an electric connection part 32 and a crimping connection part 33. The terminal 31 is formed, for example, by pressing a metal plate made of conductive metal material such as copper or copper alloy. Thus, in this embodiment, the thickness of the terminal 31 is substantially the same at any point.

(20) The electric connection part 32 includes a flat plate-shaped connection plate section 34 having a connection hole 34a. The connection plate section 34 can be electrically connected to a terminal block of a connecting equipment, for example, by inserting a fastening bolt through the connection hole 34a to fasten the connection plate section 34 to the terminal block.

(21) The crimping connection part 33 includes, in order from the side of the electric connection part 32, a conductor crimping portion 41 and a coating crimping portion 45. The conductor crimping section 41 has a base section 42 and a pair of conductor crimping pieces 43 (crimping pieces) formed on the two lateral sides of the base section 42. On the base section 42, there is placed the bonded core wire 13A. The conductor crimping pieces 43 extend from the base section 42 so as to sandwich the bonded core wire 13A. By curving (crimping) the paired conductor crimping pieces 43 inwardly, the conductor crimping portion 41 is crimped to the bonded core wire 13A of the electric wire 11. This brings the terminal 31 into conduction connection with the core wire bundle 13 of the electric wire 11.

(22) The coating crimping portion 45 includes a base section 46 and a pair of coating crimping pieces 47 formed on the two lateral sides of the base section 46. The base section 46 of the coating crimping portion 45 extends from the base section 42 of the conductor crimping portion 41. On the base section 46, there is placed the insulation coating 14 of the electric wire 11. The coating crimping pieces 47 extend from the base ction 46 so as to sandwich the insulation coating 14 portion of the electric wire 11. By curving (crimping) the paired coating crimping pieces 47 inwardly, the coating crimping portion 45 is crimped and fixed to the insulation coating 14 portion of the electric wire 11.

(23) As shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B, the terminal 31 is crimped to the electric wire 11 by a terminal crimping machine 51. The terminal crimping machine 51 includes an anvil 52 and a crimper 55. The anvil 52 is arranged below the terminal 31 and bonded core wire 13A, while the crimper 55 is arranged above the terminal 31 and bonded core wire 13A. The crimper 55 is movable in the vertical direction relative to the anvil 52.

(24) The anvil 52 has, in its top part, a support surface 53 which is curved so as to be recessed downward. In crimping the terminal 31, the support surface 53 supports the base section 46 of the terminal 31. Specifically, the outer surface of the base section 42 of the terminal 31 is contacted with the support surface 53.

(25) The crimper 55 includes, in its central portion in the width direction, an arch groove 57 having a chevron portion 58 projecting toward the anvil 52. The arch groove 57 is constituted of two arc-shaped surfaces 57a formed on the two sides of the chevron portion 58. Each arc-shaped surface 57a is an arc-shaped convex surface projecting away from the support surface 53. The crimper 55 has two guide inclined surfaces 59. The guide inclined surfaces 59 are inclined so as to be gradually spaced away from each other toward the anvil 52. The guide inclined surfaces 59 are formed to continue with the two ends of the arch groove 57.

(26) Next, description is given specifically of a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire 1 according to this embodiment.

(27) (Terminal Processing Step)

(28) As shown in FIG. 1A, the insulation coating 14 existing in the end of the electric wire 11 is peeled off to expose the core wire bundle 13 composed of the bundled conductor core wires 12 by a predetermined length. The predetermined length of the core wire bundle 13 to be exposed may be a length sufficient to crimp the terminal 31.

(29) (Ultrasonic Bonding Step)

(30) As shown in FIG. 1B, the core wire bundle 13 exposed in the end of the electric wire 11 is ultrasonically bonded to thereby form the bonded core wire 13A in which the multiple conductor core wires 12 are bonded to each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the exposed core wire bundle 13 is arranged in the bonding processing room S of the ultrasonic bonding machine 20, the gliding jaw 23 is moved in a direction toward the anvil plate 22 (in the arrow A direction shown in FIG. 3) and the anvil 24 is moved in a direction toward the horn 21 (in the arrow B direction shown in FIG. 3), and the core wire bundle 13 in the bonding processing room S is pressed from both sides and from above and below. And, in this state, the horn is ultrasonically vibrated. Thus, in the bonding processing room S, the conductor core wires 12 are bonded to each other while oxide films formed on the surfaces of the conductor core wires 12 are being destroyed. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2C, there is formed a rectangular bonded core wire 13A with a section shape having a width X and a height Y. In the thus-formed bonded wire core 13A, the conductor core wires 12 are bonded into an integral wire (a single wire), whereby the conductor core wires 12 are conducted to each other in a satisfactory conduction state.

(31) (Terminal Crimping Step)

(32) As shown in FIG. 1D, the terminal 31 is crimped to the bonded core wire 13A using the terminal crimping machine 51. Specifically, firstly, as shown in FIG. 5B, the terminal 31 is placed on and supported by the support surface 53 of the anvil 52 and the end of the electric wire 11 is arranged on the terminal 31.

(33) After the end of the electric wire 11 is arranged on the terminal 31, in order to crimp the terminal 31 to the electric wire 11, the crimper 55 is lowered to bring it close to the anvil 52. At this time, the ends of the conductor crimping pieces 43 of the terminal 31 respectively spread on both lateral sides are brought into contact with the guide inclined surfaces 59 of the crimper 55. Thus, the conductor crimping pieces 43 are deformed in directions approaching each other along the guide inclined surfaces 59.

(34) When the crimper 55 is lowered further to bring it close to the anvil 52, in the terminal 31, the conductor crimping pieces 43 reach the arch groove 57 (see FIG. 5A) and, from this state, the conductor crimping pieces 43 are pushed by the arch groove 57 in directions approaching each other and are deformed so as to be curved (wound) inward.

(35) After then, as shown in FIG. 6, the anvil 52 and crimper 55 are caused to approach each other until a crimping completion state in which the shape of the space sandwiched by the support surface 53 and arc-shaped surface 57a becomes a predetermined crimped shape. At this time, the conductor crimping portion 41 of the terminal 31 is sandwiched by the anvil 52 and crimper 55 and is pressed against the bonded core wire 13A. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the terminal 31 is firmly crimped to the core wire bundle 13 (bonded core wire 13A) with no clearance, whereby the terminal 31 is securely conducted to the core wire bundle 13 of the electric wire 11.

(36) Here, in the terminal crimping step, the coating crimping pieces 47 of the terminal 31 are crimped by an anvil and a crimper (neither of which are shown) provided on the terminal crimping machine 51, whereby the coating crimping portion 45 of the terminal 31 is crimped and fixed to the insulation coating 14 portion of the electric wire 11.

(37) (Proper Range of Clearance Ratio in Bonded Core Wire after Ultrasonic Bonding Step)

(38) As described above, in the ultrasonic bonding step, while pressing the core wire bundle 13 within the bonding processing room S from both sides and from above and below, ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the core wire bundle 13. As the degree of pressing on the core wire bundle 13 in the ultrasonic bonding step increases, the ratio of a portion (a clearance portion) where the conductor core wires 12 in the section of the bonded core wire 13A (the section provided when the bonded core wire 13A is cut by a plane orthogonal to the axis of the bonded core wire 13A) after the ultrasonic bonding step do not exist decreases. In the following description, with respect to the above section after the ultrasonic bonding step, a percentage of the area of the clearance portion to the area of the whole portion surrounded by the outer periphery of this section is defined as a [clearance ratio] (%). The clearance ratio can be adjusted arbitrarily by adjusting the degree of pressing of the core wire bundle 13 in the ultrasonic bonding step.

(39) Strictly speaking, the area of the whole portion of the section of the bonded core wire 13A means the area of a portion surrounded by the outer peripheral shape of the bonded core wire 13A shown in FIG. 2C (that is, a contour shape obtained when fine irregular shapes (arc-like shapes) defined by the respective outer peripheries of the multiple conductor core wires 12 situated in the outer peripheral portion of the bonded core wire 13A are connected together in order). However, in order to facilitate the calculation of the clearance ratio, an approximate area obtained when the outer peripheral shape of the bonded core wire 13A is approximated to a polygon (in the example shown in FIG. 2C, the area of a rectangle R) may also be employed as the area of the whole portion of the section of the bonded core wire 13A. Here, the area of the whole portion of the section of the bonded core wire 13A and the area of the clearance portion can be obtained, for example, by applying a known image processing to an image obtained by photographing the section of the bonded core wire 13A (see FIG. 2C).

(40) The inventor has found that, in the case of the clearance ratio (%) larger than 3 and equal to or smaller than 15 (3<clearance ratio15), even when the terminal-equipped electric wire 1 after subjected to the ultrasonic bonding step is placed under a severe use environment, the electric resistance value of a crimped portion (which is hereinafter called [crimped portion resistance]) between the bonded core wire 13A and terminal 31 is hard to increase when compared with a case where the clearance ratio does not belong to this range. Hereinafter, two experiments conducted by the inventor in relation to this point are described.

(41) In the first experiment (thermal shock test), for multiple samples having different clearance ratios (%), crimped portion resistances (m) before and after the thermal shock test (the test according to the Accelerated Environment Exposure Test of the US standard USCAR-21 stipulated by SAE International) were measured. As the crimped portion resistance, specifically, the electric resistance value between a predetermined location of the connection plate section 34 of the terminal 31 in the terminal-equipped electric wire 1 (see FIG. 1D) and a predetermined location of the bonded core wire 13A was measured. The results of this test are shown in FIG. 8.

(42) In this test, actually, for multiple (specifically, ten) samples having clearance ratios of less than 10%, multiple (specifically, ten) samples having clearance ratios of 10% to 15%, and multiple (specifically, ten) samples having clearance ratios of larger than 15%, electric resistance values were measured respectively. In FIG. 8, for the sample groups respectively having clearance ratios of [less than 10%], [10% to 15%] and [larger than 15%], a solid line in an upper stage, a rhombus mark in an intermediate stage and a solid line in a lower stage respectively show the maximum values, average values and minimum values of the crimped portion resistances measured. Further, the left side (thin line) maximum values, average values and minimum values respectively show values before the above-mentioned thermal shock test, whereas the right side (thick line) maximum values, average values and minimum values respectively show values after the thermal shock test. In this test, the accepted reference range of the crimped portion resistance was the range of 0.05 m or less (see broken lines of FIG. 8).

(43) As shown in FIG. 8, it was clarified that, the larger the clearance ratio is, the more the degree of increase in the crimped portion resistance after the thermal shock test with respect to the crimped portion resistance before the thermal shock test is. And, it was clarified that, for the crimped portion resistance after subjected to the ultrasonic bonding step, when the clearance ratio is 15% or less (clearance ratio15), even after the thermal shock test, the crimped portion resistance falls within the accepted reference range.

(44) The above result may be based on the fact that, when the clearance ratio is 15% or less, a phenomenon, in which the core wire bundle 13 (bonded core wire 13A) is separated into the multiple conductor core wires 12 due to the thermal expansion/thermal contraction of the bonded core wire 13A caused the up and down of the temperature of the use environment, is hard to occur. When the core wire bundle 13 (bonded core wire 13A) is hard to be separated into the multiple conductor core wires 12, a phenomenon, in which oxide films occur again on the surfaces of the separated conductor core wires 12, is hard to occur. As a result, the effect of the above-mentioned integration (single wire making) is hard to be impaired.

(45) Further, in the second experiment (creep test), multiple samples having different clearance ratios (%) were observed as to whether, after elapse of a predetermined period (a period assuming a normal use time) after the terminal 31 was crimped to the bonded core wire 13A, a clearance occurs or not between the bonded core wire 13A and terminal 31 (in other words, whether creep deformation occurs or not). The test, result has clarified that, when the clearance ratio of the bonded core wire 13A is 3% or less, after this test, a phenomenon (creep deformation) in which, as shown in FIG. 9, a portion of the bonded core wire 13A is peeled off the terminal 31 to thereby produce a clearance P, is easy to occur between the terminal 31 and bonded core wire 13A; and that, when the clearance ratio is larger than 3%, even after this test, such a peel-off phenomenon as shown in FIG. 9 is hard to occur.

(46) When such a peel-off phenomenon as shown in FIG. 9 occurs, the crimped portion resistance increases by an amount corresponding to the clearance P. From the viewpoint of avoiding this increase in the crimped portion resistance, it is desired to prevent this peel-off phenomenon.

(47) The results of the above-mentioned two tests clarify that, in order to suppress an increase in the crimped portion resistance as much as possible, preferably, the clearance ratio of the bonded core wire 13A may be larger than 3 and equal to or less than 15.

(48) As described above, according to a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire 1 according to this embodiment, since the clearance ratio of the bonded core wire 13A is larger than 3 and equal to or less than 15 (3<clearance ratio15), the conductivity of the terminal-equipped electric wire 1 comprising the bonded core wire 13A composed of the multiple mutually bonded conductor core wires 12 and the terminal 31 crimped to the bonded core wire 13A can be enhanced and maintained as much as possible.

Other Embodiment

(49) Here, the invention is not limited to the above embodiment but can be variously modified and improved without departing from the range of the invention. Also, the materials, shapes, dimensions, number, arrangement locations etc. of the respective composing elements of the above embodiment are arbitrary but not limitative so long as they can attain the invention.

(50) For example, as the electric wire 11, instead of the aluminum electric wire or aluminum alloy electric wire, there may be used an electric wire (copper wire) in which conductor core wires 12 are made of copper or copper alloy. Further, as the terminal 31, instead of the terminal made of copper or copper alloy, there may be used a terminal made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

(51) Moreover, for example, when crimping the terminal 31 to the bonded core wire 13A after subjected to ultrasonic bonding processing, the section of the crimped portion is not limited to any particular shape. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10A, the terminal 31 may be crimped so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the bonded core wire 13A. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 10B to 10E, in a state where the bonded core wire 13A is inserted into a tubular terminal 31, they may be crimped so as to have various section shapes. Here, the inventor has confirmed that, without considering the section shape of the crimped portion, when the clearance ratio of the bonded core wire 13A is in the above-mentioned range (3<clearance ratio15), the effect described in the above embodiment can be obtained.

(52) Here, the characteristics of the above embodiment of a manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire according to the invention are briefly listed in the following configurations (1) to (3).

(53) (1) manufacturing method for a terminal-equipped electric wire (1) in which a terminal (31) is crimped to an electric wire (11) including a core wire bundle (13) bundled by a plurality of conductor core wires (12), the manufacturing method comprising:

(54) ultrasonically bonding the core wire bundle (FIG. 3) so as to form a bonded core wire (13A) in which the plurality of conductor core wires are bonded to each other; and

(55) crimping the terminal to the bonded core wire (FIG. 4),

(56) wherein the bonded core wire (13A) is formed so that a clearance ratio which is a percentage of a clearance area in which the conductor core wires do not exist to a whole area surrounded by an outer periphery of the bonded core wire is larger than 3 and equal to or less than 15 (3<clearance ratio15) in a section view orthogonal to an axis of the bonded core wire (13A).

(57) (2) The terminal-equipped electric wire manufacturing method according to the above configuration (1),

(58) wherein the clearance ratio is a percentage of a clearance area of the bonded core wire to a whole area (rectangle R) when an outer peripheral shape of the bonded core wire (13A) in the section view is approximated to a polygon.

(59) (3) The terminal-equipped electric wire manufacturing method according to the above configuration (1) or (2),

(60) wherein the plurality of conductor core wires (12) are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

(61) 1: Terminal-equipped electric wire 11: Electric wire 12: Conductor core wire 13: Core wire bundle 13A: Bonded core wire 31: Terminal