EP4679637A1

EP4679637A1 - Male stamped connector terminal with in-axis screwing and anti-turn feature

Info

Publication number: EP4679637A1
Application number: EP24188406.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Quentin CORDIER; Sebastien TINTILIER; Laurent Morin
Original assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
Current assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
Priority date: 2024-07-12
Filing date: 2024-07-12
Publication date: 2026-01-14

Abstract

An electrical terminal assembly (10) with in-axis screwing and an anti-turn features comprises an elongated hollow terminal body (11) obtained by stamping and winding a sheet of metal having first and second windows (111,112) which are aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of the terminal body (11) after winding. An insert (30) has a distal end (31) configured to protrude from the terminal body (11) when the insert (30) has been accommodated through the windows (111,112) to achieve the anti-turn function. The insert can be retained in precise position within the first window (11) by a two-shoulder arrangement (321,322). An intermediate portion of the insert between its distal end (31) and its proximal end (32) has a threaded through-hole (33) configured to be aligned with the cross-sectional disc of the terminal body (11) to achieve the in-axis screwing function of the electrical terminal.

Description

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of automotive connectors and more particularly to the field of power connectors for automotive vehicles.
More specifically it concerns a male stamped connector terminal with in-axis screwing and anti-turn features, such as those used for charging batteries of electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles. This disclosure also relates to a method for making such a connector terminal, and to a method of attaching such a male connector terminal to a counter-connection fitting element of a wiring harness, for example.

Related Art

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
In the automotive industry, the transmission of electrical power is becoming increasingly important. This applies in particular to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, whose operation is largely based on the supply of electrical power from a charging port to one or more of the vehicle's electrical devices, such as batteries, electric motors, voltage converters and so on.
In hybrid and electric vehicles high electric currents and high voltages are often transmitted by means of wiring harnesses including one or more elongated planar electrical conductors, known as a "busbars". Such busbars may form part of the wiring harness and/or of the further electric architecture of the vehicle which may be connected to the wiring harness. For example, a busbar provided in the wiring harness may serve to conduct electric power from an in-board power battery to an electric motor of the vehicle and/or from a charging port to the battery.
When it comes to integrating connectors into wiring harnesses designed to transmit high currents, these connectors must be equipped with terminals or contacts of sufficient size and cross-section to transmit these high currents without excessive heating. It is essential that a connector terminal, which is configured, for example, to supply power from the charging port to the vehicle battery via a busbar, is connected to this busbar safely and with the lowest possible electrical resistance. Current solutions for the proper mechanical and electrical attachment of a connection terminal to a busbar include screwed and/or bolted fastenings.
To that end, the electric power terminals of modern male connectors intended to be used in applications of the above type are generally machined from solid copper (or copper alloy) rods, for example. Typically, the male connector terminal has an elongated terminal body with a disk-shaped cross-section, which is manufactured by machining a raw metal bar.
The cost of these machined terminals is mainly due to the consumption of materials, in particular because a significant amount of scrap is generated, and to the slowness and complexity of the manufacturing process. To increase competitiveness and save resources, it may be possible to replace the production of this type of machined male connection terminal with a stamped and wound terminal, which is cut and shaped from a relatively thick sheet of metal.
One of the main difficulties encountered when changing from a machined to a stamped/wound terminal is the in-axis screwing feature that is required to attach the terminal, for example to a busbar or any other counter-connection fitting element of the inboard wiring harness of the vehicle. The in-axis screwing feature is complemented by the need for an anti-rotation device, such as a nut or an insert, for example. Such a nut is engaged in the terminal body once the terminal has been put in place within the connector housing, through a cavity in said connector housing along a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the terminal body. This anti-turn (or anti-rotation) device is adapted to prevent rotation of the electrical terminal relative to the male connector housing when the nut is screwed for attachment of the terminal to the busbar.
The present innovation meets this challenge.

SUMMARY

More specifically, a purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical terminal that can conduct a relatively high current intensity while reducing material and manufacturing costs, without excessively complexifying its design and in particular without increasing the number of constituent parts.
To address these needs, a first aspect of the proposed solution relates to an electrical terminal assembly for an electrical terminal with an axial nut screwing function and an anti-turn function, which is defined by the features as claimed in claim 1.
More precisely, according to a firs aspect there is proposed an electrical terminal assembly for an electrical terminal with an in-axis screwing function and an anti-turn function, wherein:

the terminal assembly comprises an elongated hollow terminal body having a ring-shaped cross-section, made from a stamped and wound sheet of electrically conductive material and which, after winding of said stamped sheet, comprises a first window and a second window aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of said terminal body; and,
the terminal assembly further comprises a detachable insert having:
- - - a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, at least one of which is configured to protrude from the terminal body when the insert has been accommodated through the first window and the second window of the terminal body, to achieve the anti-turn function of the electrical terminal; and,
- - - an intermediate portion in-between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion, said intermediate portion having a threaded through-hole configured to be aligned with the cross-sectional disc of the terminal body when the insert has been accommodated through the first window and the second window of said terminal body, to achieve the axial screwing function of the electrical terminal.

Stated otherwise, embodiments include making use of the anti-turn device, for example a nut inserted in the terminal body along a transverse direction to address the in-axis screwing function within the context of a stamped terminal. Thanks to these features, the proposed design enables the electrical terminal to be produced by a stamping and rolling method without compromising the simplicity of the male connector terminal and the ease of assembly.
The various costs, including material and manufacturing costs, are divided by 3 between an existing machined terminal and a stamped and rolled terminal according to the different embodiments.
Further embodiments of the proposed solution are defined in the dependent claims.
This male connection terminal assembly can also include a nut adapted to screw the terminal to a counter-connection component such as a busbar.
A second aspect of the proposed solution relates to an electrical according to claim 6, comprising:

a connector housing with at least one cavity;
at least one male connector terminal according to the first aspect, adapted to be accommodated within the cavity; and
a screw adapted to attach a end of the male terminal with an electrically conductive counter-element by in-axis screwing in the threaded hole provided in the insert, through an associated aperture provided at an attachment portion of the busbar.

A third aspect of aspect of the proposed solution relates to a method according to claim 7, of manufacturing a male connector terminal according to the first apect, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a metal foil of conductive material;
(b) stamping the foil of conductive material to produce two windows in the stamped sheet of conductive material thus obtained; and
(c) winding the stamped sheet of conductive material to obtain the elongated, hollow terminal body of the male connector terminal.

Applications of embodiments encompass electrical power interconnections in automotive vehicles. For example, embodiments relate to power terminals for interconnecting battery cells, converters, charge plugs, motors, etc. in electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG.1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a male connector terminal with in-axis screw function and anti-turn function according to the prior art, in which the terminal is formed from a machined metal rod;
FIG.2 is an exploded three-dimensional view of an elongated hollow terminal body and of a removable insert of a connector terminal assembly according to embodiments of the first aspect of the invention;
FIG.3 is another three-dimensional view similar to FIG.2, in which the insert is positioned in operating position inside the terminal body;
FIG.4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector terminal assembly in the plane of the insert
FIG.5 is a multi-view representation of the insert;
FIG.6 is a three-dimensional view of a stamped metal foil the elongated, ready to be wounded to form the elongated hollow body of the connection terminal according to the method of the third aspect;
FIG.7 is a three-dimensional view an electrically conductive counter-element such as a busbar, which is adapted to be operatively attached to which the free end of the terminal body of the male connector terminal;
FIG.8 is an axial cross-sectional view of a male connector according to the second aspect terminal with in-axis screw function and anti-turn function according to embodiments of the present invention, in which the terminal is formed from a relatively thick sheet of metal, stamped and wound.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following figures and description illustrate specific exemplary embodiments of the invention. It is therefore obvious that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or illustrated herein, embody the principles of the proposed solution and are included within the scope of the claims. In addition, all examples described herein are intended to facilitate understanding of the principles of the solution and should be construed as not being limited to the examples and provisions specifically disclosed. Accordingly, the scope of the claims is not limited to the specific embodiments or examples described below, but only by the features set forth in the claims and their equivalents.
In the figures of the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to similar elements. In addition, unless specifically stated otherwise, the disclosures contained in the entire description can be applied analogously to the same parts with the same reference signs or the same component identifiers.
In the following description, functions or constructions well-known by the one skilled in the art are not described in detail since they would obscure the description in unnecessary detail.
Electrical connectors known in the art comprise a connector housing with a plurality of receptacles for receiving respective electrical connection terminals. The electrical connection terminals are generally in the form of a plug or pin, and are electrically attached to the respective wires and/or conductors of a vehicle's charging cable or wiring harness. The electrical connection terminals are designed to be connected to a corresponding counterpart, namely a pin or plug, respectively, of a dedicated corresponding counter-connector. To assemble the electrical connector, whether male or female, the electrical terminals must be inserted into the receptacles of the connector housing and held firmly there, either before or after the cables have been attached.
There will be firstly described, with reference to FIG.1 of the accompanying drawings, a male connection assembly 1000 with in-axis screwing function and anti-turn function according to the prior art.
The male connector assembly 1000 comprises a connector housing 1002 made of dielectric material which includes at least one cavity 1021 configured to accommodate at least one male connector terminal 1001. In the illustrated example, the terminal body of the male connector terminal 1001 is an elongated rod having a cylindrical shape. In what follows, reference sign "1001" will be used to designate both the connector terminal and the terminal body of said terminal. Terminal body 1001 extends longitudinally along the direction X of its main axis X-X', and has a disk-shaped cross-section in transverse plane Y,Z. One end of the terminal body of the male connector terminal 1001 as shown in FIG.1, hereinafter named the proximal end 1010, protrudes from the connector housing 1002 so that its radially extending end surface 1013 is exposed. The proximal end 1010 is meant as an attachment portion of the connector terminal 1001, by which said terminal can be attached to a wiring harness and/or to fitting element(s) of the further electric architecture of the vehicle such as one (or more) busbar(s). The axially extending surface 1013 of the proximal end 1010 of the terminal body 1001 is adapted to serve as an electrically conductive contact zone with the busbar.
The one with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the male connector terminal 1001 of the male connector assembly 1000 as shown in FIG.2 is adapted to be plugged by its distal end (not shown in FIG.1) opposite to the shown proximal end 1010 thereof along the longitudinal axis X-X', into a counter-connection fitting, namely a complementary (i.e., female) connection element, such as a socket. To that end, the male connector housing 1002 of the male connector terminal 1001 is adapted to be inserted into such socket by an insertion movement of the male connector relative to the counter-connector along the direction of the longitudinal axis X-X' of the terminal body 1001 of the male connector terminal 1001. This insertion movement is a movement of the male terminal connector 1000 in the horizontal direction, from right to left, in the view as shown in FIG.1. With reference to this direction of insertion of the male connector 1000 into an associated counter-connector, the proximal end 1010 of the terminal body of the male connector terminal 1001 will also be named the "rear" end of said terminal body, in the following description of the prior art and of embodiments of the invention.
The rear end 1010 of the terminal body of the machined connection terminal 1001 has an axial threaded hole 1011 adapted to cooperate operatively with a nut (not shown in FIG.1) to perform the screwing function in the longitudinal axis X-X' of the connection terminal 1001. Commonly, the hole 1011 is a blind hole drilled and threaded by respective tools, which extends longitudinally from the rear end 1010 along the longitudinal axis X-X' of the terminal body 1001.
In addition, the terminal body 1001 of the machined connection terminal includes a radially extending hole 1012 adapted to cooperate with an insert 1003 and with the connector housing 1002 of the male connector assembly 1000 in order to realize the anti-turn function of this assembly. The radially extending hole 1012 is a blind hole which extends into direction Y of a radial axis Y-Y' of the terminal body 1001. The insert 1003 of the connector terminal 1001 may be a radial nut 1003 as shown in FIG.1, or a pin, adapted to be secured into the radially extending hole 1012 arranged in the terminal body, through a corresponding through-hole 1022 provided within the envelope of the cavity 1021 of the terminal housing 1002. When lodged in operational position in the radial blind hole 1012 of the terminal body 1001, the insert 1003 simultaneously engages with the inner walls of the through-hole 1022 arranged in the connector housing 1002. Thus, relative rotation of the connector terminal 1001 with respect to the terminal housing 1002 is prevented. This function is designed to enable the axial nut to be screwed into the axially extending threaded hole 1011 by preventing rotation of the cylindrical terminal body 1001 around its longitudinal axis X-X' when the nut is screwed therein.
The male connector terminal 1001 of the male connector assembly 1000 with in-axis screw function and anti-rotation features according to the prior art as described above is conventionally obtained by machining a raw rod in an electrically conductive material, such as any metal conventionally used in the technical field of application.
As indicated in the introductory part of this description, however, such a manufacturing process by machining is not cost-effective. Indeed, machined terminals have a number of disadvantages:

a large quantity of raw materials is required
a lot of waste is produced; and,
the manufacturing process is slow (machining) and costly.

Therefore, the idea behind the innovation is to switch from a machined connector terminal to a stamped and winded terminal. To this end, a particular problem is the implementation of the in-axis screwing function required to connect the terminal to its associated counter-connection device, namely the busbar in the non-limiting example that is considered here.
One example of an electrical terminal assembly for an electrical terminal with an axial screw function and an anti-turn function according to proposed embodiments is shown in FIG.2, FIG.3 and FIG.4 . Nevertheless, this invention is not intended to be limited to the shown example. The in-axis screwing function is meant as a function of attaching the connector terminal to any distinct harness element whatsoever. The anti-turn function is meant as a function of preventing rotation of the connector terminal relative to the connector housing in order to allow in-axis screwing of a nut for the above attachment.
The terminal assembly 1 according to the shown embodiments comprises a connector terminal 10 with an elongated hollow terminal body 11 having a ring-shaped cross-section, as well as a detachable insert 30. Said insert 30 is adapted to carry out both the in-axis screwing function and the anti-turn function of the connector terminal 10. In this sense, it differs functionally from the nut or pin 1003 of the connection terminal assembly 1000 according to the prior art reflected by FIG.1 described above, which implements the anti-turn function only and plays no role in the implementation of the in-axis screwing feature for the attachment of the terminal to a fitting harness element.
In the exploded view of FIG.2 , the connection terminal 10 with an elongated hollow terminal body 11 and the insert 30 are shown separately. In the configuration as shown in FIG.2, the longitudinal axis Y1-Y1' of the insert 30 is aligned with the longitudinal axis Y-Y' of two facing windows 111 and 112 of the terminal body 11, ready to be inserted through these windows. Stated otherwise, axis Y1-Y1' and axis Y-Y' coincides, as shown. The windows 111 and 112 are aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of the terminal body 11, to enable the insert 30 to be inserted therein along the transverse direction Y-Y'. Further, the skilled person will appreciate that the dimensions of the cross-section of the distal end portion 31 of the insert 30 (namely, in a plane transverse to it longitudinal axis Y1-Y1') fit the dimensions of the of the windows 111 and 112 arranged in the envelope of the terminal body 11 of the male connector terminal, to allow such insertion.
An intermediate portion of the insert 30 between the distal end portion 31 and the proximal end portion 32 thereof, has a through-hole 33 which extends in the direction of axis X1-X1' which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X1-X1'. This through-hole 33 is threaded, in order to implement the in-axis screwing feature of the male connector terminal 10. The threaded through-hole 33 is configured to be aligned with the cross-sectional disc of the terminal body 11 when the insert 30 has been accommodated through the first window 111 and the second window 112 of said terminal body, to achieve the axial screwing function of the electrical terminal assembly 1.
In some embodiments, the first window 111 of the terminal body extends angularly, in a transverse plane Y,Z, between first and second angular ends along a portion of the circumference of the terminal body 11. In addition, the proximal end portion 32 of the insert has a two-shoulder arrangement, with a first shoulder 321 and a second shoulder 322 configured to engage the first and second angular ends, respectively, of the first window 111 of the terminal body 11. That way, the insert 30 is retained in precise position in the terminal body 11, namely at a determined position along the disc diameter of the cross-section of said terminal body. This is shown, in particular, in the cross-section view of FIG.4 . Thanks to this arrangement, precise alignment of the through-hole 33 of the insert 30 with the with the cross-sectional disc of the terminal body 11 is obtained, when the insert 30 has been accommodated through the first window 111 and the second window 112 of said terminal body 11. Stated otherwise, this feature prevents misalignment between the longitudinal axis X1-X1' of the threaded hole 33 of the insert 30 and the longitudinal axis X-X' of the tubular body of the male terminal 11 upon assembling. This makes it easy to efficiently screw a screw 80 axially within the insert 30, to secure the busbar 70 to the connection terminal 10, as shown in FIG.8.
As illustrated in FIG.3 and in the cross-sectional view of FIG.4 , the distal end portion 31 of the insert 30 is configured to protrude from the elongated hollow body 11 of the connector terminal 10 when the insert 30 has been accommodated through the first window 111 and the second window 112 arranged in terminal body 11, to achieve the anti-turn function of the male connector terminal 10. The one with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate, however, that nothing prevent that the above protrusion in the transvers plane Y,Z of the insert 30, and hence the anti-turn effect, be implemented at level of the proximal end portion 32 of the insert 30.
In further embodiments, the proximal end portion of the insert can have a rear arc surface 323 between the first shoulder 321 and second shoulder 322 of said proximal end portion 32, said rear arc surface 323 having a convex shape that matches, i.e., conforms to the curve, in the transverse plane Y,Z, of the outer surface of the cylindrical terminal body 11. This protects the insert from any impact during operation of the male connector, which could damage it. It also makes the connector more compact.
In all cases, insert 30 remains removable. Removal of the insert from the terminal body 11 can be achieved by pushing back the distal end 31 in the direction of axis Y1-Y1' so as to release the proximal end 32 from its housing cavity formed by the first window 111.
Details of the realization of insert 30 according to the embodiments described above and further details are illustrated in the conventional multi-view representation of the insert shown in FIG.5 .
With reference now to FIG.6 , the elongated, hollow body 11 of the connection terminal 10 is made from a stamped and then wound sheet of electrically conductive material, such as metal foil. FIG.5 illustrates, in the plane X,Z, the flat sheet of metal 11' after stamping of said foil but before winding. In this configuration, the windows 111 and 113 are still flat windows whereas, after winding of the metal sheet and has shown in FIG.2. FIG.3 and FIG.4, these windows are curved windows.
The skilled person will appreciate that the respective lengths of windows 111 and 112, in direction Z transverse to direction X of the longitudinal axis X-X' of the terminal body 11, define their respective angular opening after winding. Also, their relative position along the transverse direction Z is set so that, after winding, windows 111 and 112 are aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of the terminal body 11 as shown in FIG.2, FIG.3 and FIG.4.
The axial length L of the windows 111 and 112 is of the order of one tenth of millimetres, depending on the efforts, in particular the pull-out forces, that the connection terminal 10 has to withstand. For example, the axial length L of the windows 111 and 112, which is represented in FIG.5 and FIG.6, is comprised between 5 and 15 millimetres, preferably between 8 and 12 millimetres, and more preferably equal to or in the order of 10 millimetres.
In some embodiments, the metal sheet 11' is a few millimetres thick, depending on the electrical current to be conducted by the terminal. The higher the current, the thicker the metal sheet. For example, the thickness D of sheet metal 11' of FIG.5 (before winding), which further appears in FIG.2 (after winding), is between 1 and 5 millimetres, preferably between 1 and 3 millimetres, and more preferably equal to or in the order of 2 millimetres.
After winding of the stamped sheet 11', the tubular terminal body 11 that is obtained comprises the first window 11 and the second window 112 aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of said terminal body 11.
The annular surface 113, in a transverse plane, of the rear end 110 of the terminal body 11 of the male connector terminal 10 is configured as a contact portion for electrically connecting the elongated hollow terminal body 11 with an electrically conductive counter-element of the vehicle's wiring harness, such as a busbar.
With reference to FIG.7 , an electrically conductive counter-element is shown, to which the free end 110 of the terminal body 11 of the male connector 10 can be operatively attached. In the non-limiting applications considered here, this counter-element may include one (or more) electrical conductor(s) belonging to the vehicle's wiring harness. In the shown example, such a counter-element is an elongated planar electrical conductor 70, known as a "busbar", which extends along a longitudinal axis Y2-Y2'.
The busbar 70 has a connection end 71 configured to interconnect the conductor to a current source or to an electrical load (not shown), and an attachment end 72 configured to attach the busbar to the male terminal of the electrical connector by screwing. The busbar 70 can be configured for use in a high-power link of an electric or hybrid vehicle. For example, the busbar 70 can be configured to conduct a single electric phase of an electric motor, or a high-current battery charging current. The voltage of this power current can be, e.g. in the range from 400 Volts to 800 volts.
The busbar 70 can be configured for being used in a high-voltage track of an electrical or hybrid vehicle, wherein the busbar portion is preferably configured for guiding just one electrical phase. In some applications, a multiport connector can incorporate a plurality of male connector terminal like connector terminal 11, arranged in respective cavities of the connector housing 12, each adapted to conduct one of respective current phases, and/or one of respective voltages, when attached to respective busbars such as busbar 70 as shown.
Advantageously, the electrically conductive counter-element of the vehicle's wiring harness, namely busbar 70 in the above example, is comprised of a metal material, the metal material including one or more of the following:

copper, and/or a copper alloy;
aluminium, and/or an aluminium alloy.

Further, the conductor material may include brass. Such metals allow a low resistance power conduction with reduced loss.
Turning back to FIG.8 , and as previously mentioned, mating of the busbar 70 to the male connector terminal 10 is achieved by screwing a screw 80 in the in-axis threaded hole 33 provided in the insert 30, through an associated aperture 721 provided at the attachment end 72 of the busbar 70. Upon such attachment, the annular contact portion 113 at proximal end 110 of the terminal contacts with the opposed surface of the busbar, around the aperture 721, which provides electrical continuity with capacity of conducting high currents in efficient and secure conditions. Stated otherwise, when the male terminal 10 and the busbar 70 are screwed together, the annular surface - in the transverse plane Y,Z - of the male terminal 10 around the opening of the threaded hole and the flat surface of the busbar around the aperture 721 electrically connect to each other.
The tightening torque to be applied to the screw 80 depends in particular on the pull-out forces the attachment of the connector terminal to the busbar must withstand in any specific application. For example, the tightening torque can range between ca. 8 N.m^-1 and ca. 12 N.m^-1.
Typically, the male terminal 10 has an elongated terminal body 11 with a disk-shaped cross-section, which is manufactured by machining a rod of raw electrically conductive material, for example as a metal such as copper or a copper alloy. A threaded hole 111 is arranged in the cylindrical body of the male terminal 10, which extends along the longitudinal axis X-X' of the terminal body 11 from the rear end of said terminal 10.
In some embodiments, the rear end 110 of the terminal may be coated with a low-resistivity metal such as tin, silver and/or gold, in order to limit overheating, particularly in the contact areas between the terminal 10 and the busbar 70, notably the annular rear surface 113 (in the Y,Z plane) of the terminal body 11. Such coating may be deposited on the sheet of metal 11' before winding, and possibly even before cutting the raw metal foil. In a variant, the coating may be deposited on the rear end of the tubular body 11 after cutting and winding of the metal foil. A detailed description of the process for achieving this metal deposition would go beyond the scope of the present description, but the person skilled in the art will be able to choose one of the many conventional electrochemical deposition methods known in this field, depending on the specifics of the application concerned.
The embodiments described above represent a reduction of around 300% in the production costs of the male connection terminal, including material and manufacturing costs.
While there has been illustrated and described what are presently considered to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from the true scope of the claims. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the central inventive concept described herein. Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention may not include all of the features described above. Therefore, it is intended that the proposed solution be not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the solution as claimed.
Expressions such as "comprise", "include", "incorporate", "contain", "is" and "have" are to be construed in a non-exclusive manner when interpreting the description and its associated claims, namely construed to allow for other items or components which are not explicitly defined also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed in be a reference to the plural and vice versa. Finally, it is stipulated that the reference signs in the claims do not limit the scope of the claims but are merely inserted to enhance the legibility of said claims.

Claims

An electrical terminal assembly (10) for an electrical terminal (1) with an in-axis screwing function and an anti-turn function, wherein:
- the terminal assembly (10) comprises an elongated hollow terminal body (11) having a ring-shaped cross-section, made from a stamped and wound sheet of electrically conductive material and which, after winding of said stamped sheet (11'), comprises a first window (111) and a second window (112) aligned with each other along a disc diameter of the cross-section of said terminal body (11); and,

- the terminal assembly further comprises a detachable insert (30) having:
- - a distal end portion (31) and a proximal end portion (32), at least one of which is configured to protrude from the terminal body (11) when the insert (30) has been accommodated through the first window (111) and the second window (112) of the terminal body, to achieve the anti-turn function of the electrical terminal; and,

- - an intermediate portion in-between the distal end portion (31) and the proximal end portion (32), said intermediate portion having a threaded through-hole (33) configured to be aligned with the cross-sectional disc of the terminal body (11) when the insert (30) has been accommodated through the first window (111) and the second window (112) of said terminal body, to achieve the axial screwing function of the electrical terminal.
The electrical terminal assembly of Claim 1, wherein:
- the first window (111) of the terminal body extends angularly, in a transverse plane (Y,Z), between first and second angular ends along a portion of the circumference of the terminal body (11); and,

- the proximal end portion (32) of the insert has a two shoulder arrangement (321,322) configured to engage the first and second angular ends, respectively, of the first windows (111) of the terminal body (11) to retain the insert (30) in position in the terminal body (11) at a determined position along the disc diameter of the cross-section of said terminal body.
The electrical terminal assembly of Claim 2, wherein the proximal end portion (32) of the insert (30) has a rear arc surface between the first shoulder (321) and second shoulder (322) of said proximal end portion (32), said rear arc surface having a convex shape that matches the curve, in a transverse plane (Y,Z), of the outer surface of the (cylindrical) terminal body (11).
The electrical terminal assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the annular surface, in a transverse plane (Y,Z), of the rear end (110) of the terminal body (11) is configured as a contact portion (113) for electrically connecting the terminal body (11) with an electrically conductive counter-element (70).
The electrical terminal assembly of either one of Claim 1 to 4, wherein the axial length (L) of the first and second windows (111,112) is comprised between 5 and 15 millimetres, preferably between 8 and 12 millimetres, and more preferably equal to or in the order of 10 millimetres.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing (20) with at least one cavity (21);

- at least one male connector terminal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, adapted to be accommodated within the cavity (21); and

- a screw (80) adapted to attach a end of the male terminal with an electrically conductive counter-element by in-axis screwing in the threaded hole (33) provided in the insert (30), through an associated aperture (721) provided at an attachment portion (72) of the busbar (70).
A method of manufacturing a male connector terminal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a metal foil of conductive material;

(b) stamping the foil of conductive material to produce two windows (111,112) in the stamped sheet of conductive material (11') thus obtained; and

(c) winding the stamped sheet of conductive material (11') to obtain the elongated, hollow terminal body (11) of the male connector terminal (10).
A method of connecting a male connector terminal (10) to an electrically conductive counter-element (70) with in-axis screwing and anti-turn features, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a male connector terminal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5;

(b) accommodating the insert (30) of the male connector terminal (10) into the first window (111) and the second window (112) of the terminal body (11) of the male connector terminal (10);

(c) in-axis screwing a screw (80) within the threaded through-hole (33) of the insert through an aperture (721) arranged at an attachment area (72) of the electrically conductive counter-element (70).