JP2010044995A - Electric wire, and connection structure of electric wire with terminal metal fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric wire in which electric corrosion is prevented and weight reduction is achieved. <P>SOLUTION: The electric wire 10 includes a conductor part 13 made by compositing an aluminum wire 11 composed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and a copper wire 12 composed of copper or a copper alloy. The aluminum wire 11 is arranged inside in a diameter direction while the copper wire 12 is arranged outside in the diameter direction. The terminal fitting 20 includes a crimping part 21 constituted of a copper-based material and crimped to the terminal conductor part 13A exposed at a terminal of the electric wire 10. The copper wire 12 is connected to the terminal conductor part 13A. With this, since the aluminum wire 11 is contained, the weight reduction is achieved, and since the crimping part 21 and the terminal conductor part 13A are mutually connected with the copper based metals, the electric corrosion is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric wire and a connection structure between the electric wire and a terminal fitting.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an aluminum electric wire in which a conductor portion is formed by twisting aluminum strands is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such an aluminum electric wire may be used in place of a copper electric wire when there is a demand for weight reduction.
JP 2004-253198 A

  By the way, the conductor part is exposed by the removal of the coating at the end of the aluminum electric wire, and the crimping piece of the terminal fitting is caulked to the exposed conductor part. However, since the terminal fitting is usually made of a copper-based material different from that of the aluminum electric wire, if moisture intervenes between the crimping piece and the conductor part, a potential difference generated between the crimping piece and the conductor part is caused. There is a risk of electrical corrosion. On the other hand, if a copper electric wire is used, there is a problem that it is not possible to meet the demand for weight reduction, although the concern about such electric corrosion can be solved. In addition, when a terminal metal fitting made of an aluminum-based material is used for an aluminum electric wire, there is a situation in which the strength of a bent portion such as a crimping piece cannot be sufficiently ensured.

  This invention is completed based on the above situations, Comprising: It aims at implement | achieving weight reduction, after preventing electrolytic corrosion.

  As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a conductor portion formed by combining an aluminum wire made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a copper wire made of copper or a copper alloy, and the aluminum wire Is arranged on the inner side in the radial direction, and the copper wire is arranged on the outer side in the radial direction.

  Invention of Claim 2 is a connection structure of an electric wire and a terminal metal fitting, Comprising: The said electric wire is a conductor part formed by combining the aluminum wire which consists of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the copper wire which consists of copper or a copper alloy. The aluminum wire is arranged radially inside, the copper wire is arranged radially outside, and the terminal fitting is made of a copper-based material and exposed at the end of the electric wire. There is a feature in that a crimping part to be crimped to the part is provided, and the crimping part is connected to the copper wire.

<Invention of Claim 1 or Claim 2>
Since the conductor portion of the electric wire includes an aluminum wire, weight reduction is realized. In addition, since the conductor part has the aluminum wire arranged radially inside and the copper wire arranged radially outside, the crimping part of the terminal fitting made of copper-based material is crimped on the conductor part. Is connected to the copper wire. Therefore, the crimping portion and the conductor portion are connected by the same type of metals, and electrolytic corrosion is prevented. It should be noted that the aluminum wire and the copper wire can be substantially kept in an insulating state by an oxide film formed on the surface of the aluminum wire.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The electric wire 10 of the present embodiment includes a conductor portion 13 configured by combining an aluminum wire 11 and a copper wire 12, and an insulating portion 14 covered on the outer periphery of the conductor portion 13. The insulating portion 14 is made of a well-known material generally used for the electric wire 10 such as polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene.

  The aluminum wire 11 is made of one or more aluminum wires 11A, and is formed of an aluminum-based material (a material made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy containing a large amount of aluminum). Preferably, the aluminum wire 11 is formed by twisting a plurality of wires. The cross-sectional area of the aluminum strand 11A is larger than that of the copper wire 12 in consideration of the current carrying capacity.

  The aluminum wire 11 is disposed inside the radial direction (X direction shown in FIG. 1) which is the center side of the electric wire 10 (including the center of the electric wire 10). In the case of illustration, two aluminum strands 11A are arranged side by side along the radial direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 1) at the center of the electric wire 10. Before the crimping portion 21 (described later) of the terminal fitting 20 is crimped to the electric wire 10, the escape space 16 is held between the insulating portion 14 on both sides of the aluminum wire 11 in the Y direction shown in the figure. After the crimping portion 21 is crimped to the electric wire 10, the electric wire 10 is crushed in the radial direction (X direction shown in FIG. 1), and the copper wire 12 enters the escape space 16.

  The copper wire 12 is composed of one or more copper wires 12A, and is formed of a copper-based material (a material made of copper or a copper alloy containing a large amount of copper). Preferably, the copper wire 12A is formed by twisting a plurality of wires.

  The copper wire 12 is disposed outside the radial direction (X direction shown in FIG. 1), which is a position near the insulating portion 14 of the electric wire 10. In the case shown in the drawing, the copper wire 12 is arranged radially outside with the aluminum wire 11 interposed therebetween. As described above, the copper wire 12 is substantially not in the escape space 16 before being connected to the terminal fitting 20. It is supposed to enter. In the case of this embodiment, the total cross-sectional area of the copper wire 12 is larger than the total cross-sectional area of the aluminum wire 11, thereby ensuring a predetermined conductivity. But the total cross-sectional area of the copper wire 12 may be smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the aluminum wire 11, or may be the same as the total cross-sectional area of the aluminum wire 11.

  The terminal fitting 20 is entirely formed of a copper-based material (a material made of copper or a copper alloy containing a large amount of copper). The terminal fitting 20 includes a crimping portion 21 connected to the end of the electric wire 10. The crimping part 21 is caulked to the insulating part 14 of the electric wire 10 positioned behind the wire barrel 21B that is caulked to the terminal conductor part 13A exposed by peeling the insulating part 14 at the end of the electric wire 10. An insulation barrel (not shown). The wire barrel 21B and the insulation barrel are formed with a pair of crimping pieces 21A that stand in an open barrel shape.

  A compressive force inward in the radial direction is applied to the conductor portion 13 by the crimping by the crimping portion 21, whereby the copper wire 12 is pushed in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. The wire 12 wraps around the outer periphery of the aluminum wire 11 as a whole. In particular, in the wire barrel 21B, the crimping piece 21A is bent into a substantially U-shape so that the tip of the crimping piece 21A bites into the conductor portion 13, and the copper wire 12 contacts the tip of the crimping piece 21A. The crimping piece 21A and the electric wire 10 are electrically connected. In this case, the aluminum wire 11 is not substantially in contact with the wire barrel 21B.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the aluminum wire 11 is included in the conductor portion 13 of the electric wire 10, weight reduction is realized. Moreover, in the conductor part 13, since the aluminum wire 11 is arrange | positioned inside radial direction and the copper wire 12 is arrange | positioned radially outside, the wire in the crimping part 21 of the terminal metal fitting 20 is connected to the terminal conductor part 13 in the conductor part 13. When the barrel 21B is crimped from the outside, the wire barrel 21B is substantially connected to the copper wire 12 instead of the aluminum wire 11. Therefore, the wire barrel 21 </ b> B and the terminal conductor portion 13 </ b> A are connected by the same kind of copper-based metal, and as a result of avoiding the connection between different metals, electrolytic corrosion is prevented. Note that the aluminum wire 11 and the copper wire 12 are substantially kept in an insulated state by an oxide film formed on the surface of the aluminum wire 11. Moreover, since the aluminum wire 11 occupies the center part of the electric wire 10 and comprises a core, it is easy to braze when the electric wire 10 is bent, and the routing workability of the electric wire 10 is improved.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) When there are a large number of aluminum strands, it is not necessary that all the aluminum strands are arranged on the center side of the electric wire, and most of the aluminum strands are arranged on the central side of the electric wire. Good.
(2) Before being crimped by the crimping portion, the copper wire may be arranged so as to entirely wrap the outer periphery of the aluminum wire.
(3) A configuration in which a cylindrical crimp portion provided in a closed barrel type terminal fitting is crimped to a terminal conductor portion may be employed.
(4) The outer periphery of the aluminum wire may be covered with an insulating coating, and the insulating coating may be in contact with the copper wire.

It is sectional drawing of the electric wire in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the state by which the crimping part of the terminal metal fitting was crimped | bonded to the terminal conductor part of the electric wire.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electric wire 11 ... Aluminum wire 12 ... Copper wire 13 ... Conductor part 14 ... Insulation part 20 ... Terminal metal fitting 21 ... Crimp part

Claims (2)

Provided with a conductor formed by combining an aluminum wire made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a copper wire made of copper or a copper alloy,
An electric wire, wherein the aluminum wire is arranged radially inside and the copper wire is arranged radially outside. A connection structure between an electric wire and a terminal fitting,
The electric wire includes a conductor portion formed by combining an aluminum wire made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a copper wire made of copper or a copper alloy, and the aluminum wire is arranged on a radially inner side, and the copper wire has a diameter Arranged outside the direction,
The terminal fitting is made of a copper-based material, and includes a crimping part that is crimped to the conductor part exposed at the end of the electric wire,
The connection structure, wherein the crimping portion is connected to the copper wire.

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