JPH05508051A - electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A device (1) for forming an electrical connection at the end of a bundle of wires (2) comprises an electrically insulating, preferably heat-shrinkable, sleeve (3), a metallic connecting element (4) located within the sleeve, and a quantity of solder (8) for forming a permanent electrical connection between the conductors. The connecting element (4) has a tapering internal surface which has a screw thread so that a temporary electrical connection can be formed by screwing the bundle of wires into the connecting element. Preferably the connecting element is formed by winding a wire, e.g. hard tempered copper wire, into a frusto-conical form. Splices in wire bundles may be made by means of a device in which the connecting element has a pair of internally threaded portions into which different cable bundles can be screwed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] electrical connector one The invention relates to electrical connectors, particularly conductors in articles such as automotive harnesses, etc. The present invention relates to connectors for forming solder connections between bodies.

Electrical harnesses, such as those manufactured in the automotive industry, are often very complex. It's rough. In some cases, wires, terminals, connectors and other form two or more subassemblies, and then A harness is created by forming electrical connections between the wires. such a place In this case, harness assembly can be controlled by a computer and assisted by a monitor. This allows the assembler to carry out stacking at each stage of harness production. Now you can check the correct assembly of the assembly by looking at the outline of the assembly. It has become. To be able to operate this control method, the subassembly The ends of the conductors are connected, for example by spring contacts, and current is applied to the assembly. Or it sends an electrical signal to ensure the harness is accurate. clip It is only after such confirmation is obtained that a permanent electrical connection is made by disconnecting the be.

In the present invention, electricity is generated at the end of a bundle of elongated electrical conductors. A device is provided for forming an electrical connection, the device comprising an electrically insulating strip. Permanent electrical connection between the sleeve, metal connecting elements and conductors located within the sleeve The connecting element comprises a threaded tape with solder for forming a connection. having a perforated inner surface so that the bundle of conductors can be screwed into the connecting element This allows temporary electrical connections to be made.

Preferably, the device is used before or after the permanent electrical connection is formed. Contains an element that holds the bundle while it is stored. For example, the element is can resist punching out, so that the connections can be easily removed by accident during assembly. The harness can withstand normal handling without loosening or breaking. but if necessary, e.g. to replace one or more subassemblies. , can be removed. Such elements are e.g. conductors forming bundles having one or more teeth or gripping edges that engage the insulation of the The ring may be located within the ring. The teeth or gripping elements are preferably , has substantially the same axial inclination as the threads of the connecting element have, so that , the bundle is rotated within the sleeve to apply forward pressure. The bundle can be inserted into the sleeve by pulling and/or can resist removal of the sleeve from the insulated conductor by unscrewing It looks like this. Alternatively, hold the bundle during or just before sleeve recovery You may supply elements to do so. For example, meltable or non-meltable (crosslinked) polymers A ring, preferably a heat-shrinkable polymer ring, may be provided within the sleeve.

Such a ring has a melting point or recovery point lower than that of the recoverable sleeve. If not, it can be melted or allowed to recover before the sleeve recovers. this Such ring recovery strengthens the grip on the bundle and also allows the conductor strands to It can be used to reduce the risk of holes in sleeve walls. Such elements are For example, it may have a melting point or softening point in the range of 60 to 100°C. polymer phosphorus Examples of materials that can form rings include ionomers such as Surlyn or or from polyamide, such as nylon 6.66.11 or 12. It will be done.

After the attached device has cooled, the element retains the mechanical rigidity of the assembly. encourage people to

The device of the invention can electrically connect and disconnect conductors, e.g. Temporary connections with very high reliability for testing connected conductors You can also create any connections by simply heating the sleeve and melting the solder. It has the advantage that conductors can be connected permanently without additional operations.

Additionally, the tapered interior of the connecting element allows the conductor to be formed from a range of dimensions. bundles can be handled by the device.

In the broadest scope of the invention, the device has a single tapered inner surface. of a bundle of conductors inserted into one end of the sleeve. A stub connection (stub 5plice) can be formed between the other end of the sleeve The section is, for example, closed. However, the device of the present invention has two or more a connecting element having a perforated inner surface, so that one pair of conductors For example, a series connection (in-1ine 5plice) can be formed between the bundles of Wear. Accordingly, in another aspect, the invention provides a bundle of pairs of elongated electrical conductors. providing a device for forming a connection between electrically insulating strips; A permanent connection between the sleeve, the metal connecting element located within the sleeve and the conductor of the bundle. solder for forming electrical connections, each connecting element having a two end portions having a tapered inner surface and at least one having a thread; Insert one of the conductor bundles into each end part of the connecting element, so that By doing so, a temporary electrical connection can be formed.

If the end parts of the connecting elements are mutually rotatable, each of the end parts of the connecting element It is often desirable to form a sleeve on two parts located on one side; As a result, the end part of the connecting element can be rotated by twisting that part of the sleeve. .

Typically, the sleeve is dimensionally recoverable, particularly dimensionally heat recoverable. That is, the article is It has a dimensional structure that is made to substantially change when subjected to heat treatment.

Typically, these articles transform from their pre-deformed shape back towards their original shape when heated. However, as used herein, the term "orbit recovery" refers to It also includes articles that adopt a new structure when heated, even if they are not previously deformed.

In its most common form, such articles are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 2.027.96. Described in No. 2, No. 3.086.242 and No. 3.597.372 Thermal materials made from polymeric materials that exhibit plastic or elastic memory properties, such as It comprises a shrinkable sleeve. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 2.027.962 The original dimensionally thermostable form is e.g. continuous process in which a tube is expanded while hot into a dimensionally thermally unstable form may be in a transitional form; in other cases, a preformed dimensionally heat-stable A fixed article is transformed into a dimensionally thermostable form in a separate step.

In the manufacture of heat recoverable articles, the polymeric material is not added at any stage of the manufacture of the article. may be crosslinked, thereby promoting the desired dimensional recovery. heat recoverable articles One method of manufacturing involves the process of forming a polymeric material into the desired heat-stable form. This is followed by a step of crosslinking the polymeric material, bringing the article to a crystalline melting point or In the case of crystalline materials, there is a process of heating to a temperature above the softening point, a process of deforming the article, and The method includes a step of cooling the article while it remains in the deformed state to maintain the deformed state of the article. . During use, the deformed state of the article is thermally unstable, so heating will cause the article to return to its original state. Adopts a thermally stable shape.

Using any material that can impart dimensional recovery properties to form the sleeve Good too. Preferred materials include low, medium or high density polyethylene, ethylene copoly α-olefins such as 1-butene or 1-hexene or vinegar Copolymers with vinyl acids, polyamides, or fluoropolymers, e.g. Tetrafluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride or ethylene-tetrafluor Included are oleoethylene copolymers.

The end of the conductor is enclosed within the connecting element, so that the conductor is protected during recovery of the sleeve. The risk of body strands puncturing the sleeve is reduced. In addition, the conductive element is It can act as a thermal warmer, thereby preventing overheating of the device during recovery.

At least in the broadest scope of the invention, the connecting element generally takes any form. However, a single wire may be wound into a tapered coil shape. Preferably, it is formed by allowing the groove to form a thread. Preferably , the inner surface of the connecting element is at least partially conical, e.g. , may be conical or truncated. If the connecting element is made from wire, somewhat larger in the radial direction by including the resiliency and bundle of the This allows the bundle of conductors introduced into the connecting element to be gripped.

However, in one advantageous form of the device, the device Expands radially from a relaxed state and holds in that expanded state, resulting in a permanent radially contract or attempt to contract radially when forming a connection. shall be. Thus, for example, a sleeve or solder can be used to hold a spring in its elastic rotation. Holds against restoring force, resulting in slippage due to softening of the sleeve or melting of the solder. Pulling can now be recovered. For example, on the inside surface of the sleeve or on the A boss may be formed on the inner surface of the solder which disappears when the solder is heated. heat the device Because it may be desirable for the coil to remain in contact with the solder element when The degree of tension does not need to be large, for example, it does not need to exceed 5%, or it may exceed 2%. There are some things you don't have to do.

The wire may be formed to have a circular cross section, but the wire may along a relatively sharp surface formed by e.g. cold drawing or cold rolling It is preferable to have a ridge. When making wire into a coil, The screws are directed inside the coil to form a thread. Especially polygonal, especially rectangular cross sections Advantageously, the wire is formed such that it has. Which wire is Although it may be formed from any suitable metal or alloy, it is preferably formed from copper, especially conventional Formed from copper having substantially the same purity as for electrical conductors that have been used since.

However, other configurations of connecting elements may be employed. For example, threaded The connecting element may be formed from a solid block of shaped metal. splice( For connecting elements used in It is preferable to form. For example, the entire connecting element may be tapered at each end. It is formed from a single piece of wire wrapped to form an internal shape. (formed from a solid block and wire with a threaded tapered shape) Alternatively, it may be formed from two solid metal blocks. Alternatively, one end may Connecting elements without threads can be employed, in which case the bundle of wires can be connected to the connecting element. Just push it in. When supplying threads at both ends of the connecting element, the threads are Both may have the same thread direction, or one may have right-hand threads and the other may have left-hand threads. It's okay. Twist the conductor around the circumference for 1/4 to 1/2 turn to form a temporary connection. Since there is no need to twist the sleeve around the Don't spill it. However, it is also possible to make the end parts of the connecting elements mutually rotatable. It is. For example, by wrapping a section of the wire around a circumferential groove within the connecting element. The end portion formed from the wire may be supported on a cylindrical connecting element. .

As mentioned above, the device can be soldered to form a permanent solder connection. That is, it contains soft solder which is distinctly different from the brass solder material. For example, solder is Simply add 5n63Pb in the form of a eutectic composition (slipping by heating the device). melts when the tube recovers. Alternatively, in International Application No. WO38109068 As described, it is possible to use two or more solder compositions with different melting points. stomach.

In this form of device, components with higher melting points, such as SnH, 5Ag3.5, etc. Melting of the melt causes the lower melting point composition to melt and form a satisfactory solder joint. There is a visual indication that the device has been heated sufficiently to form. Essential If so, the lower melting point solder may be a non-eutectic composition, e.g. International Application No. PCT/G B90100234, higher melting point and the lower melting point solder composition together form a eutectic composition. Sometimes. For example, non-eutectic Sns. The Pb4° low melting point composition is Sn@3Pb higher melting point compositions formed from pure tin in relative amounts that st eutectic is formed Can be used with objects. The disclosures of these two patent applications are incorporated herein. You can refer to it.

Two-component solder, especially tin, 5nHPba. The advantage of using a combination of [ wicking phenomenon (J), i.e., by heating the device for a long time. solder migration along the conductor caused by capillary action due to stranded conductors, which can occur due to and the possibility of solder return from the connection area is reduced. .

The solder can flow into the connecting element in any area where it can form a solder connection. It may be placed at any position. Solder can be in ring form or any other form, e.g. It may be used in pole form, symmetrically around the axis of the sleeve, or It may be placed off-center. The solder element can be used, for example, at the smaller diameter end of the connecting element. (in which case the solder may be in the form of a ball or plug) , or alternatively, solder to a larger diameter area of the connecting element, e.g. in the form of a ring. So, you can position it. Preferably the solder is in the form of an element surrounding the connecting element. molten conductor, especially if the connecting element is in the form of a coil. It can flow into the interior through the open part. Using two or more nodes For example, connecting two or more tapered inner surfaces to form a connection. This is true if the continuation element has

In another aspect, the present invention provides electrical output from a plurality of insulated electrical wires. This method provides a method for forming (a) Gather several insulated wires together, at least at the ends of the wires. forming a bundle at (b) To form a temporary electrical connection, use a twisting operation as described above. (C) inserting the bundle into the device; (C) inserting the bundle into the harness so formed; applying an electrical signal to ascertain information regarding the nature; and (d) heating the sleeve to form a permanent solder connection between the wires; include.

Hot, sorcery, such as commonly used to recover solder connector devices. Heat the device with an air gun or infrared lamp (or The vise may be heated by induction heating methods.

Two forms of the device of the invention will be explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. I will clarify.

FIG. 1 is an elevational cross-sectional view along the axis of the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the wire used to form the coil of the device. .

Figure 3 shows the denocent chair shown in Figure 1 with the bundle of wires inserted therein; FIG.

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view of the completed connection.

FIG. 5 is an elevational cross-sectional view along the axis of a second form of the device.

Figures 6 and 7rg: J is the axis of the connector suitable for forming the splice. FIG.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show two alternative forms of connecting elements that can be used with the device of FIG. FIG.

Referring to the drawings, for forming connections between several electrically insulated wires 2, Device 1 is made from cross-linked expanded polyvinylidene fluoride with dimensions Heat-recoverable sleeve 3 and stiff tempered wire frustoconical spring or It has a connecting element 4 formed as a coil. The copper wire 5 is as shown in FIG. As can be seen, the copper wire is approximately circular in a part of its periphery. but with two flat surfaces formed by cold rolling or cold drawing, These two surfaces meet so as to form a relatively sharp ridge 6. child The glue 6 is threaded so that it forms a thread towards the inside of the truncated conical coil 4. Oriented. One end 7 of the wire is connected to the smaller diameter part of the connecting element 4 located at the center of the conductor bundle, bent to extend across the axis of the coil. It is designed to prevent the insertion of more than one degree. In some cases, e.g. around soldering The lip allows you to open the ends of the copper wires 5 and keep them fresh. Therefore, it may be advantageous to increase the diameter of the coil 4.

Strip of composite solder composition formed into a ring shape and molded into a truncated cone shape 8 sits in contact with the outer surface of the coil 4. Composite solder strip is mainly The main part is Sna. Formed from Pb4° non-eutectic composition with small temperature control of pure tin. It has a roll ring 9 on its outward facing surface.

The device is made of an encapsulating material such as irradiated or non-irradiated polyethylene (e.g. Spherical plugs (as described in National Patent Application No. 9002093.4) It is closed at one end by 10.

The sleeve 3 also includes a molded ring 11 made of cross-linked nylon. The ring is located between the connecting element 4 and the open end 12 of the sleeve. ring 11 The inner surface has several elongated teeth 13 which connect the wire 5 in the coil 4. Oriented at an angle to the same device axis.

In use, some insulating wires with the insulation stripped from the ends are used during the manufacture of the harness. Bundle ears 2 together and insert into device 1. Complete insertion rotate bundle (Actually, this is achieved by rotating the device around the bundle) The end of the conductor is screwed into the connecting element 4, and the teeth 13 on the ring 11 protect the insulation of the wire. Grip the material to resist the sleeve 3 being pulled out. At this stage, reliability A low-resistance connection is formed that sends an electrical signal along wire 2 to the appropriate The harness can be tested by analyzing the results using a microcomputer. Wear. Once you have done this, use an infrared lamp, hot air gun or small A small oven simply heats the sleeve 3 and wraps it around the bundle of wire 2. A permanent connection can be created by simply restoring the connection. During recovery, solder 8 It melts and flows between the turns of the coil 4, thereby causing the conductor of the wire 2 and the connecting element 4, a strong solder connection is formed. At the same time, the nylon ring softens. As a result, the ring 11 is pressed under the restoring force of the sleeve 2. can be added to the bundle. Solder strip temperature control ring 9 Heating is continued until the is melted, which causes the part on top of the sleeve 3 to melt. You can fully recover. The completed connection is shown in Figure 4 without soldering for simplicity. show.

A second form of device 1 is shown in FIG. This form of device is shown in Figure 1. It is almost the same as a vise, but differs in two ways. First, the molding port shown in Figure 1 Riamido ring 11 is made by extruding a tube and cutting it into short lengths to form a low recovery temperature is substituted by a polyamide ring. Second, soldering 8 in Figure 1 by the soldering 8 located adjacent to the larger diameter end of the coil 4. has been replaced. If necessary, the inner surface of the ring 11 is coated with an adhesive, preferably a hot glue. May be coated with a layer of adhesive (not shown) to prevent moisture ingress into the device. A seal is provided for. Additionally or alternatively, one or more A thermoplastic sealing ring may be provided in the region of the end 12 of the sleeve 3.

Insert the bundle of wires into the device as described in connection with FIG.

When heating the device to recover the sleeve 3, the ring 11 typically It recovers slightly before leave 3, thereby holding the wire in place. encourage

Figure 6 shows an example suitable for forming splices between paired bundles of conductors. 2 shows a device with two open ends. The device was cross-linked and expanded Dimensional recovery sleeve made from polyvinylidene fluoride 3 and hard-fired It comprises a connecting element 16 made of returned copper wire. The connecting element 16 is connected to another conductor. To create a bundle, two pairs, each with a tapered inner surface, are used. It is formed to have partitions 17 and 18 facing each other. As shown, The connecting element 16 wraps a single wire in the same direction over its entire length. Therefore, the inner surfaces of both partitions 17 and 18 are formed by It has a The wire forming the connecting element is placed between two flat surfaces and the edge between them. Although shown as a circular wire rolled to form a It may be preferable to use wires that are

The device is substantially symmetrical about the center of the connecting element 16 and that of the device Each partition has the same general structure as the device shown in Figure 5, with solder A ring 8 is located adjacent each end of the connecting element 16. The device is exactly as shown in Figure 5. It has a pair of rings 11 with similar structure and function.

In use, attach the conductor bundle to one side of the device to form a splice. into the open end of the bundle and one end of the connecting element 16, and then insert the device into the bundle's rotation. Secure the bundle by twisting it. Then insert the second bundle into the other opening of the device. and inserted into the connecting element. Fixing the bundle within the connecting element 16 by twisting After the electrical performance of the harness bundle can be tested, the device can be heated and The sleeve 3 can be restored to form a permanent solder connection.

FIG. 7 shows a suitable design for forming an in-line connection between paired bundles of conductors. Another form of the vise is shown. The connecting element is a nearly truncated cone made from hard tempered copper wire It comprises a pair of coiled portions 20 and 21. The wire has a rectangular cross section. The edges of the wire form an internal thread in each coil section, and one Coil part 21 has a right-hand thread, and the other coil part 20 has a left-hand thread.

One of the coil portions 20 is threaded into the end of the hub element 22 with internal threads; The other coil portion 21 is mounted on the post 23 of the hub element and is free to rotate. It is now possible to

Rings of solder 24 and 25 are attached to the outer surfaces of respective coil sections 20 and 21. A heat-shrinkable polyvinylidene fluoride sleeve 26 and 2 is located around the surface. 7 separates around the coil section, the solder and the paired fusible inserts 28 and 29. He has partially recovered. The length and position of sleeves 26 and 27 are such that they A fusible ring 30 having a certain degree of axial shape, for example made of polyethylene , is adapted to be located in the end region of the sleeve 27 within the overlap region.

In use, the bundle of conductors is introduced into the sleeve 26 to connect the coil of the connecting element. After securing within section 20, the second bundle is inserted into sleeve 27 and the sleeve and can be fixed within the coil section 21 by twisting the coil section around the conductor. . This twisting operation does not affect sleeve 26 and coil portion 20, and There is no possibility of them coming loose from the bundle.

The connection may then be electrically tested to form a permanent connection as described above. .

Figures 8 and 9 show two examples of connection elements that can be used for the device shown in Figure 7. Showing another form. In the element shown in FIG. 8, the ends of coil portions 20 and 21 are Ribbon that opens outward to form a constriction and has lateral edges that curve inward. A ring 32 is placed on the end of the coil section to hold them together while still being rotatable. Hold. In FIG. 9, both coil portions 20 and 21 are shown in a pair of mating collars. - 33 and 34, one extending through hole 36 at the other end; It has a shaft 35 rotatably held therein.

Summary book A device for forming an electrical connection at the end of the bundle of wires (2) The sleeve (1) is an electrically insulating, preferably heat-shrinkable sleeve (3), positioned within the sleeve. forming a permanent electrical connection between the metal connecting element (4) and the conductor It has a solder (8) for this purpose. The connecting element (4) has threaded threads. - with an inner surface so that the bundle of wires cannot be screwed into the connecting element. This allows temporary electrical connections to be made. Preferably, the connection The element is made by winding a wire, for example a hard tempered copper wire, into a truncated cone shape. is formed. A splice of a bundle of wires is a process in which the connecting elements are connected to different cables. Hand with a threaded part inside the pair into which the bundle of cables can be screwed It can be formed by steps.

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Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A device for forming an electrical connection at the end of a bundle of elongated electrical conductors. an electrically insulating sleeve, a metal connecting element located within the sleeve, and a A connection consisting of solder to form a permanent electrical connection between conductors and conductors. The element has a tapered inner surface with threads, resulting in a band of conductors A temporary electrical connection can now be made by screwing the cable into the connecting element. device. 2. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is dimensionally heat recoverable. 3. Remove the bundle from the sleeve before or during the formation of permanent electrical connections. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising an element that resists being pulled out. vinegar. 4. The element has one or more teeth or gripping edges that engage the insulation of the conductor. 4. A device according to claim 3, comprising a ring provided with. 5. Each tooth or gripping edge has substantially the same axial slope as the thread. 5. The device according to claim 4. 6. Connecting element by winding one wire into a tapered coil shape 6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: 7. The coil is expanded radially from its relaxed state to create a permanent connection. Its shape so that when it is formed it contracts or tries to contract radially. 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device is held in an expanded state. 8. To form the thread, the wire is threaded along its length towards the inside of the coil. 8. A device according to claim 7 having relatively sharp ridges. 9. 9. The connecting element is made of copper. device. 10. The solder is formed from a plurality of compositions having different melting points. 10. The device according to any one of items 1 to 9. 11. The solder is in the form of an element located around the connecting element. 11. The device according to any of paragraphs 10. 12. The solder element is frustoconical in shape and has a shape that sits in contact with the connecting element. The device according to claim 11. 13. A device for forming connections between paired bundles of elongated electrical conductors. electrically insulating sleeve, metal connecting elements and bands located inside the sleeve. The connection consists of solder to form a permanent electrical connection between the conductors of the cable. The connecting elements each have a tapered inner surface and at least one is threaded. the connecting element has two end portions with a conductor bar at each end portion of the connecting element. device that allows a temporary electrical connection to be made by inserting one end of the handle . 14. 1. A method of forming an electrical harness from a plurality of insulated electrical wires, the method comprising: ) Collect several insulated wires into one piece, at least at the ends of the wires. forming a bundle; (b) by a twisting operation to form a temporary electrical connection; (c) inserting the bundle into the device according to any of paragraphs 12 to 12; Verify information about the harness by applying an electrical signal to the harness process, and (d) heating the sleeve to form a permanent solder connection between the wires; How to include.