1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal structure that makes a reliable and cost effective connection between the aluminum conductor and conductive terminal. The three dimensional terminal structure is formed from a blank, which can be economically produced in various shapes and structures in progression die. The terminal transition opening provides a window for allowing melted metal alloys to flow in to reach the aluminum conductor. This feature makes the feasibility to use existing manufacturing processes such as dip soldering, wave soldering, and reflow soldering but not limited to these processes. Multiple features provide sealable surfaces after applied shrinkable adhesive tubes.
The aluminum conductor has cost and weight advantages over copper conductor. In the past, numerous efforts have been conducted to connect the aluminum conductor and copper. The contact of the aluminum and copper, if any fluids are applied, produces corrosion. The surface of the aluminum conductor is easily oxidized. In the long run, the aluminum conductor tends to soften. A corrosive, oxidized, and crept aluminum conductor increases the electrical resistance between the aluminum conductor and copper conductor, which causes a mal-function in the electrical connection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One aluminum and terminal connection is disclosed in US Pub 2006/0292922 A. A high temperature process like plasma is used to weld the zinc at front of the aluminum conductor. This requires a special equipment and procedure to apply and weld zinc. The nickel plating or any plating nearby welded zinc is burned off. So, the copper base metal is exposed. The zinc has much higher voltage potential difference to copper material than the voltage potential difference between the aluminum to copper. Therefore, corrosion is possible developed at zinc when any fluids present.
Other aluminum and terminal connection is disclosed in US Pub 2006/0208838 A1. It uses multiple steps and special equipments to make connection between the aluminum conductor and conductive element. The conductive element is tube type shape. This limits its applications.
These special requirements diminish the benefit of cost saving by using the aluminum conductor instead of a copper conductor. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a reliable, various shapes, and economical sound connection.
The forgoing invention terminal has a terminal tongue, a hollow tube, a transition section connected to the terminal tongue, and a hollow tube. The terminal material is made of copper, brass, bronze, or any other conductive metals. This terminal style can be produced in a progression die. So, the terminal tongue can be made into various shapes and three dimensional structures. The typical shapes are I, L, J, or angular shape. The typical structure like any complex battery terminal fits directly into a battery post. The transition section contains two folded arms (cross section like a V-shape or a rectangular shape). Each of the two arms is at least one material thickness. The two arms form a seam at the middle of terminal tongue and a slit against the terminal tongue. The transition section then has a transition opening with a specified shape. It ends to connect the hollow tube. The hollow tube can be a cylindrical shape or an oval shape with the top seam.
The blank has a tongue portion, two arms, two specified undercuts, and a rectangular portion. During the forming process, the tongue portion stays the same shape. The two arms and the area with two specified undercuts are formed into three dimensional transition sections while the rectangular portion is formed into the corresponding hollow tube.
The metal filler is any one of the meltable metal alloys such as any solder alloys, but is not limited to these solder alloys. Depending on certain applications, the melted metal filler is applied on at least one side of two-arms and top seam of hollow tube before the terminal is compressed with the aluminum conductor. The cooled metal filler forms a metallic seals along at least one side of the slit and the seam of two-arms. Also, the metallic seal is formed along the top seam of the hollow tube.
For more future operations, the transition opening allows the melted metal filler flowing in to make metallic bonds between the aluminum conductor and the terminal conductor. The transition opening provides a feasible way to use existing soldering processes such as dip soldering, wave soldering, and reflow soldering but not limited to these processes. Therefore, it reduces the cost by not using special processes and equipments. Two-arms, two metallic seals, and the edge of the transition opening provide a unique sealing structure for the shrinkable adhesive tube.
The aluminum conductor is jacked by insulation. A certain length of insulation is peeled off. The inside diameter of the hollow tube is bigger than the outside diameter of the aluminum conductor. After the aluminum conductor is inserted into the terminal hollow tube, a specified clearance is created.
A bias pressure is applied on the certain compressed length from the outside hollow tube such that the hollow tube and the aluminum conductor are deformed, where joint assembly is then formed. Therefore, a high normal force is achieved between the aluminum conductor and the deformed hollow tube within compressed length. The compressed length maintains certain electrical integrity and mechanical retention between the aluminum conductor and the deformed hollow tube. A certain clearance length of the hollow tube and its inside aluminum conductor is not deformed. The clearance is still maintained between the non-deformed hollow tube and the aluminum conductor.
With the joint assembly, a melted metal filler is applied into the clearance length. A metallic bond is formed inside clearance area. At the same time, a metallic coating is formed on the end surface of the aluminum conductor. The length of the metallic bond and perimeter of the aluminum conductor are pre-specified so that the metallic bond provides certain electrical and mechanical integrities between the aluminum conductor and the conductive hollow tube. The metallic coating isolates the end surface of the aluminum conductor from the air.
For certain applications, metallic seals are not formed before compressing the aluminum conductor into hollow tube. For these cases, the melted metal filler is applied on at least one side of the two-arms and the top seam of the hollow tube. This forms a metallic seal along the slit and the seam of two-arms, and a metallic seal along the top seam of hollow tube. Again, the transition opening, two-arms, and metallic seals offer many advantages mentioned before. Additionally, it may use only one operation to produce metallic seals, the metallic bond, and the metallic coating.
The inside of a shrinkable adhesive tube is coated with adhesive material. The adhesive tube is jacked over the joint assembly. It shields the certain insulation length of the aluminum conductor all the way to the two-arms. Under the heat, the adhesive tube is shrunken tightly to fit the outside contour of the joint assembly. The two-arms and its metallic seal are nested or glued into adhesive material of the shrunken tube. Consequently, the covered length is sealed up from foreign fluid intruding at the two-arm. The transition opening is nested and sealed along its edge within the adhesive material of the shrunken tube. The outside surface of the non-deformed hollow tube and its metallic seal are glued and sealed within the adhesive material of the shrunken tube. The adhesive tube is shrunken such that the insulation length is tightly glued and sealed from the environment.
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Beside that the transition opening, two-arms, and metallic seals offer many advantages, additionally, it may use only one operation to produce metallic seals, the metallic bond, and the metallic coating. Again, two-arms 6, two metallic seals 25 and 26, and the edge of the transition opening provide a unique sealing structure for shrinkable adhesive tube.
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The invention of this connection is a cost effective solution and a reliable joint mechanically, electrically and environmentally. Due to the fact that terminal 1 can be produced by progressive tooling die, the terminal tongue 2 remains flexible in shape and structure. The folded two-arms 6 with at least one material thickness and its metallic seal(s) 25 provides a sealing structure for adhesive material 29 if the adhesive tube 28 is applied on them. The transition opening 9 allows the use of any existing soldering processes but not limited to these processes. It can be sealed along its edge if the adhesive tube 28 is laid over it. The non-deformed hollow tube 3″ and its metallic seal 26 provide a sealing surface for adhesive material 29 if the adhesive tube 28 is applied on them.
The oversized conductive hollow tube 3 and undersized aluminum conductor 16 create a clearance for filling metal filler and creating a metallic bond 26. The metallic bond 26 inside the clearance length 23 maintains electrical and mechanical integrity between the non-deformed hollow tubes 3″ (conductive metal) and the aluminum conductors 16. Also, the compressed length 21 maintains certain electrical and mechanical integrities between non-deformed hollow tube 3″ (a typical conductive metal) and the aluminum conductor 16.
The covered length 30 is sealed at the aluminum insulation 17 side by the shrunken tube 28 and all the way to opposite side with multiple redundant seals. The redundant seals include the shrunken tube 28 seals two-arm 6 with its metallic seal(s) 25, transition opening 9 along its edge 32, and outside surface of non-deformed hollow tube with the metallic seal. The aluminum conductor 16 is isolated by metallic bond 26 and metallic coating 27 from air.