Abstract:
A wire cable assembly includes a terminal having a termination segment attached to an end of a wire cable, a connection segment configured to attach to a mating terminal, and a transition segment intermediate the termination segment and the connection segment. The transition segment of the terminal has a generally rectangular cross section and a recess defined in at least one distal edge and preferably both distal edges of the transition segment. The recess may alternatively be characterized as a concavity, notch, hollow, or indentation. A sealant is applied to the transition segment and a sleeve encloses at least a portion of the termination segment, the end of the wire cable, and at least a portion of the transition segment. The sealant fills the recess(es) and blocks a leak path between the sleeve and the distal edge. The sleeve may be a section of dual wall heat shrink tubing.
Abstract:
An electrically-conducting contact element includes a section of the contact element defining an aperture. The section is configured to receive a wire cable within the aperture for attachment thereto. The section includes an internal surface with at least one groove having sharp edges formed therein. A wire assembly that includes the electrically-conducting contact and a method to construct the electrically-conducting contact are also presented. The method includes a step of providing the contact element and forming a sharp edge on the internal surface of the contact element. A further step in the method includes altering material on the internal surface of the contact element by a forming means. The forming means may be one of milling, rifling, machining, cutting, indenting, or stamping. A wire assembly and a vehicular electrical wiring harness that respectively include the contact element are also presented.
Abstract:
A method is provided for attaching a termination arrangement to a shielded cable which includes a conductive core, a core insulation layer, a conductive shield layer, and an outer insulation layer. A length of the outer insulation layer is removed to expose an end portion of the conductive shield layer and a length of the core insulation layer is removed to expose a portion of the conductive core. The termination assembly is provided having a terminal, a core crimp section in electrical communication with the terminal, and an inner ferrule section connected to the core crimp section. The core crimp section is positioned adjacent to the exposed conductive core and crimped around said conductive core in electrical contact therewith. The inner ferrule section is positioned adjacent to the exposed conductive shield layer and crimped around the core insulation layer. The core crimp section is separated from the inner ferrule section.
Abstract:
A method of connecting an electrical wire cable having a plurality of uninsulated wire strands to an electrical terminal is presented. The method includes the steps of crimping an electrical wire cable within a crimping feature of an electrical terminal having wire strands protruding from the crimping feature and fusing the wire strands of protruding portion, or “wire brush” so that the wire strands are in intimate contact, thereby eliminating voids between individual wire strands of the wire brush. The wires may be fused by laser welding, soldering, or brazing. The method may be especially beneficial for wire strands having an insulative oxide layer, such as aluminum. The bonding reduces the resistance between the wire strands due to insulating oxide layers on the surface of the wire strands and inhibiting of corrosion by eliminating inter-strand gaps where electrolytes in solution may enter and cause galvanic corrosion.