# US 12,015,230 B2 · Electrical connection between an electrical conductor and a contact element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,230 B2 - Document ID: US12015230B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/623,991 - Filed: 2020-07-01 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-03 - Assignees: Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke Gesellschaft M.B.H. - Applicants: Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke Gesellschaft M.B.H. - Inventors: Karl Fröschl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015230B2 ## CPC - H01R 4/187: {combined with soldering or welding} - H01R 4/184: {comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion} - H01R 43/0221: {Laser welding (H01R43/0228 takes precedence)} - H01R 43/048: Crimping apparatus or processes (H01R43/042 takes precedence) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A method for producing an electrical connection between an electrical conductor, which includes a plurality of individual wires, and a contact element. The electrical conductor is arranged in a contact portion of the contact element, and the contact portion and the electrical conductor are subsequently pressed together so that the contact portion surrounds the electrical conductor. A plurality of mutually spaced elongate welded connections between the contact portion and the electrical conductor are produced by laser irradiation of the contact portion, or by laser irradiation of the electrical conductor through an opening in the contact portion. The elongate welded connections extend in an irradiation direction from an irradiated region of the contact portion, or from an irradiated region of the electrical conductor, through an entire cross-section of the pressed electrical conductor to a region of the contact portion opposite to the irradiated region, such that the electrical conductor is connected to this area of the contact portion; and the irradiated regions are arranged in the form of a grid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing an electrical connection between an electrical conductor comprising a plurality of individual wires and a contact element, wherein the electrical conductor is arranged in a contact portion of the contact element, and the contact portion and the electrical conductor are subsequently pressed together so that the contact portion surrounds the electrical conductor, wherein by laser irradiation of the contact portion, or by laser irradiation of the electrical conductor through an opening in the contact portion, a plurality of elongate welded connections spaced apart from one another are produced between the contact portion and the electrical conductor, wherein the elongate welded connections each extend in an irradiation direction from an irradiated region of the contact portion, or from an irradiated region of the electrical conductor, through an entire cross-section of the pressed electrical conductor to an area of the contact portion opposite to the irradiated region so that the electrical conductor is connected to this area of the contact portion, wherein the irradiated regions are arranged in a grid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the elongate welded connections are spaced apart from each other for a majority of their length normal to the direction of irradiation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of elongate welded connections are produced simultaneously, in particular by the same source of laser irradiation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one irradiated region is offset with respect to another irradiated region normal to the longitudinal direction of the individual wires, so that the projection of all elongate welded connections onto a cross-sectional area of the electrical conductor located in the region of the elongate welded connections results in a continuous welded region in the transverse direction of the electrical conductor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the degree of pressing of the individual wires is lower in a longitudinal region of the contact element where no irradiated regions are located than in a longitudinal region of the contact element where irradiated regions are located. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the different degree of pressing is produced by a pressing tool having a stepped contact surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the different degree of pressing is produced by a contact portion with cable lug claws of different lengths in the transverse direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the degree of pressing of the individual wires in a longitudinal region of the contact element where irradiated regions are located is greater than 70%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser irradiation takes place in that tool in which the pressing takes place. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the position of the pressed electrical conductor is not changed between pressing and laser irradiation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the production of an elongate welded connection takes less than 100 ms, in particular less than 80 ms, for example by 60 ms. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of an irradiated region is between 0.4 and 0.8 mm, in particular between 0.5 and 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the grid constant of the irradiated regions is between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, in particular between 0.9 and 1.1 mm, preferably 1 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the largest diameter of an elongate welded connection is 0.7 to 0.9 mm, in particular by 0.8 mm. ### Claim 15 A device for producing an electrical connection between an electrical conductor comprising a plurality of individual wires and a contact element, the device comprising a pressing tool with which the electrical conductor arranged in a contact portion of the contact element can be pressed with the contact element so that the contact portion surrounds the electrical conductor, wherein a device for laser irradiation is provided, which is designed to produce a plurality of elongate welded connections spaced apart from one another between the contact portion and the electrical conductor, wherein the elongate welded connections each extend in an irradiation direction from an irradiated region of the contact portion, or from an irradiated region of the electrical conductor in an opening in the contact portion, to a region of the contact portion opposite the irradiated region, so that the electrical conductor is connected to this region of the contact portion, wherein the irradiated regions are arranged in a grid pattern. ### Claim 16 A unit with an electrical conductor comprising a plurality of individual wires and a contact element, wherein the electrical conductor is arranged in a contact portion of the contact element and the contact portion and the electrical conductor are pressed together so that the contact portion surrounds the electrical conductor and an electrical connection exists between the electrical conductor and the contact element, wherein a plurality of mutually spaced elongate welded connections are present between the contact portion and the electrical conductor, wherein the elongate welded connections each extend in an irradiation direction from an irradiated region of the contact portion, or from an irradiated region of the electrical conductor in an opening in the contact portion, to a region of the contact portion which is opposite the irradiated region, so that the electrical conductor is connected to this region of the contact portion, wherein the irradiated regions are arranged in a grid pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The unit according to claim 16, wherein the elongate welded connections are spaced apart from each other for a majority of their length normal to the direction of irradiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The unit according to claim 16, wherein at least one irradiated region is offset from another irradiated region normal to the longitudinal direction of the individual wires, so that the projection of all elongate welded connections onto a cross-sectional area of the electrical conductor located in the region of the elongate welded connections results in a continuous welded region in the transverse direction of the electrical conductor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The unit according to claim 16, wherein the diameter of an irradiated region is between 0.4 and 0.8 mm, in particular between 0.5 and 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The unit according to claim 16, wherein the grid constant of the irradiated regions is between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, in particular between 0.9 and 1.1 mm, preferably 1 mm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The unit according to claim 16, wherein the largest diameter of an elongate welded connection is 0.7 to 0.9 mm, in particular around 0.8 mm.