Crimp contact for an aluminum stranded wire, and cable end structure of an aluminum stranded wire having the crimp contact connected thereto

#The present invention relates to a crimp contact favorable for electric connection of automobile wire harnesses, battery cables, or the like, using an aluminum stranded wire, and to a cable end structure of an aluminum stranded wire excellent in electric connectivity, using the crimp contact.

#Aluminum stranded wires, which have electric conductor wires composed of an aluminum-based material, are used as a cable. In order that such cables are connected to various electric instruments or are connected to each other, a connection terminal is equipped at both ends of aluminum stranded wire. As the connection contact, a contact of a crimp contact-type is used.

#As illustrated in FIG. 5, the crimp contact has a crimping portion 10 of a U-shaped cross-section and a bolt-fastening portion 13, and a serration 12 is provided in the inner face of the crimping portion 10, the serration 12 being formed of a plurality of concave grooves 11 for preventing the aluminum stranded wire from coming out. A hole 14, in which a bolt or the like will be pierced, is formed in the fastening portion 13.

#FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) are explanatory views illustrating an embodiment of the crimp contact of the present invention for an aluminum stranded wire, and FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view of the crimp contact, FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view of an aluminum cable having a cable end being stripped the sheath, and FIG. 1(c) is an explanatory view of grooves of a serration.

#FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating another embodiment of the crimp contact of the present invention for an aluminum stranded wire.

#FIG. 3(a) and FIG. 3(b) are each a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the cable end structure of the present invention of an aluminum stranded wire, and FIG. 3(a) illustrates a structure in which the ratio between sectional areas is 0.7, and FIG. 3(b) illustrates a structure in which the ratio between sectional areas is 0.95.

#With reference to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the crimp contact of the present invention for an aluminum stranded wire will be specifically described hereinafter.

#As illustrated in FIG. 1(a), a crimp contact of the present invention has a crimping portion 1 having a U-shaped cross-section (open barrel type), and a fastening portion 3 in which a bolt hole 2 is provided. A serration 5 including three parallel grooves 4 is formed in an inner face of the crimping portion 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1(b), for example, a sheath 8 of an cable end (being stripped insulation layer) of an aluminum cable 9 is removed, the thus-naked aluminum stranded wire 6 is inserted into the crimping portion 1, and side walls 1a of the crimping portion 1 are pressed from the outside, so as to make a terminal structure of the aluminum stranded wire.

#In FIG. 1(a), C represents a distance from the center of the bolt hole 2 to the rear end of the crimping portion 1, F represents a distance from the center of the bolt hole to the front end of the crimping portion 1, and (C-F) represents a length of the crimping portion 1.