Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Patent
1994-09-23
1996-12-03
Arbes, Carl J.
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
29872, 174 88C, 174DIG8, 219476, 219605, 228227, H01R 4302, H05B 302
Patent
active
055795757
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the formation of connections between elongate bodies, particularly electrical connections and especially connections between electrical wires and cables.
In many instances it is desired to form a solder connection between two or more wires. This can, for example be achieved by means of solder connection devices comprising a small dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve which contains a quantity of solder. The wires can be inserted into the sleeve after the ends have been stripped of insulation, and the device can then be heated, for example by means of a hot-air gun or by an infrared lamp, to recover the sleeve about the wires and to melt the solder inside the sleeve. A device for forming such a solder connection is disclosed in International Patent application publication No. WO92/00616, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That device comprises a metallic connecting element in the form of a tapering helical coil of wire located in a dimensionally heat-recoverably sleeve, and a quantity of solder. The device enables a temporary or initial electrical connection to be formed by screwing the device onto the wires and then, for example after the connection has been electrically tested, the device can be heated to form a permanent electrical connection. By means of such devices it is possible to form very reliable solder joints which are sealed against ingress of moisture. However in many cases a degree of skill is required on the part of the operator in order to ensure that the solder is fully melted but at the same time to prevent overheating of the wire insulation the heat-recoverable sleeve or the like.
Self-regulating induction heating has been used in an attempt to prevent overheating. For example, European patent application, publication No. 0371458 discloses a method of terminating an electrical wire at a connector assembly, in which the connector terminal, comprising a solder tail, has a thin layer of a self-regulating heating source bonded to it. The self-regulating heating source comprises a foil having a first layer of copper or copper alloy which has a low resistance and minimal magnetic permeability, and a second thin layer of magnetic material such as nickel-iron alloy. The electrical wire is terminated by placing a stripped end of the wire over the solder tail. An alternating magnetic field is then applied to the self-regulating heating source, at a frequency of 13.56 MHz for example, causing the solder tail to heat up and melt the solder and cause the sleeve to shrink. Because the heating source is self-regulating, it may be heated to a pre-selected maximum temperature sufficient to melt the solder and shrink the sleeve.
European patent application No. 0420480 discloses an alternative method of terminating an electrical wire at a connector assembly, wherein a self-regulating induction heater preform comprising a band of bipartite metal having a first layer of non-magnetic metal, e.g. copper, and a second layer of high magnetic permeability metal, e.g. an alloy of nickel and iron, is crimped around a stripped end of the wire to be terminated. A heat-recoverable sleeve containing a solder preform is then installed on a connector terminal and the stripped end of the wire which has the band of bipartite metal crimped on it is inserted into the sleeve. The bipartite metal band is then heated by induction by placing an inductance coil around the sleeve and applying a high frequency alternating current, e.g. 13.56 MHz in the coil. The heating of the bipartite metal band causes the solder preform to melt and the sleeve to recover. Optionally, a preliminary assembly step may be carried out, whereby the heat-recoverable sleeve is pre-installed on the connector terminal by applying a limited amount of heat to a leading end of the sleeve to cause the leading end to recover about part of the terminal.
A further method of using self-regulating induction heating to form a soldered electrical connection is disclosed in European patent application, publication No
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Briens Sylvain
Delalle Jacques
Lamome Alain
Arbes Carl J.
Burkard Herbert G.
Novack Sheri M.
Raychem S.A.
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