Terminal assembly and method for connecting an electric wire to a terminal element

• Main Authors: SCHEEALS, FRED, VAN TILBURG, JAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 30.05.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; CURRENT COLLECTORS; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; LINE CONNECTORS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; PRINTED CIRCUITS

The present invention related to a method for mechanically and electrically connecting an electric wire (2) to a terminal element (3) and to a terminal assembly (1) comprising a terminal element (3) and at least one electric wire (2) that is mechanically and electrically connected to the terminal element (3). For improving such method and terminal assembly, the method comprises the steps of arranging a connecting portion (8) of the electric wire (2) substantially parallel to the an entrance surface (9) of the contact opening (7); and connecting a joining section (18) of the connecting portion (8) with the contact opening (7) by plastically deforming a lateral cut (19) of the joining section (18). The terminal assembly (1) of the invention comprises a terminal element (3) having at least one contact opening (7), and at least one electric wire (2) that is mechanically and electrically connected to the contact opening (7), wherein a connecting portion (8) of the electric wire (2) that is located outside the contact opening (7) runs substantially parallel to an entrance surface (9) of the contact opening (7), and wherein a joining section (18) of the connecting portion (8) is plastically deformed into and thereby non-positively connected to the contact opening (7).