Connection assembly and method for producing a connection assembly

Inventors: Manuel Eheim (Bensheim, DE); Patrick Distler (Bensheim, DE); Bjoern Hoffmann (Bensheim, DE); Ron Buchholz (Bensheim, DE); Marcus Wolf (Bensheim, DE)

Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GMBH

H01R4/62 H01R43/16

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12689138
App. No.: 18/497,008
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A connection assembly includes a busbar made of a first metallic material, where busbar comprises a hole; a contact element which is arranged in the hole in busbar and is made of a second metallic material; where the outer diameter of the part of contact element, which in a direction of insertion is at the rear, is larger than the outer diameter of the part of contact element which in the direction of insertion is at the fore; where the inner surface of the hole in busbar comprises a recess which is filled with the material of contact element, whereby contact element is held in the hole in busbar.

Claims (23)

1 . A connection assembly comprising:

a busbar made of a first metallic material, wherein said busbar comprises a hole extending along a hole axis through said busbar;

a contact element having a first part arranged in said hole in said busbar and a second part outside of said hole, said contact element being rear loaded into said hole in an insertion direction along said hole axis, said contact element made of a second metallic material;

wherein an outer diameter of said second part of said contact element, which in the direction of insertion is at a rear, is larger than an outer diameter of said first part of said contact element, which in the direction of insertion is at a fore;

wherein an inner surface of said hole in said busbar includes a recess extending in a radial direction transverse to said hole axis, wherein a portion of said first part projects radially into said recess such that said recess is filled with material of said contact element such that said contact element is held in said hole of said busbar.

2 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first metallic material comprises aluminum.

3 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second metallic material comprises copper.

4 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said contact element is tubular.

5 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said contact element comprises a ring pin.

6 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said busbar and said contact element are silver-plated, at least in part.

7 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said contact element includes a projection along said first part filling said recess, said contact element having a larger outer diameter along said projection compared to said outer diameter of said first part.

8 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said busbar at said hole includes an inner diameter, said contact element including a projection along said first part filling said recess, said contact element having a larger outer diameter along said projection compared to said inner diameter of said busbar at said hole.

9 . A method for producing a connection assembly, wherein the method comprising:

producing a busbar having a hole in said busbar extending along a hole axis through said busbar;

producing a contact element with a first part that can be inserted into said hole in said busbar and a second part that is unable to be inserted into said hole in said busbar, wherein an outer diameter of said second part of said contact element is larger than an outer diameter of said first part of said contact element;

inserting said first part of said contact element into said busbar in an insertion direction along said hole axis;

inserting into said contact element a removable tool comprising a projection on its an outer surface of said removable tool, wherein said projection presses a wall of said contact element against an inner surface of said hole in said bus bar so that said wall of said contact element is deformed in a radial direction transverse to said hole axis towards said inner surface of said hole in said bus bar, whereby a recess is formed in said inner surface of said hole in said busbar in said radial direction and wherein a portion of said first part projects radially into said recess such that said recess is filled with material of said contact element which is pressed against said inner surface of said hole in said busbar to hold said contact element in said hole of said busbar.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the production of said hole in said busbar is effected by punching.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the production of said hole in said busbar is effected by drilling.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said hole in said busbar is cylindrical.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said cylindrical hole in said busbar is straight.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said contact element is tubular.

15 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the production of said contact element is effected by cold forming.