DE-102016119829-B4 - METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FLAT LADDER ARRANGEMENT

DE102016119829B4DE 102016119829 B4DE102016119829 B4DE 102016119829B4DE-102016119829-B4

Abstract

Method for producing a flat conductor arrangement (7), comprising the steps: - Providing an electrically conductive flat conductor rail (1); - Specifying at least one contact area (3) on the flat conductor surface (2) of the flat conductor rail (1); - Applying a separating layer (4) to a sub-area of the flat conductor surface (2) encompassing at least one contacting area (3), wherein the separating layer (4) has the property of adhering more strongly to a predetermined insulating material of an insulating layer (8) than to the flat conductor surface (2); - Forming the insulating layer (8) containing the insulating material on the flat conductor rail (1) after it has been provided with the separating layer (4); - Removal of a section (9) of the insulating layer (8) together with the underlying separating layer (4) produced at at least one contact area (3) of the flat conductor rail (1).

Inventors

Dirk Reissenweber
Klaus Specht
Ludwig Stephan
Josef Schandl

Assignees

ALANOD GMBH & CO. KG
Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20161018

Claims (13)

Method for manufacturing a flat conductor assembly (7), comprising the steps of: - Providing an electrically conductive flat conductor rail (1); - Defining at least one contact area (3) on the flat conductor surface (2) of the flat conductor rail (1); - Applying a separating layer (4) to a portion of the flat conductor surface (2) encompassing the at least one contact area (3), wherein the separating layer (4) has the property of adhering more strongly to a predetermined insulating material of an insulating layer (8) than to the flat conductor surface (2); - Forming the insulating layer (8) comprising the insulating material on the flat conductor rail (1) after it has been provided with the separating layer (4); - Removing a section (9) of the insulating layer (8) formed on the at least one contact area (3) of the flat conductor rail (1), together with the underlying separating layer (4).
Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that , prior to the production of the insulating layer (8), the flat conductor surface (2) is treated in such a way as to promote a material-bonded connection between the insulating layer (8) and the flat conductor rail (2).
Procedure according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the flat conductor surface (2) is treated electrochemically, chemically or physically.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the release layer (4) is applied in the form of a liquid or pasty release agent.
Procedure according to Claim 4 , characterized in that the release agent is applied by means of at least one of the following methods: - spray application, wherein an area surrounding the partial area of the flat conductor surface (2) is masked; - locally limited spray application on partial areas of the flat conductor surface (2) without masking; - pad printing; - roller application; - screen printing; - inkjet printing.
Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the separating layer (4) is an adhesive tape or adhesive tape.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating layer (4) comprises material components which are also located in the insulating material of the insulating layer (8).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating material is at least partially transparent and the separating layer (4) has a different color than the insulating material and the flat conductor rail (2).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one contact area (3) arranged below the insulating layer (8) is marked on the insulating layer (8).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating layer (8) is produced by conveying the flat conductor rail (2) provided with the separating layer (4) through an extrusion tool by means of which the insulating layer (8) is extruded onto the outside of the flat conductor rail (2).
Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , characterized in that the insulating layer (8) is produced by placing the flat conductor rail (2) provided with the separating layer (4) into an injection molding tool and then injection molding the insulating layer (8) onto the outside of the flat conductor rail.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application of the separating layer (4) is integrated into a manufacturing process of the flat conductor rail (1) or into a manufacturing process of the insulating layer (8).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a contacting element in the form of a screw tab, a plug-in tongue, a screw bolt or a stranded conductor is attached to at least one contacting area (3) of the flat conductor rail (1) after removal of the section (9) of the insulating layer (8).

Description

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flat conductor arrangement. The increasing use of different material combinations in vehicle bodies, up to and including complete CFRP bodies (for example, in monocoques), will significantly impair or even render the electrical grounding in motor vehicles in the future. This would necessitate, in some cases, the use of more stranded conductors for grounding, and would likely lead to an increase in the weight of the vehicle's electrical system and wiring harness. The electrical return current introduced via so-called ground bolts typically always follows the path of least resistance. Due to the use of different body materials and joining techniques, such as gluing, riveting, welding, and the like, an undefined or undirected electrical return current from electrical components to the vehicle battery is generated. This undirected return current creates an electromagnetic field that can negatively affect vehicle occupants and the vehicle's electronics. By using so-called flat conductor rails, especially those made of aluminum, the installation space and conductor weight for electrical grounding can be significantly reduced. These flat conductor rails are often routed along the underbody contour from a rear compartment to the engine compartment of a vehicle. In particular, a multi-layer flat conductor structure as the central electrical supply and grounding system eliminates the formation of an electromagnetic field, regardless of the body materials used. Such flat conductor arrangements in vehicles also result in improved electrical system stability. To enable effective mutual cancellation of electromagnetic fields between two adjacent flat conductor rails, the two rails must be positioned as close to each other and with as much surface area as possible. Unlike flat conductor supply lines, which are mainly used in the underbody area and sometimes also in the interior without a second, ground-return rail, and usually with relatively thick PVC insulation exceeding 2.5 mm, these multi-layer flat conductor rails require relatively thin insulation walls. To enable particularly easy and cost-effective stripping of aluminum flat conductor cores, i.e., aluminum flat conductor busbars, non-adherent insulating materials are frequently used. However, due to their processing, geometric arrangement, and temperature fluctuations, these insulating materials often exhibit relatively high internal mechanical stresses, which can result in material shrinkage of over 20 mm over a length of 3,000 mm. Mechanical stresses can also occur in the transverse direction, causing the insulating materials to tear during temperature cycling or thermal shock tests. Relative movement between the flat conductor busbars and the insulating plastics used for insulation, especially due to changes in length caused by temperature cycling, can lead to shearing effects and thus to insulation material fractures. A metallurgical bond between the insulating plastic and the flat conductor rail would eliminate material shrinkage and ensure optimal thermal shock resistance for the entire component, i.e., the flat conductor rail coated with the insulating plastic. However, this would necessitate a significantly more complex and expensive stripping process to remove the optimally bonded insulation from the flat conductor core, i.e., the flat conductor rail. For example, milling the insulating layer from the flat conductor core could cause chip formation. To prevent a short circuit caused by a remaining metal chip, a complex cleaning process would be required. Furthermore, laser-blasting the insulation across a large area can lead to thermal changes in the metal surface, and undefined degradation residues from the insulation can cause undesirable interactions. The US 3 159 555 A discloses a method for masking busbars. GB 1 086 823 A It reveals a ribbon-like cable. US 3 547 718 A reveals a flat and flexible electrical cable. DE 10 2014 004431 A1 reveals a sheathing of profiles with lateral exits. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a flat conductor arrangement which has at least one electrically conductive flat conductor rail and an insulating layer which at least partially encloses it, by means of which at the same time a particularly stable connection between the insulating layer and the flat conductor rail and a particularly simple local stripping of the insulating layer is made possible. This task is accomplished by a method for manufacturing a flat conductor arrangement with the following characteristics. The requirements of claim 1 have been met. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. In the inventive method for manufacturing a flat conductor arrangement, an electrically conductive flat conductor rail is provided. This electrically conductive flat conductor r