DE20118600U1 - Device for conducting electrical current with at least partially electrically conductive film - Google Patents

Description

Device for conducting electrical Electricity with at least partially electric

conductive foil

The present invention relates to a device for conducting electrical current according to the preamble of claim 1. Generic devices are used, for example, in ribbon cables for the automobile or aircraft industry.

State of the art

Flat ribbon cables are known in which several elongated wires running parallel to one another are arranged between two insulating plastic films. The disadvantage here is that such flat ribbon cables are relatively stiff.

Printed conductors on plastic foils are also known. However, these cannot withstand alternating mechanical stress.

It is also known to produce ribbon cables with conductors made of very flat copper sheet. The problem here is that the edges of the sheet can damage the insulating film of the ribbon cable. If the edges of the sheet are deburred, the cost is very high due to the complex manufacturing process.

Subject of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for conducting electrical current according to claim 1. Replacing solid, rolled or printed conductors with an electrically conductive foil combines flexibility, resilience and affordability of the cable. A device according to claim 2 or 3 allows cost-effective production of the ribbon cable.

DE 20116 600 Ul

In a device according to claim 4, electrical conductors 7, 7', 17 are electrically conductive over their entire width. In addition, the width of the conductor can be determined precisely.

According to claim 5, the invention is particularly suitable for ribbon cables with a plurality of conductors running next to one another.

A device according to claim 6 minimizes the number of different materials in the cable by not requiring additional adhesive to connect the carrier layer, the cover layer and the electrical conductors.

characters

The following description deals with possible embodiments of the invention. These statements are to be understood as examples only and are made with reference to:

Fig. 1 a) Ribbon cable in cross section before welding the

Individual components

Fig 1 b) Finished ribbon cable in cross section

Description of the invention

Fig. 1 a) shows a carrier layer 3 and a covering layer 5 arranged to cover it. Conductors 7, 7 and 17 are arranged between the two layers 3, 5. These conductors 7, 7\ 17 run essentially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer 3 and the covering layer 5.

The conductor 7 has a base layer 9 made of an electrically non-conductive material. In the exemplary embodiment, polyethylene is provided. The base layer 9 is coated with an electrically conductive current-carrying layer.

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layer 11. In the exemplary embodiment, this consists of a copper layer vapor-deposited onto the base layer 9.

The electrical conductor T has a base layer 9' made of an electrically conductive plastic. The base layer 9' is additionally provided with an electrically conductive coating, for example made of aluminum.

The conductor 17 is formed exclusively by a strip of electrically conductive plastic.

To produce the electrical conductors 7, T, 17, these are cut as strips from a larger film web. This gives them a defined, uniform width. In addition, uneven conductivity due to possible uneven coating of edge areas is excluded.

According to Fig. 1 b), the conductors 7, T, Xl are welded at a distance from one another between the cover layer 3 and the carrier layer 5. They are thereby electrically insulated over their entire circumference from the other conductors and their surroundings.

In conductor 7, current is only conducted in the current-carrying layer 11. Such conductors are suitable for signal lines, for example.

In conductor T, current is conducted in the plastic film 9' and in the current-carrying layer 11.

In conductor 17, current is only conducted in the plastic film 18.

In an advantageous embodiment, the material of the carrier layer 3 and the cover layer 5 is a temperature-activated adhesive. If its surface is heated above a certain activation temperature, it becomes adhesive.

and hardens again when it cools. This avoids the need for additional auxiliary materials.

Claims (7)

1. Device ( 1 ) for conducting electrical current, with at least one electrically non-conductive carrier layer ( 3 ), with at least one electrically non-conductive cover layer ( 5 ), and with at least one elongated electrical conductor ( 7 , 7 ', 17 ) which is arranged between the carrier layer ( 3 ) and the cover layer ( 5 ), characterized in that the electrical conductor ( 7 , 7 ', 17 ) has an at least partially electrically conductive film ( 8 , 8 ', 18 ). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially electrically conductive film ( 8 , 8 ') comprises a non-electrically conductive plastic film ( 9 ), in particular made of polyethylene or polyamide, with an electrically conductive coating, in particular made of copper or aluminum. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially electrically conductive film ( 8 , 8 ') comprises an electrically conductive plastic film ( 9 ), in particular made of polyethylene or polyamide, with an electrically conductive coating, in particular made of copper or aluminum. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conductor foil ( 8 , 8 ') has a current-carrying layer ( 11 , 11 ') made of metal or an electrically conductive plastic. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conductor foil ( 8 , 8 ') has cut edges on the longitudinal edges of the elongated conductor ( 7 , 7 ', 17 ). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two conductors ( 7 , 7 ', 17 ) are arranged substantially parallel to one another between the carrier layer ( 3 ) and the cover layer ( 5 ). 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier layer ( 3 ) and the cover layer ( 5 ) are made of a material which acts as an adhesive above an activation temperature, and that the materials of the electrical conductors ( 7 , 7 ', 17 ) are essentially unchanged with respect to the operating temperature of the cable even at the activation temperature.