EP0696034A1 - Method of manufacturing a flat flexible conductor cable - Google Patents
Method of manufacturing a flat flexible conductor cable Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0696034A1 EP0696034A1 EP95305415A EP95305415A EP0696034A1 EP 0696034 A1 EP0696034 A1 EP 0696034A1 EP 95305415 A EP95305415 A EP 95305415A EP 95305415 A EP95305415 A EP 95305415A EP 0696034 A1 EP0696034 A1 EP 0696034A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- cable
- envelope
- conductor
- insulating material
- connector
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/08—Flat or ribbon cables
- H01B7/0838—Parallel wires, sandwiched between two insulating layers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/009—Cables with built-in connecting points or with predetermined areas for making deviations
Definitions
- the present invention relates to flat flexible conductor cables of the kind which may, for example, be used in under-floor or under-carpet cabling applications.
- such cables consist of one or more flat flexible conductors within an envelope formed of two layers of insulating material which are, in general, secured to one another by welding or other similar techniques.
- the invention provides a method of manufacture of a cable of a kind comprising one or more flat conductor(s) enclosed in an envelope of insulating material.
- the method is characterised by forming at least one opening in the insulating material at one or more predetermined position(s) prior to enclosing the or each conductor within the envelope of insulating material, so that when the or each conductor is enclosed within the envelope (14) it is exposed at one or more predetermined position(s).
- the invention further provides a method of making a cabling assembly characterised by attaching one or more connector(s) to each of a plurality of cables at one or more openings(s) in the insulation envelope of each cable, formed during manufacture of the cable, at which the or each conductor is exposed, and thereby connecting the cables.
- a flat flexible conductor cable 10 comprises one or more flat flexible conductors 12 arranged parallel to one another and enclosed within an insulating envelope 14 shown most clearly in Figure 2.
- the insulating envelope 14 is most conveniently formed by placing the conductors 12 between two sheets of insulating material and securing the sheets together along their edges and between the conductors 12 by means of welding or other suitable techniques.
- windows in the insulating envelope can be achieved by punching or any other cutting operation which is suitable given the materials used. Because the windows in the insulating envelope are formed during manufacture, it is possible to position them accurately so as to avoid difficulties in forming proper soldered contacts with the connector assembly and it is anticipated that length of cables for a given assembly will be manufactured on a "bespoke" basis with windows being formed in the insulation envelope 14 only where they are necessary for a specific installation.
- openings 22 for engagement with a connector assembly can be provided in the welded part of the envelope 14 as shown at 22 in Figure 3. These engage with the connector assembly so as to provide strain relief.
- At least one pair of openings 16,22 is formed in the insulating material.
- the first opening of the pair exposes the conductor 12 at a predetermined position, for example a position at which it is necessary to mount a connector on the cable.
- the conductor engages in the second opening of the pair mechanically to provide stain relief.
- the edges of the insulation envelope 14 can be notched as shown at 24 in Figure 3 to ensure that the connector assembly is properly located on the cable 10, for example, to ensure that the connector is mounted with proper polarity relative to the cable conductors 12.
- the method of manufacture of a cable includes additionally forming one or more opening(s) in the insulating material which, in the finished cable 10, form one or more location notches 24 at the edge of the insulating envelope 14 at one or more predetermined position(s) to facilitate location of other components in relation to the cable.
Landscapes
- Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
Abstract
A method of manufacture of a flat conductor cable (10) in which, prior to enclosing one or more flat conductor(s) (12) within an envelope of insulation material, at least one window (16,18,20) is formed in the insulation material (14), so that when the or each conductor is enclosed within the envelope it is exposed at the position(s) at which a connector is to be mounted on the cable. This method allows accurate positioning of the windows in the insulation material and also saves a great deal of time in the installation of a cabling assembly.
Description
- The present invention relates to flat flexible conductor cables of the kind which may, for example, be used in under-floor or under-carpet cabling applications.
- In general, such cables consist of one or more flat flexible conductors within an envelope formed of two layers of insulating material which are, in general, secured to one another by welding or other similar techniques.
- Hitherto, it has been usual practice to supply such flat conductor cables as continuous lengths on reels or the like and to cut appropriate lengths for use in particular cabling assemblies. One problem which arises is that the insulation film must be removed prior to securing a connector to the cable; where a connector is to be placed partway along a cable run, the insulation is usually removed by grinding the cable during assembly of the installation. This had the disadvantage that it is time consuming and, further, that accurate positioning of the openings or windows in the insulation film is difficult leading to problems with accurate alignment of the windows formed in the insulation film with the contacts of the connector assembly to be fitted to the cable.
- We have appreciated that these problems could be largely overcome by manufacturing cable runs for specific cable assemblies with the windows in the insulation film being formed during manufacture at predetermined positions. This allows accurate positioning of the windows in the insulation and, further, gives rise to considerable cost and time saving in producing a finished flat flexible conductor cable assembly.
- The invention provides a method of manufacture of a cable of a kind comprising one or more flat conductor(s) enclosed in an envelope of insulating material. The method is characterised by forming at least one opening in the insulating material at one or more predetermined position(s) prior to enclosing the or each conductor within the envelope of insulating material, so that when the or each conductor is enclosed within the envelope (14) it is exposed at one or more predetermined position(s).
- The invention further provides a method of making a cabling assembly characterised by attaching one or more connector(s) to each of a plurality of cables at one or more openings(s) in the insulation envelope of each cable, formed during manufacture of the cable, at which the or each conductor is exposed, and thereby connecting the cables.
- The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a length of flat flexible conductor cable manufactured in accordance with the invention;
- Figure 2 is a section through the cable of Figure 1 taken on line X-X; and
- Figure 3 shows additional features of the cable of Figure 1 which may be formed during manufacture.
- As mentioned above, a flat
flexible conductor cable 10 comprises one or more flatflexible conductors 12 arranged parallel to one another and enclosed within aninsulating envelope 14 shown most clearly in Figure 2. The insulatingenvelope 14 is most conveniently formed by placing theconductors 12 between two sheets of insulating material and securing the sheets together along their edges and between theconductors 12 by means of welding or other suitable techniques. - Where a connector is to be mounted on the
cable 10, it is necessary to expose theconductors 12 by removing the insulatingenvelope 14. In the cable of the invention, this is achieved during manufacture, by cutting away the insulating film that forms theenvelope 14 either completely, as shown at 16 or at predetermined areas to exposespecific conductors 12, as shown at 18 and 20 in Figure 1. - Formation of these "windows" in the insulating envelope can be achieved by punching or any other cutting operation which is suitable given the materials used. Because the windows in the insulating envelope are formed during manufacture, it is possible to position them accurately so as to avoid difficulties in forming proper soldered contacts with the connector assembly and it is anticipated that length of cables for a given assembly will be manufactured on a "bespoke" basis with windows being formed in the
insulation envelope 14 only where they are necessary for a specific installation. - Because the windows are pre-cut during manufacturing, additional features can be provided, as shown in page 2. For example,
openings 22 for engagement with a connector assembly can be provided in the welded part of theenvelope 14 as shown at 22 in Figure 3. These engage with the connector assembly so as to provide strain relief. - In one embodiment of the invention at least one pair of
openings conductor 12 at a predetermined position, for example a position at which it is necessary to mount a connector on the cable. The conductor engages in the second opening of the pair mechanically to provide stain relief. - In one embodiment of the invention the edges of the
insulation envelope 14 can be notched as shown at 24 in Figure 3 to ensure that the connector assembly is properly located on thecable 10, for example, to ensure that the connector is mounted with proper polarity relative to thecable conductors 12. In this embodiment of the invention the method of manufacture of a cable includes additionally forming one or more opening(s) in the insulating material which, in the finishedcable 10, form one ormore location notches 24 at the edge of theinsulating envelope 14 at one or more predetermined position(s) to facilitate location of other components in relation to the cable. - Because all of these features are pre-formed during manufacture of the cable, accurate positioning of the opening(s) is possible.
Claims (4)
- A method of manufacture of a cable (10) of a kind comprising one or more flat conductor(s) (12) enclosed in an envelope (14) of insulating material the method being characterised by forming at least one opening (16,18,20) in the insulating material at one or more predetermined position(s) prior to enclosing the or each conductor within the envelope of insulating material so that when the or each conductor is enclosed within the envelope (14) it is exposed at one or more predetermined position(s).
- A method according to claim 1 in which there are formed at least one pair of openings (16,18,20,22) in the insulating material such that, in use, a first opening (16,18,20) of the pair permits a connector to contact the conductor (12) exposed at the said opening, and the connector engages in the second opening (22) of the pair mechanically so as to provide strain relief.
- A method according to claim 1 or 2 further characterised by additionally forming one or more openings in the insulating material which, in the finished cable (10), form one or more location notch(es) (24) at the edge of the insulating envelope (14) at one or more predetermined position(s) to facilitate location of other components in relation to the cable.
- A method of making a cabling assembly characterised by attaching one or more connector(s) to each of a plurality of cables (10) manufactured according to the method of any of claims 1 to 3 at one or more of the predetermined position(s) at which the conductor (10) is exposed, and connecting the plurality of cables by means of said connectors.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9415551A GB9415551D0 (en) | 1994-08-02 | 1994-08-02 | Flat flexible conductor cable |
GB9415551 | 1994-08-02 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0696034A1 true EP0696034A1 (en) | 1996-02-07 |
Family
ID=10759246
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP95305415A Withdrawn EP0696034A1 (en) | 1994-08-02 | 1995-08-02 | Method of manufacturing a flat flexible conductor cable |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0696034A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB9415551D0 (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1999019756A1 (en) * | 1997-10-14 | 1999-04-22 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Cable with predetermined discrete connectorization locations |
DE19832012A1 (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2000-02-10 | Kostal Leopold Gmbh & Co Kg | Connection arrangement for flat strip conductors, which are provided with several spaced parallel conductor tracks with contact and counter contact points |
AT502813B1 (en) * | 2006-02-14 | 2007-06-15 | I & T Innovation Tech Entw | Ribbon cable producing method involves producing or changing conductor tracks to desired shape, where tracks comprise a sheath with predetermined cross-section such that they are isolated from one another and from surrounding area |
EP2333919A3 (en) * | 2009-12-08 | 2013-08-14 | BPW Bergische Achsen KG | Electric cable assembly |
WO2023022375A1 (en) * | 2021-08-17 | 2023-02-23 | 주식회사 케이펙스 | Flat flexible printed circuit |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3239916A (en) * | 1962-10-17 | 1966-03-15 | Whitney Blake Co | Ribbon cable |
GB2121594A (en) * | 1982-04-06 | 1983-12-21 | Filotex Sa | A method of and apparatus for manufacturing an element of flat electric cable |
US5057650A (en) * | 1989-08-02 | 1991-10-15 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Molded circuit component unit for connecting lead wires |
-
1994
- 1994-08-02 GB GB9415551A patent/GB9415551D0/en active Pending
-
1995
- 1995-08-02 EP EP95305415A patent/EP0696034A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3239916A (en) * | 1962-10-17 | 1966-03-15 | Whitney Blake Co | Ribbon cable |
GB2121594A (en) * | 1982-04-06 | 1983-12-21 | Filotex Sa | A method of and apparatus for manufacturing an element of flat electric cable |
US5057650A (en) * | 1989-08-02 | 1991-10-15 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Molded circuit component unit for connecting lead wires |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1999019756A1 (en) * | 1997-10-14 | 1999-04-22 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Cable with predetermined discrete connectorization locations |
US5987204A (en) * | 1997-10-14 | 1999-11-16 | 3M Innnvative Properties Company | Cable with predetermined discrete connectorization locations |
DE19832012A1 (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2000-02-10 | Kostal Leopold Gmbh & Co Kg | Connection arrangement for flat strip conductors, which are provided with several spaced parallel conductor tracks with contact and counter contact points |
DE19832012B4 (en) * | 1998-07-16 | 2006-01-12 | Leopold Kostal Gmbh & Co. Kg | Ribbon conductor with a branching and / or repair point and method for producing a branch and / or repair point on such a ribbon conductor |
AT502813B1 (en) * | 2006-02-14 | 2007-06-15 | I & T Innovation Tech Entw | Ribbon cable producing method involves producing or changing conductor tracks to desired shape, where tracks comprise a sheath with predetermined cross-section such that they are isolated from one another and from surrounding area |
EP2333919A3 (en) * | 2009-12-08 | 2013-08-14 | BPW Bergische Achsen KG | Electric cable assembly |
WO2023022375A1 (en) * | 2021-08-17 | 2023-02-23 | 주식회사 케이펙스 | Flat flexible printed circuit |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB9415551D0 (en) | 1994-09-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CA1078033A (en) | Flexible electrical jumper cable formed from a preformed rigid metallic sheet | |
EP1157892B1 (en) | Wire harness joint | |
EP0213859A2 (en) | Multiconductor electrical cable terminations and methods and apparatus for making same | |
US4815200A (en) | Method for improving accuracy of connections to electrical terminal | |
GB1565306A (en) | Electrical connection components | |
US4173388A (en) | Connector-cable with crimped electrical terminations | |
EP1014501A1 (en) | An electrical connection box, its method of manufacturing, a wire connection busbar of an electrical connection box and its producing method | |
US3611262A (en) | Electrical connector having integral wire severing means | |
US5085114A (en) | Method for facilitating removal of insulation from wires | |
AU753877B2 (en) | Cable connector capable of reliably connecting a cable and method of connecting the cable to the cable connector | |
EP0696034A1 (en) | Method of manufacturing a flat flexible conductor cable | |
US4249304A (en) | Method of connecting flat electrical cables | |
US5337633A (en) | Arrangement and method of use of cooperative blades for severing coating layers on filamentary members | |
US4064622A (en) | Method of making a flexible jumper strip | |
EP0244017A1 (en) | Electrical contact device and a method for its manufacture | |
EP0762547B1 (en) | Construction having a wire layout used to form internal circuits of an electrical connection box | |
EP0808002A2 (en) | Method and apparatus for producing a wiring harness | |
US4049334A (en) | Wire preparation and termination means and method | |
US4527451A (en) | Stripping tool for shielded ribbon cable | |
US4342152A (en) | Methods of terminating and connectorizing cables | |
DE60202628T2 (en) | BAND OR RIBBON SWITCH | |
EP0369767A2 (en) | A contact for connection of a shielded wire | |
EP1006614A2 (en) | Pressure-contact terminal and electric connection box containing pressure-contact terminals | |
JP3428384B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for manufacturing wire harness | |
EP0645857B1 (en) | Connector for electric connections |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI LU |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Free format text: LT;LV;SI |
|
RAX | Requested extension states of the european patent have changed |
Free format text: LT;LV;SI |
|
RBV | Designated contracting states (corrected) |
Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI LU |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19960808 |