GB2040544A - Electrical Wiring - Google Patents

Abstract

In a three core cable conductors 10, 12 and 14 are insulated from one another and an outer insulating sheath 22 surrounds all three conductors. One side of sheath 22 has an adhesive coating 24 to secure the cable to a wall. The coating is optionally covered by a backing strip 26. In another embodiment (Fig. 2 not shown) a twin feeder cable has an adhesive backing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in Electrical Wiring The present invention relates to electrical wiring. It has long been common practice in passing electrical wiring round a room to secure the wiring to a wall by means of staples arranged at intervals. Despite the unsightly appearance of staples, the time required to fix staples and the possible damage that they might do to the wiring, there has hitherto been proposed no alternative to this method of fixing wiring, such as telephone wires and power cables, to a wall.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided electrical wiring having at least one self-supporting conductor and insulation around the conductor, the insulation having at least one flat surface provided with an adhesive coating for enabling the wiring to be secured to a support surface.

The term "self-supporting" in relation to the conductor is intended to signify that the conductor is capable of being stripped of insulation for connection to electrical terminal as opposed to being a conductive coating supported on a non-conductive substrate.

The wiring may include one or several conductors and the invention specifically lends itself to flat cables with which staples have hitherto not proved particularly successful.

The wiring may be wound in a roll, in a manner analagous to adhesive tape, the adhesive coating being protected by the turns of the roll.

Alternatively, the adhesive taping may be provided with a protective backing to be peeled from the wiring when desired. The use of a protective backing offers the advantage that the adhesive coating can remain protected in any stretch of wire which is not to be adhered to a wall.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end of a cable in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end of a twin flex wire in accordance with the invention.

In Figure 1, a conventional flat three core cable has three stranded conductors 10, 1 2 and 14, each having its respective insulation 16, 1 8 and 20. An outer insulating sheath 22 surrounds all three conductors and has on one side an adhesive coating 24 which is protected by a plastics backing sheet 26. To secure the cable to a wall, the backing sheet 26 is removed to expose the adhesive coating 24 which is of a pressure sensitive adhesive allowing the cable to be adhered directly on to a wall.

In Figure 2, there is illustrated twin flex wire having two conductors 30 and 32 embedded within an insulation 34. The insulation has a flat side coated with an adhesive layer 36 to allow the twin flex wire to be adhered to a wall. To protect the adhesive coating 36, the twin flex wire is wound in a roll so that the adhesive is protected in a manner analagous to that in a roll of adhesive tape.

Powerful pressure sensitive adhesives are now available enabling the invention to be applied even to relatively heavy cables.

The invention has particular application in the wiring of motor vehicles where staples cannot be used. It is possible to form a complete wiring harness in one flat strip which is provided with an adhesive coating so that it may be secured directly on to a panelled motor vehicle.

Other uses and applications of self-adhesive wiring would be readily apparent to all those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Electrical wiring having at least one selfsupporting conductor and insulation around the conductor, the insulation having at least one flat surface provided with an adhesive coating for enabling the wiring to be secured to a support surface.

2. Electrical wiring as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a protective backing is releasable adhered to the adhesive coating to protect the latter coating prior to the wiring being affixed to a support surface.

3. Electrical wiring as claimed in Claim 1, when wound in a roll in order to protect the adhesive coating.

4. Electrical wiring substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in Electrical Wiring The present invention relates to electrical wiring. It has long been common practice in passing electrical wiring round a room to secure the wiring to a wall by means of staples arranged at intervals. Despite the unsightly appearance of staples, the time required to fix staples and the possible damage that they might do to the wiring, there has hitherto been proposed no alternative to this method of fixing wiring, such as telephone wires and power cables, to a wall. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided electrical wiring having at least one self-supporting conductor and insulation around the conductor, the insulation having at least one flat surface provided with an adhesive coating for enabling the wiring to be secured to a support surface. The term "self-supporting" in relation to the conductor is intended to signify that the conductor is capable of being stripped of insulation for connection to electrical terminal as opposed to being a conductive coating supported on a non-conductive substrate. The wiring may include one or several conductors and the invention specifically lends itself to flat cables with which staples have hitherto not proved particularly successful. The wiring may be wound in a roll, in a manner analagous to adhesive tape, the adhesive coating being protected by the turns of the roll. Alternatively, the adhesive taping may be provided with a protective backing to be peeled from the wiring when desired. The use of a protective backing offers the advantage that the adhesive coating can remain protected in any stretch of wire which is not to be adhered to a wall. The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end of a cable in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end of a twin flex wire in accordance with the invention. In Figure 1, a conventional flat three core cable has three stranded conductors 10, 1 2 and 14, each having its respective insulation 16, 1 8 and 20. An outer insulating sheath 22 surrounds all three conductors and has on one side an adhesive coating 24 which is protected by a plastics backing sheet 26. To secure the cable to a wall, the backing sheet 26 is removed to expose the adhesive coating 24 which is of a pressure sensitive adhesive allowing the cable to be adhered directly on to a wall. In Figure 2, there is illustrated twin flex wire having two conductors 30 and 32 embedded within an insulation 34. The insulation has a flat side coated with an adhesive layer 36 to allow the twin flex wire to be adhered to a wall. To protect the adhesive coating 36, the twin flex wire is wound in a roll so that the adhesive is protected in a manner analagous to that in a roll of adhesive tape. Powerful pressure sensitive adhesives are now available enabling the invention to be applied even to relatively heavy cables. The invention has particular application in the wiring of motor vehicles where staples cannot be used. It is possible to form a complete wiring harness in one flat strip which is provided with an adhesive coating so that it may be secured directly on to a panelled motor vehicle. Other uses and applications of self-adhesive wiring would be readily apparent to all those skilled in the art. Claims

1. Electrical wiring having at least one selfsupporting conductor and insulation around the conductor, the insulation having at least one flat surface provided with an adhesive coating for enabling the wiring to be secured to a support surface.

2. Electrical wiring as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a protective backing is releasable adhered to the adhesive coating to protect the latter coating prior to the wiring being affixed to a support surface.

3. Electrical wiring as claimed in Claim 1, when wound in a roll in order to protect the adhesive coating.

4. Electrical wiring substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.