JP2002056721A - Flat cable and its manufacturing method as well as its using method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily adjust and change shape of respective linear conductor at ends of a flat cable into both a flat-type conductor shape and a round conductor shape. SOLUTION: Plural linear conductors 2 pinched between a pair of insulation films in a parallel state is formed in a flat flat-type conductor part 2a at a cable end region 1a, and is formed into a round conductor part 2b of nearly round state in a cross-section in this side of the flat-type conductor part 2a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to consumer equipment, OA
The present invention relates to a flat cable used for wiring of a device or an in-vehicle electronic device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a flat cable having a plurality of linear conductors sandwiched between a pair of insulating films in parallel has been used for wiring between various electronic devices.

In this flat cable, a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section or a flat flat conductor is used as each linear conductor.

[0004]

When wiring between various electronic devices using a flat cable of this type, it is more convenient if each of the linear conductors used for the wiring is a round conductor. In some cases, a flat conductor is more convenient.

[0005] For example, when a flat cable is connected to an electronic device in a press-contact form, it is preferable that each linear conductor is a round conductor. In other words, in this case, the linear conductor on the flat cable side is press-fitted between the pair of press-contact blades on the predetermined electrical device side and connected, so from the viewpoint of securing press-fitting workability and ensuring connection after press-fitting. It is preferable that each linear conductor is a round conductor.

On the other hand, when it is intended to connect to an electronic device in the form of a connector, it is preferable that each linear conductor is a flat conductor. In other words, in this case, the linear conductor is exposed at the end of the flat cable, the reinforcing plate is attached, the end is processed into a kind of connector, and this is inserted into the connector on the electronic device side and connected. So do
It is preferable that each linear conductor is a flat conductor so that each linear conductor is firmly fixed on the reinforcing plate and each terminal on the connector side is easily in contact with each linear conductor.

For this reason, conventionally, it is necessary to prepare a flat cable using a round conductor as each linear conductor and a flat cable using a flat conductor as each linear conductor, and use these as necessary. Here, the work is complicated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to easily change the shape of each linear conductor at the end from a flat conductor to a round conductor, or vice versa, as necessary. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flat cable, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of using the same.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems,
The flat cable according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of linear conductors arranged in parallel on the same plane are sandwiched between a pair of insulating films, wherein each of the linear conductors is located in a cable end region. It is formed into a flat flat conductor and formed into a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section in front of the flat conductor, or formed into a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section in the cable end region. In addition, it is formed in a flat flat conductor portion in front of the round conductor portion.

The flat cable according to claim 2 is a flat cable in which a plurality of linear conductors arranged in parallel on the same plane are sandwiched between a pair of insulating films. The flat conductors and the round conductors having a substantially circular cross section are formed alternately along the longitudinal direction of the cable.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat cable manufacturing method, wherein a plurality of round conductors having a substantially circular cross section which are fed in parallel along a predetermined feeding direction are intermittently and partially cut by a rolling roller. Forming a plurality of linear conductors in which a flat conductor portion and a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section are formed alternately along each longitudinal direction by rolling to
The method includes a step of sandwiching the linear conductors arranged in parallel between a pair of insulating films, and a step of joining the pair of insulating films to each other.

[0012] The flat cable according to claim 4
As described above, the flat cable may be cut and used so that the flat conductor portion or the round conductor portion of each of the linear conductors is disposed in the cable end region depending on the usage mode.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

First, the configuration of the flat cable 1 itself will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the flat cable 1, a plurality of linear conductors 2 arranged in parallel on the same plane are sandwiched between a pair of insulating films 5.

Each linear conductor 2 is made of copper or a copper alloy, is formed in a flat flat conductor portion 2a in a cable end region 1a, and is formed in front of the flat conductor portion 2a in the cable end region 1a. It is formed in a round conductor portion 2b having a substantially circular cross section.

Here, the length dimension of each flat conductor portion 2a in the cable end region 1a is necessary for processing the end of the cable into a connector and connecting it to the mating connector as described later. It is finished more than required length. Although FIG. 1 shows only the cable end region 1a on one side of the cable 1, each linear conductor 2 is similarly formed in the shape of the flat conductor portion 2a in the cable end region on the other side. May be.

In the present embodiment, each round conductor portion 2b is provided with each flat conductor portion 2a in the cable end region 1a.
It is assumed that the cable 1 is formed in a portion extending over the entire area in the longitudinal direction from the near side to the other end of the cable 1. However, each of the round conductor portions 2b only needs to have at least a required length for exposing the round conductor portions 2b and connecting them in a press-contact manner as described later. It may be partially formed in the round conductor portion 2b in the foreground (see a modified example shown in FIG. 4 described later).

Each of the insulating films 5 is made of an insulating resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and is sandwiched between the linear conductors 2 arranged in parallel by ultrasonic welding or a thermoplastic adhesive. They are joined to each other by a method such as thermocompression bonding.

The flat cable 1 configured as described above is used by the following method.

First, when the flat cable 1 is to be connected to an electronic device in the form of a connector, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, both insulating films 5 are peeled off at the cable end region 1a. Each flat conductor portion 2a is exposed, and each flat conductor portion 2a is arranged in parallel in the exposed state.
A reinforcing plate 6 is stuck on one side of the. Thereby, the cable end of the cable 1 is processed into a connector form.
Then, the end of the cable 1 thus processed into the connector form can be inserted into the mating connector to perform connection. At this time, since the flat flat conductor 2a is exposed at the end of the cable 1, each of the flat conductors 2a can be firmly fixed to the reinforcing plate 6 or the like. In the state of being connected to the connector, the terminals inside the connector are more likely to more reliably contact the flat conductor portion 2a.

In the case where the flat cable 1 is to be connected to an electronic device on the other side in a press-contact manner,
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the flat cable 1, a cable end region 1a including each flat conductor 2a is included.
, The insulating film 5 is further peeled off over a predetermined length at the end after the separation to expose each round conductor portion 2b at the end after the separation. Then, when each of the exposed round conductor portions 2b is press-fitted between the press-contact blades of the counter-contact press-connecting terminal, the connection between them is established. At this time, since the round conductor portion 2b having a substantially circular cross section is press-fitted between the press-contact blades, the press-fitting operation is easy and the connection reliability after press-fitting is excellent. In addition, as a press-contact form, after the cable end region 1a of the flat cable 1 is cut off,
The insulation film 5 is pushed and broken by each press contact blade, and each round conductor portion 2 is pressed.
There is also a form in which b is pressed against the pressing blade.

According to the flat cable 1 configured as described above, each linear conductor 2 is formed in a flat flat conductor portion 2a in the cable end region 1a and a cross section is formed in front of the flat conductor portion 2a. Since it is formed in the substantially circular round conductor portion 2b, the flat conductor portion 2a of each linear conductor 2 is attached to the end of the cable 1 in a state where the cable end region 1a is not separated.
When the cable end region 1a is cut off, the round conductor portions 2b of the respective linear conductors 2 are arranged at the end of the cable 1. Therefore, the cable end region 1a
Can easily change the shape of each linear conductor at the end of the cable 1 from a flat conductor shape to a round conductor shape.

Further, the flat conductor 2a, which is wider than the round conductor 2b, engages with the joint of the two insulating films 5 while being sandwiched between the insulating films 5, so that the linear conductor 2a The effect that the conductor 2 can be prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cable 1 with respect to the insulating film 5 can also be obtained. This is particularly effective when the insulating film 5 and the linear conductor 2 are not bonded, such as when the two insulating films 5 are joined together only by ultrasonic welding without using an adhesive. is there.

The flat conductor portion 2a can be formed by partially rolling a round conductor having a circular cross section as described later. The flat conductor portion 2a is thus formed by rolling. In this case, since the flat conductor 2a is hardened by compression, the bending strength is improved. Therefore,
The workability of the connector is improved, and the workability of insertion into the mating connector is improved.

In the above embodiment, each linear conductor 2
In the cable end region 1a.
a and a round conductor portion 2b having a substantially circular cross section in front of the flat conductor portion 2a. Conversely, a round conductor portion having a circular cross section is formed in the cable end region 1a. 2b
And a flat flat conductor before the round conductor 2b in the cable end region 1a.

In the above-described embodiment, the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the cable 1 is uniformly formed in the round conductor portion 2b, but the flat cable 1B shown in FIGS.
As described above, a plurality of linear conductors 2B sandwiched in parallel between a pair of insulating films 5B have a flat flat shape along the longitudinal direction of the cable 1B even in the longitudinal middle portion of the cable 1B. The mold conductors 2Ba and the round conductors 2Bb having a substantially circular cross section may be alternately formed. In this case, even when the cable 1B is cut into an approximately arbitrary length at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction, the flat conductor 2
There is an advantage that Ba can be provided or the round conductor portion 2Bb can be provided.

Next, a method of manufacturing the flat cables 1 and 1B as described above will be described together with the manufacturing apparatus.

In this flat cable manufacturing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 5, a round conductor 10 having a substantially circular cross section is wound and housed in a plurality of conductor bobbins 20, respectively. The round conductors 10 thus arranged are aligned in a parallel state at a predetermined pitch by the alignment guide 21.

The round conductors 1 thus arranged in a parallel state
0 is sent to the rolling section 22. The rolling section 22 includes a pair of rolling roller sections 23a and 23b, and the upper rolling roller section 23a is provided with an approach / separation section 2 such as an air cylinder.
4 enables the lower rolling roller portion 23b to move toward and away from the lower rolling roller portion 23b. And both rolling roller portions 23
a and 23b, the upper rolling roller portion 23a is intermittently intermittently spaced at regular time intervals along with the feeding of the respective round conductors 10 while being fed so as to be fed at a constant speed. By moving closer to the rolling roller portion 23b, each round conductor 10 is partially intermittently rolled, and a flat flat conductor portion and a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section are alternately formed along each longitudinal direction. The plurality of formed linear conductors 11 are formed.

The plurality of linear conductors 11 are wound around the upper film storage roller 25a and stored in the insulating film 12
a is disposed on the upper side, and the insulating film 12b wound and stored on the lower film storage roller 25b is sent to the ultrasonic welding section 26 in a state of being disposed on the lower side.

The ultrasonic welding section 26 includes a vibration imparting horn 27 and an ultrasonic anvil 28 provided at positions sandwiching the feed line P from above and below.

The vibration imparting horn 27 is formed of a plate-like member which can slide on the outer surface (upper surface) of the upper insulating film 12a over the entire width thereof, and is provided with an ultrasonic vibration generating mechanism (not shown). Ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibration imparting horn 27 is applied to the vibration imparting horn 27 so that the vibration imparting horn 27 can vibrate in the width direction of the insulating film 12a. Further, the ultrasonic anvil 28 is formed in a substantially columnar shape, and has an outer peripheral surface provided between the aligned linear conductors 11 and in each region of both outer edges of the linear conductors 11 on the lower surface of the insulating film 12b. Contact projection 28 that can contact
a is formed. Then, in a state where the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the vibration imparting horn 27, each of the insulating films 12 a and 12 b sandwiching the plurality of linear conductors 11 is attached to the vibration imparting horn 27.
When the insulating films 12a and 12b are fed between the insulating film 12a and the ultrasonic anvil 28, the insulating films 12a and 12b are ultrasonically welded in a region other than a region where the linear conductors 11 are arranged.

Instead of ultrasonically welding the insulating films 12a and 12b to each other at the ultrasonic welding portion 26, a predetermined thermoplastic adhesive or the like is interposed between the insulating films 12a and 12b and they are heated and compressed by a pair. You may make it thermocompression-bond with a roller.

Lastly, when the excess outer edges of the insulating films 12a and 12b are cut off by the cutting blade 29, the long flat cable 13 is completed, and the flat cable 13 is wound around the take-up roll 30. It will be stored.

In such a manufacturing method, the length of the round conductor between the flat conductors can be adjusted by adjusting the time interval at which the two rolling rollers 23a and 23b move closer to each other. The length of each of the flat conductors is adjusted by adjusting the time during which the rolling rollers 23a and 23b are moved toward and away from each other.
3 by appropriately adjusting the cutting position of FIG.
The flat cable 1 shown in (d) and the flat cable 1B shown in FIG. 4 can be manufactured.

In this manufacturing method, a plurality of round conductors 10 fed in parallel are rolled together by the rolling rollers 23a and 23b, so that each round conductor 10 is efficiently and flatly flat. It can be formed in a plurality of linear conductors 11 in which a mold conductor portion and a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section are alternately formed.

1A to 1D by adjusting the time interval for moving the two rolling rollers 23a and 23b closer together and adjusting the time for moving the two rolling rollers 23a and 23b closer together. 4) and the flat cable 1B shown in FIG. 4 can be easily manufactured.

[0039]

As described above, according to the flat cable according to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the linear conductors sandwiched between the pair of insulating films is formed into a flat flat conductor in the cable end region. It is formed and formed into a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section in front of the flat conductor, or formed into a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section in the cable end region and before the round conductor. Because it is formed in a flat flat conductor portion, by simply separating the cable end region, the shape of each linear conductor at the end of the cable can be easily changed from a flat conductor shape to a round conductor shape, Alternatively, the shape can be changed from a round conductor shape to a flat conductor shape.

According to the flat cable of the present invention, each of the linear conductors sandwiched between the pair of insulating films alternately has a flat flat conductor portion and a substantially circular cross section along the longitudinal direction of the cable. Is formed on the round conductor portion, so that when the cable is cut at the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the cable, the flat conductor portion is disposed at the end portion or the round conductor portion is disposed. Can be cut as well.

Further, according to the method of manufacturing a flat cable according to the third aspect, a plurality of round conductors having a substantially circular cross section which are fed in parallel along a predetermined feeding direction are partially intermittently driven by a rolling roller. Forming a plurality of linear conductors in which a flat conductor portion and a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section are formed alternately along each longitudinal direction by rolling in parallel. A step of sandwiching each of the linear conductors between a pair of insulating films and a step of joining the pair of insulating films to each other, so that a flat flat conductor portion and a round conductor having a substantially circular cross section are included. A plurality of linear conductors in which portions are alternately formed can be efficiently manufactured.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, each of the flat cables has a flat conductor portion or a round conductor portion of each of the linear conductors disposed in a cable end region according to a use mode. By cutting the flat cable, it can be cut so that the flat conductor portion is provided at the end portion or the round conductor portion is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (a) is a plan view showing a flat cable according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Ib-Ib in FIG. 1 (a), and FIG. FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Id-Id of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a flat cable used in a connector form.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a flat cable used in a press-contact form.

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a flat cable according to a modification, and FIG. 4B is a view showing IVb-IVb in FIG. 4A.
It is a line sectional view.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an apparatus for manufacturing a flat cable.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1B Flat cable 1a Cable end area 2, 2B Linear conductor 2a, 2Ba Flat conductor 2b, 2Bb Round conductor 5, 5B Insulating film

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Koji Fukumoto 1-14 Nishisuehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. F-term (reference) 5G311 CA01 CB01 CC01 CD03 CF02 CF06

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A flat cable in which a plurality of linear conductors arranged in parallel on the same plane are sandwiched between a pair of insulating films, wherein each of the linear conductors is flat in a cable end region. It is formed in a conductor portion and is formed into a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section in front of the flat conductor portion, or is formed into a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section in a cable end region and the round conductor is formed. Flat cable formed in a flat, flat conductor before the section. 2. A flat cable in which a plurality of linear conductors arranged in parallel on the same plane are sandwiched between a pair of insulating films, wherein each of the linear conductors is alternately arranged along a longitudinal direction of the cable. A flat cable formed of a flat flat conductor and a round conductor with a substantially circular cross section. 3. A plurality of round conductors having a substantially circular cross section which are fed in parallel along a predetermined feeding direction are intermittently and partially rolled by a rolling roller, so as to extend along each longitudinal direction. Forming a plurality of linear conductors in which a flat conductor portion and a round conductor portion having a substantially circular cross section are alternately formed, and sandwiching the linear conductors arranged in parallel between a pair of insulating films. And a step of joining the pair of insulating films to each other. 4. The method of using a flat cable according to claim 1, wherein a flat conductor portion or a round conductor portion of each of the linear conductors is disposed in a cable end region according to a use mode. How to use a flat cable to cut a flat cable to be.