JP2002237343A - Flat cable and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat cable of type B of low cost or a flat cable for both type AB by obtaining the flat cable (type B) having opposite exposed faces of the conductors of both- sides of terminal parts using a manufacturing process of the flat cable (type A) which has the exposed faces of the conductors of the same face direction. SOLUTION: The exposed faces of the terminal parts of the conductors of both sides of the flat cable is made to have the same directions, and at least at the one side terminal part, it is bent at the root or the middle part of the exposed part of the conductor, so that the exposed face of the conductor may stay outside and a reinforcement board may stay inner side. As for the manufacturing method, the method, in which the terminal parts are formed by exposing one side face having the same directions of the conductor at the flat cable both ends, and in a terminal part of one side, the reinforcement board is stuck on a insulated film face by the opposite side to the exposed face of the conductor and is united in one, and at the other terminal part, it is bent so that the exposed face of the conductor may stay outside, and at the bent part, the reinforcement board with double-sided adhesives is inserted and united, is provided. Moreover, the another method is provided, in which one side face of the conductor having the same direction is exposed at the both ends, and the reinforcement board is stuck on the insulated film side by the opposite side to the conductor face, and the terminal parts are formed, and at least at one of the terminal parts, it is bent so that the exposed face of the conductor may stay outside, and the reinforcement board may stay inner side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flat cable used as a fixed wiring or a movable part wiring in an electric / electronic device and a method for manufacturing the flat cable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A flat cable is a thin flat cable having a thickness of about 0.1 to 0.3 mm in which a conductor having a rectangular cross section is sandwiched between plastic films with an insulating adhesive. is there. Such a flat cable,
They are properly used depending on the application, such as jumper wires (fixed wiring) between electric / electronic device circuits and wiring materials of movable parts thereof.
In recent years, this flat cable has been frequently used for wiring of movable parts of electric / electronic devices due to the addition of high bending performance. In particular, the number of cases where it is applied to a print head wiring of a small personal computer printer or a pickup wiring of an AV device such as a CD or a DVD is rapidly increasing. This flat cable is connected by inserting a terminal formed at its own end into a connector on the device circuit side.

[0003] Such a flat cable is formed (laminated) by sandwiching a plurality of conductors with an insulating film with an insulating adhesive such as a hot-melt system, and then performing heat fusion using a hot roll or a hot press. Is done. At this time, the terminal portion formed at the end portion is formed by exposing one side of the conductor and bonding a reinforcing plate to the film surface on the opposite side.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a conventional example of such a cable. The flat cable shown in FIG. 8 is composed of insulating films 1 and 1 with adhesive on one side from both sides of a plurality of conductors 2 arranged in parallel.
Terminals are formed at both ends of a flat cable with a laminated and integrated structure. With this double-sided terminal configuration, the conductor is exposed on the same side (upper side in the drawing), and a single-sided adhesive is attached from the opposite side The reinforcing plates 4 and 4 are bonded and integrated (hereinafter referred to as type A). On the other hand, the flat cable shown in FIG.
Terminal portions are formed at both ends of a flat cable having a structure in which the flat cable 1 is sandwiched and laminated, and in this double-sided terminal portion configuration, conductors are exposed in opposite directions (up and down directions in the drawing). The reinforcing plates 4 and 4 with a single-sided adhesive are adhered and integrated on the opposite surface (hereinafter, referred to as “the reinforcing plates 4 and 4”).
This is referred to as type B).

FIG. 10 shows a manufacturing process of a type A flat cable, and FIG. 11 shows a manufacturing process of a type B flat cable. In FIG. 10, one side (upper side) of the insulating films 9 and 9 with the single-sided adhesive before the laminating process is pierced at regular intervals by a piercing die 5, and both films are laminated on both surfaces of the conductor 2 by heat rolls 7 and 7. After being integrated, the reinforcing plate 4 is pasted on the film surface opposite to the perforated portion by a reinforcing plate pasting machine, and cut at the perforated portion; A flat cable with terminals having the same exposed surface is manufactured. In FIG. 11, the insulating films 9, 9 with the single-sided adhesive before the laminating process are perforated dies 5, 5 ', respectively.
, And these films are laminated and integrated on both surfaces of the conductor 2 by the heat rolls 7, 7, and then the upper reinforcing plate sticking machine 8 is attached to the film surface on the opposite side of each of the perforated portions at different upper and lower positions. And a lower reinforcing plate adhering machine 8 ', and the flat cable is formed by cutting the perforated portion; the reinforcing plate adhering portion, that is, the terminal portion 6, so that the conductor exposed surfaces at both ends have terminal portions opposite to each other. Manufactured.

[0006]

Among the flat cables shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, a flat cable of type A (FIGS. 8 and 10) has a set of a punching die 5 and a reinforcing plate. While the terminal portion is formed by the attaching machine 8, the type B flat cable (FIGS. 9 and 11)
Upper and lower two sets of punching dies 5, 5 'and a reinforcing plate sticking machine 8,
It is necessary to synchronize 8 'with each other and to precisely mold the reinforcing plate so that there is no deviation in the interval between the reinforcing plates. For this reason, the type B flat cable requires a system for precisely controlling two perforating dies and a reinforcing plate attaching machine in the manufacturing process as compared with the type A flat cable, and the initial investment is large.
During the manufacturing process, the maintenance cost of two sets of perforating dies and reinforcing plate sticking machine is required. For this reason, the manufacturing cost has increased.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has a problem;
In the process of manufacturing a flat cable having exposed conductor surfaces on both side terminals, the flat cable of type B; a flat cable having exposed conductor surfaces of both terminal portions opposite to each other can be obtained. Type AB
An object of the present invention is to provide a dual-use flat cable.

[0008]

Means provided by the present invention; a flat cable is composed of a plurality of conductors arranged in parallel by sandwiching an insulating film from both sides of the conductor, exposing one side of the conductor at both ends, and connecting the opposite side to the opposite side. Attach the reinforcing plate to the insulating film surface to form the terminal portions, and in at least one terminal portion of the flat cable having the conductor exposed surfaces of these terminals in the same direction, the conductor exposed surface is outside and the reinforcing plate is inside. It is characterized by being bent from the base or middle of the exposed conductor portion. In this manner, by bending one of the terminal portions at both ends where the conductor exposed portions are in the same direction from the base of the conductor exposed portions, a type B flat cable in which the conductor exposed surfaces of the terminal portions at both ends are in opposite directions is formed. Also, by bending from the middle of the conductor exposed portion, conductor exposed surfaces are obtained on both surfaces, and both types A and B flat cables are obtained.

The reinforcing plate at the bent terminal portion is
The connector may have a step which is abutted against the connector when the connector is inserted.

As a preferred method of manufacturing a flat cable having the above structure, an insulating film is sandwiched from both sides of a plurality of parallel conductors and integrated, and one end of the conductor in the same direction is exposed at both ends to form a terminal portion. At one terminal, a reinforcing plate is attached to the insulating film surface opposite to the conductor exposed surface and integrated, and the other terminal is bent so that the conductor exposed surface is outside, and this bent portion has a double-sided adhesive A method in which a reinforcing plate is inserted and integrated (hereinafter referred to as manufacturing method 1), an insulating film is sandwiched from both sides of a plurality of parallel conductors and integrated, and one end of the conductor in the same direction is exposed at both ends and the opposite side is exposed. A method of forming a terminal portion by attaching a reinforcing plate to the surface of the insulating film, and bending at least one of the terminal portions so that the conductor exposed surface is on the outside and the reinforcing plate is on the inside (hereinafter referred to as manufacturing method 2)
Described).

The terminal structure of the flat cable according to the present invention can be applied to a terminal of an FPC (flexible printed wiring board).

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a flat cable according to the present invention.

The flat cable according to the first embodiment is manufactured by the manufacturing method 1. A plurality of conductors 2 having a rectangular cross section are arranged in a line, and an insulating film 1 with a single-sided adhesive is attached to both surfaces of the conductors. One end of the conductor is exposed by exposing one side of the conductor in the same direction at both ends of the flat cable integrated by lamination, and one terminal part (left side in the drawing) is provided on one surface of the insulating film opposite to the conductor exposed surface. The reinforcing plate 4 is attached, and the other terminal portion is bent from the base of the exposed conductor surface so that the exposed conductor surface is outside, and the reinforcing plate 10 with a double-sided adhesive is inserted into the bent portion, and thus obtained. The flat cable thus heated is heated again to fix the reinforcing plate 10.

The thus obtained flat cable is a type B flat cable in which the conductor exposed surfaces of both terminal portions are opposite to each other, although the flat cable is originally a type A flat cable. The following typical reliability tests required for the flat cable prototyped as described above were performed. Connector fit and electrical resistance, heat resistance, temperature cycle, moisture resistance. As a result of each reliability test, it was verified that the flat cable of this example did not have a defect such as peeling at the bent terminal portion and exhibited the same performance as the flat cable of FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention. The second embodiment is basically the same as the flat cable of the first embodiment in the manufacturing method, but the only difference is that the exposed length of the conductor of the bending-side terminal, that is, the length of the terminal is the first. The length is set longer than that of the embodiment, the terminal is bent at the middle of the conductor exposed surface so that the exposed surface of the conductor is outside, the reinforcing plate 10 with the double-sided adhesive is inserted into the bent portion, and heat pressurized again to integrate. It is a point that we aimed at. In this manner, when the cable is bent in the middle of the exposed conductor surface, a flat cable for both types A and B is obtained.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention. In both ends of the type A flat cable, the flat cable is bent in the middle of the exposed conductor surface so that the exposed conductor surface is outside. The reinforcing plate 10 with the double-sided adhesive is inserted into the bent portion, and the structure is integrated by pressing again with heat. As described above, by bending the flat cable at the terminal portions at both ends thereof in the middle of the conductor-exposed surface, FIG.
And a flat cable that can be used for both types A and B and has higher connection reliability with the connector can be obtained. In FIG. 4, 12
Denotes a connector body, and 13 denotes a connector contact.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention. The flat cable of the type A is bent from the middle of the exposed conductor surface so that the exposed conductor surface is outside at the terminal portion. A stepped-shaped reinforcing plate 11 with a double-sided adhesive is inserted into the bent portion, and is heat-pressed again for integration. The step of the reinforcing plate 11 is located at the base of the conductor exposed surface, and when the terminal is inserted into the connector, the step abuts on the connector, so that the amount of insertion into the connector can be grasped. In addition, a bolt passage hole is formed in the step portion, and bolting at the step portion can also help prevent slipping out.

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention. This flat cable is manufactured by the manufacturing method 2. A flat cable is obtained by arranging a plurality of conductors 2 having a rectangular cross section and laminating and integrating an insulating film 1 with a single-sided adhesive on both sides of these conductors. One end of the conductor in the same direction is exposed at both ends, and a reinforcing plate is attached to the insulating film surface opposite to the conductor exposed surface to form a terminal portion. At least one of the terminal portions has the conductor exposed surface facing outward. The reinforcing plate and the reinforcing plate are bent from the base of the exposed conductor surface, and the bent portion is again heated and pressurized to prevent deformation.

FIG. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention, which has basically the same structure as that of the flat cable of FIG. 6, but differs only in the middle of the conductor exposed surface. At the point bent from

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a flat cable of type A; a flat cable of type B;
The intended problem of providing a flat cable having opposite conductor exposed surfaces on both side terminal portions and providing a low-cost flat cable for both type B or type AB; Can be said to be large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing a first embodiment of a flat cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view showing a third embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a connector for connecting a terminal portion of the flat cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of a flat cable according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory perspective view of a main part showing a fifth embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view of a main part of a sixth embodiment of the flat cable according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a type A: flat cable having exposed conductors in the same direction in both terminal portions, (a) is a plan view,
(B) is a front view.

FIG. 9 shows a type B: flat cable in which the conductor exposed portions are opposite in the terminal portions on both sides, (a) is a plan view,
(B) is a front view.

10A is an explanatory front view showing a manufacturing process of a type A flat cable, and FIG. 10B is a plan explanatory view of the manufacturing process.

11A is an explanatory front view showing a manufacturing process of a type B flat cable, and FIG. 11B is an explanatory plan view of the manufacturing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insulating film with one-sided adhesive 2 Conductor 3 Adhesive 4 Reinforcement plate with one-sided adhesive 5 Perforated mold (for upper film) 5 'Perforated mold (for lower film) 6 Terminal part 7 Heat roll 8 Reinforcing plate Machine (for attaching lower film surface) 8 'Reinforcing plate attaching machine (for attaching upper film surface) 9 Insulating film with adhesive 10 Reinforcing plate with double-sided adhesive 11 Reinforcing plate with double-sided adhesive (step type) 12 Connector 13 Connector contacts

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsutomu Komori 4-10-1, Kawajiri-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside Hitachi Cable Finetech Co., Ltd. (72) Masato Ito 4--10, Kawajiri-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture No. 1 Hitachi Cable Finetech Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5E023 AA04 BB01 BB06 EE19 GG06 HH20 HH28 HH30

Claims (4)

[Claims] An insulating film is sandwiched from both sides of a plurality of parallel conductors to be integrated, and one end of the conductor is exposed at both ends, and a reinforcing plate is attached to the insulating film surface on the opposite side to form a terminal portion. In at least one terminal portion of the flat cable having the conductor exposed surfaces of these terminals in the same direction, the conductor exposed surface is bent from the root or middle of the conductor exposed surface such that the conductor exposed surface is outside and the reinforcing plate is inside. Characterized flat cable. 2. A reinforcing plate at the bent terminal portion,
The flat cable according to claim 1, further comprising a step that abuts against the connector when the connector is inserted. 3. An insulated film is sandwiched from both sides of a plurality of parallel conductors to be integrated, one end of the conductor is exposed at one end in the same direction to form a terminal part, and one terminal part is formed as a conductor exposed surface. Is characterized in that a reinforcing plate is attached to the surface of the insulating film on the opposite side and integrated, and the other terminal is bent so that the exposed surface of the conductor is outside, and a reinforcing plate with a double-sided adhesive is integrated into this bent portion. Flat cable manufacturing method. 4. Insulating films are sandwiched and integrated from both sides of a plurality of parallel conductors, one end of the conductor is exposed at one end in the same direction, and a reinforcing plate is attached to the opposite insulating film surface to form a terminal portion. And bending the at least one terminal part so that the conductor exposed surface is on the outside and the reinforcing plate is on the inside.