JP2002334737A - Wiring material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wiring material having flexibility, connectable to an existing connector while securing current capacity. SOLUTION: A first flat cable on which rectangular conductors 10a are arranged at the same pitch as the pitch of the cavity 41 of a connector is prepared. It is superimposed on a second flat cable 20 in its thickness direction in response to the current capacity required by a circuit connected to a terminal, and the end parts of the first and second flat cables 10, 20 are integrally connected by the terminal 30. The first and second flat cables 10, 20 can severally and freely bend, and flexibility of the wiring material is therefore increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wiring material used for an automobile harness or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Flat cables made of rectangular conductors are:
Because the current capacity is small, when connecting a flat cable consisting of a rectangular conductor to a device that requires a large current capacity, such as a motor, it is necessary to ensure a large cross-sectional area of the flat conductor that composes the flat cable to secure the current capacity. is there.

In order to secure the current capacity of the rectangular conductor, the width of the rectangular conductor is increased, the number of each of the rectangular conductors is increased to form one circuit using a plurality of rectangular conductors, or the thickness of the rectangular conductor is increased. Means such as increasing the thickness and increasing the cross-sectional area are conceivable.

[0004]

The flat cable has a terminal connected to a terminal, and the terminal is fitted to a connector to form a wiring member, which is then connected to a device such as a motor. Since it is preferable to use an existing connector, it is necessary to design a flat cable such as an arrangement pitch and width of rectangular conductors so as to be compatible with the existing terminal.

If the width of the rectangular conductor is increased in order to secure the current capacity, it is necessary to largely change the design of the connector side so as to correspond to the width of the rectangular conductor, and the flat cable cannot be connected to the existing terminals. . In addition, if the number of rectangular conductors is increased to secure current capacity and a plurality of rectangular conductors are allocated to one circuit, the width of the connector and the flat cable must be increased, and the shape of the existing connector is reduced. They need to be changed. Also,
If the rectangular conductor is made thicker to secure the current capacity, the flat cable becomes thicker accordingly and the flexibility of the flat cable is reduced, so that the flat cable cannot perform its original function.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-4464 is reported to solve such a problem.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the current capacity is ensured by increasing the width of the flat cable and the width of the rectangular conductor in the flat cable, and the tip of the flat cable is adjusted to the pitch width of the cavity. This is a method of connecting a flat cable to an existing connector as a shape narrowed down to fit. However, if the shape of the end of the flat cable is narrowed, there is a problem that the current capacity is limited and a desired current does not flow, and a problem that the resistance of the narrowed portion increases and heat is generated in the narrowed portion. Also, if a narrowing section is provided in the flat cable,
There is a problem that the scale cannot be measured at an arbitrary position and continuous formation cannot be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a wiring material which is compatible with an existing connector while securing a current capacity, and which does not impair the flexibility of a flat cable. With the goal.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a first invention in which a plurality of rectangular conductors arranged in a width direction at a predetermined pitch are covered with an insulator. The outer periphery of the flat cable and one or more rectangular conductors is covered with an insulator, and the rectangular conductor is the first rectangular conductor.
And the second flat cable in which the first flat cable is laminated so as to overlap with any one of the rectangular conductors of the flat cable in the thickness direction. The flat angles of the first and second flat cables overlapping each other A wiring member, wherein a terminal portion of a conductor is connected to a common terminal.

According to this configuration, since the conductors of the first flat cable and the second flat cable are connected to each other in a state of being superposed on the common terminal, the circuit to which the terminals are connected can be formed without increasing the width dimension. The required current capacity can be obtained. On the other hand, the intermediate portions of the first and second flat cables do not need to be fixed to each other, and can maintain the state in which the bending can be independently deformed. There is no risk of impairing flexibility. Further, since the rectangular conductors are arranged at a predetermined pitch, they can be fitted to an existing connector.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the wiring member according to the first aspect, a plurality of second flat cables are stacked on at least one flat conductor of the first flat cable. It is characterized by. According to this configuration, with respect to the rectangular conductor of the first flat cable,
By stacking a plurality of rectangular conductors of the second flat cable, a current capacity required by a circuit connected to a terminal can be obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the wiring member according to the first or second aspect, the second flat cable comprises a plurality of flat conductors in the width direction at the same pitch as the first flat cable. It is characterized by including those arranged. According to this configuration, the pitch of the rectangular conductors of the first flat cable and the pitch of the rectangular conductors of the second flat cable are the same, so that even if the second flat cable has a plurality of conductors, The conductor can be superimposed on the flat conductor of the first flat cable,
In addition, since the second flat cable includes a plurality of rectangular conductors, the number of second flat cables can be reduced.

On the other hand, as in the invention according to claim 4,
All of the second flat cables have a single rectangular conductor, and if the required number of second flat cables are stacked for each rectangular conductor of the first flat cable, the second flat cable can be used. Since the same number of cables can be mass-produced and the required number of cables can be used according to the current capacity, the productivity of the second flat cable is increased.

The invention described in claim 5 is the first invention.
5. The wiring material according to any one of 4, wherein the terminal is a crimp terminal having a holding piece, and the holding piece is crimped to the flat conductor so as to embrace the ends of the overlapping rectangular conductors. Wiring material. According to this configuration, the conductor terminals and the terminals can be integrated with a simple configuration in which the conductor terminals of the first and second flat cables are merely held by the holding pieces of the crimp terminal. In addition, productivity does not need to be removed from the terminal insulator.

[0015] The invention according to claim 6 is the first invention.
4. In the wiring member according to any one of the items 4, the flat rectangular conductor is exposed by removing the insulator coating at the end portion of each flat cable, and the flat rectangular conductor overlapping each other and the connection portion formed on the terminal are laminated. It is characterized by being connected collectively by welding in a state. According to this configuration, since the connecting portions of the terminals are welded to the exposed flat conductors of the first and second flat cables and connected, the terminals and the flat cables can be firmly connected.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an example of a method of manufacturing a wiring member using one first and second flat cable.

As shown in FIG. 1 (a), this method of manufacturing a wiring member firstly includes first and second flat cables 10 and 2,
Prepare 0. The width of the first flat cable 10 is w2
The three rectangular conductors are arranged in parallel at a pitch w1, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with an insulator 10b in a flat plate shape.
The second flat cable 20 has a width w2 of 1
An insulator 20b is coated in a flat plate shape on the rectangular conductor 20a.

Subsequently, the first and second flat cables 1
The rectangular conductors 10a and 20a are laminated so that the terminal portions 0 and 20 are aligned.

Subsequently, crimp terminals 30 as shown in FIG. 1 (b) are fixed to the conductor terminals overlapping each other. The crimp terminal 30 includes a prismatic fitting portion 32 for fitting into the connector cavity, and four holding pieces 31 extending from the fitting portion 32 and arranged to embrace the rectangular conductor,
31, 31, and 31.

In order to fix such a crimp terminal 30 to a conductor terminal, first, as shown in FIG. 1B, the flat cable 20 is pierced by the sharp tip of the holding piece 31 and penetrated. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, the first and second flat cables 10 and 20 are bent by bending the holding pieces 31 facing each other with the penetrated rectangular conductor interposed therebetween.
And fix.

FIG. 2 shows first and second flat cables 1.
0, 20, terminal 30, and connector 40
3 is an overall view as viewed from the cavity 41 side of FIG. In the terminal 40, three cavities 41 are arranged in the width direction at the same pitch as the pitch w1 of the rectangular conductor 20. (A)-(c) of FIG.
Through the first and second flat cables 10 and 20
The flat cable 10, 20 and the connector 40 are connected by fitting the fitting portion 32 of the terminal 30 connected to the flat cable 10 into the cavity 41. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the terminal 30 is also connected to the other two rectangular conductors 10 a of the first flat cable 10 where the first flat cable 10 and the second flat cable 20 are not overlapped. After connection, the fitting portion 32 of the terminal 30 is fitted into the cavity 41.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the entire wiring member 1 formed through the steps (a) to (c) of FIG. This wiring material 1
Terminal-processed first and second flat cables 10 and 2
0 are connected to connectors 40 at both ends. The first and second flat cables 10 and 20 are collectively connected by terminals 30 at both ends, and the intermediate portions of the first and second flat cables 10 and 20 are not connected,
The wiring member 1 is more likely to bend at the intermediate portion between the first and second flat cables 10 and 20 than when the thickness of the flat cable is increased to secure the current capacity.

Since a flat cable in which rectangular conductors are arranged in accordance with the pitch of the cavity 41 is used, the connector 40 and the first and second flat cables 1 are used.
0 and 20 are connected so as to match the connector pitch.

FIG. 4 shows a terminal treatment method for a flat cable when a wiring member is formed using terminals different from crimp terminals. First, as shown in FIG.
Insulator 1 at end of second flat cable 10, 20
The rectangular conductors 10a and 20a are exposed by exfoliating Ob and 20b with the same length in the longitudinal direction.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4B, the exposed rectangular conductors 10a and 20a are connected to the terminals 50. The terminal 50 includes a prismatic fitting portion 51 for fitting into the cavity, and a connecting portion 52 made of a flat metal extending from the fitting portion 51.

Subsequently, the superposed rectangular conductors 10a,
20a and the connecting portion 52 of the terminal 50 are overlapped, and the rectangular conductor 10
a, 20a and the connection unit 52 are collectively connected.

Subsequently, the terminal 50 of the flat cable thus welded is inserted into the cavity 41 of the connector 40, and the wiring member 1 is completed.

As described above, the insulators 10b and 20b at the terminal portions of the first and second flat cables 10 and 20 are peeled to expose the rectangular conductors 10a and 20a, and the flat connection portions 52 of the terminals 50 are formed. By laminating and welding, a strong connection between the first and second flat cables 10 and 20 and the terminal 50 can be realized.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a wiring member using a second flat cable 20 in which two rectangular conductors are arranged two in the width direction. This second flat cable 2
In the wiring member using 0, two flat conductors are arranged at the same pitch as the flat conductors 10a of the first flat cable 10 as the second flat cable 20. Since the flat conductors of the second flat cable 20 are arranged at the same pitch as the flat conductors of the first flat cable 10, even if the second flat cable 20 has two flat conductors, Can be superimposed on the rectangular conductor of the flat cable 10. In addition, by using a flat cable having two rectangular conductors, the number of second flat cables can be reduced.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which a plurality of second flat cables 20 each having only one rectangular conductor are used in combination. In this wiring member, the second flat cable 20 made of one rectangular conductor is further superimposed on the wiring member of the second embodiment in the thickness direction, and three flat cables are superimposed on the thickness direction. It is a combination. According to this wiring material, in a portion where three rectangular conductors are overlapped in the thickness direction, it is possible to obtain three times the current capacity as compared with the case where only one rectangular conductor is used, and the rectangular conductor is formed in the thickness direction. In a portion where two sheets are overlapped, a current capacity twice as large as that in the case where only one rectangular conductor is used can be obtained. That is, the number of the second flat cables 20 to be stacked may be appropriately set according to the required current capacity. In addition, the second flat cable 20 has a single rectangular conductor and is used in combination to form a wiring member, thereby increasing the mass productivity of the second flat cable 20.

In addition, the second flat cable 20 may be superimposed on the front and back surfaces of the first flat cable 10 separately from the one shown in FIGS.

The first flat cable 10 shown in FIG.
Is composed of three rectangular conductors, but the present invention is not limited to this, and two or less rectangular conductors 10 or more
The first flat cable 10 may be constituted by a. Similarly, the number of flat rectangular conductors in the second flat cable 20 is not limited to one, but may be two or more.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the first flat cable and the second flat cable are overlapped in the thickness direction, and the first and second flat cables are connected by a common terminal. The current capacity required by the circuit to which the terminal is connected can be secured without increasing the dimension in the width direction. On the other hand, the intermediate portions of the first and second flat cables do not need to be fixed to each other, and can maintain the state in which the bending can be independently deformed. There is no risk of impairing flexibility. Moreover, since the respective flat conductors are arranged at a predetermined pitch, they can be fitted to an existing connector.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first flat cable and a second flat cable, respectively.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a wiring member used one by one.

FIG. 2 is a view of the entirety of a flat cable, a terminal, and a connector as viewed from a cavity side.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an entire wiring member to which a connector is connected;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a terminal processing step of a wiring member when a terminal different from a press contact terminal is used.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a wiring member using a second flat cable in which two flat rectangular conductors are arranged in a width direction.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which a plurality of second flat cables each having only one rectangular conductor are used in combination.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a conventional wiring member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 20 1st, 2nd flat cable 10a 20a rectangular conductor 10b 20b insulator 30 50 terminal 31 holding member 32 51 fitting part 52 connecting part 40 connector 41 cavity

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takuya Inoue 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi F-term in the Auto Network Engineering Laboratory Co., Ltd. (Reference) 5E012 AA02 AA08 AA25 5E077 BB05 DD11 FF02 FF04 JJ20 5G355 AA08 BA01 BA08 CA06 CA15 5G363 AA16 BA05 DC02 5G375 AA11 CA02 CA12 CA19 CC07 DA36 DB16

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A first flat cable in which a plurality of rectangular conductors arranged in a width direction at a predetermined pitch are covered with an insulator, and an outer periphery of one or more rectangular conductors is an insulator. And the second flat cable laminated on the first flat cable such that the flat conductor is covered with any of the flat conductors of the first flat cable in the thickness direction. First,
A wiring member, wherein a terminal portion of a rectangular conductor of the second flat cable is connected to a common terminal. 2. The wiring member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of second flat cables are stacked on at least one rectangular conductor of the first flat cable. 3. The wiring material according to claim 1, wherein the second flat cable includes a plurality of flat conductors arranged in the width direction at the same pitch as the first flat cable. Characteristic wiring material. 4. The wiring member according to claim 1, wherein all of the second flat cables have a single rectangular conductor, and the required number of second rectangular cables of each rectangular conductor of the first flat cable is set. Wiring material characterized in that flat cables are stacked. 5. The wiring member according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a crimp terminal having a holding piece, and the holding piece embraces a terminal portion of a rectangular conductor overlapping with each other. Wiring material characterized by being crimped to a conductor. 6. The wiring material according to claim 1, wherein an insulating coating is removed at a terminal portion of each flat cable to expose the rectangular conductor, and the rectangular conductor and the terminal overlap each other. A wiring member, which is connected collectively by welding in a state in which the connection portions are stacked.