JP2004221044A - Intermediate branch structure of flat cable, flat cable with this structure, and method for connecting terminal to flat cable - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To materialize an intermediate branch structure of a flat cable, having durability and excellent reliability, with a small number of components and a small number of assembling man hours, and to provide the flat cable equipped with this structure. <P>SOLUTION: A two-ply folded part 11a formed by folding the intermediate part of the flat cable 11 having a shape such as a plurality of conductors are disposed at prescribed intervals and are sandwiched by insulating materials, and a connecting terminal 40 formed by connectively fixing the two overlapping conductor parts 12 of the folded part 11a are provided, in order to materialize this intermediate branch structure of the flat cable, having durability and excellent reliability, with a small number of components and a small number of assembling man hours. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an intermediate branch structure such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), which is generally called a flat cable, and a flat cable having this structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, when a circuit is branched using a flat cable (flat circuit body), the following first method and second method are known.
[0003]
In the first method, as shown in FIG. 12, required circuits of flat cables 52 and 53 used for branch lines and a flat cable 51 serving as a trunk line are pierced and bent (piercing connection), and an insulating laminate is formed on this portion. In this method, a sheet 55 is attached to insulate the piercing-connected portion.
[0004]
Here, a portion 7-A in FIG. 12 is a portion where the flat cables 51 and 52 of the branch lines are pierced and connected to the flat cable 51 of the trunk line. As an example of this, FIG. FIG. 13B shows a state in which insulating laminate sheets 55 are attached to the upper and lower surfaces to insulate the piercing portion.
[0005]
In the second method, as shown in FIG. 14, a plurality of flat cables, the number of which is equal to the number of the trunk line 61 and the branch lines 62 to 64, are prepared from the beginning, and these are simply overlapped to bind the middle of the flat cable. This is a method of binding with tapes 65a to 65g.
[0006]
When connecting the flat cable to the mating connector at an intermediate portion of the flat cable, there is a method in which a terminal is crimped to the intermediate portion and the flat cable is folded over the terminal. However, such a method has a disadvantage that the folded portion of the flat cable swells and it is difficult to insert the terminal into the connector housing. Therefore, various intermediate branch structures devised to make up for this defect have been considered.
[0007]
As a first intermediate branch structure, there is a structure in which a special holding portion for holding a bent portion of a folded flat cable is formed in a connection terminal (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0008]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, first, slits 71a and 71b and notches 71c and 71d having a required length are provided in the vicinity of an intermediate portion of the circuit body of the flat cable 71, and FIG. The terminal 73 shown in a) is crimped (piercing connection).
[0009]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 16B, the terminal 73 is inserted into the connector housing 75 with the flat cable 71 folded over the terminal 73. When inserting the terminal, the swelling folded portion 72 of the flat cable 71 is pressed by the pressing portion 73a, which is a part of the terminal 73, so as not to hinder the terminal insertion operation.
[0010]
The second intermediate branch structure is as follows. First, similarly to the first intermediate branch structure shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a slit and a notch of a required length are provided near the middle portion of the flat cable, and a terminal 82 (see FIG. 17) is provided at this portion. Is pierced and the flat cable 81 is folded back. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 17, a spacer insertion opening 85a is provided in the connector housing 85, and the terminal 82 is locked in the connector housing by inserting a spacer 86, which is a pressing member, into the connector housing 85. (See, for example, Patent Document 2).
[0011]
Other methods of connection in the middle portion of the flat cable include the following.
[0012]
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, a flat cable 91 having a conductor partially exposed is bent and fixed in a U-shape along a convex portion 94 of a core plate 93. The connector is connected to the board circuit 97 by, for example, fitting the board connector 95 so as to sandwich it (see, for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4).
[0013]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-210147 (page 3-4, FIG. 2)
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-217028 A (page 3-4, FIG. 3)
[Patent Document 3]
JP-A-2002-25668 (page 3-4, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 4]
JP-A-2002-110272 (page 4-5, FIG. 3)
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The intermediate branch structure of the above-mentioned conventional flat cable has a drawback that many members are required, or pretreatment is required at a branch portion of the flat cable (many steps are required).
[0014]
For example, when a trunk line and a branch line are simply pierced and connected, high-precision positioning by a joint facility is required, and furthermore, an operation of attaching an insulating material to the joint portion is required.
[0015]
In addition, when the flat cables are overlapped with each other, an overlapping path of the flat cables occurs, and an operation of binding the flat cables is required.
[0016]
Furthermore, as the number of branch wires increases, the thickness, width, and weight of the entire flat cable in the upstream portion (the portion where all the harnesses are bundled) increase, making it difficult to perform the flat cable routing work. . In addition, there is a possibility that the cable is routed outside the limited wiring space.
[0017]
Further, when connecting a branching terminal by piercing based on a first intermediate branching structure described in Patent Document 1 or a second intermediate branching structure described in Patent Document 2, the entire terminal is hidden by a flat cable. In other words, the work is performed in a state where the terminal cannot be seen.
[0018]
Therefore, in order to accurately connect the terminals to be connected, a portion where the branching terminal is to be connected, that is, a slit and a notch are formed in advance between the circuits and on both side surfaces in the middle portion of the flat cable. (See FIG. 15). That is, complicated pre-processing is required at the branch portion of the flat cable.
[0019]
Further, as shown in FIG. 16, a special mechanism for suppressing the bulging of the flat cable bending portion is required for the terminal or the connector housing. That is, a special member is required structurally.
[0020]
On the other hand, the intermediate branch structures described in Patent Literature 3 and Patent Literature 4 require a man-hour for removing an insulator to expose a conductor at a part of the flat cable 91 as shown in FIG. The man-hour for fixing the flat cable 91 to the convex portion 94 of the core plate 93 is also required.
[0021]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a flat cable having a durable and highly reliable intermediate branching structure of a flat cable with a small number of parts and a small number of assembling steps, and a flat cable having such a structure. To provide a method for easily connecting the terminals.
[0022]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, an intermediate branch structure of a flat cable according to the present invention is an intermediate branch structure of a flat cable having a shape in which a plurality of conductors are arranged at predetermined intervals and sandwiched between insulators. Then, the folded portion formed by folding the middle portion of the flat cable and being overlapped with each other, and the two conductor portions overlapping at the folded portion are connected and fixed at once at a predetermined location including at least the vicinity of the end of the folded portion. And a connection terminal.
[0023]
Since the middle part of one flat cable is branched, there is no need to bundle and route the main line harness and multiple branch line harnesses as in the past, minimizing the thickness, width and weight of the entire flat cable Can be suppressed. For this reason, the flat cable routing work becomes much easier, and the flat cable can be stored in a limited flat cable routing space.
[0024]
In addition, since the two conductors overlapping in the folded portion are connected and fixed together by the connection terminal near the end of the folded portion, the swelling of the flat cable at the end of the folded portion is reduced as much as possible. Intermediate branches can be taken. Accordingly, the intermediate branch of the flat cable can be performed with a small number of parts, and the end of the folded portion does not interfere with the connector housing when the connection terminal is inserted and fitted into the connector housing. Therefore, there is no need for a special structure for preventing interference between the end portion of the folded portion and the connector housing unlike the conventional intermediate branch structure of a flat cable. That is, in realizing the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable, a special pretreatment and additional parts are not required, and the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable that contributes to reduction in the number of assembling steps and cost is realized.
[0025]
Further, the intermediate branch structure of a flat cable according to claim 2 of the present invention is an intermediate branch structure of a flat cable having a shape in which a plurality of conductors are arranged so as to be separated at a predetermined interval and sandwiched by insulators. An overlapping portion formed by overlapping the cut ends of the flat cable, and two conductor portions overlapping in the overlapping portion, at a predetermined location including at least the vicinity of the end portion of the overlapping portion at a time. And a connection terminal for connection and fixing.
[0026]
As in the case of the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the first aspect, the thickness, width, and weight of the entire flat cable can be minimized even if there are many intermediate branch portions, and the harness wiring work can be easily performed.
[0027]
In addition, the middle branch of the flat cable can be performed with a small number of parts. That is, in realizing the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable, a special pretreatment and additional parts are not required, and the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable that contributes to reduction in the number of assembling steps and cost is realized.
[0028]
A flat cable according to a third aspect of the present invention is a flat cable having an intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the first or second aspect, and has a reduced number of parts compared to a conventional flat cable. It is an inexpensive, durable and reliable flat cable that does not require special pretreatment.
[0029]
The method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 4 of the present invention is a method of connecting a terminal having a plurality of crimp pieces protruding along both sides in the terminal width direction to the crimp pieces of the overlapped flat cable. A method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable in which the terminal is connected to a conductor in each flat cable by piercing a portion of the flat cable and then crimping a crimp piece. The overlapping portions are fixed by aligning the positions of the respective conductors, and then the terminal is pierced into a flat cable.
[0030]
A plurality of flat cables are stacked with their conductors aligned, and after fixing these to each other, terminals are connected. In connecting the terminals, the overlapping portion of the flat cable is fixed, so that the flat cable does not come off, and no lateral force is applied to the crimp piece of the terminal. Therefore, the crimp piece of the terminal is not broken, and the terminal can be securely connected to the flat cable.
[0031]
The method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 4, fixing is performed via a double-sided tape. I have.
[0032]
The overlapping part is firmly fixed by interposing a double-sided tape in the overlapping part of the flat cable, so that when the crimp piece is pierced into the flat cable, the overlapping part of the flat cable does not shift and the crimp piece is pierced securely. .
[0033]
The method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 6 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 4, fixing is performed via an adhesive. I have.
[0034]
The overlapping part is firmly fixed by interposing an adhesive in the overlapping part of the flat cable, so that when the crimp piece is pierced into the flat cable, the overlapping part of the flat cable does not shift and the crimp piece is pierced reliably. .
[0035]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0036]
FIG. 1 shows a state in which a flat cable 11 to which the intermediate branch structure according to the present invention is applied is folded at a specific intermediate portion and partially overlapped as a folded portion 11a. In FIG. 1, a plurality of conductors (not shown) are arranged at predetermined intervals, and these conductors are sandwiched between insulators 13 shown in the figure, so that the flat cable 11 is formed as a band and flexible as a whole.
[0037]
FIG. 2 shows a state in which three connection terminals 40 are respectively connected to the folded portions 11a of the flat cable 11 in FIG. 1 (FIG. 2A). As is apparent from this figure, six connection projections 43 (see FIG. 3) of the connection terminals 40 are respectively penetrated (pierced) through the folded portions 12a of the three parallel extending conductor portions 12 of the flat cable 11. The protruding portion 43 is caulked inward so that the end portions 43a face each other at each of the opposing end portions.
[0038]
By adopting a structure in which the middle part of one flat cable 11 is branched in this way, the thickness and width of the entire harness are compared with a conventional flat cable in which a main harness and a branch harness are bundled and routed. , Weight is reduced. Therefore, the work of arranging the flat cable 11 becomes easy, and the flat cable 11 can be stored in a limited flat cable arranging space. In particular, as the number of intermediate branches increases, the above-mentioned effect becomes more pronounced.
[0039]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the connection terminal 40 as a single unit. The connection terminal 40 has a main body portion 41 fitted and housed in a connector housing (not shown) and an elongated plate-like shape extending from one end of the main body portion 41. It has a connection base portion 42 and connection protrusion portions 43 erected from both sides of the connection base portion 42 and arranged at predetermined intervals. The connection terminal 40 is made of, for example, phosphor bronze having excellent conductivity, and each connection protrusion 43 has a height and strength sufficient to penetrate the two conductors of the flat cable 11 at one time. It is formed as a triangular projection having the same.
[0040]
As is clear from FIG. 2A, the connection terminal 40 is attached so that the pair of connection protrusions 43 of the connection terminal 40 are located near the end 11b of the folded portion of the flat cable 11. Thereby, for example, the bulge in the folded portion 11a of the flat cable 11 shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the connection terminal 40 is not attached is crushed (closely adhered) by the connection protrusion 43 of the connection terminal 40, and the degree of this bulge is reduced. It becomes smaller as shown in FIG. Thereby, when inserting the folded portion 11a of the flat cable 11 having the connection terminal 40 into the connector housing, the swelling at the folded portion end 11b of the flat cable 11 does not interfere with the connector housing, and the connection terminal 40 is inserted into the connector housing. It can be inserted and fitted without difficulty.
[0041]
Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special holding portion (see FIG. 16) for preventing the flat cable folded portion from bulging unlike the related art. In order to realize the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 11, a special pretreatment (see FIG. 18) for exposing the conductor portion 12 by removing the insulator 13 of the flat cable 11 is not required. Therefore, it is possible to realize an intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 11 which is excellent in durability and reliability with a small number of parts and no need for extra steps.
[0042]
Subsequently, an intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure same as the intermediate | middle branch structure of the flat cable 11 which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0043]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flat cable 20 similar to the flat cable 11 shown in FIG. 1 corresponding to the wiring state of FIG. However, unlike the flat cable 11 shown in FIG. 1, the flat cable 20 shown in FIG. 4 is cut at a position corresponding to the folded portion 11a of the flat cable 11 shown in FIG. It is composed of Then, similarly to the folded portion 11a of the flat cable 11 shown in FIG. 1, the flat cable 20 shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, a connection terminal 40 that penetrates (pierces) the three overlapping conductor portions 24 and 25 is connected to the overlapping portion 23.
[0044]
Since the flat cable 20 has a structure in which the middle part of one flat cable is branched as a whole like the flat cable 11, the thickness, width, and weight of the entire flat cable can be reduced, and the efficiency of harness wiring work is improved. Can be achieved. Further, the flat cable 20 can be accommodated in a limited flat cable routing space.
[0045]
The connection terminal 40 shown in FIG. 5A has the same shape and is made of the same material as the connection terminal 40 shown in FIG. Therefore, the connection protrusion 43 of the connection terminal 40 shown in FIG. 5A penetrates the two conductors 24 and 25 overlapping the flat cables 21 and 22 at a time, and the protrusion end 43a is crimped. The height and strength are such that the flat cable overlapping portions 23 are firmly adhered to each other. FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of an end of the overlapping portion 23 of the flat cables 21 and 22 in FIG. 5A. As is clear from FIG. 5A, the connection terminal 40 also has a pair of connection protrusions 43 located near the ends of the overlapping portions of the flat cables 21 and 22, so that the turn-up near the ends of the flat cable is prevented. It does not occur (see FIG. 5B). Therefore, when the connection terminal 40 is inserted and fitted into the connector housing, the ends of the overlapping portions of the flat cables 21 and 22 do not interfere with the connector housing, and the connection terminal 40 can be smoothly inserted and fitted into the connector housing. .
[0046]
For this reason, similarly to the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 11 according to the first embodiment, like the conventional intermediate branch structure, the holding portions for preventing the end portions of the flat cables 21 and 22 from turning up (see FIG. 16A). ) Is not required. Similarly, there is no need for a special treatment for removing the end insulating portions of the flat cables 21 and 22 to expose the conductors 24 and 25.
[0047]
As described above, even in the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable 20 having excellent durability and reliability with a small number of parts and a small number of work steps is realized. It becomes possible.
[0048]
In the middle portion of the flat cable according to the first embodiment (second embodiment) described above, the portion 11a (23) where two flat cables are stacked, and the insulating portion between the conductors is provided. 13 (26), a slit parallel to the conductor may be formed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the notch 14 (27) is formed at the connection terminal side end of the flat cable 11 (21, 22) at a position sandwiched between the conductors. When the connection terminal 40 is inserted and fitted into the connector housing, a wall portion (not shown) of the connector housing enters the notch 14 (27) of the flat cable 11 (21, 22), and these two do not interfere with each other. Thus, the connection terminal 40 can be smoothly and reliably inserted and fitted into the connector housing.
[0049]
That is, by providing the above-mentioned slit in the flat cable intermediate connection portion, the conventional connector housing with a partition can be used as it is.
[0050]
As described above, in the case of the first embodiment, the intermediate branching structure of the flat cable according to these embodiments folds an arbitrary portion of the flat cable 11 and pierces with the connection terminal 40, and connects the connection terminal 40 to the connector. By inserting and fitting into the housing, it can be easily realized at arbitrary plural places of the flat cable. In the case of the second embodiment, an arbitrary portion of the flat cable 20 is cut and overlapped, the overlapped portion 23 is pierced with the connection terminal 40, and the connection terminal 40 is inserted and fitted into the connector housing. It can be easily realized at arbitrary plural places of the flat cable.
[0051]
In the above-described embodiment, the number of conductors of the flat cables 11, 21, and 22 is three, but is not necessarily limited to this.
[0052]
In addition, although three connection protrusions 43 of the connection terminal 40 are formed on each side of the connection base 42 of the connection terminal 40, the invention is not necessarily limited to this. Further, although the connection protrusion 43 has a triangular shape, the shape is not necessarily limited to this shape as long as the connection protrusion 43 can penetrate the overlapping conductors at one time.
[0053]
The flat cable used here is a so-called flexible flat cable (FFC) in which an insulating sheet is attached to both sides of a plate-shaped conductor, a flexible flat cable (FFC) having the same shape but manufactured by extrusion, or an insulating sheet. Needless to say, it includes any of so-called flexible printed cables (FPC) attached to both sides of the foil conductor.
[0054]
Subsequently, a method for connecting a terminal to the flat cable according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0055]
As described above, a conventional flat cable routed in a vehicle has a form as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, and a piercing terminal or a branching connector as shown in FIG. 16 has been used. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the flat cable is folded, terminals are pierced at the bent portions and wired, and the number of joint portions is reduced, thereby reducing the number of joint steps and the cost of manufacturing a harness.
[0056]
However, in the connection circuit according to the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the terminal 140 (see FIG. 8) is provided at the portion where the conductors 124 and 125 of the flat cable 120 overlap. Need to connect. For this terminal connection, a terminal connection device 200 as shown in FIG. 8 is generally used. However, when an attempt is made to connect the terminal 140 to two overlapping flat cables 120 using such a device 200, when the crimp piece (connection projection) 141 of the terminal 140 penetrates the second conductor, the two conductors are connected. As shown in FIG. 8, the flat cable itself shifts in a direction perpendicular to the penetrating direction. As a result, a lateral force is applied to the crimp piece 141, and the end of the crimp piece 141 may be broken and may not be connected. .
[0057]
Therefore, in the third embodiment, the flat crimp piece 141 is prevented from being broken, and the flat cable intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment can sufficiently exhibit the function and effect. This is a method of connecting terminals to cables.
[0058]
FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing one mode of a method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0059]
As shown in the figure, a two-core flat cable for terminal connection is folded back, and a double-sided tape 101 is sandwiched between the flat cables, and the double-sided tape 101 is aligned with conductor portions 124 and 125 with each other. It is fixed at. With the flat cable 120 in this state fixed to the terminal connection device 200 shown in FIG. 8, a terminal 140 equivalent to the terminal 40 shown in FIG. 3 is pierced to the flat cable 120 to perform terminal connection.
[0060]
Specifically, when attaching the terminal 140 to a plurality of (two in FIG. 9) stacked flat cables 120, the connected flat cables are fixed by aligning the positions of the conductor portions 124 and 125 before connection. . In the present embodiment, the double-sided tape 101 is used for fixing. However, instead of this, an adhesive may be applied to the overlapping portion in advance, and the fixing by curing may be used.
[0061]
Next, a plurality of crimp pieces 141 protruding along both sides in the terminal width direction of the terminal 140 are pierced into the flat cable 120 in which the conductor portions 124 and 125 are covered with an insulating coating, and then the crimp pieces are crimped.
[0062]
By performing such a method, a plurality of (two in the figure) flat cables 120 are fixed to each other after the positions of the conductor portions 124 and 125 are aligned, and then the terminal connection to the flat cables 120 is performed. Will do. Since the overlapping portion of the flat cable is fixed via the double-sided tape, the flat cables do not shift during the piercing of the connection terminal, so that no lateral force is applied to the crimp piece 141 of the terminal 140. . Therefore, the crimp piece 141 is not broken, and the terminal 140 can be reliably connected to the overlapping portion of the flat cable 120.
[0063]
Subsequently, an evaluation test was performed to confirm the usefulness of the terminal connection method according to the present embodiment by comparing the terminal connection method according to the present embodiment with the terminal connection method according to the conventional example. The results of the evaluation test will be described below. I do.
[0064]
In performing an evaluation test of the terminal connection method according to the present embodiment, Example 1 in which a double-sided tape was used to fix the overlapping portion of the flat cable, and Example 1 in which an adhesive was used instead of the double-sided tape to fix this Terminal connection was performed using Example 2. As a comparison with the present embodiment, the same terminal connection was performed in the comparative example in which the double-sided tape and the adhesive were removed and the overlapping portion of the flat cable was not fixed at all, as in the above-described embodiment. Then, an evaluation test was performed under the following conditions.
[0065]
As a criterion of a good product (success rate) in the evaluation test, a product having an electrical contact characteristic (resistance value) of 1 mΩ or less was defined as a good product (successful terminal connection). Regarding the mechanical connection, a crimp piece 141 which did not buckle to a predetermined position and penetrated the conductor of the flat cable overlapping portion was regarded as a good product (successful terminal connection product). The number of terminal connection tests was 100 times.
[0066]
FIG. 10 shows the results of this evaluation test. In the case of the terminal connection according to the comparative example in which fixing was not performed, 9% of the terminals were physically connected, and only 2% satisfied the standard of the electrical connection characteristics.
[0067]
On the other hand, in the case of the terminal connection of Example 1 in which the overlapping portion of the flat cable was fixed with double-sided tape, the connection was physically 100% and the connection was 98% or more electrically.
[0068]
Subsequently, in the case of the terminal connection of Example 2 in which the overlapping portion of the flat cable was fixed with an adhesive, the connection was physically 100%, and the connection was 97% or more electrically. .
[0069]
This is presumably because the overlapping portions of the flat cables are fixed with a double-sided tape or an adhesive, so that the flat cables do not deviate from each other, so that no lateral force is applied to the crimp pieces. Therefore, it was found that the crimp pieces did not break, and the connection terminals could be reliably connected to the overlapping portions of the flat cables, as is clear from the results of the above-described Examples 1 and 2.
[0070]
In addition to the above, a modified example of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, a modified example of the present embodiment is a crimp piece of the terminal 140 in a state where a flat cable 130 different from the folded flat cable 120 is connected together and the overlapping portions are fixed to each other with the double-sided tape 101. This is a modification example in which a pier 141 is connected by piercing. In this way, not only two flat cables but also two or more flat cables are overlapped by a method other than bending the flat cable, and this overlapping part is fixed with double-sided tape or adhesive, so that the plural flat cables are firmly overlapped at the overlapping part It is also possible to fix and connect the terminals together.
[0071]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the middle branch structure of the flat cable according to the present invention branches the middle portion of one flat cable, so that the trunk harness and the plurality of branch harnesses are bundled and distributed as in the related art. There is no need to search, and the thickness, width, and weight of the entire flat cable can be minimized. For this reason, the flat cable routing work becomes much easier, and the flat cable can be stored in a limited flat cable routing space.
[0072]
In addition, since the two conductors overlapping at the folded portion are connected and fixed together by the connection terminal near the end of the folded portion, the swelling of the flat cable at the end of the folded portion is reduced as much as possible. Intermediate branches can be taken. Accordingly, the intermediate branch of the flat cable can be performed with a small number of parts, and the end of the folded portion does not interfere with the connector housing when the connection terminal is inserted and fitted into the connector housing or the like. Therefore, there is no need for a special structure for preventing interference between the end portion of the folded portion and the connector housing unlike the conventional intermediate branch structure of a flat cable. That is, in realizing the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable, a special pretreatment and additional parts are not required, and the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable that contributes to reduction in the number of assembling steps and cost is realized.
[0073]
Further, the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the second aspect of the present invention has a thickness and a width of the entire flat cable even if there are many intermediate branch portions, similarly to the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable according to the first aspect. The weight can be minimized, and the work of arranging the harness becomes easier.
[0074]
In addition, the middle branch of the flat cable can be performed with a small number of parts. That is, in realizing the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable, a special pretreatment and additional parts are not required, and the intermediate branch structure of the flat cable that contributes to reduction in the number of assembling steps and cost is realized.
[0075]
Further, the flat cable according to the third aspect of the present invention is a flat cable which is inexpensive and has excellent durability and reliability without the number of parts and does not require special pretreatment as compared with the conventional flat cable. is there.
[0076]
Further, in the method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of flat cables are stacked in a state where conductors are aligned, and after fixing these to each other, the terminals are connected. In connecting the terminals, the overlapping portion of the flat cable is fixed, so that the flat cable does not come off, and no lateral force is applied to the crimp piece of the terminal. Therefore, the crimp piece of the terminal is not broken, and the terminal can be securely connected to the flat cable.
[0077]
In addition, the method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 5 of the present invention is such that the overlapping portion is firmly fixed by interposing a double-sided tape in the overlapping portion of the flat cable, and thereby the crimp piece is connected to the flat cable. The piercing of the crimp piece is reliably performed without the overlapping portion of the flat cable being shifted when piercing.
[0078]
Further, in the method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 6 of the present invention, the overlapping portion is firmly fixed by interposing an adhesive in the overlapping portion of the flat cable, whereby the crimp piece is connected to the flat cable. The piercing of the crimp piece is reliably performed without the overlapping portion of the flat cable being shifted when piercing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a flat cable to which a branch terminal structure of a flat cable according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a connection terminal is pierced at an intermediate bent portion of the flat cable of FIG. 1 (FIG. 2A), and a diagram showing an enlarged view of a bent portion A of the flat cable (FIG. 2); (B)).
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connection terminal of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a flat cable cut at an intermediate connection portion, corresponding to the flat cable of FIG. 1;
5 is a diagram showing a state in which a connection terminal is pierced in the two-layered portion of the flat cable in FIG. 4 (FIG. 5A), and an enlarged view of the two-layered portion B of the flat cable; (FIG. 5B).
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a flat cable intermediate branch structure in which connection terminals are pierced in a state where slits are formed between conductors in an overlapping portion of the flat cable of FIG. 2 or FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the flat cable (FIG. 7A) and a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA (FIG. 7B) for explaining a method of connecting terminals to the flat cable according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2) is a view showing a state where a cable overlapping portion is not fixed.
FIG. 8 is a view showing a step of piercing a flat cable using a crimp piece of a terminal in a method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the flat cable (FIG. 9A) and a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB (FIG. 9B) for explaining a method of connecting terminals to the flat cable according to the third embodiment of the present invention. )), Showing a state in which the cable overlapping portion is fixed.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a result of an evaluation test on a method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a view showing a modification of the method of connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a flat cable used for a branch line is pierced and connected to a flat cable serving as a trunk line, and an insulating sheet is stuck thereon.
FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which a flat cable used for a branch line is pierced and connected to a flat cable as a trunk in FIG. 7 (FIG. 13 (a)), and a view showing a state in which an insulating sheet is pasted thereon; (FIG. 13B).
FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of flat cables of the same number as the trunk line and the number of branches are prepared from the beginning, and a middle portion is bound with a binding tape.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a flat cable used for a conventional intermediate structure of a flat cable, in which a special treatment is applied between both sides and a conductor portion.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a connection terminal connected to the flat cable of FIG. 15 in which a bulge-pressing portion at an end of the flat cable is formed (FIG. 16A), and FIG. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of being inserted into the connector housing (FIG. 16B).
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an intermediate branch structure of a conventional flat cable, in which a spacer is provided on a connector housing, and a bent portion of the flat cable is pressed by the spacer.
FIG. 18 is a view showing an intermediate branch structure of a conventional flat cable, in which the flat cable is bent and fixed in a U-shape along a convex portion of a core plate, and is fitted to a board connector so as to sandwich the flat cable. It is sectional drawing (FIG. 18 (a)) and perspective view (FIG. 18 (b)) which show the state combined.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 Flat cable
11a Folding part
11b end
11b End of folded part
12 conductor
12a folded part
13 Insulation (insulation part)
14 Notch
20,21,22 Flat cable
23 Overlap
24, 25 conductor
27 Notch
40 connection terminal
41 Main unit
42 Connection base
43 Connection protrusion
43a end
51, 52, 53 Flat cable
55 insulation laminate sheet
61 Trunk Line
62 branch line
63-68 Binding tape
71 Flat cable
71a, 71b slit
71c, 71d Notch
73 terminal
73a Holding part
75 Connector Housing
81 flat cable
81a Flat cable bending part
82 terminals
85 Connector housing
85a Spacer insertion port
86 Spacer
91 Flat cable
93 core plate
94 convex part
95 Board Connector
97 circuit board
101 Double-sided tape
120 flat cable
140 terminal
141 crimp pieces
200 terminal connection device

Claims (6)

An intermediate branch structure of a flat cable having a shape in which a plurality of conductors are arranged at predetermined intervals and sandwiched by insulators,
A folded part in which the middle part of the flat cable is folded and two sheets are stacked,
An intermediate branching structure for a flat cable, comprising: a connection terminal for connecting and fixing two conductor portions overlapping in the folded portion at a predetermined location including at least the vicinity of an end of the folded portion. An intermediate branch structure of a flat cable having a shape in which a plurality of conductors are arranged at predetermined intervals and sandwiched by insulators,
An overlapping portion formed by overlapping the cut ends of the flat cable,
An intermediate branching structure for a flat cable, comprising: a connection terminal for connecting and fixing two conductor portions overlapped in the overlapping portion at a predetermined point including at least the vicinity of an end portion of the overlapping portion. A flat cable comprising the flat cable intermediate branching structure according to claim 1 or 2. The crimp pieces of the connection terminal, in which a plurality of crimp pieces are protruded along both sides in the terminal width direction, are pierced into the overlapping portions of the overlapping flat cables, and then the crimp pieces are crimped to connect the terminals in the flat cables. A method of connecting terminals to a flat cable connected to a conductor,
Before connecting the terminal to the flat cable overlap part, fix the overlapping part of the flat cable by aligning the positions of the respective conductors, and then pierce the terminal into the flat cable, connecting the terminal to the flat cable how to. The method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 4, wherein the fixing is performed via a double-sided tape. The method for connecting a terminal to a flat cable according to claim 4, wherein the fixing is performed via an adhesive.

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