JP2011014448A - Flat cable - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat cable capable of improving abrasion resistance of the side end part when housed and used in an electric wire protective material.SOLUTION: In a width direction of the flat cable 10, an extended-out length (a) of the side end part 14b of an insulator 14 constituted of the center part 14a in a region A in which the conductor 12 exists and the side end part 14b extended outside the center part 14a is made larger than the thickness (b) of the center part 14a. At this time, a ratio (a/b) of the extended-out length (a) of the side end part 14b to the thickness (b) of the center part 14a is preferably 1.3 or more. Moreover, it is preferable that the side end part 14b be expanded out in the thickness direction than a surface of the center part 14a.

Description

  The present invention relates to a flat cable, and more particularly to a flat cable suitably used for a vehicle such as an automobile.

  Conventionally, flat cables have been widely used due to demands such as space saving of wiring. The flat cable is composed of, for example, a conductor and an insulator covering the outer periphery of the conductor, and has a flat appearance as a whole (for example, Patent Document 1).

  The thickness of the insulator is determined from the viewpoint of dielectric breakdown, mechanical strength, electrical characteristics, etc., but is usually made uniform over the entire circumference of the conductor for the purpose of stabilizing these characteristics. . As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of the flat cable 30 including the conductor 32 and the insulator 34 covering the outer periphery of the conductor 32, the thickness (b) of the insulator 34 on the flat surface 34a and the side end 34b. The margin width (b) in FIG.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 02-15253

  An electric wire such as a flat cable arranged in a vehicle such as an automobile is accommodated in an electric wire protective material such as a corrugated tube at the time of wiring in order to protect it from external interference such as in-vehicle components. Since the flat cable has a flat appearance as a whole, the side end portion thereof easily hits the inner peripheral surface of a wire protection material such as a corrugated tube. Since vibration is generated while a vehicle such as an automobile is running, there is a problem that the side end of the flat cable is rubbed with the inner peripheral surface of the wire protection member due to the vibration.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a flat cable capable of improving the wear resistance of the side end portion when housed in an electric wire protective material.

  The flat cable according to the present invention is a flat cable including a conductor and an insulator covering an outer periphery of the conductor, and the insulator is, in the width direction, a central portion in a region where the conductor exists, It is comprised by the side edge part extended outside the said center part, and it makes it a summary that the extension length (a) of the said side edge part is larger than the thickness (b) of the said center part. is there.

  At this time, the ratio (a / b) of the extension length (a) of the side end portion to the thickness (b) of the central portion is preferably 1.3 or more. Further, it is preferable that the side end portion bulges in the thickness direction from the surface of the central portion. Furthermore, it is preferable that the volume of the side end portion is larger than the volume of the central portion.

  According to the flat cable according to the present invention, the insulator covering the outer periphery of the conductor has a side end portion extending outward from the central portion rather than the thickness (b) of the central portion in the region where the conductor exists. Since the extension length (a) is large, the extension length (a) is longer than before. Therefore, when it is accommodated in the wire protective material, its side end portion is less likely to be worn than before.

  At this time, when the ratio (a / b) of the extension length (a) of the side end portion to the thickness (b) of the central portion is 1.3 or more, the extension length of the side end portion is sufficiently large. Since it is ensured, the wear resistance characteristic of the side end portion is particularly excellent. And if the side end portion bulges in the thickness direction from the surface of the central portion, the wear of the side end portion can be delayed accordingly, and therefore the wear resistance characteristics of the side end portion are further improved. Moreover, since the wear of a side end part can be slowed when the volume of a side end part is larger than the volume of a center part, it is further excellent in the abrasion resistance characteristic of a side end part.

It is a cross-sectional view showing the flat cable which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing the flat cable which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing the flat cable which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional flat cable.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the flat cable according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment includes a conductor 12 and an insulator 14 that covers the outer periphery of the conductor 12. The flat cable 10 has a conductor 12 formed in a flat shape, and has a flat appearance as a whole.

  The conductor 12 is composed of a plurality of stranded wires 16 gathered in parallel on the same plane. The fact that a plurality of stranded wires 16 are gathered in parallel on the same plane means that the stranded wires 16 are arranged in parallel with no gap therebetween. At this time, the plurality of stranded wires 16 have portions where adjacent stranded wires 16 are in contact with each other. The part where the adjacent twisted wires 16 contact each other may extend over the entire length in the longitudinal direction, or may be a part. Since adjacent twisted wires 16 are in contact with each other, it is only necessary for a plurality of twisted wires 16 to function as one conductor. Therefore, adjacent twisted wires 16 are not in contact with each other in the longitudinal direction. It may have occurred.

  The stranded wire 16 is formed by bundling a plurality of strands 18 and twisting them together. The number of the strands 18 is not particularly limited. Moreover, the outer diameter of the strand 18 is not specifically limited. Examples of the material of the strand 18 include copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, and an aluminum alloy.

  The insulator 14 includes a central portion 14a in the region A where the conductor 12 exists in the width direction of the flat cable 10, and a side end portion 14b extending outward in the width direction from the central portion 14a. . The central portion 14a is formed with a predetermined thickness (b) on both outer sides in the thickness direction across the conductor 12, and the conductor 12 exists in the central portion 14a. The central portion 14a covers a surface other than the side surface of the conductor 12 configured by collecting a plurality of stranded wires 16 in parallel on the same plane. The surface of the central portion 14a constitutes a flat surface of the flat cable 10.

  The side end portion 14b is formed with a predetermined extension length (a) outside the conductor 12 in the width direction, and the conductor 12 does not exist in the side end portion 14b. The side end portion 14 b covers the side surface of the conductor 12. The extension length (a) of the side end portion 14b is larger than the thickness (b) of the central portion 14a, and the distance from the side surface to the conductor 12 is larger than the distance from the surface of the central portion 14a to the conductor 12. Have been long.

  In general, when a flat cable is routed in a vehicle such as an automobile, it is accommodated in a wire protective material such as a corrugated tube at the time of routing in order to protect it from external interference such as in-vehicle components. Since the flat cable has a flat appearance as a whole, the side end portion thereof easily hits the inner peripheral surface of a wire protection material such as a corrugated tube. Since vibration is generated while a vehicle such as an automobile is running, the side end of the flat cable is rubbed with the inner peripheral surface of the wire protection member and easily worn by the vibration. According to the flat cable 10, since the distance from the side surface to the conductor 12 is longer than the distance from the surface of the central portion 14a to the conductor 12, the side end portion 14b is less likely to be worn than before. Therefore, the wear resistance characteristics of the side end portion 14b are excellent.

  From the standpoint that the side end portion 14b is not easily worn, the ratio (a / b) of the extension length (a) of the side end portion 14b to the thickness (b) of the central portion 14a is preferably 1.3 or more. More preferably, it is 1.5 or more. If the extension length (a) is within the above range, the extension length of the side end portion 14b is sufficiently secured, so that the wear resistance characteristics of the side end portion 14b are excellent.

  The side end portion 14b has a shape obtained by cutting a peripheral surface of a cylindrical body having a diameter larger than the thickness of the flat cable 10 in the central portion 14a with a surface parallel to the axis, and is thicker than the surface of the central portion 14a. It bulges in the length direction with a length (c). The bulging portion is a portion in which the volume of the side end portion 14b is increased, and wear of the side end portion 14b is delayed to make it difficult to be worn. Further, since the surface of the side end portion 14b is a curved surface, the frictional resistance is smaller than that of a shape having corners. Therefore, this also has an effect of reducing wear of the side end portion 14b.

  From the standpoint that the side end portion 14b is not easily worn, the volume of the side end portion 14b is preferably larger than the volume of the central portion 14a. The volume of the side end portion 14b is preferably 1.5 times or more the volume of the central portion 14a, and more preferably twice or more the volume of the central portion 14a. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of preventing the deterioration of the routing property, the volume of the side end portion 14b is preferably not more than 5 times the volume of the center portion 14a, more preferably not more than 3 times the volume of the center portion 14a. is there. If the volume of the side end portion 14b is within the above range, the wear of the side end portion can be delayed, and therefore the wear resistance characteristics of the side end portion are further improved.

  The material of the insulator 14 is not particularly limited, and polyolefin such as polyethylene / polypropylene, vinyl chloride resin, and the like can be suitably used.

  Next, a flat cable according to the second embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the flat cable 110 according to the second embodiment includes a conductor 12 and an insulator 114 that covers the outer periphery of the conductor 12. The flat cable 110 has the conductor 12 formed in a flat shape, and has a flat appearance as a whole.

  The flat cable 110 according to the second embodiment is different from the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment only in the shape of the insulator 114, and other configurations are the flat cable according to the first embodiment. Since it is the same as the cable 10, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The insulator 114 includes a central portion 114a in the region A where the conductor 12 exists in the width direction of the flat cable 110, and a side end portion 114b extending outward in the width direction from the central portion 114a. . The central portion 114a is formed with a predetermined thickness (b) on both outer sides in the thickness direction across the conductor 12, and the side end portion 114b has a predetermined extension length on the outer side in the width direction with respect to the conductor 12. (A). The extension length (a) of the side end portion 114b is larger than the thickness (b) of the central portion 114a, and the distance from the side surface to the conductor 12 is larger than the distance from the surface of the central portion 114a to the conductor 12. Have been long.

  The side end portion 114b has a prismatic shape, and bulges in a length direction (c) from the surface of the central portion 114a. The bulging portion is a portion in which the volume of the side end portion 114b is increased, and the wear of the side end portion 114b is delayed to make it difficult to be worn. Further, since the side end portion 114b has a prismatic shape having a plurality of corner portions 114c, the volume of the side end portion 114b can be made larger than the shape in which the corner portions 114c are rounded. Therefore, the wear of the side end portion 114b can be slowed down so that it is difficult to be worn. Among the plurality of corner portions 114c, when the corner portion 114c on the outer side in the width direction is rounded so that the cross-sectional shape of the side end portion 114b is a so-called mushroom umbrella shape, the volume of the side end portion 114b is increased. However, the ease of scraping the corner 114c can also be reduced.

  The ratio (a / b) of the extension length (a) of the side end portion 114b to the thickness (b) of the central portion 114a is preferably in the same range as the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment. Moreover, it is preferable that the volume of the side end part 114b be in the same range as the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment.

  Next, a flat cable according to the third embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the flat cable 210 according to the third embodiment includes a conductor 12 and an insulator 214 that covers the outer periphery of the conductor 12. The flat cable 210 has the conductor 12 formed in a flat shape, and has a flat appearance as a whole.

  The flat cable 210 according to the third embodiment is different from the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment only in the shape of the insulator 214, and the other configurations are the flat cables according to the first embodiment. Since it is the same as the cable 10, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The insulator 214 includes a central portion 214a in the region A where the conductor 12 is present in the width direction of the flat cable 210, and a side end portion 214b extending outward in the width direction from the central portion 214a. . The central portion 214a is formed with a predetermined thickness (b) on both outer sides in the thickness direction across the conductor 12, and the side end portion 214b has a predetermined extension length on the outer side in the width direction with respect to the conductor 12. (A). The extension length (a) of the side end portion 214b is larger than the thickness (b) of the central portion 214a, and the distance from the side surface to the conductor 12 is larger than the distance from the surface of the central portion 214a to the conductor 12. Have been long.

  The thickness of the flat cable 210 at the side end portion 214b is the same as the thickness of the flat cable 210 at the central portion 214a, and does not bulge in the thickness direction from the surface of the central portion 214a. A roundness is provided on the outer side in the width direction of the side end portion 214b, and the cross section of the flat cable 210 is elliptical. Since the surface of the side end portion 214b is curved, this also has an effect of suppressing wear of the side end portion 214b.

  The ratio (a / b) of the extension length (a) of the side end portion 214b to the thickness (b) of the central portion 214a is preferably within the same range as the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment. Moreover, it is preferable that the volume of the side end part 214b is in the same range as the flat cable 10 according to the first embodiment.

  In the flat cable according to the present invention, the conductor 12 is not particularly limited to one in which a plurality of stranded wires 16 are collected in parallel on the same plane, and may be, for example, a flat conductor, A plurality of round strands may be collected in parallel on the same plane. Moreover, the thing of the structure formed by laminating | stacking the layer which consists of the multiple twisted wires 16 gathered in parallel on the same plane may be sufficient. Moreover, the thing of the structure formed by laminating | stacking the layer which consists of several round strands collected in parallel on the same plane may be sufficient. The insulator 14 may include two or more independent conductors 12 that are not in contact with each other.

  In the flat cable 210 according to the third embodiment, a corner may be provided on the outer side in the width direction of the side end portion 214b, and the cross section of the flat cable 210 may be rectangular. In this case, since the side end portion 214b has a prismatic shape, the volume of the side end portion 214b can be made larger than the shape in which the corner portion is rounded. As a result, the wear of the side end portion 214b can be delayed to make it difficult to be worn.

  In the flat cable according to the present invention, for example, a plurality of stranded wires 16 are arranged in the width direction and the thickness direction to form a conductor 12 composed of a bundle of stranded wires 16 and insulated so as to cover the outer periphery of the conductor 12. It can be manufactured by forming a body. The insulator can be formed, for example, by extruding an insulating material on the outer periphery of the conductor 12. The special shape of the side end portion of the insulator can be obtained by processing the shape of the die into a predetermined shape.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Flat cable 12 Conductor 14 Insulator 14a Center part 14b Side edge part 16 Stranded wire 18 Strand

Claims (4)

A flat cable comprising a conductor and an insulator covering the outer periphery of the conductor,
The insulator is configured by a central portion in a region where the conductor exists and a side end portion extending outward from the central portion in the width direction,
A flat cable, wherein an extension length (a) of the side end portion is larger than a thickness (b) of the central portion.   2. The flat cable according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (a / b) of an extension length (a) of the side end portion to a thickness (b) of the central portion is 1.3 or more.   The flat cable according to claim 1, wherein the side end portion bulges in the thickness direction from the surface of the central portion.   The flat cable according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the side end portion is larger than a volume of the central portion.

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