JP2017157498A - Flexible flat cable and method for manufacturing flexible flat cable - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible flat cable and a method for manufacturing the flexible flat cable capable of connecting to connection parts arranged at a plurality of positions using an inexpensive FFC with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: In an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) 5 in which a plurality of conductor wire clusters 10 arranged in parallel are coated with an insulator 20, the conductor wire clusters 10 are divided into a plurality of adjacent conductor wire groups 11 and 12 so that a position of an end part of each of the conductor wire groups 11 and 12 is different. In the end part of each of the conductor wire groups 11 and 12, conductor wires T11 to T18 and T19 to T22 are exposed to form terminals T1 and T2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a flexible flat cable and a method for manufacturing a flexible flat cable, which can be connected to connection portions arranged at a plurality of locations using an inexpensive FFC with a simple configuration.

  As one of means for electrically connecting circuits and devices inside an electronic device or the like, a flexible flat cable (FFC) in which a plurality of conductors are covered with an insulating film is used. As other means, a flexible printed cable (FPC (flexible printed circuit) cable: hereinafter referred to as FPC) is used.

  In Patent Document 1, a perforation or a half cut is provided in the FFC so that the FFC can be separated along the conductor direction. Thereby, it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in design.

JP 2010-244714 A

  By the way, since FPC forms a conductor by printing, it can form a flexible connection state and can reduce thickness. For example, when a backlight terminal and a pointing stick terminal such as TrackPoint (registered trademark) are connected on the back side of the keyboard unit, if the FPC is used, the backlight terminal and the pointing stick terminal are connected and one output terminal is externally connected. Can be connected.

  Since FPC is more expensive than FFC, there is a desire to reduce the range to be used as much as possible. Note that the FFC has a linear connection relationship and a one-to-one relationship, and thus may need to be bent. However, since the FFC is thick, the number of folds is limited. Further, when connecting a plurality of locations, a plurality of FFCs must be used, and thick FFCs overlap or bend.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and a flexible flat cable and a method for manufacturing a flexible flat cable that can be connected to a plurality of connection portions arranged at a plurality of locations using an inexpensive FFC with a simple configuration. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a flexible flat cable according to the present invention is a flexible flat cable covered with a plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel, and the plurality of conductor wires are connected to a plurality of conductor wires. It divides into adjacent conductor line groups, and the position of the edge part of each conductor line group differs, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the flexible flat cable according to the present invention, the end portion of at least one conductor wire group is slanted so that the outer conductor wires are shorter than the plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel. It is arranged.

  In the flexible flat cable according to the present invention, in the above invention, one conductor wire group is connected to the backlight terminal on the back surface of the keyboard unit, and the other conductor wire group is connected to the pointing stick terminal on the back surface of the keyboard unit. It is connected.

  The method for producing a flexible flat cable according to the present invention is a method for producing a flexible flat cable in which a plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel are covered, and the plurality of conductor wires are grouped into a plurality of adjacent conductor wire groups. Dividing and cutting the end portions of each conductor wire group at different predetermined positions, removing the covering of the end portions after the cut, and exposing the conductor wires.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the flexible flat cable according to the present invention, in the above invention, at least one of the conductor wire groups is such that the outer conductor wires are shorter than the plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel. It is characterized by being cut diagonally.

  According to the present invention, for a flexible flat cable covered with a plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel, the plurality of conductor wires are divided into a plurality of adjacent conductor wire groups, and the position of the end of each conductor wire group is determined. To be different. Thereby, the connection with respect to the connection part arrange | positioned in multiple places using cheap FFC can be performed with a simple structure.

FIG. 1 is a back view of a keyboard unit using an FFC according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the FFC shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a back view of the keyboard unit shown in FIG. 1 with the membrane sheet folded. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a manufacturing method of the FFC shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first modification of the FFC shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second modification of the FFC shown in FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a back view of a keyboard unit 1 using an FFC 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the FFC 5 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a back view of the keyboard unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 in which the membrane sheet 4 is folded. As shown in FIG. 1, a pointing stick terminal 2 such as a track point (registered trademark) is disposed on the back surface 1 a of the keyboard unit 1. The pointing stick terminal 2 has a terminal connection portion at a position P1. Also, a keyboard backlight terminal (not shown) is arranged on the back surface 1a on which the FPC 3 is arranged. The FPC 3 is connected to a keyboard backlight terminal (not shown), and has a terminal connection portion at a position P 2 on the FPC 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the FFC 5 is a flat cable in which twelve conductor wire groups 10 arranged in parallel are arranged in parallel and covered with an insulator 20. The FFC 5 is divided into eight adjacent conductor line groups 11 and four adjacent conductor line groups 12, and terminals T1 and T2 are exposed at positions P1 and P2, respectively. The terminal T1 is connected to the terminal connection portion of the pointing stick terminal 2 at the position P1. The terminal T2 is connected to a terminal connection portion of a keyboard backlight terminal (not shown) at a position P2. The terminal T1 is in a state where the adjacent conductor lines T11 to T18 are exposed. Further, the terminal T2 is in a state where the adjacent conductor lines T19 to T22 are exposed. The positions P1 and P2 are different positions, and the terminal T1 and the terminal T2 are arranged with a step. The FFC 5 is bent at the fold line portion 5a and connected to the connector C1 for external connection.

  Conventionally, the FPC 3 and the FFC 5 are integrated into the FPC, and the pointing stick terminal 2 and the keyboard backlight terminal (not shown) are connected. However, by making a part of the integrated FPC an inexpensive FFC 5, The connection cable system can be formed at low cost, and the terminals T1 and T2 of the FFC 5 have a large line width, so that the connection is easy.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the membrane sheet 4 is bent at the fold lines 4b and 4a and connected to the connector C2 for external connection. Here, the connectors C1 and C2 are disposed adjacent to each other and connected to an input / output connector (not shown) for the keyboard unit 1.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 4, the manufacturing method of FFC5 is demonstrated. First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the FFC 5 is cut at the position CT1 so that the terminal T1 is formed at the position P1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4B, only the conductor line group 12 of the FFC 5 is cut at the position CT2 so that the terminal T2 is formed at the position P2. At this time, the insulator 20 between the conductor lines T18 and T19 is also cut between the positions CT1 and CT2. Thereby, a step is formed.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4B, laser irradiation is performed on the regions E1 and E2 where the terminals T1 and T2 are formed. As a result, the insulators 20 in the regions E1 and E2 are removed as shown in FIG. 4C, and the conductor lines T11 to T18 and T19 to T22 are exposed as shown in FIG. , T2.

  The terminal T2 is cut perpendicularly to the conductor line group 10 and arranged vertically, but, like the terminal T2a shown in FIG. 5, the terminal T2 is cut obliquely with respect to the conductor line group 10, You may arrange diagonally. In this case, it is preferable that the outer (downward in the figure) conductor wire is shortened. By such an oblique cut and oblique arrangement of the terminal T2a, the width between the conductor wires T19 to T22 of the terminal T2a becomes wide and easy to connect, and the wiring direction of the connected cable or the like can be arbitrarily set. . For example, wiring connection can be made in an arbitrary oblique direction such as directions A1 and A2.

  In FIG. 2, the terminals T1 and T2 corresponding to the positions P1 and P2 are formed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, three terminals T1a are arranged at three different positions. , T1b, T2 may be formed. In FIG. 6, the terminal T1a has five conductor lines T11 to T15 adjacent to the conductor line group 11a as terminals, and the terminal T1b has three conductor lines T16 to T18 adjacent to the conductor line group 11b as terminals.

  Note that the modifications shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be combined as appropriate.

1 Keyboard unit 1a Back 2 Pointing stick terminal 3 FPC
4 Membrane sheets 4a, 4b, 5a Folded line part 5 FFC
10 conductor wire groups 11, 11a, 11b, 12 conductor wire group 20 insulators C1, C2 connectors P1, P2 positions T1, T1a, T1b, T2, T2a terminals T11 to T18 conductor wires

Claims (5)

A flexible flat cable covered with a plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel,
A flexible flat cable characterized in that the plurality of conductor wires are divided into a plurality of adjacent conductor wire groups, and the positions of the end portions of the conductor wire groups are different.   2. The flexible flat cable according to claim 1, wherein an end of at least one conductor line group is disposed obliquely with respect to a plurality of conductor lines arranged in parallel so that an outer conductor line is shortened. 3. .   The one conductor line group is connected to a backlight terminal on the back surface of the keyboard unit, and the other conductor line group is connected to a pointing stick terminal on the back surface of the keyboard unit. Flexible flat cable. A method for producing a flexible flat cable covered with a plurality of conductor wires arranged in parallel,
Dividing the plurality of conductor lines into a plurality of adjacent conductor line groups, cutting the ends of each conductor line group at different predetermined positions, and removing the covering of the ends after the cut to expose the conductor lines A method for manufacturing a flexible flat cable.   5. The flexible flat cable according to claim 4, wherein an end portion of at least one conductor line group is cut obliquely so that an outer conductor line becomes shorter with respect to a plurality of conductor lines arranged in parallel. Manufacturing method.

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