JP3123325B2 - Flat cable - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flat cable mainly used for a cable reel for transmitting and receiving an electric signal between a rotating body and a fixed body, such as a steering device of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional flat cables are shown in FIGS.
The description will be made with reference to the cable reel used in the steering device of the automobile shown in FIG. According to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a flat cable wound with a plurality of turns and provided with conductor wiring inside, and a cable reel is constituted by a movable body 2 which rotates together with a handle and a fixed body 3 which is fixed to a vehicle body side. The fixed body 3 includes an outer fixed body 3a and a lower fixed body 3b. The movable body 2 includes a cylindrical portion 5 to which the inner terminal portion 4 of the flat cable 1 is fixed, and a flange portion 6 covering one side surface of the flat cable 1.

The outer fixed body 3a is provided with a fixing recess 9 for fixing the outer terminal portion 8 of the flat cable 1, an outlet 10 for leading out the flat cable 1, and a flange 11 for holding the outer periphery of the movable body 2. It is formed around the circumference. The lower fixed body 3b is joined to the outer fixed body 3a at the outer periphery by staking, riveting, or the like, and a center hole 12 serving as a bearing for rotation of the movable body 2 is provided at the center thereof. Body 3
“b” also serves as a flange portion that covers the other side surface of the flat cable 1.

[0004] With such a configuration, the movable body 2 is held rotatably about the center hole 12 of the lower fixed body 3b.

Next, the configuration of the outer terminal portion of the flat cable 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9C (the description of the inner terminal portion is omitted because it has the same configuration).

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 14a to 14c denote terminals arranged to form a predetermined circuit, which are previously aligned and fixed to a primary base member 15 made of an insulating material by insert molding. A flat cable material 1a having exposed terminal conductors 16a to 16c corresponding to the terminals 14a to 14c is placed thereon, and furthermore, a positioning clamper 17 is provided for accurately positioning and fixing the positions of the terminals 16a to 16c and the terminals. Temporarily fix with.

Next, the conductor exposed portions 16a to 16c and the terminals 14a to 1c of the flat cable material 1a are welded or the like.
4c is electrically and mechanically coupled, and these are sealed and formed by insert molding to form both ends of the flat cable material 1a as the secondary base member 18. The flat cable material 1a and the terminals 14a to 14a are formed. 14c and secondary base member 18
And constituted a flat cable.

[0008]

However, in the conventional flat cable, the terminals 14a to 14c and the flat cable material 1a are required to accurately position and fix and hold the two at the time of welding in order to ensure the reliability of the connection. The positioning clamper 17 was required, and the assembling workability was low .

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a flat cable having conductor wiring provided therein.
Cable material and both ends of this flat cable material.
Exposed conductor and insulating coating that holds the exposed conductor
And a predetermined circuit arranged corresponding to the conductor exposed portion.
And a terminal formed to constitute
A base member having a through hole at a position corresponding to the exposed portion;
Holding the terminal and the flat cable material with the base member;
Fix the terminal and the flat cable material
Position the window for joining at the position corresponding to the through hole of the base member
And a cover provided on the front panel.

[0010]

With this configuration, the conductor exposed portion is provided at a predetermined pitch.
And terminals are positioned accurately and easily without displacement.
And assembling workability is greatly improved.

[0011]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a flat cable according to the present invention.
The description will be made with reference to the cable reels shown in FIGS. According to the drawing, reference numerals 23a and 23b denote fixed bodies.
A movable body 25 is rotatably held between a and 23b. In a space formed by the fixed bodies 23a and 23b and the movable body 25, an inner terminal 24 is fixed to the inner cylinder of the movable body 25, and an outer terminal 28 is fixed to the outer cylinder of the fixed body 23a. The flat cable 21 thus wound is spirally wound a plurality of times and stored.

The outer terminal 28 of the flat cable 21 is fixed to the fixed member 23a, and the inner terminal 24 is fixed to the movable member 25a.
The movable body 25 is fixed to a predetermined position by a suitable connecting means such as a rivet, and is connected to the steering wheel so as to rotate integrally with the steering wheel of the automobile.

The fixed body 23a is fixed to a fixed support portion (not shown) on the vehicle body side together with the fixed body 23b by screwing or the like. Since the movable body 25 and the fixed body 23a are electrically connected by the flat cable 21 and the flat cable 21 is spirally housed as shown in FIGS. Even when the steering wheel is rotated, the steering side and the vehicle body side are configured to maintain an electrically reliable connection at all times.

Here, a structure for mounting the outer connector 28a and the inner connector 24a respectively mounted on the outer terminal portion 28 and the inner terminal portion 24 of the flat cable member 21a is shown in FIG. a) to FIG. 1 (e) (the inner terminal unit 24 side has the same configuration, and the description is omitted). According to the drawing, reference numeral 31 denotes a base member formed by resin molding, and groove portions 33a, 33b, 33c for accommodating terminals 32a, 32b, 32c formed by press working or the like into a desired circuit configuration. Columnar projection 3
4a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e, 34f and through holes 35 are provided. Reference numeral 21a denotes a flat cable material obtained by laminating a plurality of conductor foils with an insulating covering sheet, and a terminal portion of which is formed of a plurality of conductors 36a, 3 from the insulating covering sheet.
6b and 36c are exposed while maintaining the same pitch as the terminals 32a, 32b and 32c . Reference numeral 37 denotes a cover, and the protrusions 34a, 34b, 34c, 34 of the base member 31 are provided.
holes 38a, 38e at positions corresponding to d, 34e, 34f.
b, 38c, 38d, 38e, 38f, and a through hole 36 at a position facing the through hole 35 of the base member 31.

Next, the procedure for assembling the flat cable 21 will be described. First, the grooves 33a, 33 of the base member 31 are described.
When the terminals 32a, 32b, 32c are inserted into the base members 31, 33a, 32b, 32c, respectively.
A part of b, 32c is exposed and positioned from the back surface of the base member.

Next, the flat cable material 21a is positioned and overlapped so that the conductor exposed portions overlap at positions corresponding to the through holes 35 of the base member 31 of the terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c.

Further, from above, holes 38a, 38b, 38
c, 38d, 38e, and 38f are connected to the protrusions 34 of the base member 31.
a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e, 34f, the cover 37 is overlaid on the base member, and then the protrusions 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e, 34 are formed by caulking or the like.
f by deforming the tip of the terminal 32a, 32b, 32c
The base member 31 and the cover 37 are coupled with the flat cable member 21a sandwiched between the base member 31 and the cover 37. In this state, terminal 3
2a, 32b, 32c and the conductor exposed portion of the flat cable material 21a are connected to the base member 31 and the through holes 35, 36 of the cover 37.
Exposed through.

Next, the conductors of the flat cable member 21a and the terminals 32a, 32b, 32c are electrically and mechanically connected through these through holes 35 and 36 by means such as welding or soldering. With this configuration, the inner connector portion 24a on the steering side and the outer connector portion 28a on the vehicle body side can be reliably connected.

Thus, according to the above embodiment, the terminals 32a, 32b, 32c and the flat cable material 21a
Is positioned and held by the base member 31 and the cover 37 and supplied to the next welding step, so that a clamper member for holding the flat cable 21 at the time of connection is not required, and cost reduction by reducing the number of parts can be achieved. At the same time, there is no need for an insert process or the like for the casing, and there is no deterioration due to heating during insert molding of the joint. In addition, since the flat cable member 21a is joined to the base member 31 through the through holes 35 and 36, a decrease in quality due to handling or the like in a process from joining to the casing can be prevented.

Next, another embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, 39a, 39b,
Reference numeral 39c denotes a substantially columnar projection provided on the base member 31, and reference numerals 42a and 42b denote insulating coating sheets of the flat cable member 21a, which sandwich the conductor exposed portions 41a, 41b and 41c of the flat cable member 21a. A through hole 40a, 40b, 40c is provided at a position corresponding to the projection 39a, 39b, 39c.

The flat cable member 2 constructed as described above
1a and the base member 31, the terminals 32a, 32b, 32
c is arranged in the grooves 33a, 33b, 33c on the base member 31, and the through holes 40a, 40b, 40c are fitted from above onto the projections 39a, 39b, 39c of the base member 31. Therefore, the conductor exposed portions 41a, 41b, 41c of the flat cable material 21a are connected to the terminals 3 on the base member 31.
2a, 32b, and 32c are accurately and easily positioned without any deviation, so that the assembling workability is greatly improved, and the conductor exposed portions 41a, 41b, and 4 are also provided in the joining process.
Since both sides of 1c are held by the projections 39a, 39b, 39c, there is an effect of preventing quality deterioration due to misalignment at the time of joining.

There is also an advantage that the strength of the terminal portion when the tensile force acts on the flat cable member 21a is improved. Further, there is also an effect of preventing the conductor exposed portions 41a, 41b, 41c from being deformed even during the transportation of the flat cable material 21a, causing a pitch shift and causing a problem that leads to a component failure.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment according to the present invention. Only parts different from the above embodiment will be described. In the figure, reference numeral 45 denotes a terminal series in which the terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c are integrally connected to each other by a pair of flanges 43a, 43b, and 43c. Reference numeral 31 denotes a through hole 4 at a position corresponding to the jumpsuit portions 43a, 43b, 43c.
This is the aforementioned base member provided with 4a and 44b.

In the terminal row 45 and the base member 31 thus configured, the terminal row 45 is disposed in the grooves 33a to 33c of the base member 31 as described above, or is embedded in the base member 31 by insert molding. You. In the latter case, at least a part of the terminal string 45 is exposed from the molded part for joining with the flat cable material 21a. After that, through the through holes 44a, 44b of the base member 31, by press working or the like, the joints 43a, 43b,
By cutting 43c, an arrangement of terminals for forming a desired circuit is obtained.

Therefore, according to this terminal series 45, it is not necessary to arrange each terminal individually on the base member 31 as described above, so that the workability is remarkably improved, and at the same time, the occurrence of errors relating to insertion is prevented. Has an effect that can be. In the above description, the lugs 43a, 43b,
Although the cutting of 43c was performed, it is clear that the same effect can be obtained even if this step is performed after covering the cover or after completing the terminal portion by welding.

[0026]

As described above, the flat cable of the present invention is
Is a flat cable material with conductor wiring inside
And the conductors provided at both ends of this flat cable material
A body-exposed portion, an insulating sheath for holding the conductor-exposed portion,
A predetermined circuit is arranged corresponding to the conductor-exposed portion.
And a terminal formed so as to hold the terminal.
A base member having a through hole at a position corresponding to the protrusion, and the terminal
And the flat cable material is held and fixed with the base member.
And join the terminal and the flat cable material.
Windows are provided at positions corresponding to the through holes of the base member.
Conductor at a predetermined pitch
Parts and terminals can be positioned accurately and easily without displacement.
And assembling workability is greatly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a front view of a terminal portion which is a main part of an embodiment of the flat cable of the present invention. (B) A front view with the cover removed. (C) A side view of FIG. 1 (a). 1) BB sectional view of FIG. 1 (a) (e) AA sectional view of FIG. 1 (a)

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cable reel using the flat cable of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flat cable shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 (a) is a front view of a terminal portion which is a main part of another embodiment of the flat cable of the present invention. (B) A front view with the cover removed. (C) A side view of FIG. 5 (a). 5) BB sectional view of FIG. 5 (a) (e) AA sectional view of FIG. 5 (a)

FIG. 6 (a) is a front view of a terminal portion which is a main part of another embodiment of the flat cable of the present invention. (B) A front view with the cover removed. (C) A side view of FIG. 6 (a). 6) BB sectional view of FIG. 6 (a) (e) AA sectional view of FIG. 6 (a)

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a cable reel using a conventional flat cable.

FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of the same.

9 (a) is an exploded perspective view of a terminal portion which is a main portion of the flat cable. FIG. 9 (b) is a perspective view illustrating a flat cable material which is the main portion and a welding state of a terminal. Perspective view

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Flat cable 21a Flat cable material 31 Base member 32a, 32b, 32c Terminal 35, 36 Through hole 37 Cover 42a, 42b Insulating coating sheet 43a, 43b, 43c

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 12/08 H01R 35/04

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flat cable material provided with a conductor wiring therein, a conductor exposed portion provided at both ends of the flat cable material, and an insulating cover holding the conductor exposed portion.
And Kutsugae棧, disposed corresponding to the conductive substrate exposed portion, and the terminal formed so as to constitute a predetermined circuit, holds the terminal, base member having a through hole at a position corresponding to the exposed portion A cover provided with a window for holding and fixing the terminal and the flat cable material with the base member and for joining the terminal to the flat cable material at a position corresponding to the through hole of the base member. Flat cable composed. A projection provided on the base member;
By fitting the through-hole into the insulating covering of the cable material
The flat according to claim 1, wherein the flat is positioned.
cable. 3. A circuit comprising a plurality of terminals.
The terminal is formed integrally with the base member and the terminal is assembled to the base member.
After that, the jumper is cut to form a predetermined circuit.
The flat cable according to claim 1, wherein 4. The terminal is mounted on a base member formed of resin or the like.
2. The fan according to claim 1, wherein the fan is embedded and integrated.
Rat cable.