JPH0562539A - Manufacture of flat wire harness - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To manufacture a flat wire harness light in weight as a whole, in which no abnormal tension is given to the junctions of the electric wires and circuit conductors for joint circuits constituting the harness. CONSTITUTION:At a certain spacing a plurality of joint circuit boards 15 are arranged wherein a plurality of circuit conductors 4 are installed inside of cases 16, 17, and a connector 5 in electrical continuity to the circuit conductors is provided at least one end of the cases. Electric wires 7 are installed between these joint circuit boards 15 and connected with the desired circuit conductor 4, and thereby a circuit leading to the connector 5 is formed. Composite sheets 18, 18' formed by affixing an unvulcanized foaming rubber sheet 20 to a plastic film 19 are put over the whole surface, followed by heating to allow the rubber to vulcanize and foam, and the installed wires one another and their junctions J with circuit conductors are fixed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flat wire harness used for electric wiring of vehicles.

2. Description of the Related Art In order to reduce the thickness and weight of a wire harness of a conventional electric wire converging type, improve the assemblability to a vehicle body, and automate the production, the applicant has shown in FIGS. Flat wire harness (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-1158)
No. 27) was proposed. In these drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a long rigid insulating plate formed along the arrangement route in the vehicle, on which a plurality of relay circuit boards 2, 2 ₁ , 2 ₁ ,
2 ₂ ... is fixed. In each relay circuit board, as represented by reference numeral 2 in FIG. 8, the junction bar 4 as an internal circuit conductor is press-fitted and fixed in a plurality of slits 3a arranged in parallel on the circuit board 3 made of a synthetic resin insulator. Become. The junction bar 4 has tabs 4a as connector terminals formed at both ends or one end thereof, and a pressure contact terminal portion 4b having a slot 4c is provided at one side edge thereof in a protruding manner. 5,5 '
Indicates a connector mounted on the tab 4a, and the female-female relay terminal 6 is provided in the terminal accommodating chamber 5b in the connector housing 5a.
It is configured by inserting. In the figure, 5c and 3d are connectors 5.
And 5c 'and 3c' for locking the circuit board 3 with the circuit board 3 are insertion and fixing means. The electrical connection between the relay circuit boards is performed as follows. By means of the automatic wiring machine 10 having a known structure, one end of the covered electric wire 7 is press-contacted to the press-connecting terminal portion indicated by the reference numeral 4b ₁ of the relay circuit board 2 ₁ and then is routed to the adjacent circuit board 2 _2. , And press-fit into the press-connecting terminal portion 4b ₂ there, and cut it here, or route it to the adjacent relay circuit board 2 ₃ without cutting. Thereafter, by repeating this wiring in sequence, a circuit is formed in which the desired junction circuit board is pressed into contact with the junction bar and is electrically connected to (the tab 4a of) the connector 5, 5 '. Reference numeral 8 denotes a sticky protective sheet having a hot melt adhesive layer provided on the back surface, and the heating roller R
Insulation board 1 and each relay circuit board 2, 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ ...
The group of covered electric wires 7 covered with the wires is fixed and protected, and a protective cover 9 is further attached if necessary. Figure 1
0 indicates a case where one electric wire 7a interferes with the pressure contact terminal portion 4b ₃ when the covered electric wire 7 is routed between the two relay circuit boards 2A and 2B. In this case, the detour 7b can be performed as shown in the figure, but since it may come into contact with another pressure contact terminal portion 4b, the insulating coating may be broken by an external force or deteriorated due to aging, which may cause an insulation problem. It is preferable to take measures. FIG. 11 shows an example of the interference avoiding means. The circuit board is composed of two members, an upper case 11 and a plate-shaped lower case 12, and the upper case 11 has a fixing slit 13 for the junction bar 4 and a pressure contact terminal portion 4b. The pressure contact hole 14 corresponding to the above is provided to be sandwiched between the two members, and the covered electric wire 7
The pressure welding is performed through the hole 14. In this case as well, the protective sheet 8 is laminated using the heating roller R as in FIG. 9, but at that time, the electric wire 7 is pressed against the pressure contact terminal portion 4b in the relay circuit board, and then the pressure contact connection portion. In order to protect and fix the above, an adhesive such as an epoxy resin is injected from above the pressure contact hole 14 by a dispenser (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 9, since the protective sheet 8 is pressed and laminated by the heating roller R after wiring the wires, useless pressure is applied to the intersections of the wires, and a large tension is applied. Takes. Further, in order to sufficiently fill the hot melt between the electric wires, the hot melt layer must be thickened, and the flexibility of the flat wire harness is lost, which hinders weight reduction. Further, when the pressure contact terminal portion 4b is projected from the plate surface of the relay circuit board 2 as shown in FIG. 8, it is difficult to laminate the protective sheet 8 with the heating roller R due to the unevenness, and the sheet may be broken. There is. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an abnormal tension is not applied to the arranged electric wires and the connecting portion between the electric wires and the circuit conductors, and it is possible to promote the weight reduction of the whole. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a flat wire harness that can be performed.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing a flat wire harness according to the present invention provides a plurality of circuit conductors inside a case consisting of an upper case and a lower case, and at least the case. A plurality of relay circuit boards each having a connector electrically connected to the circuit conductor at one end are arranged at a predetermined interval, and an electric wire is routed between these relay circuit boards, and a desired circuit conductor provided in the case and After forming a circuit that connects with an electric wire and conducts with the connector, a plastic sheet is covered with a composite sheet in which an unvulcanized foamed rubber sheet is attached, and the composite sheet is heated to heat the unvulcanized foamed rubber. Is vulcanized and foamed to fix the wired electric wires to each other and to fix the connecting portion between the wired electric wire and the circuit conductor.

[Function] The unvulcanized foam rubber layer is vulcanized simultaneously with foaming by heating of the composite sheet, and is automatically filled so as to fill the gap between the wired wires and the connecting portion between the wire and the circuit conductor, and eventually the elasticity is increased. Solidify while holding. The heating of this composite sheet does not require a heating roller as in the invention of the prior application, and it is sufficient to heat from the outside, and unnecessary stress is not applied to the wiring wire and the relay circuit body. Further, the elastic body made of foamed rubber can reduce the weight of the protective sheet itself, and the elasticity also improves the vibration resistance and flexibility of the flat wire harness.

1 and 2, reference numeral 15 is a relay circuit board, and 18 and 18 'are composite sheets. The composite sheets 18 and 18 'are formed by adhering a sheet (hereinafter referred to as an unvulcanized foamed rubber sheet) 20 made of unvulcanized foamed rubber such as EPDM to a plastic film 19 such as a polyester film. ′ Is set on the wiring stand 21 in advance. As in the case of FIG. 7, the wiring base 21 is provided with positioning recesses 22 for arranging the plurality of relay circuit boards 15 at predetermined intervals. Relay circuit board 1
5 includes a lower case 16, an upper case 17, a plurality of junction bars 4 and a connector 5.
The lower case 16 is formed by forming the circuit board 3 of FIG. 8 into a box shape. Side walls 16c and 16c are erected on both left and right sides of a bottom portion 16b having a plurality of slits 16a arranged side by side.
A junction bar 4 having a press contact terminal 4b is press-fitted and fixed to a, and a connector 5 is attached to one end thereof.
In addition, the upper case 17 includes the junction bars 4 in each row.
A sufficiently large pressure contact hole 17a is provided facing the pressure contact terminal portion 14b. Next, a method for manufacturing the flat wire harness will be described. First, the junction bar 4 is press-fitted and fixed to each slit 16a of the lower case 16 shown in FIG. 2, the connector 5 is mounted, and then the upper case 17 is covered and fixed by a known means such as a screw or a lock. Assemble 15. The relay circuit board 15 in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the wiring of the electric wires is completed. As shown in FIG. 1, these relay circuit boards 15 are placed facing the positioning recess 22 from above the composite sheet 18 ′ set on the wiring stand 21 and arranged at predetermined intervals. Then, as in the case of FIG. 7, the covered electric wire 7 is routed between the relay circuit boards by an automatic wiring machine, and the electric wire 7 is connected to the press contact terminal portion 4b of the junction bar 4 through the press contact hole 17a of the upper case 17. Press contact (see FIG. 10). Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), a composite sheet 18 is covered over the entire surface of each of the relay circuit boards 15 and the covered electric wires 7 connecting them, and the unvulcanized foamed rubber sheet 20 is temporarily attached by the adhesive force. Fix it. Finally, the semi-finished product P ₀ of the flat wire harness to which the composite sheet 18 has been temporarily fixed is heated to a predetermined temperature (100 to 150 ° C.) by using a heating device such as a thermostatic chamber to foam the unvulcanized foamed rubber and Vulcanize. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3 (B), the foamed rubber 20 'enters the space between the electric wires 7, 7 and the space around the press-connecting connection portion between the press-connecting terminal portion 4b and the electric wire 7, and these A finished product P of the protected and fixed flat wire harness is obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of relief holes 2 are previously formed in the plastic film 19 of the composite sheet 18.
3 is provided, the foamed rubber 2 is inserted through these escape holes 23.
A part of 0'is projected to form a group of protrusions 24 having elasticity. Accordingly, when the flat wire harness is mounted on an automobile, the group of protrusions 24 act as a cushioning material, so that vibration resistance is improved. The relay circuit board shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 shows an example in which a weight is reduced by using a covered electric wire and a pressure contact terminal instead of the junction bar 4 as an internal circuit conductor. The relay circuit board 25 includes a box-shaped lower case 26, a plate-shaped upper case 27, a pressure contact terminal 31, and a connector terminal 3.
It is composed of connectors 5 and 5'in which 2 is inserted. The lower case 26 and the upper case 27 have screw holes 26 at the four corners, respectively.
a and 27a, and fixed by screws 28.
The lower case 26 has a plurality of locking holes 29 on the bottom wall.
The pressure contact terminal 31 for circuit formation is locked to the upper case 2
7 is a pressure contact hole 30 corresponding to the pressure contact terminal 31 of the lower case.
Is provided. The press-connecting terminal 31 includes a board portion 31a, a pair of main wire press-connecting portions 31b standing upright at both ends thereof,
31b, a sub-wire press-connecting portion 31c standing and coupled to one side thereof
And a clip-like locking claw 31d that is downwardly coupled to the other side
And is formed by pressing and bending a single conductive metal plate. 31b ₁ and 31c ₁ are slits for press-fitting the electric wire. The pressure contact terminal 31 has a height difference between the main wire pressure contact portion 31b and the sub wire pressure contact portion 31c so that the covered wire 7 can be crossed and connected, and the bottom of the slot 31c ₁ is the slot 31b ₁ . It is one step lower than the bottom (larger than the outer diameter of the wire). Connector terminal 32, the electrical contact portion 32b for mating terminal at one end of the substrate portion 32a, made by providing a wire insulation displacement portion 32c having slots 32c ₁ to the other side, 'terminal accommodating chambers in 5b' connector housing 5a in a known It is housed and locked by means. The illustrated connector terminal 32 has an electrical contact portion 32.
Although b is formed as a so-called female terminal which is a receptacle for receiving the mating tab, it may be formed as a male terminal. To assemble the relay circuit board 25, in FIG. 5, the locking claws 31d of the press contact terminals 31 are inserted and fixed in the locking holes 29 of the lower case 26, and the connectors 5 and 5'are attached to both ends of the case.
After locking and fixing in the same manner as in the case of, the desired pressure contact terminal 31
And the connector terminal 32 are connected to complete the process.
For connection, one end of the covered electric wire 7 is press-contacted to the slot 31c ₁ of the sub-wire press-contacting portion 31c of the low-pressure side of the press-connecting terminal 31, and the other end of the covered electric wire 7 is press-contacted to the connector terminal 32.
Pressure contact of the slot 32c _1. The wiring work of the internal circuit of the relay circuit board 25 can be automatically performed by using a known device as in the automatic wiring machine 10. This relay circuit board 25 uses a comparatively lightweight covered electric wire 7 instead of the junction bar having the tab 4a and the pressure contact terminal portion 4b as shown in FIG. 1 as an internal circuit conductor, and the pressure contact terminal 31 is provided only at a required portion. Since it is used to connect to the connector terminal 32, the overall weight can be reduced without changing the internal circuit configuration. In addition, the pressure contact connection portion of the pressure contact terminal 31 with the covered electric wire 7 (the main and sub wire pressure contact portions 31 b, 31
c) can be protected and fixed by the same means as the method shown in FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B). In the above, the example in which the electric wires arranged on each relay circuit board and the internal circuit conductors are connected by pressure contact (pressure contact terminal portion 4b, pressure contact terminal 31) has been described, but other methods such as soldering, ultrasonic welding, etc. You may connect by the means of.

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using a composite sheet in which a plastic film and an unvulcanized rubber sheet are bonded together, it is possible to use the wires wired between the relay circuit boards and the pressure-welded connection portion between the circuit conductors in the circuit boards and the wires. These can be protected and fixed without applying tension and without using a heating roller. Further, due to the characteristics of the foamed rubber, it is possible to improve the vibration resistance and flexibility of the flat wire harness and reduce the weight thereof.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a flat wire harness according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the relay circuit board of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the flat wire harness, (A) just before the temporary fixing of the composite sheet, (B).
Indicates the state of fixation by foam vulcanization.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a flat wire harness showing another embodiment of the composite sheet of FIG. 3 (B).

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the relay circuit board according to the present invention.

6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the pressure contact terminal and the connector terminal of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a flat wire harness according to a prior application.

8 is an exploded perspective view of the relay circuit board of FIG.

9 is an explanatory diagram of a method of covering the protective sheet of the flat wire harness of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example in which an electric wire interferes with a pressure contact terminal portion of a junction bar when the electric wire is routed to the two relay circuit boards in FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing another relay circuit board according to the prior application.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Insulation Plate 4 Junction Bar 4a (As Connector Terminal) Tab 4b Pressure Contact Terminal 5,5 'Connector 7 Covered Wire 15 Relay Circuit Board 16 Lower Case 17 Upper Case 17a Pressure Contact Hole 18, 18' Composite Sheet 19 Plastic Film 20 Unvulcanized foamed rubber sheet 20 'Foamed rubber 25 Relay circuit board 26 Lower case 27 Upper case 29 Locking hole 30 Pressure contact hole 31 Pressure contact terminal 32 Connector terminal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of relay circuit boards provided with a plurality of circuit conductors inside a case consisting of an upper case and a lower case, and at least one end of the case provided with a connector conducting with the circuit conductors are arranged at predetermined intervals. Then, a wire is routed between these relay circuit boards to connect a desired circuit conductor provided in the case with the wire to form a circuit that conducts with the connector, and then the whole surface is not covered with a plastic film. Covering a composite sheet with vulcanized foamed rubber sheets bonded together, and heating the composite sheet to vulcanize and foam the unvulcanized foamed rubber, and to connect the routed wires to each other and to the routed wires and circuit conductors. A method for manufacturing a flat wire harness, characterized in that the parts are fixed.