Electrical connectors – Including or for use with tape cable – With mating connection region formed by bared cable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-04-03
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with tape cable
With mating connection region formed by bared cable
C439S930000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210210
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an electrical connector. The invention more particularly concerns a device for the termination of a flat conductor of a flat cable.
2. Discussion of the Background
One of the most undesirable occurrences in the automotive industry is the recall of vehicles due to the presence of a defect or a potential defect. The recall of vehicles is undesirable since it is costly and tarnishes the reputation of the manufacturer. Many of the recall notices concern the electrical system of the recalled vehicles. It is believed that an overwhelming majority of the electrical system recall notices concern the improper or defective crimping of a box contact to stranded conductors of a cable. Typically, an improper or defective crimp involves either an over-crimping or an under-crimping of the box contact to the stranded conductors of the cable.
An over-crimped wire can cause the individual conductor strands of the wire to break and fray, thus causing the electrical circuit to eventually fail due to a short or open circuit. An under-crimped cable can lead to the oxidation and corrosion of the individual strands of the cable thus causing an open circuit since electricity does not flow from the conductors to the box contact at the location of the crimp.
Typically, many cables are grouped together in a harness assembly. Each cable is individually terminated in its respective box contact. Then the harness assembly is routed throughout the body of the vehicle. The termination of the cables is labor intensive.
In spite of the problems associated with box contacts, box contacts are a commodity item in the automotive industry and, as such, are well understood and have gained wide acceptance. In practice it is typical to have many of the box contacts inserted into an insulative housing so as to simplify the almost simultaneous connection of many electrical circuits.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of a typical box contact
80
.
FIG. 5
is a view of
FIG. 4
showing a crimp
82
of the box contact
80
to the conductors
96
of the cable
98
and a strain relief crimp
84
between the box contact
80
and the insulative layer
94
of the cable
98
. To complete the electrical circuit a post is introduced into the box contact. Thus, ideally, the stranded conductors
96
make electrical contact with the box contact
80
at the crimp
82
of the box contact
80
and then the box contact
80
makes electrical contact with the post (not shown) via a conductive flexible tab
86
located in a box structure
89
of the box contact
80
. The box contact
80
is so named since its box structure
89
has a first side
81
, a second side
83
, a third side
85
, and a fourth side
87
. The box structure
89
forms an aperture
88
which terminates at a rim
90
. The first side
81
includes the flexible tab
86
. The box structure
89
further has an interior surface
91
and an exterior surface
92
.
Therefore, there is a need for a more reliable electrical harness assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable electrical connection between the conductors of the cable and the post.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an electrical connection device which is economical.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connection device which employs the box contact structure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical connection device which is easy to install.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an electrical connection device which does not directly crimp the conductors.
In one form of the invention, the electrical connection device employs the use of a flat conductor of a flat cable in conjunction with a modified box contact. Only now, with the recent advent of flat cable having flat conductors sandwiched between insulative layers, can such cabling be used economically in industrial applications. A flat cable design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,563, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of a flat cable
100
having flat conductors
102
which have a width greater than their thickness. The flat conductors
102
are retained in the flat cable
100
by the upper and lower insulative layers
104
,
106
which are sonically welded to each other so as to form a unified insulative layer
108
. Thus, the flat conductors
102
have no adhesive residue which must be removed so as to ensure a reliable electrical connection between itself and another component or device.
Sonically welded flat cable is capable of carrying relatively large current loads, is economically competitive, is flexible, is light in weight, and has a low profile. The low profile aspect of flat cable makes it an ideal candidate for electrical cabling to be used in headliner, dashboard, and door insert installations of automobiles. The low profile of flat cable enables the headliner and doors of automobiles to become thinner thus increasing passenger space. Furthermore, the inline spacing of the conductors of the flat cable provides for the gang installation of conductors into respective box contacts and also eliminates the crimp of the box contact directly to the conductor, which is a cost savings. Thus, sonically welded flat cabling is superior to traditional stranded conductor wire in certain respects and as such has extensive industrial applicability. Therefore, ideally, flat cable would be used in place of stranded conductor wire while maintaining the use of the widely accepted box contact type of structure. The automotive industry is just one example of the industrial applicability of flat cable and the termination of the flat conductor of the flat cable.
Further features of the device of the invention include a box structure at one end of the box contact and a strain relief structure at another end of the box contact. The box structure includes a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side so as to form an aperture. The first side includes a flexible tab extending into the aperture. The flexible tab has resilient properties. The third side opposes the first side. The strain relief structure is attachable directly to a surface of the insulative layer, where the insulative layer covers the conductor. Thus, the strain relief structure applies a compressive force to the composite structure of the insulative layer covering the conductor. The flat conductor is extendable through the aperture and is positionable adjacent the third side of the box structure.
In use, a post is introduced into the aperture of the box contact. Upon insertion, the post deflects the flexible tab. The deflected, resilient, flexible tab compresses the post against the flat conductor and the flat conductor is urged toward the stationary third side. Therefore the post contacts the flat conductor. The post then conveys electricity to another device. Thus, the conductor makes direct electrical contact with the post. Therefore, the primary purpose of the box contact is not to convey electricity, but the box contact can be modified so as to conduct electricity.
Thus, the device of the invention is superior to existing box contacts. The termination device of the invention eliminates an electrical component (the box contact) and two electrical connections (conductor to box contact crimp, and box contact to post) as compared to the prior art, and replaces them with a direct electrical connection between the conductor and the post. A modified box contact remains, but the box conductor need not conduct electricity. Specifically, the troublesome electrical connection between the box contact crimp and the stranded conductors has been eliminated. Thus, the device of the invention is more reliable than the prior art device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3168617 (1965-02-01), Richter
patent: 3802974 (1974-04-01), Emmel
patent: 4252393 (1981-02-01), Johnson
patent: 4573752 (1986-03-01), Rich
patent: 5250127 (1993-10-01)
Kozel Charles A.
Scheitz John T.
Hyeon Hae Moon
Kovach Karl D.
Methode Electronics Inc.
Newman David L.
Sircus Brian
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