Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Coated or structually defined flake – particle – cell – strand,... – Rod – strand – filament or fiber
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2001-09-25
Sells, James (Department: 1734)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand,...
Rod, strand, filament or fiber
C174S08800C, C439S874000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06294255
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of and a structure for fixing a flexible electrical conductor, in which a plurality of electrical conductors are covered with a resin-made cladding member, to a fixing portion for connection to another circuit.
FIGS. 1 and 2
respectively show connecting portions
1
and
3
of flat electric wires (flexible electrical conductors) disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 30723/1991, as well as a flexible electrical conductor
5
connected to the connecting portion
1
or
3
.
In the connecting portion
1
shown in
FIG. 1
, a step portion
7
is formed at a distal end portion, and connecting terminals
9
are exposed on this step portion
7
. A pair of positioning holes
11
are formed at a distal end portion of the step portion
7
. Meanwhile, the flexible electrical conductor
5
connected to this connecting portion
1
is covered with a cladding member
15
in which distal end portions of three flat conductors
13
are exposed. A pair of through holes
17
are formed in an end portion of the cladding member
15
. A pair of fixing pins
21
of a fixing cover
19
are inserted in the through holes
17
.
In a case where the flat conductors
13
of the flexible electrical conductor
5
are connected to the connecting terminals
9
, the flexible electrical conductor
5
is placed on the step portion
7
, and after the flat conductors
13
are superposed on the connecting terminals
9
, the fixing pins
21
of the fixing cover
19
are inserted into the through holes
17
and the positioning holes
11
. Next, distal end portions of the fixing pins
21
which passed through the positioning holes
11
and projected to the reverse side are caulked by heating. Consequently, the flexible electrical conductor
5
is nipped by the fixing cover
19
and the step portion
7
, thereby allowing the flat conductors
13
to be electrically connected to the connecting terminals
9
.
On the other hand, in the connecting portion
3
shown in
FIG. 2
, a pair of fixing pins
23
are provided projectingly on a distal end portion of the step portion
7
. When the flexible electrical conductor
5
is placed on the step portion
7
, the fixing pins
23
are inserted into the through holes
17
, and after a fixing cover
25
is placed on top of the flexible electrical conductor
5
, the fixing pins
23
are inserted into a pair of positioning pins
27
in the fixing cover
25
. Next, distal end portions of the fixing pins
23
which projected from the positioning holes
27
of the fixing cover
25
are caulked by heating. Consequently, the flexible electrical conductor
5
is nipped by the fixing cover
25
and the step portion
7
, thereby allowing the flat conductors
13
to be electrically connected to the connecting terminals
9
.
In the case where the flexible electrical conductor
5
is connected to the aforementioned connecting portion
1
or
3
, the cladding member
15
is nipped by the fixing cover
19
or
15
and the step portion
7
in which the longitudinal offset is prevented by the fixing pins
21
or
23
, and the flat conductors
13
are electrically connected to the connecting terminals
9
.
In the connecting portion
1
or
3
, the positioning of the flat conductors
13
and the connecting conductors is effected by inserting the fixing pins
21
or
23
into the through holes
17
.
However, there is a problem in that, in the aforementioned connecting portion
1
or
3
, if the caulked portions of the fixing pins
21
or
23
become loose, play occurs between the fixing cover
19
or
25
and the step portion
7
, and the state of close contact deteriorates, with the result that the electrical reliability in the connection declines.
In addition, if a force moving in the axial direction away from the connecting portion
1
or
3
is applied to the flexible electrical conductor
5
, that force is concentrated on the fixing pins
21
or
23
, the force is applied locally to the cladding member
15
. For this reason, there is a possibility that the cladding member breaks. Further, if the force moving in the axial direction away from the connecting portion
1
or
3
is applied, the force is applied directly to the connecting portion
1
or
3
, so that there is a possibility that the flat conductors
13
and the connecting terminals
9
may offset from each other. As a result, the reliability in electrical connection declines.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that when the flexible electrical conductor
5
is connected to the connecting portion
1
or
3
, the fixing cover
19
or
25
is required, so that the number of component parts used increases, resulting in higher cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and a structure for fixing a flexible electrical conductor which make it possible to prevent the deterioration of the state of close contact between the electrical conductor and connecting terminals of another circuit, which make it possible to prevent an external force, if applied, from being applied directly to the portion connected to a connecting portion of another circuit, and which make it possible to reduce the number of component parts used.
To this end, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fixing a flexible electrical conductor, in which a plurality of flat conductors in which their connecting ends to be connected to another circuit are exposed are integrally covered with a resin-made cladding member, to a fixing portion for connection to the other circuit, comprising the steps of: placing the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends on the fixing portion; and welding together the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends and the fixing portion so as to fix the flexible electrical conductor to the fixing portion.
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, after the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends of the flexible electrical conductor is placed on the fixing portion, the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends and the fixing portion are welded together. As a result, the flexible electrical conductor is fixed to the fixing portion. In this case, since the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends is welded to the fixing portion, an external force applied to the flexible electrical conductor is not transmitted directly to the connecting ends and the connecting portion, with the result that the connecting ends and the connecting ends of another circuit are prevented from offsetting from each other.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of fixing a flexible electrical conductor according to the first aspect of the invention, in which the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends is placed on the fixing portion in close contact therewith, ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends and the fixing portion so as to effect welding.
In accordance with the second aspect of the invention, in the state in which the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends is placed on the fixing portion in close contact therewith, ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends and the fixing portion. Consequently, the cladding member and the fixing portion are welded together, thereby allowing the flexible electrical conductor to be fixed to the fixing portion.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, in the method of fixing a flexible electrical conductor according to the first or second aspect of the invention, an irregular surface portion is provided on the fixing portion along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the flat conductors.
In accordance with the third aspect of the invention, the cladding member on this side of the connecting ends is placed on the irregular surface portion provided on the fixing portion along a direc
Ashiya Hiroyuki
Koike Koji
Mochiduki Shinobu
Suzuki Masataka
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Sells James
Yazaki -Corporation
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