Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-09
2003-09-30
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626695
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of connecting a flat cable for use in, for example, wiring in electric apparatus and automobiles, and a terminal.
BACKGROUND ART
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a flat cable
1
comprises flat conductors
1
a
insulated with an insulation
1
b
in the form of a tape, while a terminal
3
has cramp pieces
3
a
projecting on the opposite sides thereof.
Conventionally, the flat cable
1
and the terminal
3
are connected as follows: As shown in
FIG. 6
, the cramp pieces
3
a
are stuck through the insulation
1
b
on the opposite sides of an intended flat conductor
1
a
so that more than 50% of their length may project from the insulation
1
b.
Then, the end portions of the cramp pieces
3
a
that have been stuck through the insulation
3
a
are bent inward as shown by a broken line. The insulation
1
b
is broken with the ends of the cramp pieces
3
a,
so that the cramp pieces
3
a
come in contact with the flat conductor
1
a.
However, in this connecting method, depending on the length by which the cramp pieces
3
a
project from the insulation
1
b
and the way in which the cramp pieces
3
a
are bent, it may be difficult to break the insulation
1
b
with the ends of the cramp pieces
3
a
to thereby bring the cramp pieces
3
a
in contact with the flat conductor
1
a.
In that case, stable connection is not obtained.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal in which a flat cable and a terminal can always be connected in a good and stable state.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal in which a flat cable and a terminal can be connected in a stable state and a cramp piece is bent into an intended shape easily.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is to improve a method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal in which a flat cable comprising a flat conductor insulated with an insulation in the form of a tape and a terminal having a cramp piece are connected by sticking the cramp piece through the flat cable at a place corresponding to an intended portion of the flat conductor, and bending the cramp piece that has been stuck through the flat cable, toward the flat conductor to clamp the flat cable.
The method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal according to the present invention is characterized in that an end portion of the cramp piece is made to project from the flat cable by a length that is in the range of 50~5% of the length of the cramp piece, and then the end portion of the cramp piece is bent.
Also, the method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal according to the present invention is characterized in that an end portion of the cramp piece is made to project from the flat cable by a length that is in the range of 50~5% of the length of the cramp piece and then the end portion of the cramp piece is bent; and the cramp piece is connected with the flat conductor at a first place where the cramp piece has been stuck through the flat conductor and a second place where an inner surface of the end portion of the cramp piece that has been bent is in contact with an outer surface of a bent portion of the flat conductor that has been bent.
When the end portion of the cramp piece is made to project from the flat cable by a length that is in the range of 50~5% of the length of the cramp piece and then bent as described above, the flat cable and the terminal can be connected in a good and stable state not only at a first place where the cramp piece has been stuck through the flat conductor but also at a second place where the inner surface of the end portion of the cramp piece that has been bent is in contact with the outer surface of a bent portion of the flat conductor. Especially at the second place, the contact is very stable, and therefore, the connection is highly reliable, because it is formed in a manner that the inner surface of the end portion of the cramp piece that has been bent is in contact with the outer surface of the bent portion of the flat conductor.
When the length by which the end portion of the cramp piece projects from the flat cable is more than 50% of the length of the cramp piece, the connection lacks stability and therefore the reliability of the connection lowers. When the length by which the end portion of the cramp piece projects from the flat cable is less than 5% of the length of the cramp piece, the end portion of the cramp piece is not bent sufficiently, so that the second connection is not formed.
Further, the method of connecting a flat cable and a terminal according to the present invention is characterized in that a terminal comprising a substrate with a window and a plurality of cramp pieces projecting on opposite sides of the substrate is used.
This method of connection ensures that the cramp piece that has been stuck through the flat cable is bent appropriately. As a result, the flat cable and the terminal can always be connected in a good and stable state.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3247316 (1966-04-01), Weimer, Jr.
patent: 3713072 (1973-01-01), Henschen et al.
patent: 3924917 (1975-12-01), Munshower
patent: 4066319 (1978-01-01), Baker et al.
patent: 4082402 (1978-04-01), Kinkaid et al.
patent: 4124266 (1978-11-01), Wagstaff
patent: 4957453 (1990-09-01), Owen
patent: 6267618 (2001-07-01), Hio
patent: 6461188 (2002-10-01), Reul
patent: 46-36032 (1971-10-01), None
patent: 5-69863 (1993-09-01), None
Enomoto Noritsugu
Sakata Kazumasa
Suzuki Yoshiyuki
Yamamura Mitsuhiro
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Patel Tulsidas
The Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
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