Electricity: conductors and insulators – Insulators – Special application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-01-23
Lam, Cathy (Department: 1775)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Insulators
Special application
C361S807000, C361S808000, C361S809000, C361S810000, C361S742000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177635
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wiring substrate having a plurality of conductors therein, a manufacturing process of the substrate, a layered assembly of a plurality of the wiring substrates, and a structure for securing the substrate, for example to a vehicle body.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 34
shows a conventional wire harness substrate
90
used in an automobile vehicle, which is disclosed in Japanese patent application laid-open No. H. 3-8214.
The wire harness substrate
90
has two flat wire harnesses
93
each of which includes a synthetic resin layer
92
and a plurality of parallel disposed electrical wires
91
integrally assembled with the synthetic resin layer
92
. The two flat wire harnesses
93
are bonded together at their flat faces of the synthetic resin layers
92
by welding or with an adhesive to constitute the wire harness substrate
90
.
However, a wiring pattern of the electrical wires
91
is limited in a specified application. Moreover, a plurality of flat wire harnesses
93
can not be easily layered to provide an appropriate positioning relation among the layered wire harnesses
93
. In addition, different grades of automobile vehicles (not shown) which require different wiring patterns of wire harnesses
90
each need a specified forming mold (not shown), limiting variation of the wiring patterns in design and assembling of wiring harnesses.
Furthermore, on securing the wire harness substrate
90
to a vehicle body, some other securing members (not shown) such as clips and screws are necessary, or an adhesive is used for the mounting of the wire harness substrate
90
. Therefore, a more efficient securing method of the wire harness substrate
90
has been desired. In addition, different grades of automobile vehicles (not shown) require different wiring patterns of wire harnesses
90
, which needs specified forming molds (not shown) and limits variations of wiring patterns in design and assembling of wiring harnesses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional wire harness substrate, an object of the present invention is to provide a wiring substrate, a manufacturing process of the substrate, and a layered assembly of a plurality of the substrates, in which conductors other than electrical wires may be applied. Furthermore, the wiring substrates according to the present invention can be easily layered with an appropriate positioning relation among the layered wire and can be utilized freely in different wiring patterns.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wiring substrate, a manufacturing process of the wiring substrate, and a structure for securing the substrate. The substrate is able to be secured easily, for example to a vehicle body.
For achieving the objects, various aspects and advantageous effects of the invention will be discussed hereinafter.
In a first aspect of a wiring substrate according to the present invention, a coating insulator layer has a plurality of conductors disposed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction of the layer. Plural rows of through holes are disposed longitudinally in the coating insulator layer. Each through hole does not interfere with the conductors. Plural rows of locking projections are longitudinally formed on a face of the coating insulator layer. The locking projections are spaced from one another equally to the space of the rows of the through holes. The locking projection has a construction to engage with the through hole.
Thus, when a couple of the wiring substrates are layered, some of the locking projections formed on one of the wiring substrates are aligned to be engaged with some relative through holes of the other wiring substrate, allowing a sure lamination of the wiring substrates.
In a second additional aspect of the present invention, one row of the through holes are in line with one row of the locking projections. Thus, the locking projections formed on one of the wiring substrates are easily aligned to engage with the relative through holes of another wiring substrate, allowing a simplified lamination of the wiring substrates.
In a third additional aspect of the present invention, the one row of through holes and the one row of locking projections are disposed in each outer side of the conductors. The through holes and locking projections in one side of the insulator layer are positioned in a symmetrical relation with the other. Thereby, two of the wiring substrates will be secured at both the longitudinal sides of the wiring substrate in parallel with the conductors when layered.
In a fourth additional aspect of the present invention, the locking projections are disposed at regular intervals and each row of through holes is disposed between adjacent two of the locking projections. Thereby, the locking projections formed on one of the wiring substrates are easily aligned to be engaged with the relative through holes of another wiring substrate, allowing a simplified lamination of the wiring substrates. Furthermore, more than two wiring substrates can be easily layered by providing a plurality of the through holes between the locking projections, because a top substrate of multilayered wiring substrate assemblies always has unused one of the through holes.
In a fifth additional aspect of the present invention, the rows of through holes are disposed at regular intervals and each of the locking projections is disposed between of the rows of through holes. That is, the through hole and the locking projection are alternately positioned.
In a sixth additional aspect of the present invention, the coating insulator layer has at least one connection portion for connecting the conductors to an external circuit. The wiring substrate having the connection portion is suitable for general purpose use.
In a seventh additional aspect of the present invention, the connection portion is a recess formed in one face of the coating insulator layer. The recess having a depth which does not expose the conductor with a thin insulation distance from the conductor is advantageous for connecting a press-contacting terminal which presses into the thin insulating part to make press-contact with the conductor. This enables an easy connection of the external circuit to the conductor within the connection portion. In addition, the connection portion which is not used for electrical connection keeps an insulating layer so that the conductor is not exposed within the connection portion, preventing a short circuit of the conductor.
In an eighth additional aspect of the present invention, the connection portion is formed so as to expose the conductors from the coating insulator layer. Thereby, an external circuit is directly connected to the conductor disposed in the wiring substrate, allowing an easy electrical connection of the external circuit to the wiring substrate.
In a ninth additional aspect of the present invention, the connection portion is elongated in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the conductors. When a plurality of conductors are exposed in the connection portion, a suitable one of the conductors within the connection portion will be selected to be connected to an external circuit. This enables an easier electrical connection of the external circuit to the conductors disposed in the wiring substrate.
In a tenth additional aspect of the present invention, the coating insulator layer has a plurality of the connection portions disposed in the lateral direction of the conductors for every other one of the conductors. When one wiring substrate is overlaid by another wiring substrate, the connection portions of each wiring substrate can be shifted from the connection portions of the another wiring substrate so that each connection portion abuts against an insulated surface of the opposing wiring substrate. This prevents current leakage due to moisture condensation between the conductors disposed in the wiring substrate.
In an eleventh additional aspect of the present inve
Kubota Mitsuji
Sugiura Masuo
Watanabe Hiroshi
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Lam Cathy
Yazaki -Corporation
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