Flat woven cable for insulation displaceable connector termination and method

• US 4,712,298 A
• Filed: 05/16/1986
• Issued: 12/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Woven Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Woven Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Mondor, Edward J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Eley, Timothy V.
• Application Number:
  US06/863,967
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 29/861, 29/857, 339/97 R, 339/97 P, 339/98, 339/99 R, 174/117 M
• US Class Current: 29/861
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/083 Parallel wires, incorporated in a fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/675 with contacts having at least a slotted plate for penetration of cable insulation, e.g. insulation displacement contacts for round conductor flat cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49181 by deforming

Abstract

A woven high speed electrical transmission cable and method are disclosed in which an insulation displaceable connector (24) is utilized to terminate flat woven cable (10). A plurality of signal conductors (12) are arranged generally side by side in the cable extending longitudinally in the warp direction. Warp elements (A,14) and weft elements (16) are interwoven with signal conductors (12) to bind the signal conductors in a prescribed weave pattern. The warp elements are polymeric mono warp strands (A) which include a central reinforcing core (40) of reinforcing fibers (20). A soft pliable polymeric material (22) encapsulates reinforcing fibers (20). Polymeric mono strands have a well defined diametric dimension to accurately fix the lateral spacing of signal conductors (12) in cable (10). The polymeric material of polymeric warp strands (A) readily yields to prongs (30) of an insulation dispaceable type connector (24) so that the connector prongs may be inserted into the cable without bending or damage to the prongs (30). Reliable displacement of insulation (13a) of signal conductors (12) may be had for electrical contact between prongs (30) and conductor wires (13b).

Claims

1. A method of producing a flat woven electrical transmission cable which transmits electrical signals of the type which includes a plurality of insulated signal conductors having a conductor wire surrounded by insulation extending longitudinally in a warp direction in said cable, and weft elements interwoven with said signals conductors in said woven cables, wherein the method comprises:

weaving polymeric warp strand means in said woven cable between said signal conductors laterally spacing said signal conductors across the cable,

inserting an insulation displaceable connector having a plurality of connector prongs into said woven cable to pierce and displace the insulation of said signal conductors and make electrical contact with the conductor wire of said signal conductors; and

providing said polymeric warp strand means in a form having an outer covering of pliable polymeric material which readily yields to accept penetration of said connector prongs into said woven cable without bending of said prongs for reliable insulation displacement and electrical contact with said signal conductors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymeric strand means includes a polymeric mono warp strand.

3. The method of claim 2 including weaving at least two of said polymeric warp strands between adjacent signal conductors.

4. The method of claim 3 including weaving said polymeric warp strands in a manner that adjacent polymeric warp strands are woven generally one hundred eighty degrees out of phase with respect to each other preventing said polymeric warp strands from rolling over each other so that the prescribed lateral spacing between signal conductors is maintained and defining the crossing points of intersection.

5. The method of claim 4 including subjecting said woven cable to a heat treatment causing said polymeric warp strands to fuse together at points of contact in a manner that increased stability and integrity of the woven cable is provided.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymeric warp strand means include longitudinal reinforcing fibers surrounded by said polymeric material providing tensile strength to said warp strands for weaving under tension.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymeric warp strand means include textile reinforced polyvinyl chloride strands having textile reinforcing fibers extending longitudinally in each said strand in a manner that said warp strands are sufficiently pliable to yield for insertion of said connector prongs while having sufficient tensile strength for weaving under tension.

8. A method for constructing a flat woven electrical transmission cable having a plurality of signal conductors each of which consists of a conductor wire and a layer of insulation surrounding said conductor wire, and warp and weft elements interwoven with said signal conductors to form a weave pattern for said woven cable, wherein said method comprises:

weaving polymeric warp strands between said signal conductors in a warp direction of said cable to fix the lateral spacing of said signal conductors in said cable;

meaning said polymeric warp strands in the form of fiber reinforced polymeric warp strands having a reinforced core surrounded by a pliable polymeric material with said reinforcing core providing sufficient tensile strength for weaving said polymeric warp strands under tension;

terminating said woven cable by inserting an insulation displaceable connector at opposing ends of said woven cable in a manner that the connector prongs of said insulation displaceable connector easily penetrate said polymeric warp strands which displacing the insulation on said signal conductors to make electrical contact with said conductor wires.

9. The method of claim 8 including weaving said polymeric warp strands one hundred eighty degrees out of phase with respect to adjacent warp strands so that said warp strands intersect and do not move over each other and alter the spacing between adjacent signal conductors.

10. The method of claim 9 including subjecting said woven cable to heat treatment to cause said polymeric warp strands to fuse together at the points of contact.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said reinforcing core of said polymeric strands is provided by a separate reinforcing material included within said polymeric strand in the form of elongated reinforcing fibers.

12. The method of claim 11 including providing said polymeric warp strands in a form with a sheath of pliable polymeric material encapsulating said reinforcing fibers.

13. A method of producing individual flat woven electrical transmission cables having a plurality of conductors arranged generally in a juxtaposed manner across the cable said method being of the type wherein a continous length of woven cable is woven in said weave pattern with said continuous length of cable being severed across sections which correspond to ends of said individual woven cable wherein the improvement comprises terminating each said individual woven electrical transmission cable by inserting an insulation displaceable connector into said woven cable in a manner that the connector prongs of said insulation displaceable connector pierce the insulation of said signal conductors at said prescribed spacing of their center lines;

weaving spacer strands having well defined diameters between said signal conductors to maintain said prescribed center line spacing, and providing said warp spacer strands in the form of pliable material having sufficient tensile strength for weaving under tension and sufficient pliability to readily yield to said connector prongs for cable penetration and piercing of said signal conductor insulation.

14. The method of claim 13 including providing said warp spacer strands as mono strands having a reinforced core.