Circuit component and junction box for connecting flat cables

• US 5,722,851 A
• Filed: 02/14/1996
• Issued: 03/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Hideo, Onizuka, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US08/599,979
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 439/404, 439/402, 439/403, 439/405, 439/422, 439/492, 439/498, 439/395, 439/949, 439/44, 439/76.2, 439/714
• US Class Current: 439/404
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/616 having contacts penetrating insulation for making contact with conductors, e.g. needle points
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2416 the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2458 Electrical interconnections between terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/949 Junction box with busbar for plug-socket type interconnection with receptacle

Abstract

A circuit component having a plurality of flat cables each formed by covering a group of parallel wires with a thick layer of insulating resin. The cables are superposed and preferably arranged so that their axes are not parallel. Cramping terminals are inserted into flat cables from above and below in specified predetermined positions, and are securely held therein. Wire contacts of the cramping terminals are connected to specific wires by penetrating the wire coatings means of cutters. The cramping terminal may be formed with a tab which forms an external terminal and connects the wire(s) therewith. The cramping terminals may also connect two or more wires of the same flat cable conductor member or of different flat cables, thus forming the desired circuit. A circuit component, including the desired circuit is separately formed in advance. A junction box is completed merely by mounting the preformed circuit component in the casing thereof.

Claims

1. A circuit component comprising:

a first flat cable having a first longitudinal axis, a second flat cable having a second longitudinal axis, said first cable having a plurality of first electrically conductive wires parallel to each other, first insulative connecting portions between adjacent said first wires, said second cable having a plurality of second electrically conductive wires parallel to each other, second insulative connecting portions between adjacent said second wires, said first cable superposed on said second cable to form a cable combination, said first axis being at a right angle to said second axis,

at least one cramping terminal inserted in said first cable and in electrical contact with at least one of said first wires, whereby a plurality of contact legs on said cramping terminal passing through at least one of said second insulative connecting portions.

2. The component of claim 1 wherein said combination has an upper side and a lower side, said cramping terminal inserted from said upper side or said lower side.

3. The component of claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of cramping terminals.

4. The component of claim 1 wherein said cramping terminal electrically connects at least one of said first wires with at least another of said first wires.

5. The component of claim 1 wherein said cramping terminal electrically connects at least one of said first wires with at least one of said second wires.

6. The component of claim 1 wherein unused portions of said first flat cable or said second flat cable are cut off.

7. The component of claim 1 wherein said first wires and said second wires are each surrounded by an insulating coating.

8. The component of claim 7 wherein said cramping terminal comprises at least one wire contact, said wire contact being provided with a cutter which is adapted to penetrate said coating to make electrical contact with at least one of said wires.

9. The component of claim 1 wherein said cramping terminal comprises at least one wire contact.

10. The component of claim 9 wherein said cramping terminal has a contact tab remote from said wire contact, said contact tab extending out of said component to form an external terminal.

11. The component of claim 7 wherein said insulating coating comprises wire coatings surrounding each of said wires and connecting portions between adjacent said wire coatings, said wire coatings being thicker than said connecting portions.

12. The component of claim 11 wherein there are spaces between said connecting portions and inside surfaces of a housing for said component.

13. A junction box comprising at least one component according to claim 9 and housing therefor, said housing having at least one terminal hole, said cramping terminal having a contact tab remote from said wire contact, said contact tab extending through said terminal hole to form an external terminal.

14. The junction box of claim 13 wherein said housing comprises an upper casing and a lower casing, ribs on an internal surface of at least one of said upper casing and said lower casing.

15. The junction box of claim 14 wherein said component, when in said upper casing and/or said lower casing, rests against said ribs.

16. The junction box of claim 15 wherein there is a clearance between said component and said upper casing and said lower casing.

17. The junction box of claim 13 wherein said insulating coating comprises wire coatings surrounding each of said wires and connecting portions between adjacent said wire coatings, said wire coatings being thicker than said connecting portions.

18. The junction box of claim 17 wherein there are spaces between said connecting portions and internal surfaces of said junction box.