Flat cable and method for its manufacture

• US 6,096,978 A
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IWS International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IWS International Incorporated
• Inventors: Pohjola, Jorma
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau N.
• Application Number:
  US09/202,749
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 174/117 F, 174/117 FF, 174/117 R, 174/117 AS, 174/68.3, 174/96, 156/48, 156/51, 156/55
• US Class Current: 174/117.0FF
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0018 Strip or foil conductors H01B7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/06 Extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords

Abstract

A flat cable having a metal conductors enclosed by a flexible insulation sheath. The conductors are flat and in a side by side orientation in the lateral direction and the conductors are provided with bends which enable a substantial increase in the length of the conductors upon extending the insulation sheath without breaking the conductors. The conductors are also provided at certain distances with short straight conductor sections that are oriented closer to the external surface of the flexible insulation sheath. The insulation sheath is constituted by an inner insulation which surrounds the conductors and a harder, outer insulation which serves as an actual protective cable sheath.

Claims

1. A flat cable, wherein a flexible insulation sheath (3) having an exterior surface is used for enclosing at least one metal conductor (2) which is substantially flat and includes conductor bend sections having bends forming a zigzagging configuration that make said at least one metal conductor (2) longer than the insulation sheath (3) enclosing said at least one metal conductor so as to enable a substantial change in said at least one metal conductor length without breaking said at least one metal conductor, characterized in that said at least one metal conductor (2) is provided at certain distances with straight conductor sections (6), which are located substantially closer to said exterior surface of the insulation sheath with respect to the median of said flat cable.

2. A flat cable as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the straight conductor sections (6) closer to the cable exterior surface have a length which exceeds that of the conductor bend sections buried deeper in the cable.

3. A flat cable as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the insulation sheath includes an inner insulation (3.1), made of a yielding or resilient, yet tough plastics material, and an outer insulation (3.2) over at least two opposite flat sides of the cable, said outer insulation (3.2) consisting of a harder plastics material than the inner insulation (3.2).

4. A flat cable as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the straight conductor sections (6) are located substantially level with an interface between the outer and inner insulation (3.2, 3.1).

5. A flat cable as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the insulation sheath (3) is provided with a discontinuous incision (7), having a depth which extends to the proximity of the edge of said at least one metal conductor (2).

6. A flat cable as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the insulation sheath (3) is provided with a denotation (8) indicating the location of the straight conductor sections.

7. Application of a flat cable as set forth in claim 1 in a vehicle electric harness, such that a plurality of actuators (4) are connected in parallel to the flat cable (1) by means of connecting pins (10) included in intelligent contact terminals (11) whereby, in view of controlling operation of the actuators, said at least one conductor (2) is used for delivering a control code characteristic of each actuator.

8. The application of claim 7, characterized in that in line with the straight conductor section (6) is made a preliminary hole (9) for facilitating the insertion of one of said connecting pins (10) into said at least one metal conductor through a hole in an at least one metal conductor (2) to establish contact with the at least one metal conductor (2).

9. A method for manufacturing a flat cable, said method comprising the extrusion of a plastic insulation sheath (3) around at least two flat conductors (2), characterized in that the at least two flat conductors (2) are bent to form deflections, such that, in addition to the deflections, the at least two flat conductors include straight sections (6), the at least two conductors (2) are delivered side by side into an elongated mould cavity (12, 14), including a first cavity (12) and a second larger cavity (14), the at least two conductors (2) are maintained at a small distance apart by means of spacer elements (13), the first cavity (12) is supplied around the at least two conductors (2) with a plastics material (3.1), the flat cable is delivered into the second, larger cavity (14) and another plastics material (3.2), is supplied around the flat cable.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that the plastics material (3.1) to be supplied into the first cavity (12) is more resilient or softer than said other plastics material (3.2) to be supplied into the second cavity (14).