Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to fixtures and in . .
particular to a fixture for positioning accurately the
conductors of a multi-conductor flat flexible cable `~
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relative to a multi-contact electrical connector prior
to the simultaneous connection of each contact to an
individual conductor of the cable. ~:
According to one aspect of the presentinvention,
a fixture for locating a multi-conductor flat flexible
cable relative ~o a multi-contact electrical connector
1~ prior to the simultaneous connection of each contact to .
an individual conductor of the cable, each contact having .
a conductor receiving portion extending from a first ;:
surface of the electrical connector housing and including
a pair of spaced contact arms defining between them a
conductor receiving slot, comprises a connector support i
having a surface for engaging a second surface of the ,:.
electrical connector housing which second surface is ; :~
opposite the first surface, means for locating the
electrical connector in a predetermined position in the .. -
fixture, a cable support including at least one surface :
for supporting the cable, means for locating the cable on i:
the~cable support surface so that a portion of the cable ',: :
is in alignment with a connector when operatively posi- .
tioned in the fixture and a clamping bar for clamping !~
the cable to the cable support surface, the cable support
being attached to the connector support but capable of
limited movement towards and away from the said surface
of the connector support, means for biasing the cable
support away from the said surface of the connector
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support and a pressure plate positioned on the cable '
support for movement therewith adiacent the surface of
the cable, when operatively positioned in the fixture,
which cable sur~ace is remote from the said surface of
the connector suppor~, the pressure block having aper-
tures each in alignment with a conductor receiving
portion of a contact, the arrangement being such that
an the application of pressure to the cable support,
the cable ~ill move relatively towards the first sur-
face of the electrical connector housing and the
conductor receiving portions of the contacts will
penetrate simultaneously the cable and establish
electrical contact with the conductors.
An embodiment of the invention will now be .
described, by way of examplel reference being made to
the Pigures of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings ..
in which:- `
Figure 1 is a transverse cross-section
through a multi-conductor flat flexible cable;
Figure 2 is a plan view of a multi-
contact electrical connector intended for connection
to the cable of Figure l;
Pigure 3 is a perspcctive view of a fixture
~or locating the flat flexible cable of Figure 1
relative to the electrical connector of Figure 2; .
Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line
4-4 of Figure 3;
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Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fixture . : :
~ of Figure 3 and a cable loaded but not clamped within
¦ the fixture;
Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to
Figure 5 ~ut showing the cable clamped in the fixture; :.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the fixture
of Figure 1 which is clamped to a cable intermediate its
ends;
Figu~e 8 is a fragmentary detail of the fixture ::
0 Q~ Figure 3;
Flgure 9 is a fragmentary cross-section of a
modified detail of the fixture of Figure 3.
Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the modified `:
fixture of Figure 3 with a cable loaded in the fixture; `'
` Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 but ~;.. ~
i s.howing the cable clamped in the fixture; and
, ~ Figure 12 is a fragmentary cross-section similar ~ ;
! to Figure 9 but illustrating a further modification of
, ~ the detail.
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As shown ln Figure 1, a m.ùltl-conductor flat flexihle
cable 2 comprises a plurality of spaced, parallel conductors
4 embedded in insulation 6. The insulation between
adjacent conductors 4 is in the form o~ a thin land 8. The
conductors 4 are spaced apart by a nominal uniform pitch
distance d and there is usually a manufacturing tolerance t
on the dimension d. For example, ~7here the nominal pitch
distance d equals 0.050 inches the tolerance t is frequentl~r
~ 0.003 inches. From time to time, a given length of
cable 2 may have certain conductors 4 which a~e spaced
apart a distance which falls outside the tolerance as a .
result of faulty manufacture or handling subsequent to
manufacture.
A~ multi-contact electrical connector 12 shot~m in
Figure 2 is intended ~or connection to the cable 2. The
connector 12 includes a pluxality of spaced contacts 14
each having a conductor receiving portion 15 extending from
a surface 16 of an insulating housing 18. Each contact
includes a pair o~ spaced contact arms defining between
them a conductor receiving slot and is connected to an
individual conductor 4 of the cable 2 by moving the cable 2 ..
relatively towards the surface 16 so that the.portions 15
pelletrate the cable 2 and establish electrical contact
with individual conductors 4. The spaciny between adjacent
poxtions 15 is d. The housin~ 18 include~s two opposed
laterall.y exte:nding flanges 17.
The electrical connector includes a rover 100 which
i5 releasably attached tio ~he housirlg 18 by latching arms ,:
102. Through holes lO~ are provided in the cover 100,
which holes 104 each receivc a concluctor receiving portio
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15 of an individual contact 1~. . .
Reerriny now to Figures 3 to 6, a fixture 22
for locating the 1at ~lexible cable 2 relativ~ to the .~:~
electrical connector 12 prior to the connection of the
S connector 12 to the cable 2, includes a cvnnector support :
24 and a cable support 26. The connector support 24
includes a base plate 28 having a surface 30. At each end .
of the surface 30 is a locating boss 34. Each boss 34
has a laterally extending ear 36.
The cable support 26 includes a generally rectangular
frame having spaced parallel side rails 40 connected to ;
each other by end blocks 42,43~ The opposed sur~aces of : .
the end blocks 42,43 have recesses 46 and the ears 36 each -;
extend into a recess 46 so that the connector support 24
and the cable support are attached to each other although
limited movement of the cable support 24 towards and away
from the surface 30 is possible since the recesses 46 are
oversized relative to the thickness of the ears 36. The
cable support 26 is normally biased upwardly (as shown) to ;~
: 20 the limit of its travel by springs 44 each of which extends
into respective recesses in a block 42,43 and ~he upper
surface of the base plate 28.
Each si.de rail ~0 has a laterally out:wardly extendin~
1ange 48,49 at its upper ~as shown) end, the uppex 1uted
surfaces 50,51 of these flanges constitu~ing cable supportin~
surfaces when the connector is intended to be installed on
a cable 2 intermediate its ends. Onl~ the surface 50 i.9
used as a cable supportlng surace when the connector 12
is lnstalled on the end o~ the cable 2 as will be e~plained . .,
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The cable supporting surface 50 has parallel shallo~
flutes ~Jhich are dimensioned to receive the cable 2, the
spacing between the deepest portions of adjacent flutes
being the same as the spacing bet~een adjacent conductors
4 in the cable 2, that is d. Opposed shoulders 52,54 are ::
provided at the ends ~f the support surface 50 so that the . .
side edges of the cable 2 can be located against these
shoulders when the cable 2 has a width which is the same
as the width of the support surface 50. When a connector
12 is being connected to a narrower cable one edge of the
cab~e is positioned against shoulder 52 and the cable is
otherwise aligned by the flutes in the surface 50. `'
~The end block 43 has an upwardly facing surface
56 (Figure 4) which supports one of the ~langes 17 of tne
lS connector housin~ 18 when the cable support 26 is biased
upwardly (as shown~ by the springs 44 away from the surace
30 of the connector support 24. The other flange 17 is
supported on the upper surface of a support plate 58 which r
~ extends acros~ the gap between the side rails 40. The support
¦ 20 plate 58 is L-shaped having an arm 60 which is recei~ed in
~ a channel 62 in a surface 90 of a side rail 40, the side
! edge of the plate 58 being xeceived in a corresponding
, channel in the opposite side ra~l ~0. The position of the
¦ support plate 58 is adju~able lef~wardly as ~een in Figure . ;
4 towards the end block ~13 so that a smaller slze connector
can be accommodated in the fixture 22 and its flange 17 .
wlll be supported on the ~urface 56 and the upper surface :: :
.¦ of support plate 58. ~ locklng pin (not shown) can be - :
p:rovlded to loc}; t:he support plate 5 8 in any desi~ed
po~ition. The surface 90 acts as ~ stop for the end of a
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cable 2 as will be explained.
The cable 2 is clamped by clamping bars 66,67 which ;
dif~ex from each other in certain respects. The clamping
bar 66 is used when a connector 12 is being installed on ~he
end of a cable 2 and will be described first.
The clamping har 66 is pivotally mounted o~ a pin 70
extending from a pivot block 68. This permits the clamping
bar 66 to be moved rom the position shown ln Figure 5 to
that shown in Figure 6. The pivot block 68 is mounted for
10 pivotal movement on a pin 72 which extends through the flange ;
48 and into the end block ~3. This permits the ol~mping bar 66
to be moved upwardly from the position o Figure 6 ~o the
position shown in Figure 3.
Referring also to Figure 8, at its opposite end, the
15 clamping bar 66 has a round pin 78 which is provided
adjacent its end with flats. The pin 78 is rotable relative
to the bar 66 and is received within a key-hole slot 82 in
a plate 81 extending from the end block 42~
An additional pivot pin 84 extends rom the free end
of the clamping bar 66 a~d a handle pin 85 extends la~erally ``
fr~m a cylindrical latching bush 86. The latching bush
86 is a snug ~it in a recess 87 between the righthancl end
(as sho~m) o~ the flange 48 and the plate 81.
The pin 8~ is received wlthin a slot 83 in the plate
81. The cl~mping bar 66 is formed along ~ substanti.al
part o~ its length wi~h a recess 74.
Clamping bar 67 is o~ more simple construction than
clampin~ bar 66 in ~hat a pivot block 69 is integral with, ;
the cl~mping bar 67 and pivots about the pin 72. Thus -~
~he ~lamping bar 67 can be moved upwardly from the position
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shown in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure 3. A fixed
latching bush 88 is provided on the end of clamping bar 67J
but it is not necessary that the bush 88 be pivotally mounted ;
as is the bush 86. .:
A pin 89 is fixed to the bush 88 and is received in
a slot in a plate extending from the end block 42. ; .
Each end block 42, 43 has, extending from an upper
~as shown) surface a locating pin 98. A rectangular pressure :
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. plate 94 is locatable on the pins 98. The pressure plate 94
i 10 has through apertures 95.
In use when it is desired to connect an electrical `.
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connector 12 to the end of a cable 2, the electrical connector ' 5
12 less the cover 100 is placed in the connector support 24
and located between the bosses 34 with its flanges 17 supported
on the surf'ace 56 of the end block 43 and on the upper surface ``
of'the support plate 58. The conductor receiving portions 15
of the contacts 14 will extend upwardly ~as shown). Next the ;:.
clamping bar 66 is moved to the position shown in Figure 5.
The cable 2 is inserted through the recess 74 until the end
of the cable engages the stop surface 90 on the rear ~as shown) '` .
side rail 40. The clamping bar 66 is then pivoted about pin 70 .: :
to the position shown in ~'igure 6, the clamp the cable 2 to the ~,:
surface 50 of flange 48. ''
The pressure plate 94 is then located on the pins 98, :~
the conductor receiving portion 15 of the contacts each being `.
aligned with a through aperture 95. Pressure is then applied . ::~
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I to the pressure plate 94 and to the clamping bar 66, for example, .~ ::. .
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, ~y hand compression tool as described and claimed in our co~
.
'. pending application No. 272,161 filed February 21, 1977, ~ ;
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~A~ c~ g~ so that the entire cable support ~6 is :
moved downwardly (as shown) relative to the electrical ~-:
connector 12 against the bias of springs 44. The surface
30 of the connector support 24 will engage the surface of
the connector housing 18 opposite the sur~ace 16 thereby
causing the conductor receiving portions 15 of the contacts
to pierce the insulation 6 of the cable 2 and electrically
engage the conductors 4. The conductor receiving portions
. 15 are each received in a through aperture 95 of the
pressux~ plate 94.
After the connection of the connector 1~ to the cable
2, the p~es~iure plate 94 is removed and the clamping bar
66 moved to the position of Figure 4 to release the cable
with its assembled electr~cal connector.
The clamping bar 67 remaining in its lowered or closed
position (Figures S and 6) when a connector 12 is being
installed on the end of a cable 2 and as explained tlle
surface 90 and also the edge of clamping bar 67 serve as . .
a stop for the end of the cable 2. Clamping bar 67 is
us~d only when the connector 12 is installed on an inter- ;
mediate portLon of the cable 2 as shown in Figure 7.
When it is desired to install a connector 12 on an :
intermediate poxtion of the cable 2, both o~ the clamping
baxs 66,67 are swung upwardly and the intexmedla~e
~5 portion of the aable 2 is positioned on the surfaces 50,51
so that it extends across the connector ~ which is placed
in the connectox support 24. Thereater r the clamping
bars 66,67 are swung downwardly, so that the cable 2 is
clamped by both clamping bars~66,67. The pressure plate
~4 is positioned on the pins 98, and pressure
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is applied to the pressure plate 94 and also the upper
surfaces of the clamping bars. The cable support 26 is
thereby moved relativel~ downwardly so that the conductor
receiving portions 15 of the contacts 14 pierce the cable.
The fixture 22 may be modified by the addition of
a tension member 120 which forms an integral part of the
fixture 22 (see Figures 4 and 7). The tension member 120
is of particular utility when the fixture 22 is used with
the compression handtool described and claimed in our co-
pending application No. 272,161.
Under some circumstances, it may prove feasibleto use the cover 100 as a pressure plate. If this procedure
is followed, the cover 100 rather than the pressure plate
94, is positioned in the fixture 22 prior to the step of
applying p~essure on the fixture to move the cable 2 to-
wards the connector 12. When thls procedure is followed,
the conductors~4 of the cable 2 are connected to the con-
tacts 14 and the cover lO0 is assembled to the housing 18
in a single step.
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The fixture 22 has utility for locating a multi-
contact electrical connector 12 relative to a multi-conductor
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flat flexible cable especially when used with the compression
handtool of our co-pending application No. 272,161.
Howerer, from time to time as previously explained,
a given length of cable 2 may have certain conductors 4 which
are spaced apart a distance which fall outside manufacturing '
tolerances. When this occurs, it is an advantage to use a ~
fixture 22 which has been modified as explained below. `
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~ s mentioned previously, the surfaces 50,51 are
fluted as are the associated opposed surfaces 71,73 of the
clamping bars 66,67.
The geometry of the Elutes in the opposed surfaces
- 5 50,71 of the flange 48 and ~he clamping bar 66 is shown in
Figure 9. The surface 71 has side by-side 1utes 106,108
which extend thereacross and which have a radius of
curva ure which is substantially greater than ~he diameter
of the insulation 6 as will be described more ully below.
The flutes 106 are recessed into the surface 71
relatively more deeply than the 1utes 108. The surface ~:
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- S0 has recessed flutes 112 which are opposed to the . ~
, xelatively shallow flutes 108 of the surface 71 and the -
surface 50 has relatively shallow flutes 114 which are
opposed to the recessed Elutes 106 of the surface 71. When . ~
the two surfaces are positioned against each other as ::
shown in Figures 9, the geometric centres o the opposed .
pairs o flutes, as viewed in cross section, defines a
zig-zag path as is apparent rom Figure 9.
~ 20 The spacing between the centre lines of adjacent pairs
¦ o flutes I06, 108 and 112,114 is equal to the nominal .
spacing d between adjacent conductors 4 o the cable 2. .
This centre-to-centre spacing between adjacent centres
,.
is measuxed between the verkically extending aentre
, 25 lines of the flutes as seen in Figure ~ rather than
1 along the diagonal lines which would connect the centres. ;~
¦ It should be noted that the cavities defined by opposed ;.
pairs o flutes 106, 114 and 108,112 communicate with
. adjacent cavities through constructed sections which are
deEined by round surfaces 110,11l. The land material 8 .-
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o the cable ~ is confined in these constructed sections
when the cable 2 is clamped between the surfaces.
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the manner in which .
imperfectly or unevenly spaced conductors 4 in a cable 2
axe repositioned in the fixture 22 so that the conductors ...
will be in alignment with the contacts 14 in the connector f~' '
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12 mounted in the fixture 22. Figure 10 shows a cable 2 . .:
which has several of its conductors offset ~xom the 5
positions they would occupy if the spacing between
. .
adjacent conductors were constant and uniform in the cable. .~
Some of the conductors on the right hand portion of the :.~.. :
cable are displaced so that they are offset from the : :.
.. . . . ..
centre lines of the flutes in the suxface 50 by significant i .
distances. This ~iew also shows the locations of the
conductor-receiving portions l5 of the contacts 14 in the
background and it will be noted that each contact is ~;
precisely aligned with the centre line of one of the flutes ...
although the conductors in some instances are offset ~rom
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the centre lines of the conductor-receiving portions 15. .~
When a connector is being connected to the cable 2, :.
: the connector is first positioned in the fixture 22 and
the cable 2 is positioned on the surface 50 as shown in ~.;.
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Figure 10. The clamping bar 66 is then lowered from the ~.- ;
position of Figure 10 to the. position of Fi~ur~ 11 and
during such lowering of the bar 6G, the opposed curved .
surfaces of the flu~es will engage those conductors which ~,
are offset from their prope.r centre lines and displace
them laterally until they are properly centred or ali~ned .~ .
,.. .. .
with the conductor-receiving portions 15 of the contacts , ~.
14 in the connectox 12. While the conductors 4 in the
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cable 2 a.s shown in Fi~ure 11 follow a ziz-zag pattern as
~"
viewed in cross-section, the axes of the individual -
conductors 4 are nonetheless in precise alignment with the ~,
conductor receiving portions 15 of the contacts 14. When
the conductors 4 in the cable 2 are repositioned as sho~m
in Figure 11 by the opposed surface 50,71 the portions of ;~
the conductors 4 which are adjacent to these surfaces
and which are above the conductor receiving portions lS of : .
the contacts 14 will also be repositioned. The operator
can then complete the process of lnstalling the connector
on the cable by placing the pressure plate 94 in the
fixture 22 and applying a normal force against the pressure
plate. ~ . :
Some specific dimensions are presented below to
illustrate the cable dimensions which can be accommodated by .;
the modi~ied fixture 22.. With a cable 2 of the type
shown in Figure 1 having a conductor pitch distance of
.050 inches and a tolerance range of ~ 0.003 inches, good
results are obtained if the ~adii o curvature of all
.the flutes 106, 108, 112, 114 is about 0.028 inches, in
other words, slightly greater than d~ The centres of
curvature of the flutes 108 on the surface 71 are ofset
downwardly as viewed in Fi~ure 9 by a distance o~ 0.010 :
inches, about th~ee times the tolera~ce limit, t, relative
: 25 to the centre of curvature of the flutes 106. The flu~es
in the surface 50 are offset by the s~ne amount, that is,
the centres of curvature of the 1utes 114 are offset up-
. wardly by a distance o 0.010 inches from the centres of ..
curvature of the flutes 112.. It has heen found that when
~hese dimensions are provided on the surfaces 50,71 the
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conductors 4 will be brought into ali~nment and repositioned
on precise centres even i the spacing bet~een adjacent
conductors is as much as 0.060 inches or 0.040 inches;
in other words, if the cable dimensions depart from the
specifications by about three times the tolerance limits
(~ 0.003 inches) of the specification. If the nominal ~ ;
spacing between adjacent conductors is more or less than `~
0.050 inches, the dimensions and radii would be different
from those discussed above but the same general relationships
should be maintained.
Figure 12 sho~s an alternative embodiment in whlch
the centres of curvature of the flutes in each of the
surfaces are offset by a substantially greater amount than
that shown in Figure 9. Specifically, the offset in Figure
12 is such that when the surfaces 50,71 are against each
other, the diagonal line distance between adjacent centre
lines or the centre lines of adjacent opposed pairs of flutes
~s 0.06 inches although the horizon~al spacing remains at
0.050 inches between adjacent centre lines. This embodiment
is intended for use where the cable has a nominal spacing
bet~7een adjacent conductors of 0.050 inches and the tolerance
range t is ~ 0.010 inches. In practice, if the conductoxs
are spaced-apart by as much as 0.070 inches or 0.030 inches,
the conductors will be brought into alignment when the cable
is clamped in the fixture.
It is emphasized that the dimensions given above by
.X . .
way of example can be departed from under some circumstances.
Satisfactory results may sometimes be obtained if the
dimensions are departed from but the accuracy o the
location effect may be reduced.
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~he mod~ied clamping bar 67 can be used under a
variety of ci.rcums~ances and it is described on the
fixture 22 on~y hy way of example. The offset flute
construction for aligning conductor6 can also be provided
. .
S on a single surface of a m~mber and will serve to bxing
misaligned conductors into proper alignment.
The modified clamping bar 67 can, for example be
considered as a member forming part of a fixture or posit-
ioning accurately the conductors of a multi-conductor flat
flexible cable in a predetermined array. The fixture in-
cludes the member ~Jhich has a cable engaging surface
adapted to extend across the width of the cable. Side-by-
side parallel ~lutes extend across the surface, the flutes
being spaced apart on centre lines which extend normally
of the surface by a predetermined ixed distance. Each
flute has a centre of curvature and the centre~ of curva- `', ,
ture of alternate flutes are offset with respect to the
centres of curvature of the remaining flutes. The arrange-
ment of the flutes is such that when the cable and the
surace are pressed together the conductors o the cable
assume a zig-zag array as seen in ~ransverse cross-section.
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As previously explained, the cover 100 can be used
as a pressure plate and the surface of the cover 100
' acing the surace 16 of the connector housing 18 can be
formed with flutes of the t~pe lOG,108 formed in the ~ ``
surface 7]. of the cIamping bar 66.
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