# US 2021/0313723 A1 · Electrical cable assembly, method and apparatus for making same and electrical terminal for same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0313723 A1 - Document ID: US20210313723A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/347,804 - Filed: 2021-06-15 - Published: 2021-10-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-25 - Assignees: Aptiv Technologies AG - Applicants: Aptiv Technologies Limited - Inventors: David R. Peterson; Jared Bilas; Joseph Sudik; Jonathan D. Weidner; Sean P. Krompegel; Jesse Braun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210313723A1 ## CPC - H01R 12/771: {Details} - H01R 12/778: {Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous counter-contacts (H01R12/78, H01R12/79 take precedence)} - B26D 3/14: Forming notches in marginal portion of work by cutting (by punching B26F1/12) - H01B 7/0823: {Parallel wires, incorporated in a flat insulating profile} - H01B 13/0036: {Details} - H01R 4/023: {between cables or wires and terminals} - H01R 4/2429: mounted in an insulating base - H01R 12/592: {connections to contact elements} - H01R 13/424: Securing in base or case composed of a plurality of insulating parts having at least one resilient insulating part - H01R 43/02: for soldered or welded connections - H01R 43/20: for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve - H01R 43/28: for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26 - H01R 12/67: insulation penetrating terminals - H01R 13/514: composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them - H01R 43/0263: {for positioning or holding parts during soldering or welding process} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) ## Abstract A method of forming an electrical cable assembly includes providing a multiconductor flat cable comprising wires arranged in a coplanar fashion with each other and encased within a planar dielectric structure, cutting a slot in the planar dielectric structure intermediate the wires, thereby forming wing features in the dielectric structure extending from the wires, removing portions of the dielectric structure from ends of the wires, wherein portions of wing features remain, attaching the exposed wires to terminals, wherein the terminals define prongs, and attaching the portions of the wing features to by inserting the prongs within holes defined in the portions of the wing features, thereby retaining the wires to the terminals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming an electrical cable assembly, comprising: providing a multiconductor flat cable comprising a first and second wire arranged in a coplanar fashion with each other and encased within a planar dielectric structure; cutting a slot in the planar dielectric structure intermediate the first and second wires, thereby forming first wing features in the dielectric structure extending from the first wire and second wing features extending from the second wire; and removing portions of the dielectric structure from ends of the first and second wires, thereby exposing portions of the first and second wires, wherein portions of the first and second wing features remain; attaching the exposed first wire to a first terminal and attaching the exposed second wire to a second terminal, wherein the first and second terminals define prongs; and attaching the portions of the first and second wing features to by inserting the prongs within holes defined in the portions of the first and second wing features, thereby retaining the first and seconds wires to the first and second terminals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the holes in the portions of the first and second wing features are formed by puncturing the portions of the first and second wing features using the prongs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a connector comprising a housing formed of a dielectric material; and inserting first and second electrical terminals within the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising: cutting the second wire such that it is are shorter than the first wire; and bending an end potion of the first wire such that it crosses over the second wire, wherein the first terminal is laterally offset from the first wire within the connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising: providing a cover formed of dielectric material configured to attach to the housing; and attaching the cover to the housing, thereby enclosing the first and second terminals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of inserting first and second electrical terminals within the housing is performed prior to the steps of attaching the exposed first wire to the first terminal and attaching the exposed second wire to the second terminal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second terminals each define a groove configured to receive the first and second wires and sized to provide a friction fit between the first and second terminals and the first and second wires. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second wires are attached to the first and second terminals using a welding process. ### Claim 9 A method of forming an electrical cable assembly, comprising: providing a multiconductor flat cable comprising a first and second wire arranged in a coplanar fashion with each other and encased within a planar dielectric structure; cutting a slot in the planar dielectric structure intermediate the first and second wires, thereby forming first wing features in the dielectric structure extending from the first wire and second wing features extending from the second wire; and removing portions of the dielectric structure from ends of the first and second wires, thereby exposing portions of the first and second wires, wherein portions of the first and second wing features remain; cutting the second wire such that it is shorter than the first wire; bending the first wire such that the exposed first wire is aligned with the second exposed wire; and attaching the exposed second wire to terminal; attaching the exposed first and second wires to a terminal, thereby electrically interconnecting the first and second wires. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the terminal defines prongs and wherein the method further comprises: attaching a portion of the second wing features to the electrical terminal by inserting the prongs within holes defined in the portions of the second wing features, thereby retaining the second wire to the terminal; and attaching the portion of the first wing features to the terminal by inserting the prongs within the holes defined in the portions of the first wing features, thereby retaining the first wire to the terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising: providing a connector comprising a housing formed of a dielectric material; and inserting the terminal within the housing. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having data stored therein representing software executable by a computer, the software including instructions to: command a transport mechanism to move a flat multiconductor cable from a reel and through an electrical cable manufacturing apparatus, wherein the flat multiconductor cable includes electrically conductive wires that are arranged in a coplanar fashion with each other and encased within a planar dielectric structure; command a cutting mechanism of the electrical cable manufacturing apparatus to cut a slot in the planar dielectric structure intermediate the wires, thereby forming insulation wings in the dielectric structure extending from the wires; command a stripping mechanism of the electrical cable manufacturing apparatus to remove portions of the dielectric structure from ends of the wires, thereby creating exposed wire portions; and command an attaching mechanism of the electrical cable manufacturing apparatus to press the wires into terminals and weld the wires to the terminals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, the software further including instructions to: command the cutting mechanism to cut some wires such that they are shorter than other wires in the flat cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, the software further including instructions to: command a bending mechanism of the electrical cable manufacturing apparatus to bend one wire such that the exposed wire portion of that wire is aligned with an exposed wire portion of another wire. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, the software further including instructions to: command the cutting mechanism to form holes in the insulation wings; and command the attaching mechanism to insert prongs defined by the terminals within the holes formed in the insulation wings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, the software further including instructions to: command a bending mechanism of the electrical cable manufacturing apparatus to bend one wire such that it crosses over another wire. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, the software further including instructions to: command the attaching mechanism to press two of the wires into one the terminals and weld the two wires to the terminal.