Ribbon cable having individually-insulated wires
AssigneeAtl Technology, LLC
InventorDonovan Finnestad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example of the present disclosure includes a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable includes a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality of wires being a different wire type of a plurality of wire types relative to the wire type of at least another one of the plurality of wires. Each one of the plurality of wires includes a conductor and an outer insulating layer surrounding a perimeter of the conductor. The outer insulating layer of a first wire includes a portion located between the conductor of the first wire and the conductor of a second wire adjacent to the first wire. The ribbon cable includes an adhesive material exterior to the outer insulating layer of each wire of the plurality of wires and bonding together the plurality of wires.
Claims20
A ribbon cable, comprising:
- a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality of wires being a different wire type of a plurality of wire types relative to a wire type of at least another wire of the plurality of wires, wherein each one of the plurality of wires comprises:
- a conductor;
- and
- an outer insulating layer surrounding a perimeter of the conductor, wherein the outer insulating layer of a first wire comprises a portion located between the conductor of the first wire and the conductor of a second wire adjacent to the first wire;
- and
- an adhesive material exterior to the outer insulating layer of each wire of the plurality of wires and bonding together the plurality of wires.
A method of manufacturing a ribbon cable, comprising:
- shaping, via a first die of a die assembly, a plurality of wires into a ribbon cable having a first shape;
- applying an adhesive material onto the plurality of wires, the adhesive material comprising a UV-curable acrylic material;
- removing a portion of the adhesive material from the wires of the plurality of wires by moving the plurality of wires through a felt layer of the die assembly;
- adjusting, via a second die of the die assembly, a shape of the plurality of wires from the first shape to a second shape;
- and
- curing the adhesive material by exposing the adhesive material 120 to a light source for a time interval.
A system, comprising:
- a die assembly, comprising:
- a first plate;
- a second plate comprising a groove configured to receive a plurality of wires;
- a first die coupled to the second plate and comprising a first groove corresponding to a pre-form shape of a ribbon cable;
- a reservoir located to intersect the plurality of wires when the plurality of wires are received by the second plate;
- an applicator configured to feed an adhesive material into the reservoir;
- a felt layer configured to remove a portion of the adhesive material the plurality of wires;
- and
- a second die comprising a second groove corresponding to a final-form shape of the ribbon cable;
- an ultraviolet (“UV”) light source coupled to the first plate and configured to partially cure the adhesive material by exposing it to UV light for a time interval;
- and
- additional UV light sources configured to further cure the adhesive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.