Flat cable assembly and methods of terminating and connectorizing the cable of same

A flat cable assembly comprising:

• a connector having two underlying/overlying arrays of laterally disposed cable conductor-mating elements supported by an associated housing, and
• a flat cable of given length having two underlying/overlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors separated by an insulative center film, with the conductors in each array being respectively interposed between a different side of the center film and a respectively associated one of two insulative outer films, also wherein two laterally disposed isolating strips of insulating material are respectively located and aligned on opposite sides of said center film, thus being interposed between the latter film and the adjacent one of said two arrays of conductors at the terminated end of said cable, as fabricated, said isolating strips being of a material that does not bond to said initially contacting array of conductors, or to the adjacent one of said outer films, and further wherein a short longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film, and the co-extensive array conductor end portions bonded thereto, are separated from at least a longitudinally disposed portion of the initially contacting one of said isolating strips, by being sharply folded back on themselves so that the then outermost sides of the conductor end portions in each array are exposed, with each such exposed conductor end portion in each array being electrically connected to a different aligned one of said mating connector elements of the associated array thereof in said connector.

A flat cable assembly comprising:

• a connector having two underlying/overlying arrays of laterally disposed cable conductor-mating elements supported by an associated housing, and
• a flat cable of given length having two underlying/overlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors separated by an insulative center film, with the conductors in each array being respectively interposed between a different side of the center film and a respectively associated one of two insulative outer films, also wherein two laterally disposed isolating strips of insulating material are respectively located and aligned on opposite sides of said center film, thus being interposed between the latter film and the adjacent one of said two arrays of conductors at the terminated end of said cable, as fabricated, said isolating strips being of a material adapted to adhere more firmly to said associated array of contacting conductors and outer film than to said center film, and wherein a short, longitudinally disposed terminated end section of each other film, and at least a substantial forward co-extensive portion of the associated isolating strip, separated from said center film, and as bonded to said outer film section, together with the array of co-extensive conductor end portions interposed therebetween, are folded back upon themselves, with each then folded-back and insulation-covered conductor end portion in each array being electrically connected to a different aligned one of said mating connector elements as a result of the latter being of the insulation-displacement type.

A method of connectorizing a terminated end of a flat cable of given length having two overlying/underlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors respectively laminated between a different side of a common insulative center film and an associated one of two opposite side insulative outer films, and wherein at least two isolating strips of insulative material are respectively located on opposite sides of, and extend transversely across, the center film in alignment along an end region of the cable, as fabricated, and terminated, the isolating strips being of a material that allows those end portions of the conductors in each array that are initially co-extensive and in contact with the associated one of said isolating strips to be readily separated at least from said center film, for connectorization, said method comprising the steps of:

• separating at least a substantial longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film at the terminating end of said cable, together with the associated array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, from at least a substantial longitudinally disposed and co-extensive portion of the center film;
• folding back upon itself at least said short end section of each outer film, together with the array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, so as position the conductor end portions in the two arrays farther apart by at least the interposed folded-back sections of the outer films, while still maintaining the conductor end portions in precise alignment, and
• inserting the terminated folded-back end of the cable within a female-type connector having two mutually disposed arrays of conductor-mating contacts, said contacts in each array thereof being adapted to conductively engage the respectively aligned folded-back conductor end portions in the associated one of the two arrays thereof.

A method of connectorizing a terminated end of a flat cable of given length having two overlying/underlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors respectively laminated between a different side of a common insulative center film and an associated one of two opposite side insulative outer films, and wherein at least two isolating strips of insulative material are respectively positioned on opposite sides of, and extend transversely across, the center film in alignment along an end region of the cable, as fabricated and terminated, the isolating strips being of a material that allows those portions of the conductors in each array that are initially co-extensive and in contact with the associated one of said isolating strips to be readily separated therefrom, for connectorization, said method comprising the steps of:

• separating at least a substantial longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film at the terminating end of said cable, together with the associated array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, from at least a substantial longitudinally disposed and co-extensive portion of the associated one of said pair of isolating strips;
• folding back upon itself said short end section of each outer film, together with the array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, so as to expose the then outermost surfaces of the latter for connectorization, and
• inserting the terminated folded-back end of the cable within a female-type connector having two mutually disposed arrays of conductor-mating contacts, said contacts in each array thereof being adapted to conductively engage the respectively aligned and outer surface-exposed folded-back conductor end portions in the associated one of the two arrays thereof.

A method of connectorizing a terminated end of a flat cable of given length having two overlying/underlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors, the latter being respectively laminated between a common insulative center film and an associated one of two opposite side insulative outer films, and wherein two isolating strips of insulative material are respectively positioned on opposite sides of, and extend transversely across, the center film in alignment at a predetermined termination site along the cable, as fabricated, and each being adapted to adhere more firmly to the associated array of contacting conductors and outer film than to said center film, thus allowing those portions of the conductors in each array that are initially co-extensive, and in contact, with the associated one of said isolating strips to be readily separated from said center film, for connectorization, said method comprising the steps of:

• separating a longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film, together with the associated array of co-extensive conductor end portions, and at least that forward portion of the associated isolating strip both bonded thereto, from the previously longitudinally disposed and co-extensive region of the center film;
• folding-back upon itself said short end section of each outer film, and at least the co-extensive forward portion of the associated isolating strip bonded thereto, together with the array of co-extensive conductor end portions sandwiched therebetween so as to terminate said two arrays of conductor end portions with increased insulated spacing therebetween, and
• inserting the terminated folded-back end of the cable within a female-type connector having two mutually disposed arrays of conductor-mating contacts, said contacts being of the insulation-displacement type to conductively engage the respectively aligned and folded back conductor end portions in the two arrays thereof.

A terminated flat cable adapted for connectorization in a female-type connector, said cable of indefinite length comprising:

• two underlying/overlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors separated by an insulative center film, with the conductors in each array being respectively interposed between a different side of the center film and a respectively associated one of two insulative outer films, also wherein two laterally disposed isolating strips of insulative material are respectively positioned on opposite sides of said center film in alignment, thus being interposed between the latter film and the adjacent one of said two arrays of conductors as the end of said cable, as fabricated and terminated, said isolating strips being of a material that only selectively adheres to said center film and associated outer film, the latter having said associated array of conductors bonded thereto, and wherein a short longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film, and the co-extensive array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, are separated from at least said center film, along a longitudinally disposed end region of the latter that at least initially was in contact with one of said isolating strips, by being sharply folded back on themselves, said conductor end portions in said two arrays thus being spaced farther apart by at least the interposed folded-back sections of the outer films, while still maintained in precise alignment, for subsequent access by respectively aligned contacts of a female-type connector.

A method of preparing a terminated end of a flat cable of indefinite length for connectorization, wherein said cable includes two overlying/underlying arrays of laterally disposed conductors respectively laminated between a different side of a common insulative center film and an associated one of two opposite side insulative outer films, and wherein at least two isolating strips of insulative material are respectively located on opposite sides of, and extend transversely across, the center film in alignment along an end region of the cable, as fabricated, and terminated, the isolating strips being of a material that allows those end portions of the conductors in each array that are initially co-extensive and in contact with the associated one of said isolating strips to be readily separated at least from said center film, for connectorization, said method comprising the steps of:

• separating at least a substantial longitudinally disposed end section of each outer film at the terminating end of said cable, together with the associated array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, from at least a substantial longitudinally disposed and co-extensive portion of the center film;
• folding back upon itself at least said short end section of each outer film, together with the array of conductor end portions bonded thereto, so as to position the conductor end portions in the two arrays farther apart by at least the interposed folded-back sections of the outer films, while still maintaining the conductor end portions in precise alignment, and the latter being positioned for subsequent access by respectively aligned contacts of a female-type connector.