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US 4,543,716 AGranted
Method and apparatus for electrical connection of flat cables
AssigneeThe Wiremold Company
InventorsRalph R. Damiano, Charles A. Whitney
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThe Wiremold Company
InventorsRalph R. Damiano, Charles A. Whitney
Estimating the term…
To effect a mechanical and electrical interconnection of high integrity between flat multiconductor cables, a jig system is disclosed wherein a base plate is specifically designed with a plurality of guide pins arranged in a predetermined pattern for locating a plurality of common length connector strips for establishing connections between matching cable conductor pairs. The base plate further includes a plurality of locator pins for precision alignment of 3, 4, or 5 conductor cables for either tap or splice connections with the cables juxtaposed. The cables are in overlying relation to connector strip eyelets at opposite ends of each strip for establishing a connection between a matching conductor pair. A top plate is assembled with tool receiving apertures registrable in alignment with the connector strip eyelets, and an impact tool is driven into each top plate aperture to make connection between the strip and matching conductors only after precision alignment of the strips and cables between the plates is assured.
For use in splicing or tapping a plurality of electrically conductive connector strips to a pair of flat multiconductor cables arranged in abutting juxtaposed relation to one another, a jig system comprising a base plate having a plurality of cable locating means and guide means thereon, a plurality of cable perforating connector strips fixed on the base plate by the guide means in a predetermined pattern relative to a pair of abutting juxtaposed cables having matching conductor pairs to be connected by the connector strips, and a top plate adapted to be mounted on the base plate in overlying relation to the plurality of connector strips, the top plate having tool apertures therein corresponding to the connector strips and to the matching conductor pairs of the cables to be connected.
A method of interconnecting flat multiconductor cables comprising the steps of providing first and second flat multi-conductors, locating a plurality of connector strips in parallel relation to one another with the strips each having cable perforating means thereon, locating the first and second cables in juxtaposed relation to one another and in overlying relation to the connector strips with the perforating means of each connector strip aligned in registration respectively with different matching conductor pairs of the respective cables, and applying force to the cables overlying the cable perforating means of the connector strips for piercing the overlying cables and making an electrical connection therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.