(19)
(11) EP 0 226 779 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
01.03.1989 Bulletin 1989/09

(43) Date of publication A2:
01.07.1987 Bulletin 1987/27

(21) Application number: 86115415.1

(22) Date of filing: 06.11.1986
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4: H01B 7/08
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE ES FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 18.11.1985 US 798997

(71) Applicant: COOPER INDUSTRIES, INC.
Houston Texas 77210 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Cox, Albert Ray
    Centerville Indiana 47330 (US)
  • Biegon, Robert John
    Aurora Illinois 60506 (US)
  • Men, Grigory
    Naperville, Illinois 60540 (US)
  • Turner, Lester Thomas
    Tomkinsville Kentucky 42167 (US)

(74) Representative: Grünecker, Kinkeldey, Stockmair & Schwanhäusser Anwaltssozietät 
Maximilianstrasse 58
80538 München
80538 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Mass terminable flat cable and cable assembly incorporating the cable


    (57) A flat cable for use with a mass termination connector having a plurality of regularly spaced terminal elements. The flat cable includes a laminated carrier film and a plurality of discrete conductors held in regularly spaced parallel relationship by the carrier film to match the terminal element spacing of the connector. Each conductor has an insulating jacket made of a thermoplastic material. The carrier film includes an attachment layer of thermoplastic insulation having a melting temperature similar to that of the jacket material, and a dimensional stabilization layer made of an insulative material having a melting temperature higher than those of the attachment layer and the jacket material and displaying dimensional stability at the melting temperatures of the attachment layer and jacket material. The jackets of the conductor are fused to the attachment layer, and the attachment layer is held by the stabilization layer. The carrier film can be longitudinally discontinuous to form first cable sections where the conductors are held parallel for ease of termination, and second cable sections where the conductors are not held to increase flexibility and reduce weight. The cable can also be formed into a round configuration to provide advantages during routing. A method of manufacturing this cable is also disclosed.






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