Jumper cable

Claim 1

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity be virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a relatively rigid metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing portions of said metallic sheet in cross-section so as to (i) increase the relative flexibility of said sheet at said region, and (ii) define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors; and (C) covering said spaced conductors at least in part with a flexible insulating material while maintaining said conductors in spaced relation to one another.

Claim 2

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity be virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a relatively rigid metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing portions of said metallic sheet in cross-section so as to (i) increase the relative flexibility of said sheet at said region, and (ii) define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors; and (C) covering said spaced conductors at least in part with a flexible insulating material while maintaining said conductors in spaced relation to one another.

Claim 8

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid terminal ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of relative flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing said sheet in cross-section so as to define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors having ends of approximately said sheet thickness, and flexible central regions of relatively reduced thickness; and (C) laminating said conductors between a pair of flexible insulating films so as to support and maintain said conductors in spaced relation to one another.

Claim 9

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid terminal ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of relative flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing said sheet in cross-section so as to define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors having ends of approximately said sheet thickness, and flexible central regions of relatively reduced thickness; and (C) laminating said conductors between a pair of flexible insulating films so as to support and maintain said conductors in spaced relation to one another.

Claim 11

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of flexibility, and (2) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a relatively rigid metallic sheeet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) chemically milling said metallic sheet to (i) increase the relative flexibility of said sheet at said portion, and (ii) define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors, said chemical milling involving: first chemically milling said sheet so as to remove metal from selected portions on one side of said sheet to a first partial depth so as partially to define in situ a pattern of leads and terminals; bonding a first insulating sheet to said one side; removing metal from selected portions on the opposite side of said sheet until break-through occurs, leaving a plurality of flexible leads terminating with rigid terminals; and bonding a second insulating sheet to said opposite side.

Claim 12

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of flexibility, and (2) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a relatively rigid metallic sheeet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) chemically milling said metallic sheet to (i) increase the relative flexibility of said sheet at said portion, and (ii) define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors, said chemical milling involving: first chemically milling said sheet so as to remove metal from selected portions on one side of said sheet to a first partial depth so as partially to define in situ a pattern of leads and terminals; bonding a first insulating sheet to said one side; removing metal from selected portions on the opposite side of said sheet until break-through occurs, leaving a plurality of flexible leads terminating with rigid terminals; and bonding a second insulating sheet to said opposite side.

Claim 15

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid terminal ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of relative flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing said sheet in cross-section so as to define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors having (1) ends of approximately said sheet thickness, (2) flexible central regions of relatively reduced thickness, and (3) a stabilizing border for temporarily maintaining said conductors in spaced relation; (C) laminating said conductors between a pair of flexible insulating films so as to support and maintain said conductors in spaced relation to one another; and (D) treating the laminate resulting from step (C) so as substantially simultaneously to remove said stabilizing border and to shape said terminal ends.

Claim 16

A method of forming a jumper cable having a plurality of spaced metallic conductors, each of said conductors including a pair of spaced, relatively rigid terminal ends, and at least one region of relative flexibility between said ends and integral therewith, wherein said ends (1) are generally flat, (2) are thicker in cross-section than said at least one region of relative flexibility, and (3) derive their relative rigidity by virtue of their relative thicker cross-section, said method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a metallic sheet of a cross-section thickness substantially equal to that required for said rigid ends; (B) selectively reducing said sheet in cross-section so as to define in situ a plurality of spaced conductors having (1) ends of approximately said sheet thickness, (2) flexible central regions of relatively reduced thickness, and (3) a stabilizing border for temporarily maintaining said conductors in spaced relation; (C) laminating said conductors between a pair of flexible insulating films so as to support and maintain said conductors in spaced relation to one another; and (D) treating the laminate resulting from step (C) so as substantially simultaneously to remove said stabilizing border and to shape said terminal ends.