US4381208A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a ribbon cable
Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-13
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Granted: 1983-04-26
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Expires: 1999-08-13
Abstract
Abstract In multi-core electric cable in which the cores extend in side-by-side spaced and parallel relationship, instead of producing the cable with the cores continuously interconnected by surrounding insulation so that when cut into lengths the insulation has to be pulled or cut apart in order to separate the cores for connecting, the cable is made at the outset at intervals along its length with the cores separate, never having been interconnected. This is applicable to most known methods of manufacturing flat multi-core electric cable including those in which each core has an individual insulating sheath interconnected to form the multi-core cable by the bonding of the sheaths together or to backing strip material or to both. In application to multi-core cables made from bare conductors sandwiched between strips of insulating material separation of the cores at intervals is achieved either by omitting at intervals the bonding of the insulating material or by omitting the insulating material at intervals or by a combination of both.
Inventors
- 👤 John R. Baverstock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:59
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01B; H01B7/00; H01B7/08; H01B7/0853; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1084; Y10T156/1087; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49194; Y10T29/49201; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24826; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249924; Y10T428/24994; Y10T428/249941; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/294
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable of the kind in which a plurality of leads, each including a conductive core in an insulating sheath, are held in parallel and side-by-side relation, the method including the steps of arranging individual separate leads in parallel and side-by-side relation, retaining said leads in said relation, and, while so retained, continuously applying heat to bond by fusion the insulating sheaths of a plurality of leads each to its neighbour or to a backing strip on at least one side of the cable throughout major portions of the lengths of said leads, and stopping the application of heat at intervals to interrupt the bonding of the leads at predetermined intervals along the length of the cable to produce regions which separate the said major portions of said cable, and which regions are short compared to said major portions and at which regions the sheaths are not bonded either to each other or to a backing strip.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable of the kind in which a plurality of leads, each including a conductive core in an insulating sheath, are held in parallel and side-by-side relation, the method including the steps of arranging individual separate leads in parallel and side-by-side relation, retaining said leads in said relation, and, while so retained, continuously applying heat to bond by fusion the insulating sheaths of a plurality of leads each to its neighbour or to a backing strip on at least one side of the cable throughout major portions of the lengths of said leads, and stopping the application of heat at intervals to interrupt the bonding of the leads at predetermined intervals along the length of the cable to produce regions which separate the said major portions of said cable, and which regions are short compared to said major portions and at which regions the sheaths are not bonded either to each other or to a backing strip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 which includes the step of bonding the sheaths, along the major portions of the neighbouring sheaths, both together and to the backing strip or backing strips.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the backing strip on at least one side of the cable is continuous and so is present at said unbonded regions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the backing strip on at least one side of the cable is bonded in discrete lengths to the sheaths along the portions of the sheaths which are bonded together.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 or claim 2 which includes the further step of severing the cable at said regions to produce predetermined lengths of cable having at least one end region wherein the sheaths of the leads are separate from one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 5 wherein the severing operation is performed in the medial portion of each said region to produce predetermined lengths of cable having both end regions wherein the sheaths of the leads are separate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the sheaths of the leads and any backing strips are formed from thermoplastic material which is fused to bond the sheaths together and/or to any backing strips.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein at least one of said plurality of leads is of different diameter from the rest, its sheath being continuously bonded to its neighbour and/or to any backing strip throughout said major portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 1 wherein said heat is applied by blowing hot air on the cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of manufacturing multi-core cable according to claim 9 wherein the hot air is diverted from the cable to effect interruption of the bonding.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-04-25 | 1986-10-25 | 1987-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-04-25 | 1990-10-25 | 1991-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-04-25 | 1994-10-25 | 1995-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |