Cable harness configurable from a neutral state to one of at least two configuration settings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10304588-B2
Application number	US-201615736571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

There is described herein a harness (106) that remains neutral until configured by a configuration device (110). Wires that connect to specific pins responsible for the configuration of a system are taken out and connected to a configuration port (108) on the harness (106). The configuration port (108), when mated with the configuration device (110), sets a configuration setting of the system. The configuration device (110) may be used to set the power and/or signal parameters of the harness (106) for a system or to configure various options within the system itself or another system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cable harness configurable from a neutral state to one of at least two configuration settings, the cable harness comprising:
a set of conducting wires bound together and having at least a first end and a second end;
a connector disposed at the first end of the set of conducting wires for connecting to a system and adapted to provide one or more of signals and electrical power from the set of conducting wires to the system; and
a configuration device adapted to configure the cable harness from the neutral state to the one of the at least two configuration settings,
wherein the set of conducting wires comprises a configuration port disposed intermediate the first end and the second end of the set of conducting wires and adapted to mate with the configuration device adapted to configure the cable harness.

2. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein the configuration port is one of a male and a female connector, and the configuration device is the other of the male and female connector.

3. The cable harness of claim 2 , wherein the conducting wires are bound together by a sleeve and at least part of the sleeve is disposed between the connector and the configuration port.

4. The cable harness of claim 2 , wherein the configuration port is disposed exterior of the sleeve.

5. The cable harness of claim 4 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system.

6. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system and the configuration port is disposed between the connector and the terminal.

7. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein:
the configuration port comprises three output pins via which two of the at least two configuration settings can be enabled; and
the configuration device shorts two of the three output pins together to configure the cable harness when the configuration device is mated with the configuration port.

8. The cable harness of claim 7 , wherein the conducting wires are bound together by a sleeve and at least part of the sleeve is disposed between the connector and the configuration port.

9. The cable harness of claim 7 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system.

10. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein:
the configuration port comprise a first, a second and a third output pin via which two of the at least two configuration settings can be enabled; and
the configuration port is configured so that shorting the first and second output pins together enables a first of the at least two configuration settings, and shorting the first and third output pins together enables a second of the at least two configurations.

11. The cable harness of claim 10 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system.

12. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein:
the configuration port comprises four output pins via which four of the at least two configuration settings can be enabled; and
the configuration device shorts three of the four output pins together to configure the cable harness when the configuration device is mated with the configuration port.

13. The cable harness of claim 12 , wherein the conducting wires are bound together by a sleeve and at least part of the sleeve is disposed between the connector and the configuration port.

14. The cable harness of claim 12 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system.

15. The cable harness of claim 1 , wherein:
the configuration port comprise a first, a second, a third and a fourth output pin via which four of the at least two configuration settings can be enabled; and
the configuration port is configured so that:
shorting the second, third and fourth output pins together enables a first of the at least two configuration settings;
shorting the first, second and fourth output pins together enables a second of the at least two configuration settings;
shorting the first, third and fourth output pins together enables a third of the at least two configuration settings; and
shorting the first, second and third output pins together enables a fourth of the at least two configuration settings.

16. The cable harness of claim 15 , wherein the second end of the set of conducting wires has a terminal for connecting to another harness or system.

Assignees

• Bombardier Inc
• C Series Aircraft Lp

Inventors

• El Haddad Anthony
• Desy Philippe
• Gaudreau Jean-Guy

Classifications

• H01B7/0045

  Cable-harnesses · CPC title

• B60R16/0207

  Wire harnesses · CPC title

• H01R24/28

  Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title

• F16D66/00 Primary

  Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature · CPC title

• H01B7/009 Primary

  Cables with built-in connecting points or with predetermined areas for making deviations · CPC title