Systems and methods for flat cable installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12537356-B2
Application number	US-202418416622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Feb 15, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A device is provided for aligning a ribbon cable relative to an electrical connector to crimp the electrical connector onto the ribbon cable with a tool. The device includes a side portion and a central piece. The side portion includes an upper end and a cable track having a width sized to receive the ribbon cable. The central piece is coupled to the side portion and includes an upper surface. The upper surface of the central piece and the upper end of the side portion at least partially define a connector retaining segment sized to receive the electrical connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of installing a ribbon cable on a connector, the method comprising:
placing the connector within a connector retaining segment of a central piece of a jig the central piece including a first side and a second side arranged opposite the first side; positioning the ribbon cable within a cable track of a side portion of the jig, the side portion being adjacent to the first side of the central piece; aligning the ribbon cable across an open top of the connector; closing a U-shaped cover of the jig, which is separate from a connector cover of the connector, over the ribbon cable to retain the ribbon cable within the cable track, wherein the cover comprises a first extension arranged alongside the first side of the central piece configured to retain the ribbon cable against the cable track when the cover is closed, a second extension arranged alongside the second side of the central piece, and a connector piece that extends across the central piece to connect the first extension and the second extension to form a “U-shape” that defines an open connector space therebetween arranged above the connector retaining segment when the cover is closed; and entrapping the ribbon cable within the connector.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein entrapping the ribbon cable within the connector includes using a tool to urge the connector cover toward a connector housing to entrap the ribbon cable within the connector housing.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein using the tool to urge the connector cover comprises engaging the connector cover with the tool through the open connector space of the cover.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein using the tool to urge the connector cover includes using a pliers as the tool to apply compressive forces against the connector cover and a lower surface of the jig.

5 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising securing the cover of the jig in a closed position to retain the ribbon cable within the cable track.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein securing the cover of the jig in the closed position comprises engaging a protrusion of a front wall of the jig into a detent of the cover.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein closing the cover of the jig over the ribbon cable comprises pivoting the cover about a back wall of the jig from an open position to a closed position.

8 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising aligning the ribbon cable against the cable track using an inverse ribbon profile along the first extension of the cover, wherein the inverse ribbon profile mirrors a profile of the ribbon cable.

9 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising cutting an end of the ribbon cable after positioning the ribbon cable within the cable track.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the connector within the connector retaining segment includes fitting the connector into the connector retaining segment via a snap-fit engagement.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the ribbon cable within the cable track of the jig is performed before placing the connector within the connector retaining segment of the jig.

12 . A device for aligning a ribbon cable relative to an electrical connector to crimp the electrical connector onto the ribbon cable with a tool, the electrical connector including a connector cover, the device comprising:
a side portion including a cable track having a width sized to receive the ribbon cable; a central piece adjacent to the side portion and including a connector retaining segment sized to receive the electrical connector, the central piece including a first side and a second side arranged opposite the first side, with the first side arranged alongside the side portion; and a “U-shaped” cover, separate from the connector cover, selectively movable between an open position to permit ribbon cable insertion onto the cable track and a closed position that retains the ribbon cable against the cable track, wherein the cover comprises: a first extension arranged alongside the first side of the central piece configured to retain the ribbon cable against the cable track when the cover is in the closed position, a second extension arranged alongside the second side of the central piece, and a connector piece that extends across the central piece to connect the first extension and the second extension to form a “U-shape” that defines an open connector space therebetween arranged above the connector retaining segment when the cover is in the closed position.

13 . The device of claim 12 , further comprising a wall, where a portion of the cover is extended away from the wall when the cover is in the open position, and where the portion of the cover is coupled to the wall when the cover is in the closed position.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the wall comprises a protrusion and the cover includes a detent sized to receive the protrusion to secure the cover into the closed position.

15 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the side portion comprises a first side portion adjacent the first side of the central piece and a second side portion adjacent the second side of the central piece.

16 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the cover is coupled to the side portion via a hinged coupling to permit selectively moving the cover between the open position and the closed position.

17 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the connector piece engages a front wall of the central piece when the cover is in the closed position.

18 . The device of claim 12 , wherein, the open connector space is at least as large as the connector retaining segment to permit the electrical connector to be inserted into the connector retaining segment through the open connector space when the cover is in the closed position.

19 . The device of claim 12 , wherein:
the side portion comprises a first side portion adjacent the first side of the central piece and a second side portion adjacent the second side of the central piece, the first extension extends from a first hinged coupling over the first side portion, and the second extension extends from a second hinged coupling over the second side portion.

20 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the first extension and the second extension each comprise an inverse ribbon profile that mirrors a profile of the ribbon cable.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Davidsz Mark E
• Baran Michael S
• Rajmohan Shravan
• Carpiaux Douglas J
• Micoley Scott H

Classifications

• H01R12/69

  deformable terminals, e.g. crimping terminals · CPC title

• H01R43/048

  Crimping apparatus or processes (H01R43/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R43/042 Primary

  Hand tools for crimping · CPC title

• H01R4/2433

  one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot · CPC title

• H01R43/015 Primary

  Handtools · CPC title