Operation auxiliary device for assembling flat ribbon cable

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating aid (10) for assembling an electrical flat strip cable (20), comprising two clamping plates (11, 12) which are connected to one another in a hinged manner about a pivot axis (41) and which have clamping surfaces facing one another, which together form a clamping opening, in an open state, in which the clamping surfaces are angled to one another, which clamping surfaces engage with one another. The flat cable (20) to be assembled can be inserted into the clamping opening, and the flat cable (20) can be clamped in the clamping opening in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to each other. The invention is characterized in that each clamping plate (11, 12) has at least three clamping plate sections, namely a front section on the end, a holding section on the end and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the holding section, the respective clamping surface sections (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123) of the respective clamping plates (11, 12), which are substantially flat, are angled to each other and are oriented perpendicular to a common pivot axis plane associated with the respective clamping plates (11, 12), in which the pivot axis (41) lies.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to an operating aid for assembling an electrical flat ribbon cable, comprising two clamping plates which are hingedly articulated to one another about a pivot axis, which have clamping faces facing one another, which together form a clamping opening, in which, in an open state in which the clamping faces are angled to one another, a flat ribbon cable to be assembled can be introduced into the clamping opening, and in a closed state in which the clamping faces are parallel to one another, the flat ribbon cable can be clamped in the clamping opening. BACKGROUND

[0002] Such operating aids in the form of flat pincers or flat tweezers are generally known.

[0003] In electronic devices, the use of flat ribbon cables for wired signal transmission is generally common. Flat ribbon cables exist in various different construction forms. They are usually composed of a plurality of core wires, which are each composed of a wire material coated with plastic, wherein the individual core wires are arranged parallel to one another in a plane and are materially bonded to one another. However, other construction forms also exist, such as thin-film cables or so-called flexible circuit boards. Here, all these construction forms and others are to be understood as a collective term for the term "flat ribbon cable". For electrical contacting, flat ribbon cables are equipped with special connectors. These are usually cubic plastic blocks which extend transversely to the cable end over the entire width. However, cable ends which are reinforced, for example by means of resin, are also known, which act as connectors. Based on different technologies, these connectors provide a connection possibility for the flat ribbon cable on the input side. Usually it is clamped between two sub-blocks which have contact sites for the individual conductor tracks of the flat ribbon cable. On the output side, usually connector pins or sockets are provided which define a push-on direction perpendicular to the transverse direction of the block or flat ribbon cable, in which the connector can be pushed together with a correspondingly shaped mating connector to form an electrical contact.

[0004] This insertion process is not problem-free, which has to be carried out at a plurality of locations when assembling complex electronic devices, such as precision scales. Usually the space conditions are limited, the mating connector, which is usually fixed on a circuit board, is difficult to reach. Furthermore, typical flat ribbon connectors, which are often used only for a one-off, then permanent contact, only offer the fingers of the assembler a small and mostly not ergonomically designed gripping surface. In practice, an assembly technique has established itself, in which the flat ribbon cable is bent immediately behind the connector in order to provide the hand of the assembler with a gripping surface through which he can introduce a force in the push-on direction when pushing the connector into the mating connector. However, the bending of the flat ribbon cable, especially in the delicate thin-film cable construction form, easily leads to damage.

[0005] The use of flat pliers or flat tweezers, which grip the cable over its entire width just behind the plug connector, is only useful in exceptional cases. The force to be applied transversely to the longitudinal extent of the tool, which is required for the push-in process, is difficult to generate with the necessary precision. Furthermore, the arrangement of the tool is made difficult by the extent of the plier handles or tweezers handles, which easily collide with other components.

[0006] DE 20 2012 101 070 U1 discloses a punching plier for flat ribbon cables, which after removal of the releasably fixed punching blades is roughly suitable as an assembly plier, however with the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0007] A clamping-type protective cover for flat ribbon cables is known from DE 100 05 315 A1. The clamping of the flat ribbon cable in the area just behind the plug connector actually forms an extension of the rigid plug connector, which extends the gripping surface of the fingers of the assembly worker. However, as an assembly aid for pushing a flat ribbon cable with a plug connector into a mating plug connector fixed on a circuit board and requiring a guide of the flat ribbon cable as far as possible parallel to the surface of the circuit board, the known protective cover is not suitable, so that its possible use as an assembly aid is not mentioned at all in said document.

[0008] Task

[0009] The task of the present invention is to provide an improved assembly aid for flat ribbon cables, by which the pushing of a plug connector fixed on a cable into a corresponding mating plug connector is simplified, in particular under limited space conditions. SUMMARY

[0010] In a first variant of the invention, the task is solved in conjunction with the features of the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that each clamping plate has at least three clamping plate sections, namely a front section near the end, a gripping section near the end and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the gripping section, whose respective clamping face sections of approximately planar configuration are angled to one another in order to constitute a stepped clamping face run and are oriented perpendicular to the common pivot axis plane assigned to the respective clamping plate, which pivot axis lies in the pivot axis plane.

[0011] In a second variant of the invention, the task is alternatively solved in conjunction with the features of the preamble of claim 5 in such a way that each clamping plate has at least two clamping plate sections, namely a front section near the end and a gripping section near the end, whose respective clamping face sections of approximately planar configuration are angled to one another, wherein the clamping face sections of the gripping section carry on their side facing away from the adjacent clamping face section each at least one one-sided eccentrically positioned hinge arm of a hinge, by means of which the clamping plates are hingedly connected to one another.

[0012] The preferred embodiment is the subject of the dependent claims.

[0013] With the inventive tool according to the first-mentioned variant described above, the flat ribbon cable can be held from the side in analogy to a flat tweezer. The longitudinal extension of the flat ribbon cable is essentially transversal to the longitudinal extension of the tool (defined by the longitudinal extension of the clamping opening from the hinge position to the free end of the clamping plate) and is approximately parallel to the pivot axis. In contrast to the flat tweezer, however, the clamping face of the inventive tool is divided into a plurality of clamping face segments which are angled to one another and which are adjacent to one another along the longitudinal extension of the held flat ribbon cable. In other words, the clamped flat ribbon cable follows a stepped course in its longitudinal extension direction, namely a stepped course of the clamping face. For example and especially preferably, the front segment and the rear segment (hereinafter referred to as holding segments for reasons which will be explained below) can be constituted approximately parallel to one another offset, wherein the two segments are connected to one another by an inclined connecting segment located therebetween. If such a tool is placed directly behind the connector of the flat ribbon cable, the clamped flat ribbon cable is fixed as much as possible parallel and very close to the circuit board on which the mating connector is pushed in during the push-in process. In the connecting segment, the cable is guided away from the circuit board and then transitions into the holding segment which extends further away from the circuit board and approximately parallel thereto. In other words, by using the inventive tool, the flat ribbon cable is temporarily reinforced in a form which, on the one hand, optimizes the force course required for the insertion process in the vicinity of the connector and, on the other hand, provides sufficient space for the gripping of the fingers of the assembler away from the connector. This form allows the inventive tool to be held in itself in the clamped region of the cable, unlike the flat tweezer or the flat pliers, without having to be held on a separate holding element which extends laterally spaced apart from the cable. In this way, the introduction point of the force required for the push-in (i.e. the positioning of the grip of the fingers of the assembler) and the action point of this force (i.e. the front end of the mating connector which is pushed into the mating connector) can be located as much as possible on a line which extends in the direction of the force flow. A separate lateral holding element can be completely omitted. In particular, the fingers of the assembler can grip the rear clamping plate or the clamping face segment which, for this reason, is referred to here as the holding segment.

[0014] Instead of the preferred embodiment with three clamping face segments, the inventive tool can in principle also be used with more than three clamping face segments. The case of four or more clamping face segments, i.e. in particularly complex spatial conditions, is suitable in which case two or more connecting segments which are oriented at an angle to one another extend between the front segment and the holding segment.

[0015] The person skilled in the art will understand that the terms "angled", "stepped" and "substantially flat" in connection with the clamping face or segments thereof are to be understood broadly here and also include embodiments which are circular, wavy and have a surface structure.

[0016] In the above-described second variant of the application, the longitudinal extension of the flat ribbon cable and the tool is in the same direction. Here, the pivot axis is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the flat ribbon cable and is located in particular within the cable plane itself. This means that the functional pivot axis is not allowed to be realized by the pivot axis of the spatial entity over its entire length. Rather, the rear edge of the holding segment must be largely free and can only carry a hinge in a position which is eccentrically positioned in as small a space as possible, by means of which the two clamping plates are hinged to one another. This is preferably located edge- wise. Advantageously, the (functional) hinge is constructed from two (spatial) sub-hinges which are arranged edge- wise on the rear edge of the clamping plate holding segment on both sides. In this case, the flat ribbon cable must be threaded between the sub-hinges in order to be placed into the tool. If only one edge- wise (sub) hinge is provided, the cable can also be pushed laterally (i.e. transverse to its longitudinal extension direction) into the gap (provided for this purpose) between the rear edges of the holding segment.

[0017] The function of the operating aid according to the second inventive variant (apart from the above-described cable insertion process) corresponds exactly to that of the first inventive variant. The change possibilities discussed in its context also transfer without reservation to the second inventive variant. Likewise, the embodiments described below can relate to both inventive variants, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0018] The inventive construction also allows a larger lateral protrusion of the tool without a tool, compared to the flat ribbon cable being gripped. Rather, the longitudinal extension of the tool can be reduced to the width of the flat ribbon cable to be assembled. Thus, the inventive tool fits into any construction space in which a cable to be assembled can be present and is thus optimally suited for use under space-limited conditions. This is embodied more clearly on the first inventive variant than on the second inventive variant, in which a larger lateral protrusion should be provided for the hinge or its two sub-hinges.

[0019] In order to optimize the space-limited case, it is provided in a preferred embodiment of the application that each clamping plate is formed from sheet metal. In particular, each clamping plate can be constructed as a sheet metal bending or be formed from plastic, for example as an injection-molded part. This minimizes the thickness dimension of the inventive tool and it is approximately in line with the dimensions of the flat ribbon cable to be assembled. The person skilled in the art will recognize that, in the material selection and clamping plate specification, it is essentially a matter of the resulting tool being sufficiently rigid in the closed state in order to be able to transmit the pushing force required to push the plug-in connector into the mating plug-in connector without significant self-deformation.

[0020] It is preferably provided in the first inventive variant that only the holding section or only the front section or, if present, only the connecting section carries on its side facing the other in the open state each one of the hinge arms of the hinges, by means of which the clamping plates are hinged to one another. On the basis of the steppedness of the clamping face or the angular arrangement of its clamping face sections to one another, it is not possible to provide a (spatially embodied) pivot axis which extends over the entire width of the tool. Rather, it must extend only along one section pair. The selection of the holding section as the carrier of the respective hinge has proven particularly advantageous in practice. However, it is also conceivable for the hinges to be located in the region of the front section or in the region of the connecting section.

[0021] It has been set out above that a particular advantage of the inventive tool is that its longitudinal extension can be reduced substantially to the width of the flat ribbon cable to be clamped. However, at least in the region of the hinges, the width of the (closed) tool must protrude beyond the cable at least with the width of the hinges. It is particularly preferably even provided that the clamping plate sections carrying the hinge arms protrude with arm-carrying regions arranged on their side carrying the respective hinge arm, in particular beyond one or more directly adjacent clamping plate sections in the first inventive variant. In other words, the hinges are deliberately set slightly askew laterally outward (in the first inventive variant) or backward (in the second inventive variant) with respect to the cable. This allows the edges of the hinge sides of the clamping face to always maintain the distance from one another predetermined by the askew dimension when closed, so that the cable is not locally excessively pressed there when the tool is closed.

[0022] The hinges themselves can be configured, for example, as film hinges. This allows a one-piece design of the clamping plates, in particular in a plastic-based embodiment.

[0023] The inventive handling aid is particularly economically advantageous as a sales set, since the tool, which is very simple and inexpensive to produce, or can be used together with the flat ribbon cable as a single-use product (flat ribbon cable of matching size) or can be used as a correspondingly optimized and adapted device for different cables under different spatial conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following detailed description and the drawings.

[0025] In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 An inventive handling aid according to the first variant in the open state with a flat ribbon cable placed in it is shown,

[0027] Figure 2 An inventive handling aid according to the first variant in the closed state with a flat ribbon cable placed in it is shown in a side view,

[0028] Figure 3 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted,

[0029] Figure 4 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted,

[0030] Figure 5 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted,

[0031] Figure 6 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted,

[0032] The same reference signs in the figures indicate the same or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Figure 1 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted, Figure 2 and Figure 3 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted, Figure 2 In a top view, the operating aid according to the first variant is shown in the closed state with the flat ribbon cable already inserted. Figure 3 The operating aid 10 consists essentially of two clamping plates 11, 12 and a hinge 13 connecting them. Reference is made to Figure 2 where one of the clamping plates 11, 12 is hereinafter referred to as the lower clamping plate 11 and the other as the upper clamping plate 12, but this is not to be understood in any way as being limiting.

[0034] The mutually facing faces of the clamping plates 11, 12 in the closed state are hereinafter referred to as clamping faces. According to the invention, they are divided into a plurality of (in the embodiment shown exactly three) clamping face sections, namely a front section 111 or 121, a connecting section 112 or 122 and a holding section 113 or 123. As Figure 2 It can be seen that the clamping face sections 111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123 are arranged angularly to one another. In the embodiment shown, in particular the front section 111 / 121 is oriented essentially parallel to the holding section 113 / 123, wherein the connecting section 112 / 122 connecting them constitutes an inclined step.

[0035] In the embodiment shown, the hinge 13 is arranged between the edges of the holding sections 113 / 123 which face each other. However, in other embodiments, it can also be arranged between the connecting sections 112 / 122 or between the front sections 111 / 121. In any case, the hinge allows a relative pivoting of the clamping plates 11, 12 to each other, as indicated by the pivoting arrow 40 and the pivoting axis 41. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the hinge 13 is arranged between the edges of the holding sections 113 / 123 which face each other. However, in other embodiments, it can also be arranged between the connecting sections 112 / 122 or between the front sections 111 / 121. In any case, the hinge allows a relative pivoting of the clamping plates 11, 12 to each other, as indicated by the pivoting arrow 40 and the pivoting axis 41.

[0036] To operate, as shown in Figure 1 , the flat ribbon cable 20 is placed on the clamping face of the lower clamping plate 11 in the unfolded or open state of the assembly aid 10. The flat ribbon cable 20 comprises a cable body 21 and a plug-in connector 22 which is arranged on one end of the cable body 21. In the embodiment shown, the plug-in connector 22 is designed as a plastic block into which the cable body 21 is passed. However, it is also conceivable that there is only a partial reinforcement of the core end, for example by means of a hardened resin. Inside the plug-in connector 22, contact elements are provided which contact the individual conductor tracks of the cable 21 and form an interface for the corresponding contact elements of the mating plug-in connector 30 (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ). The details of these contact elements are not shown in the figures since they are not relevant to the invention.

[0037] As shown in Figure 1 , the flat ribbon cable 20 is preferably placed on the clamping face of the lower clamping plate 11 in such a way that its plug-in connector 22 rests against the front edge of the front section 111 of the clamping face. In this way, it can be ensured that the flat ribbon cable 20 is oriented correctly with respect to the assembly aid 10.

[0038] Subsequently, according to the pivoting arrow 40, the assembly aid 10 is closed, in particular the upper clamping plate 12 is flipped around the hinge 13. The flat ribbon cable 20 is clamped in this way, as can be seen in particular in Figure 2 , between the clamping plates 11, 12 and, here, assumes the stepped course intended for it. Functionally, in this state, the flat ribbon cable is temporarily reinforced in the region of the assembly aid 10.

[0039] The assembly aid 10, in particular the region in which the holding sections 113 / 123 of the clamping face are located, can serve as an easily accessible grip for the fingers of the assembly worker, which are not shown in the figures. The assembly worker can exert a pressure there on the clamping plates 11, 12 which acts in the closing direction and ensure that the flat ribbon cable 20 is in its temporarily reinforced state. At the same time, the assembly worker is able to exert a pushing force in the length direction of the flat ribbon cable 10 in a very simple manner and with precise coordination, by means of which the plug-in connector 22 can be pushed into the mating plug-in connector 30, for example fixed on a circuit board, as Figure 2 andFigure 3 The bending of the flat ribbon cable is reliably prevented when such a pushing force is applied based on the operating aid 10 according to the application. Figure 3 The same situation is shown, however, in a perspective view from above. Figure 2 The same situation is shown, however, in a perspective view from above.

[0040] After assembly, the fitter releases the pressure acting on the holding region 113 / 123, so that the upper clamping plate 12 pivots away from the lower clamping plate 11 about the hinge 13, so that the operating aid 10 can be opened. This in turn corresponds to Figure 1 the situation in which the operating aid 10 can be detached without difficulty from the assembled flat ribbon cable 20.

[0041] Figure 4 The operating aid 10 according to the second inventive refinement is shown in a view which is intended to be clear in its meaning, in a fully unfolded open state. The same operating aid 10 is also shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 in which it is shown in a side view, respectively, and in Figure 5 in an incompletely unfolded open state, while in Figure 6 in a closed state, i.e. in the closed state. The operating aid 10 here too is composed essentially of two clamping plates 11, 12 and a hinge 13 connecting them. Reference is made to Figure 2 in which one clamping plate 11, 12 here too shall be referred to as lower clamping plate 11, and the other as upper clamping plate 12, but this is not to be understood in any way as limiting.

[0042] The faces of the clamping plates 11, 12 which face one another in the closed state are here too referred to as clamping faces. According to the application, they are divided into a plurality of, in the embodiment shown exactly three, clamping face sections, namely a front section 111 or 121, a connecting section 112 or 122 and a holding section 113 or 123. As Figure 5 and Figure 6 can be seen, the clamping face sections 111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123 are arranged angularly to one another. In the embodiment shown, in particular the front section 111 / 121 is oriented essentially parallel to the holding section 113 / 123, wherein the connecting section 112 / 122 connecting them constitutes an inclined step.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge 13 is composed of two sub-hinges 131, 132, which are arranged between the mutually facing rear edges of the holding sections 113 / 123. In particular, they are positioned edge- wise on both end portions of the holding section rear edges, so that a gap occurs between them, through which the flat ribbon cable 20 can be threaded and can be placed between the clamping faces of the clamping plates 11, 12. The (functional) hinge 13 allows a relative pivoting of the clamping plates 11, 12 to one another, as is indicated in Figure 1 by the pivoting arrow 40 and the pivoting axis 41. The flat ribbon cable 20 comprises a cable body 21 and a plug-in connector 22, which is arranged on one end portion of the cable body 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the plug-in connector 22 is designed as a plastic block, into which the cable body 21 is threaded. However, it is also conceivable to have a purely locally reinforced cable end portion, for example by means of a hardened resin. Inside the plug-in connector 22, contact elements are provided, which contact the individual conductor tracks of the cable 21 and form an interface for the corresponding contact elements of the mating plug-in connector 30 (see Figure 6 ). The details of these contact elements are not shown in the drawings, since they are not relevant to the invention.

[0044] As is shown in Figure 4 , the flat ribbon cable 20 is preferably placed in the handling aid 10 in such a way that its plug-in connector 22 lies against the front edge of the front section 111 of the clamping face. In this way, it can be ensured that the flat ribbon cable 20 is oriented correctly with respect to the assembly aid 10.

[0045] Subsequently, the handling aid 10 is closed according to the pivoting arrow 40, in particular by turning the upper clamping plate 12 about the hinge 13. The flat ribbon cable 20 is clamped in this way, as can be seen in particular in Figure 5 , between the clamping plates 11, 12 and, here, as is shown in Figure 6 , assumes its intended stepped course. Functionally, in this state, the flat ribbon cable is temporarily reinforced in the region of the handling aid 10.

[0046] The handling aid 10, in particular the region thereof in which the holding sections 113 / 123 of the clamping faces are located, can serve as an easily accessible gripping point for the fingers of the assembly worker, which are not shown in the drawing. The assembly worker can apply a pressure there to the clamping plates 11, 12, which acts in the closing direction, and ensure that the flat ribbon cable 20 is in its temporarily reinforced state. At the same time, the assembly worker is able to apply a pushing force in the length direction of the flat ribbon cable 10 in a very simple manner and with precise coordination, by means of which the plug-in connector 22 can be pushed into the mating plug-in connector 30, which is for example fixed on a circuit board, as is shown in Figure 6 by the pushing arrow 50. On the basis of the handling aid 10 according to the invention, a kinking of the flat ribbon cable 20 is reliably prevented when this pushing force is applied.

[0047] After assembly, the assembler releases the pressure acting on the holding region 113 / 123, so that the upper clamping plate 12 pivots away from the lower clamping plate 11 about the hinge 13 and thus the operating aid 10 can be opened. This in turn corresponds to the Figure 1 case. The operating aid can be pulled off the flat ribbon cable 20 rearward, which of course is only possible if the rear end of the flat ribbon cable is free. For cases in which this is not the case, the operating aid 10 in the embodiment shown cannot be used. However, a modification can be applied here, in which the hinge 13 comprises or consists of only one of the sub-hinges 131, 132. Instead of the other sub-hinge 132, 131, there is only a prolongation of the particular gap for the penetration in this modification. Thereby, the flat ribbon cable 20 can also be inserted laterally or the operating aid can also be pulled off the cable laterally.

[0048] Of course, the embodiment discussed in particular and shown in the drawing only represents an illustrative example of the invention. According to the present disclosure, the person skilled in the art obtains the possibility of a wide variety of modifications. In particular, the person skilled in the art is essentially not limited in the selection of materials. The clamping plates 11, 12 can for example be made as sheet metal bends, which are connected to one another by means of an adhesive strip serving as a film hinge. A one-piece embodiment made of injection-molded plastic is also conceivable. It goes without saying that more complex modifications using a more elaborate hinge 13 are also possible.

[0049] List of reference signs

[0050] 10 operating aid

[0051] 11 lower clamping plate

[0052] 111 front section of the clamping face of the lower clamping plate 11

[0053] 112 connecting section of the clamping face of the lower clamping plate 11

[0054] 113 holding section of the clamping face of the lower clamping plate 11

[0055] 12 upper clamping plate

[0056] 121 front section of the clamping face of the upper clamping plate 12

[0057] 122 connecting section of the clamping face of the upper clamping plate 12

[0058] 123 holding section of the clamping face of the upper clamping plate 12

[0059] 13 hinge

[0060] 20 flat ribbon cable

[0061] 21 cable body

[0062] 22 spigot

[0063] 30 mating spigot

[0064] 40 pivoting arrow

[0065] 41 pivoting axis

[0066] 50 pushing arrow

Claims

1. An operating aid (10) for assembling an electrical flat ribbon cable (20), comprising two clamping plates (11, 12) which are hingedly articulated to one another about a pivot axis (41), the two clamping plates having clamping faces which face one another, the clamping faces together forming a clamping opening into which, in an open state in which the clamping faces are angled to one another, a flat ribbon cable (20) to be assembled can be placed, and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping faces are parallel to one another, the flat ribbon cable (20) can be clamped, each clamping plate (11, 12) having at least three clamping plate sections, namely a front section at the end, a holding section at the end and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the holding section, the respective clamping face sections (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123) of the substantially planar configuration of which are angled to one another and oriented perpendicularly to a common pivot axis plane which is assigned to the respective clamping plate (11, 12), the pivot axis (41) lying in the pivot axis plane. characterized in that 2. The operating aid (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that only the holding section or only the front section or only the connecting section carries, on the side thereof which faces the other clamping plate in the open state, one hinge arm of a hinge (13) by means of which the clamping plates are articulated to one another.

3. The operating aid (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamping plate section which carries the hinge arm laterally protrudes beyond one or more directly adjacent clamping plate sections with the arm-carrying region arranged on the side of the clamping plate section which carries the respective hinge arm.

4. An operating aid (10) for assembling an electrical flat ribbon cable (20), comprising two clamping plates (11, 12) which are hingedly articulated to one another about a pivot axis (41), the two clamping plates having clamping faces which face one another, the clamping faces together forming a clamping opening into which, in an open state in which the clamping faces are angled to one another, a flat ribbon cable (20) to be assembled can be placed, and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping faces are parallel to one another, the flat ribbon cable (20) can be clamped, characterized in that each clamping plate (11, 12) has at least two clamping plate sections, namely a front section at the end and a holding section at the end, the respective clamping face sections (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123) of the substantially planar configuration of which are angled to one another, wherein the clamping face section (113 / 123) of the holding section carries, on the side of the clamping face section which faces away from the respectively adjacent clamping face section (112 / 122), at least one single-sided eccentrically positioned hinge arm of a hinge (13) by means of which the clamping plates (11, 12) are articulated to one another.

5. The operating aid (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The clamping face sections (113 / 123) of the holding sections each carry two edge-located hinge arms of a hinge (13) composed of two sub-hinges (131, 132) on the side facing away from the respectively adjacent clamping face section (112 / 122), which are spaced apart from one another by the width of the flat ribbon cable (20) to be fitted.

6. Operating aid (10) according to any one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that Each clamping plate (11, 12) has at least one third clamping plate section, that is to say a connecting section arranged between the front section and the holding section, the respectively approximately flatly configured clamping face section (112 / 122) of which is oriented at an angle to the clamping face sections (111 / 121, 113 / 123) of the front section and the holding section.

7. Operating aid (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that Each of the hinges (13) connecting the clamping plates (11, 12) to one another is configured as a film hinge.

8. Operating aid (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that The clamping plates (11, 12) are connected to one another in one piece.

9. Operating aid (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that The hinge arms of at least one hinge (13) are elastically pretensioned in the opening direction of the clamping opening.

10. Operating aid (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that In the closed position, each hinge (13) forms the outer boundary of the operating aid (10).

11. Operating aid (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Each clamping plate (11, 12) is formed from sheet metal.

12. Operating aid (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that Each clamping plate (11, 12) is configured as a sheet metal bending or is formed from plastic.

13. Operating aid (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The front section (111, 121) and the holding section (113, 123) of each clamping face are parallel to one another or are angled to one another by a maximum of 30°.

14. Operating aid (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The front section (111, 121) and the connecting section (112, 122) of each clamping face are angled to one another by an angle of between 120° and 150°.

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