Handling aid for the assembly of electrical flat-band cables

Abstract

The invention relates to a handling aid (10) for assembling electrical ribbon cables (20), comprising two side clamping walls (11, 12) which are articulatedly connected to each other in a manner articulated about a pivot axis (41) and have clamping surfaces which face each other and together form a clamping jaw into which, in an open state in which the clamping surfaces are angled in relation to one another, a ribbon cable (20) to be assembled can be placed and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to each other. the ribbon cable (20) can be clamped. The invention is distinguished in that each side clamping wall (11, 12) has at least three side clamping wall sections, specifically a terminal front section, a terminal grip section and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the grip section, the corresponding clamping surface portions (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123), which are of substantially planar design, of the sections being angled in relation to each other and being oriented perpendicularly in relation to a common pivot axis plane which is associated with the respective side clamping wall (11, 12) and in which the pivot axis (41) is situated.

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to a handling aid for the assembly of electrical flat ribbon cables, comprising two clamping jaws pivotally connected to each other about a pivot axis, with clamping surfaces facing each other, which together form a clamping jaw into which, in an open state in which the clamping surfaces are angled to each other, a flat ribbon cable to be assembled can be inserted and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to each other, the flat ribbon cable can be clamped. State of the art

[0002] Such handling aids are commonly known in the form of flat pliers or flat tweezers.

[0003] In electronics, the use of ribbon cables for wired signal transmission is commonplace. Ribbon cables exist in various designs. They often consist of numerous conductors, each made of a plastic-coated wire, arranged parallel to each other in a single plane and bonded together. However, other designs also exist, such as foil cables or so-called flexible printed circuit boards. All these and other designs will be collectively referred to here as ribbon cables. For electrical contact, ribbon cables are fitted with special connectors. These are typically rectangular plastic blocks that extend across the entire width of one cable end. However, cable ends stiffened with resin, for example, are also known to function as connectors.Based on various technologies, these connectors provide an input connection for the ribbon cable. It is often clamped between two sub-blocks, which have contact points for the individual conductor tracks of the ribbon cable. On the output side, connector pins or sockets are typically provided, defining a thrust direction perpendicular to the transverse direction of the block or the ribbon cable, in which the connector can be pushed together with a correspondingly shaped mating connector to form the electrical contact.

[0004] This insertion process, which must be performed at several points during the assembly of complex electronic devices such as precision scales, is not without its challenges. Space is often limited, and mating connectors, which are often fixed to circuit boards, are difficult to access. Furthermore, typical ribbon connectors, frequently designed for a single, permanent connection, offer only a small and often poorly designed grip for the assembler's fingers. In practice, an assembly technique has become established in which the ribbon cable is bent immediately behind the connector. This provides the assembler with a gripping surface when inserting the connector into the mating connector, allowing them to apply force in the insertion direction. However, bending the ribbon cable, especially with delicate foil cable designs, can easily lead to damage.

[0005] The use of flat-nose pliers or tweezers positioned perpendicular to the cable's length, gripping the cable across its entire width directly behind the connector, has proven helpful only in exceptional cases. Applying the necessary pressure perpendicular to the tool's length, required for insertion, is difficult and often requires a high degree of precision. Furthermore, the extended handles of the pliers or tweezers, which can easily collide with other components, make positioning the tool more challenging.

[0006] DE 20 2012 101 070 U1 discloses a punching pliers for flat ribbon cables which, after removal of the detachably fixed punching blade, is basically suitable as assembly pliers, but with the disadvantages described above.

[0007] A clamp-like protective sleeve for ribbon cables is known from DE 100 05 315 A1. Clamping the ribbon cable in the area immediately behind the connector effectively extends the rigid connector, thus increasing the contact area for the assembler's fingers. However, the known protective sleeve is not suitable as an assembly aid for inserting a ribbon cable with a connector into a mating connector fixed to a circuit board, which requires the ribbon cable to be guided largely parallel to the board surface. Therefore, its potential use as an assembly aid is not mentioned at all in the aforementioned publication. Task

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved assembly aid for flat ribbon cables, which in particular facilitates the insertion of a plug fixed to the cable into a corresponding mating plug in confined spaces. Description of the invention

[0009] In a first embodiment of the invention, this problem is solved in conjunction with the features of the preamble of claim 1 by the fact that each clamping jaw has at least three clamping jaw sections, namely a terminal front section, a terminal handle section and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the handle section, the corresponding, substantially planar clamping surface sections of which are angled to each other in order to form a stepped clamping surface profile and are aligned perpendicular to a common pivot axis plane assigned to the respective clamping jaw, in which the pivot axis lies.

[0010] In a second embodiment of the invention, the problem is solved alternatively in conjunction with the features of the preamble of claim 5 by the fact that each clamping jaw has at least two clamping jaw sections, namely a terminal front section and a terminal handle section, the corresponding clamping surface sections of which are substantially planar and are angled to each other, wherein the clamping surface sections of the handle section each carry at least one hinge leg of a hinge positioned eccentrically on their side facing away from the adjacent clamping jaw section, by means of which the clamping jaws are articulated to each other.

[0011] Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] The tool according to the first-mentioned variant according to the invention allows a flat ribbon cable to be gripped from the side, similar to flat tweezers. The longitudinal extent of the flat ribbon cable runs essentially transversely to the longitudinal extent of the tool (defined by the longitudinal extent of the clamping jaws from the pivot point to the free ends of the clamping jaws) and essentially parallel to the pivot axis. However, unlike flat tweezers, the clamping surface of the tool according to the invention is divided into several clamping surface sections that are angled relative to each other and adjacent to each other along the longitudinal extent of the gripped flat ribbon cable. In other words, the clamped flat ribbon cable follows a stepped profile in its longitudinal direction, namely the stepped profile of the clamping surface.For example, and particularly preferably, the front section and the rear section, referred to here as the grip section for reasons explained below, can be essentially parallel to each other, with both sections being connected by the inclined connecting section located between them. If such a tool is positioned directly behind the connector of the ribbon cable, the clamped ribbon cable runs largely parallel to and in close proximity to the circuit board on which the connector is fixed during the insertion process into the mating connector. In the connecting section, it is guided away from the circuit board and then transitions into the grip section, which is located further away from the circuit board and runs essentially parallel to it.In other words, the ribbon cable is temporarily stiffened by the use of the tool according to the invention into a shape that, on the one hand, is optimally adapted near the connector to the force profile required for the insertion process, and on the other hand, offers sufficient space for the installer's fingers to grip the cable away from the connector. This shape allows the tool according to the invention to be gripped in the clamping area of ​​the cable itself and, unlike flat tweezers or flat-nose pliers, does not need to be gripped by separate handle elements that extend laterally away from the cable. In this way, the point of application of the force required for insertion, i.e., the point of application for the installer's fingers, and the point of action of this force, i.e., the front end of the connector, which is inserted into the mating connector, can largely lie on a line extending in the direction of force flow.Separate, lateral grip elements are completely unnecessary. In particular, the installer's fingers can grip the rear section of the clamping jaws or clamping surfaces, which is therefore referred to here as the grip section.

[0013] As an alternative to the described, preferred embodiment with three clamping surface sections, the invention can in principle also be used with more than three clamping surface sections. Cases with four or more clamping surface sections, i.e., cases in which more than two mutually angled connecting sections extend between the front and handle sections, are suitable when particularly complex spatial conditions are present.

[0014] The person skilled in the art will understand that the terms "angled", "stepped" and "essentially flat", referring to the clamping surface or its sections, are to be understood broadly here and also include rounded, corrugated and surface-structured embodiments.

[0015] In the second variant of the invention mentioned above, the longitudinal extensions of the ribbon cable and the tool are aligned. Here, the pivot axis runs transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ribbon cable and lies, in particular, in the plane of the cable itself. This means that the functional pivot axis must not be realized along its entire length by a spatial-physical pivot axis. Rather, the rear edge of the handle section must be predominantly free and may only bear a hinge at a point that is as small as possible and positioned off-center, by means of which the two clamping jaws are articulated to one another. This hinge is preferably positioned at the edge. It is considered advantageous to construct the (functional) hinge from two (spatial-physical) partial hinges, which are arranged on both sides at the edge of the rear edge of the clamping jaw handle sections.In this case, the ribbon cable must be threaded between the partial hinges for insertion into the tool. If only an edge (partial) hinge is provided, the cable can also be inserted laterally, i.e., perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, into the (provided for this purpose) gap between the rear edges of the handle sections.

[0016] The function of the handling aid according to the second embodiment of the invention corresponds – apart from the cable insertion process described above – exactly to that of the first embodiment. The modifications discussed in the context of the first embodiment are also fully applicable to the second embodiment. Likewise, the embodiments described below apply to both embodiments of the invention, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0017] The design according to the invention also makes it possible to forgo a large lateral overhang of the tool compared to the gripped ribbon cable. Instead, the longitudinal extent of the tool can be reduced to the width of the ribbon cable to be mounted. The tool according to the invention therefore fits into any installation space that also accommodates the cable to be mounted and is thus ideally suited for use in spatially confined conditions. This applies somewhat more to the first embodiment of the invention than to the second, which requires a larger lateral overhang for the hinge or its two partial hinges.

[0018] To optimize performance in confined spaces, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides that each clamping jaw is formed from a sheet material. In particular, each clamping jaw can be designed as a bent sheet metal part or molded from plastic, for example, as an injection-molded part. This minimizes the thickness expansion of the tool according to the invention and essentially matches it to the expansion of the flat ribbon cable to be mounted. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, when selecting the material and dimensioning the clamping jaws, the only essential considerations are that the resulting tool, in its closed state, is sufficiently rigid to transmit the thrust required to insert the connector into a mating connector without significant deformation of its own.

[0019] In the first embodiment of the invention, it is preferably provided that only the handle sections, or only the front sections, or—if present—only the connecting sections each carry a hinge leg of a hinge on their sides facing each other in the open state, by means of which the clamping jaws are pivoted to one another. Due to the stepped design of the clamping surface or the angled arrangement of its clamping surface sections relative to each other, it is not possible to provide a pivot axis extending across the entire width of the tool (in three dimensions). Rather, it must extend along only one pair of sections. Choosing the handle sections as the carriers of such a hinge has proven to be particularly advantageous in practice. However, it is also conceivable that the hinge is located in the area of ​​the front sections or in the area of ​​the connecting sections.

[0020] It was explained above that a particular advantage of the tool according to the invention is that its longitudinal extent can be reduced essentially to the width of the flat ribbon cable to be clamped. However, at least in the area of ​​the hinge, the width of the (closed) tool must extend beyond the cable by at least the width of the hinge. It is particularly preferred that the clamping jaw sections supporting the hinge legs extend beyond the cable with a leg support area arranged on their side supporting the respective hinge leg, especially in the first embodiment of the invention, projecting beyond the immediately adjacent clamping jaw section(s). In other words, the hinge is deliberately offset somewhat laterally outwards (in the first embodiment) or rearwards (in the second embodiment) with respect to the cable.This allows the hinge-side edges of the clamping surfaces to always maintain a distance from each other, determined by the size of the offset, when closing, so that the cable is not locally excessively pinched when the tool is closed.

[0021] The hinge itself can, for example, be designed as a film hinge. This allows, particularly in plastic-based designs, for the clamping jaws to be formed in one piece.

[0022] Selling the handling aids according to the invention as a set is particularly economically advantageous, since the tools, which are very easy and inexpensive to produce, can be used either as single items together with a flat ribbon cable, to whose dimensions they are adapted, or as devices optimized for different cables and adapted to different spatial conditions.

[0023] Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specific description and the drawings. Brief description of the drawings

[0024] They show: Figure 1: A handling aid according to the first embodiment of the invention in the open state with a flat ribbon cable inserted. Figure 2: A handling aid according to the first embodiment of the invention in the closed state with a flat ribbon cable inserted, in a side view. Figure 3: A handling aid according to the first embodiment of the invention in the closed state with a flat ribbon cable inserted, in a top view. Figure 4: A handling aid according to the second embodiment of the invention in the open state with a flat ribbon cable inserted. Figure 5: A handling aid according to the second embodiment of the invention in the open state with a flat ribbon cable inserted, in a side view. Figure 6: A handling aid according to the second embodiment of the invention in the closed state with a flat ribbon cable inserted, in a top view. Description of preferred embodiments

[0025] Identical reference symbols in the figures indicate identical or analogous elements.

[0026] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows, in a highly schematic representation, a handling aid 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention in its unfolded state, i.e., in the open state. The same handling aid 10 is also shown in the Figures 2 and 3 , there each in a closed state, i.e. in the closed state, namely in Figure 2 in side view and in Figure 3 In top view. The handling aid 10 essentially consists of two clamping jaws 11, 12 and a hinge 13 connecting them. With reference to Figure 2 Here, one of the clamping jaws 11, 12 shall be referred to as the lower clamping jaw 11 and the other as the upper clamping jaw 12, without this being to be understood as restrictive in any way.

[0027] The surfaces of the clamping jaws 11, 12 facing each other in the closed state are referred to here as clamping surfaces. According to the invention, they are divided into several (exactly three in the illustrated embodiment) clamping surface sections, namely a front section 111 or 121, a connecting section 112 or 122, and a grip section 113 or 123. As shown in Figure 2 As can be seen, the clamping surface sections 111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123 are arranged at an angle to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the front sections 111 / 121 in particular are oriented essentially parallel to the handle sections 113 / 123, with the connecting section 112 / 122 forming an inclined step.

[0028] In the embodiment shown, the hinge 13 is arranged between the facing edges of the handle sections 113 / 123. However, in other embodiments, it could also be arranged between the connecting sections 112 / 122 or between the front sections 111 / 121. In any case, it allows a relative pivoting of the clamping jaws 11, 12 relative to each other, as indicated by the pivot arrow 40 and the pivot axis 41 in the figure. Figure 1 hinted at.

[0029] For handling, as in Figure 1As shown, a flat ribbon cable 20 is placed on the clamping surface of the lower clamping jaw 11 of the handling aid 10 in its unfolded or open state. The flat ribbon cable 20 comprises the actual cable 21 and a connector 22, which is arranged at one end of the actual cable 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 22 is designed as a plastic block into which the actual cable 21 terminates. However, a purely local stiffening of the conductor ends is also conceivable, e.g., by means of a cured resin. Inside the connector 22, contact elements are provided that contact the individual conductor tracks of the cable 21 and provide an interface for corresponding contact elements of a mating connector 30 (see Figure 1). Figures 2 and 3 ) form. Details of these contact elements are not shown in the figures because they are not relevant to the present invention.

[0030] As in Figure 1As shown, the ribbon cable 20 is preferably placed on the clamping surface of the lower clamping jaw 11 such that its connector 22 rests against the front edge of the front section 111 of this clamping surface. This ensures correct alignment of the ribbon cable 20 relative to the mounting aid 10.

[0031] Subsequently, in accordance with the pivot arrow 40, the handling aid 10 is closed by folding the upper clamping jaw 12 around the hinge 13. The flat ribbon cable 20 is thus secured, as is particularly evident in Figure 2 The cable is visibly clamped between the clamping jaws 11 and 12, thereby assuming the stepped profile defined by them. In this state, the flat ribbon cable is functionally temporarily stiffened in the area of ​​the handling aid 10.

[0032] The handling aid 10, in particular the area where the grip sections 113 / 123 of the clamping surface are located, can serve as an easily accessible point of attack for the fingers of a technician (not shown in the figures). The technician can exert pressure on the clamping jaws 11, 12 in the closing direction and secure the ribbon cable 20 in its temporarily stiffened position. At the same time, the technician can very easily and precisely apply a thrust force in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon cable 10, by means of which the connector 22 can be inserted into the mating connector 30, which is fixed, for example, on a circuit board, as shown in the Figures 2 and 3 as indicated by the thrust arrow 50. Due to the handling aid 10 according to the invention, kinking of the flat ribbon cable is reliably prevented when this thrust force is applied. Figure 3 shows the same situation as Figure 2 , however, from a top-down perspective of the events.

[0033] After assembly, the installer releases the pressure acting on the handle area 113 / 123, so that the upper clamping jaw 12 pivots away from the lower clamping jaw 11 around the hinge 13, and the handling aid 10 can thus be opened. This then corresponds again to the situation of Figure 1 , in which the handling aid 10 can be removed from the then mounted ribbon cable 20 without further difficulty.

[0034] Figure 4 Figure 1 shows a highly schematic representation of a handling aid 10 according to the second embodiment of the invention in its fully opened state. The same handling aid 10 is also shown in the Figures 5 and 6 shown there in side view, specifically in Figure 5 in an incompletely opened state and in Figure 6in the closed state, i.e., in the closed position. The handling aid 10 also essentially consists of two clamping jaws 11, 12 and a hinge 13 connecting them. With reference to Figure 2 Here too, one of the clamping jaws 11, 12 shall be referred to as the lower clamping jaw 11 and the other as the upper clamping jaw 12, without this being to be understood as restrictive in any way.

[0035] The surfaces of the clamping jaws 11, 12 facing each other in the closed state are also referred to here as clamping surfaces. According to the invention, they are divided into several (exactly three in the illustrated embodiment) clamping surface sections, namely a front section 111 or 121, a connecting section 112 or 122, and a grip section 113 or 123. As in the Figures 5 and 6As can be seen, the clamping surface sections 111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123 are arranged at an angle to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the front sections 111 / 121 in particular are oriented essentially parallel to the handle sections 113 / 123, with the connecting section 112 / 122 forming an inclined step.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge 13 is constructed from two partial hinges 131, 132, which are arranged between the facing rear edges of the handle sections 113 / 123. Specifically, they are positioned at the edges of the two ends of the handle section's rear edge, creating a gap between them through which a ribbon cable 20 can be threaded and thus inserted between the clamping surfaces of the clamping jaws 11, 12. The (functional) hinge 13 allows the clamping jaws 11, 12 to pivot relative to each other, as indicated by the pivot arrow 40 and the pivot axis 41 in the figure. Figure 1The flat ribbon cable 20 comprises the actual cable 21 and a connector 22, which is arranged at one end of the actual cable 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 22 is designed as a plastic block into which the actual cable 21 terminates. However, a purely local stiffening of the conductor ends, e.g., by means of a cured resin, is also conceivable. Inside the connector 22, contact elements are provided that contact the individual conductor tracks of the cable 21 and provide an interface for corresponding contact elements of a mating connector 30 (see figure). Figure 6 ) form. Details of these contact elements are not shown in the figures because they are not relevant to the present invention.

[0037] As in Figure 4As shown, the ribbon cable 20 is preferably placed in the handling aid 10 such that its connector 22 rests against the front edge of the front section 111 of this clamping surface. This ensures correct alignment of the ribbon cable 20 relative to the mounting aid 10.

[0038] Subsequently, in accordance with the pivot arrow 40, the handling aid 10 is closed by folding the upper clamping jaw 12 around the hinge 13. The flat ribbon cable 20 is thus secured, as is particularly evident in Figure 5 recognizably, clamped between the clamping jaws 11, 12 and thereby, as in Figure 6 The diagram shows the step progression specified by these. Functionally, in this state, the flat ribbon cable is temporarily stiffened in the area of ​​handling aid 10.

[0039] The handling aid 10, in particular the area where the grip sections 113 / 123 of the clamping surface are located, can serve as an easily accessible point of attack for the fingers of a technician (not shown in the figures). The technician can exert pressure on the clamping jaws 11, 12 in the closing direction and secure the ribbon cable 20 in its temporarily stiffened position. At the same time, the technician can very easily and precisely apply a thrust force in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon cable 10, by means of which the connector 22 can be inserted into the mating connector 30, which is fixed, for example, on a circuit board, as shown in Figure 6 as indicated by the thrust arrow 50. Due to the handling aid 10 according to the invention, buckling of the flat ribbon cable 20 is reliably prevented when this thrust force is applied.

[0040] After assembly, the installer releases the pressure acting on the handle area 113 / 123, so that the upper clamping jaw 12 pivots away from the lower clamping jaw 11 around the hinge 13, and the handling aid 10 can thus be opened. This then corresponds again to the situation of Figure 1The handling aid can then be pulled backwards off the ribbon cable 20, which, of course, is only possible if the rear end of the ribbon cable is free. In cases where this is not the case, the handling aid 10 cannot be used in the embodiment shown. However, a modification can be used in which the hinge 13 comprises or consists of only one of the partial hinges 131, 132. In this modification, instead of the other partial hinge 132, 131, there is simply an extension of the threading slot. This allows the ribbon cable 20 to be inserted laterally and the handling aid to be pulled off the cable laterally.

[0041] Of course, the embodiments discussed in the detailed description and shown in the figures represent only illustrative examples of the present invention. In light of this disclosure, a wide range of variations is available to those skilled in the art. In particular, they are largely free in their choice of materials. For example, the clamping jaws 11, 12 can be manufactured as bent sheet metal parts connected to one another by means of an adhesive strip acting as a film hinge. A one-piece embodiment made of injection-molded plastic is also conceivable. Naturally, more complex variants using more elaborate hinges 13 are also possible. Reference symbol list

[0042] 10 Handling aid 11 (lower) clamping jaw 111 Front section of the clamping surface of 11 112 Connecting section of the clamping surface of 11 113 Gripping section of the clamping surface of 11 12 (upper) clamping jaw 121 Front section of the clamping surface of 12 122 Connecting section of the clamping surface of 12 123 Gripping section of the clamping surface of 12 13 Hinge 20 Flat ribbon cable 21 Actual cable 22 Plug 30 Mating plug 40 Swivel arrow 41 Swivel axis 50 Push arrow

Claims

1. Handling aid (10) for the assembly of electrical flat ribbon cables (20), comprising two clamping jaws (11, 12) pivotably articulated to one another about a pivot axis (41), with mutually facing clamping surfaces which together form a clamping mouth, into which, in an open state in which the clamping surfaces are angled relative to one another, a flat ribbon cable (20) to be assembled is insertable, and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to one another, the flat ribbon cable (20) is clampable, characterised in that, each clamping jaw (11, 12) has at least three clamping jaw sections, namely a terminal front section, a terminal grip section and a connecting section arranged between the front section and the grip section, whose corresponding clamping surface sections (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123), formed as substantially planar, are angled relative to one another and are oriented perpendicularly to a common pivot axis plane assigned to the respective clamping jaw (11, 12), in which the pivot axis (41) lies.

2. Handling aid (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that, exclusively the grip sections or exclusively the front sections or exclusively the connecting sections carry, on their sides facing one another in the open state, one hinge arm each of a hinge (13), by means of which the clamping jaws are articulated to one another.

3. Handling aid (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that, the clamping jaw sections carrying the hinge arms protrude laterally beyond the immediately adjacent clamping jaw section or sections by means of an arm-carrier region arranged on their side carrying the respective hinge arms.

4. Handling aid (10) for the assembly of electrical flat ribbon cables (20), comprising two clamping jaws (11, 12) pivotably articulated to one another about a pivot axis (41), with mutually facing clamping surfaces which together form a clamping mouth, into which, in an open state in which the clamping surfaces are angled relative to one another, a flat ribbon cable (20) to be assembled is insertable, and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to one another, the flat ribbon cable (20) is clampable, characterised in that, each clamping jaw (11, 12) has at least two clamping jaw sections, namely a terminal front section and a terminal grip section, whose corresponding clamping surface sections (111 / 121, 112 / 122, 113 / 123), formed as substantially planar, are angled relative to one another, wherein the clamping surface sections (113 / 123) of the grip section carry, on their side facing away from the respectively adjacent clamping surface section (112 / 122), in each case at least one unilaterally eccentrically positioned hinge arm of a hinge (13), by means of which the clamping jaws (11, 12) are articulated to one another.

5. Handling aid (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that, the clamping surface sections (113 / 123) of the grip section carry, on their side facing away from the respectively adjacent clamping surface section (112 / 122), in each case two marginally positioned hinge arms of a hinge (13) formed by two partial hinges (131, 132), which are spaced apart from one another by the width of the flat ribbon cable (20) to be assembled.

6. Handling aid (10) according to one of claims 4 to 5, characterised in that, each clamping jaw (11, 12) has at least a third clamping jaw section, namely a connecting section arranged between the front section and the grip section, whose corresponding clamping surface section (112 / 122), formed as substantially planar, is angled relative to the clamping surface sections (111 / 121, 113 / 123) of the front section and of the grip section.

7. Handling aid (10) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that, each hinge (13) connecting the clamping jaws (11, 12) to one another is formed as a film hinge.

8. Handling aid (10) according to claim 7, characterised in that, the clamping jaws (11, 12) are connected to one another in one piece.

9. Handling aid (10) according to one of claims 2 to 8; characterised in that, the hinge arms of at least one hinge (13) are spring-preloaded against one another in the opening direction of the clamping mouth.

10. Handling aid (10) according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterised in that, in the closed position, each hinge (13) forms an outer boundary of the handling aid (10).

11. Handling aid (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, each clamping jaw (11, 12) is formed from a plate material.

12. Handling aid (10) according to claim 11, characterised in that, each clamping jaw (11, 12) is formed as a sheet metal bent part or formed from plastics material.

13. Handling aid (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, the front section (111, 121) and the grip section (113, 123) of each clamping surface are parallel to one another or are at an angle of at most 30° relative to one another.

14. Handling aid (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, the front section (111, 121) and the connecting section (112, 122) of each clamping surface are at an angle of between 120° and 150° relative to one another.

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