Cable connection component and cable insertion method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technology that enables multiple cables fixed to a connection component to be inserted into a tube or a wiring hole even while the connection component is attached to the cables. The present invention is a plate-shaped cable connection component capable of connecting a cable terminal and an electronic device, the cable connection component being characterized by comprising a cable fixing part on the proximal side and a cable guide part on the distal side, the cable guide part having a locking part formed therein that a pulling jig can lock onto. The present invention also relates to a new cable insertion method using the cable connection component of the present invention.

Description

Cable connection part and cable insertion method

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for inserting a plurality of cables fixed to a connecting part into a tube or a wiring hole.

[0002] The miniaturization and high precision of measuring devices, communication devices, medical probe cables, micromachines, etc. are being demanded, and as a result, the diameter of cables is becoming thinner and the density of wiring on substrates is increasing. For example, in the case of coaxial cables, ultra-thin coaxial cables with an outer diameter of 0.16 mm or 0.10 mm are being manufactured, and round cables in which multiple coaxial cables are twisted together, and flat cables in which multiple cables are arranged in parallel, etc. are being used.

[0003] When connecting the cable terminal of such a multi-core cable to an electronic device, the connecting conductors are extremely thin, making the task of arranging and connecting the conductors highly difficult and requiring skilled techniques, which limits the processes in which the connection work can be performed and limits the degree of freedom in process design for cable connection.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-95129 discloses a method for electrically connecting the central conductors of micro-coaxial cables to connection parts provided on a substrate or the like by aligning the central conductors using a heat-transmitting member with alignment grooves, pressing and fixing them against electrode parts on the substrate, and supplying heat rays through the grooved heat-transmitting member. This allows the cables to be connected all at once. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-118318 also discloses a technology for electrically connecting the central conductors of coaxial cables arranged on an insulating sheet to electrode parts on a printed circuit board. The central conductors, aligned on an insulating sheet, are electrically connected to the electrode parts by heating them with a laser beam or the like using a conductive adhesive.

[0005] The technology disclosed in the above patent documents makes it relatively easy to connect cable conductors to electronic devices, but when inserting a multi-core cable into a wiring hole or the like, the connecting members, such as a heat-transmitting member or a flexible insulating sheet, that arrange the conductors are equal to or larger than the diameter of the hole through which they are inserted, making it difficult to insert the cable conductors into the wiring hole or the like after they have been fixed.

[0006] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-127989 discloses a technology for a flat cable in which multiple coaxial cables are arranged in parallel on a plane and attached to a connector, allowing the flat cable to be passed through a tubular hinge even while the connector is still attached to the cable. However, with this technology, winding the cable and passing it through a tubular member can place stress on the connection between the cable and the connector and on the cable itself, and the tubular member can only be as long as the width of the connector. Due to the above problems, when fixing the cable conductor to the connecting member, it is necessary to insert the multi-core cable into a wiring hole or the like and then fix the conductor to the connecting member.

[0007] JP 2002-95129 A JP 2010-118318 A JP 2006-127989 A

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a technology that allows multiple cables fixed to connecting parts to be inserted into wiring holes or tubes even when the connecting parts are attached to the cables.

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the configurations described in the claims can be adopted. For example, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate-shaped cable connection component capable of connecting a cable terminal and an electronic device, the cable connection component having a cable fixing portion on a base end side and a cable guiding portion on a tip end side, and a locking portion on which a traction jig can be locked.

[0010] The cable guide portion may have a tapered portion whose width decreases from the cable fixing portion side toward the tip side of the cable connecting component.

[0011] The cable guide portion may include an opening or a thinned portion formed along the extension direction of the cable fixed to the cable fixing portion, and may include a plurality of openings or thinned portions formed along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable.

[0012] The cable connecting component according to the present invention may also include a thin portion formed between the cable fixing portion and the cable guide portion.

[0013] Preferably, the cable connecting component according to the present invention is made of an elastically deformable insulating material.

[0014] Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, for example, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate-shaped cable connection component capable of connecting a cable terminal to an electronic device, the cable connection component having a cable fixing portion on the base end side and a cable guiding portion on the tip end side, and the cable guiding portion having an opening or a thin portion formed along the extension direction of the cable fixed to the cable fixing portion.

[0015] On the other hand, a cable insertion method according to the present invention for inserting a plate-shaped cable connection component having a plurality of cables fixed thereto into a cable wiring location includes the steps of: preparing a cable connection component having a cable fixing portion on a base end side and a cable guiding portion on a tip end side, the cable guiding portion having a locking portion that can be locked by a pulling jig; preparing cables, arranging the cables, and fixing the conductors of the cables to the cable connection component; inserting the pulling jig into the cable wiring location and locking the pulling jig with the locking portion of the cable guiding portion; and pulling the pulling jig along the cable wiring location to pull the cable connection component, and inserting the cable connection component and the cables into the cable wiring location.

[0016] Furthermore, a cable insertion method using a cable connection component according to the present invention includes the steps of: preparing a cable connection component having a cable fixing portion on a base end side and a cable guiding portion on a tip end side, the cable guiding portion having an opening or a thin-walled portion formed therein for bending the cable connection component to match the size of a cable wiring location; preparing cables, arranging the cables, and fixing the cable conductors to the cable connection component; inserting a traction jig into the cable wiring location and engaging the traction jig with the cable guiding portion; and pulling the traction jig along the cable wiring location to pull the cable connection component, and inserting the cable connection component and the cable into the cable wiring location.

[0017] In the cable insertion method of the present invention, after inserting the cable into the cable wiring location and wiring it, it is possible to connect the cable terminal fixed to the connecting part and the substrate of the electronic device together via solder, conductive adhesive, anisotropic conductive film, etc.

[0018] According to the present invention, even when multiple cables are fixed and integrated into the cable connection component, they can be inserted into cable wiring locations such as tubes and wiring holes. This improves the timing of connection between the cable connection component and electronic equipment and the degree of freedom in designing the area around the cables. Furthermore, since the shape of the connection component can be maintained even after passing through the wiring location, it is advantageous for achieving uniform and highly reliable electrical connections.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram explaining an example of a state in which a cable connection component according to the present invention is inserted into a cable wiring location. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining the angle of an opening or a thin-walled portion of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining an example of a cable arrangement groove of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flow chart explaining the working steps of a conventional cable insertion method. FIG. 10 is a flow chart explaining the working steps of a cable insertion method according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining an example of a method of using a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a cable connection component according to the present invention.

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cable connection component according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cable connection component according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cable connection component 10 can be broadly divided into a cable guide portion G and a cable fixing portion F. Along the extension direction of the cable, the end of the cable connection component 10 on the cable fixing portion F side is the base end side, and the end of the cable connection component 10 on the cable guide portion G side is the tip end side. The cable guide portion G is formed with a thin-walled portion as a locking portion 110. The locking portion may have any shape that allows a traction tool to be engaged therewith. For example, the locking portion may have a through-hole or a thin-walled portion. When the locking portion is a through-hole, a wire or the like can be used as the traction tool. Furthermore, when the locking portion is a thin-walled portion, a forceps or the like can be used as the traction tool. The cable fixing portion F is formed with a cable arrangement groove 120. The cable arrangement groove 120 includes a conductor fixing groove 121 for fixing the cable conductor, and may also be provided with a cable placement portion 122 corresponding to the thickness of the cable. By using such a cable connection component, it is possible to easily insert the cable conductor into the cable wiring location even after the cable conductor has been fixed to the connection component. With the traction jig and the cable connection component engaged, the traction jig can be pulled from the opposite side of the cable wiring location to pull the cable connection component, thereby inserting the cable connection component and the cable into the cable wiring location.

[0022] In order to pull the cable connection component 10 and the cable to the cable wiring location, it is preferable to position the locking portion 110 of the cable connection component 10 close to the tip side of the cable connection component (the tip side of the cable guide portion). Furthermore, even when the locking portion 110 is not used to insert the cable into the cable wiring location, it can also be used as a guide to determine the position of the cable connection component 10 in accordance with the arrangement of electrode pads, etc., when connecting the cable conductor fixed to the cable connection component 10 to an electronic device.

[0023] The cable connection component 10 is formed from an insulating material, and can be, for example, a thin plate-shaped material with a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.20 mm. Depending on the hardness of the material, the thickness can be adjusted to, for example, 0.03 mm to 0.10 mm. Heat-resistant insulating materials are suitable. Examples of insulating materials that can be used include, but are not limited to, polyimide resin (PI), polyamide-imide resin (PAI), polyether ether ketone resin (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Furthermore, the material of the cable connection component 10 is preferably one with appropriate hardness and elastically deformable. The cable connection component 10 can be bent when inserted into a cable wiring location, and it also has the advantage of easily applying uniform pressure to multiple conductors at once when connecting to an electronic device. Furthermore, if the width of the conductor fixing groove 121 of the cable connection part 10 is formed slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the conductor, when fixing the conductor to the cable connection part 10, it is possible to push the conductor into the conductor fixing groove 121 and fit the conductor into the groove.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating another example of a cable connection component according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cable 200 is arranged in the cable fixing portion F of the cable connection component 10. The end of the cable 200 has the insulation covering the conductor removed, exposing the conductor 210, and is disposed in the conductor fixing groove 121. In the example of FIG. 2, the cable connection component 10 has the largest width at the cable fixing portion F and is tapered so that the width decreases from the base end of the cable guide portion toward the tip end. When inserting the cable connection component into a cable wiring location, the tip end of the cable connection component enters the cable wiring location first, followed by the cable fixing portion, which has the largest width. The tapered portion, which decreases in width from the cable fixing portion toward the tip end of the cable connection component, allows the cable connection component and the cable to smoothly pass through and easily pass through the wiring location. A through-hole is formed as a locking portion 110 at the tip end of the cable guide portion F. Here, the locking portion 110 is preferably provided on or near the central axis C of the cable 200 in the extension direction of the cable connection component 10. When a pulling member is locked to the locking portion 110 and inserted into the cable wiring location, it is easy to pull the cable evenly.

[0025] If the width of the cable connection component 10 is larger than the size of the cable wiring location, the cable 200 cannot be inserted through the cable wiring location as is after being fixed to the cable connection component 10. However, in the cable connection component 10 of the present invention, the cable guide portion G is integrally formed with the cable fixing portion F, and by engaging a traction jig with the engaging portion 110 and pulling it, the cable is smoothly introduced into the cable wiring location from the tip side of the cable guide portion of the cable connection component, the cable fixing portion, and the cable in that order, and the cable connection component 10 is bent so that it can pass through the cable wiring location. To make it easier to bend the cable fixing portion of the cable connection component, the cable guide portion may be bent in advance.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of a cable connection component according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 3 , the width of the cable connection component 10 is greatest at the cable fixing portion F and is tapered so that the width decreases from the base end to the tip end of the cable guide portion. An opening 131 is formed in the cable guide portion F along the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C). In the example of FIG. 3 , the shape of the opening 131 is triangular, with the width decreasing from the base end to the tip end of the cable guide portion. However, the shape of the opening is not limited to this and may be, for example, a linear shape with a constant width, or a linear or wavy shape with a thickness that changes in a dashed line. The opening is not limited to a through hole like the opening, and may also be a thin-walled portion formed with a reduced thickness only in that portion.

[0027] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which a cable connection component according to the present invention is inserted into a cable wiring location. For example, the state of the cable connection component 10 (cable fixing portion F) when the cable connection component 10 of Fig. 2 is inserted into a cable wiring location T having a cylindrical shape is shown. As shown in Fig. 4, the cable connection component 10 can bend to fit the inner diameter of the cable wiring location T, thereby allowing it to be inserted into the cable wiring location without applying load to the cable or the cable fixing portion. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, an opening or thin-walled portion formed in the cable guide portion F along the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) has the effect of allowing the cable connection component 10 to bend with less force when bending to fit the size of the cable wiring location, and also allows the location and direction of bending to be adjusted.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another example of a cable connection component according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 5, the cable guide portion F is formed with two slit-shaped openings or thin-walled portions (hereinafter referred to as slits (tapers)) 132 extending along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the angle of the openings or thin-walled portions formed along the longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable according to the present invention, using the slits (tapers) shown in FIG. 5 as an example. The longitudinal axes L1 and L2 in FIG. 6 respectively define angles α1 and α2 with the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C). In the example of FIG. 5, α1 and α2 are approximately 10 degrees, but α1 and α2 can be set within a range of approximately 5 to 65 degrees to match the shape of the cable connection component. The angle is preferably 5 to 45 degrees, more preferably 5 to 30 degrees. The number of slits (tapers) 132 formed is not limited to two; three, four, or more may be formed. The angles α between the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) and the longitudinal axes L1, L2, ... do not all need to be the same; they may be different angles. When the outer shape of the cable connection component 10 is symmetrical with respect to the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C), forming the slits (tapers) at symmetrical positions with approximately the same angle α tends to result in the cable connection component 10 curving evenly, resulting in good results. The angle between the extension direction of the cable (extension direction of the central axis C) and the longitudinal axis can be confirmed by observing the cable connection component with a microscope or the like.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5, multiple slits (tapers) formed in the cable guide portion F along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) have the effect of allowing the cable connection component 10 to bend with less force when bending to match the size of the cable wiring location. In the example of Fig. 5, an opening or thin-walled portion 131 is provided along the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C), but the opening or thin-walled portion 131 does not have to be provided, and only multiple slits (tapers) may be formed. A cable connection component 10 having openings or thinned portions 131 formed along the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) and / or a plurality of slits (tapers) 132 formed along the longitudinal axis that form an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) in a balanced arrangement tends to evenly distribute the force that bends the cable connection component 10, and the connection component 10, after bending and passing through a cable wiring location, tends to return to its flat shape before insertion. Maintaining the flat shape of the cable connection component 10 makes it easier to uniformly connect multiple conductors fixed to the cable connection component all at once when connecting the conductors fixed to the cable connection component to electronic equipment, which is advantageous for highly reliable electrical connections.

[0030] FIG. 7 illustrates another example of a cable connection component according to the present invention. FIG. 7a shows an example in which only multiple slits (tapers) 132 are formed along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable 200 (the extension direction of the central axis C). In FIG. 7b, the length of the openings or thin-walled portions 131 is set longer than the slits (tapers) 132, and the openings or thin-walled portions 131 are formed linearly with a thickness that varies in a dashed line. The balance of the shape and length, number, and arrangement of the openings or thin-walled portions 131, 132 can be adjusted depending on the shape and size of the cable connection member to facilitate uniform bending of the cable fixing portion of the cable connection component and to facilitate returning to the original flat shape after inserting the cable wiring portion. Because the openings or thin-walled portions 131, 132 serve as the starting point of bending the cable connection component 10, when they are provided as thin-walled portions, it is recommended to adjust the width of the thin-walled portions so that the strength of the surface that is intended to be the valley of the bending is reduced.

[0031] The cable connection component of the present invention may have a thin portion formed between the cable fixing portion F and the cable guide portion G. After inserting a cable into a cable routing location using the cable guide portion, if the cable guide portion G is no longer needed, the thin portion can be used to remove the cable guide portion from the cable fixing portion. In fields where the technology of the present invention is expected to be highly effective, ultra-thin cables are often routed at narrow pitches, and cable connection components are often very small, measuring approximately 1 to 5 mm. Therefore, the cable connection component may have a scrap plate on the side of the cable fixing portion to make it easier to handle. In the example of FIG. 8 , the cable connection component 10 has a thin portion 140 formed between the cable fixing portion F and the cable guide portion G. Furthermore, scrap plates are provided on both sides of the cable fixing portion F, and the thin portion 140 is formed between the cable fixing portion F and the scrap plates.

[0032] The cable fixing portion F of the cable connection component 10 of the present invention may be any portion capable of arranging and fixing cables. For example, in FIG. 1 , the cable arrangement groove 120 may only include the cable arrangement portion 122. When a cable is arranged in the cable arrangement portion 122, the cable conductor is arranged with its outer surface covered with an insulator, and methods for fixing the cable can include using an adhesive, heat-sealing the cable insulator to the cable connection component, or forming the groove of the cable arrangement portion 122 of the cable connection component so that it is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the cable and fitting it together. Alternatively, the cable arrangement groove 120 may only include the conductor fixing groove 121. When fixing the cable conductors in the conductor fixing groove 121, the cable conductors are preferably arranged so that they can be connected to electronic devices at once. Methods for fixing the conductors in the conductor fixing groove 121 include using a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or an ultraviolet-curing resin as an adhesive, using solder or a conductive adhesive, or forming the conductor fixing groove 121 so that it is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the conductor and fitting it together. It is more preferable that the cable arrangement groove 120 has both a conductor fixing groove 121 and a cable arrangement groove 122 to match the shape of the cable terminal after the insulation has been removed to expose the conductor, but the portion where the cable is fixed to the cable connection part may be a part of either the conductor fixing groove 121 or the cable arrangement groove 122.

[0033] Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the cable arrangement groove 120, showing another example of the shape of the cable arrangement groove 120. In the example of Fig. 9, a conductive connecting material holding area 123 capable of holding a conductive connecting material therein is provided in a part of the conductor fixing groove 121. The conductive connecting material holding area 123 of the conductor fixing groove 121 may be provided so as to penetrate through the cable connecting component in the thickness direction.

[0034] Figure 10 shows the workflow for a conventional cable insertion method. Due to the demand for miniaturized devices, the components of devices have also become smaller, and the diameters of the wiring locations for cable routing (such as wiring holes and tubes for cable insertion) have also become thinner. Conventionally, it has been difficult to insert cables into wiring holes and tubes after securing them to cable connection components. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10A, users had no choice but to either insert the cables into the wiring locations and then directly connect each of the cables to the electronic device, or, as shown in Figure 10B, insert the cables into the wiring locations and then secure them to the cable connection components before connecting them to the electronic device. However, inserting the cables into the wiring locations is difficult because movement is restricted. Furthermore, directly connecting each cable to the electronic device is difficult because the connecting conductors are extremely thin, requiring skilled techniques, which limits the number of steps in which the connection work can be performed.

[0035] Fig. 11 shows a workflow that becomes possible when using a cable connection component according to the present invention. According to a cable insertion method using a cable connection component according to the present invention, even when multiple cables are fixed and integrated into the cable connection component, they can be inserted into a cable wiring location such as a tube or a wiring hole. Specifically, the cable insertion method using a cable connection component according to the present invention includes the steps of preparing a cable connection component (Fig. 11a), arranging the cables (Fig. 11b), and fixing the cable conductors to the cable fixing portions of the cable connection component (Fig. 11c), and engaging a traction jig inserted into the cable wiring location with a locking portion of the cable connection component, pulling the traction jig to pull the cable connection component into the cable wiring location, and inserting the cable connection component and the cables into the cable wiring location (Fig. 11d). Furthermore, since the shape of the cable connection part is maintained even after it has been inserted into the cable wiring location and it can return to a flat state, in the subsequent process of connecting the electronic device and the cable conductor (FIG. 11e), it is possible to uniformly connect the electronic device's board and the conductor fixed to the cable connection part all at once via solder, conductive adhesive, anisotropic conductive film, etc.

[0036] The cable insertion method of the present invention has fewer processes that are subject to various restrictions, such as tasks that restrict work movement or require skilled techniques, and since narrow-pitch wiring is possible, the freedom of product design around the cable is increased.In addition, the timing of connecting the cable to electronic equipment can be freely selected, which increases the freedom of process design for manufacturing electronic equipment.

[0037] As described above, the cable connection component of the present invention is made using a thin plate-shaped material. Therefore, it is possible to stack and insert multiple cable connection components into a cable wiring location at once. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of how to use the cable connection component of the present invention. The example in Figure 12 shows an example using five cable connection members. For example, when dividing a single multi-core cable into multiple cable groups and connecting each cable group to the circuit boards of multiple electronic devices, different cable connection components can be prepared for each cable group connected to a single circuit board or a single electrode pad group on the circuit board. While multiple cable connection components of the same shape can be used together, the example in Figure 12 uses five cable connection members 10 with different lengths of cable guide portion G, each with a cable fixed to it. If the required cable lengths for each cable group differ depending on the position of the electrode pads on the circuit board, for example, the length of the cable guide portion of the cable connection component 10 can be adjusted as shown in Figure 12 to align the positions of the locking portions 110, as shown in Figure 13. Multiple cable connection components 10 can be collectively locked with a traction jig, allowing cables of different lengths to be inserted simultaneously into a cable wiring location.

[0038] The embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described using an example of an actual design.

[0039] <Preparation of Cable Connection Component> As shown in Figure 14, a cable connection component 10 was prepared, having a cable fixing portion F and a cable guide portion G, and elongated in the direction of cable extension (direction of extension of central axis C). A polyimide film with a thickness of 100 µm was prepared, and the cable fixing portion F had dimensions of 1.8 mm wide x 1.2 mm long, and the cable guide portion G had a length of 13 mm. A circular through-hole was provided as a locking portion, with its center at a point 1.2 mm from the tip of the cable connection component. The tapered portion of the cable guide portion G, which narrowed from the base end toward the tip end, had a taper angle of approximately 15 degrees. A triangular opening was created in the cable guide section F along the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C), with the width tapering from the base end side to the tip end side of the cable guide section, and slits (tapers) extending along the longitudinal axis defining an angle of approximately 10 degrees with the extension direction of the cable 200 (extension direction of the central axis C) were created in two positions symmetrical with respect to the central axis C. The cable arrangement grooves of the cable fixing section had a groove spacing (spacing between the center lines of the arrangement grooves) of 0.1 mm, and 16 conductor fixing grooves and a cable placement section were created. Laser processing was used to process the polyimide film to create the cable connection component.

[0040] <Cable Preparation> An insulated cable was prepared by covering the outer periphery of a conductor with an outer diameter of 0.030 mm with an insulator made of PFA, and 16 such cables were arranged in parallel. The tip of each cable was stripped by 0.6 mm to expose the terminal of the conductor.

[0041] <Fixing the cable> The prepared cables were arranged in the cable arrangement grooves of the prepared cable connection component, and the exposed conductors were placed in the conductor fixing grooves. A small press was used to press the conductors placed on the cable connection component from above, and the conductors were fitted into the conductor fixing grooves of the cable connection component to fix them.

[0042] <Engagement of cable connection part and traction jig> A wire with an inner diameter of 1.4 mm was used as the traction jig. The wire was inserted into a tube, and the end protruding from the tube was bent into a U-shape. The U-shaped bent wire was hooked and engaged into the engagement portion (through hole) of a cable connection part prepared with the cable fixed.

[0043] <Insertion of Cable Connection Part and Cable> The other end of the wire was pulled from the opposite side of the tube, and the cable connection part and the cable were inserted into the tube.

[0044] According to the cable connection component of the present invention, even after multiple cables are fixed and integrated to the cable connection component, they can still be inserted into cable wiring locations such as tubes and wiring holes, improving the timing of connection between the cable connection component and electronic equipment and the flexibility of design around the cables. Furthermore, since the shape of the cable connection component is not affected even after the wiring work, it is advantageous for achieving uniform and highly reliable electrical connections. The technology of the present invention can be applied to fields where miniaturization and high precision of devices are required, such as medical catheter cables and probe cables, micromachines, measuring devices, and communication devices.

[0045] 10 Cable connection part, 110 Locking portion, 120 Cable arrangement groove, 121 Conductor fixing groove, 122 Cable arrangement portion, 123 Conductive connecting material holding area, 131 Opening or thin portion, 132 Slit (tapered), 140 Thin portion, 200 Cable, 210 Conductor, C Cable extension direction (central axis), G Cable guide portion, F Cable fixing portion, T Cable wiring location (tube)

Claims

1. A plate-shaped cable connection component capable of connecting a cable terminal to an electronic device, the cable connection component comprising a cable fixing portion at a base end and a cable guiding portion at a tip end, the cable guiding portion having a locking portion formed on which a towing tool can be locked.

2. A cable connecting part according to claim 1, characterized in that said cable guide portion has a tapered portion whose width decreases from said cable fixing portion side toward the tip side of said cable connecting part.

3. A cable connection component as described in claim 1, characterized in that the cable guide portion has an opening or a thin-walled portion formed along the extension direction of the cable fixed to the cable fixing portion.

4. The cable connection component according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable guide portion has a plurality of openings or thinned portions formed along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable.

5. The cable connection component according to claim 1, characterized in that said cable connection component has a thin-walled portion formed between said cable fixing portion and said cable guiding portion.

6. A cable connection part according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cable connection part is made of an elastically deformable insulating material.

7. A plate-shaped cable connection component capable of connecting a cable terminal to an electronic device, the cable connection component comprising a cable fixing portion on a base end side and a cable guiding portion on a tip end side, the cable guiding portion comprising an opening or a thin-walled portion formed along the extension direction of the cable fixed to the cable fixing portion.

8. A cable connection component as described in claim 7, characterized in that the cable guide portion has a plurality of openings or thinned portions formed along a longitudinal axis that defines an angle of approximately 5 degrees to 65 degrees with the extension direction of the cable.

9. A cable connection part according to claim 7, characterized in that the cable guide portion is formed with a locking portion capable of locking a towing jig.

10. A cable connection component according to claim 7, characterized in that the cable guide portion has a tapered portion whose width decreases from the cable fixing portion side toward the tip side of the cable connection component.

11. The cable connection component according to claim 7, characterized in that the cable connection component has a thin-walled portion formed between the cable fixing portion and the cable guiding portion.

12. A cable connection part according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the cable connection part is made of an elastically deformable insulating material.

13. A cable insertion method for inserting a plate-shaped cable connection part having a plurality of cables fixed thereto into a cable wiring location, comprising the steps of: preparing a cable connection part having a cable fixing portion at a base end and a cable guiding portion at a tip end, the cable guiding portion having a locking portion formed to lock a towing tool; preparing cables, arranging the cables, and fixing the cable conductors to the cable connection part; inserting the towing tool into the cable wiring location and locking the towing tool into the locking portion of the cable guiding portion; pulling the towing tool along the cable wiring location to pull the cable connection part, and inserting the cable connection part and the cable into the cable wiring location.

14. A cable insertion method for inserting a plate-shaped cable connection part having a plurality of cables fixed thereto into a cable wiring location, comprising the steps of: preparing a cable connection part having a cable fixing part at a base end and a cable guiding part at a tip end, the cable guiding part having an opening or a thin-walled part formed therein for bending the cable connection part to match the size of the cable wiring location; preparing cables, arranging the cables, and fixing the cable conductors to the cable connection part; inserting a towing jig into the cable wiring location and engaging the towing jig with the cable guiding part; and pulling the towing jig along the cable wiring location to tow the cable connection part, and inserting the cable connection part and the cable into the cable wiring location.

Images