Ribbon Cable Handling Aid for Precise Connector Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assembly tools for ribbon cables, such as flat pliers and flat tweezers, struggle with precision and ergonomics in confined spaces, often causing damage to delicate cables and making it difficult to insert connectors into mating connectors on circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A handling aid with clamping jaws divided into angled clamping surface sections, allowing the ribbon cable to be gripped from the side and temporarily stiffened to facilitate insertion, reducing the tool's lateral protrusion and enabling precise force application without kinking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If flat pliers or flat tweezers are used to grip the cable transversely, then the contact surface for the installer's fingers is extended, but the precision of force application deteriorates and the tool extension collides with other components
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping jaw is divided into multiple clamping surface sections (first, second, and third sections) with different orientations. The first clamping surface section is oriented perpendicular to the cable longitudinal direction, the second section is oriented at an angle (e.g., 45 degrees), and the third section is oriented parallel to the cable longitudinal direction. This segmentation allows different portions of the cable to be clamped with appropriately oriented surfaces, providing both extended contact area and precise force application points.
2Ease of operation
If the ribbon cable is bent immediately behind the connector to provide a contact surface, then the installer can apply insertion force, but the ribbon cable is damaged due to kinking
Solution Approach 1:
The handling aid is applied to the ribbon cable before the insertion process begins. The clamping jaws grip the cable in its natural straight state, and the angled clamping surface sections are positioned in advance to provide force application points. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need to bend or kink the cable during the insertion process, preventing damage while still enabling the installer to apply the necessary insertion force.
3Length of stationary object
If the ribbon cable is gripped across its entire width immediately behind the connector, then the rigid connector is extended, but the cable is damaged and the tool is difficult to position
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of gripping the cable across its entire width, the handling aid applies localized clamping forces at specific points along the cable width. The multiple clamping surface sections contact different portions of the cable at different orientations, providing localized grip points that extend the effective length of the connector without requiring broad lateral pressure that would damage the cable.
4Strength
If the clamping surfaces are oriented perpendicular to the cable longitudinal direction, then the cable is gripped securely, but the installer cannot apply force in the direction of insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The handling aid transitions from a single-orientation clamping surface to multiple clamping surface sections oriented at different angles (perpendicular, angled, and parallel to the cable longitudinal direction). This multi-dimensional arrangement allows the installer to apply force in the direction of insertion through the parallel-oriented third clamping surface section, while the perpendicular-oriented first section maintains secure grip strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The handling aid ensures precise and damage-free insertion of ribbon cable connectors into mating connectors, even in confined spaces, by aligning the cable parallel to the circuit board and providing a comfortable grip for the installer.
Implementation Method 1
two clamping jaws (11, 12) hinged to one another about a pivot axis (41) and having clamping surfaces (11a, 12a) facing one another
Data Source
AI summary
A handling aid (10) for assembling electrical ribbon cables (20) has two clamping jaws (11, 12) hinged to each other about a pivot axis (41), with clamping surfaces facing each other. The clamping jaws together form a clamping mouth, into which, in an open state in which the clamping surfaces are angled to each other, a ribbon cable (20) can be inserted and in which, in a closed state in which the clamping surfaces are parallel to each other, the ribbon cable can be clamped. Each clamping jaw has a front section at one end, a gripping section at the other end, and a connecting section arranged therebetween. Flat clamping surface sections (111/121, 112/122, 113/123) are angled relative to one another and are aligned perpendicular to a pivot axis plane common to the corresponding clamping surface sections. The pivot axis lies in the pivot axis plane.