Apparatus for making an electric harness

An electrical cable-making apparatus comprises a feeding device (16) for feeding a shielded ribbon electrical cable (11) and discrete electrical insulated conductors (12) from supply members (23,24) along a path (15), a clamping device (17) clamps onto the cable (11) and conductors (12) and moves the cable and conductors along the path a specified distance, clamping devices (18,20) move adjacent cutting and stripping members (18a,19a) band clamp onto the cable and conductors, cutting blades (29a,29b) of the cutting and stripping members (19a,19b) cut the cable and conductors while the stripping blades (27a,27b and 28a,28b) cut through an outer jacket (11e) and shield (11d) of the cable (11) stripping the outer jacket and shield from the cable when the clamping devices (18,20) move in opposite directions exposing cable conductors (11c) of the cable (11) and forming trailing and newly-formed leading ends of the cable conductors (11c) and discrete conductors, the trailing and newly-formed conductor ends are positioned by the clamping devices (18,20) for termination by terminating devices (21a,21b and 22a,22b) to electrical contacts of electrical connectors (14,13').

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a cable-making apparatus for making 
electrical cable assemblies and more particularly to an apparatus for 
making electrical cable assemblies comprising discrete electrical 
conductors and a cable having shielded conductors with the ends of the 
discrete conductors and shielded conductors terminated to electrical 
contacts of electrical connectors. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A cable-making apparatus is known to make electrical cable assemblies which 
have discrete electrical conductors with both ends of the conductors 
terminated to electrical contacts of electrical conductors. A cable-making 
apparatus is also known to make electrical cable assemblies which have the 
ends of the shielded conductors of a shielded cable terminated to 
electrical contacts of electrical connectors. In both types of cable 
assemblies, the electrical conductors are parallel to one another. 
In certain types of electronic products, hybrid cable assemblies with 
discrete conductors and a cable with shielded conductors terminated to 
electrical contacts of connectors are being used. To use the cable-making 
apparatus for discrete insulated electrical conductors to terminate the 
ends thereof to the respective electrical contacts of the electrical 
connectors and then use the cable-making apparatus for shielded cable to 
strip the outer jacket and shield from the insulated electrical conductors 
to terminate the ends thereof to respective electrical contacts of the 
electrical connectors to make cable assemblies with discrete conductors 
and shielded conductors would have a negative effect on production costs 
and operations. 
In order to carry out the operations to make the hybrid cable assemblies, 
the ends of the discrete conductors are terminated to insulation 
displacement termination sections of the electrical contacts without 
having to strip insulation from the ends of the conductors. To terminate 
the insulated conductors of the shielded cable, the outer jacket and the 
shield from both ends of the cable have to be stripped exposing the ends 
of the insulated conductors which are then terminated to the insulation 
displacement termination sections of the electrical contacts in the same 
manner as the discrete conductors. A pair of interacting striping members 
were used to ensure that cutting, stripping and terminating operations on 
the ends of the discrete conductors and the exposed ends of the shielded 
conductors were conducted at the same time and to ensure enough space was 
provided for these operations. However, due to the outer diameter of the 
shielded cable being larger than that of the discrete conductors and the 
shielded conductors and discrete conductors have to be the same diameter, 
the interacting stripping members of the conventional cable-making 
apparatuses could not be used. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a cable-making apparatus 
which resolves the above-described problems. 
According to the present invention, a cable-making apparatus comprises a 
feeding device for feeding a shielded electrical cable and discrete 
insulated electrical conductors, a movable clamp clamps onto the leading 
ends of the shielded cable and discrete conductors and moves the cable and 
conductors to a selected length, a cable-stripping and cable and 
conductor-cutting device strips an outer jacket and shield from trailing 
ends and newly-formed leading ends of the cable exposing insulated cable 
conductor ends which are cut along with the discrete conductors by the 
cutting-device, and a terminating device that terminates the trailing and 
leading exposed conductor ends of the shielded cable and the discrete 
conductors to respective electrical contacts of electrical connectors. 
The stripping blades have aligned concave grooves extending inwardly from 
the bottom surfaces of the blades and corresponding to the number of 
insulated conductors of the shielded cable and the discrete conductors. 
When the stripping blades are moved toward each other, they cut through 
the outer jacket of the cable and into the shield until the bottom 
surfaces are in engagement, the aligned concave grooves thereby forming 
circular openings slightly larger in diameter than the shielded-insulated 
conductors and the discrete insulated conductors. Thus, only the ends of 
the shielded cable are stripped of outer jacket and shield.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, electrical cable assembly 10 comprises a 
shielded ribbon cable 11 and parallel discrete insulated conductors 12 
having the exposed ends of the insulated cable conductors and the ends of 
the discrete conductors terminated to insulation displacement termination 
sections of conventional electrical connectors 13, 14. 
Cable 11 is of conventional construction and includes a plurality of 
parallel electrical conductors 11c with a common metal shield which are 
disposed in an outer insulation jacket 11e. Each of cable conductors 11c 
has a conductive core 11a of solid or stranded construction covered by 
insulation 11b. Discrete electrical conductors 12 each have a conductive 
core 12a of solid or stranded construction covered by insulation 12b. The 
diameters of conductors 11c and 12 are the same which means that the ends 
of cable 11 have to be stripped of shield 11d and outer jacket 11e 
exposing the insulated ends of conductors 11c for termination to the 
contacts in connectors 13, 14. 
FIG. 3 shows the various parts of a cable-making apparatus CMA which parts 
are of conventional construction and need not be shown and described in 
detail. Cable-making apparatus CMA includes a feeding device 16 which 
feeds shielded cable 11 and discrete conductors 12 along a path 15; 
clamping device 17 which clamps onto cable 11 and conductors 12 to move 
them along path 15 in the direction of arrow A to a selected length; a 
pair of cutting and stripping members 19a, 19b to cut the cable 11 and 
conductors 12 and strip the outer jacket 11e and shield 11d from the 
trailing and newly-formed leading ends of cable 11 exposing the ends of 
conductors 11c; clamping device 18 which clamps onto the trailing ends of 
cable 11 and conductors 12 to move them along path 15 in the direction of 
arrow A; clamping device 20 which clamps onto the newly-formed leading 
ends of cable 11 and conductors 12 to move them along path 15 in the 
direction of arrow B (FIG. 6B); terminating device 21a, 21b terminates the 
newly-formed leading ends of conductors 11 c, 12 to the electrical 
contacts of connector 13; and terminating device 22a, 22b terminates the 
trailing ends of conductors 11c, 12 to the electrical contacts of 
connector 14. 
Feeding device 16 is equipped with supply rolls 23, 24 for supply cable 11 
and discrete conductors 12, stand 25 and rollers 26 which orient and guide 
cable 11 and conductors 12. Clamping devices 17, 18, 20 have clamping 
members 17a, 17b; 18a, 18b and 20a, 20b that move into and out of clamping 
engagement with cable 11 and conductors 12 as well as being movable along 
path 15. The clamping devices can be operated by fluid-operated cylinders 
or by other well-known mechanisms. 
The cutting and stripping members 19a, 19b are equipped with pairs of 
stripping blades 27a, 27b; 28a, 28b and cutting blades 29a, 29b. They are 
moved downwards via fluid pressure mechanisms 30a, 30b. 
As shown in FIGS. 9-12, stripping blades 27a, 27b and 28a, 28b are provided 
with aligned concave sections 33a, 33b and 34a, 34b that extend inwardly 
from the bottom surfaces of the blades. The blade bottom surfaces when 
engaged, as shown in FIG. 10, form circular openings which have a diameter 
slightly larger than the outside diameter of the insulation 11b and 12b of 
conductors 11c and 12. As a result, only the outer jacket 11e and shield 
11d of cable 11 are cut via stripping blades 27a, 27b and 28a, 28b and 
aligned concave sections 33a, 33b, which correspond to the number of 
conductors 11c in cable 11, and aligned concave sections 34a, 34b, which 
correspond to the number of conductors 12, do not cut into insulation 11b 
and 12b thereof, as shown in FIG. 10. 
As shown in FIG. 11, with cutting blades 29a, 29b cutting cable 11 and 
conductors 12 and stripping blades 27a, 27b and 28a, 28b cutting through 
outer jacket 11e and shield 11d of cable 11, movement of cable 11 and 
conductors 12 in the direction of arrows A, B will cause cable 11 to be 
stripped, as shown in FIG. 12, thereby exposing the ends of conductors 
11c. 
As shown in FIG. 13, clamping members 18a, and 20a of clamping devices 18, 
20 have a recess 35 whereas clamping members 18b and 20b have 
cable-retaining section 37 and conductor-retaining section 39. 
Cable-retaining section 37 has channel 36 configured to accommodate cable 
11, and conductor-retaining section 39 includes spaced grooves 38 in which 
conductors 12 are disposed. When the clamping devices are closed, cable 11 
and conductors 12 are clamped therein for moving cable 11 and conductors 
12 along path 15. 
Clamping members 17a, 17b of clamping device 17 need not be constructed as 
that of the clamping members of clamping devices 18, 20 as clamping 
members 17a, 17b can engage connector 13; however, they can also have the 
same construction to engage cable 11 and conductors 12, if desired. 
Terminating devices 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b are operated by fluid-operated 
cylinders 31a, 31b and 32a, 32b to terminate the exposed ends of 
conductors 11c and the ends of conductors 12 to the insulation 
displacement termination sections of the electrical contacts of connectors 
13, 14. 
FIG. 4 shows the cable-making apparatus in its initial phase of operation. 
Clamping device 17, cutting and stripping members 19a and 19b, clamping 
device 18 and terminating devices 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b are in their 
original positions. It is to be noted that clamping device 20 is clamped 
onto cable 11 and conductors 12 and the newly-formed leading ends of 
conductors 11c and conductors 12 have been terminated to the electrical 
contacts of electrical connector 13. 
As shown in FIG. 5, clamping device 17 has moved to the left and clamped 
onto the cable 11 and conductors 12 whereafter clamping device 17 moves to 
the right to a selected position, as shown in broken lines, and connectors 
13', 14 are positioned in terminating devices 21a and 22b for termination 
to the trailing and newly-formed ends of conductors 11c and 12. 
FIGS. 6A-6C show the cable assembly length measuring and cutting and 
stripping operations. As shown in FIG. 6A, clamping device 17, which is 
clamped onto cable 11 and conductors 12 behind connector 13, moves to the 
right a specified distance. Clamping device 20 moves to the right, is 
positioned adjacent stripping blades 27a, 27b and is clamped onto cable 11 
and conductors 12. Clamping device 18 also clamps onto cable 11 and 
conductors 12 adjacent stripping blades 28a, 28b. Cutting and stripping 
members 19a, 19b move toward one another so that cutting blades 29a, 29b 
cut cable 11 and conductors 12, and, at the same time, stripping blades 
27a, 27b and 28a, 28b cut through outer jacket 11e and shield 11d of cable 
11 while clamping devices 17 and 18 move a short distance in the direction 
of arrow A thereby positioning the trailing ends of exposed conductors 11c 
and conductors 12a termination to the electrical contacts of connector 14 
and clamping device 20 moves in the direction of arrow B thereby 
positioning the newly-formed leading ends of exposed conductors 11c and 
conductors 12 for termination to the electrical contacts of connector 13'. 
FIG. 7A shows terminating devices 21b, 22b being moved upwardly so that 
combs or aligning members (not shown) thereon properly align exposed 
conductors 11c and conductors 12 while cutting and stripping members 19a, 
19b are moved to their original positions. As shown in FIG. 7B, 
terminating devices 21a, 22a move downwardly terminating the exposed 
conductors 11c and conductors 12 to respective electrical contacts of 
connectors 13', 14. 
As shown in FIG. 8, terminating devices 21b, 22a move to their original 
positions and clamping device 18 is opened and completed cable assembly 10 
is moved to the right by clamping device 17 where it is discharged. The 
cable-making apparatus returns to the position as shown in FIG. 4 and 
repeats the above-described operations to continuously make the electrical 
cable assemblies. 
A cable-making apparatus has been disclosed for continuously making 
electrical cable assemblies that include a shielded ribbon cable and 
discrete electrical conductors that have exposed ends of the cable 
conductors and the ends of the discrete conductors terminated to 
respective electrical contacts of electrical connectors. The apparatus 
includes stripping blades that strip the ends of the shielded ribbon cable 
of the outer jacket and shield thereby exposing ends of the cable 
conductors while not stripping insulation from the cable conductors and 
discrete conductors.