Patent Publication Number: US-6906263-B2

Title: Crossing-wire fixing structure

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a fixing structure for fixing crossed wires. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Hitherto, a conductor fixing jig and a welding apparatus including this jig have been proposed in, for example, JP-A-9-29445 as applications of techniques for welding conductors, which are arranged like a lattice, to one another at intersection points thereof. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , this conductor fixing jig and the welding apparatus including this jig are constructed so that accommodating grooves  53  for positioning and holding conductors  52  on the top surface side of a body  51  of a fixing jig  50  are formed in a lattice-like form, and that through holes  55 , into which a pair of chips  54  of a resistance welder or an ultrasonic welder are inserted, are formed at intersection points of the accommodating grooves  53 . The conductors  52  are welded to one another while the conductors  52  are press-contacted with one another by being positioned and held in the accommodating grooves  53  by inserting the chips  54  into each of the through holes  55  from both above and below, respectively, during a state in which the conductors  52  are positioned and held in the accommodating grooves  53 . 
     However, the conventional conductor fixing jig and the welding apparatus including this fixing jig described in JP-A-9-29445 have encountered the problems that the fixing jig  50  has no means for mounting the jig  50  on a vehicle and thus should be mounted thereon by using adhesive tape separately prepared, and that an operation of mounting the jig  50  thereon takes time and effort. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned problems. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a crossing-wire fixing structure that needs to prepare no additional mounting means and that can be mounted on a vehicle without taking time and effort. 
     To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a crossing-wire fixing structure having a first wire and a second wire, which each have a conductor covered with an insulating coating and are arranged in such a way as to cross each other, crossing portions, in which the insulating coatings melt and solidify so that the conductors of the first wire and the second wire are in contact with each other, a soft material adapted to cover the first wire and the second wire around the crossing portion, and a protective film adapted to support the soft material by interposing the first wire and the second wire in a radial direction thereof. The crossing portion is fixed to a predetermined mounting face through the protective film. This fixing structure further comprises a through hole provided in the protective film in such a manner as not to interfere with the first wire and the second wire, and in such a way as to permit the soft material to be exposed therefrom. Furthermore, the crossing portion is fixed onto the mounting face through the soft material exposed from the through hole. 
     According to such a crossing-wire fixing structure, the crossing portions of the first wire and the second wire are bonded to the mounting face through the soft material forced out from the through hole the protective film when the conductors of the first and second wires are welded to each other. Thus, there is no need for separately preparing additional mounting means, such as an adhesive tape. Moreover, an operation of mounting a fixing jig on, for instance, a vehicle is facilitated. 
     Further, the through hole may be provided in the edge portion of the protective film. In this case, there is eliminated the fear that the protective film peels off the fixing structure from the edge portion thereof. 
     The fixing structure may have a concave portion provided in the mounting face so that the soft material exposed from the through hole is accommodated in the concave portion. In this case, the soft material is prevented from spreading around the protective film. 
     Furthermore, the soft material may be a hot melt. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a process of constructing the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a process of constructing the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a view illustrating the process of constructing the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a view illustrating a conventional conductor fixing structure and a welding apparatus including this fixing structure. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of a crossing-wire fixing structure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the invention.  FIGS. 2  to  4  are views each illustrating a process of constructing the first embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 5  is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of the invention. 
     First Embodiment 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the crossing-wire fixing structure of the first embodiment of the invention is applied to the case that a crossing portion  14 , in which electric wires  12  and  13  cross each other, is fixed to, for example, a predetermined mounting face  17  of a vehicle. 
     That is, this crossing-wire fixing structure  1  has the first wires  12  and the second wires  13 , which each have a conductor  10  covered with an insulating coating  11  and are arranged in such a way as to cross one another, the crossing portions  14 , in each of which the insulating coatings  11  melt and solidify so that the conductors  10  of the corresponding first wire  12  and the corresponding second wire  13  are in contact with each other, a soft material  15  adapted to cover the first wires  12  and the second wires  13  around the crossing portions  14 , and a protective film  16  adapted to support the soft material  15  by interposing the first wires  12  and the second wires  13  in a radial direction thereof. 
     Further, this fixing structure  1  further comprises a through hole  18  provided in the protective film  16  in such a manner as not to interfere with the first wire  12  and the second wire  13 , and in such a way as to permit the soft material  15  to be exposed therefrom. Furthermore, the crossing portions  14 , in each of which the corresponding first wire  12  and the corresponding second wire  13  cross each other, are fixed onto the mounting face  17  through the soft material  15  exposed from the through hole  18 . The through hole  18  is provided in an edge portion of the protective film  16 . 
     Next, a method of manufacturing this crossing-wire fixing structure  1  is described hereinbelow. First, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the wires  12  and  13  of two flat cables  20  and  21  to be connected to each other are separated from one another by cutting each of the flat cables  20  and  21  open by a predetermined length from an end thereof, and then inserted into grooves  23 ,  23  provided in a lattice-like form in a welding jig  22 . 
     Subsequently, each of the crossing portions  14  (see FIG.  1 ), in each of which the corresponding wires  12  and  13  cross each other, is pushed from both above and below by a pair of chips  24 ,  24  of a resistance welder or an ultrasonic welder. 
     Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the conductors  10 ,  10  of the wires  12 ,  13  crossing each other in each of the crossing portions  14  are welded to each other. At that time, the insulating coatings  11  covering the conductors  10  melt, so that the conductors  10  are exposed. 
     Thus, when the welding is performed on the crossing portions  14 ,  14 , in each of which the corresponding wires  12  and  13  cross each other, the interval between each pair of adjacent welded parts is maintained at a constant value by the rigidity of each of the wires  12  and  13 . Consequently, the melted parts are prevented from interfering with each other. Upon completion of welding of the wires  12  and  13 , the remaining portions of the flat cables  20 ,  21  are pulled out of the welding jig  22 . 
     On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , soft materials  15  having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined length are applied onto the protective film  16  having a predetermined length, in which the through hole  18  is provided, at two places. Then, the welded parts of the wires  12  and  13  and surrounding parts are put on one of the soft materials  15 . Thereafter, a half part of the protective film  16  is turned up thereby to put the other soft material onto the wires  12  and  13 . 
     Consequently, the wires  12  and  13  are bonded to the protective film  16  through the soft material  15  by a force having a certain degree of strength. 
     During this state, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the wires  12  and  13  and the protective film  16  are put on the mounting face  17 . Then, heat and pressure are applied thereto from above the protective film  16 . Thus, the soft material  15  is strongly bonded to the wires  12  and  13 . Moreover, a part of the soft material  15  is forced out of the through hole  18  provided in the protective film  16  and bonded to the mounting face  17 . 
     Consequently, the crossing portions  14 ,  14 , . . . ,  14 , in each of which the corresponding wires  12  and  13  cross each other, are reliably fixed onto the mounting face  17 . 
     Butyl rubber and hot melt may be used as the aforementioned soft material  15 . In the case of using butyl rubber, it is sufficient to apply only pressure thereto. However, in the case of using hot melt, it is necessary to apply both heat and pressure thereto. 
     Further, it is preferable that the through hole  18  is provided at a place in such a way as to avoid contact with the wires  12  and  13 . 
     Thus, according to the crossing-wire fixing structure  1  of the invention, the crossing portions  14 ,  14 , . . . ,  14 , in each of which the corresponding wires  12  and  13  of the flat cables  20  and  21  are welded to each other, can be fixed to the mounting face  17  by the soft material  15  forced out of the through hole  18  of the protective film  16 . Consequently, there is no need for preparing an adhesive tape, which is prepared in the case of using the conventional fixing structure, and an operation of mounting a fixing jig is facilitated. 
     Further, because the through hole  18  is provided in the edge portion of the protective film  16 , the protective film  16  can be prevented from peeling off the fixing structure from the edge portion thereof. 
     Moreover, the conductors  10  exposed by welding the wires  12  and  13  to each other in each of the crossing portions  14  are coated with the soft material  15  and the protective film  16 . Thus, the conductors  10  can be reliably prevented from interfering with each other. Consequently, an occurrence of leak can be prevented. Moreover, waterproofing of the conductors  10  is enabled. 
     Incidentally, although the protective film  16  is twice-folded in the aforementioned embodiment, it is possible that two protective films  16  are prepared, and that the crossing portions  14 , in each of which the corresponding wires  12  and  13  cross each other, are interposed by the films  16  from above and below. Further, in the case that the thickness of the soft material  15  is larger than a total thickness of the first wire  12  and the second wire  13 , the soft material  15  may be provided on the protective film  16  only at a place. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a crossing-wire fixing structure  3 , which is a second embodiment of the invention. This crossing-wire fixing structure  3  is configured so that through holes  18  are provided in the protective film  16  at two places, and that when the protective film  16  is folded back, the through holes  18 ,  18  are disposed at both end portions of the folded-back protective film  16 . That is, both end portions of such a protective film  16  are bonded to each other by the soft material  15 . The rest of the second embodiment is similar to the corresponding part of the fixing structure  1  that is the first embodiment. 
     In the case of the third embodiment, the protective film  16  can be prevented from becoming loose. Moreover, the protective film  16  can be strongly fixed. 
     Incidentally, the through holes  18  may be provided at three places or more. 
     Third Embodiment 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a crossing-wire fixing structure  4 , which is a third embodiment of the invention. This crossing-wire fixing structure  4  is configured so that a concave portion  25  of a predetermined size is provided in the mounting face  17 , and that a part of the soft material, which is forced out of the through hole  18  of the protective film  16 , is accommodated in the concave portion  25 . 
     In this case, the part of the soft material, which is forced out of the through hole  18  of the protective film  16 , can be prevented from spreading to the outside of the protective film  16 . Thus, a good external appearance of the fixing jig can be realized. 
     Incidentally, although the case of welding end portions of the wires  12  and  13  to each other has been described in the foregoing description of the first to third embodiments, the invention may be applied to the case of welding middle portions of the wires  12  and  13  to each other. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As described above, according to the crossing-wire fixing structure of the invention, the crossing portions, in each of which the corresponding first wire and the corresponding second wire are bonded to the mounting face through the soft material forced out from the through hole the protective film when the conductors are welded to each other. Thus, there is no need for separately preparing additional mounting means, such as an adhesive tape. Furthermore, an operation of mounting a fixing jig on, for instance, a vehicle is facilitated. 
     Further, in the case that the through hole is provided in the edge portion of the protective film, there is eliminated the fear that the protective film peels off the fixing structure from the edge portion thereof. 
     In the case that the concave portion is provided in the mounting face, and that the soft material exposed from the through hole is accommodated in the concave portion, the soft material can be prevented from spreading around the protective film. Thus, a good external appearance of the fixing jig can be realized.