The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cable assembly and, more particularly, a method of manufacturing a cable assembly which has the water cutoff property and of which insertion holes can be attached to small housings.
There are some small electronic devices typically such as mobile telephones which are provided with a display portion and an operating portion as separate portions which can be folded through hinges. To electrically connect the display portion and the operating portion of such a small electronic device, a cable assembly is used which is made by bundling a plurality of extremely thin coaxial cables and integrating both ends of the coaxial cables with connectors. In this case, the cable assembly is laid in the housing in which the display is provided, by being guided through a hinge from a housing in which the operating portion is provided.
By the way, in recent years, there is a case where small electronic devices are required to have the water-proof property. Hence, the above small electronic devices are each required to have the water cutoff property between the housing in which the operating portion is provided and the cable assembly, and the water cutoff property between the housing in which the display is provided and the cable assembly.
In the cable assembly disclosed in following Patent Document 1, a plurality of bundled cables are guided through a water-proof tube and penetration holes of tubular seal caps. Further, ends of the water-proof tube cover portions of outer peripheral surfaces of the seal caps water-tight, and O rings are attached to the other portions of the outer peripheral surfaces of these seal caps. Furthermore, in a state where the cables are inserted in the insertion holes provided in the housings, the seal caps to which the O rings are attached are pressed fit in the insertion holes of the housings to cut off water between the seal caps and the housings. Still further, the ends of the water-proof tube cover the seal caps water-tight, so that penetration of water from the penetration holes of the seal caps is also prevented.
In recent years, small electronic devices such as mobile telephones are further made smaller, and insertion holes in which seal caps are inserted tend to become small. However, to manufacture a cable assembly disclosed in above Patent Document 1, a plurality of bundled cables is guided through a water-proof tube and seal caps. Hence, clearance is required between the seal caps and the cables and inner diameters of the seal caps need to be made wider, and therefore the seal caps become larger. When insertion holes of the cable assembly in housings are small, there is a problem that it is difficult to attach the cable assembly to the housings.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cable assembly manufacturing method of manufacturing a cable assembly which has the water cutoff property and of which insertion holes can be attached to small housings.
To solve such a problem, a method of manufacturing a cable assembly according to the present invention includes: a bundling step of bundling a plurality of cables; a molding step of providing a pair of seal caps on outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of bundled cables by way of insertion molding; an inserting step of inserting a portion of the plurality of cables between the seal caps in a penetration hole of a water-proof tube having a stretching property; a covering step of covering the seal caps by the both ends of the water-proof tube water-tight; and a connecting step of connecting connectors to the both ends of the plurality of cables.
According to this method of manufacturing the cable assembly, a pair of seal caps are provided to a plurality of bundled cables by way of insertion molding, so that little clearance is produced between the seal caps and the cables. Consequently, compared to tubular seal caps which are molded in advance and in penetration holes in which a plurality of cables is inserted, the seal caps can be made smaller. Consequently, even when the housings have small insertion holes of the cable assembly, it is possible to insert the seal caps in the penetration holes of the housings, and attach the seal caps to the housings. Further, in the cable assembly manufactured by this method of manufacturing the cable assembly, the cables between a pair of seal caps are inserted in the water-proof tube which covers the seal caps water-tight, and consequently has the water cutoff property. Consequently, even when a portion between the seal caps is exposed to water, it is possible to prevent water from proceeding between the cables and penetrating toward the connectors.
Further, the method of manufacturing the cable assembly according to the present invention includes: a bundling step of bundling a plurality of cables; an inserting step of inserting a portion of the plurality of bundled cables in a longitudinal direction in a penetration hole of a water-proof tube having a stretching property; a molding step of providing at both ends of the water-proof tube a pair of seal caps on outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of bundled cables by way of insertion molding; a covering step of covering the seal caps by the both ends of the water-proof tube water-tight; and a connecting step of connecting connectors to the both ends of the plurality of cables.
This method of manufacturing the cable assembly can also manufacture a cable assembly which has the water cutoff property and insertion holes of which can be attached to small housings. Further, a plurality of cables is inserted through the water-proof tube before the seal caps are provided, so that a plurality of cables can be easily inserted through the water-proof tube without inserting a plurality of cables through the water-proof tube such that the water-proof tube goes over the seal caps in the inserting process. Consequently, it is possible to reduce a load on the water-proof tube.
Further, in the method of manufacturing the cable assembly, the connecting step is preferably performed prior to the molding step.
According to this method of manufacturing the cable assembly, a plurality of cables is connected to connectors before the seal caps are provided, so that the seal caps are not bothersome in the connecting process and it is possible to prevent incorrect connection.
Further, in the method of manufacturing the cable assembly, the connecting step is preferably performed prior to the bundling step.
According to this method of manufacturing the cable assembly, the cables are connected to the connectors in a state where a plurality of cables is not bundled, so that it is easy to distinguish between the cables in the connecting process and it is possible to prevent incorrect connection.
Further, in the method of manufacturing the cable assembly, cross-sectional shapes of outer peripheral surfaces in at least a part of portions of the seal caps which are not covered by the water-proof tube are preferably non-circular.
When the cable assembly manufactured by this method of manufacturing the cable assembly is arranged in the housings, the non-circular cross-sectional portions fit to the insertion holes of the housings, so that it is possible to prevent the cable assembly from rotating with respect to the housings.
As described above, the present invention provides a cable assembly manufacturing method of manufacturing a cable assembly which has the water cutoff property and of which insertion holes can be attached to small housings.
Preferred embodiments of a method of manufacturing a cable assembly according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
As illustrated in
Each cable 10 is a coaxial cable or an insulation cable. When the cable 10 is the coaxial cable, the cable 10 has a center conductor which is formed with stranded wires of a conductor, an inner insulation layer which is made of insulating resin and covers an outer peripheral surface of the center conductor, an outer conductor which is formed with a metal braid or a metal tape and is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the inner insulation layer and a sheath which covers an outer peripheral surface of the outer conductor and is made of insulation resin. Further, when the cable 10 is the insulation cable, the cable 10 has the same center conductor as that of the coaxial cable, and an insulation layer which covers an outer peripheral surface of the center conductor and is made of insulation resin. In addition, details of a configuration such as the center conductor are not illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Further, the large diameter portions 32 of the seal caps 30 are arranged orienting toward ends of the cables 10, and part of a plurality of bundled cables 10 in the longitudinal direction are accommodated in penetration holes. In addition, almost no clearance is formed between an inner wall surface of the seal cap 30 and a plurality of cables 10.
The water-proof tube 20 is a tube using a material having the stretching property such as silicon rubber. A plurality of cables 10 is accommodated in the penetration holes of the water-proof tube 20 between the seal caps 30 and, as described above, the water-proof tube 20 covers a plurality of cables 10 at a portion between a pair of seal caps 30. Further, as illustrated in
Each connector 50 has a plurality of terminals which are not illustrated, and these terminals are connected with conductors of the cables 10. When, for example, the cable 10 is the coaxial cable, the center conductor of each cable 10 is connected to a signal terminal of the connector, and the outer conductor of each cable 10 is connected to a ground terminal of the connector. This ground terminal is a terminal to which the outer conductors of the cables 10 are commonly connected.
Next, a use state of this cable assembly 1 will be described.
The cable assembly 1 is used in this way to arrange only the portion between the seal caps 30 outside the housings 2. As described above, at the portion between the seal caps 30, the cables 10 are surrounded by the water-proof tube 20, and the ends of the water-proof tube 20 cover the seal caps 30 water-tight. Further, a portion between the housing 2 and the seal cap 30 is sealed by the O ring 38 water-tight. Thus, penetration of water from an outside to an inside of the housings 2 is prevented.
Further, the convex portions 34 of the seal caps 30 fit to the cutout portions of the housings 2, so that it is possible to prevent the cable assembly 1 from rotating with respect to the housings 2 and fix the orientation of the connectors 50 in the housings 2.
Next, a method of manufacturing the cable assembly 1 will be described.
<Bundling Process P1>
First, a plurality of cables 10 is prepared and bundled. Thus, a plurality of cables is bundled as illustrated in
<Molding Process P2>
Next, a pair of seal caps 30 is provided on outer peripheral surfaces of a plurality of cables 10 fixed to the mold by way of insertion molding. Thus, as illustrated in
<Inserting Process P3>
Next, a portion of a plurality of cables 10 between a pair of seal caps 30 is inserted in penetration holes of the water-proof tube 20. More specifically, as illustrated in
<Covering Process P4>
Next, the both ends of the water-proof tube 20 in which a plurality of cables 10 are inserted cover the small diameter portions 31 of the seal caps 30. In this case, when the seal caps 30 and the water-proof tube 20 are adhered by the adhesive which is not illustrated, the adhesive is applied to the small diameter portions of the seal caps 30 in advance. Thus, as illustrated in
<Connecting Process P5>
Next, the both ends of the cables 10 are connected to the connectors 50. More specifically, the center conductors of the cables 10 are connected to the terminals of the connectors 50. Further, when the cables 10 are the coaxial cables, the outer conductors are connected to the predetermined terminal of the connectors 50. Thus, the cable assembly 1 illustrated in
As described above, in the cable assembly 1 manufactured by the method of manufacturing the cable assembly according to the present embodiment, the cables 10 between a pair of seal caps 30 are inserted in the water-proof tube 20 which covers the seal caps 30 water-tight as described above and has the water cutoff property. Consequently, even when the portion between the seal caps 30 is exposed to water, it is possible to prevent water from proceeding between the cables 10 and penetrating toward the connectors 50. Further, a pair of seal caps 30 is provided to a plurality of bundled cables 10 by way of insertion molding, so that little clearance is produced between the seal caps 30 and the cables 10. Consequently, compared to tubular seal caps which are molded in advance and in penetration holes of which a plurality of cables is inserted, the seal caps 30 can be made smaller. Consequently, even when the housings have small insertion holes of the cable assembly 1, it is possible to insert the seal caps 30 in the penetration holes of the housings, and attach the seal caps to the housings. In other words, by using the cable assembly 1 manufactured by this method of manufacturing the cable assembly, it is possible to make the insertion holes 80 of the cable assembly 1 in the housings 2 smaller. Consequently, by inserting air-tight the seal caps 30 in the insertion holes 80 of the housings 2 which are formed small, it is possible to realize a small and water-proof electronic device.
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
A method of manufacturing a cable assembly 1 according to the present embodiment differs from a method of manufacturing the cable assembly 1 according to the first embodiment in performing an inserting process P3 between a bundling process P1 and a molding process P2.
In the method of manufacturing the cable assembly 1 according to the present embodiment, the bundling process P1 is first performed similar to the first embodiment.
Next, the inserting process P3 is performed. That is, a plurality of bundled cables 10 are inserted in penetration holes of a water-proof tube 20. In addition, upon the next molding process P2, both ends of the water-proof tube 20 are folded such that the water-proof tube 20 is not bothersome to prevent sites 15 of a plurality of bundles cables 10 at which seal caps 30 are provided from being surrounded by the water-proof tube 20. Thus, as illustrated in
Next, the molding process P2 is performed. That is, at both ends of the water-proof tube 20, a pair of seal caps 30 is provided on outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of cables 10 by way of insertion molding. In this case, if the both ends of the water-proof tube 20 are folded as described above, the water-proof tube 20 is not bothersome upon insertion molding and is preferable. Further, after the molding process, O rings 38 are attached to groove portions 33 of the seal caps 30. Thus, as illustrated in
Next, when the both ends of the water-proof tube 20 are folded, the both ends are unfolded to the original state, a covering process P4 is performed in the same manner as the first embodiment and then the connecting process P5 is performed. Thus, the cable assembly 1 illustrated in
This method of manufacturing the cable assembly according to the present embodiment can also manufacture the cable assembly 1 which has the water cutoff property and insertion holes of which can be attached to small housings. Further, a plurality of cables 10 are inserted in penetration holes of the water-proof tube 20 before the seal caps 30 are provided, so that a plurality of cables 10 can be easily inserted through the water-proof tube 20 without inserting a plurality of cables 10 through the water-proof tube 20 such that the water-proof tube 20 goes over the seal caps 30. Consequently, it is possible to reduce a load on the water-proof tube 20.
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
A method of manufacturing a cable assembly 1 according to the present embodiment differs from a method of manufacturing the cable assembly 1 according to the first embodiment in performing a connecting process P5 before a bundling process P1.
In the method of manufacturing the cable assembly 1 according to the present embodiment, the connecting process P1 is first performed. That is, a plurality of cables 10 is prepared and both ends of the cables 10 are connected to connectors 50. In this case, the cables 10 need to be connected to the connectors in the same method as that of the first embodiment. Thus, as illustrated in
Next, the bundling process P1 is performed. In the bundling process P1, the both ends of the cables 10 have been connected to the connectors, and at least sites which seal caps 30 are provided are bundled. Further, a plurality of bundled cables 10 are fixed to a mold which is not illustrated.
Next, a molding process P2 is performed. The seal caps 30 are provided by way of insertion molding similar to the first embodiment. Thus, as illustrated in
Next, an inserting process P3 is performed. As illustrated in
Then, a covering process P4 is performed similar to the first embodiment. In addition, after the inserting process P3 or after the covering process P4, O rings 38 are attached to groove portions 33 of the seal caps 30. Thus, the cable assembly 1 illustrated in
With the method of manufacturing the cable assembly according to the present embodiment, the cables 10 are connected to the connectors 50 in a state where a plurality of cables 10 are not bundled, so that it is easy to distinguish between the cables in the connecting process P5 and it is possible to prevent incorrect connection.
Although the present invention has been described using the first to third embodiments as examples above, the present invention is by no means limited to these.
Although, for example, the connecting process P5 is performed before the bundling process P1 in the third embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this and the connecting process P5 may be performed between the bundling process P1 and the molding process P2. In this case, while a plurality of cables 10 are bundled, the cables 10 are connected to the connectors 50 before the seal caps 30 are provided, so that the seal caps 30 are not bothersome in the connecting process P5 and prevent incorrect connection.
Further, although a configuration has been employed with the first embodiment where convex portions 34 are provided on part of outer peripheral surfaces of large diameter portions 32 of the seal caps 30, concave portions may be provided instead of the convex portions 34. In this case, convex portions to which the concave portions of the seal caps 30 can fit only need to be formed in inner wall surfaces of insertion holes 80 of housings 2. Alternatively, part of the large diameter portions 32 may be, for example, polygonal. That is, preferably, at least portions of the seal caps 30 which are not covered by the water-proof tube 20 are provided with the convex portions or the concave portions are provided or are made polygonal to make cross-sectional shapes of outer peripheral surfaces of the seal caps 30 in a direction vertical to the longitudinal direction non-circular. By so doing, it is possible to prevent the cable assembly 1 from rotating with respect to the housings 2, and fix the orientation of the connectors 50 in the housings 2.
Further, when it is not necessary to prevent the cable assembly 1 from rotating with respect to the housings 2 or another unit prevents the cable assembly 1 from rotating with respect to the housings 2, vertical cross sections of all outer peripheral surfaces of the seal caps 30 in the longitudinal direction may be circular.
Furthermore, although, in the first to third embodiments, the cable assembly 1 employs a configuration including the O rings 38, the O rings are not indispensable configurations. When, for example, the seal caps 30 fit to the insertion holes 80 of the housings 2 without gaps, the O rings 38 can be removed.
The present invention provides a cable assembly manufacturing method of manufacturing a cable assembly which has the water cutoff property and of which insertion holes can be attached to small housings.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-196373 | Sep 2010 | JP | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2011/065685 | Jul 2011 | US |
Child | 13782617 | US |