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CN-122025230-A - Flat flexible cable harness assembly

CN122025230ACN 122025230 ACN122025230 ACN 122025230ACN-122025230-A

Abstract

An FFC harness assembly (100) includes a main FFC (200), the main FFC (200) having a main FFC cable (220) and a main connector terminated to an end of the main FFC cable. The main FFC cable includes a main flat wire (230) and a main cable body (240). The FFC harness assembly includes a branched FFC (300) separate and discrete from a main FFC. The branching FFC includes a branching FFC cable (320) and a branching connector (310) terminated to an end of the branching FFC cable. The branch FFC cable includes a branch flat wire (330) and a branch cable body (340). The FFC harness assembly includes an interconnect (600) at a branching location between a main FFC and a branching FFC. The interconnect is located between the main FFC and the branch FFC and electrically connects at least one of the main flat wires with at least one of the branch flat wires to electrically connect the branch connector to the main connector.

Inventors

  • RAYBOLD CHRISTOPHER RYAN
  • A. TAYLOR
  • D.B. Saraf

Assignees

  • 泰科电子连接解决方案有限责任公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20251111
Priority Date
20250116

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly (100) comprising: A main FFC (200), the main FFC (200) comprising a main FFC cable (220) and a main connector (210) terminated to an end (222) of the main FFC cable, the main FFC cable comprising a main flat wire (230) and a main cable body (240), the main cable body (240) having an insulator (242) supporting the main flat wire, the main flat wire comprising a terminal at the end of the main FFC terminated to the main connector; A branch FFC (300), the branch FFC (300) being separate and discrete from the main FFC, the branch FFC including a branch FFC cable (320) and a branch connector (310) terminating at an end of the branch FFC cable, the branch FFC cable including a branch flat wire (330) and a branch cable body (340), the branch cable body (340) having an insulator (342) supporting the branch flat wire, the branch flat wire including a terminal at an end of the branch FFC terminating at the branch connector, and An interconnect (600), the interconnect (600) being located between the main FFC and the branch FFC at a branch location (160) between the main FFC and the branch FFC, the interconnect electrically connecting at least one of the main flat wires with at least one of the branch flat wires to electrically connect the branch connector to the main connector.
  2. 2. The FFC harness assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein the main FFC (200) and the branch FFC (300) are stacked with an interconnect (600) therebetween.
  3. 3. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the branch FFC cable (320) extends non-parallel to the main FFC cable (220).
  4. 4. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the interconnect (600) comprises an interconnect housing (620) and interconnect conductors (610) held by the interconnect housing, each interconnect conductor comprising a first interface (612) electrically connected to a corresponding main flat wire (230) and a second interface (614) electrically connected to a corresponding branch flat wire (330) to electrically connect the branch FFC (300) with the main FFC (200).
  5. 5. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 4, wherein the interconnect housing (620) comprises a panel (622), the panel (622) having an upper surface (624) facing the main FFC cable (220) and a lower surface (626) facing the branch FFC cable (320), the interconnect conductor (610) extending between the upper and lower surfaces to interface (612) with the corresponding main and branch flat wires (230, 330).
  6. 6. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 4, wherein the interconnect housing (620) includes an opening that receives the interconnect conductor (610).
  7. 7. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 4, wherein the interconnect conductor (610) is spherical.
  8. 8. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 4, wherein the interconnect (600) is a printed circuit board, the interconnect housing (620) comprising a substrate, the interconnect conductor (610) comprising circuitry of the printed circuit board formed on one or more layers of the substrate.
  9. 9. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 4, wherein the interconnect conductors (610) are soldered to the corresponding main flat wire (230) and branch flat wire (330).
  10. 10. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising an outer housing (170) at the branch location (160), the outer housing (170) surrounding the stack of the main FFC (200), the branch FFC (300), and the interconnect (600).
  11. 11. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the branch FFC (300) is coupled to the main FFC (200) at a second end (224) of the main FFC cable (220) opposite the end (222) having the main connector (210).
  12. 12. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the branch FFC (300) is coupled to the main FFC (200) at an intermediate position between an end (222) of the main FFC cable (220) and a second end (224) of the main FFC cable.
  13. 13. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the main cable body (240) includes a window (248) exposing the main flat wire (230), the drop cable body (340) includes a window exposing the branch flat wire (330), and the interconnect (600) is connected to the corresponding main flat wire and branch flat wire through the window.
  14. 14. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the main flat wires (230) is electrically connected to at least two of the branch flat wires (330).
  15. 15. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the branch flat wires (330) is electrically connected to at least two of the main flat wires (230).
  16. 16. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the branch FFC (300) comprises a second branch connector (310) terminated to the second end (224) of the branch FFC cable (320).
  17. 17. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising a second branch FFC (400) separate and discrete from the branch FFC (300), the second branch FFC comprising a second branch FFC cable (420) and a second branch connector (411) terminated to an end (424) of the second branch FFC cable, the second branch FFC cable comprising a second branch flat wire (430) and a second branch cable body, the interconnect (600) electrically connecting at least one of the main flat wires (230) with at least one of the second branch flat wires to electrically connect the second branch connector to the main connector (210).
  18. 18. The FFC harness assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising: A second branch FFC (400), the second branch FFC (400) being separate and discrete from the branch FFC (300), the second branch FFC including a second branch FFC cable (420) and a second branch connector (410) terminated to an end (224) of the second branch FFC cable, the second branch FFC cable including a second branch flat wire and a second branch cable body, and A second interconnect (600) between the main FFC (200) and the second branch FFC, the second interconnect electrically connecting at least one of the main flat wires (230) with at least one of the second branch flat wires to electrically connect the second branch connector to the main connector (210).
  19. 19. A Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly (100) comprising: A main FFC (200), the main FFC (200) comprising a main FFC cable (220) and a main connector (210) terminated to an end (222) of the main FFC cable, the main FFC cable comprising a main flat wire (230) and a main cable body (240), the main cable body (240) having an insulator (242) supporting the main flat wire, the main flat wire comprising a terminal at the end of the main FFC terminated to the main connector; A branch FFC (300), the branch FFC (300) being separate and discrete from the main FFC, the branch FFC including a branch FFC cable (320) and a branch connector (310) terminating at an end of the branch FFC cable, the branch FFC cable including a branch flat wire (330) and a branch cable body (340), the branch cable body (340) having an insulator (342) supporting the branch flat wire, the branch flat wire including a terminal at an end of the branch FFC terminating at the branch connector, and An interconnect (600) between the main FFC and the branch FFC, the interconnect comprising an interconnect housing (620) and interconnect conductors (610) held by the interconnect housing, each interconnect conductor comprising a first interface (612) electrically connected to a corresponding main flat wire and a second interface (614) electrically connected to a corresponding branch flat wire to electrically connect the branch FFC with the main FFC.
  20. 20. A Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly (100) comprising: A main FFC (200), the main FFC (200) comprising a main FFC cable (220) and a main connector (210) terminated to an end of the main FFC cable, the main FFC cable comprising a main flat wire (230) and a main cable body (240), the main cable body (240) having an insulator (242) supporting the main flat wire, the main flat wire comprising a terminal at the end of the main FFC terminated to the main connector; A first branch FFC (300), the first branch FFC (300) being separate and discrete from the main FFC, the first branch FFC including a first branch FFC cable (320) and a first branch connector (310) terminated to an end (322) of the first branch FFC cable, the first branch FFC cable including a first branch flat wire (330) and a first branch cable body (340), the first branch cable body (340) having an insulator (342) supporting the first branch flat wire, the first branch flat wire including a terminal at the end of the first branch FFC terminated to the first branch connector; A second branch FFC (400), the second branch FFC (400) being separate and discrete from the main FFC and separate and discrete from the first branch FFC, the second branch FFC including a second branch FFC cable (420) and a second branch connector (410) terminated to an end (224) of the second branch FFC cable, the second branch FFC cable including a second branch flat wire (430) and a second branch cable body having an insulator supporting the second branch flat wire, the second branch flat wire including a terminal at the end of the second branch FFC terminated to the second branch connector; A first interconnect (600) between the main FFC and the first branch FFC, the first interconnect electrically connecting at least one of the main flat wires with at least one of the first branch flat wires to electrically connect the first branch connector to the main connector, and And a second interconnect between the main FFC and the second branch FFC, the second interconnect electrically connecting at least one of the main flat wires with at least one of the second branch flat wires to electrically connect the second branch connector to the main connector.

Description

Flat flexible cable harness assembly Cross Reference to Related Applications The subject matter of U.S. application Ser. No.63/718,828, filed 11/2024, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The subject matter herein relates generally to wire harness assemblies. Background Wire harness assemblies are used to connect electrical and electronic components within the system. For example, wire harness assemblies may be used in automotive applications to connect vehicle control or management systems to electronic control devices, lighting devices, air conditioning devices, and other components of a vehicle. The wiring harness assembly transmits power and signals between components such as control modules, batteries, lighting devices, sensors, and the like. The wire harness assembly may be used in other applications such as aerospace, defense, electrical appliances, automation, industrial machinery, and the like. Disclosure of Invention In one embodiment, a Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly is provided and includes a main FFC including a main FFC cable and a main connector terminated to an end of the main FFC cable. The main FFC cable includes a main flat wire and a main cable body having an insulator supporting the main flat wire. The main flat wire includes terminals located at the ends of the main FFC that terminate to the main connector. The FFC harness assembly includes a branched FFC separate and discrete from a main FFC. The branch FFC includes a branch FFC cable and a branch connector terminated to an end of the branch FFC cable. The branch FFC cable includes a branch flat wire and a branch cable body having an insulator supporting the branch flat wire. The branch flat wire includes terminals at the ends of the branch FFC that terminate to the branch connectors. The FFC harness assembly includes an interconnect at a branching location between a main FFC and a branching FFC. The interconnect is located between the main FFC and the branch FFC. The interconnect electrically connects the at least one main flat wire with the at least one branch flat wire to electrically connect the branch connector to the main connector. Drawings The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 illustrates a Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of an FFC wiring harness assembly according to an exemplary embodiment, showing an exemplary arrangement and branching of flat wires of an FFC. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an interconnect according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of an interconnect according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of an interconnect showing the interconnect during assembly, according to an example embodiment. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of an interconnect in a partially assembled state according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 7 illustrates an FFC harness assembly according to an exemplary embodiment, showing interconnections that electrically connect a branch FFC with a main FFC. Fig. 8 is an exploded enlarged view of a portion of the FFC harness assembly showing a branching position between the main FFC and the branching FFC. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a simplified version of an FFC harness assembly showing an interconnect electrically connecting a branch FFC and a main FFC, according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram of the FFC harness assembly shown in fig. 9 according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Description Fig. 1 illustrates a Flat Flexible Cable (FFC) harness assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The FFC harness assembly 100 is used to electrically connect components within a system. For example, the FFC harness assembly 100 may be used to electrically connect the first component 110 with one or more additional components (e.g., the second component 120, the third component 130, the fourth component 140, and the fifth component 150). In alternative embodiments, the FFC harness assembly 100 may be used to connect more or fewer components. The FFC harness assembly 100 can transmit power and signals between various components 110-150 such as control modules, batteries, lighting devices, sensors, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the FFC harness assembly 100 is used in automotive applications, such as connecting a vehicle control or management system to the electronic control, lighting, air conditioning and other components of a vehicle. For example, the first component 110 may be a vehicle control module and the other components 120-150 may be lighting assemblies within a vehicle. In alternative embodiments, the components 110-150 may be other devices or components within the vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the FFC harness assembly 100 is a roof or headliner harness assembly configur