Method for assembling cables

Abstract

A method for assembling cables includes sliding a housing and a sleeve accommodated in the housing onto a cable in such a manner that the sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the cable. The housing is made of an electrically non-conductive material, the sleeve is made of an electrically conductive material and includes a cutting edge pointing radially inward, and the cable includes a conducting element and an insulation surrounding the conducting element. The method further includes magnetically forming the sleeve by applying a magnetic field to the sleeve through the housing, such that the sleeve is pressed against the insulation and the cutting edge penetrates the insulation completely and contacts the conducting element.

Claims

1. A method for assembling cables comprising: sliding a housing and a sleeve accommodated in the housing onto a cable in such a manner that the sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the cable, wherein: the housing is made of an electrically non-conductive material, the sleeve is made of an electrically conductive material and includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including a cutting edge pointing radially inward, and the cable includes: a conducting element; and an insulation surrounding the conducting element; and magnetically forming the sleeve by applying a magnetic field to the sleeve through the housing to plastically deform the first portion of the sleeve without deforming the second portion of the sleeve, wherein magnetically forming the sleeve includes plastically deforming the first portion of the sleeve without deforming the housing, such that the sleeve is pressed against the insulation and the cutting edge penetrates the insulation completely and contacts the conducting element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein magnetically forming the sleeve includes magnetically forming the sleeve such that the cutting edge penetrates partially into the conducting element.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein magnetically forming the sleeve includes magnetically forming the sleeve such that a sealing element disposed on an inner side of the sleeve is pressed against an outer side of the cable to establish a sealing contact with the outer side of the cable.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein magnetically forming the sleeve includes magnetically forming the sleeve such that the sealing element is pressed against an outer side of the insulation to establish a sealing contact with the outer side of the insulation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein magnetically forming the sleeve includes magnetically forming the sleeve such that the housing is connected to the cable via the sleeve.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: applying the magnetic field to the sleeve includes applying a magnetic field using a field shaper disposed outside the housing, and the housing includes a bulge on a side of the housing that faces the field shaper, the bulge matching a contour of the sleeve.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first portion has been plastically deformed to a first outer dimension and wherein the second portion has a second outer dimension that is greater than the first outer dimension.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: sliding the housing and the sleeve onto the cable includes sliding the housing and the sleeve onto the cable such that one end of the cable slides along a longitudinal direction of the sleeve into the sleeve from a first side of the sleeve and out of the sleeve from a second side of the sleeve, the first portion of the sleeve is closer to the first end of the sleeve than the second portion of the sleeve, and the second portion of the sleeve is closer to the second end of the sleeve than the first portion of the sleeve.

Description

(1) Additional advantages and features of the present invention that can be implemented individually or in combination with one or several of the above features, to the extent that they are not mutually contradictory, are found in the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention. Said description is given in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1a shows a method for assembling a wire according to a first embodiment of the present invention, prior to the sliding-on of a housing with a sleeve accommodated therein;

(3) FIG. 1b shows the wire from FIG. 1a after the assembly and, on the left hand, a schematic cross section along the line A-A with the field shaper still positioned;

(4) FIG. 2a shows a method for assembling a wire according to a second embodiment of the present invention, prior to the sliding-on of a housing with a sleeve accommodated therein; and

(5) FIG. 2b shows the wire from FIG. 2 after the assembly.

(6) In the drawings identical reference symbols identify identical or comparable elements. Furthermore repeated descriptions of these elements are usually omitted. It is however understood that the description of an element of an embodiment applies similarly also to the description of the element or a comparable element in another embodiment, to the extent that this does not give rise to contradictions.

(7) FIG. 1 displays a cable 10 that concerns a coaxial cable. Said coaxial cable has a conductor or a core 11 that is surrounded by an inner insulation 12 or a dielectric. Furthermore a protective jacket 14 or an outer insulation is provided, between which outer insulation and the inner insulation 12 a shielding is provided in the form of a metal braiding 13.

(8) The cable is stripped at one end, so that the conductor 11 is open on this end. Likewise a part of the shielding 13 and the outer insulation 14 is removed from the section adjacent to the open part.

(9) At the end of the cable 10 a contact element 20 in the shape of a pin 21 is contacted. In the process the pin 21 is held in contact with the conductor 11 by means of the anchoring 22. In the process the anchoring 22 engages the insulation 12 lying on the inner side with engagement elements 23 in order to hold the pin 21 in contact with the conductor 11. Moreover a sealing ring 24 is provided in the anchoring 22.

(10) Furthermore a housing lid 31 as well as a sealing 32 are slid onto the cable 10, the outer insulation 14 or the protective jacket in an enclosing manner. The cable that is pre-assembled in this manner is slid into a housing 30 with a substantially cylindrical base form in the direction of the arrow A. In the process the sealing 32 and the housing lid 31 are slid into the open end 33 of the housing 30, and the lid 31 is locked in the housing by known ways and means, for which purpose the lid is designed with corresponding snap-in connections 34. As a result of the sliding-in, the outer side of the sealing 32 as well as the outer side of the sealing 24 comes in contact with an inner side of the housing 30, so that here a sealing off against longitudinal water entry can be implemented on both housing ends.

(11) Subsequently a field shaper 60 of a magnetic forming device is positioned around the housing 30, surrounding said housing. As schematically displayed in FIG. 1 b on the left hand side, the housing 30 and the field shaper 60 are matched to each other regarding their contour. The housing 30 has, on the side facing the field shaper 60, a bulge that matches the contour of the sleeve 44, while the field shaper 60 has a corresponding recess. As a result the distance between the field shaper and the sleeve can be kept small. The field shaper 60 generates a magnetic field in the area 41. Said magnetic field is applied through the housing 30 to the sleeve 40 that is attached in the housing 30, said sleeve being thereby plastically deformed in the area 41. During this deformation the inner side 44 of the sleeve 40 comes into contact with the outer side of the sealing ring 42, and presses said sealing ring against the insulation 12 lying on the inner side, in order to implement an additional seal here. Subsequently the completely assembled cable end can be removed from the magnetic forming device, without attendant steps being required.

(12) Alternatively it is also conceivable to provide, instead of the sealing 42, a contact ring that does not abut the insulation 12 lying on the inner side, but instead contacts or is in contact with the shielding 13. In this case making contact with the sleeve 40 as a result of the magnetic forming in the area 41 can be implemented via a connection with the contacting element 42 or via mere abutment as well as pressing of the contacting elements 42 against the outer surface of the shielding. In this case it is also conceivable that the sleeve 40 forms a part of a coaxial connector.

(13) This principle is also implemented in the embodiment in FIG. 2, wherein in this respect only the differences to the embodiment in FIG. 1 are addressed.

(14) In particular the sleeve 40 in FIG. 2 continues on in the longitudinal direction of the cable to a contact area 44. In this contact area 44 the sleeve 40 surrounds the outer insulation 14 of the cable 10, as is apparent from FIG. 2b. Furthermore a cutting edge 43 is provided on the radially internal side of the sleeve 40 in this contact area 44. Moreover the sleeve 40 extends, on the side of the housing facing the pin 21 and insulated from the pin 21, through the housing toward the exterior and surrounds the pin 21 coaxially. This part 46 of the sleeve forms a part of the coaxial connector lying coaxially on the outside, while pin 21 forms the part of the connector lying coaxially on the inside.

(15) Two separate field shapers 60 or one common one can be used during the magnetic forming. In the process a magnetic field is preferably applied simultaneously (but a separate process step is also conceivable) through the housing 30 to the sleeve 40 in the areas 41 and 44, wherein a plastic deformation of the sleeve 40 takes place in these areas due to a force F. A sealing takes place in the process, as explained in reference to FIG. 1, between the inner side of the sleeve and the outer side of the insulation 11 lying on the interior via the sealing element 42.

(16) In the area 44 the sleeve 40 is furthermore pressed against the insulation 14 lying on the outside. In the process the cutting edge 43 penetrates the insulation 14 lying on the outside completely, and contacts the shielding 13. If applicable, said cutting edge can also penetrate partially into the shielding 13 to assure a reliable contact.

(17) In this case it is conceivable that the anchoring 22 of the pin 21 between the sleeve 40 and the pin 21 has an insulating effect, i.e. is formed of electrically non-conducting material. Alternatively it is also conceivable to provide at least in some areas an electrical insulation on the radially internal side of the sleeve 40.

(18) It is understood that the present invention has been explained on the basis of the exemplary embodiments, the invention is however not limited to these embodiments. Rather it is also conceivable in FIG. 2 to omit the sealing 42 and to perform a forming merely in the contact area 44. It is also conceivable to provide an additional forming area, for example in the area of the anchoring 22 of the pin 21, so that the anchoring 22 is pressed in the direction of the insulation 12 lying on the inside by the forming of the sleeve 40, so that the anchorings 23 penetrate this insulation to a minor extent. Consequently a prior crimping step of the anchoring 22 on the conductor end can be omitted, if applicable. As a result the efficiency of the method is further increased.

(19) Basically it is also possible to provide one or also several sleeves 40 for a housing 30 or to arrange said sleeve(s) in the housing 30, which sleeves establish a contact with the cable 10. With a corresponding design of one or several magnetic formers a magnetic field can be applied simultaneously through the sleeves 40 to several connections or contacts, so that several cables or a set of wires, disposed at one or several housing(s) 30, can be contacted and/or processed. For that purpose several conductors can, for example, be arranged next to each other in a housing.

(20) In particular if the magnetic field is to be applied to several positions or components, this can take place simultaneously, sequentially or in an otherwise defined sequence, so that for example first a contact of the conductor 11 is established with the pin 21, and then a contact of the shielding 13 with the sleeve 40 and, if necessary, with the housing 30.