System, method, and apparatus for installing removing flat cable with respect to a protective sleeve

Abstract

A tool for installing and removing flexible flat cable with respect to a protective sleeve has a groove for receiving the cable. The cable slides into and is formed into an arc by the groove and is supported evenly on both sides of the cable. With the full width of the cable in the groove, the tool slides down the length of the cable into the sleeve for the cable to be removed. As the tool slides into the sleeve, there is a smooth transition of the cable from flat to curved, and the cable and sleeve separate. The tool is slid through the sleeve as far as necessary for the needed action. After alternations to the sleeve or cable are complete, the tool is used to replace the cable back into the sleeve by reversing these steps.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A system for installing and removing a flexible flat cable from a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve having side walls and a longitudinal opening with the flexible flat cable being positioned in the protective sleeve and extending laterally between the side walls, and the flexible cable having an exposed portion that is not located in the protective sleeve, the system comprising: 
 tool having a slot extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, the slot having an arcuate shape in a lateral direction with a closed end and an open end, the open end forming a receptacle for allowing lateral ingress and egress of the flexible flat cable, and the tool also having a Shelf formed adjacent to the open end for capturing a side edge of the flexible flat cable to retain the flexible flat cable in the tool when the flexible flat cable is located in the slot; wherein the flexible flat cable is removed from the protective sleeve by:    inserting the side edge of the flexible flat cable into the open end of the tool, and guiding the flexible flat cable through the slot such that a longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable is formed into an arcuate shape, and moving the tool longitudinally along a length of the flexible flat cable toward the protective sleeve such that the longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable in the arcuate shape transitions and moves smoothly with the tool as the flexible flat cable passes through the tool, and extracting the flexible flat cable from the longitudinal opening of the protective sleeve; and wherein the flexible flat cable is installed in the protective sleeve by:    moving the tool longitudinally along a length of the flexible flat cable away from the protective sleeve such that the longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable in the arcuate shape transitions flattens out from the arcuate shape and into the longitudinal opening in the protective sleeve between the side walls as the tool is moved away from the protective sleeve.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable defines a chord having a dimension that is less than a lateral dimension Of the longitudinal opening in the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the tool is used while a majority of the flexible flat cable is rolled up.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein only that portion of the flexible flat cable in need of attention is removed from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the tool can be applied to and engage a longitudinal portion of the flat cable located in the sleeve such that the entire flexible flat cable need not be removed from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible flat cable is not creased or folded by the tool.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the slot has a circumferential length extending from the closed end to the shelf that is approximately equal to a lateral dimension of the flexible flat cable.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the arcuate shape of the slot is semi-circular, spans approximately 180 degree, and supports an entire lateral width of the flexible flat cable.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the slot defines an inner wall having an inner radius, and an outer wall having an outer radius, such that the outer radius is greater than the inner radius, and the shelf is formed at a shelf radius that is greater than a radius of the open end.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the slot segments the body into a lower portion and an upper portion, and the upper portion is cantilevered and flexible relative to the lower portion.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the lower and upper portions of the body have edges that are polished or beveled to avoid scuffing the flexible flat cable.  
   
   
       18 . A method of removing a flexible flat cable from a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve having side walls and a longitudinal opening with the flexible flat cable being positioned in the protective sleeve and extending laterally between the side walls, and the flexible cable having an exposed portion that is not located in the protective sleeve, the method comprising: 
 (a) inserting a side edge of the exposed portion of the flexible flat cable into an open end of a tool;    (b) guiding the flexible flat cable through a slot in the tool such that a longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable is formed into an arcuate shape with a smooth radius that protects an integrity of the flexible flat cable;    (c) moving the tool longitudinally with respect to and along a length of the flexible flat cable such that the longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable in the arcuate shape transitions and moves smoothly with the tool as the flexible flat cable passes through the tool, while other portions of the flexible flat cable on either longitudinal side of the longitudinal segment transition to a flat shape; and    (d) extracting the flexible flat cable from the longitudinal opening of the protective sleeve.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of installing the flexible flat cable in the protective sleeve by reversing steps (d) through (a), such that the flexible flat cable flattens out from the arcuate shape and into the longitudinal opening in the protective sleeve between the side walls as the tool is moved away from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, in step (c), the longitudinal segment of the flexible flat cable defines a chord having a dimension that is less than a lateral dimension of the longitudinal opening in the protective sleeve, such that, in step (d), the flexible flat cable can be removed from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the tool is used while a majority of the flexible flat cable is rolled up.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein only that portion of the flexible fiat cable in need of attention is removed from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the tool can be applied to and engage a longitudinal portion of the flexible flat cable located in the protective sleeve such that the entire flexible flat cable need not be removed from the protective sleeve.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible flat cable is not creased or folded by the tool.