DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0101] Referring to FIG. 1 , automobile headliner 10 is positioned within automobile 14 (shown with roof panel removed in FIG. 1 ) so that dome lamp aperture 12 can receive a dome lamp (not shown). In order to provide electricity to the dome lamp while remaining out of view of automobile passengers for aesthetic and safety reasons, flat electrical cable 30 is secured along the “non-show” surface 16 of headliner 10 . Referring now also to FIG. 2 , non-show surface 16 of headliner 10 is of a loop material capable of being engaged by hook or mushroom shaped protrusions to form hook and loop engagement as described below. The loop material may be a non-woven, knit, or other fibrous material capable of engaging protrusions as described below, and may be of the same material as the opposite, “show” surface, of headliner 10 . Alternatively, smaller patches (not shown) of loop material may be positioned on non-show surface 16 in areas selected for cable 30 attachment. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , loop material on non-show surface 16 of headliner 10 is a non-woven mat of tangled fibers, which allow penetration and engagement by protrusions to achieve fastening. Suitable loop materials are further discussed below.

[0102] FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative arrangement wherein headliner 10 ′ has a non-show surface 16 ′ without engageable fibers or loops. Non-show surface 16 ′ is instead provided with hook arrays 24 along the desired path for electrical cable securement. As illustrated in FIG. 5 , hook arrays 24 consist of multiple individual hook-shaped protrusions which can be formed integrally with non-show surface 16 during manufacture of headliner 10 ′ or can be applied with adhesive or otherwise after formation of headliner 10 ′. A suitable protrusion shape is the CFM29 hook shape (of about 0.015 inch in height, h ( FIG. 7 ), available in various products sold by Velcro USA of Manchester, N.H. Alternative protrusion shapes, such as mushrooms, palm trees, flat-topped hooks, or other loop engageable shapes are also suitable. Hook height, h ( FIG. 7 ), is typically within the range of 0.003 to 0.03 inch.

[0103] Electrical cables of the invention and their securement to a panel, e.g., headliners 10 , 10 ′, will now be described. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , electrical cable 30 has a plastic base strip 40 carrying two attached flat conductive strips 36 for delivering electrical signals between terminal electrical connectors 32 . Electrical connectors 32 are provided for connection to mating electrical connectors, e.g., a dome lamp connector and an A-pillar connector (not shown) to complete a desired electrical circuit. Securing surface 42 of electrical cable 30 has an array of hook-shaped protrusions 34 , similar to those illustrated in FIG. 5 and described above, for engaging loop material of a mating panel, e.g., loop material of non-show surface 16 of headliner 10 as described above ( FIGS. 2, 3 ). Hooks 34 are formed integrally from the same material as plastic base strip 40 as described below. As illustrated in FIG. 7 , electrical cable 20 also includes a backing of electrical conductor insulator material 38 to protect and insulate conductors 36 . The overall thickness, t, of cable 20 , as measured from distal ends of the hooks to an exposed broad surface of the insulator backing 38 opposite the fastener elements, is typically much less than 0.10 inch. In fact, in most embodiments thickness t is less than 0.05 inch and in some embodiments, less than 0.03 inch.

[0104] FIG. 8 illustrates the cross-section of an alternative electrical cable 30 ′, suitable for use with hook-bearing panels, e.g., headliner 10 ′ ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Plastic base strip 40 carries electrical conductors 36 , insulation material 38 , and exposed loop material 44 suitable for engagement by hooks similar to those illustrated in FIG. 5 and described above. In one embodiment loop material 44 is a non-woven mat of tangled fibers similar to those illustrated in FIG. 3 and described above. Suitable loop materials and methods and apparatus for their production are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/262,159, filed Mar. 3, 1999, to which the reader is referred for further information. Other non-woven, knit, or fibrous materials capable of engaging protrusions described above are also suitable.

[0105] Preferably, the non-woven loop material 44 is very thin, such as less than about 0.040 inch thick (more preferably, less than about 0.020 inch thick), with web fibers held in a transversely stretched condition and freestanding loop structures extending from its exposed surface. As discussed in the above-referenced patent application, the loop structures extend from associated knots in the stretched web, which may be stabilized by liquid binder wicked into the knots and cured. Between knots, the thin fiber mat is not very dense and is sheer enough to permit images to be readily seen through it. Overall, the loop material has a basis weight (in its preformed state, including any pre-applied binder) of less than about 4 ounces per square yard (136 grams per square meter), preferably less than about 2 ounces per square yard (68 grams per square meter). Other details of this loop material may be found in the above-referenced application. For applications in which the loop material is partially penetrated by resin of the substrate as the substrate is formed (as discussed below), the needled loop material is preferably only stretched in a transverse direction only about 22 percent to leave a fair amount of loft and avoid total penetration.

[0106] Some lightweight knits are also suitable loop materials for certain applications. Examples of such knits are Product 19902 from Guilford Knits in Greenville, S.C., which is of polyester fibers and has a basis weight of only about 1.6 ounces per square yard. For a heavier knit, Guilford's Product 20229, a nylon knit of about 3.3 ounces per square yard is suitable. Lightweight knit products are also available from TYBOR in Spain, and MIZARD in Italy.

[0107] In some instances, loop material 44 is partially encapsulated directly in resin of plastic base strip 40 as the substrate is formed in a continuous molding process (described below). In other cases, it is bonded to the formed substrate, either by ultrasonic bonding, welding, or adhesives.

[0108] FIGS. 8A through 8E illustrate various patterns of variable bonding between loop material 44 and substrate 40 . For simplicity, electrical conductors 36 ( FIG. 8 ) are not shown. The variable bonding patterns correspond, in some cases, to variable resin penetration into the web of the loop material, which may be achieved by employing different arrangements of staking rings and/or barrier materials between the loop material and substrate, both of which are discussed further below. In FIG. 8 A, loop material 44 is only fully penetrated by substrate resin in narrow edge regions 52 , and is less penetrated at its center. For instance, if loop material is about ¾ inch wide (W L ), then fully penetrated edge regions 52 may have a width (w e ) of only about ⅛ inch. The center region of the loop material is less penetrated and gently arches away from the substrate, presenting the loops for engagement. The inclined sides of the center arch can also help to enhance the peel strength of the fastening at the edges of the loop material, as they resolve a small component of the peel force in a tangential, or shear, direction.

[0109] The pattern of variable bonding shown in FIG. 8B creates transverse pillows 54 of relatively lightly bonded, or loose, loop material separated by transverse bands 56 of relatively more fully bonded (e.g., more deeply encapsulated) loop material. The loftiness of pillows 54 is exaggerated for illustration. This pattern enhances initial peel strength of the fastening, as the “free” pillow ends along the inner and outer edges of the loop material follow the mating fastener elements, e.g., hooks, during peel until they are separated in sheer.

[0110] FIG. 8C illustrates a bonding pattern with longitudinal pillows 58 of relatively lightly bonded, or loose, loop material, separated by longitudinal bands 60 of relatively more fully bonded (e.g., more deeply encapsulated) loop material. Again, the loftiness of the pillows is exaggerated for illustration. FIG. 8D is a variation of the pattern of FIG. 8 C, with each longitudinal band of more fully bonded material separated into longitudinally alternating regions of light and heavy bonding. The regions of light and heavy bonding are staggered across the loop material, producing a checkerboard pattern of lofted loop pillows. FIG. 8E shows a bonding pattern with edge regions 62 of alternating light and heavy bonding, and a center region bonded in only isolated regions 64 . The bonding patterns described above may be mixed and varied for different applications, as required.

[0111] FIG. 9 illustrates multiple methods and apparatus for producing the above described electrical cables. The methods build upon the continuous extrusion/roll-forming method for molding fastener elements on an integral, sheet-form base described by Fischer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,028, and the nip lamination process described by Kennedy et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,015. The reader is referred to both of these publications for further information. The relative position and size of the rolls and other components is not to scale. An extrusion head 100 supplies a continuous sheet of molten resin 140 to a nip 102 between a rotating mold roll 104 and a counter-rotating pressure roll 106 (nip arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9A ). Mold roll 104 contains an array of miniature, fastener element shaped mold cavities 134 extending inward from its periphery for molding the fastener protrusions, e.g. 34 ( FIG. 7 ). Pressure in nip 102 forces resin into the fastener element cavities and forms the substrate (base 40 , FIGS. 7, 8 ). The formed product is cooled on the mold roll until the solidified fastener elements (e.g., hooks) are stripped from their fixed cavities by a stripper roll 108 . Along with the molten resin, a continuous strip of electrical conductor product 110 (illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 10 ), including insulator tape 38 with attached electrical conductor strips 36 is fed into nip 102 , where it is bonded with resin 140 and becomes permanently secured to the front face of the substrate 40 . Thus, the product 162 that is stripped from the mold roll 104 includes both fastener elements 34 and electrical conductor strips 36 as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 7 described above.

[0112] For higher production rates, two or more electrical cables may be simultaneously produced on a single mold roll, and later split and spooled. Referring again to FIG. 10 , continuous strip of electrical conductor product 110 is provided having two (or more, if desired) electrical cable profiles joined side by side (a second cable profile indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 10 ), each cable profile bearing the desired number and arrangement of conductive strips 36 . The electrical conductor product is fed into nip 102 and molten resin is introduced across the entire nip, impregnating and forming hooks along the entire multiple-cable-width strip of electrical conductor product 110 . A protruding splitting channel ring 118 ( FIG. 9A ) (or multiple rings if more than two profiles are provided) at the center of the mold roll (or spaced according to the width of the individual cable profiles) produces a splitting channel in the product, along which the resulting tape is split by a blade 120 ( FIG. 9 ; either stationary or rotating) into two (or more) separate runs of electrical cable which are separately spooled.

[0113] FIG. 9 indicates several variations of the above-described method. For instance, rather than introduce the electrical conductor product 110 through nip 102 and thereby join it to the substrate as the substrate is molded, the electrical conductor product may be joined to the substrate after the substrate has been formed, such as is indicated by the run 110 ′ of electrical conductor product shown in dashed outline. In this case, front face idler 122 is heated and has a contoured surface to bond the electrical conductor product and the substrate in desired areas while not damaging the molded hooks.

[0114] FIG. 9 also illustrates a method and apparatus for producing a flat electrical cable having engageable loops on one surface for cable securement, as for example the electrical cable illustrated in FIG. 8 and described above. In this method, electrical conductor product 110 is fed into nip 102 along with extruded resin 140 . Nip 102 is formed between mold roll 104 and pressure roll 106 , but in this embodiment, mold roll 102 lacks element-forming mold cavities. A continuous strip of loop material 144 , illustrated in FIG. 10A and , for example, as described above in reference to FIGS. 8 , is simultaneously fed into nip 102 . The electrical conductor product 110 and the loop material 144 are bonded to the resin of the substrate by pressure in the nip 102 .

[0115] Applying even pressure across nip 102 may lead to excessive resin penetration, or “flooding” of the loop material 144 , which may reduce loop loft and have an adverse effect on fastener performance. In one embodiment, to avoid excessive resin penetration, mold roll 104 has staking rings 130 ( FIG. 11 ) of increased diameter relative to a central portion(s) 132 of mold roll 104 to engage and locally hold the edges of the insulator material of the conductor product and the loop material against the extruded resin as the resin forms the substrate under nip pressure, thereby ensuring heavy penetration of the insulator and loop materials in predetermined areas along the cable edges. This configuration shown in FIG. 11 produces the bonding pattern illustrated in FIG. 8 A, the staking rings 130 forming heavily bonded edge regions 52 corresponding to the width of mold roll staking rings 130 . If multiple cable strips are being produced simultaneously on the same mold roll, multiple sets of such staking rings can be employed to heavily penetrate the conductor product and loop material adjacent to each splitting ring 118 ( FIG. 9 A, described above). Alternatively or additionally, the mold roll may be provided with a pattern or series of protruding surfaces to form a pattern of heavily bonded areas across each cable product. These, heavily bonded areas can be formed by such rings or protrusions on the mold ring, the pressure ring or a combination of both.

[0116] To form a row of heavily bonded points separated by regions of lower resin penetration, some staking rings 130 have a contoured outer edge as shown in FIG. 12 . A series of protrusions 134 extending beyond the nominal diameter D s of the staking ring cause the resin to locally penetrate farther into the loop material. In this example configuration, D s is 9.968 inches, the height (h s ) of each protrusion 134 is 0.014 inch, and the inner and outer radii (R) at the flank of each protrusion is 0.015 inch. The protrusion pitch (P s ) is 0.202 inch, and the length of the flat between protrusions (w f ) is 0.130 inch. The dimensions of the protrusions are selected to attempt to optimize the maximum approach angle α f of the protrusion flank with respect to a local ring tangent. A steep approach angle (i.e., an abrupt change in ring diameter) can cause a sharp local increase in nip pressure and an undesirable local flooding of the front side of the loop material with resin. Such flooded areas can create local “depth stops” to mating fastener elements, reducing the fastener element penetration into the loop material. A zero approach angle (i.e., no protrusions) would result in a homogeneous resin penetration beneath the staking ring, which may not be as desirable as local loop material “pillowing” (discussed above) in some applications. The maximum approach angle α f in the illustrated staking ring embodiment is about 40 degrees. A shallower angle (e.g., of about 30 degrees) may be preferable in some cases, as may a longer spacing w f between protrusions to provide longer, lofted pillow regions.

[0117] FIG. 11A shows a staking ring configuration for producing the bonding pattern shown in FIG. 8D (electrical conductor product 110 not shown). Staking rings 136 having the profile shown in FIG. 10 are stacked together with staggered protrusions, such that the pattern of heavily bonded regions resembles a checkerboard with elongated “pillows” extending outward between the heavily bonded regions. The width w s of each ring is about 0.018 inch.

[0118] In another embodiment, also illustrated in FIG. 9 , excessive resin penetration of loop material 144 is avoided by providing a barrier layer 128 between the resin and the loop material. Barrier material 128 is, in some instances, a perforated paper or film that allows resin to pass into the loop material in selected regions but inhibits its flow into other regions, such as for producing the bonding pattern of the center region of loop material shown in FIG. 8E . The barrier material may also be a homogeneous sheet of material having a high porosity, equally limiting the penetration of resin into the loop material across the width of the barrier material. Rather than be introduced as a separate sheet, in some cases the barrier material is pre-applied to the surface of loop material 110 and may be in the form of a binder located in discrete areas of the loop material and locally encapsulating fibers of the loop material, for instance. In many cases, the barrier material is narrower than the loop material, and centered along the width of the loop material, to enable full penetration of resin into the edges of the loop material. In all cases in which the barrier material becomes permanently bonded to the substrate and therefore becomes an integral part of the final product, it should be selected for its low material cost and weight.

[0119] FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative method and apparatus for forming the above-described electrical cables. The contoured surface of an extrusion head 200 (sometimes called an injection head) is placed adjacent a mold roll 104 (mold roll 104 once again lacking fastener protrusion shaped cavities to produce the loop bearing conductor cable of FIG. 8 ), and a continuous flow of molten resin is injected under pressure into the gap 202 defined between head 200 and mold roll 104 , filling gap 202 and forming the front and back faces of the substrate. The configuration and construction of mold roll 104 is the same as is shown in FIG. 8 , in which member 106 may be taken to be the adjoining extrusion head. To create the loop bearing electrical cable such as that illustrated in FIGS. 8 - 8 E and described above using this method and apparatus the strip 144 of loop material is fed through a predetermined region of gap 202 , and held up against the surface of mold roll 104 by resin pressure in the gap. In applications where it is not possible to fill gap 202 without completely saturating loop material 144 with resin, a strip of barrier material 128 may be fed through gap 202 between head 200 and loop material 110 to prevent resin penetration of the loop material along predetermined regions. Barrier material 128 is discussed in more detail above with respect to FIG. 9 . Electrical conductor product 110 is laminated to the back face of the substrate while the molded product is retained on mold roll 104 , by pressure supplied by pressure roll 206 .

[0120] FIG. 13 also illustrates an alternative method and apparatus for producing the fastener protrusion bearing conductive cable illustrated in FIG. 7 . In this embodiment loop material 144 and barrier material 128 are not present and mold roll 104 has fixed fastener element molding cavities as described above with respect to FIG. 9 . Resin alone is fed through extrusion head 200 into gap 202 between extrusion head 200 and mold roll 104 where gap pressure forces the resin to fill the mold cavities as previously described. Electrical conductor product 110 is laminated to the back face of the substrate while the molded product is retained on mold roll 104 , by pressure supplied by pressure roll 206 to produce an electrical cable strip bearing protruding fastener elements.

[0121] In an alternative method and apparatus illustrated in FIG. 13 , electrical conductor product 110 ″ (as indicated by dashed lines) is fed directly into gap 202 . Electrical conductor product 110 ″ consists of either bare or insulated strands of electrical conductor (as described below with reference to FIG. 14 ) or has a backing of at least sufficient porosity that resin introduced to gap 202 flows at least partially through or around the electrical conductor product to insulate the conductors and bond the materials to form an integral cable product.

[0122] FIG. 14 illustrates an additional method and apparatus for producing the above described electrical conductor cables. In this embodiment extruder head 300 supplies resin flows or films 140 , 141 into nip 102 formed by mold roll 104 (the mold roll having fixed fastener element molding cavities 155 as described above with respect to FIG. 9 to produce a cable product such as that illustrated in FIG. 7 ) and pressure roll 106 , respectively. The arrangement of nip 102 is as described above in reference to FIGS. 9 and 9 A. Simultaneous with the resin feed, multiple strands of bare conductive material 310 are fed through an extrusion die of extruder head 300 into nip 102 between the separate resin flows or films 140 , 141 . Pressure and temperature conditions in nip 102 force resin flow or film 140 to flow into the molding cavities as described above, encapsulates conductive material 310 within resins 140 , 141 , and bonds separate resin flows or films 140 , 141 to create an integral cable product having conductors insulated within a substrate and fastener protrusions extending from a surface of the substrate.

[0123] The method and apparatus illustrated in FIG. 14 are also capable of producing cable product such as that illustrated in FIG. 8 and described above. In such an arrangement mold roll 102 lacks fastener protrusion shaped cavities and loop material 144 (shown as dashed lines in FIG. 14 ) as described above in reference to FIG. 8 is fed directly on to the surface of mold roll 102 prior to the entrance of resin flow 140 into nip 102 . As described above with reference to FIGS. 9 and 13 , staking rings, barrier layers, or both may be used to control the areas and amounts of resin 140 penetration into loop material 144 to bond the materials.

[0124] The methods and apparatus of FIGS. 9, 13 , and 14 are also capable of forming electrical cables having both fastener protrusions (e.g., hooks or mushrooms) and loop fastener material capable of engaging the protrusions to form a fastening. Using the above described techniques wherein mold roll 104 has fastener protrusion forming cavities and loop material 144 is fed into the nip or gap while resin and electrical conductor product are introduced yields a self-engageable electrical cable product having both types of fastener elements.

[0125] As illustrated in FIG. 15 , ribbon cable assembly 330 is secured within computer casing 309 with terminal ends 332 connected to internal components 333 and 334 to deliver power or electrical communications signals therebetween. Referring now also to FIG. 16 , cable assembly 330 has a multiplicity of conductor strands 336 within an insulating substrate 338 which has fastener elements 334 similar to those described above with reference to FIG. 7 on its surface. Panel 311 of computer casing 309 has mating fastener elements, e.g., loops 316 , such as those described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 . During assembly of the computer, terminals 332 are first connected to internal components 333 , 334 respectively. The fastener elements 334 of cable assembly 330 are then adjustably and releasably engaged with mating fastener elements, e.g., loops 316 , on panel 309 . This allows for easier entry or removal of additional computer components, e.g., boards 313 , 314 , within computer casing 309 , and keep the cable layout within the cabinet organized.

[0126] Any of the methods and apparatus described above with, e.g., reference to FIGS. 9, 13 , and 14 can be used to create a continuous strand of ribbon cable for use in ribbon cable assemblies (e.g., assembly 330 ) with attached fastener elements, e.g., hooks 334 or loops (not shown). In one example illustrated in FIG. 17 preformed electrical conductor product 410 is provided having multiple conductive wires 336 attached to insulating tape 338 . Wires 336 can be of circular, or flattened rectangular or other flattened cross-section, of stranded construction, or can be strips of conductive material deposited or otherwise disposed on insulating tape 338 . In one embodiment, the conductors 336 are strips deposited on backing tape 338 to form a circuit or other conductive path. For example, any of the strip-form products described herein (particularly, but not exclusively, the products illustrated in FIGS. 40 and 41 ) can be fed through a hook forming nip (as described above) to form a layer of hook-bearing thermoplastic resin either as an electrical insulation layer immediately adjacent the conductors, or as a layer joined integrally to a pre-existing electrical insulation layer. For example, flexible cable containing circuitry, such as embedded surface-mount components or other electronic devices, can be fed directly through the nip to form hooks on one side of the circuit cable. In another embodiment, the backing tape 336 is, itself, a pre-formed hook tape (similar to layer 140 ), the conductors 336 being disposed on a surface of the hook tape opposite the hooks.

[0127] Conductor product 410 along with plastic resin 140 is fed through a nip or gap to form a cable wherein the resin forms molded fastener elements 334 and attaches to insulator tape 338 thereby insulating multiple conductive wires 336 and producing the integral fastener-cable of FIG. 18 . Alternatively, loop material 144 (not shown) and resin are simultaneously fed into the nip of one of the above described apparatus (wherein the mold roll does not have fastener forming cavities) such that the resin bonds to the insulator tape 338 to insulate multiple conductive wires 336 and at least partially penetrates loop material 144 to form the continuous strand of conductive cable (as described above with reference to FIGS. 9, 13 ).

[0128] In another example illustrated in FIG. 18 A, pre-formed ribbon cable 510 has multiple conductors 336 , fully insulated by insulator material 338 . Pre-formed ribbon cable 510 is fed into nip 102 ( FIGS. 9, 13 , 14 ), as element 110 or 310 , respectively, and fastener elements (fastener protrusions 334 or loop material, not shown) are bonded to at least a portion of a surface of ribbon cable 510 . In this manner, a fully pre-formed ribbon cable can be modified to have attached fastener elements molded thereon for use in assembly of electronic products.

[0129] Referring now to FIG. 19 , continuous electrical cable 600 is manufactured by feeding multiple electrically conductive wires 602 into nip 604 formed by rotating mold roll 606 and counter-rotating pressure roll 608 . Wires 602 are bare, i.e., without an insulating coating and are laterally spaced apart from one another as they enter nip 604 . In order to control the lateral position of the wires as they enter the nip, guide rollers 616 are provided with individual grooves, one for each wire introduced, to prevent the wires from wandering laterally as they approach the nip. Furthermore, pressure roll 608 has corresponding grooves that aid in aligning wires 602 during the encapsulation process now to be described.

[0130] Simultaneously with wires 602 , a band 610 of molten thermoplastic resin is introduced to nip 604 from extruder head 612 . Pressure and temperature conditions in the nip cause the molten resin to envelop the wires and also cause a portion of the resin to fill hook shaped cavities 614 provided in mold roll 606 . As the cooled mold roll continues to rotate, the resin and encapsulated wires remain adjacent the periphery of the mold roll until take-off rollers 618 and 620 act to strip the product 600 from the mold roll, thus extracting the now solidified hooks 622 from their respective cavities 614 .

[0131] Referring now to FIGS. 20 and 20 A, product 600 has an electrically insulating body 632 of thermoplastic resin with an upper surface 624 and a lower surface 626 . Loop-engageable hooks 622 extend from upper surface 624 , each hook being an integral extension of the thermoplastic resin of the insulating body. Hooks 622 have a stem portion 623 and a loop-engageable head portion 625 that extends outward from the stem to overhang upper surface 624 . Bottom surface 626 has peaks 628 corresponding to the wire guiding grooves in pressure roll 608 with a valley 630 of reduced thickness separating adjacent peaks 628 . Each conductive wire 602 is encapsulated within a peak 628 and separated from an adjacent conductive wire by insulating thermoplastic resin body 632 . In one example, resin body 632 is of a flexible PVC material. The position of wires 602 relative to upper surface 624 and lower surface 626 is dictated by the relative positions of the wire and the molten thermoplastic resin as they enter the nip and the flow dynamics of the molten thermoplastic resin within the nip. As illustrated in FIG. 19 , by introducing the wires 602 above the extruder head 612 the tendency is for the wires to be relatively nearer upper surface 624 of final product 600 (as indicated by wires 602 ′ shown as dashed lines in FIG. 20 ). Conversely, if wires are fed from below the extruder head (as indicated by wire feed 602 A illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 19 ) the tendency is for the wires to be relatively nearer lower surface 626 in final product 600 (as indicated by wires 602 ″ shown as dashed lines in FIG. 20 ).

[0132] One alternative for controlling the vertical position of wires 602 within insulating body 632 is to provide a supporting substrate 633 beneath the wires as the molding process takes place. As illustrated in FIG. 19 , substrate 633 (shown as dashed lines) is fed onto the grooved pressure roll 608 so that it sits o