Assembled To Wire-type Conductor Patents (Class 29/748)
  • Patent number: 6230406
    Abstract: A flexible bond harness including a flexible ground subassembly and a rigid ground subassembly which are joined together by a barrel connector. The flexible ground assembly has a first terminal connector which is mounted to the distal end portion of a substantially flexible conductor and the rigid ground assembly has a second terminal connector which is mounted to the distal end portion of a substantially rigid conductor. The barrel connector has a substantially uniform thickness, first and second side walls, a base and is divided into first and second segments. The proximal end portion of the flexible conductor is positioned within the first segment and the proximal end portion of the rigid conductor is positioned within the second segment. The first and second segments of the barrel connector are simultaneously crimped onto the flexible and rigid conductors, respectively, forming a bond which prevents relative motion between the barrel connector and the flexible and rigid conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Electric Motion Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Balfour, John W. Auclair
  • Patent number: 6227260
    Abstract: When a wire “a” is pressed into a pressure connection terminal of a connector C, an end portion of the wire “a” is clamped by a wire curvature correcting chuck 47, and the wire curvature correcting chuck 47 is slid in a pulling direction along the surface of a sheathing of the wire “a” in a state in which the feeding of the wire “a” is stopped, thereby correcting a curvature in the wire “a” so as to allow a press-in blade S to reliably grip the wire “a” and depress the same. In addition, in conjunction with the retraction of the wire curvature correcting chuck 47, its open/closed state is monitored by an opening/closing sensor to detect the amount of the projecting allowance of the wire “a” with respect to pressure connection, and a required measure can be adopted if the projecting allowance is insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignees: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Kometani
  • Patent number: 6212766
    Abstract: A method of automatically inserting terminals with wires into desired terminal accommodating cavities in a connector housing after putting neighboring wires aside, and a wire sweeping arm and a driving device for the sweeping arm. The method includes the steps of: grasping the terminal with wire by terminal supporting hands and wire supporting hands; moving the wire sweeping arm in the direction that the wire sweeping arm sweep wires which are already accommodated in neighboring terminal accommodating cavities, the wire sweeping arm being disposed between the terminal accommodating cavities and the terminal supporting hands so as to move back and forth; moving the wire supporting hands and the terminal supporting hands toward the connector housing to insert the terminal with wire into the terminal accommodating cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Ohsumi, Hiroo Suzuki, Takao Nakagame, Takamichi Maejima, Toshihiro Inoue, Osamu Yamashima, Fumio Kato, Toshinori Igura
  • Patent number: 6205653
    Abstract: A device useful in the field of digital telecommunications, particularly for on-site mounting of a connector on a coaxial cable which has a portable clip (10) adaptable to the diameter of the coaxial cable in order to immobilize the cable. The clip includes a base with a first edge, an opposed second edge and a reference plane formed therebetween. The reference plane supports the coaxial cable and includes a groove formed therein adapted to receive a ferrule of a connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: TRT Lucent Technologies SA
    Inventors: Manuel Perez, Bernard Archer
  • Patent number: 6173488
    Abstract: A front end portion of the inserted terminal position correcting jig is inserted into an opening formed in a peripheral wall provided extendedly from the rear portion of a connector housing, which opening functioning as its pivot center and having a correcting operation checking member therein, thereby to shift the jig toward the housing pivoting on the opening, and by this operation the jig is fitted with the rear end portion of the terminal which is still in an incompletely inserted state so as to shift the terminal to a completely inserted position and securely locked, wherein since the correcting operation checking member formed in the opening is removed when the front end portion of the jig is inserted, whether or not the correcting operation is perfectly done can be checked from outside by a removal or deformation of the correcting operation checking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Endo, Masanori Tsuji, Motohisa Kashiyama
  • Patent number: 6170153
    Abstract: To effect accurate positioning and avoid interference of a terminal fitting with a wire guide member. By lifting and lowering guide members 112, 113 formed with Y-shaped wire guide slots 112F, 113F, respectively, a wire W is brought to a terminal mounting position. The wire W and the terminal fitting mounted on the wire W will not interfere with the guide members 112, 113, and the wire W can be more accurately positioned by the Y-shaped wire guide slots 112F, 113F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaharu Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6161282
    Abstract: A device and process for electrically connecting two electrical components or devices to each other by means of electrical, flexible conductors, in which the electrical conductors are prefabricated and then connected by means of a welding or soldering process to corresponding electrical connections of the component. In particular, a process and a device are for fixing the conductor ends and achieving an easy-to-handle embodiment of the conductor ends for producing the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Nieslony
  • Patent number: 6158113
    Abstract: A jig for loosening electric wires of a wire harness passed through a grommet is disclosed. The jig includes a fixing-side clamping portion for clamping the one end of a wire harness, a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the wire harness, a bearing slidably engaged with the guide rail; a lock portion for locking said bearing to the guide rail, a circular rotating member, supported by said bearing, for rotating the wire harness in a circumferential direction of the wire harness; and a movable-side clamping portion, integrally attached to the rotating member, for clamping the other end of the wire harness. The rotating member may have a spiral cam groove, and the bearing may have an engagement protrusion to be engaged with the cam groove so that when the one clamping portion is inverted, the rotating member can move in its longitudinal direction. The one clamping portion may include a rachet mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Saito, Norihiro Yoneyama, Kenji Usui, Masaya Uchida
  • Patent number: 6148505
    Abstract: A system and method for wiring electronic components in a three-dimensional manner. The wiring system includes a means for temporarily placing components on a substrate, a means for directly or indirectly connecting electrodes of the components together with wires, a means for removing the temporarily-placed components from the substrate, and a means for rearranging the components in a three-dimensional manner. The movable section permits the means for bonding to bond the wires to the components from any direction in the three-dimensional space. The means for directly or indirectly connecting the electrodes of the components together with wires includes a means for placing a wiring-branch pad in a space between the electrodes of the components to be indirectly connected together, and a means for bonding the electrodes of the components to the wiring-branch pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsushiro Fujishima
  • Patent number: 6125532
    Abstract: A wire harness manufacturing method are provided. The pressure welding device for wiring includes a pressure welding unit for pressure-welding wires to connectors and a wiring plate provided with wiring fittings and placed in a position toward which the wires are pulled from the pressure welding unit. The wiring plate and the pressure welding unit are movable in a wire pulling direction. Wires are pressure-welded to one connector by the pressure welding unit. As the connector is pulled toward the wiring plate so as to hook the wires by predetermined wiring fittings. The wires are then pressure-welded to the other connector. After the wires are pressure-welded to the other connector, a continuity test of the wire harness is conducted on the wiring plate. After the wiring, the wiring plate and the pressure welding unit are moved in a wire pulling direction so as to eliminate the slack of the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 6101695
    Abstract: A wiring harness producing apparatus is provided which has an excellent space efficiency and a simple construction, and is capable of easily and efficiently producing a wiring harness. There are provided a wire feeding unit 21 for feeding a plurality of wires 11, a wire aligning unit 23 for aligning the respective wires 11 in parallel with each other, and a wire arrangement table 24 for linearly arranging the wires 11 aligned in parallel with each other. On the wire arrangement table 24, a connector connecting unit 26 for pressingly connecting a connector 25 with the respective wires 11, a wire lifting unit 28 for lifting the wires 11, circuit length adjusting units 29 each including a wire length adjusting tool 14 formed with steps 15 with a specified inclination which are brought into pressing contact with the wires 11 to set different loosened lengths for the respective wires 11, and a connector fixing unit 27 for fixing the connector 25 are provided along a wire feeding direction P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakamura, Masashi Sato
  • Patent number: 6079097
    Abstract: An apparatus for installing between a pair of spaced terminals a wire having a conductive core and an insulating sheath surrounding the core and interrupted at spaced stripped regions has a head defining a passage having an outer end, a guide element on the head at the outer end forming a passage alignable with the head passage, and a supply for feeding the wire along the head passage and the guide-element passage. A cutter on the head at the outer end can sever through the core in the stripped regions between the head and the guide element and the guide element can be pivoted on the head about an axis transverse to the guide-element passage for directing the passage at any of a plurality of different angles to the horizontal and vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignees: Brokelmann, Jaeger & Busse, GmbH & Co., Wago Kontakttechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Henrici, Karl Friedrich Kamper, Ludger Niebecker, Wolfgang Hohorst
  • Patent number: 6058604
    Abstract: A cable constructed with insulation displacement connectors produces cables which connect data storage devices to a host system. The cable allows automatic address selection of data storage devices depending on the presence or absence of a CSEL terminal pin on a corresponding connector and the location of a data storage device along the cable. Address selection by connector configuration simplifies cable construction. The end connector of an ATA cable is configured to identify an attached data storage device as the first device (drive 0), while an intermediate connector is configured to identify an attached data storage device as the second drive (drive 1), thus making installation more intuitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Tony Goodfellow
  • Patent number: 6026562
    Abstract: An electrical terminal applicator includes a terminal assembly die that is installed in a press. The terminal assembly die is a modular design comprising a base unit assembly having several assemblies attached to it. These assemblies include a slide retainer assembly, a terminal feed assembly, a terminal guide and brake assembly, an upper tool pack assembly and a lower tool pack assembly. Other assemblies may be attached to the base unit assembly or substituted for the original assemblies to provide great versatility with respect to the types of terminals, tooling and presses that can be used in connection with the terminal assembly die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Fred McMillin, Frederick H Stringer, John E. W. Davis, Thomas Edward Lazor
  • Patent number: 5996223
    Abstract: A wire supply unit 30 is provided on which terminal connected wires TW can manually be loaded. The wire supply unit 30 includes retainers 20. Each retainer 20 positions the terminal connected wires TW such that the terminal connected wires TW can be transferred to the inserting unit 50. The terminal connected wires TW can be transferred directly to the inserting unit 50 so as to be inserted into connector housing C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogawa, Kouichi Ueda, Teiji Sakuma, Kazumitsu Fukada
  • Patent number: 5992010
    Abstract: A coaxial cable connector tool includes a hollow elongated housing comprised of two halves hinged together. The halves are closed around a female coaxial cable connector. When the halves are closed, a hexagonal hole is formed at one end, and another hole is formed at the opposite end. The hexagonal sleeve on the connector is snugly positioned in the hexagonal hole, and the cable is positioned through the opposite hole. The sleeve is rotated by turning the housing by hand. The housing is substantially wider than the sleeve on the connector, and includes a hexagonal outer surface, so that it may be easily gripped and turned by hand. In a second embodiment, the housing is provided as a built-in component on new connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Manouchehr Zamanzadeh
  • Patent number: 5974659
    Abstract: A cable connection crimping machine for applying female sleeve ends of connectors over male ends of cables in repetitive one at a time manner includes a connector feeder mechanism operable to collect and feed connectors in a row to a transfer location, a connector transfer mechanism operable in a repetitive one at a time manner to receive connectors at the transfer location and arrange connectors with their sleeve ends projecting forwardly in alignment with ends of cables that are inserted in a repetitive one at a time manner to an insertion location, a cable transfer mechanism operable in a repetitive one at a time manner to grip and advance cable ends into the sleeve ends of the connectors, and a crimper die mechanism operable in a repetitive one at a time manner to crimp sleeve ends of the connectors onto the inserted cable ends to form substantially uniform round sealed connections with the cable ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Donald A. Kesinger
  • Patent number: 5913934
    Abstract: The crimping machine includes a crimper opposed to an anvil for crimping a stripped wire end to a terminal; a vertical rotation shaft axially secured on a base frame; a lower rotating base disc axially engaged with a lower end of the rotation shaft; an upper rotating base disc and a shank each axially slidably engaged with an upper end of the rotation shaft by way of a spline; and a flange formed at an upper end of the shank and engaged with a hook-shaped portion formed at a lower end of the pressing ram. The lower and upper discs have respectively a plurality of fitting channels radially extending from the rotation shaft. Each channel of the upper disc is detachably mounted with the crimper, and each channel of the lower disc is detachably mounted with the anvil. An adjusting dial for adjusting crimp height of the crimper is respectively provided in an outer surface of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Japan Chain Terminal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Inoue, Akira Sugiyama, Hirokazu Akita, Ichio Igarashi, Masashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5903971
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved termination apparatus for use in making wire harnesses. The apparatus includes: a connector holder for holding connectors in line; a connector holder drive; a punch for termination a selected terminal of a connector onto a selected wire; a wire insertion-and-guide station for inserting and guiding a wire to the termination position, a detector means for detecting arrival of the inserted wire at the termination position and a test pin for establishing a circuit with the inserted wire; and, a control circuit for controlling the connector holder drive. Under operation of the control circuit, a connector in the connector holder is first aligned with the termination punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Yoshio Ishiwata, Yoshikatsu Toyofuku, Takeshi Yukitake
  • Patent number: 5903970
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and to a machine connecting connection elements into housings of connectors. The device includes; a body (17) which can be moved in the direction of said connector; 4 an insertion tool (18) which is associated, via removable link-age means (22), with said body and is provided with means (23) for gripping said connection element to be introduced; and means (26) for controlling the opening or closure of said gripping means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Eurocopter France
    Inventor: Serge Fran.cedilla.ois Pittau
  • Patent number: 5901440
    Abstract: A method of controlling the terminal crimping device is proposed by providing an elevating crimper for crimping terminals onto exposed conductors of cables, positioning an anvil opposite to said crimper, elevating the drive means including a servo motor. The standard value for determining whether or not the crimper height is out of conformity with the standard value, the administration value for administering the crimper height, and the decision value for determining whether or not the crimping performance is good or not on the basis of the crimper height are recorded such that an alarm is issued when the crimper height is out of conformity with said standard value, said administration value, and said decision value at the time of terminal crimping operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Maeda, Chiaki Hatano
  • Patent number: 5901434
    Abstract: A terminal inserting guide assembly includes a pair of guide hooks for guiding a terminal into a connector housing. A first upper guiding surface is formed at an upper end of a cut-out portion inside a first one of the pair of guide hooks. A terminal side guiding projection is formed in a second one of the pair of guide hooks. A second upper guiding surface is formed in the tapered extending portion. The terminal side guiding projection and the tapered extending portion are received in the cut-out portion of the first one of guide hooks, when the pair of guide hooks are closed, in their lateral direction, without a terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakano, Takamichi Maejima
  • Patent number: 5850694
    Abstract: A terminal insertion apparatus includes a terminal insertion head having a pair of wire catching hands and a terminal guiding piece and being movable along a Y-axis beam by servo drive, a high speed transfer belt having an electric wire clamp and being movable in the X-axis direction by servo drive, and a terminal posture correcting device having a pair of chuck pieces for chucking the terminal of a terminal end on the wire clamp and delivering it to the wire catching hands and a terminal holder and being movable by servo drive in a direction in parallel to that of the high speed transfer belt. Using the terminal insertion apparatus, the posture of the terminal is corrected two-dimensionally, and the terminal is inserted into a connector housing along the terminal guide pieces. The chuck pieces which is apart from a terminal at a certain position advances to pass the terminal therebetween, chuck the terminal, and retreat to cause the terminal to abut on a terminal stopping step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Takamichi Maejima
  • Patent number: 5850684
    Abstract: A cable-end-portion bend forming device for an automatic connecting apparatus includes: a front guide roller and a rear guide roller for guiding a cable being fed out at two positions on front and rear sides of the device; and a front forming roller and a rear forming roller disposed between the two positions and supported rotatably by two supporting members, respectively, the front forming roller and the rear forming roller being adapted to approach positions of abutment, or substantial abutment, against the front guide roller and the rear guide roller, respectively, wherein at least the supporting member for supporting the rear forming roller is capable of moving the rear forming roller between a position in close proximity to the rear guide roller and a position spaced apart therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignees: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring System, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Ichitou, Hideyuki Ishioka, Takahiro Okamura, Atsuro Nakamura, Shinichi Takehana, Hirokazu Yokozawa, Toshiharu Hizawa
  • Patent number: 5813111
    Abstract: A pair of terminal grasping picks and a pair of wire clamping plates, which are provided in an insertion unit so that they can freely rise/fall and open/close, fall to grasp a first wire-equipped terminal clipped on a clip of a wire clamping rod; rise to separate the first wire-equipped terminal from the wire clip; advance toward the housing to insert the first wire-equipped terminal into the corresponding terminal container; and thereafter retreated and returned to an initial position, thereby successively inserting wire-equipped terminals. At any timing during the process in which the wire-equipped terminal is separated from the clip and thereafter the insertion unit is retreated and returned, either one of the wire clamping rod and the connector housing is moved in parallel to the other so that a second wire-equipped terminal or the clip is previously positioned oppositely to the a next terminal container of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takamichi Maejima, Toshihiro Inoue, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Atsushi Nakano
  • Patent number: 5806175
    Abstract: A structure is provided for securing cable, which has internal working fibers and an external outer coat, to a terminal connector. Included in the structure is a crimp body which has an interior axial hole extending therethrough and an exterior surface with at least one groove and at least one ridge. The outer coat of the cable is placed around the exterior surface of the crimp body and a crimp ring is placed around the outer coat and the crimp body. The crimp ring is deformable and has an interior large enough to accommodate the crimp body and the outer coat. The crimp ring is deformable so that it can secure the outer coat between the crimp ring and the crimp body, with the groove and ridge arrangement of the crimp body further holding the outer coat in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Siecor Corporation
    Inventor: David T. Underwood
  • Patent number: 5791037
    Abstract: A wire crimping apparatus includes a pair of wire-length setting rollers, a pair of crimping cylinders arranged in a direction of feeding a wire, a pair of wire guides which are openably/closably attached between said pair of crimping cylinders, a pair of moving tables which has connector container grooves opposite to said pair of crimping blades and can move independently of a direction horizontally orthogonal to a wire, and a wire guide stand which has a wire pushing-down cylinder and can move in the direction vertically orthogonal to the wire. On a pair of moving tables, each wire is crimped to the connector on a first moving table at a forward position in the direction of wire feeding, is extended to have a required length between the moving tables by the wire-length setting roller, crimped to the connector on a second moving table at a backward position in the direction of wire feeding, and the moving tables are moved in opposite directions to connect wires between the connectors in a crossing manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Takada, Sanae Kato
  • Patent number: 5774983
    Abstract: A terminal is inserted randomly into a specially arranged housing with terminal receiving chambers arranged in staggered fashion, the terminal inserting method to a specially arranged housing 2 in which it allows leading electric wires 9 from the specially arranged housing 2 where terminal receiving chambers are arranged in the staggered fashion to push aside by a guide claw 3, wherein the guide claw 3 is entered along the bulkheads 5, 6 extending rectilinearly between columns of the terminal receiving chambers 1.sub.1, 1.sub.2, 1.sub.3 of the specially arranged housing 2. An entering direction of the guide claw 3 is harmonized with the extending direction of the rectilinear bulkheads 5, 6 by 90.degree.-turn-over of the specially arranged housing 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Takamichi Maejima
  • Patent number: 5761796
    Abstract: The connector housings (1) to be fitted out are fed in succession along a feed track, and are then moved, by means of at least two grippers (19, 20), which are spaced apart in the advance direction and can be moved synchronously with one another, stepwise and individually in succession from a take-over position (FIG. 6b), along a connector housing guide and clamping track (12) into a fitting-out position (FIG. 6g, 6h), and are fitted out there with an electrical conductor, and are then moved by means of the respectively associated gripper along the guide and clamping track (12) into a release position (FIG. 6c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Peter Imgrut, Guido Korner
  • Patent number: 5740602
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making wire harness. The apparatus includes the use of a sequential wire processor that serially and sequentially fabricates circuits having terminal ends. The terminated circuits are transferred by a transfer means to an upstanding carousel provided with arrays of circuit-receiving clips. The transfer means receives terminated circuits from the sequential wire processor and places them on the clips of the carousel. The carousel is then moved to an assembly line and robotic station where robots remove the circuits from the clips of the carousel and place the terminated ends of the circuits in cavities of connectors strategically located on the assembly line. The robots have end effectors that physically insert the terminal ends into the connector cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventors: Eric C. Peterson, Alex H. Damalas, Glynn R. Bartlett, Steven B. Farmer, Leslie B. Hoffman, Tak Kameoka, Horace H. Wacaser, Paul B. Wood
  • Patent number: 5740608
    Abstract: An automated method of making and stacking electrical leads (66) is disclosed. The machine (50) for making the leads (66) includes a maneuvering clamp (102) that grips an end (72) of the lead and, while pivoting and moving along a defined path (104), manipulates the lead (66) to form a U-shaped portion (110) and substantially parallel side legs (112, 116). The U-shaped portion (110) is picked up by a projection (90) on a conveyor belt (88), the lead being folded over to about one half its length, and is transported to a stacking tray (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Alden Owen Long
  • Patent number: 5727312
    Abstract: A method of inserting terminal in which a problem that time for search varies with relative position between the wires and the connector is eliminated, and the position of the connector housing can flexibly be determined. The method of inserting terminal according to the present invention comprises the steps of: correcting a relative position of a terminal insertion head against a connector housing while two positions on front end portion on an engagement side of the connector housing being image-processed by a television camera; and inserting a terminal with wire from a rear portion of the connector housing by using the terminal insertion head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takamichi Maejima, Yutaka Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 5727602
    Abstract: A wire guiding device 20 can be used in a machine for measuring and cutting a wire, and is adapted to curve the wire being fed substantially in U-shape during the measurement of the wire. The wire guiding device 20 includes a fixed guide block 21 and a movable guide block 22 rotatable with respect to the fixed guide block 21. The movable guide block 22 is rotated by a cylinder 51 so as to be displaceable between an engaging position where it is engaged with the fixed guide block 21 and a retracted position which is reached by its upward rotation from the engaging position. Since the movable guide block 22 is rotatable upward, i.e. in a direction under an angle, in particular normal to a feed direction of the wire, the wire can be fed at a high speed, realizing a faster measuring operation. This results in the rationalization of the manufacturing of wiring harnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Ema
  • Patent number: 5722991
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a surgical needle of the type having an end portion with an elongated aperture defined therein and a suture having a generally elongated end portion which is to be positioned in the elongated aperture of the needle includes a pair of dies, each die having at least two generally planar engaging surfaces with a recessed portion disposed between adjacent engaging surfaces. The engaging surfaces of the dies each define a plane which is in general parallel relation to a longitudinal axis of the respective die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation
    Inventor: Francis D. Colligan
  • Patent number: 5709025
    Abstract: An apparatus for wiring a connector (1), in particular a connector with a plurality of contacts (2) comprises an elongated holder (3) for the connector to be wired, the elongated holder being aligned with an axis in the x-direction, at each longitudinal side of the holder a tool (5) movable back and forth in any-direction transverse to the holder for applying a wire into a contact aligned with the tool, wherein a wire guiding means (6) is provided for the tool, the wire guiding means being aligned with the tool, and means for moving the tool with respect to the holder in the x-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventor: Robert Wuyts
  • Patent number: 5707391
    Abstract: Apparatus for attaching a surgical needle having an end portion with an elongated aperture defined therein and a suture having a generally elongated end portion to be positioned in the elongated aperture of the needle, includes a pair of dies, each die defining a longitudinal axis and having an inner die surface. The inner die surface includes at least two raised swaging portions extending generally along the longitudinal axis of the die and a generally recessed portion defined between adjacent swaging portions and extending substantially along the lengths thereof. The swaging portions each have an engaging surface defining a plane angularly oriented relative to a longitudinal bisecting plane of the dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation
    Inventor: Richard P. Carpentieri
  • Patent number: 5699608
    Abstract: A connector holding device (A) is provided which is adapted to hold a connector (C) having a terminal insertion opening formed on a rear face (40) thereof and a retainer attachment opening (45) formed on an upper or lower face thereof. The connector holding device includes a pivot member (20) having a distal end portion (20b) which is to be engaged with the retainer attachment opening (45) with the connector C being held by a connector holding portion (14). The distal end portion (20b) is formed with an inclined face (22). With the connector (C) being set in position, the inclined face (22) is engaged with the retainer attachment opening (45) in such a manner that the engagement depth gradually becomes greater along a terminal insertion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tokuji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5697147
    Abstract: A method of automatically inserting terminals with wires into desired terminals accommodating cavities in a connector housing after putting neighboring wires aside, and a wire sweeping arm and a driving device for the sweeping arm. The method includes the steps of: grasping the terminal with wire by terminal supporting hands and wire supporting hands; moving the wire sweeping arm in the direction that the wire sweeping arm sweep wires which are already accommodated in neighboring terminal accommodating cavities, the wire sweeping arm being disposed between the terminal accommodating cavities and the terminal supporting hands so as to move back and forth; moving the wire supporting hands and the terminal supporting hands toward the connector housing to insert the terminal with wire into the terminal accommodating cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Ohsumi, Hiroo Suzuki, Takao Nakagame, Takamichi Maejima, Toshihiro Inoue, Osamu Yamashima, Fumio Kato, Toshinori Igura
  • Patent number: 5682672
    Abstract: A cable arrangement indicating and inspecting apparatus for a connector is disclosed. Cables are removed from cable receiving portions (1) in accordance with indicator LEDs (2) caused to blink by a first driving portion (23), and light from illuminative LEDs (28) turned on by a second driving portion (35) is directed through light emitting optical fibers (29) and detecting optical fibers (14) into receiving holes of a connector to directly illuminate the interior of select receiving holes into which terminals are to be inserted. When the terminals are inserted into the select receiving holes, the light reflected from the terminals is directed through the detecting optical fibers (14) and light receiving optical fibers (31) onto light receiving portions (30), and proper terminal insertion is detected on the basis of a light reception signal from the light receiving portions (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Taniguchi, Katsutoshi Kato, Kouji Murata
  • Patent number: 5669135
    Abstract: A connector support for a harness making machine comprises a clip member pivotly mounted to a base structure. The clip member comprises a rigid bar and a spring extending at an angle with respect to the bar. The bar and spring capture orthogonal surfaces of a connector against a connector receiving face and a lip of the base structure. A lower corner of the connector can be clipped behind the lip by biasing the connector against the bar which thus pivots causing the spring to push the connector down against the receiving face. This design enables easy and rapid mounting of a connector to the support structure, as well as easy ejection of the connector therefrom by an ejector pin. The support is for camming the connector on a conveyor system of a harness making machine for processing such as block loading etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Michel Maurice Bernard Verhille
  • Patent number: 5666718
    Abstract: A rotation regulating mechanism (43) is disposed on a terminal chuck (41) for holding a wired terminal (T). The rotation regulating mechanism (43) is arranged to regulate the rotation of the wired terminal (T), allowing an operation of inserting the wired terminal (T). Even if the terminal chuck (41) has to receive a wired terminal (T) from a terminal positioning device (30) having an inverting function, the rotation or positional shift of the wired terminal (T) can be regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Onishi, Kenichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5659949
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wiring harness includes the processes of 1) making plural kinds of electric wires each having a predetermined length (w1, w2, w3, . . . ) for each kind in lots (L1, L2, L3, . . . ) each having several tens to several hundreds wires, the plural kinds of wires constituting a wiring harness and including terminal-equipped wires with one end or both ends connected with a terminal(s) and terminal-free wires with both ends connected to no terminal; 2) temporarily holding groups of wires thus made (L1, L2, L3, . . . ) in predetermined wire holders (H1, H2, H3, . . . ) in the order of lots; and 3) wire arrangement of forming a set of wires for the wiring harness with the groups of wires constituting the wiring harness intensively hung on one or more wire clamps in such a manner that one wire w1 is taken out from the wire holder H1 to lock its one or both ends to predetermined one or two wire clips of the wire clamp provided with plural wire clips, and subsequently, the wires (w2, w3, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Ohba, Yoshikazu Yamamoto, Koichiro Matsunaga, Takayuki Tsuchiya, Toshihiro Nakahama
  • Patent number: 5657535
    Abstract: A terminal insertion guide includes a pair of one and another guide arms; and an upper guide wall located between said pair of guide arms and having a surface sloped downward for a terminal wherein the terminal is passed between the pair of guide arms and the upper guide wall to be guided into a terminal chamber of a connector housing. One or both of the pair of guide arms having a plurality of guide strips inclined upward for the upper guide wall. Thus, the terminal, even when inclined downward, can be surely guided into the terminal chamber of a connector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Takamichi Maejima
  • Patent number: 5655293
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for inserting wire ends into components and an apparatus for manufacturing electrical cable bundles.According to the invention an apparatus for inserting the ends (70) of wire sections (5) in openings (54a) of components (54) comprises a device which moves the components relative to the wire end held in the mating gripper (7) along a curved trajectory.The relevant technical field is that of electrical cable bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Paul Celoudoux, Michel Verhille
  • Patent number: 5623753
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a plurality of types of electric wires with a terminal or terminals. Production condition data required to produce a plurality of types of electric wires with a terminal or terminals are previously stored in a memory. Responsive to that a certain type of electric wire with a terminal or terminals has been produced on the basis of one piece of production condition data, production condition data corresponding to an electric wire with a terminal or terminals to be subsequently produced are read out. The data read out and production condition data corresponding to the electric wire with a terminal or terminals which has been produced are compared with each other, to extract the portions of data which differ in contents. The extracted portions of data are displayed on a display. A worker can grasp the contents required for rearrangement such as changes in setting conditions and components to be replaced by watching the contents of display on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 5615478
    Abstract: The present invention relates to wire handling grippers, a process and an apparatus for manufacturing electrical cable bundles which use these grippers. The grippers comprise ar least one sweep arm and an internal articulated arm that can gather the wire ends inserted into openings of a component and the grippers comprise two external articulated arms which can gather wires in an area that is further away from the component, which grippers can move along a guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: L'Entreprise Industrielle
    Inventors: Jean P. Celoudoux, Michel Verhille
  • Patent number: 5611141
    Abstract: A wire crimping apparatus includes a pair of wire-length setting rollers, a pair of crimping cylinders arranged in a direction of feeding a wire, a pair of wire guides which are openably/closably attached between said pair of crimping cylinders, a pair of moving tables which has connector container grooves opposite to said pair of crimping blades and can move independently of a direction horizontally orthogonal to a wire, and a wire guide stand which has a wire pushing-down cylinder and can move in the direction vertically orthogonal to the wire. On a pair of moving tables, each wire is crimped to the connector on a first moving table at a forward position in the direction of wire feeding, is extended to have a required length between the moving tables by the wire-length setting roller, crimped to the connector on a second moving table at a backward position in the direction of wire feeding, and the moving tables are moved in opposite directions to connect wires between the connectors in a crossing manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Takada, Sanae Kato
  • Patent number: 5596802
    Abstract: The conductor end to be worked is clamped behind the conductor end section (5) to be stripped and is held in its axial position. Subsequently a scanning arrangement displaceable relative to the free end in longitudinal direction of the conductor end section (5) is used to determine the free end of this conductor end section (5), then the cutting knives (12, 13) are advanced into cutting contact with the conductor end section (5) by a distance (x) corresponding to the severing and/or insulation stripping length previously determined from the end position, and after cutting off the requested layer by means of cutting knives (12, 13) the latter are used to push the cut-off layer towards the end, and this cut-off and/or insulation stripping process can be repeated once or several times with graduated cutting depths, if need be.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Max Koch, Alois Lustenberger
  • Patent number: 5594616
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an ignition coil assembly includes a primary coil and a secondary coil. A primary connector assembly of the ignition coil assembly includes a conductor which is adapted to electrically connect one terminal of the primary coil with one terminal of the secondary coil. The conductor includes indentations which delimit a portion of the conductor and facilitate the removal of that portion of the conductor. The conductor further includes provisions for electrically connecting an electrical component such as diode in place of the removed portion of the conductor. The present invention thus facilitates inclusion of an electrical component such as a diode in applications which will benefit from the inclusion of the electrical component in place of the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: David C. Brecht, Robert C. Bauman, Robert L. Hancock
  • Patent number: 5590458
    Abstract: A locking system for securing a cable terminal in a plug case includes a turning tool defining an axis and insertable in the plug case in such a manner that locking pins of the cable terminal are deformed and forced against projections on the plug case for preventing a displacement of the cable terminal longitudinally in direction of the axis. The turning tool has a sleeve and a stationary nut which is connected to the sleeve via a tongue and groove joint in form of several circumferentially spaced, longitudinally twisted grooves and tongues, and secured against a rotation relative to the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: TSK Prufsysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Mohme