Abstract: A contact magazine loader for guiding the insertion of individual electrical contacts into a crimping section of a crimping tool. A magazine is adapted to be placed in removable and rotatable engagement with a hand-held crimping tool. The magazine is approximately cylindrical, has a plurality of channels evenly dispersed around the radial periphery of the magazine, and is preloadable with electrical contacts. Each preloaded electrical contact is positioned within an individual insert casing. Each insert casing is adapted to being linearly slideably received into one of the channels. As a shuttle assembly is moved into compressed configuration, an insert casing guides the preloaded electrical contact into the crimping section of the hand-held crimper. A trigger assembly allows a user, with a single movement, to cause the shuttle assembly to return to its released configuration, and to rotate the magazine to axially align a subsequent casing with the crimping section of the hand held crimper.

Abstract: A contact magazine loader for guiding the insertion of individual electrical contacts into a crimping section of a crimping tool. A magazine is adapted to be placed in removable and rotatable engagement with a hand-held crimping tool. The magazine is approximately cylindrical, has a plurality of channels evenly dispersed around the radial periphery of the magazine, and is preloadable with electrical contacts. Each preloaded electrical contact is positioned within an individual insert casing. Each insert casing is adapted to being linearly slideably received into one of the channels. As a shuttle assembly is moved into compressed configuration, an insert casing guides the preloaded electrical contact into the crimping section of the hand-held crimper. A trigger assembly allows a user, with a single movement, to cause the shuttle assembly to return to its released configuration, and to rotate the magazine to axially align a subsequent casing with the crimping section of the hand held crimper.

Abstract: A low cost crimpable and sealable contact assembly including a contact member and a tubular sleeve member. The contact member is capable of being manually continuity crimped to a tip of an electrically conductive core of an electrically insulated wire. The tubular sleeve member is then deformed to hermetically seal it to the insulation on the wire, and the contact member. The hermetic seal protects the core from corrosion. This hermetic seal is particularly important where the core comprises aluminum. Separating the crimping and sealing into separate operations permits them to be performed manually. The sleeve member may be comprised of polymeric material, or it may be metallic. The metallic embodiments may be mechanically or electromagnetically deformed. The polymeric sleeve members may, in addition, be heat shrunk.

Abstract: A low cost crimpable and sealable contact assembly including a contact member and a tubular sleeve member. The contact member is capable of being manually continuity crimped to a tip of an electrically conductive core of an electrically insulated wire. The tubular sleeve member is then deformed to hermetically seal it to the insulation on the wire, and the contact member. The hermetic seal protects the core from corrosion. This hermetic seal is particularly important where the core comprises aluminum. Separating the crimping and sealing into separate operations permits them to be performed manually. The sleeve member may be comprised of polymeric material, or it may be metallic. The metallic embodiments may be mechanically or electromagnetically deformed. The polymeric sleeve members may, in addition, be heat shrunk.

Abstract: A crimping tool with a quick-change crimp head for sealing and electrically crimping electrical contacts to insulated wires. The crimping tool includes a base unit with a receptacle that is configured to actuate and removably and replaceably receive the quick-change crimp head. A crimping die holder body includes a plurality of crimp-seal and continuity-crimping dies. These dies are mounted for movement in the crimping die holder body between an open configuration and a fully crimped configuration. The crimp-seal dies have arcuate die faces that define a substantially closed generally cylindrical form when the dies are in the fully crimped configuration. Actuators are mounted in the base unit. The actuators are adapted to cause the dies to move in the body. A sensor system is configured to prevent the crimping tool from unintentionally repeating a crimping operation on the electrical contact, and to verify continuity-crimp depth of indentation.

Abstract: A base unit for an insulated single and multi-strand aluminum wire crimping system includes a receptacle into which a quick-change crimp head may be slipped and locked. The crimp head includes a set of crimp-seal dies axially spaced from a set of continuity-crimping dies with both sets being mounted in a crimping die holder body. Both sets of dies perform crimping operations on the same contact-wire assembly. The crimp seal dies form the contact into a substantially smooth unbroken generally cylindrical wall hermetically sealed to the outside of the insulation on the core of the wire. The continuity-crimping dies crimp a wall of the contact into electrical contact with the core of the wire by indenting the wall into the wire. Ring cams drive the dies. These ring cams have internal cam profiles. The ring cams engage cam followers that are associated with the respective dies. The contact is received in the die holder body in a contact holder. The contact holder is quickly changeable.

Abstract: An object substrate that contains a markingly effective amount of a radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide is subjected to a patterned pulsed beam of coherent energy having a level of flux density that is at least sufficient to cause the radiation sensitive marking material to change color without degrading the object substrate. The pulsed beam of coherent energy derives its pattern from the instantaneous configuration of individual mirrors on the face of a digital mirror device (DMD) as the energy is reflected from that mirror face. The level of flux intensity at the mirror face is less than the level at which the DMD is at risk of damage or disruption. The level of flux intensity at the object substrate to be marked is sufficient to cause the titanium dioxide to change color, and substantially above the level at which the DMD is at substantial risk of damage or disruption.

Abstract: An object substrate that contains a markingly effective amount of a radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide is subjected to a patterned pulsed beam of coherent energy having a level of flux density that is at least sufficient to cause the radiation sensitive marking material to change color without degrading the object substrate. The pulsed beam of coherent energy derives its pattern from the instantaneous configuration of individual mirrors on the face of a digital mirror device (DMD) as the energy is reflected from that mirror face. The level of flux intensity at the mirror face is less than the level at which the DMD is at risk of damage or disruption. The level of flux intensity at the object substrate to be marked is sufficient to cause the titanium dioxide to change color, and substantially above the level at which the DMD is at substantial risk of damage or disruption.

Abstract: A unique method of simultaneously marking both packaging and prepackaged articles such as tablets, pills, medical devices, and the like on the fly, without the deposition of ink or other marking materials on their surfaces, and without degrading the prepackaged articles or breaching the packaging. The markings can serve as unique identifiers for each individual marked article (serial numbers), as product identifiers (bar codes), or as tamper protection (positioning symbols), or the like. One product can be provided with all three types of marking, if desired. A radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide, for example, can be provided in both the article and a markingly associated window of packaging material. The article and the window together provide a marked pair.

Abstract: A unique method of simultaneously marking both packaging and prepackaged articles such as tablets, pills, medical devices, and the like on the fly, without the deposition of ink or other marking materials on their surfaces, and without degrading the prepackaged articles or breaching the packaging. The markings can serve as unique identifiers for each individual marked article (serial numbers), as product identifiers (bar codes), or as tamper protection (positioning symbols), or the like. One product can be provided with all three types of marking, if desired. A radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide, for example, can be provided in both the article and a markingly associated window of packaging material. The article and the window together provide a marked pair.

Abstract: Method of improving wetting and adhesive properties of dielectric materials by injecting electrical charges into the substrate under conditions such that the primary effect on the surface is that of charging so that improved wettability of the surface will be achieved. Flowable materials are then applied to the surface and cured in situ to permanently adhere the flowable materials to the surface.