Electrical Connector Or Terminal Patents (Class 29/33M)
  • Patent number: 6163958
    Abstract: A plurality of insulator-sheathed electric wire elements (a) are secured together to a connector (C) by an insulation displacement manner by means of juxtaposing the electric wire elements (a) on a plane, passing the wire elements (a) through a gripper (10), an insulation displacement press (30), clamping the passed ends of the wire elements by a chuck (43) of a measuring and drawing device (40), drawing the juxtaposed wire elements (a) by a given length by the chuck (43), and pressing the juxtaposed wire elements (a) at the given position in the length and width directions. The connector (C) is attached to the juxtaposed wire elements (a) at the position in the length and width directions by repeating the steps. Upon pressing, the given electric wire elements are cut off at the rear side of the pressed portions. The gripper (10) clamp the juxtaposed wire elements (a) after cutting them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignees: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6154949
    Abstract: An automatic cutting and crimping apparatus has a wire transporter, a cutting/stripping unit, and a terminal crimping unit. The wire transporter includes a guide tube, a nozzle, a holder, and bolts for removably holding the guide tube and the nozzle to the holder. The nozzle is disposed so as to communicate with and end of the guide tube. The holder includes a holding member and a cover. The holding member is divided into two side walls, and has a hollow that extends in the direction of wire feeding. One of the side walls is formed so as to be lower than the other, so that a space occurs between the cover and the lower side wall. The cover is disposed so as to cover the hollow. The bolts includes a bolt for tightening the cover onto the top of one of the side walls, and a bolt for holding the cover to the other side wall. The end of the guide tube and the base end of the nozzle are housed in the hollow, and are surrounded by the holding member and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6141867
    Abstract: Wire assembly manufacturing equipment is provided. The equipment includes an automatic insertion device mounted on a wire connection supporting device. The equipment enables another end of a terminal-attached wire with which an operator carries out connection work by the wire connection supporting device to be automatically inserted by the automatic insertion device. Simultaneously with or immediately after the work that connects one end of the terminal-attached wire by manual operation, automatic insertion becomes possible on the other end with the automatic insertion device. An inspection apparatus is also provided for determining the condition of a connector having at least one terminal attached wire inserted into a cavity therein, the connector being formed as a double lance type having a temporarily fastened retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumitsu Fukada, Takaaki Nakaseko
  • Patent number: 6128810
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for automatically mounting a crimp-style terminal on a connector housing which can have one or more vacant cavities. The mounting device is to be applied in production in which connectors can have varying numbers of terminals. Housings are accurately fed by a plurality of parts feeders and guides. Empty housings and housings with inserted terminals are held, respectively, by separate magazines. Terminals are individually cut off from a terminal hoop and individually set into insertion positions in front of a housing. After all terminals have been set, the terminals are inserted into the cavities all at once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignees: Harness System Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki, Naoki Tamura
  • 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: 6108881
    Abstract: An SMD-C type terminal automatically pressing machine comprising a support frame, a wire reel rack, a wire clipping mold, an embossing mold, a shearing mold, a material feeding device, a first wire shifting clamp, a second wire shifting clamp and a rectifying mold. The wire clipping mold, embossing mold and shearing mold sequentially process a wire track pulled out from the wire reel mounted on the wire reel rack and performing the pin insertion operation. Thereafter, the first wire shifting clamp first completes the wire shifting operation with respect to the lower half portion of the inserted terminal. Then the material feeding device sends the terminal, in which the lower half portion has been completely shifted, to the second working area. Then the second wire shifting clamp performs the wire shifting operation with respect to the upper half portion of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Inventor: Chin-Ting Huang
  • Patent number: 6105229
    Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a multi-wire-pair electrical cable to a connector housing with movable wire piercing contacts therein having input and output openings for the wires is disclosed. The outlet opening of the housing has a flat end face plate generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector housing and to an anvil supported from the end of the housing. The apparatus comprises a crimping and shearing tool also having protrusions to drive the contacts into the wires of the cable. A shearing blade of the tool is positioned to wipe the flat end face plate of the housing to cut the wires flush with the end face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Inventor: Robert W. Sullivan
  • 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: 6098275
    Abstract: An electrical connector press for connecting an electrical connector to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector has contacts with compliant attachment zones for insertion into holes of the printed circuit board The press comprises a gripping device for holding a housing of the connector, a force measuring device connected to the gripping device a distance measuring device connected to the gripping device; and a controller connected to the gripping device, the force measuring device and the distance measuring device. The controller controls movement of the gripping device towards the printed circuit board. The controller is connected to a memory having data of geometry of the contacts and the data of a desired insertion depth of the contacts into the holes. The controller can determine a distance which the contacts should be inserted into the holes based upon the data in the memory and force sensed by the force measuring device after the compliant attachment zones contact the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Robert A. H. J. Wuyts, Yves S. A. Loosen
  • Patent number: 6061902
    Abstract: The method of the present invention fabricates a plurality of composite structures so as to permit the reliable recovery of leads embedded within respective ones of the composite or smart structures. In this regard, the method of the present invention permits a plurality of composite structures to be fabricated, such as by means of a continuous pultrusion process, while enabling the leads to be recovered without interrupting the pultrusion process and without damaging the resulting composite structures. Correspondingly, a composite structure is provided according to the present invention which has a protective sleeve surrounding the portion of the lead which extends through the end of the composite body. As such, the protective sleeve protects the lead during the fabrication process by protecting the lead during the separation of the composite structures and the recovery of the embedded lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Dalhousie University
    Inventors: Alexander L. Kalamkarov, Stephen Bruce Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 6047464
    Abstract: A removal tool is operable for separating components of an assembled electrical connector used for connecting electrical conductors together. The electrical connector includes a tapered connector sleeve having a general "C" cross section with a slot defining a stop ledge and a wedge having a latching ledge which engages the stop ledge when inserted into the slot preventing removal of the wedge. The removal tool with a first block member includes outwardly projecting ears for selective insertion into the slot for engagement with the stop ledge. A second block member includes outwardly projecting slide pins. The first block member is slidably received on the slide pins for movement toward and away from the second block member, a removal blade on the second block member having a tapered nose member projecting toward the first block member and an integral shoulder on the second block member facing the first block member and spaced from the removal blade in a direction away from the first block member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Chadbourne, Raymond G. Lavoie
  • Patent number: 6047453
    Abstract: A air-core coil forming system which comprises a sheath peeling section and a coil forming section. The sheath peeling section includes a rotatable cylindrical cutting head having a through hole provided at radial center portion thereof into which the sheathed wire is inserted, a blade portion for peeling the sheath of the sheathed wire, and a blade support member for supporting in a manner that the blade is brought into contact with the sheath by means of a centrifugal force produced when the cutting head is rotated, a motor directly connected with the cutting head for rotating the same, and a rotary shaft provided in the motor such that a central axis thereof coincides with the through hole of the cutting head and having hollowed structure into which the sheathed wire is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takatsugu Matsudome
  • Patent number: 6029329
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that increases the efficiency of material handling apparatus, such as those used to trim and form electrical leads on solid state electrical devices. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotatable pulleys, an endless belt capable of retaining devices to be processed that is disposed around the pulleys such that rotation of the pulleys will cause said belt to travel around said pulleys, and a plurality of paired tooling members, each of said paired tooling members having first and second tooling members disposed on opposing sides of the belt and directly opposing so as to cooperate and perform a tooling operation on the leads when reciprocated toward each other along a common axis. In a preferred embodiment, two horizontally oriented pulleys are used to rotate the belt and the first and second tooling member are reciprocated by a common cam and the rotation of the belt and the reciprocation of the tooling members are synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: MicronTechnology, Inc.
    Inventor: Morley J. Weyerman
  • 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: 5992002
    Abstract: An apparatus for the cutting, stripping and crimping of a onto a telco cord including a fixed handle having an internal cavity, a movable handle pivotally connected to the fixed handle, and a sliding body pivotally connected to the movable handle and resiliently connected to the fixed handle. The fixed handle has a first receptacle for receiving a common plug and a second receptacle for receiving a plug with an offset latch. The second receptacle has a main opening and a latch opening communicating with the main opening and offset from a center of the main opening. The sliding body has a first crimping block and a second crimping block thereon. The sliding body is slidable within the internal cavity between a non-crimping position and a crimping position relative to a pivotal movement between the fixed handle and the movable handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Ying-Teh Hung
  • Patent number: 5970609
    Abstract: A method of effectively manufacturing various types of wire harnesses of complicated wiring structure in which a predetermined number of connectors necessary for a unit wire harness are arranged on a movable pallet. The pallet is then moved so that crimp-style terminal of one of the connectors can come to a crimp connecting position of a rotatable crimp connecting press. An end of an electric wire is fed to the crimp-style terminal at the crimp connecting position. The end of the electric wire is then connected to the terminal by the rotatable crimp connecting press. Then, the pallet is moved again, and the other end of the electric wire is connected to a crimp-style terminal of a predetermined connector by crimp connection. The series of motions are repeated until all terminals necessary for the unit wire harness are connected to the electric wires by crimp connection. According to this method, a rotatable crimp connecting press has a plurality of different crimp connecting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignees: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Shioda
  • Patent number: 5960540
    Abstract: Integral terminals are formed on the bare ends 4, 24, 64, 84 of insulated wires 2, 22, 62, 82. Male and female terminal configurations are stamped and formed on the wires. When necessary the bare wire ends are upset to increase the width of the portion of the bare wire on which the terminals are formed. Cylindrical pins 10 can be formed by removing material and cylindrical sockets 8 can be formed by drilling and reaming the end of a wire that may have been upset by a cold heading operation. Retention flanges 38 can be formed to retain pins 30 and sockets 28 in a connector housing 40. Hermaphroditic blade terminals 62 can also be formed on bare wire ends. Quick disconnect tabs 92 can be formed by forming a flat blank from the bare wire 84 or from an upset section 88.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Edward LeRoy Pentz
  • Patent number: 5943752
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a multilayer carrier for electronic components. Individual layers have a printed wire pattern applied thereto by a dispenser with the required holes being made by a perforator. The apparatus manipulates the individual layers so that the final multilayer is obtained automatically. The dispenser and perforator are positioned one over the other so that a compact high accuracy arrangement is obtained. This apparatus is particularly suitable for processing layers of green ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Ceraprint
    Inventor: Johan Willem Koene
  • Patent number: 5943751
    Abstract: An improved wire harness-making apparatus includes a wire supply in the form of a plurality of wire reels, a wire measuring and feeding unit, connector terminating units, a wire pulling unit, and a wire holding and shifting unit. The wire pulling unit includes a reciprocatable harness wire guide member a plurality of guides that receive therein harness wires fed as a set wire measuring and feeding unit, and a gripping unit for holding the leading ends of the harness wires in place at the entrances of the wire guides. The guide member has a predetermined length corresponding to a desired length of wire, and the gripping unit is disposed proximate to the front end of the guide member. In operation, each wire is fed from the wire measuring and feeding unit into a corresponding wire-receiving guide of the guide member when the front end of the guide member is moved toward and near to the wire measuring and feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kamei
  • Patent number: 5933932
    Abstract: A wire harness-making apparatus includes a wire supply, a wire feeding unit for feeding and measuring harness wires from the wire supply, a wire transport unit for transporting the harness wires, and two connector crimping units positioned on the opposite sides of the harness wire set. The wire transport unit includes first and second wire clamps movable from opposite sides of the harness wires. The first and second wire clamps are driven along an associated top and bottom guides on opposite sides of the harness wire set. These clamps may he operated into and out of contact from vertical directions so as not to interfere with the feeding of wires by the wire feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Souichi Watanabe, Yoshio Ishiwata, Kazuaki Kamei, Masahiro Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 5915759
    Abstract: A method of fabricating the fixing portion of an electrical contact and a portion that forms a contact terminal includes the steps of machining the side face of the fixing portion so as to define a surface of revolution, drilling a blind axial bore in the fixing portion to open out its free end, and machining the fixing portion in such a manner that in a middle part of the fixing portion, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the fixing portion has a greater dimension in a first direction than in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and two orifices are formed to open into the axial bore and into the side face, the two orifices having a common axis extending in said second direction and intersecting the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Amphenol Socapex
    Inventors: Bernard Logerot, Jean-Pierre Huguenet
  • Patent number: 5913553
    Abstract: A press-fitting unit includes a vertically movable press blade for press-fitting a stripped end of an electrical wire to a terminal disposed in a connector. A connector retaining bar movable in a horizontal direction is disposed to be opposed to the press blade. The retaining bar is provided with a plurality of connector receiving recesses in parallel to respectively hold a connector with a press-fit terminal. A wire chuck is disposed so as to opposing to the rear part of the press blade. The wire chuck is horizontally movable along a horizontal guide to a side of the press blade so as to holding the wire. Alternatively, the connector retaining bar is fixed to the apparatus by a frame and a transfer mechanism can carry the press-fitting unit along the bar in a horizontal direction. In addition, the apparatus may have a pair or two pairs of the upper and lower symmetrical press-fitting units; and the connector retaining bar is disposed between the upper and lower press-fitting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 5909913
    Abstract: A terminal applicator (10) is disclosed having a shut height adjustment mechanisms (68, 120) for controlling the shut height (102, 220) of both the terminal barrel crimping bar (26) and the insulation crimping bar (28). The mechanism includes upper and lower ramp members (126, 128) having opposed ramp surfaces (140), the lower ramp member being attached to the tooling ram (40) and the upper ramp member being rotationally coupled to the ram. By incrementally rotating the upper ramp member (128), the relative spacing between a press ram (222) and the tooling ram (40) can be adjusted, thereby changing the shut height (220) of the barrel crimping bar (26). A cam (72) is rotationally coupled to the tooling ram (40) at right angles to the axis (24) of the upper and lower ramp members (126, 128). The cam has a series of flat surfaces (98), each of which is a different distance from its center of rotation (79).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Edwin Fitz, Jr., Marlin Robert Schollenberger, Kenneth Foster Folk
  • Patent number: 5907901
    Abstract: A machine (40) is disclosed for crimping a terminal (12) onto a wire (10) thereby forming a crimped wire assembly (32). The machine includes a crimping bar 64 and a mating anvil (60) for performing the crimping operation. A terminal feed unit (70) is provided for feeding a strip (24) of terminals. The machine includes a wire guiding device (80) having an upper half (82) attached to the crimping bar (64) and a lower half (84) attached to the anvil (60). Each of the upper and lower halves include two wire guide members (88) that slide toward and away from a central axis (116) extending through the barrel (22) of the terminal (12) to be crimped. The ends of the four wire guide members (88), each having a quarter of a conical surface (118) formed thereon, are arranged so that the four surfaces form a complete conical section for guiding the wire (10) as it is being inserted into the barrel (22) of the terminal (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: James Andrew Hogan, Jr., Eric Kootte
  • 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: 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: 5901439
    Abstract: A terminal crimping method utilizing an anvil (5) which has a receiving surface (20) to receive an electrical terminal (4) and a punching hole (6) penetrating through the anvil (5) with an opening in the receiving surface (20). A crimper (2) has a curved surface to crimp the terminal (4). An auxiliary punch (8) has a protrusion (7) that can pass through the punching hole (6) to extend from the opening in the receiving surface (20). A wire core portion (25) is crimped to the electrical terminal (4) between the crimper (2) and the anvil (5). Then, the auxiliary punch (8) strikes out a crimped portion (21) to form a concave portion (27) in the state that the crimped portion (21) is compressed by the crimper (2) and the anvil (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Endo, Yuji Hatagishi
  • Patent number: 5898983
    Abstract: An insertion machine of the type used to form and insert the lead-wires of an electronic component into openings of a printed circuit board insertion machine comprising a frame and a head assembly. The head assembly receives an electronic component and includes means for forming the lead-wires into a predetermined shape and means for inserting the lead-wires into the openings of the printed circuit board. A clinching assembly is positioned below the head assembly and includes means for trimming the lead-wires and means for clinching the lead-wires. A work-support table for holding the printed circuit board is rotatable about a vertical axis and is positioned between the clinching assembly and the head assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: TDK Corporation of America
    Inventors: Robert J. Sooy, Rodney Peter Jackson
  • Patent number: 5896654
    Abstract: In particular to connect wires insulated with highly heat-resistant lacquer to terminal elements, the winding wire has hitherto been wrapped around a terminal element and connected mechanically and electrically at at least one connection point by the local application of energy with the removal of the insulation. During winding around the terminal element, the winding end is held under pretension and simultaneously vibrations, in particular in the ultrasonic region, are coupled into the winding wire/terminal element system at the connection point to apply energy. Preferably, the vibrations are coupled into the wire outside the connection point. As a result of the fact that the vibrations propagate via the tensioned wire and bring about a relative movement between winding material and terminal element, an insulating layer can be broken up at least partially and the electrical connection to the terminal element is made by ultrasonic welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Moll, Peter Schoner
  • Patent number: 5894658
    Abstract: An applicator (10) for crimping electrical terminals onto conductors is provided with a ram (16) having outer facing surfaces (28, 42, 44, 46) that are unobstructed by the slide (32, 34) coupling the ram to the applicator frame (12). A ram retention device is provided that includes a retention screw (50) extending through the ram (16) and into the slide coupling for engagement with a shoulder (64) to limit movement of the ram (16) and to hold it captive to the frame (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Marlin Robert Schollenberger
  • Patent number: 5890280
    Abstract: An apparatus for positioning an electric wire within a terminal application system for installing an electric terminal on an electric wire, includes at least one claw, having an axis of rotation and a longitudinal axis extending generally transversely from the axis of rotation, and connected to the shank holder through the axis of rotation so that the claw is free to rotate about the axis of rotation with respect to the shank holder while connected to the shank holder, and being rotatable from a wire positioning condition to an open condition. A support member connected to the shank, supporting the claw and allowing the claw to move from the open condition to a wire positioning condition when the shank and moveable mold are moved toward the stationary mold is also included. Biasing members, such as springs, may also be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 5887341
    Abstract: To position a wire-connected terminal TW and cope with a multitude of kinds of wire-connected terminals TW, a block 30 is provided for each wire-connected terminal TW. The block 30 includes recesses 34, 37 for detachably accommodating the wire-connected terminal TW. A part of the accommodated wire-connected terminal TW is exposed such that it can be gripped by hands 51, 52. The block 30 also includes a positioning means 38 for positioning the terminal TW accommodated in the recesses 34, 37 with respect to the hands 51, 52. Since the terminal TW is securely positioned in a transferring step of transferring the wire-connected terminal TW to the hands 51, 52, the succeeding step performed by the hands 51, 52 can be securely performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Ito, Kouichi Ueda, Teiji Sakuma, Kazumitsu Fukada, Yasutoshi Takemoto, Shigeru Kato, Masakazu Kashiwase, Masaaki Fujii, Toshiyuki Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 5878489
    Abstract: An inexpensive flat electric wire for a wire harness and an inexpensive wire harness utilizing the flat electric wire can be produced. A flat electric wire (P) is produced by juxtaposing a plurality of insulator-sheathed electric wire elements (a), each having a single core, on a plane; and by applying a reinforcing tape (51) on the juxtaposed wire elements (a) at a desired position over the width of the elements (a), whereby the wire elements (a) are secured together to each other by the tape (51) to form the flat electric wire (P) for a wire harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignees: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryousuke Shioda, Yosinobu Ohta
  • Patent number: 5867893
    Abstract: A clinching assembly for use with an insertion machine of the type used to form and insert the lead-wires of an electronic component into openings of a printed circuit board insertion machine. The clinching assembly includes two clinch heads that are selectively movable along a U-axis, parallel to the circuit board. Each clinching assembly is further selectively movable along a Z-axis, perpendicular to the circuit board. A single pneumatic actuator is used to raise and lower both clinch heads simultaneously. A T-shaped linkage attaches each clinch head with the single pneumatic actuator. Vertical movement of the pneumatic actuator is translated through the T-shaped linkage to vertically displace both clinch heads, and simultaneously, allow horizontal displacement of each clinch head, independent of the vertical location of the T-shaped linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: TDK Corporation of America
    Inventors: William S. Clark, Rodney Peter Jackson, Scott L. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 5852868
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for preparing or making electrical harnesses. The machine includes a plurality of crimping stations situated along a horizontal linear conveyor (5) that moves clamps (6) holding lengths of wire (28). Each crimping device includes a tool (1) that is fed with terminals (50) from a reel (3). The tool (1) includes a fixed matrix (9, 10) and a moving punch (12, 13). The machine includes a press (4) that is movable in translation relative to the crimping tool in a direction parallel to the conveyor. The crimping tool includes means for holding the punch in a high position and the machine includes a servo-controlled actuator for driving the moving press. The technical field of the invention is that of manufacturing electrical harnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Louis Soriano
  • Patent number: 5850685
    Abstract: A machine (10) for receiving and operating a terminal applicator (12) in the attaching of an electrical terminal (14) to a conductor includes a magnetic power unit (28) having a fixed electromagnet (30) attached to the frame (20) and a movable electromagnet (32) coupled to the terminal applicator (12). The machine includes a cycling mechanism (86) for manually moving the movable electromagnet (32) through the power and return strokes of the terminal applicator (12). The cycling mechanism (86) includes a lead screw (88) having a nut (102) in threaded engagement therewith that moves vertically when the lead screw is rotated. A latch (110) attached to the nut (102) pivots into an opening (112) in the periphery (114) of the movable electromagnet (32) when the lead screw is rotated in one direction (130). As the lead screw (88) is rotated further the latch (110) carries the movable electromagnet (32) downwardly through its power stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Donald William Wright, Michael Anthony Yeomans, Michael David Strong
  • Patent number: 5842266
    Abstract: A wire harness producing apparatus has a wire reel supply section (1), a wire inlet section, primary and secondary sections (3, 4), a wire measuring section (5), a wire-cutting section (6), upstream and downstream connector attachment sections (7,8), a wire harness discharge section (9), and cam drives for propelling the primary and secondary chuck sections subsequent to the cutting of electric wires thereby separating cut wires from the remaining wires extending out from the supply reel. The cam drives are also used to operate the wire-cutting section and the upstream and downstream pressing sections in their crimping of connectors onto the cut wires and the remaining wire extensions and also operating the wire harness discharge section to discharge assembled harnesses to a subsequent staging area. The use of these cam drives permits a substantial reduction of the time involved for making the wire harnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Yoshio Ishiwata
  • Patent number: 5832593
    Abstract: A splice head for use with a modular wire connector, to work with and hold the wires while installing them in the connector, particularly for wires of differing diameters. The splice head includes a coil spring loosely arranged on a bar and movable axially thereon. By selecting an appropriate location for the starting point on the spring and selection of the spring position on the bar, different sized wires can be fixed by the coils of the spring. The bar may be circular in cross-section to allow the spring to slide easily forward and backward. This construction allows simpler placement of the wires since the coil spring does not need to to replaced for wires of different sizes, and there is no requirement that the splicing operation begin at one particular end of the coil since neither end is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Wolfgang Wurst, Udo Seidel
  • Patent number: 5815916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of connecting the conductor elements of a cable to the contacts of a connector;the ends of the conductor are stripped, they are positioned by means of a tool, and an insulating strip is fixed onto them;a portion of the shielding of each conductor is bared; andan insulating strip provided with a conductive strip, and the bared zones of the shielding is fixed to the conductive strip and the stripped ends of the conductors are fixed to the insulating strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Axon'Cable S.A.
    Inventor: Papon Luc
  • Patent number: 5797179
    Abstract: A machine (40) is disclosed for inserting discrete wires (100) of a cable (98) into insulation displacement contacts (20, 22) of a connector (10) having two mutually offset rows (16, 18) of contacts on the same side of the connector. The machine (40) includes first and second side by side insertion blades (238, 240) and a connector holder (48) that positions the connector to be terminated with respect to the two insertion blades. The first insertion blade (238) inserts wires into insulation displacement contacts (20) of the first row (16) of contacts and the second insertion blade (240) inserts wires in the contacts (22) of the second row (18) of contacts. A movable carriage (46) incrementally moves the connector holder (48) so that each of the contacts in the two rows are alternately positioned in alignment with their respective insertion blades for insertion of the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Elton Unger, III, Dale Eugene Stough, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5784770
    Abstract: A mechanisms (18) is disclosed for feeding electrical wire (24) in a lead making machine (10) and for positioning the end of the wire with respect to an applicator press (14) for termination. The mechanism includes a wire feed unit (42) mounted on a platform (40) that is pivotable from a position adjacent a wire cutting and stripping unit (34) and a position adjacent the applicator press (14). Two concentric drive shafts are provided, the outer shaft (44) being hollow and the inner shaft (62) being within the outer shaft. The inner shaft is drivingly coupled to the feed unit while the outer shaft is rigidly attached to the platform. A single actuator motor (196) drives both the inner and outer shafts (62, 44) through a coupling (204) that selectively couples to and decouples from each. The coupling includes an air cylinder (218) and two clutches 230, 232) that operate to lock one shaft in position while permitting the other shaft to be rotated by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Alden Owen Long, Jr., Douglas Sebastian Pfautz
  • 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: 5774981
    Abstract: Both terminal ends of each of terminal-equipped wires held by clips are simultaneously picked out by a pair of terminal insertion heads individually driven and moved simultaneously moved. Thus, a short terminal-equipped wire can be inserted into different connector housing. In a terminal insertion apparatus comprising a Y-axis beam having a terminal insertion head and moving along a pair of X-axis beams, a pair of driving motors are provided at both ends of said Y-axis beam and are driven synchronously to move said Y-axis beam. Thus, the Y-axis beam is prevented from being vibrated, thereby assuring terminal insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takamichi Maejima, Hiroo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5768766
    Abstract: There is provided a press-connecting tool by which the deformation of a sheath of a wire, as well as the loosening of a conductor of the wire, is prevented at the time of the press-connecting operation so as to keep the conductor in good contact with a press-connecting blade, thereby increasing a wire holding force and also stabilizing a contact resistance. In the press-connecting tool of the invention, a pair of opposed crush prevention walls for preventing the wire from being crushed in the press-connecting direction during the press-connecting operation extend downwardly from each of opposite lower ends of the arcuate pressing portion. The crush prevention walls and the arcuate pressing portion, which jointly form a wire pressing groove for receiving the wire, can contact a sheath of the wire at least over a half of an outer peripheral length of the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Hatagishi, Takayoshi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 5765278
    Abstract: A terminal feeding unit reducing preparation time and adapted for multi-item and small-lot production of wire harnesses and a multi-crimping apparatus employing the same are disclosed. Plural terminal feeding units (210) are incorporated into the multi-crimping apparatus (20). Each terminal feeding unit (210) has a carrier cutting section for severing a terminal portion (BS) from a terminal belt (B), a crimping section (214) located at a pressing position (A), and a feeding section (215) for feeding a terminal (T) to the crimping section (214).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Koike, Yosinobu Ohta, Teizi Sakuma, Kenichi Taniguchi
  • 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: 5761803
    Abstract: A conductive plug is formed in drilled-through vias of a printed circuit board of a polymer ink composition by a method of flooding the vias of a printed circuit board having parchment paper attached to an underside while the printed circuit board is on a vacuum table to form a first layer of the conductive plug within the vias. A second layer of the conductive plug within the via is formed by placing a stencil over the circuit board and flooding the holes of the stencil in order to form a second layer of the conductive plug within the vias of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventors: Frank St. John, Felix Rodriguez, Susan Christensen
  • Patent number: 5758403
    Abstract: A wire-insertion and cutting head assembly for a telephone wire impact-type termination tool is selectively operable to effect either a non-cutting mode of operation, or a cutting mode of operation, by selectively positioning a rotatable cam pin-based arrangement. The cam-pin based arrangement is configured such that, for a first rotational pin orientation, during axial translation of the wire insertion blade into the bore of the blade receptacle, the axial bore of the shaft portion of the wire insertion blade passes by the cylindrical shaft portion of the cam pin, and a cam-shaped surface of the cam pin enters into and passes through a reduced width region of a cam-shaped opening of a scissor-shaped blade, which prevents rotation of the cutting blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Michael M. Fallandy