Abstract: A bending device is provided in a tape feeder. In the bending device, lead wires of a bending target lead component that has reached a bending position of lead component tape fed by a feeding device are bent. In addition, as the lead wires are cut by a cutting device, bent lead components are separated from a carrier tape, and the bent lead components are supplied one by one. In this manner, in the tape feeder, as the lead wires of the lead component tape are bent, the bent lead components are supplied.

Abstract: A continuous coil string staging system is provided herein that includes at least one coiler configured to output at least one continuous coil string, at least one assembler configured to assemble the at least one continuous coil string into a mattress assembly, and at least one coil string staging apparatus disposed between the at least one coiler and at the least one assembler. The at least one coil string staging apparatus can have an input, a staging buffer, and an output such that the coil string staging apparatus receives the at least one continuous coil string that is output from the at least one coiler and outputs the at least one continuous coil string to the assembler such that there is a buffer of coil string available to the assembler. Various coil string staging apparatuses and methods are also provided herein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for automatically assembling a hinge, comprising a connecting piece module assembly device, an adjustment sheet module assembly device, a main body bracket module assembly device, and a finished hinge product assembly device, wherein the connecting piece module assembly device is used for assembling a connecting piece module; the adjustment sheet module assembly device is used for riveting an adjustment sheet module; the main body bracket module assembly device is used for assembling a main body bracket, a main body bracket bolt, and a screw into a main body bracket module; and the high finished product assembly device is used for assembling the connecting piece module, the adjustment sheet module, the main body bracket module, and other materials into a finished hinge product. The device for automatically assembling a hinge of the present invention is used for the automatic assembly of a hinge.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing a mattress generally includes an automated foam layer placement apparatus for accurately securing one or more foam layers onto an innercore unit and bucket assembly.

Abstract: An optical fiber stripper includes handles, two stripping blades and an optical fiber positioning reference block, on which optical fiber jacket stripping sub-channel, covered wire/cable jacket stripping sub-channel, and bare fiber coating stripping sub-channel are disposed in parallel, and the stripping blade, respectively, contains optical fiber jacket stripping port, first port, and sharp-angle port. The present invention can be used to strip various layers through the ports on the stripping blades, to ensure that the optical fiber is not broken when stripping optical fiber, and to prevent optical fiber surface from attaching to debris, so that the optical fiber jointing efficiency is improved greatly.

Abstract: Whether or not a lead wire has been normally cut and clinched can be reliably detected. A contact pipe is arranged in lead wire insertion holes of a pair of fixed pawls in a state of being electrically insulated from the fixed pawls. In a case where the lead wire is shorter than a set length after the lead wire is inserted into the lead wire insertion holes, a clearance of the pair of lead wire insertion holes is widened by a set amount in the event of outward bending of the lead wire and is narrowed by a set amount in the event of inward bending. A cut-and-clinch operation is performed with S4 bypassed in a case where the length of the lead wire is at least the set length.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing a mattress generally includes an automated foam layer placement apparatus for accurately securing one or more foam layers onto an innercore unit and bucket assembly.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems for providing stator bar shape tooling. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a system for shaping an element is provided. The system includes tooling that having at least one constraining surface that is fabricated at least in part by selective laser sintering, where the at least one constraining surface includes at least one curved element section to facilitate bending of at least a portion of an element around the at least one curved element section.

Abstract: A laminated core punching apparatus, configured such that a stator-punching press machine that has a molding die performing a partial punching gradually approaches the shape of the stator core piece. There is a punching die to punching out the stator core piece from a strip-form steel plate, and two stator lamination stations. A rotor-punching press machine and a stator-punching press machine are constructed to operate synchronously. An intermediate loop portion capable of causing a strip-form steel plate to hang down in a loop is provided in order to adjust a length of the strip-form steel plate between the two press machines, and a loop guide portion that guides a loop locus of the strip-form steel plate from above so that the strip-form steel plate does not invert is disposed above the intermediate loop portion to be capable of ascending and descending.

Abstract: A method of preparing a plurality of bar-wound stator conductors for electrical interconnection includes inserting the plurality of conductors into a stator, twisting a conductor such that a first conductor of a first row is adjacent to a second conductor of a second row; trimming the adjacent first and second conductors to a common length using a trimming device; and grinding the trimmed first and second conductors to a pre-determined surface profile using a rotary cutting tool.

Abstract: A method for handling a stator bar at a braze station including: lifting the stator bar from a platform, wherein the stator bar is in a substantially horizontal orientation on the platform; turning the stator bar from the horizontal orientation to an orientation at least 45 degrees from horizontal; aligning an upper end of the bar with a brazing station and positioning a lower end of the bar in a pit; turning the bar to reverse positions of the ends of the bar, and returning the stator bar to a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: Systems, including method and apparatus, for processing workpieces driven automatically along a linear path to a plurality of positions disposed substantially along the linear path. In some embodiments, a workpiece may be processed at one or more of the positions using two or more processing stations, such as a first processing station that cuts the workpiece into segments and a second processing station that performs another processing operation on the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and machine for manufacturing foam parts are provided. The method generally includes cutting a plurality of sections across the width of the base sheet, engaging and reorienting at least one portion of each section, and joining the portions of each section in a desired configuration to thereby form a plurality of parts. The portions can be engaged by actuator assemblies operating in successively adjacent work spaces across the width of the base sheet to simultaneously produce a plurality of similar parts. In some cases, each part includes at least one portion that is reoriented relative to another portion, such as by rotating one of the portions or adjusting one of the portions to a position that is offset from the plane of the section.

Abstract: A stator bar facility including: a stator bar workstation; an in-ground pit below the workstation; a stator bar elevator extending from the workstation pit, and a coupling mechanism attached to the elevator, wherein the coupling mechanism further comprises a rotational mount to receive at least one stator bar, wherein the rotational mount enables the received stator bar to be turned from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.

Abstract: In a wire-processing machine, by a linear movement away from a first holding unit, a gripper applies to a gripping unit a pull-out force in the longitudinal axis of the wire. The pull-out force that is exerted on the wire is measured by, for example, a force sensor that is arranged on the holding unit or by the motor current of the motor that causes the linear movement. The gripper and the gripping unit together make measurement of the pull-out force possible also for medium-sized and large wires without the gripper needing to be constructed stronger, or its dimensions, or the gripper-arm drive, needing to be changed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for supporting a PCB substrate during printing. The apparatus includes first and second fixing units that cooperate to edge-clamp the substrate. The first fixing unit includes a first movable plate, a first actuator, and a first stopper that limits outward movement of the first movable plate. The second fixing unit includes a second movable plate, a second actuator, and a second stopper that limits outward movement of the second movable plate. When printing the substrate from the first edge to the second edge, the first and second fixing units operate so that the second actuator moves the second movable plate outwardly to contact the second stopper, and the first actuator moves the first movable plate inwardly to press the substrate toward the second movable plate. When printing the substrate from the second edge to the first edge the first and second fixing units operate oppositely.

Abstract: A miter joint assembly system. The system comprises a generally planar assembly plate. A clamping assembly is attached to the assembly plate. At least one drill guide is detachably coupled to the assembly plate at a predetermined orientation. The clamping assembly is configured to releasably secure a first and a second mitered molding to the assembly plate such that the first and second mitered moldings are oriented generally orthogonally to each other. The drill guide is configured to bore a pocket hole and a pilot hole into the first mitered molding, the pocket and pilot holes receiving a fastener to draw and secure the second mitered molding to the first mitered molding.

Abstract: A process carrier is capable of supporting printed circuit boards during manufacturing and testing. The process carrier includes a base plate, a first top plate and a second top plate. The base plate has an upper surface including a recessed area sized to receive a panelized group of printed circuit board substrates and a lower surface. The first top plate is coupleable to the upper surface of the base plate during a first manufacturing process. The first top plate includes a plurality of connected rails configured to secure the panelized group of printed circuit board substrates. The second top plate is coupleable to the upper surface of the base plate during a second manufacturing process. The second top plate is configured to cover the panelized group of printed circuit board substrates.

Abstract: A wiring harness manufacturing method and a wiring harness manufacturing apparatus is provided, wherein manufacturing costs of a wiring harness is reduced. The wiring harness manufacturing apparatus (1) has a pair of wire stocking units (10a, 10b), a pair of cutting units (11a, 11b), a pair of joining units (12a, 12b), and a case insertion unit (13). Painting devices (14,15,16) are attached to one wire stocking unit (10a). Painting devices (17,18,19) are attached to one cutting unit (11a). Painting devices (18,19) are attached to one joining unit (12a). The painting devices (14,15,16,17,18,19) color the electric wire.

Abstract: A method of handling an electrical component is disclosed. The method includes initiating a first engagement between the electrical component and a conveyor, initiating a second engagement between a tool and the electrical component without altering the first engagement, and performing a tooling operation on the electrical component with the tool.

Abstract: A system and method for insertion of fibers into respective rows of fiber holes in a ferrule that involves mounting the ferrule in a first element and a proximal end of a first cable containing exposed fibers onto a movable element, adjusting the movable element until the fibers are adjacent to a bottom-most row of fiber holes, inserting each fiber into its respective hole in the bottom-most row, mounting the first cable in a second element, releasing the first cable from the movable element, mounting a second cable containing exposed fibers onto the movable element, adjusting the movable element until the fibers are adjacent to a second row of ferrule fiber holes, and inserting each fiber into its respective hole in the second row.

Abstract: A mixed wire conveying step is provided to supply a plurality of terminal-connected wires having different specifications to the same production line. A wire holding step is provided to hold a terminal of the supplied terminal-connected wire such that the terminal can be inserted at least by means of a terminal chuck. An inserter selecting step is provided to select a suitable one from a plurality of terminal inserters for inserting the terminal in an inserting step in accordance with the kind of the supplied terminal-connected wire. The inserting step is performed by the cooperation of the terminal inserter selected in the inserter selecting step and a terminal chuck. A wide range of inserting operations for inserting many kinds of terminal-connected wires TW can be performed by a single unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for processing electronic components, such as semi-conductor products, comprising at least two processing stations, at least one supply/discharge position for electronic components, a robot arm with engaging means for engaging the electronic components for displacing electronic components between the supply/discharge position and the processing stations, and a control for actuating the robot arm and the processing stations. The invention also relates to an assembly of at least two such apparatuses and to a method for processing electronic components which can be performed by means of the apparatus according to the invention.

Abstract: A machine for the automated assembly of wafers such as solar cells into strings, comprising a control system, a cell loader with wafer inspection station, a cell tab loader, a string assembly station, and a platen with adjacent pairs of individual cell, opposing edge grippers having multiple sets of vertically operable pincer action fingers for holding cells in string alignment during soldering. The string assembly station has a cooperating cell support and tab tail support mechanism providing for a tab tail hand off from one to the other with a platen indexing movements of cell pitch distance. The platen moves from the string assembly station through a soldering station consisting of a preheat, soldering, and cooling zones spaced a cell pitch distance apart. A string unloader moves completed strings through a string inspection station placing strings in a good or bad string holding area.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting terminals carried on a carrier strip into cavities in a housing having a slide assembly with a cam track movable between a first and a second position, and a pivoting lever with a cam follower. The cam follower is positioned in and cooperates with the cam track. The lever is movable between an open and closed position and has first and second shearing blades. An eccentric pin extends through the lever and is attached to a rotary actuator. The eccentric pin is positioned to act as the pivot point for the lever. The rotary actuator is movable between an engaged and disengaged position. As the lever is moved to the closed position, the first shearing blades engage and shear a first portion of the carrier strip. As the rotary actuator moves to an engaged position, the second shearing blade engages and shears a second portion of the carrier strip.

Abstract: The machine comprises two independent fastening stations. The first station (2), designed to assembly the corners of the frame separately and successively, is provided with two cutting heads (3, 7) for cutting the mouldings (5, 9) forming the corner of the frame, as well as with a fastening head (11) and devices with stops (6, 10) and jaws (14) for holding mouldings in position. The second station (15), designed for final assembly of the frame, is provided with two fastening heads (19, 20) installed facing each other along the diagonal of the frame to be produced.

Abstract: A part mounting apparatus mounts a part, such as a film electronic part, accurately and efficiently on a substrate, such as a glass substrate. A measuring device (21) moves along the edges of a glass substrate (31) and measures the distance between the measuring device (21) and the glass substrate (31) at predetermined positions. The measuring device (21) gives measured data to a controller (22). The controller (22) determines the state of deformation of the glass substrate (31) on the basis of the measured data and controls suctions to be applied by suction pads (12) included in a substrate conveying unit (10) to the glass substrate (31) on the basis of the measured data. The glass substrate (31) being conveyed by the substrate conveying unit (10) receives downward suctions of the suction pads (12) and upward reaction forces of props (13).

Abstract: A processing line for liquid crystal display fabrication. The process line reduces unnecessary processing steps by removing known defective (NG) individual liquid crystal panels before subsequent processing, with the knowledge about defects depending on stored information.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method and apparatus for manufacturing sheet metal packets in punch-packeting technology with a round or oval iron cross section. laminations are punched from a ribbon and are provided with depressions at one side and with elevations at the other side that coincide with the depressions and lie opposite them, with the elevations being in the form of at least two circular nipples being pressed into the depressions upon assembly of each packet. In one lamination per packet, serving as a separating lamination, cylindrical holes are punched instead of the depressions, the nipples of the neighboring lamination engaging into these holes. Laminations are thereby punched from the strip that respectively exhibit different outside contours, particularly different widths, and are joined with one another to form a packet that has a cross-section that is at least partially round, by virtue of the sheet metal packet having graduated edges.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for progressively cutting, piercing, bending, stacking, and interlocking lamination assemblies from a strip of laminate. The stacked laminations are mechanically interlocked with a staple-style interlock that secures all the laminations in the stack together. All the steps in the process of forming, stacking and interlocking are done within the tool and die assembly, eliminating the need for additional equipment to stack and interlock assemblies.

Abstract: An axial type electronic component inserting apparatus is provided for inserting into holes of a board a pair of lead wires of each of axial type electronic components connected by a tape at regular intervals. A first kind of the components have a larger tape interval and a second kind of the components have a smaller tape interval. The apparatus includes a pair of centering chucks having recesses for contacting both sides of the body of the component, and being movable in a symmetrical manner with respect to the center to adjust the body of the component from both sides of the main body while the recesses come in contact with both sides of the body of the component, thus resulting in centering of the component.

Abstract: Device (10) to produce reinforcement metal cages comprising a plurality of longitudinal round pieces (13) associated with a plurality of stirrups (12) arranged at intervals along them, said device (10) comprising at least a supporting plane (20) on which said cage is progressively formed able to support rods (30) which complete the cage (11), lifting means (31, 32, 33a, 33b) being provided along said supporting plane (20) to keep said rods (30) raised at least during the advance of the cage (11) which is progressively formed and to allow said rods (30) to be inserted inside the perimeter of the stirrups (12).

Abstract: A wire laying apparatus is provided which can easily position a wire with respect to a work and improve an operability when the wire is laid on the work. The wire laying apparatus is provided with a base 12, a turntable 13, a support frame 14, a wire laying mechanism 50, a press cutting mechanism 100 and a press insulation-displacing mechanism 150. Pieces of an insulated wire 62 to which a wire laying process and a press cutting process have been applied are pushed by pushing portions 157 from above a wire laying mold 16 during a press insulation-displacing process, thereby being transferred from the wire laying mold 16 to a work piece 181 located below. In this case, the pieces of the insulated wire 62 tightly held by the wire laying mold 16 are transferred to specified positions on the work piece 181 while a layout pattern thereof is maintained, and laid on the work 181 while being fastened to wire mounts and insulating-displacing pieces.

Abstract: An insulation displacement stand includes: a fixed rack in which a first surface for receiving a pressure-receiving surface of a connector housing and a second surface escaping from a locking portion are formed with a difference in level in a heightwise direction; a movable rack in which a third surface for receiving a connection surface having contact connection portions opened in the connector housing and a fourth surface for receiving the surface having electric wire insertion holes opened in the connector housing are formed; and a braking unit provided in the fixed rack and pressing the connector housing against the third surface by pressing a surface of the connector housing from which electric wires are drawn out. In the insulation displacement stand, the movable rack is provided so that the movable rack can be apart from the fixed rack in the heightwise direction.

Abstract: Progressive die assembly for forming a centrally interlocked stack of laminations for rotors, the stack of laminations having a central stack axis. The die assembly includes a punch which forms a centrally located, circular indentation in each lamination, the indentations each having a cental axis which is substantially coaxial with the stack axis. The indentation provides corresponding projections and depressions in the laminas which may be interlocked by engaging adjacent depressions and projections. The station of the die assembly which includes the punch for forming the indentation may also include a counterforce which is applied when punching the indentation so that the stock material is relatively flat. The die assembly also includes a rotating and stacking station in which the laminations are blanked, then rotated, and finally stacked together to form a lamination stack.

Abstract: An optical memory device has grooves for guiding a light spot and pits for serving as track number indicators. The width W.sub.1 and depth d.sub.1 of the grooves and the width W.sub.2 and depth d.sub.2 of the pits are so selected that 2D(W.sub.1, d.sub.1)=1+D(W.sub.2, d.sub.2) where D(W.sub.1, d.sub.1) and D(W.sub.2, d.sub.2) are respectively the reflectivity of the groove and the pit.