AU477384B2 - Wiring apparatus - Google Patents

Description

47283n2 This invention relates to apparatus for wiring a board carrying an array of contact pins, which

apparatus provides rearward access to the contact pins O a,,lvide, 4k and employsknumerical movement control for a wiring tool

as well as for a pair of retractable test probes provided

on the rear side of the board of contact pins.

A device is already known for establishing electrical control and/or power supply connections between

terminal pins of supporting plates. In this device, a holding arrangement, for the tool establishing the wire

connection, is capable of being positioned with the aid

of numerical track or movement control in an aligning

fashion with respect to selected individual pins of the

supporting plate, and capable of being moved towards the pins. In such types of devices the work of the operator is substantially facilitated, but the finished product

must still be checked for possible errors.

A semi-automatic wiring device is known in which

on the rear side of the wiring frames special carriers

capable of being displaced with the aid of a positioning

device are arranged, test probes capable of being displaced

in the direction towards the wiring frame being arranged

on the carriers. With the aid of this arrangement there is enabled a simultaneous automatic continuity check with

respect to the established wire connection. Relative thereto, however, it is deemed a disadvantage that the operator has to guide the wiring tool manually, and to

select the pins to be processed out of the entire wiring

frame according to instructions.

2- 477.3 84

It is an object 3 2 47.the2 8present invention to provide wiring apparatus in which the wiring too

guidedimechanically (by machine) and wherein errors in the

manufactured or resulting wiring are minimised if not

eliminated. According to the present invention there is provided

apparatus for wiring a board carrying an array of contact

pins which can be contacted from the front and the rear sides

of the board, the apparatus comprising a support which supports and holds the board, a pair of test probes which are positioned at the rear sde of the board, a wiring tool which wires

the contact pins at the front side of the board, and a holding

arrangement which holds the wiring tool and which is movable over the contact pins, one of the test probes being arranged

to contact the contact pins prior to wiring by the tool

whereby to establish that the correct pin is about to be wired,

said one probe being mechanically linked with the holding

arrangement so that this probe will automaticallymove

to the same pin as the one to which the wiring tool is moved

for wiring, the other test probe being operable to contact

the contact pins to check for wiring continuity after wiring by the wiring tool.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with

reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows a wiring (wire-wrapping)

apparatus in a side view;

Figs. 2a d schematically show the individual steps

of the wiring and testing operation; and

Figs. 3a b show possible positions of a test adapter

3 477.3 84

47.283/72 with a test probe capable of being swivelled or employing two test probe elements, respectively.

Fig.l schematically shows a wire-wrapping system in a side view. On a base plate 1 there is mounted a stand 2 carrying a frame 3. In this frame 3, with the aid of not shown means, and in an easy inter- changeable manner, there is inserted a contact pin assembly or board 4. For establishing connection and effecting the wiring of a great number of subassembly groups or plug-in units in electronic systems, there are used such types of contact pin assemblies 4. These contact pin assemblies may include up to several thousand contact pins arranged in rows and columns at an equal basic spaced relation, or a multiple thereof, with all of the contact pins having, for example, a rectangular cross sectional shape which is particularly favorable for being engaged by a wiring tool 6. The only prerequisite with respect to the contact pin assemblies is that the contact pins included therein areaccessible on the rear side by the test probes.

As a wiring tool 6 there is preferably used an automatically operating wire-wrapping gun capable of utilizing insulated switching wire coming from a supply reel. There may also be used other tools, or else a simple wire-wrap gun for serving as the wiring tool. This, however, would increase the amount of work to be done by the operator.

Parallel in relation to the front plane of the contact pin assembly 4 there are arranged two arms 7 and 8 4- 47 73 84

47 2 8 3 n2 capable of being moved at right angles to one another and independently of one another in two coordinate

directions, with these arms being joined to one another,

for example, by means of a cross sleeve. On one arm 8

there is mounted a holding arrangement 10 for the wiring

tool 6, in which the latter is fixed in position. The

wiring tool is able to traverse the whole front surface

of the contact pin assembly by virtue of movement of

the arms 7 and 8 relative to one another and the contact

pin assembly. The arms 7 and 8 are moved by means of

motors (not shown) with the latter being controlled by

corresponding command signals produced in a control

box 9.

On the holding arrangement 10 for the wiring tool

6 there is mounted a U-shaped arm 11, to one arm of which, on the rear side of the contact pin assembly 4, there is

attached a test adapter or probe holder 12. This test

adapter 12 carries a test probe 16 which is capable of

being moved towards and away from the planeof the contact

pin assembly 4. The arm 11 is dimensioned and arranged

such that the test adapter 12 mounted thereon will exactly

follow the movements of the holding arrangement 10, so

that there is not required a separate motor for driving

the test adapter. Moreover, on the rear side of the contact pin

assembly 4, there are arranged two arms 13 and 14 capable

of being moved at right angles to one another and independ-

ently of one another in two coordinate directions, with

these arms being coupled to one another, for example, by

477,384

47.28 3 n2 means of a cross sleeve. On one arm 14 there is mounted

a test adapter or probe holder 15. This test adapter

carries a test probe 17 capable of being moved towards

and away from the plane of the contact pin assembly 4.

Both of the arms 13 and 14 are movable so that the probe

17 may traverse the whole rear surface of the contact pin

assembly, with the aid of motors (not shown) receiving

their corresponding command signals from the control box

9. The control box 9 contains the numerical movement

controls for the motors of the arms 7, 8, 13 and 14, as well as the control arrangement for the wiring tool 6,

and the control circuits for testing the manufactured or

completed runs of wire (wire lengths) between contact pins.

The information for the entire sequence of operations may

be taken, for example, from a perforated tape. It is also

possible, however, to use any other information storage

or recording medium. Via flexible cables, the control box

9 is connected to the wiring tool 6, the test adapters 12

and 15 and the motors for the arms 7, 8, 13 and 14. Fig.l

only shows the cables needed for testing the manufactured

runs of wire, in a simple representation. Figs. 2a and 2b schematically show the sequence

of operations of the wiring apparatus and, in particular,

the testing process. The wiring tool 6, by the movement

of the arms 7 and 8 is moved over a particular contact pin

to be worked at. The test probe 16, which is thus

automatically positioned on the rear side of the contact

pin assembly, over the same contact pin 5, is then lowered,

and via the test probe 16 a test voltage is applied to this 477,3 84

4 7 .28 3 n2 particular contact pin 5. The wiring tool is then

likewise moved onto the contact pin 5, and the wire 19

coming, for example, from a supply reel is connected to

this contact pin 5 by means of the wire wrap joint 18,

in a conventional manner. Prior to establishing the

wire wrap joint 18 it was checked, via the wiring tool 6,

whether the test voltage was available at the contact

pin 5, thus checking whether the proper contact pin had

been approached. In the case of an automatic wiring

tool detection of the test voltage on the pin may trigger

operation of the tool. At the same time, the movement

of the arms 7 and 8 may be subjected to one of the known

nominal-to-actual value comparisons by way of the

movement control in the control box 9. Testing of the

contact pin is performed by lines 20 and 21 which are

connected to the control box 9. The test probe 17 of the

test adaptor 15 is still in its rest position which is

indicated by a retracted position as shown in Fig. 2a. Upon retraction of both the wiring tool 6 and

the test probe 16, the wire 19 is applied eitheer-mnual-lly- A4s4Lk m44 4i #i Mtd austjialtcaUilo ma4w"i0, o. by the wiring tool 6,lto the contact pin 5 i'dicated by

the control as being next, so as to be connected to this

pin by means of a wire wrap joint as described hereinbefore. One run of wire has now been laid out and may be checked

(Fig.2b). To this end, the wiring tool 6 is retracted

from the contact pin 5. On the rear side of the field

of contact pins 4, the test probe 16 remains in connection

with the contact pin 5 on which the run of wire terminates.

Owing to the movement of the arms 13 and 14, caused by the

477,3 84

47.2 8 3/72 movement control, the test adapter 15 is moved over the contact

pin from which the run of wire extends. Upon lowering the test probe 17 onto that contact pin there is completed the test circuit

extending from the control box via the test probes and the connected

run of wire, in order to check that the correct pins were connected

together. The next run of wire (wire length) can only be laid out

after having been approved by the control box circuit.

Assume, for example, that the wire 19 is to be passed

from the contact pin which was the last one to be processed, to

a further contact pin. In this particular case, the test probe 17

can remain positioned on the previous contact pin 5, and only the

test probe 17 is lifted off only for test purposes. After having established the wire-wrap connection 18, as already described

hereinbefore, the wire 19 is passed onto the next contact pin

and is fixed in position in the form of a wire joint 18, after the

test probe 16 has applied the test voltage to this particular

contact pin. In other words, when a number of pins are to be joined the free test probe may be positioned at the first pin to

check continuity, rather than moving to test each wrap joint as

shown in Figs. 2c and d.

Now the test adapter 15 is again moved over the contact

pin from which the run of wire extends, and the test probe 17

is lowered onto this pin. In cases where the test provides an acceptance signal, the next run of wire may then be laid out.

This next run of wire can be laid out from any of the contact

pins and not, as described hereinbefore by way of example, only

from a contact pin onto which a wire has already been wrapped.

8 -477.3 84

47. 283/72 Figs. 3a and 3b show the use of a test adapter

including a special test probe 17 which is capable of

being rotated through 1800 as well as being retractable.

In Fig.3a a laid-out run of wire is indicated by the

reference numeral 22. The test probe 17 is shown position-

ed on the contact pin at the beginning of the run of wire

22, and the test probe 16 is positioned on the contact

pin at the end of the run of wire 22. In this position

the probe 17 extends from the right-hand side of arm 14.

However, in order to reach the same contact pin,

it is also possible to move the arm 14 to the right, with

the test probe 17 rotated through 1800 and extending from

the left-hand side of arm 14 (Fig.3b). This possibility.

is of advantage in cases where the next contact pin to be

tested is separated from the preceding one by a distance

corresponding to the spacing between the two possible positions of probe 17. In such a case contact with the

respective pins can be made without moving the arm 14,

but by rotating the test probe 17 through 1800.

In order to keep the movements of the arms 13

and 14 as small as possible but still use a single adapter

to contact two separate contact pins, the test adapter 15 may

be provided with two test probe elements capable of being

actuated independently of one another, instead of with only

one test probe 17 capable of being rotated. These test

probes might be arranged at the two positions which can be

assumed by the test probe 17 which is capable of being

rotated 1800 i.e. on the right and on the left of the

arm 14. 9 477.3 84

47 283 Moreover, it is possible for the test adapter 12

not to be connected rigidly to the holding arrangement

of the wiring tool 6 via an arm 11, but to establish this

operative connection mechanically via a (not shown)

gearing. This would result in smaller dimensions of the

construction.

10 477,3 84

Claims (3)

1. 47 2 8 3 /72 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

   i. Apparatus for wiring a board carrying an array of contact

   pins which can be contacted from the front and the rear sides

   of the board, the apparatus comprising a support which supports

   and holds the board, a pair of test probes which are positioned

   at the rear side of the board, a wiring tool which wires

   the contact pins at the front side of the board, and a holding

   arrangement which holds the wiring tool and which is movable over the contact pins, one of the test probes being arranged

   to contact the contact pins prior to wiring by the tool whereby to establish that the correct pin is about to be

   wired, said one probe being mechanically linked with the

   holding arrangement so that this probe will automatically move to the same pin as the one to which the wiring tool is

   moved for wiring, the other test probe being operable to

   contact the contact pins to check for wiring continuity after

   wiring by the wiring tool.
2. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim i, wherein the other

   test probe is not connected to the holding arrangement and

   is capable of being rotated through 1800.
3. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim i, wherein the other

   test probe is not connected to the holding arrangement and

   comprises two test probe elements, which elements are

   spaced a distance apart corresponding to a predetermined

   contact pin spacing.

   4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding

   claims, wherein the wiring tool is an automatically operating wire wrapping gun.

   Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims

   comprising a U-shaped member and wherein the one test probe

   1- 477.3 84

   47 2 83 i2 is mounted on one arm of the U-shaped member while

   the holding arrangement for the wiring tool is arranged

   on the other arm of the U-shaped member.

   6. Apparatus for wiring a board carrying an array

   of contact pins substantially as herein described with

   reference to the accompanying drawings.

   DATED THIS NINETEENTH DAY OF AUGUST,1976.- N STANDARD TELEPHONES AND CABLES PTY.LIMITED.

   477.3 84

   4.2 83 /72

   FIG.!

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   47. 283/72

   fIG6 3a.1

   FIG 3 b.

   477.3 84