EP0187531A2 - Verfahren und Vorrichtung für Flachkabelschluss - Google Patents

Verfahren und Vorrichtung für Flachkabelschluss Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0187531A2
EP0187531A2 EP85309495A EP85309495A EP0187531A2 EP 0187531 A2 EP0187531 A2 EP 0187531A2 EP 85309495 A EP85309495 A EP 85309495A EP 85309495 A EP85309495 A EP 85309495A EP 0187531 A2 EP0187531 A2 EP 0187531A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cable
connectors
insulation
contacts
connector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP85309495A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0187531A3 (de
Inventor
William R. Beck
William Jahn
Steven R. Koltenback
Robert M. Scharf
Ronald Schwab
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ABB Installation Products Inc
Original Assignee
Thomas and Betts Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/687,622 external-priority patent/US4617732A/en
Priority claimed from US06/687,621 external-priority patent/US4583289A/en
Application filed by Thomas and Betts Corp filed Critical Thomas and Betts Corp
Publication of EP0187531A2 publication Critical patent/EP0187531A2/de
Publication of EP0187531A3 publication Critical patent/EP0187531A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/04—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for forming connections by deformation, e.g. crimping tool
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/04—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for forming connections by deformation, e.g. crimping tool
    • H01R43/048—Crimping apparatus or processes
    • H01R43/055—Crimping apparatus or processes with contact member feeding mechanism
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/04—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for forming connections by deformation, e.g. crimping tool
    • H01R43/048—Crimping apparatus or processes

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to mass termination of flat multiconductor cable and pertains more particularly to methods for making assemblies of ribbon cable and insulation-displacing contact connectors (IDC connectors).
  • IDC connectors insulation-displacing contact connectors
  • a reel-fed pneumatic termination press wherein individual IDC connectors releasably secured to a web are fed from a reel into a press having a loading die to seat same.
  • the particular IDC connectors usable in this system include a housing supporting the contacts and a cover overlying the contacts and supported at one end by a so-called living hinge. To insert a ribbon conductor in the seated connector, one lifts the cover pivotally about its hinge and advances the cable transversely into the connector, i.e., along an axis orthogonal to the cable longitudinal axis. With the cable so positioned, a die above the connector cover is activated to effect crimping and thus mass terminating the cable.
  • This invention has as its primary object the provision of expedited manufacture of assemblies of ribbon cable and IDC connectors.
  • a more particular object of the invention is the provision of methods for termination of ribbon cable by the use of connectors of type having a cover latchingly supported at both ends to a connector housing and translatable for mass terminating the cable.
  • the invention accommodates stripping of connectors individually from a reel, movement thereof to a termiantion station and movement of a ribbon cable along its longitudinal axis to the termination station.
  • the invention introduces cable guide apparatus for effectively registering the ribbon cable and seated connector, and introduces a controller for coordination of the various steps at hand.
  • web or substrate 10 includes an adhesive layer 12 and has perforations 14 extending transversely therethrough at an upper margin.
  • Connector 16 is mounted on web 10 and adhered thereto releasably by layer 12, the connector including base or housing 18 and cover 20, the cover having latch legs 22a and 22b extending downwardly in registry with cooperating latch structure on base 18. Opening 23 exists as between base 18 and cover 20 into which upwardly extend insulation-displacing contacts engageable with a ribbon cable (Fig. 7) entered into slot 23.
  • the contacts are substantially parallel to the substrate longitudinal axis.
  • web 10 is shown with a plurality of connectors 16 and is reeled upon reel 24 which is supported for rotation about shaft 26.
  • lower or loading die 28 defines a connection seat 30 leading to stop wall 32, which extends slightly above the floor of seat 30.
  • Die 28 is supported fixedly with connector chute 34, the latter including a channel 36, which defines a predetermined path for connector movement.
  • a web egress guide 38 extends laterally from chute 34.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates the Figure 3 apparatus together with web 10 in residence in both channel 36 and guide 38.
  • This stage of activity is achieved by threading web 10 into the feed end of chute 34 and guiding an end of the web into slot 38 into registry with web puller or advancer 40, same having projections 42 and 44 which are enterable in perforations 14 (Fig. 1).
  • web 10 has been advanced by puller 40 in measure releasing connector 16-1 therefrom, same being accomplished by initial advance of the web along its longitudinal axis and in such predetermined path defined by chute 34 and subsequent movement of the web at an angle to the predetermined path, i.e., in the direction of guide 38.
  • Connector 16-1 is constrained in its movement, throughout such initial and subsequent web movements, to movement in the predetermined path, same being effected by chute walls 34a and 34b and floor 34c. Upon release in leading part from the web, it will be seen that connector 16-1 confronts advance wall portion 34a-l in such constrained movement. Upstream connectors 16-2 and 16-3 will subsequently be advanced to connector seat 30 by withdrawal of puller 40 from engagement with web 10, movement leftwardly thereof in slot 38a, re-engagement with web 10, and subsequent rightward movement of puller 40.
  • released connector 16-1 is advanced from its position illustrated in fig. 4 fully to registration with stop wall 32 through the agency of pusher 46, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 and shown schematically in Fig. 4 leftwardly of its operative position.
  • pusher 46 comprises a rod 48 pivotally supporting element 50 about pin 52.
  • Rod 48 is supported for translatory motion by supports 54 and 56.
  • element 50 is distended so as to engage the rearward surface of connector 16-1 and impel same to confront stop wall 32 on movement of rod 48.
  • element 50 is shown in inoperative state, having been rotated into illustrated position to permit the next connector to be released to pass freely therebelow.
  • Ribbon cable 58 (Figs. 4 and 7) is now guided into opening 23 (Fig. 1) of connector 16-1 and into registry above insulation-displacing contacts 60 and 62 of connector 16-1, as shown in Fig. 7.
  • Upper or compression die 64 is now advanced by actuating rod 66 to force cover 20 downwardly, thereby effecting movement of cable 58 onto contacts 60 and 62 to effect electrical connection between the conductors of cable 58 and such contacts.
  • cable guide 68 of the invention is dimensioned for translatory movement on top surface 70 (Fig. 3) of lower die 28 within rails 72 and 74 thereof.
  • An upstanding manually grippable projection 76 is provided on upper surface 78 for this purpose.
  • Cable guide 68 includes a leftward open channel 80 for cable entry and includes an interior spring 82 having an upper expanse 84 secured to guide top wall 86 and a depending portion 88 cantilever-supported by portion 84 and extending to an end 90 elevated above cable guide floor 92 by slightly less than the vertical depth D of cable 58, thereby to dress cable 58 and position same precisely adjacent registration lug 94 of guide 68.
  • lug 94 The dimensions W and H of lug 94 are selected such that lug 94 registers against interior walls 20a and 20b (Fig. 1) of cover 20 and extends upwardly above ceiling 18a of base 18 correspondingly to the height of contacts 60 and 62 thereabove. With such dimensioning, it will be seen that cable 58 is guided into exacting, non-interfering, overlying registry with contacts 60 and 62, as in Fig. 9.
  • FIG. 12 an alternate orientation of connectors on the web is shown wherein web 96 has releasably secured thereto connectors 98.
  • web 96 is in vertical feed disposition in contrast to the horizontal web feed disposition of Figs. 1-4.
  • Web 96 is displaced as shown in Fig. 12 (rearwardly) for connector release, whereupon the released connector is applied to slot 106 of orientator 104, which is rotatable with shaft 108 (Fig. 13).
  • Fig. 14 Upon ninety degree rotation of orientator 104, the situation of Fig. 14 applies, i.e., slot 106 is now in alignment with connector seat 30. An air blast is now introduced into slot 106 by nozzle 110, whereupon the released connector in slot 106 is advanced to seat 30.
  • Fiq. 15 shows a control system for a pneumatic version of apparatus in accordance with the invention.
  • cable quide 68 is displaced from engagement with the connector to its leftward position in Fig. 15.
  • Pressure from source S now flows through valve 112, the state of which changes upon such movement of guide 68.
  • Pressure is now furnished through valve 114 to displace the spool of valve 116, pressurizing line 118 and activatina crimp valve 120.
  • valve 122 is operated bv pressure chanqe in line 124 and line 126 reversely displaces the spool of valve 116. This renders line 128 pressurized, causing feed cylinder 130 to advance the web for feeding of the next connector.
  • rod 132 changes the state of valve 134, providing communication between lines 136 and 138.
  • Line 140 also now pressurized, operates orientation cylinder 142.
  • rod 144 changes the state of valve 146.
  • valve 148 provides communication between lines 150 and 162, thus pressurizing line 154 to displace the spool of valve 156 and issue a blast of pressure through valve 156 to nozzle 158, advancing the next connector into seat 30.
  • slide 68 is advanced to register the cable with such connector and, upon withdrawal, the cycle repeats.
  • a mass termination station is shown in the form of fixed lower die 28 and fixed upper die 64, same may of course be comprised of fixtures having removable insert dies for accommodating various differently-shaped connectors.
  • mechanical structure such as for substrate-independent connector movement (pusher 46) and substrate advance (puller 40) may take on various configurations.
  • orientator 104 may be provided with a family of inserts for slot 106 to accommodate different sized connectors.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
EP85309495A 1984-12-31 1985-12-24 Verfahren und Vorrichtung für Flachkabelschluss Withdrawn EP0187531A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US687622 1984-12-31
US06/687,622 US4617732A (en) 1984-12-31 1984-12-31 Method for termination of flat cable
US687621 1984-12-31
US06/687,621 US4583289A (en) 1984-12-31 1984-12-31 System and apparatus for termination of flat cable

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0187531A2 true EP0187531A2 (de) 1986-07-16
EP0187531A3 EP0187531A3 (de) 1987-09-02

Family

ID=27104038

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85309495A Withdrawn EP0187531A3 (de) 1984-12-31 1985-12-24 Verfahren und Vorrichtung für Flachkabelschluss

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0187531A3 (de)

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4148118A (en) * 1978-03-17 1979-04-10 Amp Incorporated Apparatus for connecting pairs of wires
US4344225A (en) * 1980-02-25 1982-08-17 Amp Incorporated Pre-assembly and terminating apparatus
US4332083A (en) * 1980-05-15 1982-06-01 Amp Incorporated Terminating apparatus for flat cable

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0187531A3 (de) 1987-09-02

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Inventor name: SCHWAB, RONALD

Inventor name: KOLTENBACK, STEVEN R.

Inventor name: JAHN, WILLIAM

Inventor name: SCHARF, ROBERT M.

Inventor name: BECK, WILLIAM R.