Patent US4187828A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0021237A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for applying connectors to multiconductor flat cable
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1980-06-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-06-11
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for applying connectors to muliconductor electrical flat cable (24) includes a motorized cable feed mechanism (46) for feeding predetermined lengths of cable past a power actuated cable cutter (99) to a connector applying position. Power operated cable clamps disposed on opposite sides of the connector applying position are movable in the cable feeding direction to precisely locate the leading or trailing end of the cable at the connector applying position. Connector body and cover magazines (54, 56, 60) are disposed adjacent to the connector applying position. A movable connector holding member (58) includes spring biased jaws for releasably holding a connector body and cover respectively on opposite sides of a cable insertion slot. The connector holding member (58) is moved from a connector loading position to the connector applying position wherein retractale rams are actuated to apply a connector to a predetermined length of cable. The connector holding member (58) may be rotated after the connector parts ar placed on the holding member to invert a particular connector with respect to the cable and other connectors applied to the cable.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert B. Senior
- 👤 Frederick Karasinski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/01; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49174; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5136; Y10T29/5137; Y10T29/5193; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/532; Y10T29/53209; Y10T29/53213; Y10T29/53217; Y10T29/53252
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus (40) for applying a two-part electrical connector (26, 28) to flat multiconductor cable (24, characterized by a frame (42), a cable feed mechanism (46) disposed on the frame and operable to feed a predetermined length of cable along a predetermined path on the frame, a connector holding member (58) for holding the connector parts (26, 28) spaced apart one connector part from the other, the holding member being operable to be positioned in relation to the cable so that the connector parts are disposed on opposite sides of the cable, and mechanism (66, 190, 192, 196) for engaging and moving the connector parts toward each other to apply the connector to the cable.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus (40) for applying a two-part electrical connector (26, 28) to flat multiconductor cable (24, characterized by a frame (42), a cable feed mechanism (46) disposed on the frame and operable to feed a predetermined length of cable along a predetermined path on the frame, a connector holding member (58) for holding the connector parts (26, 28) spaced apart one connector part from the other, the holding member being operable to be positioned in relation to the cable so that the connector parts are disposed on opposite sides of the cable, and mechanism (66, 190, 192, 196) for engaging and moving the connector parts toward each other to apply the connector to the cable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a cable cutting mechanism (122, 126, 128) interposed between the cable to predetermined lengths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by a first clamp unit (51) interposed between the cable feed mechanism and the connector holding member for releasably clamping the cable, the first clamp unit including an actuator (102) for moving the clamp unit to position the cable for applying a connector thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the first clamp unit (51) is disposed between the feed mechanism (46) and the cutting mechanism (122, 126, 128) and is operable to move the leading edge of the cable into position to apply a connector thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by a second clamp unit (52) for releasably clamping the cable, the second clamp unit being disposed on the frame (42) beyond the holding member (58) in the direction of movement of the cable through the apparatus (40).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the second clamp unit (52) includes an actuator (138) for moving the second clamp unit to position the trailing end of a length of cable in position to apply a connector thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the second clamp unit includes power actuated opposed clamping jaws (150, 154) arranged on the second clamp unit for movement toward each other to a cable clamping condition and away from each other to a nonclamping condition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanism for engaging and moving the connector parts includes a pair of opposed rams (190, 192) operable to respectively engage the connector parts (26, 28) disposed in the connector holding member (58) forcing the connector parts toward each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by magazines (54, 56, 60) for holding a plurality of each of the connector parts and mechanism (64, 178, 184, 188) for transferring the connector parts from the magazines to the connector holding member (58) prior to application of a connector to the cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the connector holding member (58) is mounted on the apparatus (40) for movement between a first position for receiving at least one of each of the connector parts from the magazines and a second position for applying the connector to the cable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the mechanism for transferring the connector parts from the magazines comprises a pair of opposed rams (178, 184) operable to engage, respectively, the connector parts comprising a body (26) and a cover (28) disposed in the magazines and move the body and the cover onto the holding member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the holding member includes a pair of slots (172, 174) aligned in such a way as to receive a connector body and cover spaced apart one from the other, a third slot (170) formed in the holding member between the pair of slots (172, 174) and substantially perpendicular thereto for receiving a portion of the cable when the holding member is in the second position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, characterized by associated holding jaws (272, 274) disposed in the slots (172, 174) for releasably gripping the connector body and cover, respectively, and by spring means (280) for yieldably biasing the holding jaws into engagement with the body and cover.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, characterized by a housing (166) for supporting the holding member (58) for movement between the first position and the second position and by an actuator (238, 240, 242) connected to the holding member for moving the holding member between the first and second positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the holding member is connected to an actuator (260, 262) for rotating the holding member to change the relative positions of the connector parts after the connector parts are loaded into the holding member so that a connector may be applied to the cable in an inverted position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the actuator (260, 262) for rotating the holding member includes a sleeve (228) slidably supporting the holding member for linear movement with respect to the sleeve, the sleeve being rotatably mounted on the housing (166) for rotating the holding member, the sleeve including a gear (254), and a gear rack (256) engaged with the gear and connected to the actuator (260, 262) for rotating the sleeve and the holding member in response to operation of the actuator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the magazines comprise first and second magazines (54, 60) for holding, respectively, a plurality of connector parts, the first and second magazines being disposed on the apparatus (40) adjacent to the holding member (58) when the holding member is in the first position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the first and second magazines (54, 60) each comprise elongated connector part holding trays (297, 288) removably mounted on the apparatus and that the holding member is disposed between the trays and adjacent to one end of the first magazine and one end of the second magazine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized by an associated third magazine (56) disposed on the apparatus spaced from and aligned with one of said first and second magazines for holding a plurality of connector parts facing opposite to those parts disposed in the one magazine.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, characterized by an associated gate (212) disposed on the apparatus to alternately block the third magazine and the one magazine from feeding connector parts to the holding member, and by an actuator (214) connected to the gate for selectively moving the gate to block the third magazine or the one magazine.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the connector parts are disposed in the magazines side by side and that the apparatus includes mechanism (312, 314, 326) with the connector parts for biasing said parts toward the holding member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the mechanism for biasing the connector parts includes a pusher plate (312, 314, 322) engaged with at least one of the parts disposed in respective ones of the magazines and mechanism connected to the pusher plates for imposing a substantially constant feed force on the connector parts for urging the parts toward the holding member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that the mechanism means connected to the pusher plates includes hanging weights (342, 336, 356) and flexible cables.(340, 332, 338) interconnecting the respective weights and the pusher plates (312, 314, 326).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 23, characterized by elongated guides (320, 330) disposed on the apparatus adjacent to the magazines and substantially parallel to the feed path of the connector parts disposed in the magazines and by respective members (316, 322, 328) mounted on the guides and connected to the cables and the pusher plates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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