EP0286208A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electrical lead parking and sorting station
Assignee: Whitaker LLC
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Filing: 1988-02-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-02-09
Abstract
Abstract The lead parking and sorting station is for receiving electrical leads (L), especially those which differ from one another and for presenting the leads for pick up by a block loading station. The parking and sorting station comprises a pair of ganged jaw wheels (12 and 16) each having lead gripping jaws (13). The jaw wheels (12 and 16) can be swung to move each jaw wheel (12 and 16) between a lead loading position (LP) and a lead sorting and discharge position (DP). When in its loading position (LP), each jaw wheel (12 and 16) is driven by a unidirectional stepping motor (14) in constantly spaced steps, to pick up a lead (L) at each step. When it has been loaded with leads (L) each jaw wheel (12 and 16) is swung to its sorting and discharge position (DP) where it is driven by a bidirectional stepping motor (18), in steps, the length and direction of which are determined by a pre-arranged harness making program, the leads being picked up by the block loading station at a pick up position (PP).
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Gerst
- 👤 Horst Joachim Theodor Knapp
- 👤 Werner Maack
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/20; H01R43/28; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5152; Y10T29/5153; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/532; Y10T29/53209; Y10T29/53213; Y10T29/53235; Y10T29/53261
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
An electrical lead parking and sorting station (2) for receiving electrical leads (L) and presenting the leads (L) for pick-up, in a predetermined order according to a program; characterized by a support structure (38, 46), a lead carrier support (56) mounted to the support structure (38, 46) for swinging movement relative thereto, a pair of lead carriers (12 and 16) each connected to the lead carrier support (56) for rotation relative thereto, and each having a series of pairs of lead gripping jaws (13) constantly spaced from each other about its axis (72) of rotation and jaw drive units (28) for individually and sequentially opening and closing the pairs of jaws (13) as determined by said program, a lead carrier support drive unit (40) actuable to swing the lead carrier support (56) relative to said support structure (38, 46) thereby to swing each lead carrier (12 and 16) in turn between a lead loading first position (LP) and a lead sorting and discharge second position (DP), and lead carrier drive means (14, 18) actuable intermittently to rotate each lead carrier (12 or 16) through equal angular first steps about its axis (72) when the lead carrier (12 or 16) in its first position (LP) and bidirectionally through unequal, angular second steps about its axis (72) as determined by the program, when the lead carrier (12 or 16) is in its second position (DP).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
An electrical lead parking and sorting station (2) for receiving electrical leads (L) and presenting the leads (L) for pick-up, in a predetermined order according to a program; characterized by a support structure (38, 46), a lead carrier support (56) mounted to the support structure (38, 46) for swinging movement relative thereto, a pair of lead carriers (12 and 16) each connected to the lead carrier support (56) for rotation relative thereto, and each having a series of pairs of lead gripping jaws (13) constantly spaced from each other about its axis (72) of rotation and jaw drive units (28) for individually and sequentially opening and closing the pairs of jaws (13) as determined by said program, a lead carrier support drive unit (40) actuable to swing the lead carrier support (56) relative to said support structure (38, 46) thereby to swing each lead carrier (12 and 16) in turn between a lead loading first position (LP) and a lead sorting and discharge second position (DP), and lead carrier drive means (14, 18) actuable intermittently to rotate each lead carrier (12 or 16) through equal angular first steps about its axis (72) when the lead carrier (12 or 16) in its first position (LP) and bidirectionally through unequal, angular second steps about its axis (72) as determined by the program, when the lead carrier (12 or 16) is in its second position (DP).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 1, characterized by a drive mechanism drive (40, 98, 104) for rotating each lead carrier (12 or 16) through half a revolution about its axis (72) of rotation, in the opposite sense to the sense of rotation of said lead carrier support (56), as the lead carrier (12 or 16) is being swung from its first position (LP) to its second position (DP).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lead carrier drive means comprises a unidirectional first stepping motor (14) for rotating each lead carrier (12 or 16) through said first steps, when the lead carrier (14 or 16) is in its first position and a bidirectional second stepping motor (18) for rotating each lead carrier (12 or 16) bidirectionally, and through said second steps when the lead carrier (12 or 16) is in its second position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 3, characterized in that the stepping motors (14 and 18) are fixed with respect to the support structure (38, 46), and mechanism (66, 74) is provided for connecting each lead carrier (12 and 16) to the first stepping motor (14) when the lead carrier is in its first position (LP), for connecting each lead carrier (12 or 16) to the second stepping motor (18) when the lead carrier (12 or 16) is in its second position (DP) and for disconnecting each lead carrier (12 or 16) from its first or second stepping motor (14 or 18), as the case may be, to allow the lead carriers (12 and 16) to be swung between their first and second positions (LP and DP).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lead carrier support (56) is swingable by its drive unit (40) about a horizontal axis (55), the axes (72) of rotation of the lead carriers (12 and 16) extending on either side of the swinging axis (55) of the lead carrier support (56) and in parallel relationship thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each lead carrier (12 or 16) is mounted for rotation about the axis of a shaft (72) in said lead carrier support (56), said shaft (72) having a head (74) which is extensible relative thereto so as to engage and be entrained by a shaft (58 or 59) of said lead carrier drive means (14, 18) under the action of a control device (80) in each of the first and second positions (LP and DP) of the lead carrier (12 or 16), said control device (80) being arranged to cause the head (74) to be retracted relative to the shaft (72) prior to the actuation of said lead carrier support drive unit (40).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 6, characterized in that the lead carrier support (56) is swingable about the axis of a shaft (55) in said support structure (38, 46), which shaft (55) is connected to said heads (74) to rotate each of them through a single revolution during each swinging movement of the lead carrier support (56).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
124 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 7, characterized in that said support structure comprises a base plate (38) with a bearing support block (46) mounted thereon, and supporting each of said shafts (55, 58 and 59), the drive means (14 and 18) of the lead carriers (12 and 16) being mounted on the same side of the base plate (38) as the bearing support block (46) and the drive unit (40) of the lead carrier support (56) being mounted on the opposite side of the base plate (38) and having a drive spindle (42) extending at right angles to the shaft (55) of the lead carrier support drive unit (40) and being drivably connected thereto through gearing (44, 45, 51, 53).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 6, 7 or 8 characterized in that each control device (80) comprises a plunger (82) which is advancable to lock the lead carrier support (56) to the support structure (38, 46) when the lead carriers (12 and 16) are in their first and second positions (LP and DP) and to extend each head (74) against the action of a return spring (76).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A lead parking and sorting station according to claim 9, characterized in that as the plunger (82) engages a rack in the lead carrier support (56) to drive a pinion (88) meshing with a slide in the lead carrier support (56), the slide (78) seating the return spring (76) and being drivably engaged with the head (74).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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