Through insulation welding system

Claim 1

A wire welding apparatus comprising: an electrode assembly including a first elongated electrode, a second elongated electrode concentrically supported within said first electrode, and insulating means between said first and second electrodes for electrically insulating said electrodes from one another, said second electrode defining an axial opening extending from a first end of said first electrode to an opposite second end thereof to accommodate therein an electrical wire covered with electrical insulating material; a terminal to which said wire is to be welded; means for lowering said assembly onto said terminal, whereby said first electrode is brought into direct physical and electrical contact with said terminal and said wire is pressed between said first end of said second electrode and said terminal, said assembly being lowered with a force sufficient to cause the rupturing of said insulating material on the wire portion which is pressed only between said terminal and said second electrode; and electrical power means for applying a potential difference between said first and second electrode for welding said wire to said terminal by current flowing between said electrodes through said wire portion at which the insulating material was ruptured, and said terminal, said second electrode and said insulating means being positioned in said first electrode, whereby the first electrode defines an axial cavity extending inwardly from an open end of said first electrode, which is in contact with said terminal when said assembly is lowered thereonto, said first electrode further defining a slot extending from said axial cavity to the exterior of said first electrode, with said wire being accommodated in said assembly with a first end portion thereof extending to the exterior of said assembly through said slot and a second opposite end portion extending to the exterior of said assembly through the second end of said second electrode.

Claim 4

An apparatus for welding an insulated electrically conductive wire to an electrically conductive terminal comprising: a first elongated electrically conductive electrode having an interior surface defining an axial cavity extending from a first end to a second open end, and further defining a slot near said second end extending from the axial cavity to the exterior of said electrode; a second elongated electrically conductive electrode defining an axial opening extending from a first end to a second exposed end which defines a welding tip; electrically insulating material covering the outer surface of said second electrode between said first and second ends, said second electrode being concentRically disposed in the axial cavity of said first electrode with the insulating material therebetween and with the second exposed end of said second electrode toward said open end of said first electrode, adjacent said slot in said second electrode, the slot and the axial cavity of the second electrode having dimensions to accommodate therein an electrically conductive wire with electrically insulating material thereon, said wire extending through the first end of said second electrode, its axial cavity, its welding tip, the axial cavity of said first electrode and through said slot to the exterior of said first electrode; driving means for urging at least said second electrode toward said terminal with a force sufficient to rupture the insulating material of only a portion of said electrical wire which is disposed between and in contact with said welding tip of said second electrode and a top end of said terminal whereby said electrical wire provides an electrical path therebetween; and means for applying a potential across said first and second electrodes for welding said electrical wire to the top end of said terminal when said first electrode is in direct physical and electrical contact with said terminal and said top end of said terminal is in electrical contact with the welding tip of said second electrode through said electrically conductive wire.

Claim 5

An apparatus for welding an insulated electrically conductive wire to an electrically conductive terminal comprising: a first elongated electrically conductive electrode having an interior surface defining an axial cavity extending from a first end to a second open end, and further defining a slot near said second end extending from the axial cavity to the exterior of said electrode; a second elongated electrically conductive electrode defining an axial opening extending from a first end to a second exposed end which defines a welding tip; electrically insulating material covering the outer surface of said second electrode between said first and second ends, said second electrode being concentRically disposed in the axial cavity of said first electrode with the insulating material therebetween and with the second exposed end of said second electrode toward said open end of said first electrode, adjacent said slot in said second electrode, the slot and the axial cavity of the second electrode having dimensions to accommodate therein an electrically conductive wire with electrically insulating material thereon, said wire extending through the first end of said second electrode, its axial cavity, its welding tip, the axial cavity of said first electrode and through said slot to the exterior of said first electrode; driving means for urging at least said second electrode toward said terminal with a force sufficient to rupture the insulating material of only a portion of said electrical wire which is disposed between and in contact with said welding tip of said second electrode and a top end of said terminal whereby said electrical wire provides an electrical path therebetween; and means for applying a potential across said first and second electrodes for welding said electrical wire to the top end of said terminal when said first electrode is in direct physical and electrical contact with said terminal and said top end of said terminal is in electrical contact with the welding tip of said second electrode through said electrically conductive wire.

Claim 9

An apparatus for welding a wire to a terminal comprising: an electrode assembly including a first elongated electrode, a second elongated electrode concentrically supported within said first electrode, and insulating means between said first and second electrodes for electrically insulating said electrodes from one another, said second electrode defining an axial opening extending from a first end of said first electrode to an opposite second end thereof to accommodate therein an electrical wire covered with electrical insulating material; means for lowering said assembly onto said terminal, whereby said first electrode is brought into direct physical and electrical contact with said terminal and said wire is pressed between said first end of said second electrode and said terminal, said assembly being lowered with a force sufficient to cause the rupturing of said insulating material on the wire portion which is pressed only between said terminal and said second electrode; and electrical power means for applying a potential difference between said first and Second electrode for welding said wire to said terminal by current flowing between said electrodes through said wire portion at which the insulating material was ruptured, and said terminal, said means for lowering first lower said assembly with a first force sufficient to cause the rupturing of said insulating material and thereafter raise said assembly and lower it for a second time with a second force smaller than said first force prior to the application of said potential difference by said electrical power means.

Claim 10

An apparatus for welding a wire to a terminal comprising: an electrode assembly including a first elongated electrode, a second elongated electrode concentrically supported within said first electrode, and insulating means between said first and second electrodes for electrically insulating said electrodes from one another, said second electrode defining an axial opening extending from a first end of said first electrode to an opposite second end thereof to accommodate therein an electrical wire covered with electrical insulating material; means for lowering said assembly onto said terminal, whereby said first electrode is brought into direct physical and electrical contact with said terminal and said wire is pressed between said first end of said second electrode and said terminal, said assembly being lowered with a force sufficient to cause the rupturing of said insulating material on the wire portion which is pressed only between said terminal and said second electrode; and electrical power means for applying a potential difference between said first and Second electrode for welding said wire to said terminal by current flowing between said electrodes through said wire portion at which the insulating material was ruptured, and said terminal, said means for lowering first lower said assembly with a first force sufficient to cause the rupturing of said insulating material and thereafter raise said assembly and lower it for a second time with a second force smaller than said first force prior to the application of said potential difference by said electrical power means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to a terminal, comprising: an electrode assembly comprising first and second electrodes; assembly drive means coupled to said assembly for driving at least said first electrode toward said terminal with a first force, with the insulated wire between said first electrode and said terminal whereby said insulating material is ruptured when said wire is pressed between said first electrode and said terminal, so that the wire provides an electrical path between said first electrode and said terminal, for then relieving the force between the wire and said terminal to a second force having a value less than said first force, and for then driving said first and second electrodes toward said terminal with a third force, less than said first force and greater than said second force, whereby said wire and said terminal provide an electrical path between said first and second electrodes; and power means for providing electrical power between said first and second electrodes when said wire and said terminal provide an electrical path therebetween. 9. A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal,the steps comprising: stringing the wire through a first elongated welding electrode which has a welding tip and which is concentrically and insulatingly mounted in a second welding electrode; lowering at least the first electrode onto the terminal with sufficient force so that a portion of the wire is caught between the welding tip and the terminal, the force being sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; raising at least the first electrode followed by lowering the two electrodes with a second force less than said first force so that the first electrode is in contact with the terminal through said wire and the second electrode is in direct contact with said terminal; and applying a welding pulse to the two electrodes, when the welding tip of the first electrode is in electrical contact with the terminal through the electrically conductive wire, and the second electrode is in direct physical and electrical contact with the terminal.

Claim 12

An apparatus for welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to a terminal, comprising: an electrode assembly comprising first and second electrodes; assembly drive means coupled to said assembly for driving at least said first electrode toward said terminal with a first force, with the insulated wire between said first electrode and said terminal whereby said insulating material is ruptured when said wire is pressed between said first electrode and said terminal, so that the wire provides an electrical path between said first electrode and said terminal, for then relieving the force between the wire and said terminal to a second force having a value less than said first force, and for then driving said first and second electrodes toward said terminal with a third force, less than said first force and greater than said second force, whereby said wire and said terminal provide an electrical path between said first and second electrodes; and power means for providing electrical power between said first and second electrodes when said wire and said terminal provide an electrical path therebetween. 9. A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal,the steps comprising: stringing the wire through a first elongated welding electrode which has a welding tip and which is concentrically and insulatingly mounted in a second welding electrode; lowering at least the first electrode onto the terminal with sufficient force so that a portion of the wire is caught between the welding tip and the terminal, the force being sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; raising at least the first electrode followed by lowering the two electrodes with a second force less than said first force so that the first electrode is in contact with the terminal through said wire and the second electrode is in direct contact with said terminal; and applying a welding pulse to the two electrodes, when the welding tip of the first electrode is in electrical contact with the terminal through the electrically conductive wire, and the second electrode is in direct physical and electrical contact with the terminal.

Claim 13

A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal, by means of a welding assembly which includes first and second electrodes, the steps comprising: directing at least the first electrode to the terminal with a first force so that a portion of the wire is caught between the first electrode and the terminal, the first force being sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; withdrawing at least said first electrode from the terminal; directing said first and second electrodes to said terminal with a second force to bring said first electrode in physical and electrical contact with said terminal through said wire and said second electrode with said terminal whereby the wire and the terminal provide an electrical path between said first and second electrodes; and applying a welding potential between said first and second electrodes.

Claim 14

A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal, by means of a welding assembly which includes first and second electrodes, the steps comprising: directing at least the first electrode to the terminal with a first force so that a portion of the wire is caught between the first electrode and the terminal, the first force being sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; withdrawing at least said first electrode from the terminal; directing said first and second electrodes to said terminal with a second force to bring said first electrode in physical and electrical contact with said terminal through said wire and said second electrode with said terminal whereby the wire and the terminal provide an electrical path between said first and second electrodes; and applying a welding potential between said first and second electrodes.

Claim 15

A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal, by means of a welding assembly which includes first and second electrodes, the steps Comprising: directing said first and second electrodes toward said terminal to bring said first electrode in contact with said terminal through a portion of said wire and said second electrode in direct contact with said terminal, said first electrode being directed to said terminal with a first force sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; then maintaining the first electrode in contact with said terminal with a second force which is less than said first force; then applying a third force to the terminal through at least the first electrode which is less than the first force and greater than the second force; and applying a welding potential between said first and second electrodes, while said second electrode is in direct contact with said terminal and said first electrode is maintained in contact with said terminal through said wire portion with said third force.

Claim 16

A method of welding an electrically conductive wire, coated with electrical insulating material to an electrically conductive terminal, by means of a welding assembly which includes first and second electrodes, the steps Comprising: directing said first and second electrodes toward said terminal to bring said first electrode in contact with said terminal through a portion of said wire and said second electrode in direct contact with said terminal, said first electrode being directed to said terminal with a first force sufficient to rupture the insulating material at said wire portion; then maintaining the first electrode in contact with said terminal with a second force which is less than said first force; then applying a third force to the terminal through at least the first electrode which is less than the first force and greater than the second force; and applying a welding potential between said first and second electrodes, while said second electrode is in direct contact with said terminal and said first electrode is maintained in contact with said terminal through said wire portion with said third force.