US4356626A — Apparatus for automatically inserting an electric…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 129 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting an electrical contact of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contact in a cavity of the connector by a contact retention mechanism, including guide means (52) extending from a contact loading position to a contact unloading position adjacent the connector for guiding the contact in a forward direction from the loading position to the cavity of the connector, and wherein the improvement comprises: said guide means includes a slide rod (162) having a contact receiving passage (176) and mounted for axial reciprocation between the contact loading position and contact unloading positions, and propelling means (30) operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contact, said guide means guiding the propelled contact into the cavity.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 129 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting an electrical contact of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contact in a cavity of the connector by a contact retention mechanism, including guide means (52) extending from a contact loading position to a contact unloading position adjacent the connector for guiding the contact in a forward direction from the loading position to the cavity of the connector, and wherein the improvement comprises: said guide means includes a slide rod (162) having a contact receiving passage (176) and mounted for axial reciprocation between the contact loading position and contact unloading positions, and propelling means (30) operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contact, said guide means guiding the propelled contact into the cavity.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 171 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting at least two electrical contacts of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contacts in corresponding spaced cavities formed in the connector, said apparatus comprising: guide means for guiding the contacts from a loading position to their respective unloading position and into their respective cavities of the connector, said guide means including a slide rod (162) having a contact receiving passage (176) therethrough mounted for reciprocation between the contact loading position and the contact unloading position, said contact receiving passage receiving a contact when registered with the loading position and communicating a contact when registered with the unloading position, propelling means operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contacts, said guide means guiding the propelled contacts into their respective cavities, and indexing means for moving the connector relative to the guide means so that the cavities of the connector are successively aligned with said guide means so that the contacts are propelled into their corresponding cavities.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 171 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting at least two electrical contacts of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contacts in corresponding spaced cavities formed in the connector, said apparatus comprising: guide means for guiding the contacts from a loading position to their respective unloading position and into their respective cavities of the connector, said guide means including a slide rod (162) having a contact receiving passage (176) therethrough mounted for reciprocation between the contact loading position and the contact unloading position, said contact receiving passage receiving a contact when registered with the loading position and communicating a contact when registered with the unloading position, propelling means operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contacts, said guide means guiding the propelled contacts into their respective cavities, and indexing means for moving the connector relative to the guide means so that the cavities of the connector are successively aligned with said guide means so that the contacts are propelled into their corresponding cavities.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said propelling means comprises a regulated air pressure source for producing a propelling air pressure force.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said indexing means includes a movable base member for supporting the connector to move therewith.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 172 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting an electrical contact of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contact in a cavity of the connector by a contact retention mechanism, said apparatus comprising: guide means extending from a contact loading position to a contact unloading position adjacent the connector for guiding the contact in a forward direction from the loading position to the cavity of the connector, said guide means including a housing (142) of the type having a first passage (152) representing the contact loading position extending therein, a second passage (152, 159) representing the contact unloading position extending therethrough in spaced relation from the first passage and a slide rod (162) having a third passage (176), said rod being mounted for transverse reciprocating registering movement between said first and second passages to communicate the contact between the passages when registered therewith, and propelling means operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contact, said guide means guiding the propelled contact into the cavity.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 172 words

An apparatus for automatically inserting an electrical contact of the type having a retention portion into an electrical connector adapted to retain the contact in a cavity of the connector by a contact retention mechanism, said apparatus comprising: guide means extending from a contact loading position to a contact unloading position adjacent the connector for guiding the contact in a forward direction from the loading position to the cavity of the connector, said guide means including a housing (142) of the type having a first passage (152) representing the contact loading position extending therein, a second passage (152, 159) representing the contact unloading position extending therethrough in spaced relation from the first passage and a slide rod (162) having a third passage (176), said rod being mounted for transverse reciprocating registering movement between said first and second passages to communicate the contact between the passages when registered therewith, and propelling means operatively associated with said guide means for controllably propelling the contact, said guide means guiding the propelled contact into the cavity.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said propelling means comprises a regulated air pressure source for producing a forward propelling air pressure force.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 6 including a base member having a support surface for supporting the connector thereon.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said apparatus includes generating means operatively associated with said base member for controllably producing an air pressure force in the cavity to seat the retention portion of the contact within the contact retention mechanism.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The appartus as defined in claim 8 wherein said generating means includes a second regulated air pressure source for producing a reverse propelling air pressure force.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said generting means includes a seating tool having a hole extending therethrough and aligned with the cavity of the connector for placing the cavity in fluid communication with the second air pressure source.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 64 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 5 or claim 6 including an alignment tool having an aperture extending therethrough aligned with the second passage and the cavity of said connector at said unloading position, said alignment tool being adapted to reduce the amount of air flowing in a reversed direction from the cavity and into the passage of the tubing at the unloading position.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 including a movable stop operatively associated with the tubing for blocking air flowing in a reverse direction within the passage of said tubing at said loading position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 5 including positioning means for positioning the contact at the loading position so that the contact is oriented in a predetermined direction.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said positioning means includes orienting means adapted to receive the contact for orienting the received contact.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said orienting means includes a vibrating unit for orienting the contact by vibrational energy.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 14 including inspecting means operatively associated with said positioning means for inspecting an oriented contact for defects.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1985-11-01	1986-05-03	1986-11-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1989-11-01	1990-05-03	1990-11-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1993-11-01	1994-05-03	1994-11-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for automatically inserting an electrical contact into an electrical connector

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