US4492023A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical harness fabrication method and apparatus
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 1982-09-24
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Granted: 1985-01-08
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Expires: 2002-09-24
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for fabricating a plurality of electrical harnesses is disclosed. Each electrical harness includes at least one connector defined by a housing with insulation displacement type contacts loaded therein. The apparatus sequentially feeds sets of connectors to a first station wherein each set includes a plurality of housings joined together by integral, severable connecting tabs. Each set of connectors is then moved to a second station and wires are inserted into the aligned contacts. Additional functions such as drawing lengths of the wires, forming loops of differing magnitudes in the wires and removing insulation from the wires may also be performed by the apparatus. At the completion of the desired functions, the apparatus is actuated to remove the connecting tabs from between the housings thereby forming a plurality of individual harnesses. The individual harnesses are then ejected.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas E. Schneider
- 👤 Jack F. Funcik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:09
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/01; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/933; Y10S439/937; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49174; Y10T29/49181; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/532; Y10T29/53209; Y10T29/53213; Y10T29/53217
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each harness includes a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a set of connectors with the housings of the connectors in the set being joined together in a predetermined, spaced relationship by integral, severable connecting tabs; (b) simultaneously inserting a wire into at least one insulation displacement contact of each connector of said set; and (c) severing said connecting tabs to separate said set of connectors into a plurality of individual harnesses.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each harness includes a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a set of connectors with the housings of the connectors in the set being joined together in a predetermined, spaced relationship by integral, severable connecting tabs; (b) simultaneously inserting a wire into at least one insulation displacement contact of each connector of said set; and (c) severing said connecting tabs to separate said set of connectors into a plurality of individual harnesses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of ejecting said individual harnesses and feeding a new set of connectors for termination.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of collecting and disposing of said severed connecting tabs.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses, each harness including a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a set of interconnected connectors spaced predetermined distances from each other by connecting tabs to a first station, (b) positioning a plurality of wires in alignment with at least one contact of each connector at a second station remote from said first station, (c) moving said set of interconnected connectors to said second station with at least one contact of each connector in alignment with a wire disposed at said second station, (d) simultaneously inserting an aligned wire into at least one aligned contact of each connector, and (e) removing said connecting tabs to form a plurality of separate harnesses.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses, each harness including a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a set of interconnected connectors spaced predetermined distances from each other by connecting tabs to a first station, (b) positioning a plurality of wires in alignment with at least one contact of each connector at a second station remote from said first station, (c) moving said set of interconnected connectors to said second station with at least one contact of each connector in alignment with a wire disposed at said second station, (d) simultaneously inserting an aligned wire into at least one aligned contact of each connector, and (e) removing said connecting tabs to form a plurality of separate harnesses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of ejecting said separate harnesses and feeding a new set of connectors to said first station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said connecting tabs are integral with the connectors and further comprising the step of collecting said removed integral connecting tabs.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each harness includes a connector defined by a housing with a plurality of terminal receiving slots formed therein spaced apart a first predetermined distance with at least one insulation displacement type contact in one of said slots of each connector, said method comprising the step of: (a) providing at least two adjacent housings wherein said housings include integrally formed tabs connecting each other to maintain said second predetermined distance between adjacent housings; (b) loading a set of connectors so that adjacent slots of adjacent connectors are spaced apart a second predetermined distance; (c) positioning a plurality of spaced apart wires over at least one contact of each housing; and (d) simultaneously inserting the wires into their corresponding contacts.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each harness includes a connector defined by a housing with a plurality of terminal receiving slots formed therein spaced apart a first predetermined distance with at least one insulation displacement type contact in one of said slots of each connector, said method comprising the step of: (a) providing at least two adjacent housings wherein said housings include integrally formed tabs connecting each other to maintain said second predetermined distance between adjacent housings; (b) loading a set of connectors so that adjacent slots of adjacent connectors are spaced apart a second predetermined distance; (c) positioning a plurality of spaced apart wires over at least one contact of each housing; and (d) simultaneously inserting the wires into their corresponding contacts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said second predetermined distance is an integer multiple of said first predetermined distance.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
181 words
An apparatus for producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each said electrical harness includes a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said apparatus comprising: a connector feed station defined on said apparatus, means operatively associated with the connector feed station for feeding a set of connectors to said connector feed station wherein said set of connectors includes a plurality of housings spaced predetermined distances from each other and joined together by connecting tabs, a second station defined on said apparatus spaced from and operatively associated with said connector feed station, means operatively associated with said connector feed station and said second station for moving said set of connectors from said connector feed station to said second station, means operatively associated with said second station for simultaneously inserting a wire into at least one of said insulation displacement type contacts of each connector, and tab removing means operatively associated with said tabs after wire insertion for removing said connecting tabs to separate said set of connectors into a plurality of independent harnesses.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
181 words
An apparatus for producing a plurality of electrical harnesses wherein each said electrical harness includes a connector defined by a housing with at least one insulation displacement type contact loaded therein, said apparatus comprising: a connector feed station defined on said apparatus, means operatively associated with the connector feed station for feeding a set of connectors to said connector feed station wherein said set of connectors includes a plurality of housings spaced predetermined distances from each other and joined together by connecting tabs, a second station defined on said apparatus spaced from and operatively associated with said connector feed station, means operatively associated with said connector feed station and said second station for moving said set of connectors from said connector feed station to said second station, means operatively associated with said second station for simultaneously inserting a wire into at least one of said insulation displacement type contacts of each connector, and tab removing means operatively associated with said tabs after wire insertion for removing said connecting tabs to separate said set of connectors into a plurality of independent harnesses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 9 further comprising a connector-contacting solid member in alignment with said plurality of independent harnesses for ejecting said plurality of independent harnesses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said connector-contacting solid member comprises a pawl rotatably mounted on said apparatus in longitudinal alignment with said plurality of independent harnesses and a stop mechanism in alignment with said plurality of independent harnesses to prevent reverse movement of said set of connectors during a tab removal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 9 further comprising a container disposed adjacent the tab removing means for collecting said removed tabs.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said tab removing means comprises a cutting member reciprocally mounted on said apparatus adjacent said second station.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-08 | 1988-07-09 | 1989-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-08 | 1992-07-09 | 1993-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-01-08 | 1996-07-09 | 1997-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |