Connection wire alignment or orientation apparatus and method for electrical circuit elements

Claim 1

An automatic alignment apparatus for straightening a projecting lead (15) of an electrical component (11), comprising a base plate (1), vertical wall (2), and bearing plate (3) secured in fixed relationship to one another; means (12) supported by said bearing plate (3) for holding said component in fixed relationship to said apparatus, with the component's leads projecting, at least one rotatable alignment body (18) supported by said bearing plate (3), said body (18) having an axis of rotation (17'), a longitudinal outer surface and a front end disposed proximately to said component, and an axial inner groove (21); said alignment body (18) being supported in said apparatus along a desired alignment axis (17) of one said lead, means (10,13,22) supported by said bearing plate (3) for reciprocating one of said component (11) and said alignment body (18), toward and away from the other, to cause said lead (15) to penetrate and engage said axial groove (21) of said alignment body, and means (5,6,7,19,20) movably secured to said bearing plate (3) for rotating said alignment body while said lead is engaged therewithin; wherein said axial groove of said alignment body is defined by an inner surface of said body, which surface diverges, at least at said front end, from said axis of rotation (17') and crosses said axis of rotation (17') and curves at an increasing angle to said axis of rotation (17') at increasing distances from said component-proximate end.

Claim 5

A method of bending a connection wire (15) from an electrical circuit element (11) into a desired alignment axis (17), comprising the steps of: inserting the wire (15) into a rotating alignment body (18) having a component-proximate end and which is rotatable about an axis (17') corresponding to the desired alignment axis (17) of the connecting wire, said body (18) having an axial groove defined by an inner surface of said body which crosses said axis of rotation and curves at an increasing angle to said alignment axis at increasing distances from said component-proximate end, said surface also having a wall portion essentially in alignment with said desired axis (17); and relatively axially moving the circuit element, and with it said connection wire (15), relative to said body (18), while said body is rotating, and as said wire (15) is withdrawn from said body, said inner surface bends the wire (15) from an initially misaligned position, to assume a position adjacent the rotating wall portion, of the body, which is in alignment with the desired axis (17).

Claim 6

A method of bending a connection wire (15) from an electrical circuit element (11) into a desired alignment axis (17), comprising the steps of: inserting the wire (15) into a rotating alignment body (18) having a component-proximate end and which is rotatable about an axis (17') corresponding to the desired alignment axis (17) of the connecting wire, said body (18) having an axial groove defined by an inner surface of said body which crosses said axis of rotation and curves at an increasing angle to said alignment axis at increasing distances from said component-proximate end, said surface also having a wall portion essentially in alignment with said desired axis (17); and relatively axially moving the circuit element, and with it said connection wire (15), relative to said body (18), while said body is rotating, and as said wire (15) is withdrawn from said body, said inner surface bends the wire (15) from an initially misaligned position, to assume a position adjacent the rotating wall portion, of the body, which is in alignment with the desired axis (17).