Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-23
2001-12-11
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S753000, C029S863000, C029S760000, C029S03300H, C072S413000, C072S712000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327775
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved terminal crimping unit wherein the pressure-receiving unit includes several pressure members which can be easily put on and taken off as one unit without the use of tools.
2. Description of Background Information
It is known to have a terminal crimping unit for continuously crimping terminal fittings on the end part of an electric wire. Japanese Application Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. SHO 62-175685), in fact, reflects such equipment. The terminal crimping unit includes a terminal belt feed mechanism for feeding the terminal belt and a press mechanism for severing the terminal fittings from the terminal belt feed and crimping it on an electric wire. The crimping process is continuously and automatically performed by linking these mechanisms.
As disclosed in Japanese Application Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. SHO 62-175685, the main body of the applicator and the anvil are formed separately and the main body is made such that it universally fits many types of anvils.
This method has recently proved disadvantageous, however, because the types of terminal fittings used in the crimping process have noticeably increased. Thus, merely exchanging the anvil is no longer sufficient to make the press mechanism universal. Rather, the process for fitting a crimping terminal requires several additional members, including: a member for caulking the electric wire barrel of the terminal fittings, a member for caulking a coating barrel, a member for severing the terminal fittings from the carrier of a terminal belt and the like, a plural number of pressure members and pressure-receiving members. It would, thus, be advantageous to be able to easily and quickly change a plural number of these members to match the respective type of terminal fitting when the anvil is changed to corresponding to the respective type of terminal fitting or when the anvil is repaired upon the anvil's failure. Yet, such a functional improvement has not been proposed in conventional equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was designed to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. The goal of the present invention is to provide a terminal crimping unit with increased suitability for universally corresponding to a greater number of types of terminal fittings.
To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantage, the present invention includes a terminal crimping unit wherein the pressure-receiving unit can be taken off and put on as one unit. The pressure-receiving unit includes at least the anvil that receives the terminal fittings against the main body, and further includes: a plural number of pressure members containing at least a crimper for crimping the terminal fittings with an anvil of the pressure-receiving unit; a shank driving pressure members for allowing the pressure-receiving members to receive a pressing motion; and a frame body support the pressure members in one unit and removably connecting the supported pressure members with the shank.
In the present invention, a plural number of the pressure members including a crimper can be affixed and removed as a single unit against the shank by only affixing and removing the frame body on the shank. The pressure members include crimpers such as an electric wire crimper, coating crimper and the like. The pressure members also include a correcting member for correcting the deformation of terminal fittings, and a punch to sever the terminal fittings from the terminal belt and the like.
Further, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a terminal crimping unit that includes a receiving face for receiving a carrier in a terminal belt mechanism wherein the terminal fittings continue in parallel at some intervals. The receiving face further includes a protruding face extending perpendicular to the receiving face and positioned against the terminal fittings of the carrier; and a rolling member having a contact part contacting with the carrier by rolling and sending the carrier to the anvil of the pressure-receiving unit while pushing it on the protruding face by clamping the carrier between the contact part and the receiving face.
Another aspect of the invention includes a nip. The nip is formed by the carrier being positioned between the contact part of the rolling member and the receiving face. The carrier on the terminal belt is fed by nipping the carrier in the feeding direction along the receiving face and being pushed onto the protruding face. Thus, the carrier can be fed to the anvil of the receiving unit where the terminal fittings are severed from the terminal belt. The receiving face may be one receiving the upper face of the carrier and one receiving the lower face.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention includes a terminal crimping unit that includes a pair of rollers for clamping a carrier to a terminal belt wherein terminal fittings continue in parallel at some intervals; and a servomotor driving one of the pair of rollers so that the pair of rollers send and feed the carrier to the anvil of the pressure-receiving unit; a controlling procedure for controlling the rotation of a servomotor so that the terminal fittings are sent and fed when the terminal crimping unit is not operating.
Another aspect of the invention includes the pair of rollers driven by the servomotor that is controlled by a controlling procedure and which feed the carrier in the fixed feeding direction by nipping the carrier. Using this mechanism, it is possible to feed the terminal belt when the pressure-receiving unit and the pressuring unit that constitute the press mechanism are automatically separated.
Another preferred embodiment includes a terminal crimping unit that includes a terminal belt feed mechanism for feeding a carrier in a terminal belt wherein terminal fittings continue in parallel at some intervals while maintaining position; a rail member installed at the terminal belt feed mechanism and a main body block. The terminal belt feed mechanism extends in a direction perpendicular to the carrier. The terminal belt mechanism further includes a slider wherein the terminal belt feed mechanism and the main body block connect both members along the rail member. By being installed at the rail member and supporting the terminal belt feed mechanism and the other main body block, the connection maintains a relative position-change. The terminal belt feed mechanism further includes a lock mechanism so that the relative position of the slider and the rail member may be finely adjustable.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, when changing the pressure-receiving unit and the pressuring unit according to the type of terminal fittings, the feeding position of the terminal belt can be finely adjusted to accord with the respective changed units. Further, another preferred embodiment of the invention includes a terminal crimping unit that includes an anvil that includes a plural kind of pressure-receiving units formed in response to the type of terminal fittings which should be crimped, and the pressure-receiving unit contains an anvil holder retaining in a state of alternatively positioning the pressure-receiving of the anvil at the crimping position of the terminal fittings.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the terminal crimping work can be performed by alternatively utilizing a plural number of the pressure-receiving faces formed on the same anvil.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the terminal crimping unit includes a plurality of pressure members including at least a crimper for crimping a terminal fitting, and a pressure-receiving member including an anvil. The pressure members cooperate with the pressure-receiving member to receive a pressing motion. The terminal crimping unit further includes a frame body to support the pressure member as a unit. The frame body removably connects the supported pressure member to the shank and the pressure-receiving member is removable as a unit.
Another aspect of the inven
Kobayashi Haruhito
Koike Tsuyoshi
Nakamura Atsuo
Oishi Akinori
Takubo Mamoru
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
Tugbang A. Dexter
Young Lee
LandOfFree
Terminal crimping unit does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Terminal crimping unit, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Terminal crimping unit will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2600845