The Boeing Company

Babak Sayyadi

Howard J Van Laeken

Edwin E Thompson

Glenn A Geithman

Gary D Benham

Gregory E Jansen

Duncan P Mackinnon

Robert T Yankis

Dennis W Fritz

An automated wire stripper has a forward wire-gripping assembly, a rearward insulation-pulling assembly, and a rotatable knife hub assembly positioned intermediate of the forward and rearward assemblies. The knife hub assembly includes a pair of thermal knife elements which are spring-biased to normally close upon the end of a wire. Pneumatic actuators open the knife elements against the bias of the springs. The rearward assembly is operable to clamp and pull a section of outer jacket or insulation covering from the wire after the knife hub has cut around the its circumference of the jacket.

Machine for stripping outer jacket from multi-conductor cables

An automated applicator (120) for forming a welded identification sleeve (34) around an elongate object, such as a conductor (16), includes a base (124, 146, 148) defining a receiving surface (186) for receiving the conductor. A reversible line-feed printer (18) for feeding a weldable material strip (24) is positioned adjacent the receiving surface of the base. The printer is capable of selective operation in an advance mode to advance the leading end portion (22) of the material strip toward a first end of the base and transversely past the conductor, and a reverse mode in which the material strip is retracted away from the first end of the base. The applicator includes a guide member (151) mounted on the base and positionable adjacent the receiving surface for guiding the lead portion of the material strip, when advanced by the printer, around the elongate object. When so advanced, the leading end portion of the material strip overlaps the material strip in order to wrap the conductor. The applicator further includes a vacuum line (244) and grip assembly (246) mounted on the base for gripping the wrapped lead portion of the material strip during operation of the printer in the reverse mode to tighten the wrapped material strip around the conductor. An ultrasonic welder (33) mounted on the base welds the wrapped lead portion of the material strip to the material strip, thereby forming the tubular sleeve around the elongate object. A cutting blade (52) mounted on the base cuts the tubular sleeve from the material strip.

Method and apparatus for forming a welded identification sleeve

A fiber optic cable extends into the housing of an induction heater and has a sensing end positioned to confront a part being heated. Infrared radiation from the part is transmitted by the cable to a transducer. The transducer converts the infrared energy into an electrical signal that is used by a control circuit to control the heating operation. The control circuit has an internal electronic timer that is used in normal operation and to detect certain failure conditions. In normal operation, electromagnetic pulses are provided to the heater at a predetermined power level until the part reaches a predetermined temperature. Then the control circuit adjusts the power level to hold the part at the temperature for a brief holding period. The timer is used by the control circuit to detect failure to reach a desired temperature after a maximum delay and to detect dropping of the temperature below a minimum level during the holding period. The control circuit also detects overheating of the workpiece. The control circuit adjusts and terminates the power level through a silicon controlled rectifier which receives a pulse train from the control circuit.

Hot melt induction heater and method

A welded sleeve applicator (10) and method for forming an identification sleeve (34) around an elongate object (16) is disclosed. A leading end portion (22) of a continuous strip (24) of identification indicia-bearing, ultrasonically weldable material is fed by a printer (18) onto a base (12), passing under an elongate object that is received on the base. The leading end portion of the material strip overlies a flexible wrapping strap (26). A pivot arm (28) wraps the strap and the leading end portion of the material strip around the elongate object. The wrapped leading end portion of the material strip is retained in place over an adjacent second portion (100) of the material strip by a vacuum drawn through a guide (30). The pivot arm and wrapping strap are removed, and an ultrasonic welding horn (32) is lowered to weld the leading end portion and the second portion of the material strip together, forming an indicia-bearing, tubular sleeve.

A sequencing machine and method for retaining the order in which wires are placed. The sequencing machine will preserve the order of inserted wires by capturing each individual wire in a belt of tape. At a later stage the wires can then be taken out in the same exact reverse or forward order. The adhesive bond between the tapes is such that separation can be performed by hand without damage to the tape material.

Sequencing machine and method

An automated cable stripper that is particularly well-suited for stripping multiconductor cables whose outer surfaces have an irregular contour. The stripper has a clamp assembly for holding the end of the cable during the stripping operation; a cutting and bending assembly for severing the end of the cable's jacket and thereby exposing the underlying shielding material and conductors; and a slug puller assembly for pulling the cut part off the cable's end. Cutting and bending is accomplished by a rotatable barrel or drum that carries a plurality of cutting blades and bending arms. The blades score the jacket around its circumference, and the arms thereafter bend the cable'3 s end back and forth to break the jacket away along the score line. The slug puller assembly has a pair of gripping arms that extend and grip the cut part, and pull it off the cable upon retraction of at least a portion of the puller assembly. The stripper is also adapted to shear off any shielding material that is positioned between the jacket and the cable's conductors.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Babak Sayyadi