The Boeing Company

Eerik J Helmick

Bradley James Mitchell

Damien O Martin

Nick Shabdeh Evans

Aphea Ann Thornton

Lars Eric Blacken

Grace L Duncan

Keith M Cutler

John Richard Porter

Nick Shadbeh Evans

David Scott Wright

Randall Vincent Fraker

Edward L White

Alexey Meerov

Claire Noel Diehl

Joseph Nicholas Kochevar

David S Wright

Maura Elizabeth Cosman

Dinh X Tran

Sophia Victoria Utset-Ward

Jennifer Elizabeth Anderson

Systems and methods for designing and assembling form boards with attached wire routing devices for use in wire bundle assembly. The assembly method comprises: (a) establishing a coordinate system of a form board having a multiplicity of holes; (b) using a computer system to determine locations of form board devices of different types with reference to the coordinate system of the form board based on engineering data specifying a wire bundle configuration; and (c) fastening the form board devices of different types to respective holes of the form board having centers closest to respective locations determined in step (b). The form board devices may be inserted robotically or manually.

Form board preparation for wire bundling

An automated wire insertion machine for inserting wires into grommet cavity locations of an electrical connector includes a controllable wire insertion robot and a processor to generate pre-generated plug maps based upon an original plug map of the grommet cavity locations and to control the wire insertion robot based upon one pre-generated plug map to insert the wires into the grommet cavity locations. The pre-generated plug maps are generated by defining a range of potential error of the grommet cavity locations that includes at least one of a potential rotational error and a potential translational error, defining an acceptable tolerance of the grommet cavity locations that includes at least one of an acceptable rotational tolerance and an acceptable translational tolerance, and calculating offset values of the grommet cavity locations based on the range of potential error and the acceptable tolerance, thereby generating the plurality of pre-generated plug maps.

Automated machine for inserting wires into grommet cavity locations of an electrical connector and methods of operating

Systems and methods are provided for wire processing. In certain examples, a wire processing system is disclosed. The wire processing system includes an electrical wire and solder sleeve joining system. The electrical wire and solder sleeve joining system includes an end effector configured to hold a solder sleeve and a split funnel configured to guide insertion of wire into the solder sleeve, allow movement of the solder sleeve through the split funnel in a second position, and prevent movement of the solder sleeve through the split funnel in a first position. The end effector can additionally be configured to remove a slug from the wire.

Apparatus, system, and method for picking, placing, and melting solder sleeves onto shielded electrical wires and cables

A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving, at a tray, one or more first wires of a first wire group from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. In addition, the method includes receiving, at the tray, one or more second wires of a second wire group from the wire feed system after receiving the first wire group at the tray. The method further includes physically separating, using a separator device associated with the tray, at least a portion of the first wire group from the second wire group. The method also includes moving the second wire group relative to the first wire group, reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire group relative to a tray surface during movement of the second wire group relative to the first wire group.

Method of processing wire bundles

A method of reducing entanglement of wires includes receiving from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine a first wire on a tray surface providing a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire. In addition, the method includes receiving from the wire feed system a second wire at least partially on top of the first wire, the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire. The method also includes moving the second wire relative to the first wire, and reducing movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire due to the wire-to-surface coefficient of friction being higher than the wire-to-wire coefficient of friction.

Wire bundle processing method

A connector support assembly is configured to securely retain a mating connector during an assembling process of an electrical connector. The connector support assembly includes a universal base, and a plurality of inserts configured to be interchangeably retained by the universal base. Each of the inserts includes a base connection interface that is configured to be retained by the universal base, and at least one shell connection interface. The shell connection interface(s) of at least two of the inserts are configured to retain different sized shells of different mating connectors.

Systems and methods for maintaining orientation of an electrical connector during an assembly process

An apparatus is provided relating to the insertion of one or more wires into a cavity of a fixture of a structure or component. The wire insertion apparatus includes a grommet, a gripper adapted to interface with the grommet, and at least a first vibrating element. The first vibrating element is connected to and vibrates one or more of the apparatus, the grommet, the gripper, the wire, and/or a component of the apparatus. Vibration, induced in any direction, enables the cavities to shift position during insertion relative to the contact, thus increasing the tolerance of the cavity, reducing the failure rate of wire insertion, and reducing total production time. The vibration breaks the static friction of the contact in the grommet or dielectric opening, creates the positive locating required to insert the contact in the grommet and/or dielectric, and/or pivots the contact.

Vibrating pallet system for automated wire insertion

An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to operate on the cable end; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.

System for processing an end of a cable

A fastener-installation system is described that includes a driver to drive a fastener into a structure and a fastener feeder to load the fastener into a loaded position of the driver. The fastener feeder includes a fastener magazine to hold a plurality of fasteners. The fastener-installation system further includes a driver head having a plurality of jaws moveable between a closed position and an expanded position. In the closed position, the plurality of jaws form a piercing tip to pierce material of the structure. Further, the jaws spread apart the material of the structure when the jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position to create a path through the material through which the fastener is driven.

Fastener-installation systems and methods

A cable processing apparatus including a first housing member having a first interface surface, a second housing member having a second interface surface, the second interface surface opposes the first interface surface. At least one abrasive member unit coupled to at least one of the first and second housing members so as to be disposed between the first and second interface surfaces. A controller coupled to the first and second housing members and the at least one abrasive member unit for moving the first and second housing members to clamp a cable extending through the first and second housing members, actuating the at least one abrasive member unit, and moving the second housing member relative to the first housing member to radially expand shielding of the cable where the radially expanded cable shielding is ground off of the cable by the at least one abrasive member unit.

Cable processing apparatus and method

An apparatus for facilitating an insertion of a wire surrounded by shielding into an electrical component so as to prevent a dislocation of the shielding during insertion is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wire receiver and one or more conduits within a body. The wire receiver has a cavity including a first end and a second end. A portion of the first end and second end define a wire axis along the cavity through the body and the cavity is configured to receive the wire along the wire axis. The conduits are connected to the cavity between the first end and second end and are configured to direct air flow radially into the cavity and in a direction outward through an air outlet at the first end of the cavity along the wire axis to force the shielding against the wire while the wire is inserted into the electrical component.

Apparatus for maintaining wire shielding positioning during electrical component placement

A methodof operating an automated machineis provided for inserting wires into grommet cavity locationsof an electrical connectorto compensate for manufacturing tolerances associated with the electrical connector. The method comprises inserting wires into grommet cavity locations of the electrical connector based upon a plug maphaving offset values to compensate for manufacturing tolerances associated with the electrical connector. The method may further comprise selecting from a plurality of pre-generated plug maps having offset values the closest matching pre-generated plug map for the electrical connector based upon offset values associated with each of the plurality of pre-generated plugs maps. The selected pre-generated plug map having offset values corresponds to the plug map used to insert wires into grommet cavity locations of the electrical connector.

Methods of operating an automated machine for inserting wires into grommet cavity locations of an electrical connector

A connector support assembly is configured to securely retain a mating connector during an assembling process of an electrical connector. The connector support assembly may include a universal base including an insert channel, and a plurality of inserts configured to be interchangeably retained within the insert channel. Each of the inserts includes a base connection interface having a common shape and size that is configured to be retained by the base within the insert channel, and at least one shell connection interface. The shell connection interface(s) of at least two of the inserts differ in one or both of size and shape and are configured to retain different sized shells of different mating connectors.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Eerik J Helmick