Texas Instruments Corporation

Thomas E Evans

Richard L Jenne

Leo Marcoux

David S Keyes

Electrical sockets used for mounting integrated circuits and the like are assembled by sequentially feeding electrically insulative bodies onto a track between a pair of endless belts which transmit motion to the bodies forcing them to move along a first path which extends beyond the belts. The socket bodies typically are provided with two parallel rows of contact receiving apertures which extend through the bodies from the top surface to the bottom surface thereof. A continuous carrier strip having spaced contact elements depending therefrom is directed along a second path which tangentially meets the first path so that the contact elements are sequentially received in one of the two rows of contact receiving apertures. The contact elements are securely seated by means of a seating roller and are then staked in position by one or more staking rollers after which the contact elements are severed from the carrier strip. Another carrier strip having similar spaced contact elements depending therefrom is directed along a third path which tangentially meets the first path so that the contact elements are sequentially received in the other of the two rows of contact receiving apertures. The contact elements of the other row are then in turn seated, staked and severed from the carrier strip in the same manner as in the one row. The assembled sockets are then placed in suitable storing or shipping containers for ultimate use.

Method and apparatus for assembling electrical contact elements in an

A condition responsive electrical switch has relatively movable contacts and contact arms and the like secured in precisely predetermined locations relative to each other on a molded dielectric base by sensing the relative positions of the switch components to each other on the base and by fusing portions of the base to the switch components while they are held in the desired spaced relation to each other.

Condition responsive electrical switch and method of making

A system for monitoring usage of seat belt means in a motor vehicle includes electrically operable visual signaling means and electrically operable audible signaling means. A first switch is operable in response to initiation of motor vehicle operation for connecting the signaling means to an electrical power supply in the vehicle. An additional switch is operable in response to fastening of the vehicle seat belt means for preventing operation of the audible signaling means when the seat belt means are properly fastened. A pair of first electrical resistors of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity which are adapted to display a sharp increase in resistivity when heated to predetermined operating temperatures are arranged in series between the vehicle power supply and the visual and audible signaling means respectively for terminating operation of said signaling means individually when said first resistors are heated to said operating temperatures. A third electrical resistor of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity which displays a sharp increase in resistivity when heated to a predetermined operating temperature is arranged to be connected to said vehicle power supply on initiation of vehicle operation and is disposed in selected heat-transfer relation to said first resistors for heating said first resistors to their operating temperatures with a selected time delay after initiation of motor vehicle operation, thereby to terminate operation of said signaling means after said time delay even if said vehicle seat belt means have not been properly fastened. A control device particularly adapted for use in such seat belt monitoring systems includes a casing having a cavity and having a plurality of slots extending into the casing cavity. Three terminals are disposed in respective casing slots to dispose one end of each terminal within said cavity. The pair of first resistor elements are disposed in the casing cavity to electrically engage respective terminals and the second resistor is disposed in the cavity in heat-transfer relation to the first resistors to electrically engage each of the first resistors and to electrically engage a third terminal. A fourth terminal disposed in a fourth casing slot also electrically engages the second resistor and a cover secured to the casing retains the resistors and terminals in assembled relation. This control device is therefore adapted to be conveniently combined with existing automotive switch means to economically provide seat belt monitoring systems as above-described.

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Rehoboth, MA, United States of America

Thomas E Evans