The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 26, 1982
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1979
Robert D Waghorn, Oneonta, NY (US);
The Bendix Corporation, Southfield, MI (US);
Abstract
Two embodiments of apparatus and method for automatically inserting electrical contacts into an electrical connector (31) are disclosed. Each electrical contact (14) is of the type having a retaining shoulder (21) and the electrical connector is of the type adapted to retain the contacts in cavities (62) formed in the connector. The apparatus includes a vibrating bowl (12, 112) which orients the contacts by vibrating and releases the oriented contacts one at a time. In the first embodiment, a rotary indexer (26), having a plurality of contact receiving passages (40) formed about its outer periphery, receives the oriented contacts, rotates about its axis (27) and releases the reoriented contacts into a plastic transfer tube (52). A slide unit (28) allows the contacts one at a time into a lower part (55) of the tube and into an air chamber (29) at a loading position. A regulated air supply (30) propels the contacts within the tube, the tube guiding the contacts from the loading position to an unloading position adjacent the connector and into the connector. The connector is supported on a base member (64) of an X-Y table (32) to move in two directions so that the cavities of the connector are successively aligned with the tube at the unloading position so that each contact is propelled into its corresponding cavity and retained therein. In the second embodiment, a slide member (160) is slidably supported in a housing (142) to move the contacts from a contact receiving position to a contact loading position aligned with plastic tubing (190). At the contact loading position the contacts are propelled into the tubing by an air pressure force.