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:
Jul. 08, 1986
Filed:
Jan. 13, 1984
Richard E Bell, Princeton, IN (US);
AMF Incorporated, White Plains, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for attaching leads to the movable armature assembly of a relay or to other movable elements. The apparatus includes a rigid, nonconductive carrier member (41) mounted to the armature of the relay and provided with a plurality of grooves (51) on one end for receipt of the leads (56). The opposite end of the carrier is adapted to receive and support the movable contact arms (59) such that the arms will intersect the grooves. The conductive cover is trimmed away from the ends of the leads to expose the wires which may be welded or otherwise attached to the contact arms. The leads are also firmly attached to the carrier farther back along the leads where the conductive cover remains intact. In operation, as the armature assembly moves up and down during the operation of the relay, the exposed lead wires will be prevented from bending back and forth by the surrounding carrier. Instead, the bending forces will be shifted back along the leads to where they are attached to the carrier; and since the lead covers are still intact at that location, the leads will be better able to withstand the bending forces. The carrier is preferably formed of an insulating thermoplastic material to permit the carrier to be attached to the armature and the leads to the carrier quickly and reliably by utilizing an ultrasonic tool to soften and reform the carrier material at the proper locations. The relay is enclosed within a plastic housing provided with a pair of stop portions to help maintain the armature and the carrier member mounted thereon in position on the relay.