GB2070469A - Electrical interconnection - Google Patents

Abstract

Simultaneous termination in terminal sleeves of a plurality of wires with a multi-contact connector is effected by initially aligning the wires within respective sleeves and stripping the insulation from ends thereof. The connector is located on a support member and a comb-like guiding element is disposed in front of the termination tabs of the connector. The prepared wires within their sleeves are brought down on to the tabs. Advancement of the sleeves to encompass the tabs and the wire ends is arranged to displace the guiding element to allow the termination to be completed. Preferably the terminal sleeves are of heat-shrinkable material having a pre-installed ring of solder. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical interconnection This invention relates to the termination in a terminal sleeve of a wire and a termination tab of a connector. The invention particularly, though not exclusively, relates to the simultaneous termination in terminal sleeves of a plurality of wires with a multi-contact connector. Apparatus for and a method of effecting such simultaneous termination is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.

3,945,114, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of U.S. Patent No. 3,945,114, it is seen that the wire termination apparatus comprises an identification block for locating a plurality of wires, already disposed in terminal sleeves, in a fixed relationship to each other, and a clamp for securing the wires in such a relationship.

The combined identification block and wire clamp arrangement is then mounted in a holder (Figure 6) such that the terminal sleeves may be slid along the wires, which remain clamped, to encompass also the tabs of a multi-contact connector. Interconnection of the wires and tabs is then effected within the sleeves, preferably by having the sleeves formed of heat-shrinkable material containing a ring of solder and heating the sleeve so as to shrink it around an associated wire and tab simultaneously with melting of the solder.

Although such an apparatus is satisfactory for many purposes difficulty is sometimes encountered in ensuring proper positioning of the wire and tab within the sleeve, and this may result in unsatisfactory electrical and/or mechanical connection. This is particularly so where the tabs of the multi-contact connector are shaped to receive the wires therein or thereon, and also where the wire is of fine gauge, for example 22 gauge or finer. The wire and tab may not be properly aligned with the result that, for example, melting solder from the terminal sleeve does not provide sufficiently good electrical interconnection between the wire and the tab, which consequently may be held together substantiadly only by the mechanical constriction of the heat-shrunk sleeve.

Thus, instead of the shaped tab acting as a receptacle for the wire and for the melting solder, it may in fact shield the wire from the solder, when the wire passes underneath or to the side of the tab.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least alleviate the abovementioned difficulty.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for terminating in a terminal sleeve a wire with a termination tab of a connector, comprising means arranged to mount the wire in the terminal sleeve, and means arranged to locate the wire in a predetermined position in relation to the tab of the connector prior to the encompassing of the wire and tab by the terminal sleeve.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of terminating in a terminal sleeve a wire with a termination tab of a tab connector, wherein the wire is mechanically located in a predetermined position in relation to the tab prior to encompassing the wire and tab by the terminal sleeve.

The invention thus ensures that the wire is properly positioned with respect to the tab, for example as by being located within the concavity of a concave tab, before the terminal sleeve is moved relative to the wire also to encompass the tab. A fine wire, or one or more find strands of a stranded wire, is thus safely guided to the tab for ensuring good electrical inter-connection therebetween.

The invention finds particular, though not exclusive, application when effecting simultaneous termination of a plurality of wires with a multi-contact connector, for example as disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No.

3,945,114.

The means for locating the, or each, wire may comprise a serrated edge, or a comb-like edge, and may be arranged to engage the wire, or one of the wires, which may be multi-stranded, within each notch, or between successive teeth.

The wire-locating means is preferably arranged to be moved away, so as to allow the interconnection between the tab and the wire to be made, by the advancement of the terminal sleeve itself. Furthermore, the wire-locating means may be resiliently biased such that it returns to its operative, locating position upon withdrawal of a connected tab and wire, or the plurality of connected tabs and wires, in readiness for a successive operation.

Preferably the terminal sleeves are made of heat-shrinkable material, which conveniently may have secured therein a quantity of solder or other material for effecting the electrical interconnection on heat shrinking the sleeve.

Apparatus for and a method of simultaneously terminating in terminal sleeves a plurality of wires with a multi-contact connector, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus prior to effecting the termination; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus during the termination; and Figure 3 is a sectional view of a comb of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 along the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be appreciated that the basic construction of the apparatus is the same as that of the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 3,945,114 insofar as the identification block and wire clamp are concerned.

Thus, an identification block 2 has an upper elongate member 4 hinged to a lower elongate member 6. The overlying faces of the members 4 and 6 have juxtaposed recesses therein to provide in the block 2 a linearly-extending array of cavities 8. A respective terminal sleeve 10 is positively located in each cavity 8 by engagement with an end wall 12, and with a ridge 14 part-way along the upper recess of the cavity. Preferably, each terminal sleeve 10 has a cylindrical ring 16 of solder located therewithin towards an end of the sleeve 10 that projects from the block 2.

A wire clamp 18 has an upper elongate jaw 20 hinged to a lower elongate jaw 22, the jaws being substantially transversely co-terminous, i.e.

perpendicular to the plane of Figures 1 and 2, with the members 4 and 6 of the identification block 2.

Mating recesses extend transversely along the jaws 20, 22, one in each jaw to define within the clamp 18 a single cavity 24 that is filled with resilient clamping elements 26, 28. Channels 30, 32 extend from the cavity 24 to respective outer faces of the wire clamp 1 8, and a channel 34 extends through the end wall 12 of the identication block 2 to provide communication of the block cavity 8 with an outer face of the block 2 away from the projecting end of the terminal sleeve 10.

In operation, the hinged-open identification block 2 is loaded with terminal sleeves 10, one sleeve 10 to each block cavity 8. The block members 4 and 6 are then closed and secured together, thus holding the sleeves 10 in place.

Individual ones of a plurality of insulated electrical conductors 36, for example forming part of an electrical harness, are threaded through respective channels 34, into respective cavities 8 to project outwardly through respective terminal sleeves 10, as shown in Figure 1. The wire clamp 18 is positioned behind the identification block 2, and its jaws 20, 22 are closed over the fanned conductors 36, which are thus clamped between the resilient elements 26 and 28 and extend along the channels 30 and 32. The clamp 18 is secured to the block 2. The projecting ends of the conductors 36 are prepared for connection to respective termination tabs 38 of a multi-contact connector 40, such as by being cut and stripped of insulation to the required length.

The connector 40 is mounted on a support 42, with individual tabs 38 projecting therefrom. A wire locating arrangement 44 extends from the connector support 42 towards the identification block 2. The arrangement 44 comprises a generally planer comb-like or grooved member 46 that extends, pivotable on arms 48, parallel to the identification block 2. The member 46 has teeth 50 that project into the spaces between successive tabs 38 of the connector 40. The spaces or notches 52 between successive teeth 50 of the comb member 46 are tapered outwardly towards their openings so that a single comb member 46 can be used with connectors having tabs of different sizes and shapes. The spaces 52 may be of any suitable shape, for example "V" or "U" shape.

The combined identification block 2 and wire clamp 18, with the wires 36 extending therefrom, is brought to the support 42. The wires 36 are disposed above respective connector tabs 38 and within respective spaces 52 of the comb member 46. This can conveniently be arranged by moving the combined block 2 and clamp 18 downwardly over and away from the support 42 in the direction of arrow A to the position shown in Figure 1. The connector tabs 38 and the comb member 46 are urged together such that there is insufficient room in the spaces 52 between the teeth 50 for the incoming wires 36 to pass down alongside the tabs. It is thus ensured that one and only one wire 36 is located within each comb space 52 and also that the wires are located on top of respective connector tabs 38.With the wire and tabs thus constrained, the identification block 2 is freed from the wire clamp 1 8 and is moved towards the connector support 42. It will be appreciated that the movement of the block 2, from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, carries the terminal sleeves 10 towards the connector 40, whilst the wires 36 remain fixed, firmly secured within the wire clamp 1 8. The terminal sleeves 10 are thus moved along the wires 36 to encompass the overlaps of the bared wire ends and the connector tabs 38. It is arranged that the solder rings 1 6 within the sleeves 10 are thereby positioned at the overlap of the wire and the tabs.It is further arranged that on said movement of the identification block 2, the terminal sleeves 10 and the identification block 2 engage the comb member 46 and cause it to be rotated about a transverse axle 54 such that the locating arrangement 44 is pushed downwardly as the sleeves 10 pass over the wires 36 and tabs 38. It will be appreciated that the aligning function initially provided by the locating arrangement 44 for the wire 36 and tabs 38 is now maintained by the advancing terminal sleeves 10.

When the sleeves 10 are properly positioned around respective overlapped wires and tabs, heat is applied, after removing the upper member 4 of the block 2 if necessary, to cause the sleeves 10 to shrink and the solder rings 1 6 to melt. A secure mechanical and electrical interconnection is thus provided by each terminal sleeve 10. The heating may conveniently be carried out using a hot air gun 56.

The wires 36 can now be released from the clamp 18, and the connector 40 released from the support 42. The locating arrangement 44 is preferably resiliently biased by a spring 58 to the operative position shown in Figure 1 , so that removal of the terminal sleeves 10 from the block 2 allows the comb member 46 to recover from its depressed position shown in Figure 2.

Alternatively, however, movement of the locating arrangement between its operative and depressed positions may be carried out manually. It will be appreciated that the shape and size of the comb member 46, and specifically of the teeth and intervening spaces, will be chosen in accordance with the shape and size of the tabs of the multicontact connector, such that the wires are guided by the member 46 to their desired position with respect to the tabs.

Claims (1)

1. Apparatus for terminating in a terminal sleeve a wire with a termination tab of a connector, comprising means arranged to mount the wire in the terminal sleeve, means arranged to support the connector, and means arranged to locate the wire in a predetermined position in relation to the tab of the connector prior to encompassing of the wire and the tab by the terminal sleeve.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein the wire guide means comprises a member having a groove therein, the member being mounted on the connector support means such that, in use, the connector tab lies within the groove.

3. Apparatus for simultaneously terminating in terminal sleeves a plurality of wires with respective termination tabs of a multi-contact connector, the apparatus comprising means arranged to mount the wires in the terminal sleeves, means arranged to support the connector, and means arranged to locate the wires in predetermined positions in relation to respective ones of the tabs of the connector prior to encompassing of the wires and the tabs by the terminal sleeves.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the wire guide means comprises a member having a plurality of grooves arranged to receive respective ones of the tabs of the connector and to locate the wires in one-to-one relationship therewith.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein each groove of the guide means is defined by tapering side walls arranged to receive respective tabs of the connector urged towards the bottom of the groove substantially to fill the grooves transversely.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the wire guide means is movably mounted on the connector support means, and wherein movement of the or each terminal sleeve to effect said encompassing is arranged to move the wire guide means away from the connector.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the movement of the wire guide means is effected by contact therewith by the, or at least one, terminal sleeve.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the wire guide means is resiliently biased towards the connector.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the or each terminal sleeve is made of heat-recoverable material.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the or each sleeve has a quantity of solder therein for effecting electrical connection between the or each wire and connector tab.

1 2. Wire terminating apparatus substantially as herebefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

13. A method of terminating in a terminal sleeve a wire with a termination tab of a connector, wherein the wire is mechanically located in a predetermined position in relation to the tab of the connector, and the terminal sleeve is subsequently arranged to encompass the wire and the tab.

14. A method according to Claim 13, wherein the wire is guided on to the tab between inwardly tapering walls of a grooved guide member that has the tab located towards a closed end of the groove.

15. A method of simultaneously terminating in terminal sleeves a plurality of wires with respective termination tabs of a multi-contact connector, wherein the wires are mechanically located in predetermined positions in relation to respective ones of the tabs of the connector, and the terminal sleeves are subsequently arranged to encompass the wires and tabs.

1 6. A method according to Claim 15, wherein the wires are mounted so as to have bared ends thereof projecting out through respective ones of the terminal sleeves, the connector is mounted such that the termination tabs thereof extend through respective notches of a guide member, each notch tapering inwardly from an open end towards a closed end thereof with the associated tab disposed towards said closed end of the notch, the wires are relatively moved generally downwardly substantially on to respective connector tabs, the guide member is withdrawn, and the terminal sleeves relatively moved to encompass respective wires and tabs for termination thereof.

17. A method according to any of Claims 13 to 16, wherein the or each terminal sleeve is made of heat-recoverable material and the or each sleeve is heated for recovery thereof after encompassing respective wires and tabs.

1 8. A method of terminating one or more wires, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.