Method and apparatus for connecting conductors to terminals of an apparatus

• US 4,074,421 A
• Filed: 09/15/1976
• Issued: 02/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Thysk, Nils Anders Rune, Reutling, Rolf Torgny
• Primary Examiner(s): DiPalma, Victor A.
• Application Number:
  US05/723,446
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 29/628, 29/748, 29/760, 29/33 K, 29/33 M, 29/739, 29/753, 29/761, 228/5.1, 228/4.5, 228/904
• US Class Current: 29/860
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/06 Wiring by machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 228/904 Wire bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 by metal fusion bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5191 Assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5193 Electrical connector or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53213 Assembled to wire-type conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53265 with work-holder for assembly

Abstract

A method of connecting an isolated electric conductor to terminals of an apparatus where the electric conductor is drawn onto a fixture provided with holes arranged in correspondence with the terminals of the apparatus, from hole to hole and formed into loops through at least some of the holes. Then the terminals of the apparatus are inserted through the holes of the fixture and brought to contact against the inside of the loops where they are then attached.

Claims

1. A method of connecting an isolated electrical conductor to terminal tags of an apparatus in which a fixture having a series of holes formed therethrough is provided which series of holes is patterned in correspondence with the tags of the apparatus, comprising:

advancing the electrical conductor to a first one of said series of holes of said fixture;

repeatedly advancing said electrical conductor to the other of said series of holes, one after another;

forming a loop through at least some of said series of holes after said electrical conductor has been advanced to the respective hole in which the loop is to be formed;

thereafter inserting the tags of the apparatus through said series of holes which correspond therewith until the ends of said tags bear against the inner portions of said loops; and

then joining said tag ends to the inner portions of said loops for permanent fastening.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of forming a loop through at least some of said series of holes comprises extending the bottom of the loop completely past its respective hole and extending said bottom of the loop in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the hole such that it extends beyond the diameter of the hole, whereby the loop is held in place thereby.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of joining said tag ends to the inner portions of said loops comprises soldering said tag ends to said inner portions of said loops.

4. An apparatus for connecting an isolated electrical conductor to terminal tags of a device, comprising:

a fixture having a series of holes formed therein, said series of holes being patterned after said terminal tags of the device;

storage means for storing said electrical conductor situated above said fixture;

a cutter mounted for reciprocal movement toward and away from said fixture so that when said electrical conductor is advanced to said series of holes said cutter in its downward position will form loops in at least some of said holes, said cutter having an end nearest said fixture which is of narrower width than the rest of said cutter;

carriage means mounting said storage means and said cutter for movement along said fixture to lay said electrical conductor above said holes; and

fork means positioned below said fixture also mounted on said carriage means mounting said storage means and said cutter, said fork means having a first leg and a second leg which define therebetween a space of greater dimension than the width of said end of said cutter, said fork means expanding the bottom of each loop formed in a hole in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction of the hole so that the bottom portion of the loop is of greater dimension than the diameter of the hole whereby the loop is held in the hole.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for cutting off said electrical conductor after said series of holes have been passed over by said electrical conductor, said means for cutting off being mounted on said carriage means between said storage means and said fixture.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said carriage means comprises means for advancing said electrical conductor as said carriage means is moved along said series of holes.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a plate parallel with said fixture and also comprising a series of holes in the same pattern as said series of holes of said fixture, and a series of tubes, each tube connecting a hole of said plate with a corresponding hole of said fixture, whereby the fixture and the plate are secured together.