Terminal insertion apparatus

• US 5,515,601 A
• Filed: 01/23/1995
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Maejima, Takamichi
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, PETER DUNG BA
• Application Number:
  US08/376,967
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 29/33 M, 29/747, 29/748, 29/759
• US Class Current: 29/748
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• 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 29/53261 Means to align and advance work part

Abstract

This invention provides a terminal insertion apparatus which enables a wired terminal to be inserted reliably and smoothly into a connector housing. The apparatus comprises comprises terminal guide arms (3, 3'"'"') that guide the wired terminal (4) toward the connector housing (15) and front wire gripping hands (6, 6) that push the wired terminal (4) into the connector housing (15). The terminal guide arms (3, 3'"'"') are provided with large terminal guiding chamfers (2). The front wire gripping hands (6, 6) are formed with protrusions (5) that hold the wire and can be advanced between the terminal guiding chamfers (2). The longitudinal length of the protrusions (5) is made smaller than the depth of the terminal guiding chamfers (2), and the lateral width of the protrusions (5) is set smaller than the lateral width of the terminal guiding chamfers (2).

Claims

1. A terminal insertion apparatus for effecting guided movement of a wired terminal into a chamber of a connector housing, said apparatus comprising:

terminal guide means operative to guide a wired terminal toward said connector housing, said guide means including a pair of opposed guide arms, each having a forward end mutually cooperating to define an opening for selective longitudinal alignment with a housing chamber and a rear end defined by a laterally extending surface disposed substantially perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of said housing chamber,

terminal guiding chamfers defined by tapered surfaces formed on inner sides of said guide arms and disposed to diverge rearwardly thereof,

a pair of separable front wire gripping hands operative to move said wired terminals with respect to said terminal guide means into said connector housing chamber, each of said gripping hands containing a body having a wire gripping surface and an abutment surface adapted to engage the rear end of a cooperating guide arm substantially perpendicular with respect to said wire gripping surface,

a protrusion extending forwardly from said abutment surface on each of said front gripping hands for reception between said guide arms, said protrusions each having a tapered surface extending substantially parallel to a facing terminal-guiding chamfer of a guide arm and being spaced therefrom when said wire gripping surfaces grip a terminal wire,

means for separating said front gripping hands within said terminal guide means for releasing said terminal wire,

a pair of rear wire gripping hands having separable surfaces for gripping said terminal wire, and

means for moving said rear wire gripping hands with respect to said connector housing for extending said terminal into said housing chamber when said front wire gripping hands release said terminal wire.

2. A terminal insertion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tapered surfaces of said terminal guiding chamfers are each a straight surface.

3. A terminal insertion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a cross section of each of said protrusions is in the form of a right-angled triangle.

4. A terminal insertion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pair of guide arms defining said terminal guide means each has an outer tapered surface parallel to a corresponding one of said tapered surfaces of the terminal guiding chamfers.

5. A terminal insertion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal length of each of said protrusions is smaller than a depth of the terminal guiding chamfer cooperating therewith and a lateral width of each of said protrusions is smaller than a lateral width of the respective terminal guiding chamfers.

6. A terminal insertion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said terminal guiding chamfers correspond substantially in length measured in an insertion direction of said wired terminal with the protrusions of said pair of said front gripping hands.