Method and apparatus for applying a connector having an injection molded cover to multiconductor cable
First Claim
1. A method of attaching at least one connector to a flat multiconductor cable, said method comprising:
- staking a first connector half to a portion of a flat multiconductor cable which includes a plurality of spaced conductors covered with insulation such that contact pins of the first connector half contact corresponding conductors of the cable; and
molding an insulating second connector half to the staked first connector half, whereby a complete connector staked to a portion of a flat multiconductor cable is provided.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for injection molding a connector cover half of a connector staked to a flat multiconductor cable are disclosed, which injection molding is carried out by reciprocating an injection molding device toward and away from the cable and staking connector half diametrically opposite the injection molding device. Appropriate thermoplastic resin is chosen as the injection molding material, such that its melting temperature is lower than the softening temperature of the plastic of the staking connector half, so that when the front face of the staking connector serves as the front wall sealing off the die cavity of the injection molding device, no deformation of the staking connector half occurs. The forming die of the device may be either air cooled or water cooled, or both, to speed hardening and to prevent deformation of the staking connector half.
10 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A method of attaching at least one connector to a flat multiconductor cable, said method comprising:
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staking a first connector half to a portion of a flat multiconductor cable which includes a plurality of spaced conductors covered with insulation such that contact pins of the first connector half contact corresponding conductors of the cable; and molding an insulating second connector half to the staked first connector half, whereby a complete connector staked to a portion of a flat multiconductor cable is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A metod of attaching at least one connector to a flat multiconductor cable, which flat multiconductor cable has a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart conductors covered by insulation, said method comprising:
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positioning a portion of the flat multiconductor cable which is to receive a connector at a connector station; staking a first connector half to the flat multiconductor cable portion positioned at the connector station such that contact pins of the first connector half contact the conductors of the cable; at least partially covering the first connector half and the cable portion staked to the first connector half with a thermosetting plastic substance, whereby a complete connector staked to a portion of a flat multiconductor cable is provided; and testing the contact between the contact pins and the cable conductors for shorts and open circuits. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of forming cable assemblies, the method comprising:
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selectively advancing a multiconductor cable which includes a plurality of conductors separated by insulation; selectively attaching electrically conductive portions of a first connector to the multiconductor cable such that the electrically conductive portions are connected in an electrically conductive relationship with the cable conductors; covering at least a portion of the connector electrically conductive segments, the first connector, and the multiconductor cable thereadjacent with a flowable material which sets to a substantially solid state; and
,allowing the flowable material to set to its substantially solid state. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of continuously and automatically forming cable assemblies, the method comprising:
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(a) under the control of a computer, advancing a multiconductor cable longitudinally a selected distance; (b) under the control of the computer, selectively staking a connector portion to the multiconductor cable such that electrically conductive segments of the connector portion are staked in an electrically conductive relationship with conductors of the multiconductor cable; (c) testing for the electrically conductive relationship between the connector electrically conductive segments and the cable conductors; (d) in response to the testing step indicating a defect, cutting the multiconductor cable adjacent the staked connector portion to severe the defectively staked connector half therefrom; (e) under the control of the computer, selectively repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) to form a cable assembly with connectors affixed at selected positions therealong; and (f) under the control of the computer, selectively cutting the multiconductor cable to severe the cable assembly therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An apparatus for attaching connectors to a flat multiconductor cable, the apparatus comprising:
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an attaching means for selectively attaching a first connector portion to a flat multiconductor disposed thereadjacent; a molding means operatively connected with the attaching means for selectively molding a second connector portion attached to the first connector portion and a portion of the flat multiconductor cable disposed thereadjacent; and
,a positioning means operatively connected with attaching means and the molding means for selectively positioning the flat multiconductor cable adjacent the attaching means and the molding means in an operative relationship therewith, whereby a first connector portion is attached to the flat multiconductor cable and a second connector portion is molded to the first connector portion and a cable portion thereadjacent. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65)
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62. An apparatus for forming cable assemblies, the apparatus comprising:
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a cable supply frame assembly; a cable advancing means operatively connected with the cable supply frame assembly for advancing multiconductor cable downward therefrom; a work station frame assembly; a plurality of work stations operatively connected with the work station frame assembly in a generally transverse array, the work stations including at least; a first connector inserting means operatively connected with the work station frame assembly for selectively inserting electrically conductive segments of a first connector portion into a portion of the multiconductor cable disposed thereadjacent such that the electrically conductive segments are inserted in an electrically conductive relationship with the electrical conductors of the cable; a second connector inserting means operatively connected with the work station frame assembly for selectively inserting electrically conductive segments of a second connector portion into the multconductor cable portion disposed thereadjacent such that the second connector portion electrically conductive segments are inserted in an electrically conductive relationship with the cable conductors; an applying means operatively connected with the work station frame assembly for selectively applying a plastic which sets hard to at least a portion of the electrically conductive segments of at least one of the first and second connector portions and the multiconductor cable portion disposed thereadjacent; a translating means operatively connected with the work station frame assembly for selectively translating the cable supply frame assembly and the work station frame assembly relative to each other generally parallel to the work station array; a cutting means operatively connected with the work station frame assembly for selectively cutting the multiconductor cable to define ends of the cable assemblies; and
,a control means for selectively controlling the advancing means, the translating means, the first connector inserting means, the second connector inserting means, and the applying means such that connectors are selectively connected to the multiconductor cable at selected relative displacements therealong, the control means being operatively connected with the advancing means, the translating means, the second connector inserting means, and the applying means.
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64. An apparatus for forming cable assemblies, the apparatus comprising:
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cable advancing means for selectively advancing a multiconductor cable longitudinally; an attaching means for selectivity attaching a connector portion to the multiconductor cable such that electrically conductive segments of the connector portion are electrically connected with conductors of the multiconductor cable, the attaching means being operatively connected with the advancing means downstream thereof to receive advanced multiconductor cable thereadjacent; and
,an applying means for selectively applying a fluid material which sets up to at least a portion of the connector portion, the electrically conductive segments, and the multiconductor cable adjacent the attached connector portion, the applying means being operatively connected with the advancing means and disposed downstream therefrom to receive advanced mutliconductor cable thereadjacent. - View Dependent Claims (66, 68, 70, 71, 72)
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67. An apparatus for forming cable assemblies, the apparatus comprising:
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advancing means for selectively advancing a multiconductor cable through a work station; a connector attaching means for selectively attaching a first connector to a portion of multiconductor cable disposed thereadjacent in a electrically conductive relationship therewith, the connector attaching means being operatively connected with the work station; thermoplastic material applying means for applying a thermoplastic material to at least a portion of the attached connector and the adjacent multiconductor cable portion, the thermoplastic material applying means being operatively connected with the work station generally opposite to the connector attaching means; and
,cutting means for selectively cutting the multiconductor cable to define ends of the cable assembly, the cutting means being operatively connected with the work station.
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69. An apparatus for forming cable assemblies, the apparatus comprising:
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an advancing means for selectively advancing a multiconductor cable which has a plurality of electrical conductors separated by insulation through a work station, the work station being operatively connected with the advancing means; a connector attaching means for selectively inserting electrically conductive segments of a connector into the multiconductor cable in an electrically conductive relationship with the cable conductors, the attaching means being operatively connected with the work station; and
,a testing means for testing for an electrically conductive relationship between selected electrically conductive segments and cable conductors.
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Specification