Terminal crimping mechanism

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a terminal crimping mechanism, comprising a bracket, a crimping assembly, and a driving assembly. The crimping assembly is fixed to the bracket, and comprises a crimping die provided with a working recess, and a push rod and two toothed dies capable of moving in the working recess; two misaligned rows of teeth between which a certain angle is formed respectively protrude from each toothed die, the two toothed dies can be tightly snap-fitted, and a terminal crimping space is formed between the rows of teeth; the push rod is connected to the two toothed dies and drives same to get close and be snap-fitted to each other so as to crimp a terminal on a wire; the driving assembly is fixed to the bracket, and the driving assembly acts on the push rod and drives the push rod to move. The terminal crimping mechanism of the present invention has a good crimping effect, and the situation of insufficient crimping due to the occurrence of a gap is not prone to occurring.

Description

Terminal crimping mechanism

[0001] This invention claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410229964.7, filed with the Patent Office of China on February 29, 2024, with application number 202410229964.7 and invention name “Terminal Crimping Mechanism”. The entire contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The invention belongs to the technical field of electrical equipment, and in particular relates to a terminal crimping mechanism. Background Art

[0003] Terminals are commonly used components in electrical connections. In electrical engineering, terminals generally refer to wiring terminals, whose primary function is to transmit electrical signals or conduct electricity. Terminals are essential when connecting signal lines to other devices; otherwise, the signal line will not be able to connect to other devices or communicate.

[0004] A terminal crimping machine uses a crimping tool to secure the terminal to be installed and the signal wire. It then applies pressure to the terminal, tightly fitting it onto the end of the signal wire. During operation, the insulation on the wire must be stripped off, and then the terminal is crimped onto the exposed wire bundle. Currently, common crimping mechanisms cannot fully secure the terminal to the wire bundle, resulting in gaps between the terminal and the wire bundle, which affects both the final securement and the overall performance.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background technology section is only intended to enhance understanding of the overall background of the invention and should not be regarded as an admission or any form of suggestion that the information constitutes the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a terminal crimping mechanism, which can better fix the terminal on the wire harness to avoid the terminal falling off or poor contact affecting the use effect in the later stage.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a terminal crimping mechanism, comprising a bracket, a crimping assembly, and a drive assembly. The crimping assembly is fixed to the bracket and includes a crimping die, a push rod, and two oppositely disposed toothed dies, each of which has a working groove provided therein. Each toothed die is provided with two tooth rows, each tooth row including a plurality of teeth, with gaps formed between adjacent teeth. The two toothed dies can be tightly engaged, forming a terminal crimping space between the tooth rows. The push rod connects and drives the two toothed dies to approach and engage each other, thereby crimping the terminal onto the wire. The drive assembly is fixed to the bracket and is used to drive the push rod to move.

[0008] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the crimping assembly also includes two wedge blocks located in the working groove and arranged opposite to each other, the two toothed dies are respectively fixed to the two wedge blocks, and the other side of the wedge blocks are respectively formed with inclined first guide surfaces, and the push rod includes two driving arms respectively extending between the wedge blocks and the side walls of the working groove, and each of the driving arms is respectively formed with a second guide surface that cooperates with the first guide surface on that side.

[0009] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, at least one return spring is squeezed between the two wedge blocks.

[0010] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the angle between the two tooth rows is 90 degrees.

[0011] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the driving assembly includes a pre-crimping cylinder connected to the push rod, and the pre-crimping cylinder drives the push rod to move and drives the two toothed dies to approach each other to fix the terminal.

[0012] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the driving assembly further comprises a main cylinder, which is capable of driving the push rod to move and drive the two toothed dies to continue to approach each other so as to crimp the terminal onto the wire.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a sensor for obtaining pressure data when crimping terminals is fixed on the output shaft of the master cylinder.

[0014] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the push rod includes a base and a main rod connected to one end of the base, the driving arm is connected to the other end of the base, and the base is provided with a mounting hole for fixing the pre-pressing cylinder, and the main cylinder acts on the main rod.

[0015] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the main rod and the mounting hole are arranged one above the other.

[0016] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, a stopper for limiting the moving distance of the push rod is provided in the working groove, the main rod and the base are provided at one end of the stopper, and the driving arm extends to the other end of the stopper.

[0017] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the crimping assembly also includes a fixed plate fixed to the crimping die, the fixed plate covering the working groove to limit the two wedge blocks and the two toothed dies in the working groove, and a first guide hole coaxial with the terminal crimping space is provided on the fixed plate.

[0018] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the fixing plate is provided with a sliding groove along the moving direction of the push rod, part of the base extends out of the working groove through the sliding groove, and the mounting hole is provided on the part of the base extending out of the working groove.

[0019] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the terminal crimping mechanism also includes a terminal guide assembly fixed on the crimping die, and the terminal guide assembly includes a second guide hole coaxial with the first guide hole, and the aperture of the second guide hole gradually increases in a direction away from the first guide hole.

[0020] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the terminal guide assembly includes a guide base, a guide cylinder fixed to the guide base, and two guide arms pivotally arranged on the guide base, the guide base is fixed to the crimping die, and the ends of the two guide arms are respectively provided with semicircular guide grooves, the guide cylinder connects and drives the two guide arms to rotate to approach or move away from each other, and when the two guide arms rotate close to each other, the two guide grooves constitute the second guide hole.

[0021] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the terminal guide assembly further includes two auxiliary connection blocks respectively fixed on the two guide arms, and the guide groove is provided on the auxiliary connection blocks.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the terminal crimping mechanism in the present invention uses a toothed die to perform terminal fixing and crimping operations. Each toothed die has multiple teeth arranged in parallel. The terminal is supported and fixed by multiple teeth. The force is consistent during crimping, so the crimping effect is better, and it is not easy for gaps to appear, resulting in inadequate crimping. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments described in the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort.

[0024] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a terminal crimping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG2 is a disassembled diagram of a terminal crimping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] FIG3 is a disassembled diagram of a crimping assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the interior of a crimping assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a crimping die according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a push rod according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a wedge block according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a tooth-shaped mold according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a terminal guide assembly in a first state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a second state of a terminal guide assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1-10, a terminal crimping mechanism 100 in one embodiment of the present invention includes a bracket 10, a crimping assembly 20, and a driving assembly 30. The bracket 10 is used to provide a fixed position for the crimping assembly 20 and the driving assembly 30. The crimping assembly 20 is fixed on the bracket 10, and includes a crimping die 21, a push rod 22, and two tooth-shaped dies 23. A working groove 211 is provided on the crimping die 21, and the push rod 22 and the two tooth-shaped dies 23 are arranged in the working groove 211 and can move in the working groove 211. The two tooth-shaped dies 23 are arranged opposite to each other, and each tooth-shaped die 23 is respectively provided with two tooth rows 231, each tooth row 231 is composed of a plurality of teeth 2311, and a gap 2312 is formed between adjacent teeth 2311. The two tooth rows 231 form a certain angle between them and can interlock (i.e., the teeth 2311 of one toothed die 23 fit within the gaps 2312 of the other toothed die 23). When engaged, the space between the tooth rows 231 of the two toothed dies 23 forms a terminal crimping space. The drive assembly 30 provides power to the push rod 22, propelling it within the working slot 211. The push rod 22 drives the two toothed dies 23 toward each other, causing the tooth rows 231 of the two dies 23 to interlock. This reduces the terminal crimping space between the tooth rows 231, securing the terminal to the exposed wire.

[0036] During actual operation, after the outer insulation layer of the wire is stripped off, the internal wire bundle is exposed and twisted into a single strand. The exposed wire bundle is then transferred to the terminal crimping space between the two tooth rows 231. The two toothed dies 23 are driven close to each other, and the tooth rows 231 are engaged with each other to put the terminal on the exposed wire bundle.

[0037] By using two interlocking tooth-shaped dies 23, each tooth-shaped die 23 has two tooth rows 231 at a certain angle. Each tooth row 231 has multiple teeth 2311, and each tooth 2311 contacts and provides force with the terminal. This allows for a longer crimping length, providing contact points and force at all locations on the terminal, allowing the terminal to be integrally fixed to the wire harness. This avoids the problem of a short fixing point affecting the fixing effect and causing it to easily fall off later. Furthermore, a large number of teeth 2311 can crimp terminals of different lengths, providing greater flexibility.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4 , the crimping assembly 20 also includes two movable wedge blocks 24 disposed within the working groove 211. Two toothed dies 23 are secured to the two wedge blocks 24, respectively. Each wedge block 24 has an inclined first guide surface 241 formed on one side facing the inner wall of the working groove 211. As shown in Figure 6 , the push rod 22 includes two drive blocks 221 extending between the wedge blocks 24 and the inner wall of the working groove 211. Each drive block 221 has a second guide surface formed on that side that mates with the first guide surface 241 (in Figure 6 , the two drive blocks 221 face each other). As the push rod 22 moves, the second guide surfaces 24 cooperate with the first guide surface 241 to move the two wedge blocks 24 toward each other, completing the terminal crimping operation.

[0039] It is conceivable that the crimping assembly 20 needs to have a reset function to reset after a single terminal crimping operation, releasing the wire to await the next crimping operation. In this embodiment, a reset spring 25 is squeezed between the two wedge-shaped blocks 24. During the terminal crimping process, the reset spring 25 squeezes and accumulates energy. When crimping is complete, the driving force of the drive assembly 30 disappears, and the reset spring 25 releases the stored energy, pushing the two wedge-shaped blocks 24 toward each other, moving the two tooth-shaped dies 23 away from each other.

[0040] Preferably, two reset springs 25 are provided in the working groove 211 , respectively pressing on both sides of the toothed die 23 to provide reset driving force from both sides, thereby preventing the toothed die 23 from getting stuck when only a single reset spring 25 is provided.

[0041] In this embodiment, the angle between the two tooth rows 231 on a single toothed die 23 is 90 degrees. Therefore, after being fastened together, the cross-sectional shape of the terminal crimping space between the two toothed dies 23 is rectangular, so the terminal is more evenly stressed and the fixing effect is better.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drive assembly 30 includes a pre-crimping cylinder 31 and a main cylinder 32, both of which are fixed to the bracket 10. The pre-crimping cylinder 31 is used to drive the push rod 22 to move and secure the terminal between the two toothed dies 23. The main cylinder 32 is then activated and pushes the push rod 22 further to crimp the terminal onto the wire harness. Therefore, the terminal crimping mechanism 100 in this embodiment has a two-stage fixing operation, namely, first fixing the terminal, then inserting the wire harness into the terminal, and then crimping and securing the terminal.

[0043] Preferably, a sensor 33 is also fixed at the end of the output shaft of the master cylinder 32, which is used to obtain pressure data when crimping the terminal. The output of the master cylinder 32 can be adjusted at any time through the pressure data and the terminal crimping effect to achieve the optimal crimping effect, so it is more flexible.

[0044] To accommodate the above-described configuration, referring to Figures 4 and 6 , the push rod 22 includes a base 222, with two drive blocks 221 fixed to either side of the base 222. A main rod 223 is also fixed to the base 222, and a master cylinder 32 acts on the end of the main rod 223 to move the entire push rod 22. It should be noted that because the output shaft of the master cylinder 32 is fixed with a sensor 33, the main rod 223 and the master cylinder 32 are not fixedly connected. The main rod 223 only contacts the output shaft of the master cylinder 32 when the push rod 22 is moved. The base 222 is fixedly connected to the pre-pressing cylinder 31, and therefore, a mounting hole 2221 for securing the pre-pressing cylinder 31 is provided on the base 222.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the main rod 223 and the mounting hole 2221 are arranged up and down. In order to ensure that the thickness of the crimping die 21 is not too large, a slide groove 262 is also opened on the fixed plate 26 at one end. The base 222 where the mounting hole 2221 is located is partially exposed in the slide groove 262 and can move within the range of the slide groove 262.

[0046] Preferably, a stopper 212 is provided in the working groove 211, located between the base 222 and the wedge block 24, for providing space division and limiting functions, thereby limiting the wedge block 24, the return spring 25, and the toothed die 23 to one side of the working groove 211 to ensure the movement direction of the wedge block 24, the return spring 25, and the toothed die 23, while the other side of the stopper 212 provides movement space for the main rod 223 and the base 222. Since the crimping die 21 is open in design, both ends of the working groove 211 are unobstructed. To prevent foreign matter from entering and to prevent the wedge block 24, the return spring 25, etc. from escaping, a fixing plate 26 is fixed at each end of the crimping die 21, covering the working groove 211. A first guide hole 261 is provided in the fixing plate 26, which is coaxial with the terminal crimping space between the toothed die 23 for the wire to pass through.

[0047] Since the wire is soft, it may deform after stripping and twisting, preventing it from entering the crimping assembly 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, the terminal crimping mechanism 100 further includes a guide assembly 40, which includes a second guide hole coaxial with the first guide hole 261. The diameter of the second guide hole gradually increases in a direction away from the first guide hole 261. Therefore, the second guide hole is a diffuse funnel-shaped opening, which can smoothly guide the wire between the first guide hole 261 and the toothed die 23.

[0048] Specifically, the guide assembly 40 is disposed on one side of the first guide hole 261 and includes a guide base 41, a guide cylinder 42, and two guide arms 43. The guide base 41 is fixed to the crimping die 21, the guide cylinder 42 is fixed to one end of the guide base 41, and the two guide arms 43 are pivotally mounted on the other end of the guide base 41. Both guide arms 43 are connected to the output shaft of the guide cylinder 42 and can be driven to rotate thereby. The two guide arms 43 are respectively fixed to two corners of the guide base 41. Auxiliary connecting blocks 44 are respectively fixed to each guide arm 43. Semicircular guide grooves 441 are respectively provided at the ends of the two auxiliary connecting blocks 44. When the two guide arms 43 rotate and approach each other, the two guide grooves 441 combine to form the second guide hole 45.

[0049] During the specific processing process, the guide assembly 40 has two states: a first state (initial state) and a second state (guiding state). When in the first state, the two guide arms 43 are in the "open" state (as shown in Figure 9). When the wire approaches and needs to enter between the toothed dies 23 for crimping, the guide arms 43 rotate toward each other and approach, and then the two semicircular guide grooves 441 combine to form a tapered second guide hole 45. At this time, the guide assembly 40 is in the second state (as shown in Figure 10), providing guidance for the wire. When the wire successfully enters between the toothed dies 23, the guide assembly 40 completes its guiding function, and the two guide arms 43 rotate in opposite directions and open to avoid affecting the subsequent movement of the wire. The guide assembly 40 re-enters the first state, waits for the terminal crimping to be completed, then disengages and waits for the next round of terminal crimping operations.

[0050] Since the second guide hole 45 is formed by merging two semicircles opened on the auxiliary connecting block 44, and the auxiliary connecting block 44 and the guide arm 43 are detachably fixed, when processing wires of different diameters, the auxiliary connecting block 44 with guide grooves 431 of different sizes can be replaced to improve flexibility.

[0051] The terminal crimping mechanism 100 provided by the present invention is further described below in conjunction with specific usage scenarios. Before the wire approaches, the guide assembly 40 is in the first state (initial state), and at the same time, the pre-crimping cylinder 31 drives the push rod 22 to move, and the terminal is fixed between the toothed mold 23; after the wire approaches, the guide cylinder 42 drives the two guide arms 43 to rotate close together, and the two semicircular guide grooves 441 combine to form a conical second guide hole 45. After the wire passes through the second guide hole 45 and the first guide hole 261, it enters the terminal. The guide cylinder 42 drives the guide arm 43 to rotate and open, and the main cylinder 32 contacts and pushes the main rod 223 to move, and the toothed mold 23 squeezes and fixes the terminal on the wire. Then the main cylinder 32 retreats, and the wedge block 24 is reset under the action of the reset spring 25. The supporting force of the toothed mold 23 on the terminal disappears, and the wire fixed with the terminal can be removed at this time.

[0052] The terminal crimping mechanism 100 in the present invention uses a toothed die 23 to fix and crimp the terminal, which has a longer fixed depth and can meet the crimping requirements of terminals of different lengths; the angle between the tooth rows 231 is 90 degrees, which is roughly the same as the force between the contact points between the terminals, so the shape of the terminal after crimping is relatively regular and the crimping effect is better; the guide component 40 can provide a guiding function for the wire and restore the initial state after the guiding function ends to avoid affecting the removal of the wire.

[0053] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and all variations within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included therein. Any reference sign in a claim should not be construed as limiting the claim to which it relates.

[0054] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described in terms of implementation methods, not every implementation method contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A terminal crimping mechanism, characterized in that: include: Bracket; A crimping assembly is fixed on the bracket, and the crimping assembly includes: A crimping die having a working groove therein; Two tooth-shaped dies arranged opposite to each other, each tooth-shaped die being provided with two tooth rows, each tooth row comprising a plurality of teeth, with gaps formed between adjacent teeth, the two tooth-shaped dies being able to fit tightly together and forming a terminal crimping space between the tooth rows; and a push rod, the push rod being connected to and driving the two toothed dies to approach each other and engage with each other, so as to crimp the terminal onto the wire; and A driving assembly is fixed on the bracket, and the driving assembly is used to drive the push rod to move.

2. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The crimping assembly also includes two wedge blocks located in the working groove and arranged opposite to each other, the two toothed dies are respectively fixed to one side of the two wedge blocks, and the other side of the wedge blocks is respectively formed with an inclined first guide surface, and the push rod includes two driving arms respectively extending between the wedge blocks and the side walls of the working groove, and each of the driving arms is respectively formed with a second guide surface that cooperates with the first guide surface.

3. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: At least one return spring is squeezed between the two wedge blocks.

4. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The angle between the two tooth rows of each tooth die is 90 degrees.

5. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The driving assembly includes a pre-pressing cylinder connected to the push rod, and the pre-pressing cylinder drives the push rod to move and drives the two tooth-shaped dies to move closer to each other to fix the terminal.

6. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving assembly further comprises a main cylinder, which can drive the push rod to move and drive the two toothed dies to move closer so as to crimp the terminal onto the wire.

7. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: A sensor for obtaining pressure data when crimping terminals is fixed on the output shaft of the master cylinder.

8. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The push rod includes a base and a main rod connected to one end of the base, the driving arm is connected to the other end of the base, and the base is provided with a mounting hole for fixing the pre-pressed cylinder, and the main cylinder acts on the main rod.

9. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: The main rod and the mounting hole are arranged up and down.

10. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: A stopper for limiting the moving distance of the push rod is provided in the working groove, the main rod and the base are provided at one end of the stopper, and the driving arm extends to the other end of the stopper.

11. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: The crimping assembly also includes a fixed plate fixed to the crimping die, the fixed plate covers the working groove to limit the two wedge blocks and the two toothed dies in the working groove, and a first guide hole coaxial with the terminal crimping space is provided on the fixed plate.

12. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 11, wherein: The fixing plate is provided with a sliding groove along the moving direction of the push rod, and a portion of the base extends out of the working groove through the sliding groove, and the mounting hole is provided on the portion of the base extending out of the working groove.

13. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 11, wherein: It also includes a terminal guide assembly fixed on the crimping die, the terminal guide assembly includes a second guide hole coaxial with the first guide hole, and the aperture of the second guide hole gradually increases in a direction away from the first guide hole.

14. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 13, wherein: The terminal guide assembly also includes a guide base, a guide cylinder fixed to the guide base, and two guide arms pivotally arranged on the guide base, the guide base is fixed to the crimping die, and the ends of the two guide arms are respectively provided with semicircular guide grooves, the guide cylinder connects and drives the two guide arms to rotate to approach or move away from each other, and when the two guide arms rotate close to each other, the two guide grooves constitute the second guide hole.

15. The terminal crimping mechanism according to claim 14, wherein: The terminal guide assembly further includes two auxiliary connection blocks respectively fixed on the two guide arms, and the guide groove is opened on the auxiliary connection blocks.

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