Wire Guide Tool Assembly for Automated Terminal Crimping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical terminal applicators lack automatic operation for crimping and removing electrical terminals from wires, limiting production efficiency due to manual insertion and lack of automatic release mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A wire guide tool assembly with a movable upper wire guide and a lifter, forming a conical wire guide to automatically insert and crimp wires into electrical terminals, and then displace the crimped wire subassembly for clearance, allowing for automatic removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual insertion and operation are used for crimping electrical terminals, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and labor intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wire guide tool assembly is divided into distinct functional components: upper wire guide, lower wire guide, lifter mechanism, and crimping tools. Each component performs a specific function in the automated terminal attachment process, allowing for modular design and maintenance while enabling high-speed automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifter acts as an intermediary component between the crimping operation and terminal release. It temporarily holds the terminal during crimping, then displaces it to provide clearance for automatic removal, enabling automated operation without requiring complex manual intervention mechanisms.
2Extent of automation
If automatic release mechanism is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifter mechanism automatically performs the release function through its own displacement action. After crimping, the lifter moves to displace the terminal, automatically providing clearance for removal without requiring separate complex release mechanisms or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifter is positioned and configured in advance to perform both the holding function during crimping and the release function afterward. This preliminary positioning enables automatic operation by having the component ready to perform the next required action without additional complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If terminal is held firmly during crimping, then manufacturing precision is improved, but automatic removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lifter dynamically changes its function during the operation cycle. It provides firm holding during crimping to ensure precision, then automatically displaces to provide clearance for removal. This dynamic behavior allows the system to achieve both precise crimping and easy automatic removal without contradiction.
Data Source
AI summary
A wire guide system includes a wire guide tool assembly mounted to a die of a press automatically connecting an electrical terminal to a wire subassembly. An upper wire guide has a hemispherical shaped upper wire guide portion. A lower wire guide has a hemispherical shaped lower wire guide portion. The upper wire guide moves reciprocally to the lower wire guide. The hemispherical shaped upper and lower wire guide portions when the upper wire guide contacts the lower wire guide combine to temporarily define a conical wire guide aligned with a terminal barrel of the electrical terminal. A lifter is slidably received in the lower wire guide. The lifter displaces a terminal barrel of the electrical terminal away from contact with the lower wire guide after the electrical terminal is crimped to the wire subassembly, providing clearance to automatically remove the wire subassembly from the wire guide tool assembly.