Terminal reel cart

A terminal reel cart that supports a reel of terminals and a terminal applicator such that the terminal applicator can be loaded with the strip of terminals and moved into position relative to a wire processing system. The terminal reel cart supports the reel of terminals and a terminal applicator. The reel cart includes a plurality of wheels that allow the cart to be easily moved throughout a processing facility. The reel cart includes a paper take up reel that is driven by a motor and collects the paper backing from the strip of terminals. The paper take up reel is driven by a drive motor on the wire processing system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to a reel cart for use with a wire processing system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the terminal reel cart that allows a terminal applicator to be mounted to the reel cart, loaded with a strip of terminals and positioned for use with the wire processing system.

Presently, many different types of terminal applicators can be used with a wire processing system. When different terminals are to be crimped onto the ends of the wire being processed, the terminal applicator is removed from the wire processing system and another terminal applicator is installed. In many wire processing facilities, there may be more than 20 applicators that can be used with the wire processing machine.

When a new applicator is installed, a strip of terminals must be fed through the applicator from a supply reel. The supply reel is typically mounted directly to the machine. This requires the operator to mount the terminal reel to the machine, mount the applicator and feed the terminal strip through the applicator, which requires down time of the wire processing machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a terminal reel cart mounted on a series of caster wheels that can be moved about a manufacturing facility and used with one or more wire processing systems. The terminal reel cart includes a terminal reel mounted to a support shaft. The support shaft is received within an open slot formed within the support body of the terminal reel cart. The support shaft is held in place by a retention mechanism including a pair of locking bars contained on each side of the terminal reel cart.

The terminal reel cart includes a mounting plate configured to receive and retain a terminal applicator. When the terminal applicator is supported on the mounting plate of the terminal reel cart, the continuous strip of terminals can be fed through the terminal applicator from the terminal reel supported by the terminal reel cart. The strip of terminals pass over a guide plate that is pivotally attached to the terminal reel cart. When the strip of terminals are installed into the terminal applicator, the entire terminal reel cart can be moved as a unit to a desired wire processing system during changeover of the terminal applicators. Since the strip of terminals is already installed into the terminal applicator, the terminal applicator can be removed from the mounting plate and installed into the wire processing system without having to thread the strip of terminals through the terminal applicator.

In one embodiment of the disclosure, the mounting plate includes a magnetic holder to magnetically hold a terminal applicator in place. Other types of holding devices are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure.

The terminal guide included on the terminal reel cart is pivotally mounted such that the terminal guide can guide the strip of terminals as the applicator is moved from the mounting plate to installation within the wire processing system. The terminal guide includes a switch connected to the wire processing system to provide a signal indicating whether the strip of terminals is passing over the guide plate. When the strip of terminals is missing, the system determines that the terminal reel needs to be replaced.

The terminal reel cart includes a paper take up reel that accumulates the paper backing for the strip of terminals. In one embodiment, the paper take up reel is supported along a drive shaft. The drive shaft is rotatably coupled to a drive wheel through a clutch assembly. Rotation of the drive wheel causes rotation of the center spool of the paper take up reel.

When the terminal reel cart is installed at the wire processing system, the drive wheel of the terminal reel cart frictionally engages a drive wheel coupled to a drive motor of the wire processing system. The frictional interaction between the drive wheel of the wire processing system and the drive wheel of the terminal reel cart allows the wire processing system to control the operation of the paper take up reel. Alternatively, a separate drive motor could be included on the terminal reel cart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates a terminal reel cart10constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. The terminal reel cart10includes a support body12mounted to a series of caster wheels14. The caster wheels14allow the entire terminal reel cart10to be moved to a desired location in a working environment.

The terminal reel cart10supports a terminal reel16that includes a continuous strip of terminals (not shown) wound around the terminal reel16. The reel16is positioned between a pair of support plates17and is rotatably mounted to a shaft20that is received within a slot22formed in the support body12.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the support body12includes a generally horizontal cross support24that in turn supports a vertical bracket26. The vertical bracket26in turn supports a horizontal mounting plate28. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the mounting plate28supports a terminal applicator holder, which inFIG. 4is a magnetic holder30. The magnetic holder30allows various types of terminal applicators to be supported by the reel cart10. Although not shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the terminal applicator holder can support any number of different types of terminal applicators. The magnetic holder30shown inFIGS. 1 and 2securely supports the terminal applicator such that the terminal applicator can be moved along with the terminal reel cart10. When the terminal reel cart10is positioned adjacent to a wire processing system, the terminal applicator can be removed from the magnetic holder30and installed within the wire processing system as is well known. The magnetic holder30provides a secure point of attachment for the terminal applicator such that the terminal applicator can be moved along with the reel of terminals16rotatably supported on the shaft20.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the terminal applicator holder is shown as a magnetic holder30having a generally circular magnet32that interacts with the base plate of a terminal applicator. However, the magnetic holder30could be removed and replaced with different types of terminal mounting assemblies, depending upon the actual type of terminal applicator used with the terminal reel cart10.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the terminal reel cart10includes a terminal guide34that is pivotally mounted to the cross support24. The terminal guide34includes a curved guide plate36positioned above a terminal chute38having an open bottom end40and an open top end42. The strip of terminals pass through the terminal chute38and travel over the curved guide plate36between the chute walls41.

As shown inFIG. 5, the entire terminal guide34is pivotally mounted to the cross support24by a pivot rod43that passes through mounting block44. The rotation of the mourning block44about the pivot rod43allows the entire terminal guide34to pivot about a horizontal axis.

When a terminal applicator is supported along the magnetic holder30, the terminal guide34pivots rearwardly such that the strip of terminals pass through the terminal chute38such that the strip of terminals can be loaded into the terminal applicator when the terminal applicator is supported on the magnetic holder30. When the terminal applicator is removed from the magnetic holder30and installed in the wire processing system, as will be described, the terminal guide34pivots about the horizontal axis such that the strip of terminals are supported during the installation of the terminal applicator within the wire processing system. The pivoting movement of the terminal guide34thus allows the strip of terminals to be supported when the terminal applicator is moved from the terminal reel cart10to the wire processing system.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the terminal reel cart10includes a paper take up reel46. Since the strip of terminals often includes a paper backing strip, the paper take up reel46receives the paper backing and collects the backing for later disposal. The paper take up reel46includes a center spool48and a pair of spaced, circular plates50,52.

Referring now toFIG. 5, the center spool48is supported by a shaft54that extends through sidewall56of the support body12. Shaft54extends through a drive wheel58and receives a locking collar60of a clutch mechanism62. The clutch mechanism62includes a spring member64and a support plate67. The clutch mechanism62rotatably connects the shaft54and the drive wheel58while allowing for slippage between the two mechanisms when required. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the drive wheel58engages a drive wheel66of the wire processing system68. The wire processing system68includes a support table70that supports the various wire processing equipment used to apply terminals to strips of wire or other processing equipment.

A drive motor72is mounted beneath the support table70through a mounting arrangement74. The drive motor72in the embodiment shown inFIG. 5is an electric motor that is coupled to the control unit for the wire processing system and selectively controls the operation of the drive wheel66. The mounting arrangement74allows the position of the drive wheel66to be adjusted for correct alignment with the drive wheel. When the terminal reel cart10is mounted adjacent to the wire processing system68, the drive wheel58physically engages the drive wheel66such that the driven rotation of the drive wheel66imparts similar rotation to the drive wheel58. Rotation58of the terminal reel cart10of the drive wheel58causes corresponding rotation of the center spool48through the clutch mechanism62. As described previously, rotation of the center spool48allows the terminal reel cart to take up the paper backing material for the strip of terminals being applied.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the terminal guide34includes a switch mechanism76. The switch mechanism76is rotatably mounted about a pair of pivot pins78. When terminals are passing through the terminal chute38, the switch mechanism76pivots about the pivot pins78. When a strip of terminals are no longer present, the switch mechanism76returns to the position shown inFIG. 5. In this position, the switch mechanism76provides an indication to the wire processing system that terminals are no longer being fed to the applicator of the wire processing system. The switch mechanism76is connected to the wire processing system via a one-quarter inch phone jack or other type of connector. The connection to the wire processing system is shown inFIG. 3as the attachment cord80. The attachment cord80is a reinforced member that allows the terminal reel cart10to be connected to the wire processing system such that information from the switch mechanism76can be relayed to the wire processing system.

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 6, the terminal reel cart10includes a locking mechanism81to hold the terminal reel16in the slot22. The locking mechanism81includes a locking bar82positioned on each side of the support body12. Each of the locking bars82is supported by an upper connector83and a lower connector84. The upper and lower connectors83,84are each movably received within a slot86formed in the support bar82. The slots86allow the locking bar82to move vertically. In the position shown inFIG. 6, each of the connectors83,84are at the upper end of the slots86such that the locking bars82hold the shaft20within the slot22.

As shown inFIG. 6, a handle88extends between the pair of locking bars82such that the locking bars82on each side of the terminal reel cart can be removed together through movement of the handle88.

As can be understood inFIG. 1, each reel cart10includes a supply of terminals and an applicator mounted to the mounting plate28. Thus, when a user desires to change out the type of terminals and applicators used in a wire processing system, the entire reel cart10can be moved to the wire processing system as a single unit. Once the terminal reel cart10is in the required location, the terminal applicator is removed from the mounting plate28and locked into place in the wire processing system. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the magnetic support30allows for simple and quick removal of the applicator from the terminal cart10.

Referring now toFIG. 5, when the terminal reel cart10is wheeled into position, a drive wheel66of a drive motor72mounted to the wire processing system68frictionally engages the drive wheel58. In the embodiment illustrated, the motor72is mounted to the table70by a mounting mechanism that allows the position of the motor72to move to compensate for the location of the wheel58. The flexible mounting arrangement of the drive motor72allows the drive motor72to move and compensate for misalignment of the reel cart10to the table of the wire processing system.

When the terminal cart10is in the position shown inFIG. 5, the interaction between the drive wheel66and the drive wheel58causes the drive wheel58to rotate the paper take up reel to collect the paper backing of the terminals, as described.

When the terminal reel cart is positioned adjacent to the wire processing system, a clamping mechanism90can be used to secure the terminal reel cart in the position shown inFIG. 7. The clamping mechanism90is securely attached to the top surface92of the table70. The clamping mechanism90includes a pin94that extends through an attachment slot96formed in the vertical bracket26. The attachment slot96allows each of the terminal carts to be used with different height support tables70.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing Figures, the paper take up reel46is shown in rotating communication with the drive wheel58. As described, the drive wheel58engages a drive wheel66included as part of the wire processing system. Such an embodiment allows for a single drive motor72to be included as part of the wire processing system. The single drive motor72is used to rotate the paper take up reel for multiple different terminal reel carts. However, it is contemplated that in other embodiments, a drive motor could be mounted directly to the terminal reel cart and used to drive the paper take up reel46. In such an embodiment, the operation of the drive motor contained on the terminal reel cart would be driven based upon the speed at which terminals are applied and removed from the support reel contained on the terminal reel cart.