Abstract:
An optically baffled heating station for joining wire connections by using a solder sleeve includes: an outer housing; a reflection block where said reflection block includes a reflection chamber where the reflection chamber forms the shape of two overlapping ellipses where the ellipses intersect at one respective focal point of each ellipsis and the opposing non-intersecting focal points are separated by about a 90° angle; two heating elements within a heating element block where the two heating elements extend beyond the heating element block and protrude into the reflection pockets of the reflection chamber. A slot extends between the two heating elements through the reflection block and the heating element block. The closed end of the slot includes a target area where the shrinking of the sleeve occurs. The target area receives the reflected light and minimizes the reflection of light toward the open end of the slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for a solder sleeve heating station and more specifically, to apparatus and methods for a solder sleeve heating station which optically baffles light in order to effect the shrinking of a solder sleeve. 
   Presently, numerous devices and methods are used to seal wire splices. Wire splicing involves the connection of wires which have been stripped of insulation. The most commonly used method of joining stripped wires involves the insertion of the wires into a solder sleeve, applying heat to the solder sleeve which shrinks the sleeve and completes the splicing of the wires. In order to properly complete splicing, an operator must center the solder sleeve over the area to be spliced. The operator also must ensure the sleeve is melted and flowed over the wire insulation. Occasionally, the operator must reapply heat in order to complete the shrinking of the sleeve, however the operator must also avoid overheating the sleeve because overheating prevents the ability to perform any visual inspections of the sleeve. The splicing is further complicated by safety goggles which the operator must wear in order to avoid eye injuries that may be caused by the tool used to shrink the solder sleeve. 
   Tools used to heat the solder sleeve include both hand held and bench top devices. As stated above, the operator must do a number of hand manipulations in order to ensure proper assembly and heating of the solder sleeve. Using a handheld infrared heating tool requires even further manipulation by the operator. Infrared heating tools are also available in desktop versions which use an infrared ray for heating. The infrared heating tools normally require multiple filters to protect the operator from potential eye injuries in addition to personal protection such as eye goggles. Radiant heat tools are also available, however the radiant heat tools tend to be expensive to purchase and/or manufacture. The radiant heating device may also be costly to operate and maintain. Another common problem associated with each tool for shrinking involves the operation cycle. The shrinking of a sleeve typically takes 8-12 seconds and may be longer due to the inspection requirements associated with current devices and methods. 
   As can be seen, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for shrinking solder sleeves which requires fewer hand manipulations by the operator, reduce safety hazards, require fewer components for the heating tools and involve a less expensive and more time efficient device. More particularly, it would be advantageous to use an optically baffled solder sleeve heating station which allows the operator to observe the heating process without the use of personal safety protection, reduces the hand manipulations required by the operator, performs the shrinking operation in less time, uses fewer components and is less costly to manufacture. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect of the present invention, a heating station for joining wire connections comprises: a reflection chamber; at least two heating elements, where the at least two heating elements extend into the reflection chamber and emit light into the reflection chamber; a slot which has an open end and a closed end, where the slot extends through the reflection chamber, where the closed end terminates within the reflection chamber and between the at least two heating elements; and a target area where the target area is positioned at the closed end of the slot, where joining of the at least one wire connection takes place within the target area, where the at least two heating elements are positioned in relation to the target area in order to direct the reflected light into the target area and minimize the reflection of light to the open end of the slot. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a heating station for joining wire connections comprises: a reflection chamber; two heating elements, where the two heating elements extend into the reflection chamber and emit light into the reflection chamber; a slot which has an open end and a closed end, where the slot extends through the reflection chamber, where the closed end terminates within the reflection chamber and between the two heating elements; and a target area where the target area is positioned at the closed end of the slot, where joining of the at least one wire connection takes place within the target area, where the two heating elements are positioned in relation to the target area in order to direct the reflected light into the target area and minimize the reflection of light to the open end. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a heating station for joining wire connections comprise: a reflection chamber where the reflection chamber forms the shape of two overlapping ellipses, where the ellipses intersect at one respective focal point of each ellipsis and the opposing non-intersecting focal points are separated by about 90° of separation; two heating elements, where the two heating elements extend into the reflection chamber and emit light into the reflection chamber; and a target area where the target area is positioned at the intersection of the overlapping ellipses, where joining of the at least one wire connection takes place within the target area, where the two heating elements are positioned in relation to the target area in order to direct the reflected light into the target area and minimize the reflection of light to the open end. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a heating station for joining wire connections comprise: an outer housing; a reflection compartment where said reflection compartment includes a reflection chamber where the reflection chamber forms the shape of two overlapping ellipses where the ellipses intersect at one respective focal point of each ellipsis and about 90° of separation lies between the non-intersecting focal points, where the reflection compartment attaches to a first side panel of the outer housing, and where the reflection chamber includes two reflection pockets, where the two reflection pockets are centered over the opposing non-intersecting focal points of the ellipses; a heating element compartment where the heating element compartment includes two heating elements, where the heating element compartment attaches to a second side panel of the outer housing, where the two heating elements extend beyond the heating element compartment and protrude into the reflection pockets of the reflection chamber; a slot which has an open end and a closed end, where the closed end terminates within the reflection chamber, where the closed end includes a black non-reflective surface and where the slot extends between the two heating elements through the reflection compartment, the heating element compartment, the first side panel and second side panel; and a target area where the target area is positioned at the closed end of the slot, where joining of the at least one wire connection takes place within the target area, where the target area is centered over the overlapping focal points of the overlapping ellipses and the two heating elements are positioned in relation to the target area in order to direct the reflected light into the target area and minimize the reflection of light to the open end. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a method of shrinking a solder sleeve for joining wire connections comprises: placing 90° of separation between two heating elements; positioning a target area at the focal point of the 90° angle; positioning the solder sleeve in a target area; emitting light from the two heating elements; reflecting the light into the target area; isolating the reflected light in the target area; and shrinking the solder sleeve due to heat generated by the reflected light in the target area. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a method of splicing two wires comprises: inserting two wires into a solder sleeve; placing the solder sleeve into a target area; emitting light into the target area from two heating elements; reflecting the light in the target area; isolating the reflected light in the target area; and shrinking the solder sleeve due to heat generated by the reflected light in the target area. 
   These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a heating station according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2   a  shows an exemplary bottom panel of the heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2   b  shows an exemplary rear panel of the heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2   c  shows an exemplary side hinge panel of the heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2   d  shows an exemplary side panel of the heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3   a  shows an internal view of a heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3   b  shows a second exemplary internal view of a heating station according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4   a  shows a front view of an exemplary reflector block according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4   b  shows an exemplary configuration for the reflector pockets according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4   c  shows a perspective view of an exemplary reflector block according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  shows a front view of an exemplary heating element (HL) block according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
   The present invention generally provides an optically baffled solder sleeve heating station (OBHS) that joins wire connections by applying focused light to a solder sleeve. The OBHS provides an alternative to infrared and radiant heating devices which addresses the above problems associated with the prior art and provides a quicker, safer and more efficient shrinking operation. The OBHS substantially reduces the operation cycle associated with the shrinking of solder sleeves, reduces the necessity of operator manipulation and reduces the hazards associated with this process. The operation cycle of the prior art tends to be in the range of 8-12 seconds as opposed to a 3 second cycle for the OBHS. Normally, an operator using the prior art for the shrinking operations must center or manipulate the position of the solder sleeve to ensure a proper joining of the wire connections. The OBHS allows an operator to simply insert the solder sleeve at the operation point of the OBHS without any further manipulation. The OBHS uses a focused light that remains contained within the OBHS and thus eliminates the need for multiple filters or personal protection in order to prevent operator injuries. The OBHS uses at least two heating elements which provide direct heat to the solder sleeve and consequently shrinks the sleeve which splices wires for use in multiple of applications. The OBHS includes optical baffles to shield the operator from light emitted from the heating elements. The OBHS allows an operator to insert the wires and solder sleeve into a slot, which activates a limit switch that turns on the heating elements. The heating elements emit light which is reflected within a reflection chamber and remains within the slot. The operator can view the soldering process through a filter that eliminates any light that may inadvertently come through the slot. The OBHS, however, due to its design reflects the light within the optical baffle and the slot is strategically coated to limit or eliminate any reflection light through the slot toward the operator. The reflection chamber of the OBHS is configured in the shape of two overlapping ellipses where the ellipses share one focal point and the respective unshared focal points are separated by about 90° separation. The design of the OBHS enables the reflection of the light emitted by the heating elements which causes the generation of sufficient heat to shrink the solder sleeve, but substantially eliminates the emission of light outside the slot. The OBHS shrinks the solder sleeve in a substantially less time period, about a 3 second operation, than associated with the prior art devices, typically an 8-12 second operation, and reduces operator exposure to eye injury as discussed above. Many of the prior art infrared heating tools require multiple filters in order to filter the infrared light used, however the OBHS does not require multiple filters because it does not use infrared light and the light remains contained within the OBHS. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a heating station according to the present invention is shown. The OBHS  10  includes a filter mount  30   a  which is attached to a rear panel  15   a . The rear panel  15   a  is L-shaped and encloses the rear portion of the OBHS  10 . A front panel  15   b , also L-shaped, encloses the front portion of the OBHS  10 . The filter mount  30   a  includes at least a pair of polarizing filters  30   b  which are centered over an insertion slot  60  during operation. The polarizing filters  30   b  provide further protection from light that may emit through the insertion slot  60  toward the operator. As will be discussed below, any light that may escape through the insertion slot  60  will be unfocused and thus the operator will not need any additional protection while operating the OBHS  10 . A side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  provide the other enclosing sides of the OBHS  10 . The side hinge panel  15   d  includes a first hinge  19   a  and second hinge  19   b  which allow for the opening and closing of the OBHS  10 . Power supply cord  24   b  supplies electrical power to the OBHS  10  and stand  16   a  which is attached to side panel  15   e  provides a device to adjust and support the position of the OBHS  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   a , an exemplary bottom panel of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. The bottom panel  15   c  includes a power supply connection  24   a  that accommodates power supply cord  24   b  shown in  FIG. 1 , fan vent  21 , a fan  20  and fan cover  22 . The fan  20  draws hot air from the interior of the OBHS  10  and prevents heat transfer to the outer surface of the OBHS  10 . The OBHS  10  uses 120 volts of power that supplies voltage to the fan  20  and to the other internal components that are described below. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   b , an exemplary rear panel of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. The rear panel  15   a  includes an orifice which receives a panel bolt  31   a . The panel bolt  31   a  provides a device for attaching and allowing the adjustment of filter mount  30   a . The panel bolt  31   a  includes threads which receive a panel nut  31   b  which firmly attaches the filter mount  30   a  to the rear panel  15   a . The filter mount  30   a  includes a slot  30   c  which allows for the vertical adjustment of the polarizing filters  30   b  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   c , an exemplary side hinge panel of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. As described in  FIG. 1 , side hinge panel  15   d  includes a first hinge  19   a  and a second hinge  19   b  which both provide for opening the OBHS  10  for inspection of the reflection chamber and heating elements that will be described in detail below. Four bolts, a first reflector bolt  17   a , a second reflector bolt  17   b , a third reflector bolt  17   c  and a fourth reflector bolt  17   d , are inserted through openings in the side hinge panel  15   d  that allow for the attachment of a reflector block  40 , shown in  FIG. 3   a , to the side hinge panel  15   d . Two openings, a first closure hole  14   a  and a second closure hole  14   b  allow for the insertion of bolts which connect the side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  and connect the internal components of the OBHS  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   d , an exemplary side panel of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. Side panel  15   e  includes four bolts, a first HL bolt  18   a , a second HL bolt  18   b , a third HL bolt  18   c  and a fourth HL bolt  18   d , are inserted through openings in the side panel  15   e  that allow for the attachment of a HL block  50 , shown in  FIG. 3   a , to the side panel  15   e . Two openings, a third closure hole  14   c  and a forth closure hole  14   d  allow for the insertion of bolts which connect the side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  and connect the internal components of the OBHS  10 . The side panel  15   e  also includes a stand bolt  16   a  that allows for the attachment of the stand  16   a  shown in FIG.  1 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3   a , an exemplary internal view of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. The front panel  15   b  is removed from the OBHS  10  in order to show the internal components. A reflector block  40  abuts HL block  50  in the center of the OBHS  10 . A cover plate  51  separates the HL block  50  from the reflector block  40 . The reflector block  40  includes a limit switch  12  which serves to activate heating elements during operation. Reflector gap  13   a  and HL gap  13   b  are shown between the side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  respectively. The gaps allow for the movement of air between the reflector block  40  and HL block  50  and thus allows for heat transfer out of the OBHS  10  during operation. Other components shown within the OBHS  10  include the fan vent  21 , a corner bracket  11  which provides support for the side panel  15   c  and internal wiring  26 . The internal wiring  26  provide power to the fan  20 , limit switch  12  and heating elements of the HL block  50 . The panel bolt  31   a  is also shown with a second panel bolt  31   c  that allows for the optional attachment of the filter mount  30   a  to the front panel  15   b  in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The second hinge  19   b  is also shown and enables the lateral movement of side hinge panel  15   d  as described below in  FIG. 3   b.    
   Referring now to  FIG. 3   b , a second exemplary internal view of the heating station according to the present invention is shown. The side hinge panel  15   d  may be rotated laterally and in a counterclockwise direction (see the arrow  19   c ), which enables the operator to completely open the OBHS  10 . The design of the side hinge panel  15   d  enables the operator to inspect the interior of the reflector block  40  and to replace and/or inspect the heating elements, first heating element  53   a  and second heating element  53   b .  FIG. 3   b  also shows the insertion slot  60  and the back side of fan  20 . The other components of  FIG. 3   b  were also shown in  FIG. 3   a  and described above. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4   a , a front view of an exemplary reflector block according to the present invention is shown. The reflector block  40  includes a reflection chamber  45  that reflects the light emitted by heating elements  53   a ,  53   b . The surface of the reflection chamber  45  focuses the light into a reflection target area  47 . The shape of the reflection chamber  45  enables the optical baffling of the light to the reflection target area  47  which causes the generation of heat sufficient to shrink the inserted solder sleeve in about three seconds. The reflection chamber also eliminates the necessity of any further manipulation by the operator once the solder sleeve is placed in the target area  47 . The optical baffling also contains the light within the reflection chamber  45  and all focused light is directed toward the target area  47 . The reflection chamber  45  includes a first HL pocket  43   a  and a second HL pocket  43   b . The HL pockets  43   a ,  43   b  receive a portion of heating elements  53   a ,  53   b  when the OBHS  10  is closed as shown in  FIG. 3   a . The reflection block  40  also includes a top cavity  42   a , a bottom cavity  42   b , a top bolt thruway  44   a  and a bottom bolt thruway  44   b . The top cavity  42   a  and bottom cavity  42   b  receive alignment pins which protrude from the HL block  50 . The top bolt thruway  44   a  and bottom bolt thruway  44   b  provide openings for the insertion of connection bolts which join the side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  and vertically connect the internal components of the OBHS  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4   b , an exemplary configuration for the reflector pockets according to the present invention is shown. A first focal point  49   a  represents the center of the first HL pocket  43   a , a second focal point  49   b  represents the center of the second HL pocket  43   b  and a third focal point  49   c  represents the center of target area  47 . The outside circumference of the overlapping ellipses correlate to the outside surface of the reflection chamber  45 . The exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 4   b  shows a separation angle  49   d  which provides 90° of separation between the first focal point  49   a  and second focal point  49   b . The shape of the reflection chamber  45  correlates with the elliptical configuration of  FIG. 4   b  and effectively enables the optically baffling of the light emitted by the heating elements  53   a ,  53   b.    
   Referring now to  FIG. 4   c , a perspective view of an exemplary reflector block according to the present invention is shown.  FIG. 4   c  depicts a number of the components associated with the reflector block  40  and side hinge panel  15   d  as described above.  FIG. 4   c  provides a clearer view of the target area  47  and shows non-reflective walls  66  of insertion slot  60  which actually end just before the target area  47 . The non-reflective walls  66  are coated with light absorbing material to reduce the amount of light transmitted toward the operator. This embodiment enables the direct application of heat to the target solder sleeve. A chamber non-reflective area  64  receives a coating to prevent the reflection of focused light through the insertion slot  60 . The non-reflective walls  66  also receive a coating to prevent the reflection of light through the insertion slot  60 . The coating could be any known means to reduce light reflection such as application of black paint or black colored strips. The depth of the slot, narrow opening and light absorbing material all contribute to the optical baffling system. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a front view of an exemplary HL block according to the present invention is shown. The HL block  50  includes a top alignment pin  52   a  and a bottom alignment pin  52   b  which protrude into the top cavity  42   a  and bottom cavity  42   b  of the reflection block  40  when the blocks are joined during operation. A bottom HL bolt thruway  54   a  and a top HL bolt thruway  54   b  are also shown which provide openings for the insertion of connection bolts that join the side hinge panel  15   d  and side panel  15   e  and vertically connect the internal components of the OBHS  10 . A first HL cavity  57   a  and second HL cavity  57   b  respectively receive the first heating element  53   a  and second heating element  53   b . The heating elements,  53   a ,  53   b  protrude out of the cavities  57   a ,  57   b  and extend into the HL pockets  43   a ,  43   b  of the reflector block  40 . The heating elements  53   a ,  53   b  emit light into the reflection chamber  45  as described above and may be any device capable of emitting light to sufficiently generate enough heat for the shrinking of the solder sleeve. Any light emitting bulbs may be used as heating elements,  53   a ,  53   b  and halogen bulbs may be used in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The halogen bulbs may be 500 watts each, however the exact wattage may vary depending on application and operational goals. The cover plate  51 , shown in  FIG. 3   a , covers the HL block  50  and provides protection from the heat of the reflection chamber  45 . 
   It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.