Patent Abstract:
A wire presentation device for a terminal including a saddle includes at least one guard wall, and at least one guide member rotatably mounted to the guard wall and positionable between a loading position and a crimping position. The guide member is configured to funnel wire into the saddle of the terminal in the loading position. The guard wall includes a curved guide slot therein, the at least one guide member extends proximate the slot. A spring element biases the guide member in the loading position and a position of the guide member relative to the guard wall is adjustable. The guide member has a contoured outer surface, and the outer surface has a flat section therein for accommodating an adjustable positioning member. The guide member is configured to be positioned away from the terminal when in the crimping position.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to power splice terminals for coil winding applications, and more specifically, to a wire presentation device to facilitate loading of wires into a power splice terminal. 
     Magnet wires arc used to form coil windings for a variety of electrical devices. When energized, the coil windings generate magnetic fields and electromagnetic forces to drive, for example, a rotor of an electric motor. When the magnet wire is installed into a stator structure of the motor, the windings cause the rotor to rotate when the stator windings are energized. To supply power to the, windings, power splice terminals are sometimes employed to couple a power lead, wire to the magnet wires. 
     One type of power splice terminal includes an upper saddle which accepts a lead wire or lead wires, and a lower saddle which accepts a number of magnet wires used in the coil windings. When the lead wires and the magnet wires are loaded into the respective upper and lower saddles of the terminal, the terminal is crimped or bent to secure the wires to the terminal. The lower saddle includes serrations formed therein which pierce the insulation of the magnet wires to establish electrical connection to the terminal in the lower saddle when the terminal is crimped. The lead wires are crimped in the upper saddle to establish electrical connection of the lead wire to the terminal. Electrical connections of the lead wires and the magnet wires through the terminal are therefore established. 
     Loading the wires into the terminal, however, is problematic. For instance, in some applications eight magnet wires may be loaded into the lower saddle of an open barrel pigtail terminal. Positioning this many magnet wires efficiently and correctly into the lower saddle of the terminal can be challenging. If the magnet wires are not positioned properly, the electrical connection through the terminal may be compromised, and the associated electrical device may not function properly. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a wire presentation device for a terminal including a saddle is provided. The wire presentation device comprises at least one guard wall, and at least one guide member rotatably mounted to the guard wall and positionable between a loading position and a crimping position. The guide member is configured to funnel wire into the saddle of the terminal in the loading position. 
     Optionally, the guard wall includes a curved guide slot therein, the at least one guide member extends proximate the slot. A spring element biases the guide member in the loading position and a position of the guide member relative to the guard wall is adjustable. The guide member includes a head section and a fin section extending from the head section. The guide member has a contoured outer surface, and the outer surface has a flat section therein for accommodating an adjustable positioning member. The guide member is configured to be positioned away from the terminal when in the crimping position. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a wire presentation device for a power splice terminal including a saddle is provided. The wire presentation device comprises first and second guard walls extending substantially parallel to one another and separated by a distance to contain the terminal therebetween. At least one guide member is suspended between the first guard wall and the second guard wall, and the guide member being configured to funnel wire into the saddle of the terminal when the terminal is located between the first guard and the second guard. The guide member is positionable away from the terminal when the terminal is crimped. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a wire presentation device for a power splice terminal including an upper saddle for accepting a lead wire and a lower saddle for accepting a magnet wire is provided. The wire presentation device comprises first and second guard walls extending substantially parallel to one another and separated by a distance to contain the terminal therebetween. A pair of guide members suspended between the first guard wall and the second guard wall and separated by an adjustable distance from one another. The pair of guide members are configured to funnel wire into the lower saddle of the terminal when the terminal is located between the first guard wall and the second guard wall, and the pair of guides members are positionable away from the terminal when the terminal is crimped. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known power splice terminal which is to be loaded with multiple wires. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal shown in FIG. 1 with a lead wire and magnet wires loaded therein. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wire presentation device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for loading wires into the terminal shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the wire presentation device shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the wire presentation device taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational schematic view of a terminal crimping station utilizing the magnet wire presentation device shown in FIGS. 3-5 in a loading position. 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational schematic view of the terminal crimping station shown in FIG. 6 in a crimping position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known power splice terminal  10 . While the invention is described with respect to a power splice terminal, it is contemplated that the invention may be used with other types of terminals that receive multiple wires. Power splice terminal  10  is therefore described and illustrated herein for illustrative purposes only, and the invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular terminal configuration, such as the power splice terminal  10 . 
     Power splice terminal  10  is integrally formed from a conductive material into a lower channel section, sometimes referred to as a lower saddle  12 , and an upper channel section, sometimes referred to as an upper saddle  14 . The lower saddle  12  includes a bottom wall  16  and opposite side walls  18  and  20  extending from the bottom wall  16  at an obtuse angle thereto. The upper saddle  14  extends from one of the side walls  20  of the lower saddle  12 , and the upper saddle  14  also includes a bottom wall  22  and opposite side walls  24  and  26  extending at an angle from the bottom wall  22 . One side wall  26  of the upper saddle  14  extends continuously from one of the side walls  20  of the lower saddle  12 . The other side walls  18 , and  24  of the respective, lower and upper saddles  12  and  14  are separated from one another by a specified distance, thereby forming a gap  28  therebetween. Additionally, the bottom wall  22  of the upper saddle  14  and the bottom wall  16  of the lower saddle  12  are separated by a predetermined distance to form a gap  30  therebetween. 
     Power splice terminal  10  is known as an “Open Barrel Pigtail” terminal, and is commercially available, from Tyco Electronics Corporation. In use, the lower saddle  12  receives a number of magnet wires (not shown in FIG. 1) in gaps  28  and  30  and the upper saddle  14  receives a lead wire (not shown in FIG. 1) as explained below. The lower saddle  12  includes serrations  32  on an outer surface thereof to pierce through insulation on the magnet wires loaded into the lower saddle  12  when the power splice terminal  10  is crimped, as also described further below. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power splice terminal  10  illustrating a lead wire  40  loaded into the upper saddle  14  and a number of magnet wires  42  loaded into the lower saddle  12 . The lead wire  40  includes a number of conductors  44  surrounded by an insulation sheath  46 . The insulation sheath  46  is stripped from the lead wire  40  proximate the upper saddle  14  so that when the power splice terminal  10  is crimped an electrical connection is established between the conductors  44  and the upper saddle  14 . In the crimping process, the upper saddle  14  is bent about the stripped lead wire  40 . 
     The magnet wires  42  are inserted into the lower saddle  12  through the gap  28  between the lower and upper saddles  12  and  14  along one side thereof and are fitted into the gap  30  between bottom walls  16  and  22  the lower saddle  12  and the upper saddle  14 . The magnet wires  42  also include an outer layer or layers of insulation, enamel coatings, etc. The serrations  32  on the lower saddle  12  pierce through the insulation and coatings on the magnet wire  42  to contact conductive portions of the magnet wire  42  when the power splice terminal  10  is crimped. During the crimping process, the lower saddle  12  is bent to securely retain the magnet wires  42  and to close the gaps  28  and  30  between the lower and upper saddles  12  and  14 . 
     After crimping the power splice terminal  10 , the lead wire  40  is coupled to a power supply (not shown), and current flows from the lead wire  40  to the upper saddle  14 . The current flows from the upper saddle  14  to the lower saddle  12 , and ultimately to the magnet wires  42  which may for example, form a coil winding in an electrical device (not shown). In at least some applications, eight magnet wires  42  and a lead wire  40  must be loaded into the power splice terminal  10  by a single operator, and the power splice terminal  10  is crimped automatically by a machine in a terminal crimping station (described below). Managing the wires  40  and  42  during the loading and crimping process by a single operator is a challenging task. The power splice terminals  10  can only be crimped as fast as the power splice terminals  10  can be loaded with the lead wire  40  and the magnet wires  42 . Thus, if the wires  40  and  42  cannot be efficiently loaded into the power splice terminal  10 , manufacturing operations of an electrical device including the power splice terminals  10  are negatively impacted. Further, if the wires  40  and  42  are not properly loaded, the reliability of the electrical connection through the power splice terminal  10  may be compromised, and the operability of the associated electrical device may also be compromised. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wire presentation device  60  to facilitate loading of wires into the power splice terminal  10  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for improved crimping operations and reliability. The wire presentation device  60  includes a left guard wall  62 , a right guard wall  64 , a front guard wall  66 , and a top guard wall  68 . Mounting brackets  70 ,  72  extend from each respective left and right guard walls  62 ,  64  so that the wire presentation device may be installed to an automatic crimping station (described below). The guard walls  62 - 68  provide a safety barrier around the crimping zone in the crimping station when the wire presentation device  60  is installed. 
     Each of the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  include a respective guide slot  74  and  76 . The guide slots  74  and  76  each extend from a leading edge  78  and  80  of the respective left and right guards  62  and  64 , and the guide slots  74  and  76  extend along a curved path toward a center of the left and right guards  62  and  64 . The front and top guard walls  66  and  68  are separated from one another along the leading edges  78  and  80  of the left and right guard walls  62 ,  64  in the vicinity of the guide slots  74  and  76 . The left and right guards  62  and  64  and the front and top guards  66  and  68  thereby form a guide opening  82  extending across the front of the wire presentation device  60  between the guide slots  74  and  76 . 
     Guide members  84  and  86  are suspended between the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  on either side of the guide slots  74  and  76  and also on either side of the guide opening  82 . The guide members  84  and  86  funnel wire, such as wires  40  and  42  (shown in FIG.  2 ), to the lower saddle  12  of a power splice terminal  10  when the wire is extended through the guide slots  74  and  76 , as explained further below. Adjust screws  88  and  90  arc provided on each respective front guard wall  66  and the top guard wall  68 . The adjust screws  88  and  90  position the guide members  84  and  86  relative to the guide slots  74  and  76  to accommodate different sizes and numbers of magnet wires  42  (shown in FIG.  2 ). 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the wire presentation device  60 . The guide members  84  and  86  are suspended between the left and right guards walls  62  and  64  on cylindrical shafts  100  and  102  which extend through respective apertures  106  and  108  in each of the left guard wall  62  and the right guard wall  64 . The shafts  100  and  102  are fastened the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  with retaining clips  109 . Each of the guide members  84  and  86  includes a respective head section  110  and  112  including a bore  114  and  116  through which the respective shaft  100  and  102  extends, thereby facilitating a rotational or swinging movement of the head sections about the shafts  100  and  102 . The guide members  84  and  86  further include respective fin sections  118  and  120  extending from the head sections  110  and  112 , and the fin sections  118  and  120  are curved to facilitate placement of the magnet wires  42  (shown in FIG. 2) between the fin sections  118  and  120 . 
     Torsion spring elements  122  and  124  are provided on each of the shafts  100  and  102 , and the spring elements  122  and  124  interface with a respective flat  126  and  128  extending from one end of each of the head sections  110  and  112  of the guide members  84  and  86 . The torsion spring elements  122  and  124  bias the guide members  84  and  86  in a loading position for loading of wire, but permit the guide members  84  and  86  to be positioned away from the power splice terminal  10  in a crimping position explained below. Positioning members in the form of adjust screws  88  and  90  extend through the front guard wall  66  and the top guard wall  68 , and flats  130  and  132  are provided in the center of each of the head sections  110  and  112  of the guide members  84  and  86 . The adjust screws  88  and  90  engage the flats  130  and  132  to position the guide members  84  and  86  in a desired orientation relative to the left and right guard walls  62  and  64 , and more specifically with respect to the guide slots  74  and  76 . 
     The front guard wall  66  is coupled to the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  with screws  134 , and the top guard wall  68  is attached to the left and right guards  62  and  64  with screws  136 . It is recognized, however, that other attachment members and schemes could be employed in lieu of screws  134  and  136  in alternative embodiments of the invention to assemble the guard walls  62 - 68 . Additionally, it is contemplated that one or more of the guard walls  62 - 68  may be formed together in alternative embodiments to reduce the number of components to assemble. 
     The top guard wall  68  includes a tapered front end  138 . The tapered front end  138  forms a guide surface  140  extending between the leading edges  78  and  80  of the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  when the wire presentation device  60  is assembled. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the wire presentation device  60  illustrating guide members  84  and  86  in position for loading of magnet wires  42  (shown in FIG.  2 ). Each of the fin sections  118  and  120  includes a respective guide surface  150 ,  152  extending into the guide slots  74  and  76  of the left and right guard walls  62  and  64 . As wire is loaded into the wire presentation device  60  between the guide slots  74  and  76  and between the guide members  84  and  86 , the guide surfaces  150  and  152  funnels the wire into a power splice terminal  10  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) located at the ends of the fin sections  118  and  120  of the guide members  84  and  86 . By turning the adjust screws  88  and  90 , the distance that the guide members  84  and  86  extends into the guide slots  74  and  76  can be increased or decreased to accommodate different sizes of wires. For example, the distance between the guide members  84  and  86  can be increased or decreased by manipulating the adjust screws  88  and  90  so that larger or smaller wires may be inserted between the guide members  84  and  86 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 5, one of the guide surfaces  150  is concave and the other guide surface  152  is convex, and the guide surfaces  150  and  152  are located proximal to the: curved guide slots  74  and  76 . It is recognized, however, that other configurations of guide surfaces  150  and  152  may be employed in conjunction with the same or differently shaped guide slots  74  and  76  in various alternative embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational schematic view of a terminal crimping station  160  illustrating the wire presentation device  60  in a loading position and with the guide walls  62 - 68  (shown in FIGS. 2-5) removed for clarity. The terminal crimping station  160  includes an applicator  161  having a base  162  and a ram assembly  164 . The ram assembly  164  includes a crimper  168 , and the ram assembly is reciprocally movable between toward and away from the base  162 . The ram assembly  164  is driven by a press machine (not shown) to crimp power splice terminals  10  situated between the left and right guard walls  62  and  64  in the wire presentation device  60 . 
     The guide members  84  and  86  are positioned relative to one of the power splice terminals  10  in the terminal crimping station  160  so that when a wire is inserted between the guide members  84  and  86 , the guide members  84  and  86  direct the wire into the power splice terminal  10 , or more specifically into the lower saddle  12  (shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ). 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational schematic view of the terminal crimping station  160  illustrating the wire presentation device  60  in a crimping position and with the guide walls  62 - 68  (shown in FIGS. 2-5) removed for clarity. When the wires  40  and  42  (shown in FIG. 1) are properly loaded into the power splice terminal  10  beneath the guide members  84  and  86 , the ram assembly  164  is descended onto the base  162  such that the crimper  168  contacts the power splice terminal  10  in the crimping position. The ram assembly  164  contacts the guide member  84  as it descends toward the base  162  and pivots the guide member  84  against the bias of the spring element  122  (shown in FIG. 4) away from the path of the ram assembly  164 . The guide member  84 , in turns, contacts the guide member  86  and pivots the guide member  86  away from the path of the ram assembly  164  against the bias of spring element  124  (shown in FIG.  4 ). In the crimping position, both the guide members  84  and  86  are pivoted about the respective shafts  100  and  102  to a position alongside the ram assembly  164  and away from the power splice terminal  10  where the guide members  84  and  86  do not interfere with the crimping of the power splice terminal  10 . 
     Once the power splice terminal  10  is crimped, the ram assembly  164  ascends away from the base  162  and the guide members are released by the ram assembly  164 . Once released, the spring elements  122  and  124  return to the loading position shown in FIG.  6 . When another power splice terminal  10  is positioned into the wire presentation device  60 , another power splice terminal  10  may be loaded with wires using the guide members  84  and  86  and the crimping process may be repeated. 
     The wire presentation device  60 , by virtue of the guide members  84  and  86 , promotes efficient and accurate loading of the power splice terminals  10  with wires. Loading of the terminals is simplified and operator error in the crimping operation is reduced. Reliable terminal connections are therefore established in an efficient crimping process. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8