Patent · US Expired

High-speed, high-capacity twist pin connector fabricating machine and method

US6584677B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
54References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 13, 2001
Grant dateJul 1, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 20, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49218
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Twist pins having bulges are fabricated from helically coiled stranded wire. Wire is advanced from a source such as a spool to create slack wire configuration, and wire is then advanced from the slack wire configuration to a position where each bulge is formed. Each bulge is formed by gripping the wire in two spaced apart locations and rotating the wire in an anti-helical direction in a single continuous relative revolution to untwist the strands and form the bulge. The wire is thereafter advanced to the position of the next bulge or the position where the wire will be severed to release the fabricated twist pin. The severed fabricated twist pin is conveyed through a flow of gas in a delivery tube into a receptacle of a cassette where the twist pin is stored until used. The cassette is automatically moved to position an occupied receptacle to receive each newly fabricated twist pin.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.