EP1885035A1 - Positioning device for crimping tool and crimping tool fitted with said device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (100) has support elements (22) arranged on a common support (20) and receiving an electrical male contact (2) and an electrical female contact to be crimped. The support elements are distributed on a circular line centered on an axis. A blocking element (40) blocks the male and female contacts with respect to the support elements. A locking unit locks the support with respect to a crimping tool and comprises notches arranged on the support.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the technical field of crimping tools for crimping electrical contacts. Such crimping tools may be hand tools or tools powered by pneumatic energy or electrical energy.

It aims in particular a positioning device for accurately positioning an electric crimp contact on a crimping tool.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Crimping tools for crimping electrical contacts are already known.

In known manner, the crimping tools are equipped with positioners, which receive the active parts of the electrical contacts, in order to position these electrical contacts.

In known manner, the crimp electrical contacts may be male contacts or female contacts, the female contacts having an active portion diameter substantially greater than the active portion diameter of the male contacts. In the same series of contacts, the male contacts and the female contacts all have collars of the same dimensions. It is therefore necessary to have, for each series of contacts, two separate positioners, one adapted to the active parts of the male contacts and the other adapted to the active parts of the female contacts.

In addition, the advent of new types of contacts, having an aluminum cable instead of a copper cable, has further increased the need for high precision in maintaining contacts during crimping. While with the electrical contacts having a copper cable it was tolerated to use a positioner common to some series of contacts, it became necessary to provide specific positioners adapted to each series of contacts, that is to say at each flange sizing. This ensures precise positioning and holding of each electrical contact having an aluminum cable during crimping, whether it is a male contact or a female contact.

When crimping several series of contacts is envisaged, it is therefore necessary to have a large number of positioners, because the dimensions of the electrical contacts can vary substantially from one series to another. The manipulations of installing and removing each positioner on the crimping tool, at each change of series and at each change in the nature (male / female) of the electrical crimp contacts, are time consuming for an operator.

There are also crimping tools equipped with turrets on which are positioned positioners of different sizes, generally three positioners. The presence of these turrets makes it possible to move more quickly from one to the other of the positioners they comprise, rather than to manipulate different individual positioners. But it has emerged that such turrets are bulky, they weigh down the crimping tool on which they are installed, and the number of positions of positioners on these turrets is limited. An example of crimping tool equipped with turrets is described in the document DE 42 09 529 .

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages mentioned above. It proposes a positioning device intended to crimp electrical contacts in a crimping tool, which makes it possible to crimp a large number of electrical contacts belonging to different series, these electrical contacts being able to be male contacts or female contacts. , while decreasing the handling time of an operator.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a positioning device for positioning at least one electric crimp contact in a crimping tool, said electrical contact having a flange disposed between a shaft and an active part, characterized in that it comprises at least one support element intended to receive the electrical contact to be crimped in abutment, and in that it comprises a locking element intended to block said electrical contact relative to said support element.

Preferably, the device comprises a plurality of support elements arranged on a common support.

According to an alternative embodiment, said support element is a part formed in one piece with said support.

According to another embodiment, said support element is a separate part of said support and fixed thereto.

According to the invention, each support element is shaped and dimensioned to receive a collar having a given height and a given diameter, and two different support elements have different dimensions, to adapt, respectively, to two collars having different dimensions.

According to a preferred embodiment, said support is in the form of a disc having an axis.

Preferably, said support elements are distributed on a circular line centered on said axis.

According to the invention, the positioning device comprises locking means for locking said support relative to the crimping tool. According to one embodiment, the means for locking the support relative to the crimping tool comprise notches provided on said support. In particular, said notches are distributed over the periphery of said support.

According to one embodiment, said support generally has a plate shape, and each support element comprises a cylindrical hole through said support, said hole having a transverse shoulder.

In particular, said hole has a first hole portion and a second hole portion extending on each side of said transverse shoulder, the first hole portion having a first diameter and a height and the second hole portion having a second lower diameter. at the first diameter,
and said first diameter and said height are substantially equal, respectively, to a given diameter and to a given collar height.

According to the invention, the locking element comprises at least two moving parts, for example three moving parts, and preferably four moving parts, able to approach and to move away from an electrical contact in support of an element bearing, in a radial direction relative to the active portion of said electrical contact, so as to block or release the electrical contact relative to said support member.

Preferably, each movable part comprises at least one contact zone consisting of a material capable of conforming to the shape of the active part of the electric crimp contact. Preferably, said contact zone is positioned at least on a radially inner side of the moving part.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a crimping tool for crimping electrical contacts, equipped with a positioning device according to the first aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique, en coupe axiale, du dispositif de positionnement selon l'invention, illustrant le positionnement d'un contact électrique mâle en cours de sertissage ;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique, en coupe axiale, d'une variante de réalisation du dispositif de positionnement de la figure 1, illustrant le positionnement d'un contact électrique femelle en cours de sertissage ;
• la figure 3 est une vue à plus grande échelle d'une partie de la figure 1, illustrant les dimensions respectives d'un élément d'appui et d'un contact électrique mâle en cours de sertissage ;
• la figure 4 est une vue à plus grande échelle d'une partie de la figure 2, illustrant les dimensions respectives d'un élément d'appui et d'un contact électrique femelle en cours de sertissage ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus d'un support de dispositif de positionnement, illustrant les éléments d'appui et les moyens de verrouillage ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus partielle du dispositif de positionnement, en coupe selon la ligne I-I de la figure 1, illustrant l'élément de blocage.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments preferred, indicative and in no way limitative, in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic representation, in axial section, of the positioning device according to the invention, illustrating the positioning of a male electrical contact during crimping;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation, in axial section, of an alternative embodiment of the positioning device of Figure 1, illustrating the positioning of a female electrical contact during crimping;
• Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1, illustrating the respective dimensions of a bearing member and a male electrical contact being crimped;
• Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2, illustrating the respective dimensions of a bearing member and a female electrical contact being crimped;
• Figure 5 is a top view of a positioning device support, illustrating the support members and the locking means;
• Figure 6 is a partial top view of the positioning device, in section along the line II of Figure 1, illustrating the locking element.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 4, a positioning device 100 is shown diagrammatically in axial section. the invention, ensuring the positioning of an electrical contact 2, 4.

Figures 1 and 3 illustrate the crimping of a male electrical contact 2, while Figures 2 and 4 illustrate the crimping of a female electrical contact 4.

In a manner known per se, each electrical contact 2, 4 comprises a shank 62, 64, an active part 82, 84 and a collar 10. The shank 62, 64 and the active part 82, 84 are aligned and separated by the collar 10 For a given series of manufacture, the electrical contacts 2, 4 of this series, whether they are male contacts 2 or female contacts 4, have flanges 10 having all the same dimensions, that is to say one and the same. flange diameter Dc and the same flange height Hc. In a manner known per se, the male contacts 2 have active parts 82 whose diameter δ2 is smaller than the diameter δ4 of the active parts 84 of the female contacts 4.

The positioning device 100 comprises at least one support element 22 intended to receive the flange 10 of the electrical contacts 2, 4 to be crimped. When the positioning device 100 comprises a plurality of support elements 22, these are preferably arranged on a common support 20. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the support elements 22 are 12 in number, and the common support 20 is a disk-shaped plate, having an axis 202 (see Figure 5). In the illustrated example, the support elements 22 are distributed on a line circular 24 of the disc-shaped support 20, said line 24 being centered on the axis 202.

A support member 22 has a shoulder, that is to say a sudden change of its section to allow support. This shoulder has a horizontal surface and a vertical surface perpendicular to each other to effectively receive the flange 10 of electrical contacts 2,4 to crimp.

The positioning device 100 comprises locking means. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, these locking means comprise notches 26 distributed at the periphery 28 of the disk-shaped support 20, which are capable of cooperating with at least one complementary locking means, for example a spring ( not shown), disposed on a body of a crimping tool (not shown).

The positioning device 100 is disposed in the crimping tool (not shown in the figures), so that the disk-shaped support 20 is fixed to the crimping tool being able to be rotated about its axis. 202. This possibility of rotation of the support 20 makes it possible to present an electrical contact 2, 4, which has previously been placed on a support element 22, facing the crimping punches 8 of the crimping tool. These crimping punches 8 are actuated by a punch cam 88. In the example illustrated in the figures, this punch cam 88 is a rotary cam adapted to rotate about an axis 6. This punch cam 88 is able to actuate the crimping punches 8, or converging them towards the electrical contact 2, 4 to perform the crimping operation (arrows 50 in Figures 1 and 2), or away from the electrical contact 2, 4 once the crimping operation is completed.

According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the support elements 22 are separate parts of the disc-shaped support 20 and are fixed thereto. According to another variant embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the support elements 22 are in one piece with the disc-shaped support 20.

In order to simplify the figures, and in particular FIG. 5, the support elements 22 are all represented with the same dimensions. But in reality they have dimensions that are slightly different from one support member 22 to the other, these respective dimensions corresponding to given dimensions of flanges 10 of electrical contacts 2, 4 which respectively come from different series of the other.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, each support element 22 has a hole 30, 32, 34 passing through the support 20. This hole 30, 32, 34 comprises a first hole portion 30 having a first diameter D1 and a height H It also comprises a second hole portion 34 having a second diameter D2 greater than the first diameter D1. The two hole portions 30, 34 are separated by a transverse shoulder 32. The first hole portion 30 is located on the side of the support 20 which is opposite the crimping punches 8.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the first hole portion 30 and the transverse shoulder 32 are dimensioned so as to support and center the collar 10 of the male 2 or female 4 crimp electrical contacts, while the second part Hole 34 is sized to surround the active portion 84 of the female contacts 4 (Figures 2, 4) of the series of electrical crimp contacts. In particular, the first diameter D1 and the height H of the first hole portion 30 are substantially equal, respectively, to a given diameter Dc and to a given height Hc common to all the collars 10 of the electrical contacts 2, 4 of this series of contacts. Thus, when an electrical contact 2, 4 rests on the shoulder 32 of the corresponding support element 22, its flange 10 is housed in the first hole portion 30 of this support element 22.

The second diameter D2 of the second hole portion 34 is substantially equal to the diameter δ4 of the active portion 84 of the female contacts 4 of this series of contacts (Figures 2, 4). This second diameter D2 is greater than the diameter δ2 of the active part 82 of the male contacts of this same series of contact (FIGS. 1, 3).

According to one embodiment of the support elements 22 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, these are in one piece with the support 20. In other words, the hole 30, 32, 34 of each support element 22 is made directly in the support 20, and the support element consists of a portion of the support 20 which directly surrounds said hole 30, 32, 34.

According to another embodiment of the support elements 22 illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, these are separate parts of the support 20, fixed thereto. In other words, each support element 22 is a separate part, in which a hole 30, 32, 34 is formed, then this part is fixed to the support 20.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the holes 30, 32, 34 are obtained by machining.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positioning device 100 further comprises a blocking element 40 integral with the crimping tool and disposed on the other side of the support 20 with respect to the crimping punches 8. This element of FIG. blocking 40 comprises moving parts 42, which are four in number in the illustrated example (Figure 6). These moving parts 42 are actuated by a cam of moving parts 44. This locking element 40 is a part independent of the bearing element 22. The locking element 40 and the support element 22 do not therefore constitute a monobloc piece.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the moving parts cam 44 is a rotary cam in the form of an annular piece having a variable thickness between an outer face 444 circular and an inner face 446 provided with lobes 448. The number of lobes 448 is identical to the number of moving parts 42.

The moving parts cam 44 is rotatable about a fixed axis which coincides with the axis 6 of the punch cam 88 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

The moving parts 42 move radially inwardly under the action of the moving parts cam 44. To lighten FIG. 6, the disc-shaped support 20 is partially shown, a dashed line indicating its circumference 28 and a line in phantom lines materializing the line 24 distribution of the support elements 22.

The moving parts 42 are guided relative to the cam of moving parts 44 by guide means 46, 48. In the example illustrated in the figures, these guide means 46, 48 comprise a lug 46 of each movable part 42, arranged radially. outside thereof, which cooperates with a circumferential groove 48 of the inner face 446 of the moving parts cam 44. The respective shapes of the lug 46 and the groove 48 prevent any relative movement of the lug 46 with respect to the groove 48 in a radial direction.

Preferably, each movable part 42 comprises a zone 420 made of a flexible material disposed on a radially inner side of said movable part 42. According to an exemplary embodiment, the zones 420 of flexible material are made of silicone. According to another embodiment, they are made of rubber. Thus, when the moving parts 42 are actuated by the moving parts cam 44 to approach the active parts 82, 84 of the electrical contacts 2, 4, the zones 420 of flexible material exert a pressure on the active part 82, 84 without damaging it or its surface treatment. Maintaining contacts Electrical 2, 4 crimp is improved. In a variant, all of the moving parts 42 consist of a flexible material capable of conforming to the shape of the active part (82, 84) of the electrical contact 2, 4 during crimping.

1. (1) en configuration initiale, la came de poinçons 88 est tournée de telle sorte que les poinçons de sertissage 8 soient radialement écartés, et la came de pièces mobiles 44 est tournée de telle sorte que les pièces mobiles soient radialement écartées ;
2. (2) on fait tourner le support 20 jusqu'à ce que l'élément d'appui 22 sur lequel est installé le contact électrique 2, 4 à sertir soit centré sur l'axe 6 commun à la came de poinçons 88 et à la came de pièces mobiles 44 ; le support 20 est immobilisé sur cette position angulaire au moyen des moyens de verrouillage 26 ;
3. (3) on installe le contact électrique 2, 4 à sertir sur un élément d'appui 22 dont le trou 30, 32, 34 possède des dimensions D1, H adaptées aux dimensions Dc, Hc de la collerette 10 de la série de ce contact électrique 2, 4, de sorte que le contact électrique 2, 4 se trouve centré par rapport à l'élément d'appui 22 ;
4. (4) on actionne simultanément la came de pièces mobiles 44 et la came de poinçons 88 :
   1. (i) la came de pièces mobiles 44 est tournée autour de l'axe 6, jusqu'à ce que les pièces mobiles 42, guidées par la rainure circonférentielle 48, quittent les lobes 448 pour se retrouver au niveau des parties de plus grande épaisseur de la came de pièce mobile 44, ce qui conduit aux effets suivants :
      • les pièces mobiles 42 sont déplacées radialement vers l'axe 6 ;
      • les zones de contact 420 des pièces mobiles 42 viennent en contact avec la partie active 82, 84 du contact électrique 2, 4, et s'écrasent autour de celle-ci, du fait de leur élasticité ; la partie active 82, 84 se trouve alors enserrée, centrée et maintenue entre les pièces mobiles 42 ;
   2. (ii) la came de poinçons 88 est tournée autour de l'axe 6, jusqu'à ce que les poinçons 8, guidés par une rainure circonférentielle (non représentée), se retrouvent au niveau des parties de plus grande épaisseur de la came de poinçons 88 et soient déplacés radialement vers l'axe 6 ; le sertissage est effectué ;
5. (5) on fait à nouveau tourner simultanément la came de poinçons 88 et la came de pièces mobiles 44, pour ramener les poinçons de sertissage 8 et les pièces mobiles 42 en configuration initiale ;
6. (6) on retire le contact électrique 2, 4, qui vient d'être serti, de l'élément d'appui 22.

The method of crimping an electrical contact 2, 4 using a positioning device 100 according to the invention takes place as follows:

1. (1) in the initial configuration, the punch cam 88 is rotated so that the crimping punches 8 are radially spaced, and the moving parts cam 44 is rotated so that the moving parts are radially spaced apart;
2. (2) the support 20 is rotated until the support element 22 on which the electrical contact 2, 4 to be crimped is centered on the axis 6 common to the punch cam 88 and to the moving parts cam 44; the support 20 is immobilized on this angular position by means of the locking means 26;
3. (3) installing the electrical contact 2, 4 to be crimped on a support member 22 whose hole 30, 32, 34 has dimensions D1, H adapted to the dimensions Dc, Hc of the flange 10 of the series of this contact electrical 2, 4, so that the electrical contact 2, 4 is centered relative to the support member 22;
4. (4) simultaneously actuates the moving parts cam 44 and the punch cam 88:
   1. (i) the moving parts cam 44 is rotated about the axis 6, until the moving parts 42, guided by the circumferential groove 48, leave the lobes 448 to meet at the larger thickness portions of the movable part cam 44, resulting in the following effects:
      • the moving parts 42 are displaced radially towards the axis 6;
      • the contact zones 420 of the moving parts 42 come into contact with the active part 82, 84 of the electrical contact 2, 4, and crush around it, because of their elasticity; the active part 82, 84 is then clamped, centered and held between the moving parts 42;
   2. (ii) the punch cam 88 is rotated about the axis 6, until the punches 8, guided by a circumferential groove (not shown), are found at the larger thickness portions of the cam punches 88 and are moved radially towards the axis 6; crimping is done;
5. (5) the punch cam 88 and the moving part cam 44 are again rotated simultaneously to return the crimping punches 8 and the moving parts 42 to the initial configuration;
6. (6) removing the electrical contact 2, 4, which has just been crimped, the support element 22.

With the positioning device 100 according to the invention, an operator can perform the crimping of the male and female electrical contacts 4 of the same series, using the same support element 22, which he has previously selected on the common support 20 by locking the latter in an appropriate angular position by means of the locking means 26. Indeed, all the electrical contacts 2, 4 of the same series of contacts, whether the male contacts 2 or the female contacts 4, have flanges 10 of identical dimensions, which can be accommodated in the first hole portion 30 and on the shoulder 32 of this support element 22. The number of operations that must perform the operator is reduced significantly.

With the device according to the invention, when the operator wishes to crimp the electrical contacts 2, 4 of another series of contacts after crimping the electrical contacts 2, 4 of a first series of contacts, it is sufficient for him to select a another support member 22 adapted to the flange dimensions of the electrical contacts 2, 4 of this new series of contacts, angularly displacing the support 20 relative to the body of the crimping tool, and locking the support 20 in its new position by means of the locking means 26. The number of operations to be performed by the operator is further reduced significantly.

In addition, the locking of the electrical contacts 2, 4 crimp is provided by means of a single blocking element 40, whether a male contact 2 or female 4, and whatever the series from which the electrical contact 2, 4. The position of the locking member 40 within the crimping tool is fixed. It is the moving parts 42 of the blocking element 40 which move in the direction of the active part 82, 84 of the electrical contact 2, 4 to be crimped, in order to center and block this active part 82, 84. The number of operations to be performed by the operator is still significantly reduced.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. In particular, the cam of moving parts 44 could be a bell-shaped cam, in the form of a conical section piece able to move along the axis 6 and having axial grooves in the same number as the number of Moving parts 42. Each moving part 44 would then be guided by the cam of moving parts 44 by sliding in one of the axial grooves thereof.

Claims (19)

Positioning device (100) for positioning at least one electrical contact (2, 4) to be crimped in a crimping tool, said electrical contact (2, 4) having a flange (10) disposed between a barrel (62, 64) and an active portion (82, 84),
characterized in that it comprises at least one support element (22) intended to receive in abutment the electric contact (2, 4) to be crimped,
and in that it comprises a blocking element (40) for blocking said electrical contact (2, 4) relative to said support element (22). Device (100) according to claim 1,
characterized in that each support element (22) is shaped and dimensioned to receive a flange (10) having a given height (Hc) and a given diameter (Dc), and in that two support elements (22) different have different dimensions to fit, respectively, to two flanges (10) having different dimensions. Device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of support elements (22) arranged on a common support (20). Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that said support (20) is provided with 12 support elements (22). Device (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said support element (22) is a part made of a single piece with said support (20). Device (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said support element (22) is a separate part of said support (20) and fixed thereto. Device (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said support (20) is in the form of a disc having an axis (202). Device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that said support elements (22) are distributed on a circular line (24) centered on said axis (202). Device (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that it comprises locking means (26) for locking said support (20) relative to the crimping tool. Device (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for locking the support relative to the crimping tool comprise notches (26) formed on said support (20). Device (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that said notches (26) are distributed over the periphery of said support (20). Device (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 11, characterized in that said support (20) generally has a plate shape,
and in that each support element (22) has a cylindrical through hole (30, 32, 34) said support, said hole (30, 32, 34) having a transverse shoulder (32). Device (100) according to claim 12,
characterized in that said hole (30, 32, 34) has a first hole portion (30) and a second hole portion (34) extending on either side of said transverse shoulder (32), the first hole portion ( 30) having a first diameter (D1) and a height (H) and the second hole portion (32) having a second diameter (D2) smaller than the first diameter (D1),
in that said first diameter (D1) and said height (H) are substantially equal to a given diameter (Dc) and a given collar height (Hc). Device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said locking element (40) comprises at least two moving parts (42), able to approach and to deviate from a contact electrical (2, 4) bearing on a support element (22), in a radial direction relative to the active part (82, 84) of said electrical contact (2, 4), so as to block or release said electrical contact (2, 4) relative to said support member (22). Device (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that said movable parts (42) are three in number. Device (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that said movable parts (42) are four in number. Device (100) according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that each movable part (42) comprises at least one contact zone (420) made of a material capable of conforming to the shape of the active part ( 82, 84) of the electrical contact (2, 4) to be crimped. Device (100) according to claim 17, characterized in that said contact zone (420) is positioned at least on a radially inner side of said moving part (42). Crimping tool for crimping electrical contacts, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one positioning device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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