JP2000306652A - Connector assembling method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To double insertion speed of contacts by simultaneously cutting and separating two contacts every other contact from a carrier of a continuous band material, continuously and automatically inserting them simultaneously into different housings. SOLUTION: A continuous band material 1 is set at a prescribed insert position, an end part and two contacts 11a, 11c every other contact are cut and separated from a carrier 12, a first insertion is performed, the continuous band material 1 is fed by one pitch of the contact 11. A contact 11b and a contact 11d after other contact from it are set in a prescribed position, and cut and separated, and a second insertion is performed. The continuous band material 1 is fed by three pitches of the contact 11, and next contacts 11e, 11g are set in a prescribed position. Cam mechanisms which perform a rectangular motion at an operation distance 1:3 in the feeding direction of the continuous band material 1 and comprises two cams with different diameters are provided for one cam shaft so as to operate at positions where they relatively form 180 deg., and the continuous band material 1 is fed while alternately repeating one pitch width and three pitch width.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for assembling an electrical connector, and more particularly, to an assembling apparatus for inserting a contact serving as one electrical contact into one housing.
The present invention relates to a method of assembling a connector using a mechanical mechanism of a stitching method of inserting one pin at a time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When assembling a connector which is an electronic component, a contact is cut from a comb-shaped continuous strip composed of a carrier serving as a gripping portion for conveyance pressed from a thin metal plate and a contact serving as an electrical contact. There is a step of separating and pressing into a contact insertion hole of a housing which is a resin molded product. Conventionally, this press-fitting process has a complicated mechanical structure, but a large number of insertions per time, a batch insertion method for batch-inserting a certain number of poles has been the mainstream. For the purpose of forming and making effective use of the metal sheet material to be pressed, the contact size is small and flat, and the pitch between the contacts of the continuous strip is very narrow. It has become difficult to physically adopt the stitching method, and recently, a stitching method in which contacts are inserted into the housing one pin at a time, which can cope with the downsizing and the narrow pitch, has become mainstream.

A general process of inserting one contact into one housing of a general stitching method will be described focusing on the movement of one contact. When the contact is transported while holding a carrier portion of a continuous strip. When it is supplied to a predetermined position (press-fitting position into the housing) by the system, it is cut and separated from the carrier by the cutting device,
The connector is assembled by being inserted into the housing conveyed to a predetermined position by a press-fitting device (pusher). This is continuously and automatically repeated by the assembling apparatus while moving one pitch at a time. In addition, various driving means such as a cam and a motor are used for transporting the continuous band material and the housing and for each movable portion.

[0004] This stitching method has a disadvantage that the mechanical structure is simple and the work such as item exchange is simple, but the number of insertions per time is reduced as compared with the batch insertion method. The structure is a stitching method, and ideally, an apparatus having an insertion speed equal to that of the batch insertion method is being studied. Means for increasing the speed of the apparatus or for simultaneously inserting a plurality of contacts into the housing are being studied. Among them,
With regard to the means for inserting a plurality of contacts simultaneously, it is possible to insert a plurality of contacts into one housing conventionally, but it is possible to insert one contact into one housing to which the present invention is applied.
When inserting one contact and simultaneously inserting two adjacent contacts in different housings, see Fig. 3-
As shown in FIG. 1, when the size of the contact 11 is reduced and the pitch becomes narrower and flatter, the space between the two housings 81 becomes correspondingly narrower, so that the space for the housing guide 82 for holding the housing 81 is physically secured. It becomes very difficult because it becomes difficult.

Therefore, as a means for mechanically handling the stitching system and inserting two contacts into different housings at the same time, conventionally, as shown in FIG. Materials 1 are provided in parallel,
The two different rows of contacts 11 are simultaneously connected to the housing portion 8.
Is generally adopted.

[0006] However, the above-mentioned means has a complicated mechanical structure, requires two sets of similar mechanisms, increases costs, and has a problem in terms of maintenance.

[0007]

Therefore, the present invention provides
In the manufacture of a connector in which one contact is inserted into one housing, the mechanical structure is stitched, and two contacts can be simultaneously inserted into different housings from one continuous strip at a time. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a contact that does not increase the cost and that can double the insertion speed (assembly speed) as compared with the conventional stitching method.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, two contacts are simultaneously inserted from every other continuous strip, and these contacts are simultaneously cut and separated from the carrier. The means is to insert them simultaneously into different housings and to do this continuously and automatically.

Further, as an effective means capable of simultaneously inserting two contacts every other one, the feed amount of the continuous strip during the assembling process is alternately repeated by one pitch width and three pitch widths of the contacts. And

The above two means will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. (1) The continuous strip 1 is set at a predetermined insertion position. (2) Two contacts 11a, 11 placed at the end and one
c is cut and separated from the carrier 12, and the first insertion is performed. (3) The continuous strip is fed by one pitch of the contact 11,
The contacts 11b and 11d including the contact 11b left in the step (2) are set at predetermined insertion positions. (4) The two contacts 11b and 11d including the contact 11b left in the stage of (2) are the carriers 1
2 and the second insertion is performed. (5) The continuous strip is fed by three pitches of the contact 11,
The next contacts 11e and 11g are set at predetermined insertion positions. This is repeated continuously and automatically.

Further, as a feeding means for alternately repeating the contact of the continuous strip at one pitch and three pitches, a single camshaft has different diameters so that a ratio of 1: 3 in the feeding direction of the continuous strip is achieved. A main shaft having a cam mechanism having two cams for performing a rectangular movement at a working distance so as to operate at positions 180 ° opposite to each other, and controlling the speed of one rotation of the cam shaft to other operations of the device; The rotation is reduced to 1/2 of the rotation, and only one cycle of the continuous strip feeding operation which is operated by the rotation of the camshaft is performed for the other two operation cycles.

[0012]

According to the first means of the present invention, that is, by inserting every other two contacts at the same time, even if the contacts are very small and have a narrow pitch, the contacts shown in FIG. As in the case where two adjacent contacts 11 are simultaneously inserted into different housings 81 as verified,
Housing guide 82 for fixing housing 81
There is no problem that it is physically difficult to secure the space for the housing 11, and as shown in FIG. The two contacts 11 can be simultaneously inserted into the housing 81 from one continuous strip 1 without a complicated mechanism.

[0013] In addition to the second means of the present invention, ie, the first means, the feed amount of the continuous strip is set to one pitch of contact and 3
By alternately repeating the pitch, for example, as in the case of the feed amount of one pitch of the contact, there is no problem that the empty insertion operation is performed after the third cycle and two simultaneous insertions cannot be performed. All the contacts can be used efficiently without waste such as leaving a contact that is not inserted as in the case of the feeding amount of.

The third means of the present invention, that is, two different types of cam mechanisms are provided at opposite positions of one camshaft, and the camshaft has a rotation speed that is half the speed of the main shaft that regulates other operations. According to this, this 2
The different types of cam mechanisms output a rectangular motion with a working distance of 1: 3 in the feed direction of the continuous strip by changing the size of the cam, and operate the mounting position on the cam shaft at a relative position of 180 °. As a result, the output timing for operating the continuous strip by the rectangular movement is also shifted by 180 °, and is opposite to the output timing.
Pitch feed can be realized. In addition, since the operation by the camshaft has a half speed compared to other operations,
During one other cycle, the operation becomes a half cycle, and during the other two output operations, one pitch feed and three pitch feed of a continuous strip, which is one cycle output operation by the two cam mechanisms. Is performed, the timing with other operations can be matched, and the consistency of the assembly cycle can be achieved.

The operation of the upper stage will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2 which shows a rectangular motion output by two cam mechanisms.
The cams 1 and 2 in this paragraph indicate the entire cam mechanism. The cam 1 shows a rectangular movement by a cam mechanism with a relative working distance of 1 in the continuous strip feeding direction, and the cam 2 shows a relative working distance of 3
2 shows a rectangular motion by the cam mechanism of FIG. Arrows 1 and 5
Is the output that operates the continuous strip. 1. When the cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 1, the cam 2 performs the return operation of the arrow 7, and at this time, the continuous strip is fed by one pitch of the connector. 2. Next, when the cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 2, the cam 2
Takes the action indicated by arrow 8, at which time the contact is cut off and inserted into the housing. 3. Subsequently, when the cam 1 outputs the return operation of the arrow 3, the cam 2 performs the operation of 5, and at this time, the continuous strip is fed by three pitches of the connector. 4. Further, when the cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 4, the cam 2 takes the operation of the arrow 6, at which time the contact is cut off and inserted into the housing. In this way, by repeating steps 1 to 4, 1
Pitch feed and three pitch feed can be repeated, and as a result, simultaneous insertion of two connectors from a series of continuous strips by the above-mentioned means is enabled without waste.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention (processes of the present invention) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Before describing the steps of the connector assembling method of the present invention, an example of the structure of each main part to which the present invention is applied will be described.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a continuous strip formed by pressing a metal plate. The contacts 11 are continuously arranged in a comb at a narrow pitch, and are connected in a strip shape by a carrier 12. A transport hole 13 for engaging a claw (not shown) of the transport device at the time of feeding the continuous strip 1 is provided in the transport hole 13.
Is provided.

FIG. 7 shows a rectangular movement having two different working distances of 1: 3 in the feed direction of the continuous strip 1 (see FIG. 2).
1 shows an example of a cam device. Two sets of cam mechanisms 2a and 2b that output two sets of rectangular motions to one camshaft 4 are provided at opposing positions so that the operation timings are opposite by 180 °.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cam mechanism making the above-described rectangular movement will be described in detail with reference to a single cam device. In the fixed frame 20, the continuous strip 1 is fed and reciprocated in the opposite direction. A sliding feeding guide 21 and a nail inserting / extracting guide 22 which reciprocately slide in a direction of inserting / extracting a nail (not shown) for feeding the continuous strip 1 are provided by joining. Cam hole quadrilateral 23, 2 according to working distance
4 and a feed cam 25 having a dimension corresponding to the cam hole quadrangles 23 and 24 and a nail insertion / extraction cam 26 are joined to the camshaft 4 engaged with a power source (not shown). It is composed. This cam mechanism is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-1017895.
And the mechanism of the cam making the rectangular motion is not limited to this mechanism.

Returning to the description of FIG. 7, two sets of cam mechanisms 2a and 2b that perform the above-described rectangular motion are provided on one camshaft 4. However, in order to set the feed amount of the continuous strip to 1: 3, One of the feed cams 25a and the other one 25b
In addition to the feed cam 25b, the cam hole quadrilateral 23b, the feed guide 21b, and the like are dimensioned to enable three times the operation of the cam mechanism 1 (2a), while the feed cam 25b has a size of 3. The cams 26a and 26b and other related parts may be the same. The position where the two sets of the cam mechanisms 2a and 2b are attached to the camshaft 4 is such that the continuous strip 1 is conveyed at a position opposite to the position of 180 °, and the conveying section ( The tabs (not shown) of each notch (not shown) are accurately set so as to be the insertion positions of the contacts 11 into the housing 81. The output ends 27 are provided on the feed guides 21a and 21b,
The continuous strip 1 is connected to a transport section (not shown) having a feed claw (not shown) that engages with the transport hole 13 of the carrier 12 of the continuous strip 1.

Although other cutting devices, press-fitting devices (pushers), and various transporting devices are not shown or specified, devices similar to general connector assembling devices may be appropriately used. The supply means is appropriately selected according to the contact 11, and in the present embodiment, the supply means corresponds to the means for inserting two contacts 11 at the same time, and is provided in two rows with an interval of two pitches of the contact 11. The continuous strips 1 were set so as to be fed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feed of the continuous strip 1, and supplied to the corresponding positions.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a means for reducing the rotation of the camshaft 4 to half of the rotation of the main shaft 3.
The rotating body 6 having a diameter twice as large as the rotating body 5 connected to the main shaft 3 is connected to the camshaft 4 and connected by the belt 7, so that the camshaft 4 is reduced to half for one rotation of the main shaft 3. I made it rotate.

Next, the assembly process of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The cams 1 and 2 used in this paragraph indicate the entire cam mechanism. (1) A claw (not shown) of a transport unit (not shown) of a feeder of the continuous strip 1 is engaged with the transport hole 13 of the carrier 12 of the continuous strip 1 and fed by the cam mechanism 2 described above. hand,
The continuous strip 1 is set at a predetermined insertion position. At this time,
The cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 3 and returns, and the cam 2
Is output, and the continuous strip 1 is fed by the contact 11 and three pitches. In this case, the housings 81 arranged in two rows
Are transported one by one to a predetermined connector insertion position. (2) Two contacts 11a, 11 placed at the end and one
c is separated from the carrier 12 by a cutting device (not shown), and then the two contacts 11a and 11c are separated.
Are simultaneously inserted into two different housings 81 held side by side in a housing guide 82 to assemble two connectors. At this time, the cam 1 outputs the operation of arrow 4 and engages a claw (not shown) with the transport hole 13 of the carrier 12, and the cam 2 outputs the operation of arrow 6 to
Then, the claw is removed from the transfer hole 13 to start the return process. (3) The continuous strip 1 is fed by one pitch of the contact 11,
The contacts 11b and 11d including the contact 11b left in the step (2) are set at predetermined insertion positions.
At this time, the cam 1 outputs the operation of arrow 1 and the continuous strip 1
Is fed by the contact 11 and one pitch, and the cam 2 outputs the operation of the arrow 7 and returns. The housing 81 is also conveyed and set at a predetermined position in the same manner as described above. (4) Every other contact 11b, 11d including the contact 11b left in the step (2) is the carrier 1
The connector is cut and separated from 2 and inserted into the housing 81 to assemble the connector. At this time, the cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 2 to release the claw from the transport hole 13 of the carrier 12 and starts the return process. The cam 2 outputs the operation of the arrow 8 to engage the claw in the transport hole 13 of the carrier 12. In total, prepare for the next stage of feeding. (5) The continuous strip 1 is fed three pitches of the contact 11,
The next contacts 11e and 11g are set at predetermined insertion positions. At this time, similarly to (1), the cam 1 outputs the operation of the arrow 3 and returns, and the cam 2 outputs the operation of the arrow 5 to move the continuous strip 1 by three pitches of the connector 11. Note that the housing 81 is also conveyed by one as described above. This process is repeated continuously and automatically.

As described above, since the camshaft 4 for feeding the continuous strip 1 is reduced to half the speed of the main shaft 3 for restricting other operations, the housing 8
One pitch feed and three pitch feeds are performed once during two cycles of one transfer / cutting device, press-fitting device (pusher), etc. (not shown) to obtain consistency with other operations.

[0026]

According to the present invention, due to the various actions described above, even when a small-sized and narrow-pitch contact is used, a mechanically simple stitching mechanism can be used at twice the speed of a conventional one. Connector assembly becomes possible. In addition, the cost is not increased because there is no waste such as the use of the same system by arranging the conventional continuous strips in two rows, leaving uninserted contacts, or empty insertion during the process.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a connector assembly process of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation diagram output by the cam mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a housing and a housing guide for explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a continuous band material embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a structural view showing an example of an embodiment of a cam mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a mechanism diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a cam mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a structural view showing an example of an embodiment of two types of cam mechanisms of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an example of an embodiment in which the camshaft of the present invention is decelerated to half.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a main part of a conventional two-layer structure assembling apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Continuous strip 11. Contact 12. Carrier 13. Conveyance hole 2. Cam mechanism 2a. Cam mechanism 1 (for one pitch) 2b. Cam mechanism 2 (for 3 pitch) 20. Fixed frame 21. Guide for feeding 22. Guide for claw insertion / extraction 23.24. Quadrilateral for cam 25. Feeding cam 25a. Feeding cam 1 (for one pitch) 25b. Feed cam 2 (for three pitches) 26. Claw insertion / extraction cam 26a. Claw insertion / extraction cam 1 (for one pitch) 26b. Claw insertion / extraction cam 2 (for 3 pitch) 27. Output terminal 3. Main shaft 4. Camshaft 5.6. Rotating body 7. Belt 8. Housing part 81. Housing 82. Housing guide

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method of assembling a connector in which a plurality of contacts (connector pins) are cut and separated from a comb-shaped continuous strip continuously and integrally connected by a carrier and inserted into a housing. A connector assembling method characterized in that two alternate contacts are cut simultaneously and inserted into different housings simultaneously and continuously. 2. The connector assembling method according to claim 1, wherein during the assembling step, the feed amount of the continuous strip is alternately repeated at one pitch width and three pitch widths of the contacts. 3. A cam mechanism comprising two sets of cam mechanisms having different diameters for forming a rectangular motion on a single camshaft with a working distance of 1: 3 in a feed direction of the continuous strip. Provided to operate at positions 180 ° opposite to each other,
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the speed of one rotation of the camshaft is reduced to one half of the rotation of the main shaft for restricting other operating portions.
Contact assembly method.