Terminal locator for a terminal crimping device

A terminal crimping device that crimps a terminal to a wire, the terminal crimping device comprising:

• crimp tooling including a movable ram and an anvil defining a crimping zone, the movable ram being movable along a crimp stroke towards and away from the anvil, the crimp tooling crimping the terminal to the wire during the crimp stroke;
• and
• a terminal locator configured to hold the terminal in the crimping zone during the crimp stroke, the terminal locator comprising:
• a housing configured positioned forward of crimp tooling, the housing having a terminal cavity extending along a terminal axis and configured to receive the terminal such that a crimp barrel of the terminal extends rearward of the housing along the terminal axis into the crimping zone;
• a spacer held by the housing, the spacer having a spacer blocking surface configured to locate the terminal and block axial rearward movement of the terminal;
• and
• a latch held by the housing, the latch being deflectable to allow insertion and removal of the terminal from the terminal cavity, the latch having a latch blocking surface configured to locate the terminal and block axial forward movement of the terminal.

A crimping system comprising:

• a driving mechanism driven in an axial driving direction during a crimping operation;
• crimp tooling including a movable ram and an anvil defining a crimping zone, the movable ram being coupled to the driving mechanism and movable along a crimp stroke towards and away from the anvil by the driving mechanism during the crimping operation, the crimp tooling crimping the terminal to the wire during the crimp stroke;
• and
• a terminal locator configured to hold the terminal in the crimping zone during the crimp stroke, the terminal locator comprising:
• a housing configured positioned forward of crimp tooling, the housing having a terminal cavity extending along a terminal axis and configured to receive the terminal such that a crimp barrel of the terminal extends rearward of the housing along the terminal axis into the crimping zone;
• a spacer held by the housing, the spacer having a spacer blocking surface configured to locate the terminal and block axial rearward movement of the terminal;
• and
• a latch held by the housing, the latch being deflectable to allow insertion and removal of the terminal from the terminal cavity, the latch having a latch blocking surface configured to locate the terminal and block axial forward movement of the terminal.