Rotating funnel feeder
OwnerFlorian Hillen, Paul-Peter Valeriusinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A feeder assembly for a machine for processing wire for electronic assemblies can include an entrance port to receive wire for processing by the machine, and a receiver that is secured to rotate relative to the entrance port during operation. The receiver includes a feed port that is in alignment with the entrance port of the machine along an insertion axis, and a funnel cavity that is connected to the feed port. The funnel cavity defines a funnel axis that is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion axis.
Claims20
A feeder assembly for a machine for processing wire for electronic assemblies, the feeder assembly comprising:
- an entrance port to receive wire for processing by the machine;
- and
- a receiver secured to relative to the entrance port, to rotate during operation, the receiver including:
- a feed port in alignment with the entrance port along an insertion axis;
- and
- a funnel cavity that is connected to the feed port at a first end and is open at a second end to receive the wire for processing and guide the wire to the entrance port via the feed port, the funnel cavity defining a funnel axis that is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion axis.
A machine for processing wire, the machine comprising:
- a wire processing assembly that includes one or more of a stripper-crimper assembly, a wire bundling assembly, a wire cutter assembly, or a wire labeling assembly, to process wire received into the machine;
- an entrance port aligned to guide the wire into the wire processing assembly;
- and
- a receiver that includes:
- a funnel cavity with an open wider end to receive the wire into the receiver and an open narrower end opposite the open wider end, the funnel cavity being rotationally asymmetrical relative to an insertion axis of the receiver;
- and
- a feed port aligned with the open narrower end of the funnel cavity to receive the wire from the funnel cavity, and aligned with the entrance port along the insertion axis to guide the wire from the funnel cavity to the entrance port.
A method of processing wire with a machine, the method comprising:
- rotating a receiver of the machine about an insertion axis to rotate a funnel cavity of the receiver, the funnel cavity defining a funnel axis that is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion axis;
- while the receiver rotates:
- to insert wire into the machine, inserting a free end of a wire into the funnel cavity of the receiver;
- and
- advancing the wire through the funnel cavity so that the wire is deflected by the funnel cavity into a feed port of the receiver;
- and
- advancing the free end of the wire through the feed port along the insertion axis to an entrance port of the machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.