Cut and clinch mechanism for use in electrical component assembly apparatus
AssigneeContact Systems, Inc.
InventorIstvan Priscsak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The lead of an electrical component that extends from the bottom of a printed circuit board that is being assembled is inserted through an aperture in a fixed, rigid cutting finger. A cutting sleeve fits over the finger and is rotatable coaxially thereabout. A cutting blade on the rotatable sleeve wipes past the aperture and cuts the lead. As the blade cuts the lead it also clinches, or bends, the lead toward the bottom of the circuit board. Two such mechanisms operate simultaneously to cut and clinch both leads of an electrical component such as a capacitor or resistor.
Claims14
A mechanism for cutting and clinching a terminal lead of an electrical component that extends downwardly from a circuit board onto which the component is mounted, said mechanism being below the board and comprising
- a rigid finger obliquely inclined to the bottom surface of said circuit board and having an end positionable adjacent said bottom surface of the board,
- an aperture extending transversely through said finger at or adjacent its end for receiving a thin lead of an electrical component that extends downwardly from the bottom surface of said board,
- the outer rim of said aperture comprising a cutting edge,
- a cutting sleeve coaxially disposed on said finger and adapted to rotate coaxially thereabout,
- a cutting blade on said sleeve,
- said cutting blade being positioned on said sleeve to wipe across the outer rim of said aperture in the finger when the sleeve rotates,
- means for rotating said sleeve coaxially around said finger,
- whereby a component lead in said aperture is cut or sheared when the cutting blade wipes past the aperture,
- said cutting blade having a thickness in the radial direction of the finger sufficient to engage the remaining end of the lead after it has been cut to bend said remaining end toward the circuit board as the cutting sleeve rotates further after the lead is cut.
Apparatus for cutting and clinching electrical component terminal leads that extend downwardly from a circuit board onto which the component is to be mounted, said apparatus being below the board and comprising
- first and second cut and clinch mechanisms relatively movable toward and away from each other to engage said terminal leads, each said mechanism comprising
- a rigid finger obliquely inclined to the bottom surface of said circuit board and having an end positionable adjacent said bottom surface of the board,
- an aperture extending transversely through said finger at or adjacent its end for receiving a thin component lead that extends downwardly from the bottom of said board,
- the outer rim of said aperture comprising a cutting edge,
- a cutting sleeve coaxially disposed on said finger and adapted to rotate coaxially thereabout,
- a cutting blade on said sleeve,
- said cutting blade being positioned on said sleeve to wipe across the outer rim of said aperture in the finger when the sleeve rotates,
- means for rotating said sleeve coaxially around said finger,
- whereby a component lead in said aperture is cut or sheared when the cutting blade wipes past the aperture,
- said cutting sleeve having a thickness in the radial direction of the finger sufficient to engage the remaining end of the lead after it has been cut to bend said remaining end toward the circuit board as the cutting sleeve rotates further after the lead is out.
Apparatus for cutting and clinching electrical component terminal leads that extend downwardly from a circuit board onto which the component is to be mounted, said apparatus being below the board and comprising
- first and second cut and clinch mechanisms for receiving respective leads extending downwardly from said circuit board and for cutting and clinching said leads,
- at least one of said mechanisms comprising,
- a rigid finger obliquely inclined to the bottom surface of said circuit board and having an end positionable adjacent said bottom surface of the board,
- an aperture extending transversely through said finger at or adjacent its end for receiving a thin component lead that extends downwardly from the bottom of said board,
- a cutting sleeve coaxially disposed on said finger and adapted to rotate coaxially thereabout to cut and clinch a component lead received in said aperture,
- means for mounting said cut and clinch mechanisms for relative movement toward and away from each other, whereby said cut and clinch mechanisms may receive component leads having different spacings therebetween,
- rotatable support means supporting said mounting means and adapted to rotate said cut and clinch mechanisms relative to leads extending downwardly from said circuit board, and
- motor means for rotating said rotatable support means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.