Apparatus and method for determination of crimp height
AssigneeAMP Incorporated
InventorMichael A. Yeomans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to the accurate and automatic determination of crimp height of a terminal being crimped onto a wire. The crimping apparatus includes a conventional crimping press having a reciprocating ram and base, each carrying a mating half of a crimping die set. A strain gage is arranged to measure crimping forces imposed on the terminal being crimped and a linear sensor measures the position of the ram during the crimping process. As the ram descends and the crimping begins, the force as indicated by the strain gage is monitored until it reaches a predetermined value. Monitoring continues until the force reaches substantially zero, at which time the position of the ram, as indicated by the linear sensor, is translated into crimp height.
Claims9
In a method of determining the crimp height of a terminal crimped onto an element utilizing crimping apparatus which includes a press having a base and a ram arranged for opposing relative reciprocating motion, said base and ram each carrying a mating half of a crimping die set, the steps comprising;
- (a) placing a terminal and element in crimping position within said crimping apparatus;
- (b) causing at least one of said base and said ram to undergo relative motion so, that said die set engages and crimps said terminal onto said element;
- and
- (c) during step (b) determining that the crimping process has actually begun and then monitoring the force imposed on said terminal as said force recedes from a predetermined value to zero, whereupon said force reaching substantially zero, simultaneously therewith determining the distance between the terminal engaging portions of said die set, said distance being said crimp height.
In a machine for crimping a terminal onto an element including a press having a base and a ram arranged for opposed relative reciprocating motion, said base and ram each carrying a mating half of a crimping die set,
- apparatus for determining the crimp height of a terminal crimped onto an element comprising:
- (a) force means for determining and monitoring the force imposed on said terminal during crimping thereof;
- and
- (b) distance means for determining the distance between the terminal engaging portions of said die set when said determined force is substantially equal to zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.