Vibrating pallet system for automated wire insertion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10109974-B2
Application number	US-201615010525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A wire insertion system includes a fixture, a first vibrating element connected to the fixture, and a gripper adapted to interface with the fixture and to support a plurality of wires, in which the gripper includes a body, at least one gripping member coupled to the body, and a second vibrating element connected to the gripper. The wire insertion system further includes a sensor coupled to the fixture, and a controller coupled to the sensor and in communication with the first vibrating element, the second vibrating element, and the gripper, and configured to vibrate the first vibrating element and the second vibrating element using signals from the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wire insertion system, comprising:
a fixture;
a first vibrating element connected to the fixture;
a gripper adapted to interface with the fixture and to support a plurality of wires, comprising:
a body;
at least one gripping member coupled to the body; and
a second vibrating element connected to the gripper;

a sensor coupled to the fixture; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and in communication with the first vibrating element, the second vibrating element, and the gripper, and configured to vibrate the first vibrating element and the second vibrating element using signals from the sensor.

2. The wire insertion system of claim 1 , wherein the first vibrating element is an eccentric vibrating motor or a piezoelectric device.

3. The wire insertion system of claim 1 , wherein the second vibrating element is an eccentric vibrating motor or a piezoelectric device.

4. The wire insertion system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

5. The wire insertion system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture is configured to support a grommet having a plurality of cavities, each cavity configured to accept a respective wire of the plurality of wires.

6. The wire insertion system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is programmed to align the respective wire with and in the respective cavity in the grommet.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Helmick Eerik J
• Mitchell Bradley J

Classifications

• Y10T29/53243

  Multiple, independent conductors · CPC title

• H01R43/28

  for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26 · CPC title

• Y10T29/49174

  Assembling terminal to elongated conductor · CPC title

• H01R33/90

  adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts · CPC title

• Y10T29/53209

  Terminal or connector · CPC title