Pallet for transporting electrical connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10404027-B2
Application number	US-201615372656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A pallet, manufacturing system, and method for transporting and assembling different electrical connectors are provided. The pallet includes first and second jaw assemblies spaced apart from a connector support. The jaw assemblies include jaw plates with gripping edges that form a contoured opening therebetween. As the jaw assemblies move toward one another, dimensions of the contoured opening decrease such that the gripping edges contact and grip an electrical connector placed in the contoured opening. The jaw assemblies are connected to each other by a synchronization device that synchronizes motion of the jaw assemblies and centers the jaw assemblies about an alignment point on the pallet. The pallet accommodates a number of different sizes and/or types of electrical connectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet for transporting electrical connectors, the pallet comprising:
a connector support that includes a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, wherein the connector support includes a support surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the connector support defines a longitudinal axis between the first end, the second end, and an alignment point between the first end and the second end;
a first jaw assembly arranged over the support surface and bi-directionally movable along the longitudinal axis between the first end and the alignment point, the first jaw assembly comprising:
a first jaw plate and a second jaw plate arranged over the support surface of the connector support; wherein the first jaw plate and the second jaw plate are in a parallel spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other so as to form a gap; wherein the first and second jaw plates define a first gripping edge;

a second jaw assembly arranged over the support surface and bi-directionally movable along the longitudinal axis between the second end and the alignment point, the second jaw assembly comprising a third jaw plate arranged over the support surface of the connector support and in parallel relation relative to the first and second jaw plates, wherein the third jaw plate defines a second gripping edge; and wherein the third jaw plate is disposed on a plane of the gap so that the third jaw plate is inserted into the gap when the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are moved toward each other into a closed position;
wherein the first gripping edge and the second gripping edge are in an opposing facing relationship with the alignment point disposed between the first and second gripping edges; and wherein the first gripping edge and the second gripping edge form a contoured opening centered on the alignment point; and wherein the contoured opening becomes increasingly smaller in a first dimension along the longitudinal axis and a second dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis as the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are moved into the closed position; and
a synchronization device connected to the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly, wherein the synchronization device is operable to synchronize motion of the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly from the first and second ends respectively, toward the alignment point.

2. The pallet of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization device comprises:
a circular cam arranged on an opposite side of the connector support from the support surface, wherein an axis of rotation of the circular cam is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and passes through the alignment point;
a first linkage pivotably coupled to the circular cam at a first location on the circular cam at a first end of the first linkage and to the first jaw assembly at a second end of the first linkage; and
a second linkage pivotably coupled to the circular cam at a third end of the second linkage and to the second jaw assembly at a fourth end of the second linkage, wherein rotation of the circular cam about the axis of rotation moves the second end of the first linkage and the fourth end of the second linkage along the longitudinal axis and thereby synchronizes motion of the first and second jaw assemblies attached to the second and fourth ends of the first and second linkages, respectively.

3. The pallet of claim 2 , further comprising:
a pallet base arranged on the opposite side of the connector support such that the circular cam is arranged between the pallet base and the connector support, wherein the pallet base includes a first surface facing the opposite side of the connector support; and
first and second rails arranged on the first surface on the pallet base along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second jaw assemblies are coupled to the first and second rails such that the first and second rails guide the first and second jaw assemblies along the longitudinal axis.

4. The pallet of claim 3 , wherein the circular cam is connected to the pallet base by a pivot, and wherein the circular cam rotates about the axis of rotation on the pivot.

5. The pallet of claim 3 , wherein the first jaw assembly further comprises a first jaw support, wherein the first jaw support is slidably coupled to the first and second rails, wherein the first linkage is pivotably coupled to the first jaw support, and wherein the first and second jaw plates are connected to the first jaw support; and
wherein the second jaw assembly further comprises a second jaw support, wherein the second jaw support is slidably coupled to the first and second rails, wherein the second linkage is pivotably coupled to the second jaw support, and wherein the third jaw plate is connected to the second jaw support.

6. The pallet of claim 5 , further comprising a resilient member connected to the first jaw support and to the second jaw support, wherein the resilient member exerts a biasing force on the first and second jaw supports that urge the first and second jaw supports toward the alignment point.

7. The pallet of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first pushrod extending from the first jaw support in a direction toward the second jaw support along the longitudinal axis; and
a second pushrod extending from the second jaw support in a direction toward the first jaw support along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second pushrods include free, blunt ends configured to receive actuation forces from actuators, and wherein the actuation forces applied to the first and second pushrods urge the first and second jaw supports toward the first and second ends of the connector support.

8. The pallet of claim 7 , wherein the first jaw support includes a first aperture through the first jaw support that is oriented along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second jaw support includes a second aperture through the second jaw support that is oriented along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first pushrod extends through the second aperture, and wherein the second pushrod extends through the first aperture.

9. A manufacturing system for electrical connectors, wherein at least two of the electrical connectors differ in size, the manufacturing system comprising:
a plurality of pallets, each of the respective pallets comprising:
a connector support that includes a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, wherein the connector support includes a support surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the connector support defines a longitudinal axis between the first end, the second end, and an alignment point between the first end and the second end;
a first jaw assembly arranged over the support surface and bi-directionally movable along the longitudinal axis between the first end and the alignment point, the first jaw assembly comprising:
a first jaw plate and a second jaw plate arranged over the support surface of the connector support; wherein the first jaw plate and the second jaw plate are in a parallel spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other so as to form a gap; wherein the first and second jaw plates define a first gripping edge;

a second jaw assembly arranged over the support surface and bi-directionally movable along the longitudinal axis between the second end and the alignment point, the second jaw assembly comprising a third jaw plate arranged over the support surface of the connector support and in parallel relation relative to the first and second jaw plates, wherein the third jaw plate defines a second gripping edge; and wherein the third jaw plate is disposed on a plane of the gap so that the third jaw plate is inserted into the gap when t

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Porter John R

Classifications

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R43/26 Primary

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• B65D19/44 Primary

  Elements or devices for locating articles on platforms · CPC title

• B65G17/323

  Grippers, e.g. suction or magnetic · CPC title

• B25B1/2415

  being composed of a plurality of parts adapting to the shape of the workpiece · CPC title