Locator for applicators adapted to apply electrical connectors to printed circuit boards

Claim 2

In combination with an applicator adapted to apply electrical connectors or the like to a printed circuit board, said connectors or the like having a portion which is adapted to extend through and beyond an aperture in said printed circuit board, the combination therewith of locator means adapted to locate an aperture in said printed circuit board with respect to said applicator; said locator means comprising: a support member provided with an elongated vertically extending aperture; pin means slidable within said aperture between a lowered position and a raised locating position wherein an end portion of said pin means extends above said support member to facilitate locating an aperture in the printed circuit board relative to said applicator, there being clearance between said pin means and the side walls of the aperture to permit air to flow therebetween; a source of compressed air; and interconnecting means for interconnecting the source of compressed air with said aperture; the parts being so arranged and constructed that the compressed air when interconnected with said aperture will normally bias the pin means into its raised locating position, a portion of the compressed air flowing through the clearance between the pin means and the side walls of the aperture to blow any undesirable matter out of said aperture, one end of the portion of the connector or the like which is adapted to extend through and beyond the aperture in the printed circuit board contacting the end portion of the pin means to force it within the aperture against substantially constant pressure as the connector is applied, the side walls of the aperture in the support member also serving to support said portion of the connector or the like as It is applied.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the interconnecting means is provided with valve means to provide for selective interconnection of the source of compressed air with the aperture, said pin means being biased towards its lowered position by gravity when the aperture is not interconnected with the source of compressed air.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said support member is an elongated tube having a slot along one side to permit said portion of said connector or the like to be removed laterally of said support member.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein stop means are provided to limit the upward movement of said pin means within said aperture.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said interconnecting means includes a mounting block provided with a cylindrical recess in alignment with said aperture, and further characterized by the provision of piston means slidable within said cylindrical recess between lowered and raised positions, said pin means being interconnected with said piston means, and said piston means providing for the flow of air into the aperture in said support member.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein clearance is provided between said piston means and said cylindrical recess.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said piston means is provided with an aperture to permit the flow of compressed air from one side of said piston means to the other.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said support member is a tube, and further characterized by the provision of an apertured mounting plate secured to said mounting block with the aperture in said mounting plate in alignment with the cylindrical recess in said mounting block, said tube being secured to one side of said mounting plate with the elongated aperture being in alignment with the aperture in said mounting plate, the diameters of the aperture in the mounting plate and the elongated aperture in the tube being substantially the same, and both being less than the diameter of the cylindrical recess in the mounting block, the other side of said mounting plate acting as a stop to limit the movement of the piston means to its raised position.

Claim 10

The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said tube is provided with a slot along one side to permit said portion of the connector or the like to be removed laterally of said support member.

Claim 11

In combination with an applicator adapted to apply connectors or the like to a printed circuit board, said connectors or the like having a portion which is adapted to extend through and beyond an aperture in said printed circuit board, the combination therewith of locator means adapted to locate an aperture in said printed circuit board with respect to said applicator; said locator means comprising: a mounting block defining a cylindrical recess of a first diameter; piston means slidable within said cylindrical recess for movement between first and second positions, said piston means having a second diameter sufficiently less than said first diameter to permit air to flow between said piston means and the side walls of the cylindrical recess; a tube extending away from said mounting block and having an elongated aperture therein in alignment with said cylindrical recess, said elongated aperture being of a third diameter which is less than said second diameter; pin means extending outwardly from one side of said piston means and slidable within said elongated aperture for movement between a first position and a second position wherein an end portion of the pin means extends outwardly of said tube to facilitate locating an aperture in the printed circuit board relative to said applicator, said pin means having a fourth diameter sufficiently less than said third diameter to permit air to flow between said pin means and the side walls of the elongated aperture; a source of compressed air; and means selectively operable to interConnect the source of compressed air with the cylindrical recess; the parts being so arranged and constructed that when said source of compressed air is interconnected with said cylindrical recess the piston means and pin means will be biased to their second positions, and additional air will flow between the piston means and the side walls of the cylindrical recess and also the pin means and the side walls of the elongated aperture to blow out any residue which may be in the tube, said pin means moving downwardly within the elongated aperture as a connector is inserted into a located aperture in the printed circuit board.

Claim 12

In combination with an applicator adapted to apply connectors or the like to a printed circuit board, said connectors or the like having a portion which is adapted to extend through and beyond an aperture in said printed circuit board, the combination therewith of locator means adapted to locate an aperture in said printed circuit board with respect to said applicator; said locator means comprising: a mounting block defining a cylindrical recess of a first diameter; piston means slidable within said cylindrical recess for movement between first and second positions, said piston means having a second diameter sufficiently less than said first diameter to permit air to flow between said piston means and the side walls of the cylindrical recess; a tube extending away from said mounting block and having an elongated aperture therein in alignment with said cylindrical recess, said elongated aperture being of a third diameter which is less than said second diameter; pin means extending outwardly from one side of said piston means and slidable within said elongated aperture for movement between a first position and a second position wherein an end portion of the pin means extends outwardly of said tube to facilitate locating an aperture in the printed circuit board relative to said applicator, said pin means having a fourth diameter sufficiently less than said third diameter to permit air to flow between said pin means and the side walls of the elongated aperture; a source of compressed air; and means selectively operable to interConnect the source of compressed air with the cylindrical recess; the parts being so arranged and constructed that when said source of compressed air is interconnected with said cylindrical recess the piston means and pin means will be biased to their second positions, and additional air will flow between the piston means and the side walls of the cylindrical recess and also the pin means and the side walls of the elongated aperture to blow out any residue which may be in the tube, said pin means moving downwardly within the elongated aperture as a connector is inserted into a located aperture in the printed circuit board.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 10 further characterized by the provision of an apertured mounting plate secured to said mounting block with the aperture in said mounting plate in alignment with the cylindrical recess in said mounting block, said tube being secured to one side of said mounting plate with the elongated aperture being in alignment with the aperture in said mounting plate, the diameters of the aperture in the mounting plate and the elongated aperture in the tube being substantially the same, said pin means having an overall length in excess of the length of the elongated aperture and the aperture in the mounting plate.

Claim 14

In combination with an applicator adapted to apply electrical connectors or the like to a printed circuit board, said connectors or the like having a portion which is adapted to extend through and beyond an aperture in said printed circuit board, the combination therewith of locator means adapted to locate an aperture in said printed circuit board with respect to said applicator; said locator means comprising: a tube provided with an elongated aperture, the side walls of the aperture serving to support said portion of a connector or the like as it is applied to the printed circuit board, said tube being provided with a slot along one side to permit said portion of the connector or the like to be removed laterally of said tube; pin means slidable within said aperture between a lowered position and a raised locating position wherein an end portion of said pin means extends above said tube to facilitate locating an aperture in the printed circuit board relative to said applicator; a mounting block provided with a cylindrical recess in alignment with said aperture; piston means slidable within said cylindrical recess between lowered and raised positions, said pin means being interconnected with said piston means, and said piston means providing for the flow of air into the aperture in said tube; an apertured mounting plate secured to said mounting block with the aperture in said mounting plate in alignment with the cylindrical recess in said mounting block, said tube being secured to one side of said mounting plate with the elongated aperture being in alignment with the aperture in said mounting plate, the diameter of the aperture in the mounting plate being less than the diameter of the cylindrical recess, and the other side of said mounting plate acting as a stop to limit the movement of the piston means to its raised position; a source of compressed air; and interconnecting means for interconnecting the source of compressed air with the cylindrical recess; the parts being so arranged and constructed that the compressed air when interconnected with said cylindrical recess will normally bias the piston means into its raised position, a portion of the compressed air flowing into the aperture in the tube means to blow any undesirable matter out of said aperture.

Claim 15

In combination with an applicator adapted to apply electrical connectors or the like to a printed circuit board, said connectors or the like having a portion which is adapted to extend through and beyond an aperture in said printed circuit board, the combination therewith of locator means adapted to locate an aperture in said printed circuit board with respect to said applicator; said locator means comprising: a tube provided with an elongated aperture, the side walls of the aperture serving to support said portion of a connector or the like as it is applied to the printed circuit board, said tube being provided with a slot along one side to permit said portion of the connector or the like to be removed laterally of said tube; pin means slidable within said aperture between a lowered position and a raised locating position wherein an end portion of said pin means extends above said tube to facilitate locating an aperture in the printed circuit board relative to said applicator; a mounting block provided with a cylindrical recess in alignment with said aperture; piston means slidable within said cylindrical recess between lowered and raised positions, said pin means being interconnected with said piston means, and said piston means providing for the flow of air into the aperture in said tube; an apertured mounting plate secured to said mounting block with the aperture in said mounting plate in alignment with the cylindrical recess in said mounting block, said tube being secured to one side of said mounting plate with the elongated aperture being in alignment with the aperture in said mounting plate, the diameter of the aperture in the mounting plate being less than the diameter of the cylindrical recess, and the other side of said mounting plate acting as a stop to limit the movement of the piston means to its raised position; a source of compressed air; and interconnecting means for interconnecting the source of compressed air with the cylindrical recess; the parts being so arranged and constructed that the compressed air when interconnected with said cylindrical recess will normally bias the piston means into its raised position, a portion of the compressed air flowing into the aperture in the tube means to blow any undesirable matter out of said aperture.