Wire guidance system

Abstract

A wire guidance system includes a wire guide and a compressed air feeder. The wire guide has a wire guide channel extending between a wire entrance and a wire exit. The wire guide channel receives a wire through the wire entrance. A segment of the wire extends beyond the wire exit. The compressed air feeder supplies compressed air to the wire guide. The compressed air is supplied to the wire guide channel around the wire. The compressed air is discharged from the wire exit with the wire to support the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wire guidance system comprising:
 a wire guide having a wire guide channel extending between a wire entrance and a wire exit, the wire guide channel receiving a wire through the wire entrance, a segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit; and   a compressed air feeder supplying compressed air to the wire guide, the compressed air being supplied to the wire guide channel around the wire, the compressed air being discharged from the wire exit with the wire to support the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit.   
     
     
         2 . The wire guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed air discharged from the wire exit provides a low pressure air column that surrounds the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit, the low pressure air column having an air pressure lower than stationary air outside of the low pressure air column. 
     
     
         3 . The wire guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed air is supplied to the wire guide channel through an air supply channel extending through a side wall of the wire guide at an axial location between the wire entrance and the wire exit, the air supply channel directing the compressed air towards the wire exit for discharge. 
     
     
         4 . The wire guidance system of  claim 3 , wherein flow of the compressed air in the wire guide channel towards the wire exit produces a low pressure region in the wire guide channel upstream of the air supply channel between the air supply channel and the wire entrance, the low pressure region drawing ambient air into the wire guide channel through the wire entrance. 
     
     
         5 . The wire guidance system of  claim 4 , further comprising a wire feeder that feeds the wire to the wire guide, the low pressure region produced in the wire guide channel assisting the wire feeder. 
     
     
         6 . The wire guidance system of  claim 1 , wherein the wire guide includes a holder and a nozzle that is received within a cavity of the holder, the compressed air supplied to the wire guide channel through an air supply channel that includes an aperture in a side wall of the holder. 
     
     
         7 . The wire guidance system of  claim 6 , wherein the compressed air flows through the aperture of the holder into an annular chamber defined between an outer surface of the nozzle and an inner surface of the holder, the compressed air entering the wire guide channel via at least one port connecting the annular chamber and the wire guide channel. 
     
     
         8 . A wire guidance system comprising:
 a wire guide having a wire guide channel between a wire entrance and a wire exit;   a wire feeder supplying a wire to the wire guide channel through the wire entrance, a segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit for presentation to a processing station of a processing device; and   a compressed air feeder supplying compressed air to the wire guide, the compressed air being supplied to the wire guide channel around the wire, the compressed air being discharged from the wire exit with the wire to support the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit for presentation to the processing station.   
     
     
         9 . The wire guidance system of  claim 8 , wherein the compressed air discharged from the wire exit provides a low pressure air column that surrounds the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit, the low pressure air column surrounded by higher pressure stationary air that provides a resistive force to resist movement of the segment outside of the low pressure air column for improved control of the segment at the processing station. 
     
     
         10 . The wire guidance system of  claim 9 , wherein the processing station is a crimping station, the resistive force allowing for improved accuracy in positioning the segment of the wire within a crimping zone of the crimping station. 
     
     
         11 . The wire guidance system of  claim 8 , wherein the segment of the wire is presented to the processing station for at least one of cutting, stripping, crimping, tinning, or sealing. 
     
     
         12 . The wire guidance system of  claim 8 , wherein the compressed air is supplied to the wire guide channel through an air supply channel extending through a side wall of the wire guide at an axial location between the wire entrance and the wire exit, the air supply channel configured to direct the compressed air towards the wire exit for discharge. 
     
     
         13 . The wire guidance system of  claim 12 , wherein flow of the compressed air in the wire guide channel towards the wire exit produces a low pressure region in the wire guide channel upstream of the air supply channel between the air supply channel and the wire entrance, the low pressure region drawing ambient air into the wire guide channel through the wire entrance. 
     
     
         14 . The wire guidance system of  claim 8 , wherein the wire guide includes a holder and a nozzle that is received within a cavity of the holder, a first end of the nozzle is disposed proximate to a back wall of the holder within the cavity of the holder, the wire guide channel extending through the back wall of the holder and into a first opening of the nozzle at the first end, the wire entrance of the wire guide channel at an outer surface of the back wall of the holder, the wire exit of the wire guide channel at a second end of the nozzle. 
     
     
         15 . A wire guidance system comprising:
 a wire guide having a holder and a nozzle that is received within a cavity of the holder, the wire guide defining a wire guide channel extending along a wire guide axis through the holder and the nozzle between a wire entrance and a wire exit, the wire guide channel receiving a wire through the wire entrance, a segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit, the wire guide further defining an air supply channel extending through an aperture in a side wall of the holder to the wire guide channel, the aperture at an axial location between the wire entrance and the wire exit, the air supply channel receiving compressed air from a compressed air feeder and directing the compressed air to the wire guide channel around the wire, the compressed air being discharged from the wire exit with the wire to support the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit.   
     
     
         16 . The wire guidance system of  claim 15 , wherein the compressed air discharged from the wire exit provides a low pressure air column that surrounds the segment of the wire extending beyond the wire exit, the low pressure air column having an air pressure lower than stationary air outside of the low pressure air column. 
     
     
         17 . The wire guidance system of  claim 15 , wherein the air supply channel further includes an annular chamber and at least one port, the annular chamber extending annularly between an outer surface of the nozzle and an inner surface of the holder, the annular chamber receiving the compressed air through the aperture in the holder, the at least one port connecting the annular chamber to the wire guide channel to supply the compressed air to the wire guide channel. 
     
     
         18 . The wire guidance system of  claim 17 , wherein a first end of the nozzle is disposed proximate to a back wall of the holder within the cavity of the holder, the wire guide channel extending through the back wall of the holder and into a first opening of the nozzle at the first end, the at least one port is defined by an axial gap between the back wall of the holder and the first end of the nozzle, the compressed air entering the wire guide channel from the at least one port through the first opening of the nozzle. 
     
     
         19 . The wire guidance system of  claim 18 , wherein an inner edge of the nozzle defining the first opening has a convex curve, the diameter of the first opening decreasing along the convex curve in an axial direction from the first end towards the wire exit. 
     
     
         20 . The wire guidance system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one port includes multiple radial ports through the nozzle radially spaced along a perimeter of the nozzle, the radial ports having an inlet at the annular chamber and an outlet at the wire guide channel and angled with the outlet in an axial location more proximate to the wire exit than the inlet to direct the compressed air through the wire guide channel towards the wire exit.