APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ALIGNING A PLURALITY OF CONNECTOR MOUNTED PINS BY DEFORMATION AND REFORMATION THEREOF

摘要

An alignment apparatus and method for aligning a plurality of connector mounted pins is shown having a work table for mounting a connector thereon which is capable of linear displacements in four directions along X and Y axes. A fixture engages the ends of the connector mounted pins for retaining these pins in the desired aligned position while the connector is displaced with respect to that position. The mounting frame is displaced in one direction along the X-axis beyond the elastic limit of the pins for permanently deforming them and then displaced in a second direction beyond the elastic limit for again deforming the pins. The mounting frame is finally displaced in the first direction passed the center position a distance sufficient to remove the deformation caused by the last displacement and then returned to the center position for aligning the pins with respect to the center position along the X-axis. These same steps are repeated along the Y-axis for aligning the plurality of pins with the desired center position along that axis, thus aligning the pins with the center position located at the intersection of the X and Y axes.