Designer's Corner 23269

Solder sleeve

Making multi-wire connections directly on fixed or moving harness boards streamlines assembly. Here's how it's done:

Harness builders insert a bundle of stripped, multiple-conductor wires into the thermoplastic sleeve of a SolderGripa terminator. The sleeve contains a spiral-wound copper insert fitted with a pre-fluxed solder band.

With a light twist to the sleeve, the insert bites into the wires, compressing and holding them together. A hot-air gun completes the procedure by a) melting the solder, and b) shrinking the sleeve.

Used by Citroen's wiring harness shop in Rennes, France, the multiple wire terminator is available for sealed and unsealed closed-end connectors, as well as unsealed ring terminals.

In Europe: Cidric Bollori, Raychem S.A., 2, bd du Moulin-a-Vent, Cergy Saint-Christophe, B.P. 8300, 95802 Cergy-Pontoise, Cedex France, +33 1 34 20 23 65.

In U.S.: Kathy Kelly, Raychem Corp., 300 Constitution Dr., MS 530/7568, Menlo Park, CA 94025, (800) 272-9243.

Lightweight chain

Replacing two external plates with one internal plate makes it possible to offset the transport rollers of this patented chain. As a result, the valley between the rollers is smaller. Advantages include:

Reduced vibration

A version with parallel transport rollers carries heavier parts.

Achim Vissing, Joh. Winklhofer & Svhne GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 702060, D-81320 Munich, Germany, Tel: +49 89 76909 131.

Temperature sensor

Car heater systems usually respond slowly and erratically to changes in cabin temperature because of difficulty in locating the temperature sensor away from hot spots. A new sensor with integrated mini-fan solves the problem.

The fan, which supplies a continuous flow of air over the sensor, makes temperature readings faster and more accurate. Its 12V brushless motor rotates at 2,800 rpm, produces less than 38 dBA of noise, and provides an air velocity of 1.1 meters per second with mesh >110 mm². The sensor is a standard negative-temperature-coefficient resistance device.

In addition to improving performance, the ventilated temperature sensor makes cabin location less critical.

Mario Borzone, Birtron Ind Srl, Via Torino 21, 10044 Pianezza (TO), Italy, +39 11 9666411.