US 11,749,427 B2
Apparatus and method for manufacturing assembly having multiple separated conductors embedded within a substrate
Jared Bilas, North Bloomfield, OH (US); David R. Peterson, Aurora, OH (US); and Gerald A. Rhinehart, Jr., Lordstown, OH (US)
Assigned to APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, St Michael (BB)
Filed by Aptiv Technologies Limited, St. Michael (BB)
Filed on May 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/319,686.
Application 17/319,686 is a continuation of application No. 16/203,695, filed on Nov. 29, 2018, granted, now 11,037,706.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/671,607, filed on May 15, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0265082 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01B 13/012 (2006.01); G05B 19/04 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC H01B 13/01236 (2013.01) [G05B 19/0405 (2013.01); G05B 19/4185 (2013.01); H01B 13/01209 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising;
an extruding device configured to selectively dispense a dielectric material though an orifice;
a wire feed device configured to selectively feed a conductive wire through the orifice;
a cutting device configured to selectively sever the conductive wire after it is fed through the orifice; and
an electronic controller configured to control the extruding device, the wire feed device, and the cutting device, wherein the electronic controller commands the extruding device to selectively dispense the dielectric material though the orifice, the wire feed device to selectively feed the conductive wire through the orifice, and the cutting device to selectively sever the conductive wire, thereby forming a dielectric substrate encasing the conductive wire, wherein the electronic controller further commands the extruding device to form an opening defined in the substrate in which a plurality of electrically conductive wires is exposed and a fiducial mark in the form of an object placed in the substrate configured to use as a point of reference for an automated assembly robot to determine a location of the opening relative to the object, wherein a position tolerance of the opening relative to the object is 1 millimeter or less.