US 11,739,737 B2
Shape memory alloy filament crimping element
Leonid Foshansky, San Diego, CA (US); Vishnu Naidu, San Diego, CA (US); and Kenneth Krone, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to AUTOSPLICE, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Autosplice, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/270,459.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/627,539, filed on Feb. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0242370 A1, Aug. 8, 2019
Int. Cl. H01R 4/18 (2006.01); F03G 7/06 (2006.01); H01R 4/01 (2006.01); H01R 43/048 (2006.01)
CPC F03G 7/065 (2013.01) [H01R 4/01 (2013.01); H01R 4/18 (2013.01); H01R 4/188 (2013.01); H01R 43/048 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A filament crimping element, the filament crimping element comprising:
a metal structure comprising a three-dimensional volume, the metal structure comprising a first interior planar surface and a second interior planar surface, the first interior planar surface and the second interior planar surface opposing one another when the filament crimping element is crimped, both the first interior planar surface and the second interior planar surface defining an external perimeter for the three-dimensional volume;
a first plurality of cavities disposed in the metal structure, the first plurality of cavities disposed at a spacing which creates a first plurality of features, the first plurality of cavities and the first plurality of features being disposed within the three-dimensional volume on the first interior planar surface on a first side of a fold line;
a second plurality of cavities disposed in the metal structure, the second plurality of cavities disposed at a spacing which creates a second plurality of features, the second plurality of cavities and the second plurality of features being disposed within the three-dimensional volume on the second interior planar surface on a second opposing side of the fold line from the first side of the fold line; and
a plurality of interlocking features disposed within the three-dimensional volume of the metal structure that are configured for cold welding the filament crimping element, the plurality of interlocking features comprising one or more male portions and one or more female portions, the one or more male portions being disposed adjacent the first plurality of features on the first interior planar surface and the one or more female portions being disposed adjacent the second plurality of cavities on the second interior planar surface, the one or more female portions being disposed within the external perimeter for the three-dimensional volume, respective ones of the one or more male portions being received within respective ones of the one or more female portions when the filament crimping element is crimped;
wherein the filament crimping element is configured such that the first and second pluralities of cavities are substantially opposite to yet substantially offset from one another when the filament crimping element is crimped; and
wherein the filament crimping element is configured such that the first and second pluralities of cavities and features form a substantially serpentine channel therebetween for receiving a filament when the filament crimping element is crimped.