JP3738145B2 - Independent wire conveyor for each end in wire harness manufacturing - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electric wire conveying device that conveys both ends of an electric wire independently to an electric wire pressure contact portion when manufacturing a wire harness.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 7 shows an example of an automobile wire harness in which connectors are attached to both ends of parallel wires. In this wire harness, eight electric wires a are connected to one connector C at one end (hereinafter referred to as A end), and four electric wires a are respectively connected to two connectors C at the other end (hereinafter referred to as B end). It is connected.
[0003]
As a means for connecting the electric wire a to the connector C, pressure connection as shown in FIG. 8 is adopted in consideration of workability and the like. In this press contact connection, the wire a is pushed down into the groove 60 of the press contact terminal T provided in each connector C by the press contact blade S, and the covering 62 surrounding the conductor bundle 61 of the wire a is attached to the end of the groove 60 along with the press fit. The conductor bundle 61 cut at the edge and exposed is brought into contact with the press contact terminal T, and the electric wire a is held in the groove 60 by the spring back of the press contact terminal T. And after press-fitting the electric wire a to the press contact terminal T, as shown in FIG. 9, the terminal cover L is put on the connector C to prevent the electric wire a from coming out.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, as an apparatus for automatically manufacturing the wire harness as described above, an apparatus that grasps an end portion of an electric wire with a chuck and conveys it to an electric wire pressure contact portion having a pressure contact blade is considered.
[0005]
However, in this apparatus, when each end of the electric wire is conveyed by one chuck, it takes a lot of time for the reciprocation of the chuck, and the interval of the press operation becomes long, so that efficient production cannot be performed. is there.
[0006]
Then, this invention makes it a subject to convey an electric wire to a press-contact part speedily, and to improve production efficiency.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is configured to transfer each end of the electric wire corresponding to both ends of the wire harness from the electric wire supply unit to the electric wire pressure contact unit by two independent chucks, and reciprocating these two chucks. By duplicating the operation, the interval of the pressure contact operation can be shortened.
[0008]
In this case, if the arms supporting the chucks are simultaneously turned in the opposite direction by the same drive source, the time required for the reciprocation of the chuck can be minimized and the configuration can be simplified.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example in which an embodiment of each end independent electric wire transfer device according to the present invention is applied to a wire harness manufacturing device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, the wire harness manufacturing apparatus includes a pallet feed unit 1, an electric wire supply unit 2, an electric wire set unit 3, a press contact head unit (electric wire press contact unit) 4, and a cover mounting unit 5.
[0011]
The pallet feeding unit 1 includes two upper and lower guide rails 10a and 10b for guiding a pallet P in which a plurality of connectors C are juxtaposed, and two pallet Ps that are located on both sides of the pallet P and pass the pallet P between the guide rails 10a and 10b. Elevator platforms 11a and 11b, and two carriages 12a and 12b for moving the pallet P along the guide rails 10a or 10b. The carriage 12a is screwed to the screw shaft 13 with a ball screw structure, and the carriage 12b is fixed to an endless belt 14 spanned between a pair of pulleys, and travels as the servomotors 15 and 16 are driven.
[0012]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric wire supply unit 2 includes two pairs of rollers 20 that are in contact with and separated from each other, and an elevating body 21 that elevates and lowers a large number of electric wires a to be routed in parallel. Then, by the operation of the lifting and lowering body 21, the next electric wire a to be pressed is positioned at the level of the roller 20, and the electric wire a is clamped by a pair of rotating rollers 20 and sent out for a required length. In front of the electric wire supply unit 2, a flange 22 that moves forward and backward with respect to the delivery hole of the electric wire a and a support bar 23 that can be raised and lowered are provided.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the electric wire setting unit 3 has two swivel arms 30 and 31, and the distal ends of the swivel arms 30 and 31 hold the A end and the B end of the electric wire a, respectively. An A-end chuck 32 and a B-end chuck 33 are provided. The swivel arms 30 and 31 mesh with the gears 34 and 35 at their base ends, and simultaneously swivel in the opposite direction by the same drive motor 36. During this turning, the tip ends of the turning arms 30 and 31 pass through different trajectories, so that the A-end chuck 32 and the B-end chuck 33 do not interfere with each other. Here, a link 37 that forms a parallel crank mechanism together with the swing arm 31 is connected to one side of the B-end chuck 33 so that the B-end chuck 33 always faces the same direction.
[0014]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the press contact head unit 4 rotates a screw shaft 42 via a belt 41 by driving a servo motor 40, and is raised and lowered to be screwed into the screw shaft 42 with a ball screw structure. The press contact blade S provided at the lower end of the rod 43 is moved up and down, and the A-end chuck 32 or the B-end chuck 33 is pushed down as the lifting rod 43 is lowered. The press contact head portion 4 is provided with a linear scale 44 that detects the height of the lifting rod 43 from the reference position and a load cell 45 that detects the reaction force of the press contact blade S.
[0015]
In addition, a wire wrinkle correction device 46 is provided below the pressure contact head portion 4. The wire wrinkle straightening device 46 includes a wire wrinkle straightening chuck 47 that grips the end of the electric wire a protruding from the A-end chuck 32 or the B-end chuck 33 and moves back and forth, and an open / close sensor (not shown). .
[0016]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the cover mounting portion 5 includes a cover gripping chuck 50 that moves up and down and back and forth by driving a cylinder or the like. The cover mounting portion 5 includes a reference position of the cover gripping chuck 50. A linear scale 51 is provided for detecting the height from the.
[0017]
Now, for example, in order to manufacture the wire harness as shown in FIG. 7 using the wire harness manufacturing apparatus as described above, the pallet P on the lifting platform 11b at the raised position is connected to the A end and B end of the wire harness. The three connectors C and the terminal cover L corresponding to the above are placed side by side, the lifting platform 11b is lowered, and this pallet P is sent to the lifting platform 11a at the lowered position via the guide rail 10b as the carriage 12b travels. .
[0018]
Then, the engagement between the carriage 12b and the pallet P is released, the lifting platform 11a is raised, the carriage 12a is engaged with the pallet P, and the pallet P is moved onto the guide rail 10a as the vehicle travels. The terminal T of the connector C that press-contacts the electric wire a is positioned below the press-contact blade S of the press-contact head portion 4. This positioning is performed by a preset program.
[0019]
Next, the first electric wire a set in advance by a program is slightly sent out from the electric wire supply unit 2, and the tip end portion is clamped by the A-end chuck 32 [see FIG. 3 (a)]. 30 is turned to position the A-end chuck 32 in front of the press-contact head portion 4 (see FIG. 3B).
[0020]
Then, the feeding of the electric wire a is stopped, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tip of the electric wire a protruding from the A-end chuck 32 is sandwiched by the wire rod correction chuck 46, and this chuck 46 is attached to the coated surface of the electric wire a. It is made to recede while sliding along the pulling direction, and the bending wrinkle of the electric wire a is straightened.
[0021]
At this time, by detecting whether or not the wire wrinkle correction chuck 46 is sandwiching the electric wire a with an open / close sensor, it is determined by a program whether the wire allowance of the electric wire a is sufficient or insufficient for the press contact.
[0022]
Subsequently, the press contact blade S of the press contact head portion 4 is lowered together with the A-end chuck 32, and the tip end portion of the electric wire a is press-fitted into the groove of the terminal T of the predetermined connector C. This press-fit height is set to an optimum value in advance by a control program for the servo motor 40. Then, the press-fitting height is measured by the linear scale 44, and the press-fitting resistance is measured by the load cell 45, and the quality of the press-fitted state is determined by a program.
[0023]
On the other hand, in parallel with the press contact, the electric wire a stationary in front of the electric wire supply unit 2 is supported by the support bar 23, is gripped by the B-end chuck 33, and the flange 22 is advanced, so that the B-end chuck 33 is moved forward. After that, the electric wire a is cut to a required length (see FIG. 3B).
[0024]
Then, after the A-end pressure contact is completed, the swivel arm 31 is swung to position the B-end chuck 33 in front of the press-contact head portion 4, and the holding of the electric wire a by the A-end chuck 32 is released, and the swivel arm 30 is swung. At the same time as the arm 31, it is swung in the opposite direction, and the A-end chuck 32 is positioned in front of the electric wire supply unit 2 (see FIG. 3A). Further, the pallet P is moved according to the setting of the program, and the terminal T of the connector C at the B end that presses the electric wire a is positioned below the press contact blade S of the press contact head portion 4.
[0025]
Next, the press contact blade S of the press contact head portion 4 is lowered together with the B end chuck 33, and the rear end portion of the electric wire a is press-fitted into the groove of the terminal T of the predetermined connector C at the B end. The press-fitting height is set to an optimum value in advance by the control program of the servo motor 40 as in the case of the A end side, and the press-fitting height is measured with the linear scale 44 and the press-fitting resistance is measured with the load cell 45 respectively. The quality of the press-fitted state is determined by a program.
[0026]
During the pressure welding at the B end, the wire supply unit 2 performs the feeding operation of the next wire a to be pressure-contacted. By repeating the above-described pressure welding operation for all the wires a, the wiring as shown in FIG. Complete.
[0027]
Thereafter, the engagement between the pallet P and the carriage 12 a is released. Instead, the carriage 12 b is engaged with the pallet P, and the pallet P is moved to below the cover mounting portion 5.
[0028]
Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the terminal cover L is gripped by the cover gripping chuck 50, lifted, moved forward, and covered with the corresponding connector C. When this operation is sequentially performed for each connector C, the wire harness is completed.
[0029]
Here, when the terminal cover L is mounted, the height of the terminal cover L from the connector C is measured by the linear scale 51, and the value and the allowable value are compared by a program to determine whether the mounted state is good or bad. Only good products are shipped as products.
[0030]
After the press-in of the electric wire a, before the terminal cover L is mounted, the press-in height of the electric wire a is measured by a laser sensor, and the terminal cover is only applied to the connector C in which the press-in height of all the electric wires a is within the allowable tolerance. If L is covered, it is possible to save the trouble of removing the terminal cover L when repairing a product with poor pressure contact.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, each end of the electric wire corresponding to both ends of the wire harness is transported from the electric wire supply unit to the electric wire pressure contact portion by two independent chucks. By overlapping the reciprocating operation, the interval of the pressure contact operation can be shortened, and the wire harness can be manufactured efficiently.
[0032]
In this case, if the arms supporting the chucks are simultaneously turned in the opposite direction by the same drive source, the time required for the reciprocation of the chuck can be minimized and the configuration can be simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the electric wire supply unit. FIG. 3A is a plan view showing one state of the electric wire set unit. FIG. 4 is a lower right side view of the pressure contact head portion of the above. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the operation of the wire wrinkle correction chuck. FIG. 6 is the operation of the cover mounting portion. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a wire harness. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a wire pressure contact with a connector terminal. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a connector with a terminal cover attached.
1 Pallet feed unit 2 Wire supply unit 3 Wire set unit 4 Pressure welding head (wire pressure welding)
5 Cover mounting part 32 A-end chuck 33 B-end chuck 47 Wire rod correction chuck 50 Cover gripping chuck S Pressure contact blade C Connector L Terminal cover a Electric wire P Pallet

Claims (1)

Among the ends of the wire harness, one end is the A end, the other is the B end, and when the electric wire is press-fitted into the connector terminals at the ends of A and B, the conveyance of the electric wire from the electric wire supply portion to the electric wire pressure contact portion is are performed by the two chucks respectively corresponding B at each end, pivot arm supporting the a, B each end of the chuck, between the wire supply and wire pressure contact portion, in opposite directions at the same time by the same driving source each end independent wire conveying apparatus in the wire harness manufacturing to.

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