DE2163793A1 - Device for the production of cable harnesses - Google Patents

Description

2,63793

Applicant; Stuttgart, December 17, 1971

Hughes Aircraft Company P2430 S / kg

Centinela Avenue and

Teale Street

Culver City, Calif., V.St.A.

Device for the production of cable harnesses

The invention relates to a device for producing cable harnesses from individual strands.

In connection with the technological development of microelectronics including integrated circuits Significant port steps have been achieved in the automatic assembly of electronic equipment. They are different Types of automatic wiring machines have been developed that are used to make electrical connections between circuits, for example between the circuitry arranged on a card board

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cards, are used extensively. These electrical connections are made between rows of contact pins that protrude from one side of the map panel to distribute power and signals to effect the circuitry mounted on the other side of the map panel. Because of the better effectiveness and greater accuracy that these machines have compared to other methods of Have extensive wire connections made, as is the case with complex electronic equipment are needed, these wiring machines represent a significant advance in the manufacture of electronics Facilities.

Despite the successful use of these automatic wiring machines in wiring circuit board boards Many other types of connections between circuit arrangements are still made by hand manufactured. These types of hand-made connections used for electrical or electronic equipment Commonly used includes the wire harness, which is a power and signal distribution between the circuit board of assemblies as well as between different units, including remotely mutually arranged units of electronic or electrical equipment.

An automatic production of connections of the last-mentioned type has not yet occurred because in the Manufacture a versatile machine to meet the various requirements of electrical and electronic

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

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Industry must suffice without being as complicated as "known wire winding machines, many difficult Problems are encountered .. In this area there is hardly any standardization as to what to use Wire including color coding and wire sizes, creating difficult wire handling problems especially in cases where long cables are required to connect remote devices will. Furthermore, a machine for automatically producing wire harnesses must be highly reliable work to ensure that the correct connections are made between the various connection points of the devices will.

Accordingly, the invention is based on the object of a simple and reliable device for production of wiring harnesses to create.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that a holding device for the strands of the cable harness and a laying head arranged to be movable relative to one another and to one another by a drive device are connected, with the help of which a relative movement between the laying head and the holding device can be generated is that the laying head has an output device for the strands forming the cable harness and that with. " the laying head and the drive device a control device coupled to a program memory device is connected, according to a stored program, an automatic filing of the strands along predetermined Stretching to generate the wiring harness causes

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The device according to the invention thus enables according to a stored program that the. Data for routing the wire between connection points contains the ordered Dispensing strands or wire along predetermined lengths to interconnect a plurality of terminals Manufacture wiring harness.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as a function of a digitally stored program which includes data for the connection points and the points in between, individual wires are selectively laid out with the aid of laying heads which are arranged on the carriage of a controlled actuating device, which in turn is located above a corresponding cable board is located. Each cable board contains a number of connection points which have openings for holding the end sections of the individual wires, which are laid out along predetermined distances between the designated points to form the cable harness. The common routes for the individual wires form the branches and the trunk of the cable harness and the branches lead to the connection points at which the individual wires are separated from one another and held in place. The selection of the individual wires is carried out by a control of feed tubes through which a coded wire fed from a supply runs. The lengths of the individual wires are indicated by marks which are scanned before the front ends of the wires are scanned at the beginning of the corresponding laying section, so that a cable harness is formed at

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Each wire is coded and according to the recognized one Code is arranged. When laying out a single wire of the wiring harness in a wire laying cycle of the Device, the wire is releasably attached to a selected holding point of a connection point and it is the tension of the wire as it moves a predetermined distance to another connection point regulated in this way with the help of a roller drive » that the wire section is laid out properly along the intended route without losing its holding ability to be exceeded at the starting point.

In a working cycle, one of several wires is which are fed to each laying head, output by the roller drive through a corresponding feed tube, which is arranged on the drain side of the tunnel drive is. The feed tube is lowered to secure the leading end of the wire to the junction, and then raised to the correct wire-laying height, whereupon . the laying head is guided along the laying path to the desired connection point, where the other End of the wire is attached. The tension of the wire is regulated during the laying by the roller drive, which works in the sense of a wire feed, and it is cut off the wire as it approached the connection point, leaving the end of the wire for attachment is pulled out of the feed tube at the last-mentioned connection point.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention a cable board is used to form the cable harness,

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which is attached to the workbench of the device and has wire guides and connection points that are at the end of the branches of the wiring harness. Each connection point comprises a number of openings for Receiving the end of a feed tube and an elastic layer with slots coaxial with the corresponding ones Openings are arranged · The slots allow the end of a feed pipe to pass through s, while the end of the wire protruding from the feed tube is held in place when the feed tube is withdrawn · After the wires of the cable harness have been laid out, the cable harness can be removed from the cable board removed and another wiring harness, manufactured · Preferably any further desired processing of the cable harness before it is removed from the cable board. For example, if the Wire holder attached to the cable board and not detachable along with the formed wiring harness, the wires are tied or otherwise fixed, so that the configuration required for the wiring harness is retained, including the branch separation and orientation along two or more axes. .

The individual wires are precoded to identify each wire and its length. Accordingly, marking sensors detect the beginning of each wire section through the physical formation of a wire marking. The lack of a wire marking or the exhaustion of the supply of a wire selected for laying is also detected and used to interrupt the laying operation for the selected wire.

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Even if the one described above is preferred Embodiment of the invention is intended to lay out wires for the production of a cable harness, the invention is intended to extend generally to those devices that are capable of extracting strands of any desired Type of interpretation, such as fibers, optical fiber bundles or tubes, if these . Strands are only suitable to be laid out between different places · Likewise, the expression "Wiring harness", as it is used here, denotes bundles of strands that are used to make connections are designed between connection points and of which common routes between the connection points form the branches of the wiring harness.

Further details and refinements of the invention emerge from the following description of the FIG Drawing illustrated embodiment of the invention; The features that can be found in the description and the drawing can be used in other embodiments of the invention Can be used individually or in groups in any combination · Show it

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention for laying out wires and the production of cable harnesses,

Fig. 2 shows the front view of one of the laying heads of the device according to. Fig. 1 after removal of cover plates and partly broken up,

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Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 through the

Laying head according to Fig. 2 with a lowered for attaching the wire end to the connection point Feed pipe,

FIG. 4 shows a detail from FIG. 3, but with the feed pipe raised,

4a shows a plan view of a preferred Schlitz- ™ arrangement for attaching the wire to the

connection point illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a terminal block of Device according to Fig. 1,

6 shows a section along the line 6-6 in FIG. 7 through a wire guide sensor arrangement in FIG Device according to FIG. 1 in connection with a block diagram of the interacting with the sensor arrangement Circuit arrangement and

7 shows a plan view of the wire guide sensor arrangement of a laying head of the device according to Fig. 1.

The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 has a double arrangement of laying heads which are attached to opposite ends of a slide or carriage 13 which comprises a beam 14 and

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with the help of which the laying heads 10 a movement is given, which are used to automatically separate individual wires to file along separate stretches of a wiring harness pattern, by wire holder 17 "and connection points 15 on one Cable board 18 are defined.

The position and the movement of the laying heads 10 in relation to the cable laying board 18 is programmed numerically Control system determined that an incremental displacement of the laying heads 10 after a discrete Signals existing program causes, or from other numerical or computer-controlled systems "that a cause controlled movement from point to point or along a continuous path. In this regard See U.S. Patents 3,252,147 and 3,262,105 for an explanation of a numerical system. In these Patent specifications describes a position control system for machine tools, with the help of which movable Tables, spindles and workpieces along one or more axes in accordance with programs in desired Positions are brought up by a numerical code in individually programmed blocks of a punched tape or other suitable information input are determined.

As indicated in Fig. 1 by the arrows X and Y, a movement of the heads 10 is parallel to the cable boards 18 a simultaneous and selected laying out of wires 16 by the laying heads 10 longitudinally individually programmed routes between the connection points 15 causes which routes around the protruding arms of the

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Wire holder 17 run around, for example to produce a wire harness 20. The cable boards 18 are mounted on workbenches 19 and held by suitable clamps 19a or other fasteners that hold it enable the cable boards 18 to be brought into the position required for proper laying of the wires. In addition to controlling the movement of the laying heads 10 over the cable boards 18, the preferred numerical control system also controls still certain auxiliary functions for the internal operation of the laying heads 10, such as the wire selection, the output and feed intervals for the selected wires, - the cutting of the wires and the working heights of feed pipes 22, as will be described in more detail below.

As FIG. 1 shows, the device has a wire supply which consists of groups of coded coils 11 which are arranged above circuit boards 10a and each of which is assigned to a laying head 10. The wires 16 are optionally fed from drive rollers 25 assigned to the spools 11 and then fed to the feed tubes 12. The wires 16 are guided from the corresponding reel 11 to the associated feed tube 22 through annular grooves in the circumference of guide rollers 26 and the drive rollers 25 several of the wires 16 forcibly push into the corresponding feed tube 22 , and a regulated laying operation, in which the drive rollers the tension of the selected

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Regulate wire 16, which is laid out along individual wire routes of the cable harness 20.

For a more detailed description of the structure of a typical the laying heads 10 is on the Pig. 2 and 3, of which Fig. 2 is a front view showing the inner Structure with the feed pipes 22 in their rest position before the start of laying operations, whereas FIG. 3 shows the Laying head 10 illustrated during a dispensing operation in which a selected wire 16a is attached to a selected one Place a connection point 15 at the beginning of a laying operation is attached. The cooperating members of the laying head 10, which the wires 16 from the coils 11 to Side towards the corresponding grooves 27 of the guide rollers 26 and then vertically to the corresponding grooves 29 the drive rollers 25 so that they are appropriate Marking sensors 60 and guide tubes 39 of a cutting assembly 32, are on a frame 30 over solidifies. The ends of the wires 16 are ready in the guide tubes 39 to be inserted into the feed tubes 22 which are arranged coaxially to the axes of the corresponding guide tubes 39. With the preferred Embodiment of the invention, each laying head 10 is set up to take six wires 16 from the spools 11 to the drive roller 25 to guide and with the help of the grooves 27 in the guide roller 26 to keep it at the same distance. the Coils 11, which are arranged on their own shafts, are designed so that they can be used during the dispensing and laying operations provide a resistance · Each of the wires is within the corresponding groove 29 multiple around the

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Drive roller 25 wrapped around to enable the output of the wire 16 and to regulate its output speed. For example, each selected wire 16 is output by the actuation of a corresponding pressure roller 34 and the frictional engagement of the wire 16a with the revolving drive roller 25, as FIG. 3 shows more clearly. Thereafter, the driving force exerted on the wire 16a during the regulated feed when laying the wire along the stretching of the cable harness 20 is determined by the extent of the frictional connection between the wire 16a and the annular surface which forms the bottom of the groove 29, which frictional connection transfers the rotational movement of the drive roller 25 to the rectilinear movement of the wire 16a which passes through the feed tube 22a to regulate the tension during the laying out of the selected wire 16a. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tension in laying a wire 16a is regulated to a constant value of about 1 kg for an insulated wire of about 1.2 to 1.6 mm in diameter. By regulating the supply voltage, namely the frictional connection without pressure from a pressure roller 34 ', the wires 16 in the cable harness 20 are held taut during the wire feed from the supply tubes 22 in order to ensure that the wires follow exactly in the laying sections and result in the programmed cable harness. At the same time, the tension of the wires during laying is regulated by the roller drive to prevent excessive tension and possible damage to the wires as they emerge from the tapered openings at the lower ends of the feed tubes 22 so that they can be around the

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Wire holder 17 can be placed on the cable board 18. Furthermore, the regulation of the wire tension to a low value ensures that the wire ends are held tight through clamping holes 40 at individual points of the connection points 15 of the cable installation board 18 (FIG. 3).

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the roller drive 24 a continuously rotating one driven by a motor 31 by means of a drive belt 31a and pulleys 31b Drive roller 25a. The motor 31 drives the drive roller 25 continuously at a speed that corresponds to the desired output speed of the selected Wire 16a corresponds. As can be seen in more detail from Fig. 3, the selected wire 16a becomes from the drive roller 25 conveyed into the associated feed pipe 22a, during a dispensing interval. With a preferred Arrangement, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6, the selected wire 16a is presented in sections and after lowering the selected feed pipe 22a. In general, the length of wire to be dispensed must protrude from the feed tube 22a so that its end in the slot pattern of the selected clamping hole 4-0 can be attached to junction 15, as Fig. 3 shows

At the beginning of the output interval, the end of the selected Wire 16a from its position on the cutting edge 33 of the cutting assembly 32 through the lower portion of the guide tube 39 is pushed through into the selected feed tube 22a. After the feed pipe 22a has been lowered so that it dips into a clamping hole 40, an additional length of wire 16a is provided.

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pushed to create an exposed end that is retained by the layer 53 when the feed tube 22a is withdrawn from the clamping hole 40, such as it will be explained in more detail later.

The output interval occurs in the manufacture of a cable harness 20 at the beginning of each wire-laying cycle and is followed by a feed interval during which the drive roller 25 in the selected wire 16a has a constant Supply voltage is maintained. During the dispensing interval, the wire 16a as a result of the applied pressure roller 34 exerted a positive drive, as shown in FIG. For each of the six Wires 16, there is a separate, individually actuable pressure roller 34 and only the one selected Wire 16a associated pressure roller 34 switched on so it comes into engagement with the wire 16a by engaging the corresponding groove of the drive roller 25. When the pressure roller 34 rests on the wire 16a, it brings the selected wire 16a in frictional engagement with the bottom of the groove of the continuously running drive roller 25, to output the wire 16a

During the dispensing interval, wire 16a is fed past cutting assembly 32a into the appropriate feed tube 22a inserted around a wire section protruding from the end of the selected feed tube 22a which is held by the clamping hole 40 · Accordingly, at the beginning of each laying cycle the pressure roller 34 shown in FIG. 3, which corresponds to the selected Wire 16a is assigned by actuating a

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corresponding linkage 34a, which is connected to a pneumatic Actuator 35 ^ is connected, moved to the side. As can be seen from Fig. 6. There are six pneumatic Actuators 35 individually connected to a regulated air source and actuated electromagnetically in such a way that the Air supply to individual of the actuators 35 for pressing the corresponding pressure rollers 34- can be regulated.

The cutting arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is arranged below the roller drive 24 and consists from a stationary lower section which is attached to a lateral projection 41 of the frame 30 is, and a slidable top section that opens up the lower portion is mounted and a cutting edge 33 forms. On the opposite wall of the frame an electromagnet 4-2 is attached, which is used to actuate the cutting assembly 32. The anchor of the electric r magnet 42 is with the movable upper portion. of the cutting assembly 32 by an arm 47a. The electromagnet is used to generate relative movement of the upper portion of the cutting assembly 32 excited when, for example, the wire 16a is to be cut at a predetermined point. These Place can be about 25 cm away from the end of the laying section, which through one of the connection points 15 is predetermined for the selected wire 16a.

Each of the feed tubes 22 is mounted displaceably in the vertical direction and at different immersion and working heights for inserting one of the wires 16 into a clamping hole 40 and for a laying movement in different

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Working heights above the cable board 18 adjustable. In Fig. 3, for example, three wire heights A, B and C are shown. The selective vertical distribution the feed pipes 22 to these heights is done with the help an adjusting beam 36. Pipe guides 30a in the lower section 4-3 of the frame 30 guide the lower ends of the feed pipes 22, on which helical compression springs 38 which surround the feed pipes 22 concentrically and are supported on the lower section 43 of the frame 30, a force directed upwards is exerted.

P The helical compression springs 38 press the corresponding ones Feed pipes 22 in associated seats 46 which are located on the "underside of the projection 41 of the frame 30. Annular end pieces 37 are connected to the upper ends of the feed tubes 22 and are designed so as to that they can penetrate through corresponding openings 45 widened at their ends in the adjusting beam 36. As can be seen from Fig. 3, the selected feed tube 22a becomes in the clamping hole 40 of one of the connection points introduced by a corresponding electromagnet is excited, which the end of the armature 47 'in an annular groove 48a in the end piece 37 of the feed tube 22a.

* As a result, when the control beam is lowered only the selected feed pipe 22a is lowered so that its end penetrates into the clamping hole 40.

Accordingly, a selected feed pipe 22 is lowered together with the adjusting beam 36 when the adjusting beam from its upper position, which is indicated by the dashed line 36, into the position shown in FIG

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illustrated lower position moved. The feed pipe is selected in one laying cycle the lowering of the control beam 36. As a result, only the selected feed pipe 22a is lowered and it the remaining feed tubes 22 remain in their respective seats under the force of the helical compression springs 38

As mentioned, the selected feed pipe 22a is adjusted with the aid of the adjusting bar 36 so that its mouth is in one of the wire laying heights A, B or G shown in FIG. 3 during the movements of the laying head in the X and Y directions, and the feed tube can also be lowered to the lowest position in which its mouth is in the clamping hole 40 in order to secure the selected wire 16a at the desired connection point. The adjusting beam 36 is adjusted to a desired height by pneumatically actuated or other suitable adjusting elements, not shown in detail, which are connected to the cables 48 engaging the adjusting beam 36. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuators for the control beam 36 comprise a pneumatically operated main actuator, not shown in detail, which, when actuated, exerts a pull on the lower cable 48 in order to pull the control beam 36 down from its upper position 36 ' and thereby inserting the selected feed pipe 22 a into the clamping hole 40. Further actuators are then energized in order to reset the main actuator step-by-step and thereby return the selected feed tube 22a; i to the desired wire-laying height and, at the end of the laying cycle, return the control beam 36 to the starting position 36a. As can be seen from the drawing,

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the positions of the feed pipe 22a and the adjusting bar 36 correspond to the position of the main actuator.

In the embodiment according to Figures 2 and 3, the adjusting beam 36 is fastened to guide tubes 49 which extend on vertical guide pillars 50 lam a limited distance are slidably mounted. As FIG. 3 shows, the downward movement of the adjusting beam 36 is caused by a stop of the guide tubes 49 on shoulders of the guide columns limited. Cam-operated switches 51 and 52 arranged on both sides of the control beam 36 (Fig. 2) provide an indication of the extreme positions of the control bar 36. These extreme positions are those in FIG The starting position shown and the diving position shown in Fig. 3, in which the mouth of the selected Feed tube 22a is inserted into the clamping hole 40, as shown in FIG. The switches 51 and 52 deliver the logic circuit arrangement signals, for example the determination of the position of the feed pipes Serving the beginning of a feed interval · If the lower switch 52 were actuated in this case, this would Logical signal prevent the laying head from moving during the laying cycle because the feed tube is not raised has been.

At each of the connection points 15 of the cable board there is a larger number of clamping holes 40, those shown in more detail in Figs. 4- and 4-a are. As described with reference to Fig. 1, the cable board 18 has a number of connection blocks 15 &,

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which are arranged at the corresponding connection points 15 and one of which is shown in FIG.

A terminal block 15a consists of a metal plate 152, which is attached to a base plate 54- and serves to the entire surface of a layer 53 made of an elastic material, such as neoprene, evenly and to press firmly against the opposite surface of the base plate 54. In the metal plate 152 is one group evenly distributed openings for the clamping holes 40, which are made by a slit pattern in the elastic Layer 53 are formed and coaxially through openings in the base plate 54 are arranged, as shown in FIG. 4 and 4a show. In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the terminal block is such shown in Fig. 3, spaced from work table 19 to make room for a piece of wire 16a, which has been discharged through the mouth of the feed tube 22 after it has been inserted into the clamping hole 40.

The attachment of connection points 15 with clamping holes 40, each of which is capable of receiving the end of a feed tube and the end of the wire 16a after Withdrawal of the feed tube and against the tensile force on the wire when laying it out between the connection points 15 is an important feature of the illustrated embodiment of the invention. During the feed intervals, the wire feed is regulated to provide a low, constant wire tension Has consequence, by the friction between the wire 16a and

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of the drive roller 25 due to the tension exerted on the wire 16a during the movement of the laying head when laying the wire 16a according to the wiring harness pattern , - Various parameters, such as the size and diameter of the wires 16, the type of insulation material the wire and the composition of the material of the elastic layer 53 determine the magnitude of the holding force exerted by the clamping hole 40. Usually the diameter of the wires, including the insulation, is between 2.5 and 7> 5 ™ and the coefficient of friction between a neoprene layer 53 and. the plastic insulation of the wires 16 must be sufficient to _; hold the wires in the clamping holes 40 when the supply voltage is controlled to be about 1 kgf or a range between about 0.5 and 1.5 kgs. The preferred slot pattern for layer 53 is shown in Figure 4a. This slot pattern leads to a deflection of the radial sectors when the feed tube 22 is inserted and ensures that these sectors endeavor to return to their original position when the feed tube 22 is withdrawn, thereby engaging the plastic insulation of the wires 16. The radial sectors of the layer 53 hold the Secure ends of the wires against the tension forces exerted on wires 16 during delivery and deployment in the harness pattern.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the Terminal holes 40 designed for inserting an insulated wire with a total diameter of about 5.2 mm (wire diameter about 1.3 mm) · The feed pipes 22 have a

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Outside diameter of about 6.35 mm and an inside diameter of about 4.75 mm. The mouths of the feed pipes are beveled inside and out to reduce friction with the wires and layer 53 · Um to allow the feed tubes to be immersed in the clamping holes and to hold the wires 16 in place To ensure retraction of the feed tubes 16, the openings of the clamping holes are much larger than that Feed tubes 22. The size of these feed holes depends on the thickness and Shore hardness of the neoprene layer 53 and the resulting ability to pull the wires 16 in the clamping holes 40 through the radial sectors of the To hold the slot pattern in the corresponding clamping holes

Accordingly, openings of 12.7 mm diameter are provided in the metal plate 152, which is preferably made of aluminum, and the base plate 54 for feed pipes with 6.35 mm outer diameter, and the seated loin patterns are arranged coaxially to these aligned openings. As in the illustrated embodiment, the length of the incisions of the slot pattern can be equal to the diameter of the openings, so that the slots extend over the entire opening of the corresponding clamping holes 40. However, the slots can also be shorter and go back to about 7% of the diameter of the openings. The thickness and hardness of the neoprene layer 53, as well as the length of the slots, determine, in part, the clamping forces exerted on the wires 16 · A limitation of the amount of clamping holes applied to the wires

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Holding forces exerted is predominantly, by necessity limited to being able to insert the feed tubes 22 without damaging or bending the feed tubes It should therefore be possible to insert and pull out the feed pipes easily as well as sufficient Pest holding the wires 16 ensured by frictional forces be.

The preferred slot pattern for the clamping holes 40 is shown in FIG. 4 and has six sectors, the are formed by three intersecting cuts which are guided through the center of the gripping holes 40. Other suitable clamping holes 40 have been made in the neoprene layer 53, for example with the aid of an H-shaped slot pattern achieved, the crosspiece of which went through the center of the terminal hole opening. The H-shaped pattern can be modified to create an H-H shaped pattern with additional cuts perpendicular to the crossbar facilitate the introduction of the feed tube 22a and a deflection of the individual sections of the slot pattern each according to the position and diameter of the feed tube.

In general, the elastic layer 53 will have a thickness between 3 1/2 and 6.4 mm and a Shore hardness of about 40 to have. An elastic layer 53 made of neoprene of 3 »2 mm Thickness and with a Shore hardness of 40 was made because of the ease with which the feed tubes 22 and 22 can be inserted were pulled out, as well as the good holding power for the Wires 16 preferred when examining terminal hole

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Constructions has been found that for wires that are insulated with the same material, with the same design of the clamping hole, the holding forces increase with the wire diameter. It was also found that the holding forces also increase with increasing thickness of the elastic layer 53 and with increasing hardness. In contrast, the shape of the slot pattern has no significant influence on the value of the holding force, which fluctuates between 1 and 2 kp for wires of small size, i.e. for wires of 3 »2 mm and less overall diameter.

It was further found that a force of 2 kp is required to insert the end of the feed tube 22a in the manner shown in FIG. 3 into a clamping hole 4-0, the layer 43 of which has a thickness of. 6.4 mm and a Shore hardness of 40. With a Shore hardness of 70 , with a radial slot pattern with slots 9 »5 mm long with an opening diameter of 12.7 mm and an arrangement according to FIG. 4a, the force increased from 1.8 kp to a value in the range of 2, 7 to 3 »6 kp to.

It is further noteworthy that the holding force exerted on the wire 16a by the clamping hole 40 is independent of the direction in which the wire is guided, i.e. whether a pull is exerted coaxially or perpendicularly to the clamping hole, for example when the feed tube 22 is withdrawn the clamping hole or in the case of a movement parallel to the surface of the cable board 18. Accordingly, the holding force exerted by the elastic material of the layer 53 stands

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in direct relation to the elasticity of the material and the coefficient of friction between the material the layer 53 and the insulating plastic of the wire 16a. Preferably, the clamping holes 40 formed by an opening with the smallest possible diameter, which depends on the outer diameter of the feed tubes 22 and the tolerances that are used in the coaxial Alignment of the feed tube to the openings are required. If these conditions are met, is fc is the maximum tensile stress that will be applied to a selected wire 16a while it is in the clamping hole 40 is held regardless of the length of the wire that

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has been passed through the clamping hole, so that only a sufficiently long section of wire through the slot- Pattern of the layer 53 needs to be passed through to engage the wire 16a with the clamping surfaces of the material of the layer 53 in the region of the slit pattern to ensure.

In another embodiment of the invention, the laying head 10 passes a length of wire through the end of the feed tube before this end is inserted into the clamping hole ™. The result is a wire loop, which is held in place by the clamping hole 40 and with the end of the wire 16a above the cable board remains. Accordingly, if it is desired that ends of the wires 16 remain above the cable laying board 18, must the discharge of the wire from the end of the feed tube 22a precedes the insertion of that end into the clamping hole 40. It should be noted that in the embodiment of the invention described so far, a wire loop at the end of each

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laid out wire 16 of the cable harness is formed. You can use wire loops at the end of the laid out wires however, can easily be avoided by cutting the wires 16 more precisely or by means of the feed tubes on Deeper into the clamping holes at the end of each laying cycle to be introduced. Both measures can also be taken. However, there is currently no need for avoiding wire loops at pinch holes 4-0 and is therefore the preferred embodiment of the invention is currently designed so that wire loops are formed at the clamping holes that are are located at the ends of the laying sections of the cable harness.

Each laying head 10 has marking sensors 60 for each of the six wires 16, as can be seen from the front view of the laying head 10 according to FIG. 2 and the plan view of the marking sensors 60 according to Pig. 7. An arrangement for wire monitoring is coupled to the marking sensors 60 and comprises a number of differential amplifiers 62 which are electrically connected to a driver amplifier 24 and which are each coupled to one of six sensor chambers 66. The driver amplifier 64 has a rectifier so that it provides a unidirectional output signal. The mark sensors 60 perform the determination of the difference between the output signals' upper one and a lower photodetector respectively, both of which are illuminated by an other on the side of the sensor chamber 66 arranged light source 68 67, two different functions from · Each of the mark sensors 60 speaks on a wire marker

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which consists of adjacent flattened areas of the wire 16a which are perpendicular to each other and produce a difference in light intensity at the photodetectors 65 and 67 when they are those photodetectors happen. In addition, each marker sensor 60 detects the end of a wire that the photodetectors 65 "and 67 happened.

In operation, a difference in the output signals of the photodetectors 65 and 67 in the sensor chamber 66, which is due, for example, to a wire marking 63 on a wire 16a, is detected by the differential amplifier 62, the output signal of which is fed to the driver amplifier 64. The output signal of the driver amplifier 64, which occurs when a differential signal is applied to its input, is shown in FIG. 3. 6 represented by a pulse MS, which is fed to a logic shown in the lower part of FIG. The marking pulse MS is fed to an OR element 69c via an AND element 69. The AND gate 69 is prepared by a signal OS ^ q, which is supplied _{by a timing circuit 0S, Q.} The input signal is present during the mark scanning period to trigger a timing circuit OS ^ c at its input Qs. Timers 0S8, 0S15 ,. 0S30 and 0S31 » , which can be monostable flip-flops, define the output interval at the beginning of each laying cycle, in which the timer 0S8 is triggered by a signal after the selection of a feed pipe 22 and before it is lowered, for example a wire section 16a about 20 cm long into the

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Issue feed pipe 22. The length of the output wire section during the time by the timer OSB certain period of time is smaller than the length of the feed tube 22, but greater than the maximum downward movement of the feed tube 22 so that a portion of the wire 16a remains within the feed tube 22.

After the end of the feed tube 22a has been inserted into the clamp hole 40, as shown in FIG. 3, the timer 0S30 is triggered to define a marker sampling interval during which another section of the wire 16a is output. The time span defined by the timer 0S30 enables a maximum output of, for example, 75 cm of the wire 16a, but the timer 0S30 is reset when the wire marker 63 is detected and the timer 0S15 is triggered by a section of a maximum of 38 cm from the point in time at which the timer 0Si5 was triggered. The timing circuit OSi5 is triggered by the marker pulses MS, which are supplied via the AND gate 69 when the output signal OS ^ _{0 of} the timing circuit 0S30 is "true". During the period of time defined by the timing circuit 0S15, the wire 16a is output to ensure that an end section of the wire protrudes from the mouth of the feed tube 22a, the length of which is sufficient to be gripped by the layer 53 in the clamping hole 40. In order to enable possibilities for fluctuations in the location of the wire marking 63 on the wire section which is output during the period of time defined by the timing circuit 0S8, a plip-flop M2 is provided which generates the marking pulses MS

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for a later triggering of the timer 0S15, namely after the time period defined by the timer 0S8 has elapsed, an AND element 69b, which is prepared by the output signal OSg of the timer 0S8, stores the transmission of the marking pulse MS for the purpose of storage the flip-flop M2, which is reset by the output signal OS ^, -. The OR gate 69c feeds the marking pulse MS or the output signal of the AND gate 69a to the timing circuit 0S15 for triggering it. The flip-flops M1 and M2 and the timing circuits 0S8, 0S15, 0S30 and 0S31 are triggered by the leading edges of the signals fed to their setting or reset inputs. Accordingly, when a marking pulse MS is _{detected, an output signal OS x} Jc is generated which extends the output interval by a period of time which is sufficient to output, for example, 38 cm of the wire 16a after the wire marking 63 has been detected from the feed tube 22a.

In order to determine the absence of a marker pulse MS during the maximum output interval and the end of the wire 16a, there is a logic 70a in order to terminate the laying cycle. In the event that a predetermined interval has expired without a marker being detected, a flip-flop M1 is set so that a "true" output signal M _x . is generated, which interrupts the operation of the device

The maximum period of time provided for the detection of a wire marking is determined by the timer circuit 0S30 · At the end of the sampling period , the timer circuit OS30 generates an output signal OS · ™ In the absence of one

2 0 9 8 3 0/0 5 9

Marking pulse MS cause the output signals OS ¹ ^ c and OS ,,. the supply of the output signal OS ¹ ™ to the flip-flop M1. A timing circuit 0S31 causes an overlap in the marking scanning period for the transmission of the output signal OS ¹ ^ q and is triggered together with the timing circuit 0S30 by the control signal g58 at the beginning of the wire scanning period.

In addition, the logic gates 73 and 73a are provided, which detect an output signal of the driver amplifier 64, which detect the end of the wire 16a running, for example, through the sensor chamber 66, since a wire marking 63 is outside the marking sampling interval which is determined by the Output signals OS ™ and 0S _Q is not expected. As stated above, the timer 0S15 defines the output interval after the detection of a wire mark 63, and an output pulse from the driver amplifier 64 indicates the end of a wire or the erroneous appearance of a second wire mark 63 during the period determined by the timer 0S15. Preferably, the output signal OS15 is delayed in response to a marker pulse MS in order to avoid the detection of an extended or double pulse output from the amplifiers 62 when a single wire marker passes the photodetectors 65 and 67. The output signals of the AND gates 73 and 73a are fed to the flip-flop M1 via an OR gate, so that this flip-flop generates an output signal M ^ to interrupt the wire-laying process. Accordingly, the flip-flop M1 becomes so from the output signals of the logic gates 71x73 or 73a

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causes the wire-laying operation due to lack of wire marking during the scanning period or due to the passage of a wire end through the sensor chamber 66 to interrupt.

In order to hold the wire 16a in the desired position in the sensor chamber 66, a wire guide arrangement shown in FIG. 6 is provided which comprises a flanged guide tube 74 which is inserted into an opening at the upper end of the housing of the sensor chamber . The upper end face of the guide tubeVres 74 is countersunk at an angle of 20 ° to form a seat for a membrane 76, which is made of an elastic material such as neoprene, and which is elastically engaged with the wire 16a under frictional engagement when the wire runs through the guide tube 74- into the sensor chamber 66. A disk 75 made of nylon, for example, is held in the position shown by a cap 77 which has an annular groove for receiving the outer edge of the disk 75, so that the membrane 76 is held between the conical surfaces of the guide tube 74 and the disk that face one another. A central opening in the wire guide forms a coaxial passage for the wire and contains a protruding edge of the membrane 76 which frictionally engages with the circumference of the wire 16a when the wire passes through this wire guide. The opening of the membrane 76 is cut at an angle of 50 ° with respect to its axis and before its deformation, and the opening formed has a smallest one

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Diameter that is about 2ΌΡ / Ό smaller than the outer diameter of the wire passing through the guide tube. This wire guide arrangement ensures a precise alignment of the wire 16a inside the sensor chamber 66, so that the wire 16a is held exactly in the longitudinal axis of the chamber and thus exactly concentric to the axis which runs between the photodetectors 65 and 67 on the one hand and the light source 68 on the other ·

The frictional engagement of the membrane 76 with the circumference of the passing wire 16a is "in motion of the wire into the chamber only slightly, while a movement in the opposite direction becomes bleak? - a game of the wire is prevented in order to ensure a uniform movement of the wire through the sensor chamber 66. As a result, the marker sensor for the wire 16a is free from lateral movements or distractions of the wire section contained in the sensor chamber, which would otherwise lead to undesirable differences in the output signals of the photo detectors and 67 could result.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the six marking sensors 60 for the six wires 16 of the laying head illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, while a typical wire guide arrangement has been described with reference to FIG. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wire guide arrangements for the marking sensors 60 are interchangeable in order to be able to process wires 16 of different thicknesses and it is ensured that the membrane 76 has an inner diameter,

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which is about 20% smaller than the mean diameter of the wire. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, two sets of wire guide assemblies were used considered to be sufficient to accommodate wires of various sizes for all harnesses at a specific industrial application, in which most often an insulated wire of 3 »2 mm Overall diameter with a wire thickness of 1.3 mm was used. For the neoprene membrane 76, a Shore hardness of 60 preferred, although membranes with a Shore hardness in the range between 4-0 and 80 are also preferred those desired for the device according to the invention Had properties. The thickness of the membrane 76 was about 3f2 mm and should be appropriately in the range between 2.5 "and 4.0 mm. Another, less common Wire size in a smaller area is a 0.4 mm diameter wire, including insulation has an outside diameter of about 0.65 mm. In the area The wire diameter is usually around these thinner wires in the range between 0.6 and 0.8 mm.

The conductor of the wires 16 can either be designed as a stranded wire or solid and consist of copper, aluminum or another electrically conductive material which is suitable for being brought into the shape required for the cable harness. The insulation usually consists of a uniform layer of strong plastic, although woven glass thread or other insulating threads forming woven insulation are suitable. A usual insulation that has the advantage

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which has heat resistance is tetrafluoroethylene.

When the device according to the invention is put into operation, the laying of the wires to form the desired cable harness is preceded by the loading of the corresponding heads 10 with coded wires 16 from the reels 11 and the insertion of the wires from these reels up to the cutting edge 33 of the cutting arrangement 32. The individual wires are guided through the grooves in the guide rollers 26 and the drive roller 25 and are laid around the drive roller 25 in one or more turns. After the wires 16 have been inserted into the corresponding laying heads 10 and the cable spreaders "18 have been brought into the correct position on the corresponding workbenches 19, as shown in FIG. 1, the laying heads 10 are brought into such a position that the corresponding feed pipes 22a for the selected wires 16a are located above the clamping holes which have been programmed as the first clamping holes for the laying of the wire harness or supplied by a computer-programmed control system. When the tape or other recording has been properly inserted into the control system, the user only needs to press the start button, which brings the tape into the position required to read the first program block the laying heads over the first clamping holes ^: 4 · 0 of the pulp to be laid out ters have been brought, the tape is moved on so that the next program block is read, the selection, for example

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of the feed tubes 22a by operating the corresponding Electromagnet 47 comprises, as shown in FIG. 3 for one of the laying heads 10. Before the feed tube 22a is lowered into the clamping hole 40, the wire 16a is inserted into the feed tube 22a by energizing the pneumatic Output actuator 35, which brings the pressure roller 24 into engagement, which the wire 16a in the groove and presses against the continuously rotating drive roller 25. The actuator 35 lifts the pressure roller 34 when a Sufficient length of the wire 16a has been dispensed into the feed tube 22a P to ensure that the wire remains in the feed pipe 22a when the feed pipe is lowered into the clamp hole 40. According to the above Description of the control by the logic shown in Fig. 6, this length is about 20 cm.

Then the control beam 36 is then down moved, which takes the selected feed tube 22a in its lowest position, in which the lower end of this Feed tube engages in the clamping hole 40, as shown in FIG. Then the wire 16a is output again until a wire mark 63 shown in FIG. 6 is detected by fc of the corresponding mark sensor 60 or until the end of a marker sampling period is achieved, as explained in more detail in the description of the marking sensors 60 with reference to FIG. 6 If a wire mark 63- has been detected, the wire 16a is again activated during a certain Period of time output which corresponds, for example, to a length of about 38 cm, which ensures is that the end of the wire 16a from the terminal in the

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Hole 40 pushed-in end of the feed tube 22a protrudes. Then the feed pipe 22a Ms is turned into a of selected wire lay heights withdrawn as they in Fig. 3, for example, are shown by the Adjusting beam 36 with the help of ropes 48, which with a actuator not shown are connected, is brought into a corresponding position.

After the selected feed tube 22a has been brought to the desired wire laying height, which is the distance depends on what is needed to route the wire over the cable board or wires that have already been laid out, the laying head 10 is moved along a desired distance in the direction of a connection point 15, so that the selected wire 16 is laid out along the programmed route of the wire harness. As shown in Fig. 1, follows the movement of the laying head 10 parallel to the cable laying board 18 a distance from a connection point 15 via wire holder 17 to one of the clamping holes 40 of one of the connection points 15 at the other end of the cable board. Accordingly, the laying head 10 is controlled in such a way that it moves from point to point at the selected wire-laying height or is moved along a contour to the predetermined path between the clamping holes 40 of the connection points 15 for the selected wire 16a to follow.

During the feed interval, the laying heads 10 controlled so that a supply voltage is maintained at a level which is not the holding force of the Clamping holes exceeds 40 · Furthermore, the regulated voltage is kept low enough to

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ensure that the wires are not damaged as they emerge from the rounded or beveled mouth of the feed tube. The regulation of the feed tension to a constant value is carried out by means of the wire windings which surround the rotating drive rollers 25 of the respective laying heads 10 Grooves 26 in the drive rollers 25 engage and experience a positive drive which assists the movement of the wires in the direction of the drive rollers 25 into the feed tubes 22a. It is important to note that the drive rollers 25 operate in the feed mode when the wires are forcibly driven during the feed interval, as opposed to the discharge interval during which the pressure rollers 34 are brought into an operative position in which they connect the selected wires 16a with the bring corresponding, corrugated surfaces of the drive rollers 25 into engagement in the dispensing interval at the beginning of a wire laying cycle. Furthermore, a corrugated surface is only a form of providing sufficient frictional engagement between the wire 16a and the drive roller 25 to forcibly feed or discharge the wire 16a at the dispensing interval or to establish a regulated tension. Other surfaces that create a friction fit and are abrasion-resistant enough to withstand the stresses and strains over long periods of time are also suitable.

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At the end of each wire laying cycle, the feed tube 22a assigned to the laid wire 16a is lowered again into a clamping hole 40 of the connection point 15 located at the end of the laying section in order to fasten the end of the wire 16a in this clamping hole 40 so that both ends of the wire and the entire length of wire can be held in place in the wiring harness. After the wire 16a has been inserted into the last-mentioned clamping hole 40, the feed tube 22a is raised with the aid of the adjusting beam 36 up to the position illustrated in Figure 3 by the dashed line 36 '. Then finally the electromagnet 4? switched off, completing the wire-laying cycle. The laying head 10 is then brought to the next clamping hole 40 and the next selected feed tube 22 is lowered into the next programmed clamping hole 40 in order to add the next wire 16 to the cable harness. The teachings explained with reference to the preferred embodiment show that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described, but deviations from it are possible without departing from the scope of the invention to produce two wire harnesses in a single work cycle. Instead, the program for the production of special cable harnesses can also be used to produce cable laying boards 18 by replacing the laying head at one end of the beam 14 with a tool that has openings for the clamping

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holes 40 and also generated for attaching the wire holder on the cable board. Since the position of the clamping holes 40 are recorded on the program strip, the cable boards 18 can easily be created on the same workbenches and with the aid of the same control devices. It is also possible to manufacture the wire harnesses in three dimensions by providing a control device for movement along three axes or even five axes, although such a need is hardly ever due to the flexibility of the cables for electronic and electrical equipment. that the invention is not limited to the laying of wires, but can be used for laying out of any strand material, such as fibers, fiber optic bundles, tubes and the like.

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Claims (8)

Claims 1. A device for producing cable harnesses from individual strands, characterized in that a holding device (18) for the strands of the cable harness (20) and a laying head (10) are arranged movably relative to one another and are connected to one another by a drive device (13), with With the help of a relative movement between the head (it © and the holding device (18)), the laying head (10) has an output device (22, 24) for the strands (16) forming the cable harness (20) and that with the laying head ^ (10) and the drive device (13) a control device coupled to a program memory device is connected which, according to a stored program, causes the strands (16) to be automatically deposited along predetermined routes to generate the cable harness (20). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the laying head (10) has selectively actuatable feed pipes (22) and the holding device (18) has connection points (15) with clamps (4-0) into which an actuated feed pipe (22) is connected a strand (16) protruding from its end can be inserted and which hold the strand in place when the feed tube is withdrawn « 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamp (40) is formed from elastic material (53) arranged behind an opening and provided with slits . 2Q9830 / 0594 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laying head (10) has a with the strand (16) frictionally engaged drive roller (25) for regulating the strand tension 5 · Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laying head (10) is a Has cutting arrangement (32), with the aid of which the strands (16) can be cut into sections, the Length equal to the length of the predetermined stretches of the wire harness (20). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laying head (10) has a control device for outputting selected strands from a number of supply reels. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laying head (1O) has a Sensor (60) for determining the length of a strand (16) optionally output by a continuous strand Has strand section. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 »characterized in that the strand (16) on its length at predetermined Places is deformed and the sensor (60) for controlling the output of the selected strand on the deformations (63) responds. 209830/0594 Lee rs e i f e