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EP0212801A1 - Fabrication d'un harnais électrique - Google Patents

Fabrication d'un harnais électrique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0212801A1
EP0212801A1 EP86304791A EP86304791A EP0212801A1 EP 0212801 A1 EP0212801 A1 EP 0212801A1 EP 86304791 A EP86304791 A EP 86304791A EP 86304791 A EP86304791 A EP 86304791A EP 0212801 A1 EP0212801 A1 EP 0212801A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conductors
station
connector
harness
product
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP86304791A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0212801B1 (fr
Inventor
Clarence Kolanowski
Richard L. Patterson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Molex LLC
Original Assignee
Molex LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Molex LLC filed Critical Molex LLC
Publication of EP0212801A1 publication Critical patent/EP0212801A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0212801B1 publication Critical patent/EP0212801B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/04—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for forming connections by deformation, e.g. crimping tool
    • H01R43/048—Crimping apparatus or processes
    • H01R43/05—Crimping apparatus or processes with wire-insulation stripping
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/04—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for forming connections by deformation, e.g. crimping tool
    • H01R43/048—Crimping apparatus or processes
    • H01R43/052—Crimping apparatus or processes with wire-feeding mechanism
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/28—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26

Definitions

  • the present invention pertains to improved methods and apparatus for fabricating electrical harness of the type comprising a plurality of electrical connectors terminated to a common plurality of insulated electrical conductors.
  • Each connector part is located on a rotatable indexing turret, the turrets being movable toward each other to effect termination.
  • the cable is advanced past the turret in a vertical direction, with the resulting partially formed cable harness being advanced downwardly past the turret.
  • the cable harness is cut free for transport to a remote location.
  • the present invention provides a method of fabricating a double-ended electrical harness including a plurality of insulated electrical conductors terminated to first and second electrical connectors.
  • the method includes the steps of terminating a first portion of the conductors to the first connector at a termination station, advancing the terminated first connector past the termination station to present a second portion of the conductors to the termination station, and terminating the second portion of the conductors to the second connector at the termination station.
  • the conductors are cut a predetermined distance beyond the second connector at or after the second termination step to form an intermediate harness product having a test tab consisting of a portion of said insulated electrical conductors projecting beyond said second connector.
  • Said intermediate harness product is then advanced along a delivery track extending past conductor stripping, testing, and trimming stations which strip at least a portion of the insulated conductors of the test tab, test the cable harness by wiping the stripped electrical conductors against a test probe so as to perform electrical testing thereon, generating an output signal in said test probe indicative of desired and undesired conditions of said test result, and trim said intermediate harness in response to the output signal to form a finished harness.
  • the present invention also provides a double­ended harness fabrication machine that terminates a plurality of insulated electrical conductors to first and second electrical connectors.
  • the machine comprises a termination station, means for terminating a first portion of the conductors to the first electrical connector at the termination station, means for advancing the terminated first connector past the termination station to present a second portion of the conductors to the termination station, means for terminating the second portion of the conductors to the second connector at the termination station, means for cutting the conductors a predetermined distance beyond the second connector to form an intermediate harness product having a test tab consisting of a portion of the insulated electrical conductors projecting beyond the second connector, a conductor stripping station for at least partially stripping the insulated conductors of the test tab, a testing station including a test probe for testing the harness product by wiping the stripped electrical conducts thereof as said harness product is advanced therepast, generating an output signal indicative of desired and undesired conditions of the test results, a selectively actuable trimming station trimming the conduct
  • an intermediate cable harness product 30 is formed above the first eject and delivery station 20, and is ejected along a delivery track 28 communicating between all four work stations.
  • the intermediate cable harness product 30 consists of a cable harness 32, and a protruding cable portion or test tab 34 used for testing.
  • the cable harness product is then advanced to the second work station 22 where the electrical insulation is stripped from the conductors of the test tab portion of the cable.
  • the intermediate cable harness product is advanced past the third work station 24 where the harness is electrically tested.
  • the protruding test tab portion of the intermediate cable product is then selectively removed at the fourth work station 26.
  • the electrical cable harness is formed above eject station 20 according to the principles shown and described in our European patent application No. 86 30 2908.8 filed 18th April 1986 the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
  • insulated electrical conductors 40 are stored on a reel 42 and are paid out in a downward vertical direction indicated by arrow 44.
  • Conductors 40 pass through a conventional cable feed mechanism 46 and a cable guide 48 so as to enter a termination station 50 where they are compressed between two mating connector parts 52, 54.
  • the first connector part 52 has a plurality of insulation displacing terminals
  • the second connector part 54 is a mating cover which provides a compressive terminating force and an alignment between conductors 40 and the terminals of conductor part 52.
  • a first termination head 56 carries the first connector part 52 and an opposed termination head 58 carries the second connector part 54.
  • Termination heads 56, 58 are mounted on respective indexing turntables 60, 61. As described in the above mentioned European patent application, turntable 60 and the termination head 56 is moveable between a connector loading station, not shown in the figure, and termination station 50.
  • actuator 62 Upon loading of the two connector parts 52, 54, and the feeding of conductors 40 so that a predetermined first conductor portion is presented to termination station 50, actuator 62 is energized to extend plunger 64, thereby extending termination head 56 toward the opposed termination head 58. Accordingly, the conductors 40 are compressed between the connector parts 52, 54 so as to effect termination of conductors 40 therebetween.
  • heads 56, 58 are retracted and conductors 40, along with the first terminated connector assembly, is advanced downwardly so that a second predetermined conductor portion is presented to termination station 50. Thereafter, the termination cycle described above is repeated as many times as needed to form the desired daisy-­chain harness, as explained in said European patent application No. 86 30 2908.8.
  • the two opposed turntables are indexed to present cable cutting knives to termination station 50. With a compression stroke similar to that required for cable termination, the conductors 40 are effectively severed at station 50.
  • termination heads 56, 58 are retracted and conductors 40 are again fed a predetermined amount so as to form the conductor test tab 34 which protrudes beyond the final electrical connector of a given harness assembly. The cable cutting operation thereby forms test tab 34, while freeing the resulting intermediate harness product for further processing.
  • the emerging cable harness is fed downwardly past eject station 20, which is provided with a pair of opposed extensible gripper arms 72, 74 which are actuated by solenoids 72', 74', respectively.
  • Solenoids 72', 74' are activated to close the gap between gripper arms 72, 74 through which the cable harness descends (either under the force of gravity, or a positive feed system).
  • Gripper arms 72, 74 provide a reference stop surface for the final connector of intermediate harness product 30.
  • the section line A-A is taken between termination station 50 and the eject and delivery station 20.
  • This section A-A comprises the right hand portion of FIG. 1, the termination station 50 and its associated subassemblies being omitted for purpose of clarity.
  • the final electrical connector designated by the numeral 80 which appears at the trailing end of intermediate harness product 30, is shown captivated between gripping arms 72, 74.
  • gripping arms 72, 74 When in their closed position, gripping arms 72, 74 comprise a slotted delivery track extension portion 82 which mates with the aforementioned delivery track 28.
  • the section 2-2 is taken to one side of eject and delivery station 20, so that a portion of delivery track 28 appears in the cross-section of FIG. 2.
  • delivery track 28 can be seen to comprise a pair of spaced-apart rail portions 86, 88 forming an intermediate slot 90 for receiving the trailing portion of intermediate harness product 30.
  • Slot 90 can be configured to receive either a portion of conductors 40, or a portion of connector 80. In either event, the trailing end of intermediate harness product 30 is confined to slide along rails 86, 88.
  • endless drive belts 92, 94 are disposed within rails 86, 88 so as to communicate with slot 90.
  • Drive belts 92, 94 engage the trailing end of intermediate harness product 30 so as to drivingly engage the product for lateral advancement along delivery track 28.
  • the drive belts engage connector 80, although conductors 40 could also be engaged to provide lateral transport.
  • a solenoid 96 is energized to extend ejector member 98, thereby laterally ejecting connector 80 and intermediate harness product 30 from track portion 82 onto delivery track 28, whereupon drive belts 92, 94 engage intermediate harness product 30 for lateral advancement toward second station 22.
  • the second work station generally indicated at 22 is seen to comprise a pair of notched stripping blades 100, 102, mounted for reciprocation transverse to connectors 40 by their associated solenoids 104, 106.
  • a third solenoid 108 is energized to raise the stripping blades 100, 102 (and their associated apparatus) in a direction away from connector 80 so as to at least partially strip conductor test tab portion 34.
  • Solenoids 104, 106 and blades 100, 102 are attached to a unitary support structure generally indicated at 110, mounted for reciprocation in a vertical direction along guide pins 112, 114.
  • blades 100, 102 Upon being raised, blades 100, 102 are retracted, and an associated gripping apparatus for holding connector 80 against the lifting force of solenoid 108 (not shown in the drawings) is released, so as to release intermediate harness product 30 for further travel toward the third working station 24.
  • the third electrical testing station shown generally at 24 comprises a pair of adjacent electrically separated test probes 120, 122 which wipe against the stripped portion of test tab 34 as intermediate harness product 30 is advanced past station 24.
  • test probes 120, 122 measure the electrical resistance between a pair of adjacent conductors 40, and generate an electrical signal proportional to the measured resistance, at output terminals 124, 126.
  • Test probes 120, 122 are spaced-apart a predetermined distance approximately equal to the center line spacing of conductors 40, such that test probe 120 contacts one stripped conductor, while probe 122 wipes against its immediately adjacent neighbouring conductor.
  • the presence and absence of an electrical short in the intermediate harness product 30 can be detected. For example, at the ouput terminals, a high resistance indicates a desirable absence of a short, and a lower resistance indicates the undesired presence of a short between adjacent conductors of the cable harness. As will be seen immediately below, if a desired absence of an electric short is indicated at output terminals 124, 126, the output signal causes control unit 127 to generate a permissive command at the fourth work station 26 so as to sever the test tab 34 from the intermediate harness product 30, to thereby finish the fabrication of a harness 32.
  • control unit 127 if an undesired presence of a short is indicated in an intermediate harness product 30, control unit 127 generates an interlock signal responsive to the low resistance signal at output terminals 124, 126, to prevent severing of test tab 34 so that, upon presentation of the intermediate harness product to a final delivery station, a ready visual indication of the undesired test result will be apparent to an operator.
  • test station employs resistance measuring equipment
  • a ground plane could be positioned between the probes 120, 122 and the anvil 128 supporting stripped conductors 40, so that the capacitance between adjacent conductors and between the conductors and the ground plane can be measured.
  • probe 120 could be energized with a test voltage, and the presence or absence of the test voltage or a portion thereof could be detected at the upstream probe 22.
  • the intermediate harness product 30 is transferred to the fourth work station generally indicated at 26, for selective severing of conductor tab portion 34.
  • work station 26 can be seen to comprise a moveable cable trimming blade 130 which is driven against an anvil portion 132 by a solenoid 134.
  • intermediate harness products 30 are transported two-at-a-time along the cable harness machine 10 and accordingly, a duplicate set of severing blades, anvil portions, and solenoids are provided at the fourth work station 26, indicated by numerals 130', 132' and 134', respectively.
  • Conductors 40 are passed through the gap 136 formed between cut-off blade 134 and anvil portion 132.
  • a permissive actuation signal is applied to solenoid 134 so that severing blade 130 severs the conductors or test tab 34 immediately adjacent the connector 80, to provide a ready visual indication of the desired test result generated at the third work station 24.
  • fourth work station 26 can be seen to comprise a conventional lever arm assembly interconnecting the armature 140 of solenoid 134 and the pivotal mounting 142 of severing blade 130. Also shown in FIG. 5 is a moveable stop pin 144 raised and lowered by solenoid 146 to provide a convenient stop surface blocking the path of the connector along the delivery track, providing relative alignment between the connector 80 and severing blade 130.
  • a completely automated testing and harness delivery system is provided in the cable harness machine described with reference to the drawings.
  • the harness is conveniently electrically tested, and a ready visual indication of the test results is imparted to the harness assembly.
  • the harness delivery system is shown mounted in a vertical plane, a similar arrangement, horizontally oriented, could be provided according to the present invention.
  • crimp or pierce type terminals could be employed in the termination of the electrical connectors to the conductors 40 which could be separately formed.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
EP86304791A 1985-08-22 1986-06-23 Fabrication d'un harnais électrique Expired - Lifetime EP0212801B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US76838285A 1985-08-22 1985-08-22
US768382 1985-08-22

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0212801A1 true EP0212801A1 (fr) 1987-03-04
EP0212801B1 EP0212801B1 (fr) 1990-01-03

Family

ID=25082335

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP86304791A Expired - Lifetime EP0212801B1 (fr) 1985-08-22 1986-06-23 Fabrication d'un harnais électrique

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0212801B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS6244907A (fr)
DE (1) DE3668103D1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0321214A1 (fr) * 1987-12-15 1989-06-21 The Whitaker Corporation Fabrication d'une nappe de fils et système de tests électriques
US4870752A (en) * 1987-12-15 1989-10-03 Amp Incorporated Cable harness manufacturing and electrical testing system
CN115032484A (zh) * 2022-06-09 2022-09-09 广东电网有限责任公司 一种电缆测试装置

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH06105564B2 (ja) * 1989-09-08 1994-12-21 村田工業株式会社 ワイヤーハーネス圧接機

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0000428B1 (fr) * 1977-07-12 1980-11-12 AMP INCORPORATED (a New Jersey corporation) Procédé et appareil pour la fabrication de harnais électriques
US4454652A (en) * 1978-09-29 1984-06-19 Yazaki Corporation Method of processing end portions of covered wires

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5037908A (fr) * 1973-08-10 1975-04-09
JPS5321429U (fr) * 1976-08-02 1978-02-23
US4238875A (en) * 1979-03-15 1980-12-16 Rail Bearing Service Method of and apparatus for performing work functions on articles from opposite ends of the articles
JPS5755320A (en) * 1980-09-17 1982-04-02 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Slow starting circuit
JPS5755319A (en) * 1980-09-18 1982-04-02 Honeywell Inc Heater having combustion chamber with combustor exhaust stack
DE3134064A1 (de) * 1981-08-28 1983-03-10 Mannesmann Rexroth GmbH, 8770 Lohr Steuervorrichtung fuer einen hydraulisch betaetigten bagger
JPS60154486A (ja) * 1984-01-24 1985-08-14 エスエムケイ株式会社 コネクタ組立装置
JPS60264073A (ja) * 1984-06-13 1985-12-27 株式会社日立製作所 平形ケ−ブル自動処理装置
JPS61161613A (ja) * 1984-12-26 1986-07-22 アンプ　インコーポレーテッド ハ−ネス製造装置
JPH0363189A (ja) * 1989-08-02 1991-03-19 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd 綴位置ズレ検出方法及び装置並びに綴位置ズレ被加工物検知排出装置

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0000428B1 (fr) * 1977-07-12 1980-11-12 AMP INCORPORATED (a New Jersey corporation) Procédé et appareil pour la fabrication de harnais électriques
US4454652A (en) * 1978-09-29 1984-06-19 Yazaki Corporation Method of processing end portions of covered wires

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
ELEKTRONIK, Fachzeitschrift fur Entwickler und industrielle Anwender, Heft 22/22. November 1984 FRANZENS VERLAG Munchen * Page 214, " Kabelbäume in Schneidklemmtechnik ", lines 10-12 * *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0321214A1 (fr) * 1987-12-15 1989-06-21 The Whitaker Corporation Fabrication d'une nappe de fils et système de tests électriques
US4870752A (en) * 1987-12-15 1989-10-03 Amp Incorporated Cable harness manufacturing and electrical testing system
CN115032484A (zh) * 2022-06-09 2022-09-09 广东电网有限责任公司 一种电缆测试装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0212801B1 (fr) 1990-01-03
DE3668103D1 (de) 1990-02-08
JPS6244907A (ja) 1987-02-26

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