DE102022101493A1 - MANUFACTURING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WIRE HARNESS AND WIRE HARNESS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a manufacturing device (1) designed in particular as a frame device and a method for manufacturing a branching cable harness (2) and such a cable harness (2). The manufacturing device (1) comprises: two main strand fixing elements (9, 10) and two secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12); two main line tensioning units (15, 16) fastened to each of the main line fixing elements (9, 10) and by means of which the cable harness (2) can be tensioned along the main line (4) between the main line fixing elements (9, 10); a secondary strand tensioning unit (21), by means of which the individual cable arrangement (3) can be tensioned along the secondary strand (5) on one of the secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12), wherein the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) extends along a longitudinal extension direction (22) of the secondary strand fixing element (11, 12) is mounted on it so that it can move in a translatory manner, whereby a branching angle (23), at which the secondary strand (5) branches off from the main strand (4), can be adjusted as required for producing the cable harness (2) with a translatory movement of the secondary strand tensioning unit (21).

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a manufacturing device for manufacturing a cable harness, in particular for a motor vehicle. The cable harness has an individual cable arrangement comprising at least one main strand. Furthermore, the individual cable arrangement can have at least one secondary line branching off from the main line. Furthermore, in the wiring harness, at least one of the strands is covered by a covering element on the outer peripheral side. In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing such a cable harness and such a cable harness.

State of the art

Nowadays, cable harnesses are manufactured with the help of a so-called building board. For this purpose, the individual cable arrangement is fixed to the building board at many points by means of fastening elements. These building boards cannot be used in a variety of ways, since fastening elements on the building board to fix the individual cable arrangement on the building board correspond to only a single variant of cable harnesses, so that the corresponding building board can only be used to produce a single cable harness variant. So if a different wiring harness variant is to be produced, for example if the wiring harness is to be changed in the course of further development, the corresponding building board has to be modified in a complicated manner, or even a new building board has to be produced. In addition, due to the building board, access to the single cable arrangement stretched on the building board is only possible from one side, which is a hindrance when the single cable arrangement is sheathed with the sheathing element, for example when the single cable arrangement is wrapped with a wrapping element, in particular adhesive tape, etc. The restriction of only having access to the individual cable arrangement from one side also poses a problem when fastening connecting elements (sockets, plugs, etc.). Another problem is the accessibility of crossings or branches at which a secondary line that may be present branches off from the main line, since a sheathing head, in particular a winding head, of a sheathing device does not come close enough to the branch due to its external dimensions, which leads to gaps in the sheathing or wrapping at branch points of the cable tree leads. Such a winding head is, for example, from WO 2018/206051 A1 known. Due to these gaps in the sheathing or wrapping of the individual cable arrangement, a conventional cable harness is unprotected at the gaps against unwanted ingress of dirt, liquids, etc. In addition, at the locations of the gaps, the stability of the cable harness, for example resistance to bending, in particular buckling, and/or to another/additional mechanical stress, such as chafing, etc., is reduced in contrast to fully sheathed parts of the cable harness, which could result in an electrically conductive core of the individual cable arrangement breaking .

Description of the invention

The invention is based on the object of producing a particularly stable and resistant cable harness in a particularly efficient manner.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Features, advantages and possible configurations that are presented in the description for one of the subject matter of the independent claims are to be regarded at least analogously as features, advantages and possible configurations of the respective subject matter of the other independent claims as well as any possible combination of the subject matter of the independent claims. Further possible configurations of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

The production device according to the invention is designed for producing a cable harness. In the intended installation position of the cable harness, it at least partially forms an on-board electrical system of a motor vehicle or another vehicle that has such an on-board electrical system. In the finished state, the wire harness has a single wire assembly and a sheathing member. The individual cable arrangement is formed, for example, from a large number of individual cables, individual cables branching off individually or in groups from a main strand of the individual cable arrangement, as a result of which a respective secondary strand is formed by the branching individual cables or individual cable groups. The individual cable arrangement and consequently the cable harness can of course also be provided without an auxiliary line. In order to increase the stability of the individual cable arrangement or the cable harness, the individual cable arrangement is encased at least partially/regionally by means of the encasing element on the outer circumference. This means that the main strand is completely or partially encased by the encasing element. As an alternative or in addition, at least one of the secondary strands—if present—is completely or partially through the sheathing element or through another Sheathing element sheathed. Thus, the finished wiring harness may have covered areas/sections and areas/sections without a cover. The corresponding areas can be sheathed manually and/or by means of an at least partially automatic sheathing machine.

The sheathing element is, for example, an adhesive tape, a fabric tape, etc. It is also conceivable that the sheathing element has or is formed from a hose that is placed around the individual cable arrangement in such a way that the individual cable arrangement extends through the hose. It can be provided that the hose is formed during the manufacture of the cable harness by an elongate sheet material (foil, tape, etc.) being placed parallel and on the outer circumference around the corresponding area of the individual cable arrangement, then being arranged around the corresponding area, after which two longitudinal edges of the sheet material abutting and/or overlapping along the area to be sheathed are connected by means of an elongate seam, for example a welded seam, glued seam, etc. It is just as conceivable that a hose that has already been manufactured is pushed and/or pulled onto the corresponding area or section of the individual cable arrangement.

The production device has two main strand fixing elements lying opposite one another (in particular parallel) and two secondary strand fixing elements lying opposite one another (in particular parallel). In particular, the respective fixing element is a frame element. In other words, the production device has, for example, the main strand fixing element designed as a main frame element and the secondary frame element designed as a secondary strand fixing element. In this respect, the manufacturing device can be a frame device that is used to manufacture the cable harness. This means that "main frame element" and "main line fixing element" as well as "secondary line fixing element" and "secondary frame element" can be considered synonymous herein. A right angle is enclosed by the respective main frame element or main line fixing element together with the respective secondary frame element or secondary line fixing element, so that the manufacturing device designed as a frame device, for example, has a rectangular shape. A rectangular frame unit of the manufacturing device is thus formed from the frame elements, that is to say from the main and secondary strand fixing elements.

Furthermore, the manufacturing device has two main strand tensioning units, each of which is fastened to a respective one of the main strand fixing elements, so that the individual cable arrangement of the cable harness can be tensioned along the main strand between the main strand fixing elements. For this purpose, the respective main strand tensioning unit corresponds to a respective end of the individual cable arrangement or the cable harness, these two ends being spaced apart from one another along the main strand. The individual cable arrangement can thus be fastened to/in the main line tensioning units via the two ends of the main line, so that the main line of the individual cable arrangement runs, for example, parallel to the main frame elements, in particular main line fixing elements.

In addition, the production device has a secondary strand tensioning unit or—as provided in a further development of the production device—a multiplicity of secondary strand tensioning units. The individual cable arrangement can be clamped along the (respective) secondary line to one of the secondary line fixing elements by means of the respective secondary line tensioning unit, with the respective secondary line tensioning unit being mounted on the latter such that it can move in a translatory manner along a direction of longitudinal extension of the secondary line fixing element or secondary frame element. As a result, a branching angle at which the secondary strand branches off from the main strand can be adjusted as required for producing the cable harness with a translational movement of the secondary strand tensioning unit, should this be necessary for efficient production of the cable harness.

The individual cable arrangement, which is further developed into the cable harness, is thus fastened along the main strand to the main strand tensioning units or stretched between the two main strand tensioning units, with at least one secondary strand of the individual cable arrangement being fastened to one of the secondary strand fixing elements or stretched to one of the secondary strand fixing elements. If the production device has more than one secondary strand tensioning unit, provision is made in particular for one or more of these secondary strand tensioning units to be mounted on a first of the secondary strand fixing elements and one or more of these secondary strand tensioning units on a second of the secondary strand fixing elements so as to be movable in translation. When manufacturing the wiring harness, one or more of the branching angles can (but does not have to) be adjusted with a translational adjustment of one or more of the secondary strand tensioning elements along the corresponding secondary strand fixing element, depending on whether this promotes an efficient manufacturing process.

Since the individual cable arrangement is clamped in the manufacturing device as intended for the manufacture of the cable harness, there are a number of advantages when manufacturing the cable harness. The individual cable arrangement for attaching connecting elements (plugs, sockets, etc.) to the ends of the strands and/or for sheathing with the sheathing element is advantageously accessible on both sides, since a material-free space is framed by the frame unit or by the frame elements, in which space the individual cable arrangement is or will be clamped for producing the cable harness. Therefore, the present manufacturing device differs massively from a conventional building board, in particular in that the manufacturing device or frame device does not have a plate on which the individual cable arrangement rests or is otherwise supported. Furthermore, the production device can be adapted particularly easily to changed framework conditions, for example to a changed cable harness layout, since the secondary strand tensioning units can be moved translationally along the main strand fixing elements and, in particular, can be locked as required. In addition, there is the possibility of encasing branching points at which a respective secondary strand branches off from the main strand of the individual cable arrangement, particularly efficiently and tightly, i.e. in particular with the absence of sheathing or wrapping gaps, with the sheathing element, since the branching angle can be adjusted by moving the secondary strand tensioning unit such that a sheathing head, for example winding head, of the sheathing device at the branching point can advantageously be provided with a particularly large amount of space.

In a further possible configuration of the frame device or production device, the respective secondary frame element or secondary line fixing element has a rail guide and a rail that is mounted so that it can move in a translatory manner by means of the rail guide. This means that the respective secondary strand fixing element is formed at least partially from the rail guide and from the rail movably mounted therein. A frame fastening element of the secondary strand tensioning unit is fixed to the rail, so that the secondary strand tensioning unit can be moved in a translatory manner while the rail is moved along the longitudinal extension direction of the secondary strand fixing element. It is also conceivable that more than one of the secondary strand tensioning units is fixed to the rail, so that the secondary strand tensioning units that are attached or fixed together on this rail can be moved together along the secondary strand fixing element when the rail moves in a translatory manner along the rail guide. Because the (respective) secondary line tensioning unit is mounted in the rail guide by means of the rail, a particularly efficient translational movement of the (respective) secondary line element along the longitudinal extension direction of the corresponding secondary line fixing element is ensured. In particular, tilting and/or other undesired mechanical blocking of the secondary strand tensioning unit on/in the secondary strand fixing element is prevented, and particularly smooth running of the corresponding secondary strand tensioning unit along the secondary strand fixing element is ensured.

In a further refinement, the respective rail has two or more partial rails, one or more of the secondary line tensioning units being fixed to the respective partial rail. When these sub-rails, which are mounted in a common rail guide of the same secondary line fixing element, are moved, the secondary line tensioning units fastened or fixed to mutually independent partial rails can be moved translationally independently of one another along the longitudinal extension direction of the common secondary frame element. As a result, the production device can be used in an even more versatile and flexible manner, since, for example, secondary strands of a secondary strand branching off from the main strand can be moved together along the longitudinal extension direction of the auxiliary strand fixing elements. In this way, it is possible, for example, to set the branching angle between the main strand and the secondary strand branching off from it as needed in a particularly efficient manner when manufacturing the cable harness, with the individual cable arrangement being advantageously kept under tension and thus not deformed or moved in an undesired manner.

Using the manufacturing device, which can also be referred to as a frame device, the secondary strands branching off from the main strand can be moved even more efficiently to produce the cable harness if—as provided in a further development—the rails or partial rails of the secondary strand fixing elements can be moved independently of one another. In other words, the rails or partial rails of the first secondary line fixing element can be moved translationally along the corresponding longitudinal extension direction of the corresponding secondary line fixing element independently of the rails or partial rails of the second secondary line fixing element. In this way, the production device can also be adapted particularly easily and/or with little effort to other cable harness variants, ie to other individual cable arrangement variants.

In a further possible configuration, the production device has a reversibly detachable Locking device, by means of which the secondary strand tensioning unit can be locked along the direction of longitudinal extension of the secondary strand fixing element. The locking device for reversibly releasable locking of the (respective) secondary strand tensioning unit has a respective locking unit for each secondary strand tensioning unit in order to arrest the respective secondary strand tensioning unit on/in the associated secondary strand fixing element. Alternatively or additionally, the locking device has a further locking unit, by means of which the respective rail or partial rail can be locked on/in the associated secondary strand fixing element. Thus, the secondary line tensioning units, which are fixed to a common rail or partial rail, can be locked or locked against translational movement along the secondary line fixing element by means of the locking unit interacting with the corresponding partial rail or rail. The locking device ensures that the individual cable arrangement does not move in an undesired manner when the cable harness is being manufactured. This further promotes the particularly efficient manufacture of the cable harness.

According to a further development of the production device, it has an actuator device which is or can be coupled to the secondary strand tensioning unit, so that the secondary strand tensioning unit can be moved translationally along the longitudinal extension direction of the secondary strand fixing element by means of the actuator device. An actuator is to be understood here as a component that converts electrical signals into mechanical movement or into other physical quantities. Accordingly, the actuator device has at least one actuator unit, which is designed, for example, as an electromechanical converter or has one. The actuator device is used to drive the (respective) secondary strand tensioning unit during operation of the manufacturing device, i.e. for example when manufacturing the cable harness, so that the corresponding secondary strand tensioning unit is moved translationally along the longitudinal direction of the associated secondary strand fixing element.

In a further refinement of the actuator device, this or an actuator unit thereof is or can be coupled to the secondary strand tensioning units in that the actuator device or the corresponding actuator unit is coupled or can be coupled to the rail or partial rail to which one or more secondary strand tensioning units are fixed. In order to move the secondary line tensioning units fastened to the rail or partial rail, the corresponding rail or partial rail is therefore driven by the associated actuator unit during operation of the production device.

The actuator device has, for example, a linear drive, such as a flexible drive, a cable pull, etc. The actuator device makes the translational movement of the secondary strand tensioning units along the secondary strand fixing elements particularly simple, because the secondary strand tensioning units to be moved do not have to be gripped manually, for example by a user of the production device, and moved manually along the corresponding secondary strand fixing element. Instead, the corresponding secondary strand tensioning unit is moved mechanically, namely by means of the actuator device, along the secondary strand fixing elements, as a result of which the production device offers particularly good ergonomics.

If the manufacturing device has the reversibly releasable locking device for locking the respective secondary strand tensioning unit and/or for locking the respective rail or partial rail, it can also be provided that the locking device and the actuator device are designed and arranged in such a way that an element of the actuator device can be locked by means of the locking device in order to lock the corresponding secondary strand tensioning units on/in the corresponding secondary strand fixing element. In this case, for example, the locking device can be a braking device of the actuator device.

In order to be able to use the production device in an even more versatile and flexible manner, another possible embodiment provides for a length adjustment element to be arranged between a frame attachment element and a main line attachment element of one of the main line tensioning units. By means of this, the production device can be adapted to different main strand lengths of cable harnesses or cable harness variants to be produced. Provision can furthermore be made for the respective main strand tensioning unit to have a respective length adjustment element, so that the production device on both main strand tensioning units can be adapted to the different main strand lengths or cable harness variants. Accordingly, the production device can be adapted, for example, to short main strand lengths and to long main strand lengths by adjusting the length adjustment element or the length adjustment elements. If the length adjustment element is used with at least one of the trunk tensioning units, the trunk of the single cable assembly is attached to the corresponding trunk fixing element by connecting the trunk and the trunk fastening element to one another and by connecting the frame fastening element and the corresponding trunk fixing element to one another be, wherein the frame attachment member and the umbilicus attachment member are attached to each other by means of the length adjustment member.

In a further embodiment, the manufacturing device can be adapted particularly flexibly and in many ways to different secondary line lengths of cable harnesses or cable harness variants to be produced, in that a length adjustment element is arranged between a frame fastening element and a secondary line fastening element of the (respective) secondary line tensioning unit. If the individual cable arrangement is clamped into the frame device, i.e. the manufacturing device, the corresponding secondary line and the secondary line fastening element are fastened to one another, so that the corresponding secondary line is fastened to the secondary line fixing element, since the secondary line fastening element and the frame fastening element are connected to one another via the length adjustment element.

In a further embodiment of the length adjustment element of the main line tensioning unit and/or in a further embodiment of the length adjustment element of the secondary line tensioning unit, the (respective) length adjustment element has a tensioning spring device. As a result, the length adjustment element having the tensioning spring device is of particularly simple design, and the tensioning spring device ensures automatic length compensation between the secondary line fixing elements and the secondary lines of the individual cable arrangement. Because when the respective secondary strand tensioning unit is moved in a translatory manner, manual adjustment of the secondary strand tensioning unit to changed or changing length relationships between a respective end of the secondary strand and the secondary strand fixing element is eliminated due to the tensioning spring device. As a result, the production device can be used particularly efficiently in order to form the cable harness from the individual cable arrangement.

As an alternative or in addition to the tension spring device, the (respective) length adjustment element has, according to a further possible embodiment of the production device, a telescopic element which can be adjusted into at least two different length positions. This means that by adjusting the corresponding length adjustment element, for example the length adjustment element of the main strand tensioning units, the production device can be adapted to different main strand lengths in a particularly simple and/or inexpensive manner. It is also conceivable that the (respective) length adjustment element of the secondary strand tensioning unit has such a telescopic element, for example in order to be able to use a particularly short tensioning spring device between the secondary strand fixing element and the end of the secondary strand. Furthermore, due to the telescopic element between the frame fastening element and the secondary line fastening element of the corresponding secondary line tensioning unit, a single variant of tensioning spring devices can be used for the entire production device. As a result, the tension spring devices can be interchanged with one another, and the manufacturing device advantageously has a particularly large number of identical parts.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing the cable harness using a production device designed according to the above description. To produce the cable harness, the individual cable arrangement, which has the main line and the at least one secondary line branching off from the main line at the branching point, is prefabricated and clamped in the production device. Prefabrication of the individual cable arrangement includes, for example, prefixing the individual cable arrangement so that the branching points of the individual cable arrangement are secured by the prefixing or preassembly in such a way that the individual cables of the individual cable arrangement do not fall apart at the branching points.

In the method, at least one of the strands clamped in the production device is sheathed with the sheathing element by means of a sheathing device. Thus, the main line and/or at least one secondary line branching off from it is/are completely or partially encased with the encasing element by moving the encasing device along the corresponding line while releasing the encasing element. The secondary strand tensioning unit can (but does not have to) be moved translationally along the longitudinal direction of the secondary strand fixing element as required (i.e. if there is a need for this due to the manufacturing process) so that the branching point is reached unhindered by the sheathing device by the branching angle between the main strand and the secondary strand branching off at the same branching point being adjusted at the corresponding branching point. At the branching point, the main line and possibly the secondary line there are partially encased together with the encasing element. In particular, the sheathing element is a wrapping element, such as a (fabric-reinforced or fabric-free) adhesive tape, which is wound helically around a region of the individual cable arrangement that is to be sheathed.

With this method, the individual cable arrangement is further developed or further processed into a particularly stable or resistant cable harness, the sheathing element of which particularly advantageously encases the individual cable arrangement at the branching points, in particular with the formation of no or only a particularly small gap. The production device used in the method makes it possible in a particularly advantageous manner to carry out production steps for producing the cable harness in an automated manner, for example the sheathing of the individual cable arrangement. In other words, the method for sheathing the individual cable arrangement uses, for example, an automatic sheathing device whose control effort is particularly low due to the particularly good accessibility of the individual cable arrangement clamped in the production device. In this way, the cable harness is produced particularly quickly and—in relation to series production of the cable harness—with a constant level of quality.

In a further development of the method, it is provided that the secondary strand tensioning unit is first moved in a first adjustment direction and then the junction point is encased with the encasing element from a first working direction of the encasing device. Thereafter, the same secondary line tensioning unit is moved in a second adjustment direction opposite to the first adjustment direction, and then the same branching point is sheathed with the sheathing element from a second working direction of the sheathing device opposite to the first working direction. To put it simply, the secondary line, which branches off from the main line at the corresponding branch point, is moved “to the right and then to the left”, similar to the movement of a windshield wiper, in order to provide the winding head of the encasing device with the necessary space for each working direction in order to encase the branch point particularly tightly with the encasing element. As a result, the particularly efficient production of the stable and resistant cable harness is once again efficiently supported.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a cable harness which was produced by means of the method described above, ie with the aid of the production device.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention can result from the following description of possible exemplary embodiments and from the drawing. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations shown below in the description of the figures and/or in the figures alone can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

character list

• 1 eine schematische Ansicht einer Herstellvorrichtung bzw. Rahmenvorrichtung zum Herstellen eines Kabelbaums;
• 2 eine schematische Ansicht der Herstellvorrichtung, die ein Fahrgestell aufweist;
• 3 eine schematische Ansicht einer Abzweigungsstelle (siehe Detail A der 1) der Einzelkabelanordnung des Kabelbaums, wobei die Einzelkabelanordnung mittels einer Ummantelungsvorrichtung mit einem Ummantelungselement ummantelt wird, wobei ein Nebenstrang mittels der Herstellvorrichtung in eine erste Verstellrichtung bewegt wird; und
• 4 eine schematische Ansicht der Abzweigungsstelle beim Ummanteln der Einzelkabelanordnung, wobei der Nebenstrang mittels der Herstellvorrichtung in eine zweite Verstellrichtung bewegt wird.

The drawing shows in:

• 1 a schematic view of a manufacturing device or frame device for manufacturing a wire harness;
• 2 a schematic view of the manufacturing device having a chassis;
• 3 a schematic view of a junction (see detail A of the 1 ) the individual cable arrangement of the cable harness, the individual cable arrangement being sheathed with a sheathing element by means of a sheathing device, with a secondary strand being moved in a first adjustment direction by means of the production device; and
• 4 a schematic view of the junction point when sheathing the individual cable arrangement, the secondary line being moved in a second adjustment direction by means of the production device.

Identical and functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

A production device 1 designed as a frame device for producing a cable harness 2, a method for producing the cable harness 2 and the cable harness 2 per se are presented in a joint description below. For this shows 1 a schematic view of the manufacturing device 1 for manufacturing the wiring harness 2. The wiring harness 2 has an individual cable arrangement 3, which is or will be clamped in the manufacturing device 1 for manufacturing the wiring harness 2. The individual cable arrangement 3, that is to say also the finished cable harness 2, has a main strand 4 and, in the present example, at least one secondary strand 5 or a multiplicity of secondary strands 5. The respective secondary line 5 branches off from the main line 4 or from a secondary line 5 at a respective branch point 6 . Two or more of the secondary strands 5 can originate from a single branching point 6 . As will be described in more detail below, to produce the cable harness 2, the individual cable arrangement 3 is provided with a sheathing element 7 (shown for the first time in 3 ) which is, for example, a fabric-reinforced adhesive tape, such as insulating tape, a hose, etc can. This means that the finished cable harness 2 has both the individual cable arrangement 3 and the sheathing element 7 . In addition, the wiring harness 2 has a large number of connecting elements 8 (e.g. sockets, plugs, terminal contacts, etc.), which were first used in 2 are indicated schematically.

The production device 1 has two parallel opposite main strand fixing elements 9, 10, here designed as main frame elements, and two parallel opposite side strand fixing elements 11, 12, here designed as secondary frame elements. The fixing elements 9, 10, 11, 12 designed as frame elements are in the present example - as in 1 can be seen - connected to one another to form a rectangular frame unit 13, for example connected to one another in a force-fitting, form-fitting and/or cohesive manner. Each of the main frame elements 9, 10 or main strand fixing elements 9, 10 and each of the secondary frame elements 11, 12 or secondary strand fixing elements 11, 12 each form a right angle with one another. A material-free area 14 is framed by the frame elements/fixing elements 9, 10, 11, 12, ie by the frame unit 13, through which the individual cable arrangement 3 extends when it is clamped in the production device 1 as intended. For this purpose, the production device 1 has two main strand tensioning units 15, 16, with the main strand tensioning unit designated 15 in the present example being fastened to the main strand fixing element 9, whereas the main strand tensioning unit designated 16 is fastened to the main strand fixing element 10. Main line fastening elements 17, 18 of the main line clamping units 15, 16 and main line ends 19, 20 of the main line 4 correspond to one another, so that one of the main line ends 19, 20 can be reversibly fastened to it by means of the corresponding main line fastening element 17, 18. In other words, the individual cable arrangement 3 is or can be stretched between the main line fixing elements 9, 10 by connecting the main line ends 19, 20 and the main line fastening elements 17, 18 reversibly and non-destructively to one another. This means that the connection between the respective main line fastening element 17, 18 and the respective main line end 19, 20 can be produced or released particularly easily, in particular without having to use a tool. A distance between the main strand tensioning units 15, 16 is or will be matched to a main strand length.

The production device 1 also has a large number of secondary strand clamping units 21 in the present example. How out 1 As can be seen, the individual cable arrangement 3 can be clamped or clamped along the respective secondary strands 5 to a respective one of the secondary strand fixing elements 11 , 12 by means of the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21 . The respective secondary strand tensioning unit is mounted on one of the secondary strand fixing elements 11 , 12 in a translationally movable manner along a longitudinal extension direction 22 of the secondary strand fixing elements 11 , 12 . As a result, a respective branching angle 23, at which the respective secondary branch 5 branches off from the main branch 4, can be adjusted as required for producing the cable harness 2 with a translational movement of the respective secondary branch tensioning unit 21. To produce the wiring harness 2, at least one of the secondary strands 5 is moved and the associated branch angle 23 is adjusted in the process by the secondary strand tensioning unit 21 connected to the corresponding secondary strand 5 being moved translationally along the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12 or along the direction of longitudinal extension 22. The main strand 4 of the individual cable arrangement 3 is stretched between the main strand fixing elements 9, 10 by connecting the main strand 4 to the frame unit 13 of the manufacturing device 1 by means of the main strand tensioning units 15, 16. However, the adjustment of the branching angle 23 can be omitted if this is not required by a process requirement for producing the cable harness 2 . In this case, the secondary strand fixing elements 11, 12 can be reversibly blocked against displacement/positioning.

How out 1 also shows that the manufacturing device 1 in the present example has the plurality of secondary strand tensioning units 21, with some of the secondary strand tensioning units 21 being mounted on the secondary strand fixing element 11 and others of the secondary strand tensioning units 21 being mounted on the secondary strand fixing element 12 so as to be movable in translation. To produce the cable harness 2 , as many secondary strand tensioning units 21 are used as the individual cable arrangement 3 or the cable harness 2 to be produced has 2 secondary strand ends 24 .

In order to mount the respective secondary strand clamping unit 21 on/in the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12 so that it can move or be displaced in a translatory manner, the production device 1 has a corresponding number of sliding elements 25, which are mounted on/in the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12 and can be displaced along the direction of longitudinal extent 22 in/on the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12. It is also conceivable that the respective sliding element 25 is part of the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21 . In 1 further sliding elements 26 are shown, which are used to produce the cable harness 2 are not required and are stored unused on/in the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12. This is advantageous in that the sliding elements 26 that are not used are secured against loss.

In the present case, the production device 1 , in particular the respective secondary line fixing element 11 , 12 , has a rail guide 27 and a rail 28 which is mounted so that it can move in a translatory manner by means of the rail guide 27 . The respective rail 28 can have at least two partial rails 29 or be formed from these two partial rails 29 . At least one of the secondary strand tensioning units 21 is fixed to the respective rail 28 in that the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21 has a frame fastening element 30 which is connected to the corresponding sliding element 25 or at least partially forms the sliding element 25 . It follows from this that the secondary line tensioning unit 21 can be moved in a translatory manner while the rail 28 is moved along the direction of longitudinal extension 22 . Provision can be made here for several secondary strand tensioning units 21 to be fastened or fixed to a common rail 28 . The same applies analogously to the partial rails 29, to which more than one of the secondary strand tensioning units 21 can be attached, so that those of the secondary strand tensioning units 21 (jointly attached to a common one of the partial rails 29) can be moved translationally independently of one another along the direction of longitudinal extent 22 of the common secondary strand fixing element 11, 12 while the rail 28 is moved. For example, the secondary line tensioning units 21 of a first of the partial rails 29 can be moved translationally in a different direction than the secondary line tensioning units 21 of another partial rail 29 of the same rail 28. It is also conceivable that one or both of the secondary line fixing elements 11, 12 have only a single rail 28, to which the corresponding secondary line fixing elements 11, 12 associated with the secondary line tensioning units 21 are attached together, so that these secondary line tensioning units 2 1 can be moved together or in the same direction while the rail 28 is moved. It is also provided here that the rails 28 and/or partial rails 29 of the secondary line fixing elements 11, 12 can be moved in a translatory manner independently of one another.

In order to be able to lock the branching brackets 23 when the cable harness 2 is being produced or when the individual cable arrangement 3 is being processed further, the frame device or production device 1 in the present example has a reversibly releasable locking device 31, by means of which the secondary strand tensioning units 21 can be locked in place along the longitudinal extension direction 22 of the secondary strand fixing element 11, 12. The locking device 31 has, for example, a locking unit 32 for each secondary strand clamping unit 21, which is connected directly to the respective secondary strand clamping unit 21, in particular to the respective sliding element 25, the respective rail 28 and/or the respective partial rail 29. For the locking units 32, this means that they are moved along with the respective secondary line tensioning unit 21 when it is moved. The locking device 31 or the respective locking unit 32 can be adjusted between a locking position and a release position, wherein in the locking position the respective secondary strand clamping unit 21 is secured at/in its position against (further) movement along the direction of longitudinal extension 22 . In the release position, on the other hand, the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21 can be displaced in a translatory manner along the direction of longitudinal extension 22 . Provision can be made for the locking units 32 to be adjustable individually or in groups between the release position and the locking position. In other words, the secondary strand clamping units 21 can be blocked or locked against (further) movement individually or in groups.

In 1 is also shown that the production device 1 in the present example has an actuator device 33 which, for example, has a separate actuator unit 34 for each secondary line tensioning unit 21, which - similar to the respective locking unit 32 - is connected directly to the sliding element 25, the rail 28 and/or the partial rail 29, i.e. directly to the corresponding secondary line tensioning unit 21. Alternatively or additionally, the actuator device 33 has another actuator unit 35, by means of which the sliding element 25, the rail 28 and/or the partial rail 29 can be driven to adjust the secondary strand tensioning units 21. For example, this actuator unit 35 has an electric motor 36, by means of which a traction means 37 can be driven, which is connected to the secondary strand tensioning unit 21 or the secondary strand tensioning units 21. The traction device 37 can, for example, be an endless traction device, such as a chain, a V-belt, a toothed belt, etc.

How out 1 further shows that in the present example the locking device 31 has another locking unit 38 which is designed to lock or lock the actuator device 33, in particular the actuator unit 35 arranged outside of the rail guide 27 or outside of the auxiliary line fixing elements 11, 12, in order to lock the auxiliary line tensioning units 21. The other locking unit 38, which can be configured in particular as a structural unit with the actuator device 33, is a braking device of the actuator device 33, for example.

2 shows a schematic view of the production device 1, which has a chassis 39 so that the production device 1 can be repositioned particularly easily and/or with little effort. In 2 is also between a frame attachment element 40 and the main line attachment element 18 in 2 Main strand tensioning unit 16 shown on the right shows a length adjustment element 41 . By means of the length adjustment element 41, which is designed as a telescopic element 42 in the present example, a direct distance between the main line fastening elements 17, 18 of the two main line tensioning units 15, 16 along the longitudinal extension direction 22 of the secondary line fixing elements 11, 12 can be adjusted to different variants of main line lengths. Different cable harness variants can thus be produced by means of the production device 1, which differ from one another, for example with regard to the length of the main strand. For this purpose, the length adjustment element 41, in particular the telescopic element 42, can be adjusted in at least two different length positions and can be reversibly and releasably locked in the respective length position.

In addition, 2 shown that a further length adjustment element 44 is arranged between the respective frame fastening element 30 and a respective secondary strand fastening element 43 of the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21, by means of which the manufacturing device 1 or the secondary strand tensioning units 21 can be adapted to different secondary strand lengths of different cable harness variants. In the present case, the respective length adjustment element 44 has a tension spring device 45 . It is also conceivable that the respective length adjustment element 44 is formed by the tension spring device 45 . Furthermore, it is conceivable that the length adjustment element 41 of the main strand tensioning units 15, 16 has such a tensioning spring device 45. Furthermore, it can be provided that the respective length adjustment element 44 of the respective secondary strand tensioning unit 21 has a telescopic element 42 .

3 shows a schematic view of one of the junction points 6 (see detail A of 1 ) of the individual cable arrangement 3 of the cable harness 2, the individual cable arrangement 3 being sheathed with the sheathing element 7 by means of a sheathing device 46. The secondary line 5 branching off from the main line 4 at the corresponding branching point 6 is moved in a first adjustment direction 47 by the associated secondary line tensioning unit 21 (in 3 and in 4 not shown) is moved along the direction of longitudinal extension 22, that is to say along the corresponding secondary strand fixing element 11, 12. Beforehand, to produce the cable harness 2 with the aid of the production device 1, the individual cable arrangement 3, which has the main line 4 and the secondary line 5 branching off from the main line 4 at one of the branching points 6, is prefabricated and—as described above—clamped in the production device 1. The sheathing element 7 is then placed around the strands 4, 5 by means of the sheathing device 46, for which purpose the sheathing device 46 has a sheathing head designed here as a winding head 48, which is moved along the corresponding strand 4, 5 while the sheathing element 7 is released. If the secondary strand 5 were not to be moved or the branching angle 23 to be adjusted when the strands 4, 5 were being sheathed, the secondary strand 5 branching off vertically from the main strand 4 would block the end winding 48 or prevent it from continuing before the junction point 6 was sheathed with the sheathing element 7. However, if - as in the present case - the branching angle 23 is adjusted as required, it is possible for the winding head 48 (shown in dashed lines) to move further along the corresponding strand 4, 5, as a result of which the branching point 6 is encased in the desired manner with the encasing element 7. A part of the main line 4 and a part of the secondary line 5 branching off there are partially wrapped or encased together with the encasing element 7 at the branching point 6 . It is also in 3 and in 4 it can be seen that the individual cable arrangement 3 is formed, for example, from a large number of individual cables 49 .

In 3 shows how the secondary strand tensioning unit 21 is first moved in the first adjustment direction 47 along the direction of longitudinal extension 22 and then the junction point 6 is encased with the encasing element 7 from a first working direction 50 of the encasing device 46 or the winding head 48. For example, the first adjustment direction 47 and the first working direction 50 can coincide in the same direction.

In 4 is a schematic view of junction 6 (according to detail A of 1 ) during the sheathing of the individual cable arrangement 3, with the secondary strand 5 being moved in a second adjustment direction 51 by means of the production device 1 or by means of the corresponding secondary strand tensioning unit, which is opposite to the first adjustment direction 47. This takes place in particular after the junction point 6 has been sheathed in the direction of the first working direction 50 Sheathing element 7 sheathed, specifically from a second working direction 52 opposite to the first working direction 50 . In this way, the junction point 6 is wrapped or encased particularly securely with the encasing element 7 . A particularly small gap, if at all, is formed at the branching point 6 between the two casing element portions 53, 54.

The production device 1, the method for producing the cable harness 2 and the cable harness 2 itself show a respective possibility of producing a particularly stable and resistant cable harness.

Reference List

1

manufacturing device

2

wiring harness

3

single cable arrangement

4

main strand

5

secondary line

6

junction point

7

sheathing element

8th

fastener

9

umbilicus fixation element

10

umbilicus fixation element

11

Secondary strand fixing element

12

Secondary strand fixing element

13

frame unit

14

material-free area

15

main strand tensioning unit

16

main strand tensioning unit

17

Mainline Fastener

18

Mainline Fastener

19

trunk end

20

trunk end

21

Auxiliary strand tensioning unit

22

longitudinal direction

23

branch angle

24

secondary line end

25

sliding element

26

sliding element

27

rail guide

28

rail

29

partial rail

30

frame fastener

31

locking device

32

locking unit

33

actuator device

34

actuator unit

35

actuator unit

36

electric motor

37

traction means

38

locking unit

39

chassis

40

frame fastener

41

length adjustment element

42

telescopic element

43

Auxiliary Line Fastener

44

length adjustment element

45

tension spring device

46

sheathing device

47

adjustment direction

48

winding head

49

single cable

50

working direction

51

adjustment direction

52

working direction

53

cladding element proportion

54

cladding element proportion

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• WO 2018206051 A1 [0002]

Claims (15)

Manufacturing device (1) for manufacturing a cable harness (2) having an individual cable arrangement (3), in which the individual cable arrangement (3) has a main strand (4) and at least one secondary strand (5) branching off from the main strand (4), and in which one of the strands (4, 5) is encased on the outer circumference by means of a encasing element (7), the manufacturing device (1) having: - Two opposing main strand fixing elements (9, 10) and two opposing secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12); - Two main line tensioning units (15, 16), each of which is attached to a respective one of the main line fixing elements (9, 10), so that the individual cable arrangement (3) of the cable harness (2) can be tensioned along the main line (4) between the main line fixing elements (9, 10); - a secondary strand tensioning unit (21), by means of which the individual cable arrangement (3) can be tensioned along the secondary strand (5) on one of the secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12), the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) being mounted on the secondary strand fixing element (11, 12) so that it can move in a translatory manner along a longitudinal extension direction (22) of the latter, whereby for the production of the cable harness (2) with a translatory movement of the secondary strand tensioning unit (21), a branching angle (23) at which the secondary branch (5) branches off from the main branch (4) can be adjusted as required. Manufacturing device (1) after claim 1 , characterized by a plurality of secondary strand tensioning units (21), of which one or more is mounted in a translationally movable manner on a first of the secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12) and one or more on a second of the secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12). Manufacturing device (1) after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the respective secondary line fixing element (11, 12) has a rail guide (27) and a rail (28) which is mounted so that it can move translationally by means of the rail guide (27) and on which a frame fastening element (30) of the secondary line tensioning unit (21) is fixed, so that the secondary line tensioning unit (21) can be moved in translation when the rail (28) is moved. Manufacturing device (1) after claim 2 and 3 , characterized in that the respective rail (28) has at least two partial rails (29), one of the secondary strand tensioning units (21) being fixed to the respective partial rail (29), so that these secondary strand tensioning units (21) can be moved translationally independently of one another along the longitudinal extension direction (22) of the common secondary strand fixing element (11, 12) while the rail (28) is moved. Manufacturing device (1) after claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that the rails (28) of the secondary strand fixing elements (11, 12) are movable independently of one another. Production device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a reversibly releasable locking device (31) by means of which the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) can be locked along the longitudinal extension direction (22) of the secondary strand fixing element (11, 12). Manufacturing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an actuator device (33) which is or can be coupled to the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) in such a way that the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) can be moved translationally along the longitudinal extension direction (22) of the secondary strand fixing element (11, 12) by means of the actuator device (31). Manufacturing device (1) after claim 7 and one of the claims 3 until 6 , characterized in that the actuator device (33) is coupled or can be coupled to the secondary line tensioning units (21) in that the actuator device (33) is coupled or can be coupled to the rail (28) to which the secondary line tensioning units (21) are fixed. Manufacturing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a length adjustment element (41) is arranged between a frame fastening element (40) and a main strand fastening element (17, 18) of one of the main strand tensioning units (15, 16), by means of which the manufacturing device (1) can be adapted to different main strand lengths of cable harnesses (2) to be produced. Manufacturing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a length adjustment element (44) is arranged between a frame fastening element (30) and an auxiliary strand fastening element (43) of one of the auxiliary strand clamping units (21), by means of which the manufacturing device (1) can be adapted to different auxiliary strand lengths of cable harnesses (2) to be produced. Manufacturing device (1) after claim 9 or 10 , characterized in that the length adjustment element (41, 44) has a tension spring device (45). Manufacturing device (1) after claim 9 , 10 or 11 , characterized in that the Län genverstellelement (41, 44) has a telescopic element (42) which is adjustable in at least two mutually different length positions. Method for producing a wire harness (2) using a according to one of Claims 1 until 12 - the individual cable arrangement (3) with the main line (4) and the secondary line (5) branching off from the main line (4) at a branch point (6) is prefabricated and clamped in the production device (1); - one of the strands (4, 5) clamped in the production device (1) is encased with the encasing element (7) by means of an encasing device (46), in that the encasing device (46) is moved along the corresponding strand (4, 5) while the encasing element (7) is released; wherein the secondary line tensioning unit (21) is moved translationally along the longitudinal extension direction (22) of the secondary line fixing element (11, 12) as required, so that the branch point (6) is reached unhindered by the encasing device (46), the main line (4) and the local secondary line (5) at the branch point (6) being partly encased together with the encasing element (7). procedure after Claim 13 , characterized in that - the secondary strand tensioning unit (21) is first moved in a first adjustment direction (47); - the branch point (6) is sheathed with the sheathing element (7) from a first working direction (50) of the sheathing device (46); - The same secondary line tensioning unit (21) is then moved in a second adjustment direction (51) opposite to the first adjustment direction (47); - the same branching point (6) is sheathed with the sheathing element (7) from a second working direction (52) of the sheathing device (46) opposite to the first working direction (50). Wiring harness (2) by a method according to any one of Claims 13 or 14 is made.

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