DE102022207934A1 - Method for producing an electrical wiring harness and electrical wiring harness - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an electrical line set (2) and such a line set (2). In the method, a mounting device (4) is provided which has a carrier (6) with guide pins (8) arranged thereon. First a carrier film (10), then conductors (14) and finally a cover film (18) are placed on this carrier (6). The carrier film (10) and preferably also the cover film (18) have a plurality of passage openings (12), each for a guide pin (8), through which the guide pins (8) are guided. The conductors (14) are arranged according to a desired laying pattern and are guided around the guide pins (8). A laminate composite (20) formed in this way is subsequently removed from the carrier (6) and pulled off the guide pins (8). This enables such a line set (2) to be manufactured easily.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing an electrical wiring harness and such an electrical wiring harness, in particular for a motor vehicle.

When producing conductor sets that are intended for connecting several components and usually have several conductors and often also a branched conductor structure, automated production is often desired.

In applications where a special laying pattern for the individual conductors is required, a great deal of effort is often required. Especially in applications in motor vehicles, in particular with large-area, branched laying patterns, such as those used in doors or as cell contact systems in batteries, production with conventional simple cables is complex. Due to the size of such cable sets, the route via printed circuit boards (PCB) often does not make sense from a technical and economic point of view.

From the DE 10 2012 205 020 A1 as well as the WO 2020/161047 A1 Cell contacting systems for batteries can be seen in which pin-shaped guide elements are arranged on a base plate along which the conductors are laid according to an intended laying pattern.

For the production of small components, as is the case with plastic cards, labels or transponders, for example WO 02/056657 A1 describes a method in which conductors are pressed into an adhesive layer of a base layer using a clamping frame according to a desired laying pattern. For this purpose, the clamping frame has several pin-shaped guide elements along which the conductors are laid. The individual guide pins are spring-mounted on the clamping frame so that they spring back when they come into contact with the base layer. After pressing the conductors into the adhesive layer and removing the clamping frame, a second support layer is applied from above so that the conductors are sandwiched between the support layers in the adhesive layer.

Based on this, the invention is based on the object of providing a cost-effective and simple production of a cable set, especially for a motor vehicle.

• - eine Montagevorrichtung bereitgestellt wird, welche einen Träger mit darauf angeordneten und aus einer Trägerebene abstehenden Führungsstiften aufweist,
• - eine Trägerfolie auf den Träger gelegt wird, wobei die Trägerfolie mehrere Durchtrittsöffnungen für jeweils einen Führungsstift aufweist und die Führungsstifte jeweils durch eine jeweilige Durchtrittsöffnung durch die Trägerfolie hindurch geführt werden,
• - mehrere Leiter entsprechend einem gewünschten Verlegemuster auf der Trägerfolie angeordnet werden und hierzu zumindest ein Teil der Leiter um die Führungsstifte herum geführt werden,
• - eine Deckfolie aufgelegt und mit der Trägerfolie laminiert wird, so dass ein Laminatverbund ausgebildet wird, bei dem die Leiter entsprechend dem Verlegemuster zwischen der Deckfolie und der Trägerfolie fixiert sind, und bei dem
• - der Laminatverbund nachfolgend von dem Träger abgenommen und von den Führungsstiften abgezogen wird.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for producing an electrical wiring harness, in which

• - a mounting device is provided which has a carrier with guide pins arranged thereon and projecting from a carrier plane,
• - a carrier film is placed on the carrier, the carrier film having several passage openings for one guide pin each and the guide pins each being guided through a respective passage opening through the carrier film,
• - several conductors are arranged on the carrier film in accordance with a desired laying pattern and for this purpose at least some of the conductors are guided around the guide pins,
• - a cover film is placed and laminated with the carrier film, so that a laminate composite is formed, in which the conductors are fixed between the cover film and the carrier film in accordance with the laying pattern, and in which
• - The laminate composite is subsequently removed from the carrier and pulled off the guide pins.

The object is further achieved according to the invention by an electrical cable set, which was produced in particular using such a method and which has a laminate composite with a carrier film, with a cover film laminated to the carrier film and with several arranged between the two films and held in accordance with a desired laying pattern Has ladders, wherein at least part of the conductors has at least one bend and the carrier film has a passage opening in the area of a respective bend, along which the conductor runs along the circumference in areas.

This method enables cost-effective production of such a line set, especially a large-area line set, particularly for use in the motor vehicle sector. The assembly device with the guide pins attached to it therefore only serves for temporary guidance and holding during the construction of the laminate composite.

What should be highlighted are the openings in the carrier film, which can also be seen in the finished cable set. Because of the passage openings, the carrier film can be placed on the mounting device in a simple manner, since the guide pins are guided through the passage openings. The guide pins also fix and align the carrier film on the mounting device, so that overall the most precise alignment of the individual conductors on the carrier film is achieved.

Due to the special manufacturing process, the respective conductor runs along the circumference over a section in the area of its bend at a respective passage opening. Depending on how passage openings are introduced, the conductor runs, for example, directly along an edge of the passage opening. Alternatively, the conductor also runs partially through the passage opening or is spaced a certain distance from the edge of the passage opening in the radial direction.

If it is said here that the two films are laminated together, this means that they are cohesively connected to one another. For this purpose, for example, it is provided that a special adhesive layer is applied to at least one film, with which the second film is connected. Alternatively or additionally, a temperature treatment (heating) or a UV treatment is provided for the lamination process, so that, for example, a special surface layer of the film is softened and the cohesive bond is formed with the other film and/or an adhesive applied to the film is activated.

If we are talking about a film here, this is understood to mean a film-like, flexible structure made of an insulating material and in particular made of plastic.

The conductors are preferably bare, solid individual wires. Alternatively, there is also the possibility that these are enameled wires, in which a varnish coating is applied to the bare conductor wire. A stranded wire can also be used instead of solid individual wires. The conductors are preferably not conventional wires, in which the electrical conductor is surrounded by an insulation jacket that is typically extruded on.

A plurality of guide pins are preferably provided in the method and several of the conductors are preferably guided around a guide pin several times. Several conductors are therefore formed in the finished cable set, for example more than 5 or 10, each of which preferably has several bends.

During each bend, the conductor is bent according to a radius of the guide pins, i.e. the bending radius corresponds to the radius of the guide pins. The bending takes place within a plane and typically at a bending angle of at least 45° or at least 60° or at least 90°.

In a preferred embodiment, the openings are only formed when the carrier film is placed on top. To do this, the guide pins pierce the carrier film. The guide pins therefore perforate the carrier film at their respective positions. The guide pins are preferably designed to be suitable for this purpose and have, for example, a tapered end in the manner of a piercing pin.

According to an alternative variant, the passage openings are introduced in advance, for example by punching.

In a useful further development, the cover film also has passage openings for the guide pins and these are also guided through the cover film when the cover film is placed on it.

Similar to the carrier film, in a preferred embodiment the cover film is perforated using the guide pins. Alternatively, the passage openings are introduced in advance.

In the finished cable set, the carrier film and the cover film therefore have passage openings in the area of a respective bend of a respective conductor, which are aligned with one another.

According to a preferred embodiment, a shielding film is additionally applied to the laminate composite. This is preferably done before the laminate composite is removed from the carrier. This shielding film is in particular an additional, electrically conductive film, for example a metal film or a plastic film provided with a metal layer. The shielding film is preferably also bonded to one of the two films, in particular the cover film, in the manner of a lamination and is part of the laminate composite. The shielding film serves to electromagnetically shield the laying pattern formed by the conductors at least in some areas. This achieves good EMC compatibility.

According to a preferred development, the carrier film and in particular also the cover film have an opening, so that a window is formed in the laminate composite. In the area of this window and thus the aligned openings in the two films, at least some of the conductors are exposed so that they can be contacted and, in the assembled state, are also contacted with a connection element. The window or the openings therefore form a contacting zone for conductors that are generally freely accessible in the area of the opening.

The conductors are electrically contacted via the connection element. The connection element has one or more contact elements, which are designed, for example, as clamping contacts, plug-in contacts, insulation displacement contacts, etc. The connection element preferably has an insulating housing in which several such contact elements are arranged. An outgoing cable strand is preferably attached to the connection element, which is therefore contacted with the conductor. When assembled, this wiring harness leads, for example, to an electrical component.

The connection element is preferably connected to the laminate composite and is therefore an integral part of the cable set. For example, the insulating housing is designed in two parts and is fastened to the laminate composite in a clamping manner, for example by latching. Additionally or alternatively, it is cohesively connected to the laminate composite.

Furthermore, it is provided, for example, that in addition to the conductors between the two films and thus in the laminate composite or alternatively also on the laminate composite, electrical components are attached and electrically contacted with some of the conductors. These components are, for example, circuit components, processors or circuits mounted on a carrier in the manner of a circuit board/printed circuit.

The electrical cable set is intended in particular for use in a vehicle and is inserted into a vehicle in the assembled state.

In a preferred embodiment, the line set forms a separating element in order to separate a wet area from a dry area. For this purpose, the cable set is specifically arranged in or on a door module.

Alternatively, the cable set is merely part of the door module without forming such a separating element.

According to an alternative application, the line set forms a cell contacting system or is at least part of such a cell contacting system. Such a cell contacting system is used to electrically contact the individual cells of a battery. The battery is, for example, a traction battery for an electrically powered motor vehicle.

• 1 eine Querschnittsdarstellung durch einen Leitungssatz bei der Montage gemäß der Schnittlinie I - I in 2,
• 2 eine Aufsicht auf den Leitungssatz gemäß 1,
• 3 eine stark vereinfachte Prinzipskizze einer Kraftfahrzeug-Tür in Schnittansicht sowie
• 4 eine stark vereinfachte Prinzipskizze eines Zellkontaktierungssystems in Aufsicht.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. These show in highly simplified representations:

• 1 a cross-sectional representation through a cable set during assembly according to the section line I - I in 2 ,
• 2 supervision of the line set in accordance with 1 ,
• 3 a greatly simplified schematic sketch of a motor vehicle door in a sectional view and
• 4 a highly simplified schematic sketch of a cell contact system in top view.

When making an in 1 and 2 illustrated electrical cable set 2, a mounting device 4 is first provided. This has a preferably plate-shaped carrier 6, on which guide pins 8 are arranged, which protrude vertically upwards from the carrier 6.

In the first step, a carrier film 10 is placed on the mounting device 4 from above. The individual guide pins 8 are passed through openings 12 in the carrier film 10. The passage openings 12 are preferably first formed by the guide pins 8. The guide pins 8 preferably have a piercing tip at their free end. Alternatively, the passage openings 12 have already been introduced beforehand. In this case, these have a larger diameter than the typically circular guide pins 8.

The carrier film 10 can be a film provided with an adhesive layer.

In the next step, a large number of individual conductors 14, which are preferably bare, solid individual wires, are arranged on the carrier film 10 according to a desired laying pattern. How specifically based on 2 can be seen, some of the conductors 14 run in a straight line. However, some of the conductors 14 change their construction and are guided around the guide pins 8 for this purpose. These conductors 14 each have a bend 16 in the area of the guide pins.

The laying of the conductors 14 on the carrier film 10 is preferably carried out automatically with the help of a laying head, not shown, which automatically guides the conductors around the guide pins.

After laying the ladder 14, a cover film 18 is placed on top. This also has passage openings 12, which are preferably formed by the guide pins 8. This cover film 18 preferably also has an adhesive layer. The two films 10, 18 are cohesively connected to one another, so that a total of a laminate composite 20 is formed, in which between The conductors 14 are sandwiched between the two films 10, 18.

As can also be seen, both films 10, 18 have a significantly larger opening 22 compared to the through openings 12, with the two openings 20 lying aligned one above the other and thus forming a type of contact window. In the area of these openings 20, part of the conductors 14 is exposed so that they are accessible and can be contacted. The openings 20 therefore define a contacting zone.

Optionally, there is also the possibility that a shielding film 24 is applied at least partially to the laminate composite 20, especially to the cover film 18, and in particular laminated on, so that the shielding film 24 is part of the laminate composite 20. This shielding film 24 serves for electrical and/or magnetic shielding.

In the exemplary embodiment, the shielding film 24 only covers a partial area, namely the partial area of the conductors 14, which run in a straight line. Alternatively, the shielding film 24 covers the entire laying pattern formed by the conductors 14.

The formed laminate composite 20 is subsequently lifted from the assembly device 4.

If the passage openings 12 were formed by perforation using the guide pins 8, the passage openings 12 close again somewhat, so that, for example, a portion of the respective film 10, 18 protrudes in the radial direction over the conductor 14 in the area of the bend 16, so that the Conductors are not exposed in the area of the passage openings 12.

In the exemplary embodiment (left half of the picture) it is shown that at least some of the conductors 14 extend beyond the edge of the carrier film 10, so that they are exposed at the edge of the carrier film 10 for contacting purposes. These can be contacted, for example, via a connection element 26, which is only indicated by dashed lines.

Particularly in the area of the contact zone formed by the openings 22, such a connection element 26 is also provided, which is also only indicated schematically and by dashed lines. The connection element 26 is in particular firmly connected to the laminate composite 20 and is therefore an integral part of the cable set 2. For example, the connection element 26 has a two-part insulating housing, with the laminate composite 20 being clamped between the two housing parts.

The line set 2 is in particular designed as a large-area line set 2, which covers an area of at least 0.25 m ² , preferably at least 0.5 m ² or even more. The line set 2 is specifically intended for a motor vehicle and is mounted in a motor vehicle in the assembled state.

3 shows a preferred application in a motor vehicle. The line set 2 is arranged within a vehicle door 28, namely as a separating element between a wet area 30 and a dry area 32. The line set 2 is preferably in particular part of a door module 34 on which electrical components such as loudspeakers, servomotors (window regulators), control devices etc. are arranged. The line set 2 is used to connect these components of the door module 34. The door has an inner panel 36 towards the passenger compartment and an outer panel 38 towards the outside.

4 finally shows an alternative embodiment in which the cable set 2 forms a cell contact system 40 for a battery 42, especially for a traction battery of an electrically powered vehicle. 4 shows a top view in which the line set 2 with the conductors 14 and thus the cell contacting system 40 are only shown in dashed lines.

The battery 42 generally has a plurality of battery cells 44 which are electrically connected to one another. The line set 2 is used for this purpose. The individual battery cells 44 are electrically contacted in a manner known per se via the individual conductors 14. Part of the line set 2 is preferably also a control element, not shown here, for example a so-called battery management system. At least one is connected to line set 2.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can also be derived from this by the person skilled in the art without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

Reference symbol list

2

line set

4

Mounting device

6

carrier

8th

Guide pins

10

Carrier film

12

Passage opening

14

Director

16

bend

18

Cover film

20

Laminate composite

22

breakthrough

24

Screen film

26

Connection element

28

vehicle door

30

Wet area

32

Dry area

34

Door module

36

interior panelling

38

Outer sheet metal

40

Cell contact system

42

battery

44

Battery cells

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed 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.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102012205020 A1 [0004]
• WO 2020161047 A1 [0004]
• WO 02056657 A1 [0005]

Claims (12)

Method for producing an electrical cable set (2), in which - a mounting device (4) is provided which has a carrier (6) with guide pins (8) arranged thereon, - a carrier film (10) is placed on the carrier (6), the carrier film (10) having a plurality of passage openings (12) for each guide pin (8) and the guide pins (8) each passing through a respective passage opening (12). Carrier film (10) is passed through, - several conductors (14) are arranged on the carrier film (10) in accordance with a desired laying pattern and for this purpose at least some of the conductors (14) are guided around the guide pins (8), - a cover film (18) is placed and laminated with the carrier film (10), so that a laminate composite (20) is formed, in which the conductor (14) is fixed between the cover film (18) and the carrier film (10) according to the laying pattern are, - The laminate composite (20) is subsequently removed from the carrier (6) and pulled off the guide pins (8). Method according to the preceding claim, in which when the carrier film (10) is placed on it, it is perforated by the guide pins (8) to form the passage openings (12). Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the cover film (18) also has passage openings (12) for the guide pins (8) and the guide pins (8) are guided through the cover film (18) when the cover film (18) is on the carrier film (10) is hung up. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which, in particular before the laminate composite (20) is removed from the carrier (6), an additional shielding film (24) is applied to the cover film (18) at least in some areas. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the carrier film (10) has an opening (22), at least some of the conductors (14) being exposed in the area of the opening (22) and the opening (22) having a contacting zone for the conductors ( 14) trains. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which a film with an adhesive layer is used as the carrier film (10) and the conductors (14) are placed on the adhesive layer. Electrical cable set (2), in particular produced according to a method according to one of the preceding claims, which has a laminate composite (20) with a carrier film (10), with a cover film (18) laminated thereto and with several films (10, 18) between the two ) arranged and held according to a desired laying pattern (14), at least part of the conductors (14) having at least one bend (16) and the carrier film (10) in the area of a respective bend (16) has a passage opening (12). , along which the conductor (14) runs along the circumference in areas. Cable set (2) according to the preceding claim, in which the cover film (18) also has a passage opening (12) in the area of a respective bend (16), the passage openings (12) of the cover film (18) being connected to those of the carrier film (10). curse. Cable set (2) according to one of the two preceding claims, in which at least one of the two films (10, 18) has an opening (22) on which several conductors (14) are exposed, so that a contact zone for contacting a connection element is trained. Cable set (2) according to the preceding claim, in which a connection element (26) is connected to the laminate composite (20) in the area of the contact zone, via which the conductors (14) are electrically contacted. Line set (2) according to one of the Claims 7 until 10 , which is arranged as a separating element between a wet area (30) and a dry area (32) in a motor vehicle. Line set (2) according to one of the Claims 7 until 10 , which is at least part of a cell contacting system (40) for contacting battery cells (44) of a battery (42).

Images