EP0041815B1 - Appareil et méthode pour fabriquer des pièces de harnais de câbles en série - Google Patents

Appareil et méthode pour fabriquer des pièces de harnais de câbles en série Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0041815B1
EP0041815B1 EP81302427A EP81302427A EP0041815B1 EP 0041815 B1 EP0041815 B1 EP 0041815B1 EP 81302427 A EP81302427 A EP 81302427A EP 81302427 A EP81302427 A EP 81302427A EP 0041815 B1 EP0041815 B1 EP 0041815B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wire
connector
wires
connectors
terminals
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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.)
Expired
Application number
EP81302427A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0041815A1 (fr
Inventor
Daniel Baker Grubb
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TE Connectivity Corp
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AMP Inc
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Priority to AT81302427T priority Critical patent/ATE9423T1/de
Publication of EP0041815A1 publication Critical patent/EP0041815A1/fr
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Publication of EP0041815B1 publication Critical patent/EP0041815B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • H01R43/01—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for connecting unstripped conductors to contact members having insulation cutting edges

Definitions

  • apparatus for serially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies each comprising first and second electrical connectors each having at least one row of electrical terminals therein, each terminal having a wire-receiving portion, an end of a wire being received in the wire-receiving portion of each terminal; the apparatus comprising, a wire insertion zone having first and second wire insertion stations; first and second connector locating means for locating a first and a second connector at the respective stations in parallel aligned relationship, with the wire-receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in endwise alignment; first and second wire insertion tooling assemblies each comprising wire inserters which are normally spaced from the first and second connector locating means, and which are movable relatively there towards to move the wires towards the connector locating means and into the wire receiving portions of the terminals; and wire severing means between the first and second insertion tooling assemblies for severing the wires at positions between the first and second connector locating means.
  • harness assemblies each comprising two connectors which can be mated with one another, each connector having a single row of terminals and being terminated to an individual array of wires.
  • the use of the known apparatus for producing harness assemblies each comprising a plurality of connectors terminated to a common array of wires would involve the performance of further manual operations.
  • the present invention is directed to the achievement of a reduction in the number of manual operations required in the manufacture of such harness assemblies, as well as to the provision of harness manufacturing apparatus which can readily be adapted for use with connectors having two superposed rows of terminals; and to a method of producing most economically, harness assemblies comprising such connectors.
  • apparatus as defined in the first paragraph of this specification is characterised in that for producing harness assemblies in which one end of each wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the first connector and the other end of the wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the second connector; the apparatus comprises wire positioning and retaining means in the insertion zone for locating a plurality of wires substantially in a common plane with the wires in lateral alignment with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the first and second connectors when these are positioned in the respective first and second connector locating means, the wire positioning and retaining means being effective realeasably to retain the wires until they are moved by the wire inserters towards the connector locating means; and by means for feeding the wires along a wire feed path from wire sources into the wire insertion zone, with the wires located in lateral alignment with the wire receiving portions, by the wire positioning and retaining means.
  • the wire positioning and retaining means are arranged to locate the wires in two substantially parallel planes, one on either side of the connector locating means, the wire insertion tooling assemblies comprising similar tooling positioned on either side of the connector locating means, for inserting the wires in the two planes, simultaneously into the wire receiving portions of all the terminals, and the wire severing means comprising tooling for severing the wires in each plane.
  • a method of serially manufacturing electrical harness assemblies each comprising first and second electrical connectors each having at least one row of electrical terminals therein, each terminal having a wire receiving portion, an end of a wire being received in the wire receiving portion of each terminal; in which method; the first and second connectors are positioned in a wire insertion zone with the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the connectors in endwise alignment with one another; the wires are placed in the insertion zone so that each wire is in lateral alignment with a wire receiving portion of each connector; the wires are moved laterally of their longitudinal axes towards the connectors to insert each wire into the wire receiving portions with which it is in lateral alignment; and the connectors are subsequently removed from the wire insertion zone; is characterised in that for producing harness assemblies, in which each connector has two parallel superposed rows of terminals, the wire receiving portions of the terminals of the two rows opening in opposite directions, and in which one end of each wire is received in a wire receiving portion of a terminal of the first connector and the other end
  • the apparatus and the method of the invention can be employed to manufacture harness assemblies each comprising more than two connectors.
  • Electrical harness assemblies 2 are produced in a manner illustrated in Figures 3 to 6 which show only some parts of harness making apparatus.
  • a harness assembly 2 (best seen in Figure 2) comprises first and second identical electrical connectors 4 and 6 each having an insulating housing 8 with a forward mating end 10, a rearward end 12, top and bottom (as seen in Figure 2) side walls 14 and 16, and laterally facing end walls 18.
  • Each housing 8 contains a plurality of electrical terminals 20 each having an elongate, wire receiving, rearward end portion 21 connected to a wire 22.
  • the portions 21 are arranged to receive the wires 22 upon movement thereof into the portions 21, laterally of the longitudinal axes of the wires 22, to establish electrical contact with the electrically conductive cores of the wires 22.
  • the connectors 4 and 6, which are shown by way of example, are as described in US-A--4 243 288.
  • the terminals 20 are arranged in two parallel superposed rows 24 and 26 in stalls 19 opening into the side wails 14 and 16, the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20 of the two rows opening in opposite directions.
  • Two rows of wires 22 can be connected to the terminals 20 by locating each wire in alignment with the portion 21 of a terminal 20 with the housings 8 positioned between the two rows of wires 22 and moving the wires 22 towards the portions 21.
  • the wires 22 extend from wire spools (not shown) through a wire insertion zone generally referenced 222, with the wires 22 arranged in two rows in substantially parallel, spaced planes as shown in Figure 3.
  • a connector 4' (identical with the connectors 4 and 6) was applied to the leading ends of the wires 22 during the next preceding operating cycle of the apparatus.
  • first and second wire insertion stations 224 and 224' disposed between a ram of a press (described below) and a lower arm of the press.
  • An unwired first connector 4 is now positioned in the first station 224, an unwired second connector 6 being positioned in the second station 224'.
  • the connectors 4 and 6 are located between the two substantially parallel planes in which the wires 22 lie, with the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20 in the two connectors 4 and 6 in endwise alignment with each other and in lateral alignment with the wires 22.
  • Insertion tooling is then brought into engagement with the wires 22 as shown in Figure 4, to insert each wire into a respective portion 21 of a terminal 20 of each connector 4 and 6 and each wire 22 is severed at two positions between the connectors 4 and 6, so as to remove scrap sections of wire which extend therebetween.
  • the insertion tooling is then disengaged from the connectors 4 and 6 ( Figure 5) and a completed harness assembly 2, comprising the connectors 4' and 6, is removed from the apparatus ( Figure 6).
  • the connector 4 is then advanced through the insertion zone 222 until the desired amount of wire has been drawn from the wire spools.
  • the wires 22 are maintained in the said two spaced planes so that during the next cycle of operation of the apparatus, a further connector 4 and 6 can be located between these planes.
  • the press mentioned above comprises a C-shaped press frame 30 having upper and lower arms 32 and 34 ( Figures 7 and 8) extending from a neck portion 35 thereof.
  • the frame 30 is mounted on a base plate 36 supported on a bench (not shown).
  • a ram assembly generally referenced 38 ( Figures 7 and 8), mounted on the upper arm 32, is movable in reciprocating motion towards and away from the lower arm 34.
  • the assembly 38 comprises side plates 40 and 40' which are disposed, as shown in Figure 8, against the sides of the arm 32, and braces 42 which extend across the upper surface of the arm 32 and are secured to the side plates 40 and 40' by means of bolts 43.
  • a tooling support plate 44 is bolted to the lower edges of the side plates 40 and 40' beneath the arm 32, return springs 48 being interposed between the upper surface of the arm 32 and the braces 42 to bias the ram assembly 38 towards a raised position.
  • the assembly 38 is depressed through a working stroke by means of an hydraulic piston-and-cylinder device comprising a piston 50 in a cylinder 52 drilled in the arm 32 and closed by a cylinder head 54.
  • the piston 50 is secured to the tooling support plate 44 and is depressed from its position of Figure 7 when hydraulic fluid is introduced into the cylinder 50 through a port 56 at the end of a passageway 58.
  • the passageway 58 extends, as shown in Figure 7, through the press frame 30 to an hydraulic liquid reservoir 60 that extends to the upper surface of the frame 30.
  • a pneumatic cylinder 62 mounted on the frame 30 has therein a piston 66 from which extends a piston rod 64 which is dimensioned to enter the reservoir 60.
  • the upper tooling assembly 70 comprises stacked, tooling members comprising a wire shearing plate 82, a comb-like wire separator plate 84, wire inserter plates 86 and 88, wire retainer plates 90 and 92 and a comb-like wire positioning plate 94.
  • the parts of the tooling assembly 70' bear the same reference numerals as those of the tooling assembly 70 but with the addition of a 'prime' symbol, and are similarly stacked.
  • stacks of tooling members are mounted against respective side surfaces 80 and 80' of a tooling mounting block 74 having lateral flanges 76 and 76' overhanging the stacks of tooling members, the stacks being secured to the block 74 by fasteners 72 and 72' (best seen in Figure 7) which extend through aligned openings 96 and 96' in some, but not all, of the tooling members. Since the tooling assembly 70' is identical with the tooling assembly 70 the tooling assembly 70' will not be further described.
  • the wire shearing plate 82 has spaced teeth 98 extending from its lower edge, the right hand (as seen in Figure 11) edges 97 of these teeth acting as movable shearing edges in co-operation with fixed shearing edges described below.
  • the wire separator plate 84 is in the form of narrow bar having notches extending upwardly from its lower edge to define spaced teeth 100 for locating the wires 22 between them.
  • the inserter plates 86 and 88 have teeth 102 and 104, respectively, for inserting the wires 22 into the portions 21 of the terminals 20.
  • the shearing plate 82 is immovably mounted against the surface 80, while the separator plate 84 is slidably disposed in a groove 110 extending across the adjacent face of inserter plate 86.
  • Vertically extending, lateral recesses 108 in the plate 86 receive vertical guides 106 on the plate 84 which is urged downwardly to the limit of its movement in the groove 110 by means of helical springs 112 which bear against the upper edge of the plate 84 and against the underside of the flange 86 of the block 74. Clearance for the springs 112 is provided by channels 116 and 114, in the plates 82 and 86, respectively.
  • the wire retainer plates 90 and 92 cooperate with one another to provide releasable retaining means for the wires 22 prior to the wires being inserted into the terminals 20.
  • the plates 90 and 92 are positioned against each other, being held in a recess 118 in a side face 120 of the wire positioning plate 94.
  • the plates 90 and 92 have notches 122 and 124, respectively, in their upper edges, receiving a helical spring 126 (as shown in Figure 13), the notches 122 and 124 being offset from one another so that the spring 126 biasses the plate 92 rightwardly and the plate 90 leftwardly; as seen in Figure 13.
  • the spring 126 is provided with clearance in the face 120 of the plate 94 by virtue of a recess 128 therein.
  • wire receiving notches 127 and 129 are formed in the lower edges of the wire retainer plates 90 and 92, respectively.
  • the plate 90 has wire retaining ears 131 which extend laterally rightwardly (as seen in Figure 12) at the entrance to each notch 127 while the plate 92 has laterally leftwardly (as seen in Figure 12) extending wire retaining ears 131' at the entrance to each notch 129.
  • the ears 131 and 131' thus form constricted entrances 133 to the notches 127 and 129, the width of each entrance 133 being substantially less than the diameter of a wire 22.
  • the wires 22 can be pushed out of the notches 127 and 129 when the entrances 133 to these notches are enlarged by relatively moving the wire retainer plates 90 and 92 lengthwise and in opposite directions so that the ears 131 and 131' are moved away from one another.
  • the plates 90 and 92 are caused to be so moved by cam surfaces on fixed, plate aligning blocks 138 and 140 ( Figure 1) described below.
  • the upper tooling assemblies 70 and 70' are depressed, the side edges of the plates 90 and 92 engage the cam surfaces of the blocks 138 and 140, which surfaces cause the plates 90 and 92 to move relatively in opposite directions, as mentioned above.
  • the notches 127 and 129 are opened up to allow the wires 22 to be moved into the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20.
  • the plates 90' and 92' are similarly controlled by fixed, plate aligning blocks 138' and 140' ( Figure 7) and the corresponding plates of the lower tooling assemblies are similarly controlled by fixed, plate aligning blocks 148 and 150, and 148' and 150' ( Figures 14 and 15).
  • the wire locating plate 94 has notches 130 extending upwardly from its lower edge 132 (as best seen in Figures 11 and 12), for locating the wires 22 on the wire entry side of the tooling assembly 70.
  • the plate 94 is spring loaded by means of springs 135 extending into openings in the flange 76 of the tooling mounting block 74 as shown in Figure 10.
  • the upper tooling assemblies 70 and 70' and the block 74 are retained against the support plate 44 by virtue of inwardly directed lower ends 78 and 78' ( Figure 9) of the side plates 40 and 40', which ends extend under the downwardly facing surfaces of the flanges 76 and 76' of the block 74.
  • Retaining plates 134 are fastened by screws 136 against the front and rear surfaces of the flanges 76 and 76' and overlap the side edges of the side plates 40 and 40' as best seen in Figure 7.
  • the aligning blocks 138 and 138', and 140 and 140' are fastened to the lateral edges of the side plates 40 and 40', and also act as guides for a slide which is described below and which is arranged to move into the insertion zone 222 beneath the upper insertion tooling assemblies 70 and 70'.
  • the tooling assemblies 142 and 142' are mounted on a lower tooling mounting block 144 (as best seen in Figure 9) which is similar to the mounting block 74 and which is in turn supported on the lower arm 34 of the press frame 30.
  • a lower tooling mounting block 144 (as best seen in Figure 9) which is similar to the mounting block 74 and which is in turn supported on the lower arm 34 of the press frame 30.
  • fixed lower side plates 146 and 146' are provided for the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142', respectively, and serve the same purpose as the side plates 40 and 40'.
  • the first and second connectors 4 and 6 are positioned in the wire insertion zone 222 and are located between the upper and lower tooling assemblies by means of a connector feed slide (an overall view of which is shown in Figure 1), generally referenced 152, which is movable from a connector loading position ( Figure 14) to a connector locating position ( Figure 15) in which latter position it locates the connectors 4 and 6 in the insertion zone 222.
  • a connector feed slide an overall view of which is shown in Figure 1
  • Figure 14 a connector loading position
  • Figure 15 connector locating position
  • the slide 1 52 has connector receiving slots 154 and 154' in its sides, which receive the connectors 4 and 6 (as best seen in Figures 9 and 16).
  • the mating ends 10 of the connectors 4 and 6 are positioned in the slots 1 54 154', respectively, so that a portion of each connector housing 8 adjacent to its mating end 10 is received in the slot, and the rearward portion of the connector 4 or 6 extends from the slot 154 or 154' so that wires 22 can be inserted into the wire receiving portions 21 of the terminals 20 in each of the rows 24 and 26.
  • the connectors 4 and 6 must be precisely located in the slots 154 and 1 54' that the wire receiving portions 21 are in alignment with the wires 22 in the insertion zone 222 when the slide 1 52 is advanced to its inner ( Figure 15) position.
  • precise location of the connectors 4 and 6 is achieved by means of stops 155 ( Figure 3) secured by fasteners in the slots 154 and 154', respectively.
  • the slide 152 is slidably supported (as best seen in Figure 1) in a recess 153 in the upper surface 158 of a slide support 156 which extends laterally from the insertion zone 222.
  • the slide support 156 has a depending flange 160 at its inner end adjacent to the insertion zone 222, which flange is contained between ears 162 and 162' ( Figures 8 and 10) which extend from the side plates 146 and 146'.
  • the flange 160 is slidably contained between the ears 162 and 162' by a front cover plate 164 ( Figure 7), springs 166 acting between the lower end of the flange 1 60 and the base plate 36.
  • the slide support 156 can thus be resiliently depressed while the wires 22 are being inserted into the portions 21 of the terminals 20, the connectors 4 and 6 on the slide 152 being thereby moved downwardly towards the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142'.
  • a guide 168 (best seen in Figure 1) is mounted on the upper surface 158 of the slide support 156, to guide the slide 152 into the insertion zone 222. When the ram assembly 38 is depressed, the guide 168 is engaged by the tooling support plate 44 thereby depressing the slide support 156.
  • the connectors 4 and 6 are lightly held in the slots 154 by means of retaining fingers 170 and 170' which are mounted on pivot pins 172 and 182' (as best seen in Figures 14 and 15) in a cover 178 movable with the slide 152.
  • the fingers 170 and 170' which extend along each side of the slide 152, terminate in handles 174 and 174' beyond the outer end of the slide support 156.
  • the fingers 170 and 170' are biased by means of springs 176, towards the sides of the slide 152, i.e. towards their position of Figure 14, so that they bear against the connectors 4 and 6.
  • the connectors 4 and 6 should not be so firmly clamped by the fingers 170 and 170', that the slide 152 cannot move away from the insertion zone 222 (i.e. from the position of Figure 15 to that of Figure 14) after the wires 22 have been inserted into the portions 21 of the terminals 20, without dragging the connectors laterally from the insertion zone 222.
  • the springs 176, as well as the pivot pins 172 and 172', are contained in the cover 178, which is slidably mounted on the slide support 156.
  • the cover 178 has side portions which depend beyond the sides of the slide support 156 and which have inwardly turned ears 180 (Figure 1) on their ends, to retain the slide 152 and the cover 178 on the upper surface of the slide support 156.
  • a switch 182 (best seen in Figure 7) mounted against the underside of the slide support 156, has a switch arm 184 on the end of which is a roller 186 which is engaged by an actuator block 188 in the slide 152 when it is in the position of Figures 7 and 14. As explained below the switch 182 controls a piston-and-cylinder unit 204 for advancing the first connector 4 from the insertion zone 222.
  • the leading end 190 of the slide 152 is of reduced width as shown in Figure 14, and moves between the aligning bars 150 and 1 50', when the slide 152 is in its position of Figure 15.
  • the bars 150 and 150' serve, in co-operation with the leading end 190, to align the slide 152 and the connectors 4 and 6 therein, with the wires 22 prior to the movement of the tooling assemblies 70 and 70' towards the connectors 4 and 6.
  • its leading end 190 moves over a support member 194 and finally engages a switch button 192 of a switch (not shown) mounted in the neck portion 35 of the press frame 30.
  • the member 194 is supported on a spring 195 so as to be depressable against the action thereof as the slide 152 moves downwardly as described below.
  • the switch must be actuated in order to initiate an operating cycle of the apparatus.
  • the wires 22 extend from the spools, mentioned above, to a wire guide assembly 196 ( Figure 1) which serves to locate the wires 22 in the spaced substantially parallel planes mentioned above.
  • the wires 22 are precisely located in their spaced planes by the comb-like wire positioning plates 94 and 94' and by the wire retainer plates 90 and 92, and 90 and 90', in the insertion zone 222.
  • the wire guide assembly 196 comprises a rectangular frame 198 having vertical side members which are slidably supported in spaced supports 200 on the base plate 36.
  • the frame 198 is biased upwardly by springs 208 and is attached to the slide support 156 by a connecting arm 206 so that the frame 198 is moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 when the slide support 156 moves downwardly.
  • the frame 198 has a central plate 202 extending thereacross, and upon which is mounted a pneumatic piston-and-cylinder unit 204.
  • the piston rod (not shown) of the unit 204 is connected to a horizontal wire guide plate 212 (as shown in Figure 9), which is moved towards the insertion zone 222 when the piston of the unit 204 is advanced.
  • the wires 22 are guided between vertically extending rods 210 ( Figure 1) in the frame 198, a light pressure being imposed on the wires 22 by pressure bars 211 loaded by springs on the rods 210.
  • the wires 22 extend across the upper and lower surfaces, (as seen in Figure 9) of the guide plate 212 and into spaced grooves (Figure 1) in the surface of upper and lower wire locating plates 214 and 216.
  • the plates 214 and 216 extend beyond the outer end of the guide plate 212 so that a pocket 220 is provided which is dimensioned to receive the rearward end 12 of a connector 4 and carry that connector through the insertion zone 222 rightwardly (as seen in Figure 10).
  • the wires 22 extend, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, across the upper and lower surfaces of the guide plate 212 through the grooves in the upper and lower wire locating plates 214 and 216 and through the insertion zone 222 of the apparatus.
  • the wires 22 in the upper plane of wires are precisely located in the insertion zone 222 by means of the wire positioning plates 94 and 94', by the wire retainer plates 90 and 92 and 90' and 92' and by the wire separator plates 84 and 84'.
  • the wires 22 in the lower plane of wires are similarly located by the corresponding plates of the lower tooling assemblies 142 and 142'.
  • the slide 152 is in its inner, advanced, position, connectors 4 and 6 being releasably held in the recesses 154 and 154' in the slide 152.
  • the wires 22 extend beyond the insertion zone 222, their ends being connected to a connector 4' which was applied thereto during the previous operating cycle of the apparatus.
  • the ram assembly 38 is then moved through a return stroke to its raised position, by relieving the hydraulic liquid pressure in the cylinder of the unit 52, and the slide 152 is manually withdrawn from the insertion zone 222; i.e. the slide 152 is returned from the position of Figure 15 to that of Figure 14.
  • the connectors 4 and 6 do not travel with the slide 152, and the fingers 170 and 170' slide over the rearward ends 12 of the connectors 4 and 6.
  • a finished harness sub-assembly comprising a connector 6 applied to the wires 22 during the operating cycle under discussion, and a connector 4' applied to the wires 22 during the next previous operating cycle is removed from the apparatus, leaving the connector 4 in the insertion zone 222.
  • the unit 204 is now energised to advance the wire guide plate 212 from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 10.
  • the connector 4 is received into the pocket 220 and is carried rightwardly to the position of Figure 10, thereby withdrawing further supplies of the wires 22 from their spools.
  • the operator grasps the connector 4 and pulls it further rightwardly, until, as shown in broken lines in Figure 10, the desired supply of wire has been withdrawn from the spools.
  • the wires 22 are meanwhile guided by the guide assembly 196 and by the inserting tooling assemblies 170 and 170', the wires 22 being maintained in the notches 127 and 129 by virtue of the restricted entrances 133 of these notches in the wire retainer plates 90 and 92.
  • the operator next loads the slide 152 with a further connector 4 and 6 by positioning them in the recesses 154 and 154' of the slide 152, after pressing the handles 174 and 174' towards one another.
  • the slide 152 is then moved to the position of Figure 15 and the entire cycle of operation is repeated.
  • a pedal switch is provided, in the present embodiment, to actuate the control circuit of the apparatus to initiate an operating cycle thereof.
  • the control circuit should be such that the switch button 192 is held in a depressed condition by the leading end 190 of the slide 152 before the unit 62 is placed under pressure.
  • the switch provided with the switch button 192 thus serves to ensure that the ram assembly 38 is not moved through its working stroke until the slide 152 has moved fully to its inner position ( Figure 15) and the connectors 4 and 6 carried by the slide 1 52 are properly positioned relative to the wires 22.
  • the switch button 192 thus ensures that the tooling of the insertion tooling assemblies is not damaged as a result of its being lowered when the slide 152 has not been fully advanced into the insertion zone 222.
  • the switch arm 184 must be depressed before the unit 204 is placed under pressure, and the switch arm 184 is depressed by the actuator block 188 when the slide 152 has been moved to its fully retracted, outer, position.
  • the switch 182 thus serves to ensure that the apparatus is not jammed or damaged by premature movement of the wire retainer plates 90, 92 and 90' and 92' into the insertion zone 222.
  • the harness assembly shown in Figure 2 consists of two eight-way connectors, one at each end of the wires 222. It will be understood, however, that many types of harnesses or harness assemblies can be produced by the practice of the invention.
  • a plurality of connectors can be positioned in each of the insertion stations during each operating cycle of the apparatus to produce a wide variety of harness assemblies.
  • Figure 17 shows a harness assembly 250 comprising a longer connector 228 to which is connected a plurality of shorter connectors 230 by means of wires 22.
  • the connector 228 may, for example, comprise forty terminals arranged in two rows of twenty terminals each, each of the connectors 230 having eight terminals therein.
  • the wires extending between the connectors 230 and the connectors 228 are of varying lengths.
  • a harness of this type is frequently used, when for example, it is desired to provide connections between a junction box and a plurality of components or other devices which are at varying distances from the junction box.
  • the harness shown in Figure 17 can be produced in the following manner.
  • a plurality of the eight-way connectors 230 are positioned in the first insertion station 224 and a single connector 228 is positioned in a second insertion station 224', at the beginning of the operating cycle.
  • the individual connectors 230 are advanced after wiring, by different distances from the first insertion station, through the apparatus and beyond the insertion zone.
  • the cycle of operation is then repeated by placing a single connector 228 in the first insertion station and a plurality of connectors 230 in the second insertion station.
  • the apparatus may, however, be adapted for use with connectors (not shown) comprising only one row of terminals in which case the lower tooling described above is not required.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Branch Pipes, Bends, And The Like (AREA)
  • Heating, Cooling, Or Curing Plastics Or The Like In General (AREA)
  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Insulated Conductors (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)

Claims (10)

1. Appareil pour fabriquer en série des ensembles de harnais électriques (2 ou 250) comprenant chacun des premier et second connecteurs électriques (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) contenant chacun au moins une rangée de bornes électriques (20), chaque borne (20) comportant une partie (21) de réception d'un fil, une extrémité d'un fil (22) étant reçue dans la partie (21) de réception de fil de chaque borne (20); l'appareil comprenent: une zone (222) d'insertion de fils comportant des premier et second postes (222 et 224') d'insertion de fils; des premier et second moyens (154 et 154') de positionnement de premier (4 ou 228) et second (6 ou 230) connecteurs dans les postes respectifs (222 et 224'), en alignement parallèle, les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20) des connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230) étant en alignement bout à bout; des premier et second ensembles d'outillages (70 et 70') d'insertion de fils comprenant chacun des organes (86 et 86') d'insertion de fils qui sont normalement espacés des premier et second moyens (154 et 154') de positionnement des connectures, et qui peuvent en être rapprochés pour déplacer les fils (22) vers les moyens (154' et 154) de positionnement des connecteurs et leas faire pénétrer dans les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20); et des moyens (82 et 82') de sectionnnement des fils entre les premier et second ensembles d'outillages d'insertion (70 et 70'), destinés à sectionner les fils (22) dans des positions comprises entre les premier et second moyens (154 et 154') de positionnement des connecteurs; caractérisé en ce que, pour produire des ensembles de harnais (2 ou 250) dans lesquels une première extrémité de chaque fil (22) est reçue dans une partie (21) de réception de fil d'une borne (20) du premier connecteur (4 ou 228) et l'autre extrémité du fil (22) est reçue dans une partie (21) de réception de fil d'une borne (20) du second connecteur (6 ou 230), l'appareil comprend des moyens de positionnement et de retenue de fils (90, 92, 94 et 90', 92', 94') situés dans la zone (222) d'insertion pour positionner plusieurs fils (22) sensiblement dans un plan commun, les fils (22) étant en alignement latéral avec les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20) des premier et second connecteurs (4 et 6; ou 228 et 230) lorsque ceux-ci sont positionnés dans les premier et second moyens respectifs (154 et 154') de positionnement de connecteurs, les moyens de positionnement et de retenue de fils (90, 92, 94 et 90', 92', 94') pouvant retenir de manière libérable les fils (22) jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient déplacés par les organes (86 et 86') d'insertion de fils vers les moyens (154, 154') de positionnement de connecteurs; et par des moyens (196, 204) destinés à faire avancer les fils le long d'un trajet (22) d'avance des fils, à partir de sources de fils jusque dans la zone (222) d'insertion des fils, les fils étant placés en alignement latéral avec les parties (21) de réception de fils par les moyens de positionnement et de retenue des fils (90, 92, 94 et 90', 92', 94').
2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé par des moyens (212) destinés à pousser le premier connecteur (4 ou 228) de la position dans laquelle il est placé par les moyens (154') de positionnement du premier connecteur, hors de la zone (222) d'insertion, dans la direction dans laquelle les fils (22) sont avancés par les moyens (196,204) d'avance des fils, lorsque les fils (22) ont été insérés dans les bornes (20) du premier connecteur (4 ou 228).
3. Appareil selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de poussée (212), qui sont mobiles parallèlement au trajet d'avance des fils, vers l'intérieur de la zone (222) d'insertion, comportent des guide-fils (214 et 216) destinés à guider les fils (22) des sources de fils vers les moyens (90, 92, 94 et 90', 92', 94') de positionnement et de retenue des fils pendant le mouvement du premier connecteur (4 ou 228) vers l'extérieur de la zone d'insertion (222).
4. Appareil selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce que, pour produire des harnais électriques (2 ou 250) dans lesquels chaque connecteur (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) comporte deux rangées superposées et parallèles (24 et 26) de bornes (20), les parties (21) de réception des files des bornes (20) des rangées (24 et 26) s'ouvrant dans des directions opposées, les moyens (90, 92, 94, 90', 92', 142 et 142') de positionnement et de retenue des fils sont agencés pour placer les fils (22) dans deux plans sensiblement parallèles, situés chacun sur un côté des moyens (154', 154) de positionnement des connecteurs, les ensembles d'outillages d'insertion de fils (70, 70' et 142, 142') comprenant des outillages similaires positionnés de chaque côté des moyens (154, 154') de positionnement des connecteurs, afin d'insérer les fils (22) dans les deux plans, simultanément dans les parties (21) de réception de fils de toutes les bornes (20), et les moyens (82, 82' et 142, 142') de sectionnement des fils comprenant un outillage destiné à sectionner les fils (22) dans chaque plan.
5. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé par un coulisseau de chargement de connecteurs (152) mobile le long d'un trajet de chargement de connecteurs s'étendant transversalement au trajet d'avance des fils, les premier et second moyens de positionnement (154' et 154) des connecteurs étant situés dans le coulisseau (152), à distance l'un de l'autre dans la direction transversale à la course de ce coulisseau, le coulisseau (152) étant mobile le long du trajet de chargement de connecteurs, entre une position de chargement de connecteurs dans laquelle les moyens (154' et 154) de positionnement des connecteurs sont retirés de la zone (222) d'insertion de fils et une position d'insertion de fils dans laquelle les moyens (154' et 154) de positionnement des connecteurs sont alignés avec l'outillage d'insertion de fils (70, 70' et/ou 142, 142') pour l'insertion des fils (22) dans les connecteurs (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) lorsque ceux-ci sont positionnés dans les moyens (154' et 154) de positionnement des connecteurs.
6. Appareil selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de positionnement des connecteurs comprennent des ouvertures (154' et 154) de réception de connecteurs ménagées dans des côtés opposés du coulisseau (152), les connecteurs (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) étant retenus de manière libérable dans les ouvertures (154' et 154) par des doigts (170 et 170') montés sur des pivots (172, 172') qui sont mobiles avec le coulisseau (152).
7. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de sectionnement des fils comprennent une plaque (82 et 82') de cisaillage des fils proche de chacun des premier et second ensembles d'outillages d'insertion de fils (70 et 70' et 142, 142'), une plaque (84 ou 84') de séparation de fils, analogue à peigne, chargée par un ressort, étant reçues entre chaque plaque de cisaillage (82 ou 82') et une plaque adjacente (82 ou 82') d'insertion de fils.
8. Procédé de fabrication en série d'ensembles de harnais électriques (2 ou 250) comprenant chacun des premier et second connecteurs électriques (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) contenant chacun au moins une rangée de bornes électriques (20), chaque borne (20) ayant une partie (21) de réception de fils, une extrémité d'un fil (22) étant reçue dans la partie (21) de réception de fils de chaque borne (20); procédé dans lequel: les premier et second connecteurs (4 et 6, ou 228 et 230) sont positionnés dans une zone (222) d'insertion de fils de manière que les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20) des connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230) soient en alignement bout à bout les unes avec les autres; les fils (22) sont placés dans la zone (222) d'insertion de manière que chaque fil (22) soit en alignement latéral avec une partie (21) de réception de fils de chaque connecteur (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230); les fils (22) sont déplacés latéralement à leur axe longitudinal, vers les connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230), afin que chaque fil (22) soit inséré dans la partie (21) de réception de fils avec laquelle il est en alignement latéral; et les connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230) sont ensuite retirés de la zone (222) d'insertion de fils; caractérisé en ce que, pour produire des ensembles de harnais (2 ou 250), dans lesquels chaque connecteur (4 ou 6 ou 228 et 230) présente deux rangées parallèles et superposées (24 et 26) de bornes (20), les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20) des deux rangées (24 et 26) s'ouvrant dans des directions opposées, et dans lesquels une première extrémité de chaque fil (22) est reçue dans une partie (21) de réception de fil d'une borne (20) du premier connecteur (4 ou 228) et l'autre extrémité du fil (22) est reçue dans une partie (21) de réception de fil d'une borne (20) du second connecteur (6 ou 230), les fils (22) sont avancés à partir de sources de fils le long d'un trajet d'avance de fils dans deux plans sensiblement parallèles, espacés, le trajet d'avance s'étendant à travers et au-delà de la zone (222) d'insertion des fils, et les connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230) sont ensuite positionnés dans la zone (222) d'insertion afin de s'étendre entre les plans, chaque partie (21) de réception de fils étant ouverte vers l'un des fils (22) et le second connecteur (6 ou 230) étant positionné en aval, le long du trajet d'avance des fils, par rapport au premier connecteur (4 ou 228), le second connecteur (6 ou 230) étant retiré de la zone (222) d'insertion, après l'insertion des fils (22) dans les parties (21) de réception de fils et le sectionnement des fils (22), et le premier connecteur (4 ou 228) étant ensuite déplacé le long du trajet d'insertion des fils, en passant par la zone (222) d'insertion de fils, jusqu'à une position prédéterminée au-delà de cette zone, tandis que les fils (22) sont maintenus dans leurs deux plans, après quoi d'autres premier et second connecteurs (4 et 6 ou 228 et 230) sont positionnés dans la zone d'insertion et les fils (22) sont insérés dans les parties (21) de réception de fils des bornes (20) des connecteurs de la manière précitée.
9. Procédé selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que chaque fil (22) est sectionné à proximité immédiate de chaque partie (21) de réception de fils dans laquelle il a été inséré.
10. Procédé selon la revendication 8 ou 9, caractérisé en ce que le premier connecteur (4 ou 228) est déplacé le long du trajet d'avance, à travers, et au-delà de, la zone (222) d'insertion, par poussée du premier connecteur (4 ou 228).
EP81302427A 1980-06-09 1981-06-02 Appareil et méthode pour fabriquer des pièces de harnais de câbles en série Expired EP0041815B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT81302427T ATE9423T1 (de) 1980-06-09 1981-06-02 Vorrichtung und verfahren zum serienmaessigen herstellen elektrischer kabelbaumstuecke.

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US15769280A 1980-06-09 1980-06-09
US157692 1980-06-09

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EP0041815A1 EP0041815A1 (fr) 1981-12-16
EP0041815B1 true EP0041815B1 (fr) 1984-09-12

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EP (1) EP0041815B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS5725612A (fr)
AT (1) ATE9423T1 (fr)
BR (1) BR8103549A (fr)
CA (1) CA1167626A (fr)
DE (1) DE3165980D1 (fr)
ES (1) ES8204242A1 (fr)

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DE29517601U1 (de) * 1995-11-07 1996-01-04 Stocko Metallwarenfabriken Henkels Und Sohn Gmbh & Co, 42327 Wuppertal Artikelpositionierer

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US4590650A (en) * 1984-02-27 1986-05-27 Molex Incorporated Electrical harness fabrication machine
GB8429512D0 (en) * 1984-11-22 1985-01-03 Molex Inc Assembling electrical harnesses
EP0216464B1 (fr) * 1985-09-20 1992-09-09 Molex Incorporated Procédé et dispositif pour la fabrication d'un peigne de câble électrique
JP2900342B2 (ja) * 1988-12-27 1999-06-02 矢崎総業株式会社 フラットワイヤハーネスの製造方法および装置
JP3209444B2 (ja) * 1992-04-07 2001-09-17 タイコエレクトロニクスアンプ株式会社 電気コネクタ用結線装置
JP6176744B2 (ja) * 2014-09-30 2017-08-09 矢崎総業株式会社 ワイヤハーネス製造装置及びワイヤハーネス製造方法
CN110034479B (zh) * 2019-03-20 2024-04-19 富加宜连接器（东莞）有限公司 一种长短花针的通用型连接器插针装置
CN112993711B (zh) * 2021-02-26 2023-01-06 广东亚泰科技有限公司 导线装置及线束加工设备
CN113241572B (zh) * 2021-05-10 2022-06-24 东莞市新波特电气有限公司 一种线束组装设备

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US3999270A (en) * 1975-02-13 1976-12-28 Trw Inc. Wire insertion apparatus
US4043017A (en) * 1976-02-11 1977-08-23 Amp Incorporated Apparatus for inserting wires into terminals and for manufacturing electrical harnesses
US4043034A (en) * 1976-04-26 1977-08-23 Amp Incorporated Method and apparatus for connecting conductors to terminals in connectors

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29517601U1 (de) * 1995-11-07 1996-01-04 Stocko Metallwarenfabriken Henkels Und Sohn Gmbh & Co, 42327 Wuppertal Artikelpositionierer

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Publication number Publication date
BR8103549A (pt) 1982-03-30
DE3165980D1 (en) 1984-10-18
ATE9423T1 (de) 1984-09-15
CA1167626A (fr) 1984-05-22
ES502844A0 (es) 1982-04-01
JPS5725612A (en) 1982-02-10
EP0041815A1 (fr) 1981-12-16
JPS6355726B2 (fr) 1988-11-04
ES8204242A1 (es) 1982-04-01

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