EP0462923B1 - Device for applying soft-elastic grommets on electric cable ends - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for applying soft-elastic sealing grommets to electrical cable ends, in particular for moisture-protected plug elements or the like. Such a device according to the features of the preamble of claim 1 has become known from EP-A-0 159 006.

In the known device described above, an oscillating conveyor designed as a sorting conveyor conveys sealing spouts upward in a helical shape. The longitudinal center axes (axes of rotation) of the spouts have an approximately vertical position. When the grommets have reached their uppermost conveying position, they are moved in the vertical position of their longitudinal central axes via a horizontal rigid conveying trough to a point at which they are passed on to a baking tool by a quite complex conveying device and finally pushed onto the cable ends. Namely, the conveyor device forms a relatively complicated mandrel device at the aforementioned location, which picks up each spout and then, after a rotation of approximately 90 °, transfers it to a horizontal position. In this horizontal position, the spout is taken over by another component of the conveying device, namely by a swivel device with a receiving pin, which can be moved together with the spout into the movement path of an axially reciprocating turnstile-like device. The turnstile arms are at the free ends provided with baking tools, the top one of which can be pushed over the grommet held by the swiveling mounting pin. After the turnstile is initially moved back axially, the grommet held by the baking tool finally reaches the horizontal mounting position of its longitudinal central axis after a cyclical rotation through a total of 180 °, in which it is aligned with the cable end coaxially.

The device known from EP-A-0 159 006 is perceived to be in need of improvement because of its complicated, complex and more prone to malfunctioning construction.

Proceeding from the known device described above, the object on which the invention is based is to develop a device which, with a simpler design, allows both adequate reliability and rapid operation.

According to the characterizing features of claim 1, this object is achieved in that the sleeve tool and / or the centering mandrel also form the means of the conveying device, which move the respective grommet into the horizontal mounting position of its longitudinal central axis, in which the grommet of a coaxial, the temporary centering receptacle of the line end serving sleeve tool and / or is received by a centering mandrel, and wherein the sleeve tool and / or the centering mandrel simultaneously form the means of the conveying device, which transfer the spout to the baking tool.

According to the features according to the invention, either the sleeve tool and / or the centering mandrel not only serve to convert the spout, which is initially in its vertical position of its longitudinal axis, into a horizontal position. Rather, according to the invention, the sleeve tool and / or the centering mandrel also serve to form a total of a conveying device which puts each spout in the horizontal mounting position of its longitudinal central axis and transfers it to the jaw tool while avoiding additional conveying means.

Rather, the tools involved in the actual fitting of the cable ends swivel the grommets directly into the horizontal assembly position specified by the cable processing machine.

In the event that the conveyor path from the sorting conveyor to the spout receptacle (the receptacle is carried out either by the sleeve tool or by the mandrel) must be bridged, the invention provides that the sleeve tool and / or the centering mandrel as an intermediate conveying means, such as a vibrating trough or driver conveyor, which conveys the respective spout in the vertical position of its longitudinal axis in the horizontal conveying direction.

The invention furthermore alternatively deals with two devices, of which the first device is more suitable for fitting nozzles on wire ends that have already been stripped. The alternative second device, on the other hand, is particularly predestined for fitting cable ends with an insulation jacket with grommets.

In the first-mentioned embodiment of the alternative, the invention provides that the respective grommet rests on the die, which is coaxial with it and can be moved vertically up and down, following the intermediate conveying means. Here, the sleeve tool is at a distance exceeding the axial length of a spout, ie with a free space, above the die coaxially with it and also coaxially with one above the Sleeve tool arranged, vertically up and down centering mandrel can be aligned.

The sleeve is pushed onto the sleeve tool in the following peculiar way: The centering mandrel is pushed axially through the sleeve tool and passes through the sleeve to the die. The centering mandrel therefore bridges the free distance between the sleeve tool and the spout or between the sleeve tool and the die (including the spout). During the subsequent upward movement of the die, the centering mandrel serves as a guide when pushing the grommet onto the sleeve tool. The insertion of the sleeve tool is conical, the subsequent sleeve casing is circular cylindrical with a diameter that is significantly larger than that of the free end of the cone.

A radial expansion of the spout is accordingly associated with the pushing-on process, without an expandable expansion sleeve being absolutely necessary for this. After the die has pushed the sleeve onto the sleeve tool, the die and the centering mandrel are moved into their starting position, i.e. out of the path of movement of the sleeve tool, whereupon the sleeve tool is moved into a horizontal position together with the sleeve it carries.

According to further features of the invention, this is done in that the sleeve tool is held by a rotating device which can be pivoted with a circumferential angle of 180 °, the axis of rotation of which is arranged in a plane with the common longitudinal axis of the centering mandrel and die and is inclined by 45 ° with respect to that common longitudinal axis .

In a further embodiment of the invention, the rotating device is designed in the manner of a revolver and carries two identical sleeve tools spaced apart from one another at a circumferential angle of 180 °.

Revolver-like structures for receiving sealing sleeves are known per se from DE 37 15 708 A1 (see FIG. 2 there; column 5 lines 18-47). The known turret arrangement is, however, not comparable to the one according to the invention because, in the known, the sealing sleeves are fed pneumatically in their vertical position (see DE 37 15 708 A 1, Fig. 2, column 5, lines 44-47). The known turret arrangement also carries neither an expansion sleeve nor a centering mandrel. Finally, the known turret arrangement is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed chambers for receiving spouts; in contrast to the invention, it is therefore advanced - only progressing with comparatively small circumferential angle steps.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the sleeve tool, which is pivoted into the horizontal position of its longitudinal axis, is preceded by the jaw tool arranged between the sleeve tool and the insertion device for the line end.

This jaw tool is able to grip around the grommet located on the sleeve tool while the insertion device is the line or. Push the cable end into the sleeve tool.

According to the invention, the sleeve tool, which can be moved back and forth in the horizontal direction, expediently together with the rotating device, is now pulled out of the central opening of the spout, while the baking tool strips the spout onto the line end.

The individual features can be found in claims 8 to 12. These features make it particularly clear that the first variant of the above-mentioned alternative is particularly suitable for equipping stripped cable or line ends, since the sleeve tool is capable of guiding the stripped line end, possibly with an insertion funnel formed by the jaw tool, thus lead indirectly into the central opening of the spout without fear of bending the individual fine lead wires.

The second variant of the aforementioned alternative is essentially characterized in that the centering mandrel forming the conveying device engages from below in the respective spout, which is fed in by means of a forced conveying means in the vertical position of its longitudinal axis and is in a ready position, for example at a stop horizontal position of its longitudinal axis pivoted and passed there to the baking tool.

Further refinements of the invention result from subclaims 14 to 19.

• Fig. 1 eine Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen von weichelastischen Dichtungs-Tüllen auf elektrischen Leitungsenden in einer Seitenansicht entsprechend einer ersten Ausführungsform,
• Fig. 2 eine gegenüber Fig. 1 vergrößerte Teildarstellung entsprechend der mit II gekennzeichneten, gestrichelten Teileinkreisung in Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 eine um 90° verschwenkte Stirnansicht entsprechend dem in Fig. 2 mit III bezeichneten Ansichtspfeil,
• Fig. 4 eine stark vergrößerte Teildarstellung eines Backenwerkzeuges in der Blickrichtung gemäß Fig. 3,
• Fig. 5 eine Schnittansicht etwa entsprechend der in Fig. 4 mit V-V bezeichneten Schnittlinie,
• Fig. 6 eine teilweise Seitenansicht einer anderen Ausführungsform,
• Fig. 7 eine Teilansicht entsprechend dem mit 7 bezeichneten Ansichtspfeil in Fig. 6,
• Fig. 8 eine Fig. 7 entsprechende Darstellung in einer anderen Bewegungsposition, ansonsten entsprechend dem in Fig. 6 mit VIII bezeichneten Ansichtspfeil und
• Fig. 9 eine Darstellung der Einführung eines Leitungsendes, etwa in Blickrichtung des mit IX bezeichneten Ansichtspfeils in Fig. 6, wobei die Einführvorrichtung selbst für das Leitungsende nicht dargestellt ist.

Preferred embodiments according to the invention are shown in more detail in the drawings, in which:

• 1 shows a device for applying soft-elastic sealing grommets on electrical cable ends in a side view according to a first embodiment,
• FIG. 2 is a partial representation enlarged compared to FIG. 1, corresponding to the dashed partial encirclement marked II in FIG. 1,
• 3 shows a front view pivoted by 90 ° in accordance with the view arrow designated III in FIG. 2,
• 4 shows a greatly enlarged partial illustration of a jaw tool in the viewing direction according to FIG. 3,
• 5 is a sectional view approximately corresponding to the section line labeled VV in FIG. 4,
• 6 is a partial side view of another embodiment,
• 7 is a partial view corresponding to the view arrow labeled 7 in FIG. 6,
• FIG. 8 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 7 in a different movement position, otherwise in accordance with the view arrow indicated by VIII in FIG. 6 and
• FIG. 9 shows an illustration of the insertion of a line end, approximately in the direction of view of the view arrow designated by IX in FIG. 6, the insertion device itself not being shown for the line end.

In the drawings, the two basic variants of the devices are designated 10A (with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5) and 10B (with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9).

A sorting conveyor 11 designed as a vibration conveyor, which has an upwardly open, approximately frustoconical container 12, conveys sealing sleeves 13 (shown in axial section in FIG. 5) via an intermediate conveyor 14 in a manner not shown in detail represents a driver conveyor. The driver designed as a slide 15 is driven to reciprocate in the horizontal direction by means of the piston rod 16 of a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit 17.

The slide 15 conveys in each case a spout 13 which has entered the conveying trough 18 of the driving conveyor 14 from the sorting conveyor 11, while the spout 13 remains unchanged with its longitudinal central axis x in a vertical position, according to FIG. 1 to the right. Thus, in the vertical position of its central longitudinal axis x, the spout 13 reaches the end face of one with its central longitudinal axis - with u - vertical die 19. Above the die 19 there is a sleeve tool 20, the free axial end region 21 of which tapers conically towards the end, while the remaining outer cylinder surface of the sleeve tool 20 at 22 runs in the manner of a straight circular cylinder with a noticeably larger diameter than the smallest cone diameter. In principle, in order to stabilize the sleeve tool 20, it is also possible to design the area 22 as a cone that widens only slightly from the area 21.

There is a distance S between the free conical end region 21 of the sleeve tool 20 and the upper end face of the die 19, which is somewhat larger than the axial length of the spout 13 so that it can be inserted unhindered between the die 19 and the sleeve tool 20 by means of the slide 15.

As soon as the grommet 13 has assumed the above-described position between the components 19 and 20, possibly with the aid of sling means (not shown), a centering mandrel 23, which can be moved up and down in accordance with the double arrow y, moves through the sleeve-like tool 20 and through the central opening the spout 13 into the area of the die 19. In this way, the spout 13 is centered with respect to the sleeve tool 20 by means of the centering mandrel 23. Then the die 19, which can be moved up and down along guide y and guide bushings 26, via a bracket 27 and via a translatory drive 28 along y, can completely push the spout 13 onto the sleeve tool 20 via the conical end section 21, the spout 13 being widened.

The sleeve tool 20 is arranged on a rotating device 29, which can be moved back and forth in the horizontal direction on a support 30 along the double arrow a. The pivot axis of the rotating device 29 is denoted by z. The pivot axis z is in a plane with a central axis through the centering mandrel 23, the sleeve tool 20 and through the die 19 and u. The axis of rotation z and the axis u are in one plane and form an angle β of 45 ° with one another.

Analog to the solid tool 20 shown in FIG. 1, at a diametrically opposite point of the rotating device 29, that is offset by 180 ° circumferential angle, a further sleeve tool 20 is arranged, which is only shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. Since the rotating device 29 can carry out an uninterrupted swiveling movement of 180 °, after such a 180 ° swiveling, one sleeve tool 20 alternatively reaches the previous position of the other sleeve tool 20. In this way, the above-described swiveling movement by 180 ° enables one above the die 19 of a sleeve tool 20, the grommet 13 is pivoted in alignment behind the jaw tool, which is denoted overall by 31 and which is in alignment with the insertion direction E of a line end K (not shown in FIG. 1) (see FIG. 5) of a cable processing machine (also not shown) located. The insertion direction E runs coaxially and horizontally together with the longitudinal center axis x of the spout 13 shown in FIG. 5. The pivoting movement of the rotating device 29 can be carried out continuously or reversely because of the 180 ° pivoting angle.

The construction of the jaw tool 31 can be seen in more detail from FIGS. 2 to 5, which has two gripping jaws 32, each of which receives an insert jaw 33. To drive the jaws 33 there is a drive element which is movable in accordance with the double arrow p. The insert jaws 33 each form a stepped recess at 34, which roughly follows the outer contour of the spout 13. In this way, the recess 34 at 35 and 35a is approximately circular Stop surfaces represent, which can bear against a collar 36 and against an end face 36a of the spout 13.

Each insert jaw 33 is pivotable at 37 and is resiliently resiliently mounted against the restoring force of a helical compression spring 38. The pivoting movement of the insert jaws 33 in the direction of the spout 13 can be adjusted in each case by means of a set screw 39.

If the relative position of the grommet 13 according to FIG. 5 is reached and the line end indicated by K is inserted axially into the interior of the sleeve tool 20 in the insertion direction E, the line end K is held in this axial position, as is the spatial position along E of the jaw tool 31 not changed. In order to facilitate the insertion of the line end K, both gripping jaws 32 are provided with their outer regions facing the insertion device (at E) for the line end K between their jaw surfaces with two mutually opposite recesses 53. The latter complement each other to form an approximately frusto-conical funnel T which widens towards the line end K. Now the support 30 - and with it the sleeve tool 20 shown in FIG. 5 - is moved to the left along the movement arrow a. This means that the spout 13 by means of the stop shoulders 35, 35a over the conical region 21 of the sleeve tool 20 from the latter the line end K is stripped. Here, the central channel 24 of the spout 13 narrows, so that it sits relatively firmly on the line end K. During this stripping movement, the helical compression springs 38 press the insert jaws 33 against the grommet 13, so that the insert jaws 33 can follow the conical course of the free sleeve end region 21 during the stripping process, that is to say they can nestle.

The embodiment according to FIG. 1 allows a high working frequency, because while in the upper position of the one sleeve tool 20 the stripping of a spout 13 takes place on a line end K, while at the same time a spout 13 on the lower part above the die 19 other sleeve tool 20 can be pushed.

In the embodiment 10B according to FIG. 6, the intermediate conveyor 14 following the sorting conveyor 11 with its container 12 in the conveying direction F (see also FIG. 1), which also forms a conveyor trough 18, is designed as a vibration trough.

The vibrating trough 18 conveys one after the other in the vertical position of its longitudinal axes x sealing grommets 13 to a receiving position marked 40 in FIG. 6 (cf. also FIG. 7). In FIG. 7, in order to avoid overloading the drawing, only the longitudinal central axis x of the spout 13 is entered.

It is conceivable that an approximately part-circular centering mandrel 41 can penetrate from below into the central opening 24 of the nozzle 13 as soon as the centering mandrel 41 is moved in the pivoting direction g. According to FIG. 7, a jaw tool 42 which can be moved along the horizontal direction (double arrow a) is already in alignment with the discharge opening 43 of a guide channel 44 which is curved in a partially circular manner in accordance with the curvature of the centering mandrel 41. The centering mandrel 41, which projects freely in the form of a part circle, pushes the nozzle 13 through this guide channel 44 up to the position according to FIG. 8 against a stop 54, after which the nozzle 13 is gripped by the jaw tool 42. The stop 54 serves for the exact centering of the position with regard to the jaw tool 42.

The centering mandrel 41 can now be pivoted back into its starting position according to FIG. 7. For this purpose, the centering pin 41 is designed in the manner of a double lever and can be rotated about an axis of rotation 45. The drive end 46 of the centering mandrel 41 can be moved back and forth by means of the piston rod 47 of a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit 48.

As indicated in FIG. 6, the jaw tool 42 can be moved back and forth along a linear guide 49 in the horizontal direction along the movement arrow a.

In addition, the jaw tool 42 is still movable along an inclined linear guide 50, so that the jaw tool 42 according to FIG. 9 can be aligned with the insertion direction E of a line end K.

The device according to FIGS. 5 to 9 is particularly intended for line ends K which still carry their insulation jacket during their grommet assembly. Since the insulation jacket gives the line ends K a certain additional rigidity, a sleeve tool 20, which is shown in connection with the embodiment 10A according to FIGS. 1 to 5, is not absolutely necessary.

In order to introduce the line end K into the central opening 24 of the nozzle 13, the latter is preceded by an insertion device which has an upper, spatially fixed jaw 51 and a lower jaw 52 which can be moved up and down relative to the jaw 51 along the movement arrow h. The lower and upper jaw are now able to temporarily hold the line end K between them so that they cannot move.

In order to prevent the line end K from buckling, caused by the frictional resistance between the central channel 24 of the grommet 13 and the outer surface of the line end 13, the insertion process is carried out in two partial strokes along the direction E. Here is the starting position before each partial stroke indicated by a broken line of the jaw arrangement 51, 52. By dividing an entire stroke into two partial strokes, the free kink length of the cable end is reduced in a peculiar way, thus reliably preventing kinking. The direction of movement of the jaw arrangement 51, 52 is designated by m in FIG. 9.

Claims (19)

1. Device (10A, 10B) for applying highly flexible sealing bushes (13) to insulated or stripped electrical conductor ends (K), particularly for moisture-protected connector elements or the like, with a sorting conveyor (11), such as a vibratory conveyor or the like, conveying the bush (13) in question in a vertical position of its longitudinal centre axis (x), adjacent to which conveyor, downstream of the conveyance flow, is a conveying device which, adjacent to the sorting conveyor (11), displaces each bush (13) into a horizontal position of its longitudinal centre axis (x) by means of a centring mandrel (23; 41) or by means of a centring mandrel (23, 41) and a sleeve tool (20), and which forms means which displace the bush (13) into a horizontal assembly position of its longitudinal axis (x) and which transfer the bush (13) to a jaw tool (31, 42) which has at least two gripping jaws, grasps the bush and holds it stationary and which holds the bush (13) in position during the translational insertion of the conductor end (K), characterized in that the centring mandrel (23; 41) or the centring mandrel (23; 41) together with the sleeve tool (20) at the same time form the means of the conveying device which displace the bush (13) in question into the horizontal assembly position of its longitudinal centre axis (x) in which the bush (13) is taken up by the sleeve tool (20), which is in the same axis as the bush and serves for the intermittent centring take-up of the conductor end (K), and/or by the centring mandrel (23; 41), and the sleeve tool (20) and/or the centring mandrel (23; 41) at the same time forming the means of the conveying device which transfer the bush (13) to the jaw tool (31, 42).
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that a forced conveying means, such as a vibration trough or carrier conveyor, is connected upstream of the sleeve tool (20) and/or the centring mandrel (23; 41) as intermediate conveying means (14), which forced conveying means move the bush (13) in question in the vertical position of its longitudinal axis (x) in the horizontal direction of conveyance.
3. Device according to Claim 1 or according to Claim 2, characterized in that adjacent to the intermediate conveying means (14) the bush (13) in question rests on a die (19) that is coaxial with it and can be moved vertically upwards and downwards.
4. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the sleeve tool (20) can be aligned, at a distance (S) exceeding the axial length of a bush (13), above the die (19) and coaxial with it as well as with a centring mandrel (23) which is arranged above the sleeve tool (20) and can be moved vertically upwards and downwards.
5. Device according to Claim 3 or according to Claim 4, characterized in that the sleeve tool (20) is retained by a rotary device (29), which can be swivelled with a circumferential angle of 180° in each case, the rotational axis (z) of which is arranged in a plane with the common longitudinal axis (u) of centring mandrel (23) and die (19) and is inclined by an angle (β) of 45° with respect to that common longitudinal axis (u).
6. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the rotary device (29) is configured in the manner of a turret and carries two identical sleeve tools (20) at a distance from each other at a circumferential angle distance of 180°.
7. Device according to Claim 5 or according to Claim 6, characterized in that the jaw tool (31) arranged between sleeve tool (20) and insertion device (at E) for the conductor end (K) is connected upstream of the sleeve tool (20) swivelled into the horizontal position of its longitudinal axis in each case.
8. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the internal contour of the gripping jaws (32) of the jaw tool (31) is matched to the external contour of the bush (13).
9. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the axial region of the sleeve tool (20) arranged inside the gripping jaws (32) is configured to be truly circular-cylindrical on its region facing away from the insertion device (E) for the conductor end (K) and conically tapered (at 21) towards its free end facing the insertion device (at E), with a constant internal diameter being maintained.
10. Device according to Claim 8 or according to Claim 9, characterized in that both gripping jaws (32) have inserted jaws (33) which have internal contour and are flexible with respect to spring restoring force (at 38).
11. Device according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the two gripping jaws (32) form two mutually opposing recesses (53) with their external regions facing the insertion device (at E) for the conductor end (K) between their jaw surfaces, which recesses extend to an insertion funnel (T) which widens towards the conductor end (K) and is approximately truncated cone-shaped.
12. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 11, characterized in that in common with the sleeve tool (20) in question the rotary device (29) is arranged on a support (30) which can be moved to and fro in the horizontal direction with respect to the jaw tool (31).
13. Device according to Claim 1 or according to Claim 2, characterized in that the centring mandrel (41) forming the conveying device engages from below with the bush (13) in question, which has been conveyed by means of a forced conveying means (14) in the vertical position of its longitudinal axis and is located in a position of readiness (40), at a stop for example, swivels said bush into the horizontal position of its longitudinal axis (x) and transfers it there to the jaw tool (42).
14. Device according to Claim 13, characterized in that on its swivel path the bush (13) is guided in a guide (44) which is shaped like a partial circle.
15. Device according to Claim 14, characterized in that the centring mandrel (41) represents a component which extends along a circumferential angle of approximately 90° or more in the shape of a partial circle, which component represents one end of a two-armed lever.
16. Device according to Claim 15, characterized in that the other end of the two-armed lever represents a force application end (46) for a drive, such as a compressed air cylinder (48) or the like.
17. Device according to one of Claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the guide (44) in the shape of a partial circle is configured as an enclosed guide channel.
18. Device according to one of Claims 13 to 17, characterized in that whilst maintaining the horizontal position of the central longitudinal axis of its tool jaws, the jaw tool (42) can be moved from its take-up position on the centring mandrel (41) to be aligned with the insertion device (at 51, 52) for the conductor end (K) by means of an optionally combined movement.
19. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the bush (13) takes up the conductor end (K) by means of an insertion movement divided into at least two axial partial strokes.

Images