Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
  • H01R43/28—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electrical wire harness producing apparatus, and more particularly to an improved wire harness producing apparatus using cam drives to control its principal components in measuring and cutting predetermined lengths of wires and in crimping connectors to the opposing ends of the measured and cut wires arranged laterally in parallel.
• Primary and secondary wire chucks are used to stretch electric wires therebetween while cutting the wires from the supply reel and to separate cut lengths of wires from the remaining wires extending from the supply reel.
• the primary and secondary wire chucks are placed at stationary positions and operate by opening and closing jaws to hold and release the electric wires.
• a composite blade assembly having a wire-cutting blade and an insulation- stripping blade is used which permits the insulation-stripping blade to cut a line in the wire insulation at the time of cutting each wire spaced apart from the line, and then strips the wires by displacing them toward the insulation-stripping blade.
• the discharge rods when the discharge rods are pneumatically driven to discharge the wire harnesses, one discharge rod may lead the other discharge rod, resulting in the wire harnesses being obliquely driven to a subsequent testing stage, in which they may take a wrong posture for testing which will prevent them from being properly tested.
• the use of the dual blade structure in stripping electric wires also limits the shortest stripping length to the total thickness of the insulation-stripping blade and the wire-cutting blade, thus preventing selection of the stripping length below the wire-cutting blade, which is thick relative to the insulation-stripping blade, glfflmflr ⁇ ?f he nvention
• the present invention is directed to a wire harness producing apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness producing apparatus capable of displacing its primary chuck to the vicinity of the secondary chuck beyond the wire cutting position, thereby permitting a plurality of wires to be held at regular intervals, and permitting the termination of connectors to the wires laterally arranged at regular intervals without a fear of pressing into the insulation of selected wires, thereby providing defective products.
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness producing apparatus whose discharge rods are cam-driven to assure the perfect synchronization of the discharge rods as well as the transport of wire harnesses in the condition in which they are laid transversely relative to the travelling direction. Consequently, all of the wire harnesses can be tested smoothly at the subsequent testing stage.
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness producing apparatus using an insulation-stripping blade spaced apart from a wire-cutting blade, thereby permitting reduction of the insulation- stripping length compared with the conventional wire harness producing apparatus using a composite, wire-cutting and insulation-stripping blade.
• apparatus for producing wire harnesses comprises: (1) a wire supply reel section for unwinding a plurality of wires; (2) a wire inlet section for arranging and guiding the electric wires laterally in parallel from their supply reels; (3) primary and secondary chuck sections for holding wires arranged laterally in parallel, the secondary chuck section being placed downstream of the primary chuck section in the direction in which the wires travel; (4) a wire measuring section for drawing a predetermined length of the wires from their supply reels and arranged laterally in parallel; (5) a wire-cutting section for cutting the wires between said primary and secondary chuck sections while the wires are stretched by said primary and secondary chuck sections; (6) upstream and downstream pressing or die sections for respectively terminating electric connectors on one end of the cut wires separate from the remaining wires extending from the wire supply reels, and for crimping connectors on the end each of the remaining wire extensions of the wire supply reels; (7) a wire harness discharging section for a wire supply reel section for unwinding a plurality
• the primary chuck section may include self-moving means for travelling along the wires to the vicinity of said secondary chuck section beyond said wire- cutting section after measuring the wires, but before permitting the secondary chuck section to grasp the wires, thereby permitting the primary chuck section to hold the wires laterally at their regular intervals.
• the wire harness discharging section may include longitudinal discharge rods for discharging wire harnesses by pushing the connectors terminated to their opposing ends, the discharge rods being adapted to be driven in synchronization with the cam drive means.
• An apparatus for producing wire harnesses comprises: a supply section having a plurality of wire supply reels for feeding a like plurality of wires; a wire inlet section for arranging and guiding the wires into the harness apparatus and holding them in a parallel relationship; primary and secondary chuck sections for holding the wires in their parallel order, the secondary chuck section being disposed downstream of the primary chuck section in the direction in which the wires are fed; a wire measuring section for drawing a predetermined length of the plurality of wires from their respective supply reels; a wire-cutting section for cutting the wires between the primary and secondary chuck sections while the wires are stretched by the primary and secondary chuck sections; a downstream pressing, or die, section for terminating one or more connectors to one set of free ends of the cut wires, separate from the remaining wires extending from the wire supply reels; a wire-stripping blade for stripping the insulation from the exposed ends of the wires extending from the supply reels to expose portions of their internal conductors
• the primary chuck section may have self-moving means for travelling along the wires to the vicinity of the secondary chuck section beyond the wire-cutting section after measuring the wires, but before permitting said secondary check section to hold the wires, thereby permitting the primary chuck section to hold the wires laterally at regular intervals.
• the insulation-stripping blade may be positioned apart from the wire cutting section and may be equipped with means for withdrawing the primary check section while gripping the remaining wire extensions subsequent to the cutting of the insulations of the wire extensions by the insulation-stripping blade, thereby exposing the conductors at the ends of the remaining wire.
• FIG. 1 is an operational schematic diagram illustrating the principal components of a first embodiment of a wire harness producing assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and identifying their respective driving means used in their modes of operation;
• FIG. 2 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the measuring chuck of the apparatus engaging the wire supply and beginning measuring of the wires extending from their supply reels;
• FIG. 3 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating completion of measuring of the wires
• FIG. 4 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the secondary chuck closing onto the extended wire supply;
• FIG. 5 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the apparatus cutting the wires drawn from their supply reels to define a wire set;
• FIG. 6 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the apparatus separating the cut set of wires and extending the remaining wires from their supply reels;
• FIG. 7 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the apparatus terminating connectors onto the first set of wires;
• FIG. 8 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the apparatus completing the assembly of a wire harness;
• FIG. 9 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the apparatus withdrawing the measuring chuck;
• FIG. 10 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the return of the measuring chuck to its initial position;
• FIG. 11 is a timing chart illustrating the movements of the principal components of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. l in the operational movements depicted in FIGS 2-10 above;
• FIG. 12 is an operational schematic diagram illustrating a second embodiment of a wire harness producing apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and further illustrating the application of an insulation stripping blade to a set of wires drawn from their supply reels;
• FIG. 13 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 12 illustrating the stripping of insulation from the ends of the first set of wires;
• FIG. 14 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 12 illustrating the upper insulation-stripping blade in a raised, or withdrawn, position;
• FIG. 15 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 12 illustrating the lower insulation-stripping blade in a lowered, or withdrawn, position;
• FIG. 16 is an operational schematic diagram of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 12 illustrating the measuring chuck returning to an initial position after stripping of the wires;
• FIG. 17 is an elevational view of the wire harness apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 12 illustrating the wire inlet section thereof;
• FIG. 18 is view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 17 illustrating a guide roller used in the wire inlet section of FIG. 17;
• FIG. 19 is an elevational view of the wire harness apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 12 illustrating the primary chuck portion thereof;
• FIG. 20 is a plan view of the secondary chuck suitable for use in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 12;
• FIG. 21 is an end view of the secondary chuck as indicated along the arrow Q of FIG. 20;
• FIG. 22 is a side view of the secondary chuck as viewed along the arrow P of FIG. 20;
• FIG. 23 is an elevational view of the measuring chuck of the wire harness apparatus of the embodiments of FIG. 1 and FIG. 12;
• FIG. 24 is an end elevational view of the measuring chuck of the wire harness apparatus of FIG. 23 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow T;
• FIG. 25 is a plan view of the wire gripping and releasing portion of the measuring chuck.
• FIG. 26 is an elevational view of the wire gripping and releasing portion of the measuring chuck taken along lines 26-26 of FIG. 25;
• FIG. 27 is an elevational view of the wire-cutting components and the upstream and downstream connector termination components for the embodiment of the wire harness apparatus illustrated in FIGS, l-ll;
• FIG. 28 is an elevational view of the wire harness discharge portion of the embodiment of the wire harness apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-11;
• FIG. 29 is a plan view of the wire harness discharge portion of the embodiment of the wire harness apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-11;
• FIG. 30 is an elevational view of the wire harness transfer portion of the embodiment of the wire harness apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-11;
• FIG. 31 is a plan view of the movement incurred by discharge of a wire harness from the apparatus;
• FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a partially completed wire harness exemplifying the style of wire harnesses produced by the apparatus of FIGS 1 and 12. Description of the Preferred Embodiments
• FIGS. l to 11 a first embodiment of a wire harness producing apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is diagrammatically depicted.
• the apparatus is designed to permit the measuring and cutting of electric wires W of any desired length in parallel order as well as terminating of electric connectors Cl and C2 to opposite ends of the measured and cut wires, while so arranged in parallel.
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic block diagram of the wire harness apparatus, and FIGS. 2 to 10 show the operational steps of the apparatus, namely: a plurality of electric wires W being measured and cut; connectors Cl and C2 being terminated to opposite ends of the measured and cut wires; and the completed wire harnesses A being discharged to a subsequent working stage.
• the wire harness producing apparatus comprises: a wire supply section 1 composed of a group of wire supply reels for unwinding a plurality of wires W therefrom; a wire inlet section 2 for arranging and guiding the wires W from their supply reels laterally in parallel; and, a pair of wire chucks having primary and secondary chuck sections 3 and 4 for holding the wires in their parallel arrangement.
• the secondary chuck section 4 is located downstream of the primary chuck section 3, namely, in the direction in which the electric wires W travels during processing.
• the wire harness apparatus further comprises: a wire measuring section 5 for drawing a predetermined length each of the wires W; a wire-cutting section 6 for cutting the wires W between the primary and secondary chuck sections 3 and 4 while the wires W are stretched by the primary and secondary chuck sections 3 & 4; upstream and downstream pressing, or die, sections 7 & 8 for terminating electric connectors C2 onto one set of free ends of the cut wires (which are separate from the remaining wires extending out from the wire supply reel section 1) and for terminating electric connectors Cl onto the free ends of the remaining wire extensions; and a wire harness discharging section 9 for directing to a subsequent working stage, assembled wire harnesses A each composed of wires of predetermined length with connectors terminated to their opposing ends.
• a wire harness transfer section 10 and a checking section 11 are placed close to the electric harness discharging section 9.
• the pressing die of each of the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 & 8 is associated with a connector feeding section 12 & 13.
• FIG. 32 illustrates a partially completed wire harness 100 of the type typically produced by the apparatus of FIGS 1 & 12.
• the harness 100 includes four conductive wires 102-108 arranged laterally in parallel and having interior conductive portions 110 exposed during an insulation-stripping process.
• the wires 102-108 include two opposing sets of free ends 112, 114, one of which is illustrated as exposed and the other terminated to an electrical connector element Cl of the type having parallel, wire-receiving cavities 113 with a plurality of insulation displacement terminals 115 arranged therein.
• These insulations displacement terminals are of the type which include erect prongs or the like having a channel therebetween which receives the wires therein. When the wires are pressed into these insulation displacement terminals, the prongs pinch the wires and cut, or displace into the wire outer insulation to contact the interior conductive portions 110 to effect a reliable electrical connection.
• a first embodiment of the wire inlet section 2 comprises a base 21 and a wire inlet roller 22 fixed to one end of the base 21.
• a series of guide rollers 23, 24 & 25 are arranged at regular intervals in the downstream direction and wire tensioning rollers 26 & 27 are located between adjacent guide rollers 23, 24 & 25 as illustrated.
• a crimper 28 is located downstream of the guide rollers 23, 24 & 25.
• Each of these rollers 22-27 preferably includes a series of circumferential grooves 241, 242 corresponding in number to the number of wires arranged in parallel for assembly into a harness, as seen from FIG. 18, which shows the roller 24 for example.
• the primary chuck section 3 includes means for gripping and releasing an arrangement of wires W arranged in parallel with a regular spacing maintained between adjoining wires.
• the primary chuck section 3 comprises a base 31, a chuck arm 32 and a plurality of wire-threading pipes, or tubes 33, arranged in parallel laterally along the base 31 and disposed on the base 31 underneath the chuck arm 32, which is pivoted to swing about a central pivot point 34.
• An associated operating means, such as the pneumatic piston and cylinder 35, 36 illustrated is positioned thereon with its piston 36 abutting on one end of the chuck arm 32.
• the primary chuck section 3 is fixed to a slider
• a cam 374 is operatively connected to an associated transmission link 375. Rotational movement of the cam 374 transmits movement to the primary chuck section 3 through linkage 375, thereby moving the primary chuck section 3 toward the secondary chuck section 4.
• the slider 373 is spring-biased toward its initial position, thus permitting the primary chuck section 3 to withdraw until the abutting end 378 of the slider 373 has abutted against a stopper 377.
• the secondary chuck section 4 comprises means for gripping and releasing plurality of wires W arranged in parallel, means for displacing the wire gripping-and-releasing means to the vicinity of the wires W, and means for moving the entire chuck section back and forth along the wire feed line.
• the wire gripping-and-releasing means comprises a pair of opening-and-closing arms 41 & 42 pivoted at 43 & 44 and a pair of links 45 & 46 operatively connected to the rear ends of the arms 41 and 42.
• a pneumatic cylinder 48 with a piston 47 is operatively connected to the links 45 & 46.
• Each arm 41, 42 preferably includes a wire chuck head 491, 492 fixed to its end.
• the means for displacing the wire gripping-and-releasing means to the vicinity of the electric wires W comprises a pair of pneumatic cylinders 412, 413 whose pistons 414, 415 are connected to a frame 411 to which the wire gripping-and-releasing means is attached.
• FIGS. 23-26 one example of the measuring chuck section 5 suitable for use with the present invention is described. First, referring to FIGS.
• a wire gripping-and-releasing means is illustrated therein as having a pair of opening-and-closing arms 51 & 52 pivotally mounted at 55 & 56, a pair of links 57 & 58 operatively connected to the rear ends of the arms 51 & 52, and a pneumatic cylinder 50 having a piston 59 operatively connected to the ends of the links 57 & 58. Advancement of the piston 59 causes the tip ends 53, 54 of the arms 51 & 52 to open, while withdrawal of the piston 59 causes the tip ends 53, 54 of the arms 51 & 52 to close.
• the wire gripping-and-releasing means is fixed to a movable base 514, (best illustrated in
• FIG. 23 which is driven back and forth on a stationary base 511 by a servomotor 512 which, as illustrated, may be operatively connected to a threaded shaft 513.
• FIG. 27 one example of a wire cutting section 6 suitable for use with the present invention is illustrated.
• the section 6 has upper and lower cutting blades 62 & 66 fixed to respective opposing blade holders, or knife assembly arms, 61 & 65. Rotational movements of two driving cams 63 and 67 is transmitted to these blade holders 61 & 65 via associated transmission linkages 64 & 68.
• Each of the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 & 8 associated therewith has an upper punch and a lower die.
• Two upper punch holders 71, 82 have punches 72 & 82 fixed thereto and are driven by the rotation of one set of driving cams 73, 83 (shown at the top of FIG.
• the discharge section 9 includes a movable rack 91 and a stationary rack 92 which are operatively connected together via an intervening pinion member 93.
• Rotational movement of a driving cam 94 is transmitted to the pinion member 93 via a first linkage 95 and then to second links 96 & 97, thereby permitting the rack 91 to move back and forth in response to rotation of the driving cam 94.
• a pair of wire harness discharge rods 98 are disposed underneath the movable rack 91 and contact, in their operational movement, assembled wire harness A.
• the discharge rods 98 impart movement to assembled harness by contacting the connectors terminated to the harness opposing ends.
• These harness-pushing rods 98 are preferably operated synchronously to evenly thrust the opposing connectors Cl, C2 of each assembled harness A in their discharge movement, because otherwise the wire harness would travel obliquely.
• FIGS. 30 & 31 illustrate a transfer section 10 suitable for use with the present invention for transporting assembled wire harnesses A to a subsequent testing section 11.
• a transfer table 101 as shown in FIG. 30, has a plurality of shuttle members 102 at regular intervals. These shuttle members 102 appear partly on the transport line, in opposition to the connectors Cl & C2 of each assembled harness A at the opposing ends thereof.
• the transfer table 101 is attached to an underlying endless belt conveyor 104 via an intervening movement block 103, thus permitting the transfer table 101 to move back and forth along the path indicated in FIGS. 30 & 31.
• the intervening block 103 is allowed to move between forward and rear stops 105 & 106, thereby limiting the stroke of the transfer table 101 and hence, the need for the shuttle members 102.
• FIG. 2 shows the condition in which a working or harness assembly cycle is about to start subsequent to the completion of the precedent working cycle.
• the measuring chuck 5 is closed and then the wires W extending out from the wire supply reels are clamped as seen in FIG. 11.
• the opening-and-closing chuck arms 51 and 52 are then closed together in order to grip the wires W in their parallel arrange ent. This is essentially conducted in one step.
• the primary chuck section 3 is opened.
• the chuck arms 32 are opened to permit the measuring of wires W.
• the required measuring of the wires W is effected by the measuring chuck section 5.
• FIG. 5 shows the condition in which a working or harness assembly cycle is about to start subsequent to the completion of the precedent working cycle.
• FIG. 3 shows the condition in which the wire- measuring by the measuring chuck 5 is finished in the four sequential steps set out above.
• the primary chuck section 3 advances to the secondary chuck section 4 and beyond the cutting line of the wire cutting section 6, (indicated by the dashed line extending between the knife blades 6 shown therein).
• rotational movement of cam 374 is transmitted via the transmission linkage 375 which permits the slider 373 to move forward along its associated rails 372.
• the chuck arms 32 of the primary wire chuck section 3 are opened, thereby permitting the primary chuck section 3 to move forward in proximity to the secondary chuck section 4 without drawing the wires W further formed.
• the secondary wire chuck section 4 starts its operation.
• the pneumatic cylinders 412 & 413 are activated their pistons 414 & 415 advance and the frame 411 advances.
• the pneumatic cylinder 48 withdraws its piston 47, thereby closing the opening-and-closing arms 41, 42 to permit their nails 491 & 492 to close and grip the wires W.
• the nails 491 & 492 therefore do not pinch the insulations of selected wires which might cause shorting or improper terminations of connectors to the wires.
• the primary wire chuck section 3 returns to the predetermined position as shown in FIG. 5.
• the cam 374 begins its return motion causing the primary wire chuck section 3 to return to the predetermined position under the influence of a return spring 376.
• the primary wire chuck section 3 closes. Specifically, the pneumatic cylinder 35 raises its piston to cause the chuck arm 32 to swing about its pivot, thereby clamping the wires W.
• the wire cutting section 6 is enabled and cuts the measured wires W. As seen from FIG. 27, rotations of the cutting section driving cams 63, 67 are transmitted to the upper and lower cutting blades 62 and 66 via their associated linkages 64 & 68, thereby activating cutting blades 62 & 66 to contact and cut all of the wires W at their measured length.
• the primary and secondary wire chuck sections 3 and 4 are separated from each other. Turning to FIG.
• the cam 374 returns to its original position, and accordingly the primary wire chuck section 3 returns to the backward position behind the upstream pressing section 7 under additional urging of the return spring 376.
• the measuring chuck section 5 is moved synchronously forward by the servomotor 512.
• a connector, or connectors, Cl may be terminated to the forward, exposed free ends of the wires W on the side of the primary chuck section 3, whereas a connector C2 may likewise be terminated to the rearward ends of the wires W on the side of the secondary chuck section 4.
• the eleventh step the upper and lower cutting blades 62, 66 open, and then at twelfth and thirteenth steps, the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 and 8 begin their pressing operations respectively.
• FIG. 7 shows the conditions in which the impressing of the connectors onto the wires are finished at a fourteenth step, and the secondary chuck section 4 opens at a fifteenth step.
• FIG. 8 shows that at a sixteenth step, after crimping of the connectors Cl, C2 onto the opposing ends of the wires w, the pressing punches 72, 78 of the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 & 8 are raised. At a seventeenth step, the connector clamp of the upstream pressing section 7 is released and then at a eighteenth step, the electric harness A is discharged.
• FIGS. 28 and 29 show one example of a harness discharge mechanism suitable for use with the present invention.
• rotation of movement of the cam 94 is transmitted to the drive links 96 and 97 via the transmission linkage 95 to rotate the pinion 93.
• the pinion 93 is meshed with the stationary rack 92 so as to rotate clockwise, and the clockwise rotation of the pinion 93 causes the movable rack 91 to move forward in the direction indicated by the arrow.
• a pair of harness discharge rods 98 & 98 subsequently move forward to push the electric harness A by engaging its connectors Cl, C2. It should be noted that as seen from FIG.
• the discharge rods 98 & 98 push the opposing connectors Cl and C2 of the electric harness A simultaneously, to thereby eliminate the possibility of the assembled wire harnesses travelling obliquely along their pat to a subsequent testing stage, where the wire harness can tak its correct posture, thereby permitting unimpeded testing of the assembled harnesses.
• FIGS. 30 and 31 show one example of the transfer section 10.
• the belt conveyor 101 carries the movable base 101 which permits the transport heads 102 to push harnesses A in serial order, one after another to a subsequent testing section 11 where the assembled harnesses A are subjected to conditioning and other electrical characteristic tests.
• the pressing dies 76 & 86 of the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 and 8 are lowered and at a twentieth step, the connector clamp of the processing die 76 closes.
• the secondary chuck section 4 returns to its initial position and at a twenty-second step, the measuring chuck section 5 begins to measure of the wires for a subsequent assembly cycle.
• electric connectors Cl and C2 are supplied from a connector supply section 12 to both of the upstream and downstream pressing dies 76 and 86, and at a twenty-fourth step, the measuring chuck section 5 returns to its initial position, thus returning the apparatus to its standby condition illustrated in FIG. 2, in which another, subsequent harness making cycle can begin.
• the principal components of the apparatus include the cam driving at electric connector pressing steps, that is: (1) the step wherein the primary wire chuck section 3 advances proximate to the secondary chuck section 4 just prior to the clamping of the wires by the secondary wire chuck section 4; (2) the step wherein the primary and secondary wire chuck sections 3 & 4 are displaced subsequent to the cutting of the wires by the wire cutting section 6 to separate one end or segment of the cut wires toward the primary wire chuck section 3 and the other end of the cut wires toward the secondary wire chuck section 4; (3) the step wherein the punch 62 and die 66 are operated in the cutting section 6; and, (4) the step wherein the punch and die are operated in the upstream and downstream pressing sections 7 and 8.
• the time involved for assembly the wire harnesses is substantially reduced as compared with the conventional system using pneumatic cylinders to conduct all the principal connector pressing steps in that with conventional pneumatic-driven harness producing apparatus, the operation of the pneumatic cylinders in any subsequent step cannot begin before confirmation that the operation of the pneumatic cylinders in the preceding step has finished, thus adding a short delay equivalent to the waiting time for each confirmation, thus preventing the shortening of the harness-making cycle below a certain limit.
• the cam-driving of the associated components set out above thereby permits the starting of sequential steps without confirming the completion of each preceding step, thus substantially shortening the harness-making cycle by at least the cumulative waiting time described above which is experienced with pneumatic driven apparatus.
• FIGS. 12 to 16 a second embodiment of an apparatus for producing wire harnesses constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is illustrated, in which a connector is terminated to one end of the parallel wire arrangement while the wires are stripped on the other opposite ends.
• the termination of the connector Cl to the one end of the parallel wire arrangement, the measuring of the wires, the cutting of the wires and the separating of the two parts of the cut wires by the primary and secondary chucks 3 and 4 are effected in the same way as in the harness producing apparatus of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 2 to 6).
• the upper and lower stripping blades 14 are brought into contact with the wires and cut into the insulations of the wires W near their free ends.
• the primary chuck section 3 moves rearward and as a twenty-eighth step, the cut insulation pieces R are removed by an air stream, thus exposing the conductors S from the insulation ends of the parallel wires.
• the upper and lower stripping blades 14 return to their original positions.
• the remaining components other than the remaining components stripping blades 14 function in the same way as in the first embodiment, particularly at subsequent thirtieth, thirty-second, thirty-third, thirty- fourth, thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth steps.
• the insulation-stripping blades 14 are spaced apart from the wire-cutting blades 62 & 66 as shown in FIG. 27.
• the stripping is effected at a position apart from the wire-cutting position and at this step independent from the wire-cutting step, and therefore it is possible that the shortest amount of insulation necessary can be removed from the parallel wires.
• the relatively thick wire-cutting blades and the relatively thin insulation-stripping blades are laid up on each other and the wire-cutting and the insulation- cutting are effected simultaneously. Therefore, the insulations of a length or lengths of wire which is shorter than the thickness of the wire-cutting blade cannot be removed from the wires.
• the insulations of wire lengths which are equal to the thickness of the stripping blade can be easily removed from the free ends of the cut wires.
• a harness producing apparatus can work at the shortest working cycle possible because of no necessity for waiting for a confirmation of the completion of each preceding working step.
• the primary wire chuck is made to advance beyond the cutting position to the proximity of the secondary chuck section, thereby holding a plurality of parallel wires at regular intervals, assuring that the insulations of selected wires are not pressed and damaged by undesired pressing when the secondary wire chuck clamps the parallel wires.
• the simultaneous engagement of the opposing connectors terminated to each harness by the opposing harness discharge pushing rods assures that no harnesses will travel obliquely on the way to the subsequent testing section, thus assuring that every harness may take a correct posture for testing.
• the insulation-stripping can be effected at a position away from the wire-cutting position and as a step which independent from the wire-cutting step. Therefore, insulations of a possible shortest length equal to the thickness of the insulation-stripping blade can be removed from parallel wires.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
• Removal Of Insulation Or Armoring From Wires Or Cables (AREA)

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• 1994
  • 1994-09-01 JP JP23210194A patent/JP3677634B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1995
  • 1995-08-29 WO PCT/US1995/011048 patent/WO1996007222A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1995-08-29 DE DE69513046T patent/DE69513046T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1995-08-29 EP EP95931653A patent/EP0801826B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1995-08-29 AU AU35000/95A patent/AU3500095A/en not_active Abandoned

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