EP1061616A2

EP1061616A2 - Conveyor chain for a cable packet processing machine with manual loading

Info

Publication number: EP1061616A2
Application number: EP00500059A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Josep Altes Puig; Miguel Lazpiur Lamariano
Original assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL; Construcciones Mecanicas Jose Lazpiur SA
Current assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL; Construcciones Mecanicas Jose Lazpiur SA
Priority date: 1999-05-20
Filing date: 2000-04-11
Publication date: 2000-12-20
Also published as: EP1061616A3

Abstract

The conveying chain of the present invention essentially comprises a frame or chassis provided with pulleys or rods attached at the ends thereof using the appropriate adjusting means. Said pulleys or rods are provided with a toothed lateral surface which, in conjunction with the toothed inner surface of an endless belt, allows driving said endless belt in a closed circuit. A series of gripping members that are provided with the corresponding jaws are fastened to the belt at regular distances to one another. Altogether is arranged on the hack plane of the machine allowing to feed cables into the different stations in the machine and having the above mentioned functions which form the object of another patent.

Description

The present patent application relates, as stated in its title, to a "CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING", which novel manufacturing, conformation and design features fulfil the purpose to which they have been specifically conceived, with a maximum safety and effectiveness.
More particularly, the present invention refers to a conveyor chain which is used to convey cables or cable portions for processing thereof in a cable packet processing machine with manual loading. Such machine further comprises the functions for cutting and peeling, marking, inserting rubbers, terminal crimping, fitting of said terminals into different types of connectors with the above mentioned cables. Such functions are carried out for highly short cycles of time allowing for an automated operation which, in the state of the art, were the object of manual or semiautomatic operations.
The conveying chain of the present invention essentially comprises a frame or chassis provided with pulleys or rods attached at the ends thereof using the appropriate adjusting means. Said pulleys or rods are provided with a toothed lateral surface which, in conjunction with the toothed inner surface of an endless belt, allows driving said endless belt in a closed circuit. A series of gripping members that are provided with the corresponding jaws are fastened to the belt at regular distances to one another. Altogether is arranged on the back plane of the machine allowing to feed cables into the different stations in the machine and having the above mentioned functions which form the object of another patent.
The endless belt is driven as its inner lateral surface is driven through meshing engagement with the toothed surface of the driving pulley. Said driving pulley is driven by means of a further pulley mounted at the end of the corresponding electric motor. Such motor determines the travelling speed of said endless belt and the pitch thereof and therefore the pitch of the gripping members attached at regular distances to one another on the endless belt. The gripping members start and end moving together with the parts designed therefor and those which form the corresponding arrangements and stations for loading, cutting, peeling, inserting rubbers, making joints, press station, control and discard station, terminal guiding station and the block-loader, which are fitted in the cable processing machine.
The gripping members that are attached to the endless belt at regular distances to one another are provided with the corresponding jaws. Each of said jaws is pivoted around the corresponding shaft whilst at the lower end thereof they are pivoted around a single shaft or stem exerting a pressing force on the cables disposed between said jaws. This is carried out by means of a spring which pulls the lower walls of said gripping members causing them to open and close in conjunction with corresponding labyrinths located at given points of the cable processing machine. Consequently, the cables may be released or trapped after operations being performed in said stations.
There is no background which is known from the prior art that combines lineal transport of elements before a machine having said type of gripping members mounted on an endless belt with the operation of such gripping members.
The distance from the gripping members to each station is provided by a pressing member thus preventing the gripping members from having a free play transverse to the translation thereof as the endless belt stops at the corresponding station in the cable processing machine.
Further details and features of the present patent application will be apparent from the following description, which refers to the accompanying drawings that schematically represent the preferred details. These details are given by way of example, which refer to a possible case of practical embodiment, but it is not limited to the details disclosed herein; therefore this description must be considered from a illustrating point of view and without any type of limitations.
A detailed list of the different parts cited in the description mentioned according to the accompanying figures is given hereinbelow: (10) conveyor chain, (11) gripping member, (12) shaft, (13) grips, (13a) edge of grips, (14) spring, (15) stems, (16) gripping member support, (17) endless belt, (18) belt teeth, (19) frame, (20) driving rod, (20a) teeth, (21) driving pulley, (22) belt, (23) cable, (24) electric motor, (25) rotating shaft, (26) screws, (27) housing, (28) driven rod, (29) plane of centres, (30) rotating shaft, (31) half-plate, (32) half-plate, (33) tension element, (34) plate, (35) screws, (36) driving pulley, (37) encoder, (38) stem, (39) bracket, (40) pressing member, (41) spring, (42) stands, (43) labyrinth.
Figure nº 1 is a longitudinal section end elevational view of the parts in the left half of the conveyor chain (10).
Figure nº 2 is a longitudinal section end elevational view of the parts in the right half of the conveyor chain (10).
Figure nº 3 is a longitudinal section top plan view of the left half of the conveyor chain (10).
Figure nº 4 is a longitudinal section top plan view of the left right of the conveyor chain (10).
Figure nº 5 is a cross section elevational view of the conveyor chain (10).
Figure nº 6 is a cross section end elevational view of an endless belt (17).
Figure nº 7 is an end elevational view of the gripping member (11).
In one of the preferred embodiments of the object of the present invention and as it can be seen from figures nº 1 and 2, the conveyor chain (10) comprises a longitudinal frame (19). The frame (19) is provided with a driving rod (20) at the ends thereof which rotates around a shaft (25) and a driven rod (28) which rotates around a further shaft (30). Both rods (20, 28) are provided with a toothed lateral surface (18) working in conjunction with an endless belt (17) which inner surface is provided with teeth having substantially the same configuration to that in the lateral surface of the above mentioned rods (20, 28). The driving rod (20) drives the endless belt (17) with the gripping members (11) attached thereto. The driven rod (28) is fixed to said frame (19) by means of half-plates (31, 32), as shown in figure nº 3.
The cable processing machine is horizontally mounted on said frame (19) by means of brackets (39) in the stands (42), as shown in figure n 6.
The endless belt (17) is provided with gripping members (11) which are disposed at regular distances to one another by means of a support (16) on which grips (13) are pivoted. Said grips (13) are pivotally mounted relative to the stems (15) and they are mutually joined and biased by a spring (14) the ends of which are fixed to the grips (13), as shown in figures nº 1, 2 and 7.
The grips (13) are allowed to rotate through the stems (15) and they are pivoted by a further crossing stem (38) which joins them at the lower part thereof. This determines ascent and descent of the stem (38) and therefore it further determines rotation of the grips (13) relative to their respective stems (15) in conjunction with a labyrinth (43), see figure nº 6, that belongs to the cable processing machine. Accordingly, opening of the grips (13) against the tightening action of the spring (14) is thus achieved. At this time, the corresponding cable (23) which is clamped between the grips (13) is thus released.
Alternatively, descent of this stem (38) determines rotation of the grips (13) in the opposite direction to the above mentioned direction and swooping down thereof on the corresponding cable (23) which is trapped between the edges (13a) of the grips (13).
Movement of the conveying chain (10) is determined by the movement of the endless belt (17) that is driven by the driving rod (20) since it is kinematically attached to a driving pulley (21). The driving rod (20) and the driving pulley (21) are coupled by means of a belt (22). The driving rod (20) and the driving pulley (21) are mounted to the same rotating shaft (25), as shown in figures nº 3 and 4.
The driving pulley (21) is mounted at the free end of the rotating shaft (25) of the electric motor (24) which is secured to a housing (27) by screws (26) and it is subjected to the action of an encoder (37). This allows adjusting of the movement of the endless belt (17) in a programmed and automatic way so that the gripping members (11) which are attached to the belt (17) by the supports (16) are allowed to advance and stop in conjunction with the opening and closing of the grips (13) under action of the stem (38) at the corresponding labyrinth located in the vicinity of the different cable processing stations in the cable processing machine, see figure nº 5.
Stress in the endless belt (19) can be adjusted through appropriate means, as shown in figure nº 3, comprising a plate (34) and screws (35) located in the vicinity of the ends of said plate (34). Said means allow increasing or decreasing the distance between the shaft (30) and the shaft (25).
As it can be seen from figure nº 6, distance d₁ must be always constant to ensure proper operation of all the stations in the cable processing machine so that the cable (23) is placed horizontally, always in the same position relative to the grips (13) of the gripping member (11). This is achieved by pressing the gripping member (11) by the pressing member (40) through the expanding action of the spring (41) when the endless belt has stopped.
Once the invention has been sufficiently described in accordance to the enclosed drawings, it is understood that any modification can be introduced as appropriate, provided that variations may alter the essence of the invention as summarised in the appended claims.

Claims

"CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING " comprising an endless belt (17) driven by a driving pulley (21), said driving pulley (21) being rotated by an electric motor (24), characterised in that such conveyor chain (10) is mounted on a frame (19) provided with rods (20, 28) at the ends thereof through the appropriate means, said endless belt (17) surrounding the lateral surface of said rods (20, 28) and being provided with a toothed lateral surface (18) which is driven through meshing engagement with the teeth of the lateral surface of the driving rod (20) and the driven rod (28), said rods (20, 28) being kinematically connected to the electric motor (24) which is commanded through an encoder (37) and controlled by a computer, a driving pulley (36) being mounted at the end of the shaft of the electric motor (24), said driving pulley (36) being kinematically connected to the driving rod (20) by means of a belt (22), a number of gripping members (11) being attached to said endless belt (17) at regular distances to one another, and said gripping members (11) being provided with grips (13) which are subjected to the action of a pressing member (40) when the endless belt (17) stops.
"CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING" as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the gripping members (11) are provided with two grips (13) which can rotate around stems (15) subjected to the pulling force of a spring (14) that joins such grips (13), said grips (13) moving outwards by means of a stem (38) that joins them at the lower part thereof, said stem (38) being subjected to the action of a labyrinth (43) which determines ascent and descent of the stem (38) and therefore opening of the grips (13) against the tightening action of the spring (14), said grips (13) being closed as said stem (38) is driven down again.
"CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING" as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the driving rod (20) is attached to the driving pulley (21) through the same shaft (25).
"CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING" as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the driven rod (28) is mounted in the frame (19) through half-plates (31, 32), the position of which is adjusted by means of a tension element (33) comprising a plate (34) and screws (35).
"CONVEYOR CHAIN FOR A CABLE PACKET PROCESSING MACHINE WITH MANUAL LOADING" as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the pressing member (40) holds the gripping member (11) in place crosswise to the endless belt (17) by the spring (41) in such a way that the distance (d₁) of the projecting end of the cable (23) is kept constant.