EP1342248B1 - Method for producing cable harnesses and device for carrying out this method - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a new method and a new system for the production of wire harnesses.

The former in mechanical engineering and in vehicle technology for the connection of the various contact points within a machine of a vehicle or the like. Conventional technology, cables and cables by targeted sequential laying of each cable along a particular path from contact point to contact point has long been through the use of prefabricated, all necessary cable summary harnesses with a substantially the trunk of a tree representing the main strand or bundle of cables which od along a common path within the vehicle, the machine or the like to be replaced, replaced by which main bundle on both sides ramifying to the individual contact points or contact housings, smaller individual bundles of each again along common branch paths within the machine , the vehicle od. Like. Running lines or individual lines to - for receiving the contacts on the cable ends provided - go out contact housings.

Both commercially and technically, there are basically two different markets for the products of harness assembly. Since, in particular as regards the number of pieces produced, the first and most important field is the so-called automotive sector, ie the automotive industry, each of which requires a high number of pieces per model, in their design and execution of completely identical wire harnesses.

The second area relates to the field of vehicle construction with much smaller series or special vehicle construction, including e.g. Agricultural and forestry vehicles, traction vehicles, or the like, (road) construction machinery and vehicles, but also rail vehicles and further include the general mechanical and plant engineering. In most cases, the lot sizes are small, the variety of types is high and in many cases flexible adaptation to respective often rapidly changing customer requirements and technical developments is required.

As far as the automotive sector is concerned, manual production methods are still used extensively for the production of wire harnesses, with production largely outsourced to low-wage countries in order to minimize costs. In the manual production of cable harnesses in large series, the problem of learning or training time of the staff plays a very minor role:

To produce a cable harness, depending on the number of cables or strands to be laid and, of course, depending on the difficulty of the laying track, larger or shorter training periods for the cable laying staff needed. It is essentially about the questions, which strand or which contact of a strand belongs in which housing, in which contact recording of the same and, via or through which terminals, bundles, holders or other brackets of the cable laying board that must laying cables are guided, which cable ties, sheaths, kinked hoses or the like. are used for finalization, where are the same to install and the like. Until a Kabelellegerin has appropriated the entire harness characteristics, for example, for a planned for a passenger car harness, passes the so-called Einlemzeit. After this time, a routine, fast and virtually error-free routing of the cables and a proper connection of the contacts can be achieved in the contact housing.

For more complex wiring harnesses, this single-core phase may require more than twice as much time to assemble the first harness of a series than the last harness in this series.

It is to be expected that the average start-up or start-up time or number of pieces for laying a "middle" cable harness up to the optimal production time is on average about 30 to 50 harnesses. Both the learning time described above and the number of Einlem items play an absolutely marginal role in a production that can go into the 10,000 or 100,000 pieces of wire harness per autotype. By contrast, the aforementioned training phase with the aforementioned number of pieces of about 65 in a production of wire harnesses at lot sizes of 50 to at least 1000 pieces by no means plays a minor role. It is also to be expected that in a subsequent follow-up order for the same type of wiring harness, which does not directly follow the previous production of this type in time, either the person previously employed to lay a wiring harness of this type is no longer available or, even if she has already worked on the same order before and can use her experience in this respect, she understandably no longer remembers all the details of the previous production and therefore needs a shorter training period than a first order ,

Thus, for any lot, even if it matches a harness type produced at an earlier time, it requires a (re-) lemping process that inhibits production speed and is quite significant in a small batch production series.

It should be noted that attempts have been made in the past to get away from manual cable laying, and that installations for automatically assembling simple bundles of cables, in which relatively short, often similar strands often have the same or only a few, different Crimps are used, are offered and are in industrial use, such as for the production of cable bundles for boards of home appliances, where cables are relatively short in length and to lay. In the machine used for this purpose, a first, selectively supplied from an optionally carried cable storage, contact of a cable is removed from a gripper and inserted into the respectively provided for the cable contact receiving a first contact housing. Thereafter, either the same gripper as before or possibly another gripper detects the second contact of the cable and puts it in the respective intended for him contact housing. There is no guidance of the cables on certain points, but rather a mere insertion of the contacts either one-sided or two-sided in the prepared contact housing.

Such systems are e.g. offered and produced by Komax, AMP-ARA, Wegomat or Metzner.

The state of the art is to be described in more detail below.

From the EP 116 475 A1 there is known a cable laying tool having a storage chamber for receiving and storing cables which is connectable to an industrial robot which provides for contacting and laying the first stored cables.

The storage chamber itself has two cable clamping elements which hold the cable in such a way that the two cable ends point outwards on both sides out of the chamber. The storage chamber is arranged between the two clamping elements random storage for receiving the cable, which has different lengths depending on the laying path.

In the random access memory, the cable is first inserted, in such a way that it is led out again on the other side of this memory, until it protrudes a bit beyond its output-side clamping element. Thereafter, the same holds the cable there, and it is the same of a cable reel in a respectively predetermined and measured in each case to be metered length in the cable memory. Finally, the input-side clamping element is closed. After filling the random storage with the, for each laying gear again freshly abzuspulenden of the cable drum in a length to be tested cable, so the cable is held in memory. It then takes the cutting to the same, so ultimately each right and left, the two cable ends protrude from the storage chamber. Then the stripping of the two cable ends and in each case the two-sided crimping of the contacts take place on these ends. After moving the cable, which has been transported by the robot, into a position above a first contact housing, the first contact is inserted into a contact receptacle provided for it. Then, the first clamping element of the memory is opened on the side of the newly inserted contact, and it takes place by pulling the cable out of the random access memory laying the cable along the respective preprogrammed cable laying path until the cable practically completely pulled out of the memory is. Towards the end of this route is the Wirrgutspeicher open and, held by the clamping element of the memory, the second contact is then inserted into the contact receptacle of a second, located on the cable board contact housing.

The process just described thus comprises a larger number of individual steps, starting from the cutting of the cable over the stripping of the cable ends and ending with the application of the contacts and must before the essential for harness manufacturing process of laying the cable along a respective desired laying path done the cable board. Another significant, the mobility and flexibility of the installation tool described disadvantage arises from the fact that these important properties of a cable laying tool are significantly limited by the intrinsic volume of the granular cable storage. This makes more difficult routing paths virtually impossible and further causes complications in those places of the cable delivery board where there is little room for installation. The latter disadvantage occurs especially towards the end of the installation process, ie at a time when already a larger number of cables plugged with their contacts in the housing and each bundle forming are laid and therefore less and less space for the insertion of the contacts and the movement of the cable storage along the laying path is free.

Another major disadvantage of this known installation tool is that the wiring harnesses are usually formed with a large number of individual cables, and that for each of said cable preparation and installation processes every time all the preparation steps, just as the feeding of the cable in the Random storage, the cutting to length, the stripping and application of the contacts before the actual installation process must already be carried out using the robot, which is extremely time-consuming in any case, and thus completely contradicts a modern division of labor production.

In addition, a complex control and control is necessary to ensure that each of the cables to be laid has its correct individual length, wherein the length measurement takes place when storing the cable in the random access memory.

Of the DE 38 22 166 C2 , which relates to a tool for receiving storage, contacting and laying of cables, is a further significant disadvantage of the above-mentioned EP 116 475 A1 It should be noted that the charging of the cable store is performed with a cable in such a way that it must be inserted through a laying pipe in this memory and performed by the same, wherein the cable is the opening of the leading out of the memory second pipe despite the conical shape of the storage cavity misses, so that the proper insertion of the cable is impossible, since the free end of the yes in the area of the memory cable out of the cable when hitting Naturally widened or bent on the opposite storage wall when missing the output.

The DE 38 22 166 C2 Its object is itself to provide a tool for receiving, storing, contacting and laying cables in which the cable is also held with outwardly facing cable ends, but in which the loading of the tool with a cable should be safer executable. There, the tool is connected or connected via a removable flange with a multi-axis positioning device and has three gripping units, of which the first holds a cable end so that it faces outward, provided with the contact and can be inserted into a connector housing that a second gripping unit holds the cable end so that it faces outward and provided with its contact and can also be inserted into a connector housing, and that between the first and the second gripping unit a longitudinally divisible random storage is provided for receiving the cable. This tool is characterized in that each of the three gripping units are designed as separate and independently acting gripping unit, which are independently and stepwise controlled. The gripping units are designed there as a jaw gripper. The cable storage cavity of the tool described therein has a pear-shaped design with inserted funnel, which is arranged so that the cable from the querschnittsengeren side of the cavity ago in the memory is inserted. It is further provided that the tool can be inserted into a tool holder of a robot into which control signals and energy can be transmitted via an intermediate flange and further that the presence of a cable and the contacting and / or joining processes are monitored by means of sensors.

The further to be called DE 38 22136 C2 there is shown a method of manufacturing wire harnesses by means of an industrial robot controlled by a control unit, wherein an industrial robot picks up a first tool that can pick up, store and store cables, with coordination of the following steps. The robot hands over the first tool to a cable assembler, which works simultaneously with the further laying process, then passes from the assembly a similar tool that already contains a stored cable with already crimped contacts, and the robot then moves the tool to the plug housings, puts the contacts and relocates the cable stored in the tool along the respectively provided laying path. There is also a cable storage, as he eg in the DE 38 22 166 C2 is described, for use.

This is therefore a system combination in multiple levels: The basic idea here, with a single multi-axis robot, the complete production of a Cable harness from the removal of conduit reservoirs, such as barrels or drums, to plugging and laying on the board to perform.

The content of this DE-C2 is the result of a study, and its implementation into reality has the following major disadvantages:

1. a) Entnahme der Leitung aus Vorratsbehältnissen und Ablängen.
2. b) Magazinieren der abgelängten Leitungen in einer Art Greiferrolle (Aufrollen).
3. c) Stabilisieren der beiden überstehenden Drahtenden in der Greiferrolle.
4. d) Verfahren der Greiferrolle mit Hilfe eines Roboters zu Crimpstationen.
5. e) Kontaktieren und Zentrieren der angeschlagenen Kontakte.
6. f) Greiferrollen ablegen oder direkt mittels Roboter zum Legebrett verfahren.
7. g) Aufnahme der Werkzeuge (die als Magazin fungieren) durch den Roboter.
8. h) Stecken und Verlegen der Leitungen.

The system requires a significant number of different tools to perform the individual operations, namely:

1. a) removal of the line from storage containers and cutting to length.
2. b) Magazine the cut lines in a kind of gripper roller (rolling).
3. c) stabilizing the two protruding wire ends in the gripper roller.
4. d) Moving the gripper roller with a robot to crimping stations.
5. e) contacting and centering the hinged contacts.
6. f) Place gripper rollers or move them directly to the laying board by robot.
7. g) Recording of the tools (which act as a magazine) by the robot.
8. h) Plugging and laying the cables.

Although the cables stored in the magazines are centered with their hinged ends in some form, they are positioned, e.g. by tightening the cables in the magazine, however, must be kept separate for the insertion process on the Legebrett of their own additional grippers to ensure accurate positioning for insertion into the connector housing.

By using the gripper rollers as a magazine or for plugging and laying on the laying board, multiple arranged robots or gripper systems are required. Understandably, this system is very sluggish, less effective and is not suitable for a modern way of production.

From the DE 38 22 146 C2 For example, a cable assembly and transfer unit for assembling, contacting, storing and transferring cables to a laying tool has been disclosed, in which two receiving devices, including the existing turntable for the laying tool, are arranged on a processing unit which is designed such that assembly and assembly units each just exist. There the track is a linear unit.

Finally, the concerns DE 35 44 219 A1 a method for a wire harness manufacturing facility, wherein an industrial robot and cable kegs with cable feeds, a cut and stop machine with a length measuring device and a laying board are provided. In this device, it is provided that the production, caching, positioning and laying of the damaged cable is carried out as part of a wiring harness with the same installation tool, further being arranged in the working empire of an arm of the industrial robot at least one cutting and stopper machine and a laying board, wherein further on the one hand, the laying of different lengths of broken cables to a cable harness and, on the other hand, the manufacture, Caching and positioning of different length troubled KabeIn is performed simultaneously, and finally, the laying tool is carried out by the respective industrial robot arm releasably. There is provided that the caching of the damaged cable by rolling the cable on a controllable, co-rotating role, which is part of a gripper roller, takes place.

By avoiding all the previously discussed known cable laying process and systems adhering, a modern flexible and effective even small batch sizes production-preventing deficiencies, the present invention is based on completely different conditions and basic conditions:

It moves away radically from the principle of all previously known proposals for automated harness manufacturing, in which a robot all manufacturing steps that precede the actual laying of the cable on the board, so the receiving the cable, cutting to length, stripping the cable ends and the application of the cable Contacts are charged to the same and only then the actual work on the cable laying board with the insertion of the first contact in a first contact housing, the cable laying along a laying track and the insertion of the second contact in a second contact housing.

This type of manufacture is relatively prone to failure due to the large number of steps to be performed by the robot and its tools to be provided and peripheral devices to be provided to it, e.g. only a small problem, e.g. a lack of centering when crimping the contacts the entire process flow is disturbed.

In addition, it takes a lot of time to go through all the cable manufacturing stages before each installation.

It also seems economically unreasonable to use an expensive, highly flexible tool, such as a multi-axis industrial robot, for consistent routine preparatory work, such as cable cutting, stripping, crimping and insertion into a cable storage tool.

Last but not least, the entrainment of a storage tool for the cable, eg with a random storage, a cable take-up reel, each associated with them grippers in any case, the spatial flexibility significantly limiting steric hindrance when guiding the cable on the holding and deflecting on Cable board, which in particular in somewhat complicated Verlegungsweg topographies and then comes to fruition when in the production of the wiring harness already a larger number of contacts is plugged in and the available for the insertion of further contacts space between the cables is getting tighter. This problem of lack of space is also on the laying board itself, if there are already a larger number of cables, so in the end already cable bundles are laid and new, possibly thin cables must be placed in the narrow spaces left over.

The object of the invention has been found to avoid the disadvantages described so far and to provide a method and a system for laying cables, in which or in which the described disadvantages are avoided and an automated production of a high number of lines and complicated wiring paths requiring wiring is possible.

If complex wiring harnesses with installation paths and longer cable lengths of up to 20 m are to be produced, their production is still carried out by hand, both in the automotive industry with its high batch sizes, as well as in special machine and special vehicle construction with small batch sizes. In the production of such wiring harnesses, especially for specialty sectors, the quality of work and accuracy are the most important factors, as errors in the production chain lead to inadmissibly high reject rates.

The present invention has set itself the goal of the production of wire harnesses - and in particular the production of wire harnesses in small batches - despite the o.a. To automate problems so that on the one hand manipulative errors, as they are never completely ruled out with manual installation, are almost completely eliminated and start-up phases for new and repeat orders can be shortened or even avoided.

Another object of the invention is to make the cable laying so that the complex robot used for it as effectively as possible, so if possible only for the cable laying steps itself, is used, and is relieved of all preparation and other cable manufacturing steps ,

Furthermore, the problems described above, which arise due to lack of space, especially during the progress of the laying process, should be avoided by no more or less voluminous tool for the storage attitude of the cable along with its grippers more along the entire laying path is carried by the robot, but the robot itself or its gripping member or its gripping members for the attitude of the cable and the various steps of the insertion of the contacts in the contact housing and the guidance of the cable along the laying path provided for the same ensures.

Therefore, the present invention is not primarily of the o.a. State of the art, but rather oriented to the manual harness manufacturing.

Thus, the subject of the present invention is a new method for the automated production of wire harnesses according to the preamble of claim 1.

In order to arrive at an automated, and in the case of a resumption of a specific production in repeat orders practically no startup and training times, production error practically exclusive and customer-oriented flexible production of, in particular complicated, harnesses, the inventive method with the in the characterizing Part of claim 1 mentioned features.

The new method differs from the above-described, known, automated harness manufacturing methods of the prior art essentially by the fact that the preparations for the laying of the individual cables with length measurement, cutting to length, stripping and contact crimping are so to speak "outsourced" and that provided with own gripping members, the cable-containing storage tool is provided, which is detected and held by the robot, must be carried for each strand to be laid over the entire, each provided laying track.

However, the method according to the invention also differs substantially from the usual way of laying cables to form a cable harness: So far - and this applies now both for manual installation, as for the cable bundling machines described above - is under the provision of each to be laid Cable, possibly with loosening loose about the same as a Textilsträhns, so after removal from a cable storage first recorded a first contact of the cable and plugged into a contact housing at the beginning of the laying track until it snaps. Thereafter, the cable is slipping-let the cable and guide, the cable along a predetermined installation path course via appropriate support, clamping, deflecting elements or the like. led to the cable board until after completion of the installation, the second contact of the cable is detected and is plugged into his intended contact receptacle in the contact housing at the end of the laying path.

In a completely different manner, the method according to the invention proceeds in such a way that - in any case, even before the start of positioning the start contact before and plugging it into the start housing with the aid of the starting gripping member - the target contact is also detected by means of the target gripping member is held and without any interruption during the insertion of the start-contact and during the subsequent routing of the cable along the respectively provided laying track becomes. Between the two held by the two grippers contacts the cable forms a down-hanging or possibly on a ground plane partially abraded loop, possibly held by a corresponding additional device from the cable board at a distance loop. Thus, the above-described, the spatial flexibility of the movement considerably limiting entrainment of a cable store or an intermediate laying of the cable during the Kabelellegevorgangs superfluous.

Due to the fact that in each case prior to the start of the contact plugging and laying process located at the two ends of the cable contacts are each detected by a gripper of the handling system and accurately positioned and defined held by the gripping member, any, for a detection and positioning of the Target contact the cable only after installation of the same along its laying track required technical and necessary for the detection and positionally accurate positioning of the target contact time required to be turned off.

In particular, to avoid interference and to minimize the time required, it is advantageous if the two gripping members work in coordination with each other. Furthermore, it has proved to be advantageous to use the starting gripping member and possibly the associated thereto starting auxiliary gripping member not only for the KontaktStecken, but also for the cable laying process, which in a mutual obstruction of the gripping members preventive distance from the start Gripping organ located and so coordinated entrained target gripping member that holds the target contact held by him, possibly in an inclined to the start organ or linearly displaced position, and immediately after completion of the installation process with the already positionally accurate positioning of the target contact in front of the target Housing and plugging yourself can start.

Because of the lower complexity of the system, it is preferable to force the two gripping members at a constant distance from one another, so to speak. This can e.g. most easily done by both gripping members are arranged on the end arm or on the same working head of a mounting-handling system or robot.

It has proven to be advantageous to guide the cable when laying so to speak between the jaws of the start-gripping and -Hilfsgreiforgans or rolling. In addition, it can be provided, for example, that the two ends or tips of the beak-like clamping jaws of the starting gripping member are connected to each other by a sliding strap which prevents the cable from moving downwards but does not inhibit the movement of the clamping jaws is slidably pulled during the movement of the gripping member along the laying path.

According to a preferred variant of the method is a - at least substantially - simultaneous removal of the start and the target contact of the Mounts provided in the cable storage or magazine by means of the start and the target gripping member according to claim 2.

Additionally or alternatively, however, it is preferred to ensure that, as is apparent from claim 3, during the laying process for a kind of pulling unwinding or unwinding of the cable via at least one with a gripper organ mitbewegbare unwinding guide roll, or the cable, for example. between two take-off rollers of a pair of guide rollers under light pressure between them deduct.

As regards the provision of the cables of different types provided for the cable laying method according to the invention, which is intended to support the substantially simultaneous or directly successive removal of the start and target contacts in respectively already exactly defined relative positioning to the beak tongs, it has it proved to be advantageous to arrange before the production of a wiring harness each cable of a variety in a plurality of pairs of mutually associated magazine receptacles having magazine for the contacts to carry out the removal process, as described in detail in claim 4.

If, as provided according to claim 5 in a first variant, the gripping members detect the contacts of the cable respectively at the contact crimps, so at the contact cable connection points, is a respectively defined defined position of the start and target contacts relative to the respective gripping member secured and thus an exact alignment and positioning of the contact before him provided for receiving the respective contact housing. For a correct position insertion of the contact is guaranteed in the contact.

If further, as also provided in this claim in its second variant, a control of the applied by the auxiliary gripping member in the final insertion or sliding of the individual contacts in the respectively provided for them contact recordings in the housing input or pushing forces, Damage to the contact and / or the contact receptacle can be avoided by a too strong insertion, as well as a noncontact-resistant, too weak or too short insertion or postponement of the contact.

Be particularly favorable in terms of high security when plugging in the contacts, it has been found, if, as provided in accordance with another variant of this claim, immediately after each completed, force-controlling final insertion of the contact again its engagement and "seat" in or on the recording, so the tensile load capacity of the contact connection just made is checked.

As regards the detection of the start and target contacts by the respective gripping member before the beginning of the laying process, this can be done particularly favorably with an approximately beak-like or pincer-like gripping member, as is the claim 6 in a first variant. Here, the advantage is given that the elongated beak-like formation due to the small footprint an action of the gripping member even still allows if the necessary space for the manipulation is already very low, as for example, then the case, if already a larger number of Cables is plugged with their contacts in a respective contact housing and within the housing of the cable bundle depleting yet another contact is stuck.

As regards the auxiliary gripping member associated with the respective gripping member, the second variant of this claim is particularly favorable, according to which this too has a substantially beak-like narrow design, since then its engagement can be achieved, in particular when the contact is pushed into the respective receptacle in that the beak tongs of the auxiliary gripping member engaging and holding the cable immediately after the contact crimp can be advanced between the two beak-like jaws of the gripping member opening in good time.

In this sense, further advantageous is the embodiment in the third variant of this claim, according to which the immediately behind the contacts or the cable crimps lying region of the respective cable is arranged in substantially continuation of the contact axis and the jaws of the auxiliary gripping member in its longitudinal extent be aligned parallel to the axis just mentioned, and if this relative orientation is maintained at least until the completion of the respective contact plug and -prüfvorgangs.

As already briefly indicated above, it is favorable, as is apparent from claim 7, in particular for minimizing the manipulation time according to a first variant of this claim, to ensure that the gripping members and auxiliary gripping members belong together to corresponding start and target gripper groups or cells are combined and both gripper groups to the distal working head of an industrial handling system, eg a multi-axis robot, are connected. It may optionally also be provided that the two gripper groups on the working head can also be moved linearly relative to each other. In any case, it is favorable, in particular for minimizing mutual obstruction of the gripper groups during manipulation during the cable laying process, if they are designed to be rotatable or pivotable relative to each other.

In particular, in the case of the use of conventional, practically rigid, so material-rigid holding and deflecting elements on the cable board, it has proven to be advantageous, the cable along the laying path on the cable board by appropriate programming of each applicable handling system or Robot to guide so that when approaching and while passing or deflecting the cable to the holding and deflecting elements, over or around the same an embossed the respective holding element with an increased radial distance arc path taken is provided as according to the second variant of this claim. If the elements mentioned are multi-part and not rigid, that is to say, for example, resiliently evasive, a guide can be made, as it were, through the central axis of the elements.

However, elastic or resilient holding or suspension elements are provided for the cable, which can escape during insertion of the cable or during penetration of the beak-like pliers of the gripping member during movement along the cable path and finally the cable stored in them against loosening from the guide board secure, so the cable management can be done directly just above a breakpoint or around or by a deflection, so without the aforementioned dodging in a curved path.

What concerns a particularly advantageous way of aligning the approximately beak-like clamping jaws of the start and end gripping member in the removal of the held in exactly defined position ready contacts from a magazine as just described, it has, especially with regard to the removal process following , Before the beginning and after the end of the installation process to be made plugging and positioning of the contacts in the start and in the target housing proved to be favorable when the clamping jaws of the respective gripping member are aligned parallel to the respective contact or to its major axis to the contact then to take from the magazine, as is apparent from the claim 8.

Regarding to be made after completion of the installation process post-processing, bundling, finalization and ultimately removal of the finished wiring harness from the shelf, it is advantageous if, after completion of laying all provided for a given cable harness the laying board from the cable laying position or from a "first position "moved in at least one of the same different, second or further position for post-processing, bundling, finalization and removal of the finished wiring harness and for the assembly of the board with new contact housings as well as for an optionally provided equipping and / or conversion of the same, after which it again in the aforementioned Kabelverlege- or first position is returned.

As a manufacturing technology favorable, a procedure has been found in which it is provided that after completion of laying all provided for a given cable harness the cable - preferably together with another two, three or more, respective (post-) processing steps or positions accordingly a conveyor, carousel, turret, car, or the like. arranged Legebrettern - also on the conveyor or the like. arranged, ready-fitted Legebrett from the respective laying position in the next position further moved, in particular a preferably vertical axis - by 120 °, 90 ° or 72 ° in a next of two, three or more post-processing, bundling, finalization -, cable acceptance, and any Legebrett- (Um- or up) setup positions further rotated-pivoted and finally moved to a new laying process again in the cable laying position, in particular rotationally pivoted is.

Since in the method according to the invention, the entire cable is removed from the cable store and from its - held by the beak-like pliers of the start and end-gripping member - contacts, hanging down as a loop, it may also be advantageous to ensure that the cable when laying over or by a preferably in vertical or vertical position or optionally away from the robot at an angle between +5 backwards and - 7.5 ° forward overhanging, but preferably vertically, arranged cable rack away Support, holding, clamping and / or deflection are performed.

Another essential object of the invention is a new system for the automated production of cable harnesses, in particular for carrying out the method, as described in its variants above, which system is designed according to the preamble of claim 9.

This new harness manufacturing facility has the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 9.

In order to allow an "equiaxial" alignment of the gripping member and the auxiliary gripping member and in particular the insertion or pushing of the auxiliary gripping member in the final insertion of the contacts in or on their associated contact receptacles of the housing between the two, beak-like jaws of the gripping member is a space and movement space for the relative to the gripping member movable auxiliary gripping member creating bulge of the actuating arms for the gripper jaws advantageous, as shown in detail in the first embodiment of claim 10.

As regards the alignment of the jaws of gripping and auxiliary gripping member, both the start and the Ziel-Greiforgangruppe, as well as the movement of the jaws, reference is made to the second variant of this claim.

The for the final, so "latching", plugging and ultimately also for the testing of a just-made contact connection necessary mobility of KlemmSchnäbel the auxiliary gripping member and its displacement backwards or forwards, between the two beak-jaws of the gripping member, set Another preferred feature of the invention, which is the subject of the third variant of this claim.

An exact and the conductive connection between the contacts and the contact receptacles of the housing securing plugging, insertion or insertion of the contacts can advantageously ensure a test device according to the fourth variant of this claim, which is an individual for each contact or each type of contact Contact deduction check enabled.

By means of this mechanical test, such high reliability of all contact connections is achieved that an electrical test of the finished cable harness can be completely omitted.

What concerns arrangements for trouble-free uncoiling and removal of the yes in a loop of the contacts down hanging cable during the laying process, it is preferred - as is apparent from the fifth variant of this claim, cable management bodies in the form of an adjustable or pivotable roller at least on the Provide start-Greiforgan group. The pivotability of the roll can then be e.g. be achieved so that after the one - as described above - successful plugging a contact and checking the connector by means of the auxiliary gripping member of this auxiliary gripping member between the open jaws of the gripping member from the clamp-holding position of the jaws in a cable releasing open position transferred, so that the clamping position of the cable is released by the auxiliary grasping forceps and at the same time by means of a hinge lever, the roller is pivoted under the cable, whereby a support of the same against falling down and an alignment of the same for tracking the intended laying train is ensured on the laying board.

Instead of such a pivotable cable Abspul-- Abbul-- Abbul-- / Abzieh- role can also be a when closing the auxiliary gripping member after completion of plugging and testing activity around the cable closing, the cable, for. be provided with the force of a roller tension spring retaining take-off roller pair. The roller tension achieves some tensioning of the cable from the previously inserted start contact along the entire laying path over the laying board, so that during the laying process there is no disturbing sagging of the cable on the laying board between the cable holding and deflection points.

Another possibility is to guide the cable by means of a guide or Verlegeöse which already serves in the removal of the cable from the magazine for pre-positioning of the cable.

To avoid disruption of the laying process by the cable loop hanging from the two contacts held by the gripping members, e.g. due to a kind of whip effect with rapid robot movements, a detail embodiment of the system according to the invention with a, the cable loops spaced from the cable rack during the laying work holding loop holding sheet or the like. according to the sixth variant of claim 10 of advantage.

As already briefly mentioned, for an automated production of cable harnesses, a supply of the cables to be laid, which is optimally adapted to this production method, plays an important role through their provision in cable layers or cable magazines corresponding to the working process. Accordingly, a Equipment of the system according to the invention with cable magazines according to the first variant of claim 11 of particular advantage.

There are in this invention preferred cable magazines, the target and end contacts arranged in pairs sequentially one behind the other and either can be moved by means of a cable magazine drive - a just removed cable following - pair of contact terminals in the same position as the previous contact pair or but the robotic arm of the robot or handling system is programmed so that it further extends exactly by a distance of the contact pairs from each other to remove the two contacts of a respective next cable.

Particularly preferred hiebei is an embodiment of the cable magazine according to the second variant of this claim, which is characterized in that they can accommodate a larger number of contacts of different embodiments, if they fit only reasonably in the contact recesses.

In the magazines mentioned the contacts are advantageously inserted from bottom to top, so that the removal process - after appropriate parallel alignment of the jaws of the target and the start-Greiforgans with the contacts - these contacts together with the hanging from you cable loop from respective gripping member can be pulled downwards, which has the advantage that the risk of self-torsion and -Verwick the cable is low.

A further, particularly preferred design of the magazine bars, which essentially allows a uniform shape of the individual contact recesses and thus makes each different, for each of the contact forms specific contact recesses superfluous, outlines the third variant of this claim.

Finally, in particular, in order to eliminate the risk of confusion during removal from the magazines, it has proven advantageous to use the magazine bars as provided in the fourth variant of the claim, e.g. on its front side with a machine-readable identification system code, e.g. Line or number code, transponder or the like, which indicates the respective type of cable and contact, to be provided by a code reader arranged on the working head of the handling system or robot, transmitter / receiver system or the like. is read and compared with the, for a particular type of cable specific code stored in the controller, so that only when the magazine code matches the stored code, the installation process can be continued.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, namely according to claim 12 in its first variant, it is provided that the laying board is made of a mechanically rigid material and a hole pattern, for example, with matrix spacing of 2 x 2 cm, in its holes with corresponding klempassassenden plug-in extensions equipped support, holding, clamping and deflection elements for the cable guide according to a respective cable length program, and of course the brackets for the start and Zielkontaktgehäuse and any intermediate shelves for contacts can be arranged.

The embodiments of the just mentioned supporting, holding, clamping and deflecting elements can be adapted to the respective requirements in the context of the laying process. They may be mere pins with reinforced ends, which prevent slipping a previously laid cable from the cable laying board. They may also have resilient springs, which dodge during the laying process when guiding the cable by means of the gripping forceps, however spring back after passing the pliers and thus protect the cable from slipping out of the holder, or in any other suitable form in this way be educated. Particularly preferred embodiments of the holding, clamping or deflecting elements according to the second variant of this claim, in which the above-mentioned, e.g. a plurality of cables retaining spring of the clamping element by retaining elements with resilient stems sitting and resiliently abutting held, advantageously rotationally symmetrical, in particular außenkonvex hemispherical or spherical-like, retaining heads is replaced. In this type of training of holding and deflecting a guide the cable during installation can be done directly over the position of the holding or deflection without "bypassing" the same.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention can be provided, for example, that in particular when the just mentioned, a release of the cable from their holding elements preventing formation of the holding elements is used, the cable board is formed approximately in the form of a hollow cylindrical inner surface which the Handling system or robot with the cable, plug-in and laying-gripping organs faces, so that the individual paths, which has to cover the laying head down to the cable board, are minimized.

In the context of such an embodiment, it would also be particularly favorable, the cable magazines and other auxiliary components of the system in a room grabbing characteristic of the handling system oncoming manner, ie, for. about a hollow cylinder accordingly, radially around the robot to arrange.

In order to ensure a high flexibility of use also with regard to the embodiments of the intended for the harnesses to be manufactured contact housing, an embodiment of the Legebrett brackets for the same according to the third variant of this claim is particularly advantageous, wherein an alignment of the housing axes or the Axes whose contact recordings - which depressions, in which pins, are inserted or can be recording pins on which the contacts of the cable are pushed - to arrange at all parallel to the laying board. This can, however, despite the anyway little space-consuming training of beak-like Clamping the gripping and auxiliary gripping members lead to difficulties in terms of space required during the insertion process.

However, it is preferred to design the housing mounts such that the contact housings or their axes held by them occupy an angle of at most 25 °, preferably between 10 and 15 °, to the laying board.

In order to allow during a current installation process at the same time a possible, a new installation mechanism retrofitting or retrofitting the cable laying board or work and rework operations and ultimately the removal of the finished wiring harness from another board, it is convenient, several laying boards on a turret or carousel and to supply them, the corresponding, a respective working section individual workstations by rotation of the tower each by a certain angle of rotation, as is included in the fourth variant of this claim.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.

It show the Fig. 1a and 1b the side view and top view of an embodiment preferred for carrying out the method according to the invention of a harness production plant according to the invention, the Fig. 2 a schematic plan view of a system of similar construction in principle, with adapted to the activity range of a articulated arm robot arrangement of magazines and embodiment of the laying board, the Fig. 3 the oblique view of an arrangement of a start and a target gripper cell with gripping member and auxiliary gripper on a mounting flange to be arranged for mounting on the end arm of a handling system, eg articulated arm robot, Figure 4, the oblique view of a working head of a articulated robot, with the start and target gripper cells and a cable loop shielding device disposed thereon Fig. 5a and 5b the side view and top view of a provided at least at the start-gripping member or start-auxiliary gripper Abspulörgans for guiding the cable along the laying track on the laying board, the Fig. 6a to 6d a front and side view and a plan view of the cable board with a plurality, arranged thereon Kontaktgehäusehaltem and a cable holding and -memlenkelement and a schematic diagram of a contact housing, the Fig. 7 the schematic view of a cable Legewegs, the Fig. 8 the oblique view of a multiple single magazines cable supply magazine according to the invention, the Fig. 9 a plan view of a provided for the same Magazinierstab in a particularly preferred according to the invention, flexible embodiment and Fig. 10 the oblique view of a special cable holding and deflecting element.

The in the Fig. 1 Cable harness production plant 100 shown includes one of a articulated arm robot, such as a six-axis robot 1 with - fixed here - location formed handling system, which can be supplied with control data by a controller 10 in accordance with a laying program LP, wherein the working arm or head 12 of the robot 1 is equipped with the start and target gripper groups 2, 3, which are not described here in detail. 7) of a total of four on the same arranged Legebrettem 7 to 7 "'returning Legebrett turret 79 and on both sides of the robot 1 each have a cable magazine 8 with therein cables 5. The magazines 8 are here one above the other, so to speak arranged in two floors I, II, wherein the magazines 8 of the upper floor II are equipped with the short and therefore only short loops 55 having cables and the magazines 8 of the lower floor I with the longer or long cables 5. By this arrangement of the magazines, the paths of the gripper groups of Robot 1 for the removal of the cable 5 are shortened and thus the time for the removal process.

With ar the limits of the action space of the robot 1 are indicated, wherein, as is clear from the plan view, the laying board 7 is arranged practically fully within said space ar. The laying board 7 has, for its front side vs towards the front surface 750, open plug holes 71 which form a hole pattern 70, e.g. at a distance of 1 cm from each other, form.

In the plug holes 71 are - with corresponding, not shown here, mating feet - to the essential for the course of the individual cables of the harness to be manufactured holding, clamping and deflection elements 701, 702, 703 and further contact housing Holder 76 is inserted, which hold the start housing 61 and the target housing 62.

The laying board 7 is in a first position, in the cable laying position P1, while the laying boards 7 ', 7 "and 7"' e.g. in post-processing and finalization positions P2, P3 and an upgrade position P4. The turret 79 is rotatable about an axis towering from a stand or bottom plate 791 there. The leash lifters 7 to 7 "'are held by the turret arms 790 and are detachably attached thereto.

The Fig. 2 shows only in plan view for an optimization or minimization of the working paths of the gripping members 2 and 3 supporting working head 12 of the robot 1 optimal embodiment of the guide board 7 and a case also appropriate arrangement of the magazine 8. The cable rack 7 is in this embodiment substantially as Hollow cylinder inner surface formed, this concave surface 750 facing the robot 1. In an analogous manner, a radial-beam arrangement of the cable magazines 8 is shown on both sides of the robot 1, each likewise starting from a concave inner cylinder surface which continues the aforementioned surface of the laying board 7.

A certain disadvantage of this arrangement, in addition to their higher complexity may also be that since the magazines 8 not close to each other, so not adjacent to each other can be arranged, but radially-beam, gaping outwardly, must be arranged, the space is higher than in the Fig. 1 shown adjacent linear arrangement of magazines.

The Fig. 3 shows the on a connecting flange 230 on not shown distal working arm of a handling system, eg articulated robot, arranged, associated gripper groups namely the start gripper group 2 and the target gripper group 3, it being noted at this point that in the case shown the two gripper groups are constructed practically identical.

The gripper group 2 is associated with a rotary drive 23 which allows rotation of the start gripper 21 and located within a free space 200 between the actuating arms 202 start auxiliary gripper 22 about the main axis ha 2, said rotation of 0 to 360 ° can go. The start gripper 21 has the two distal beak-like clamping jaws 211, which - operated by means of appropriate mechanics - substantially transverse to the axis ha 2 toward each other or apart and so the clamping holding a cable, preferably achs-ident with the pliers Enable axle. The located in between the bulging outward arms 202 of the gripping member 21 start-Hilfsgreifzange 22 also has distal beak-like jaws 221, which are formed in virtually the same manner as the jaws 211 of the gripping member 21, whereby these jaws 221 transverse to the axis Ha 2 to each other or are movable apart to clamp a cable, preferably also parallel to the axis, or, for example, to release when laying. At the same time it is provided that by means of a linear displacement drive, the auxiliary gripper 22 in the direction of the axis ha 2 between the - then open - Schnabelklemmen 211 of the grasping forceps 21 vorschiebbar or retractable, wherein by means of two articulated levers 251, 252 on one of These levers arranged roller 25 is pivoted at a feeding of the auxiliary gripper 22 between the jaws 211 of the gripping pliers 21 in a position above the axis ha 2 so that they are between the jaws 211 of the gripping pliers 21 and the jaws 221 of the auxiliary gripping pliers 22, so a essential along the axis ha 2 extending cable can secure upward. It should be clearly noted that the entire arrangement and thus also the gripper groups 2 and 3 in the Fig. 3 are shown in their visibility and the understanding of their function promoting, inverse position and that the usual working position of the two gripper groups 2 and 3 is practically exactly the opposite, as in the Fig. 3 shown. The cable 25 for holding, unwinding and removing the cable is positioned and secured in the working position during the laying work below the axis ha 2 the cable to be laid against falling down when the pliers 21 and 22 are open during the cable gene.

It is still to be noted that the two clamping surfaces of the beak-like jaws 211 of the gripping member 21 are designated 2001. Last but not least is still to point to the pivot drive 24, by means of which a pivoting of the starting gripper group 2 about an axis ha 4 transverse to the main axis ha 2 is made possible, which is particularly favorable if one of the two gripper groups 2 or 3 is currently in action , and the other, not active, eg holding the target contact, is pivoted backwards, whereby the cable or its loop is kept away from the laying board and also a possible tangling of the cable and thus unpleasant disturbances during the laying work are largely eliminated.

The target gripper group 3 is constructed in the arrangement shown identical to the start gripper group 2, but their reference numbers begin with the numeral 3. The target gripper 31 has also towards backwards diverging, between a free space 300 releasing pliers arms 302, which pass distally into beak-like clamping jaws 311 with clamping surfaces with 3001. Within the clearance 300, the target auxiliary grasping forceps 32 is arranged with its jaws 321. Also in the target gripper group 3, a cable guide roller can be provided by means of a toggle lever system. Compared to the start gripper group 3 with its axis ha2, the target gripper group with the axis ha3 has been pivoted upwards by a swivel angle β. It should be repeated here that the position of the gripper cells in the real working position in the Fig. 3 shown position diametrically opposite.

Fig. 4 shows - with otherwise constant reference numerals meanings - as the distal robot working arm 11 of the axle and querachs pivotable working head 12 is disposed, at its end with its connecting flange 230, the starting gripper group 2 and the target gripper group. 3 are arranged. In the arrangement shown here, the start gripper group 2 is in a vertical position with a vertical axis ha 2 and the target gripper group 3 in an upwardly forward tilted oblique position with oblique axis ha3. Shown are still the two rotary actuators 23, 33 and the pivot drives 24, 34 for the start and the Zielgreifergruppe 2 and 3.

In addition, it should be noted that from FIG. 4, the, e.g. when removing the cable or from their contacts provided from the magazines, vertical, the vertical axis ha 2 corresponding position of the start-gripper group 2 can be seen, the poorly visible Kabelabspulrolle 25 is turned to the viewer. In this figure, it is the gripper group 2 in one of the real laying work, e.g. shown in the cable removal corresponding upright vertical position.

For laying a cable is then a pivoting of the gripper group, so that the main axis ha2 thereof substantially the current course of Laying track corresponds, wherein the still-viewed in Fig. 4-sided roller 25 is then below the axis ha 2. A cable to be laid is positioned above the roller 25 and rests on it, so that the pulling of the cable while laying on the cable board can go smoothly. By means of the pivotable up and down tether 235 can be kept away from the laying board in a loop hanging down freely cable laying.

In the sense of the explanation that has just been made, it is to the - analogous in terms of reference numerical meanings - Fig. 5 It should be noted in advance that here, too, the representation for reasons of visibility does not correspond to the position of the start gripper group 2 during a removal or even during the cable laying process, but that, in particular during the laying process, it can be assumed that the starting gripper group 2 during the same in exactly the reverse arrangement in comparison to the representation of Fig. 5 is moved by the cable laying robot.

Only the auxiliary gripper 22 with its jaws 221 is shown here, for which a drive 225 is provided. By means of this drive, a auxiliary gripper 22 carrying slide 226 is moved to the front or in the drawing to the right and the - located in the drawing - above the main axis ha 2, hinged to the carriage and pivotable by means of hinge lever system 251, 252 cable guide roller 25th is arranged in the advancing position of the forceps 22 in the position sg above the axis ha 2. Otherwise she has the position sa.

In the plan view of Fig. 5 - Real sub-view - is shown how between the open jaws 221 and their clamping surfaces 2001, a cable 5 is guided, in the drawing upwards, in the actual working position, but down from the roller 25 in the laying -Stellung is held and on which the cable 5 is rolling while laying. It is also indicated how the cable 5 then passes from the unwinding roller 25 into a loop 55 (not shown).

That in the Fig. 6a to 6c shown cable board 7 has to its the viewer, so the front vs facing surface 750 toward open, evenly spaced in a square grid 70 plug-in openings 71. In the holes 71 of the perforated grid 70, as shown in particular from the side view, inserted by support plates 760 of a start contact plug housing 61 holding the housing holder 76 wegfortsätze 761. The cable board 7 is here at an angle α of 90 ° to the horizontal, so not inclined forwardly aligned.

From the top view of Fig. 6 It can still be seen how the housing holder 76 and the contact housing 61 held by it project obliquely forward at an angle δ from the front side facing the observer facing surface 750 of the guide board 7, which the accessibility of the contact receptacles of the housing 61st , 62 substantially facilitates the cable contacts held by the gripping tongs of the handling system.

From the Fig. 6d is merely illustrative oblique view of a with its axis ga at an acute angle δ from the cable board 7 obliquely forward aligned start or target housing 61, 62 shown with its contact plug-in receptacles 611, 621.

In the sketch of the Fig. 7 is shown - merely by way of example - how the fixed retaining or deflecting elements 701, 703, in an evasive arcuate path with an increased distance to the respective element 701, 703, by means of the robot controlled essentially by the respective CAD laying plan according to corresponding algorithms Guide the cable 5 is bypassed to avoid collisions between the gripper and the holding and deflecting elements 701,703.

The Fig. 8 shows a packet-like arrangement of four closely spaced cable magazines 8, each having a profile frame 81, in which a Magazinierstab 82 is inserted.

On its front side 821 the Magazinierstab 82 carries a bar code 825, which is read by a corresponding sensor of the cable reading robot and compared with the stored in the robot controller code of the respective cable to be removed 5, so that there is no confusion of cables 5 at Removal from the magazines 8 can come. Each Magazinierstab 82 with barcode 825 each has a plurality of equally spaced contact-receiving recesses 83, which are arranged in pairs and for the holder of the start contacts 51 and the target contacts 52 each of the just mentioned contacts and their crimp Provided 505 in free loops 55 drooping cable 5 are provided, and in which the contacts 51, 52 are inserted and each held by a schematically indicated clamping retaining spring 84. When removing the cable, the previously described, beak-like jaws of the respective gripping member in the direction indicated by upward arrows in the direction perpendicular to the top crimping 505, it takes place a pinching of the cable 5 in the desired defined relative positioning of the crimp 505th In such clamped state, the respective contact 51, 52 is then pulled out of the opening 83 in the direction of the second arrows downward and held in the predetermined position, after which the plugging and laying work follows.

The Fig. 9 shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the Magazinierstäbe 82. The Magazinierstab 82 is constructed in three parts with two flank parts 821 and a fitting between the two flank parts middle part 822. The two flanks 821 directed towards the Mitteilteil 822 toward, an approximately rack-like shape, which a corresponding, also rack-like, two-sided design of the middle part 822 corresponds.

Every second of the in the variant shown by an angle φ of plus or minus 45 ° to the longitudinal extent of the rod 82 inclined tooth surfaces of the two flank parts 821 has a recess or groove 831, which is designed so that a start contact 51 and a target contact 52 can be accommodated therein in each case exactly defined position. The recesses 831 of the two flank parts 821 of the rod magazine 82 correspond to both sides open, approximately rectangular, much larger recesses or grooves 832 in every other tooth surface of the middle part 822 of the magazine rod 82, which with their open sides to the open sides of the grooves Connect 831. In the grooves 832 of the rod middle part 822 extending along these grooves 832, provided for a spring-locking mounting of the cable contacts 51, 52 leaf springs 84 are arranged, the clamping force is so high that the contacts 51, 52 not by the weight of them down hanging cable loops 55 can be pulled out of the grooves 83.

Other versions of the magazine can be to replace the springs by self-acting spring rollers, so as rubber rollers or rollers arranged on springs. But it can also be with elastic material, such as. Rubber, formed contact plug-in channels or shafts in place of the retaining springs or retaining rollers occur.

On the other hand, if the gripping tongs of the starting and target gripping members engage the contacts 51, 52, they pinch them and pull them downwards, the holding force of the spring 84 holding the contacts in a defined position is overcome.

It has been found that the shown "rack-skew" of the contact-holding grooves 831 and the cable contacts 51, 52 in Magazinierstab 82 and thus in the bar magazines 8 itself, the work of the handling system or robot in the cable removal significantly easier.

The in Fig. 10 shown cable (-Umlenk) holder 703 is optionally suitable as a mere location-holder or preferably for the deflection of the cable 5 in the course of the cable Legeweges. It comprises a carrier plate 760 with plug-in extensions 761 for the arrangement on the perforated grid 70 of FIG Fig. 1 and 6 In the illustrated embodiment of the holder 703 protrude from the plate 760 at a distance from each other two stems 7031 of a spring-elastic material having at their ends thickening, preferably about spherical holding heads 7032 have. By the resilient stems 7031, the heads 7032 are resiliently pressed together.

Now approaching the robot guided gripper with abzuzuspulenden on its take-off roll cable 5, so soft the two heads 7032 auseinanderfedernd, the cable 5 is placed in the space fr between the stems, and when the gripper tongs has left the vicinity of the holder 703 close the two heads from the free space fv from the front and so keep the cable 5, or a growing during the laying work cable bundle secured against falling down firmly.

Depending on the task in the laying process, it is also possible to provide cable holders 703, which are equipped with three or four heads 7032 held resiliently against one another by the resilient stems 7031.

At this point it should be pointed out briefly that in these holding elements a "orbiting" of the laying point or deflection point with a magnifying radius - is not necessary, but during the cable laying operation, the cable 5 can be practically directly on the between the resilient support handles and heads lying holding or turning point, are performed by the cable holder just described in more detail.

• Beide Leitungsenden werden schon während des gesamten Entnahme-, Verlegungs-, Steckvorganges von den Greifern permanent und definiert gehalten.
• Beide Leitungsenden können unter Umständen in Leergehäusen gelagert werden.
• Beide Leitungsenden bzw. Kontakte werden in definierter Position in das Magazin gesteckt.
• Die gesamte Kabellänge, also die Drahtschlinge wird während der Tätigkeit am Legebrett definiert gehalten bzw. geführt.
• Die Bestückungs-Reihenfolge der Kontakt-Steckverbinder-Gehäuse erfolgt innerhalb eines computer-optimierten Vorganges.
• Die Software der Roboter-Steuerung errechnet selbst. z.B. aufgrund der CAD-Daten des Kabellege-Plans - den Verlegeweg. Bei manueller Verlegung ist eine aufwendige Information des Personals sowie ein entsprechender Lernbedarf, also eine Anlemzeit erforderlich.
• Als Bestückungsgerät hat sich ein 6-Achsroboter bewährt. Es ist jedoch durchaus im Bereich der Möglichkeiten, diesen Roboter um weitere Achsen zu erweitern.
• Anstelle der Bewegungen des Legeroboters oder zusätzlich zu denselben können das Verfahren des Legebrettes und das Verfahren des Magazins vorgesehen sein.
• Das Legebrett als Aufnahme für die Steckergehäuse und als Bearbeitungsebene für den Roboter, kann in jeder räumlichen Position zum Roboter, also z.B. "über Kopf", montiert sein, sodass es bzw. er gegenüber den Kabelschlaufen nicht im Weg ist.
• Die Kabel-Magazine können in jeder räumlichen Anordnung positioniert sein. Die Kombination von Magazin und Greiforgan ermöglicht eine Drehung und Positionierung der Kontakte an den Litzen-Enden von gemeinsam 360°.
• Ist die Fertigung eines Kabelbaums einmal programmiert, so ist sie jederzeit zu 100 % wiederholbar.
• Online-Änderungen, z.B. durch den Kunden, können direkt in die Kabellege-Anlage bzw. in deren Steuerung eingespeist werden.
• Die Durchlaufzeit der Produktion wird deutlich reduziert, im Schnitt von 8 bis 10 auf 1 bis maximal 2 Tage.
• Es bedarf keiner elektrischen Prüfung der gefertigten Kabelbäume, was eine Folge der Bestückung mittels Handlingsystem und der Kontakt-Arretierungs-Prüfung ist.
• Es wird eine verbesserte Qualität infolge der hochgradigen Verminderung der manuellen Tätigkeiten, insbesondere beim Kabellegen und Kontaktstecken erreicht.
• Gegenüber den bekannt gewordenen automatisierten Kabelverlegeverfahren besteht der große Vorteil der Erfindung in ihrer hohen räumlichen Flexibilität bedingt durch den extrem niedrigen Platzbedarf der schmalen schnabelartigen Kontak-Greif- und -Halteorgane und insbesondere darin, dass nicht während des gesamten Kontakt-Streck- und Kabel-Legevorgangs ein kompliziert anzusteuerndes, ein voluminöses Kabelmagazin mitführendes Werkzeug mit eigenen Greifern mitzuführen ist.

At this point, the main differences of the method according to the invention, in particular in comparison to manual production, and its advantages are summarized:

• Both ends of the line are kept permanently and defined by the grippers during the entire removal, installation and insertion process.
• Both ends may be stored in empty enclosures.
• Both cable ends or contacts are inserted in a defined position in the magazine.
• The entire cable length, so the wire loop is kept defined during the activity on the board.
• The assembly order of the contact connector housing takes place within a computer-optimized process.
• The software of the robot controller calculates itself - eg due to the CAD data of the cable laying plan - the laying path. With manual installation, a complex information of the staff and a corresponding learning needs, so an Anlemzeit is required.
• As assembly equipment, a 6-axis robot has proven itself. However, it is quite possible to extend this robot with additional axes.
• Instead of or in addition to the movements of the casual robot, the method of the laying board and the procedure of the magazine may be provided.
• The laying board as a receptacle for the connector housing and as a working plane for the robot can be mounted in any spatial position relative to the robot, eg "overhead", so that it or he is not in the way of the cable loops.
• The cable magazines can be positioned in any spatial arrangement. The combination of magazine and gripper organ allows rotation and positioning of the contacts at the ends of the strands together by 360 °.
• Once the production of a cable harness has been programmed, it can be repeated 100% at any time.
• Online changes, eg by the customer, can be fed directly into the cable laying system or into its control system.
• The throughput time of production is significantly reduced, on average from 8 to 10 to 1 to a maximum of 2 days.
• It requires no electrical testing of the manufactured harnesses, which is a consequence of the assembly by means of handling system and the contact-locking test.
• Improved quality is achieved as a result of the high reduction in manual activities, particularly cable laying and contact.
• Compared to the known automated cable laying method, the great advantage of the invention in its high spatial flexibility due to the extremely low footprint of the narrow beak-like contact gripping and -Halteorgane and in particular that not during the entire contact-stretching and cable laying operation a complicated to be controlled, a voluminous cable magazine entraining tool with its own grippers is carried.

Claims (12)

1. Method for automated production of cable harnesses, in which

   - the contact or the start contact at the first end or at the start end of a cable which has previously been cut to an intended size, has been crimped at both of its ends and is provided with a respectively provided contact, of an individual conductor such as this, braiding and/or of a wire such as this is introduced or inserted by means of a first gripping member or a start gripping member into a first contact receptacle or into a start receptacle of a first contact housing, which is arranged on a cable layout board, or of a start housing such as this,

   - after which the cable is guided along a predetermined laying path over or around - corresponding to the desired profile of the cable in the cable harness to be produced - fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection elements which are arranged on the layout board, and

   - the contact which is located at the second end or at the destination end of the cable, or the destination contact, is introduced or inserted by means of a second gripping member or the destination gripping member into a contact receptacle which is provided therefor, or into the destination receptacle of a second housing, which is likewise arranged on the layout board, or of the destination housing,

   - and this process of laying the individual cables along their respectively provided laying paths between the start and destination housings is continued until the end of the laying process, after which the cable loom obtained in this way is subsequently processed with the contact housings, is finalized to form the cable harness and is then removed from the layout board,
   characterized

   - in that the start contact of the cable to be laid is taken from a cable support, which is fitted with a plurality of mutually identical cables whose contacts are aligned in the same way, by means of a first gripping and holding member which is guided by the handling system or by the robot, or of the start gripping member, for customer-oriented flexible production of the cable harnesses,

   - in that, before the start of the contact plug-in and cable laying process, the destination contact of the said cable is taken out of the cable support by means of a second gripping and holding member, which is likewise guided by a handling system or robot, or of the destination gripping member, and is held by the said destination gripping member,

   - in that, after alignment of the start contact and after it has been positioned in or has been inserted into the start receptacle, which is provided therefor, of the start housing by means of the start gripping member, the start contact is finally inserted or plugged into the start receptacle, such that it is fixed and latched in, by means of a first auxiliary gripping member, which grips and holds the cable behind the start contact or its crimp and is likewise guided by a handling system or robot, or by the start auxiliary gripping member,

   - in that, after this and with the destination contact being held completely by means of the destination gripping member throughout the entire process - by means of the start gripping and/or start auxiliary gripping member itself and/or by means of a cable guide member associated therewith - the cable is guided along the running or laying path in each case intended therefor over or through the fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection elements of the layout board,

   - and in that, finally, the destination contact, which is held permanently by the destination gripping member and after appropriate alignment and positioning in, or after being inserted into, the destination receptacle of the destination housing, is finally inserted or plugged into the destination receptacle, fixing and latching it in, by means of this destination gripping member - by means of a second auxiliary gripping member, which grips and holds the cable immediately behind the destination contact or its crimp, and is likewise guided by a handling system or robot, or of the destination auxiliary gripping member.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized

   - in that the start contact of the cable to be laid is taken by means of the first gripping and holding member, which is guided by the handling system or by the robot, or of the start gripping member, from the cable support, which is fitted with a plurality of cables which are the same as one another and whose contacts are aligned in the same way, and

   - in that, at the same time, - even before the start of the contact insertion and cable laying process - the destination contact of the said cable is taken from the cable support by means of the second gripping and holding member, which is likewise guided by a handling system or robot, or of the destination gripping member, and is held by the said destination gripping member.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the respective cable to be laid - at least from plugging its start contact into the start receptacle of the start housing and during its guidance over or through the fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection elements of the layout board during the cable laying process - forms a noose or a loop, which correspondingly shortens the progress thereof and hangs, preferably freely, downwards, between the start gripper group or cell, which comprises the start gripping member and the start auxiliary gripping member which interacts with it on a functional-sequence coordinated basis, and/or a cable guide member which may be provided and is associated with this gripper group, preferably a cable holding and guide roller or roller pair, and the target gripper group or cell, which permanently holds the destination contact and comprises the destination gripping member and the destination auxiliary gripping member which interacts with it on a function-sequence coordinated basis, and/or a cable guide member such as this which may be provided and is associated therewith.
4. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, before the start of the cable laying process,

   - cables which are the same as one another, or the cables of one type are in each case arranged in a cable magazine which has a plurality of pairs of magazine receptacles, which are associated with one another and correspond to the embodiments of the start contact and the destination contact,

   - in which the contacts or their free ends project upwards, and the cables in each case form a noose or loop, which hangs preferably freely downwards, between the said contacts or their crimps,

   - and in that the respective cable to be laid is taken from the magazine receptacles from the handling system or from robot-guided start and destination gripping members by preferably simultaneous pulling out of the contacts, and is supplied to the contact plug-in and contact laying process.
5. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized

   - in that both the start contact and the destination contact of the cable are each gripped and held by the start gripping member and by the destination gripping member at their contact/cable connecting points or at the contact crimps,

   - in that the fixing final insertion of the start contact and of the destination contact into the respective contact receptacles, provided for the contacts, of the start and of the destination housing is carried out by a control unit by means of the start and the destination auxiliary gripping member with specific adjustment and monitoring, for each of the contacts, of the final insertion and plug-in force which is or is to be applied for the preferably latching-in fixing of the respective contact in the contact receptacle, and/or

   - in that in each case immediately after carrying out the fixing and latching-in fixing final insertion of the start contact into the start receptacle of the start housing and furthermore immediately after carrying out such insertion of the destination contact into the destination receptacle of the destination housing by means of the start and destination gripping member and after subsequent opening thereof

   - by means of the start and the destination gripping member - while the cable is stored in each case held completely thereby - with setting, control and monitoring of the tensile load force which is specific for the respective contact, a pulling movement, in the opposite direction to the contact insertion movement, is carried out in order to test the mechanical strength of the, preferably latching-in, fixing of the respective contact in its contact receptacle, that is to say a "contact locking test" is carried out.
6. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized

   - in that the gripping of the start and destination contacts during the removal of the cable from the cable support and the holding of the contacts or of their crimps until the respective initial insertion thereof into the start and destination receptacles of the start and destination housings, are carried out by clamping between the clamping jaws of a start gripping member, which is essentially in the form of jaws or pliers, or of an analogously designed destination gripping member, and/or

   - in that the gripping of the cables in each case behind their start and destination contacts or behind their cable crimps is carried out by the start or destination auxiliary gripping member and their holding during fixing insertion of the contacts into the start and destination receptacles of the start and destination housings, and the preferably provided tensile force made in the opposite direction during the contact locking test is carried out by clamping between the clamping jaws of a start and destination auxiliary gripping member, which is essentially in the form of jaws and pliers,

   - in that, in each case before the fixing insertion of the contacts into the contact receptacles, which are in each case provided for this purpose, of the start and of the destination housing

   - those areas of the respective cable which are located immediately behind the contacts or the cable crimp are aligned on a continuation of the contact axis,

   - and the clamping jaws of the start auxiliary gripping member, which is in the form of jaws or pliers, and those of the destination auxiliary gripping member, which is designed in the same manner are each aligned in their longitudinal extent parallel to the said contact axis and to the cable axis immediately behind the contacts,

   - and in that this relative alignment that has just been mentioned is maintained at least until the end of the respective contact plug-in and test process.
7. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized

   - in that the start gripper group or cell and the destination gripper group or cell are connected to one and the same distal working head of the handling system or of a multi-axis bent arm robot and are designed such that they can move relative to one another and/or can pivot relative to one another and/or can rotate about their respective major (longitudinal) axis and are moved with the said working head according to a contact plug-in and cable laying program which guides the handling system or the robot, is in each case specifically matched to the individual cables and their individual contacts, and is based directly on the cable laying plan, and/or

   - in that, during the laying of the individual cable along the laying path which is provided for this purpose, on approaching and on moving past and/or on being guided around the same, the cable is guided on or around the fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection element or elements of the layout board before the same is placed down along a curved path, which deviates from the respectively just mentioned element, with an increased distance or radial separation.
8. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the start gripping member, which is in the form of jaws or pliers, and the destination gripping member, which is designed in the same way, are aligned before the clamping gripping of the start and of the destination contact of a respective cable or of their crimps and before removal of the cable from the magazine, with its longitudinal extent direction or with that of its clamping jaws essentially in the direction of the contact or cable axis, and in that this relative alignment is in each case maintained at least until the initial insertion or plugging-in of the said contacts into the corresponding receptacles of the start and of the destination housing.
9. Installation for automated manufacture of cable harnesses, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 8,

   - which installation has at least one handling system or an industrial robot with gripping members, at least one cable layout board (7) with start contact housings (61) arranged thereon and at least one destination contact housing (62), which is likewise arranged there, and with contact fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection elements (701-703) wherein, by means of the handling system or robot, in each case one cable (5) to be laid can be plugged with its start contact (51) into a start contact receptacle (611) of the start contact housing (61),

   - following a predetermined laying path (bv) via, around or through which the fitting, holding, clamping and/or deflection elements (701-703) of the layout board can be passed

   - and can be plugged with its destination contact (52) into a destination contact receptacle (621) of the destination contact housing (62),
   characterized in that the installation (100), in particular for customer-oriented flexible production of cable harnesses, comprises

   - at least one cable layout board (7), which is arranged - with respect to the cable laying side (vs) - at an angle (α) in the range inclined between +5° with respect to the vertical to the rear and -7.5° forwards, hanging over, and is preferably arranged vertically,

   - at least one cable magazine (8) from which in each case one cable (5) can be removed, which magazine is arranged in the area close to the layout board (7), can be fitted or is fitted with a plurality of mutually identical cables (5) (braiding, conductors or the like) which are prefabricated or are each equipped with corresponding start contacts (51) and destination contacts (52) and provides both the start contacts (51) and the destination contacts (52) of the respective cable (5) at defined positions which are at a short distance from one another and each have a defined spatial position,

   - and a handling system, which is program-controlled on the basis of a cable laying plan (LP), in particular an industrial robot such as this, preferably a multi-axis bent arm robot (1), having two gripper groups or cells, which are connected to its distal working head (12), are adjacent to one another, can each be rotated about their major axes (ha2, ha3) and can be moved linearly and/or pivoted through an angle relative to one another, specifically a start and a destination gripper group (2, 3),

   - each of which comprises a gripping member which is formed with clamping jaws (211, 311), which are preferably like jaws or pliers, specifically a start and a destination gripping member (21, 31) and in each case an auxiliary gripping member, which is associated therewith and is preferably designed analogously, specifically a start and a destination auxiliary gripping member (22, 32),

   - wherein the clamping jaws (221, 321) of the respective auxiliary gripping member (22, 32) - in a rest position thereof, that is to say in an open position - are arranged in a position - with respect to the said major axis (ha2, ha3) of the respective gripper group (2, 3), axially behind the clamping jaws (211, 311) of the respective gripping member (21, 31) and

   - in an operating position, with the clamping jaws (221, 321) being closed and with the cable (5) being held in a clamping manner, can be moved or inserted towards the clamping jaws (211, 311), which are opening or are open in a rest position, of the respective gripping member (21, 31) - and preferably into the gap or intermediate space between the said clamping jaws.
10. Installation according to Claim 9, characterized

    - in that the two operating arms (202, 302), which are fitted with the distal clamping jaws (211, 221), which are preferably in the form of jaws or pliers, of the gripping members (21, 31) bulge or are curved or the like outwards leaving a free space (200, 300) free, and the auxiliary gripping member (31, 32) which is respectively associated with each of the two said gripping members (21, 22) is surrounded in the said free space (200, 300) by the said operating arms (202, 302) and can be moved linearly in the direction of the respective major axis (ha2, ha3), and/or

    - in that the clamping jaws (211, 221; 311, 321) of the mutually associated gripping and auxiliary gripping members (21, 22; 31, 32) are aligned essentially parallel to one another, at least with regard to their clamping surfaces (2001, 3001) and are aligned essentially parallel to their major axis (ha2, ha3), and, on operation thereof, can be moved in a closing and opening direction essentially at right angles to the major axis that has just been mentioned, and/or

    - in that the clamping jaws (221, 321) of the respective auxiliary gripping member (31, 32) can be moved forward along the major axis (ha2, ha3) of the respective gripper group (2, 3), in particular for a contact plug-in process, between the clamping jaws (211, 311) of the respective gripping member (21, 31), and/or in particular for the cable laying process, are held in this position, being detached from the cable (5) and during this process being detached from the cable, and/or can be moved back, in particular for a contact locking test, after the contact plug-in process has been carried out, with the cable (5) being held by clamping, and/or

    - in that each of the two auxiliary gripping members (22, 32) has an associated sensor-controlled drive that can be adjusted for a preprogrammed pressure force - which can be applied individually when the respective contacts (51, 52) are being plugged or inserted into the contact receptacles (611, 621) of the respective housings (61, 62), and for a tensile force, which can be applied on a cable-specific basis - likewise preprogrammed - for the opposite movement for testing the mechanical robustness and tensile strength of a contact housing/contact cable connection produced immediately before this, that is to say a contact locking test, and/or

    - in that a cable guide member (25) in particular a cable guide roller or roller pair can be moved, in particular pivoted from a pivoted-out position (sa) or from an open position to a position in which the cable (5) is guided such that it rolls off, or to an unwinding position between the rollers of the cable guide roller pair that has just been mentioned, by means of the auxiliary gripping member (22, 32), which moves linearly relative to the respective gripping member (21, 31), or by means of a carrier, carriage (226) or the like, during insertion of its clamping jaws (221, 321) between the clamping jaws (211, 311) of the gripping member (21, 31), and vice versa, and/or

    - in that the two gripper groups (2, 3) have a common associated noose holding curve (235) which extends in a convex curve towards the working side, keeps the cable loops (55) separated from the cable layout board (7) during the laying work, and can preferably be pivoted up and down.
11. Installation according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized

    - in that the cable magazines (8) are each formed with magazining rods (82) which have magazining recesses (83), can be inserted into a housing (81) (which is like a hollow profiled rail) and are each equipped with a plurality of pairs arranged one behind the other, of rollers, rubber rollers or the like which are arranged alongside one another, correspond to the geometric shapes of the start and destination contacts (51, 52) of a cable (5) and are preferably spring-loaded with holding springs (84), wherein, from the magazining recesses (83), each of these pairs of the start and the destination contacts (51, 52) of respectively mutually identical cables (5) are held in a defined alignment and position, and the cable (5) runs with a noose or loop (55), which hangs preferably freely downwards, between the said contacts (51, 52), and/or

    - in that the magazining recesses (83) of the magazining rods (82), which are arranged essentially horizontally in the magazine housings (81) and are moved, possibly cyclically, from one another by a separation of the magazining recesses, are directed with the opening essentially vertically downwards, and in that the contacts (51, 52) which are held in the desired position and orientation in the magazining recesses (83) can be gripped by the start and by the destination gripping member (21, 31) of the cable laying robot (1), during cable removal before a cable laying process, at least at the crimping points (505) which overhang the magazining rods (82) downwards, and can be removed or pulled out downwards from the magazining recesses (83) and/or

    - in that the magazining rods (82) are formed with a rod centre part (822), which is arranged between two rod side parts (821), which have flank surfaces arranged like toothed rods, and which rod centre part (822) has flank surfaces arranged correspondingly like toothed rods on both sides, which three rod parts (821, 822) can be detached from one another and, when the magazines (8) are in the ready-to-operate state, are pressed against one another via their flank surfaces, and in that, into every second of the flank surfaces, which are aligned at an angle (ϕ) of preferably plus or minus 45° obliquely with respect to the rod extent direction, of both rod side parts, mutually associated recesses or grooves (831) are incorporated in order for the start and destination contacts (51, 52) of the cables of one cable type to be accommodated in a defined orientation, and into every second of the corresponding flank surfaces of the rod centre part (822), rollers, rubber rollers or the like, which are spring-loaded by clamping springs (84) and face the said recesses (831), recesses or grooves (832) are incorporated, which are associated with one another in pairs and are equipped for spring-clamping holding of the cable contacts (51, 52), wherein the respectively mutually complementary recesses (831, 832) together form the magazining recesses (83) of the magazining rod (82), and/or

    - in that the magazining rods (82) are provided on the front surfaces (821) facing the cable laying robot (1) with a code, in particular a bar code (825), for example printed on a sticker, which corresponds to the types of the respective cables (5) magazined therein, can be recognized and identified by a code reading sensor of the cable laying robot (1) and is comparable with a cable type code of the respective laying program (LP) which guides the robot (1).
12. Installation according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized

    - in that in each case at least one corresponding plug projection (761) of a holder (760) for the respective fitting, holding, clamping and deflection elements (701, 703), which can be arranged on the layout board (7), for cable guidance and for the housing holders (76) for the start and destination contact housings (61, 62) can be arranged at the points provided according to a cable laying plan or a cable laying program (LP) in the holes (71) in the cable layout board (7) which has a hole grid (70) and is manufactured from a rigid material, for example from steel or reinforced plastic, and/or

    - in that the cable holders, clamps (701 to 703) which can be positioned on the layout board (7) each have holding elements (1030), which are arranged at least in pairs, with posts (7031), which project from a base plate (760) which can be plugged onto the cable board (7), are at a distance from one another and are composed of a sprung material, with holding heads (7032), which are preferably held such that they rest on one another in a sprung manner, can be forced apart from one another during cable insertion, at least on the convex surfaces which face away from the layout board and are directed at least outwards, but which are preferably approximately hemispherical or spherical, and/or

    - in that the holders (76) for the start and destination housings (61, 62) or the like are formed with base plates (760), which can be placed on the layout board surface or working surface (750), with at least two, preferably four plug projections (761), which can be introduced or plugged into at least two, but preferably four, holes (71), in particular adjacent to one another, in the layout board grid, and in that, by means of the said housing holders (76), the contact housings (61, 62) are arranged at a distance from the working surface (750) of the cable layout board (7) and are held with their major axes (ga) or with the axes of their contact receptacles (611, 621) in each case in the direction of the cables (5) to be connected thereto or towards the contact plug side at an angle δ of between 0° and 25°, preferably between 5° and 20°, in particular between 10 and 15°, in parallel towards the layout board working surface (750), but particularly directed away therefrom at an angle, and/or

    - in that the layout boards (7) are arranged in the form of the side surfaces of a vertical triangular, quadrilateral or pentagonal prism on the carousel arms (790) of a cable laying rotating tower (79), and can each be pivoted through 120°, 90° or 72° about its axis (da) to various working, re-working, finalizing and fitting positions (P1 to P4).

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