EP3051543A1 - Method and device for producing a cable harness - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus (110) for making a wiring harness (112). The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: a) providing at least one cable (120) in a cooling region (114) at a first temperature (T 1) at which the cable (120) assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature (T 1) in the cooling region (114) is kept in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and b) forming at least one cable section (134) of the provided cable (120) by means of a gripping and handling device (132); the steps being repeated until the wiring harness (112) is made. The device (110) according to the invention comprises: at least one cooling area (114) for receiving at least one cable (120) at a first temperature (T 1) at which the cable (120) assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature (T 1) in the cooling area (114) is in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and - A gripping and handling device (132) for forming a cable portion (134) of the cable provided (120) and the guide for laying the cable (120) in a rigid state.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a cable harness. A cable harness is here understood to mean a device for distributing energy and signals in an overall system, in particular in vehicles, such as in motor vehicles, rail vehicles, aircraft or space vehicles, or in stationary facilities, in particular in consumer goods such as household appliances or video / audio Attachments. In this case, at least two separate cables are combined into a cable harness in the cable harness and at least partially provided with a line protection.

State of the art

Wiring harnesses and associated connectors are widely used in the automotive industry, for example, in Reif, K., Deitsche, K.-H. et al., Kraft Paperback, Springer-Vieweg, Wiesbaden, 2014, pages 1180-84 described. The present invention is therefore exemplified for use in automotive engineering, but is by no means limited thereto. The methods and devices described herein may also be generally without significant modifications in other areas, such as in rail, air and space vehicles or in the consumer goods industry, such as herds, refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and other household appliances, but also in Use video / audio systems or in industrially usable machines.

According to Reif et al. Nowadays, in a middle-class car of medium equipment, there is a wire harness which has about 750 different lines with a total length of about 1500 meters. The cables used in this case generally comprise an electrical conductor, which is surrounded by at least one insulating material. As the material for the conductor copper is used as a rule, while used as an insulating material, depending on the ambient and / or continuous use temperature, thermoplastics, fluoropolymers or elastomers. In particular, in order to avoid any damage and or wire breaks, the wiring harness is preferably provided with fasteners and supports. To shield the lines, a twist of the lines can be provided. In particular, to prevent the lines from rubbing and touching with sharp edges and hot surfaces protect the lines are at least partially provided with a line protection, in particular in the form of adhesive tapes (so-called tape tapes).

Due to the described complexity of the wiring harnesses used in practice, a great deal of effort has been made to simplify the manufacture and installation of the wiring harnesses in the motor vehicle. For example, describes the EP 2 253 512 A1 a harness sub-unit with a plate-shaped support member, which allows the simplest possible and reliable bending of the cables used.

The EP 0 300 141 A1 discloses a device for fully automated harness manufacturing. For this purpose, the cable provided is laid in a laying arrangement, which has fixedly constructed laying aids and receiving holders, endlessly by means of a gripping and handling device of an industrial robot.

The DE 10 2008 003 332 A1 discloses a method and apparatus for making a wiring harness. For this purpose, the device has a region in which at least one cable is provided at a temperature at which the cable assumes a rigid state. The molding of at least one cable section of the cable provided by means of a bending device which has a guide for laying the cable in the rigid state. The process steps mentioned here will be repeated until the wiring harness is made. For the production of the wiring harness is proposed to use a dimensionally stable flat cable, in particular made of work-hardened aluminum, which assumes a rigid state at a conventional ambient temperature in the range of 20 ° C to 25 ° C.

The EP 2 535 902 A1 discloses a method of manufacturing a cable in which a cable portion to be formed is selectively heated by means of a heating element to cause the cable portion to assume a pliable state, the shaped cable portion, upon cooling, transitioning to a rigid state. For cooling, in particular, it is proposed to carry out the process in a cooling region or to use a cold fluid.

The DE 10 2012 203 571 B3 discloses a method and apparatus for making flat conductors, particularly aluminum, as cables for harnesses. This is proposed to use a laying arrangement with a plurality of movable and heatable pins. In addition, a gripping and handling device is described, which has heating elements for selectively heating a cable section to be formed.

However, as de.wikipedia.org/wiki/kabelbaum (retrieved 28.01.2015) shows, wiring harnesses in the automotive industry continue to be manufactured manually, which the authors believe will remain so in the foreseeable future. This is largely due to the different, involved in this motion sequences, which are obviously difficult to automate, especially by robots, and the low production costs compared to an automation. Due to a large variety of variants in certain vehicles, such as trucks, could be achieved by manual production easier transition between different variants.

Nevertheless, it would be desirable if the manufacture of wire harnesses could proceed in an automated manner, especially since the large variety of wiring harnesses typically encountered in practice requires very high concentration by the workers during manual production. This can lead to quality losses again and again, which must be identified by complex quality controls and then corrected. In this case, it should be possible in particular to produce the harnesses both in large quantities (mass production) and in small numbers (for example for prototype production or in the case of a high number of variants).

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and an apparatus for producing a wiring harness, which at least partially overcome the problems and difficulties known from the prior art. In particular, the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention should enable the production of wire harnesses in a largely automatic manner, preferably by the use of industrial robots and independently of the selected number of pieces, in the most economical manner possible.

Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved by a method and a device for producing a cable harness with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wiring harness comprising steps a) and b) described below, wherein steps a) and b) are repeated until the desired wiring harness is manufactured. In this case, the two steps a) and b) can both be carried out alternately one after the other, although it may also be advantageous if, depending on the specific requirements, steps a) and b) are carried out at least partially simultaneously.

1. a) Bereitstellen mindestens eines Kabels in einem Kühlbereich bei einer ersten Temperatur T₁, bei welcher das Kabel einen biegesteifen Zustand annimmt, wobei die erste Temperatur T₁ in dem Kühlbereich in einem Bereich von -60 °C bis zu 0 °C gehalten wird; und
2. b) Formen mindestens eines Kabelabschnitts des bereitgestellten Kabels mittels einer Greif- und Handhabungseinrichtung;

wobei die beiden Schritte a) und b) so oft wiederholt werden, bis der Kabelbaum hergestellt ist. Insbesondere lassen sich hierbei gemäß Schritt a) ein oder mehrere Kabel bereitstellen und gemäß Schritt b) verschiedene Kabelabschnitte an unterschiedlichen Stellen des betreffenden Kabels formen, bis das Kabel die vorgesehene Form in Bezug auf eine Ebene, d.h. in zwei Dimensionen, bzw. in Bezug auf eine räumliche Ausgestaltung, d.h. in drei Dimensionen, annimmt und bis das Kabel an der gewünschten Stelle im Kabelbaum zu liegen kommt.Here, the method according to the invention for producing a cable harness comprises the following steps:

1. a) providing at least one cable in a cooling region at a first temperature T ₁ at which the cable assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature T ₁ in the cooling region is maintained in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and
2. b) forming at least one cable section of the cable provided by means of a gripping and handling device;

wherein the two steps a) and b) are repeated until the wiring harness is made. In particular, in accordance with step a), one or more cables can be provided and, according to step b), different cable sections can be formed at different points of the respective cable until the cable has the intended shape with respect to one plane, ie in two dimensions or with respect to FIG a spatial configuration, ie in three dimensions, assumes and until the cable comes to rest at the desired location in the wiring harness.

According to step a), in this case at least one cable is provided in a cooling area. The term "cable" here refers to at least one electrically conductive conductor, which can also be referred to as a "core" and which can be used for the transmission of energy and / or information, in particular in the form of signals. The electrical conductor here often comprises copper, but also other metals such as aluminum, metal alloys, conductors with alloy gradients or Composite materials can be used. The electrical conductor in the cable is in this case preferably surrounded by a jacket, which serves in particular for the electrical insulation of the electrically conductive conductor. The jacket therefore has at least one insulating material, in particular a thermoplastic, preferably polyethylene (PE), a polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a fluoropolymer, preferably ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) or polyfluoroethylene-propylene (FET), or an elastomer , in particular chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM) or silicone rubber (SIR).

The term "cable" is also intended to include lightwave conductors, which are also referred to as "fiber optic cables". Here are electromagnetic waves in the form of light via so-called fibers, which usually have quartz glass or a transparent plastic, bundled out, wherein the light-guiding core is here also preferably surrounded by a sheath which has a lower refractive index compared to the core to in this way to effect a better bundling of the light in the fiber.

Regardless of whether an electrical conductor or an optical waveguide are used, therefore, the cable usually has a cylindrical geometry, wherein a single cable or more cables, regardless of whether parallel or in twisted form led to each other, even more sheath layers of insulating material , in particular for protection against external influences, and / or metallic layers, in particular in the form of films or braids, in particular for electromagnetic shielding or as mechanical protection. Consequently, the term cable can therefore designate both a single conductor surrounded by a single jacket and a plurality of conductors each surrounded by a separate jacket, which are jointly provided with at least one further jacket layer Type of described and any other types of cables is feasible.

According to step a), the at least one cable is provided in a cooling region at a first temperature T ₁ at which the cable assumes a rigid state. Here, the temperature is not necessarily to be understood as a single, predetermined temperature value, but it may extend over a suitable temperature interval, in particular over a period of time. Since the above-described, usually copper-comprising electrical conductor is surrounded by an insulating jacket, in particular made of a plastic, the cable takes in a another temperature range, in particular at room temperature, which may designate a temperature range of 5 ° C to 50 ° C in this context, a so-called "limp" state. The cables can therefore be referred to as form unstable, formlabile or non-dimensionally stable components. A pliable component, in contrast to a component which is in the "bending-resistant" state, has a low modulus of elasticity and low tensile rigidity, so that larger deformations occur in the cable as a consequence of a low force and / or moment load on the cable can. As a result of this characteristic of the cable, as described above, automated production systems, in particular robots, can hardly or hardly handle cables, in particular in flexurally sound form. Due to the described, usually non-linear relationship between the force and / or moment load of the cable on the one hand and the resulting deformation of the cable on the other hand, control of an industrial robot to perform this task is therefore not possible in many cases.

Investigations have shown, however, that cables can assume a rigid state at a first temperature T ₁ in a cooling region. This is in contrast to the limp state characterized by the fact that now usually a defined relationship, in particular a linear relationship between the force and moment load of the cable on the one hand and the deformation of the cable on the other hand occurs. Such an observable relationship therefore fundamentally allows the use of industrial robots in the required handling of the cables in the dimensionally stable, rigid state.

In particular, these studies have shown that the transition from the pliable state of the cable to the rigid state begins at a temperature below 0 ° C, has a particularly strong transitional tendency in a range of -10 ° C to -30 ° C, while Cable below -30 ° C remains largely unchanged in the rigid state. According to the invention, therefore, the cooling region is at a temperature in a range of -60 ° C, preferably from -50 ° C, more preferably from -45 ° C, especially from -25 ° C, up to 0 ° C, preferably up to -10 ° C, particularly preferably up to -15 ° C held.

The cooling area can in this case be designed with respect to its spatial dimensions such that it can essentially accommodate the cable to be deformed. In a According to a preferred embodiment, the cooling area can therefore be designed in the form of a cooling tunnel known from the prior art, which is set up to accommodate and cool at least part of the cable. Alternatively or additionally, however, the cooling area may be designed in the form of a cooling chamber or climatic chamber which can accommodate not only the cables to be deformed but also at least partially the industrial robot usable for this purpose and also any operating personnel, for example for correcting any errors occurring. In a particular embodiment, the cooling tunnel can in this case take over a pre-cooling, such as a shock-like deep freezing, of the cable entering therein, which can then be guided out of the cooling tunnel into the cooling chamber, the temperature prevailing in the cooling chamber setting the first temperature T ₁ set in the cooling tunnel can exceed it.

Depending on the configuration, the cooling of the cooling area can therefore be carried out by a refrigeration unit for cooling the entire cooling chamber, by means of a cold fluid, preferably cooled air, gaseous carbon dioxide or gaseous or liquid nitrogen. In particular for cooling small cooling areas, a cooling element, preferably an electro-thermal converter, in particular a Peltier element, can be used. Under the electrothermal transducer is in this case understood a device which can achieve a cooling effect due to an applied thereto electrical voltage or an imprinted electric current flow here. In particular, the Peltier element also allows only spatially limited cooling of the cable in the otherwise warm normal temperature range, such as to make corrections to a (almost) finished harness.

According to step b), according to the invention, at least one cable section of the cable provided after step a) is formed by means of a gripping and handling device. In this case, the "gripping and handling device" is understood to be a mechanical device, preferably controllable by an electronic control device, which is in particular configured to grasp the cable provided at at least one location by gripping it and / or to transport it to another location with respect to the orientation of the cable with respect to its longitudinal direction, which may also be referred to as bending. In this case, the bending of the cable can take place in such a way that it assumes a modified configuration with respect to a plane, ie in two dimensions, or within a spatial area, ie in three dimensions. Since the cable is in particular in the rigid state in a directional state with a defined direction, is formed by the shaping of the cable portion, a change in the direction of the directional state in which the rigid cable is present. Consequently, as can be seen from the following figures, by forming the cable portion, both a bending radius with respect to the formed cable portion and a bending angle with respect to a difference between the direction of the directional cable and the cable portion to be bent may be taken Direction of the cable are defined according to the cable section in question. In this way, it is possible, preferably by a control device controlled gripping and handling device, a spatially limited, bendable cable area, which can also be referred to as selectively bendable cable area to produce. In this way, unlike the prior art, since the cable in the cooling region is in the defined bending-resistant state according to step a), it becomes possible to form the provided rigid cable by means of the gripping and handling device at the desired cable sections it assumes a desired shape state. By single or multiple forming of one or more cables provided can be made in this way the desired wiring harness by means of the gripping and handling device in the cooling area. Manual processing of the cable is no longer necessary. Further processing steps, in particular a possible attachment of plugs to at least one end of the cable, a twisting of the cable or an adhesive of the cable with tapes (tapes), can be carried out here.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention takes place before and / or during step b) selective heating of the cable section to be formed to a second temperature T ₂ , which exceeds the first temperature T ₁ , wherein the second temperature T ₂ is selected so that the selected heated cable section assumes a limp state at the second temperature T ₂ . Here, the "selective" heating of the cable section is understood to mean a spatially limited heating of the cable, which is essentially limited to the cable section to be formed, while the temperature in the remaining cooling zone in which the cable provided is substantially at the first Temperature T ₁ remains at which the remaining cable outside the selectively heated cable portion remains in the rigid state. In this way, while the cable is out of the selectively heated cable section in the rigid state, the selectively heated cable section in its limp state of the molding can be supplied by means of the gripping and handling device. This particular embodiment is particularly advantageous if the selected cable or a part thereof, in particular the at least one jacket surrounding the at least one conductor of the cable, can preferably be formed in the limp state while a shaping of the cable section in the rigid state could cause any damage to the cable in the cable section concerned, for example due to material properties at the first temperature T ₁ in the cooling area. The selective heating of the cable section to the second temperature T ₂ therefore makes it possible, in particular, to prevent any material fractures occurring in the material having the selected cable.

In this case, the heating of the cable section preferably takes place by means of a heating element, in particular by means of an electrical heating element whose temperature can be controlled by applying an electrical voltage and / or by providing an electrical current. The heating element can in this case be present in particular in the gripping and handling device, in particular in the vicinity of the point at which the gripping and handling device can receive the at least one cable section by gripping. Additionally or alternatively, the heating element may be located in a laying arrangement described in more detail below, which may preferably have a plurality of temperature-controllable pins. In particular, in order to avoid formation of a condensate possibly occurring during the heating of the cable section and / or to remove an already formed condensate from the cable section, the heating of the cable section can be carried out accordingly, preferably by means of a suitably designed tempering process, whereby a simultaneous operation is also possible Drying of the cable section can be made possible.

In this embodiment, in which a selective heating of the cable section takes place, the selectively heated cable section can transition again into the bending-resistant state during and / or after step b). In this case, the transition can preferably take place by means of a cancellation of the selective heating of the cable section, which, since it is still within the cooling zone, will finally assume the first temperature T ₁ prevailing in the cooling zone after a certain time interval. Alternatively or additionally, however, the previously selectively heated cable section can also be subjected to a selective cooling, preferably by means of a cooling element. For this purpose, in particular an electrothermal transducer, preferably a Peltier element, wherein the cooling element is preferably located in the gripping and handling device, particularly preferably in the vicinity of the point at which the gripper can receive the cable section, and / or in the laying arrangement described below. In this way, the cooling of the previously selectively heated cable section can be accelerated, in particular in order to be able to carry out the entire method according to the invention within a shorter time. Alternatively or additionally, but also a gas flow can be used, which has a low temperature, which is in particular below the first temperature T ₁ , whereby the relevant cable section frozen in shock and thus can be returned within a very short time in the rigid state.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cable to be provided according to step a) is provided on a suitable cable supply device at a third temperature T ₃ outside the cooling region. The third temperature T ₃ here may correspond to the second temperature T ₂ ; however, this is not generally required. At the third temperature T ₃ outside the cooling region, the cable is in the cable-providing device in the limp state. Consequently, as long as it is in the limp state, the cable can be easily removed from the cable supply device and subsequently introduced into the cooling region. In particular, the cable magazine can already provide prefabricated partial cable harnesses, which can also be used as a starting point for the present method. Alternatively or additionally, in this case, the already prefabricated partial cable harnesses can be applied to the laying arrangement described below at a temperature above the first temperature T ₁ and then cooled to the first temperature T ₁ .

In a particular embodiment, in this case, the cable can be cooled after a partial removal of the cable providing device in the introduction into the cooling area by means of a focused on the cable spot cooler. In this way, the cable, in particular for the acceleration of the present method, can assume the first temperature T ₁ prevailing in the cooling region within the shortest possible time interval. At the same time, the cable can also be subjected to an alignment, so that the cable preferably immediately after entering the cooling area in a directional and rigid condition. A "spot cooler" is understood here to be a powerful cooling device which is particularly adapted to a space region which is as limited as possible, in this case preferably an area immediately behind the entry region of the cable into the cooling region, a cooling system which is as fast and effective as possible in the cooling region to allow the first temperature.

In a further, preferred embodiment, the cable is applied to a laying arrangement during the process according to the invention by providing in accordance with step a) and molding in accordance with step b). Here, one of the prior art, such as from the EP 0 300 141 A1 known laying arrangement can be used.

In a particularly advantageous manner, however, is a laying arrangement which has a plurality of movable, retractable, controllable and / or temperable pins, which can be used for applying and fixing the cable to the laying arrangement. In this case, the pins can preferably be designed to be movable perpendicular to a surface of the laying arrangement and / or within the surface of the laying arrangement. In this context, the term "temperable" may include both reducing the temperature by cooling, maintaining the temperature at a predetermined value, and increasing the temperature by heating. This configuration of at least one of the pins can preferably be provided by introducing a heating element and / or a cooling element, preferably an electrothermal transducer, in particular a Peltier element, into the pin. A control of the movement, in particular the sinkability, of at least one of the pins can in this case be effected by a control device via which the laying arrangement can have. In an alternative embodiment, a separate control device can be located inside or outside the cooling area, which can take over the control of the laying arrangement and / or the gripping and handling device and / or the cooling device for cooling the at least one cooling area.

• ein Verbinden von mindestens zwei Kabeln vor zu mindestens einem Kabelstrang;
• ein Ausleiten mindestens eines Kabels aus einem Kabelstrang;
• ein Schneiden von Kabeln, insbesondere zur Einrichtung einer bestimmten Länge des ausgewählten Kabels;
• ein Verbinden mindestens eines Kabels und/oder mindestens eines Kabelstrangs mit einem Gehäuse, beispielsweise zu einer Bestückung von Kontakten, welche sich an dem Gehäuse befinden;
• ein Anbringen von Steckern an mindestens ein Ende mindestens eines Kabels;
• ein Verdrillen von mindestens zwei Kabeln und/oder von mindestens zwei Kabelsträngen; und/oder
• ein Versehen von mindestens einem Kabel oder mindestens einem der Kabelstränge mit einem Leitungsschutz. Wie eingangs beschrieben, wird hierbei unter den Leitungsschutz ein in der Regel bandförmiges Material, insbesondere ein sogenannter Kabelbinder, welcher auch als Tape bezeichnet werden kann, verstanden, welcher um mindestens einen Teil des Kabelbaums, etwa an Stellen, die insbesondere gegen Scheuern und/oder gegen Berührungen an scharfen Kanten und/oder heißen Flächen geschützt werden sollen, vorgenommen werden.

The method according to the invention for producing a cable harness may comprise further method steps beyond, during or after the forms according to step b), in particular one or more of the following steps:

• connecting at least two cables in front of at least one cable harness;
• a discharge of at least one cable from a cable harness;
• cutting cables, in particular for establishing a specific length of the selected cable;
• connecting at least one cable and / or at least one cable harness to a housing, for example for mounting contacts which are located on the housing;
• attaching plugs to at least one end of at least one cable;
• twisting at least two cables and / or at least two cable strands; and or
• providing at least one cable or at least one of the cable strands with a line protection. As described above, this is under the line protection usually a band-shaped material, in particular a so-called cable tie, which can also be referred to as tape, understood, which is around at least a portion of the wiring harness, such as at locations, in particular against scrubbing and / or be protected against contact with sharp edges and / or hot surfaces are made.

• mindestens einen Kühlbereich zur Aufnahme mindestens eines Kabels bei einer ersten Temperatur T₁, bei welcher das Kabel einen biegesteifen Zustand annimmt, wobei die erste Temperatur T₁ in dem Kühlbereich in einem Bereich von -60 °C bis zu 0 °C liegt; und
• eine Greif- und Handhabungseinrichtung zur Formung eines Kabelabschnitts des bereitgestellten Kabels und zur Führung zum Verlegen des Kabels im biegesteifen Zustand.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a device for producing a cable harness, which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method for producing a cable harness described in this application. The device according to the invention comprises:

• at least one cooling area for receiving at least one cable at a first temperature T ₁ at which the cable assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature T ₁ in the cooling area is in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and
• a gripping and handling device for forming a cable portion of the cable provided and the guide for laying the cable in a rigid state.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention may further comprise at least one heating element, in particular an electric heating element, which is preferably adapted to at least a cable portion of the cable provided selectively to a second temperature T ₂ , which the first temperature T ₁ , which prevails in the cooling region, exceeds, and in which the selectively heated cable section assumes a limp state. The heating element can in this case advantageously in particular in the gripping and Handling device be introduced, preferably in the vicinity of the gripper, which is adapted to receive the cable to at least one cable section. Alternatively or additionally, the gripping and handling device can have at least one electrothermal converter, preferably a Peltier element, which can be set up as a cooling element, in particular for cooling a previously selectively heated cable section.

In particular for cooling the cooling region to a first temperature T ₁ and / or for maintaining the cooling region at the first temperature T ₁ , the device may have a correspondingly configured cooling device, which will be described in more detail elsewhere in this application. In addition, at least one measuring device for determining the temperature may be provided, which may be, for example, a thermocouple, a thermometer and / or a thermostat. Alternatively and / or additionally, however, after a previous calibration, another measured variable and / or an empirical value can be used to determine the temperature prevailing in the cooling region.

The device according to the invention can furthermore have at least one cable supply device located outside the cooling region and / or have at least one spot cooler to support the cooling and alignment of the cable when entering the cooling region.

Furthermore, the device may have at least one laying arrangement for applying and fixing the cable. In this case, a laying arrangement, as known from the prior art, can be used.

In an advantageous embodiment, however, the laying arrangement has a plurality of preferably perpendicular to a surface of the laying arrangement arranged pins, wherein at least one of the pins is designed to be movable, preferably perpendicular to the surface of the laying arrangement and / or within the surface of the laying arrangement. In this way, at least the pin thus configured can be moved along the surface of the laying arrangement or sunk with respect to the surface of the laying arrangement. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the pins can be designed to be temperable, in order in this way in its immediate vicinity to reduce the temperature by cooling, maintaining the temperature at a predetermined value and / or increasing the temperature by heating to enable. The laying arrangement can in this case also be equipped outside the cooling area with prefabricated cable modules and then introduced into the cooling area. This can in particular enable a timing of this process in the context of the entire production of the wiring harness.

For further details with respect to the device according to the invention, reference is made to the rest of the description with respect to the inventive method.

Advantages of the invention

The inventive method and the device according to the invention enable the automated production of wire harnesses by the application of low temperatures, in which the cable provided for the cable harness assume a rigid state, in which the cable to be formed and handled for an automated gripping and handling device in a simple Way is accessible. For the duration of acting on the cable low temperatures, the cables can be temporarily put into plastic form and mounted to the wiring harness, optionally with the additional implementation of at least one of the above-described further process steps, wherein at the deformation and assembly sites by a selective, spatially limited punctual Heating the cable shaping, handling and / or further processing of the cable can be facilitated. This type of procedure is made possible by the fact that the bending-resistant state of the cables used is reversible, so that the cable harnesses produced by the method according to the invention and / or the device according to the invention can then be laid as intended, for example at room temperature. In this way, an automated production of harnesses with high customer-specific variance can be done quickly, flexibly and inexpensively. This allows both the production of prototypes, of individual parts as initial samples or in the spare parts business, as well as above all a series production and mass production.

In this way, a just-in-time production is made possible in particular; Due to the shorter production times, this can reduce the production throughput times. This allows better predictability of supply to reduce inventory levels. By shortening the supply chain in combination with cost optimization due to the automation of harness manufacturing, production becomes a high-cost cost location economically, in particular due to high flexibility of the modification of the present method and the proposed device.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

ein bevorzugtes Ausführungsbeispiel für eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung, welche zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in besonderer Weise geeignet ist;

Figur 2

ein Ausschnitt aus der Figur 1, welcher in vergrößerter Darstellung die Anwendung der Greif- und Handhabungseinrichtung bei der Formung eines Kabelabschnitts zeigt.

Figur 3

ein weiteres, bevorzugtes Ausführungsbeispiel für eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung, welche zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in besonderer Weise geeignet ist; und

Figur 4

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Verlegeanordnung in Form von einzelnen Modulen.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the figures and will be explained in more detail in the following description without limiting the generality. Hereby show:

FIG. 1

a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention in a special way;

FIG. 2

a section of the FIG. 1 which shows in an enlarged view the application of the gripping and handling device in the formation of a cable section.

FIG. 3

a further, preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention in a special way; and

FIG. 4

a schematic representation of a laying arrangement according to the invention in the form of individual modules.

Embodiments of the invention

In FIG. 1 schematically a device 110 for producing a wire harness 112 is shown, which can be used in particular for use in the inventive method for producing the wire harness 112. In this case, the device 110 has a cooling region 114 which is set such that in its volume a first temperature T = T ₁ in a range of -60 ° C., preferably -50 ° C., particularly preferably -45 ° C., in particular from -25 ° C, up to 0 ° C, preferably up to -10 ° C, particularly preferably down to -15 ° C, prevails.

For cooling the cooling portion 114 to the first temperature T ₁ and for sufficient as possible constant of the cooling zone 114 at the first temperature T ₁ of the cooling region 114 has a cooling unit 116 which is configured to perform this task. In the present exemplary embodiment, the cooling region 114 has a volume which can be walked on by an operator and which is designed to accommodate the devices specified in more detail below. to Determining the prevailing temperature T ₁ in the cooling region 114, the device 110 may further comprise at least one temperature measuring device 118, which is here attached directly to the cooling unit 116, which may, however, also be provided at another location within the cooling region 114.

The cooling area is configured to receive at least one cable 120 at the first temperature T ₁ at which the cable 120 assumes a rigid state. In order to provide the cable 120, the device 110 according to the invention has a cable supply device 122 which is located outside the cooling region 114 and which has a cable roller 124 in the present exemplary embodiment. Outside the cooling region 114 there is a third temperature T = T ₃ , which exceeds the first temperature T ₁ and in which the cable 120 is in the limp state.

In an inlet region 126 of the cooling region 114, the exemplary device 110 presented here has a spot cooler 128, which serves to support the cooling and alignment of the cable 120 when it enters the cooling region 114. In this way, a faster cooling of the cable 120 from the third temperature T ₃ , in which the cable is in the limp state, to the first temperature T ₁ at which the cable is in the bending-resistant state is achieved.

In the cooling region 114, an industrial robot 130 is further introduced in the present embodiment, which has a gripping and handling device 132. The gripping and handling device 132 is configured in particular for forming a cable section 134 of the cable 120 provided and for guiding the cable 120 in the bending-resistant state. In this case, the gripping and handling device 132 has a gripper 136 which is adapted as well as possible to the dimensions of the cable 120, in particular by one point, i. spatially limited, bendable cable section 134 to produce. The cable laying can be monitored here with a quality assurance system, which may include a camera system and an associated evaluation system.

The in FIG. 1 drawn section 138 is in FIG. 2 shown in enlarged form and detail.

The cable 120 entering the cooling region 114 here recognizably has a core 140 which is conductive for electromagnetic waves, in particular current and / or light. Without restricting generality, in the present exemplary embodiment it is assumed that the core 140 is a single core. or multi-core electrical conductor made of copper. The core 140 is here, as also in FIG. 2 schematically illustrated, surrounded by an insulating sheath of a thermoplastic or elastomeric plastic 142. The gripper 136 of the gripping and handling device 132 in this case receives the cable section 134. The control of the gripper 136 of the gripping and handling device 132 by means of a control device 144, which is located here in the industrial robot 130. The control device 144 in this case allows the most accurate possible recording of the cable section 134 and their movement in one of the three spatial directions x, y and z or a combination thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the controller may be located at least partially outside of the cooling area 114.

In the in FIG. 2 In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a selective heating of the cable section 134 to a second temperature T = T _{2 takes place} on the gripper 136 and in a spatial region 146 around the gripper 136. The second temperature T ₂ is chosen such that the cable section 134 this assumes a limp state. In this way, the forming of the cable section 134 at the temperature T ₂ in the limp state can be carried out, while outside the room area 146, the set in the cooling area 144 first temperature T ₁ prevails. Neglected in this illustration is that for physical reasons, the space region 146 may not be sharply defined, and rather a temperature gradient occurs between the interior of the space region 146 and the cooling region 144 between the temperatures T ₂ and T ₁ . However, this is irrelevant to the operation of the present invention.

For selective heating of the cable section 134 of the cable 120, the gripping and handling device 132 has heating elements 148, which are introduced into the gripper 136 in the immediate vicinity of the point at which the gripper 136 receives the cable section 134 and which via an associated heating device 150 can be controlled.

Furthermore, the gripping and handling device 132 has cooling elements 152, which are preferably in the form of an electrothermal transducer, in particular a Peltier element, and in the gripper 136 in the immediate vicinity of the location at which the gripper 136 receives the cable section 134, are attached. The control of the cooling elements 152 via a cooling device 154, which, like the heating device 150 are also introduced into the industrial robot 130 in the present embodiment. The cooling elements 152 preferably allow a rapid transition of the cable section 134 from the limp state, which is preferably prevalent during molding, into the otherwise rigid state of the cable 124 into the cooling area 114. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling elements 152 may have spot cooling as described above.

In the FIG. 1 Furthermore, a laying arrangement 156 is shown, which for the attachment and fixation of the cable, as may be required for shaping the cable by the gripping and handling device 132, allows.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the laying arrangement 156 has a plurality of pins 158 arranged perpendicularly to a surface of the laying arrangement 156. The pins 158 can in this case preferably be designed to be movable, retractable, controllable and / or temperable, for which the laying arrangement 156 is provided via a corresponding control arrangement 160 can dispose of. In this way, even after a change in the arrangement of the pins and / or their temperature and subsequent changes to the wiring harness 112 can be made even in a hard-coded unit. The tempered pins 158 therefore have in particular a (not shown) heating element and / or a (not shown) cooling element, which can be used as intended according to the intended use.

For further production of the wiring harness, the device according to the invention can therefore also have a cutting device (not shown) for severing the cable 120, for example at the cable section 134, which can likewise be introduced into the gripper 136 of the gripping and handling device 132. Other versions are conceivable, however. In this way, two, three or more cables in the present device 110 can be arranged to the desired wiring harness 112.

In addition, the device 110 according to the invention preferably has a device (not shown) which is set up to connect at least two cables 120 to at least one cable strand within the cooling region 114. Furthermore, the device 110 in a preferred embodiment (not shown). Have means which is configured to provide at least one cable 120 or at least one cable harness with a line protection, in particular in the form of a cable tie or tape inside the cooling area 114.

In FIG. 3 schematically another device 110 for producing a wire harness 112 is shown, which can be used in particular for use in the inventive method for producing the wire harness 112. Unlike the version according to FIG. 1 In this case, the gripper 136 generates the selectively, ie spatially limited, bendable cable section 134 directly on the laying arrangement 156.

Furthermore, the device 110 for manufacturing a wire harness 112 according to FIG. 3 via a cooling area, which is designed in the form of a cooling tunnel 162. The cooling tunnel 162 is hereby set up to receive and cool the cable 120. The cooling tunnel 162 can in this case in particular assume the function of a pre-cooling, such as a shock-like deep-freezing, in particular by means of the spot cooler 128 integrated therein, of the cable 120 entering therein, which can then be guided out of the cooling tunnel 162 into the remaining cooling chamber 164. Here, the temperature prevailing in the cooling chamber 164 may correspond to or exceed the first temperature T ₁ set in the cooling tunnel 162.

For more in the FIG. 3 Particulars shown are in particular the illustration in the FIG. 1 directed.

In FIG. 4 schematically a preferred installation arrangement 156 is shown, which has a structure of individual modules 166. In the execution according to FIG. 4 the modules 166 are shown in the form of individual squares; However, other designs, such as in the form of triangles, rectangles or hexagons, conceivable. In this case, individual or all of the modules 166 of the laying arrangement 156 may have pins 158 arranged perpendicular to the surface of the laying arrangement 156, wherein the pins 158 may preferably be designed to be movable, retractable, controllable and / or temperable. A module 168, which has no pin 158, can also be referred to as an "empty dummy plate". Furthermore, one or more of the modules 166 can have further functional devices, for example at least one clamping device for at least one plug.

While one in the FIG. 4 As already shown, the first cable 170 is held in place by the pins 158 of the installation arrangement 156, the gripper 136 integrated in the gripping and handling device 132 accesses a second cable 172 to be laid in order to form the second cable together with the pins 158 of the installation arrangement 156 172 to the desired shape. In this case, the pin 174 may preferably have a heating element for selective heating of the cable section 134 of the second cable 172.

For more in the FIG. 4 Particulars shown are in particular the illustration in the FIG. 1 directed.

In a series of experiments carried out, it has been found that for the cable materials used in the form of single or multi-conductor electrical conductors made of copper, which are surrounded by an insulating sheath of a thermoplastic or elastomeric plastic 142, a choice of the first temperature T ₁ from a preferred temperature range of -25 ° C to -15 ° C is particularly advantageous, especially since the cooled to a value in the preferred temperature range cable 120 proved to be sufficiently rigid for carrying out the present method, while doing no damage to the insulating jacket of the inserted cable 120 could be observed. However, other preferred temperature ranges may be preferred for other cable materials. Independently of this, however, the skilled person can determine the respectively preferred temperature range for the respective cable materials on the basis of his experience and / or on a few experiments which can be carried out without effort.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

110

contraption

112

harness

114

cooling area

116

cooling unit

118

Temperature measuring device

120

electric wire

122

Cable preparation device

124

cable reel

126

entry area

128

spot coolers

130

industrial robots

132

Gripping and handling device

134

cable section

136

grab

138

neckline

140

core

142

coat

144

control device

146

space area

148

heating elements

150

heater

152

cooling elements

154

cooling device

156

laying structure

158

pen

160

control arrangement

162

cooling tunnel

164

cooling chamber

166

module

168

Module without pin

170

first cable

172

second cable

Claims (15)

A method of making a wire harness (112), comprising the following steps: a) providing at least one cable (120) in a cooling region (114) at a first temperature (T ₁ ) at which the cable (120) assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature (T ₁ ) in the cooling region (114) is kept in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and b) forming at least one cable section (134) of the provided cable (120) by means of a gripping and handling device (132); the steps being repeated until the wiring harness (112) is made. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein before and / or during step b) a selective heating of the cable section (134) to a second temperature (T ₂ ), at which the cable section (134) assumes a limp state, takes place, so that the shaping of the cable section (134) is performed in the limp state. A method according to the preceding claim, wherein the heating of the cable section (134) is by means of a heating element (148). Method according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein during and / or after step b) a transition of the cable section (134) takes place in the bending-resistant state. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first temperature (T ₁ ) in the cooling region (114) in a range of -50 ° C to -10 ° C is maintained. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable (120) is provided on a cable supply means (122) outside the refrigerated region (114) at a third temperature (T ₃ ) at which the cable (120) is in the pliable state the cable (120) is removed from the cable supply device (122) and introduced into the cooling area (114). Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the cable (120), when introduced into the cooling area (114), is connected to the cable (120) by means of a cable (120). cooled spotlight (128) is cooled and aligned so that the cable (120) passes in a directional and rigid state. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable is applied to a laying arrangement (156), wherein the laying arrangement (156) has a plurality of movable, retractable, controllable and / or tempered designed pins (158), which for applying and fixing of the cable (120) on the laying arrangement (156) are used. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the cooling region (114) at least two cables (120) are connected to at least one cable harness and / or at least one cable (120) or at least one cable harness are provided with a line protection. Device (110) for producing a cable harness (112), comprising at least one cooling area (114) for receiving at least one cable (120) at a first temperature (T ₁ ) at which the cable (120) assumes a rigid state, wherein the first temperature (T ₁ ) in the cooling area (114) is in a range of -60 ° C to 0 ° C; and - A gripping and handling device (132) for forming a cable portion (134) of the cable provided (120) and the guide for laying the cable (120) in a rigid state. Apparatus (110) according to the preceding claim, further comprising: - At least one heating element (148) for selectively heating at least one cable section (134) to a second temperature (T ₂ ), wherein the cable portion (134) assumes a limp state. Device (110) according to the preceding claim, wherein the gripping and handling device (132) has at least one of the heating elements (148) and / or at least one cooling element (152). Device (110) according to one of the preceding claims relating to the device (110), wherein the first temperature (T ₁ ) in the cooling region (114) is in a range of -50 ° C to -10 ° C, wherein the cooling region ( 114) comprises a cold fluid or has a cooling element (152), further comprising at least one temperature measuring device (118). Device (110) according to one of the preceding claims relating to the device (110), further comprising - at least one outside of the cooling area (114) located cable providing device (122); and or - At least one spot cooler (128) to support the cooling and alignment of the cable (120) upon entry into the cooling area (114). Apparatus (110) according to any one of the preceding claims relating to the apparatus (110), further comprising at least one laying arrangement (156) for applying and fixing the cable (120), the laying arrangement (156) having a plurality of perpendicular to a surface of the laying arrangement (156). 156) arranged pins (158), wherein at least one of the pins (158) is designed movable, retractable, controllable and / or tempered.

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