EP4049349A1

EP4049349A1 - Device, method and system for assembly of an electrical plug connector

Info

Publication number: EP4049349A1
Application number: EP20803484.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Manfred Sorg; Pascal MAIER
Original assignee: Metzner Holding GmbH
Current assignee: Metzner Holding GmbH
Priority date: 2019-11-11
Filing date: 2020-11-05
Publication date: 2022-08-31
Also published as: US20220368096A1; WO2021094179A1; DE102019130288A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for the assembly of an electrical plug connector (2). The device has a feed unit (16) that is designed to press a forward end (5) of an electric cable (3a, 3b), said forward end being prefabricated with an inner conductor contact element (6), into a corresponding plug-in point (17) of a housing assembly (4) of the plug connector (2) along a feed direction (X) until the inner conductor contact element (6) reaches a target position (Ps) within the housing assembly (4). The device (1) also has an optical sensor unit (24), which is designed to detect the actual position (Pl) of the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4) while the cable (3a, 3b) is being pressed in. The device (1) further has a force transducer (23), which is designed to detect the pressing force applied while the cable (3a, 3b) is being pressed in.

Description

Device, method and system for assembling an electrical connector

The invention relates to a device for assembling an electrical connector, having a feed device for pressing a front end of an electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element into a corresponding slot of a housing assembly of the connector.

The invention also relates to a method for assembling an electrical connector, according to which a front end of an electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element is pressed into a corresponding slot of a housing assembly of the connector by a feed device along a feed direction until the inner conductor contact element reaches a desired position within the housing assembly Has.

The invention also relates to a computer program product with program code means and a system for assembling an electrical connector.

When cables are assembled, their conductors are typically connected to a plug connector in order to subsequently be able to establish electrical connections with other cables or conductors that have corresponding plug connectors or mating plug connectors. A plug connector or mating plug connector can be a plug, a built-in plug, a socket, a coupling or an adapter. The term "connector" or "mating connector" used in the context of the invention is representative of all variants.

Particularly on connectors for the automotive industry or for vehicles, high demands are placed on their robustness and the security of the plug connections. Electromobility in particular poses major challenges for the automotive industry and its suppliers, as high currents with voltages of up to 1,500 V are sometimes transmitted in vehicles via the cables or lines. In the case of the risk that the failure of components in an electric vehicle would result, particularly high demands must be placed on the quality of the cables or lines and plug connections.

For example, a plug connection must withstand high loads, for example mechanical loads, and remain closed in a defined manner so that the electrical connection is not unintentionally separated, for example during the operation of a vehicle.

Another requirement for connectors for the automotive industry is that they must be able to be manufactured economically in large numbers. For this reason, cable assembly that is as fully automated as possible is preferable, in particular for the assembly of cables for the automotive industry. Corresponding production lines have to be established in order to achieve the required quantities with high quality at the same time. In particular, if an electrical cable is to be provided with an electrical connector at one of its ends or at both ends, it is usually necessary to push various connector components onto the cable in the sequence required later in order to keep them ready for the later connector assembly. The previously pushed-on components can then be moved one after the other or simultaneously on the cable jacket in the direction of the front, free end of the cable in order to be assembled with a corresponding connector component.

Furthermore, as part of a pre-assembly of the cables, support sleeves, compression or crimp sleeves and / or inner conductor contact elements are usually connected to the electrical conductors of the cables, in particular pressed, welded or soldered. The support sleeves and press or crimp sleeves are provided for connection to an outer conductor of the cable (in particular for mounting on an outer conductor shielding braid), while the inner conductor contact elements are connected to the inner conductor or the inner conductors of the cable.

Following the pre-assembly, the cable is then usually installed in a housing assembly of the later connector. If necessary, several cables can also be installed in a housing assembly, depending on the connector type. For this purpose, the pre-assembled cables often have to be pressed into corresponding slots in the housing assembly with sufficient pressing force.

In particular in the context of mass production, pressing the pre-assembled cables into a housing assembly is comparatively complex. In addition, in order to ensure a high-quality and robust connector, the press-in process must be carried out with high precision and accurate process monitoring.

In view of the known prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for assembling an electrical plug connector, which is particularly suitable for automated cable assembly.

The present invention is also based on the object of providing a method for assembling an electrical plug connector, which is particularly suitable for automated cable assembly.

Finally, it is also an object of the invention to provide a suitable computer program product and an advantageous system for assembling an electrical plug connector.

The object is achieved for the device with the features listed in claim 1. With regard to the method, the object is achieved by the features of claim 9. Regarding the Computer program product, the object is achieved by the features of claim 20 and, with regard to the system, by claim 21.

The dependent claims and the features described below relate to advantageous embodiments and variants of the invention.

A device for assembling an electrical connector is provided, having a feed device which is designed to press a front end of an electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element along a feed direction into a corresponding slot of a housing assembly of the connector until the inner conductor contact element has a desired position within the Has reached the housing assembly.

The inner conductor contact element is preferably pressed, welded and / or soldered to an inner conductor of the electrical cable.

The front end of the cable preferably has a support sleeve and / or a compression or crimp sleeve which is pressed on the front end of the cable with an outer conductor of the cable, in particular an outer conductor shielding braid of the cable. The cable particularly preferably has a support sleeve which is mounted on the cable sheath of the cable and / or on the outer conductor shield braid of the cable, the outer conductor shield braid being folded back over the support sleeve and pressed between the crimp sleeve and the support sleeve.

The support sleeve and / or press or crimp sleeve can advantageously be used to press the cable within the slot of the housing assembly.

The target position is preferably a position of the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly in which the inner conductor contact element engages with a latching means of the housing assembly and / or has assumed a plug-in position intended for later use of the connector in order to be connected to a corresponding mating connector.

The electrical connector to be assembled preferably has exactly one electrical cable or exactly two electrical cables. It can thus be provided to press in exactly one electrical cable or to press in precisely two electrical cables. In principle, the electrical connector to be assembled can also have more than two electrical cables, for example three electrical cables or more electrical cables, four electrical cables or more electrical cables, five electrical cables or more electrical cables, six electrical cables or even more electrical cables .

The respective cables can be pressed in one after the other or at the same time, as will be described in more detail below. If "the" electrical cable or "an" electrical cable is used below, this is not to be understood as restrictive, but is only intended to improve readability. In principle, all further developments and variants of the invention described below can relate to exactly one electrical cable, to exactly two electrical cables or to even more electrical cables, even if this is not explicitly stated. In particular, features and variants that relate to the electrical cable can also relate to the cable referred to below as the “second” electrical cable - and vice versa.

The electrical cable is preferably designed as a high-voltage line.

The electrical connector is preferably designed as a high-voltage connector.

The electrical cable and / or the electrical connector can be viewed as part of the device within the scope of the invention. The electrical cable and / or the electrical connector can, however, optionally also be independent of the device.

In principle, any electrical cable can be mounted in any plug connector or pressed into any housing assembly within the scope of the invention. However, the electrical cable preferably has exactly one outer conductor or is designed as a shielded electrical cable. The invention is particularly advantageously suitable for processing electrical cables with a large cross section for high power transmission, for example in the vehicle sector, particularly preferably in the field of electromobility. An electrical cable can thus be provided for the high-voltage range, in particular a high-voltage line.

The electrical cable can have any number of inner conductors, but preferably only a single inner conductor. However, two inner conductors or more inner conductors, three inner conductors or more inner conductors, four inner conductors or even more inner conductors can also be provided. If the cable has several inner conductors, these are pre-assembled with a respective inner conductor contact element. The inner conductor contact elements can then each be pushed into their own slot or into one or more common slots in the housing assembly when the front end of the cable is pressed into the housing assembly.

The electrical cable is particularly preferably designed as a coaxial cable with exactly one inner conductor and exactly one outer conductor.

The “front end” of the cable can be a cable end piece which preferably comprises at least the inner conductor contact element and one or more support sleeves or compression sleeves or crimp sleeves. In particular, the invention can be provided for an automated or fully automated assembly of the electrical connector.

According to the invention, the device has an optical sensor device which is designed to detect the actual position of the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly while the cable is being pressed in.

The optical sensor device is preferably designed as a camera, in particular a high-speed camera, and / or as a light band or light barrier.

The optical sensor device can be designed to detect the actual position of the inner conductor contact element continuously or in rapid succession. For example, 20 to 50 evaluations per second, preferably 50 to 200 evaluations per second, particularly preferably 200 to 400 evaluations per second, very particularly preferably 400 to 600 evaluations per second, even more preferably 600 to 1000 evaluations per second, for example 800 evaluations per second Second, or even more than 1000 evaluations per second.

Because the optical sensor device monitors the actual position of the inner conductor contact element while the cable is being pressed in along the feed direction, a high level of precision can be ensured during the assembly of the connector. In particular, the inner conductor contact element can be positioned with high accuracy within the housing assembly.

According to the invention, a force transducer is also provided for detecting the pressing force applied when the cable is pressed in.

The force transducer can, for example, be integrated in the feed device.

By monitoring the pressing force, the assembly process of the connector can advantageously be monitored and thus designed to be particularly process-reliable.

In particular, monitoring the pressing force and comparing it with the actual position simultaneously detected by the optical sensor device can be advantageous in order to check the assembly process. The pressing force can thus be recorded and evaluated as a function of the actual position of the inner conductor contact element, for example.

In an advantageous development of the invention it can be provided that the feed device has a holding device for fixing the cable during the pressing in. The holding device can preferably have at least one clamping jaw that can be advanced to a cable jacket of the cable. The holding device can be moved by the feed device, preferably together with the cable fixed therein, along the feed direction in order to press the front end of the cable into the slot of the housing assembly.

The holding device preferably has exactly one clamping jaw or exactly two clamping jaws which can be advanced in the direction of the central axis of the cable in order to fix the cable on its cable jacket.

If precisely one adjustable clamping jaw is provided, this can press the cable against a support opposite the clamping jaw along the cable jacket to fix it.

The holding device preferably fixes the cable so that it cannot rotate.

The device can have a transport device in order to feed the cable into the feed device, in particular into the holding device. The transport device can, for example, have drivable transport rollers in order to guide the cable tangentially between one another. The transport device can also have a belt conveyor unit or one or more gripper units. The transport device can take over a first infeed of the cable along the feed direction, after which the feed device takes over the further transport and the pressing in of the cable.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the device has a control unit for monitoring the assembly, in particular for evaluating the recorded actual position and the recorded pressing force in the context of quality assurance.

In particular, the control unit can be set up to compare the detected pressing force with a specification for the pressing force and to classify the connector accordingly. The connector can be marked or labeled depending on the classification. Depending on the classification, the connector can be divided into different quality classes and, if necessary, removed from production.

The control unit can in particular also be designed to cause the feed device to stop the pressing in of the cable or the feed of the cable as soon as the actual position detected by the optical sensor device corresponds to the intended target position. The control unit can also regulate the advance of the cable as a function of the actual position and / or the detected pressing force, for example, slow it down while the actual position approaches the target position.

The control unit can be set up to partially or completely control and / or monitor the assembly process. The control device can be set up to guide the responsible production employee through the machining process and to give the employee, for example, instructions for manual intervention or an error, for example by means of optical and / or acoustic indications.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that individual or all processing tools of the device, in particular processing tools that are interchangeable depending on the cable geometry / cable type or the connector geometry / connector type, have an identifier, for example a barcode, a QR coder or an RFID transponder. In this way, the processing tools can be identified by reading devices distributed accordingly in the device (preferably monitored by the control unit), in particular to determine whether the correct processing tools are being used for the intended assembly process and / or whether the processing tools are even present at their respective destination or are correctly inserted.

It can also be provided that the cable and / or the connector components have a respective identifier, for example a barcode, a QR code or an RFID transponder. In this way it can be ensured that the correct cable types and / or connector components are used for the intended assembly process. For example, the employee responsible in production can identify the cable and / or the connector components prior to insertion or during insertion into the device by means of an accessible or mobile reading device. In this case, the control device can, for example, indicate to the user (including optically and / or acoustically) whether and for which slot in the housing assembly the cable is intended. Alternatively, the identification can also take place in a completely automated manner if the reading device is positioned accordingly in the device.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the device has a fixing device for fixing the housing assembly at an assembly position along the feed direction.

The fixing device can in particular be deliverable to the housing assembly. As a result, the housing assembly can be inserted into the device before the cable or cables are pressed in and can be removed from the device again after the cable or cables have been pressed in.

The fixing device can have one or more pressing jaws.

The fixing device can have a locking mechanism, preferably at least one locking pin, in order to fix the fixing device in the position delivered to the housing assembly. Preferably, two locking pins that can be inserted into the fixing device on both sides are provided. The locking pins are preferably delivered in a completely automated manner. To ensure a high level of security against manipulation during the connector assembly, it can be provided that the locking mechanism of the fixing device can only be unlocked in an unscheduled manner by means of a special release authorization.

In one embodiment of the invention, the connector assembly can be documented as part of quality assurance.

In the context of quality assurance, so-called "bad parts", i. H. To sort out faulty or unsatisfactory quality assembled connectors. In order to ensure that the bad parts are sorted out in any case, it is known to mark the bad part in a recognizable manner or to destroy it. In particular, it is known to cut the cable. This process allows a high level of security against manipulation, but at the same time introduces particles (for example cut residues, film residues, etc.) into the device, which in turn should be avoided in order to ensure high quality during the connector assembly. For this reason, provision can be made to first secure the housing assemblies of bad parts in the device so that they cannot be removed using the locking mechanism of the fixing device and to interrupt the processing until the bad part is removed from the device by a special release authorization.

In a development of the invention it can be provided that the device has an alignment aid with a receptacle and / or with a stop for the front end of the cable. The alignment aid can be set up to align the cable in the correct position at an initial position along the feed direction before it is pressed in.

The alignment aid can also be designed to be removed from the displacement path of the cable after the alignment of the cable, in particular orthogonally to the direction of advance.

The receptacle or the stop of the alignment aid can in particular be fork-shaped. Thus, the alignment aid can advantageously be removed in a straight-line movement laterally or orthogonally to the feed direction.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the device has a test device which is set up to test correct pre-processing of the cable while the cable is being inserted into the device and / or while the cable is being pressed into the housing assembly.

In particular, it can be provided that the testing device is used to check that the cable sheath of the cable is correctly fitted with connector components (for example a line seal). The connector components can be any components of the electrical connector to be mounted on the corresponding cable end, which preferably have a respective through-hole for receiving the cable. The connector components can thus be slidable onto the electrical cable, in particular onto the cable sheath of the cable, before the pressing in, in particular also before the assembly of a support sleeve, a compression sleeve or crimp sleeve or the inner conductor contact element. The diameter of the through bores can essentially correspond to the diameter of the electrical cable or its cable jacket. The diameter of the through hole can, however, also be larger or slightly smaller than the diameter of the electrical cable or its cable jacket in order to be able to influence the mechanical play of a connector component pushed onto the cable.

In principle, the electrical cable can be equipped with any connector components within the scope of the invention. For example, it can be provided that at least one of the connector components is a support sleeve, a line seal, a cable retainer, a retaining cap or an angle cap.

The line seal can in particular be a mechanical seal, for example a sealing ring for sealing against dirt, dust, liquids or gases, which can be pushed into the housing assembly from the rear, for example. The diameter of the through hole of the line seal can preferably be made somewhat smaller than the diameter of the cable jacket in order to improve the tightness. The line seal can have any cross-sectional geometry. Circular pipe seals are often used. However, oval or polygonal, in particular rectangular, for example square line seals can also be provided. A certain orientation is usually not important when installing the pipe seal, especially in the case of pipe seals with a circular cross-sectional geometry. If an oval or polygonal (for example rectangular) line seal is provided, a predetermined orientation relative to further connector components can also be important for the line seal.

A cable retainer can in particular be a plug connector component that enables or supports a pull intercept of the cable.

A final retaining cap - or in the case of an angled connector, an angled cap - can be a connector component that closes the connector on the cable side and fixes, for example, a cable retainer and / or a line seal in the connector, in particular in the housing assembly. It can be provided that the retaining cap or angle cap has latching means in order to latch with the cable retainer and / or the housing assembly. The retaining cap or angle cap can also be referred to as an end cap assembly. The connector components preferably each have only a single through-hole for receiving only a single electrical cable. The connector components can, for example, also have a number of through-bores corresponding to the number of cables to be pressed into the housing assembly. The cables of the connector can thus optionally also be included in common connector components.

In particular, provision can be made to check the presence, the correct sequence, the correct spacing and / or the integrity of the connector components pushed onto the cable. Very particularly preferably, the check can take place when the cable is delivered by the transport device.

The integrity of the cable itself can also be checked. Thus, for example, protruding strands of a cable shielding braid can be recognized and the cable can be sorted out if necessary.

For example, the test device can carry out an optical quality test using optical sensors.

A camera, in particular a color camera, can preferably be provided. In particular, if the connector components and / or the cables are color-coded, for example have different colors for different cable diameters, the color camera can easily and yet highly precise detection of the correct assembly of the cable.

The contour of the connector components, for example to ensure a correct assembly sequence and / or a correct alignment of the connector components, can preferably be checked separately from an optionally available color camera by one or more separate optical sensors.

An incorrectly processed or fitted cable can, for example, be excluded from the subsequent assembly, marked or marked as faulty and / or reworked.

In an advantageous development of the invention it can be provided that the device has a pretensioning device which is set up to mechanically pretension a latching means provided for latching the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly orthogonally to the feed direction.

This can simplify the introduction of the inner conductor contact element into the housing assembly.

The pretensioning device preferably has a telescopic ram that can be moved orthogonally to the feed direction. The telescopic plunger can be used to connect the connector with a Mating connector provided plug area of the housing assembly are introduced to pretension the locking means.

The pretensioning device, in particular a front end of the telescopic plunger, can have a button element, a proximity switch or an electrical contact in order to detect contact with the inner conductor contact element or an impending collision of the inner conductor contact element with the pretensioning device or the telescopic plunger. When a collision is detected or a collision is pending, the pretensioning device, in particular the telescopic plunger, can finally be removed from the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the feed device is designed to press a front end of a second electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element along the feed direction into a corresponding second slot of the housing assembly.

This is preferably done after the first cable has been pressed into its desired position.

However, it can also be provided that a second feed device presses in the second cable while the first cable is pressed in or after the first cable has been pressed in.

It can also be provided that two feed devices are provided with a common drive, the drive initially driving the first feed device to press in the first cable and then driving the second feed device to press in the second cable.

In one embodiment of the invention, an actuating device can be provided for actuating a secondary fuse of the housing assembly, for example a secondary fuse arranged centrally within the housing assembly. The actuation device can have an actuation plunger in order to actuate the secondary fuse.

It can be provided that the control device monitors the actuation of the secondary fuse and, for example, detects (e.g. by monitoring the displacement path and / or the forces occurring during actuation) whether or not the secondary fuse has been actuated correctly. In this way it can be detected in particular whether the secondary fuse is actually present in the housing assembly and / or whether the assembly has been carried out correctly, since otherwise the secondary fuse usually cannot be moved into its fuse position.

The invention also relates to a method for assembling an electrical connector. It is provided that a front end of an electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element is pressed into a corresponding slot of a housing assembly of the connector by a feed device along a feed direction until the Inner conductor contact element has reached a target position within the housing assembly. An optical sensor device detects the actual position of the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly while the cable is being pressed in. A force transducer records the pressing force applied when the cable is pressed in.

It can be provided that the method described above and below is carried out using the device already described.

According to the invention, a particularly precise and process-reliable assembly of the connector can thus take place.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that before the cable is pressed into the housing assembly, a test device checks that the cable has been correctly pre-processed.

In particular, correct fitting of the cable jacket with a connector component or with several connector components can be checked.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the front end of the cable is initially correctly aligned in an initial position along the feed direction before being pressed into the housing assembly by inserting and / or at least partially inserting the front end of the cable into a receptacle of an alignment aid is posted on a stop of the alignment aid.

A user or a transport device of the device or of a system for assembling the connector can thus advantageously position and / or align the cable by means of the alignment aid.

Thus, the cable is in a known starting position before it is pressed in and also already in a defined orientation.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the alignment aid is removed from the displacement path of the cable after the front end of the cable has been aligned in the correct position.

The alignment aid can preferably be removed in a linear movement orthogonal to the feed direction. The alignment aid can, however, also be moved out of the displacement path by a pivoting movement.

The alignment aid is preferably automatically moved out of the displacement path. In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the housing assembly is fixed in an assembly position by a fixing device before the cable is pressed in.

As a result, the housing assembly is advantageously in a known assembly position, which can simplify the monitoring of the actual position of the inner conductor contact element.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that a pretensioning device mechanically pretensions a latching means provided for latching the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly in the housing assembly orthogonally to the feed direction.

As a result, the latching means can be moved in particular out of the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element in order to avoid a collision of the inner conductor contact element with the latching means. A collision of the inner conductor contact element with the latching means can, for example, lead to a falsified result when measuring or monitoring the pressing force.

Instead of a latching means, any elastic or spring-mounted components of the housing assembly can in principle be prestressed by the prestressing device or moved out of the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element.

In an advantageous development, it can be provided in particular that the pretensioning device pretensions the latching means by extending a telescopic ram.

Instead of a telescopic ram, however, any means for pretensioning the locking means can in principle be provided.

In an advantageous development of the invention it can be provided that the pretensioning device is removed from the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element when it comes into contact with the inner conductor contact element of the electrical cable.

The pretensioning device, in particular the telescopic plunger of the pretensioning device, is preferably removed from the displacement path of the cable or the inner conductor contact element as soon as the inner conductor contact element has been pushed sufficiently deep into the housing assembly to preload the locking means itself (or as soon as the inner conductor contact element at least partially "over" Locking means was moved). A further pressing in of the cable can ultimately lead to the latching means latching into a corresponding receptacle in the inner conductor contact element and being relaxed again in the process. According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the feed device stops the feed of the cable as soon as the actual position of the inner conductor contact element detected by the optical sensor device corresponds to the target position.

The advance of the advance device can be regulated as a function of the actual position and / or the detected pressing force.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that a control unit evaluates the pressing force detected by the force transducer during the pressing in and compares it with a specification for the pressing force in order to classify the cable as part of quality assurance.

The connector can in particular be sorted out if the pressing force does not correspond to the specification or does not sufficiently correspond to the specification.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that after the target position of the inner conductor contact element of the cable has been reached, a front end of a second electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element is pressed into a corresponding second slot of the housing assembly along the feed direction.

In principle, however, the second cable can also be pressed in at the same time as the first cable. A sequential pressing in of the cables can, however, be advantageous for monitoring the assembly process, in particular the pressing forces that occur.

The invention also relates to a computer program product with program code means to carry out a method according to the preceding and following statements when the program is executed on a control unit of a device for mounting an electrical connector (in particular on a device according to the preceding and following statements).

The control unit can be designed as a microprocessor. Instead of a microprocessor, any other device for implementing the control unit can also be provided, for example one or more arrangements of discrete electrical components on a circuit board, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or another programmable circuit, for example also a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic arrangement (PLA) and / or a commercially available computer.

The invention also relates to a system for assembling an electrical connector. The system includes a device for assembling the electrical connector. The device has a feed device which is designed to press a front end of an electrical cable pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element along a feed direction into a corresponding slot of a housing assembly of the connector until the Inner conductor contact element has reached a target position within the housing assembly. The device also has an optical sensor device which is designed to detect the actual position of the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly while the cable is being pressed in. The device also has a force transducer for detecting the pressing force applied when the cable is pressed in. The system also comprises at least one processing module, which is independent of the device, for processing the electrical cable.

The distribution of the processing steps according to the invention over several processing modules that are independent of one another makes it possible to operate the system as an "assembly line process" or as a "cycle machine" with successive individual steps in order to reduce the processing time in mass processing.

Furthermore, the device or the individual processing modules can have a modular structure, as a result of which individual processing modules of the assembly can be replaced, modified or removed without great effort. As a result, the system can be configured with simple means, in particular for processing different types of cables or connectors.

The independent processing modules can preferably be arranged upstream or downstream of the device.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that at least one of the independent processing modules can be used as a processing module to ensure the correct assembly of the cable with connector components and / or as a processing module for cutting the cable to length and / or as a processing module for stripping cable components of the cable and / or is designed as a processing module for equipping the cable with one or more connector components.

Further processing modules that are independent of one another and of the device can also be provided, which are arranged upstream or downstream of the device.

The invention also relates to an electrical connector which has been assembled using a method according to the above and following statements.

The invention also relates to an electrical connector which has been assembled with a device according to the preceding and following statements.

Features that have been described in connection with the device according to the invention can of course also be implemented advantageously for the method, the computer program product and the system - and vice versa. Furthermore, advantages that are already in connection with the device according to the invention were mentioned, can also be understood in relation to the method, the computer program product and the system - and vice versa.

In addition, it should be pointed out that terms such as “comprising”, “having” or “with” do not exclude any other features or steps. Furthermore, terms such as “a” or “the” which refer to a single number of steps or features do not exclude a plurality of features or steps - and vice versa.

In a puristic embodiment of the invention, however, it can also be provided that the features introduced in the invention with the terms “comprising”, “having” or “with” are conclusively enumerated. Accordingly, one or more lists of features within the scope of the invention can be viewed as complete, for example, viewed for each claim. The invention can consist exclusively of the features mentioned in claim 1, for example.

It should also be emphasized that the values and parameters described here have deviations or fluctuations of ± 10% or less, preferably ± 5% or less, more preferably ± 1% or less, and very particularly preferably ± 0.1% or less of the respectively named Include value or parameter, provided that these deviations are not excluded when implementing the invention in practice. The specification of ranges by start and end values also includes all those values and fractions that are enclosed by the respective named range, in particular the start and end values and a respective mean value.

The applicant reserves the right to claim a device as an independent invention which comprises the features of claim 1, although feature c) of claim 1 relating to the force transducer is merely optional. The applicant also reserves the right to use a corresponding method without the mandatory feature of a force transducer and a corresponding system without the mandatory feature of a force transducer. The further claims, claim features and the features disclosed in the entire description and drawing relate to advantageous embodiments and variants of the named independent invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

The figures each show preferred exemplary embodiments in which individual features of the present invention are shown in combination with one another. Features of an exemplary embodiment can also be implemented separately from the other features of the same exemplary embodiment and can accordingly be easily combined with features of other exemplary embodiments by a person skilled in the art to form further meaningful combinations and subcombinations.

In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols. They show schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment during the introduction of two electrical cables into respective feed devices;

FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 after the cables have been fixed in a respective holding device;

FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 2 after the housing assembly has been fixed by a fixing device and while the front end of the first cable is being fed into the housing assembly by the first feed device;

FIG. 4 shows the device of FIG. 3 after the inner conductor contact element of the first cable has reached the desired position in the housing assembly;

FIG. 5 shows a pretensioning device with a telescopic ram for mechanically pretensioning a locking means within the housing assembly;

FIG. 6 shows the pretensioning device of FIG. 6 while the inner conductor contact element triggers removal of the telescopic plunger from the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element by touching a button element of the telescopic plunger;

FIG. 7 shows the device from FIG. 6 while the sensor device monitors the actual position of the inner conductor contact element within the housing assembly in the course of the further pressing in of the front end of the cable;

FIG. 8 shows the device from FIG. 7 after the inner conductor contact element has reached the desired position within the housing assembly;

FIG. 9 shows a device according to the invention in accordance with a second, preferred exemplary embodiment while the electrical cable is being inserted into the feed device;

FIG. 10 shows the device of FIG. 10 after the correct position of the cable has been aligned in the starting position using the alignment aid;

FIG. 11 shows the device of FIG. 11 after the housing assembly has been fixed by the fixing device and after the cable has been fixed in the holding device; FIG. 12 shows the exemplary connector after both cables have been pressed in during final assembly; and

FIG. 13 shows a system for mounting the electrical connector with a device for mounting the electrical connector and further processing modules that are independent of the device.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a device 1 according to the invention for assembling an electrical plug connector 2 (see FIG. 12) during various assembly steps. All representations are to be understood as examples and in a highly schematic manner and are only intended to serve to understand the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a state of the device 1 during the insertion of pre-assembled electrical cables 3 a, 3 b, which are subsequently to be mounted in a housing assembly 4 of the plug connector 2. Purely by way of example, the invention is described using a plug connector 2 which is able to accommodate two electrical cables 3a, 3b. In principle, the invention can also be suitable for use with a plug connector of a different type, in particular for use with a plug connector which has only a single electrical cable.

The electrical cables 3a, 3b shown are also only to be understood as examples. In principle, the invention can be suitable for use with any electrical cable, for example also for use with an electrical cable with several inner conductors.

The electrical cables 3a, 3b shown as an example are prefabricated at their respective front end 5 with an inner conductor contact element 6, which is electrically and mechanically connected to an inner conductor of the cable 3a, 3b. The inner conductor contact element 6 can, for example, be pressed or welded, in particular ultrasonically welded, to the inner conductor of the cable 3a, 3b. As shown in the exemplary embodiments, the inner conductor contact element 6 can be accommodated in an insulating housing 7, for example an insulating housing 7 consisting of two insulating shells. The cable 3a, 3b can also be pre-assembled with a support sleeve 8 which is applied to the cable sheath 9 of the cable 3a, 3b and / or the outer conductor of the cable 3a, 3b, in particular an outer conductor shielding braid 10 (see FIG. 13). A crimp sleeve 11 can be pushed onto the support sleeve 8 and crimped or pressed with the support sleeve 8. The outer conductor shielding braid 10 can run between the support sleeve 8 and the crimp sleeve 11 and was folded back over the support sleeve 8 before the crimp sleeve 11 was applied.

Finally, further connector components can also be pushed onto the cable sheath 9 of the cable 3a, 3b for the subsequent final assembly of the connector 2, for example a line seal 12 shown, a cable retainer 13 and a retaining cap 14. The cables 3a, 3b can be fed to the device 1 by a transport device (not shown in detail) or by a user. This process is shown in FIG.

In particular, during the feeding process, it can be provided that a test device 15 checks correct pre-processing, in particular the correct pre-fitting of the cable jacket 9 with the connector components 12, 13, 14. The test device 15 can in particular be designed as an optical test device 15, for example as a camera or light strip. If the test device 15 detects faulty pre-processing of the cable 3a, 3b, in particular insufficient pre-fitting of the cable 3a, 3b, the assembly process can, for example, be interrupted and the cable 3a, 3b sorted out.

While the cables 3 a, 3 b are being inserted, they can be pushed into a feed device 16 along a feed direction X. The feed device 16 is used to press the front end 5 of the cable 3a, 3b into a corresponding slot 17 in the housing assembly 4 of the connector 2 and will be described in more detail below.

The cables 3a, 3b can preferably be attached to an initial position PA with the aid of an alignment aid 18 and aligned in the correct position. For this purpose, the alignment aid 18 has, for example, a stop 18a for the crimp sleeve 11.

The feed device 16 has a holding device 19 for fixing the cable 3a, 3b. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the holding device 19 has two clamping jaws 20 which can be advanced to the cable jacket 9 of the cable 3a, 3b. After the cable 3a, 3b has been inserted or fed in, the clamping jaws 20 can be correspondingly closed or the cable 3a, 3b can be fixed by the holding device 19.

It can then be provided that the feed device 16 feeds the cables 3a, 3b in the feed direction X to the housing assembly 4 and presses them into it.

In principle, the processing or pressing in of the cables 3a, 3b by the two feed devices 16 can take place in parallel or one after the other. The cables 3a, 3b are preferably pressed in one after the other in order to be able to better control and monitor the pressing process. In principle, a common feed device 16 or at least a common drive for the feed devices 16 can accordingly also be provided. In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 4, the feed device 16 has a rail system in order to move the holding device 19 linearly along the feed direction X. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, on the other hand, a spindle drive is provided which selectively delivers only one of the two holding devices 19. After the cable 3a, 3b has been fixed, the housing assembly 4 can first be fixed in an assembly position by means of a fixing device 21 before the cable 3a, 3b is pressed in. Two press jaws 22 for fixing the housing assembly 4 are shown as an example.

The feed device 16 can then press the front end 5 of the cable 3 a, 3 b into the corresponding slot 17 in the housing assembly 4. The crimping sleeve 11 is preferably pressed into the slot 17, from which the subsequent holding force of the cable 3a, 3b in the plug connector 2 results.

A force transducer 23 is provided for detecting the pressing force applied when the cable 3a, 3b is pressed in. In the exemplary embodiment, the force transducer 23 is part of the feed device 16 and is only indicated as a black box in FIG. The feed device 16 presses the front end 5 of the cable 3a, 3b into the housing assembly 4 until the inner conductor contact element 6 has reached a target position Ps within the housing assembly 4. An optical sensor device 24 detects the actual position Pi of the inner conductor contact element 6 within the housing assembly 4 while the cable 3a, 3b is being pressed in.

A control unit 25 (also only indicated as a black box in FIG. 1) can be provided for monitoring the assembly of the connector 2, in particular for evaluating the recorded actual position Pi and the recorded pressing force as part of quality assurance. The control unit 25 is able to evaluate the pressing force detected by the force transducer 23 during the pressing-in process and to compare it with a specification for the pressing force. If the pressing force does not correspond to the specification, the connector 2 can for example be marked accordingly and, if necessary, sorted out.

Figures 5 to 8 show the pressing of the cable 3a, 3b into the housing assembly 4 in a side view, the housing assembly 4 being shown in section and greatly simplified.

The housing assembly 4 can have a spring-loaded latching means 26 in order to fix the inner conductor contact element 6. In order to simplify the assembly of the cable 3 a, 3 b in the plug connector 2, a pre-tensioning device 27 can be provided in order to first mechanically pre-tension the latching means 26 within the housing assembly 4 orthogonally to the feed direction X. For this purpose, the pretensioning device 27 can have, for example, an extendable telescopic ram 28 which pretensions the latching means 26 out of the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element 6 against a spring force. In order to subsequently release the displacement path for the inner conductor contact element 6, the pretensioning device 27 can be removed from the displacement path when it comes into contact with the inner conductor contact element 6 or when it comes into contact with the inner conductor contact element 6. A button element 29 is shown as an example, which can be touched by the inner conductor contact element 6 and thereby triggers the retraction, for example also a mechanical snap, of the telescopic plunger 28 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Then the front end 5 of the cable 3a, 3b can continue into the Housing assembly 4 are pressed in until the inner conductor contact element 6 has reached its target position Ps in the housing assembly 4 (see FIG. 8).

FIGS. 9 to 11 show a preferred embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention. FIG. 9 shows the state during the insertion of a first cable 3a into the device 1. FIG 18 was correctly aligned in the starting position PA. In FIG. 11, the cable 3 a was fixed by a single clamping jaw 20 of the holding device 19 in that the cable 3 a is pressed by the clamping jaw 20 against a support 30. The housing assembly 4 is also fixed in FIG. 11 by a fixing device 21 with a single press jaw 22 in the manner of a plate having a negative of the housing assembly for the subsequent pressing.

Figure 12 shows the exemplary, schematically illustrated connector 2 during its final assembly. As part of the final assembly after the cables 3a, 3b have been pressed in, provision can be made for the further connector components 12, 13, 14 to be assembled. For this purpose, the line seal 12 can first be pushed into the respective slot 17 of the housing assembly 4 and fixed by the cable retainer 13. The retaining cap 14 can then be applied from the outside to the slot 17 and fixed.

The device 1 according to the invention can be part of a system 31 for assembling the electrical connector 2. An exemplary system 31 is shown in FIG. In addition to the device 1, the system 31 can have at least one processing module 32, which is independent of the device 1, for assembling the electrical cable 3 a, 3 b or for assembling the electrical plug connector 2.

Several processing modules 32 are shown in FIG. The individual processing modules 32 are arranged in groups 33, 34, for example. Two groups 33, 34 of processing modules 32 are shown by way of example.

Within the framework of the system 31, for example, processing modules 32 of a first group 33 can be designed for pre-assembling the electrical cable 3a, 3b. In particular, processing modules 32 can be provided to cut the cable 3a, 3b to a predetermined length, in order to strip cable components (for example a region of the cable jacket 9), in order to process the outer conductor shielding braid 10 of the cable 3a, 3b, in order to create one or more support sleeves 8 and / or to apply crimp sleeves 11 in order to push the connector components 12, 13, 14 onto the cable jacket 9 and / or to mount the inner conductor contact element 6 and optionally the insulating housing 7.

The cables 3a, 3b pre-assembled in this way can then be transferred to the second group 34 of processing modules, the device 1 according to the invention being exemplarily part of the second group 34 is shown. The cables 3a, 3b can accordingly be pressed into the housing assembly 4 using the device 1 according to the invention, after which the final assembly can take place in a further, subsequent processing module 32. A workpiece carrier system 35 can be provided for transporting the cables 3a, 3b. The cables 3a, 3b can thus be transported between the processing modules 32 or between the groups 33, 34 of processing modules 32.

For each group 33, 34 of processing modules 32, a respective conveying device 36 and a respective transport device 37 are preferably provided in order to connect the cable or cables 3a, 3b and / or the processing modules 32 (and / or the tools of the processing modules 32) to one another to deliver the processing. The transport device 37 can also serve to introduce the cable 3a, 3b into the device 1 according to the invention. The transport device 37 can be part of the device 1 and / or part of the system 31.

A gripping device 38 or some other transport system can also be provided in order to transport the cables 3 a, 3 b between the various groups 33, 34 of processing modules 32. In order to increase the throughput of the assembled plug connector 2 or to reduce the process time, provision can optionally be made for the first group 33 of processing modules 32 for pre-assembling the electrical cable 3a, 3b to be provided twice in the system 31, in particular if the plug connector 2 with two cables 3a, 3b are to be fitted.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Device (1) for assembling an electrical connector (2), comprising a) a feed device (16) which is designed to feed a front end (5) of an electrical cable (3a, 3b) pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element (6) pressing along a feed direction (X) into a corresponding slot (17) of a housing assembly (4) of the connector (2) until the inner conductor contact element (6) has reached a target position (Ps) within the housing assembly (4); b) an optical sensor device (24) for detecting the actual position (Pi) of the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4) while the cable (3a, 3b) is being pressed in; and c) a force transducer (23) for detecting the pressing force applied when the cable (3a, 3b) is pressed in.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed device (16) has a holding device (19) for fixing the cable (3a, 3b) during the pressing, the holding device (19) at least one on a cable sheath (9 ) of the cable (3a, 3b) has adjustable jaws (20).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a control unit (25) is provided for monitoring the assembly, in particular for evaluating the recorded actual position (Pi) and the recorded pressing force as part of quality assurance.

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a fixing device (21) for fixing the housing assembly (4) at a mounting position along the feed direction (X) is provided.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an alignment aid (18) with a receptacle and / or with a stop (18a) for the front end (5) of the cable (3a, 3b) is provided and is set up to align the cable (3a, 3b) in the correct position along the feed direction (X) _{before it is pressed in at a starting position (P A).}

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a test device (15) is provided and set up to ensure correct pre-processing of the during the insertion of the cable (3a, 3b) into the device (1) and / or during the pressing of the cable (3a, 3b) into the housing assembly (4) Cable (3a, 3b) to be checked.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a biasing device (27) is provided and arranged to a locking means (26) provided for locking the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4) orthogonal to the Mechanically preload the feed direction (X).

8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the feed device (16) is designed to have a pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element (6), front end (5) of a second electrical cable (3b) along the feed direction (X) to be pressed into a corresponding second slot (17) of the housing assembly (4).

9. A method for assembling an electrical connector (2), according to which a front end (5) of an electrical cable (3a, 3b) pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element (6) from a feed device (16) along a feed direction (X) into a corresponding one Slot (17) of a housing assembly (4) of the connector (2) is pressed in until the inner conductor contact element (6) has reached a target position (Ps) within the housing assembly (4), with an optical sensor device (24) during the pressing in of the cable ( 3a, 3b) detects the actual position (Pi) of the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4), and a force transducer (23) detects the pressing force applied when the cable (3a, 3b) is pressed in.

10. The method according to claim 9, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that before the cable (3a, 3b) is pressed into the housing assembly (4) by a test device (15), a correct pre-processing of the cable (3a, 3b) is checked.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the front end (5) of the cable (3a, 3b) prior to being pressed into the housing assembly (4) is initially _{aligned in the correct position in a starting position (P A} ) along the feed direction (X) by inserting the front end (5) of the cable (3a, 3b) at least partially into a receptacle of an alignment aid (18) and / or hitting it against a stop (18a) of the alignment aid (18).

12. The method of claim 11, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the alignment aid (18) is removed from the displacement path of the cable (3a, 3b) after the correct position of the front end (5) of the cable (3a, 3b).

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the housing assembly (4) is fixed in an assembly position by a fixing device (21) before the cable (3a, 3b) is pressed in.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that a pretensioning device (27) is a for locking the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4) provided locking means (26) in the housing assembly (4) orthogonal to the feed direction (X ) mechanically preloaded.

15. The method according to claim 14, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the preloading device (27) preloads the latching means (26) by extending a telescopic ram (28).

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, that the pretensioning device (27) is removed from the displacement path of the inner conductor contact element (6) when it comes into contact with the inner conductor contact element (6) of the electrical cable (3a, 3b).

17. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 16, characterized in that the feed device (16) stops the feed of the cable (3a, 3b) as soon as the actual position (Pi) of the inner conductor contact element (6) detected by the optical sensor device (24) Setpoint position (Ps) corresponds.

18. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 17, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a control unit (25) detected the force transducer (23) during the pressing

Evaluates the pressing force and compares it with a specification for the pressing force in order to classify the cable (3a, 3b) in the context of quality assurance.

19. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 18, characterized in that after the target position (Ps) of the inner conductor contact element (6) of the cable (3a, 3b) has been reached, a front end (5) of a second electrical cable (3b) pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element (6) along the feed direction (X) into a corresponding one second slot (17) of the housing assembly (4) is pressed.

20. Computer program product with program code means in order to carry out a method according to one of claims 9 to 19 when the program is executed on a control unit (25) of a device (1) for assembling an electrical connector (2).

21. System (31) for mounting an electrical connector (2), comprising a) a device (1) for mounting the connector (2), having a feed device (16) which is designed to feed a pre-assembled with an inner conductor contact element (6) to press the front end (5) of an electrical cable (3a, 3b) along a feed direction (X) into a corresponding slot (17) of a housing assembly (4) of the connector (2) until the inner conductor contact element (6) has a desired position (Ps) within the housing assembly (4), an optical sensor device (24) for detecting the actual position (Pi) of the inner conductor contact element (6) within the housing assembly (4) while the cable (3a, 3b) is being pressed in, as well as a force transducer (23) for detecting the pressing force applied when the cable (3a, 3b) is pressed in; and b) at least one processing module (32), which is independent of the device (1), for processing the electrical cable (3a, 3b).

22. System (31) according to claim 21, characterized in that at least one of the independent processing modules (32) as a processing module to ensure the correct assembly of the cable (3a, 3b) with connector components (12, 13, 14) and / or as a Processing module for cutting the cable (3a, 3b) to length and / or as a processing module for stripping cable components of the cable (3a, 3b) and / or as a processing module for equipping the cable (3a, 3b) with one or more connector components (12, 13, 14) is formed.