FR3059844A1 - HARNESS ASSEMBLY BENCH COMPRISING CABLE RETAINING FINGERS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE REMOVABLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a retaining finger (4) intended to equip a support wall (2) of an electrical harness assembly bench to hold harness cables in position in order to assemble them. This finger comprises a rod (37) which slides between an extended position and a retracted position in a base (38). The rod (37) is locked in the base (38) by a first rod end (39) having a shoulder (41) which constitutes a stop and a second rod end (43) having a locking hole (44) for receiving a locking pin (46).

Description

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the assembly of electrical harnesses intended to be installed in an aircraft to constitute all or part of an electrical distribution and / or data transfer network.

PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

The assembly of a harness consists of having several cables to secure them to each other with collars, in accordance with a given routing plan, to constitute a portion of an electrical network. An assembled harness is thus a set of cables forming a whole, comprising different branches and ramifications ending in as many ends.

This assembly is carried out by an operator on a bench comprising a support wall carrying different cable holding fingers, also called nails, between which the operator positions the cables one after the other, in accordance with the plan. When enough cables are in position, the operator secures them to each other by means of collars each surrounding several cables.

In practice, given the density of cables encountered around certain branches and their rigidity, it is necessary to use an additional operator to help the first operator to maintain the cables and allow them to be attached to each other.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution which makes it possible to remedy this drawback.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the subject of the invention is a retaining finger comprising means for fixing to a support wall of an electrical harness assembly bench, for holding harness cables in position in order to fix these cables to each other. with collars, characterized in that this retaining finger comprises a base and a rod carried by this base, and in that the rod is movable relative to the base to be movable between a deployed position relative to the support wall and a position of flush with the support wall.

The establishment of cables is facilitated with such retaining fingers because the operator can first position and maintain a set of cables to then deploy the fingers allowing to block this set of cables in position without requesting another operator.

The invention also relates to a retaining finger thus defined, in which the rod is slidably mounted in the base to be movable relative to this base between a deployed position and a retracted position.

The invention also relates to a retaining finger thus defined, in which the rod comprises a first end having a shoulder forming a stop preventing the passage of this first end through the base, and a second smooth end comprising a radial hole in which is mounted a pin projecting radially from the rod to oppose the passage of this second end through the base.

The invention also relates to a retaining finger thus defined, in which the rod has at its first end a radial gripping hole.

The invention also relates to a retaining finger thus defined, in which the rod and the base include ball indexing means for retaining the rod in the base in its deployed position.

The invention also relates to a retaining finger thus defined, in which the indexing means comprise a ball indexing hole passing radially through the base to open into an internal face of the base against which the rod slides, this hole indexing ball receiving a ball and a spring holding this ball in abutment against the rod, the rod being provided with a circumferential indexing groove in the vicinity of its second end, the ball bearing in the groove to block the rod in its deployed state.

The invention also relates to a harness assembly bench comprising a support wall carrying at least one retaining finger thus defined.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a partial view of a bench comprising a support wall carrying several holding fingers which hold cables during the assembly of a portion of harness;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a retaining finger according to the invention in its deployed state;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a retaining finger according to the invention partially retracted;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a retaining finger according to the invention in its retracted state;

Figure 5 is a side view of a hook for operating the holding finger according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a partial view of a bench according to the invention in a harness assembly phase for which some of the retaining fingers are retracted;

Figure 7 is a partial view of a bench according to the invention in a harness assembly phase showing the deployment of a retaining finger using a hook.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

As can be seen in FIG. 1, a harness assembly bench 1 comprises a support wall 2 also called a template, comprising a functional face 3 carrying several holding fingers 4 projecting from this face to receive and hold cables 6 arranged in accordance with a wiring plan marked on the functional side 3. In practice, an operator positions the cables 6 on the bench 1 between the holding fingers and secures these cables 6 to each other with collars 10, such as notched collars made of material plastic, to assemble the cables at a small portion 8 of a harness, this harness extending well beyond what is shown in FIG. 1.

In the example of FIG. 1, the harness comprises a first, a second and a third bundle of cables marked respectively by 11, 12 and 13 parallel and distinct. Each of these three beams is supported on the support wall 2 of the bench 1, and a part of the cables which compose each beam is deflected, to jointly form a fourth beam 14 extending perpendicular to the three parallel beams 11, 12 and 13.

The first beam 11 leaves from the left in FIG. 1 and rests on a retaining finger 16, also called retaining nail, as well as on other non-visible retaining fingers. Once the finger 16 has been crossed, this first bundle 11 branches into two sets of cables, marked respectively by 15 and 17. The first set of cables 15 is held between holding fingers 18 and 19 while being bent to join the fourth bundle 14. The second set of cables 17 continues parallel to the second and third bundles 12 and 13 while being held by a holding finger 21 and by other holding fingers not visible in the figure.

The second beam 12 leaves from the right in FIG. 1 and rests on a retaining finger 22 as well as on other non-visible retaining fingers. After having crossed another retaining finger 23, this second bundle 12 branches into two sets of cables marked by 24 and 26. The first set 24 is kept bent by fingers 23 and 21 to join the fourth bundle 14 by being superimposed on the first beam

11. The other set of cables 26 continues parallel to the first and third bundles 11 and 13 while being supported on a retaining finger 27. Once the finger Tl has passed this set of cables 26 is joined by a set of cables 28 from a branching of the fourth bundle 14 which is curved around the finger 16 and another holding finger 29.

The third beam 13 has a distribution similar to that of the second beam

12. This third beam 13 leaves from the left in FIG. 1 and rests on a non-visible retaining finger. Once a holding finger 31 has been crossed, this third bundle 13 branches into two sets of cables identified by 32 and 34. The first set 32 is kept curved by the holding finger 21 and by a holding finger 33 to join the fourth bundle 14 by being superimposed on the second bundle 12. The other set of cables 34 of this third bundle continues parallel to the first and second bundles 11 and 12 while being held by a non-visible retaining finger. Once a holding finger 36 has been crossed, this set of cables 34 recovers a set of cables 37 resulting from a branching of the fourth bundle 14 which is curved around the holding fingers 27 and 36.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, a retaining finger according to the invention comprises a straight rod 37 and a base 38 for fixing to the support wall of the bench 1, with elements preventing the rod from being extracted from the base, this rod 37 sliding in the base to be movable between a deployed position and a retracted position in the base.

The rod 37, which extends in a longitudinal direction AX has a first end 39 having a shoulder 41 giving it a larger diameter than the diameter of the current section of this rod 37, so that this first end 39 constitutes a stop. As a complement, this first end 39 has a gripping hole 42 which is a radial hole intended to receive a hook-type gripping tool for operating this rod 37. This rod 37 has a second end 43 having the same diameter as the diameter of the current section of this rod 37, and comprising a blocking hole 44 which is a through radial hole intended to receive a blocking pin 46 having its ends projecting from the cylindrical external face of this rod.

This rod 37 also includes, near its second end 43, an indexing groove 45, which is a circumferential groove visible in FIGS. 3 and 4 making it possible to block the rod in the base in the deployed position.

The base 38 comprises a plate 47 with two planar and rectangular faces 48 and 51, and a socket 48 which protrudes from the plate 47 from the face 51, this face 51 being the face for fixing the base 38 to the wall support for the bench 1. This base 38 has a central hole extending along the axis AX passing through the plate 47 and the socket 48, and delimiting a cylindrical internal face forming a sliding bearing for the rod 37.

The plate 47 which protrudes laterally from the socket 48 comprises fixing means here comprising two fixing holes 52 which are through and which extend parallel to the axis AX while being radially offset with respect to this axis AX to be located on either side of the socket 48.

The plate 47 also has a ball indexing hole 53, a hole oriented radially with respect to the axis AX to open into the cylindrical internal face and into the cylindrical external face or edge of the plate 47. This indexing hole ball 53 is a threaded hole in which is housed a ball held flush with the cylindrical internal face by a spring which is also held in this hole against this ball. In practice, the ball and the spring can be carried by a ball screw type element which comprises a screw in which the ball and the spring are housed, and which is simply screwed into the ball indexing hole 53.

When the rod 37 is deployed as in FIG. 2, the indexing groove 45 is situated at the level of the plate 47 opposite the ball indexing hole 53, so that the ball comes to bear on the bottom of the groove 45 while being pressed by the spring, which keeps the rod 37 in its deployed position.

The assembly of a retaining finger according to the invention, such as the finger 4 visible in FIG. 1, consists first of all in placing the second end 43 of the rod 37 opposite the face 49 of the plate 47 The end 43 of the rod 37 is then engaged in the sliding bearing formed by the central hole which passes through the base 38. Once the second end 43 protrudes from the socket 48, a locking pin 46 having a length greater than the diameter of the rod is mounted in the blocking hole 44 so as to protrude on either side of this hole to prevent the rod 37 from being extracted from the base 38 by this end 43.

When the rod is deployed as in FIG. 2, the first end 39 of this rod 37 is at a maximum distance from the face 49. In this situation, the pin 46 has its ends in abutment against a free edge of the sleeve 48 as visible in FIG. 2 to ensure that the rod cannot be extracted from the base 38, and moreover, this rod 37 is blocked by ball indexing in the base 38 to ensure stable maintenance of this rod in deployed position.

This rod 37 can then be inserted into the base 38, against the ball indexing, to retract it by sliding it in this base 38 as shown in FIG. 3.

When the rod 37 is fully retracted as in FIG. 4, the first end 39 has its shoulder 41 which abuts against the face 49 of the plate, this first end 39 then being at a minimum distance from the face 49, in order to be substantially flush with this face and the support wall 2. In other words, in this situation, the rod is flush with the support wall 2, having only its first end 39 which protrudes from the functional face 3.

To mount a retaining finger on the support wall 2 of the bench 1 an operator drills a hole in the support wall 2 with a diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the socket 48, and he positions the retaining finger opposite of the functional face 3 of the support wall 2 by placing the socket 48 facing the hole to engage the socket 48 in this hole. Then, the operator plates the face 51 of the plate 47 against the functional face 3 of this wall 2 and fixes the base 38 to this wall 2 by screws passing through the fixing holes 52 to be screwed into the wall 2, the retaining finger then extending perpendicular to the support wall 2.

In FIG. 1, the step of branching the bundle 11 into two sets of cables 15 and 17 illustrates the gain in simplicity provided by the use of the holding fingers according to the invention. Indeed, after having placed the bundle 11 on the retaining fingers 16 and 21, the operator deploys the rod of the retaining finger 18, originally advantageously retracted, to form a support stop enabling the assembly to be bent cables 15 perpendicular to the direction of the beam 11. Once the cable assembly 15 is in position, the operator deploys the rod of the retaining finger 19 to hold and block the cable assembly 15 in a vertical position.

Similarly, the operator deploys one after the other the holding fingers 23 and 29, originally advantageously retracted, to form abutments making it possible to bend more easily, one after the 'other, the cable assemblies 28 and 24 in order to position and lock them in a vertical position.

In the example of FIG. 1, the maintenance of these cables 28 and 24 is also ensured by the holding fingers 16, 18 and 21 previously deployed to maintain the harness 11 or bend the set of cables 15. The operator is then free to advantage, partially retract these retaining fingers 18 and 21 in order to dispose of the cable assembly 28 more easily once it is bent using the retaining finger 16.

Finally, the cable assemblies 32 and 35 are also arranged on the wall 2 of the bench, advantageously playing on the rod length of the holding fingers 16 and 27 previously deployed and by deploying the rods of the holding fingers 31, 33 and 36 to originally advantageously retracted.

The retaining fingers are manceuvrés using a hook 56 which comprises a rod 57 having a bent gripping end 58 which extends in a direction perpendicular to the main direction of this rod 57, and another end carried by a handle 59 for the operator, as visible in FIG. 5.

This hook 56 allows the operator to have easy access to a retaining finger even if it is surrounded by numerous cables making its manipulation difficult with the hands, as in the example of FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows two retaining fingers 61 and 62 carried by the support wall 2 which are advantageously retracted so that the operator can bend a set of cables without obstacle. Once the cable assembly 6 has been positioned, the operator engages the bent end 58 of the hook 56 in the gripping hole 42 of the retaining finger 61 to deploy its rod 37 forming a retaining stop for the assembly of cables 63, as visible in FIG. 7. It then proceeds in the same way with the retaining finger 62.

In general, the idea underlying the invention is to provide a rod movable relative to the base, between a deployed position and a flush position. In the example of the figures, the rod is sliding relative to the base, between its deployed position and its flush position in which it is retracted, but the rod can also be provided articulated on the base to be folded against the support wall when it occupies its flush position.

In general, the invention makes it possible to easily carry out the operations of securing the bundles by the collars, by allowing the operator to retract the rods of the fingers when necessary, to facilitate the placement of the cables before deploying these fingers to hold these cables in position.

Claims (7)

1. Holding finger (4) comprising means for fixing (52) to a support wall (2) of an electric harness assembly bench (1), for holding in position harness cables (6) in order to fix these cables (6) to each other, characterized in that this retaining finger (4) comprises a base (38) and a rod (37) carried by this base (38), and in that the rod (37) is movable relative to the base (38) to be movable between a deployed position relative to the support wall (2) and a flush position relative to the support wall (2). 2. Holding finger according to claim 1, wherein the rod (37) is slidably mounted in the base (38) to be movable relative to this base (38) between a deployed position and a retracted position. 3. Holding finger according to claim 2, in which the rod (37) comprises a first end (39) having a shoulder (41) forming a stop preventing the passage of this first end (39) through the base (38) , and a second end (43) comprising a radial hole (44) in which is mounted a pin (46) projecting radially from the rod (37) to prevent the passage of this second end (43) through the base. 4. Holding finger according to claim 2, wherein the rod (37) has at its first end (39) a radial gripping hole. 5. Holding finger according to claim 2, in which the rod (37) and the base (38) include ball indexing means for retaining in the base (38) the rod (37) in its deployed position. . 6. holding finger according to claim 5, in which the indexing means comprise a ball indexing hole (53) radially passing through the base (38) to open into an internal face of the base (38) forming sliding bearing of the rod (37), this hole (53) receiving a ball and a spring holding this ball in abutment against the rod (37), the rod being provided with an indexing groove (45) circumferential in the vicinity from its second end (43), the ball coming to bear in 5 the groove (45) for locking the rod (37) in its deployed state. 7. Harness assembly bench characterized in that it comprises a support wall (2) carrying at least one retaining finger according to one of the preceding claims. S61334 1/3