GB2041256A - Improvements in or relating to electric wiring harness - Google Patents
Improvements in or relating to electric wiring harness Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2041256A GB2041256A GB8002398A GB8002398A GB2041256A GB 2041256 A GB2041256 A GB 2041256A GB 8002398 A GB8002398 A GB 8002398A GB 8002398 A GB8002398 A GB 8002398A GB 2041256 A GB2041256 A GB 2041256A
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- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- carriers
- carrier
- electrical
- electrical lead
- transversely
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/08—Flat or ribbon cables
- H01B7/0838—Parallel wires, sandwiched between two insulating layers
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B13/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
- H01B13/012—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables for manufacturing wire harnesses
- H01B13/01254—Flat-harness manufacturing
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
- H01R43/28—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/36—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form with distinguishing or length marks
- H01B7/368—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form with distinguishing or length marks being a sleeve, ferrule, tag, clip, label or short length strip
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Supply And Installment Of Electrical Components (AREA)
Abstract
An electric wiring harness is manufactured by automatically applying electrical leads 5 transversely of pairs 2 of tapes as they are moved in the direction of their lengths. Preferably, during passage from a measuring and cutting machine 11 to a device 15 for applying electrical leads to the tapes, terminals 9 are automatically crimped to stripped ends of the electrical leads by terminating machines 14. On emerging from pressure applicating devices 16 which press together the tapes of each pair between successive leads to cause them to adhere, the tapes pass through cutting devices 17 which automatically cut the pairs of tapes when a predetermined number of electrical leads has passed. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in or relating to electric wiring har
nesses
This invention relates to electric wiring harnesses
for use with many kinds of electrical apparatus or
installation, which harnesses are of the kind com
prising a predetermined number of flexible insulated conductors, generally and hereinafter referred to as
electrical leads, to one or each end of which an elec
trical terminal is secured, the assembly of leads con
stituting the harness being held together by one or
more than one cable tie, strap or other securing
means.
Depending upon the use for which an electric wir
ing harness is required, some or all of the electrical
leads of the harness may have lengths and/or con
ductor cross-sections that are the same as orthat
differ from those of other electrical leads of the har
ness and/or some or all of the electrical leads of the
harness may have electrically insulating coverings
that differ in colour, pattern or in some other respect
from, those of other electrical leads of the harness in
order that any one electrical lead of the harness can
be readily identified.As a consequence, assembly of
cable harnesses canbe a time consuming and hence
expensive operation and, in the case of harnesses
including a plurality of electrical leads having con
ductor cross-sections and/or insulating coverings
differing from one another, a manufacturer of wiring
harnesses must hold in stock electrical leads of any
one conductor cross-section with a wide range of
insulating coverings differing from one another.
The present invention provides a simple and inex
pensive method of manufacturing an electric wiring
harness, which method enables the number of any
one size of electrical lead with insulating coverings
differing from one another that must be stocked by a
manufacturer to be substantially reduced.
According to the invention, the method comprises
the steps of causing at least one flexible elongate
carrier to travel in the direction of its length past at
least one station at which electrical leads can be
applied transversely to the carrier or carriers; after a
predetermined length of carrier or carriers has
travelled past the electrical lead application station,
stopping travel of the carrier or carriers, automati caliy applying an electrical lead transversely across
the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured
thereto, and thereafter causing travel of the carriers
or carriers to recommence; and repeating the last
mentioned step for each electrical lead to be applied
to the carrier or carriers.
Preferably, after a predetermined number of elec
trical leads supported by the carrier or carriers has
travelled past a cutting station, the carrier or carriers
is or are automatically cut to form a wiring harness
comprising said supported predetermined number
of electrical leads. Alternatively, the carrier or car
riers supporting electrical leads may be wound on a
drum or reel and may be subsequently transversely cut at longitudinally spaced positions to form wiring harness in a separate operation.
The supported predetermined number of electrical leads constituting a wiring harness may, if desired, subsequently be formed into a bunch by one more than one cable tie, strap or other securing means but, it will be appreciated, since the or each flexible carrier supporting the electrical leads is a component part of the wiring harness, the additional use of one or more than one cable tie, strap or other securing means is not essential.
Preferably, two or more transversely spaced flexible elongate carriers are caused to travel past the electrical lead application station or stations in directions that are subsequently parallel to one another so that each electrical lead is supported by carriers at two or more transversely spaced positions along its length.
The or each flexible elongate carrier may be a single tape to one surface of which each transversely extending electrical lead may be secured. For example, it may be a preformed tape having at spaced positions along its length integral clips in which electrical leads can be gripped. Preferably, however, the or each flexible elongate carrier consists of a pair of tapes between which transversely extending electrical leads are secured at spaced positions along the carrier.In its simplest form, the or each flexible elongate carrier consists of a pair of tapes, one being caused to travel immediately above and in the same direction as the other and one or each of the neighbouring surfaces of the tapes having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive, the arrangement being such that as each electrical lead in turn is applied transversely between the pair of tapes, parts of the tapes on each side of the electrical lead are pressed together to secure the electrical lead between them.
Alternatively, the or each flexible elongate carrier may consist of a pair of tapes of plastics material which can be secured together on each side of each electrical lead by welding or by means of heatsensitive adhesive.
As so far described, wiring harnesses comprising a predetermined number of electrical leads, some of which have conductor cross-sections and/or insulating coverings differing from one another, may be manufactured by causing the flexible elongate carrier or carriers to travel past two or more electrical lead application stations at spaced positions along the direction of travel of the carrier or carriers, each electrical lead application station transversely applying to the carrier or carriers electrical leads of a size and/or insulating covering differing from those of electrical leads being applied at the other application station or stations.Thus, by appropriately predetermining the length of carrier or carriers to travel past any one electrical lead application station before travel of the carrier or carriers is stopped, electric wiring harnesses can be automatically formed comprising a predetermined number of electrical leads some or all of which may have sizes and/or insulating coverings differing from one another.
The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from
a later filed formal copy.
Preferably, the electrical lead application station,
or at least one of the electrical lead application sta
tions, includes a known form of machine (hereinafter
referred to as a measuring and cutting machine)
which measures a predetermined length of insulated
conductor and cuts the insulated conductor to said
predetermined length, such cut length of insulated
conductor from said machine being applied transversely to the flexible elongate carrier or carriers. In some circumstances, said machine may also strip insulation from one or each end of the cut length of insulated conductor before it is applied to the carrier or carriers.In both of these cases, preferably before the cut lengths of insulated conductor constituting electrical leads are applied to the flexible carrier or carriers, an electrical terminal is automatically crimped to one or each end of the lead by a terminating machine. Alternatively, after the cut lengths of insulated conductor constituting electrical leads have been applied to the flexible carrier or carriers and before the carrier or carriers is or are transversely cut to form wiring harnesses, the electrical leads supported by the carrier or carriers may be stopped in turn at a terminating station or stations where an electrical terminal is automatically crimped to one or each end of the lead by a terminating machine.
Both in the case where electrical terminals are crimped to ends of electrical leads by terminating machines before the leads are applied to the flexible carrier or carriers, and in the case where electrical terminals are crimped to ends of electrical leads by terminating machines after the leads have been applied to the carrier or carriers, the electrical terminals crimped to ends of electrical leads by one or
more than one terminating machine may be different from the electrical terminals crimped to ends of electrical leads by the other terminating machine or machines. Thus, electrical leads having different sizes and/or different insulating coverings from one another and/or electrical leads having the same size and/or insulating covering as one another may have crimped, at their corresponding ends, electrical terminals that are the same as or that differ from one another.
In all cases, the advancing carrier or carriers supporting terminated electrical leads may travel past and be stopped intermittently at a station at which housings of insulating material can be applied to the terminated ends of some or all of the electrical leads.
Where it is desired that a wiring harness comprise electrical leads of which at least some are of a length or lengths differing from that of other leads of the harness, electrical leads of different lengths can be fed to the advancing carrier or carriers from two or more electrical lead application stations so that, by the method of the present invention, it is possible to form automatically a wiring harness including electrical leads of which at least some are of a length and/or cross-sectional size and/or have an insulating covering differing from those of other leads of the harness.
In the case of a wiring harness of a complicated nature comprising electrical leads 0.. which at least some are of a size differing from one another and/or
of a length differing from another and/or having
insulating coverings and/or electrical terminals dif
fering from one another, manufacture is facilitated
by manufacturing in two or more separate manufacturing lines as hereinbefore described wiring har
nesses, each having a predetermined number of
electrical leads which have a length and/or size
and/or insulating covering and/or electrical terminals
differing from those of the wiring harness manufactured in the other manufacturing line or lines; caus
ing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length successively pastthe cutting stations of said manufacturing lines; stopping travel of the carrier or carriers at any selected cutting station and automatically applying a wiring harness transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, causing travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence, and repeating this step at any one or more of the other cutting stations until a desired sequence of wi ring harnesses differing from one another has been applied to the carrier or carriers; and, after said sequence of differing wiring harnesses has travelled past a cutting station, automatically transversely cutting the carrier or carriers to form a composite wiring harness built up of two or more wiring harnesses differing from one another.
As hitherto described, to enable identification of any one electrical lead of a number of leads of the same size incorporated in a wiring harness, each said electrical lead must have a covering different from that of the other such leads so that a number of electrical lead application stations are required in orderthat leads with different insulating coverings can be applied transversely to the carrier or carriers.
Preferred embodiments of the invention enable the number of electrical leads of any one size with insulating coverings differing from one another, and hence the number of electrical lead application stations, to be substantially reduced.
In the method according to one of these preferred embodiments, as an insulated conductor is fed to a measuring and cutting machine which constitutes an electrical lead application station and which measures predetermined lengths of insulated conductor and cuts the insulated conductorto said predetermined lengths to form electrical leads, marks and/or insignia are applied to the insulated conductor over at least part of or at spaced positions along its length, the marks and/or insignia each being of such a form, and the length of each mark and/or insignia or the spacing between adjacent marks and/or insignia being so related to the predetermined lengths of the electrical leads being cut, that each electrical lead of a wiring harness has an identifying mark and/or insignia, preferably adjacent one or each of its ends, which mark and/or insignia is distinguishable from the mark and/or insignia carried by at least one of the other electrical leads of the wiring harness.
In this way, a multiplicity of electrical leads applied to the carrier or carriers may be sub-divided into two or more wiring harnesses each comprising a predetermined number of electrical leads each of which carries an identifying mark and/or insignia, preferably adjacent one or each of its ends, which is differ ent from the mark and/or insignia carried by each of the other leads of the harness. Thus, a wiring harness can be manufactured in which all the electrical leads of the harness have insulating coverings of the same size and colour but each of the electrical leads of the harness has an identifying mark and/or insignia that serves to distinguish the lead from the other leads of the wiring harness.
The marks and/or insignia may take the form of colour coding, e.g. electrostatically deposited ink, but, preferably the marks and/or insignia of the electrical leads of each wiring harness are a sequence of different numerals.
In the method according to another of these preferred embodiments, a mark and/or insignia is applied to each electrical lead adjacent one or each of its ends or elsewhere on the lead after the electrical lead has been cut but before it is applied transversely across the flexible carrier or carriers. Preferably, after each electrical lead has been cut it is caused to travel in a direction transverse to its length to a terminating machine or terminating machines which crimp an electrical terminal to one or each end of the lead and, whilst the electrical lead is stationary during the crimping operation, a mark and/or insignia is automatically applied adjacent one or each of its ends.In this case, the marks and/or insignia may be applied using a marking wheel or a hot or cold transfer tape which applies a desired sequence of colour coding or different numerals to a predetermined number of successive electrical leads.
In the method according to yet another of these preferred embodiments, two or more transversely spaced elongate carriers are caused to travel past the electrical lead application station or stations; at a station downstream of the electrical lead application station or stations, at least one of the carriers is marked adjacent at least one electrical lead of a harness to be formed in such a way that said electrical lead can be readily distinguished from the other electrical leads of the harness; and, after said marking has been applied, said carrier is transversely cut between adjacent electrical leads so that effectively the or each said lead has secured thereto an identification tag.By employing this method of identification, all or most of the electrical leads of the same size may have insulating coverings of the same colour or pattern, the identification tags formed by cuttting the marked carrier serving to distinguish each electrical lead.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention enabling the number of electrical leads of any one size with insulating coverings differing from one another, and hence the number of electrical lead application stations, to be substantially reduced, one exposed surface of at least one of two or more transversely spaced elongate carriers is so coloured and/or carries such a marking or other insignia that it can be readily distinguished from the other elongate carrier or carriers and serves as a datum by means of which any electrical lead or wiring harness can be readily identified.The colour and/or marking on said exposed surface of the carrier or carriers will indicate which face of a wiring harness should be facing a userwhen identifying the electrical leads and the position of said carrier or carriers with respect to the other carrier or carriers will indicate which outermost electrical lead is to be used as a datum. Alternatively or additionally a mark on said surface adjacent one of the electrical leads and/or an earth lead having a distinguishable insulating covering can serve as a datum from which any electrical lead of a wiring harness can be positively identified.
The invention also includes an electric wiring harness manufactured by the method hereinbefore described. The invention further includes apparatus for use in the manufacture of an electric wiring harness by the method hereinbefore described.
The invention will be further illustrated by a description, by way of example, of two preferred methods of automatically manufacturing an electrical wiring harness with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2, respectively, are plan and crosssectional views of a wiring harness manufactured by the first method;
Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the apparatus employed in the first method;
Figure 4 is a plan view of a wiring harness manufactured by the second method, and
Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the apparatus employed in the second method.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the wiring harness 1 manufactured by the first method comprises two flexible elongate carriers 2, each consisting of two plastics tapes 3 and 4 between which seven electrical leads 5 are secured at spaced positions along the carriers. The electrical leads 5 comprise lengths of conductor of the same size having a white insulating covering. Each of the electrical leads 5 is marked near each of its ends with a reference numeral different from that of the other six electrical leads. All of the electrical leads 5 are of substantially the same length and have electrical terminals 9 crimped to their ends.
As will be seen on referring to Figure 3, in the manufacture of wiring harnesses as shown in Figures 1 and 2, an insulated conductor 10 is fed in the direction of its length through a marking device 12 to a known form of measuring, cutting and stripping machine 11 which measures a predetermined length of insulated conductor, cuts the insulated conductor to said predetermined length, strips insulation from each end ofthe cut length of insulated conductor and transfers predetermined lengths of insulated conductor, now constituting electrical leads, at regular intervals across a pair of endless conveyors 13.
The marking device 12 is operatively coupled to the measuring, cutting and stripping machine 11 and, at intervals appropriate to the measuring and cutting operations of the machine, the marking device automatically applies to the travelling insulated conductor 10, at positions spaced appropriate to the lengths of the electrical leads to be cut, a series of reference numerals 1 to 7, in duplicate, so that each electrical lead carries a distinguishing reference numeral near each of its ends.
Apparatus for so marking an insulated conductor as it travels towards a measuring and cutting machine is the subject of our copending Patent
Application No 7 942 077 filed on 6 December 1979.
The endless conveyors 13, carrying transversely extending electrical leads 5 at intervals along the lengths of the conveyors extend between two transversely spaced terminating machines 14 and, as each electrical lead 5 in turn is positioned between the terminating machines, the conveyors 13 automatically stop and the terminating machines crimp terminals 9 to the stripped ends of the electrical lead.
At the downstream end of the conveyors 13, a carousel transfer device 15, operatively coupled to the measuring and cutting machine 11, picks up each terminated electrical lead 5 in turn, pulls it in a transverse direction to make it taut, and positions it between each of two transversely spaced pairs of plastics tapes 3, 4, the pairs constituting flexible carriers 2.
The plastics tapes 3,4 of each flexible carrier 2 are spaced one above the other with their neighbouring surfaces carrying pressure sensitive adhesive and are fed in the directions of their lengths into a pressure applicating device 16 which presses together the parts of the tapes on both sides of each electrical lead 5 so that the electrical lead is gripped between the tapes of the two carriers.
Apparatus for successively applying electrical leads transversely to and at longitudinally spaced positions between at least one pair of flexible elongate carriers is the subject of our copending Patent
Application No 8 002 399 filed on the same day as the present application.
On emerging from the pressure applicating device
16, the flexible carriers 2, supporting electrical leads 5 at regular intervals along their lengths, pass severing machines 17 which cut the carriers 2 each time after seven electrical leads carrying reference numerals 1 to 7 have passed.
The marking device 12, the terminating machines 14, the carousel transfer device 15, the pressure applicating devices 16 and the severing machines 17 are all operatively coupled to, and are under the control of, a control system actuated by the measuring, cutting and stripping machine 11.
Referring to Figure 4, the wiring harness 21 manufactured by the second method comprises two flexible elongate carriers 22, each consisting of two plastics tapes 23 and 24 between which six electrical leads 25 and an earth lead 26 are secured at spaced positions along the carriers. The electrical leads 25 comprise lengths of conductor of the same size having a white insulating covering and the earth lead 26 comprises a similar length of conductor having an insulating covering of green and yellow stripes. Each of the electrical leads 25 has an identification tag 27 carrying a coloured mark or symbol exclusive to that conductor; the earth lead 26 also has an identification tag 28 marked "Earth". All of the electrical leads 25 and earth lead 26 are of substantially the same length and have electrical terminals 29 crimped to their ends.
As will be seen on referring to Figure 5, in the manufacture of wiring harnesses as shown in Figure 4, three flexible elongate carriers 22, each consisting of two plastics tapes 23, 24, spaced one above the other with their neighbouring surfaces carrying coatings of pressure sensitive adhesive, are transversely spaced apart and are caused to travel in the directions of their lengths substantially parallel to one another. The three carriers travel successively between two transversely spaced measuring, cutting and stripping machines 31,32, two transversely spaced terminating machines 34, 35, past a marking machine 36, and a severing machine 37.
As the three carriers 22 pass between the machines 31,32 in assembly of the first wiring harness, advance of the carriers is automatically stopped and a predetermined length of insulated conductor, whose insulation is stripped at each end and which constitutes an electric lead 25, is applied transversely from the machine 31 between the tapes 23, 24 of each carrier and parts of the tapes of each carrier on each side of the electrical lead are pressed together by a device (not shown) so that the electrical lead is gripped between the tapes of the three carriers.
The carriers now advance for a predetermined distance, are stopped and a second electrical lead 25 is applied transversely from the machine 31 between the tapes 23, 24 of each carrier and is sealed therebetween as described. The sequence of operations is repeated until six equally spaced electrical leads 25 have been applied transversely to the carriers 22 from the machine 31. The carriers then advance for the same predetermined distance, are automatically stopped and an earth lead 26 is applied transversely from the machine 32 between the tapes 23,24 of each carrier and is sealed therebetween as described.
After the carriers 22 have advanced for the same predetermined distance and have been automatically stopped for transverse application of the first electrical lead of the next or second wiring harness, the first electrical lead 25 of the first wiring harness is positioned with its stripped ends at the terminating stations of the terminating machines 34, 35 so that, at the same time as each electrical lead 25 and earth lead 26 of the second wiring harness is applied to the carriers by the machines 31,32, electrical terminations 29 are crimped to the stripped ends of the corresponding lead of the first wiring harness by the machines 34,35.
In a similar way, at the same time as each electrical lead 25 and earth lead 26 of the third wiring harness is applied to the carriers 22 by the machines 31,32 and electrical terminations 29 are crimped to the stripped ends of the corresponding lead of the second wiring harness by the machines 34,35, the marking machine 36 is applying on one of the carriers 22 adjacent each lead, marking appropriate to the corresponding electrical lead 25 or earth lead 26.
As each electrical lead 25 of the fourth wiring harness is being applied to the carriers 22 by the machine 31, electrical terminations 29 are being crimped to the stripped ends of the corresponding electrical lead 25 of the third wiring harness and the marking machine 36 is applying on one of the carriers 22 marking appropriate to each electrical lead 25 of the second wiring harness, the severing machine 37 cuts the marked carrier between adjacent electrical leads of the first wiring harness. As the earth lead 26 of the fourth wiring harness is being applied to the carriers 22 by the machine 32, electrical terminations are being crimped to the stripped ends of the earth lead 26 of the third wiring harness by the terminating machines 34,35 and the marking machine 36 is applying to the marked carrier marking appropriate to the earth lead 26 of the second wiring harness, the severing machine 37 cuts through all three carriers 22 upstream of the earth lead 26 of the first wiring harness to form a wiring harness as shown in Figure 4.
Inching forward of the carriers 22 and operation of the measuring, cutting and stripping machines 31, 32, the tape pressing device (not shown), the terminating machines 34, 35, the marking machine 36 and the severing machine 37 are all controlled to operate automatically as described by a central control system.
Claims (28)
1. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring harness comprising the steps of causing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length past at least one station at which electrical leads can be applied transversely to the carrier or carriers; after a predetermined length of carrier or carriers has travelled past the electrical lead application station, stopping travel of the carrier or carriers, automatically applying an electrical lead transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, and thereafter causing travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence; and repeating the last-mentioned step for each electrical lead to be applied to the carrier or carriers.
2. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring harness comprising the steps of causing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length past at least one station at which electrical leads can be applied transversely to the carrier or carriers; after a predetermined length of carrier or carriers has travelled past the electrical lead application station, stopping travel of the carrier or carriers, automatically applying an electrical lead transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, and thereafter causing travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence, this step being repeated for each electrical lead to be applied to the carrier or carriers; and, after a predetermined number of electrical leads supported by the carrier or carriers has travelled past a cutting station, automatically transversely cutting the carrier or carriers to form a wiring harness comprising said supported predetermined number of electrical leads.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the flexible elongate carrier or carriers is or are caused to travel past two or more electrical lead application stations at spaced positions along the direction of travel of the carrier or carriers, each electrical lead application station transversely applying to the carrier or carriers electrical leads of a size and/or insulating covering and/or length differing from those of electrical leads being applied at the other application station or stations.
4. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring
harness comprising the steps of feeding an insulated conductor in the direction of its length to a measuring and cutting machine which automatically measures a predetermined length of insulated conductor and cuts the insulated conductor to said predetermined length to form an electrical lead; causing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length past the measuring and cutting machine; after a predetermined length of carrier or carriers has travelled past the measuring and cutting machine, stopping travel of the carrier or carriers, automatically applying said electrical lead transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, and thereafter causing operation of the measuring and cutting machine and travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence; and repeating the last-mentioned step for each electrical lead measured and cut by the measuring and cutting machine.
5. A method of manufacturing an electrical wiring harness comprising the steps of feeding an insulated conductor in the direction of its length to a measuring and cutting machine which automatically measures a predetermined length of insulated conductor and cuts the insulated conductor to said predetermined length to form an electrical lead; causing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length past the measuring and cutting machine; after a predetermined length of carrier or carriers has travelled past the measuring and cutting machine, stopping travel of the carrier or carriers, automatically applying said electrical lead transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, and thereafter causing operation of the measuring and cutting machine and travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence, this step being repeated for each electrical lead measured and cut by the measuring and cutting machine; and, after a predetermined number of electrical leads supported by the carrier or carriers has travelled past a cutting station, automatically transversely cutting the carrier or carriers to form a wiring harness comprising said supported predetermined number of electrical leads.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or4, wherein the carrier or carriers supporting electrical leads is or are wound on a drum or reel and are subsequently transversely cut at longitudinally spaced positions to form wiring harnesses in a separate operation.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the measuring and cutting machine also strips insulation from one or each end of each cut length of insulated conductor before it is applied to the carrier or carriers.
8. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 4,5 or 7, wherein, before each electrical lead is applied to the flexible carrier or carriers, and electrical terminal automatically crimped to one or each end of the lead by a terminating machine.
9. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein, after each electrical lead has been applied to the flexible carrier or carriers, the electrical leads supported by the carrier or carriers are stopped in turn at a terminating station or stations where an electrical terminal is automatically crimped to one or each end of the lead by a terminating
machine.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein the advancing carrier or carriers supporting the terminated electrical leads is or are caused to travel past and be stopped intermittently at a station at which housings of insulating material are applied automatically to the terminated ends of some or all of the electrical leads.
11. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 4, 5,7 and 8, wherein, as the insulating conductor is fed to the measuring and cutting machine, marks and/or insignia are applied to the insulated conductor over at least a part of or at spaced positions along its length, the marks and/or insignia each being of such a form and the length of each mark and/or insignia or the spacing between adjacent marks and/or insignia being so related to the predetermined lengths of the electrical leads being cut, that each electrical lead of a wiring harness has an identifying mark and/or insignia, which mark and/or insignia is distinguishable from the mark and/or insignia carried by at least one of the other electrical leads of the wiring harness.
12. A method as claimed in Claim 11, wherein marks and/or insignia are so applied to the insulated conductor that each electrical lead has a mark and/or insignia adjacent one or each of its ends.
13. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, wherein the marks and/or insignia of the electrical leads of each wiring harness are a sequence of different numerals.
14. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, wherein the marks and/or insignia take the form of colour coding.
15. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 4, 5,7 or 8, wherein a mark and/or other insignia is applied to each electrical lead adjacent one or each of its ends or elsewhere on the lead after the electrical lead has been cut before it is applied transversely across the flexible carrier or carriers.
16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, wherein after each electrical lead has been cut it is caused to travel in a direction transverse to its length to a terminating machine or terminating machines which crimp an electrical terminal to one or each end of the lead and, whilst the electrical lead is stationary during the crimping operation, a mark and/or insignia is automatically applied adjacent one or each of its ends.
17. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein two or more transversely spaced elongate carriers are caused to travel past the measuring and cutting machine or other electrical lead application station or stations; at a station downstream of the measuring and cutting machine or other electrical lead application station or stations, at least one of the carriers is marked adjacent at least one electrical lead of a harness to be formed in such a way that said electrical lead can be readily distinguished from the other electrical leads of the harness; and, after said marking has been applied, said carrier is transversely cut between adjacent electrical leads so that effectively the or each said lead has secured thereto an identification tag.
18. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein one exposed surface of at least one of two or more transversely spaced enlogate carriers is so coloured and/or carries such a marking or other insignia that it can be readily distinguished from the other elongate carrier or carriers and serves as a datum by means of which any electrical lead of a wiring harness can be readily identified.
19. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein a mark is applied to one exposed surface of at least one of two or more transversely spaced elongate carriers adjacent one of the leads of each wiring harness and serves as a datum from which any electrical lead of the harness can be positively identified.
20. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 17, wherein two or more transversely spaced flexible elongate carriers are caused to travel past the measuring and cutting machine or other electrical lead application station or stations in directions that are substantially parallel to one another so that each electrical lead is supported by carriers at two or more transversely spaced positions along its length.
21. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each flexible elongate carrier is a preformed tape having at spaced positions along its length integral clips in which electrical leads can be gripped.
22. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein the or each flexible elongate carrier consists of a pair of tapes between which transversely extending electrical leads are secured at spaced positions along the carrier.
23. A method as claimed in Claim 22, wherein the or each flexible elongate carrier consists of a pair of tapes, one being caused to travel immediately above and in the same direction as the other and one or each of the neighbouring surfaces of the tapes having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive, the arrangement being such that as each electrical lead in turn is applied transversely between the pair of tapes, parts of the tapes on each side of the electrical lead are pressed together to secure the electrical lead between them.
24. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein the or each flexible elongate carrier consists of a pair of tapes of plastics material which can be secured together on each side of each electrical lead by welding or by means of heat-sensitive adhesive.
25. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring harness which comprises manufacturing in two or more manufacturing lines as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wiring harnesses, each having a predetermined number of electrical leads which have a length and/or size and/or insulating covering and/or electrical terminals differing from those of the wiring harnesses manufactured in the other manufacturing line or lines; causing at least one flexible elongate carrier to travel in the direction of its length successively past the cutting stations of said manufacturing lines; stopping travel of the carrier or carriers at any selected cutting station and automatically applying a wiring harness transversely across the carrier or carriers in such a way that it is secured thereto, causing travel of the carrier or carriers to recommence, and repeating this step at any one or more of the other cutting stations until a desired sequence of wiring harnesses differing from one another has been applied to the carrier or carriers; and, after said sequence of differing wiring harnesses has travelled past a cutting station, automatically transversely cutting the carrier or carriers to form a composite wiring harness built up of two or more wiring harnesses differing from one another.
26. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring harness substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
27. A method of manufacturing an electric wiring harness substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
28. An electric wiring harness manufactured by the method claimed in any one of the preceding
Claims.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8002398A GB2041256B (en) | 1979-01-24 | 1980-01-24 | Electric wiring harnesses |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7902494 | 1979-01-24 | ||
| GB8002398A GB2041256B (en) | 1979-01-24 | 1980-01-24 | Electric wiring harnesses |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2041256A true GB2041256A (en) | 1980-09-10 |
| GB2041256B GB2041256B (en) | 1983-02-09 |
Family
ID=26270323
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8002398A Expired GB2041256B (en) | 1979-01-24 | 1980-01-24 | Electric wiring harnesses |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2041256B (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0038861B1 (en) * | 1979-11-02 | 1985-05-15 | Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha | Wiring harness |
| US4963699A (en) * | 1988-04-12 | 1990-10-16 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Apparatus for connecting sets of electric wires to lead wires |
| GB2282089A (en) * | 1993-08-19 | 1995-03-29 | Junichi Nakazawa | Attaching lead elements to electronic components |
| FR2747878A1 (en) * | 1996-04-18 | 1997-10-24 | Whitaker Corp | Electrical cable bundle manufacturing machine tool |
| WO2002080198A1 (en) * | 2001-03-30 | 2002-10-10 | The Ludlow Company Lp | Flexible interconnect cable with ribbonized ends |
| WO2003052772A1 (en) * | 2001-12-18 | 2003-06-26 | The Ludlow Company Lp | Flexible interconnect cable with ribbonized ends and method of manufacturing |
-
1980
- 1980-01-24 GB GB8002398A patent/GB2041256B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0038861B1 (en) * | 1979-11-02 | 1985-05-15 | Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha | Wiring harness |
| US4963699A (en) * | 1988-04-12 | 1990-10-16 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Apparatus for connecting sets of electric wires to lead wires |
| GB2282089A (en) * | 1993-08-19 | 1995-03-29 | Junichi Nakazawa | Attaching lead elements to electronic components |
| GB2282089B (en) * | 1993-08-19 | 1996-08-28 | Junichi Nakazawa | Electronic lead elements and the production method thereof |
| FR2747878A1 (en) * | 1996-04-18 | 1997-10-24 | Whitaker Corp | Electrical cable bundle manufacturing machine tool |
| WO2002080198A1 (en) * | 2001-03-30 | 2002-10-10 | The Ludlow Company Lp | Flexible interconnect cable with ribbonized ends |
| US8013252B2 (en) | 2001-03-30 | 2011-09-06 | Larry Daane | Flexible interconnect cable with ribbonized ends |
| WO2003052772A1 (en) * | 2001-12-18 | 2003-06-26 | The Ludlow Company Lp | Flexible interconnect cable with ribbonized ends and method of manufacturing |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2041256B (en) | 1983-02-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732 | Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |