JP2000357577A - Terminal insertion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the collision of a terminal tip with a connector housing, for preventing defect product in advance. SOLUTION: A photoelectric sensor 9 and a sensor dog 10 are provided at a wire chuck 2 for holding a wire A and at a terminal chuck 1 for holding a terminal t crimped onto the wire, respectively, and a compression spring 11 is interposed between both the chucks 1, 2. By making the inner surface of the terminal chuck 1 finely tugged, the magnitude of the friction coefficient of the surface to the terminal t is set so that the terminal chuck 1 can hole the terminal t against the repulsive force of the compression spring 11. When the terminal t comes in the cavity of a connector housing C as both the chucks 1, 2 progress, upon a collision of the tip surface of the terminal t with the connector housing C, the terminal chuck 1 and the wire chuck 2 approach each other so that the sensor 9 is obstructed by the sensor dog 10 so as to detect and inform the abnormal condition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal insertion device for inserting a terminal crimped on an electric wire into a cavity of a connector housing when producing a wire harness used for an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this type of terminal insertion device, a device as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 has been conventionally used.
This apparatus includes a terminal chuck 1 for holding a terminal t crimped on an electric wire A, and an electric wire chuck 2 for holding the electric wire A near a base end of the terminal t. Both chucks 1 and 2 are
It is moved back and forth by a moving mechanism (not shown), and exerts a gripping force by air supplied to its driving units 3 and 4. The inner surface of the terminal chuck 1 is mirror-finished so that when the supply of air to the drive unit 3 is stopped, the terminal t can be slid along the surface (only guiding is performed). An abutment plate 5 protrudes forward from the drive unit 3 of the terminal chuck 1, and a guide shaft 6 that guides the drive unit 4 of the wire chuck 2 extends rearward. The butting plate 5 faces a receiving portion 7 fixed to the device.

[0003] In order to insert the terminal t crimped on the electric wire A into the cavity of the connector housing C by such a device, as shown in FIG. Then, both chucks 1 and 2 are moved forward, and the tip of the terminal t is made to enter the cavity of the connector housing C by about 2 mm as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, when the abutment plate 5 abuts against the receiving portion 7, the forward movement of the two chucks 1 and 2 is temporarily stopped, and the supply of air to the driving portion 3 is stopped. The gripping force of 1 is reduced to almost zero. Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the wire chuck 2 is further advanced, the terminal chuck 1 does not advance because the abutment plate 5 is in contact with the receiving portion 7, and the terminal t is placed on the inner surface of the terminal chuck 1. While sliding along, it is inserted into the cavity of the connector housing C up to the base end.

[0004]

However, in the above-described apparatus, when the terminal t held by the terminal chuck 1 is shifted from a predetermined position or when the set position of the connector housing C is shifted. When the terminal t enters the cavity of the connector housing C, the tip end surface of the terminal t collides with the connector housing C, and the terminal t may be deformed.

In such a case, when the connector housing C is fitted with the mating connector housing C, the electrical conductivity as expected is not obtained, and the wire harness may be defective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to detect a collision of a terminal end with a connector housing and prevent a defective product from occurring.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a terminal chuck for gripping a terminal crimped to an electric wire, and a wire chuck for gripping the electric wire near a base end of the terminal. While grasping the terminal and the electric wire with both chucks, advance both the chucks together so that the tip of the terminal enters the cavity of the connector housing, and in a state where the gripping force of the terminal chuck is loosened, stop the advancement of the terminal chuck, In a terminal insertion device that further advances the wire chuck and inserts the terminal into the cavity of the connector housing up to the base end while causing a slip between the inner surface of the terminal chuck and the terminal, the approach between the terminal chuck and the wire chuck is reduced. Providing a sensor for detection, a compression spring is interposed between the terminal chuck and the wire chuck, and fine irregularities are formed on the inner surface of the terminal chuck. By performing the process, the coefficient of friction of the surface with respect to the terminal is set so as to be large enough to grip the terminal against the repulsive force of the spring, and when the terminal enters the cavity of the connector housing, When the front end surface collides with the connector housing, the terminal chuck and the electric wire chuck approach each other, and the sensor notifies the sensor of the abnormality detection.

[0008] With this configuration, when an abnormality is notified, it is possible to eliminate a product having a failure in fitting and conduction with a mating terminal by checking whether or not the terminal is deformed. At this time, it is possible to check the state of the device and take necessary measures.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Parts corresponding to the respective parts of the above-described conventional terminal insertion device are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

In this terminal insertion device, as shown in FIG. 1, a sensor 9 is attached to a drive unit 4 of an electric wire chuck 2 via a bracket 8, and a sensor dog 10 is provided in a drive unit 3 of the terminal chuck 1. . As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 9 emits light from one of the two opposing surfaces, turns on when the other light is received, and turns off when no light is received.
The sensor dog 10 enters between two opposing surfaces of the sensor 9 as the terminal chuck 1 approaches the electric wire chuck 2, and blocks light transmission between these two surfaces. The sensor 9 may be of another type such as a sound wave type as long as it can detect the approach between the terminal chuck 1 and the electric wire chuck 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a compression spring 11 is interposed between the driving parts 3 and 4. This compression spring 11 is necessary for the terminal chuck 1 to approach the electric wire chuck 2. The right thrust. Also, fine irregularities are formed on the inner surface of the terminal chuck 1 by knurling or diamond coating, and the coefficient of friction of this surface with respect to the terminal t is such that the terminal t is gripped against the repulsive force of the compression spring 11. It is set to be as large as possible.

With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, the sensor 9 is turned on while the terminal chuck 1 and the electric wire chuck 2 are both moving forward to insert the terminal t into the cavity of the connector housing C. It has become. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the distal end surface of the terminal t collides with the connector housing C, the compression spring 11 is compressed, the terminal chuck 1 and the electric wire chuck 2 approach, and the sensor 9 is blocked by the sensor dog 10, The sensor 9 turns off. After that, the terminal chuck 1 is released, and before the step of inserting the next terminal t, the sensor 9 is controlled by the control system of this device.
Is checked, and if OFF, a message urging the operator to confirm the state is displayed on a display or the like, assuming that the terminal t may have collided with the connector housing C and deformed.

Even if the sensor 9 is not interrupted by the sensor dog 10, if the sensor 9 does not receive light due to an assembly failure, the sensor 9 itself is damaged, or the wiring circuit of the sensor 9 is disconnected. Is the sensor 9
Is turned off, an abnormality is notified, and the device has a self-diagnosis function.

[0014]

As described above, in the terminal insertion device according to the present invention, the sensor for detecting the approach of the terminal chuck and the wire chuck is provided, and when the terminal enters the cavity of the connector housing, the terminal end surface of the terminal is connected to the connector. When a collision is detected, an abnormality detection is reported.When an abnormality is reported, check whether the terminal is deformed or not. And the occurrence of a defective wire harness can be prevented. At this time, it is possible to check the state of the device and take necessary measures.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a terminal approaching state to a connector housing in a terminal insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a photoelectric sensor part according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a terminal collision state with a connector housing in the terminal insertion device of the above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a terminal approaches a connector housing in a conventional terminal insertion device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where a terminal end portion is inserted into a connector housing.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a terminal end portion is inserted into a connector housing in a conventional terminal insertion device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a completed state of terminal insertion into a connector housing in a conventional terminal insertion device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Terminal chuck 2 Electric wire chuck 3, 4 Drive part 5 Abutment plate 6 Guide shaft 7 Receiving part 8 Bracket 9 Sensor 10 Sensor dog 11 Compression spring A Electric wire t Terminal C Connector housing

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A terminal chuck 1 for gripping a terminal t crimped on an electric wire A, and an electric wire chuck 2 for gripping the electric wire A near a base end of the terminal t. While holding the electric wire A, both chucks 1 and 2 are advanced together so that the tip of the terminal t enters the cavity of the connector housing C, and the terminal chuck 1 is moved forward with the gripping force of the terminal chuck 1 loosened. In the terminal insertion device, the terminal chuck is stopped, and the wire chuck 2 is further advanced to insert the terminal t into the cavity of the connector housing C up to the base end while causing a slip between the inner surface of the terminal chuck 1 and the terminal t. A sensor 9 for detecting approach of the terminal chuck 1 and the wire chuck 2 is provided, and a compression spring 11 is interposed between the terminal chuck 1 and the wire chuck 2. By applying fine unevenness processing,
The coefficient of friction of the surface with respect to the terminal t is set so as to be large enough to hold the terminal t against the repulsive force of the spring 11, and when the terminal t enters the cavity of the connector housing C, the terminal t A terminal insertion device wherein the terminal chuck 1 and the electric wire chuck 2 approach each other when the front end surface collides with the connector housing C, and the sensor 9 notifies an abnormality detection.