JP2013056762A - Electric wire supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric wire supply device capable of improving the efficiency of processing an electric wire processing machine capable of selectively supplying a plurality of types of electric wires to the electric wire processing machine.SOLUTION: This electric wire supply device comprises: a conveying mechanism 96 conveying an electric wire 3 forward; a slider 37 movable in right and left directions; a plurality of electric wire cassettes 33 detachably supported by the slider 37; and an electric wire holding arm 50 attached to each electric wire cassette 33. Another electric wire cassette 33 other than the electric wire cassette 33 attached with the electric wire holding arm 50 on a conveyance line P is attachable/detachable to/from the slider 37 while the electric wire 3 held by the electric wire holding arm 50 on the conveyance line P is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 96.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric wire supply apparatus capable of selectively supplying a plurality of types of electric wires and appropriately replacing the supplied electric wires.

  Conventionally, an electric wire processing machine is often used in the manufacture of a wire harness. An electric wire processing machine is an apparatus which performs a predetermined | prescribed process to the electric wire which has a core wire and the coating | coated part which covers the core wire. The electric wire processing machine is configured to automatically and continuously perform, for example, cutting of an electric wire, peeling of a covering portion, and crimping of a terminal against the electric wire.

  As an electric wire processing machine, an electric wire processing machine configured to be able to process a plurality of types of electric wires having different specifications is known. For example, there is known an electric wire processing machine capable of processing a plurality of types of electric wires having different core diameters, covering diameters, covering material, or covering color.

  For such a wire processing machine, it is necessary to appropriately supply a plurality of types of wires. In recent years, low-volume production of various products such as wire harnesses has been progressing. Therefore, it is often necessary to quickly and frequently replace the electric wires supplied to the electric wire processing machine. Therefore, conventionally, there has been proposed an electric wire supply device capable of appropriately replacing an electric wire to be supplied.

  Patent Document 1 describes such an electric wire supply device. The electric wire supply apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of electric wire guide nozzles for guiding electric wires. The plurality of wire guide nozzles are arranged one above the other and assembled together to form a wire guide nozzle unit. The wire guide nozzle unit is attached to a nozzle base that can move up and down. By appropriately moving the nozzle base up and down, any one of the wire guide nozzles is selected, and the wires in the wire guide nozzle are supplied to the wire processing machine.

  According to the electric wire supply device described in Patent Literature 1, the electric wire guide nozzle unit is configured to be detachable from the nozzle base. That is, it is not necessary to attach and detach each wire guide nozzle individually, and all the wire guide nozzles can be attached and detached collectively. The wire guide nozzle unit can be removed from the nozzle base, and the wire guide nozzle included in the wire guide nozzle unit can be exchanged outside the wire supply device. Thus, the assembly of the wire guide nozzle can be performed outside the wire supply device, and so-called external setup is possible. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228667 describes that productivity can be improved because external setup is possible.

JP-A-11-334991

  However, in the above-described wire supply device, the operation of the device must be stopped when the wire guide nozzle unit is replaced. In other words, when replacing the wire guide nozzle unit, the supply of the wire to the wire processing machine must be stopped. For this reason, it is necessary to temporarily stop the processing of the electric wire in the electric wire processing machine, and it can be said that the processing efficiency of the electric wire processing machine (in other words, improvement in productivity of the wire harness) can be sufficiently achieved. It was difficult.

  This invention is made | formed in view of this point, The place made into the objective is to be able to selectively supply several types of electric wire to an electric wire processing machine, and aim at the improvement of the processing efficiency of an electric wire processing machine. An object of the present invention is to provide an electric wire supply device that can perform the above.

  An electric wire supply device according to the present invention is an electric wire supply device that selectively supplies a plurality of types of electric wires, and is arranged at a position along the electric wire conveyance line, and a conveyance mechanism that conveys the electric wire; A moving mechanism that is movable in an orthogonal direction, a plurality of electric wire cassettes that are detachably supported by the moving mechanism, and attached to each electric wire cassette, arranged along the conveying line, or parallel to the conveying line. A plurality of electric wire holding mechanisms that are arranged in various directions and hold a plurality of different types of electric wires so that they can be conveyed, and the electric wires held by the electric wire holding mechanism on the conveying line are conveyed by the conveying mechanism. In addition, a wire cassette other than the wire cassette to which the wire holding mechanism on the transfer line is attached is detachable from the moving mechanism. It is.

  According to the above electric wire supply device, while the electric wire held by the electric wire holding mechanism on the conveying line is being conveyed, the electric wire cassette other than the electric wire cassette to which the electric wire holding mechanism is attached is And detachable. Therefore, another electric wire cassette can be exchanged during the conveyance of the electric wire. That is, a plurality of wire holding mechanisms can be exchanged in a batch without stopping the supply of wires to the wire processing machine. Therefore, it is not necessary to temporarily stop the processing of the wire processing machine when replacing the wire cassette. Therefore, the processing efficiency of the wire processing machine can be improved.

  The wire supply device stores a storage device that stores information on the type and order of wires to be supplied, and a wire holding mechanism on the transfer line based on the information stored in the storage device. And a control device for controlling the moving mechanism so as to move the other electric wire holding mechanism onto the transport line.

  According to the wire supply device, the control device controls the moving mechanism based on the information stored in the recording device, so that the wire holding mechanism located on the transport line is appropriately replaced. Therefore, a plurality of types of electric wires held by a plurality of electric wire holding mechanisms attached to the electric wire cassette are appropriately and automatically selected and supplied.

  Each electric wire cassette is provided with a handle having a handle, and all electric wire holding mechanisms attached to each electric wire cassette are attached to the electric wire cassette so as to be movable integrally with the electric wire cassette. May be.

  Accordingly, the user can exchange the plurality of electric wire holding mechanisms at once by holding the handle and moving the electric wire cassette. Therefore, a plurality of electric wire holding mechanisms can be replaced quickly.

  The said electric wire supply apparatus may be provided with the movable shelf which accommodates the several reel by which the multiple types of electric wire supplied to the electric wire holding mechanism of each electric wire cassette was wound, respectively.

  Thus, by moving a plurality of reels together with the shelf, a plurality of types of electric wires supplied to the electric wire holding mechanism of each electric wire cassette can be moved collectively. The operation of holding the electric wire wound on the reel by the electric wire holding mechanism, the operation of exchanging the electric wire holding mechanism attached to the electric wire cassette, and the like can be performed in other places.

  The said shelf may consist of the trolley | bogie which has a caster.

  This facilitates the operation of moving the reel together with the electric wire cassette.

  The electric wire supply device has a pair of plate-like members and introduces an electric wire supplied to the electric wire holding mechanism on the transport line between the two plate-like members, while the other electric wires are introduced into the plate-like member. The separator which sorts an electric wire may be provided by positioning outside.

  This can prevent the wires from being entangled.

  The separator may be configured to be movable between an operating position along the transport line and a retracted position off the transport line. When supplying the electric wire from the electric wire holding mechanism located on the transport line, the electric wire supply device moves the separator to the operating position so that the electric wire is introduced between the two plate-like members, and When moving the moving mechanism, a separator moving mechanism for moving the separator to the retracted position may be provided.

  This prevents the separator from interfering with the moving mechanism, the electric wire holding mechanism, the electric wire or the like when the moving mechanism moves and the electric wire is exchanged.

  The electric wire supply device has a plurality of rollers for correcting electric wires, the correction roller configured to be movable between an operation position along the conveyance line and a retracted position removed from the conveyance line, A correction roller moving mechanism that moves the correction roller to the operating position when supplying the electric wire from the electric wire holding mechanism located on the transport line, and moves the correction roller to the retracted position when moving the movement mechanism; May be provided.

  This makes it possible to correct the curl of the electric wire. Further, when the moving mechanism moves and the electric wire is replaced, the correction roller is prevented from interfering with the moving mechanism, the electric wire holding mechanism, or the electric wire.

  The electric wire holding mechanism may include an electric wire locking mechanism that can be switched between a locked state in which the electric wire is fixed so as not to be conveyed and an unlocked state in which the electric wire can be conveyed. The electric wire supply device switches the electric wire locking mechanism of the electric wire holding mechanism that moves from the conveying line from the unlocked state to the locked state, and unlocks the electric wire locking mechanism of the electric wire holding mechanism that has moved onto the conveying line from the locked state. You may provide the lock state switching apparatus which switches to a state.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent the electric wires from being detached from the electric wire holding mechanism located at a position away from the transport line. Therefore, the supplied electric wire can be exchanged smoothly.

  The electric wire supply device is arranged along the conveyance line, and an electric wire pullback mechanism that pulls the electric wire held by the electric wire holding mechanism located on the conveyance line to the electric wire supply source side that supplies the electric wire to the electric wire holding mechanism. May be provided.

  Thereby, the electric wire held by the electric wire holding mechanism located on the transport line can be pulled back. By pulling the wire back to a convenient position for the wire holding mechanism to move from the transfer line along with the movement of the moving mechanism, the wire can be prevented from interfering with other parts during movement. The movement of the mechanism can be smoothed.

  The transfer line extends forward, the moving mechanism is configured to be movable in the left-right direction, the electric wire cassette is placed on the moving mechanism, and the electric wire holding mechanisms extend in the front-rear direction, respectively. You may attach to the said electric wire cassette so that it may rank with the left-right direction.

  Accordingly, the electric wire cassette can be attached to and detached from the moving mechanism by lifting the electric wire cassette from the moving mechanism or placing it on the moving mechanism. The electric wire cassette can be easily attached and detached.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the electric wire supply apparatus which can selectively supply a multiple types of electric wire to an electric wire processor, and can aim at the improvement of the processing efficiency of an electric wire processor can be provided.

It is a top view of an electric wire supply apparatus and an electric wire processor. It is a side view of an electric wire shelf. It is a top view of an electric wire exchange apparatus. It is a side view of an electric wire exchange apparatus. It is a top view of the electric wire exchange apparatus of the state which removed the cassette cover etc. It is a top view of an electric wire cassette and an electric wire holding arm. It is a side view of an electric wire cassette and an electric wire holding arm. It is a typical perspective view showing the insertion aspect of the electric wire holding arm with respect to the insertion block of an electric wire cassette. It is a front view of an electric wire cassette and an electric wire holding arm. It is a side view which fractures | ruptures and shows a part of electric wire holding chuck | zipper, (a) represents a locked state, (b) represents an unlocked state. It is a side view of an electric wire stopper, (a) represents a locked state, (b) represents an unlocked state. It is a block diagram showing a computer and its control object.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electric wire supply device 1 and an electric wire processor 2 according to the present embodiment. The electric wire supply device 1 is a device that selectively supplies a plurality of types of electric wires 3 to the electric wire processing machine 2 and can automatically replace the supplied electric wires 3. In the following description, the supply direction of the electric wire 3 is assumed to be the front, and the front, rear, left, and right mean the directions when facing the traveling direction of the electric wire 3, respectively. The left, right, top, and bottom in FIG. 1 are rear, front, left, and right, respectively. Symbols F, Re, L, and R indicate front, rear, left, and right, respectively.

  The electric wire 3 has a metal core wire and a coating portion made of resin covering the periphery of the core wire. The electric wire processing machine 2 is a device that cuts the electric wires 3, strips the covering portions, and crimps the terminals. The electric wire processor 2 includes front and rear clamping devices 4F and 4R that hold the electric wire 3, a cutter unit 5 that cuts the electric wire 3 and strips the covering portion, and a front side that crimps the terminal to the electric wire 3. And terminal crimping units 6F and 6R on the rear side. The clamp devices 4F and 4R are configured to be pivotable about the root portion. When the clamp devices 4F and 4R turn while holding the electric wire 3, the front end portion and the rear end portion of the electric wire 3 move between the cutter unit 5 and the terminal crimping units 6F and 6R. The terminal crimping unit 6F on the front side crimps a terminal to the front end portion of the electric wire 3 from which the covering portion is peeled off, and the terminal crimping unit 6R on the rear side is attached to the rear end portion of the electric wire 3 from which the covering portion is peeled off Crimp the terminal.

  In addition, the above-mentioned electric wire processing machine 2 is only an example, and of course, the electric wire supply apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment may be combined with the electric wire processing machine which has another structure. For example, the wire processing machine 2 according to the present embodiment moves the end of the electric wire 3 by turning the electric wire 3, but the electric wire processing machine 2 may slide the electric wire 3. The processing performed by the electric wire processing machine 2 may be one or more of cutting of the electric wire 3, stripping off the covering portion, and crimping of the terminal, and the electric wire processing machine 2 is separate from them, or Along with them, other processes may be performed.

  Moreover, the object which the electric wire supply apparatus 1 supplies the electric wire 3 is not restricted to the electric wire processing machine 2, and another apparatus may be sufficient. The object to which the electric wire supply device 1 supplies the electric wires 3 is not particularly limited.

  The wire supply device 1 includes a wire exchange device 11 and a plurality of wire shelves 12. In the present embodiment, two electric wire shelves 12 are provided. However, the number of wire shelves 12 is not limited to two. Three or more wire shelves 12 may be provided. The electric wire shelf 12 is movable.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the electric wire shelf 12 includes a carriage 22 to which a caster 21 is attached. A plurality of accommodating portions 24 are formed in the carriage 22. Each accommodating portion 24 accommodates a reel 23 around which the electric wire 3 is wound. The reel 23 is a wire supply source that supplies the wire 3. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, six reels 23 are accommodated in the wire shelf 12. However, the number of reels 23 accommodated in one electric wire shelf 12 is not limited to six. At least two reels 23 are wound with different types of electric wires 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the support 22 is formed on the carriage 22. A sorting roller 26 is rotatably supported on the upper portion of the column 25. The sorting roller 26 constitutes a sorting device that sorts the plurality of electric wires 3 fed from the plurality of reels 23 so as not to be entangled with each other.

  Further, the carriage 22 includes a cassette support portion 27 that can support an electric wire cassette 33 described later. FIG. 2 shows a state where the electric wire cassette 33 is supported by the cassette support portion 27. Although the structure of the cassette support portion 27 is not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, the cassette support portion 27 is formed to support the electric wire cassette 33 in an upright state so that the electric wire cassette 33 can be accommodated in a compact manner. Yes. The cassette support part 27 may be formed, for example, so that the electric wire cassette 33 can be stood, or may be formed so that the electric wire cassette 33 can be suspended.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the wire exchange device 11, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the wire exchange device 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the wire exchange device 11 includes a wire receiver 31, a separator 32, left and right wire cassettes 33, and left and right cassette covers 34L and 34R.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the wire receiver 31 is a member that receives the slackened wire 3 so as not to sag. The electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 is in a tensioned state because tension is applied, but the electric wire 3 not supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 may be in a loose state. The wire receiver 31 serves to prevent the slackened wire 3 from hanging down and coming into contact with other members or the ground. The electric wire receiver 31 is provided with an electric wire alignment guide 35 that aligns the height of the electric wires 3.

  The separator 32 is for separating the electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processor 2 from the other electric wires 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the separator 32 includes a pair of left and right plate-like members 32a and 32b. A symbol P in the figure represents a line through which the electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 passes, that is, a conveyance line. The separator 32 is disposed at a position along the transport line P. In plan view, the plate-like members 32a and 32b are inclined with respect to the transport line P so as to approach each other toward the front. The interval between the plate-like members 32a and 32b becomes narrower toward the front. An introduction roller 36 is provided at the front ends of the plate-like members 32a and 32b. The electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 passes between the plate-like members 32a and 32b (hereinafter referred to as the inside of the separator 32), thereby allowing the left side of the plate-like member 32a or the right side of the plate-like member 32b (hereinafter referred to as the following). And the other electric wires 3 located outside the separator 32). The electric wire 3 inside the separator 32 is guided forward through the introduction roller 36. The separator 32 is connected to a separator moving mechanism 32A (see FIG. 4) that moves the separator 32 up and down. The separator 32 can be moved up and down by the separator moving mechanism 32A. The specific configuration of the separator moving mechanism 32A is not limited at all. For example, the separator moving mechanism 32A may include a drive source such as an air cylinder or a motor and a guide member such as a guide rail that guides the separator 32 up and down.

  The electric wire exchange device 11 includes two electric wire cassettes 33. However, the number of wire cassettes is not limited to two, and may be three or more. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the wire exchange device 11 with the wire cassette 33 and the cassette covers 34L, 34R and the like removed. As shown in FIG. 5, the wire exchange device 11 includes a slider 37 that supports the wire cassette 33 so as to be slidable left and right. The slider 37 is configured to support a plurality of electric wire cassettes 33. In the present embodiment, two electric wire cassettes 33 are provided. Both electric wire cassettes 33 are provided on one slider 37 so that they can slide together.

  A rail 39 for guiding the slider 37 is provided on the gantry 38. The slider 37 is engaged with the rail 39. A motor 40 is provided on the left side of the gantry 38. A pulley 43 is provided on the right side of the gantry 38. The motor 40 is a motor that can rotate in both directions. Although the kind of motor 40 is not specifically limited, For example, an AC servomotor etc. can be utilized suitably. A pulley 44 is attached to the drive shaft of the motor 40, and a timing belt 41 is wound around the pulleys 43 and 44. When the motor 40 is driven, the timing belt 41 travels. The slider 37 is formed with a fixing portion 42 to which one end and the other end of the timing belt 41 are fixed. Therefore, as the timing belt 41 rotates, the slider 37 moves leftward or rightward. Note that the moving mechanism for moving the slider 37 is not limited to the mechanism including the timing belt 41. For example, a mechanism including a ball screw may be used.

  The electric wire cassette 33 is detachably attached to the slider 37. As shown in FIG. 6, the electric wire cassette 33 includes a holder 51 that holds a plurality of electric wire holding arms 50. The number of the electric wire holding arms 50 attached to one holder 51 is not limited at all, but in the present embodiment, six electric wire holding arms 50 are attached to one holder 51. As shown in FIG. 7, the holder 51 includes a substantially horizontal plate-shaped holder body 52, an insertion block 53 provided at the lower part of the holder body 52, and a handle 54 provided at the upper part of the holder body 52. ing. As shown in FIG. 8, the insertion block 53 is formed with an insertion groove 53a extending in the front-rear direction. The electric wire holding arm 50 is slidably inserted into the insertion groove 53a. As shown in FIG. 7, two insertion blocks 53 are provided on the front and rear sides. The electric wire holding arm 50 is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction by being inserted into the insertion block 53. As shown in FIG. 6, the electric wire holding arms 50 are arranged in parallel to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the handle 54 extends obliquely upward from the holder main body 52. The handle 54 is provided with a handle 54a extending horizontally. The user can remove the electric wire cassette 33 from the slider 37 by grasping the handle 54 a and lifting the handle 54. Conversely, the electric wire cassette 33 can be attached to the slider 37 by grasping the handle 54 a and placing the handle 54 on the slider 37. That is, the user can indirectly attach and detach the plurality of wire holding arms 50 to the slider 37 collectively by grasping the handle 54 and raising and lowering the wire cassette 33.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the electric wire holding arm 50 has an arm body 55 that extends in the front-rear direction. Wire guides 56 a and 56 b are fixed to the lower surface of the arm body 55. The electric wire guides 56a and 56b are formed of a bent plate whose front end portion and rear end portion are bent downward, and a guide hole 57 through which the electric wire 3 is inserted is formed at the front end portion and the rear end portion. The electric wire 3 is guided forward by passing through the plurality of guide holes 57. In the present embodiment, two wire guides 56a and 56b are fixed to the arm body 55, but the number of wire guides is not particularly limited. Further, the number of guide holes 57 provided in each of the electric wire guides 56a and 56b is not limited at all.

  A spring receiving portion 58 is provided at the front end portion of the upper surface of the arm main body 55. The spring receiving portion 58 is formed in a columnar shape protruding from the upper surface of the arm main body 55. However, the shape of the spring receiving portion 58 is not particularly limited. A front end portion of a spring 59 is attached to the spring receiving portion 58. The rear end portion of the spring 59 is attached to the front end portion of the holder 51 of the electric wire cassette 33 (specifically, the front end portion of the holder main body 52). In the present embodiment, the spring 59 is a coil spring extending in the front-rear direction. However, the type of the spring 59 is not particularly limited.

  An electric wire holding chuck 60 capable of holding the electric wire 3 so as not to move is provided at the front end portion of the arm main body 55. As shown in FIG. 10A, the electric wire holding chuck 60 has a chuck body 63 fixed to the front end portion of the arm body 55 and a spring 64 attached to the upper portion of the chuck body 63. The chuck body 63 is formed with a horizontal hole 61 through which the electric wire 3 passes and a vertical hole 62 that intersects the horizontal hole 61. A slide plate 65 that slides up and down is inserted into the vertical hole 62. The slide plate 65 is pushed up by a spring 64.

  An actuator 66 that applies a downward force to the slide plate 65 is provided above the slide plate 65. The specific configuration of the actuator 66 is not limited at all, and for example, an air cylinder or the like can be used. A hole 67 is formed in the slide plate 65. When the actuator 66 does not press the slide plate 65 downward, as shown in FIG. 10A, the slide plate 65 is moved upward by the biasing force of the spring 64, and the hole 67 of the slide plate 65 is moved. The lower edge portion 65a presses the electric wire 3 upward. Thereby, the movement of the electric wire 3 in the front-rear direction is restricted, and the electric wire 3 is locked. On the other hand, when the actuator 66 pushes the slide plate 65 downward, the slide plate 65 moves downward against the pushing force from the spring 64 as shown in FIG. Then, the positions of the hole 67 of the slide plate 65 and the lateral hole 61 of the chuck body 63 are aligned, and the electric wire 3 can move in the front-rear direction. Thereby, the lock | rock of the electric wire 3 is cancelled | released.

  Thus, the electric wire holding chuck 60 is in a locked state (see FIG. 10A) that fixes the electric wire 3 so as not to be conveyed and an unlocked state that allows the electric wire 3 to be conveyed (see FIG. 10B). Can be switched. The electric wire holding chuck 60 is an example of an electric wire lock mechanism, and the actuator 66 is an example of a lock state switching device. When the electric wire 3 of the electric wire holding arm 50 is supplied to the electric wire processor 2, the electric wire holding chuck 60 is set in an unlocked state. When the electric wire 3 of another electric wire holding arm 50 is supplied to the electric wire processor 2, in other words, when the electric wire 3 of the electric wire holding arm 50 is not supplied to the electric wire processor 2, or the electric wire 3 is supplied to the electric wire holding arm 50. At the time of the setting operation, the electric wire holding chuck 60 is appropriately set in a locked state, and fixes the electric wire 3 so as not to move.

  As shown in FIG. 7, an electric wire stopper 70 that restricts the conveyance of the electric wire 3 is provided at the rear end portion of the arm main body 55. The electric wire stopper 70 includes a stopper main body 71 attached to the rear end portion of the arm main body 55, and a rotating body 72 rotatably supported by the stopper main body 71. The rotating body 72 has a first arm 74, a second arm 75, and a third arm 78. The first arm 74, the second arm 75, and the third arm 78 are disposed at an angle of about 120 degrees when viewed from the side. However, these angles are not limited at all. One end of a spring 73 is attached to the tip of the first arm 74. The other end of the spring 73 is attached to a spring receiving portion 80 provided on the upper surface of the arm body 55. The spring receiving portion 80 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but the shape is not particularly limited. The first arm 74 receives a forward force by the spring 73. The rotating body 72 receives a force in the clockwise direction in the figure by a spring 73.

  An electric wire support portion 77 that supports the electric wire 3 from below is formed at the lower portion of the stopper main body 71. At the tip of the second arm 75, an electric wire retainer 76 that holds the electric wire 3 from above is provided. When the electric wire 3 is sandwiched between the electric wire presser 76 and the electric wire support portion 77, movement in only the electric wire pull-back direction is restricted. A rotation restricting portion 79 that restricts excessive rotation of the rotating body 72 by contacting the rear end portion of the arm main body 55 is provided at the tip of the third arm 78.

  An actuator 81 that applies a downward force to the rotation restricting portion 79 is provided above the rotation restricting portion 79. The specific configuration of the actuator 81 is not limited at all, and for example, an air cylinder or the like can be used. When the actuator is not driven, the wire retainer 76 presses the wire 3 from above as shown in FIG. 11A, and the wire 3 is sandwiched between the wire retainer 76 and the wire support 77. As a result, the electric wire 3 is lightly held so that it can move forward, and is firmly held so that it cannot move backward. That is, the locked state is established. Conversely, when the actuator 81 pushes down the rotation restricting portion 79 downward, the rotation restricting portion 79 moves downward against the tensile force of the spring 73. The actuator 81 rotates the rotating body 72 in the counterclockwise direction in the figure, and the wire retainer 76 is positioned at a position where the wire 3 is not pressed, for example, a position spaced upward from the wire 3 as shown in FIG. It is done. As a result, the electric wire 3 becomes movable in the front-rear direction. That is, the unlock state is established.

  Thus, the electric wire stopper 70 is an example of an electric wire locking mechanism that can be switched between a locked state in which the electric wire 3 is fixed so as not to be conveyed and an unlocked state in which the electric wire can be conveyed. The actuator 81 is an example of a lock state switching device. When the electric wire 3 of the electric wire holding arm 50 is supplied to the electric wire processor 2, the electric wire stopper 70 is set in an unlocked state. When supplying the electric wire 3 of the other electric wire holding arm 50 to the electric wire processing machine 2, the electric wire stopper 70 is set to a locked state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an arm insertion unit 85 is disposed above the holder 51. As shown in FIG. 3, the arm insertion unit 85 is disposed on the transport line P and is configured to be immovable in the left-right direction. The arm insertion unit 85 moves one selected wire holding arm 50 out of the plurality of wire holding arms 50 forward.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a lever 86 protruding upward is formed on the wire holding chuck 60 of the wire holding arm 50. The arm insertion unit 85 is provided with a drive mechanism 87 (see FIG. 4) that pushes the lever 86 forward. The specific configuration of the drive mechanism 87 is not limited at all. The drive mechanism 87 may include, for example, a plate that contacts the lever 86 and a motor that moves the plate in the front-rear direction. The drive mechanism 87 may be configured by an air cylinder having a rod that contacts the lever 86 and is movable in the front-rear direction. The drive mechanism 87 may be configured to push the lever 86 forward or may be configured to pull forward.

  When supplying the electric wire 3 to the electric wire processing machine 2, the electric wire holding arm 50 receives a driving force from the driving mechanism 87 and moves forward (see arrow A in FIG. 6). This position is a position when the electric wire 3 is supplied from the electric wire holding arm 50 toward the electric wire processor 2. Hereinafter, this position is referred to as an electric wire supply position. On the other hand, when the electric wire 3 is not supplied to the electric wire processor 2, the electric wire holding arm 50 is returned backward. The electric wire holding arm 50 is pulled backward by the spring 59. Therefore, when the force for moving the lever 86 forward by the drive mechanism 87 is released, the wire holding arm 50 naturally returns to the standby position.

  As shown in FIG. 5, between the rails 39 of the gantry 38, correction rollers 90 made up of a plurality of rollers arranged in a staggered manner are provided. A pull-back roller 91 is provided behind the correction roller 90. The correction roller 90 and the pullback roller 91 are disposed along the transport line P. The correction roller 90 is connected to a correction roller moving mechanism 90A (see FIG. 4) that moves the correction roller 90 up and down. The pull-back roller 91 is connected to a pull-back roller moving mechanism 91A (see FIG. 4) that moves the pull-back roller 91 up and down. The specific configurations of the correction roller moving mechanism 90A and the pulling-back roller moving mechanism 91A are not limited at all, and a mechanism including a drive source such as a motor or an air cylinder can be suitably used. The correction roller 90 moves upward when the electric wire 3 is conveyed, and is positioned at an operation position along the conveyance line P. In the operating position, the correction roller 90 sandwiches the electric wire 3. On the other hand, when the slider 37 and the electric wire holding arm 50 move left and right, the correction roller 90 is positioned at a retracted position below the operating position in order to avoid interference with them.

  In front of the correction roller 90, a length measuring roller 97 for detecting the conveyance amount of the electric wire 3 and a conveyance mechanism 96 for feeding the electric wire 3 forward are provided. The length measuring roller 97 includes an encoder roller 92 and a guide roller 93 facing the encoder roller 92. Here, the encoder roller 92 is arranged on the left side and the guide roller 93 is arranged on the right side, but the arrangement may be reversed. The encoder roller 92 has a built-in detector that detects its rotational position. Based on the rotational position of the encoder roller 92, the conveyance amount of the electric wire 3 is detected. The transport mechanism 96 includes a plurality of rollers 94 and a belt 95 wound around the rollers 94. One set of the roller 94 and the belt 95 is provided on each of the left and right sides. The electric wire 3 is sandwiched between the left and right belts 95. When the belt 95 travels with the rotation of the roller 94, the electric wire 3 is conveyed forward. The configuration of the transport mechanism 96 is not limited at all, and other configurations can be used as a matter of course. For example, the transport mechanism 96 may be configured by a pair of left and right rollers that sandwich the electric wire 3.

  In the front-rear direction connecting between the left and right introduction rollers 36 of the separator 32, between the pull-back rollers 91, between the correction rollers 90, between the encoder rollers 92 and the guide rollers 93, and between the left and right belts 95. The extending line is a line through which the electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 passes, that is, a conveyance line P. The introduction roller 36, the pullback roller 91, the correction roller 90, the length measuring roller 97, and the transport mechanism 96 are arranged along the transport line P in the front-rear direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cassette covers 34 </ b> L and 34 </ b> R are attached to the mount 38 so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis. The cassette covers 34L and 34R are mainly configured to cover the electric wire cassette 33 on the gantry 38. In the present embodiment, the left cassette cover 34L covers substantially the left half of the gantry 38, and the right cassette cover 34R covers substantially the right half of the gantry 38. Therefore, when the left electric wire cassette 33 is replaced, a part or all of the right electric wire cassette 33 can be kept covered with the right cassette cover 34R. Similarly, when the right electric wire cassette 33 is replaced, a part or the whole of the left electric wire cassette 33 can be kept covered with the left cassette cover 34L. However, the number of cassette covers is not limited to two and may be one. The number of cassette covers may be three or more.

  As illustrated in FIG. 12, the wire supply device 1 includes a computer 100 having at least a CPU 101, a storage device such as a memory 102, and an interface unit 103. The computer 100 may be a dedicated computer manufactured for the electric wire supply device 1 or a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer. The computer 100 may be provided separately from a computer (not shown) of the electric wire processing machine 2 or may be shared with the computer of the electric wire processing machine 2.

  The memory 102 stores data relating to the type of the electric wire 3 processed by the electric wire processor 2 and the processing order. The CPU 101 is connected to the motor 40, the separator moving mechanism 32A, the correction roller moving mechanism 90A, the pulling roller moving mechanism 91A, the driving mechanism 87, the transport mechanism 96, the length measuring roller 97, the pulling roller 91, and the actuator 81 via the interface unit 103. Etc., and control them. Based on the data stored in the memory 102, the CPU 101 appropriately replaces the electric wire holding arm 50 positioned on the transport line P, and supplies a predetermined type of electric wires 3 to the electric wire processor 2 in a predetermined order.

  As above-mentioned, the electric wire supply apparatus 1 replaces the electric wire 3 supplied to the electric wire processing machine 2 by replacing suitably the electric wire holding arm 50 located on the conveyance line P among the some electric wire holding arms 50. FIG. Next, operation | movement of the electric wire supply apparatus 1 is demonstrated. In the following description, the electric wire 3 before the exchange and the electric wire 3 after the exchange are referred to as a first electric wire 3 and a second electric wire 3, respectively. It is assumed that the second electric wire 3 is replaced. The electric wire holding arms 50 that hold the first electric wire 3 and the second electric wire 3 are referred to as a first electric wire holding arm 50 and a second electric wire holding arm 50, respectively. The following processes are automatically executed by the computer 100.

  First, the computer 100 locks the cassette covers 34L and 34R in order to increase the safety of the replacement work. Thereby, even if the user tries to open the cassette covers 34L and 34R by mistake, the cassette covers 34L and 34R cannot be opened, and the moving electric wire cassette 33 can be prevented from being exposed to the outside. .

  Next, the front end portion of the first electric wire 3 is cut by the cutter unit 5. A so-called alignment cutting of the tip end portion of the electric wire is performed. This is a process performed to facilitate the work of pulling back the first electric wire 3. By this processing, the front end portion of the first electric wire 3 before being pulled back is always positioned at a predetermined position. However, this processing is not always necessary and can be omitted as appropriate. Next, the pull-back roller 91 in the retracted position is raised to the operating position, and the electric wire 3 is sandwiched by the pull-back roller 91. That is, the pull-back roller 91 is closed so as to hold the electric wire 3. Next, the correction roller 90 sandwiching the first electric wire 3 is opened, and the holding state of the electric wire 3 by the correction roller 90 is released. Next, the transport mechanism 96, the guide roller 93, and the pull-back roller 91 are reversely rotated, and the electric wire 3 is pulled back until the front end portion of the electric wire 3 reaches a predetermined position. After the electric wire 3 is pulled back, the pull-back roller 91 is opened and retracted downward.

  Next, the wire holding chuck 60 and the wire stopper 70 of the first wire holding arm 50 are operated so as to hold the first wire 3. As a result, the first electric wire 3 is fixed to the first electric wire holding arm 50, and the first electric wire 3 can move integrally with the first electric wire holding arm 50.

  Next, the correction roller 90 is retracted downward. The length measuring roller 97 is opened, and the holding state of the electric wire 3 by the length measuring roller 97 is released. Thereafter, the first electric wire holding arm 50 is retracted to the standby position. Next, the separator 32 and the introduction roller 36 are lowered and moved to the retracted position.

  Next, the slider 37 is moved to the left or right to move the first electric wire holding arm 50 to a position off the conveying line P, and the second electric wire holding arm 50 is moved to the conveying line P. Let

  Next, the second wire holding arm 50 is moved forward and moved from the standby position to the wire supply position. Then, the separator 32 and the introduction roller 36 are raised and positioned at the operating position. Thereby, the 2nd electric wire 3 and the other electric wire 3 are isolated. Next, the length measuring roller 97 is closed, and the second electric wire 3 is sandwiched by the length measuring roller 97. Thereafter, the wire holding chuck 60 and the wire stopper 70 of the second wire holding arm 50 are released. Thereby, the second electric wire 3 can be moved back and forth with respect to the second electric wire holding arm 50.

  Next, the correction roller 90 is raised and the correction roller 90 is closed. As a result, the second electric wire 3 is sandwiched between the correction rollers 90. Thereafter, the cassette covers 34L and 34R are unlocked. As a result, the cassette covers 34L and 34R can be opened.

  As described above, the electric wires 3 supplied to the electric wire processor 2 are transferred from the first electric wires 3 held by the first electric wire holding arms 50 to the second electric wires 3 held by the second electric wire holding arms 50. The electric wire 3 can be exchanged. In addition, the position of the 1st and 2nd electric wire holding arm 50 is not limited at all. One of the first and second electric wire holding arms 50 may be provided in the left electric wire cassette 33 and the other may be provided in the right electric wire cassette 33. Both the first and second electric wire holding arms 50 may be provided in the left electric wire cassette 33, or both may be provided in the right electric wire cassette 33.

  By the way, the electric wire cassette 33 is detachable from the slider 37. By replacing the wire cassette 33 mounted on the slider 37, the plurality of wire holding arms 50 can be replaced at once. That is, a plurality of types of electric wires 3 to be automatically exchanged by the electric wire exchange device 11 can be collectively replaced. Next, replacement work of the electric wire cassette 33 will be described.

  As described above, the wire cassette 33 includes the plurality of wire holding arms 50, and the user can easily remove the wire cassette 33 from the slider 37 by grasping the handle 54 of the holder 51 and lifting it upward. The user can support the removed electric wire cassette 33 on the cassette support portion 27 (see FIG. 2) of the electric wire shelf 12. Thereby, the electric wire cassette 33 can be accommodated in the electric wire shelf 12 together with the reel 23. The electric wire shelf 12 is configured to be movable. In particular, in the present embodiment, the electric wire shelf 12 is configured by a carriage 22 provided with casters 21. Therefore, the electric wire shelf 12 can be easily moved. The user can move the electric wire shelf 12 to another location, and can move the other electric wire shelf 12 containing the other electric wire cassette 33 and the reel 23 to the rear of the electric wire exchange device 11 instead. Next, the user removes the other electric wire cassette 33 from the cassette support portion 27 and attaches it to the slider 37. Thereby, the some electric wire holding arm 50 can be replaced | exchanged collectively. In other words, a plurality of types of electric wires 3 to be exchanged in the electric wire exchange device 11 can be exchanged collectively in one operation.

  As described above, according to the wire supply device 1, a plurality of wire holding arms 50 that hold different types of wires 3 are provided, and the wire holding arms 50 that are positioned on the transfer line P are appropriately replaced. A plurality of types of electric wires 3 can be selectively supplied to the processor 2. According to the electric wire supply apparatus 1, while the electric wire 3 held by the electric wire holding arm 50 on the conveyance line P is being conveyed, other electric wire cassettes other than the electric wire cassette 33 to which the electric wire holding arm 50 is attached. 33 can be attached to and detached from the slider 37. Therefore, it is possible to replace the electric wire cassette 33 while supplying the electric wire 3 to the electric wire processing machine 2. Therefore, the electric wire cassette 33 can be replaced without stopping the processing of the electric wire processor 2. Therefore, the processing efficiency of the wire processing machine 2 can be improved.

  According to the electric wire supply device 1, the electric wire cassette 33 is provided with the handle 54 having a handle 54a, and the electric wire holding arm 50 is attached to the electric wire cassette 33 so as to be movable integrally. Therefore, the user can easily replace the plurality of wire holding arms 50 collectively by holding the handle 54 a of the handle 54 and moving the wire cassette 33. Therefore, it becomes possible to replace | exchange the some electric wire holding arm 50 rapidly.

  The electric wire supply device 1 includes a movable electric wire shelf 12, and the electric wire shelf 12 accommodates a plurality of reels 23 each wound with a plurality of types of electric wires 3 supplied to the electric wire holding arm 50 of each electric wire cassette 33. Has been. By moving these reels 23 together with the electric wire shelf 12, a plurality of types of electric wires 3 supplied to the electric wire holding arms 50 of the electric wire cassettes 33 can be moved together. The operation of holding the electric wire 3 wound around the reel 23 by the electric wire holding arm 50 can be performed at a place different from the installation place of the electric wire exchange device 11.

  In the present embodiment, the electric wire shelf 12 includes a carriage 22 having casters 21. Therefore, the operation | work which moves the reel 23 with the electric wire cassette 33 becomes easy.

  The electric wire supply device 1 includes a separator 32 that sorts the electric wires 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electric wires 3 from being entangled. The separator 32 is configured to be movable between an operating position and a retracted position. Therefore, when the slider 37 moves and the electric wire 3 is replaced | exchanged, it can prevent that the separator 32, the electric wire 3, etc. interfere.

  The electric wire supply device 1 includes a correction roller 90 that corrects the electric wire 3. Therefore, the curl etc. of the electric wire 3 can be corrected. Further, the correction roller 90 is configured to be movable between an operating position and a retracted position. Therefore, when the slider 37 moves and the electric wire 3 is replaced, it is possible to prevent the correction roller 90 and the electric wire 3 from interfering with each other.

  The electric wire supply device 1 includes an electric wire holding chuck 60 and an electric wire stopper 70 that can lock the electric wire 3 to the electric wire holding arm 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electric wire 3 from coming off from the electric wire holding arm 50 located at a position off the transport line P. That is, it is possible to prevent the electric wire 3 from dropping from the electric wire holding arm 50 that is not supplying the electric wire 3, in other words, from the electric wire holding arm 50 that is waiting for replacement.

  The electric wire supply device 1 includes a pull-back roller 91. Therefore, when replacing the electric wire 3, the electric wire 3 held by the electric wire holding arm 50 on the transport line P can be pulled back to a position convenient for the subsequent movement of the electric wire holding arm 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electric wire 3 from protruding excessively from the electric wire holding arm 50 that moves as the slider 37 moves. When the electric wire 3 is replaced, the electric wire 3 can be prevented from interfering with other parts and the like, and the electric wire 3 can be replaced smoothly.

  In the present embodiment, the transport line P extends forward, the slider 37 is configured to be movable in the left-right direction, and the electric wire holding arms 50 extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged to be aligned in the left-right direction. . With such an arrangement, the electric wire cassette 33 can be easily attached to and detached from the slider 37 by lifting the electric wire cassette 33 from above the slider 37 or placing it on the slider 37.

  However, the slider 37 is not necessarily configured to be movable in the left-right direction. For example, the slider 37 may be configured to be movable in the vertical direction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric wire supply apparatus 2 Electric wire processing machine 3 Electric wire 11 Electric wire exchange apparatus 12 Electric wire shelf 33 Electric wire cassette 37 Slider (movement mechanism)
50 Electric wire holding arm (electric wire holding mechanism)
96 Transport mechanism 101 CPU (control device)
102 Memory (storage device)
P Electric wire transport line

Claims (11)

An electric wire supply device that selectively supplies plural types of electric wires,
A transport mechanism that is disposed at a position along the transport line of the wire and transports the wire;
A moving mechanism movable in a direction perpendicular to the transport line;
A plurality of electric wire cassettes detachably supported by the moving mechanism;
A plurality of electric wire holding mechanisms attached to the electric wire cassettes, arranged along the conveyance line, or arranged in a direction parallel to the conveyance line, each holding a plurality of different types of electric wires in a freely transportable manner; Prepared,
While the electric wire held by the electric wire holding mechanism on the conveying line is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism, the electric wire cassette other than the electric wire cassette to which the electric wire holding mechanism on the conveying line is attached is An electric wire supply device that is detachable from the moving mechanism. A storage device that stores information on the type and order of electric wires to be supplied;
Based on the information stored in the storage device, the moving mechanism moves the wire holding mechanism on the transfer line from the transfer line and moves another wire holding mechanism on the transfer line. The electric wire supply apparatus of Claim 1 provided with the control apparatus which controls. Each electric wire cassette is provided with a handle having a handle,
The electric wire supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein all electric wire holding mechanisms attached to the electric wire cassettes are attached to the electric wire cassette so as to be movable integrally with the electric wire cassette.   The electric wire supply as described in any one of Claims 1-3 provided with the movable shelf which accommodates the several reel by which the multiple types of electric wire supplied to the electric wire holding mechanism of each electric wire cassette was wound, respectively. apparatus.   The said shelf is an electric wire supply apparatus of Claim 4 which consists of a trolley | bogie which has a caster.   By having a pair of plate-like members and introducing the electric wires supplied to the electric wire holding mechanism on the conveyance line between the two plate-like members, by positioning the other electric wires outside the plate-like members The electric wire supply apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-5 provided with the separator which sorts an electric wire. The separator is configured to be movable between an operating position along the transport line and a retracted position off the transport line,
When supplying an electric wire from the electric wire holding mechanism located on the conveyance line, when moving the separator to the operating position and moving the moving mechanism so that the electric wire is introduced between the two plate-like members. The electric wire supply device according to claim 6, further comprising a separator moving mechanism that moves the separator to the retracted position. A plurality of rollers for correcting the electric wire, and a correction roller configured to be movable between an operation position along the transfer line and a retracted position off the transfer line;
When supplying an electric wire from the electric wire holding mechanism located on the transport line, the correction roller moving mechanism moves the correction roller to the operating position and moves the correction mechanism to the retracted position when moving the moving mechanism. The electric wire supply apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-7 provided with these. The electric wire holding mechanism includes an electric wire lock mechanism that can be switched between a locked state that fixes the electric wire so as not to be transported and an unlocked state that enables the electric wire to be transported,
Lock state switching that switches the wire lock mechanism of the wire holding mechanism that moves from above the transfer line from the unlocked state to the locked state, and switches the wire lock mechanism of the wire hold mechanism that has moved onto the transfer line from the locked state to the unlocked state The electric wire supply apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-8 provided with the apparatus.   An electric wire pulling back mechanism that pulls back the electric wire that is arranged along the conveying line and is held by the electric wire holding mechanism located on the conveying line to the electric wire supply source side that supplies the electric wire to the electric wire holding mechanism. Item 10. The electric wire supply device according to any one of Items 1 to 9. The conveyance line extends forward,
The moving mechanism is configured to be movable in the left-right direction,
The electric wire cassette is placed on the moving mechanism,
The said electric wire holding | maintenance mechanism is an electric wire supply apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-10 extended in the front-back direction, respectively, and being attached to the said electric wire cassette so that it may mutually align in the left-right direction.

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