JP5180134B2 - Terminal crimping device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal crimping apparatus that can favorably crimp a terminal to a strip portion of an electric wire (core wire portion from which a covering portion is removed).

  Conventionally, as this type of terminal crimping device, for example, the following devices exist. That is, this terminal crimping apparatus includes a crimper (upper mold) that can be moved up and down, an anvil (lower mold) that is disposed opposite to the crimper at a predetermined position at a lower position, and an elevator operation of the crimper. A lifting body that moves up and down in conjunction with each other via a cam mechanism and a link mechanism, a wire holding body that is provided on the lifting body and holds a wire to be processed, and a lifting position of the lifting body is changed. And a position adjusting means that can be used (see Patent Document 1).

  Such a terminal crimping apparatus has an advantage that good crimping accuracy can be obtained because the terminal can be crimped without difficulty by the lowering operation of the electric wire during terminal crimping. Moreover, since the position adjustment means which can change the raising / lowering position of a raising / lowering body is provided, it can also obtain the suitable crimping | compression-bonding timing in relation to the raising / lowering operation | movement of a crimper.

Noto 2595041 JP 2005-135820 A

  By the way, in this type of terminal crimping apparatus, the occurrence of crimping failure is unavoidable, but in that case, it is necessary to accurately grasp the failure content and respond quickly and appropriately. . Examples of such crimp failures include “core wire leakage crimp failure” in which part of the core wire protrudes from the terminal to the outside, “core wire misalignment crimp failure” in which the core wire shifts back and forth, and the core wire is cut. Such as “core wire cutting failure”. On the other hand, a terminal crimping device having a function of detecting such a crimping failure has been developed.

  In this method, a pressure sensor is provided on a base plate that supports an anvil, and the pressure at the time of pressure bonding is measured by the pressure sensor, and the quality of the pressure bonding is determined based on the measured value.

  However, it is not always easy to detect the crimping failure based on the pressure characteristics, and there is a problem that the detection accuracy is lacking. In particular, it is very difficult to detect the “core wire leakage crimping failure”.

  In addition, this terminal crimping device adopts a method of raising and lowering the electric wire itself at the time of crimping, but since it is a method of raising and lowering the electric wire gripping mechanism mechanically interlocked with the crimping raising and lowering drive mechanism, There is a disadvantage that the structure becomes very complicated, and when the wire diameter to be processed is changed, a troublesome adjustment work is required. Therefore, in a recent terminal crimping apparatus, the crimping mechanism and the electric wire gripping mechanism are controlled with electrical timing. However, since the crimping operation is performed instantaneously, it is extremely difficult to visually adjust the descending timing of the crimper and the wire gripping mechanism. For this reason, the sensory and troublesome method of performing the crimping test many times and finely adjusting the timing is employed, and it is difficult to be accurate. On the other hand, in recent years, with the progress of wire thinning, it has become very difficult to determine whether or not the pressure sensor is good.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal crimping apparatus that can reliably determine the quality of the crimping process with a simple configuration.

  A terminal crimping apparatus according to the present invention includes a crimper provided so as to be movable up and down, an anvil disposed opposite to the crimper, and a wire holding provided so as to be movable up and down so that the wire is lowered and transferred to the anvil when crimping the terminal. A terminal crimping device comprising: a detection means capable of directly detecting the lowered position of the electric wire; and processing the detection result by the detection means as measurement waveform data, and the measurement waveform data and normal Control means capable of determining whether the crimping process is good or bad by comparing with reference waveform data for the simple crimping process.

  In such a terminal crimping apparatus, the crimper and the electric wire are lowered and the terminal is crimped to the electric wire on the anvil. When the crimper and the electric wire reach the anvil almost simultaneously at a good timing, the crimping process is normal. During the crimping operation, the lowering position of the electric wire is directly detected by the detection means, and the detection result is processed as measurement waveform data by the control means, and the measurement waveform data is compared with the reference waveform data. The quality of the crimping process is determined. This makes it possible to more accurately and reliably determine whether or not the crimping process is good, and to quickly and appropriately cope with the occurrence of crimping defects. Here, “measurement waveform data” refers to waveform data defined by a parameter related to time and a parameter related to the amount of wire descending.

  The detecting means may be a distance sensor that directly detects the lowered position of the electric wire.

  According to this, since the lowered position of the electric wire is accurately detected directly by the distance sensor, the quality of the crimping process can be determined more reliably.

  Further, a threshold value indicating a normal crimping process is provided in the reference waveform data, and when the measured waveform data deviates from the threshold value, the control means can determine that the crimping is defective. is there.

  In this case, if the measured waveform data related to the crimping process is within the threshold value range of the reference waveform data, the control unit determines that the crimping process is satisfactory. On the other hand, if it is out of the threshold range, it is determined that there is a crimping failure. By providing a threshold having a certain range as described above, it is possible to provide appropriate flexibility with respect to the determination of the crimping process, and as a result, the efficiency of a series of crimping operations can be greatly improved.

  Further, the terminal crimping apparatus according to the present invention has a practical advantage in that its overall configuration is very simple, and thus its production can be easily and inexpensively.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a terminal crimping apparatus that can reliably determine the quality of a crimping process with a simple configuration.

It is a side view which shows the terminal crimping apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. (A)-(d) is a front view which shows the process of a normal crimping | compression-bonding process. (A) is a schematic diagram which shows the time change of the fall amount of the electric wire in case a normal crimping process is performed, (b) is a side view which shows the electric wire in which the normal crimping process was made. (A)-(c) is a schematic diagram which shows the time change of the descent | fall amount of an electric wire in case crimping | fitting defect generate | occur | produces. (A)-(c) is a front view which shows the process of the crimping failure which generate | occur | produces when an electric wire reaches | attains an anvil ahead of a crimper. (A) And (b) is a side view which shows the process electric wire with which the crimping | compression-bonding defect generate | occur | produced. (A)-(c) is a front view which shows the process of the crimping | compression-bonding defect which generate | occur | produces when a crimper and an electric wire contact in the middle of a fall. (A)-(c) is a front view which shows the process of the crimping failure which generate | occur | produces when the timing of the downward operation of a crimper and an electric wire has shifted | deviated significantly. It is a perspective view which shows the arrangement position of the detection means which concerns on other embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a terminal crimping apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal crimping apparatus 1 has a crimper 2 that can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. The lifting / lowering means of the crimper 2 includes a rotating shaft 3 that is rotationally driven by a driving means (not shown) such as a servo motor, a cam 4 fixed to the rotating shaft 3, and between the cam 4 and the crimper 2. The link mechanism 5 is provided. In the center of the front surface of the crimper 2, as shown in each drawing of FIG. 2, a kerf 6 is provided in the vertical direction, and the upper end inner surface portion is formed in a substantially reverse ω shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an anvil 10 is arranged opposite to the lower position of the crimper 2 with a predetermined interval, and the anvil 10 is fixed on a base 11. In the center of the upper surface of the anvil 10, as shown in each drawing of FIG.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the electric wire holding means 20 which can hold the electric wire D is provided in the front position of the crimper 2 and the anvil 10. The electric wire holding means 20 is configured to be moved up and down by an actuator 21. Moreover, the actuator 21 can adjust the raising / lowering timing by the control means, and thereby the timing of the lowering operation of the electric wire D can be adjusted in accordance with the crimping operation of the crimper 2. By having such a control means, there is an advantage that the electric wires D having different wire diameters can respond quickly and flexibly to the terminals T having different sizes and shapes.

  Further, a distance sensor 30 is provided in front of the crimper 2 as detection means for detecting the lowered position of the electric wire D. Note that the attachment position of the distance sensor 30 may be behind the crimper 2. The distance sensor 30 directly detects the electric wire D itself, and the lowering position of the electric wire D is detected as a lowering amount with reference to the position of the electric wire D held by the electric wire holding means 20 at the uppermost position. . Thus, a very accurate detection result can be obtained by directly detecting the electric wire D by the distance sensor 30. The output from the distance sensor 30 is digitally processed by a control unit (not shown) as a control means, and the temporal change in the amount of descending from the start of descending of the electric wire D to the terminal crimping is a waveform. It is processed. Such measured waveform data is compared with reference waveform data registered in advance in the control unit as not causing crimping failure, and the quality of the crimping process is determined. The controller is provided with means for measuring time (timer).

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the reference waveform data consists of two curves (broken lines) indicating a threshold having a predetermined width, and the processed measurement waveform data is two curves as shown in FIG. If it is within the range between the two, it is determined by the control unit that the crimping process is normal. On the other hand, in the case where even a part falls outside this range, the controller determines that there is a crimping failure. However, if the state outside the predetermined range continues for a predetermined time, it is determined that there is a press-bonding failure, or if the cumulative time outside the predetermined range exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that there is a press-bonding failure. In addition to setting so as to determine, a threshold value can be provided only on one side in some cases.

  By providing a threshold having a certain range as described above, it is possible to provide appropriate flexibility with respect to the determination of the crimping process, and as a result, the efficiency of a series of crimping operations can be greatly improved.

  In addition, the process electric wire D determined to be a crimping failure is separated from the process electric wire D determined to be a normal crimping process by a sorting mechanism (not shown), and is configured to be discharged to the outside. Moreover, when the crimping | compression-bonding defect generate | occur | produces, it is also possible to comprise so that the terminal crimping apparatus 1 itself may stop.

  The terminal crimping apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the case where the terminal T is crimped | bonded to the strip part S of the electric wire D using this is demonstrated.

  First, the electric wire D is conveyed and supplied to the terminal crimping device 1 by a predetermined length, and then held by the electric wire holding means 20. In this state, the electric wire D is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter mechanism (not shown), and the coating at the end is peeled off. Thereafter, the electric wire D is held by the electric wire holding means 20 and is transferred by a transfer mechanism (not shown) so that the strip portion S at the tip thereof is arranged at a predetermined position between the crimper 2 and the anvil 10. . On the other hand, the concave groove 12 of the anvil 10 is conveyed and supplied with the terminal T to be crimped fitted.

  Next, the crimper 2 is driven by the driving means via the rotating shaft 3, the cam 4, and the link mechanism 5, and the lowering is started as shown in FIG. Thereafter, in response to a signal from the control unit, the actuator 21 is driven, and the electric wire D starts to descend as shown in FIG. And as shown in the figure (c), after the crimper 2 and the electric wire D further fall, both reach the anvil 10 substantially simultaneously as shown in the figure (d). Thereby, the terminal T is crimped to the strip portion S of the electric wire D between the concave groove 12 of the anvil 10 and the cut groove 6 of the crimper 2.

  The descending position of the electric wire D in such a series of crimping operations is detected by the distance sensor 30 as described above. If the measured waveform data is within the threshold range as described above and it is determined that the crimping process is good as shown in FIG. 3B, the crimping process is continuously performed. .

  On the other hand, as a case where crimping failure occurs due to the lowering operation of the electric wire D, for example, the electric wire D reaches the anvil 10 before the crimper 2 as shown in FIG. The case where the wire D comes into contact with the crimper 2 as shown in FIG. 5B, and the time when the crimper 2 is lowered and the wire holding means as shown in FIG. It can be mentioned that an abnormality occurs in the operation 20 and the wire holding means 20 has already shifted from the crimping position to the next operation when the crimper 2 is lowered.

  In the case shown in FIG. 4 (a), for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the strip portion S of the electric wire D expands due to the contact between the electric wire D and the terminal T. As a result, defects such as a core wire leakage press-fit as shown in FIG.

  When such a crimping failure occurs, the treated wire D is separated from the normal treated wire D as described above. When this occurs continuously, for example, the terminal crimping device 1 is used. After stopping, adjustment may be performed so that the timing of the lowering operation of the actuator 21 is slightly delayed. Thereby, since the electric wire D can reach the anvil 10 simultaneously with the crimper 2, the timing shift as described above can be easily eliminated without adjusting the drive system on the crimper 2 side at all. As a result, it is possible to appropriately avoid occurrence of crimping failure.

  4B, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, since the electric wire D is pressed by the clamper 2 and is crimped in a state where the electric wire D is bent back and forth or left and right, FIG. As shown in (b), a core wire position misalignment failure such as a variation in the crimping position of the terminal T with respect to the electric wire D occurs.

  In this case, adjustment may be performed so that the timing of the lowering operation of the actuator 21 is slightly advanced. Thereby, since the electric wire D can reach the anvil 10 simultaneously with the crimper 2, the timing shift can be easily eliminated without adjusting the drive system on the crimper 2 side at all. And generation | occurrence | production of the crimping | compression-bonding defect can be avoided appropriately.

  Furthermore, in the case shown in FIG. 4C, the terminal T is not crimped to the electric wire D, for example, as shown in FIG. In this case, in addition to the position adjustment of the actuator 21 as in the above cases, adjustment work of the wire holding means 20 itself is required.

  As described above, a series of detection determination means such as direct detection of the lowered position of the electric wire D by the distance sensor 30 according to the present embodiment, and determination of the quality of the crimping process by the control unit based on the detection result, It can be said that this is optimal for the terminal crimping apparatus 1 that employs a method in which the electric wire D descends during terminal crimping.

  Further, the terminal crimping apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has an advantage that it can be manufactured easily and inexpensively because the overall configuration is very simple.

  In consideration of the characteristics of the electric wire D, the portion of the electric wire D that is directly detected by the detecting means is preferably the strip portion S to which the terminal T is crimped. However, the present invention is by no means limited to this, and the portion of the electric wire D other than the strip portion S may be the detection target.

  Further, the position where the distance sensor 30 is provided is not limited to the arrangement position as in the above-described embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the distance sensor 30 is provided at the front position of the anvil 10 and the electric wire D is detected from the lower position. You may make it provide directly.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, a threshold value indicating normal crimping processing is provided in the reference waveform data. However, such a threshold value may be provided as necessary and can be omitted.

  In addition, the specific configuration such as the shape of each part of the terminal crimping device 1 can be arbitrarily changed within the range intended by the present invention.

1 terminal crimping device 2 crimper 10 anvil 20 wire holding means D wire T terminal

Claims (3)

A terminal crimping apparatus comprising: a crimper provided so as to be movable up and down; an anvil disposed opposite to the crimper; and an electric wire holding means provided so as to be movable up and down so that the electric wire is lowered and transferred to the anvil when the terminal is crimped. There,
Detection means capable of directly detecting the lowered position of the electric wire;
Control means capable of processing the detection result by the detection means as measurement waveform data and comparing the measurement waveform data with reference waveform data for normal crimping processing to determine whether the crimping processing is good or bad. A terminal crimping apparatus characterized by comprising:   The terminal crimping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is a distance sensor that directly detects a lowered position of the electric wire.   The threshold value indicating a normal crimping process is provided in the reference waveform data, and when the measured waveform data deviates from the threshold value, the control unit is configured to determine that the crimping is defective. 2. The terminal crimping apparatus according to 2.

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