JP5368203B2 - Terminal fitting manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a terminal-metal-fittings manufacturing apparatus, and a terminal-metal-fittings manufacturing method that uses such the terminal-metal-fittings manufacturing apparatus, wherein cost is reduced, lead time is shortened, and stock of partly-finished products is eradicated. A second conveying section (121) of a plating treatment unit (120), which conducts plating treatment of chained terminals (210) while conveying the chained terminals (210) with the second conveying section (121), conveys chained terminals (210) received from a first conveying section (111) of a stamping unit (110), which conducts press-processing of a metal plate (200) and molds it into terminal-metal-fittings while conveying the metal plate (200) with the first conveying section (111).

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal fitting manufacturing equipment for manufacturing the terminal fitting.

  Conventionally, the connector manufacturing process generally includes a “stamping process” in which a metal plate is pressed to form a terminal fitting, and a chained terminal formed by molding the terminal fitting in the stamping process is plated. The final product is the assembly of the “plating process” to be performed, the “molding process” for molding the housing for housing the terminal fitting, the terminal fitting that has been plated in the plating process and the housing that has been molded in the molding process. It consists of an “assembly process” for obtaining a connector.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a conventional method for manufacturing a connector.

  As shown in FIG. 3, each process in the conventional method for manufacturing a connector is an independent process. Moreover, in order to reduce the cost of each process, the production quantity per hour differs in each process. For this reason, connectors are produced by the so-called “batch method” in which each work is once packed as a work in progress and stored until the work in progress reaches an amount that enables efficient production in the next process. .

  Here, a terminal fitting manufacturing method is proposed in which the “pressing process” and the “contact formation process (step of applying metallic ink and fixing by laser irradiation)” of the terminal fitting are performed in a continuous line (for example, (See Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-210650 A

  The above-described “batch method” is a suitable production method as long as the demand for connectors is large and stable. However, connectors require rapid model change and require a variety of low-volume production. “Batch method” connector production requires “work in process transfer” between processes, “work in process inventory” is large, and “space to temporarily store work in process” is required. There are drawbacks such as "complex production management". For this reason, it is difficult to “reduce manufacturing costs” or “shorten lead time”.

  In addition, the terminal metal fitting manufacturing method proposed in Patent Document 1 is said to perform the “pressing process” and the “contact formation process” on a continuous line. However, in paragraph [0019] of this Patent Document 1, “a short terminal is continuously formed between a lead frame and a plurality of short terminals between a step of stamping a copper plate into a predetermined developed shape and an ink application step. It is described that there is a process of “formed as a terminal reel that is connected to the device”. That is, it is specified that there is a “terminal reel forming process” for winding a terminal between the “pressing process” and the “contact forming process”. Therefore, in the terminal metal fitting manufacturing method proposed in Patent Document 1, the “terminal winding process” immediately after the “pressing process” cannot be omitted. Therefore, in the terminal metal fitting manufacturing method proposed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to “reduce the manufacturing cost” or “reduce the lead time”.

In view of the above circumstances, the cost is reduced, it shortens the lead time, it is an object to provide a terminal fitting manufacturing equipment to eliminate the stock work in process.

The terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above-mentioned object is as follows.
A stamping unit that has a first conveying unit that conveys the metal plate, presses the metal plate while being conveyed by the first conveying unit, and is molded into a terminal fitting;
By the first transport unit, which is disposed downstream of the stamping unit in the transport direction, and receives and transports the chained terminal formed by the terminal fitting by pressing at the stamping unit from the first transport unit. A second transport unit having a transport speed synchronized with the transport speed, and a plating processing unit that performs plating while transporting the chained terminal received from the first transport unit by the second transport unit. Features.

  In the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the second conveying part of the plating processing part that performs plating while conveying the chained terminal by the second conveying part is subjected to press processing while conveying the metal plate by the first conveying part. The chained terminal received from the first transport unit of the stamping unit for molding the metal fitting is transported, that is, the chained terminal coming out of the stamping unit is directly sent to the plating processing unit to perform the plating process. Therefore, it is not necessary to temporarily wind up the chained terminal formed by molding the terminal fitting by pressing at the stamping section, or to pack and store the chained terminal as a work in progress. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the “stock of chained terminals (work-in-process) in which terminal fittings are molded by stamping at the stamping part” is reduced, and “by stamping at the stamping part. The space for temporarily storing the chained terminals formed by molding the terminal fittings is unnecessary, and “production management is easy”. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, “the manufacturing cost is reduced” and “the lead time is shortened”.

  Here, the conventional stamping unit is a process independent of other processes. Moreover, the conventional plating process part is an electrochemical process process independent of other processes. In order to realize efficient production, the conveyance speed in such a conventional plating processing unit is generally faster than the conveyance speed in the conventional stamping unit which is an independent process. On the other hand, in the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the conveyance speed by the second conveyance unit of the plating processing unit is a conveyance speed synchronized with the conveyance speed by the first conveyance unit of the stamping unit. That is, the conveyance speed in the plating process part in the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of this invention is a conveyance speed slower than the conveyance speed in the conventional plating process part which is an independent process. Therefore, according to the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of this invention, the metal-plating process part reduced in size rather than the conventional metal-plating process part which is an independent process is realizable. By reducing the size of the plating processing unit, for example, installation space can be reduced, line adjustment and setup work time can be shortened, and plating solution can be reduced. Furthermore, according to the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, since the conveying speed in the plating processing section is a slower conveying speed than before, the precious metal is not taken out in the plating solution washing step, and the total running cost can be reduced.

Here, the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the plating section is Ru der separation and binding those freely in the stamping unit.

Therefore, according to the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention , the plating treatment part can be separated from the stamping part and coupled to another stamping part.

Further, the terminal fitting manufacturing equipment of the present invention, the plating section is high in the second conveying unit so as to adjust the height of the first conveying portion of the stamping unit when bound to said stamping unit Adjusting the conveyance speed by the second conveyance unit so that the conveyance speed is the same as the conveyance speed by the first conveyance unit of the stamping unit when coupled to the stamping unit. Ru der having a transport speed adjustment unit.

Therefore , according to the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, when separating the plating processing part from the stamping part and connecting it to other stamping parts, it can be connected to various types of stamping parts. High versatility.

According to the present invention, the cost is reduced, it shortens the lead time, the terminal fittings production equipment to eliminate the stock work in process are provided.

It is a schematic block diagram of the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing method of the connector in which one Embodiment of the terminal metal fitting manufacturing method of this invention was integrated. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing method of the conventional connector.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a stamping unit 110 and a plating processing unit 120.

  The stamping unit 110 has a first transport unit 111 that pulls out a long metal plate 200 wound in a reel shape and transports the pulled metal plate 200 in the longitudinal direction of the metal plate 200. The stamping unit 110 is formed by pressing the metal plate 200 while being transported by the first transport unit 111 to form a terminal fitting. Although the conveyance speed by the 1st conveyance part 111 is based also on the shape of the terminal metal fitting shape | molded by the stamping part 110, generally it is 1-3 m / min. The stamping unit 110 is fixed to the installation surface by an anchor 300 or the like, for example.

  The plating processing unit 120 is disposed downstream of the stamping unit 110 in the transport direction and adjacent to the stamping unit 110. In addition, the plating processing unit 120 includes a chain terminal (strip terminal) 210 in which a large number of terminal fittings molded by pressing in the stamping unit 110 are connected to a carrier (not shown). A second transport unit 121 that receives and transports the first transport unit. The transport speed by the second transport unit 121 is a transport speed synchronized with the transport speed by the first transport unit 111. The plating processing unit 120 performs the plating process by immersing the chained terminal 210 received from the first transport unit 111 in the plating solution 122 while transporting it by the second transport unit 121. Specifically, in this plating process, for example, a current is passed through the chain terminal 210 immersed in the plating solution 122, and metal ions in the plating solution 122 are deposited on the surface of the chain terminal 210 by electrolysis. It is a plating process by electroplating.

  The plating unit 120 can be separated and combined with the stamping unit 110 and includes a caster 123 for movement. Therefore, the plating unit 120 can be separated from the stamping unit 110 and coupled to another stamping unit (not shown).

  Further, the plating processing unit 120 includes a height adjusting unit 124 and a conveyance speed adjusting unit 125.

  The height adjusting unit 124 of the plating processing unit 120 adjusts the height of the second transport unit 121 so as to match the height of the stamping unit 110 with the first transport unit 111 when coupled to the stamping unit 110. is there.

  The conveyance speed adjusting unit 125 of the plating processing unit 120 adjusts the conveyance speed by the second conveyance unit 121 so that the conveyance speed is the same as the conveyance speed by the first conveyance unit 111 of the stamping unit 110 when coupled to the stamping unit 110. To be adjusted.

  By having such a height adjusting unit 124 and a conveyance speed adjusting unit 125, various parts can be used for separating the plating processing unit 120 from the stamping unit 110 and coupling it to another stamping unit (not shown). Since it can couple | bond with a various kind of stamping part (not shown), the versatility of the plating process part 120 is high.

  In the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the second transport unit 121 of the plating processing unit 120 disposed adjacent to the stamping unit 110 receives the chained terminals 210 received from the first transport unit 111 of the stamping unit 110. In other words, the chained terminals 210 coming out of the stamping unit 110 are directly sent to the plating processing unit 120 to perform the plating process. Therefore, it is not necessary to temporarily wind up the chained terminal 210 formed by molding the terminal fitting by pressing at the stamping unit 110 or to pack and store the chained terminal 210 as a work in progress. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, “inventory of chained terminals 210 (work in process) in which terminal fittings are formed by pressing in the stamping unit 110” is reduced, and the “stamping unit 110 is reduced. The space for temporarily storing the chain-like terminals 210 formed by molding the terminal fittings by pressing is not required, and “production management is easy”. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, “the manufacturing cost is reduced” and “the lead time is shortened”.

  Here, the conventional stamping unit is a process independent of other processes. Moreover, the conventional plating process part is an electrochemical process process independent of other processes. In order to realize efficient production, the conveyance speed in such a conventional plating processing unit is generally faster than the conveyance speed in the conventional stamping unit which is an independent process. On the other hand, in the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the conveyance speed by the second conveyance unit 121 of the plating processing unit 120 is a conveyance speed synchronized with the conveyance speed by the first conveyance unit 111 of the stamping unit 110. That is, the conveyance speed in the plating process part 120 in the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is a conveyance speed slower than the conveyance speed in the conventional plating process part which is an independent process. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the plating having a length of, for example, about 5 m, which is smaller than the conventional plating processing unit having a length of, for example, about 30 m, which is an independent process. The processing unit 120 can be realized. By reducing the size of the plating processing unit 120, for example, installation space can be reduced, line adjustment and setup work time can be reduced, and the plating solution 122 can be reduced. Furthermore, according to the terminal metal fitting manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, since the transport speed in the plating processing unit 120 is a transport speed slower than the conventional speed, there is little carry-out of noble metal in the plating solution washing step, and the total running cost is reduced. Can be reduced.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a connector manufacturing method in which an embodiment of the terminal fitting manufacturing method of the present invention is incorporated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connector manufacturing method includes a “stamping process”, a “plating process”, a “molding process”, and an “assembly process”.

  The “stamping step” is a step in which a long metal plate wound up in a reel shape is drawn out and pressed while the drawn metal plate is conveyed to form a terminal fitting.

The “plating process ” is a process in which the plating process is performed while continuing to transport the chained terminals formed by the terminal fittings by the pressing process in the “stamping process”.

  The combination of the “stamping step” and the “plating treatment step” is an embodiment of the terminal fitting manufacturing method of the present invention.

  The chained terminal subjected to the plating process through the “stamping process” and the “plating process process” is once wound up and packed and then stored.

  The “molding process” is a process of molding a housing that houses the terminal fitting.

  The housing that has undergone the “molding process” is once packed and stored.

  “Assembly process” is a process of assembling the terminal fittings stored through the “stamping process” and the “plating process” and the housing stored through the “molding process” to obtain the connector as the final product. .

  In the manufacturing method of the connector of the present embodiment, the plating process is a plating process while continuing the conveyance of the chained terminal formed by the terminal fitting by pressing in the stamping process. There is no need to wind up a chained terminal formed by molding a terminal fitting by pressing or temporarily pack and store the chained terminal as a work in progress. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing method of the present embodiment, “inventory of chained terminals (work-in-process) in which terminal fittings are formed by pressing in the stamping process” is reduced, and “pressing in the stamping process” is performed. Thus, the space for temporarily storing the chained terminals formed by molding the terminal fittings is not necessary, and “production management is easy”. Therefore, according to the terminal fitting manufacturing method of this embodiment, “the manufacturing cost is reduced” and “the lead time is shortened”.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Stamping part 111 1st conveyance part 120 Plating process part 121 2nd conveyance part 122 Plating solution 123 Caster 124 Height adjustment part 125 Conveyance speed adjustment part 200 Metal plate 210 Chain terminal 300 Anchor

Claims (1)

A stamping unit that has a first conveying unit that conveys the metal plate, presses the metal plate while being conveyed by the first conveying unit, and is molded into a terminal fitting;
By the first transport unit, which is disposed downstream of the stamping unit in the transport direction and receives and transports the chained terminal formed by pressing the terminal fitting from the first transport unit by the stamping unit. The stamping unit has a second transport unit having a transport speed synchronized with the transport speed and performs plating while transporting the chained terminal received from the first transport unit by the second transport unit. With a free plating processing section ,
A height adjusting unit that adjusts a height of the second transport unit so that a height of the stamping unit and the first transport unit when the plating unit is coupled to the stamping unit; A conveyance speed adjusting unit that adjusts the conveyance speed by the second conveyance unit so that the conveyance speed is the same as the conveyance speed by the first conveyance unit of the stamping unit when coupled to the unit. A terminal fitting manufacturing device.

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