JPH0765651A - Wire harness manufacture apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a wiring harness manufacturing apparatus with which wire pitch conversion is surely carried out concerning the wire harness manufacturing apparatus in which the wire pitch of a flat cable is connected to a connector after converting the wire pitch of a flat cable to the pitch of the connector. CONSTITUTION:After slits are formed between respective plural pairs of neighboring wires, a slit blade 92 is elevated and comb blades on a right side pitch conversion part 78 and a left side pitch conversion part 80 are placed between respective plural pairs of neighboring wires 12 and the respective neighboring wires widen their mutual pitches to be a prescribed pitch interval. After the pitch is converted, a cutting blade 94 is moved up and down in the direction going closer to a flat cable 10 and thus the flat cable 10 is cut.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wire harness manufacturing apparatus for connecting a connector to an end of a flat cable composed of a plurality of wires arranged in a line on one plane.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A wire harness manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a wire harness in which an end of a flat cable is connected to a connector has been conventionally known. A wire harness manufactured by this wire harness manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of a wire harness.

As shown in FIG. 11, a flat cable 10 is composed of a plurality of wires 12 arranged in parallel on one plane, and a core wire 14 of each wire 12 is integrally covered with an insulating coating 16. It is being appreciated. In order to connect such a flat cable 10 to the connector 18, the wires 12 of the cable tip 10a are separated from each other, and the pitch of each wire 12 is matched with the pitch of the contacts (not shown) of the connector 18. Then, the pitch interval of the wire 12 is adjusted and the wire 12 is connected to the contact. Although FIG. 11 illustrates a wire harness in which the connector 18 is connected to only one end of the flat cable 10, the connector 1 is connected to both ends of the flat cable 10.
A wire harness to which 8 is connected is also used.

12 (a) to 12 (c) are diagrams showing the operating steps of a conventional wire harness manufacturing apparatus.
An example of a conventional wire harness manufacturing process will be described with reference to this drawing. Incidentally, this step is described in JP-A-62-168.
This is the process described in Japanese Patent No. 356. The long flat cable 10 is wound around a reel (not shown), and the flat cable 10 supplied from this reel is conveyed from the left side to the right side in the drawing.

The slitter 20 is inserted into the flat cable 10 in the first step, and a plurality of wires 12 constituting the flat cable 10 are separated from each other by a predetermined length before and after the position where the flat cable 10 is cut in the subsequent step. Slit to be separated. After this slit, the flat cable 10 is conveyed rightward in the drawing so that the center of the slit of a predetermined length is located at a position corresponding to the cutting blade 22, and the clamps 24, 26 arranged on both sides of the cutting blade 22 are conveyed. The flat cable 10 is clamped by the cutting blade 22, the flat cable 10 is cut by the cutting blade 22, and the plurality of wires 12 of the flat cable 10 are converted by the pitch converting blades 28 and 30 into the same pitch intervals as the pitch intervals of the contacts of the connector. (Fig. 12
(A)).

After that, as shown by arrows A and B in FIG. 12B, the cutting blade 22 is divided into upper and lower parts, and arrows C and D are formed.
The clamps 24, 26 have pitch conversion blades 28, 30 so that the cut ends 10a, 10b of the flat cable 10 are at positions corresponding to the connectors 36, 38 waiting at the positions of the pressure welding machines 32, 34 as shown in FIG. With it is divided into left and right. After that, as shown in FIG. 12C, the end portions 10a and 10b of the flat cable 10 are pressed onto the connectors 36 and 38 by the press-contacting machines 32 and 34. By repeating this process, the flat cable 1 of a predetermined length
Many wire harnesses in which connectors are connected to both ends of 0 are manufactured.

In the above-mentioned conventional wire harness manufacturing apparatus, the slit process for cutting the plurality of wires 12 constituting the flat cable 10 from each other is performed before the cutting / connecting process for cutting the flat cable 10 and connecting it to the connector. Therefore, for example, when manufacturing a harness having a length of 0.5 m instead of manufacturing a harness having a length of 2 m, the wire harness manufacturing apparatus is temporarily stopped and the slit process and the cutting / connecting process are performed. There is a problem in that work such as removal of the flat cable between them is required, which wastes time during the switching and waste of the flat cable.

A wire harness manufacturing apparatus (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 14708/1992) proposed to solve this problem will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 16. 13 to 16 are diagrams showing the operation process of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus. The measure clamp 40 moves to the position indicated by the broken line 40 'in FIG. 13 to clamp the end portion of the flat cable 10 connected to the connector in the previous step, and the flat cable 10 is moved to the position shown in FIG. Pull it to the right. When the measure clamp 40 moves to a predetermined position on the right side of the drawing and the flat cable 10 is measured,
As shown in FIG. 14, the right-side pitch conversion unit 44, the left-side pitch conversion unit 48, and the left and right clamps 42 and 46 move, the left and right clamps 42 and 46 clamp the flat cable 10, and the cable processing unit. 56 moves up and down in the direction toward the flat cable 10, the flat cable 10 is cut by the cutting blade 50, and the slitters 52 and 54 separate the plurality of wires 12 (see FIG. 11) of the flat cable 10 from each other.
Bite into. Next, the left and right clamps 42 and 46 are moved to the left and right to positions where the wires 12 are not separated up to the cut ends 10a and 10b of the flat cable 10, and the contacts of the connector 58 are contacted as shown in FIG. The pitch intervals of the wires are adjusted by the left and right pitch conversion units 44 and 48 so as to be the same as the pitch (not shown). After the pitch conversion is performed in this way, the left and right clamps 42, 46 and the left and right pitch conversion units 44, 4
8 moves in the direction away from the cable processing portion 56 (left-right direction in the drawing), whereby the wires 12 are separated by the slitters 52, 54 to the cut ends 10a, 10b of the flat cable 10. Then the cable processing part 5
6 is divided into the upper and lower parts, and the staffer 6 that constitutes the left pressure contact part
0 and the connector holding portion 62 forming the right side pressure contact portion rises to a position corresponding to the tips 10a and 10b of the flat cable 10, and as shown in FIG. 16, the connector holding portion 64 forming the left side pressure contact portion and the right side pressure contact portion. The stuffer 66 that constitutes the unit descends, which causes the flat cable 1
Both ends 0 of 0 are pressed against the corresponding connectors 58. After that, the left and right pressure contact parts are divided into upper and lower parts, and the wire harness in which the connector 58 is connected to both ends of the flat cable 10 having a predetermined length is taken out by a harness jactor part (not shown), and the left and right clamps 42 and 46 and the right pitch After the conversion unit 44 is opened and both the right side clamp 42 and the right side pitch conversion unit 44 are retracted, the measure clamp 40 reciprocates again as shown in FIG. 1 (a), thereby shifting to the manufacturing process of the next wire harness. . By repeating the above operation, the flat cable 1 of a predetermined length
Wire harnesses in which connectors 58 are connected to both ends of 0 are sequentially manufactured.

Now, the pitch converting section of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus will be described. 17 (a), 17 (b),
FIG. 17C is a front view showing the pitch conversion unit 48 shown in FIG. 13 by cutting it, and X- in FIG. 17A.
A side view cut along X and shown in FIG. 17 (a).
It is the side view cut and shown along YY of FIG.

The pitch converting portion 48 is provided with comb members 48c which are vertically movable and are arranged in two rows. Also, a cable support 48 for gently holding the wires 12 spaced apart from each other in the center of the two rows of the comb member 48c.
b, and the wire 12 is a comb member 48c.
On the outer side of, the guide member 48a for guiding the vertical movement of the comb member 48c is gently held. Here, when the comb member 48c is in the raised position, the plurality of wires 12 are gently sandwiched between the cable support 48b and the guide member 48a, and are separated from each other by the slits but have no gap between them. It is in. Here, when the comb member 48c descends from its raised position, first one of the comb members 48c (actually the left-right direction of FIG. 17A, FIG. 17B, FIG. 17C) is formed.
2) Comb blades 48d arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of
Spread the wires 12a, 12b at a predetermined pitch,
Next, the comb blade 48e spreads the two wires 12a and 12c at a predetermined pitch interval, and the comb blade 48f spreads the wires 12b and 12d at a predetermined pitch interval. Next, the two wires 12c and 12e are spread at a predetermined pitch by the comb blade 48g.

According to the above wire harness manufacturing apparatus, when the manufacturing process of wire harnesses having different lengths of the flat cable 10 is to be carried out, it suffices to change the set value of the moving distance of the measure clamp 40, so this apparatus is almost stopped. It is possible to shift to the production of wire harnesses of different lengths without doing so, and work efficiency is improved. Also,
The slit blades 52 and 54 are arranged on both sides of the cutting blade 50, and the wires are separated after the flat cable is cut to a predetermined length. Therefore, even if the production of wire harnesses having different lengths is performed during the production of the wire harness, There is an advantage that the flat cable 10 is not wasted.

[0012]

However, since the step of converting the pitch of the flat cable 10 into the pitch of the contacts of the connector 58 is performed after the flat cable 10 is cut, each wire 12 of the flat cable 10 has almost no tension. The pitch will be converted while it is not working. Therefore, the position of each wire 12 may be displaced, and the comb blades 48d, 48e,
The tips of 48f and 48g may bite into the wire 12 and the pitch conversion may not be performed correctly.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention is a wire harness which does not cause wasteful wires and wasteful time when the pitch conversion of the wires can be accurately performed and the production of the wire harness having different lengths of the flat cable is started. An object is to provide a manufacturing apparatus.

[0014]

A wire harness manufacturing apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a wire harness for connecting a connector to an end of a flat cable composed of a plurality of wires arranged in a line on one plane. In a manufacturing apparatus, (1) a length-measuring clamp that measures the length of the flat cable by holding the vicinity of the end of the flat cable (2) a slit blade that forms a slit between the plurality of wires of the flat cable ( 3) Two pitch conversion parts arranged on both sides of the slit blade and converting the pitch of the plurality of wires in which the slits are formed (4) The plurality of pitch conversion parts arranged between the two pitch conversion parts Cutting blade for cutting the wire after the pitch conversion of the wire (5) A connecting part for connecting a connector to each end of the cut wire is provided. It is intended to.

[0015]

In the wire harness manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the flat cable is measured by the length measuring clamp, and the slit is formed between the wires by the slit blade. The pitch of the wire in which the slit is formed is converted by the two pitch conversion units, and then the wire is cut by the cutting blade. A connector is connected to each end of the cut wire by a connecting portion.

Since the wires are cut after the pitch conversion of the wires as described above, the pitch conversion of the wires is performed while the wires are stretched by the length measuring clamp. As a result, the wire before the pitch conversion and the pitch conversion unit correspond accurately, and the pitch conversion is reliably performed. Also, since the flat cable is measured to form slits, even when switching to the production of wire harnesses with flat cables of different lengths, it is only necessary to change the length of the flat cable with the length measuring clamp, which is extremely easy. This switching can be performed without waste of the flat cable.

[0017]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. Figure 1
10 to 10 are schematic configuration diagrams showing an embodiment of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus of the invention, and are diagrams showing the operation in the order thereof. Here, the operation of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus will be described in the order of manufacturing a wire harness in which connectors are connected to both ends of a flat cable.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which one wire harness is manufactured and then taken out by a harness ejector portion (not shown). In this state, for example, four rollers 72a, 72b, 72c, 72 are reeled out from a reel (not shown).
One end of the flat cable 10 supplied via the strainer 72 constituted by d is connected to the connector 74, and the flat cable 10 is held near the end portion of the flat cable 10 and the length of the flat cable is measured based on the moving distance. The length measuring clamp 76 has moved to a predetermined position on the right side of the drawing. Also,
The right side pitch converting section 78 having the same structure as the pitch converting section 48 shown in FIG. 17 is retracted to the retracted position, and the left pitch converting section 80 and the pullback clamp 82 for holding and moving the flat cable 10 having the same structure are shown in the figure. It has moved to the left predetermined position. Further, the right connector holding portion 84 and the stuffer 86 that form the right pressure contact portion, the left connector holding portion 88 and the stuffer 90 that configure the left pressure contact portion, and a slit that forms a slit between a plurality of wires of the flat cable 10. The blade 92 and the cutting blade 94 arranged between the right side pitch conversion section 78 and the left side pitch conversion section 80 are respectively moved to predetermined upper and lower positions.

When manufacturing a new wire harness,
As shown in FIG. 2, the length-measuring clamp 76 moves upstream of the flow of the flat cable 10 (to the left in the drawing; hereinafter simply referred to as “upstream”) and the left-side pitch conversion unit 80.
Further, the pullback clamp 82 is located downstream of the flow of the flat cable 10 (to the right in the figure; hereinafter simply referred to as “downstream”).
Then, the length measuring clamp 76 clamps the vicinity of the end of the flat cable 10 between the slit blade 92 and the cutting blade 94. Here, since the left side pitch conversion unit 80 and the pullback clamp 82 move integrally, only one device for moving them is required, and the mechanism of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus becomes simple.

The length measuring clamp 76 is the flat cable 10.
Clamping near the end of the, as shown in Figure 3,
The pullback clamp 82 is opened, the length measuring clamp 76 is moved downstream by a predetermined distance, and the flat cable 10 is pulled out to the right in the drawing. After the length-measuring clamp has moved by a predetermined distance, as shown in FIG. 4, the slit blade 92 descends and bites between the plurality of wires 12 (see FIG. 11) of the flat cable 10.

With the slit blade 92 biting in, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 11, the length measuring clamp 76 moves further downstream, whereby a slit is formed between the plurality of wires 12 (see FIG. 11), and the right side pitch converting portion 78 is also formed.
Moves from the position retracted from the flat cable 10 to the position on the flat cable 10. Since the length measuring clamp 76 measures the length of the flat cable 12 to form the slit in this manner, a clamp only for forming the slit is unnecessary. Also, when switching to the production of the wire harness including the flat cables 10 having different lengths, it suffices to change the set value of the moving distance of the length measuring clamp 76 and change the length of the flat cables 10, which is extremely easy. This switching can be performed, and the flat cable 10 is not wasted.

Next, when a slit is formed between the plurality of wires 12, as shown in FIG. 6, the slit blade 92 rises, and the comb blades of the right side pitch converting section 78 and the left side pitch converting section 80. As described with reference to FIG. 17, the wire 12 (not shown) enters between the plurality of wires 12 (see FIG. 17), and the wires 12 are spread at a predetermined pitch interval. Since the pitch conversion of this wire is performed while the wire is stretched by the length measuring clamp 76 and the strainer 72 (see FIG. 1) as described above, the wire 12 before the pitch conversion, the right side pitch conversion unit 78, and the left side pitch conversion are performed. Part 8
Accurate correspondence with the comb blade of 0 ensures pitch conversion.

After the pitch conversion, as shown in FIG. 7, the cutting blade 94 moves up and down in the direction approaching the flat cable 10 to cut the flat cable 10, and the pullback clamp 82 is closed. When the flat cable 10 is cut, as shown in FIG. 8, the cutting blade 94 moves to the upper and lower predetermined positions, while the length measuring clamp 76 moves downstream and the pullback clamp 82 moves upstream. As a result, the tips 10a and 10b of the flat cable 10 move to positions corresponding to the right connector holding portion 84 and the stuffer 86 forming the right pressure contact portion, and the left connector holding portion 88 and the stuffer 90 forming the left pressure contact portion. .

When attention is paid to the moving process of the flat cable 10 on the downstream side, the wire harness manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment has a slit forming portion as compared with the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 168356/1987. The step of moving to the position is unnecessary. Further, as compared with the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 14708/1992, it is sufficient to form the slit by moving the cable once, and it is not necessary to move the cable twice. Therefore, the number of cable moving steps is reduced, and the cycle time can be shortened.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the right-side connector holding portion 84 and the stuffer 90 are raised, and the stuffer 8
6 and the left connector holding portion 88 descend, whereby both ends 10a and 10b of the flat cable 10 are pressed against the corresponding connectors 74. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the pitch converting unit 78 moves, the right connector holding unit 84 and the stuffer 90 descend, the stuffer 86 and the left connector holding unit 88 rise, and a flat cable of a predetermined length. A wire harness in which both ends of 10 are connected to the connector 74 is manufactured. After that, the wire harness is taken out by a harness ejector (not shown), and as shown in FIG. 1, the length measuring clamp 76 moves to shift to the next wire harness manufacturing process. By repeating the above operation, the connector 7 is attached to both ends of the flat cable 10 of a predetermined length.
The wire harness to which 4 is connected is sequentially manufactured.

As described above, when manufacturing a wire harness having different lengths of the flat cable 10, it is only necessary to change the set value of the moving distance of the length-measuring clamp 76. Therefore, when this wire harness manufacturing apparatus is used. However, it is possible to shift to the production of wire harnesses of different lengths with almost no stoppage of this device, so that the work is made more efficient and the waste of flat cables does not occur. Moreover, since the pitch conversion of the wire is performed while the wire is stretched, the pitch conversion is surely performed.

Although the above embodiment is an example of a wire harness manufacturing apparatus in which connectors are connected to both ends of a flat cable, the present invention is a wire harness for manufacturing a harness in which a connector is connected only to one end of the flat cable. It goes without saying that it can also be applied to manufacturing equipment.

[0028]

As described above, according to the wire harness manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, since the wire is cut after the pitch of the wire is changed, the pitch of the wire is stretched by a length measuring clamp or the like. The conversion is performed, the wire before the pitch conversion and the pitch conversion unit correspond accurately, and the pitch conversion is surely performed. Also, when switching to the production of wire harnesses equipped with flat cables of different lengths, it is only necessary to change the set value of the moving distance of the length measuring clamp, and this switching can be performed extremely easily.
There is no waste of flat cable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which one wire harness is manufactured by a wire harness manufacturing apparatus of the present invention and taken out by a harness ejector unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a length measurement clamp has moved upstream from the state shown in FIG. 1 and a left side pitch conversion unit and a pullback clamp have moved downstream.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the length measuring clamp has moved a predetermined distance downstream from the state shown in FIG. 2 and a flat cable has been pulled out to the right in the figure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a slit blade descends from the state shown in FIG. 3 and bites between a plurality of wires.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the length measuring clamp has moved further downstream from the state shown in FIG. 4, and the right-side pitch conversion unit has moved from the retracted position onto the flat cable.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where the slit blade is lifted from the state shown in FIG. 5 and the comb blades of the right side pitch conversion section and the left side pitch conversion section are inserted between a plurality of wires.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the flat cable is cut by the cutting blade from the state shown in FIG. 6 and the pullback clamp is closed.

8 is a diagram showing a state in which the length measuring clamp 76 has moved downstream and a pullback clamp 82 has moved upstream from the state shown in FIG. 7.

9 is a view showing a state in which both ends of the flat cable are pressed against the corresponding connectors from the state shown in FIG.

10 is a diagram showing a state in which the pitch conversion unit has moved to the evacuation position from the state shown in FIG. 9, the right connector holding unit and the stuffer have descended, and the stuffer and the left connector holding unit have risen.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of a wire harness.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional wire harness manufacturing apparatus, which is a diagram sequentially showing the operation thereof.

FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of another conventional wire harness manufacturing apparatus, and is a diagram showing one operation thereof.

14 is a schematic configuration diagram of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 13, and is a diagram showing one operation thereof.

FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 13, showing one of its operations.

16 is a schematic configuration diagram of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 13, and is a diagram showing one operation thereof.

FIG. 17 is a schematic configuration diagram of the wire harness manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 13, showing one operation thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Flat Cable 74 Connector 76 Length Measuring Clamp 78 Right Pitch Converter 80 Left Pitch Converter 82 Pullback Clamp 84 Right Connector Holder 86,90 Stuffer 88 Left Connector Holder 92 Slit Blade 94 Cutting Blade

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wire harness manufacturing apparatus in which a connector is connected to an end of a flat cable composed of a plurality of wires arranged in a line on a plane, and the flat cable is measured by holding the vicinity of the end of the flat cable. A length measuring clamp, a slit blade that forms a slit between the plurality of wires of the flat cable, and a pitch of the plurality of wires with the slit formed on both sides of the slit blade. Two pitch converting parts for converting, a cutting blade arranged between the two pitch converting parts for cutting the wires after the pitch conversion of the plurality of wires, and a connector at each end of the cut wires A wire harness manufacturing apparatus, comprising: