JPS61294715A - Automatic connector feeder for harness - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a wiring harness manufacturing device, and more specifically, it relates to a manufacturing device for a wiring harness, and more specifically, a device for manufacturing a wiring harness, in which one connector is connected to one end of the harness and a plurality of connectors are connected to the other end of the harness. The present invention relates to a harness manufacturing apparatus in which a harness is connected.

(Prior Art) Various methods and devices for manufacturing wiring harnesses in which a plurality of wire ends are connected to connectors have been proposed and put into practical use. For example, the applicant filed a patent application No. 59-13502.
No. 0 proposes an apparatus for manufacturing a harness by connecting a plurality of electric wires whose lengths are measured and sent out by a wire feeding roller to an electrical connector having a plurality of electric terminals held by an insulating housing. In this proposal, the wires and the electrical connector are connected by pressing each end of the wire into the wire receiving part of the electrical terminal at right angles to the central axis of the wire, and after the rough connection, the press-fitting height of the wire receiving part is to check whether the connection is good or bad.

The first example of a harness manufactured in this way is
1A and 11B. As a harness, as shown in FIG. 11A, this NI!
Connectors 1.1 each having the same number of electrical terminals as the wires are connected, or as shown in FIG. Some connectors are made by connecting a plurality of connectors 1a, 1b, lc, and 1d whose total number of electrical terminals is the same as the number of electric wires. In the case where only one type of connector is required at both ends as shown in Fig. 11A, the connector supply device in the harness manufacturing apparatus can be used to feed out this one type of connector one after another, but the one type shown in Fig. 11B is sufficient. In the case where one connector 1 is connected to one end and a plurality of connectors 1a to 1d are connected to the other end, it is necessary to sequentially send out the plurality of connectors 1a to 1d at the other end. Moreover, it may be required to manufacture a harness using different combinations of the plurality of connectors 1a to 1d depending on the use of the harness, etc., and this combination can be changed freely. It is preferable to

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is directed to the manufacture of a harness in which one connector is connected to one end of a plurality of electric wires, and a plurality of connectors are connected to the other end. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic connector supplying device that can automatically supply a plurality of connectors in a predetermined order when performing the following steps.

(Structure of the Invention) The automatic connector supply device of the present invention connects one end of a predetermined number of electric wires to each electric terminal of a connector having the same number of electric terminals as the electric wire, and connects the other end of this electric wire to the total number of electric terminals. In a device that manufactures a harness that is connected to each electrical terminal of a plurality of connectors whose number is the same as the number of electric wires, a large number of the above-mentioned plurality of connectors of each type are stored in a plurality of parts feeders, and from this parts feeder each The connectors are sequentially fed out one by one, each of the fed-out connectors is held in a plurality of connector holding parts provided in the connector holding means, and the connector holding means is moved by the moving means to sequentially move the connector holding parts into the connector feeding means. A plurality of connectors are arranged to face each other and sent out into a connector conveyance path in a predetermined order.

(Embodiments) Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an automatic connector supply device 10 according to the present invention. A large number of connectors are installed in the first parts feeder 11 and have the same number of electric terminals as the number of electric wires constituting the harness, and are connected to one end of the electric wires. The directions are aligned and fed into the linear feeder 11a. On the other hand, the connectors connected to the other end of the electric wire are four connectors 18 to 1 as shown in FIG. 11B.
d, each of the connectors 1a to 1d is placed in large numbers in the second to fifth parts feeders 12 to 15, respectively.
Each connector is aligned in its direction by vibration within the second to fifth parts feeders 12 to 15, and is aligned in each passage 12a to 1.
5a. The connectors in the passages 12a to 15a are inserted into the holding grooves of the connector holding means 20 one by one. Next, the moving means 40 is actuated to move the connector holding means 20 in the six directions of the arrows so that each connector placed in the holding groove faces the connector delivery means 60 one after another, and the connector delivery means 60 moves the connectors to a predetermined position. They are fed into the linear feeder 18 in this order (details will be described later).

The automatic connector feeding device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is integrated with the device shown in FIG. 2 to constitute a harness manufacturing device. It can be installed in the position shown in the figure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a device for automatically manufacturing a harness by connecting electric wires to a connector fed onto a linear feeder by an automatic connector feeding device 11'10. This device will be explained. Before proceeding, the connector used in this device will be explained. This connector has a plurality of electrical terminals 4.4.4 connected together by a carrier portion 3 as shown in FIG. 3A. . . 4 is inserted into the insulating housing 2. The insulating housing 2 has electrical terminals 4, 4 .・・・
- Each electronic terminal 4,4. ... 4 has only the tip inserted, and the wire receiving part 4
a is exposed. Note that the protrusion 2a on the lower surface of the insulating housing 2 is a locking mechanism for engaging a mating member when the connector 1 completed as a harness is engaged with a mating terminal. Further, a notch 6 for cutting the carrier part 3 is formed at a connecting part serving as a boundary line between the carrier part 3 and each electric terminal 4. Next, FIG. 4A shows the electric terminal 4 taken out, and the electric terminal 4 is press-fitted with an engaging part 4d that engages with a mating terminal when the connector is used, and a wire receiving part 4a into which an electric wire is press-fitted. The wire receiving part 4a is provided with slots 4b on both sides for making an electrical connection.A wire is connected to this electrical terminal 4. As shown in Figure 4B, the electrical terminal 4 is placed on the lower molds 6a and 6b that receive the electrical terminal 4, and the electrical wire 5 is inserted from above.
The end portion of the wire is press-fitted into the wire receiving portion 4a and the clip portion 4C by the rams 7a and γb in a direction perpendicular to the wire center axis.

As a result, the electric wire 5 is press-fitted into the electric wire receiving part 4a, and at the same time, the insulation coating 5a is torn in the slot 4b as shown in FIG. A connection is made. Moreover, the clip part 4C wraps around the electric wire 5 and holds it, and the 4th D
As shown in the figure, the electrical terminal 4 and the electric wire 5 are connected. A wire harness is constructed by connecting a plurality of electric wires to a connector having a plurality of electric terminals 4 arranged in parallel, and in the device shown in FIG.
It is possible to simultaneously connect connectors having a plurality of , and automatically manufacture a harness in which a plurality of electric wires of a predetermined length are connected between the connectors.

Next, referring back to FIG. M2, the outline of the harness manufacturing apparatus will be explained. Each connector sent via the linear feeder 12.18 is sent onto the connector holding stand 71, and then pushed out in the direction of arrow B by the bushing cylinder 71a, and transferred to the conveyance path where it is sent in the direction of arrow C by the feed rod 75b. Located in The feed rod 75b is the transfer cylinder 75
When the feed rod 75b moves reciprocally in the direction of arrow C due to the operation of the conveyance cylinder 75a, the claws of the feed rod 75b pull the connector, causing the connector to move in the direction of arrow C. transport. As a result, when the connector is fed to the wire connecting means 72, the pair of wire connecting means 72 press-fit and connect both ends of the electric wire of a predetermined length into the wire receiving portions of the respective electric terminals in the connector. This electric wire connection means 72 is a shuttle 72a.
In all cases, the electric wire is press-fitted by the vertical movement of the ram 72b. Note that the shuttle 72a connects the tip of the wire sent from the wire feeding means (not shown) located behind the wire connecting means 72 on the left side to the transmission connecting means 7 on the right side.
This is for sending to 2.

Thereafter, the connector into which the electric wire has been press-fitted is again conveyed by the feed rod 75b, and is sent to the connection inspection insertion means 73, where the press-fitting part check bin 73a checks whether or not there is a press-fitting defect in the electric wire press-fitting part, and the insertion cylinder 73b fully inserts the electrical terminal into the insulating housing. Next, the carrier portion is sent to the carrier portion cutting means 74 by the feed door 5b, the carrier portion is bent against the insulating housing, and the carrier portion is separated, completing the production of the harness by this apparatus.

The above is an outline of the harness manufacturing apparatus, and the automatic connector supply bag 910 (FIG. 1) of the present invention will be explained in detail below.

Figure 5 shows the connector automatic supply bag W110 shown in Figure 1.
FIG. Passages 12a to 1 from the second to fifth parts feeders 12 to 15 shown by imaginary lines
Each of the connectors 18 to 1d fed through connector 5a is placed into a holding groove of connector holding means 20, moved by moving means 40 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, and sequentially brought to face connector feeding means 60.

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the connector holding means 20t5 and the moving means 40, and FIG. 7 shows both means 20, 40 along the arrow V--V in this figure.

Hereinafter, the structure and operation of both means 20.40 will be explained using both figures.

The upper surface of the connector holding plate 21 includes passages 12a to 1.
Connector holding grooves 21a to 21d are formed facing the passages 5a and extending in the same direction as the passages 12a to 15a. Therefore, the connector 1 sent to the passages 128 to 15a
8 to 1d are connector holding grooves 21a to 21d, respectively.
Get into it. A cover plate 23 rotatable about a shaft 23a is placed on the upper surface of the two connector holding plates, and the cover plate 23 has a tip protruding into each of the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d. Four stopper bins 22a to 22d are attached. These stopper bins 22a to 22d are connected to the connector holding groove 21a.
It stops at the position where each connector 18-1d enters ~21d, and prevents this connector 18-1d from entering any further, and is attached to a predetermined position corresponding to the length of each connector 18-1d. It will be done. For this reason, a plurality of stopper bin mounting holes are formed on the cover plate 23 to accommodate connectors of various lengths.
The stopper bin can be inserted into a predetermined mounting hole according to the size of the connector to be used.

Each connector 18-1d has each connector holding groove 21a-21
Whether or not it is sent into the connector holding groove 218 to
Sensors 30a to 30 arranged opposite to the inlet of 21d
d for photoelectric detection.

On the other hand, the connector holding plate 21 is fixed to the end of the rod 25a of the plate support cylinder 25, and when the rod 25a expands and contracts up and down due to the operation of the plate support cylinder 25, the connector holding plate 21 is moved up and down. There is. 2 extending vertically on both sides of the rod 25a
The main rods 26, 26 (FIG. 7) are guide rods that guide the vertical movement of the connector holding plate 21. When the sensors 30a to 30d detect that the connectors 18 to 1d are sent into the connector holding grooves 21a to 2Id, respectively, the plate support cylinder 25 is activated.
Move the connector holding plate 21 down. When the connector holding plate 21 moves downward, the cover plate 23 receives a downward pulling force from the spring 24 and the shaft 2
The right end surface 23a rotates clockwise around 3a.
, which blocks the passages 12a to 15a. The structure and operation of the connector holding means 2° have been described above.

On the other hand, the plate support cylinder 25 is fixed to a movable plate 43, and as the movable plate 43 moves, the connector holding plate is also moved in the direction of the arrow. The moving means 40 for moving the moving plate 43 will be described below.

Note that FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the arrow vt-Vl, and the following description will be made with reference to FIG. 8 as well. The moving plate 43 bears 44a against two guide bars 44.45 which are attached at both ends to fixed support plates 41.42.

The guide bar 44 is slidably attached via the guide bar 45a.
, 45. This moving plate 4
The first to fourth cylinders 51 to 5 perform the sliding motion of 3.
4, the first and second cylinders 51, 52 are integrally molded in the same housing, with telescopic rods 51a, 52a protruding from both ends thereof, and the third and fourth cylinders 53, 54 are also integrally molded in the same housing. Extendable rods 53a and 54a protrude from both ends of the molded rod. The tip of the rod 51a of the first cylinder 51 is connected to the mounting bracket 42a of the fixed support plate 42, and the tip of the rod 52a of the second cylinder 52 is connected to the guide bar 42a.
4.45 and is connected to a connecting plate 4G that is slidable on the top. On the other hand, the tip of the rod 53a of the third cylinder 53 is also connected to the connecting plate 46, and the rod 53a of the fourth cylinder 54 is also connected to the connecting plate 46.
The tip of 4a is connected to a moving plate 43. 7th
The figure shows a state in which the first and second cylinders 51, 52 are extended and the third and fourth cylinders 53, 54 are contracted, and in this state, the moving plate 43 is in the most right-hand position. Next, when only the O-rad 51a of the first cylinder 51 is retracted, the movable plate 43 moves to the left by a predetermined amount together with the remaining cylinders 52 to 54, and when the rod 52a of the second cylinder 52 is roughly retracted, the movable plate 43 moves to the above position. A leftward movement is made by the same amount as the predetermined amount. Next, by sequentially extending the rod 53a of the third cylinder 53 and the rod 54a of the fourth cylinder 54, the moving plate 43 can be further moved to the left over two steps.

In this way, the moving plate 43 is controlled in four stages by controlling the operation of the first to fourth cylinders 51 to 54. Here, the amount of leftward movement for each stage is equal to the pitch of the connector holding grooves 218 to 21d of the connector holding plate 21, and
d are arranged to face the connector delivery means 60 in sequence.

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of this connector delivery means 60, and this connector delivery means 60 has a fixedly held board 61 and is slidable left and right (in the direction of the arrow) with respect to this board 61. The attached sliding plate 63, the delivery cylinder 62 fixed to the base plate 61 via the bracket 61a, and the first and second vertical movement cylinders fixed to the sliding plate 63 via the brackets 63a and 63b. It consists of cylinders 64 and 65. The telescopic rod 82a of the delivery cylinder 62 is connected to the sliding plate 63, so that the sliding plate 63 can be slid in the direction of the arrow in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the rod 62a. Also, the first
The telescopic rods 64a and 65a of the second vertically moving cylinders 64 and 65 have feed claws 66 at their ends, respectively.
67 is attached, and the feed pawls 613, 67 are adapted to move up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the rods 64a and 65a (in the direction of arrow E).

In the connector delivery means 60 having the above configuration, when the sliding plate 63 is slid in the direction indicated by the arrow, the feed claws 66 and 67 also move in the direction indicated by the arrow.
The linear feeder 18 is positioned on the movement line of the feeder 7. Further, when the connector holding plate 21 is moved in four stages by the moving means 40, the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d are successively positioned to face the linear feeder 18 at each stage. Therefore, at each stage of movement by the moving means 40, the delivery cylinder 62 is operated.
The downwardly moved feed claw 66 feeds the connectors 18 to 1d in the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d into the linear feeder 18. In this example, two vertically moving cylinders 64.65 are provided, and the connector is fed by two feeding claws 66.6γ, but this is to reduce the stroke of the feeding cylinder 62. , if this stroke can be increased, only one vertical cylinder is sufficient. By doing as described above, the movement of the connector holding plate 21 by the moving means 40 is controlled, and the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d are
The connectors 1a to 1d held in the connectors 1a to 1d can be delivered into the linear feeder 18 in any order.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a process in which a harness is manufactured by the harness manufacturing apparatus according to this example. The connectors 1a to 1d held in the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d of the connector holding plate 21 sequentially face the linear feeder 18 as the connector holding plate 21 is moved by the moving means 40. At this time, the feed claw 66 feeds each connector 18 to 1d from the connector holding grooves 21a to 21d to the linear feeder 18, and roughly feeds the connectors 18 to 1d to the linear feeder 18.
8 to the connector holding stand 71 in a predetermined order. On the other hand, from the linear feeder 11a facing this, the connector 1 is fed to the connector holding stand 71, and then to the wire connecting means 72, connection inspection/insertion means 73, and carrier section cutting means 14 shown in FIG. One connector 1 is connected to one end of a plurality of electric wires each having a predetermined length, and a plurality of connectors 18 to 1d are connected to the other end, thereby completing the manufacture of the harness.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the automatic feeding device of the present invention,
Each connector fed out from a plurality of parts feeders storing a plurality of connectors according to type is held in a connector holding part of a connector holding means, and the connector holding means is moved by a moving means to be held in the connector holding part. The connectors are arranged to face the connector delivery means in a predetermined order, and the connectors are delivered into the connector conveying path in the predetermined order. A harness connected to electric wires can be manufactured in this order. In addition, by controlling the movement of the connector holding means by the moving means,
By simply changing the order in which the connectors held in the connector holding part face the connector delivery means, the order in which the plurality of connectors are combined can be changed, and a harness having any combination of connectors can be manufactured.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an automatic connector supply device according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a device for manufacturing a harness by connecting electric wires to the connector supplied by the automatic connector supply device; The figure is a perspective view showing one example of a connector used in the device of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a sectional view of the connector taken along the arrow -H. Fig. 4A is a perspective view showing one of the electric terminals in the connector, Fig. 4B is a perspective view showing the operation of press-contacting the electric wire to the above-mentioned electric terminal, and Fig. 4C is a perspective view when the electric wire is press-connected to the above-mentioned electric terminal. 4D is a perspective view showing a state in which an electric wire is pressed into contact with an electric terminal, FIG. 5 is a side view showing the automatic connector supply device according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the connector holding means and moving means along the arrow v-v in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a side view showing the connector holding means and moving means of the device; A cross-sectional view of the connector holding means and moving means along Vl-Vl, FIG. 9 is a side view showing the connector delivery means of the apparatus of FIG. 5, and FIG. FIG. 11A and FIG. 113 are perspective views showing examples of harnesses made in this way. 1, la, lb, 1c, 1d...connector 5・if line 10...connector automatic supply device 11-15...parts feeder 11a, 18...linear feeder 20...connector holding means 21・... Connector holding plate 23 ... Cover plate 40 ... Moving means 43 ... Moving plate 44.45 ... Guide bar 46 ... Connection plate 60 ... Connector delivery means 63 ... Sliding Plate 66, 67...Feeding claw No. 1 Fig. O Fig. 3A/ Fig. 38 Fig. 6 Fig. V

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] One end of a predetermined number of electric wires each having a predetermined length is connected to each electric terminal of a connector having the same number of electric terminals as the electric wire, and the other end of the predetermined number of electric wires is connected to each electric terminal of a connector having the same number of electric terminals as the electric wire. In an apparatus for manufacturing a harness that is connected to each electrical terminal of a plurality of connectors whose total number is the same as the number of electric wires, a plurality of parts feeders that store a large number of the plurality of connectors by type and sequentially feed each one one by one. and a connector holding means having the same number of connector holding parts as the plurality of connectors in order to hold each connector sent out from the plurality of parts feeders one by one, and a connector holding means having the same number of connector holding parts as the plurality of connectors; a connector feeding means for feeding the connector held by the holding part into a connector conveying path; moving the connector holding means so as to make the connector holding part face the connector feeding means in a predetermined order; and sending out the plurality of connectors in a predetermined order. An automatic harness connector supply device comprising a moving means for feeding the connector into the connector conveyance path.