WO1997006497A1

WO1997006497A1 - Producing marker sleeves

Info

Publication number: WO1997006497A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001920
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Procter
Original assignee: Raychem Limited
Priority date: 1995-08-07
Filing date: 1996-08-07
Publication date: 1997-02-20
Also published as: AU6665596A; GB9516167D0

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sending sets of data arrays from central store to distributed printers at harness workstations for printing TMS Marker Sleeves on demand avoids need for organising sleeves on carrier. Printers may be hard wired to central computer or central computer may be downloaded into printers or portable media (discs, cartridges, etc.) for insertion into printers. The data store may be distributed at the workstation, e.g. bar codes on a wiring layout diagram, or such bar codes on a wiring diagram may be used to actuate the printers to select arrays of data from a set already loaded into the printer.

Description

Producing Marker Sleeves

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing marker sleeves for application to elongate conductors, which term includes electrical conductors, e.g. wires and cables, optical conductors, e.g. optical fibres and cables, and fluid conductors, e.g. pipes and hoses.

Such marker sleeves have been known for at least 20 years for purposes such as marking electrical wires onto which the sleeves are fitted by slipping them over the end of the wire and sliding along to the desired position on the wire. After such fitting, it is known to heat shrink the sleeves tightly onto the wire to retain them in place and to minimise the diameter of the marker. Arrangements for carrying the known sleeves through a typewriter or similar printing apparatus to type a line of the required indicia on each of the sleeves in turn are described, for example, in GB-A-1478336 (MP0164), commercially available under the trademark "RAYCHEM TMS System 90", EP-B- 0295918 (MP1204), commercially available under the trademark "RAYCHEM TMS System 6", and GB-B-2071010 (Johnstun). The printed sleeves may then be removed from the carrier in any order selected by the operator. Our co-pending British Patent Application No.9510820.5 (RK514) describes a revolutionary alternative approach in which the sleeves are printed first then subsequently organised on a suitable carrier for removal in any order determined by the operator.

The present invention retains the desirable flexibility of operator choice while making it possible, and preferable, to eliminate the need for any pre-organisation on a carrier, or even the need for any carrier at all.

The invention accordingly provides apparatus for providing indicia-bearing marker sleeves for elongate conductors, comprising, a) a store of pre-selected arrays of data constituting or corresponding to indicia, the arrays being arranged in a plurality of sets each containing a plurality of the said arrays, b) means for conveying any chosen one of the said sets of arrays into one or more printers located at or portable to one or more work stations where the sleeves are to be applied to the conductors, which printer(s) is or are capable of printing indicia corresponding to the said arrays on tubing suitable for forming the marker sleeves, and either

c) means for actuating the printer(s) at the work station(s) to print on the tubing (when present) indicia corresponding to any one of the said arrays chosen individually from a set so conveyed; Q∑

(d) means for actuating the printer(s) at the work station(s) to print on the tubing (when present) indicia corresponding to consecutive sequences of the said arrays as arranged in all or part of a set so conveyed.

This central allocation of data to sleeve printing at workstations has the advantage of great flexibility in operation, may reduce operator error and fatigue, and can be achieved using relatively inexpensive printers capable of receiving the chosen sets of data arrays from the store. In some circumstances, especially when the logic of the operator's sleeve installation sequence does not match d e logic of the stored data sequence of a set of arrays, it may be preferable for the operator to be able to select, by means (c) above, any individual array of data at his discretion from a set, so as to be able to print individual sleeves in any order determined by the operator. In other circumstances, especially when the logic of the operator's sleeve installation sequence is compatible with the logic of the stored data sequence in a set of arrays, it may be preferable for the operator merely to select, by means (d) above, which set or part of a set he wishes to print as a whole, thus producing all the sleeves in that set or part set in a predetermined sequence without further selection by the operator. Although paper or non-heat-shrinkable plastics tubing may be suitable for making the marker sleeves for some purposes, it is preferred that the sleeves are radially heat- shrinkable, preferably being composed of cross-linked plastics material. Suitable sleeves may be made, for example, from modified polyolefins, fluoropolymers, or ethylene/ vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA's). Heat-shrinkable tubing which has been expanded to about two or three times its original unexpanded diameter is preferred, and this may be flattened to substantially exclude air from its interior by applying heat and pressure in a nip-roll or flat ironing process which restrains the tubing from unacceptable shrinkage during the flattening operation. Flattened tubing of about 2 to 40 mm width has been found convenient for many purposes. Typical thicknesses of such flattened tubing are 0-2 - 0-8 mm (i.e. 2 x tube wall thickness of 0 1 - 0-4 mm).

The apparatus will preferably include means for successively cutting the sleeves from a longitudinally-fed plastics tube before, during, or preferably after, application of the indicia, although pre-cut sleeves on a suitable carrier, for example as described in our aforementioned EP-B-0295918 or in our aforementioned co-pending application, could be printed by the method and apparatus according to the present invention. Lines of perforation may be provided between adjacent sleeves to facilitate separation from a long length of tubing if desired.

Longitudinal feeding of a tube to the printers is much less complicated than the aforementioned arrangements for presenting cut lengths of sleeve one by one to a printer. Feeding the tube in a set flattened state so as to substantially exclude air from its interior tends to have the advantages of minimising the bulk of the tubing feed source (e.g. roll or fan-folded) at each printer, facilitating the actual marking process and improving the quality of the marked indicia, allowing greater speeds of feeding and marking; and of preventing unacceptable build-up of back-pressure as the tube is being fed to marking equipment which constricts or closes it, for example when at least the mark-applying part of the marking equipment has a tube-receiving clearance not more than 50% greater than, preferably as close as practicable to, double the average wall thickness of the tube. It will be understood that the phrase "to substantially exclude air" does not mean that absolutely all air must be excluded, but means mat as little air as possible will be present inside the flattened tube, which may, of course, allow for small entrapments of air due to surface irregularities or slight resilient separation of the tube walls. This will preferably involve exclusion of air from the whole length of tube that is being fed to the printing equipment, although progressive flattening of an initially open tube at some appropriate stage along the feed path to the marking equipment is not excluded (provided trapping of air is tolerable or avoidable), in which case the progressively-flattened tube may or may not be caused or allowed to regain its open configuration after printing.

The method by which the tube is flattened is not critical, suction of the air out of the tubing to cause it to collapse being one possibility. However, it is preferred that the tube is set in the flattened state by mechanical compression, preferably together with heating, prior to or during the feed step (a). It is generally preferred that the whole length of tube to be fed to the marking equipment will be set in the flattened state prior to the start of the feeding step (a). One method of providing the flattened tube comprises rolling the tube flat immediately after heat-expanding it to render it heat-shrinkable, the flattening rollers serving to seal the tube temporarily to retain the expansion pressure differential between its interior and exterior, immediately followed by cooling to set the expanded tube in the flattened state. A preferred method of flattening the tube involves passing it between heated metal belts which compress the mbe while frictionally holding it to avoid excessive transverse shrinkage, again followed by cooling. The cooling in either case may be assisted by passing the flattened mbe through further heat-absorbing (possibly chilled) rollers.

Various forms of marking equipment may be used as the printers in the present invention, but it is preferred to use thermal transfer printers, since this kind of printer has been found capable of delivering high quality printed sleeves at relatively high speeds, for example one 5 cm long sleeve per second. Thermal transfer printers are known p≤r ≤g and such printers can be obtained, for example, from A very GmbH. Suitable tube feeding and guiding mechanisms and sleeve cutting or perforating units can be provided with these printers in any convenient manner. Means for integrating the control of these mechanisms and units with that of the printer itself can readily be devised by persons familiar with this field of technology. Various forms of suitable thermal transfer printing ribbons are available for use with known thermal transfer printers and can be selected by simple trial and error to suit the material of the tubing to be marked and the intended end uses of the sleeves produced by such marking.

Small, hand-held printers, especially thermal transfer printers, are advantageous for the present invention and may be obtained from Dymo Corporation and adapted to suit the present purposes, for example by adding means for receiving the data, perforating or cutting the tubing after printing of each sleeve, or opening each finished sleeve ready for insertion of an object which is to carry the sleeve in use.

It will be appreciated that central allocation of data to sleeve printing at workstations becomes more attractive as the number of data arrays and/or the number of sets of such arrays increases. The invention may be especially useful in production conditions where a number of different arrangements of the elongate conductors, for example different types of electrical wiring harness for automotive or other vehicles, are to be marked with the marker sleeves at different times. The store of pre-selected arrays of data is centrally controllable, which tends to reduce or eliminate operator error which could occur if the necessary indica for each sleeve were keyed into the printers by operators at the work stations. The data store may be physically centrallised, for example in a central computer database, or may be distributed as appropriate amongst the various work stations.

One possibility is that the said arrays of data constitute contact typeface indicia for use in the said printers which are contact printers, and the arrays in any one of the said sets are physically connected together on a portable article. It will be understood that "contact typeface" indicia may be metal or plastics type or any similar means for impact printing, for example by impact of the type characters on a suitable typewriter ink ribbon. In many cases, it could be convenient if the said sets are respectively carried on separate said portable articles (preferably print rollers or print wheels) which are interchangeable in the said printer(s) and each said article is movable when installed in the printers(s) to select and print any one of the arrays it carries.

Another possibility is that the said arrays of data are in the form of optically- scannable codes, preferably bar codes, on an optically-scannable medium, and the printer(s) has (have) means for scanning the codes to cause the printer(s) to print corresponding arrays of indicia. Optically-scannable bar codes are very well known and are preferred, but other forms of code such as numbers and/or colours could be used if desired. Preferably, the said optically-scannable medium in operation is substantially at or portable to the said workstation(s). The optically-scannable medium could for example be in the form of sheets or books carrying the codes, which are distributed from a central point or may be more-or-less permanently located at the workstations for the operators to select the appropriate sets for the job in hand. It may be especially useful if the said scannable medium is a conductor-layout diagram, preferably carrying appropriate codes at positions on the diagram corresponding to those on the conductor at which the sleeves are to be printed and/or installed with correspondingly appropriate indicia. Relatively small wiring diagrams and the like could be provided in book or loose leaf form. For large conductor layouts, it may be particularly advantageous for the layout diagram to be mounted on a wall or better still on the layout board on which the conductors will be physically arranged with the set of data arrays represented by the bar codes or other codes arranged on the diagram to put the relevant codes at each printing and/or installing location or work station. Hand-held printers will be more readily portable to carry out the printing operations at various marker sleeve installation points, whereas larger, less readily portable printers may be placed so as to miriimise the aggregate distance travelled by all the sleeves from the printer to their respective points of installation.

In many cases it will be preferred that the said arrays of data are stored in digital form and means are provided for selecting at random arrays to form the sets to be conveyed to the said printer(s). In other cases it may be convenient that the sets are pre- arranged and means are provided for selecting whole sets for conveying to the printer(s). For example, pre-arranged sets of the data arrays may be installed in a computer or on a portable medium such as a floppy disk, CD ROM, or the like. Alternatively, the aforementioned means for selecting individual arrays to form sets for conveying to the printer(s) will allow for greater freedom in composing the sets to suit changing production requirements, but may increase the risk of error. In either case the selected or newly-composed sets may be transmitted directly to the printers or optionally down¬ loaded onto portable media for conveyance to the printers as hereinafter described. Thus, it may often be desirable that each set is provided in one or more portable electronically -readable articles, preferably in microchip, cartridge, magnetic disc, or CD ROM form, and the printer(s) has (have) means for reading such articles. Many forms of such electronically-readable articles are well known.

Turning now to the means (b) for conveying the chosen sets of data arrays to the printers, this may be in any form appropriate to the form of central or distributed data storage. Where the aforementioned arrays of typeface indicia are used, it may be desirable that the means (b) for conveying a chosen set of data arrays into the printer(s) comprises the said portable article itself having the chosen set of arrays, which article is brought to and installed in the printer(s). When the aforementioned optically-scannable codes are used, it may be desirable that the means (b) for conveying a chosen set of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise the said scannable (preferably substantially flat) medium carrying the codes and scanning means attached to the printer(s) for reading the codes to generate corresponding arrays of data in the printer(s) at the workstation(s). The invention includes apparams wherein the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise electrical or optical conductors or conductor-less transmission paths connecting the said store to the printer(s) at the said workstation(s) which are remote from the store. However, it will in many cases be preferable that the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise means for down-loading the selected sets from the store to the printer(s) at a store down-loading o

point remote from the said workstation(s) to which down-loading point the printer(s) is (are) portable. The concept of down- loading may also be advantageously used when the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise electronically- readable portable articles (preferably as specified in claim 10), means for down-loading the selected sets from the store into the said articles at a down-loading point remote from the said printer(s) and workstation(s), and means for receiving the said articles and reading the data from them into the printer(s).

The means (c) for actuating the printers may be of any form which will enable the operator to select and print a chosen array with acceptable, preferably minimal, risk of error. For example, the actuating means may be such that any one of the said arrays can be chosen for printing by not more than 5, preferably not more than 4, more preferably not more than 3, key strokes on a keyboard connected with the relevant printer. It may be preferable that the means (c) for actuating the printer(s) comprise optically-scannable codes, preferably bar codes, on an optically-scannable medium, and means associated with the individual printer(s) for scanning the codes at the said workstation(s) to determine which array of a set of the said arrays stored in the printer is to be printed. While the codes themselves used for this purpose may be of forms similar to those hereinbefore described, it will be appreciated that this use of the codes to tell the printer which array of data to print from a set of arrays stored in the printer is different from the above concept where the codes themselves generate the output array of printed indicia without storage of the set arrays in the printer.

The apparams will preferably include means for severing each sleeve from the mbe of feed stock after printing, or for perforating the tubing to facilitate subsequent separation of the printed sleeves. However, printing on pre-severed sleeves on a suitable carrier may be preferred in some cases, with appropriate means for separating the sleeves from the carrier, for example as described in our co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/GB96/01145 (RK514COM). Means may also be associated with the printer for opening the sleeves to receive the conductors onto which they are to be fitted, for example as also described in that copending application.

The invention also provides a method of applying indicia-bearing marker sleeves to elongate conductors, comprising the steps of

(i) providing a store of the pre-selected arrays of indicia arranged in a plurality of sets each containing a plurality of the said arrays,

(ii) conveying any chosen one of the said sets of arrays to one or more printers located at or portable to one or more workstations where the sleeves are to be applied to the conductors in use, which printer(s) is (are) capable of printing indicia on tubing capable of forming the marker sleeves,

(iii) supplying the said tubing to the said printer(s),

(iv) actuating the printer(s) at the workstation(s) to print on the tubing any one of the said arrays chosen from a set of arrays so conveyed, and

(v) removing the printed sleeves from the said printer(s) and applying them to the conductors at the said workstation(s).

It will be understood that any of the steps (i), (ii) and (iv) may conveniently, and preferably, be effected by means of the apparams and/or memods hereinbefore specified.

By way of example only, embodiments of the present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying block diagrams and schematic drawings, wherein :-

Figure 1 illustrates some of the logic possibilities hereinbefore mentioned;

Figure 2 shows schematically an electrical wiring harness diagram with associated bar codes for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned; and

Figure 3 shows schematically a possible arrangement of a printer suitable for the present purposes.

Referring to Figure 1, Fig.l A illustrates the principle of having all the data arrays stored in a central computer and conveyed to the printers P at the work stations by permanent wires or optical fibres. In this case, the operator would merely indicate, for example by keying in a number, the array or set which he wished to print, and the necessary printing data would be transferred from the computer to the printer at the time of each such indication.

Figure IB illustrates the alternative logic of taking a portable printer to a computer down-loading station where the data for one or more sets of arrays can be loaded into the printer, which is then taken back to the work station for printeing of selected arrays or sets from the down-loaded data in the printer, without further control from the central computer.

Figure IC illustrates the case where all of the data for each array to be printed on each individual sleeve is contained in a bar code B positioned at the appropriate position for the sleeve in question on a harness wiring diagram provided at the workstation. The relevant bar code for each sleeve printing operation is scanned by scanning means S attached to the printer P,. which contains only the logic necessary to read the bar codes and print what they say on the sleeve. One bar code B' is shown enlarged for greater clarity.

Figure ID illustrates the possibility of bar codes B indicating only which set of data arrays is relevant for each group of wire ends on the wiring diagram at the workstation. Scanning of these bar codes by scanning means S tells the printer to print all of the selected set of arrays, thus producing all of the sleeves needed for the group of wire ends in question. The data for these sets of arrays is indicated as coming from a central computer by permanent conductors similar to those illustrated by Fig.l A or by downloading into portable printers as indicated in Fig. IB.

The portable printers indicated in Figs. IB and ID could alternatively be cassettes or discs for carrying the downloaded data into suitable insertion points in printers semi¬ permanently located at the workstations. Figure 2 shows an enlarged version of a wiring diagram with bar codes similar to those illustrated by Fig.lC and ID, the meaning which the bar codes convey to the printers being indicated in words. Three groups of wiring ends have bar codes illustrating the principle of selecting the whole of the relevant set of data arrays, the codes telling the printers to print Set 1, Set 2, or Set 3 as a whole. The other two groups of wiring ends have a separate bar code for each wire, thus telling the printers to print Wire A of Set 4, Wire B of Set 4, Wire C of Set 4, or similarly for Set 5, as selected by the operator.

Figure 3 shows schematically the important components of an example thermal transfer printer for the present purposes, having a supply roll of the flattened tubing T feeding together with a thermal transfer print ribbon from roll R thereof to a thermal transfer print head P controlled by suitable logic to print as directed by bar codes scanned by scanning means S. The print ribbon then proceeds to take-up roll R' while the printed mbe proceeds through feed rolls F to cutting or perforating station C, from which the individual sleeves SLV proceed through holding means H to opening means O which opens the end of each sleeve ready to receive a wire end.

The scanning means in all cases may be of any convenient design, for example the well-known hand-held scanning "pens" used for reading bar codes in computer training manuals. S

Claims

Ciaims

1. Apparams for providing indicia-bearing marker sleeves for elongate conductors, comprising, a) a store of pre-selected arrays of data constituting or corresponding to indicia, the arrays being arranged in a plurality of sets each containing a plurality of the said arrays,

b) means for conveying any chosen one of the said sets of arrays into one or more printers located at or portable to one or more work stations where the sleeves are to be applied to the conductors, which printer(s) is (are) capable of printing indicia corresponding to the said arrays on tubing suitable for forming the marker sleeves, and sleeves, and either

c) means for actuating the printer(s) at the work station(s) to print on the tubing (when present) indicia corresponding to any one of the said arrays chosen individually from a set so conveyed; or

2. Apparams according to claim 1, wherein the said arrays of data constimte contact typeface indicia for use in the said printers which are contact printers, and the arrays in any one of the said sets are physically connected together on a portable article.

3. Apparams according to claim 2, wherein the said sets are respectively carried on single said portable articles (preferably print rolls or print wheels) which are interchangeable in the said printer(s) and each said article is movable when installed in the printers(s) to select and print any one of the arrays it carries.

4. Apparams according to claim 1 , wherein the said arrays of data are in the form of optically-scannable codes, preferably bar codes, on an optically-scannable medium, and the printer(s) has (have) means for scanning the codes to cause the printer(s) to print corresponding arrays of indicia.

5. Apparams according to claim 4, wherein the said optically-scannable medium in operation is substantially at or portable to the said workstation(s).

6. Apparams according to claim 5, wherein the said scannable medium is a conductor-layout diagram, preferably carrying appropriate codes at positions on the diagram corresponding to those on the conductors at which the sleeves are to be printed with correspondingly appropriate indicia and/or installed.

7. Apparams according to claim 1, wherein the said arrays of data are stored in digital form and means are provided for selecting sets of the arrays to be conveyed to the said printer(s).

8. Apparams according to claim 7, wherein the sets are pre-arranged and means are provided for selecting whole sets for conveying to the printer(s).

9. Apparams according to claim 7, wherein means are provided for selecting individual arrays to form sets for conveying to the printer(s).

10. Apparams according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each set is provided in one or more portable electronically -readable articles, preferably in microchip, cartridge, magnetic disc, or CD form, and the printer(s) has (have) means for reading such articles.

11. A method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the means (b) for conveying a chosen set of data arrays into the printer(s) comprises the said portable article itself, whereby the said article having the chosen set of arrays is brought to and installed in the printer(s).

12. Apparams according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the means (b) for conveying a chosen set of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise the said scannable (preferably substantially flat) medium carrying the codes and scanning means attached to the printer(s) for reading the codes to generate corresponding arrays of data in the printer(s) at the workstation(s).

13. Apparams according to claim 1 or any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise electrical or optical conductors or conductor-less transmission paths connecting the said store to the printer (s) at the said workstation(s) which are remote from the store.

14. Apparams according to claim 1 or any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise means for downloading the selected sets from the store to the printer(s) at a store down¬ loading point remote from the said workstation(s) to which down-loading point the printer(s) is (are) portable.

15. Apparams according to claim 1 or any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the said data arrays are stored in electrically- or optically-transmissible form and the means (b) for conveying the said sets of data arrays into the printer(s) comprise electronically-readable portable articles (preferably as specified in claim 10), means for down-loading the selected sets from the store into the said articles at a down¬ loading point remote from the said printer(s) and workstation(s), and means for receiving and reading from the said articles into the printer(s).

16. Apparams according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the means (c) for acmating the printer(s) is such that any one of the said arrays or any set or part-set thereof can be chosen for printing by not more than 5, preferably not more than 4, more preferably not more than 3, keystrokes on a keyboard connected with the relevant printer.

17. Apparams according to any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the means (c) for acmating the printer(s) comprise optically-scannable codes, preferably bar codes, on an optically-scannable medium, and means associated with the individual printer(s) for scanning the codes of the said workstation(s) to determine which array or set or part-set of the said arrays stored in the printer is to be printed.

18. A method of applying indicia-bearing marker sleeves to elongate conductors, comprising the steps of

(i) providing a store of the pre-selected arrays of indicia arranged in a plurality of sets each containing a plurality of the said arrays, (ii) conveying any chosen one of the said sets of arrays to one or more printers located at or portable to one or more workstations where the sleeves are to be applied to the conductors in use, which printer(s) is (are) capable of printing indicia on mbing capable of forming the marker sleeves, (iii) supplying the said mbing to the said printer(s), (iv) acmating the printer(s) at the workstation(s) to print on the mbing either any one of the said arrays chosen from a set of arrays so conveyed, ojiconsecutive sequences of the said arrays as arranged in all or part of a set so conveyed and (v) removing the printed sleeves from the said printer(s) and applying them to the conductors at the said workstation(s).

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein any of the steps (i), (ii) and (iv) are effected by means specified in any of claims 1 to 17.