WO2007013243A1

WO2007013243A1 - Watertight seal installation device

Info

Publication number: WO2007013243A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/312480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shigeru Sakaue
Original assignee: Shinmaywa Industries, Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-07-29
Filing date: 2006-06-22
Publication date: 2007-02-01
Also published as: JP4889257B2; JP2007035523A

Abstract

An insertion path (23a) for conveying a watertight seal (20) from a parts feeder to a seal holder (31a) is formed in a seal introduction unit (11a), and a stop cylinder (36) is provided outside the insertion path (23a). The stop cylinder (36) has a cylinder pin (37) projecting into the insertion path (23a) to cause the watertight seal (20) to temporarily wait in the insertion path (23a). Between a process for installing the watertight seal (20) received in a seal holder (31a) on an electric wire and other processes, the next watertight seal (20) is made to wait in the insertion path (23a).

Description

Specification

Waterproof seal mounting device

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterproof seal mounting device for mounting a waterproof seal on a terminal portion of an electric wire.

Background art

Conventionally, electric wires with terminals crimped at one or both ends have been used in various applications including automobile wiring. Usually, this type of electric wire is composed of a core wire made of a conductive material and an insulating cover covering the core wire, and its end portion is automatically processed by a so-called electric wire processing apparatus. The electric wire processing apparatus exposes the core wire by peeling off the insulating cover at the end of the electric wire, and crimps the terminal to the exposed core wire. The electric wire with the terminal crimped in this way is connected to the connector via the terminal when used.

[0003] By the way, depending on the usage environment and the like of the electric wire, moisture may adhere to the electric wire, and the moisture may enter the terminal or the connector through the electric wire. In such a case, electric leakage may occur. Therefore, a tube-shaped waterproof seal made of rubber and the like is attached in advance to the base portion of the terminal of the electric wire that may be used in an environment where moisture adheres. As a result, even if moisture moves to the terminal side through the electric wire, the moisture is blocked by the waterproof seal and prevented from entering the terminal or connector.

[0004] Therefore, conventionally, a device for attaching a waterproof seal to the end portion of an electric wire, that is, a waterproof seal attaching device has been added to the electric wire processing device (for example, see Patent Document 1).

As shown in FIG. 14, waterproof seal mounting apparatus 100 disclosed in Patent Document 1 temporarily stores a waterproof seal (not shown) conveyed from parts feeder 110 in receiving member 102, By inserting the electric wire W into the receiving member 102 from the outside (left side in FIG. 14), a waterproof seal is fitted into the terminal portion of the electric wire W.

[0006] Specifically, the waterproof seal mounting device 100 sequentially carries the waterproof seal by compressed air. A parts feeder 110 for feeding, a supply passage forming member 101 for forming a supply passage 104 for the waterproof seal, and a receiving member 102 for receiving the waterproof seal conveyed through the supply passage 104 are provided. The receiving member 102 includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The receiving member 102 has a recess 102a into which a waterproof seal is fitted. One end of a supply pipe 105 is connected to the upstream end of the supply passage 104, and the other end of the supply pipe 105 is connected to a parts feeder 110. Reference numeral 106 denotes a rod-like fixing member that pushes the waterproof seal into the recess 102a of the receiving member 102. The fixing member 106 is driven in the left-right direction in the figure by an air cylinder 107.

When the parts feeder 110 is actuated, the waterproof seal rides on the flow of compressed air, passes through the supply pipe 105 and the supply passage 104, and reaches the recess 102a of the receiving member 102 (waterproof seal transport process). Thereafter, the fixing member 106 is slid to the receiving member 102 (the left direction in FIG. 14) by the air cylinder 107, and the waterproof seal is pushed into the recess 102a. As a result, the waterproof seal is accommodated in the receiving member 102 (waterproof seal accommodation step). Subsequently, the electric wire W is inserted into the receiving member 102 from the outside (left side in FIG. 14), and the electric wire W penetrates the water-proof seal in the recess 102a. As a result, the waterproof seal is fitted into the electric wire W (waterproof seal penetration process). After the waterproof seal is fitted to the electric wire W, the upper and lower receiving members 102 are separated upward and downward, and the electric wire W is pulled in a direction away from the receiving member 102 (left direction in FIG. 14) (electric wire W Separation process). This completes the installation of the waterproof seal.

[0008] Thereafter, the electric wire W is transported to another location. Then, as described above, the insulating cover of the terminal portion of the electric wire W (the terminal portion on the tip side of the waterproof seal) is peeled off, and the terminal is crimped to the exposed portion of the core wire of the terminal portion.

[0009] The waterproof seal mounting device is a device that sequentially mounts the waterproof seal on a large number of electric wires W. For this reason, the above-described waterproof seal mounting operation is repeated. That is, the conveyance process, the accommodation process, the insertion process, and the separation process described above form one cycle, and the waterproof seal mounting device repeatedly executes the above cycle.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-227863

Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention [0010] By the way, in order to improve the working efficiency of the waterproof seal mounting device, it is necessary to shorten the time required for the cycle. However, since the waterproof seal mounting apparatus 100 transports the waterproof seal with compressed air through the supply pipe 105 and the supply passage 104, a certain amount of time is required in the transport process. As a result, the transport process takes longer time than other processes, and it is difficult to shorten it. This was also an adverse effect in shortening the time required for the entire process of wire terminal processing.

[0011] In addition, since the waterproof seal is transported on the flow of compressed air, there are cases where the time required for transporting the waterproof seal is not necessarily constant and the transport time varies. Therefore, in order to smoothly link with other processes, it was necessary to estimate the required time for the transfer process and set it with a margin. Such point power also made it difficult to shorten the transport process.

[0012] Further, depending on the type of parts feeder 110, there is a type in which a plurality of waterproof seals are vibrated and aligned, and the aligned waterproof seals are sequentially supplied. When such a parts feeder 110 is used, the parts feeder 110 is not affected by the mechanical vibration of other members of the waterproof seal attaching device 100 (for example, the receiving member 102, the air cylinder 107, etc.). It is necessary to install in a place away from the member. Conversely, in order for the parts feeder 110 to prevent other members from being affected by vibrations, it is necessary to install the parts feeder 110 at a location away from the other members. For this reason, there is a limit to the shortening of the transport path (supply pipe 105 and supply path 104) of the waterproof seal. Therefore, a new technique for shortening the transport process by a method other than shortening the transport path has been desired.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the problem, and the object of the present invention is to shorten the time required for one cycle of the waterproof seal mounting device and to perform the waterproof seal mounting operation. The goal is to improve efficiency. In addition, it aims to shorten the overall time required for wire terminal processing by improving the efficiency of attaching waterproof seals.

Means for solving the problem

[0014] A waterproof seal mounting device according to the present invention includes a seal supply source that sequentially supplies a substantially cylindrical waterproof seal, and a seal transport that transports the waterproof seal supplied from the seal supply source cover. A seal support member having a path, a standby mechanism for temporarily waiting the waterproof seal in the seal conveyance path, an accommodating portion for accommodating the waterproof seal conveyed through the seal conveyance path, and the seal A mounting mechanism for attaching the waterproof seal to the electric wire by inserting the electric wire into the waterproof seal supported by the support member, and the waterproof seal is received in the receiving portion of the seal support member. Until the next waterproof seal supplied by the seal supply source is accommodated in the accommodating portion, the standby mechanism waits for the next waterproof seal in the seal conveyance path.

[0015] According to the waterproof seal mounting device, the seal supply member force is maintained between the time when the seal support member supports the waterproof seal and before the start of the support of the next waterproof seal supplied by the seal supply source. The waterproof seal is supplied, and this waterproof seal stands by in the seal conveyance path. Therefore, a part of the transport process of the waterproof seal (that is, the process until the waterproof seal reaches the standby position from the seal supply source) proceeds in parallel with other processes. In the next cycle of attaching the waterproof seal, the waterproof seal is apparently transported from the middle part (= standby position) of the seal transport path rather than being transported from the seal supply source. Will be. Therefore, the transport path of the waterproof seal for each cycle is substantially shortened compared to the conventional technology for transporting the waterproof seal from the seal supply source for each cycle, and the transport process can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of attaching the waterproof seal.

[0016] Preferably, the standby mechanism makes the waterproof seal stand by in the vicinity of the downstream end portion of the seal conveyance path.

[0017] Thereby, the transport process of the waterproof seal can be further shortened, and the efficiency of attaching the waterproof seal can be further improved.

[0018] The standby mechanism may include a closing member that temporarily closes part or all of the flow path cross section of the seal conveyance path.

[0019] Thus, when the blocking member temporarily blocks part or all of the cross section of the seal conveyance path, the waterproof seal cannot pass through the seal conveyance path and temporarily stands by in the seal conveyance path. It will be. Therefore, the standby mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration. [0020] The waterproof seal mounting device includes a conveyance path forming member that defines at least a part of the seal conveyance path and is formed with a hole that opens in a direction intersecting a flow path direction of the seal conveyance path. The standby mechanism may include a stagger that protrudes and retracts from the hole into the seal conveyance path.

[0021] Thus, when the strobe protrudes into the hole-force seal conveyance path, the waterproof seal is blocked by the strobe and waits in the seal conveyance path. On the other hand, when the stopper is immersed in the hole, the waterproof seal again proceeds in the seal conveyance path. As described above, the waterproof seal can be temporarily kept in the seal conveyance path only by letting the stopper come in and out of the hole. Therefore, the standby mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0022] The standby mechanism may include a channel cross-sectional area variable mechanism that temporarily reduces a channel cross-sectional area of the seal conveyance path.

[0023] Thus, when the flow path cross-sectional area variable mechanism temporarily reduces the flow path cross-sectional area of the seal conveyance path, the waterproof seal cannot pass through the seal conveyance path, and temporarily enters the seal conveyance path. I will wait. Therefore, the standby mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0024] The standby mechanism may include a movable wall that partitions a part of the seal conveyance path and is movable inward.

Thus, when the movable wall is moved inward, the flow path cross-sectional area of the seal conveyance path is temporarily reduced, and the progress of the waterproof seal is temporarily blocked by the movable wall. Therefore, the standby mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0026] The standby mechanism may include a lid member that opens and closes a downstream opening of the seal conveyance path.

Thus, when the downstream opening of the seal conveyance path is covered with the lid member, the waterproof seal is retained in the seal conveyance path by the lid member. Therefore, the standby mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0028] It is preferable that the waterproof seal mounting device includes a pushing device that pushes the waterproof seal into the housing portion of the seal support member. [0029] According to the waterproof seal mounting device, the waterproof seal after standby is pushed into the housing portion of the seal support member by the pushing device. Therefore, the waterproof seal can be reliably accommodated in the accommodating portion.

[0030] The pushing device drives the pushing member so that the pushing surface has a contact surface that contacts the waterproof seal, and the contact surface moves from the upstream side to the downstream side in the seal conveyance path. U, preferably with a drive mechanism.

Thus, the waterproof seal is mechanically pushed by the pushing member. Therefore, the waterproof seal can be securely accommodated by the accommodating portion.

The invention's effect

[0032] As described above, according to the present invention, part of the waterproof seal transport process can be performed in parallel with other processes, and apparently shortens the transport time of the waterproof seal in one cycle. be able to. Therefore, the required time per cycle of the waterproof seal mounting device can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of attaching the waterproof seal. In addition, since the installation work of the waterproof seal can be made efficient, it is possible to shorten the time required for the entire wire processing.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an electric wire processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the waterproof seal mounting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the waterproof seal mounting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the waterproof seal mounting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the seal introduction unit.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the Honoreda unit.

[FIG. 7] (a) is a timing chart showing each process of the wire end processing, and (b) and (c) are timing charts showing each process of the seal mounting process.

[FIG. 8] (a) and (b) are diagrams illustrating the push-in operation of the waterproof seal in the waterproof seal mounting device according to the modification.

[FIG. 9] (a), (b), and (c) are diagrams illustrating the push-in operation of the waterproof seal in the waterproof seal mounting device according to the modification. [FIG. 10] (a) and (b) are diagrams illustrating the push-in operation of the waterproof seal in the waterproof seal mounting device according to the modification.

圆 l l] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a mechanism for waiting for a waterproof seal in a waterproof seal mounting apparatus according to a modification.

12] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a mechanism for waiting for a waterproof seal in a waterproof seal mounting apparatus according to a modification.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of an electric wire processing apparatus according to a modification.

14] A side view of a conventional waterproof seal mounting device.

Explanation of symbols

1 Wire processing equipment

5F parts feeder (seal supply source)

6F waterproof seal mounting device

11a Seal introduction unit

12 Honoreda Unit

20 Waterproof seal

23a Insertion path (seal transfer path)

24a Supply path (seal transfer path)

25a Transfer tube (seal transfer path)

26 cylinder (push-in device)

28 Cylinder head (push-in member)

31a Seal holder (seal support member)

33a Concave part (receiving part)

36 cylinders (standby mechanism)

37 Cylinder pin (stopper)

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of a waterproof seal mounting device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The waterproof seal mounting device according to the present embodiment is mounted on the wire processing device 1 shown in FIG. Waterproof seal mounting devices 6F and 6R. In the following description, the overall configuration and operation of the wire processing device 1 will be described first, and then the waterproof seal mounting devices 6F and 6R will be described. In the following description, the up, down, left, and right directions shown in FIG. 1 are referred to as the right, left, back, and front directions, respectively.

[0037] The electric wire processing apparatus 1 cuts a long electric wire W and attaches a waterproof seal 20 (see FIG. 5 (a)) and terminals to the front end portion and the rear end portion of the electric wire W after cutting. The wire processing device 1 includes a cutter unit 3 for cutting the wire W, a length measuring unit 2 for measuring the length of the wire W, a front processing unit 9F for processing the front end portion of the wire W after being cut, and the wire W A rear side processing unit 9R for processing the rear end of the rear side and a controller 50 are provided.

[0038] The front processing unit 9F and the rear processing unit 9R have substantially the same configuration. Specifically, the front processing unit 9F is equipped with a clamp 4F that sandwiches and holds the wire W, a parts feeder 5F that sequentially transports the waterproof seal 20 by compressed air, and a waterproof seal that attaches the waterproof seal 20 to the wire W. It comprises a device 6F, a terminal crimping unit 7F for crimping a terminal to the electric wire W, and a moving device 8F for moving the electric wire W by sliding left and right. The parts feeder 5F and the waterproof seal mounting device 6F are connected by a transfer tube 25a. The rear processing unit 9R also includes a clamp 4R, a parts feeder 5R, a waterproof seal mounting device 6R, a terminal crimping unit 7R, and a moving device 8R. The parts feeder 5R and the waterproof seal mounting device 6R are connected by a transfer tube 25a.

Next, the operation of the wire processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 (a). The following operations are all performed based on the control of the controller 50.

[0040] First, a predetermined amount of the electric wire W is sent out from the front side to the rear side (in the direction of the arrow X) along the electric wire feeding line L (feeding step Pl). The electric wire W is composed of a core wire made of a conductive material such as metal and a covering cover made of an insulating material (for example, vinyl) covering the outside of the core wire. The predetermined amount is set in advance based on the standard of the electric wire W and is detected by the length measuring unit 2. The controller 50 stops the delivery of the wire W when the delivery amount of the wire W reaches the predetermined amount. The fed wire W is gripped by the clamp 4F and the clamp 4R and cut by the cutter unit 3 (cutting process P2).

[0041] The front processing unit 9F and the rear processing unit 9R perform substantially the same processing. First, the front side The processing by the processing unit 9F will be described.

[0042] First, the moving device 8F transports the electric wire W in the left direction to the position A where the tip end of the electric wire W faces the waterproof seal mounting device 6F (moving step P3). Note that symbol Y in FIG. 1 indicates the conveyance direction of the electric wire W. Next, the waterproof seal 20 is attached to the front end of the electric wire W by the waterproof seal attaching device 6F (seal attaching process P4). Since the terminal is crimped to the tip of the electric wire W in a later step, the waterproof seal 20 is attached at a position away from the tip of the electric wire W. The detailed operation of the waterproof sticker 6F will be described later.

Next, the electric wire W is returned by the moving device 8F to the position L (electric wire supply line L) where the front end portion thereof faces the cutter unit 3 (moving step P5). In the cutter unit 3, the covering cover on the tip side of the waterproof seal 20 of the electric wire W is peeled off (cover peeling step P6). Thereby, the front-end part of the electric wire W will be in the state which the core wire part exposed.

[0044] After that, the moving device 8F transports the electric wire W to the position B where the front end portion faces the terminal crimping unit 7F (moving step P7). In the terminal crimping unit 7F, the terminal is crimped to the front end of the electric wire W (more specifically, the front side of the waterproof seal 20) (terminal crimping process P8).

[0045] Subsequently, the moving device 8F returns the electric wire W to the position L where the front end portion faces the cutter unit 3 (moving step P9).

[0046] The above is the terminal processing on the front side of the electric wire W. The wire W that has been subjected to the end treatment on the front side is continuously fed back along the wire feed line L by a predetermined amount and is gripped by the clamp 4R.

. Then, the rear side of the electric wire W is cut by the cutting operation by the cutter unit 3 described above.

[0047] The terminal processing is performed on the rear end portion of the cut electric wire W in the same manner as the above-described front terminal processing. Specifically, after the waterproof seal 20 is attached to the rear end portion of the electric wire W by the rear processing unit 9R, the covering cover at the rear end portion of the electric wire W is peeled off, and the core wire of the rear end portion is removed. The terminal is crimped. The processing of the rear processing unit 9R is performed in parallel with the processing of the front processing unit 9F.

[0048] As described above, an electric wire having waterproof seals 20 and terminals attached to both ends is produced. The Thereafter, the electric wire is collected in a predetermined electric wire discharge portion by an unillustrated discharge means.

[0049] The operation of the electric wire processing apparatus 1 is repeatedly executed. As a result, electric wires W having waterproof seals attached to both ends and terminals crimped are sequentially manufactured.

[0050] Next, the waterproof seal attachment devices 6F and 6R will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 2 to 7 (c). The waterproof seal mounting device 6F of the front processing unit 9F and the waterproof seal mounting device 6R of the rear processing unit 9R have the same configuration. Therefore, only the waterproof seal mounting device 6F will be described below, and the description of the waterproof seal mounting device 6R will be omitted.

[0051] The waterproof seal 20 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a through hole formed in the center. As shown in FIG. 5 (a), in this embodiment, the waterproof seal 20 is a rubber plug having a cylindrical small-diameter portion 20a on the distal end side and a plurality of large-diameter portions 20b in a substantially umbrella shape on the root side. It is composed. However, the specific shape of the waterproof seal 20 is not limited at all. For example, the waterproof seal 20 may be a cylindrical body having a polygonal cross section.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 2, the waterproof seal mounting device 6F includes a support base 10 and three seal introduction units 11a, l ib, 11c attached to the support base 10 (in FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation) Only one seal introduction unit is shown), a holder unit 12 having seal holders 31a, 31b, 31c for supporting the waterproof seal 20, and a drive mechanism 14 for rotating the holder unit 12. Yes. The seal introduction units 11a, l ib and 11c are for introducing the waterproof seal 20 conveyed from the parts feeder 5F through the conveyance tube 25a into the holder unit 12. The holder unit 12 holds the waterproof seal 20 sent from the seal introduction units 11a, l ib, and 11c and guides it to the mounting position of the electric wire W.

[0053] One end of each of the seal introduction units 11a, ib, and 11c is fixed to the support base 10, and is arranged radially about a rotation shaft 32s described later. These seal introduction units 11a, l ib and 11c are configured to introduce waterproof seals 20 having different shapes or dimensions. Since the structure of each seal introduction unit 11a, l ib, and 11c is almost the same, only the seal introduction unit 11a will be described in detail below, and the other seal introduction units 1 lb and 1 lc will be different. I will explain only. As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the seal introduction unit 11a includes a seal guide 21 attached to the support 10 and an introduction block 22 attached to the seal guide 21. I have. The seal guide 21 and the introduction block 22 are provided with a flange passage 23a that integrally penetrates the seal guide 21 and the introduction block 22. The introduction block 22 is provided with a supply path 24a branched obliquely upward from the insertion path 23a. An outlet port 18 is formed at the downstream end of the insertion passage 23a.

[0055] Near the opening on the upstream side of the supply path 24a of the introduction block 22, one end of the transport tube 25a is attached. The other end of the transfer tube 25a is connected to the parts feeder 5F (see Fig. 1). As a result, when the parts feeder 5F is operated, the waterproof seal 20 moves along the flow of compressed air and moves in the transport tube 25a and is supplied to the insertion path 23a through the supply path 24a (see FIG. 5 (a)). In the present embodiment, a seal conveyance path is formed by the conveyance tube 25a, the supply path 24a, and the insertion path 23a. As will be described later, in the seal mounting process, the waterproof seal 20 is transported starting from the small diameter portion 20a side so that the electric wire W is inserted into the large diameter portion 20b side force of the waterproof seal 20.

A cylinder 26 is provided above the eaves passage 23 a of the introduction block 22 as a pushing device for pushing the waterproof seal 20. The cylinder 26 includes a cylinder pin 27 extending in the longitudinal direction of the eaves passage 23a. A cylinder head 28 having a contact surface 28 a that contacts the waterproof seal 20 is attached to the tip of the cylinder pin 27. As the cylinder pin 27 expands and contracts, the cylinder head 28 reciprocates between the one end force of the insertion passage 23a and the other end (see FIGS. 5A and 5B). When the cylinder head 28 moves downward from above, the waterproof seal 20 in the insertion passage 23a is pushed downward by the cylinder head 28 and is securely accommodated in the seal holder 3la.

[0057] A stop cylinder 36 is arranged outside the seal guide 21 !. The seal guide 21 is formed with a lateral hole 30 extending in a direction crossing the insertion passage 23a, and a cylinder pin 37 of a stop cylinder 36 is inserted into the lateral hole 30 so as to be able to appear and retract. Further, an entry passage 29 for the cylinder pin 37 is provided at a location facing the horizontal hole 30 of the seal guide 21. When the cylinder pin 37 is extended, the tip portion of the cylinder pin 37 is fitted into the entry path 29 and is supported by the seal guide 21. However, approach path 29 is not always necessary. It can be omitted.

With such a configuration, when the cylinder pin 37 is extended, the cylinder pin 37 protrudes from the lateral hole 30 into the side passage 23a. As a result, the cylinder pin 37 prevents the waterproof seal 20 from passing, and the waterproof seal 20 temporarily stands by in the insertion path 23a. On the other hand, when the cylinder pin 37 is contracted, the cylinder pin 37 is immersed in the lateral hole 30. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 that has been waiting moves again in the saddle passage 23a toward the seal holder 31a.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 2, the seal introduction units l ib and 11c include insertion passages 23b and 23c corresponding to the flange passage 23a of the seal introduction unit 11a, and a supply passage (not shown) corresponding to the supply passage 24a. And a transfer tube (not shown) corresponding to the transfer tube 25a. These are designed so that their inner diameters are different from those of the seal introduction unit 11a. Therefore, the seal introduction units l ib and 11c can supply a waterproof seal having a shape or size different from that of the seal introduction unit 11a. Other configurations are the same as the seal introduction unit 1 la.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the holder unit 12 includes three seal holders 3 la, 31b, 31c that hold the waterproof seal 20, and a support member 32 that supports the seal holders 3 la, 31b, 31c. And. The seal holders 31a, 31b, 31c are arranged radially in the same vertical plane, and in this embodiment, are arranged at intervals of 90 degrees around the rotation shaft 32s. These seal holders 31a, 31b, 31c are fixed to the support member 32 by screws 38 or the like. The support member 32 has a cylindrical rotation shaft 32 s that extends horizontally, and is rotationally driven by the drive mechanism 14. As a result, the seal holders 31a, 31b, 31c can rotate around the rotation shaft 32s in the vertical plane, and the direction of the waterproof seal 20 held inside can be changed.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 6, the seal holders 3la, 31b, and 31c are made of members of substantially the same shape, and recessed portions 33a and 33b for holding the waterproof seal 20 are provided on one end sides of the seal holders , 33c is formed. The sizes or shapes of the recesses 33a, 33b, and 33c are different from each other, and the seal holders 31a, 31b, and 31c can hold the waterproof seals 20 of different standards. Since the other configuration is the same, only the seal holder 31a will be described below.

[0062] An air suction hole 34 is formed from the recess 33a of the seal holder 31a to the support member 32. It is. A suction passage 35 is formed in the rotation shaft 32 s of the support member 32, and the air suction hole 34 is connected to the suction passage 35. The suction passage 35 is connected to an air suction device 39 such as a vacuum pump. With such a configuration, when the air suction device 39 is operated, the waterproof seal 20 in the recess 33a is sucked through the suction passage 35 and the air suction hole 34, and the waterproof seal 20 is placed on the back side in the recess 33a. Adsorb to the wall. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 is firmly held by the seal holder 31a. Therefore, even if the support member 32 rotates, the waterproof seal 20 is prevented from falling. Since the inner diameter of the air suction hole 34 is smaller than the outer diameter of the waterproof seal 20, the waterproof seal 20 will not be pulled into the air suction I-hole 34! /.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drive mechanism 14 includes a servo motor 41 provided in a lower layer portion of the support base 10, a drive pulley 42 attached to the shaft 40 of the servo motor 41, and a rotation. A driven pulley 43 attached to the shaft 32s and a belt 44 hung on the driving pulley 42 and the driven pulley 43 are provided. With such a configuration, when the servo motor 41 is started, the drive pulley 42 is rotated, and the driven pulley 43 is driven to rotate the rotary shaft 32s. However, the specific configuration of the drive mechanism 14 is not limited at all. For example, sprockets and chains may be used in place of the pulleys 42 and 43 and the belt 44. It is also possible to use a gear mechanism formed by connecting a plurality of gears.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 2, on the side of holder unit 12 (left side in Fig. 2), wire guides 45a and 45b for guiding wire W to seal holder 31a and the like are arranged. The electric wire guides 45a and 45b are provided with a driving device 46 that also has a motor equal force that moves the electric wire guides 45a and 45b up and down.

As shown in FIG. 3, a sensor 15 for detecting whether or not the waterproof seal 20 is housed in the paper holder unit 3 la, 31b, 3 lc of the paper holder unit 12 is provided on the support base 10. Yes. In the present embodiment, the sensor 15 is a photoelectric sensor. However, the specific configuration of the sensor 15 is not limited at all, and it is of course possible to use a contact type sensor, for example.

Next, the operation of the waterproof seal mounting device 6F will be described. Of the three seal holders 31a, 31b, 31c of the holder unit 12, the seal introduction unit 11a is used. In this case, the seal holder 31a is used. When the seal introduction unit l ib is used, the seal holder 31b is used. When the seal introduction unit 11c is used, the seal holder 31c is used. However, even if any of the seal introduction units 11a, l ib and 11c is used, the operation of each of them is basically the same. Therefore, only the operation when the seal introduction unit 11a is used will be described here. To do.

[0067] First, the waterproof seal 20 is conveyed from the parts feeder 5F. The waterproof seal 20 is supplied to the eaves passage 23a through the transport tube 25a and the supply passage 24a by the compressed air supplied from the parf feeder 5F. At this time, the cylinder pin 37 of the seal introduction unit 11a is controlled by the controller 50 so as to protrude into the insertion passage 23a (see FIG. 5 (a)). For this reason, the waterproof seal 20 is blocked by the cylinder pin 37 and is made to stand by in the vicinity of the downstream end of the eaves passage 23a. In the following, the above process is referred to as a seal conveyance / standby process S11.

[0068] In this waterproof seal mounting apparatus 6F, the controller 50 controls the servo motor 41 in parallel with the above-described seal conveyance 'standby step S11 and supports it until the seal holder 3la moves to a predetermined accommodation position. Rotate member 32. As a result, the seal holder 3 la rotates around the rotation shaft 32 s and moves to a position (accommodation position) where the recess 33 a faces the outlet 18 of the seal guide 21. When the seal holder 31a arrives at the accommodation position, the controller 50 retracts the cylinder pin 37 and opens the course of the waterproof seal 20 in the insertion path 23a. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 drops by force toward the recess 33a of the seal holder 31a.

[0069] Next, the controller 50 extends the cylinder pin 27 of the cylinder 26. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 that has dropped to the concave portion 33a is pushed into the concave portion 33a by the cylinder head 28 (see FIG. 5B). When the waterproof seal 20 is pushed into the recess 33a, the controller 50 activates the air suction device 39. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 is sucked and held by the seal holder 31a. The air suction device 39 may be operated before or while the waterproof seal 20 is pushed into the recess 33a!

[0070] When the waterproof seal 20 is held by the seal holder 3la, the controller 50 causes the cylinder pin 37 to protrude again and enter the rod passage 23a. As a result, the path of the waterproof seal 20 is closed again. Therefore, the next waterproof seal 20 can be supplied and put on standby. Hereinafter, the above process is referred to as a seal accommodation process SI2.

[0071] When the sensor 15 detects that the waterproof seal 20 is held by the seal holder 3 la, the controller 50 operates the servo motor 41 to rotate the support member 32. As a result, the seal holder 31a moves around the rotation shaft 32s to a position (mounting position) that faces the electric wire W held by the clamp 4F. Hereinafter, the above process is referred to as a holder rotation process S2.

[0072] When the seal holder 3la reaches the mounting position, the controller 50 closes the wire guides 45a and 45b from above and below, and moves the clamp 4F toward the seal holder 3la by a predetermined amount. Thereby, the electric wire W gripped by the clamp 4F is inserted into the waterproof seal 20 held by the seal holder 31a while being guided by the electric wire guides 45a and 45b. Thereafter, the controller 50 opens the wire guides 45a and 45b up and down, stops the operation of the air suction device 39, and then retracts the clamp 4F from the seal holder 3la. Thereby, the electric wire W is returned to a predetermined position. Hereinafter, the above process is referred to as a seal insertion process S3. In the present embodiment, the mounting mechanism for mounting the waterproof seal 20 on the electric wire W is configured by the clamp 4F that approaches or separates from the seal holder 3la.

Incidentally, the inner diameter of the hole at the center of the waterproof seal 20 is set slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the electric wire W. Therefore, the electric wire W is press-fitted into the hole of the waterproof seal 20, and the waterproof seal 20 moves together with the electric wire W due to the frictional force between the electric wire W and the waterproof seal 20. Further, by stopping the operation of the air suction device 39, the waterproof seal 20 is not sucked and held in the recess 33a. Thus, when the clamp 4F moves backward, the waterproof seal 20 moves together with the electric wire W that does not come off the electric wire W. In this way, the installation of the waterproof seal 20 on the electric wire W is completed.

[0074] After the clamp 4F is retracted from the seal holder 3la, the wire W is transported to another part of the wire processing device 1 by the moving device 8F, and other processing is performed. Then, in the next cycle, the electric wire W is again conveyed to the waterproof seal mounting device 6F, and the above-described steps are repeated.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 7 (b), in the seal mounting process P4, the waterproof seal 20 is transferred to the parts feeder 5F force seal holder 31a (seal transfer process S1), and the seal holder 31a is The process of rotating (the holder rotating process S2), the process of inserting the electric wire W into the waterproof seal 20 (the seal inserting process S3), and the force are also provided. Therefore, originally, the time required for mounting the waterproof seal 20 is the total time tO of these steps S 1 to S 3.

However, in the present embodiment, the waterproof seal 20 that has also conveyed the parts feeder 5F force is temporarily placed in the insertion path 23a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), in the seal transfer step S1, the waterproof seal 20 is transferred from the parts feeder 5F to the standby position in the eaves passage 23a, and is kept at that position (seal transfer). 'Standing process S11) can be divided into a process (seal accommodation process S12) in which the waterproof seal 20 in the standby position is accommodated in the seal holder 31a.

Here, the seal conveyance and standby step S 11 can be performed in parallel with the steps other than the seal accommodation step S 12. That is, although details will be described later, according to the present embodiment, after the waterproof seal 20 is held by the seal holder 31a, the cylinder pin 37 is caused to enter the flange passage 23a. Thereby, even when the seal holder 3 la is in a position where the waterproof seal 20 cannot be accommodated, the next waterproof seal 20 can be transported to the standby position.

[0078] Therefore, the seal transport / standby step S11 is performed by performing the seal transport / standby step S11 of the next waterproof seal 20 in parallel while performing processes other than the seal housing step S12. It is possible to reduce the time required to attach the waterproof seal 20 by the time tl. That is, according to the present embodiment, the cycle time for mounting the waterproof seal 20 is the total time t2 (= t0−tl) of the seal housing step S12, the holder rotating step S2, and the seal inserting step S3.

[0079] As described above, according to the waterproof seal mounting device 6F according to the present embodiment, the time required for mounting the waterproof seal 20 can be shortened, and as a result, the entire terminal processing of the electric wire W can be performed. It is possible to shorten the time required for.

[0080] Further, according to the present embodiment, since the waterproof seal 20 is made to wait particularly at the downstream end portion of the insertion passage 23a, the time required for the seal housing step S12 can be greatly shortened. . Therefore, it is possible to greatly reduce the time required for installing the waterproof seal 20.

[0081] According to the present embodiment, the waterproof seal sent from the seal introduction unit 1 la. 20 is directly supplied to the seal holder 31a. Therefore, compared to the case where the waterproof seal 20 sent from the seal introduction unit 11a is moved to another place and then supplied to the seal holder 31a, the time required for installing the waterproof seal 20 is shortened. can do.

[0082] According to the present embodiment, the seal guide 21 is provided with the horizontal hole 30, and the stop cylinder 36 protruding from the horizontal hole 30 into the insertion path 23a is provided. Therefore, a mechanism for waiting the waterproof seal 20 in the eaves passage 23a can be realized with a simple configuration.

Further, in the waterproof seal mounting device 6F according to the present embodiment, the waterproof seal 20 that has fallen toward the recess 33a of the seal holder 31a is pushed into the recess 33a by the cylinder 26. Thereby, the waterproof seal 20 after standby can be mechanically pushed into the seal holder 31a. Therefore, the waterproof seal 20 can be stably and reliably accommodated in the seal holder 31a. Therefore, the waterproof seal 20 can be smoothly and reliably supplied from the seal introduction unit 11a to the seal holder 31a.

Incidentally, the mechanism (standby mechanism) for waiting the waterproof seal 20 in the insertion passage 23a is not limited to the one provided with the cylinder pin 37 described above, and may be another mechanism. The standby mechanism temporarily blocks a part of the flow path cross section of the insertion path 23a by the cylinder pin 37. The force standby mechanism temporarily blocks a part or all of the flow path cross section of the insertion path 23a. Other opening / closing members may be provided.

[0085] The device for pushing the waterproof seal 20 into the seal holder 31a (pushing device) is not limited to the cylinder 26 described above, and may be another device. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b), the waterproof seal 20 may be pushed in with a rotatable reno 61. In this modification, a slit 60 is formed in the side wall of the seal guide 21 so as to pass through the tip end side of the lever 61. In this modified example, in the seal conveyance / standby step S11, the course of the waterproof seal 20 is blocked by the cylinder pin 37, and the waterproof seal 20 is put on standby (see FIG. 8 (a)). On the other hand, in the seal housing step S12, the cylinder pin 37 is retracted to drop the waterproof seal 20, and then the lever 61 is rotated. By such an operation, the waterproof seal 20 is pushed in by the lever 61 and accommodated in the seal holder 31a (see FIG. 8B).

Further, as shown in FIGS. 9 (a), (b), and (c), the standby mechanism and the pushing device are the same device. It is also possible to use both. In this modification, a guide rail 59 extending in parallel with the insertion path 23 a is provided outside the seal guide 21. A stop cylinder 36 is slidably attached to the guide rail 59. The stop cylinder 36 is provided with a drive device 58 such as a motor for sliding the stop cylinder 36. Also in this modification, a slit 60 is formed on the side wall of the seal guide 21.

[0087] In this variation, the seal conveyance 'standby step SI 1! / !, the stop cylinder 36 moves to the lower end of the guide rail 59, and the cylinder pin 37 extends to protrude into the insertion passage 23a. (See Fig. 9 (a)). As a result, the insertion passage 23a is closed, and the waterproof seal 20 is retained in the pier passage 23a. On the other hand, in the seal housing step S12, first, the cylinder pin 37 is retracted and the waterproof seal 20 is dropped. Thereafter, the stop cylinder 36 is raised and the cylinder pin 37 is extended again (see FIG. 9 (b)). Next, the stop cylinder 36 is lowered. As a result, the waterproof seal 20 is pushed downward by the cylinder pin 37 and accommodated in the seal holder 31a (see FIG. 9C).

[0088] Note that the pushing device for the waterproof seal 20 is not limited to the one that mechanically pushes the waterproof seal 20. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b), the pushing device may use compressed air. In this modification, a supply source (not shown) of compressed air is provided at the upstream end of the insertion passage 23a. In the seal housing step S12, compressed air is supplied from the supply source. Even in this case, an external force (pressure in this case) can be applied to the waterproof seal 20, and the waterproof seal 20 can be pushed into the seal holder 31a.

In the present embodiment, the waterproof seal 20 is made to wait in the insertion path 23a by causing the cylinder pin 37 to enter the insertion path 23a. However, the standby mechanism for waiting the waterproof seal 20 may be another mechanism. For example, as shown in FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b), by fixing the lid-like body 62 to the cylinder pin 37 and inserting the lid-like body 62 between the flange passage 23a and the seal holder 31a, The course of the waterproof seal 20 may be blocked.

[0090] Further, the standby mechanism may be a mechanism for temporarily reducing the flow path cross-sectional area of the insertion passage 23a. For example, the standby mechanism may include a movable wall that is provided on a part or an extension of the side wall that forms the insertion passage 23a and that is movable on the inner side. Specifically, Fig. 12 (a) and (b) As shown in FIG. 4, stop cylinders 36 and 63 facing each other are provided near the lower end of the seal introduction unit 11a. Then, by moving the movable wall 65 inward by extending the cylinder pins 37 and 64 of both cylinders 36 and 63, the flow passage cross-sectional area of the insertion passage 23a is reduced. Even with such a configuration, the passage of the waterproof seal 20 can be prevented, and the waterproof seal 20 can be made to stand by in the insertion path 23a.

[0091] The electric wire processing apparatus 1 on which the waterproof seal mounting apparatuses 6F and 6R according to the present embodiment are mounted is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration! In the above-described electric wire processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the moving devices 8F and 8R slide the electric wire W in the left-right direction. However, as shown in FIG. 13, the moving devices 8F and 8R may rotate the electric wire W. If such swivel type moving devices 8F and 8R are used, the wire processing device 1 can be reduced in size. In addition, the energy required to move the electric wire W can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, the seal introduction units 11a, l ib and 11c are used for supplying the waterproof seals 20 having different standards. However, it is also possible to make these seal introduction units 1 la, l ib, and 11c correspond to the waterproof seal 20 of the same standard and operate the three seal introduction units 11 a, l ib, and 11 c at the same time. In this case, since the time required for supplying the waterproof seal 20 is further shortened, the time required for mounting the waterproof seal 20 can be further shortened.

Industrial applicability

[0093] As described above, the present invention is useful for a waterproof seal mounting apparatus that mounts a waterproof seal on a terminal portion of an electric wire.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A seal supply source that sequentially supplies a substantially cylindrical waterproof seal;

A seal conveyance path for conveying the waterproof seal supplied from the seal supply source; a standby mechanism for temporarily waiting the waterproof seal in the seal conveyance path; and the waterproof seal conveyed through the seal conveyance path A seal support member having an accommodating portion for accommodating

A mounting mechanism for mounting the waterproof seal on the electric wire by inserting an electric wire into the waterproof seal supported by the seal support member;

After the waterproof seal is accommodated in the accommodating portion of the seal support member, the waiting mechanism is in the next waterproofing period until the next waterproof seal supplied by the seal supply source is accommodated in the accommodating portion. A waterproof seal mounting device for keeping a seal in the seal conveyance path.

[2] The waterproof seal mounting device according to [1], wherein the standby mechanism makes the waterproof seal stand by in the vicinity of a downstream end portion of the seal conveyance path.

[3] The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the standby mechanism includes a closing member that temporarily closes part or all of a cross section of the seal conveyance path.

[4] A conveyance path forming member that defines at least a part of the seal conveyance path and has a hole that opens in a direction intersecting with a flow path direction of the seal conveyance path,

2. The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the standby mechanism is provided with a stagger that also makes the hole cap appear and disappear in the seal conveyance path.

[5] The waterproof seal mounting device according to [1], wherein the standby mechanism includes a flow path sectional area variable mechanism that temporarily reduces a flow path cross-sectional area of the seal conveyance path.

6. The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the standby mechanism includes a movable wall that divides a part of the seal conveyance path and moves inward.

7. The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the standby mechanism includes a lid member that opens and closes a downstream opening of the seal conveyance path.

8. The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 1, further comprising a pushing device that pushes the waterproof seal into the housing portion of the seal support member. The pushing device includes a pushing member having a contact surface that comes into contact with the waterproof seal, and a drive mechanism that drives the pushing member so that the contact surface moves from the upstream side to the downstream side in the seal conveyance path. 9. The waterproof seal mounting device according to claim 8, further comprising: