WO2018189103A1

WO2018189103A1 - Processing head, and system and method for equipping connector housings with line elements in an automated manner

Info

Publication number: WO2018189103A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/059017
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabian Dietlein; Christian Guni; Paul Heisler; Roland Jaecklein; Paulo MARTINS; Onur Tavsel
Original assignee: Leoni Bordnetz-Systeme Gmbh; Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Priority date: 2017-04-10
Filing date: 2018-04-09
Publication date: 2018-10-18
Also published as: DE102017206142A1

Abstract

The system (2) is used to equip connector housings (4) with a line element (8) in an automated manner, which line element has two line ends (6). For this purpose, a manipulator (24) is used, which in particular is designed as a conventional industrial robot. Said manipulator has a processing head (30), which has a carrier (32) and at least two positioning grippers (34) fastened to the carrier (32). Each of the positioning grippers (34) has a gripping unit (38) for gripping one line end (6) of the line element (8). Thus, the equipping of connector housings (4) at high process speed is achieved.

Description

PROCESSING HEAD, AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED FITTING OF CONNECTOR HOUSINGS WITH LINE ELEMENTS

description

The invention relates to a system and a method for automated loading of connector housings with line elements.

The system is used to equip plug housings with line elements, especially in the manufacture of cable harnesses, especially for motor vehicles. It is preferably part of an overall system for the fully automated production of cable harnesses.

A harness generally includes a plurality of individual conduit members connected together. The line elements are in particular wires, twisted wires (pairs), optical waveguides or prefabricated sub-lines, such as sheathed cables. Under vein is generally understood to be a conductor surrounded by an insulation, either a conductor wire or a stranded conductor. A respective cable set has a branched structure, which corresponds to a later laying structure, for example, within a motor vehicle or in another system. A branched structure is understood here to mean that individual line elements branch off from a main line at different positions of the cable set. Normally, at the end of the cable set, connectors or other contact elements are struck on the end of the cable set at least at some of the line elements.

The manufacture and handling of such cable sets are expensive. Especially in the automotive industry there are - even with a same model of motor vehicle - due to the different and individually predetermined by the customer Trim levels a variety of different harness types. Normally, a cable set for a motor vehicle configured individually by the customer is only produced after the customer has received the order. Due to the desired short delivery times, the fastest possible production of an individual cable set is desired.

Due to the large variety of types and variants of these individual cable sets automation of the production of such cable sets is difficult, which is why until today in the production of cable harnesses especially for the automotive industry continues to require a high manual proportion. Typically, the individual line elements are laid manually along so-called cable boards according to a predetermined individual branched structure, and then the individual line elements are manually fixed to one another, for example by banding.

From DE 33 27 583 A1 a partially automated process for the production of cable harnesses from individual conductors is shown. In this method, the prefabricated individual conductors are first releasably connected together by means of coupling pieces and combined to form an endless line, which are wound, for example, on a winding device. Subsequently, the coupling pieces are released from the individual conductors and in a further device connector housing are attached to the ends and then the cable set is formed.

From DE 38 20 638 C2 a further automated method for producing a cable set can be seen. Here, prefabricated line elements are used with the help of an industrial robot in connector housing. The

Plug housings are mounted along a line on a vertically oriented laying board. The individual cables between two adjacent connector housings hang down loosely. Then there is still a wrapping, for which purpose the industrial robot makes a tool change. In one embodiment, the connector housings are arranged on turntables, which are movable along a linear guide. After loading The plug housing move the turntable with the attached

Plug housings to a predetermined position.

Proceeding from this, the present invention seeks to provide a system and a method for process-reliable and rapid automated loading of connector housings with line elements.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a system for automatic loading of connector housings with a line element with the features of claim 1 and by a corresponding method for automatic loading with the features of claim 14. The following with regard to the system listed advantages and preferred Embodiments are analogously to the process and vice versa.

The system has a manipulator which has a plurality of degrees of freedom of movement and for receiving a respective line element from a ready position and for transferring the line element into a

Plug station provided plug housings is formed.

The manipulator has a base and a machining head attached to the base. The machining head in turn comprises a carrier and at least two positioning grippers fixed to the carrier, each having at least one gripping unit for gripping the line ends of a respective individual conduit element.

The system is in particular part of an overall system for the fully automated production of a cable set. This consists of a plurality of individual line elements, which are assembled individually for each cable set. When configuring the cable set, pre-assembled cable elements are attached to plug housings at the ends. Prefabricated line elements here are understood as meaning both individual wires and a twisted pair of wires, whereby these are each cut to a required length, for example also a desired conductor. have diameter and in particular are equipped at their line elements with contact elements. These contact elements are, for example, contact sockets or contact pins. These are, for example, aufgekrimmt or in any other way, for example, fluidly connected to the head.

The particular aspect of the specially designed machining head with the at least two positioning grippers is to be seen in that in operation, the two line ends of a single line element are gripped in parallel by the two positioning grippers and individually fed to a respective connector housing. The one line end is thus fed to a first connector housing and the other line end to a second connector housing. By arranging two positioning grippers on one processing head, a high process speed is achieved. The manipulator must be moved between the staging station, where the individual line elements are provided, and the connector station, where the connector housings are fitted with the line elements.

Conveniently, the positioning grippers are arranged adjustable with respect to the base. In particular, the carrier is adjustable together with the positioning grippers. By this measure, therefore, a mobility of the

Positioning gripper both at the staging station and at the

Plug station for individual recording of the individual line ends and for the individual plugging into the connector housing allows. Another method of the manipulator is not required or adjusting movements of the manipulator are reduced.

Conveniently, the carrier is a rotary carrier which is rotatable about a rotation axis. On the rotary carrier, the positioning gripper are preferably arranged stationary. The positioning gripper are therefore each brought by a rotational movement in a desired working position in which they receive a respective line end or plug into the connector housing. Conveniently, the positioning grippers are evenly distributed on the carrier, in particular evenly distributed around the circumference of the carrier. According to one embodiment, exactly two positioning grippers are arranged on the carrier, which are therefore arranged offset in particular by 180 degrees to each other.

According to a preferred embodiment, a total of three positioning grippers are arranged on the carrier, in particular on the rotary carrier. The third positioning gripper serves as a redundant protection if a positioning gripper is impaired in its function. Therefore, no interruption of the process is required if one of the positioning gripper fails. In addition, it is also possible to reduce the clock rates, since by suitable control in each case the nearest positioning gripper can be used to record or insert the line ends. In the case of an even distribution, only a 120-degree rotation takes place in order to bring the respective positioning gripper into the working position when the adjacent positioning gripper has finished its work step.

In a preferred embodiment, each gripping unit of the positioning gripper is designed for the separate gripping of two wires of a line element formed by a twisted wire pair. For this purpose, each gripping unit has two clamping areas. By virtue of this measure, therefore, the two wire ends of a twisted wire pair arranged together on one side are individually clamped by a respective clamping region, so that a common handling of twisted wires is also possible.

In a preferred development, the two clamping regions are spaced apart from each other by one pitch. This grid corresponds at the same time a grid of adjacent plug positions in the respective connector housing. By this measure, therefore, a simultaneous insertion of the two wire ends is possible. Overall, the automated handling of both individual wires and twisted wires is possible. Preferably, each positioning gripper has two gripping units spaced apart from one another, so that in operation a respective line element can be gripped by the gripping unit at two spaced-apart regions. As a result of this measure, the respective line element is guided reliably and safely in the region of the line ends.

In particular, the positioning gripper with the two gripping units is U-shaped with a free space between the two gripping units. This space is used in particular for gripping around a holder in which the line elements are held in particular in the staging station. The holder expediently has a unit designed, for example, in the manner of the gripping unit, which can be received in the free space for transferring the line end from the holder to the positioning gripper.

In a preferred development, the manipulator, in particular the carrier and especially a respective positioning gripper, has a sensor unit for monitoring the plugging operation. In this case, the sensor unit has, in particular, a pressure sensor and / or a position sensor for monitoring the plug-in operation when inserting the line end into the plug housing. The contact element of the prefabricated line elements must be inserted at a predefined position and with a predetermined force in the connector housing.

This is reliably monitored by the corresponding sensor unit. As a result, erroneous populations of the connector housing, as can be the case with manual assembly avoided.

The manipulator is designed in particular as a multi-axis articulated arm robot. Specifically as a common industrial robot with multiple rotational and translational degrees of freedom of movement. For example, it is designed as a six-axis industrial robot. The base of the manipulator is in particular the so-called robot hand, to which the machining head can be exchangeably attached as a replaceable tool in the manner of a module. In an expedient embodiment of the manipulator itself is movable between the staging station and the connector station. The manipulator in this case has a base body, with which he can be moved in total. The manipulator is therefore not stationary within the system. For example, it is rail-guided between the staging station and the connector station movable. Alternatively, it is fixed in place.

For plugging the connector housing with the highest possible process speed, the connector housings are fastened to transporters at the connector station, which are distributed over a plurality of rails and can each be moved individually along the rails. The transporter with the plug housings mounted thereon are arranged in a compact, close position to each other, in particular directly next to each other. As a result, the travel paths when loading the connector housing the line elements are reduced.

From the plug-in station, the individual plug housings with the cable ends fastened therein are then moved in an expedient development into a branched, two-dimensional structure of the cable set. In addition to the mobility of the transporter on the rails preferably also the rails are movable relative to each other, so that so the rails can be moved apart. Overall, by this double mobility on the one hand, the transporter in the longitudinal direction of the rails and on the other hand, the rails with each other in the transverse direction thereto, a two-dimensional spreading of the

Plug housing allows. In this branched or branched structure, further steps for forming the cable set, such as banding, etc., are then expediently carried out within the overall system.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. These show partly in simplified representations: Fig. 1 is a partial view of the system in the area of a

Plug-in station with a manipulator for loading

Plug housings with line elements,

2 is an enlarged view of the manipulator in the region of a machining head,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the further processing head when loading a connector housing with a line end of a line element and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of Figure 3 in the region of the plug housing.

In the figures, like-acting parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary view of a system 2, which is for fully automatic placement of connector housings 4 with line ends 6 of line elements 8 (shown in Fig. 3, 4) is formed. The system 2 is in particular part of an overall system for the fully automated production of a cable set especially for a motor vehicle. In this case, the entire system has, in particular, a first part for automated pre-assembly of the line elements, and a second part for assembling the prefabricated line elements to an individual cable set. In Fig. 1, a connector station 10 is shown, which is in particular the first processing station in the second part of the system. The prefabricated line elements 8 are provided in a previous provisioning station, also referred to as a buffer station. This is not shown here. In this staging station, the individual prefabricated line elements 8 are provided on holders in particular suspended. The individual line ends 6 of a respective line element 8 are arranged side by side.

The individual processing stations are designed in the manner of shelf-like frameworks, which are typically oriented in a vertical direction 12. The entire plant 2 also typically extends in a longitudinal direction 14, in which the individual scaffolds are lined up directly next to each other. The processing stations continue to extend in a transverse direction 16.

In the plug-in station 10 shown in FIG. 1, the connector housing 4 are provided on transporters 18, which are arranged on rails 20 movable in the manner of carriages. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the individual transporters 18 are distributed over a plurality of rails 20 arranged parallel to one another. Some of the transporters 18 are also equipped with deflecting elements 22. These serve, for example, for deflecting individual line elements 8 at branch points of the cable set.

The individual transporters 18 are arranged individually and independently of one another along the respective rail 20. The individual rails 20 can also be moved in the vertical direction 12. After equipping the individual transporters 18, these are transferred in a manner not shown here into a defined two-dimensional, distributed structure which corresponds to the branched structure of the cable set to be manufactured.

For fitting the plug housing 4 with the line ends 6 (cf., in particular, also FIGS. 3, 4), a manipulator 24 is provided in total, which is specifically a multi-axis industrial robot. This is arranged, for example, in the region of a front side of the plug-in station 10, in particular movable. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, a hanging attachment is shown.

The manipulator 24 has, in a manner known per se, a main body 26 which already provides several degrees of freedom of movement. On the base body 26 is a commonly referred to as a robot hand base 28 is formed, which represents the interface to a replaceable tool or machining head 30.

In the exemplary embodiment, the machining head 30 has a rotary support 32, which is rotatably arranged about a hand axis A of the robot hand and thus the base 28. As can be seen well in particular from Figures 2 and 3 is, a plurality of positioning gripper 34 are arranged on the rotary carrier 32. In the exemplary embodiment, exactly three positioning grippers 34 are arranged. These are distributed uniformly around the circumference of the rotary support 32, so they each have an angular distance of 120 °. The rotary carrier 32 has in particular a turntable on which a three-armed support unit 36 is attached. In each case a positioning gripper 34 is attached to a respective arm of the three-armed support unit 36. The individual arms are arranged at an angle with respect to the turntable and thus also with respect to the hand axis A, in particular at an angle of 45 °.

A respective positioning gripper 34 has a main body, with which it is attached to the rotary support 32 and in particular to a respective arm of the support unit 36. At the front end of the main body, the positioning gripper 34 has a gripper for gripping line elements 8. This has at least one gripping unit 38. In the exemplary embodiment, this gripper has two gripping units 38, which are spaced apart in the direction of extension of the respectively to be gripped line element 8 and between them include a space 40. The gripper preferably has an approximately U-shaped configuration, wherein the two opposite U-legs are formed by the two gripping units 38. A respective gripping unit 38 has at least one and preferably two clamping regions 42, in which the respective line element 8 is clamped. The clamping regions 42 are arranged side by side, so that at the same time two adjacent line ends can be gripped. This is used in particular for gripping the wire ends of a twisted wire pair. The positioning gripper 34 is therefore designed to grip separately both a single wire and the wires of a twisted wire pair.

The clamping regions 42 each show a V-shaped groove, in which a respective wire or line end 6 is inserted for clamping fixation.

4, the entire gripper is formed by three juxtaposed U-shaped Gripper elements which are movable in Querhchtung each other to clamp the line ends 6 between them and release. The opening or closing of the individual parts of the gripping units 38 is controlled, for example pneumatically, hydraulically or by electric motor. Preferably, this is done by an electric motor, as this no supply lines are required. All that is required is an electrical supply for the positioning gripper 34.

The two juxtaposed clamping regions 42 are spaced from each other by a pitch a. At the same time, this grid dimension corresponds to a grid dimension a of two adjacent plug positions on the plug housing 4.

In the exemplary embodiment, the positioning grippers 34 form generally rigid units, and therefore preferably themselves have no degrees of freedom of movement - apart from the required movement of the gripping units 38 for gripping and releasing the line ends 6. The degrees of freedom of movement are provided exclusively by the manipulator 24.

The sequence process for equipping the respective connector housings 4 with the line ends 6 is as follows:

First, the manipulator 24 receives a first line end 6 of a first line element 8 in the supply station. For this one of the

Positioning gripper 34 to the corresponding holder in the staging station. It engages around the holder with the free space 40 and re-clamps the cable end 6 provided. At the same time, the holder releases the line end 6. The manipulator 24 then moves, in particular rotates the rotary support 32 by 120 °, so that the next, second positioning gripper 34 is guided for gripping the second line end of the conduit member 8 to the appropriate provision position. The second line end 6 is gripped by the second positioning gripper 34. The one line element 8 is then moved from the ready position to the plug station 10 with the aid of the manipulator 24. Typically, the two stations are arranged directly next to one another, so that the travel paths are short, for example less than one meter. The cable ment 8 is transported in particular suspended, ie the conduit member 8 depends in the vertical direction 12 downwards and is only at the two

Positioning grippers 34 held with the line ends 6.

In the area of the plug-in station 10, the manipulator assumes the position shown in FIG. By appropriate movement of the manipulator 24, the line ends 6 are transferred from the original orientation in the vertical direction 12 in an orientation in the horizontal direction 16. Specifically, the rotary support 32 is in this case positioned at an angle of 45 ° to a vertical plane, which is spanned by the vertical direction 12 and the longitudinal direction 14. By arranging the positioning gripper 34 at 45 ° to the manual axis A, the line ends 6 are aligned in the horizontal direction 16.

For this purpose, the manipulator 24 moves in the transverse direction in the direction of the connector housing 4. Alternatively, the positioning gripper 34 is formed for such a feed movement, for example telescopically extendable.

To check the assembly of the plug housing 4 with the respective line end 6, a sensor unit 46 is provided in particular, which is preferably integrated in the main body of the positioning gripper 34. In particular, this sensor unit 46 has a sensor for position monitoring, for example an optical, camera-based system. Additionally or alternatively, it preferably has a force sensor with which the force exerted during the insertion operation is detected. As a result, a process-reliable loading of

Plug housing 4 ensures with the line ends 6, so that the end of the line ends 6 posted contact elements are used at the defined, intended position and with the intended force in the connector housing 4.

After insertion of the first line end, the gripping unit 38 releases the line end 6. Subsequently, the rotary support 32 rotates in particular by 120 °, so that the second line end 6 is brought into the horizontal orientation. In parallel, the manipulator 24 moves to a second connector housing 4, which is to be equipped with the second line end 6. The insertion of the line end 6 takes place as described above.

The manipulator 24 then moves back to the staging station and receives the line ends 6 of a further line element 8 and inserts them into the intended plug-in positions of two plug housings 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2 plant

4 connector housing

6 line end

8 line element

10 plug-in station

12 vertical direction

14 longitudinal direction

16 horizontal direction

18 transporters

20 rail

22 deflecting element

24 manipulator

26 basic body

28 base

30 machining head

32 revolving carrier

34 positioning gripper

36 carrying unit

38 gripping unit

40 free space

42 clamping area

46 sensor unit

A hand axis a grid

Claims

claims

1 . Installation (2) for automatically loading plug housings (4) with a line element (8) having two line ends (6), with a manipulator (24) having several degrees of freedom of movement for receiving a respective line element (8) from a supply station and for transferring the conduit element (8) to the plug housings (4) provided in a plug-in station (10), the manipulator (24) having a base (28) and a machining head (30) attached to the base (28), and the machining head ( 30) have a carrier and at least two positioning grippers (34) fastened to the carrier, each having at least one gripping unit (38) for gripping a respective line end (6) of the respective line element (8).

2. Plant (2) according to claim 1, wherein the positioning gripper (34) with respect to the base (28) are adjustably arranged.

3. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier is designed as a rotary support (32) which is rotatable about a rotation axis.

4. Plant (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the three positioning gripper (34) on the rotary carrier (32) are arranged.

5. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each gripping unit (38) for the separate gripping of two wires of a formed by a twisted wire pair line element (8) is formed and for this purpose has two clamping regions (42).

6. Plant (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the clamping regions (42) by a grid dimension (a) are spaced from each other, which corresponds to the grid dimension (a) of adjacent plug positions in the connector housing (4).

An installation (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each one

Positioning gripper (34) has two spaced apart gripping units (38), so that in operation a respective line member (8) at two spaced-apart areas of the gripping unit (38) is tangible.

8. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Positioning gripper (34) U-shaped with a free space (40) between the gripping units (38) is formed.

9. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a sensor unit (46) is provided for monitoring the plug-in operation.

10. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulator (24) is designed as a multi-axis articulated arm robot.

1 1. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the manipulator (24) can be moved between the supply station and the plug-in station (10).

12. Plant (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at the

Plug station (10) the connector housing (4) are mounted on transporters (18) which are arranged distributed on a plurality of rails (20) and each individually along the rails (20) are movable and preferably the rails (20) are movable relative to each other.

A machining head (30) for attachment to a manipulator (24) for a plant (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the machining head (30) comprises a support and at least two supports attached to the support

Positioning gripper (34), each having at least one gripping unit (38) for gripping line ends (6) of a respective line member (8).

14. A method for automatically loading connector housings (4) with a line element (8), which has two line ends (6), by means of a manipulator (24), wherein the manipulator (24) at least two

Positioning gripper (34) each having at least one gripping unit (38), in which

- A respective positioning gripper (34) in each case a line end (6) of the line element (8) engages

- With the aid of a positioning gripper (34), a first connector housing (4) with the one line end (6) is fitted and then

- With the help of the other positioning gripper (34), a second connector housing (4) with the other line end (6) is fitted