HARNESS MANUFACTURING APPARATUS

Abstract

 [PROBLEMS] A pressure-contacting machine for manufacturing wire harness uses a stuffer (crimping blade) for pressure-contacting (or crimping) a wire to a connector, and the vertical movement speed of the stuffer is limited to such a speed that the stuffer does not cut the core of the wire.
[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] The ram (16) of the pressure-contacting machine (14, 26) is vertically moved in the combination of a cam (23) with a guide (18) or a cam follower (27) with a cam (28), and when the stuffer (15) fitted to the tip of the ram (16) comes within a low speed range, a pressure-contacting (or crimping) operation is performed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing sets of harness.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Various electric or electronic instruments, electric appliances, automobiles or other electric machines use harness. There are several types of harness, such as 1-1 type (see Fig. 10) or 1-N type (see Fig. 11), or multi-type having different wire lengths, which may be classified by the pressure-contacting (or crimping) connector positions of each wire elongating from one connector to another connector, or by varying the length of each wire.
When pressure-contacting (or crimping) of a wire to a connector is done, a stuffer (crimp anvil, crimper) is used in order to serially implant an end of wire into each pole of connector. In this case, the vertical movement speed of the stuffer is selected so that only a shield, which is serving as the outer cover of wire, is broken, and that the wire itself may not be cut.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 6-56787; and
Patent Document 2: Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 6-105564.

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY INVENTION

[0004] Assume that, for example, a set of 1-1 harness, a set of 1-N harness and two sets of multi-type harness, integrally constitute a full set of harness, and is connected to a specified portion of electric or electronic instrument, and that such instruments are manufactured 10,000 units per month.
In the above assumption, a harness maker will manufacture, 10,000 sets of 1-1 harness by a manufacturing apparatus, 10,000 sets of 1-N harness by another manufacturing apparatus, and 20,000 sets of multi-type harness by still another manufacturing apparatus, thus in total 40,000 sets of harness will be shipped to assembling maker by the end of every month.

[0005] In the above example of prior art, the harness maker will purchase harness manufacturing apparatuses corresponding to respective harness types, and the manufactured harnesses according to the number and types of ordered sets will be stored in a parts depot, and then the harnesses will be shipped to the assembling maker. Therefore, the harness maker must be equipped with various manufacturing apparatuses according to connector makers in order to cope with orders from the assembling maker, which would involve heavy capital investment and higher risk.
Before shipping, the harness maker will pick up necessary number and necessary types of harnesses from the part depot, bundle them, and will prepare a predetermined full sets of harness. This process requires a larger parts storage space.

[0006] According to the prior art, the speed of stuffer for implanting a wire into a connector is limited, because the stuffer may not rapture the wire. Therefore, it has been considered that the manufacturing speed of wire harnesses has a limitation.

[0007] In the light of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to solve the problem of the prior art as discussed above.

MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

[0008] To achieve the objects mentioned above, the present adopts means for manufacturing required number of harnesses by a single apparatus according to the ordered type from assembling maker to harness maker, which allows immediate shipping and minimum storage space.
Therefore, to achieve the objects mentioned above, according to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus by which a required number of full sets of harness can be manufactured by a single apparatus, and a required number of full sets of harness per day can be shipped according to cell method.
Further, according to the present invention, the speed of stuffer may become faster, but the speed of stuffer decreases during implanting a wire into a connector, whereby the working efficiency may improve in the increased stuffer speed section.

[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a harness manufacturing apparatus, comprising, a connector supplying machine, having a plurality of connector supplying portions, and each of the connector supplying portions are incorporating connectors having a predetermined number of poles which is different from each connector supplying portion; a connector apposing machine which apposes the connectors from the connector supplying machine in a line; a connector transporting machine which sends an apposed connector set to a pressure-contacting machine; and the pressure-contacting machine which implants wires one after another or simultaneously to the connector set at a predetermined position, so that an arbitrary combination of 1-1 harnesses, 1-N harnesses and multi-type harnesses are supplied by the single pressure-contacting machine.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is also provided a pressure-contacting machine, comprising, a ram having a stuffer which carries out pressure-contacting of wire inside each connector; a guide supported by the ram; a supporter which supports the ram to be movable in reciprocating direction; a cam shaft rotated by a driving portion; and a cam positioned inside the guide and supported eccentrically against the axis of the cam shaft, so that, when the ram makes reciprocal movement by rotative movement around the axis of the cam shaft, and also when the stuffer carries out pressure-contacting of the wire inside the connector, the movement speed of the stuffer becomes slower.

[0011] Further, according to the present invention, there is also provided a pressure-contacting machine, comprising, a ram having a stuffer which carries out pressure-contacting of wire inside each connector; a cam follower supported by the ram; a supporter which supports the ram to be movable in reciprocating direction; a cam shaft rotated by a driving portion; and a cam having a ring groove and supported eccentrically against the axis of the cam shaft, in which the cam follower is positioned inside the groove of the cam so that the ram makes reciprocal movement by upward and downward movements of the cam follower by rotative movement of the cam, and when the stuffer carries out pressure-contacting of the wire inside the connector, the movement speed of the stuffer becomes slower.

[0012] Preferably, the harness manufacturing apparatus as discussed above may use any of the pressure-contacting machines as discussed above.

MERITS OF THE INVENTION

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to supply necessary number and necessary types of harnesses by a single apparatus corresponding to the order from assembling maker.
The equipment and manufacturing method of the present invention may be cope with not only conventional lot manufacturing system, but also with the manufacturing system in which various manufacturing patterns have been programmed in the apparatus, whereby the manufacturing can be carried out by repeating the programmed manufacturing pattern. Accordingly, it is possible to manufacture necessary number of full sets of harness per mounted product in a short period of time, whereby it is possible to cope with the various-type and small-lot manufacturing system, and to reduce the stock, and also to shorten the lead time from order to shipping.

[0014] As the second merit of the present invention, it is possible to vary the vertical movement speed of the stuffer which implants a wire into a connector. Accordingly, the speed during implanting may become slower in order to prevent rupture of wire, and on the other hand, the vertical movement speed except for implanting may become faster, whereby the total working time can be reduced.

[0015] As the third merit of the present invention, it is possible to arbitrarily select the required alignment pattern of connectors (number of poles, number of used connectors) by connector automatic alignment function, whereby it is possible to cope with various patterns (connector groups) by designated pressure-contacting (crimping) of wires and automatic rearrangement of connectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] 

Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of wire harness:

Figure 2 is a plan view showing a connector alignment system with reference to the example of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the state in which a connector group is supplied to a pressure-contacting station;

Figure 4 is a side view of an example of a pressure-contacting machine;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the pressure-contacting machine as shown in Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of another example of a pressure-contacting machine;

Figure 7 is a side view of the pressure-contacting machine as shown in Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a chart showing the moving amount of a blade (stuffer) of the example of Fig. 4;

Figure 9 is a chart showing the moving amount of a blade (stuffer) of the example of Fig. 6;

Figure 10 is a plan view of 1-1 harness; and

Figure 11 is a plan view of 1-N harness.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of wire harness 3, having a connector group 1 on the left side, in which, a 5-pole connector, a 10-pole connector and a 9-pole connector are apposed with each other, and also having a wire harness group 2 provided with a connector group on the right side, in which, four 2-pole connectors, a 3-pole connector, a 5-pole connector and a 8-pole connector are apposed with each other.
Fig. 2 illustrates an example of connector alignment according to the wire harness 3 of Fig. 1.
There are nine tubes 4 in parallel on the left, and each tube incorporates connectors having the illustrated number of poles therein, and a connector per plural units is discharged by an extruding machine having rod-cylinder mechanism. The tubes are also arranged by multi-stage structure in the perpendicular direction, and when all the connectors inside one tube are discharged, the empty tube will be transferred to another place, and another stand-by tube is moved to a predetermined position in order to supply the connectors.

[0018] An example of the connector group 1 will be explained. First, a 9-pole connector 4 is discharged as an operation A, and thereafter, a 10-pole connectors 5 is discharged and apposed with the connector 4 as an operation B. The connectors 4, 5 are then moved, as an operation C, to the front of a tube of a 5-pole connector 6, and the connector 6 is apposed with the connector 5. Thus the connector group 1 is prepared.
As to the connector group 2, an 8-pole connector 7 is discharged as the operation A, and the connector 7 is then moved to the front of a tube of a 5-pole connector 8, and is thereafter moved to the front of a 3-pole connector 9, whereby the connectors 7, 8 and 9 are apposed with each other.
As an operation D, the connectors 7, 8 and 9 are moved to the front of a tube of a 2-pole connector 10. The tube discharges four units of 2-pole connector 10, whereby the connector group 2 is prepared.

[0019] The selected number of connectors, as well as the positions and the discharging order of connectors are carried out precisely in accordance with the command of programmed computer. The connector groups 1, 2 are supplied to a pressure-contacting machine through rails 11, 12.
Each wire 13 has been measured and cut in advance at the length required for connecting poles of each connector.

[0020] Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 illustrate an example of a pressure-contacting machine 14. The pressure-contacting machine 14 is provided with a stuffer 15 serving as a crimping blade, a reciprocally movable ram 16 having the stuffer 15, a guide 18 supported by the ram 16 and having a groove 17 elongating in the horizontal direction, a supporter 19 supporting the ram 16 to be movable reciprocally in the vertical direction, an electric motor 20 supported by the supporter 19 and serving as a driving portion, a cam shaft 22 connected to the driving portion 20 via a coupling 21, and a cam 23 eccentrically supported by the axis of the cam shaft 22.

[0021] The rotation of the cam shaft 22 by the driving portion 20 causes the rotative movement of the cam 23 around the axis of the cam shaft 22. The cam 23 revolves and moves along the inside the groove 17 of the guide 18, whereby the guide 18 and the ram 16 are moved upwardly and downwardly in the vertical direction. Consequently, the stuffer 15 makes the vertical movement, whereby the wire 13 is pressed and connected (crimped) to the connector 24 (any one of the connectors 4 through 10). Reference numeral 25 shows a wire guide.
The vertical movement speed of the stuffer 15, which follows the movement of the cam 23, is shown in Fig. 8. The movement speed becomes slower at the top dead center and the bottom dead center, and becomes faster in the intermediate section. As the start and the end of the pressure-contacting (crimping) are carried out in the low-speed range of the stuffer 15, during pressure-contacting (crimping), the center thin wires (core wires) inside the wire 13 will not be cut. On the other hand, the vertical movement speed may become faster in the intermediate section between the top dead center and the bottom dead center (or only at the bottom dead center), thus the total working time may be reduced significantly.

[0022] Now another example of the present invention will be discussed with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. The same reference numbers as those of Fig. 4 and Fig 5 are allotted to element parts of Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, and the explanation thereof will be omitted partially.
There is a pressure-contacting machine 26, having a cam follower 27 fixed on the ram 16. The cam follower 27 is incorporated inside a ring groove 29 of a cam 28, and the cam 28 is fixed on the cam shaft 22 eccentrically against the axis of the cam shaft 22.

[0023] The rotation of the cam shaft 22 by the driving portion 20 causes the eccentric rotation of the cam 28 around the axis of the cam shaft 22. The cam follower 27 revolves and moves along the inside of the ring groove 29 of the cam 28, whereby the ram 16 is moved upwardly and downwardly in the vertical direction. Consequently, the staffer 15 makes the vertical movement, whereby the wire 13 is pressed and connected (crimped) to the connector 24 (any one of the connectors 4 through 10). Reference numeral 25 shows the wire guide.
The vertical movement speed of the stuffer 15, which follows the movement of the cam follower 27, is shown in Fig. 9. The movement speed becomes slower at the top dead center and the bottom dead center, and becomes faster in the intermediate section. As the start and the end of the pressure-contacting (crimping) are carried out in the low-speed range of the stuffer 15, during pressure-contacting (crimping), the center thin wires (core wires) inside the wire 13 will not be cut. On the other hand, the vertical movement speed may become faster in the intermediate section between the top dead center and the bottom dead center, thus the total working time may be reduced significantly. This is equal to the case in which a plural number of pressure-contacting or crimping process is carried out simultaneously.

[0024] As illustrated in Fig. 4, according to the present example, the pressure-contacting (or crimping) of each wire 13 to the poles of the corresponding connector is carried out one after another by moving the stuffer 15 to the right and left. However, it is of course possible to move the connector groups 1, 2 to the right and left, so that the poles of the connectors required for pressure-contacting (or crimping) of the wire may face to the stuffer 15.
The number of poles, the position, and the number of used connectors constituting the connector groups 1, 2 may be selected arbitrarily.

[0025] According to the examples as illustrated in the drawings, the combination of the guide 18 with the cam 23, and that of the cam follower 27 with the cam 28, are discussed, for the purpose of limiting the speed of vertical movement of the stuffer during pressure-contacting (or crimping) so as not to cut the thin wires inside the wire unit. However, it is also possible to provide the stuffer at one end of the supporting point, and a lever connected to a link following the cam at the other end of the supporting point. so that the reciprocal movement (vertical movement) of the stuffer may be generated, by rotative movement of the cam which causes the vertical movement of the lever via the link around the supporting point. It is also possible to reduce the total working time by selecting an appropriate shape of the cam, so that the speed of the stuffer during pressure-contacting (or crimping) may become lower, and that the speed during other process may become higher.

[0026] It should be noted that, in claims, the wording of "pressure-contacting" includes the meaning of "crimping."

Claims

1. A harness manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a connector supplying machine, having a plurality of connector supplying portions, and each of said connector supplying portions incorporating connectors having a predetermined number of poles different from each connector supplying portion;

a connector apposing machine which apposes said connectors from said connector supplying machine in a line;

a connector transporting machine which sends an apposed connector set to a pressure-contacting machine; and

said pressure-contacting machine which implants wires one after another or simultaneously to said connector set at a predetermined position,

whereby an arbitrary combination of 1-1 harnesses, 1-N harnesses and multi-type harnesses are supplied by said single pressure-contacting machine.

2. The harness manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising two units of said connector supplying portions, whereby a connector set for an end of wire and another connector set for the other end of wire may be supplied, with having pressure-contacting machines for each connector set.

3. A pressure-contacting machine comprising:

a ram having a stuffer which carries out pressure-contacting of wire inside each connector;

a guide supported by said ram;

a supporter which supports said ram to be movable in reciprocating direction;

a cam shaft rotated by a driving portion; and

a cam positioned inside said guide and supported eccentrically against the axis of said cam shaft,

in which, when said ram makes reciprocal movement by rotative movement around the axis of said cam shaft and also when said stuffer carries out pressure-contacting of said wire inside said connector, movement speed of said stuffer becomes slower.

4. The pressure-contacting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide having a groove elongating in the horizontal direction, and said cam revolves and moves along inside said groove.

5. A pressure-contacting machine comprising:

a ram having a stuffer which carries out pressure-contacting of wire inside each connector;

a cam follower supported by said ram;

a supporter which supports said ram to be movable in reciprocating direction;

a cam shaft rotated by a driving portion; and

a cam having a ring groove and supported eccentrically against the axis of said cam shaft,

in which, said cam follower is positioned inside said groove of said cam so that said ram makes reciprocal movement by upward and downward movements of said cam follower by rotative movement of said cam, and when said stuffer carries out pressure-contacting of said wire inside said connector, movement speed of said stuffer becomes slower.

6. The pressure-contacting machine as claimed in claim 3 or claim 5, wherein movement speed of said stuffer becomes to an optimal pressure-contacting speed when starting pressure-contacting, and rotation speed may be selected arbitrarily.

7. The harness manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure-contacting machine is that as claimed in claim 3 or claim 5.

Drawing