METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A WIRING HARNESS

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a wiring harness, whereby a number of conductors, surrounded by insulation material, are put side by side on a support. Thereafter a strip is put on the conductors, said strip being made of a material to be bonded together with the aforesaid insulation material by means of heat. Further a cover of teflon is placed on the strip for the duration of the bonding process and a heated shoe is then moved over said cover. Near the ends of the support there are provided fixing means for fixing the conductors, means being provided by means of which the fixing means can be moved relatively to each other in order to increase or decrease the distance between the fixing means.

Description: The invention relates to a method for producing a wiring harness whereby a number of conductors, surrounded by insulation material, is put side by side on a support, after which a strip is put on the conductors, said strip being made of a material to be bonded together with the aforesaid insulation material by means of heat. In the methods so far (BE-A-803452) the materials to be bonded together are heated by means of heated air. A great deal of energy is lost hereby, whilst the air currents which occur are objectionable to the surroundings. The purpose of the invention is therefore to obtain a method wherein the disadvantages of the methods used so far can be avoided. According to the invention the conductors are placed on a resilient cover layer of the support, for forming a branche at a side of the wiring harness at least on conductor is guided around a pin provided on the support plate so as to extend outside the support and a cover of teflon® is placed on the strip, a heated shoe is moved over said cover from one end of the strip towards the other end of the strip whereby the pin and the support plate are moved with respect to each other when the heated shoe is near said pin in order to withdraw the pin with respect to said support plate and thereafter the cover of polytetrafluoroethylene (teflon®) is removed from the strip. Because a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (teflon®) is provided use can be made of a heated shoe for bonding the strip, e.g. made of polyvinylchloride, to the insulation material surrounding the conductors, without the risk of the heated shoe adhering to the material to be processed. Further differences in thickness of the conductors will be compensated by the resilient upper surface, whilst also a proper fixing of the conductors at a branche will be obtained. It is noted that from DE-A-2,758,491 it is known to bond a foil of a sticky material to conductors under pressure in a heating device. It has been proposed thereby to provide the foil with a layer of siliconised paper to prevent it from adhering to a pressing stamp. The use of such a foil lined with a layer of siliconised paper increases the cost price, however, and leads to and increased stiffnes of the wiring harness. In said device the conductors and the foil are pressed together with a stamp. So it will be necessary to have a stamp with a length corresponding to the length of the longest wiring harness which has to be made. A further aspect of the invention relates to a device for performing the method according the invention provided with a frame having a support on which conductors surrounded by insulation material can be arranged. According the invention the device is furthermore provided with a resilient upper surface on said support, a pin which is movable with respect to the support, a trolley which can be moved along the support, a heatable shoe being vertically adjustable connected to said trolley and with a block supporting a reel around which is wound a teflon® tape, said block being movable along the support for laying the tape on the conductors and for rolling up the tape on the reel. So is obtained a device for making in a simple and effective way wiring harnesses of various lengths. A further aspect of the invention relates to a device for producing a wiring harness provided with a support on which conductors surrounded by insulation material can be put, whilst near the ends of the support there are provided fixing means for fixing the conductors. According to the invention means have been provided by means of which the fixing means can be moved relatively to each other in order to increase and decrease the distance between the fixing means. By using the method according to the invention the conductors can be pulled taut prior to attaching the conductors to a strip mutually connecting the conductors in the wiring harness, as a result of which it becomes easier to attach the conductors to the strip in the correct manner. The invention will be further explained hereinafter with reference to a possible embodiment of the device according to the invention illustrated in the accompanying figures. Fig 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the frame of a device according to the invention. Fig 2 is a side view of fig 1 with a trolley illustrated in fig 3. Fig 3 illustrates the trolley supporting the shoe to be heated. Fig 4 is a front view of fig 3. Fig 5 illustrates on a larger scale a part of the frame of the device, with fixing and tensioning means partly in section and partly in plan view. Fig 6 illustrates a few parts of the fixing and tensioning means according to the invention, illustrated spaced from one another. Fig 7 is a top view of a part of the support for the conductors at the location of a branch. Fig. 8 illustrates a further embodiment at the location of a branch. Fig. 9 illustrates a cross-section over Fig. 8. The frame of the device, illustrated in figs 1 and 2, comprises a number of vertical columns 2 connected by cross beams 1, which columns support a pair of horizontal beams 3 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the frame. Supported by the beams 3 are hollow tubular beams 4, forming supports which are covered at their upper sides with a rubber layer 5. Near both ends of each beam 4 there is arranged a table 6 located in the extension of the upper surface of the beam 4, which table can be swung upwardly from the position illustrated in fig. 1 about a horizontal axis 7. As furthermore appears, in particular from figs 5 and 6, a plate 8, sloping downwards from the upper side of the beam 4 toward the lower side of said beam, is provided near each end of the beam 4. Connected to said plate 8 is a connecting block 9, on which there are mounted guide pins 10. The guide pins 10 are movable in the longitudinal direction of the beam 4 in guide bushes 11 mounted on the beam 4. Thus the plate 8 can be moved to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the beam 4 relatively to the beam 4 by means of a setting cylinder 12 mounted on the beam 4. It is noted that in fig 6 the plate 8 with the setting cylinder 12 is illustrated in partly disassembled condition. Near the lower end of the plate 8 there is provided a block-shaped fixing means 13, which is provided with two rows of teeth 14 extending parallel to each other and defining passages between the teeth, said passages becoming narrower towards the bottom. As furthermore appears from fig 6 a clamping arm 15 is pivotally mounted on the plate and it can be clamped against a cushion 17, which is provided on the plate 8, by means of a clamping bracket 16. Wires 18 to be connected together can be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the beam 4 on the rubber layer 5 supported by the beam 4 and be slid with their ends into grooves bounded by the teeth 14 of the fixing means in order to be fixed therein and furthermore, as an extra protection, be clamped against the cushion 17 by means of the clamping arm 15. When thus the wires to be incorporated in a wiring harness have been arranged and fixed the wires can furthermore be pulled taut by moving the plates 8 in opposite directions by means of the setting cylinders 12. As furthermore appears, in particular from fig 7, the rubber layer 5 is supported by a wooden plate 19 which rests on the beam 4, said wooden plate being provided with upright edges 20. In said edges there are formed interruptions 21 at desired places. At the location of said interruptions there are provided upright pins 22 on the wooden plate 19. At the location of said interruptions fixing means 23, corresponding with the fixing means 13, are furthermore mounted on the side of the beam 4. As is illustrated here for a few conductors 18 branches may be formed in the cable tree at the location of the recesses 21 by guiding said conductors outwards in the manner illustrated in fig 7, and fixing them in the fixing means 23 prior to producing the wiring harness. The uppermost cross beams of the frame of the device (fig 2) support a frame beam 25 extending parallel to the frame beams 3, along which frame beam 25 a trolley 26 can be moved, said trolley being illustrated more in particular in fig 2. The trolley is thereby guided by rolls 27 co-operating with the beam 25. The trolley is also provided with a motor 28, which can drive the pinion 29 via a vertical shaft. Said pinion is in engagement with a rack (not shown) mounted on the frame beam 25, so that by driving the pinion 29 the trolley 26 can be moved to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the device, parallel to the beams 4. A pair of arms 30 can pivot relatively to the trolley by means of co-axial stubs 31, said stubs being rotatably journalled in bearings 32 fixed to the trolley. The centre lines of the stubs 31 are thereby located in a vertical plane, in which there is also located the centre line of the frame beam 25, so that therefore the stubs 31 extend centrally between the two beams 4, which extend parallel to each other, and parallel to said beams 4. To the free ends of the arms 30 there is furthermore pivotally coupled, by means of a rod 33 extending between said arms and parallel to the stubs 31, a shoe 34 arranged between the arms 30. Said shoe 34 can be heated by means of resistance elements (not shown). To the shoe there are furthermore pivotally coupled the ends of coupling rods 35, whilst the other ends of said coupling rods 35 are pivotally coupled to the trolley, all this such that the pivots of the coupling rods 35, with the stubs 31 and the shaft 33, are located in the angular points of a parallellogram.As a result the bottom side of the shoe 34 will always maintain a horizontal position when the arms 30 are pivoted. The arms 30 can be pivoted by means of setting cylinders 36 provided between the arems 30 and the frame of the trolley 26. To the upper end of the setting cylinder 36, which is pivotally coupled to the frame of the trolley, there is coupled the piston rod of an additional setting cylinder 37, whilst the other end of the setting cylinder 37 is coupled to the frame of the trolley 26. As is furthermore diagrammatically illustrated in fig 1 there is arranged a block 38 under the table 6, said block comprising a reel 39 around which there is wound a teflon tape 40. Said teflon tape 40 is guided about a guide roll 41, also incorporated in the block, and fixed to the frame with one end. After the two tables 6 have been swung upwardly the block 38 can be moved from the left-hand position illustrated in fig 1 to the right-hand position 38′ illustrated in fig 1, as a result of which the teflon tape 40 is arranged on the relevant beam 4. After the block 38 has thus been moved the tables 6 can be swung back again. The reversed procedure is used for winding up the teflon tape. Prior to producing a wiring harness the desired number of conductors will first be arranged on the rubber plate in the manner described above, fixed in the fixing means and be pulled taut by moving the plates 8. Then a strip, consisting of polyvinylchloride, of the desired width will be stretched above the wires or conductors thus put into position. Then the teflon layer 40 will be pulled over the strip consisting of polyvinylchloride in the manner described above. Then the heated shoe 34 can be moved downwards near a table 6 until it will rest on the table 6, after which the trolley 26 will be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame of the device, whereby the shoe 34 will slide over the teflon layer 40 covering the cable tree to be produced. The pressure exerted on said parts of the cable tree thereby can be regulated by means of the setting cylinder 36. A possible difference in thickness between the wires will thereby be compensated in that, because the wires are pressed down by means of the shoe they will be pressed into the rubber layer 5 a little, until it is ensured that also with conductors of different diameters a good pressing down of the layer of polyvinylchloride on the insulation material of said conductors will be obtained. Because of the heat transferred via the heated shoe 34 the layer of polyvinylchloride will be bonded to the insulation of the conductors belonging thereto while the shoe is being moved. The teflon layer 40 will thereby prevent that material adheres to the heated shoe 34. After the trolley 26 with the shoe have thus been moved from the one table 6 to the other table 6 the shoe can be lifted again and the teflon layer 40 can be rolled up again by moving the block 38 supporting the reel 39 from the position 38' to the original position. Then the cable tree can be removed from the device by disconnecting the fixed ends of the conductors. When the trolley 26 with the shoe 34, after a bonding action has been carried out, has arrived near one end of the frame the shoe can be pulled upwards as far as possible by means of the setting cylinder 36, after which said setting cylinders 36 can be pivoted relatively to the frame by means of the setting cylinders 37, all this such that seen in fig 3 the shoe comes to lie at the right-hand side of the trolley 26. Thus it will be possible to move the shoe supported by the trolley 26 along the left-hand beam 4, seen in fig 2, as well as along the right-hand beam 4. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9 there have been mounted pins 45, about which the conductors 18 are guided as explained above by means of Fig. 7, on a fixed plate 46 near a recess in the beam 4 at the position of a branch. Thereby the pins have been arranged preferably so that they are slightly sloping upwardly towards a line extending perpendicular to plate 45 and substantially centrally between the pins. At the lower side of the plate 46 there has been fixed a setting cylinder 47 having a piston rod 48 extending through a hole provided in the plate 46. At the upper end of the piston rod 48 there has been fixed a support plate 49 forming part of the support formed by the beam 4 and supporting a rubber plate 50. In the plates 49 and 50 there have been provided holes for the pins 45. The arrangement is so that in the low-er-most position of the plates 49 and 50 the pins 45 protude above the plate 50 over a distance slightly smaller as the diameter of the conductors, as usual. Also the use of the so arranged device is as explained above except that at the moment that the shoe 34 lies above the plates 49 and 50 said plates with the conductors lying thereon the strip of insulation material and the teflon cover are pushed upwardly against the shoe 34 by means of the setting cylinder 47. So there will be obtained a good attachment also at the location of the branch.

Claims: Method for producing a wiring harness, whereby a number of conductors (18), surrounded by insulation material, are put side by side on a support, after which a strip is put on the conductors (18), said strip being made of a material to be bonded together with the aforesaid insulation material by means of a heated shoe (34), characterized in that the conductors are placed on a resilient cover layer (5, 50) of the support, and for forming a branch at a side of the wiring harness at least one conductor (18) is guided around a pin (45) provided on the support plate (49) so as to extend outside the support, a cover of polytetrafluoroethylene is placed on the strip, a heated shoe (34) is moved over said cover from one end of the strip towards the other end of the strip whereby the pin (45) and the support plate (49) are moved with respect to each other when the heated shoe (34) is near said pin (45) in order to withdraw the pin with respect to said support plate (49) and thereafter the cover of polytetrafluoroethylene is removed from the strip. Device for performing the method according claim 1 provided with a frame (3) having a support (4, 5) on which conductors (18) surrounded by insulation material can be arranged, characterized in that the device is furthermore provided with a resilient cover layer (5, 50) on said support, a pin (45) and a support plate which are movable with respect to each other, a trolley (26) which can be moved along the support, a heatable shoe (34) being vertically adjustably connected to said trolley, and with a block (38) supporting a reel around which is wound a teflon® tape (40) said block being movable along the support for laying the polytetrafluoroethylene tape (40) on the conductors (18) and for rolling up the polytetrafluoroethylene tape on the reel (39). Device according claim 2, characterised in that near the ends of the support there are provided fixing means (13) for fixing the conductors (18) and that means are provided by means of which the fixing means (13) can be moved relatively to each other in order to increase or decrease the distance between the fixing means. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the fixing means (13) are provided at the ends of the support and are movable to and fro in the longitudinal direction of said support. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the support is provided with a hollow beam (4) in which setting cylinders (12) are accommodated for adjusting the fixing means (13). Device according to any one of the preceding claims 3-5, characterised in that the fixing means (13) are provided on plates (8), said plates being provided near the ends of a beam (4) forming part of the support, whereby said plates (8) slope downwards from the upper side of the beam (4) in opposite directions. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that cam-shaped means (13) are provided on a plate (8) for taking up the ends of the conductors (18), whilst the plate is furthermore provided with a pivotable clamping arm (15) and a cushion (17) arranged opposite said clamping arm (15) for clamping the conductors (18) between the clamping arm (15) and the cushion (17). Device according to any preceding claim 2-7, characterised in that the shoe (34) is pivotally connected to the trolley (26) by means of a parallelogram mechanism (30, 35), with pivots extending parallel to the support. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 2-8, characterised that, seen in the direction of movement of the trolley (26) a support is provided on both sides of the trolley (26) for conductors (18) which are to be incorporated in a wiring harness, and that the shoe (34) can pivot from the one side of the trolley (26) to the other end of the trolley (26). Device according to any one of the preceding claims 2-9, characterised in that the support is provided with a resilient cover layer at its upper side. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 2-10, characterised in that one or more branches can be provided in the cable tree to be assembled by guiding a number of conductors (18) belonging to said cable tree around guide pins (22, 45) provided in the support to fixing means (23) provided outside the support. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the guide pins (45) extend through holes provided in a support means (49, 50) for the conductors (18) said support means (49, 50) being movable in an upward direction. Device according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the fixing means (23) are formed by cam-shaped means.

Inventors: COMPEN, PAULUS JOHANNES
Applicants: GEMEENTE EINDHOVEN H.O.D.N. ERGONBEDRIJVEN
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H01B13
IPC codes: H01B13