Abstract:
A terminal insertion apparatus having a wire holding unit holding two wires, each wire having a terminal, a connector holding unit holding a connector housing having at least two holes for receiving terminals, and a terminal insertion head is disclosed. The terminal insertion head has a wire gripping unit having a first holder and a second holder. The first holder and second holder are movable in a vertical direction toward and away from the wire holding unit and are movable in a horizontal direction toward and away from the connector holding unit. The first holder has an outer grip and an inner grip that together hold one of the two wires while the second holder has an outer grip and an inner grip that together hold the remaining of the two wires.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the earlier filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-337006 having a filing date of Dec. 14, 2006. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a terminal insertion apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The terminal insertion apparatus described in Prior Art  FIG. 5  (see JP10-112229A), for example, is a terminal insertion apparatus which inserts a terminal attached to an electrical wire into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing during the production of a wire harness. 
         [0004]    Prior Art  FIG. 5  is a side view of a terminal insertion apparatus according to JP10-112229A. Prior Art  FIG. 6  is a side view showing a terminal insertion head provided in the terminal insertion apparatus shown in Prior Art  FIG. 5 . 
         [0005]    The terminal insertion apparatus  50  shown in Prior Art  FIG. 5  comprises a pair of X-axis beams  52  installed on frames  51 , a Y-axis beam  53  supported on the respective X-axis beams  52  in a movable manner, a terminal insertion head  54  capable of moving along the Y-axis beam  53 , and a connector gripping unit  55  similarly capable of moving along the Y-axis beam  53 . 
         [0006]    As is shown in Prior Art  FIG. 5 , the terminal insertion head  54  is attached to the rail  57  of the Y-axis beam  53  in a movable manner via a linear motion guide (LM guide)  56 . 
         [0007]    As is shown in Prior Art  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the terminal insertion head  54  comprises a frame  58  fastened to the linear motion guide  56 , a first base plate part  60  attached to the frame  58  via a ball screw unit  59  so as to be freely raised and lowered, and a second base plate part  62  attached to the first base plate part  60  via a vertical cylinder  61  so as to be freely raised and lowered. 
         [0008]    An electrical wire separation unit  63  is installed at the front end of the first base plate part  60 . Furthermore, a terminal gripping unit  64  is installed on the second base plate part  62 . 
         [0009]    The electrical wire separation unit  63  comprises a pair of electrical wire separation claws  65  capable of opening and closing in the left-right direction (depth direction in Prior Art  FIGS. 5 and 6 ), and a chuck cylinder  66  that causes the electrical wire separation claws  65  to open and close. 
         [0010]    The terminal gripping unit  64  comprises a pair of front-side electrical wire gripping hands  68 , a pair of rear-side electrical wire gripping hands  69 , a first chuck cylinder  70  that causes the front-side electrical wire gripping hands  68  to open and close in the left-right direction, and a second chuck cylinder  71  that causes the rear-side electrical wire gripping hands  69  to open and close in the left-right direction. Moreover, the terminal gripping unit  64  comprises a first horizontal cylinder  72  that causes the entire terminal gripping unit  64  to advance and retract, and a second horizontal cylinder  73  that causes only the rear-side electrical wire gripping hands  69  to advance and retract. 
         [0011]    When the terminal C attached to each electrical wire W is to be inserted into a terminal insertion hole of a connector housing  67  by means of the terminal insertion apparatus  50 , the ball screw unit  59  first lowers the terminal insertion head  54 , and the vertical cylinder  61  lowers the two sets of electrical wire gripping hands  68  and  69 . Then, the two sets of electrical wire gripping hands  68  and  69  grip the terminal of an electrical wire W that is set in an electrical wire clip  74 . 
         [0012]    Next, the ball screw unit  59  raises the entire terminal insertion head  54 , and the vertical cylinder  61  raises the two sets of electrical wire gripping hands  68  and  69 . Then, the terminal insertion head  54  moves along the Y-axis beam  53  so as to be above the connector housing  67  that is gripped by the connector gripping unit  55 . 
         [0013]    Furthermore, the ball screw unit  59  again lowers the terminal insertion head  54 , thus causing the electrical wire separation claws  65  of the electrical wire separation unit  63  to be inserted between lead electrical wires (not shown in the figures) that are led out from the connector housing  67 . Moreover, the chuck cylinder  66  opens the electrical wire separation claws  65 , so that a state is created in which the lead electrical wires are separated. 
         [0014]    Afterward, the first horizontal cylinder  72  on the upper side causes the two sets of electrical wire gripping hands  68  and  69  to advance integrally with the second base plate part  62 . As a result, the terminal C is temporarily inserted into a terminal insertion hole of the connector housing  67 . 
         [0015]    Then, the front-side electrical wire gripping hands  68  are opened, the second horizontal cylinder  73  is extended, and the electrical wire W is pushed only by the rear-side electrical wire gripping hands  69 . As a result, the terminal C is completely inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the connector housing  67 . 
         [0016]    Because lead electrical wires of terminals C that have already been inserted into terminal insertion holes of the connector housing  67  can be separated using such a terminal insertion apparatus  50 , it is possible to reliably perform the insertion of each terminal C into a terminal insertion hole of the connector housing  67 . 
         [0017]    However, in the terminal insertion apparatus  50  shown in Prior Art  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it is necessary to perform the insertion of terminals C attached to electrical wires W into terminal insertion holes of the connector housing  67  for one terminal at a time for each electrical wire W during the production of a wire harness. Accordingly, it is difficult to increase the wire harness production efficiency. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0018]    The present invention, in one embodiment, relates to a terminal insertion apparatus having a wire holding unit holding two wires, each wire having a terminal, a connector holding unit holding a connector housing having at least two holes for receiving terminals, and a terminal insertion head. The terminal insertion head has a wire gripping unit having a first holder and a second holder. The first holder and second holder are movable in a vertical direction toward and away from the wire holding unit and are movable in a horizontal direction toward and away from the connector holding unit. The first holder has an outer grip and an inner grip that together hold one of the two wires while the second holder has an outer grip and an inner grip that together hold the remaining of the two wires. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is an oblique schematic view of the essential parts of a terminal insertion apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an orthogonal front view of the terminal insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is an orthogonal side view of the terminal insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an oblique schematic view of a chuck of the terminal insertion apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]    Prior Art  FIG. 5  is an orthogonal side view of a terminal insertion apparatus of JP10-112229A; and 
           [0024]    Prior Art  FIG. 6  is an orthogonal side view of a terminal insertion head of the terminal insertion apparatus of Prior Art  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    A terminal insertion apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures. For the convenience of description, the terminal guides and the like are omitted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]    The terminal insertion apparatus  1  shown in  FIG. 1  is used to insert terminals C attached to one end of electrical wires W into terminal insertion holes F of a connector housing H during wire harness production. 
         [0027]    As is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the terminal insertion apparatus  1  comprises an electrical wire supporting unit  2  arranged on the surface of a base (not shown in the figures), a connector holding unit  3  similarly arranged on the surface of the base, and a terminal insertion head  4  attached to a side wall B that is vertically installed on the base. 
         [0028]    The electrical wire supporting unit  2  comprises a clamp  6  for holding electrical wires W, and a carrier  7  for carrying terminals C that are attached to the electrical wires W. 
         [0029]    The clamp  6  can hold a plurality of electrical wires W (two electrical wires in the present embodiment) at a specified wire separation distance α (approximately 8 mm in the present embodiment, for example). Furthermore, in cases where the specified wire separation distance α of the electrical wires W held by the clamp  6  is set at 8 mm, this wire separation distance α is a relatively narrow distance for clamp provided in automated apparatuses of this type. 
         [0030]    The connector holding unit  3  comprises a baseplate  9  on which the connector housing H is carried, and a lock  10  for locking the connector housing H carried on the baseplate  9 . 
         [0031]    The terminal insertion head  4  comprises a vertical mount  13  attached to the side wall B via a vertical actuator  12  so as to be freely raised and lowered, a horizontal mount  15  attached to the vertical mount  13  via a horizontal actuator  14  so as to be freely moved horizontally, and an electrical wire gripping unit  16  attached to the horizontal mount  15 . In this embodiment, the vertical actuator  12  and horizontal actuator  14  each comprise an air cylinder or are otherwise pneumatic. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, any other suitable actuation device may be substituted for the air cylinders. 
         [0032]    The electrical wire gripping unit  16  comprises a pair of first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  opened and closed by an outer chuck  18  and a pair of first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  opened and closed by an inner chuck  19 . The outer chuck  18  and inner chuck  19  are attached to the horizontal mount  15 . 
         [0033]    As is shown in  FIG. 4 , each of the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  is formed substantially in the shape of the letter “L” as seen from the left-right direction (left-right direction in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ). Outer grips  23  that protrude downward in the vertical direction (vertical direction in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) are respectively provided at the tip end portions of the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b.    
         [0034]    Each of the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  is formed substantially in the shape of the letter “L” as seen from the left-right direction as shown in  FIG. 4 . Inner grips  24  that protrude downward in the vertical direction are respectively provided at the tip end portions of the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b.    
         [0035]    In the electrical wire gripping unit  16 , the inner grips  24  of the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  are arranged between the outer grips  23  of the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b . In the electrical wire gripping unit  16 , furthermore, the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  and first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  are arranged so that the inner grips  24  of the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  and the outer grips  23  of the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  overlap as seen from the left-right direction. Moreover, in the initial state of the electrical wire gripping unit  16 , the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  are arranged with a specified distance in the left-right direction as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4  so as to allow the gripping of the two electrical wires W arranged at the specified wire separation distance α. 
         [0036]    Furthermore, the first outer claw  21   a  and first inner claw  22   a  (together on the same side) make up a first holder  26   a . The first holder  26   a  grips one of the electrical wires W with the inner surface of the outer grips  23  of the first outer claw  21   a  and the outer surface of the inner grips  24  of the first inner claw  22   a.    
         [0037]    Moreover, the second outer claw  21   b  and the second inner claw  22   b  (together on an opposite side) make up a second holder  26   b . The second holder  26   b  grips the other electrical wire W with the inner surface of the outer grips  23  of the second outer claw  21   b  and the outer surface of the inner grips  24  of the second inner claw  22   b.    
         [0038]    With regard to the first holder  26   a  and second holder  26   b , the outer chuck  18  causes the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move outward, and the inner chuck  19  causes the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  to move inward, so that the sets of outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  are placed in an open state. 
         [0039]    With regard to the first holder  26   a  and second holder  26   b , furthermore, the outer chuck  18  causes the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move inward, and the inner chuck  19  causes the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  to move outward, so that the sets of outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  are placed in a closed state. 
         [0040]    Thus, the electrical wire gripping unit  16  makes it possible to grip or release the electrical wires W between the sets of outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective holders  26   a ,  26   b  by opening or closing the sets of outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective holders  26   a ,  26   b.    
         [0041]    In the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  that are in a state in which the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  are closed, the outer chuck  18  causes the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move further inward, so that the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  press the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  inward, thus reducing the distance between the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b . As a result, it is possible to move the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  inward in the direction of arrangement of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  (left-right direction in  FIG. 1 ). Consequently, the electrical wire gripping unit  16  can change the wire separation distance α of the two electrical wires W gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  to a smaller distance. 
         [0042]    In the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  that are in a state in which the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  are closed, the inner chuck  19  causes the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  to move further outward, so that the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  press the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  outward, thus increasing the distance between the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b . As a result, it is possible to move the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  outward in the direction of arrangement of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b . Consequently, the electrical wire gripping unit  16  can change the wire separation distance α of the two electrical wires W gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  to a larger distance. 
         [0043]    Thus, the first holder  26   a  and second holder  26   b  can change the wire separation distance α of the two electrical wires W gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  from the specified wire separation distance α, at which these electrical wires W have been held by the clamp  6  to an terminal hole separation distance β at which the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  can be simultaneously inserted into specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H. 
         [0044]    In this case, by causing the inner surface of the first inner claw  22   a  of the first holder  26   a  and the inner surface of the second inner claw  22   b  of the second holder  26   b  to contact each other as shown in  FIG. 2 , the wire separation distance of the two electrical wires W gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of these first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  is set at the terminal hole separation distance β (3 mm in the present embodiment, for example), which allows the simultaneous insertion of the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  into specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H. 
         [0045]    Furthermore, in the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  that are in a state in which the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  contact each other, the distance between the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  is returned to the specified distance described above by the outer chuck  18  causing the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move outward. 
         [0046]    Moreover, as is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the electrical wire gripping unit  16  is provided with a pair of terminal guides  29  that are opened and closed by a terminal guide actuator  28 . The terminal guide actuator  28  is attached to the horizontal mount  15 . In this embodiment, the terminal guide actuator comprises an air cylinder or is otherwise pneumatic. However, in alternative embodiments, any suitable actuator may be substituted for the air cylinder. 
         [0047]    Recesses  30  that can support the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are respectively formed on the inside of the lower end portions of these terminal guides  29 . The recesses  30  of the respective terminal guides  29  support the outside of the respective terminals C carried on the carrier  7 . 
         [0048]    Next, actions that are taken when the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are inserted into terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H by the terminal insertion apparatus  1  will be described. 
         [0049]    When the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are to be inserted into terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H by means of the terminal insertion apparatus  1 , the two electrical wires W to which the terminals C have been crimped beforehand in a previous step are first set in the electrical wire supporting unit  2 . In this case, the respective electrical wires W are held by the clamp  6 , and the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W are placed on the carrier  7 . Here, the wire separation distance α of the two electrical wires W held by the clamp  6  is set at 8 mm. 
         [0050]    Furthermore, the connector housing H is set in the connector holding unit  3 . In this case, the connector housing H is carried on the baseplate  9 , and the connector housing H carried on the baseplate  9  is locked by the lock  10 . 
         [0051]    Here, in the electrical wire gripping unit  16  that is in the initial state, the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  are arranged in a state in which these outer claws are moved outward, and the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  are arranged in a state in which these inner claws are moved inward, so that the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  are placed in a mutually open state. 
         [0052]    Moreover, in the electrical wire gripping unit  16  that is in the initial state, the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  assume a state in which these inner claws are arranged with a specified distance in the left-right direction so that these inner claws can grip the two electrical wires W that are arranged at the specified wire separation distance α. 
         [0053]    In addition, in the electrical wire gripping unit  16  that is in the initial state, the two terminal guides  29  are in a mutually open state by being arranged in a state in which these terminal guides are moved outward. 
         [0054]    Then, the vertical actuator  12  lowers the electrical wire gripping unit  16  that is in the initial state. As a result, the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  are respectively disposed on the outside and on the inside of the individual electrical wires W that are held by the clamp  6 . At the same time, furthermore, the respective terminal guides  29  are disposed on the outside of the respective terminals C that are carried on the carrier  7 . 
         [0055]    Next, the outer chuck  18  causes the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move inward, and the inner chuck  19  causes the first and second inner claws  22   a ,  22   b  to move outward. As a result, the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  grip the respective electrical wires W. 
         [0056]    Moreover, the terminal guide actuator  28  causes the two terminal guides  29  to move inward. Consequently, the recesses  30  of the respective terminal guides  29  support the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W. 
         [0057]    Next, the vertical actuator  12  raises the electrical wire gripping unit  16 . As a result, positioning in the vertical direction is performed between the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  and specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H disposed in the connector holding unit  3 . In this case, the wire separation distance of the electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  of the electrical wire gripping unit  16  is still the wire separation distance α, at which these two electrical wires W have been held by the clamp  6 . 
         [0058]    Then, the chuck  18  causes the first and second outer claws  21   a ,  21   b  to move further inward, thus causing the inner surface of the first inner claw  22   a  of the first holder  26   a  and the inner surface of the second inner claw  22   b  of the second holder  26   b  to contact each other. This changes the wire separation distance of the two electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  to 3 mm, which is the terminal hole separation distance β for allowing the simultaneous insertion of the terminals C attached to these two electrical wires W into specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H. In this case, in synchronization with the change in the wire separation distance of the electrical wires W gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the first and second holders  26   a  and  26   b , the terminal guide actuator  28  causes the two terminal guides  29  to move further inward, thus causing these terminal guides  29  to continue to support the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W. 
         [0059]    Furthermore, the horizontal actuator  14  causes the electrical wire gripping unit  16  to advance toward the connector housing H that is disposed in the connector holding unit  3 . As a result, the terminals C attached to the two electrical wires W that are gripped by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  are simultaneously inserted into specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H in a temporary manner. 
         [0060]    Following the temporary insertion of the terminals C into the terminal insertion holes F, the terminal guide actuator  28  causes the two terminal guides  29  to move outward. This releases the support of the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W by means of the respective terminal guides  29 . 
         [0061]    Then, the horizontal cylinder  14  causes the electrical wire gripping unit  16  to advance further toward the connector housing H. As a result, the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W are completely inserted into the specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H. 
         [0062]    Furthermore, following the insertion of the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W into the specified terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H, the gripping of the electrical wires W by the outer and inner grips  23 ,  24  of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  is released. 
         [0063]    Moreover, the electrical wire gripping unit  16  is returned to the initial state and prepared for insertion of subsequent electrical wires W. 
         [0064]    Thus, during wire harness production, the terminal insertion apparatus  1  enables the insertion of the terminals C attached to electrical wires W into terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H for two electrical wires W at the same time. 
         [0065]    Here, when gripping two electrical wires W and changing the wire separation distance of these two gripped electrical wires W, it is ordinarily necessary to use a total of three drive systems, i.e., drive systems that respectively drive two gripping means for gripping the individual electrical wires W and a drive system that moves these two gripping means. However, in the electrical wire gripping unit  16  of the terminal insertion apparatus  1 , the first chuck  18  and second chuck  19  perform the gripping of two electrical wires W by means of the respective first and second holders  26   a ,  26   b  and the changing of the wire separation distance of these two electrical wires W. That is, the terminal insertion apparatus  1  makes it possible to grip two electrical wires and to change the wire separation distance of the two gripped electrical wires by using only two sets of drive systems. 
         [0066]    In addition, with the terminal insertion apparatus  1 , as a result of the recesses  30  of the respective terminal guides  29  supporting the terminals C attached to the respective electrical wires W, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of positional deviation between the terminals C and terminal insertion holes F when the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are inserted into the terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H. 
         [0067]    The present invention performs the insertion of terminals C attached to electrical wires W into terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H for two electrical wires at the same time during wire harness production. The present invention also provides that the gripping of two electrical wires W and the changing of the wire separation distance α of the two electrical wires W can be performed using two sets of drive systems. Further, because the terminal guides  29  that support the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are provided, the present invention makes it is possible to prevent the occurrence of positional deviation between the terminals C and terminal insertion holes F when the terminals C attached to the electrical wires W are inserted into the terminal insertion holes F of the connector housing H.