Patent Publication Number: US-2022223321-A1

Title: Machine and Method for Producing Hybrid Electrical Wiring

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Italian Patent Application Nos. 102020000028505 filed on Nov. 26, 2020 and 102021000024221 filed on Sep. 21, 2021, the whole disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to electrical wiring, and more particularly, to a system for producing electrical wiring or associated harnesses. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of electronics, insulation displacement connections (IDC), also referred to as IDC connections, are permanent electric connections between an electric wire and a terminal placed in a specific housing or connector made of plastic. During the step of inserting the electric wire inside the connector, the tabs of the terminal cut the insulation casing of the electric wire and establish the electric connection between the terminal and the wire. 
     In distinction, crimp connections are permanent electric connections between a wire and a terminal. This connection requires the clamping of the terminal on the electric wire through the crimper of the mold. Therefore, a preliminary operation that must to be performed before crimping of the wire is the removal of the insulation casing of the electric wire (stripping), so that the conductive component can be directly connected to the electric terminal. In this way, as the electric wire is blocked on the terminal through the crimper, a stable mechanical and electrical connection is assured. Often, a cable or wiring harness may require each connector type, further increasing the complexity of its assembly. 
     Current IDC and crimping processes are expensive, time consuming and often unreliable. 
     SUMMARY 
     A machine includes a first feeding station feeding at least one electrical wire, and a crimping station having at least one crimping tool. The machine further includes an insulation displacement connection (IDC) connection station, and a movable holding and transfer device having at least one actuator. The holding and transfer device receives an electrical wire from the first feeding station and transfers one or both ends of a first wire from the feeding station to one or both of the crimping station and the IDC connection station. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a two-dimensional view of an example of an electrical wiring structure of the type produced with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a machine for producing electrical wirings according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A to 3D  schematically illustrate the feeding operations of an electrical wire at the first feeding station  100  according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A to 4D  schematically illustrate the feeding operations of an electrical wire at the first feeding station  100  according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates a transfer comb for holding and transferring electrical wires according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates a transfer comb for holding and transferring electrical wires according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  schematically illustrates stripping means for stripping the insulation casing of electrical wires according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  schematically illustrates stripping means for stripping the insulation casing of electrical wires according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9C  schematically illustrate three steps of the process of curving an electrical wire into a U-shape configuration by means of bending means according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  schematically illustrates an IDC connection station for terminating electrical wires by IDC connectors according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11A to 11G  schematically illustrate the steps of the method for transferring electrical wires from a first feeding station to a crimping station according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
       FIG. 1  represents an example of an electrical wiring structure  10  of the type produced with the present invention. The electrical wiring structure  10  is intended simply as a non-limitative example of the electrical wiring structures produced by the present invention. The electrical wiring structure  10  comprises electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15 , each having two ends, respectively  11   a ,  11   b  and  12   a ,  12   b  and  13   a ,  13   b  and  15   a ,  15   b . The ends  11   a  and  12   a  of the wires  11 ,  12  are terminated by crimp connectors  40 , The ends  11   b  and  12   b  of wires  11 ,  12  are inserted in the corresponding receptacles  50  of the connector  30  provided with the corresponding electrical terminals  20 . Both ends of the electrical wires  13  and  15  are terminated by IDC connectors. The ends  13   a  and  13   b  of the electrical wire  13  are inserted in the corresponding receptacles  50  of the two connectors  30 ,  30 ′ provided with corresponding electrical terminals  20 ; the two connectors  30 ,  30 ′ are placed one in front of each other. The two ends  15   a  and  15   b  of the electrical wire  15  are inserted in the corresponding receptacles  50  placed on the same connector  30  so that the electrical wire  15  is curved into a U-shape configuration, 
       FIG. 2  schematically represents a machine  1000  for producing electrical wiring of the type constituted by at least two wires  11 ,  12 , each comprising two ends, wherein one end of each wire is inserted in the corresponding receptacle  50  of a connector  30  provided with the corresponding electrical terminal  20  and the other end of each wire is connected to a crimped terminal  40 . Preferably the machine  1000  produces electrical wiring structures  10  of the type illustrated in  FIG. 1 , further comprising electrical wires  13 ,  15  whose ends are both terminated by IDC connectors. 
     The machine  1000  comprises four working stations positioned on a closed loop  800 : a first feeding station  100 , a crimping station  200 , a second feeding station  300  and an IDC connection station  400 . The machine  1000  uses a linear motor track (e.g., Beckhoff XTS or B&amp;R Supertrack) for moving holding and transfer means  500 , which are configured so as to hold and transfer electrical wires, through the different working stations  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400  on the closed loop  800 . The holding and transfer means  500  comprise an independent mover which carries a transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″, the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″ comprising a frame and seats designed so as to accommodate one end of an electrical wire. Each mover can be controlled independently, allowing maximum flexibility. 
     The first feeding station  100  comprises feeding means  110  to load electrical wires  11 ,  12  on the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″. For example, the feeding means  110  may comprise clamps for loading the electrical wires  11 ,  12  on the transfer comb. The electrical wires  11 ,  12  which are fed at the first feeding station  100  comprise one end  11   a ,  12   a  which is further terminated by crimp connectors at the crimping station  200 . 
     The first feeding station  100  comprises three units of feeding means  110  that can work simultaneously. For example, the first feeding station  100  may comprise any number of units of feeding means  110 , for example one, two, four, five or more. 
     The crimping station  200  comprises three crimping machines of the type of crimping presses to process different electrical wires simultaneously. For example, crimping is performed by inserting the stripped end of a wire into a portion of a terminal which is then mechanically deformed by compressing it tightly around the wire and each crimping press is configured so as to crimp a particular shape of crimp connectors. Preferably, the crimping station  200  does not comprise stripping means since the electrical wires have already been stripped at the first feeding station  100 . For example, the crimping station  200  may comprise any number of crimping presses, for example one, two, four, five or more. Preferably, the crimping station  200  comprises as many crimping presses as the number of feeding units comprised in the first feeding station  100 . 
     The second feeding station  300  is configured so as to feed electrical wires  13 ,  15  whose ends  13   a ,  13   b ,  15   a ,  15   b  need to be terminated by IDC connectors. The second feeding station  300  comprises bending means  310  to bend the electrical wires  13 ,  15  into a U-shaped configuration, so that both ends of each electrical wire  13 ,  15  are accommodated into the seats of the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″. The electrical wires are more easily transferred through the different working stations if they are held in a U-shaped configuration as both ends are made directly available to processing means. 
     The IDC connection station  400  comprises a plurality of machines to terminate by IDC connectors electrical wires which have been fed at the first feeding station  100  and at the second feeding station  300 , The IDC connection station  400  may realize different hybrid electrical wiring structures  10 , of the type represented in  FIG. 1 . The IDC connection station  400  further comprises trimming means  410  to trim the electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15  before they are terminated by IDC connectors so that they have exactly the predefined length to match within the electrical connectors  30 ,  30 ′. 
       FIGS. 3A to 3D  schematically show the feeding operations of an electrical wire at the first feeding station  100 , according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The first feeding station  100  comprises feeding means  110  to load electrical wires  11 ,  12  on the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″. The feeding means  110  according to the first illustrative embodiment are combined with stripping means  120 , which are placed in front of the feeding means  110  (see  FIG. 3A ). In this way, the end of the electrical wires  11 ,  12  which must be crimped is first fed to the feeding means  110  and then to the stripping means  120 , so that the insulation casing is immediately removed during feeding operations. The stripping of the electrical wires  11 ,  12  is performed by holding one end of the electrical wires  11 ,  12  in the stripping means  120  and by pulling the wire  11 ,  12  backwards (see  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 6 ). 
     The first feeding station  100  further comprises rotating clamps  130 ′ which bend the electrical wire  11 ,  12  into a U-shaped configuration before providing it to the holder comb, so that the two ends of each wire  11   a ,  11   b  and  12   a ,  12   b  can be accommodated into the corresponding seats of the holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ (see  FIG. 3B ). For example, the rotating clamps  130 ′ may comprise pneumatic grippers. 
     The first feeding station  100  further comprises cutting means  140  to cut the fed wire at the required length L by means of cutting blades (see  FIG. 3C ). For example, L can be comprised between 100 mm and 1500 mm for electric wires comprising one end to be crimped and one end to be connected to an IDC terminal; more preferably L can be comprised between 150 mm and 1500 mm. L can be comprised between 100 mm and 3000 mm for electrical wires comprising two ends that need to be connected to IDC terminals; more preferably L can be comprised between 150 mm and 3000 mm. 
     The feeding means  110  feeds the stripped and cut electrical wires  11 ,  12  to the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″ positioned in front of them (see  FIG. 3D ). For example, the feeding means  110  may comprise clamps for loading the electrical wires  11 ,  12  on the transfer comb  500 ′  500 ″. 
       FIGS. 4A to 4D  schematically show the feeding operations of an electrical wire at the first feeding station  100 , according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The first feeding station  100  according to the second illustrative embodiment differs from the first feeding station  100  according to the first illustrative embodiment for the configuration of the stripping means  120 ′. In the second illustrative embodiment, the stripping means  120 ′ are adjacent to the feeding means  110  and are movable. The electrical wire  11 ,  12  is first fed to the feeding means  110  and then is bent into a U-shaped configuration by the rotating clamps  130 ′ (see  FIG. 4A ). In the U-shaped configuration, one end of the electrical wire  11 ,  12  is held by the feeding means  110  and the other end reaches the stripping means  120 ′. The stripping means  120 ′ are then displaced so as to strip and remove the insulation case of the end of the wire (see  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 7 ). The first feeding station according to the second illustrative embodiment is further configured to cut the fed wire at the required length L by means of cutting blades (see  FIG. 4C ) and to provide it to the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″, as in the first illustrative embodiment (see  FIG. 4D ). 
       FIG. 5  shows an asymmetric holder comb  500 ′ according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The asymmetric holder comb  500 ′ comprises a frame  501  on which seats  511 ′,  512 ′,  521 ′,  522 ′ are formed according to a substantially horizontal orientation. Each seat  511 ′,  512 ′,  521 ′,  522 ′ is substantially V-shaped to accommodate from above the corresponding wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15 . 
     The asymmetric holder comb  500 ′ presents an asymmetric design and it comprises a temporary storage area  510  and a permanent storage area  520 . The temporary storage area  510  comprises two seats  511 ′,  512 ′ placed at a first distance D. The permanent storage area  520  comprises a plurality of seats  521 ′,  522 ′, for instance twenty-one teeth or more, which are placed at a second distance d. The first distance D is greater than the second distance d and it is designed so as to correspond to the distance between the two ends of an electrical wire bent in a U-shape configuration. The temporary storage area  510  is designed so as to accommodate wires  11 ,  12  comprising one end to be crimped, while the permanent storage area  520  is designed so as to accommodate wires that have already been crimped and additional wires comprising two ends to be terminated by IDC connectors. 
       FIG. 6  shows an asymmetric holder comb  500 ″ according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The asymmetric holder comb  500 ″ comprises a frame  501  on which seats  511 ″,  512 ″,  521 ″,  522 ″ are formed according to a substantially horizontal orientation. Each seat  511 ″,  512 ″,  521 ″,  522 ″ is substantially V-shaped to accommodate from above the corresponding wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15 . 
     The asymmetric holder comb  500 ″ presents an asymmetric design and it comprises a temporary storage area  510  and a permanent storage area  520 . The temporary storage area  510  comprises two seats  511 ″,  512 ″ placed at a first distance D, wherein each seat  511 ″,  512 ″ is delimited by a corresponding pair of teeth and has a variable width s, s′. The temporary storage area  510  is provided with elastic means  530 , for example a helical traction spring, which are configured to dynamically adjust the distance between each pair of teeth delimiting each seat  511 ″,  512 ″ and thus to dynamically adjust the width of each seat  511 ″,  512 ″. In this way, as result of the elasticity of the helical traction spring, electrical wires having different sections may be accommodated and held in the seats  511 ″,  512 ″, without the risk of deforming and/or damaging the teeth. 
     The permanent storage area  520  comprises a plurality of seats  521 ″,  522 ″, for instance twenty-one teeth or more, which are placed at a second distance d, wherein each seat  521 ″,  522 ″ is delimited by a pair of teeth. The seats  521 ″,  522 ″ may have predefined different widths s, s′, i.e. each seat  521 ″,  522 ″ may be delimited by a pair of teeth placed at a predefined different distance s, s′, in order to accommodate and hold electrical wires having different sections. Preferably, each seat  521 ″,  522 ″ may be fixed by means of screws and it may be added or removed from the permanent storage area  520  according to the user&#39;s needs, that is depending on the number of wires having a predefined section corresponding to the predefined seat width s, s′ that must be held in the holder comb  500 ″. In this way, electrical wires having different sections may be accommodated and held in the seats  521 ″,  522 ″, without the risk of deforming and/or damaging the teeth. 
     For instance, the asymmetric holder comb  500 ″ according to this configuration may accommodate and hold into the seats  511 ″,  512 ″,  521 ″,  522 ″ electrical wires having a section of 0.35 mm 2  and/or of 1.5 mm 2 . However, it is clear that also electrical wires having sections smaller than 0.35 mm 2 , or sections larger than 1.5 mm 2 , or any other section may be accommodated and held in the holder comb  500 ″ according to the present invention. 
     Each asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is placed on a mover that can be controlled independently and that transfers it through the different working stations  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400  of the machine  1000 . The movers are functionally controlled by electronic means. During the crimping operations, the comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is constantly moved between the first feeding station  100  and the crimping station  200 . The asymmetric design of the transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″ provides a significant advantage in conjunction with the independent controls provided by the linear motor transfer system, since, during each translation moment, two operations can be carried out, i.e. the feeding of the uncrimped electrical wires and the collection of the crimped ones. 
       FIG. 7  shows stripping means  120  according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The stripping means  120  comprise stripping blades that are positioned in front of the feeding means  110 , so that when one end  11   a  of the electrical wire  11  exits the feeding means  110 , it reaches the stripping blades and passes through them; when the electrical wire  11  is pulled backwards, the insulation casing  11   a ′ on that end  11   a  is removed. In this way, the insulating casing  11   a ′ of the electrical wire  11  is removed by the stripping blades  120 , while the electrical wire  11  is fed to the feeding means  110  at the first feeding station  100  and it is immediately prepared for further crimping operations, thus reducing processing times. 
       FIG. 8  shows stripping means  120 ′ according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The stripping means  120 ′ comprise stripping blades and they are located adjacent to the feeding means  110 . The electrical wire  11  exits the feeding means  110  and is bent in a U-shaped configuration by the rotating clamps  130 ′. One end  11   a  of the electrical wire  11  in the U-shaped configuration reaches the stripping blades; when the stripping blades are displaced, the insulation casing  11   a ′ on that end  11   a  is removed. In this way, the insulating casing  11   a ′ of the electrical wire  11  is removed by the stripping blades  120 ′ at the first feeding station  100  and it is immediately prepared for further crimping operations, thus reducing processing times. Preferably, the electrical wire  11  has been previously cut to the desired length by means of cutting means  140 . 
       FIGS. 9A to 9C  represent the bending means  310  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a pivot  320 , a semi-circular jig  330  and guiding means  340 . The guiding means  340  are rotatable around the pivot  320  and they are pivotally mounted on the semi-circular jig  330 , which is coaxial with the pivot  320 . The guiding means  340  are configured so as to initially receive (see  FIG. 9A ) and accommodate (see  FIG. 9B ) a section of the electrical wire to be curved, and to bend it around the semi-circular jig  330 . The electrical wire hence assumes a U-shaped configuration around the semi-circular jig  330  (see  FIG. 9C ). For example, the bending means  310  are configured to bend wires having a length of 100 mm. The bending means  310  are combined with the feeding means  350  at the second feeding station  300  so that the electrical wire  13  is first bent into a U-shape configuration by bending means  310  and then the two ends are positioned within corresponding seats in the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. 
       FIG. 10  represents an IDC connection station  400  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The IDC connection station  400  may be similar to existing IDC connection stations and it includes a mass termination unit  420  for simultaneously connecting all the electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15  held by the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ to the corresponding electrical terminals  20  of a connector  30 . The IDC connection machine further includes a checking unit and cover-closing unit. The IDC connection station  400  further comprises a trimming station  410  to trim the electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15  so that they have exactly the same length before they are inserted into the receptacles of the connector  30  having corresponding terminals  20 . In fact, the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ which reaches the IDC connection station  400  typically comprises different electrical wires not necessarily having exactly the same length. 
     In the following, the operation of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 11A to 11G . The holding and transfer means  500  comprise the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. Initially, the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is positioned in front of the feeding means  110  at the first feeding station  100  (see  FIG. 11A ). The first feeding station may be of the known type, for example, it is of the type Flexible Harness Maker (FHM). The first electrical wire  11  is inserted automatically into the feeding means  110  at the first feeding station  100  and, when it exits, it is forced to pass through the stripping blades  120 ,  120 ′ so that the insulation casing of the end  11   a  is removed. 
     According to the first illustrative embodiment described above and shown in  FIGS. 11A to 11G , the stripping blades  120  may be placed in front of the feeding means  110 . In the first illustrative embodiment, the first electrical wire  11 , after being stripped by the stripping blades  120 , is bent into a U-shape configuration by bending means  130 , while one end of the wire is still held by the feeding means  110 , and the first electrical wire  11  is finally loaded on the temporary storage area  510  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. In fact, the distance D between the two seats  511 ′,  512 ′,  511 ″,  512 ″ of the temporary storage area  510  is designed so as to match the distance between the two ends  11   a ,  11   b  of the electrical wire  11  curved into a U-shaped configuration. 
     According to the second illustrative embodiment described above but not shown in  FIGS. 11A to 116 , the stripping blades  120 ′ may be adjacent to the feeding means  110  and it may be necessary to bend the wire  11  by means of the bending means  130 , before feeding it to the stripping blades  120 ′. In the second illustrative embodiment, the electric wire  11  is first bent into a U-shaped configuration, it is then stripped by displacing the stripping blades  120 ′ and finally loaded on the temporary storage area  510  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. 
     Preferably, the seats  511 ′,  512 ′,  511 ″,  512 ″ of the temporary storage area  510  may have a variable width that can be adjusted according to the section of the electrical wire  11  received at the first feeding station  100 . Preferably, the variable width is adjusted by means of elastic means, for instance a helical traction spring. 
     The first electrical wire  11  may be further cut at a predefined length by cutting means at the first feeding station  100  according to the first or second illustrative embodiments. 
     The asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ carrying the first electrical wire  11  is moved to the crimping station  200  (see  FIG. 11B ) and the first electrical wire  11  is gripped by clamps and transferred to crimping press  210  for terminating the end  11   a  by crimp connectors  40 . 
     During crimping of the first wire  11 , the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is moved back to the first feeding station  100  to receive a second electrical wire  12  (see  FIG. 11C ) and then moved again to the crimping station  200  (see  FIG. 11D ). During the movement from the crimping station  200  to the first feeding station  100 , the temporary storage area  510  is left empty. The permanent storage area  520  is empty only during the first cycle of movement from the first feeding station  100  to the crimping station  200  and backwards, while during further cycles it is fed with the crimped wires. In this way, the crimping cycle is optimized because the operations of crimping the first wire  11  and of feeding and transferring the second wire  12  to the crimping station  200  are carried out simultaneously. 
     At the crimping station  200 , the first crimped electrical wire  11  is released from the crimping clamps and positioned in the permanent storage area  520  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. Preferably, the seats  521 ′,  522 ′,  521 ″,  522 ″ of the permanent storage area  520  may have predefined different widths s, s′ for accommodating corresponding electrical wires having predefined different sections. For example, the electrical wire  11  may be accommodated on a seat  521 ′,  522 ′,  521 ″,  522 ″ of the permanent storage area  520  having a width corresponding to its section. 
     Afterwards, the crimping clamps collect the second electrical wire  12  from the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. The first crimped electrical wire  11  is loaded into the permanent storage area  520  so that the uncrimped end  11   b  is positioned inside an empty seat  521 ′,  521 ″ and the crimped end  11   a , comprising the crimp connector  50 , is hanging down from the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″. During crimping of the second electrical wire  12 , the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ carrying the first crimped wire  11  is moved back to the first feeding station  100  to receive a third electrical wire  14  (see  FIG. 11E ) and then it is moved again to the crimping station  200  carrying the first crimped wire  11  in the permanent storage area  520  and the third electrical wire  14  in the temporary storage area  510  (see  FIG. 11F ). 
     At the crimping station  200 , the second crimped electrical wire  12  is released by the crimping clamps and positioned in the permanent storage area  520  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ together with the first crimped wire  11 . Preferably, the electrical wire  12  may be accommodated on a seat  521 ′,  522 ′,  521 ″,  522 ″ of the permanent storage area  520  having a width corresponding to its section. 
     Afterwards, crimping clamps collect the third electrical wire  14  from the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ (see  FIG. 11G ). 
     These operations can be repeated for a number of times so as to load a plurality of electrical wires into the temporary storage area  510  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′ at the first feeding station  100  and to transfer them to the crimping station  200 . 
     These operations are carried out so that, while a previous wire is being crimped at the crimping station  200 , a new wire is loaded into the temporary storage area  510  and transferred to the crimping station  200  and then, before the new wire is collected by crimping clamps, the previous wire is released and loaded on the permanent storage area  520  together with the other crimped wires. During these transfer movements, the electrical wires which have already been crimped are all stored into the permanent storage area  520 . 
     The asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ storing a plurality of crimped electrical wires in the permanent storage area  520  is then moved to the second feeding station  300 . At the second feeding station  300 , the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ stops and receives at least one additional electrical wire  13  comprising two ends to be terminated by IDC connectors. For example, at the second feeding station  300 , a plurality of additional electrical wires  13 ,  15  is loaded into the permanent storage area  520  of the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ which also stores the crimped electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  14 . 
     At the second feeding station  300 , the additional electrical wires  13 ,  15  are bent into a U-shaped configuration by bending means  310 . The additional electrical wires  13 ,  15  are initially partially accommodated into guiding means  340  and are bend around the semi-circular jig  330 . The additional electrical wires  13 ,  15  hence assume a U-shaped configuration around the semi-circular jig  330  and are directly loaded into the permanent storage area  520  so that the two ends are accommodated into different seats of the permanent storage area  520 . In this way, both ends of the electrical wires are made easily available to the processing means of the IDC connection station  400 . 
     Finally, the asymmetric transfer comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is transferred to the IDC connection station  400 . The IDC connection machine  420  may be of the known type and it is configured so as to insert the electrical wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  in corresponding receptacles  50  of a connector  30  or of different connectors  30 ,  30 ′ provided with at least one corresponding electrical terminal  20 . The IDC connection station  400  further comprises a trimming station  410  where the ends of the wires are all trimmed at the same distance from the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′.  500 ″ in order to have identical lengths of insertion in the connectors. Once the wires  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15  have been trimmed, the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ is moved toward the insertion region, where there can be one or more connectors and the wires are inserted into corresponding electrical terminals. 
     The machine according to the invention allows producing in a completely automated manner hybrid electrical wirings structures. For example, the electrical wires can have both ends inserted into corresponding receptacles  50  of one or more connectors  30 ,  30 ′ provided with corresponding electrical terminals  20 , or the electrical wires can have one end terminated by crimp connectors  40  and one end terminated by IDC connectors. Therefore, of course, the machines and components described herein should be understood to be performing under the control of more or more computers and associated memory devices, for example located within the illustrated machine  1000 . More specifically, each of the modules shown in  FIG. 1 , as well as others described herein) may comprise their own processing units (processors, memory devices, and the like). 
     While the invention has been described with respect to the preferred physical embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations and improvements of the present invention may be made in the light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. 
     For instance, even if it is described that two or more wires are collected at the first feeding station  100  and one or more wires are collected at the second feeding station  300 , it is clear that the machine could also be worked in such a way that a single wire is collected at the first feeding station, that one end of that wire is crimped at the crimping station  200 , without the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ moving back to the first feeding station  100  to collect a second wire, and then the other end of the first wire is connected to an IDC terminal at the IDC connection station  400 . Moreover, the machine could also be worked in such a way that no wires are collected at the first feeding station  100  and that one or more wires are collected at the second feeding station  300  for IDC connection. 
     For instance, even if the structure and the functioning of the bending means  310  have been described with reference to the second feeding station  300 , it is evident that the same principles may also apply to the bending means  130  at the first feeding station  100 . 
     Moreover, even if the bending means  130 ,  310  and the stripping means  120  have been shown and described separately, it is clear that they can be combined at the first feeding station  100 . For example, according to an illustrative embodiment, the electrical wires  11 ,  12  which are fed at the first feeding station  100 , may be first inserted into the feeding means  110 , then may pass through the stripping blades  120  to be stripped and finally they may be bent into a U-shaped configuration by bending means  130 . For example, according to another illustrative embodiment, the electrical wires  11 ,  12  which are fed at the first feeding station  100  may be first bent into a U-shaped configuration by the bending means  130  and then one end of the electrical wires  11 ,  12  in the U-shaped configuration may pass through the stripping blades  120 ′ to be stripped. 
     Moreover, even if the stripping means  120 , the bending means  130 ,  310  and the asymmetric holder comb  500 ′,  500 ″ have been described in reference to the machine  1000 , it is clear that they can be also employed in a different machine for producing hybrid electrical wiring. 
     Moreover, the number of machines located at each working station may be different from what is shown in the Figures. For example, even if it is shown that there are three feeding machines respectively at the first feeding station  100  and at the second feeding station  300 , it is clear that they can be for example one, two, four, five or more. 
     For example, even if it is shown that there are three crimping machines at the crimping station  200 , it is clear that they can be for example one, two, four, five or more. 
     For example, even if four holding and transfer means  500  are represented on the closed loop  800 , it is clear that they can be for example one, two, three, five or more. Preferably, there are nine holding and transfer means  500  in the machine  1000 . 
     In addition, those areas in which it is believed that those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar, have not been described herein in order not to unnecessarily obscure the invention described. Accordingly, it has to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims. 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. 
     Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 
     As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of the elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.