A terminal piercing device and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of intelligent wire harness manufacturing technology, and particularly to a terminal housing insertion device and method. The device includes: a wire harness feeding mechanism for conveying wire harnesses with terminals; a wire core rotation mechanism including wire harness fixing jaws for fixing the wire harness and a wire core rotation assembly for rotating the wire core angle; a wire core width adjustment mechanism including terminal jaws for clamping terminals respectively, a drive assembly for driving the terminal jaws toward each other and moving them relatively closer or further apart, and wire harness jaws connected to the drive assembly; a housing feeding mechanism; a housing assembly mechanism including a housing clamping assembly and a wire harness clamping assembly connected to the housing clamping assembly; a detection mechanism; and a transfer mechanism for transferring the wire harness between the wire core rotation mechanism, the wire core width adjustment mechanism, and the housing assembly mechanism, and for transferring the wire harness between the housing assembly mechanism and the detection mechanism. This invention optimizes the docking process between terminals and housings through the wire core rotation mechanism and the wire core width adjustment mechanism, ensuring higher production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent wire harness manufacturing technology, and in particular to a terminal housing device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Terminal penetration technology is one of the key processes in the production of intelligent wire harnesses. During the manufacturing process of intelligent wire harnesses, the cable cores need to be reliably connected to the terminals to form a stable electrical transmission path. Typically, the cores are connected to the terminals using terminal crimping technology, and then multiple terminals are passed through the outer shell to complete the electrical connection between the cable and external equipment or systems. This process is crucial to the performance of intelligent wire harnesses because it relates to the electrical transmission stability, interference resistance, and mechanical strength of the harness.

[0003] As attached Figure 1 As shown, a wire harness contains two cores, each requiring a terminal, which are then inserted into the same housing. However, during installation, the terminals are oriented in the same direction, causing inconvenience when installing inside the housing. To address this, additional mechanical means are typically needed to adjust the angle to ensure proper terminal positioning. This process not only increases production costs but may also affect installation efficiency and product stability.

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a novel terminal housing device and method, aiming to solve the problem that the terminal orientation cannot be automatically adjusted in existing technologies. Through the device and method of this invention, production efficiency is improved, production costs are reduced, and the installation accuracy and stability of the terminals are ensured. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of at least one of the above technical problems, the present invention provides a terminal housing device and method.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a terminal housing device is provided, comprising: A wire harness feeding mechanism is used to transport wire harnesses with terminals to the processing station; The wire core rotating mechanism includes a wire harness fixing jaw for fixing the wire harness, and a wire core rotating assembly for rotating the wire core angle; The wire core width adjustment mechanism includes two terminal grippers that clamp terminals respectively, a drive component that drives the terminal grippers toward each other and can move closer or further away from each other, and a wire harness gripper that is fixedly connected to the drive component for clamping the wire harness. The outer casing feeding mechanism includes a vibratory feeder; The housing assembly mechanism includes a housing clamping assembly that can be relatively close to or away from the output port of the vibrating plate, and a wire harness clamping assembly that is fixedly connected to the housing clamping assembly; Testing facilities are used to inspect the installation of the housing and terminals; The transfer mechanism has two parts, one for transferring the wire harness between the wire core rotation mechanism, the other for transferring the wire harness between the wire core width adjustment mechanism and the housing assembly mechanism, and the other for transferring the wire harness between the housing assembly mechanism and the detection mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the wire harness feeding mechanism includes feeding claws for gripping wire cores, the feeding claws having two wire core slots spaced apart.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the core rotation assembly includes a rotation drive, a first gear fixedly connected to the output end of the rotation drive, a second gear meshing with the first gear, and a core rotating component fixedly connected coaxially to the first gear and the second gear respectively.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the opening of the core rotating member has an arc-shaped guide surface, and the interior of the core rotating member has a receiving groove adapted to the shape of the terminal.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the terminal gripper has a gripping groove with the same shape as the outer wall of the terminal, and the end of the gripper near the other gripping groove of one of the gripping grooves also has a width positioning block. When the two terminal grippers are close together, the width positioning block fits into the end of the other gripping groove.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the terminal gripper includes a first gripper arm and a second gripper arm, both the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm having a first bend and a second bend at the same angle, and the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm being in contact between the first bend and the second bend.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the terminal gripper further has a guide assembly connected to the terminal gripper, including a vertical guide that guides the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm to move closer or further apart, and a lateral guide that guides the two terminal grippers to move closer or further apart.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the housing clamping assembly includes a slider that can be slidably disposed between the vibrating disk and the wire harness clamping assembly, and housing jaws that can be opened and closed relative to each other on the slider, the housing jaws being used to clamp the housing on the vibrating disk.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the wire harness clamping assembly includes wire core clamps with square wire clamping slots that can be opened and closed relative to each other for clamping wire cores after rotation.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a terminal penetration method is also provided, comprising the following steps: The wire harness with terminals is transferred to the wire harness fixing jaws using the wire harness feeding mechanism. The wire core is rotated at an angle by the wire core rotating assembly; The wire harness on the wire harness fixing jaw is moved to the wire harness jaw using the transfer mechanism, and the terminal jaw is displaced at the point where it grips the terminal, so that the two terminals are moved to a set distance. The wire harness on the wire harness clamp is moved to the wire harness holding assembly by the transfer mechanism; The outer shell clamping assembly moves to the output port of the outer shell feeding mechanism to clamp the outer shell, and the wire harness clamping assembly moves close to the outer shell clamping assembly to assemble and snap the wire harness with the outer shell; The wire harness on the wire harness clamping assembly is transferred to the testing mechanism by the transfer mechanism, and the assembled wire harness is tested for qualification.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By integrating a wire harness feeding mechanism, a wire core rotation mechanism, a wire core width adjustment mechanism, a housing feeding mechanism, a housing assembly mechanism, a detection mechanism, and a transfer mechanism, this invention ensures the correct fit and efficient installation of terminals and housings. Firstly, the design of the wire harness feeding mechanism and the housing feeding mechanism solves the problem of precise docking between terminals and housings, greatly improving the automation level of the production process and avoiding the instability caused by manual operation in traditional processes. The wire core rotation mechanism effectively adjusts the angle of the terminals through the wire core rotation component, ensuring that the two terminals are correctly engaged when inserted into the housing, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing errors. The cooperation between the wire core width adjustment mechanism and the housing assembly mechanism further ensures the precise operation of the terminal clamping component and the housing clamping component when adjusting the terminal spacing and installation angle. This not only ensures stable terminal positioning but also allows the detection mechanism to monitor the installation status in real time, avoiding deviations and problems caused by improper angles or positions during installation. Compared with traditional technologies, this invention significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of the production process and reduces manual intervention and error rates by introducing multiple automated adjustment and detection mechanisms. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a wire harness with terminals snapping into a housing in the background art. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal housing device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal housing device from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 As described in the embodiments of the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point B; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the wire core width adjustment mechanism in the terminal housing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 As described in the embodiments of the present invention Figure 5 Enlarged structural diagram at point C; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the wire core width adjustment mechanism in the terminal housing device according to another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the core rotation mechanism in the terminal housing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 As described in the embodiments of the present invention Figure 8 Enlarged structural diagram at point D; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the outer shell assembly mechanism in the terminal shell penetration device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the wire harness clamping assembly in the terminal housing device of this invention. Figure 12 This is a step diagram of the terminal penetration method in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Reference numerals: 1. Wire harness feeding mechanism; 11. Feeding gripper; 11a. Wire core slot; 2. Wire core rotating mechanism; 21. Wire harness fixing gripper; 22. Wire core rotating assembly; 22a. Rotation drive component; 22b. First gear; 22c. Second gear; 22d. Wire core rotating component; 22e. Arc-shaped guide surface; 22f. Receiving groove; 3. Wire core width adjusting mechanism; 31. Terminal gripper; 31a. Clamping groove; 31b. Width positioning block; 31c. First clamping arm; 31d. Two clamping arms; 31c1, first bend; 31c2, second bend; 31e, guide assembly; 31e1, vertical guide; 31e2, horizontal guide; 32, drive assembly; 33, wire harness gripper; 4, housing feeding mechanism; 41, vibratory feeder; 5, housing assembly mechanism; 51, housing clamping assembly; 51a, slider; 51b, housing gripper; 52, wire harness clamping assembly; 52a, wire core gripper; 52a1, wire clamping slot; 6, detection mechanism; 7, transfer mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0021] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0023] As mentioned in the background section, during the production of wire harnesses, the wire cores are terminal-cut. Since the input direction of the terminals is the same, the terminal-cutting direction is also the same. However, when installing the terminals into the housing, because the terminals have protrusions that engage with the housing, these protrusions must first be rotated 90 degrees to engage with the housing before installation can be completed. To ensure accurate connection between the terminals on the wire cores and the housing, the distance between the two wire cores must be adjusted after rotation so that their width matches the slot inside the housing. Therefore, a device is needed to solve this technical problem and to automate this device.

[0024] like Figures 2 to 11 The terminal housing device shown includes: The wire harness feeding mechanism 1 is used to transport wire harnesses with terminals to the processing position; The wire core rotation mechanism 2 includes a wire harness fixing gripper 21 for fixing the wire harness and a wire core rotation assembly 22 for rotating the wire core angle. It should be noted that the wire core rotation assembly 22 can be driven by a servo motor, a stepper motor, or other driveable motors. It should also be noted that the wire core transfer assembly can rotate the wire core by gripping it with the gripper, by fixing the wire core before rotating it, or by other methods that allow the wire core to rotate.

[0025] The wire core width adjustment mechanism 3 includes two terminal grippers 31 that clamp terminals respectively, a drive assembly 32 that drives the terminal grippers 31 to move closer or further away from each other, and a wire harness gripper 33 that is fixedly connected to the drive assembly 32 for clamping the wire harness. The outer casing feeding mechanism 4 includes a vibratory feeder 41; The housing assembly mechanism 5 includes a housing clamping assembly 51 that can be relatively close to or away from the output port of the vibrating plate 41, and a wire harness clamping assembly 52 that is fixedly connected to the housing clamping assembly 51. Inspection unit 6 is used to inspect the installation status of the housing and terminals; The transfer mechanism 7 has two parts, one for transferring the wire harness between the wire core rotation mechanism 2, the wire core width adjustment mechanism 3 and the housing assembly mechanism 5, and the other for transferring the wire harness between the housing assembly mechanism 5 and the detection mechanism 6.

[0026] This invention integrates a wire harness feeding mechanism 1, a wire core rotation mechanism 2, a wire core width adjustment mechanism 3, a housing feeding mechanism 4, a housing assembly mechanism 5, a detection mechanism 6, and a transfer mechanism 7 to ensure correct mating and efficient installation of terminals and housings. Firstly, the design of the wire harness feeding mechanism 1 and the housing feeding mechanism 4 solves the problem of precise docking between terminals and housings, greatly improving the automation level of the production process and avoiding the instability caused by manual operation in traditional processes. The wire core rotation mechanism 2 effectively adjusts the angle of the terminals through the wire core rotation component 22, ensuring that the two terminals are correctly engaged when inserted into the housing, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing errors. The cooperation between the wire core width adjustment mechanism 3 and the housing assembly mechanism 5 further ensures the precise operation of the terminal clamping component and the housing clamping component 51 when adjusting the terminal spacing and installation angle. This not only guarantees stable terminal positioning but also allows the detection mechanism 6 to monitor the installation status in real time, avoiding deviations and problems caused by improper angles or positions during installation. Compared with traditional technologies, this invention significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of the production process and reduces human intervention and error rate by introducing a variety of automated adjustment and detection mechanisms.

[0027] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 8The wire harness feeding mechanism 1 includes feeding grippers 11 for clamping wire cores. The feeding grippers 11 have two wire core slots 11a, which are spaced apart. This invention designs the wire harness feeding mechanism 1 as a dedicated feeding gripper 11 with two spaced-apart wire core slots 11a. This allows the equipment to simultaneously clamp and precisely define the parallel distance between two wire cores in a single closing action. This distance is consistent with the subsequent spacing between the two cavities of the outer casing, achieving primary precise positioning of "feeding with fixed distance and positioning with alignment." Compared to traditional processes, this structure eliminates the need for secondary calibration mechanisms and time, significantly shortening the overall cycle time, improving positioning accuracy, and reducing the risk of cumulative damage to wire core surfaces and terminal posture errors. This overall improves the efficiency, yield, and reliability of intelligent wire harness assembly.

[0028] like Figure 4 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, the wire core rotation assembly 22 includes a rotation drive 22a, a first gear 22b fixedly connected to the output end of the rotation drive 22a, a second gear 22c meshing with the first gear 22b, and a wire core rotating component 22d fixedly connected coaxially to the first gear 22b and the second gear 22c respectively. Synchronous or opposite rotation is provided through the meshing of the first gear 22b and the second gear 22c. This structure enables more precise wire core rotation. Compared to traditional designs, gear engagement reduces errors and ensures smoother operation. In the assembly of intelligent wire harnesses with dual terminals in the same housing, the most common challenge is how to rotate two wire cores to predetermined opposite orientations within a very short cycle time: traditional methods either involve manual flipping or equipping each wire core with an independent servo mechanism, which is both space-consuming and prone to synchronization errors. The present invention employs a meshing structure of "rotation drive 22a - first gear 22b - second gear 22c + coaxial core rotating component 22d" in the core rotating assembly 22: the drive only needs to output power once, which can directly drive one of the cores through the first gear 22b, and at the same time, the second gear 22c drives the other core in the opposite direction synchronously through gear meshing, ensuring that both ends complete rotation at the same time.

[0029] Continue to refer to Figure 4 , Figure 8 , Figure 9The core rotating component 22d has an arc-shaped guide surface 22e at its opening, and an internal receiving groove 22f that matches the shape of the terminal. In existing automated flipping processes, terminals are often pushed into the rotating grippers in a free state. Due to the sharp angles and small dimensional margins at the entrance, even slight deviations can cause jamming or scratches to the plating, slowing down the process and creating potential contact problems. This invention designs a continuous arc-shaped guide surface 22e at the opening of the core rotating component 22d, and creates an internal receiving groove 22f that precisely matches the shape of the terminal. The purpose is to utilize the "trumpet mouth" effect of the arc surface to achieve self-guidance and self-centering of the terminal, allowing it to slide smoothly into the matching groove upon entry and be locked in position by the groove wall. On the one hand, this completely eliminates the defects of traditional right-angle grippers that are prone to collision and scratching, significantly improving the surface integrity rate of the terminal; on the other hand, the terminal is rigidly encased in the receiving groove 22f, preventing slight slippage or wobbling during the rotation drive, ensuring a high success rate for subsequent shell penetration. Therefore, compared with traditional flat or rectangular grippers, the combination of arc-shaped guide and precision housing not only optimizes the smoothness of feeding, but also takes into account terminal protection and positioning accuracy at high speeds.

[0030] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the terminal gripper 31 has a gripping groove 31a with the same shape as the outer wall of the terminal. One gripping groove 31a has a width positioning block 31b at the end of the gripper near the other gripping groove 31a. When the two terminal grippers 31 are close together, the width positioning block 31b fits into the end of the other gripping groove 31a. This invention has a gripping groove 31a with the same contour as the outer wall of the terminal on the inner side of the terminal gripper 31, and adds a width positioning block 31b at the end of one gripper near the other. When the two grippers are closed, the positioning block forms a rigid fit with the end face of the opposite gripping groove 31a, naturally limiting the center distance between the two terminals. Its purpose is to combine the two steps of "gripping—distance adjustment" into one step—once the grippers are closed, the two terminals are not only enveloped and positioned, but the distance is also automatically locked to the design value consistent with the cavity distance of the outer shell, without the need for additional measuring tools or visual compensation. The terminals maintain strict parallelism and constant spacing throughout the entire handling, flipping, and shell insertion process, ensuring stable insertion force and significantly reducing the risk of scratches. Compared to traditional flat-jaw gripper solutions, this structure simultaneously improves positioning accuracy, production efficiency, and product reliability.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7As shown, the terminal gripper 31 includes a first gripping arm 31c and a second gripping arm 31d. Both the first gripping arm 31c and the second gripping arm 31d have a first bend 31c1 and a second bend 31c2 with the same angle. The first gripping arm 31c and the second gripping arm 31d are in contact between the first bend 31c1 and the second bend 31c2. In traditional gripper structures, the left and right gripping arms are usually straight or only bent on one side. When clamping, the force is uneven, which can easily lead to terminal misalignment and local stress concentration, affecting both accuracy and shortening the gripper's lifespan. Based on this background, the present invention designs the first gripping arm 31c and the second gripping arm 31d to have a first bend 31c1 and a second bend 31c2 with the same angle, and makes the two gripping arms form a surface-to-surface contact relationship between the two bends. The clamping force is evenly distributed along the outer wall of the terminal, which significantly reduces the risk of plating scratches and deformation. At the same time, the complementary spatial structure after bending can also offset the deformation accumulation caused by the long-term opening and closing of the gripper, making the positioning accuracy and repeatability better than the traditional single-fold or straight arm solution.

[0032] Continue to refer to Figure 7 As shown, the terminal gripper 31 also has a guide assembly 31e connected to the terminal gripper 31, including a vertical guide 31e1 that guides the first gripper arm 31c and the second gripper arm 31d to move closer or further apart, and a horizontal guide 31e2 that guides the two terminal grippers 31 to move closer or further apart. The vertical guide 31e1 drives the opening and closing of the terminal gripper 31, and the horizontal guide 31e2 drives the two terminal grippers 31 to move closer or further apart.

[0033] like Figure 10 As shown, the housing clamping assembly 51 includes a slider 51a that can slide relative to the vibratory feeder 41 and the wire harness clamping assembly 52, and housing grippers 51b that can open and close relative to each other on the slider 51a. The housing grippers 51b are used to clamp the housing on the vibratory feeder 41. This invention adds a slider 51a that can slide relative to each other between the vibratory feeder 41 and the wire harness clamping assembly 52, and arranges openable and closable housing grippers 51b on the slider 51a: the slider 51a is responsible for completing the linear transition of the housing along the assembly axis, avoiding posture deviations caused by multi-axis handling; the grippers close at the beginning of the slider 51a's stroke, precisely covering the housing, and open at the end of the stroke after forming a coaxial connection with the wire harness clamping assembly 52 to position the housing. The purpose of this design is to integrate the three actions of "material picking, handling, and positioning" into a controlled linear motion chain, while isolating the micro-vibration of the vibratory feeder 41 from the impact on the subsequent assembly accuracy. Compared with traditional multi-joint robotic arm solutions, the slider 51a-gripper integrated structure is more compact and lower in cost, and can still ensure the shell posture remains constant under high-speed cycles, providing a more stable and reliable component supply link for the efficient and automated assembly of intelligent wire harnesses.

[0034] like Figure 11As shown, the wire harness clamping assembly 52 includes openable and closable wire core clamping claws 52a with square wire clamping slots 52a1 for clamping the wire core after rotation. This invention employs openable and closable wire core clamping claws 52a in the wire harness clamping assembly 52, and processes square wire clamping slots 52a1 within the claws, so that the wire core is rigidly limited on all four sides, achieving face-to-face enveloping clamping. The purpose is to immediately lock the wire core's posture with high stability after rotational adjustment, avoiding secondary displacement or torsion. Simultaneously, the equidistant support of the square slots disperses the clamping force, protecting the wire core insulation layer from concentrated pressure.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a terminal penetration method is also provided, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the steps include: S10: The wire harness with terminals is transferred to the wire harness fixing claw 21 using the wire harness feeding mechanism 1; S20: The wire core is rotated at an angle by the wire core rotating assembly 22; S30: The wire harness on the wire harness fixing claw 21 is moved to the wire harness claw 33 by the transfer mechanism 7. The terminal claw 31 is displaced at the terminal gripping point so that the two terminals are moved to a set distance. S40: The wire harness on the wire harness clamp 33 is moved to the wire harness holding assembly 52 by the transfer mechanism 7; S50: The housing clamping assembly 51 moves to the output port of the housing feeding mechanism 4 to clamp the housing, and the wire harness clamping assembly 52 moves close to the housing clamping assembly 51 to make the wire harness and the housing assemble and snap together. S60: The wire harness on the wire harness clamping assembly 52 is transferred to the testing mechanism 6 by the transfer mechanism 7, and the assembled wire harness is tested for qualification.

[0036] In the terminal insertion method described in this invention, the wire harness feeding mechanism 1 first smoothly transfers and positions the crimped terminal dual-core wire harness onto the wire harness fixing jaw 21, ensuring that the two wire cores maintain a predetermined distance before entering the subsequent workstation. Subsequently, the wire core rotation assembly 22 is activated, driving the wire cores to rotate synchronously or in the opposite direction to a preset angle, so that the two terminals face in accordance with the internal structural requirements of the housing. After rotation, the first set of transfer mechanisms 7 accurately transports the wire harness from the fixing jaw to the terminal jaw 31 workstation; the terminal jaw 31 then closes, and the distance between the two terminals is adjusted to the set value consistent with the cavity distance of the housing in one go through the built-in width positioning block 31b. After distance calibration, the wire harness is again sent to the wire harness clamping assembly 52 by the transfer mechanism 7, and the square slot jaw locks the wire core, completely eliminating the risk of secondary displacement. Meanwhile, the housing clamping assembly 51 slides linearly along the slider 51a to the outlet of the vibratory feeder 41, where the grippers clamp a housing and return. When the housing clamping assembly 51 aligns and approaches the wire harness clamping assembly 52, the two terminals are inserted into the housing in the correct posture and spacing at once, achieving self-locking. Finally, the second set of transfer mechanisms 7 transports the assembled wire harness to the inspection mechanism 6. Vision, resistance, or force-displacement sensors jointly detect the terminal latching depth, insertion force, and continuity status, determining that qualified products flow into the subsequent packaging process, while unqualified products are automatically rejected. The entire process achieves closed-loop control of terminal angle adjustment, spacing calibration, housing assembly, and quality verification without manual intervention, significantly improving the assembly efficiency and first-pass yield of intelligent wire harnesses.

[0037] Those skilled in the art should understand that this invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A terminal piercing device, characterized by, include: A wire harness feeding mechanism is used to transport wire harnesses with terminals to the processing station; The wire core rotating mechanism includes a wire harness fixing gripper for fixing the wire harness, and a wire core rotating assembly for rotating the wire core angle; The wire core width adjustment mechanism includes two terminal grippers that clamp terminals respectively, a drive component that drives the terminal grippers toward each other and can move closer or further away from each other, and a wire harness gripper that is fixedly connected to the drive component for clamping the wire harness. The outer casing feeding mechanism includes a vibratory feeder; The housing assembly mechanism includes a housing clamping assembly that can be relatively close to or away from the output port of the vibratory feeder, and a wire harness clamping assembly that is fixedly connected to the housing clamping assembly; Testing facilities are used to inspect the installation of the housing and terminals; The transfer mechanism has two parts, one for transferring the wire harness between the wire core rotation mechanism, the wire core width adjustment mechanism and the housing assembly mechanism, and the other for transferring the wire harness between the housing assembly mechanism and the detection mechanism. The core rotation assembly includes a rotation drive, a first gear fixedly connected to the output end of the rotation drive, a second gear meshing with the first gear, and a core rotation component fixedly connected to the first gear and the second gear on the same axis. The terminal gripper has a gripping groove with the same shape as the outer wall of the terminal. The end of the gripper near the other gripping groove of one of the gripping grooves also has a width positioning block. When the two terminal grippers are close together, the width positioning block fits against the end of the other gripping groove. The terminal gripper includes a first gripper arm and a second gripper arm. The first gripper arm and the second gripper arm each have a first bend and a second bend with the same angle. The first gripper arm and the second gripper arm are in contact between the first bend and the second bend. The terminal gripper also has a guide assembly connected to the terminal gripper, including a vertical guide that guides the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm to move closer or further apart, and a lateral guide that guides the two terminal grippers to move closer or further apart.

2. The terminal feedthrough device of claim 1, wherein The wire harness feeding mechanism includes feeding claws for gripping wire cores, and the feeding claws have two wire core slots, which are spaced apart.

3. The terminal feedthrough device of claim 1, wherein The opening of the core rotating component has an arc-shaped guide surface, and the interior of the core rotating component has a receiving groove adapted to the shape of the terminal.

4. The terminal feedthrough apparatus of claim 1, wherein The housing clamping assembly includes a slider that can slide relative to the vibratory plate and the wire harness clamping assembly, and housing jaws that can open and close relative to each other on the slider. The housing jaws are used to clamp the housing on the vibratory plate.

5. The terminal feedthrough device of claim 1, wherein The wire harness clamping assembly includes wire core clamps with square wire clamping slots that can open and close relative to each other, for clamping the wire core after rotation.

6. A method of terminal piercing, characterized by, Using the terminal housing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 includes the following steps: The wire harness with terminals is transferred to the wire harness fixing jaws using the wire harness feeding mechanism. The wire core is rotated at an angle by the wire core rotating assembly; The wire harness on the wire harness fixing jaw is moved to the wire harness jaw using the transfer mechanism, and the terminal jaw is displaced at the point where it grips the terminal, so that the two terminals are moved to a set distance. The wire harness on the wire harness clamp is moved to the wire harness holding assembly by the transfer mechanism; The outer shell clamping assembly moves to the output port of the outer shell feeding mechanism to clamp the outer shell, and the wire harness clamping assembly moves close to the outer shell clamping assembly to assemble and snap the wire harness with the outer shell; The wire harness on the wire harness clamping assembly is transferred to the testing mechanism by the transfer mechanism, and the assembled wire harness is tested for qualification.

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