Multi-pin harness assembly inspection apparatus and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wire harness production and testing technology, and particularly to a multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device and method, comprising: a frame; a turntable rotatably connected to the frame, the turntable having several openings; a carrier including a tray assembly and a wire hanging assembly, the tray assembly having hollow structures corresponding to the openings for placing terminals; color recognition mechanisms respectively disposed on the frame for detecting terminal type, interface detection mechanisms for detecting the crimping interface state between the terminal and the wire harness, coaxiality detection mechanisms for detecting the coaxiality between the terminal and the wire harness, and electrical connection detection mechanisms for detecting the electrical connection state between the terminal and the wire harness. This invention, by having the turntable drive the carrier sequentially through multiple testing stations, achieves comprehensive and continuous multi-parameter testing of multi-head wire harness terminal type, crimping interface, coaxiality, and electrical connection, effectively solving the problems of single testing dimensions and low automation in existing technologies, and improving testing efficiency and assembly quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wire harness production and testing technology, and in particular to a multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Wire harnesses are a crucial component of electrical connection systems, widely used in automotive, rail transportation, industrial equipment, communication equipment, and consumer electronics, primarily for power transmission, signal exchange, and control command delivery. During wire harness production, the installation quality of terminals and wire harnesses directly affects the conductivity, connection reliability, and overall operational safety of the wire harness assembly. Due to the numerous branches, diverse terminal types, and complex assembly positions of multi-head wire harnesses, the installation process between terminals and wire harnesses must not only meet basic mechanical connection requirements but also ensure alignment accuracy, coaxiality accuracy, connection interface integrity, and electrical connection reliability during assembly.

[0003] In existing technologies, the inspection of multi-head wire harness terminals and their installation status mainly relies on manual visual inspection, simple tooling-assisted inspection, or single-parameter inspection. This results in low automation, limited inspection dimensions, and insufficient comprehensive judgment capabilities. On one hand, manual inspection is inefficient and easily affected by operator experience, attention span, and the inspection environment, making it difficult to guarantee the consistency and stability of results. On the other hand, existing inspection methods typically only inspect one aspect of appearance deviation or electrical continuity, failing to simultaneously cover multiple inspection stages, including terminal and wire harness alignment, coaxiality, connection interface status, and electrical connection status. For common defects in multi-head wire harness production, such as terminal misalignment, tilting, improper interface assembly, abnormal crimping, and poor contact, existing technologies are prone to missed or false detections, affecting product assembly quality, production efficiency, and subsequent reliability.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an intelligent inspection technology solution applicable to the production process of multi-head wire harnesses, to achieve comprehensive inspection of terminal and wire harness alignment, coaxiality, connection interface status, and electrical connection status. This will improve the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and consistency of multi-head wire harness installation quality inspection, enhance inspection efficiency and automation level, and reduce the risk of defective products leaving the site. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of at least one of the above technical problems, the present invention provides a multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device and method, which improves the testing efficiency and automation level of intelligent wire harnesses by improving the device structure.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a multi-head wire harness assembly testing apparatus is provided, comprising: a frame; The rotating mechanism includes a turntable rotatably connected to the frame and a rotation drive assembly for driving the turntable to rotate. The turntable has a plurality of openings, which are evenly distributed at equal intervals with respect to the center of the turntable. The carrier includes a tray assembly respectively disposed at each of the openings and a hanging assembly disposed opposite to the position of the tray assembly. The tray assembly is provided with a hollow structure for placing terminals corresponding to the opening. The multi-station testing mechanism includes a color recognition mechanism, an interface detection mechanism, a coaxiality detection mechanism, and an electrical connection detection mechanism, which are respectively arranged on the frame and sequentially corresponding to the opening. The color recognition mechanism is used to detect the terminal type, the interface detection mechanism is used to detect the crimping interface state between the terminal and the wire harness, the coaxiality detection mechanism is used to detect the coaxiality between the terminal and the wire harness, and the electrical connection detection mechanism is used to detect the electrical connection state between the terminal and the wire harness. During the rotation of the turntable, each tray assembly is driven to pass sequentially through the color recognition mechanism, interface detection mechanism, coaxiality detection mechanism, and electrical connection detection mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the tray assembly includes a frame with a hollow internal structure and a positioning detection mechanism disposed toward the hollow structure, the positioning detection mechanism being used to detect whether a terminal and a wire harness are placed on the frame.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, a locking assembly is further provided, including a locking hook rotatably connected inside the frame, a push rod slidably disposed inside the frame, an elastic member sleeved on the push rod, and a locking drive member fixedly disposed on the frame and movably close to or away from the push rod. The locking assembly is configured as follows: When the positioning detection mechanism detects that the wire harness inside the hollow structure is in place, the locking drive moves away from the push rod, and the locking hook locks with the terminal. When the material is being fed, the locking drive pushes the push rod, and the locking hook separates from the terminal.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hanging assembly includes a hanging rod fixedly connected to the turntable, and a hanging hook sleeved on the hanging rod and adjustable in position toward the tray assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the color recognition mechanism includes a color acquisition component fixedly mounted on the frame, a viewfinder frame disposed between the turntable and the color acquisition component, the viewfinder frame being disposed corresponding to and the same size as the window, and the color recognition mechanism and the positioning detection component being disposed on opposite sides of the same window.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, both the viewfinder and the color acquisition device have two sets.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the interface detection mechanism is disposed toward one of the tray assemblies, and the interface detection mechanism is relatively displaceable on the frame, moving to each terminal position on the tray assembly and performing detection to obtain image information of the terminal and wire harness crimping interface.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the coaxiality detection mechanism is disposed toward one of the tray assemblies, and the coaxiality detection mechanism is relatively displaceable on the frame, moving to each terminal position on the tray assembly to perform detection, for measuring the deviation between the terminal and the center axis of the wire harness.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the electrical connection detection mechanism includes a detection plate that can be relatively close to or far away from a tray assembly, and a plurality of electrical detection elements disposed on the detection plate, wherein the electrical detection elements respectively contact terminals on the tray assembly to detect the electrical connection status of the terminals and the wire harness.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for inspecting the assembly of multi-head wire harnesses is also provided, comprising the following steps: Hang the wire harness to be tested on the wire hanging assembly and place the terminals inside the hollow structure of the tray assembly; The terminal is identified by color using a color recognition mechanism to obtain terminal model information; The drive rotation mechanism causes the turntable to rotate intermittently at a preset angle, so that the tray assembly moves to each inspection station in sequence; When the tray assembly moves to the interface inspection station, the crimping interface between the terminal and the wire harness is inspected by the interface inspection mechanism. When the tray assembly moves to the coaxiality detection station, the coaxiality of the terminal and the wire harness is detected by the coaxiality detection mechanism. When the tray assembly moves to the electrical connection testing station, the continuity status of the terminals and wire harness is tested by the electrical connection testing mechanism.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By setting up a rotating mechanism, a carrier, and a multi-station detection mechanism, this invention allows multi-head wire harnesses to sequentially pass through a color recognition mechanism, an interface detection mechanism, a coaxiality detection mechanism, and an electrical connection detection mechanism under the same carrier reference as the turntable rotates. This achieves continuous detection of terminal type identification, crimp interface status detection, terminal-wire harness coaxiality detection, and electrical connection status detection. The tray assembly supports and limits the terminals, while the wire hanging assembly suspends, organizes, and relatively positions the wire harness. The hollow structure of the tray assembly provides detection channels and field of view for each detection station, improving the positioning stability and detection adaptability of multi-head wire harnesses during the detection process. This invention effectively reduces errors caused by repeated clamping and handling, improves detection efficiency, accuracy, and consistency, and can more comprehensively identify defects such as incorrect materials, mixed materials, incomplete crimping, abnormal deformation, skewness, eccentricity, and poor contact, thereby reducing the risk of defective products leaving the product and improving the automation level and comprehensive quality control capabilities of multi-head wire harness assembly and detection. 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 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-head wire harness assembly and detection device from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the turntable and carrier in the multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the tray mechanism in the multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection detection mechanism in the multi-head wire harness assembly detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-head wire harness assembly and detection device from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the multi-head wire harness assembly and testing method in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Reference numerals: 1. Frame; 2. Rotation mechanism; 21. Turntable; 22. Rotation drive assembly; 23. Window; 3. Carrier; 31. Tray assembly; 31a. Frame; 31b. Hollow structure; 32. Cable hanging assembly; 32a. Cable hanging rod; 32b. Cable hanging hook; 4. Color recognition mechanism; 41. Color acquisition component; 42. Viewfinder; 5. Interface detection mechanism; 6. Coaxiality detection mechanism; 7. Electrical connection detection mechanism; 71. Detection plate; 72. Electrical detection component; 8. Position detection mechanism; 9. Locking assembly; 91. Locking hook; 92. Push rod; 93. Elastic component; 94. Locking drive component. 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] like Figures 1 to 6 The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device shown includes: Frame 1; In some embodiments of the present invention, a protective cover, observation window or maintenance port may be provided on the outer periphery of the frame 1, and leveling feet and casters may be provided at the bottom of the frame 1.

[0024] Rotating mechanism 2, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the system includes a turntable 21 rotatably connected to the frame 1 and a rotation drive assembly 22 for driving the turntable 21 to rotate. The turntable 21 has several openings 23, which are evenly distributed at equal intervals around the center of the turntable 21. It should be noted that the rotation drive assembly 22 can take many forms, such as a servo motor, a motor and reducer, an indexing plate structure, or a cam divider. Specifically, the reducer or indexing plate structure can achieve intermittent rotation of the turntable 21, ensuring that each rotation aligns the position of the tray assembly 31 with the detection station. Furthermore, to ensure that the turntable 21 can rotate to the set position and rotate at a uniform angle, an angle encoder or photoelectric sensor positioning device can be installed. This allows the turntable 21 to stop at the set position during rotation, ensuring that the tray assembly 31 corresponds to the processing station and reducing positional deviations.

[0025] Vehicle 3, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the system includes tray assemblies 31 respectively disposed at each opening 23 and wire hanging assemblies 32 disposed opposite to the tray assemblies 31. The tray assemblies 31 are provided with hollow structures 31b corresponding to the openings 23 for placing terminals. In some embodiments of the invention, the wire harness being tested may be too long. The wire harness is hung by the wire hanging assembly 32, and then the terminals are placed on the hollow structure 31b. This system can accommodate different wire diameters or wire harness lengths.

[0026] Multi-station testing organizations, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 As shown, the system includes a color recognition mechanism 4, an interface detection mechanism 5, a coaxiality detection mechanism 6, and an electrical connection detection mechanism 7, which are respectively arranged on the frame 1 and sequentially arranged corresponding to the window 23. The color recognition mechanism 4 is used to detect the terminal type, the interface detection mechanism 5 is used to detect the crimping interface state between the terminal and the wire harness, the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 is used to detect the coaxiality between the terminal and the wire harness, and the electrical connection detection mechanism 7 is used to detect the electrical connection state between the terminal and the wire harness. Multiple detection mechanisms can be evenly arranged on the turntable 21. For each rotation of the turntable 21, the tray assembly 31 corresponds to one detection station.

[0027] It should be noted that in the color recognition mechanism 4, a color camera can be used to acquire images of the terminals and identify the terminal model based on the color, thus determining whether it belongs to the type of terminal to be tested. The interface detection mechanism 5 and the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 can also use a camera, laser detection device, or other detectable structures to detect the connection interface and coaxiality between the terminals and the wire harness. Similarly, the electrical connection detection mechanism 7 can be a probe, a continuity test structure, a resistance test structure, or other structural forms that can detect the electrical connection between the terminals and the wire harness.

[0028] During the rotation of the turntable 21, each tray assembly 31 is driven to pass through the color recognition mechanism 4, the interface detection mechanism 5, the coaxiality detection mechanism 6, and the electrical connection detection mechanism 7 in sequence.

[0029] This invention, through the configuration of a rotating mechanism 2, a carrier 3, and a multi-station inspection mechanism, allows multi-head wire harnesses to sequentially pass through a color recognition mechanism 4, an interface inspection mechanism 5, a coaxiality inspection mechanism 6, and an electrical connection inspection mechanism 7 under the same carrier 3 reference, as the turntable 21 rotates. This achieves continuous inspection of terminal type identification, crimp interface status detection, terminal-wire harness coaxiality detection, and electrical connection status detection. The tray assembly 31 supports and limits the terminals, while the hanging assembly 32 suspends, organizes, and relatively positions the wire harness. The hollow structure 31b of the tray assembly 31 provides inspection channels and field of view for each inspection station, improving the positioning stability and inspection adaptability of multi-head wire harnesses during the inspection process. This invention effectively reduces errors caused by repeated clamping and handling, improves inspection efficiency, accuracy, and consistency, and can more comprehensively identify defects such as incorrect materials, mixed materials, incomplete crimping, abnormal deformation, skewness / eccentricity, and poor connections, thereby reducing the risk of defective products leaving the product and improving the automation level and comprehensive quality control capabilities of multi-head wire harness assembly and inspection.

[0030] In the assembly and inspection of multi-head wire harnesses, since the terminals and wire harnesses typically need to be pre-placed on the corresponding carrier 3 before entering the subsequent inspection station, existing technologies often rely on manual observation or simple mechanical limits to confirm whether the terminals and wire harnesses are correctly positioned on the tray. To ensure that misjudgments are avoided in continuous inspection scenarios, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the tray assembly 31 includes a frame 31a with an internal hollow structure 31b, and a positioning detection mechanism 8 disposed toward the hollow structure 31b. The positioning detection mechanism 8 is used to detect whether a terminal and a wire harness are placed on the frame 31a.

[0031] In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the wire harness is manually hung on the hanging assembly 32, and the terminals are placed inside the hollow structure 31b. The placement status of the terminals is detected by the positioning detection mechanism 8. If the detection is qualified, the device can proceed to the next inspection process; if the detection is unqualified, an alarm or warning light will be used to notify the operator to make adjustments. Specifically, the hollow structure 31b forms an effective detection channel, and the positioning detection mechanism 8 directly detects whether terminals and wire harnesses have been placed on the frame 31a. The tray assembly 31 further integrates a workpiece positioning confirmation function, so that terminals and wire harnesses can be pre-identified as to whether they are in the loading state or the predetermined placement state before entering the subsequent inspection process. The hollow structure 31b can reduce the obstruction of the detection path by the frame 31a body, provide detection space for photoelectric, vision, or sensor-based positioning detection, and enable the detection mechanism to identify the presence status of the workpiece more directly and accurately; it can also pre-judge whether terminals and wire harnesses are placed in place at the beginning of the inspection process, thereby preventing unplaced, missing, incorrectly placed, or unstable workpieces from entering the subsequent inspection station.

[0032] During the continuous rotation of turntable 21 and multi-station detection, relying solely on the simple support or limiting structure of the tray can easily lead to loosening, displacement, or even separation of terminals and wire harnesses from their positioning positions during movement. This can affect the accuracy of color recognition, interface detection, coaxiality detection, and electrical connection detection. In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, it also includes a locking assembly 9, comprising a locking hook 91 rotatably connected inside the frame 31a, a push rod 92 slidably disposed inside the frame 31a, an elastic element 93 sleeved on the push rod 92, and a locking drive element 94 fixedly disposed on the frame 1 and facing the push rod 92, which can move relatively closer to or away from it. This allows the locking assembly 9 to automatically lock after the workpiece is in place and to quickly release during the unloading stage. The locking assembly 9 is configured as follows: When the positioning detection mechanism 8 detects that the internal wiring harness of the hollow structure 31b is in place, the locking drive 94 moves away from the push rod 92, and the locking hook 91 locks with the terminal. When the material is being cut, the locking drive 94 pushes the push rod 92, and the locking hook 91 separates from the terminal.

[0033] Specifically, when the positioning detection mechanism 8 detects that the wire harness inside the hollow structure 31b has been placed in place, the locking drive 94 moves away from the push rod 92. Under the action of the elastic element 93, the locking hook 91 rotates and forms a locking engagement with the terminal, thereby further constraining the terminal and wire harness and preventing them from shifting or falling off during the rotation of the turntable 21 and the detection process. When unloading is required, the locking drive 94 moves towards the push rod 92, pushing the push rod 92 to overcome the action of the elastic element 93 and causing the locking hook 91 to rotate and disengage from the terminal, realizing the automatic release of the terminal and wire harness. This invention achieves reliable locking and smooth unlocking without manual intervention, which not only improves the stability and positioning accuracy of the workpiece during the detection process and reduces the detection error caused by shaking or shifting, but also ensures the smoothness and continuity of the unloading process.

[0034] Because wire harnesses are inherently flexible, differences exist between products in terms of harness length, branch structure, and terminal positions. Simply using fixed supports or haphazard placement can easily lead to sagging, bending, twisting, or swaying of the wire harness during testing. This affects the relative positional relationship between the terminals and the wire harness, thus interfering with the accuracy of interface testing, coaxiality testing, and electrical connection testing. (Continue to refer to...) Figure 3 The hanging assembly 32 includes a hanging rod 32a fixedly connected to the turntable 21, and a hanging hook 32b sleeved on the hanging rod 32a and adjustable in position toward the tray assembly 31.

[0035] The wire hanging assembly 32 can be flexibly adjusted according to the length and branching status of different wire harnesses, thereby suspending, guiding, and organizing the wire harnesses. Specifically, by adjusting the position of the wire hook 32b on the wire hanging rod 32a, the wire harness can maintain an appropriate tension and predetermined spatial posture at the inspection station, ensuring that the terminal ends stably correspond to the position area of ​​the tray assembly 31, reducing the impact of natural bending or swaying of the wire harness on the inspection results. This improves the posture stability and positional consistency of the wire harness during multi-station inspection and enhances the device's adaptability to different specifications and types of wire harnesses.

[0036] Terminal type identification is typically a preliminary inspection step, and its accuracy directly affects the effectiveness of subsequent inspection station judgments. Due to the wide variety of terminals, subtle color differences, and complex lighting environments, traditional color identification methods often suffer from problems such as unstable viewing areas, significant background interference, and inconsistent inspection positions. For example... Figure 2As shown, the color recognition mechanism 4 includes a color acquisition component 41 fixedly mounted on the frame 1, and a viewfinder 42 positioned between the turntable 21 and the color acquisition component 41. The viewfinder 42 and the window 23 are correspondingly positioned and of the same size. The color recognition mechanism 4 and the positioning detection component are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the same window 23. The viewfinder 42 limits the field of view of the color recognition mechanism 4, reducing interference from ambient light and background clutter on the recognition process. By arranging the color recognition mechanism 4 and the positioning detection component 8 on opposite sides of the same window 23, the positioning detection component 8 confirms that the terminal and wire harness are in the predetermined detection position before color acquisition and recognition, thus ensuring the validity and consistency of the acquired object. On one hand, the viewfinder 42 forms a relatively closed and stable detection window, making color acquisition more concentrated and standardized, improving the accuracy and repeatability of color recognition. On the other hand, the spatial arrangement of positioning detection and color recognition ensures that the detection process has a logical sequence of confirming the workpiece's position before recognition, avoiding misidentification caused by non-positional errors or deviations.

[0037] Because the tray assembly 31 typically uses a frame 31a structure to support and limit the terminals, while providing stable support, this frame 31a structure can also easily obstruct the view during the color acquisition process. Especially when there are many terminals or they are densely distributed, if only a single viewfinder 42 and a single color acquisition element 41 are used for overall shooting, it is often difficult to ensure that all terminals are within the effective field of view. This can easily result in some terminals being obstructed by the edges of the frame 31a, limited shooting angles, or unclear images. (Continue to refer to...) Figure 2 Both the viewfinder 42 and the color acquisition unit 41 have two sets. This creates a partitioned shooting structure in the detection area, dividing the original overall viewfinder range into multiple relatively independent acquisition areas, thereby acquiring images of the terminals in different areas separately. Each set of viewfinders 42 corresponds to one set of color acquisition units 41 and matches the position of the window 23, ensuring that the terminals in each area can obtain relatively clear and unobstructed image information within their corresponding field of view. When the number of terminals increases or the distribution range expands, the cooperation of multiple sets of viewfinders and acquisition units still ensures that each terminal is effectively covered.

[0038] A tray assembly 31 typically has multiple terminals, and these terminals are spatially distributed differently, with variations in the size, shape, and inspection focus area of ​​the crimping interface. For example... Figure 6As shown, the interface detection mechanism 5 is positioned facing a tray assembly 31. The interface detection mechanism 5 is relatively movable on the frame 1, moving to each terminal position on the tray assembly 31 to perform detection, thereby acquiring image information of the terminal-wire harness crimping interface. By driving the interface detection mechanism 5 to move along a predetermined path, it aligns with the position of each terminal on the tray assembly 31, acquiring image information of the corresponding crimping interface. This allows for the individual acquisition and analysis of features such as crimping width, crimping position, interface integrity, and deformation state. It enables full-coverage detection of multiple terminal interfaces within a limited space, avoiding the detection blind spots caused by traditional fixed detection positions.

[0039] In embodiments of the present invention, the tray assembly 31 typically has multiple terminals arranged on it, and these terminals are spatially dispersed. Furthermore, the coaxiality between the terminals and the wire harness is a geometric parameter requiring high assembly precision. Traditional detection methods using fixed-position detection structures often only allow measurement of a single location or a localized area, making it difficult to cover all terminals. (Continue to refer to...) Figure 6 As shown, the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 is positioned facing a tray assembly 31. The coaxiality detection mechanism 6 is relatively movable on the frame 1, moving to each terminal position on the tray assembly 31 to perform detection, measuring the deviation between the terminal and the central axis of the wire harness. It can move between multiple terminal positions corresponding to the same tray assembly 31 and sequentially detect the coaxiality of each terminal and the wire harness, thereby achieving unified measurement of multiple positions. Specifically, by driving the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 to move along a preset path, it aligns with each terminal position, acquiring the outer contour or feature position of the terminal and the wire harness, and calculating the offset or angular deviation between their central axes, thus completing point-by-point detection of coaxiality. This enables full-coverage detection of the coaxiality of multiple terminals within a limited equipment space, avoiding the detection blind spot problem present in traditional fixed detection methods.

[0040] It should be noted that the interface detection mechanism 5 and the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 can move on the frame 1 in many ways. They can be a motor-driven screw slide structure, a synchronous belt slide structure, a gear and rack transmission structure, a cylinder-driven slide structure, or a two-dimensional / three-dimensional motion platform structure to move the interface detection mechanism 5 or the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 on the frame 1 to the various terminal positions on the tray assembly 31 for detection.

[0041] The electrical connection status between terminals and wire harnesses is a crucial indicator for evaluating assembly quality, especially for defects such as poor crimping, loose connections, or unstable contact. The wire harnesses and terminals tested in this invention may have multiple terminals on a single wire harness. Each terminal must not only meet individual conductivity requirements but also ensure overall consistency and reliability of the electrical connection. Traditional testing methods often employ single-point contact testing or manual testing, which is not only inefficient but also makes it difficult to achieve a unified assessment of the entire wire harness's electrical connection status in multi-terminal scenarios.

[0042] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 As shown, the electrical connection testing mechanism 7 includes a testing plate 71 that can be relatively close to or away from a tray assembly 31. Multiple electrical testing elements 72 are disposed on the testing plate 71, and each testing element 72 contacts a terminal on the tray assembly 31 to detect the electrical connection status between the terminal and the wire harness. By driving the testing plate 71 closer to the tray assembly 31, the electrical testing elements 72 form a stable electrical contact with the terminal, completing the detection of continuity, resistance, or contact status. After the detection is completed, the testing plate 71 moves away from the tray assembly 31 to avoid interference with subsequent processes. This allows for synchronous electrical testing of multiple terminals, improving testing efficiency and avoiding the cycle time bottleneck problem caused by traditional point-by-point testing. Furthermore, since multiple electrical testing elements 72 are mounted on the same testing plate 71, their contact positions and contact pressures have good consistency, which is beneficial to improving the stability and repeatability of the test results. Specifically, electrical performance testing can include one of the following performance tests: continuity / opening circuit testing, wire sequence testing, continuity resistance testing, AC / DC withstand voltage testing, and insulation resistance testing.

[0043] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for inspecting the assembly of multi-head wire harnesses is also provided, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the steps include: S10: Hang the wire harness to be tested on the hanging assembly 32 and place the terminals inside the hollow structure 31b of the tray assembly 31. Before the test begins, place the multi-head wire harness to be tested in the corresponding carrier 3 position. Hang the main or branch parts of the wire harness on the hanging hooks 32b of the hanging assembly 32 using manual or automatic feeding methods, so that the wire harness is suspended and initially organized. Place the terminals at each branch end of the wire harness in the corresponding positions within the hollow structure 31b of the tray assembly 31. In some embodiments, the presence of terminals and wire harnesses within the hollow structure 31b can be detected by the positioning detection mechanism 8. When the workpiece is detected as correctly placed, the next testing step is initiated. If no workpiece is detected or the placement is abnormal, an alarm can be issued or the subsequent process can be paused. The position between the tray assembly 31 and the terminals can also be locked using the locking assembly 9.

[0044] S20: The color recognition mechanism 4 performs color recognition on the terminals to obtain terminal model information; when the tray assembly 31 is in the color recognition station, the color acquisition unit 41 acquires images of the terminals through the viewfinder 42. The viewfinder 42 defines the acquisition area, ensuring the terminals are within a stable field of view, thereby reducing ambient light interference and background stray information. In some embodiments, multiple viewfinders 42 and color acquisition units 41 can be used to acquire images of the terminals in sections to avoid incomplete field of view caused by obstruction of the frame 31a structure or a large number of terminals. This allows for identification of incorrect or mixed terminals at the beginning of the inspection process, ensuring the effectiveness of subsequent inspections from the source.

[0045] In some implementations, information can be collected from the wire harness or terminals simultaneously with or after terminal color identification using a barcode scanner. Specifically, a barcode scanner or image recognition module can be installed at the color identification station to read barcodes, QR codes, or other identification information on the wire harness, terminals, or carrier 3, thereby obtaining product number, batch information, or process information, and storing it in association with terminal model information.

[0046] S30: The drive rotation mechanism 2 drives the turntable 21 to rotate intermittently at a preset angle, causing the tray assembly 31 to move sequentially to each inspection station. After color recognition is completed, the control system drives the rotation drive component 22, causing the turntable 21 to rotate intermittently at a preset angle, rotating one station interval angle each time, moving one tray assembly 31 from the current station to the next inspection station. During the rotation of the turntable 21, each tray assembly 31 and the wire harness and terminals it carries move synchronously. When the turntable 21 reaches its position, it is precisely stopped by the indexing positioning structure or control system, aligning the tray assembly 31 with the corresponding inspection station. During each stopping phase, the turntable 21 remains stationary to ensure that the inspection mechanism inspects the terminals and wire harnesses in a stable state, thereby improving inspection accuracy and repeatability.

[0047] S40: When the tray assembly 31 moves to the interface inspection station, the interface inspection mechanism 5 inspects the crimping interface between the terminal and the wire harness. After the tray assembly 31 moves to the interface inspection station and completes its positioning, the interface inspection mechanism 5 moves to the corresponding terminal position under the action of the drive device to acquire images of the crimping interface between the terminal and the wire harness. For multiple terminals on the same tray assembly 31, the interface inspection mechanism 5 can move sequentially to each terminal position through the displacement structure to perform point-by-point inspection, thereby achieving comprehensive inspection of multiple crimping interfaces to identify defects such as incomplete crimping, abnormal deformation, abnormal interface gaps, or incomplete assembly.

[0048] S50: When the tray assembly 31 moves to the coaxiality detection station, the coaxiality of the terminals and wire harness is detected by the coaxiality detection mechanism 6. After the tray assembly 31 moves to the coaxiality detection station and completes positioning, the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 acquires the spatial position data of the terminals and wire harness. In some embodiments, for multiple terminals on the same tray assembly 31, the coaxiality detection mechanism 6 can sequentially detect each terminal through a moving structure to identify problems such as terminal eccentricity, tilting, or abnormal assembly posture, thereby evaluating the assembly geometric accuracy.

[0049] S60: When the tray assembly 31 moves to the electrical connection testing station, the electrical connection testing mechanism 7 detects the continuity between the terminals and the wire harness. After the tray assembly 31 moves to the electrical connection testing station, the testing plate 71 moves towards the tray assembly 31 under the action of the drive mechanism, so that multiple electrical testing elements 72 on the testing plate 71 establish electrical contact with the corresponding terminals, thereby synchronously testing multiple terminals on the same wire harness. After the test is completed, the testing plate 71 moves away from the tray assembly 31 so that the turntable 21 can continue to rotate into the next cycle. The overall electrical connection status of the entire wire harness can be evaluated, effectively identifying problems such as loose connections, poor contact, or abnormal continuity.

[0050] 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 multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device, characterized in that, include: frame; The rotating mechanism includes a turntable rotatably connected to the frame and a rotation drive assembly for driving the turntable to rotate. The turntable has a plurality of openings, which are evenly distributed at equal intervals with respect to the center of the turntable. The carrier includes a tray assembly respectively disposed at each of the openings and a hanging assembly disposed opposite to the position of the tray assembly. The tray assembly is provided with a hollow structure for placing terminals corresponding to the opening. The multi-station testing mechanism includes a color recognition mechanism, an interface detection mechanism, a coaxiality detection mechanism, and an electrical connection detection mechanism, which are respectively arranged on the frame and sequentially corresponding to the opening. The color recognition mechanism is used to detect the terminal type, the interface detection mechanism is used to detect the crimping interface state between the terminal and the wire harness, the coaxiality detection mechanism is used to detect the coaxiality between the terminal and the wire harness, and the electrical connection detection mechanism is used to detect the electrical connection state between the terminal and the wire harness. During the rotation of the turntable, each tray assembly is driven to pass sequentially through the color recognition mechanism, interface detection mechanism, coaxiality detection mechanism, and electrical connection detection mechanism.

2. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tray assembly includes a frame with a hollow internal structure and a positioning detection mechanism facing the hollow structure. The positioning detection mechanism is used to detect whether a terminal and a wire harness are placed on the frame.

3. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a locking assembly comprising a locking hook rotatably connected inside the frame, a push rod slidably disposed inside the frame, an elastic element sleeved on the push rod, and a locking drive element fixedly disposed on the frame and movably approaching or moving away from the push rod. The locking assembly is configured as follows: When the positioning detection mechanism detects that the wire harness inside the hollow structure is in place, the locking drive moves away from the push rod, and the locking hook locks with the terminal. When the material is being fed, the locking drive pushes the push rod, and the locking hook separates from the terminal.

4. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hanging assembly includes a hanging rod fixedly connected to the turntable, and a hanging hook sleeved on the hanging rod and adjustable in position toward the tray assembly.

5. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The color recognition mechanism includes a color acquisition component fixedly mounted on the frame, a viewfinder frame disposed between the turntable and the color acquisition component, the viewfinder frame being disposed corresponding to and the same size as the window, and the color recognition mechanism and the positioning detection component being disposed on opposite sides of the same window.

6. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, Both the viewfinder and the color sensor have two sets.

7. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface detection mechanism is positioned toward one of the tray components. The interface detection mechanism is relatively movable on the frame and moves to each terminal position on the tray component to perform detection, thereby acquiring image information of the interface between the terminal and the wire harness.

8. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coaxiality detection mechanism is positioned toward one of the tray assemblies. The coaxiality detection mechanism is relatively displaceable on the frame and can be moved to each terminal position on the tray assembly to perform detection, for measuring the deviation between the terminal and the center axis of the wire harness.

9. The multi-head wire harness assembly and testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical connection detection mechanism includes a detection plate that can be relatively close to or away from the tray assembly, and a plurality of electrical detection elements disposed on the detection plate. The electrical detection elements respectively contact the terminals on the tray assembly to detect the electrical connection status between the terminals and the wire harness.

10. A method for assembling and inspecting multi-head wire harnesses, characterized in that, Using the multi-head wire harness assembly testing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 includes the following steps: Hang the wire harness to be tested on the wire hanging assembly and place the terminals inside the hollow structure of the tray assembly; The terminal is identified by color using a color recognition mechanism to obtain terminal model information; The drive rotation mechanism causes the turntable to rotate intermittently at a preset angle, so that the tray assembly moves to each inspection station in sequence; When the tray assembly moves to the interface inspection station, the crimping interface between the terminal and the wire harness is inspected by the interface inspection mechanism. When the tray assembly moves to the coaxiality detection station, the coaxiality of the terminal and the wire harness is detected by the coaxiality detection mechanism. When the tray assembly moves to the electrical connection testing station, the continuity status of the terminals and wire harness is tested by the electrical connection testing mechanism.

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