System and method for the automated assembly of a cable harness

Abstract

System for assembling at least one cable set from a plurality of cables (28, 30, 32), which has a laying board (4), a first and a second manipulator (6, 8), wherein the laying board (4) has at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20), wherein at least one actively controllable tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) has a hook, wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) is arranged at a respective predefined position on the laying board (4) and, depending on the control, can be moved into the laying board (4) and moved out of the laying board (4), wherein a section of a respective cable (28, 30, 32) to be laid is guided between the two manipulators (6, 8), wherein at least one of the two Manipulators (6, 8) are movable relative to the laying board (4), wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18,20) is designed to grip the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) located between the two manipulators (6, 8) and to guide it to a position of the respective tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) on the laying board (4), wherein the system (2) is designed to lay the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) as part of the at least one line set along at least two predefined positions on the laying board (4), wherein the laying board (4) is designed as a turning board and has two sides, wherein at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are arranged on each side, wherein the at least one movable manipulator (8) is designed to move the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) over a surface of one of the two sides, whereby the respective line (28, 30,32) is laid on one side and tested and / or reworked on the other side.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for the automated assembly of a cable harness and a method for the assembly of a cable harness.

[0002] Creating a wiring harness for a motor vehicle is an almost entirely manual process. All manufacturers who manufacture the wiring harnesses install wires fitted with plug-in connectors by hand on a forming board. In the future, the wiring harness installation will be fully automated and performed mechanically.

[0003] A cable set usually comprises several, for example several hundred, approximately 1200 different individual cables, which can vary in terms of different contact parts, cross-sections or insulation colors as well as in terms of the power material used.

[0004] These various individual cables are delivered on hangers to a corresponding forming board for the production of the cable harness. However, this delivery condition is not conducive to fully automated cable harness production.

[0005] From the publication DE 38 22 166 C2, a tool for picking up, storing, contacting, and laying cables is known. The tool is connected to a multi-axis positioning device via an interchangeable flange and has several devices designed as gripping units. A first device holds a cable end in such a way that it points outwards and, provided with a contact, can be inserted into a connector housing. A second device holds a second cable end in such a way that the second cable end points outwards and, provided with a contact, can be inserted into a connector housing. The devices can be controlled stepwise, independently of one another.

[0006] A method and device for producing a cable harness are known from EP 0 444 032 B1. Connector housing receiving devices are arranged on a laying board of the device. During the method, the laying board is moved in at least one direction.

[0007] Furthermore, EP 1 342 248 B1 discloses a method for the automated production of a cable harness. A cable is inserted into a starting receptacle of a starting housing arranged on a cable laying board. The desired cable path in the cable harness to be produced is guided along deflection elements of the laying board.

[0008] Document DE 26 49 534 A1 describes a method for producing a cable harness. Connectors are arranged on a work table. A device for producing the cable harness further comprises a wire laying head, a wire reel station, and a pin for laying a wire branch with a head for pressing down the wire.

[0009] A method and a device for producing a cable harness are known from the document DE 10 2015 201 465 A1.

[0010] A method and a device for producing cable harnesses using insulation displacement connectors are described in the document DE 35 23 308 A1.

[0011] The document DE 694 05 642 T2 describes a retaining guide for a cable harness mounting plate. This retaining guide comprises a guide rod for electrical wire, with a guide element with a U-shaped guide section located at one end of the guide rod.

[0012] Furthermore, a drawing board or drawing board is known from the document JP 2012-104258 A.

[0013] The document JP 2011-210518 A describes a device for wiring.

[0014] Against this background, the task arises of automating the production of a cable harness.

[0015] This problem is solved by a system and a method having the features of the independent patent claims. Embodiments of the system and method are evident from the dependent patent claims and the description.

[0016] The system according to the invention is designed for the usually automated assembly of at least one cable set from a plurality of cables and comprises a laying board, a first manipulator and a second manipulator. The laying board has at least two actively controllable tool elements, each of the at least two actively controllable and / or active tool elements being arranged at a respective predefined position on the laying board and being able to be moved into and out of the laying board depending on the control. A section of a cable to be laid is guided, arranged and / or tensioned between the two manipulators. At least one of the two manipulators is movable relative to the laying board. Each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements is designed to move the cable located and moved between the two manipulators, e.g.to grasp the guided section of the respective cable and to guide it, for example, to a position of the respective tool element on the laying board. The system is further designed to lay the section of the respective cable as part of the at least one cable set between at least two predefined positions on the laying board.

[0017] As a rule, one of the two manipulators can be arranged in a stationary manner relative to the laying board and another of the two manipulators can be moved relative to one of the two manipulators, for example on a track, wherein the other movable manipulator of the two manipulators is designed to guide the section of the respective cable. Accordingly, it is possible to guide the section of the cable with a manipulator that is movable relative to the stationary manipulator. If both manipulators are movable, the section is guided by both manipulators. In one embodiment, it is possible for both manipulators to be moved relative to the laying board. One of the two manipulators is arranged in a stationary position on the laying board before laying the cable and remains arranged there during laying, wherein such a position can be selected.In contrast, one manipulator is moved during the laying of a respective cable.

[0018] The at least one movable manipulator can be moved in at least one spatial direction, for example, in an oscillating manner. Furthermore, at least one of the two manipulators is designed as a gripper arm to secure one end of the respective cable. Another of the two manipulators is designed as a cable dispenser to convey and thus dispense the respective cable, wherein the length of the section of the respective cable between the two manipulators is variable, usually extendable, or is extended.

[0019] At least one actively controllable tool element has a bolt, e.g., a deflection bolt, that can be extended from the laying board. Furthermore, at least one actively controllable tool element has a hook. Furthermore, it is possible for the at least one actively controllable tool element to have a fork and / or gripper arranged at an end of the bolt facing away from the laying board.

[0020] The installation board is designed as a reversible board and has two sides, with at least two actively controllable tool elements arranged on each side. The at least one movable manipulator is designed to guide the section of the respective cable over a surface on one of the two sides, depending on the position of the installation board.

[0021] The system is also designed to lay a respective line that has several line sections that are sequentially connected to one another.

[0022] The method according to the invention is provided for the usually automated assembly of at least one cable set from a plurality of cables using a system, wherein the system comprises a laying board, a first manipulator and a second manipulator. The laying board has at least two actively controllable tool elements, wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements is arranged at a predefined position on the laying board and is moved into and out of the laying board depending on the control. A section of a cable to be laid is guided, arranged and / or tensioned between the two manipulators, wherein at least one of the two manipulators is moved relative to the laying board. The moving part located between the two manipulators, e.g.The guided section of the respective cable is grasped by at least one of the at least two actively controlled tool elements and guided, e.g., moved, to a position of the respective tool element on the laying board. The section of the respective cable is laid as part of the at least one cable set along at least two predefined positions on the laying board.

[0023] The at least one movable manipulator is designed to guide the cable to be laid across the surface of the laying board along a predetermined path. The at least two actively controllable tool elements are designed to grasp a respective section of the cable while the cable is being guided and to move it to a predefined position on the laying board, wherein the cable can be laid or is laid along at least two predefined positions on the laying board.

[0024] The at least one movable manipulator for guiding the cable to be laid has one or two degrees of freedom of movement, wherein the manipulator provided for guiding the cable to be laid can perform an oscillating movement.

[0025] At least one of the active or actively controllable tool elements has a fork, a hook and / or gripper and / or is designed as a bolt, e.g. a deflection bolt, that can be moved out of the surface of the laying board.

[0026] The installation board is designed as a reversible board and has at least two actively controllable tool elements on both sides. The at least one manipulator for guiding the cable to be installed is designed to guide cables over the surface of one or the other side of the installation board, depending on the reversal position of the installation board.

[0027] The at least one manipulator for guiding a cable to be laid is designed to guide several sequentially connected cables one after the other over the surface of the laying board.

[0028] With the presented system and the presented method it is possible, among other things, to assemble the cable harness using a movable laying board, which now also has actively movable tool elements. This means that the laying board and the tool elements as well as the manipulators can actively participate in the automated process for assembling the cable harness. Active integration of the laying board and the tool elements as holders and / or guides for a respective cable serves the automated process for assembling and thus for manufacturing the cable harness. Here it is possible to move a deflected section of the cable back and forth cyclically, for example parallel to the laying board. With the actively movable tool elements of the laying board, which e.g.Forks, hooks, or grippers, the guided, passing section of the cable is captured by a respective tool element at its predefined position on the installation board and pulled in by the tool element arranged at that position. The section of the respective cable can be easily redirected by an extendable bolt and / or pin of a tool element.

[0029] The installation board is designed as a reversible board with two sides or surfaces. The respective cable is laid or routed on one side, and tested and / or reworked on the other. The finished cable set can also be removed from the other side. A packing robot can also be integrated into the system.

[0030] In one embodiment of the method, the section of the respective cable to be laid is captured at defined positions of the active tool elements of the active laying board. Thus, the shape of the cable set and thus of a corresponding cable harness is determined by the actively movable and controllable tool elements of the laying board, with a gripping function being integrated into a fork, hook, or gripper of a respective tool element. Depending on a planned path for laying the cable, a fork of a tool element, for example, grasps the moving cable as it slides past it and secures it at the position of the tool element.

[0031] The invention is schematically illustrated in the drawing using an embodiment and is described schematically and in detail with reference to the drawing. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the system according to the invention.

[0032] The Fig. The embodiment of the system 2 according to the invention, shown schematically in Figure 1, comprises a laying board 4 and a first manipulator 6, which is arranged stationary relative to the laying board 4. Furthermore, the system 2 comprises a second manipulator 8, which is movable relative to the laying board 4 and the first manipulator 6, which in Fig. 1 is indicated by two arrows 10. Accordingly, the manipulator 8 is in Fig. 1 in three possible positions during its movement relative to the laying board 4. On a surface of the laying board 4, several tool elements 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 are arranged, which are actively controllable and movable relative to the surface of the laying board 4, ie can be retracted and extended, which in Fig. 1 is indicated by double arrows 22. In the illustration from Fig.1, three of these tool elements 12, 14, 16 are extended from the surface of the laying board 4, whereas two tool elements 18, 20 are retracted into the laying board 4. Each tool element 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 comprises a bolt 24, at the end of which a fork 26 is arranged.

[0033] During operation of the system 2, it is intended to assemble a cable set from several cables 28, 30, 32. The respective cables 28, 30, 32 are conveyed by the first manipulator 6, designed as a cable dispenser. In this case, one end of each cable 28, 30, 32 is fixed to the second manipulator 8, designed here as a gripping element. To assemble the cable set, the second manipulator 8 is moved back and forth or up and down relative to the laying board 4. In this case, it is provided that a first cable 28, while being guided by the second manipulator 8, is caught by a first extended tool element 12 and its course is changed. The second cable 30 is caught by the first extended tool element 12 and also by a second extended tool element 16 during the movement of the second manipulator 8 and is deflected accordingly.For the third line 32, it is provided here that it is caught by the first extended tool element 12 and a second extended tool element 14 and positioned with regard to its direction.

Claims

[1] System for assembling at least one cable set from a plurality of cables (28, 30, 32), which has a laying board (4), a first and a second manipulator (6, 8), wherein the laying board (4) has at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20), wherein at least one actively controllable tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) has a hook, wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) is arranged at a respective predefined position on the laying board (4) and can be moved into the laying board (4) and out of the laying board (4) depending on the control, wherein a section of a respective cable (28, 30, 32) to be laid is guided between the two manipulators (6, 8), wherein at least one of the two manipulators (6, 8) is movable relative to the laying board (4), wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18,20) is designed to grip the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) located between the two manipulators (6, 8) and to guide it to a position of the respective tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) on the laying board (4), wherein the system (2) is designed to lay the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) as part of the at least one line set along at least two predefined positions on the laying board (4), wherein the laying board (4) is designed as a turning board and has two sides, wherein at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are arranged on each side, wherein the at least one movable manipulator (8) is designed to move the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) over a surface of one of the two sides, whereby the respective line (28, 30,32) is laid on one side and tested and / or reworked on the other side. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein one of the two manipulators (6) can be arranged in a stationary manner relative to the laying board (4) and the other of the two manipulators (8) can be moved relative to one of the two manipulators (6), wherein the other of the two manipulators (8) is designed to guide the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32). [3] System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one movable manipulator (8) is to be moved in at least one spatial direction. [4] System according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the two manipulators (8) is designed as a gripping arm to fix one end of the respective line (28, 30, 32), and wherein the other of the two manipulators (6) is designed as a line dispenser to convey and thus dispense the respective line (28, 30, 32), wherein a length of the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) between the two manipulators (6, 8) is extendable. [5] System according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one actively controllable tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) has a bolt (24), for example a deflection bolt, which can be moved out of the laying board (4). [6] System according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed to lay a respective line (28, 30, 32) which has a plurality of line sections which are sequentially connected to one another. [7] Method for assembling at least one cable set from a plurality of cables (28, 30, 32) with a system (2) which has a laying board (4), a first and a second manipulator (6, 8), wherein the laying board (4) has at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20), wherein at least one actively controllable tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) has a hook, wherein each of the at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) is arranged at a respective predefined position on the laying board (4) and, depending on the control, can be moved into the laying board (4) and out of the laying board (4), wherein a section of a respective cable (28, 30, 32) to be laid is arranged between the two manipulators (6, 8), wherein at least one of the two manipulators (6, 8) is moved relative to the laying board (4), wherein the distance between the two manipulators (6,8) is grasped by at least one of the at least two actively controlled tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) and guided to a position of the respective tool element (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) on the laying board (4), wherein the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) is laid as part of the at least one line set along at least two predefined positions on the laying board (4), wherein the laying board (4) is designed as a turning board and has two sides, wherein at least two actively controllable tool elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are arranged on each side, wherein the at least one movable manipulator (8) is designed to move the section of the respective line (28, 30, 32) depending on the position of the laying board (4) over a surface of a of the two sides, whereby the respective line (28, 30,32) is laid on one side and tested and / or reworked on the other side.

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