Cable harness formboard with a lifting and swiveling mechanism

Abstract

Cable harness forming board (1) for producing a cable harness with a plurality of guides (10) and / or laying forks (20) projecting from a mounting plane (M) for producing a predetermined laying structure shape (L), wherein the cable harness forming board (1) has an adapter frame (2) and a lifting and swiveling mechanism (3) detachably connected to the adapter frame (2) such that an arrangement and / or position of the mounting plane (M) can be changed between at least a first position (P1) and a second position (P2), wherein the mounting plane (M) is horizontally oriented in the first position (P1), wherein the mounting plane (M) is vertically oriented in the second position (P2), wherein the adapter frame (2) is coupled to an automated guided vehicle (AGV) (5), and wherein the adapter frame (2) can be coupled to an automated station and / or production line.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cable harness forming board for the production of a cable harness, in particular for the production of a cable harness for the wiring of a vehicle, with a plurality of guides and / or laying forks protruding from a mounting plane for the production of a predetermined laying structure shape.

[0002] For the purposes of the present invention, cable harnesses and conductor strings are also understood to be, for example, cable sets and conductor strings.

[0003] Wiring harnesses consist of a group of several electrical conductors and are used, for example, in vehicles for the electrical connection of components, consumers, sources, sinks, storage devices, distributors, and assemblies. The electrical conductors are grouped together in sections, running parallel to each other with predetermined branch connections. It is known that a so-called cable formboard, also known as a wiring harness formboard, is used to manufacture a wiring harness. In the following, the term wiring harness formboard is used synonymously with cable formboard.

[0004] Devices used in the assembly of cable sets or cable harnesses are already known from the publications US 4 979 544 A, JP H07 - 282 654 A, DD 1 09 478 A1, US 4 483 373 A, DE 10 2021 100 407 A1, EP 1 132 928 A2, DE 32 27 080 A1, CN 2 10 618 309 U and CN 1 08 539 556 A.

[0005] Typical wiring harnesses, such as those used in automobiles and industrial technical systems and machinery, consist of numerous different cables and wires whose ends are fitted with contacts or contact elements or connectors, in whose contact chambers contacts are inserted. Furthermore, mechanical clips, fasteners, or adhesive tapes are used to bundle several individual wires that are routed as a single strand. Additionally, cable protection, such as hoses, and routing elements, such as cable ducts, are used.

[0006] The aforementioned components are assembled on forming or laying boards to complete the respective cable set. These forming boards typically provide a surface area corresponding to the space required for a fully extended cable set to be produced. The cables and wires are then laid around the static supports and guides attached to the forming board, such as dowel pins. Mechanical components are then attached, and the cable strands to be bundled are wrapped with adhesive tape or a suitable band, if necessary.

[0007] On the wiring harness formboard, the specific structure of the wiring harness to be produced is predetermined by the arrangement of guides in a mounting grid. Following a predetermined routing sequence, the individual electrical wires and connectors are placed onto the formboard. The production of the finished wiring harnesses often takes place in so-called transfer or cycle lines, where the individual wires and connectors are laid or mounted sequentially on the formboard in several cycles. Once the complete wiring harness is finished, it is removed from the formboard, and a new, possibly different, wiring harness can be produced.

[0008] A disadvantage here is that, due to the dimensions of the cable harness mold board and the cable harness to be produced, ergonomic work when laying cables and applying a covering to the cables is only possible to a limited extent.

[0009] A further problem is the fact that the large number of manufacturing steps involved in producing the cable harnesses results in considerable assembly effort and requires them to pass through a large number of different production areas. Handling the wiring harness components between these individual production areas is also very complex.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cable harness forming board in which ergonomic working is optimized and the handling of wiring harness elements between individual production areas is improved.

[0011] This problem is solved by the combination of features according to claim 1.

[0012] According to the invention, a cable harness forming board for manufacturing a cable harness, in particular for manufacturing a cable harness for the wiring of a vehicle, is proposed, comprising a plurality of guides and / or routing forks projecting from a mounting plane for producing a predetermined routing structure. The cable harness forming board includes an adapter frame and a lifting and pivoting mechanism detachably connected to the adapter frame such that the arrangement / position of the mounting plane can be changed between at least a first position and a second position, preferably continuously along a linear and / or non-linear trajectory.

[0013] The advantage of this is that ergonomic work on the cable harness formboard is improved when laying cables and applying cable sheathing, as the lifting and swiveling mechanism allows the cable harness formboard to be positioned in different positions.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the lifting and swiveling mechanism can be fixed in such a way that the mounting plane can be continuously adjusted between the first and second positions at any point along the trajectory. This optimizes the positioning of the cable harness mounting board.

[0015] According to the invention, the cable harness forming board is designed such that the mounting plane is horizontally oriented in a first position. Furthermore, the invention provides that the mounting plane is vertically oriented in a second position. It is advantageous that all required orientations of the cable harness forming board or the mounting plane can be implemented. Moreover, this allows the cable harness forming board to be transported in a horizontal position, in a vertical position, and at various angles.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the lifting and swiveling mechanism is height-adjustable in the vertical and / or horizontal position. This further improves the positioning of the cable harness formboard or the mounting plane.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the invention, the adapter frame is coupled to a driverless transport vehicle. In this way, the cable harness to be manufactured can be guided through all assembly areas without intermediate handling.

[0018] The cable harness forming board according to the invention is designed such that the adapter frame can be coupled to an automated station. The advantage of this is that the cable harness forming board is no longer connected to a rigid production line, but can be decoupled and coupled to an automated production line with a robot or automated station.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment, the invention provides that the adapter frame has docking means by which it can be coupled to a transfer and receiving station. The cable harness formboard is transferred / placed at the transfer and receiving station by means of a handling device and / or fixed to the adapter frame by the transfer and receiving station. This allows the cable harness formboard to be flexibly coupled to automated stations.

[0020] The cable harness forming board according to the invention is designed in one embodiment such that a cable catch is arranged on at least one edge of the cable harness forming board, which protrudes from the mounting plane. Furthermore, an embodiment is advantageous in which the cable catch extends along the entire length of at least one edge. This prevents parts of the cable harness being manufactured, which are not yet mounted, from falling to the ground and being damaged during assembly or transport of the cable harness on the cable harness forming board.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cable harness forming board can be assembled from identical and / or different forming board modules, which are preferably connectable to one another in order to produce cable harness forming boards of different dimensions and designs. In this way, the cable harness forming board can be flexibly adapted to the cable harness being manufactured.

[0022] Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or are described in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a cable harness formboard with a lifting and swiveling mechanism in a horizontal position; Fig. 2 a schematic view of the cable harness form board with the lifting and swiveling mechanism in a vertical position; Fig. 3 a schematic view of the cable harness form board with the lifting and swiveling mechanism in an angled position; Fig. 4 A schematic view of the cable harness formboard with a lifting and swiveling mechanism in another horizontal position.

[0023] The figures are schematic examples. Identical reference symbols in the figures indicate identical functional and / or structural features.

[0024] After the Fig. Figures 1 to 4 differ only in the orientation of the cable harness form board; all figures are explained using a common figure description.

[0025] The figures show a schematic view of a cable harness forming board 1 with a lifting and swiveling mechanism 3. The cable harness forming board for manufacturing a cable harness, in particular for manufacturing a cable harness for the wiring of a vehicle, comprises a plurality of guides and / or laying forks projecting from a mounting plane M for producing a predetermined laying structure shape.

[0026] Furthermore, the cable harness form 1 comprises an adapter frame 2 and a lifting and swiveling mechanism 3 detachably connected to the adapter frame 2 such that the arrangement / position of the mounting plane M between at least a first position P1 and a second position P2 can be continuously changed along a linear and / or non-linear trajectory. In addition, the lifting and swiveling mechanism 3 can be fixed such that the mounting plane M between the first position P1 and the second position P2 can be continuously fixed at any point along the trajectory.

[0027] The mounting plane M is horizontally aligned in a first position P1 and vertically aligned in a second position P2. Furthermore, the lifting and swiveling mechanism 3 is height-adjustable in the vertical and / or horizontal position.

[0028] Furthermore, the adapter frame 2 is coupled to a driverless transport vehicle 5. The adapter frame 2 can also be coupled to an automated station / production line. The adapter frame 2 has docking means that allow it to be coupled to a transfer and receiving station.

[0029] Furthermore, a cable guard 7 is arranged on at least one edge of the cable harness formboard 1, which protrudes from the mounting plane M. The cable guard 7 extends along the entire length of at least one edge.

[0030] The cable harness formboard 1 can also be assembled from similar and / or different formboard modules, which can be joined together to create cable harness formboards 1 of different dimensions and designs.

Claims

[1] Cable harness forming board (1) for producing a cable harness with a plurality of guides (10) and / or laying forks (20) projecting from a mounting plane (M) for producing a predetermined laying structure shape (L), wherein the cable harness forming board (1) has an adapter frame (2) and a lifting and swiveling mechanism (3) detachably connected to the adapter frame (2) such that an arrangement and / or position of the mounting plane (M) can be changed between at least a first position (P1) and a second position (P2), wherein the mounting plane (M) is horizontally oriented in the first position (P1), wherein the mounting plane (M) is vertically oriented in the second position (P2), wherein the adapter frame (2) is coupled to an automated guided vehicle (AGV) (5), and wherein the adapter frame (2) can be coupled to an automated station and / or production line. [2] Cable harness forming board (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lifting and swiveling mechanism (3) can be fixed in such a way that the mounting plane (M) can be fixed steplessly at any point of a trajectory between the first position (P1) and the second position (P2). [3] Cable harness forming board (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting and swiveling mechanism (3) is height-adjustable in the vertical and / or horizontal position. [4] Cable harness form board (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter frame (2) has docking means with which it can be coupled to a transfer and receiving station. [5] Cable harness formboard (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a cable catch (7) is arranged on at least one edge of the cable harness formboard (1), which protrudes from the mounting plane (M). [6] Cable harness forming board (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the cable tether (7) extends along the entire at least one edge. [7] Cable harness formboard (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable harness formboard (1) can be assembled from similar and / or different formboard modules in order to be able to realize cable harness formboards (1) of different dimensions and designs.

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