Device for attaching a protective band around a cable harness and method

Abstract

A device for wrapping a cable of a cable harness, which has at least one cable branch, with a protective tape from a protective tape roll is disclosed. The device has a roller holder for the protective tape roll. Furthermore, the device has a helical rod with turns. The roller holder is located downstream of the turns, so that the cable is guided through the space spanned by the turns towards the roller holder. When a cable branch of the cable reaches the helical rod, the cable branch extending away from the cable branch is guided along the turns spatially separated from the rest of the cable. In particular, the helical rod is rotated around the cable and relative to the cable, and / or the cable is rotated within the helical rod and relative to the helical rod.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for attaching a protective band around a cable of a cable harness according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a method for operating the device.

[0002] WO 2020 / 207 559 A1 discloses a device for wrapping a cable harness with protective tape. This device has a receptacle for holding a cable of the cable harness. The receptacle, along with the cable, is linearly movable and rotatable via a drive mechanism to wrap the cable with the protective tape. The protective tape is unwound from a spool. A disadvantage of this device is the comparatively high level of complexity in the tooling.

[0003] Further devices with complex technical design for wrapping a cable or cable harness with a protective tape are known from JP S58 - 197 608 A and from GB 2 141 687 A.

[0004] Furthermore, it is known from the prior art to provide devices for wrapping cable harnesses with protective tapes, which are operated manually.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method with which a cable of a cable harness can be wrapped with a protective tape in a device-technically simple manner and with little effort.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating the device having the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the description.

[0007] According to the invention, a device is provided for applying a protective tape around a cable of a cable harness, in particular for insulating the cable. Specifically, the device serves to apply the protective tape around a cable that has at least one cable branch with a cable limb. The device has a roller holder for a protective tape roll. The protective tape roll can be rotatably mounted on the roller holder about its axis of rotation in order to unwind the protective tape and, in particular, to wrap it spirally around the cable. A helical rod or spiral rod is provided in the device, which has a portion of a turn and / or at least one turn and / or a plurality of turns. In other words, the helical rod passes through a portion of a turn and / or a turn and / or a plurality of turns. For example, it is conceivable that the helical rod has or passes through two and a half turns or three-quarters of a turn.The portion of the coil and / or at least one coil and / or the plurality of coils encompasses a guide space. The helical bar is designed such that the cable, particularly with its branch, can be guided through the guide space, and a cable branch of the cable is guided over the portion of the coil and / or at least one coil and / or the plurality of coils. This allows the cable branch to be spatially separated from the rest of the cable by the helical bar when the cable with the branch is guided through, and the cable and the cable branch practically do not touch and / or are spaced apart as they pass through the helical bar. This is preferably the case when the cable is guided through the helical bar relative to it, and the helical bar and / or the cable or cable harness rotates about its longitudinal axis or rotates relative to each other approximately about their respective longitudinal axes.

[0008] This solution has the advantage of simplifying the process of wrapping the cable with the branch using the helical rod, as the wire branch and the rest of the cable are kept apart by the rod. This leaves the branch easily accessible and allows it to be wrapped along with the cable. Without the helical rod, the roller holder with the protective tape reel would have to be guided around the cable when wrapping it spirally with the branch. This would require repositioning the hand, especially if the device is operated manually. Guiding the protective tape reel around the cable in the area of ​​the branch is comparatively cumbersome and time-consuming.

[0009] In other words, a device with a helical-based unwinding mechanism for protective or insulating tapes is designed to easily insulate cables with branch connections. By inserting the device or tool with the helix or helical rod, secure insulation can be achieved even at a cable branch, for example, without the need to manually reposition the protective tape roll.

[0010] In other words, the helix rod is preferably designed such that when the cable to be wrapped passes through the guide space and the cable rotates relative to the helix rod and / or the helix rod rotates relative to the cable, and when a cable branch is passed through the guide space, a cable branch extending away from the cable branch is led out of the guide space over the part of the winding or between the winding(s) laterally to the helix rod and / or approximately in a radial direction to the helix rod.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the helical rod can have two end faces pointing away from each other when viewed longitudinally. The helical rod can be designed such that the cable can be fed into the guide space via the end face pointing away from the roller holder and on the inlet side, and can be led out of the guide space via the other end face pointing on the outlet side. Thus, the cable with the cable branch can be easily guided through the helical rod. If necessary, the cable can be supported on the inside of the portion of the coil(s) while the cable branch is guided over the portion of the coil(s), in particular over the surface of the portion of the coil(s) pointing away from the roller holder.

[0012] Advantageously, the roller holder can be arranged on the end face of the helical rod at the exit end, so that the cable of the cable harness leading out of the guide space can be wrapped with the protective tape, particularly in a spiral pattern. Furthermore, the roller holder is preferably fixed in position relative to the helical rod, which simplifies handling and results in a simple device design.

[0013] Advantageously, the portion of the coil and / or the coil(s) can have a pitch such that the cable branch can be guided outwards from the cable junction in the guide space, over the portion of the coil and / or between the coil(s), particularly laterally to the helix or radially to the helix. In other words, a gap is formed between the coil(s) whose width is greater than the diameter of the cable branch, allowing the cable branch to pass through the gap. The smaller the pitch, the smaller the width of the gap can be.

[0014] The coil portion and / or coils preferably extend clockwise. Viewed along the longitudinal axis of the helix rod and away from the roller holder, the coil portion and / or coils wind clockwise. The cable with the cable branch is then rotated counterclockwise relative to the helix rod, so that the cable branch is guided along the coil portion and / or coils. A reverse winding direction with a correspondingly reversed relative rotation would also be conceivable.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the helical rod, viewed in the direction of extension away from the roller holder, can have a rod end section, particularly a free one. Advantageously, the rod end section is widened or is fixedly connected to a threading element that widens the rod at the rod end section. This facilitates the spatial separation of the cable branch from the rest of the cable when the cable branch enters the guide space during use of the device. Particularly for a person, the widening or the threading element makes it easier to identify the rod end or the rod end section for threading the cable harness when the device is in use.

[0016] Preferably, the end section of the rod is simply formed by a coil end of the part of the coil or coils. Thus, the part of the coil or coils is simply extended by the widened end section of the rod or by the threading body.

[0017] The threading body can, for example, be designed as a threading ball or be rounded to prevent damage to the cable harness from the helix rod when using the device.

[0018] For example, the winding end extends radially away from the threading ball and is firmly and / or integrally connected to the threading ball.

[0019] The threading body consists at least partially or entirely of a metallic material or a plastic. The metallic material is preferably demagnetized to prevent interference with the wiring harness. Preferably, the metallic material is stainless steel.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the threading body can be galvanically connected to the helix rod.

[0021] In other words, the tip of the helix is ​​fitted with a plastic or stainless steel ball that is galvanically connected.

[0022] The helix rod can be made at least partially, substantially, or entirely of a metallic material, preferably demagnetized. This makes the helix rod comparatively robust and stable. Demagnetizing the material also prevents any negative impact on the cable harness during use of the device. Stainless steel is preferably used as the material. Alternatively, the same material as used for the threading body could be used. It would also be conceivable to make the helix rod at least partially or entirely of a plastic or a fiber-reinforced plastic.

[0023] The helical rod is preferably designed to be rigid and / or dimensionally stable. It would be conceivable to produce it simply by bending. Alternatively, it would be conceivable that the helical rod is formed from a wire whose cross-section is sufficiently dimensioned to fulfill the functionality of the helical rod according to the invention.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the invention, the roller holder is firmly connected to the helix rod and / or the helix rod extends away from the roller holder. The helix rod and the roller holder can thus easily form a single, user-friendly unit.

[0025] The helical rod can have a bearing section for the protective tape roller, which serves as a roller holder and / or bearing axis. This provides a particularly simple way to implement a unit consisting of the roller holder and the helical rod. The bearing section, which extends, for example, essentially parallel to or parallel with the longitudinal axis or axis of rotation of the helical rod, can be connected to the portion of the coil and / or at least one coil or the plurality of coils. The bearing section is preferably located at the exit end face of the helical rod, so that the cable can be wrapped directly with its section protruding from the guide space, or at least very close to the exit point.

[0026] It is advantageous to have a ball bearing fixed to the bearing section to support the protective tape roll. Alternatively, a plain bearing could be used at the bearing section for the protective tape roll. The ball bearing allows the protective tape roll to rotate freely.

[0027] In other words, the end of the helix rod or helix is ​​equipped with an insulating tape roll holder or roll holder.

[0028] Preferably, the axis of rotation of the protective tape reel and the longitudinal axis or axis of rotation of the helical rod are arranged substantially parallel to each other, or at a distance from each other, or offset from each other. This allows the cable to be easily wrapped with the protective tape of the reel after it exits the helical rod. In other words, the reel holder is arranged such that the space at the end of the helical rod for routing the cable is at least substantially unobstructed, and the reel holder is located, for example, next to or to the side of this space.

[0029] The roll holder and / or the helix rod may have a closure or quick-release mechanism to remove the protective tape roll from the roll holder, or to remove it from the bearing section of the helix rod and insert it into the roll holder, or to place it on the bearing section of the helix rod and secure it.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the invention, the device has a drive mechanism by which the helical rod, particularly together with the roller holder, can be driven. When driven, the helical rod, particularly together with the roller holder, is preferably rotated or turned about its longitudinal axis. This solution has the advantage that rotation of the cable harness or the cable is not necessary. It is only necessary to guide the cable through the helical rod translationally with respect to its longitudinal axis and / or to move the device translationally towards the cable or cable harness.

[0031] The direction of rotation is preferably chosen such that the cable branch is guided in the direction towards the roller bracket.

[0032] In terms of device technology, the drive can be designed simply as a friction wheel drive that acts radially outside on the helical rod, in particular on the part of the winding and / or the winding or windings.

[0033] In other words, the helical rod can be set in rotation by the friction wheel drive or a motor-driven drive. Either the cable harness can be guided through the helical rod, or the device with the helical rod can be guided over the cable harness. The rotation and the resulting forward motion allow the insulating or protective tape to be applied spirally over the cable.

[0034] In a further embodiment of the invention, a handle can be provided which is firmly connected to the roller holder or to the helical rod comprising the roller holder. The handle, the roller holder, and the helical rod can thus form a unit that can preferably be manually rotated around the cable to be wound by one person and / or moved longitudinally along the cable.

[0035] It is conceivable to provide a cable drive for advancing the cable or cable harness through the guide space of the helix rod and / or for rotating the cable relative to the helix rod in order to guide cable branches over the helix rod.

[0036] From a device engineering perspective, the portion of the winding and / or at least one winding and / or the plurality of windings can be designed as a cylindrical or circular-cylindrical spiral or coil. This can wind geometrically around the surface of a cylinder, in particular a circular cylinder. The pitch can be, in particular essentially, constant.

[0037] Alternatively, it would be conceivable that part of the winding and / or at least one winding and / or the majority of the windings extend around the surface of a truncated cone, with the helical rod tapering from its entry end face to its exit end face. This could facilitate the insertion and removal of the cable into and out of the helical rod. It would also be conceivable for the windings to have different diameters, or for the winding on the exit end face to have a smaller diameter compared to the other windings.

[0038] According to the invention, a method for operating the device according to one or more of the aforementioned aspects is provided, comprising the steps: - Passing the cable of the cable harness through the guide space of the helix rod over the inlet end face and the outlet end face, wherein the cable and / or the helix rod or the device with the helix rod is / are rotated or rotated relative to each other, in particular when the cable branch with the cable limb reaches the helix rod and is passed through the helix rod, - Wrapping the cable emerging from the helical rod with the protective tape from the protective tape roll, which is rotatably mounted on the roll holder.

[0039] This method allows for the simple application of protective tape to the cable of the wiring harness. When the cable branch reaches the helix rod, the branching cable can simply be guided or "slid" through the gap in the helix rod, the gap of the turn(s), or the section of the turn. If the roller holder is firmly attached to the helix rod, or if the helix rod forms the roller holder, the protective tape roll can also be easily guided over the cable branch.

[0040] A device for wrapping a cable of a cable harness, which has at least one cable branch, with a protective tape from a protective tape roll is disclosed. The device has a roller holder for the protective tape roll. Furthermore, the device has a helical rod with turns. The roller holder is located downstream of the turns, so that the cable is guided through the space spanned by the turns towards the roller holder. When a cable branch of the cable reaches the helical rod, the cable branch extending away from the cable branch is guided along the turns spatially separated from the rest of the cable. In particular, the helical rod is rotated around the cable and relative to the cable, and / or the cable is rotated within the helical rod and relative to the helical rod.

[0041] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone, are not only usable in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own.

[0042] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment and the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 schematically in a top view a device according to an exemplary embodiment together with a cable harness; and Fig. 2. A procedure according to an exemplary embodiment is shown schematically in a flowchart.

[0043] According to Fig. 1 is a device 1 or auxiliary tool or cable insulation aid for applying a protective tape around a cable 2 of a cable harness 3 or cable bundle. The cable harness 3 has, for example, one or more fiber optic cables and one or more cables for electrical power transmission. The cable harness 3 is intended, for example, for a vehicle, in particular a passenger car. The protective tape is designed, for example, as a fabric tape and / or as adhesive tape and / or as insulating tape.

[0044] The device 1 has a helical rod 4 with a plurality of turns 5. The cable 2 is guided over the helical rod 4 to a protective tape roller 6. The helical rod 4 has an end bearing section 7 to serve as a roller holder for the protective tape roller 6. A ball bearing for the protective tape roller 6 is provided on this bearing section. The helical rod 4 also has a closure 8 or quick-release fastener to allow the protective tape roller 6 to be removed from or placed on the helical rod 4 when the closure 8 is open, and to securely hold the protective tape roller 6 when the closure 8 is closed.

[0045] The Helix Rod 4 has in Fig. The device 1 has an end face 9 pointing away from the protective tape roller 6 and an end face 10 provided on the side of the protective tape roller 6. The windings 5 ​​extend from the bearing section 7. A threading ball 11 or a threading point is formed at the end of the winding. The windings 5 ​​surround a guide chamber 12, through which the cable 2 is guided towards the protective tape roller 6. The cable 2 can thus be inserted into the guide chamber 12 via the end face 9 and guided out of the guide chamber 12 via the end face 10 by guiding the device 1 over the cable 2 and / or by passing the cable 2 through the device 1 or through the guide chamber 12. The windings 5 ​​thus extend around the cable 2 and can guide it. If, during the passage of cable 2 through the guide space 12, a cable branch 13 with a cable branch 14 reaches the helix rod 4, the cable branch 14 is guided over the turns 5.For this purpose, the helical rod 4 and / or the device 1 is rotated or turned relative to the cable 2, and / or the cable harness 3 is rotated or turned relative to the helical rod 4. The direction of rotation is such that the cable branch 14 can be guided along the turns 5, while the cable branch 13 is moved through the guide space 12. The cable 2 with the cable branch 13 can thus be moved through the guide space 12 via the turns 5, while the cable branch 14 extends outwards from the cable branch 13 through the turns 5 and is guided along the turns 5 during a rotational movement. Thus, the cable branch 14 extends away from the cable 2, and the cable 2 with the cable branch 13, when it exits the guide space 12 and reaches the protective tape roll 6, can simply be wrapped with the protective tape. One wrapping direction 15 of the protective tape roll 6 around the cable 2 is indicated by arrows in the . Fig. 1 shown.

[0046] In other words, at the cable branch 13, the threading ball 11 engages and rotates together with the helical rod 4 in such a way that the cable branch 13 is reliably "circled". The protective tape of the protective tape roll 6 can then be wound spirally around the cable branch 13.

[0047] The device 1 can, for example, be guided manually along the cable 2 and rotated around it, particularly if a handle is also provided, while the protective tape is being wrapped around the cable 2. Alternatively or additionally, a drive in the form of a friction wheel drive 16 with an electric motor 17 can be provided. This engages on the outside of the windings 5 ​​to rotate the helical rod 4. Appropriate bearing means for the helical rod 4 are provided for this purpose.

[0048] According to Fig. 2 has the inventive method for operating the device 1, see Fig.1. The following steps. In step 18, the cable 2 of the cable harness 3 is guided through the guide chamber 12 of the helical rod 4. For this purpose, the cable 2 enters the guide chamber 12 via the end face 9 facing away from the protective tape roller 6 and exits the guide chamber via the end face 10 facing the protective tape roller 6. While the cable 2 is being guided through the guide chamber 12, the helical rod 4 is rotated around the cable 2 by the friction wheel drive 16. In step 19, simultaneously with step 18, the cable 2 exiting the guide chamber 12 is spirally wrapped with the protective tape of the protective tape roller 6, the protective tape roller 6 being rotatably mounted on the helical rod 4. Reference symbol list 1 Device 2 cables 3 Wiring harness 4 Helix rod 5 turns 6 rolls of protective tape 7 Storage section 8 Closure 9, 10 end faces 11 Threading ball 12 Command room 13 Cable branch 14 cable branch 15 Wrapping direction 16 Friction wheel drive 17 Electric motor Steps 18 and 19

Claims

[1] Device (1) for attaching a protective tape around a cable (2) of a cable harness (3), with a roller holder (7) for a protective tape roll (6) by means of which the protective tape roll (6) can be rotatably mounted about its axis of rotation for unwinding the protective tape, characterized by , that a helical rod (4) is formed which has a part of a turn (5) and / or at least one turn (5) and / or a plurality of turns (5) which encompasses a guide space (12), wherein the helical rod (4) is designed such that the cable (2) can be passed through the guide space (12) and a cable branch (14) of a cable branch (13) of the cable (2) is guided over the part of the turn (5) and / or the at least one turn (5) and / or the plurality of turns (5). [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the helix rod (4) has two opposing end faces (9, 10) in its longitudinal direction, wherein the helix rod (4) is designed such that the cable (2) can be inserted into the guide space (12) via the end face (9) pointing away from the roller holder (7) and can be led out of the guide space (12) via the other end face (10). [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the part of the winding (5) and / or the winding(s) (5) has / have such a slope that the cable branch (14) can be led outwards from the cable branch (13) from the guide space (12) over the part of the winding (5) and / or between the winding(s) (5). [4] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the helix rod (4) has a rod end section when viewed in the direction of extension away from the roller holder (7), and wherein a threading body (11) is provided which is firmly connected to the rod end section, so that the helix rod (4) is widened at its end. [5] Device (1) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the threading body is designed as a threading ball (11), and / or that the threading body (11) is made of stainless steel and is demagnetized. [6] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the helix rod (4) is made of stainless steel and is demagnetized. [7] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the helix rod (4) has a bearing section (7) for the protective tape roll (6), which serves as a roll holder. [8] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that it has a drive (16) via which the helix rod (4) can be driven, so that the helix rod (4) rotates around its longitudinal axis in such a way that the cable branch (14) can be guided over the helix rod (4). [9] Method for operating the device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: - Passing the cable (2) of the cable harness (3) through the guide space (12) of the helix rod (4), whereby the cable (2) and / or the helix rod (4) is / are rotated about its longitudinal axis, - Wrap the cable (2) with the protective tape from the protective tape roll (6). [10] Method according to claim 9, characterized by, that when the cable branch (13) reaches the helix rod (4), the corresponding cable branch (14) is guided over the part of the turn (5) and / or over at least one turn (5) and / or over the plurality of turns (5) and is led out of the guide space (12) laterally of the helix rod (4).

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