CABLE PROCESSING DEVICE

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cable processing device which dispenses a cable or a plurality of cables for removal after a completed assembly process. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Cable processing devices are typically equipped with a cable tray, for example, in the form of a cable tray or dispensing tray. The cable processing device typically produces multiple cables that together form a cable lot (a cable assembly). For example, a specific number of identically assembled cables or groups of identically assembled cables constitute a cable lot.

[0003] Various process steps or assembly steps for a cable to be assembled, such as a stripping step, a crimping step and the like, may be carried out incorrectly and lead to the assembly of a cable that does not meet specified or specifiable quality requirements.

[0004] Examples of such quality requirements include insufficiently stripped conductor ends, individual strands that have missed the intended opening of a termination piece (for example, a plug contact, a ferrule, or the like), connectors that are crooked or insufficiently crimped, etc.

[0005] A finished cable that does not meet such a quality requirement is generally referred to as a defective cable and is usually disposed of as scrap. Conversely, a finished cable that meets the quality requirement is generally referred to as a good cable. Cable processing equipment is increasingly equipped with quality control systems that monitor various process steps, such as stripping and crimping, and can detect such defective cables. For example, a quality control system can observe that the stripping and / or crimping process for a cable being assembled is faulty and then determine that the cable being dispensed is defective.

[0006] A conventional approach is described below: If the quality control system detects a defective cable, it is instructed to mark the defective cable in a way that is easily identifiable by an operator. For example, if a contact is incorrectly crimped, the system instructs that the contact be removed. Alternatively, if a conductor end is incorrectly stripped, the system instructs that no contact be crimped.

[0007] Even if a faulty cable can be automatically manufactured to replace a defective one, the defective cable still ends up in the cable tray and must be sorted out by the operator. If the operator overlooks a defective cable, it remains part of the cable system.

[0008] Document DE 197 35 655 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing twisted, pre-assembled cables and an associated device. This device has a tray which, in its front area, forms a storage area for the good, pre-assembled cables and, in its rear area, a storage area for cables that do not fall within the specified tolerances.

[0009] Document US 5,816,384 A discloses a cable processing device with a collection tray, wherein cables are transferred from a rotating multi-tray into the collection tray. The multi-tray comprises four chambers.

[0010] Document DE 10 2013 112 118 A1 discloses a cable storage device with a storage area which, in the area of ​​a loading position of the cable storage device, is designed as an open storage channel.

[0011] Document JPH0286679U discloses a device for processing long goods with a sorting device for quality sorting, wherein a multi-tub is used which, controlled by a controllable barrier, deposits the goods into two trays on different sides of the multi-tub.

[0012] There is a need for a cable processing device that improves the process for providing a defect-free cable. This problem is solved by a cable processing device according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. It is understood that individual embodiments, aspects, and / or features described herein may be combined or omitted as appropriate. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] According to one aspect, a cable processing device according to claim 1 is provided. The cable processing device comprises at least one processing unit for assembling a cable. The cable processing device also comprises a sorting device controllable by a selection signal for dispensing a cable taken from the processing unit on a first side or on a second side according to the selection signal. The sorting device is a multi-tray that is rotatable about a rotational axis in the direction of the first side or in the direction of the second side according to the selection signal.

[0014] In other words, the axis of rotation runs approximately parallel to the axis of the cable being transferred.

[0015] A processing unit, or assembly unit, is provided, for example, in the form of a stripping device, a crimping device, or the like, but is not limited to such devices. The selection signal is generated externally, for example, or the selection signal is generated internally by a suitable component of the cable processing device. The output of the received cable, according to the selection signal, occurs either on the first side or on the second side. Preferably, the sorting device always takes exactly one cable, typically an assembled cable, from the processing unit, whereupon the selection for this received cable is carried out according to the selection signal. Following the selection, the sorting device takes the next cable from the processing unit, whereupon the selection for this received cable is carried out, and so on.

[0016] The selection process, which is carried out by controlling the sorting device with the selection signal, ensures that good cables are always output on one side (for example, always on the first side) and defective cables are always output on the other side (for example, always on the second side). This can simplify the provision of a defect-free wireless system (a wireless system that contains only good cables).

[0017] The sorting process is accelerated by a selectively rotating multi-tray tray.

[0018] The sorting process itself can be carried out simply and safely in this way.

[0019] The cable processing device also includes a selection unit. The selection unit is configured to output a selection signal to the sorting unit, depending on the detected assembly quality of the cable. Assembly quality, as used here, is, for example, a distinction between a good cable and a bad cable, as explained above. However, it is also possible to consider intermediate qualities and define one or more threshold values, depending on which the selection signal is generated.

[0020] The cable processing device includes a detection unit for detection purposes. The detection unit is designed to detect the cable assembly quality.

[0021] A common example of a detection unit is a crimp force monitoring device integrated into the crimping press mentioned above. This monitoring device uses a force sensor to record the force curve during a crimping operation (the pressing of the stripped cable end to the contact) and compare it to a target curve. This comparison allows process errors, such as missing strands in the contact, to be identified.

[0022] As another example, a detection unit consists of an image acquisition unit (e.g., a digital camera) and an image evaluation unit, wherein the image acquisition unit transmits an image of a representative area of ​​a pre-assembled cable, captured continuously or at fixed or definable time intervals, to the image evaluation unit. The image evaluation unit then executes, for example, image evaluation software that uses the transmitted image to assess or detect the assembly quality of the underlying cable.

[0023] In the cable processing device, the cable assembly quality encompasses both sufficient cable quality, where the cable is classified as good, and insufficient cable quality, where the cable is classified as defective. The device is designed with a good cable receiving device on the first side and a defective cable receiving device on the second side.

[0024] A receiving device, as used herein, is understood to be a component, element, or plurality of components or elements designed to receive a good cable or a bad cable and, if necessary, store it for a certain period of time. For example, the good cable receiving device includes a good cable hopper. The configuration of the good cable hopper enables an operator (or an automated hopper, such as a hopper robot) to remove the good cable(s) contained within it.

[0025] Similar to the good cables, in some embodiments the defective cable receiving device includes a defective cable removal tray. The configuration of the defective cable removal tray enables an operator (or an automated removal device, such as a removal robot) to remove the defective cable(s) contained within it.

[0026] The cable processing device also has a conveyor belt for transferring the cable from the at least one processing unit to the sorting device.

[0027] According to an advantageous embodiment, the multi-chamber tray has three approximately equal-sized chambers. Equally sized chambers have roughly the same volume. With a rotatable mounting and approximately equal-sized chambers, particularly three approximately equal-sized chambers, the advantage arises that a central mounting at the center of gravity is possible, thereby reducing imbalances, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The following section provides a more detailed explanation of embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 : a schematic side sectional view of a conventional cable processing device to illustrate the technical basics; Fig. 2 : a schematic side sectional view of a cable processing device according to one embodiment; Fig. 3 : a top view of the cable processing device according to the embodiment; Fig. 4 : a schematic perspective view of a cable tray of the cable processing device according to the embodiment; and Fig. 5 : a schematic perspective view of the cable tray made of Fig. 4 from a different perspective. DESCRIPTION OF EXECUTION FORMS

[0029] In the following description of embodiments, identical or similar elements are designated with the same reference numerals. Their repeated description is omitted.

[0030] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a conventional cable processing device 100. The cable processing device 100 has a conveyor belt 20, which is driven by a drive motor 10 and on which assembled cables from one or more processing stations of the cable processing device are transported towards a storage tray 30. The storage tray 30 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 40 by means of a controllable swivel cylinder 41, as indicated by the arrow. Good cables, as well as defective cables (not shown), contained in the storage tray at a given time fall or slide into the removal tray 50 during a swivel movement and can be removed there.

[0031] Cable processing machines like the one in Fig. 1 In the conventional cable processing device 100 of the described "swivel type," the intermediate storage formed by the storage tray 30 allows for the collection of a predetermined or determinable number of finished cables. When this number is reached, a cable batch or production lot is complete. The produced cable batch is transferred automatically, or after confirmation by an operator, to the removal tray 50 by the described swiveling movement of the storage tray 30, where it can be removed, for example, by hand, while the cable processing device 100 produces the next production lot and temporarily stores the cables belonging to this next production lot in the storage tray 30, which is swiveled upwards again.

[0032] The conveyor belt 20 ensures that the cables remain straight as they are transported into the cable processing device 100 and during processing of the trailing end (downstream end) of the cable. If this trailing end of the cable is dropped next to the conveyor belt, it slides sideways off the conveyor belt 20 due to its own weight in combination with the transport movement of the conveyor belt and falls into the collection tray 30.

[0033] In Fig. 2 is analogous to a lateral sectional view Fig. 1 A cable processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The cable processing device 100 according to the embodiment again has a conveyor belt 20 which is moved by a drive motor (not shown). A storage tray 30 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 40 by means of a pneumatically actuated pivot cylinder 41 in approximately the direction of the arrow on the storage tray 30, so that cables located in the storage tray slide into a removal tray 50.

[0034] In addition to the cable processing device 100 made of Fig. 1 The cable processing device 100 according to the embodiment in Fig. 2 A sorting device 60 is provided, which can be rotated about a rotation axis D approximately parallel to the cable axis in pulses or segments according to a selection signal. In the exemplary embodiment, the sorting device 60 has a first trough chamber 1, a second trough chamber 2, and a third trough chamber 3, which are approximately the same size (i.e., have approximately the same volume) and are separated from each other by partitions. The partitions divide the chambers at approximately 120° intervals.

[0035] A manufactured (assembled) cable passes from conveyor belt 20 into a trough of the sorting device 60. The sorting device 60 receives a command from a machine control (for example, a selection device 80) to rotate either approximately 120° clockwise or approximately 120° counterclockwise around the axis of rotation D. For example, if the cable is in the trough chamber 1 in Fig. 2 If it were to fall, after a rotation of approximately 120° counterclockwise it would be located where in Fig. 2 The bath chamber 2 is shown. Accordingly, after a rotation of approximately 120° clockwise, the cable would be located where in Fig. 2 Bath chamber 3 is shown.

[0036] When rotated counterclockwise, the cable falls or slides into the tray 30 located on side A relative to the sorting device 60. When rotated clockwise, the cable falls or slides into another tray 70 located on the opposite side B.

[0037] In the configuration according to the embodiment in Fig. 2 Tray 30 on side A serves as a tray for good cables, while tray 70 on side B serves as a tray for bad cables.

[0038] When the batch size in the good cable collection tray 30 is reached, the good cable collection tray 30 pivots around its pivot axis via a corresponding control of the pneumatic cylinder 41, emptying the cable batch into the good cable removal tray 50. After a subsequent upward pivoting, the cable processing device 100 can produce the next batch. The defective cables are collected in the defective cable collection tray 70. If a batch remains in the good cable removal tray 50 after the batch size has been reached, the machine stops to allow an operator to remove the cables.

[0039] With the in Fig. 2 In the configuration shown, the sorting unit 60 with three trough chambers 1, 2, 3 does not need to rotate back after transferring the cable to side A or side B, but can directly receive the next cable in the trough chamber facing the conveyor belt 20. This means the sorting process does not reduce the machine's output over time.

[0040] In the Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the selection device 80 is directly connected to the sorting device 60. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and an indirect connection between these elements is also possible, for example via an intermediate machine control (not shown). Furthermore, it is also possible that the selection device 80 is part of such a machine control.

[0041] The selection device 80 outputs a selection signal S to the sorting device 60 at a selection point in time. This signal corresponds to an instruction to rotate the sorting device 60 either in the direction of side A or in the direction of side B. The selection point in time is, for example, a timed, recurring point in the processing cycle of the cable processing device 100. The cycle time can be fixed or variable. A variable cycle time can, for example, be determined on a case-by-case basis by detecting that the transfer process of a transferred cable into the trough chamber facing the conveyor belt 20 has been completed.

[0042] In Fig. 2 The selection device 80 is also connected to a detection unit 90. The detection unit 90 includes, for example, a digital camera or the like for capturing an image of the cable being received, as well as a means of image processing of an image captured by the digital camera. It is also common for the detection unit 90 to include a force sensor (not shown) for monitoring the crimping force, wherein the detection unit 90 is configured to use the force sensor to compare a force profile during a crimping operation with a target profile and to transmit the comparison or the comparison result to the selection device 80.

[0043] The detection unit 90, or the associated selection device 80, detects whether the cable to be transferred next into the trough chamber facing the conveyor belt 20 is a good cable or a defective cable. Alternatively, the detection unit 90, or the associated selection device 80, detects whether the transferred cable, which has been transferred into the trough chamber facing the conveyor belt 20, is a good cable or a defective cable. The selection signal S is generated according to the result of the detection.

[0044] From above in Fig. 3 For illustrative purposes, a top view of the cable processing device 100 is shown. For assembling the cable, which is drawn in along a cable feed axis R and transported through the processing stations by a cable feeder 106, the cable processing device 100 comprises a first crimping press 101, a second crimping press 102, a stripping cutter head 105, a first swivel unit 103, and a second swivel unit 104. A good cable receiving device 31, which includes, for example, the good cable collection tray 30, is located on the right side in Fig. 3 Details of the basic function of the cable processing device 100 are described, for example, in the publication EP 2 442 413 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0045] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the cable tray of the cable processing device according to the embodiment, while Fig. 5 a schematic perspective view of the cable tray made of Fig. 4 shows from a different perspective.

[0046] In Fig. 4 It can be seen that the good cable receiving device 31 comprises a good cable removal tray 50, which has a movable part 50a and a fixed part 50b. The movable part 50a of the two-part good cable removal tray 50 can, for example, be moved longitudinally by means of a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) so that short cables can be transported out of the hard-to-reach part of the machine under a protective hood and removed even while the machine is running. Although not shown, this principle is also fundamentally applicable to the bad cable removal tray 70.

[0047] In Fig. 5It can be seen that the sorting device 60 in this embodiment is an elongated body that is rotatable as a whole about the axis of rotation D. The head of the swivel cylinder 41 is attached to the cable storage tray 30 in such a way that, when the cable storage tray 30 is swiveled by means of the swivel cylinder 41, the cables contained therein are discharged into the cable discharge tray 50.

[0048] Further aspects disclosed in the present application and which can be combined with embodiments of the invention described above are explained below.

[0049] According to one aspect of the disclosure, which can be combined with one or more of the embodiments of the invention described above, the cable receiving device comprises a cable receiving tray and the described cable receiving tray. The cable receiving tray is designed to receive cables from a plurality of cables contained in a cable lot. In this context, it can also be provided that the cable receiving tray is configured to transfer the plurality of cables into the cable receiving tray when the quantity of the plurality of cables corresponds to the size of the cable lot. It is then possible for the cable receiving tray to be in exactly two states: either it is empty, or it contains exactly the quantity of cables corresponding to a cable lot.

[0050] According to one aspect of the disclosure, which can be combined with one or more of the embodiments of the invention described above, the cable storage tray is designed to be tiltable and / or pivotable relative to the cable retrieval tray such that, during transfer, the majority of cables slide into the cable retrieval tray. This provides a particularly simple method of transferring cables from the cable storage tray to the cable retrieval tray. Preferably, the tilting or pivoting is performed automatically. Particularly preferably, the tilting or pivoting is performed by automatic control of a pneumatic actuator.

[0051] According to one aspect of the disclosure, which can be combined with one or more of the embodiments of the invention described above, the cable dispensing tray in embodiments is designed to comprise a movable part and a stationary part. The movable part is longitudinally displaceable. In particular, the movable part is automatically longitudinally displaceable. Preferably, the movable part is pneumatically longitudinally displaceable.

[0052] Alternatively or additionally, according to an aspect of the disclosure that can be combined with one or more of the embodiments of the invention described above, the defective cable removal tray is designed to comprise a movable part and a stationary part. The movable part is longitudinally displaceable. In particular, the movable part is automatically longitudinally displaceable. Preferably, the movable part is pneumatically longitudinally displaceable.

Claims

1. A cable processing device (100), comprising: - at least one processing unit (101, 103, 105) for assembling a cable; - a sorting device (60) activatable by a selection signal (S) for outputting a cable taken over from the processing unit on a first side (A) or on a second side (B) according to the selection signal (S) ; - a selection device (80) for outputting the selection signal (S) to the sorting device (60) as a function of a detected assembly quality of the cable; - a detection unit (90) for detecting the assembly quality of the cable, wherein the assembly quality of the cable comprises a sufficient quality of the cable, at which the cable is classified as a good cable, and an insufficient quality of the cable, at which the cable is classified as a bad cable; - a good cable transfer device (31) on the one side (A), and a bad cable transfer device (70) on the second side (B); - a conveyor belt (20) for transferring the cable from the at least one processing unit into the sorting device (60), characterized in that the sorting device (60) is a multiple trough with two or more trough chambers (1, 2, 3), which can be turned around an rotational axis (D) running roughly parallel to the cable axis of the received cable according to the selection signal (S) in the direction of the first side (A) or oppositely in the direction of the second side (B), such that the good cable transfer device takes over the good cable and the bad cable transfer device takes over the bad cable.

2. The cable processing device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the multiple trough comprises three trough chambers of roughly the same size.

3. The cable processing device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the good cable transfer device (31) comprises a good cable removal trough (50).

4. The cable processing device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bad cable transfer device (70) comprises a bad cable removal trough (70).