TRANSLATORY DOUBLE GRIP SYSTEM FOR STORE A CABLE SET

Description

[0001] The invention relates to laying cables as a cable set on a form board.

[0002] From DE 10 2018 115 557 B3, a cable laying system for the production of cable sets consisting of a number of cables and / or wires is known, comprising at least two robots to which a different control hierarchy is assigned in the system and which are equipped with gripping elements for gripping at least one wire of the cable set for laying the wire on a cable forming board or directly in an end application.

[0003] A control device is known from JP P2017-148909 A. This device comprises a control part that controls at least one of a first moving part and a second moving part, such that a linear object is held by a holding part provided on the first moving part; and a contact part provided on the second moving part is placed in contact with the linear object when the linear object is positioned in a first object.

[0004] US Patent 4,803,778 discloses a method for manufacturing a cable harness. In this method, a wire guiding tool grasps a wire, inserts one end into a connector, and, under the control of a robot, guides the wire along a predetermined path to another connector at the other end, where it inserts the second end into this connector. The rear end of the wire is detected by an electrical circuit using electrostatic technology. The tool can move the wire along a predetermined linear path to make the connection.

[0005] Due to the robots that need to be used, the existing system is complex and expensive.

[0006] From JP H04 236 498 A it is known to provide an XY stage and a Z stage for independent positioning of a wiring head for wiring safety and efficiency in high density.

[0007] From JP 2015 220 068 A it is known to automatically and efficiently wire a sub-cable harness with parts on the connection sides of individual cable parts on a wiring board.

[0008] From JP H07 65 652 A, a formwork board for a cable assembly is known that can be used jointly by robots and humans. In a first station, robot grippers perform the cutting, stripping, crimping, and placement of a cable in terminals.

[0009] From DE 10 2016 111 521 A1, a device for manufacturing a cable harness is known, comprising a board holder for receiving a board; and a processing machine with at least one robot arm, wherein the board holder is provided on a frame such that the board is fixed or fixable in a defined position relative to the frame, and wherein the processing machine is mounted or mountable on the frame, and the processing machine and the board holder are positioned or positionable in a defined position relative to each other such that one end of the at least one robot arm can repeatedly reach any or substantially any point in at least a partial area on a surface of the board.

[0010] A robotic hand for wiring is known from the JP S63 78 600 A.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to propose improvements with regard to the laying of cables as a cable set on a form board.

[0012] The problem is solved by a sorting machine according to claim 1. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention and of other invention categories will become apparent from the further claims, the following description and the accompanying figures.

[0013] The laying machine is designed for laying cables as a cable set (also called "cable harness," "wiring harness," or "wiring string") onto a designated forming board. "Designed" means that the laying machine is structurally adapted to a specific or specific type of forming board and configured for use there; for example, it is designed to meet the resulting geometric requirements, etc. In other words, the geometry and other characteristics of the forming board in question are assumed to be known.

[0014] The invention is based on the following formwork board: This board has guide channels. The guide channels correspond to a structure / design / specification of the cable set, i.e., they define the structure of a corresponding cable set. The guide channels are open on at least one guide side. Each cable can be pulled into and / or laid down in a specific guide channel up to a respective target position and can be laid down in the target position therein. In other words, each cable is assigned to exactly one guide channel, or exactly one guide channel is provided for each cable. A guide channel can also accommodate several cables. Guide channels can also be identical in sections, e.g., where cables run parallel / side by side.

[0015] The forming board, therefore, corresponds in its basic function (at least with regard to "insertion") to a forming board known from practical experience, on which cable sets are manually assembled by placing the cables, with the cables also being retractable. However, unlike this, no markings, etc., are necessary to indicate the correct position of a cable on the forming board to human workers. Thus, as intended, a number of cables, each with two ends, are to be placed in their respective designated positions in a guide channel on the forming board to create a cable set according to a predefined structure. The term "cable" is to be understood broadly here and includes electrical as well as other types, such as pneumatic lines, hoses, etc. The cable set to be laid down can also be part of a larger cable set, i.e., it can be added later to form a complete cable set / cable harness.The predefined structure describes in particular where each cable should run, begin and end.

[0016] In particular, the laying machine can be designed to accommodate any number of forming boards, which are interchangeable with respect to the laying machine. For example, the laying machine can be integrated into a production line / conveyor belt for cable harnesses, where forming boards are passed through several laying machines and each is loaded with a subset of cables. Specifically, several laying machines are arranged as stations along a path for the forming boards. Each of the laying machines then produces, for example, one cable harness as part of a complete wiring harness.

[0017] The lay-up machine includes, in particular, a positioning aid / receptacle for one of the forming boards. This aid serves to align / fix the forming board in a predefinable relative position to the lay-up machine, e.g., its stationary base frame (see below), installation location, etc. The forming board can be removed from the corresponding receptacle, and identical forming boards can be inserted / removed from it in the same way. By fixing the position accordingly, the positions of the guide channels relative to the lay-up machine are also fixed or known.

[0018] The guide channels define the aforementioned structure. In particular, the guide channels have a groove / U-shape (in cross-section relative to their longitudinal extent), meaning they are open on at least one side – relative to their longitudinal direction or the direction of the cable / cable harness in its intended position. The corresponding open side extends along the guide channels. The "open guide side" therefore does not refer, for example, to the already open longitudinal ends / faces of the guide channels. "Retractability" means that a cable can be pulled or dragged along the guide channel, i.e., it can move along its own longitudinal direction. This contrasts with "inserting" the cable in a transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the guide channel, i.e., inserting it through the open guide side into the guide channel.

[0019] The guide side opens the guide channel laterally / on one side with respect to its longitudinal direction / direction of the cables / cable set. In particular, the guide side is the one that – when the cables are laid down – faces the XY plane explained below.

[0020] The laying machine contains at least two grippers. The grippers are designed to grasp one of the cables to be laid down. Each gripper grasps one of the cables at a specific point on the cable. Specifically, the laying machine has exactly two grippers. At least two of the grippers grasp the same cable, meaning they manipulate a single, identical cable together.

[0021] The laying machine includes a staging station. At least one cable can be provided at this station, or such a cable is provided during the intended operation of the laying machine. The cable forms part of the cable set or is to be laid down as such on the forming board. The staging station is designed and configured such that the cable, as intended, can be grasped by at least two of the grippers at a respective gripping point. In intended operation, each gripper grasps a specific gripping point on the cable, with the gripping points being different sections, particularly the two ends, of the cable for the two grippers. The gripping point is not permanently assigned to the cable but describes the location where the gripper has actually grasped the cable. In other words, the gripping point is formed on the cable by the gripper's grasping action.In other words, at least two grippers in particular pick up the same cable from the staging area and place it on the form board.

[0022] Each cable is provided loosely at the staging area. It is not provided while, for example, held on a transport carrier, roller, or similar device. In other words, the cable is gripped directly by the two grippers and held, carried, and manipulated exclusively by them.

[0023] The laying machine includes a stationary base frame, which in particular comprises two parallel, spaced-apart portals. "Stationary" means that this is permanently installed, for example, on the floor of a machine hall. Specifically, the aforementioned positioning aid / mount is permanently attached to the same floor or to the base frame, so that forming boards can be fixed in the same position relative to the base frame by securing them in the mount.

[0024] The placement machine contains one slide for each gripper. Each gripper is guided relative to its respective slide by means of a gripper guide, allowing it to move or travel along that slide. This movement extends to at least one translational degree of freedom. The gripper movements on the slides are independent of each other; see also below.

[0025] In particular, each slide is equipped with only a single gripper (a single gripper clamp, etc.). Specifically, there are an equal number of grippers and slides, specifically two slides, each with one gripper. Therefore, each slide is equipped with only a single manipulator (gripper guide, comparable to a single robot arm).

[0026] Each carriage is guided or mounted on the base frame by its respective carriage guide, allowing it to move or travel relative to the frame. Each carriage can only move planarly in an XY plane relative to the base frame. "Planar" means that the carriage can move in two non-parallel directions; that is, it can move in a plane spanned by the two directions. These directions are perpendicular to each other (X and Y directions). Therefore, the carriage cannot move linearly in only one direction. "Exclusively" means that the carriage has no other degrees of freedom for its movement: it can only move translationally in the XY plane, with rotational movement optionally. Optionally, carriages can be guided in different, mutually parallel XY planes on the base frame; however, two, several, or all carriages can be guided in the same or a parallel XY plane.The carriages are guided in a single XY plane, meaning they are arranged side-by-side in this plane. The "movability" of the carriages may optionally include rotational movement relative to the base frame. However, the carriages are only movable translationally relative to the base frame in the XY plane. At least two of the carriages can move independently of each other in the XY plane. "Independent" here means "individual," i.e., a desired movement of one carriage does not necessarily lead to a movement of the other carriage. This independence only includes, for example, a dependency that arises from a second carriage obstructing the movement of one carriage, which is guided in the same XY plane, since two carriages cannot be in the same location.

[0027] The laying machine contains a control unit. This unit is designed to control the movement of the grippers by controlling the carriage guide and the gripper guide. This refers to the movement with respect to their position; additionally, the grippers are controlled to execute the gripping movement, i.e., to grasp or release a cable. Specifically, the grippers' position is controlled exclusively by controlling the carriage guide and the gripper guide.

[0028] The formwork board, in its intended mounting position relative to the base frame (e.g., fixed in the aforementioned positioning aid / retainer), extends, in particular, parallel to the XY plane. Specifically, the XY plane runs horizontally in space.

[0029] The gripper guidance system on the base frame (slide guidance, gripper guidance) allows at least two grippers to reach any point on the mold board and the staging area together or complementarily. In particular, the grippers' corresponding movement ranges overlap, or each gripper can even reach any such point independently. The entire surface area of ​​the mold board and the staging area can thus be traversed by the grippers, including their slides, projected vertically onto the mold board / staging area.

[0030] By using appropriate translational guides (slide guides, gripper guides), a mechanically simpler and comparatively more cost-effective design can be achieved—in contrast to robot arms—while maintaining the same precision. This design consists of a base frame, slide guide, slide, gripper guide, and gripper. In particular, a three-axis ("Cartesian XYZ system") cascaded solution of three linear guides (X, Y, Z) is advantageous, to which only a relatively "short" rotary guide for the gripper, with a maximum of three axes, is attached. "Short" means, for example, at most 1 / 10, 1 / 20, or 1 / 50 of the transverse dimension of the XY plane or the mold board.

[0031] The control unit is specifically designed to actuate the grippers for the complete picking up and placement of each (identical, single) cable; thus, additional human intervention is eliminated or avoided. The placement machine therefore handles the fully automated picking up of the cables, or of a single identical cable, at the staging area until the cables are placed in the desired position, and does not merely assist a human worker in this task.

[0032] The laying machine / control unit is explicitly not designed to process the cable in any way other than gripping, guiding, and laying it down. In particular, it is not designed to cut the cable to length, strip it, or attach a component such as a crimp contact, label it, etc.

[0033] As a result, the placement machine is at least partially limited to purely translational degrees of freedom (especially portal solution) with regard to the guidance of the gripper and therefore differs fundamentally from a placement machine based on a robot arm / articulated robot that is "free" (axes) in space.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, at least one, and in particular several or all, of the slide guides includes a crossbeam. The crossbeam as a whole is mounted on the base frame so as to be linearly movable in a first spatial direction. The slide associated with the slide guide is in turn mounted on the crossbeam so as to be linearly movable in a second spatial direction. The first and second spatial directions are different from each other and are therefore not parallel. In particular, at least two or all of the first spatial directions are the same, meaning that all crossbeams are movable in the same spatial direction on the base frame. In particular, at least two or all of the second spatial directions are the same, and therefore several or all of the slides (truly parallel to each other, since they are mounted on different crossbeams) are movable in the same spatial direction. In particular, at least two or all of the crossbeams run or extend parallel to each other.In particular, the first spatial direction runs perpendicular to the second spatial direction. The first spatial direction is specifically the X-direction, and the second spatial direction of the XY plane is specifically its Y-direction. This results in a particularly simple cascaded double linear guide for the carriage on the base frame. In other words, only a gantry solution is provided for guiding the carriage.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the gripper guide includes an arm or rod / beam / axis. The arm is mounted to be linearly movable in a third spatial direction relative to the carriage outside the XY plane. "Outside the XY plane" means that the linear path of movement, i.e., the third spatial direction, is not parallel to the XY plane. In particular, the third spatial direction is perpendicular to the XY plane and thus in a Z direction. The gripper is attached to the arm, whereby the attachment can be fixed or movable. "Fixed" means that the gripper, apart from performing its gripping movement (opening, closing), has no mobility / degrees of freedom relative to the arm. "Movable" means that the gripper is also guided or mounted to be movable relative to the arm, i.e., it has degrees of freedom relative to it. The gripper guide includes, for example, a so-called "linear axis." A motor is then, for example,Fixed to the carriage, a push rod (arm) is then moved linearly in the Z-direction relative to the carriage by the motor. This creates a Z-axis, or an arm that can move in the Z-direction. The grippers then appear, for example, as an "extension" (at the end) of this Z-axis.

[0036] Thus, the gripper has at least one translational degree of freedom on the carriage with respect to its position, transversely or obliquely, and especially perpendicularly, to the XY plane, and therefore a third dimension of spatial mobility. The gripper can therefore be rigidly attached to the arm (only gripping movement remains) or movable again, i.e., with degrees of freedom. The gripping movement itself (opening / releasing, closing / gripping the gripper) is not counted as a degree of freedom.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the gripper is guided relative to the slide – in addition to its translational degree of freedom – also in at least one rotational degree of freedom. This increases the flexibility and application possibilities of the gripper when laying down the cables.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned design, the gripper is movably mounted on the arm via a rotary guide. The rotary guide is, in particular, arranged at a free end of the arm. This free end is specifically the one that can be moved translationally in the XYZ direction by means of a cascaded linear guide. The rotary guide allows the gripper to rotate about at least one axis of rotation relative to the arm. In particular, it allows it to move about two or three axes of rotation, each pair of which are not parallel. Two axes of rotation can always be non-parallel, in particular perpendicular (even obliquely) to each other. With three axes of rotation, a pair of perpendicular axes to each other is generally only achieved in one basic position; for certain combinations of rotations, two axes can then also be oblique or parallel to each other.

[0039] In particular, besides the degrees of freedom explicitly mentioned above for each of the various embodiments, there are no further degrees of freedom for the gripper's movement. Specifically, this results exclusively in: a carriage that is only capable of double linear translation in a cascaded arrangement in the XY plane; an arm that is linearly translational along the carriage in the Z direction; and a gripper that is rotatably mounted on the arm about one, two, or three axes of rotation.

[0040] According to the invention, the invention (or optionally: includes the laying arrangement, see below) is based on a mold board in which at least one section of one of the guide channels is designed as a series of discrete and mutually spaced support points in its extension direction. The support points are designed, in particular, as U-shapes or forks (U-shape with extension), which then delimit the guide channel in a U-shaped or groove-like cross-section on three sides; the U- or fork opening forms the open guide side. In this embodiment, the guide channel is therefore not designed as a materially continuous channel, but merely as a conceptual non-material connection between individual material support points. The support points have, in particular, a (when mounted on the mold board, if the latter is in a

[0041] The working position during cable laying is located) and transverse supports are provided for the cables. These supports are further supported by guide posts extending perpendicular to the transverse supports. The guide posts serve to guide the cables laterally as they are pulled through the guide channel (along the cable's longitudinal direction) and to deflect / bend the cables around the guide post's axis to create curved / kinked cable runs.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the guide channels has at least one friction-reducing element. The friction-reducing element is designed to reduce the friction of a cable against the material section of the guide channel equipped with the friction-reducing element when it is pulled along the guide channel, compared to another material section of the guide channel (without the friction-reducing element). In other words, the friction-reducing element ensures that cables can be pulled through the guide channels with less friction and therefore less force than if the guide channel were not equipped with such a friction-reducing element, or than if the cable were pulled against another material structural part of the guide channel that does not have the friction-reducing element.

[0043] In particular, and expediently, the friction-reducing devices are therefore arranged in or on the guide channel in such a way that, when the cables are pulled along the guide channels as intended or as planned, they are drawn over the friction-reducing devices as they are moved into their intended position. The friction-reducing devices are therefore provided, in particular, on those guide posts that deflect the cables in their direction as they are pulled past. Such friction-reducing devices are thus provided, in particular, on convex inner surfaces of the guide channels and therefore on "curves" around which the cables are deflected when pulled through the guide channels.

[0044] The friction-reducing agent is in particular a sliding material and / or a movable roller bearing, especially on or in the form of the above-mentioned guideposts / cross supports, in particular their design as ball-bearing transport rollers.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the control device is configured to actuate at least one of the grippers to grasp the cable at an end section (cable end / head) as a gripping point. This allows the cable to be pulled through the guide channels particularly advantageously with its head / end leading. A cable section adjoining the gripping point, in particular the entire remaining cable, can thus be pulled along through the guide channels by pulling the gripper at the end section.

[0046] According to the invention, the control device is configured to actuate at least one of the grippers as follows for pulling one of the cables into the guide channels and placing it in the desired position: The at least one of the grippers grasps a cable provided at the staging area at the gripping point. The gripper then guides or pulls the gripping point, dragging along a cable section adjoining the gripping point, into one of the guide channels. Using the open guide side, the gripper pulls the gripping point, dragging along the adjoining cable section, along the guide channel until the desired position is reached. The gripper then places the cable in the desired position.

[0047] A second gripper grasps the second end of the same cable and assists the first gripper by guiding the gripping point it has grasped. In doing so, it can – not according to the invention – either guide the cable with a subsequent cable section behind the first gripper or, according to the invention, independently pull / position the cable differently from the first gripper and also lay it down in the desired position.

[0048] This solution is particularly suitable for laying down a cable with only two ends, i.e., an unbranched cable. The gripper pulls the cable at the gripping point "using the open guide side of the guide channels": The cable and / or the gripper, or in particular just the gripper, dip at least partially into the channel through the guide side. In this latter variant, the cable is pulled exclusively within the guide channel by the gripper's immersion into the guide side, which—especially in conjunction with the aforementioned optional friction-reducing agent—results in a particularly simple procedure. The pulling action thus occurs along a linear path of the gripper, which follows the desired routing or laying distance of the cable within the guide channel. At the end of the pulling process, the cable is then laid down in the guide channels along this path (which corresponds to the structural specifications of the cable set).

[0049] The invention assumes that the cable to be laid down is already of the appropriate length, so that when one end of the cable reaches its target position by pulling, the other end of the cable is automatically pulled into its target position. When the entire cable reaches its target position, the ends are therefore also in their respective target positions, since the length of the cable is chosen to match the desired or predetermined structure of the cable assembly.

[0050] The cable can be pulled / inserted into the guide channel using the gripping point, either from the open end of the channel. Alternatively, it can be inserted into a central section of the guide channel through a lateral recess / opening or by utilizing the already open side of the guide channel. In particular, the insertion does not occur via the guide channel's open side, but rather through another open side of the channel. The "cable section" being pulled along can be the entire remaining length of the cable up to the respective end, or a cable section extending to the next gripping point.

[0051] The intended position of the cable ends can be found, in particular, in a cable clamp. If necessary, after completing the cable laying process, the laid-down cable ends, which may be pre-assembled with crimp contacts, for example, must still be manually inserted into a connector housing.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to actuate the grippers as follows: Two grippers grasp each end section of the same cable as a gripping point. The grippers guide the grasped end sections to a common starting section of one of the guide channels. The starting section differs from the target positions of the cable ends; that is, it is not located at this point, but rather between the target positions for the cable ends. The grippers insert the end sections into the guide channel at the starting section—as described above. From the starting section, the grippers then pull the end sections in different directions along the guide channel until they reach the respective target positions of the cable ends and thus of the entire cable (assuming the correct cable length, see above). The starting section is located, in particular, in the middle of the cable with respect to its target position.Thus, both grippers pull equal lengths of cable into the guide channels as subsequent cable sections, moving away from each other from the center. This reduces friction and the force required to pull the respective subsequent cable sections. The starting section can also be chosen further from the center to ensure that, depending on the cable's path, the maximum required pulling force is the same for each of the two cable sections. The rationale is that pulling along a straight guide channel requires less force than pulling around several curves or bends. For example, the starting section can divide the cable length (relative to the target position) into a longer, relatively straight section and a shorter, more curved section, which are then pulled by the grippers as the respective subsequent cable sections.

[0053] In this case, the subsequent cable sections are therefore, due to the way the cable ends grip, respective parts of the cable that together make up the total cable length.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes (or optionally: the laying arrangement, see below) a forming board provided with at least one connector housing, or in which the at least one connector housing is held / supported / fixed on the forming board. The intended position of at least one of the cables then consists of a plug-in section of the cable being inserted into the connector housing. The control device is then configured to actuate the grippers so that the grippers insert the plug-in section into the connector housing in order to lay it down in the intended position. In this way, cable harnesses can also be automatically manufactured with the laying machine, the cables of which, with corresponding plug-in sections, are immediately placed in connector housings.

[0055] The insertion of the plug sections into the connector housings can also occur at different times, for example, to maintain a favorable insertion sequence of cables at the connector housing if the cable insertion sequence on the form sheet differs. In this case, the plug section can initially be placed in an intermediate storage / parking position on the form sheet – essentially as an "interim target position." Only later is the cable picked up again and the plug section moved into the connector housing as the cable's final target position.

[0056] The object of the invention is also achieved by a lay-up arrangement comprising one or more forming boards – which are then actually present and therefore known – and the lay-up machine. The assumptions made above regarding a properly functioning forming board are then no longer assumptions, but definitively established facts.

[0057] The object of the invention is also achieved by a machine arrangement according to claim 9, which serves or is set up for the production of a cable set from cables using a forming board. This arrangement includes a lay-up machine according to the invention and a cable machine. The intended forming boards are assumed analogously to the above. Optionally, the machine arrangement also includes a lay-up arrangement, i.e., one or more forming boards, as explained above.

[0058] The cable cutting machine, in turn, contains a cutting module designed to cut a cable of a predetermined length from a supply of cables. The cable cutting machine also contains an output module designed to deliver the cable cut by the cutting module—and, if necessary, further processed (assembly, see below)—as a finished cable to the staging station of the laying machine. The supply of cables is, in particular, an assortment of different types of cables, from which a specific type of cable is selected for further processing.

[0059] The machine arrangement and at least some of its possible embodiments, as well as their respective advantages, have already been explained in substance in connection with the depositing machine according to the invention.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the cable machine includes a termination module. This module serves, or is configured, to terminate the cable cut to length by the cutting module as required (i.e., optionally simply passing it through without termination) before it reaches the output module as a terminated cable. In this respect, the termination module is connected between the cutting module and the output module with regard to the work steps to be performed. The output module thus places a potentially terminated cable at the staging area.

[0061] The assembly module is specifically designed for stripping electrical wires and / or twisting and / or tinning stranded wires and / or attaching crimp contacts and / or attaching markings and / or overmolding and / or wrapping wires and / or fitting wires with connectors.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the output module is configured to provide exactly one cable at a time at the staging station, ready for gripping and placement. This allows for a comparatively small and space-saving staging station on the placement machine. In particular, such a staging / placement station is sufficient for a single cable (or even just for its gripping points / end sections to be gripped by the grippers).

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the cable machine is configured to produce only a single cable at a time in serial production and to supply it to the lay-up machine at the staging station. This allows for the design of a particularly simple and cost-effective cable machine.

[0064] Specifically, a new cable is only provided once the grippers have picked up the previous one from the staging area. However, an overlap of the individual steps (in the cutting module, assembly module, and output module) is possible; for example, while the first cable is being dispensed / provided in the output module, one or more subsequent cables can already be manufactured in the cutting / assembly module.

[0065] The invention is based on the following findings, observations, and considerations and includes the following embodiments. These embodiments are sometimes referred to simply as "the invention." The embodiments may also contain parts or combinations of the embodiments mentioned above, correspond to them, and / or may include previously unmentioned embodiments.

[0066] The invention enables the automatic routing of cables during the production of cable sets or cable harnesses ("automatic wire routing").

[0067] The invention enables the use of simplified forming boards without markings, compared to the manual production methods known in practice. By feeding the cables "cable by cable" to the laying machine, the need for expensive and time-consuming warehousing of pre-assembled, marked cables is eliminated.

[0068] According to the invention, no stock of cut cables is required. The corresponding space requirements for the manufacturing process or a cable storage area are eliminated. Transporting cut cables from storage to the workstation is unnecessary. All handling and management of cut cables is eliminated.

[0069] The production of a cable set can be carried out in particular as follows: An order for a specific cable set is sent via an IT system directly to the supply equipment (machine setup, cable machine, lay-up machine) and thus to the cutting device (cutting module) and the crimping processes (assembly module). Only the wires actually required for this cable set are successively cut and assembled into cables (cutting module / assembly module). After each cable is produced, its supply process begins (output module to the supply station), or the wire is transferred to the laying machine (lay-up machine). After the transfer to the laying machine (lay-up machine), the cable machine starts cutting and crimping the next wire.

[0070] The removal / installation process proceeds in particular as follows: The grippers of the laying machine pick up a single cable from the staging area and lay it on the form board according to the routing plan (laying it down in the target position according to the predefined structure received from the IT system). At the end of the path (target position of the cable and cable ends reached), the gripper places the cable ends into a lay-down clamp. The axes (carriage guide / gripper guide / ...) return to the starting point of the cable pick-up (staging area). The process then begins again with the next cable.

[0071] Flow production is also possible: If not all cables can be laid at one station (laying machine), the formwork board is moved to the next laying station (another laying machine). Transport is automatic via a conveyor belt (similar to an assembly line).

[0072] Reasons for flow production include, for example: The number of components (cables to be placed on the formwork board) is too large (main cable sets contain approximately 800 to 1200 cables or wires of, for example, 400 different wire types, i.e., colors, cross-sections, etc.), and the cycle time exceeds the requirements.

[0073] Each mold board holds a single set of cables. Main cable sets are generally manufactured to customer specifications; each cable set has a specific production order. Thanks to purely electronic order processing, the individual automated production of each cable set is no problem.

[0074] According to the invention, the following results: Lower equipment costs compared to traditional manual manufacturing. More flexible design: the proposed system is modular, allowing for unlimited adjustment of the number of conductors, and even the integration of dozens of different conductors into cable sets. The limitations lie primarily in the arrangement and space requirements of the raw materials at the cutting module (space for the conductor supply). Similarly, the assembly modules (e.g., crimping stations) are configured as needed. There is no limit to the number of process modules, particularly in flow production. The conductors are transferred directly (without intermediate storage) from the production line (cable machine) to the laying machine (dispatching machine), and further processing is fully automated.

[0075] No additional equipment is required for the optional manual insertion of cable ends (plug sections) into connector housings. The cables are laid down in the correct position outside the connector housing by the dispensing machine. Picking up the plug sections and inserting them into the connector housing is then done manually. Manual insertion can be performed, for example, as follows: The cables in question are placed in their respective designated positions, e.g., in a retaining clip. After placement, the placed cables are manually picked up and inserted into the connector housing by: picking up the connector housing and inserting the pre-sorted cables, arranged in their designated positions, into the housing chamber / connector housing.

[0076] The following would be conceivable alternative automatic solutions: A camera system with AI (artificial intelligence) aligns the contact part (plug section) with the housing chamber contours (shape of the familiar connector housing) by means of precise gripper control. Plugging (inserting the plug section) is performed by the existing gripper system (laying machine; the cable ends are not temporarily stored between laying the entire cable in the target position and the plugging process). Alternatively, to maintain a plugging sequence, some cables must first be temporarily laid down by the gripper in an intermediate target position (parking position). The plugging of the stored cables then takes place according to the plugging sequence, either directly (see above, without laying down in a parking position) or by re-placing the gripper.

[0077] Picking up a cable from the parked position, In the latter case, the cable is picked up from the parking position by the gripper and inserted into the connector housing.

[0078] According to the automatic plugging process, cable ends (plug sections) are therefore inserted into the housing chamber immediately without a parking position.

[0079] The following is also conceivable for the assembly process (assembly module): Using a welding machine (ultrasound), exposed wire ends are welded according to specifications (IT supported).

[0080] Further features, effects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying figures. These figures are shown in schematic diagrams: Figure 1 shows a machine arrangement with a cable machine and a lay-up machine; Figure 2 shows the slide guides made of Figure 1 In detail, Figure 3 shows a gripper guide made of Figure 1 in detail,

[0081] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a symbolic and highly simplified representation of a machine arrangement 2 for the production of a cable set 4. This set consists of a multitude, here one hundred, of cables 6, but is only shown in a very simplified manner, which is why only three cables 6a-c are shown. The cable set 4 is produced by placing the cables 6a-c on a forming board 8. The cable set must conform to a predefined structure ST. For this purpose, each cable 6a-c must be placed in its respective target position LS. The target positions LS then also correspond to or reflect the structure ST. The structure ST thus specifies how and where each cable 6a-c should run in the cable set 4 according to its respective target position LS.

[0082] The ST structure is specified, represented, or depicted on the formwork board 8 in the form of guide channels 10a-c. See a detailed explanation at [reference to be inserted here]. Figure 4Each cable 6a-c in its target position LS is assigned one of the guide channels 10a-c. Guide channel 10a is shown completely, while the remaining guide channels 10b-c are only partially shown with dashed lines for clarity. The guide channels 10a-c correspond to the structure ST and serve to place the cables 6a-c into them so that they ultimately find themselves in their respective target positions LS. The guide channels 10a-c also serve to hold the cables 6a-c in their respective target positions LS after placement. The guide channels 10a-c partially overlap. This holding in the target position LS is temporary in the sense that the cable set 4 is completed in an unspecified manner, e.g., by taping, to fix the structure ST. Only then is the cable set removed from the form sheet 8.

[0083] The guide channels 10a-c are open on a respective guide side 12, which in Figure 1This is indicated by a hatched area. The cables 6a-c can be pulled into the guide channels 10a-c and placed in their respective designated positions LS within them.

[0084] The machine arrangement 2 comprises a cable machine 14 for manufacturing the cables 6a-c from a supply of conductors 16 and for providing the manufactured cables 6a-c for installation. This is described below with reference to Figure 5 explained in more detail.

[0085] The machine arrangement 2 further comprises a lay-up machine 20 for laying the cables 6a-c provided by the cable machine 14 as a cable set 4 onto the forming board 8. The lay-up machine 20 contains two grippers 22a,b for each gripping one of the cables 6a-c to be laid down. In the example, the grippers 22a,b have gripped cable 6b. The gripping takes place at a respective gripping point 24a,b of the (same single) cable 6a-c.

[0086] The laying machine 20 also includes a staging station 26. At this station, one of the cables 6a-c can be positioned in such a way that it can be gripped by the two grippers 22a,b. In this case, the positioning is achieved by loosely placing only the cable 6a-c, without any carrier, reel, spool, etc., on a table as staging station 26, which is located within the gripping range of the grippers 22a,b. The positioning is accomplished by transferring the cable 6a-c from the cable machine 14 to the laying machine 20, which in Figure 1 is represented only symbolically by an arrow.

[0087] The unloading machine 20 further includes a base frame 28, which is anchored here in a fixed position on a horizontal floor (not shown) of a production hall. The base frame 28 is supported here by a square frame on four columns, in Figure 2Alternatively, it can be realized by means of two portal arches (an "upside-down" U-shape). The portal arches run parallel to each other and are spaced so that the formwork board 8 fits between them.

[0088] Each gripper 22a,b is assigned a carriage 30a,b. Each gripper 22a,b is mounted on a carriage 30a,b by means of a respective gripper guide 32a,b (shown here only symbolically). The gripper guides 32a,b provide the grippers 22a,b with not only rotational degrees of freedom but also translational degrees of freedom: the grippers 22a,b can be moved translationally relative to the carriages 30a,b in a respective Z-direction (indicated by a double arrow) of a Cartesian coordinate system. In this example, the Z-direction is vertical, i.e., perpendicular to the floor of the factory and therefore also perpendicular to the (horizontal) plane of the mold board 8. The directions X, Y, Z of the Cartesian coordinate system are in the Figure 1 represented as a coordinate system. The guidance and degrees of freedom of the gripper guides 32a,b are shown in Figure 3 Explained in more detail below.

[0089] Each of the slides 30a,b is guided along the base frame 28 by means of a respective slide guide 34a,b. Both slides 30a,b are guided planarly exclusively in an XY plane, i.e., a plane spanned by the spatial directions X and Y. In this case, both slides 30a,b are guided in the same XY plane 36, which is in Figure 1 as indicated by hatching. Furthermore, the carriages 30a,b are guided exclusively translationally, meaning they can only be moved in the XY plane 36, but not rotated. However, the carriages can be moved independently of each other – not only linearly, but actually planarly in the X and / or Y direction – in the XY plane 36, as long as they or the carriage guides 34a,b do not obstruct each other. The carriage guides 34a,b are defined by Figure 2 Explained in more detail below.

[0090] The lay-up machine 20 also includes a control unit 38, which is only symbolically indicated here. This unit is configured to control the grippers 22a,b by means of controlling the slide guides 34a,b and gripper guides 32a,b (symbolized here only by arrows). Control also includes opening and closing the grippers 22a,b to grasp and hold or release cables 6a-c.

[0091] The control unit 38 is configured to control the grippers 22a,b as follows: the grippers 22a,b place a cable 6a-c, picked up from the staging station 26, in the target position LS on the form plate 8 and there in the guide channels 10a-c by each pulling one of the cables 6a-c into the guide channels 10a-c and pulling it along the guide channels 10a-c until it reaches its target position LS. Then the cable is released by the grippers 22a,b and thus placed in the target position LS.

[0092] This is explained below using cable 6a as an example: First, cable 6a was manufactured by cable machine 14 and placed at staging station 26 (shown as a dashed line). The grippers 22a,b now grip the same cable 6a at gripping points 24a,b, which in this case are formed by respective end sections 40a,b of cable 6a.

[0093] The grippers 22a,b guide or pull the single identical cable 6a at the gripping points 24a,b into one of the guide channels, here guide channel 10a. This occurs at a starting section 44 of the guide channel 10a. The starting section 44 is selected with respect to the length of the cable 4a in the desired position in the guide channel 10a in the area of ​​the cable's midpoint. The grippers 22a,b drag along or behind them the respective cable sections 42a,b that connect to the respective end sections 40a,b. The paths of movement of the grippers 22a,b, and thus of the gripping points 24a,b, as well as the dragged cable sections 42a,b, are shown in Figure 1 represented by dashed arrows.

[0094] Now, the grippers 22a,b pull the cable 6a from the starting section 44 along the guide channel 10a, using the gripping points 24a,b and the trailing cable sections 42a,b, until the gripping points 24a,b (here, end sections 40a,b) reach their respective target positions LS. Since the cable 6a has the length corresponding to the target position LS, the entire cable 6a is now in its target position. Because the starting section 44 is located in the middle of the cable, as explained above, both end sections 40a,b must be pulled the same distance through the guide channel 10a. The trailing cable sections 42a,b are therefore also the same length and correspond to half the cable length. Thus, the cable 6a is pulled from the starting section 44 in different directions along the guide channel 10a.

[0095] The pulling action is achieved by the grippers 22a,b partially immersing themselves through the guide side 12 into the guide channel 10a. The cable 6a, or the portion already inserted therein, is thus pulled through the guide channel 10a.

[0096] The grippers 22a,b now release the gripping points 24a,b or the cable 6a and thereby place it in the target position LS.

[0097] Figure 2Figure 1 shows the slide guides 34a,b in detail. Each slide guide 34a,b contains a corresponding crossbeam 46a,b, which is linearly movable in a first spatial direction, here the X-direction, on the base frame 28 (indicated by double arrows). Each slide 30a,b is in turn linearly movable on its corresponding crossbeam 46a,b in a second spatial direction, here the Y-direction (indicated by double arrows). The movement of the crossbeams 46a,b on the base frame 28 and of the slides 30a,b on the crossbeam 46a,b is independent of each other, as long as the crossbeams 46a,b and the slides 30a,b (including gripper guides 32a,b and grippers 22a,b) do not obstruct each other.

[0098] Figure 3Figure 32a shows the gripper guides 32a and 32b, which are identical in this case, in detail, using gripper guide 32a as an example. Also shown is a section of the crossbeam 46a, on which the carriage 30a is mounted for linear movement in the Y-direction. The gripper guide 32a includes an arm 48, which is mounted for linear movement relative to the carriage 30a in a third spatial direction, here the Z-direction (again indicated by a double arrow). The Z-direction lies outside the XY plane 36, as it runs perpendicular to it. The gripper 22a is attached to and mounted on the arm 48.

[0099] In the present case, the gripper 22a is movably mounted with respect to the slide 30a, but also with respect to three rotational degrees of freedom AC.

[0100] This is achieved in the present case by mounting the gripper 22a on the arm 48 via a rotary guide 50. The rotary guide 50 allows the gripper 22a to rotate via three rotary joints 52a-c, each of which permits a rotation (degrees of freedom AC) about a rotation axis 54a-c.

[0101] Figure 3 The figure also symbolically shows how, optionally, the cable 6c can be stored in a connector housing 70. The connector housing 70 is held on the formwork board 8. Figure 1 This is only a rough indication. The target position LS of cable 6c therefore also consists of a plug section 68 of cable 6c being inserted into the connector housing 70 at its end section 40a. The control unit 38 is then configured to control the gripper 22a so that it inserts the plug section 68 into the connector housing 70 in order to place cable 6c in the target position LS.

[0102] Figure 4Figure 1 shows a section of the guide channel 10a, representing all guide channels 10a-c. In this case, it is formed by a series of support points 56, which are attached to the formwork board 8. Along the extension 58 of the guide channel 10a, which corresponds to the path of the inserted cable 6a in its intended position LS, the support points 56 are offset from one another. The guide channel 10a is therefore largely an imaginary or intangible channel; only the support points 56 constitute its tangible part. In this case, the support points 56 are formed by metallic forks with a transverse support 57 and two parallel guide posts 59 projecting transversely from it, which together form a groove or U-shape open towards the guide side 12, here upwards. These U-shapes rest on the formwork board 8 via support sections or rods of the support points 56, which are not further described.

[0103] The guide channel 10a also features friction-reducing elements 60, located here on one of the guide posts 59. These are configured as follows: When the cable 6a is pulled along the guide channel 10a, its friction against the friction-reducing element 60 is reduced compared to any other material section 62 of the guide channel 10a (transverse support 57, other guide post 59). In this case, the friction-reducing element 60 is a roller 66 mounted on a ball bearing on an axle 64, which together form the guide post 59. The other material section 62 of the guide channel 10a is formed by the remaining rigid / material parts of the support points 56. Therefore, if the cable 6a to be pulled rests against the rollers 66, it can be pulled through the guide channel 10a with significantly less friction than if it were resting against / rubbing against the other rigid sections 62 of the support points 56.

[0104] Figure 5Figure 14 shows the cable machine 14 in more detail and explains it using the production of cable 6c as an example. The cable supply 16 contains a very large supply of each cable 82, for example in the form of a cable drum as indicated here. The cable machine 14 contains a cutting module 80, which first cuts / cuts a piece of cable 82 of a predefined length L from the (endless) cable 82 of the cable supply 16, which corresponds to the predefined length of cable 6c explained above.

[0105] The cable machine 14 also includes a termination module 84. This module terminates the cut-to-length cable 82 by stripping the insulation from the end sections 40a,b, twisting the strands, and fitting crimp contacts (not shown) to the plug-in sections 68. The cable 6a is now complete.

[0106] The cable machine 14 also includes an output module 86. This serves to provide, transport and deposit the assembled line 82 or cable 6c at the provisioning station 26 of the depositing machine 20.

[0107] In this case, the cable machine 14 is of a particularly simple design. It is only configured to produce a single cable 6a-c in series and to provide it to the laying machine 20 at the staging station 26. Reference symbol list

[0108] 2 Machine arrangement 4 Cable set 6a-c Cable 8 Forming board 10a-c Guide channel 12 Guide side 14 Cable machine 16 Cable supply 20 Laying machine 22a,b Gripper 24a,b Gripping point 26 Staging station 28 Base frame 30a,b Slide 32a,b Gripper guide 34a,b Slide guide 36 X-Y plane 38 Control device 40a,b End section 42a,b Cable section 44 Start section 46a,b Crossbeam 48 Arm 50 Rotary guide 52a-c Joint 54a-c Rotary axis 56 Support point 57 Transverse storage 58 Extension direction 59 Guide post 60 Friction reducing device 62 Other section 64 Axis 66 Roller 68 Plug section 70 Connector housing 80 Cutting module 82 Cable 84 Assembly module 86 Output module LSSoll-Lage STStruktur X,Y,ZSpatial direction A,B,CDegree of freedom LLange

Claims

1. A laying machine (20) for laying down cables (6a-c) as a set of cables (4) on a designated profile board (8), which has guide channels (10a-c) corresponding to a structure (ST) of the set of cables (4) and predefining the construction thereof, said guide channels being are open at at least one guide side (12) and into which each of the cables (6a-c) can be pulled up to a respective target position (LS) and can be laid down therein in the target position (LS), wherein the guide channels (10a-c) can be embodied as physically continuous channels or as merely imaginary non-physical connections between individual physical support parts, which includes: - at least two grippers (22a,b) for respectively gripping one of the cables (6a-c) to be laid down at a respective gripping point (24a,b) of the cables (6a-c), - a provision location (26) reachable by at least two of the grippers, at which at least one cable (6a-c) to be laid down as part of the set of cables (4) can be provided in each case such that it can be gripped by at least two of the grippers (22a,b) at the respective gripping point (24a,b), - a fixed base frame (28), - one carriage (30a,b) each per gripper (22a,b), wherein the gripper (22a,b) is movably guided with the aid of a gripper guide (32a,b) on the carriage (30a,b) relative to said carriage in at least one translatory degree of freedom (Z), - wherein each of the carriages (30a,b) is movably guided via a respective carriage guide (34a,b) exclusively in a planar manner in a X-Y plane (36) on the base frame (28) relative to said base frame, - wherein at least two of the carriages (30a,b) are moveable independently of one another in the X-Y plane (36), - with a control device (38) which is designed to actuate a movement of the grippers (22a,b) by means of actuating the carriage guide (34a,b) and the gripper guide (32a,b), - wherein the control device (38) is designed to actuate at least one of the grippers (22a,b) to grip the cable (6a-c) at an end portion (40a,b) as a gripping point (24a,b), - wherein the control device (38) is designed to actuate at least one of the grippers (22a,b) as follows for pulling in one of the cables (6a-c) into the guide channels (10a-c) and for laying down said cable in the target position (LS): - the at least one gripper (22a,b) grips one of the cables (6a-c) provided at the provision location (26) at the gripping point (24a,b), - the gripper (22a,b) subsequently introduces the gripping point (24a,b), also dragging a cable section (42a,b) adjoining the gripping point (24a,b), into one of the guide channels (10a-c), - the gripper (22a,b) pulls, utilizing the open guide side (12), the gripping point, also dragging the adjoining cable sections (42a,b) along the guide channel (10a-c) until the target position (LS) is reached, - the gripper (22a,b) lays down the cable (6a-c) in the target position (LS), - wherein the control device (38) is designed to actuate the grippers (22a,b) as follows: - two of the grippers (22a,b) grip a respective end portion (40a,b) of the same cable (4a-c) as a gripping point (24a,b), - the grippers (22a,b) guide the gripped end portions (40a,b) to a start section (44) of one of the guide channels (10a-c) and introduce the end portions (40a,b) into the guide channel (10a-c) there, - from the start section (44), the grippers (22a,b) pull the end portions (40a,b) in various directions along the guide channel (10a-c) up to the respective target position (LS) of the cable (6a-c).

2. The laying machine (20) according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the carriage guides (34a,b) includes a cross member (46a,b) which is mounted on the base frame (28) so that it can be linearly moved in a first spatial direction (X), and the carriage (30a,b) is mounted on the cross member (46a, b) so that it can be linearly moved in a second spatial direction (Y).

3. The laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripper guide (32a,b) includes an arm (48) which is mounted so that it can be linearly moved relative to the carriage (30a,b) outside of the X-Y plane (36) in a third spatial direction (Z) and the gripper (22a,b) is attached to the arm (48).

4. The laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripper (22a,b) is also movably guided with the aid of the gripper guide (32a,b) in at least one rotational degree of freedom (A-C) relative to the carriage (30a,b).

5. The laying machine (20) according to Claim 3 and 4, characterized in that the gripper (22a,b) is movably mounted on the arm (48) via a rotational guide (50) which allows a rotation of the gripper (22a,b) with respect to the arm about at least one axis of rotation (54a-c).

6. The laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one section of one of the guide channels (10a-c) is embodied as a sequence of discrete support points (56) spaced apart from one another in the direction of extension (58) thereof.

7. The laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the guide channels (10a-c) has at least one friction-reducing means (60) which is designed, during pulling of a cable (6a-c) along the guide channel (10a-c), to reduce the friction thereof on the physical section of the guide channel (10a) equipped with the friction-reducing means (60) compared to another physical section (62) of the guide channel (10a-c).

8. The laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the profile board (8) is provided with at least one connector housing (70), and the target position (LS) of at least one of the cables also consists of a plug-in section of the cable being plugged into the connector housing (70), - and the control device (38) is designed to actuate the grippers (22a, b) in such a way that the grippers (22a, b) introduce the plug-in section (68) into the connector housing (70) in order to lay it down in the target position (LS).

9. A machine arrangement (2) for producing a set of cables (4), - with a laying machine (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, - and with a cable machine (14), which includes: - a cutting-to-length module (80) for cutting to length a line (82) of a predefinable length from a stock of line (16), - an output module (86) for providing the cut-to-length line (82) as cable (6a-c) at the provision location (26) of the laying machine (20).

10. The machine arrangement (2) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the cable machine (14) includes a fabrication module (84) for fabricating the line (82) cut to length by the cutting-to-length module (80) as required.

11. The machine arrangement (2) according to any one of Claims 9 to 10, characterized in that the output module (86) is designed to provide exactly one cable (6a-c) to be gripped and laid down in each case at the provision location (26).

12. The machine arrangement (2) according to Claim 11, characterized in that the cable machine (14) is designed to produce in each case only a single cable (6a-c) behind one another in series and to provide it to the laying machine (20) at the provision location (26).