Handheld pulling and pressing device and method for producing a crimp connection

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a crimp connection using a handheld pulling and pushing device (1) and a handheld pulling and pushing device (1) for carrying out the method.The handheld pulling and pushing device (1), which enables the reliable production of crimp connections, is provided to have a control unit (12) for controlling the electric motor (2) for adjusting the crimping die (3) between the crimping position and the opening position, and a sensor unit connected to the control unit (12) for monitoring the motor power data during the adjustment of the crimping die (3) towards the crimping position, wherein the control unit (12) interrupts the adjustment of the crimping die (3) in the intermediate position if predefined first motor power data is exceeded and / or fallen below, after reactivation further adjusts the crimping die (3) towards the crimping position and terminates the crimping process when predefined second motor power data is reached.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a crimp connection using a handheld pulling and pushing device and a handheld pulling and pushing device for carrying out the method.

[0002] Crimp connections, i.e., connections made by pressing a crimp contact against a cable section with one or more strands, as well as stationary and mobile devices for making such crimp connections, are known in various forms from the prior art. To create a reliable and secure connection between the crimp contact and the cable section, it is necessary to align the crimp contact in the position required for a reliable connection relative to the cable section intended for connection with the crimp contact.

[0003] Common handheld devices for producing crimp connections typically feature crimp dies shaped to match the crimp contacts, into which the crimp contacts are loosely inserted before the crimp connection is formed. After the crimp contacts are positioned on the crimp die, the cable sections are manually aligned loosely relative to the crimp contact, and then the crimp contact is deformed by adjusting the crimping die, creating a crimp connection between the crimp contact and the cable section.

[0004] The mobile devices for producing crimp connections have the inherent problem that, due to the usually unavoidable movement of the device, a relative movement of the cable contact occurs with respect to the crimp contact, causing the cable section to be moved out of its intended position relative to the cable contact, so that the crimp connection subsequently has defects, which are reflected, for example, in a lower tensile strength of the crimp connection.

[0005] Starting from this, the invention is based on the objective of providing a method for producing a crimp connection using a handheld pulling and pushing device, as well as a handheld pulling and pushing device for carrying out the method, which enable a reliable production of crimp connections.

[0006] The invention solves the problem by a method for producing a crimp connection with the features of claim 1 and by a handheld pulling and pushing device with the features of claim 7. Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are specified in dependent claims 2 to 6. Subclaims 8 to 10 describe embodiments of the handheld pulling and pushing device according to the invention.

[0007] The handheld pulling and pushing device features a threaded drive connected to the electric motor and arranged in a housing body for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from the direction of rotation of the electric motor to a coupling unit and a crimping device with a crimping punch and a crimping die which are adjustable relative to each other between an open position and a crimping position, wherein the crimping punch is connected to the coupling unit and the crimping die is connected to the housing body, on.

[0008] In the inventive method for producing a crimp connection, the following process steps are carried out on the handheld pulling and pushing device: Activation of the electric motor to adjust the crimping die towards the crimping position and monitoring of motor performance data; interruption of the crimping die adjustment in an intermediate position if predefined first motor performance data is exceeded or fallen below; positioning and / or aligning a crimp contact on the crimping die and / or a cable section on the crimp contact; reactivation of the crimping die adjustment towards the crimping position; termination of the crimping die adjustment towards the crimping position upon reaching predefined second motor performance data and return of the crimping die to the open position.

[0009] A crimp connection is created using a crimping die and a crimping tool. These can be positioned, for example, on a die holder and a handle, respectively, by a user on a handheld pulling and pushing device. A crimping die is a tool suitable for deforming the crimp contact and / or the cable section to be joined to the crimp contact. The crimping tool is an anvil designed to center the crimp contact. The cable is stripped, for example, manually by a user using wire strippers or mechanically in a wire stripping device, to create a suitable cable section for connection to the crimp contact. The crimp contact is positioned on the crimping tool, and the exposed cable section is then placed against the crimp contact.

[0010] To create the crimp connection, the user first activates the electric motor on the handheld pull-and-push device by pressing a switch. This motor, via a threaded drive, moves the crimping die from its open position towards the crimping position, i.e., the crimping die and crimping tool are moved towards each other. Upon activation of the electric motor, predefined motor performance data is also monitored, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the pressing forces acting on the crimping die and / or crimping tool. The monitored motor performance data is then compared with predefined initial motor performance data.As soon as the monitored motor performance data exceeds or falls below the predefined initial motor performance data, thereby detecting a defined pressure force acting on the crimp die and / or crimp punch, the adjustment of the crimp punch in the intermediate position is interrupted.

[0011] The intermediate position is chosen so that, despite the pressure forces present in this position, it is possible to align the cable section relative to the crimp contact in order to ensure reliable alignment of the cable section relative to the crimp contact in the subsequent crimping process.

[0012] The magnitude of the compressive force present between the crimp die and the crimping punch in the intermediate position determines whether, in addition to aligning the crimp contact and the cable section relative to each other in the area between the crimping punch and the crimp die, it is also possible to adjust the arrangement of the crimp contact on the crimp die, or at least their relative alignment, and / or the cable section on the crimp die and the crimping punch. Crucial for this is the definition of the first motor power parameters, which determine the force present between the crimping punch and the crimp die. Preferably, the first power parameters are defined such that a crimp contact previously arranged on the crimp die, as well as the cable section previously arranged on the crimp contact, can be aligned relative to each other.

[0013] The interruption of the crimp die's adjustment in the intermediate position, as provided for in the invention, makes it possible to precisely determine the alignment of the crimp contact relative to the cable section, so that any displacements that may have occurred during the crimp die's adjustment between the open position and the intermediate position can be corrected. The precise alignment of the cable section relative to the crimp contact thus ensures a high-quality crimp connection, which is completed after the cable section has been aligned relative to the crimp contact by reactivating the crimp die's adjustment towards the crimp position.

[0014] The user can interrupt the crimping die adjustment in the intermediate position, for example, if they are alerted that the motor has exceeded or fallen below predefined initial power parameters and subsequently release a drive switch. In the case of an automated interruption, the handheld pull and push device automatically interrupts the adjustment process, even if the drive switch is activated, upon reaching the initial motor power parameters.

[0015] To continue the crimping process, i.e., to reactivate the crimping die's movement towards the crimping position, the user must reactivate the drive switch in the case of manual operation. Similarly, if the crimping die's movement towards the crimping position is automatically interrupted in an intermediate position, the user must reactivate the drive switch to resume the crimping process.

[0016] The crimping process ends when the monitored motor power data exceeds or falls below predefined secondary motor power values. These predefined secondary motor power values ​​correspond to the compressive forces acting on the crimp connection between the crimping die and the crimping punch. Thus, the crimping process terminates upon reaching a predefined compressive force. The user can be visually and / or audibly notified of reaching the predefined secondary motor power values ​​on a display unit at the push-pull device, at which point the crimping process can be manually terminated. Alternatively, the crimping punch's movement towards the crimping position can be automatically deactivated when the user presses the actuating switch. In this case, the deactivation is performed by a control unit without requiring any user intervention.

[0017] The inventive method thus enables, due to the inventive interruption of the crimping process in the intermediate position, an exact alignment of the cable section with respect to the crimp contact and thus the production of a high-quality crimp connection with particularly high tensile strength.

[0018] The selection of the motor performance data to be monitored, which allows conclusions to be drawn about the adjustment of the crimping die relative to the crimping tool, particularly taking into account the compressive forces existing between the crimping tool and the crimping die, is generally freely selectable. However, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the total current, individual phase currents, the battery voltage, the motor housing temperature, and / or the motor speed are monitored as motor performance data and compared with corresponding predefined first and / or second performance data.

[0019] Preferential monitoring of the total motor current or the individual phase currents allows conclusions to be drawn about the compressive forces existing between the crimping die and the crimping tool based on the current profile. During resistance-free adjustment of the crimping die relative to the crimping tool, the total motor current and the individual phase currents remain largely constant. Only when the crimping die makes contact with the crimp contact and / or the crimping tool do the total motor current and the individual phase currents increase due to the compressive forces acting on the crimping die and the crimping tool.

[0020] A comparison of the total motor current and / or individual phase currents monitored during the crimping process with the first and / or second total motor current and / or individual phase currents stored for the individual process steps thus allows for easy detection of intermediate positions and the termination of the crimping process. If the control unit detects an exceedance of a total motor current that is stored as the first motor power data, the crimping process is preferably automatically shut down, even if an operating switch is currently activated by the user. The crimping process is continued after the cable section has been aligned with the crimp contact, if necessary, by reactivating the operating switch, whereby the total motor current or...The individual phase currents continue to increase until they reach a previously defined total motor current or individual phase current stored as second motor power data, after which the crimping process is automatically terminated, preferably again with the operating switch activated.

[0021] The stored motor performance data can also be set taking environmental parameters, such as the housing temperature, into account. Adjustments to the first and / or second motor performance data, such as the total motor current or the individual phase currents, are preferably made automatically by the control unit, taking environmental parameters like the motor housing temperature into account.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is preferably provided that the total motor current and / or a single-phase current are used as the first and second motor power parameters, upon reaching which the adjustment in the intermediate position is interrupted. The total motor current and the single-phase currents are characterized by the fact that they allow conclusions to be drawn in a particularly reliable and repeatable manner regarding the forces applied by the crimping die to the crimping die and the crimp contact arranged between them. Considering the total motor current and / or a single-phase current thus ensures, with a high degree of repeatability, the production of crimp connections with consistent quality.

[0023] Similarly, according to a further development of the invention, it is also provided that the total motor current and / or one or more individual phase currents are used as second performance data to determine the termination of the crimping process, since this enables a high repeatability and thus the production of consistent crimp connections.

[0024] The selection or determination of the first and / or second motor power data for determining the crimping process can, in principle, be done in any way; for example, the power data can be entered by the user via an input / output unit on the handheld pulling and pushing device, depending on the crimp connections to be made.

[0025] However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, first and / or second performance data are assigned to different crimp connections and stored in a database. This embodiment of the invention eliminates the need for manual input of first and second performance data during the execution of the method. The first and / or second motor performance data required for the desired crimp connections are stored in the database, which is connected to the control unit of the handheld pull-and-push device, allowing the control unit to access it. Access can be achieved either via a wired connection or wirelessly using a suitable communication unit. With a wireless connection, a database on the handheld pull-and-push device is not required.In the case of an advantageously provided wireless connection option, the control unit can, if required, access a central database and retrieve the first and second performance data required for the crimp connection and store them in the device in such a way that, after the crimping process has started, it is first automatically interrupted in the intermediate position and then, after the crimping process has been continued, it is automatically terminated once the second performance data has been reached.

[0026] Furthermore, in a particularly advantageous embodiment, the control unit is also configured to adapt the first and / or second motor performance data to the housing temperature. Thus, the motor performance data can already be stored in the database with reference to the housing temperature. Alternatively, the control unit can be designed such that it uses an algorithm to adapt the first and second motor performance data, which are assigned to a fixed housing temperature, to the current housing temperature.

[0027] The handheld pulling and pushing device, which is provided for solving the problem underlying the invention and which is particularly suitable for carrying out the above-described inventive or further developed method, has a drive unit comprising a battery-powered electric motor, a threaded drive connected to the electric motor and arranged in a housing body for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from a direction of rotation of the electric motor to a coupling unit and a crimping device with a crimping punch and a crimping die.

[0028] The crimping die and crimping tool are adjustable relative to each other between an open position and a crimping position. The crimping die is connected to the coupling unit, and the crimping tool is connected to the housing. The handheld pull-and-push device is characterized by a control unit for controlling the electric motor to adjust the crimping die between the crimping position and the open position, and by a sensor unit connected to the control unit for monitoring the motor performance data during the adjustment of the crimping die towards the crimping position. The control unit interrupts the adjustment of the crimping die in the intermediate position if predefined first motor performance data is exceeded or fallen below. After reactivation, it further adjusts the crimping die towards the crimping position and terminates the crimping process when predefined second motor performance data is reached.

[0029] The control unit according to the invention monitors the crimping process after it is activated by the user, after which the crimping die is moved from the open position towards the crimping position. The control unit monitors and processes the motor power data via a sensor unit connected to it. Upon reaching the first motor power data point, the control unit interrupts the crimping die's movement towards the crimping position in an intermediate position. In this position, the user has the opportunity to align the cable section to be connected to the crimp contact relative to the crimp contact. This ensures that, after the electric motor is reactivated by the user and the crimping process continues, a reliable crimp connection is formed. The control unit also automatically terminates the crimping process.The process ends when the control unit detects, via the sensor units, that the predefined second engine performance data has been reached.

[0030] The sensor unit is preferably designed to detect the total motor current, the individual phase currents, the battery voltage, the motor housing temperature, and / or the motor speed, all of which are suitable for monitoring the crimping process. The sensor unit is particularly preferably designed to detect the total motor current or the individual phase currents, as the current profile provides particularly good insights into the crimping process.

[0031] An initial increase in current after a largely resistance-free adjustment of the crimping die towards the crimping die signals to the control unit that the crimping die is interacting with the crimp contact arranged in the crimping die, thus enabling an interruption of the crimping process in the intermediate position, in which it is possible to align the cable section with the crimp contact.

[0032] After reactivation of the crimping process, the increasing current allows monitoring of the pressure force applied to the crimp contact between the crimp die and the crimping punch, and the crimping process is terminated when a predefined second motor current is reached, whereby the second motor current is assigned to a predefined pressure force on the crimp contact.

[0033] It is particularly preferred that the control unit be designed for wireless data transmission. Wireless data transmission allows the control unit to access motor performance data stored in a database for individual crimping operations. The control unit can also use wireless data transmission to document the crimping operations performed.

[0034] The control unit is preferably connected to a switching unit that deactivates the crimping die adjustment after reaching the intermediate position and must be reactivated to continue the crimping process. This achieves automated crimping, as the control unit automatically interrupts the switching unit after reaching the initial motor power data, even if a user is operating an actuator. Only reactivation of the actuator, for example by the user pressing a switch connected to the switching unit again, leads to the continuation of the crimping process, thus ensuring a reliable crimp contact. The threaded drive converts the electric motor's torque into a pressing force, which is then transmitted to the crimping die via the coupling unit.The crimping die is moved along its longitudinal axis towards the crimping die. The pressing force is transferred via the crimping die to the crimp contact, and the crimp contact is plastically deformed, at least partially, by the crimping die. This creates a firm and, if necessary, gas-tight crimp connection between the crimp contact and the cable.

[0035] An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a handheld pulling and pushing device for carrying out a method for producing a crimp connection by means of a crimping die and crimping punch arranged on the handheld pulling and pushing device and Fig. 2 a diagram showing the course of a motor current during the production of a crimp connection.

[0036] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a handheld pulling and pushing device 1. This device comprises a drive unit 6 with an electric motor 2 powered by a battery 5, and a threaded drive 7 connected to the electric motor 2 for transmitting the tensile and compressive forces resulting from the direction of rotation of the electric motor 2 to a coupling unit 8. Furthermore, the handheld pulling and pushing device 1 has a punch receptacle 9 connected to the coupling unit 8 and a die receptacle 10 arranged on a housing body 11. The tensile and compressive forces can be transmitted to the punch receptacle 9 via the coupling unit 8.

[0037] The handheld pulling and pushing device 1 is further equipped with a control unit 12 and a sensor unit (not shown) connected to the control unit 12 for recording the total motor current 16. The control unit 12 is connected to a communication unit 13 for wireless data exchange with a server unit (not shown) containing a database. The database stores the total motor current profiles and the associated pressure forces for individual crimp connections. The server unit also includes a storage unit for documenting crimp connections.

[0038] After identifying the cable intended for connection to the crimp contact, the user determines the appropriate crimp contact size. Additionally, the suitable crimping die 3 and crimping tool 4 are selected and positioned on the die holder 9 and tool holder 10, respectively. The cable is typically stripped manually by the user using wire strippers. The user positions the crimp contact matching the cable on the crimping tool 4 and then positions the exposed cable section on the crimp contact.

[0039] Once the crimp contact and the cable are positioned on the crimp die 4, the crimping process is initiated by the user. The control unit 12 controls the crimping process by executing the crimping operation intended for the selected connection, whereby the crimping die 3 is moved from the open position to the crimping position towards the crimp die 4. The threaded drive 7 converts the torque of the electric motor 2 into a pressing force and transmits it to the crimping die 3 via the coupling unit 8. The crimping die 3 is moved along the longitudinal axis of the die holder 9 towards the crimp die 4. The pressing force is transmitted via the crimping die 3 to the crimp contact, and the crimp contact is plastically deformed, at least partially, by the crimping die 3.

[0040] During the adjustment of the crimping die 3 towards the crimping die 4, the control unit 12 compares the total motor current 16, determined by the sensor unit, with a first total motor current defined as initial motor power data. If the monitored total motor current 16 exceeds this first total motor current, the control unit 12 interrupts the adjustment movement of the crimping die 3 towards the crimping die 4 in an intermediate position, even if the user presses the actuating element 14.

[0041] In the intermediate position, the user has the option of optimally aligning the cable section with respect to the crimp contact, after the crimp contact is reliably held in the crimp die 4 in the intermediate position.

[0042] After the cable section is aligned with the crimp contact, the control unit 12 reactivates the crimping process via the actuating element 14, namely by moving the crimping die 3 further towards the crimping die 4, within which the crimp contact is plastically deformed. If the monitored total motor current 16 exceeds a second total motor current stored as second motor power data, the control unit 12 interrupts the crimping process, even if the actuating element 14 is still actuated, and considers it complete.

[0043] In Figure 2 The curve of the total motor current 16 during the crimping process, namely the adjustment of the crimping die 3 from the open position towards the crimping die 4 into the crimping position, is shown.

[0044] The area marked "1" shows the course of the total motor current 16 after activation of the handheld pull and push device 1 and commencement of the crimping process, and exhibits a low starting current. Subsequently (see area "2"), the crimping die 3 with the coupling unit 8 is moved without significant back pressure and thus with a constant total motor current 16 until it reaches the point where the crimping die 3 engages with the crimp contact arranged on the crimping die 4. This results in an increase in the total motor current 16 in area "3". This increase is detected by the control unit 12 due to the continuous monitoring of the total motor current 16. When a first value for the total motor current, defined as the initial motor power data, is exceeded, the control unit interrupts the process in the intermediate position, which is represented by the drop in the total motor current 16 at the end of area "3".

[0045] After the user reactivates the handheld pull and push device 1 by actuating the actuating element 14, the total motor current 16 rises sharply due to the starting current and then falls again (see section "4"). Subsequently, the crimping die 3 is moved from its intermediate position towards the crimping die 4 and into the crimping position. With increasing counter-pressure, the total motor current 16 continues to rise (see section "5"). When the total motor current 16 reaches a value previously stored as the second motor power parameter, the control unit 12 automatically terminates the crimping process (see end of section "5").

[0046] In the Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the total motor current 16 is designed such that the electric motor 2 builds up force to a value of 17 kN in order to crimp the crimp contact. Reference symbol list

[0047] 1 Handheld pull and push device 2 Electric motor 3 Crimping punch 4 Crimping die 5 Battery 6 Drive unit 7 Threaded drive 8 Coupling unit 9 Punch holder 10 Die holder 11 Housing body 12 Control unit 13 Communication unit 14 Actuator 15 Crimping device 16 Total motor current

Claims

1. Method for producing a crimp connection using a handheld pull and push device (1) comprising: - a drive unit (6) having a battery-operated electric motor (2); - a threaded drive (7) connected to the electric motor (2) and arranged in a housing body (11) for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from the direction of rotation of the electric motor (2) to a coupling unit (8); and - a crimping device (15) with a crimping punch (3) and a crimping die (4) which are adjustable relative to each other between an open position and a crimping position, wherein the crimping punch (3) is connected to the coupling unit (8) and the crimping die (4) is connected to the housing body (11), comprising the steps of: - activating the electric motor (2) to adjust the crimping punch (3) towards the crimping position and monitoring motor performance data;- Interruption of the crimping die's (3) adjustment to an intermediate position when predefined first motor performance data is exceeded or fallen below; - Positioning and / or aligning a crimp contact on the crimp die (4) and / or a cable section on the crimp contact; - Reactivation of the crimping die's (3) adjustment towards the crimp position; - Termination of the crimping die's (3) adjustment towards the crimp position when predefined second motor performance data is reached; and - Return of the crimping die (3) to the open position.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that Motor performance data such as the total motor current (16), single-phase currents, the battery voltage, the motor housing temperature and / or the motor speed are monitored and compared with predefined first and / or second performance data.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact thatIf the total motor current (16) and / or a single-phase current increases above a value defined as initial performance data, the adjustment in the intermediate position is interrupted.

4. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that The adjustment of the crimping die (3) towards the crimp position is terminated when the total motor current (16) and / or single-phase current increases above a value specified as second performance data.

5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that First and / or second performance data are assigned to different crimp connections and stored in a database.

6. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that The first and / or second performance data are adjusted to the case temperature.

7. Handheld pulling and pushing device for carrying out a method for producing a crimp connection, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: - a drive unit (6) having a battery-operated electric motor (2), - a threaded drive (7) connected to the electric motor (2) and arranged in a housing body (11) for transmitting tensile and compressive forces resulting from a direction of rotation of the electric motor (2) to a coupling unit (8), and - a crimping device with a crimping punch (3) and a crimping die (4) which are adjustable relative to each other between an open position and a crimping position, wherein the crimping punch (3) is connected to the coupling unit (8) and the crimping die (4) is connected to the housing body (11). characterized bya control unit (12) for controlling the electric motor (2) for adjusting the crimping die (3) between the crimping position and the opening position and a sensor unit connected to the control unit (12) for monitoring the motor power data during the adjustment of the crimping die (3) towards the crimping position, wherein the control unit (12) interrupts the adjustment of the crimping die (3) in the intermediate position when predefined first motor power data is exceeded and / or fallen below, after a reactivation further adjusts the crimping die (3) towards the crimping position and terminates the crimping process when predefined second motor power data is reached.

8. Handheld pulling and pushing device according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the sensor unit is designed to detect the total motor current (16), the individual phase currents, the battery voltage, the motor housing temperature and / or the motor speed.

9. Handheld pulling and pushing device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact that the control unit (12) is designed for wireless data transmission.

10. Handheld pulling and pushing device according to one or more of claims 7 to 9, characterized by the fact that the control unit (12) is connected to a switching unit which, after reaching the intermediate position, deactivates the adjustment of the crimping die (3) and must be reactivated to continue the crimping process.

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