Electric wire fixture, crimp determination device, and crimp determination method

Abstract

To provide an electric wire fixture, crimp determination device, and crimp determination method capable of determining a crimp state of electric wires with excellent time efficiency.SOLUTION: An electric wire fixture is arranged on a stage when performing X-ray CT photography and enables a wire harness being a photographing object to be arranged at a predetermined position on the stage. The electric wire fixture includes: a base part for supporting the plurality of wire harnesses and transmitting an X-ray; and grooves arranged on a surface of the base part and having a width larger than a diameter of the wire harness. The groove penetrates at least a set of opposing surfaces of the base part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a wire fixing jig, a crimping determination device, and a crimping determination method.

Background Art

[0002] In the wiring of electronic devices, for connections at high-wattage parts such as the power supply system, a wire harness in which a crimp terminal is crimped to a wire is used. In such a wire harness, if the crimp terminal is not sufficiently crimped to the wire, the resistance value increases due to oxidation or disconnection of the wire, and there is a risk of heat generation and smoke generation. Therefore, when using a wire harness, it is necessary to accurately determine the quality of the crimping state. To determine the quality of the crimping state of a wire harness, an X-ray CT image obtained by photographing a cross-section of a single wire harness is often used. However, since it takes time to acquire an X-ray CT image, it takes a lot of time to determine the quality of the crimping state of a large number of wires.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a wire fixing jig, a crimping determination device, and a crimping determination method capable of efficiently determining the crimping state of a wire in terms of time.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A jig that is provided on a stage when performing X-ray CT imaging and can arrange a wire harness, which is an object to be imaged, at a predetermined position on the stage. The jig includes a base that supports a plurality of the wire harnesses and transmits X-rays, and a groove provided on a surface of the base and having a width larger than the diameter of the wire harness. The groove penetrates at least one pair of opposite surfaces of the base, thereby providing a wire fixing jig.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, a crimping determination device, a wire fixing jig, and a crimping determination method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of the crimping determination device according to the first embodiment. The crimping determination device 100 photographs a plurality of wire harnesses 200 at once and determines whether the crimping state of the crimping portion 230 (see FIG. 2) provided in the wire harness 200 is good or not. The crimping determination device 100 includes a wire fixing jig 110 for fixing the wire harness 200 to be photographed, a stage 120 for arranging the wire fixing jig 110 in the crimping determination device 100, a photographing unit 130 for photographing the wire harness 200, a determination unit 140 for determining the crimping state of the crimping portion 230 using the photographed image, and a display unit 150 for showing the determination result of the crimping state of the crimping portion 230.

[0008] First, the wire harness 200 will be described. FIG. 2 schematically shows the wire harness according to the first embodiment. The wire harness 200 includes a plurality of electric wires 210 and crimp terminals 220 attached to the tips of the electric wires 210. The electric wires 210 contain a metal such as aluminum, copper, or a copper alloy, for example. A part of the electric wire 210 is covered with an insulating covering member 211. The crimp terminals 220 include a metal such as aluminum, copper, or a copper alloy, or those with plating on their surfaces, for example. The crimp terminal 220 has a first attachment portion 221 attached to the covering member 211 and a second attachment portion 222 attached to the electric wire 210. The first attachment portion 221 is fixed to the covering member 211 by caulking so as to cover the periphery of the covering member 211. The second attachment portion 222 is fixed to the electric wire 210 by caulking so as to cover the periphery of the electric wire 210. Further, the wire harness 200 has a crimping portion 230 which is the portion where the second attachment portion 222 is crimped to the electric wire 210.

[0009] The wire fixing jig 110 fixes the wire harness 200 to be imaged perpendicular to the stage 120. The wire fixing jig 110 is made of a material that transmits X-rays, and for example, resin or aluminum can be used. The wire fixing jig 110 has a wire fixing portion 111 that fixes the vicinity of the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200, a wire arranging portion 112 that fixes portions other than the vicinity of the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200, and a support column 113 that fixes the wire fixing portion 111 to the stage 120 of the crimping determination device 100. However, when the wire harness 200 can be fixed to the stage 120 without using the wire arranging portion 112 or the support column 113, the wire fixing jig 110 may have only the wire fixing portion 111. The wire fixing portion 111, the wire arranging portion 112, and the support column 113 will be described in detail later.

[0010] The stage 120 supports the wire fixing portion 111 from below in the vertical direction.

[0011] The imaging unit 130 images the wire harness 200. The imaging unit 130 can be, for example, an oblique X-ray CT device, and acquires a cross-sectional image of the wire harness 200 as an X-ray CT image. The imaging unit 130 has an X-ray generator 131, an X-ray detector 132, and an optical system (not shown) such as a lens, and is arranged so as to be able to image the wire harness 200 fixedly arranged on the stage 120.

[0012] The determination unit 140 collects the images of the wire harness 200 captured by the imaging unit 130 and determines the crimping state of the crimping unit 230. Specifically, the porosity of the crimping unit 230 is calculated from the X-ray CT image of the crimping unit 230 captured by the imaging unit 130. FIG. 3 schematically shows how to obtain the porosity from the X-ray CT image according to the first embodiment. The porosity refers to the ratio of the space outside the electric wire 210, that is, the space S, to the space formed by the second attachment portion 222 in the cross section of the crimping unit 230. Further, an image with the smallest porosity is extracted from the cross-sectional X-ray CT images of the plurality of captured wire harnesses 200, and it is determined whether the second attachment portion 222 is sufficiently crimped to the electric wire 210 from the X-ray CT image with the smallest porosity, and the quality of the crimping state is determined. Alternatively, before determining the quality of the crimping state, it is determined whether the imaging conditions of the X-ray CT image captured by the imaging unit 130 are appropriate or inappropriate. Here, the appropriate imaging conditions mean that the focus of the cross section of the crimping unit 230 is in focus and the brightness of the image is appropriate. When the imaging conditions are inappropriate, the imaging conditions are changed, the wire fixing portion 111 is reselected, etc., and the X-ray CT imaging of the crimping unit 230 is performed again by the imaging unit 130. The determination unit 140 may be provided inside or outside the crimping determination device 100. For example, since it is sufficient to have an arithmetic element such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage element such as a semiconductor memory, the determination unit 140 can be a computer.

[0013] The display unit 150 displays the result of the determination of the quality of the crimping state of the crimping unit 230 performed by the determination unit 140. For example, the display unit 150 can be a liquid crystal display that notifies by video.

[0014] Next, the wire fixing jig 110 will be described in detail. In the wire harness 200, if the second attachment portion 222 is not sufficiently crimped to the wire 210, the wire harness may be exposed to the atmosphere or corrosive gases around it. As a result, oxidation of the wire 210 or disconnection of the wire 210 may cause an increase in the resistance value, leading to risks of heat generation and smoke emission. Therefore, in the wire harness 200, the determination of whether the second attachment portion 222 is sufficiently crimped to the wire 210 may be made using an X-ray CT image of the cross-section of the crimping portion 230 obtained by performing X-ray CT imaging on the crimping portion 230. To perform X-ray CT imaging of the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200, the wire harness 200 must be fixed to the stage 120 provided in the crimping determination device 100. The wire fixing jig 110 is used as a jig for fixing the wire harness 200 to the stage 120. The wire fixing jig 110 is made of a material through which X-rays can pass. FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional wire fixing jig for X-ray CT imaging. FIG. 4(a) shows a front view of the wire fixing jig 110a, and FIG. 4(b) shows a side view of the wire fixing jig 110a. The wire fixing jig 110a is a jig that can fix only one wire harness 200. Conventionally, in X-ray CT imaging of the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200, one wire harness 200, which is the object to be imaged, is arranged with respect to the wire fixing jig 110a, and X-ray CT imaging of the crimping portion 230 is performed. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the wire harness 200 is fixed by sandwiching the tip portion of the wire harness 200 with the wire fixing jig 110a. The wire fixing jig 110a with the wire harness 200 fixed thereto is fixed to the stage 120 of the crimping determination device 100, and imaging of the crimping portion 230 is performed. In this case, only the crimping portion 230 of one wire harness 200 can be imaged in one X-ray CT imaging.

[0015] Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the wire fixing jig for X-ray CT imaging according to the first embodiment. The wire fixing jig 110b includes a wire fixing portion 111 that fixes the vicinity of the second attachment portion 222 of the wire harness 200, a wire arranging portion 112 that bundles the portions of the wire harness 200 that are not fixed to the wire fixing portion 111, and a support column 113 that fixes the wire fixing portion 111 to the stage 120. The wire fixing portion 111 is fixed to a stage 120 (not shown) placed on the XY plane via the support column 113. The support column 113 fixes the wire fixing portion 111 at a certain position on the stage 120. Also, the wire fixing portion 111 fixes a plurality of wire harnesses 200. In order to prevent the wire harness 200 from being damaged when fixing or repeatedly removing the plurality of wire harnesses 200 during imaging of the wire harness 200, the wire fixing portion 111 is preferably made of a material with low dust and wear resistance and a material with dimensional stability for fixing the wire harness 200. For example, silicone resin, polyethylene resin, etc. can be used. This is to prevent the dust generated when attaching and detaching the wire harness 200 from damaging the wire 210 or entering the imaging image.

[0016] Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the wire fixing portion of the wire fixing jig for X-ray CT imaging according to the first embodiment. Fig. 6(a) is a perspective view of an example of the wire fixing portion 111, Fig. 6(b) is a perspective view of the wire harness 200 arranged in an example of the wire fixing portion 111, Fig. 6(c) is a schematic diagram when the wire harness 200 is fixed to an example of the wire fixing portion 111, and Fig. 6(d) shows different examples of the wire fixing portion 111 respectively.

[0017] The wire fixing portion 111 has a base B in which a groove D for arranging the wire harness 200 in an aligned manner is formed. The base B is made of a material that transmits X-rays, and for example, aluminum, resin, rubber, etc. can be used. A plurality of grooves D are provided in one direction with respect to the base B. For example, as shown in Fig. 6(a), the groove D can penetrate in the Y-axis direction with respect to the base B arranged in the XY plane and be dug in the Z-axis direction (the thickness direction of the base B). That is, the groove D penetrates at least one pair of opposite surfaces of the base B. For example, the shape of the groove D can be a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, etc. Further, a plurality of grooves D are provided along the X-axis direction of the base B. Considering the ease of photography, it is desirable to arrange the wire harnesses 200 so as not to contact each other, so the grooves D are provided at regular intervals in the X-axis direction. In Fig. 6(a), 16 grooves D are provided, but this is only an example, and it is sufficient that a plurality of grooves D are provided with respect to the base B. Also, for example, it is desirable that the width of the groove D in the X-axis direction is larger than the diameter of the wire harness 200, and the depth in the Z-axis direction is larger than the diameter of the wire harness 200. Since the width of the groove D in the X-axis direction is larger than the diameter of the wire harness 200 and the depth in the Z-axis direction is larger than the diameter of the wire harness 200, the wire harness 200 can be arranged in the groove D and can be stably fixed.

[0018] When performing X-ray CT imaging of the wire harness 200, it is arranged by fitting the wire harness 200 into the groove D provided in the base B. When arranging the wire harness 200 in the groove D, the crimp terminal 220 is arranged so that it is not caught by the wire fixing portion 111, allowing X-rays to pass through the crimp portion 230 of the wire harness 200 during X-ray CT imaging. Specifically, the second attachment portion 222 of the wire harness 200 is arranged so as not to be included in the wire fixing portion 111. Since the groove D penetrates in the Y-axis direction, if a plurality of wire harnesses 200 are arranged such that the second attachment portion 222 of the crimp terminal 220 is along the opening of the groove D, the positions of the crimp terminal 220 in the Y-axis can be aligned. When winding the first attachment portion 221 of the crimp terminal 220 so as to be included in the wire fixing portion 111, by making the diameter of the groove D the same as the diameter of the first attachment portion 221, the wire harness 200 can be arranged in the groove D without a gap, and the height of the crimp portion 230 can be aligned when the wire fixing portion 111 is fixed to the stage 120. Alternatively, when winding the first attachment portion 221 of the crimp terminal 220 without including it in the wire fixing portion 111, by making the diameter of the groove D the same as the diameter of the wire harness 200, the wire harness 200 can be arranged in the groove D without a gap. Since the positions of the first attachment portions 221 of the plurality of wire harnesses 200 in the Y-axis direction are aligned, the height of the crimp portion 230 can be aligned when the wire fixing portion 111 is fixed to the stage 120. After arranging the wire harness 200 on the base B, the wire fixing portion 111 is wound around the wire harness 200 in a direction orthogonal to the wire harness 200 (the X-axis direction in Fig. 6(b)) so that the wire harness 200 is enclosed. By tightly or loosely winding the wire fixing portion 111, the arrangement interval between the wire harnesses 200 can be adjusted to an arbitrary width.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 6(c), the wire fixing part 111 containing the wire harness 200 is made to stand upright with respect to the XY plane and fixed to the stage 120 of the X-ray CT apparatus. To fix the wire fixing part 111 to the stage of the X-ray CT apparatus, a support column 113 is used for the wire fixing part 111. The support column 113 is provided on the surface of the wire fixing part 111 where the groove D is not provided, and is fixed to the X-ray CT apparatus so that the wire harness 200 is perpendicular to the stage surface of the X-ray CT apparatus. The support column 113 is made of a material that transmits X-rays.

[0020] Considering that a plurality of wire harnesses 200 are arranged, the wire fixing part 111 may be numbered or the like with a material that does not transmit X-rays in the vicinity of the groove D of the wire fixing part 111 as shown in Fig. 6(d) in order to distinguish the wire harnesses 200 when determining the taken X-ray CT image. By numbering the wire harnesses 200, it becomes possible to select good or defective wire harnesses 200 in the pass / fail determination performed by the determination unit 140 described later.

[0021] However, the shape of the wire fixing part 111 shown in Fig. 6 is an example, and the wire fixing part 111 is not limited to this shape. Any shape is acceptable as long as the wire harness 200 is fitted into the groove D and can be fixed to the base B. Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of different examples of the wire fixing jig for X-ray CT imaging according to the first embodiment. Figs. 7(a) to 7(c) show the case where a plurality of grooves D are provided with respect to the base B, and Figs. 7(d) to 7(f) show the case where one groove D is provided with respect to the base B.

[0022] When providing a plurality of grooves D with respect to the base B, as shown in Fig. 7(a), a plurality of substantially semi-cylindrical grooves D that penetrate in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction) and are dug in the Y-axis direction are provided in one direction on the base B. The wire harness 200 can be inserted into the groove D and placed against the base B. Or, as shown in Fig. 7(b), a plurality of triangular prism grooves D that penetrate in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction) and are dug in the Y-axis direction or the X-axis direction are provided on the base B so as to form an L shape. The wire harness 200 can be inserted into the groove D and placed against the base B. However, the shape of the groove D is not limited to a substantially cylindrical or triangular prism shape, and can be a columnar shape. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7(c), it penetrates in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction), the shape of the penetrating portion is a star-shaped polygon, and the wire harness 200 can be inserted into the groove D that is the apex portion of the star-shaped polygon and placed against the base B. More specifically, in Fig. 7(c), the shape of the penetrating portion is a star-shaped heptagon, and the wire harness 200 can be inserted into the 7 apex portions (grooves D). When providing one groove D with respect to the base B, as shown in Fig. 7(c), it penetrates in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction), and the groove D can be provided with respect to the base B in a shape where the opening of the groove D is a polygon. In this case, the wire harness 200 can be placed near the vertex of the polygon. Or, as shown in Fig. 7(d), it penetrates in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction), and the space where the wire harness 200 can pass through at least one of the XZ planes forming the wire fixing portion 111 is divided by a straight line. Or, as shown in Fig. 7(e), it penetrates in the Z-axis direction (thickness direction), and the space where the wire harness 200 can pass through at least one of the XZ planes forming the wire fixing portion 111 is divided by a wavy line. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7(f), the base B can be opened and closed in the horizontal direction (XY plane), and the boundary of the base B can be divided by a wave surface. Since the base B can be opened and closed, it becomes possible to fix wire harnesses 200 with different diameters to one wire fixing portion 111. In the wire fixing portion 111 where the portion of the groove D into which the wire harness 200 is inserted is a wavy line as shown in Figs. 7(e) and (f), a groove D having a wave surface is formed.Although there are corrugations on the wire fixing portion 111, it is desirable in terms of the ease of self-standing of the wire harness 200 to have a straight portion of the groove D into which the wire harness 200 as shown in FIG. 7(c) is inserted, compared to the wire fixing portion 111. This is because, since the wire harness 200 is made of a resilient material, if the boundary between the groove D and the base B is straight, the portion where the wire harness 200 contacts becomes a flat surface, and when the wire harness 200 is leaned against the base B, it may bounce back and fall. However, if the portion where the groove D contacts the wire harness 200 has a corrugated surface, the bounce when leaned against the base B can be prevented. More desirably, considering the ease of self-standing of the wire harness 200 and the stability when self-standing, it has a shape as shown in FIGS. 6, 7(a), and 7(b) in which one wire harness 200 can be arranged for one groove D.

[0023] The wire bundling part 112 bundles the wire harness 200. The wire bundling part 112 is provided at a position where the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray generator 131 of the imaging part 130 do not pass through. Since the wire harness 200 has a long overall length, when it is fixed to the stage 120 using the wire fixing part 111, a part of the wire harness 200 may overlap the first quadrant. The wires 210 in the wire harness 200 do not allow X-rays to pass through. If there is a wire harness 200 other than the crimping part 230 in the first quadrant, an X-ray CT image including a part of the wire harness 200 other than the crimping part 230 is taken. If an image including a part other than the crimping part 230 is used for the crimping state determination performed by the determination part 140, it may take time to extract the image or an inappropriate image may be extracted. Therefore, the wire bundling part 112 that bundles the wire harness 200 is used so that the part of the wire harness 200 other than the crimping part 230 does not overlap the X-ray transmission path (first quadrant) as much as possible. The wire bundling part 112 wraps the part of the wire harness 200 that is not fixed to the wire fixing part 111 to bundle the wire harness 200. By using the wire bundling part 112, it is possible to prevent the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray generator 131 from passing through the part other than the crimping part 230. However, depending on the type of the wire harness 200, etc., if the wire harness 200 other than the crimping part 230 does not appear during X-ray CT imaging, the wire bundling part 112 may not be used.

[0024] The support column 113 fixes the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120. When using the wire fixing part 111, the wire harness 200 may protrude downward in the vertical direction of the wire fixing jig, and it may be difficult to fix it to the stage 120 only with the wire fixing part 111. Therefore, the support column 113 is used to fix the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120. The support column 113 may be attached in advance to the surface of the wire fixing part 111 where the groove D is not provided, or may be connected when fixing the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120. For example, when the wire fixing part 111 can be wound as shown in Fig. 5(a), the support column 113 is connected to the outermost peripheral part of the wound wire fixing part 111 so as to be substantially parallel to the wire harness 200 that encloses the wire fixing part 111, and the support column 113 is inserted into a hole provided on the stage 120, whereby the wire fixing part 111 can be fixed at a predetermined position on the stage 120. In this case, the support column 113 can be provided in the horizontal direction and in the penetrating direction of the groove D provided in the wire fixing part 111. When the wire fixing part 111 is not wound, the support column 113 may be attached in advance to the surface of the wire fixing part 111 where the groove D is not provided, or may be connected when fixing the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120. The support column 113 is a column extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and is connected to both the wire fixing part 111 and the stage 120. However, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the support column 113 may be arranged on the wire arranging part 112 so as to be substantially parallel to the wire harness 200. By arranging the support column 113 on the wire arranging part 112, it can be fixed to the stage 120 without providing a hole or the like for fixing the support column 113 to the stage 120. The support column 113 is preferably made of a material that does not inhibit X-ray CT imaging. For example, resin or aluminum can be used. However, when using a wire fixing part 111 that can be fixed to the stage 120 without using the support column 113, the wire fixing part 111 may be fixed to the stage 120 without passing through the support column 113.

[0025] Next, the crimping determination method will be described. Fig. 8 shows a flowchart of the crimping determination method according to the first embodiment. First, as step S110, select the wire fixing part 111. Select an appropriate wire fixing part 111 according to the number, diameter, etc. of the wire harnesses 200 for which the crimping state is to be determined. After selecting the wire fixing jig 110, proceed to step S120.

[0026] In step S120, attach the wire harness 200 to the imaging unit 130. Specifically, fix the wire harness 200 to the stage 120 of the X-ray CT apparatus. When attaching the wire harness 200 to the stage 120, first fix the wire harness 200 to the wire fixing part 111 selected in step S110, and then fix that wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120. When fixing the wire harness 200 to the wire fixing part 111, fix it so that the heights of the plurality of crimping parts 230 are aligned. When a support column 113 is required to fix the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120, use the support column 113 for fixing. Also, when performing imaging, arrange it so that the crimp terminals 220 are imaged. After fixing the wire fixing part 111 to the stage 120, wind the portion of the wire harness 200 that is not fixed to the wire fixing part 111 around the wire arranging part 112 and fix it outside the stage 120, or gather it in a portion where X-rays do not penetrate. After attaching the wire harness 200 to the X-ray CT apparatus, proceed to step S130.

[0027] In step S130, the imaging conditions of the imaging unit 130 are set, and it is determined whether the imaging conditions are appropriate or inappropriate. Specifically, settings such as the X-ray irradiation intensity and the number of imaging shots of the X-ray CT apparatus are made, and a test imaging is performed. As a result of the test imaging, if the imaging conditions are appropriate, it is considered that the target image can be obtained without defects even if imaging is performed under the set conditions. On the other hand, as a result of the test imaging, if the imaging conditions are inappropriate, it is considered that it is difficult to obtain the target image even if imaging is performed under the set conditions. Here, the case where the imaging conditions are inappropriate will be described. If the obtained image is such that it is difficult to determine the quality of the crimping state, such as a part where the crimping part 230 overlaps, a part where the contrast of the image is ambiguous, or a part that is out of focus, it is determined that the imaging conditions are inappropriate. Therefore, if the imaging conditions are appropriate and the imaging is good, the process proceeds to step S140, and if the imaging conditions are inappropriate and the imaging is poor, the process returns to step S110.

[0028] In step S140, X-ray CT imaging of the wire harness 200 fixed to the stage 120 is performed. For example, when 10 wire harnesses 200 are fixed to the wire fixing part 111, in one X-ray CT imaging, 10 wire harnesses 200 are imaged, and X-ray CT images of 10 wire harnesses 200 are obtained. In order to distinguish the plurality of imaged wire harnesses 200, numbering is performed on the image, or when numbering is not performed on the image, the numbered wire fixing jig 110 is used. After performing the X-ray CT imaging of the wire harness 200, the process proceeds to step S150.

[0029] In step S150, a plurality of images related to the crimping part 230 are extracted from the taken X-ray CT images. About 200 to 300 tomographic images are obtained for each location of the crimping part 230. After extracting the image of the crimping part 230, the process proceeds to step S160.

[0030] In step S160, the porosity of each tomographic image of the crimping portion 230 extracted is calculated. The porosity is calculated by distinguishing the void portion from the electric wire 210 using, for example, the difference in contrast. After calculating the porosity from each image, the process proceeds to step S170.

[0031] In step S170, an image having the minimum porosity is extracted, and the shape of the crimping portion 230 reflected in the extracted image is determined. After determining the shape of the crimping portion 230, the process proceeds to step S180.

[0032] Here, the reason for extracting the image with the minimum porosity will be explained. FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the crimping portion 230 according to the first embodiment. The wire harness 200 in FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view in the XZ plane. Generally, uneven portions are provided inside the second attachment portion 222 of the crimping terminal 220 to be crimped. When the crimping terminal 220 is crimped to the electric wire 210, among the second attachment portions 222, the portion having the convex portion P (serration) inside is crimped, and it is particularly desirable that the convex portion P is sufficiently crimped. Even if the entire second attachment portion 222 is not crimped, if there is a portion where even one place is sufficiently crimped and there is no gap, it can be determined that the crimping state is good for the entire wire harness 200. If the portion having the convex portion P inside the second attachment portion 222 is crimped, the a-a cross-sectional image of the crimping portion 230 near the convex portion P will have the minimum porosity, and it is possible to determine the quality of the crimping state by looking at the shape of the most suitable portion for the determination. Therefore, the image with the minimum porosity is extracted.

[0033] In step S180, the determination result of the shape of the crimping portion 230 performed in step S170 is output. After displaying the determination result on the display unit 150, the process ends.

[0034] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart showing an example different from the crimping determination method according to the first embodiment. Steps S210 to S260 perform the same steps as steps S110 to S160 described above.

[0035] In step S270, an image with the minimum porosity is extracted. From the tomographic images of the plurality of crimping portions 230 taken, the tomographic image with the smallest porosity of the crimping portion 230 is extracted. After extracting the image with the minimum porosity, the process proceeds to step S290.

[0036] In step S290, product determination is performed. The product determination is to determine whether the crimping state of the crimping portion 230 is good or not. Specifically, it is determined whether the crimping state of the crimping terminal 220 of the wire harness 200 with respect to the electric wire 210 is sufficient (normal) or not (abnormal). If the crimping state of the crimping terminal 220 with respect to the electric wire 210 is normal, even if the wire harness 200 is mounted on the product, during the use of the product, the risk of smoking or the like caused by the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200 is considered to be low and safe. On the other hand, if the crimping state of the crimping terminal 220 with respect to the electric wire 210 is abnormal, when the wire harness 200 is mounted on the product, the resistance value increases due to oxidation of the electric wire 210 or detachment of the electric wire 210 from the crimping portion 230, etc., and the risk of heat generation and smoking occurs. Therefore, if the crimping state of the crimping terminal 220 with respect to the electric wire 210 is normal from the cross-sectional shape of the wire harness 200 having the minimum porosity extracted in step S270, the determination result is displayed on the display unit 150 and the process ends. If the crimping state of the crimping terminal 220 with respect to the electric wire 210 is abnormal, the process proceeds to step S290.

[0037] In step S290, a recheck of the image extracted in step S270 is performed. The recheck of the image is for the operator to confirm whether the extracted image is an image of the portion with the minimum porosity of the crimping portion 230, and whether the extracted image overlaps with the image of the crimping portion 230 of the wire harness 200 arranged adjacent during imaging. As a result of the recheck, if the crimping state is normal, it is displayed on the display unit 150 that the crimping state is normal and the process ends. As a result of the recheck, if there is an abnormality in the image, the process proceeds to step S230 to reset the imaging conditions.

[0038] According to the crimping determination device 100 according to the present embodiment, in a single X-ray CT imaging, it is possible to image the crimping portions 230 of a plurality of wire harnesses 200, and since a large number of X-ray CT images of the crimping portions 230 can be acquired in a short time, it is possible to efficiently determine whether the crimping state of the crimping portions 230 is good or bad in terms of time. Further, since the wire harnesses 200 subjected to X-ray CT imaging are numbered, it is possible to surely collect the wire harnesses 200 for which a defective determination has been made.

[0039] According to the wire fixing jig 110 according to the present embodiment, when imaging a plurality of wire harnesses 200, it is possible to acquire an X-ray CT image in which the focus is adjusted. In X-ray CT imaging, since imaging is performed with the focus on a certain point, if the vertical heights of the crimping portions 230 are not aligned, it is not possible to acquire an image with the focus. The wire fixing jig 110 according to the present embodiment is provided with a groove D penetrating the wire fixing portion 111, so that the heights of the crimp terminals 220 can be aligned, and since the heights of the crimping portions 230 are also aligned, it is possible to acquire an X-ray CT image with the focus. Furthermore, when using the wire arranging portion 112, it is possible to prevent the outside of the crimping portion 230 from being reflected in the X-ray CT image to be imaged, so that it is possible to image the X-ray CT image of the crimping portion 230 with high accuracy. Also, since the groove D is provided in the wire fixing portion 111 of the wire fixing jig 110, the wire harnesses 200 do not contact each other during X-ray imaging of the crimping portion 230, so that a highly accurate image can be acquired.

[0040] According to the crimping determination method according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine the quality of the crimping state of the crimping portion 230 without performing special processing on the wire harness 200. Therefore, the wire harness 200 determined to be a good product can be mounted on the product, and the reliability of the product equipped with the wire harness 200 can be improved. Further, in order to extract an image with the minimum porosity, it is possible to determine the quality of the crimping state using an image of the most crimped portion of the crimping portion 230. Furthermore, since images of a plurality of crimping portions 230 can be acquired by one shooting, it is possible to efficiently determine the quality of the crimping portion 230 as compared with the case of acquiring an image of one crimping portion 230 by one shooting, improving the time efficiency of the quality determination and enabling a full inspection of the wire harness 200.

[0041] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these novel embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 100... Crimping determination device 110... Wire fixing jig 110a... Wire fixing jig 110b... Wire fixing jig 111... Wire fixing portion 112... Wire aligning portion 113... Support column 120... Stage 130... Imaging unit 131... X-ray generator 132... X-ray detector 140... Determination unit 150... Display unit 200... Wire harness 210... Electric wire 211... Coating member 220... Crimping terminal 221…First attachment part 222…Second attachment part 230…Crimping part B…Base part P…Protrusion D…Groove S…Space

Claims

1. A jig provided on a stage when performing X-ray CT imaging, capable of arranging a wire harness, which is an object to be imaged, at a predetermined position on the stage, a base that supports a plurality of the wire harnesses and transmits X-rays, and a groove provided on the surface of the base and having a width larger than the diameter of the wire harness, wherein the groove penetrates at least one pair of opposite surfaces of the base, and it is a wire fixing jig.

2. The wire fixing jig according to claim 1, wherein the groove is dug in a horizontal direction with respect to the thickness direction of the base, penetrates in a vertical direction with respect to the thickness direction of the base, and a plurality of the grooves are provided at regular intervals in one direction with respect to the base, and can be wound in the one direction.

3. The wire fixing jig according to claim 1, wherein the groove is dug in a vertical direction with respect to the thickness direction of the base, penetrates in a horizontal direction with respect to the thickness direction of the base, and a plurality of the grooves are provided with respect to the base.

4. The wire fixing jig according to claim 1, wherein the groove penetrates in a horizontal direction with respect to the thickness direction of the base, and the base and the groove are separated by a wave surface.

5. The wire fixing jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a wire arranging portion capable of winding the wire harness.

6. The wire fixing jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a support column that connects the stage and the wire fixing jig and extends in a horizontal direction in the penetrating direction of the groove.

7. An imaging unit that irradiates X-rays, the wire fixing jig according to claim 6 provided in the transmission path of the X-rays irradiated from the imaging unit to fix the wire harness at a predetermined position, and a determination unit that determines whether the crimping state of the wire harness is good or bad based on an image taken by the imaging unit, and it is a crimping determination device having these.

8. A method for determining whether the crimping state of a wire harness in which a crimping terminal is crimped to a wire is good or bad, comprising the steps of: performing X-ray CT imaging on the crimping terminal portion of the wire harness to obtain an X-ray CT image; extracting a plurality of line CT images of the crimping terminal portion of the wire harness from the X-ray CT image; calculating the porosity of the crimping terminal portion from the plurality of extracted X-ray CT images; selecting an X-ray CT image in which the calculated porosity of the crimping terminal portion is the minimum porosity; and determining whether the crimping state of the crimping terminal portion is good or bad based on the selected X-ray CT image, and it is a crimping determination method having these.

Images