Continuity inspection device

Abstract

To provide a continuity inspection device capable of improving work efficiency.SOLUTION: A continuity inspection device 1 for inspecting continuity of a wire harness 10 including a harness body 11 comprised of a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors 12A and 12B provided at ends of the harness body, comprises: a jig plate 21 on which the wire harness is placed; a plurality of inspection jigs 2A and 2B being installed on the jig plate 21 and respectively supporting the plurality of connectors; and a control unit 5 being electrically connected to the plurality of inspection jigs and controlling the plurality of inspection jigs, where the plurality of inspection jigs 2A and 2B include one specific inspection jig 2A to be connected to the control unit 5 and another inspection jig 2B, and where the other inspection jig 2B is electrically connected to the control unit 5 via the specific inspection jig 2A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a continuity inspection device.

Background Art

[0002] Automobiles and the like are equipped with various electronic devices, and a wire harness is routed to transmit power from a power source such as a battery and control signals from an inspection unit to the electronic devices.

[0003] In a harness production line having a belt conveyor device installed in a factory and a plurality of wiring boards conveyed by the belt conveyor device, the wire harness is assembled on the wiring board, and at the final stage of the harness production line, it is inspected whether all the electric wires constituting the wire harness are surely conductive between connectors.

[0004] As an example of a device for performing such a continuity inspection of a wire harness, a continuity inspection device 101 shown in FIG. 4 is supported at a predetermined position of a wiring board 102 and connected to a connector W1 provided at an end portion of a wire harness W. It includes a plurality of inspection connectors 103, lead wires 104 drawn from each of the plurality of inspection connectors 103, and an inspection unit 105 connected to each inspection connector 103 via the lead wires 104 to inspect the continuity state of each electric wire W10 constituting the wire harness W (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] In this conventional continuity inspection device 101, with the connector W1 provided at the end portion of the wire harness W and the inspection connectors 103 being connector-connected, each inspection connector 103 is electrically connected to the inspection unit 105 via the lead wire 104, so that the inspection unit 105 inspects the continuity state of each electric wire W10 constituting the wire harness W.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, when the wire harness W is produced in a line, when the connector W1 of the wire harness W is conveyed by a belt conveyor device or the like while being supported by each inspection connector 103, it is necessary to connect each inspection connector 103 and the lead wire 104 drawn from the inspection unit 105 within the time allocated in the line. For this reason, within the allocated time, the connection work between the inspection connectors 103 and the lead wires 104 drawn from the inspection unit 105 has to be performed the same number of times as the number of connectors W1, and improvement in work efficiency has been demanded in this regard.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a continuity inspection device that improves work efficiency.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the invention described in claim 1 is a continuity inspection device for performing a continuity inspection of a wire harness having a harness body composed of a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors provided at terminals of the harness body, including a jig plate on which the wire harness is placed, a plurality of inspection jigs that are installed on the jig plate and support each of the plurality of connectors, and a control unit that is electrically connected to the plurality of inspection jigs and controls the plurality of inspection jigs. The plurality of inspection jigs include one specific inspection jig electrically connected to the control unit and other inspection jigs, and the other inspection jigs are electrically connected to the control unit via the specific inspection jig.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to improve work efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a part of a wire harness production line to which a continuity inspection device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the continuity inspection device 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view conceptually showing how a specific inspection jig 2A constituting the continuity inspection device 1 and a control-side inspection jig 4 connected to a control unit 5 are connected.

[0013] The continuity test device 1 of this embodiment is used to test the continuity of a wire harness 10 to be mounted on a vehicle, and is used in a continuity test process (to be described later) on a wire harness production line.

[0014] 1 and 2, a wire harness 10 includes a harness main body 11 having a trunk 11A formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires and branch portions (not shown) branching from the trunk 11A, a plurality of connectors 12A, 12B (two in the illustrated example) provided at the terminals of the branch portions, and exterior components (not shown) such as protectors and corrugated tubes attached to the trunk 11A and the branch portions. In FIG. 1, the branch portions are omitted, and a pair of connectors 12A, 12B is shown as the plurality of connectors 12A, 12B. Hereinafter, one of the pair of connectors 12A, 12B may be referred to as the "one-side connector 12A" and the other as the "other-side connector 12B."

[0015] The continuity test device 1 performs a continuity test to determine whether all of the electric wires constituting the wire harness 10 are conductive between the connectors 12A and 12B. As shown in Fig. 1, the continuity test device 1 includes an inspection jig 20 on which the wire harness 10 is placed and which has a plurality of inspection jigs 2A and 2B (two in the illustrated example) connected to the connectors 12A and 12B provided at the ends of the wire harness 10, a transport mechanism (not shown) that transports the inspection jig 20 along a predetermined path, and an inspection unit 3 that controls the inspection jigs 2A and 2B to perform a continuity test on the wire harness 10.

[0016] In addition, in the continuity testing device 1, the testing unit 3 is installed at a position along a predetermined route, and when the testing jig 20 transported by the transport mechanism approaches the testing unit 3, the testing unit 3 and the testing jig 20 are electrically connected.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inspection jig 20 comprises a jig plate 21 that is installed horizontally and on which the wire harness 10 is placed, two (or more) inspection jigs 2A and 2B that are installed at predetermined positions on the jig plate 21 and are configured with checker fixtures (C / F), and a first connection wire 2L for electrically connecting the two inspection jigs 2A and 2B to each other.

[0018] 1, the two inspection jigs 2A and 2B are installed on a jig plate 21 at positions corresponding to the two connectors 12A and 12B provided at the ends of the wire harness 10 in an assembled form in which the wire harness 10 is mounted on a vehicle. When the wire harness 10 is placed on the jig plate 21, the connectors 12A and 12B provided at the ends of the wire harness 10 are brought close to and supported by the inspection jigs 2A and 2B installed on the jig plate 21.

[0019] Furthermore, of these inspection jigs 2A and 2B, one inspection jig 2A (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "specific inspection jig 2A") is connected to the inspection unit 3 described below, and the remaining inspection jig 2B (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "other inspection jig 2B") is connected to the inspection unit 3 via the specific inspection jig 2A.

[0020] 2, the specific inspection jig 2A is configured to include a jig-side support base 22 in the shape of a plate extending horizontally, a one-side connector support portion 23A (connector support portion) that is provided on the jig-side support base 22 and supports the one-side connector 12A in a predetermined posture (orientation), a jig-side connector portion 24A that is provided on the jig-side support base 22 and connected to a control-side connector portion 41 (described later) of the control-side inspection jig 4, and a one-side connection receptacle 25A to which one end of the first connection line 2L is connected. One end of the first connection line 2L is configured to be electrically connected to a first terminal portion (described later) that is provided on the jig-side connector portion 24A via the one-side connection receptacle 25A.

[0021] 3, the first connector support portion 23A is configured to support the first connector 12A with the mating surface 120A of the first connector 12A facing upward Z1 so that the connector mating direction is the up-down direction Z (vertical direction, predetermined direction). The first connector 12A and a jig-side connector portion 24A, which will be described later, are each provided facing upward Z1 so that the connector mating direction is the up-down direction Z.

[0022] 3, the jig-side connector portion 24A is configured to have a conductive first terminal portion (not shown) and a first connector housing 240A that accommodates the first terminal portion. The jig-side connector portion 24A is oriented such that a fitting surface (given reference symbol 240A) of the first connector housing 240A faces upward Z1 so that the connector fitting direction with the control-side connector portion 41 of the control-side inspection jig 4, which will be described later, is the up-down direction Z (a predetermined direction).

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the other inspection jig 2B is configured to include a jig side support base 22 in the form of a rectangular plate extending horizontally, an other side connector support portion 23B provided on the jig side support base 22 and supporting the other side connector 12B in a predetermined posture (orientation), and an other side connection receiving portion 25B to which the other end of the first connection line 2L is connected.

[0024] Furthermore, the other inspection jig 2B is configured so that when the other side connector 12B is supported by the other side connector support portion 23B, the terminal portion (not shown) of the other side connector 12B is electrically connected to the first connection line 2L via the other side connection receiving portion 25B.

[0025] One end of the first connection line 2L is electrically connected to a one-side connection receiving portion 25A provided on a specific inspection jig 2A, and the other end is electrically connected to a other-side connection receiving portion 25B provided on another inspection jig 2B.

[0026] 2, the inspection unit 3 includes a control-side inspection jig 4 connectable to the specific inspection jig 2A, a control unit 5 connected to the specific inspection jig 2A via the control-side inspection jig 4 and controlling the specific inspection jig 2A and other inspection jigs 2B, and a pair of connection wires 6L, 7L for electrically connecting the control-side inspection jig 4 and the control unit 5. Hereinafter, one of the pair of connection wires 6L, 7L may be referred to as a "second connection wire 6L" and the other as a "third connection wire 7L."

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the control side inspection jig 4 is configured to include a control side support base 40 in the form of a rectangular plate extending horizontally, a control side connector portion 41 provided on the control side support base 40 and capable of engaging with the jig side connector portion 24A of the specific inspection jig 2A, an inspection connector portion 42 (mating connector) provided on the control side support base 40 and capable of engaging with one side connector 12A of the specific inspection jig 2A, a second connection receptacle 43 to which one end of the second connection line 6L is connected, and a third connection receptacle 44 (shown in Figure 2) to which one end of the third connection line 7L is connected.

[0028] 3, the control side connector section 41 is configured to have a conductive second terminal section (not shown) and a second connector housing 410 that houses the second terminal section. The control side connector section 41 is arranged such that the mating surface (given the reference symbol 410) of the second connector housing 410 faces downward Z2.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the inspection connector portion 42 is provided such that the fitting surface 420 of the inspection connector portion 42 faces downward Z2 in the vertical direction Z, with the connector fitting direction for the one - side connector 12A being the vertical direction Z (the up - and - down direction).

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, in such a control - side inspection jig 4, the second terminal portion of the control - side connector portion 41 and the control unit 5 are electrically connected via the second connection line 6L, and a terminal portion (not shown) of the inspection connector portion 42 and the control unit 5 are electrically connected via the third connection line 7L.

[0031] Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the control - side inspection jig 4 is held by the robot hand RA2 in a state where the second terminal portion of the control - side connector portion 41 and the control unit 5 are electrically connected via the second connection line 6L, and the terminal portion of the inspection connector portion 42 and the control unit 5 are electrically connected via the third connection line 7L. When the inspection jig body 20 conveyed by the conveyance mechanism arrives at a predetermined position (the third position S3 described later), the control - side inspection jig 4 held by the robot hand RA2 approaches the specific inspection jig 2A of the inspection jig body 20, and the control - side connector portion 41 of the control - side inspection jig 4 and the jig - side connector portion 24A of the specific inspection jig 2A are fitted and connected, and the inspection connector portion 42 of the control - side inspection jig 4 and the one - side connector 12A supported by the specific inspection jig 2A are fitted and connected.

[0032] Since the control - side inspection jig 4 is held by the robot hand RA2 in this way, for example, even if the arrangement of the specific inspection jig 2A and other inspection jigs 2B on the jig plate 21 is changed to correspond to other product numbers, the control - side inspection jig 4 held by the robot hand RA2 can approach the specific inspection jig 2A installed on the jig plate 21 to connect the control - side inspection jig 4 and the specific inspection jig 2A. In other words, even if the arrangement of the specific inspection jig 2A and other inspection jigs 2B on the jig plate 21 is changed, the control unit 5 and other inspection jigs 2B can be electrically connected via the specific inspection jig 2A.

[0033] The control unit 5 is configured with a CPU, and performs a continuity test between the connectors 12A, 12B that configure the wire harness 10, and notifies the result of the test. As shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 5 is configured so that one end of the second connection line 6L is electrically connected to a second terminal portion provided on the control-side connector unit 41 via a second connection receptacle 43. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 5 is configured so that one end of the third connection line 7L is electrically connected to a terminal portion of the inspection connector unit 42 via a third connection receptacle 44.

[0034] Next, we will explain an example of a continuity inspection process performed using the continuity inspection device 1 configured as described above. The continuity inspection process is performed at a third position S3 (described later) on the wire harness production line, after the wire harness 10 in an assembled form to be mounted on a vehicle has been completed through a setting process and a processing process (described later).

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1 , the setting process is performed when the inspection jig 20, which has been transported along a predetermined path by a transport mechanism, reaches the first position S1. In the setting process, the wire harness 10 held by the robot hand RA1 is brought close to the jig plate 21 and mounted on the jig plate 21 in an assembled state. As a result, the one-side connector 12A provided on the wire harness 10 is supported by the one-side connector support portion 23A of the specific inspection jig 2A with its mating surface 120A facing upward Z1 (a predetermined position), and the other-side connector 12B provided on the wire harness 10 is supported by the other-side connector support portion 23B of the other inspection jig 2B. At this time, the other-side connector 12B supported by the other-side connector support portion 23B of the other inspection jig 2B is connectable to the other end of the first connection wire 2L via the other-side connection receiving portion 25B. In this manner, the wire harness 10 is set on the jig plate 21 of the inspection jig 20. This completes the setting process.

[0036] After that, as shown in FIG. 1, when the inspection jig body 20 conveyed by the conveyance mechanism is moved from the first position S1 on the predetermined path and reaches the second position S2, a processing step is performed. In the processing step, on the jig plate 21, exterior parts such as protectors and corrugated tubes are attached to the trunk portion 11A and the branched portions that constitute the harness body 11. In this way, the wire harness 10 is in a completed form. Thereby, the processing step is completed.

[0037] After that, as shown in FIG. 1, when the inspection jig body 20 conveyed by the conveyance mechanism is moved from the second position S2 on the predetermined path and reaches the third position S3, a continuity inspection step is performed. In the continuity inspection step, the control-side inspection jig 4 held by the robot hand RA2 is moved downward Z2 toward the specific inspection jig 2A. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the control-side support base 40 of the control-side inspection jig 4 faces the jig-side support base 22 of the specific inspection jig 2A, and the control-side support base 40 approaches the jig-side support base 22. As the movement progresses, the fitting surface 410 of the control-side connector portion 41 approaches the fitting surface 240A of the jig-side connector portion 24A, and the control-side connector portion 41 and the jig-side connector portion 24A are connected by a connector. At the same time, the fitting surface 420 of the inspection connector portion 42 approaches the fitting surface 120A of the one-side connector 12A, and the inspection connector portion 42 and the one-side connector 12A are connected by a connector.

[0038] In this state, the control unit 5 controls the other inspection jig 2B to electrically connect the other-side connector 12B and the other end of the first connection line 2L via the other-side connection receptacle 25B. Then, the control unit 5 sends an inspection signal through the harness body 11 of the wire harness 10, inspects the energized state of the harness body 11, and notifies the result of the inspection. Thereby, the continuity inspection step is completed.

[0039] After that, the control-side inspection jig 4 held by the robot hand RA2 is moved upward Z1 so as to be separated from the specific inspection jig 2A. As a result, the connector connection between the control-side connector portion 41 and the jig-side connector portion 24A is released, and the connector connection between the inspection connector portion 42 and the one-side connector 12A is released.

[0040] After that, when the inspection jig body 20 conveyed by the conveyance mechanism is moved from the third position S3 on the predetermined path and reaches the fourth position S4, the robot hand RA3 approaches the wire harness 10 placed on the jig plate 21. Then, one-side connector 12A is removed from the one-side connector support portion 23A of the specific inspection jig 2A, and the other-side connector 12B is removed from the other-side connector support portion 23B of the other inspection jig 2B. In this way, the wire harness 10 is removed from the jig plate 21 by the robot hand RA3, and the wire harness 10 is conveyed to another location by the robot hand RA3.

[0041] According to the above-described embodiment, the plurality of inspection jigs 2A and 2B include one specific inspection jig 2A connected to the control unit 5 and the other inspection jig 2B, and the other inspection jig 2B is electrically connected to the control unit 5 via the specific inspection jig 2A. According to this, since the other inspection jig 2B is electrically connected to the control unit 5 via the specific inspection jig 2A, without connecting the control unit 5 and the other inspection jig 2B, only by the operation of connecting the control unit 5 and the specific inspection jig 2A, the other inspection jig 2B and the control unit 5 can be electrically connected via the specific inspection jig 2A. Thereby, the working efficiency can be improved.

[0042] The specific inspection jig 2A also includes a control-side inspection jig 4 connectable to the specific inspection jig 2A, which has a one-side connector support portion 23A that supports one connector 12A and a jig-side connector portion 24A (jig-side connection portion), and the control-side inspection jig 4 has an inspection connector portion 42 (mating connector) that can be fitted to one connector 12A and a control-side connector portion 41 (control-side connection portion) that can be connected to the jig-side connector portion 24A, and the one connector 12A and the inspection connector portion 42, and the jig-side connector portion 24A and the control-side connector portion 41 are configured to be connected by approaching each other in the vertical direction Z (a predetermined direction).Accordingly, by bringing the specific inspection jig 2A and the control-side inspection jig 4 closer to each other in the vertical direction Z, the one-side connector 12A and the inspection connector portion 42, and the jig-side connector portion 24A and the control-side connector portion 41 are electrically and mechanically connected to each other, thereby reducing the amount of work and further improving work efficiency.

[0043] The wire harness 10 also includes exterior parts attached to the harness body 11, and the exterior parts are attached to the harness body 11 on the jig plate 21. That is, the harness body 11 is set in a predetermined position on the jig plate 21, and the exterior parts are attached to the harness body 11 in the processing step, and a continuity test is performed in the continuity test step. According to this, the processing step is performed on the same jig plate 21 as the jig plate 21 on which the continuity test is performed, and therefore the wire harness 10 can be produced on a production line while reducing the effort required to move the wire harness 10 and set it in a predetermined position. This further improves work efficiency.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes other configurations that can achieve the object of the present invention, and the following modified examples are also included in the present invention.

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, the jig-side connector portion 24A of the specific inspection jig 2A and the control-side connector portion 41 of the control-side inspection jig 4 are connector-fitted in the vertical direction Z, and the one-side connector 12A supported by the specific inspection jig 2A and the inspection connector portion 42 provided on the control-side inspection jig 4 are configured to be connector-fitted in the vertical direction Z. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The connector fitting direction between the jig-side connector portion 24A and the control-side connector portion 41, and the connector fitting direction between the one-side connector 12A and the inspection connector portion 42 may be the same direction. For example, they may be configured to be connector-fitted in the horizontal direction.

[0046] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the continuity inspection device 1 has a transport mechanism, and the inspection jig body 20 is configured to be transported along a predetermined path by the transport mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The inspection jig body 20 in the continuity inspection device 1 may be installed at a predetermined position. In this case, the transport mechanism may be omitted.

[0047] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the setting process, when the inspection jig body 20 transported along a predetermined path by the transport mechanism reaches the first position S1, the wire harness 10 held by the robot hand RA1 is mounted on the jig plate 21. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The wire harness 10 may be assembled on the jig plate 21, transported while being placed on the jig plate 21, and continuity inspection may be performed at the third position S3 after passing through the first position S1 and the second position S2. In this case, the setting process may be omitted.

[0048] In addition, the best configurations, methods, etc. for implementing the present invention are disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described mainly with respect to specific embodiments. However, without departing from the scope of the technical idea and purpose of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations. Therefore, the descriptions limiting the shape, material, etc. disclosed above are exemplified for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Thus, the descriptions using the names of members with some or all of the limitations on those shapes, materials, etc. removed are included in the present invention.

Explanation of Signs

[0049] 1 Conductivity inspection device 10 Wire harness 11 Harness body 12A One-side connector (multiple connectors, one connector) 12B The other-side connector (multiple connectors) 2A Specific inspection jig, multiple inspection jigs 2B Other inspection jig, multiple inspection jigs 21 Jig plate 23A One-side connector support part (connector support part) 24A Jig-side connector part (jig-side connection part) 4 Control-side inspection jig 41 Control-side connector part (control-side connection part) 42 Inspection connector part (mating connector) 5 Control part Z Vertical direction (predetermined direction)

Claims

1. A continuity inspection device for performing a continuity inspection of a wire harness having a harness body composed of a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors provided at terminals of the harness body, comprising: a jig plate on which the wire harness is placed; a plurality of inspection jigs that are installed on the jig plate and support each of the plurality of connectors; a control unit that is electrically connected to the plurality of inspection jigs and controls the plurality of inspection jigs. The plurality of inspection jigs include one specific inspection jig electrically connected to the control unit and other inspection jigs. The other inspection jigs are electrically connected to the control unit via the specific inspection jig. The continuity inspection device is characterized by this.

2. Comprising a control-side inspection jig electrically connected to the control unit, The specific inspection jig has a connector support portion that supports one of the plurality of connectors and a jig-side connection portion electrically connected to the other inspection jigs. The control-side inspection jig has a mating connector that can be fitted and connected to the one connector and a control-side connection portion that can be electrically connected to the jig-side connection portion. The continuity inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the one connector and the mating connector, and the jig-side connection portion and the control-side connection portion are configured to be electrically connected by approaching in a predetermined direction.

3. The wire harness includes an exterior component attached to the harness body. The continuity inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the exterior component is attached to the harness body on the jig plate.

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