Wire harness bundling processing device

Abstract

Provided is a wire harness bundling device that can automate and increase the speed of work to bundle electric wires in a bundle body by continuously bundling a plurality of electric wires by using the bundle body, and that forms a wire harness capable of suppressing decreasing of the bundling force bundling the electric wires.　The wire harness bundling device comprises: a wire supply unit that supplies wire in the vicinity of a body to be bundled; and an annulation forming part that forms an annular part by curving a portion of the wire supplied from the wire supply unit. The annulation forming part continuously forms a plurality of annular parts from the wire supplied by the wire supply unit, disposes the plurality of annular parts along the longitudinal direction of the body to be bundled, and links annular parts that are adjacent along the longitudinal direction of the body to be bundled, thereby forming a bundle body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire harness bundling processing device that forms a wire harness in which objects to be bound, including a plurality of electric wires, are bound by a bundling body made of flexible wire. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, wire harnesses, which bundle together multiple electric wires, optical fibers, etc. (electric wires) for power supply and signal communication, have been used in automobiles and various mechanical devices, etc. The process of manufacturing wire harnesses includes bundling multiple electric wires with a binder such as adhesive tape.

[0003] The task of bundling electric wires with a bundling device by hand is extremely time-consuming. Furthermore, the level of skill varies from worker to worker, which can lead to variations in the quality of wire harnesses. For this reason, wire harness manufacturing equipment has been proposed that automates the task of bundling electric wires with a bundling device.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wire harness manufacturing device in which a tape winding device moves freely in three dimensions to wind tape around a bundle of multiple electric wires arranged on a harness wiring device.

[0005] The wire harness manufacturing device of Patent Document 1 can automate the task of bundling electric wires with adhesive tape. However, the wire harness manufacturing device of Patent Document 1 is configured to wrap the adhesive tape around each location and cut the adhesive tape after wrapping around each location. Therefore, the wire harness manufacturing device of Patent Document 1 cannot continuously wrap the adhesive tape around electric wires, and there is a problem in that it takes time to bundle multiple electric wires with a binder.

[0006] Meanwhile, there have been proposed wire harness manufacturing devices that use a binder other than adhesive tape to speed up the work of bundling multiple electric wires. For example, the wire harness manufacturing device disclosed in Patent Document 2 uses a wire such as a thread or string as a binder. In this wire harness manufacturing device, the bundle of electric wires moves in the longitudinal direction, and an idler reel that supplies the wire rotates around the electric wires, thereby winding the wire in a spiral shape around the bundle of electric wires.

[0007] According to the wire harness manufacturing device of Patent Document 2, a continuous wire such as a thread or string is spirally wound around the electric wires to bind them together, thereby speeding up the work of bundling the electric wires with a bundling body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-192456 A [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-5031 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, in the wire harness manufacturing device of Patent Document 2, the wire wound in a spiral shape around the electric wires is not fixed to the electric wires like an adhesive tape, and there is no fixing part such as a knot to maintain the spiral shape. Therefore, the position of the wire may shift relative to the electric wires, and the spiral shape may not be maintained, which may reduce the binding force for binding the electric wires.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a wire harness bundling processing device that can automate and speed up the work of bundling electrical wires with a bundling body by continuously bundling multiple electrical wires with the bundling body, and that forms a wire harness that can suppress a decrease in the bundling force for bundling electrical wires. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The wire harness bundling processing device of the present invention is a wire harness bundling processing device that forms a wire harness by bundling a bundled object including a plurality of electric wires with a bundling body made of flexible wire, a wire supply unit that supplies the wire in the vicinity of the object to be bound; a ring forming unit that forms a ring portion by bending a part of the wire rod supplied from the wire rod supply unit, The annular forming section forms a plurality of annular sections continuously on the wire supplied from the wire supply section, arranges the plurality of annular sections along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, and connects adjacent annular sections along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, thereby forming the bound body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the wire harness bundling processing device of the present invention, by continuously bundling multiple electric wires with a bundling body, the work of bundling electric wires with a bundling body can be automated and sped up, and a decrease in the bundling force for bundling the electric wires can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a part of a wire harness 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a portion of the wire harness 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating a portion of the wire harness 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1D] FIG. 1D is a diagram showing a part of the wire harness 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the wire harness bundling processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the binding device main body. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the binding device body as seen from a different direction than that of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view of the binding device body as seen from the Y-axis direction. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating the operation of the wire hooking unit. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the wire hooking unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the binding device main body in the Z-axis direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the binding device main body in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating the first connection step. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating the first connection step. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating the first joining step. [Figure 9D] FIG. 9D is a diagram illustrating the first ligation step. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the bundling process in the wire harness bundling method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A wire harness according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A wire harness in which a bundled object including a plurality of electric wires is bundled by a bundling body made of flexible wire, The binding body has a plurality of continuously formed loop portions, The plurality of annular portions are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, and adjacent annular portions are connected to each other to bind the object to be bound (first configuration).

[0015] According to the above configuration, the binding body has a plurality of continuously formed annular portions, which are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the bound body, and adjacent annular portions are connected to each other to bind the bound body. Since the objects to be bound are successively bound by the binding body made of flexible wire, the work of binding electric wires with the binding body can be automated and sped up. Furthermore, since the object to be bound is bound by connecting adjacent ring portions to each other, the binding body is less likely to shift position relative to the object to be bound, and a decrease in the binding force for binding electrical wires can be prevented.

[0016] In the first configuration, The plurality of annular portions are a first annular portion formed by bending a part of the wire rod and a second annular portion formed by bending another part of the wire rod, and the first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed, The first annular portion and the second annular portion that are adjacent to each other may be connected to each other (second configuration).

[0017] According to the above configuration, the first annular portions and the second annular portions are repeatedly formed, and the adjacent first annular portions and the adjacent second annular portions are connected to each other. Because the first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed and connected, the position of the binding body is less likely to shift relative to the object to be bound, and a decrease in the binding force for binding electrical wires can be suppressed.

[0018] In the second configuration, the second annular portion is inserted into the first annular portion, thereby connecting the first annular portion and the second annular portion; The second annular portion and the first annular portion may be connected by inserting the first annular portion into the second annular portion (third configuration).

[0019] According to the above configuration, the first annular portion and the second annular portion, which are formed continuously, are alternately inserted, thereby connecting the first annular portion and the second annular portion. Because the first annular portion and the second annular portion are connected by being inserted alternately, the position of the binding body is less likely to shift relative to the object to be bound, and a decrease in the binding force for binding electrical wires can be suppressed.

[0020] In the third configuration, a first bundling portion is formed by the wire between the first annular portion and the second annular portion, which are connected by inserting the second annular portion into the first annular portion; a second bundling portion is formed by the wire between the second annular portion and the first annular portion, which are connected by inserting the first annular portion into the second annular portion; The object to be bound may be bound by the first binding part and the second binding part (fourth configuration).

[0021] According to the above configuration, the object to be bound is bound by the first binding portion and the second binding portion between the first annular portion and the second annular portion that are formed continuously. By connecting the first annular portion and the second annular portion, the first bundling portion and the second bundling portion are less likely to come loose, which makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the bundling force that binds the electric wires.

[0022] The wire harness bundling processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: A wire harness bundling processing device that forms a wire harness by bundling a bundled object including a plurality of electric wires with a bundling body made of flexible wire, a wire supply unit that supplies the wire in the vicinity of the object to be bound; a ring forming unit that forms a ring portion by bending a part of the wire rod supplied from the wire rod supply unit, The annular forming section forms a plurality of annular sections continuously on the wire supplied from the wire supply section, arranges the plurality of annular sections along the longitudinal direction of the bundled object, and connects adjacent annular sections along the longitudinal direction of the bundled object to form the bundled body (fifth configuration).

[0023] According to the above configuration, the annular forming unit continuously forms a plurality of annular portions on the wire material supplied from the wire material supply unit, and arranges the plurality of annular portions along the longitudinal direction of the bundled object, thereby connecting adjacent annular portions along the longitudinal direction of the bundled object to form a bundled object. Since the objects to be bound are successively bound by the binding body made of flexible wire, the work of binding electric wires with the binding body can be automated and sped up. Furthermore, since the object to be bound is bound by connecting adjacent ring portions to each other, the binding body is less likely to shift position relative to the object to be bound, and a decrease in the binding force for binding electrical wires can be prevented.

[0024] In the fifth configuration, The annular formation portion is a first annular portion is formed by bending a part of the wire rod, a second annular portion is formed by bending another part of the wire rod, and the first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed; The plurality of annular portions may be connected to one another by connecting the adjacent first annular portion and the adjacent second annular portion (sixth configuration).

[0025] According to the above configuration, adjacent first annular portions and second annular portions are connected to each other, thereby connecting the plurality of annular portions to each other. The first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed and then connected, so that the work of bundling electric wires with the bundling body can be performed at high speed.

[0026] In the sixth configuration, The annular formation portion is The second annular portion is inserted into the first annular portion to connect the first annular portion and the second annular portion; The second annular portion and the first annular portion may be connected by inserting the first annular portion into the second annular portion (seventh configuration).

[0027] According to the above configuration, the first annular portion and the second annular portion, which are formed continuously, are alternately inserted, thereby connecting the first annular portion and the second annular portion. The first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed and connected by alternately inserting them, so that the work of bundling electric wires with the bundling body can be speeded up.

[0028] In the seventh configuration, The annular portion forming body is The second annular portion is formed by inserting a part of the wire into the first annular portion formed on the wire and pulling the wire out of the first annular portion; The first annular portion connected to the second annular portion formed on the wire may be formed by inserting a portion of the wire into the second annular portion and pulling it out (eighth configuration).

[0029] According to the above configuration, the annular portion forming body forms the next annular portion by pulling out a portion of the wire material so as to pass through the first annular portion or the second annular portion formed on the wire material, and at the same time connects the next annular portion to the first annular portion or the second annular portion. Therefore, a plurality of annular portions can be connected to each other without complicating the operation of the annular portion forming body.

[0030] In the eighth configuration, A direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound is defined as a first direction, A direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound and the first direction is defined as a second direction, The annular forming unit and the wire rod supply unit are The device is configured to move a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound each time it reciprocates once in the first direction, The second annular portion is connected to the first annular portion on one side of the object to be bound in the first direction, The first annular portion is connected to the second annular portion on the other side of the object to be bound in the first direction, and, the annular forming portion reciprocates in the first direction by passing one side of the object to be bound in the second direction, The wire supply unit may reciprocate in the first direction by passing the other side of the object to be bundled in the second direction (ninth configuration).

[0031] According to the above configuration, the annular forming section and the wire supply section move together relative to the object to be bound, positioning a plurality of annular sections to surround the object to be bound, and connecting adjacent annular sections to bind the object to be bound. Therefore, the objects to be bound can be bound without complicating the operations of the loop forming section and the wire supply section.

[0032] In the ninth configuration, The annular forming unit and the wire rod supply unit are The moving distance in the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound that is moved each time the device makes one reciprocating movement in the first direction may be changeable (tenth configuration).

[0033] According to the above configuration, by changing the longitudinal movement distance of the object to be bound by the annular forming section and the wire supply section, the pitch at which the object to be bound is bound by the first annular section and the second annular section can be changed, thereby enabling the object to be bound appropriately.

[0034] A wire harness bundling method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A wire harness bundling method for forming a wire harness by bundling a bundled object including a plurality of electric wires with a bundling body made of flexible wire, comprising: The method includes a connecting step of connecting a plurality of loops to each other along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound (eleventh configuration).

[0035] According to the above configuration, the connecting process involves connecting multiple ring-shaped portions together along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, so that the object to be bound is continuously bound by a binding body made of flexible wire, thereby automating and speeding up the process of binding electrical wires with a binding body.

[0036] [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, a wire harness 100, a wire harness bundling processing device 200, and a wire harness bundling processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or corresponding parts in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated. For ease of understanding, the drawings referred to below show simplified or schematic configurations, and some components are omitted. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios between components shown in each drawing do not necessarily represent actual dimensional ratios.

[0037] In the following description, the +Z-axis direction of the wire harness bundling processing device 200 is defined as the vertically upward direction, and the -Z-axis direction is defined as the vertically downward direction. Furthermore, one direction perpendicular to the +Z-axis direction is defined as the +X-axis direction, and one direction perpendicular to the +Z-axis direction and the +X-axis direction is defined as the +Y-axis direction. The opposite directions to the +X-axis direction and the +Y-axis direction, respectively, are defined as the -X-axis direction and the -Y-axis direction. Note that the +Z-axis direction of the wire harness bundling processing device 200 is defined as the vertical direction for the sake of convenience of description, and the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions of the wire harness bundling processing device 200 may be oriented in any direction when used, and are not limited to the directions described in the embodiment.

[0038] [Wire harness] First, the wire harness will be described. Figures 1A to 1D are diagrams showing a portion of a wire harness 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the wire harness 100, bundled objects W including a plurality of electric wires are bundled by a bundling body 10 made of flexible wire rods S.

[0039] 1A to 1D show the peripheral surface of the wire harness 100 as viewed from directions that differ by 90 degrees. If the surface shown in Fig. 1A is the top surface of the wire harness 100, Fig. 1B shows a side surface of the wire harness 100, Fig. 1C shows the bottom surface of the wire harness 100, and Fig. 1D shows a side surface of the wire harness 100 opposite to Fig. 1B. In Figs. 1A to 1D, in order to show the orientation of the wire harness 100, the longitudinal direction of the wire harness 100 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction is shown.

[0040] The electric wires include electric wires for power supply and signal communication, optical fibers, etc., and different types of wires may be mixed together. The types of wires included in the bundled object W are not limited. In Figures 1A to 1D, the bundled object W including multiple electric wires is shown as a cylindrical shape for simplicity.

[0041] The wire S may be any material as long as it has flexibility that allows it to be bent and the strength (tensile strength) to bind the object to be bound W. Examples include, but are not limited to, thread-like materials, string-like materials, strip-like materials, and metal wires. The material is also not limited to, and may be, for example, natural fibers such as cotton or hemp, chemical fibers such as nylon, or metals such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel. Blended fibers, spun yarns, filaments, or the like may also be used, and multiple strands may be twisted or braided together.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1A to 1D, the bundle 10 has multiple annular portions 20. In this embodiment, the annular portions 20 include a first annular portion 21 and a second annular portion 22. The first annular portion 21 is disposed so as to extend from the lower right to the upper left in Figure 1A, and is an annular portion 20 having a curved portion at the upper left of the annular portion. The second annular portion 22 is disposed so as to extend from the upper right to the lower left in Figure 1A, and is an annular portion 20 having a curved portion at the lower left.

[0043] The first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 are each formed by bending a portion of the wire rod S. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the multiple annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are arranged on the circumferential surface of the object to be bound W along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound W. In the following description, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 may be referred to as the annular portion 20 without distinction.

[0044] Because the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 are formed from flexible wire S, the shapes of the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 vary depending on the material of the wire S and the tension applied to the wire S, and are not limited to the shapes shown in Figures 1A to 1D. Furthermore, the sizes (lengths) of the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 may be the same or different. The ratio between the sizes (lengths) of the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 and the thickness (diameter) of the object to be bound W is also not limited.

[0045] Adjacent annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are connected to each other. Specifically, an adjacent second annular portion 22 is inserted into a first annular portion 21, and then another adjacent first annular portion 21 is inserted into the second annular portion 22, and this process is repeated, so that the adjacent annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are continuously connected to each other.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 being "connected" to each other means that one of the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 is inserted into the other, and tension is applied to the wire S in this state, so that the shape and positional relationship of the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 inserted into each other is kept approximately constant.

[0047] A first bundling portion 31 is formed between the connected first annular portion 21 and second annular portion 22 by the wire rod S. Also, a second bundling portion 32 is formed between the connected second annular portion 22 and first annular portion 21 by the wire rod S.

[0048] 1A and 1B, the first bundling portion 31 is a portion of the wire rod S extending from the first annular portion 21 (211) to the second annular portion 22 (221) at a portion where the second annular portion 22 (221) is inserted into the first annular portion 21 (211). The second bundling portion 32 is a portion of the wire rod S extending from the second annular portion 22 (221) to the first annular portion 21 (212) at a portion where the first annular portion 21 (212) is inserted into the second annular portion 22 (221).

[0049] Adjacent annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are connected to each other to form a first binding portion 31 and a second binding portion 32 that surround the peripheral surface of the object to be bound W. The tension applied to the wire S causes the first binding portion 31 and the second binding portion 32 to tighten around the object to be bound W, and the object to be bound W is bound by the binding body 10.

[0050] Furthermore, by connecting adjacent annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) to each other, the wire material S is less likely to move due to friction between the wire material S, and the tension applied to the wire material S is less likely to decrease, thereby preventing a decrease in the binding force binding the object to be bound W.

[0051] [Wire harness bundling processing equipment] Next, the wire harness bundling processing device 200 will be described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the wire harness bundling processing device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the bundling device main body 50. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bundling device main body 50 as seen from a different direction from Fig. 3.

[0052] The wire harness bundling processing device 200 is an apparatus that performs a bundling process to bundle a bundled object W including multiple electric wires with a bundling body 10 made of flexible wire S, thereby forming a wire harness 100 having a bundling body 10 in which multiple annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are interconnected, as shown in Figures 1A to 1D.

[0053] The wire harness bundling processing device 200 repeatedly forms first annular portions 21 and second annular portions 22, and performs a bundling process that interconnects multiple annular portions 20 (first annular portions 21, second annular portions 22) by repeatedly and continuously performing a connecting process that connects adjacent first annular portions and second annular portions.

[0054] More specifically, the connecting step includes two steps, a first connecting step and a second connecting step. The first connecting step is a step of forming a second annular portion 22 connected to the first annular portion 21 by inserting a part of the wire S into the first annular portion 21 formed by bending a part of the wire S and drawing out another part of the wire S. The second connecting step is a step of forming the first annular portion 21 connected to the second annular portion 22 by inserting a part of the wire S into the second annular portion 22 formed on a part of the wire S. The wire harness bundling processing device 200 performs a bundling process of interconnecting a plurality of annular portions 20 (first annular portions 21, second annular portions 22) by alternately and continuously performing the first connecting step and the second connecting step.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 2, the wire harness bundling device 200 according to this embodiment performs a bundling process in which a workpiece W placed in the Y-axis direction is bundled with a bundling body 10. Therefore, the "longitudinal direction of the workpiece W" in this invention corresponds to the Y-axis direction. Also, the "first direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the workpiece W" in this invention corresponds to the X-axis direction in this embodiment.

[0056] The wire harness bundling processing device 200 includes a bundling device main body 50 and a guide device 60. The bundling device main body 50 moves in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the object to be bound W placed in the Y-axis direction, forming a bundling body 10 with wire rods S and bundling the object to be bound W. The guide device 60 operates to move the bundling device main body 50 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The operation of the wire harness bundling processing device 200, including the bundling device main body 50 and the guide device 60, is controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0057] [Guide device] As shown in FIG. 2, the guide device 60 has a support portion 61, an X-axis guide portion 62, a Y-axis guide portion 63, and a moving portion 64.

[0058] The support parts 61 are parts that support the X-axis guide parts 62 and the Y-axis guide parts 63, and four of them are arranged at intervals in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The support parts 61 are fixed to a device base or the like (not shown).

[0059] X-axis guide unit 62 controls the position of moving unit 64 in the X-axis direction, thereby controlling the position in the X-axis direction of binding device main body 50 fixed to moving unit 64. X-axis guide unit 62 has an X-axis fixed guide 621, an X-axis moving unit 622, an X-axis moving guide 623, and an X-axis drive unit 624.

[0060] Two X-axis fixed guides 621 are arranged with a gap between them in the Y-axis direction, and are each supported by support parts 61 so that they are parallel to the X-axis direction. Two X-axis moving parts 622 are arranged, and each is supported so that it can move relative to the X-axis fixed guides 621. X-axis moving guide 623 is arranged to connect the two X-axis moving parts 622, and is movable in the X-axis direction together with X-axis moving part 622 while maintaining parallelism in the Y-axis direction. Moving part 64 is supported by X-axis moving guide 623 so that it can move in the Y-axis direction.

[0061] The X-axis drive unit 624 moves the X-axis moving unit 622 in the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the X-axis drive unit 624 includes a belt, a pulley, a stepping motor, and the like. The belt is fixed to the X-axis moving unit 622, and the position of the X-axis moving unit 622 in the X-axis direction is controlled by accurately moving the belt in predetermined increments using the stepping motor. This makes it possible to control the positions in the X-axis direction of the moving unit 64 supported by the X-axis movement guide 623 and the binding device main body 50 fixed to the moving unit 64.

[0062] The Y-axis guide unit 63 controls the position of the moving unit 64 in the Y-axis direction, thereby controlling the position of the binding device main body 50 fixed to the moving unit 64 in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis guide unit 63 has a configuration substantially similar to that of the X-axis guide unit 62. The Y-axis guide unit 63 has a Y-axis fixed guide 631, a Y-axis moving unit 632, a Y-axis moving guide 633, and a Y-axis drive unit 634.

[0063] Two Y-axis fixed guides 631 are arranged with a gap between them in the X-axis direction, and are supported by support parts 61 so that they are parallel to the Y-axis direction. Two Y-axis moving parts 632 are arranged, and each is supported so that it can move relative to the Y-axis fixed guides 631. Y-axis moving guide 633 is arranged so as to connect the two Y-axis moving parts 632, and can move in the Y-axis direction together with Y-axis moving part 632 while maintaining parallelism in the X-axis direction. Moving part 64 is supported by Y-axis moving guide 633 so that it can move in the X-axis direction.

[0064] The Y-axis drive unit 634 moves the Y-axis moving unit 632 in the Y-axis direction. In this embodiment, the Y-axis drive unit 634 includes a belt, a pulley, a stepping motor, and the like. The belt is fixed to the Y-axis moving unit 632, and the position of the Y-axis moving unit 632 in the Y-axis direction is controlled by accurately moving the belt in predetermined increments using the stepping motor. This makes it possible to control the positions of the moving unit 64, which is supported by the Y-axis movement guide 633, and the binding device main body 50, which is fixed to the moving unit 64, in the Y-axis direction.

[0065] By controlling the position of the moving part 64 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction using the guide device 60, the position of the binding device main body 50 fixed to the moving part 64 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be controlled.

[0066] [Binding device body] 3 and 4, the binding device main body 50 has a wire supply unit 70 and an annular forming unit 80. The wire supply unit 70 supplies the wire S to the annular forming unit 80 in the vicinity of the object to be bound W (see FIG. 5). The annular forming unit 80 forms a plurality of annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) using the wire S supplied from the wire supply unit 70.

[0067] The wire supply unit 70 and the annular forming unit 80 perform a binding process in which the object to be bound W is placed in the Y-axis direction and is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the guide device 60 to form a binding body 10 using the wire S and bind the object to be bound W (see Figure 8).

[0068] The binding device main body 50 is provided with a wire rod supply drive unit 51, a first annular formation drive unit 52, and a second annular formation drive unit 53. The wire rod supply drive unit 51 drives the wire rod supply unit 70. The first annular formation drive unit 52 and the second annular formation drive unit 53 drive the annular formation unit 80.

[0069] The annular forming unit 80 is configured to be movable in the Z-axis direction, and the first annular forming drive unit 52 drives the annular forming unit 80 in the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the first annular forming drive unit 52 has a toggle mechanism, a stepping motor, etc. One link of the toggle mechanism is fixed to the stepping motor, and the other link of the toggle mechanism is fixed to the annular forming unit 80. The position of the annular forming unit 80 in the Z-axis direction is controlled by rotating the link of the toggle mechanism by a predetermined amount using the stepping motor.

[0070] The operating unit 81 (see FIG. 5) that constitutes the annular forming unit 80 is configured to be rotatable around the Z axis, and the second annular forming drive unit 53 rotates the operating unit 81 around the Z axis. The second annular forming drive unit 53 has a stepping motor. The stepping motor rotates the operating unit 81 by a predetermined amount, thereby controlling the orientation of the operating unit 81.

[0071] [Wire supply section] Fig. 5 is a view of the binding device main body 50 as viewed from the Y-axis direction. As shown in Fig. 5, the wire supply unit 70 supplies the wire S to the annular forming unit 80 in the vicinity of the object to be bound W. The wire supply unit 70 has a storage unit (not shown), a tension adjustment unit (not shown), and a wire hooking unit 71 (see Figs. 6A and 6B).

[0072] The storage unit is, for example, a reel on which the wire rod S is wound, and stores and supplies the wire rod S. The storage unit is disposed below the binding device main body 50, for example.

[0073] The tension adjusting unit is a mechanism that applies an appropriate tension to the wire S. The tension adjusting unit is disposed between the storage unit and the wire hanging unit 71. The tension adjusting unit may be, for example, a mechanism that uses gravity using a weight or the like, or a mechanism that uses the elastic force of an elastic body such as a spring.

[0074] The wire hooking part 71 hooks the wire S around the operating part 81 of the annular forming part 80. The wire hooking part 71 has a hooking part main body 72 and an arm 73 (see Figures 6A and 6B). The hooking part main body 72 is a substantially disk-shaped member. An insertion hole 74 and a supply hole 75 are formed in the hooking part main body 72. The tip end (locking part 812) of the operating part 81 of the annular forming part 80 can be inserted into the insertion hole 74 (see Figure 7(b)). The wire S supplied from the storage part is inserted into the supply hole 75.

[0075] The arm 73 is provided so as to protrude laterally from the hanging portion main body 72. A roller 76 is provided inside the arm 73. The wire S inserted into the supply hole 75 is supplied toward the object to be bound W via the roller 76.

[0076] The wire rod supply drive unit 51 is connected to the hook body 72 (see FIG. 3). The wire rod supply drive unit 51 is configured to rotate the wire rod hook 71 around the Z axis (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The operation of the wire rod hook 71 will be described in detail later.

[0077] [Annular formation part] The annular forming unit 80 forms a plurality of annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) from the wire S supplied from the wire supply unit 70. The annular forming unit 80 has an operating unit 81 and a pressing unit 82.

[0078] The operating unit 81 is a member that temporarily holds or grips the wire S to operate the wire S. Specifically, the operating unit 81 performs an operation to form a loop portion 20 by bending a portion of the wire S. The operating unit 81 also performs an operation to insert the next loop portion 20 into the loop portion 20 formed on the wire S while forming it (see FIGS. 9A to 9D). In this embodiment, a hook-shaped member having a locking portion 812 at the tip of a shaft portion 811 is used as the operating unit 81, but the shape and mechanism of the operating unit 81 are not limited.

[0079] The holding portion 82 is a member that operates the wire rod S together with the operating portion 81. In this embodiment, the holding portion 82 is a cylindrical member, and has an insertion portion 821 formed in the center, through which the operating portion 81 is inserted. The operating portion 81 is movable in the Z-axis direction relative to the holding portion 82. Furthermore, the operating portion 81 and the holding portion 82 can also move in the Z-axis direction simultaneously. Furthermore, the operating portion 81 is rotatable around the Z-axis relative to the holding portion 82.

[0080] [Wire supply unit operation] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the wire hooking unit 71. FIG. 6A shows an example of the position of the wire hooking unit 71, with the arm 73 stopped in a state facing in the upper left direction in the figure. The locking portion 812 of the operating unit 81 is inserted into the insertion hole 74 (see FIG. 7(b)). The end side of the wire S supplied from the supply hole 75 extends downward in the figure, and is not hooked on the operating unit 81 inserted into the insertion hole 74.

[0081] FIG. 6B shows the position of the hook body 72 after it has rotated rightward from the position shown in FIG. 6A. The hook body 72 rotates to a position where the arm 73 is directed downward and rightward in the figure and then stops. In this state, the wire S supplied from the supply hole 75 is wound around the operating part 81 in a curved state (see FIG. 9A(b)). In the state shown in FIG. 6B, by pulling the operating part 81 up from the insertion hole 74, the curved part of the wire S is locked with the locking part 812 of the operating part 81. With the wire S locked with the locking part 812 of the operating part 81, it becomes possible to operate the wire S with the operating part 81, such as by pulling up the wire S (see FIG. 9A(c)).

[0082] [Movement of the binding device body in the Z-axis direction] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the binding device main body 50 in the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIGS. 7(a) to 7(d), the wire supply unit 70 (wire hooking unit 71) is fixed to the binding device main body 50, and its position in the Z-axis direction does not change (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In contrast, the annular forming unit 80 (operating unit 81, pressing unit 82) is configured to be movable in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, by moving the annular forming unit 80 (operating unit 81, pressing unit 82) in the Z-axis direction, it is possible to change the relative positional relationship in the Z-axis direction between the wire supply unit 70 (wire hooking unit 71) and the annular forming unit 80 (operating unit 81, pressing unit 82). Each operation shown in FIGS. 7(a) to 7(d) will be described below.

[0083] 7(a), the locking portion 812 of the operating portion 81 is disengaged from the insertion hole 74 of the wire hooking portion 71 and is located in the +Z-axis direction (above) with respect to the insertion hole 74. In addition, the locking portion 812 of the operating portion 81 is also disengaged from the insertion portion 821 of the pressing portion 82 and is located below the insertion portion 821.

[0084] In the operation shown in Fig. 7(b), the operating part 81 is lowered in the -Z-axis direction relative to Fig. 7(a), and the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is inserted into the insertion hole 74 of the wire hook part 71. The position of the pressing part 82 in the Z-axis direction does not change relative to Fig. 7(a).

[0085] In the operation shown in Fig. 7(c), the operating part 81 is raised in the +Z-axis direction compared to Figs. 7(a) and (b), and the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82. The position of the holding part 82 in the Z-axis direction has not changed compared to Figs. 7(a) and (b).

[0086] 7(d), both the operating part 81 and the holding part 82 are raised in the +Z-axis direction relative to FIG. 7(c). The locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is raised together with the holding part 82 while remaining inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82.

[0087] [Movement of the binding device in the X and Y directions] 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the binding device main body 50 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. As shown in Fig. 8, the wire supply unit 70 (wire hooking unit 71) and the loop forming unit 80 (operating unit 81, pressing unit 82) constituting the binding device main body 50 move in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction relative to the object to be bound W set in the wire harness binding processing device 200 while maintaining their relative positions in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The movement of the binding device main body 50 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is performed by the position control of the guide device 60 as described above.

[0088] 8, the binding device main body 50 moves, for example, through positions P1, P2, P7, and P8 in that order. Specifically, the binding device main body 50 moves in the X-axis direction so that the wire supply unit 70 and the annular forming unit 80 are alternately positioned on the +X side and the -X side of the object to be bound W, while simultaneously moving in the +Y-axis direction by a predetermined distance.

[0089] Furthermore, when the wire supply unit 70 and the annular forming unit 80 move to the +X side and the -X side relative to the object to be bound W, the wire supply unit 70 passes on the -Z side (below the object to be bound W) relative to the object to be bound W. The annular forming unit 80 passes on the +Z side (above the object to be bound W) relative to the object to be bound W.

[0090] In FIG. 8, the binding device main body 50 moves a fixed distance in the +Y-axis direction every time it reciprocates in the X-axis direction, but the distance it moves in the +Y-axis direction may be changed as needed.

[0091] [Bundling process by wire harness bundling processing device] As described above, the wire harness bundling processing device 200 repeatedly forms the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22, and performs a bundling process in which a plurality of annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22) are interconnected by repeatedly and continuously performing a connecting process (first connecting process and second connecting process) in which adjacent first annular portions and second annular portions are connected.

[0092] 8, in this embodiment, the first connecting step is performed when the binding device main body 50 (wire supply unit 70 and annular forming unit 80) is located on the +X side of the object to be bound W and when it moves from the +X side to the -X side. Also, the second connecting step is performed when the binding device main body 50 (wire supply unit 70 and annular forming unit 80) is located on the -X side of the object to be bound W and when it moves from the -X side to the +X side.

[0093] That is, the first connecting step is performed when the binding device main body 50 (wire supply unit 70 and annular forming unit 80) is located at P1 and when the binding device main body 50 is located on a path M1 that moves from P1 to P2. Similarly, the first connecting step is performed between P3 and path M3, between P5 and path M5, and between P7 and path M7.

[0094] The first connecting step is a step of connecting the second annular portion 22 to the first annular portion 21. Specifically, the first annular portion 21 is formed by bending a part of the wire rod S, and another part of the wire rod S is inserted through the first annular portion 21, thereby forming the second annular portion 22 connected to the first annular portion 21.

[0095] Furthermore, the second connecting step is performed when the binding device main body 50 (wire supply unit 70 and annular forming unit 80) is located at P2 and when it is located on path M2 moving from P2 to P3. Similarly, the second connecting step is performed between P4 and path M4, between P6 and path M6, and between P8 and path M8.

[0096] The second connecting step is a step of connecting the first annular portion 21 to the second annular portion 22. Specifically, this is a step of forming the first annular portion 21 connected to the second annular portion 22 by inserting and pulling out a part of the wire material S into the second annular portion 22 formed on a part of the wire material S.

[0097] [First binding process] Next, the operation of the binding device main body 50 (wire supply unit 70 and annular forming unit 80) in the first connecting step will be described in detail. Figures 9A(a) to 9D(j) are views illustrating the first connecting step. Figures 9A(a) to 9D(j) schematically show the wire hooking unit 71 of the wire supply unit 70, the operating unit 81 and the pressing unit 82 of the annular forming unit 80, and the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 formed by the wire S, as viewed from the +Y-axis direction.

[0098] The first connecting process shown in Figures 9A(a) to 9D(j) will be described as being performed when the binding device main body 50 (wire supply section 70 and annular forming section 80) is located at P1 in Figure 8 and when it is located on path M1 moving from P1 to P2.

[0099] In the first connecting step and the second connecting step, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 are interchanged. Therefore, in the second connecting step, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 in Figures 9A(a) to 9D(j) are interchanged.

[0100] 9A(a) shows a state in which the operating unit 81 is lowered in the −Z-axis direction at position P1 in FIG. 8, and the locking portion 812 of the operating unit 81 is inserted into the insertion hole 74 of the wire hook 71. The wire S is wound around the shaft 811 of the operating unit 81, thereby bending the wire S. The curved portion wound around the shaft 811 forms the first annular portion 21. The portion of the wire S wound around the shaft 811 in FIG. 9A(a) is the portion that was bent by being locked by the locking portion 812 of the operating unit 81 in a previous step (not shown). By lowering the operating unit 81 from a state in which the wire S is locked by the locking portion 812 of the operating unit 81, the state in which the shaft 811 of the operating unit 81 is inserted into the curved portion of the wire S (a state in which the wire S is wound around).

[0101] 9A(b) shows a state in which the wire S is wound around the operating part 81 by rotating the wire hooking part 71 (see FIG. 6B). The curved part wound around the operating part 81 by the wire hooking part 71 forms the second annular part 22.

[0102] 9A(c) shows a state in which the operating part 81 is rotated approximately 90 degrees around the Z axis with respect to FIG. 9A(b) while being pulled up in the +Z-axis direction from the insertion hole 74. A portion that forms the second annular part 22 is locked to a locking part 812 of the operating part 81. The portion that forms the first annular part 21, which is wrapped around the shaft part 811 of the operating part 81, is also pulled up together with the operating part 81 due to friction.

[0103] 9B(d) shows a state in which the operating part 81 is further pulled up in the +Z-axis direction and rotated approximately 180 degrees around the Z-axis relative to FIG. 9A(b). A portion that forms the second annular part 22 is locked to a locking part 812 of the operating part 81. The portion that forms the first annular part 21, which is hung around a shaft part 811 of the operating part 81, is also pulled up together with the operating part 81.

[0104] 9B(e) shows a state in which, by further lifting the operating part 81 in the +Z axis direction, the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is being inserted into the insertion part 821 of the retaining part 82. In this state, the part that forms the first annular part 21 by being wrapped around the shaft part 811 of the operating part 81 cannot rise because it comes into contact with the lower edge of the retaining part 82, and the operating part 81 and the part that forms the second annular part 22 that is locked with the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 are pulled up.

[0105] 9B(f), by further lifting the operating part 81 in the +Z axis direction, the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82 (see FIG. 7(c)). In this state, the part that forms the first annular part 21 by being wrapped around the shaft part 811 of the operating part 81 is pushed out by the lower edge of the holding part 82. On the other hand, the part that forms the second annular part 22 that is locked with the locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82. In other words, by pulling out a part of the wire material S so as to pass it through the first annular part 21, the second annular part 22 that is connected to the first annular part 21 is formed.

[0106] In Figure 9C(g), both the operating part 81 and the holding part 82 are raised in the +Z-axis direction. The locking part 812 of the operating part 81 is raised together with the holding part 82 while remaining inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82 (see Figure 7(d)). This action causes the second annular part 22 to be pulled out largely relative to the first annular part 21. In addition, as the wire supply part 70 and the annular forming part 80 move from P1 to P2 in Figure 8 relative to the object to be bound W, the operating part 81 and the holding part 82 do not interfere with the object to be bound W.

[0107] 9C(h) shows a state in which both the operating part 81 and the holding part 82 have moved from P1 to P2 in FIG. 8. The locking part 812 of the operating part 81 rises together with the holding part 82 while remaining inserted into the insertion part 821 of the holding part 82 (see FIG. 7(d)). This action causes the second annular part 22 to be pulled out largely relative to the first annular part 21. Furthermore, as the wire supply part 70 and the annular forming part 80 move from position P1 to position P2 relative to the object to be bound W, the operating part 81 and the holding part 82 rise in the +Z-axis direction so as not to interfere with the object to be bound W.

[0108] In FIG. 9D(i), both the operating part 81 and the pressing part 82 are lowered in the −Z axis direction at the position P2 in FIG.

[0109] 9D(j), the operating portion 81 is lowered in the −Z-axis direction relative to the pressing portion 82. As the operating portion 81 is lowered, the second annular portion 22 that was locked by the locking portion 812 moves and is now wrapped around the shaft portion 811.

[0110] From the state of Fig. 9D(j), the connecting process switches from the first connecting process to the second connecting process at position P2 in Fig. 8. The first connecting process as shown in Fig. 9A(a) to Fig. 9D(j) and the second connecting process in which the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 are switched in Fig. 9A(a) to Fig. 9D(j) are repeatedly and continuously performed while moving in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the object to be bound W, as shown in Fig. 8, thereby performing a binding process in which the multiple annular portions 20 (first annular portions 21, second annular portions 22) are mutually connected.

[0111] [Wire harness bundling method] 10 is a flowchart showing a bundling process in the wire harness bundling method according to this embodiment. The wire harness bundling method according to this embodiment repeatedly forms the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22, and repeatedly and continuously performs a connecting step of connecting adjacent first annular portions and second annular portions.

[0112] The connecting step includes a first connecting step and a second connecting step. The first connecting step is a step of forming a second annular portion 22 connected to the first annular portion 21 by inserting a part of the wire rod S into the first annular portion 21 formed by bending a part of the wire rod S and drawing out another part of the wire rod S. The second connecting step is a step of forming the first annular portion 21 connected to the second annular portion 22 by inserting a part of the wire rod S into the second annular portion 22 formed on the part of the wire rod S and drawing out the second annular portion 22.

[0113] As shown in Figure 10, when the bundling process starts, a first connecting step (SA1) and a second connecting step (SA2) are performed consecutively. If the length after the bundling process reaches the set length (Yes in SA3), the bundling process ends. If the length after the bundling process does not reach the set length (No in SA3), the bundling process continues (SA1).

[0114] According to the wire harness 100 of this embodiment described above, the binding body 10 has a plurality of continuously formed annular portions 20 (first annular portion 21, second annular portion 22), and the plurality of annular portions 20 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the bound body W, and adjacent annular portions 20 are connected to each other to bind the bound body W.

[0115] Since the object to be bound W is continuously bound by the binding body 10 made of flexible wire S, the work of binding electrical wires with the binding body 10 can be automated and sped up.

[0116] Furthermore, since the object to be bound W is bound by connecting adjacent annular portions 20 together, the position of the binding body 10 is less likely to shift relative to the object to be bound W, and a decrease in the binding force for binding electrical wires can be suppressed.

[0117] Furthermore, according to the wire harness bundling processing device 200 and wire harness bundling processing method of this embodiment, the adjacent first annular portion 21 and second annular portion 22 are connected to each other, thereby connecting the multiple annular portions 20 to each other.

[0118] Since the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 22 are repeatedly formed and connected, the operation of bundling the electric wires with the bundling body 10 can be speeded up.

[0119] [Variations] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments can be appropriately modified and carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0120] The present invention is applicable to a wire harness bundling processing apparatus that forms a wire harness in which objects to be bundled, including a plurality of electric wires, are bundled with a bundling element. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 100 Wire Harness 200 Wire harness bundling processing device 10 Binding body 20 Annular section 21 First Circular Section 22 Second Circular Section 50 Binding device body 60 Guide device 70 Wire supply section 80 Annular formation W object to be bound S wire rod

Claims

1. A wire harness bundling processing device that forms a wire harness by bundling a bundled object including a plurality of electric wires with a bundling body made of flexible wire, a wire supply unit that supplies the wire in the vicinity of the object to be bound; a ring forming unit that forms a ring portion by bending a part of the wire rod supplied from the wire rod supply unit, The annular forming unit forms a plurality of annular portions continuously on the wire material supplied from the wire material supply unit, arranges the plurality of annular portions along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, and connects adjacent annular portions along the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound, thereby forming the bound body. Wire harness bundling processing equipment.

2. The annular forming section and the wire rod supply section are a first annular portion is formed by bending a part of the wire rod, a second annular portion is formed by bending another part of the wire rod, and the first annular portion and the second annular portion are repeatedly formed; The plurality of annular portions are connected to each other by connecting adjacent first annular portions and second annular portions. The wire harness bundling processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The annular forming section and the wire rod supply section are the second annular portion is inserted through the first annular portion to connect the first annular portion and the second annular portion; The second annular portion and the first annular portion are connected by inserting the first annular portion into the second annular portion. The wire harness bundling processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The annular forming section and the wire rod supply section are a second annular portion connected to the first annular portion is formed by inserting a part of the wire rod through the first annular portion; The first annular portion is formed by inserting a part of the wire into the second annular portion formed on the wire and pulling the wire out of the second annular portion. The wire harness bundling processing device according to claim 3 .

5. a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound is defined as a first direction; A direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the object to be bound and the first direction is defined as a second direction, The annular forming unit and the wire rod supply unit are The object to be bound is moved a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction each time the object is reciprocated once in the first direction, The second annular portion is connected to the first annular portion on one side of the object to be bound in the first direction, the first annular portion is connected to the second annular portion on the other side of the object to be bound in the first direction, and, the annular forming portion reciprocates in the first direction by passing one side of the object to be bound in the second direction, The wire supply unit reciprocates in the first direction by passing the other side of the object to be bundled in the second direction. The wire harness bundling processing device according to claim 4.

6. The annular forming unit and the wire rod supply unit are The moving distance of the object to be bound in the longitudinal direction for each reciprocation in the first direction can be changed. The wire harness bundling processing device according to claim 5 .

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