Exterior material mounting device

Abstract

To provide a device for attaching sheathing material to electrical wires in a stable state by suppressing positional deviations at the leading and trailing ends and variations in overall length.SOLUTION: The outer sheath installation device 1 comprises: an outer sheath feeding section 11 that feeds a twisted tube W12 (outer sheath) along an electrical wire W11 from an arbitrary starting position P11 in the feeding direction D12 such that the electrical wire W11 is accommodated inside; a wire direction movement section 13 that moves the outer sheath feeding section 11 in the wire direction D14; and a control unit 15 that controls the outer material feeding section 11 and the wire direction movement section 13 such that, in coordination with the feeding of the twisted tube W12 (outer material) by the outer material feeding section 11, the wire direction movement section 13 moves the outer material feeding section 11 in the opposite direction to the feeding direction D12 from the starting position P11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an exterior member mounting device for attaching a tubular exterior member to an electric wire.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacture of wire harnesses, for the protection of electric wires and the like, exterior members such as twist tubes and corrugated tubes, which are tubular and have slits provided in the peripheral wall, are widely used to house the electric wires inside while attaching them to the electric wires. In many cases, the attachment of such exterior members is performed by an operation such as pushing the electric wire through the slit in the peripheral wall, and a device for performing such an operation has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The device described in this Patent Document 1 is a device for attaching an exterior member while guiding it so that an electric wire is pushed through a slit. It is a device for attaching an exterior member while guiding it.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, among exterior members, there are members formed of a soft material such as a twist tube. In the device described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, a slight stretching load is applied to the exterior member. When a soft material exterior member is used in this device, displacement of the tip position or the terminal position of the exterior member, or variation in the overall length may occur due to elongation of the exterior member, shrinkage due to rebound after attachment, or the like.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an exterior material attachment device that can stably attach exterior materials to electric wires by suppressing positional deviations at the tip and end positions, as well as fluctuations in overall length, in view of the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the exterior material attachment device is characterized by comprising: an exterior material delivery unit that delivers an exterior material attached to an electric wire, which is tubular in shape and has slits provided in its peripheral wall to house the electric wire inside, in a delivery direction toward one end of the electric wire from an arbitrary starting position along the electric wire so that the linearly arranged electric wire is housed inside the exterior material through the slits; an electric wire direction movement unit that moves the exterior material delivery unit in the direction of the electric wire along the electric wire; and a control unit that controls the exterior material delivery unit and the electric wire direction movement unit so that the electric wire direction movement unit moves the exterior material delivery unit from the starting position in the opposite direction to the delivery direction in conjunction with the delivery of the exterior material by the exterior material delivery unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above-described exterior material attachment device, the exterior material can be attached to the electric wire in a stable state by suppressing positional deviations at the tip and end positions, as well as fluctuations in the overall length. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an exterior material mounting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the exterior material mounting device shown in Figure 1, viewed from the direction of arrow V11 in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a magnified view of the transport section in the exterior material delivery section of the exterior material installation device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figures 1 to 3 show the first stage of the twisted tube delivery process, which is performed under the control of the control unit in the exterior mounting device. [Figure 5]Figures 1 to 3 show the second stage of the twisted tube delivery process, which is performed under the control of the control unit in the exterior mounting device. [Figure 6] Figures 1 to 3 show the third stage of the twisted tube delivery process, which is performed under the control of the control unit in the exterior mounting device. [Figure 7] Figures 1 to 6 show comparative examples of exterior material mounting devices. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes one embodiment of an exterior material mounting device.

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an exterior material mounting device according to one embodiment, and Figure 2 is a side view of the exterior material mounting device shown in Figure 1, viewed from the direction of arrow V11 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the transport section in the exterior material delivery section of the exterior material mounting device shown in Figure 1.

[0011] The exterior material attachment device 1 of this embodiment is a device that automatically attaches a twisted tube W12 to an electric wire W11 as an exterior material for protection, etc., in the manufacturing of a wire harness W1. The twisted tube W12 is a resin member in which a sheet-like material is rolled into a tube shape so that its circumferential ends overlap, and the gap between the overlapping ends acts as a slit provided in the circumferential wall to accommodate the electric wire W11 inside. The twisted tube W12 is attached to the electric wire W11 while accommodating the electric wire W11 inside through this slit in the circumferential wall.

[0012] Furthermore, this exterior material attachment device 1 is a device for attaching twisted tubes W12 to electric wires W11 that are arranged linearly in the vertical direction D11 along gravity. On the electric wire W11 side, a tape winding mechanism M1 is installed at the feed point of the twisted tube W12 to secure the feed end of the twisted tube W12 to the electric wire W11.

[0013] The exterior material installation device 1 comprises an exterior material delivery unit 11, an approach / disengagement movement unit 12, a wire direction movement unit 13, a device frame unit 14, and a control unit 15.

[0014] The outer packaging material delivery unit 11 delivers the twisted tube W12 along the electric wire W11 from an arbitrary starting position P11 toward one end of the electric wire W11, so that the electric wire W11 is housed inside through the slit. The outer packaging material delivery unit 11 includes a receiving unit 111 and a transport unit 112. The receiving unit 111 receives the twisted tube W12 from a supply device (not shown), and the transport unit 112 delivers the twisted tube W12 in the delivery direction D12 by the rotation of a transport roller 112a.

[0015] The connecting / separating movement unit 12 is a mechanism that moves the outer material delivery unit 11 in the following connecting / separating direction D13. The connecting / separating direction D13 is perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the electric wire W11 and the conveyor roller 112a, which are arranged linearly in the vertical direction D11, and is the direction in which the outer material delivery unit 11 approaches or separates from the electric wire W11. With the connecting / separating movement unit 12 bringing the outer material delivery unit 11 close to the electric wire W11, the twisted tube W12 is delivered and attached to the electric wire W11. After attachment, the connecting / separating movement unit 12 separates the outer material delivery unit 11 from the electric wire W11. This connecting / separating movement unit 12 has a connecting / separating rail unit 121 which is attached to the electric wire direction movement unit 13 described later, and a connecting / separating movable unit 122 which is held by the connecting / separating rail unit 121 in a state in which it can slide in the connecting / separating direction D13. The exterior material delivery unit 11 is attached to a slidable movable unit 122.

[0016] The wire direction movement unit 13 moves the outer material delivery unit 11 in the wire direction D14 (in this embodiment, the same direction as the vertical direction D11) along the electric wire W11. The wire direction movement unit 13 has a wire direction rail unit 131 that extends in the wire direction D14 and is attached to the device frame unit 14, and a wire direction movable unit 132 that is slidably held by the wire direction rail unit 131. The connecting / separating movement unit 12 is attached to the slidable wire direction movable unit 132.

[0017] The device frame part 14 is a metal frame installed at a predetermined installation location and equipped with an exterior material delivery part 11, an approach / separation moving part 12, a wire direction moving part 13, and a control part 15. This device frame part 14 is composed of a combination of a plurality of rectangular columnar frame members 141. In this embodiment, the exterior material delivery part 11 is attached to the approach / separation moving part 12, and this approach / separation moving part 12 is attached to the wire direction moving part 13. And this wire direction moving part 13 is attached to one frame member 141 in the vertical direction D11 in the device frame part 14. That is, in this embodiment, the exterior material delivery part 11 is mounted on the device frame part 14 via the approach / separation moving part 12 and the wire direction moving part 13, and the approach / separation moving part 12 is mounted on the device frame part 14 via the wire direction moving part 13. The wire direction moving part 13 is directly mounted on the device frame part 14.

[0018] The control part 15 is a computer part that controls the movement of each component of the exterior material attachment device 1. In particular, regarding the delivery of the twist tube W12, the control part 15 controls the exterior material delivery part 11 and the wire direction moving part 13 as follows. That is, the control part 15 controls the exterior material delivery part 11 and the wire direction moving part 13 so that the wire direction moving part 13 moves the exterior material delivery part 11 in the reverse direction D15, which is opposite to the delivery direction D12, from the start position P11 in accordance with the delivery of the twist tube W12.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the first stage of the delivery of the twist tube performed under the control of the control part in the exterior attachment device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Further, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the second stage of the delivery of the twist tube performed under the control of the control part in the exterior attachment device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Further, FIG. *6 is a diagram showing the third stage of the delivery of the twist tube performed under the control of the control part in the exterior attachment device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0020] In the first stage (step S11) shown in FIG. 4, the delivery of the twist tube W12 from the exterior material delivery unit 11 positioned at the start position P11 is started in the delivery direction D12 by the contact / separation moving unit 12 and the wire direction moving unit 13. At this time, in the present embodiment, prior to the delivery of the twist tube W12 in the first stage (step S11), the tape M11 is wound around a predetermined tape winding position P12 on the wire W11 by the tape winding mechanism M1. The start position P11 of the delivery of the twist tube W12 is a position below the tape winding position P12 by this tape winding mechanism M1. More specifically, this start position P11 is a position where the delivery end W121 reaches the tape winding position P12 when the exterior material delivery unit 11 sends out the twist tube W12. In the first stage (step S11), the twist tube W12 is sent out from the exterior material delivery unit 11 positioned at this start position P until the delivery end W121 reaches the tape winding position P12. In this first stage (step S11), under the control of the control unit 15, the wire direction moving unit 13 does not move the exterior material delivery unit 11, and the exterior material delivery unit 11 continues to stay at the start position P11. The twist tube W12 delivered at this time stores the wire W11 inside, and also stores a part of the tape M11 wound around the wire W11 inside the delivery end W12 which has reached the tape winding position P12. This tape M11 passes through the slit W122 at the delivery end W121 to the outside and reaches the tape winding mechanism M1. When the delivery of the twist tube W12 in this first stage (step S11) ends, the control unit 15 notifies the tape winding mechanism M1 to that effect, and once stops the delivery of the twist tube W12 to the exterior material delivery unit 11.

[0021] In the second stage (step S12) shown in Figure 5, following the first stage (step S11) described above, the tape winding mechanism M1, having received notification from the control unit 15, winds the tape M11 around the feed end W121 of the twisted tube W12. This winding of the tape M11 fixes the feed end W121 of the twisted tube W12 to the electric wire W11 at the tape winding position P12. In this second stage (step S12), under the control of the control unit 15, the exterior material feed unit 11 continues to remain at the starting position P11, as in the first stage (step S11). Once the tape winding and fixing in the second stage (step S12) is complete, the tape winding mechanism M1 notifies the control unit 15 of this. In the initial stages of the delivery process, described above as the first stage (step S11) and the second stage (step S12), the twisted tube W12 delivered by the exterior material delivery unit 11 has its delivery end W121 secured to the electric wire W11 with tape.

[0022] In the third stage (step S13) of Figure 6, following the tape winding and fixing of the feed end W121, the control unit 15, having received notification from the tape winding mechanism M1, restarts the feeding of the twisted tube W12 to the outer material feed unit 11. Then, in conjunction with this feeding, the control unit 15 controls the outer material feed unit 11 and the wire direction movement unit 13 to move the outer material feed unit 11 in the opposite direction D15 to the feeding direction D12. As a result of this control, the outer material feed unit 11 moves in the opposite direction D15 while feeding the twisted tube W12 in the feeding direction D12. In this third stage (step S13), even after the twisted tube W12 has finished being fed out from the exterior material feeding unit 11, the movement of the exterior material feeding unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 continues under the control of the control unit 15. This movement in the reverse direction D15 continues until it reaches a retracted position P13, which is a predetermined distance L1 away from the installed twisted tube W12 that has been fed out from the exterior material feeding unit 11 and attached to the electric wire W11. Once the movement to this retracted position P13 is complete, the contact / separation movement unit 12 moves the exterior material feeding unit 11 away from the electric wire W11 with the twisted tube W12 attached in the contact / separation direction D13 under the control of the control unit 15, and the exterior material mounting device 1 enters a standby state in preparation for the next mounting.

[0023] Figure 7 shows comparative examples of the exterior material mounting devices shown in Figures 1 to 6. In Figure 7, components equivalent to those shown in Figures 1 to 6 are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 6, but only those necessary for explanation are given, and redundant explanations of these equivalent components are omitted below. Figure 7(A) shows the first comparative example, and Figure 7(B) shows the second comparative example.

[0024] In the first comparative example shown in Figure 7(A), while the twisted tube W12 is being fed, the outer material feeding section 51 remains at the feeding position P51, and the conveyor roller 112a is rotated in the rotational direction D51 to feed the twisted tube W12 in the feeding direction D12. In this first comparative example, a load in the feeding direction D12 is applied to the soft material twisted tube W12. This load may cause the twisted tube W12 to be crushed in the feeding direction D12, resulting in wrinkles W12-1. If wrinkles W12-1 occur during feeding, the feeding end W121 may not reach the target tape winding position P12, causing the tip position to shift, or the overall length may change due to the contraction of the twisted tube W12. In addition, there is a possibility that the end position of the twisted tube W12 may shift due to the return of wrinkles after installation.

[0025] In the second comparative example shown in Figure 7(B), the twisted tube W12 is fed out by the outer material feeding unit 52 moving in the opposite direction D15 to the feeding direction D12 without actively feeding it out. At this time, the feeding end W121 of the twisted tube W12 is fixed to the electric wire W11 by tape winding mechanism M1. With this feeding end W121 fixed by tape winding, the outer material feeding unit 51 moves in the opposite direction D15, pulling out the twisted tube W12 in the feeding direction D12 and installing it. In this second comparative example, it is necessary to firmly fix the feeding end W121 by tape winding or the like. Also, in the second comparative example, a load in the opposite direction D15 is applied to the soft material twisted tube W12, which may cause the twisted tube W12 to stretch during feeding. As a result, the overall length of the twisted tube W12 may fluctuate, causing a misalignment at the end position, or the end position of the twisted tube W12 may shift further due to its recovery after installation.

[0026] In contrast to these comparative examples, the exterior material attachment device 1 of the above-described embodiment moves the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the opposite direction to the delivery direction D12 from the delivery start position P11 in accordance with the delivery of the twisted tube W12. By delivering the material while performing this reverse movement, the load applied to the twisted tube W12 in the delivery direction D12 is suppressed. Due to this load suppression effect, even when attaching a flexible twisted tube W12 to an electric wire W11, wrinkles and stretching are suppressed, and positional shifts at the tip and end positions, as well as fluctuations in the overall length, are suppressed, allowing the twisted tube W12 to be attached to the electric wire W11 in a stable state.

[0027] In this embodiment, the electric wire W11 is arranged linearly in the vertical direction D11, and the electric wire direction movement unit 13 moves the outer material delivery unit 11 with the vertical direction D11 as the electric wire direction D14. With this configuration, the twist tube W12 can be easily attached to the electric wire W11, which is arranged linearly in the vertical direction D11, resulting in a significantly smaller installation area along the horizontal plane compared to horizontal placement, etc.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 15 controls the exterior material delivery unit 11 and the wire direction movement unit 13 so as to move the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 to a retracted position P13 located a predetermined distance L1 away from the installed twisted tube W12. With this configuration, after the twisted tube W12 is delivered, the exterior material delivery unit 11 moves to the retracted position P13 in the wire direction D14, thereby preventing interference with the installed twisted tube W12 and allowing the exterior material delivery unit 11 to be moved away from the wire W11.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the twisted tube W12 has its delivery end W121 wrapped around the electric wire W11 with tape during the initial stage of delivery. The control unit 15 controls the outer material delivery unit 11 and the electric wire direction movement unit 13 so as to move the outer material delivery unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 after the delivery end W121 has been fixed. With this configuration, the twisted tube W12 is delivered while the outer material delivery unit 11 moves in the reverse direction D15 with the delivery end W121 wrapped around the tape, so that the twisted tube W12 can be delivered with positional displacement further suppressed.

[0030] In this embodiment, the electric wire W11 is wound with tape M11 at a predetermined tape winding position P12 prior to the delivery of the twisted tube W12. The control unit 15 positions the outer casing material delivery unit 11 with the starting position P11 being the position where the delivery end W121 reaches the tape winding position P12. When the delivery end W121 of the twisted tube W12 delivered at this starting position P11 is fixed to the electric wire W11 with tape, the outer casing material delivery unit 11 is moved in the reverse direction D15. With this configuration, the starting position P11 is set so that the delivery end W121 reaches the tape winding position P12 where the tape M11 is wound to the electric wire W11, thus effectively fixing the delivery end W121 to the electric wire W11 with tape.

[0031] It should be noted that the embodiments described above merely represent typical forms of exterior material mounting devices. Exterior material mounting devices are not limited to these and can be implemented in various modified forms.

[0032] For example, in the embodiment described above, an example of an exterior material mounting device is shown, which is an exterior material mounting device 1 that attaches a twisted tube W12 as an exterior material to an electric wire W11. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this. As for the exterior material to be attached, any other exterior material such as a corrugated tube may be used, as long as it is tubular in shape and can be attached to the electric wire while housing the electric wire inside through slits provided in the peripheral wall.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of an exterior material mounting device is shown in which each component is mounted on a device frame section 14 made up of multiple frame materials 141. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this, and any configuration can be adopted for the specific mounting of each component.

[0034] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of an exterior material mounting device is provided in which a wire direction moving unit 13 moves the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the wire direction D14 along the wire W11 arranged in the vertical direction D11. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this, and a wire direction moving unit may move the exterior material delivery unit in the wire direction along the wire arranged horizontally along a horizontal plane. However, as mentioned above, by arranging the wire W11 in the vertical direction D11 and moving the exterior material delivery unit 11 accordingly, the twisted tube W12 can be well attached to the wire W11 which is arranged in such a way that the installation area is significantly reduced.

[0035] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of an exterior material mounting device, an exterior material mounting device 1 is provided in which the control unit 15 moves the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 to a retracted position P13 away from the already installed twisted tube W12. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this, and the exterior material delivery unit 11 may be kept at the end position of delivery of the twisted tube W12. However, as described above, by moving the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 to the retracted position P13, interference with the already installed twisted tube W12 can be suppressed and the exterior material delivery unit 11 can be kept away from the electric wire W11.

[0036] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of an exterior material mounting device is provided in which the control unit 15 moves the exterior material delivery unit 11 in the reverse direction D15 after fixing the delivery end W121 of the twisted tube W12. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this, and the delivery end of the twisted tube may be left free without being fixed to the electric wire, while the exterior material delivery unit 11 is moved in the reverse direction D15. However, as mentioned above, moving the exterior material delivery unit 11 after fixing the delivery end W121 allows for stable delivery of the twisted tube W12.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of an exterior material mounting device is provided in which the starting position P11 of the feed-out is set to the position where the feed-out end W121 reaches the tape-wrapping position P12 of the electric wire W11 on which tape M11 has been pre-wrapped. However, the exterior material mounting device is not limited to this, and the feed-out end of the twisted tube may be fixed to the electric wire with tape without specifically wrapping tape around the electric wire. However, as mentioned above, the tape-wrapping fixation can be effectively achieved by directing the feed-out end W121 toward the tape-wrapping position P12 of the electric wire W11 that has been pre-wrapped with tape and then performing the tape-wrapping fixation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1. Exterior material mounting device 11 Exterior material delivery section 12 Contact and Separation Movement Part 13 Wire direction movement section 14. Device frame section 15 Control Unit 111 Receiving section 112 Conveying section 112a Conveyor roller 121 Rail section for contacting and separating rails 122 Movable parts 131 Wire direction rail section 132 Wire direction movable part 141 Frame material D11 Vertical direction D12 Sending direction D13 Direction of approach and separation D14 Wire direction D15 Reverse direction P11 Start position P12 Tape winding position P13 Evacuation Position L1 predetermined distance M1 Tape Winding Mechanism M11 Tape W1 Wire Harness W11 Electric wire W12 Twisted Tube W121 Outlet end W122 Slit

Claims

1. An outer covering material is attached to an electric wire, with the outer covering material being tubular in shape and containing the electric wire through slits provided in its peripheral wall, and the outer covering material is fed along the electric wire in a feeding direction from an arbitrary starting position toward one end of the electric wire so that the straight-lined electric wire is contained inside the outer covering material through the slits, The exterior material dispensing unit is moved in the direction of the electric wire along the electric wire by a wire direction movement unit, A control unit controls the exterior material delivery unit and the wire direction movement unit so that the wire direction movement unit moves the exterior material delivery unit from the starting position in the opposite direction to the delivery direction in conjunction with the delivery of the exterior material by the exterior material delivery unit, An exterior material mounting device characterized by having the following features.

2. The aforementioned electric wires are arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction along gravity. The exterior material mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the wire direction moving part moves the exterior material delivery part with the vertical direction as the wire direction.

3. The exterior material attachment device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the exterior material delivery unit and the wire direction movement unit so as to move the exterior material delivery unit in the reverse direction to a retracted position a predetermined distance away from the exterior material that has been delivered from the exterior material delivery unit and attached to the wire.

4. The exterior material dispensed by the exterior material dispensing unit is designed so that its dispensing end is secured to the electric wire with tape during the initial dispensing stage. The exterior material mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the exterior material delivery unit and the wire direction moving unit so as to move the exterior material delivery unit in the reverse direction after the delivery end is fixed.

5. Prior to the delivery of the outer covering material by the outer covering material delivery unit, the electric wire has tape wound around it at a predetermined tape winding position. The exterior material attachment device according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit positions the exterior material feeding unit to the starting position, where the feeding end reaches the tape winding position, and controls the exterior material feeding unit and the wire direction moving unit to move the exterior material feeding unit in the reverse direction when the feeding end of the exterior material fed out from the exterior material feeding unit at the starting position is fixed to the wire with tape at the tape winding position.

Images