Multicore cable processing device

Abstract

A processing device 1 for a multicore cable 3 comprises: a holding member 41 that holds a non-tip portion 5B of a sheath 5; a grip device 50 that grips a tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 or wires 4, 6 exposed from the sheath 5; a pull-out device 60 that pulls out the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5; a rotation device 70 that rotates the holding member 41 and a grip member 56 relative to each other; a detection device 80 that detects at least one of a twisting pitch and a twisting hardness of the plurality of wires 4, 6 of the multicore cable 3; and a control device 100. The control device 100 adjusts an operation condition of at least one of the grip device 50, the pull-out device 60, and the rotation device 70, on the basis of the detection by the detection device 80.

Description

Multi-core cable processing equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a multi-core cable processing device.

[0002] Conventionally, multi-core cables having a plurality of electric wires and a sheath covering the electric wires have been known. For multi-core cables, a process is performed in which a notch is made in the distal end of the sheath and the distal end of the sheath is pulled out to expose the distal end of each electric wire. After that, a process is performed, for example, by crimping a terminal onto the distal end of each electric wire. However, if twisting remains in the electric wires when the distal end of the sheath is pulled out, the electric wires cannot be properly processed after that. Therefore, conventionally, devices for straightening the twisting of electric wires have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electric wire untwisting device that includes a gripping clamp that grips the tip portion of a slit sheath, a holding clamp that holds a non-tip portion of the sheath, an extracting device that moves the gripping clamp away from the holding clamp to extract the tip portion of the sheath, and a rotating device that rotates the tip portion of the sheath gripped by the gripping clamp. The untwisting device described in Patent Document 1 untwists the electric wire and extracts the sheath by combining control of extracting the tip portion of the sheath without rotating the gripping clamp and control of extracting the tip portion of the sheath while rotating the gripping clamp.

[0004] International Publication No. 2022 / 091788

[0005] In a multi-core cable, there is variation in the twist state of the wires. The inventors of the present invention have realized that this variation is not negligible when attempting to consistently untwist the wires of a multi-core cable. According to the inventors' findings, variation in the twist state of the wires in a multi-core cable causes variation in the state of the wires after untwisting. As a result, multi-core cables are produced in which the wires are insufficiently untwisted or are twisted in the opposite direction due to excessive untwisting.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to suppress variations in the state of the electric wires after untwisting, which are caused by variations in the twisted state of the plurality of electric wires in a multi-core cable.

[0007] The multi-core cable processing device disclosed herein processes a multi-core cable having a plurality of twisted electric wires and a sheath covering the plurality of electric wires, and includes: a holding member for holding the non-tip portion of the sheath having a slit between the tip and non-tip portions; a gripping device having a gripping member for gripping the tip portion of the sheath or the exposed plurality of electric wires; an extracting device for extracting the tip portion of the sheath; a rotating device for rotating the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other; a detecting device for detecting at least one of the twist pitch and twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; and a control device for controlling the gripping device, the extracting device, and the rotating device. The control device includes a condition adjusting unit for adjusting at least one of the operating conditions of the gripping device, the extracting device, and the rotating device based on detection by the detecting device.

[0008] According to the multi-core cable processing device, at least one of the twist pitch and twist strength is detected as an indicator of the twist state of the electric wires of the multi-core cable, and at least one of the operating conditions of the gripping device, the extracting device, and the rotating device is adjusted based on the detection. Therefore, at least one of the twist pitch and twist strength of the electric wires is reflected in the untwisting conditions of the electric wires. This makes it possible to suppress variation in the state of the electric wires after untwisting, which is caused by variation in the twist state of the multiple electric wires of the multi-core cable.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the condition adjustment unit adjusts at least one of the rotation angle and rotation speed when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other, the pulling speed and pulling force when the pulling device pulls out the tip of the sheath, and the gripping force of the gripping device.

[0010] According to this multi-core cable processing device, the condition adjusting unit adjusts the operating conditions described above. By adjusting at least one of the operating conditions, it is possible to suppress the influence of variations in the twist pitch or twist strength of the multiple electric wires and to suppress variations in the state of the electric wires after untwisting.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the control device includes a first registering unit in which at least one of a standard twist pitch and a standard twist strength of the plurality of electric wires is registered. The condition adjusting unit adjusts at least one of the rotation angle and rotation speed of the rotating device, the pulling speed and pulling force of the pulling device, and the gripping force of the gripping device based on at least one of a comparison between the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires detected by the detecting device and the standard twist pitch and a comparison between the twist strength of the plurality of electric wires detected by the detecting device and the standard twist strength.

[0012] With this multi-core cable processing device, at least one of the twist pitch and twist strength of the multiple electric wires is compared with a registered standard twist pitch or twist strength, and the operating conditions are adjusted based on the difference from the standard. With this configuration, since the reference twist pitch or twist strength is constant, adjustments can be made with high reproducibility.

[0013] According to a preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, the control device includes a first registration unit in which a standard twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires is registered, and a second registration unit in which a standard rotation angle when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other is registered. The detection device is configured to detect the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires. The condition adjustment unit increases the rotation angle of the rotating device compared to the standard rotation angle when the detected twist pitch is shorter than the standard twist pitch, and decreases the rotation angle of the rotating device compared to the standard rotation angle when the detected twist pitch is longer than the standard twist pitch.

[0014] With this multi-core cable processing device, it is possible to adjust the untwist amount to be larger for a multi-core cable having a twist pitch shorter than the standard twist pitch and with many twisted electric wires. Also, it is possible to adjust the untwist amount to be smaller for a multi-core cable having a twist pitch longer than the standard twist pitch and with few twisted electric wires. Therefore, it is possible to suppress variations in the state of the electric wires after untwisting, which are caused by variations in the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires in the multi-core cable.

[0015] According to a preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, the rotation device is configured to rotate the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other around a predetermined rotation axis. The detection device is configured to detect the rotational position of a specific electric wire among the plurality of electric wires at least at a first detection position along the rotation axis and a second detection position distal to the first detection position. The condition adjustment unit includes a first detection control unit, a calculation unit, a second detection control unit, and a correction unit. The first detection control unit causes the detection device to detect the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position in a state in which the distal end of the sheath is pulled out a first distance so that the plurality of electric wires are exposed at the first detection position and the second detection position. The calculation unit calculates an expected rotational position of the specific electric wire at the second detection position when the twist pitch is equal to the standard twist pitch, based on the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position. The second detection control unit causes the detection device to detect the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the second detection position. The correction unit corrects the rotation angle of the rotating device based on the difference between the predicted rotation position calculated by the calculation unit and the rotation position of the specific electric wire at the detected second detection position.

[0016] According to this multi-core cable processing device, the rotational position of the specific electric wire is determined by detecting the specific electric wire at the first detection position, and the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the second detection position when the twist pitch of the electric wire is equal to the standard twist pitch can be predicted. This predicted rotational position is the desired rotational position of the specific electric wire, and by correcting the difference between the predicted rotational position and the actual rotational position of the specific electric wire, it is possible to suppress variation in the state of the electric wire after untwisting.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable processing device further includes a base side rotation device that rotates the multi-core cable around a rotation axis that coincides with the rotation axis of the rotation device. The condition adjustment unit includes a movement control unit that controls the base side rotation device to move the specific electric wire to a predetermined rotation position based on the rotation position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position detected under the control of the first detection control unit. The calculation unit is configured to calculate an expected rotation position of the specific electric wire after being moved by the movement control unit.

[0018] According to this multi-core cable processing device, it is only necessary to configure the detection device so that it can detect when a specific electric wire is positioned at a predetermined rotational position at the first detection position, and it is not necessary to configure the detection device so that it can detect the specific electric wire at any rotational position at the first detection position. Therefore, the configuration of the detection device can be simplified.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the condition adjustment unit includes another movement control unit that controls the rotation device to move the specific electric wire at the second detection position to the expected rotation position.

[0020] According to this multi-core cable processing device, the untwisted state of the wire can be directly corrected by moving the specific wire at the second detection position to the predicted rotation position, thereby improving the state of the wire after untwisting.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the detection device has a probe that contacts the sheath and changes its position, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires when they are covered with the sheath from the fluctuation period of the displacement of the probe.

[0022] With this multi-core cable processing device, the twist pitch of the electric wires can be known before the sheath is pulled out to expose the electric wires, so there is no need to stop untwisting the electric wires midway to detect the twist pitch of the electric wires.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the detection device has a non-contact displacement meter capable of measuring the distance to the multiple electric wires exposed from the sheath, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires from the fluctuation period of the distance to the multiple electric wires measured by the non-contact displacement meter.

[0024] According to another preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, one of the plurality of electric wires is a drain wire having an exposed metal wire, and the detection device has an electrode that contacts the drain wire exposed from the sheath to detect the drain wire. The detection device is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from the longitudinal spacing of the multi-core cable at which the electrode detects the drain wire.

[0025] According to another preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, the detection device has an imaging device that acquires images of the plurality of electric wires exposed from the sheath, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from the images acquired by the imaging device.

[0026] These multi-core cable processing devices measure the twist pitch of the electric wires in a state where the electric wires are exposed from the sheath, thereby enabling more accurate measurement of the twist pitch of the electric wires.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable processing apparatus further includes a length measuring device. The length measuring device includes a conveying device that conveys the multi-core cable by a predetermined length at a time, and a cutting device that cuts the multi-core cable conveyed by the conveying device to the predetermined length. The conveying device includes a conveying motor. The detection device is configured to measure the rotational torque of the conveying motor. The condition adjustment unit includes a pitch estimation unit that estimates the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires from the fluctuation period of the rotational torque measured by the detection device.

[0028] With this multi-core cable processing device, the twist pitch of the electric wire can be known before the sheath is pulled out to expose the electric wire. Therefore, there is no need to stop the untwisting of the electric wire midway to detect the twist pitch of the electric wire. Furthermore, the twist pitch of the electric wire can be measured in parallel with the process of cutting the multi-core cable to a predetermined length. Therefore, the productivity of multi-core cable processing is improved.

[0029] According to a preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing apparatus, the detection device is configured to acquire a conveyance sound of the multi-core cable conveyed by the conveyance device, and the condition adjustment unit includes a pitch estimation unit that estimates a twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from a fluctuation period of the conveyance sound acquired by the detection device.

[0030] This multi-core cable processing device also makes it possible to improve the productivity of multi-core cable processing.

[0031] According to a preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, the extraction device is configured to extract the leading end portion of the sheath by moving at least one of the gripping member and the holding member so that the gripping member moves away from the holding member. The control device includes a first registration unit and a second registration unit. The first registration unit registers standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires. The second registration unit registers a standard rotational speed at which the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other, and a standard extraction speed at which the extraction device extracts the leading end portion of the sheath. The detection device is configured to detect the twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires. When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit slows the rotational speed of the rotating device below the standard rotational speed and slows the extraction speed of the extraction device below the standard extraction speed.

[0032] According to this multi-core cable processing device, when the wires are tightly twisted, the wires are untwisted more slowly than under the standard untwisting conditions, so that the twist is corrected over time, making it easier to correct even a strong twist in the wires.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the extraction device is configured to extract the distal end portion of the sheath by moving at least one of the gripping member and the holding member so that the gripping member moves away from the holding member. The control device includes a first registering unit in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered, and a second registering unit in which a standard pull-out force when the extraction device extracts the distal end portion of the sheath is registered. The detection device is configured to detect the twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires. When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit increases the pull-out force of the extraction device to be greater than the standard pull-out force.

[0034] According to this multi-core cable processing device, when the wire is tightly twisted, the wire is pulled more strongly than under the standard untwisting conditions, which allows for stronger straightening of the twisted wire, making it easier to straighten even a strong twisted wire.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing device, the control device includes a first registering unit in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered, and a second registering unit in which a standard gripping force of the gripping device is registered. The detection device is configured to detect the twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires. When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit increases the gripping force of the gripping device to be greater than the standard gripping force.

[0036] According to this multi-core cable processing device, the rotational force of the gripping member is efficiently transmitted to the wires, and therefore even if the wires have a strong twist, the twist can be easily corrected.

[0037] According to a preferred aspect of the multi-core cable processing device, the control device includes a first registration unit in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered, and a second registration unit in which standard rotation angles and standard rotation directions when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other are registered. The detection device is configured to detect the twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires. When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit increases the relative rotation angle by which the holding member and the gripping member are rotated in the standard rotation direction beyond the standard rotation angle, and, after the holding member and the gripping member have finished rotating in the standard rotation direction, rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other in the direction opposite to the standard rotation direction by the same rotation angle as the increase in the standard rotation direction.

[0038] According to this multi-core cable processing device, when the wire is tightly twisted, the wire is untwisted more than under the standard untwisting conditions. This allows the wire to be strongly straightened even if it has a strong twist. However, if the wire is untwisted too much, it will be twisted in the opposite direction. Therefore, the processing device untwists the wire in the opposite direction by the amount of the excessive untwisting.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-core cable processing apparatus, the detection device is configured to measure a rotational torque when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other, and the standard rotational torque when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other is registered in the first registration unit as the standard twist strength.

[0040] According to the above-described multi-core cable processing device, the twist strength of the electric wires can be measured as the rotation torque of the rotating device.

[0041] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress variations in the state of the wires after untwisting, which are caused by variations in the twisted state of the plurality of wires in a multi-core cable.

[0042] 1 is a block diagram of a multi-core cable processing device according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a multi-core cable; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the inside of a tip portion of a multi-core cable; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an untwisting device according to one embodiment; FIG. 5 is a side view of the untwisting device; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of untwisting an electric wire; FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of an untwisting device according to a modified example, showing multiple detection positions of the detection device; FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a length measuring device according to a second embodiment; FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a detection device according to a first modified example of the second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a detection device and a conveying device according to a second modified example of the second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a detection device according to a third modified example of the second embodiment; FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of a detection device according to a fourth modified example of the second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of a detection device according to a fifth modified example of the second embodiment; and FIG. 14 is a table summarizing methods of adjusting the untwisting conditions for the modified examples of the first to third embodiments.

[0043] First Embodiment A multicore cable processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a processing device 1 for a multicore cable 3 (see FIG. 2). FIG. 2 is a plan view of the multicore cable 3. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the interior of the distal end of the multicore cable 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 1 includes a length measuring device 10 that cuts the multicore cable 3 to a predetermined length, a cutting device 20 that makes a slit 5C (see FIG. 2) in the sheath 5 (see FIG. 2) of the multicore cable 3, an untwisting device 30 that pulls out the sheath 5 (see FIG. 2) at the distal end of the multicore cable 3 and corrects the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 (see FIG. 3) within the sheath 5, and a control device 100 that controls the length measuring device 10, the cutting device 20, and the untwisting device 30. The processing device 1 may include, for example, a stripping device that strips the coating of the electric wires 4, 6, a crimping device that crimps terminals onto the electric wires 4, 6, etc., but illustration and description thereof are omitted here.

[0044] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the multi-core cable 3 has multiple covered electric wires 4, one uncovered electric wire 6, and a sheath 5 covering these electric wires 4, 6. Although not shown, the electric wire 6 has multiple strands made of a conductor such as metal. The electric wire 4 has multiple strands made of a conductor such as metal and a covering made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin that covers these strands. Hereinafter, the covered electric wire 4 and the uncovered electric wire 6 will be referred to as a core wire and a drain wire, respectively. Hereinafter, the multi-core cable 3 has four core wires 4. However, the number of core wires 4 is not particularly limited. The number of drain wires 6 is also not particularly limited. The material of the sheath 5 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, chloroprene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, etc.

[0045] After the multi-core cable 3 is cut to a predetermined length by the length measuring device 10, a slit 5C is formed in the sheath 5 by the cutting device 20. The sheath 5 is cut along the slit 5C into a tip portion 5A and a non-tip portion 5B. As shown in FIG. 3 , the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 are twisted within the sheath 5. That is, the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 within the sheath 5 extend in a spiral shape and have a twist tendency. The core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 are twisted at a predetermined pitch. However, the twist pitch and twist strength vary depending on the individual wires or the location. The untwisting device 30 pulls out the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 and corrects the twist tendency of the exposed core wires 4 and the drain wires 6.

[0046] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the untwisting device 30. Fig. 5 is a side view of the untwisting device 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the untwisting device 30 includes a holding device 40 that holds the non-tip portion 5B of the sheath 5 of the multicore cable 3, a gripping device 50 that grips the tip portion 5A, a pulling device 60 that pulls out the tip portion 5A, a rotating device 70 that rotates the tip portion 5A, and a detection device 80 that measures the twist pitch of the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6. In the following description, for convenience, the tip portion 5A side of the sheath 5 (right side in Fig. 4) will be referred to as the front side, and the non-tip portion 5B side (left side in Fig. 4) will be referred to as the rear side. It is assumed that the tip portion 5A is pulled out forward.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4 , the holding device 40 includes a holding clamp 41 having a pair of left and right clamp claws 41L, 41R, an actuator 42 that drives the clamp claws 41L, 41R to move toward or away from each other, and a rotation device 43 that rotates the clamp claws 41L, 41R. The actuator 42 is not particularly limited, but is configured as an air cylinder here. When the clamp claws 41L, 41R are moved toward each other, the holding clamp 41 is closed. As a result, the non-distal portion 5B of the sheath 5 is sandwiched and held between the clamp claws 41L, 41R. When the clamp claws 41L, 41R are moved away from each other, the holding clamp 41 is opened. As a result, the non-distal portion 5B of the sheath 5 is released from its hold.

[0048] The rotation device 43 of the holding device 40 rotates the multi-core cable 3 (more specifically, the portion of the multi-core cable 3 closer to the root than the slit 5C) around a rotation axis Ax along the axis of the multi-core cable 3 held by the clamp claws 41L, 41R. The rotation device 43 includes a pair of slide plates 44 that sandwich the multi-core cable 3, and a motor (not shown) that moves the pair of slide plates 44 so as to shift them in opposite directions to rotate the multi-core cable 3. However, the actuator that provides the driving force to the slide plates 44 is not limited to a motor.

[0049] The gripping device 50 includes a gripping clamp 56 and an actuator 55 that opens and closes the gripping clamp 56. The gripping clamp 56 has a first clamp claw 51 and a second clamp claw 52. The first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52 face each other so as to be able to grip the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. The actuator 55 is not particularly limited, but is here configured as an air cylinder. The gripping clamp 56 includes a link mechanism 53 connected to the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52, ​​and a piston rod 54 connected to the link mechanism 53. The piston rod 54 is connected to the actuator 55. When the piston rod 54 extends forward, the gripping clamp 56 opens, and the grip by the gripping clamp 56 is released. On the other hand, when the actuator 55 moves the piston rod 54 rearward, the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52 approach each other. That is, when the piston rod 54 contracts, the gripping clamp 56 closes and grips the distal end 5 A of the sheath 5 .

[0050] When the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52 approach each other, the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 is pinched between the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52. As a result, the distal end portion 5A is gripped by the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52. When the first clamp claw 51 and the second clamp claw 52 move away from each other, the grip on the distal end portion 5A is released.

[0051] The rotation device 70 rotates the grasping clamp 56 around a rotation axis Ax. The rotation axis of the rotation device 70 coincides with the rotation axis Ax of the holding device 40. As shown in FIG. 5 , the rotation device 70 includes a support plate 73 that rotatably supports the grasping clamp 56 and a motor 71 that applies a rotational force to the grasping clamp 56. The motor 71 is supported on the support plate 73. A rotation shaft 71 a of the motor 71 and the grasping clamp 56 are connected by a belt 72. The belt 72 is a transmission member that transmits the power of the motor 71 to the grasping clamp 56. However, the transmission member is not limited to the belt 72 and may be another type of transmission member, such as a gear or a chain. Furthermore, although the motor 71 is an example of an actuator that applies a rotational force to the grasping clamp 56, the actuator that applies a rotational force to the grasping clamp 56 is not limited to the motor 71. In this embodiment, the rotation device 70 is configured to rotate the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 by rotating the grasping clamp 56.

[0052] The pulling device 60 is configured to pull out the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 by moving the gripping clamp 56 away from the holding clamp 41 along the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable 3. The pulling device 60 includes a movable base 61 that supports the gripping device 50 and the rotating device 70, a motor 62 that moves the movable base 61 forward and backward, and a fixed base 65 that supports the movable base 61 and the motor 62. A rail 66 extending forward and backward is provided on the fixed base 65. A slider 67 slidably engaged with the rail 66 is fixed to the lower right portion of the movable base 61. A ball screw 63 is connected to the motor 62. As shown in FIG. 5 , a slider 64 that engages with the ball screw 63 is fixed to the lower left portion of the movable base 61. A hole (not shown) into which the ball screw 63 is inserted is formed in the slider 64. A spiral groove that engages with the ball screw 63 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the hole. When the motor 62 rotates in one direction, the ball screw 63 rotates in the same direction, and the slider 64 moves forward. As a result, the gripping clamp 56 moves forward. When the motor 62 rotates in the reverse direction, the ball screw 63 also rotates in the reverse direction, and the slider 64 moves backward. As a result, the gripping clamp 56 moves backward. In this way, the gripping clamp 56 moves forward or backward when the motor 62 rotates in one direction or the reverse direction.

[0053] The detection device 80 detects the rotational position of a specific electric wire among the multiple electric wires 4, 6 about the rotation axis Ax at a first detection position P1 along the rotation axis Ax and at a second detection position P2 that is located further distal than the first detection position P1. Here, the detection device 80 detects the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 and the second detection position P2. However, it is sufficient that the detection device 80 is configured to be able to detect the rotational position of the drain wire 6 about the rotation axis Ax at least at the first detection position P1 and the second detection position P2, and the detection device 80 may also be able to detect the rotational position of the drain wire 6 about the rotation axis Ax at other detection positions.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 5 , the detection device 80 includes an electrode 81 that detects the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at a first detection position P1 and a camera 82 that detects the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at a second detection position P2. Here, the first detection position P1 is set immediately forward of the slit 5C in the multi-core cable 3 held by the holding device 40. The electrode 81 is located at the first detection position P1 in the front-to-rear direction. The electrode 81 is located above the rotation axis Ax. The electrode 81 is configured to detect the drain wire 6 by passing a current through the drain wire 6. The electrode 81 can detect when the drain wire 6 is located at the 0 o'clock position around the rotation axis Ax. However, the electrode 81 may also be configured to detect when the drain wire 6 is located at another rotational position around the rotation axis Ax. The detection device 80 includes a moving device (not shown) that moves the electrode 81 toward or away from the multi-core cable 3.

[0055] The camera 82 is provided above the rotation axis Ax. The camera 82 is provided so as to include at least the second detection position P2 in its imaging range and captures an image of the upper half of the multi-core cable 3 at the second detection position P2. The detection device 80 detects the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2 from the image captured by the camera 82. The drain wire 6 has a metallic luster, while the coated core wire 4 does not. Therefore, the drain wire 6 can be identified based on the presence or absence of a metallic luster in the image captured by the camera 82. The detection device 80 may also include another camera provided below the rotation axis Ax so that the detection device 80 can detect the drain wire 6 even when the drain wire 6 is located in the lower half of the multi-core cable 3.

[0056] The rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 may also be detected by the camera 82. Alternatively, the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 may be detected by another camera arranged behind the camera 82. The detection device 80 may be configured to detect a core wire 4 covered with a coating of a specific color, instead of the drain wire 6. Detection using an imaging device such as a camera also makes it possible to detect a specific core wire 4. Alternatively, the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2 may also be detected by an electrode. The types of electric wires 4, 6 detected by the detection device 80 and the detection method are not particularly limited.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device 100 is connected to the length measuring device 10, the incising device 20, the holding device 40 of the untwisting device 30, the gripping device 50, the pulling device 60, the rotating device 70, and the detecting device 80, and controls the operations of these devices. The configuration of the control device 100 is not particularly limited. The control device 100 may include, for example, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU), a ROM storing programs executed by the CPU, a RAM, etc. Each unit of the control device 100 may be configured by software or by hardware. Furthermore, each unit may be a processor or a circuit. The control device 100 may be, for example, a programmable controller or a computer.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device 100 includes a registration unit 110 and a condition adjustment unit 120. The registration unit 110 includes a first registration unit 111 in which the standard twist pitches of the multiple electric wires 4 and 6 are registered, and a second registration unit 112 in which the standard untwist conditions are registered. The "standard twist pitch" of the multiple electric wires 4 and 6 refers to a typical twist pitch, such as the twist pitch described in the delivery specifications of the multi-core cable 3. In an actual multi-core cable 3, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4 and 6 generally includes a tolerance and varies within the tolerance range. The "standard untwist conditions" are untwist conditions corresponding to the center of the tolerance. In this embodiment, the untwist conditions include the rotation angle of the gripping clamp 56, the rotation speed of the gripping clamp 56, the pull-out force of the pulling device 60, and the pull-out speed of the pulling device 60. The first registration unit 111 may also register multiple standard twist pitches for multiple types of multi-core cables 3. In this case, the second registration unit 112 may register a plurality of standard untwisting conditions corresponding to a plurality of standard twist pitches, respectively.

[0059] The standard rotation angle of the gripping clamp 56 is a standard rotation angle (corresponding to a standard twist pitch and registered) when the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. The standard rotation angle of the gripping clamp 56 is a total rotation angle that the gripping clamp 56 is ultimately rotated to untwist. The standard rotation speed of the gripping clamp 56 is a standard rotation speed (corresponding to a standard twist pitch and registered) when the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. Note that the standard rotation speed may involve speed changes as described in Patent Document 1.

[0060] The standard retraction force of the retraction device 60 is a standard retraction force when the retraction device 60 retracts the distal end 5A of the sheath 5, and in this case, is the torque of the motor 62. The torque of the motor 62 can be adjusted, for example, by the magnitude of the current flowing through the motor 62. The standard retraction speed of the retraction device 60 is a standard retraction speed when the retraction device 60 retracts the distal end 5A of the sheath 5, and in this case, is the rotational speed of the motor 62. The rotational speed of the motor 62 can be measured directly or indirectly, for example, by an encoder built into the motor 62 or provided at another location on the retraction device 60, and can be controlled based on the measurement. Note that the standard retraction force and standard retraction speed may involve changes in torque and speed during the process.

[0061] The condition adjustment unit 120 adjusts at least one of the operating conditions of the gripping device 50, the pulling device 60, and the rotating device 70 based on the detection of the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 by the detection device 80. Here, the condition adjustment unit 120 adjusts the rotation angle by which the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 based on a comparison between the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 detected by the detection device 80 and a standard twist pitch. This process ensures that the reference twist pitch is always the same, allowing for highly reproducible adjustment. Specifically, when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 is shorter than the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 increases the rotation angle by which the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated relative to the standard rotation angle. Furthermore, when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 is longer than the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 decreases the rotation angle by which the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated relative to the standard rotation angle. This makes it possible to correct the untwisting conditions in a direction that eliminates the difference between the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 (actual twist pitch) and the standard twist pitch.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 1, the condition adjusting unit 120 includes a first detection control unit 121 , a movement control unit 122 , a calculation unit 123 , a second detection control unit 124 , and a correction unit 125 .

[0063] The first detection control unit 121 rotates the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 by a predetermined rotation angle (also referred to as the first rotation angle) that is smaller than the standard rotation angle, and causes the detection device 80 to detect the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 in a state in which the tip portion 5A is pulled out by a predetermined distance (also referred to as the first distance) such that the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 are exposed at the first detection position P1 and the second detection position P2. Hereinafter, the state in which the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated by the first rotation angle and pulled out by the first distance is also referred to as a paused state.

[0064] The movement control unit 122 controls the rotation device 43 of the holding device 40 based on the rotation position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 detected under the control of the first detection control unit 121, to move the drain wire 6 to a predetermined rotation position. In this embodiment, the movement control unit 122 controls the rotation device 43 of the holding device 40 to rotate the multicore cable 3 until the drain wire 6 is detected by the electrode 81 of the detection device 80.

[0065] The calculation unit 123 calculates an expected rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2 when the twist pitch is equal to the standard twist pitch, based on the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 (here, the 0 o'clock position). Here, the calculation unit 123 calculates an expected rotational position of the drain wire 6 after it has been moved by the movement control unit 122. The details of the calculation will be described later together with numerical examples.

[0066] The second detection control unit 124 causes the detection device 80 to detect the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2. The correction unit 125 corrects the rotation angle based on the difference between the predicted rotational position calculated by the calculation unit 123 and the detected rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2. The correction method will be described in detail below along with numerical examples.

[0067] The above is the configuration of the processing device 1 for the multi-core cable 3 according to the first embodiment. Next, a method for untwisting the electric wires 4, 6 using the processing device 1 will be described.

[0068] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of untwisting the electric wires 4, 6. The explanation of the process in FIG. 6 starts after the holding device 40 holds the multi-core cable 3 and the gripping device 50 grips the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5. As shown in FIG. 6 , in the process of untwisting the electric wires 4, 6, in step S01, the gripping clamp 56 is rotated at a standard rotation speed and moved at a standard pull-out speed. In step S02, when the gripping clamp 56 has rotated by a first rotation angle and moved a first distance, the rotation and movement of the gripping clamp 56 are stopped. This brings the multi-core cable 3 into a temporary stop state. Note that the temporary stop state in step S02 is achieved if the rotation angle of the gripping clamp 56 up to this point is the first rotation angle and the movement distance is the first distance. Therefore, in step S01, the gripping clamp 56 may be rotated at a speed other than the standard rotation speed and moved at a speed other than the standard pull-out speed.

[0069] In step S03, the rotation device 43 of the holding device 40 and the rotation device 70 are rotated synchronously, and the multicore cable 3 is rotated until the drain wire 6 is detected by the electrode 81 of the detection device 80. As a result, the drain wire 6 moves to the 0 o'clock position. Note that the movement of the drain wire 6 does not have to be until the drain wire 6 is first detected by the electrode 81, and it is preferable to move the drain wire 6 until the center in the left-right direction of the drain wire 6 is detected by the electrode 81. Specifically, the multicore cable 3 may be rotated until the drain wire 6 is first detected by the electrode 81, and then further rotated until it is no longer detected by the electrode 81, and then returned by half the rotation angle from when the drain wire 6 was first detected to when it is no longer detected.

[0070] In step S04, a predicted rotational position of the drain wire 6 after movement when the twist pitch is equal to the standard twist pitch is determined. In step S05, the detection device 80 detects the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2 after movement in step S03. Steps S04 and S05 may be performed in reverse order or simultaneously. In step S06, the remaining rotation angle is corrected based on the difference between the predicted rotational position determined in step S04 and the rotational position of the drain wire 6 detected in step S05. The operation and calculations of the untwisting device 30 up to this point will be described below using numerical examples.

[0071] For example, assume that the standard twist pitch is 20 mm, the position of the slit 5C is 40 mm from the tip (i.e., the distance to pull out the tip portion 5A is 40 mm), the distance from the slit 5C to the first detection position P1 in the front-rear direction is essentially zero, the distance from the slit 5C to the second detection position P2 in the front-rear direction is 30 mm, and the first distance is 30 mm. The distance from the slit 5C to the second detection position P2 and the first distance do not need to be the same, but setting them to be the same simplifies calculations. If the twist pitch of the wires 4 and 6 is 20 mm, the same as the standard twist pitch, then the pull-out distance of the tip portion 5A of 20 mm corresponds to a rotation angle of 360 degrees. Therefore, under standard untwist conditions, the rotation angle / pull-out distance is 360 degrees / 20 mm. When the gripping clamp 56 is rotated at the standard rotation speed and moved at the standard pull-out speed, the rotation angle / pull-out distance is 360 degrees / 20 mm. Therefore, if the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the first detection position P1 is the 0-degree position, the predicted rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the second detection position P2 (here, 30 mm away from the first detection position P1, i.e., 1.5 times the standard twist pitch) is the 540-degree position (180-degree position after one rotation, 1.5 times 360 degrees) (Step S04). Note that the amount of rotation of the gripping clamp 56 at this point is also 540 degrees.

[0072] Assume that the actually detected rotational position of the drain wire 6 is 600 degrees (step S05). From this, the actual twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 is calculated as 360 degrees / 600 degrees × 30 mm = 18 mm. In this case, because the actual twist pitch is smaller than the standard twist pitch, if the holding clamp 56 is rotated by the standard rotation angle, the electric wires 4, 6 will not be completely untwisted. Conversely, if the actual twist pitch is larger than the standard twist pitch, if the holding clamp 56 is rotated by the standard rotation angle, the electric wires 4, 6 will be untwisted too much and twisted in the opposite direction. Note that if the rotational position of the drain wire 6 deviates from the predicted rotational position by 180 degrees or more, the direction of the deviation will become impossible to determine. Therefore, it is preferable that the first distance not be much larger than the standard twist pitch. The first distance is preferably 1.5 to 3 times the standard twist pitch.

[0073] The rotation angle / pull-out distance required to completely untwist the multi-core cable 3 as illustrated above is 360 degrees / 18 mm. Converting this to a pull-out distance of 40 mm, the rotation angle / pull-out distance is 800 degrees / 40 mm. Therefore, in the rotation and movement of the gripping clamp 56 after the correction (step S06), the gripping clamp 56 is rotated 260 degrees (800 degrees - 540 degrees) during the remaining 10 mm (40 mm - 30 mm) of movement. Under standard pull-out conditions, the rotation angle / pull-out distance is 720 degrees / 40 mm, so the gripping clamp 56 is rotated an additional 80 degrees.

[0074] In step S07, the gripping clamp 56 is moved the remaining distance while being rotated by the rotation angle corrected in step S06. As a result, even if the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 in the multi-core cable 3 is different from the standard twist pitch, the electric wires 4, 6 can be untwisted without being under-untwisted or over-untwisted. This method also has the advantage of reducing the number of times the position of the drain wire 6 is detected and aligned, thereby improving productivity, compared to, for example, the modified example described below.

[0075] If the detection device 80 is configured to be able to detect the position of the drain wire 6 (or the core wire 4) at the first detection position P1 regardless of the rotational position around the rotation axis Ax, the rotation of the holding clamp 56 for moving the drain wire 6 (or the core wire 4) to a predetermined rotational position (step S03 in FIG. 6 ) can be omitted, further improving productivity. In this case, the predicted rotational position of the drain wire 6 (or the core wire 4) at the second detection position P2 is calculated using the detected rotational position of the drain wire 6 (or the core wire 4) at the first detection position P1 as the starting point.

[0076] However, with the configuration of this embodiment, it is sufficient that the detection device 80 is configured so that it can detect that the drain wire 6 is at a predetermined rotational position (here, the 0 o'clock position) at the first detection position P1, and it is not necessary to configure the detection device 80 so that it can detect the drain wire 6 at any rotational position at the first detection position P1. This allows for a simplified configuration of the detection device 80. Here, the use of the electrode 81 simplifies and reduces the cost of the detection device 80.

[0077] Furthermore, even when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 differs from the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 may maintain the rotation speed of the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 at the standard rotation speed and maintain the speed at which the withdrawal device 60 withdraws the tip portion 5A at the standard withdrawal speed. For example, when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 differs from the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 may rotate the gripping clamp 56 by the calculated correction amount immediately before the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 is withdrawn from the electric wires 4, 6. Such control is simpler and can reduce the load on the control device 100.

[0078] The untwisting device 30 may be configured to detect again the positions of the electric wires 4, 6 at the points where they were untwisted based on the estimation in step S07 using the detection device 80. If the result of the re-detection of the positions of the electric wires 4, 6 does not satisfy the predetermined criteria, the processing device 1 for the multicore cable 3 may untwist the electric wires 4, 6 again using the untwisting device 30 or another device based on the re-detected positions of the electric wires 4, 6.

[0079] [Modification of First Embodiment] The processing device 1 for a multi-core cable 3 according to the first embodiment can also be implemented in other embodiments. Below, a description will be given of a processing device for a multi-core cable according to a modification of the first embodiment. In the following description of the modification, components that perform the same functions as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. Furthermore, duplicated descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. The same applies to other embodiments that will be described after this modification.

[0080] Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of the untwisting device 30 according to this modification, showing multiple detection positions P1 to P4 of the detection device 80. As shown in Fig. 7, in this modification, the detection device 80 is configured to detect the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at multiple detection positions P1 to P4 aligned along the rotation axis Ax. The configuration for detecting the rotational position of the drain wire 6 at the detection positions P1 to P4 may be multiple electrodes or multiple cameras. Alternatively, if possible, a single camera may be used.

[0081] In this modification, the condition adjustment unit 120 includes another movement control unit 122B that controls the rotation device 70 while the pulling device 60 is stopped, and moves the drain wire 6 at each of the detection positions P2 to P4 to the predicted rotation position. In this modification, the condition adjustment unit 120 is configured to rotate the multicore cable 3 each time it determines that the actual rotation position of the drain wire 6 deviates from the predicted rotation position, thereby eliminating the deviation. In this modification, for example, pulling of the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is stopped at the second detection position P2, and the multicore cable 3 is rotated from that state so that the drain wire 6 moves to the predicted rotation position. Furthermore, pulling of the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is also stopped at the third detection position P3, and the multicore cable 3 is rotated from that state so that the drain wire 6 moves to the predicted rotation position. The same applies to other detection positions.

[0082] Even with this configuration, even if the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 in the multi-core cable 3 is different from the standard twist pitch, the electric wires 4, 6 can be untwisted without insufficient or excessive untwisting. Moreover, in this modified example, the untwist amount is corrected at each stage of untwisting, so that the electric wires 4, 6 can be untwisted with higher accuracy than in the first embodiment. The number of detection positions is not particularly limited as long as it is two or more, and the positions thereof are also not particularly limited.

[0083] Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 is directly measured by a detection device 80. In this embodiment, the detection device 80 is provided in the length measuring device 10, and measures the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 in a state where the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 is not pulled out.

[0084] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the length measuring device 10. As shown in FIG. 8, the length measuring device 10 includes a conveying device 11 and a cutting device 15. The conveying device 11 conveys the multi-core cable 3 by a predetermined length. The cutting device 15 cuts the multi-core cable 3 conveyed by the conveying device 11 to the predetermined length. The cutting device 15 cuts the multi-core cable 3 at the same position each time the multi-core cable 3 conveyed by the conveying device 11 by the predetermined distance stops. As shown in FIG. 8, the conveying device 11 includes opposing left and right conveying belts 12, a pair of pulleys 13 provided for each conveying belt 12 and around which the conveying belts 12 are wound, and a conveying motor 14. The conveying belts 12 are endless belts. The conveying motor 14 is connected to at least one of the four pulleys 13 and rotates it. The multi-core cable 3 is conveyed by being sandwiched between the left and right conveyor belts 12 which rotate in a circular manner, and the winding tendency of the cable is corrected.

[0085] The detection device 80 is configured to measure the rotational torque of the conveying motor 14. The condition adjustment unit 120 includes a pitch estimation unit 126A that estimates the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 from the fluctuation period of the rotational torque measured by the detection device 80. As shown in Fig. 3, the surfaces of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 inside the sheath 5 have periodic unevenness corresponding to the twist pitch due to being twisted. The detection device 80 estimates the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 from the fluctuation period of the rotational torque of the conveying motor 14 caused by this unevenness.

[0086] In this embodiment, the actual twist pitch is determined before untwisting. Therefore, when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 is shorter than the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 increases the rotation angle by which the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated compared to the standard rotation angle. Furthermore, when the twist pitch detected by the detection device 80 is longer than the standard twist pitch, the condition adjustment unit 120 decreases the rotation angle by which the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated compared to the standard rotation angle. For example, the condition adjustment unit 120 increases or decreases the final rotation angle while maintaining the rotation speed of the gripping clamp 56, and corrects the withdrawal speed so that the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 is pulled out of the electric wires 4, 6 when the final rotation angle is reached. However, the method of correcting the untwisting conditions is not limited to the above.

[0087] The processing device 1 for a multi-core cable 3 according to this embodiment can estimate the actual twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 without temporarily stopping the untwisting process as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 can be measured in parallel with the length measurement process of cutting the multi-core cable 3 to a predetermined length. This improves the productivity of processing the multi-core cable 3.

[0088] [First Modification of the Second Embodiment] In one modification of the second embodiment, the detection device 80 has a probe 83 that contacts the sheath 5 and changes its position, and the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 in a state where the electric wires are covered with the sheath 5 is determined from the fluctuation period of the displacement of the probe 83. FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the detection device 80 according to this modification. The probe 83 of the detection device 80 according to this modification is configured to move vertically when pressed by an object that contacts the lower end. A roller 84 is provided at the lower end of the probe 83. The detection device 80 is configured to determine the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 by measuring the periodic unevenness of the electric wires 4, 6 with the probe 83. The processing device 1 for a multicore cable 3 according to this modification can also estimate the actual twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 without temporarily stopping the untwisting process. The probe 83 may measure the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 by contacting the sheath 5 of the multi-core cable 3 transported by the transport device 11, or may measure the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 by contacting the sheath 5 of the multi-core cable 3 at another location. For example, the probe 83 may be provided in the untwisting device 30.

[0089] It should be noted that it may be possible to measure the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 covered with the sheath 5 using a non-contact displacement meter instead of a contact-type displacement meter equipped with the probe 83. However, by pressing the outer surface of the sheath 5 with the probe 83, the sheath 5 follows the unevenness of the electric wires 4, 6. Therefore, it is easier to estimate the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 using a contact-type displacement meter equipped with the probe 83.

[0090] [Modification 2 of Second Embodiment] In another modification of the second embodiment, the detection device 80 is configured to acquire the sound of the multi-core cable 3 being carried by the conveying device 11. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the detection device 80 and the conveying device 11 according to this modification. As shown in FIG. 10, the detection device 80 includes a sound-collecting microphone 85. The condition adjustment unit 120 includes a pitch estimation unit 126B that estimates the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 from the fluctuation period of the carried sound acquired by the detection device 80. The processing device 1 is configured to estimate the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 by measuring the periodic fluctuation of the carried sound caused by periodic unevenness of the electric wires 4, 6. The processing device 1 for the multi-core cable 3 according to this modification can also estimate the actual twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 without temporarily stopping the untwisting process. Furthermore, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 can be measured in parallel with the length measurement process.

[0091] [Third Modification of the Second Embodiment] The twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 may be determined when the electric wires 4, 6 are exposed from the sheath 5. FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a detection device 80 according to a third modification of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11 , in this modification, the detection device 80 includes a non-contact displacement meter 86 capable of measuring the distance to the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 exposed from the sheath 5. The non-contact displacement meter 86 is, for example, a laser displacement meter. The detection device 80 is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 from the fluctuation period of the distance to the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 measured by the non-contact displacement meter 86. For example, the non-contact displacement meter 86 measures the heights of the electric wires 4, 6 at multiple points along the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable 3, and the pitch of the peaks or valleys of the height is defined as the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6. The measured peak or valley pitch may be averaged or otherwise processed. Note that the non-contact displacement meter 86 does not have to be disposed above the multi-core cable 3. The non-contact displacement meter 86 may be arranged at any position around the axis of the multi-core cable 3 and configured to measure the distance to the electric wires 4 and 6 .

[0092] According to this configuration, when the twist pitch is measured, the electric wires 4, 6 are exposed from the sheath 5. Therefore, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 can be measured more accurately. In this modified example, the electric wires 4, 6 are exposed from the sheath 5, but the detection device 80 does not come into contact with the exposed electric wires 4, 6. Therefore, the measurement of the twist pitch does not affect the state of the electric wires 4, 6.

[0093] [Fourth Modification of Second Embodiment] Fig. 12 is a schematic plan view of a detection device 80 according to a fourth modification of the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 12, in this modification, the detection device 80 has a camera 87 that acquires images of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 exposed from the sheath 5. The detection device 80 is configured to determine the twist pitches of the plurality of electric wires 4, 6 from the images acquired by the camera 87.

[0094] The method for determining the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 from the image is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 12 , the detection device 80 may detect from the image whether the drain wire 6 is in an area AL to the left of the axis of the multi-core cable 3, an area AM on the axis, or an area AR to the right of the axis. The areas AL, AM, and AR are appropriately set as areas for determining the presence or absence of the drain wire 6. The areas AL, AM, and AR are preferably set as flat areas that are long in the axial direction of the multi-core cable 3. A plurality of areas AL, AM, and AR may be set in the axial direction of the multi-core cable 3. For example, the distance between the point where the drain wire 6 is detected in the right area AR and the point where the drain wire 6 is detected in the left area AL is determined to be half the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6.

[0095] Even with this configuration, the electric wires 4, 6 are exposed from the sheath 5 when the twist pitch is measured. Therefore, the twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 can be measured more accurately. In this modified example, the measurement of the twist pitch does not affect the state of the electric wires 4, 6. In the first embodiment, the detection of the drain wires 6 by the camera 82 was performed after the electric wires 4, 6 were untwisted to a certain extent. In this modified example, the detection of the drain wires 6 by the camera 87 is part of the twist pitch measurement that is performed in advance before the electric wires 4, 6 are untwisted.

[0096] 13 is a schematic side view of a detection device 80 according to a fifth modification of the second embodiment. In this modification, the detection device 80 includes an electrode 88 that contacts the drain wire 6 exposed from the sheath 5 to detect the drain wire 6, and a moving device 89 that moves the electrode 88 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the multi-core cable 3. The electrode 88 detects the drain wire 6 by contacting the drain wire 6 with the exposed metal wire and applying current. The electrode 88 detects the drain wire 6 multiple times while being moved in the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable 3 by the moving device 89. The detection device 80 is configured to determine the twist pitch of the multiple electric wires 4, 6 from the longitudinal spacing of the multi-core cable 3 at which the electrode 88 detects the drain wire 6. Note that it is not the electrode 88 but the multi-core cable 3 that is moved along the axial direction of the multi-core cable 3.

[0097] According to this configuration, the use of the electrodes 88 allows the detection device 80 to be configured more inexpensively than using, for example, the non-contact displacement meter 86 or the camera 87 .

[0098] Third Embodiment In a third embodiment, the detection device 80 detects the twist strengths of the multiple electric wires 4, 6, and the processing device 1 for the multi-core cable 3 corrects for variations in the twist strengths of the electric wires 4, 6. Variations in the twist strengths of the electric wires 4, 6 may exist in the multi-core cable 3, and variations in twist strength may also result in unsuccessful untwisting. Here, the detection device 80 is configured to measure the rotational torque when the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end 5A of the sheath 5. The first registration unit 111 registers the standard rotational torque when the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 as the standard twist strength. The standard rotational torque may be, for example, the rotational torque of the rotating device 70 measured when an unintentionally selected multi-core cable 3 is untwisted under standard rotation speed and standard pull-out speed conditions. In this embodiment, the "standard untwisting conditions" are untwisting conditions corresponding to the standard twist strength.

[0099] In the present embodiment, the gripping device 50 is configured to be adjustable in gripping force with which the gripping clamp 56 grips the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. The gripping device 50 is equipped with, for example, a pressure change mechanism that can change the air pressure supplied to the actuator 55 (air cylinder). Alternatively, the gripping device 50 may be equipped with a torque-controllable motor as the actuator 55. In the present embodiment, the second registration unit 112 registers, as one of the standard untwisting conditions, a standard gripping force with which the gripping device 50 causes the gripping clamp 56 to grip the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5.

[0100] When the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 according to this embodiment slows the rotation speed of the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 below the standard rotation speed and slows the speed at which the retraction device 60 retracts the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 below the standard retraction speed. Furthermore, when the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is weaker than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 increases the rotation speed of the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 above the standard rotation speed and increases the speed at which the retraction device 60 retracts the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 above the standard retraction speed.

[0101] According to the above control, when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is strong, the electric wires 4, 6 are untwisted more slowly than under the standard untwisting conditions. As a result, the twist is corrected over time, so that even if the electric wires 4, 6 have a strong twist, the twist can be corrected. When the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weak, the electric wires 4, 6 are untwisted more quickly than under the standard untwisting conditions, thereby improving productivity. Note that when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weaker than the standard twist strength, untwisting may be performed at the standard rotation speed and the standard drawing speed.

[0102] Furthermore, when the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 according to this embodiment increases the pull-out force used by the pull-out device 60 to pull out the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 compared to the standard pull-out force. Furthermore, when the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is weaker than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 decreases the pull-out force used by the pull-out device 60 to pull out the distal end 5A of the sheath 5 compared to the standard pull-out force.

[0103] According to the above control, when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is tight, the electric wires 4, 6 are pulled stronger than under the standard untwisting conditions. As a result, the electric wires 4, 6 are stretched more strongly, so that even if the electric wires 4, 6 have a strong twisting tendency, this can be corrected. When the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weak, the electric wires 4, 6 are pulled weaker than under the standard untwisting conditions, so that application of unnecessary tension to the electric wires 4, 6 is suppressed. Note that when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weaker than the standard twist strength, untwisting may be performed with the standard tensile strength.

[0104] Furthermore, when the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 according to this embodiment increases the gripping force with which the gripping device 50 causes the gripping clamp 56 to grip the distal end 5A of the sheath 5, compared to the standard gripping force. Furthermore, when the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is weaker than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 decreases the gripping force with which the gripping device 50 causes the gripping clamp 56 to grip the distal end 5A of the sheath 5, compared to the standard gripping force.

[0105] According to the above control, when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is tight, the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 and the electric wires 4, 6 inside the tip portion 5A are gripped more strongly than under the standard untwisting conditions. As a result, the electric wires 4, 6 are stretched more strongly when the tip portion 5A is pulled out. Furthermore, by increasing the gripping force, the rotational force of the gripping clamps 56 is transmitted to the electric wires 4, 6 efficiently (with less slippage between the gripping clamps 56 and the electric wires 4, 6). Therefore, even if the electric wires 4, 6 have a strong twist tendency, this can be corrected. When the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weak, the electric wires 4, 6 are gripped more weakly than under the standard untwisting conditions, thereby suppressing the application of unnecessary gripping force to the electric wires 4, 6. Note that when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is weaker than the standard twist strength, the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 may be gripped with the standard gripping force.

[0106] In the present embodiment, the rotation speed, withdrawal speed, withdrawal force, and gripping force of the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 are adjusted in accordance with the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6, but only some of these may be adjusted. Preferably, at least the rotation speed and withdrawal speed of the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 are adjusted in accordance with the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6, and the withdrawal force and gripping force of the distal end portion 5A may or may not be adjusted.

[0107] [Modification of the Third Embodiment] In a modification of the third embodiment, when the detected twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 is stronger than the standard twist strength, the untwisting device 30 untwists the electric wires 4, 6 more than the standard untwisting conditions and then retwists them. In this modification, the second registration unit 112 registers the standard rotation angle and standard rotation direction when the rotating device 70 rotates the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. When the twist strength detected by the detection device 80 is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit 120 increases the rotation angle by which the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated in the standard rotation direction. The condition adjustment unit 120 is further configured to, after completing the rotation of the distal end portion 5A in the standard rotation direction, rotate the distal end portion 5A in the direction opposite to the standard rotation direction by the same rotation angle as the increase in the standard rotation direction.

[0108] According to the above control, when the twist of the electric wires 4, 6 is strong, the electric wires 4, 6 are untwisted more than under the standard untwisting conditions. As a result, even if the electric wires 4, 6 have a strong twist tendency, the twist tendency can be strongly corrected. Since the electric wires 4, 6 are twisted in the opposite direction due to excessive untwisting with this control alone, the untwisting device 30 is configured to retwist the electric wires 4, 6 (untwist in the opposite direction) by the amount of excessive untwisting. The control of this modified example may be added to the control of the third embodiment.

[0109] [Combination of Embodiments] Generally, when the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 is high, the twist pitch is short, and when the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 is low, the twist pitch is long. Therefore, when the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 is higher than the standard twist strength, the rotation angle of the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 may be set larger than the standard rotation angle to perform more untwisting. On the other hand, when the twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 is lower than the standard twist strength, the rotation angle of the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 may be set smaller than the standard rotation angle to perform less untwisting. Adjustment of the untwisting conditions based on the detected twist strength may involve only adjusting the rotation angle of the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 (which corresponds to the first embodiment, the second embodiment, their modifications, and the modification of the third embodiment in the already-described embodiments), or only adjusting the rotation speed, withdrawal speed, withdrawal force, or gripping force of the distal end portion 5A (which corresponds to the third embodiment), or both.

[0110] Alternatively, as adjustment of the untwisting conditions based on the detected twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6, only the rotation speed, pull-out speed, pull-out force, or gripping force of the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 may be adjusted, or the rotation angle of the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 may be adjusted together with these. Detection of the twist pitch and twist strength of the electric wires 4, 6 may be performed together, or only one of them may be performed. The first embodiment, the second embodiment, or their modified examples may be combined with the third embodiment or their modified examples, and may be combined in any combination as long as they are simultaneously feasible.

[0111] Fig. 14 shows a table summarizing the methods for adjusting the untwist conditions for the first to third modified embodiments. Fig. 14 shows cases where the detected twist pitch is shorter or longer than the standard twist pitch, and where the detected twist strength is stronger or weaker than the standard twist strength. However, the cases where the twist pitch is shorter than the standard twist pitch and the cases where the twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength can be interchangeable and combined. Furthermore, the cases where the twist pitch is longer than the standard twist pitch and the cases where the twist strength is weaker than the standard twist strength can be interchangeable and combined.

[0112] [Other Embodiments] Several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention may be implemented in other ways. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments do not limit the present invention.

[0113] For example, the method for rotating the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 is not particularly limited. The configuration for rotating the distal end portion 5A is also not particularly limited. For example, the gripping clamp 56 may have a pair of upper and lower clamp members that move in opposite directions to the left and right while holding the distal end portion 5A. In this case, the distal end portion 5A is rotated by being rolled by the pair of upper and lower clamp members.

[0114] In the above-described embodiment, the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 is rotated while the non-distal end portion 5B is stationary. However, the configuration and operation of the rotation device are not particularly limited as long as the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 can be rotated relative to the non-distal end portion 5B. The non-distal end portion 5B of the sheath 5 may be rotated while the distal end portion 5A is not rotated. Both the distal end portion 5A and the non-distal end portion 5B may be rotated in opposite directions.

[0115] The configuration of the gripping clamp 56 is not particularly limited. The gripping clamp 56 may have any configuration capable of gripping the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5. For example, the gripping clamp 56 may include a pair of plate-like members that grip the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5, instead of the first clamping claw 51 and the second clamping claw 52.

[0116] The gripping clamps 56 of the gripping device 50 may be configured to grip the exposed wires 4, 6 instead of the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 during untwisting. In this case, the rotating device 70 is also configured to rotate the holding clamp 41 and the gripping clamps 56 relative to each other.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment, the multi-core cable 3 has four core wires 4 and one drain wire 6. However, the number of core wires 4 and the number of drain wires 6 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the drain wire 6 is not necessarily required. The multi-core cable 3 may have a plurality of covered electric wires and no uncovered electric wires. Furthermore, the multi-core cable 3 may have a plurality of uncovered electric wires and no covered electric wires.

[0118] In the embodiment described above, the extraction device 60 is configured to extract the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 by moving the gripping clamp 56. However, the extraction device 60 may be configured to extract the distal end portion 5A by moving the holding clamp 41 away from the gripping clamp 56. The extraction device 60 may also be configured to extract the distal end portion 5A by moving both the gripping clamp 56 and the holding clamp 41 so that the gripping clamp 56 moves away from the holding clamp 41. In addition, when the gripping clamp 56 is configured to directly grip and untwist the multiple electric wires 4, 6, the extraction device 60 may be configured to include, for example, another clamp for extracting the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5, and to extract the distal end portion 5A of the sheath 5 by moving at least one of the other clamp and the holding clamp 41.

[0119] In the first embodiment described above, the electric wires 4, 6 are partially untwisted before the detection of the drain wire 6, but the electric wires 4, 6 do not have to be untwisted before the detection of the drain wire 6. In this case, the tip portion 5A of the sheath 5 is pulled out to a certain extent without the electric wires 4, 6 being untwisted, and the rotational position of the drain wire 6 is measured at the first detection position P1 and the second detection position P2. In the modified example of the first embodiment, such control can also be repeated intermittently.

[0120] The configuration of the untwisting device 30 according to the embodiment described above is merely an example. Any device capable of executing the above-described control can be used as the untwisting device. The same applies to the length measuring device 10 and the incising device 20.

[0121] The processing device 1 for the multi-core cable 3 may be provided with a straightening device that, when the detected twist pitch of the electric wires 4, 6 is shorter than the standard twist pitch or when the twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, further straightens the electric wires 4, 6 after untwisting. Examples of the straightening device include a device that squeezes the electric wires 4, 6 by clamping them with a plurality of rollers, and a device that grips and pulls the electric wires 4, 6.

[0122] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Processing device 3 Multi-core cable 4 Core wire (electric wire) 5 Sheath 5A Tip portion 5B Non-tip portion 6 Drain wire (specific electric wire) 10 Length measuring device 11 Conveying device 14 Conveying motor 15 Cutting device 30 Untwisting device 40 Holding device 41 Holding clamp (holding member) 43 Rotating device (root side rotating device) 50 Gripping device 56 Gripping clamp (gripping member) 60 Pulling device 70 Rotating device 80 Detection device 83 Probe 85 Sound collecting microphone 86 Non-contact displacement meter 87 Camera (imaging device) 88 Electrode 100 Control device 111 First registration unit 112 Second registration unit 120 Condition adjustment unit 121 First detection control unit 122 Movement control unit 122B Movement control unit (other movement control unit) 123 Calculation unit 124 Second detection control unit 125 Correction unit 126A Pitch estimation unit 126B Pitch estimation unit

Claims

1. 1. A processing apparatus for processing a multi-core cable having a plurality of twisted electric wires and a sheath covering the plurality of electric wires, a holding member for holding the non-tip portion of a sheath having a slit between the tip portion and the non-tip portion; a gripping device including a gripping member configured to grip the tip portion of the sheath or the exposed plurality of electric wires; a retractor for retracting the distal end of the sheath; a rotation device that rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other; a detection device that detects at least one of the twist pitch and twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; a control device that controls the gripping device, the extracting device, and the rotating device, The control device includes a condition adjusting unit that adjusts at least one of operating conditions of the gripping device, the extracting device, and the rotating device based on the detection by the detection device. Multi-core cable processing equipment.

2. the condition adjusting unit adjusts at least one of a rotation angle and a rotation speed when the rotating device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relatively, a retraction speed and a retraction force when the retracting device retracts the distal end portion of the sheath, and a gripping force of the gripping device. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 1 .

3. the control device includes a first register in which at least one of a standard twist pitch and a standard twist strength of the plurality of electric wires is registered; the condition adjustment unit adjusts at least one of the rotation angle and rotation speed of the rotating device, the pulling speed and pulling force of the pulling device, and the gripping force of the gripping device based on at least one of a comparison between the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires detected by the detection device and the standard twist pitch and a comparison between the twist strength of the plurality of electric wires detected by the detection device and the standard twist strength. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 2 .

4. The control device a first registration unit in which standard twist pitches of the plurality of electric wires are registered; a second registration unit in which a standard rotation angle when the rotation device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other is registered, the detection device is configured to detect twist pitches of the plurality of electric wires; the condition adjusting unit increases the rotation angle of the rotating device compared to the standard rotation angle when the detected twist pitch is shorter than the standard twist pitch, and decreases the rotation angle of the rotating device compared to the standard rotation angle when the detected twist pitch is longer than the standard twist pitch. The multi-core cable processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the rotation device is configured to rotate the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other around a predetermined rotation axis, the detection device is configured to be able to detect a rotational position of a specific electric wire among the plurality of electric wires at least at a first detection position along the rotation axis and a second detection position located on a tip side of the first detection position, The condition adjustment unit a first detection control unit that causes the detection device to detect a rotational position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position in a state in which the tip portion of the sheath is pulled out by a first distance such that the plurality of electric wires are exposed at the first detection position and the second detection position; a calculation unit that calculates an expected rotational position of the specific electric wire at the second detection position when the twist pitch is equal to the standard twist pitch, based on the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position; a second detection control unit that causes the detection device to detect the rotational position of the specific electric wire at the second detection position; a correction unit that corrects a rotation angle of the rotating device based on a difference between the predicted rotation position calculated by the calculation unit and the rotation position of the specific electric wire at the detected second detection position. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

6. a base side rotating device that rotates the multi-core cable around a rotation axis that coincides with the rotation axis of the rotating device, the condition adjustment unit includes a movement control unit that controls the base side rotation device based on a rotation position of the specific electric wire at the first detection position detected under the control of the first detection control unit to move the specific electric wire to a predetermined rotation position, the calculation unit calculates an expected rotational position of the specific electric wire after it has been moved by the movement control unit; The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 5 .

7. the condition adjustment unit includes another movement control unit that controls the rotation device to move the specific electric wire at the second detection position to the expected rotation position. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 5 .

8. The detection device has a probe that contacts the sheath and changes its position, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires in a state where the electric wires are covered with the sheath from a fluctuation period of the displacement of the probe. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

9. The detection device has a non-contact displacement meter capable of measuring the distance to the plurality of electric wires exposed from the sheath, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from a fluctuation period of the distance to the plurality of electric wires measured by the non-contact displacement meter. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

10. one of the plurality of electric wires is a drain wire having an exposed metal wire; The detection device has an electrode that comes into contact with the drain wire exposed from the sheath to detect the drain wire, and is configured to determine the twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from the interval in the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable at which the electrode detects the drain wire. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

11. The detection device has an imaging device that acquires images of the plurality of electric wires exposed from the sheath, and is configured to determine twist pitches of the plurality of electric wires from the images acquired by the imaging device. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

12. The multi-core cable may further include a length measuring device including a conveying device that conveys the multi-core cable by a predetermined length, and a cutting device that cuts the multi-core cable conveyed by the conveying device to the predetermined length, the conveying device includes a conveying motor; the detection device is configured to measure a rotation torque of the conveying motor; the condition adjusting unit includes a pitch estimating unit that estimates a twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from a fluctuation period of the rotational torque measured by the detecting device. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

13. The multi-core cable may further include a length measuring device including a conveying device that conveys the multi-core cable by a predetermined length, and a cutting device that cuts the multi-core cable conveyed by the conveying device to the predetermined length, the detection device is configured to acquire a sound of the multi-core cable being carried by the carrying device; The condition adjustment unit includes a pitch estimation unit that estimates a twist pitch of the plurality of electric wires from a fluctuation period of the carrier sound acquired by the detection device. The multi-core cable processing device according to claim 4.

14. the retraction device is configured to retract the distal end portion of the sheath by moving at least one of the gripping member and the holding member so that the gripping member moves away from the holding member; The control device a first register in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered; a second registration unit in which a standard rotation speed when the rotation device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other and a standard withdrawal speed when the withdrawal device withdraws the distal end portion of the sheath are registered, the detection device is configured to detect twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; when the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjusting unit slows the rotation speed of the rotating device to be slower than the standard rotation speed and slows the pulling speed of the pulling device to be slower than the standard pulling speed. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 1 .

15. the retraction device is configured to retract the distal end portion of the sheath by moving at least one of the gripping member and the holding member so that the gripping member moves away from the holding member; The control device a first register in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered; a second register in which a standard withdrawal force when the withdrawal device withdraws the distal end portion of the sheath is registered, the detection device is configured to detect twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjusting unit increases the pulling force of the pulling device to be greater than the standard pulling force. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 1 .

16. The control device a first register in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered; a second registration unit in which a standard gripping force of the gripping device is registered, the detection device is configured to detect twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; the condition adjusting unit increases the gripping force of the gripping device to be greater than the standard gripping force when the detected twist strength is greater than the standard twist strength. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 1 .

17. The control device a first register in which standard twist strengths of the plurality of electric wires are registered; a second registration unit in which a standard rotation angle and a standard rotation direction when the rotation device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other are registered, the detection device is configured to detect twist strength of the plurality of electric wires; When the detected twist strength is stronger than the standard twist strength, the condition adjustment unit increases a relative rotation angle by which the holding member and the gripping member are rotated in the standard rotation direction, more than the standard rotation angle, and, after completing the rotation of the holding member and the gripping member in the standard rotation direction, rotates the holding member and the gripping member relatively in a direction opposite to the standard rotation direction by the same rotation angle as the increased rotation angle with respect to the standard rotation direction. The multi-core cable treatment device according to claim 1 .

18. the detection device is configured to measure a rotational torque generated when the rotation device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other, The first registration unit registers, as the standard twist strength, a standard rotation torque when the rotation device rotates the holding member and the gripping member relative to each other. The multi-core cable treatment device according to any one of claims 14 to 17.