Multicore cable untwisting device

Abstract

A multicore cable untwisting device 1 comprises a holding clamp 11 for holding a non-distal-end portion 5B of a sheath of a multicore cable 3, a distal-end-gripping clamp 26 for gripping a distal-end portion 5A of the sheath, an intermediate gripping clamp 61 for gripping an electric wire exposed from the sheath between the holding clamp 11 and the distal-end-gripping clamp 26, and a rotation device 40 for rotating the distal-end-gripping clamp 26. Thus, the intermediate gripping clamp 61 can grip the electric wire exposed from the sheath at a position close to the distal-end-gripping clamp 26, and therefore, the electric wire can be untwisted in a satisfactory manner.

Description

Multi-core cable untwisting device

[0001] The present invention relates to an untwisting device for a multi-core cable that corrects twisting tendencies of electric wires in a multi-core cable.

[0002] Conventionally, multi-core cables having a plurality of electric wires and a sheath covering these 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, in which a terminal is crimped onto the distal end of each electric wire. However, if twisting tendency 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 untwisting electric wires have been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an untwisting device that simultaneously untwists an electric wire and pulls out the tip portion of the sheath. The untwisting device includes a holding member, a gripping member, a pulling device, and a rotation device. The holding member holds a non-tip portion of the sheath. The gripping member grips the tip portion of the sheath. The pulling device moves the gripping member so that the gripping member moves away from the holding member. The rotation device rotates the tip portion of the sheath gripped by the gripping member relative to the holding member. While the electric wire is fixed by the holding member, the rotation device rotates the tip portion of the sheath, thereby twisting the electric wire by the gripping member. This straightens the twist tendency of the electric wire. At the same time, the pulling device moves the gripping member, allowing the tip portion of the sheath to be pulled out. In other words, the untwisting device pulls out the tip portion of the sheath while twisting the electric wire.

[0004] International Publication No. 2022 / 091788

[0005] According to the untwisting device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the gripping member moves away from the holding member as the tip of the sheath is pulled out. When the gripping member moves away from the holding member, the position where the electric wire is fixed by the holding member and the position where the electric wire is twisted by the gripping member become farther apart. Therefore, the rotational force that twists the electric wire on the gripping member side is not easily transmitted to the holding member side of the electric wire. Therefore, when the holding member and the gripping member are far apart, the electric wire cannot be untwisted properly.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its object is to provide a multi-core cable untwisting device that can untwist electric wires well even if the gripping member and the holding member are far apart.

[0007] The multi-core cable untwisting device according to the present invention is a multi-core cable untwisting device for correcting twisting of the electric wires of a multi-core cable having a plurality of electric wires and a sheath covering the electric wires. The multi-core cable untwisting device includes a holding clamp for holding a non-tip end portion of the sheath of the multi-core cable, a tip holding clamp for holding a tip end portion of the electric wires exposed from the sheath or a tip end portion of the sheath, at least one or more intermediate holding clamps for holding the electric wires between the holding clamp and the tip holding clamp, and a rotation device for rotating the tip holding clamp.

[0008] If the holding clamp and the tip gripping clamp are far apart, the position where the electric wire is held by the holding clamp and the position where the electric wire is twisted by the tip gripping clamp are far apart. The rotational force twisting the tip gripping clamp side of the electric wire is not easily transmitted to the holding member side of the electric wire, and the electric wire may not be untwisted properly. With the above configuration, the electric wire can be held by the intermediate gripping clamp at a position between the holding clamp and the tip gripping clamp. Because the electric wire can be held at a position close to the tip gripping clamp, the electric wire can be untwisted properly even if the holding clamp and the tip gripping clamp are far apart.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device further includes a pulling device that moves the tip holding clamp away from the holding clamp along the axial direction of the multi-core cable.

[0010] According to the above aspect, since the tip holding clamp can be moved, the electric wire can be twisted at various positions, and the electric wire can be effectively untwisted. In addition, untwisting of the electric wire and pulling out of the tip portion of the sheath can be performed simultaneously.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device is provided with a plurality of the intermediate holding clamps arranged in the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable.

[0012] According to the above aspect, the electric wire can be held at multiple positions by multiple intermediate holding clamps. This makes it even more difficult for the rotational force that twists the electric wire to escape, allowing the electric wire to be satisfactorily untwisted. Furthermore, by holding the electric wire with an appropriate intermediate holding clamp depending on the position of the tip holding clamp, the electric wire can be satisfactorily untwisted.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device further includes an intermediate gripping and moving device that moves the intermediate gripping clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable.

[0014] According to the above aspect, the positional relationship between the holding clamp, the intermediate gripping clamp, and the tip gripping clamp can be adjusted, thereby enabling the wires to be untwisted in an optimal positional relationship, thereby enabling the wires to be untwisted satisfactorily.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the intermediate clamp has a roller against which the electric wire is pressed.

[0016] According to the above aspect, by moving the intermediate holding clamps while the electric wires are held by the intermediate holding clamps, the posture of the electric wires that has become disordered during untwisting can be corrected.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the roller is rotatably mounted.

[0018] According to the above aspect, when the intermediate gripping clamp is moved while the electric wire is being gripped by the intermediate gripping clamp, the load on the electric wire can be reduced.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device includes an intermediate gripping movement device that moves the intermediate gripping clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable, and a control device that controls the pulling device and the intermediate gripping movement device. The control device controls the movement of the front end gripping clamp away from the holding clamp, and controls the movement of the intermediate gripping clamp away from the holding clamp while holding the electric wire with the intermediate gripping clamp.

[0020] As the leading edge clamp moves away from the holding clamp, the leading edge clamp becomes farther away from the holding clamp and the middle clamp, which may result in poor untwisting of the wire. However, according to the above-described embodiment, the middle clamp can be moved so that the middle clamp does not move away from the leading edge clamp even when the leading edge clamp moves. This makes it possible to prevent the distance between the leading edge clamp and the middle clamp from increasing, thereby enabling good untwisting of the wire.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device includes an intermediate gripping movement device that moves the intermediate gripping clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable, and a control device that controls the pulling device and the intermediate gripping movement device. The control device pulls the distal end of the sheath from the electric wire by moving the distal end gripping clamp away from the holding clamp, and then moves the intermediate gripping clamp in the direction away from the holding clamp while the electric wire is still being gripped by the intermediate gripping clamp.

[0022] According to the above aspect, after the distal end portion of the sheath is pulled out, the intermediate clamps are moved while the electric wires are held by the intermediate clamps, thereby correcting the orientation of the electric wires that has become disordered during untwisting.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the multi-core cable untwisting device includes a control device that controls the pulling device and the intermediate gripping clamps, and that moves the front end gripping clamp away from the holding clamp and causes the intermediate gripping clamps to grip the electric wire in order from the intermediate gripping clamp closest to the holding clamp.

[0024] According to the above aspect, the electric wire can be successively gripped by the plurality of intermediate gripping clamps as the distance between the holding clamp and the front end gripping clamp increases, thereby enabling the electric wire to be untwisted satisfactorily.

[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an untwisting device for a multi-core cable that can successfully untwist the wires even if the tip holding clamp and the holding clamp are far apart.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-core cable untwisting device according to one embodiment. FIG. 2(a) is a plan view of the multi-core cable. FIG. 2(b) is a plan view of the multi-core cable showing the inside of the tip portion. FIG. 3 is a front view of a holding clamp. FIG. 4 is a side view of the tip holding clamp and the rotating device. FIG. 5 is a front view of the tip holding clamp and the rotating device. FIG. 6 is a front view of the intermediate holding clamp. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control device. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the multi-core cable untwisting device when the tip portion of the sheath is held by the tip holding clamp. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the multi-core cable untwisting device when the tip portion of the sheath is pulled out a predetermined distance while untwisting the core wires and drain wires. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the multi-core cable untwisting device when the core wires and drain wires are held by the intermediate holding clamp. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the multi-core cable untwisting device when the intermediate holding clamp is moved backward.

[0027] Hereinafter, a multi-core cable untwisting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the multi-core cable untwisting device will be simply referred to as the untwisting device. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the untwisting device according to this embodiment. Fig. 2(a) is a plan view of a multi-core cable 3, and Fig. 2(b) is a plan view showing the inside of the tip of the multi-core cable 3.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), 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 core wires and drain wires, 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.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 2(a), a cut (also called a slit) 5C is made in advance in the sheath 5 of the multicore cable 3 to be processed by the untwisting device 1. The sheath 5 is cut by the cut 5C into a tip portion (hereinafter referred to as the sheath tip portion) 5A and a non-tip portion 5B. As shown in Fig. 2(b), 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 untwisting device 1 pulls out the sheath tip portion 5A and corrects the twist tendency of the exposed core wires 4 and drain wires 6.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 1, the untwisting device 1 includes a holding device 10 that holds a non-tip portion 5B of a sheath 5 of a multicore cable 3, a tip holding device 20 that holds the sheath tip portion 5A, an intermediate holding device 60 that holds the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 between the holding device 10 and the tip holding device 20, a pulling device 30 that pulls out the sheath tip portion 5A, a rotation device 40 that rotates the sheath tip portion 5A, and an intermediate gripping moving device 70 that moves the intermediate gripping device 60. The untwisting device 1 also includes a control device 80 (see Fig. 7) that controls the operation of the holding device 10, the tip holding device 20, the intermediate holding device 60, the pulling device 30, and the rotation device 40. In the following description, for convenience, the tip portion 5A side of the sheath 5 will be referred to as the rear side, and the non-tip portion 5B side will be referred to as the front side. The sheath tip portion 5A will be pulled out rearward.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the holding device 10. The holding device 10 includes a holding clamp 11 having a pair of left and right clamp claws 11L, 11R, and a first actuator 12 that drives the clamp claws 11L, 11R to move toward or away from each other. The first actuator 12 is not particularly limited, but is configured as an air cylinder in this example. When the clamp claws 11L, 11R are moved toward each other, the holding clamp 11 is closed. As a result, the non-distal portion 5B of the sheath 5 is sandwiched and held between the clamp claws 11L, 11R. Here, the holding clamp 11 holds the non-distal portion 5B of the sheath 5 within a predetermined distance (e.g., 10 mm) from the slit 5C of the sheath 5. When the clamp claws 11L, 11R are moved away from each other, the holding clamp 11 is opened. As a result, the non-distal portion 5B of the sheath 5 is released from its hold.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the tip holding device 20 includes a tip holding clamp 26 and a second actuator 25 that opens and closes the tip holding clamp 26 .

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the distal end grasping clamp 26 has a first clamp claw 21 and a second clamp claw 22. The first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 face each other so as to be able to grasp the sheath distal end portion 5A. Here, the first clamp claw 21 has a plurality of triangular plate members 21a arranged in the front-rear direction. The second clamp claw 22 has a plurality of triangular plate members 22a arranged in the front-rear direction. The plate members 21a and the plate members 22a are arranged alternately in the front-rear direction. Note that the configurations of the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 described here are merely examples. The configurations of the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 are not particularly limited as long as they are able to grasp the sheath distal end portion 5A.

[0034] When the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 approach each other, the sheath distal end portion 5A is sandwiched between the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22. As a result, the sheath distal end portion 5A is gripped by the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22. When the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 move away from each other, the grip on the sheath distal end portion 5A is released.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4 , the tip gripping clamp 26 includes a link mechanism 23 connected to the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22. Also, as shown in FIG. 1 , the tip gripping clamp 26 includes a piston rod 24 connected to the link mechanism 23. The piston rod 24 is connected to a second actuator 25. The second actuator 25 is not particularly limited, but is configured as an air cylinder here. The piston rod 24 is movable back and forth and is rotatably connected to the second actuator 25. When the second actuator 25 moves the piston rod 24 forward, the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 move away from each other. That is, when the piston rod 24 extends forward, the tip gripping clamp 26 opens and the grip by the tip gripping clamp 26 is released. On the other hand, when the second actuator 25 moves the piston rod 24 rearward, the first clamp claw 21 and the second clamp claw 22 move closer to each other. That is, when the piston rod 24 contracts, the distal end clamp 26 closes and grips the sheath distal end 5A.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotation device 40 includes a support plate 43 that rotatably supports the distal end clamp 26 and a second motor 41 that applies a rotational force to the distal end clamp 26. The second motor 41 is supported by the support plate 43. As shown in FIG. 4 , a belt 42 connects the rotation shaft 41 a of the second motor 41 to the distal end clamp 26. The belt 42 is a power transmission member that transmits the power of the second motor 41 to the distal end clamp 26. However, the power transmission member is not limited to the belt 42 and may be other types of power transmission members such as gears or chains. Furthermore, although the second motor 41 is an example of an actuator that applies a rotational force to the distal end clamp 26, the actuator that applies a rotational force to the distal end clamp 26 is not limited to the second motor 41. In this embodiment, the rotation device 40 is configured to rotate the distal end clamp 26, thereby rotating the sheath distal end 5A.

[0037] The extraction device 30 is configured to extract the sheath distal end portion 5A by moving the distal end gripping clamp 26 away from the holding clamp 11 along the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable 3. As shown in FIG. 1 , the extraction device 30 includes a movable table 31 supporting the distal end gripping device 20 and the rotating device 40, a first motor 32 for moving the movable table 31 forward and backward, and a fixed table 35 supporting the movable table 31 and the first motor 32. A rail 36 extending forward and backward is provided on the fixed table 35. A slider 37 slidably engaged with the rail 36 is fixed to the lower part of the movable table 31. A ball screw 33 is connected to the first motor 32. A slider 34 engaging with the ball screw 33 is fixed to the front of the movable table 31. A hole (not shown) into which the ball screw 33 is inserted is formed in the slider 34. A spiral groove engaging with the ball screw 33 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the hole. When the first motor 32 rotates in one direction, the ball screw 33 rotates in the same direction, and the slider 34 moves forward. As a result, the leading end gripping clamp 26 moves forward. When the first motor 32 rotates in the reverse direction, the ball screw 33 also rotates in the reverse direction, and the slider 34 moves backward. As a result, the leading end gripping clamp 26 moves backward. In this way, the leading end gripping clamp 26 moves forward or backward when the first motor 32 rotates in one direction or the reverse direction. However, the configuration of the extraction device 30 is not limited to this.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1 , the intermediate gripping device 60 is disposed between the holding device 10 and the distal end gripping device 20. The intermediate gripping device 60 grips the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 exposed when the sheath 5 is pulled out. As shown in FIG. 6 , the intermediate gripping device 60 includes an intermediate gripping clamp 61 and a third actuator 62. The intermediate gripping clamp 61 is a member that grips the exposed core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. A pair of intermediate gripping clamps 61 is provided on the left and right sides. A cylindrical roller 61 a is provided at the distal end of the intermediate gripping clamp 61. In this embodiment, a total of eight rollers 61 a are provided, but the number of rollers 61 a is not particularly limited. The rollers 61 a are provided so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vertical direction. When the exposed core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are pressed against the rollers 61 a, the intermediate gripping clamp 61 grips the exposed core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. The intermediate holding clamp 61 may hold, for example, the intermediate portion of the tip portion of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 (the portion covered by the sheath tip portion 5A; see Figures 2(a) and 2(b)), or may hold the portion of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 closer to the base than the intermediate portion (the portion on the left side of Figure 2(b)), or may hold the portion closer to the tip than the intermediate portion (the portion on the right side of Figure 2(b)).

[0039] The third actuator 62 drives the pair of left and right intermediate clamps 61 to move toward or away from each other. The third actuator 62 is provided below the intermediate clamps 61. Although not particularly limited, the third actuator 62 is an air cylinder in this embodiment. When the pair of left and right intermediate clamps 61 move toward each other, the intermediate clamps 61 close, and the rollers 61a press against the exposed core wire 4 and drain wire 6. This allows the exposed core wire 4 and drain wire 6 to be gripped. When the pair of left and right intermediate clamps 61 move away from each other, the intermediate clamps 61 open. This releases the grip on the exposed core wire 4 and drain wire 6.

[0040] The intermediate gripping movement device 70 is a device that moves the intermediate gripping device 60 in the front-rear direction. The intermediate gripping device 60 is connected to the fixed base 35 of the extraction device 30 via the intermediate gripping movement device 70. The intermediate gripping movement device 70 includes a sliding member 71, a rail 72, and a fourth actuator 73. The intermediate gripping device 60 is fixed to the sliding member 71. The sliding member 71 is slidably engaged with the rail 72. The rail 72 extends in the front-rear direction. The fourth actuator 73 is not particularly limited, but is an air cylinder in this embodiment. The fourth actuator 73 is connected to the sliding member 71. The fourth actuator 73 moves the sliding member 71 in the front-rear direction. By driving the fourth actuator 73, the sliding member 71 moves in the front-rear direction along the rail 72. Because the intermediate gripping device 60 is connected to the sliding member 71, the fourth actuator 73 can move the intermediate gripping device 60 in the front-rear direction.

[0041] 7 is a block diagram of the control device 80. The control device 80 is electrically connected to the first actuator 12 of the holding device 10, the second actuator 25 of the tip holding device 20, the first motor 32 of the pull-out device 30, the second motor 41 of the rotation device 40, the third actuator 62 of the intermediate holding device 60, and the fourth actuator 73 of the intermediate holding movement device 70. The control device 80 controls the operation of these actuators to thereby control the operation of the untwisting device 1. The control device 80 is, for example, a microcomputer. The control device 80 includes a pull-out control unit 81, a rotation control unit 82, a holding control unit 83, a tip holding control unit 84, an intermediate holding control unit 85, and an intermediate holding movement control unit 86. The control device 80 may include other processing units, but detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0042] The retraction control unit 81 drives the first motor 32 of the retraction device 30 to extract the sheath distal end 5A. The rotation control unit 82 drives the second motor 41 of the rotation device 40 to rotate the distal end gripping clamp 26. The holding control unit 83 drives the first actuator 12 of the holding device 10 to hold or release the non-distal end 5B of the sheath 5. The distal end gripping control unit 84 drives the second actuator 25 of the distal end gripping device 20 to grip or release the sheath distal end 5A. The intermediate gripping control unit 85 drives the third actuator 62 of the intermediate gripping device 60 to grip or release the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. The intermediate gripping movement control unit 86 drives the fourth actuator 73 of the intermediate gripping movement device 70 to move the intermediate gripping device 60 in the forward and backward directions.

[0043] The above is the configuration of the untwisting device 1 according to this embodiment. Next, with reference to Figures 8 to 11, a method for pulling out the sheath tip portion 5A and a method for untwisting the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 using the untwisting device 1 will be described. In this embodiment, pulling out the sheath tip portion 5A and untwisting the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are performed simultaneously.

[0044] First, as shown in Figure 8, the untwisting device 1 holds the non-tip portion 5B of the sheath 5 of the multi-core cable 3 with the holding device 10, and holds the sheath tip portion 5A of the multi-core cable 3 with the tip holding device 20. Here, the holding control section 83 of the control device 80 operates the first actuator 12 of the holding device 10, causing the holding device 10 to hold the non-tip portion 5B of the sheath 5 of the multi-core cable 3. Furthermore, the tip holding control section 84 of the control device 80 operates the second actuator 25 of the tip holding device 20, causing the tip holding device 20 to hold the sheath tip portion 5A of the multi-core cable 3.

[0045] With the non-tip end portion 5B of the sheath 5 of the multi-core cable 3 held and the sheath tip end portion 5A of the multi-core cable 3 gripped in this manner, the pull-out control unit 81 of the control device 80 operates the first motor 32 of the pull-out device 30. As shown in FIG. 9 , the pull-out control unit 81 moves the tip holding clamp 26 rearward. This causes the sheath tip end portion 5A to also move rearward, and the sheath tip end portion 5A is pulled out. At the same time, the tip holding clamp 26 is rotated by the rotation device 40. Here, the rotation device 40 rotates the tip holding clamp 26 in the direction opposite to the twist direction of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. Note that the twist direction of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 is known in advance. This allows the twist tendency of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 to be corrected.

[0046] When the withdrawal control unit 81 withdraws the sheath distal end portion 5A, the distance between the holding clamp 11 and the distal end gripping clamp 26 increases accordingly. That is, the position where the multi-core cable 3 is held by the holding clamp 11 and the position where the multi-core cable 3 is gripped by the distal end gripping clamp 26 become distant from each other. Therefore, even if the distal end gripping clamp 26 is rotated by the rotation device 40, the twisting tendency of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 may not be properly corrected. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 , when the sheath distal end portion 5A is withdrawn a predetermined distance (e.g., 50 mm), the intermediate gripping device 60 grips the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. Here, the intermediate gripping control unit 85 of the control device 80 operates the third actuator 62 of the intermediate gripping device 60, causing the intermediate gripping device 60 to grip the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6.

[0047] With the multi-core cable 3 thus held by the holding clamp 11, the tip holding clamp 26, and the intermediate holding clamp 61, the pull-out control unit 81 of the control device 80 moves the tip holding clamp 26 rearward, and the rotation control unit 82 rotates the tip holding clamp 26 in the direction opposite to the twist direction of the core wires 4 and the drain wire 6. At this time, the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 are held by the intermediate holding clamp 61 at a position closer to the tip holding clamp 26 than the position at which they are held by the holding clamp 11. This makes it difficult for the rotational force with which the rotation device 40 rotates the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 to escape. Therefore, the twist tendency of the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 can be effectively corrected.

[0048] 11 , when the extraction device 30 completely extracts the sheath distal end portion 5A, the intermediate gripping movement control unit 86 of the control device 80 operates the fourth actuator 73 of the intermediate gripping movement device 70 to move the intermediate gripping device 60 rearward until the intermediate gripping clamp 61 passes the distal ends of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. At this time, the roller 61a rotates and slides against the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6. This makes it possible to correct the posture of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 that has become distorted due to bending during untwisting, for example.

[0049] According to this embodiment, the untwisting device 1 includes a holding clamp 11 that holds the non-tip portion 5B of the sheath 5, a tip holding clamp 26 that holds the sheath tip portion 5A, an intermediate holding clamp 61 that holds the core wire 4 and drain wire 6 exposed between the holding clamp 11 and the tip holding clamp 26, and a rotation device 40 that rotates the tip holding clamp 26. This allows the intermediate holding clamp 61 to hold the core wire 4 and drain wire 6 at a position close to the tip holding clamp 26. Therefore, even if the holding clamp 11 and the tip holding clamp 26 are far apart, the core wire 4 and drain wire 6 can be untwisted satisfactorily.

[0050] According to this embodiment, the untwisting device 1 includes a pulling device 30 that moves the tip holding clamp 26 in the axial direction of the multi-core cable 3. This allows the tip holding clamp 26 to be moved, so that the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 can be twisted at various positions, thereby effectively untwisting the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6. Furthermore, pulling out the sheath tip portion 5A and untwisting the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 can be performed simultaneously.

[0051] According to this embodiment, the untwisting device 1 includes an intermediate gripping movement device 70 that moves the intermediate gripping clamp 61 in the axial direction of the multi-core cable 3. This makes it possible to adjust the positional relationship between the holding clamp 11, the intermediate gripping clamp 61, and the tip gripping clamp 26. The core wires 4 and the drain wires 6 can be untwisted in the optimal positional relationship, allowing for satisfactory untwisting of the core wires 4 and the drain wires 6.

[0052] According to this embodiment, the intermediate holding clamp 61 has a roller 61a against which the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are pressed. By moving the intermediate holding clamp 61 while the roller 61a is pressed against the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6, the postures of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 that have become disordered during untwisting can be corrected.

[0053] In this embodiment, the roller 61 a is rotatably provided, which reduces the load on the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 when the intermediate clamp 61 is moved with the roller 61 a pressed against the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6.

[0054] According to this embodiment, the control device 80 moves the tip holding clamp 26 away from the holding clamp 11 to pull the sheath tip portion 5A out of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6, and then moves the intermediate holding clamp 61 away from the holding clamp 11 while the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are still being held by the intermediate holding clamp 61. After the sheath tip portion 5A is completely pulled out, the intermediate holding clamp 61 is moved forward while still holding the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6, thereby straightening the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 that have become distorted due to bending during untwisting, for example.

[0055] While the untwisting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment is merely an example and various other embodiments are possible.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the number of intermediate gripping devices 60 is one, but the number of intermediate gripping devices 60 is not particularly limited. Two or more intermediate gripping devices 60 may be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the multicore cable 3. This allows the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 to be gripped at multiple positions by multiple intermediate gripping clamps 61. This makes it even more difficult for the rotational force twisting the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 to escape, allowing the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 to be smoothly untwisted. Furthermore, when untwisting is performed while moving the tip gripping clamp 26 backward as in the above embodiment, the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 can be sequentially gripped by multiple intermediate gripping clamps 61 as the distance between the holding clamp 11 and the tip gripping clamp 26 increases. This allows the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 to be smoothly untwisted. Furthermore, by leaving the untwisted portions gripped by the intermediate gripping clamps 61, the core wires 4 and drain wires 6 can be prevented from losing their posture.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the intermediate gripping device 60 is moved by the intermediate gripping movement device 70 after the sheath distal end portion 5A is completely pulled out. However, the intermediate gripping device 60 may be moved rearward before the sheath distal end portion 5A is completely pulled out. For example, the untwisting device 1 may be configured such that the intermediate gripping movement control unit 86 of the control device 80 moves the intermediate gripping device 60 rearward when the distal end gripping clamp 26 and the intermediate gripping clamp 61 are separated by a predetermined distance (e.g., 40 mm) or more. This prevents the distance between the distal end gripping clamp 26 and the intermediate gripping clamp 61 from becoming too large. This allows the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 to be untwisted satisfactorily.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the pulling out of the sheath tip portion 5A and the untwisting of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are performed simultaneously, but they may also be performed separately. The core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 may be untwisted after the sheath tip portion 5A is completely pulled out. The tip holding clamp 26 may hold the tips of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 exposed from the sheath 5. Furthermore, the pulling out of the sheath tip portion 5A may be performed by a device provided separately from the untwisting device 1. When the pulling out of the sheath tip portion 5A and the untwisting of the core wire 4 and the drain wire 6 are performed by separate devices, the untwisting device 1 does not need to include the pulling device 30.

[0059] The method for rotating the sheath distal end portion 5A is not particularly limited. The configuration for rotating the sheath distal end portion 5A is also not particularly limited. For example, the distal end grasping clamp 26 may have a pair of upper and lower clamp members that move in opposite directions to the left and right while holding the sheath distal end portion 5A. In this case, the sheath distal end portion 5A is rotated by being rolled by the pair of upper and lower clamp members.

[0060] The configuration of the intermediate clamp 61 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the intermediate clamp 61 may have any configuration capable of gripping the exposed core wire 4 and drain wire 6. For example, the intermediate clamp 61 may have a pair of left and right plate-like members that grip the core wire 4 and drain wire 6, instead of the rollers 61a against which the core wire 4 and drain wire 6 are pressed. The plate-like members may be configured to be slidable relative to the core wire 4 and drain wire 6.

[0061] In the above 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. In addition, 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. In addition, the multi-core cable 3 may have a plurality of uncovered electric wires and no covered electric wires.

[0062] The gripping force of the intermediate holding clamp 61 may be greater or less than the gripping force of the tip holding clamp 26. The gripping force of the intermediate holding clamp 61 may be equal to the gripping force of the tip holding clamp 26.

[0063] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Multi-core cable untwisting device 3 Multi-core cable 4 Coated electric wire (core wire) 5 Sheath 5A Tip portion of sheath 5B Non-tip portion of sheath 6 Uncoated electric wire (drain wire) 10 Holding device 11 Holding clamp 20 Tip holding device 26 Tip holding clamp 30 Pulling device 40 Rotating device 60 Intermediate holding device 61 Intermediate holding clamp 61a Roller 70 Intermediate holding moving device 80 Control device

Claims

1. A multi-core cable untwisting device for correcting the twist of the electric wires of a multi-core cable having a plurality of electric wires and a sheath covering the electric wires, comprising: a holding clamp for holding a non-tip portion of the sheath of the multi-core cable; a tip holding clamp for gripping a tip portion of the electric wire exposed from the sheath or a tip portion of the sheath; an intermediate holding clamp for gripping the electric wire between the holding clamp and the tip holding clamp; and a rotating device for rotating the tip holding clamp.

2. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 1, further comprising a pulling-out device for moving the tip holding clamp away from the holding clamp along the axial direction of the multi-core cable.

3. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the intermediate holding clamps are provided in the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable.

4. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an intermediate holding moving device for moving the intermediate holding clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable.

5. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate holding clamp has rollers against which the electric wires are pressed.

6. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 5, wherein the rollers are rotatably provided.

7. The multi-core cable untwisting device according to claim 2, comprising: an intermediate holding moving device for moving the intermediate holding clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable; and a control device for controlling the pulling-out device and the intermediate holding moving device, wherein the control device performs control to move the tip holding clamp away from the holding clamp, and control to move the intermediate holding clamp away from the holding clamp while gripping the electric wire with the intermediate holding clamp.

8. An intermediate gripping moving device that moves the intermediate gripping clamp in the axial direction of the multi-core cable, and a control device that controls the pulling-out device and the intermediate gripping moving device, wherein the control device moves the tip gripping clamp away from the holding clamp to pull out the tip portion of the sheath from the electric wire, and then moves the intermediate gripping clamp in a direction away from the holding clamp while the electric wire is gripped by the intermediate gripping clamp. The twisting-back device for a multi-core cable according to claim 2.

9. A plurality of intermediate gripping clamps are provided in the longitudinal direction of the multi-core cable, and a control device that controls the pulling-out device and the intermediate gripping clamps is provided. The control device moves the tip gripping clamp away from the holding clamp and causes the plurality of intermediate gripping clamps to grip the electric wire in order from the intermediate gripping clamp closer to the holding clamp. The twisting-back device for a multi-core cable according to claim 2.

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