Cable tie attaching device

Abstract

The present invention enables the automatic wrapping and tying of a cable tie around an object to be tied. A cable tie attaching device (10) comprises: a holding part (4) that holds a protector (2) and electric wires (1); a first unit (11); and a second unit (12). The first unit (11) comprises: a feed roller (53) for feeding a band portion (31) of a cable tie (3); a stopper part (51) for positioning an engaging portion (32) of the cable tie (3); a forward guide part (57) for guiding the band portion (31) to the second unit (12) side; a return guide part (58) for guiding the band portion (31) having passed through the second unit (12) to the stopper part (51) side; and a tightening roller (59) that tightens the band portion (31) that has passed through the stopper part (32) The second unit (12) comprises a loopback guide part (7) that loops back, in a U-shape, the band portion (31) having been guided from the forward guide part (57), and guides said portion to the return guide part (58) side.

Description

Cable tie attachment device

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable tie attaching device that wraps a cable tie around an object to be tied.

[0002] One example of a wire harness installed in a vehicle includes electric wires and a trough-shaped exterior component that houses the electric wires, and the electric wires and the exterior component are bound together with cable ties. This binding work is performed manually, and automation by machine has been desired.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a bundling method for wrapping a cable tie around a steel plate and a bundle of electric wires running along the plate using a bundling tool. The bundling tool includes a pair of beak-shaped clamping pieces that surround the object to be bundled and guide the cable tie, and a piston grip that switches the pair of clamping pieces between an open standby state and a closed bundling state. In this bundling method, the bundle of electric wires is placed between a pair of elongated holes formed through the steel plate, and the pair of clamping pieces is passed through the elongated holes to enter the bundling state, whereby the cable tie is wrapped around the portion of the steel plate between the pair of elongated holes and the bundle of electric wires to bind them.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-343538

[0005] The binding method of Patent Document 1 still requires manual operations such as aligning the pair of clips with the elongated holes and operating the piston grip.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to automatically wrap a binding band around an object to be bound and bind it.

[0007] The present invention is a cable tie attachment device comprising: a holding portion for holding an object to be bound; a first unit positioned on one side of the object to be bound; and a second unit positioned on the other side of the object to be bound; the first unit comprising: a feed roller for feeding out the band portion of the cable tie; a stop portion located upstream of the feed roller for positioning the locking portion of the cable tie; a feed guide portion located downstream of the feed roller for guiding the band portion toward the second unit; a return guide portion for guiding the band portion that has passed through the second unit toward the stop portion; and a tightening roller for tightening the band portion that has passed through the locking portion; the second unit comprising a fold back guide portion for folding the band portion guided from the feed guide portion into a U-shape and guiding it toward the return guide portion; and the cable tie attachment device is characterized in that it wraps the cable tie around the object to bind it.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically wrap a cable tie around an object to be bound and bind it.

[0009] 1 is a diagram showing a cable tie attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a protector is set in a holding portion of the cable tie attachment device; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which an electric wire is housed in the protector; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a cable tie is wrapped around the electric wire and protector; FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the operation of the cable tie attachment device of FIG. 1, showing a state in which a first unit and a second unit approach a holding portion in which a protector and an electric wire are set; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the first unit and the second unit are positioned above and below the holding portion; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the second unit of FIG. 6 has moved toward the first unit; FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main portion of FIG. 7; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a cable tie is supplied to the first unit of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the cable tie of FIG. 9 is being fed toward the second unit by a feed roller; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the band portion of the cable tie of FIG. 10 has passed a locking portion and reached a tightening roller; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the second unit of FIG. 11 has moved away from the first unit; FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which the band portion of the cable tie of FIG. 12 is being tightened by a tightening roller. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which the locking portion of FIG. 13 is pressed toward the protector by the pressing portion and the unnecessary portion of the band portion is cut off by the cutting portion. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the first unit and the second unit of FIG. 14 are separated from the holding portion. FIG. 15 is a side view of the cable tie attaching device in the state of FIG. 7. FIG. 16 is a side view of the cable tie attaching device in the state of FIG. 16. FIG. 17 is a side view of the cable tie attaching device in the state of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a state in which the feed rollers etc. of FIG. 18 are retracted to positions where they do not overlap with the cable tie.

[0010] A "cable tie attachment device" according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] The cable tie attachment device 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a device that wraps a cable tie 3 around a protector 2 (an object to be tied, an exterior part) shown in Fig. 2 and two electric wires 1 (objects to be tied) shown in Fig. 3 as shown in Fig. 4 to tie them together. The protector 2 and the two electric wires 1 wrapped with the cable tie 3 constitute an automotive wire harness.

[0012] The binding band 3 is a well-known one having a band portion 31 and a locking portion 32 connected to one end of the band portion 31. A plurality of tooth-like protrusions are provided in succession on the band portion 31. The other end of the band portion 31 is passed through the locking portion 32. The locking portion 32 is locked onto one of the plurality of protrusions to fix the band portion 31 in a ring shape.

[0013] The protector 2 is made of insulating synthetic resin. The protector 2 has a bottom wall 20 and a pair of side walls 21, 22, and is formed in a gutter shape to accommodate two electric wires 1. The bottom wall 20 is formed with a pair of through holes 23, 24 aligned in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls 21, 22. A band portion 31 of a cable tie 3 is passed through these through holes 23, 24. The two electric wires 1 are placed in a portion 20a between the pair of through holes 23, 24 of the bottom wall 20. The cable tie 3 is passed through the pair of through holes 23, 24 and wrapped around the portion 20a between the pair of through holes 23, 24 of the bottom wall 20 and the two electric wires 1 to bind them together.

[0014] The protector 2 also has a restricting portion 25 that moves the two electric wires 1 toward the center in the width direction of the protector 2. The restricting portion 25 is a plate that is connected to the pair of side walls 21, 22 and the bottom wall 20, and has a semicircular notch 25a formed therein. The restricting portion 25 is provided at a position offset in the longitudinal direction of the protector 2 from the pair of through holes 23, 24.

[0015] A cover facing the bottom wall 20 is attached to the protector 2. The pair of side walls 21 and 22 are provided with locking projections 26 that lock with the cover.

[0016] The cable tie attachment device 10 includes a holder 4 that holds the protector 2 and two electric wires 1, a first unit 11, a second unit 12, a frame 13 that supports the first unit 11 and the second unit 12, and a moving means (not shown) for moving the frame 13. The first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are arranged opposite each other in the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1. In this example, the direction of arrow Y is the up-down direction. The first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are also arranged so that they can move toward and away from each other. In this example, the second unit 12 moves up and down relative to the first unit 11.

[0017] 2 and 8, the holding portion 4 is formed in a plate shape. The holding portion 4 is formed with a groove 42 into which the protector 2 is fitted, and an elongated hole 43 that communicates with the groove 42. The elongated hole 43 extends in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls 21, 22 of the protector 2, and overlaps with both of the pair of through holes 23, 24 of the protector 2.

[0018] When the protector 2 and the wire 1 are set in the holding portion 4, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are positioned at a distance from the holding portion 4. Then, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are moved closer to the holding portion 4 by a moving means such as a robot arm connected to the frame 13, as shown in Fig. 5, and the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are positioned above and below the holding portion 4 as shown in Fig. 6.

[0019] The first unit 11 is positioned above the protector 2 and the wire 1 held by the holding portion 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 5 to 19, the first unit 11 includes a block-shaped main body 50, a tightening roller 59 and a driven roller 60 arranged above the main body 50, a pressing portion 62 and a cutting portion 61 arranged in front of the main body 50 in the direction of arrow Z (to the right in Figures 16 to 19), and the like.

[0020] The main body 50 is provided with a stop portion 51, a guide portion 52, a feed guide portion 57, and a return guide portion 58. The main body 50 also has a feed roller 53 and a driven roller 54 attached thereto.

[0021] The feed roller 53 is a roller that passes the band portion 31 of the cable tie 3 supplied from a cable tie supply means (not shown) between itself and a driven roller 54 and feeds out the band portion 31 .

[0022] The stop portion 51 is provided upstream of the feed roller 53 and is a portion for positioning the locking portion 32 of the binding band 3 .

[0023] The guide portion 52 is a groove provided between the stop portion 51 and the feed roller 53 and guides the band portion 31 toward the feed roller 53 side.

[0024] The feed guide portion 57 is provided downstream of the feed roller 53. The feed guide portion 57 guides the band portion 31 toward the second unit 12. In this example, the feed guide portion 57 guides the band portion 31 to pass through one of the through holes 23. The feed guide portion 57 is configured to have an entrance portion 55 that is part of the main body portion 50, and a guide plate 56 attached to the main body portion 50. There is a gap between the entrance portion 55 and the guide plate 56, and the band portion 31 passes between them.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 8, the insertion portion 55 is inserted between the pair of side walls 21 and 22 of the protector 2, and the band portion 31 passes between the insertion portion 55 and the side wall 21.

[0026] The return guide portion 58 is a groove provided in the main body portion 50 and guides the band portion 31 that has passed through the second unit 12 toward the stop portion 51 side.

[0027] The tightening roller 59 is a roller that tightens the band portion 31 by passing the band portion 31 that has passed through the locking portion 32 positioned at the stop portion 51 between itself and a driven roller 60 .

[0028] The pressing portion 62 presses the locking portion 32 toward the protector 2 and pushes it into the protector 2 after the band portion 31 has been brought into a state where it can be tightened by the tightening roller 59 .

[0029] The cutting portion 61 cuts off the unnecessary portion of the band portion 31 after the band portion 31 has been tightened by the tightening rollers 59 and the locking portion 32 has been pressed into the protector 2 by the pressing portion 62 .

[0030] The main body 50, pressing portion 62, and cutting portion 61 are movable in the direction of arrow Z (see FIGS. 16 to 19). After the band portion 31 is in a state where it can be tightened by the tightening rollers 59, they move rearward in the direction of arrow Z (to the left in FIGS. 16 to 19). This causes the above-mentioned parts of the main body 50 to retreat to positions where they do not overlap with the binding band 3, and the pressing portion 62 and cutting portion 61 are positioned directly above the locking portion 32. The pressing portion 62 and cutting portion 61 then move downward to push the locking portion 32 into the protector 2, and the cutting portion 62 cuts off the unnecessary portion of the band portion 31.

[0031] The second unit 12 is positioned below the protector 2 and the wire 1 held by the holding portion 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 5 to 19, the second unit 12 includes a folding guide portion 7 that folds the band portion 31 guided from the feed guide portion 57 back in a U-shape and guides it toward the return guide portion 58. The folding guide portion 7 in this example guides the band portion 31 so that it passes through the other through-hole 24.

[0032] The folding guide portion 7 has a first folding guide portion 71 that is movable in the direction of the arrow Z by a cylinder 15, and a second folding guide portion 72 that is movable in the direction of the arrow Y by a cylinder 14 (see Figures 16 to 19).

[0033] The folding guide portion 7 is arranged so as to be displaceable between a state in which the first folding guide portion 71 is positioned between the protector 2 and the second folding guide portion 72, and a state in which the first folding guide portion 71 is retracted and the second folding guide portion 72 is close to the protector 2.

[0034] The first folding guide portion 71 has a block portion 73 and an entrance portion 74 that protrudes above the upper surface of the block portion 73. The first folding guide portion 71 is provided with a groove 75 that guides the band portion 31 that has passed through one of the through holes 23, and a groove 76 that guides the band portion 31 so that it passes through the other through hole 24.

[0035] A tapered surface 73a is provided on the front surface of the block portion 73. When the second folding guide portion 72 moves upward, the second folding guide portion 72 abuts against the tapered surface 73a, which causes the first folding guide portion 71 to move rearward in the direction of arrow Z.

[0036] 8 , the entry portion 74 enters the elongated hole 43 of the holding portion 4 to form the guide portions 63, 64 within the elongated hole 43. The guide portion 63 is formed between one through hole 23 and the groove 75, and guides the band portion 31. The guide portion 64 is formed between the other through hole 24 and the groove 76, and guides the band portion 31.

[0037] The second folding guide portion 72 has a main body portion 77 provided with a semicircular recess 79 and a plate 78 attached to the front surface of the main body portion 77 .

[0038] Next, a series of operations performed by the cable tie attaching device 10 to wrap the cable tie 3 around the protector 2 and the two electric wires 1 to bind them together will be described.

[0039] First, the protector 2 and the wire 1 are set in the holding portion 4. Then, as shown in Fig. 5, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are brought close to the holding portion 4, and as shown in Fig. 6, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are positioned above and below the holding portion 4. Next, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the second unit 12 is brought close to the first unit 11 and the holding portion 4.

[0040] Next, as shown in Fig. 9, the cable tie 3 is supplied from the cable tie supply means, and the band portion 31 passes through the guide portion 52 and is fed to the feed roller 53. The feed roller 53 feeds out the band portion 31 until the locking portion 32 abuts against the stop portion 51 and is positioned as shown in Fig. 10. The band portion 31 fed out from the feed roller 53 is guided by the feed guide portion 57, the folding guide portion 7, and the return guide portion 58.

[0041] 10, when the band 31 is positioned just before the locking portion 32 positioned on the stop portion 51, the second folding guide portion 72 moves upward and the first folding guide portion 71 retreats backward in the direction of arrow Z. By moving the second folding guide portion 72 upward in this manner, the band guide path becomes shorter, and as shown in FIG. 11, the band portion 31 passes the locking portion 32 positioned on the stop portion 51 and reaches the tightening roller 59.

[0042] When the band portion 31 reaches the tightening roller 59, the second unit 12 descends as shown in Figure 12. The main body portion 50, the pressing portion 62, and the cutting portion 61 move backward in the direction of the arrow Z, and each part of the main body portion 50 retreats to a position where it does not overlap with the binding band 3.

[0043] Next, as shown in Fig. 13, the band portion 31 is tightened by the tightening roller 59, and as shown in Fig. 14, the tightening is continued with a specified torque while the pressing portion 62 presses down the locking portion 32. Then, after the locking portion 32 is pressed into the protector 2, the unnecessary portion of the band portion 31 is cut off by the cutting portion 61.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the first unit 11 and the second unit 12 are separated from the holding portion 4, and the binding operation of the binding band 3 is completed.

[0045] The cable tie attachment device 10 described above can automatically wrap the cable tie 3 around the protector 2 and two electric wires 1 to bind them. Furthermore, the cable tie attachment device 10 makes it possible to automate the insertion and tightening of the cable tie 3 into a limited, narrow path such as the protector 2. Furthermore, when manually binding, the electric wire 1 must first be lifted up, the cable tie 3 must be passed through the through holes 23 and 24 of the protector 2, and the loop must be created, and confirmation must be made to ensure that both the electric wire 1 and the protector 2 are tightened. However, this is no longer necessary with the device 10. Furthermore, the cable tie attachment device 10 can accommodate a variety of workpieces by changing the width and overall length of the band guide path to match the shape of the target workpiece.

[0046] The above-described embodiment merely shows a typical form of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In other words, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention. As long as such modifications still include the configuration of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention.

[0047] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electric wire (object to be bound) 2 Protector (object to be bound, exterior part) 3 Cable tie 4 Holding portion 7 Fold-back guide portion 11 First unit 12 Second unit 31 Band portion 32 Locking portion 51 Stop portion 53 Feed roller 57 Feed guide portion 58 Return guide portion 59 Tightening roller 61 Cutting portion 62 Pressing portion 71 First fold-back guide portion 72 Second fold-back guide portion

Claims

1. A cable tie attachment device comprising: a holding section for holding an object to be bound; a first unit positioned on one side of the object to be bound; and a second unit positioned on the other side of the object to be bound, wherein the first unit comprises: a feed roller for feeding out the band section of the cable tie; a stop section located upstream of the feed roller for positioning the locking section of the cable tie; a feed guide section located downstream of the feed roller for guiding the band section towards the second unit; a return guide section for guiding the band section that has passed through the second unit towards the stop section; and a tightening roller for tightening the band section that has passed through the locking section, wherein the second unit comprises a fold back guide section that folds the band section guided from the feed guide section into a U-shape and guides it towards the return guide section, and wherein the cable tie attachment device wraps the cable tie around the object to bind it.

2. The cable tie mounting device described in claim 1, characterized in that the fold guide section has a first fold guide section and a second fold guide section that are movably arranged, and is arranged to be displaceable between a state in which the first fold guide section is positioned between the object to be bound and the second fold guide section, and a state in which the first fold guide section is retracted from between the object to be bound and the second fold guide section, and the second fold guide section is closer to the object to be bound.

3. The cable tie mounting device of claim 1, characterized in that the feed roller, the stop portion, the feed guide portion, and the return guide portion are retracted to a position where they do not overlap with the cable tie after the band portion has been made ready for tightening by the tightening roller, and are provided with a pressing portion that presses the engaging portion toward the object to be tied after these retractions.

4. The cable tie attachment device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting section that cuts off unnecessary portions of the band portion after the band portion has been tightened by the tightening rollers.

5. The cable tie mounting device of claim 1, wherein the object to be bound is an electric wire and a trough-shaped exterior part having a bottom wall and a pair of side walls and accommodating the electric wire, the bottom wall has a pair of through holes aligned in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls, the feed guide portion guides the band portion to pass through one of the through holes, and the fold-back guide portion guides the band portion to pass through the other of the through holes.

6. The cable tie attachment device according to claim 5, wherein the feed guide portion has an entry portion that enters between the pair of side walls.

7. The cable tie mounting device according to claim 5, characterized in that the retaining portion is formed with a groove portion into which the exterior part is fitted and a long hole that communicates with the groove portion and overlaps with both of the pair of through holes of the exterior part, and the folded guide portion has an entry portion that enters the long hole of the retaining portion.

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