REMOVAL TROUGH FOR A WIRE PROCESSING SYSTEM, WIRE PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR REMOVING ONE OR MORE WIRES FROM A REMOVAL TROUGH

Abstract

A removal trough for a wire processing system receives wires processed by a wire processing machine of the wire processing system, wherein side walls of the removal trough each have one or more recesses and/or indentations formed therein for mechanical gripping of the wires in the removal trough by a gripping arm.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A removal trough for a wire processing system, the removal trough comprising: a trough adapted to receive wires processed by a wire processing machine of the wire processing system; wherein the trough includes a pair of opposed side walls between which the wires are received; and wherein each of the side walls has at least one recess formed therein for receiving a gripping arm to mechanically grip the wires received in the trough for removal of the wires from the trough.

17. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough is configured as a ribbed structure.

18. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough has a plurality of the recesses formed in each of the side walls and adjacent ones of the recesses in each of the side walls are arranged at equal distances from each other.

19. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough includes a bottom surface upon which the wires received in the trough partially rest, the bottom surface having recesses formed therein arranged at equidistant intervals for receiving the gripping arm to mechanically grip a side of the wires facing a bottom of the trough.

20. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough is formed by a deep drawing manufacturing process.

21. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough is symmetrical in a longitudinal plane thereof and wherein the longitudinal plane runs along a longitudinal axis of the wires when the wires are situated in the trough.

22. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein the trough is formed from a plurality of removal trough parts, the removal trough parts being identical to each other.

23. The removal trough according to claims 16 wherein the recesses in the side walls open to an outside of the trough.

24. The removal trough according to claim 16 wherein each of the recesses in each of the side walls has a lesser width along a longitudinal direction of the wires received in the trough than a width of ribs between the recesses in the respective side wall.

25. A wire processing system comprising: a wire processing machine for processing a wire; a wire tray for receiving the processed wire; and a removal trough according to claim 16, wherein the removal trough is arranged below the wire tray such that the processed wire can be moved out of the wire tray into the removal trough by at least one of a rotation and a tilting of the wire tray.

26. The wire processing system according to claim 25 wherein the removal trough is displaceable relative to the wire tray along a longitudinal direction of the processed wire when the processed wire is in the removal trough.

27. The wire processing system according to claim 25 including a gripping arm for gripping and holding the processed wire, wherein the recesses in the side walls of the removal trough receive a part of the gripping arm.

28. The wire processing system according to claim 27 wherein the removal trough has a bottom surface with recesses formed therein, wherein the recesses in the bottom surface receive the part of the gripping arm.

29. The wire processing system according to claim 27 wherein the gripping arm has two jaws each with two gripping hooks for gripping and holding the processed wire.

30. A method for removing one or more wires from a removal trough according to claim 16, the removal trough included in a wire processing system, the method comprising the steps of: arranging the removal trough to receive wires processed by a wire processing machine of the wire processing system; moving a part of a gripping arm into the recesses in the side walls of the removal trough; gripping the wires situated in the removal trough with the gripping arm part; and moving the gripping arm with the gripped wires out of the removal trough.

31. The method according to claim 30 including, during the gripping of the wires situated in the removal trough, moving two jaws of the gripping arm towards each other for gripping the wires while not moving the gripping arm relative to the removal trough.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the wire processing system according to the invention, with an embodiment of the removal trough according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a perspective detailed view of the removal trough of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a further perspective detailed view of the removal trough of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the removal trough of FIG. 1, with a batch of wires in the removal trough, and a gripping arm;

[0031] FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of the removal trough of FIG. 4, wherein the jaws of the gripping arm are in an open position; and

[0032] FIG. 5b shows a perspective view of the removal trough of FIG. 4, wherein the jaws of the gripping arm are in a closed position and are gripping the batch of wires.

[0033] The figures are merely schematic and are not true to scale. Like reference signs refer to like or equivalent features in the various figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the wire processing system 1 according to the invention, with an embodiment of the removal trough 22 according to the invention. FIG. 2 shows a perspective detailed view of the removal trough 22 from FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a further perspective detailed view of the removal trough 22 from FIG. 1.

[0035] The wire processing system 1 comprises a wire processing machine 5, a handling robot 30 with a gripping arm 55 or mechanical gripper, and the removal trough 22. The wire processing machine 5 can be a crimping machine or a crimping press 8 for connecting a wire 15 (FIG. 4) to a crimp contact.

[0036] The wire(s) 15 processed by the wire processing machine 5 arrive(s) in a wire tray 20. The wire 15 or wires 15 is/are dumped (arrow 70 in FIG. 2) or moved from the wire tray 20 into the removal trough 22, which is arranged obliquely below the wire tray 20, by pivoting or tilting the wire tray 20 along the arrow 80 shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] Usually, several processed wires 15 are collected in the removal trough 22 until a batch, that is to say a predetermined number of items, in particular of similarly processed wires 15, has been reached in the removal trough 22. Then, the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 is/are removed. It is also possible for several batches of wires 15 to be collected at different locations on the removal trough 22 before the wires 15 are removed from the removal trough 22.

[0038] The removal trough 22 has two opposite side walls 34, 35 and is U-shaped as shown in FIG. 5a. A bottom surface 28 is formed between the side walls 34, 35—that is, in the middle of the U-shape—for resting or holding the wires 15 or batch of wires 15.

[0039] The side walls 34, 35 each have a plurality of recesses 90 and/or depressions or indentations (FIG. 4). This means that the side walls 34, 35 have gaps in several places and are not continuous. The side walls 34, 35 thus have a rib-like structure. The recesses 90 and/or depressions or indentations are formed equidistant from each other. The recesses 90 or depressions run perpendicular to the wires 15 when these are held in the removal trough 22.

[0040] The recesses 90 or depressions of the side walls 34, 35 have a lesser width parallel to the longitudinal direction (the direction of their greatest extent) of the wires 15 in the removal trough 22 than the remaining ribs 25, 26 (FIG. 3) of the side walls 34, 35.

[0041] A part of a gripping arm 55 or a mechanical gripper can be inserted into the recesses 90 and/or depressions in the side walls 34, 35. The gripping arm 55 or the mechanical gripper is designed to grasp the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 which are located in the removal trough 22.

[0042] The removal trough 22 is designed symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry that runs perpendicular to the bottom and through the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 when the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 is/are situated in the removal trough 22 on the bottom surface 28. Ribs 25, 26 of the side walls 34, 35 are thus located opposite each other, and recesses or depressions in the side walls 34, 35 are located opposite each other.

[0043] The bottom surface 28, which carries or supports the wires 15, also has recesses 90 and/or depressions. This means that the bottom surface 28 is repeatedly interrupted by the recesses 90 or depressions or indentations. Wires 15 in the removal trough 22 therefore do not lie over their entire surface or with their entire underside on the bottom surface 28 of the removal trough 22, but only touch or contact with their underside the bottom surface 28 of the removal trough 22.

[0044] The bottom surface 28 is also designed with ribs.

[0045] The recesses 90 and/or depressions of the bottom surface 28 can be present at the same point along the longitudinal direction of the wires 15 at which the recesses 90 and/or depressions are formed. This means that ribs 25, 26 of side walls 34, 35 simultaneously form or are ribs 25, 26 of the bottom surface 28.

[0046] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 5a, each rib 25, 26 has sloping surfaces 31 on two opposite sides in the direction of the axis of the wires 15, when they are in the removal trough 22, which lead downward from the height of the bottom surface 28. A base surface 29 is formed between the respective ribs 25, 26 of the bottom surface 28, and is at a lower height than the compensation surface.

[0047] A movement from the center of a rib 25 of the removal trough 22/the recess surface to the center of the immediately-following rib 26 of the removal trough 22 begins on the horizontally running bottom surface 28 of the first rib 25. What follows is the sloping surface 31, which runs from the bottom surface 28 downwards. The sloping surface 31 then leads to the horizontally running base surface 29, which is wider than the bottom surface 28 of the rib 25, 26 in a direction parallel to the axis of the wires 15 when they are in the removal trough 22. The base surface 29 runs parallel to the bottom surface 28, but it is located at a lower height. After the horizontally running base surface 29 comes a sloping surface 31 of the second rib 26 immediately adjacent to the first rib 25. Following this sloping surface 31 of the second rib 26, the height position increases up to the height of the bottom surface 28, at the bottom surface 28 of the second rib 26.

[0048] The side walls 34, 35 of the removal trough 22 have, on the inside of the removal trough 22, sloping surfaces 40 of similar design to those of the bottom surface 28. The sloping surfaces 40 of the side walls 34, 35 lead from side wall surfaces of the given rib 25, 26, said surfaces running parallel to the wire axis (the longitudinal direction of the wires 15 when they are in the removal trough 22), to edge surfaces 42 of the rib 25, 26, which run perpendicular to the wire axis.

[0049] One of the side walls 34, 35 can be configured differently on its upper side than the upper side of the other side wall 34, 35. As shown in FIG. 5a, the upper side of the left side wall 34 has a different design than the upper side of the right side wall 35.

[0050] The left side wall 34 has several surfaces on its upper side, wherein a trapezoidal surface of the surfaces runs horizontally, and the three surfaces adjacent thereto each run obliquely downward in the direction of the inside of the removal trough 22.

[0051] The upper side of the right side wall 35 has a rectangular surface which runs over the entire width of the rib 25, 26 and which runs horizontally. In addition, a single sloped, rectangular surface is formed immediately adjoining this in the direction of the inside of the removal trough 22, which runs obliquely downward. Immediately adjoining this rectangular surface in the direction of the center of the rib 25, 26 is a side wall surface 45 of the side wall 34, 35, running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wires 15.

[0052] The bottom surface 28 of the respective rib 25, 26 merges continuously into the side wall surfaces of the given side walls 34, 35 of the rib 25, 26.

[0053] Each of the base surfaces 29 can extend laterally into the recesses 90 or depressions in the side walls 34, 35.

[0054] Both the recesses 90 or depressions in the side walls 34, 35 and the recesses 90 or depressions in the bottom surface 28 are designed to receive a part of a gripping arm 55. This means that a part of a gripping arm 55 can be inserted into the recesses 90 or depressions.

[0055] The gripping arm 55 can be part of a handling robot 30 which handles and/or grips, holds, moves and releases the wire 15 in the wire processing system 1.

[0056] It is also possible for the gripping arm 55 to not be a part of a handling robot 30, but rather to be a technically simple gripping arm 55 which has a closed position for gripping the wires 15 and an open position for releasing the wires 15, and which is manually movable.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the removal trough 22 from FIG. 1, with a batch of wires 15 in the removal trough 22, and with a gripping arm 55.

[0058] The gripping arm 55 is in the open position in FIG. 5a—that is, jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 are open or are arranged at a distance from each other. The gripping arm 55 and/or the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 are positioned above the removal trough 22. A plurality of wires 15 processed by the wire processing machine 5 or a batch of wires 15 processed by the wire processing machine 5 is/are in the removal trough 22. They lie on a plurality of ribs 25, 26 and on the bottom surface 28 interrupted by recesses 90 or depressions or indentations.

[0059] Each jaw 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 is divided into two parts—that is, each jaw 60, 61 comprises two gripping hooks 65-68. The distance between the gripping hooks 65-68 corresponds to the width of a rib 25, 26, such that each gripping hook 65-68 engages in a recess 90 or indentation between two ribs 25, 26 that are immediately adjacent to each other. It is also possible for the gripping hooks 65-68 to have a spacing which corresponds to a multiple of the width of a rib 25, 26.

[0060] FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of the removal trough 22 of FIG. 4, wherein the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 are in an open position. FIG. 5b shows a perspective view of the removal trough 22 of FIG. 4, wherein the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 are in a closed position and are gripping the batch of wires 15.

[0061] The gripping arm 55 is then lowered, such that parts of the gripping arm 55 and/or the jaws 60, 61 and/or the gripping hooks 65-68 move into the recesses 90 of the side walls 34, 35. Each of the four gripping hooks 65-68 moves into a recess 90 or depression in the side wall 34, 35.

[0062] The width of the recess 90 or indentation essentially corresponds to the width of the gripping hook 65-68 or is minimally larger than the width of the gripping hook 65-68.

[0063] The side wall 34, 35 is open to the side in the region of the recesses 90 or depressions. This means that part of the gripping arm 55 and/or the jaws 60, 61 can be located outside the removal trough 22, and at the same time part of the gripping arm 55 protrudes through the side wall 34, 35 or the recesses 90 or depressions of the side wall 34, 35.

[0064] However, it is also possible that the side walls 34, 35 are not open to the side in the region of the recesses 90 or depressions, such that the gripping arm 55 or parts thereof can only move into the removal trough 22 from above.

[0065] The lowermost part of the gripping hooks 65-68 and/or the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 can be at the height of the base surface 29, or almost at the height of the base surface 29. In FIG. 5a, the underside of the gripping hooks 65-68 and/or the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 can rest on the base surface 29 and/or contact it.

[0066] The jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 are then closed and/or the gripping arm 55 is transitioned from the open position shown in FIG. 5a into the closed position shown in FIG. 5b. The position of the gripping arm 55 overall is not changed in this case. The jaws 60, 61 and thus the gripping hooks 65-68 move towards each other.

[0067] The lower part of the gripping hook 65-68 slides and/or moves during the closing process from the open position into the closed position along the base surface 29 and/or moves parallel thereto. As a result, a part of the jaws 60, 61 or the gripping hooks 65-68 moves under the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15.

[0068] After closing, and/or in the closed position, the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 is/are now held laterally and downwards by the jaws 60, 61 or gripping hooks 65-68 of the gripping arm 55 (i.e., in the direction of the gripping arm 55 towards the base surface 29), as shown in FIG. 5b.

[0069] The gripping arm 55 or the jaws 60, 61 of the gripping arm 55 can now be moved upwards—i.e., away from the bottom surface 28 or base surface 29, and in this way the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 is/are moved out of the removal trough 22. The wires 15 can be transported and/or dropped into a box by the gripping arm 55. It is also possible for the wires 15 to be transferred from the gripping arm 55 to a further gripping arm.

[0070] It is also possible for a plurality of batches of wires 15 to be present in the removal trough 22, arranged at different positions along the longitudinal direction of the wires 15.

[0071] The gripper can also have only one jaw 60, 61.

[0072] It is also possible for each jaw 60, 61 to have only one gripping hook 65-68.

[0073] It is also conceivable that, particularly in the case of longer processed wires 15 in the removal trough 22, the wires 15 or the batch of wires 15 is/are gripped by several grippers at different positions. As a result, the wires 15 can be held even more securely and/or transported out of the removal trough 22.

[0074] The wires 15 of a batch typically have the same length and are located in the removal trough 22 substantially at the same position in the direction of the wire axis, as is shown by way of example in FIG. 5b.

[0075] The removal trough 22 can be composed of several removal trough parts. The removal trough parts can be structurally identical to each other and mirror-symmetric, such that the alignment of the removal trough parts (for example front/rear or right/left) is insignificant. The removal trough parts can be screwed together, connected with bolts, and/or glued together.

[0076] A repair is particularly simple and inexpensive in the case of a removal trough 22 made up of several removal trough parts, since only the damaged removal trough part has to be replaced.

[0077] The removal trough 22 is arranged on a rail 24 as shown in FIG. 2 and is designed to be displaceable, in the direction of displacement 80 of the removal trough 22, relative to the wire tray 20 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wires 15 (the longitudinal axis runs in the direction of its greatest extent) when they are in the removal trough 22. The displacement movement can be carried out pneumatically. By moving the removal trough 22 relative to the wire tray 20 and/or the wire processing machine 5, the removal trough 22 can be brought into a position in which the gripping arm 55 can remove the wires 15 from the removal trough 22 in a particularly technically simple and fast manner, since no parts of the wire tray 20 and/or the wire processing machine 5 are in the travel path or in the vicinity of the travel path of the gripping arm 55. As such, movements of the gripping arm 55 do not have to be carried out so precisely, and/or the movements can be carried out at high speed, since there is enough space, even in the positions at which the movement of the gripping arm 55 is stopped, for the gripping arm 55 and/or parts of it to continue to move a little further for a short time, or for the gripping arm 55 and/or parts thereof to vibrate.

[0078] The removal trough 22 can be a pressed sheet metal part, for example. A deep-drawn plastic is also possible, by way of example. The recesses 90 or depressions are preferably already formed during the production or shaping of the removal trough 22, such that no material has to be removed again afterwards.

[0079] It is also conceivable that each of the two side walls 34, 35 only has a single indentation or depression or recess 90 into which a part of the gripping arm 55 can be inserted.

[0080] The distance between the gripping hooks 65-68 corresponds to a distance between the recesses 90 and/or the indentations in the side walls 34, 35 and/or the distance between the recesses 90 and/or indentations in the bottom surface 28.

[0081] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “having,” “comprising,” etc. do not preclude other elements or steps, and terms such as “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality of elements or steps. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

[0082] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0083] 1 wire processing system [0084] 5 wire processing machine [0085] 8 crimping press [0086] 15 wire [0087] 20 wire tray [0088] 22 removal trough [0089] 24 rail [0090] 25, 26 rib [0091] 28 bottom surface [0092] 29 base surface [0093] 30 handling robot [0094] 31 sloping surface of the bottom surface [0095] 34, 35 side wall [0096] 40 sloping surface of the side wall [0097] 42 edge surface of the side wall [0098] 45 side wall surface of the side wall [0099] 55 gripping arm [0100] 60, 61 jaws [0101] 65, 66, 67, 68 gripping hooks [0102] 70 direction of dumping [0103] 80 direction of displacement of the removal trough/longitudinal axis of the wires [0104] 90 recess