Method and device for processing a cable

Abstract

A method for processing a cable includes a drawing-out step and a placement step. In the drawing-out step, a loop of the cable is drawn out over a guide body arranged on a loop placement surface. The loop is drawn out to a specified length using a driven dog. In the placement step, the loop is placed onto the loop placement surface by the dog. In the process, the loop is placed over the guide body.

Claims

1. A method for processing a cable, the method comprising the steps of: drawing a loop of the cable over a guide body arranged on a loop placement surface, the loop being drawn out to a specified length by a driven dog; placing the loop from the dog onto the loop placement surface, wherein the loop is placed over the guide body; and removing the cable from the loop placement surface around the guide body by pulling a first end of the loop.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein, in the drawing-out step, a first end of the cable is fixed and the loop is drawn out around the dog.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein, in the drawing-out step, the loop is drawn out over at least one further guide body arranged on the loop placement surface.

4. A device for processing a cable, the device comprising: a loop placement surface on which at least one guide body is arranged wherein the at least one guide body is tapered at an upper end thereof; and a driven dog adapted to draw out a loop of the cable and place the loop over the at least one guide body.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one guide body is cut at an incline at an upper end thereof.

6. The device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one guide body has a tip aligned with a central axis of the loop.

7. The device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one guide body is magnetically fastened to the loop placement surface.

8. A device for processing a cable, the device comprising: a loop placement surface on which at least one guide body is arranged; a driven dog adapted to draw out a loop of the cable and place the loop over the at least one guide body; and wherein the dog includes a plurality of elevations that reduce a contact surface between the cable and the dog, wherein a distribution and a number of the elevations are selected to form a bend radius of the loop that is greater than a minimum permissible bend radius of the cable to prevent plastic deformation of the cable.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the dog includes a semicylindrical main part having a curved portion of a lateral surface of the main part and the elevations are arranged on the curved portion.

10. A device for processing a cable, the device comprising: a loop placement surface on which at least one guide body is arranged wherein the at least one guide body is magnetically fastened to the loop placement surface; and a driven dog adapted to draw out a loop of the cable and place the loop over the at least one guide body.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a guide body of a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a dog and a guide body of a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a dog for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a dog in the form of a roller for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment; and

(6) FIG. 6 shows a dog having a plurality of rollers for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment.

(7) The drawings are only schematic, and are not true to scale. Identical reference signs refer in the different drawings to identical features, or to features having an identical effect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a device 100 for processing a cable 102 according to an embodiment. In this case, the device 100 is a component of a cable harness processing machine. The device 100 comprises a loop placement surface 104 and a plurality of guide bodies 106 arranged thereon. The guide bodies 106 project upwards from the loop placement surface 104. The guide bodies 106 have a circular cross-sectional area. A motor-driven dog 108 is arranged above the loop placement surface 104. The dog 108 is mounted so as to be linearly movable in a draw-out direction. The dog 108 is designed to draw out a loop 110 of the cable 102 to a desired length, and to place said loop over at least one of the guide bodies 106 and onto the loop placement surface 104.

(9) For the drawing-out process, the dog 108 is moved towards a cable-dispensing mechanism 112 by means of the drive mechanism (not shown here) of said dog. There, the dog 108 is moved into a starting loop, or the starting loop is laid around the dog 108. The dog 108 is subsequently moved in the draw-out direction by the drive mechanism, thereby drawing out the loop 110.

(10) The loop 110 is long enough when the two ends of the cable 102 together result in a desired cable length. When the loop 110 is long enough, i.e. the dog 108 has been moved to a position determined by the desired cable length, the dog 108 places the loop 110 over at least one of the guide bodies 106 and onto the loop placement surface 104. For this purpose, the dog 108 is withdrawn from the loop 110 by the drive mechanism. It is equally possible to move the dog 108 in a direction counter to the draw-out direction by means of the driving mechanism so that the cable 102 falls from the dog 108 and onto the loop placement surface 104.

(11) When the loop 110 is at the desired length, the end of the loop 110 that is connected to the supply of cable is detached at the cable dispensing mechanism 112. Said end is thus freed.

(12) The cable 102 is removed around the guide body 106 in order to be further processed in the cable harness processing machine. When removed, the loose end of the cable 102 relaxes. The remaining twisting is stripped out of the cable 102 by the guide body 106.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a guide body 106 having a cylindrical main part. The guide body substantially corresponds to one of the guide bodies in FIG. 1. In order to form a tip, the top of the guide body 106 is cut in an inclined manner. As a result of the inclined cut, the guide body 106 comprises, on the upper face thereof, a continuous surface 200 which is inclined on one side, over which surface the cable slides laterally when placed over the guide body 106. The tip is arranged so as to be laterally offset with respect to the lateral surface of the cylinder.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a dog 108 and a guide body 106 of a device for processing a cable 102 according to an embodiment. The guide body 106 and the dog correspond substantially to the drawings in FIGS. 1 and 2. The dog 108 additionally has friction-reducing surface shaping. For this purpose, the dog 108 comprises a plurality of elevations 300 oriented transversely to the cable 102, for example in the form of ribs oriented transversely to a curvature of the dog 108, on which ribs the cable 102 rests and which ribs reduce the contact surface to the loop surface. The cable 102 does not touch the dog 108 between the elevations 300 and therefore cannot cause friction. The embodiment of the elevations 300 and the surface properties thereof depend on the properties of the cable 102 to be processed.

(15) In this case, the distribution and number of elevations 300 are selected such that the minimum permissible bend radius of the cable 102 is not fallen short of, below which radius the cable 102 deforms plastically. Moreover, the contour of the elevations 300 is selected such that displacements of the cable insulation material are reduced to a minimum. The dog 108 further comprises an infeed region on each side in order to minimize damage to the cable 102 caused by the oscillations of said cable itself while the loop 110 is being drawn out.

(16) The tip of the guide body 106 is aligned with the central axis 114 of the loop 110. One side of the loop 110 therefore slides over the inclined surface of the guide body 106 and to the side, and the two sides of the loop 110 come to rest on different sides of the guide body 106.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a dog 108 for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment. The dog 108 substantially corresponds to the dog in FIG. 3. The dog 108 comprises a substantially semicylindrical main part 400. Eight elevations 300 are arranged on the curved portion of the lateral surface thereof. The elevations are oriented in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the main part 400.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a dog 108 in the form of a roller for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment. The dog 108 can be used as the dog in FIG. 1, for example. In this case, the dog 108 comprises a cable sheave 502 which is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis 500. The cable sheave 502 comprises a peripheral groove for laterally guiding the cable. The dog 108 further has an infeed geometry 504. The infeed geometry 504 adjoins both sides of the cable sheave 502 and can rotate along with the cable sheave 502 about the rotational axis 500. The infeed geometry 504 is designed on both sides as an inclined collar projecting from the cable sheave 502. The infeed geometry 504 prevents the cable from slipping off the cable sheave 502, even if the cable does not extend perpendicularly to the rotational axis 500.

(19) In other words, in this case a single guide roller forms the dog 108 for cables having very soft and adhesive insulation material.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a dog 108 having a plurality of rollers 600 for a device for processing a cable according to an embodiment. The dog 108 substantially corresponds to the dog in FIG. 4. In contrast thereto, in this case the dog 108 comprises four rotatably mounted rollers 600 instead of the elevations. The rollers 600 are mounted in recesses of a base plate 602 and of a cover plate 604. The rollers 600 are cylindrical and the distribution and number thereof is selected such that the minimum permissible bend radius of the cable 102 is not fallen short of. The base plate 602 and the cover plate 604 are substantially semicircular and project beyond the rollers 600, which are arranged in a semicircular manner. At least the base plate 602 has an infeed geometry 504. In this case, the infeed geometry 504 is designed as a semicircular peripheral chamfer.

(21) In other words, the dog 108 comprises a group of rollers 600 having a small rotational moment of inertia, which causes the rollers 600 to overrun slightly. The forces acting on the cable are thus significantly reduced, which is important in the case of sensitive cables which have a very small cross section and thin insulation.

(22) Finally, it should be noted that expressions such as comprising and the like do not preclude other elements or steps, and expressions such as a or one do not preclude a plurality.

(23) It should also be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

(24) 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.