DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY MOUNTING A CONNECTOR-HOUSING

Abstract

A method for automatically mounting a connector-housing with a contact-part attached to an electrical line includes holding the contact-part, determining an actual-rotational-position of the contact-part, comparing the actual-rotational-position with a predetermined-rotational-position, and performing a rotational-position-correction thereby aligning the connector-part to the connector-housing. The connector-housing is fixed to a holder and the contact-part is inserted into a cavity of the connector-housing by means of a movable-gripper.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A method for automatically mounting a connector-housing having a contact-part attached to an electrical line, wherein the connector-housing is fixed to a holder and the contact-part is inserted into a cavity of the connector-housing by means of a movable mounting-gripper, said method comprising: holding the contact-part using an alignment-gripper, determining, with a camera and an image-processing-system, an actual-rotational-position of the held contact-part in relation to a rotation-axis extending in parallel to an insertion-direction, comparing, using a control-device, the actual-rotational-position with a predetermined-rotational-position based on the characteristics and arrangement of the connector-housing, said connector-housing defining the cavity; and performing a rotational-position-correction, using the alignment-gripper based on the result of the comparison, thereby aligning the contact-part to the connector-housing prior to inserting the contact-part into the cavity.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of focusing a lens of the camera on a front-end-face of the held contact-part, said front-end-face facing away from the electrical line.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of performing a height-position-correction to the alignment-gripper when an actual-height-position of the held contact-part deviates from a predetermined-reference-height-position, wherein the actual-height-position is defined as an axial-position in relation to the rotation-axis of the front-end-face of the contact-part.

19. The method according claim 18, further comprising the step of holding the contact-part and performing the rotational-position-correction using a rotatable alignment-gripper, which is separated from a mounting-gripper used for inserting the contact-part into the cavity, wherein the contact-part, after performing the rotational-position-correction is passed from the alignment-gripper to the mounting-gripper while avoiding a further twist.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of inserting a previously aligned contact-part into the cavity of the connector-housing at a mounting-station while performing an alignment process at an alignment-station, said mounting-station and alignment-station spatially separated in a mounting-device.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of placing another contact-part attached to the electrical line into a supply-station, said another contact-part taken from a contact-part supply by a movable supply-gripper while performing the alignment process.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of holding two contact-parts using a multi-gripper, wherein the two contact-parts are subjected to a common rotational-position-correction using the multi-gripper.

23. A device for automatically mounting a connector-housing with a contact-part attached to an electrical line, comprising: a holder for fixing the connector-housing, said connector-housing defining a cavity; a movable-gripper that holds the contact-part and is used for inserting the contact-part into the cavity of the connector-housing; an alignment-station that includes an alignment-gripper that holds the contact-part and rotates the contact-part about a rotation-axis parallel to an insertion-direction; a camera for determining an actual-rotational-position of the contact-part held by the alignment-gripper in relation to the rotation-axis; and a control-device used for comparing the actual-rotational-position with a predetermined-rotational-position based on the characteristics and arrangement of the connector-housing, said control-device further controlling the alignment-gripper to perform a corrective rotational movement based on the result of the comparison.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the alignment-gripper is provided in addition to a mounting-gripper used to insert the contact-part into the cavity.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the alignment-gripper is designed to rotate the held contact-part by greater than 180, and wherein the alignment-gripper is displaceable along the rotation-axis perpendicular to the rotation-axis.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the alignment-gripper is designed to hold and to rotate two contact-parts, wherein an image of each of the held contact-parts is captured by a separate camera.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the camera is arranged such that it is directed from a side facing away from the electrical line to the contact-part held by the alignment-gripper.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein a mounting-camera is provided for determining a position of the connector-housing in relation to a predetermined-reference-position, wherein a movable mounting-gripper and the mounting-camera form a mounting unit configured for common movement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of a mounting-device during provision of an electrical line including two contact-parts attached thereto in accordance with one embodiment;

[0027] FIG. 2 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 during the transfer of the electrical line to an alignment-station in accordance with one embodiment;

[0028] FIG. 3 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 during an alignment process in accordance with one embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 4 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 during the transfer of the electrical line to a mounting-station in accordance with one embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 5 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 prior to insertion of the contact-parts into respective cavities of connector-housings in accordance with one embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 6 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 after insertion of the contact-parts into the cavities in accordance with one embodiment; and

[0032] FIG. 7 depicts the mounting device of FIG. 1 during a calibration process in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The mounting device illustrated in simplified form in the FIGS. 1 to 7 includes a supply-station 10, an alignment-station 12 and a mounting-station 14, which are arranged spatially separated, here in direct succession. A stationary fixable holder 16 for a plurality of connector-housings 18 is provided in the area of the mounting-station 14. In particular, the connector-housings 18 can be locked in receptacles of the panel-like holder 16, optionally using additional holders. The connector-housings 18 exemplified in different configurations each comprise several cavities 19.

[0034] A first-positioning-system 20, here in the form of a uniaxial linear system, is associated with the supply-station 10 and is used to move two adjacent supply-grippers 24a, 24b which are combined into a double-gripper. In FIG. 1 an electrical line 26 is recognizable in the area of the supply-station 10, which is provided at both ends with respective contact-parts 28a, 28b. Each of the contact-parts 28a, 28b is held at the electrical line 26 by one of the supply-grippers 24a, 24b. The supply-grippers 24a, 24b could also be configured for directly holding the contact-parts 28a, 28b.

[0035] Two adjacent alignment-grippers 32a, 32b are provided in the area of the alignment-station 12, which may also combined into a double-gripper dependent on the application. The alignment-grippers 32a, 32b may be similar in principle as the supply-grippers 24a, 24b. As shown by the curved double-arrows, the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b are each configured to be rotatable for rotating a held contact-part 28a, 28b about a rotation-axis Rz, preferably by 180. In addition, the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b are each linearly displaceable along the rotation-axis Rz, as indicated by the straight double-arrows. Two alignment-cameras 34a, 34b including respective image-processing-systems, not shown, are arranged in the area of the alignment-station 12 and are directed to a respective one of the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b. The alignment-cameras 34a, 34b may also be connected to a common image-processing-system.

[0036] A mounting-unit 36 associated with the mounting-station 14 includes two mounting-grippers 38a, 38b and a mounting-camera 40 with associated own or higher-level image-processing-system. By means of a second-positioning-system 42, which is configured as a two-axis linear system, as shown, the mounting-unit 36 can be moved in front of the individual connector-housings 18 fixed to the holder 16. As shown, the first-positioning-system 20 and the second-positioning-system 42 overlap with each other in the area of the alignment-station 12, so that a transfer of held contact-parts 28a, 28b between the individual grippers is possible.

[0037] For reasons of clarity, in all figures the holder 16 with the fixed connector-housings 18 and the second-positioning-system 42 are depicted in a front-view, while the other components of the mounting device are shown in a plan-view.

[0038] During normal operation of the mounting device, a prefabricated electrical line 26 with two contact-parts 28a, 28b attached to ends is taken from a component supply, not shown, and, as shown in FIG. 1, is brought into a provisioning position by means of the supply-grippers 24a, 24b. In doing so, crimping noses of the contact-parts 28a, 28b can always point upwards, for example. The contact-parts 28a, 28b are then moved to the alignment-station 12 by means of the first-positioning-system 20 and transferred to the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b. This transfer is shown in FIG. 2. After the transfer, the supply-grippers 24a, 24b are moved back to their original positions, and it is immediately started with the provision of another electrical line 26.

[0039] The alignment-grippers 32a, 32b perform an alignment process by initially determining an actual-rotational-position of the held contact-parts 28a, 28b in relation to the respective rotation-axis Rz by means of the alignment-cameras 34a, 34b and the associated image-processing-systems. The lenses 35 of the alignment-cameras 34a, 34b are each focused on the front-end-faces 44a, 44b (FIG. 1) of the held contact-parts 28a, 28b. Subsequently, the determined actual-rotational-position is compared to a rotational-position predetermined by the characteristics and arrangement of the connector-housing 18 to be mounted. Based on the result of the comparison, a rotational-position-correction is performed by appropriately rotating the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b. In addition, the two contact-parts 28a, 28b are displaced along the respective rotation-axis Rz by means of the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b, as necessary, so that the front-end-faces 44a, 44b of the contact-parts 28a, 28b are on a common reference line 46 extending perpendicular to the rotation-axes Rz (FIG. 3).

[0040] The mounting-unit 36 is subsequently or even during the alignment process moved to the alignment-station 12. There, the two ends of the electrical line 26 with the contact-parts 28a, 28b are transferred from the alignment-grippers 32a, 32b to the mounting-grippers 38a, 38b, as shown in FIG. 4. The transfer is carried out, while avoiding a rotation of the contact-parts 28a, 28b. With the use of the alignment-cameras 34a, 34b, potential deviations of the positions of the contact-parts 28a, 28b are determined in a x-y plane perpendicular to the rotational axes Rz in relation to the respective reference positions.

[0041] The mounting-unit 36 is then positioned together with the electrical line 26 by means of the second-positioning-system 42 in the x-y plane in front of the desired connector-housing 18 (FIG. 5). The mounting-camera 40 of the mounting-unit 36 determines the exact position, including any minor rotations of the respective connector-housing 18 in relation to a predetermined reference-position associated with the mounting-camera 40. The determined position deviations and rotations are temporarily stored in a control-device, not shown, and used for mounting operations on other cavities 19 of the respective connector-housing 18. The positions of the cavities 19 of a given connector-housing 18 in relation to a reference-position are taken from a higher-level database.

[0042] Due to a calibration of the mounting device performed before starting operation, to be described in more detail below, the exact positions of the tips of the contact-parts 28a, 28b in relation to the reference-position of the mounting-camera 40 are known. The mounting-unit 36 is now positioned in the x-y plane by the second-positioning-system 42 so that the contact-part 28a located to the left in the image is arranged in front of the cavity 19 to be mounted. By movement of the associated mounting-gripper 38a in an insertion-direction E, the contact-part 28a is inserted into the cavity 19 and optionally locked thereto. The same process is repeated with the other contact-part 28b and the cavity 19 corresponding thereto, so that the state shown in FIG. 6 is created. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the insertion-direction E is parallel to the rotation axes Rz.

[0043] For the various connector-housings 18 which are fixed to the holder 16, the position of the connector-housing 18 is captured by the mounting-camera 40 only at the first contact-part 28a, 28b, respectively. For all other contact-parts 28a, 28b for the respective connector-housing 18, the temporarily stored position data are used.

[0044] During the mounting process, a further electrical line 26 with attached contact-parts 28a, 28b is provided by means of the supply-grippers 24a, 24b and transported to the alignment-station 12 and the process begins again. If necessary, it is possible to use only a single alignment-gripper 32a and only one alignment-camera 34a at the alignment-station 12.

[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates a calibration method for the mounting device according to the invention, which is carried out using a marking-carrier 48 and two 52a, 52b. As part of this calibration method, first the marking-carrier 48, which may be for example a paper or foil element, is attached to the holder 16. Respective marking-devices 52a, 52b instead of ends of the electrical line 26 are gripped by the mounting-grippers 38a, 38b. The marking-devices 52a, 52b are generally shown as arrows in FIG. 7 and, in practice, may be configured as pins, needles, laser heads or thermal elements, for example. The first mounting-gripper 38a is moved along a horizontal line. In a uniform distance of 10 mm, for example, the movement is respectively stopped and the mounting-gripper 38a is moved in the insertion-direction E towards the marking-carrier 48 until the tip of the marking-device 52a contacts therewith and thus sets a marking-point 55. Subsequently, another row of marking-points 55 is created with altered Y position. The row by row setting of marking-points 55 is repeated until the entire marking-carrier 48 is covered by a grid-like array of points, as shown.

[0046] After the setting of all marking-points 55, the mounting-camera 40 of the mounting-unit 36 is successively moved to the individual marking-points 55 by the second-positioning-system 42 and the positions of the marking-points 55 on the marking-carrier 48 are determined by the displacement-position of the second-positioning-system 42 and the position of the marking-point 55 in the captured image. The thus determined positions of the marking-points 55 are stored together with the displacement coordinates of the second-positioning-system 42 in a storage-device. Subsequently, the calibration method is repeated with the second- mounting-gripper 38b and its associated marking-device 52b.

[0047] During a subsequent normal operation of the mounting device, the respective displacement coordinates of the second-positioning-system 42 can be determined from the positions of the connector-housings 18 at the holder 16 using the stored data. Here, intermediate values can be determined by suitable mathematical methods, for example by an interpolation method. Any deviations from an orthogonal and linear movement of the mounting-unit 36, which for example lead to a trapezoidal, cushion-like or barrel-like distortion of the grid-like array of points, are determined by the calibration file and can be compensated accordingly in terms of control.

[0048] Overall, the invention enables a particularly reliable and fast mounting of connector-housings 18 with electrical lines 26.

[0049] Accordingly, a device and method for mounting a connector-housing is provided. The alignment process ensures that each provided contact-part is in the correct rotational-position before the insertion process. The reliability of the mounting process can be considerably increased by the automatic rotational-position-correction.

[0050] While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow.