Processing station and method for the automated manufacture of cable harnesses and processing unit for such a processing station

Abstract

A processing station automatically manufactures a cable harness containing a plurality of individual lines. The processing station has a support unit for holding a line bundle containing the individual lines with a predefined, even branched, routing, and a processing unit for the automated fixing of the individual lines of the line bundle to one another. The processing unit has a fixing unit, which is configured for the automated application of a fixing agent to the line bundle. A manipulator is provided for moving the processing unit relative to the line bundle.

Claims

1. A processing station for automated manufacture of a cable harness containing a plurality of individual lines, the processing station comprising: a support unit for holding a loose line bundle containing the individual lines with a predefined, even branched, routing; a processing unit for automated fixing of the individual lines of the loose line bundle to one another, said processing unit having a fixing unit configured for an automated application of a fixing agent onto the loose line bundle in a manner of a banding resulting in a line bundle, the fixing agent being a curable resin, said processing unit having a compression unit for compressing the individual lines and a tool head, said compression unit and said fixing unit are integrated in said tool head; a manipulator for moving said processing unit together with said fixing unit and said compression unit relative to the loose line bundle in a processing direction along the loose line bundle; said processing unit encompassing the loose line bundle and, for this purpose, selectively having at least two sub-arms, which are movable relative to one another and in a closed state encompass the individual lines, said processing unit having a shape selected from the group consisting of C-shaped and U-shaped; and said fixing unit having at least one nozzle distributed around the loose line bundle, said at least one nozzle being disposed rotatably about the loose line bundle, and said at least one nozzle being movable in a direction toward the loose line bundle.

2. The processing station according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of different fixing agents are provided.

3. The processing station according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to structure the fixing agent being applied.

4. The processing station according to claim 1, wherein said at least one nozzle is one of a plurality of nozzles, at least one of said nozzles is disposed on each of said sub-arms.

5. The processing station according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit has a curing unit for curing the fixing agent, said curing unit selectively has a UV light source, a gas feed unit, or a heat source.

6. The processing station according to claim 1, wherein said compression unit has a plurality of compression elements formed as rotatably mounted rods, and with an aid of said compression unit the individual lines are compressed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a basic schematic view of a processing station for an automated manufacture of a cable harness according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a highly simplified and schematic illustration from the side of a processing unit and a support unit;

(3) FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the processing unit, illustrated partly in a simplified manner, in accordance with a first variant;

(4) FIG. 3A is a front view of the processing unit in accordance with the first variant;

(5) FIG. 4A is a perspective front view in a partly simplified illustration in accordance with a second variant of the processing unit;

(6) FIG. 4B is a perspective rear view in accordance with the second variant; and

(7) FIG. 5A is a perspective front view in a partly simplified illustration of a third variant of the processing unit; and

(8) FIG. 5B is a perspective rear view of the third variant of the processing unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) In the figures, equivalent parts are provided with like reference signs.

(10) The fundamental method for the automated manufacture of cable harnesses will first be explained in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 1, a processing station 2 contains a support unit 4 formed as a cable board, a manipulator 6, in the exemplary embodiment a multi-axis industrial robot, and also a processing unit 8 (FIG. 2), which is fastened to the manipulator 6, specifically to a robot hand.

(11) The manipulator 6 has a number of degrees of freedom in order to move the processing unit 8 relative to the support unit 4 into any position. In particular, the manipulator 6 provides at least one rotary degree of freedom, such that the processing unit 8 can be rotated on the whole with the aid of the manipulator 6.

(12) A branched line bundle 10 is fitted onto the support unit 4 on holding elements 12. Here, the line bundle 10 is formed from a plurality of individual lines 14 (FIG. 2). Each of the individual lines 14 is formed in the exemplary embodiment by an electrically conductive core surrounded by insulation. The holding elements 12 are formed in the manner of bar holders with a fork-shaped receptacle, in which the individual lines 14 lie. Due to the holding elements 12, the line bundle 10 is therefore distanced from the surface of an assembly board of the support unit 4. The line bundle 10 can thus be encompassed by the processing unit 8.

(13) As already illustrated in FIG. 2, the processing unit 8 has two sub-arms 16, which in the exemplary embodiment can be moved relative to one another and perpendicular to a processing direction 20 with the aid of a (linear) actuator 18. In the closed state, the two sub-arms 16 define a circular central space 22, in which the line bundle 10 lies. The processing direction 20 is generally defined by the direction in which the processing unit 8 is moved relative to the line bundle 10. In the case of junctions, the processing direction 20 therefore changes.

(14) In the case of the line bundle 10, the individual lines 14 are initially only held loosely against one another. With the aid of the processing unit 8, a curable resin in liquid or viscous form is applied as a fixing agent onto the line bundle 10 successively in the processing direction 20. At the end of this treatment, the individual lines 14 are therefore fixed to one another. The line bundle 10 with the individual lines 14, which are then fixed, forms the finished cable harness.

(15) As can be deduced from FIG. 1, contact elements 24 are attached to each of the ends of the cable harness in the exemplary embodiment. The line bundle 10 has a plurality of branches. Due to these branches, it was not previously possible to automate the previously conventional banding of the line bundle 10 in an economically viable manner.

(16) Due to the specific embodiment of the processing unit 8 and the fundamentally novel concept of applying a fixing agent which cures after the application process and fixes the individual lines 14 in the manner of a banding, automated manufacture is now made possible in an economically feasible manner. A specific consideration here is the basic concept that the processing unit 8 approaches the line bundle 10 radially, that is to say perpendicular to the processing direction 20, and can encompass the line bundle. This is enabled in the exemplary embodiment by the adjustable sub-arms 16. As soon as a branch point or another obstacle, such as a holding element 12, is encountered, the sub-arms 16 are opened and the processing unit 8 is moved away over the branch point or the obstacle so as to then continue with the application of the fixing agent with closed sub-arms 16. The manipulator 6 and the processing unit 8 are controlled with the aid of a non-illustrated control unit.

(17) Alternatively to the embodiment with the two sub-arms 16, a U-shaped or C-shaped embodiment of the processing unit 8 is also possible. In this case, it is not absolutely necessary to withdraw the processing unit 8 when obstacles or branches of the line bundle 10 are encountered. Rather, a suitable rotation the processing unit 8 with the aid of the manipulator 6 is sufficient. The individual branches of the branched line set 10 are provided in succession with the fixing agent in the manner of a banding as required.

(18) During operation, the processing unit 8 is moved along the line bundle 10 in the processing direction 20. Here, by the processing unit 8, the individual lines 14 are firstly compressed, the fixing agent is deposited, the fixing agent is structured where appropriate, and the fixing agent is cured. The rate of travel here is preferably a few cm/second up to approximately 10 cm/second, at least in regions without obstacles.

(19) Exemplary embodiments for a specific structure of the processing unit 8 will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3A to 5B.

(20) In all three variants, two sub-arms 16 are provided, which can be adjusted linearly in relation to one another and which each contain a pillar-like supporting element, at the ends of which a semi-annular processing head is arranged. The two semi-annular processing heads in the closed state of the sub-arms 16 form a closed tool head, which surrounds a central space 22 in its interior. The term “semi-annular or annular” in conjunction with the tool head is to be understood broadly in this case and also contains the variants in FIGS. 3A to 5B, that is to say is not necessarily limited to a circular cross-sectional geometry of the tool head.

(21) In all three variants, two function units are integrated in the tool head, specifically an input-side compression unit 26 and an adjoining fixing unit 28. In the variant according to FIGS. 5A-5B, a curing unit 30 adjoining the fixing unit 28 is additionally provided, these units being integrated in a common module in this exemplary embodiment.

(22) The compression unit 26 is formed identically in all three variants and has a plurality of compression elements 32 arranged peripherally relative to the central space 22. Four compression elements are provided in the exemplary embodiment. These are formed in this case by rods which are rotatably mounted at their end face and can be pivoted into the central space 22 in a motor-driven manner. Since the individual rods cross, the line bundle 10 lying in the central space 22 is compressed when the rods are pivoted toward the central space 22, and are further bundled. To pivot the rods, a drive mechanism (not illustrated here in greater detail) is provided, which, at the end via a toothing between two adjacent compression elements 32, provides a synchronous movement that is transmitted to both of the compression elements 32 in each case, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 4A and 5A.

(23) Each of the fixing units 28 contains a nozzle 34, via which the fixing agent escapes. The fixing agent is fed via suitable feeds to the individual fixing units 28. In FIG. 3A, line connections 36 are provided for the connection of feed tubes for the fixing agent, which is liquid in the starting state.

(24) In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 3A-3B, the nozzles 34 are arranged on the end of pivotably mounted arms 38. The line connections 36 are provided on the rear face of the arms 38. The arms 38 are pivoted with the aid of an actuating drive 40, wherein each sub-arm 16 is provided with its own actuating drive 40, the actuating drives being synchronized with one another however. In the exemplary embodiment, the actuating movement is transmitted from the actuating drive 40 via a drive shaft and a type of gearing to the individual arms 38 in order to perform the pivoting movement.

(25) In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 4A-4B, merely a single fixing unit 28 with merely one pivotable arm 38 is provided, the arm 38 being formed in this case in the manner of a pivoted or hinged lever. To adjust the arm 38, a ring element 39 is provided in the exemplary embodiment and is adjustable in the axial direction and thus acts on the hinged lever in order to produce the desired adjustment.

(26) In the variant illustrated in FIG. 4A-4B, the arm 38 is arranged rotatably about the central space 22. In the exemplary embodiment, this is enabled by an inner rotor 42 and also a drive ring gear 44. Due to a gearwheel (not illustrated here in greater detail), which is connected to the arm 38 and meshes with the drive ring gear 44, a rotation of the arm 38 fastened to the inner rotor 42 about the central space 22 is enabled. Due to the sub-arms 16, both the inner rotor 42 and the drive ring gear 44 are formed in two parts.

(27) In the variant according to FIGS. 5A-5B, a plurality of module units is arranged in an approximately star-shaped manner on the tool head. Here, the module units are each fastened by screws to a star-shaped mounting plate. Each of the module units has, as a component, a fixing unit 28 with a nozzle 34. The module units are piezo units in particular, and the nozzles 34 are therefore formed as piezo nozzles, that is to say the fixing agent is ejected from the nozzles 34 with the aid of the piezoelectric effect in a manner known per se.

(28) The curing unit 30 is also additionally integrated into the respective module unit and is formed in this exemplary embodiment by UV light sources 46. These are arranged so as to follow the nozzles 34 against the processing direction 20.