EP0917259B1 - Method and apparatus for automatically wiring terminals of components of electrical devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The automatic wiring method uses a program-controlled device for displacement of an insulated conductor (12) with a stripped conductor end (42'), in the direction of its longitudinal axis for insertion into the contact zone of the electrical terminal, after bending the end section of the electrical conductor through 90 degrees. An Independent claim for a device for wiring electrical component terminals is also included.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for wiring connection points of components electrical devices. An essential application the invention is automatic wiring elaborately wired lights such as fluorescent lights.

Such a procedure and one exercising it Device are the subject of, for example DE 44 31 254 A1. The basis is the automatic Wiring of electrical devices and components with screwless plug connection points into which the stripped cable ends in the direction of their longitudinal extension be plugged in.

The present invention proceeds from this in more detail Differentiation from electrical wiring Devices whose connection points according to the insulation displacement principle are carried out, which is characterized by that stripped lines perpendicular to their Longitudinal extension in insulation displacement forks of the connection points be pressed in, the insulating jacket the line is cut and the electrical contact as well as the mechanical hold in the connection point be brought about. The automatic wiring with the means of insulation displacement technology is fundamental not to be rejected, but it requires a lot of effort in the construction of the electrical equipment since they not on the devices and components with plug connection points can fall back on how they have for decades for general manual wiring are in use.

a) ein elektrisches Gerät wird bereitgestellt, das mit mehreren Komponenten vormontiert ist, die schraubenlose Anschlußstellen nach der Draht-Einstecktechnik aufweisen,

b) durch Relativbewegung zwischen dem vormontierten Gerät und den Leitungsverlegemitteln wird eine erste Anschlußstelle in den Arbeitsbereich der Leitungsverlegemittel gebracht und relativ zu diesen lagegerecht positioniert,

c) mittels der Leitungsverlegemittel wird ein zuvor von seiner Isolierumhüllung freigeschnittenes erstes Ende einer diesen endlos zugeführten Leitung in eine Kontaktierzone der ersten Anschlußstelle eingeführt und dadurch selbsttätig kontaktgebend mechanisch dort fixiert,

d) durch eine weitere Relativbewegung entlang einer vorgegebenen Bahn zwischen der ersten Anschlußstelle und den Leitungsverlegemitteln wird unter Verlegung der Leitung eine zweite Anschlußstelle in den Arbeitsbereich der Leitungsverlegemittel gebracht und relativ zu diesen lagerichtig positioniert, wobei während dieser Relativbewegung die Leitungsverlegemittel zumindest eine dem Leitungsverlegeweg zwischen der ersten und der zweiten Anschlußstelle entsprechende Länge der ihnen endlos zugeführten Leitung ausgeben, die so groß bemessen ist, daß die zwischen den Anschlußstellen verlegte Leitung im wesentlichen zugspannungsfrei ist,

e) die Leitung wird in einem zuvor von der Isolierumhüllung freigeschnittenen Bereich zur Bildung eines abisolierten Einsteckendes für die zweite Anschlußstelle und zur gleichzeitigen Bildung eines weiteren abisolierten Einsteckendes für die nachfolgende Anschlußstelle durchtrennt,

f) mittels der Leitungsverlegemittel wird das erste dieser Leiter-Einsteckenden gefaßt und in die Kontaktierzone der zweiten Anschlußstelle eingeführt und dabei kontaktgebend selbsttätig mechanisch fixiert,

g) das mit dem Durchtrennen bereitgestellte weitere Leiter-Einsteckende wird von den Leitungsverlegemitteln gefaßt, und die Verfahrensschritte b bis f werden so oft nacheinander ausgeführt, bis alle gewünschten Leitungsanschlüsse an den Anschlußstellen der Komponenten des elektrischen Geräts vollzogen sind.

The method for wiring connection points of electrical components, which is discussed in DE 44 31 254 A1, is carried out with the aid of controlled line laying means and essentially carries out the following steps:

a) an electrical device is provided which is preassembled with several components which have screwless connection points according to the wire insertion technique,

b) by means of a relative movement between the preassembled device and the line laying means, a first connection point is brought into the working area of the line laying means and is positioned correctly relative to these,

c) by means of the line laying means, a first end of a line which has been fed endlessly from its insulating sheath is inserted into a contact zone of the first connection point and is thereby mechanically fixed automatically by contact,

d) by means of a further relative movement along a predetermined path between the first connection point and the line laying means, while laying the line, a second connection point is brought into the working area of the line laying means and is positioned in the correct position relative to this, whereby during this relative movement the line laying means at least one of the line laying way between the output the first and the second connection point the corresponding length of the line fed to them, which is dimensioned so large that the line laid between the connection points is essentially free of tension,

e) the line is cut through in an area previously cut free from the insulating sheath to form a stripped insertion end for the second connection point and to simultaneously form a further stripped insertion end for the subsequent connection point,

f) the first of these conductor insertion ends is gripped by means of the line laying means and inserted into the contacting zone of the second connection point and is thereby mechanically fixed automatically in a contact-making manner,

g) the additional conductor insertion end provided with the severing is gripped by the line laying means, and process steps b to f are carried out in succession until all the desired line connections have been made at the connection points of the components of the electrical device.

Based on a specific application, e.g. the automatic wiring of electrical components a fluorescent lamp with a tub-like housing this means that the laying means essentially parallel to the bathtub floor, your laying path in X and Y Cover the direction and remove the stripped ones Line sections also in parallel to the tub floor Directions to the connection points of the components plug in. These are arranged in the devices that the direction of insertion is always parallel to the trough has to be done. According to this most common Connection technology leads the device according to the DE 44 31 254 A1 the line from a vertical Loading direction in a direction deflected by approximately 90 ° Direction to the insertable line section.

Especially in lighting technology are as So-called 'push-through sockets' called lamp sockets known for fluorescent lamps and widely used, which - based on the tub floor of the Luminaire housing - characterized in that the Connection ends of the lines in the direction perpendicular to Trough bottom can be inserted into their connection points have to.

To with the device known from DE 44 31 254 A1 to be able to take this plugging direction into account, you could think of up to six axes program-controlled industrial robots for wiring such connection points the line laying means accordingly inclines by 90 °. For one thing, however, would the practical implementation of this consideration is expensive Movements result in connection with accordingly high programming effort. Second, everyone would needed controls to additional ways and one lead to significantly more time-consuming operations. To the thirdly and, above all, the line installation means at least in one main direction of extension (with DE 44 31 254 A1 towards perpendicular to the bottom of a lamp tray) not one insignificant space requirement, but - except in rare favorable cases - not at all near the main assembly level is available to the voluminous Cable laying means by the required angle of 90 ° to be able to tilt.

This is where the invention comes in. You lie first the task of proposing a method that allowed it in a simple way, without noteworthy Control effort in differently aligned Optionally plug in the plug-in lines can. Then it is the object of the invention, a structural simply designed device specifying this in a practical version.

The solution of the procedural part of the task is specified in claim 1, the device solution in claim 6.

Then the first step is that the one covered by the line laying means, ready to be plugged into the connection point, the insertion section having the line section before insertion from the Direction in which the line section is initially available is without rotation or inclination of the line laying means in a different new one The direction of insertion bends, the cable laying means for inserting the insertion end in the new direction just make a straight line movement. Essential it is therefore for the invention that not Laying equipment turned, inclined or otherwise shifted to achieve the direction of insertion for the cable but that the management - more specifically: the ready Inserting end of the line - by bending this direction is given. That's why it needs Line laying means only a straight line Movement to connect the conductor.

It becomes particularly important in practice be that the line section held ready essentially bends at right angles, with which the probably the most common, at 90 ° to each other standing plug-in directions are manageable. Essential is that at least the stripped contact area of the bent line section an outer boundary the cable laying means protrudes, from which the advantage results in practically no special manipulation space is required, but the line end led absolutely unhindered into the connector can be.

Further advantageous process features result themselves from claims 3 to 5.

The device according to the invention, which starts from a cable laying tool that has a cable feed for the line taken from a supply and a Manipulation element for detecting and holding a with stripped plug-in end provided for plugging into a plug connection point of the respective Component is essentially by that characterized in that an adjustable bending tool that for the exit of the line section held ready suitable side of the manipulation member is arranged to be longitudinally movable, wherein by means of Bending tool the line section from its ready Extension direction is bendable.

Advantageous embodiments of this principle as well Appropriate developments are the subject of the claims 7 to 12.

After that, it is essential that using a simple tappet to be controlled the line section held ready from his from the laying means or manipulation member defined position in the new insertion direction is bendable, the plunger also to do so can contribute to stabilizing the bent line section to support.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Gesamtansicht einer zur Ausübung des automatischen Verdrahtungsverfahrens geeigneten Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung der Leitungsverlegemittel zur Beschreibung der Verdrahtung zweier Anschlußstellen bzw. Komponenten miteinander,

Fig. 3 und 4

eine schaubildliche Darstellung zur Beschreibung der Funktion von Stößeln zum Umbiegen des bereitgehaltenen Steckabschnitts einer Leitung,

Fig. 5

eine schematische vergrößerte Darstellung des Leitungsverlegemittels im Bereich der Stößel, und

Fig. 6

eine Ansicht entsprechend Ansichtspfeil VI-VI in Fig. 5.

Otherwise, the invention is more fully understood based on the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. In these show:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic overall view of a device suitable for carrying out the automatic wiring method,

Fig. 2

1 shows a schematic representation of the line laying means for describing the wiring of two connection points or components to one another,

3 and 4

2 shows a diagrammatic representation for describing the function of plungers for bending the plug-in section of a line provided,

Fig. 5

is a schematic enlarged view of the line laying means in the area of the plunger, and

Fig. 6

a view according to view arrow VI-VI in Fig. 5th

1 and 2 do not yet show that of the invention underlying bending of the cable laying means prepared line section; they serve rather to provide a clear explanation of the procedure as well as the constructive interpretation of a automatic wiring of electrical connection points Components.

An overall device for wiring Connection points of components of electrical devices schematically shown in Fig. 1 and designated 10.

The overall device 10 comprises a supply 11 (so-called "cable barrel") for an electrical cable 12, a kink-stiff provided with insulating jacket Single wire. Starting from the barrel 11 is located in the further course of line 12 Position measuring system 13, the main task of which exists, the specified lengths of in a free cutting station line sections to be prepared monitor. The brush cutter 14 is behind, i.e. Provided 'downstream' of the displacement measuring system 13 and has tools 15 that do the job at predetermined locations, i.e. in pre-programmed Clearance, the wire 16 from its insulating jacket 17th to free. These and others in the further course of the line cut at appropriate intervals, i.e. Stripped wire zones are included Designated 18.

The brush cutter 14 is followed by a first one Drive 19 for transporting the line 12 in the direction of Arrow 20, the purpose of which is to line 12 through the brush cutter 14 and from the barrel 11 to pull, and it includes, as indicated by way of example, as Drive means e.g. several by means of friction on the Insulating jacket 17 of the line 12 attacking, driven Conveyor roller pairs.

Then the line 12 runs through a so-called Loop lifter 21, which is a line memory represents or compensator and in principle two stationary axles rotatably mounted deflection rollers 22 as well as a deflection or dancer roll that is movable towards them 23 has. The latter strains the trained Cable loop, and depending on their position can the drive 19 are signaled that he is the further Slow down, accelerate delivery of line 12 or should stop.

The line 12 finally arrives from the drive 24 to the total of 25 cable laying means. These are not movable at the end of one illustrated, preferably six-axially movable Arms of an industrial robot attached. The line laying means 25 is another drive 26 for funding assigned to line 12, the one all around driven conveyor belt 27 includes and with compliant stored counter pressure rollers 28 cooperates.

The line laying means 25 then include one Line feed 29, with a channel 29a, the mouth is designated by 30. As a manipulator serves a gripper designated 31, which from the Line feed mouth 30 emerging and as a result suitable curvature of the channel 29a directly to it led line 12 can grip.

Otherwise, the arrangement is such that the Line feed 29 adjustable relative to the gripper 31 is arranged, which is indicated by the double arrow 32 is. In the position shown is the Line feed 29 in one (lowest here) End position in direct assignment to the gripper 31. In the other end position, based on FIG. 1, the line feed 29 towards the gripper be shifted up.

The line separating device assigned to the line laying means 25 is by a (with respect to FIG. 1 vertical) movable knife 41 realized between the cable feed 29, adjacent to this performed, and the gripper 31 is provided.

The method on which the invention is based and the mode of operation of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the arrangement described above are now understood as follows:
It is initially assumed that the line barrel 11 is equipped with a new line supply and that the front free end of the line 12 is stripped, so that a first free line insertion end 36 is already formed. The line 12 is now passed through the individual stations of the device, the free-cutting device 14 cutting off the first zone on the line in a first predetermined section from the free line end 36. A further zone is cut free at a further distance calculated from the first zone of the free cutting in accordance with the specifications on the device side, and so on. The length of each cut wire section 18 is twice as large as the required nominal length of a cable insertion end 36.

In the further course of a first machine setup reaches the leading end of line 12 their front stripped insertion end 36 in the Fig. 1 shown position in which the gripper 31 Cable end with a small distance behind the insertion end 36 summarizes the insulating jacket. Now he can Connection of this line insertion end 36 to the first Junction.

This is done with reference to FIG. 2 in that the robot moves in a program-controlled manner is that the line laying means 25 with the gripper 31 ahead one in the correct position with a line connection providing electrical component 37 (here exemplary shown as an electrical mains connection terminal) be guided and the gripper 31 the line insertion end 36 into the screwless connection point (Contact) this component 37, which electrical and mechanical connection go hand in hand.

The gripper opens as the process continues 31, and the laying means 25 drive, whereupon the Arrow 40 refers to the next junction or Component 39 (here a fluorescent lamp holder as an example). During this process the device 25 along the predetermined line routing is from Drive 26 one of the distance traveled conveyed substantially corresponding length on line 12. Just before the second component 39 of the Laying means 25 is reached, after closing the Gripper 31 by means of the one immediately preceding the mouth 30 controlled knife 41 cut the line, and as precisely as possible in the middle of the now Cut-out zone 18 to be processed. This creates a second stripped insertion end 42 of the wiring harness still being processed 43 and at the same time a new stripped End 36 'for the wiring process of a subsequent one Line section.

After cutting, the cable feed 29 - with reference to FIG. 2 by moving upwards - locally decoupled from the gripper 31, i.e. from the Work area of the gripper 31 brought out so that this now the stripped insertion end 42 in the Spend preprogrammed junction of component 39 can.

Since the described cutting of line 12 before inserting the stripped cable end 42 by means of the gripper 31, the gripper 31st so I have to walk a little way to get to that Cable insertion end 42 as intended in the component Placing 39 corresponds to the funded length the line does not exactly match that of the device 25 distance traveled; rather it becomes a certain overlength marked with 44, whose Length corresponds almost exactly to the distance that the gripper still has to go back to after cutting the wire the stripped end 42 in the To transfer junction 39.

When this is done, the gripper 31 opens, and the Line feed 29 is again for the transfer of created further line end in the gripper area retracted and the line end advanced, so that the same starting position for the following Wiring route results as it was here initially Has.

The steps described are taking place (apart from the steps for First set-up of the machine with a new supply of cables) each in the same way, to two connection points different components or the same component to start up and the electrical line with to connect their connection points.

From the above, in particular from FIG. 2 can be seen that the mouth 30 of the line feed 29 supplied line 12 from a vertical Direction is redirected to a horizontal direction so that the wire insertion end 36 or 42 in a - based on the drawing - horizontal direction the device has and in the same horizontal Direction in the junction of the concerned Component e.g. 37 or 39 is inserted. Further it can be seen that the end of the conductor to be inserted (here 36) away from the conductor feed 29 or can also point to it (wire insertion end 42), but then the conductor feed 29 upwards withdrawn.

To use one of the illustrated and described Device essentially corresponding device to be able to exercise the procedure even if the Conductor insertion ends 36 and 42 not in a horizontal, but in the vertical direction in a junction are to be inserted, the wire insertion ends 36 or 42 from the direction provided by the gripper 31 - In the embodiment by 90 ° - in a new one Inserted direction bent, which in Fig. 3 by the 36 'designated insertion end and in Fig. 4 by the to be designated with 42 'insertion end.

This bend in the relevant wire insertion end from the original position in a different direction, happens in such a way that bent conductor end in the Main direction of extension 50 of that located on the robot arm Line laying tool 25 points to the outside. As a result, one movement of the line laying means is sufficient 25 in the direction of arrow 50 around the wire insertion end 36 'or 42' of a component 37 'or 39' to feed, whose connection points the insertion of the concerned leader from the corresponding direction require. This is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with so-called push-through sockets 37 'or 39 'the case.

The device is for bending the conductor ends on both sides of the opening marked 51 and closing plane of the gripper 31, a plunger 52 is longitudinally displaceable arranged arranged. Each of the plungers 52 is from its own motion drive 53, e.g. one Pneumatic cylinder, driven.

5, each plunger is 52 longitudinally guided with a small distance to the gripper 31 and has on its inside facing the gripper groove-like groove 54 in which the insulating jacket 17th of the insertion end held by the gripper 31 Line 12 after the bending, that is in the advanced Position of the plunger 52 (right half of the Fig. 5) can immerse. The assignment of the groove 54 and the distance of the plunger 52 to the gripper 21 can be designed so that the plunger 52 is the conductor insertion end at least in the area of the bend 55 subject to certain clamping force.

For the rest, it is advantageous not to exclusively on the form persistence of the bent Leaving plug-in 42 ', but the bent conductor insertion end 42 ', as in FIG. 5 and also illustrated in Fig. 6, supported thereby hold the plunger 52 in the in these figures shown advanced position remains until the stripped conductor end protruding into the appropriate connection point of the component inserted has been.

5, extends in particular reaches the front or lower end of the plunger 52 initially about to the end of the insulating jacket 17 of the Conductor 16. As soon as the end of the conductor is plugged in a connection point of the plunger 52 - now is the motion drive 53 disabled or the plunger 52 released - can meet parts of the component he retreat relative to the further advanced conductor. This ensures that the plunger 52 is the end of the wire insertion Safe and reliable until the end can support and guide.

Claims (12)

1. Process for wiring screwless plug-in connection points of electrical components (37, 39) with the aid of controlled wire transfer means (25), by means of which a wire section having a stripped insertion end (36, 42) is advanced and grasped, as well as inserted in the direction of its longitudinal axis into a contact zone of the connection point, characterised in that prior to insertion, the wire section grasped by the wire transfer means (25), prepared for insertion into the connection point and having the insertion end (36, 42), is bent away from the direction in which the wire section is initially prepared, without rotation or tilting of the wire transfer means (25), into a new direction of insertion differing from the former direction, wherein, for the insertion of the wire section, the wire transfer means execute only a linear motion in the new direction.
2. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that the prepared wire section is bent substantially at right-angles in such a way that at least the bare contact area (36 or 42, respectively) of the bent wire section projects beyond an external boundary of the wire transfer means (25).
3. Process according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one region of the bent wire section is supported in its new position.
4. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the bending of the wire section is effected by means of program-controlled wire bending means.
5. Process according to Claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the support for the bent wire section is also achieved by means of the wire bending means.
6. Device (10) for implementing the process according to one of the preceding Claims, having a wire transfer tool that includes a wire feed (29) for the wire (12) drawn from a dispenser (11), as well as a manipulator (31) for grasping and holding a wire section provided with stripped insertion end (36, 42) for insertion into a plug-in connection point of the respective components (37, 39), characterised in that an adjustable bending tool (52) is arranged in a longitudinally movable manner on the appropriate side of the manipulator (31) for the emergence of the prepared wire section, wherein the wire section can be bent by means of the bending tool (52) away from its direction of extension in which it is held.
7. Device according to Claim 6, characterised in that the adjustable bending tool (52) is a plunger (52) that is longitudinally guided close to the manipulator (31).
8. Device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the manipulator (31) has gripping jaws (31a, 31b) to grasp and hold the wire section, and that the plunger (52) is guided in a sliding manner close to the gripping jaws (31a, 31b) in a plane that is parallel to the plane (51) of their opening and closing motion.
9. Device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the plunger (52) is guided in a sliding manner between a position that is retracted behind the clamping zone in the gripping jaws (31a, 31b) and a position that is protruding outwards beyond the gripping jaws (31a, 31b), in which position the plunger (52) supports the bent wire section in its new position, at least on one side.
10. Device according to Claim 8 or 9, characterised in that on its side facing the gripping jaws (31a, 31b) the plunger (52) has a receiver groove (54) designed to receive the wire section provided with an insulating sheath (17).
11. Device according to Claim 10, characterised in that in its bent, new position, the wire section is clamped, at least lightly, between the plunger (52) and the adjacent gripping jaws (31a, 31b).
12. Device according to Claim 6 or one of the following Claims, characterised in that a bending tool (52) is arranged on both sides of an opening and closing plane (51) of the manipulator (31) and a separate motion drive (53) is assigned to each bending tool (52).

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