JP2020021660A - Cable insertion device and cable insertion method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cable insertion device and a cable insertion method capable of inserting a terminal on a cable side into a connector on an electronic device side having an upward insertion port without causing the holding tool to interfere with the electronic device. do. SOLUTION: A cable insertion device 1 for inserting a first terminal 13A provided at one end of a cable 13 into a first connector 15 having an upward insertion port 15K provided in an electronic device 2 is electronic. A moving base 33 provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage 22 for holding the device 2 and a holding tool 36 that moves integrally with the moving base 33 to hold the cable 13 are provided. The movement base 33 is provided with a rotation drive unit 37 that rotates the holding tool 36 around a rotation axis 36J that is tilted in the vertical direction, and the cable 13 in the horizontal posture held by the holding tool 36 is first. The terminal 13A can be converted into a vertical posture extending in the vertical direction so as to face downward. [Selection diagram] FIG. 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a cable insertion device and a cable insertion method for assembling an electronic device by inserting a terminal provided at an end of a wiring cable into a connector provided in the electronic device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a cable insertion device that performs a wiring operation by inserting a terminal provided at an end of a wiring cable into an insertion port of a connector provided in an electronic device. As such a cable insertion device, for example, a robot having a configuration in which a moving base provided to be relatively movable with respect to a work table holding an electronic device and a holding tool for holding a cable is used (for example, And Patent Document 1 below). According to such a cable insertion device, all or a part of the work conventionally performed manually by the worker can be automated, so that not only the occurrence of human error in the work process can be suppressed, but also the product can be reduced in labor. Cost can be reduced.

JP 2018-73721 A

  However, as described above, in the operation of inserting the cable terminal into the connector by the cable insertion device, when the insertion port of the connector is upward, the cable supplied in a laterally extending lateral position is held by the tool. After holding the cable, the moving base has to be largely tilted so that the cable has a vertical posture extending vertically. For this reason, when the terminal is inserted into the connector, there is a problem that the moving base or the holding tool projecting below the cable may interfere with the electronic device (or with the work table).

  Therefore, the present invention provides a cable insertion device and a cable insertion method that can insert a terminal on a cable side into a connector on an electronic device having an upward insertion opening without causing a moving base or a holding tool to interfere with the electronic device. The purpose is to do.

  The cable insertion device of the present invention is a work for holding an electronic device provided with a first connector having an upward insertion port into which a first terminal provided at one end of a wiring cable is inserted. A stage, a moving base provided to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage, a holding tool that moves integrally with the moving base to hold the cable, and a holding tool that is provided on the moving base and moves the holding tool up and down. And a rotation drive unit configured to rotate around a rotation axis extending inclining with respect to the direction.

  According to the cable insertion method of the present invention, there is provided a work stage for holding an electronic device, a moving base provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage, and a moving base which is integrally moved with the moving base to hold a wiring cable. The electronic device is provided by the cable insertion device including a holding tool and a rotation driving unit that is provided on the moving base and that rotates the holding tool around a rotation axis that is inclined and vertically extended. A method for inserting a first terminal provided at one end of the cable into a first connector having an upward insertion port provided, wherein the cable having a lateral posture extending in a lateral direction is provided. A first cable holding step of holding by the holding tool, and rotating the holding tool holding the cable in the first cable holding step around the rotation axis. Thus, a posture conversion step of converting the cable into a vertical posture in which the first terminal faces downward and extends in the vertical direction, and the first terminal of the cable converted into the vertical posture in the posture conversion step is the A first insertion step of lowering the movable base relative to the first connector so as to be inserted into the first connector from above.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a cable insertion device and a cable insertion method capable of inserting a cable-side terminal into an electronic device-side connector having an upward insertion port without causing a moving base or a holding tool to interfere with the electronic device. Can be provided.

1 is a perspective view showing a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with an electronic device to be worked; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device to be operated by a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device to be operated by a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a parallel link robot included in a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side sectional view of a part of a parallel link robot included in a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A side view of a part of a parallel link robot provided in a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A)-(d) Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the parallel link robot with which the cable insertion apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention is provided. (A) (b) (c) The figure which shows the procedure which hold | maintains the wiring cable of a horizontal attitude | position by the holding tool with which the cable insertion apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention is provided. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a parallel link robot included in a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a parallel link robot included in a cable insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A)-(d) Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the parallel link robot with which the cable insertion apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention is provided. (A)-(d) Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the parallel link robot with which the cable insertion apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention is provided. (A) (b) Operation explanatory view of a parallel link robot provided in a cable insertion device according to a modification of one embodiment of the present invention (A) (b) Operation explanatory view of a parallel link robot provided in a cable insertion device according to a modification of one embodiment of the present invention

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cable insertion device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cable insertion device 1 performs a predetermined operation (wiring operation) on the electronic device 2 shown in FIG. 2 to obtain the electronic device 2 after the operation shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the left-right direction when the cable insertion device 1 is viewed from the front is the X axis, and the front-rear direction when the cable insertion device 1 is viewed from the front is the Y axis. The vertical direction is the Z axis.

  2 and 3, the electronic device 2 is, for example, a display device, and includes a main board 11 and a sub-board 12 connected thereto. The main board 11 and the sub-board 12 are electrically connected by two wiring cables 13, and the cable insertion device 1 performs a connection operation between the main board 11 and the sub-board 12 by these two cables 13. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the display unit of the electronic device 2 (display device) faces downward.

  2 and 3, the cable 13 is a band-shaped cable such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible board (FPC), and has two flat surfaces. A first terminal 13 </ b> A is provided at one end of the cable 13, and a second terminal 13 </ b> B is provided at the other end of the cable 13.

  2 and 3, the main board 11 is provided with a first connector 15 having an upward insertion port (upward insertion port 15K), and the sub-board 12 is provided with a horizontal insertion port (horizontal insertion port 16K). ) Is provided. The first terminal 13 </ b> A provided at one end of the cable 13 is inserted into the upward insertion port 15 </ b> K of the first connector 15 provided on the main board 11 from above. On the other hand, the second terminal 13 </ b> B provided at the other end of the cable 13 is inserted from the lateral direction into the horizontal insertion port 16 </ b> K of the second connector 16 provided on the sub-board 12.

  In FIG. 1, the cable insertion device 1 includes a base 21 and a work stage 22 installed on the base 21. The work stage 22 holds the electronic device 2 as a work target. The base 21 is provided with a turning motor 22M. The work stage 22 can be turned around the Z axis with respect to the base 21 by operating the turn motor 22M.

  In FIG. 1, a top plate 23 is located above a base 21. The top plate 23 is supported in a horizontal posture by a plurality of columns 24 provided extending upward from the base 21. A parallel link robot 25 that performs work on the electronic device 2 held on the work stage 22 is provided on the lower surface side of the top plate 23.

  In FIG. 1, a cable stocker 26 is provided at a position near the electronic device 2 on the work stage 22. The cable stocker 26 has a plurality of cables 13 in a laterally extending posture (lateral posture) stacked vertically and stocked (see FIGS. 2 and 3). A touch panel 27 as an input / output device is attached to the side of the top plate 23.

  1, 4 and 5, the parallel link robot 25 includes a fixed base 31, six link rods 32, a moving base 33, an illumination unit 34, an imaging unit 35 (imaging unit), a holding tool 36, and a rotational drive. A portion 37 is provided. The fixed base 31 is attached to the lower surface of the top plate 23, and incorporates six servo motors (not shown). The six link rods 32 are provided to extend downward from the fixed base 31. The movable base 33 is located below the fixed base 31, and its peripheral portion is supported by six link rods 32 via a universal joint 33U.

  The six servo motors built in the fixed base 31 correspond to the six link rods 32, respectively, and the six servo motors operate the six link rods 32 independently. Thereby, the movable base 33 can be relatively moved with respect to the work stage 22 (that is, with respect to the electronic device 2 held on the work stage 22), and the posture of the movable base 33 can be freely changed.

  4 and 5, a circular opening 33H is provided at the center of the moving base 33. The opening 33H is provided so that the center thereof passes through a reference axis 33J set as an axis extending in the vertical direction.

  4 and 5, a plurality of support rods 34R are provided on the lower surface of the movable base 33 so as to extend downward. The plurality of support rods 34R support the rectangular frame-shaped illumination unit 34.

  The lighting unit 34 is located below the moving base 33, and includes a plurality of lamps 34L along four sides. The lighting unit 34 illuminates an area below the lighting unit 34 by turning on or selectively turning on the plurality of lamps 34L.

  4 and 5, an imaging unit support member 35S is provided on the upper surface of the movable base 33 so as to extend upward. The imaging unit support member 35S supports the imaging unit 35.

  The imaging unit 35 has a camera unit 35A and a lens barrel 35B below the camera unit 35A, and directs the imaging optical axis 35J downward. The imaging unit 35 is assembled to the imaging unit support member 35S such that the imaging optical axis 35J substantially matches the reference axis 33J.

  The imaging unit 35 captures an image of the imaging target from above while the illumination target 34 illuminates the imaging target located below the lighting unit 34. In the present embodiment, the object to be imaged by the imaging unit 35 is the terminal 13 (the first terminal 13A and the second terminal 13B) of the cable 13 and the first connector 15 on the electronic device 2 side inserted upward. The port 15K and the horizontal insertion port 16K of the second connector 16.

  4 and 5, a tool mounting bracket 33B is provided on the lower surface side of the moving base 33. The upper end of the holding tool 36 is attached to the tool attachment bracket 33B. The holding tool 36 functions as an end effector of the parallel link robot 25.

  The holding tool 36 includes an arm 41 extending obliquely below the moving base 33 with respect to the Z axis, and a holding portion 42 located at a lower end of the arm 41. The arm 41 extends to the vicinity of the reference axis 33J, and the holding unit 42 is located in the imaging area of the imaging unit 35. The axis of the arm 41 is inclined approximately 45 degrees with respect to the Z axis. The holding tool 36 is rotatable about the axis of the arm 41 as a rotation axis 36J.

  4, 5, and 6, the lower surface of the holding portion 42 is a suction surface 42H that holds the cable 13 by suction. The suction surface 42H is provided with a plurality of suction openings 42K (FIG. 4). When air is sucked through the plurality of suction openings 42K, a suction force for suctioning the cable 13 to the suction surface 42H is generated.

  4, 5, and 6, the rotation drive unit 37 is attached to the tool attachment bracket 33B. The rotation drive unit 37 rotates the holding tool 36 about a rotation axis 36J (the axis of the arm 41). The rotation drive unit 37 is composed of, for example, a rotary cylinder (a cylinder that extracts a rotational force by reciprocating a piston rod).

  In the present embodiment, the holding section 42 is formed as a part of the arm 41. Therefore, by rotating the holding tool 36 around the rotation axis 36J, the holding portion 42 can be switched between the “reference posture” (FIG. 5) and the “rotation posture” (FIG. 6). Here, the “reference posture” refers to a posture in which the suction surface 42H extends in the horizontal direction, and the “rotation posture” refers to a posture in which the suction surface 42H extends in the vertical direction (vertical direction). is there. In the present embodiment, the suction surface 42H when the holding unit 42 is in the “reference posture” is substantially perpendicular to the imaging optical axis 35J of the imaging unit 35 (FIG. 5).

  The operation of each part of the cable insertion device 1 is controlled by a control device 50 (FIG. 1) provided in the cable insertion device 1. Specifically, the control device 50 controls the turning operation of the work stage 22 with respect to the base 21 by the turning motor 22M. Further, the control device 50 controls a relative movement operation and a posture change operation of the movable base 33 with respect to the work stage 22 by six servo motors built in the fixed base 31. In addition, the control device 50 controls lighting and extinguishing operations of each of the plurality of lamps 34L included in the lighting unit 34. Further, the control device 50 controls an imaging operation by the camera unit 35A included in the imaging unit 35.

  The control device 50 controls the suction operation on the suction surface 42H of the holding tool 36. The control device 50 controls the rotation of the holding tool 36 about the rotation axis 36J by the rotation drive unit 37. Further, the control device 50 is connected to the touch panel 27, and receives an input command from an operator through the touch panel 27, and also issues an instruction and notification to the operator through the touch panel 27.

  Next, an operation procedure (cable insertion method) by the cable insertion device 1 will be described. When receiving the operation start operation by the operator input from the touch panel 27, the control device 50 holds the cable 13 in the horizontal posture supplied by the cable stocker 26 with the holding tool 36 (first cable holding process. 7 (a)).

  In the first cable holding step, first, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33, and at the same time, turns the work stage 22 around the Z axis, thereby setting the “reference posture”. The suction surface 42H of the holding unit 42 is positioned above the uppermost cable 13 stacked on the cable stocker 26 (FIG. 8A). Then, the moving base 33 is lowered to bring the suction surface 42H of the holding portion 42 into contact with the upper surface of the cable 13 from above (FIG. 8B). When the suction surface 42H contacts the upper surface of the cable 13, a suction force is generated on the suction surface 42H, and when the holding unit 42 suctions the cable 13, the holding tool 36 is pulled up (FIG. 8C).

  In the first cable holding step, when the holding portion 42 of the holding tool 36 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the cable 13, the cable 13 extends in a direction along the axis of the arm 41 in a plan view, and the end of the holding portion 42. The portion (the end on the reference axis 33J side) is positioned near the first terminal 13A (FIG. 8B). As a result, in a state where the holding tool 36 is pulled up, the cable 13 is in a state where the first terminal 13A protrudes from the end of the holding portion 42 toward the reference axis 33J (FIG. 9).

  After holding the cable 13 by the holding tool 36, the control device 50 connects the first terminal 13A of the cable 13 protruding from the holding portion 42 of the holding tool 36 to the vicinity of the first connector 15 into which the cable 13 is to be inserted. (FIG. 7B). The operation of positioning the first terminal 13A near the first connector 15 is performed by operating the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33 and turning the work stage 22 around the Z axis.

  When the first terminal 13A of the cable 13 is positioned near the first connector 15, the control device 50 turns on the lamp 34L of the illumination unit 34 to illuminate the first terminal 13A from above. Then, the first terminal 13A of the cable 13 held in the first cable holding step is imaged from above by the imaging unit 35, thereby recognizing the first terminal 13A (first recognition step; FIG. 7C )).

  After recognizing the first terminal 13A, the control device 50 rotates the holding tool 36 holding the cable 13 in the first cable holding step around the rotation axis, thereby moving the cable 13 in the horizontal direction up to that point. The extended horizontal posture is converted into a posture (vertical posture) in which the first terminal 13A extends downward and vertically (posture conversion step; FIGS. 7D and 10). Specifically, the posture changing step is performed by operating the rotation driving unit 37 to rotate the holding tool 36 holding the cable 13 by approximately 180 degrees around the rotation axis 36J (see FIG. 7D Arrows R1) shown in parentheses. When the holding tool 36 is rotated by about 180 degrees about the rotation axis 36J, the posture of the holding unit 42 is switched from the “reference posture” to the “rotation posture”, and the posture of the cable 13 held by the holding tool 36. Is converted from the horizontal posture when taken out from the cable stocker 26 to the vertical posture when inserted into the first connector 15.

  As described above, in the cable insertion device 1 according to the present embodiment, the cable 13 in the horizontal posture can be converted to the vertical posture only by rotating the holding tool 36 around the rotation axis 36J, and the movable base 33 is largely inclined. The cable 13 can be changed from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture without any trouble.

  After changing the posture of the cable 13, the control device 50 turns on the lamp 34L of the lighting unit 34 to illuminate the first connector 15 from above. Then, the first connector 15 (specifically, the upward insertion opening 15K of the first connector 15) is recognized by capturing an image of the first connector 15 from above by the imaging unit 35 (a second recognition process. 11 (a)).

  When recognizing the first terminal 13A and the first connector 15, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33, and at the same time, rotates the work stage 22 around the Z axis, thereby The first terminal 13A is aligned with the first connector 15 (first alignment step, FIG. 11B). In this alignment, the first terminal 13A and the first connector 13A are recognized based on the relative positional relationship between the first terminal 13A recognized in the first recognition process and the first connector 15 recognized in the second recognition process. 15 in the vertical direction.

  After aligning the first terminal 13A with the first connector 15, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33 downward, thereby connecting the first terminal 13A to the first terminal 13A. The connector 15 is inserted from above (first insertion step, FIG. 11C). Specifically, the first insertion step is to move the moving base 33 so that the first terminal 13A of the cable 13 converted into the vertical position in the posture changing step is inserted into the first connector 15 from above. The lowering is performed relative to the first connector 15. As a result, one end of the cable 13 is attached to the first connector 15.

  As described above, in the cable insertion device 1 according to the present embodiment, the control device 50 holds the cable 13 in the lateral posture extending in the horizontal direction by the holding tool 36, and the rotation driving unit 37 rotates the holding tool 36. After the cable 13 is turned around the axis 36J to convert the cable 13 into a vertical posture extending vertically so that the first terminal 13A faces downward, the moving base 33 descends relatively to the electronic device 2. This is control means for controlling the first terminal 13A to be inserted into the upward insertion opening 15K of the first connector 15 from above.

  After inserting the first terminal 13A into the first connector 15, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33, thereby separating the holding tool 36 from the cable 13 (separating step). FIG. 11D). In a state where the holding tool 36 is separated from the cable 13, the cable 13 is in a state of extending substantially upright and upright (FIG. 11D).

  After separating the holding tool 36 from the cable 13, the control device 50 returns the holding tool 36 to the “reference posture” which is the posture before the execution of the posture conversion step (return step; FIG. 12A). This operation is performed by rotating the holding tool 36 by about 180 degrees about the rotation axis 36J by the rotation drive unit 37 (arrow R2 shown in FIG. 12A).

  After returning the posture of the holding tool 36 to the posture before the execution of the posture conversion process, the control device 50 presses the cable 13 in the horizontal direction (substantially the horizontal direction) with the holding tool 36 (pressing process; FIG. 12B). Arrow P). Then, when the upper portion of the cable 13 is turned in the horizontal direction by this pressing, the vicinity of the second terminal 13B of the cable 13 which is turned in the horizontal direction is held by the holding tool 36 (second cable holding step; FIG. b)).

  After holding the cable 13 by the holding tool 36, the control device 50 takes an image of the second terminal 13B by the imaging unit 35 and recognizes the second terminal 13B as shown in FIG. Recognition process). Further, the second connector 16 is imaged to recognize the second connector 16 (specifically, the horizontal insertion port 16K of the second connector 16) (fourth recognition step).

  When recognizing the second terminal 13B and the second connector 16, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33, and at the same time, rotates the work stage 22 around the Z axis, thereby The second terminal 13B is aligned with the second connector 16 (second alignment step, FIG. 12C). In this alignment, the second terminal 13B and the second connector 13B are recognized based on the relative positional relationship between the second terminal 13B recognized in the third recognition process and the second connector 16 recognized in the fourth recognition process. 16 in the horizontal direction.

  After aligning the second terminal 13B with the second connector 16, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 and moves the moving base 33 in the lateral direction, thereby connecting the second terminal 13B to the second terminal 13B. (The second insertion step, FIG. 12 (d)). Thus, the other end of the cable 13 is attached to the second terminal 13B.

  As described above, in the cable insertion device 1 according to the present embodiment, after the holding tool 36 inserts the first terminal 13 </ b> A into the first connector 15, the rotation driving unit 37 moves The holding tool 36 is rotated around the rotation axis 36J to return to the “reference position” before the cable 13 is converted to the vertical position, and the holding tool 36 returned to the “reference position” moves the cable 13 in a substantially horizontal direction. The holding tool 36 holds the cable 13 oriented in the lateral direction, thereby inserting the second terminal 13B provided at the other end of the cable 13 into the second connector 16 from the lateral direction. To control.

  After inserting the second terminal 13 </ b> B into the second connector 16, the control device 50 operates the parallel link robot 25 to move the moving base 33, thereby separating the holding tool 36 from the cable 13. Thereby, the wiring work per one of the cables 13 is completed. In the present embodiment, such a wiring work of the cable 13 is executed for each of the two cables 13.

  Here, in the case where the suction surface 42H when the holding unit 42 is in the “reference posture” is substantially perpendicular to the imaging optical axis 35J of the imaging unit 35 as in the present embodiment, the cable is changed by the posture conversion process. When the posture of the cable 13 is changed to the vertical posture, the posture of the cable 13 after the posture conversion is substantially parallel to the imaging optical axis 35J (FIG. 11A). For this reason, it is difficult for the imaging unit 35 to recognize the lower end side (the first terminal 13A) of the cable 13 converted into the vertical posture, and the recognition of the first terminal 13A is performed in a stage before the posture conversion step. I have to do it in Therefore, in the above-described example, the first recognition step is performed before the posture conversion step.

  FIGS. 13A and 13B and FIGS. 14A and 14B show modifications of the present embodiment. In this modification, the suction surface 42H when the holding unit 42 is in the “reference posture” is not substantially perpendicular to the imaging optical axis 35J of the imaging unit 35, but descends as it approaches the imaging optical axis 35J. Thus, the posture is inclined with respect to the reference axis 33J (FIG. 13A).

  In the configuration of such a modification, as shown in FIG. 13B, the extending direction of the cable 13 whose posture has been changed to the vertical posture is non-parallel to the imaging optical axis 35J of the imaging unit 35, and Is located farther from the imaging optical axis 35J than the lower end. Therefore, the lower end of the cable 13 in the vertical position, that is, the first terminal 13A can be recognized by the imaging unit 35.

  Recognition of the first terminal 13A is preferably performed in a vertical posture, which is a posture after posture change (ie, immediately before insertion into the first connector 15), in a horizontal posture, which is a posture before posture change. The accuracy can be improved as compared with the case of performing with. Therefore, according to the configuration of the modified example, it is possible to insert the first terminal 13A into the first connector 15 with more accurate accuracy. In this case, the inclination angle θ of the suction surface 42H from the surface orthogonal to the imaging optical axis 35J (FIG. 13A) is preferably about 5 to 10 degrees.

  As in the above-described modified example, the cable 13 converted into the vertical posture has a posture non-parallel to the imaging optical axis 35J of the imaging unit 35, so that the lower end side of the cable 13 can be imaged by the imaging unit 35. In the case of having the configuration, after the first cable holding step (FIG. 13A), the first recognition step is performed after the posture changing step (FIG. 13B). After the recognition step, the extending direction of the cable 13 that has been converted to the vertical posture by the posture conversion step substantially matches the insertion direction (here, the up-down direction) of the first terminal 13A into the first connector 15. Then, the first insertion step is performed (FIG. 14 (b)). The first recognition step is also performed before the attitude conversion step, and the calculation of the position of the first terminal 13A is performed by two first recognition steps obtained before and after the attitude conversion step. You may make it perform based on the recognition result of the terminal 13A.

  As described above, the cable insertion device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the moving base 33 that is provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage 22 that holds the electronic device 2. A tool 36 and a rotation drive unit 37 are provided. The holding tool 36 moves integrally with the moving base 33 to hold the cable 13 in a lateral position extending in the horizontal direction, and the rotation drive unit 37 tilts the holding tool 36 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). It is designed to rotate around the extended rotation axis 36J.

  In such a configuration, the cable 13 in the horizontal posture can be converted to the vertical posture only by rotating the holding tool 36 around the rotation axis 36J, and the cable 13 can be moved without greatly tilting the moving base 33 as in the related art. 13 can be changed from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture. For this reason, according to the cable insertion device 1 and the cable insertion method using the cable insertion device 1 in the present embodiment, the holding tool 36 does not interfere with the electronic device 2 and the upward insertion opening (upward insertion opening 15K). The terminal (the first terminal 13A) on the cable 13 side can be inserted into the connector (the first connector 15) on the electronic device 2 side having the above.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the holding tool 36 is configured to suck and hold the cable 13, but the holding tool 36 is not limited to the one that sucks and holds the cable 13. For example, a pair of chuck mechanisms may be used to hold the cable 13 in the horizontal posture so as to sandwich it from the side.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the relative movement operation of the moving base 33 (therefore, the holding tool 36) with respect to the work stage 22 is performed by the parallel link robot 25. The mechanism for moving is not limited to the parallel link robot 25, and may be an articulated robot having another mechanism. The terminal on the cable 13 includes a connector, and the present invention is applicable to a configuration in which male and female connectors are fitted to the connector on the electronic device 2 side.

  Provided is a cable insertion device and a cable insertion method that can insert a terminal on a cable side into a connector on an electronic device having an upward insertion port without causing a holding tool to interfere with the electronic device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cable insertion apparatus 2 Electronic device 13 Cable 13A 1st terminal 13B 2nd terminal 15 1st connector 15K Upward insertion opening (upward insertion opening)
16 second connector 16K horizontal insertion slot (horizontal insertion slot)
22 work stage 33 moving base 35 imaging unit (imaging unit)
36 holding tool 36J rotation axis 37 rotation drive unit 42H suction surface 50 control device (control means)

Claims (12)

A work stage for holding an electronic device provided with a first connector having an upward insertion port into which a first terminal provided at one end of a wiring cable is inserted;
A moving base provided to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage;
A holding tool that moves integrally with the moving base and holds the cable;
A cable driving device provided on the moving base and configured to rotate the holding tool about a rotation axis that extends while being inclined with respect to the vertical direction.   The holding tool holds the cable in a lateral posture extending in the horizontal direction, and the rotation drive unit rotates the holding tool around the rotation axis so that the first terminal faces downward. After converting the cable into a vertical posture extending in the vertical direction, the moving base is lowered relative to the first connector to insert the first terminal into the first connector from above. The cable insertion device according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling.   The cable insertion device according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit configured to image the first terminal of the cable held by the holding tool from above.   4. The cable insertion device according to claim 3, wherein the lower end side of the cable converted into the vertical posture has a posture in which the imaging unit can capture an image.   5. The cable insertion device according to claim 4, wherein a posture of the lower end side of the cable that can be imaged by the imaging unit is a posture extending non-parallel to an imaging optical axis of the imaging unit.   The cable insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the holding tool has a suction surface for suctioning the cable, and the suction surface holds the cable in the horizontal posture from above by suction.   The electronic device includes a second connector having a horizontal insertion port, and the control unit controls the rotation drive unit to hold the first terminal after the holding tool inserts the first terminal into the first connector. The tool is rotated around the rotation axis to return to the reference posture, which is the posture before the cable is converted to the vertical posture, and the holding tool that has returned to the reference posture presses the cable in a substantially horizontal direction. Thus, the holding tool holds the cable oriented in the lateral direction, and controls the second terminal provided at the other end of the cable to be inserted into the second connector from the lateral direction. The cable insertion device according to claim 1. A work stage that holds the electronic device, a moving base that is provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the work stage, a holding tool that moves integrally with the moving base and holds a wiring cable, A cable insertion device provided with a rotation drive unit configured to rotate the holding tool about a rotation axis that extends while being inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and has an upward insertion port provided in the electronic device. A cable insertion method for inserting a first terminal provided at one end of the cable into a first connector,
A first cable holding step of holding the cable in a lateral posture extending in a lateral direction by the holding tool;
By rotating the holding tool holding the cable in the first cable holding step around the rotation axis, the cable is converted into a vertical posture in which the first terminal extends downward and extends vertically. Posture conversion process,
The moving base is lowered relative to the first connector so that the first terminal of the cable converted into the vertical position in the position changing step is inserted into the first connector from above. A cable insertion method including a first insertion step.   A first recognition step of recognizing the first terminal by imaging the first terminal of the cable held in the first cable holding step from above by an imaging unit provided in the cable insertion device; A second recognition step of recognizing the first connector by imaging the one connector from above, wherein the first terminal recognized in the first recognition step and the second terminal recognized in the second recognition step. The cable insertion method according to claim 8, wherein the first insertion step is performed based on a relative positional relationship between the first connectors.   The cable insertion device has a configuration in which a lower end side of the cable converted into the vertical posture can be imaged by the imaging unit, and performs the first recognition step after the posture conversion step, and performs the first recognition. After the recognition step, the direction in which the cable, which has been converted to the vertical position by the position changing step, extends is substantially coincident with the direction in which the first terminal is inserted into the first connector. The cable insertion method according to claim 9, wherein an insertion step is performed.   The cable insertion method according to claim 10, wherein a posture of the lower end side of the cable that can be imaged by the imaging unit is a posture that extends non-parallel to an imaging optical axis of the imaging unit.   The electronic device includes a second connector having a horizontal insertion port, and the holding tool after the first terminal is inserted into the first connector in the first insertion step is moved by the rotation drive unit. A return step of rotating the holding tool around the rotation axis and returning the holding tool to a reference posture, which is a posture before execution of the posture conversion step, and using the holding tool returned to the reference posture in the returning step, A second cable holding step of pressing the cable in a substantially horizontal direction and thereby holding the cable oriented in the horizontal direction by the holding tool; and a second end of the cable held in the second cable holding step. The cable insertion method according to claim 8, further comprising: a second insertion step of inserting the provided second terminal into the second connector from a lateral direction.

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