Cable processing equipment

• US 10,459,433 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komax Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Komax Holding AG
• Inventors: Agustoni, Thomas, Flury, Peter, Viviroli, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jigneshkumar C
• Application Number:
  US14/941,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 700122
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32061 Central controls modules grouped according to function
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50386 Feeder, feeding of workpiece, bar
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/052 with wire-feeding mechanism

Abstract

Cable processing equipment for fitting out cables includes local control units for local setting-up of the processing stations, for example a crimping station. The local control unit of the crimping station has a trigger button for triggering the processing process and an approval button for approval of whether the crimping process is to be executed. The processing process can be started only with simultaneous pressing of the trigger button and the approval button. Moreover, the local control unit includes a cable call button for activating a feed unit for feeding a cable end of the cable to the crimping station.

Claims

1. A cable processing equipment having a plurality of processing stations for fitting-out a cable by performing processing processes on the cable and a central control unit directly controlling the processing stations to perform a production operation including the processing processes on the cable, comprising:

a feed unit for feeding the cable to the processing stations;

at least one of the processing stations including a local control unit for performing a setting-up process on the at least one processing station by an operator operating the local control unit, wherein the setting-up process includes setting up parameters of the at least one processing station prior to a start of the production operation under the control of the central control unit; and

wherein the local control unit does not control the at least one processing station during the production operation;

wherein the at least one processing station is a crimping station for producing a crimp connection on the cable by a crimping press, and the local control unit has an input device including independent controls for setting an axial position and a horizontal position of a gripper receiving an end of the cable from the feed unit, the gripper holding the cable end of the cable in the crimping press;

wherein the local control unit includes a trigger input device for initializing the processing process by the at least one processing station and an approval input device for approval of whether the processing process is to be executed, and wherein the processing process is executed only when the trigger input device and the approval input device are actuated simultaneously or when the approval input device is actuated after the trigger input device is actuated;

wherein the approval input device is locally separated from the trigger input device sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation of the approval input device and the trigger input device by one human hand.

2. The cable processing equipment according to claim 1 wherein the approval input device and the trigger input means are spaced from one another by at least 27 centimeters.

3. The cable processing equipment according to claim 1 wherein the local control unit includes a cable call input device for activating the feed unit, and wherein the feed unit is activated only when the cable call input device and the approval input device are actuated simultaneously or when the approval input device is actuated after the cable call input device is actuated.

4. The cable processing equipment according to claim 3 wherein the approval input device is locally separated from the cable call input device sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation of the approval input device and the cable call input device by one human hand.

5. The cable processing equipment according to claim 1 wherein the at least one processing station is a crimping station for producing a crimp connection on the cable by a crimping press of the crimping station.

6. The cable processing equipment according to claim 1 wherein at least one region of the cable processing equipment is protected by a protective hood and that optical or acoustic warning and user guide elements are provided, the elements indicating when the protective hood is in an open setting and which, if the optical warning and user guide elements are provided, illuminate at least a sub-region of the at least one region of the cable processing equipment.

7. The cable processing equipment according to claim 1 wherein the local control unit includes indicating elements for indicating operational states of the at least one processing station.

8. The cable processing equipment according to claim 7 wherein the indicating elements include lighting elements for indicating a readiness mode and a presence of the cable, the readiness mode representing that the at least one processing station is ready for the setting-up process, and for indicating a fault report, wherein the lighting elements are differently lit for the readiness mode and the fault report.

9. A cable processing equipment with processing stations and a central control unit controlling the processing stations to perform a production operation of the cable processing equipment on a cable, comprising:

at least one of the processing stations having a local control unit for use by an operator to perform a setting-up process on the at least one processing station to enable the at least one processing station to perform a processing process on the cable during the production operation, wherein the local control unit does not control the at least one processing station during the production operation;

the local control unit including a cable call input device for activating a feed unit for feeding a cable end of a cable to the at least one processing station; and

the local control unit including an approval input device for approval of whether the setting-up process is to be executed and a trigger input device for initializing the setting-up process, the approval input device being locally separated from the trigger input device sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation of the approval input device and the trigger input device by one human hand;

wherein the at least one processing station is a crimping station for producing a crimp connection on the cable end by a crimping press, and the local control unit includes an input device including independent controls for setting an axial position and a horizontal position of a gripper, the gripper holding the cable end of the cable in the crimping press.

10. The cable processing equipment according to claim 9 including a pivot unit rotatable about a vertical axis and having the gripper or a transfer unit with the gripper, which transfer unit is movable along a machine longitudinal axis for transporting the cable.

11. A cable processing equipment operating as a pivot machine with processing stations and a central control unit controlling the processing stations to perform a production operation on a cable, comprising:

a feed unit bringing the cable along a longitudinal axis of the pivot machine, at least one of the processing stations arranged on one side of the longitudinal axis and another of the processing stations being arranged on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis from the one side;

wherein the at least one processing stations has a local control unit for performing a setting-up process on the at least one processing station by an operator to enable the at least one processing station to perform a processing process on the cable during the production operation;

the local control unit including an approval input device for approval of whether the setting-up process is to be executed and a trigger input device for initializing the setting-up process, the approval input device being locally separated from the trigger input device sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation of the approval input device and the trigger input device by one human hand; and

wherein the local control unit includes independent controls for setting an axial position and a horizontal position of a gripper, the gripper holding a cable end of the cable in the at least one processing station.

12. A method of operating cable processing equipment with processing stations and a central control unit controlling the processing stations to perform a production operation of the cable processing equipment, comprising the steps of:

providing a local control unit for at least one of the processing stations wherein the local control unit does not control the at least one processing station during the production operation;

operating the local control unit to perform a setting-up process to locally set up the at least one processing station to perform a processing process on a cable, the local setting up being performed by a person operating the local control unit, wherein the local control unit includes an input device for approval of whether the processing process is to be executed and the input device for approval is locally separated from an input device for triggering the processing process sufficient to prevent simultaneous operation of the input devices by one human hand; and

actuating an input device arranged at the local control unit for activation of a feed unit for feeding a cable end of the cable to the at least one processing station, where the input device includes independent controls for setting an axial position and a horizontal position of a gripper holding the cable end.