METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEMIAUTOMATICALLY MANUFACTURING ELECTRICAL WIRE HARNESS

• US 3,842,496 A
• Filed: 02/18/1972
• Issued: 10/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul W. Mercer
• Original Assignee: Paul W. Mercer
• Inventors: Mercer, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lanham, C. W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walkowski, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US05/227,381
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 317/99,122 174/72R,72A,72TR,112,117,146 29/624,23MW,23B,23P,407 140/92.1,140,112,71R
• US Class Current: 29/867
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/01245 using a layout board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/28 for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49192 with insulation removal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5142 and means to sever work from supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53004 with means to regulate operation by use of templet, tape, card or other replaceable information supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53048 Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53213 Assembled to wire-type conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53243 Multiple, independent conductors

Abstract

A method for assembling electrical wire harnesses of the type used to interconnect electrical components on aircraft is initiated by applying identifying indicia to several portions of a continuous wire and marking the termination point of each of the wire portions in a predetermined sequence along the continuous wire. The continuous strand is then respooled and placed on a numerically controlled wire laydown machine. The machine lays down the individual wire portions in a predetermined sequence along a predetermined path on a formboard prepared for that purpose. The machine also severs the continuous wire to produce individual wires as they are being laid on the formboards. Means are provided on the formboard for holding individual wire ends at a predetermined location on the formboard near the termination point for the predetermined wire paths. Certain of the individual wire ends are retained on the formboard in several groupings each of which is in an ordered array. The several groups of wires are then tied together a spaced distance from the ends of the groups, forming a harness skeleton. Wire order retention devices are then applied to the individual wires in a grouping to retain the ordered array of the segment end when the harness skeleton is removed from the formboard. Thereafter the individual wires are removed from the formboard and identifying indicia applied to each of the groupings. Thereafter, the harness skeleton is taken to another processing zone in which electrical insulation is stripped from the ends of the individual wires and pin-type connector contacts are applied or fastened to the wire ends. The pin-type contacts are inserted into preselected sockets in a multi-plug type connector by selecting an individual wire from a particular wire order retention device and inserting it into the appropriate socket. Thereafter subsequent wires are removed from the wire order retention device in the predetermined order and inserted into preselected sockets in the connector. The harness and an appropriate subassembly, if any, are then placed on a test apparatus to determine quality, continuity and correctness of assembly of the wire harness. Thereafter the wire harness and subassembly if any can be installed on an aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for assembling electrical wire harnesses comprising:

withdrawing an elongate wire from a storage zone and laying a first portion thereof onto a formboard along a predetermined path, severing the elongate wire at a first predetermined severing location to produce a first individual wire, retaining the ends of the first individual wire on the formboard at predetermined locations, laying subsequent portions of the elongate wire along individually predetermined paths and severing the elongate wire in a predetermined sequence to produce subsequent individual wires, retaining the ends of the subsequent individual wires on the formboard at predetermined locations, the predetermined locations including at least one grouping of certain ones of the wire ends adjacently retained in an ordered array to form a harness segment end, interconnecting the individual wires of the segment end retaining the ordered array, removing the segment end from the board, sequentially selecting an individual wire from the array and mating each of the ends of the individual wires with a preselected socket in a connector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

marking an elongate electrical wire at predetermined spaced points along the length thereof to divide the wire into portions in said predetermined sequence to indicate severing locations for producing said individual wires and placing said elongate wire in a storage zone.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the marking further comprises:

applying identifying indicia to each of the wire portions between the spaced points.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of harness segment ends are formed, the method further comprising:

splicing preselected individual wire ends.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of segment ends are formed further comprising:

applying connector contacts to the wire ends in a preselected segment prior to mating the ends thereof into preselected sockets in a connector.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the electrical wire is insulated further comprising:

prior to applying the connector contacts, stripping insulation from a finite portion of the end of the individual wires and applying the contacts to the stripped portion of the wire.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to removing the segment end from the board, tying the individual wires in the segment together.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

prior to removing the segment end from the board, applying indicia to identify the segment.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual wires of a segment are connected by weaving the two ends of an elongate retention member alternately and oppositely through the ordered array of individual wires and connecting the ends of the retention member extending beyond the last of the individual wires, and wherein the individual wires are sequentially selected for mating with the sockets by unweaving the retention member from a last wire in the array, inserting the last wire into a preselected socket, thereafter sequentially and individually unweaving subsequent wires from the array and individually inserting the subsequent wires into preselected sockets.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the strap comprises:

a nonelastically deformable material.

11. A method for assembling electrical wire harnesses comprising:

laying a first individual wire from an end of an elongate wire along a predetermined path on a formboard, severing the elongate wire at a first predetermined severing location before laying the next subsequent individual wire from the elongate wire, repetitively layinG subsequent individual wires each along a predetermined path and severing the elongate wire at subsequent predetermined severing locations before laying a next subsequent individual wire, retaining the ends of an individual wire on the formboard near the termination of the predetermined paths, selecting ends of certain ones of the individual wires to form a harness segment end, attaching the harness segment end to a connector.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

prior to laying said individual wires, marking said elongate wire at predetermined points along its length to indicate a plurality of severing locations for individual wires.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

placing the elongate wire on a container after marking, withdrawing wire from the container as required for laying on the formboard.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

applying indicia to the elongate wire between each of the predetermined points to distinguish one individual wire from another.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the marking comprises:

forming an indicator at the predetermined points capable of being machine sensed, when laying down the first individual wire, sensing the presence of the first indicator on the elongate wire, severing the elongate wire in response to the presence of the indicator for a first individual wire, when laying down subsequent individual wires, severing them from the elongate wire in response to the presence of subsequent indicators.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

locating the predetermined path such that the ends of preselected individual wires are grouped to form a plurality of harness segment ends.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

splicing preselected ones of the individual wire ends in a segment end.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

applying contacts to individual wire ends in a preselected segment end, inserting the contacts into preselected mating contacts in a connector.

19. A method for assembling electrical wire harnesses comprising:

marking an elongate electrical wire at variably spaced points in predetermined sequential spacing along its length to indicate severing locations for individual wires, storing the elongate wire in a holding location, retrieving an end of the elongate wire from the holding location, laying the individual wires from the elongate wire in predetermined sequence on a formboard, each of the individual wires being laid in a predetermined path, the terminus of the predetermined path of certain ones of the individual wires being grouped in a sequential array to form a segment end, severing the elongate wire in predetermined sequence at the severing locations to form an individual wire before laying a subsequent individual wire, retaining the ends of the individual wires on the formboard near the terminus of the predetermined path, temporarily interconnecting the individual wires of the segment end in the order of the sequential array, removing the segment end from the formboard and inserting the ends of the individual wires in the segment end into a connector by sequentially selecting an individual wire from the sequential array and electrically connecting each of the ends of the individual wires with a preselected receptacle on the connector.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the individual wires are temporarily interconnected in sequential array by weaving the two ends of an elongate retention member alternately and oppositely through the sequential array of individual wires and connecting the ends of the retention member extending beyond the last of the individual wires, and wherein the individual wires are selected for mating with the sockets by unweaving the retention member from the last wire in the array, inserting the last wire into a preselected socket, thereafter sequentially and individually unweaving The subsequent wires and individually inserting the subsequent wires into preselected sockets.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the retention member comprises:

a nonelastically deformable material.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the storing and retrieving of the individual wire comprises:

winding the marked elongate wire onto a storage spool, withdrawing the wire from the spool and to lay the wire onto the formboard.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising tying together the individual wires of a segment at a spaced distance from the segment end.

24. A method for coding and assembling electrical wire harnesses comprising:

applying identifying indicia to serial portions of an elongate wire, said identifying indicia being different for each of said serial portions and being applied to said serial portions in a predetermined sequence, each of said serial portions having a predetermined length and having a first end and a second end;

retaining the first end of a first serial portion of said elongate wire at a predetermined location on a formboard;

laying said first serial portion along a predetermined path on said formboard;

retaining the second end of said first serial portion on the formboard at a predetermined location on the formboard near the termination of said predetermined path;

laying subsequent serial portions of said elongate wire each along individually predetermined paths and retaining the first and second ends of the subsequent serial portions at predetermined locations on said formboard;

severing said serial portions of said elongate wire from each other to produce individual wire portions;

selecting certain ends of certain ones of the individual wire portions to form a harness segment end; and

, attaching the harness segment end to a connector.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

marking said elongate wire at predetermined spaced points along the length thereof to indicate predetermined severing locations between said serial portions, said elongate wire being severed at a predetermined severing location before a next subsequent serial portion of said elongate wire is laid along a next subsequent predetermined path.