Robotic wire harness assembly system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wire harness assembly system using robots to cut wires, to automatically configure the pre-cut wires, and to assemble the pre-configured wires into the desired wire harness, comprising:
- (a) a wire preparation subsystem for selecting a predetermined wire and for cutting that wire to a predetermined length;
(b) a wire reeling subsystem, including a movable table having at least one wire canister holder and a wire canister for holding the pre-cut wire from the wire preparation subsystem;
(c) a wire terminating subsystem for configuring the ends of the wire within the canister;
(d) a wire queuing subsystem for holding the canister in a bay between the wire terminating subsystem and a layup subsystem;
(e) a layup subsystem including a layup robot which travels over a form board to position the wire in the canister into the predetermined pattern of the wire harness;
(f) a transport robot to move a loaded canister from the wire reeling subsystem to the wire terminating subsystem, and then to the queuing subsystem, and to move an empty canister from the queuing subsystem to the wire reeling subsystem; and
(g) logic control means associated with each of the subsystems for controlling automated assembly of a wire harness into a predetermined configuration. PG,21
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wire harnesses are automatically fabricated with pre-cut and preconfigured ends in a robotic wire harness assembly system including a wire preparation subsystem, a wire reeling subsystem, a wire terminating subsystem, a wire queuing subsystem, a layup subsystem, associated robots, and a logic controller.
65 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A wire harness assembly system using robots to cut wires, to automatically configure the pre-cut wires, and to assemble the pre-configured wires into the desired wire harness, comprising:
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(a) a wire preparation subsystem for selecting a predetermined wire and for cutting that wire to a predetermined length; (b) a wire reeling subsystem, including a movable table having at least one wire canister holder and a wire canister for holding the pre-cut wire from the wire preparation subsystem; (c) a wire terminating subsystem for configuring the ends of the wire within the canister; (d) a wire queuing subsystem for holding the canister in a bay between the wire terminating subsystem and a layup subsystem; (e) a layup subsystem including a layup robot which travels over a form board to position the wire in the canister into the predetermined pattern of the wire harness; (f) a transport robot to move a loaded canister from the wire reeling subsystem to the wire terminating subsystem, and then to the queuing subsystem, and to move an empty canister from the queuing subsystem to the wire reeling subsystem; and (g) logic control means associated with each of the subsystems for controlling automated assembly of a wire harness into a predetermined configuration. PG,21 - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for making wire harnesses, comprising the steps of:
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a. selecting a wire of predetermined size; b. cutting the wire to a predetermined length; c. winding the cut wire onto a transporting canister that locates the ends of the wire in accessible, predetermined locations; d. transporting the canister with a robot; e. configuring the ends of the wire in the canister; f. delivering the canister that has the configured wire to a lay-up robot; g. unwinding the configured wire from the canister by moving the canister with the robot over a formboard to position the wire into a wire harness; and h. repeating steps (a) through (g) to complete the harness. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification