Method for winding wires to make a harness

• US 4,724,612 A
• Filed: 06/17/1986
• Issued: 02/16/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, Inc. (TriMas Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Monogram Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Pearson, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, Howard N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ross, Taylor J.
• Application Number:
  US06/875,399
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 29/33 F, 29/755, 29/850, 269/48.1
• US Class Current: 29/850
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/06 Wiring by machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49162 by using wire as conductive path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5187 Wire working
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53243 Multiple, independent conductors

Abstract

A method of forming wire harnesses and a cylindrical body pin assembly for connection to a peg board of the type used to form such harnesses is disclosed. The pin assembly comprises a cylindrical pin body and a cylindrical drive nut that are rotated relative to each other to axially move a pair of wire fingers protruding from one end of the pin body. The fingers are received within a hole in the peg board and are moved axially over a spreader disposed between them to separate the fingers and cause an enlarged shoulder on the fingers to abut against the peg board. After a selected number of pin assemblies have been installed in the peg board, wires may be wound around them to form the harness. The outer cylindrical surfaces of the pin body and drive nut are substantially equal in diameter to provide relatively straight, smooth sidewalls. This allows rapid installation and removal of the pin assembly by hand-held or robotic installation tools and, further, prevents the completed harness from catching on the pin assemblies during removal from the peg board, which could cause damage to the harness.

Claims

1. A method of winding wires using a workpiece having a plurality of holes, and using a plurality of pin assemblies of the type having an axially extending pin body of larger size than the holes in the workpiece, the pin body at one end being adapted to contact the workpiece on one side thereof, actuatable gripping means extending from the one end of the pin body, the gripping means being small enough to pass through any selected one of the holes in a collapsed condition and for expanding to an expanded position upon actuation to overlap the workpiece at an opposite side thereof from the pin body, expanding means within the pin body for expanding the gripping means upon actuation from the collapsed condition to the expanded position, and an axially extending drive nut connected to the pin body at its opposite end for actuating said gripping means, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a cylindrical external surface along the length of the pin body;

(b) providing a cylindrical external surface on the drive nut that is substantially the same diameter as the cylindrical external surface on the pin body;

(c) inserting the gripping means of the pin assembly into a hole in the workpiece until the gripping means is inserted beyond the opposite side of the workpiece from the pin body;

(d) actuating the drive nut and expanding the gripping means from the collapsed condition to the expanded position until the pin body is clamped tightly against the one side of the workpiece;

(e) repeating steps (c)-(d) until a plurality of pin assemblies have been connected to the workpiece; and

(f) winding wires around the pin assemblies until a plurality of wires have been wound on the workpiece.

2. A methof of winding wires using a workpiece having a plurality of holes, and using plurality of pin assemblies of the type having a pin body having an outer tool gripping surface, an internally threaded drive nut connected to one end of the pin body and having an outer tool gripping surface, an externally threaded screw within the pin body in threaded engagement with the drive nut, a pair of fingers connected to the screw and protruding from the pin body from an end opposite the drive nut, said fingers having an enlarged outer shoulder, a spreader connected to the pin body and disposed between the fingers to separate them upon axial movement of the fingers into the pin body, and means for preventing rotation of the screw relative to the pin body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a cylindrical surface on the outer tool gripping surface of the pin body;

(b) providing a cylindrical surface on the outer tool gripping surface of the drive nut;

(c) inserting the fingers of the pin assembly into a hole in the workpiece until the enlarged shoulders of the fingers are inserted beyond the inner surface of the workpiece;

(d) gripping the pin body to hold it against rotation, while

(e) rotating the drive nut in one direction to move the fingers axially over the spreader until the workpiece is clamped between the pin body and the enlarged shoulders of the fingers;

(f) repeating steps (c) through (e) until a plurality of pin assemblies have been connected to the workpiece; and

(g) winding wires around the pin assemblies until a plurality of wires have been wound on the workpiece.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of making the cylindrical surfaces on each of the pin body and the drive nut substantially the same diameter to provide a relatively straight, smooth cylindrical surface on the pin assembly.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of making the cylindrical surface on the drive nut smaller in diameter than the cylindrical surface on the pin body.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of positioning the pin assemblies around the workpiece in a predetermined pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(a) removing the wires from the workpiece;

(b) re-positioning a plurality of the pin assemblies around the workpiece in a predetermined pattern; and

(c) winding wires around the pin assemblies until a plurality of wires have been wound on the workpiece.