Method for centering wire harness in mold

• US 6,071,446 A
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Timothy F., Davis, Joseph J. Jr., Branch, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US08/920,458
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 249/91, 425/116, 264/278, 264/46.5, 264/46.7, 264/46.9, 264/261, 264/267, 264/272.11, 264/272.14, 264/275
• US Class Current: 264/46.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/123 for centering the inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3462 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/01263 Tying, wrapping, binding, lacing, strapping or sheathing harnesses

Abstract

A mold for forming a wire harness includes a trough having a concave surface. A plurality of wire supports extend into the trough for supporting a plurality of wires in the trough and spacing the wires away from the concave surface. A polymer sheath material is introduced into the trough, thereby encasing the wires.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a wire harness including the steps of:

a) routing a plurality of wires in a trough of a mold;

b) generally centering said plurality of wires in said trough, and securing a wire bundler to said plurality of wires, said bundler disposed between a concave surface of said trough and said plurality of wires, said bundler including a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial projections; and

c) introducing a polymer in said trough around said plurality of wires, said polymer flowing adjacent said bundler between said radial projections.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step a) includes the step of placing said wires on a wire support in said trough.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of d) retracting said wire support.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step d) is performed after said step c).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step c) further includes the step of introducing said polymer into said trough in a generally liquid form, and said step b) is performed before said step c).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymer is a foam.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of forming a sheath about said plurality wires with said polymer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step b) includes the step of twisting said plurality of wires together.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

supporting said plurality of wires on at least one mold cut extending radially inward from a concave surface of said trough.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

forming a plurality of said mold cuts extending radially inward from said concave surface of said trough;

supporting said plurality of wires on said plurality of mold cuts;

introducing said polymer around said mold cuts.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wire bundler has an annular portion.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the annular portion includes a radial split to permit insertion of the wires.

13. The method of claim 1 where the wire bundler is formed from a material that disintegrates in the presence of the polymer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the wire bundler includes an integral fastener.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the fastener is received in an aperture formed in the trough.

16. A method for assembling a wire harness including the steps of:

routing a plurality of wires in a trough of a mold,

generally centering said plurality of wires in said trough;

supporting said plurality of wires on at least one mold cut extending radially inwardly from a concave surface of said trough;

forming said mold cut in a continuous spiral; and

introducing a polymer in said trough around said plurality of wires, wherein said polymer is introduced adjacent said spiral mold cut, said polymer flowing to said trough via a port adjacent said spiral mold cut.