Work bench for holding electric wires and system for producing wire harness subassembly

• US 6,396,281 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitsuda, Kohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUNDARAM, T R
• Application Number:
  US09/593,418
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 324/503,500,510,511,512,513,522,539 248/121,122.1,127 254/134.3 R
• US Class Current: 324/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/59 while the cable continuously passes the testing apparatus, e.g. during manufacture

Abstract

The present invention provides a work bench for holding electric wires. The work bench includes a generally vertical pillar and a head provided on the top of the pillar. The head includes a body having an upper surface on which electric wires may be hung. A stopper is provided at a front end of the body so as to prevent the electric wires from falling from the body and to enable the electric wire to be pulled out from the body along the stopper. A swingable member is provided on the body so that at least a portion of each electric wire is held between the body and the swingable member. The work bench can prevent the electric wire falling off the body and can store many kinds of electric wires in a compact way that improves work and space efficiency.

Claims

1. A work bench for holding electric wires, comprising:

a generally vertical pillar having a top and a bottom;

a head provided on the top of said pillar, said head comprising;

a body having an upper surface on which electric wires may be hung;

a stopper provided at a first end of said body to prevent the electric wires from falling from said first end of said body and to enable the electric wires to be pulled from said body along said stopper; and

a swingable member provided on said body so that at least a portion of the electric wire is held between said body and said swingable member.

2. The work bench according to claim 1, wherein said swingable member is pivotably mounted at a second end of said body and extends toward the first end of said body so as to engage at least the portion of each electric wire hung on said body, the second end being opposite to the first end.

3. The work bench according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pushing member that is provided under said body and pushes inwardly each electric wire hanging down from said body.

4. The work bench according to claim 2, wherein said swingable member comprises:

a board that is fixed to the second end of said body and extends toward the first end of said body; and

a resilient strip fixed on a lower surface of said board;

wherein said resilient strip is configured to engage the wires at a location adjacent to said stopper.

5. The workbench according to claim 4, wherein said board comprises:

a pivoting board that is fixed to the second end of said body by a first hinge and extends toward the first end of said body; and

a cover board fixed to said pivoting board at a first end of said cover board by a second hinge and extending toward the first end of said body, a second end of said cover board abutting said stopper,

wherein said resilient strip is fixed on a lower surface of said pivoting board, projecting past an end of said pivoting board toward the first end of said body, so that said resilient strip is configured to engage the wires at a location adjacent to said stopper.

6. The work bench according to claim 5, further comprising a weight provided on the second end of said cover board.

7. The work bench according to claim 1, wherein said body has a semi-cylindrical portion, and a curved peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion is directed upwardly.

8. The work bench according to claim 3, wherein said pushing member comprises:

a base board; and

a non-slip member fixed to a surface of said base board so that said non-slip member contacts each electric wire hanging down from said body.

9. The work bench according to claim 3, wherein said body has a semi-cylindrical portion, and said pushing member is mounted to be vertically movable and rotatable around one edge of said pushing member, the edge being parallel to a central axis of the semi-cylindrical portion of said body.

10. The work bench according to claim 9, further comprising:

a rear board attached to a second end of said body and extending in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the semi-cylindrical portion and at least toward a lower side of said body, said rear board having a vertically elongated opening;

a shaft attached along said one edge of said pushing member, one end of the shaft being rotatably inserted into said elongated opening and being vertically movable within said elongated opening.

11. The work bench according to claim 7, wherein said stopper projects outwardly past the curved peripheral surface of the semi-cylindrical portion, the amount of the projection becoming larger from one end of the curved peripheral surface to the top of said curved peripheral surface, the amount of projection being reduced at the top and becoming larger from the top, after the reduction, to another end of said curved peripheral surface.

12. The work bench according to claim 3, wherein said body has a semi-cylindrical portion and a curved peripheral surface of the semicylindrical portion is directed upwardly, and said pushing member is provided at a first side of said curved peripheral surface, said work bench further comprising a dividing sheet that hangs down vertically from said head at a second side of the curved peripheral surface, the second side is opposite to the first side with respect to a vertical plane containing a central axis of the semi-cylindrical portion.

13. The work bench according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket that is vertically pivotably fixed to said pillar, said head being fixed to the bracket so that an angle of said head can be adjustable.

14. A system for producing a wire harness subassembly, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of generally vertical pillars mounted on said frame;

a plurality of heads, each configured to hang electric wires, and each of said plurality of heads provided on a respective one of said plurality of pillars; and

a table provided adjacent to said frame and configured to produce a wire harness subassembly by withdrawing the electric wires from said heads and assembling the withdrawn electric wires thereon.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a continuity tester provided on said table, wherein said continuity tester is configured to test continuity of said wire harness subassembly.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said frame has a generally U-shape, and said frame is mounted on casters, and

the table is provided inside the U-shape of said frame.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein each of said pillars is extensible and rotatable with respect to a vertical axis of said pillar so that a height and horizontal orientation of said head can be adjustable.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said head comprises:

a body configured to hang electric wires, said body having a semi-cylindrical portion, and a curved peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion being directed upwardly;

a stopper provided at a first end of said body to prevent the electric wires from falling from said first end of said body and to enable the electric wires to be pulled from said body along said stopper; and

a swingable member provided on said body so that at least a portion of each electric wire is held between said body and said swingable member.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said swingable member is pivotably mounted at a second end of said body and extends toward the first end of said body so as to engage at least the portion of each electric wire hung on said body, the second end being opposite to the first end.

20. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a pushing member that is provided under said body and pushes inwardly on each electric wire hanging down from said body.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said swingable member comprises:

a pivoting board that is fixed to the second end of said body by a first hinge and extends toward the first end of said body;

a resilient strip fixed on a lower surface of said pivoting board, said resilient strip projecting past an end of said pivoting board toward the first end of the body; and

a cover board fixed to said pivoting board at a first end of said cover board by a second hinge and extending toward the first end of said body, a second end of said cover board abutting said stopper.

22. The system according to claim 21, further comprising a weight provided on the second end of said cover board.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said pushing member comprises:

a base board; and

a non-slip member fixed to a surface of said base board so that said non-slip member contacts the one end of each electric wire hanging down from said body.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein said pushing member is mounted to be vertically movable and rotatable around one edge of said pushing member, the edge being parallel to a central axis of the semi-cylindrical portion of said body.

25. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

a rear board attached to the second end of said body and extending in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the semi-cylindrical portion and at least toward a lower side of said body, said rear board having a vertically elongated opening;

a shaft attached along said one edge of said pushing member, one end of the shaft being rotatably inserted into said elongated opening and being vertically movable within said elongated opening.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein said stopper projects outwardly past the curved peripheral surface of the semi-cylindrical portion, the amount of the projection becoming larger from one end of the curved peripheral surface to the top of said curved peripheral surface, the amount of projection being reduced at the top and becoming larger from the top, after the reduction, to another end of said curved peripheral surface.

27. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a dividing sheet between said heads.