Automated verification of proper connectivity of components to a wiring harness during assembly of article of manufacture

• US 6,448,778 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda of America Manufacturing Incorporated (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rankin, Brent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teresinski, John
• Application Number:
  US09/772,407
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 324/503, 324/538
• US Class Current: 324/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances

Abstract

The present invention is an assembly line testing apparatus and method for automatically verifying proper connectivity of a plurality of components to a wiring harness within an article of manufacture, such as a vehicle engine, by electrically determining whether a closed circuit loop is formed with each component through two respective nodes of the wiring harness. A micro-controller controls application of a test voltage signal at a first node of the wiring harness to be coupled to one node of a component. The micro-controller then determines whether such a test voltage signal appears on a second node of the wiring harness to be coupled to the other node of the component to determine whether the component is properly connected to the wiring harness. In addition, the micro-controller determines and outputs an identification of any of the plurality of components that is not properly connected to the wiring harness. The present invention may be used to particular advantage for verifying proper connectivity of a plurality of engine components to the wiring harness within a vehicle engine during assembly of the vehicle engine.

Claims

1. A method for verifying proper connectivity of a plurality of components to a wiring harness within an article of manufacture, each component having a respective first component node that is to be coupled to a respective first harness node of said wiring harness via a first respective plug coupler and having a respective second component node that is to be coupled to a respective second harness node of said wiring harness via a second respective plug coupler, the method including the steps of:

A. controlling, by a micro-controller, application of a test voltage signal at said respective first harness node of said wiring harness;

wherein said first and second respective harness nodes are each a separate and electrically discoupled node from each-other before said component is coupled between said first and second respective harness nodes;

and wherein a distinct separate set of respective first and second harness nodes are for being coupled to respective first and second component nodes of each of said plurality of components;

B. detecting and inputting by said micro-controller a resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node of said wiring harness after application of said test voltage signal at said respective first harness node,

wherein said resulting voltage signal is at a first voltage level if said respective first component node is properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler and if said respective second component node is properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

and wherein said resulting voltage signal is at a second voltage level if said respective first component node is not properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler or if said respective second component node is not properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

and wherein said resulting voltage signal is detected by said micro-controller at said respective second harness node that is a distinct separate one of the harness nodes of said wiring harness for each of said plurality of components;

C. determining by said micro-controller that a component is properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal is at said first voltage level, and determining by said micro-controller that said component is not properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal is at said second voltage level; and

D. repeating said steps A, B, and C for each of said plurality of components coupled to said wiring harness.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, and wherein said plurality of components includes a knock sensor, and wherein said test voltage signal is an AC (alternating current) signal generated by an oscillator tuned to generate said AC signal with a resonance frequency of said knock sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, wherein said test voltage signal is a DC (direct current) signal of +5 Volts, wherein said first voltage level is +5 Volts, and wherein said second voltage level is 0 Volts.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

generating a warning signal when said micro-controller determines that any of said plurality of components is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said warning signal includes a visual alarm and an audible alarm.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

generating an approval signal when said micro-controller determines that all of said plurality of components is properly connected to said wiring harness.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining by said micro-controller an identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness as indicated by which harness node of said wiring harness has said second voltage level as said resulting voltage level; and

displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the step of:

displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness on a GUI (graphical user interface) screen.

9. The method of claim 7, further including the step of:

displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness on a printer.

10. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

pressing a start button by an operator to indicate to the micro-controller that said operator has coupled said wiring harness to said micro-controller such that verification of proper connectivity of said plurality of components to said wiring harness may begin.

11. An assembly line testing apparatus for verifying proper connectivity of a plurality of components to a wiring harness within an article of manufacture, each component having a respective first component node that is to be coupled to a respective first harness node of said wiring harness via a first respective plug coupler and having a respective second component node that is to be coupled to a respective second harness node of said wiring harness via a second respective plug coupler, the assembly line testing apparatus comprising:

a testing harness connector for coupling said assembly line testing apparatus to each harness node of said wiring harness;

a test voltage signal generator coupled via said testing harness connector to said respective first harness node for generating a test voltage signal to be applied at said respective first harness node of said wiring harness for a component;

wherein said test voltage signal generator is coupled via said testing harness connector to said respective first harness node that is a separate and electrically discoupled node from said respective second harness node before said component is coupled between said first and second respective harness nodes;

and wherein a distinct separate set of respective first and second harness nodes are coupled to respective first and second component nodes for each of said plurality of components; and

a micro-controller coupled via said testing harness connector to said respective second harness node for said component for detecting and inputting by said micro-controller a respective resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node of said wiring harness for said component after application of said test voltage signal at said respective first harness node for said component;

wherein said micro-controller is coupled via said testing harness connector to said respective second harness node that is a separate and electrically discoupled node from said respective first harness node before said component is coupled between said first and second respective harness nodes;

and wherein said micro-controller is coupled via said testing harness connector to said respective second harness node that is a distinct separate one of the harness nodes of said wiring harness for each of said plurality of components;

and wherein said respective resulting voltage signal is at a first voltage level if said respective first component node is properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler and if said respective second component node is properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

and wherein said resulting voltage signal is at a second voltage level if said respective first component node is not properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler or if said respective second component node is not properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

and wherein said micro-controller includes a memory device having sequences of instructions stored thereon, and wherein execution of said sequences of instructions by said micro-controller causes said micro-controller to perform the steps of;

A. controlling application of said test voltage signal from said test voltage signal generator to said respective first harness node for a component;

B. determining that said component is properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node for said component is at said first voltage level;

C. determining by said micro-controller that said component is not properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node is at said second voltage level; and

D. repeating said steps A, B, and C for each of said plurality of components.

12. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, and wherein said plurality of components includes a knock sensor, and wherein said assembly line testing apparatus further includes:

an oscillator for generating said test voltage signal to be applied on said respective first harness node coupled to said respective first component node of said knock sensor, wherein said oscillator is tuned to generate said test voltage signal as an AC (alternating current) signal with a resonance frequency of said knock sensor.

13. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, wherein said test voltage signal is a DC (direct current) signal of +5 Volts, wherein said first voltage level is +5 Volts, and wherein said second voltage level is 0 Volts.

14. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a warning alarm for generating a warning signal when said micro-controller determines that any of said plurality of components is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

15. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said warning signal includes a visual alarm and an audible alarm.

16. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a LED (light emitting diode) for generating an approval signal when said micro-controller determines that all of said plurality of components is properly connected to said wiring harness.

17. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, wherein execution of said sequences of instructions by said micro-controller causes said micro-controller to perform the further steps of:

determining an identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness as indicated by which harness node of said wiring harness has said second voltage level as said resulting voltage level; and

displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

18. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a GUI (graphical user interface) screen for displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

19. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a printer for displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

20. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a start button coupled to said micro-controller, wherein said start button is pressed by an operator to indicate to the micro-controller that said operator has coupled said testing harness connector to said wiring harness such that verification of proper connectivity of said plurality of components to said wiring harness may begin.

21. An assembly line testing apparatus for verifying proper connectivity of a plurality of components to a wiring harness within an article of manufacture, each component having a respective first component node that is to be coupled to a respective first harness node of said wiring harness via a first respective plug coupler and having a respective second component node that is to be coupled to a respective second harness node of said wiring harness via a second respective plug coupler, the assembly line testing apparatus comprising:

a testing harness connector for coupling said assembly line testing apparatus to each harness node of said wiring harness;

means for generating a test voltage signal to be applied, via said testing harness connector, to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness for a component;

wherein said means for generating said test voltage signal is coupled to said respective first harness node that is a separate and electrically discoupled node from said respective second harness node before said component is coupled to between said first and second respective harness nodes;

and wherein a distinct separate set of respective first and second harness nodes are coupled to respective first and second component nodes of each of said plurality of components;

means for detecting, via said testing harness connector, a respective resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node of said wiring harness for said component after application of said test voltage signal at said respective first harness node for said component;

wherein said means for detecting is coupled to said respective second harness node that is a separate and electrically discoupled node from said respective first harness node before said component is coupled between said first and second respective harness nodes;

and wherein said means for detecting is coupled to said respective second harness node that is a distinct separate one of the harness nodes of said wiring harness for each of said plurality of components;

and wherein said respective resulting voltage signal is at a first voltage level if said respective first component node is properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler and if said respective second component node is properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

and wherein said resulting voltage signal is at a second voltage level if said respective first component node is not properly connected to said respective first harness node of said wiring harness via said first respective plug coupler or if said respective second component node is not properly connected to said respective second harness node of said wiring harness via said second respective plug coupler;

means for determining that said component is properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node is at said first voltage level, and for determining that said component is not properly connected to said wiring harness if said resulting voltage signal at said respective second harness node is at said second voltage level; and

means for repeating the determination of whether a component is properly connected to said wiring harness for each of said plurality of components.

22. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, and wherein said plurality of components includes a knock sensor, and wherein said assembly line testing apparatus further includes:

means for generating said test voltage signal to be applied on said respective first harness node coupled to said respective first component node of said knock sensor, wherein said test voltage signal is an AC (alternating current) signal with a resonance frequency of said knock sensor.

23. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, wherein said article of manufacture is a vehicle engine, wherein said test voltage signal is a DC (direct current) signal of +5 Volts, wherein said first voltage level is +5 Volts, and wherein said second voltage level is 0 Volts.

24. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for generating a warning signal when said micro-controller determines that any of said plurality of components is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

25. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for generating an approval signal when said micro-controller determines that all of said plurality of components is properly connected to said wiring harness.

26. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining an identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness; and

means for displaying said identification of any of said plurality of components that is not properly connected to said wiring harness.

27. The assembly line testing apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for indicating to said assembly line testing apparatus that an operator has coupled said testing harness connector to said wiring harness such that verification of proper connectivity of said plurality of components to said wiring harness may begin.