This application is on the basis of Japanese Patent Application NO. 2011-053749, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for sequentially crimping a terminal which is molded from a metal plate, together with a core wire of such a coaxial cable using a press for an automobile.
Conventionally, there have been advocated various structures for connecting a terminal with a coaxial cable including signal line for an automobile.
For example, there is described in the PTL 1 that to a core wire of a coaxial cable an inside terminal is crimped, and outside the inside terminal isolating resin (dielectric) is formed, then outside the isolating resin an outside terminal is set so as to be crimped to a conductive braid of the coaxial cable.
The inside terminal is a tubular female terminal, from tip of which a pin-type mating male terminal is inserted. The inside terminal and the outside terminal are isolated by a middle isolating resin. The inside terminal is made to be bonded with isolating resin while coupled to a carrier of lateral coupling terminal (release of the carrier, i.e., a coupling strip, simultaneously).
Notwithstanding, a connection structure of the aforementioned conventional coaxial cable poses problems that in order to crimp the core wire of the coaxial cable while the inside terminal is released from the carrier, it is difficult to crimp with high accuracy over such crimping in a round shape, it takes cost for many facilities because such as press for terminal molding and its press mold, and crimping machine for electric wire crimp and its crimp mold are separately required, and it takes more work for molding isolating resin to the terminal.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for assembling a cable to make it possible to crimp with high accuracy such as round-shape crimp, to resolve increase of facilities incurred by separation of, the press and its mold, or crimp machine and its crimp mold, and in addition to effectively mold isolating resin to the terminal.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, a cable assembling apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a press including a downside press mold having a plurality of types of dies arranged in parallel for forming a terminal from a metal plate through a plurality of processes and for crimping an electric wire to the terminal; an electric wire support jig arranged in parallel, having a metal plate guide at an end thereof entering into between the plurality of types of dies; and a feeder adapted to lift the electric wire support jig together with the metal plate above the dies of the downside press mold, and advance and descend the electric wire support jig to an adjacent die of next process.
By virtue of the aforementioned structure, it is made possible that the metal plate of mother material for terminal is fed by one pitch of the electric wire support jig to the die of the next process, and the terminal is, after pressed, formed sequentially from the metal plate by each of dies, press-fitted to the electric wire, released from the metal plate after crimped. Lift up, feed, and descent of the electric wire support jigs allow a tip thereof to bridge the die. The tip of the electric wire support jig supports the metal plate, and the metal plate guide part usually guides the metal plate.
The cable assembling apparatus according to a second aspect, in the cable assembling apparatus of the first aspect, further comprises an electric wire chuck disposed in a midstream die of the plurality of types of dies and supplying the electric wire support jig with the electric wire.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the metal plate is formed by punching into plane terminal using the first die to midstream die, as well as formed into about half-circular terminal slightly bent from the plane terminal, while to the about half-circular terminal the electric wire is supplied by the electric wire chuck, and the core wire of the electric wire is inserted from above and set. From the midstream die to the last die the core wire is pressed to the terminal so as to be formed into a tube shape.
The cable assembling apparatus according to a third aspect, in the cable assembling apparatus of the first or the second aspect, the feeder is provided with a fixed frame and a movable plate, each having positioning parts relative to the electric wire support jig, and wherein the movable plate is movable in a vertical or a horizontal direction relative to the fixed frame.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the electric wire support jig is supported by the movable plate so as to ascend or proceed in a die-arranging direction, and at die position for the next process the movable plate descends below the fixed frame, then the electric wire support jig is supported by the fixed frame so as to press the metal plate as the case stands. The fixed frame is made fixed, and the movable plate at a descent position backs to its original position.
The cable assembling apparatus according to a forth aspect, in the cable assembling apparatus of any one of the first to the third aspects, the downside press mold includes a metal plate positioning part, the metal plate positioning part is disengaged from the metal plate when the metal plate is lifted, and is engaged with the metal plate when the metal plate is fed and descended.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the metal plate, when being processed by the die, is accurately positioned without rattle by the positioning part of the press mold. This allows process of the metal plate, i.e., forming of the terminal and crimping of the terminal to the electric wire to be accurate.
The cable assembling apparatus according to a fifth aspect, in the cable assembling apparatus of any one of the first to the forth aspects, further comprises a resin-molding machine bonding isolating resin to the terminal crimped to the electric wire, the electric wire with the terminal is fed into the resin-molding machine while supported by the electric wire support jig.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the electric wire supported by the electric wire support jig, while crimped to the terminal, is quickly fed together with the electric wire support jig to next process of resin molding machine to bond isolating resin to the terminal.
The method for assembling cable according to a sixth aspect comprising the steps of; (a) arranging each of an electric wire support jig between a plurality of types of parallel dies of a downside press mold of a press; (b) supplying a metal plate along the plurality of types of dies; (c) positioning the metal plate by a metal-plate-positioning part of the downside press mold; (d) pressing the metal plate with the die while the metal plate is guided and supported with the electric wire support jig; (e) lifting the electric wire support jig above the dies integral with the metal plate, advancing by one pitch and descending the electric wire support jig; (f) positioning the metal plate at an adjacent die of next process, and pressing the metal plate; (g) repeating the steps from (a) to (f) to form a terminal from the metal plate with the plurality of types of dies, and crimping the electric wire to the terminal.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the metal plate that is the mother material of the terminal, is fed by one pitch onto each process of die by advancing the electric wire support jig, sequentially forming the terminal from the metal plate by each of the die, crimping and connecting the terminal to the electric wire, separating the terminal from the metal plate after crimping. Lifting, feeding and descending of the electric wire support jig allow the tip of the electric wire support jig to bridge the die. The tip of the electric wire support jig is made to support the metal plate, and the metal plate guide is made to usually guide the metal plate.
The method for assembling cable according to a seventh aspect, in the method of the sixth aspect further comprises the step of (h) feeding the electric wire integral with the terminal support jig to an adjacent resin-molding machine, and bonding isolating resin to the terminal.
By virtue of the above-mentioned structure, the electric wire supported by the electric wire support jig, while crimped to the terminal, is quickly fed together with the electric wire support jig to next process of resin molding machine to bond isolating resin to the terminal.
According to the invention recited in the first aspect, sequentially pressing the metal plate by the plurality of types of dies makes it possible to accurately form the terminal into round shape (tubular shape), as well as to securely connect the terminal with the electric wire by accurate crimp such as round-shape crimp following forming into round shape. Sequentially forming the terminal on a plane of the metal plate and crimping the electric wire to the terminal on the same plane makes it possible to reduce the cost for manufacturing the electric wire with the terminal as well as save work space because of saving work for reel-winding of the terminal each time or carrying of the reel-wind of the terminal. Furthermore, employing the same apparatus for press mold for forming the terminal and for crimping mold for connecting electric wire makes it possible to prevent increase of facility cost that would be incurred by completing each of these molds, and to effectively and cost-favorably manufacture the electric wire with terminal.
According to the invention recited in the second aspect, the electric wire chuck makes it possible to readily supply the electric wire with the midstream die of the plurality of types of dies, and securely set and insert the core wire of the electric wire into the half-open terminal during manufacturing process.
According to the invention recited in the third aspect, it is made possible to smoothly move the electric wire support jig according to terminal process sequence by moving the movable plate upwardly, forwardly, downwardly, and backwardly. Furthermore, it is made possible to securely support the electric wire support jig by the fixed frame.
According to the invention recited in the forth aspect, it is made possible to accurately position the metal plate without rattle by the metal plate positioning part of the press mold, and to accurately form the terminal from the metal plate through each of dies and crimp the electric wire to the terminal.
According to the invention recited in the fifth aspect, it is made possible to accurately position the terminal by quickly feeding the electric wire crimped with terminal to resin molding machine along with the electric support jig, and to accurately mold the isolating resin to the terminal.
According to the invention recited in the sixth aspect, it is made possible to accurately form the terminal into round (tubular) shape by sequentially pressing the metal plate with the plurality of types of dies, and further to securely connect the terminal with the electric wire by accurate swage such round-shape crimp following forming round. Furthermore, it is made possible by sequentially forming the terminal on a plane of the metal plate to crimp the electric wire with the terminal on the same plane, to save work for reel-winding the terminal each time or carrying of the reel-wind of the terminal to reduce manufacturing cost for the electric wire with terminal, and save space for manufacturing as well. Furthermore, as using the same apparatus for press molding for terminal forming and for crimp mold for electric wire connection, it is made possible to prevent increase of facility cost that would be incurred by completing each of these molds, and to effectively and cost-favorably manufacture the electric wire with terminal.
According to the invention recited in the seventh aspect, it is made possible to accurately position the terminal by quickly feeding the electric wire crimped with terminal to resin molding machine along with the electric support jig, and to accurately mold the isolating resin to the terminal.
As shown in
The electric wire 8 (a coaxial cable) while for example bent in U-shape, is held with such a not-shown clip, a terminal 8a as shown by an arrow a is fed from the feeder 2 to the press 3 with a chuck 13 (see
The electric wire 8 in
As shown in
Each electric wire clamp 9 moves by one pitch in up, down, right, and left directions by feeder 2 as discussed below, to feed the metal plate 7 (
At this time, disposition (lift) of each of the electric wire clamps 9 is prevented by holding with an upper metallic holder plate 24. The holder plate 24 moves above the each of the electric wire clamps 9 by a not-shown feeder apparatus such as a horizontal cylinder in a horizontal direction, and descends by a feeder apparatus such as a vertical cylinder so as to ascend or descend together with each of the electric wire clamps 9.
Between dies 152 to 153, the second and the third from the right in
Each electric wire clamp 9 is arranged in parallel at even intervals in a feeding direction of the electric wire, i.e., arranging direction of the dies 15. The electric wire clamp 9 is made of metal material, and is composed of a right half part 9b and left half part 9c, which right half part 9b has positioning pin (metal plate positioning part) at its top adapted to enter into, and engage with, a hole 1.6 in front (at base side) of the metal plate 7 (
The electric wire 8, while held by a pair of right and left electric wire chucks 13, is horizontally pushed into the groove 9d so as to be nipped by the spring part 9e. The electric wire chuck 13 is arranged movable in up, down, right and left directions by a not-shown feeder such as an X-Y direction rail, a ball screw, or a cylinder.
Each process for the metal plate 7, as shown in
The reference sign 31 in
As shown in
Namely, the movable plate 34 ascends above the fixing frame 33 to move each of the electric wire clamps 9 by one pitch in the feeding direction (right direction or the arrow 30 direction in
Each of positioning pins 35 for the fixing frame 33 and the movable plate 34, when each of the electric wire clamps 9 in
As shown in
The positioning pin 17 of the electric wire clamp 9 is always engaged with the positioning pin 16 of the metal plate 7, while the positioning pin 36 of the lower press mold 14, when the metal plate 7 ascends integral with the electric wire clamp 9, disengages from the positioning hole 16′ of the metal plate 7, and when the metal plate 7 advances and descends integral with the electric wire clamp 9, enters into, and engage with, the adjacent positioning hole 16′ of the metal plate 7. The positioning pin 36 of the lower press mold 14 vertically passes through a recessed groove 9f at a tip of the electric wire clamp 9 to engage with the positioning hole 16′ of the metal plate 7. A right and left clamping top face 9g stably holds the metal plate 7 with its large area.
The electric wire 11 with the terminal in which a carrier is cut by the last die 1513 in
The tip 9a of the electric wire clamp 9 is inserted into the front opening 40a of the lower resin molding mold 40 from above or front, and the terminal 10 of a tip of the electric wire 8 (electric wire 11 with the terminal) is positioned between the lower resin molding mold 40 and a not-shown upper resin molding mold, a tubular isolating resin material 12 is formed outside the terminal 10 while the upper and lower resin molding mold are closed.
The electric wire 11 with the terminal molded with the isolating resin material 12 is fed frontward by a not-shown chuck to separate the electric wire clamp 9 and the electric wire 11 with the terminal, then the electric wire clamp 9 is turned to right end (re-applied) of the feeder 2 in
The electric wire with terminal 11 molded with isolating resin material 12, after each die 15 in
While the above description is mainly related to the cable assembling apparatus 1, the description by replacing its passive description to active description allows to read a method therefore. These cable assembling apparatus 1 and the method for assembling cable make it possible to form the terminal 10 by the metal plate 7 by press 3 and to crimp the terminal 10 to the electric wire 8 at the same time. Furthermore, it is made possible to improve setting position accuracy for the electric wire 8 by, e.g., correcting a tip position of the electric wire 8 using image processing when the electric wire 8 is set to the electric wire clamp 9. Moreover, it is made possible that the press 3, the resin molding machine 4, feeder 2, and the image processing are collectively operated via one operation monitor 6.
The cable assembling apparatus and the method for assembling cable relevant to the present invention, when for example assembling a connector for high frequency band for automobile, can be employed for accurately crimping and connecting a terminal to a core wire of a coaxial cable, or for crimping and connecting a terminal that cannot be wound to a reel to electric wire, as well as for saving plant cost by integrating a press and a crimp machine, or a pressing mold and a crimping mold.
1 cable assembling apparatus
2 feeder
3 press
4 resin molding machine
7 metal plate
8 electric wire
9 electric wire clamp (electric wire support jig)
9
a tip
10 terminal
12 isolating resin
13 electric wire chuck
14 downside press mold
15 (151 to 1513) die
17 guide pin (metal plate guide)
33 fixing frame
34 movable plate
35 positioning pin (positioning part)
36 positioning pin (metal plate positioning part)