Patent Application
20180375256
This disclosure generally relates to a wiring-harness, and more particularly relates to a wiring-harness having an electrical-connector staging-device.
The typical vehicle wiring-harness may be several meters in length and may contain multiple branches that interconnect electrical components to electrical power and/or computer controllers. The multiple wiring-harness branches typically terminate with electrical-connectors that may be temporarily attached to the wiring-harness with adhesive tape, or other temporary attachment methods, to protect the electrical-connectors during unpacking and handling. Removal of the adhesive tape in a vehicle assembly plant is required before the wiring-harness is installed into the vehicle, and may typically be performed by a human during the installation process.
As assembly vehicle processes are increasingly automated, there may be a desire to use a robotic installer for installing a wire harness within the vehicle. However, in order to do this, a robotic assembler must be able to consistently located the multiple connectors on the harness and remove the adhesive tape. These are both fairly complex operations for a robot.
Therefore, a vehicle wiring-harness that is configured to be more easily handled by a robotic installer remains desired.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
In accordance with one embodiment, a wiring-harness is provided. The wiring-harness includes a wire-cable having an electrical-connector and a staging-device. The staging-device has a cavity defining a flexible-member in compressive contact with the electrical-connector. The flexible-member is configured to removably retain the electrical-connector within the cavity. The cavity locates the electrical-connector in a predetermined-position within the staging-device, such that the electrical-connector is presented to an assembler, e.g. a robot, in the predetermined-position.
The flexible-member may be a arcuate flexible-beam that is integrally formed with the staging-device.
The flexible-member may be a quarter-round ribbed-spacer that is formed of a complaint material different from a material forming the staging-device, and is disposed within a corner of the cavity. The flexible-member may be secured to the staging-device by a T-shaped rail defined by the flexible-member that is disposed within a corresponding T-shaped-cavity defined by the staging-device.
At least thirty percent of a surface-area of the electrical-connector may be disposed within the cavity.
The electrical-connector may be located with a true-position of less than 2.0 millimeters relative to the predetermined-position, and preferably with the true-position of less than 0.5 millimeter relative to the predetermined-position.
Each cavity may include at least four datum-surfaces. The four datum-surfaces are configured to contact the electrical-connector disposed within the cavity on at least four corresponding datum-points. The at least four corresponding datum-points on the electrical-connector may include a first-side, a second-side, a third-side, and a mating-side. Alternatively, the at least four corresponding datum-points on the electrical-connector may include a first-side, a second-side, a mating-side, and a corner.
The flexible-member may apply a retention-force to the electrical-connector within the cavity in a range from about 40 Newtons to about 60 Newtons.
In another embodiment, a staging-device configured to retain an electrical-connector of a wiring harness is provided. The staging-device includes a staging-device-body and a flexible-member. The staging-device-body defines a cavity. The flexible-member is configured to be in compressive contact with the electrical-connector when inserted within the cavity. The flexible-member is configured to removably retain the electrical-connector within the cavity. The cavity locates the electrical-connector in a predetermined-position within the staging-device such that the electrical-connector is presented to an assembler in the predetermined-position.
The flexible-member may be a arcuate flexible-beam that is integrally formed with the staging-device.
The flexible-member may be a quarter-round ribbed-spacer.
At least thirty percent of a surface-area of the electrical-connector may be disposed within the cavity.
The electrical-connector may be located with a true-position of less than 2.0 millimeters relative to the predetermined-position.
Further features and advantages will appear more clearly on a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is given by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The reference numbers of similar elements in the various embodiments shown in the figures share the last two digits.
The wiring-harness 10 includes a staging-device 14 having a staging-device-body 15 that defines a cavity 16. The cavity 16 defines a flexible-member 18 in compressive contact with the electrical-connector 12 (see
Returning now to
Preferably, at least thirty percent (30%) of a surface-area of the electrical-connector 12 is disposed within the cavity 16 to maintain an alignment of the electrical-connector 12. The electrical-connector 12 is preferably located 30 with a true-position of less than 2.0 millimeters (2.0 mm) relative to the predetermined-position 32, and more preferably located 30 with the true-position of less than 0.5 mm. As used herein, the true-position is an allowable tolerance window surrounding the predetermined-position 32 in which the location 30 of the electrical-connector 12 may exist.
Each cavity 16 of the staging-device 14 may include at least four datum-surfaces 34, illustrated in
For the specific example of the cavity 116 with the quarter-round ribbed-spacer 22 illustrated in
Returning again to
The examples presented herein are directed to electrical-cables. However, other embodiments of the staging-device 14 may be envisioned that are adapted for use with optical-cables or hybrid-cables including both electrical and optical-cables. Yet other embodiments of the staging-device 14, may be envisioned that are configured for installing pneumatic or hydraulic lines.
Accordingly, a wiring-harness 10 and a staging-device 14 for the wiring-harness 10 is provided. The wiring-harness 10 is beneficial because it is configured to present the electrical-connector 12 to the assembler (e.g. a robot or other automated assembly process) in the predetermined-position 32, which reduces an installation time required to install the wiring-harness 10 onto the vehicle and allowing easier automation of the installation process since removal of adhesive tape is no longer required to secure the connectors.
While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, upper, lower, etc. does not denote any order of importance, location, or orientation, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.
