JP7741013B2 - Binding tools and band clamp installation machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bundling tool and a band clamp installation machine.

Band clamps are used to bundle multiple wire harnesses together and route them to a mounting surface such as a vehicle body. The process of wrapping the band clamp around a bundle of wires is often done manually. Because it is done manually, there are cases where the band clamp is forgotten to be attached, wrapped in the wrong direction, or misaligned.

Meanwhile, a band winding device has been proposed for winding a band component around a bundle of electric wires (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The band component includes a band portion and a band fixing portion capable of fixing the tip end of the band portion, and the band winding device is a device that winds the band portion around an electric wire and passes the tip end of the band portion through the band fixing portion. The band winding device includes a holding portion that can hold the band portion, a movement mechanism that can move the holding portion holding the tip end of the band portion toward the band fixing portion, and a rotation mechanism that can change the orientation of the holding portion to change the orientation of the tip end of the band portion. The band winding device grasps and bends the middle portion of the band portion, and passes the tip end of the band through a band hole provided in the band fixing portion to wind the band component around the electric wire.

JP 2018-062387 A

However, with the above-mentioned band winding device, bands with bent ends may not be able to be threaded through the band holes due to bending tendencies or other reasons.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a bundling tool and band clamp installation machine that allows the tip of a band to be securely inserted into the insertion hole of a band clamp and wrapped around a bundle of electric wires.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the bundling tool according to the present invention is characterized as follows.
A bundling unit for wrapping a band clamp around a bundle of electric wires, the band clamp having a band portion to be wound around an outer periphery of the bundle of electric wires, a locking portion having an insertion hole and capable of locking the band portion inserted into the insertion hole, and a fixing portion provided on a base side of the band portion and capable of being fixed to a fixed portion,
a holding portion that holds the fixed portion;
a guide portion that guides the band portion toward the fixed portion in a U-shape,
The guide portion is
an electric wire arrangement section capable of arranging the electric wire bundle;
a leading end guide portion that retreats laterally as it approaches the holding portion and inserts the leading end of the band portion into the insertion hole,
the tip guide portion is configured to approach the holding portion in a state in which the fixing portion is held by the holding portion and the tip of the band portion guided in a U-shape by the guide portion is inserted into a guide groove provided in the tip guide portion toward the holding portion,
Binding unit.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the band clamp installation machine according to the present invention has the following features.
A band clamp installation machine including the above-mentioned binding unit and an insertion unit that grips the band clamp and inserts it into the binding unit,
The insertion unit includes:
a gripping portion that grips the fixed portion of the band clamp;
a correction guide that clamps the tip side and the middle part of the band part of the band clamp in the thickness direction of the band part,
configured to be able to approach the binding unit;
Band clamp mounting machine.

The bundling tool and band clamp installation machine of the present invention have the effect of enabling the end of the band to be securely inserted into the insertion hole even when the end of the band is bent.

The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a band clamp installation machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the band clamp shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing how the pushing unit sets the band clamp on the binding unit. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing how the pushing unit sets the band clamp on the binding unit. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing how the pushing unit sets the band clamp in the binding unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the state in which the pushing unit sets the band clamp in the binding unit. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the state in which the wire bundle is arranged on the bundling unit. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the binding unit shown in FIG. 7 as viewed from above. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the state in which the guide portion is being retracted to the side, and shows the state in which the tip of the band portion is inserted into the insertion hole. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the state in which the guide portion is retracted to the side and the band portion is wound around the bundle of electric wires.

Specific embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a band clamp attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the band clamp 10 shown in Figure 1. For ease of explanation, the following definitions are used as shown in Figure 1: "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," "up-down direction," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down." The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.

The band clamp installation machine shown in Figure 1 includes a bundling unit 50 that wraps the band clamp 10 around a bundle of electric wires W to bind them, and a pushing unit 30 that grips the band clamp 10 and inserts it into the bundling unit 50.

(Band clamp 10)
As shown in FIG. 2 , the band clamp 10 has a fixing portion 11 that can be fixed to a fixed portion, a band portion 12 that is wound around the outer periphery of the wire bundle W, and a locking portion 13 that can lock the band portion 12. The fixing portion 11 is provided on the base side of the band portion 12 and can be fixed to a locking hole in a vehicle body panel (not shown), which is an example of a fixed portion. The fixing portion 11 is fixed by inserting a post portion 11a into the locking hole, engaging a locking step portion of the post portion 11a with the periphery of the locking hole, and pressing the pressing portion 11b against the vehicle body panel. The band portion 12 has unevenness on at least a portion of its main surface and side surface along the extension direction of the band portion 12. The locking portion 13 has an insertion hole 13a through which the tip 12a of the band portion 12 is inserted. The insertion hole 13a has locking teeth 13b on the inner surface. When the band portion 12 is inserted into the insertion hole 13 a and the concave and convex portions of the band portion 12 are engaged with the engaging teeth 13 b, the band portion 12 is fixed to the engaging portion 13 .

(Bundling unit 50)
The binding unit 50 includes a band holding portion 51, a rod 52A, a pair of rods 52B, 52B, a movable portion 53, a guide member 54, a guide member 55, a rotating shaft 56, a guide member 57, and a band cutter 70.

The band holding portion 51 includes a flat plate portion 51a extending in the vertical and horizontal directions, a rectangular opening 51b located above the flat plate portion 51a, a cylindrical protrusion projecting rearward on the left side of the opening 51b, and a guide member 51d. A portion of the pressing portion 11b of the band clamp 10 is accommodated in the opening 51b to hold the fixing portion 11 (see Figure 6). The guide member 51d is composed of two plates positioned above and in the center of the flat plate portion 51a, extending in the vertical and front-rear directions, and a connecting portion connecting the plates. The two plates are spaced apart in the horizontal direction by a distance corresponding to the width of the band portion 12 of the band clamp 10, and have a fan-shaped edge when viewed horizontally. The electric wire bundle W is placed on this fan-shaped edge. In other words, the guide member 51d is an example of an electric wire placement portion in which the electric wire bundle W can be placed. The connecting portion forms the bottom of the guide groove 51da (see Figure 7) made up of two plates, and the bottom has a shape similar to the fan-shaped edge of the two plates. The guide member 51d guides the band portion 12 inserted between the two plates so that it curves along the guide groove 51da.

Below the flat plate portion 51a, rods 52B, 52A, and 52B are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, each extending rearward. The front ends of rods 52B and 52B are inserted into through-holes in the flat plate portion 51a, and their rear ends are fixed to the left and right ends below the movable portion 53, respectively. Rod 52A is the piston rod of an air cylinder, and its rear end is fixed to the center in the left-right direction below the movable portion 53.

Movable section 53 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped member located behind flat section 51a, with rods 52A, 52B, and 52B attached to its lower portion and guide members 54 and 55 attached to its upper portion. Movable section 53 moves in the front-to-rear direction when the rear end of rod 52A is moved in the front-to-rear direction by an air cylinder. Rods 52B and 52B follow the front-to-rear movement of rod 52A, so movable section 53 can move in the front-to-rear direction without tilting left or right.

The guide member 54 is a block fixed above the movable portion 53, and has a U-shaped recess when viewed from the left to right, with a guide groove 54a (see Figure 7) within the recess. A guide member 57 is rotatably attached above the guide member 54 via a pivot shaft 56 extending vertically.

The guide member 55 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped member that extends across the flat plate portion 51a and the front side of the movable portion 53, and has a guide groove 55a (see Figure 7) on its upper side. The rear end of the guide member 55 is fixed to the movable portion 53, and the front end is positioned so that it can be inserted into a through-hole provided on the flat plate portion 51a below the guide member 51d. The guide member 55 moves in the front-to-rear direction as the movable portion 53 is moved in the front-to-rear direction by the rod 52A.

The guide member 57 is attached to the movable portion 53 via the pivot shaft 56 and the guide member 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the guide member 57 comprises a lower plate portion 571, a plate portion 572 that is one size smaller than the plate portion 571, and a plate portion 573 that is even smaller than the plate portion 572, stacked vertically. A guide groove 574 is formed between the plate portions 571 and 572. The guide groove 574 extends linearly in the front-to-rear direction, and the distance between the plate portions 571 and 572 corresponds to the thickness of the band portion 12. The guide groove 574 restricts movement of the band portion 12 in the thickness direction. The other end of the coil spring 58, one end of which is attached to the upper surface of the guide member 54, is attached to the upper portion of the plate portion 573. Note that the coil spring 58 is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 6. The plate portion 573 has side surfaces 573a and 573b that abut against the tip of the protrusion 51c. The side surface 573a is substantially linear when viewed in the vertical direction, and the side surface 573b is connected to the rear end of the side surface 573a and has a gently curved portion when viewed in the vertical direction.

With the fixed portion 11 held in the opening 51b and the tip 12a of the band portion 12, guided in a U-shape by the guide members 51d, 55, and 54, inserted into the guide groove 574, the guide member 57 approaches the opening 51b as the movable portion 53 moves from rear to front. As the guide member 57 approaches the opening 51b, it retreats to the left (an example of a lateral side) against the elastic force of the coil spring 58, allowing the tip 12a of the band portion 12 to be inserted into the insertion hole 13a. After the band portion 12 is wound around the wire bundle W, the guide member 57 returns to its original position due to the elastic force of the coil spring 58 as the movable portion 53 moves rearward.

The band cutter 70 is positioned in front of the flat plate portion 51a, and when the tip 12a is inserted into the insertion hole 13a and the band portion 12 is wrapped around the outer circumference of the wire bundle W, it cuts off the excess portion of the band portion 12 on the tip 12a side.

Guide grooves 51da, 55a, 54a, and 574 of guide members 51d, 55, 54, and 57 have a width (length in the left-right direction) corresponding to the width of band portion 12, and guide band portion 12 in a U-shape while restricting movement of band portion 12 in the width direction. Guide groove 574 has a width (length in the up-down direction) corresponding to the thickness of band portion 12, and guides tip 12a of band portion 12 toward insertion hole 13a while restricting movement of band portion 12 in the up-down direction.

(Pushing unit 30)
The pushing unit 30 is configured to be movable in the front-rear, left-right and up-down directions, and the band portion 12 is arranged on the guide members 51d, 55, 54 and 57 of the binding unit 50, and the fixing portion 11 is held in the opening 51b.

The pushing unit 30 has a gripping portion 31 and a band straightening guide 33. The gripping portion 31 has a pair of gripping pieces that can be opened and closed in the left-right direction, and grips the fixing portion 11 of the band clamp 10.

The band correction guide 33 is provided below the gripping portion 31 and is configured to be movable in the up and down direction relative to the gripping portion 31. The band correction guide 33 has a pair of first correction claws 331, 331, a pair of second correction claws 333, 333, and four rods 332. The pair of first correction claws 331, 331 are configured to be openable and closable in the front-to-back direction and clamp the tip 12a side of the band portion 12 of the band clamp 10 in the thickness direction of the band portion 12. The pair of second correction claws 333, 333 are configured to be openable and closable in the front-to-back direction and clamp the middle portion of the band portion 12 of the band clamp 10 in the thickness direction of the band portion 12. Of the four rods 332, the two front rods 332 connect the front first corrective claw 331 and the front second corrective claw 333, and the two rear rods 332 connect the rear first corrective claw 331 and the rear second corrective claw 333. When the pair of first corrective claws 331, 331 are driven to open or close, the pair of second corrective claws 333, 333 connected to the pair of first corrective claws 331, 331 via the multiple rods 332 open or close.

The pushing unit 30 has its gripping portion 31 gripping the fixed portion 11 of the band clamp 10, and its pair of first correction claws 331, 331 and pair of second correction claws 333, 333 clamping the tip 12a and middle portion of the band portion 12 in the thickness direction of the band portion 12. Therefore, with the bending tendency of the band portion 12 corrected by the pushing unit 30, the band clamp 10 is inserted from above into the guide member 51d of the binding unit 50.

(Band clamp attachment machine operation)
The operation of the band clamp attachment machine configured as described above will be described. First, with reference to Figures 3 to 6, the operation of the pushing unit 30 to set the band clamp 10 in the bundling unit 50 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the pushing unit 30 gripping the band clamp 10 moves above the bundling unit 50 with the tip 12a of the band portion 12 positioned directly above the guide member 51d, and then the gripping portion 31 moves down as shown in Figure 3. As the gripping portion 31 moves down, the tip 12a of the band portion 12 is inserted into the guide groove 51da of the guide member 51d while the bending tendency of the band portion 12 is corrected.

When the tip 12a of the band portion 12 is inserted into the guide member 51d, the band straightening guide 33 opens in the front-to-rear direction as shown in FIG. 4, and the gripping portion 31 further descends between the open band straightening guides 33 as shown in FIG. 5. The fixing portion 11 is then held in the opening 51b with the pressing portion 11b abutting the upper edge of the opening 51b. The band portion 12 is guided in a U-shape by the guide groove 51da of the guide member 51d, the guide groove 55a of the guide member 55, and the guide groove 54a of the guide member 54, and the tip 12a enters the guide groove 574 of the guide member 57 toward the opening 51b (see FIG. 7). Once the band clamp 10 is completely set in the binding unit 50, the pushing unit 30 rises and retracts as shown in FIG. 6.

Next, referring to Figures 7 to 10, the operation of the bundling unit 50 to wind the band clamp 10 around the wire bundle W will be described. Figures 7 and 8 are perspective and plan views of the bundling unit 50 with the band clamp 10 set. When the movable part 53 is moved forward from the state shown in Figures 7 and 8, the tip 12a of the band part 12 advances, guided by the guide groove 574, until the side surface 573a of the plate part 573 abuts against the tip of the protrusion 51c, as shown in Figure 9. As the movable part 53 further moves forward, the front side of the guide member 57 faces leftward while the side surface 573a slides against the protrusion 51c, and the band part 12 is wound around the outer periphery of the wire bundle W. When the movable part 53 then moves to the front end and the protrusion 51c abuts against the rear end of the side surface 573b, as shown in Figure 10, winding of the band part 12 around the wire bundle W is complete. After winding is complete, the band cutter 70 cuts off the excess portion of the band portion 12, completing the bundling of the wire bundle W. The movable portion 53 then retracts, and the guide member 57 returns to the position shown in Figure 8 due to the elastic force of the coil spring 58.

As described above, with the band clamp attachment machine of this embodiment, the pushing unit 30 sets the band clamp 10 in the binding unit 50 while correcting any curling or other problems with the band portion 12. While holding the fixing portion 11, the binding unit 50 guides the band portion 12 in a U-shape using the guide grooves 51da, 55a, 54a, and 574 of the guide members 51d, 55, 54, and 57, with the tip 12a toward the opening 51b, and inserts the tip 12a into the insertion hole 13a. Therefore, even if the tip of the band portion is bent due to a bending or other problem with the band clamp 10, the posture of the band portion 12 can be corrected and it can be reliably inserted into the insertion hole 13a. Furthermore, using a band clamp attachment machine to bind the band clamp 10 reduces labor compared to manual binding and prevents forgetting to attach the band clamp 10, incorrect wrapping direction, and misalignment.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified, improved, and so forth as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, numerical values, configuration, number, placement location, and so forth of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and not limited as long as they achieve the present invention. In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the pushing unit 30 sets the band clamp 10 in the bundling unit 50 with the wire bundle W placed on the guide member 51d. However, the bundling unit 50 may also move to the position of the wire bundle W after the band clamp 10 is set. In this case, the bundling unit 50 with the band clamp 10 set therein rises from below the wire bundle W, and after the wire bundle W is placed on the guide member 51d, the band portion 12 is wrapped around the wire bundle W to bind it, as described above.

Here, the features of the binding unit and band clamp attachment machine according to the above-described embodiments of the present invention are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].

[1] A bundling unit (50) for winding a band clamp (10) around a wire bundle (W), the band clamp (10) having a band portion (12) wound around the outer periphery of the wire bundle (W), a locking portion (13) having an insertion hole (13a) and capable of locking the band portion inserted into the insertion hole, and a fixing portion (11) provided on a base side of the band portion and capable of being fixed to a fixing portion,
a holding portion (opening 51b) for holding the fixing portion;
a guide portion (guide members 51d, 55, 54, 57) that guides the band portion toward the fixed portion in a U-shape,
The guide portion is
an electric wire arrangement portion (guide member 51d) in which the electric wire bundle can be arranged;
a leading end guide portion (guide member 57) that retreats laterally as it approaches the holding portion and inserts the leading end (12a) of the band portion into the insertion hole;
Binding unit.

With the binding unit configured as described above in [1], the band portion is guided by the guide portion, and the tip of the band portion is inserted into the insertion hole of the band clamp by the tip guide portion. Therefore, with this binding unit, even if the tip of the band is bent due to a bending tendency of the band clamp, the posture of the tip of the band can be corrected and it can be reliably inserted into the insertion hole.

[2] The guide portion has a first groove portion (guide grooves 51da, 54a, 55a, 574) having a width corresponding to the width of the band portion.
The binding unit described in [1] above.

The binding unit with the configuration [2] above can restrict movement of the band portion in the width direction.

[3] The tip guide portion has a second groove portion having a width corresponding to the thickness of the band portion.
The bundling unit according to [1] or [2] above.

The binding unit with the configuration [3] above can restrict movement of the band portion in the thickness direction.

[4] A band clamp installation machine comprising the bundling unit according to [1] above and an insertion unit that grips the band clamp and inserts it into the bundling unit,
The insertion unit includes:
a gripping portion that grips the fixed portion of the band clamp;
a correction guide that clamps the tip side and the middle part of the band part of the band clamp in the thickness direction of the band part,
configured to be able to approach the binding unit;
Band clamp mounting machine.

With the band clamp attachment machine configured as described above in [4], the insertion unit can be brought close to the binding unit, the band portion can be placed in the guide portion, and the fixing portion can be held in the holding portion, automating the process of removing the band clamp and setting it in the binding unit.

10 Band clamp 11 Fixing portion 12 Band portion 12a Tip 13 Locking portion 13a Insertion hole 30 Push-in unit 31 Grip portion 33 Band correction guide 50 Binding unit 51 Band holding portion 51a Flat plate portion 51b Opening 51c Protrusions 51d, 54, 55, 57 Guide members 51da, 54a, 55a, 574 Guide groove 53 Movable portion 56 Rotating shaft 70 Band cutter W Wire bundle

Claims (4)

A bundling unit for wrapping a band clamp around a bundle of electric wires, the band clamp having a band portion to be wound around an outer periphery of the bundle of electric wires, a locking portion having an insertion hole and capable of locking the band portion inserted into the insertion hole, and a fixing portion provided on a base side of the band portion and capable of being fixed to a fixed portion,
a holding portion that holds the fixed portion;
a guide portion that guides the band portion toward the fixed portion in a U-shape,
The guide portion is
an electric wire arrangement section capable of arranging the electric wire bundle;
a leading end guide portion that retreats laterally as it approaches the holding portion and inserts the leading end of the band portion into the insertion hole,
the tip guide portion is configured to approach the holding portion in a state in which the fixing portion is held by the holding portion and the tip of the band portion guided in a U-shape by the guide portion is inserted into a guide groove provided in the tip guide portion toward the holding portion,
Binding unit. The guide portion has a first groove portion having a width corresponding to the width of the band portion.
The bundling unit according to claim 1 . The tip guide portion has a second groove portion having a width corresponding to the thickness of the band portion.
The bundling unit according to claim 1 or 2. 10. A band clamp installation machine comprising: the bundling unit according to claim 1; and an insertion unit that holds the band clamp and inserts it into the bundling unit,
The insertion unit includes:
a gripping portion that grips the fixed portion of the band clamp;
a correction guide that clamps the tip side and the middle part of the band part of the band clamp in the thickness direction of the band part,
configured to be able to approach the binding unit;
Band clamp mounting machine.