JPS6357916B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

(a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a ferrule insertion temporary fixing device for an automatic cable terminal attaching machine. (b) Prior art The work of attaching metal terminals, so-called ferrules, to both ends or one end of cables such as optical fiber cables involves feeding out the cable from a supply drum, cutting it to a certain length, inserting a coil spring, This is done by removing the sheath at the end of the cable with a knife, wire stripper, etc., applying adhesive to the removed part, inserting a ferrule, and crimping and fixing it. In carrying out the above steps, although processing machines have traditionally been used in some areas, the series of steps for attaching the ferrule is actually mostly done manually. As shown in Fig. 1, the conventional processing method involves feeding out a cable 2 from a supply drum 1, adjusting the required length and cutting it with a cutter 3, inserting a spring 7 into the cable 2, and then cutting the cut end. There is a way to attach ferrule 4 by processing the ferrule. In addition, as shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of cables 2 adjusted to the required length are each held by chucks 5, 5, and a processing machine is attached to both ends of each cable 2 according to the length. There is also a method of installing ferrules 6, 6, processing both ends of the cable 2, and then attaching the ferrule 4. Conventionally, ferrules were attached using the method described above, which resulted in low processing efficiency and processing accuracy.In particular, the work of inserting ferrules for each cable was done manually, so these tasks reduced the overall processing efficiency. This was one of the causes of low efficiency. Therefore, in order to eliminate such inconvenience, the applicant has already filed a patent application for a device that automatically inserts the ferrule (Japanese Patent Application No. 1988-21880). In the invention related to the above patent application, a device for inserting a ferrule into the end of the cable that has been stripped to expose the core wire, and a device for caulking the ferrule are separately provided, and the insertion process and the caulking process are performed separately. It is now being implemented. (c) Problems with the prior art When implementing the invention related to the above patent application, there must be some clearance between the ferrule and the cable core, and an instant type adhesive (one that hardens within 5 seconds) must be used. Due to the fact that we cannot do this and have to use a quick-drying type that cures more slowly,
If even the slightest external force acts on the ferrule during the transition between processes, the ferrule may move and even fall off. If the ferrule moves, the crimping position will become inaccurate, the length between both ends of the cable will change, reducing measurement accuracy, and if the tip of the core wire gets stuck inside the ferrule, the core wire may become attached to the optical fiber. If so, no light will pass through (or the light will be attenuated too much) and the performance of the cable will be degraded. (d) Means for solving the problem The present invention provides a ferrule insertion device having a temporary fixing function, that is, a ferrule insertion temporary fixing device so that the ferrule does not easily move during transition between processes. It is an object. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is provided with temporary fixing means for increasing the clamping force when the ferrule captured by the chuck claw is inserted into the cable end. (e) Embodiment [Structure] First, an overview of the entire automatic cable terminal attaching machine will be explained based on FIG. The equipment for carrying out each process is arranged as follows. That is, in order from the left end of the figure, the cable supply device 10, the feeding length adjustment device 11, and the cutting guide device 1.
A second coil removing device 13, a first transfer device 14, a peeling device 15, a spring insertion device 16, an adhesive application device 17, a ferrule insertion temporary fixing device 18, a crimping device 19, and a second transfer device 20 are arranged. Between the transfer device 14 and the second transfer device 20, a transfer device for a transfer jig 21 is provided. A large number of conveying jigs 21 are attached to the conveying device at regular intervals, and the first station at the bottom of the first conveying device 14 is sequentially moved from the second station to the sixth station corresponding to the peeling device 15 to the caulking device 19.
A seventh station is provided below the station and the second transfer device 20, and the transfer device performs intermittent movement in which the transfer jig 21 temporarily stops at each station. The above-mentioned cable terminal attaching machine cuts the cable A to a certain length, then the coil removing device 1
3, the coil is wound into a coil shape, and the first transfer device 14 transfers it to the transfer jig 21 on the first station.
1 is moved intermittently, the sheath of both or one end of the cable is peeled off at the second station, a spring is inserted at the third station, adhesive is applied to the conductor at the fourth station, and a ferrule is temporarily inserted at the fifth station. Then, the ferrule is crimped and fixed at the sixth station. Thereafter, the transfer is made to the second transfer device 20 at the seventh station. The above-mentioned ferrule insertion temporary fixing device 18 is the device to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 5, this device 18 is mainly composed of a cable end positioning device 22, a ferrule chuck section 23, and a ferrule supply section 24. As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the cable end positioning section 22 has a left and right positioning plate 25, and an upper claw 26 and a lower claw 27 for vertical positioning, which are provided symmetrically in the left and right directions. The left and right positioning plate 25 is connected to the air cylinder 28 (fifth
) and is guided in the vertical direction by a guide plate 29. The positioning plate 25 has a V-shaped guide groove 30 open upward and a vertical positioning groove 31 continuous to the bottom of the groove. In addition, an upper claw 26 and a lower claw 27 for vertical positioning are provided.
are arranged on the front surface of the left and right positioning plate 25 (the eighth
Figure) Chuck groove 32 and positioning groove 31 at the tip
The left and right positions are aligned. Details of the drive device 33 for the upper and lower claws 26 and 27 are given in the seventh section.
As shown in the figure. As can be seen in the figure, the drive device 33 consists of a lower cylinder 34 and an upper cylinder 35, and the lower cylinder 34 has a slider 36.
is fixed. The slider 36 can slide back and forth on the guide 37. The guide 37 is fixed to a base 38. A guide pole 39 is provided upright on the slider 36, and a connecting member 4 between the lower claw 27 and the upper claw 26 is attached to the guide pole 39.
0 and 41 are slidably inserted. A piston 42 is inserted into the lower cylinder 34, and a threaded portion 44 is provided at the portion of the piston rod 43 that has come out of the lower cylinder 34.
A flanged sleeve 45 is screwed to the threaded portion 44. The sleeve 45 passes through the center of the connecting member 40 with the lower claw 27, and the boss portion of the connecting member 40 is tightened between the retaining ring 46 fitted at the tip and the flange of the sleeve 45, and the nut 47 is used to tighten the boss portion of the connecting member 40. This is intended to prevent the sleeve 45 from coming off. Note that a piston 42 is provided at the upper end of the lower cylinder 34.
A flange 48 is provided to limit the rise of the. The piston rod 43 passes through the connecting member 41 between the upper cylinder 35 and the upper claw 26 and through the upper cylinder 35 and extends upward. This piston rod 43 has an air passage 49 in the center extending from its upper end to its lower end, so that compressed air can be supplied into the lower cylinder 34 from the upper end. A piston 50 is inserted into the upper cylinder 35, and a cylindrical piston rod 51 is provided on the piston 50. The aforementioned piston rod 43 passes through this cylindrical piston rod 51 and piston 50. The lower end of the cylindrical piston rod 51 engages with the aforementioned threaded portion 44,
Further, the piston 50 and the cylindrical piston rod 51 are integrated with the piston rod 43 by a nut 52 fastened to a threaded portion provided on the piston rod 43 inside the upper cylinder 35. Further, in a portion where the piston rod 43 passes through the cylindrical piston rod 51, an outer circumferential groove 53 is provided in the piston rod 43, and a small hole 54 communicating with the air passage 49 is provided in the groove 53.
Further, a cylindrical piston 5 that coincides with the outer circumferential groove 53
A small hole 55 is provided in the portion 1, and the inside of the upper cylinder 35 and the outer circumferential groove 53 are communicated with each other. Further, a spring 56 is interposed between the piston 50 and the upper cover of the cylinder 35. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a threaded cylinder 57 is fixed to the rear part of the slider 36, and a threaded shaft 58 is screwed to this for positioning.
The screw shaft 58 is connected to a piston rod of an air cylinder 59. Next, the ferrule chuck portion 23 will be explained. The ferrule chuck portion 23 corresponds to the above-mentioned positioning portion 22 and is provided slightly rearward (to the right in FIG. 6). Each ferrule chuck portion 23 has a pair of chuck claws 61 that are opened and closed from side to side by the action of an air cylinder 60 (FIG. 10). Air cylinder 6
0 has a compressed air supply hole 62 at the upper end and an opening 63 at the lower end, and connects the upper half of the pair of chuck claws 61 crossed in the shape of scissors to the air cylinder 6.
0, and the lower half protrudes from the opening 63. The intersection of the chuck claws 61 is an opening 63
It is rotatably mounted on a shaft 64 at the center. Further, a spring 65 is interposed in the upper half of the chuck pawl 61, and always urges the tip of the chuck pawl 61 in the direction of opening. A piston 67 having a tapered hole 66 on the lower surface is inserted into the air cylinder 60, and a spring 68 is interposed between the piston 67 and the opening 63 to constantly urge the piston 67 upward. ing. The above tapered hole 66 of the piston 67
is adapted to fit into the upper end of the chuck pawl 61, and when the piston 67 is pushed down by supply of compressed air, the tapered hole 66 of the piston 67 fits into the upper end of the chuck pawl 61. In that case, the fitting depth is determined by the pressure of the compressed air, and the clamping force of the chuck pawl 61 is determined. Further, a clamping force sensor 69 is provided in the lower half of the chuck pawl 61 to appropriately control the pressure of the compressed air. A clamping groove 70 is provided at the tip of the chuck pawl 61 for capturing and temporarily crimping the ferrule a (FIGS. 12 to 14). Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 11, the clamping groove 71 for capturing and the clamping groove 72 for temporary caulking, which is shallower than the clamping groove 71, may be provided at different positions vertically. The air cylinder 60 described above is attached to a slider 74 that is moved vertically by another air cylinder 73, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Further, the air cylinder 73 and the air cylinder support member 75 are attached to a slider 77 that is moved in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 6) by a hydraulic lock type intermediate stop cylinder 76. As shown in FIG. 9, the sliders 77 are provided as a pair on the left and right, and are connected by a connecting member 78.
It is connected to a piston rod 79 of the cylinder 76 via its connecting member 78. Further, each slider 77 is supported by a guide member 80, and the guide member 80 and cylinder 76 are connected to a frame 81. Next, the ferrule supply section 24 is provided below the ferrule chuck section 23, and has a ferrule supply nozzle 83 connected to a ferrule holder 82 fixed to the frame 81, and a ferrule supply device (not shown). ferrules a) and ferrule a are automatically supplied one by one. [Operation] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the laces at both ends of the cable A supported by the conveying jig 21 are stripped off by the stripping device 15, and the springs are inserted by the spring insertion device 16. . In this case, tension member b of cable A (Fig. 12)
is expanded like an umbrella. Next adhesive applicator 17
In this step, an adhesive d is applied onto the exposed core wire c. The cable A coated with the adhesive d in this manner is sent to the ferrule insertion temporary fixing device 18 . In the ferrule insertion temporary fixing device 18, both ends of the cable A are first inserted into the V-shaped grooves 30 of the positioning plate 25 (FIG. 7). Next, when the positioning plate 25 is raised by the action of the air cylinder 28, the end of the cable A enters the positioning groove 31 and is positioned in the left and right direction. Next, from the upper end of the piston rod 43 to the passage 49
When compressed air is supplied through the lower cylinder 34, the pressure inside the lower cylinder 34 increases. This pressure is the piston rod 4
3, the piston 42 and the piston rod 43 rise, and the lower claw 27, which is integral with them, rises, and as the piston 50 rises, the spring 56 engaged with the lower claw 27 rises. The upper cylinder 35 is lifted, and the upper claw 26 integrated with the upper cylinder 35 is raised. The piston 42 of the lower cylinder 34 is connected to the flange 48
When the piston rod reaches its upper limit, the piston rod 43
After stopping rising, the air pressure supplied to the upper cylinder 35 from the small holes 54 and 55 rises, and when that pressure overcomes the spring force of the spring 56, the upper cylinder 35 descends while compressing the spring 56. Then, the upper claw 26 matches the lower claw 27, and the end of the cable A is held between them to determine the vertical position. In the above state, the ferrule supply nozzle 83 (sixth
) to the ferrule holder 82 through the ferrule a.
When this is supplied, the air cylinder 60 holding the chuck pawl 61 is lowered by the action of the air cylinder 73, and compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder 60 to lower the piston 67 (FIG. 10). As the piston 67 descends, the taper hole 66
When the upper end of the chuck pawl 61 is fitted, its tip closes and the ferrule a is captured in the clamping groove 70. After that, the chuck claw 61 is attached to the ferrule a.
The ferrule a is raised in a state where it is captured (dashed line in FIG. 13), and is stopped at a position where the ferrule a is coaxial with the end of the cable A held by the upper and lower positioning claws 26 and 27. Therefore, when the slider 77 is pushed forward by the action of the cylinder 76 and the chuck pawl 61 is moved from the chain line position to the solid line position in FIG. is inserted into the tension member b, taking the adhesive d with it and turning it upside down.
It is inserted until it completely covers this area. Furthermore, when the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air cylinder 60 is increased in this state, the clamping force of the chuck pawl 61 is increased and the ferrule a is temporarily crimped. When the insertion and temporary crimping of the ferrule a is completed in this manner, the positioning portion 22 and the ferrule chuck portion 23 return to their original states. Note that in order to increase the clamping force of the chuck claw 61 for temporary crimping, use the chuck claw 61 as shown in FIG. Groove 7
After catching ferrule a with 1 and inserting it into the end of the cable, ferrule a can be temporarily swaged by grasping it in the holding groove 72 for temporary swage. The grip may be set at a fixed position and not changed, or the grip position may be changed back and forth between insertion and temporary crimping (see the chain line in FIG. 12). Therefore, four combinations are possible depending on whether the gripping position of the chuck pawl 61 is changed vertically or not, and whether the gripping position of the ferrule a is changed forward or backward or not. (f) Effects As described above, according to the present invention, the ferrule can be temporarily fixed when the ferrule is inserted into the cable end, so that the ferrule does not move during the process transition. Therefore, the mounting accuracy of the ferrule is improved, and the adjustment accuracy is not reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional manufacturing method, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of another conventional manufacturing method, Fig. 3 is a partially omitted front view of the finished product, and Fig. 4 is an overall view of the automatic cable terminal attaching machine. 5 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a side view of the ferrule chuck portion and the ferrule insertion portion, FIG. 7 is a partially vertical front view of FIG. 5, and FIG.
The figures are a partial longitudinal side view of Fig. 5, Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 5, Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the chuck portion, and Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the chuck portion.
The figure is a partial front view showing an example of another chuck claw.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 13 are explanatory diagrams of the operation. 18...Ferrule insertion temporary fixing device, 22...
Positioning part, 23...Ferrule chuck part, 2
4...Ferrule supply section, 60...Air cylinder, 61...Chuck claw, 66...Tapered hole, 6
7... Piston, 70, 71, 72... Clamping groove.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Consists of a positioning part, a ferrule chuck part, and a ferrule supply part for the cable end which is supplied in a stripped state, and the positioning part is provided so that the cable end is supplied with the ferrule chuck. The chuck claw of the ferrule chuck is held in the same line as the chuck claw of the ferrule, and is movable in the length direction of the cable end. In an automatic cable terminal attaching machine, the ferrule supply section is equipped with a ferrule supply nozzle, and the ferrule is gripped by the chuck claw and is inserted into the cable end, and the clamping force is applied to the cable terminal. A ferrule insertion temporary fixing device characterized by being provided with temporary fixing means for increasing the number of ferrules. 2. The chuck pawl has one ferrule catching groove, and the temporary fixing means acts on the chuck pawl to increase its clamping force in two stages: a ferrule catching stage and a ferrule temporary fixing stage. A ferrule insertion temporary fixing device according to claim 1. 3. Claims characterized in that the chuck claw has a ferrule capturing groove and a ferrule temporary fixing groove, and the temporary fixing means changes the ferrule capturing position from the capturing groove to the temporary fixing groove. The ferrule insertion temporary fixing device according to item 1.