JPH0790805B2 - Cable connection method to interior parts - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a case where an interior part having a cable connector is held by an assembling jig and is assembled to an object to be assembled. The present invention relates to a method of connecting a cable to an interior part, which is adapted to connect a cable to be wired on the object side.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, cable connection work to interior parts in an automobile manufacturing line is generally performed manually in a step subsequent to the step of assembling the interior parts. For example, a meter unit built in an instrument panel is connected to a meter cable. When connecting the instrument panel, the instrument panel is assembled to the vehicle body as the object to be assembled, and then the working vehicle enters the vehicle compartment and the connecting end of the meter cable is inserted into the cable connector provided on the rear surface of the meter unit.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) It is inefficient to manually connect cables as described above, and automation of connection work is desired.

In this case, it is conceivable to use a robot equipped with a gripping means for gripping the cable connection end on the robot hand to automatically perform the connection work. After that, a sufficient work space for moving the robot hand cannot be secured between the interior part and the assembly object, and automation of the connection work is difficult.

By the way, recently, in order to automate the work of assembling the interior parts, the interior parts are held by an assembling jig attached to a robot or the like and assembled to the object to be assembled. In order to avoid the difficulty of automating the cable connection work after attachment and to improve the productivity by eliminating the cable connection in the post process, it is desirable to be able to connect the cable in the component assembly process. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connecting method that meets such a demand.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an assembly jig for holding an internal component equipped with a cable connector and assembling it to an assembly object. As the axis of the cable connector of the interior part that holds the X axis of the stationary coordinate with respect to the assembly jig,
A gripping means capable of gripping a connection end of a cable to be connected to the cable connector is provided so as to be movable back and forth in the X-axis direction, and the assembling jig is located at an assembling position for assembling the interior parts to the object to be assembled. When moving, the gripping means is located between the interior part and the assembly object, which are located in front of the assembly position and are held by the assembly jig.
A cable in which the movement of the assembling jig is temporarily stopped at a predetermined position so that a space necessary for moving in the axial direction is secured, and the gripping means is set in advance at a predetermined setting position of the object to be assembled. The cable connecting end is grasped by the grasping means when stopped at the predetermined position in a state of being advanced in the X-axis direction toward, and then the grasping means is retracted in the X-axis direction to connect the cable connecting end to the cable connector. And then
Two orthogonal coordinate axes that are orthogonal to the X axis of the stationary coordinates with respect to the assembly jig are Y and Z axes, and the gripping means of the assembly jig is an arbitrary YZ coordinate plane formed by the Y axis and the Z axis. Of the interior part held by the assembling jig by the gripping means before the gripping means is moved forward in the X-axis direction. Y- of the gripping means so that the gripping center coincides with the X axis.
Positioning is performed on the Z coordinate plane.

(Operation) By temporarily stopping the assembly jig for the interior parts before the assembly position, and operating the gripping means with a working space secured between the interior parts and the assembly object, The cable can now be connected to the cable connector of the interior part without causing interference with the assembly object and the gripping means is provided on the assembly jig. Interference between the robot and the assembly jig can be avoided, and the cable connection work for interior parts can be automated.

Further, even if the cable connector is displaced, by grasping the cable connector in advance by the grasping means for grasping the cable, the position of the grasping means is corrected in accordance with the cable connector, and the cable can be reliably connected to the cable connector. .

Then, after connecting the cables, the assembling jig is moved to the assembling position to assemble the interior parts to the object to be assembled.

(Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 11, when the instrument panel A is assembled to the vehicle body W as shown in FIG. 11, a cable connector B ₁ provided on the back surface of the meter unit B incorporated in the panel A (see FIG. 7). An embodiment in which the connecting end C ₁ of the meter cable C is fitted and connected by a connecting tool C ₂ attached thereto is shown in FIG.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, (1) is a robot arm of an assembling robot arranged on the side of an assembling station on which a vehicle body W is fixed, and (2) is a group mounted on the arm (1). The mounting jig is shown by inserting the mounting jig (2) into the vehicle compartment through the door opening of the vehicle body W while holding the instrument panel A in the mounting jig (2). A was attached to the front of the passenger compartment.

The assembling jig (2) is a base frame (3) supported by a robot arm (1) by a cylinder (3a) so as to be able to move forward and backward through a pair of guide bars (3b) (3b). )
The rod-shaped jig frame (4), which is long in the horizontal direction, on the slider (4
a) Support arms (5) that are slidably supported in the lateral direction via (4a) and extend forward to both ends of the jig frame (4).
(5) is fixedly installed, and the instrument panel A is attached to the support arms (5) and (5) via tool holders (6), respectively.
Clamp plate (7) for holding the end walls A _{1 at} both ends thereof
And a nut runner (8) for fastening the end wall A ₁ to a bracket W ₁ fixed to a vehicle body W provided on both sides of the front part of the vehicle compartment, and further installed between tool holders (6) (6) at both ends. The nut runner (10) for fastening the central part of the instrument panel A to the dashboard upper is attached to the central part of the rod (9). In the figure, (7a) is a clamp cylinder that opens and closes the clamp plate (7) in the lateral direction, and (8a)
a) (10a) shows the tightening shaft of each nut runner (8) (10).

Here, each of the tool holders (6) has guide bars (6c) (6c) on a floating plate (6b) slidably supported in the front-rear direction on the support arm (5) via a slider (6a). ), A movable plate (6e) that is moved forward and backward by a cylinder (6d) is attached to each tool holder (6), and the movable plate (6e) is attached to the movable plate (6e). A lock pin (6f) fitted into a lock hole formed in each support arm (5) and a positioning pin (6g) fitted into a reference hole formed in each bracket W ₁ are planted, An instrument for fitting the lock pin (6f) into the lock hole to lock the tool holders (6) in place with respect to the support arms (5), and to hold the assembly jig (2) on the tool holders (6). end wall a ₁ of the instrument panel a is moved to the predetermined assembly position as to overlap the outer surface of the bracket W ₁ After that, the movable plate (6e) is advanced laterally inward, the lock pin (6f) is disengaged from the lock hole, and the tool holders (6) are moved forward and backward with respect to the support arms (5). The positioning pins (6g) were fitted into the reference holes while floating in the vertical direction to position the seal holders (6) with respect to the brackets W ₁ .

Further, each tool holder (6) is provided with a pressing cylinder (11) to which a guide roller (11a) abutting the outer surface of each bracket W ₁ is attached, and an assembling jig (2) is attached to the roller (11a).
Is moved to a predetermined intermediate position facing the outer surface of the rear end of the bracket W _1, the pressing cylinder (11) is actuated to bring the roller (11a) into contact with the bracket W _1, and the contact is made. The jig frame (4) is slid laterally with respect to the base frame (3) by a reaction force to laterally position the assembly jig (2) with respect to the vehicle body W, and then the base frame (3) is fixed. The cylinder (3a) is moved forward to move the assembly jig (2) to the assembly position.

In the drawing, (12) shows a gripping means for the meter cable C mounted on the assembling jig (2), and in this embodiment, the gripping means (12) is provided for a pair of right-hand drive vehicle and left-hand drive vehicle. It was

The gripping means (12) is a pair of upper and lower guide bars (13a) for supporting a pair of clamp pieces (13) (13) slidably in the lateral direction, as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. A pair of cam grooves (15a) (15b) for engaging the rollers (13b) (13b) mounted on the clamp pieces (13) (13) with the holder (14) having the (13a) installed side by side. The formed cam plate (15) is provided so as to be vertically movable by a pair of upper and lower double cylinders (15b) (15b), and the vertical movement of the cam plate (15) causes both clamp pieces (1) to move.
3) Open and close (13) in the lateral direction, and by the closing operation, the meter cable C is cored between the <shaped gripping parts (13c) (13c) at the upper ends of the clamp pieces (13) (13). The gripping means (1
2) is attached to the assembling jig (2) so that it can be moved back and forth in the axial direction of the cable connector B ₁ of the meter unit B built in the instrument panel A held by the jig.
The axis line is the X axis of the stationary coordinate with respect to the assembly jig (2), the two orthogonal coordinate axes of the lateral direction and the vertical direction orthogonal thereto are the Y axis and the Z axis, and the gripping means (12) is the Y axis and the Z axis. The YZ coordinate plane forming the axis can be moved to any position.

To explain this in more detail, a pair of front and rear tableable cylinders (17a) (17a) are attached to the support frame (16) attached to the jig frame (4).
A movable frame (17) which is moved forward and backward along the guide rail (17b) in the X-axis direction is provided, and the movable frame (17) is slidable in the Z-axis direction via the guide bars (18a) and (18a). The holder (14) of the gripping means (12) is slidably supported in the Y-axis direction on the supported floating frame (18) via the guide bars (14a) (14a), and the gripping means (12) is supported. A YZ coordinate plane resulting from a combined movement of the movement of the movable frame (17) in the X-axis direction, the movement of the floating frame (18) in the Z-axis direction, and the movement of the holder (14) in the Y-axis direction. And a plurality of magnets (19) facing the cross members (14b) (14b) of the holder (14).
A stop plate (19) having a) attached thereto is movable in the X-axis direction toward the holder (14) by a cylinder (19b) attached to the movable frame (17), and the stop plate (9) has an X-axis direction. The holder (14), that is, the gripping means (12) is advanced to the movable frame (17).
I was able to restrain.

The support frame (16) is attached to the jig frame (4) by a cylinder (20a) so that the support frame (16) can swing about a lateral pivot (20b). Cylinder (16a)
It was supported so that it could move up and down via the guide rail (16b).

Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 10, (21) shows a set jig of the instrument panel A arranged on the side of the arrangement part of the assembly robot, and the instrument is installed on the upper surface of the set jig (21). Workpiece receivers (22) (22) on both left and right sides that support the end wall A ₁ of the instrument panel A, guide plates (23) (23) on both left and right sides that contact the inner surface of the end wall A ₁ , and the instrument panel A And a work receiver (24) for supporting the central portion of the front edge of the instrument panel A so that the instrument panel A can be freely set on the setting jig (21) in an upward posture, and the bolt setting member can be attached to each guide plate (23). (23a) and a bolt set hole (24a) are provided in the center work receiver (24) so that the bolt can be freely set in these holes. (25) shows a sensor for detecting whether or not the instrument panel A is set.

Next, the instrument panel A by the apparatus of the above embodiment
The assembling work procedure will be described.

The assembly jig (2) is moved to a position above the setting jig (21) by the operation of the assembling robot without being made, and is lowered onto the setting jig (21) in a downward posture to make a pair of clamp plates. (7) (7)
Grips the instrument panel A previously set in the setting jig (21) with the bolt setting member (23
a) or the bolt that has been set in the bolt setting hole (24a) beforehand is received by the socket at the tip of the tightening shaft (8a) (10a) of each nut runner (8) (10), and then the assembly jig (2) is attached. Ascend to the instrument panel A from the setting jig (21)
And then insert the assembly jig (2) into the vehicle interior through the door opening of the vehicle body W placed at the assembly station in the forward posture, and move the assembly jig (2) to the predetermined intermediate position described above. Then, the tool holders (6) at both ends
The assembling jig (2) is laterally positioned by operating the pressing cylinders (11) and (11) provided in (6).

At this time, the gripping means (12) is moved in advance by the movement of the movable frame (17) to the retracted end position in the X-axis direction that matches the cable connector B ₁ of the meter unit B built in the instrument panel A, and the stop plate ( The clamp piece (13) (13) is closed in a state where the holder (14) is unconstrained by (19), and the connector B ₁ is held between the upper ends of the clamp pieces (13c) (13c) (Fig. 4). State of virtual line). According to this, the positional deviation or the like of the meter unit B to the instrument panel A of the cable connector B ₁ for the assembly jig (2) Y-Z
Even if the position on the coordinate plane is offset from the normal position, the gripping means (12) as grasp centered between the grip portion in its axial with respect to the cable connector B ₁ (13c) (13c) matches Y-
If the holder (14) is constrained by the stopper plate (19) after moving on the Z coordinate plane, even if the clamp pieces (13) and (13) are opened, the gripping means (12) has its gripping center at the cable connector B ₁
Is positioned with respect to the movable frame (17) so as to match the axis of the movable frame (17), and in this state, the gripping means (12) is lowered by the movement of the support frame (16) and the movement of the movable frame (17) to move in the X-axis direction. Move it to the forward end position.

Further, the vehicle body W is assumed to be set in advance meter cable C, that is as shown in Figure 7, the meter the assembly jig (2) relative to the cable connector B ₁ when moving to the intermediate position the cable as the connection end C ₁ of C is opposed to the X-axis direction, should put the meter cable C to the hanger beams W ₃ of the tip of the handle hanger stay W ₂ of the vehicle body W.

Then, when the assembling jig (2) is moved to the intermediate position as described above, the gripping means (12) is moved to the position indicated by a in FIG. 7 just below the cable connecting end C ₁ extending from the hanger beam W ₃ . Then, by the movement of the support frame (16), the position of the gripping center (12) on the YZ coordinate plane of the gripping center (12) becomes the same as when the cable connector B ₁ is gripped. Ascending to the position shown, the clamp pieces (13) (13) are closed, and the cable connecting end C ₁ is gripped between the gripping portions (13c) (13c). According to this, when the connecting end C ₁ is centered so as to face the cable connector B ₁ on the same line in the X-axis direction, and then the gripping means (12) is retracted in the X-axis direction, FIG. The connector C ₂ attached to the connection end C ₁ at the position indicated by c is fitted and connected to the cable connector B ₁ .

After connecting the meter cable C to the cable connector B _{1 as described above} , the clamp pieces (13) (13) are opened, and then the gripping means (12) is moved downward by the movement of the swing frame (20) as shown by d in FIG. The assembly jig (2) is swung to the relief position, and the assembly jig (2) is moved to the assembly position by the movement of the base frame (3) in this state, and the tool holders (6) and (6) at both ends are moved to the brackets as described above. W ₁
The end wall A ₁ of the instrument panel A and the central portion of the front edge of the panel A respectively with respect to the nut runner (8).
By the operation of (10), the bracket W ₁ and the dashboard upper are bolted to complete the assembly work of the instrument panel A.

As described above, when the instrument panel A, which is an interior part, is mounted on the vehicle body W, which is an assembly target, the meter cable C is connected to the cable connector B ₁ provided on the meter unit B built in the panel A. Although an example has been described, the present invention is also applicable to the case of connecting a cable to a cable connector of an interior part other than the instrument panel.

(Effect of the invention) As described above, according to the present invention, when assembling the interior part to the assembly object, the cable can be automatically and surely connected to the cable connector provided in the interior part, and the cable in the post process can be connected. There is an effect that the connection work becomes unnecessary and the productivity can be greatly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of an instrument panel assembling apparatus used for implementing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged cutaway side view of gripping means. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along the lines VV and VI-VI of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the operation of the gripping means, FIG. 8 is a front view of the setting jig, and FIG. 9 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 10 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an instrument panel. A …… Instrument panel (interior parts) B ₁ …… Cable connector C …… Meter cable C ₁ …… Cable connection end W …… Vehicle body (attached object) (2) …… Assembling jig, (12 ) ... Gripping means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP 59-53275 (JP, A) JP 59-37179 (JP, B2)

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim: What is claimed is: 1. An interior fixture for holding an interior part having a cable connector and assembling it on an object to be assembled, and holding an X-axis of a stationary coordinate relative to the fixture for the assembly jig. As the axis of the cable connector of the component, X is gripping means capable of gripping the connection end of the cable to be connected to the cable connector.
The assembly jig is provided so as to be movable back and forth in the axial direction, and when the assembly jig is moved to the assembly position where the interior parts are assembled to the assembly object, the assembly jig is located in front of the assembly position. The movement of the assembling jig is temporarily stopped at a predetermined position such that a space required to move the gripping means in the X-axis direction is secured between the interior parts held by The cable connecting end is gripped by the gripping means when stopped at the predetermined position in a state where the gripping means is advanced in the X-axis direction toward the cable that is preset at a predetermined setting position of the assembly, and then The gripping means is retracted in the X-axis direction to connect the cable connection end to the cable connector, and further, two orthogonal coordinate axes orthogonal to the X-axis of the stationary coordinate with respect to the assembly jig are defined as Y-axis and Z-axis. , The YZ coordinate plane formed by the Y-axis and the Z-axis of the gripping means on the assembly jig Before the gripping means is moved forward in the X-axis direction, the cable connector of the interior part held by the assembling jig is gripped by the gripping means before being supported so as to be movable to any position. The method for connecting a cable to an interior component, wherein the gripping means is positioned in the YZ coordinate plane so that the gripping center of the gripping axis coincides with the X axis.