Wiring assist device for use in the fabrication of wire harnesses

Claim 2

Apparatus for assisting a wireman in the fabrication of a wire harness, said harness including a plurality of terminal plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of projecting pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs upon the plug-in attachment thereof by the wireman, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles of said plugs such that each terminal and cylindrical receptacle is associatively represented by one of said indicators, c. first semi-conductor means electrically connected to at least a predetermined pair of indicators and effective for actuating said pair upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected by the wireman in performing a predetermined wiring sequence, said first semi-conductor means being electrically connectible successively to other pairs of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of associated cylindrical receptacles to be connected in said predetermined sequence, and d. second semi-conductor means electrically coupled to said first semi-conductor means and connectible via said succeeding pairs of cylindrical receptacles to said other pairs of indicators to thereby switchably control said first semiconductor means to actuate succeeding pairs of indicators when all pairs of cylindrical receptacles corresponding to previously actuated pairs of indicators have been properly interconnected.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first semi-conductor means includes one indicator switching member associated with each step in said predetermined wiring sequence, each of said indicator switching members being connectible to any and all of said indicators in a different one of said indicator arrays.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second semi-conductor means includes one indicator switching control member associated with each step in said predetermined wiring sequence, each of said control members being connectible to a predetermined one of said cylindrical receptacles in the one of said terminal arrays associated with a common step in said wiring sequence and coupled with both an indicator switching member associated with said common step and with a switching member associated with the next succeeding step in said wiring sequence.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said indicator switching members of said first semi-conductor means is a first transistor having two conducting states and being operative in a first of said states to actuate said pair of indicators connected thereto and in a second of said states to deactuate said pair of indicators.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said indicator switching control members of said second semi-conductor means is a second transistor being operative upon the electrical interconnection of said associated pairs of cylindrical receptacles for biasing the first transistor commonly associated with a discrete step in said predetermined wiring sequence in said second state and for biasing another first transistor associated with a next step in said sequence in a said first state.

Claim 7

Apparatus for assisting a wireman in the fabrication of a wire harness, said harness including a plurality of terminal plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of projecting pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs upon the plug-in attachment thereof by the wireman, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles of said plugs such that each terminal and cylindrical receptacle is associatively represented by one of said indicators, c. first semi-conductor means electrically connected to a predetermined trio of indicators and effective for actuating said trio upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and a selected wire that is to be used therefor in performing a predetermined wiring sequence, said first semi-conductor means being electrically connectible successively to other trios of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and the selected wires to be used therefor, and d. second semi-conductor means electrically coupled to said first semi-conductor means and connectible via said succeeding elected wires and pairs of cylindrical receptacles to said other trios of indicators to thereby switChably control said first semi-conductor means to actuate succeeding trios of indicators when all pairs of cylindrical receptacles corresponding to previously actuated trios of indicators have been properly interconnected.

Claim 8

Apparatus for assisting a wireman in the fabrication of a wire harness, said harness including a plurality of terminal plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of projecting pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs upon the plug-in attachment thereof by the wireman, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles of said plugs such that each terminal and cylindrical receptacle is associatively represented by one of said indicators, c. first semi-conductor means electrically connected to a predetermined trio of indicators and effective for actuating said trio upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and a selected wire that is to be used therefor in performing a predetermined wiring sequence, said first semi-conductor means being electrically connectible successively to other trios of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and the selected wires to be used therefor, and d. second semi-conductor means electrically coupled to said first semi-conductor means and connectible via said succeeding elected wires and pairs of cylindrical receptacles to said other trios of indicators to thereby switChably control said first semi-conductor means to actuate succeeding trios of indicators when all pairs of cylindrical receptacles corresponding to previously actuated trios of indicators have been properly interconnected.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said first semi-conductor means includes a first transistor associated with each step in said predetermined wiring sequence, said first transistor having two conducting states and being operative in a first of said states to actuate said trio of indicators connected thereto and in a second of said states to deactuate said trio of indicators.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said second semi-conductor means includes a second transistor associated with each step in said predetermined wiring sequence, each of said second transistors being operative upon the electrical interconnection of said associated pairs of cylindrical receptacles for biasing the first transistor commonly associated with a discrete step in said predetermined wiring sequence in said second state and for biasing another first transistor associated with a next step in said sequence in a said first state.

Claim 11

Apparatus for assisting a wireman in the fabrication of a wire harness, said harness including a plurality of terminal plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of projecting pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs upon the plug-in attachment thereof by the wireman, said terminals being associated in predetermined groups corresponding to steps in a predetermined wiring sequence required in the fabrication of said wire harness, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles of said plugs such that each terminal and cylindrical receptacle is associatively represented by one of said indicators, said indicators being associated in groups corresponding to said predetermined groups of terminals, c. a plurality of indicator switching members each associated with a different terminal group in said predetermined sequence, a predetermined one of said switching members being electrically connected to a predetermined group of indicators and effective for actuating said group of indicators upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected in said predetermined wiring sequence, the remaining ones of said switching members being electrically connectible successively to other groups of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of associated cylindrical receptacles to be connected in said sequence, d. a plurality of switching control members for controlling connected ones of said switching members in response to a completed intra-connection of an associated terminal group, e. first means connecting each of said switching members to an indicator group corresponding to its associated terminal group, f. second means connecting each of said switching control members to a commonly associated switching member and to a switching member associated with the next succeeding terminal group in the sequence, and g. third means interconnecting successive terminal groups such that each of said control members in response to the intra-connection of its associated terminal group and all preceding terminal groups controls said commonly associated switching member to deactuate said indicator group connected thereto and controls said switching member associated with the next succeeding terminal group to actuate said indicator group connected thereto, whereby at any point in said predetermined wiring sequence, upon the chance diSturbance of a previously made intra-connection between preceding terminal groups, the control member associated with the terminal group next to be intra-connected will control its commonly associated switching member to deactuate said switching member associated with said next succeeding terminal group and actuate the switching member commonly associated with the indicator group and terminal group representing that point in the wiring sequence where said chance disturbance has occurred, to thereby automatically alert the wireman as to the fact and location of said disturbance.

Claim 12

Apparatus for assisting a wireman in the fabrication of a wire harness, said harness including a plurality of terminal plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of projecting pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs upon the plug-in attachment thereof by the wireman, said terminals being associated in predetermined groups corresponding to steps in a predetermined wiring sequence required in the fabrication of said wire harness, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles of said plugs such that each terminal and cylindrical receptacle is associatively represented by one of said indicators, said indicators being associated in groups corresponding to said predetermined groups of terminals, c. a plurality of indicator switching members each associated with a different terminal group in said predetermined sequence, a predetermined one of said switching members being electrically connected to a predetermined group of indicators and effective for actuating said group of indicators upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected in said predetermined wiring sequence, the remaining ones of said switching members being electrically connectible successively to other groups of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of associated cylindrical receptacles to be connected in said sequence, d. a plurality of switching control members for controlling connected ones of said switching members in response to a completed intra-connection of an associated terminal group, e. first means connecting each of said switching members to an indicator group corresponding to its associated terminal group, f. second means connecting each of said switching control members to a commonly associated switching member and to a switching member associated with the next succeeding terminal group in the sequence, and g. third means interconnecting successive terminal groups such that each of said control members in response to the intra-connection of its associated terminal group and all preceding terminal groups controls said commonly associated switching member to deactuate said indicator group connected thereto and controls said switching member associated with the next succeeding terminal group to actuate said indicator group connected thereto, whereby at any point in said predetermined wiring sequence, upon the chance diSturbance of a previously made intra-connection between preceding terminal groups, the control member associated with the terminal group next to be intra-connected will control its commonly associated switching member to deactuate said switching member associated with said next succeeding terminal group and actuate the switching member commonly associated with the indicator group and terminal group representing that point in the wiring sequence where said chance disturbance has occurred, to thereby automatically alert the wireman as to the fact and location of said disturbance.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said first, said second, and said third means are electrically conductive wires fixedly joining respective elements.

Claim 14

A wiring assist device for use by a wireman in fabricating a predetermined wire harness, said harness including a plurality of electrical plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles such that each terminal and corresponding cylindrical receptacle is represented by one of said indicators, c. first semi-conductor means electrically connected to a predetermined trio of indicators and effective for actuating said trio upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and a selected wire that is to be used therefor in a predetermined wiring sequence, said first semi-conductor means being electrically connectible successively to other trios of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and the selected wires to be used therefor, said first semi-conductor means including a plurality of indicator switching members, d. second semi-conductor means electrically coupled to said first semi-conductor means and connectible via said succeeding selected wires and pairs of cylindrical receptacles to said other trios of indicators to thereby switchably control said first semi-conductor means to actuate succeeding trios of indicators when all pairs of cylindrical receptacles corresponding to previously actuated trios of indicators have been properly interconnected, said second semi-conductor means including a plurality of switching control members, e. first means connecting each of said switching members to a trio of indicators corresponding to an associated pair of cylindrical receptacles, f. second means connecting each of said switching control members to a commonly associated switching member and to a switching member associated with the next succeeding trio of indicators and pair of cylindrical receptacles involved in the predetermined sequence, and g. third means interconnecting successive pairs of cylindrical receptacles such that each of said control members in response to the intra-connection of its associated pair of receptacles and all preceding pairs of receptacles controls said commonly associated switching member to deactuate the trio of indicators connected thereto and controls the switching member associated with the next succeeding pair of receptacles to actuate the trio of indicators connected thereto, whereby at any point in the predetermined sequence, upon the chance disturbance of a previously made intra-connection between preceding pairs of receptacles, the control member associated with the pair of receptacles next to be intra-connected will control its commonly associated switching member to deactuate said switching member associated with said next succeeding pair of termInals and actuate the switching member commonly associated with the trio of terminals and pair of receptacles representing that point in the wiring sequence where said chance disturbance has occurred, to thereby automatically alert the wireman as to the fact and location of said disturbance.

Claim 15

A wiring assist device for use by a wireman in fabricating a predetermined wire harness, said harness including a plurality of electrical plugs each representing a separate leg thereof, each of said plugs having a plurality of pins arranged on one side thereof and a corresponding number of communicating cylindrical receptacles disposed on the opposite side, said apparatus having initiating means and comprising: a. a plurality of arrays of electrical terminals, each of said arrays being effective for receiving said pins of one of said plugs, b. a plurality of arrays of actuatable indicators associated with said terminal arrays and with said cylindrical receptacles such that each terminal and corresponding cylindrical receptacle is represented by one of said indicators, c. first semi-conductor means electrically connected to a predetermined trio of indicators and effective for actuating said trio upon activation of said initiating means to thereby indicate a first pair of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and a selected wire that is to be used therefor in a predetermined wiring sequence, said first semi-conductor means being electrically connectible successively to other trios of indicators to thereby switchably actuate said indicators to indicate succeeding pairs of cylindrical receptacles to be connected and the selected wires to be used therefor, said first semi-conductor means including a plurality of indicator switching members, d. second semi-conductor means electrically coupled to said first semi-conductor means and connectible via said succeeding selected wires and pairs of cylindrical receptacles to said other trios of indicators to thereby switchably control said first semi-conductor means to actuate succeeding trios of indicators when all pairs of cylindrical receptacles corresponding to previously actuated trios of indicators have been properly interconnected, said second semi-conductor means including a plurality of switching control members, e. first means connecting each of said switching members to a trio of indicators corresponding to an associated pair of cylindrical receptacles, f. second means connecting each of said switching control members to a commonly associated switching member and to a switching member associated with the next succeeding trio of indicators and pair of cylindrical receptacles involved in the predetermined sequence, and g. third means interconnecting successive pairs of cylindrical receptacles such that each of said control members in response to the intra-connection of its associated pair of receptacles and all preceding pairs of receptacles controls said commonly associated switching member to deactuate the trio of indicators connected thereto and controls the switching member associated with the next succeeding pair of receptacles to actuate the trio of indicators connected thereto, whereby at any point in the predetermined sequence, upon the chance disturbance of a previously made intra-connection between preceding pairs of receptacles, the control member associated with the pair of receptacles next to be intra-connected will control its commonly associated switching member to deactuate said switching member associated with said next succeeding pair of termInals and actuate the switching member commonly associated with the trio of terminals and pair of receptacles representing that point in the wiring sequence where said chance disturbance has occurred, to thereby automatically alert the wireman as to the fact and location of said disturbance.