US4388142A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical harness forming machine
Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
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Filing: 1980-12-09
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Granted: 1983-06-14
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Expires: 2000-12-09
Abstract
Abstract An electrical wiring harness is formed as a flat tape by securing individual leads side-by-side by a bonding material which is itself in the form of tape. With the bonding material in a potentially bond-forming condition, for example softened by heat, the leads and the bonding material are combined by pressure in a roll nip. It is known to lay the leads out along a work top and move a heating and combining unit along the leads to form the harness. However, the machine is very long, requires turntables at each end to turn the combining unit, and leaves the harness in an inconvenient form for further handling. The leads and bonding material 12 are drawn past combining means 40, 24, 26 by a winding drum 22, which winds up into the form of a coil a harness so formed.
Inventors
- 👤 Gaetan Hembert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:17
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01B; H01B13/00; H01B13/012; H01B13/01254; H01B7/00; H01B7/08; H01B7/0846; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1712; Y10T156/1741; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/532; Y10T29/53243
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A harness-forming machine for use in forming an electrical wiring harness in the form of a tape by securing together side-by-side a plurality of leads which have terminal fittings pre-fitted at least on the leading ends thereof, the machine comprising activating means comprising a hot-air blower operable to direct hot air at bonding material drawn therepast to cause it to assume a potentially bond-forming condition, combining means comprising opposed rollers providing a roll nip arranged to bring together the leads and the bonding material, in its potentially bond-forming condition, into a required tape form as the leads and the bonding material are drawn therethrough after the bonding material has been drawn past said hot-air blower, and lead drawing means arranged to cause the leads, and the bonding material therewith, to be drawn through the combining means and the harness so formed to be wound up into the form of a coil, said drawing means comprising winding means comprising lead holding means mounted on a winding drum, said lead holding means being arranged to engage the terminal fittings on the leading ends of the leads in order that the winding means can wind up the harness on the drum, one of said opposed rollers of the combining meand being mounted for movement away from the other to permit the introduction of leads therebetween when setting up the machine to form a harness, and said hot-air blower being mounted for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position to which it can be moved when not required in its operative position during formation of a harness.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A harness-forming machine for use in forming an electrical wiring harness in the form of a tape by securing together side-by-side a plurality of leads which have terminal fittings pre-fitted at least on the leading ends thereof, the machine comprising activating means comprising a hot-air blower operable to direct hot air at bonding material drawn therepast to cause it to assume a potentially bond-forming condition, combining means comprising opposed rollers providing a roll nip arranged to bring together the leads and the bonding material, in its potentially bond-forming condition, into a required tape form as the leads and the bonding material are drawn therethrough after the bonding material has been drawn past said hot-air blower, and lead drawing means arranged to cause the leads, and the bonding material therewith, to be drawn through the combining means and the harness so formed to be wound up into the form of a coil, said drawing means comprising winding means comprising lead holding means mounted on a winding drum, said lead holding means being arranged to engage the terminal fittings on the leading ends of the leads in order that the winding means can wind up the harness on the drum, one of said opposed rollers of the combining meand being mounted for movement away from the other to permit the introduction of leads therebetween when setting up the machine to form a harness, and said hot-air blower being mounted for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position to which it can be moved when not required in its operative position during formation of a harness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A machine according to claim 1 in which an upper one of the rollers is mounted in association with an extractor hood from which a conduit leads to extracting means, the roller and the hood being movable towards and away from the other of the two rollers between withdrawn and operative positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A machine according to claim 1 in which said lead holding means comprises means providing at least one open-ended slot into which portions of the leads immediately behind the terminal fittings can be inserted, so that the terminal fittings will be engaged by the holding means upon rotation of the winding means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A machine according to claim 3 in which the holding means is pivotally mounted on or adjacent the periphery of the drum, for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the drum, the holding means comprising a portion which extends inwardly of the drum into a recess in the drum and provides said at least one open-ended slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A machine according to claim 1 in which the winding means comprises a drum portion which can be partially collapsed radially to ease removal of a coiled harness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A machine according to claim 1 comprising separating means arranged to be operated at a predetermined position along the length of a harness being formed, in use of the machine, to break out a lead so that that lead, from said predetermined position in the harness onwards, is prevented from being combined into the harness by the combining means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A machine according to claim 1 comprising tape supplying means arranged to guide a bonding tape to the combining means for combination of the bonding tape with the leads in formation of a harness.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-06-13 | 1986-12-13 | 1987-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-13 | 1990-12-13 | 1991-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-13 | 1994-12-13 | 1995-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |