Method of making a wire harness

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacing therebetween, each wiring block carrying a bridge adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions extending from the bridge by equal amounts; (b) engaging one free end portion of a covered wire on one wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (c) extending said covered wire above a second wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (d) engaging the covered wire on said second wiring block to cut said wire at a predetermined position beyond the engaged portion thereof, said engaging and extending steps (b), (c), (d) including a feeding of said wire in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the harness and, step (d) further including a cutting of said wire at the site of said second wiring block independently of the presence of a second wire contiguous to said covered wire; (e) repeating the steps of (a) to (d) whereby a plurality of covered wires is laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (f) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge wherein said bridge has a nipping meands disposed nearby and each step of (b) and (d) includes a step of nipping said wire by said nipping means.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacing therebetween, each wiring block carrying a bridge adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions extending from the bridge by equal amounts; (b) engaging one free end portion of a covered wire on one wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (c) extending said covered wire above a second wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (d) engaging the covered wire on said second wiring block to cut said wire at a predetermined position beyond the engaged portion thereof, said engaging and extending steps (b), (c), (d) including a feeding of said wire in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the harness and, step (d) further including a cutting of said wire at the site of said second wiring block independently of the presence of a second wire contiguous to said covered wire; (e) repeating the steps of (a) to (d) whereby a plurality of covered wires is laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (f) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge wherein said bridge has a nipping meands disposed nearby and each step of (b) and (d) includes a step of nipping said wire by said nipping means.

Claim 3

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacing therebetween, each wiring block carrying a bridge adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions with suitable spacings therebetween and with said end portions extending from the bridge by equal amounts; (b) engaging one free end portion of a covered wire on one wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (c) extending said covered wire above a second wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (d) engaging the covered wire on said second wiring block to cut said wire at a predetermined position beyond the engaged portion thereof, said engaging and said extending steps (b), (c), (d) including a feeding of said wire in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the harness and, step (d) further including a cutting of said wire at the site of said second wiring block independently of the presence of a second wire contiguous to said covered wire; and (e) repeating the steps of (a) to (d), whereby a plurality of covered wires is laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (f) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge, said fastening including a bending of partitions of respective ones of said wiring blocks about a covered wire to form an arch thereabout.

Claim 4

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacing therebetween, each wiring block carrying a bridge adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions with suitable spacings therebetween and with said end portions extending from the bridge by equal amounts; (b) engaging one free end portion of a covered wire on one wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (c) extending said covered wire above a second wiring block of said plurality of wiring blocks; (d) engaging the covered wire on said second wiring block to cut said wire at a predetermined position beyond the engaged portion thereof, said engaging and said extending steps (b), (c), (d) including a feeding of said wire in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the harness and, step (d) further including a cutting of said wire at the site of said second wiring block independently of the presence of a second wire contiguous to said covered wire; and (e) repeating the steps of (a) to (d), whereby a plurality of covered wires is laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (f) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge, said fastening including a bending of partitions of respective ones of said wiring blocks about a covered wire to form an arch thereabout.

Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacings therebetween on a work table, each wiring block detachably carrying a bridge thereon adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions with suitable spacings therebetween; (b) paying out a covered wire substantially vertically from above to direct a free end thereof toward the work table; (c) translating said covered wire toward a first wiring block selected from said plurality of wiring blocks to bring said wire into contact therewith sideways, said translating step being continued to lay the wire on the first block; (d) stopping said translating step to clamp the wire on the first wiring block; (e) resuming the translating step to impart the clamped wire with tension while further paying out the same from above; (f) engaging the clamped wire in a stretched condition with the bridge on said first wiring block at a first point spaced apart from the free end by a predetermined distance; (g) continuing said resumed translating and paying-out step to extend, in a stretched condition, the covered wire above a second wiring block selected from said plurality of wiring blocks; (h) engaging the said covered wire with the bridge on said second wiring block; (i) maintaining said stretched condition to clamp the wire on the second wiring block at a predetermined position; (j) cutting the wire at a second point beyond said predetermined position and spaced apart from the bridge by a predetermined distance; (k) repeating the steps (a) to (j) whereby a plurality of covered wires are laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (l) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge.

Claim 10

A method of manufacturing a wire harness comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of wiring blocks at predetermined spacings therebetween on a work table, each wiring block detachably carrying a bridge thereon adapted to hold a plurality of covered wires thereon at their end portions with suitable spacings therebetween; (b) paying out a covered wire substantially vertically from above to direct a free end thereof toward the work table; (c) translating said covered wire toward a first wiring block selected from said plurality of wiring blocks to bring said wire into contact therewith sideways, said translating step being continued to lay the wire on the first block; (d) stopping said translating step to clamp the wire on the first wiring block; (e) resuming the translating step to impart the clamped wire with tension while further paying out the same from above; (f) engaging the clamped wire in a stretched condition with the bridge on said first wiring block at a first point spaced apart from the free end by a predetermined distance; (g) continuing said resumed translating and paying-out step to extend, in a stretched condition, the covered wire above a second wiring block selected from said plurality of wiring blocks; (h) engaging the said covered wire with the bridge on said second wiring block; (i) maintaining said stretched condition to clamp the wire on the second wiring block at a predetermined position; (j) cutting the wire at a second point beyond said predetermined position and spaced apart from the bridge by a predetermined distance; (k) repeating the steps (a) to (j) whereby a plurality of covered wires are laid out between intended wiring blocks; and (l) fastening each covered wire to the related bridge.