Flexible automated manufacturing system

Claim 2

A flexible, automated cable harness fabrication system comprising: (a) wire preparation apparatus including means for removing wire from bulk storage and means for cutting said wire into predetermined lengths to form conductors, means for storing each of said conductors in individual container means, means for sequentially indexing said container means to a plurality of work stations, means for operating said work stations to prepare the ends of said conductors to form prepared conductors for use in said harness; (b) cable harness forming apparatus for sequentially routing individual ones of said prepared conductors along a predetermined path; (c) means for feeding or transporting the said prepared conductors from said wire preparation system to said cable harness forming system; and (d) computing means for processing cable harness design data and for providing operative control signals to said wire preparation apparatus and said cable harness forming apparatus to fabricate cable harness.

Claim 3

The system set forth in claim 1, wherein the wire preparation system includes a plurality of stations for terminating the wire ends with preselected electrical terminals.

Claim 4

The system set forth in claim 1, wherein the cable harness forming apparatus includes: means for presenting a prepared conductor to a selected end effector; means for loading said prepared conductor into said selected end effector; means for positioning said selected end effector for insertion of a first end of said prepared conductor into a desired first assembly point; means for inserting said first end of the prepared conductor into the first assembly point; means for routing said prepared conductor along a predetermined cable harness layout path; means for loading a second end of said prepared conductor into said selected end effector; means for positioning the end effector for insertion of said second end of said prepared conductor into a desired second assembly point; and means for inserting the second end of said prepared conductor into a desired second assembly point.

Claim 5

The system set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for positioning the end effector for the insertion of a terminated wire into a desired assembly point is an orthogonal robot capable of transporting the selected end effector in the X, Y and Z axes.

Claim 6

The system set forth in claim 3, wherein the selected end effector is chosen from a plurality of dedicated end effectors, each of which dedicated end effector is adapted to accommodate a specific style of prepared conductor.

Claim 7

A flexible automated wiring harness fabrication system comprising: (a) a wire preparation apparatus utilizing wire (conductor) of selected sizes and types stored in bulk form to produce prepared conductors (ready to assemble into a finished wiring harness) of a selected quantity and type; (b) a harness fabrication apparatus utilizing said prepared conductors to produce a wiring harness: (1) said wire preparation system including (a) means for removing selected lengths and types of wires from storage to form individual conductors of varying lengths and types; (b) a plurality of container means for individually storing each of said conductors; (c) a plurality of support means for supporting first and second ends of each of said individual conductors such that said first and second ends extend outward from the associated container and are substantially parallel to each other; (d) transport means supporting each of said plurality of container means and each of said plurality of support means in a selected relationship to each other; (e) indexing means for sequentially indexing each of said plurality of container at each of a plurality of work stations; (f) control means for selectively operating said work station to selectively perform wire preparation task on said first and second ends of each of said conductors to form prepared conductors; and (g) means for removing said prepared conductors from said wire preparation systems; (2) said harness fabrication apparatus comprising (a) a form board including means to secure each end of each of said prepared conductor comprising said harness and means for supporting each prepared conductor comprising said harness in the desired path; (b) a robot for acquiring each one of said prepared conductors, individually placing each end of each of said prepared conductors in associated support means and routing each of said prepared conductors of said harness along an associated path as defined by said form board, thereby: (c) providing an automated system for removing wire of selected sizes and types from bulk storage, cutting said wire into desired lengths to form conductors, preparing the end of said conductors and assembling said conductors into finished wiring harnesses.

Claim 8

A flexible automated wiring harness fabrication system comprising: (a) a wire preparation apparatus utilizing wire (conductor) of selected sizes and types stored in bulk form to produce prepared conductors (ready to assemble into a finished wiring harness) of a selected quantity and type; (b) a harness fabrication apparatus utilizing said prepared conductors to produce a wiring harness: (1) said wire preparation system including (a) means for removing selected lengths and types of wires from storage to form individual conductors of varying lengths and types; (b) a plurality of container means for individually storing each of said conductors; (c) a plurality of support means for supporting first and second ends of each of said individual conductors such that said first and second ends extend outward from the associated container and are substantially parallel to each other; (d) transport means supporting each of said plurality of container means and each of said plurality of support means in a selected relationship to each other; (e) indexing means for sequentially indexing each of said plurality of container at each of a plurality of work stations; (f) control means for selectively operating said work station to selectively perform wire preparation task on said first and second ends of each of said conductors to form prepared conductors; and (g) means for removing said prepared conductors from said wire preparation systems; (2) said harness fabrication apparatus comprising (a) a form board including means to secure each end of each of said prepared conductor comprising said harness and means for supporting each prepared conductor comprising said harness in the desired path; (b) a robot for acquiring each one of said prepared conductors, individually placing each end of each of said prepared conductors in associated support means and routing each of said prepared conductors of said harness along an associated path as defined by said form board, thereby: (c) providing an automated system for removing wire of selected sizes and types from bulk storage, cutting said wire into desired lengths to form conductors, preparing the end of said conductors and assembling said conductors into finished wiring harnesses.

Claim 9

A flexible automated wiring harness fabrication system comprising: (a) storage means for storing a plurality of wire types in bulk form; (b) apparatus for supporting the free end of each wire stored in bulk form; (c) a plurality of wire containers each adapted to store a predetermined length of a selected wire type; (d) apparatus for withdrawing a wire of a selected type from said bulk storage as the free end of said wire is supported in a fixed position causing a predetermined length of said wire to accumulate in a selected wire container; (e) shear apparatus for cutting said wire to remove a section of wire from said free end and at a second position selected to produce a conductor of a selected length; (f) first and second means for holding first and second ends of said conductor of a predetermined length such that said first and second ends extend outward from said container and are substantially parallel to each other; (g) a plurality of work stations each adapted to perform a selected conductor preparation function on at least one of said first and second ends; (h) transport means for supporting said container and said first and second holding means in a predetermined relationship to each other and for sequentially indexing said container and said means for holding said first and second ends to position said first and second ends within working range of each of said work stations; (i) control means for controlling said transport means to position selected ones of said first and second ends to selected work stations; (j) control means for controlling said selected work station to perform a selected preparation function on said selected end; (k) automated apparatus for assembling siad conductors to form said wiring harness.

Claim 10

A flexible automated wiring harness fabrication system comprising: (a) storage means for storing a plurality of wire types in bulk form; (b) apparatus for supporting the free end of each wire stored in bulk form; (c) a plurality of wire containers each adapted to store a predetermined length of a selected wire type; (d) apparatus for withdrawing a wire of a selected type from said bulk storage as the free end of said wire is supported in a fixed position causing a predetermined length of said wire to accumulate in a selected wire container; (e) shear apparatus for cutting said wire to remove a section of wire from said free end and at a second position selected to produce a conductor of a selected length; (f) first and second means for holding first and second ends of said conductor of a predetermined length such that said first and second ends extend outward from said container and are substantially parallel to each other; (g) a plurality of work stations each adapted to perform a selected conductor preparation function on at least one of said first and second ends; (h) transport means for supporting said container and said first and second holding means in a predetermined relationship to each other and for sequentially indexing said container and said means for holding said first and second ends to position said first and second ends within working range of each of said work stations; (i) control means for controlling said transport means to position selected ones of said first and second ends to selected work stations; (j) control means for controlling said selected work station to perform a selected preparation function on said selected end; (k) automated apparatus for assembling siad conductors to form said wiring harness.