Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-07
2002-08-20
Patel, Ramesh (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S098000, C700S095000, C700S083000, C700S017000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06438435
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 9-181138 filed on Jul. 7, 1997 and Hei 10-189994 filed on Jul. 6, 1998 including specification, claims, drawings and summary are incorporated herein by reference in entirety.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates an apparatus and a method for generating a wiring harness diagram used for manufacturing of wiring harnesses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, various apparatuses for automatically manufacturing wiring harnesses have been proposed such as Japanese patent laid open publication No. SHO 63-58712 and others. In order to manufacture wiring harnesses with the apparatuses, the following steps need to be carried out before the manufacturing processes. At first, a wiring condition is determined in accordance with given circuit diagram(s). Then, the wiring harness(es) independent from others (hereinafter referred to as independent wiring harness) is found based on the wiring condition thus determined. Thereafter, connection between connectors, a length of wire(s) allocated between the connectors and a type of the wire(s) in the independent wiring harness should be obtained.
These steps require a certain period of experience. Even though, the designer of the wiring harness(es) has enough experience in designing thereof, there is still a high probability of making mistakes and/or miscalculations when wiring harnesses have a complex wiring. Further, the designer needs to carry out the steps again whenever a circuit diagram(s) is redesigned, so that the efficiency of the manufactured harness will be relatively low.
SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned problems associated with prior art, and to provide an apparatus and a method capable of easily generating and modifying a wiring harness diagram being used for manufacturing of wiring harnesses.
In accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the operator obtains a desired wiring arrangement diagram by using entity input means and numeral value input means by referring to entities and length information displayed on display means while generating wiring harness information including a total length of the wiring between each connector in the desired wiring arrangement in accordance with the entities and the length information of the desired wiring arrangement. Therefore, it is possible to generate the wiring harness information including a total length of the wiring between each connector easily as well as inputting the desired wiring arrangement by referred to the displays.
Also, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, connection information representing connections between each of the connectors are inputted to the apparatus of the present invention. In this way, the wiring harness information including connections between the connectors can easily be generated.
Further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the connection information are inputted from an apparatus for designing circuits in the apparatus of the present invention. It is therefore possible to use the connection information being used during the design work with the apparatus of the present invention.
Still further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, an entity representing a connection between the connectors is also inputted in the apparatus of the present invention. In this way, a desired wiring arrangement can be inputted while displaying connections between the connectors on a display screen.
In accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the wiring harness information for outputting a wiring diagram illustrated in actual lengths of the wirings are generated in accordance with the entities and the length information. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a wiring substrate by fixing the wiring diagram thereon illustrated in actual size on the substrate at a proper position.
Also, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, a wiring arrangement diagram not illustrating actual length of the wirings is displayed on the display device while outputting the wiring diagram illustrating actual length of the wiring from a printing device. In this way, the wiring diagram can easily be previewed on the display screen while obtaining the wiring diagram illustrated in actual size on a paper.
Further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the wiring harness information of an independent wiring harness being connected to each other as a group are generated in accordance with the entities and the length information. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an independent wiring harness diagram or the like by just inputting an overall wiring arrangement diagram.
Still further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the wiring harness information of the independent wiring harnesses including the connection information of each terminal between each connector is generated by additionally considering the connection information of each terminal between each of the connectors thus inputted. It is therefore possible to generate the independent harness diagram illustrating greater details.
In addition, the connection information of each terminal between each of the connectors corresponds to the entity representing the connector, binding part and the wiring. In this way, it is possible to recognize details of the connection data easily.
Further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, a judgement is carried out whether or not connection status of wiring in the independent wiring harness being extracted comply with a predetermined rule. It is therefore possible to judge whether or not the independent wiring harness which will be extracted comply with the predetermined rule by just inputting the overall wiring arrangement diagram. As a result, an independent wiring harness which does not comply with the rule can be rejected during the generation of the overall wiring arrangement diagram.
Still further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, correction of a given length of the wiring is performed by considering a length of displacement in actual wiring work as a correction value. In this way, the wiring harness having accurate length can be obtained in consideration of the length of displacement in the actual wiring work.
In accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the correction value at least includes a length caused by displacement of the wiring work or a margin for crimping the connector terminals. It is therefore possible to avoid displacement caused by the wiring work or the margin for crimping the connector terminals both having a great influence on the displacement during the actual wiring work.
Also, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, part of the wiring harness information is provided to a wiring harness manufacturing device, the part of the wiring harness information being used in the wiring harness manufacturing device. In this way, data used in the wiring harness manufacturing device can be set automatically.
Further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, the wiring harness diagram is generated by performing the steps of: displaying connector and binding parts on a display screen and connecting therebetween with wiring as well as providing connection data between each connector, providing a length of the wiring connecting the connectors and the binding parts, and outputting the independent wiring harness diagram being connected to each other as a group in accordance with the wiring arrangement diagram and the length of the wiring. It is therefore possible to obtain the independent harness diagram easily while inputting a predetermined wiring arrangement while referring to the displays on the display screen.
Still further, in accordance with characteristics of the present invention, a substrate for wiring is manufactured by pe
Shimizu Kaneyoshi
Wada Akio
J.S.T. Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Patel Ramesh
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