Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-20
2001-01-30
Kincaid, Kristine (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180886
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improvement in securing a wire harness to a vehicle trim panel.
In the prior art, wire harnesses are utilized to bundle the control wires associated with vehicle systems. Wire harnesses are assembled at a wiring jig to route the wires to desired destinations, and to connect the wires to connectors as required. As an example, in an interior trim panel for a vehicle door, wires must go to and from a vehicle control, a power supply, and be connected to several components on the vehicle door. Included in the components typically mounted in a vehicle door are window controls, power door locks, and motor driven mirrors. In addition, electrical connections must be made between the vehicle stereo, and any speakers mounted within the door panel. In sum, there are many wires that must be connected into a wire harness for a vehicle trim panel such as a door panel.
The method of assembling a wire harness in the past has required an undesirably large number of steps. It is a goal of vehicle manufacturers to reduce the number of separate steps that must be performed to reach a final vehicle assembly. In addition, it is a goal to form as many modular components, from vehicle components as is possible.
The prior art method of assembling wire harnesses to trim panels has not been as modular as would be desirable. As an example,
FIG. 1
shows a highly schematic and very simplified wire harness jig
20
. Connectors
22
,
24
, and
26
are interconnected by wires
28
. Routing fork
31
guides wires
28
toward the connectors
24
and
26
. Routing fork
32
guides several of the wires to the connector
24
, while fork
34
guides a wire to connector
26
. As the wire harness is assembled, a worker individually places wires through the routing forks and to their appropriate destinations. The wiring harnesses are then taped to hold desired positions until they can be attached to a trim panel.
FIG. 1B
shows the second step in the process of attaching the wire harness
36
to the trim panel
38
. The wire harness and trim panel are typically shipped separately to an assembly line, where they are interconnected. Thus, the two processes generally occur at separate locations. Extra manufacturing steps are required to separately transport the wire harness to the trim panel location, and then assemble the two. It would be desirable to reduce the number of separate manufacturing steps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, welding stations are provided on the jig that are operable to actuate and secure holding strips, and thus captured wires, to the trim panel. In a first embodiment, the holding strips are formed of a material which may be actuated to secure the strip to the trim panel. In one example, the welding stations include ultrasonic members. In other examples the welding station could include vibration or heat applying members.
Initially, a strip is placed in the station. After the wire harness is assembled, similar to as shown in
FIG. 1A
, a trim panel is placed over the wire harness jig
20
. The welding station is then actuated to secure the strips, and thus the wires, to the trim panel.
In one embodiment, a pneumatic cylinder structure drives actuation members and the welding stations to contact the strip and hold the strip against the trim panel. The actuation members are preferably ultrasonic members mentioned above. The actuation members melt the material of the strip to secure the strip to the trim panel.
Preferably, the wire harness is assembled on an assembly line, and the wire assembly and routing occurs at a first station. The assembled wire harness thenamoves to a second station at which the trim panel is moved over the jig. At the same time, a pneumatic actuation structure drives the actuation members, which are preferably ultrasonic horns, through openings in a strap holding station, to achieve the welding.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, of which the following is a brief description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4360400 (1982-11-01), Davis et al.
patent: 4761871 (1988-08-01), O'Connor et al.
patent: 4853075 (1989-08-01), Leslie
patent: 4874908 (1989-10-01), Johansson
patent: 4971647 (1990-11-01), Leslie
patent: 5211784 (1993-05-01), Haibach et al.
patent: 5467520 (1995-11-01), Nunez et al.
patent: 5535511 (1996-07-01), Karasik
patent: 5929382 (1999-07-01), Moore et al.
patent: 3530413 (1987-02-01), None
patent: 3740593 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 4311188 (1994-10-01), None
patent: 0235924 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 2569146 (1986-08-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan; Publication No.: 03165476; Publication Date: Jul. 17, 1991; Title: Assembling Device For Wire Harness.
Krane Michael A.
Nagy Steve
Zuteck Mike
Kincaid Kristine
Lear Automotive Dearborn Inc.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Nino Adolfo
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