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DE-102024132675-A1 - Centering device as well as system consisting of machining station and centering device and method for operating the centering device

DE102024132675A1DE 102024132675 A1DE102024132675 A1DE 102024132675A1DE-102024132675-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a centering device (1) with a gripping unit comprising two gripper jaws (2, 3) which are linearly displaceable in a gripper actuation direction (B) for opening and closing the gripping unit and each have a tool (4, 5) with a tool contour (6, 7), wherein a first gripper jaw (2) of the two gripper jaws (2, 3) has an arm (8) extending from the tool (4) in a substantially U-shaped form, with an opening of the U-shaped form being oriented perpendicular to the gripper actuation direction (B) and perpendicular to the cable feed direction (Z). The invention also relates to a system comprising a processing station for processing the cable and a centering device (1), as well as a method for operating a centering device (1).

Inventors

  • Benedikt Strauss

Assignees

  • MD ELEKTRONIK GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (10)

  1. Centering device (1) for the aligned receiving of a cable, in particular a multi-core cable, with a gripping unit comprising two gripper jaws (2, 3) which are linearly displaceable in a gripper actuation direction (B), in particular in opposite directions to each other, for opening and closing the gripping unit and each have a tool (4, 5) with a tool contour (6, 7), wherein the tool contours (6, 7) face each other in the gripper actuation direction (B), and wherein the tool contours (6, 7) extend along a cable feed direction (Z) perpendicular to the gripper actuation direction (B) in order to receive at least one core, in particular several cores, of the cable, characterized in that a first gripper jaw (2) of the two gripper jaws (2, 3) has an arm (8) which extends from the tool (4) with a substantially U-shaped profile, wherein an opening of the U-shaped profile is perpendicular is aligned with the gripper actuation direction (B) and perpendicular to the cable feed direction (Z).
  2. Centering device (1) according Claim 1 , characterized in that the gripping unit can be actuated between an open position and a closed position, wherein a second gripper jaw (3) of the two gripper jaws (2, 3) and the opening in the open position of the gripping unit are arranged offset from each other in the gripper actuation direction (B).
  3. Centering device (1) according Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the arm (8) of the first gripper jaw (2) has a tool interface (13) for the tool (4) and an actuating interface (11) for an actuator (10), wherein the tool interface (13) is formed on a first leg (16) of the stirrup-shaped section and the actuating interface (11) is formed on a second leg (17) of the stirrup-shaped section.
  4. Centering device (1) according Claim 3 , characterized in that the tool interface (13) is formed at a free end of the first leg (16) and/or the actuation interface (11) is formed at a free end of the second leg (17).
  5. Centering device (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the two gripper jaws (2, 3) each have a tool receptacle (13) for the detachable receptacle of the respective tool (4, 5).
  6. Centering device (1) according to one of the Claims 2 until 5 , characterized in that the tool contours (6, 7) are designed to hold at least one conductor of the cable in the closed position of the gripping unit.
  7. Centering device (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , with an actuator (10), in particular a linear actuator, for actuating the gripping unit, characterized in that the actuator (10) is designed to actuate the two gripper jaws (2, 3) synchronously.
  8. Centering device (1) according Claim 7 , characterized in that the actuator (10) is designed such that the two gripper jaws (2, 3) each have a stroke of the same magnitude for opening and closing.
  9. System consisting of a processing station for processing the cable and a centering device (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 , characterized in that the processing station and the centering device (1) are arranged transversely to the cable feed direction (Z) offset from each other.
  10. Method for operating a centering device (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 , comprising the following steps: - feeding the cable along the cable feed direction (Z), - closing the gripping unit, - opening the gripping unit, - leading the cable out along the cable feed direction (Z), characterized in that the feeding and leading out take place in the same direction along the cable feed direction (Z), wherein a free end of the cable is guided through the bow-shaped course of the arm (8) of the first gripper jaw (2) during feeding or leading out.

Description

Technical field The invention relates to a centering device for the aligned reception of a cable, comprising a gripping unit consisting of two gripper jaws. The invention also relates to a system comprising a processing station and the centering device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating the centering device. Background of the invention To precisely process the end of a cable, especially a multi-core cable, the cable end is stripped to expose the core(s). For further processing, the core is held in a centering device, with several cores aligned as closely as possible within a defined plane. After processing, the centering device is opened so that the cable can be transported further. Such a centering device is already known from the prior art. WO 2016/088088 A1 known. However, the problem is that the cable is fed into the centering device in a direction perpendicular/transverse to the cable's longitudinal axis and exited in a direction opposite to the feed direction. In particular, at least one (upper) gripper jaw blocks the path for the cable to pass through, i.e., for feeding and exiting in the same direction. This necessitates a complex cable conveying system to allow for the cable to exit, which in turn negatively impacts the compactness of the centering device. Brief description of the invention The object of the invention is therefore to provide a centering device as well as a system consisting of a processing station and the centering device and a method for operating the centering device, in which the centering device is designed to be as compact as possible and at the same time ensures a particularly effective and simple feeding and extraction of the cable into and out of the centering device. This problem is solved by a centering device with the features of claim 1 and by a system or method with the features of the dependent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. The centering device serves to align and hold a cable, particularly a multi-core cable. The centering device has a gripping unit consisting of two gripper jaws, i.e., a first gripper jaw and a second gripper jaw. To open and close the gripping unit, i.e., to actuate the gripping unit, the two gripper jaws are linearly displaceable in one gripper actuation direction (each). In particular, the two gripper jaws can be linearly displaceable in opposite directions to each other, i.e., towards each other (to close) and away from each other (to open). The two gripper jaws each have a tool with a tool contour. The tool contours face each other in the gripper actuation direction, i.e., they are arranged opposite each other in the gripper actuation direction. In particular, each tool contour can protrude in the direction of the tool contour of the other gripper jaw. The tool contours extend along a cable feed direction perpendicular to the gripper actuation direction in order to receive at least one conductor, and in particular several conductors, of the cable, especially in a form-fitting manner. This means that each tool contour (i.e., a respective cross-section of the tool contour) is designed to at least partially enclose a respective cross-section of the conductor(s) (around a longitudinal axis of the cable or the longitudinal axis of a single conductor). In particular, the tool contours are designed with a centering element, wherein a conductor of the cable can be received by the centering element. Preferably, the tool contours are designed with several centering elements, wherein a conductor of the cable can be received in each centering element, and preferably all conductors of the cable can be received in the several centering elements. The tool contours with the multiple centering means are preferably designed to accommodate the cable conductors between the tools, aligning their (individual) conductor longitudinal axes parallel to each other along the cable feed direction. In other words, the cable longitudinal axis, the gripper actuation direction, and the cable feed direction are each perpendicular to one another. According to one aspect of the present invention, the first gripper jaw has a (first) arm. In particular, the arm of the first gripper jaw can extend from the tool (the first gripper jaw). Preferably The arm of the first gripper jaw extends essentially in a plane perpendicular to the cable feed direction. The arm has an essentially U-shaped profile. A U-shaped profile is defined as a U-shape or a V-shape formed by two spaced-apart legs that are connected at one closed end and unconnected at the other. This means that the arm has two legs (essentially parallel or converging) that are spaced apart and connected at one end. Specifically, one (first/free) leg end can be connected or connectable to the tool of the first gripper jaw. The respective (second/closed) leg ends of the two legs can be directly connected, or the arm can have a (straight or curved) connecting link