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EP-4312232-B1 - AUTOMATED WIRE TAPING SYSTEM

EP4312232B1EP 4312232 B1EP4312232 B1EP 4312232B1EP-4312232-B1

Inventors

  • CARROLO, Nuno
  • Jianliang, Qiu
  • MANTERYS, Marek

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230704

Claims (17)

  1. An automated wire taping system comprising: a robot (2) having an arm (6) and a taping head (36) mounted on the arm (6) configured for wrapping tape around one or more cables; a tape roll cassette (34) including a body (8), a roll of tape rotatably mounted to the body (8) and at least one releasable connector (25) for connecting the cassette (34) to the taping head (36); characterized in that the automated wire taping system comprises a storage device including a holder (82) for receiving the cassette (34), wherein the storage device includes a release device arranged to automatically operate the at least one releasable connector (25) to disconnect the cassette (34) from the taping head (36).
  2. An automated wire taping system according to claim 1, wherein the release device is arranged to operate the at least one releasable connector (25) when the cassette (34) is docked within the holder (82).
  3. An automated wire taping system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one releasable connector (25) includes a locking element reconfigurable between a locked configuration that prevents release of the connector and a release configuration that allows the tape roll cassette (34) to be disconnected from the taping head (36), and a release mechanism for allowing the locking element to move to the release configuration, and wherein the release device is arranged to operate the release mechanism to allow the taping head (36) to disconnect from the tape roll cassette (34).
  4. An automated wire taping system according to claim 3, wherein the release mechanism comprises a linear actuator (53).
  5. An automated wire taping system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to automatically move to the locked configuration when received by the taping head (36).
  6. An automated wire taping system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the holder (82) is configured to hold and retain the tape roll cassette (34) when it is disconnected from the taping head (36).
  7. An automated wire taping system according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of tape roll cassette (34)s and wherein the storage device comprises a plurality of corresponding holders (82) for holding each of the respective plurality of tape roll cassettes (34).
  8. An automated wire taping system according to claim 7, wherein each holder (82) includes a release device arranged to release the tape roll cassette (34) held by the respective holder (82).
  9. An automated wire taping system according to claim 8, wherein each tape roll cassette (34) includes an upper surface to which the tape roll is mounted and an opposing lower surface, the at least one releasable connector (25) projects from the lower surface, and the holders (82) are configured to hold the tape roll cassettes (34) in an orientation in which the lower surface faces away from the storage device for connection to by the taping head (36).
  10. An automated wire taping system according to claim 9, further comprising a processor for operating the robot (2), wherein the processor is programmed with information relating to the location of each holder (82) and the location of each tape roll cassette (34) on the storage device and is operable to control the taping robot (2) to deposit a tape roll cassette (34) at a selected one of said plurality of holders (82) and/or connect to a selected tape roll cassette (34) held with one of said plurality of holders (82).
  11. An automated wire taping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the taping head (36) includes a mounting disc (24) rotatable relative to the body (8) and a drive mechanism for rotating the mounting disc (24), and the tape roll cassette (34) is releasably connected to the mounting disc (24) such that rotation of the mounting disc (24) rotates the tape roll cassette (34).
  12. An automated wire taping system according to claim 11, wherein the mounting disc (24) includes a first channel for receiving a cable and the tape roll cassette (34) includes a second channel for receiving a cable and the first and second channels (47) align when the tape roll cassette (34) connects to the mounting disc (24).
  13. An automated wire taping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the storage device comprises one or more vertically arranged support structures to which the holders (82) are mounted, and the holders (82) are configured to hold the respective tape roll cassettes (34) such that the lower surface of each tape roll cassette (34) is arranged in the vertical plane and the at least one releasable connector (25) extends horizontally away from the storage device.
  14. An automated wire taping system according to claim 13, wherein the storage device has an outer surface, and the plurality of holders (82) are located at varying locations around the outer surface and the storage device is reconfigurable to move selected holders (82) to a docking location where said selected holders (82) are accessible to the taping head (36) for docking or removing tape roll cassettes (34).
  15. An automated wire taping system according to any preceding claim, further comprising an assembly board having a plurality of wiring supports for holding the wires of a wiring harness in position on the assembly board, wherein the robot (2) is operable and arranged to wrap tape around wires held on the assembly board and to acquire and/or deposit tape roll cassettes (34) at the storage device.
  16. An automated wire taping system according to claim 15, further comprising a processor for operating the robot (2), wherein the processor is programmed with information relating to the sections of wires to be taped, the taping operation required for each section of wiring to be taped and the tape roll cassette (34) necessary to perform the required taping operation, the location of each holder (82) on the storage device and the location of each tape roll cassette (34) on the storage device and is operable to control the taping robot (2) to acquire a tape roll from one of said plurality of holders (82) and to control the robot (2) to perform a taping operation using said tape roll cassette (34).
  17. An automated wire taping system according to claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to control the root to deposit a tape roll cassette (34) at a selected one of said plurality of holders (82) when it is required to replace said tape roll cassette (34).

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION The present disclosure relates to an automated wire taping system including a taping robot and a cassette system for automatically replacing the tape roll. BACKGROUND A vehicle wiring harness or wiring loom is a bundle of electrical cables used in automotive applications to transmit electrical power supply or data signals around a vehicle. Wiring harnesses are pre-assembled with the cables arranged in the correct routing lengths and configurations and bound together for example using tape, clips, cable ties, or conduits. The terminal ends of the cables are provided with connector elements for electrical connection to the associated in-vehicle components. The wiring harness is also provided with body clips at various locations along its limbs for mechanically connecting the cable harness to various structures within the vehicle. CN110444344A discloses a thin type full automatic adhesive tape winding machine head and device and a method therefor and belongs to the field of automation equipment. A full automatic winding device for winding adhesive tapes on positions with drops such as corrugated pipes and root parts of wire bodies is designed in the invention to solve problems in technologies of the prior art. US 2015/0096688 A1 discusses a hand-carried taping machine for taping an elongated object is disclosed. The machine includes a powered gear set operably coupled to a body and powered by a drive system. An applicator head includes a substantially C-shaped gear in meshing engagement with the powered gear set such that the substantially C-shaped gear rotates about an application axis under control of the drive system, and a tape reel mount for rotatably mounting a reel of tape on the substantially C-shaped gear for rotation about the application axis and application of the tape to the elongated object. CN108455356A discloses a portable automatic adhesive tape winding device which comprises a housing, a mounting plate rotatably arranged in the housing, a wire harness penetrating hole, an adhesive tape supply device and an adhesive tape winding driving device, wherein the wire harness penetrating hole is of a through hole structure penetrating through the housing and the mounting plate simultaneously and is formed in the rotating center of the mounting plate; the adhesive tape supply device comprises an adhesive tape mounting base for placing an adhesive tape roll and a hold-down mechanism capable of extruding the adhesive tape. JPH0761415A provides a rotary drive means such as torque motor, rotating member for winding an adhesive tape round an item to be bound such as wires bound in a bundle, frame for supporting the rotating member, tape retaining mechanism for retaining the tape to swing it, stopper mechanism for stopping the member at a predetermined rotational position, and tape cutting mechanism for cutting the tape. In a common assembly process a wiring harness is manufactured on a harness assembly board or workbench. The harness assembly board typically comprises a schematic of the wiring routes and labelling indicating the components required at each associated location along the harness. A series of routing forks mounted on the harness assembly board support the wiring bundles. The electrical components are retained in mountings on the assembly board for connection to the cables. The harness assembly board also includes body clip holders to hold and retain the body clips during assembly. A wiring bundle comprises a plurality of electrical cables. Adhesive tape is used to bind the electrical cables together along their length, along commonly routed sections of the harness. A taping robot may be used to automate the process of taping the cables. A taping robot comprises a multi axis robot having a taping head. The taping head includes a tape roll and a winding mechanism for winding the tape around a wiring bundle to wrap the cables. The winding mechanism includes a rotary plate and a feed mechanism that feeds tape from the tap roll to the rotary plate. The rotary plate is rotated about the cables to apply tape to the cables. As the rotary plate is rotated in a first rotational direction the robot moves the taping head axially along the wiring bundle in a second direction such that tape is applied along a given length of cable. A cutter mounted on the taping head cuts the tape once the taping process is completed. A taping robot can automatically tape a series of wiring bundles without requiring manual intervention. However, when the tape is expended, or it is necessary to use a different coloured tape, and the tape roll must be replaced by an operator. The taping robot must be stopped while the tape roll is replaced, which requires the entire assembly line to be halted. An operator must then manually disconnect and remove the tape roll from the taping head and replace it with a new tape roll, which is manually loaded onto the taping head. Typically, the change over time to replace a