Search

EP-4736053-A1 - METHOD FOR PLANNING CABLE RUNS

EP4736053A1EP 4736053 A1EP4736053 A1EP 4736053A1EP-4736053-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method (12) for planning a 3D cable guide (17) in an electrical connector (1), comprising providing (13, 14, 15) one group (66, 68, 67) each of starting points (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), end points (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65) and intermediate points (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36) and initializing (16) cable run planning from at least one of the starting points to at least one of the end points through at least one of the intermediate points, the starting points being assignable to an input side (2) of an electrical connector and the end points being assignable to an output side (9) of an electrical connector, or vice versa, and at least one intermediate point being assignable to at least one cable.

Inventors

  • LOSKE, FELIX
  • POGGEMÖLLER, Timo
  • WEDEL, ANDREAS
  • LIPPERTS, Ruben
  • DETTMER, Helge

Assignees

  • Harting International Innovation AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230627

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . Computer-implemented method (12) designed to plan, in particular to optimize, a 3D cable routing (17) in a connector (1), the method comprising the steps of: providing (13) at least one set (66) of starting points (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), providing (14) at least one set (68) of end points (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65), providing (15) at least one set (67) of intermediate points (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36), initializing (16) a cable routing plan from at least one of the starting points (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to at least one of the end points (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65) through at least one of the intermediate points (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36); wherein the starting points (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) can be assigned to an input side (2) of a connector (1) and wherein the end points (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65) can be assigned to an output side (9) of a connector (1); or wherein the starting points (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) can be assigned to an output side (2) of a connector (1) and wherein the end points (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65) can be assigned to an input side (2) of a connector (1); and wherein at least one intermediate point (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36) can be assigned to at least one cable.
  2. 2. Method (12) according to claim 1, wherein the cable routing planning comprises at least one route finding (53).
  3. 3. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the route finding (53) comprises at least one of the following algorithms selected from: - a Rapidly-exploring Random Tree - RRT; - an RRT-connect; - an RRT-Bidirect; - an artificial neural network architecture - ANN; and - a static (feedforward) neural network - SNN.
  4. 4. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a preprocessing of a cable routing precedes the route finding (53).
  5. 5. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a route finding (53) comprises an iterative cable routing planning.
  6. 6. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the following conditions, in particular boundary conditions, is included in a route finding (53): - a specification of at least one cable route as an obstacle to further cable routing paths; - an interaction model, in particular an atomic model, with respect to at least one cable; - a specification of a wire length; - a specification of a bending radius, in particular a bending radius limit; - collision avoidance, in particular optimised collision avoidance; - an, in particular optimized, obstacle avoidance; and - a specification of at least part of a connector housing.
  7. 7. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a part of a connector housing (10) is adapted to a cable route.
  8. 8. Method (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein route finding (53) comprises machine learning, in particular by means of a machine learning model.
  9. 9. Connector (1) or digital twin (74) of a connector (1), formed according to a method (12) according to one of the preceding claims.
  10. 10. Computing device (69) designed and arranged to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 9.
  11. 11. Computer program product (72) designed to carry out a method (12) according to one of claims 1 to 9 when it is executed on a computing device (69), in particular according to claim 10.
  12. 12. Electronic signal (73) comprising a digital twin (74) according to claim 9.
  13. 13. A method for producing a connector (1), comprising at least one of the following steps: - Manufacture of a connector housing of a connector (1) according to claim 9, - Manufacturing a connector housing of a connector (1) based on a digital template in the form of a digital twin (74) according to claim 9; - producing a cable routing (58) according to a cable routing plan, in particular an optimized cable routing plan, wherein the cable routing plan is determined according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 8; - Acceptance of an electronic signal (73) according to claim 12 in order to transfer it to a computing device (69) according to claim 11 of a control device (70) in order to control a device for producing a connector (1) in such a way as to produce a connector housing and/or a cable run (58) in a connector housing.

Description

Methods for planning cable routes Description The invention relates to a computer-implemented method. The invention relates to a connector or a digital twin of a connector. The invention relates to a computing device. The invention relates to a computer program product. The invention relates to an electronic signal. The invention relates to a method for producing a connector. State of the art Connectors are known from the state of the art. These can be planned and manufactured according to customer requirements. The connectors can be made up of modular components that can be combined to form a variety of different connector types, for example via a plug-in system for the individual components. The routing of cables or conductor tracks in a three-dimensional space of a connector can take on a variety of configurations, which increases exponentially with the number of connector types available and the number of cables or conductor tracks to be arranged/arrangable in them. The multitude of possible connector types leads to increasing demands on the design, construction, installation and use of connectors. task The applicant follows the security precautions known and feasible at the filing date and implements them with the greatest care. However, the applicant endeavours to ensure that the design, construction and To continuously develop and improve safety when installing connectors. For this reason, the object of the invention is to further improve safety in the design, construction, installation and/or use of connectors. The object of the invention is to improve the handling of a construction, a structure and an installation. The object of the invention is to increase the efficiency of a design, a construction and an installation, as well as a use of a connector in order to save resources. The problem is solved by a computer-implemented method having the features of claim 1. The problem is solved by a connector or a digital twin of a connector having the features of claim 9. The problem is solved by a computing device having the features of claim 10. The problem is solved by a computer program product having the features of claim 11. The problem is solved by an electronic signal having the features of claim 12. The problem is solved by a method for producing a connector having the features of claim 13. According to one aspect, the object is achieved by a computer-implemented method having the features of claim 1. In this case, a computer-implemented method can be designed in such a way as to optimize a 3D cable routing in a connector. In this case, the method can comprise the step of providing at least one set of starting points. In this case, the method can comprise the step of providing at least one set of end points The method can comprise the step of providing at least one set of intermediate points. The method can comprise the step of initializing a cable routing plan from at least one of the start points to at least one of the end points through at least one of the intermediate points. The start points can be assigned to an input side of a connector. The end points can be assigned to an output side of a connector. Alternatively, the start points can be assigned to an output side of a connector. The end points can be assigned to an input side of a connector. At least one intermediate point can be assigned to at least one cable. This can improve safety in a design, construction, installation and/or use of connectors. The handling of a design, construction and installation can also be improved. This can increase the efficiency of a design, construction and installation, as well as of a use of a connector, in order to save resources. The planning, in particular the optimization, of a 3D cable routing in a connector refers in particular to the planning of a cable or a cable core path. In this case, optimization can be carried out in particular in such a way that a cable length is adapted to an installation situation, in particular has an optimized length, such as a certain length from a starting point to an end point. Alternatively or additionally, the cable length can be particularly short. This also allows the transmission times of electrical signals to be optimized, in particular particularly short. An optimization can also have a bending radius that optimizes, in particular minimizes, material stress. Additionally or alternatively, planning can optimize, in particular minimize, the tensile forces acting on starting points. and/or endpoints or any cable connections prescribed there. Here and elsewhere, the term cable refers in particular to cables in the sense that the cables have insulation. Alternatively or additionally, there may also be embodiments in which conductor wires are provided, which can in particular be provided without insulation. An optimization could be such that the conductor wires do not touch each other. Cables can be flat ribbon cables in embodiments. Cables can also have round cro