US-12623859-B2 - Grommet module

US12623859B2US 12623859 B2US12623859 B2US 12623859B2US-12623859-B2

Abstract

A grommet module includes a grommet container for loosely receiving grommets as bulk material, a conveyor device that can rotate about an axis of rotation, and a conveyor rail extending along a longitudinal direction. The conveyor device conveys grommets from the grommet container to the conveyor rail. The conveyor device is formed by a grommet conveyor wheel, the horizontal axis of rotation of which runs at a right angle to the longitudinal direction. The grommet conveyor wheel has trough-like recesses forming in each case a chamber for the grommets.

Inventors

Franco De Bastiani

Assignees

KOMAX HOLDING AG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240619
Priority Date: 20230626

Claims (16)

1 . A grommet module comprising: a grommet container configured to loosely receive grommets as bulk material; a conveyor device rotatable about an axis of rotation; a conveyor rail extending along a longitudinal direction; wherein the conveyor device conveys the grommets from the grommet container to the conveyor rail; wherein the conveyor device includes a grommet conveyor wheel that rotates about the axis of rotation, the axis of rotation extending transversely to the longitudinal direction; and wherein the grommet conveyor wheel has an external toothing on a circumference and including a pinion operatively connected to the external toothing, the pinion being driven by a drive.
2 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation extends at a right angle to the longitudinal direction.
3 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet conveyor wheel has a ring-shaped base body on which a plurality of chambers adapted to receive the grommets are arranged.
4 . The grommet module according to claim 3 wherein the chambers are evenly distributed on the ring.
5 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet conveyor wheel has at least one trough-like recess forming a chamber adapted to receive the grommets.
6 . The grommet module according to claim 5 wherein the grommet conveyor wheel rotate about the axis of rotation that extends in a horizontal direction and the at least one trough-like recess is open toward the horizontal direction.
7 . The grommet module according to claim 5 wherein the at least one trough-like recess has a rear-side end wall section formed by a separating bar, the rear-side end wall section extending parallel to the axis of rotation.
8 . The grommet module according to claim 5 wherein the at least one trough-like recess has a boundary section with a curved boundary surface, the boundary surface tapering in depth from a rear-side end towards a front-side end of the at least one trough-like recess.
9 . The grommet module according to claim 8 wherein the curved boundary surface is a conical, concave surface.
10 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet container has a grommet container side wall and the grommet conveyor wheel is arranged on a side of the grommet container opposite the grommet container side wall.
11 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet container includes an inclined container wall.
12 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet container includes a round container base adapted to a shape of the grommet conveyor wheel.
13 . The grommet module according to claim 1 wherein the grommet container is open at the top forming a filler opening for receiving the grommets.
14 . The grommet module according to claim 1 including a ramp adjoining the grommet conveyor wheel, the ramp adapted to guide the grommets at a discharge of the grommet conveyor wheel to the conveyor rail.
15 . A grommet module comprising: a grommet container configured to loosely receive grommets as bulk material; a conveyor device rotatable about an axis of rotation; a conveyor rail extending along a longitudinal direction; wherein the conveyor device conveys the grommets from the grommet container to the conveyor rail; wherein the conveyor device includes a grommet conveyor wheel that rotates about the axis of rotation, the axis of rotation extending transversely to the longitudinal direction; and wherein the grommet conveyor wheel has at least one trough-like recess forming a chamber adapted to receive the grommets, where the at least one trough-like recess has a rear-side end wall section formed by a separating bar, the rear-side end wall section extending parallel to the axis of rotation.
16 . A grommet module comprising: a grommet container configured to loosely receive grommets as bulk material; a conveyor device rotatable about an axis of rotation; a conveyor rail extending along a longitudinal direction; wherein the conveyor device conveys the grommets from the grommet container to the conveyor rail; wherein the conveyor device includes a grommet conveyor wheel that rotates about the axis of rotation, the axis of rotation extending transversely to the longitudinal direction; and wherein the grommet conveyor wheel has at least one trough-like recess forming a chamber adapted to receive the grommets, where the at least one trough-like recess has a boundary section with a curved boundary surface, the boundary surface tapering in depth from a rear-side end towards a front-side end of the at least one trough-like recess.

Description

FIELD The invention relates to a grommet module or grommet station for fitting cables with grommets, which grommets are required for example for moisture-tight feedthroughs of electrical cables through connector housings or housing walls of electrical appliances, that can be applied to cables in an economical manner. BACKGROUND Grommets are sealing elements made of silicone, for example, which are generally used to seal connector housings. In the production of cables, cable may be cut to length and stripped, fitted with grommets, crimped, and optionally provided with housings. For this purpose, a stripped cable is fitted with a grommet, and then, usually, a metal contact is crimped. This crimp contact is designed so that it fastens the grommet on the cable. The grommet fitting is carried out on fully automatic cable assembly systems with grommet fitting stations, wherein the grommets usually are added to the grommet fitting station as bulk material. Semi-automatic machines for cable assembly systems are also known (here, the cable is inserted by hand), which can carry out the fitting of grommets in addition to other operations. For fully automatic machines in particular, it is advantageous if the conversion of the grommet station can be effected from one grommet variant to another rapidly and without error. A comparable grommet module of this type is shown in EP 1 689 049 A1. The grommet module forms a grommet station comprising a grommet storage unit with a drum filled with grommets and a grommet fitting device for fitting a stripped cable end of a cable with a grommet. The grommet storage unit is part of a grommet supply device for supplying grommets for fitting, which grommet fitting device further comprises a conveyor rail of a vibratory conveyor. A sorting and buffering of the grommets is effected with the conveyor rail. At the end of the buffer section, the grommet fitting device removes a single grommet to fit it onto the cable. By means of a conveyor rail, the grommets are conveyed in the correct position to a separating unit, from which the grommets are pushed in each case individually onto a mandrel of a rotating transfer unit comprising four mandrels. In addition to the referenced transfer unit with the four mandrels, the grommet fitting device further comprises a fitting head with an expansion sleeve and a grommet receiving part. At the upper end of the separating unit, an ejection device is arranged with a tappet which can be moved up and down, wherein the tappet in each case feeds the first grommet in the conveyor rail to the transfer device. The transfer device is successively pivotable around a 90° angle, wherein, in a first position, the grommet is pushed onto the mandrel by means of the tappet. After a rotation around 90°, the grommet is pushed in a second position of the transfer unit for the purpose of expansion onto an area of the mandrel with a larger diameter. The actual fitting of the grommet onto the cable end takes place in a third position. In this third position of the transfer device, the grommet is removed from the mandrel using the fitting head, the grommet is pushed onto the expanding sleeve, the grommet is placed on the cable in its expanded state, and finally pushed thereon. Once the mandrel has been pivoted to the third position, the fitting head encloses the grommet with the two-part expanding sleeve and the grommet receiving part, which is formed by two parts as well. The drum has blades on the inside that, upon the rotation of the drum, convey the grommets upwards so that they fall onto the conveyor rails in a disorderly manner. Although grommet modules with drums have proven their worth, they are characterized by a comparatively large space requirement and, in particular, a wide design. SUMMARY It is an object of the present invention to create an improved grommet module which is characterized by a small space requirement and in particular enables a narrow design. This and other objects are achieved according to the invention with a grommet module with the features described herein. The grommet module comprises a grommet container for loosely receiving or storing grommets as bulk material, a conveyor device that can rotate about an axis of rotation, and a conveyor rail extending along a longitudinal direction. By means of the conveyor device, grommets from the grommet container can be conveyed to the conveyor rail. The conveyor rail for conveying grommets in the correct position to a grommet fitting device can be a known vibratory conveyor or can be associated with such a vibratory conveyor. Because the conveyor device is formed by a grommet conveyor wheel, the axis of rotation of which preferably runs transversely and particularly preferably at a right angle to the longitudinal direction, a compact grommet module can be created, which is characterized by small dimensions, particularly in terms of width, or is narrow. The grommet conveyor wheel, which can be rotated by