Testing arrangement for testing at least one connection interface and method for testing at least one connection interface with a testing arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150525-B2
Application number	US-201615223173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A testing device is disclosed for testing a connection interface coupled onto an assembly line between first and second vehicle components. The testing device includes a tool configured to couple the connection interface, at least one test adapter for testing the coupling of the connection interface, and a sensor device for acquiring a force progression which acts during and/or after the coupling in the connection interface. The testing device also includes an evaluation device to evaluate the force progression.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A testing arrangement in an assembly line for testing at least one connection interface between first and second vehicle components, the testing arrangement comprising:
a tool configured to couple a first connector of the connection interface associated with the first vehicle component to a second connector of the connection interface associated with the second vehicle component, the tool comprising a transmission device;
at least one test adapter configured to be coupled to the transmission device of the tool;
at least one sensor device mechanically connected to the test adapter via the transmission device, the transmission device configured to transmit a force progression by the tool on the connection interface when the tool couples the first connector to the second connector from the test adapter to the at least one sensor; and
an evaluation device communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor device configured to evaluate when the tool correctly coupled the first connector to the second connector of the connection interface based upon the force progression.

2. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to acquire the force progression after coupling of the connection interface.

3. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is configured to evaluate the force progression acquired by the at least one sensor device based on a predetermined force progression as an “OK progression” or as a “NotOK progression.”

4. The testing arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the force progression comprises a force-path progression and the at least one sensor device being at least one member of the group including a spring body force transducer, a piezo force transducer or a resistive force transducer.

5. The testing arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the force progression comprises a force-time progression and the at least one sensor device being at least one member of the group including a potentiometric sensor, a strain gauge, an inductive sensor, or capacitive sensor.

6. The testing arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the testing device further comprises a control device configured to actuate the assembly line, wherein the evaluation device transmits a NotOK control signal to the control device when evaluating a NotOK progression and the control device initiates a line stop of the assembly line in response to the NotOK control signal.

7. The testing arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the testing device comprises a digital data processing device including the evaluation device and the control device connected therewith, wherein the desired force progression is stored in the digital data processing device.

8. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the testing arrangement further comprising at least one supplemental sensor device configured to record the at least one connection interface.

9. The testing arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one supplemental sensor comprises a camera.

10. The testing arrangement according claim 8 , wherein at the at least one sensor device and the at least one supplemental sensor device is arranged on the tool.

11. The testing arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the evaluation device is configured to evaluate the recording acquired by the at least one supplementary sensor device based on a predetermined recording as an “OK recording” or as a “NotOK recording.”

12. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle components being at least one member of the group including shift cables of a motor gearbox, cable of a shifter gearbox of a vehicle, lines in an engine cooling system or lines in a fuel system of the vehicle.

13. The testing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the testing device further comprises an adapter set having a plurality of test adapters and an interface set with a plurality of connection interfaces, wherein each of the test adapters is configured to check the coupling of precisely one of the connection interfaces.

14. The testing arrangement according to claim 13 , wherein each of the test adapters of the adapter set is arranged on the tool with a detachable connection that is removable therefrom without another tool and without being damaged, so that the test adapter is replaceable with a suitable test adapter from the adapter set given a change in at least one of the vehicle components or connection interface.

15. The testing arrangement according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a transponder associated with each of the test adapters of the adapter set for identifying the respective test adapter arranged on the tool; and
a reading device associated with the tool for reading out an information signal of the transponder;
wherein the transponder is configured to transmits the information signal to the reading device, the reading device is configured to read out and transmits the information signal to the evaluation device, the evaluation device is configured to recognize the test adapter arranged on the tool and the corresponding connection interface based on the information signal and use the predetermined force progression for evaluation purposes.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Berg Matthias

Classifications

• G01L5/0028

  Force sensors associated with force applying means (G01L5/0052, G01L5/0057, G01L5/0061 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05B23/0218

  characterised by the fault detection method dealing with either existing or incipient faults · CPC title

• G01L5/0076 Primary

  Force sensors associated with manufacturing machines (G01L5/0066, G01L5/0071 and B23Q17/09 take precedence; for the specific machine or operation involved see relevant class, e.g. B21 - B42) · CPC title

• G01M99/00 Primary

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G05B2219/32368

  Quality control · CPC title