Temporary holder for transferring end of wire between end effectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11610702-B2
Application number	US-201916711227-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2019
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for temporarily holding one end of a wire on a harness form board during automated transfer from one robot to another robot. The apparatus includes a wire holding device which is designed to facilitate the transfer of a wire end from a first end effector of a first robot to a second end effector of a second robot. The wire holding devices have different structures, but share the common feature that opening of the wire holding device (to enable wire insertion) involves applying a contact force which overcomes a spring force that urges the wire holding device to be closed. The end effectors are designed and their movements are controlled in a manner such that the moving end effector applies the contact force necessary to overcome the closure-inducing spring force being exerted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wire holding device comprising:
a frame having a hole;
a fastener fastened to the hole in the frame;
a wire parking clip comprising a base portion, left and right clip arms respectively connected to opposite sides of the base portion, and first and second gripping pads respectively attached to the left and right clip arms in a mutually confronting relationship; and
a mounting plate fastened to the frame to form a channel occupied by the base portion of the wire parking clip,
wherein the left clip arm comprises first, second and third left arm portions and the right clip arm comprises first, second and third right arm portions, the third left and right arm portions being connected to the base portion and extending generally parallel to each other when the wire parking clip is in a closed state and being not parallel when the wire parking clip is in an open state, the second left and right arm portions being respectively connected to the third left and right arm portions and respectively disposed such that the second left and right arm portions cross at a first crossing at a first elevation above the base portion when viewed from a position in front of the wire parking clip in the closed state, and the first left and right arm portions being respectively connected to the second left and right arm portions and respectively disposed such that the first left and right arm portions cross at a second crossing at a second elevation above the base portion when viewed from in front of the wire parking clip in the closed state, the second elevation being higher than the first elevation;
wherein the first left and right arm portions form an acute angle above the second crossing when the wire parking clip is in the closed state while being viewed from the front of the wire holding device; and
wherein the first gripping pad is attached to the third left arm portion and the second gripping pad is attached to the third right arm portion.

2. The wire holding device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wire parking clip is formed by bending a planar substrate along first through sixth bend lines, the third left arm portion being connected to the base portion at the first bend line, the second left arm portion being connected to the third left arm portion at the second bend line, the first left arm portion being connected to the second left arm portion at the third bend line, the third right arm portion being connected to the base portion at the fourth bend line, the second right arm portion being connected to the third right arm portion at the fifth bend line, and the first right arm portion being connected to the second right arm portion at the sixth bend line.

3. The wire holding device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wire parking clip is made of spring steel or polycarbonate and the first and second gripping pads are made of elastomeric material or foam.

4. The wire holding device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second gripping pads are in contact with each other when the wire parking clip is in the closed state and not in contact with each other when the wire parking clip is in the open state.

5. The wire holding device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a cylindrical housing, a plunger which is slidably coupled to the cylindrical housing, first and second locking pins formed with laterally outward projected latching half-heads, wherein the first and second locking pins having respective proximal ends connected to the plunger and respective distal ends extending through the hole in the frame, and a spacer affixed to the cylindrical housing and disposed between respective portions of the first and second locking pins.

6. The wire holding device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises upper and lower arms which are mutually parallel, and the lower arm of the frame has the hole.

7. The wire holding device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the mounting plate comprises:
first and second mounting flanges having respective through holes; and
a bridge plate which is integrally formed with and connects the first and second mounting flanges; and
wherein the channel is formed by a surface of the bridge plate, a surface of the first mounting flange, a surface of the second mounting flange, and a surface of the upper arm.

8. The wire holding device as recited in claim 7 , further comprising first and second screws which fasten the mounting plate to the upper arm.

9. The wire holding device as recited in claim 8 , wherein a geometry and dimensions of the channel match with an outer geometry and dimensions of the base portion so that the base portion of the wire parking clip is held securely in place during opening and closing of the wire parking clip.

10. The wire holding device as recited in claim 9 , wherein a width of the bridge plate is slightly less than a distance separating the third left and right arm portions at respective bend lines, thereby preventing the wire parking clip from sliding left to right or vice versa during opening and closing.

11. A wire holding device comprising: a frame having a hole;
a fastener which extends through the hole in a lower arm of the frame;
a wire parking clip comprising a base portion, left and right clip arms respectively connected to opposite sides of the base portion, and first and second gripping pads respectively attached to the left and right clip arms in a mutually confronting relationship; and
a mounting plate fastened to the frame to form a channel occupied by the base portion of the wire parking clip,
wherein the left clip arm comprises first, second and third left arm portions and the right clip arm comprises first, second and third right arm portions, the third left and right arm portions being connected to the base portion and extending generally parallel to each other when the wire parking clip is in a closed state and being not parallel when the wire parking clip is in an open state, the second left and right arm portions being respectively connected to the third left and right arm portions and respectively disposed such that the second left and right arm portions cross at a first crossing at a first elevation above the base portion when viewed from a position in front of the wire parking clip in the closed state, and the first left and right arm portions being respectively connected to the second left and right arm portions and respectively disposed such that the first left and right arm portions cross at a second crossing at a second elevation above the base portion when viewed from in front of the wire parking clip in the closed state, the second elevation being higher than the first elevation;
wherein the first left and right arm portions form an acute angle above the second crossing when the wire parking clip is in the closed state while being viewed from the front of the wire holding device; and
wherein the first gripping pad is attached to the third left arm portion and the second gripping pad is attached to the third right arm portion.

12. The wire holding device as recited in claim 11 , wherein the wire parking clip is formed by bending a planar substrate along first through sixth bend lines, the third left arm portion being connected to the base portion at the first bend line, the second left arm portion being connected to the third left arm portion at the second bend line, the first left arm portion being connected to the second left arm portion at the third bend line, the third right arm portion being connected to the base portion at the fourth bend line, the second right arm portion being connected to the third right arm portion at the fifth bend line, and

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mitchell Bradley J
• Martin Damien O
• Blacken Lars E
• Mccaskey Jeffrey A

Classifications

• H01B13/01209

  Details · CPC title

• B25J15/0052

  multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors · CPC title

• H01R43/05

  with wire-insulation stripping · CPC title

• H01B13/01245 Primary

  using a layout board · CPC title

• B25J15/0028

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title