Connection jig and connection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026014700-A1
Application number	US-202519337089-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2025
Priority date	Mar 31, 2023
Publication date	Jan 15, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A connection jig includes a sensor provided with a passive part and a fixation part that are respectively arranged at one end and another end in a direction of a rotation axis thereof and detecting a force around the rotation axis with respect to the passive part, a first joining part joining the passive part and a holding part, a second joining part joining the fixation part and a automated transportation part, a third joining part joined to the first joining part and supported by the second joining part to be rotatable around the rotation axis, and a bearing part provided between and attached to the first joining part and the third joining part and arranged at a position where a rotation axis thereof is coaxial with the rotation axis of the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A connection jig, comprising:
a sensor that is provided with a passive part and a fixation part that are respectively arranged at one end and another end in a direction of a rotation axis thereof, and detects a force around the rotation axis with respect to the passive part; a first joining part that is arranged between the passive part of the sensor and a holding part that holds a connection target that is connected to a target to be connected, and joins the passive part of the sensor and the holding part; a second joining part that is arranged between the fixation part of the sensor and an automated transportation part that automatically transports a connection target that is held by the holding part to a predetermined position, and joins the fixation part of the sensor and the automated transportation part; a third joining part that is joined to the first joining part and is supported by the second joining part to be rotatable around the rotation axis; and a bearing part that is provided between and attached to the first joining part and the third joining part, and is arranged at a position where a rotation axis thereof is coaxial with the rotation axis of the sensor.

2 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing part is arranged on the second joining part, and the third joining part includes a shaft part that is supported by the second joining part through the bearing part.

3 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing part is arranged on the third joining part, and the second joining part includes a shaft part that supports the third joining part through the bearing part.

4 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the fixation part of the sensor is formed into a hollow-cylindrical shape where the rotation axis is provided as an axial line thereof, the bearing part is arranged in a hollow part of the fixation part in the sensor, and the third joining part includes a shaft part that is supported by the fixation part through the bearing part.

5 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the passive part of the sensor is formed into a hollow-cylindrical shape where the rotation axis is provided as an axial line thereof, the bearing part is arranged in a hollow part of the passive part in the sensor, and the third joining part includes a shaft part that is supported by the passive part through the bearing part.

6 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor is formed into a hollow-cylindrical shape or a solid-cylindrical shape where the rotation axis is provided as an axial line thereof, and includes a gap between an outer peripheral surface of the sensor and each of the first joining part and the second joining part.

7 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , further comprising
a position correction part that is arranged between the first joining part and the automated transportation part, and corrects a position of the holding part.

8 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the first joining part and the third joining part are attachable to the sensor in such a manner that angles of the first joining part and the third joining part around the rotation axis are different from one another.

9 . The connection jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the third joining part is supported by the second joining part through the bearing part in a state where a part of the second joining part is interposed between the third joining part and the fixation part of the sensor.

10 . A connection method, comprising:
a first step of arranging a connection target to be opposite with a target to be connected; a second step of moving the connection target that is arranged to be opposite with the target to be connected at the first step toward the target to be connected, to start connection of the connection target to the target to be connected; and a third step of further moving the connection target that is moved at the second step toward the target to be connected, to move the connection target to a position where connection of the connection target to the target to be connected is completed, wherein the third step determines that connection of the connection target to the target to be connected is completed in a case where a force that is detected by a sensor exceeds a first threshold, to stop movement of the connection target, and the sensor is provided with a passive part and a fixation part that are respectively arranged at one end and another end in a direction of a rotation axis thereof, and detects a force around the rotation axis with respect to the passive part.

11 . The connection method according to claim 10 , wherein
the third step stops or re-executes connection of the connection target to the target to be connected in a case where a force that is detected by the sensor is a second threshold or less, when an amount of movement of the connection target toward the target to be connected is provided at a position before reaching a position where the first threshold is determined, and within a predetermined range.

12 . The connection method according to claim 10 , wherein
the second step stops or re-executes connection of the connection target to the target to be connected in a case where a force that is detected by the sensor exceeds a third threshold after movement of the connection target toward the target to be connected is started and before an amount of movement of the connection target toward the target to be connected reaches a predetermined amount of movement.

13 . The connection method according to claim 10 , wherein
the first step includes a transportation step that transports the connection target from a supply position where the connection target is supplied thereto to a position where the second step is started, and in the transportation step, a position correction part that corrects a position of the holding part that holds the connection target is provided in a lock state where a position of the holding part is not corrected.

14 . The connection method according to claim 10 , further comprising
a unlock step that moves a contact part that is provided on a holding part that holds the connection target, and contacts a lock member of the target to be connected, to move the lock member from a lock position where the connection target is held with respect to the target to be connected to an unlock position that is different from a lock position, before the first step, wherein the unlock step stops or re-executes movement of the contact part of the holding part in a case where a force that is detected by the sensor is a fourth threshold or less.

15 . The connection method according to claim 10 , further comprising
a lock step that moves a contact part that is provided on a holding part that holds the connection target, and contacts a lock member of the target to be connected, to move the lock member to a lock position where the connection target is held with respect to the target to be connected, after the third step, wherein the lock step stops or re-executes movement of the contact part of the holding part in a case where a force that is detected by the sensor is a fifth threshold or less.

16 . The connection method according to claim 10 , characterized in that
the connection target is a connector, a signal transmission medium with a plate shape, or a harness.

Assignees

• I Pex Inc

Inventors

• Tagomori Hajime

Classifications

• B25J13/085

  Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J11/005

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title

• B25J9/1679

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• B25J9/163 Primary

  learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control · CPC title

• B25J9/108

  Bearings specially adapted therefor (bearings in general F16C) · CPC title