The Boeing Company

Other

Keith M Cutler

Lars Eric Blacken

Bradley James Mitchell

Grace L Duncan

Damien O Martin

John Richard Porter

Eerik J Helmick

Nick Shabdeh Evans

Ty Aaby Larsen

Nick Shadbeh Evans

David Scott Wright

Aphea Ann Thornton

Randall Vincent Fraker

Alexey Meerov

Lars Blacken

Dinh X Tran

Randy Fraker

David S Wright

A method utilizes a funnel system and robotic end effector grippers to feed an unjacketed portion of a shielded cable through a sleeve. The funnel is designed with one or more thin extensions (hereinafter 'prongs') on which a sleeve is placed prior to a cable entering the funnel. Preferably two or more prongs are employed, although a single prong may be used if properly configured to both guide a cable and fit between the sleeve and cable. The prongs close off the uneven surface internal to a sleeve and provide a smooth surface for the cable to slide along and through the sleeve, preventing any damage to the exposed shielding. The sleeve is picked up and held on the prongs using a robotic end effector. If the sleeve is a solder sleeve, the robotic end effector has grippers designed to make contact with the portions of the solder sleeve that are between the insulating rings and the central solder ring.

Automated methods and apparatus for installing a sleeve on a cable

Systems and methods for designing and assembling form boards with attached wire routing devices for use in wire bundle assembly. The assembly method comprises: (a) establishing a coordinate system of a form board having a multiplicity of holes; (b) using a computer system to determine locations of form board devices of different types with reference to the coordinate system of the form board based on engineering data specifying a wire bundle configuration; and (c) fastening the form board devices of different types to respective holes of the form board having centers closest to respective locations determined in step (b). The form board devices may be inserted robotically or manually.

Form board preparation for wire bundling

Apparatus for installing a sleeve on a cable

A system configured to position a tip of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable tip positioning module situated at a workstation in proximity to the cable delivery system; a pair of wheels operable to push a cable into the cable tip positioning module when a cable is in a nip between the wheels; an apparatus configured to hold the wheels; a motor operatively coupled to drive rotation of the wheels; and a proximity sensor configured to issue a cable present signal indicating the proximity of a conductor in the cable. The cable tip positioning module comprises a computer system configured to activate the motor to drive rotation of the wheels in a cable pulling direction in response to issuance of the cable present signal.

System configured to position a tip of a cable

An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to operate on the cable end; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.

System for processing an end of a cable

Methods and apparatus to assemble cable mounts are disclosed. A disclosed example mount to be inserted into a formboard includes a spine, first and second opposing clamp surfaces on first and second ends, respectively, of the spine, and a pocket to receive a fastener, the fastener to be disposed between the first and second opposing clamp surfaces, the fastener to have a contractible engaging portion to be received by the formboard.

Apparatus to assemble cable mounts

A bundle gripping tool has a support ring sectorextending from a handleand a jawpivotally mounted to the handle opposing the support ring sector. The jaw is rotatable from an open position to a closed position wherein the jawand support ring sectorform a circular support ringconcentric to a bundle axis. The jaw exposes a first open sector accessing a central aperture in the open position. A snare ringis supported on the jawin the open position and rotatable on the support ringin the closed position and has a second open sectorwherein in an unrotated position of the snare ring at least partially aligns the second open sector with the first open sector exposing the central aperture. A plurality of snare cablesare engaged between the support ring and the snare ring with a first set of attachment points and second set of attachment points relatively positioned whereby each of the plurality of snare cables partially encircles the bundle axis in the closed and rotated position and exposes the bundle axis in the unrotated and open position. An actuatoris configured to open and close the jaw and rotate the snare ring with the jaw in the closed position.

Adaptive bundle gripping end effector with opening jaw

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Keith M Cutler