Furukawa Electric has been granted a patent for a wire harness manufacturing system. The system includes a conveyance device with work boards, a circulation conveyer, and a raiser to set the work boards in a stand-up state. The system also includes a routing processing device with a body part and a mounting unit to place the subassembly on the work board. The mounting unit includes a slide member and a grasping body to manipulate the connection component. GlobalData’s report on Furukawa Electric gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Furukawa Electric, Battery management systems was a key innovation area identified from patents. Furukawa Electric's grant share as of September 2023 was 23%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Wire harness manufacturing system with circulation conveyance device
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11776713B2) describes a wire harness manufacturing system that utilizes a circulation conveyance device and a routing processing device to efficiently manufacture wire harnesses. The system includes multiple processing zones and work boards that are set up in a stand-up state by a raiser and then conveyed along a downstream conveyance path and returned on an upstream conveyance path. The routing processing device, which can freely move relative to the work board, places a subassembly onto the work board and positions each connection component of the subassembly according to the shape of the wire harness.
The routing processing device consists of a body part and a mounting unit. The body part, which can move freely relative to the work board, follows the path information stored in a processor to position the connection components accurately. The mounting unit, located at the leading end of the body part, receives the subassembly from a supply device and grasps the connection components, protruding and retracting them relative to the work board. This allows for precise placement of the connection components along the shape of the wire harness.
The wire harness manufacturing system also includes additional features such as an image capturing device and a conduction examination device. The image capturing device captures images of the wire harness on each work board, while the conduction examination device performs conduction examinations of the wire harness. These features help ensure the quality and accuracy of the manufactured wire harnesses.
Furthermore, the patent describes an examination device specifically designed for the wire harness manufacturing system. This examination device includes a conduction examination execution unit, a determination unit, and a display control unit. The conduction examination execution unit performs conduction examinations between connection components, and the determination unit determines the appropriateness of the connections based on the examination results. The display control unit displays the determination results, including error information and wire harness image information, on a display device. This allows for easy identification of any inappropriate connections and facilitates troubleshooting.
Overall, this patented wire harness manufacturing system offers improved efficiency and accuracy in the production process. The combination of the circulation conveyance device, routing processing device, and examination device ensures precise placement of connection components and thorough quality control.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Furukawa Electric, buy the report here.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
