US 12,288,630 B2
Apparatus, system and method adapted to enable automated wire or cable code reading and manufacture of wire harnesses and cable assemblies
Yogesh Mehrotra, Monroe, CT (US); and Paul Glenn, Wellesley, MA (US)
Assigned to Materials Technology Corporation, Monroe, CT (US)
Filed by Materials Technology Corporation, Monroe, CT (US)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/951,219.
Application 18/951,219 is a continuation of application No. 18/071,614, filed on Nov. 29, 2022, granted, now 12,176,124.
Application 18/071,614 is a continuation of application No. 17/153,821, filed on Jan. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,569,010.
Application 17/153,821 is a continuation of application No. 16/223,063, filed on Dec. 17, 2018, granted, now 10,964,455.
Prior Publication US 2025/0079048 A1, Mar. 6, 2025
Int. Cl. H01B 13/012 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); G06F 30/00 (2020.01); H01R 43/20 (2006.01); H01R 43/28 (2006.01)
CPC H01B 13/01236 (2013.01) [G05B 19/042 (2013.01); G06F 30/00 (2020.01); H01B 13/01209 (2013.01); G05B 2219/31027 (2013.01); H01R 43/20 (2013.01); H01R 43/28 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system configured to facilitate assembly and fabrication of a wire or cable harness or bundle, including identification of one or more wires and cables for inclusion in a respective harness or bundle, comprising:
one or more computers, including one or more computer memories comprising non-transitory computer-readable media, one or more computer processors, and one or more displays, each of the foregoing electronically connected to and in data communication with each other and having one or more data inputs and one or more data outputs enabling the data communication;
a marking reader, including one or more reader light sources configured to illuminate the one or more wires and cables and one or more sensors configured to detect one or more of color and pattern markings present on the one or more wires and cables, wherein the marking reader includes data input and data output connections to the one or more computers, wherein the marking reader is configured to hold the one or more wires and cables within a telecentric configuration, whereby a magnification of an image of the one or more wires and cables is made independent of a distance from the one or more wires and cables to the one or more sensors, and wherein the one or more computers are configured to identify the one or more wires and cables based on the one or more color and pattern markings detected by the one or more sensors;
one or more harness connectors having one or more pin-hole receptacles configured to receive and connect to the one or more wires and cables required to build the wire or cable harness or bundle, wherein the one or more computers are configured to identify each pinhole receptacle of the one or more harness connectors included in a sequence of wire or cable pin-hole insertions required to assemble the wire or cable harness or bundle, based on the wire or cable identified by the one or more computers, as an indication of a wire or cable insertion required for a selected pin-hole receptacle; and
one or more pin-hole illuminating light sources configured to illuminate the one or more pin-hole receptacles identified as requiring a wire or cable pin-hole insertion to assemble the wire or cable harness or bundle.