TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention generally relates to a machine configured to automatically insert wire terminals into connector bodies of wiring harnesses, and more particularly relates to a machine and method of operation that can recover from the detection of a defective lead during the assembly of the wiring harness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Machines have been used for automatically manufacturing wire harness assemblies. An automatic wire harness manufacturing machine typically includes a wire dispensing unit that provides the wire leads of the desired gauge, length and insulation jacket color. The machine also has a transport unit that transfers each wire lead to a termination unit that attached the proper terminal to each end of the wire lead. The transport unit then transfers the terminated wire lead to a terminal installation unit that aligns the terminals with the desired cavities in the connector bodies and inserts the terminals into those cavities. The terminals must be aligned with the cavity to ensure proper insertion. The cavities in the connector bodies are filled in a prescribed order, e.g. left to right, lower cavities to upper cavities, in order to prevent previously inserted leads from blocking open cavities.

[0003] The machine may also include a testing unit that determines whether there is a defect in each terminated lead. If a terminated lead fails the test, that lead, along with the partially assembled wire harness and the in-process wire leads are discarded, so that the machine can insert the leads into the terminal in the designated order. This caused undesired waste of material and processing time. Therefore, a machine that is capable of eliminating this wasted material and processing time is desired.

[0004] The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, an apparatus configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted is provided. The apparatus includes a wire dispensing unit configured to form a plurality of wire leads of a desired length, a termination unit configured to attach terminals to each end of the plurality of wire leads, thereby forming a plurality of terminated leads, a testing unit configured to test for defects in each of the plurality of terminated leads, said testing unit further configured to discard a defective terminated lead, and a terminal installation unit having a gripper unit configured to hold an end of a terminated lead and configured insert a terminal on the end of a terminated lead into a designated cavity defined by the connector body. The gripper unit may be configured to move laterally, longitudinally, and/or vertically relative to a connector body. The wire dispensing unit and the termination unit are configured to reform the defective terminated lead and the terminal installation unit is configured to insert the reformed terminated lead in the cavity designated for the defective terminated lead. The apparatus may further include a wire separation tool configured to move other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the first connector body away from the designated cavity in the first connector. The wire separation tool may be disposed on the terminal installation unit. The wire separation tool may include two substantially hemiconical protrusions that are moveable relative to each other in the lateral direction. These hemiconical protrusions may define a cavity to accommodate the gripper unit when the hemiconical protrusions are closed against one another. The apparatus may further include an imaging unit that is configured to detect an actual position of the terminal relative to a desired position of the terminal corresponding to the designated cavity. The gripper unit is configured to rotate the end of the first terminated wire about the longitudinal axis, thus bringing the terminal into the desired position. The imaging unit may include a video camera configured to generate a video image of the gripper unit including the end of the terminal and a video image processor configured to determine the edge geometry of the end of the terminal and calculate the angular difference between the actual position and the desired position and calculate the lateral distance and vertical distance between the end of the terminal and the desired position of the terminal corresponding to the designated cavity.

[0006] In a second embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted is provided. This method includes the steps of:

a) providing a first length of wire to form a first wire lead,

b) attaching a first terminal to a leading end and a second terminal to a

trailing end of the first wire lead to form a first terminated lead,

c) providing a second length of wire to form a second wire lead,

d) attaching a third terminal to a leading end and a fourth terminal to a

trailing end of the second wire lead to form a second terminated lead, e) determining that a flaw exists in the first terminated lead,

f) discarding the first terminated lead,

g) inserting the third terminal into a first cavity in a first connector body and the fourth terminal a second cavity in a second connector body,

h) providing another first length of wire to reform the first wire lead, i) attaching another first terminal to the leading end and another second terminal to a trailing end of the first wire lead to reform the first terminated lead, and

j) inserting the first terminal into a third cavity in the first connector body and the second terminal into a fourth cavity in the second connector body. The steps may be performed in the order listed above. The method may further include the steps of:

k) providing a third length of wire to form a third wire lead,

1) attaching a fifth terminal to a leading end and a sixth terminal to a trailing end of the third wire lead to form a third terminated lead, wherein the first and second terminated leads are components of a first wire harness assembly and the third terminated lead is a component of a second wire harness assembly distinct from the first wire harness assembly,

m) discarding the third terminated lead,

n) providing another third length of wire to reform the third wire lead, o) attaching another fifth terminal to a leading end and another sixth terminal to a trailing end of the third wire lead to reform the third terminated lead, and

p) inserting the fifth terminal into a fifth cavity in a third connector body and the sixth terminal into a sixth cavity in a fourth connector body.

The steps k) and 1) may be performed prior to step of f). The steps m) through p) may be performed subsequent to step f). The method may additionally include the steps of:

q) providing a first terminal installation unit having a gripper unit configured to hold the leading end of the second terminated lead and having an wire separation tool configured to move other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the first connector body away from the first cavity in the first connector, and

r) moving other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the first connector body away from the first cavity in the first connector.

s) providing a second terminal installation unit having a gripper unit

configured to hold the trailing end of the second terminated lead and having an wire separation tool configured to move other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the second connector body away from the second cavity in the second connector body, and

t) moving other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the second connector body away from the second cavity in the second connector body.

The steps q) through t) may be performed prior to step j).

[0007] In a third embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted is provided. The apparatus includes a terminal installation unit having a gripper unit configured to hold an end of a first terminated lead and configured to insert a terminal on the end of a terminated lead into a designated cavity defined by the first connector body and a wire separation tool configured to move other terminated leads already inserted in other cavities in the first connector body away from the designated cavity in the first connector. The gripper unit may be configured to move laterally, longitudinally, and/or vertically relative to a first connector body. The wire separation tool may be disposed on the terminal installation unit. The wire separation tool may include at least two protrusions that are moveable relative to each other. The protrusions may be characterized as two substantially hemiconical protrusions moveable relative to each other in the lateral direction. The hemiconical protrusions may define a cavity to accommodate the gripper unit when the hemiconical protrusions are closed against one another.

[0008] In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted is provided. The apparatus includes a terminal installation unit having a gripper unit configured to hold an end of a first terminated lead and configured insert a terminal on the end of the first terminated lead into a designated cavity defined by the first connector body and an imaging unit configured to detect an actual position of the terminal relative to a desired position of the terminal corresponding to the designated cavity, wherein the gripper unit is configured to rotate the end of the first terminated wire about the longitudinal axis thus bringing the terminal into the desired position. The gripper unit may be configured to to move laterally, longitudinally, and/or vertically relative to a first connector body. The imaging unit may include a video camera configured to generate a video image of the gripper unit that includes the end of the terminal, and a video image processor configured to determine the edge geometry of the end of the terminal and calculate the angular difference between the actual position and the desired position and calculate the lateral distance and vertical distance between the end of the terminal and the desired position.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is given by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0010] The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Fig. 1 is perspective from view of an apparatus configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted in accordance with one embodiment;

[0012] Fig. 2 is graph of a force-travel curve of a gripper unit of the apparatus of Fig. 1 during terminal insertion in accordance with one embodiment;

[0013] Fig. 3 is an isolated perspective view of the gripper unit of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in accordance with one embodiment;

[0014] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an imaging unit of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in accordance with one embodiment;

[0015] Fig. 5A is an image of a terminal taken by the imaging unit of Fig. 4 showing the angular deviation between an actual and desired position of the terminal held by the gripper unit of Fig. 3;

[0016] Fig. 5B is an image of a terminal taken by the imaging unit of Fig. 4 showing the lateral and vertical deviation between an actual position of the terminal held by the gripper unit of Fig. 3;

[0017] Fig. 6A is an isolated perspective front view of an installation tool attached to the gripper unit of Fig. 3 in accordance with one embodiment; [0018] Fig. 6B is an isolated perspective read view of the installation tool of Fig. 6A in accordance with one embodiment;

[0019] Fig. 7 is a side view of the installation tool of Fig. 6A in accordance with one embodiment; and

[0020] Fig. 8 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a wire harness assembly in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Fig. 1 illustrates a non-limiting example of an apparatus 10 configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly (not shown). Wire harness assemblies are used in a wide variety of products including motor vehicles, aircraft, and appliances. As used herein, a wire harness assembly includes a number of electrically conductive wire leads that have connectors or terminals attached to each end of the wire. The wire harness may alternatively or additionally include optical for fluid conductors, such as fiber optic cables or hoses. The terminals are inserted into connector bodies that hold the terminals in a designated pattern. The wire leads may all have the same gauge or may be varied and the color of insulation jacket of each of the wire leads are typically different to identify the various circuits in the wire harness. The apparatus 10 includes a number of workstations. A wire dispensing unit 12 has a number of wire storage rolls (not shown) having wire with different gauges and colored insulation jackets. The wire dispensing unit 12 selects a wire cable from one of the storage rolls and cuts the wire cable to a desired length, thereby forming a wire lead 14. A transport unit 16 grips both a leading end 18 of the wire lead 14 and a trailing end 20 of the wire lead 14 and moves the wire lead 14 from the wire dispensing unit 12 to the other workstations of the apparatus 10. The leading end 18 is held by a first gripper unit 22 and the training end is held by a second gripper unit 24. The first and second gripper units 22, 24 are displaceable along a transfer guide by first and second drive units (not shown) respectively. The first or second drive unit can be, for example, a stepping motor that linearly drives the first and second gripper units 22, 24 by means of a first cogged belt or a second cogged belt. Alternatively, the drive may be a linear drive with a linear motor.

[0022] The lateral movement of the transport unit 16 is denoted by a direction arrow X. The longitudinal movement and vertical movement of the first and second gripper units 22, 24 are denoted by a direction arrow Y and a direction arrow Z respectively. A control unit (not shown) controls and monitors the apparatus 10, wherein the movements of in particular, the transport unit 16 and the first and second gripper units 22, 24 are freely programmable. A keyboard (not illustrated) and a display screen (not shown) serves as a man/machine interface. The first gripper unit 22 takes the leading end 18 of the wire lead 14 from the wire dispensing unit 12 and the second gripper unit 24 takes the trailing end 20 from the wire dispensing unit 12.

[0023] Once the wire lead 14 is formed, the transport unit 16 moves the wire lead 14 to a termination unit 26 that attaches terminals to the leading end 18 and the trailing end 20 of the wire lead 14. The termination unit 26 includes an insulation stripping station 28 which removes a portion of the insulation jacket from the leading end 18 and the trailing end 20. After the insulation stripping station 28 the transport unit 16 together with the wire lead 14 moves on to a termination station 30 where wire terminals are attached to the leading and trailing ends 18, 20 of the wire lead 14, for example the termination station 30 includes a press and dies to crimp the terminals to the stripped leading and trailing ends 18, 20, thereby forming a terminated lead 32. A seal or bushing (not shown) may also be applied to one or both of the wire ends by a station (not shown) in the termination unit 26 prior to attaching a terminal.

[0024] After the terminated lead 32 is formed, the transfer unit moves the terminated lead 32 to the testing unit 34 that checks for defects in the terminated lead 32 prior to installing the wire lead 14 into the connector bodies. The testing unit 34 may check for a break in the wire conductor or an improperly attached terminal that could lead to an open circuit in the wire harness assembly. The testing unit 34 may also check for the proper length of the terminated lead 32, in case the wire dispensing unit 12 inaccurately measured the wire lead 14 or the wire ran out on the roll when the wire lead 14 was formed. The testing unit 34 may also check for other problems with the terminated lead 32 that would cause a quality problem in the wire harness assembly, such as a misapplied seal or tear in the insulation jacket. If the terminated lead 32 fails one or more of the tests performed by the testing unit 34, the defective terminated lead will be discarded and a replacement terminated lead will be reformed.

[0025] If the terminated lead 32 passes all of the tests performed by the testing unit 34, the transfer unit moves the terminated lead 32 to the terminal installation unit 35. The terminal installation unit 34 includes pallets (not shown) on which at least two connector bodies (not shown) are mounted. The first and second gripper units 22, 24 align the terminals on the leading and trailing ends 18, 20 of the terminated leads 32 to the desired cavities in the connector bodies held within the pallets and the terminals are inserted into the cavities. The terminals are aligned by laterally (X) and vertically (Z) moving the first and second gripper units 22, 24 and the terminals may be inserted by longitudinally moving the first and second gripper units 22, 24. Terminals are may be typically inserted into the cavities of the connector body in a specified order to avoid the problem of previously inserted wire leads blocking unfilled cavities.

[0026] After the terminals are inserted into the cavities, the first and second gripper units 22, 24 may be slightly longitudinally moved in the opposite direction of insertion to ensure that terminal retention features (not shown) on the terminals and in the cavities have properly engaged. This may be referred to as a "push-click-tug" procedure. Fig. 2 illustrates a force-travel curve for the forces (Fl, F2) exerted by first and second gripper units 22, 24 on the terminal versus the longitudinal (Y) travel of first and second gripper units 22, 24 during push-click-tug. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the force Fl increases as the terminal is fully inserted into the connector body cavity. The force F2 is applied to the first and second gripper units 22, 24 in the opposite direction as the terminal retention features are engaged. If the terminal retention features are not properly engaged, the terminal will slip out of the connector body cavity and the force F2 will not be applied to the first or second gripper units 22, 24 will be of a much lower magnitude. If the proper force F2 is not detected by the control unit when the first or second gripper unit 22, 24 is backed out, the control unit may command the first or second gripper units 22, 24 to repeat the installation of the terminal into the designated cavity.

[0027] The terminals may also need to be rotationally aligned in order to be properly inserted into the cavities of the connector bodies. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the first and second gripper units 22, 24 may include a gripper arm 36 that is configured to move the terminal in the longitudinal (Y) direction using a linear actuator 38, for example a pneumatic or electrical linear actuator. The first and second gripper units 22, 24 also include a pair of gripper jaws 40 that grip and hold the terminated lead 32. Each gripper unit 22, 24 is configured to rotate the gripper jaws 40 and thus the end of the terminated lead 32 about the longitudinal (Y) axis thus bringing the terminal into the desired position relative to the designated cavity. The first and second gripper units 22, 24 may include a rotary actuator 42, such as a stepper motor that is controlled but the control unit to rotate the gripper jaws 40.

[0028] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the apparatus 10 includes an imaging unit 44 configured to detect an actual position of the terminal held by the gripper jaws 40 relative to a desired position of the terminal corresponding to the designated cavity. The imaging unit 44 includes a video camera 46 and an illumination source 48. The illumination source 48, for example an incandescent, florescent or light emitting diode (LED) lamp, illuminates the gripper jaws 40 and the end of the terminal held by the gripper jaws 40. The video camera 46 is configured to generate a video image of the gripper jaws 40 that includes the end of the terminal. The imaging unit 44 further includes a video image processor (not shown) that is configured to determine the edge geometry of the end of the terminal and calculate the angular difference between the actual position of the terminal and the desired position and calculate the lateral (X) distance and vertical (Z) distance between the end of the terminal and the desired position as illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B. The video image processor is in communication with the control unit and the control unit will command the first or second gripper units 22, 24 to rotate the terminal to the desired position. The video image processor may be integral to the control unit. [0029] In order to reduce cycle time for the apparatus 10, a first terminated lead is typically being inserted in the connector bodies by the terminal installation unit 34 while a second terminated lead is being tested by the testing unit 34. At nearly the same time a third terminated lead is being formed by the termination unit 26 and a fourth wire lead is being formed by the wire dispensing unit 12. If the second terminated lead is rejected and discarded by the testing unit 34, the second terminated lead will be reformed and inserted after the fourth terminated lead. This causes the second terminated lead to be inserted into the connector bodies out of the normal sequence.

[0030] As illustrated in Fig. 6 A and 6B, the apparatus 10 includes first and second wire separation tools 50, 52 that are configured to push any previously inserted wire leads away from the desired cavities when the terminal insertion unit inserts the terminals into the cavities of the connector bodies. These first and second wire separation tools 50, 52 allow terminated leads to be inserted into the connector bodies in any order. This provides the benefit of avoiding scrapping an entire wire harness assembly when there is a defect detected in just one wire lead.

[0031] In this non-limiting example shown in Figs 6A and 6B, the first and second wire separation tools 50, 52 are conical protrusions that are attached to the first and second gripper units 22, 24 respectively. The inventors have discovered that a conical shape works well to move previously inserted terminated leads away from the desired cavity in which the terminal is to be inserted. The conical protrusions are split from vertex to base and each half may be characterized as a half conical protrusion, hereafter referred to as hemiconical protrusion. Each hemiconical protrusion 50A, 50B of the installation tool is configured to separate or move laterally (X) away from one another. An actuator (not shown), such as a hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric actuator may be used to separate and rejoin the halves of the insertion tool. Each insertion tool defines a cavity 52 in which the gripper jaws 40 are disposed. In operation, the vertex of the installation tool is positioned over the desired connector body cavity with the hemiconical halves of the insertion tool in contact with one another and then opened laterally (X) to move and hold any previously installed cables away from the desired cavity and provide access to the connector body cavity for the gripper jaws 40. As best illustrated in Fig. 7B, the side walls of the installation tool are substantially straight. Further experimentation may find that other shapes, such as a conical shape having convex or concave side walls, an ellipsoid cone, or pyramidal shapes may also provide satisfactory results. Alternatively, the halves of the installation tool may separate vertically or at an angle between vertical and horizontal depending of the orientation of the connector body to the first or second gripper units 22, 24. Still alternatively, the conical installation tool may be split into four quadrants that move both laterally (X) and vertically (Z).

[0032] Fig. 8 illustrates a method 200 of manufacturing a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted which may be performed by the apparatus 10 described above.

[0033] In step 202, PROVIDE A FIRST LENGTH OF WIRE TO FORM A FIRST WIRE LEAD, a first length of wire is provided, for example by the wire dispensing unit 12 of the apparatus 10 described above, the first length of wire having a desired gauge and insulation jacket color is cut to a desired length, thereby forming the first wire lead. [0034] In step 204, ATTACH A FIRST TERMINAL TO A LEADING END AND A SECOND TERMINAL TO A TRAILING END OF THE FIRST WIRE LEAD TO FORM A FIRST TERMINATED LEAD, the insulation jacket is stripped from both the leading and trailing end of the first wire lead and a first terminal is attached to the leading end of the first wire lead and a second terminal is attached to the trailing end of the first wire lead, thereby forming the first terminated lead. This step may be performed by the termination unit 26 of the apparatus 10 described above.

[0035] In step 206, PROVIDE A SECOND LENGTH OF WIRE TO FORM A SECOND WIRE LEAD, a second length of wire is provided, for example by the wire dispensing unit 12 of the apparatus 10 described above, the second length of wire having a desired gauge and insulation jacket color is cut to a desired length, thereby forming the second wire lead. The second wire lead may have a different gauge, length, and/or insulation jacket color than the first wire lead.

[0036] In step 208, ATTACH A THIRD TERMINAL TO A LEADING END AND A FOURTH TERMINAL TO A TRAILING END OF THE SECOND WIRE LEAD TO FORM A SECOND TERMINATED LEAD, the insulation jacket is stripped from both the leading and trailing end of the second wire lead and a third terminal is attached to the leading end of the second wire lead and a fourth terminal is attached to the trailing end of the second wire lead, thereby forming the second terminated lead. This step may also be performed by the termination unit 26 of the apparatus 10 described above.

[0037] In an optional step 210, PROVIDE A THIRD LENGTH OF WIRE TO FORM A THIRD WIRE LEAD, a third length of wire is provided, for example by the wire dispensing unit 12 of the apparatus described above, the third length of wire having a desired gauge and insulation jacket color is cut to a desired length, thereby forming the third wire lead 14. The third wire lead is a component of a different wire harness assembly than the first and second wire leads.

[0038] In an optional step 212, ATTACH A FIFTH TERMINAL TO A LEADING END AND A SIXTH TERMINAL TO A TRAILING END OF THE SECOND WIRE LEAD TO FORM A THIRD TERMINATED LEAD, the insulation jacket is stripped from both the leading and trailing end of the third wire lead and a fifth terminal is attached to the leading end of the third wire lead and a sixth terminal is attached to the trailing end of the third wire lead, thereby forming a third terminated lead. The third terminated lead may be a component of a different wire harness assembly than the first and second wire terminated leads. This step may also be performed by the termination unit of the apparatus described above.

[0039] In step 214, DETERMINE THAT A FLAW EXISTS IN THE FIRST

TERMINATED LEAD, it is determined that a flaw, such as improper length of the terminated lead, a break in the wire conductor, an improperly attached terminal, a misapplied seal or tear in the insulation jacket is detected. This step may be performed by the testing unit of the apparatus described above.

[0040] In step 216, DISCARD THE FIRST TERMINATED LEAD, the first terminated lead is discarded after it is determined that a flaw in the first terminated lead is detected in step 214. [0041] In an optional step 218, PROVIDE A FIRST TERMINAL POSITIONING UNIT HAVING A GRIPPER UNIT TO HOLD THE LEADING END OF THE SECOND TERMINATED LEAD AND HAVING A WIRE SEPARATION TOOL, a gripper unit, such as the first gripper unit described above it provided. The first gripper unit includes a wire separation tool, such as the first insertion tool described above.

[0042] In an optional step 220, MOVE OTHER TERMINATED LEADS ALREADY INSERTED IN OTHER CAVITIES IN THE FIRST CONNECTOR BODY AWAY FROM THE FIRST CAVITY IN THE FIRST CONNECTOR, other terminated leads that have been inserted into the first connector prior to the insertion of the first connector into the first cavity are moved away from the first cavity by the wire separation tool. For example, the vertex of the cone shaped first insertion tool is placed near the opening of the first cavity and the halves of the first insertion tool are spread apart to push other terminated leads away from the first cavity.

[0043] In an optional step 222, PROVIDE A SECOND TERMINAL POSITIONING UNIT HAVING A GRIPPER υΝΓΓ TO HOLD THE LEADING END OF THE

SECOND TERMINATED LEAD AND HAVING A WIRE SEPARATION TOOL, a gripper unit, such as the second gripper unit described above it provided. The second gripper unit includes a wire separation tool, such as the second insertion tool described above.

[0044] In an optional step 224, MOVE OTHER TERMINATED LEADS ALREADY INSERTED IN OTHER CAVITIES IN THE SECOND CONNECTOR BODY AWAY FROM THE SECOND CAVITY IN THE SECOND CONNECTOR BODY, other terminated leads that have been inserted into the second connector prior to the insertion of the second connector into the second cavity are moved away from the second cavity by the wire separation tool. For example, the vertex of the cone shaped second insertion tool is placed near the opening of the second cavity and the halves of the second insertion tool are spread apart to push other terminated leads away from the second cavity.

[0045] In an optional step 226, PROVIDE AN IMAGING UNIT CONFIGURED TO DETERMINE AN ACTUAL POSITION OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH TERMINAL, an imaging unit, such as the imagining unit described above, is provided and is configured to determine the actual position of the third and fourth terminals attached to the leading and trialing ends of the second terminated lead respectively.

[0046] In an optional step 228, ROTATE THE THIRD AND FOURTH

TERMINALS FROM AN ACTUAL POSITION TO A DESIRED POSITION, the thirds and fourth terminals are rotated about their longitudinal axes from their actual position to the desired position to properly align the terminals with the first and second cavities. The rotation of the terminals may be performed by the first and second gripper units as described above.

[0047] In step 230, INSERT THE THIRD TERMINAL INTO A FIRST CAVITY IN A FIRST CONNECTOR BODY AND THE FOURTH TERMINAL IN A SECOND CAVITY IN A SECOND CONNECTOR BODY, the third terminal attached to the leading end of the second terminated lead is inserted into the first cavity in the first connector body and the fourth terminal attached to the trailing end of the second terminated lead is inserted into the second cavity in the second connector body. The third and fourth terminals may be inserted into the first and second cavities by the first and second gripper units respectively as described above.

[0048] In step 232, PROVIDE ANOTHER FIRST LENGTH OF WIRE TO

REFORM THE FIRST WIRE LEAD, another first length of wire is provided having the same gauge, length, and insulation jacket color as the first terminated lead discarded in step 216 is formed, for example by the wire dispensing unit of the apparatus described above.

[0049] In step 234, ATTACH ANOTHER FIRST TERMINAL TO A LEADING END AND ANOTHER SECOND TERMINAL TO A TRAILING END OF THE FIRST WIRE LEAD TO REFORM THE FIRST TERMINATED LEAD, another first terminal is attached to the leading end and another second terminal is attached to the first wire lead reformed in step 232, thereby reforming the first terminated lead that was discarded in step 216.

[0050] In step 236, INSERT THE FIRST TERMINAL INTO A THIRD CAVITY IN THE FIRST CONNECTOR BODY AND THE SECOND TERMINAL IN A FOURTH CAVITY IN THE SECOND CONNECTOR BODY, the first terminal attached to the leading end of the first terminated lead that was formed in step 234 is inserted into the third cavity in the first connector body and the second terminal attached to the trailing end of the first terminated lead is inserted into the second cavity in the second connector body. The first and second terminals may be inserted into the first and second cavities by the first and second gripper units 22, 24 respectively as described above and may be aligned by the same process outlined in step 228. [0051] In an optional step 238, DISCARD THE THIRD TERMINATED LEAD, the third terminated lead is discarded after it is determined that a flaw in the first terminated lead is detected in step 214.

[0052] In an optional step 240, PROVIDE ANOTHER THIRD LENGTH OF WIRE TO REFORM THE THIRD WIRE LEAD, another third length of wire is provided having the same gauge, length, and insulation jacket color as the third terminated lead discarded in step 238 is formed, for example by the wire dispensing unit of the apparatus described above.

[0053] In an optional step 242, ATTACH ANOTHER FIFTH TERMINAL TO A LEADING END AND ANOTHER SIXTH TERMINAL TO A TRAILING END OF THE THIRD WIRE LEAD TO REFORM THE THIRD TERMINATED LEAD, another fifth terminal is attached to the leading end and another sixth terminal is attached to the third wire lead reformed in step 232, thereby reforming the third terminated lead that was discarded in step 238.

[0054] In an optional step 244, INSERT THE FIFTH TERMINAL INTO A THIRD CAVITY IN THE FIRST CONNECTOR BODY AND THE SIXTH TERMINAL IN A FOURTH CAVITY IN THE SECOND CONNECTOR BODY, the fifth terminal attached to the leading end of the third terminated lead that was formed in step 244 is inserted into the fifth cavity in the first connector body and the sixth terminal attached to the trailing end of the third terminated lead is inserted into the sixth cavity in the second connector body. The fifth and sixth terminals may be inserted into the fifth and sixth cavities by the first and second gripper units 22, 24 respectively as described above and may be aligned by the same process outlined in step 228.

[0055] Accordingly, an apparatus 10 configured to manufacture a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted and a method 200 of manufacturing a wire harness assembly having a plurality of terminated leads and a plurality of connector bodies into which the terminated leads are inserted is provided. The apparatus 10 includes insertion tools that can push terminated leads that have been previously inserted out of the way of open connector body cavities so that terminated leads can be inserted into the cavities in any order. The apparatus 10 and the method 200 both provide the benefit of allowing a single defective terminated lead to be discarded and then reformed and inserted into the connector bodies out of the usual insertion sequence. Doing so eliminates the need to discard an entire wire harness assembly if one terminated lead is defective as is required when each terminated lead must be inserted in a designated sequence. The apparatus 10 may also include an imaging unit 44 that can determine both the angular and lateral and vertical variance of an actual position of a terminal from the desired position needed to successfully insert the terminal within the desired cavity. This imaging system provides the benefit of allowing correction for not only the rotational variance of the actual position of the terminal in the gripper jaws 40 by detecting the edge geometry of the terminal but also allow correction for any lateral or vertical variation that may occur when the gripper jaws 40 holds the terminal as well.

[0056] While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred

embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.