Electric wire bundle, apparatus for manufacturing electric wire bundle, and method for manufacturing electric wire bundle

An apparatus for manufacturing an electric wire bundle including a bundle portion in which at least a portion of a plurality of electric wires in an extension direction is bundled together, the bundle portion being maintained in a bundled condition, the apparatus comprising:

• an electric wire support configured to support the plurality of electric wires in a condition in which the bundle portion is raised;
• at least one nozzle configured to discharge a fluid binding portion forming material;
• and
• a movement mechanism configured to move the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is rotated relatively around an outer circumference of the bundle portion, and the fluid binding portion forming material discharged from the at least one nozzle is supplied to an outer circumferential portion of the bundle portion in strip-shape in a form in which the bundle portion can be maintained in a bundled condition.

A method for manufacturing an electric wire bundle including a bundle portion in which at least a portion of a plurality of electric wires in an extension direction is bundled together, the bundle portion being maintained in a bundled condition, the method comprising:

• (a) preparing an electric wire group including a bundle portion in which at least a portion of a plurality of electric wires in an extension direction is bundled together;
• (b) supplying a fluid binding portion forming material from a nozzle that is rotated relatively around an outer circumference of the bundle portion to an outer circumferential portion of the bundle portion in strip-shape in a form in which the bundle portion can be maintained in a bundled condition, by moving the nozzle with a movement mechanism around the outer circumference of the bundle portion;
• and
• (c) curing the fluid binding portion forming material supplied to an outer circumferential surface of the bundle portion.

An apparatus for manufacturing an electric wire bundle including a bundle portion in which at least a portion of a plurality of electric wires in an extension direction is bundled together, the bundle portion being maintained in a bundled condition, the apparatus comprising:

• an electric wire support configured to support the plurality of electric wires in a condition in which the bundle portion is raised;
• at least one nozzle configured to discharge a fluid binding portion forming material;
• and
• a movement mechanism configured to move at least one of the electric wire support and the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is rotated relatively around an outer circumference of the bundle portion, and the fluid binding portion forming material discharged from the at least one nozzle is supplied to an outer circumferential portion of the bundle portion in strip-shape in a form in which the bundle portion can be maintained in a bundled condition;
• wherein the movement mechanism includes a circumferential direction movement mechanism configured to move at least one of the electric wire support and the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is moved relatively around the bundle portion, and a route direction movement mechanism configured to move at least one of the electric wire support and the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is moved relatively along a bundle portion formation route;
• wherein at least a portion of the bundle portion formation route is curved, and
• the route direction movement mechanism moves at least one of the electric wire support and the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is moved relatively while turning at at least one portion along the bundle portion formation route.

An apparatus for manufacturing an electric wire bundle including a bundle portion in which at least a portion of a plurality of electric wires in an extension direction is bundled together, the bundle portion being maintained in a bundled condition, the apparatus comprising:

• an electric wire support configured to support the plurality of electric wires in a condition in which the bundle portion is raised;
• at least one nozzle configured to discharge a fluid binding portion forming material;
• and
• a movement mechanism configured to move at least one of the electric wire support and the at least one nozzle such that the at least one nozzle is rotated relatively around an outer circumference of the bundle portion, and the fluid binding portion forming material discharged from the at least one nozzle is supplied to an outer circumferential portion of the bundle portion in strip-shape in a form in which the bundle portion can be maintained in a bundled condition;
• wherein the at least one nozzle includes a plurality of first nozzles provided at different positions around the bundle portion, and a plurality of second nozzles provided at positions shifted relative to the plurality of first nozzles on a bundle portion formation route,
• the movement mechanism includes a circumferential direction movement mechanism configured to move the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles together around the bundle portion, and a route direction movement mechanism configured to move the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles along the bundle portion formation route, and
• the plurality of the first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles are moved along the bundle portion formation route and moved periodically in both forward and reverse directions around the bundle portion such that the fluid binding portion forming material supplied from the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles form regular meandering strips in an extension direction of the bundle portion on an outer circumferential surface of the bundle portion and connect to one another on the outer circumferential surface of the bundle portion to form a mesh shape.