System for holding a heat shrinkable tube during a heat shrinking operation

Abstract

An electric wire-connecting portion ( 11 ) is formed by connecting together conductive ends of a plurality of electric wires (W). One end of a heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ) is sealed with hot melt adhesive ( 15 ). The heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ) is attached onto the electric wire-connecting portion ( 11 ). A tube holding tool ( 13 ) for protecting the one end of the heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ) against heat is attached to the one end of the heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ). The heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ) is heated to shrink thereby sealing the electric wire-connecting portion ( 11 ). The tube holding tool ( 13 ) includes a holding portion ( 13 a ) for holding the one end of the heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ), and a shaft portion ( 13 b ) integrally formed with the holding portion ( 13 a ). A tube shrinking machine ( 14 ) includes a heating section ( 19 ) for heating the heat shrinkable tube ( 12 ), a wire transporting section ( 17 ) for transporting a bundled portion of the electric wires (W), and a tool transporting section ( 18 ) for transporting the tube holding tool ( 13 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tube shrinking machine for shrinking a heat shrinkable tube of which one end portion is sealed with hot melt adhesive and held with a tube holding tool and the other end portion receives an electric wire-connecting portion formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires and connecting together conductive ends of the electric wires and covers the electric wire-connecting portion, the tube shrinking machine comprising: 
 a heater section heating the heat shrinkable tube to shrink the heat shrinkable tube;    a wire transporting section located outside the heater section, the wire transporting section transporting the bundled portion of the electric wires; and    a tool transporting section located outside the heater section, the tool transporting section transporting the tube holding tool.    
     
     
         2 . The tube shrinking machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a machine body, wherein a space is formed in the machine body, and wherein the wire transporting section and the tool transporting section are arranged in the space.  
     
     
         3 . The tube shrinking machine of  claim 2 , wherein the heater section includes heater groups which are disposed to sandwich the space.  
     
     
         4 . The tube shrinking machine of  claim 1 , wherein the wire transporting section is arranged substantially in parallel with the tool transporting section.