Patent classifications
B21F35/04
FEEDBACK-BASED SYSTEM FOR BENDING WIRE AND FORMING SPRINGS
Feedback-based systems and methods for bending wire are provided. The systems and methods may allow for modification of wire bending based on feedback received from one or more feedback-generating elements (e.g., image-capturing device(s), computer processing device(s), vision systems, etc.) used for monitoring one or more characteristics of a wire (e.g., shape, size, dimension, angular configuration, etc.) to determine, and provide to various wire-bending components of the system, appropriate modifications to the wire-bending process. Modifications to the wire-bending process may occur in real time without stopping the wire-bending process. Furthermore, a wire may be bent into a sinusoidal wire structure for forming springs for use in various applications.
Sinuous spring for a furniture item
A sinuous spring for a furniture item includes various elements. For instance, a sinuous spring might include bars that are both parallel and non-parallel. The parallel bars might be positioned in a middle segment, and the non-parallel bars might be positioned in opposing end spring segments. A sinuous spring might be fabricated using various devices and methods, such as a wire-fabricating apparatus including a wire-forming mechanism and a length-adjusting mechanism. The wire-forming mechanism includes one or more sets of wire-forming dies that receive a continuously fed wire and that form the wire into a wire-shape configuration (e.g., sinuous-shape configuration). The length-adjusting mechanism includes a set of grooved wheels that receive the formed wire in the grooves and rotate to stretch or compress the formed wire.
Sinuous spring for a furniture item
A sinuous spring for a furniture item includes various elements. For instance, a sinuous spring might include bars that are both parallel and non-parallel. The parallel bars might be positioned in a middle segment, and the non-parallel bars might be positioned in opposing end spring segments. A sinuous spring might be fabricated using various devices and methods, such as a wire-fabricating apparatus including a wire-forming mechanism and a length-adjusting mechanism. The wire-forming mechanism includes one or more sets of wire-forming dies that receive a continuously fed wire and that form the wire into a wire-shape configuration (e.g., sinuous-shape configuration). The length-adjusting mechanism includes a set of grooved wheels that receive the formed wire in the grooves and rotate to stretch or compress the formed wire.
Ring-shaped spring and method for manufacturing same
An inexpensive ring spring having high strength and a method for producing the same, are provided. The ring spring can be obtained, for example, by raw material preparation, bending formation, welding, and disk formation performed in this order. The ring spring is formed to have no edge by welding two edge parts of the raw material, and has a welded metal part that is formed at the interface of the two edge parts of the raw material, and a welded heat-affected zone that is formed around the welded metal part and heated by welding, and exhibits tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more. Since the ring spring has sufficient tensile strength as a disk spring and a wave spring, quenching and tempering are not necessary. Furthermore, since the product can be prevented from being deformed due to quenching and tempering, dimensional accuracy of the product can be improved.
Ring-shaped spring and method for manufacturing same
An inexpensive ring spring having high strength and a method for producing the same, are provided. The ring spring can be obtained, for example, by raw material preparation, bending formation, welding, and disk formation performed in this order. The ring spring is formed to have no edge by welding two edge parts of the raw material, and has a welded metal part that is formed at the interface of the two edge parts of the raw material, and a welded heat-affected zone that is formed around the welded metal part and heated by welding, and exhibits tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more. Since the ring spring has sufficient tensile strength as a disk spring and a wave spring, quenching and tempering are not necessary. Furthermore, since the product can be prevented from being deformed due to quenching and tempering, dimensional accuracy of the product can be improved.
NESTED CREST-TO-CREST WAVE SPRING
A nested crest-to-crest wave spring formed from a single, continuous piece of flat wire by coiling a nested wave spring, then shifting the direction of the coil to form a subsequent nested spring that stacks upon the original nested spring without breaking the wire or using any method to fasten the nested springs together. This process can be repeated to stack multiple nested springs together in a crest-to-crest configuration. This process creates a crest-to-crest wave spring that can withstand increased loading over a crest-to-crest wave spring while providing more deflection than a nested wave spring. These changes in wave direction and the number of stacks can be made to any number to achieve the desired load and/or deflection.
NESTED CREST-TO-CREST WAVE SPRING
A nested crest-to-crest wave spring formed from a single, continuous piece of flat wire by coiling a nested wave spring, then shifting the direction of the coil to form a subsequent nested spring that stacks upon the original nested spring without breaking the wire or using any method to fasten the nested springs together. This process can be repeated to stack multiple nested springs together in a crest-to-crest configuration. This process creates a crest-to-crest wave spring that can withstand increased loading over a crest-to-crest wave spring while providing more deflection than a nested wave spring. These changes in wave direction and the number of stacks can be made to any number to achieve the desired load and/or deflection.