Winding machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a winding machine (1). According to the invention a winding material supply guide (14) is guided for being displaced with a degree of freedom (19) relative to a frame (2) of the winding machine (1). When a winding material guiding structure (4) executes a compensating movement (23) along a degree of freedom (6) during the winding process due to an increase of the diameter of a wound package formed on a spindle (3), a corresponding movement of the winding material supply guide (14) along the degree of freedom (19) can be induced in a way such that a supply angle β of the winding material (11) to the winding material guiding structure (4) does not change during the winding process.

Claims

1. A winding machine comprising a) a frame, b) a spindle, c) a winding material guiding structure which ca) comprises a traversing winding material guide which is driven for executing a traversing movement, cb) comprises a bail means which is pressed against an outer surface of a wound package wound on the spindle and cc) is moved during a winding process according to an increasing diameter of the wound package for providing a compensating movement relative to the spindle, d) a winding material supply guide arranged upstream from the traversing winding material guide, the winding material supply guide being located at a position of the frame remote from the winding material guiding structure and a winding material being transferred directly from the winding material supply guide to the winding material guiding structure, e) the winding material supply guide being moveable in a translational manner dependent on the compensating movement, f) wherein the movement of the winding material guiding structure during the winding process is coupled to the movement of the winding material supply guide by a coupling structure which rigidly couples the winding material guiding structure to the winding material supply guide, and g) wherein the coupling structure extends within the frame such that the coupling structure is not visible from the outside and is covered by a wall of the frame.

2. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the movement of the winding material supply guide is such that a supply angle β of the winding material into the winding material guiding structure does not change in a plane (x-z-plane) having an orientation transvers to a traversing axis of the traversing winding material guide.

3. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein it is possible to move the winding material supply guide by an actuator dependent on the compensating movement.

4. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the traversing winding material guide guides and/or redirects the winding material by a sliding contact.

5. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the length of the winding material between the winding material supply guide and the traversing winding material guide is at least 300 mm.

6. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the winding material guiding structure and the winding material supply guide are each guided for a translational movement relative to the frame with parallel degrees of freedom.

7. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the winding material supply guide is a winding material supply guide roller and no additional guiding element is arranged between the winding material supply guide roller and the traversing winding material guide.

8. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the winding material guiding structure and the winding material supply guide are moved along translational parallel degrees of freedom.

9. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the spindle has a fixed rotational axis.

10. The winding machine of claim 1, wherein the winding material supply guide is a winding material supply guide roller and no additional guiding element is arranged between the winding material supply guide roller and the traversing winding material guide, wherein the movement of the winding material guiding structure during the winding process is coupled to the movement of the winding material supply guide by a coupling structure which rigidly couples the winding material guiding structure to the winding material supply guide, the coupling structure extending within the frame such that the coupling structure is not visible from the outside and is covered by a wall of the frame, wherein the winding material guiding structure and the winding material supply guide are moved along translational parallel degrees of freedom, and wherein the spindle has a fixed rotational axis.

11. A winding machine comprising a) a frame, b) a spindle, c) a winding material guiding structure which ca) comprises a traversing winding material guide which is driven for executing a traversing movement, cb) comprises a bail means which is pressed against an outer surface of a wound package wound on the spindle and cc) is moved during a winding process according to an increasing diameter of the wound package for providing a compensating movement relative to the spindle, d) a winding material supply guide arranged upstream from the traversing winding material guide, the winding material supply guide being located at a position of the frame remote from the winding material guiding structure and a winding material being transferred directly from the winding material supply guide to the winding material guiding structure, wherein the winding material supply guide is a winding material supply guide roller and no additional guiding element is arranged between the winding material supply guide roller and the traversing winding material guide, e) the winding material supply guide being moveable in a translational manner dependent on the compensating movement, f) wherein the movement of the winding material guiding structure during the winding process is coupled to the movement of the winding material supply guide by a coupling structure which rigidly couples the winding material guiding structure to the winding material supply guide, the coupling structure extending within the frame such that the coupling structure is not visible from the outside and is covered by a wall of the frame, wherein the winding material guiding structure and the winding material supply guide are moved along translational parallel degrees of freedom, and wherein the spindle has a fixed rotational axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention is further explained and described with respect to preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional view shows a winding machine for a viewing direction from the front and from above.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the winding machine of FIG. 1 in a front view.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the winding machine of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a front view where here a frame is shown in a partial sectional view so that a coupling strut between a winding material guiding structure and a winding material supply guide is visible.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the winding machine of FIGS. 1 to 3 in a side view.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a detail of a front view of the winding machine of FIGS. 1 to 4 in the contact region between the winding material guiding structure and a wound package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional view shows a winding machine 1. The winding machine 1 comprises a frame 2 which might be embodied as a cover plate, a housing, a rack and the like. The essential, components of the winding machine 1 listed in the following are held and/or guided on the frame 2.

(8) The winding machine 1 comprises a rotating spindle 3 which is here arranged at a fixed location which has an orientation parallel to an y-axis. A winding material guiding structure 4 extends parallel to the spindle 3 and along the y-axis. The winding material guiding structure 4 is supported by a guide 5 (which here defines a horizontal degree of freedom 6) for being moved on the frame 2. The winding material guiding structure 4 comprises a bail means 7, here a bail roller 8. The bail roller 8 is supported for being rotated parallel to the y-axis on a base body of the winding material guiding structure 4. By a suitable actuator (not shown here) or a weight the winding material guiding structure 4 is biased along the degree of freedom 6 towards the spindle 3 so that the winding material guiding structure 4 is supported via the bail roller 8 with a predefined bailing force on the outer surface of a wound package generated on the spindle 3. The winding material guiding structure 4 comprises a traversing winding material guide 9 which can be moved with a traversing movement 10 bidirectionally parallel to the y-axis.

(9) A winding material 11 is e.g. supplied by a continuous or discontinuous production process and supplied to the winding material guiding structure 4, here the traversing winding material guide 9, via a first roller 12, a deflection roller 13, a winding material supply guide 14 (here embodied as winding material supply guide roller 15). No other guiding element which guides or deflects the winding material 11 is arranged between the winding material supply guide 14 and the winding material guiding structure 4. A traversing triangle 16 with an overall traversing angle α is formed between the winding material supply guide 14 and the winding material guiding structure 4 (cp. FIG. 4). The winding material supply guide 14 defines the vertex 17 of the traversing triangle 16. The length of the traversing triangle 16 corresponds to the distance 22 of the winding material supply guide 14 from the traversing winding material guide 9. The winding material supply guide 14 is guided by a guide 18 with a (here translational and horizontal) degree of freedom 19 relative to the frame 2.

(10) In the figures an x-axis denotes a horizontal direction which for the shown embodiment has an orientation parallel to the degrees of freedom 6, 19. The y-axis has an orientation parallel to the longitudinal axis and/or the rotational axis of the spindle 4. Furthermore, the winding material guiding structure 4 extends along the y-axis. The traversing movement 10 of the traversing winding material guide 9 has an orientation parallel to the y-axis. The bail roller 8 rotates about the y-axis. Finally, a z-axis defines a vertical axis of the winding machine 1. A supply angle β denotes the angle of the winding material in the x-z-plane relative to the z-plane.

(11) FIG. 2 shows the winding machine at the start of the winding process (so at the beginning of the winding of the wound package on the spindle 3). At the start of the winding process the winding material guiding structure 4 is in a position along the degree of freedom 6 having the smallest radial distance from the longitudinal axis and rotational axis of the spindle 3. During the winding process the diameter of the wound package increases which leads to the result that the winding material guiding structure 4 moves with a compensating movement 23 along the degree of freedom 6 more and more away from the longitudinal and/or rotational axis of the spindle 3. If (differing from the inventive embodiment) the winding material supply guide 14 was arranged at a fixed location on the frame 2, this compensating movement 23 of the winding material guiding structure 4 had the result that the supply angle β changes (for the shown embodiment: reduces) which is undesired. A movement of the winding material supply guide 14 along the degree of freedom 19 is induced. The extent of the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 corresponds to the extent of the movement of the winding material guiding structure 4. By this measure it is possible to keep the supply angle β constant during the winding process independent on the diameter of the wound package and on the compensating movement 23. Accordingly, the geometry (in particular the length) of the traversing triangle 16 between the winding material supply guide 14 and the winding material guiding structure 4 does not change dependent on the compensating movement 23.

(12) For the shown embodiment the coupling of the movement of the winding material guiding structure 4 to the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 is provided by a mechanical coupling means 20 which is here embodied as coupling strut 21 which rigidly connects the winding material guiding structure 4 to the winding material supply guide 14 (cp. FIG. 3). Here, the coupling strut preferably extends within the frame or housing 2 so that the coupling strut 21 is not visible from the outside and covered by the housing wall.

(13) As can be seen in FIG. 5 for one possible embodiment the traversing winding material guide 9 has a plate-like design. In this case the traversing winding material guide 9 comprises a (e.g. U-shaped) recess through which the winding material 11 extends. In the center of the traversing triangle 16 the winding material 1 extends through the U-shaped recess without any deflection of the winding material. Instead, for any offset from the center position there is a deflection by one of the side legs of the U of the traversing winding material guide 9 and with an increasing distance from the centered position there is a larger deflection by this side leg of the U. The here plate-shaped traversing winding material guide 9 has an orientation vertical to the supply direction of the winding material 11. Accordingly, the traversing winding material guide 9 and the extensional plane of the U-shaped recess are also inclined by the supply angle β relative to the x-y-plane.

(14) The present embodiment in particular leads to the following (alternative or cumulative) differences and advantages when compared to the solutions known from the prior art having a winding material supply guide 14 with a fixed location: a) Due to the fact that the supply angle β does not change the contact conditions of the winding material 11 and the winding material supply guide 14 are independent on the compensating movement 23 and on the diameter of the wound package of the coil. b) In the case that the winding material supply guide 14 is embodied as a winding material supply guide roller 15, the design has the consequence that the angle of deflection by the winding material supply guide roller 15 does not change with the compensating movement 23 or changes only with a reduced extent. (The angle of deflection in particular does not change dependent on the compensating movement 23 if the winding material 11 is supplied parallel to the compensating movement 23 to the winding material supply guide roller 15 whereas for a different supply direction of the winding material 11 to the winding material supply guide roller 15 a change of the angle of deflection might result dependent on the compensating movement 23.) c) Furthermore, the supply conditions of the winding material 11 at the entry into the winding material guiding structure 4 and in particular at the entry into the traversing winding material guide 9 do not depend on the compensating movement 23 and so on the diameter of the wound package being wound. It is e.g. possible that by the given measures it is avoided that due to a changing supply angle β the winding material 11 is pulled stronger into the base of the U-shaped recess of the traversing winding material guide 9 (increase of the supply angle β) so that then also an angle of deflection of the winding material 11 at the U-shaped recess of the traversing winding material guide 9 would be increased. By the given measures it is also possible to avoid that due to a reduced supply angle β at the entry of the winding material 11 into the traversing winding material guide 9 the winding material 11 is slightly pulled in upper direction with a changed angle out of the side legs of the U-shaped recess. d) The distance 22 of the winding material supply guide 14 from the traversing winding material guide 9 (cp. FIG. 2) is at least 300 mm. By use of the comparatively large distance of the winding material supply guide 14 from the traversing winding material guide 9 the length of the winding material 11 between the winding material supply guide 14 and the traversing winding material guide 9 does only change to a small extent during one stroke of the traversing movement 10 so that in some cases compensating measures 23 as the use of a compensating bow are dispensable. Here, the distance 22 correlates with the length of the traversing triangle 16. e) A deterioration of the quality of the winding material 11 due to changed contact conditions of the winding material 11 over the winding process is reduced or avoided and the spool quality is improved over winding machines wherein a supply angle β changes over the winding process with an in some cases resulting change of the overall traversing angle α of the traversing triangle 16. f) In some cases also a traversing winding material guide 9 might be used which is not entangled by the winding material 11. In this traversing winding material guide 9 the winding material might only be guided parallel to the longitudinal axis and/or rotational axis of the spindle 3. For this embodiment the winding material 11 is treated with care due to a reduced bending bias because there is no deflection.

(15) The invention covers both embodiments wherein the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 only depends on the compensating movement 23 of the winding material guiding structure 4 as well as embodiments wherein the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 also depends on at least another operation parameter additional to the dependency on the compensating movement 23 of the winding material guiding structure 4.

(16) Furthermore, the invention covers embodiments wherein the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 is not coupled over the whole stroke but only over a part of the stroke of the compensating movement 23 to the movement of the winding material guiding structure 4. A coupling of the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 to the movement of the winding material guiding structure 4 might also be embodied with any linear or non-linear dependency.

(17) Furthermore, the invention covers embodiments wherein a movement of the winding material supply guide 14 is not only dependent on the movement of the winding material guiding structure 4 but might additionally also be induced for other purposes. It is e.g. possible that in the case that the winding material supply guide 14 is moved by an actuator the movement of the winding material supply guide 14 is also used for at least temporarily controlling the tension of the winding material 11. In order to mention only one other example (which is not intended to limit the present invention) the winding material supply guide 14 can be moved at the start of the winding process, at the end of the winding process or for exchanging the spool for e.g. assisting the catching or cutting of the winding material 11 or for allowing the same or for inducing a configuration of the winding machine 1 which is advantageous for this particular operational state.

(18) Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.