BRAIDING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BRAID

Abstract

A braiding machine for producing a braid includes at least two reel supports, each having at least one reel, and a control device for controlling a braiding process. The reel supports can be moved on at least two predetermined paths. Each reel support can be driven individually by an electromagnetic drive. The reel supports are driven by continuous magnetic fields. A method for producing a braid with the aid of a braiding machine is also provided.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A braiding machine for producing a braid, the braiding machine comprising: at least two reel supports each supporting at least one respective reel, said reel supports each being movable along a respective one of at least two predetermined paths; an electromagnetic drive for individually driving each of said reel supports, said electromagnetic drive including first magnets distributed along said predetermined paths and at least one second magnet disposed in a respective one of said reel supports; said first magnets or said second magnets being electromagnets configured to be controlled for generating a propulsion along a respective one of said predetermined paths for each of said reel supports by continuous magnetic fields; and a control device for controlling a braiding process, said control device controlling said electromagnets for causing said electromagnetic drive to move said reel supports along said predetermined paths during operation.

18. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined paths are closed, intersect each other multiple times and have a plurality of convexly-curved sections and a plurality of concavely-curved sections, and said reel supports travel in opposite directions on said at least two paths during operation.

19. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said control device for controlling said electromagnets is configured to guide said reel supports along said predetermined paths while suspended during operation.

20. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said reel supports are driven and guided without using a lubricant.

21. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined paths are formed by rails along which said reel supports are guided.

22. The braiding machine according to claim 21, wherein said rails intersect at a plurality of intersections, and said rails run straight and have interruptions at said intersections.

23. The braiding machine according to claim 18, wherein said paths have a curve banking on at least part of said curved sections.

24. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said paths run along an inner surface of a cone or a cylinder.

25. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein at least some of said magnets are disposed and controlled during operation to at least partially magnetically compensate for centrifugal forces acting on said reel supports during operation.

26. The braiding machine according to claim 21, wherein said rails have a rail head, said reel supports have a reel foot, and said rail head and said reel foot engage each other in a rear grip area.

27. The braiding machine according to claim 26, wherein said reel support has an inner second magnet positioned opposite to an inside of a predetermined path and an outer second magnet positioned opposite to an outside of said predetermined path, in said rear grip area.

28. The braiding machine according to claim 27, wherein said control device for controlling said electromagnets is configured for generating alternating magnetic forces in a region of said inner and outer second magnets as a function of a current position of said reel supports, to compensate for alternating forces acting on said reel supports.

29. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein each respective reel support has a plurality of foot elements being interconnected in an articulated manner.

30. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said reel supports include two or four or more reel supports being guided along each respective predetermined path.

31. The braiding machine according to claim 17, wherein said reel supports are equipped with respective reel brakes.

32. A method for producing a braid by using a braiding machine, the method comprising the following steps: moving at least two reel supports on at least two predetermined paths; individually driving each reel support by using an electromagnetic drive; distributing first magnets of the electromagnetic drive along the predetermined paths and placing at least one second magnet of the electromagnetic drive in each respective reel support; providing the first magnets or second magnets as electromagnets; and controlling the electromagnets to generate continuous magnetic fields causing a respective reel support to travel along a predetermined path.

Description

[0031] An exemplary embodiment is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings. The respective drawings show the following, in some cases in greatly simplified representations:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a simplified representation of a braiding machine for producing a round braid,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a reel support attached to a rail,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a greatly simplified top view of a curved section of a rail with a reel support attached, having a plurality of foot elements that are interconnected in an articulated manner,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a greatly simplified top view of an intersection of two rails,

[0036] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a section of a path to illustrate a curve banking, and

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a simplified illustration of the course of the paths along an inner surface.

[0038] In the drawings, parts that have the same effect are assigned the same reference signs.

[0039] The braiding machine 2 shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of reel supports 4, which may be moved along predetermined paths 6A, 6B. Each respective reel support 4 has a reel 8 on which a wire 10 is wound. The braiding machine 2 also has a pull-off apparatus 12 for taking off a braid 14 formed during the braiding process. The braiding machine 2 and the braiding process are controlled by a control device 16.

[0040] The two paths 6A, 6B are designed as circumferentially closed wave-shaped paths. In the exemplary embodiment, the paths each respectively have four outwardly-curved convex sections 18A and four inwardly-curved concave sections 18B corresponding thereto. The respective curved sections 18A, 18B are evenly distributed with the same angular distance to each other. The two paths 6A, 6B are identical to each other, apart from being arranged opposite each other by a twist angle a around a central axis 20. The twist angle a is 45 in the exemplary embodiment and is 360/2n in general, where n is the number of convexly or concavely curved sections 18A, 18B (in the exemplary embodiment, n=4).

[0041] The two paths 6A, 6B are inside a travel surface 22, which in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 is schematized as a simple horizontal plane. The individual reel supports 4 are guided along the paths 6A, 6B within the travel surface 22.

[0042] The exemplary embodiment depicts a total of eight reel supports 4, four reel supports 4 being arranged on each respective path 6A, 6B. In operation, the reel supports 4 of one path 6A run opposite the direction of the reel supports 4 of the other path 6B. Due to the wave-shaped course, the paths 6A, 6B intersect at intersections 24.

[0043] By moving the individual reel supports 4 oppositely during the braiding process with a plurality of alternating intersections, the desired braiding 14 is formed. The motion sequence is based on the motion sequence of a conventional bobbin braiding machine. The resulting braid 14 is continuously pulled upward by means of the pull-off apparatus 12. Due to the pulling force exerted in that process, the individual wires 10 are forcibly unwound from the spools 8. A reel drive is not required and is not furnished in the exemplary embodiment. However, a reel drive may be furnished to support the pull-off force.

[0044] A respective reel support 4 also hasin a manner not otherwise shown hereina mechanical or electromotive brake, which may be used to slow down the reel 8 and thus slow the unwinding of the wire 10, so that a defined pulling force may be set. The braking force may be varied by controlling the electromagnetic brake accordingly.

[0045] The individual reel supports 4 are individually driven along the paths 6A, 6B respectively by means of an electromagnetic drive, so that they travel along the respective path 6A, 6B at the desired speed.

[0046] This electromagnetic drive 26 is based on the concept of the magnetic levitation train and is illustrated by FIG. 2:

[0047] To form the electromagnetic drive 26, first magnets 28 are generally arranged distributed along the respective path 6A, 6B. These magnets are designed in particular as electromagnets. Second magnets 30 are respectively arranged on the reel support 4, and are preferably designed as permanent magnets. The first magnets 28, which are designed as electromagnets, are controlled during operation in such a way that a continuous (alternating) magnetic field is generated along the respective path 6A, 6B. Control is done by means of the control device 16, which controls the respective first magnets 28 in a suitable way to generate the continuous magnetic field. In this case, the first magnets 28 undergo continuous reversals in polarity. This continuous magnetic field generates a magnetic driving force in the desired direction of motion along the path 6A, 6B.

[0048] The first and second magnets 28, 30 are arranged opposite each other and their magnetic force has an axial force component oriented in the axial direction 32. The term axial direction 32 herein refers generally to the surface normal of the travel surface 22. Due to the axial force component, the reel support 4 is also raised slightly in the axial direction 32, so that it runs along the predetermined path 6A, 6B while suspended and without mechanical contact. Accordingly, in particular, no mechanical friction forces occur (apart from air friction). The use of lubricants is avoided altogether.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a special configuration in which the reel supports 4 are each guided on one respective rail 34. In the exemplary embodiment, the rail 34 has a T-shaped rail head 36. In turn, the reel support 4 has a reel foot 38 that embraces the rail head 36. A rear grip area 44 is thus formed. The reel foot 38 is in particular designed in the manner of a C-arm. A holder 40 is arranged on the upper side of the reel foot 38, and in this holder, the reel 8 is held rotatably around a reel axis.

[0050] A gap 42 is formed between the rail head 36 and the reel foot 38 so that the reel foot 38 may be guided to the rail head 36 without contact. At the same time, a form-locking is formed both in the axial direction 32 and in the radial direction 50.

[0051] As may be seen from FIG. 2, on the reel support 4, in addition to the second magnet 30 arranged in the upper area of the reel foot 38, an internal second magnet 30A is arranged in a rear grip area 44 on an inner side 46 of the respective path 6A, 6B. Opposite to it, oriented toward an outer side 48 of the respective path 6A, 6B, an external second magnet 30B is arranged. The inner side 46 of the path refers to the side oriented toward the central axis 20, and the outer side 48 refers to the side of the respective path 6A, 6B that faces away from the central axis 20.

[0052] A plurality of internal first magnets 28A and a plurality of external first magnets 28B are arranged in turn along the rail 34, corresponding to the internal and external second magnet 30A, 30B. These first magnets in turn are likewise electromagnets. These magnets are preferably used supplementarily to the generation of propulsion.

[0053] Their main purpose is to exert additional magnetic holding forces on the reel support 4 so that it is guided on the rail 34 in as contact-free a manner as possible in all situations. In particular, they serve to exert magnetic counterforces against tilting moments and in particular against centrifugal forces. They are usually oriented in a radial direction 50. The term radial direction herein means the direction that is perpendicular to the path 6A, 6B, but is within the travel surface 22.

[0054] Because the path 6A, 6B is wave-shaped, the centrifugal forces vary in the radial direction 50 as a function of the respective current position of the reel support 4. The internal and external first magnets 28A, 28B are therefore controlled as a function of the current position of the respective reel support 4, in order to compensate for these centrifugal forces in particular, so that the magnetic fields generated at the current position compensate for the currently-occurring forces. The magnetic forces generated in the area of the internal and external second magnets 30A, 30B and acting on the reel support 4 therefore vary depending on position, and different magnetic forces act on the inner side 46 and outer side 48 depending on the position.

[0055] To enable the reel support 4 to be guided as well as possible and while also being able to pass through the narrow radii of curvature in the area of the curved sections 18A, 18B without contact, a respective reel support 4 has a plurality of foot segments 52, which are interconnected in a hinged manner. These segments thus form a kind of link chain. The individual foot segments 52 have a slight distance to each other, so that they may be slightly tilted against each other via their articulated connection, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a total of four foot segments 52. Alternatively, the respective reel support 4 may have three foot segments 52.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a sub-area where two rails 34 cross at an intersection 54. The respective rail 34 has an interruption at the intersection 54. As a result, the respective reel support 4 may cross the rail 34 of the other path 6A, 6B. In order to avoid centrifugal forces, the paths 6A, 6B and thus the rails 34, are designed to be rectilinear in the area of the intersection 54. FIG. 4 shows a central guide element at the center of the intersection 54, which improves guidance within the intersection area.

[0057] The length of a respective reel foot 38 and in particular of a respective foot segment is greater than the slots to be bridged in the area of the intersection 54, so that a respective foot segment 52 is also reliably guided in the intersection area.

[0058] Due to the many curved sections 18A, 18B and the high speeds, the centrifugal forces in these sections are high. In order to accommodate these at least partially, a curve banking 56 is formed at a respective section 18A. 18B, as is illustrated in a greatly simplified manner by FIG. 5. The dashed curve shows a comparison curve that runs within a plane (the XY plane). The solid curve shows a course with the curve bankings 56. For this purpose, the respective section 18A, 18B is raised from the sheet plane (XY plane) in the Z direction, so that it has an inclination relative to the XY plane. Curve bankings 56 of this basic kind are known for the compensation of centrifugal forces, for example in road or rail travel.

[0059] According to an additional configuration, the paths 6A, 6B run completely on an inner surface 58, as FIG. 6 in particular schematically depicts. The inner surface 58 is in particular a cylindrical surface, the rotational axis of the corresponding cylinder being formed by the central axis 20. The inner surface 58 thus defines the travel surface 22. The surface normal corresponds to the axial direction 32, which at the same time is arranged radially with respect to the central axis 20. The resulting centrifugal forces are therefore oriented in the axial direction 32 and are thus absorbed directly by the respective rail 34 in the axial direction 32. Instead of a purely cylindrical inner surface 58, a truncated conical inner surface is used as an alternative, so as to additionally compensate, for example, for the downward-oriented weight force. A truncated conical inner surface of this kind is preferably only inclined by a few degrees (for example from 3 to 30 , in particular 5 to 20) relative to a cylindrical inner surface and tapers downward, i.e. in the direction of gravity.