Portable cable tie tool

Abstract

A portable tool for tying an object, in particular a cable harness, using a strip, comprising a tool element with a cycle controller arranged in the tool element, a clamping device, and a drive for the clamping device. The drive is designed as a dual drive such that the cycle controller and the clamping device each have a dedicated drive, said drives being actuated independently by a controller. By providing a dedicated drive for the clamping device in this manner, interfering influences from the cycle controller are eliminated. Thus, a more precise clamping process can be carried out with high reproducibility, thereby improving the quality of the tying process.

Claims

1. A portable tool for tying an object using a strap, comprising: a tool body; a cycle controller disposed within the body, said cycle controller having a first drive motor interconnected by a first plurality of gear wheels to a cam disk, said cam disk configured to actuate a sequence of actions; and a tensioning installation having a second drive motor interconnected to a pair of track rollers by a belt and a second plurality of gear wheels, wherein the first and second drive motors are independently actuated by a control installation.

2. The portable tool as claimed in of claim 1, comprising a torque-control installation for the second drive motor.

3. The portable tool as claimed in of claim 1 comprising a synchronous control installation for the first and second drive motors.

4. The portable tool of claim 1, comprising a current monitoring module for the second drive motor.

5. The portable tool of claim 1, wherein the tensioning installation has a tensioning wheel which is configured for engaging the strap in a form-fitting manner.

6. The portable tool of claim 5, wherein the tensioning wheel is configured for engaging in the strap using blunt teeth.

7. The portable tool of claim 1, wherein transducers for an actual revolution speed are disposed on the cycle controller and on the tensioning installation.

8. The portable tool of claim 7, wherein the control installation is configured for setting a fixed correlation between the revolution speeds of the first and second drive motors.

9. The portable tool of claim 1, wherein the control installation has a characteristic-curve module which is configured for setting various characteristic curves for revolution speeds/torque.

10. The portable tool of claim 9, wherein the characteristic-curve module comprises a lookup table.

11. The portable tool of claim 10, wherein the lookup table comprises a parameter matrix for various tensioning forces and speeds.

12. The portable tool of claim 1, wherein the control installation comprises a dynamics module which is configured for decelerating the second drive motor in a selectable portion of a tensioning procedure.

13. The portable tool of claim 12, wherein the dynamics module is configured for decelerating the second drive motor in a last portion of the tensioning procedure.

14. The portable tool of claim 1, comprising a storage installation comprising data sets relating to maximum current, average current, holding time, or cycle time of the tensioning procedure is provided.

15. The portable tool as claimed in of claim 14, wherein the storage installation comprises an interface for external subsequent processing.

16. The portable tool of claim 15, wherein the interface is disposed on the tool or on an external component.

17. The portable tool of claim 15, wherein the interface is disposed on a power pack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be discussed in more detail hereunder with reference to the appended drawing and by means of an exemplary embodiment. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a portable tying tool;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a fragmented exploded view of the tool as per FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a block diagram for controlling; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the tensioning roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) A portable tying tool in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is provided for processing cable ties 3. The tying tool comprises a tool body 1 having at the lower end thereof a pistol-type handle. A removable magazine 2 is provided at the upper end of said tool body 1, said magazine 2 receiving the cable ties 9 to be supplied. A clamp 3, which of two clamp halves 30, 31 which are moveable in relation to one another, is disposed on a front side of the tool body 1. The tool body on the lateral face thereof has a command panel 18 having a display and input keys. A power pack 10 is provided for providing power.

(7) During operation, the object to be tied (cable strand 99) is moved in between the opened clamp halves 30, 31. The clamp halves 30, 31 converge, thus closing the clamp 3. Here, a cable tie 9, by way of the leading free end thereof, is indexed through a guide groove (not illustrated) on the internal side of the clamp 3 and guided around the cable strand 99 in such a fashion until the free end runs back to the tool body again and there enters into a lock which is disposed at the rear end of the cable tie 9. The free end which is guided through the lock is gripped and tensioned, the projecting part of the strap finally being severed and ejected. At the end, the clamp 3 is opened and the cable strand 99 which is bundled by the cable tie 9 may be removed.

(8) In order for these procedures to be effected, a cycle controller 5 and a tensioning installation 6 are disposed in the tool body 1. Together with a chassis element 4 which supports said cycle controller 5 and said tensioning installation 6, the latter two are illustrated in an exploded view in FIG. 2. The cycle controller 5 has a first drive 75 in the form of an electric motor. The latter, by way of a reduction gear which comprises a plurality of gear wheels, is connected to a cam disk 50, so as to drive the latter. A plurality of installations which are not illustrated in detail and which, with the exception of tensioning, carry out the individual procedures stated above (supplying a cable tie, indexing in the clamp, introducing into the lock, severing and ejecting the projecting part) in a controlled sequence are actuated by this cam disk 50.

(9) In order for tensioning to be effected, a dedicated tensioning drive 6 is provided according to the invention. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the latter is disposed on the chassis element 4 so as to be opposite the cycle controller 5. Said tensioning drive 6 comprised a second dedicated drive 76 which by way of a reduction gear 61 and a timing-belt drive 62 having track rollers 63, 64 at either end. The track roller 64 by way of a reduction gear wheel 65 drives a tension roller 60 which by way of the external circumference thereof grips and indexes the strap of the cable tie 9 (cf. FIG. 4). Two support rollers 66 are disposed opposite the tension roller 60, said support rollers 60 forming a counterbearing to the tension roller 60. The strap of the cable tie 9 is guided through between the tension roller 60 and the support rollers 66. The tension roller 60, on the external circumference thereof, is provided with blunt gripping teeth 69 which engage in a form-fitting manner in a fluting which is provided on the upper side of the strap, thus ensuring functionally reliable indexing and tensioning. Thanks to the form-fitting engagement no slippage arises between the tension roller 60 and the strap 9, thus avoiding the creation of abrasive wear and any weakening of the strap 9.

(10) A non-return device 67 may optionally be provided in the tensioning drive 6 (being integrated in the tension roller 64 in the illustrated example, but being potentially also disposed elsewhere).

(11) The separate drives 75 and 76 are actuated by way of a control installation 8. The latter is configured for synchronizing actuation of the tensioning drive 6 with the cycle controller 5. To this end, a synchronous control module 82 is provided. Signals for the actual revolution speeds of the drives for the cycle controller 5 and for the tensioning installation 6, respectively, which are detected by encoders 85, 86 are applied as input signals. The control installation 8 furthermore contains a torque control installation having a current monitoring module 81 for the drive 76 of the tensioning installation 6. The tension force which is exerted on the strap 9 by the tensioning installation 6 may be determined by measuring the current to the drive 76 by means of a current sensor 80. Once a pre-determined value is achieved, the current and thus the tensioning force is maintained for a specific time, prior to severing of the projecting strap remainder being carried out by the cycle controller, in order to terminate the tying procedure.

(12) In order to be adapted to various types of application, the control installation 8 furthermore contains a characteristic-curve module 83. The latter comprises a parameter matrix 84 which is embodied as a lookup table. Depending on the tensioning force (for example levels 1 to 5), which is selected by way of the command panel 18, and on the desired tying quality (for example ratings 1 to 3), the corresponding set of parameters is uploaded from the matrix 84 and used by the control installation. Depending on the set of parameters another fixed correlation for the revolution speeds of the cycle controller 5, on the one hand, and for the tensioning drive 6, on the other hand, is set. In the case of comparatively high tensioning forces, a higher current is parameterized here for the drive 76 of the tensioning installation, and in the case of comparatively high quality the cycle time is increased, thus reducing the operating speed of the tool.

(13) In order to achieve reliable tying even in the case of small dimensions of the object 99 to be tied also in the case of rather problematic types of application, such as in the case of a low tensioning force at low quality (that is to say in the case of a particularly short cycle time), a dynamics module 87 is provided. The latter, under critical operating conditions such as those outlined above, is configured for carrying out the last portion of the tensioning procedure at a comparatively low speed. Unfavorable dynamic effects by virtue of the operating speed which is high per se (by virtue of the short cycle time) are avoided in this way. Since this reduction in speed is performed in only a comparatively small portion, no appreciable increase in the cycle time results therefrom. Thanks to the drive 76 of the tensioning installation, which is configured so as to be separate, there is no consequential influence on the tensioning force.

(14) A storage installation 88 is connected to the control installation 8. The former stores data sets relating to the tensioning procedures which have been carried out. Said data sets comprise items of information pertaining to the maximum current during tensioning, the average current actually achieved during tensioning, the holding time, and the cycle time. These items of information may be evaluated, for example by means of statistical process control. For external processing, in particular for the purposes of documentation, the data sets may be read by an interface 89. The interface may be disposed on the tool per se or on the power pack 10, for example in the form of a USB socket 89. Reading may optionally also be performed on the tool per se in that the respective results are called up by way of the command panel 18.