Straightening device for aligning a line, method for braking at least one rotatable roller in a straightening device, cable processing machine with a straightening device, and upgrade kit for a cable processing machine

Abstract

A straightening device (15) for aligning a line (11) along a delivery route. The device including a straightening stand (20) having a first row of rollers (21) and a second row of rollers (31) which rows can be moved relative to one another and between which the delivery route of the line runs. At least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) has a plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35). A braking device (40) is provided for braking at least one of the rotatable rollers (25, 35) of at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) in the straightening stand. A method for braking at least one rotatable roller (25, 35) of at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) in a straightening device, a cable processing machine with a straightening device, and an upgrade kit for a cable processing machine.

Claims

1. A straightening device (15; 15a) arranged to align an electrical or optical line (11) drawn therethrough, the straightening device comprising an external line drawing device (90) configured to draw the electrical or optical line along a delivery route (16) through a straightening stand in a repeated stop/restart fashion manner, the straightening stand (20; 20a-20d), has two rows of rollers (21, 31) which are movable relative to each other and between which the delivery route of the electrical or optical line passes, wherein at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) has a plurality rotatable rollers (25, 35), the straightening device further comprising a braking apparatus (40) for braking at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35) from the at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) in the straightening stand (20; 20a-20d), and a control device having a processor which processes control commands and transmits the control commands to the external line drawing device, the braking apparatus, and to drive devices of the straightening stand according to a predefined step sequence.

2. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein in an activated state at least a portion of the braking apparatus (40) is in a contactless operative braking connection with the at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35) in the straightening stand (20; 20a-20d).

3. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 2, wherein the contactless operative braking connection is adjustable, and acts on a rotatable outer ring (25a) of the at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35).

4. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein the braking apparatus (40) is a magnetic braking apparatus, wherein the magnetic braking apparatus comprises at least one permanent magnet (41-44) or at least one electromagnet, and wherein the magnetic braking apparatus is an eddy current brake or a hysteresis brake.

5. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 4, wherein the braking apparatus (40) further comprises a magnet holder (45) for accommodating at least one permanent magnet (41-44).

6. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 5, wherein the positioning apparatus (50) has a drive device (55), which displaces at least the magnet holder (45) relative to the at least one rotatable roller (25, 35) pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically.

7. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 5, wherein the magnet holder (45) has at least two permanent magnets (41-44), the magnetic south poles of the at least two permanent magnets face in substantially the same direction.

8. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one permanent magnet (41-44) in the magnet holder (45) is a neodymium magnet.

9. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein the braking apparatus (40) is located at a distance from the at least one rotatable roller (25, 35).

10. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein the braking apparatus (40) comprises a positioning apparatus (50) for at least partially moving the braking apparatus (40) from a first position, in which the braking apparatus (40) is in an inactive state, at least into a second position, in which the braking apparatus (40) is in an activated state.

11. The straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 6, wherein the positioning apparatus (50) has a housing (51), wherein the housing has a guide section (52).

12. A method for braking the at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35) from the at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) in the straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: aligning the electrical or optical line (11), wherein the electrical or optical line (11) is drawn through the straightening device (15; 15a), and braking the at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers (25, 35) from the at least one of the two rows of rollers (21, 31) in the straightening device (15; 25) with the braking apparatus (40).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the braking apparatus (40) is shifted from a first position, in which the braking apparatus (40) is in an inactive state, into a second position, in which the braking apparatus (40) is in an activated state.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the braking apparatus (40) acts in braking manner contactlessly on the at least one rotatable roller (25, 35) of the at least one row of rollers (21, 31) in the straightening device (15; 15a).

15. A cable processing machine (70), comprising the straightening device (15; 15a) according to claim 1, wherein the straightening device (15; 15a) is arranged immediately after a container (75), and the cable processing machine further comprises the control device (80) for controlling the braking apparatus (40), and wherein said control device (40) is designed to control drive the devices of the straightening stand (20; 20a-20d).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the Drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a straightening device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the straightening device of FIG. 1, wherein the straightening stand is shown separated from the braking apparatus,

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the straightening device of FIG. 1, wherein the braking apparatus is arranged in an inactive state,

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the straightening device of FIG. 1, wherein the braking apparatus is arranged in an activated state,

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a roller of one of the rows of rollers of the straightening stand in the straightening device of FIG. 1,

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cable processing machine having a straightening device according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1,

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the straightening device according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1, and a further straightening device on the cable processing machine of FIG. 6, and

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an upgrade kit according to the invention for a cable processing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 show a straightening device 15 for aligning an electrical or optical line 11 in a straightening stand 20 along a delivery route 16. The straightening stand 20 comprises a straightening stand housing 22, on which a first row of rollers 21 with multiple rotatably mounted rollers 25 is arranged, and on which a second row of rollers 31 with multiple rotatably mounted rollers 35 is arranged. In these figures and in the following figures, one roller 25 will be marked with the respective reference numeral to represent the plurality of rollers 25 and one roller 35 will be marked with the respective reference numeral to represent the plurality of rollers 35. The straightening stand 20 represented is in the closed state, in which the two rows of rollers 21 and 31 are positioned in close proximity to each other, and wherein the line 11 is guided between the rollers 25 and the rollers 35 and rests on the rollers 25 along a delivery direction 17. The rollers 25 are in a staggered arrangement relative to the rollers 35 along the delivery direction 17. The first row of rollers 21 is arranged on a first carrier 23, and the second row of rollers 31 is arranged on a second carrier 33. The two carriers 23 and 33 are attached to the straightening stand housing 22. The straightening stand 20 comprises a positioning drive 27 and a swivel drive 28. In this case, the positioning drive 27 comprises a pneumatically controlled drive and moves the first row of rollers 21 up to the second row of rollers 31 in such manner that the distance between the first row of rollers 21 and the second row of rollers 31 may be reduced until the rollers 35 of the second row of rollers 31 touch the line 11 and hold the line 11, or until the line 11 is clamped between the rollers 25 and the rollers 35. The swivel drive 28 comprises an adjustment spindle 29, which swivels the first row of rollers 21 through a definable angle relative to the second row of rollers 31, so that a section of the line to be aligned is clamped or retained in the straightening stand 20.

(11) The straightening device 15 includes a magnetic braking apparatus 40 for braking the rotatable rollers 25 of the first row of rollers 21 in the straightening stand 20. The braking apparatus 40 includes a magnet holder 45 having multiple permanent magnets 41-44, wherein permanent magnets shown here have a cylindrical structure and are neodymium magnets. The magnet holder 45 is located at a distance from the rotatable rollers 25, and in an activated state is in a contactless operative braking connection with the rotatable rollers 25 of the first row of rollers 21 in the straightening stand 20. The braking apparatus 40 is also embodied as an eddy current brake, which exerts a braking effect on the rotatable rollers 25 during alignment of the line 11. In this context, the braking apparatus 40 acts in particular on the outer ring 25a of the rotatable rollers 25.

(12) The braking apparatus 40 includes a positioning apparatus 50 for moving the magnet holder 45 and comprises a housing 51 and a guide section 52 arranged on the housing 51. The positioning apparatus 50 has a drive device 55, which shifts the magnet holder 45in the present case pneumaticallyrelative to the at least one rotatable roller 25 or the multiple rotatable rollers 25. The positioning apparatus 50 moves the magnet holder 45 from a first position, in which the magnet holder 45 is in an inactive state (see FIG. 3), into a second position, in which the magnet holder 45 is in an activated state (see FIG. 4). The positioning apparatus 50 is designed to move the magnet holder 45 horizontally, which here means substantially normally to the axis of rotation 26 of the rotating roller 25.

(13) The positioning apparatus 50 has an end plate 57, which is arranged on the housing 51 with the aid of cylindrical bars 59. The magnet holder 45 has boreholes which accommodate the cylindrical bars 59 singly. The magnet holder 45 is mounted on the cylindrical bars 59 so as to be movable towards the end plate 57. Pretensioning springs 58 are arranged on the cylindrical bars 59 and they bias the magnet holder 45 against the housing 51, so that tilting of the magnet holder 45 when the magnet holder 45 is transferred from a first position to a second Position can be prevented.

(14) The braking apparatus 40 is connected to a control device 80 for controlling the braking apparatus 40. The control device 80 is connected to the positioning apparatus 50 via control lines 81 and is designed to shift the magnet holder 45 from a first position, in which the braking apparatus 40 and die magnet holder 45 is in an inactive state, at least into a second position, in which the magnet holder 45 is in an activated state. In this way, a contactless operative braking connection may be adjusted between the permanent magnets 41-44 and the rotatable rollers 25 when aligning the line 11. In this context, the contactless operative braking connection acts primarily on the outer ring 25a of the rotatable rollers 25.

(15) FIG. 5 shows the rotatable roller 25 which is arranged on the row of rollers 21 on the straightening stand 20. The rotatable roller 25 includes an inner ring 25b and an outer ring 25a. A ball race is arranged between the inner ring 25b and the outer ring 25a as rolling element unit 25c. The inner ring 25b serves to fasten the ball race securely on the arbor 30 of the row of rollers 21 on straightening stand 20, the inner ring 25b being arranged fixedly on said arbor 30. The rotatable outer ring 25a is arranged on said arbor 30 via the rolling element unit 25c so as to be rotatable about the axis of rotation 26 and rotates in accordance with the line drawing speed. The rotatable outer ring 25a has a groove 32 to enable centred guidance of the line 11 that is to be aligned. The rollers 35, which are positioned on the row of rollers 31 by means of an arbor, are constructed identically to the rollers 25.

(16) In an alternative embodiment, the rollers are each arranged on the row of rollers fixedly on rotatable arbors. In this arrangement, the arbors rotate with the rollers about the axis of rotation, so the lines can be aligned in the straightening stand (not shown).

(17) A further variant of the inventive magnetic braking apparatus (not shown here) is equipped with an electromagnet instead of the previously described permanent magnets. The magnetic field strength can be modified with the aid of the control device to adjust the magnetic operative braking connection.

(18) The method for braking the rotatable rollers 25 in the straightening device 15 will now be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

(19) First, the line 11 to be aligned is unwound from a container, drawn by hand into the straightening device 15 and placed on the straightening rollers 25 of the first row of rollers 21. At this point, the straightening stand 20 is initially in an opened state, so the two rows of rollers 21 and 31 are located sufficiently far away from each other. In a further step, the straightening stand 20 is with positioned with the positioning drive 27 so that the rollers 35 of the second row of rollers 31 subsequently rest on the line 11. In addition, the second row of rollers 31 is swivelled with the aid of the swivel drive 28 and pressed onto the line 11. Then, the line 11 is aligned, wherein the line 11 is drawn through the straightening device 15. The line is drawn in by a power-driven line drawing device, which is arranged at a distance from the straightening device 15 in the delivery direction (see FIG. 7). At this time, the rollers 25 of the first row of rollers 21 and the rollers 35 of the second row of rollers 31 are caused to rotate. For the purpose of braking, the magnet holder 45 of the braking apparatus 40 is shifted from a first position, in which the magnet holder 45 of the braking apparatus 40 is in an inactive state (see FIG. 3), into a second position, in which the magnet holder 45 of the braking apparatus 40 is in an activated state (see FIG. 4). In the inactive state, the magnet holder 45 is in immediate proximity to the end plate 57, and the pretensioning springs 58 are in the compressed state. In the activated state, the magnet holder 45 is located directly below the rotating rollers 25, and the pretensioning springs 58 are in an unloaded state. In a further step, the effective braking of the rotating outer rings 25a of the rollers 25 of the first row of rollers 21 with the permanent magnets arranged on the magnet holder 45, wherein the braking apparatus acts in braking manner on the rotating outer rings 25a of the rollers 25 without touching them, according to the principle of the eddy current brake. Thus, the braking apparatus 40 is in an operative braking connection with the rotating outer rings 25a of the rollers 25.

(20) In an alternative embodiment, the rotatable rollers are each arranged on a rotating axle on the row of rollers in the straightening stand and are attached fixedly to said rotatable axle. The rotatable axle rotates about an axis of rotation together with the roller arranged thereon, wherein said axis of rotation extends along the longitudinal extension of the rotatable axle. In this context, the contactless braking effect acts on the rotating rollers of the respective row of rollers (not shown).

(21) FIG. 6 shows a cable processing machine 70 according to the invention, having a straightening unit and a straightening device 15 such as described previously. As described here, the cable processing machine 70 may be designed to perform various processing operations, such as aligning, cutting to length, insulation stripping, crimping, twisting and tin-plating. A container 75 containing a line 11 in the form of a continuous line is arranged in front of the straightening device 15. The line 11 is drawn into the cable processing machine 70 and is aligned in the straightening device 15. Aline drawing device 90, which is arranged in a subordinate position in the delivery direction after the straightening device 15 is used to draw the line 11 through the straightening device 15 as will be described below.

(22) FIG. 7 shows the straightening unit 73 with two straightening devices 15 and 15a arranged side by side, each of which has two straightening stands 20a-20d. One of these straightening devices 15, 15a includes a braking apparatus 40 such as described herein for braking the rotatable rollers in one of the rows of rollers in the straightening stand 20a. The cable processing machine 70 has a control device 80 such as described herein for controlling the braking apparatus 40 of the straightening device 15. Additionally, the control device 80 is connected electrically to the positioning drive, the swivel drives of the straightening stands 20a and 20c, and to a line drawing device 90 via the control lines 81. The line drawing device 90 of the cable processing machine 70 draws the line 11 in delivery direction 17 through the straightening stands 20a and 20c. The control device 80 contains a processor 85 which processes the control commands and transmits them to the drive device 27, 28 and 55, to the line drawing device 90, and to the braking apparatus 40 and/or the straightening stands 20a and 20c. In this context, the control commands are transmitted to the drive devices 55, the line drawing device 90 and braking apparatus 40, and to the drive devices 27, 28 of the straightening stands 20a and 20c according to a predefined step sequence. The two straightening stands 20a and 20c in a position rotated through 90 relative to each other. In an embodiment of the straightening unit which is not shown, any of the straightening stands 20a-20d shown in FIG. 7 may include a braking apparatus, such as described herein.

(23) FIG. 8 shows an upgrade kit 100 according to the invention for a cable processing machine, wherein the kit contains a braking apparatus 40 such as described herein for braking at least one of the rotatable rollers in a row of rollers in a straightening stand, in particular for braking multiple rotatable rollers in a row of rollers in a straightening stand. The upgrade kit 100 includes a control device 80 with a processor 85, which is connected to the drive device 55 of the positioning apparatus 50 in order to control the braking apparatus 40.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(24) 11 Line 15 Straightening device 15a Straightening device 16 Delivery route 17 Delivery direction 20 Straightening stand 20a-20d Straightening stands 21 First row of rollers 22 Straightening stand housing 23 First carrier 25 Rollers of 21 25a Outer ring of 25 25b Inner ring of 25 25c Rolling element unit of 25 26 Axes of rotation of 25 27 Positioning drive 28 Swivel drive 29 Adjustment spindle 30 Arbor of 25 31 Second row of rollers 33 Second carrier 32 Groove of 25a 35 Rollers of 31 40 Braking apparatus 41-44 Permanent magnets 45 Magnet holder 50 Positioning apparatus 51 Housing of 50 52 Guide section 55 Drive device 57 End plate 58 Pretensioning springs 59 Cylindrical bars 70 Cable processing machine 73 Straightening unit 80 Control device 81 Control lines 85 Processor 90 Line drawing device 100 Upgrade kit