Variable Reservoir Device

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a reservoir device for feeding one-piece fixing ties, OPTs, to an automatic bundling tool device, ABT, wherein the reservoir device is configured to detachably hold the OPTs on at least one carrier unit of the reservoir device, in a row, with the carrier unit having a base and being configured to be moved to or through the ABT in order to have the OPTs detached from the carrier unit; where the at least one carrier unit is a unit separate from the OPTs; and the at least one carrier unit is configured to have the respective OPT detachably attached to the carrier unit by a respective interface element configured to receive and hold the respective OPT on the carrier unit so as to enable a flexible feeding of different types of one-piece fixing ties to automatic bundling tool devices.

Claims

1. A reservoir device for feeding one-piece fixing ties (OPTs) to an automatic bundling tool device (ABT), the reservoir device comprising: a carrier unit, wherein the reservoir device is configured to detachably hold the OPTs on the carrier unit, in a row, with the carrier unit having a base and being configured to be moved to or through the ABT in order to have the OPTs detached from the carrier unit, wherein the carrier unit is a unit separate from the OPTs, and wherein the carrier unit is configured to have the respective OPT detachably attached to the carrier unit by a respective interface element configured to receive and hold the respective OPT on the carrier unit.

2. The reservoir device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir device further comprises: a multitude of carrier units that are linked to each other via a mechanical connection interface with a predetermined number of degrees of freedom for spatial movements of two adjacent carrier units linked to each other with respect to each other.

3. The reservoir device according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical connection interface comprises: a unified mechanical connection interface comprising a first-type connection element and a second-type connection element, wherein the unified mechanical connection interface is configured to link adjacent carrier units by linking a first-type connection element of one carrier unit to a second-type connection element of another carrier unit.

4. The reservoir device according to claim 3, wherein the first-type connection elements are male connection elements with a protrusion, and the second-type connection elements are female connection elements defining recesses configured for accepting the male connection elements.

5. The reservoir device according to claim 4, wherein the protrusion comprises a finger or a ball, and wherein the recess comprises a gap or a socket.

6. The reservoir device according to claim 3, wherein each carrier unit has one first-type connection element and one second-type connection element, with the first-type connection element and the second-type connection element arranged at opposite ends of the respective carrier unit.

7. The reservoir device according to claim 6, wherein the first-type connection element and second-type connection element are arranged at opposite ends of the base of the respective carrier unit.

8. The reservoir device according to claim 1, wherein each carrier unit comprises: a unified guiding structure, the unified guiding structure comprising at least two guiding elements arranged at least one of: at opposite ends of the base of the respective carrier unit; in form of a unified recess defined in the base; or in form of unified spatial dimensions of the base.

9. The reservoir device according to claim 1, wherein each carrier unit comprises: a unified conveyor structure, wherein the unified conveyor structure comprises two conveyor elements extending from the base, the conveyor elements arranged on the base oppositely to the interface element.

10. The reservoir device according to claim 1, wherein the interface element comprises: two protrusions that extend from the base that define a recess configured for accommodating the respective OPT; and another protrusion that extends from the base that is configured to support the OPT when it is held on the carrier unit.

11. The reservoir device according to claim 10, wherein the two protrusions are configured to at least one of: clamp a head part of the respective OPT by means of an elastic pre-load acting on two opposed side surfaces of the head part of the OPT; or provide a form fit for the head part of the OPT preventing motion of the OPT along a main extension plane of the base of the respective carrier unit.

12. The reservoir device according to claim 10, wherein the two protrusions comprise a respective hook section at a respective remote end, which is the end remote from the base of the respective carrier unit, the hook sections reducing a width of the recess defined by the protrusions such that the hook sections secure OPTs held by the carrier unit from unintended release.

13. The reservoir device according to claim 1, wherein each carrier unit belongs to one of several different carrier unit types, where the different carrier unit types are each adapted to a specific type of OPT which differs in at least one of a foot part, a head part, or a neck part from the other types of OPT.

14. The reservoir device according to claim 13, wherein the carrier units of the different carrier unit types are configured such that respective windows of the head parts of different OPTs which are held by two subsequent carrier units of different carrier unit type are at least one of: equidistant for any combination of the different carrier unit types; or arranged on a straight line parallel to a direction of main extension of the reservoir device.

15. A system comprising: a reservoir device for feeding one-piece fixing ties (OPTs) to an automatic bundling tool device (ABT), the reservoir device comprising a carrier unit, wherein the reservoir device is configured to detachably hold the OPTs on the carrier unit, in a row, with the carrier unit having a base and being configured to be moved to or through the ABT in order to have the OPTs detached from the carrier unit, wherein the carrier unit is a unit separate from the OPTs, and wherein the carrier unit is configured to have the respective OPT detachably attached to the carrier unit by a respective interface element configured to receive and hold the respective OPT on the carrier unit; a feeding device configured to feed the OPTs to the ABT, with a guiding slot unit configured to guide the reservoir device through the feeding device; a stepwise conveyor mechanism unit configured to stepwise move the reservoir device along the guiding slot unit; and an actuator unit configured to eject the respective OPT from the reservoir device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the actuator unit is configured to eject the respective OPT from the reservoir device by a mechanical interaction with a head part of the OPT.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein each carrier unit comprises: a unified guiding structure, the unified guiding structure comprising at least two guiding elements, wherein the guiding slot unit is configured to guide the reservoir device through the feeding device by a mechanical interaction with the unified guiding structure.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein each carrier unit comprises: a unified conveyor structure, wherein the unified conveyor structure comprises two conveyor elements extending from the base, the conveyor elements arranged on the base oppositely to the interface element, wherein the reservoir device is stepwise moved along the guiding slot unit by mechanical interaction with the unified conveyor structure.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the feeding device is configured to feed the OPTs to the ABT, with a guiding slot unit configured to guide the reservoir device through the feeding device, guiding slot unit comprising a slit configured for a tail part of the OPTs extending through the slit into an environment of the feeding device.

20. A method for feeding one-piece fixing ties (OPTs) to an automatic bundling tool device (ABT), comprising: attaching one or more loose OPTs to a respective carrier unit of a reservoir device; holding the attached OPTs individually on the reservoir device by the respective carrier unit; pulling the reservoir device to the ABT by a feeding device, detaching the OPTs, one by one, from the respective carrier unit by an actuator unit of the feeding device; and feeding the respective detached OPT to the ABT by the feeding device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The subject matter according to the disclosure will be explained in greater detail with reference to the schematic drawings shown in the following figures, but without being limited to the specific embodiments shown here. In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a reservoir device;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment of one of a multitude of carrier units of an example reservoir device;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows another view on the example carrier unit of FIG. 2;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an example feeding device with an example reservoir device;

[0050] FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate the process of feeding a one-piece fixing ties by the feeding device of FIG. 4; and

[0051] FIG. 8 shows the feeding device of the FIGS. 4 to 7 arranged on an example automatic bundling tool device.

[0052] Therein, identical or functionally identical features have the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The present disclosure relates to a reservoir device for feeding one-piece fixing ties, OPTs, of one or more given types to an automatic bundling tool device, ABT, with the reservoir device being configured to detachably hold the OPTs on at least one carrier unit of the reservoir device, in a row, where the carrier unit has a base and is configured to be moved to or through the ABT in order to have the OPTs detached from the carrier unit.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows an example reservoir device 1 for feeding one-piece fixing ties 2, OPTs 2, to an automatic bundling tool device, ABT 15 (FIG. 8). The reservoir device 1 is configured to detachably hold the OPTs 2 on at least one carrier unit 3, in the present example a multitude of carrier units 3. The carrier units 3 are aligned in a row that, in the present example, mainly extends along an x-direction as longitudinal direction. As each carrier unit 3 is configured to detachably hold exactly one OPT 2 in the present example, also the OPTs 2 are held in a row corresponding to the row of the carrier units 3. The carrier units 3 are configured to have the respective OPT 2 detachably attached to the carrier unit 3 by a respective interface element 7 configured to receive and hold the respective OPT 2 on the carrier unit 3. Consequently, carrier units 3 and the respective OPTs 2 held by the associated carrier units 3 are separate units. The carrier unit 3 has a base 4 which is configured to be pulled to or through the ABT 15 in order to have the OPTs 2 detached from the carrier unit. The detaching takes place in an ejection direction E transverse to the longitudinal direction of the row.

[0055] The OPTs 2 comprise a tail part 2a, a head part 2b with a window 2b*, a neck part 2c and a foot part 2d, where the neck part 2c connects the head part 2b to the foot part 2d. The tail part 2a is configured to be slid through and arrested in the window 2b*, so as to form a loop that can be used to bundle goods.

[0056] The carrier units 3 are linked to each other via a, in the present example unified, mechanical connection interface 5 with a predetermined number of degrees of freedom for spatial movements of two adjacent carrier units 3 linked to each other with respect to each other by said connection interface 5. In the present example, the degree of freedom is one. In the present example, the mechanical connection interface 5 comprises first and second type connection elements 5a, 5b, as explained in more detail with respect to FIG. 2.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment of a single carrier unit 3. The shown example comprises mail first-type connection elements 5a and female second-type connection elements 5b that are arranged at opposite ends of the carrier unit 3, here at opposite sense of the base 4 of the respective carrier unit 3 in the longitudinal direction of the carrier unit 3, which is also the (main extension) direction of the row, the x-direction the present example. Here, the male first-type connection element 5a has a finger as protrusion and the corresponding female second-type connection element 5b has two fingers forming a corresponding recess accepting the finger of the male connection element 5a. These connection elements 5a, 5b are identical for all carrier units 3 of the reservoir device, and thus can be referred to as a unified mechanical connection interface 5. In the present example, the resulting link between two adjacent carrier units 3 gives flexibility in a depth direction (y-direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (x-direction).

[0058] In the present example, each carrier unit 3 also comprises a unified guiding structure 6, here, with two pins as respective guiding elements 6a, 6b. They are, the present example, arranged at opposite ends of the base 4 in z-direction. It is also shown that the carrier units 3 have unified spatial dimensions, the unified width d and unified length 1, such that length 1 and width d are identical for all carrier units 3 of a given reservoir device 1. This, together with the guiding elements 6a, 6b makes the feeding process more reliable.

[0059] Furthermore, the interface element 7 comprises a first protrusion 7a and a second protrusion 7b that extend from the base 4 in a vertical direction, and the present example transverse to a base surface, in the positive y-direction. In between the two protrusions 7a, 7b a recess 8 is formed by the two protrusions 7a, 7b. Recess 8 is configured to accommodate the respective OPT 2, in particular a head part 2b and/or a neck part 2c, in the present example of the OPT 2. In the present example, the interface element 7 also comprises another protrusion, third protrusion 7c, that is configured to support the foot part 2d of OPT 2 in the present example.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows another perspective of the carrier unit 3 of FIG. 2. The carrier unit 3 also comprises a unified conveyor structure 9, with, in the present example, two conveyor protrusions as respective conveyor elements 9a, 9b extending from the base 4 at a bottom side, that is, here a side oriented towards the negative y-direction, of said base 4. In the shown example, the first and second protrusions 7a, 7b comprise respective hook sections 7a*, 7b* at respective remote ends 7a′, 7b′ being the ends most remote from the base 4 of the respective carrier unit 3. The hook sections 7a*, 7b* reduce a width w of the recess 8 in the x-direction, which is adapted to the corresponding width of the head part 2b in the present example, such that the hook sections 7a*, 7b* secure an OPT 2 that is held by the carrier unit 3 from unintended release.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a feeding device 10 with a guiding slot unit 11 configured to guide the reservoir device 1 through the feeding device 10, in the present example by a mechanical interaction with the unified guiding structure 6. The feeding device 10 also comprises a stepwise conveyor mechanism unit configured to stepwise move the reservoir device 1 along the guiding slot unit 11, preferably by a mechanical interaction with the unified conveyor structure 9. Furthermore, the feeding device 10 comprises an actuator unit 13 configured to eject the respective OPT 2 from the reservoir device 1. In the present example in a positive y-direction is the ejection direction E. The ejection or release is accomplished, in the present example, by a mechanical interaction with the head part 2b of the OPT 2, as shown in more detail part in FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the actuator unit 13 comprises an actuator bolt 13a that is moved, the present example, linearly in the ejection direction E, here the positive y-direction in order to detach the OPT 2 from carrier unit 3. Note that the actuator bolt 13 a comprises a protrusion 13a* configured to match the window 2b* of the head part 2b of the OPT 2.

[0063] In FIG. 5, the reservoir device 1 is guided through the feeding device 10 by the guiding slot unit 11, with, for illustrative purposes only, one single OPT 2 held by a carrier unit 3 of the feeding device 1. The guiding slot unit (11) has a slit (11a) configured for a tail part (2a) of the OPT (2) extending through the slit (11a) into an environment of the feeding device (10). The carrier unit 3 with the OPT 2 is not yet in a position where the OPT 2 may be ejected towards the ABT 15, thus the reservoir device 1 is first moved stepwise in the stepping direction S to align the actuator bolt 13a, in particular, the actuator finger as protrusion 13a*, with the window 2b* of the OPT 2 to be ejected. The alignment is achieved in FIG. 6. Once the actuator bolt 13a with its protrusion 13a* is aligned with the window 2b* of the OPT 2, the reservoir device 1 is stopped in this position, and the actuator bolt 13a moves in the ejection direction E and ejects the OPT 2 from the reservoir device 1 and the housing 14 of the feeding device 10 to the ABT 15. The ABT 15 is shown in FIG. 8 with the feeding device 10 attached and ready to use with the reservoir device 1.

[0064] With the described approach, it is possible to store and provision loose OPTs for further processing, e.g. in an ABT. Formerly, it was only possible to store and provision standard cable ties (loose or on a bandoleer) with slightly varying shape or OPTs on a bandoleer for the use in available ABTs. The limitation to process only one type of OPT, or very similar types of OPT can now be removed so that multiple types of OPTs can be stored and provisioned. The known bandoleer can now be replaced by a variable reservoir similar to a chain, consisting of individual holding elements, the carrier units, where each carrier unit can be fitted to a certain type of cable tie and may be freely combined with different other carrier units. Different OPTs, including even standard cable ties, can now be stored and provided in a defined sequential manner, e.g. a fir-tree-foot-part OPT followed by an edge-clip-foot-part OPT and/or OPTs with varying lengths in between, thereby offering a higher degree of flexibility in the manufacturing of cable harnesses with an ABT.

[0065] The use of “example,” “advantageous,” and grammatically related terms means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” Items represented in the accompanying figures and terms discussed herein may be indicative of one or more items or terms, and thus reference may be made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the items and terms in this written description. The use herein of the word “or” may be considered use of an “inclusive or,” or a term that permits inclusion or application of one or more items that are linked by the word “or” (e.g., a phrase “A or B” may be interpreted as permitting just “A,” as permitting just “B,” or as permitting both “A” and “B”), unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. For instance, “at least one of a, b, or c” can cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, c-c-c, or any other ordering of a, b, and c).