Method and device for producing helical coils

Abstract

In a method for producing helical coils, in particular for coil screens, a filament is conveyed in a filament conveying direction through a first channel portion of a first rotation body, and subsequently conveyed through a second channel portion of a second rotation body which rotates synchronously with the first rotation body. The filament is subsequently wound around a protruding winding mandrel, such that a helical coil is produced from the filament by a continuous feed of the windings of the filament wound around the winding mandrel. A heated heating fluid flows with an excess pressure through the first channel portion and the second channel portion, arranged downstream, and in the process heats the filament conveyed through the first channel portion and subsequently through the second channel portion. The filament emerging from the second channel portion is deformed, using a deformation apparatus, prior to winding onto the winding mandrel.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method for producing helical coils (2), comprising: conveying a filament (4) in a filament conveying direction through a first channel portion (8) of a first rotation body (7); rotating the first rotation body (7) about a first portion of a core element (11) which is mounted in a non-rotatable manner; subsequently conveying the filament (4), in the filament conveying direction, through a second channel portion (9) of a second rotation body (10) which rotates about a second portion of the core element (11), downstream of the first portion, synchronously with the first rotation body (7); subsequently winding the filament (4) around a winding mandrel (13) which protrudes out of the core element (11) beyond the second channel portion (9) in the filament conveying direction, such that a helical coil (2) is produced from the filament (4) by a continuous feed of the windings of the filament (4) wound around the winding mandrel (13); flowing a heated heating fluid (15) with an excess pressure through the first channel portion (8) and the second channel portion (9), arranged downstream; and thereby heating the filament (4) conveyed through the first channel portion (8) and subsequently through the second channel portion (9).

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: deforming the filament (4) emerging from the second channel portion (9), using a deformation apparatus (12), prior to winding onto the winding mandrel (13).

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: feeding the filament (4) to the first channel portion (8) having a rotationally symmetric cross-sectional area, and deforming the filament (4) in the deformation apparatus (12) to a non-rotationally symmetric cross-sectional area.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: conveying the filament (4) through a non-rotatably arranged feed chamber (6), before the first channel portion (8), and feeding the filament (4) to the first channel portion (8), and likewise feeing the heated heating fluid (15) to the first channel portion (8), via the feed chamber (6).

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the heated heating fluid (15) flows through the deformation apparatus (12) after flowing out of the second channel portion (9).

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the heated heating fluid (15) flowing out of the second channel portion (9) is directed towards the winding mandrel (13).

20. A device (1) for producing helical coils, comprising: a core element (11) which is mounted in a non-rotatable manner; a first rotation body (7) which is mounted so as to rotate about a first portion of the core element (11) which extends along the core element (11) in a filament conveying direction; a second rotation body (10) which is mounted so as to rotate about a second portion of the core element (11) which extends along the core element (11) in the filament conveying direction and is downstream of the first portion; and a winding mandrel (13) which protrudes out of the core element (11) after the second portion, in the filament conveying direction, wherein a filament (4) can be guided, in the filament conveying direction, through a first channel portion (8) in the rotating first rotation body (7) and subsequently through a second channel portion (9) in the synchronously rotating second rotation body (10), and subsequently wound around the winding mandrel (13), such that a helical coil (2) is produced from the filament (4) by a continuous feed of the windings of the filament (4) wound around the winding mandrel (13), wherein a non-rotatably mounted feed chamber (6) is arranged in front of the first rotation body (7) in the filament conveying direction, through which feed chamber the filament (4) supplied from a store can be introduced into the first channel portion (8), wherein the feed chamber (6) is connected to a heating fluid supply, such that a heated heating fluid (15) can be fed with excess pressure to the feed chamber (6) and can subsequently flow through the first channel portion (8) and the second channel portion (9), arranged downstream.

21. The device (1) according to claim 20, wherein a deformation apparatus (12) is arranged on the second rotation body (10), following an outlet of the second channel portion (9) in the filament conveying direction, by which deformation apparatus the heated filament (4) emerging at the outlet of the second channel portion (9) can be deformed before being wound onto the winding mandrel (13).

22. The device (1) according to claim 21, wherein the deformation apparatus (12) comprises an inflow opening for the heated heating fluid (15) which faces the outlet of the second channel portion (9), and wherein the deformation apparatus (12) comprises an outflow opening (16) for the heated heating fluid (15).

23. The device (1) according to claim 22, wherein the outflow opening (16) of the deformation apparatus (12) is directed towards the winding mandrel (13).

24. The device (1) according to claim 20, wherein the core element (11) comprises a first shaft (24) in the first portion, about which shaft the first rotation body (7) is rotatably mounted, wherein the core element (11) comprises a second shaft (28) in the second portion, about which shaft the second rotation body (10) is rotatably mounted, and wherein the first shaft (24) is connected to the second shaft (28), by a connection device, such that a central axis of the first shaft (24) has a lateral offset relative to a central axis of the second shaft (28).

25. The device (1) according to claim 20, wherein a spacing between an outlet of the first channel portion (8) of the first rotation body (7) and an inlet of the second channel portion (9) of the second rotation body (10) is less than 0.2 mm.

26. The device (1) according to claim 20, wherein the rotatably mounted first rotation body (7) and the rotatably mounted second rotation body (10) are coupled together in a contactless manner by a magnetic coupling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a device for producing a helical coil.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a cross section of feed chamber through which both a filament and a heating fluid is fed to a rotation body which is arranged downstream in the filament conveying direction and comprises a first channel portion.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a cross section of a deformation apparatus, by means of which the filament emerging from a second rotation body is deformed, before the deformed filament is wound onto a winding mandrel.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section of an embodiment by way of example of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIGS. 1 to 4 show various views of a device 1 for producing a helical coil 2 from a filament 4 fed to the device 1 by a supply roll 3. The filament 4 is fed to a first rotation body 7 via a feed chamber 6 which is non-rotatably fixed to a base 5 or to a substrate, in which first rotation body a first channel portion 8 is formed, through which the filament 4 is conveyed. The filament 4 is subsequently conveyed through a second channel portion 9 which is formed in a second rotation body 10. The first rotation body 7 and the second rotation body 10 are rotatably arranged on a core element 11 (merely indicated in FIG. 1) which is in turn non-rotatably mounted in the two rotation bodies 7, 10.

[0035] A deformation apparatus 12 is fastened at an end of the second rotation body 10 remote from the first rotation body 7, by means of which deformation apparatus a cross-sectional area of the filament 4 conveyed through the deformation apparatus 12 is deformed from an initially still rotationally symmetric or circular cross-sectional area into an elliptical or approximately rectangular cross-sectional area.

[0036] Subsequently, the deformed filament 4 is wound from the rotating second rotation body onto a non-rotatably arranged winding mandrel 13 which is fixed on the core element 11 and protrudes beyond the core element 11 in a filament conveying direction indicated by arrows 14. Winding a new winding onto the winding mandrel 13 dislodges already wound windings, and the helical coil 2 produced in this way is pushed further in the filament conveying direction and pushed off the winding mandrel 13.

[0037] A heated heating fluid 15, to which an excess pressure is applied, is fed to the feed chamber 6 from a heating fluid supply container (not shown in the drawings). The heating fluid to which an excess pressure is applied flows out of the feed chamber 6 into the first channel portion 8, and subsequently through the first channel portion 8 and the adjacently extending second channel portion 9, as far as into the deformation apparatus 12. From the deformation apparatus 12, the heating fluid emerging through an outlet opening 16 is directed towards the winding mandrel 13 and, when flowing out of the deformation apparatus 12, also heats the winding mandrel 13 and the filament 4 wound thereon.

[0038] While being conveyed through the first channel portion 8 and through the second channel portion 9, as well as during the deformation in the deformation apparatus 12 and during winding onto the winding mandrel 13, the filament 4 is heated by the heated heating fluid 15, starting with the feed chamber 6. This brings about gentle and uniform heating of the filament 4, which is advantageous for the deformation of the filament 4 in the deformation apparatus 12 and when winding onto the winding mandrel 13, and results in the helical coil 2, produced in this way, having a stable and mechanically resilient shaping.

[0039] The feed chamber 6, shown enlarged in FIG. 2, comprises an inlet opening 17 for the filament 4 fed from the supply roll 3. The heating fluid 15, which is previously heated and is subjected to an excess pressure, is supplied via a laterally arranged connection line 18. Hot air is an appropriate heating fluid 15 for a plurality of fields of application and filament materials. On a side facing the first rotation body 7, the feed chamber 6 comprises a circular outlet opening 19. The first rotation body 7 is spaced apart from the circular outlet opening 19 of the feed chamber 6 merely by a narrow gap 20. An opening edge 21 of the outlet opening 19 comprises sealing elements 22 which seal a transition between the outlet opening 19 and the first channel portion 8, formed in the first rotation body 7, with respect to the surrounding gap 20.

[0040] The first rotation body 7 is rotatably mounted on a first shaft 24 of the non-rotatably arranged core element 11 by means of a ball bearing 23. A guide arm 25 which comprises a guide lug 26 and protrudes into the feed chamber 6 through the outlet opening 19 is arranged on the first rotation body 7, which arm brings about additional guidance, during the rotational movement of the first rotation body 7, for the filament 4 which is guided along therewith, in a rotating manner, in the first channel portion.

[0041] A partial region of the device 1, around the winding mandrel 13, is shown enlarged in FIG. 3. The second rotation body 10 is rotatably mounted on a second shaft 28 of the core element 11 by means of ball bearings 27. The second rotation body 10 is likewise rotatably mounted in a housing 30, rigidly connected to the base 5, by means of ball bearings 29.

[0042] The deformation apparatus 12 is rigidly connected to the second rotation body 10. The filament 4 emerging out of the second channel portion 9 is conveyed through two rollers 31, which can be fixed at a specifiable spacing relative to one another, and is deformed in the process. In the process, the filament 4 which is initially still rotationally symmetric and has a circular cross-sectional area is deformed into a filament 4 having an approximately rectangular cross-sectional area, which is advantageous for a plurality of intended uses of the helical coil 2.

[0043] After emerging from the outlet opening 16, the deformed filament 4 is continuously wound around the winding mandrel 13 on account of the rotational movement of the rotating second rotation body 10 and the deformation apparatus 12 fixed thereon, such that new windings of the filament 4 are always wound onto the winding mandrel 13, and in each case a new winding dislodges the preceding windings already wound on. As a result, the helical coil 2 produced in this way is continuously pushed over the winding mandrel 13 in the filament conveying direction, and is finally pushed down from the winding mandrel 13 after the end of the winding mandrel 13.

[0044] A schematic cross section of the device 1 is shown in FIG. 4. The second rotation body 10 is driven by an electric motor 33, via a gear drive 32, and set into a rotational movement. The second rotation body 10 is rotatably mounted, inside the housing 30, on the second shaft 28 of the core element 11. The first rotation body 7 is likewise rotatably mounted on the first shaft 24 of the core element 11. The first shaft 24 and the second shaft 28 of the core element 11 have a lateral offset with respect to one another. This lateral offset, shown very large in FIG. 4 for the purpose of clarity, can in practice be a few millimetres or less, and serves to prevent a rotational movement of the therefore non-rotationally symmetric core element 11 inside the rotating rotation bodies 7, 10.

[0045] A gap 34 having a small gap width of less than 1 mm is formed between the first rotation body 7 and the second rotation body 10. Both the first rotation body 7 and the second rotation body 10 each comprise magnet elements 35, 36 on an end face facing the gap, in each case. The mutually facing magnet elements 35, 36 bring about a magnetic coupling of the first rotation body 7, which is not separately driven, to the second rotation body 10 that is driven by the electric motor 33, and result in the first rotation body 7 being drawn along together with the second rotation body 10 and being caused to perform a synchronous rotational movement.