CONDUCTOR TWISTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOADING A TWISTING HEAD

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a twisting system for twisting multiple conductors together. In one implementation, the twisting system may include a rotatable twisting head having multiple holders for individual conductors of a cable to be twisted, and a loading device for sequentially loading the holders with the individual conductors. The loading device may be configured to be displaced into a transfer position identical for all individual conductors for loading the twisting head, and the twisting head may be configured to rotate a free holder of the twisting head into a suitable receiving position for being loaded with an individual conductor. The present disclosure also relates to a method for loading a twisting head with individual conductors.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A system for twisting a plurality of conductors together, the system comprising: a rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a receiving position to receive the plurality of conductors; and a loading device configured to sequentially load each of the holders with a corresponding one of the plurality of conductors, wherein the loading device is configured to move into a first transfer position for loading the twisting head, and the first transfer position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a rotatable untwisting head having multiple holders configured to hold a plurality of conductors for twisting into a single cable and having a free holder rotatable into a loading position, wherein the loading device is further configured to move into a second transfer position for loading the untwisting head.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second transfer position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the loading device is further configured to displace two ends of the conductors simultaneously to the twisting head.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the loading device is further configured to displace two ends of the conductors simultaneously to the untwisting head.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the loading device is further configured to hold a first end of the conductors and to displace a second end of the conductors to the twisting head.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the holders are further configured to receive the conductors at a plurality of depths with respect to each other.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the loading device includes a cross slide table and at least one gripper configured to be displaced along the table and to grip and release a conductor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the cross slide table includes at least one longitudinal rail extending in a first direction, and at least one transverse rail extending in a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one gripper is movable along the at least one longitudinal rail and movable along the at least one transverse rail.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the twisting head includes at least two gripper jaws movable relative to an abutment of the twisting head and configured to press and fix a conductor against the abutment.

22. A tandem system for twisting a first plurality of conductors together and a second plurality of conductor together, comprising: a first rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the first plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the first plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a first receiving position to receive the first plurality of conductors; a second rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the second plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the second plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a second receiving position to receive the second plurality of conductors; and a shared loading device configured to sequentially load each of the holders of the first twisting head with a corresponding one of the first plurality of conductors and configured to, in tandem, sequentially load each of the holders of the second twisting head with a corresponding one of the second plurality of conductors, wherein the first and second twisting heads are in juxtaposition with the shared loading device interposed between the first and second twisting heads.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the shared loading device is further configured to move into a first transfer position for loading the first twisting head.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first transfer position is the same for each conductor in the first plurality of conductors.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the shared loading device is further configured to move into a second transfer position for loading the second twisting head.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second transfer position is the same for each conductor in the second plurality of conductors.

27. A method for loading a twisting head with a plurality of conductors, comprising: placing, by using a loading device, a first conductor of the plurality of conductors into a transfer position; introducing a first conductor of the plurality of conductors into a first free holder of the twisting head located in a receiving position; rotating the twisting head such that a second free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position; placing a second conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position by using the loading device; and introducing the second conductor into the second free holder of the twisting head.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: rotating the twisting head such that a third free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position; placing a third conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position using the loading device; and introducing the third conductor into the third free holder of the twisting head.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: rotating the twisting head such that the first free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position; placing a third conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position using the loading device; and introducing the third conductor into the first free holder of the twisting head.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a view from obliquely above onto a tandem twisting system according to a first exemplary embodiment, still without a shared loading device, with an operator.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of the tandem twisting system from FIG. 1, with conductor feed units removed from one of the twisting systems.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of a tandem twisting system according to a second exemplary embodiment, comprising two twisting units and a centrally arranged shared loading device.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of the tandem twisting system according to the second exemplary embodiment, including the loading device on one of the twisting systems.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a frontal view of a twisting unit comprising a first twisting head.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a view obliquely from the front of a twisting unit comprising a second twisting head.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of a tandem twisting system according to a third exemplary embodiment, including a shared loading device in a first position.

[0044] FIG. 8 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of the tandem twisting system according to the third exemplary embodiment, including the loading device in a second position.

[0045] FIG. 9 shows a view from obliquely above onto a section of the tandem twisting system according to the third exemplary embodiment, including the loading device in a third position.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a tandem twisting system T1 having no shared loading device, with an operator B. The tandem twisting system T1 comprises two individual twisting systems 1a and 1b having laterally reversed designs. Each of the two twisting systems 1a, 1b comprises a conductor feed unit 2 having multiple (four as depicted in FIG. 1) conductor channels, by means of which, for example, ready-made or cut-to-length individual conductors L1, L2 can be transported to a tensioning clamping unit 3 comprising respective tensioning clamps. The tensioning clamping unit 3 can also serve as a draw-in unit. Subsequently, the individual conductors L1, L2 are inserted by the operator B into the tensioning clamping unit 3 and furthermore clamped into a twisting head 4 of a twisting unit 5. The twisting unit 5 is shown without a drive in FIG. 1.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a section of the tandem twisting system T1 without the conductor feed unit 2 for the right twisting system 1b, and thus provides a view of the right twisting system 1b.

[0048] As depicted in FIG. 2, the twisting unit 5 has been displaced away from the tensioning clamping unit 3 along an x-direction, as indicated by the double arrow x. The x-direction corresponds to or is parallel to a rotational axis of the twisting head 4. For this purpose, the twisting unit 5 can be displaced in a slide rail 6 (for example, using rollers). In the shown twisting position of the twisting head 4, the individual conductors L1 and L2 are tensioned and can be twisted with one another by a rotation of the twisting head 4. Thereafter, the finished twisted cable is released by the operator from the twisting head 4 and from the tensioning clamping unit 3, if necessary after being tied off or the like, and can drop into a collection pan 21.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a a tandem twisting system T2, which has a design similar to the tandem twisting system T1, but additionally comprises a loading device 7 arranged centrally between the two twisting systems 1a and 1b. The conductor feed units 2 are not shown, but may be included. Other functional units, such as a conductor magazine, a conductor cutting machine and the like, may also be included, but are not shown.

[0050] The loading device 7 comprises a gripper 8, which can grip the ends of the provided individual conductors L1, L2. The gripper 8 can be displaced in a transverse rail 9 in a y-direction (as indicated by the double arrow y). The transverse rail 9 is introduced at the ends into two longitudinal rails 10 and can be displaced along these longitudinal rails 10 in the x-direction. The transverse rail 9 and the longitudinal rails 10 form a cross slide table 9, 10 for the gripper 8. The longitudinal rails 10 are arranged laterally outside the twisting units 5, so that the gripper 8 can be displaced in the y-direction in front of the twisting heads 4. The longitudinal rails 10 are of sufficient length that the grippers 8 can be moved in the x-direction close to the twisting heads 4 arranged in the receiving position thereof (as shown based on the twisting system 1a) and make contact with these.

[0051] The gripper 8 can handle a single individual conductor L1, L2 by gripping the same in the region of one end from an associated feed channel 11 (which can adjoin a channel of the conductor feed unit 2) and displacing it into a transfer position by means of the cross slide table 9, 10. There, the twisting head 4 is located in the planar receiving position thereof (which is to say in a position having predefined (x,y) coordinates). A free holder of the twisting head 4 has previously been rotated into a receiving angular position. In the transfer position, the gripper 8 inserts one end of the individual conductor L1, L2 into the free holder of the twisting head 4, as is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. The twisting head 4 then clamps the individual conductor L1, L2 into the holder 12 for twisting. The twisting head 4 may be displaced from the receiving position into a twisting position, or the receiving position may already correspond to the twisting position.

[0052] If yet another individual conductor L1, L2 is to be twisted, the gripper 8 moves back to an individual conductor L1, L2 to be subsequently transferred (which, for this purpose, is located in another of the feed channels 11), and grips the same. As before, the gripper 8 is displaced into the same transfer position and there, or from there, inserts one end of this further individual conductor L1, L2 into a further free holder of the twisting head 4.

[0053] As depicted in FIG. 4, the twisting head 4 has been appropriately rotated further so as to provide the further free holder in the same receiving position as the previously loaded holder. The twisting head 4 thus can be rotated in a turret-like manner. This yields the advantage that the gripper 8, at all times, only has to move into the same transfer position for loading or transferring multiple individual conductors L1, L2. This can be repeated until all individual conductors used for twisting (here, for example, all two, three or four individual conductors) have been introduced into the twisting head 4.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the twisting unit 5 comprising a possible twisting head 4, 4a in greater detail. The twisting head 4a comprises four holders 12 for receiving a maximum of four individual conductors. Each of the holders 12 is formed by a v-shaped region of a central abutment 13, onto which respective clamping jaws 14 can be individually placed and thereby press and clamp a respective individual conductor on the abutment 13. The lower and the left clamping jaws 14 are shown in the clamped position in FIG. 5, while the upper and the right clamping jaws 14 are shown in an open position ready for loading.

[0055] The central abutment 13 is designed in the form of a saltire in the front view. The transfer position 15 of the gripper 8 (indicated by the sun cross) is located in the same (x,z) position as the upper holder 12 located in the receiving position. Thus, the individual conductor held by the gripper 8 (not shown) is located in the transfer position 15. For loading, the associated upper clamping jaw 14 is open and closes when the individual conductor has been introduced.

[0056] After being loaded with an individual conductor, the twisting head 4 is rotated by 90°, so that a further individual conductor can be introduced into a further holder 12.

[0057] In general, the twisting head, such as the shown twisting head 4, 4a, may also be displaced in a z-direction. Likewise, the gripper, such as the gripper 8, may, in general, also be displaced in a z-direction.

[0058] FIG. 6 shows a front view of the twisting unit 5 comprising a further possible twisting head 4, 4b in greater detail. The twisting head 4b is designed similarly to the twisting head 4a, but here comprises a central abutment 16 in the form of a vertical cross. All clamping jaws 14 are shown in the open position thereof.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows a section of a tandem twisting system T3, comprising a loading device 17 between the two individual twisting systems 1a and 1b.

[0060] As depicted in FIG. 7, the two twisting systems 1a and 1b include a respective untwisting unit 18 comprising an untwisting head 19. At least the untwisting head 19 and the tensioning clamping unit 3, and, in certain aspects, also the twisting head 4, may have modular designs and be easy to attach and remove using standardized interfaces.

[0061] The untwisting head 19 likewise comprises four holders (not shown), which are to be loaded with respective individual conductors (not shown). The individual conductors are cut to length introduced into a holder 12 of the twisting head 4 on the one hand, and into a holder of the untwisting head 19 on the other hand.

[0062] To facilitate this two-sided loading, the loading device 17 comprises two grippers 8, 8a and 8, 8b, which can be displaced in the y-direction on respective transverse rails 9, 9a and 9, 9b. Both transverse rails 9a and 9b can be displaced in the x-direction on stationary longitudinal rails 20. The longitudinal rails 20 extend up to the twisting units 5 in the receiving position. The twisting units 5 remain in the same receiving position even for twisting multiple cables.

[0063] In the shown starting position of the grippers 8a and 8b, initially a first end of an individual conductor L (see FIG. 8 and FIG. 9) can be gripped by a gripper 8a closer to the twisting head 4, and then the gripper 8a can be displaced in the x-direction toward the twisting head 4. When the second end of the individual conductor L reaches the second gripper 8b, the second gripper 8b grips the individual conductor L in the region of the second end thereof.

[0064] As depicted in FIG. 8, the two grippers 8a and 8b, which are arranged behind one another in the x-direction here, displace the individual conductor L so much in the x-direction that they are arranged laterally next to a section between the twisting head 4 and the untwisting head 19, which is still free.

[0065] As further depicted in FIG. 9, the grippers 8a and 8b are displaced laterally or in the y-direction, following along the transverse rails 9a and 9b, so that they reach their respective receiving position in front of the twisting head 4 or in front of the untwisting head 19 and there, or from there, are introduced into the associated holders 12 of the twisting head 4 or of the untwisting head 19. The loading process may be repeated as described for the tandem twisting system T2, for example, by using a turret-like rotation of the twisting head 4 and of the untwisting head 19 at identical transfer positions of the grippers 8a and 8b, and the like.

[0066] Modifications of the disclosed embodiments are possible.

[0067] For example, after the loading of the twisting head 4, or the twisting head 4 and the untwisting head 19, has been completed and, in certain aspects, even before the actual twisting operation begins, further functional units may be introduced, for example, a lay length positioning unit or “twisting slide,” a conductor stabilization unit, or a conductor support unit.