WINDING DEVICE FOR WRAPLING AN ELONGATED TIED ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR WRAPTING A TIED ARTICLE WITH ADHESIVE TAPE

Abstract

In a tape wrapping device for an elongated, tied item, a roll of tape of a predetermined length is held in the winding head. The predetermined length is sized for a portion of the item to be wrapped. This prevents the tape from cutting into the tied item.

Description

WINDING DEVICE FOR WRAPLING AN ELONGATED TIED ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR WRAPLING A TIED ARTICLE WITH ADHESIVE TAPE FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to a winding device for wrapping an elongated, bound article with adhesive tape. The device comprises a winding head with a rotating body mounted to rotate around the winding head, which holds a roll of adhesive tape, and a cutting device for cutting the tape to a predetermined length. The invention also relates to a method for wrapping a bound article with adhesive tape using the winding device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This winding device is known, for example, from DE 10 2017 109 819 A1. In this winding device, the roll stores a large quantity of adhesive tape. However, each portion of the bundled item requires a predetermined length of adhesive tape, which is used to wrap that portion. For this purpose, the winding device has a separating mechanism, which cuts the adhesive tape after wrapping the corresponding portion. The separating mechanism must then cut close to the bundled item, which, in the case of bundled items of varying thicknesses, can lead to the risk of cutting the bundled item. Furthermore, the roll containing the adhesive tape and the arrangement of the separating mechanism result in a very large winding head.Therefore, the winding head is configured in a very strange way and requires a very large energy consumption for its movement. From DE 20 2015 001 990 U1, a winding device has become known in which the roll of adhesive tape is mounted so that it can be removed from the winding head. In this winding device, the cutting device is also arranged in the vicinity of the tape being wrapped. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The underlying problem of the invention is to further develop a winding device of the type mentioned in the introduction to the point where cutting the adhesive tape in the vicinity of the bound article is avoided. Furthermore, a method will be created that ensures a particularly reliable wrapping of the bound article. The first problem mentioned is solved according to the invention in that the cutting device is arranged outside the winding head and the predetermined length of the adhesive tape is maintained in the winding head. This configuration eliminates the need for a cutting device on the winding head. Because the winding head only carries the amount of tape required for the portion of the tied item to be wrapped, cutting the tape after wrapping is unnecessary. Therefore, potential damage to the tied item from a cutting tool is reliably prevented. By omitting the cutting device, the winding head can be made particularly small and compact. After the predetermined length of tape has been used to wrap the predetermined portion of the tied item, a new roll of tape can be inserted into the winding head for the next portion. Thus, a single tied item can be wrapped section by section with different rolls of tape in a simple way. A further reduction in the dimensions of the winding head is advantageous when the roll is mounted on the rotating body and the adhesive tape on the roll is limited to a predetermined length. This eliminates the need for any additional adhesive tape on the roll, allowing for a particularly compact size. According to another convenient further development of the invention, the preparation of a suitable quantity of adhesive tape becomes particularly simple when a stock roll containing a multiple of the predetermined length is disposed of outside the winding head. According to another convenient further development of the invention, the transfer of the predetermined length of adhesive tape within the winding head is carried out in a particularly simple manner when a rewinding unit is provided with the stock roll containing a multiple of the predetermined length and with at least one roll body to receive the predetermined length of adhesive tape, and also has a tape starting device to transfer the adhesive tape from the stock roll to the roll body. According to another convenient development of the invention, loading the winding head with the predetermined length of adhesive tape becomes particularly simple when the rewinding unit has several receptacles for holding roll bodies. With this configuration, a roll body containing the predetermined length of adhesive tape can be prepared while another, already prepared roll body is being fed to the winding head. In this way, the next roll body containing the predetermined length of adhesive tape for the next portion of the wrapped item can be prepared in the rewinding unit while the winding head is wrapping the current portion. This minimizes interruptions during roll body changes. According to another convenient further development of the invention, it is advantageous to further increase the roll delivery speed when the receptacles can be moved from a winding position, in which the rewinding unit is ready for transfer of the adhesive tape, to a delivery position, in which the receptacle containing the roll is ready for delivery to the winding head. According to another convenient development of the invention, the cutting device is positioned well away from the bound article when the cutting device is arranged in the rewinding unit. This configuration reliably prevents damage to the bound article from the cutting device. Different portions of the bundled article may have different requirements for the adhesive tape used. According to another convenient development of the invention, different adhesive tapes can be easily used for different portions of the same bundled article when the rewinding unit has several stock rolls containing different adhesive tapes. For example, in the case of a bundled article such as a wiring harness for a motor vehicle, one portion can be wrapped with a particularly waterproof adhesive tape and another portion with a particularly wear-resistant adhesive tape, should the different needs of the portions so require. Similarly, adhesive tapes of different colors can be used, for example, to simplify the routing of the wiring harness in the motor vehicle. The second problem mentioned, specifically the creation of a particularly reliable method for wrapping the item tied with adhesive tape, is solved according to the invention through the following steps: - Cut the adhesive tape to a length intended for a specific portion of the attached item. - Preparation, on a winding head, of the adhesive tape cut to the planned length - Wrap the portion of the item tied with adhesive tape cut to the predetermined length. With this configuration, the adhesive tape can be cut away from the attached item. Damage to the attached item is prevented thanks to this invention. Furthermore, different adhesive tapes can simply be used piece by piece for a single attached item. According to another convenient further development of the invention, the preparation of the predetermined length of adhesive tape becomes particularly simple when the predetermined length of adhesive tape is pulled from a stock roll, when the predetermined length is being wound onto a roll body and is being cut from the adhesive tape of the stock roll, and when the roll body containing the predetermined length of adhesive tape is being fed to the winding head. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention allows for numerous embodiments. For further illustration of its basic principle, one of these is illustrated in the figure and will be described below. This is shown in Figure 1 is a winding device containing a tethered item, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a winding head of the winding device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a rewinding unit of the winding device of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is an aerial view of a simple configuration of the tied item of Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a winding device 1 for wrapping a tethered item 2, such as, for example, a wiring harness, consisting of numerous branched lines, of a motor vehicle. These lines may be electrical lines and / or hose lines. The individual parts of the winding device component 1 are supplied with electrical power and data by a programmable control unit 3. The winding device 1 has a winding head 5 arranged on a robot arm 4. The robot arm 4 has several articulated joints, schematically illustrated 6-9, by which the winding head 5 can be moved, oscillated, and also rotated about its longitudinal axis 10 on all three spatial axes. The articulated joints 6-9 respectively have, although not illustrated, drive means activated by the control unit 3. In addition, the winding device 1 has a rewinding unit 11. The rewinding unit 11 carries one or more stock rolls 12 of adhesive tape and has two receptacles 13, 14 for roll bodies 15, onto which a predetermined length of adhesive tape can be unwound. The predetermined length of adhesive tape is sized for a limited portion 16, illustrated in Fig. 4, of the bound article 2. The tied item 2 is held by means of retaining elements 18 on a mounting board 17. A second mounting board 19 is opposite the winding head 5 and can be loaded with a new tied item, while the tied item 2 is being wound on the other mounting board 17. The mounting boards 17, 19 can be rotated by means of a board actuator 20, so that optionally one mounting board 17 or the other mounting board 19 faces the winding head 5. Of course, the board actuator 20 can also be designed for height adjustment or displacement of the mounting boards 17, 19 perpendicular to the plane of the figure. Figure 2 shows the winding head 5 of Figure 1 in an enlarged diagram before the wrapping of the bundled article 2. The winding head 5 is illustrated from the rear view relative to the diagram in Figure 1. The winding head 5 has an opening 21 for inserting the bundled article 2 and a rotatable body 22. The rotatable body 22 carries a movable coupling jaw 23 for securing the bundled article 2 and a roll 24 containing the predetermined length of adhesive tape for the intended portion 16 of the bundled article 2. The roll 24 consists of the roll body 15 described above and the intended length of adhesive tape wound thereon. A guide device 25 for guiding the adhesive tape and for detaching it from the roll 24 is also arranged on the rotatable body 22. The winding head 5 is positioned in a starting position, in which guide elements 26 arranged on both sides of the rotating body 22, designed to guide and reinforce the bundled item 2 radially, are oscillated outwards. For wrapping, a starting portion of the adhesive tape is first pulled from the roll 24 and held in front of the opening 21. Next, the winding head 5, with its opening 21, is moved over the relevant portion 16 of the bundled item 2, so that the bundled item 2 reaches the starting position of the adhesive tape. Furthermore, the guide elements 26 oscillate towards the bundled item 2 and enclose it. In a subsequent rotation of the rotating body 22 and the simultaneous guiding of the winding head 5 along the bundled item 2, the adhesive tape is wrapped around the intended portion 16 of the bundled item 2.Because roll 24 only contains the predetermined length of adhesive tape for portion 16 of the bound article 2 to be wrapped, portion 16 is wrapped once the adhesive tape is consumed. The basic principle of such winding head 5 is known from the prior art and is therefore cited for further disclosure. Figure 3 shows the rewinding unit 11 of the winding device 1 of Figure 1. This rewinding unit 11 holds at least one stock roll 12 containing adhesive tape and the two receptacles 13, 14 for the roll body 15. In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, several stock rolls 12 containing different adhesive tapes can be arranged one above the other. The receptacles 13, 14 are arranged at the ends of a double-sided rotating arm 27. The rotating arm 27 has a central bearing 28, so that the positions of the receptacles 13, 14 can be changed. In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, several obvious receptacles can be arranged, for example, on a rotary table. One of the receptacles is located in a delivery position, in which a roll body 15 containing a predetermined quantity of adhesive tape wound on it is received by the winding head 5, and in which an empty roll body 15 can be returned from the winding head 5 to the rewinding unit 11. This delivery occurs when the winding head 5 is moved by the robot arm 4 to its corresponding position over the delivery position. The other receptacle 13 is located in a winding position, in which the roll body 15 containing a predetermined quantity of adhesive tape can be rewound from the stock roll 12. The rewinding unit 11 further has a tape starting device 29, by means of which the adhesive tape is detached from the stock roll 12 and fed into the roll body 15 located in the winding position. The predetermined length of adhesive tape can then be wound onto the roll body 15. In addition, the rewinding unit 11 has a cutting device 30 for separating the predetermined length of adhesive tape from the adhesive tape located on the stock roll 12. Figure 4 shows bundled article 2 of Figure 1 in a particularly simple configuration with plug contacts 31-33 at its ends, as is common in motor vehicle wiring harnesses. Bundled article 2 has three portions 16, 16', 16, which are to be wrapped with adhesive tape as described above. The portions 16, 16', 16 are of different lengths and have several folds or angles. Each of the portions 16, 16', 16 requires a predetermined length of adhesive tape for wrapping. This predetermined length of adhesive tape is calculated from the length of the respective portion 16, 16', 16, its diameter, and the expected number of wraps of adhesive tape per unit length. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of bundled article 2, three roll bodies 15 are to be prepared, each with a predetermined length of adhesive tape.

Claims

1. A winding device (1) for wrapping an elongated tied article (2) with adhesive tape, having a winding head (5), with a rotating body (22), mounted to rotate, from the winding head (5), with a roll (24) for holding the adhesive tape and having a cutting device (30) for cutting the adhesive tape to a predetermined length, characterized in that the cutting device (30) is arranged outside the winding head (5) and the predetermined length of the adhesive tape is held in the winding head (5).

2. The winding device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the roll (24) is arranged in the rotating body (22) and the adhesive tape on the roll (24) is limited to the predetermined length.

3. The winding device according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that a stock roll (12) containing a multiple of the predetermined length is disposed outside the winding head (5).

4. The winding device according to claim 3, further characterized in that a rewinding unit (11) is provided with the stock roll (12) containing a multiple of the predetermined length and with at least one roll body (15) for receiving the predetermined length of adhesive tape, and also has a tape starting device (29) for transferring the adhesive tape from the stock roll (12) to the roll body (15).

5. The winding device according to at least one of claims 1 or 4, further characterized in that the rewinding unit (11) has several receptacles (13, 14) for holding the roll bodies (15).

6. The winding device according to claim 4 or 5, further characterized in that the receptacles (13, 14) can be moved from a winding position, in which the rewinding unit is ready for transfer of the adhesive tape, to a delivery position, in which the receptacles (13,14) containing the roll (24) are ready for delivery to the winding head (5).

7. The winding device according to at least one of claims 4 to 6, further characterized in that the cutting device (30) is arranged in the rewinding unit (11).

8. The winding device according to at least one of claims 4 to 7, further characterized in that the rewinding unit (11) has several stock rolls (12) containing different adhesive tapes.

9. A method for wrapping a bound article (2) with adhesive tape using a winding device (1), characterized in that it has the following steps: - Cutting the adhesive tape to a length intended for a predetermined portion (16) of the bound article (2) - Preparing, on a winding head (5), the adhesive tape cut to the predetermined length - Wrapping the portion (16) of the bound article (2) with the adhesive tape cut to the predetermined length. frFRznn / cznz / E / YiAi 10. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that the predetermined length of adhesive tape is detached from a stock roll (12), in that the predetermined length is being wound onto a roll body (15) and is being cut from the adhesive tape of the stock roll (12), and in that the roll body (15) containing the predetermined length of adhesive tape is being fed to the winding head (5).

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