Assembly and method for measuring a cord

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an assembly and a method for measuring a cord, in which the assembly for measuring a cord comprises: a transfer assembly configured to transfer the cord in a first mode and to pause a length of cord in a second mode; a trigger assembly configured to apply a trigger action to the length of cord in the second mode; and a sensor configured to sense a change in a physical parameter associated with the length of cord in response to the trigger action, and to generate a measurement signal indicative of the change in the physical parameter. The present disclosure also relates to a method of measuring a cord by an assembly for measuring a cord. In-line measurement of cords is achieved by the present disclosure, which enables the measurement of cords without damaging the cords and facilitates the determination of the performance of the cords.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of measuring or inspecting cords, and more particularly to assemblies and methods for measuring cords in production. Background Art

[0002] During the manufacturing process of the cord, the resulting cord product needs to measure various parameters of the cord and verify its performance before delivery to the end user. The cord or rope is usually made of two or more filaments or wires, such as twisted. During the filament twisting process, the cord may have manufacturing deviations in filament uniformity, tightness, straightness, elasticity and stiffness, thereby affecting the performance of the cord.

[0003] Conventional cord measurement usually adopts an offline measurement method, that is, a sample cord is cut from the cord, and then the required measurement is performed on the sample and the properties or performance of the cord is determined. This causes damage to the continuously produced cord because the sample cord can no longer be used and will be discarded. In addition, manual intervention may also be required during the sampling process. Therefore, conventional cord offline measurement reduces production automation and increases labor costs, material costs and time costs, resulting in low overall production efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0004] Various example embodiments of the present disclosure provide an assembly and method for measuring a cord, thereby facilitating determination of properties of the cord.

[0005] In a first aspect, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an assembly for measuring a cord. The assembly is used to measure the cord in the process of producing the cord. The assembly includes a conveying assembly, a triggering assembly, and a sensor. The conveying assembly is configured to convey the cord, for example, in a production line of the cord. The conveying assembly may be configured to convey the cord in a first mode and to pause a certain length of the cord in a second mode. The triggering assembly may be configured to apply a triggering action to the certain length of the cord in the second mode. The sensor is configured to sense a change in a physical parameter associated with the certain length of the cord in response to the triggering action and generate a measurement signal indicating the change in the physical parameter, which measurement signal may be used for online analysis.

[0006] With this arrangement, the cord can be measured online. In particular, the measuring assembly can be conveniently installed at a suitable position before the winding station of the cord, for example by using the available space already in the production line. Therefore, the use of the online measuring assembly enables the measurement of the relevant parameters of the cord without damaging the cord. This avoids the cutting and sampling of the cord, eliminating possible manual intervention. Since the online measurement does not damage the cord, the measured cord can still continue to be wound on the reel for supply to the end user. Therefore, such online measurement improves production automation, reduces labor, material and time costs, and leads to overall production efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, the assembly for measuring the cord further comprises a processing device. The processing device is configured to determine the performance of the cord based on the measurement signal. Through such an arrangement, the processing device interacts with the sensor to perform real-time performance determination of the cord based on the measurement signal.

[0008] In some embodiments, the processing device is configured to collect the measurement signal, convert the measurement signal into a digital signal, transform the digital signal into physical parameter data, and analyze the physical parameter data for determining properties of the cord.

[0009] With this arrangement, not only can the parameters of the cord be measured in real time, but the performance of the cord can also be determined in real time. After the performance of the cord has been determined, the production line can respond quickly based on the performance, such as by confirming that the cord is acceptable and continuing to deliver the cord to the winding station, or by confirming that the cord is unacceptable and can therefore be discarded. Therefore, the present disclosure integrates the measurement of the cord and the determination of the performance of the cord, greatly simplifying the manufacturing process. In addition, as described above, guidance for upstream process improvements can be determined based on the determination of performance.

[0010] In some embodiments, the transport assembly includes two guide members, such as a first guide pulley and a second guide pulley. These guide members are configured to guide the cord through the trigger assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the first guide pulley and the second guide pulley are spaced a certain distance apart for guiding the cord during the cord transport and positioning a certain length of the cord that is paused for measurement. It should be understood that the number of guide members is not limited to two, and a greater number may be provided.

[0011] By such an arrangement, during the online measurement, the guide member provides guidance to the cord and provides necessary support to the cord, thereby defining a certain length of the cord to be measured, facilitating the trigger assembly to apply a trigger action to the cord, and avoiding unnecessary displacement of the cord. The guide member can be, for example, a guide wheel, a guide roller, a guide groove and a guide rail or other mechanisms suitable for conveying and guiding the cord.

[0012] In some embodiments, the trigger assembly is configured to apply a trigger action to cause the length of cord to vibrate. Thus, the sensor is configured to sense the vibration amplitude of the length of cord and generate a measurement signal indicative of the vibration amplitude, which can be used for online analysis. During the online analysis, the processing device is configured to collect the measurement signal of the vibration amplitude and convert it into physical parameter data of the vibration amplitude, and analyze the damping of the vibration amplitude based on the physical parameter data to determine the sleeve performance of the cord.

[0013] By means of this arrangement, it is possible to provide measurement data of the cord and determine the performance of the cord, such as the sleeve performance. Since the vibration attenuation process of the cord (i.e., the damping motion) can reflect the characteristics of the cord, the cord performance of concern to the user, in particular the sleeve performance, can be determined from these measurement data. It should be understood that changes in different physical parameters of the cord can be measured simultaneously, and the measured data can be combined in subsequent analysis to determine the performance of the cord. In addition, it is conceivable that the trigger assembly can also trigger other forms of movement of the cord, such as stretching or bending of the cord. Therefore, changes in physical parameters such as angle, angular displacement, strain or stress related to the cord can be measured, and the measured data can be further analyzed to determine the performance of the cord.

[0014] In some embodiments, the trigger assembly includes at least one movable member. The movable member is configured to be able to move toward a certain length of cord. The movable member may have a robot arm or a mechanical arm, or other suitable movable mechanism. The movement of the movable member is realized by a corresponding drive device and a control device. The drive device may be, for example, an electric motor and its associated transmission device. The control device may be, for example, a processor or a controller. In addition, the movable member may be provided with a clamp. The robot arm is configured to clamp the certain length of cord, causing the clamped certain length of cord to move away and then release the clamped certain length of cord as a trigger action to vibrate the certain length of cord. Alternatively, the movable member has an impact unit. The impact unit is configured to impact the certain length of cord as a trigger action to cause the certain length of cord to vibrate.

[0015] By this arrangement, the movable member can apply a stable force to a specific portion of the cord, avoiding operational instability in the measurement, especially avoiding the instability of the manual measurement operation in the conventional process. This ensures that the cord measurement starts under a predetermined initial condition, thereby providing reliability for the subsequent cord performance evaluation. In addition, the movable member can move in precise alignment with a certain length of cord to be measured, and further reliably contact the length of the cord to provide it with the desired triggering action.

[0016] In some embodiments, the processing device has a display. The display is placed near the conveying assembly, for example, so as to provide real-time results display for the performance test of the cord in the production line. Through this arrangement, the performance test results can be directly provided to the inspector, which facilitates online judgment of whether the performance of the cord is qualified.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sensor can be a contactless sensor or a contact sensor for distance detection. In an example embodiment, the sensor is a gyroscope. In another example embodiment, the sensor is selected from the group of eddy current sensors, laser sensors, capacitive sensors, Hall sensors and photoelectric sensors. It should be understood that the trigger assembly and the sensor can be located at any position close to a certain length of cord to be sensed. For example, the position can be in the middle of the length of the cord to be sensed, or can be in another appropriate position. Therefore, the orientation (e.g., direction of movement) of the trigger assembly and the sensor relative to the cord does not have to be strictly perpendicular to the conveying direction of the cord. Therefore, the trigger assembly can move toward a specific portion of the cord at other inclination angles, and the sensor can be positioned at an inclination angle relative to the cord to be sensed.

[0018] In a second aspect, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for measuring a cord. The method includes transmitting the cord via a transmission assembly and pausing a certain length of the cord; applying a triggering action to the certain length of the cord by a triggering assembly; in response to the triggering action, sensing a change in a physical parameter associated with the certain length of the cord and generating a measurement signal; collecting the measurement signal at a predetermined frequency and converting the measurement signal into physical parameter data; and analyzing the physical parameter data to determine the performance of the cord.

[0019] By this arrangement, the cord can be measured online and the properties of the cord can be determined online. As described above, such online measurement and property determination of the cord improves production automation and reduces labor, material and time costs, resulting in an increase in overall production efficiency. In addition, the measurement results and properties of the cord can be determined, thereby determining whether it is necessary to improve or adjust the upstream production process based on the determined properties.

[0020] In some embodiments, applying a triggering action causes the length of cord to vibrate. In an exemplary embodiment, the triggering action includes clamping the length of cord, moving the clamped length of cord away, and then releasing the clamped length of cord to cause the length of cord to vibrate. In another exemplary embodiment, the triggering action includes striking the length of cord to cause the length of cord to vibrate.

[0021] In some embodiments, the physical parameter data is vibration amplitude data, and damping of the vibration amplitude is analyzed based on the physical parameter data to determine the sleeve performance of the cord.

[0022] As described above, the damping of the cord can reflect its characteristics, so that the cord performance that the user is concerned about, especially the sleeve performance, can be determined from the measured data. The measured data can be used for subsequent online analysis to determine the performance of the cord.

[0023] In some embodiments, the measurement signal is collected at a predetermined frequency less than 10000 Hz (e.g., 1000 to 8000 Hz) for a predetermined duration of 1 to 30 seconds (e.g., 1 to 5 seconds). In an exemplary embodiment, the predetermined frequency is selected from the range of 3000 to 5000 Hz, and the predetermined duration is selected to be 1 to 3 seconds.

[0024] In some embodiments, the length of the cord is selected from the range of 0.5 to 10 meters, for example 0.5 to 1.2 meters. In an exemplary embodiment, the length of the cord is selected to be 1 meter.

[0025] According to the present application, preferably, the cord is a cord formed of two or more filaments for reinforcing a rubber product such as a rubber tire or a conveyor belt, or a belt product such as a timing belt or a lifting belt. The filaments may be made of steel or a polymer material such as polyester or nylon. The cord may be a steel cord composed of steel filaments or a hybrid cord composed of one or more steel filaments and synthetic filaments.

[0026] The method of the present disclosure provides online measurement and property determination of the cord without destroying the cord, which improves production automation and reduces labor, material and time costs, thereby improving overall production efficiency.

[0027] It should be understood that the invention summary is not intended to identify the key or essential features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other purposes, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments disclosed by the present disclosure will become more easily understood through the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be shown by way of example and not limitation, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram showing the cord production process;

[0030] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an assembly for measuring a cord according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which assembly can be used Figure 1 The inspection or measurement stage in the production process shown;

[0031] Figure 3is a schematic front view showing an assembly for measuring a cord according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a method for measuring a cord according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numbers are used to refer to the same or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The principles of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to several example embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that these embodiments are described only to facilitate those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the present disclosure, rather than to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0035] The terms "including" or "comprising" and their variations should be interpreted as open-ended terms, which mean "including but not limited to". The term "or" should be interpreted as "and / or", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "based on" should be interpreted as "based at least in part on". The term "operably" refers to a function, action, movement or state that can be achieved by an operation caused by a user or an external mechanism. The terms "one embodiment" and "embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" should be understood as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included in the following description. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the definitions of terms are consistent throughout the specification.

[0036] As mentioned above, in conventional cord offline measurement, production automation, labor cost, material cost and time cost are not expected, resulting in low overall production efficiency. In addition, since the sampling of the cord involves cutting the cord and clamping, moving and placing the cut cord, this further affects the measurement result of the sampled cord, resulting in the inability to accurately determine the performance of the cord.

[0037] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in conventional off-line measurement of cords, the present disclosure provides a component and method for online measurement of cords. The component according to the present disclosure includes a transmission component, a trigger component and a sensor. The transmission component can transmit the cord in the cord production line. The trigger component is configured in cooperation with the transmission component so that a trigger action is applied to the cord at an appropriate timing during the continuous transmission of the cord, thereby causing a change in the physical parameters associated with the cord. Therefore, the sensor senses this change and generates corresponding measurement data for subsequent online analysis. On the other hand, the method according to the present disclosure implements an online measurement process: transmitting, triggering and sensing the cord, collecting the sensing information of the cord, and analyzing the sensing information. Therefore, by directly integrating the appropriate trigger component and sensor into the production line of the cord, the present disclosure is able to measure the relevant parameters of the cord without damaging the cord. This avoids the cutting and sampling of the cord and simplifies the inspection operation, which in turn improves production automation and reduces labor, material and time costs, resulting in an increase in overall production efficiency. At the same time, the accuracy of the measurement results is also guaranteed.

[0038] Below, refer to Figures 1 to 4 , taking the most commonly used steel cord as an example, the principle of the present disclosure is described in detail. It should be understood that the present disclosure is also applicable to cords or strands made of other materials, such as cords or strands formed of fibers made of organic materials or other metals.

[0039] Specifically, the steel cord is a product formed of two or more filaments made of a steel material such as high-quality high-carbon steel. The surface of the steel cord may be coated with a coating such as copper, zinc, etc. Figure 1 , showing the cord production process as an example. The process flow of the steel cord production process may include a series of stages, namely, stage 101: preparing wire or raw material; stage 102: various treatments and drawing, including pretreatment or dry drawing, intermediate heat treatment, intermediate drawing, another heat treatment, brazing, wet drawing (filament drawing); stage 103: twisting or twisting the filaments into cords or ropes; stage 104: inspecting the cord; and stage 105: winding the cord on a reel (i.e., winding the cord on a reel) and packaging the reel in a warehouse.

[0040] Steel cord is commonly used as a skeleton material for rubber products such as tires. The performance of the cord has a significant impact on the life and reliability of rubber products. Therefore, during the production process of steel cord, it is necessary to measure the finished cord and determine its performance during the inspection stage. A key characteristic of the cord is the sleeve performance. Sleeving refers to the tightness of the cord or the quality of the formation of the cord. Since the cord may undergo a calendering or steel wire extrusion (steelastic) stretching process in the user's subsequent product application, the steel wires or filaments in the cord may show jump-out or isolation in the process, that is, the sleeve state. Therefore, sleeve performance is one of the key indicators of potential risks in the application of steel cord products. High-quality cords should have good sleeve performance and are not prone to causing steel wire jump-out or isolation.

[0041] In conventional cord measurement schemes, an offline measurement method is usually adopted, that is, a sample cord of a certain length (for example, two meters) is cut from the formed cord, and then the sampled cord is subjected to relevant tests and the performance of the cord is determined. For example, the socketing performance of the sampled cord is tested on a socketing meter. However, this offline operation will significantly interrupt the inspection of the cord, increase the inspection process, inspection time and complexity, and reduce the inspection accuracy. The sampled cord cannot be reused, which also leads to material waste. Therefore, a new method is needed to at least partially overcome the shortcomings of conventional solutions.

[0042] In view of the above, the present disclosure proposes an improved assembly and method for measuring parameters of a cord and determining the performance of the cord. The present disclosure is particularly applicable to the quality inspection of a cord or rope formed of two or more filaments, in particular the inspection of the splicing performance.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a component for measuring a cord is provided. The component includes a transmission component configured to transmit the cord in a first mode (i.e., a transmission mode) and to pause a certain length of the cord in a second mode (i.e., a pause mode or a measurement mode). The component also includes a trigger component configured to apply a trigger action to the section of cord in the second mode. The component further includes a sensor configured to sense a change in a physical parameter associated with the section of cord in response to the trigger action and generate a measurement signal indicating the change in the physical parameter.

[0044] With this arrangement, the cord can be measured online. In particular, the measuring assembly can be conveniently installed at a suitable position before the winding stage of the cord production (for example, by utilizing the space already available in the production line), so that the inspection stage can be conveniently integrated into the production process of the cord. Therefore, the use of an online measuring assembly enables the measurement of relevant parameters of the cord without damaging the cord. This avoids cutting and sampling the cord, eliminates unnecessary manual intervention, especially direct manual operation or mechanical processing of the cord, and thus ensures the accuracy of the measurement results. The measured cord can still continue to be wrapped and packaged to provide to the end user. Therefore, this online measurement improves production automation, reduces labor, material and time costs, and leads to an increase in overall production efficiency. Therefore, while ensuring the measurement results, the performance of the cord is accurately determined, and further, it is judged whether the upstream production process (for example, pretreatment, heat treatment and drawing) needs to be improved or adjusted based on the determined performance.

[0045] As will be described in detail in the following paragraphs, the above-mentioned concept can be implemented in various ways.

[0046] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the assembly 100 for measuring the cord 10 is arranged in the inspection section of the production line. The assembly 100 generally includes a transmission assembly 20, a trigger assembly 30 and a sensor 40. The transmission assembly 20 is configured to transmit the cord 10 in the production line of the cord. The trigger assembly 30 is configured to apply a trigger action (such as a trigger action) to a certain length of the cord 10. Figure 3 ). The sensor 40 is configured to sense a change in a physical parameter associated with the length of cord 10 in response to a triggering action and to generate a measurement signal indicative of the change in the physical parameter, which measurement signal can be used for online analysis.

[0047] The conveying assembly 20 includes at least two guide members, such as a first guide pulley 21 and a second guide pulley 22, for conveying the cord 10 and cooperating with a trigger assembly 30 and a sensor 40 for measuring the cord 10. It should be understood that the number of guide members is not limited to two, and more guide members can be provided according to, for example, the length of the cord to be measured and other aspects required by the present application. In an exemplary embodiment, these guide members (e.g., one or more guide pulleys 23) can receive a shaped cord 10 from an upstream production process, such as a cord formed by a twisting process performed by a filament production machine (i.e., a so-called cabling or bundling machine). Additional guide pulleys 24 and 25 can be configured to pass the inspected and qualified cord to a downstream production process for subsequent processing, such as winding, packaging or delivery to a consumer. In an exemplary embodiment, the cord 10 is delivered to a winding reel 26 disposed on a winding platform 60.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the assembly 100 may be mounted on a support plate or frame 27. The support plate 27 may be configured as a vertical plate arranged on a flat surface (e.g., a floor or ground). The support plate 27 may also include a plurality of (e.g., two) support feet 28 for standing on a flat surface. The guide pulleys of the transport assembly 20 are mounted on the support plate 27 by their respective center pins or shafts. The trigger assembly 30 and the sensor 40 may each be mounted to the vertical support plate 28 via a corresponding horizontal support plate 29 (only one is shown schematically). It should be understood that any form of suitable structure of the support assembly 100 is possible and should not be limited to the embodiments shown in the present disclosure.

[0049] In one embodiment, in the first guiding mode, the transport assembly 20 is configured to transport the cord 10 from the first guide pulley 21 to the second guide pulley 22 so as to guide the cord 10 through the trigger assembly 30. In the second measuring mode, the transport assembly 20 can pause the transport and fix the cord 10 at the position to be measured via the first guide pulley 21 and the second guide pulley 22.

[0050] In some embodiments, the guide members are implemented as guide pulleys 21, 22. It should be understood that the guide members may also be other mechanisms suitable for conveying and guiding the cords, such as guide rollers, guide grooves and guide rails.

[0051] According to the need to measure the cord, the first guide pulley 21 and the second guide pulley 22 are spaced apart from each other in the conveying direction by a certain distance, for example, a distance of 0.5 to 1.5 meters, more specifically a distance of 0.5 to 1.2 meters, for example, 1 meter. The "distance" is the distance between the central axes of the two guide pulleys. The "conveying direction" is the advancing direction of the steel cord between the two guide pulleys. Therefore, the first guide pulley 21 and the second guide pulley 22 define between them the length of the cord 10, which corresponds to the distance to be measured later.

[0052] By this arrangement, these guide pulleys 21, 22 can, on the one hand, guide the transmission of the cord 10 in the guide mode, and on the other hand, provide the necessary support for the cord 10 during the online measurement process, thereby defining the cross-section or length of the cord to be measured between the two guide pulleys. This arrangement of the guide pulleys 21, 22 relative to the cord 10 also facilitates the trigger assembly 30 to apply a trigger action to the cord 10 and avoids unnecessary displacement of the cord 10. In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 20 may include three or more guide pulleys 23, 24 and 25, thereby defining multiple sections or portions of the cord as candidate lengths to be measured. Therefore, it is possible to measure multiple different parts of the same cord according to the needs of measurement or performance evaluation, thereby further reducing the analysis error of the measurement data and improving the accuracy of performance evaluation.

[0053] In some embodiments, the trigger assembly 30 is disposed at a suitable position close to the length of the cord 10 to be measured, such as a midway position between the two pulleys 21, 22. The trigger assembly 30 can be moved to be arranged at a desired position. The trigger assembly 30 may include at least one movable member 32, such as Figure 3 Schematically shown. The movable member 32 is configured to move toward the section of cord 10 between the two guide pulleys 21, 22 in the second pause mode so as to apply a triggering action to the section of cord. During the measurement of the cord, the movable member 32 of the trigger assembly 30 can apply a stable force to a specific length of cord 10. In one embodiment, one of the movable members 32 of the trigger assembly 30 applies a force to the middle portion of the cord 10 defined between the two guide pulleys 21, 22.

[0054] The operation of the trigger assembly 30 can be preset or pre-programmed by a controller or processor, so that the cord can be measured automatically, avoiding unstable operation in manual measurement. This ensures that the cord measurement starts under a predetermined initial condition, providing reliability for subsequent cord performance evaluation.

[0055] In some embodiments, the trigger assembly 30 may be configured to apply a trigger action to cause the section of cord 10 to vibrate. Therefore, the sensor 40 is configured to sense the vibration amplitude of the section of cord 10 and generate a measurement signal indicative of the vibration amplitude, which can be used for online analysis. For example, in this measurement mode, the trigger assembly 30 may be configured to stretch a certain length of the cord to be measured in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the cord 10, so that the section of cord is offset by a certain distance relative to the conveying direction of the cord 10, such as Figure 3 . The offset distance may be predetermined, for example 15-25 mm, and may be specifically set according to parameters such as the length, strength and diameter of the cord 10 and the working range of the sensor 40. Typically, the offset distance may be set so that the cord is in a tensioned state. After reaching the predetermined offset distance, the trigger assembly 30 releases the stretched portion of the cord, causing the certain length of the cord between the two guide pulleys 21, 22 to vibrate. Thus, the sensor 40 senses changes in physical parameters associated with the vibration process of the cord 10, such as changes in the vibration amplitude of the cord over time, and accordingly provides a measurement signal to the processing device 50 to determine the performance of the cord.

[0056] In some embodiments, the sensor 40 is, for example, a contactless sensor or a contact sensor for distance detection. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor 40 is a gyroscope. In another exemplary embodiment, the sensor is selected from a group of eddy current sensors, laser sensors, capacitive sensors, Hall sensors and photoelectric sensors. Depending on the type of sensor, the measurement signal generated by the sensor 40 has the form of a voltage or current. It should be understood that the trigger assembly 30 and the sensor 40 can be located at any position close to the section of the cord to be sensed. For example, the position can be in the middle of the section of the cord to be sensed, or can be in another appropriate position. Therefore, the orientation (e.g., direction of movement) of the trigger assembly 30 and the sensor 40 relative to the cord 10 does not have to be strictly perpendicular to the transmission direction of the cord. Therefore, the trigger assembly 30 can move toward a specific portion of the cord 10 at other inclination angles, and the sensor 40 can be positioned at an inclination angle relative to the cord 10 being sensed.

[0057] In other embodiments, one or more movable members of the trigger assembly 30 can apply force to the length of cord 10 at one or more desired locations between the two guide pulleys 21, 22 to produce a trigger action such as pulling or bending. It should be understood that different combinations of the above trigger actions are possible, depending on the requirements of the cord measurement and performance evaluation.

[0058] In some embodiments, one or more movable members 32 of the trigger assembly 30 may have a robot arm or a mechanical arm, or other forms of movable mechanisms. The movement of the movable member 32 is achieved by a corresponding drive device and a control device. The drive device may be, for example, an electric motor and its related transmission device. The control device may be, for example, a processor or a controller.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the movable member 32 is provided with a clamp for holding or clamping the length of cord 10 between the pulleys 21, 22. Thus, when the cord is triggered, as discussed above with respect to pulling or deflecting the cord, the movable member 32 is configured to clamp the length of cord 10, causing the clamped length of cord to move away from the conveying direction, and then release the length of cord as a triggering action to cause the length of cord to vibrate.

[0060] In another exemplary embodiment, the movable member 32 has an impact unit. The impact unit can be implemented as a push lock, a pull rod, a striking block, etc. When the cord is triggered, the impact unit is configured to strike the section of cord as a triggering action to cause the section of cord to vibrate. The impact unit can have a striking block having a vertical groove parallel to or aligned with the section of cord 10 between the pulleys 21 and 22. The vertical groove is suitable for closely contacting the cord and thus applying a striking force thereon as a triggering action.

[0061] It should be understood that within the scope of the present disclosure, other devices suitable for contacting the length of cord 10 and applying force to the length of cord 10 may be implemented. With this arrangement, the movable member can be precisely moved toward the length of cord 10 to be measured, and further reliably contact the length of cord 10 to provide the desired triggering action thereto.

[0062] By this arrangement, the measurement signal of the cord can be accurately provided, and the performance of the cord can be accurately determined based on the measurement signal. Since the vibration attenuation process (i.e., damping motion) of the cord can reflect the characteristics of the cord, the performance of the cord that the user is concerned about, especially the sleeve performance, can be determined from these measurement data (i.e., vibration damping rate).

[0063] In an embodiment where the trigger assembly 30 is configured to vibrate the cord 10, the sensor 40 senses the vibration of the cord after the trigger assembly 30 triggers or excites the cord. Thus, the sensor 40 provides a measurement signal indicating the free decay (i.e., damped vibration) of the cord within a predetermined duration in response to the trigger or excitation, including changes in the vibration amplitude and the corresponding vibration duration. The sensor 40 transmits the measurement signal related to the vibration to the processing device 50 for further data analysis.

[0064] In some embodiments, the measurement signal is collected at a predetermined frequency less than 10000 Hz (e.g., 1000 to 8000 Hz) for a predetermined duration of 1 to 30 seconds (e.g., 1 to 5 seconds). In an exemplary embodiment, the selection range of the predetermined frequency is from 3000 to 5000 Hz, and the predetermined duration is selected to be 3 seconds. It should be understood that the frequency of signal collection can be determined according to the structure of the cord. It should also be understood that the predetermined duration can be a time period from the start of vibration to the end of vibration (i.e., the cord is stationary), or can be a portion of this time period.

[0065] In other embodiments, the trigger assembly can also trigger or stimulate other forms of movement or deformation of the cord, such as bending of the cord. Therefore, the sensor 40 senses changes in physical parameters related to the cord, such as the angle, angular displacement, strain or stress of the cord. The sensor 40 generates a corresponding measurement signal and transmits the measurement signal to the processing device 50 for further analysis to determine the performance of the cord online.

[0066] It should be understood that in various embodiments, changes in different physical parameters of the cord may be measured simultaneously, and the measured signals may be combined in subsequent analysis to determine the performance of the cord.

[0067] In some embodiments, the assembly 100 may further comprise a processing device 50 for online analysis of the measurement signal, in particular for determining the properties of the cord based on the measurement signal. By such an arrangement, the processing device interacts with the sensor to perform real-time properties determination of the cord based on the measurement signal.

[0068] In some exemplary embodiments, a processing device 50 is installed near the sensor 40. The processing device 50 is configured to determine the performance of the section of cord based on the measurement signal. The processing device 50 can be a computer with data processing and analysis capabilities or a device such as a mobile terminal. The processing device 50 can include a processor 52, a memory 54, and a communication module 56.

[0069] In some embodiments, the processor 52 may form all or part of a processing module, which may be, for example, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any other suitable processing device. The memory 54 may form all or part of a memory module, which may be integrated into or operably coupled to the processing module and provide a storage medium for data and software executable by the processing device 50, the software being used to implement the functions of the processing device 50 and control the operation of data analysis. The memory 54 may be any one or more of various types of internal and / or external storage media, such as, but not limited to, RAM, ROM, one or more EPROMs, one or more EEPROMs, FLASH, etc., which provide storage registers, i.e., machine-readable media, for data storage, such as in the form of an internal storage area of ​​a computer, and may be volatile memory or non-volatile memory. The communication module 56 may provide communication between the processing device 50 and other components of the assembly 100 or other external devices via the Internet, cellular, wifi, a wired telephone line, or any other suitable means. For example, but not limited to, the communication module 56 may facilitate communication with various sensors such as the sensor 40. The communication module 56 may also facilitate communication with external devices. For example, without limitation, the communication module 56 can facilitate communication with other devices such as a phone, tablet, computer, or other local or remote devices, either directly or via a network. The communication facilitated by the communication module 56 can allow the processing device 50 to send data and / or receive data from the components or devices in communication therewith. It is understood that the processor 52, the memory 54, and the communication module 56 can be integrated within the processing device 50, or alternatively, separated from each other as separate components.

[0070] Thus, the above examples of the described subject matter can be implemented in any of a variety of ways. For example, some aspects can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When any aspect is implemented at least in part in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or set of processors, or on one or more cloud servers, regardless of whether the software code is provided in a single device, computer, or server, or distributed among multiple devices, computers, or servers.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing device 50 is configured to receive one or more measurement signals related to the performance of the cord output from one or more sensors (e.g., sensor 40), convert the measurement signals into digital signals, transform the digital signals into physical parameter data, and analyze the physical parameter data for determining the performance of the cord (e.g., socket performance), thereby providing online analysis results.

[0072] In some embodiments, the processing device 50 also has an input / output arrangement 58, such as a human-machine interface MMI, for setting various parameters used by the assembly 100 and for displaying and outputting information and data to a user such as an inspector or technician. The input / output device 58 may include one or more of the following: a display, an electromechanical button, a touch screen, or any other suitable arrangement that provides input to the processing device 50 or output from the processing device 50, and is included in / on the support plate 27 or separate therefrom and communicates wirelessly with the processing device 50 (e.g., via or other suitable arrangement).

[0073] In some embodiments, the processing device 50 determines the performance of the cord according to different cord application requirements and with reference to different performance standards. The memory 54 of the processing device 50 is configured with software or code for analyzing the performance of the cord. Therefore, the processing, analysis, calculation, etc. of the measurement data by the processing device 50 can be pre-programmed according to different application requirements, and the corresponding software or code is stored in the memory. For example, the memory 54 stores software code for performing data collection, software code for converting the measurement data into, for example, amplitude data, and software code for analyzing the converted data.

[0074] The performance of the cord generally includes, for example, the uniformity, tightness and socket characteristics of the cord. Generally, one of the criteria used to evaluate the performance is the response time or duration of the cord from the start of triggering or excitation (e.g., causing vibration) to returning to the initial state (e.g., static state). Generally, the shorter the response time of the cord (e.g., the faster the vibration decays), that is, the faster the cord returns to the initial state, the better the performance of the cord. In order to evaluate the performance, different performance evaluation parameters can usually be pre-stored in a lookup table according to the specific application of the cord, and then when determining the performance based on the measurement data, the processing device 50 determines the performance of the cord by retrieving the corresponding value in the lookup table. Alternatively, the processing device 50 can execute a pre-programmed evaluation algorithm on the measurement data to determine the performance of the cord.

[0075] By using the assembly for measuring the cord according to the present disclosure, online measurement and performance evaluation of the cord characteristics can be achieved, and stable and accurate test results and consistent performance evaluation can be obtained. In some embodiments, the cord measurement assembly of the present disclosure is used to measure and evaluate the performance of cords of different structures. The structure of the formed cord can be any of the steel cord structures known in the art.

[0076] In one example, the present disclosure measures a cord having a cord construction of 0.17+5×0.215+10×0.235ST (16CCST), and determines the performance of the cord online by an assembly for measuring the cord according to the present disclosure. The results of the above-mentioned example measurements of different samples according to the present disclosure are shown in Table 1 below. The measurement results of the conventional measurement method of 2m sleeve are also shown in Table 1. Specifically, conventional offline performance measurements and online measurements according to the present disclosure were performed on 12 batches of samples, respectively, followed by a calendering test. For example, for the first batch of samples, the data obtained using a conventional offline 2m sleeve meter showed a sleeve performance of 1.00mm. For the same first batch of samples, for example, an online measurement of the vibration attenuation rate (i.e., the vibration attenuation rate of a certain length of cord within a certain period of time (e.g., 2s)) was performed according to the aforementioned embodiment of the present disclosure, and the data obtained from the measurement was 1.22 seconds at a cord length of 1m and a collection frequency of 3000Hz. The calendering results show that the first batch of samples are good ("OK"). Similarly, for samples from the second to fifth batches, both the conventional test method and the test method of the present disclosure show good socketing performance and calendering results for the samples of the same batch. In contrast, for samples from the sixth to eighth batches, both the conventional test method and the test method of the present disclosure show that the samples from the same batch have acceptable socketing performance and calendering results ("acceptable"). For samples from the ninth to twelfth batches, both the conventional test method and the test method of the present disclosure show that the samples from the same batch have unsatisfactory socketing performance and calendering results ("NOK"). It can be seen that the present disclosure provides a simpler and more effective method to test the socketing performance of the cord. Based on the measurements and performance evaluations provided by the present disclosure, the process of the corresponding upstream equipment of the cord production line can be adjusted to improve the performance of the formed cord accordingly.

[0077] Table 1

[0078]

[0079] In some embodiments, the measuring assembly 100 of the present disclosure can be directly integrated at an appropriate position in the inspection section of the cord production line. The processing device 50 associated with the measuring assembly 100 can also be integrated with the measuring assembly 100 accordingly. For example, the available space in the existing cord conveying equipment can be used to install the measuring assembly 100 of the present disclosure, and the inspection is completed before the formed cord is finally wound and packaged, thereby saving additional installation space. In addition, since the measuring assembly of the present disclosure can measure and evaluate the cord online without damaging the cord, the formed cord can be continuously measured in the production line, avoiding the waste of cord materials, and significantly improving the inspection efficiency and the overall production efficiency of the cord.

[0080] The present disclosure may be implemented as a method or computer program product in any possible integrated technical details, except for the measurement component 100. As described above, the computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium (or media) having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to perform various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the present disclosure further provides a method for measuring a cord. Figure 4 As shown in the flowchart of , the method 400 for measuring a cord of the present disclosure may include the following steps. In step 402, a certain length of cord 10 is transmitted via the transmission assembly 20. In step 404, the transmission of the section of cord 10 is paused via the transmission assembly 20. In step 406, a trigger action is applied to the length of the section of cord 10 by the trigger assembly 30. In step 408, in response to the trigger action, the sensor 40 senses a change in a physical parameter associated with the section of cord 10, and the sensor 40 generates a measurement signal indicating the change in the physical parameter. Thus, the measurement process is completed. In addition, in step 410, the processing device 50 collects the measurement signal at a predetermined frequency and converts it into physical parameter data. In step 412, the processing device 50 analyzes the physical parameter data to determine the performance of the cord.

[0082] More specifically, in step 402, the manufactured cord is continuously conveyed in a production line of the cord. For example, after the cord has been formed in an upstream production machine (not shown), it is continuously conveyed to a winding section (e.g., a reel 26 disposed on a winding platform 60). The present disclosure utilizes the existing space available in the conveying process, in which the measurement and inspection stage of the cord is integrated. In one embodiment, a guide pulley (e.g., guide pulley 23) of the conveying assembly 20 receives the cord 10 from the upstream production machine. The guide pulleys then convey the cord 10 in sequence, thereby conveying the cord 10 through a trigger assembly 30 and a sensor 40 located between two guide pulleys (e.g., a first guide pulley 21 and a second guide pulley 22) so that the performance of the cord 10 can be further measured and inspected.

[0083] In step 404, since the measurement of the cord 10 requires that the cord is first in a stationary initial state, the transmission of the cord 10 via the transmission assembly 20 is paused for the next measurement operation. The duration of the pause can be predetermined according to the type of cord in combination with empirical data. During the paused transmission, the transmission assembly 20 can first fix the cord 10 at the position to be measured, for example, via the first guide pulley 21 and the second guide pulley 22, and then wait for the triggering action to be applied to the cord 10 by the trigger assembly 30. The spacing between the two guide pulleys 21 and 22 can be adjusted, for example, in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 meters, to adapt to different measurement lengths of cords as needed. More specifically, the length of the cord is in the range of 0.5 to 1.2 meters, for example, 1 meter.

[0084] In step 406, before applying the triggering action to the cord, the trigger assembly 30 may be moved to a position adjacent to the conveying assembly 20. As previously described, the trigger assembly 30 may have a movable member 32 mounted thereon, such as a robot or a mechanical arm, which moves toward the length of cord during the application of the triggering action, thereby applying a steady force to the cord. Subsequently, when the length of cord to which the force is applied reaches a predetermined state, such as stretching a predetermined offset distance from the conveying direction or applying a predetermined tension, the trigger assembly 30 releases the cord to freely return to the initial state.

[0085] As previously described, the trigger assembly 30 can cause a length of cord 10 to vibrate, or otherwise excite the cord. In an exemplary embodiment, the trigger action includes clamping the length of cord 10, moving the clamped length of cord 10 away, and then releasing the clamped length of cord 10 to cause the length of cord to vibrate. In another exemplary embodiment, the trigger action includes hitting the length of cord 10 to cause the same vibration.

[0086] In step 408, as described above, for example, after the trigger assembly 30 releases the cord, the sensor 40 can begin to sense changes in a physical parameter associated with the length of cord 10, such as amplitude, until the cord returns to its initial state. At the same time, the sensor 40 generates a measurement signal accordingly. The sensor 40 can then transmit the measurement signal in the form of current or voltage to the processing device 50 in real time for online analysis of the measurement signal. Therefore, after the processing device 50 receives the measurement signal from the sensor 40 in step 410, the processing device 50 can process the measurement signal in step 412, as described above, by converting it into a digital signal, transforming the digital signal into physical parameter data, and analyzing the data using, for example, a lookup table or a pre-programmed algorithm, so as to determine the measured sleeve performance of the cord, so that it can be evaluated online.

[0087] After completing the measurement of the cord 10, the method of the present disclosure resumes the delivery of the cord, such as continuing to deliver the cord, thereby continuously delivering the cord to the winding portion, such as the reel 26, without breaking the cord 10. Therefore, the method of the present disclosure enables online measurement and online performance determination of the cord.

[0088] In some embodiments, the method of the present disclosure can be implemented by a computer or other suitable controller or processor. The computer, controller or processor has a storage device. The storage device is configured to store computer-readable media. When the computer-readable medium is executed by a computer, a controller or a processor, the computer-readable medium can enable the computer, the controller or the processor to implement the method according to the present disclosure. It should be understood that the method of the present disclosure can be applied to inspect any type of cord, rope, or strand during its production process. As described above, the cord measurement method of the present disclosure is capable of measuring the cord online and determining the performance of the cord online, which enables non-destructive and effective cord measurement and improves production efficiency.

[0089] Although the present disclosure has described and illustrated several inventive embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily conceive of a variety of other devices and / or structures for performing the functions described in the present disclosure and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more advantages described in the present disclosure, and each of these changes and / or modifications is considered to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described in the present disclosure. More generally, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described in the present disclosure are exemplary, and the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on one or more specific applications in which the inventive teachings are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to determine many equivalents of the specific unique embodiments described in the present disclosure using only routine experiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are given by way of example only, and within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents; the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in a manner different from that specifically described and claimed. The inventive embodiments of the present disclosure relate to each individual feature, system, product, material, kit, and / or method described in the present disclosure. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods (if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent) is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An assembly (100) for measuring a cord (10), comprising: a conveyor assembly (20) configured to convey the cord (10) in a first mode and to pause a length of the cord in a second mode; a trigger assembly (30) configured to apply a triggering action to the length of cord (10) in the second mode; as well as A sensor (40) is configured to sense a change in a physical parameter associated with the length of cord (10) and to generate a measurement signal indicative of the change in the physical parameter in response to the triggering action.

2. The assembly (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a processing device (50) configured to determine a property of the cord (10) based on the measurement signal.

3. The assembly (100) according to claim 2, wherein: The processing device (50) is configured to collect the measurement signals, convert the measurement signals into digital signals, transform the digital signals into physical parameter data, and analyze the physical parameter data to determine the properties of the cord (10).

4. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein: The conveying assembly (20) includes a first guide pulley (21) and a second guide pulley (22) which are spaced a certain distance apart to guide the cord (10) during the cord conveying and to position the suspended length of the cord (10) for measurement.

5. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The trigger assembly (30) is configured to apply a triggering action to cause the length of cord (10) to vibrate; and The sensor (40) is configured to sense the amplitude of vibration of the length of cord (10) and to generate a measurement signal indicative of the amplitude of vibration, and The processing device (50) is configured to collect the measurement signal of the vibration amplitude and transform the measurement signal of the vibration amplitude into physical parameter data of the vibration amplitude, and analyze the damping of the vibration amplitude based on the physical parameter data for determining the sleeve performance of the cord (10).

6. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The trigger assembly (30) includes at least one movable member (32) configured to move toward the length of cord (10), the movable member (32) having a robotic arm equipped with a clamp, the robotic arm configured to clamp the length of cord (10), cause the clamped length of cord (10) to move away and then release the clamped length of cord (10) as a trigger action to cause the length of cord (10) to vibrate.

7. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The trigger assembly (30) comprises at least one movable member (32) configured to move toward the certain length of cord (10), the movable member (32) having an impact unit configured to impact the certain length of cord (10) as a trigger action to cause the certain length of cord (10) to vibrate.

8. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein: The processing device (50) has a display.

9. The assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The sensor (40) is a non-contact distance detection sensor selected from the group consisting of an eddy current sensor, a laser sensor, a capacitive sensor, a Hall sensor, and a photoelectric sensor.

10. A method for measuring a cord (10), comprising: The cord (10) is conveyed via a conveying assembly (20) and a certain length of the cord (10) is paused; Applying a triggering action to the certain length of cord (10) through a triggering assembly (30); In response to the triggering action, sensing a change in a physical parameter associated with the length of cord (10) and generating a measurement signal; collecting the measurement signals at a predetermined frequency and converting the measurement signals into physical parameter data; and The physical parameter data is analyzed to determine properties of the cord (10).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: Applying the triggering action causes the length of cord to vibrate.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The triggering action includes clamping the certain length of cord (10), moving the clamped certain length of cord (10), and then releasing the clamped certain length of cord (10) to make the certain length of cord (10) vibrate; or the triggering action includes striking the certain length of cord (10) to cause the certain length of cord (10) to vibrate.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The physical parameter data is vibration amplitude data, and damping of the vibration amplitude is analyzed based on the physical parameter data to determine the sleeve performance of the cord (10).

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: The measurement signals are collected at a predetermined frequency of less than 10000 Hz for a predetermined duration of 1 to 30 seconds, preferably at a predetermined frequency of 1000 to 8000 Hz for a predetermined duration of 1 to 5 seconds.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein: The length of cord (10) has a length of 0.5 to 10 meters, preferably 0.5 to 1.2 meters.

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