Automatic trimming device for wire coils

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic trimming apparatus (1) for a wire coil (2) including a plurality of wire loops (3). The apparatus includes a base frame (4), a rotating member (6) rotatably connected to the base frame (4), a support unit for supporting the wire loops as the rotating member (6) is rotated, a sensor assembly arranged to detect an end of the wire, and a distance sensor for sensing a distance traveled along the wire as the rotating member is rotated. The trimming apparatus is adapted to rotate the rotating member in a first direction until the end of the wire is detected, rotate the rotating member in an opposite direction when the end of the wire is detected, determine the distance traveled along the wire, and generate a cut command based on the distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire and a predetermined cut distance. The rotating member (6) has a cutting device arranged to cut the wire upon receiving the cut command.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic trimming device for trimming wire coils in a long rolling mill. [Background technology]

[0002] The wire coil is composed of multiple continuous loops of wire created by a loop forming device installed after the final shape rolling device in the wire rod rolling mill. The continuous length of the looped wire can be several thousand meters. The loop forming device is followed by a conveyor on which the continuous loops are transported until they reach a vertical collection device into which they drop and accumulate in a vertical coil.

[0003] An important aspect of product quality in long length rolling mills producing wire coils is the final material properties of the wire in the coil. Due to activities in the wire fabrication process, such as the rolling process itself, wire is produced with different properties at the head and tail of each coil. The reduced quality of the tails and tips of the wire in the coils necessitates their removal before further processing of the coil. Coils that are not optimally trimmed are one cause of low quality coils. Thus, the first and last portions of wire in the coil do not meet the quality requirements and therefore must be removed. This process is called coil trimming and can be performed on the coils while they are supported by a vertical pallet or horizontal hooks.

[0004] The most common conventional method for removing ends and tips of wire coils involves mostly manual activity as an operator identifies and separates the portion of the wire rod coil that is to be removed. To determine this, the operator may count the individual rings based on a specific minimum length defined by the specific manufacturing requirements for the particular product. The operator may also perform a basic inspection and remove additional wire as needed. Once the decision to cut at a particular location is made by the operator, the wire is cut by using some form of cutting device, followed by the operator manually lifting and removing the cut portion and disposing of it in a designated container. The working environment in this area is prone to injury and is generally characterized by poor ergonomic working conditions.

[0005] The next common conventional method is to remove the front and rear of the rolled billet by using a high speed shear after the wire has obtained its final size and shape and before the straight wire is formed into its coil shape. In this area, the high speed shear must be capable of cutting with very high precision and very high relative speed. Such high speed shears become very complicated and expensive to maintain and operate. Due to the complex nature of such high speed shears, it sometimes fails to perform its intended trimming action, so that any removal of the leading and trailing wire must be done by a manual operator. Even if the high speed shears operate as intended, some damage may occur to the wire after the high speed shears, which in this case requires the trimming to be done by a manual operator. While the high speed shears are very useful, they cannot completely eliminate the need for a back-up system or a manual trimming station.

[0006] US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0291169, EP Patent Application Publication No. 0992298A2, UK Patent Application Publication No. 2047597, and KP Patent Application Publication No. 101568593B1 disclose prior art trimming devices. Prior art trimming devices include means for determining the number of wire loops to be cut. A drawback of such trimming devices is that the shearing position is determined with low accuracy, leading to wire waste. Summary of the Invention

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic trimming apparatus for wire coils which determines the shear location with greater accuracy.

[0008] This object is achieved by an automatic trimming device as defined in claim 1.

[0009] The equipment is: Base frame, a rotating member rotatably connected to the base frame and having a space for receiving a wire loop of the coil; a first actuator arranged to rotate the rotatable member in two opposite directions; and a control unit arranged to control the first actuator Equipped with The rotating members include: a support unit disposed within the space for supporting the wire loop when the rotating member is rotated; a sensor assembly disposed to sense the presence of the wire in a defined area of ​​the space; and A distance sensor for sensing the distance traveled along the wire during rotation of the rotating member. There is a system in place, The control unit is: receiving an output from the wire sensor assembly and the distance sensor; detecting an end of the wire based on an output from the wire sensor assembly; controlling the first actuator such that the rotatable member is rotated in a first direction until an end of the wire is detected; controlling the first actuator such that the rotating member is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the end of the wire is detected; determining a distance traveled along the wire in a second direction based on an output from the distance sensor; and Generate a cut command based on a distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire and a predetermined cut distance. It is adapted as follows.

[0010] The rotating member includes a cutting device arranged to cut the wire upon receiving a cutting command from the control unit.

[0011] Instead of counting the individual rings of the coil as in the prior art, the trimming device of the present invention searches for the end of the wire in the coil while rotating in one direction along the wire, and when the end of the wire is found, it rotates in the opposite direction along the wire and measures the distance traveled from the point where the end of the wire was detected. The distance traveled from the end of the wire is compared to a predetermined cut distance, which corresponds to the desired cut length of the wire. This allows the exact trimming point on the wire to be found with a high degree of accuracy. The accuracy in locating the trimming point ensures that excess wire is not removed from the coil.

[0012] Based on the calculation of the optimum trimming position on the wire, a pre-established cut-off distance can be predefined. The cut-off length of the wire is the length of the wire from the end of the wire to the defined optimum trimming position on the wire. The cut-off length is a variable parameter, preferably determined by the user of the trimming device, and is usually a function of the final rolling speed of the wire and a specific rolling time calculated to a specific distance, or it can be a specific distance based on the physical dimensions of the rolling mill manufacturing equipment. Based on the specific wire diameter, loop ring nominal diameter, cut-off length, as well as the physical distance between the sensor assembly and the actual cut location, the cut-off distance can be calculated.

[0013] The sequential operation process of the trimming device eliminates errors: the trimming point is always exactly as specified, i.e. along the prescribed cutting distance.

[0014] The trimming device can perform trimming after the continuous rolling mill is manufactured. Unlike trimming equipment installed in the actual continuous rolling mill, the trimming device of the present invention performs trimming immediately after the coil leaves the continuous rolling mill.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the support unit includes a drive roller and a pinch roller arranged to be movable in a radial direction of the rotating member relative to the drive roller, allowing the wire loop to be pinched between the drive roller and the pinch roller, so that the position of the wire in the radial direction of the rotating member is fixed while the rotating member rotates relative to the wire.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the drive roller and the pinch roller are rotatably arranged relative to the rotating member, and the drive roller and the pinch roller are arranged to rotate in opposite directions relative to each other when the rotating member is rotated in either of the first or second directions with the wire pinched therebetween. The drive roller and the pinch roller roll along the wire while the rotating member is rotated. In this way, unintentional damage to the wire is avoided if the support unit pinches the wire during rotation of the rotating member relative to the wire. Due to the fact that the rollers roll along the wire instead of sliding along it, friction between the wire and the drive roller and the pinch roller is reduced.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a second actuator arranged to rotate the drive roller in two opposite directions, and the control unit is adapted to control the first and second actuators such that the drive roller and the rotating member are rotated synchronously in the same direction.

[0018] While the rotating member rotates in a first direction, the drive rollers drive the wire in opposite directions synchronously between the two rotational movements, so that the different wire loops are arranged along the coil loop axis without changing the actual geometric shape of each of the individual loops in the radial direction, and at the same time, the individual loops are arranged one after the other in sequence, starting with the last looped ring in the multiple looper rings closest to the rotating member of the trimming device.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the rotating member is rotatably arranged relative to the base frame about a first rotation axis, the drive roller is rotatably arranged relative to a second rotation axis, and the pinch roller is rotatably arranged relative to a third rotation axis, the first, second, and third rotation axes being parallel.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the cutting device includes a housing having an opening arranged to receive an end of the wire when the rotating member is rotated in the second direction, the cutting device including a movable steel cutter, the cutting device arranged to move the steel cutter upon receiving a cut command such that the wire in the housing is cut.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, the steel cutter is disposed so as to be movable in the axial direction of the rotating member relative to the opening.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the control unit is adapted to control the first and second actuators such that the rotating member and drive roller are rotated synchronously in a first direction until the end of the wire is detected, and to control the first and second actuators such that the rotating member and drive roller are rotated in a second direction after the end of the wire is detected.

[0023] The control unit is adapted to control the first and second actuators such that the rotating member and the drive roller are rotated in the second direction until a distance traveled along the wire from a point where an end of the wire is detected corresponds to a predetermined cut distance. The control unit is adapted to generate a cut command when a distance traveled along the wire in the second direction from a point where an end of the wire is detected corresponds to a predetermined cut distance. The cutting device has then reached an optimal cut point along the wire and receives a cut command from the control unit. The control unit is adapted to control the first and second actuators such that the rotating member and the drive roller are rotated in the second direction until a distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire corresponds to the predetermined cut distance. The cut distance is calculated based on a position of the cutting device such that a steel cutter of the cutting device faces the optimal cut point on the wire.

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the rotating member is provided with a wire storage guide for storing a wire loop, the wire storage guide being arranged to be movable between an extended position outside the space and a retracted position inside the space, the wire storage guide moving the wire from outside the rotating member to the space inside the rotating member.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, the wire-accommodating guide includes a recess for accommodating the pinch roller in a storage position, the wire-accommodating guide is disposed for linear movement relative to the pinch roller in an axial direction of the rotating member, and the pinch roller is disposed for linear movement relative to the recess in a radial direction of the rotating member. The recess allows the pinch roller to move relative to the wire-accommodating guide when the wire-accommodating guide is in the storage position, thereby allowing the pinch roller to pinch the wire between the pinch roller and the drive roller.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the wire storage guide is disposed such that, in the retracted position, the wire is positioned between the drive roller and the pinch roller, thereby allowing the wire to be pinched between the pinch roller and the drive roller.

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the wire-receiving guide is provided with an elongated groove for receiving the wire loop.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the distance sensor is a pulse encoder arranged to detect the rotational movement of the drive roller. The distance traveled can be calculated based on, for example, the number of revolutions of the drive roller. This provides a highly accurate distance measurement. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] The invention will now be explained in more detail by the description of different embodiments of the invention and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] [Figure 1] An example of an automatic trimming device is shown in a perspective view.

[0031] [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates, in a perspective view, an example of a rotatable member of a trimming device with a portion removed to show the interior of the rotatable member.

[0032] [Diagram 3] 1 shows an enlarged view of the interior of the rotating member.

[0033] [Figure 4] 1 shows the trimming device and the wire coil with the wire loop at the end separated.

[0034] [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a gripping device of a trimming apparatus, which places a wire loop in a receiving guide.

[0035] [Figure 6]1 shows a wire loop positioned within a receiving guide.

[0036] [Figure 7a] 1 illustrates a pinch roller that is movably disposed relative to the drive roller so that the wire can be pinched therebetween. [Figure 7b] 1 illustrates a pinch roller that is movably disposed relative to the drive roller so that the wire can be pinched therebetween.

[0037] [Figure 8] A portion of a rotating member is shown in perspective view rotating along the wire loop in a clockwise direction while searching for the end of the wire.

[0038] [Figure 9] 1 illustrates in front view the movement of the rotating members as the trimming device rotates clockwise while trimming the wire loop and searching for the wire end.

[0039] [Figure 10] 1 shows the rotating member upon detecting the end of the wire.

[0040] [Figure 11] 13 shows a cross-sectional view through the rotating member and cutting device when the rotating member is rotating in a counterclockwise direction after the end of the wire has been detected.

[0041] [Figure 12a] 13 shows the cutting device moving to an advanced position to accommodate the wire when the end of the wire is detected.

[0042] [Figure 12b] 1 shows the cutting device returning to a stored position after the wire has been cut. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] Aspects of the present disclosure are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The trimming apparatus may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. Like numbers in the drawings refer to like elements throughout.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows an example of an automatic trimming device 1. The trimming device 1 is designed to cut and remove a specific amount of wire from the end of a coil containing multiple wire loops. The specific amount of wire to be cut and removed depends on the physical and geometrical conditions of the wire and the specific manufacturing parameters at the manufacturing site. The specific amount of wire to be cut and removed can be determined in advance. The length of the specific amount of wire to be cut and removed from the end of the wire is referred to as the desired cut length in the following. The cut length may differ due to the type and size of the coil and depends on the type of manufacturing machine in the wire rod rolling mill. The cut length typically varies between 200 mm and 20 m. The cut length of the wire can be determined based on a pre-established optimal trimming position on the wire.

[0045] The trimming device 1 comprises a base frame 4, a rotating member 6 rotatably connected to the base frame 4, a first actuator 10 arranged to rotate the rotating member 6 in two opposite directions, and a control unit 12 arranged to control the first actuator 10 and, accordingly, the rotational movement of the rotating member 6. The rotating member 6 is substantially ring-shaped. The rotating member 6 is arranged such that it can rotate about its central axis A1. The direction of rotation can be either clockwise or counterclockwise. The interior of the rotating member 6 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0046] In this example, the trimming device 1 is arranged on a rail 40 mounted on the floor, on which the trimming device 1 runs supported on roller wheels. The trimming device 1 is propelled in both directions along the extension of the rail by an electric motor (not shown). The rotating member 6 has a wire separating unit adapted to separate the wire loops in the coil from each other, thereby making it possible to pick one of the wire loops from the coil. Several types of wire separating units are known in the art. In this example, the wire separating unit comprises two separating rollers 42. The separating rollers 42 are mounted at a shallow angle to the horizontal plane and are powered by an electric motor. Each separating roller 42 is provided with a spiral-shaped groove with an increasing pitch. Each separating roller groove is a mirror image of the other separating roller groove and is intended to rotate in the opposite direction to each other. The combined effect of these mirror-symmetrical increasing grooves rotating in opposite directions is intended to transport the individual wire loops along the angled separating roller 42 with gradually increasing spacing between the individual loops, as shown in Figure 4. Other types of wire separating units may also be used. Following the separating roller 42 is a horizontal landing surface 44 on which the separated wire loops 3 are accumulated as the process progresses.

[0047] The base frame 4 supports a rotating member 6 that can be rotated about its central axis A1 by a first actuator 10, e.g. an electric motor equipped with a toothed sprocket wheel. The first actuator 10 is mounted to the base frame 4. Torque from the electric actuator 10 is applied to a large sprocket connected to the rotating member 6, e.g. by a toothed belt, thereby rotating the rotating member 6. Optionally, the rotating member 6 is equipped with a visual sensor 46 arranged to identify a single wire loop resting on the landing surface 44 among the multiple wire loops.

[0048] The rotating member 6 is provided with a wire storage guide 24 for storing a wire loop. The wire storage guide 24 is arranged to be movable between an extended position outside the rotating member 6 and a stored position inside the rotating member 6 by an actuator 25 shown in Fig. 7a. The wire storage guide 24 is arranged to be linearly movable in the axial direction of the rotating member 6. The wire storage guide moves the wire from the outside of the rotating member to the space inside the rotating member.

[0049] The trimming apparatus 1 may further comprise a gripping device 48 adapted to grip the identified single wire loop on the landing surface 44 and place a selected single wire loop from the plurality of wire loops into the wire-accommodating guide 24 when the wire-accommodating guide is in an extended position outside the rotating member 6. In this example, the gripping device 48 is a multi-axis robotic arm with a gripper that is used to grip and move the identified single wire loop. However, other known types of devices for gripping and moving objects may be used.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows an example of a rotating member 6 in a perspective view with a portion removed to show the interior of the rotating member. FIG. 3 shows an enlarged portion of the interior of the rotating member 6. The interior of the rotating member 6 defines a space 8 for accommodating a wire loop of a coil. The rotating member 6 has a support unit 14 disposed in the space 8 for supporting the wire loop 3 in the space 8 when the rotating member 6 is rotated. The support unit 14 is disposed to move along the wire of the coil while the rotating member 6 is rotating. The rotating member 6 and the support unit 14 are moved relative to the wire while the rotating member 6 is rotating. The wire loop supported by the support unit remains stationary during rotation of the rotating member.

[0051] The rotating member 6 has a sensor assembly 16 disposed in the space 8 for sensing the presence of the wire in a defined area 17 of the space 8. The sensor assembly 16 is located at a distance from the support unit 14 so that the end of the wire is detected before it reaches the support unit 14. The rotating member may have two or more sensor assemblies 16 to allow optimization of the process speed and to achieve redundancy. The distance between the support unit 14 and the defined area 17 is known. The rotating member 6 further has a distance sensor 18 for sensing the distance traveled along the wire during rotation of the rotating member 6.

[0052] The rotating member 6 further comprises a cutting device 30 arranged to cut the wire upon receiving a cutting command from the control unit 12. For example, the cutting device 30 comprises an electro-hydraulic cutter. The cutting device 30 is mounted on the rotating member 6. The cutting device 30 is arranged at a distance from the support unit 14. The cutting device 30 is also arranged at a distance from the defined area 17.

[0053] The control unit 12 has processing circuitry for processing sensor data received from the sensor assembly 16 and distance sensor 18 and for sending instructions to the components it controls, such as the actuators 10, 21, 23, 25 and the cutting device 30. Communications between the control unit 12 and the sensors 16, 18 and the components it controls may include wired or wireless communications. The control unit 12 may have software code portions, such as computer programs, that include instructions for carrying out steps of the invention, and hardware, such as a processor, memory, and input / output devices, for executing the instructions of the software code portions.

[0054] The control unit 12 is adapted to generate a cut command to the cutting device 30 based on the predetermined cut distance. The predetermined cut distance may be pre-determined based on a predetermined optimum trimming position on the wire. The cut length of the wire is the length of the wire from the end of the wire to the predetermined optimum trimming position on the wire. The cut length is a variable parameter and may be determined by a user of the trimming apparatus. The cut distance may be calculated based on the desired cut length, the specific wire diameter, the nominal wire loop diameter, and the position of the support unit 14, the position of the sensor assembly 16, and the position of the cutting device 30. The control unit 12 may have a data storage for storing the predetermined cut distance. The control unit may be adapted to receive the predetermined cut distance and store it in the data storage. Alternatively, the control unit may be adapted to receive the desired cut length and calculate the cut distance based on the cut length.

[0055] The control unit 12 is adapted to receive outputs from the sensor assembly 16 and the distance sensor 18. The control unit 12 is adapted to detect the end 3a of the wire based on the output from the wire sensor assembly 16, control the first actuator 10 to rotate the rotating member 6 in a first direction until the end of the wire is detected, control the first actuator 10 to rotate the rotating member 6 in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the end of the wire is detected, determine a distance traveled along the wire based on the output from the distance sensor 18 when the rotating member is rotated in the second direction, and generate a cut command based on the distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire and a predetermined cut distance. The control unit 12 is adapted to compare the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction with the predetermined cut distance, and generate a cut command when the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction matches the predetermined cut distance.

[0056] The support unit 14 is arranged to move along the wire while the rotating member 6 rotates. The rotating member 6 and the support unit 14 move relative to the wire. The support unit 14 includes a drive roller 20 and a pinch roller 22 rotatably connected to the rotating member 6. The trimming device comprises a second actuator 21 arranged to rotate the drive roller 20 in two opposite directions as shown in FIG. 8. The second actuator 21 is, for example, an electric motor. The pinch roller 22 is arranged to be linearly movable in the radial direction of the rotating member relative to the drive roller 20 as shown in FIGS. 7a-7b, allowing the wire loop to be pinched between the drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 as shown in FIG. 9. The position of the wire in the radial direction of the rotating member is therefore fixed while the rotating member 6 rotates relative to the wire. The rotating member 6 has an actuator 23 arranged to move the pinch roller 22 towards and away from the drive roller 20.

[0057] The wire storage guide 24 includes a recess 26 for storing the pinch roller 22 in the storage position. The wire storage guide 24 is disposed relative to the pinch roller 22 so as to be linearly movable in the axial direction of the rotating member 6. The pinch roller 22 is disposed relative to the recess 26 so as to be linearly movable in the radial direction of the rotating member 6. Due to the recess 26, the pinch roller can move toward and away from the drive roller 20 when the wire storage guide 24 is in the storage position. The storage guide 24 has a wire outlet portion 24a disposed at one end.

[0058] The drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 are arranged such that the wire is pinched between them and they rotate in opposite directions relative to each other when the rotating member 6 is rotated in either the first or second direction, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. Thus, the drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 roll along the wire 3 while the rotating member 6 is rotated. Thus, unintentional damage to the wire is avoided if the support unit 14 pinches the wire during rotation of the rotating member 6. Due to the fact that the drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 rotate along the wire instead of sliding along it, friction between the wire and the drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 is reduced.

[0059] The control unit 12 is adapted to control the first and second actuators 10, 21 such that the drive roller 20 and the rotating member 6 are rotated synchronously in the same direction, allowing the drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 to roll on the wire while the rotating member 6 is rotated relative to the wire. In this example, the pinch roller 22 does not include an actuator. The pinch roller 22 is rotated due to friction against the wire and the movement of the rotating member 6.

[0060] The rotating member 6 is rotatably disposed about a first rotation axis coinciding with the central axis A1 relative to the base frame 4. The drive roller 20 is rotatably disposed about a second rotation axis parallel to the central axis A1, and the pinch roller 22 is rotatably disposed about a third rotation axis parallel to the central axis A1, the first, second, and third rotation axes being parallel to each other.

[0061] The control unit 12 is adapted to control the first and second actuators 10, 21 such that the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 are rotated synchronously in a first direction until the end 3a of the wire is detected, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and to control the first and second actuators 10, 21 such that the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 are rotated in a second direction after the end 3a of the wire is detected, as shown in Figure 11. The control unit 12 is adapted to control the first and second actuators 10, 21 such that the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 are rotated in the second direction until the distance traveled along the wire corresponds to a predetermined cutting distance. The control unit 12 is adapted to stop the rotational movement of the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 and generate a cutting command when the support unit 14 has traveled a predetermined cutting distance along the wire in the second direction.

[0062] The sensor assembly 16 is arranged to detect when the end 3a of the wire is present in the defined area 17. The sensor assembly 16 may be arranged to sense the presence of the wire 3 in the defined area 17 of the space 8, as shown in FIG. 9, and also to detect when the wire 3 is no longer present in the defined area 17, as shown in FIG. 10. The sensor assembly 16 is used to detect the end 3a of the wire. For example, the output from the sensor assembly 16 remains at 1 as long as the wire 3 is sensed in the defined area 17, and the output from the sensor assembly 16 is switched to 0 when the wire is no longer present in the defined area. Thus, the control unit 12 is able to detect when the end 3a of the wire has passed through the defined area 17. Different types of sensors may be used to detect the end of the wire. For example, the sensor assembly 16 may include an optical sensor adapted to detect when the end of the wire is present in the defined area 17. In this example, the sensor assembly includes a sensor roller 16a and an inductive sensor 16b arranged to detect when the sensor roller 16 moves downwards, as shown in FIG. 10. The sensor roller 16a is tensioned by a spring so that it is biased towards the wire. The sensor roller 16a is arranged so that it rolls on the wire 3 as long as the wire is in area 17, as shown in FIG. 9. When the end 3a of the wire is in area 17, the force of the spring acting on the sensor roller 16 causes the sensor roller 16a to roll off the wire and move a short distance towards the centre of the rotating member, as shown in FIG. 10. The inductive sensor 16b is arranged to detect the movement of the sensor roller 16a. This type of sensor assembly is known in the art.

[0063] The distance sensor 18 may be arranged in different ways. For example, the distance sensor 18 may be arranged to detect the distance traveled by the support unit 14 along the wire. In one example, the distance sensor 18 may be an electric pulse encoder connected to the drive roller 20 and arranged to detect the rotational movement of the drive roller 20. Thus, the actual length of the wire passing through the support unit 14 may be measured. The distance sensor 18 may be arranged to detect, for example, the number of revolutions of the drive shaft of the motor 21 that operates the drive roller 20. The control unit 12 receives the output from the distance sensor 18 and determines the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction based on the received output from the sensor 18. In this example, the distance sensor 18 senses the distance traveled by the drive roller 20 along the wire. Another example may be connecting an electric pulse encoder type distance sensor to the sensor roller 16a or the pinch roller 22. In these examples, the actual length of the wire passing through the sensor assembly may be measured by a non-powered rotating member.

[0064] Figure 4 shows a trimming device 1 and a coil 2 that includes several circular wire loops 3. The wire loops 3 consist of wire. Figure 4 shows the coil with the wire loops 3 separated at the end facing the trimming device 1. One of the wire loops 3 is placed on a horizontal landing surface 44.

[0065] 5 illustrates the case where the trimming device accommodates a single wire loop 3 of a wire coil. The accommodation guide 24 is in an extended position outside the rotating member 6.

[0066] Figure 6 shows the wire-accommodating guide 24 in a side view. The wire-accommodating guide 24 is provided with an elongated groove 28 for accommodating the wire loop 3. The gripping device 48 positions the wire loop 3 in the groove 28 of the wire-accommodating guide 24, as shown in Figure 5. Once a single wire loop 3 is accommodated in the groove 28, the control unit 12 actuates the actuator 25 to store the wire-accommodating guide 24 in its stored position.

[0067] 7a-7b show a front view of the interior of the rotating member 6. The pinch roller 22 is movably disposed relative to the drive roller 20 so that the wire loop 3 can be pinched therebetween. The control unit 12 has actuated the actuator 23 to press the pinch roller 22 against a portion of the looped wire 3 in the wire-accommodating guide 24 and against the drive roller 20. A different actuator (not shown) has been actuated to press the sensor roller 16a against another portion of the wire in the wire-accommodating guide 24, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0068] 8 shows a portion of the rotating member 6 rotating along the wire loop 3 to find the end 3a of the wire. The rotating member 6 is set in rotation about its central axis A1 by an electric motor 10 mounted on the base frame 4. The direction of rotation can be either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the specific manufacturing parameters when producing the coiled loop. While the rotating member 6 rotates in one direction, the drive roller 20 powered by the actuator 21 is arranged to rotate along the looped wire in the same rotational direction, synchronously between the two rotational movements, so that the different wire loops are axially arranged without changing the actual geometric shape of each of the individual loops in the radial direction, and at the same time the wire loops are arranged one after the other in sequence, starting with the last wire loop of the plurality of wire loops closest to the rotating part 6 of the trimming device. These rotational movements continue until the sensor roller 16a detects the end 3a of the last wire loop in the coil and activates the inductive sensor 16b.

[0069] 9 illustrates the motion of the rotating member 6, drive roller 20, pinch roller 22, and sensor roller 16a when the trimming device is searching for the end of the wire. The rotating member 6 is rotated in a first direction. As can be seen, the drive roller 20 and pinch roller 22 rotate in the opposite direction, while the rotating member 6, drive roller 20, and sensor roller 16a rotate in the same direction. The drive roller 20, pinch roller 22, and sensor roller 16a are in physical contact with the wire 3. The drive roller 20 and pinch roller 22 move along the wire in a first direction, toward the end of the wire 3a.

[0070] FIG. 10 shows the inside of the rotating member 6 when the end 3a of the wire is detected. When the sensor roller 16a passes the end of the wire, it moves downwards due to the tension of the spring, and the inductive sensor 16b detects the change in position of the sensor roller 16a. The control unit 12 receives information from the inductive sensor 16b that the end of the wire has been detected. When the control unit 12 receives information that the end of the wire has been detected, it sends instructions to the first and second actuators 10, 21 to change the direction of rotation of the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20.

[0071] FIG. 11 illustrates the motion of the rotating member 6, the drive roller 20, the pinch roller 22, and the sensor roller 16a after the end 3a of the wire has been detected. The rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 are now rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The drive roller 20 and the pinch roller 22 move along the wire in the second direction, away from the end of the wire 3a. During the rotation of the rotating member 6 in the second direction, the distance sensor 18 measures the distance traveled along the wire. The rotation of the rotating member 6 continues until the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction is equal to the predetermined cutting distance. The rotating member 6 may be rotated several times until the distance traveled along the wire is equal to the predetermined cutting distance.

[0072] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section through the rotating member 6 with an example of a cutting device 30. The cutting device 30 includes a cutter 29 provided with a movable steel cutter 36. In this example, the cutter 29 is an electrohydraulic cutter 29. However, other types of cutters can be used. The cutting device 30 can include a guide member 31 for guiding the wire towards the steel cutter 36. In the illustrated example, the guide member 31 is attached to the cutter 29. In an alternative embodiment, the guide member 31 can be a separate part that is movable with respect to the cutting device 30. The guide member 31 includes a receiving portion 32 with an inlet portion 34 arranged to receive the end 3a of the wire when the rotating member 6 is rotated in a second direction. In the illustrated example, the cutting device 30 is linearly movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, as shown in FIGS. 12a-b. In this example, the cutting device 30 is movable axially of the rotating member 6. The steel cutter 36 cuts the wire while in the forward position and is retracted after the cutting process is completed. In its retracted position it is located and ready for the next trimming operation. The rotating member 6 has an actuator 37 for moving the cutting device 30. The control unit 12 controls the actuator 37 and accordingly the movement of the cutting device 30. In an alternative embodiment, the cutting device 30 can be fixedly attached to the rotating member 6 and therefore not movable relative to it, and the guide member 31 is movable relative to the cutting device 30. This is advantageous when the cutting device is heavy.

[0073] The cutting device 30 is arranged to move the steel cutter 36 upon receiving a cutting command so that the wire guided by the accommodation 32 is cut. The cutting device 30 may include an actuator (not shown) for moving the steel cutter so that it cuts the wire. For example, the actuator is an electric motor driving a small hydraulic pump. Hydraulic fluid in the pump is applied against the steel cutter 36, pushing it forward and cutting the wire. The actuator for moving the steel cutter 36 is controlled by the control unit 12, the actuator being activated upon receiving a cutting command.

[0074] Figure 12a shows the cutting device 30 moving to an advanced position when the end of the wire is detected, and Figure 12b shows the cutting device 30 moving back to a retracted position after the wire has been severed.

[0075] If the end of the wire is detected, the control unit 12 sends an instruction to the actuator 37 to move the cutting device 30 from its retracted position to its advanced position, as shown in Fig. 12a, such that the entry portion 34 of the guide member 31 is aligned with the exit portion 24a of the storage guide 24. Moving synchronously, the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20 now start to rotate in a second direction, moving the end of the wire 3a into the storage portion 32 of the guide member 31, through the storage portion 32, through the cutter 29 and further into the segmented waste wire guide (not shown).

[0076] During the rotation of the rotating member 6 in the second direction, the distance sensor 18 measures the actual length of the wire passing through the support unit 14. This movement continues until the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction is equal to the predetermined cutting distance, which means that a certain length of wire has been collected in the waste wire guide. At this point, all rotational movement stops and the cutter 29 performs the cut and separates the wire accumulated in the waste wire guide from the wire on the other side of the cutting device 30, which is now the new front end of the last wire loop. After the wire has been cut, the rotating member 6 and the drive roller 20, moving synchronously, now start to rotate in the opposite direction to the previous stage, until the new front end of the remaining circular wire loops has completely left the receiving guide. The trimming device can now be moved away from the circular wire loops to a storage and discarding position by an electric motor acting on a toothed rack together with a toothed pinion.

[0077] The present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but may be varied and modified within the scope of the following claims. For example, the same activities may be performed on wire rod coils arranged on a vertical pallet by arranging the trimming device in a vertical orientation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1.Automatic trimming device 2. Coil 3. Wire Loop 3a. Wire Ends 4. Base frame 6.Rotating parts 8. Space 10. First actuator 12. Control unit 14. Support unit 16.Sensor Assembly 16a. Sensor roller 16b. Inductive Sensor 17. Defined Areas of Space 18. Distance Sensor 20. Drive roller 21. Second actuator 22. Pinch roller 23. Actuator 24. Containment Guide 24a. Exit of storage guide 25. Actuator 26. Wire accommodation guide recess 28. Wire accommodation guide groove 29. Cuta 30. Disconnecting Device 31. Guide parts 32. Guide device storage section 34. Inlet of guide member 36. Steel cutter 37. Actuator for moving the cutting device 40. Rail 42. Separation roller 44. Landing surface 46. ​​Visual Sensor 48. Grasping Device A1.Central axis of rotating part

Claims

1. 1. An automatic trimming apparatus for a wire coil including a plurality of wire loops, the automatic trimming apparatus comprising: Base frame, a rotating member rotatably connected to the base frame and having a space for receiving a wire loop of the wire coil; an actuator arranged to rotate the rotating member in two opposite directions; and a control unit arranged to control the actuator; The present invention is characterized by comprising: Here, the rotating member has: a support unit disposed within the space for supporting the wire loop when the rotating member is rotated; a sensor assembly disposed to sense the presence of a wire in a defined area of ​​said space; a distance sensor for sensing the distance traveled along the wire when the rotating member is rotated; and Disconnecting Device There is a system in place, The control unit: receiving outputs from the sensor assembly and the distance sensor; detecting an end of the wire based on the output from the sensor assembly; controlling the actuator such that the rotating member is rotated in a first direction along the wire toward the end until the end of the wire is detected. controlling the actuator such that the rotating member is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the end of the wire is detected. determining the distance traveled along the wire in the second direction based on the output from the distance sensor; and generating a cut command based on the distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire and a predetermined cut distance; It is adapted to the cutting device being arranged to cut the wire upon receiving the cutting command from the control unit. Automatic trimming device.

2. 2. The automatic trimming device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit includes a drive roller and a pinch roller arranged to be movable in a radial direction of the rotating member relative to the drive roller, enabling the wire loop to be pinched between the drive roller and the pinch roller.

3. the drive roller and the pinch roller are rotatably disposed relative to the rotating member, the wire is sandwiched between the drive roller and the pinch roller so that the drive roller and the pinch roller roll along the wire while the rotating member is rotated, and the drive roller and the pinch roller are disposed such that they rotate in opposite directions relative to each other when the rotating member is rotated in either the first direction or the second direction.

3. The automatic trimming device according to claim 2.

4. 4. The automatic trimming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a second actuator arranged to rotate the drive roller in two opposite directions, the control unit being adapted to control the actuator and the second actuator such that the drive roller and the rotating member are rotated synchronously in the same direction.

5. An automatic trimming device as described in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the rotating member is rotatably arranged relative to the base frame around a first rotation axis, the drive roller is rotatably arranged relative to a second rotation axis, and the pinch roller is rotatably arranged relative to a third rotation axis, and the first rotation axis, the second rotation axis, and the third rotation axis are parallel to each other.

6. 6. The automatic trimming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to generate the cut command when the distance traveled along the wire from the end of the wire matches the predetermined cut distance.

7. 7. An automatic trimming apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cutting device comprises a receiving portion having an entrance portion arranged to receive the end of the wire when the rotating member is rotated in the second direction, the cutting device comprising a steel cutter, the cutting device being arranged to move the steel cutter upon receiving the cut command so that the wire is cut.

8. 5. The automatic trimming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the actuator and the second actuator such that the rotating member and the drive roller rotate synchronously in the first direction until the end of the wire is detected, and to control the actuator and the second actuator such that the rotating member and the drive roller rotate in the second direction after the end of the wire is detected.

9. An automatic trimming device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the rotating member is provided with a wire accommodating guide for accommodating a wire loop, and the wire accommodating guide is arranged to be movable between an extended position outside the space and a stored position inside the space.

10. The automatic trimming device of claim 9, wherein the wire accommodating guide includes a recess for accommodating a pinch roller in the storage position, the pinch roller being arranged to be movable in the radial direction of the rotating member relative to the drive roller of the support unit, the wire accommodating guide being arranged to be movable linearly in the axial direction of the rotating member relative to the pinch roller, and the pinch roller being arranged to be movable linearly in the radial direction of the rotating member relative to the recess.

11. An automatic trimming apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the distance sensor is arranged to detect the distance travelled by the support unit along the wire.

12. 3. The automatic trimming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the distance sensor is a pulse encoder arranged to detect rotational movement of either the drive roller or the pinch roller.

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