Tying device, tying method, and tying system

Abstract

This tying device (100) is provided with: a rebar tying machine (1) that ties a plurality of rebars with a wire; a reel accommodation part (200) in which a reel (20) is accommodated; and a slack forming part (2) that pulls out the wire from the reel (20). The tying device (100) controls the rebar tying machine (1) and the slack forming part (2) in steps in the following order: a pulling step in which the wire is pulled out by the slack forming part (2); a winding step in which the wire is wound around a rebar; a locking step in which the wire is locked; a pulling back step in which the wire is pulled back; a cutting step in which the wire is cut; a twisting step in which the wire is twisted; and a preliminary feeding step in which the wire is preliminarily fed.

Description

Binding device, binding method, and binding system

[0001] The present invention relates to a bundling device for bundling reinforcing bars with wire, a bundling method for the bundling device, and a bundling system equipped with the bundling device.

[0002] Steel bars are used in concrete structures to increase their strength, and are tied together with wire to prevent the bars from shifting from their designated positions when the concrete is poured.

[0003] Conventionally, a binding machine called a rebar binding machine has been proposed, which has a wire feeding section that feeds wire to a binding section, winds the wire around two or more rebars, and twists the wire wound around the rebars to bind the two or more rebars with the wire.

[0004] A technology has been proposed in which such a reinforcing bar binding machine is applied to equipment that is installed and used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Furthermore, a bundling device has been proposed that can advance the wire in advance to shorten the bundling time (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-060996 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017 / 0145704

[0007] When applying a rebar tying machine to equipment that is installed and used, it is possible to increase the amount of wire that can be stored by making the reel on which the wire is wound larger than the reels that can be loaded into previous rebar tying machines.

[0008] However, when using a reel that is larger than the size that can be loaded into previous reel tying machines, the larger reel increases the load required to feed the wire, and there is a possibility that the wire feeding section provided on the reel tying machine alone will not be able to feed the wire sufficiently to the tying section.

[0009] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a binding device in which a reel storage section that stores a reel wound with wire is configured independent of the rebar binding machine, and which is equipped with a wire pull-out mechanism that pulls out the wire from the reel stored in the reel storage section by moving a roller or the like in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the wire extends, so that the amount of wire required for binding the rebar can be pulled out.

[0010] The wire pulling-out mechanism is configured to pull out the wire from the reel by moving a roller or the like in a direction intersecting the direction in which the wire extends, thereby forming a slack portion in the wire between the rebar binding machine and the reel.

[0011] In a binding device equipped with a wire pull-out mechanism, when considering a configuration in which the wire is fed in advance as described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to pull out the wire using the wire pull-out mechanism before the wire is fed in advance. Alternatively, it is necessary to increase the amount of wire pulled out by the wire pull-out mechanism in consideration of the amount of wire to be fed in advance. In order to increase the amount of wire pulled out, it is necessary to increase the amount of movement of rollers, etc. However, increasing the amount of movement of rollers, etc., increases the size of the device.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and has an object to provide a binding device, a binding method for a binding device, and a binding system that can be made smaller.

[0013] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a bundling machine that bundles a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire, a reel housing that houses a reel around which wire is wound and supplied to the bundling machine, an unwinding unit that unwinds the wire from the reel housed in the reel housing, and a control unit that controls the bundling machine and the unwinding unit, the bundling machine having a wire feeding unit that feeds the wire, a cutting unit that cuts the wire, and a bundling unit that twists the wire, the bundling unit having a locking unit that locks the wire, and the control unit This is a binding device that controls the binding machine and the draw-out section in the following order: a drawing-out process in which the wire is drawn out by the draw-out section; a winding process in which the wire is fed in a first direction by the wire feed section and wound around the reinforcing bar; a locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking section; a pulling-back process in which the wire feed section pulls the wire back in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a cutting process in which the wire is cut by the cutting section; a twisting process in which the wire is twisted by the binding section; and a pre-feeding process in which the wire feed section feeds the wire in the first direction.

[0014] The present invention also provides a bundling method for a bundling device including a bundling machine for bundling a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire, a reel housing portion for housing a reel around which wire is wound and supplied to the bundling machine, an unwinding portion for unwinding the wire from the reel housed in the reel housing portion, and a control portion for controlling the bundling machine and the unwinding portion, wherein the bundling machine includes a wire feeding portion for feeding the wire, a cutting portion for cutting the wire, and a bundling portion for twisting the wire, and the bundling portion includes a locking portion for locking the wire, the method comprising: a unwinding step for unwinding the wire by the unwinding portion; and a step of feeding the wire unwound in the unwinding step in a first direction by the wire feeding portion to twist the wire into the reinforcing bars. This is a binding method for a binding device, comprising: a winding step of winding the wire around a muscle; a locking step of locking the wire wound in the winding step with a locking section; a retracting step of retracting the wire in a second direction opposite to the first direction with a wire feed section while the wire is locked in the locking step; a cutting step of cutting the wire in a state retracted in the retracting step with a cutting section; a twisting step of twisting, in a binding section, the wire cut in the cutting step that is retracted in the retracting step; and a preliminary feeding step of feeding, in the first direction, the wire wound on a reel with the wire feed section, the wire cut in the cutting step.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention provides a binding device comprising a binding machine that binds a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire, a reel housing that houses a reel around which wire is wound and is to be supplied to the binding machine, a pull-out section that pulls out the wire from the reel housed in the reel housing, and a control unit that controls the binding machine and the pull-out section, the binding machine comprising a wire feeding section that feeds the wire, a cutting section that cuts the wire, and a binding section that twists the wire, and the binding section comprising a locking section that locks the wire. The control unit controls the binding machine and the unwinding unit in the following order: a drawing-out process in which the wire is drawn out by the drawing-out unit; a winding process in which the wire is fed in a first direction by the wire feeding unit and wound around the rebar; a locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking unit; a pulling-back process in which the wire feeding unit pulls the wire back in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a cutting process in which the wire is cut by the cutting unit; a twisting process in which the wire is twisted by the binding unit; and a pre-feeding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction.

[0016] In the present invention, a preliminary feeding process is carried out by utilizing the slack portion of the wire formed between the reel housed in the reel housing section and the binding machine during the retraction process in which the wire wound around the reinforcing bar is wound around the reinforcing bar.

[0017] According to the present invention, the amount of wire feed required in the winding process can be reduced, which reduces the amount of movement of the draw-out section and enables the binding device to be made smaller.

[0018] 1 is a side view showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment, with some components omitted; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a rear view showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment from the back; FIG. 6 is an internal configuration diagram showing an example of a reinforcing bar binding machine, as seen from the side; FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a binding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of a binding system of the present embodiment; FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the binding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 10 is a side view showing an example of the operation of the binding device of the present embodiment, with some components omitted; FIG. 11 is a side view showing an example of the operation of the binding device of the present embodiment, with some components omitted; FIG. 12 is a side view showing an example of the operation of the binding device of the present embodiment, with some components omitted;

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a binding device, a binding method for a binding device, and a binding system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] <Configuration Example of the Binding Device of the Present Embodiment> Fig. 1A is a side view showing an example of the binding device of the present embodiment, Fig. 1B is a side view showing an example of the binding device of the present embodiment with some components omitted, Fig. 1C is a perspective view showing an example of the binding device of the present embodiment, Fig. 1D is a rear view showing an example of the binding device of the present embodiment, and Fig. 1E is a side view showing an example of the binding device of the present embodiment as seen from the back.

[0021] The binding device 100 includes a rebar binding machine 1 that binds the intersections of rebars S arranged in a grid pattern with wire W, a slack forming unit 2 that pulls out the wire W from a reel 20 and forms slack in the wire W between the rebar binding machine 1 and the reel 20, and a reel storage unit 200 that stores the reel 20. Note that the slack forming unit 2 does not need to have the function of pulling out the wire W from the reel 20 as long as it can form slack.

[0022] 2 is a side view of the internal configuration of an example of a reinforcing bar binding machine. The reinforcing bar binding machine 1 is an example of a binding machine, and feeds a wire W in a forward direction indicated by an arrow F, which is a first direction, to wind it around a reinforcing bar S, and then feeds the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar S in a reverse direction indicated by an arrow R, which is a second direction opposite to the first direction, to wind it around the reinforcing bar S and cut it, and then twists the wire W to bind the reinforcing bar S with the wire W.

[0023] To achieve the above-mentioned functions, the rebar binding machine 1 includes a wire feeding unit 3 that feeds the wire W and a wire guide 4 that guides the wire W. The rebar binding machine 1 also includes a curl forming unit 5 that forms a path for winding the wire W fed by the wire feeding unit 3 around the rebar S, and a cutting unit 6 that cuts the wire W wound around the rebar S. The rebar binding machine 1 further includes a binding unit 7 that twists the wire W wound around the rebar S, and a drive unit 8 that drives the binding unit 7.

[0024] The wire feeding unit 3 includes a pair of feed gears 30 that sandwich and feed the wire W. The rotation of a feed motor 31 (see FIG. 3 ), which will be described later, is transmitted to the wire feeding unit 3, causing the feed gear 30 to rotate. As a result, the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W sandwiched between the pair of feed gears 30 along the extension direction of the wire W. In a configuration in which multiple pieces of wire W, for example, two pieces of wire W, are fed to bind the reinforcing bars S, the two pieces of wire W are fed in a parallel state.

[0025] The wire feed unit 3 switches the rotation direction of the feed motor 31 between forward and reverse, thereby switching the rotation direction of the feed gear 30 and switching the feed direction of the wire W between forward and reverse, i.e., feeding the wire W in the forward direction indicated by arrow F or in the reverse direction indicated by arrow R.

[0026] The wire guides 4 are provided at predetermined positions upstream and downstream of the wire feeding unit 3 with respect to the feeding direction in which the wire W is fed in the forward direction. In a configuration in which two wires W are fed to bind reinforcing bars S, the wire guide 4 provided upstream of the wire feeding unit 3 regulates the radial orientation of the two wires W, aligns the two incoming wires W in parallel, and guides them between a pair of feed gears 30. The wire guide 4 provided downstream of the wire feeding unit 3 regulates the radial orientation of the two wires W, aligns the two incoming wires W in parallel, and guides them to the cutting unit 6 and the curl forming unit 5. Note that the wire guide upstream of the wire feeding unit 3 is not shown in FIG. 2 .

[0027] The curl forming unit 5 includes a curl guide 50 that curls the wire W fed by the wire feeding unit 3, and an guiding guide 51 that guides the wire W curled by the curl guide 50 to the bundling unit 7. In the rebar bundling machine 1, the path of the wire W fed by the wire feeding unit 3 is regulated by the curl forming unit 5, so that the trajectory of the wire W becomes a loop Ru as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 2, and the wire W is wound around the rebar S.

[0028] The cutting unit 6 includes a fixed blade unit 60 and a movable blade unit 61 that cuts the wire W in cooperation with the fixed blade unit 60. The cutting unit 6 cuts the wire W by the rotation of the movable blade unit 61 around the fixed blade unit 60 as a fulcrum axis. In the cutting unit 6, the operation of the binding unit 7 is transmitted to the movable blade unit 61.

[0029] The bundling unit 7 includes a locking member 70 that locks the wire W, and a sleeve 71 that operates the locking member 70. The driving unit 8 includes a torsion motor 80 and a reducer 81 that reduces speed and amplifies torque.

[0030] When the binding unit 7 is driven by the drive unit 8, the sleeve 71 activates the locking member 70 to lock the wire W. After the cutting unit 6 cuts the wire W in conjunction with the operation of the sleeve 71, the binding unit 7 twists the wire W by rotating the locking member 70 and the sleeve 71 to bind the reinforcing bar S.

[0031] The rebar binding machine 1 has the binding unit 7 provided on an imaginary straight line 10L that is aligned with the axial direction of the torsion motor 80, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2. When the imaginary straight line 10L of the rebar binding machine 1 is aligned with the vertical direction, the curl guide 50 and the induction guide 51 are provided at the lower end of the machine so as to protrude from the main body 10.

[0032] In addition, the rebar binding machine 1 has a wire feeding unit 3 provided on one side along a direction intersecting with the imaginary line 10L, which is a direction intersecting with the axial direction of the twisting motor 80.

[0033] Furthermore, in the binding device 100, a slack forming unit 2 is provided on the side of the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 where the wire feeding unit 3 is provided, i.e., on one side of the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 along a direction intersecting with the imaginary line 10L, which is a direction intersecting with the axial direction of the torsion motor 80. The slack forming unit 2 forms slack in the wire W between the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 and the reel 20.

[0034] In addition, the binding device 100 has a reel storage section 200 provided above the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 in the direction in which the imaginary line 10L, which is the direction along the axial direction of the torsion motor 80, extends.

[0035] The reel housing 200 rotatably and detachably houses a reel 20 around which a long wire W is wound so as to be able to be unwound. The wire W is a wire made of a metal wire that can be plastically deformed, a metal wire coated with resin, or a twisted wire.

[0036] When the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 is configured to bind reinforcing bars S with one wire W, the reel storage unit 200 stores one reel 20 around which one wire W is wound, and the reel 20 is configured to rotate and pull out one wire W. When the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 is configured to bind reinforcing bars S with multiple wires W, the reel storage unit 200 stores multiple reels 20 corresponding to the number of wires W, and each reel 20 is configured to rotate and pull out multiple wires W. For example, when the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 is configured to bind reinforcing bars S with two wires W, the reel storage unit 200 stores two reels 20 around which one wire W is wound, and each reel 20 is configured to rotate and pull out two wires W.

[0037] The reel accommodating section 200 may be provided with a braking section that allows rotation of the reel 20 in the direction in which the wire W is pulled out, but restricts rotation of the reel 20 in the opposite direction.

[0038] The slack forming unit 2 includes a first slack forming unit 21 and a second slack forming unit 22. The first slack forming unit 21 is an example of a slack forming mechanism, and includes a first slack forming roller 21a, a guide plate 21b, and guide members 21c and 21d.

[0039] The first slack forming roller 21a is an example of a pull-out member that is a pull-out section, and is provided on one side of the wire W that extends between the reel 20 stored in the reel storage section 200 and the rebar binding machine 1. The first slack forming roller 21a is in the shape of a disk that is thicker than the diameter of the wire W, and a guide surface 21f that comes into contact with the wire W is formed on the outer periphery of the disk. The first slack forming roller 21a is supported between a pair of guide plates 21b so as to be rotatable about a shaft 21g as a fulcrum.

[0040] The guide plates 21b are provided on both sides of the first slack forming roller 21a in the axial direction, sandwiching the first slack forming roller 21a. In a configuration in which the reinforcing bars S are bound with two wires W, the first slack forming rollers 21a are provided on both sides of one guide plate 21b, and a guide plate 21b is provided on the outer side of each of the first slack forming rollers 21a.

[0041] The guide member 21c is provided opposite the guide surface 21f of the first slack forming roller 21a in the path of the wire W entering the first slack forming unit 21. The guide member 21c is provided between the pair of guide plates 21b in the form of, for example, a cylindrical member extending in a direction intersecting with the guide plates 21b.

[0042] The guide member 21d is provided on the path of the wire W exiting the first slack forming portion 21. The guide member 21d is, for example, a roller that is rotatable about a shaft 21h as a fulcrum and is provided between the pair of guide plates 21b.

[0043] The shafts 21h of the guide members 21c and 21d also function as spacers that define the gap between the pair of guide plates 21b.

[0044] The guide plate 21b is shaped to cover at least a portion of the side of the first slack forming roller 21a and at least a portion of the side of the guide members 21c and 21d, and to support the first slack forming roller 21a and the guide members 21c and 21d.

[0045] The second slack forming unit 22 is an example of a slack forming mechanism, and includes a second slack forming roller 22a, a guide plate 22b, and guide members 22c and 22d.

[0046] The second slack forming roller 22a is an example of a pull-out member, and is provided on the other side of the wire W extending between the reel 20 stored in the reel storage section 200 and the rebar binding machine 1. The second slack forming roller 22a is in the shape of a disk with a thickness greater than the diameter of the wire W, and a guide surface 22f with which the wire W comes into contact is formed on the outer periphery of the disk. The second slack forming roller 22a is supported between a pair of guide plates 22b so as to be rotatable about a shaft 22g as a fulcrum.

[0047] The guide plates 22b are provided on both sides of the second slack forming roller 22a in the axial direction, sandwiching the second slack forming roller 22a. In a configuration in which the reinforcing bars S are bound with two wires W, the second slack forming rollers 22a are provided on both sides of one guide plate 22b, and a guide plate 22b is provided on the outer side of each of the second slack forming rollers 22a.

[0048] The guide member 22c is provided on the path of the wire W that enters the second slack forming portion 22 from the first slack forming portion 21. The guide member 22c is, for example, a roller that is rotatable about an axis 22h as a fulcrum and is provided between the pair of guide plates 22b.

[0049] The guide member 22d is provided opposite the guide surface 22f of the second slack forming roller 22a in the path of the wire W exiting the second slack forming unit 22. The guide member 22d is provided between the pair of guide plates 22b in the form of, for example, a cylindrical member extending in a direction intersecting with the guide plates 22b.

[0050] The shafts 22h of the guide members 22c and 22d also function as spacers that define the gap between the pair of guide plates 22b.

[0051] The guide plate 22b is shaped to cover at least a portion of the side of the second slack forming roller 22a and at least a portion of the side of the guide members 22c and 22d, and to support the second slack forming roller 22a and the guide members 22c and 22d.

[0052] The binding device 100 includes a first guide portion 21i that guides the movement of the first slack forming portion 21, a second guide portion 22i that guides the movement of the second slack forming portion 22, and a drive portion 25 that moves the first slack forming portion 21 and the second slack forming portion 22.

[0053] The first guide portion 21i, the second guide portion 22i and the drive portion 25 are examples of moving portions, which move the first slack forming portion 21 equipped with the first slack forming roller 21a and the second slack forming portion 22 equipped with the second slack forming roller 22a relatively in directions toward and away from each other along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the wire W.

[0054] The first guide portion 21i movably guides the first slack forming portion 21 in a direction along the feed path WL of the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1, which is defined by the wire feed portion 3, the wire guide 4, etc. The second guide portion 22i movably guides the second slack forming portion 22 in a direction along the feed path WL of the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1. The second guide portion 22i supports the second slack forming portion 22 so that the guide surface 22f of the second slack forming roller 22a is positioned on an extension of the feed path WL of the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1, which is defined by the wire feed portion 3, the wire guide 4, etc.

[0055] The drive unit 25 includes a pair of pulleys 25 a, 25 b, a belt 25 c wound around the pulleys 25 a, 25 b, and a motor 25 d that drives one of the pulleys 25 a. The drive unit 25 also includes a first connecting portion 25 e that connects the first slack forming portion 21 and the belt 25 c, and a second connecting portion 25 f that connects the second slack forming portion 22 and the belt 25 c.

[0056] Pulley 25a is provided on the side closer to the rebar binding machine 1 in the movement direction of the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22. Pulley 25b is provided on the side farther from the rebar binding machine 1 in the movement direction of the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22. Belt 25c extends in the movement direction of the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22. First connecting portion 25e is connected to one side of belt 25c extending between the pair of pulleys 25a, 25b, and second connecting portion 25f is connected to the other side of belt 25c extending between the pair of pulleys 25a, 25b.

[0057] One side and the other side of the belt 25c stretching between the pair of pulleys 25a, 25b move in the opposite direction as the pulley 25a is driven by the motor 25d to rotate, whereby the first slack forming portion 21 and the second slack forming portion 22 move relatively toward or away from each other depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 25d.

[0058] The first slack forming roller 21a contacts the wire W from one side as the first slack forming portion 21 and the second slack forming portion 22 move relatively toward and away from each other along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the wire W. The second slack forming roller 22a contacts the wire W from the other side as the first slack forming portion 21 and the second slack forming portion 22 move relatively toward and away from each other along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the wire W.

[0059] The binding device 100 includes a first path changing unit (also referred to as a first guide unit) 23 and a second path changing unit (also referred to as a second guide unit) 24. The first guide unit 23 is provided between the reel 20 and the first slack forming unit 21. The first guide unit 23 directs the path along which the wire W passes between a pair of guide plates 23 a and is pulled out from the reel 20 toward the first slack forming unit 21.

[0060] The second guide portion 24 is provided between the second slack forming portion 22 and the rebar binding machine 1. The second guide portion 24 allows the wire W to pass through when the wire feeding portion 3 feeds the wire W, and may include a braking portion that restricts the passage of the wire W when the slack forming portion 2 forms slack in the wire W.

[0061] The wire W unwound from the reel 20 extends laterally across the axial direction of the torsion motor 80 relative to the rebar binding machine 1, and its path is changed by the first guide unit 23 toward the slack forming unit 2. The wire W passing through the slack forming unit 2 has its path changed by the second slack forming roller 22a toward the wire feed unit 3 of the rebar binding machine 1.

[0062] The binding device 100 includes a guide portion 26 that forms a path through which the wire W passes between the reel 20 and the first guide portion 23. In a configuration in which the reinforcing bars S are bound with two wires W, the first guide portion 23 and the guide portion 26 are provided corresponding to each reel 20. Furthermore, in order to accommodate the difference between the spacing between the two reels 20 and the spacing between the two first guide portions 23, the guide portion 26 guides the path through which the two wires W pass so that the spacing between the paths gradually narrows from each reel 20 toward the first guide portion 23.

[0063] In the binding device 100, the rebar binding machine 1 is attached to the binding machine support part 101, and the reel storage part 200 is attached to the storage part support part 102. In addition, the binding machine support part 101 is attached to the storage part support part 102. Furthermore, in the binding device 100, the slack forming part 2 is attached to the slack forming part support part 103. In addition, in the binding device 100, the storage part support part 102 and the slack forming part support part 103 are attached to the support part 104.

[0064] The binding device 100 has a support part 104 provided above the rebar binding machine 1 and the reel storage part 200 in the axial direction of the torsion motor 80, and an attachment part 105 to which the robot arm 300 is attached is provided on the support part 104.

[0065] The slack forming unit 2 includes a first slack forming unit 21, a second slack forming unit 22, and a drive unit 25 on one side of the slack forming unit support unit 103, and a control unit 250 for the drive unit 25 on the other side of the slack forming unit support unit 103. The control unit 250 includes a control board (not shown) and a board housing unit 250a in which the control board is housed. The binding device 100 includes a control unit that controls the drive unit 25. Here, the control unit may include a processor, system memory, storage memory, and an input / output interface. The processor may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The system memory may be, for example, a random access memory (RAM). The storage memory may be, for example, a read-only memory (ROM) such as a hard disk or flash memory. The program relating to the binding method is stored in the storage memory and loaded into the system memory. The processor executes the operation of the binding device 100 based on the loaded program.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 2, the rebar tying machine 1 has the binding unit 7 provided on an imaginary line 10L that is aligned with the axial direction of the torsion motor 80. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 1A, the binding device 100 has the mounting unit 105 provided on the imaginary line 10L. As a result, the binding device 100 has the binding unit 7 and the mounting unit 105 provided on the same imaginary line 10L. Therefore, when the rebar tying machine 1 is oriented in the up-down direction with the curl forming unit 5 facing downward, the binding unit 7 is provided vertically below the mounting unit 105.

[0067] Furthermore, when the binding device 100 is viewed from the side, the reel accommodating section 200 accommodates the reel 20 so that the axis of rotation of the reel 20 is located on an imaginary line 10L that passes through the binding section 7 and the attachment section 105. When the binding device 100 is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the imaginary line 10L, the position of the axis of rotation of each reel deviates from the imaginary line 10L depending on the number of reels used, but it is sufficient that the reels are arranged so that the center of the line connecting the axes of rotation of all the reels used is located on the imaginary line 10L; in other words, it is sufficient that the line connecting the axes of rotation of multiple reels used is located on the imaginary line 10L.

[0068] 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a binding device according to this embodiment. The control unit 250 controls the feed motor 31 that drives the wire feed unit 3, the torsion motor 80 of the drive unit 8 that drives the binding unit 7, and the motor 25d of the drive unit 25 that drives the slack forming unit 2. The control unit 250 controls the reinforcing bar binding machine 1 to bind the reinforcing bars S with the wire W, and controls the slack forming unit 2 to unwind the wire W from the reel 20 and form slack in the wire W between the reel 20 and the reinforcing bar binding machine 1.

[0069] 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a bundling system according to the present embodiment. The bundling system 301 includes the bundling device 100 described above, a robot arm 300, and a stand 311 on which the robot arm 300 is mounted.

[0070] In the description of the binding system 301, the X, Y, and Z directions refer to the directions shown in Fig. 4. The X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to each other, the XY plane is a substantially horizontal plane, and the Z direction is a direction substantially along the vertical.

[0071] The mount 311 includes four support columns 312 erected at the four corners in the X and Y directions, and a plurality of beams 313 spanning the upper ends of the support columns 312 in the X and Y directions.

[0072] In the bundling system 301, a workpiece B, which is made up of a plurality of reinforcing bars S arranged in a lattice pattern, is held by a workpiece holding unit 302. The workpiece holding unit 302 includes a holding table 321 for holding the workpiece B.

[0073] The holding base 321 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate with four sides aligned along the X and Y directions. Support plates 321a are provided on the four sides of the holding base 321 to support a plurality of reinforcing bars S that constitute the workpiece B. The support plates 321a have a plurality of U-shaped grooves 321b that open upward, and the reinforcing bars S are inserted into the U-shaped grooves 321b. The multiple reinforcing bars S are arranged in a lattice pattern along the X and Y directions with their ends inserted into the U-shaped grooves 321b of the support plates 321a.

[0074] The robot arm 300 is an example of a moving body, and is supported by a moving mechanism 346 to move the binding device 100 to a desired position.

[0075] The moving mechanism 346 includes a Y-direction slider 346a suspended on the beam 313 of the stand 311. The Y-direction slider 346a moves the robot arm 300 in the Y direction. Note that the moving mechanism 346 may include, for example, a mechanism for moving the robot arm 300 in the X direction. Furthermore, if the operating range of the robot arm 300 can cover the entire binding area E2 without relying on the moving mechanism 346, the moving mechanism 346 does not need to be provided.

[0076] The robot arm 300 is a ceiling-suspended articulated robot, and is installed facing downward on a Y-direction slider 346a suspended on a beam 313. Specifically, the robot arm 300 includes a base 341, a plurality of arms 342, an end effector 343, and a plurality of joints 344. Note that the robot arm 300 is not limited to an articulated robot.

[0077] The arms 342 are connected in series with the base portion 341 as a base end portion. The base portion 341 is supported by a Y-direction slider 346a of a movement mechanism 346 and is movable in the Y direction.

[0078] The plurality of joints 344 rotatably connect the base 341, the plurality of arms 342, and the end effector 343. Each joint 344 is provided with a motor (not shown) and is driven by the motor to rotate.

[0079] The end effector 343 is connected to the tips of the multiple arms 342. The binding device 100 is supported on the end effector 343 via the attachment portion 105.

[0080] The binding system 301 moves the binding device 100 to the position of the intersection P of the binding target by the robot arm 300, and performs the binding operation.

[0081] The bundling system 301 may be configured to include an overall photographing unit that photographs the entire work B all at once or for each of its divided areas, and an individual photographing unit that photographs the intersections P of the rebars S to be bound individually at a higher resolution than that of the overall photographing unit.The bundling system 301 may then obtain, from the image information obtained by the individual photographing unit, positional information of the intersections P of the rebars S for each bundling target, which is more accurate than the positional information of each intersection P of the rebars S obtained by photographing the entire work B with the overall photographing unit, and move the bundling device 100 with the robot arm 300.

[0082] <Example of operation of the binding device of this embodiment> Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the binding device, and Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, and 6F are side views with some parts omitted, showing an example of the operation of the binding device of this embodiment, and showing an example of a binding method of the binding device of this embodiment.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 250 controls the rebar binding machine 1 and the slack forming unit 2 in the following order: a drawing-out process (step SA1) in which the wire W is drawn out by the slack forming unit 2 and slack is formed in the wire W; a winding process (step SA2) in which the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W in the forward direction and wraps it around the rebar S; a locking process (step SA3) in which the wire W wound around the rebar S is locked with a locking member 70; a pulling-back process (step SA4) in which the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W in the reverse direction and pulls it back, and winds the wire W around the rebar S; a cutting process (step SA5) in which the wire W is cut by the cutting unit 6; a twisting process (step SA6) in which the wire W is twisted by the binding unit 7; and a pre-feeding process (step SA7) in which the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W in the forward direction.

[0084] As shown by the dashed line in Fig. 6A , the initial state of the binding device 100 is a state in which the wire W is guided by the curl guide 50 of the curl forming unit 5 and fed to a preliminary feed position where the tip of the wire W is between the curl guide 50 and the leading guide 51 and does not protrude beyond the curl guide 50. The initial state shown in Fig. 6A is the state after the binding operation has been completed in each of the above steps. Note that a loading operation may be performed in which the reel 20 is stored in the reel storage unit 200 and the wire W wound on the reel 20 is loaded into the rebar binding machine 1 through the slack forming unit 2, thereby feeding the wire W to the preliminary feed position. Furthermore, if the retraction step has been performed, the preliminary feed step may be performed before the unwinding step in the next binding operation.

[0085] The control unit 250 performs the retraction process when it has moved the binding device 100 to the position of the intersection of the binding target by the robot arm 300. Note that the control unit 250 may perform the retraction process while the binding device 100 is being moved to the position of the intersection of the binding target by the robot arm 300. In the retraction process, the motor 25d is driven to move the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22 from the standby position shown in Fig. 6A to the slack forming position shown in Fig. 6B in directions relatively apart from each other, and also to move them from the slack forming position shown in Fig. 6B to the standby position shown in Fig. 6C in directions relatively closer to each other.

[0086] In the binding device 100, when the first slack forming unit 21 moves from the standby position to the slack forming position, the first slack forming roller 21a moves in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1. When the first slack forming roller 21a moves in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1, the guide surface 21f of the first slack forming roller 21a comes into contact with the wire W from one side of the wire W extending between the reel 20 and the rebar binding machine 1, and pulls the portion of the wire W in contact with the guide surface 21f in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1.

[0087] In the binding device 100, when the second slack forming unit 22 moves from the standby position to the slack forming position, the second slack forming roller 22a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1. When the second slack forming roller 22a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1, the guide surface 22f of the second slack forming roller 22a comes into contact with the wire W from the other side of the wire W extending between the reel 20 and the rebar binding machine 1, and pulls the portion of the wire W in contact with the guide surface 22f in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1.

[0088] The path of the wire W between the reel 20 and the first slack forming roller 21a is changed by the first guide portion 23 toward the slack forming portion 2. As a result, the first slack forming roller 21a moves in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1, and the portion of the wire W in contact with the guide surface 21f is pulled in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1, applying a force to pull the wire W out from the reel 20.

[0089] In addition, when the second slack forming roller 22a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1, the wire W in contact with the guide surface 22f is pulled in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1, and a force is applied via the first slack forming roller 21a to pull the wire W from the reel 20.

[0090] The reel 20 can rotate when a force is applied to pull out the wire W. As a result, when the first slack forming roller 21 a moves in a direction toward the rebar binding machine 1 and the second slack forming roller 22 a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1, the wire W is pulled out from the reel 20.

[0091] In the binding device 100, when the first slack forming unit 21 moves from the slack forming position to the standby position, the first slack forming roller 21a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1. When the first slack forming roller 21a moves in a direction away from the rebar binding machine 1, the guide surface 21f moves away from the wire W. Also, in the binding device 100, when the second slack forming unit 22 moves from the slack forming position to the standby position, the second slack forming roller 22a moves in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1. When the second slack forming roller 22a moves in a direction approaching the rebar binding machine 1, the guide surface 22f moves away from the wire W. As a result, a slack portion WB is formed in the wire W between the reel 20 and the rebar binding machine 1.

[0092] The second slack forming unit 22 is supported by the second guide unit 22i so that the guide surface 22f is located on an extension of the feed path WL of the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1, which is defined by the wire feed unit 3, the wire guide 4, etc. The second slack forming unit 22 is also guided by the second guide unit 22i so as to be movable in a direction along the feed path WL of the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1. This prevents the wire W entering the rebar binding machine 1 from changing significantly with respect to the feed path WL when the second slack forming unit 22 moves from the standby position to the slack forming position, and from the slack forming position to the standby position.

[0093] When the first slack forming unit 21 moves from the slack forming position to the standby position, the guide member 21c guides the wire W between the pair of guide plates 21b. As a result, the pair of guide plates 21b prevent the wire W entering the first slack forming unit 21 from moving in the axial direction of the first slack forming roller 21a. This prevents the wire W entering the first slack forming unit 21 from becoming tangled in the first guide unit 23, etc. Furthermore, in a configuration in which two wires W are used to bind the rebar S, the two wires W are prevented from becoming tangled in the slack forming unit 2.

[0094] Furthermore, the wire W emerging from the first slack forming portion 21 is guided between the pair of guide plates 21b by the guide member 21d. As a result, the pair of guide plates 21b prevent the wire W emerging from the first slack forming portion 21 from moving in the axial direction of the first slack forming roller 21a. Furthermore, the guide member 21d prevents the wire W emerging from the first slack forming portion 21 from moving toward the second slack forming portion 22. Therefore, the wire W emerging from the first slack forming portion 21 is prevented from becoming tangled in the second slack forming portion 22, etc. Furthermore, in a configuration in which two wires W are used to bind the reinforcing bars S, the two wires W are prevented from becoming tangled in the slack forming portion 2.

[0095] Furthermore, the wire W entering the second slack forming portion 22 is guided between a pair of guide plates 22b by guide member 22c. As a result, the pair of guide plates 22b prevent the wire W entering the second slack forming portion 22 from moving in the axial direction of the second slack forming roller 22a. Also, guide member 22c prevents the wire W entering the second slack forming portion 22 from moving toward the first slack forming portion 21. Therefore, the wire W entering the second slack forming portion 22 is prevented from becoming tangled in the first slack forming portion 21, etc. Furthermore, in a configuration in which two wires W are used to bind the rebar S, the two wires W are prevented from becoming tangled in the slack forming portion 2.

[0096] Furthermore, the wire W coming out of the second slack forming unit 22 is guided between the pair of guide plates 22b by the guide member 22d. As a result, the pair of guide plates 22b prevent the wire W coming out of the second slack forming unit 22 from moving in the axial direction of the second slack forming roller 22a. Therefore, in a configuration in which the reinforcing bars S are bound with two wires W, entanglement of the two wires W in the slack forming unit 2 is prevented.

[0097] When the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22 move from the slack forming position to the standby position, the control unit 250 stops driving the motor 25d.

[0098] The control unit 250 performs the winding process in a state in which the binding device 100 has been moved by the robot arm 300 to the position of the intersection of the objects to be bound. In the winding process, the control unit 250 drives the feed motor 31 to feed the wire W in the forward direction indicated by the arrow F by the wire feeding unit 3 shown in FIG. 2, and winds the wire W around the reinforcing bar S by the curl forming unit 5. When the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W in the forward direction indicated by the arrow F, the slack portion WB of the wire W is fed, as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D. As a result, the force of the wire feeding unit 3 feeding the wire W in the forward direction indicated by the arrow F does not need to rotate the reel 20, reducing the load on the wire feeding unit 3 and suppressing the occurrence of wire feeding defects by the wire feeding unit 3.

[0099] When the control unit 250 has wound the wire W around the rebar S, it stops driving the feed motor 31 and stops the operation of the wire feed unit 3 to feed the wire W in the forward direction indicated by the arrow F. Next, in the locking process, the control unit 250 drives the torsion motor 80 to operate the locking member 70 with the sleeve 71, and locks the wire W with the locking member 70.

[0100] When the wire W is locked by the locking member 70, the control unit 250 stops driving the torsion motor 80. Next, in the retraction process, the control unit 250 drives the feed motor 31 to cause the wire feeding unit 3 to feed the wire W in the reverse direction indicated by arrow R, thereby winding the wire W around the reinforcing bar S. In order to wind the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar S, the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the wire W in the reverse direction indicated by arrow R, and a slack portion WB is formed in accordance with the amount of wire W fed in the reverse direction, as shown in FIG. 6E . This eliminates the need to rotate the reel 20 with the force of the wire feeding unit 3 feeding the wire W in the reverse direction indicated by arrow R, thereby reducing the load on the wire feeding unit 3 and suppressing the occurrence of wire feeding defects by the wire feeding unit 3.

[0101] When the wire W is wound around the reinforcing bar S in the retraction process, the control unit 250 stops driving the feed motor 31 and stops the operation of the wire feed unit 3 to feed the wire W in the reverse direction indicated by the arrow R.

[0102] Next, in the cutting process, the control unit 250 drives the torsion motor 80 to operate the sleeve 71. By driving the binding unit 7 with the drive unit 8, the operation of the sleeve 71 is transmitted to the cutting unit 6, and the wire W is cut between the portion wound around the rebar S and the portion clamped by the pair of feed gears 30 of the wire feed unit 3.

[0103] During the twisting process, the control unit 250 continues to drive the twisting motor 80, and after the wire W is cut by the cutting unit 6 in conjunction with the operation of the sleeve 71, the wire W is twisted by the rotational operation of the locking member 70 and the sleeve 71 to bind the reinforcing bar S.

[0104] The control unit 250 detects the load applied to the torsion motor 80 via the binding unit 7, and when it determines that binding is complete, stops driving the torsion motor 80. The control unit 250 then reverses the rotation of the torsion motor 80, and controls the robot arm 300 to move the binding device 100 away from the surface on which the rebars S are placed, thereby enabling the wire W that has bound the rebars S to be released from the binding unit 7.

[0105] When the wire W binding the rebars S is released from the binding unit 7 by moving the binding device 100 with the robot arm 300 in a direction away from the intersection of the rebars S where the binding operation has been completed, the control unit 250 then performs a preliminary feeding process. In the preliminary feeding process, the control unit 250 drives the feed motor 31 to feed the wire W in the forward direction indicated by arrow F with the wire feeding unit 3 shown in FIG. 2. In the preliminary feeding process, the operation of feeding the wire W in the forward direction indicated by arrow F with the wire feeding unit 3 feeds the slack portion WB of the wire W formed in the retraction process, as shown in FIGS. 6E and 6F . As a result, the force of the wire feeding unit 3 feeding the wire W in the forward direction indicated by arrow F does not need to rotate the reel 20, reducing the load on the wire feeding unit 3 and suppressing the occurrence of wire feeding defects by the wire feeding unit 3.

[0106] When the wire W cut in the cutting unit 6 is guided by the curl guide 50 of the curl forming unit 5 and the tip of the wire W is sent to a preliminary feed position between the curl guide 50 and the induction guide 51 so that it does not protrude beyond the curl guide 50, the control unit 250 stops driving the feed motor 31 and stops the operation of the wire feed unit 3 to feed the wire W in the positive direction indicated by arrow F.

[0107] The control unit 250 acquires the retraction amount of the wire W in the retraction process. In the preliminary feed process, the control unit 250 controls the preliminary feed amount to be equal to or less than the retraction amount. Note that if the tip of the wire W protrudes beyond the curl guide 50 between the curl guide 50 and the induction guide 51, this will hinder the insertion of the reinforcing bar S. Therefore, the maximum value of the preliminary feed amount is set to an amount that prevents the tip of the wire W from protruding beyond the curl guide 50 between the curl guide 50 and the induction guide 51.

[0108] Conventionally, in the rebar tying machine 1, the initial state was a state in which the tip of the wire W clamped between a pair of feed gears 30 of the wire feed unit 3 was at the cutting unit 6 and had not yet reached the tying unit 7 or the curl guide 50. The slack forming unit 2 pulled out the wire W from the reel 20 to a length required to wind it around the rebar S, from a state in which the wire W was in the conventional initial position, to form a slack portion WB.

[0109] In contrast, in the preliminary feeding step, the wire W is fed to a preliminary feeding position where the tip of the wire W is between the curl guide 50 and the induction guide 51 but does not protrude beyond the curl guide 50, thereby reducing the amount of wire W fed in the winding step in the next bundling operation. This reduces the amount of movement of the first slack forming unit 21 and the second slack forming unit 22 compared to conventional devices. Therefore, the lengths of the first guide unit 21i that guides the movement of the first slack forming unit 21 and the second guide unit 22i that guides the movement of the second slack forming unit 22 can be shortened, and the bundling device 100 can be made smaller.

[0110] As described above, in the retraction process, a slack portion WB is formed in the wire W in the slack forming portion 2 between the reel 20 stored in the reel storage portion 200 and the rebar binding machine 1. In the preliminary feeding process, the slack portion WB of the wire W formed in the retraction process is fed, so there is no need to pull out the amount of wire W required in the preliminary feeding process from the reel 20. This eliminates the need to operate the slack forming portion 2 in the preliminary feeding process, and makes it possible to suppress an increase in the time required to perform the preliminary feeding process.

[0111] Furthermore, in the preliminary feed step, by controlling the preliminary feed amount to be equal to or less than the retraction amount, the preliminary feed amount can be secured without pulling out the wire W from the reel 20.

[0112] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0113] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-105694) filed on June 28, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0114] The present disclosure has the effect of enabling a binding device to be made smaller, and is useful for binding devices, binding methods, binding systems, etc.

[0115] 100... Binding device, 101... Binding machine support section, 102... Storage section support section, 103... Slack forming section support section, 104... Support section, 105... Mounting section, 1... Reinforcing bar binding machine (binding machine), 2... Slack forming section, 20... Reel, 200... Reel storage section, 21... First slack forming section (slack forming mechanism section), 21a... First slack forming roller (drawing member), 21b... Guide plate, 21c, 21d... Guide member, 21f... Guide surface, 21g... Shaft, 21h... Shaft, 21i... First guide section, 22... Second slack forming section (slack forming mechanism section), 22a... Second slack forming roller (pulling member), 22b... guide plate, 22c, 22d... guide member, 22f... guide surface, 22g... shaft, 22h... shaft, 22i... second guide section, 23... first guide section, 23a... guide plate, 24... second guide section, 25... drive section, 25a, 25b... pulley, 25c... belt, 25d... motor, 25e... first connecting section, 25f... second connecting section, 26... guide section, 250... control section, 250a... substrate accommodating section, 300... robot arm (moving body), 301... binding system

Claims

1. A bundling machine for bundling a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire, a reel housing for housing a reel around which the wire is wound and supplied to the bundling machine, a pull-out section for pulling out the wire from the reel housed in the reel housing, and a control unit for controlling the bundling machine and the pull-out section, wherein the bundling machine comprises a wire feed section for feeding the wire, a cutting section for cutting the wire, and a bundling section for twisting the wire, and the bundling section comprises a locking section for locking the wire, The control unit controls the binding machine and the unwinding unit in the following order: a drawing-out process in which the drawing-out unit draws out the wire; a winding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in a first direction and winds the wire around the reinforcing bar; a locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking unit; a pulling-back process in which the wire feeding unit pulls the wire back in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a twisting process in which the binding unit twists the wire; and a pre-feeding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction.

2. A binding device as described in claim 1, further comprising a curl guide that curls the wire fed by the wire feeding unit, and wherein the control unit feeds the wire in the preliminary feeding step to a preliminary feeding position where the wire cut by the cutting unit is guided by the curl guide and the tip of the wire does not protrude beyond the curl guide.

3. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the pull-out section is provided with a wire pull-out section that moves in a direction that intersects with the path along which the wire passes, which is formed between the reel housed in the reel housing section and the binding machine.

4. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls a preliminary feed amount, which is the feed amount of the wire in the preliminary feed step, in accordance with the amount of retraction of the wire.

5. The binding device is capable of successively executing a first binding operation and a second binding operation following the first binding operation, and in the first binding operation, the control unit controls the binding machine and the unwinding unit to execute the following operations in that order: a first unwinding process in which the unwinding unit unwinds the wire; a first winding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction and winds the wire around the rebar; a first locking process in which the locking unit locks the wire; a first rewinding process in which the wire feeding unit rewinds the wire in the second direction; a first cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a first twisting process in which the binding unit twists the wire; and a first pre-feeding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction; and in the second binding operation, the control unit controls the binding machine and the unwinding unit to execute the following operations in that order:

2. The binding device of claim 1, wherein the binding device performs the following operations in that order: a second unwinding process in which the unwinding unit unwinds the wire; a second winding process in which the wire feed unit feeds the wire in the first direction and winds the wire around the rebar; a second locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking unit; a second pulling back process in which the wire feed unit pulls back the wire in the second direction; a second cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a second twisting process in which the binding unit twists the wire; and a second preliminary feeding process in which the wire feed unit feeds the wire in the first direction; 6. A binding method for a binding device comprising: a binding machine for binding a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire; a reel housing section for housing a reel around which the wire is wound and supplied to the binding machine; an unwinding section for unwinding the wire from the reel housed in the reel housing section; and a control section for controlling the binding machine and the unwinding section, wherein the binding machine comprises a wire feeding section for feeding the wire, a cutting section for cutting the wire, and a binding section for twisting the wire, and the binding section comprises a locking section for locking the wire, a winding step of feeding the wire drawn out in the drawing step in a first direction by the wire feeding unit and winding the wire around the reinforcing bar; a locking step of locking the wire wound in the winding step with the locking unit; a retracting step of retracting the wire in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the wire feeding unit while the wire is locked in the locking step; a cutting step of cutting the wire in the retracted state in the retracted state in the retracting step with the cutting unit; a twisting step of twisting, in the binding unit, the wire cut in the cutting step that is retracted in the retracted state in the retracting step; and a pre-feeding step of feeding, in the first direction by the wire feeding unit, the wire wound on the reel among the wire cut in the cutting step.

7. The bundling device is capable of successively performing a first bundling operation and a second bundling operation following the first bundling operation, the first bundling operation comprising: a first unwinding step of unwinding the wire at the unwinding section; a first winding step of feeding the wire in the first direction at the wire feeding section and winding the wire around the reinforcing bar; a first locking step of locking the wire at the locking section; a first rewinding step of rewinding the wire in the second direction at the wire feeding section; a first cutting step of cutting the wire at the cutting section; a first twisting step of twisting the wire at the bundling section; and a first pre-feeding step of feeding the wire in the first direction at the wire feeding section; and the second bundling operation comprising: a second unwinding step of unwinding the wire at the unwinding section; 7. The bundling method according to claim 6, comprising: a second winding step of feeding the wire in the first direction with the wire feeding unit and winding the wire around the reinforcing bar; a second locking step of locking the wire with the locking unit; a second pulling back step of pulling the wire back in the second direction with the wire feeding unit; a second cutting step of cutting the wire with the cutting unit; a second twisting step of twisting the wire with the bundling unit; and a second preliminary feeding step of feeding the wire in the first direction with the wire feeding unit, wherein the second bundling operation is performed after completion of the first preliminary feeding step of the first bundling operation.

8. A device comprising: a binding device; and a moving body for moving the binding device; the binding device comprising: a binding machine for binding a plurality of reinforcing bars with wire; a reel accommodating section for accommodating a reel around which the wire is wound and which is supplied to the binding machine; an unwinding section for unwinding the wire from the reel accommodated in the reel accommodating section; and a control section for controlling the binding machine and the unwinding section; the binding machine comprising: a wire feeding section for feeding the wire; a cutting section for cutting the wire; and a binding section for twisting the wire; the binding section comprising: a locking section for locking the wire; The control unit controls the binding machine and the unwinding unit in the following order: a drawing-out process in which the drawing-out unit draws out the wire; a winding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in a first direction and winds the wire around a rebar; a locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking unit; a pulling-back process in which the wire feeding unit pulls back the wire in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a twisting process in which the binding unit twists the wire; and a pre-feeding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction.

9. The bundling system is capable of successively executing a first bundling operation and a second bundling operation following the first bundling operation, and in the first bundling operation, the control unit controls the bundling machine and the unwinding unit to execute the following operations in that order: a first unwinding process in which the unwinding unit unwinds the wire; a first winding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction and winds the wire around the rebar; a first locking process in which the locking unit locks the wire; a first rewinding process in which the wire feeding unit rewinds the wire in the second direction; a first cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a first twisting process in which the bundling unit twists the wire; and a first pre-feeding process in which the wire feeding unit feeds the wire in the first direction; and in the second bundling operation, the control unit controls the bundling machine and the unwinding unit to execute the following operations in that order:

9. The bundling system of claim 8, wherein the bundling operation is performed in the following order: a second unwinding process in which the unwinding unit pulls out the wire; a second winding process in which the wire feed unit feeds the wire in the first direction and winds the wire around the rebar; a second locking process in which the wire is locked by the locking unit; a second pulling back process in which the wire feed unit pulls back the wire in the second direction; a second cutting process in which the cutting unit cuts the wire; a second twisting process in which the bundling unit twists the wire; and a second pre-feeding process in which the wire feed unit feeds the wire in the first direction.

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