Metal Bar Bending Plant Alignment Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing metal bar bending plants face difficulties in aligning bars of large diameter due to excessive friction, causing misalignment when using traditional thrust members like stop plates or eccentric pins, which fail to overcome frictional forces effectively.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a stop element that reacts against the thrust of the stop plate to counteract friction, allowing the bars to slide into alignment, and using control means to detect and limit the force applied to prevent over-displacement and deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a stop plate or eccentric pin is used as a thrust member to align bars, then the structure is simple and operation is easy, but bars of large diameter cannot be aligned due to excessive friction forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment capabilityVSAvoidalignment effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a thrust member comprising a stop plate and at least one stop element positioned at the end of a bar. The stop element acts as an intermediary that provides a reaction point for the stop plate, enabling the thrust member to overcome friction forces between bars and achieve effective alignment of large diameter bars without compromising structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The thrust member is segmented into a stop plate and separate stop elements. This segmentation allows the stop elements to be positioned specifically at bar ends to provide reaction forces, while the stop plate provides the thrust action, dividing the alignment function into coordinated components that work together to overcome friction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If increased thrust force is applied to overcome friction between bars, then alignment improves, but risk of over-displacement and deformation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidbar deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates control means that detect the position of the thrust member and the state of stop elements during alignment. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor when bars are properly aligned and when the thrust force should be reduced or stopped, preventing over-displacement and deformation while maintaining alignment precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The stop elements positioned at bar ends provide a preliminary reaction force that limits the maximum displacement possible during alignment. This preliminary constraint prevents excessive thrust from causing deformation, as the stop elements physically block further movement before harmful forces can damage the bars

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The stop element ensures mutual alignment of bars by overcoming frictional forces, while the control system prevents over-displacement and deformation, enabling precise alignment and safe operation even with bars of varying lengths.

Implementation Method 1

the forces of friction that are generated between the bars, which prevent the bars from sliding on one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

using control means to detect and limit the force applied to prevent over-displacement and deformation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForce: Force

Data Source

PatentEP2623227B1Plant for bending metal bars
Publication Date: 2015.03.18 OSCAM
  • EP2623227B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2623227B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2623227B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A plant for bending metal bars, in particular bars for reinforcing concrete, comprising: - at least one bending unit (2, 4) defining a bending plane and a space for receiving a number of bars (A, B, C) to be bent, arranged parallel to one another and on top of one another in a plane orthogonal to the bending plane; and - means for aligning the bars with one another, comprising a thrust member (8) mobile in the longitudinal direction of the bars received in said receiving space and designed to act on first ends of said bars. The aforesaid means comprise a stop element (12) provided for acting on second ends of said bars opposite to said first ends, so as to cause the bars to slide on one another as a result of the action of said thrust member, until said bars find themselves substantially aligned with one another.