Coil Spring Rotary Cutter for Continuous Wire Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanisms for producing coil springs from continuously fed wire require complex cutting mechanisms, which complicates the process and may necessitate stopping or slowing the wire feeding during cutting.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism featuring a rotary cutter with a rotating blade that cuts the wire without stopping the feeding process, accompanied by adjustable mandrel and bending tools to maintain wire deformation and geometry, allowing for efficient production of coil springs with constant wire speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a reciprocating cutting blade is used to cut the wire, then the wire can be cut into separate coil springs, but the cutting mechanism becomes complex and requires guided reciprocating motion between top dead center and bottom dead center
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the cutting blade in a complex reciprocating motion, the patent inverts the approach by rotating the wire itself while using a stationary or simple reciprocating cutter. This inversion transforms the complex blade guidance problem into a simpler wire rotation control problem, eliminating the need for complex reciprocating guidance mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic rotation of the wire during the cutting process. The wire is rotated to bring different sections past the cutter at the appropriate times, allowing a simple reciprocating cutter to achieve what would otherwise require a complex moving blade system. This dynamic approach replaces static complexity with controlled motion of the workpiece.
2Device complexity
If the cutting mechanism is simplified, then the device complexity is reduced, but maintaining constant wire feeding speed during cutting becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous wire feeding during the cutting operation. The wire rotation and cutter reciprocation are synchronized so that cutting occurs continuously as the wire passes through the cutting zone, without stopping or slowing the overall feeding process. This maintains constant production throughput while using a simple cutter mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic reciprocating motion of the simple cutter that is precisely timed with the continuous wire rotation and feeding. This periodic cutting action, synchronized with the wire motion, allows the simple mechanism to maintain constant wire feeding speed while achieving clean cuts at the required frequency.
3Productivity
If the wire is cut without stopping the feeding process, then productivity is improved, but the cutting mechanism requires sophisticated coordination to maintain constant wire speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by rotating the wire continuously while using a simple reciprocating cutter, rather than stopping the wire for cutting. This inversion allows continuous feeding and high productivity while keeping the cutting mechanism simple, as the wire motion itself provides the coordination needed for cutting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic wire rotation combined with periodic cutter reciprocation to achieve continuous cutting without stopping the feed. The synchronized dynamic motion of the rotating wire and reciprocating cutter enables constant wire feeding speed to be maintained while achieving high productivity through uninterrupted production flow.
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism for producing coil springs (10) includes a winding stage (110) for engaging with a wire (20) and deforming the wire (20) to coil windings as the wire (20) moves through the winding stage (110). Further, the mechanism comprises a feed mechanism (120) configured to feed the wire (20) to the winding stage (110). Further, the mechanism comprises a rotary cutter (130). The rotary cutter (130) is configured to cut the deformed wire (20) into portions forming separate coil springs (10) and a blade (135) which is driven for rotation about a stationary rotation axis.