Creel Bobbin Layout for Compact Wire Feeding and Uniform Tension

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity, cost, and footprint of creels used in tire manufacturing have increased due to the growing number of reinforcement wires, requiring a solution to reduce these aspects while maintaining uniform tension in wires.

Innovation Solution

A creel design with a unique arrangement of creel bobbins and guiding tubes, where the lower half of the bobbins feed wires to the upper guiding tubes and the upper half to the lower guiding tubes, optimizing the fleet angle and minimizing the overall height, along with a braking system to control tension.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the number of creel bobbins is increased to supply more reinforcement wires for wider tires, then the productivity and versatility of the tire manufacturing system is improved, but the device complexity, costs and footprint increase dramatically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of reinforcement wires suppliedVSAvoidcreel complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual braking systems are merged into a single common braking system. The patent employs one braking device that simultaneously controls the tension of multiple wires from different bobbins, replacing what would traditionally require separate braking mechanisms for each bobbin. This consolidation maintains uniform tension control across all wires while significantly reducing the number of braking components needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single braking device performs the function of controlling tension for multiple wires simultaneously. The universal braking mechanism is designed to handle multiple creel bobbins and their respective wires through a common control system, making one device serve multiple functions that would traditionally require separate dedicated devices for each wire or bobbin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the number of creel bobbins is increased to supply more reinforcement wires for wider tires, then the productivity and versatility of the tire manufacturing system is improved, but the costs and footprint of the creel increase dramatically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of reinforcement wires suppliedVSAvoidcreel footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual braking systems are merged into a single common braking system. The patent employs one braking device that simultaneously controls the tension of multiple wires from different bobbins, replacing what would traditionally require separate braking mechanisms for each bobbin. This consolidation maintains uniform tension control across all wires while significantly reducing the number of braking components needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single braking device performs the function of controlling tension for multiple wires simultaneously. The universal braking mechanism is designed to handle multiple creel bobbins and their respective wires through a common control system, making one device serve multiple functions that would traditionally require separate dedicated devices for each wire or bobbin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Length of stationary object

If guiding tubes are positioned close to creel bobbins to reduce creel height, then the overall footprint is reduced, but the fleet angle increases which may affect wire feeding quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecreel heightVSAvoidwire feeding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The geometric parameters of the guiding tubes are specifically optimized to control the fleet angle. The guiding tubes are designed with particular angles and orientations that allow them to be positioned close to the bobbins (reducing creel height) while maintaining the fleet angle within the optimal 5-15 degree range. This parameter optimization ensures both compact dimensions and proper wire feeding geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3825269B1Creel and a method
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 VMI HOLLAND BV
  • EP3825269B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3825269B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3825269B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a creel (1) comprising a plurality of creel bobbins (21, 22), a plurality of guiding tubes (8) located at the lower end of the creel (1) and a plurality of guiding tubes (8) located at the upper end of the creel (1), wherein each guiding tube (1) is arranged for receiving a wire (9) from an individual creel bobbin (21, 22), wherein the lower half of the creel bobbins (21, 22) are arranged to feed their wires (9) to the guiding tubes (8) at the upper end of the creel (1), while the upper half of the creel bobbins (21, 22) are arranged to feed their wires (9) to the guiding tubes (8) at the lower end of the creel (1). The invention further relates to a method.