Electrode Cap Magazine With Spring-Driven Complete Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cap magazines for electrode caps are not designed to provide a compact and efficient means of supplying new caps to welding arms, often requiring complex mechanisms and not ensuring that all caps are removed without leftovers.
Innovation Solution
A cap magazine with a pre-stressed spiral spring mechanism that rotates electrode caps into a dispensing position, using a wheel with indentations to guide caps and a pusher device to ensure complete removal, and a retainer to hold caps in place until picked up by a welding arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cap magazine design is used, then the structure is simple, but the cap dispensing is not complete and caps may be left behind
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral spring is pre-loaded to store energy in advance, which is then released to rotate the wheel and ensure complete cap dispensing. This preliminary energy storage action guarantees that the ejection mechanism has sufficient force to remove all caps reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses a dynamic spiral spring that rotates the wheel through a controlled range of motion. The spring's gradual unwinding provides continuous rotational force, ensuring that caps are systematically ejected one by one without leaving any behind.
2Volume of moving object
If a compact cap magazine is designed, then the space efficiency is improved, but the ease of refilling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cap magazine is divided into modular components: a removable wheel assembly, a spiral spring mechanism, and a housing. This segmentation allows the wheel to be easily accessed and replaced during refilling operations, maintaining ease of serviceability despite the compact overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral spring is pre-loaded during assembly to store the necessary energy for cap ejection. This preliminary action is performed once during manufacturing or initial setup, allowing the compact mechanism to function reliably without requiring frequent adjustments or complex refilling procedures.
3Ease of operation
If a spring-loaded rotation mechanism is used, then the cap preloading is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral spring automatically rotates the wheel to feed caps to the dispensing position without requiring external actuation. The mechanism serves itself by using the stored spring energy to perform the feeding action, eliminating the need for motors, sensors, or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral spring is a simple, inexpensive mechanical component that can be easily replaced if needed. Using this simple spring mechanism instead of complex automated systems reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable cap preloading functionality.
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
Enables easy and complete dispensing of electrode caps, preventing caps from being left behind and ensuring continuous operation by maintaining caps in a ready position until needed.
Implementation Method 1
a spiral spring (26) surrounding the axle (12), which is attached to the axle (12) at a first point (27) and to the wheel (23) at a second point (28)
Implementation Method 2
A compression spring (34), which is arranged in the housing (10) and surrounds the axis (12), can also be designed as a wave spring or the like.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
The invention relates to a cap magazine (2, 21, 43, 431, 83, 831) for providing electrode caps (6, 61) in a provision position in a delivery area (14, 141, 54, 541, 94, 941) for receiving by a welding arm, wherein the cap magazine comprises an interior space (18, 181, 62, 621, 101, 1011) in which electrode caps can be arranged, and an axis (12, 121, 52, 521, 92, 921) about which the electrode caps that can be arranged in the interior space can be moved in a direction of rotation (29) around the axis to the provision position. The electrode caps that can be arranged in the interior space are pre-tensioned in the direction of rotation about the axis to the provision position. One cap magazine unit comprises two cap magazines.