Polygonal Wire Coil Packing to Prevent Settling and Tangling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wire packaging methods result in wire settling and tangling during shipment due to gaps between cylindrical wire coils and octagonal liners, leading to inefficient use of container space and operational issues during welding.

Innovation Solution

A wire coiling apparatus with a rotatable laying head and X-Y table that forms wire loops in a polygonal array within a storage container, ensuring the loops match the container's interior shape, minimizing gaps and stabilizing the wire coil.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If cylindrical wire coils are arranged in a container with octagonal liner, then the wire can be packaged in bulk, but gaps form between the cylindrical coils and octagonal liner walls causing wire settling and tangling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebulk wire packaging capacityVSAvoidwire coil stability during shipment
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the wire coil arrangement from cylindrical to polygonal cross-section, where the wire loops are formed with polygonal geometry matching the octagonal liner. This curvature adaptation eliminates gaps between the wire coils and liner walls, preventing wire settling and tangling during shipment while maintaining bulk packaging capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces asymmetry by changing the wire coil cross-section from symmetric cylindrical shape to asymmetric polygonal shape that conforms to the octagonal liner geometry. This asymmetric adaptation allows the wire loops to fit tightly against the non-circular liner walls, eliminating the gap problem caused by cylindrical coils in octagonal containers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Ease of manufacture

If cylindrical wire loops are formed by conventional coiling methods, then the coiling process is simple, but the loops do not fit closely to octagonal container walls requiring taller containers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoiling process simplicityVSAvoidcontainer height requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The wire laying head is modified to form polygonal cross-section wire loops instead of cylindrical loops. The laying head geometry is adapted to extrude wire in polygonal configuration, allowing the loops to conform to the octagonal liner walls and maximize container space utilization, thereby reducing required container height.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the wire loop cross-section from circular to polygonal shape. This parameter modification allows the wire loops to match the octagonal container geometry, improving packing density and reducing container height requirements while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through adapted laying head design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If polygonal wire loops are formed to match octagonal liner walls, then wire settling is prevented, but the coiling apparatus complexity increases with X-Y table movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire loop stability in containerVSAvoidcoiling apparatus structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The X-Y table serves multiple functions: it positions the wire laying head precisely during coiling, supports the container during filling, and enables the formation of polygonal loops through coordinated movement. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing both positioning and support capabilities in a single device.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The X-Y table acts as an intermediary device that mediates between the wire laying head and the container. It provides the necessary movement and positioning capability to form polygonal loops while supporting the container, thereby enabling the complex polygonal coiling process through a dedicated intermediary mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3786084B1Wire coiling apparatus and method of packaging a wire coil
Publication Date: 2022.05.18 LINCOLN GLOBAL INC
  • EP3786084B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3786084B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3786084B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A container (C) includes an outer box (10), and a polygonal liner (22) located within the outer box (10). The polygonal liner (22) has a plurality of vertical walls. A continuous length of wire (34) is located within the polygonal liner (22) and forms a plurality of layers. Each of the layers is comprised of a series of wire loops arrayed polygonally along the vertical walls of the polygonal liner (22). The invention further provides a wire coiling apparatus (32) and a method of packaging a wire coil.