Rolled Bar Bundle Forming Device with Inclined Supporting Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for forming rolled metal profile bundles result in untidy, uncontrolled bar movements leading to twisting and overlapping, slowing down downstream machining operations and causing interruptions in the bundle forming cycle.

Innovation Solution

A device with inclined transverse supporting elements and moving means that align and unload bars onto accumulation means without dragging, ensuring perfect alignment and continuous feeding and evacuation, preventing tangling and overlapping, and allowing for high filling coefficient bundles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If bars are fed onto lance means and left to fall from considerable height into accumulation seat, then bars are deposited onto accumulation means, but untidy uncontrolled movements of bars cause twisting and overlapping forming untidy bundles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebar depositionVSAvoidbundle tidiness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The accumulation means is divided into multiple accumulation seats arranged in sequence, with each seat receiving bars from dedicated lance means. This segmentation allows controlled deposition of bars into separate zones, preventing chaotic movements and ensuring tidy bundle formation while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If bars are deposited from considerable height onto accumulation seat, then bars are transferred to accumulation means, but bundle unraveling operations are needed to extract bars

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebar transferVSAvoiddownstream machining speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The device preliminarily organizes bars into tidy, non-twisted bundles during the deposition phase by using multiple accumulation seats and controlled lowering. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for subsequent bundle unraveling operations, allowing downstream machining to proceed immediately at full speed without interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If interruptions of feeding rolled bars onto depositing lances are provided to complete previously formed bundle evacuation, then bundle formation is completed, but down-times occur in bundle forming cycle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebundle formationVSAvoidbundle forming cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous feeding of bars onto depositing lances by having multiple accumulation seats work in sequence. While one seat is being evacuated, another seat continues to receive and organize bars. This continuous operation eliminates idle down-times in the bundle forming cycle while ensuring proper bundle formation, as each seat completes its cycle without interrupting the overall flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Productivity

If bars are moved rapidly onto accumulation means, then feeding efficiency is improved, but bars may be dragged causing deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeeding speedVSAvoidbar straightness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The lance means are designed to move dynamically, adjusting their speed and position to match the feeding rate of the conveyor. The lances can accelerate and decelerate smoothly, allowing rapid bar transfer while maintaining control to prevent dragging. This dynamic adjustment ensures both high feeding efficiency and bar straightness are achieved simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution achieves compact, tidy, and straight bar bundles, eliminating down-times and costs associated with unraveling and straightening, facilitating efficient downstream machining processes like electrically welded metal nets or brackets.

Implementation Method 1

moving means adapted to move the plurality of transversal supporting elements along said second plane from a first receiving position, in order to receive a predetermined number of bars for forming a layer of bars, to a second unloading position, in order to unload said layer of bars onto accumulation means, at a speed such to prevent the bars resting on said supporting elements from being dragged

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS8684164B2Device and process for forming rolled bar bundles

Publication Date: 2014.04.01 DANIELI & C OFFICINE MECCANICHE SPA

AI summary

A device (1) for forming rolled bar (3) bundles which allows to obtain perfectly tidy and super compact bundles, in which the bars (3) are perfectly aligned with one another without twisting, tangling or overlapping, both inside and outside the bundle, conferring an excellent shape and regular appearance to the same. A process for forming rolled bar bundles by using the aforesaid device is also described.