Rotating Guide Eye for Knot-Free Wire Coil Withdrawal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for removing wire from coiled packages often result in knotting due to internal stresses and torsional forces, leading to system standstill, despite countermeasures like pre-torsional tension and optimized winding patterns, which cannot completely eliminate the tendency for wire to form knots.

Innovation Solution

A rotary eye is rotatably mounted on the support ring, allowing the wire to be pulled off externally and guided through two deflection points, utilizing the wire's inherent stresses to maintain a controlled course, preventing looping and knotting, and eliminating the need for internal guides and straps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wire is drawn upwards through the inner side of the support ring, then the wire withdrawal is controlled, but the wire becomes knotted due to torsional stresses and accumulated internal stresses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire withdrawal controlVSAvoidknotting
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional wire drawing approach by drawing the wire from the outside of the support ring instead of through the inner side. This reversal changes the wire's path and eliminates the knotting problem caused by torsional stresses, while still maintaining controlled wire withdrawal through the rotating guide eye.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

A rotating guide eye is introduced as an intermediary element between the wire bundle and the wire draw-off point. This guide eye rotates about the wire bundle's axis and provides a controlled deflection point that guides the wire away from the bundle in a controlled manner, preventing loop formation and knotting while maintaining withdrawal control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the wire is pulled off from the inside of the support ring, then the support ring can be positioned precisely, but inner bands and internal guides are required to prevent wire from jumping outwards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport ring positioningVSAvoidinternal guides and bands
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the wire drawing operation from the interior of the support ring structure and moves it to the exterior. The wire is drawn from the outside of the support ring through a rotating guide eye, eliminating the need for inner bands and internal guiding structures while maintaining precise control through the simplified external configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If pre-torsional tension is applied to the wire or winding pattern is optimized, then knotting is reduced, but manufacturing variations cannot completely eliminate the tendency for wire to form knots

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire preparationVSAvoidknot-free wire withdrawal
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of the wire's inherent torsional stresses and internal tensions into a beneficial controlled path. By drawing the wire from the outside through a rotating guide eye, the wire's natural tendencies are channeled into a controlled trajectory that prevents knotting, making the wire's physical properties work in favor of reliable withdrawal rather than against it.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

Ensures uninterrupted wire withdrawal without knotting, utilizing the wire's flexural rigidity to keep it pressed against the container wall, reducing the risk of twisting and entanglement, and allowing the wire to be pulled out without forming loops, thus preventing system standstill.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing the wire's flexural rigidity to keep it pressed against the container wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlexural rigidity:

Implementation Method 2

the wire's inherent stresses to maintain a controlled course

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInherent stresses: Stress Relaxation

Implementation Method 3

A rotary eye is rotatably mounted on the support ring, allowing the wire to be pulled off externally and guided through two deflection points

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotation:

Data Source

PatentEP4061754B1Device for the removal of wire from a wire package
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 VOESTALPINE BOHLER WELDING GERMANY
  • EP4061754B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4061754B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4061754B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for removing wire from a wire bundle (3) having a wire coil, which device comprises a wire container (1), in which the wire bundle (3) having the wire coil is arranged, a support ring (7) arranged on the wire bundle (3), and a guide for the wire (6) to be drawn from the wire bundle (3). The wire (6) can be drawn on the outside of the support ring (7) facing the inner wall of the wire container (1), the guide being formed by an eye (10) which is rotatably mounted on the support ring (7) and through which the wire (6) to be drawn can be passed.