Rotating Shaping Element for Wire Bundle Cross-Section Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of stranded conductors is complex and costly, particularly when aiming for high flexibility and compactness, which is a challenge in the automotive sector where low-voltage lines with numerous individual wires are required.
Innovation Solution
A method that eliminates the need for stranding by feeding a bundle of individual wires directly to an extruder, where a rotating shaping element sets the desired cross-sectional shape before sheathing, reducing stress on the wires and eliminating the need for twisting, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individual wires are twisted together to form a stranded conductor, then flexibility of the conductor is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the twisting operation from the manufacturing process by using pre-twisted wire bundles supplied from reels, eliminating the need for on-site stranding equipment and operations while maintaining the flexibility benefits of stranded conductors
Solution Approach 2:
The wire bundles are pre-twisted and prepared in advance on reels before being fed into the extruder, allowing the flexibility structure to be created beforehand rather than during the cable manufacturing process itself
2Ease of operation
If individual wires are twisted together to form a stranded conductor, then flexibility of the conductor is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the twisting operation from the manufacturing process by using pre-twisted wire bundles, eliminating the need for expensive stranding machines and reducing production costs while preserving flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The wire bundles are supplied in a ready-to-use twisted state from reels, making them self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional manufacturing equipment and operations to create the stranded structure
3Shape
If wire bundle is compacted by compressing individual wires, then compactness of the conductor is improved, but stress on individual wires increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wire bundles are pre-compacted into circular cross-sections before being fed to the extruder, achieving compactness in advance without subjecting wires to excessive stress during the extrusion process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cross-sectional shape parameter of the wire bundle to circular form through pre-compaction, achieving compactness while controlling the stress applied to individual wires during the shaping process
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
This method enables cost-effective production of flexible cables with reduced material and weight savings, maintaining high flexibility while minimizing manufacturing complexity and costs, particularly beneficial for automotive applications.
Implementation Method 1
the individual wires of the wire bundle, which are particularly loose, are brought together in a radial direction
Implementation Method 2
the insulating sheath is applied to the wire bundle by the extruder
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to cables (2) and to a method for producing a corresponding cable (2) having a wire bundle (6) composed of a number of individual wires (10) and having an insulating sheath (8), wherein the wire bundle (6) is guided along a longitudinal centre axis (20) by a shaping element (18) in order to guide and to specify the cross-sectional shape of the wire bundle (6) in a feeding region immediately upstream of an extruder (16), wherein the shaping element (18) rotates about the longitudinal centre axis (20), and wherein the insulating sheath (8) is subsequently applied to the wire bundle (6) by means of the extruder (16).