Spiral Spring Separation Using Two-Axis Vibration After Relaxation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of spiral springs after heat treatment, particularly for compensating spiral springs and those made of titanium alloy, is challenging due to increased friction forces, leading to high scrap rates during manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A device with a vibrating table and notched spindle is used to separate strapped spiral springs by vibrating them along two orthogonal axes, generating tangent vibratory movements to elastically deform the coils and facilitate separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If spiral springs are heat treated to achieve final shape and increased hardness, then the elastic limit and hardness are improved, but the friction force between nested spiral springs increases making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through a vibrating table that generates oscillations in two orthogonal directions. This vibration causes the nested spiral springs to vibrate and momentarily separate during each cycle, reducing the frictional contact between them and enabling successful separation after heat treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the spiral springs through heat treatment (relaxation cycle) to achieve the desired elastic limit and hardness. The temperature and time parameters are controlled to optimize both the mechanical properties and the subsequent separability through vibration.
2Strength
If titanium alloy is used to improve corrosion resistance and strength, then the material performance is improved, but the friction force between spiral springs increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The vibrating table specifically addresses the high friction characteristic of titanium alloy spiral springs by generating sustained vibrations that prevent the springs from adhering to each other during the separation process, making it feasible to work with these high-performance materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the high-friction titanium alloy material and the separation process, enabling the separation to occur despite the inherently high friction forces present in titanium alloy springs.
3Reliability
If compensating spiral springs are manufactured to achieve thermal compensation, then the chronometric performance is improved, but the separation process becomes particularly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The two-directional vibration system is particularly effective for compensating spiral springs, which have complex geometries and tighter tolerances. The vibration ensures that even these precision components can be separated without damage or excessive friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat treatment parameters are optimized specifically for compensating spiral springs to achieve the desired thermal compensation properties while maintaining separability through the subsequent vibration 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
Effectively separates spiral springs, reducing scrap rates and improving manufacturing efficiency, especially for titanium alloy springs.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrating table movable along two different axes which extend in the same plane, defining a vibration plane P1, the vibrating table being configured to vibrate said support in a plane parallel to the vibration plane P1
Implementation Method 2
Such vibration makes it possible to elastically deform the different coils of spiral springs by following the shape of the coils starting from the center of the assembly and propagating towards the external coils of the spiral springs
Data Source
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AI summary
One aspect of the invention relates to a device (100) for separating a set (10) of spiral springs (12) that have been strapped and have undergone a relaxation cycle, the device (100) comprising: a support (110) comprising notches (113) intended to receive the inner strands (13) of the spiral springs (12) that have been strapped constituting the set (10), a vibrating table (120) that can move along two different axes that extend in the same plane, defining a vibration plane (P1), the vibrating table (120) being configured to vibrate said support (110) in a plane parallel to the vibration plane (P1). Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a spiral spring.