Winding Spool With Segmented Chambers And Guide Channel

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing winding spools for hedge trimmer heads often lead to incorrect wire loading due to the wire's mechanical strength and memory of shape curvature, causing jamming issues during operation and increasing non-operation times as operators must repeatedly unwind and re-load the wire.

Innovation Solution

A winding spool design featuring a hub with a channel and flanges that guide the wire into separate chambers, utilizing terminal portions and guide recesses to ensure proper winding direction and prevent peaks, facilitating efficient and correct wire loading from the first operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the wire is wound manually about the spool in two chambers, then the wire loading process can be performed, but the wire tends to invade the wrong chamber causing incorrect loading and jamming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire loading processVSAvoidwire winding correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spool is divided into two distinct chambers separated by a central flange, with each chamber having its own dedicated wire insertion hole. This segmentation prevents wire from one chamber from invading the other chamber, eliminating the jamming problem caused by incorrect winding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A channel structure is introduced as an intermediary element to guide the wire from the insertion hole to the correct winding path on the hub. The channel acts as a mediator that controls wire direction and prevents it from deviating into the wrong chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the wire is made with sufficient mechanical strength to prevent frequent breaking, then the wire can withstand cutting operations, but the wire's memory of shape curvature causes it to form peaks during winding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire mechanical strengthVSAvoidwire winding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The channel serves as a guiding intermediary that controls the wire's path during winding. By constraining the wire within the channel, the natural curvature memory of the strong wire is directed along the correct path, preventing peak formation while maintaining the wire's mechanical strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The wire is pre-positioned and guided through the channel before the actual winding operation begins. This preliminary guidance ensures that even strong wire with curvature memory starts winding from the correct position and follows the intended path, avoiding peak formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the operator repeatedly unwinds and re-loads the wire to correct loading errors, then correct winding can be achieved, but non-operation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire loading correctnessVSAvoidnon-operation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the spool into two independent chambers with separate insertion holes, the system eliminates the need for corrective re-winding operations. The segmentation ensures that wire loaded into one chamber cannot affect the other, achieving correct loading from the first attempt and eliminating time-wasting repetition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The channel and chamber structure provide self-guiding functionality that automatically ensures correct wire loading without requiring operator intervention or knowledge of proper winding techniques. The system serves itself by preventing incorrect loading through its geometric constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3622794B1A winding spool for a wire for a trimmer head
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 TECOMEC
  • EP3622794B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3622794B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3622794B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Spool 1 for winding wire 2 comprising a hub 3, having a cylindrical external surface 4 extending around a main axis X-X, on which a channel 5 is afforded for guiding the wire 2 through the hub 3 terminating with a first hole 51 and a second hole 52. Three flanges 6,7,8 to define at least two chambers for winding the wire about the hub 3. Wherein the aforesaid hole 51 terminates with a respective terminal portion 9 made inside the cylindrical external surface 4.