Movable Wire Shaping Head for Direct Spring Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation of small, resilient springs is challenging due to their low mass and resilient nature, requiring frequent adjustments in transportation arrangements when switching between different spring shapes, lengths, or wire gauges, leading to inefficiencies and downtime in manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A wire shaping apparatus with a forming device that can move independently of the supply station, allowing for precise placement of shaped and cut wire portions directly where needed, eliminating the need for separate transportation apparatus by integrating a remotely controlled forming device with guide and feed rollers, and optionally ancillary tools, on a moveable platform or robotic arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate transportation apparatus are used to transport springs from the forming station, then the springs can be moved to the next processing stage, but the apparatus require frequent adjustments and re-optimization when spring types change, leading to manufacturing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the forming device and placement functionality into a single integrated unit. The forming device performs both spring formation and direct placement onto the workpiece, eliminating the need for separate transportation apparatus and reducing changeover time when switching between spring types.
Solution Approach 2:
The forming device is designed with multi-functionality, capable of forming different types of springs (varying in shape, size, and wire gauge) and directly placing them onto workpieces. This universal capability eliminates the need for re-optimizing transportation arrangements when spring types change.
2Reliability
If transportation arrangements are optimized for specific spring types, then small resilient springs can be transported effectively, but any change in spring shape, length, or wire gauge requires re-optimization of the transportation system
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the forming and placement operations into a single forming device, the system eliminates the separate transportation step that caused the contradiction. The forming device directly places springs onto workpieces, maintaining reliability while achieving full adaptability to different spring types.
Solution Approach 2:
The forming device is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing it to adapt to different spring types (shapes, lengths, wire gauges) without requiring changes to separate transportation arrangements. The device can be reconfigured for different spring specifications while maintaining reliable placement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a heavy support plate is used to mount all forming tools and transportation apparatus, then the apparatus structure is stable, but the system becomes complex and requires separate transportation components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the forming device and placement functionality into a single integrated unit mounted on the support plate. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components (forming tools, transportation apparatus, etc.) while maintaining structural stability, thereby reducing system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus for forming wire components, which are in this example springs, comprises a supply station (202), for supplying spring forming material, such as metallic wire W. The supply station includes a pair of guide rollers (204) and pair of driven feed rollers (206), mounted on a heavy support plate (216). The wire is fed through a flexible sheath FS to a remotely located wire shaping device, in particular a spring forming device 208, comprising forming tools (210), a pitch control tool (212) and a cutter (214). The forming tools (210) and the pitch control tool (212) form the wire into a spring S, which is cut from the supply of wire when it is complete. The tools (210, 212) and cutter (214) are controlled remotely from a control station (220) via a bundle of flexible control cables (222), which may include a power cable. The spring forming device 208 is mounted on a positioning member (224), such as a robot arm or moveable table, configured for three-dimensional movement, and/or optionally adjustments in inclination. Without the heavy plate (216) and rollers (205, 206), the spring forming device (208) is sufficiently light in weight and compact as to be moved by the positioning member (224) to a location in which springs are to be used, thereby avoiding the need for transportation apparatus to convey the springs from the place where they are formed to the place where they are to be used.