U.S. patent application number 10/515410 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-13 for cable guide for cable insulation stripping machines.
Invention is credited to Burri, Martin.
Application Number | 20050224629 10/515410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29555528 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050224629 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Burri, Martin |
October 13, 2005 |
Cable guide for cable insulation stripping machines
Abstract
The invention relates to an insulation stripping device
comprising an essentially tubular cable guide whose inside diameter
can be continuously adjusted thereby enabling it to be adapted to
different cable diameters.
Inventors: |
Burri, Martin; (Thun,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS & BUJOLD, P.L.L.C.
FOURTH FLOOR
500 N. COMMERCIAL STREET
MANCHESTER
NH
03101-1151
US
|
Family ID: |
29555528 |
Appl. No.: |
10/515410 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
May 22, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB03/01954 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/615.3 ;
226/196.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G 1/1248
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/615.3 ;
226/196.1 |
International
Class: |
B65H 057/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 23, 2002 |
CH |
2002 0868/02 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A cable guide comprising: at least one longitudinal guide
segment, a cable guide passage at least indirectly formed by the at
least one longitudinal guide segment, and, a ring gear
operationally connected to the at least one longitudinal guide
segment so as to effect diameter adjustment of the cable guide
passage.
18. The cable guide according to claim 17, further including a
plurality of longitudinal guide segments together at least
indirectly forming the guide passage.
19. The cable guide according to claim 17, further including a
toothed segment on the at least one longitudinal guide segment, the
toothed segment turning as a result of ring gear rotation.
20. An adjustable cable guide comprising: a spiral spring, and, an
adjustable cable passage formed at the center of the spiral
spring.
21. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 20, further
including a pressure-applying mechanism adapted to exert force on
the spiral spring to adjust the diameter of the cable passage.
22. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 21, wherein the
pressure-applying mechanism adjusts the diameter of the cable
passage at least approximately symmetrically relative to a
longitudinal axis of the passage.
23. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 21, further
including an electronic control system operationally controlling
the pressure-applying mechanism.
24. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 20, wherein the
spiral spring is at least in part formed of a plastic material.
25. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 20, further
including a conically tapering infeed region formed in the
passage.
26. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 20, wherein the
spiral spring is adapted to respond to direct contact with a
pressurized medium to controllably adjust the diameter of the
passage.
27. An adjustable cable guide comprising: a broad spring, a loop
formed by the broad spring, and, an adjustable cable passage
delimited by the loop.
28. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 27, further
including a force-applying mechanism adapted to exert force on the
broad spring to adjust the diameter of the cable passage.
29. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 28, further
including an electronic control system operationally controlling
the force-applying mechanism.
30. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 28, wherein the
force-applying mechanism adjusts the diameter of the cable passage
at least approximately symmetrically relative to a longitudinal
axis of the passage.
31. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 27, wherein the
broad spring has a longitudinal body, and an end of the broad
spring passes through the longitudinal body to form the loop.
32. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 27, further
including a conically tapering infeed region formed in the
passage.
33. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 27, wherein the
broad spring is adapted to respond to direct contact with a
pressurized medium to controllably adjust the diameter of the
passage.
34. A cable guide comprising: at least one curved flexible guide
plate, an adjustable-radius cable passage delimited by the at least
one flexible guide plate, and at least one radially adjustable
guide roller operably connected to the at least one curved flexible
guide plate to effect adjustment of cable passage radius.
35. The cable guide of claim 34, further including a plurality of
curved flexible guide plates.
36. The cable guide of claim 35, wherein the at least one radially
adjustable guide roller adjusts diameter of the cable passage at
least approximately symmetrically relative to a longitudinal axis
of the passage.
37. An adjustable cable guide comprising: a plurality of generally
arcuate, radially arranged flexible spring segments, and; an
adjustable cable passage delimited by the radially arranged spring
segments.
38. The adjustable cable guide of claim 37, further including at
least one pressure-applying mechanism acting on the plurality of
spring segments to adjust the diameter of the cable passage.
39. The adjustable cable guide of claim 38, wherein the at least
one pressure-applying mechanism adjusts the diameter of the passage
at least approximately symmetrically relative to a longitudinal
axis of the passage.
40. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 38, further
including an electronic control system operationally controlling
the at least one pressure-applying mechanism.
41. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 37, further
including a conically tapering infeed region formed in the
passage.
42. An adjustable cable guide comprising: a plurality of elongated
longitudinal guide segments, an adjustable diameter longitudinal
cable passage delimited by the plural longitudinal guide segments,
a first radially extending end surface for at least one guide
segment, a second radially extending end surface for the at least
one guide segment, bearing elements located on both the first
radially extending end surface and the second radially extending
end surface, and, an actuating assembly positioning the at least
one guide segment so as to controllably adjust the diameter of the
cable passage.
43. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 42, further
including a guide segment body connected to the at least one guide
segment, with the first and second radially extending end surfaces
located at least in part on the guide segment body.
44. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 42, wherein the
actuating assembly positions the at least one guide segment via at
least one of the bearing elements.
45. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 42, further
including respective first radially extending end surfaces for a
plurality of the segments, respective second radially extending end
surfaces for a plurality of the segments, and, respective bearing
elements located on both the respective first radially extending
end surfaces and the respective second radially extending end
surfaces of a plurality of the segments, the actuating assembly
operatively connected to at least some of the bearing elements to
position a plurality of the guide segments.
46. The adjustable cable guide according to claim 42, further
including an electronic control system operationally controlling
the actuating assembly.
Description
[0001] This application is a national stage completion of
PCT/IB03/01954 filed May 22, 2003 which claims priority from Swiss
Application Ser. No. 2002 0868/02 filed May 23, 2002.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The invention relates to a cable guide for cable insulation
stripping machines.
[0003] Cable insulation stripping machines are frequently designed
as continuously operating machines processing continuous cables and
provide--before, after and between drive means and cable processing
devices--guides for the cable to be processed. These guides are
generally formed by tubes which have partly funnel-shaped infeed
regions.
[0004] In many cases, these tubes are pivotable (longer guide tube
in PS 9500 Powerstrip) or displaceable (shorter guide tubes in PS
9500 Powerstrip) or are fixed, so that cable sections can
optionally be fed to a processing device or in a direction pointing
away from the processing device, or that the guides are removable
from their operating position, or that guides are always arranged
in the same place.
[0005] Conventional cable guides are formed in each case for
specific cable diameters and accordingly have to be changed
manually.
[0006] However, this manual changing requires a relatively long
time and some manual skill, so that it is an object of the
invention to reduce the effort involved in manipulating the known
cable guides.
[0007] The use of a revolver head having a plurality of tubes of
different internal diameters fastened therein, which can be brought
as required into their operating position by turning the revolver
head, is proposed as an obvious solution to this problem. Such a
solution is also provided in the PS 9500 Powerstrip of the
Applicant before a first transport means.
[0008] Such a revolver head having cable guides has also become
known in the case of insulation stripping machines MP 8015 of the
Applicant. However, the cable guide used there is not employed for
continuous cable processing but for an insulation stripping device
by means of which in each case insulation can be stripped only from
end regions of individual cable sections.
[0009] This previous solution has the following disadvantage
compared with the original solution with changeable guide tubes:
since the axis of rotation of the revolver has to be located
outside the centre of the cable, the lateral construction size
increases. During the rotation operation of the revolver, the cable
has to be removed from the guide and at the same time no cable feed
can take place. In the event that incorrect guide tubes are
selected in error, the original solution as well as the revolver
head solution is inconvenient in that the cable has to be
completely unthreaded again before the guide can be changed. This
is disadvantageous and time-consuming for the user.
[0010] Moreover, the known solutions can be used only in
association with existing, stepped guide tube diameters, so that
cable diameters which are between the steps of the individual guide
tubes can be guided only with greater difficulty than cable
diameters which exactly fit the step present.
[0011] The prior art also discloses further superstructures having
adjustable guides:
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,490 describes a manual device for cable
slitting and insulation stripping, in which a prismatic support
which centres the cable is provided. A back-stop which is
adjustable in height and presses the cable against the prismatic
support and thus centres it laterally in one direction is present
opposite the prismatic support. In this design, concentric guidance
is not possible since the cable lies at a greater or lesser depth
in the prismatic support depending on the cable diameter.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,047 describes a cable insulation
stripping device having a total of four guide rollers which are
arranged in pairs one behind the other and, viewed in
cross-section, form a rectangular guide channel (cf. FIG. 3),
which, however, is open in each case on two sides and cannot
therefore perform complete guidance and support of the cable on all
sides.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,286 describes a two-sided guide in which
two elongated guide bars can be displaced relative to one another
by means of threaded spindles. This design, too, therefore does not
permit guidance on all sides and also does not provide continuous
centring of the cable since the centre of the cable is displaced
upwards or downwards depending on the cable diameter.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,008 shows, in FIGS. 7 and 8, a guide
which--controlled by means of a cone--permits the displacement of
two jaws having guide surfaces (228 and 248). It is true that this
permits closing of the jaws onto a small cable diameter; however,
the centre of the cable is likewise displaced depending on the
cable diameter. Moreover, this design, like that described directly
above, lacks true concentric guidance since there are no
symmetrical support surfaces for a cable.
SUMMARY
[0016] It is therefore an object of the invention to facilitate the
manipulation with guides in association with a change of cable
diameter. A second object, to be achieved simultaneously, is to
permit continuous adaptation to different cable diameters.
[0017] It is intended thereby to eliminate the disadvantages which
arise in the case of the original solution and in the case of the
solution involving the revolver head.
[0018] The two objects are achieved by providing a system having at
least one tube whose internal diameter can be changed by changing
the tube geometry at least approximately symmetrically relative to
the longitudinal axis of the tube.
[0019] Such a change of geometries can be effected, for example, by
a segment-like design whose segments can be adjusted relative to
one another so that the internal tube diameter changes
continuously. It can also be effected if the tube wall is made
flexible and can be stretched or compressed. Thus, the tube may be
designed, for example, as a spring which is spiral in cross-section
and can be adjusted in its internal diameter by the action of a
force from outside.
[0020] A specific embodiment of the invention envisages that the
segments are formed from elongated, rigid plates which are guided
relative to one another, similarly to an iris diaphragm in a camera
or similarly to the centring jaws in the rotary box of the
Scheulinger model PS 9500 Powerstrip machine, or in models MP 8015
or JS 8300. The centring jaws of the rotary box and those of the JS
8300 are stationary, whereas the centring jaws of model MP 8015
rotate with the knives.
[0021] In contrast to these known centring means or clamping
devices, elongated plates are several times longer than the maximum
adjustable diameter of the guide tube.
[0022] Another specific embodiment uses an elongated spiral spring
or a spiral spring body which is composed of spiral spring segments
and can be operated with diameter variation so that the inner end
or ends of the spiral spring or of the spiral spring segments rests
or rest against the inner wall of the spiral spring or against the
inner wall of an adjacent spiral spring segment, or slide along
this during the adjustment. Suitable material for the spiral spring
(segments) are conventional spring metals, for example spring
steels, or plastics, in particular fibre-reinforced plastics.
[0023] Both specific embodiments described can also be combined
with one another by connecting spiral spring segments to the rigid
segment plates so that the segment plates provide a seal against
one another.
[0024] The advantage of the segment plate solution is a robust,
rigid design, while the advantage of the spiral spring or spiral
spring segment construction entails less mechanical complexity.
[0025] A seal between tube segments sliding against one another may
be advantageous for certain cable types (in particular for fine
wires), in order to prevent jamming of such wires.
[0026] In a further development of the invention, the adjustment is
effected by means of a motor--in particular with electronic
actuation--so that an operator or a sensor-controlled controller
sets the internal tube diameter required in each case. Embodiments
in which the cable information--either detected by sensors or input
by programming--automatically sets the correct diameter via the
machine control are particularly advantageous.
[0027] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings,
where:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a version of a universal guide in exploded
view.
[0029] FIG. 1a further shows the universal guide of FIG. 1 in the
assembled state.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows another version of the universal guide in
exploded view.
[0031] FIG. 2a further shows the universal guide of FIG. 2 in the
assembled state.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows yet another version of the universal guide in
exploded view.
[0033] FIG. 3a further shows the universal guide of FIG. 3 in the
assembled state.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows a short guide segment.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a long guide segment.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows another version of the adjustable guide.
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a further version of the adjustable guide.
[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates another version of the adjustable
guide.
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a further version of the adjustable guide.
[0040] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another version of the
adjustable guide.
[0041] FIG. 11 further shows the adjustable guide of FIG. 10 in an
exploded view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] The description of the figures and the list of reference
numerals form a unit which supplement one another through the other
parts of the description and claims in the context of a complete
disclosure.
[0043] Identical reference numerals denote identical components;
reference numerals having identical numbers but different indices
denote different components having the same function or tasks. The
figures are described as a whole and in association with one
another and are shown only by way of example and not necessarily in
correct proportions.
[0044] Since they only represent embodiments, the description of
the figures does not limit the invention.
[0045] The invention is described in more detail by way of example
with reference to diagrams.
[0046] FIG. 1 shows the design of a universal guide in an exploded
view, in which, starting from a cover 3, a multi-part guide segment
body 4, which is held by a guide holder 1, is shown. It is evident
here that opening or closing of guide segments 17 is effected by
means of guide slots 18 in the cover 3 via the straight pins 12 and
13 acting as bearing elements as shown. The guide segments 17 are
connected to the respective coordinated parts of the guide segment
body 4, and are optionally formed integrally therewith. Per partial
guide segment body 4, straight pins 12, 13 are likewise firmly
connected to it. The parts of the guide segment body 4 provide
mutual support or slide past one another during adjustment.
[0047] Socket-head cap screws 11 clamp the cover 3 to the guide
holder 1 and a scale-bearing cover 5 which is connected to a casing
19. The casing 19 and/or the cover 3 or the guide segments 17 can
be provided at their end, for example, with a funnel-shaped conical
infeed region.
[0048] A cam plate 2 on which the scale-bearing cover 5 is held by
means of a nut, for example a knurled nut 7, so as to be axially
displaceable rests on a sliding bearing 6 on the guide holder 1.
The scale-bearing cover 5 has the task of making it possible for a
user to set a chosen tube diameter setting. Spring-loaded thrust
pieces 8 which are secured by hexagon nuts 14 lock the
scale-bearing cover 5 relative to the cam plate 2.
[0049] FIG. 1a shows the universal guide according to the
invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in the assembled state.
[0050] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a universal guide which is
distinguished by particularly short guide segments 17a. Depending
on requirements, it is fixed rigidly in position or is mounted
before and after the knife head (in PS 9500 Powerstrip) so as to be
vertically displaceable, analogously to the known vertically
displaceable guides, which is not shown. However, it has no casing
19, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0051] FIG. 2a shows the embodiment according to FIG. 2 in the
assembled state.
[0052] FIG. 3 shows a variant of FIG. 1 in which the guide segments
17b are designed to be particularly long and in which the entire
guide head is pivotably held by a deflecting means 16 which acts as
a support. The deflecting means 16 is controlled, as known per se
(i.e. pipe in PS Powerstrip 9500), by a suitable mechanism or by,
for example, a motor, pneumatic or electromagnetic drive and is
driven in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the universal
guide is present on the one hand in the cable axis and is oblique
thereto in the swivelled-out state. The deflecting means is
connected by means of metal retaining plates 20 and socket-head cap
screws 15 to an extended retaining part 21 of the scale-bearing
cover 5.
[0053] FIG. 3a showed the design according to FIG. 3 in the
assembled state.
[0054] FIG. 4 shows a short guide segment 17a in detail with its
guide segment body 4a and
[0055] FIG. 5 shows a long guide segment 17b in combination with
its guide segment body 4b.
[0056] The length of the segments 17 may be a multiple of the
adjustable cable diameter.
[0057] The actuation of the guide segments 17, 17a and 17b is
effected similarly to the actuation of those of the clamping or
centring jaws of the Applicant's machines mentioned in the
introductory part of the description and is described, for example,
in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,797. Details of the actuation, such as, for
example, the drives, spring return travel, etc., and variants
thereof can be derived or adopted without problems from the prior
art by a person skilled in the art. The content of U.S. Pat. No.
5,010,797 is hereby incorporated by reference in the present
Application text. The pins 12, 13 mentioned in the figures can
therefore also be replaced, for example, by lever arms (31 and 32)
from FIG. 13 of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,797. Solutions which make
use of, for example, pins (11) and grooves (14) according to FIG. 1
and FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,797 are also within the scope of
the invention.
[0058] A version of the invention which is based on another
principle is shown in FIG. 6, in which spring-loaded segments 22
engage one another in such a way that they enclose a variable tube
space and can be caused to perform a diameter reduction by pressure
from outside (arrow A), but the segments expand again to a larger
diameter on reduction of the pressure. The pressure can be applied
by rods, spindles or eccentric cams known per se, which are not
shown here in detail. The spiral spring segments 22 may be
connected to rigid segment plates 17 and thus seal the segment
plates 17 against one another.
[0059] A further somewhat different principle is evident from FIG.
7, in which a single elongated spiral spring 23 is used as a guide
tube. This spring 23 is designed so that it tends to open to the
largest internal diameter. When pressure is applied from outside
(arrow B), the internal diameter decreases by virtue of the fact
that the inner end of the spiral spring 23 is displaced or rolled
in along the spring wall in the closing direction. Thus, the spiral
spring 23 may have its internal diameter adjusted by the action of
an outside force. In these versions, the spiral spring segments 22
or the elongated spiral spring 23 can be operated in such a way
that the inner end or ends of the spring 23 or the segments 22
rests against the inner wall of the spiral spring 23 or rest
against the inner wall of an adjacent spiral spring segment 22 or
slides along said wall on adjustment. The spiral spring segments 22
or the spiral spring 23 may be composed of conventional spring
steels or of plastic, particularly fibre-reinforced plastic.
[0060] A further version is shown schematically in FIG. 8, in which
a broad spring 24 serves as a guide tube and is based on the
principle of a loop. One end of the spring 25 passes through the
other spring end 26, through a slit so as to intermesh, the two
ends being formed in a comb-like manner. The diameter of the guide
can thus be adjusted over wide ranges by a tensile force (arrow C)
at the two spring ends 25, 26. If it is intended for the centre of
the guide always to remain in the same position, the tensile force
at both spring ends 25 and 26 must be applied symmetrically and a
diameter reduction must additionally be compensated by a lateral
displacement of the entire structure (transverse arrow D). Thus, as
described in the foregoing paragraphs, in several versions of the
invention the tube wall is designed to be flexible and may be
stretched or compressed.
[0061] After a study of these exemplary data, various specific
possible implementations will automatically occur to a person
skilled in the art so that these details will not be explained in
more detail here.
[0062] FIG. 9 shows a further version of a radially adjustable
cable guide. This has three guide rollers 28 radially adjustable in
the direction of the arrows "E" and guide plates 29 connected to
said rollers. The guide plates 29 preferably consist of elastic
spring steel and are connected to the guide rollers, for example,
by welding or riveting. The radius of curvature R of the guide
plates 29 corresponds approximately to half the diameter d of the
smallest cable 27 to be held. In the case of larger cable
diameters, the guide plates 29 can thus adapt in terms of the
radius R to the external diameter of the cable. The free ends of
the guide plates 29 are rolled up or bent over in order to avoid
damage to the surface of the cable by sharp edges.
[0063] The perspective FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 shown as an exploded
diagram show a further possibility for an adjustable cable guide.
There, guide segments 34 are in each case mounted at both ends by
means of journals 35. A toothed segment 33 having teeth is mounted
on each of these guide segments. The teeth of the toothed segment
33 engage from the inside a toothed ring 31 which is rotatably
mounted in a housing 30. A pin 38 which is movable in a recess 36
in the housing 30 is fixed radially on the outside of the toothed
ring 31. Two coaxial adjusting screws 39 are arranged in such a way
that they pass through the housing 30, their free ends coming to a
stop loosely on one side each of the pin 38. If the adjusting
screws 39 are displaced axially in diametrically opposite
directions, the toothed ring 31 is rotated by means of the pin 38.
This in turn drives the displaceably mounted guide segments 34 by
means of the toothed segments 33. Thus, the adjustment of
displaceably mounted guide segments 34 may be effected by rotation
of toothed ring 31 via teeth engaging therein, or toothed segments
33 of the guide segments 34. The size of the recess 36 in the
housing 30 determines the maximum angle of rotation and hence the
smallest and largest possible diameter of the cable guide. Securing
screws 40 serve for fixing the adjusting screws 39. All the guide
segments 34 are arranged in a casing 37. A cover 32 which closes
the housing 30 is fixed by means of hexagon socket head screws
41.
[0064] Advantageously, a funnel-shaped, preferably conically
tapering infeed region (19a) may be located upstream of the
adjustable guide region in the several versions of the
invention.
[0065] In all versions of the invention, adjustment may be effected
by a motor--in particular electronically--so that an operator or a
sensor--controlled controller sets the respective required internal
tube diameter. Thus, a control may be provided, with the aid of
which the cable information--either detected by sensors or input be
programming--automatically sets the correct diameter. In the
versions of the invention, the adjustment of the segments and/or of
the elastic tube wall segments or tube wall elements may be
effected by hydraulic or pneumatic actuators or by means of contact
with a pressure medium.
[0066] The following list of reference numerals is part of the
description. The assemblies, devices and details mentioned in the
Patent Claims are considered also to have been disclosed in the
description. The spirit and scope of the appended claims should not
be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained
herein.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0067] 1--Guide holder
[0068] 2--Cam plate
[0069] 3--Cover
[0070] 4a, b--Guide segment body
[0071] 5--Scale-bearing cover
[0072] 6--Sliding bearing
[0073] 7--Knurled nut
[0074] 8--Spring-loaded thrust piece
[0075] 9--Threaded pin
[0076] 10--Socket-head cap screw
[0077] 11--Socket-head cap screw
[0078] 12--Straight pin
[0079] 13--Straight pin
[0080] 14--Hexagon nut
[0081] 15--Socket-head cap screw
[0082] 16--Deflecting means
[0083] 17, a, b--Guide segment
[0084] 18--Guide slot
[0085] 19--Casing
[0086] 20--Metal retaining plate
[0087] 21--Retaining part
[0088] 22--Spring-loaded segments
[0089] 23--Spiral spring
[0090] 24--Broad spring
[0091] 25--One spring end
[0092] 26--Other spring end
[0093] 27--Cable
[0094] 28--Adjustable guide roller
[0095] 29--Guide plate
[0096] 30--Housing
[0097] 31--Toothed ring
[0098] 32--Cover
[0099] 33--Toothed segment
[0100] 34--Guide segment
[0101] 35--Journal
[0102] 36--Recess
[0103] 37--Casing
[0104] 38--Pin
[0105] 39--Adjusting screw
[0106] 40--Securing screw
[0107] 41--Hexagon socket head screw
* * * * *