U.S. patent application number 12/717193 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-08 for methods and apparatus for continuous winding of spools and products made therefrom.
This patent application is currently assigned to KISWEL, INC.. Invention is credited to Gab Su Ha, Jong Heon Lee, Cheol Woo Ryu.
Application Number | 20110215182 12/717193 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44041708 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110215182 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ryu; Cheol Woo ; et
al. |
September 8, 2011 |
Methods and Apparatus for Continuous Winding of Spools and Products
Made Therefrom
Abstract
A method of winding a wire about a plurality of spools is
provided. The method includes locating the plurality of spools on a
winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion. An adaptor plate is
located between adjacent spools. The adaptor plate includes a wire
catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler
feeding the wire to the spools moves from one spool to the next
spool while the winding shaft rotates.
Inventors: |
Ryu; Cheol Woo; (Florence,
KY) ; Lee; Jong Heon; (Marietta, GA) ; Ha; Gab
Su; (Florence, KY) |
Assignee: |
KISWEL, INC.
Florence
KY
|
Family ID: |
44041708 |
Appl. No.: |
12/717193 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/164 ;
242/474.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 65/00 20130101;
B65H 75/28 20130101; B65H 2701/36 20130101; B21C 47/12 20130101;
B65H 54/205 20130101; B65H 55/00 20130101; B65H 67/056 20130101;
B21C 47/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/164 ;
242/474.8 |
International
Class: |
B65H 54/02 20060101
B65H054/02; B65H 55/00 20060101 B65H055/00 |
Claims
1. A method of winding a wire about a plurality of spools, the
method comprising: locating the plurality of spools on a winding
shaft in a side-by-side fashion; and locating an adaptor plate
between adjacent spools, the adaptor plate including a wire catch
feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the
wire to the spools moves from one spool to the next spool while the
winding shaft rotates.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire is a welding wire.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of locating the
plurality of spools on the winding shaft includes locating at least
three spools on the winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of locating the adaptor
plate between adjacent spools includes locating a first adaptor
plate between adjacent spools and locating a second adaptor plate
between adjacent spools, the first and second adaptor plates each
including a plurality of notches extending inwardly from an outer
periphery of each of the first and second adaptor plates for
catching the wire as the traveler feeding the wire to the spools
moves between adjacent spools.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising severing the wire
between adjacent spools thereby forming a terminating end for the
one spool and a starting end for the next spool.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising affixing the starting
end of the wire of the next spool to a first spool flange of the
next spool after the next spool is wound with the wire.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising affixing a terminating
end of the wire of the next spool to a second spool flange of the
next spool after the next spool is wound with the wire.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end
and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by electric heat to
the respective first or second spool flange.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end
and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or
second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire into an opening through the
respective first or second spool flange.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end
and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by punching the at
least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire
into the respective first or second spool flange.
11. A wire winding assembly for winding wire onto a plurality of
spools, the assembly comprising: a first spool located on a winding
shaft; a second spool located on the winding shaft; and an adaptor
plate located between the first spool and the second spool, the
adaptor plate including a wire catch feature configured for
catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the first and
second spools moves from the first spool to the second spool.
12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the wire is a welding
wire.
13. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising: a third spool
located on the winding shaft; and a second adaptor plate located
between the second spool and the third spool, the second adaptor
plate including a notch extending inwardly from an outer periphery
of the second adaptor plate for catching the wire as the traveler
feeding the wire to the first, second and third spools moves from
the second spool to the third spool.
14. A metal welding wire product, comprising: a spool including a
core, a first spool flange at one end of the core and a second
spool flange at an opposite end of the core; and a metal welding
wire wound about the core forming windings, the metal welding wire
including a starting end and a terminating end; wherein both the
starting end and the terminating end of the welding wire are
located outside the windings.
15. The product of claim 14, wherein the starting end of the wire
is affixed to the first spool flange.
16. The product of claim 15, wherein the terminating end of the
wire is affixed to the second spool flange.
17. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by electric heat
to the respective first or second spool flange.
18. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or
second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire into an opening through the
respective first or second spool flange.
19. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by punching the
at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the
wire into the respective first or second spool flange.
20. The product of claim 14, wherein at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or
second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting
end and the terminating end of the wire into a groove extending
inwardly from a periphery of the respective first or second spool
flange.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present specification generally relates to methods and
apparatus for continuous winding of multiple spools and products
made therefrom.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In a conventional spool winding process, a spool may be
wound by placing it on a winding shaft of a winding machine. An
operator may initiate the winding operation by inserting a bent
starting end of the wire into an opening in a drum of the spool and
start automatically rotating the winding shaft. A traveler may be
used to guide the wire back and forth along the length of the spool
until a predetermined amount of wire is wound onto the spool.
Afterward, the winding rod slows and stops rotating and the wire
may be cut thereby providing a terminal end for the wire of the
spool and a starting end for a subsequent spool. The process may
then be repeated for the subsequent spool.
[0003] As may be appreciated, there may be stoppage time between
the winding of each spool. Additionally, the winding shaft may
increase in rotation speed at the beginning of the winding process
then decrease rotation speed at the end of the winding process for
each spool. Accordingly, a continuous winding process for a series
of spools is desirable.
SUMMARY
[0004] In one embodiment, a method of winding a wire about a
plurality of spools is provided. The method includes locating the
plurality of spools on a winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion.
An adaptor plate is located between adjacent spools. The adaptor
plate includes a wire catch feature configured for catching the
wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the spools moves from one
spool to the next spool while the winding shaft rotates.
[0005] In another embodiment, a wire winding assembly for winding
wire onto a plurality of spools includes a first spool located on a
winding shaft and a second spool located on the winding shaft. An
adaptor plate is located between the first spool and the second
spool. The adaptor plate includes a wire catch feature configured
for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the first
and second spools moves from the first spool to the second
spool.
[0006] In another embodiment, a metal welding wire product includes
a spool including a core, a first spool flange at one end of the
core and a second spool flange at an opposite end of the core. A
metal welding wire is wound about the core forming windings. The
metal welding wire includes a starting end and a terminating end.
Both of the starting end and the terminating end of the welding
wire are located outside the windings.
[0007] These and additional features provided by the embodiments
described herein will be more fully understood in view of the
following detailed description, in conjunction with the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative
and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject
matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of
the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in
conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is
indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wire winding apparatus
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spool for use in the
winding apparatus of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments
shown and described herein;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of an adaptor plate for use in the
winding apparatus of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments
shown and described herein;
[0012] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the wire winding
apparatus of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments shown and
described herein;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a spool wound with wire
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another spool wound with
wire according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spool wound with wire
having one or more of ends of the wire affixed to the spool
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another spool wound with
wire having one or more of ends of the wire affixed to the spool
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another spool wound with
wire having one or more of ends of the wire affixed to the spool
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another spool wound with
wire having one or more of ends of the wire affixed to the spool
according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;
and
[0019] FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of an adaptor
plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Embodiments described herein relate generally to methods and
apparatus for continuous winding of multiple spools with wire and
products produced therefrom. A continuous process is provided for
winding a series of spools where the wire automatically "jumps"
from spool-to-spool without any need for stopping or even slowing
down the winding process between adjacent spools. As will be
appreciated, such a continuous winding process can reduce stoppage
time and increase efficiency when winding multiple spools with
wire.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, a winding apparatus 10 generally
includes a winding shaft 12, a motor for use in rotating the
winding shaft 12 about its elongated axis and a traveler 16 that is
used to guide a continuous wire 18 to a plurality of spools 20, 22
and 24. In some embodiments, the wire 18 may be a welding wire,
such as a flux cored wire commercially available from Kiswel, Inc.
A second motor may be provided for moving the traveler 16
horizontally (or some direction other than horizontal) along a
length of a threaded guide rod 28. Adaptor plates 30 and 32 are
located between adjacent spools 20, 22 and 22, 24. A clamping wheel
34 is used to clamp the assembly of the spools 20, 22 and 24 and
adaptor plates 30 and 32 together on the winding shaft 12 so that
the assembly rotates with the winding shaft 12 during a wire
winding operation. As will be described in greater detail below,
the adaptor plates 30 and 32 each include catch features that
facilitate the jumping of the wire from one spool to the next
spool.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, the spool 20 includes a core 34 and a
first spool flange 36 and a second spool flange 38 at opposite
sides of the core 34. A shaft receiving opening 44 extends through
the spool 20 for receiving the winding shaft 12. The first and
second spool flanges 36 and 38 extend radially outwardly from the
core 34 such that a width W.sub.1 of the first and second spool
flanges 36 and 38 is greater than a width W.sub.2 of the core 34.
In some embodiments, an opening 40 is provided at the core 34, for
example, for receiving a starting end of the wire. Openings 42 may
also be provided through the first and second spool flanges 36 and
38 to receive a terminating end of the wire once the wire is wound
about the core 34. In some embodiments, the spools 20, 22 and 24
are all substantially the same in their configuration, however,
they may be different.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 3, the adaptor plate 30 includes a
shaft receiving opening 46 for receiving the winding shaft 12. Wire
catching features in the form of notches 48 extend inwardly from an
outer periphery 50 of the adaptor plate 30. While the notches are
illustrated as being U-shaped, they may be any suitable shape for
catching the wire, such as V-shaped. The notches 48 are separated
from each other by catch arms 52. In some embodiments, the width
W.sub.3 of the adaptor plate 30 measured between ends of opposite
catch arms 52 is greater than the width W.sub.1 of the first and
second spool flanges 36 and 38. In some embodiments, W.sub.3 is at
least about five percent wider than W.sub.1, such as at least about
eight percent wider than W.sub.1. In some embodiments, the adaptor
plates 30 and 32 are both substantially the same in their
configuration, however, they may be different.
[0024] Referring back to FIG. 1, in operation, an operator bends a
starting end of the wire 18 and inserts the starting end into the
opening 40 at the core 34 of spool 20 (FIG. 2). The winding
apparatus 10 is activated and a controller is programmed to begin
rotating the winding shaft 12 and assembly of spools 20, 22, 24 and
adaptor plates 30, 32. As the winding shaft 12 rotates, the
traveler 16 moves horizontally back and forth in the direction of
arrow 54 along the length of the core 34 of the spool 20 so that
the wire 18 is wound evenly about the core 34 of the spool 20. Once
a predetermined amount of wire 18 is wound about the spool 20, the
traveler 16 moves horizontally to spool 22. As the traveler 16
moves, the wire 18 gets caught in one of the notches 48 of the
adaptor plate 30, which causes the wire 18 to begin winding about
the core 34 of the next spool 22. As the winding shaft 12 rotates,
the traveler 16 moves horizontally back and forth in the direction
of arrow 58 along the length of the core 34 of the spool 22 so that
the wire 18 is wound evenly about the core 34 of the spool 22. Once
a predetermined amount of wire 18 is wound about the spool 22, the
traveler 16 moves horizontally to spool 24. Referring now to FIG.
4, as the traveler 16 moves, the wire 18 gets caught in one of the
notches 48 of the adaptor plate 32, which causes the wire 18 to
begin winding about the core 34 of the next spool 24. As the
winding shaft 12 rotates, the traveler 16 moves horizontally back
and forth in the direction of arrow 59 along the length of the core
34 of the spool 24 so that the wire 18 is wound evenly about the
core 34 of the spool 24. Once a predetermined amount of wire 18 is
wound about the spool 24, the winding shaft 12 stops rotating. As
can be seen by FIG. 4, portions 18a and 18b of the wire 18 jump
from one spool to an adjacent spool through notches 48 of the
adapter plates 30 and 32.
[0025] Once the winding shaft 12 stops rotating, the wire 18 may be
cut at the portions 18a and 18b thereby forming a starting end for
the spools 22 and 24 and a terminating end for the spools 20 and
22. FIG. 5 illustrates spool 20 and FIG. 6 illustrates spool 22
once separated from the winding shaft 12. As can be seen by FIG. 5,
the starting end of the wire 18 of spool 20 is hidden beneath the
wire coils since the starting end was inserted in the opening 40 at
the core 34 of the spool 20. Referring to FIG. 6, the starting end
60 and the terminating end 62 of the spool 22 are both exposed
beyond the outermost windings of the wire 18. In some embodiments,
the wire 18 leading to the terminating end 62 extends along the
spool flange 36 surface 64, between the spool flange surface 64 and
an outermost winding 66.
[0026] In some embodiments, the controller of the winding apparatus
10 may be programmed to control the rotational speed and
acceleration of the winding shaft 12 during the winding operation.
For example, at the beginning of the winding process when winding
the spool 20, the winding shaft 12 may rotate at a relatively low
speed and then accelerate at a selected rate to a relatively high
speed. In some embodiments, once a predetermined amount of wire 18
is wound about the spool 20, the controller may cause the winding
shaft to decelerate to a relatively low speed to complete winding
wire about the spool 20, and continue at the low speed as the
traveler 16 moves over to the next spool 22. Then, the controller
may again accelerate the winding shaft 12 to the relatively high
rotational speed as the wire is wound about the spool 22. In
another embodiment, winding shaft 12 may maintain its relatively
high rotational speed as the traveler moves from the spool 20 to
the spool 22. The acceleration process may be repeated for any
subsequent spools.
[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 7-10, it may be desirable to affix
the free terminating end 62 and/or the free starting end 60 at a
location on the spool 20, 22, 24. In some embodiments, the free
starting end 60 is affixed to the spool flange 36 at a location
outside of the windings. Referring to FIG. 7, the starting end 60
of the wire 18 is illustrated wrapped around an outer edge 68 of
the first spool flange 36 and inserted within the opening 42.
Referring to FIG. 8, the starting end 60 of the wire 18 is
illustrated adhered to an outer surface 70 of the first spool
flange 36 with the wire extending over the outer edge 68. An
adhesive label 72 may be used to adhere the starting end 60 of the
wire 18 at the illustrated location. In some embodiments, a groove
75 may be formed in the periphery of the first spool flange 36
and/or the second spool flange 38 into which the wire 18 may be
inserted, for example, such that the wire 18 is seated lower than
the periphery of the first spool flange 36 and/or the second spool
flange. The groove 75 may be any suitable shape, such as U-shaped,
V-shaped, etc. Referring to FIG. 9, in another embodiment, the
starting end 60 and/or terminating end 62 may be mechanically
affixed to the first and/or second spool flange 36, 38 such as by
punching. Referring to FIG. 10, in another embodiment, the starting
end 60 and/or terminating end 62 may be affixed to the first and/or
second spool flange 36, 38 by electric heat.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 11, an alternative adaptor plate 80 is
illustrated with wire catch features 82 and 84 extending outwardly
from an edge 86 of the adaptor plate 80.
[0029] The above-described winding process and apparatus provides
continuous winding of a series of spools on the same winding shaft
where the wire automatically jumps from spool-to-spool without any
need for stopping or even slowing down the winding process between
adjacent spools. Such a continuous winding process can reduce
stoppage time and increase efficiency when winding multiple spools
with wire. In some embodiments, the continuous winding can provide
an increase of about 30 to 40 percent in productivity over other
winding processes where stoppage time is needed between spools.
[0030] While particular embodiments have been illustrated and
described herein, it should be understood that various other
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although
various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described
herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is
therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes
and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject
matter.
* * * * *