U.S. patent application number 14/752582 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-22 for rotary braiding machine.
The applicant listed for this patent is Maschinenfabrik NIEHOFF GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Hubert Reinisch.
Application Number | 20150299916 14/752582 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49779849 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150299916 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reinisch; Hubert |
October 22, 2015 |
ROTARY BRAIDING MACHINE
Abstract
A rotary braiding machine for interweaving a strand shaped
material into meshes is disclosed. In one aspect, the machine
includes first coil carriers configured to rotate around the braid
axis and second coil carriers configured to relatively move in
respect to the first coil carriers. Each first coil carrier has a
first coil and is configured to provide a first strand, wherein
each second coil carrier has a second coil and is configured to
provide a second strand. The surface of at least one closed guiding
path is formed as a gear ring, wherein at least one gear wheel is
rotatably mounted on the first coil carrier. The gear wheel combs
with the gear ring and is engaged continuously with the gear ring,
during a movement of the second strand around the first coil
carrier.
Inventors: |
Reinisch; Hubert; (Freiberg
am Neckar, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Maschinenfabrik NIEHOFF GmbH & Co. KG |
Schwabach |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
49779849 |
Appl. No.: |
14/752582 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2013/003731 |
Dec 10, 2013 |
|
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14752582 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
87/3 ; 87/24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04C 3/46 20130101; D04C
3/44 20130101; D04C 3/42 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D04C 3/46 20060101
D04C003/46 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 025 302.8 |
Claims
1. A rotary braiding machine having a braid axis for interweaving a
strand shaped material into meshes, the machine comprising: a
plurality of first coil carriers configured to rotate around the
braid axis; and a plurality of second coil carriers configured to
relatively move with respect to the first coil carriers, wherein
each of the first coil carriers includes a first coil and is
configured to provide a first strand, wherein each of the second
coil carriers includes a second coil and is configured to provide a
second strand, wherein the rotary braiding machine is configured to
interweave the first and second strands, wherein at least one of
the first coil carriers is arranged such that at least one of the
second strands can move completely around the at least one first
coil carrier, wherein at least the first coil carriers are
configured to be guided along at least one closed guiding path,
which rotates around the braid axis, wherein the surface of the
closed guiding path is formed as a gear ring, wherein at least one
gear wheel is rotatably mounted on the first coil carrier, and
wherein the gear wheel is configured to comb with the gear ring and
is engaged continuously with the gear ring, during a movement of
the second strand around the first coil carrier.
2. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
surface of the closed guiding path comprises at least a continuous
recess, which extends substantially transverse to the extension
direction of the guiding path and which is deeper than the tooth
spaces of the gear ring, and wherein the second strand is
temporarily immersed into the recess during the movement of the
second strand around the first coil carrier.
3. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein a
device is attached at the first coil carrier in the region of the
gear wheel, and wherein the device is configured to prevent an
axial displacement of the first coil carrier in at least one
direction.
4. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
first coil carrier includes two gear wheels at opposite ends of the
first coil carrier, which are mounted rotatably coaxially or
substantially coaxially to each other.
5. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
first coil carriers are configured to move on a surface, which,
when viewed from the first coil carriers, is a convex surface, a
cylindrical surface, a conical surface or a truncated cone shaped
surface.
6. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
first coil carriers are configured to move on a surface, which,
when viewed from the first coil carriers, is a concave surface, a
cylindrical surface, a conical surface or a truncated cone shaped
surface.
7. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
rotational movement of the first coil carrier around the braid axis
is generated without contacting by a driving member which is
arranged outside of the first coil carrier.
8. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 7, wherein each
of the driving member and the first coil carrier comprises at least
one magnet, including a permanent magnet and/or an
electromagnet.
9. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 8, wherein the
driving member comprises a plurality of fixed electromagnets, which
are arranged on a closed path around the braid axis and which can
generate a rotating magnetic field, which entrains the first coil
carrier by a magnetic coupling and which brings it into the
rotational movement around the braid axis.
10. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 8, wherein the
driving member comprises at least one magnet, including a permanent
magnet and/or an electromagnet, which can move around in a closed
path around the braid axis, whereby a rotating magnetic field can
be generated, which entrains the first coil carrier by a magnetic
coupling and which brings it into the rotational movement around
the braid axis.
11. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 8, wherein at
least one magnet in the driving member and at least one magnet in
the first coil carrier are configured to control the first coil
carrier to restrain it against an axial displacement in at least
one direction.
12. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
rotational movement of the first coil carrier around the braid axis
is generated by a driving member, including an electric motor,
which is placed within the first coil carrier.
13. The rotary braiding machine according to claim 1, wherein the
strand shaped material comprises a wire, carbon fibers or textile
fibers.
14. A method of operating a rotary braiding machine, wherein the
rotary braiding machine has a braid axis for interweaving a strand
shaped material into meshes, wherein the machine comprises a
plurality of first coil carriers and a plurality of second coil
carriers, wherein each of the first coil carriers includes a first
coil and is configured to provide a first strand, wherein each of
the second coil carriers includes a second coil and is configured
to provide a second strand, and wherein the rotary braiding machine
is configured to interweave the first and second strands, the
method comprising: during the braiding, rotating the first coil
carriers around the braid axis and relatively moving the second
coil carriers with regard to the first coil carriers; arranging at
least one of the first coil carriers such that at least one of the
second strands completely move around the first coil carrier;
guiding at least the first coil carrier along at least one closed
guiding path; moving the second strand around the at least one
first coil carrier; and combing the gear wheel of the first coil
carrier with the gear ring and continuously engaging the gear wheel
with the gear ring.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application, and claims
the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn..sctn.120 and 365 of PCT
Application No. PCT/EP2013/003731, filed on Dec. 10, 2013, which is
hereby incorporated by reference. PCT/EP2013/003731 also claimed
priority from German Patent Application No. 10 2012 025 302.8 filed
on Dec. 28, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The described technology generally relates to a rotary
braiding machine for interweaving a strand shaped material, for
example, a wire or textile fibers, carbon fibers or other strand
shaped carbon materials, into meshes.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Technology
[0005] Such rotary braiding machines are used for fabricating
hollow tubular meshes from the strand shaped material, such as
metal wires, yarns or synthetic fibers, or (by subsequent roll
threading of such a tubular mesh) for fabricating flat strand
meshes or for braiding, for example, a cable with a wire mesh or
for fabricating bodies of a low mass, for example, in a light
weight construction, by braiding carbon fibers or of other strand
shaped carbon materials. The application fields for the technical
meshes being fabricated in such a way are, for example, protective
shieldings for electric cables against electromagnetic fields or
protective enclosures for cables or hoses against mechanical
stresses. Another application is the fabrication of medical meshes
for vascular implants, such as stents, vascular prostheses or the
like.
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS
[0006] One inventive aspect is a rotary braiding machine, for which
a wire is the strand shaped material to be interweaved, e.g., for
the fabrication of wire meshes. However, this is not a limitation.
The described technology can also be applied to rotary braiding
machines for the processing of any other strand shaped
materials.
[0007] In some embodiments, the rotary braiding machine includes a
plurality of coils, each of which is arranged in a coil carrier.
For example, a coil is a cylindrical, body for a winding of a wire
to be interwoven, comprising, for example, two flanges, which are
arranged at the ends of the cylindrical body, the flanges having a
larger diameter than that of the coil body. The coil carrier is a
device into which a coil can be accommodated, for example, into
which it can be mounted rotatably around its longitudinal axis.
[0008] The rotary braiding machine can be a high speed level
braiding machine.
[0009] The rotary braiding machine has a braid axis, e.g., a
geometric axis, in which direction the mesh is formed and is drown
off by the machine, for example, by a stripping disk, and in which
direction, if necessary, also the material to be interweaved is
supplied to the machine. The braid axis can be arranged
horizontally, vertically or inclinedly, for example, inclined by 45
degrees, respectively. Embodiments are described in the following
using the example of a rotary braiding machine with a vertically
disposed braid axis, but it can also be applied to a rotary machine
with a braid axis which has been arranged differently.
[0010] The rotary braiding machine includes a plurality of first
coil carriers which can rotate around the braid axis, and a
plurality of second coil carriers, which can perform a relative
movement in regard to the first coil carriers. Here, at least the
first coil carriers are guided along a closed guiding path around
the braid axis. Here, a guiding path should mean a curve the first
coil carriers are following essentially during their movement. The
first coil carriers do not necessarily have to lie on this curve
and/or have to contact it. The guiding path is formed, for example,
as a circular rail and forms a plain bearing path or roller bearing
path, onto which the first coil carriers are hung up and can be
moved by means of sliding guides and/or rolling bearings.
[0011] For a typical embodiment of such a rotary braiding machine,
for example, six or twelve first coil carriers rotate on a circular
guiding path, wherein the braid axis is extending through its
center. Furthermore, six or twelve second coil carriers move
likewise around the braid axis, and for example, with the same
speed as the first coil carriers, but in the opposite direction to
the first coil carriers. Here, the second first coil carriers are
mounted so that they can rotate around the braid axis as well.
[0012] Each first coil carrier provides a strand of a first wire,
which is continuously unwound or drawn off from the first coil
which is mounted on the respective first coil carrier. Accordingly,
each of the second coil carriers provides one strand of a second
wire, which is continuously unwound or drawn off from the second
coil which is mounted on the respective second coil carrier.
[0013] The first wires and the second wires are guided in a certain
angle inward toward the braid axis, where they arrange themselves
due to the rotation of the coil carriers and due to a simultaneous
withdrawal movement of the mesh in spiral paths or are laid around
the material to be braided, wherein the first wires are interwoven
with the second wires.
[0014] In some embodiments, the first wires and the second wires
are crossed in a certain pattern, e.g., they lay above or below
each other wire, respectively. For example, at first, two adjacent
second wires are each carried over two adjacent first wires,
respectively and then carried under the next two adjacent first
wires, respectively and so on (so-called "two over two braid
binding"). Accordingly, it is also possible that, for example,
every second wire is alternately carried above a first wire and
then carried below a first wire (so-called "one over one braid
binding"). The area, in which the crossed first and second wires
lay against each other on the braid axis, is also called the
braiding point.
[0015] The crossing over of the first and second wires is achieved
in that the second wires are moved around periodically according to
the desired cross over pattern around the corresponding first coil
carriers and thus around the corresponding first wires. For the
presently considered level braiding machine, this is achieved
because every second wire can be raised over and can be lowered by
a so-called thread lever, which is attached to the corresponding
second coil carrier and which can be moved. In this way, the
considered second wire can be carried over the first coil carrier,
which is moving past in the opposite direction, or it can be
carried under the first coil carrier, which results in a
corresponding crossing over of the first and the second wire with
an above or an below laying second wire, respectively.
[0016] By the guiding of the second wires over the thread lever, it
is avoided that the entire second coil carriers, which may have a
substantial mass, due to the second coils mounted thereon and the
second wires wound thereon, have to be raised or to be lowered as a
whole.
[0017] For the described sequence of movements, every second wire
can move all the way around every first coil carrier. Since the
second wire is always guided in the direction of the braiding
point, this results for this movement around the first coil carrier
into an imaginary approximate conical surface.
[0018] For the moving of the second wire around the first coil
carrier, the mounting of the first coil carrier on the closed
guiding path has to be at least temporarily and/or at least
partially interrupted, wherein the first coil carrier rotates
around the braid axis on the guiding path, so that at this position
the first coil carrier and second wire can cross their paths. For a
typical embodiment of the considered rotary braiding machine, this
is achieved in that the second wire is carried under the first coil
carrier, which means that it "dives through" under the first coil
carrier.
[0019] For this purpose, for example, for each second wire, a
vertical slit shaped gap is provided for the closed guiding path
for the first coil carrier, wherein the respective second wire can
be lowered into the vertical slit shaped gap, whereupon the first
coil carrier passes over the lowered second wire. Such gaps are
distributed at regular intervals around the entire circumference of
the guiding path arranged around at those positions where the
second wires have to be lowered by means of their associated thread
lever. Since the second coil carriers are fixedly connected to the
guiding path, it is ensured that each second wire can be exactly
immersed into the gap in the guiding path, without that a relative
motion between the second wires and the gaps in the guiding path
has to be considered.
[0020] By the periodic interruption of the guiding path by the
gaps, for the conventional rotary braiding machines the problem
arises that the sliding guides or the roller guides of the first
coil carrier must be moved over these gaps permanently. The guides
leave at the beginning of each gap the guiding path and must
"thread in" at the end of the gap again into the guiding path.
[0021] This results into problems, especially at higher speeds and
thus higher relative velocities between the first coil carriers and
the guiding path, due to an increased wear of the guides and the
guiding path, due to shocks induced and vibrations as well as due
to increased noise emissions of the rotary braiding machine.
[0022] Another aspect is an improved rotary braiding machine,
especially with an improved guiding of the first coil carrier along
the guiding path.
[0023] Another aspect is a rotary braiding machine with a braid
axis for interweaving a wire to a wire mesh, the machine having a
plurality of first coil carriers, which can rotate around the braid
axis, and a plurality of second coil carriers, which can perform a
movement relative in regard to the first coil carriers. In this
case, each first coil carrier has a first coil and provides a first
wire and each second coil carrier has a second coil and provides a
second wire. The rotary braiding machine is adapted to interweave
the first and second wires with each other. Furthermore, at least a
first coil carrier is arranged so that at least a second wire can
be completely moved around the at least one first coil carrier. At
least the first coil carriers can be guided along at least one
closed guiding path, which is rotating around the braid axis.
[0024] According to some embodiments, for such a rotary braiding
machine, the surface of at the least one closed guiding path is
designed as a gear ring and the at least one first coil carrier has
at least a gear wheel, which is rotatably mounted and which combs
with the gear ring and which is engaged constantly with the gear
ring, for example, also during the movement of the least one second
wire around the at least one first coil carrier.
[0025] Here, the "gear wheel" and "gear ring" can include a wheel
or a closed, but not necessarily circular path, respectively, which
is provided in its circumference or in its extension direction,
respectively, alternately with teeth and tooth gaps, wherein the
gear wheel can be engaged with the gear ring and it can be rolled
off onto the gear ring.
[0026] By this, the first coil carrier moves by the roll off
movement of the gear wheel to the gear ring in a quasi-continuous
manner, e.g., essentially with a uniform and a constant speed, for
example, without any jerks or other short-term accelerations along
the path. The above mentioned problems in regard to the wear, the
shocks, the vibrations and the noise emissions by constantly
leaving the guiding paths by the guiding of and the rethreading of
the guides in the guiding paths can be thus avoided to a large
extent, because the combing of the gear wheels with gear rings is
very well developed, for example, by the use of a special gearings
as an involute gearing, and the called quasi continuous movement
becomes possible. In this way, higher rotational speeds of the
first coil carrier are possible and thus a rotary braiding machine
with higher productivity can be achieved.
[0027] The gear wheels and the at least one gear ring can be, for
example, made of a metal or of a plastic. The latter allows for a
dry run with a minimal lubrication or even without any lubrication.
As a result, an oil contamination of the rotary braiding machine
can be avoided, the oil contamination due to the centrifuged oil
droplets, and a potential contamination of the product can also be
avoided. Especially, certain products with higher quality standards
requirements, for example for medical devices, such pollutions may
be even forbidden. Furthermore, corresponding countermeasures
against oil contamination such as oil drip plates are not
necessary.
[0028] The uniform roll off movement of the gear wheels on the gear
ring does not lead to an excessive heating of the guides of the
first coil carrier or of the guiding path, respectively, so that
costly measures for a monitoring of the temperature and for
preventing overheating of the components of the engine are not
necessary.
[0029] The spaces between adjacent teeth of the gear ring and the
gear ring, respectively, are referred to as "tooth gaps" in the
following.
[0030] In the arrangement, a second wire can be immersed into a
tooth gap between two adjacent teeth of the gear ring, while a
first coil carrier having a gear wheel is moved past it. With an
appropriate, sufficiently large dimensioning of the teeth compared
to the diameter of the second wire, e.g., for big teeth and thin
second wires, there is no contacting between the second wire and
the teeth of the gear wheel rolling over it, because the teeth when
using a normal gearing do not contact the deepest points of the
tooth gaps in the gear ring. Thus, at this position, there will
always be a continuous hollow space being transverse to the
extending direction of the gear ring, through which the second wire
can be guided. At the same time, the gear ring remains permanently
engaged with the gear ring and does not have to leave the gear ring
and to thread back to it again.
[0031] In some embodiments, the surface of the at least one closed
guiding path has at least one continuous recess being substantially
transverse to the extending direction of the guiding path, which is
deeper than the tooth gaps of the gear ring, wherein the at least
one second wire is temporarily immersed in at least one recess
during the movement of the at least one second wire around the at
least one first coil carrier.
[0032] Such a recess is, for example, formed as a recess of a tooth
gap of the at least one gear ring. Therefore, for the roll off
movement of the gear wheel on the gear ring no changes arise, so
that also a quasi-continuous movement of the first coil carrier on
the guiding path is possible. In some embodiments, such a recess is
provided for each second wire.
[0033] In some embodiments, a device is attached to the at least
one first coil carrier in the region of the gear wheel, wherein the
device prevents the coil carrier from an axial displacement in at
least one direction. This device, for example, has the form of a
disk which is mounted coaxially to the gear wheel on the first coil
carrier, for example, parallel and whose diameter is greater than
the inner gear diameter, e.g., the distance from the center of the
gear wheel to the deepest points of its tooth gaps. Thus, the disk
cannot move past the gear ring in the axial direction of the gear
wheel, the gear ring being in engagement with the gear wheel,
whereby the first coil carrier is prevented from an axial
displacement in this direction.
[0034] In some embodiments, however, the diameter of the disk is so
small that the hollow space, which is intended for the passing
through of the second wire, for example, the deepest point of a
tooth gap in the gear ring or a recess in the guiding path will not
be covered by the disk, and thus the disk does not contact the
second wire, when the first coil carrier moves past it.
[0035] The disk may also have a larger diameter than those referred
to and it can have in addition on its outer edge at least one
recess through which the second wire can be guided, when the first
coil carrier is moved past. To this end, the positioning of the
first coil carrier and the rotational movement of the gear wheel
must be synchronized so that such a recess on the disk points in
the direction of the gear ring at the moment, in which the gear
wheel on the guiding path is directly over the hollow space for the
passing through of the second wire.
[0036] In some embodiments, at the at least one first coil carrier,
two gear wheels are mounted rotatably on opposite ends of the first
coil carrier coaxially or almost coaxially to each other. In this
case, for example, two closed guiding paths are provided, which are
designed as gear rings and which extend concentrically with the
braid axis, but not necessarily in the same plane. By this, the
first coil carrier is mounted at two opposite ends relative to the
two guiding paths and thus secured against tilting movements in the
axial direction.
[0037] However, for this arrangement, accidental rotations of the
first coil carrier around its own axis are still possible, and for
example, torsional vibrations. However, this can be to a large
extent avoided by a suitable arrangement of the components within
the first coil carrier, for example, by means of a suitable
position of the center of gravity and/or by means of inserts of
permanent magnet.
[0038] Alternatively, at the first coil carrier, two adjacent gear
wheels can be attached, both of which comb with the same gear ring,
or in each case two toothed wheels on both sides of the first coil
carrier, respectively combing with a gear ring. Thus, the first
coil carrier is based stably on two or four points of contact with
the gear ring and the gear rings, respectively and it cannot
perform any inadvertent rotation around its own axis. For this
variant, all the gear wheels are continuously engaged with the
respective gear ring.
[0039] In some embodiments, the two gear rings and the two gear
wheels each have the same number of teeth. Further, the two gear
wheels are connected by a common shaft and therefore synchronized
in speed and they are, if necessary, connected to a balancing
device for a possible angular offset between the axes of the two
gear wheels. If the arrangement of the other components in the
first coil carrier does not allow such a continuous shaft, the
speed synchronization may, for example, also be done via a
countershaft, which is arranged parallel to the axis of the two
gear wheels and which is coupled, for example, by means of two
other smaller gear wheels, meshing with the two gear wheels. By the
fact that the two gear wheels have the same rotation speed, the
first coil carrier is always oriented radially, and the gear wheels
do not tilt in the respective gear ring.
[0040] In some embodiments, a gear wheel and a device are attached
to opposite ends of the at least one first coil carrier, wherein
the device prevents the coil carrier from an axial displacement in
at least one direction. The latter sliding locking device, which
is, for example, formed as already described above, then replaces
one of the gear wheels in the above described embodiment with two
gear wheels. Further, the respective gear ring is, for example,
replaced by a guiding path with a smooth surface, on which the
sliding locking device can roll off.
[0041] In some embodiments, the first coil carriers move on a,
viewed from the first coil carriers, convex, for example, a
cylindrical, a conical or a truncated conical surface. However, as
a special case, the convex surface may also be a flat disk.
[0042] In some embodiments, an axis of the surface, the axis of
symmetry of the cylinder, the cone or the truncated cone, coincides
with the braid axis of the rotary braiding machine. The at least
one closed guiding path can be circular and arranged in a plane
perpendicular to the braid axis. However, the surface of the
guiding path can have, for example according to the shape of the
surface, a non-zero angle with that plane.
[0043] The convex surface can be the outer surface of a
corresponding body, for example, of a cylinder, a cone or a
truncated cone, respectively.
[0044] The first coil carrier can move on a, viewed from the first
coil carriers, concave, for example, a cylindrical, a conical or a
truncated conical surface, wherein the further embodiments of this
construction correspond to those described above for a convex
surface.
[0045] The concave surface can be the inner surface of a
corresponding body, for example, a hollow cylinder, a cone or a
truncated cone, respectively.
[0046] Both of these arrangements for the movement of the first
coil carriers, for example, on a conical or on a truncated conical
surface, have the advantage that the first coil carriers are
thereby positioned in the same angle relative to the braid axis, in
which the first wires are to impinge on the braid axis. Therefore,
another deflection of the first wires is not necessary.
[0047] The driving of the second coil carriers is, for example,
realized as well as for the above described conventional rotary
braiding machine, namely by a rigid connection between the second
coil carriers and the revolving guiding path.
[0048] However, the first coil carrier cannot be rigidly connected
to other machine parts to be driven by them, because this rigid
connection would collide with the second wires in a complete
movement of the second wire around the first coil carrier.
[0049] Also the driving of the first coil carrier is, for example,
realized just as for a conventional rotary braiding machine, namely
by contacting machine components.
[0050] In some embodiments, however, it is provided that a driving
means, which is arranged outside of the at least one first coil
carrier, generates without contacting the rotational movement of
the at least one first coil carrier around the braid axis.
[0051] Both the drive means and the at least one first coil carrier
can have each at least one magnet, for example, a permanent magnet
or an electromagnet. The driving of the at least one first coil
carrier is then carried out by a magnetic, non-contact coupling
between the magnet in the driving means and the magnet in the first
coil carrier over an air gap. The second wire can then be guided
through this air gap, if it moves around the first coil
carrier.
[0052] The air gap between the surface, in which the guiding path
is extending, and the at least one first coil carrier is formed in
this case, for example, in that the at least one gear wheel of the
first coil carrier has a larger diameter than the remaining
components, which are arranged in the coil carrier, or also as an
eventual housing of the first coil carrier, whereby these
components or this housing, respectively is spaced from the
surface, on which the guiding path is arranged and on which the
gear wheel moves, whereby the gear wheel is supported on the
guiding path.
[0053] However, it is also feasible to achieve such an air gap
between the first coil carrier and the surface of the guiding path
by other means than through different mounting of the gear wheel on
the guiding path. For example, the first coil carrier could be hold
in levitation by repelling magnets, which are arranged in the first
coil carrier and under the surface of the guiding path, e.g., by a
magnetic levitation effect, or by the air flowing from surface of
the guide path, e.g., by an air cushion effect, and thereby spaced
from the surface of the guiding path. Then it would be possible to
completely to do without the gear wheel on the first coil carrier
on the gear ring on the guiding path and to do without the
corresponding recesses in the guiding path for the guiding of the
second wire. In this case, the first coil carrier would not contact
the surface of the guiding path at any point.
[0054] For at least one of the above embodiments, in which the
rotational movement of the least one first coil carrier around the
braid axis is generated by magnets both in the driving means and in
the first coil carrier, different variants are possible:
[0055] In some embodiments, the driving means comprises a plurality
of fixed electromagnets, which are arranged on a closed path around
the braid axis, in which a rotating magnetic field can be
generated, which entrains the at least one first coil carrier by
means of a magnetic coupling, and set it into a rotational movement
around the braid axis. The driving of the at least one first coil
carrier is carried out so similarly to the driving of a linear
motor with an annular track or similarly to the driving of a
synchronous machine with a fixed stator having a plurality of
coils. In this arrangement, the driving means has no moving parts,
whereby the driving means is to a large extent maintenance
free.
[0056] However, the driving means can, for example, also have at
least one magnet, for example, a permanent magnet or an
electromagnet, which can move on a closed path around the braid
axis, whereby a rotating magnetic field is generated, which
entrains the at least one first coil carrier by magnetic coupling
and set it into the rotational movement around the braid axis. The
at least one magnet in the driving means is, for example, arranged
on a rotatable rotor and generates a rotor fixed field which
rotates with the rotor, which causes the desired magnetic coupling
with the at least one first coil carrier.
[0057] In some embodiments, at least one magnet in the driving
means and at least one magnet within the at least a first coil
carrier are adapted to prevent an axial displacement of the at
least one first coil carrier in at least one direction. For this
purpose, the involved magnets can be arranged so that upon
displacement of the first coil carrier in the axial direction
magnetic restoring forces are generated also in the axial
direction, effecting a recirculation of the first coil carrier to
its starting position, for example which is centered in regard to
the guiding path. This variant can provide an alternative to the
above, for example, disk shaped device in the region of the gear
wheel, which shall also prevent the first coil carrier from an
axial displacement in at least one direction.
[0058] For this variant, the magnets for preventing of an axial
displacement of the at least one first coil carrier are, for
example, at least partly identical with the magnets which are used
for the driving of the at least one first coil carrier. Thereby,
additional magnets, and thus manufacturing costs can be saved.
However, also different magnets may be provided for the preventing
of an axial displacement or for the driving of the at least one
first coil carrier.
[0059] However, it is also possible that, as an alternative to the
arrangement of the magnets in both the driving means and in the at
least one first coil carrier, the rotational movement of the at
least one first coil carrier around the braid axis is generated by
a driving means, for example, by at least one electric motor, which
is disposed within the first coil carrier In this case, the first
coil carrier moves "autonomously" on the guiding path, that is to
say without the influence of driving forces from the outside. The
energy required to operate the electric motor can be provided, for
example, by, for example, a rechargeable battery, which is also
arranged within the first coil carrier. The charging of or the
replacement of the battery, respectively, may be made
simultaneously with the exchange of a blank for a full first coil
in the first coil carrier, when the rotary braiding machine must be
stationary anyway.
[0060] Alternatively, however, the energy required for the
operation of the electric motor can also be transmitted
contact-free, for example, inductively, from a fixed power supply
unit to the at least a first coil carrier, for example, for a
direct supply of the electric motor or for the charging of a
rechargeable battery being arranged within the first coil
carrier.
[0061] Likewise, the controlling of the electric motor, which is
arranged in the at least one first coil carrier, can be done by a
wireless, for example, by a near field or through a wireless
connection from a fixed control unit. In this way, it is possible
to perform a simple common controlling of the movement of all of
the first coil carriers and thus, for example, a synchronization of
the speeds thereof.
[0062] Another aspect is a method of operating a rotary braiding
machine, in which during the braiding the first coil carrier
rotates around the braid axis and the second coil carriers perform
a relative movement in regard to the first coil carriers, wherein
further least a first coil carrier is arranged so that at least a
second wire can be completely moved around the at least one first
coil carrier, and wherein at least the first coil carriers are
guided along at least one closed guiding path, wherein the at least
one second wire is moved around the at least one first coil
carrier, wherein the gear wheel of the least one first coil carrier
combs with the gear ring and it is constantly engaged at the same
time with the gear ring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0063] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from a slanted top of a rotary
braiding machine according to one embodiment.
[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a vertical section through the rotary
braiding machine of FIG. 1.
[0065] FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of FIG. 2 with a vertical
section through a first coil carrier.
[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates a driving arrangement for a first coil
carrier showing the teeth of an external rotor according to one
embodiment.
[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates a driving arrangement for a first coil
former with an illustration of the magnets involved with an inner
rotor according to one embodiment.
[0068] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view as in FIG. 3 with a
magnetic holding device in the axial direction of the first coil
carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0069] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rotary braiding machine 1 according to
some embodiments in a perspective view obliquely from above, and a
vertical section through the axis of symmetry of the rotary
braiding machine 1, respectively, the axis of symmetry
corresponding to the braid axis 14. It is noted that for reasons of
clarity, several parts of the machine are not shown, for example,
those which are used for the fastening of other parts.
[0070] The rotary braiding machine 1, which is substantially
rotationally symmetrically constructed, is mounted in the vertical
direction by a carrier shaft 2 which is coaxial to the braid axis
14 and which is mounted at its lower end on a front side of a (not
shown) foundation. A pivot mounting 3 is rigidly attached to the
carrier shaft 2, wherein the pivot mounting 3 can be brought into
rotation by the carrier shaft 2. The rotary driving of the carrier
shaft 2 and thus of the pivot mounting 3 is done via a gear ring 20
at the lower end of the carrier shaft 2.
[0071] The pivot mounting 3 has the geometric shape of a vertically
arranged essentially tapered towards the top truncated cone. On the
inner, upper edge and on the outer, lower edge of the conical outer
surface of the truncated cone, two circumferential guiding paths
are mounted in the form of an inner gear ring 6 and an outer gear
ring 7, whose teeth are extending outwards perpendicular to the
surface of the truncated cone.
[0072] Below the pivot mounting 3, eight second coil carriers 5 are
circumferentially and equally spaced attached to the pivot mounting
3 (partly hidden, fastening means are not shown on the pivot
mounting 3). Thus, the second coil carriers 5 rotate in the same
direction and with the same speed as the pivot mounting 3. On each
second coil carrier 5 is mounted a second coil 51, whose axis is
horizontal and onto which a second wire 11 is wound.
[0073] On the conical outer surface of the pivot mounting 3, eight
first coil carriers 4 are also circumferentially arranged at equal
intervals, wherein their axes point radially outwards at about the
same angle as the conical surface of the pivot mounting 3 points
downwards. The first coil carriers 4 have no fixed connection to
the remaining parts of the rotary braiding machine 1, for example,
not to the pivot mounting 3.
[0074] Each first coil carrier 4 has at its inner edge a
tangentially arranged inner gear wheel 41 having seven teeth and on
its outer edge a coaxial thereto, also tangentially arranged outer
gear wheel 42 with 18 teeth. Of course, other numbers of the teeth
and/or other positions of the gear wheels 41, 42 relative to the
first coil carrier 4 are possible. The axes of the two gear wheels
41, 42 are mounted in the side walls of a housing 44 being U-shaped
in the longitudinal cross section. Inside the housing 44, a first
coil 43 is mounted with its axis extending horizontal and thus
perpendicular to the axes of the gear wheels 41, 42. Here, too, of
course, other positions of the first coil 43 are possible relative
to the components of the first coil carrier 4. On the first coil
43, a first wire 10 is wound. The first wire 10 is guided within
the first coil carrier 4 on different deflection rollers 45 and
then passes through a front boring in the housing 44 and through an
axial boring in the inner gear wheel 41 of the first coil carrier
4.
[0075] In this case, the inner gear wheel 41 rolls off on the inner
gear ring 6 and the outer gear wheel 42 rolls off on the outer gear
ring 7.
[0076] Both the first wire 10 and the second wires 11 are guided
substantially parallel to the conical outer surface of the pivot
mounting 3 upward to a braiding button 8, wherein at its lower end
a braiding point 9 is positioned, which is on the braid axis and at
which the interweaving of the first wires 10 with the second wires
11 and the braiding of a hose is performed, respectively, which is
fed from below from a (not shown) coil to the rotary braiding
machine 1. The mesh or braided hose is passed from the rotary
braiding machine 1 through the braiding button 8 upwards by a (not
shown) roll off disk and it is wound on a (also not shown)
coil.
[0077] For the purpose that the second wires 11 can move around the
first coil carrier 4, after the unwinding from the second coil 51,
each second wire 11 is guided via a thread lever 12, which can be
moved up and down, and at the end thereof it is guided by a
deflection roller 13 in the direction of the braiding button 8. In
the highest position of the thread lever 12, the first coil carrier
4 can move through under the second wire 11. In the lowest position
of the thread lever 12, the second wire 11 can immerse in a recess
71 in a tooth space of the outer gear ring 7 and in a corresponding
recess 61 into a tooth space of the inner gear ring 6, which is
arranged for each second wire 11 on the positions being at the same
radius of the pivot mounting 3 lying on the circumference of the
two gear rings. Once the second wire 11 is immersed into the two
recesses 61 and 71, the first coil carrier 4 can move over the
second wire 11 without contacting it. By this sequence of
movements, the crossing over of the first wires 10 with the second
wires 11 is carried out, which is the prerequisite for the
formation of a mesh at the braiding button 8.
[0078] The driving of the first coil carrier 4 is done
electromagnetically. For example, between the two gear rings 6 and
7 of the pivot mounting 3, a rotor 22 is disposed, which can be
also rotated around the braid axis 14 and on which a plurality of
magnets, for example, permanent magnets or electromagnets 16 is
mounted in a radial outward, downward facing direction.
[0079] The rotor 22 is externally mounted by a ball bearing 18 on
the carrier shaft 2 and it is connected via a driving shaft 23,
which is coaxial to the braid axis and which is also mounted on the
outside of the carrier shaft 2 by a ball bearing 18, with a gear
ring 19, which is opposite in parallel to the gear ring 20 and
which is facing the latter.
[0080] As the rotor 22 is arranged between the gear rings 6 and 7
and thus it is arranged within the pivot mounting 3 and thus it
cannot be rigidly connected to the drive shaft 23, as it would
otherwise have to penetrate the pivot mounting 3, the coupling of
the rotor 22 with the driving shaft 23 is carried out without
contacting by pairs of permanent magnets 24 and 25, which are
arranged respectively on opposing sides of a mounting for the pivot
mounting 3. However, other solutions with other conventional
machine elements are also possible for the driving operation of the
rotor 22.
[0081] Between the gear ring 20 for the driving of the pivot
mounting 3 and the gear ring 19 for the driving of the rotor 22, a
stationary gear 21 is arranged, which combs with the two gear rings
19, 20 and which is driven by an electric motor and a gear (both
not shown). Thereby, the pivot mounting 3 and the rotor 22 are
driven at the same speed but in the opposite direction.
[0082] In FIGS. 3 to 5, as an alternative for the driving of the
first coil carrier 4 by a rotor 22, a driving by fixed
electromagnet 16 in the sense of a linear motor is illustrated.
[0083] In FIG. 3, a first coil carrier 4 and its mounting on the
pivot mounting 3 is illustrated in an enlarged sectional view. It
can be seen that by the support of the inner gear wheel 41 on the
inner gear ring 6 and by the support of the outer gear wheel 42 on
the outer gear ring 7, there is generated an air gap 17 (in the
embodiment having a height of about 2 mm) between the housing 44 of
the first coil carrier 4 and the pivot mounting 3, through which
the second wire 11 can be guided, as described above.
[0084] In the bottom of the housing 44, a disk shaped permanent
magnet 15 is embedded, its north pole N and its south pole S are
oriented perpendicularly to the conical surface of the pivot
mounting 3. Beneath the surface of the pivot mounting 3, the
electromagnets 16 are circumferentially arranged on the
circumference at regular intervals.
[0085] It is noted, that the illustration of the permanent magnet
15 and the electromagnet 16 in FIG. 3 is a schematic one only.
Instead of the permanent magnet 15 it may be used magnet systems
with hard magnetic sections and soft magnetic sections and/or with
a larger dimensioning in the axial direction of the first coil
support 4 as shown in FIG. 3.
[0086] The electromagnets 16 form the guiding path of a linear
motor, which sets all of the first coil carriers 4 at the same time
as a slide into the rotational movement. For this purpose, a
rotating magnetic field is generated in the pivot mounting 3
through a corresponding current feed to the electromagnet 16, which
entrains the first coil carriers 4 by a magnetic coupling. The
rotating magnetic field moves in the opposite direction of rotation
of the pivot mounting 3. Thus, the first coil carriers 4 and the
second coil carriers 5 and thus also the first wires 10 and the
second wires 11 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed
relative to the braiding button 8, resulting in a uniform and
symmetrical mesh formation at the braiding point 8. By the driving
of all the first coil carriers 4 by a common linear motor, it is
further ensured that all of the first coil carriers 4 are driven at
the same speed.
[0087] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the roll off
movement of the outer gear wheel 42 of the first coil carrier 4 on
the outer gear ring 7, wherein approximately the same illustration
would result for an inner gear wheel 41 and the inner gear ring 6.
The trajectory of the second wire 11 upwards or downwards,
respectively, to the first coil carrier 4 and thus around the outer
gear wheel 42 is also indicated schematically by two dotted lines.
Furthermore, here are also illustrated the periodically arranged
recesses 71 in the single tooth gaps of the outer gear ring 7, into
which the second wire 11 can be immersed.
[0088] Six electromagnet coils 16 are illustrated in the inside of
the pivot mounting 3, the electromagnet coils forming a section of
the guiding path of the linear motor for the driving the first coil
carrier 4. Due to the arrangement of the outer gear ring 7 on the
conical outer surface of the pivot mounting 3, the linear motor is
designed as an external rotor motor.
[0089] In FIG. 5, an alternative embodiment is shown, which does
not correspond to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4. In this
case, the pivot mounting 3 has the form of a hollow vertically
arranged cylindrical truncated cone, which is tapered towards the
top. The supply and the discharge of the material to be braided or
of the fabricated meshes, respectively, is done from the bottom to
the top. In this case, the first coil carriers 4 are arranged
inwardly inclined downwards on the inner, conical surface of the
pivot mounting 3. Thereby, the linear motor is designed as an inner
rotor motor.
[0090] In FIG. 5, it is shown the detail of the arrangement of the
magnets in the first coil carrier 4 and in the guiding path of the
linear motor in the pivot mounting 3. Below the surface of the
pivot mounting 3 is circumferentially arranged a plurality of ribs,
which are individually wrapped with conductive wires to form the
coil with an elongated cross section. In the first coil carrier 4
(here only represented by dotted lines on its periphery), a
permanent magnetic arrangement is mounted on the pivot mounting 3
on its opposite edge, wherein the permanent magnetic arrangement is
formed in a horseshoe shape in this case. For the magnetic coupling
between the first coil carrier 4 and the electromagnet 16 in the
pivot mounting 3, therefore, there is not only one pair of magnetic
poles facing itself as shown in FIG. 3, but there are two such
pairs, resulting in much stronger magnetic attraction forces. The
compact, closed distribution of the field lines of the resulting
magnetic coupling is also indicated in FIG. 5. Between the
permanent magnet 15 and the pivot mounting 3 is again formed an air
gap 17, through which the second wires 11 can be guided.
[0091] Finally, a magnetic holding device is shown in FIG. 6, by
means of which a first coil carrier 4 can be secured from sliding
below outwards or below inwards, respectively.
[0092] The magnetic holding device is formed by two identically
constructed, horseshoe shaped arrangement of permanent magnets 15
in the first coil carrier 4 or below the surface of the pivot
mounting 3, respectively, which each corresponds to the horseshoe
shaped magnet arrangement of FIG. 5 and which are coupled
magnetically to each other.
[0093] For the purpose that the two horseshoe shaped magnetic
arrangements are always aligned opposite and thus can fulfill their
holding function, the magnetic arrangement, which is arranged in
the pivot mounting 3, can be synchronously rotating with the first
coil carrier 4. This can be done most easily, when the magnets in
the pivot mounting 3 do not form the fixed guiding path of a linear
motor, but are arranged on a rotating rotor 22 as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2. Since the magnets in this case need not be periodically
turned on and off in the pivot mounting 3, the permanent magnets 15
can also be used for this purpose. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the
magnetic arrangement of the permanent magnets 15, which are
arranged on the rotatable rotor 22, then takes over at the same
time the function of the rotational driving for the first coil
carrier 4 and the holding function against slipping of the first
coil carrier 4, whereby a particularly simple construction is
achieved.
[0094] While the inventive technology has been described with
reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details
may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope as
defined by the following claims.
* * * * *