U.S. patent application number 16/401357 was filed with the patent office on 2020-11-05 for wire feeding unit and wire bending apparatus including the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is JAE WOONG JUNG, YOUN HO JUNG. Invention is credited to KWANG GU BAEK, JAE WOONG JUNG, YOUN HO JUNG, YOON SANG SHIN.
Application Number | 20200346274 16/401357 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004174879 |
Filed Date | 2020-11-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200346274 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JUNG; YOUN HO ; et
al. |
November 5, 2020 |
WIRE FEEDING UNIT AND WIRE BENDING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME
Abstract
A wire feeding unit includes a pair of wire feeding portions,
wherein each of the wire feeding portions includes a driving roller
which is driven by rotation power, a belt which is connected to the
driving roller to rotate and is brought into contact with a wire
while being rotated, at least one driven rollers which are rotated
by being coupled with the driving roller by the belt, and a guide
portion which is placed to pressurize the belt to one side and
guides a position of the belt such that the wire is moved by the
belt, wherein the pair of wire feeding portions are symmetrically
disposed and one of the guide portions is disposed to face the one
side of the other.
Inventors: |
JUNG; YOUN HO; (Seoul,
KR) ; JUNG; JAE WOONG; (Seoul, KR) ; BAEK;
KWANG GU; (Gyeonggi-do, KR) ; SHIN; YOON SANG;
(Seoul, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JUNG; YOUN HO
JUNG; JAE WOONG |
Seoul
Seoul |
|
KR
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004174879 |
Appl. No.: |
16/401357 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21F 1/023 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B21F 1/02 20060101
B21F001/02 |
Claims
1. A wire feeding unit comprising: a pair of wire feeding portions,
wherein each of the pair of wire feeding portions comprises a
driving roller which is driven by rotation power, a belt which is
connected to the driving roller to rotate and is brought into
contact with a wire while being rotated, at least one driven
rollers which is rotated by being interlocked with the driving
roller by the belt, and a guide portion which is placed to
pressurize the belt to one side and guides a position of the belt
such that the wire is moved by the belt, wherein the pair of wire
feeding portions are symmetrically disposed, and one of the guide
portions is disposed to face the one side of the other.
2. The wire feeding unit of claim 1, wherein at least one driven
rollers include a first driven roller and a second driven roller
and the guide portion is interposed between the first driven roller
and the second driven roller and pressurizes the belt.
3. The wire feeding unit of claim 1, wherein the guide portion is
disposed projectedly of at least one driven rollers toward the one
side such that the belt between the driving roller and at least one
driven rollers is pulled.
4. The wire feeding unit of claim 2, wherein the guide portion is
disposed projectedly of the first driven roller and the second
driven roller, toward the one side such that the belt between the
first driven roller and the second driven roller is pulled.
5. The wire feeding unit of claim 1, wherein the belt is coupled
and driven with the driving roller and the driven roller by tooth
engagement.
6. A wire bending apparatus comprising: a straightener into which a
wire is fed; a pair of wire feeding portions which transfer the
wire passing through the straightener; and a head portion which
bends the wire while drawing out the wire transferred from the wire
feeding portions, wherein each of the pair of wire feeding portions
comprises a driving roller which is driven by rotation power, a
belt which is connected to the driving roller to rotate and is
brought into contact with a wire while being rotated, at least one
driven rollers which are rotated by being coupled with the driving
roller by the belt, and a guide portion which is placed to
pressurize the belt to one side and guides a position of the belt
such that the wire is moved by the belt, wherein the pair of wire
feeding portions are symmetrically disposed, and one of the guide
portions is disposed to face the one side of the other.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field
[0001] The following description relates to a wire feeding unit
which supplies a wire to a bending apparatus for bending the wire
and the wire bending apparatus including the wire feeding unit.
2. Description of Related Art
[0002] Generally, wire bending machines are widely used in a wide
range of applications ranging from two-dimensional machining to
three-dimensional shape machining owing to the advantage in that
they can process quickly and inexpensively various shaped
workpieces used in complicated and various types of parts, such as
automobile parts, industrial machine parts, materials used in
office supplies, medical supplies, construction materials, and the
like, from mass production to small quantity production. A wire
bending apparatus may be largely divided into a straightener for
straightening a wire, a feeding device for transferring the wire,
and a head portion for performing at least one of bending, folding
and cutting. The feeding device rotates while pressurizing the wire
using a plurality of feeding rollers and transfers the wire of a
predetermined length.
[0003] In this case, when outer circumferential surfaces of the
rollers are brought into direct contact with the wire to transfer
the wire, delivered power for pressurizing and moving the wire may
be reduced by spacing tolerance between the rollers and thus it may
be difficult to bend the wire at a predetermined point.
SUMMARY
[0004] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of
the claimed subject matter.
[0005] The disclosed embodiments are intended to solve the
above-described problems of the conventional wire feeding unit and
an objective of one embodiment of the present disclosure is to
preform bending with high reliability by configuring a belt to be
in direct contact with a wire so as to increase a contact area with
the wire, thereby preventing rotation of the wire and stably
delivering power for transfer.
[0006] Another objective of one embodiment of the present
disclosure is to continuously provide delivered power for
transferring a wire through uniform pressing force by pressurizing
the wire using a belt which is in direct contact with the wire and
is slid along a wire guide portion.
[0007] Still another objective of one embodiment of the present
disclosure is to allow a feeding distance caused by delivered power
to be proportional to motor rotational speed through
tooth-engagement between a pulley and a belt which is in direct
contact with a wire.
[0008] In one general aspect, a wire feeding unit includes a pair
of wire feeding portions, wherein each of the wire feeding portions
comprises a driving roller which is driven by rotation power, a
belt which is connected to the driving roller to rotate and is
brought into contact with a wire while being rotated, at least one
driven rollers which are rotated by being coupled with the driving
roller by the belt, and a guide portion which is placed to
pressurize the belt to one side and guides a position of the belt
such that the wire is moved by the belt, wherein the pair of wire
feeding portions are symmetrically disposed and one of the guide
portions is disposed to face the one side of the other.
[0009] At least one driven rollers may include a first driven
roller and a second driven roller and the guide portion may be
interposed between the first driven roller and the second driven
roller and pressurize the belt.
[0010] The guide portion maybe disposed projectedly of at least one
driven rollers, toward the one side such that the belt between the
driving roller and at least one driven rollers is pulled.
[0011] the guide portions may be disposed projectedly of the first
driven roller and the second driven roller, toward the one side
such that the belt between the first driven roller and the second
driven roller is pulled.
[0012] The belt may be coupled and driven with the driving roller
and the driven roller by tooth engagement.
[0013] In another general aspect, a wire bending apparatus includes
a straightener into which a wire is fed; a pair of wire feeding
portions which transfer the wire passing through the straightener;
and a head portion which bends the wire while drawing out the wire
transferred from the wire feeding portions, wherein each of the
wire feeding portions comprises a driving roller which is driven by
rotation power, a belt which is connected to the driving roller to
rotate and is brought into contact with a wire while being rotated,
at least one driven rollers which are rotated by being coupled with
the driving roller by the belt, and a guide portion which is placed
to pressurize the belt to one side and guides a position of the
belt such that the wire is moved by the belt, wherein the pair of
wire feeding portions are symmetrically disposed and one of the
guide portions is disposed to face the one side of the other.
[0014] Other features and aspects will be apparent from the
following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a wire bending
apparatus employing a wire feeding unit 100 according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a wire feeding unit
according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a wire feeding unit
according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a wire feeding unit
according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless
otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be
understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures.
The relative size and depiction of these elements may be
exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure
will be described in accordance with the following drawings,
however, they are only exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, and
the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
[0021] Descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may
be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness. Also, terms
described in below are selected by considering functions in the
embodiment and meanings may vary depending on, for example, a user
or operator's intentions or customs. Therefore, definitions of the
terms should be made on the basis of the overall context.
[0022] The spirit and scope of the disclosure are defined by the
appended claims. The following embodiments are only made to
efficiently describe the progressive technological scope of the
present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
[0023] Hereinafter, a wire bending machine 10 employing a wire
feeding unit 100 of the present disclosure will be described.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a wire bending
apparatus 10 employing a wire feeding unit 100 according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the wire bending apparatus 10 of the
present disclosure includes a straightener 11, a wire feeder 110,
and a head 13. The straightener 11, the wire feeding portion 110,
and the head portion 13 may be fixed on a base 2 in the form of a
single plate. Specifically, the straightener 11 may be a
configuration through which a wire 1 is drawing into the wire
bending apparatus 10 for the first time. When the wire 1 is wound
around an arbitrary winding portion (not shown), the straightener
11 may straighten the wire 1 which has been bent, i.e., nonlinearly
shaped, in the course of winding and provide the straightened wire
1 to the wire feeding portions 110. Alternatively, the wire 1 may
be fed through a wire inlet (not shown), passing through the
straightener, and then be provided to the wire feeding unit 100
(110 and 120). The wire bending apparatus is to bend a wire for
orthodontic treatment.
[0026] The wire 1 straightened through the above procedure may be
fed to the head portion 13 by the wire feeding portions 110 and
120. The wire feeding portions 110 and 120 are devices for
generating transfer power by which the wire 1 is transferred and
transferring the wire 1 and may serve a function to transfer the
wire 1 drawn into the straightener 11 to the head portion 13.
[0027] In addition, the above-described wire feeding portions 110
and 120 include a pair of symmetrical structures. Thus, the
description of the wire feeding portions 110 and 120 will be given
below based on one wire feeding portion 110. The wire feeding
portion 110 may include a driving roller 111, driven rollers 112a
and 112b, a guide portion 113, and a belt 114. In the present
example, the driven rollers 112a and 112b includes a first driven
roller 112a and a second driven roller 112b (two driven rollers),
the guide portion 113 is interposed between the first driven roller
112a and the second driven roller 112b. The wire feeding portion
110 may be formed as a symmetrically arranged pair. The wire
feeding portion 110 may be configured to directly transfer a
transfer power by which the wire 1 is transferred. For example, the
driving roller 111 may be connected to a power source for
generating the transfer power and transfer a rotation power, and as
the first driven roller 112a and the second driven roller 112b
engaged by the belt 114 are rotated, the wire 1 in direct contact
with the belt 114 is transferred in a direction in which the belt
114 moves.
[0028] Meanwhile, since the wire 1 is brought into contact with the
belt 114, surface friction may be increased, and hence a
contactable surface area of the wire 1 and the belt 114 may be
secured, thereby preventing the wire 1 from being rotated in the
course of transferring the wire 1. The rotation of the wire 1 may
mean that, in the case of the wire 1 being formed by twisting a
plurality of fine wires, the wire 1 is rotated along the direction
of twisting during transfer as the contact area between the wire 1
and the configuration that transfers the wire 1 is reduced.
Therefore, by securing the contact area between the belt 160 and
the wire 1, the wire 1 may be prevented from being rotated during
transfer.
[0029] Here, the driving power source may be a driving motor 115.
In addition, a pair of wire feeding portions 110 may be configured
such that the driving roller 111 and the driven rollers 112a and
112b which are coupled with each belt 114 may be engaged by teeth
in order to keep a wire feeding speed constant. Accordingly, it is
possible to maintain a proportional relationship between a
rotational speed of the driving motor 115 and the feeding speed of
the belt 114 and it is easy to prevent an error due to slippage
between the belt 114 and the wire 1. The wire feeding portion 110
will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.
[0030] Then, the wire 1 transferred by the wire feeding portion 110
to the head portion 13 may be bent in a predetermined direction
under the control of a controller (not shown). As an example of a
bending method, when the wire 1 is provided to the head portion 13
at a constant speed, a bending portion (not shown) positioned at a
front side of the wire 1 in an advancing direction of the wire 1
interferes with a predetermined area of a cross-section of the wire
1 to guide the wire 1 to extend in a curved manner and be drawn
out. The above bending method is merely an example in which the
head portion 13 bends the wire 1 and various methods may be
employed such that the wire 1 may be folded by pressurizing a
folded point according to the manner of operation of the head
portion 13.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a wire feeding unit 110
and 120 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, a pair of wire feeding units 110 and
120 may be positioned in both directions perpendicular to a
direction in which the wire 1 is provided from the straightener 11.
That is, a pair of wire feeding portions 110 and 120 may be
disposed so as to be symmetrical with respect to the wire 1. Each
of the wire feeding portions 110 and 120 may have a transfer power
generated by the driving motor 115 as described above. The transfer
power for transferring the wire 1 may be sequentially transferred
to the driving motor 115, the driving roller 111, the belt 114, the
driven rollers 112a and 112b, the belt 114, and the wire 1.
[0033] That is, the belt 114 may serve a function that transfers
the wire 1 with which the belt 114 is in direct contact and a
function that interlocks the driving roller 111 and the driven
rollers 112a and 112b. In addition, each wire feeding unit 110 or
120 may have a guide portion 113 in order to pressurize the wire 1
through the belt 114 in both directions. Specifically, the guide
portion 113 may be disposed to be in contact with one surface of
the belt 114 and be disposed close to the wire 1, so that the other
surface of the belt 114 can be in contact with the wire 1. In this
way, the pair of wire feeding portions 110 and 120 may pressurize
and transfer the wire 1.
[0034] That is, since the transfer power for transferring the wire
1 through the wire feeding portions 110 and 120 is generated by the
driving motor 115, the rotational speed of the driving motor 115
included in each wire feeding portion 110 or 120 in the pair may be
preferably the same. It is apparent that, even when the rotational
speed differs between the driving motors 115, the number of
rotations of each belt 114 can be controlled to be the same by
forming a difference in the diameter or the number of gear teeth
between the driving roller 111 and the driven roller 112a and 112b
and applying reduction and acceleration. However, in this case, a
rotation power generated from the rotation of each belt 114 may be
set to be the same during controlling the number of rotations.
[0035] If there is a difference in rotational force between the
belts 114 on both sides in contact with the wire 1, the belt 114 on
the side of low rotational force may slip between both guide
portions 113 due to pressing force. Preferably, each driving motor
115 included in the wire feeding portions 110 and 120 in both sides
may rotate at the same rotational speed and the same torque and the
diameters or the number of gear teeth of the driving roller 111 and
the driven rollers 112a and 112b may be determined to be the same.
In addition, a pressurizing surface of the guide portion 113 in
contact with one surface of the belt 114 may be rubbed by sliding
friction with the belt 114. The arrangement of the guide portions
113 will be described below in detail with reference to FIG. 3.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a wire
feeding unit 100 (110 and 120) according to one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 3, the cross-section is taken along A-A of
FIG. 2, wherein the belts 114 are located in both sides of the wire
1 and the belts 114 may be pressurized by the guide portions 113 in
the direction of the wire 1. The belts 114 may be pressurized such
that a predetermined tension is generated, and the wire 1 may be
interposed between the belts 114 by pressurization. In this case, a
length direction of the belt 114 may be parallel to a direction in
which the wire 1 is provided from the straightener 11. In addition,
the belts 114 which is in contact with the wire 1 and pressurizes
the wire 1 may have a predetermined degree of elasticity, thereby
being capable of moving the wire 1 along the direction in the wire
1 is provided.
[0038] In this case, the wire 1 is guided by the guide portions 113
so that the wire 1 can be more precisely transferred to the head
portion 13. The wire 1 may be more firmly fixed by the guidance of
the guide portions 113 during transfer. For example, when the wire
1 passing through the first driven roller 112a and the second
driven roller 112b is moved depending only on tension of the belts
114, support force supporting the wire 1 in a pressurizing
direction P does not exceed the elasticity of the belts 114. Thus,
the wire 1 may be supported by pressing force applied by each
pressurizing surface of the two facing guide portions 113 for more
firmly supporting and transferring the wire 1.
[0039] Hence, a distance (spacing) between both guide portions 113
may be reduced or increased depending on a predetermined diameter
or width of the wire 1. In other words, the guide portions 113 may
be disposed projectedly of a predetermined straight line tangential
to two outer surfaces of the first driven roller 112a and the
second driven roller 112b, toward the pressurizing direction P in
which the wire 1 is pressurized. An projected distance D in the
pressurizing direction P may be selectively determined according to
the diameter or width of the wire 1. Accordingly, it is possible to
maintain a predetermined pressing force.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a wire feeding unit 100
(110 and 120) according to another embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 4, an embodiment in which one driven
roller 112 is provided is described and a driving roller 111a
connected to a driving motor 115 may be interlocked with the driven
roller 112 by a belt 114a. In the present embodiment, the belt 114a
may be pressurized by a guide portion 113a as described in the
embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3. The guide portion 113a may be arranged
to press one side of the belt 114a coupling between the driving
roller 111a and the driven roller 112.
[0042] To implement the aforementioned structure, diameters of the
driving roller 111a and the driven roller 112 may be formed to be
greater than those in the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 3.
This is to secure a space for accommodating the guide portion 113a
since the guide portion 113a may be disposed in an inner space of
the belts 114a for coupling the driving roller 111 and the driven
roller 112. In the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 3, two driven
rollers 112a and 112b are provided and form together with the
driving roller 111a a triangular-shaped inner space so that there
is no limit in diameter. However, in the present embodiment, the
diameters of the driving roller 111a and the driven roller 112 need
to be secured.
[0043] Preferably, the diameters of the driving roller 111a and the
driven roller 112 may be set to be greater than or equal to the
width in a direction in which the guide portion 113a pressurizes
the belt 114a. By doing so, the guide portion 113a only pressurizes
the belt 114a on one side and the resistance to the rotation of the
belt 114a may be prevented from being increased due to contact with
the belts 114a in both sides.
[0044] The wire feeding unit and the wire bending apparatus
according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may have the
following advantages.
[0045] The wire feeding unit according to one embodiment of the
present disclosure allows a belt to be in direct contact with a
wire so that a contact area with the wire in a feeding direction is
increased and rotation of the wire is prevented. Therefore,
delivered power is continuously transferred to stably provide the
wire to the head portion and to perform bending with higher
reliability.
[0046] In addition, the belt which is in direct contact with the
wire is slid along the wire guide portions and pressurizes the wire
so that delivered power for transferring the wire can be
continuously provided through uniform pressing force, thereby
preventing slippage between the wire and the belt.
[0047] Also, tooth engagement between rollers and the belt which is
in direct contact with the wire may allow a feeding distance caused
by the delivered power to be proportional to motor rotational
speed.
[0048] A number of examples have been described above.
Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may
be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the
described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if
components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit
are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented
by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other
implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *