1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wire straighteners, and more particularly to multiple axis wire straighteners for non-circular cross-section wires.
2. Background of the Invention
Typically, wire is manufactured and then reeled or coiled for ease of storage, shipment, and handling. The reeled or coiled wire takes on undesired deformations including bends or kinks. In various types of manufacturing equipment that utilize wire, it is necessary to supply the equipment with wire that is precisely straight.
One conventional method of straightening wire is to use a wire straightener having two sets of rollers oriented at right angles, each set of rollers straightening the wire in its respective plane. The position of the rollers may be manually adjusted to accommodate wires of different dimensions as well as to apply a desired level and direction of straightening force to the wire.
Another conventional method of straightening wire, in the case of wire having a circular cross-section, is to use a spinning straightening device comprising a block of steel or other metal known as a “flyer” or “log” which houses several alternating adjustable dies and which spins around the axis of the wire at a very high speed. As the flyer spins around the wire, the wire is pulled or pushed through the dies in the flyer longitudinally. Two flyers may be used, spinning in opposite directions, to counteract any twisting caused by a single flyer spinning in only one direction. By adjusting the dies against the wire passing through the flyer, more or less pressure can be applied to the wire and the wire is dynamically straightened.
The effectiveness of a wire straightener for a given wire is dependent on the precise position of the rollers, such that even a slight adjustment to the rollers' position can change the resulting straightness of the wire. The conventional two plane wire straightener can be very finicky to adjust. Therefore, a wire straightener allowing the user to easily, consistently and repeatably adjust the rollers into a precise position is needed.
Coiling or other methods of storing wire can also result in helical deformation in the form of twists. The conventional wire straighteners discussed above do not directly remedy twists in the wire. Therefore, it would be advantageous for a wire straightener to also straighten twists in the wire.
The conventional spinning flyer wire straightener cannot be used on wire having a non-circular cross-section. While the conventional two plane wire straightener can be used on wire having a non-circular cross-section, as mentioned above it is finicky to adjust. Therefore, a wire straightener allowing the user to straighten wire having a non-circular cross-section, and which is easy to adjust, is needed.
Accordingly, in one aspect the invention is a wire straightener, comprising a wire feed path, a first set of rollers disposed in a first plane along the wire feed path, a second set of rollers disposed in a second plane along the wire feed path, the first and second planes being substantially perpendicular to one another, a first motor operable to adjust a position of at least one of the rollers of the first set of rollers when actuated, and a second motor operable to adjust a position of at least one of the rollers of the second set of rollers when actuated.
The straightener can further comprise a third motor operable to rotate the first and second sets of rollers about an axis defined by the wire feed path. The first and second sets of rollers can be mounted to a carriage, and the third motor can be a servo motor operatively connected to the carriage through a gear assembly to rotate the carriage about the axis defined by the wire feed path.
The first motor can be a servo motor operatively connected to a first liner actuator operatively connected to the at least one of the first set of rollers, such that adjusting a position of the first linear actuator adjusts a position of the at least one of the first set of rollers. The straightener can further comprise a first pivot plate operatively connected to the first linear actuator, and the at least one of the first set of rollers can comprise two rollers mounted to the first pivot plate, the first pivot plate configured to pivot and adjust a position of the two rollers of the first set of rollers based on movement of the first linear actuator. The first set of rollers can comprise a third roller positioned on an opposite side of the wire feed path from the two rollers, the third roller having an axis of rotation, the first pivot plate having a pivot axis, the axis of rotation of the third roller and the pivot axis of the first pivot plate being collinear.
The second motor can be a servo motor operatively connected to a second liner actuator operatively connected to the at least one of the second set of rollers, such that adjusting a position of the second linear actuator adjusts a position of the at least one of the second set of rollers. The straightener can further comprising a second pivot plate operatively connected to the second linear actuator, and the at least one of the second set of rollers can comprise two rollers mounted to the second pivot plate, the pivot plate configured to pivot and adjust a position of the two rollers of the second set of rollers based on movement of the second linear actuator. The second set of rollers can comprise a third roller positioned on an opposite side of the wire feed path from the two rollers, the third roller having an axis of rotation, the second pivot plate having a pivot axis, the axis of rotation of the third roller and the pivot axis of the second pivot plate being collinear.
The straightener can be especially adapted to straighten a wire having a non-circular cross-section. The first and second sets of rollers include grooves adapted to receive the non-circular cross-section wire and prevent the wire from twisting relative to the grooves. For a wire having a rectangular cross-section, the grooves are matingly rectangular.
In another aspect, the invention is a wire straightener comprising a wire feed path, a carriage rotatable about an axis defined by the wire feed path, a first set of rollers mounted to the carriage and disposed in a first plane along the wire feed path, a second set of rollers mounted to the carriage and disposed in a second plane along the wire feed path, the first and second planes being substantially perpendicular to one another, a first motor operable to adjust a position of at least one of the rollers of the first set of rollers when actuated, a second motor operable to adjust a position of at least one of the rollers of the second set of rollers when actuated, and a third motor operable to rotate the carriage about the axis defined by the wire feed path.
The straightener can further comprise a controller in communication with the first, second, and third motors, the controller operable to receive inputs from a user and to send outputs to the first, second, and third motors representative of the inputs.
In yet another aspect, the invention is a wire straightener comprising a wire feed path, a first set of rollers disposed in a first plane along the wire feed path, a first motor operable to adjust a position of at least one of the rollers of the first set of rollers when actuated, and a controller in communication with the first motor, the controller operable to receive an input from a user indicative of a desired position of the at least one of the first set of rollers and to send an output to the first motor representative of the input to position the at least one of the first set of rollers in the desired position.
In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of straightening a wire comprising the steps of feeding a length of wire from a supply of wire through first and second sets of rollers, straightening the length of wire in a first plane with the first set of rollers by moving a first roller of the first set of rollers relative to a second roller of the first set of rollers, straightening the length of wire in a second plane, substantially perpendicular to the first plane, with the second set of rollers by moving a first roller of the second set of rollers relative to a second roller of the second set of rollers, and untwisting the length of wire by rotating the first and second sets of rollers relative to the wire supply about an axis of the wire.
The method can further comprise the step of controlling the movement of the first roller of the first set of rollers, the movement of the first roller of the second set of rollers, and the rotation of the first and second sets of rollers with a controller configured to receive inputs from a user indicative of desired positions of the first roller of the first set of rollers, the first roller of the second set of rollers, and the first and second sets of rollers, and to send outputs to respective first, second, and third motors representative of the inputs to position the first roller of the first set of rollers, the first roller of the second set of rollers, and the first and second sets of rollers in the desired positions.
In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of straightening a wire comprising the steps of feeding a length of wire from a supply of wire through first and second sets of rollers, monitoring a curvature and twist of the length of wire, and based upon the curvature and twist of the length of wire, straightening the length of wire in a first plane with the first set of rollers by moving a first roller of the first set of rollers relative to a second roller of the first set of rollers, straightening the length of wire in a second plane, substantially perpendicular to the first plane, with the second set of rollers by moving a first roller of the second set of rollers relative to a second roller of the second set of rollers, and untwisting the length of wire by rotating the first and second sets of rollers relative to the wire supply about an axis of the wire.
The step of monitoring the curvature and twist of the length of wire can be performed visually by an operator, or performed by a sensor, for example a machine vision sensor.
One advantage of the present invention is that a wire straightener is provided that allows a user to consistently and repeatably adjust the rollers into a precise position by virtue of the rollers being adjusted by a servo motor.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a wire straightener is provided that straightens or untwists twists in the wire.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a wire straightener is provided that allows the user to straighten wire having a non-circular cross-section.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a wire straightener is provided which is fully automated.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the Drawings herein.
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The straightener 10 comprises a horizontal wire straightener 20 for straightening the wire 12 in a horizontal plane and a vertical wire straightener 22 for straightening the wire 12 in a vertical plane. The horizontal and vertical straighteners 20, 22 are mounted substantially perpendicular to one another on a carriage 24 that is rotatable about an axis defined by the wire feed path; rotation of the carriage 24 serves to untwist the wire 12. As used herein, the terms “horizontal” and “vertical” are used merely for convenience and illustrative purposes only to designate first and second straighteners 20, 22 on straightener 10; those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that rotating carriage 24 about the axis defined by the wire feed path, as will be described below, will cause the horizontal straightener 20 and vertical straightener 22 to move out of their respective initial horizontal and vertical planes.
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Horizontal straightener 20 further includes a free-wheeling roller 110 mounted to a block 112 with a screw 114 and suitable bearing. Block 112 includes slotted holes 116, 118 and screws 120, 122 mounting block 112 to horizontal base plate 30 that permit block 112 and hence roller 110 to be adjusted towards or away from the wire feed path. Horizontal straightener 20 further includes a pivot plate 130 having free-wheeling rollers 132, 134 rotatably mounted thereto with screws 136, 138, respectively and suitable bearings. Referring to
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Vertical straightener 22 further includes a free-wheeling roller 310 mounted to a block 312 with a screw 314 and suitable bearing. Block 312 includes slotted holes 316, 318 and screws 320, 322 mounting block 312 to vertical base plate 230 that permit block 312 and hence roller 310 to be adjusted towards or away from the wire feed path. Vertical straightener 22 further includes a pivot plate 330 having free-wheeling rollers 332, 334 rotatably mounted thereto with screws 336, 338, respectively and suitable bearings. Like in the horizontal straightener 20 referred to above and shown in
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In use, an operator of the machine 10 visually monitors the curvature and twist of the wire 12 on the output side 18 of the wire feed box 16. Depending on the amount and direction of curvature of the wire 12 in the horizontal plane, the operator enters an appropriate input into the input/output device 500. The controller 502 receives the input and sends a corresponding output to the first servo motor 158, which moves the first linear actuator 156 in the appropriate direction and in the appropriate amount to straighten the horizontal curvature in the wire 12 observed by the operator. Depending on the amount and direction of curvature of the wire 12 in the vertical plane, the operator enters an appropriate input into the input/output device 500. The controller 502 receives the input and sends a corresponding output to the second servo motor 358, which moves the second linear actuator 356 in the appropriate direction and in the appropriate amount to straighten the vertical curvature in the wire 12 observed by the operator. Depending on the amount and direction of twist of the wire 12 about the axis 19 of the wire 12, the operator enters an appropriate input into the input/output device 500. The controller 502 receives the input and sends a corresponding output to the third servo motor 420, which rotates gear 422 to rotate gear 424 and carriage 24 in the appropriate direction and in the appropriate amount to untwist the twist in the wire 12 observed by the operator.
The embodiments shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only. The drawings and the description are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and other embodiments. For example, rather than the operator visually monitoring the curvature and twist of the wire 12 on the output side 18 of the wire feed box 16, a sensor 504 (