Rectangular wire coiling machine

Abstract

A coiling machine configured to coil semi-rigid rectangular wires without using a core to wind the wire thereonto, yielding a free-standing coil is described herein. The coiling machine comprises a wire bending mechanism including a wire holding assembly for selectively immobilizing a wire and a wire bending assembly for bending a selected portion of the wire at an angle while the wire is immobilized by the wire holding assembly; a wire feeding mechanism for receiving the wire from a wire drawing mechanism and for feeding a length of the wire to the wire bending mechanism; and a controller coupled to the wire drawing mechanism, wire bending mechanism and wire feeding mechanism to control their operations for sequentially bending the wire at predetermined positions therealong so as to yield a coil of wire.

1 . A wire coiling machine comprising: 
 a wire bending mechanism including a wire holding assembly for selectively immobilizing a wire and a wire bending assembly for bending a selected portion of said wire at an angle while said wire is immobilized by said wire holding assembly;    a wire feeding mechanism for receiving said wire from a continuous feed and for feeding a first length of said wire to said wire bending mechanism; and    a controller coupled to both said wire bending mechanism and said feeding mechanism to control operations of both said wire feeding mechanism and said wire bending mechanism for sequentially bending said wire at predetermined positions therealong so as to yield a coil of wire having a predetermined geometry.    
     
     
         2 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a wire drawing mechanism for receiving a spool of wire and for uncoiling said wire from said spool for supplying to said wire feeding mechanism as said continuous feed.  
     
     
         3 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said wire drawing mechanism includes a spool shaft for receiving said spool of wire and spool driving means coupled to said spool shaft for motorizing said spool shaft; said spool driving means being further coupled to said controller for precisely unwinding said spool of wire under control of said controller.  
     
     
         4 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  3 , wherein said spool driving means includes a motor and a pulley assembly for coupling said spool shaft to said motor.  
     
     
         5 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said wire drawing mechanism further includes a self-tensioning assembly located downstream from said shaft and upstream from said wire feeding mechanism for supplying a predetermined second length of wire to said wire feeding assembly at a generally constant tension; said self-tensioning assembly being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         6 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said spool shaft is mounted to a frame; said self-tensioning assembly including a carriage mounted to said frame for longitudinal movement relative to said spool shaft, and a cylinder mounted to both said spool shaft and said carriage in a closed circuit for biasing said carriage from said spool shaft to keep said generally constant tension onto said uncoiled wire; said carriage being further for receiving uncoiled wire from said spool and for supplying said uncoiled wire to said wire feeding mechanism.  
     
     
         7 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said wire drawing mechanism further comprises limit switches coupled to said controller for supplying positions of said carriage to said controller.  
     
     
         8 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said wire feeding mechanism includes an elongated wire guide to guide said wire from said wire drawing mechanism to said wire bending mechanism; said carriage being configured and positioned relative to said elongated wire guide so as to supply said uncoiled wire levelled with said elongated wire guide.  
     
     
         9 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said wire drawing mechanism further includes a wire straightener to straighten said wire from said spool, yielding a straightened wire and for supplying said straightened wire to said wire feeding mechanism.  
     
     
         10 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wire feeding mechanism includes an elongated wire guide to guide said wire from said continuous feed to said wire bending mechanism.  
     
     
         11 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said elongated wire guide includes a slot for receiving said wire.  
     
     
         12 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said wire feeding mechanism further includes a table movable along said elongated wire guide and a gripping arm mounted to said table and being movable between a resting position and a wire gripping position wherein said gripping arm grips said wire onto said elongated wire guide; both said table and said gripper arm being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby; whereby, in operation, said wire feeding mechanism feeding a second length of wire to said wire bending mechanism includes i) said continuous feed being stopped, ii) said gripping arm gripping said wire onto said elongated wire guide, and iii) said table moving towards said wire bending mechanism from a distance corresponding to said second length.  
     
     
         13 . A wire coiling mechanism as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said gripping arm includes a first end provided with a friction pad for engaging said wire onto said elongated wire guide and a second end; said gripping arm being pivotally mounted to said table through an intermediary point defining a fulcrum between said first and second ends; said gripping arm further comprising an actuator mounting said second end to said table for causing said gripping arm to pivot about said fulcrum between said resting position and said wire gripping position; said actuator being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         14 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wire holding assembly includes i) a wire-receiving support, having an aperture, for receiving said wire from said wire feeding mechanism, ii) a fixed friction element mounted to said wire-receiving support on one side thereof, and iii) a movable friction element for selectively bring into engagement therewith through said aperture said wire in said wire-receiving support and said fixed friction element.  
     
     
         15 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wire bending assembly includes a base, a fixed roller mounted to said base, and a pivotable roller mounted to said base so as to pivot about said fixed roller.  
     
     
         16 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said pivotable roller is fixedly mounted to an actuator which is pivotally mounted to said base.  
     
     
         17 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 15 , wherein both said fixed and pivotable rollers include a circumferential channel sized to snugly receive said wire; said fixed and pivotable rollers being so distanced so as to snugly receive said wire therebetween.  
     
     
         18 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a wire stripping mechanism to strip a second length of said wire from said continuous feed.  
     
     
         19 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism is coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby; said second length being determined by said controller.  
     
     
         20 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism further includes at least one stripper claw, a stripper claw actuating mechanism for moving said at least one stripper claw between a resting position relative to said wire to a wire engaging position, a wire clamping mechanism for selectively immobilizing said wire, and a linear actuator for moving said at least one stripper claw along said wire for said second length while said wire is immobilized by said wire clamping mechanism; said stripper claw actuating mechanism, said wire clamping mechanism and said linear actuator being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         21 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said at least one stripper claw includes a cutting edge; said wire stripping mechanism further includes at least one grater finger including a blade and being so mounted to a respective one of said at least one stripper claw that said blade and said cutting edge are levelled when said wire stripping mechanism is in said wire engaging position.  
     
     
         22 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism further includes a mounting assembly for mounting said at least one stripper claw to said stripper claw actuating mechanism and at least one lever arm for pivotally mounting a respective one of said at least one stripper claw to said mounting assembly; said stripper claw actuating mechanism including a first cylinder secured to said mounting assembly, being operatively coupled to said lever arm and being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         23 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism is mounted to a frame including a frame member positioned parallel said second length; said stripper claw actuating mechanism being slidably mounted to said frame member.  
     
     
         24 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said linear actuator includes a second cylinder secured to said frame member and coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby; said second cylinder having a movable piston secured to said stripper claw actuating mechanism to allow reciprocal movement of said stripper claw actuating mechanism along said frame member.  
     
     
         25 . A wire coiling mechanism as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism further including two mechanical stops secured to said frame member to limit a course of said stripper claw actuating mechanism along said frame member.  
     
     
         26 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism is mounted to a frame including a frame member positioned parallel said second length; said wire clamping mechanism including a first friction plate fixedly mounted to said frame member and a second friction plate for selectively abutting against said first friction plate by mean of a clamping actuator secured to said frame and for immobilizing said wire therebetween.  
     
     
         27 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said clamping actuator includes a cylinder coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby and operatively coupled to said second friction plate for allowing reciprocal movement of said second friction plate towards and away said first friction plate.  
     
     
         28 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said wire stripping mechanism includes a vacuum for removing residue from said wire caused by said wire stripping mechanism.  
     
     
         29 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a wire cutting mechanism to cut said wire; said wire cutting mechanism being mounted to a frame adjacent said wire bending mechanism.  
     
     
         30 . A wire coiling mechanism as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said wire cutting mechanism includes a cutter mounted to said frame so as to be movable between a retracted position relative to said wire bending mechanism and an extended position for cutting said wire; said cutter being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         31 . A wire coiling mechanism as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said cutter is fixedly mounted to a post; said post being pivotally mounted to a support bracket; said support bracket being slidably mounted to a frame member of said frame; said wire cutting assembly further including a first cylinder fixedly mounted to said frame member for selectively sliding said support bracket along said frame member towards and away said wire bending mechanism, and a second cylinder secured to said support bracket and having a movable piston secured to said post for selectively pivoting said post towards and away said wire bending mechanism; both said first and second cylinders being coupled to said controller so as to be controllable thereby.  
     
     
         32 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said controller includes a first controller coupled to said wire feeding mechanism for controlling said operation of said wire feeding mechanism, and a second controller coupled to said wire bending mechanism and to said wire feeding mechanism for controlling said operation of said wire bending mechanism.  
     
     
         33 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wire is a semi-rigid wire.  
     
     
         34 . A wire coiling machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wire is a rectangular wire.  
     
     
         35 . A wire coiling machine comprising: 
 a wire bending mechanism including a wire holding assembly for selectively immobilizing a wire and a wire bending assembly for bending a selected portion of said wire while said wire is immobilized by said wire holding assembly;    a wire feeding mechanism for receiving said wire from a continuous feed and for feeding said wire to said wire bending mechanism; and    a controller coupled to said wire feeding mechanism and said wire bending mechanism for controlling operations of both said wire feeding mechanism and said wire bending mechanism to form a coil of wire having a geometry characterized by a sequence of lengths of wire and intermediary angles of bends; said controller being configured to control said wire feeding mechanism to sequentially feed said sequence of lengths of wire to said wire bending mechanism, and, between two sequential feeds of lengths of wire, to control said wire bending mechanism to bend said wire of a corresponding intermediary angle.    
     
     
         36 . A wire coiling machine comprising: 
 a wire bending mechanism including a wire holding assembly for selectively immobilizing a wire and a wire bending assembly for bending a selected portion of said wire at an angle while said wire is immobilized by said wire holding assembly;    a wire feeding mechanism for receiving said wire from a continuous feed and feeding a length of said wire to said wire bending mechanism; and    a controller coupled to said wire feeding mechanism and to said wire bending mechanism for controlling said wire bending mechanism and said wire feeding mechanism according to a predetermined sequence so as to yield a coil of wire having a predetermined geometry characterized by a sequence of lengths of wire and intermediary angles of bends.    
     
     
         37 . A wire coiling machine comprising: 
 wire immobilizing means for selectively immobilizing a wire;    wire bending means for bending a selected portion of said wire at an angle while said wire is immobilized by said wire immobilizing means;    wire feeding means for receiving said wire from a continuous feed and for feeding a length of said wire to said wire bending means; and    controlling means coupled to said wire immobilizing means, said wire bending means and said wire feeding means; said controlling means being configured to control operations of both said wire feeding mechanism and said wire bending mechanism for sequentially bending said wire at predetermined positions along its length so as to yield a coil of wire having a predetermined geometry.