Rebar tying machine and reel

Abstract

A rebar tying machine comprises a reel including a bobbin and a wire wound on the bobbin; a reel attachment unit to which the reel is attached; a feeding unit configured to feed the wire wound on the bobbin; a guide unit configured to guide the wire around rebars; a twisting unit configured to twist the wire around the rebars; and a detection unit configured to detect a type of the reel. The bobbin includes a body portion on which the wire is wound, the body portion having a first internal space into which the reel attachment unit is inserted; and an information portion that has type information indicating the type of the reel. The detection unit is positioned in the first internal space when the reel is attached on the reel attachment unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rebar tying machine, comprising:
 a reel including a bobbin and a wire wound on the bobbin;   a reel attachment unit to which the reel is attached;   a feeding unit configured to feed the wire wound on the bobbin;   a guide unit configured to guide the wire around rebars;   a twisting unit configured to twist the wire around the rebars; and   a detection unit configured to detect a type of the reel,   wherein   the bobbin includes:
 a body portion on which the wire is wound, the body portion having a first internal space into which the reel attachment unit is inserted; and 
 an information portion that has type information indicating the type of the reel, and 
   the detection unit is positioned in the first internal space when the reel is attached on the reel attachment unit.   
     
     
         2 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information portion includes a protrusion protruding from the body portion,   a protruding length of the protrusion varies depending on the type of the reel, and   the protruding length is the type information.   
     
     
         3 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is positioned in the first internal space. 
     
     
         4 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the body portion includes:
 a tubular main body having an internal space; and 
 a partition that divides the internal space of the main body into the first internal space and a second internal space different from the first internal space, and 
   the protrusion protrudes from the partition.   
     
     
         5 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the reel is configured to rotatable about a central axis when attached on the reel attachment unit, and   the protrusion is positioned on the central axis and extends along the central axis.   
     
     
         6 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the detection unit includes:
 a movable member, wherein the movable member is positioned in an initial position when the reel attachment unit is not in the first internal space and is moved from the initial position by being pressed by the protrusion when the reel attachment unit is inserted into the first internal space; and 
 a detector configured to detect a position of the movable member. 
   
     
     
         7 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the reel attachment unit is higher than a hardness of the bobbin. 
     
     
         8 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the detection unit includes a contact portion configured to contact the bobbin when the reel is attached on the reel attachment unit, and   a hardness of the contact portion is higher than the hardness of the bobbin.   
     
     
         9 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to control the feeding unit and the twisting unit to execute a tying process for tying the rebars using the wire,
 wherein the control unit is configured to acquire the type of the reel from the detection unit during the tying process.   
     
     
         10 . A rebar tying machine, comprising:
 a reel attachment unit to which a first reel and a second reel are selectively attachable, wherein the first reel includes a first protrusion and a wire, the first protrusion has a first protruding length, the second reel includes a second protrusion and a wire, and the second protrusion has a second protruding length;   a feeding unit configured to feed the wire;   a guide unit configured to guide the wire around rebars;   a twisting unit configured to twist the wire around the rebars; and   a detection unit configured to detect the first protrusion or the second protrusion.   
     
     
         11 . A reel for use in a rebar tying machine, comprising:
 a bobbin; and   a wire wound on the bobbin,   wherein   the rebar tying machine includes:
 a reel attachment unit to which the reel is attached; 
 a feeding unit configured to feed the wire wound on the bobbin; 
 a guide unit configured to guide the wire around rebars; 
 a twisting unit configured to twist the wire around the rebars; and 
 a detection unit configured to detect a type of the reel, 
   the bobbin includes:
 an information portion that has type information indicating the type of the reel; and 
 a body portion on which the wire is wound, 
   the body portion has a first internal space into which the reel attachment unit is inserted, and   the detection unit is positioned in the first internal space when the reel attachment unit is in the first internal space.   
     
     
         12 . The reel according to  claim 11 , wherein the information portion is positioned in the first internal space. 
     
     
         13 . A reel for use in a rebar tying machine, comprising:
 a bobbin; and   a wire wound on the bobbin,   wherein   the rebar tying machine includes:
 a reel attachment unit to which the reel is attached; 
 a feeding unit configured to feed the wire wound on the bobbin; 
 a guide unit configured to guide the wire around rebars; 
 a twisting unit configured to twist the wire around the rebars; and 
 a detection unit configured to detect a type of the reel, 
   the bobbin includes a protrusion having a protruding length,   the protruding length varies depending on the type of the reel, and   the detection unit is configured to detect the type of the reel based on the protruding length.   
     
     
         14 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the bobbin further includes a first member and a second member different from the first member,   the information portion is included in the first member, and   the body portion is included in the second member.   
     
     
         15 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the reel is configured to rotatable about a central axis when attached on the reel attachment unit,   the information portion includes a protrusion positioned on the central axis in the first internal space and extending along the central axis,   the protrusion has a protruding length,   the protruding length varies depending on the type of the reel, and   the protruding length is the type information.   
     
     
         16 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the first member is fixed to the second member in a retaining manner. 
     
     
         17 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 16 , wherein
 a through hole is formed in the second member, and   the first member extends through the through hole.   
     
     
         18 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the first member is insertable into and removable from the through hole from an opposite side to the first internal space. 
     
     
         19 . The reel according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the bobbin includes a first member and a second member different from the first member,   the information portion is included in the first member, and   the body portion is included in the second member.   
     
     
         20 . The rebar tying machine according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the reel is configured to rotatable about a central axis when attached on the reel attachment unit,   the protrusion is positioned on the central axis and extends along the central axis,   the detection unit includes:
 a movable member, wherein the movable member is positioned in an initial position when the reel attachment unit is not in the first internal space and is moved from the initial position by being pressed by the protrusion when the reel attachment unit is inserted into the first internal space; and 
 a detector configured to detect a position of the movable member, 
   the reel attachment unit includes an insertion tube configured to be inserted into the first internal space,   the detector is positioned in the insertion tube,   the insertion tube includes:
 a wall configured to face the reel when the insertion tube is in the first internal space; and 
 a through hole penetrating the wall, 
   the protrusion extends through the through hole and presses the movable member toward inside of the insertion tube when the insertion tube is in the first internal space,   the detection unit further includes a biasing member configured to bias the movable member toward the initial position,   the bobbin is configured to rotatable about the reel attachment unit,   a hardness of the reel attachment unit is higher than a hardness of the bobbin,   the detection unit includes a contact portion configured to contact the bobbin when the reel is attached on the reel attachment unit,   a hardness of the contact portion is higher than the hardness of the bobbin,   the rebar tying machine further comprises a control unit configured to control the feeding unit and the twisting unit to execute a tying process for tying the rebars using the wire, and   the control unit is configured to acquire the type of the reel from the detection unit during the tying process.