Advancing material of indeterminate length – By orbitally traveling material-engaging surface – Comprising rotary pinch pair
Patent
1997-01-21
1998-07-07
Crowder, C. D.
Advancing material of indeterminate length
By orbitally traveling material-engaging surface
Comprising rotary pinch pair
226186, B65H 2000
Patent
active
057755655
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention refers to an apparatus for feeding one or more fibre threads, e.g. of glass, at an adjustable feeding rate, comprising at least two synchronously driven feed rollers forming at least one nip for the fibre thread and consisting of a first motor driven roller and a second co-rotating roller.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In robot-controlled production, there are usually a high demand for precision in the delivery of raw material. For example, when feeding fiber thread to a robot-controlled fiber feeding apparatus, the feeding rate may be about 10 meters per second, wherein the quality of the product is highly dependent upon an exact control of the feeding. A prerequisite for such an exact control is that the feed rollers are synchronously driven at the right speed, without damages to the thread. Damages may occur if a thread which is composed of a large number of single thin threads is subjected to wear, e.g. because the feeding rollers are not driven synchronously, so that one side of the fiber is either braked or subjected to wear. This can lead to a negative influence upon the strength of the thread, and that a part of the thread is worn away, so that the required amount of material is not supplied to the robot.
The feeding rollers, of which one thus is mechanically operated and the other is only co-rotating, can be driven synchronously in different ways. For example, gearwheels, a chain transmission or a toothed belt can be used for synchronisation of the feeding rollers. However, all these known transmissions exhibit drawbacks in an environment which is subjected to comparatively large amounts of fine fiber dust from the thread.
Also, it is advantageous if the feeding rollers and their driving means can be housed in a manner which requires little space and reduces the weight, to facilitate mounting upon a robot arm.
It is also important that the driving of the feeding rollers is reliable, with little need for attention and maintenance.
THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for feeding fiber thread, which fulfills the above discussed prerequisites.
THE SOLUTION
For this purpose the invention is characterized in that the motor driven roller and/or the co-rotating roller are/is provided with one or more, housed O-ring of an elastic incompressible material, e.g. rubber, each in its respective peripheral slot in the cylindrical mantle surface of the roller which O-ring bears on the peripheral surface of the adjacent roller to transmit the rotary motion by means of friction.
Preferably, the contact surface of the co-rotating roller toward the O-ring/rings is provided with a friction enhancing knurling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described here below with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which
FIG. 1 shows schematically a feeding apparatus in a side view, and
FIG. 2 shows the feeding rollers in view from above.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The feeding apparatus schematically shown in FIG. 1 is used mounted upon a not shown robot arm, for feeding out fiber thread 10 and binding agent in the form of powder from not shown magazines, for example to molds for plastic products.
Preferably, the robot arm is freely movable in the room and is governed by a micro processor, which can be programmed.
The fiber thread 10 is drawn from its magazine into the feeding apparatus by means of two feeding rollers 11, 12, which form a nip for the fiber thread and comprise a first motor driven roller 11 and a second co-rotating roller 12.
The roller 12 has a displaceable bearing which is pressed in the direction towards the roller 11 by means of a compression spring 13. The roller 11 is driven in a speed adjustable manner by means of a not shown driving motor.
The rollers 11, 12 feed the fiber thread 10 forward via a compressed air ejector 14 and a tube 15, which is bent to about 90.degree. and emerges into the nip between a knife roller 16 and a support roller 17.
The fiber th
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Aplicator System AB
Crowder C. D.
Taylor Tina R.
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