Patent Publication Number: US-2016225494-A1

Title: Multiple strip armoring system

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This invention claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/111,894, entitled “Multiple Strip Armoring System,” filed Feb. 4, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present embodiments generally relate to an armoring system, which may be used to form tubular members, including but not limited to those being part of armored cables. 
     Armored cable is a type of cable including an inner transmission media or series of wires, which are generally enclosed by an outer armor sheath. Armored cable may be desirable in applications requiring a relatively high degree of outer protection of the inner transmission media or wires. 
     Armored cable may be fabricated by helically winding a strip circumferentially about one or more wires. One technique involves passing the one or more wires through a rotating coil holding a spool of the strip. As the coil rotates, the strip is then drawn from the coil, and may pass through a series of forming rollers to impart a desired shape to the strip. The strip is then circumferentially wound around the one or more wires to complete the armored cable formation. 
     Typically, a single strip of armored material is wound about the one or more wires. The production rate, i.e., the rate at which the armored material can successfully cover the one or more wires, is generally limited based on the rotation speed of the equipment. In other words, faster rotational winding of the single strip is a primary technique for increasing production time of the armored layer. However, there are limits on rotational speed of equipment and issues that might arise if the speed is increased too greatly, thus maintaining a limit on the production rate. 
     Further, in systems where more than one strip is provided as part of an armoring layer, multiple sets of tooling heads and multiple sets of forming rolls and complex guiding elements have been required. In such systems, there is a relatively large number of moving parts, adding to complexity and costs of the systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present embodiments are directed to an armoring system comprising at least first and second strips. In one embodiment, a forming roll comprises first and second roll segments disposed adjacent to one another. Both the first and second strips are formed into modified shapes by the forming roll. The first and second strips are helically wound into a formed tube after passing through the forming roll. 
     First and second guide rollers may be disposed upstream of the forming roll, such that the first strip passes over the first guide roller and the second strip passes over the second guide roller prior to being fed towards the forming roll. The first and second roll segments of the forming roll may be disposed radially inward relative to the first and second guide rollers. In one example, the first strip passes over the first guide roller at a location longitudinally offset from a location at which the second strip passes over the second guide roller. The system may further comprise a mounting plate, and each of the first and second guide rollers, and the first and second roll segments of the forming roll, is coupled to the mounting plate. 
     In one embodiment, the first and second roll segments of the forming roll are disposed adjacent to one another such that a front portion of the first roll segment is disposed adjacent to a front portion of the second roll segment, and a rear portion of the first roll segment is disposed adjacent to a rear portion of the second roll segment. The front portion of the first roll segment may comprise a diameter greater than the rear portion of the first roll segment, and the front portion of the second roll segment may comprise a diameter less than the rear portion of the second roll segment. In one example, the front portion of the first roll segment spans a length along a longitudinal axis that is less than a length spanned by the rear portion of the first roll segment, and the front portion of the second roll segment spans a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than a length spanned by the rear portion of the second roll segment. 
     The system may comprise a main frame having front and rear portions. The first strip may be provided from a first pack mounted near the front portion of the main frame and the second strip may be provided from a second pack mounted near the rear portion of the main frame. In one example, the first and second strips at least partially overlap with one another during passage through the forming roll and as part of the formed tube. 
     Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be within the scope of the invention, and be encompassed by the following claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of an armoring system. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevated perspective view of a portion of the armoring system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3-5  are, respectively, perspective, front and side views depicting features of an exemplary forming roll of the armoring system of  FIGS. 1-2 , with select components shown in  FIGS. 1-2  being omitted for clarity in  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view, generally in a direction from above to below, of an exemplary relationship of first and second strips passing through a forming roll, with select components shown in  FIGS. 1-2  being omitted for clarity in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of components of an alternative armoring system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a first embodiment of an armoring system  20  is shown and described. The armoring system  20  may be used to form a generally cylindrical tube of material, and may be used, by way of example and without limitation, to form armored cable in which an armored layer surrounds one or more inner wires. 
     The armoring system  20  comprises a main frame  30  having front and rear portions  32  and  34 , respectively. A first pack  40  comprising a first strip of material  42  is mounted near the front portion  32 , and a second pack  50  comprising a second strip of material  52  is mounted near the rear portion  34 , as generally depicted in  FIG. 1 . While the first pack  40  is shown extending outside of the front boundary of the main frame  30 , and the second pack  50  is shown housed within the rear boundary of the main frame  30 , it should be understood that one or both of the first and second packs  40  and  50  may be positioned partially or fully within the boundaries of the main frame  30  or entirely outside of the main frame  30 . 
     The first and second packs  40  and  50  generally comprise cylindrically mounted packs housing the first and second strips  42  and  52 , respectively, such that the first and second strips  42  and  52  are disposed in a coil-shaped manner around their respective first and second packs  40  and  50 . Rotational movement is imparted to unwind the first and second strips  42  and  52  from their respective first and second packs  40  and  50 . Upon unwinding, both the first and second strips of material  42  and  52  are routed towards a forming area  60  located near the front of the system, as will be explained further below. 
     The first strip  42  may be directed around at least one guiding member towards the forming area  60 . In one embodiment, the first strip  42  is directed around a plurality of intermediate rollers  45  and towards a guide roller  46 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     Similarly, the second strip  52  may be directed around at least one guiding member towards the forming area  60 . In the example of  FIGS. 1-2 , the second strip  52  is directed around an initial roller  53  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), and then through a central region of the main frame  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . At this point, the second strip  52  may be directed generally along a main longitudinal axis L of the armoring system  20 , and may be adjacent to a mandrel  85 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 , where the mandrel  85  may comprise a central elongate segment of a solid material or the one or more wires to be covered by the armored sheath. The second strip  52  then may extend axially through a central region of the first pack  40 , and may emerge in front of the first pack  40  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The second strip  52  then may be guided around a plurality of intermediate rollers  55  and towards a guide roller  56 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . In this manner, both the first strip  42  and the second strip  52  are guided towards a similar location on the frontal side of the first pack  40 . 
     While exemplary paths for travel of the first and second strips  42  and  52  are depicted in  FIGS. 1-2 , it should be understood that these particular paths are non-limiting examples. For example, the number and placement of rollers  45  and  55  may be adjusted, as needed, to facilitate travel of the first and second strips  42  and  52  towards the forming area  60 . Further, in other examples, the second strip  52  need not travel along the main longitudinal axis L of the armoring system  20 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 , but rather may travel along a radially offset pathway spaced-apart from the main longitudinal axis L. 
     The forming area  60  generally comprises a mounting surface  61 , which in this example comprises a generally cylindrical body to which multiple parts are secured. The mounting surface  61  comprises a central bore  64  through which the mandrel  85  is axially disposed, as depicted in  FIG. 2 . The mounting surface  61  may be secured to a frontal surface of a pack holder  43 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 , using one or more coupling members  66 . In the example shown, three coupling member  66  are used to secure the mounting surface  61  to the pack holder  43 , although greater or fewer coupling members  66  may be used. 
     In one embodiment, the guide rollers  46  and  56  may be secured to an outer peripheral area of the mounting surface  61 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Further, a forming roll  70  comprising first and second roll segments  71  and  72  may be secured to the mounting surface  61 . 
     In one example, the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70  are positioned radially inward, i.e., closer to the central bore  64  of the mounting surface  61 , compared to the guide rollers  46  and  56 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . The first roll segment  71  may be disposed closer to the guide roller  46  instead of the guide roller  56 , while the second roll segment  72  may be disposed closer to the guide roller  56  instead of the guide roller  46 . The first and second roll segments  71  and  72  are rotatable around axes  71   c  and  72   c,  respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 . 
     During operation, the first strip  42  travels in a direction from the guide roller  46  towards the first roll segment  71  of the forming roll  70 , and may engage the first roll segment  71  for a relatively short circumferential distance, and then travel in a space  75  formed between the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70 , as depicted in  FIGS. 2-5 . Similarly, the second strip  52  travels in a direction from the guide roller  56  towards the second roll segment  72  of the forming roll  70 , and may engage the second roll segment  72  for a relatively short circumferential distance, and then travel in the space  75  formed between the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70 , as depicted in  FIGS. 2-5 . 
     The first and second strips  42  and  52  may be axially offset at the time of entry into the space  75  between the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70 . In one embodiment, the guide roller  46  that directs the first strip  42  may extend further away from the mounting surface  61  along the longitudinal axis L relative to the guide roller  56 , such that the guide roller  56  and its associated second strip  52  are guided more closely to the mounting surface  61  along the longitudinal axis L, as depicted in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 . 
     In this manner, the first and second strips  42  and  52  may be longitudinally offset from one another as they are directed into the forming roll  70 . In one embodiment, the first and second strips  42  and  52  may partially overlap with one another. For example, approximately one-half of the width of the first strip  42  may overlap with the second strip  52  upon entry into the forming roll  70 , and this overlap may be maintained along the longitudinal length of a formed tube  80  after passing through the forming roll  70 . It will be understood that the longitudinal offset of one strip relative to the other strip may be significantly more or less than half of its width. In some embodiments, the first and second strips  42  and  22  may be merely axially adjacent to one another, i.e., not longitudinally overlapping with one another. Such offset adjustments may be made by varying the extension of the respective guide rollers  46  and  56  away from the mounting surface  61 , thereby varying the entry position of the respective strips  42  and  52  into the forming roll  70 . 
     In one embodiment, the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70  may each comprise varying diameter portions. For example, the first roll segment  71  may comprise a front portion  71   a  having a first diameter that is larger than a second diameter of a rear portion  71   b,  as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . The second roll segment  72  may comprise a front portion  72   a  having a third diameter that is larger than a fourth diameter of a rear portion  72   b,  as best seen in  FIGS. 3-6 . In one embodiment, the first diameter of the front portion  71   a  of the first roll segment  71  is approximately equal to the fourth diameter of the rear portion  72   b  of the second roll segment  72 , while the second diameter of the rear portion  71   b  of the first roll segment  71  is approximately equal to the third diameter of the front portion  72   a  of the second roll segment  72 , as depicted in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 . 
     Further, the front portion  71   a  of the first roll segment  71  may span a length (along the longitudinal axis L) that is less than a length spanned by the rear portion  71   b,  while the front portion  72   a  of the second roll segment  72  may span a length (along the longitudinal axis L) that is greater than a length spanned by the rear portion  72   b,  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . In this manner, the relatively large diameter of the front portion  71   a  is adjacent to the relatively small diameter of the front portion  72   a,  while the relatively large diameter of the rear portion  72   b  is adjacent to the relatively small diameter of the rear portion  71   b,  and there is a longitudinal spacing between the larger diameter portions  71   a  and  72   b,  as depicted in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 . 
     Accordingly, based on the arrangement and configuration of the first and second roll segments  71  and  72  of the forming roll  70 , the first and second strips  42  and  52  pass through the forming roll  70  to form a multiple strip segment  79 . Along the multiple strip segment  79 , the first strip  42  and the second strip  52  may be disposed in an adjacent or interlocking relationship. In one example, the first strip  42  is formed to have a first portion  42   a  spaced apart from a second portion  42   b,  as best seen in  FIG. 6 . Similarly, the second strip  52  is formed to have a first portion  52   a  spaced apart from a second portion  52   b.  The second portion  42   b  of the first strip  42  may surround to the first portion  52   a  of the second strip  52 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The multiple strip segment  79  may then be wound in a helical manner to create a formed tube  80 , which is formed along the longitudinal axis L, in a direction away from the mounting surface  61 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Optionally, a bending member may be provided at a location downstream of the forming roll  70  to impart a curled shape upon the multiple strip segment  79  to facilitate its formation into the formed tube  80 . Preferably, the multiple strip segment  79  is wound about itself, such that the cross-sectional interlocking pattern (among the various portions  42   a,    42   b,    52   a  and  52   b  as shown in  FIG. 6 ) is repeated as the multiple strip segment  79  extends away from the forming roll  70  and the formed tube  80  is created. 
     Advantageously, the armoring system  20  simultaneously forms multiple strips  42  and  52  into a single formed tube  80 , thereby increasing the production time of the formed tube  80  for any given rotational speed of the components, as compared to using a single strip to form the tube at the same rotational speed. In other words, the multiple strips  42  and  52  create more longitudinal coverage, simultaneously, as compared to a single strip being wound at the same speed. 
     As another advantage, the armoring system  20  utilizes a single tooling head and single forming roll set that simultaneously forms multiple strips and presents them into a final formed tube  80 . This reduces the number of moving parts, complexity and costs, as compared to approaches using multiple sets of forming rolls to handle multiple different strips. 
     As yet a further advantage, the provision of individually mounted first and second packs  40  and  50  will allow for strip speed variations, for example, due to manufacturing imperfections. Particular advantages may be achieved by having two individually mounted packs  40  and  50 , in combination with a single forming roll  70 . 
     It will be understood that while the exemplary formed tube  80  is shown being made of two strips  42  and  52 , the formed tube  80  alternatively may comprise three or more strips of material. In such embodiments, similar principles may apply as to when two strips are used (as described above), yet the third strip (or additional strips) may be guided in a direction towards the forming roll  70  via appropriate rollers, and the forming roll  70  may comprise an additional segment (similar to segments  71  and  72 ) that allows formation of the three or more strips simultaneously. It will also be understood the strips may be formed of a suitable material, including but not limited to stainless steel, aluminum, galvanized coated steel, or other materials, depending on the application. 
     The formed tube  80  may be used in an array of applications. By way of example, and without limitation, the formed tube  80  may surround one or more wires. In such instance, the one or more wires may run axially (around where the mandrel  85  is shown), and the formed tube  80  may be disposed over the one or more wires to create the armored cable. In other applications, the formed tube  80  may be formed around the mandrel  85  (without wires therein during formation), and wires then optionally may be advanced through the formed tube  80 . The one or more wires used with the formed tube  80  may comprise a single strand, multiple strands, and optionally may be covered with suitable insulation. 
     It will be appreciated that other structures may be provided with the armoring system  20 . By way of example, one or more string up clamps may be provided to engage cut ends of the strips  42  and  52 , e.g., if the strips are cut for changeover or any other circumstance. Further, one or more clamps near the coil packs may prevent the strips from backing through the rollers and preventing the material from loosening on the coil pack, which results in a safety risk. Additionally, to allow for improved feeding into the forming roll  70 , a straightening roller assembly may be used to unwind the material from the coil packs. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a perspective view of a portion of an alternative armoring system is shown. In general, this alternative system may comprise the main frame  30 , and the first and second packs  40  and  50 , described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-2 . However, in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , an alternative forming roll  70 ′ is positioned upstream of guide rollers  46 ′ and  56 ′. In this embodiment, strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ pass through the forming roll  70 ′ in a manner similar to passage through the forming roll  70  above. In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ may be spaced apart to lack overlap within the forming roll  70 ′, i.e., the strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ are simultaneously formed by the same forming roll  70 ′ but at spaced apart locations. The strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ then are directed such that the strip  42 ′ extends around the guide roller  46 ′ and the strip  52 ′ extends around the guide roller  56 ′. The guide rollers  46 ′ and  56 ′ are positioned such that they direct the respective strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ towards a central longitudinal axis (or central mandrel), at which point the strips  42 ′ and  52 ′ may be disposed adjacent to one another, or overlapping one another, to form an alternative tube  80 ′. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the two strips  42  and  52  are formed separately, i.e., not overlapping within the same forming roll  70 , and the overlap or adjacent positioning occurs at the location of the formed tube  80 ′. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Moreover, the advantages described herein are not necessarily the only advantages of the invention and it is not necessarily expected that every embodiment of the invention will achieve all of the advantages described.