Patent Publication Number: US-2023145849-A1

Title: Cable Supply System

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 202111313301.6, filed on Nov. 8, 2021. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cable supply system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A cable is commonly first wound on a cable supply reel. When supplying the cable, it is necessary to rotate the cable supply reel to release the cable coiled on it (usually called uncoiling). During the supply process, the diameter of the cable coil on the cable supply reel will gradually decrease. In addition, the diameter of different cable coils may be different, which will lead to the continuous change of the cable supply speed. As a result, the cable cannot be supplied at the predetermined constant speed. 
     SUMMARY 
     A cable supply system includes a cable supply device supplying a cable, a cable buffer device storing a portion of the cable supplied from the cable supply device, and a control device controlling a cable storage amount of the cable buffer device. The control device controls the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device according to a cable supply speed of the cable supply device such that a cable output speed output from the cable buffer device is equal to a predetermined speed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a cable supply system according to an embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a cable supply device of the cable supply system; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of a clamping device, a drive motor, and a lifting cylinder of the cable supply device; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a cable supply reel, a clamping device, a drive motor, and a lifting cylinder of the cable supply device; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a cable guide device of the cable supply system; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a cable buffer device and a cable detection device of the cable supply system; 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic diagram of an internal structure of the cable buffer device and the cable detection device; 
         FIG.  8 A  is a schematic diagram of a movable pulley and a fixed pulley of the cable buffer device, in which the movable pulley is moved away from the fixed pulley; and 
         FIG.  8 B  is a schematic diagram of the movable pulley and the fixed pulley of the cable buffer device, in which the movable pulley is moved toward the fixed pulley. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
       FIG.  1    shows an illustrative perspective view of a cable supply system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , in the illustrated embodiment, the cable supply system includes a cable supply device  10 , a cable buffer device  30 , and a control device. The cable supply device  10  is used to supply the cable  1 . The cable buffer device  30  is adapted to store a portion of the cable supplied from the cable supply device  10 . The control device is adapted to control the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30 . 
     The control device may be a functional module including hardware and/or software stored on a non-transitory medium and running on a computer. The cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30  is controlled to match the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  to ensure that the cable output speed output from the cable buffer device  30  is equal to a predetermined speed. That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the control device dynamically controls the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30  according to the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  to ensure that the cable output speed output from the cable buffer device  30  is equal to the predetermined speed and ensure the stable supply of the cable. 
     When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is greater than the predetermined speed, the control device controls the cable buffer device  30  to increase the cable storage amount to ensure that the cable output speed output from the cable buffer device  30  is equal to the predetermined speed. When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is less than the predetermined speed, the control device controls the cable buffer device  30  to reduce the cable storage amount to ensure that the cable output speed output from the cable buffer device  30  is equal to the predetermined speed. 
     When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is equal to the predetermined speed, the length of the cable stored by the cable buffer device  30  is equal to a first length. When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is greater than the predetermined speed, the length of the cable stored by the cable buffer device  30  is equal to a second length, and the second length is greater than the first length. When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is less than the predetermined speed, the length of the cable stored by the cable buffer device  30  is equal to a third length, and the third length is less than the first length. 
       FIG.  6    shows an illustrative perspective view of the cable buffer device  30  and the cable detection device  40  of the cable supply system shown in  FIG.  1   .  FIG.  7    shows the internal structure diagram of the cable buffer device  30  and the cable detection device  40  of the cable supply system shown in  FIG.  6   .  FIG.  8 A  shows a schematic diagram of the movable pulley  310  and the fixed pulley  320  of the cable buffer device  30  shown in  FIG.  7   , wherein the movable pulley  310  is moved away from the fixed pulley  320 .  FIG.  8 B  shows a schematic diagram of the movable pulley  310  and the fixed pulley  320  of the cable buffer device  30  shown in  FIG.  7   , wherein the movable pulley  310  is moved towards the fixed pulley  320 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8 B , in the illustrated embodiment, the cable buffer device  30  includes a movable pulley  310  and a fixed pulley  320 , and the cable  1  is wound on and passes through the movable pulley  310  and the fixed pulley  320 . The control device adjusts the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30  by controlling the movement amount of the movable pulley  310  relative to the fixed pulley  320 . 
     When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is greater than the predetermined speed, the control device controls the movable pulley  310  to move away from the fixed pulley  320  (as shown in  FIG.  8 A ) to increase the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30 . When the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is less than the predetermined speed, the control device controls the movable pulley  310  to move in the direction close to the fixed pulley  320  (as shown in  FIG.  8 B ) to reduce the cable storage of the cable buffer device  30 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  6 - 8   , the cable buffer device  30  also includes an electric cylinder  330 , and the piston rod of the electric cylinder  330  is connected to the movable pulley  310  to drive the movable pulley  310  to move relative to the fixed pulley  320  and apply a predetermined tension to the cable  1 . The movable pulley  310  can be moved vertically between a lower limit position and an upper limit position relative to the fixed pulley  320 . 
     The control device is also suitable for controlling the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10 . When the movable pulley  310  is moved to the upper limit position and the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is still greater than the predetermined speed, the control device reduces the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10 . When the movable pulley  310  is moved to the lower limit position and the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  is still less than the predetermined speed, the control device increases the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the cable buffer device  30  also includes a distance sensor  340 , which is used to detect the distance between the movable pulley  310  and the fixed pulley  320 . The control device controls the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30  according to the distance detected by the distance sensor  340 , so that the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device  30  matches the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , the cable buffer device  30  also includes a third housing  300  with a cable inlet  301  and a cable outlet. The movable pulley  310 , the fixed pulley  320 , the electric cylinder  330  and the distance sensor  340  are installed in the third housing  300 . 
       FIG.  2    shows an illustrative perspective view of the cable supply device  10  of the cable supply system shown in  FIG.  1    when viewed from the outside.  FIG.  3    shows an illustrative perspective view of the clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , the drive motor  150 , and the lifting cylinder  160  of the cable supply device  10  shown in  FIG.  2   .  FIG.  4    shows an illustrative perspective view of the cable supply reel  170 , the clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , the drive motor  150  and the lifting cylinder  160  of the cable supply device  10  shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the cable supply device  10  includes the cable supply reel  170 , the clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , and the drive motor  150 . The cable  1  is wound on the cable supply reel  170 . The clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140  is used to clamp the cable supply reel  170 . The drive motor  150  is installed on the clamping device  110  and  120  to drive the cable supply reel  170  to rotate to supply the cable  1 . The control device is adapted to control the cable supply speed of the cable supply device  10  by controlling the speed of the drive motor  150 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140  includes a fixed retainer  110 , a movable retainer  120 , a plurality of guide bars  130 , and a clamping cylinder  140 . The plurality of guide bars  130  are arranged in parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other. The fixed retainer  110  is fixed on one ends of the plurality of guide bars  130 . The movable retainer  120  is slidably mounted on the plurality of guide bars  130  and can slide along the plurality of guide bars  130 . The clamping cylinder  140  is mounted on the fixed retainer  110  to drive the movable retainer  120  to move to clamp the cable supply reel  170 . The cable supply reel  170 , shown in  FIG.  4   , is clamped between the fixed retainer  110  and the movable retainer  120 , and the drive motor  150  is mounted on the fixed retainer  110 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the fixed retainer  110  includes a fixed plate  111  fixed to the guide bars  130  and a first clamping piece  112  rotationally mounted to the fixed plate  111 . The movable retainer  120  includes a movable plate  121  slidably mounted on the guide bars  130  and a second clamping piece  122  rotationally mounted on the movable plate  121 . The cable supply reel  170  is clamped between the first clamping piece  112  and the second clamping piece  122 , and the drive motor  150  and the clamping cylinder  140  are mounted on the fixed plate  111 . A piston rod of the clamping cylinder  140  is connected to the movable plate  121  to drive the movable plate  121  to move. An output shaft of the drive motor  150  is connected to the second clamping piece  122  to drive the clamped cable supply reel  170  to rotate. 
     The cable supply device  10  also includes a first housing  100 , shown in  FIG.  2   , and a lifting cylinder  160 , shown in  FIG.  3   . The first housing  100  has a cable outlet  101 . The clamping device  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , the drive motor  150 , and the cable supply reel  170  are accommodated in the first housing  100 . The cylinder block of the lifting cylinder  160  is connected to the first housing  100 , and its piston rod is connected to the fixed retainer  110  to drive the cable supply reel  170  to move in the vertical direction, so that the cable supply reel  170  can be lifted to a suspended position that is not in contact with the bottom of the first housing  100 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  5   , in the illustrated embodiment, the cable supply system also includes a cable guide device  20 , which is used to guide the cable  1  output from the cable supply device  10  into the cable buffer device  30 . The cable guide device  20  includes a second housing  200  and a plurality of guide rollers  210 . The second housing  200  has a cable inlet and a cable outlet  201 . A plurality of guide rollers  210  are installed in the second housing  200  for guiding the cable  1  to the cable buffer device  30 . 
     The cable supply system also includes a cable detection device  40 , shown in  FIGS.  1  and  6   . The cable detection device  40  is used to detect whether there is cable  1  in the cable supply system and/or whether the position of the cable supplied in the cable supply system is correct. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  6  and  7   , in the illustrated embodiment, the cable detection device  40  includes a fourth housing  400 , at least one guide wheel  410 , and a detector  420 . The fourth housing  400  has a cable inlet and a cable outlet. At least one guide wheel  410  is installed in the fourth housing  400  for guiding the cable  1  to the cable outlet of the fourth housing  400 . The detector  420  is installed in the fourth housing  400  to detect whether the cable  1  is present and/or whether the position of the cable is correct. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the cable guide device  20  also includes a state display device  220 . The state display device  220  is mounted on the outside of the second housing  200  and is connected in communication with the detector  420 , shown in  FIG.  7   , to display the detection result of the detector  420 . When the detector  420  does not detect the cable  1  or when the detector  420  detects that the position of the cable  1  is incorrect, the state display device  220  displays a predetermined alarm color, such as red. When the detector  420  detects the cable  1  and the cable  1  is in the correct position, the state display device  220  displays a predetermined safety color, such as green. 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. 
     Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 
     As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.