Patent Publication Number: US-9428363-B2

Title: Winding system having at least one winding device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference German Patent Application No. 20 2013 105 820 filed on Dec. 19, 2013. 
     PRIOR ART 
     The invention relates to a winding system according to the preamble of claim  1 . 
     A winding system having at least one winding device for winding up at least one material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube that is drivable in rotation about a winding axis, and having at least one feed device which is provided to supply the at least one material to be wound, is already known. No deflection of the at least one material to be wound takes place between the at least one feed device and the at least one winding device in this winding system. 
     The objective of the invention is in particular to provide a generic winding system having improved properties with regard to space requirement and/or material flow. According to the invention, the objective is achieved by way of the features of Claim  1 , while advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention can be gathered from the dependent claims. 
     Advantages of the Invention 
     The invention proceeds from a winding system having at least one winding device for winding up at least one ribbon-form material to be wound onto at least one exchangeable tube that is drivable in rotation about a winding axis, and having at least one feed device which is provided to supply the at least one ribbon-form material to be wound. 
     It is proposed that the winding system has at least one deflecting unit which is provided to deflect the at least one ribbon-form material to be wound coming from the at least one feed device, during at least one winding-up operation, as said ribbon-form material to be wound travels to the at least one winding device, about at least one axis which extends at least substantially parallel to a direction of gravitational force. A “winding device” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a device which has at least one winding mandrel which is provided to receive at least one exchangeable tube and/or drive it in rotation about a winding axis. A “material to be wound” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a material which is able to be wound up in particular for storage and/or for transport. For example, the at least one material to be wound can be at least one windable material made of plastics material and/or metal and/or textile fiber and/or paper. The expression “ribbon-form” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular that the at least one material to be wound has a cross section in which a width extent is greater at least by a factor of 5, preferably at least by a factor of 10, advantageously at least by a factor of 50 and particularly advantageously at least by a factor of 100 than a height extent of the at least one material to be wound. A “tube” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a body which is provided to receive a material to be wound up, in particular on an outer surface which is convexly curved preferably at least partially and particularly advantageously entirely. Preferably, the at least one tube is configured at least partially as a hollow body, advantageously as a hollow cylinder, in particular having an annular base surface. The term “provided” should be understood as meaning in particular specifically programmed and/or designed and/or equipped. The fact that an object is provided for a particular function should be understood as meaning in particular that the object fulfills and/or executes this particular function in at least one use state and/or operating state. The fact that the at least one tube is “exchangeable” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular that, in particular after an in particular predetermined quantity of the at least one material to be wound has been wound up, the at least one tube is replaceable with a further empty tube that is different from the at least one tube. A “winding mandrel” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a rotatable unit which is provided to transmit its rotary movement and/or a torque to a tube located on the winding mandrel. Preferably, the at least one winding mandrel is configured at least partially as a clamping mandrel which engages in the at least one tube and transmits a rotary movement and/or a torque to the at least one tube by means of a cohesive connection and/or by means of a form fit and/or preferably by means of a force fit, in particular by means of at least one clamping jaw. A “winding axis” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular an axis about which a rotation of the at least one winding mandrel and/or of the at least one tube is executable in particular in order to wind up the at least one material to be wound. A “feed device” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a device which is provided to supply a store of a material to be wound up by the at least one winding device and/or to produce and/or generate a material to be wound up by the at least one winding device. A “feed direction” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a direction in which the at least one material to be wound is transported, in particular during a winding-up operation, from the at least one feed device to the at least one deflecting unit. A “winding-up operation” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular an operation during which the at least one material to be wound is wound up onto the at least one tube by the winding device. A “deflecting unit” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a unit past and/or along which the material to wound coming from the feed device is guided and/or through which the at least one material to be wound is guided, during at least one winding-up operation, as said material to be wound travels to the at least one winding device, and in the process is subjected to a change in direction. The expression “at least substantially parallel” should be understood here as meaning in particular an orientation of a direction relative to a reference direction, in particular in a plane, wherein the direction has a deviation of in particular less than 5°, advantageously less than 1° and particularly advantageously less than 0.5° with respect to the reference direction. 
     As a result of the configuration according to the invention, a generic winding system having improved properties with regard to space requirement and/or material flow can be provided. Furthermore, advantageous guidance of the at least one material to be wound between the at least one feed device and the at least one winding device can be provided. In particular as a result of the deflection of the at least one material to be wound, a winding system can be adapted advantageously to spatial conditions. Furthermore, advantageous feeding of the at least one material to be wound from the at least one feed device to the at least one winding device can be achieved. 
     Furthermore, it is proposed that the deflecting unit is provided to deflect the at least one material to be wound through at least 10°, preferably through at least 30°, advantageously through at least 60° and particularly advantageously through at least 90°, in particular about the at least one axis extending at least substantially parallel to the direction of the gravitational force. As a result, an overall length and thus an overall space requirement of the winding system can advantageously be reduced. 
     Furthermore, it is proposed that the at least one deflecting unit is provided to deflect the at least one material to be wound coming from the feed device, during at least one winding-up operation, as said material to be wound travels to the at least one winding device, in a direction which encloses an angle of at least 30°, preferably at least 45°, advantageously at least 60° and particularly advantageously at least 80°, with the direction of the gravitational force. Particularly advantageously, the direction in which the at least one material to be wound is deflected during the at least one winding-up operation extends at least substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the gravitational force. The expression “at least substantially perpendicularly” is intended here to define in particular an orientation of a direction relative to a reference direction, wherein the direction and the reference direction, in particular when viewed in a plane, enclose an angle which deviates from a right angle by a maximum of 8°, preferably by a maximum of 5° and particularly advantageously by a maximum of 2°. As a result, advantageous feeding of the at least one material to be wound from the at least one feed device to the at least one winding device can be achieved. 
     Furthermore, it is proposed that the at least one deflecting unit comprises at least one deflecting roller. Preferably, the deflecting unit comprises at least one lateral guide which may be formed in particular in one piece with the at least one deflecting roller and is provided at least largely to prevent the at least one material to be wound from jumping down from the at least one deflecting roller. Preferably, a rotation axis of the at least one deflecting roller encloses an angle of at most 30°, in particular a maximum of 20°, preferably at most 10° and particularly advantageously a maximum of 5°, with the direction of the gravitational force. Advantageously, the rotation axis and the direction of the gravitational force are oriented at least substantially parallel to one another. As a result, advantageously safe and/or low-friction deflection of the at least one material to be wound can be achieved. 
     Furthermore, it is proposed that the winding system has at least one further winding device which is provided to wind up at least one further material to be wound, provided by the at least one feed device, onto at least one exchangeable further tube. The at least one further winding device is preferably formed at least substantially and particularly advantageously in an identical manner to the at least one first winding device. Preferably, the at least one further winding device is oriented at least substantially parallel to the at least one first winding device, wherein in particular winding axes defined by the winding devices are oriented at least substantially parallel to one another. The at least one further material to be wound extends in particular between the at least one feed device and the at least one further winding device at least substantially parallel to the at least one material to be wound, which is fed to the at least one first winding device. As a result, the quantity of material to be wound that is wound up as a whole per unit time can advantageously be increased. 
     Moreover, it is proposed that the winding system comprises at least one further deflecting unit which is provided to deflect the at least one further ribbon-form material to be wound coming from the at least one feed device, during at least one winding-up operation, as said further ribbon-form material to be wound travels to the at least one further winding device, about at least one further axis which extends at least substantially parallel to a direction of the gravitational force. Particularly advantageously, the direction in which the at least one further material to be wound is deflected during the at least one winding-up operation extends at least substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the gravitational force. In particular, the at least one further deflecting unit is provided to deflect the at least one further material to be wound through at least 10°, preferably through at least 30°, advantageously through at least 60° and particularly advantageously through at least 90°, in particular about the at least one further axis extending at least substantially parallel to the direction of gravitational force. Preferably, the at least one further material to be wound is deflected by the at least one further deflecting unit in a plane at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of the gravitational force. Preferably, the at least one deflecting unit comprises at least one further deflecting roller. As a result, an overall length and thus an overall space requirement of a winding system having at least one further winding device can be reduced. Furthermore, advantageously safe and/or low-friction deflection of the at least one further material to be wound can be achieved. Furthermore, advantageous feeding of the at least one further material to be wound from the at least one feed device to the at least one further winding device can be achieved. 
     Furthermore, it is proposed that the winding system comprises at least one transporting device which is arranged downstream of the at least one winding device and is provided to transport away loaded tubes, wherein a transporting direction extends at least substantially parallel to the winding axis. A “transporting device” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a device which is provided to acquire loaded tubes from the at least one first winding device and/or the at least one further winding device and to move them for subsequent use and/or for storage and/or for further transport to a predetermined location. A “loaded tube” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a tube to which an in particular predetermined quantity of a material to be wound has been applied during a winding-up operation. As a result, advantageously rapid and/or directed transporting away of loaded tubes can be made possible. 
     In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the at least one winding device comprises at least one handling unit which is provided to transfer loaded tubes to the at least one transporting device, wherein a transfer direction extends at least substantially perpendicularly to the winding axis. A “handling unit” should be understood in this connection as meaning in particular a unit which brings about, within the winding device, a material flow, in particular a flow of tubes, away from the at least one winding mandrel. Preferably, the at least one handling unit operates automatically and/or at least semi-automatically. Preferably, a transfer direction of the at least one handling unit extends at least substantially in the same direction as a direction in which the at least one material to be wound is led to the at least one winding device. As a result, an advantageously directed material flow within the winding system can be achieved. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages can be gathered from the following description of the drawings. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form appropriate further combinations. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a winding device during a winding-up operation. 
         FIG. 2  shows the winding device from  FIG. 1  with a divided winding mandrel, and 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic plan view of a winding system having three winding devices and one feed device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a winding device  10  for winding up a strip-form material to be wound  12  onto an exchangeable tube  14 . However, the use of other materials to be wound having a geometry that differs from a strip form likewise conceivable. In order to wind up the material to be wound  12 , the tube  14  is driven in rotation about a winding axis  18  by means of a winding mandrel  16 . 
     During the winding-up operation, a mass of the material to be wound  12  that has already been wound up onto the tube  14  is continuously determined. Instead of continuous determination, time-discrete recording, in which the time intervals between individual recording times should be selected depending on a winding speed and/or an overall duration of a winding-up operation, would also be conceivable. For this purpose, the winding device  10  has a mass-determining unit  20 , which records a mass characteristic of the already wound-up material to be wound  12 . The mass characteristic may be the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound  12  itself, which is recorded for example directly by the mass sensor. Preferably, however, the mass characteristic is a characteristic by way of which the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound  12  is recordable indirectly. 
     Thus, for example during the winding-up operation, an overall thickness  22  of the material to be wound  12  that has already been wound up on the tube  14  can be recorded by the mass-determining unit  20 . This may take place for example such that the mass-determining unit  20  undergoes a change in position on account of the overall thickness  22  increasing during the winding-up operation, wherein a displacement travel of the mass-determining unit  20  corresponds to the overall thickness  22  of the already wound-up material to be wound  12 . When the width of the tube  14  and the density of the material to be wound  12  are known, the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound  12  is calculable exactly on the basis of the recorded overall thickness  22  of the material to be wound  12  that has already been wound up. Alternatively, it would likewise be conceivable for a length of an already wound-up material to be wound to be recorded by a mass-determining unit. When the cross-sectional geometry and density of a material to be wound is known, the mass of the already wound-up material to be wound is calculable on the basis of the recorded length. Furthermore, it is likewise possible to weigh a tube loaded with a predetermined quantity of a material to be wound and to use the recorded values as reference values for determining the mass during a winding-up operation. 
     Furthermore, the winding device  10  has an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70 , which is illustrated merely in an indicated manner here. The open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70  is provided to set, during a winding-up operation, a tension  72  that acts in the material to be wound  12  to a fixed value, coordinated in particular with the material to be wound  12 , taking into account the mass characteristic. To this end, the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70  acquires the at least one mass characteristic recorded by the at least one mass-determining unit  20  and evaluates said mass characteristic, in particular on the basis of parameters and/or calculation formulas stored in the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70 . The tension  72  is set by the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70  during a winding-up operation by way of a change in the torque of the winding mandrel  16  and/or of a drive unit (not illustrated here) which is provided to set the winding mandrel  16  into a rotary movement. In the process, the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit  70  increases the torque as the mass and/or the mass characteristic increases. The increase in the torque takes place proportionally to an increase in the mass characteristic and/or of the mass, with the result that the tension  72  is kept constant throughout the winding-up operation. 
       FIG. 2  shows the winding device  10  from  FIG. 1  between two winding-up operations. It can be seen that the winding mandrel  16  has a first mandrel unit  24  and a second mandrel unit  26 . The first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  are designed such that they are introducible from opposite sides into a tube  14  onto which the material to be wound  12  is provided to be wound up. Preferably, the first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  each have a plurality of clamping jaws (not illustrated here) by way of which a force-fitting connection with an inner surface of the tube  14  is producible. 
     In order to insert and/or remove the tube  14 , a distance between the first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  is variable. To this end, the second mandrel unit  26  is on an arm  58  mounted on rails  56 , such that the second mandrel unit  26  is displaceable parallel to and/or along the winding axis  18 . In addition, the arm  58  is mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis  34  extending parallel to the winding axis  18 , with the result that a distance between the second mandrel unit  26  and the first mandrel unit  24  is also variable perpendicularly to the winding axis  18 . If the first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  have been introduced fully into a tube, these together form the winding mandrel  16 . During a winding-up operation, the first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  are in a state in which they have been introduced fully into the tube  14 . In this case, the first mandrel unit  24  and the second mandrel unit  26  are designed such that, in the state in which they have been introduced fully into the tube, there is a distance of 10 mm between an end side of the first mandrel unit  24  and an end side of the second mandrel unit  26 . Depending on a width of a respectively used tube, a distance between a first mandrel unit and a second mandrel unit can vary, although the distance is never zero. 
     The first mandrel unit  24  is operatively connected to a drive unit (not illustrated). The drive unit is in the form for example of an electric motor. During a winding-up operation, the drive unit sets the first mandrel unit  24  into a rotary movement about the winding axis  18 . The rotary movement is transmitted via the tube  14  to the second mandrel unit  26 , with the result that the second mandrel unit  26  rotates about the winding axis  18  in the same direction and at the same speed as the first mandrel unit  24 . 
     Furthermore, the winding device  10  comprises a tube-changing unit  28  which feeds the tubes  14  to the first mandrel unit  24  and transports said tubes  14  away from the first mandrel unit  24  following the completion of the winding-up operation. In this case, the tube-changing unit  28  has a first handling unit  30  and a second handling unit  32 . The first handling unit  30  feeds empty tubes  14  to the first mandrel unit  24 . To this end, the first handling unit  30  is in the form of an arm  60  which is movable parallel to the winding axis  18  and is pivotable about an axis  62  extending parallel to the winding axis  18 . This makes it possible for the first handling unit  30  to place empty tubes  14  on the first mandrel unit  24 . 
     The second handling unit  32  is formed from the second mandrel unit  26  and the arm  58 , on which the second mandrel unit  26  is mounted. The second handling unit  32  removes the loaded tube  14  from the first mandrel unit  26  following the completion of a winding-up operation. In this case, the second mandrel unit  26  transmits a tensile force produced by a movement of the arm  58  along the rails  56  to the loaded tube  14  to be removed, with the result that the latter is removed from the first mandrel unit  24 . The loaded tube  14  removed from the first mandrel unit  24  is set down for further transport by way of a pivoting movement of the arm  58  about the axis  34  extending parallel to the winding axis  18 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic plan view of a winding system  36 . The winding system  36  comprises a feed device  38  and for example three winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c , as are shown in detail in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The feed device  38  is for example an extruder which produces a material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c , or a device in which a store of the material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  is available. The winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c  are oriented parallel to one another. The winding axis  18  has an identical orientation for the three winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c.    
     Each winding device  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c  is assigned a deflecting unit  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  which deflects the material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  coming from the feed device  38  at an angle  64   a ,  64   b ,  64   c  of 90° about an axis  68   a ,  68   b ,  68   c  which extends parallel to the direction of the gravitational force  44 , as said material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  travels to the winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c . Alternatively, a deflection of a material to be wound about an axis which extends parallel to the direction of the gravitational force can also take place about an angle of less than 90°, although the angle is at least 10°. In this case, the deflection takes place in a direction  42  which extends perpendicularly to the direction of gravitational force  44  (cf.  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Depending on the particular application case, a deflection can also take place in a direction which encloses an angle of less than 90° with the direction of the gravitational force, although the angle is at least 30°. A feed direction  66  of the material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  extends here between the feed unit  38  and the deflecting units  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  for example parallel to the winding axis  18  of the winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c . The deflecting units  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  each comprise a deflecting roller  48  having a lateral guide (not illustrated in more detail) which prevents a material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  from jumping down from the particular deflecting roller  48 . During deflection by the deflecting unit  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c , the material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  is rotated first of all from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by the deflecting units  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  and returns to a horizontal orientation following deflection, with the result that damage-free deflection of the material to be wound  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  is achieved. 
     A transporting device  50  which transports away loaded tubes  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  is arranged downstream of the winding devices  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c . A transporting direction  52  of the transporting device  50  extends parallel to the winding axis  18 . The loaded tubes  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  are in this case transferred to the transporting device  50  by a handling unit  32  of the particular winding device  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c . In this case, a transfer direction  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c  extends perpendicularly to the winding axis  18 , with the result that a directed material flow within the winding system  36  is achieved.