Conductor twisting system and method for loading a twisting head

• US 10,026,527 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LISA Draxlmaier GmbH
• Original Assignee: LISA Draxlmaier GmbH
• Inventors: Schwarzer, Roland, Gruber, Konrad, Herzig, Juergen, Kasper, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US15/597,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2501/406 for making electrically conductive cables
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 3/00 General-purpose machines or apparatus for producing twisted ropes or cables from component strands of the same or different material
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 3/02 in which the supply reels rotate about the axis of the rope or cable or in which a guide member rotates about the axis of the rope or cable to guide the component strands away from the supply reels in fixed position
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/0207 Details; Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/0228 by a twisting pay-off and take-up device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a twisting system for twisting multiple conductors together. In one implementation, the twisting system may include a rotatable twisting head having multiple holders for individual conductors of a cable to be twisted, and a loading device for sequentially loading the holders with the individual conductors. The loading device may be configured to be displaced into a transfer position identical for all individual conductors for loading the twisting head, and the twisting head may be configured to rotate a free holder of the twisting head into a suitable receiving position for being loaded with an individual conductor. The present disclosure also relates to a method for loading a twisting head with individual conductors.

Claims

1. A system for twisting a plurality of conductors together, the system comprising:

a rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a receiving position to receive the plurality of conductors;

a loading device configured to sequentially load each of the holders with a corresponding one of the plurality of conductors; and

a rotatable untwisting head having multiple holders configured to hold the plurality of conductors for twisting into a single cable and having a free holder rotatable into a loading position,

wherein the loading device is configured to move into a first transfer position for loading the twisting head, and the first transfer position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors and further configured to move into a second transfer position for loading the untwisting head.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second transfer position is the same for each conductor in the plurality of conductors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading device is further configured to displace two ends of the conductors simultaneously to the twisting head.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading device is further configured to displace two ends of the conductors simultaneously to the untwisting head.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading device is further configured to hold a first end of the conductors and to displace a second end of the conductors to the twisting head.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the holders are further configured to receive the conductors at a plurality of depths with respect to each other.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading device includes a cross slide table and at least one gripper configured to be displaced along the table and to grip and release one or more conductors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the cross slide table includes at least one longitudinal rail extending in a first direction, and at least one transverse rail extending in a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one gripper is movable along the at least one longitudinal rail and movable along the at least one transverse rail.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the twisting head includes at least two gripper jaws movable relative to an abutment of the twisting head and configured to press and fix one or more conductors against the abutment.

12. A tandem system for twisting a first plurality of conductors together and a second plurality of conductors together, comprising:

a first rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the first plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the first plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a first receiving position to receive the first plurality of conductors;

a second rotatable twisting head having multiple holders, where each holder is configured to hold at least one of the second plurality of conductors, wherein the rotatable twisting head is configured to twist the second plurality of conductors together into a single cable and configured to rotate the holders into a second receiving position to receive the second plurality of conductors; and

a shared loading device configured to sequentially load each of the holders of the first twisting head with a corresponding one of the first plurality of conductors and configured to, in tandem, sequentially load each of the holders of the second twisting head with a corresponding one of the second plurality of conductors,

wherein the first and second twisting heads are in juxtaposition with the shared loading device interposed between the first and second twisting heads.

13. The tandem system of claim 12, wherein the shared loading device is further configured to move into a first transfer position for loading the first twisting head.

14. The tandem system of claim 13, wherein the first transfer position is the same for each conductor in the first plurality of conductors.

15. The tandem system of claim 13, wherein the shared loading device is further configured to move into a second transfer position for loading the second twisting head.

16. The tandem system of claim 15, wherein the second transfer position is the same for each conductor in the second plurality of conductors.

17. A method for loading a twisting head with a plurality of conductors, comprising:

placing, by using a loading device, a first conductor of the plurality of conductors into a transfer position;

introducing a first conductor of the plurality of conductors into a first free holder of the twisting head located in a receiving position;

rotating the twisting head such that a second free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position;

placing a second conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position by using the loading device; and

introducing the second conductor into the second free holder of the twisting head.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

rotating the twisting head such that a third free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position;

placing a third conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position using the loading device; and

introducing the third conductor into the third free holder of the twisting head.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

rotating the twisting head such that the first free holder of the twisting head is placed in the receiving position;

placing a third conductor of the plurality of conductors into the transfer position using the loading device; and

introducing the third conductor into the first free holder of the twisting head.