CN111692865A

CN111692865A - Reversing mechanism

Info

Publication number: CN111692865A
Application number: CN201910202111.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 休伯特·利布曼; 菲利普·马索特
Original assignee: Superba SAS
Current assignee: Superba SAS
Priority date: 2019-03-15
Filing date: 2019-03-15
Publication date: 2020-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2039-03-15
Also published as: CN111692865B

Abstract

The present invention is a mechanism for reversing the product disposed between a first upper conveyor and a second lower conveyor. One end of the first upper conveyor belt is linked to at least one cylinder, characterized in that the reversing mechanism comprises at least one device to grip the product placed against the first conveyor belt moving over a portion of the circumference of the cylinder.

Description

Reversing mechanism

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of wire management mechanisms in wire heat treatment devices, and more particularly to the field of management of wire routing in heat treatment devices.

Background

A common method of treating the strands, particularly by heat or steam treatment, is to pass the strands through a drying oven. Traditionally, this is done by placing the strands on a conveyor belt that passes through one or more drying ovens. The length of time that the strand must undergo such treatment depends in part on the length of the conveyor belt moving in the oven and how fast the conveyor belt is moving.

In order to treat the strands for a longer time, it is necessary to increase the length of the drying oven or slow down the movement of the conveyor. However, a disadvantage of slowing down the speed of movement of the conveyor belt is that it slows down the production of the strands. Likewise, increasing the length of the kiln also creates greater floor space constraints.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to solve these problems by proposing a mechanism which, on the one hand, allows a longer process time for the heat treatment and, on the other hand, makes it possible to cope with any floor space problems.

The invention also relates to a mechanism for turning over a product placed between a first upper conveyor and a second lower conveyor. The first upper conveyor belt is linked at one end to at least one cylinder, characterized in that the reversing mechanism comprises at least one mechanism to grip the product placed against the first conveyor belt moving over a portion of the circumference of the cylinder.

The invention also relates to a device for the thermal treatment of wires, characterised in that it comprises a structure constituting a drying oven, which, according to the invention, comprises a first opening for the input of the wires and a second opening for the output of the wires, and integrates at least two superimposed conveyor belts and at least one reversing mechanism.

Drawings

The invention will be better understood after reading the following description and description, given by way of example only, which explains the preferred mode of operation, with reference to the schematic drawings in the attached drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a structural example of an operation mode of the reversing mechanism of the present invention, in which the gripping member includes an endless belt.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram shown in cross section of an example of the structure according to fig. 1.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to a reversing mechanism 1 for products placed between a first upper conveyor 2 and a second lower conveyor 3. One end of the first conveyor belt 2 is linked to at least one cylinder 4, characterized in that the reversing mechanism 1 comprises at least one member to grip the product placed against the first conveyor belt 2 moving over a portion of the circumference of the cylinder 4.

The reversing mechanism 1 of the invention makes it possible to stack a plurality of

conveyor belts

2, 3 in a treatment device, in particular a wire heat treatment device. The reversing mechanism 1 makes it possible to transfer products between the first upper conveyor 2 and the second lower conveyor 3, while making the layout and arrangement of the conveyors 3 similar to those of the conveyors 2. This transfer quality is obtained by the gripping members of the product, which press the product against the upper conveyor belt 2 while moving on the cylinder 4. The pressure of the products against the conveyor belts 2 rotating against the cylinder 4 makes it possible to control the movement of the products as they rotate, thus avoiding the products falling disorderly when transferring from one upper conveyor belt 2 to the lower conveyor belt 2. The gripper mechanism is thus arranged to hold the product in place against the upper conveyor belt 2 during most of the product turning operation. When the product is rotated by the mechanism of the present invention, gravity alone is used to transfer and place the product on the lower conveyor 3.

According to a first feature of the structure, the gripping means comprise at least one endless belt 5 guided around a plurality of guide rollers 6. The presence of these different guide rollers 6 makes it possible to manage the trajectory of the endless belt 5 so that the endless belt 5 can move smoothly without being damaged by friction or harmful interference. Likewise, the endless belt 5 can be moved while being clamped between two counter-rotating guide rollers.

The product is held against the first conveyor belt 2 by moving it over the cylinder 4 using the endless belt 5, so that the product can be held using the flexibility of the belt 5 by conforming to the shape of the product placed on the surface of the upper conveyor belt 2. This flexibility of the endless belt 5 placed against the conveyor belt 2 makes it possible to bring the entire portion of the product into contact with the conveyor belt 2 at the drum 4 by means of the gripping members. The flexible endless belt 5 makes it possible to avoid holding the product only by contacting and exerting pressure on the thickest part of the product in contact with the conveyor belt 2 on the drum 4, compared to the more rigid gripping members. In fact, the product is gripped strictly locally against the conveyor belt 2, using a more rigid gripping member in contact at the position where the product is thickest, so that the thinner part of the product does not rest on the conveyor belt 2 as it moves around the cylinder 4. The product turnover efficiency is low. When the placed product is a wire harness, the distribution of the wires placed on the upper conveyor 2 varies in thickness. Thus, the elasticity of the annular belt 5 stretching against the upper conveyor belt 2 makes it possible to keep the strands against the upper conveyor belt 2 by moving independently with the variation of thickness (which may be present at one contact point between the gripping member and the upper conveyor belt 2).

According to a preferred operating example, the endless belt 5 of the gripping member is realized in a material that is sufficiently flexible over its length to conform to the curve of the guide rollers 6 and the cylinder 4. Furthermore, the endless belt 5 is also flexible in its width to accommodate variations in the thickness of the strands spread and moved on the upper conveyor belt 2 rotating on the drum 4.

According to a preferred configuration, the annular band 5 is sufficiently elastic in its width to accommodate the thickness variations that may exist if the unwound bundle is placed on the band 2 around the rotating cylinder 4. This elasticity is combined with sufficient heat resistance to allow the endless belt 5 to function in an environment that is to be subjected to a heat treatment of the moving strand.

According to different variants of construction, the circulating belt 5 can be realized in the form of a flexible elastic plastic belt, film, membrane or also in the form of a knitted fabric or net or even in the form of a plurality of belts arranged parallel to one another.

It should be noted that, according to a preferred configuration, the circulating belt 5 moves in the opposite direction to the upper conveyor belt 2. However, for effective clamping, the speed of movement of the endless belt 5 against the conveyor belt 2 is equal to the speed of movement of the upper conveyor belt 2. The movement of the two

belts

2, 5 can be operated by separate drive mechanisms or by one common drive mechanism. According to one constructive feature, the drive of the circulating belt 5 operates by friction of the upper conveyor belt 2, the circulating belt 5 being kept in pressurized contact with the upper conveyor belt 2.

According to one constructional feature, the reversing device 1 is characterized in that, as the circulating belt 5 is pressed against a portion of the circumference of the cylinder 4 lying on one half of the cylinder 4 defined with respect to a vertical reference plane passing through the axis of rotation of the cylinder 4, the circulating belt 5 is arranged to pass around at least two

guide rollers

6a, 6b, which

guide rollers

6a, 6b are arranged in a portion of the space opposite to the portion of the cylinder 4 contacting the circulating belt 5 with respect to the vertical reference plane passing through the axis of rotation of the cylinder 4. These two

guide rollers

6a, 6b are strategically placed in relation to the cylinder 4, around which cylinder 4 the upper conveyor belt 2 moves together, helping to move a part of the loop of the endless belt 5 along the upper conveyor belt 2 and the cylinder 4. Thus, on its circuit, the circulating belt 5 moves continuously in a first direction of rotation around a first guide roller 6a, which will then pass around the cylinder 4 against the upper conveyor belt 2 by moving in a direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, and then turn around a second guide roller 6b in the same direction as the first guide roller described above.

According to one constructive feature, the first guide roller 6a is sufficiently distant from the upper conveyor belt 2 to form a space between the circulating belt 5 and the upper conveyor belt 2 and to facilitate the insertion of the products moving on the upper conveyor belt. The product is thus gradually gripped by the circulating belt 5 while being rotated on the upper conveyor 2 around the cylinder 4 by the upper conveyor 2.

Also, according to another constructional feature, the second guide roller 6b is far enough from the upper conveyor belt 2 to form a space between the circulating belt 5 and the upper conveyor belt 2 below the upper conveyor belt 2. The arrangement is such that the products can be isolated and retrieved on the endless belt 5 before being placed on the lower conveyor belt 3.

According to one characteristic of the structure of the circulating belt 5, it is linked to a stress-maintaining means 7 in at least one position opposite to the first conveyor belt 2 circulating around a portion of the circumference 4 of the cylinder. The stress-maintaining means 7 act on the endless belt 5 to generate, on the one hand, a stress such that a portion of the endless belt 5 exerts a pressure on the first conveyor belt 2 and, on the other hand, a loosening of the endless belt 5 such that it moves with at least an optimized mobility with respect to the supported stress limit.

According to one constructional feature, the stress-retention means 7 comprise at least one roller 7a mounted so that it can move on an axis comprised in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder 4. The movement of the roller 7a along this particular axis allows the roller 7a to move closer to or further from the guide roller, so that the movement circuit of the endless belt 5 is stretched/elongated, or conversely tensioned. According to one operating example, the roller 7a is linked to one axis of movement formed by at least one guide rail. Preferably, the roller 7a and the guide rail are linked at one end of the roller 7 a. In addition, each end of the rollers 7a is mounted to slide along a respective guide rail, the guide rails on each end of the rollers 7a being arranged along parallel axes therebetween.

According to one feature of the structure of the reversing device 1 of the present invention, the endless belt 5 positioned around the guide roller 6b is located at least partially below the first upper conveyor belt 2 and above the second lower conveyor belt 3. The positioning of the circulating belt 5 allows the belt 5 to be positioned, on the one hand, below the first upper conveyor 2 to turn over the products and form the conveying structure supporting the inverted products and, on the other hand, above the second lower conveyor 3 to place the turned over products on the second lower conveyor 3.

The turning over product between the endless belt 5 and the second lower conveyor 3 is transferred using simple gravity as the product moving through the endless belt 5 passes through the point where the endless belt 5 is reversed around the guide roller 6 b. When it reaches the reversal point, the endless belt 5 pivots about the guide roller 6 b. Since the product held by the endless belt 5 is not held on the endless belt 5, it falls on the second lower conveyor 3.

According to one constructional feature, the guide roller 6b between the first upper conveyor belt 2 and the second lower conveyor belt 3 is located as close as possible to the second lower conveyor belt 3 below the guide roller 6b or closer to the second lower conveyor belt 3 without contacting the second lower conveyor belt 3. This arrangement makes it possible to limit the falling height of the products when they are deposited from the endless belt 5 onto the second lower conveyor 3.

According to a constructive alternative of the gripping member, it may comprise at least one rigid structure pivoting about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the cylinder 4 and comprising at least one portion pressing against a portion of the first upper conveyor belt 2 on the peripheral surface of the cylinder 4. According to this structure instead of the endless belt 5, the rigid structure of the gripping member generates pressure by its side against the surface of the first upper conveyor belt 2.

According to one constructional feature, the portion pressed against the peripheral surface of the cylinder 4 assumes a substantially curved shape. The curvature of this portion is adapted to optimally follow the curve of an upper conveyor belt 2 by moving on the cylinder 4. This form fit thus allows the gripping members to press the product against the first upper conveyor belt 2 along a large part of the circumference of the cylinder 4, thus ensuring that the product is retained over a longer path when it is turned upside down.

According to another feature, the rigid pivoting structure of the gripping members works together with a return mechanism (for example a spring) to press the gripping members against the product turned over by the first upper conveyor 2. Alternatively, the return mechanism may use gravity alone to hold the gripping members against the product and the first upper conveyor belt 2.

According to other features, the lower edge of the rigid structure of the gripping member is arranged to be located in the vicinity of the second lower conveyor belt 3. This arrangement thus facilitates the placement of the products from the lower edge of the rigid structure of the gripping member onto the second lower conveyor 3 by limiting the drop height when placing the products.

According to another constructive alternative of the gripping member, it comprises a surface which is firmly retained by at least one portion thereof on the first upper conveyor belt 2, the first upper conveyor belt 2 circulating on a portion of the circumference of the cylinder 4. Which surface extends between a high position above the first upper conveyor 2 and a low position below the first lower conveyor 3. The surface is flexible, which allows it to conform on the one hand to the curve of the first upper conveyor belt 2 when moving around the cylinder 4, and on the other hand to adapt to the varying thickness of the strands spread and moving on the upper conveyor belt 2 and rotating around the cylinder 4.

According to different variants of this structure, the flexible surface can be in the form of a knitted fabric or mesh, or even a plurality of strips arranged parallel to each other.

According to one structural feature, the surface is held under stress by at least one elastic member which forms a connection between the fabric and the frame. According to one example of construction, wherein the surface is rectangular and is held under stress by a resilient member at each corner thereof. Thus, at least one central portion of the surface is positioned in such a way as to overlap the upper conveyor belt 2 as it moves around the cylinder 4. This overlapping is achieved so that above the upper conveyor belt 2 there is a space between the upper edge of the surface and the upper conveyor belt 2, so as to facilitate the insertion of the products moving on the upper conveyor belt 2.

Likewise and preferably, the surface overlap is realized in such a way that it forms a space with the upper conveyor belt 2 below the upper conveyor belt 2. This arrangement is achieved so that the products can be isolated and retrieved on the surface before being brought and placed by gravity onto the second lower conveyor belt 3.

The invention also relates to a device for heat treatment of wires, characterised in that it comprises a structure constituting a drying oven, which, according to the invention, comprises a first opening for the entry of the wires and a second opening for the exit of the wires, and which integrates at least two superimposed conveyor belts and at least one reversing mechanism. Contrary to the known wire processing device, which does not integrate any inversion mechanism of the present invention and in which the wire is moved only via a single conveyor belt, the heat treatment device of the present invention allows a plurality of

conveyor belts

2, 3 moving in opposite directions to be superimposed. This superposition of the

conveyors

2, 3 makes it possible to reduce the footprint occupied by the heat treatment device and even to reduce the overall volume of the drying oven and therefore the energy required for the heat treatment.

The heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising:

-three superimposed conveyors arranged to define a first upper conveyor, a second middle conveyor and a third lower conveyor,

two reversing mechanisms arranged such that a first mechanism is positioned to reverse product from the upper conveyor to the middle conveyor and a second mechanism is positioned to reverse product from the middle conveyor to the lower conveyor,

because the upper conveyor belt is positioned from the entrance toward the first reversing mechanism, the lower conveyor belt is positioned from the second reversing mechanism toward the exit of the apparatus.

The heat treatment may also involve more specific treatment means, such as a steam type treatment.

This configuration with an odd number of conveyors makes it possible to position the input and output of the device on different sides of the device.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the modes of operation described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Changes may be made, especially in matters of creating various components or alternative technical equivalents, without necessarily departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A reversing mechanism, comprising:

a first upper conveyor belt;

a second lower conveyor, wherein the first upper conveyor and the second lower conveyor are configured to be positioned above and below products, respectively;

at least one cylinder; and

at least one gripping member configured to grip and abut the product against the first upper conveyor belt moving over a portion of the circumference of the at least one cylinder, wherein the first upper conveyor belt is linked to the at least one cylinder.

2. The inversion mechanism of claim 1, wherein the at least one clamping member comprises at least one endless belt driven around a plurality of guide rollers.

3. The inversion mechanism of claim 2, wherein the at least one endless belt is pressed against a portion of the periphery of the at least one cylinder that lies on one half of the at least one cylinder defined with respect to a vertical reference plane passing through an axis of rotation of the at least one cylinder, and the at least one endless belt is arranged to pass over and around at least two guide rollers arranged in a space opposite to a portion of the periphery of the at least one cylinder contacting the at least one endless belt with respect to the vertical reference plane passing through the axis of rotation of the at least one cylinder.

4. The inversion mechanism of claim 2, wherein the at least one annular belt is linked to a stress-retention mechanism at least one location opposite the first upper conveyor belt circulating around the portion of the perimeter of the at least one cylinder.

5. The inversion mechanism of claim 4, wherein the stress retention mechanism comprising at least one guide roller is mounted to move the stress retention mechanism on an axis included in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the at least one cylinder.

6. The inversion mechanism of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the at least one endless belt is positioned around one of the plurality of guide rollers below the first upper conveyor belt and above the second lower conveyor belt.

7. The inversion mechanism of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of guide rollers is located between the first upper conveyor belt and the second lower conveyor belt and is located as close as possible to the second lower conveyor belt located below the one of the plurality of guide rollers or closer to the second lower conveyor belt without contacting the at least one endless belt.

8. The inversion mechanism of claim 1, wherein the at least one gripping member comprises at least one rigid structure that pivots about an axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cylinder and includes at least one portion that presses against a portion of the first upper conveyor belt on the periphery of the at least one cylinder.

9. The inversion mechanism of claim 8, wherein the at least one portion that presses against the periphery of the at least one cylinder assumes a substantially curved shape.

10. The inversion mechanism of claim 1, wherein the at least one gripping member comprises a surface held under pressure by at least a portion of the first upper conveyor belt circulating over the portion of the periphery of the at least one cylinder, the surface extending between a high position above the first upper conveyor belt and a low position below the second lower conveyor belt.

11. The inversion mechanism of claim 10, wherein the surface is held under stress by at least one resilient member forming a connection between the surface and the frame.

12. The inversion mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

a wire heat treatment apparatus, wherein the wire heat treatment apparatus includes a structure constituting a drying furnace including:

a first opening for entry of a wire;

a second opening for exit of the wire; and at least two superimposed conveyor belts are integrated.

13. The inversion mechanism of claim 12, wherein the wire heat treatment device comprises:

three superimposed conveyors arranged to define the first upper conveyor, the second lower conveyor and a third lowermost conveyor;

two inversion mechanisms arranged such that a first inversion mechanism is positioned to invert from the first upper conveyor to the second lower conveyor and a second inversion mechanism is positioned to invert from the second lower conveyor to the third lowermost conveyor; and

the first upper conveyor belt is positioned from the first opening toward the first reversing mechanism, and the third lowermost conveyor belt is positioned from the second reversing mechanism toward the second opening.

14. A product inversion mechanism for a conveyor belt system, comprising:

a first conveyor belt configured to convey in a first direction;

a second conveyor belt positioned perpendicularly with respect to the first conveyor belt and configured to convey in a second direction different from the first direction;

a reversing cylinder positioned between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, wherein the first conveyor belt wraps around a portion of the reversing cylinder; and

a clamping surface contacting the first conveyor belt around the portion of the reversing cylinder, wherein the clamping surface is configured to (1) clamp a product between the clamping surface and the first conveyor belt as the product passes over the portion of the reversing cylinder, and (2) release the product after the product has passed over the portion of the reversing cylinder by deflecting away from the first conveyor belt.

15. The product inversion mechanism of claim 14, wherein the gripping surface comprises a belt driven around a plurality of guide rollers.

16. The product inversion mechanism of claim 15, wherein the plurality of guide rollers include a tension member configured to apply tension to the belt.

17. The product inversion mechanism of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of guide rollers is located below the first conveyor belt and above the second conveyor belt.

18. The product inversion mechanism of claim 14, wherein the gripping surface comprises a rigid structure configured to pivot about an axis of rotation of the inversion cylinder and exert a force on the portion of the inversion cylinder.

19. The product reversal mechanism of claim 14, further comprising a wire heat treatment device including a furnace having a first opening for wire entry and a second opening for wire exit from the furnace, the first conveyor belt passing through the first opening, wherein the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt, and the reversal cylinder are contained in the furnace.

20. The product reversing mechanism of claim 19, the wire heat treatment device further comprising:

a third conveyor belt;

a second reversing cylinder positioned between the second conveyor belt and the third conveyor belt, wherein the second conveyor belt wraps around a portion of the second reversing cylinder;

a second clamping surface contacting the second conveyor belt around the portion of the second reversing cylinder; and

the third conveyor belt and the second reversing cylinder are contained in the furnace.