EP0039140A1 - Filamentverpackung - Google Patents

Filamentverpackung Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0039140A1
EP0039140A1 EP81301329A EP81301329A EP0039140A1 EP 0039140 A1 EP0039140 A1 EP 0039140A1 EP 81301329 A EP81301329 A EP 81301329A EP 81301329 A EP81301329 A EP 81301329A EP 0039140 A1 EP0039140 A1 EP 0039140A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
filament
carrier
coil
turns
rotation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP81301329A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Ronald Frederick Henson
Dennis Laurence Lewis
David Edward Mayley
Keith Mccann
John Thomas Stringer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0039140A1 publication Critical patent/EP0039140A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H54/00—Winding, coiling, or depositing filamentary material
    • B65H54/76—Depositing materials in cans or receptacles
    • B65H54/80—Apparatus in which the depositing device or the receptacle is rotated
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/30—Handled filamentary material
    • B65H2701/31—Textiles threads or artificial strands of filaments

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the packaging of lengths of filamentary material, such as wire or optical fibre, an object of the invention being the provision of a form of package, for one or more filament lengths, which is less bulky than the conventional type of package in which the filament is wound on a reel or drum, is compact and convenient for transportation and storage, and provides protection for the filament against exposure and damage.
  • the invention also relates to a method of, and apparatus for, carrying out the packaging.
  • a filament package consists of one or more lengths of filament lying loosely coiled in substantially circular turns on a plane surface of a flat carrier and covered with a layer of padding material, the carrier being integral with or inserted into a shallow container in which the assembly of carrier, filament coil and padding is enclosed, wherein each turn of the coil after the first turn is laid eccentrically with respect to the immediately preceding turn so as to cross over said preceding turn at at least one point, and the crossover points of successive turns are displaced in a constant direction, so that the complete coil is in the form of an annulus of substantially uniform width.
  • the coil carrier is provided with a surface layer of padding material on which the coil is laid.
  • This padding, and that covering the coil may consist of any soft, resilient material, such as felt, foam - rubber, or plastics foam.
  • the packing of the coil between padding layers prevents movement of the turns of the coil during transit, and protects the filament from damage.
  • the carrier may be constituted by the bottom of a suitable container, such as a shallow carton provided with a lid or flaps which, when closed, lies or lie on the padding covering the coil.
  • the carrier may be a flat board or shallow tray which, after the filament coil has been laid thereon and covered with padding, is inserted into a closely fitting carton or metal container.
  • the filament package of the invention in addition to being in a lightweight, compact form which facilitates stacking for convenience of storage and transportation, is advantageous in that a coil laid in the form described above is stable and, since each turn of the coil overlies and crosses over the preceding turn, the turns remain in the correct sequence and thus cannot become interlinked and tangled during subsequent unwinding of the coil.
  • This form of package is particularly advantageous for the transportation and storage of optical fibres, since the coil can be laid in such a manner that the fibre is substantially free from tension, so that optical losses in the fibre, when it is subsequently employed for the transmission of telecommunication signals, are minimised; furthermore, the absence of tension enables any desired tests or measurements to be carried out on the fibre while it is retained in the coiled condition on the carrier.
  • this form of package in which the fibre is freely coiled, is not subject to the problems of differential thermal expansion which can arise when a length of optical fibre is wound on a drum.
  • glass optical fibres are covered with a protective coating and/or jacket of synthetic resin, which is usually applied during the manufacture of the fibre.
  • a relatively stiff filament such as wire or optical fibre
  • a relatively stiff filament such as wire or optical fibre
  • it travels naturally along a circular spiral downward path describing a conical surface of revolution, so as to fall into a substantially circular coil.
  • the turns of a coil formed in this way are substantially concentric, and the narrow stack so formed becomes unstable and topples, which may cause the turns to become interlinked, resulting in tangling on unwinding of the coil.
  • each turn of the coil acquires 100% twist, that is to say has one full axial twist induced in it, which may contribute to subsequent tangling.
  • One object of the present invention is the provision of a method of forming a filament coil, whereby these difficulties can be overcome.
  • the carrier for receiving the filament is disposed horizontally and is rotated about a vertical axis, and a length of filament is continuously fed downwards through guide means and on to the upper plane surface of the rotating carrier, so that the filament is laid on said surface.
  • a substantially circular annular coil the natural circular downward path of travel of the filament being caused to rotate in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the carrier, the guide means being so arranged that the circle described by each turn of the coil as it is deposited on the carrier is eccentric with respect to the area of the carrier surface on which the coil is laid, and the rate of rotation of the carrier and rate of feed of the filament being so adjusted in relation to one another that consecutive turns of the coil precess around the said area.
  • the eccentricity of the filament deposition with respect to the coil-receiving area of the carrier surface, and the precession of the turns of the coil result in the second and each subsequent turn crossing over the immediately preceding turn, and in regular displacement of the crossover points in a constant direction, the turns being deposited in a repeating pattern, so that the coil so produced is stable, of substantially uniform annular width, and free from interlinking of the turns.
  • the contra-rotation of the coil carrier and the filament travel path causes the degree of twist imparted to the turns of the coil to be less than 100%, and the coiled filament is substantially free from tension.
  • the amount of twist in the coil turns is determined by the relationship between the linear speed of the coil, produced by the rotation of the carrier, and the linear speed of the filament input during its downward travel to the guide means. For example, if the carrier is rotated at a rate to give a linear speed of the mean coil circumference equal to half the filament input downward speed, the resultant twist in the coil turns will be 50%, and the rates of rotation of the carrier and of the circular downward path of the filament will be equal.
  • the rate of rotation of the carrier is adjusted to be slightly different from that of the filament path, such that the linear speed of travel.of the point at which the filament meets the carrier, which corresponds to the linear speed of the mean coil circumference, is slightly more or less than half the filament input downward speed. ;
  • the degree of eccentricity of the deposited turns of the coil with respect to the coil-receiving area of the carrier surface, and the ratio between the rate of rotation of the carrier and that of the circular downward path of the filament are so adjusted that the crossovers between consecutive turns of the coil occur at a wide angle, considerably in excess of 90 0 .
  • a preferred form of apparatus for forming a filament package in accordance with the invention includes a horizontal support for a flat filament-receiving carrier, which support is rotatable about a central vertical axis, one or more guide rings disposed horizontally above said support so as to be located eccentrically with respect to the coil-receiving area of the carrier on said support, and means for feeding a length of filament continuously downwards towards the carrier and for bringing the filament into contact with the interior surface or surfaces of said ring or rings so that the downwardly travelling filament is caused to follow a circular path around said ring surface or surfaces, in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the carrier support.
  • the lowermost ring having the largest internal diameter and each successive higher ring having a smaller internal diameter than the ring immediately below it; the height of the lowermost ring above the filament-receiving surface of the carrier, the distance or distances apart of adjacent rings, and the relative internal diameters thereof, are so arranged that the internal surfaces of the ring assembly lie on the conical surface which is naturally swept by the filament during its downward travel, as explained above.
  • the filament may be delivered to the coil carrier from any convenient source, for example from a drum or reel, or directly from a filament-manufacturing line, by being passed around a capstan by means of which the linear speed of downward travel of the filament to the guide rings is controlled.
  • the filament is usually passed from the capstan to the guide rings through additional guide means by means of which the filament is directed on to the interior surface of the uppermost guide ring at an appropriate angle for ensuring that the filament path subsequently follows the interior surfaces of the rings.
  • the filament guiding system should be so arranged that the travel of the filament is not appreciably impeded by friction.
  • the filament is an optical fibre with a protective coating
  • the latter is preferably formed of a hard resin, such as polyurethane, which will give minimal friction with the guide rings, or with any other guide means which may be employed. If the fibre has a softer coating, such as a silicone resin, the coiling speed is adjusted to accommodate the effect of the increased friction.
  • An additional advantage of the filament package of the invention is that it provides for easy withdrawal of the filament from the package by a simple unwinding procedure, which can be carried out by reversing the process described above for depositing the coil on the carrier.
  • the carrier and coil are rotated about a vertical axis, while the filament is drawn upwards through one or more guide rings, which may be placed either eccentrically or concentrically with respect to the coil.
  • a square tray or board 1 suitably of wood with a covering of antistatic foam on its upper surface, which is to constitute the coil carrier, is mounted horizontally on a rotatable vertical shaft 2.
  • An optical fibre 5 is pulled from a source (not shown) by a motor driven capstan 6 which is rotated about a horizontal shaft in the direction indicated by the arrow A.
  • the fibre After passing around the capstan, the fibre is guided downwards through two eyes 7, 8, and inside the rings 3, 4, the eyes being so positioned in relation to the rings that the fibre contacts the internal surface of the upper ring 3 at an angle of approximately 45 0 .
  • the eyes may consist of short lengths of tubing of low friction material, suitably polytetrafluoroethylene, or of short wire coils; alternatively the upper eye may be replaced by an inclined strip of polytetrafluoroethylene over which the fibre passes.
  • the capstan is rotated at a speed to give a suitable linear rate of downward travel of the fibre, and the speed of rotation of the tray is appropriately ad- ' justed, in relation to the fibre speed, to effect deposition of the fibre in a coil 9 of the desired form.
  • the free end of the fibre is passed through the eyes and is allowed to fall on to the central region of the tray 1, then the portion of the fibre in contact with the upper ring ? is pushed to cause the fibre to continue travelling around the inner surfaces of the rings in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the tray; the directions of rotation of the tray and the fibre path are shown by the arrows B and C respectively.
  • the speed ratio between the capstan and the tray which is required to produce precession of the coil pattern around the receiving surface of the tray, together with an acceptable degree of twist in the coil turns, is determined by the ratio between the circumference of the capstan surface around which the fibre passes and the mean circumference of the coil formed, the latter being controlled by the inner diameters of the rings 3 and 4: conveniently the capstan circumference and the mean coil circumference are substantially equal.
  • the said speed ratio is so adjusted that the linear speed of the mean coil circumference is slightly less than half the downward linear feed speed of the fibre: under these conditions, the coil is deposited in a repeating pattern of the form shown in Figure 2.
  • points 10 and 11 respectively represent the centres of the coil-receiving tray and of the pair of guide rings 3, 4, the distance e thus being the eccentricity between the tray and the rings.
  • Two consecutive turns of the coil cross over at the point'12, the maximum separation between the turns being equal to 2e.
  • Preceding and subsequent turns of the coil are deposited in the same pattern, and crossover points 12 precess around the coil in the direction indicated by the arrow D, when the tray is rotated in a clockwise direction and the fibre path anticlockwise, as viewed from above, the rate of rotation of the fibre path being slightly greater than that of the coil.
  • the relative rates of rotation of the capstan and the coil-receiving tray are suitably controlled by means of a synchro-transmitter carried by the capstan shaft, co-operating with a synchro-receiver which drives the tray through a gearbox.
  • a synchro-transmitter carried by the capstan shaft, co-operating with a synchro-receiver which drives the tray through a gearbox.
  • This arrangement may be of well known form, and is not shown in the drawings.
  • the coil-receiving tray 1 is 400 mm square, and the guide rings 3 and 4 are respectively 310 mm and 325 mm in internal diameter.
  • the rings are so located that the eccentricity between them and the tray is 20 mm, the lower ring 4 being disposed 100 mm above the tray, and the distance between the two rings being 25 mm.
  • the circumference of the surface of the capstan 6 over which the fibre passes is one metre.
  • the internal diameter of both the guide eyes ? and 8 is suitably 5 mm, but may be less provided that there is adequate clearance for the fibre passing through them.
  • the lower eye 8 is located 750 mm above the tray, and the position of the upper eye 7 is such that the fibre is travelling substantially vertically when it reaches the lower eye.
  • the coil 9 formed by this arrangement has an internal diameter of 280 mm and an external diameter of 360 mm, each turn of the coil being approximately one metre in length, that is to say substantially equal to the capstan circumference.
  • the capstan 6 is arranged to drive a synchro-transmitter through gearing giving an increased speed ratio of 4 : 1, and this co-operates with a synchro-receiver which drives the tray 1 through gearing giving a reduced speed ratio of 1 : 8.33.
  • a synchro-transmitter through gearing giving an increased speed ratio of 4 : 1
  • this co-operates with a synchro-receiver which drives the tray 1 through gearing giving a reduced speed ratio of 1 : 8.33.
  • the capstan is rotated at a rate of 50 rpm, hence the fibre input downward speed is 50 metres per minute; the tray is rotated at a rate of 24 rpm, and the rate of rotation of the fibre path relative to the guide rings is 26 rpm.
  • the degree of twist induced in the fibre coiled in this manner is slightly greater than 50%. If the fibre has a softer coating, such as silicone resin, it will be necessary to reduce the coiling speed, the downward fibre feed speed suitably being 20 metres per minute, and the speed of rotation of the tray being adjusted accordingly.
  • the packaging of the fibre is completed by covering the coil with a layer of suitable padding material, and inserting the assembly of tray, coil and padding into a closely fitting carton.
  • the square coil-receiving tray referred to in the above example may be replaced by a circular tray or board of 400 mm diameter.

Landscapes

  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)
EP81301329A 1980-04-17 1981-03-27 Filamentverpackung Withdrawn EP0039140A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8012682 1980-04-17
GB8012682 1980-04-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0039140A1 true EP0039140A1 (de) 1981-11-04

Family

ID=10512846

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81301329A Withdrawn EP0039140A1 (de) 1980-04-17 1981-03-27 Filamentverpackung

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0039140A1 (de)
ZA (1) ZA812342B (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0296860A1 (de) * 1987-06-22 1988-12-28 BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company Faseraufspulvorrichtung
EP0667122A2 (de) * 1994-01-13 1995-08-16 Ethicon Inc. Spulenwickelmaschine für Nähfaden
US11117737B2 (en) 2012-11-12 2021-09-14 Southwire Company, Llc Wire and cable package

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1019222B (de) * 1954-02-01 1957-11-07 Dr Fritz Von Schmoller Drehtopfteller fuer Spinnkannen
US2936509A (en) * 1958-10-07 1960-05-17 Western Electric Co Apparatus for collecting strands
US3253800A (en) * 1963-12-09 1966-05-31 Donald P Whitacre Convolution-control cage for wirecoiling machine
EP0026019A1 (de) * 1979-09-17 1981-04-01 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Verpackung, die Glasfasern enthält, und Vorrichtung, die zur Verpackung von Glasfasern dient

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1019222B (de) * 1954-02-01 1957-11-07 Dr Fritz Von Schmoller Drehtopfteller fuer Spinnkannen
US2936509A (en) * 1958-10-07 1960-05-17 Western Electric Co Apparatus for collecting strands
US3253800A (en) * 1963-12-09 1966-05-31 Donald P Whitacre Convolution-control cage for wirecoiling machine
EP0026019A1 (de) * 1979-09-17 1981-04-01 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Verpackung, die Glasfasern enthält, und Vorrichtung, die zur Verpackung von Glasfasern dient

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
L'Industrie Textile, January 1967, No. 953, Paris, US A. VALOTA "La Fontion du pot en filature", page 13-16 *

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0296860A1 (de) * 1987-06-22 1988-12-28 BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company Faseraufspulvorrichtung
WO1988010230A1 (en) * 1987-06-22 1988-12-29 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Fibre coiling
US5374005A (en) * 1987-06-22 1994-12-20 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Fibre coiling
US5575455A (en) * 1987-06-22 1996-11-19 British Telecommunications, Plc Fibre coiling
US5699974A (en) * 1987-06-22 1997-12-23 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Fibre coiling
EP0667122A2 (de) * 1994-01-13 1995-08-16 Ethicon Inc. Spulenwickelmaschine für Nähfaden
EP0667122A3 (de) * 1994-01-13 1995-11-08 Ethicon Inc Spulenwickelmaschine für Nähfaden.
US11117737B2 (en) 2012-11-12 2021-09-14 Southwire Company, Llc Wire and cable package
US11858719B2 (en) 2012-11-12 2024-01-02 Southwire Company, Llc Wire and cable package

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA812342B (en) 1982-04-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN101103418B (zh) 带绕绝缘线芯制造装置及带卷绕张力的控制方法
US3187495A (en) Method and apparatus for stranding cable
US3309857A (en) Apparatus for processing cable-like elements
US4408378A (en) Apparatus for forming a filament coil of figure of eight conformation
JPH01503701A (ja) ファイバー・コイリング
US3863861A (en) Wire paying-out apparatus
GB2081764A (en) Coiling of filament
US2857116A (en) Packaging of wire
US5564268A (en) Apparatus and method for the manufacture of uniform impedance communication cables for high frequency use
US3666200A (en) Package of flexible material for twistless payout and method of making such package
EP0039140A1 (de) Filamentverpackung
US3013742A (en) Wire packaging machine and method
US4085902A (en) Straight hole formation with moving guide path
CA1298575C (en) Apparatus for accumulating a filiform element, such as an optical fiber, at different speeds
US4535946A (en) Fixed position machine for coiling down a cable
US3477653A (en) Method and means for winding of strand material
US3120931A (en) Wire coiling apparatus
US5255863A (en) Method for producing a coil
GB2074132A (en) Coiling strand material into packages
WO1994024349A1 (en) Apparatus and method for the manufacture of telephone cables
US4056238A (en) Apparatus and a method of winding filamentary material
US3371878A (en) Payoff stand
US3426519A (en) Apparatus for stranding fibers with reversing twist
US3054570A (en) Wire packaging machine
EP0041326A1 (de) Verpackung von Filamenten

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR IT NL

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19820422

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19830620

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: MCCANN, KEITH

Inventor name: HENSON, RONALD FREDERICK

Inventor name: MAYLEY, DAVID EDWARD

Inventor name: LEWIS, DENNIS LAURENCE

Inventor name: STRINGER, JOHN THOMAS