EP3585929B1 - Braiding machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a braiding machine and a method for controlling such a braiding machine.

Braiding machines for braiding a piece of braided material are known in the prior art. Braiding machines are currently operated at a constant speed which must not exceed a maximum speed. The maximum permissible speed is significantly limited by the maximum permissible load on the machine, which in turn is a result of the maximum permissible centrifugal force.

From the DE 21 62 170 A1 a high-speed braiding machine for braiding strand-like material by means of thread-like braiding material in the form of wires or strips made of organic and inorganic material using two bobbin carriers rotating in opposite directions is known.

From the U.S. 4,716,807 a speed control for a braiding machine based on the maypole principle is known, in which the operating speed of the braiding machine is continuously increased while the amount of strand material wound on the strand material supply carriers decreases, whereby the machine is operated at the optimal speed and the efficiency of the braiding machine is increased .

Furthermore, from the DE 10 2005 058 223 A1 a braiding machine, in particular for braiding wire or textile fabrics, is known. The braiding machine has a first set of bobbins and at least one second set of bobbins, which move relative to one another during braiding, at least one of the sets of bobbins being guided along a circular guide path.

During a braiding process, braided material provided by braided material carriers is continuously fed and braided. Therefore, the mass of the braided material changes during a braiding process. As a result, the load on the braiding machine also changes. Today's braiding machines are therefore mostly operated at a speed which, although protecting the braiding machines from overload, does not sufficiently take into account the possibility of increases in productivity.

In view of this, there is a need to provide a braiding machine and a method of controlling a braiding machine that enable productivity to be increased. For this purpose, a braiding machine according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 15 are specified. Specific exemplary embodiments of the braiding machine emerge from the dependent claims 1 to 14.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a braiding machine. The braiding machine has several braided material carriers, a drive and a control device. The braided material carriers are arranged around a common braiding center of the braiding machine. The braided material carriers are each designed to carry a woven material to be braided in the common braiding center. The drive is designed to drive the multiple braided material carriers in such a way that they move around the common braiding center. The control device is designed to control the drive in such a way that a centrifugal force acting on at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. Furthermore, the braiding machine has at least one unbalance sensor which is designed to determine an unbalance of the multiple braided material carriers when rotating around the common braiding center, and the control device is designed to take the determined unbalance into account when controlling the drive.

The drive is designed to drive the multiple braided material carriers in such a way that they rotate about the common braiding center / that they rotate about the common braiding center.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a method of controlling a braiding machine. The braiding machine has several braided material carriers, a drive, a control device and at least one unbalance sensor. The multiple braided material carriers are arranged around a common braiding center of the braiding machine. The braided material carriers are each designed to carry a woven material to be braided in the common braiding center. The method describes driving the plurality of braided material carriers in such a way that they move around the common braiding center. The method also describes controlling the drive in such a way that a centrifugal force acting on at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. In addition, the method describes the determination of an imbalance of the plurality of braided material carriers during rotation about the common braiding center by the at least one unbalance sensor and the consideration of the determined unbalance by the control device when controlling the drive.

The multiple braided material carriers are driven in such a way that they rotate around the common braiding center / that they rotate around the common braiding center.

According to the invention, the drive is controlled by the control device in such a way that a centrifugal force acting on at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant / is kept constant. During a braiding process, braided material carried by the braided material carriers is braided continuously. Therefore, the filling level of the filling carriers and thus the mass of the braided material carriers change during a braiding process. In contrast to conventional braiding machines, no constant speed is set but an at least almost constant centrifugal force is maintained. The speed does not have to be kept constant but can be increased, for example, if the mass of the at least one braided material carrier decreases as long as the centrifugal force acting on this remains at least almost constant. With decreasing mass, an increase in the rotational speed leads to an at least almost constant centrifugal force acting on the at least one woven material carrier. An increase in the speed leads to an increase in productivity.

In the following, for the sake of clarity, the present invention is described with a primary focus on the braiding machine according to the first aspect, the following discussions correspondingly apply to the method for controlling the braiding machine according to the second aspect.

The braided material carriers run in a circle around the common braiding center, i.e. they are arranged along a circumference around the common braiding center. The braided goods can be arranged in the circumferential direction around the common braiding center at a constant distance from one another. The braided material carriers can be spools on which the woven material can be rolled up, for example. The braided material carriers are arranged in the radial direction at the same distance from the braiding center. The radial distance between the braided material carriers and the braiding center can be constant / unchangeable or changeable. The braided material carriers can be provided with the same or at least partially different amount of braided material. In the braiding center, the braided material provided by the braided material carriers is braided with one another. The braiding center can also be referred to as the braiding axis of the braiding machine. The braiding center can be parallel to or correspond to the longitudinal axis of the braiding machine.

According to a first possible embodiment, it is conceivable that the braided material carriers are applied or arranged on a common carrier. By moving, for example rotating, the common carrier, the described movement of the braided material carriers can be carried out around the common braiding center. In addition, an immovable braided material carrier can be provided, so that the woven material provided by the multiple woven material carriers and the woven material provided by the immovable woven material carrier are interwoven in a known manner. In this case, the aspects and details described herein relate to the movement of the braided material carriers applied or arranged, for example, on the common carrier. According to a second possible embodiment, it is conceivable that the plurality of braided material carriers are applied or arranged on a first common carrier and further woven material carriers are applied or arranged on a second common carrier. The two Common carriers can be designed in a specific embodiment as sets of coils or rings. The two carriers can each be driven by a common drive or by separate / different drives. A braiding process can be carried out in a known manner, for example by moving the two common carriers in opposite directions, for example rotating them in opposite directions. The aspects and details described herein can relate to the movement of the braided material carriers applied or arranged, for example, on the first common carrier. In addition, the aspects and details described herein can relate to the movement of the braided material carriers applied or arranged, for example, on the second common carrier. According to a specific implementation, a so-called lower rim on the outside, which is provided with braided material carriers, can move in opposite directions to an inner, so-called upper rim, which is also provided with braided material carriers. The aspects and details described herein may relate to the lower rim and / or the upper rim of the braiding machine.

The braided material can be any conceivable strand-like or elongated material that is suitable for a braiding process. With the help of the braiding machine, various braids can therefore be produced from strand-like material such as wires or textile fibers, for example in the form of tubular braids or braids and / or for braiding around a cable, for example, with a wire braid. The braiding machine can be, for example, a wire braiding machine that is especially suitable for braiding wires. The braiding machine can be a rotary braiding machine.

A braiding process can be understood as a complete process for manufacturing a braided product. Furthermore, it is conceivable that a braiding process can be understood to mean a process that lasts from starting the braiding machine to stopping the braiding machine. The braiding machine is stopped, for example, when one or more of the braided material carriers have run empty and are each replaced by a full one, i.e. fully filled with braided material.

During a braiding process, the drive is controlled by the control device in such a way that the centrifugal force acting on all of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. The term “controlling” can be understood here to include controlling and / or regulating.

As described, during a braiding process, braided material continuously carried by the braided material carriers is braided. Therefore, the filling level of the filling carriers and thus the mass of the braided material carriers change during a braiding process. The degree of filling and thus the mass of the braided material can be the same. If, in this case, the centrifugal force acting on one of the braided material carriers is kept constant, the centrifugal force acting on the other woven material carriers is automatically kept constant at the same value.

According to one embodiment, the drive can be designed to drive the multiple braided material carriers in such a way that they rotate around the common braiding center at an adjustable speed. The control device can be designed to adapt the adaptable speed in such a way that the centrifugal force acting on the at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. For example, the control device can be designed to adapt the adaptable speed in such a way that the centrifugal force acting on all braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. The control device can be designed to control the drive of the braiding machine in such a way that the plurality of braided material carriers rotate around the common braiding center at the adapted speed. For this purpose, the drive can receive appropriate control instructions from the control device. The drive can drive the braided material carriers accordingly based on the control instructions.

According to a variant of this exemplary embodiment, the drive can be designed to drive the multiple braided material carriers in such a way that they rotate around the common braiding center at an adjustable angular speed or speed.

The control device can be designed to adapt the adjustable angular speed or speed in such a way that the centrifugal force acting on the at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. For example, the control device can be designed to adapt the adjustable angular speed or speed in such a way that the centrifugal force acting on all of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant.

As a result of the exemplary embodiment and its variant, when the mass of the at least one braided material carrier changes, the centrifugal force acting on it is kept at least almost constant by adapting the rotational speed, angular speed or speed. This represents an efficient and simple way to keep the centrifugal force at least almost constant. As explained, during a braiding process, braided material provided by the braided material carriers is braided. Therefore, the filling level of the filling carriers and thus the mass of the braided material carriers change during a braiding process. In contrast to conventional braiding machines, the rotational speed, angular speed or speed is not set and kept constant, but can be increased, for example, if the mass of the at least one braided material carrier decreases, as long as the centrifugal force acting on the at least one woven material carrier remains at least almost constant. An increase in the rotational speed, angular velocity or speed leads to an increase in productivity.

Even if reference is made here to the rotational speed instead of the angular speed or speed, these explanations also apply accordingly to the angular speed or speed.

The control device can be designed to adjust the adjustable speed several times / repeatedly during a braiding process. The adjustable speed can be adjusted in fixed or variable time intervals during a braiding process. Purely by way of example, it should be mentioned here that the adjustable speed is continuously / continuously adjusted during a braiding process. The drive can be controlled even more precisely through the repeated, for example continuous, adjustment of the speed. Since the centrifugal force is a quadratic function of the speed, the maximum permissible machine speed increases with constant centrifugal force and steadily decreasing mass. This allows the speed to be increased in order to increase productivity. The multiple adjustment of the speed ensures that the speed can be increased several times during a braiding process. This increases the productivity increase during the braiding process.

The control device can be designed to control the drive in such a way that a maximum centrifugal force acting on at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant. For example, the control device can be designed to adapt the adaptable speed in such a way that a maximum centrifugal force acting on at least one of the braided material carriers remains at least almost constant.

As a result, the braiding machine is designed for the maximum effective centrifugal force. This ensures more reliable protection against overloading the braiding machine.

The control device can be designed to control the drive as a function of the mass of at least one of the braided material carriers. For example, the control device can be designed to adapt the adaptable speed as a function of the mass of at least one of the braided material carriers.

In this way, the mass of at least one of the braided material carriers is taken into account when controlling the drive, e.g. when adjusting the speed. As explained, during a braiding process, braided material provided by the braided material carriers is braided. Therefore, the filling level of the filling carriers and thus the mass of the braided material carriers change during a braiding process. By taking into account the mass of the at least one braided material carrier, the rotational speed can be adapted in accordance with the changed mass in order to keep the centrifugal force acting on the at least one woven material carrier constant.

Various implementations are conceivable as to how the drive can be controlled based on the mass of at least one of the braided material carriers.

According to a first possible implementation, it is conceivable that only the mass of a single one of the braided material carriers is determined and taken into account when the speed is adjusted. This procedure can be sufficient if, for example, it is known that all braided material carriers have the same mass. The braided material carriers have the same mass, for example, when the braiding machine has been restarted or all braided material carriers have been replaced together.

According to a second possible implementation, the mass of all braided material carriers is determined, for example. In accordance with a first variant of the second possible implementation, for example, a mean or median value can be formed from the determined masses. The determined mean or median value of the masses can then be taken into account when adjusting the speed.

According to a second variant of the second possible implementation, the control device can be designed to control the drive as a function of the mass of the braided material carrier with the greatest mass of the plurality of woven material carriers. For example, the control device can be designed to adapt the adaptable speed as a function of the mass of the braided material carrier with the greatest mass of the plurality of woven material carriers. For this purpose, the control device can determine the mass of all braided material carriers and, by comparison, the mass of the woven material carrier with the largest mass and take it into account for controlling the braiding machine, e.g. for adapting the adjustable speed. The adjustable speed can be selected in such a way that a maximum permissible centrifugal force of the braiding machine is not exceeded.

The mass of the braided material can be viewed as a quadratic function of a circular ring area. The circular area can be the path on which the braided material carriers move around the braiding center. If the speed is regulated after the braided material carrier with the highest mass, the mass of the remaining bobbins decreases correspondingly faster. In the case of at least partially different degrees of filling of the braided material carriers, the mass of the other braided article carriers with a lower degree of filling therefore does not remain constant.

The control / regulation after the braided material carrier with the highest mass provides an accurate and simple possibility of maintaining the centrifugal force and, with decreasing mass, increasing the speed.

The degree of filling and thus the mass of at least some of the braided material carriers of the braiding machine can differ. By taking into account the largest mass of all braided material carriers, the braiding machine is designed for the maximum effective centrifugal force. This ensures more reliable protection against overloading the braiding machine. This means that to protect against overloading and incorrect operation, the adjustable speed can be determined from the maximum filled braided material carrier. In addition, the constant centrifugal force can be below the maximum permissible centrifugal force or be selected in such a way, i.e. below the centrifugal force that is present in known braiding machines with constant speed. This not only increases productivity over the life of the machine, but also reduces the maximum machine load.

The control / regulation of the braiding machine can be linear, for example. The braiding process can be started at a speed which, for example, corresponds at least almost to the permissible actual speed of the braiding machine. In the following, the braiding machine can be controlled / regulated in such a way that it runs at a speed that increases linearly, for example, until a maximum speed, for example a maximum speed permissible with a defined filling of the at least one braided material carrier, is reached. For example, the braiding machine can start at an output speed and, for example, at a degree of filling of 60% of the at least one braided material carrier reach a maximum speed after a certain time. This can be regulated by means of a sensor or unregulated with a fixed setting.

The mass of the braided material can be determined in various ways. According to a first conceivable embodiment, the control device can estimate the mass of the at least one braided article carrier based on operating parameters of the braiding machine and / or information about the at least one braided article carrier. For example, the control device can take into account at what point in time the braided material carrier was attached to the braiding machine in a full state, at what speed the braiding machine has been running since this point in time and what initial mass the braided material carrier had in a full state. The current mass of the braided material can be derived from these or similar parameters. In this way, the mass of the at least one braided material carrier can be estimated without further components.

According to a second conceivable embodiment, the braiding machine can have at least one sensor. The sensor can be designed to detect the degree of filling of at least one of the braided material carriers with braided material. In a braiding machine with a first common carrier of braided carriers and a second common carrier of braided carriers, for example an outer lower rim and an inner upper rim, the filling level of at least one braided carrier of the first common carrier and / or at least one braided carrier of the second common carrier can be recorded . Purely by way of example, it should be mentioned here that in a braiding machine with two spool rings, for example, only the degree of filling of at least one braided material carrier of the upper ring is measured (the upper ring is usually more critical for the braiding process) or the degree of filling of at least one braided material carrier of both rings (upper and lower ring) is captured. As mentioned above, regulation can be made, for example, according to the maximum filled wicker carrier.

According to an exemplary embodiment, it is conceivable that a single sensor is provided in a stationary manner, past which the plurality of braided material carriers move past due to their rotation around the common braiding center. One sensor can take measurements one after the other in order to determine the filling level of the braided material carrier from the measurements. The degree of filling can be understood to mean the percentage of braided material with which the braided material carrier is actually filled compared with a braided material carrier that is completely filled with woven material. The embodiment can be refined, for example, by providing a further sensor which can be provided for detecting the position of the braided material carriers. For example, two sensors can be provided according to the exemplary embodiment. These two sensors can carry out corresponding measurements on each of the braided material carriers. For example, a first of the two sensors can detect the degree of filling of the at least one braided material carrier, for example each braided material carrier, via a distance measurement. A second of the sensors can detect the position of the at least one braided material carrier and, for example, instruct the first sensor to start the distance measurement by outputting a signal. This ensures that the distance measurement is always carried out at the same point and for each braided material carrier. According to a further exemplary embodiment, several sensors can be provided for detecting the filling level. For example, a number of sensors can be provided which corresponds to the number of braided material carriers. It is conceivable that each of these sensors is assigned, for example, to a braided material carrier in such a way that it only ever takes measurements to detect the degree of filling of this one woven material carrier. This means that the required measurements can be carried out at the same time.

The at least one sensor can be a distance sensor, i.e. a sensor which is designed to carry out distance measurements. This can be an optical sensor. The sensor can be designed, for example, to detect a distance by means of a laser. With the help of this sensor, therefore, it is not possible to determine the mass of the braided material carrier directly, but rather the distance between the sensor and the braided material carrier. Since braided material is continuously provided by the braided article carrier during the braiding process, the degree of filling of the braided article carrier decreases. This loss of degree of filling / decrease in degree of filling, e.g. loss of diameter / decrease in diameter, of the braided material carrier can be recorded by distance measurement with the aid of the sensor. The current mass can be calculated from the distance measurement, more precisely from the degree of filling derived with the aid of the distance detection. This results from the fact that the mass of the braided carrier depends on its degree of filling and vice versa.

The sensor can be arranged on or in the braiding machine in such a way that all of the braided material carriers pass it when they rotate around the common braiding center. The sensor can, for example, be attached statically to the frame of the braiding machine outside the moving braided material carriers, for example outside rotating wreaths.

As an alternative to the configuration of the sensor, e.g. as a distance sensor for detecting the degree of filling of the plaited material carrier and the indirect determination of the mass of the woven material carrier from the recorded degree of filling, it is conceivable to equip the at least one woven material carrier, e.g. each woven material carrier, with a force sensor. The centrifugal force acting in each case can then be measured directly by means of the force sensor. In this way, the centrifugal force acting on the respective braided material carrier can be determined in a quick and simple manner.

The at least one sensor can be designed to detect the degree of filling of at least one of the braided material carriers several times during a braiding process. The degree of filling can be recorded in fixed or variable time intervals. For example, the degree of filling of the at least one braided material carrier can be continuously / continuously determined.

The information about the filling level of the at least one braided material carrier detected by the at least one sensor can be transmitted to the control device. For example, this information can be forwarded continuously, for example at fixed or variable time intervals, from the at least one sensor to the control device or can be called up by the control device from the at least one sensor. The information from the sensor to the control device can be passed on continuously, for example.

This allows the braiding machine to be controlled even more precisely. For example, the speed can be increased more frequently. This leads to a further increase in productivity.

The control device can be designed to derive the mass of the at least one braided material carrier from the detected degree of filling of the at least one braided material carrier. For this purpose, the control device can take into account the mass of the unfilled braided material carrier in addition to the filling level. By determining the mass from the degree of filling of the at least one braided material carrier, a simple and precise possibility is provided to determine the mass of the at least one woven material carrier in order to take it into account for controlling the drive, such as adjusting the speed.

By using the at least one sensor, it is possible to measure the mass of the at least one braided material carrier, e.g. all braided material carriers, can be determined quickly and accurately. This allows the braiding machine to be controlled even more precisely.

According to one embodiment, the at least one sensor can be designed to continuously detect the filling level of all braided material carriers during a braiding process. From this, the control device can continuously determine the mass of all braided material carriers. Based on the mass of all braided material carriers, the control device can control the drive, e.g. adjust the speed. For example, the control device can adapt the speed based on an average value of all the masses determined. Alternatively, the control device can continuously adjust the speed based on the highest of all the determined masses.

According to the invention, the braiding machine also has at least one unbalance sensor. The at least one imbalance sensor is designed to determine an imbalance of the plurality of braided material carriers as they rotate around the common braiding center. Since the braided material carriers can be filled to different degrees, there may be an imbalance in the braiding machine. Since the bobbins empty themselves evenly, the weight differences and consequently also the imbalance remain. When the speed is increased, the imbalance also increases. As a result, increased speed could lead to increased vibration. The unbalance sensor can be provided in order to monitor this. Vibrations can have an impact on product quality and the durability of the machine. Imbalance sensors are known from the prior art and are used, for example, in washing machines.

According to the invention, the control device is designed to take the ascertained imbalance into account when controlling the drive. For example, the control device can be designed to take the ascertained imbalance into account when adapting the adaptable speed. If the control device determines, for example, that the adjusted speed would lead or actually lead to an imbalance which exceeds a predetermined limit value, the control device can instead adjust the speed in such a way that it is just at or below the limit value.

The method described can be carried out in whole or in part with the aid of a computer program. Thus, a computer program product with program code sections can be provided for carrying out the method. The computer program can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or in the braiding machine. When the program code sections of the computer program loaded into a calculator, computer or processor (e.g. a microprocessor, microcontroller or digital signal processor (DSP)), or running on a calculator, computer or processor, they can cause the computer or processor to perform one or more steps or all of the steps of the to perform the method described herein.

Even if some of the above-described aspects and details have been described in relation to the braiding machine, these aspects can also be implemented in a corresponding manner in the method for controlling the braiding machine or a computer program that supports or implements the method.

Figur 1a

eine aus dem Stand der Technik bekannte Flechtmaschine;

Figur 1b

einen Verlauf von Zentrifugalkraft und Drehzahl bei der Flechtmaschine aus Figur 1a;

Figur 2

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Flechtmaschine;

Figur 3

ein Flussdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Verfahrens zur Steuerung der Flechtmaschine aus Figur 2;

Figur 4

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Flechtmaschine;

Figur 5a

einen Verlauf von Maschinendrehzahl und Zentrifugalkraft bei einer Flechtmaschine aus Figuren 2 und 4;

Figur 5b

einen Vergleich der Zentrifugalkraft der Flechtmaschine aus Figur 1 und der Zentrifugalkraft der Flechtmaschinen aus Figuren 2 und 4;

Figur 5c

einen Vergleich der Drehzahl einer Flechtmaschine aus Figur 1 mit der Drehzahl einer Flechtmaschine aus Figuren 2 und 4; und

Figur 5d

die Produktivitätssteigerung in Prozent bei Verwendung einer Flechtmaschine aus Figuren 2 und 4 gegenüber einer Flechtmaschine aus Figur 1.

The present invention is to be further explained with reference to figures. These figures show schematically:

Figure 1a

a prior art braiding machine;

Figure 1b

a curve of centrifugal force and speed of the braiding machine Figure 1a ;

Figure 2

a first embodiment of a braiding machine;

Figure 3

a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for controlling the braiding machine Figure 2 ;

Figure 4

a second embodiment of a braiding machine;

Figure 5a

a curve of machine speed and centrifugal force in a braiding machine Figures 2 and 4th ;

Figure 5b

a comparison of the centrifugal force of the braiding machine Figure 1 and the centrifugal force of the braiding machines Figures 2 and 4th ;

Figure 5c

a comparison of the speed of a braiding machine Figure 1 at the speed of a braiding machine Figures 2 and 4th ; and

Figure 5d

the percentage increase in productivity when using a braiding machine Figures 2 and 4th compared to a braiding machine Figure 1 .

In the following, but not limited to, specific details are set forth in order to provide a complete understanding of the present invention. However, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that the present invention can be used in other exemplary embodiments which can deviate from the details set forth below.

It is also clear to the person skilled in the art that the explanations set out below can be implemented using hardware circuits, software means or a combination thereof. The software means can be associated with programmed microprocessors or a general computer, computer, an ASCI (Application Specific Integrated Circuit; in German: application-specific integrated circuit) and / or DSPs (Digital Signal Processors; in German: digital signal processors). It is also clear that even if the following details are described in relation to a method, these details can also be implemented in a suitable device unit, a computer processor or a memory connected to a processor, the memory with one or more programs that perform the method when executed by the processor.

Figure 1a shows a schematic representation of a braiding machine 1 according to the prior art. The braiding machine 1 has several, eight in the example shown, bobbins 2 as an example for braided material carriers. Each of these bobbins 2 serves as a carrier for braided material to be braided by means of the braiding machine 1 in a braiding center 3. When the braiding machine 1 is in operation, the braided material is fed from each bobbin 2 radially inward onto the braiding center 3 of the braiding machine 1. The braiding center 3 can also be referred to as the braiding axis of the braiding machine and correspond to the longitudinal axis of the braiding machine 1 or lie parallel to it. According to the example Figure 1 the braiding center 3 corresponds to the center point of the circular path on which the bobbins 2 move around the braiding center 3. In operation, the bobbins 2 rotate at a constant speed around the braiding center / braiding axis 3. The braided material supplied is moved out of position by the rotation of the bobbins 2 around the rotating and braiding center 3 and the removal of the respective braided material along the braiding center 3 Technology intertwined as we know it.

The coils 2 are made according to the schematic illustration Figure 1a carried by a coil carrier 2a. A braiding process can be carried out by rotating the bobbin carrier 2a and thus moving the bobbins 2 around the common braiding center 3. In addition, an immovable bobbin (not shown) can be provided so that the braided material provided by the plurality of bobbins 2 and the braided material provided by the immovable bobbin are interwoven in a known manner. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the plurality of coils 2 are arranged on a first coil carrier 2a, for example an upper rim, and further coils 2 are arranged on a second coil carrier (not shown), for example a lower rim. In this case, a braiding process can be carried out in a known manner, for example by counter-rotating movement, for example opposite rotation, of the two common bobbin carriers.

In braiding machines known from the prior art, such as braiding machine 1, a constant speed is used. This speed is selected so that the maximum load on the braiding machine is not exceeded. Known braiding machines are often limited to a maximum speed of 175 rpm and are operated at this maximum speed. With a maximum filling level of 100% of the coils 2, a permissible centrifugal force of 221.43 N acts on each fully filled coil 2. This figure shows the centrifugal force at a constant speed (see speed curve 4) and a filling level of 100% is maximum and decreases with decreasing degree of filling of the coil 2. This means that when the coil 2 is completely filled / filled, the highest load occurs. As the degree of filling of the bobbin 2 decreases, the centrifugal force and thus the load on the braiding machine 1 steadily decrease. As a result, braiding machines from the prior art attempt to prevent the braiding machine 1 from being overloaded, but are not optimized to the desired extent for maximum productivity.

Figure 2 FIG. 3 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a braiding machine 10. The basic structure of the braiding machine 10 is based on the structure of the braiding machine 1 from FIG Figure 1a , so that reference is made to the relevant statements. This can be the case with the coil carrier 20a Figure 2 act around a common bobbin for carrying out the braiding process or one of two counter-rotating bobbins, for example an upper rim or a lower rim, of which the other in Figure 2 is not shown.

The braiding machine 10 from Figure 2 has bobbins 20 as an example of braided material carriers. Each of the bobbins 20 serves as a carrier for braided material to be braided. The bobbins 20 are driven by a drive 12 of the braiding machine 10 around a common braiding axis 30 / around a common braiding center 30, which according to FIG Figure 2 corresponds to the center of rotation of the coils 20, rotated. In contrast to the braiding machine 1 from Figure 1a is made in the braiding machine 10 Figure 2 however, no speed is preselected and kept constant. In contrast, the braiding machine 10 turns off Figure 2 , a centrifugal force acting on one or more of the coils 20 and caused by the rotation is kept constant.

For this purpose, the braiding machine 10 has a control device 40 and a sensor 50. The sensor 50 repeatedly detects, for example continuously, the filling level of one or more of the coils 20. For this purpose, the sensor 50 is designed, for example, as a distance sensor. The sensor 50 can, for example, use a laser to detect the respective distance from the coils 20 moving past. Since the degree of filling of the coils 20 changes continuously, the distance detected by the sensor 50 also changes accordingly. In the following, it is assumed by way of example that the sensor 50 repeatedly detects the filling level of all coils 20. From this, the mass of each of the coils 20 can be determined either directly by the sensor 50 or by the control device 40.

As an alternative or in addition to the configuration of the sensor, e.g. as a distance sensor for detecting the filling level of the coils 20 and the indirect determination of the mass of the coils 20 from the recorded filling level, each coil 20 can, for example, be provided with a force sensor. The centrifugal force acting in each case can then be measured directly by means of the force sensor. That is, as an alternative or in addition to the sensor 50 (e.g. for reasons of redundancy), a sensor can be provided on each of the coils 20, which sensor directly measures the centrifugal force acting on the respective coil 20.

Independently of the exact determination of the mass, the centrifugal force acting on the respective coil 20 can be determined by the control device 40 from the mass of a coil 20, knowing its radial distance r from the center of rotation, ie from the braiding center 30. From the mass of each coil 20, the control device can in principle derive the centrifugal force acting in each case for each coil 20. The centrifugal force F results from the angular velocity ω as follows: $$\mathrm{F.}=\mathrm{m}\ast {\mathrm{\omega }}^2\ast \mathrm{r}$$

The angular velocity ω is directly proportional to the speed n, since the following applies: $$\mathrm{\omega }=2\ast \mathrm{\pi }\ast \mathrm{n}$$

This results in the relationship between centrifugal force F and speed n: $$\mathrm{F.}=\mathrm{4th}\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="\pi "\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\pi </figure-callout>}}^2\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="n"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">n</figure-callout>}}^2\ast \mathrm{m}\ast \mathrm{r}$$

The circle number n (Pi) is known and constant. The mass m and centrifugal force F are directly proportional. This means that as the mass decreases, the centrifugal force F acting on a body decreases in direct proportion. As a result, with a decreasing degree of filling and thus a decreasing mass m of the coils 20, the speed n can be increased accordingly and the centrifugal force that acts can nevertheless be kept constant. The control device 40 determines the rotational speed n in such a way that the centrifugal force F, which acts on the coils 20 in each case, remains constant. As a result, the speed n of the braiding machine 10 can be increased as the bobbin filling level decreases. This increases productivity. Purely by way of example, it should be mentioned here that the speed can be adjusted in a range from 150 rpm to 250 rpm or in a sub-range thereof during the braiding process.

In the example Figure 2 purely by way of example, the degree of filling of all coils 20 is identical. In practice, this can occur, for example, when the braiding machine 10 is put into operation for the first time or when all of the bobbins 20 are exchanged and replaced by completely filled bobbins 20 at the same time. In this case, it is sufficient if only the degree of filling of one of the coils 20 is detected in each case. Alternatively, the degree of filling of all coils 20 can also be recorded. Regardless of this, according to this example it is in any case sufficient to know the mass of one of the coils 20 on the part of the control device 40 and to take it into account for the control. In this case, based on the determined mass m of one of the coils 20 and thus with sufficient accuracy of the mass m of each of the coils 20, the control device 40 will adapt the speed n such that the centrifugal force F constant as the mass m of the coil (s) 20 decreases remain. The speed n can be determined from the above formula using the following dependency: $${\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="n"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">n</figure-callout>}}^2=\mathrm{F.}/\left(\mathrm{4th}\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="\pi "\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\pi </figure-callout>}}^2\ast \mathrm{m}\ast \mathrm{r}\right)$$

Not only the speed or the speed adjustment is a quadratic function but also the mass of the coil 20 or the loss of mass of the coil during production / during the braiding process (the mass or the loss of mass are proportional to π / 4 * (D ² - d ² )). D is the outside diameter of the bobbin when the bobbin is filled to the maximum. D decreases during the braiding process and is therefore not constant. D is the core diameter of the coil itself and is therefore constant. Thus, d can also be understood as the diameter of the coil without filling material. In this way, from the known proportionality, the loss of mass from the outer diameter of the bobbin 20 with the bobbin filling present and the constant diameter of the bobbin 20 without filling material can be determined.

Further details on the control of the braiding machine 10 will now be provided with respect to FIG Figure 3 described.

verwendet werden.In a step S302, the drive of the braiding machine 10 drives the bobbins 20 in such a way that they move, for example rotate, about the common braiding center 30. You can rotate around the braiding center 30, for example, with an adjustable speed n. In steps S304 and S306, the drive is controlled in such a way that a centrifugal force acting on at least one of the coils 20 remains at least almost constant. For this purpose, the filling level of the coils 20 is first detected by means of the sensor 50 in step S304. In addition, in step S304, a mass of the coil 20 and thus each of the at least almost equally filled coils 20 is determined by the control device 40 based on the respective recorded coil filling level. The determined mass of the coil 20 can now be used to determine an adapted speed with the aid of the relationship $${\mathrm{n}}^{}$$$${\mathrm{}}^2=\mathrm{F.}/\left(\mathrm{4th}\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="\pi "\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\pi </figure-callout>}}^2\ast \mathrm{m}\ast \mathrm{r}\right)$$

be used.

From this relationship, the control device 40 can determine the adapted speed n directly in step S306, since the radial distance r to the braiding center 30 is known and constant, the mass m has been determined and the centrifugal force F is kept constant. That is to say, for the latter, the value that was previously available and, for example, selected at the beginning for the braiding machine 10 is used.

In step S302, the braiding machine 10 is driven at the adapted speed n. For example, steps S302 to S306 can be repeated continuously during the braiding process.

In Figure 4 a second embodiment of the braiding machine 10 is shown. The braiding machine 10 from Figure 4 is based on the braiding machine 10 Figure 2 . Accordingly, identical reference symbols are used for the identical elements and the braiding machine is also designated with the same reference symbol. The braiding machine 10 from Figure 4 has a slightly adapted algorithm. The braiding machine 10 can optionally be made from Figure 4 also have an unbalance sensor 60. As in Figure 4 indicated, the bobbins 20 of the braiding machine 10, purely by way of example, at least partially have a different degree of filling.

The adapted algorithm is adapted in such a way that the filling level of all coils 20 is detected by means of the sensor 50 (this corresponds to a possible procedure from Figure 2 ), but only the degree of filling of the maximum filled coil 20a and thus the maximum mass of all coils 20 is taken into account for determining the speed. In other words, the adaptable speed is determined from the degree of filling of the coil 20a with the maximum degree of filling and thus of the coil 20a with maximum mass. If one of the coils 20 is exchanged, the coil 20a of maximum mass can change.

The control device 40 can continue to use the largest mass m_max of the determined masses m to determine the adapted speed as follows.

kann die Steuereinrichtung 40 die angepasste Drehzahl n direkt ermitteln, da der radiale Abstand r zum Flechtzentrum 30 bekannt und konstant ist, die größte Masse m_max bekannt ist und die Zentrifugalkraft F konstant gehalten wird. Das heißt, für letztere wird der zuvor vorhandene und beispielsweise zu Beginn für die Flechtmaschine 10 gewählte Wert verwendet.From the relationship $$\mathrm{F.}=\mathrm{4th}\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="\pi "\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\pi </figure-callout>}}^2\ast {\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="n"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0009.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">n</figure-callout>}}^2\ast \mathrm{m}\_\mathrm{Max}\ast \mathrm{r}$$

the control device 40 can determine the adapted speed n directly, since the radial distance r to the braiding center 30 is known and constant, the greatest mass m_max is known and the centrifugal force F is kept constant. That is to say, for the latter, the value that was previously available and, for example, selected at the beginning for the braiding machine 10 is used.

In addition, an imbalance in the braiding machine 10 can be determined with the aid of the imbalance sensor 60. This imbalance results from the different degree of filling and thus the different mass of the coils 20. As the speed increases the imbalance increases, this can optionally be monitored. The control device 40 can take the imbalance into account when adapting the speed n. It is conceivable, for example, that with the aid of the unbalance sensor 60 it is established that a maximum permissible unbalance is exceeded if the speed determined by the control device were / is used. The control device 40 can then reduce the speed in such a way that the maximum permissible imbalance is not exceeded.

the Figures 5a to 5d illustrate the advantages of the braiding machines 10 of FIGS Figures 2 and 4th .

How out Figure 5a recognizable, the centrifugal force in the braiding machines 10 from the Figures 2 and 4th kept constant (see curve 110 of centrifugal force Fk). As a result, as the filling level of the coils 20 decreases (from 100% to 0%), the possible speed increases (see the curve 210 of the speed; the increasing curve illustrated by multiplying the speed n by a variable value b> 1).

Figure 5b shows the curve 110 of the centrifugal force of the braiding machines 10 of FIG Figures 2 and 4 in comparison to the curve 100 of the centrifugal force in the braiding machine 1 Figure 1a . It can be seen that the centrifugal force in the braiding machines 10 remains constant regardless of the degree of filling of the bobbins 20 (constant centrifugal force Fk), while the centrifugal force of the braiding machine 1 decreases with decreasing degree of filling (decreasing curve illustrated by multiplying centrifugal force F by a constant value a <1).

In Figure 5c the course 210 of the speed of the braiding machines 10 from the Figures 2 and 4th with the curve 200 of the speed of the braiding machine 1 Figure 1a compared. As can be seen, with a maximum filling level of 100%, the speed of the braiding machines 10 is, purely by way of example, slightly below the speed of the braiding machine 1. Already at a filling level of approx. 85%, the two filling levels approach and are at least almost the same. From a degree of filling of 80%, the speed of the braiding machine 10 is already greater than the speed of the braiding machine 1 Figures 2 and 4th be operated at a higher speed than the braiding machine 1 from Figure 1a . This increases productivity. The starting speed of the braiding machines 10 can already be at or higher than the speed of the braiding machine 1.

The extent of the increase in productivity is shown purely as an example Figure 5d . The course 300 of the productivity of the braiding machine 1 is constant regardless of the degree of filling of the bobbins 2, since the speed is constant. In contrast, the course 310 of the productivity in the braiding machines 10 increases as the filling level of the bobbins 20 decreases. With a degree of filling of 100% to less than 85%, the productivity of the braiding machines 10 is still slightly lower than that of the braiding machine 1, but with a degree of filling of 85%, the productivity levels out. Alternatively, the braiding machines 10 could also start immediately with the maximum permissible speed. An increase in productivity would thus be achieved immediately (when the braiding machines 10 are started). As the degree of filling decreases from below 85% to 0%, the productivity advantage of the braiding machines 10 compared with the braiding machine 1 continues to increase. Alternatively, the braiding machine 10 could be operated at a constant speed from reaching a certain limit speed until the empty detection (degree of filling 0%) is reached. The course 320 of the productivity averaged over the braiding process shows that the averaged productivity of the braiding machines 10 is greater than the constant productivity of the braiding machine 1. Averaged over the entire process, a considerable increase in productivity of up to 21% can be achieved.

Claims (15)

1. Braiding machine (1) comprising:

   - a plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a), which are arranged at a constant radial distance from a common braiding center (30) of the braiding machine around the common braiding center (30) of the braiding machine (1) and are each adapted to carry a braiding-material to be braided in the common braiding center (30);

   - a drive (12) which is designed to drive the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) such that they move around the common braiding center (30);
   characterized by

   - a control device (40) which is designed to control the drive (12) by adapting the rotational speed, angular speed or speed such that during a braiding process, a centrifugal force (F, Fk) acting on at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) remains at least almost constant,
   and in that
   the braiding machine (1) further comprises at least one unbalance sensor (60) which is designed to determine an unbalance of the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) during the rotation around the common braiding center (30), and that the control device (40) is designed to take into account the determined imbalance when controlling the drive (12) by adapting the rotational speed, angular speed or speed.
2. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the drive (12) is designed to drive the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) such that they rotate around the common braiding center (30) at an adjustable rotational speed (n), and the control device (40) is designed to adapt the adjustable rotational speed (n) such that the centrifugal force (F, Fk) acting on the at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) remains at least almost constant.
3. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein the control device (40) is designed to control the drive (12) of the braiding machine (1) such that the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) rotate at the adapted rotational speed (n) around the common braiding center (30).
4. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control device (40) is designed to adapt the adjustable rotational speed (n) repeatedly during a braiding process, for example continuously.
5. Braiding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device (40) is designed to control the drive (12) such that a centrifugal force (F, Fk) acting maximally on at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) remains at least almost constant.
6. Braiding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control device (40) is designed to control the drive (12) as a function of the mass (m) of at least one of the braiding-material carrying braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a).
7. Braiding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control device (40) is designed to control the drive (12) as a function of the mass (m) of the braiding-material carrier (2, 20, 20a) with the greatest mass (m_max) of the multiple braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a).
8. Braiding machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising at least one sensor (50) which is designed to detect the filling level of at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) with braiding material.
9. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor (50) is designed to detect the filling level of at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) repeatedly during a braiding process, for example continuously.
10. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the control device (40) is designed to derive the mass (m) of the at least one braiding-material carrier (2, 20, 20a) from the detected filling level of the at least one braiding-material carrier (2, 20, 20a).
11. Braiding machine (1) according to one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the control device (40) is designed to adapt the adjustable rotational speed (n) such that the adjustable rotational speed (n) increases linearly during a braiding process.
12. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 11, wherein the adjustable rotational speed (n) increases linearly during a braiding process as a function of a fixed setting in the braiding machine (1).
13. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 11, wherein the adjustable rotational speed (n) increases linearly during a braiding process as a function of the mass (m) of at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a).
14. Braiding machine (1) according to claim 11, wherein the adjustable rotational speed (n) increases linearly during a braiding process as a function of the filling level of at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a).
15. A method for controlling a braiding machine (1), wherein the braiding machine (1) comprises a plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a), a drive (12), a control device (40) and at least one unbalance sensor (60), wherein the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) is arranged at a constant radial distance from a common braiding center (30) of the braiding machine around the common braiding center (30) of the braiding machine (1) and are each adapted to carry a braiding material to be braided in the common braiding center (30), wherein the method comprises the following steps:

    - driving the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) such that they move around the common braiding center (30);
    characterized in that the method further comprises the following steps:

    - controlling the drive (12) by adapting the rotational speed, angular speed or speed such that a centrifugal force (F, Fk) acting on at least one of the braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) remains at least almost constant during a braiding process;
    and

    - determining, by the at least one unbalance sensor (60), an imbalance of the plurality of braiding-material carriers (2, 20, 20a) during the rotation around the common braiding center (30); and

    - taking into account the determined imbalance by the control device (40) during controlling the drive (12) by adapting the rotational speed, angular speed or speed.

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