Wire Buffers for Manufacturing
AssigneeRelativity Space, Inc.
InventorsMichael Reid, Fritz C. Gruber, Jeremy Krol, Jenna Johns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wire buffer systems that can buffer one or more wires are described. The wire buffer system can include a buffer tube. The buffer tube can include entry passages, exit passages, an outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder. The inner cylinder can be fixed in a position coaxial with the outer cylinder. Flexible wire guides can be coupled to the entry passage. The flexible wire guide can extend in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exit the buffer tube through the exit passage. The wire buffer systems can further include measurement systems. The measurement systems can include time-of-flight (TOF) sensors, linear rails, and carriages.
Claims24
A wire buffer capable of buffering one or more wires, the wire buffer comprising:
- a buffer tube, the buffer tube comprising:
- an entry passage;
- an exit passage;
- an outer cylinder;
- an inner cylinder fixed in a position coaxial with the outer cylinder;
- and
- a flexible wire guide coupled to the entry passage, the flexible wire guide extending in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exiting the buffer tube through the exit passage;
- wherein the flexible wire guide occupies a space between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;
- and
- a measurement head configured to measure an amount of wire in the wire buffer.
A wire buffer system for advancing one or more wires into a deposition site, the wire buffer system comprising:
- a wire buffer;
- a de-spooling motor configured to feed a wire into the wire buffer;
- and
- a motor configured to advance the wire out of the wire buffer;
- wherein the wire buffer comprising:
- a buffer tube, the buffer tube comprising:
- an entry passage;
- an exit passage;
- an outer cylinder;
- an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder fixed in a position coaxial with the outer cylinder;
- and
- a flexible wire guide fixedly coupled to the entry passage, the flexible wire guide extending in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exiting the buffer tube through the exit passage and wherein the flexible wire guide occupies a space between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;
- and
- a measurement head configured to measure an amount of wire in the wire buffer.
A wire buffer system for advancing two or more wires into a deposition site, the wire buffer system comprising:
- a wire buffer;
- a first de-spooling motor configured to feed a first wire into the wire buffer;
- a second de-spooling motor configured to feed a second wire into the wire buffer;
- a motor configured to advance the first wire and the second wire out of the wire buffer;
- and
- wherein the wire buffer comprises:
- a buffer tube, the buffer tube comprising:
- a first entry passage;
- a first exit passage;
- a second entry passage;
- a second exit passage;
- an outer cylinder;
- an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder fixed in a position coaxial with the outer cylinder;
- a first flexible wire guide fixedly coupled to the first entry passage, the first flexible wire guide extending in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exiting the buffer tube through the first exit passage and wherein the first flexible wire guide occupies a space between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;
- and
- a second flexible wire guide fixedly coupled to the second entry passage, the second flexible wire guide extending in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exiting the buffer tube through the second exit passage and wherein the second flexible wire guide occupies a space between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;
- and
- a measurement head configured to measure an amount of the first wire and the second wire in the wire buffer respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.