Vacuum based tensioning system for tubing in an automated assembly process
AssigneeAts Corporation
InventorsPaul Nordin, Alex Folx, Mateus de Camargo Jonas, Steve Aikens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tensioning system for tubing comprises a vertically arranged vacuum box with a vacuum applied at a bottom section of the vacuum box. Tubing enters and exits the vacuum box at a top section and forms a loop of tubing within the vacuum box. The vacuum on the tubing provides a consistent tension to tubing exiting the tensioner. The payout speed of the tubing can be controlled based at least in part on the location of the loop of the tubing within the vacuum box. If the loop is too high, the payout speed can be increased and if the loop of tubing is too low the payout speed can be reduced.
Claims15
A tensioning system for use with tubing, the tensioning system comprising:
- a payout motor for paying out tubing from a roll of tubing;
- a vacuum box having a top section and bottom section, the top section of the vacuum box having at least one opening through which the tubing can enter and exit the vacuum box, the bottom section of the vacuum box having an opening for coupling the vacuum box to a vacuum pump, vacuum pressure in the vacuum box providing a tensioning force to a loop of tubing entering and exiting the vacuum box from the top section of the vacuum box during use;
- at least one sensor for determining a position of the loop of tubing within the vacuum box;
- and
- a controller configured to control a speed of the payout motor based on the position of the loop determined from the at least one sensor.
A method for tensioning a tubing comprising:
- applying a vacuum to a bottom section of a vacuum box, a loop of tubing entering and exiting the vacuum box at a top section of the vacuum box, the tubing payed out from a payout roll;
- determining if a position of the loop of tubing within the vacuum box is above an upper limit, and when it is determined that the position of the loop is above the upper limit increasing a payout speed of the tubing from the payout roll;
- and;
- determining if the position of the loop of tubing within the vacuum box is below a lower limit, and when it is determined that the position of the loop is below the lower limit decreasing a payout speed of the tubing from the payout roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.