DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CLAMPS BENT FROM WIRE SECTIONS

1 . A device ( 1 ) for producing clamps ( 3 ) bent from wire sections ( 2 ), in particular surgical clamps, said device having a bending device ( 22 ) for bending a wire section ( 2 ), characterized in that a feed device ( 4 ) for a wire ( 5 ) is provided with a cutting device ( 6 ) for severing a wire section ( 2 ) from the supplied wire ( 5 ), in that the cutting device ( 6 ) comprises two cutting punches ( 11 ) for cutting the wire ( 5 ), and in that a holding device ( 14 ) for gripping and holding the wire section ( 2 ) between the two cutting punches ( 11 ) prior to severing the wire section ( 2 ) and for positioning the severed wire section ( 2 ) on a bending device ( 22 ) as well as for supplying the wire section bent to form the clamp ( 3 ) to a device ( 33 ) for introducing the clamp ( 3 ) into a cartridge ( 34 ) or a clamp storage ( 35 ).

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the holding device ( 14 ) is realized in a tongs-like manner and comprises a holding region which is movable against a resetting force from a holding position into an open position.

3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the bending device ( 22 ) comprises an anvil ( 23 ) as a forming element for the wire section ( 2 ) which is mounted in a linearly displaceable manner between two pressing rollers ( 25 ) which are each adjustable against a resetting force.

4 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the bending device ( 22 ) comprises an anvil ( 31 ) which comprises stop surfaces ( 32 ) for bent wire legs ( 29 ) and pressing rollers ( 25 ) which are assigned to said wire legs for shearing the wire legs ( 29 ) against one another.

5 . The device as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that the anvil ( 23 ) of the bending device ( 22 ) comprises a circle-segment-shaped forming region for the wire section ( 2 ).

6 . The device as claimed in one of claims 3 to 5 , characterized in that the holding device ( 14 ) is releasably connectable to the anvil ( 23 , 31 ) of the bending device ( 22 ).

7 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6 , characterized in that the feed device ( 4 ) comprises a wire roll ( 7 ) as a supply for the wire ( 5 ) to be supplied.

8 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the feed device ( 4 ) comprises a straightening mechanism ( 8 ) with several guide rollers ( 9 ) arranged on both sides of the wire ( 5 ) for aligning the wire ( 5 ) unwound from the wire roll ( 7 ).

9 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8 , characterized in that the feed device ( 4 ) comprises two clamping elements which are linearly displaceable in an advancing direction of the wire.

10 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that the cutting punches ( 11 ) comprise in each case an oblique cutting edge ( 15 ).

11 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10 , characterized in that the cutting punches ( 11 ) are mounted in each case in a punch guide ( 12 ) which is pivotable about an axis oriented in a longitudinal direction of the wire and/or can be arranged rotated by 180° with reference to the longitudinal direction of the wire.

12 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11 , characterized in that at least one processing device ( 19 ) for the wire ( 5 ) or the wire section ( 2 ) is arranged upstream and/or downstream of the bending device ( 22 ).

13 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12 , characterized in that a control device is provided for the bent wire section ( 2 ).

14 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13 , characterized in that the device ( 33 ) for introducing the clamp ( 3 ) into a cartridge ( 34 ) or a clamp storage ( 35 ) comprises a slide ( 40 ) for acting upon the clamps ( 3 ) on the clamp rear ( 30 ) thereof.

15 . The device as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that the slide ( 40 ) is adapted to the shape of the wire section ( 2 ) in an impact region.

16 . The device as claimed in claim 14 or 15 , characterized in that the slide ( 40 ) is thinner in the impact region than the wire section ( 2 ) to be acted upon.

17 . The device as claimed in one of claims 14 to 16 , characterized in that a drive unit ( 46 ) is provided for a linear displacement of the slide ( 40 ).

18 . The device as claimed in claim 17 , characterized in that the drive unit ( 46 ) comprises a force sensor ( 48 ) and a control unit for controlling the slide ( 40 ) in dependence on sensor signals.

19 . The device as claimed in claim 17 , characterized in that the drive unit ( 46 ) comprises a force-controlled coupling unit.

20 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 , characterized in that the device ( 33 ) for introducing the clamp ( 3 ) into a cartridge ( 34 ) or a clamp storage ( 35 ) comprises a housing ( 36 ) with a guide for the slide ( 40 ) and an insertion opening ( 41 ) for inserting in each case one clamp ( 3 ).

21 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 20 , characterized in that a positioning device ( 44 ) is provided for positioning a clamp storage ( 35 ) or a cartridge ( 34 ) in front of the output-side end of the device ( 33 ) for introducing the clamp ( 3 ) into a cartridge ( 34 ) or a clamp storage ( 35 ).

22 . The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 21 , characterized in that the individual components of the device ( 1 ) are arranged in a common processing station.

23 . A method for producing clamps ( 3 ), in particular surgical clamps, where the free ends of a straight wire section ( 2 ) are bent to form wire legs ( 29 ), characterized in that the wire sections ( 2 ) are cut off a wire ( 5 ) and the free ends of the wire section ( 20 ) are bent to form wire legs ( 29 ), in that the wire section ( 2 ) that is bent to form a clamp is introduced into a cartridge ( 34 ) or clamp storage ( 35 ), and in that the wire section ( 2 ) is gripped prior to severing and is held constantly during the severing and the bending.

24 . The method as claimed in claim 23 , characterized in that the wire ( 5 ) is unwound from a wire roll ( 7 ).

25 . The method as claimed in claim 23 or 24 , characterized in that the wire ( 5 ) is aligned and/or stretched prior to the severing.

26 . The method as claimed in one of claims 23 to 25 , characterized in that the severed wire section ( 2 ) is placed by way of its central region, which forms the clamp back ( 30 ) of the finished clamp ( 3 ), onto an anvil ( 23 ) and the anvil ( 23 ) is moved through between two pressurized pressing rollers ( 25 ) and, as a result, the wire regions protruding beyond the anvil ( 23 ) are bent.

27 . The method as claimed in one of claims 23 to 26 , characterized in that the bent wire legs ( 29 ) are bent out of the clamp plane and are sheared against one another.

28 . The method as claimed in one of claims 23 to 27 , characterized in that the wire section ( 2 ) is processed prior to and/or after the bending process.