Apparatus and method for twisting wires
View Patent ↗An apparatus for twisting an elongate element such as a wire or cable, includes a) a first holder configured to hold a first portion of the element; b) a second holder configured to hold a second portion of the element; c) a twisting unit configured to twist the element at a third portion between the first and the second portion. The twisting unit and the second holder are configured to be movable relative to the first holder in the same direction.
1 . An apparatus for twisting an elongate element, comprising:
a first holder configured to hold a first portion of the elongate element;
a second holder configured to hold a second portion of the elongate element; and
a twisting unit configured to twist the element at a third portion between the first and the second portion, wherein the twisting unit and the second holder are configured to be movable relative to the first holder in a same direction, wherein a motion of the second holder and a motion of the twisting unit are coupled by a gear mechanism, thereby defining a relationship of the motion of the second holder and the motion of the twisting unit, and wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured such that a translational velocity of a motion of the second holder is greater than a translational velocity of the motion of the twisting unit.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured such that a motion of the second holder is synchronized with the motion of the twisting unit.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a motion of the second holder and a motion of the twisting unit are substantially in a translational direction.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured to perform substantially horizontal motions in a direction towards the first holder and away from the first holder.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured such that the translational velocity of a motion of the second holder is greater than the translational velocity of the motion of the twisting unit by a factor of 1.5 to 2.5 when a distance of the second holder to the first holder is greater than a distance of the twisting unit to the first holder by a factor of 1.5 to 2.5.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured such that a translational velocity of the second holder and a translational velocity of the twisting unit are coupled to a rotational twisting velocity of the twisting unit.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first holder is configured to hold the first portion of the element in a removably fixed manner, and the second holder is configured to hold the second portion of the element in a removably fixed manner, when the element is arranged in the apparatus.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the twisting unit is configured to interact with the element, when arranged in the apparatus, at a portion between 20% to 80% of a distance of the first holder and the second holder.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder is configured to establish a tension force on the element to maintain a substantially straight alignment when arranged in the apparatus.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the twisting unit is configured to twist the element at the third portion substantially causing twisting of the element when the element is arranged in the apparatus.
11 . A method for twisting an elongate element, comprising:
a) providing an elongate element;
b) holding a first portion of the element with a first holder;
c) holding a second portion of the element with a second holder; and
d) twisting the element at a third portion between the first and the second portion with a twisting unit, wherein the twisting unit and the second holder are moved relative to the first holder in a same direction, wherein a motion of the second holder and a motion of the twisting unit are coupled by a gear mechanism, thereby defining a relationship of the motion of the second holder and the motion of the twisting unit, and wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are configured such that a translational velocity of a motion of the second holder is greater than a translational velocity of the motion of the twisting unit.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the second holder and the twisting unit are moved substantially horizontally towards the first holder while twisting the element.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein a translational velocity of the second holder and a translational velocity of the twisting unit are coupled to a rotational twisting velocity of the twisting unit while twisting the element.
14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of providing the elongate element comprises:
folding the element to form two or more substantially parallel parts of the element.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of twisting the element comprises:
rotating a central portion of the two or more parts of the element or rotating a central portion of the two or more substantially parallel parts of the element, thereby twisting the two or more substantially parallel parts of the element about one another.
16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of providing the elongate element comprises:
providing one or more other elements to form two or more substantially parallel elements.