Device and method for changing elongated objects
A device for successively changing elongated flexible objects from an active viewable position to a non-active, non-viewable position includes a rotatable drum to which the flexible objects are attached, a motor driving the rotatable drum in opposing rotational directions, and a controller unit controlling motor speed and direction. A balancing spring is preloaded when the flexible objects are unwound from the drum, providing a lifting force when the flexible objects are wound up on the drum. By using a freewheeling clutch, preloading only occurs in one rotational direction, the balancing spring freewheeling in the other direction, taking no load. Utilizing a magnetically interactive identification strip the device gains highly accurate information on the position of the flexible elongated objects. By pre-attaching the flexible elongated objects on each other and providing the identification strip on the designated carrier flexible object exchanging the set of flexible elongated objects is made very simple.
1. Device for successively changing elongated flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) from an active viewable position to a non-active, non-viewable position, said device comprising:
a rotatable drum ( 1 ) to which the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) are attached,
a motor ( 11 ) arranged for driving the rotatable drum ( 1 ) in two opposing rotational directions comprising a first direction where the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) are unwound from the drum ( 1 ) and a second direction where the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) are wound up on the drum ( 1 ),
a controller unit ( 13 ) for controlling the rotational speed and direction of the motor ( 11 ),
a balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ), and
a freewheeling clutch ( 17 ; 117 ) mechanism operatively connected to the balancing spring in such a way that i) when the drum ( 1 ) is being rotated in the first direction where the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) are unwound from the drum ( 1 ), the freewheeling clutch ( 17 ; 117 ) engages with the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) forcing the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) to take increasing load, and ii) when the drum ( 1 ) is being rotated a first amount in the second direction where the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ) are wound up on the drum ( 1 ), the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) assists in rotating the drum ( 1 ) until the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) has no inherent load, and when the rotation of the drum ( 1 ) in the second direction proceeds further beyond the first amount in the second direction where the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) has no inherent load, no preloading of the balancing spring ( 16 ; 116 ) occurs.
2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the freewheeling clutch ( 17 ) is arranged at a end of the balancing spring ( 16 ) that is remote from an end cover ( 7 ) of the drum ( 1 ).
3. Device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an identification element ( 20 ) that determines a position of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) with respect to the drum, and
a magnetically attractable element ( 110 ) attached to at least one the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ), and that causes the at least one of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) to be attracted toward the identification element ( 20 ) in order to improve interaction with the identification element ( 20 ).
4. Device according to claim 2 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
5. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the freewheeling clutch ( 117 ) is arranged at an end of the balancing spring ( 116 ) that is adjacent to an end cover ( 107 ) of the drum ( 1 ).
6. Device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an identification element ( 20 ) that determines a position of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) with respect to the drum, and
a magnetically attractable element ( 110 ) attached to at least one the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ), and that causes the at least one of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) to be attracted toward the identification element ( 20 ) in order to improve interaction with the identification element ( 20 ).
7. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
8. Device according to claim 5 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
9. Device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an identification element ( 20 ) that determines a position of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) with respect to the drum, and
a magnetically attractable element ( 110 ) that attracts at least one of the flexible elongated objects ( 100 - 400 ) toward the identification element ( 20 ) in order to improve interaction with the identification element ( 20 ).
10. Device according to claim 9 , wherein the identification element ( 20 ) comprises a magnet ( 19 ).
11. Device according to claim 10 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
12. Device according to claim 10 , wherein,
the drum ( 1 ) is carried between two end holding elements ( 2 , 3 ),
the magnet ( 19 ) is provided on a girder ( 18 ) that is attached to a first of the end holding elements ( 2 ),
the magnetically attractable element ( 110 ) is provided on at least one of the flexible objects ( 100 - 400 ), and
the identification element ( 20 ) is provided on the girder ( 18 ).
13. Device according to claim 12 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
14. Device according to claim 9 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
15. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the motor ( 11 ) is located inside the drum ( 1 ).
16. Device according to claim 15 , wherein an output shaft ( 12 ) of the motor ( 11 ) is drivingly connected to a driving disc ( 14 ) inside the drum ( 1 ), and the driving disc ( 14 ) is rigidly connected to the drum ( 1 ).