BRAIDING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF GENERATING A FOUR-POINT INTERWEAVING OPERATION
A braiding apparatus includes a platform, a base plate, a core unit, a transmission unit, a track assembly, and strand carriers. The track assembly is divided into two braiding track groups each provided with transmission discs. The transmission discs of both braiding track groups are sequentially connected to define two braiding routes directed in different directions. The strand carriers shuttle on both braiding routes respectively and incessantly. Four intersections are defined when the two braiding routes meets. Accordingly, carrier strands fed by the strand carriers are wound around a core strand fed by the core unit while shuttling incessantly and are interwoven with each other while passing through the four intersections during the incessant shuttling motion, thereby wrapping a multi-convolutional braided layer around the core strand to complete a rope. Each convolution of the braided layer has four crossing points, which increases the practicability of the rope.
This invention relates to a braiding apparatus and relates particularly to a braiding apparatus having a track assembly capable of executing a four-point interweaving operation.
2. Description of the Related ArtReferring to
When the transmission unit 14 is actuated, the strand carriers 16 move under a guiding motion of the track unit 15. In other words, the rotating discs 151 cooperate with the notches 152 to convey the strand carriers 16 so that the strand carriers 16 travels between the rotating discs 151 through the intersections 153 for shuttling on the internal route “b1” and the external route “b2” continuously. Meanwhile, each carrier strand “c” fed by each strand carrier 16 is incessantly pulled in different directions under the continuous shutting motion of the strand carriers 16. Therefore, the carrier strands “c” are crowdedly interwoven with each other to execute a crowded braiding operation whereby a braided layer is formed. The braided layer is provided with multiple convolutions and wrapped around the core strand “a”, thereby producing a complete rope 2 shown in
Because the intersections 153 are formed based on the circular arrangement, the braided layer formed by interweaving the carrier strands “c” shows a crowdedly-interwoven pattern wound around the core strand “a”. However, the application of this crowded pattern is still limited. For example, too many crossing points 21 are formed because of the above interweaving mode, with the result that too many interstices are left between the carrier strands “c” and the core strand “a”, and the contact surface between the carrier strands “c” and the core strand “a” is also reduced. These conditions affect the heat conduction and limit the efficiency of dissipating heat while using the rope 2 in terms of heat dissipation. Thus, the conventional crowdedly-interwoven pattern formed by the crowded braiding operation is difficult to meet practical demand and still needs to be improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of this invention is to provide a braiding apparatus capable of generating a four-point interweaving operation, a track assembly of which defines a first braiding route and a second braiding route meeting at four intersections whereby a complete rope with a braided layer different from the conventional crowded pattern is produced, especially each convolution of the braided layer provides four crossing points to increase the practicability of the rope.
The braiding apparatus of this invention includes a platform, a base plate disposed on the platform, a core unit adapted to supply a core strand, a transmission unit disposed below the base plate, a track assembly arranged on the base plate, and a plurality of strand carrier shuttling on the track assembly and adapted to supply carrier strands. The track assembly includes a plurality of transmission discs disposed on the base plate and driven by the transmission unit. Each transmission disc has a plurality of notches formed thereon and adapted to carry the strand carriers. The transmission discs are connected to each other to thereby divide the track assembly into a first braiding track group and a second braiding track group. Both of the first braiding track group and the second braiding track group are arranged around the core unit when the core unit is centered on the base plate, and the first braiding track group is encircled by the second braiding track group. The transmission discs of the first braiding track group and the transmission discs of the second braiding track group are sequentially connected to each other, thereby defining a first braiding route and a second braiding route which are directed in different directions and meet to form four intersections. The four intersections are spaced at 90 degrees from each other. According to the above, the strand carriers are allowed to shuttle on the first braiding route and the second braiding route respectively and incessantly to execute an incessant shuttling motion whereby the core strand is wrapped in the carrier strands fed by the strand carriers. During the incessant shuttling motion, the carrier strands are interwoven with each other on an outer surface of the core strand when the strand carriers travel through the four intersections. Therefore, a full braided layer with multiple convolutions is created and wrapped around the core strand to thereby complete a braided rope, especially each of the convolutions has four crossing points to provide the rope with a special braided arrangement different from the conventional crowdedly-interwoven pattern. This special braided arrangement can promote the practicability of the rope.
Preferably, in one preferred embodiment, the first braiding route and the second braiding route cross each other to assume an X state.
Referring to
The track assembly 35 is arranged around the core unit 33 by taking the core unit 33 as a center. Specifically, the track assembly 35 includes a plurality of transmission discs 351A, 352A disposed on the base plate 32 and arranged around the core unit 33 when the core unit 33 is centered on the base plate 32. The transmission discs 351A, 352A are driven by the transmission unit 34. Each of the transmission discs 351A, 352A has a plurality of notches 353 formed thereon for receiving and carrying the strand carriers 36. Accordingly, when the strand carriers 36 embedded into the notches 353 experience rotations of the transmission discs 351A, 352A, the strand carriers 36 are smoothly transported to shuttle on the track assembly 35 continuously, which thereby executes an incessant shuttling motion.
The transmission discs 351A, 352A of the track assembly 35 are connected to each other, which allows the transmission discs 351A, 352 to be grouped. In other words, the track assembly 35 is divided into a first braiding track group 351 and a second braiding track group 352, so the transmission discs 351A belong to the first braiding track group 351, and the transmission discs 352A belong to the second braiding track group 352. When the core unit 33 is centered on the base plate 32, both of the first braiding track group 351 and the second braiding track group 352 surround the core unit 33 by taking the core unit 33 as the center. The first braiding track group 351 is encircled or surrounded by the second braiding track group 352, so the transmission discs 352A of the second braiding track group 352 surround the transmission discs 351A of the first braiding track group 351.
Furthermore, the rotations of the transmission discs 351A of the first braiding track group 351 are actuated by the transmission unit 34. The transmission discs 351A are, but not limited to, sequentially connected to each other, spaced from each other, or partially connected to each other. In the drawings, it is taken as an example that the first braiding track group 351 has four transmission discs 351A which are spaced from each other. The rotations of the transmission discs 352A of the second braiding track group 352 are actuated by the transmission unit 34. The transmission discs 352A are, but not limited to, sequentially connected to each other, spaced from each other, or partially connected to each other. In the drawings, it is taken as an example that the second braiding track group 352 has twelve transmission discs 352A which are sequentially connected, namely connected one after another. The arrangement and the number of the transmission discs 351A, 352A can be adjusted to meet need.
The transmission discs 351A, 352A of the first braiding track group 351 and the second braiding track group 352 are sequentially connected to each other to thereby define different braiding routes D1, D2. For example, two sides of one transmission disc 351A are respectively connected to two transmission discs 352A which are adjacent to this transmission disc 351A, and other transmission discs 351A are also adapted to the same connecting mode. Meanwhile, the transmission discs 352A are connected in sequence. The above shows an alternate connection, so a first braiding route D1 (shown in
It is noted that the first braiding route D1 and the second braiding route D2 are directed in different directions. Preferably, the two braiding routes D1, D2 cross each other to assume an X state. As shown in
The operation of this invention is described with the aid of
Regarding the braided layer as shown in
To sum up, the braiding apparatus of this invention divides the transmission discs of the track assembly which are disposed around the core unit into a first braiding track group and a second braiding track group and also takes advantage of the connection between the above transmission discs to define a first braiding route and a second braiding route on which strand carriers can shuttle respectively and incessantly for executing an incessant braiding action, especially the two braiding routes meet to form four intersections. Carrier strands fed by the strand carriers are interwoven with each other when the strand carriers pass through the four intersections. Thus, a braided layer having four crossing points on each convolution is created and wrapped around an outer surface of a core strand. Finally, the incessant braiding action of the strand carriers around the core strand produces a complete rope with the special braided layer whereby the practicability of the rope is increased.
While the embodiments are shown and described above, it is understood that further variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A braiding apparatus capable of generating a four-point interweaving operation comprising:
- a platform;
- a base plate disposed on said platform;
- a core unit disposed on said base plate and adapted to supply a core strand;
- a transmission unit disposed below said base plate;
- a track assembly arranged on said base plate; and
- a plurality of strand carriers movably mounted on said track assembly for executing an incessant shuttling motion and provided with carrier strands wound thereon;
- wherein said track assembly includes a plurality of transmission discs disposed on said base plate and driven by said transmission unit, each of said transmission discs having a plurality of notches formed thereon and adapted to carry said strand carriers, said transmission discs being connected to each other, and said track assembly thereby being divided into a first braiding track group and a second braiding track group, said first braiding track group and said second braiding track group being arranged around said core unit while taking said core unit as a center, with said first braiding track group encircled by said second braiding track group, wherein said transmission discs of said first braiding track group and said transmission discs of said second braiding track group are sequentially connected to each other to thereby define a first braiding route and a second braiding route, said first braiding route and said second braiding route being directed in different directions whereby said strand carriers shuttle on said first braiding route and said second braiding route respectively and continuously to execute said incessant shuttling motion, said first braiding route and said second braiding route meeting to form four intersections which are spaced at 90 degrees from each other, and said carrier strands thereby crossing each other when said strand carriers pass through said four intersections, said strand carriers being actuated under said incessant shuttling motion to wrap said strand carriers around an outer surface of said core strand and in the meantime allow said strand carriers to be interwoven with each other on said outer surface of said core strand, thereby forming a braided layer with a plurality of convolutions around said core strand, with each of said convolutions of said braided layer having four crossing points.
2. The braiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first braiding route and said second braiding route cross each other to assume an X state.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 6, 2021
Publication Date: Jan 12, 2023
Inventor: MING-CHENG CHEN (TAICHUNG CITY)
Application Number: 17/368,014