Rotary braiding machine

Abstract

A rotary braiding machine for interweaving a strand shaped material into meshes is disclosed. In one aspect, the machine includes first coil carriers configured to rotate around the braid axis and second coil carriers configured to relatively move in respect to the first coil carriers. Each first coil carrier has a first coil and is configured to provide a first strand, wherein each second coil carrier has a second coil and is configured to provide a second strand. The surface of at least one closed guiding path is formed as a gear ring, wherein at least one gear wheel is rotatably mounted on the first coil carrier. The gear wheel combs with the gear ring and is engaged continuously with the gear ring, during a movement of the second strand around the first coil carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary braiding machine having a braid axis for interweaving a strand shaped material into meshes, the machine comprising:
 a plurality of first coil carriers configured to rotate around the braid axis; and   a plurality of second coil carriers configured to relatively move with respect to the first coil carriers,   wherein each of the first coil carriers includes a first coil and is configured to provide a first strand, wherein each of the second coil carriers includes a second coil and is configured to provide a second strand, wherein the rotary braiding machine is configured to interweave the first and second strands,   wherein at least one of the first coil carriers is arranged such that at least one of the second strands can move completely around the at least one first coil carrier, wherein at least the first coil carriers are configured to be guided along at least one closed guiding path, which rotates around the braid axis,   wherein the surface of the closed guiding path is formed as a gear ring, wherein at least one gear wheel is rotatably mounted on the first coil carrier, and wherein the gear wheel is configured to comb with the gear ring and is engaged continuously with the gear ring, during a movement of the second strand around the first coil carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the closed guiding path comprises at least a continuous recess, which extends substantially transverse to the extension direction of the guiding path and which is deeper than the tooth spaces of the gear ring, and wherein the second strand is temporarily immersed into the recess during the movement of the second strand around the first coil carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a device is attached at the first coil carrier in the region of the gear wheel, and wherein the device is configured to prevent an axial displacement of the first coil carrier in at least one direction. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first coil carrier includes two gear wheels at opposite ends of the first coil carrier, which are mounted rotatably coaxially or substantially coaxially to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first coil carriers are configured to move on a surface, which, when viewed from the first coil carriers, is a convex surface, a cylindrical surface, a conical surface or a truncated cone shaped surface. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first coil carriers are configured to move on a surface, which, when viewed from the first coil carriers, is a concave surface, a cylindrical surface, a conical surface or a truncated cone shaped surface. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement of the first coil carrier around the braid axis is generated without contacting by a driving member which is arranged outside of the first coil carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the driving member and the first coil carrier comprises at least one magnet, including a permanent magnet and/or an electromagnet. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the driving member comprises a plurality of fixed electromagnets, which are arranged on a closed path around the braid axis and which can generate a rotating magnetic field, which entrains the first coil carrier by a magnetic coupling and which brings it into the rotational movement around the braid axis. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the driving member comprises at least one magnet, including a permanent magnet and/or an electromagnet, which can move around in a closed path around the braid axis, whereby a rotating magnetic field can be generated, which entrains the first coil carrier by a magnetic coupling and which brings it into the rotational movement around the braid axis. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one magnet in the driving member and at least one magnet in the first coil carrier are configured to control the first coil carrier to restrain it against an axial displacement in at least one direction. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement of the first coil carrier around the braid axis is generated by a driving member, including an electric motor, which is placed within the first coil carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary braiding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the strand shaped material comprises a wire, carbon fibers or textile fibers. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a rotary braiding machine, wherein the rotary braiding machine has a braid axis for interweaving a strand shaped material into meshes, wherein the machine comprises a plurality of first coil carriers and a plurality of second coil carriers, wherein each of the first coil carriers includes a first coil and is configured to provide a first strand, wherein each of the second coil carriers includes a second coil and is configured to provide a second strand, and wherein the rotary braiding machine is configured to interweave the first and second strands, the method comprising:
 during the braiding, rotating the first coil carriers around the braid axis and relatively moving the second coil carriers with regard to the first coil carriers;   arranging at least one of the first coil carriers such that at least one of the second strands completely move around the first coil carrier;   guiding at least the first coil carrier along at least one closed guiding path;   moving the second strand around the at least one first coil carrier; and   combing the gear wheel of the first coil carrier with the gear ring and continuously engaging the gear wheel with the gear ring.