Coil Spring Winding Apparatus and Method of Winding A Coil Spring

Abstract

A coil spring winding apparatus (1) comprises a stator and a rotor (10) which is supported on the stator so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (13). The rotation axis (13) extends along a spring axis of a coil spring wound by the coil spring winding apparatus. At least one winding tool (21, 22) is supported on the rotor (10) so as to rotate about the rotation axis (13) of the rotor (10) upon rotation of the rotor (10). The at least one winding tool (21, 22) is configured to bend a wire (8) to form the coil spring upon rotation of the rotor (10). The at least one winding tool (21, 22) is adjustable relative to the rotor (10).

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A coil spring winding apparatus, comprising:
 a stator;   a rotor which is supported on the stator so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis which extends along a spring axis of a coil spring wound by the coil spring winding apparatus;   a rotor drive motor to rotationally drive the rotor;   
       at least one winding tool; and
 a first adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position or an orientation of a first winding tool of the at least one winding tool relative to the rotor during a rotation of the rotor about its rotation axis, the first adjustment mechanism comprising a motor mounted on the stator; 
 
       wherein the at least one winding tool is supported on the rotor so as to rotate about the rotation axis of the rotor upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one winding tool being configured to bend a wire to form the coil spring upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one winding tool being adjustable relative to the rotor; and 
       wherein a control device is provided to control the rotor drive motor and the motor of the first adjustment mechanism in a coordinated manner to adjust the position or the orientation of the first winding tool of the at least one winding tool relative to the rotor in a time-dependent manner to adjust a pitch and/or a diameter of a turn of the coil spring. 
     
     
         11 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first adjustment mechanism comprises a slider, the motor of the first adjustment mechanism being configured to effect a displacement of the slider in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor to adjust the first winding tool relative to the rotor.   
     
     
         12 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second adjustment mechanism configured to adjust at least one of a position or an orientation of a second winding tool of the at least one winding tool relative to the rotor.   
     
     
         13 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the first adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the first winding tool relative to the rotor in a direction transverse to the rotation axis, and   wherein the second adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the second winding tool relative to the rotor in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.   
     
     
         14 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the control device is configured to control a feed of the wire as a function of the variation in pitch and/or diameter in a time-dependent manner.   
     
     
         15 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the control device is configured to compute the feed of the wire as a function of the variation in pitch and/or diameter such that the spring wound by the coil spring winding apparatus is displaced in a translatory manner.   
     
     
         16 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a wire feed device supported on the rotor so as to rotate about the rotation axis upon rotation of the rotor.   
     
     
         17 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the wire feed device comprises a feed pulley and a compression mechanism configured to urge the wire in abutment with the feed pulley.   
     
     
         18 . The coil spring winding apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a wire feed device drive mechanism comprising a wire feed motor mounted to the stator and a transmission coupled in between the wire feed motor and the feed pulley.