Apparatus and method for forming springs

Abstract

A spring forming apparatus is shown generally at 200, in which metal wire 220 is fed from a supply (not shown) by feed rollers 230, via irregularity-effecting rollers 240 to a forming station 250. The forming station comprises a first deflector 260 and a second deflector 270. When the spring S is complete, it separates automatically from the rest of the wire 220 due to the presence of an irregularity 280 , without the need for a cutter device.

1 . A method of manufacturing a spring from a spring medium, the method comprising effecting an irregularity in a portion of the spring medium and thereafter deflecting the spring medium to cause it to form a spring, whereby the deflecting is arranged to cause a separation in the spring medium at the location of the irregularity. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises feeding the spring medium from a supply to a spring forming apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises effecting an irregularity in the spring medium which includes at least one partial cut, indent, nick, depression, deformity or weakness in the spring medium. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises effecting the irregularity in the spring medium using one or more rollers. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the irregularity is formed without halting the motion of the spring medium. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the irregularity is formed without slowing the motion of the spring medium. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus for manufacturing a spring from a spring medium, the apparatus comprising a feed device for feeding the spring medium and a spring forming device for forming a spring by deflecting the spring medium, wherein deflection by the spring forming device is arranged in use to create a separation in the spring medium at the location of a previously formed irregularity. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus further comprises an irregularity forming device for forming an irregularity in the spring medium. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the irregularity forming device is arranged to form an irregularity in the spring medium comprising at least one partial cut, indent, nick, depression, deformity or weakness in the spring medium. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the irregularity forming device comprises one or more rollers. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the spring medium comprises a supply of substantially unbent material to be formed into springs by deflecting the material so as to cause it to bend. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the spring medium comprise metal wire. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein as a result of the irregularity, the spring medium is arranged to break by the deflecting action of the spring forming device, thereby to separate a formed spring from the rest of the spring medium. 
     
     
         14 . A program for causing a device to perform a method of manufacturing a spring in according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus comprising a processor and a memory having therein computer readable instructions, the processor being arranged in used to read the instructions to cause the performance of a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of manufacturing a spring according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A spring formed by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A spring formed by the apparatus of  claim 7 .