Elongated material supply device and bending apparatus

Abstract

An elongated material supply device includes a conveyor, a sorter, and a detector. The conveyor conveys a rod-shaped or linear elongated material. The sorter allows the elongated material to pass through when a variation in shape of the elongated material is within a predetermined variation range. The detector detects presence or absence of the elongated material at a position downstream from an inlet of the sorter in a conveyance direction of the elongated material.

1 . An elongated material supply device, comprising:
 a conveyor to convey a rod-shaped or linear elongated material;   a sorter to allow the elongated material to pass through when a variation in shape of the elongated material is within a predetermined variation range; and   a detector to detect presence or absence of the elongated material at a position downstream from an inlet of the sorter in a conveyance direction of the elongated material.   
     
     
         2 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sorter is formed of a single member or a plurality of members that define a passage allowable width that allows passage of the elongated material when the variation in shape of the elongated material is within the predetermined variation range.   
     
     
         3 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the passage allowable width is larger than a width of the elongated material and is equal to or less than six times the width of the elongated material.   
     
     
         4 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sorter and the detector are disposed downstream from the conveyor in the conveyance direction of the elongated material.   
     
     
         5 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the detector includes a movable member to move in contact with the elongated material and a sensor to detect displacement of the movable member.   
     
     
         6 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the detector includes a sensor to detect light shielding due to passage of the elongated material.   
     
     
         7 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a notifier to notify that the elongated material has not passed through the sorter. 
     
     
         8 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller to control the conveyor to retry to pass the elongated material through the sorter in a case that the elongated material has not passed through the sorter. 
     
     
         9 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the passage allowable width is changeable.   
     
     
         10 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated material is formed of a flexible metal material with a full length of 100 millimeters or more and a width of 3 millimeters or less.   
     
     
         11 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated material is made of iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, or an alloy containing iron, stainless steel, aluminum, or copper.   
     
     
         12 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated material has a circular or polygonal cross section.   
     
     
         13 . The elongated material supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sorters including the sorter and a plurality of detectors including the detector,
 wherein the plurality of sorters and the plurality of detectors are disposed downstream from the conveyor in the conveyance direction of the elongated material.   
     
     
         14 . A bending apparatus, comprising:
 the elongated material supply device according to  claims 1 ; and   a processing unit to bend the elongated material supplied by the elongated material supply device.