Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire transfer assistive device to transfer a wire between two drums with precision with accurate measurement and wire handling to eliminate manual intervention, thus improving consistency in wire processing operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In industries involving electrical, telecommunications, and manufacturing applications, wires and cables are often supplied in large spools or bulk rolls. However, for ease of handling, transportation, and usage, these wires frequently need to be rewound into smaller, more manageable rolls. Creating small rolls from larger spools ensures convenience in storage, transportation, and application, especially in retail, workshops and field installations. The process of rewinding and unwinding wire is essential for maintaining proper organization, preventing tangling and ensuring that wires remain in good condition. Additionally, industries often require specific wire lengths tailored to different applications, making the controlled division of larger spools into smaller rolls a necessary step in the supply chain.

[0003] Traditional methods for transferring a wire between two drums include manual hand winding, where wire is wound onto a spool or core by hand, often results in inconsistent tension, time-consuming processes, physical strain, and potential wire damage due to uneven handling. Another method involves using simple rotating drums to transfer wire from a large spool to a smaller one, but it lacks proper speed and tension control, leading to material waste and required constant monitoring. Some industries use a fixed rod or pipe for coiling, but this approach creates coils that can easily unravel and are difficult to manage.

[0004] CN203451140U discloses about an invention that relates to an automatic guide rope winding device of a small winch, and solves the problem that when being wound on a roller, the steel rope of the small winch cannot be orderly arrayed, and deviation is generated as the steel rope is only wound towards one side of the roller. The automatic guide rope winding device of the small winch comprises a roller of the small winch and a winch chassis; a rack is embedded in the roller and is connected with a guide screw by a group of transmission gears; the guide screw and a steel channel frame on the winch chassis are fixed; a guide lever parallel with the guide screw is arranged at each of two sides of the guide screw; the guide screw and the guide levers are provided with a rope guiding device capable of reciprocating along the guide screw. The automatic guide rope winding device of the small winch adopts the modes such as gear connecting and rotating the guide rope by the rope guiding screw, and extra driving power does not need to be added. The automatic guide rope winding function for the small winch is realized by the thought, and hidden dangers such as deviated and irregular rope winding are reduced, so the safe production is ensured.

[0005] CN116620955B discloses about an invention that relates to an automatic cutting and coiling device for a steel wire rope and a use method thereof, belonging to the technical field of steel wire rope production equipment, and comprising a bottom plate; the support plate is fixedly connected to the top of the bottom plate, and two side ends of the support plate are fixedly connected with the feeding mechanism and the film covering mechanism; the plurality of winding cores are vertically stacked, and are positioned on one side of the supporting plate; and the linkage mechanism is arranged at the side end of the supporting plate, the weighing device generates weight change when weighing a plurality of winding cores for winding materials, the weight change is equal to the weight change of the completion of winding materials, the telescopic motor is started, the output end of the telescopic motor drives the screw rod to rotate, and the screw rod pushes the slide block to lift through sliding fit with the slide block, so that the winding cores of the next stage are aligned with the hollow guide claw, the winding materials of the winding cores one by one can be conveniently realized, the stacking winding materials of a plurality of steel wire rope rolls can be carried out, the material changing time generated when single winding material is reduced, and the production efficiency is improved.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices are available in the market that helps the user in transferring a wire between two drums. However, the devices mentioned in the prior arts are lacks in transferring the wire automatically from one drum to another to save time. In addition, the mentioned devices are incapable of cutting the wire automatically to save time and calculate the number of rotations of the drum for precise process.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that is capable of automatically transferring of wire from one drum to another and calculating number of rotations of the drum for precise operation and wastage reduction. Also, the device is capable of cutting the wire automatically to save time and eliminate manual cutting.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that performs transfer of wire from one drum to another in an automated manner, ensuring precise and synchronized unwinding and winding of wire, thus improving efficiency in the process of wire handling.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of detecting dimensions of the drum and accordingly tracks the number of rotations of the first drum for calculating the exact amount of wire unwound in view of maintaining precision throughout the operation and preventing wastage.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of accurately cutting the wire to the required length in an automated manner to eliminate the need for manual cutting, saving time and ensuring consistency.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to a wire transfer assistive device that automates wire transfer between drums, ensuring synchronized unwinding and winding along with accurately tracking the wire length and cutting at desired length to prevent wastage and save time.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a wire transfer assistive device comprises of a platform configured with plurality of suction cups adapted to be secured over a surface, a first pair of U-shaped frame and a second pair of U-shaped frame is installed over platform to position a first drum wrapped with a wire and a second drum over the first and second frame on which said wire is to be coiled, a touch interactive display panel installed on the platform for enabling a user to provide input specifications regarding a length at which the wire is to be unwind from the first drum and wind the wire around the second drum, an inbuilt microcontroller linked with the display panel processes the input commands and actuates a robotic gripper installed over the platform to work in sync with an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit installed on the platform and integrated with a processor to grip end of the wire from the first drum and secure the wire over the second drum, a pair of first motorized calendar rollers and a pair of second motorized calendar rollers are installed within each of the first and second frame, to provide rotational movement to the first drum in a manner to unwind the wire and simultaneously second rollers to rotate in sync which in turn wound said wire around said second drum.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed device further comprises of an inverted L-shape telescopic rod configured with a motorizing cutter is installed over the platform to extend and position the motorized cutter in proximity to the wire and cut the wire precisely, a rotary encoder attached to the first drum and detects a number of rotations of the first drum and determines a length of the wire being unwound in real-time based to regulate the unwinding and winding process accordingly and upon completion of wire winding microcontroller sends a wireless notification to a computing unit wirelessly to notify the user regarding completion of the wire winding operation and a battery is associated with the device for supplying power to electrical and electronically operated components associated with the device.

[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a wire transfer assistive device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0019] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0020] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0021] The present invention relates to a wire transfer assistive device that is capable of transferring a wire from one drum to another with the help of precise and synchronized movements, and automatically cuts wire to the desired length, thus increasing efficiency by eliminating manual labor.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of a wire transfer assistive device is illustrated, comprises of a platform 101 configured with plurality of suction cups 102, a first pair of U-shaped frame 103 and a second pair of U-shaped frame 104, a touch interactive display panel 105 installed on the platform 101, a robotic gripper 106 installed over the platform 101, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 installed on the platform 101, a pair of first motorized calendar rollers 108 and a pair of second motorized calendar rollers 109 are installed within each of the first and second frame 103, 104, an inverted L-shaped telescopic rod 110 configured with a motorizing cutter 111 is installed over the platform 101, and a rotary encoder 112 attached to the first frame 103.

[0023] The proposed device herein includes a platform 101 to transfer a wire from a first drum to a second drum. The platform 101 is configured with plurality of suction cups 102 to adhere the platform 101 to a surface. To initiate the process of transferring wire, a push button associated with the device is pressed by the user for the activation of the device. The button is typically connected to the device's internal circuitry, allowing the user to activate or deactivate the device through a simple press.

[0024] When the button is pressed, leads to completing a circuit, and sending an electrical signal to an inbuilt microcontroller linked with the device. The microcontroller receives the signal from button and executes instructions to initiate the working of the device. The microcontroller is pre-fed with a defined set of instructions to further actuate the other components to perform the transferring process.

[0025] The platform 101 is installed with a first pair of U-shaped frame 103 and a second pair of U-shaped frame 104 that is accessed by a user to position a first drum wrapped with a wire and a second drum over the first and second frame 103, 104, respectively. Once user accommodates the drums, the user access a touch interactive display panel 105 installed on the platform 101, activated by the microcontroller to provide input specifications regarding a length at which the wire is to be unwind. The wire is to be unwind from the first drum and wrapped around the second drum.

[0026] The display panel 105 functions by allowing users to interact directly with the screen through touch input. The display panel 105 is typically made up of a display and a touch-sensitive layer. The touch-sensitive layer uses capacitive or resistive technology to detect touch by the user, which then sends signals to the panel 105’s processor. Once the display panel 105 detects touch, sends a signal to the microcontroller that processes the input to execute commands.

[0027] Based on the user’s input, the microcontroller actuates a robotic gripper 106 installed over the platform 101 to grip end of the wire from the first drum and secure the wire over the second drum. The robotic gripper 106 mimics the action of a human hand grip the end of the wire. Typically, the gripper 106 consists of two or more fingers or jaws that open and close to secure the end of the wire. The gripper 106’s movement is controlled by a motor, controlled by the microcontroller.

[0028] The gripper 106 works in sync with an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 installed on the platform 101 and integrated with a processor to accurately grip the wire. The imaging unit 107 includes a camera that captures images of the drum to gather comprehensive visual information. The imaging unit 107 is linked with a processor that preprocesses the captured images which involves noise reduction to clean the distortions followed by adjusting brightness, contrast, and color balance to make the images more uniform.

[0029] Then, the feature extraction is done using artificial intelligence protocol to identify and extract key features or patterns from the images to highlight significant elements within the image. Artificial intelligence protocols involve deep learning models that are trained to recognize and classify objects, detect anomalies, or segment images into different regions. At last, the processed images are sent to the microcontroller that determines the location of the wire to adjust the gripper 106 for gripping the end of the wire.

[0030] Each of the frame 103, 104 is installed a pair of first motorized calendar rollers 108 and a pair of second motorized calendar rollers 109 on the first frame 103 and second frame 104, respectively. The first motorized calendar rollers 108 consist of two parallel cylindrical rollers that rotate opposite to each other in the same directions. The first motorized calendar rollers 108 are connected to a motor, activated by the microcontroller to drive the roller 108, turning it at a controlled speed. The wire from the first motorized calendar rollers 108 unwind as the first motorized calendar rollers rotate. The second motorized calendar rollers 109 work in the similar manner as first motorized calendar rollers 108 for winding the wire around, being unwind from the first motorized calendar rollers 108.

[0031] Upon securing the wire over the second drum, the microcontroller actuates the first rollers 108 to rotate to provide rotational movement to the first drum in a manner to unwind the wire from the first drum. Simultaneously, the second rollers 109 are actuated by the microcontroller to rotate in sync with the first drum for allowing the second drum to wind the wire, ensuring a controlled and synchronized wire transfer from the first drum to the second drum.

[0032] The first drum is installed with a rotary encoder 112 and linked with the microcontroller to detect a number of rotations of the first drum and determines a length of the wire being unwound in real-time. As the drum rotates, the encoder 112 detects the motion and generates electrical pulses or signals. These pulses correspond to a specific amount of rotational movement, typically defined by the encoder 112's resolution (i.e., the number of pulses per full rotation). The encoder 112 consists of a disk with patterns (like a series of alternating light and dark sectors or magnetic poles) and a sensor that detects these patterns as the disk rotates. Every time the pattern changes (e.g., light-to-dark transition), the encoder 112 generates a pulse.

[0033] The pulses generated by the rotary encoder 112 are sent to the microcontroller. The microcontroller counts these pulses and uses the encoder 112's resolution to determine the number of rotations made by the drum. The microcontroller multiplies the number of rotations or pulses by the drum's circumference to calculate the total length of wire unwound. The microcontroller continuously updates the length of the unwound wire as the pulses accumulate to regulate the unwinding and winding process accordingly.

[0034] Upon completion of the wire winding operation, the microcontroller actuates an inverted L-shaped telescopic rod 110 configured with a motorizing cutter 111 is installed over the platform 101 to extend and position the motorized cutter 111 in proximity to the wire and cut the wire precisely. The telescopic rod 110 is powered by a pneumatic unit that includes an air compressor, air cylinder, air valves and piston which works in collaboration to aid in extension and retraction of the rod 110.

[0035] The pneumatic unit is operated by the microcontroller, such that the microcontroller actuates valve to allow passage of compressed air from the compressor within the cylinder, the compressed air further develops pressure against the piston and results in pushing and extending the piston. The piston is connected with the rod 110 and due to applied pressure the rod 110 extends and similarly, the microcontroller retracts the rod 110 by closing the valve resulting in retraction of the piston. Thus, the microcontroller regulates the extension/retraction of the rod 110 position the motorized cutter 111 in proximity to the wire.

[0036] The motorized cutter 111 is actuated by the microcontroller, operates by using an electric motor to drive a spinning blade for cutting the wire in a precise manner. When the cutter 111 is actuated, electricity flows into the motor, which converts this electrical energy into rotational motion. This spinning motion is then transferred to the cutting blade, causing it to turn rapidly. As the blade spins, the sharp edge slices through the wire to cut the wire at desired length.

[0037] Upon completion of the wire winding operation, the microcontroller sends a wireless notification to a computing unit wirelessly linked with the microcontroller to notify the user regarding completion of the wire winding operation. The computing unit is linked with an inbuilt microcontroller via a communication module to facilitate wireless communication. The communication module facilitates data exchange between computing unit and microcontroller by encoding and sending information over various channels, such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, or cellular networks.

[0038] The communication module, such as a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) module connects to the microcontroller to wirelessly transfer data to the computing unit over a Wi-Fi network. The microcontroller sends the data via the Wi-Fi module to a remote server or cloud service using standard communication protocols (such as HTTP or MQTT). The microcontroller then send notification to computing unit to notify the user about the completion of the wire winding operation.

[0039] Moreover, a battery (not shown in figure) is associated with the device to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein. The battery is comprised of a pair of electrodes known as a cathode and an anode. A voltage is generated between the anode and cathode via oxidation/reduction and thus produces the electrical energy to provide to the device.

[0040] The present invention works best in the following manner, where the platform 101 equipped with suction cups 102 is secured to the surface. The U-shaped frames 103, 104 installed on the platform 101 are accessed to position the drums. The touch interactive display installed with the platform 101 to allow the user to provide input, and the robotic gripper 106 works in sync with imaging for wire handling. The gripper 106 secures the wire and, in sync with motorized calendar rollers 108, 109 that rotates to wound said wire around said second drum. The rotary encoder 112, linked to the microcontroller, tracks the number of drum rotations to calculate the wire length unwound in real-time. Once the wire is transferred, the motorized cutter 111, powered by the pneumatic unit, precisely cuts the wire. The microcontroller then notifies the user via the wireless communication module, such as Wi-Fi, linked to the computing unit. The rotary encoder 112 generates pulses to detect drum rotations, with the microcontroller calculating the length of wire unwound by multiplying pulses by the drum’s circumference.

[0041] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) A wire transfer assistive device, comprising:

i) a platform 101 configured with plurality of suction cups 102 adapted to be secured over a surface, wherein a first pair of U-shaped frames 103 and a second pair of U-shaped frames 104 are installed over platform 101 that is accessed by a user to position a first drum wrapped with a wire and a second drum on which said wire is to be coiled, on said first and second pair of frames 103, 104, respectively;
ii) a touch interactive display panel 105 installed on said platform 101 for enabling a user to provide input specifications regarding a length of said wire that is to be unwind from said first drum and wound over said second drum, wherein an inbuilt microcontroller linked with said display panel 105 processes said input commands and actuates a robotic gripper 106 installed over said platform 101 to work in sync with an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 107 installed on said platform 101 and integrated with a processor, to grip loose ends of said wire from said first drum and secure said wire over said second drum;
iii) a pair of first motorized calendar rollers 108 and a pair of second motorized calendar rollers 109 are installed across each of said first and second frame 103, 104, respectively, wherein upon securing said wire over said second drum, said microcontroller actuates said first rollers 108 and said second rollers 109 in synchronization, to rotate for providing rotational movement to said first and second drum for unwinding said wire from said first drum, which in turn wound said wire around said second drum, thereby ensuring a controlled and synchronized wire transfer from said first drum to said second drum; and
iv) an inverted L-shaped telescopic rod 110 configured with a motorizing cutter 111 is installed over said platform 101, wherein upon completion of said wire winding operation, said microcontroller actuates said telescopic rod 110 to extend and position said motorized cutter 111 in proximity to said wire, followed by activation of said cutter 111 to cut said wire precisely to effectively transfer desired length of said wire from said first drum to said second drum.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotary encoder 112 attached to said first drum and linked with said microcontroller, to detects number of rotations of said first drum and determines a length of said wire being unwound in real-time based on the known circumference of said first drum, detected by said imaging unit 107, based on which said microcontroller regulates said unwinding and winding process accordingly.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein upon completion of said wire winding operation, said microcontroller sends a wireless notification to a computing unit wirelessly linked with said microcontroller to notify said user regarding completion of said wire winding operation.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery unit is associated with said device for powering up electrical and electronically operated components associated with said device.