APPARATUS FOR COUPLING ARRANGED REINFORCEMENT BARS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars.

In detail, the preset invention relates to an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars that can more precisely supply wires and bind and cut reinforcement bars, using a linkage that longitudinally moves with rotation of a main shaft, and can stably operate by stably moving a guider for guiding wires.

BACKGROUND ART

A process of arranging reinforcement bars across or over each other in accordance with the shapes of concrete structures is performed to reinforce the concrete structures in construction works or civil engineering works. In this process of arranging, the crossing or overlapping points of the reinforcement wires are bound usually by wires.

Binding the crossing or overlapping points of reinforcement bars takes a lot of time because it is performed manually, so automatic tying machines have been developed to quickly bind reinforcement bars.

A machine for binding reinforcement bars by automatically tying wires at crossing or overlapping points thereof has been disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2002-0006856 (An auto binder for reinforcing bar, hereafter referred to as Patent Document 1).

According to the auto binder for reinforcing bar in Patent document 1, a motor that can rotate forward/backward is disposed at the top of the binder so that the power from the motor is used for all of operating a clamp, supplying wires, and twisting and cutting the wires. Further, supplying, cutting and twisting wires and moving the clamp up and down are all performed by one rotation of the motor, so the wires are quickly tied.

A binding device having an improved tying header from the configuration of Patent Document 1 has been disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-0014742 (Tying head assembly of binding device, hereafter, referred to as Patent Document 2).

According to the tying head assembly in Patent Document 2, a coupling portion is formed between a binding tool and a tool cover of the tying header to apply appropriate tension and prevent easy separation in the process of supplying wires, a spare space and an operation groove is formed at the coupling portion, and operation balls are inserted in the operation groove so that the tying header can smoothly rotate, appropriate tension is correspondingly applied, and binding torque is improved, thereby improving workability.

According to the auto binder and the tying head assembly in Patent Documents 1 and 2, there are provided a main shaft coupled to a motor and a separate shaft for dividing power from the main shaft to supply wires and rotate the tying head, so the configurations for transmitting power to the shafts are separated, resulting in low precision.

Further, according to the devices, the clamps for guiding wires at both sides are moved into/out of the opening of a tying space where tying is performed, and particularly, the clamp is moved by an elastic member exemplified as a spring, so when the clamps are deformed by small external force after being moved out or when the elasticity of the elastic member changes due to long-period use, it is difficult to accurately guide the wires, so poor tying is frequently caused.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

The present invention has been made to solve these problems.

An object of the preset invention is to provide an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars, the apparatus being able to can more precisely supply wires and bind and cut reinforcement bars by using a linkage that longitudinally moves with rotation of a main shaft, and can stably operate by stably moving a guider for guiding wires.

Technical Solution

The present invention has the following configuration to achieve the objects.

The present invention provides an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars for supplying wires to a tier formed at a side of a body and cutting and tying the wires with a tying head at a side of the tier, the apparatus including: a main shaft unit including a main shaft longitudinally and rotatably disposed from a start point for supplying the wires to the tying head and a linkage coupled to the main shaft to sequentially supply and cut the wires and bind reinforcement bars by longitudinally moving on the main shaft; a sequential actuator disposed outside the main shaft and transmitting an actuating force for supplying and tying the wires by sequential coupling of the linkage longitudinally moving on the main shaft; a wire supplier coupled to the sequential actuator to transmit power and supply the wires to the tier; and a tying head actuator coupled to the main shaft and the tying head to transmit power and transmitting an actuating force for cutting and twisting the wires by rotating the tying head when the carrier longitudinally moving on the main shaft is coupled.

The linkage may include: a sequential actuating key transmitting the actuating force by be sequentially coupled to a sequential actuator and a tying head actuator by rotating with the main shaft while moving straight in a slit longitudinally formed in the main shaft; and a carrier thread-fastened to a thread formed on an outer side of the main shaft, coupled to the sequential actuating key, and moving the sequential actuating key in the slit by moving longitudinally on the main shaft by rotation of the main shaft.

The sequential actuator may include a plurality of bevel gears engaged with each other in a rectangular cross-section, in which when the sequential actuating key of the linkage is sequentially coupled to bevel gears at both sides through which the main shaft is inserted, the other bevel gears engaged with the bevel gears at both sides may be sequentially rotated forward and backward, a key projection may be formed at a side of the sequential actuating key and a key-locking projection for locking the key projection of the sequential actuating key may be formed on the inner side of the bevel gears so that the key projection allows or prevents rotation of the bevel gears by locking to or separating from the key-locking projection by the sequential actuating key.

The tying head actuator may include a driven gear coupled to the tying head and a driving gear engaged with the driven gear to provide an actuating force with the main shaft inserted therein such that when the linkage of the main shaft is moved and coupled to the driving gear, the tying head coupled to the driven gear is rotated by rotation of the driving gear.

The tying head actuator may include: a power transmission unit including a driven gear coupled to the tying head and a driving gear engaged with the driven gear to provide an actuating force with the main shaft inserted therein such that when the linkage of the main shaft is moved and coupled to the driving gear, the tying head coupled to the driven gear is rotated by rotation of the driving gear; a locking lever disposed at a side of the tying head and allowing or preventing rotation of the tying head according to whether the wires are supplied, by coupling to or separating from the tying head in accordance with whether the locking lever comes in contact with the carrier moving longitudinally on the main shaft; and a clutch unit including a pair of clutch members coupled to the driving gear and the main shaft, respectively, in which a clutch member coupled to the clutch members has a first end coupled to the clutch member and a second end disposed in a line on which the carrier moves for interference to connect or disconnect power for the main shaft and the tying head. Further, key end may be formed at a side of the sequential actuating key and a key-locking projection for locking the key end of the sequential actuating key may be formed on an inner side of the driving gear so that when the sequential actuating key is moved, the key end is locked to or separated from the key-locking projection to allow or prevent rotation of the driving gear.

The apparatus may further include: a guider disposed at a side of the tier and moving into and out of the tier to open and close an opening of the tire; and a guider actuator coupled to the guider and the sequential actuator to transmit power and guiding and supplying the wires by moving the guider into the opening of the tier or returning the guider using an actuating force from the sequential actuator.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, it is possible to precisely and firmly bind reinforcement bars by sequentially supplying, cutting, and tying wires, using the linkage moving with rotation of a single shaft.

Further, since the guider for guiding wires is stably moved out into the opening of the tying section, it is possible to stably operate the apparatus when moving out the guider and to achieve more excellent work results.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of main parts of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main shaft unit of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

FIGS. 5A to 5C are exemplary views showing the operation of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention

FIGS. 6A and 6B are exemplary views showing the main parts of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

<Description of the Reference Numerals in the Drawings>

10: Body

20: Main shaft unit

30: Sequential actuator

40: Wire supplier

50: Tying head actuator

60: Guider

MODE FOR INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention is described hereafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of main parts of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main shaft unit of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention.

Referring to figures, an apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention includes a body 10, a main shaft unit 20, a sequential actuator 30, a wire supplier 40, and a tying head actuator 50. The apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars further includes a guider 60 and guider actuator 61 for guiding wires 1.

The body 10 has, as an end, a C-shaped tier 11 having an opening 12 through which a reinforcement bar is inserted. In particular, the body 10 is an external case of the apparatus, a battery or a switch for supplying power to a motor 2 that is a driving unit for operating the apparatus is mounted in the body 10, and the configuration of the body 10 is a main configuration and is not described in detail herein.

The main shaft unit 20 is composed of a main shaft 21 coupled to the motor 2 in the body 10 and a linkage 22 combined with the main shaft 21. The main shaft 21 is longitudinally and rotatably disposed from a start point for supplying the wires 1 to a tying head 3.

The linkage 22 is composed of a sequential actuating key 23 and a carrier 24.

The sequential actuating key 23 rotates while moving in the longitudinal direction of the main shaft 21 and is sequentially coupled to the sequential actuator 30 and the tying head actuator 50, thereby providing an actuating force. To this end, a slit 25 for fitting the sequential actuating key 23 is formed longitudinally in the main shaft 21, and on the sequential actuating key 23, a key projection 26 for coupling to the sequential actuator 30 (bevel gear, described below) is formed at the rear portion a key end 27 for coupling to the tying head actuator 50 (driving gear, described below) is formed at the front end.

The carrier 24 is longitudinally moved on the main shaft 21 to move the sequential actuating key 23 in the slit 25 by rotation of the main shaft 21. To this end, a thread 28 is formed on the main shaft 21 and the carrier 24 is thread-fastened to the thread and combined with the sequential actuating key 23.

When the main shaft 21 is rotated by the motor 2, the carrier 24 moves without rotating and the sequential actuating key 23 rotates with the main shaft 21. Further, a locking projection 23a is formed on the sequential actuating key 23 and disposed in a rotational guide groove 24a in the carrier 24 to move with the carrier 24.

In particular, a bearing is disposed on the inner side of the carrier 24 thread-fastened to the thread 28 of the main shaft 21 and the inner side of the rotational guide groove 24a being in contact with the sequential actuating key 23, so the carrier 24 can smoothly move without wear due to friction with the main shaft 21.

According to the main shaft unit 20 having this configuration, the sequential actuating key 23 is longitudinally moved on the main shaft 21 by the carrier 24, so it sequentially performs supplying, cutting, and tying the wires 1.

The sequential actuator 30 is disposed outside the main shaft 21. The sequential actuator 30 transmits an actuating force for supplying and tying the wires 1 by sequential coupling of the linkage 22 longitudinally moving on the main shaft 21.

In detail, the sequential actuator 30 includes four bevel gears 31 engaged with each other in a rectangular cross-section. According to this configuration, when the linkage 22 is sequentially coupled to the bevel gears 31 at both sides (left and right bevel gears in the drawings) through which the main shaft 21 passes, the other bevel gears 31 (upper and lower bevel gears in the drawings) engaged with the bevel gears 31 at both sides are sequentially rotated forward and backward. The wire supplier 40 and the guider actuator 61 are coupled to the upper and lower bevel gears 31 that rotate forward and backward to transmit power.

In this configuration, the bevel gears 41 at both side which are rotated by the main shaft 21 have an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the main shaft 21 to insert the main shaft 21, the sequential actuating key 23 and the key projection 26 pass through the gap between the diameters, and a key-locking projection 31a is formed on the inner sides of the bevel gears 31 at both sides so that the bevel gears 31 at both sides are rotated by the key projection 26.

The wire supplier 40 is coupled to the sequential actuator 30 to transmit power and supplies the wires to the tier 11.

To this end, the wire supplier 40 is composed of a supplying-tying unit 41 that is coupled to the sequential actuator 30 and the bevel gears 31 to transmit power and binding reinforcement bars by supplying and tying the wires 1 and a clutch unit 42 that is disposed on the supplying-tying unit 41 to connect/disconnect power to be transmitted to the sequential actuator 30, depending on whether the wires 1 are supplied.

The supplying-tying unit 41 is composed of a passage member 43 that forming a passage for supplying the wires 1, a supply roller 44 that is disposed in the passage formed by the passage member 43 with a side interfered to move forward the wires 1 by rotating in contact with the outer side of the wires 1, and a shaft 45 that coaxially couples the supply roller 44 and the bevel gears 31 of the sequential actuator 30.

The clutch unit 42 is composed of clutch members 47 that are combined with the supply roller 44 and the shaft 45, respectively, and a lever 48 that is combined with any one of the clutch members 47 and couples or separate the clutch members 47 when an operational projection 24b of the carrier 24 of the linkage 22 comes in contact with it. An elastic member such as a spring is provided for the clutch 47 combined with the lever 48 to return the clutch member after the clutch members 47 are coupled or separated.

The tying head actuator 50 is coupled to the main shaft 21 and the tying head 3 to transmit power. When the key end 27 of the sequential actuating key 23 is moved longitudinally on the main shaft 21 and coupled to the key end 27 of the sequential actuating key 23, the tying head actuator 50 rotates the tying head 3, thereby transmitting power for cutting and twisting the wires 1.

In detail, the tying head actuator 50 is composed of a power transmission unit 51, a locking lever 52, and a clutch unit 53. The tying head 3 has the basic configuration as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, so the detailed description is not provided.

The power transmission unit 51 is composed of a driven gear 54 coupled to the tying head 3 and a driving gear 55 engaged with the driven gear 54 to provide an actuating force, and the main shaft 21 is inserted in the driving gear 55. Accordingly, when the linkage 22 of the main shaft 21 is moved and coupled to the driving gear 55, the tying head 3 coupled to the driven gear 54 is rotated by rotation of the driving gear 55. The driving gear 55 has an inner diameter larger than the main shaft 21, like the bevel gears 31 of the sequential actuator 30, and a key-locking projection 55a is formed on the inner side of the hole having the inner diameter.

The locking lever 52 is disposed at a side of the tying head 3 and has a locking end 52a and an operating end 52b at extending to both ends from a hinge point. The locking groove 3a for fitting the locking end 52a for rotation is formed at a position corresponding to the locking lever 52 on the outer side of the tying head 3.

The locking lever 52 prevents rotation with the locking end 52a in the locking groove 3a, and when the carrier 24 of the linkage 22 longitudinally moving on the main shaft 21 comes in contact with the operating end 52b, the locking end 52a separates from the locking groove 3a to allow the tying head 3 to rotate. In particular, an elastic member such as a spring for returning to the initial position when the carrier 24 does not come in contact with the locking lever 52 after the locking lever 52 is rotated at a predetermined angle by coming in contact with the carrier 24 may be fitted on the locking lever 52.

The clutch unit 53 includes a pair of clutch members 56 coupled to the driving gear 55 and the main shaft 21 and a clutch lever 57 coupled to the clutch member 56 has a first end coupled to the clutch member 56 and a second end disposed in the line on which the carrier 22 moves for interference. The clutch unit 53 can fix the position or allow rotation of the tying head 3 by connecting or disconnecting power for the main shaft 21 and the tying head 3.

In relation to the tying head actuator 50, reference number ‘58’ indicates a pressing member that is disposed in the tier 11 and presses the wires 1 to prevent unexpected separation of the wires 1 when binding reinforcement bars by pressing the ends of the wires 1 after the wires 1 pass through the tying head 3. The pressing member 58 has a pointed end that comes in contact with the wires 1, so it can concentrate pressure and has an elastic member such as a spring for keeping the pointed end pressing the wires 1.

The guider 60 can guide the wires 1, which are supplied, along a predetermined path by moving into/out of the opening 12 of the tier 11 by the guider actuator 61 when the wires 1 are supplied.

The guider 60 is a member curved with a predetermined curvature so that it is disposed at a side of the tier 11 (at the lower portion of the binder) and can guide and supply the wires. The curvature of the guider 60 corresponds to the inner curvature of the tier 11 so that the wires 1 can be more smoothly guided and supplied.

The guider actuator 61 can transmit power to the guider 60 and the sequential actuator 30. In detail, the guider actuator 61 has a pinion 62 engaged with the bevel gear 31 (the lower bevel gear in the drawings) of the sequential actuator 30 to move the guider 60 out of the opening 12 of the tier 11 or return it using the power from the sequential actuator 30 and a rack 63 engaged with the pinion 62 to move straight, in which the rack 63 and the pinion 60 are connected by a connecting rod 64.

The lower bevel gear 31 may not be used, in this configuration, as in FIG. 2, it may connect a shaft to the shaft rotating the upper bevel gear 31 of the sequential actuator 30 to transmit power so that the pinion 62 rotates, whereby the rack 63 can be moved. This configuration is made in consideration of a spatial limit inside the body 10 and the rotational direction of the pinion 62.

Considering the movement into the tier 11 combined with the guider 60, the connecting rod 61 should be made of a material having predetermined strength and flexibility, for example, a stainless steel wire, a piano wire, or a spring that has appropriate elasticity.

FIGS. 5A to 5C are exemplary views showing the operation of the apparatus for coupling arranged reinforcement bars according to the present invention

Referring to the figures, a user puts crossing or overlapping reinforcement bars inside the tier 11 and then operates the apparatus, the motor 2 rotates and the main shaft 21 rotates, thereby starting the apparatus.

When the main shaft 21 starts rotating, the carrier 24 is moved straight by the thread 28 on the main shaft 21 and the sequential actuating key 24 moves straight while rotating with the main shaft 21 by the carrier 24.

When the sequential actuating key 23 rotates, as shown in FIG. 5A, the bevel gear 31 at the right side rotates in the direction of an arrow, as in FIG. 5A, the upper and lower bevel gears 31 are rotated by the bevel gear 31, the guider 60 is moved into the opening 12 of the wire supplier 40 by the guider actuator 61 coupled to the lower bevel gear 31, and a wire 1 is supplied to the tier 11 by the wire supplier 40 coupled to the upper bevel gear 31.

Thereafter, when the carrier 24 is further moved by rotation of the main shaft 21, the key projection 26 of the sequential actuating key 23 is separated from the bevel gear 31 at the right side and coupled to the bevel gear 31 at the left side.

Further, the bevel gear 31 at the left side rotates in the direction of an arrow, as in FIG. 5B, the upper and lower bevel gears 31 are rotated in the opposite direction to the rotational direction shown in FIG. 5B by the rotation of the bevel gear 31, the guider 60 is returned by the guider actuator 61, and the wire 1 in the wire supplier 40 is moved by a predetermined length to the opposite side and binds the crossing or overlapping reinforcement bars.

FIG. 6A shows coupling and separating between the bevel gear 31 and the key projection 26 of the sequential actuating key 23 and a process of allowing and preventing rotation of the bevel gear 31 is described in detail.

When the key projection 26 of the sequential actuating key 23, which moves longitudinally on the main shaft 21 while rotating with the main shaft 21, moves into the right bevel gear 31, the key projection 26 is locked to the key-locking projection 31a formed on the inner side of the right bevel gear 31, so when the right bevel gear 31 is rotated, the operation shown in FIG. 5A is performed.

Thereafter, as the main shaft 21 further rotates 21, when the sequential actuating key 23 correspondingly further rotates and the key projection 26 separates out of the right bevel gear 31, all of the bevel gears 31 stop rotating. Further, when the sequential actuating key 23 further moves and the key projection 26 moves into the left bevel gear 31, the key projection 26 is locked to the key-locking projection 31a formed on the inner side of the left bevel gear 31, so when the left bevel gear 31 rotates, the operation shown in FIG. 5B is performed.

After the reinforcement bars are bound, when the sequential actuating key 23 of the main shaft 21 is separated from the bevel gear 31 and the carrier 24 further moves, the operating end 52b of the locking lever 52 of the tying head actuator 50 comes in contact with the carrier 24 and the locking end 52a is separated out of the locking groove 3a of the tying head 3, whereby the tying head 3 can rotate.

In this state, when the carrier 24 further moves and the key end 27 of the sequential actuating key 23 is coupled to the driving gear 55 of the tying head actuator 50, as in FIG. 5C, the driven gear 54 is rotated by rotation of the driving gear 55, and accordingly, the tying head 3 is rotated and the wire 1 is cut and twisted between the tier 11 and the tying head 3.

FIG. 6B shows coupling and separating between the driving gear 55 and the key projection 26 of the sequential actuating key 23 and a process of allowing and preventing rotation of the driving gear 55 is described hereafter.

When the key end 27 of the sequential actuating key 23, which moves longitudinally on the main shaft 21 while rotating with the main shaft 21, moves into the driving gear 55, the key end 27 is locked to the key-locking projection 55a formed on the inner side of the driving bevel gear 55, so when the driving gear 55 is rotated, the operation shown in FIG. 5C is performed.

In this state, when the sequential actuating key 23 is moved to the opposite side by backward rotation of the motor 2 to be described below and the key end 27 of the sequential actuating key 23 is separated out of the driving gear 55, power transmission from the key end 27 to the driving gear 55 is disconnected.

When the motor 2 rotates backward, the carrier 24 moves in the opposite direction to the direction described above, and accordingly, the sequential actuating key 23 is also returned by the carrier 24. When the sequential actuating key 23 is returned, as described above, the motor 2 is stopped and the user takes the reinforcement bars bound by the wire 1 out of the tier, thereby finishing the work.

The wire supplier 40 and the clutch units 41 and 53 of the tying head actuator 50 that are operated by the carrier 24 in the operational process described above connect or disconnect torque from the main shaft 21, and the clutch units 41 and 53 may be clutches that can slip to prevent transmission of unexpected reverse force that is generated by the difference of time of moving forward and returning the sequential actuating key 23.

Further, bearing may be provided for the rotary members including the main shaft 21 in the configuration described above so that the apparatus can more smoothly operate, and the wires 1 may be wound around the supply roll 1a shown in FIG. 1.