Systems and methods of separating tubing sleeves from a tubing holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220535-B2
Application number	US-201514705875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	Sep 8, 2011
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A method includes selecting a cutting wheel assembly of a plurality of cutting wheel assemblies of a cutting system. Each cutting wheel assembly includes a different number of cutting blades. The method includes using a feed system to feed tubing toward the cutting system. The method also includes using the cutting system to cut the tubing concurrently at a plurality of locations to separate one or more subsections of tubing. The plurality of locations corresponds to a particular number of cutting blades of the selected cutting wheel assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
selecting a cutting wheel assembly of a plurality of cutting wheel assemblies of a cutting system, wherein each cutting wheel assembly includes a different number of cutting blades;
using a feed system to feed tubing toward the cutting system, the tubing including a plurality of sections of tubing coupled at intervals along a first spine of a tubing holder, each of the plurality of sections of tubing extending away from the first spine in a direction transverse to a feed direction of the feed system; and
using the cutting system to cut the tubing, wherein the cutting system cuts the tubing concurrently at a plurality of locations to separate one or more subsections of tubing, the plurality of locations corresponding to a particular number of cutting blades of the selected cutting wheel assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sections of tubing is attached, prior to cutting, at a first end to the first spine and at a second end to a second spine of the tubing holder.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of sections of tubing is attached, prior to the cutting, to the first spine and to the second spine using an adhesive tape.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of locations includes three locations, and wherein the one or more subsections of tubing includes two subsections that are separated from the first spine and the second spine.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of locations includes two locations, and wherein the one or more subsections of tubing include one subsection that is separated from the first spine and the second spine.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of locations includes four locations, and wherein the one or more subsections of tubing include three subsections that are separated from the first spine and the second spine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more subsections include a plurality of subsections, the method further comprising dispensing, concurrently with one another, the plurality of subsections from the cutting system to an operator, and wherein each of the plurality of subsections includes a wire designation marking for a particular wire.

8. A method comprising:
using a feed system of a tubing cutter device to advance tubing by a distance toward a selected cutting wheel assembly of a plurality of cutting wheel assemblies of a cutting system of the tubing cutter device, the tubing including a plurality of sections of tubing coupled at intervals along a first spine of a tubing holder, each of the plurality of sections of tubing extending away from the first spine in a direction transverse to a feed direction of the feed system; and
using the cutting system of the tubing cutter device to cut the tubing, wherein the cutting system cuts the tubing concurrently at a plurality of locations to separate one or more subsections of tubing, the plurality of locations corresponding to a particular number of cutting blades of the selected cutting wheel assembly of the plurality of cutting wheel assemblies.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving input from an input device at the tubing cutter device; and
dispensing the one or more subsections of tubing from the cutting system to an operator.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tubing includes a plurality of sections of tubing that are coupled at intervals along a first spine of a tubing holder, wherein the distance corresponds to one interval, and wherein each of the plurality of sections of tubing extends away from the first spine in a direction that is transverse to a feed direction of the feed system.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, in response to activation of a toggle switch, reversing the feed direction of the feed system to remove the tubing holder.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more subsections of tubing includes a heat shrink tubing sleeve and wherein each of the one or more subsections of tubing includes wire designation markings for a particular wire.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the input device includes a variable speed foot switch, and wherein a speed of rotation of a traction wheel of the feeding system is controlled responsive to the variable speed foot switch.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Schmier Ii Mark A
• Delany David J

Classifications

• Y10T83/6648

  Continuous conveying during, cutting; e.g., straw cutting · CPC title

• B26D1/22

  coacting with a movable member, e.g. a roller (B26D1/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T83/658

  With projections on work-carrier [e.g., pin wheel] · CPC title

• B26D7/0616

  by carriages, e.g. for slicing machines · CPC title

• Y10T83/04

  Processes · CPC title