1.1 Automatic orientation alignment

The inner wall of the connecting sleeve carries a stop feature matched to the wire's flat profile. If the wire is inserted at an angle, a helical slot on the sleeve's outer wall engages a fixed key on the positioning post, rotating the sleeve (and the wire inside it) until the flat face seats against the stop. Orientation is corrected mechanically during insertion — no operator sight-check needed.

1.2 Anti-rotation once seated

As the sleeve reaches the bottom of the stroke, two latch bars — previously retracted into a groove on the post — are pushed out by a linkage and seat into matching recesses on the drive roller face. From that point the carrier and the roller no longer rotate relative to each other, and the flat-face orientation is held from alignment all the way to the bending head.

Important wording: the drive roller still pushes the post forward by friction. The latch bars engaging the recess solve anti-rotation — the accurate description is friction-driven feed with groove-based anti-rotation, not a keyed-torque transmission.

1.3 Solder paste application in the same stroke

A reservoir inside the sleeve holds solder paste. Pushing the sleeve in compresses the reservoir; paste is fed through a longitudinal channel in the sleeve and exits through side ports onto the wire end, readying it for the downstream welding station without a separate paste-application step.

1.4 Deburring in the same stroke

The end face of the connecting sleeve wipes burrs off the wire tip as it slides over it.

The whole cycle resets via a return spring: it compresses as the sleeve is pushed in, and pushes the sleeve back out once the wire is removed. Alignment, anti-rotation, paste application and reset are all mechanical linkage functions — no extra sensors or actuators. Longitudinal feed is driven by a motor turning the drive rollers, consistent with the patent text: "The drive device comprises a drive motor, and a plurality of said drive rollers are in driving connection with the drive motor."

The patent also covers the complete machine (Claim 7) and the corresponding working method (Claim 8). The end-to-end sequence is:

Wire inserted → automatic orientation alignment → latch bars engage roller recesses (anti-rotation) → solder paste applied to wire end → drive rollers push the carrier to the ring-bending unit → wire bent into ring shape.

This is not an isolated "feed subassembly." It forms the front end of a combined loading + ring-bending machine — more meaningful for producers of ring clips, hose clamps and profiled-wire parts: consistent coiling starts with consistent feed orientation.

• The alignment function is designed for profiled wire with a defined orientation feature; round wire gains nothing from it.

• The stop geometry inside the sleeve must match the specific flat profile — changing wire cross-section means changing the sleeve.

• The solder paste reservoir exists to support downstream welding; for parts that are not welded, the reservoir simply stays empty and does not affect the core function.

• The ring-bending unit is part of the whole-machine claim; the loading mechanism can be used as a standalone subassembly.

During validation, track four numbers:

1. Flat-face angle distribution across consecutive parts (look at spread, not single shots);

2. Orientation-defect rate (rework/scrap caused by flat-face drift);

3. Solder paste coverage length vs. welding process window;

4. Cycle time per "feed — unload — reset" loop.

None of these requires disassembly — they are logged during normal production. For an A/B comparison, use the same wire diameter, same part and same shift on each side.

• Patent type: Chinese invention patent

• Granted publication No.: CN118850867B (application publication No. CN118850867A)

• Application No.: 202411358198.0

• Filing date: 2024-09-27; Granted publication date: 2024-11-26

• Patentee: Changzhou Huiting Machinery Co., Ltd.

• Inventors: Wei Zhanting, Chen Jianfu, Zhao Xiaorong

The record can be searched and verified in the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) patent publication system by granted publication number or application number.

Technical descriptions in this article are based on the specification and claims of CN118850867B; statements without specific numerical values describe structural principles and do not constitute performance commitments. When referencing this patent in marketing materials, please cite it as: Chinese invention patent CN118850867B.

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