what does convolutely-wound mean?

Jun 20, 2006 9 Replies

Exactly what does the term convolutely-wound mean? Can you back it up with a web reference? I have received several different definitions.



Ted Mahler


Start here -

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A jelly roll is convolutely wound.

A barber pole or candy cane is spiral wrapped.

Cardboard model rocket motor casings are convolutely wound.

Model rocket body tubes are spiral wrapped.

Good question. I know they're talking about rolled up tubes. But the terminology stumps me. I keep trying to connect it to: integral[(f(tau)g(t-tau)dtau]

Somehow I don't think that fits :)

Doug

Except for BT-30 and BT-40...

So,,, parallel wound is the same convolutely wound.

Ted

The formula you gave is for a mathematical operation known as convolution. It is used to calculate the response of a dynamic system given the input signal and the impulse response of the system.

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How did this get convolved with the term "convolutely-wound"? Are you trying to translate a technical paper from a foreign language?

-- Bob Cox

Doug Sams wrote:

No, it's just that whenever the topic of BT-30 comes up, so too does the term "convolute wound". Whereupon I think of the convolution integral (which was a royal PITA for many EE students).

More seriously, I do wonder how the term "convolute" came to be applied to a parallel wound tube. It hardly strikes me as being convolved. (I forego the ly suffix since I rarely see it used, but my inner grammarian wants to append it.)

And BT-30 certainly doesn't appear to involve forcing functions or impulse responses in any way :)

Doug

Thanks. Good info. I was inspired to look it up at dictionary.com . Basically, convolute and convolved both mean rolled up. So the mathematical use of the term appears to be a morph from the earlier meaning.

That makes sense now, but I don't think I ever heard (any variation of) the term until Professor Yeh first put it on the chalk board.

Doug

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