CA1331953C - Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same - Google Patents
Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the sameInfo
- Publication number
- CA1331953C CA1331953C CA000615774A CA615774A CA1331953C CA 1331953 C CA1331953 C CA 1331953C CA 000615774 A CA000615774 A CA 000615774A CA 615774 A CA615774 A CA 615774A CA 1331953 C CA1331953 C CA 1331953C
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- axis
- pick
- handling device
- punch
- sheet
- Prior art date
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
A one-armed handling device having a single pick-up member designed to secure a metal sheet coplanar to a pick-up plane through the aforementioned pick-up member ; which member is supported on a head so as to turn about two perpendicular axes (A, B) by vir-tue of a first element designed to turn about a first axis (A) perpendicular to the pick-up plane, and to which the pick-up member is secured directly, and a second element designed to turn about a second axis (B) parallel with the pick-up plane and supporting the first element the aforementioned head , in turn, being designed to travel among three cartesian axes (X, Y, Z), by means of an arm with no variation in the position of the second axis (B).
A one-armed handling device having a single pick-up member designed to secure a metal sheet coplanar to a pick-up plane through the aforementioned pick-up member ; which member is supported on a head so as to turn about two perpendicular axes (A, B) by vir-tue of a first element designed to turn about a first axis (A) perpendicular to the pick-up plane, and to which the pick-up member is secured directly, and a second element designed to turn about a second axis (B) parallel with the pick-up plane and supporting the first element the aforementioned head , in turn, being designed to travel among three cartesian axes (X, Y, Z), by means of an arm with no variation in the position of the second axis (B).
Description
~331 ~OBOTIZE~ }IA~DLI~G DEVICE A~'D SHEET ME~AL BENl)ING SYSTEM
FBA~URI~G THE SA~tE
The present irvention relates to a robotized, numerical control handling device, especially suitable for handling different-sized metal sheets for bending. In particular, the present invention relates to a handling device suitab]e for use as ~n integral p~rt of an automated sheet metal bendin~ pre.ss system, and to the bendin6 system as a whole.
A~l kno~n handling devices present a physicsl structure poorly suited to handling metal sheets varying consider-ably in size. The reason for this is that they usually comprise a single extendable rotary arm to which is fitted a frame having a number of pick-up devices, usually mag-netic (magnets) or pneumatic (suckers). ~landling devices of the aforementioned type present a number of drawbacks:
performance is limited by the said frame; the device it-self is hi~hly cumbersome; and the pick-up member must be changed for handlin6 different-sized sheets.
, ~33~9~3 ~ ~
The aim of the present invention is to provide a handling device that obviates or mitigates the above disadvantages. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a bending press system, comprising:
a bending press provided with a punch and a die extended in the X-axis direction, the punch and the die cooperating with each other for effecting a bending operation on a sheet workpiece provided therebetween;
a robotized handling device located in front of the punch and the die, for providing the workpiece between the punch and the die, the robotized handling device being adapted to be movable in the ~-axis direction while gripping the :
sheet wor~iece;
a lateral gauge means including a linear transducer having a relatively long measuring range, provided on a frame of the bending press, for detecting :~
the fact that the sheet workpiece is positioned at a predetermined position in the ;
x-axis direction; .
means for detecting a distance through which the robotized handling device is moved in the X-axis direction; and control means connected to the lateral gauge means and lhe distance moved detection means, for controlling the movement of the robotized handling ~ :
device, the control means calculating the position int he X-axis direction of the workpiece, based upon signals from the lateral gauge means and the distance ~ ~ ~
moved detection means, and controlling the robotized handling device so as to j~:
position the sheet workpiece at a predetermined position in the X-axis directionwith respect to the punch and the die.
..
~ 3 ~ ~ 3 3 1 9 ~ 3 A non-limitin6 embodiment of ~he present invention wi]l be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : ~
5 Fig.l shows a view in perspective ~f a sheet metal ::
bend;ng system including a handling device. ~ :
Fig.s 2 and 3 sho~ a larger-scale, partially-sectiored ~;
~0 elevatio~ and plan vieh res~ectively of a detail on the Fi6.1 de~ice;
Fig.4 shows a side vie~ of the Fig.l device and system;
Fig.s 5~ ~, 7, 8 and 9 show schematic operatin~ dia~rams of the Fig.l device.
~umber I in Fig.s I to 4 indica~es an automated system for bendin6 metal sheets 2, particularly, thou~h not ex-clusively, for producing boxes 3. Sys~em I comprises a bendino press 4 of any known type; a robotized handlin~
device 5 controlled by a known, e.~. microprocessor, elec-tronic system 6; a store 7 for sheets 2; and an unloadingand transfer device 8 for finished boxes 3. Press 4 com-prises a punch 9 and a die ~0, arran~e~ facing and paral-lel with each other, and desi~ned to mflte in suoh a man-ner as to bend a sheet 2 placed between the said punch 9 and ~ie 10 (Fig.s 6 an~ 7) along a straight axis C
(Fi~.5) parallel with the lon~itudinal axis of press 49 and hereinafter referred to also as the "bend axis".
~ehind bend axis C in relation to device 5, and opposite the said device 5, press 4 also presents a mobile, nume-rical control back gau~e 11 of substantially known type, ~ ':
33~ 9 ,,; ~ .controlled by system 6 or simi]ar, and fitted integra]
with press 4 for cooperat-ing h~ittl and determinin~ the po-sition of sheet 2.
Back gauge 1~ presents at least one pair of linear position transducers 12 of any known type (potentiometer, optical sca]e, etc.) having a relatively long measuring range (measurable in centimet.res) and designed to coope-rate with sheet 2 being handled by device 5, for detecting the position of the said sheet 2 in relation to bend axis IU C, and consequently supplying system 6, e.g. over line 13, with a control signal enabling system 6 to correct the posit.ion of sheet 2 by appropriately controlling de-vice 5. Also , the said device 5 is mounted directly on and integral with press 15. 4, in pclrt.icular, on a bed element. 14 of the same, paral-lel with axis C, so as to provide for the necessary struc-tural rigidity of device ; by exploitin~ the weight of press 4 itself. Depending on the type of press 4 (mobile punch or moble die), element 14 ma~ form part of the bed :,: .: :. ~:
on ~ress 4, in which case device 5 is fixed in relation to punch 9; or it may form part of a mobile structure sup-porting die 10, in whic~ case, during operation of press 4, device 5 is raised, together with element 14 and die 1~, tohards fixed punch 9.
Device 5 is a one-armed device comprising a pick-up mem-ber 15 of any type designed to cooperate with a single sheet 2 for securing the same coplanar to a pick-up p~ane tl~rough the said pick-up member 15, and so forcing the said sheet 2 to travel rigidly integral with and sub-: ~ : ~: .:
30 stantially coplanar to the said pick-up member 15; a head ~:
:.~' . ;':
. :, ~ :: , :
, :~
16 integrally supporting the said pick-up member 15 and enabling rotation of the same about two perpendicular axes A and ~ (Fig.s 1, 2 and 3); and supporting members for head 16, designed to move the same, in relation to a re-ference system the coordinat.es of which are memorised insystem 6 and which is fixed in relation to axis C, along three cartesian axes, in particular, along an axis X pa-rallel with axis C and located a given fixed distance from the same; and in a plane perpendicu]ar to axis X, in the example shown, accordin~ to a polar reference Y, Z.
The said members supporting head 16 comprise a straight, preferably ~-section ~ase 18 secured integral with element 14, with its lon6itudinal axis parallel and coincident with the said X axis; a known type of powered carriage l~, e.~-. powered b~ a first step motor 2~ havin~ an en~
coder or other similar position transducer, and designed to tra~el alon~ base 1~ in the X axis direction; a strai6ht column 2I supported on a second powered carriage 22 designed to tra~el on the said carriage 19, alon6 a sector gesr 23, over a curved trajec~ory Y pependicular to the traveling direct.ion of carriage 19 by virtue of lyin6 in a plane perpendicular to the said X axis; and a straight arm 24 secured across the top of column 21, perpendicular to base l& and to the X axis travc]ing di-rect.ion of carria~e 1~. Carria6e 22 is powered, for ex-ample, by a step motor 25 havin~ a respective encoder;
and column 21, in turn, powered, for example, by a further step mot.or 26 havin~ a respective encoder, travels a]ong its lon~itudinal axis on carria~e 22, in direction Z per-pendicular to and lying in the same plane as direction : 1331~3 Y, and therefore also p~rpendicular to tlle said X axis and the traYeling direction of carriage 19.
Arm 24 presents a further two motors and position trans-ducers, 27 and 28, for head 16, and an end fork 30 sup-porting the said head 16.
The head l6 comprises a first element 31 directly supporting and connected rigidly integral with member 15;
and a second element 32 directly supportin6 element. 31, but disconnected from member 15, and, in turn, supported on end fork 30 inside ~hich it is housed together with the rest of head 16. Element .31 is powered in known man~
ner (not shown) by motor 27, and mounted on element 32 so as to turn about axis A, whereas element 32 is powered in known manner (not shown) by motor 28, and mounted on end 30 so as to turn about axis Elements 31 and 32 are fitted crosswise one inside the other, with their respective axes of rota~
t.ion A and ~ intersecting; the said axes A and ~, Wit~
wllich elements 31 and 32 rotate coaxially, being arranged ~0 respectively perpendicular and parallel to the said sheet 2 pick-up plane. In other words, head 16 is constructed in suctl a manner that. axis A is p~rpendicular to t.he plane of pic~-up mem~er 15 and to sheet 2 being secured by the same, whereas axis B is parallel and substantially coplan-ar to the said sheet 2. The rotation axis ~ of element32 is also located parallel with axis X, and st.rictly pa~
rallel with punch 9 and, therefore, also axis C. ~y vir-tue of the said structure of the members supporting head l6, it also follows that, however device 5 is operated, i.e. moving carriages l9 and 22 and column 21 singly or - 7 - ~3~9~3 to~eth~r in any direction, axis B moves together with head 16, with no chan~e in its position in relation to the said reference system stored in system 6 and fixed in relation to axis C. That is to say, axis B always remains parallel with bend axis C on press 4 to which handling device 5 is connected. _ ..
Pick-up member 15 con-sists of a mechanical grip comprising a pair of parallel, opposed jaws 33 and 34 having a T-shaped horizontal sec-tion; and a known type of linear actuator 35, preferablyhydraulic or pneumatic, designed to move jaws 33 and 44 perpendicular to their respective planes and along its own axis of symmetry. Actuator 35 is arranged with its axis coinciding with rot.ation axis A and, for reasons of 1; size, preferably consists of a pair of air-powered cylin-ders arranged in series. Jaw 33 is mount.ed integral with element. 31, which .includes a cylindrical sleeve mount~
ed inside element 32, so as to ~urn about axis A on bear-ings 36. Jaw 34, on t.he other hand, is mounted integral 2~ with a rod 37 on actuator 35, which rod 37 is, in t.urn, mounted idly and coaxially inside sleeve 31. ~o prevent accidental rotation, jaws 33 and 34 are hinged together, on the end opposite pick-up ed~es 40, by ~ pair of con-nectin~ rods 42 hinged together and to the said jaws 33 ~5 and 34. ~lement 32 is, in turn, hinged coaxially hith axis on arm 24, by means of pins 44 mounted idly on respect-ive bearings 45. Arm 24 is substantiallv parallelepiped and symmetrical in relation to an axis D (Fig.3) inter-secting axes A and B at the same point, so as to enable element 31, and pick-up member 15 integral wit.h it, to 13~19~3 turn through an arc symmetrical in relation to a plane perpendicular to bend axis C and, in particular, s~mmetri-cal in relation to axi6 ~.
For enablin6 efficient, interference-free hand-ling of sheets 2, element 32 must be a]lowed to turn about axis B through a minimum arc of 235; while, at the same time, element 31 must be allowed to turn about axis A
through an arc of over 180o. Such is provided for by tapering arm 24 in the proximity of end fork 30 which, in the plane perpendicular to axis ~, is defined by oppo~
ed cavities 30a (~ig.2) designed to receive pick-up mem-ber 15 in its two limit positions about axis B and as shown by the hatchin~ in Fig.2. Furthermore, column 21 is formed narrower than arm 24; and the whole of device lj 5 is formed in suc}l a manner as to be smaller, at least on one side, than the width of arm 24 measured perpendicu-lar to axis D. Vice versa, symmetrica] 5-shaped jaws 33 and 34 are formed in such a manner that, when viewed hori-zontally in a plane perpendicular to axis A (Fi~.3), the '," '~ ~ ,',1,:
widest end having pick-up edge 40 is separated from rota-, :: .: :.,:: .
tion axis A by a distance "m" greater than half the width of arm 24 measured crosshise in relation to axis D, so that the said end projects laterally in relation to arm 24 when pick-up member 15 is turned perpendicular to axis D, tllUs preventing interference with arm 24 regardless of whether pick-up member 15 is loaded or not. Sheet 2 may thus be freel~ turned over 180 by turning pick-up member 15 about axis b, ~ith pick-up member 15 arranged perpendicular to axis D (subsequent to 90 rotation about 3~ axis A).
:~
r,~
_ 9 _ Handlin~ devicc S option~lly also comprises at least one auxiliary pick-up member 50 identical to member 15 and fitted inte~ral with end 51 of base 18, in a given posi-tion, for gripping and sustaining sheet 2 held on pick-up member 15. Close to the said auxiliary pick-up member 50, there is also provided a fixed lateral gauge 53 hav-ing at least one linear transducer 54 similar'to trans-duccrs 12. l'ransducer 54 is also connected, over a line 55, to system 6, for supplying t.he said system 6 with control signal for adjusting the position of device 5.
h'hen operated, device S ~ithdraws sheets 2 one at a time from store ~ by gripping them in pick-up membe~ 15, and moves them selectively into a number of different working positions in relation to axis C. ln particular, as pick~
up member 15 is required to grip one of the lon~ier sitles of rectangular sheet 2, to prevent undue flexin~, the short sides of sheet 2 on pick-up member 15 are first bent as shown in Fi~.s 6 ~nd 8. ~y turning pick-up member 15 about axis A, sheet 2 is then turned ~erpendicular to its plane, so as to present the long side, opposite the one ~riyped by pick-up member 15, between punch 9 and die 1~
Whi]e the said long side is bein~ gripped between punch 9 and die 10 (~ig.6 7 and 9), pick-up member 15 may be opened and t.urned again so as to grip the partial]y-bent sheet 2 by one of its short sides, thus freeing the last.
side for bending. When this is not possible, due to the small size of sheet 2, it is provided for automat.ically by device S usin~ auxiliary pick-up member 50, on which sheet 2 is clamped during displ~cement of pick-up member 15. Durin~ displacement of pick-up member 15, positioning - ` ~33~ 9~3 ~o accuracy is maintaincd by device 5 setting sheet 2, re-gripyed by ~ic~-up member 15, against latera~ gauge 53 and transciucer 54, and, subsequently, against back gauge Il and transducer 12, whictl, via system 6, supply control signals for corrertly repositioning sheet 2, e.g. by turn-ing pi~k-up member 15 about axis A and shifting carriage 22 and column 21. Furthermore, during each bending opera-tion, pic~-up mem~er 15 provides for sustaining stleet 2 whi]e at the same time following the oblique movement of 1~ ttle same induced by punch 9 and die 10, by opening and turning about axis ~ parallel ~ith bend axis C. ~y turn~
ing pick-uy member 15 about axis A into either of the ]im-it positions shown in the plan vie~ in Fig.5, and then abollt axis t~, sheet 2 may also be t.urned over 180 as 1~. alread~ described.
The advantaaes of` the yresent de~ice are clear from the foregoing description. First and foremost., it provides for higtlly accurate positioning of sheet. 2, ~due to nume~
rical control disylacement of device 5 and tt~e use of 2~ transducers 12 and 54. Secondly, device S is cheaper and lighter than known devices, by virtue of being supported on part. of the press itself. Thirdly, it provides for re-ducing the floor space, and facilit.flting transport and installation of the bending system as a wtlole. Also since ~he system is provided with bac~ gauge 11, the press on such a system may also be operated manually in ttle usual way, by simyly shifting carrige 1~ over to one end of base 1~
so as to free the front of the press.
FBA~URI~G THE SA~tE
The present irvention relates to a robotized, numerical control handling device, especially suitable for handling different-sized metal sheets for bending. In particular, the present invention relates to a handling device suitab]e for use as ~n integral p~rt of an automated sheet metal bendin~ pre.ss system, and to the bendin6 system as a whole.
A~l kno~n handling devices present a physicsl structure poorly suited to handling metal sheets varying consider-ably in size. The reason for this is that they usually comprise a single extendable rotary arm to which is fitted a frame having a number of pick-up devices, usually mag-netic (magnets) or pneumatic (suckers). ~landling devices of the aforementioned type present a number of drawbacks:
performance is limited by the said frame; the device it-self is hi~hly cumbersome; and the pick-up member must be changed for handlin6 different-sized sheets.
, ~33~9~3 ~ ~
The aim of the present invention is to provide a handling device that obviates or mitigates the above disadvantages. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a bending press system, comprising:
a bending press provided with a punch and a die extended in the X-axis direction, the punch and the die cooperating with each other for effecting a bending operation on a sheet workpiece provided therebetween;
a robotized handling device located in front of the punch and the die, for providing the workpiece between the punch and the die, the robotized handling device being adapted to be movable in the ~-axis direction while gripping the :
sheet wor~iece;
a lateral gauge means including a linear transducer having a relatively long measuring range, provided on a frame of the bending press, for detecting :~
the fact that the sheet workpiece is positioned at a predetermined position in the ;
x-axis direction; .
means for detecting a distance through which the robotized handling device is moved in the X-axis direction; and control means connected to the lateral gauge means and lhe distance moved detection means, for controlling the movement of the robotized handling ~ :
device, the control means calculating the position int he X-axis direction of the workpiece, based upon signals from the lateral gauge means and the distance ~ ~ ~
moved detection means, and controlling the robotized handling device so as to j~:
position the sheet workpiece at a predetermined position in the X-axis directionwith respect to the punch and the die.
..
~ 3 ~ ~ 3 3 1 9 ~ 3 A non-limitin6 embodiment of ~he present invention wi]l be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : ~
5 Fig.l shows a view in perspective ~f a sheet metal ::
bend;ng system including a handling device. ~ :
Fig.s 2 and 3 sho~ a larger-scale, partially-sectiored ~;
~0 elevatio~ and plan vieh res~ectively of a detail on the Fi6.1 de~ice;
Fig.4 shows a side vie~ of the Fig.l device and system;
Fig.s 5~ ~, 7, 8 and 9 show schematic operatin~ dia~rams of the Fig.l device.
~umber I in Fig.s I to 4 indica~es an automated system for bendin6 metal sheets 2, particularly, thou~h not ex-clusively, for producing boxes 3. Sys~em I comprises a bendino press 4 of any known type; a robotized handlin~
device 5 controlled by a known, e.~. microprocessor, elec-tronic system 6; a store 7 for sheets 2; and an unloadingand transfer device 8 for finished boxes 3. Press 4 com-prises a punch 9 and a die ~0, arran~e~ facing and paral-lel with each other, and desi~ned to mflte in suoh a man-ner as to bend a sheet 2 placed between the said punch 9 and ~ie 10 (Fig.s 6 an~ 7) along a straight axis C
(Fi~.5) parallel with the lon~itudinal axis of press 49 and hereinafter referred to also as the "bend axis".
~ehind bend axis C in relation to device 5, and opposite the said device 5, press 4 also presents a mobile, nume-rical control back gau~e 11 of substantially known type, ~ ':
33~ 9 ,,; ~ .controlled by system 6 or simi]ar, and fitted integra]
with press 4 for cooperat-ing h~ittl and determinin~ the po-sition of sheet 2.
Back gauge 1~ presents at least one pair of linear position transducers 12 of any known type (potentiometer, optical sca]e, etc.) having a relatively long measuring range (measurable in centimet.res) and designed to coope-rate with sheet 2 being handled by device 5, for detecting the position of the said sheet 2 in relation to bend axis IU C, and consequently supplying system 6, e.g. over line 13, with a control signal enabling system 6 to correct the posit.ion of sheet 2 by appropriately controlling de-vice 5. Also , the said device 5 is mounted directly on and integral with press 15. 4, in pclrt.icular, on a bed element. 14 of the same, paral-lel with axis C, so as to provide for the necessary struc-tural rigidity of device ; by exploitin~ the weight of press 4 itself. Depending on the type of press 4 (mobile punch or moble die), element 14 ma~ form part of the bed :,: .: :. ~:
on ~ress 4, in which case device 5 is fixed in relation to punch 9; or it may form part of a mobile structure sup-porting die 10, in whic~ case, during operation of press 4, device 5 is raised, together with element 14 and die 1~, tohards fixed punch 9.
Device 5 is a one-armed device comprising a pick-up mem-ber 15 of any type designed to cooperate with a single sheet 2 for securing the same coplanar to a pick-up p~ane tl~rough the said pick-up member 15, and so forcing the said sheet 2 to travel rigidly integral with and sub-: ~ : ~: .:
30 stantially coplanar to the said pick-up member 15; a head ~:
:.~' . ;':
. :, ~ :: , :
, :~
16 integrally supporting the said pick-up member 15 and enabling rotation of the same about two perpendicular axes A and ~ (Fig.s 1, 2 and 3); and supporting members for head 16, designed to move the same, in relation to a re-ference system the coordinat.es of which are memorised insystem 6 and which is fixed in relation to axis C, along three cartesian axes, in particular, along an axis X pa-rallel with axis C and located a given fixed distance from the same; and in a plane perpendicu]ar to axis X, in the example shown, accordin~ to a polar reference Y, Z.
The said members supporting head 16 comprise a straight, preferably ~-section ~ase 18 secured integral with element 14, with its lon6itudinal axis parallel and coincident with the said X axis; a known type of powered carriage l~, e.~-. powered b~ a first step motor 2~ havin~ an en~
coder or other similar position transducer, and designed to tra~el alon~ base 1~ in the X axis direction; a strai6ht column 2I supported on a second powered carriage 22 designed to tra~el on the said carriage 19, alon6 a sector gesr 23, over a curved trajec~ory Y pependicular to the traveling direct.ion of carriage 19 by virtue of lyin6 in a plane perpendicular to the said X axis; and a straight arm 24 secured across the top of column 21, perpendicular to base l& and to the X axis travc]ing di-rect.ion of carria~e 1~. Carria6e 22 is powered, for ex-ample, by a step motor 25 havin~ a respective encoder;
and column 21, in turn, powered, for example, by a further step mot.or 26 havin~ a respective encoder, travels a]ong its lon~itudinal axis on carria~e 22, in direction Z per-pendicular to and lying in the same plane as direction : 1331~3 Y, and therefore also p~rpendicular to tlle said X axis and the traYeling direction of carriage 19.
Arm 24 presents a further two motors and position trans-ducers, 27 and 28, for head 16, and an end fork 30 sup-porting the said head 16.
The head l6 comprises a first element 31 directly supporting and connected rigidly integral with member 15;
and a second element 32 directly supportin6 element. 31, but disconnected from member 15, and, in turn, supported on end fork 30 inside ~hich it is housed together with the rest of head 16. Element .31 is powered in known man~
ner (not shown) by motor 27, and mounted on element 32 so as to turn about axis A, whereas element 32 is powered in known manner (not shown) by motor 28, and mounted on end 30 so as to turn about axis Elements 31 and 32 are fitted crosswise one inside the other, with their respective axes of rota~
t.ion A and ~ intersecting; the said axes A and ~, Wit~
wllich elements 31 and 32 rotate coaxially, being arranged ~0 respectively perpendicular and parallel to the said sheet 2 pick-up plane. In other words, head 16 is constructed in suctl a manner that. axis A is p~rpendicular to t.he plane of pic~-up mem~er 15 and to sheet 2 being secured by the same, whereas axis B is parallel and substantially coplan-ar to the said sheet 2. The rotation axis ~ of element32 is also located parallel with axis X, and st.rictly pa~
rallel with punch 9 and, therefore, also axis C. ~y vir-tue of the said structure of the members supporting head l6, it also follows that, however device 5 is operated, i.e. moving carriages l9 and 22 and column 21 singly or - 7 - ~3~9~3 to~eth~r in any direction, axis B moves together with head 16, with no chan~e in its position in relation to the said reference system stored in system 6 and fixed in relation to axis C. That is to say, axis B always remains parallel with bend axis C on press 4 to which handling device 5 is connected. _ ..
Pick-up member 15 con-sists of a mechanical grip comprising a pair of parallel, opposed jaws 33 and 34 having a T-shaped horizontal sec-tion; and a known type of linear actuator 35, preferablyhydraulic or pneumatic, designed to move jaws 33 and 44 perpendicular to their respective planes and along its own axis of symmetry. Actuator 35 is arranged with its axis coinciding with rot.ation axis A and, for reasons of 1; size, preferably consists of a pair of air-powered cylin-ders arranged in series. Jaw 33 is mount.ed integral with element. 31, which .includes a cylindrical sleeve mount~
ed inside element 32, so as to ~urn about axis A on bear-ings 36. Jaw 34, on t.he other hand, is mounted integral 2~ with a rod 37 on actuator 35, which rod 37 is, in t.urn, mounted idly and coaxially inside sleeve 31. ~o prevent accidental rotation, jaws 33 and 34 are hinged together, on the end opposite pick-up ed~es 40, by ~ pair of con-nectin~ rods 42 hinged together and to the said jaws 33 ~5 and 34. ~lement 32 is, in turn, hinged coaxially hith axis on arm 24, by means of pins 44 mounted idly on respect-ive bearings 45. Arm 24 is substantiallv parallelepiped and symmetrical in relation to an axis D (Fig.3) inter-secting axes A and B at the same point, so as to enable element 31, and pick-up member 15 integral wit.h it, to 13~19~3 turn through an arc symmetrical in relation to a plane perpendicular to bend axis C and, in particular, s~mmetri-cal in relation to axi6 ~.
For enablin6 efficient, interference-free hand-ling of sheets 2, element 32 must be a]lowed to turn about axis B through a minimum arc of 235; while, at the same time, element 31 must be allowed to turn about axis A
through an arc of over 180o. Such is provided for by tapering arm 24 in the proximity of end fork 30 which, in the plane perpendicular to axis ~, is defined by oppo~
ed cavities 30a (~ig.2) designed to receive pick-up mem-ber 15 in its two limit positions about axis B and as shown by the hatchin~ in Fig.2. Furthermore, column 21 is formed narrower than arm 24; and the whole of device lj 5 is formed in suc}l a manner as to be smaller, at least on one side, than the width of arm 24 measured perpendicu-lar to axis D. Vice versa, symmetrica] 5-shaped jaws 33 and 34 are formed in such a manner that, when viewed hori-zontally in a plane perpendicular to axis A (Fi~.3), the '," '~ ~ ,',1,:
widest end having pick-up edge 40 is separated from rota-, :: .: :.,:: .
tion axis A by a distance "m" greater than half the width of arm 24 measured crosshise in relation to axis D, so that the said end projects laterally in relation to arm 24 when pick-up member 15 is turned perpendicular to axis D, tllUs preventing interference with arm 24 regardless of whether pick-up member 15 is loaded or not. Sheet 2 may thus be freel~ turned over 180 by turning pick-up member 15 about axis b, ~ith pick-up member 15 arranged perpendicular to axis D (subsequent to 90 rotation about 3~ axis A).
:~
r,~
_ 9 _ Handlin~ devicc S option~lly also comprises at least one auxiliary pick-up member 50 identical to member 15 and fitted inte~ral with end 51 of base 18, in a given posi-tion, for gripping and sustaining sheet 2 held on pick-up member 15. Close to the said auxiliary pick-up member 50, there is also provided a fixed lateral gauge 53 hav-ing at least one linear transducer 54 similar'to trans-duccrs 12. l'ransducer 54 is also connected, over a line 55, to system 6, for supplying t.he said system 6 with control signal for adjusting the position of device 5.
h'hen operated, device S ~ithdraws sheets 2 one at a time from store ~ by gripping them in pick-up membe~ 15, and moves them selectively into a number of different working positions in relation to axis C. ln particular, as pick~
up member 15 is required to grip one of the lon~ier sitles of rectangular sheet 2, to prevent undue flexin~, the short sides of sheet 2 on pick-up member 15 are first bent as shown in Fi~.s 6 ~nd 8. ~y turning pick-up member 15 about axis A, sheet 2 is then turned ~erpendicular to its plane, so as to present the long side, opposite the one ~riyped by pick-up member 15, between punch 9 and die 1~
Whi]e the said long side is bein~ gripped between punch 9 and die 10 (~ig.6 7 and 9), pick-up member 15 may be opened and t.urned again so as to grip the partial]y-bent sheet 2 by one of its short sides, thus freeing the last.
side for bending. When this is not possible, due to the small size of sheet 2, it is provided for automat.ically by device S usin~ auxiliary pick-up member 50, on which sheet 2 is clamped during displ~cement of pick-up member 15. Durin~ displacement of pick-up member 15, positioning - ` ~33~ 9~3 ~o accuracy is maintaincd by device 5 setting sheet 2, re-gripyed by ~ic~-up member 15, against latera~ gauge 53 and transciucer 54, and, subsequently, against back gauge Il and transducer 12, whictl, via system 6, supply control signals for corrertly repositioning sheet 2, e.g. by turn-ing pi~k-up member 15 about axis A and shifting carriage 22 and column 21. Furthermore, during each bending opera-tion, pic~-up mem~er 15 provides for sustaining stleet 2 whi]e at the same time following the oblique movement of 1~ ttle same induced by punch 9 and die 10, by opening and turning about axis ~ parallel ~ith bend axis C. ~y turn~
ing pick-uy member 15 about axis A into either of the ]im-it positions shown in the plan vie~ in Fig.5, and then abollt axis t~, sheet 2 may also be t.urned over 180 as 1~. alread~ described.
The advantaaes of` the yresent de~ice are clear from the foregoing description. First and foremost., it provides for higtlly accurate positioning of sheet. 2, ~due to nume~
rical control disylacement of device 5 and tt~e use of 2~ transducers 12 and 54. Secondly, device S is cheaper and lighter than known devices, by virtue of being supported on part. of the press itself. Thirdly, it provides for re-ducing the floor space, and facilit.flting transport and installation of the bending system as a wtlole. Also since ~he system is provided with bac~ gauge 11, the press on such a system may also be operated manually in ttle usual way, by simyly shifting carrige 1~ over to one end of base 1~
so as to free the front of the press.
Claims
1. A bending press system, comprising:
a bending press provided with a punch and a die extended in the X-axis direction, the punch and the die cooperating with each other for effecting a bending operation on id sheet workpiece provided therebetween;
a robotized handling device located in front of the punch and the die, for providing the workpiece between the punch and the die, the robotized handling device being adapted to be movable in the X-axis direction while gripping the sheet workpiece;
a lateral gauge means including a linear transducer having a relatively long measuring range, provided on a frame of the bending press, for detecting the fact that the sheet workpiece is positioned at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction;
means for detecting a distance through which the robotized handling device is moved in the X-axis direction; and control means connected to the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detection means, for controlling the movement of the robotized handling device, the control means calculating the position in the X-axis direction of the workpiece, based upon signals from the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detection means, and controlling the robotized handling device so as to position the sheet workpiece at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction with respect to the punch and the die.
a bending press provided with a punch and a die extended in the X-axis direction, the punch and the die cooperating with each other for effecting a bending operation on id sheet workpiece provided therebetween;
a robotized handling device located in front of the punch and the die, for providing the workpiece between the punch and the die, the robotized handling device being adapted to be movable in the X-axis direction while gripping the sheet workpiece;
a lateral gauge means including a linear transducer having a relatively long measuring range, provided on a frame of the bending press, for detecting the fact that the sheet workpiece is positioned at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction;
means for detecting a distance through which the robotized handling device is moved in the X-axis direction; and control means connected to the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detection means, for controlling the movement of the robotized handling device, the control means calculating the position in the X-axis direction of the workpiece, based upon signals from the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detection means, and controlling the robotized handling device so as to position the sheet workpiece at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction with respect to the punch and the die.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000615774A CA1331953C (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1991-06-27 | Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT67980/86A IT1196884B (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1986-12-30 | ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR DEVICE AND PLATE BENDING SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH SUCH DEVICE |
| IT67980-A/86 | 1986-12-30 | ||
| CA000555434A CA1312271C (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1987-12-24 | Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same |
| CA000615774A CA1331953C (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1991-06-27 | Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000555434A Division CA1312271C (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1987-12-24 | Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1331953C true CA1331953C (en) | 1994-09-13 |
Family
ID=25671646
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000615774A Expired - Fee Related CA1331953C (en) | 1986-12-30 | 1991-06-27 | Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1331953C (en) |
-
1991
- 1991-06-27 CA CA000615774A patent/CA1331953C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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