CH714240A2 - Machining apparatus and method for sequential machining of workpieces. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of processing apparatuses and processing methods, and more particularly to the field of semi-continuous processing apparatuses and methods for multi-stage processing operations. In order to present a solution in which on the one hand sufficient space is provided for many processing stations and on the other hand the occurring loads are kept small, in particular the moving masses and ideally also the bending lengths of the components involved are reduced, a processing device (1) for a sequential processing proposed by workpieces (5), with a plurality of tool stations (110) which are arranged on a common first pitch circle, a plurality of holding means (101) which are arranged on a common second pitch circle corresponding to the first pitch circle and each configured are to supply a workpiece (5) along the second pitch circle of a tool station, and at least three support means (100), each rotatably arranged and carry a respective subset of the holding means, wherein along the second pitch circle adjacent holding means of u be worn different support devices.

Description

CH 714 240 A2

Description: The present invention relates to the field of machining devices and machining methods, and in particular to the field of semi-continuous machining devices and methods for multi-step machining processes.

Processes are known in the industry with which products are manufactured by several successive and / or successive machining processes. Examples of corresponding processing devices in the field of metal forming are transfer presses or drawing machines.

Usually, a distinction can be made in these machines between continuous and clocking processes. Both have in common that the holding elements for the workpieces and the tools are arranged at the same intervals and in the work area on the same or corresponding pitch circles.

In known continuous drawing machines, the workpieces are guided in a continuous process through the individual likewise continuous processing stations of the overall machine. This leads to high performance per unit of time, but also to comparatively long overall machines, since usually several tools of the same type are usually arranged in one processing station, since otherwise the workpiece cannot be processed with all the planned process steps without additional measures. If recycling of the workpieces is provided by the same machine, in particular with specific assignment of other positions on the processing stations, as many different tools can be arranged on a processing unit as there are recycling operations. For example, reference can be made to WO 2006/095 215 A1 or WO 2015/131 114 A1. The number of workpieces produced per unit of time decreases reciprocally with the number of recyclings.

In known clocking machines, there is usually only 1 tool per processing step, which leads to short machines but also lower power per unit of time. Another feature of these clocking machines is that all tools are moved at the same time as the machine and always all have the same stroke.

Due to the increasingly complex shapes that are desired, and also in view of materials that allow thinner wall thicknesses on the one hand with higher strength but on the other hand require more processing steps for the same shape, the machines need more and more positions for processing steps and are therefore getting bigger or more units have to be used in succession. One consequence is that the larger dimensions, with the same tolerance requirements, result in disproportionate increases in mass, i.e. the moving masses become ever higher and the vibrations emanating from the moving masses have to be compensated for or absorbed with increasing effort. Alternatively, several smaller machines could be connected in series, which however leads to repeated re-gripping of the workpieces, associated in particular with a risk of alignment inaccuracies between the successive machines. It also increases the number of components that can fail.

Another disadvantage of the known clocking machines is the same stroke that all tools have to carry out, since the high accelerations at high cycle rates and large stroke leads to a reduction in the maximum permissible number of cycles. At the same time, the actual working time is unnecessarily reduced for the stations that do not require as much lifting.

[0008] WO 2016/051 224 A1 provides for the tools to be driven individually by motors with ball spindles, so that the tool movements can perform various strokes. Even if you are willing to go through the associated effort, it remains questionable in individual cases whether the desired high number of cycles can be achieved with the motor spindles even with a large stroke.

[0009] EP 1 588 961 A2 shows a transport device which continuously forms a virtual cellular wheel, which realizes two different divisions, each with a constant but different peripheral speed, on two opposite areas of the cellular wheel. This is done by skillful design and arrangement of partial cell wheels and speed profiles of the individual partial wheels.

A test device from EP 1 145 993 B1 proceeds in a similar manner, in which two alternating slowly and quickly moving workpiece carriers with several holding devices lying directly next to one another continuously take products from a workpiece stream, then feed them to a test station in a rapid transport movement, there at a standstill linger and then quickly convey these products out of the test area and then return them evenly, while new workpieces are being picked up on the opposite side. This device is limited to two transport devices. With this type of motion distribution, the frequency of the induced vibrations can be influenced favorably and the mass of the components moved together can be reduced, but a direct compensation of the kinetic energy within the machine is not possible.

An object underlying the present invention is to propose a processing device and a corresponding processing method which avoids or at least reduces the disadvantages of known solutions from the prior art.

CH 714 240 A2 It is therefore particularly desirable to present a solution in which on the one hand there is sufficient space for many processing stations and on the other hand the loads that occur are kept small, in particular the moving masses and ideally also the bending lengths of the components involved are reduced become.

According to the invention, a processing device for a sequential processing of workpieces is proposed according to a first aspect, as defined in claim 1, namely with a plurality of tool stations, which are arranged on a common first pitch circle, a plurality of holding devices which a common second pitch circle corresponding to the first pitch circle and which are each designed to feed a workpiece along the second pitch circle to a tool station, and at least three carrying devices, which are each arranged rotatably and carry a respective subset of the holding devices, whereby along the second pitch circle Adjacent holding devices are carried by different carrying devices.

According to the invention, a machining method for a sequential machining of workpieces is proposed according to a second aspect, as defined in claim 11, namely with feeding a workpiece to a holding device of a machining device for sequential machining with a multiplicity of tool stations based on a common first pitch circle are arranged, a plurality of holding devices which are arranged on a common second pitch circle corresponding to the first pitch circle and which are each designed to feed a workpiece along the second pitch circle to a tool station, and at least three carrying devices which are each arranged rotatably are and carry a respective subset of the holding devices, with adjacent holding devices being carried along the second partial circle by different carrying devices, a sequential feeding of the workpiece to the workpiece Tool stations of the machining device by intermittently rotating the carrying device that carries the holding device that carries the workpiece and sequentially processing the workpiece by the plurality of tool stations after the respective feed.

[0015] Part of the background of the present invention can be found in the following considerations.

According to the present invention, the hitherto usually carried in one piece carrying element which carries the actual holding devices is divided into at least three, preferably five or more separate carrying devices.

On these carrying devices, the holding elements are preferably placed at regular intervals which correspond to an integer multiple of the tool spacing on the common pitch circle - and preferably such that there is one more station than the number until the next holding elements on the same carrying device of the carrying devices themselves is space, for example with five carrying devices, six stations to the next holding device of the same carrying device. In this way, the different carrying devices can advantageously be arranged relative to one another in such a way that the holding devices are positioned in the same division as the tool division and a position between two adjacent holding devices on the same carrying device remains free.

By e.g. five carrying devices, the movement of the carrying devices can be designed in such a way that when the machine cycle is divided into 1/3 moving time and 2/3 processing time, two carrying devices are always set in motion while the others are at rest. This results in a continuous succession of transport processes, whereby there is always an accelerating carrying device and a decelerating carrying device at the same time. This means that the transport movement no longer takes place once per cycle, but several times, distributed with smaller masses and, due to the simultaneous acceleration and deceleration within the same machine, also compensating each other with regard to the resulting vibrations.

With such a semi-continuous transport movement of the workpieces through the machine, the tool movement itself no longer has to be clocked at the same time. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the tool movement is generated by coupling the tools to curves on a rotating cam drum, on which the curve of the desired tool movement is shown on the circumference as often as holding devices are arranged on a carrying device. In this way, all tools that are opposite the holding devices of a carrying device make the movement in the same phase position. The cam drum rotates against the transport direction of the workpieces. So if the transport path of the workpieces runs clockwise through the machine, the cam drum rotates counterclockwise.

An exemplary design provides five carrying devices, each with eight holding devices, so that eight curve cycles are required on the circumference of the cam drum, which corresponds to 48 positions of a conventional machine, since one position still remains between two holding elements of a transport element.

An alternative provides seven carrying devices, each with six holding devices, which also results in 48 stations. In comparison to the above example, however, there are more favorable time shares for the lifting curves.

The movement of the cam drum is preferably synchronized with the holding devices on the support elements in such a way that the minimum of the curves is always traversed where the support elements carry out the transport movement.

CH 714 240 A2 [0023] Accordingly, this means that the area of the curve that extends around the maximum corresponds to the working area of the tools.

Since there may be different demands on the tool movement in the machines, it is an advantageous embodiment of the invention to provide several curves with different characteristics (such as a different shape or with a different law of motion) and amplitude, adapted to the respective requirements and to create an opportunity to be able to connect the individual tools individually and at will to one of the curves.

The workpiece to be machined is preferably a hollow body and in particular a beverage container or blank for this.

Features of advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in particular in the subclaims, further advantageous features, designs and refinements for the person skilled in the art also being apparent from the above explanation and the following discussion.

In the following, the present invention is further illustrated and explained on the basis of exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. Here shows

1 is a schematic representation to illustrate a first embodiment of a processing device according to the invention,

2 shows a schematic illustration of a first exemplary positioning of holding devices and carrying devices,

3 shows a schematic illustration of a second exemplary positioning of holding devices and carrying devices,

4 shows a schematic illustration of a third exemplary positioning of holding devices and carrying devices,

Fig. 5 is an illustration to illustrate the movements of the tool stations or tools and

6 shows a schematic flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.

In the accompanying drawings and the explanations for these drawings, corresponding or related elements - insofar as appropriate - are identified by corresponding or similar reference numerals, even if they can be found in different exemplary embodiments.

1 shows a schematic illustration to illustrate a first exemplary embodiment of a processing device according to the invention.

1 shows a drawing-in machine 1, which is constructed according to the principles described here, as an example of a processing device according to the invention.

The drawing-in machine 1 comprises a carrying device housing 2 and a tool carrier housing 3.

On the carrying device housing 2, several carrying devices are provided in the example shown here, of which five individual carrying devices 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 are designated, each holding devices 101-104, 201-204, 301-304, 401-404 , Wear 501-504. For the sake of clarity, workpieces 5 are only shown in some holding devices. The carrying devices 100-500 are each designed to rotate about a common axis and partially overlap each other when viewed along this axis.

The tool carrier housing 3 has a cam carrier, which in this example has three curves 10, 20, 30 for each large, medium and small stroke. The tool carriers 110, 210, 121 for the tool stations are coupled to these curves. The tool carriers are guided inside and outside of the tool carrier housing and are coupled to the respective curve in between.

Guides for length adjustment are also shown at the front of the tool carrier housing 3.

In Fig. 1, an inlet belt 6 and an outlet belt 7 are also shown schematically.

2 to 4 show schematic representations of a first, second and third exemplary positioning of holding devices and carrying devices and in principle illustrate a sequence of movements of the carrying devices 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 with the holding devices carried by them. For the carrying device 100, these are the holding devices 101, 102, 103, 104, and the same applies analogously to the other carrying devices.

2, the carrier 100 is in the middle of the movement and is just beginning to decelerate, while the carrier 200 has just stopped and the carrier 500 is just beginning to move. Due to the rigid, star-shaped configuration of the carrying devices, all holding devices carried by a carrying device make

CH 714 240 A2 have the same movements, i.e. at the moment of the illustration, the holding devices 101, 102, 103 and 104 are currently in the middle of the movement, at the point of reversal from acceleration to deceleration.

In Fig. 3 the movement has progressed a bit further. Carrier 100 has stopped, carrier 500 is in the middle of movement, and carrier 400 will begin to move.

4, the movement has again progressed half a partial cycle. The carrying device 500 has stopped, the carrying device 400 is in the middle of the movement and the carrying device 300 will begin the movement phase.

From the summary of FIGS. 2 to 4 it can be seen that the movements are staggered to a certain extent and acceleration of a carrying device is accompanied by braking of another carrying device, so that internal compensation takes place here.

5 shows a representation to illustrate the movements of the tool stations or tools, in particular the principles of movement of the tool movements developed in the plane are shown here. There are four curves: curve 10 for the largest stroke, curve 20 for a medium stroke, curve 30 for the stroke of the rotating or other process stages and curve 40 for shutdown positions (for example if not all available positions are required). It can be seen that the tool carriers 110, 210, 310, 410 are coupled to curve 10, step 540 is stopped, steps 610 and 710 are coupled to curve 10 and step 830 to curve 30. Tool carrier 121 moves in phase with tool carrier 110, but with a different stroke. The same also applies to tool carriers 132. The relative movement which generates the stroke between the cam drum and the individual, radially mounted tool carriers can be thought of as if the curves were pulled away laterally under the only vertically movable tool carriers. In the embodiment of a processing device in the form of a drawing-in machine, which is discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the holding devices are each designed to hold or carry a single workpiece. However, it is also possible that the holding devices are each provided for holding or carrying two or more workpieces, in which case a corresponding number of tools is also provided at each of the tool stations.

6 shows a schematic flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. Here, after a workpiece S1 has been fed to a holding device, a processing device for sequential machining with a plurality of tool stations which are arranged on a common first pitch circle, a plurality of holding devices which are arranged on a common second pitch circle corresponding to the first pitch circle and which are each designed to feed a workpiece along the second pitch circle to a tool station, and at least three carrying devices, which are each arranged rotatably and each carry a subset of the holding devices, adjacent holding devices being carried along the second pitch circle by different carrying devices, each repeated several times sequential feeding of the workpiece S2 to the tool stations of the machining device by intermittently rotating the carrying device that carries the holding device that carries the workpiece back, and a sequential machining S3 of the workpiece by the plurality of tool stations after the respective feed until the workpiece has passed through the machining device.

In an exemplary implementation of the present invention, a device for deforming containers is provided, with a plurality of holding devices which are arranged on a common pitch circle and which feed the containers successively to different tool stations, which in turn are on the same pitch circle opposite the holding devices are arranged, the holding devices being arranged on at least three support devices.

In this case, the same number of holding devices can be attached to each carrying device at equal intervals.

It can be provided that the holding devices are arranged so that the order of the holding devices corresponds in the same order of the supporting elements on which they are attached.

Advantageously, the number of tool positions between two holding devices on a carrying device is always 1 greater than the number of supporting elements.

[0048] It is possible that the carrying devices overlap one another to perform a clocking rotation for the further transport of the containers.

It is also advantageous if the tools opposite the carrying devices are individually driven, in particular by coupling to a curve which is arranged on a rotating cam carrier, this curve has the same number of maxima and minima over the entire circumference as that Number of holding devices that are carried by a carrying device.

The movement is preferably synchronized so that the rotation processes of the carrying devices happen at the time when the coupled tool is positioned by the curve on the cam carrier in the minimum position.

CH 714 240 A2 [0051] The cam carrier preferably contains a plurality of curves with different amplitudes and possibly characteristics, wherein the tools can also be coupled to the different curves as desired.

In another exemplary implementation of the present invention, a device for forming hollow bodies is provided, with holding devices on a common pitch circle, in which the hollow bodies are held during the machining process and sequentially by clocked rotation of the support element of the holding devices to the individual on the the same pitch circle lying tool positions are transported, and tools that shape the respective hollow body by relative movement between the hollow body and the tool direction, the sum of the holding devices is formed from three and more individual carrying devices, on each of which the same number of holding devices is attached at equal intervals and which are arranged so that the order of the holding devices is always in the same order of the carrying devices on which they are attached, the number of tool positions between ischen two holding devices on a carrying device is always 1 greater than the number of carrying devices, the supporting elements overlapping one another executing a clocking rotation for the further transport of the containers; wherein the tools opposite the carrying devices are individually driven by a coupling to a curve which is arranged on a rotating cam carrier on which this curve has the same number of maxima and minima over the entire circumference as are arranged on a carrying device holding devices and wherein the movement is synchronized so that the rotation processes of the carrying devices happen at the time when the coupled tool is positioned by the curve on the cam carrier in the minimum position.

Reference symbol list [0053]

10, 20, 30, 40

100

101-104

110, 121, 132

200

201-204

210, 221

300

301-304

310, 321

400

401-404

410, 421

500

501-504

521,540, 610, 621, 710, 721,830, 831,

S1, S2

necking

Support means housing

Tool carrier housing

workpiece

infeed conveyor

discharge conveyor

Curve

support means

holder

tool carrier

support means

holder

tool carrier

support means

holder

tool carrier

support means

holder

tool carrier

support means

holder

920,931 tool carrier

Respectively

CH 714 240 A2

Claims (12)

S3 edit claims 1. Machining device (1) for sequential machining of workpieces (5), with a multiplicity of tool stations (110, 121, 132, 210, 221, 310, 321, 410, 421, 521, 540, 610, 621, 710, 721, 830, 831, 920, 931), which are arranged on a common first pitch circle, a plurality of holding devices (101-104, 201-204, 301-304, 401-404, 501-504), which are arranged on a common second pitch circle are arranged corresponding to the first pitch circle and are each designed to feed a workpiece (5) along the second pitch circle to a tool station, and at least three carrying devices (100, 200, 300, 400, 500), which are each arranged rotatably and carry a respective subset of the holding devices, adjacent holding devices being carried along the second partial circle by different carrying devices. 2. Processing device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the carrying devices each carry the same number of holding devices at the same intervals along the second pitch circle and / or wherein all holding devices (101-104) that are carried by a first carrying device (100), are each arranged along the second pitch circle in front of a holding device (501-504) which is carried by a second carrying device (500) and are each arranged behind a holding device (201-204) which is carried by a third carrying device (200) , 3. Machining device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when a first holding device (101), which is carried by a carrying device (100), is aligned with a first tool station and a second holding device (102), which is carried by the same carrying device (100) is carried adjacent to the first holding device (101), is aligned with a second tool station, the number of tool stations between the first and the second tool station along the first pitch circle is greater than the number of carrying devices of the processing device, in particular by exactly 1 greater , 4. Processing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrying devices are designed for intermittent rotation about a common axis. 5. Processing device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the support devices are arranged from a view parallel to the axis partially overlapping. 6. Machining device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the machining device is configured such that a movement provided for machining the workpiece at a respective tool station can be controlled and / or effected separately from a movement provided at another tool station. 7. Processing device (1) according to claim 6, further comprising a rotating cam carrier with at least one control cam (10, 20, 30, 40) to which a tool station for control can be coupled. 8. Processing device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the cam carrier has a plurality of control cams (10, 20, 30, 40), in particular a plurality of control cams with mutually different amplitudes and / or characteristics, the tool stations preferably each for an optional coupling to one of the Control curves are designed. 9. Processing device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the number of periods of each control curve over its entire circumference is equal to the number of holding devices which are carried by a carrying device. 10. Processing device (1) according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the processing device is configured for such a synchronized control that rotation of a carrying device takes place in a time period in which the tool stations carried by the carrying device are opposite each other outside of the Work area, especially when the tool stations are in a maximum retracted state from the holding devices. 11. Machining device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of workpieces, for the holding of which a single holding device is designed, is identical to the number of tools which are provided in a tool station. 12. Machining method for sequential machining of workpieces, with the steps Feeding (S1) a workpiece to a holding device of a processing device for sequential machining with a plurality of tool stations which are arranged on a common first pitch circle, a plurality of holding devices which are arranged on a common second pitch circle corresponding to the first pitch circle and each are designed to feed a workpiece along the second pitch circle to a tool station, and at least three carrying devices, which are each arranged rotatably and each carry a subset of the holding devices, adjacent holding devices being carried along the second pitch circle by different carrying devices, CH 714 240 A2 Sequential feeding (S2) of the workpiece to the tool stations of the machining device by intermittently rotating the carrying device that carries the holding device that carries the workpiece, and Sequential machining (S3) of the workpiece through the large number of tool stations after the respective feed.