DE29823518U1 - Edge processing device - Google Patents

Description

GRÜNECKER, KINKELDEY, STOCKMAIR & SCHV^NHÄUSStR^

A N W A L E S S O 2 I E T Y ······· .. ....

LAW FIRM MAXIMILIANSTRASSE 58 D-80538 MUNICH GERMANY

German Patent and Trademark Office

Zweibrückenstr. 12
80297 Munich

LAWYERS

MUNICH

DR. HELMUT EICHMANN

GERHARD BARTH

DR. ULRICH BLUMENRÖDER, LLM.

CHRISTA NIKLAS-FALTER

DR. MICHAEL SCHRAMM, DIPL.-PHYS.

DR. MAXIMILIAN KINKELDEY, LLM.

OF COUNSEL

PATENT ATTORNEYS

AUGUST GRÜNEECKER
DR. GUNTER BEZOLD
DR. WALTER LANGHOFF

DR. WILFRIED STOCKMAIR (-1996)

PATENT ATTORNEYS

EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS

MUNICH

DR. HERMANN KINKELDEY

DR. KLAUS SCHUMANN

PETER H. JAKOB

WOLFHARD MEISTER

HANS HILGERS

DR. HENNING MEYER-PLATH

ANNE EHNOLD

THOMAS SCHUSTER

DR. KLARA GOLDBACH

MARTIN AUFENANGER

GOTTFRIED KUTZSCH

DR. HEIKE VOGELSANG-WENKE

REINHARD KNAUER

OIETMAR KUHL

DR. FRANZ-JOSEF ZIMMER

BETTINA K. REICHELT

DR. ANTON K. PFAU

DR. UDO WEIGELT

RAINER BERTRAM

JENS KOCH, M.S. (UofPA) M.S. (ENSPM]

COLOGNE

DR. MARTIN DROPMANN

YOUR REF.

OUR REF.

G 4074 -829/il

DATE

12.02.99

2.) Application documents to be registered for a branched utility model (German translation of EP 98830648.6)

Applicant:

SCM Group S.p.A. Via Emilia, 77 I- 47900 Rimini Italy

Title:

Edge processing device

MAXIMILIANSTRASSE 58 D-80538 MUNICH

TEL 089/21 23 50 FAX (Gr. 3) 089 / 22 02 87, (Gr. 4) 089 / 21 86 92 93 http://www.grunecker.de- e-mail: postmaster@grunecker.de KAISER-WILHELM-RING 13 D-S0672 COLOGNE

TEL 0221 / 94 97 22 0 FAX (Gr. 3) 0221 / 94 97 22 2

e-mail: dropmann@grunecker.de

DEUTSCHE BANK MUNICH NO. 17 51734 BLZ 700 700 10 SWIFT: DEUT DE MM

Edge processing device

The present invention relates to an edge processing device, in particular for applying a strip of material (generally synthetic) to the edges or border of a panel.

The above-mentioned pieces of wood, whether solid or processed, such as compacted wood chips, or even made of plastic material, are widely used to form panels for table tops, furniture, compartments or the like and can have different sizes and different perimeter configurations depending on the requirements of the market or the specific use for which such a panel is intended.

Current methods for applying the above-mentioned edge strip show, in a first solution, a continuous movement of the panel along a series of stations arranged one behind the other, during which the strip or band intended to define the edge is applied by hot-gluing, possibly trimmed and finished.

This method is used when a large number of panels have a rectilinear border (i.e., square-shaped panels) and with machines of a type known as "transfer type" or in-line or transport machines, where the panel moves continuously along a rectilinear direction and through a succession of stations to enable the strip to be applied, trimmed or finished, whereby passes can be repeated many times according to the narrow sides of the panel to be obtained.

If, instead, the panel has a border with an irregular or not completely straight profile or has recesses or rounded corners (such as panels whose profile is circular, elliptical or similar), it is also necessary

to apply a continuous strip covering the entire periphery of the panel, there is a need to operate machines constructed differently from those mentioned above and of particular interest for this description. For this purpose, solutions are already known with machines such as those disclosed in EP 276 358. There, a fixed station is used to which the panel is fixed in place, while a carriage with an arm for supporting feeders that apply the edge covering strip and machine the edge moves along two controlled axes, the X and Y axes, as well as above and perpendicular to the plane of the panel to apply the strip along the periphery of the panel itself.

A second known solution is disclosed in WO 97/05993. The panel is picked up outside the machine and positioned inside the machine on a working plane that is rotatable about its vertical axis (Z). In the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the working plane, machining stations are positioned for milling, edging, beveling, edging or the like. These stations are reached when appropriate and by means of a movement along the X-axis of the machine, the working plane placing the edge of the panel in contact with the station in question, then initiating rotation and allowing the machining units to follow and work on the profile of the panel.

However, such solutions have some disadvantages.

The first solution has a low productivity per unit of time and is relatively expensive, since the arm carrying the machining groups and devices must necessarily perform a large number of closely spaced operations in sequence. This makes the overall process very slow. The second solution mentioned requires a very large load-bearing structure and the machining stations must be controlled by automatic systems with extremely complex microprocessor-based control systems, since the working points are arranged in polar coordinates instead of Cartesian coordinates. In addition, it should be noted that the

The plane movements required to move the plate to the machining station determine an extremely slow and not always precise machining cycle.

The object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing an edge processing device which carries out processing operations on the edge and applies the cover strip with high accuracy and quality, while simultaneously doing so at high speed.

The technical characteristics of the invention corresponding to the object result clearly from the content of the claims and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description with reference to the attached figures, which represent an embodiment to be understood as a non-limiting example.

Show it:

Fig. 1 shows an edge processing device according to the present invention in a schematic plan view, with some parts removed for a better illustration of other parts;

Fig. 2 the machine according to Fig. 1 in a schematic front view from direction A according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the device from direction B in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4-9 different phases of applying and processing an edge strip on a single plate with the device according to the previous figures, each in a schematic plan view, and

and 11 show corresponding simultaneous working phases with two plates, i.e. when the working processes are carried out in parallel with the devices according to Fig. 1 and 2 in a schematic plan view.

According to the figures of the accompanying drawing and with particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the edge processing device is used for applying an edge strip 5 to narrow sides or edges 6 to pieces of wood, plastic or similar material, in a panel configuration 1 which is intended to form pieces of furniture or the like on its own or in combination with other panels.

In particular, the device is preferably usable for applying edge strips on panels with profiles that are not completely straight, i.e. have round corners, recesses or the like, or for example on panels with a circular, elliptical, trapezoidal configuration or the like. The edge processing device comprises in simplified form (not shown here) a single plane 3 for supporting a panel 1 and a device 4 for applying an edge strip 5 by means of hot gluing to edges 6 of the panel 1 and a device 7 for processing, for example by bending or trimming, the strip 5 that covers the edges themselves. With the device 7 for processing the strip 5, a further device 30 for processing the panel edge 6 can be combined. In practice, such a device 30 is realized by a milling head, for example for milling and contouring the edge 6 and is shown in dashed form in the block that determines the unit of the device 7 for machining the strip 5, whereby, by design and by way of example, two different and interchangeable tools can be used within the same working unit and kept ready by a known tool magazine.

Such a device 4 for applying the strip 5 and the combination between device 30 and device 7 for milling the edge 6 and trimming the strip 5 are shown in two simple blocks intended to determine the working units as defined below. Such devices are known per se and strictly speaking do not form part of the invention.

Fig. 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment of the device in which two supporting planes 3 and 12 are parallel to each other in order to horizontally support respective plates 1 and T on which work is to be carried out.

Such two support planes 3 and 12 and working units 4, 7 and 30 can be moved relative to each other along a first and second axis (X and Y) which are perpendicular to each other. These axes essentially coincide with the longitudinal axis (X) and the transverse axis (Y) of the device (see Fig. 1).

More precisely, the planes 3 and 12 for supporting the respective plates 1 and T can slide along one of the axes of movement (in the case shown along the transverse axis Y) in both directions thereof and along a straight line. In practice, such planes 3 and 12, shown here only as an example, can be positioned on respective fixed structures 20, 21 supported on a ground plane P and equipped with further guides (not shown here) to allow the planes 3 and 12 to slide along the Y direction. Obviously, to simplify the construction, the fixed structures 20 and 21 can be realized in a single body, as shown in the dashed line in Fig. 2.

A bridge structure 8 from Fig. 1 and 2 comprises a beam 9 which extends along the other axis of movement, i.e. the longitudinal axis X, and is arranged above the support planes 3 and 12. Such a beam 9, which is supported on two vertical columns 22 and 23 integral with the floor plane P, supports the above-mentioned unit and unit combination 7, 30. These can slide in both directions by means of first guides 10 along this beam, i.e. along the X-axis with respect to the support planes 3 and 12.

The preceding units 4 and 7, 30 are independently movable along the support 9 so that, if necessary, they can work simultaneously on different plates 1 and 1' arranged on the two support planes 3 and 12, as will be explained in more detail below.

The simultaneous operation of the two units 4 and 7, 30 is possible due to the placement of the units themselves in opposite areas of the carrier 9 in order to enable a straight-line movement without mutual influence of the two units 4 and 7, 30.

In addition to these working units 4 and 7, 30, a unit 13 and 15 is preferably provided for connecting the corresponding loose ends 5a of the corresponding stiffeners 5 applied to the edges 6 of the plates 1 and 1'. Each of these connecting units 13, 15 is associated with a corresponding support plane 3, 12.

In detail, each of the connecting units 13 and 15 is mounted on a respective head edge 3a, 12a of the respective support plane 3, 12. Each unit 13, 15 can slide along said edge 3a, 12a and along an axis X' parallel to the above-mentioned longitudinal axis X of the device 2 by means of respective second guides 14 and 16. This allows them to be positioned in an area of the same plate according to a presettable processing point where the loose ends 5a of the applied strip 5 are to be connected.

The movements of the units 4, 7, 30, 13 and 15, as described so far, and of the support planes 3 and 12 are achieved by means of controlled axes subordinate to a control device 11, such as a microprocessor or a control unit (CNC) with numerical control. This allows, in succession, the edge or border 6 of the corresponding plate 1, 1' to be milled to size (device 30), the edge strip 5 to be applied (device 4), the strip to be joined (unit 13 or 15) and finished (device 7) on the plate 1 by carrying out controlled movements along the two axes X and Y according to the contour formed by the plate or plates 1, 1'.

According to Fig. 1 and 2, a unit 31 is used to store strips 5 of different widths, depending on the thickness of the plate or panel 1 that is to be covered, whereby different colors of material are also stored. The unit 31 is located next to the

Carrier 9 is arranged to enable the device 4 for applying the strip 5 to pull the strip in question from the storage unit. In the example shown, the storage unit 31 is preferably arranged laterally to the support plane 3 in order to simplify the approach and removal of the strip 5 by means of the unit, which in such a case is provided with a corresponding gripping device (not shown).

Along the external structure of this storage unit 31, the horizontal support 9 is provided with devices 32 for hanging and guiding the strip 5, which are used during the movement along the X-axis of the device 4 for applying the strip 5. Preferably, see also Fig. 3, such a hanging device 32 should comprise a plurality of horizontal shafts 33 parallel to each other and provided with a respective ring 34 corresponding to their ends through which the strip 5 passes. The shafts 33 are limited to and can slide in two directions along the support 9 and are connected to the application device. In other words, the shafts 34 follow in two directions the movement of the unit 4 along the support 9 in order to be able to continuously support the strip 5, which is unwound on the support 9 according to the position of the application unit 4.

In practice, the device according to the present invention operates in the following manner, starting from a starting configuration of the working cycle and a single plate 1 arranged on the support plane 3.

The support plane 3 with the plate 1 initially moves in the direction of the arrow Y1 in Fig. 4 to a point where it is intercepted by the control of the device 11 by the units 30, 7, the device 30 for milling and contouring the edge 6 of the plate 1 being selected (also by device 11) and active. Such a device 30 will, by numerical control, follow the contour of the plate 1 by moving along the X-axis and will machine a region of the edge itself (see Fig. 4) up to a point where the plate 1 is almost completely below the support 9, i.e. the plate 1 is maximally distant from the device 30. At this point, always maintaining contact between the edge or border 6 and the

Device 30 is maintained, the plate 3 changes its direction of movement (see arrow Y2 in Fig. 5) and enables machining of the remaining area of the edge 6.

Once this milling operation, which enables the panel 1 to be contoured or milled, has been completed, the plane 3 continues to move in the direction Y1 so that the device 4 can be brought closer to the panel 1 and can start applying the strip 5, which has already been previously drawn from the storage unit 31. Again, as in the previous step, the contour of the moving panel 1 is followed, see Fig. 6. When the point of maximum distance between the panel 1 and the device 4 is reached, at least half of the contour of the panel itself should have been machined, the movement of the plane 3 (see Fig. 7) is reversed in the direction Y2. This allows the unit 4 to complete the application of the strip 5 over the entire edge 6.

The plane 3 then moves again in the direction Y1, see Fig. 8, to bring the panel 1 towards the units 7, 30, the control device 11 having selected and activated the device 7 for processing the strip 5. The device 7 then finishes the strip 5, which has already been applied by a second pass in the direction Y2, see also Fig. 9. As Fig. 8 shows, as soon as the unit 4 finishes applying the strip 5 and no longer intercepts the panel 1, the joining unit 13 is activated to enable the ends 5a of the strip 5 to be correctly joined, before this area of the strip 5 is processed by the trimming unit 7, this operation only being carried out in the case of edge processing of more than 360°. Obviously, when the trimming process of the edge strip 5 on the panel 1 is completed, i.e. when the support plane 3 is in the starting area of the work cycle, the panel 1 can be removed from the plane 3 to start a new work cycle.

Immediately after starting the work cycle on the plate 1, as described so far, a plate 11 can be positioned for machining on the level 12 next to the level 3. In this way, at the time when the device 30 finishes milling the plate ¹ , the latter can be moved on the command of the device 11 and start milling the second plate 1' directly above the level 12, which has a different

• «

can have a contour to the first plate, while the unit 4 starts to apply the strip 5 to the plate 1, which rests on the level 3, see Fig. 10, and is already milled.

Once this work cycle has been started, units 4 and 7, 30 change their machining position at the moment they finish machining the corresponding panels 1 and 1', see Fig. 11, where unit 7 machines panel 1 and unit 4 machines panel V. In this way, the idle times of each unit or device, which could occur when machining only one panel, are used for work, ie machining/trimming and milling operations on panels 1 and 1' are carried out "in parallel".

A device with such a design meets the set objectives thanks to its extremely compact structure with reduced processing times and yet excellent final results. The design allows the activity of each individual processing unit to be optimized to the utmost, eliminating idle times and significantly improving overall processing efficiency.

The movement along two controlled axes X and Y, divided between the plane and the machining units, allows a simplification of the programming system of the device in relation to the electronic memory of the contour of the panel to be machined and also allows simultaneous machining of two panels with different contours.

The invention presented may have various modifications and variations within the scope of protection. Furthermore, all components may be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims (15)

-Patent claims 1, Device for processing edges of panels (1) made of wood, plastic materials or the like with at least one support plane (3) for supporting the panel (1), at least one device (4) for applying an edge strip (5) by means of gluing to narrow sides or a border (6) of the panel (1) and a device (7) for processing the strip (5) applied to cover the border (6), wherein the at least one support plane (3) and the at least one device (4) for applying as well as the device (7) for processing the strip (6) are movable relative to one another along a first and second axis (X, Y) ₁ which are perpendicular to one another, characterized in that the at least one support plane (3) for supporting the panel (1) is movable along one of the movement axes (Y) in both directions thereof and along a straight line; the device has a bridge structure (8) with a carrier (9) which extends along the other axis of movement (X) above and transversely to the support plane (3), and the at least one device (4) for applying the strip (5) and the device (7) for processing the same strip are mounted so as to be movable in both directions by means of a first guide (10) along the carrier, ie along the other axis (X) with respect to the support plane (3), and the device has a control device (11) for controlling the at least one support plane (3) and the device (4) for applying and the device (7) for processing, by means of which the edge strip (5) can be applied successively and the strip itself can be finished on the plate (1) as a result of controlled movements along the two axes (X, Y) as a function of the contour of the plate (1). 2. Device for processing edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the device comprises a device (30) for processing the edge . lation (6) of the plate (1) which is associated with the carrier (9) and is movable along the movement axis (X) of the device (4, 7) for applying and processing the strip (5) and is controlled by the control device (11). 3. Device for machining edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the device comprises a device (30) for machining the border (6) of the panel (1), which is associated with the carrier (9) and is movable along the axis of movement (X) of the device (4, 7) for applying and machining the strip (5), which device (30) for machining the border (6) is movable with and combined with the device for machining the strip (5) and is controlled by the control device (11) in such a way that the same border of the panel (1) can be machined before the strip (5) is applied and before it is machined. 4. Device for machining edges according to claim 3, characterized in that the device (30) for machining the border (6) of the plate (1) has a milling device for machining the border (6). 5. Device for machining edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the device has at least two independent support planes (3, 12) arranged parallel to each other and below the support (9), whereby the corresponding panels (1, V) ₁ carried by the support planes (3, 12) can be machined by at least the device (4) for applying and the device (7) for machining the edge strip (5). 6. Device for processing edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one device (4) for applying and the device (7) for processing the edge strip (5) are movable along the carrier (9) and are movable independently of one another with respect to the axis (X). 7. Device for processing edges according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one device (4) for applying and the device (7) for processing the edge strip (5) are movable independently of one another along the carrier (9) and with respect to the axis (X), wherein at the same time corresponding plates (1, 1') on the two support planes (3, 12) can be processed in parallel arrangement by applying and processing the strip (5). 8. Device for processing edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one device (4) for applying and the device (7) for processing the edge strip (5) are arranged in opposite regions of the carrier (9). 9. Device for processing edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one support plane (3) is assigned a device (13) for connecting the loose ends of the strip (5) on the edge (6) of the plate (1) and is controlled by the control device (11). 10. Device for processing edges according to claim 9, characterized in that the device (13) for connecting the loose ends of the strip (5) is connected to a head edge (3a) of the at least one support plane (3) and is movable along the head itself and parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the device (2) by means of a second guide (14), whereby the device itself can be arranged in a region of the same plane depending on a predetermined processing point at which the ends of the strips (5) are to be connected. 11. Device for processing edges according to claim 5, characterized in that the pair of support planes (12) are assigned corresponding devices (13, 15) for connecting corresponding loose ends of the strips (5) on the borders (6) of corresponding panels (1, 1') and these can be controlled by the control device (11). 12. Device for processing edges according to claim 11, characterized in that each of the means (13, 15) for connecting the loose ends (5a) of the strip (5) is connected to a corresponding head edge (3a, 12a) of each support plane (3, 13) and is arranged along the same edge and parallel to a longitudinal axis (X') of the device (2) is movable by means of a second guide (14, 16), whereby the devices themselves can be arranged in a region of the same plane depending on predetermined working points for connecting the free ends (5a) of the strip (5). 13. Device for processing edges according to claim 1, characterized in that the device has a device (31) for storing the strips (5), which is arranged in the vicinity of the carrier (9) and from which the strip (5) can be removed by the device (5) for applying the strip itself. 14. Device for processing edges according to claims 1 and 13, characterized in that the horizontal support (9) is provided with a device (32) for suspending the strip (5) according to the axis of movement (X) of the device (4) for applying the strip (5). 15. Device for working edges according to claim 14, characterized in that the suspension device (32) has a plurality of shafts (33) with an adapted ring (34) at one of its ends, through which the strip (5) is passed, the plurality of shafts (33) being movable in both directions along the carrier (9) and restricted to this movement and being connected to the device (4) for applying the strip, the strip (5) being suspended from the carrier (9) according to the position of the device (4) for applying the strip (5).