DE9409954U1 - Ironing device - Google Patents

Description

TER MEER - MÜLLER -STONEMASTER & GARDENER -2-

Harald ENGEL 20.6.1994

Description &igr;

The invention relates to an ironing device according to the preamble of claim 1, with a fixed lower mold plate and an upper mold plate that can be raised and lowered vertically relative thereto.

Commonly known ironing devices, i.e. ironing machines, consist

from a lower mold plate and a movable upper mold plate. When the upper mold plate is in a loading position, the lower mold plate is freely accessible so that the ironing material can be placed on it. In this loading position, the upper mold plate is lifted off the lower mold plate in a vertical direction and - for better accessibility - pivoted away from it or moved away in a horizontal direction. After the ironing material has been placed on top, the upper mold plate is then moved again in a horizontal direction to a position above the lower mold plate - vertically aligned with it - and then guided vertically onto the lower mold plate so that the ironing material lying between them can be ironed.

To achieve satisfactory cycle times during ironing, the upper form plate must be moved at high speed, which, given the usual mass of the form plates (more than 50 kg), leads to enormous forces during acceleration and braking, which must be absorbed by the guides or the frame of the ironing machine. In conventional ironing machines, it is usual to arrange the guides below the lower plate for reasons of space. This sometimes means that a large path is taken for the forces generated during braking or acceleration, whereby this large force transmission path acts like a lever arm and can amplify the forces acting. In order to absorb the increased forces, additional reinforcements in the frame are then necessary. On the other hand, for reasons of dynamics, the large forces limit the speed of movement, which can sometimes lead to unsatisfactory cycle times during ironing.

TER MEER - MÜLLER - STEINMEISTER & F ³ ARfNER -3-

Handd ANGEL : 20.6.1994

The invention is based on the object of specifying an ironing device in which the occurrence of excessively large forces when moving the mold plates is avoided and thus high working speeds can be achieved.

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The solution to the problem is specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims. ~ ........ __._

An ironing device according to the invention with a fixed lower mold plate and an upper mold plate that can be raised and lowered vertically relative to it is characterized by a frame with spaced-apart horizontal linear guides arranged above the center of gravity of the upper mold plate for horizontally moving the upper mold plate between a loading position and a working position in vertical alignment with the lower mold plate.

Because the center of gravity of the movable upper mold plate is below the linear guides, a stable state is achieved in contrast to conventional technology. The linear guides can be positioned very close to the point of force introduction, i.e. the ironing surface of the upper mold plate, which results in short force paths and therefore short levers. The linear guides located above also enable the attachment of protective covers or light barriers in order to avoid dangerous interventions by the operating personnel.

In a very advantageous embodiment of the invention, the horizontal linear guides are each separated at their ends by mutually protruding

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the identical side supports. JSr,

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Because the side supports are identical and can be separated from the linear guides, the entire frame can be designed very easily as a modular system and thus easily adapted for different ironing machine sizes. The side supports are designed as one

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TERMEER-MÜLLER-STE1NMEISTER& PARTNER -4-

Harald ENGEL ; 20.6.1994

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a uniform design. The linear guides can be adjusted to the required length and inserted between the side supports.

Preferably, the side supports are welded from shaped tubes. The supply lines for the vertical drive of the upper mold plate and other supply lines can be led through the shaped tubes, which are very stable, easy to work with and inexpensive.
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The invention and advantageous details are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings in exemplary embodiments. They show:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an ironing device according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of the ironing device, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an ironing device.

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Figures 1, 2 and 3 show different views of an ironing device, i.e. an ironing machine with the frame according to the invention. Since the figures each show the same ironing machine - albeit in different views - the figures are described together.

The ironing machine has a lower mold plate 1 and an upper mold plate 2, which can be moved between a loading position 2a, a working position 2b in vertical alignment with the lower mold plate 1 and an ironing position 2c. To do this, the upper mold plate 2 is first pushed horizontally from the loading position 2a into the working position 2b above the lower mold plate 1 by means of a horizontal thrust cylinder 3 and then lowered by a vertical cylinder 4 onto the lower mold plate 1, onto which an item to be ironed (not shown) has previously been placed.

TER MEER - MÜLLER - STONE MASTER & PARTNER -5-

Harald ENGEL 20.6.1994

was laid. The ironing process then takes place in a known manner using a certain temperature, a certain pressure and, if necessary, steam. The horizontal thrust cylinder 3 used to move the upper mold 2 and the vertical cylinder 4 are designed as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. It is also possible to replace the cylinders 3, 4 with electric motor drives with corresponding gears.

To absorb the ironing forces , the lower mold plate is held on a lower mold carrier 5.

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According to the invention, the frame supporting the upper mold plate 2 has two side supports 6a and 6b, which are welded from shaped metal tubes or consist of plastic. The side supports 6a and 6b are identical, which means that the number of different parts in the bracket device can be reduced and frames of different sizes can be built from a modular system. The side supports 6a and 6b are connected to one another in the lower area by base supports 7 and in their upper area they have linear guides 8a and 8b which are screwed onto the side supports 6a and 6b and protected by plastic covers. The base supports 7 and the linear guides 8a and 8b are essentially the same length. By connecting the supports 7 and the linear guides 8a and 8b to the side supports 6a and 6b, an approximately cube-shaped frame is created which is characterized by high stability, low weight and high variability.

The side supports 6a and 6b made of shaped tubes or plastic can advantageously have hollow spaces through which supply lines for the ironing machine, such as hydraulic or pneumatic lines for the vertical cylinder 4 or electrical lines for pressure or temperature controls, are led. _; ..

The linear guides 8a and 8b are made of metal tube material or suitable profiles. Since the tubes or profiles have their

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TER MEER- MÜLLER - STONE MEISTER &PARTNER; -6-

Harald ENGEL . . ■ ■ -- - — - 20.6.1994

Length have a constant cross-section, their length can be easily varied by cutting the tubes or profiles and adapted to the needs or the size of the ironing machine.

A horizontally movable linear carriage 9 is mounted on the linear guides 8a and 8b and serves as a support for the upper mold plate 2 and the vertical cylinder 4. The linear carriage 9 is driven by the horizontal thrust cylinder 3 and moves on the linear guides 8a and 8b in a horizontal direction between the loading position 2a and the working position 2b above the lower mold plate 1 between the ironing processes and thus moves the upper mold plate 2 horizontally. ;-

The linear carriage 9 has rollers or sliding guides (not shown) that can roll or slide on the fixed linear guides 8a and 8b.

The linear carriage 9 is mounted on the linear guides 8a and 8b in such a way that vertical forces in both directions, ie both the weight of the linear carriage 9 and the elements attached to it, as well as the pressure force that occurs during ironing and is opposite to the force of gravity, are absorbed. ;^

Because the upper mold plate 2 with its center of gravity is always located below the linear carriage 9 and the linear guides 8a and 8b, a stable equilibrium is created, which together with the

short force transmission paths increase the stability of the frame. In this way, it is possible to achieve working speeds in an ironing machine with the frame according to the invention that are approximately twice as high as in ironing machines with conventional frames. For example, a working speed of 0.5 m/s is given for a mold plate weight of 80 kg to be moved.

TER MEER - MÜLLER - STEINMEISTER & PARTNER " ⁷ "

Harald ENGEL , - - 20.6.1994

To increase stability, it is possible to additionally support the linear guides 8a and 8b by lateral supports 10.

The machine can be completely protected against external interference using covers, panels or similar devices made of metal or plastic, as well as light barriers. This prevents the operating personnel from endangering themselves by interfering with the machine.

The following briefly describes the ironing process:^ ₌

First, the ironing machine is in the loading state, i.e., the upper mold plate 2 is in the loading position |2a and the lower mold plate 1 is freely accessible. The ironing material (not shown) is placed on the lower mold plate 1 and the ironing machine is put into operation. The shutters or light barriers (not shown) are activated and the horizontal thrust cylinder 3 is operated so that the upper mold plate 2, together with the vertical cylinder 4 and the linear carriage 9, move horizontally on the linear guides 8a and 8b into the working position 2b above the lower mold plate 1. From there, the vertical cylinder 4 generates a vertical movement of the upper mold plate 2 downwards onto the lower mold plate 1 and the ironing material is ironed. The vertical stroke through the vertical cylinder 4 is very small (slightly larger than the thickness of the material being ironed). In this way, the speed of ironing is further increased and the stability of the frame is improved, since the height of the center of gravity of the elements to be moved (upper mold plate 2, vertical cylinder 4, linear carriage 9) hardly changes.

One reason for the high working speeds is that, due to the design of the frame, essentially no masses have to be moved vertically - apart from the small vertical stroke when ironing.

Claims (5)

TER MEER - MÜLLER - SiTEINMEiSTER & PARTNER -8" Harald ENGEL \ ...... 20.6.1994 PROTECTION CLAIMS 1. Ironing device with a fixed lower mold plate (1) and an upper mold plate (2) which can be raised and lowered vertically relative thereto, characterized by a frame (6a, 6b, 7, 8a, 8b) with spaced-apart horizontal linear guides (8a, 8b) arranged above the center of gravity of the upper mold plate (2) for horizontally moving the upper mold plate (2) between a loading position (2a) and a working position (2b) in vertical alignment with the lower mold plate (1). 2. Ironing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal linear guides (8b, 8b) are each held at their ends by opposite, identical side supports (6a, 6b). t". ' 3. Ironing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the side supports (6a, 6b) can be produced from shaped tubes J 4. Ironing device according to claim 3, characterized in that supply lines for the ironing machine are provided through the shaped tubes. are feasible. .£ ti 5. Ironing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper mold (2) is horizontally movable by at least one hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.