EP0340065A1 - Method and installation for piling sheets produced by a shear, particularly from a sheet-metal-strip - Google Patents

Method and installation for piling sheets produced by a shear, particularly from a sheet-metal-strip Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0340065A1
EP0340065A1 EP89400997A EP89400997A EP0340065A1 EP 0340065 A1 EP0340065 A1 EP 0340065A1 EP 89400997 A EP89400997 A EP 89400997A EP 89400997 A EP89400997 A EP 89400997A EP 0340065 A1 EP0340065 A1 EP 0340065A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conveyor
blanks
cutting machine
stacking device
stacking
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP89400997A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0340065B1 (en
Inventor
Jacques Blondel
Joel Havez
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DUJARDIN MONTBARD SOMENOR
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DUJARDIN MONTBARD SOMENOR
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Publication of EP0340065A1 publication Critical patent/EP0340065A1/en
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Publication of EP0340065B1 publication Critical patent/EP0340065B1/en
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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/16Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by contact of one face only with moving tapes, bands, or chains
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21DWORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D43/00Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
    • B21D43/20Storage arrangements; Piling or unpiling
    • B21D43/22Devices for piling sheets
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21DWORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D43/00Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
    • B21D43/28Associations of cutting devices therewith
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/26Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by dropping the articles
    • B65H29/30Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by dropping the articles from magnetic holders

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to installations for cutting blanks from a strip, in particular a sheet metal strip, by means of a shear or a press, and relates more particularly to the means for stacking these blanks with the output from the cutting machine.
  • the blanks leaving the cutting machine are brought to the stacking device either by gravity, by sliding on an inclined plane, or by means of a continuous conveyor, for example a magnetic belt conveyor which releases the blanks in flight over the stacker.
  • the blanks are stopped by stops of the stacking device which allow, with lateral guides, to correctly position the blanks so that they can be stacked.
  • the friction of blanks on the conveyors and the shocks against the stops and guides may cause unacceptable damage.
  • the object of the present invention is to reduce the friction of the blanks on the carriers, guides and stops, to avoid scratches on the blanks and the deterioration of the belts and to suppress the shocks against the guides and stops to avoid the "stampings" on the blanks, which makes it possible to reach the "zero defect" objective or at least to achieve a significant gain by avoiding retouching.
  • the invention also makes it possible to suppress the noise originating from the impacts of the blanks arriving high speed in conventional inertia stackers, to increase staff safety and increase productivity thanks to the automatic adjustment of all parameters: rate, positions of guides and stops, etc. from an introduced "part code" by an operator.
  • the blanks are transported from the cutting machine to the stacking device by means of a cyclic conveyor whose rate is the same as that of the cutting machine and whose pitch is equal to one submultiple of the distance separating the cutting machine from the stacking device, and the blanks of the conveyor are transferred to the stacking device when the conveyor is stopped.
  • the pitch of the conveyor is determined as a function of the longitudinal dimension, measured in the direction of movement, of the blanks. The difference between the pitch and this dimension of the blanks corresponds to the spacing between two successive blanks on the conveyor.
  • said conveyor is switched on, at each cycle, before the device for feeding the cutting machine, the instant of starting of the conveyor and the variation as a function of time of its speed being chosen so that that the distance traveled by said conveyor when the blank leaving the cutting machine is loaded on the conveyor is equal to the desired spacing between the blanks.
  • the characteristics of the first part of the conveyor's walking cycle are chosen so that its speed is equal to that of the feeder of the cutting machine when the blank leaving the machine is taken over by the conveyor ; from this instant and until the end of the cycle the speeds of the conveyor and of the feeding device of the cutting machine are maintained equal.
  • an endless belt conveyor may be used, the ends of which extend, respectively, above the output table of the cutting machine and above the stacking device. and comprising electromagnetic or pneumatic means making it possible to press the blanks under the lower strand of the strip and to keep them there over the entire path of the conveyor, these means being able to be made inactive to allow the blanks to fall onto the stacking device.
  • the conveyor will be controlled by an automaton according to a program developed by a computer from data, entered by an operator, relating to the dimensions and the shape of the blanks and according to the cycle of the cutting machine.
  • the positioning of the guides and stops of the stacking device will be automated and controlled by the computer.
  • the conveyor is formed of two parallel bands placed side by side and whose head drums can be moved individually in the longitudinal direction, to adapt to a cutting plane of the cutting machine making an angle other than 90 ° with the direction of movement of the blanks.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 The installation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists essentially of an endless belt conveyor 10 and a stacking device 12.
  • the conveyor 10 comprises a chassis 14 which is mounted on horizontal slides allowing its movement longitudinal. These slides are fixed, on the one hand, to the frame of the cutting machine 16 and, on the other hand, to the chassis of the stacking device. The conveyor can be moved on these slides by means of screw jacks interposed between the chassis of the stacking device and the adjacent end of the chassis 14.
  • Two endless belts 18 are mounted side by side on the frame 14 and are stretched between head drums 20 and 22, the drum 20 adjacent to the stacking device being driven by a variable speed motor.
  • the lower strand of these bands which is horizontal, slides on the underside of non-magnetic stainless steel soles, above which magnets are placed.
  • the end of the conveyor overhangs the output table of the machine 16, the lower strands of the bands being a short distance from the table, so that the blanks leaving the machine are attracted by the magnets and pressed under the bands.
  • the magnets located in the first part of the conveyor, between the machine 16 and the stacking device can be permanent magnets or electromagnets. Above the stacking device, the conveyor is equipped with electromagnets which can be de-energized to drop the blanks on the stack being formed in the device.
  • the inside of the strips is smooth to facilitate sliding on the floors while their outside is striated to facilitate the fall of the blanks.
  • the head drum 22, adjacent to the machine 16, of at least one of the bands can be moved, by means of a jack, relative to the chassis of the conveyor, to modify the relative useful lengths of the two bands and allow better taking blanks whose front edge is biased (blanks in the shape of a triangle or trapezoid).
  • the stacking device comprises a raised frame 24 located below the conveyor 10, a short distance from the lower strand of the strips.
  • This frame carries front and rear stops 26 and 28 and lateral guides which are linked to the frame 24 by jacks making it possible to move them horizontally to adapt their positions to the dimensions of the blanks; these jacks also allow the stops 26 and 28 to be oriented in a horizontal plane.
  • the stacking device further comprises a lifting table 32 and two self-driving carriages 34 movable on rails 36 and each carrying a motorized roller tray 38 intended to receive the pallet 40.
  • the carriages are constituted by a frame on wheels with inside which the tray of the lifting table can pass so that it is possible to lift the tray 38 and the pallet which it carries, without lifting the carriage.
  • the carriages can be moved back and forth between the stacking device and two positions located on either side of it and for which the roller plates 38 are aligned with conveyors serving to bring the empty pallets and to evacuate the full pallets.
  • An indexing device is provided on the lifting table to correctly position the pallets according to the positions of the stops 26 and 28 and the lateral guides. A rotation of the pallet is also possible to obtain different positions of the blanks on the latter.
  • the machine 16 is equipped with a conventional feeding device bringing a sheet metal strip step by step under the tool of the machine, the advance being made between two cuts, at a predetermined rate.
  • the operation of the conveyor 10 is cyclical and its period is the same as that of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16. It is controlled by an automaton 42 according to a program preset by a computer 44 according to the dimensions of the blanks 30 and of the operating cycle of the device for supplying the sheets to the machine 16. Before the machine 16 starts, the computer 44 also determines, as a function of the same parameters, the positions of the stops 26 and 28 and of the lateral guides and control moving them to bring them into these positions.
  • Figure 3 shows the variations over time speeds of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16 (upper curve) and of the conveyor 10 (lower curve).
  • one of the objects of the invention is to be able to drop the blanks above the stacking device with zero speed so as to avoid impacts against the stops.
  • the pitch of the conveyor 10 is a submultiple of the distance separating the machine 16 from the stacking device or more precisely the distance between the front stop 26 of the stacking device and the front edge of the last blank out of the machine 16.
  • This pitch as well as the position of the stops 26 and 28 are determined by the computer 44 as a function of the length of the blanks. It is greater than the pitch of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16, which means that the blanks will be spaced apart longitudinally from one another on the conveyor.
  • the conveyor 10 starts (instant A) before the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16, either at the end of cutting as in the example in FIG. 3, or with a certain delay .
  • the speed of the conveyor increases to the value V1 with a constant acceleration equal to that of the feeding device.
  • V1 is the speed of the feed device when the blank leaving the machine 16 is gripped by the transporter. The blank cannot be entered by the transporter only after it has been pushed a certain distance out of the machine by the feeding device; it is then driven by speed V1.
  • the speed of the conveyor 10 is then kept constant until the supply device reaches speed V1 (instant B), so that the blank and the conveyor have the same speed when the first is taken over by the second. From this moment, the conveyor 10 and the feed device move in synchronism until the stop. Before the conveyor 10 has completely stopped, the electromagnets placed above the stacking device are de-energized so that, given their hysteresis, the force of attraction exerted on the blank is canceled out when it is located above this device. The blank is then perfectly centered relative to the stops 26 and 28 and its speed is zero so that it falls on the stack supported by the pallet without hitting the stops.
  • the computer 44 also controls, via a programmable controller, the movements of the lifting table 32 and the carriages 34 of the stacking device.
  • the speed of the conveyor 10 is measured by means of two pulse generators placed, respectively, on the motor drum 20 and on an idler roller in contact with the strips; by comparing the indications of the two generators, we can detect the sliding of the bands on the drum and correct the speed of the conveyor to maintain a constant pitch.
  • the conveyor 10 and the cutting machine 16 are arranged in line.
  • the conveyor could however form any angle with the direction of travel of the sheet metal strip in the cutting machine, which could be equipped with a blank removal device.
  • the conveyor could be formed of several elements arranged in line or forming between them any angle.
  • a pneumatic system may be used to apply the blanks to the conveyor belts which must be permeable.
  • Other types of known carriers could moreover be used for the implementation of the invention. It is understood that these modifications as well as all those resulting from the substitution of technical means equivalent to those described fall within the scope of the present invention.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)
  • Discharge By Other Means (AREA)
  • Pile Receivers (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to the stacking of blanks at the output of a cutting machine. In order to eliminate the friction of the blanks on the conveyors and the impacts of the blanks against the stops, the blanks are transferred from the cutting machine (16) to the stacking device (12) by means of a conveyor (10) having a periodic operation whose rate is the same as that of the cutting machine and whose periodicity is equal to a sub-multiple of the distance separating the cutting machine from the stacking device, and the blanks are transferred from the conveyor to the stacking device when the conveyor is stationary. <IMAGE>

Description

La présente invention concerne les installations de découpage de flans à partir d'une bande, notamment d'une bande de tôle, au moyen d'une cisaille ou d'une presse, et a trait plus particulièrement aux moyens pour empiler ces flans à la sortie de la machine de découpage.The present invention relates to installations for cutting blanks from a strip, in particular a sheet metal strip, by means of a shear or a press, and relates more particularly to the means for stacking these blanks with the output from the cutting machine.

Actuellement, les flans sortant de la machine de découpage sont amenés au dispositif d'empilage soit par gravité, en glissant sur un plan incliné, soit au moyen d'un transporteur à marche continue, par exemple un transporteur à bande magnétique qui lâche les flans au vol au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage. Dans tous les cas, les flans sont arrêtés par des butées du dispositif d'empilage qui permettent, avec des guides latéraux, de positionner correctement les flans de façon à pouvoir les empiler. Les frottements de flans sur les transporteurs et les chocs contre les butées et les guides risquent de provoquer des détériorations inacceptables.Currently, the blanks leaving the cutting machine are brought to the stacking device either by gravity, by sliding on an inclined plane, or by means of a continuous conveyor, for example a magnetic belt conveyor which releases the blanks in flight over the stacker. In all cases, the blanks are stopped by stops of the stacking device which allow, with lateral guides, to correctly position the blanks so that they can be stacked. The friction of blanks on the conveyors and the shocks against the stops and guides may cause unacceptable damage.

Le but de la présente invention est de réduire les frottements des flans sur les transporteurs, guides et butées, pour éviter les griffures sur les flans et la détérioration des courroies et de supprimer les chocs contre les guides et butées pour éviter les "emboutis" sur les flans, ce qui permet d'atteindre l'objectif "zero défaut" ou au moins de réaliser un gain important en évitant les retouches. L'invention permet aussi de supprimer le bruit provenant des chocs des flans arrivant à grande vitesse dans les empileurs classiques à inertie, d'augmenter la sécurité du personnel et d'accroître la productivité grâce au réglage automatique de tous les paramètres : cadence, positions des guides et butées, etc à partir d'un "code pièce" introduit par un opérateur. Conformément à l'invention, on transporte les flans de la machine de découpage au dispositif d'empilage au moyen d'un transporteur à marche cyclique dont la cadence est la même que celle de la machine de découpage et dont le pas est égal à un sous-multiple de la distance séparant la machine de découpage du dispositif d'empilage, et on transfère les flans du transporteur au dispositif d'empilage lorsque le transporteur est à l'arrêt. Le pas du transporteur est déterminé en fonction de la dimension longitudinale, mesurée dans le sens du déplacement, des flans. La différence entre le pas et cette dimension des flans correspond à l'écartement entre deux flans successifs sur le transporteur. Pour obtenir cet écartement, on met en marche, à chaque cycle, ledit transporteur avant le dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage, l'instant du démarrage du transporteur et la variation en fonction du temps de sa vitesse étant choisis de telle sorte que la distance parcourue par ledit transporteur lorsque le flan sortant de la machine de découpage est chargé sur le transporteur soit égale à l'écartement voulu entre les flans. Par ailleurs, dans le cas où le transporteur et la bande de tôle se déplacent dans la même direction, les caractéristiques de la première partie du cycle de marche du transporteur sont choisies pour que sa vitesse soit égale à celle du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage au moment où le flan sortant de la machine est pris en charge par le transporteur; à partir de cet instant et jusqu'à la fin du cycle les vitesses du transporteur et du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage sont maintenues égales. On pourra comparer les vitesses du flan et du transporteur, juste avant la prise en charge par le transporteur et corriger si nécessaire la vitesse du transporteur.The object of the present invention is to reduce the friction of the blanks on the carriers, guides and stops, to avoid scratches on the blanks and the deterioration of the belts and to suppress the shocks against the guides and stops to avoid the "stampings" on the blanks, which makes it possible to reach the "zero defect" objective or at least to achieve a significant gain by avoiding retouching. The invention also makes it possible to suppress the noise originating from the impacts of the blanks arriving high speed in conventional inertia stackers, to increase staff safety and increase productivity thanks to the automatic adjustment of all parameters: rate, positions of guides and stops, etc. from an introduced "part code" by an operator. In accordance with the invention, the blanks are transported from the cutting machine to the stacking device by means of a cyclic conveyor whose rate is the same as that of the cutting machine and whose pitch is equal to one submultiple of the distance separating the cutting machine from the stacking device, and the blanks of the conveyor are transferred to the stacking device when the conveyor is stopped. The pitch of the conveyor is determined as a function of the longitudinal dimension, measured in the direction of movement, of the blanks. The difference between the pitch and this dimension of the blanks corresponds to the spacing between two successive blanks on the conveyor. To obtain this spacing, said conveyor is switched on, at each cycle, before the device for feeding the cutting machine, the instant of starting of the conveyor and the variation as a function of time of its speed being chosen so that that the distance traveled by said conveyor when the blank leaving the cutting machine is loaded on the conveyor is equal to the desired spacing between the blanks. In addition, in the case where the conveyor and the sheet metal strip move in the same direction, the characteristics of the first part of the conveyor's walking cycle are chosen so that its speed is equal to that of the feeder of the cutting machine when the blank leaving the machine is taken over by the conveyor ; from this instant and until the end of the cycle the speeds of the conveyor and of the feeding device of the cutting machine are maintained equal. We can compare the speeds of the blank and the conveyor, just before the assumption by the conveyor and correct if necessary the speed of the conveyor.

Pour la mise en oeuvre de l'invention, on pourra utiliser un transporteur à bande sans fin dont les extrémités s'étendent, respectivement, au-dessus de la table de sortie de la machine de découpage et au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage et comportant des moyens électromagnétiques ou pneumatiques permettant de plaquer les flans sous le brin inférieur de la bande et de les y maintenir sur tout le trajet du transporteur, ces moyens pouvant être rendus inactifs pour permettre la chute des flans sur le dispositif d'empilage.
Le transporteur sera commandé par un automate suivant un programme élaboré par un calculateur à partir des données, entrées par un opérateur, relatives aux dimensions et à la forme des flans et en fonction du cycle de la machine de découpage.
For the implementation of the invention, an endless belt conveyor may be used, the ends of which extend, respectively, above the output table of the cutting machine and above the stacking device. and comprising electromagnetic or pneumatic means making it possible to press the blanks under the lower strand of the strip and to keep them there over the entire path of the conveyor, these means being able to be made inactive to allow the blanks to fall onto the stacking device.
The conveyor will be controlled by an automaton according to a program developed by a computer from data, entered by an operator, relating to the dimensions and the shape of the blanks and according to the cycle of the cutting machine.

De préférence, le positionnement des guides et butées du dispositif d'empilage sera automatisé et commandé par le calculateur.Preferably, the positioning of the guides and stops of the stacking device will be automated and controlled by the computer.

Suivant un mode de réalisation préféré, le transporteur est formé de deux bandes parallèles placées côte-à-côte et dont les tambours de têtes peuvent être déplacés individuel­lement dans le sens longitudinal, pour s'adapter à un plan de coupe de la machine de découpage faisant un angle différent de 90° avec la direction de déplacement des flans.According to a preferred embodiment, the conveyor is formed of two parallel bands placed side by side and whose head drums can be moved individually in the longitudinal direction, to adapt to a cutting plane of the cutting machine making an angle other than 90 ° with the direction of movement of the blanks.

D'autres caractéristiques de l'invention apparaîtront à la lecture de la description qui suit et se réfère aux dessins l'accompagnant qui montrent, à titre d'exemple non limitatif, un mode de réalisation de l'invention et sur lesquels :

  • La figure 1 est une vue en élévation d'une installation pour la mise en oeuvre de l'invention;
  • La figure 2 est une vue de dessus de l'installation;
  • La figure 3 est le diagramme des vitesses du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage et du transporteur d'évacuation des flans; et
  • La figure 4 est le schéma de l'installation.
Other characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows and refers to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of the invention and in which:
  • Figure 1 is an elevational view of an installation for the implementation of the invention;
  • Figure 2 is a top view of the installation;
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram of the speeds of the device for feeding the cutting machine and the blank discharge conveyor; and
  • Figure 4 is the diagram of the installation.

L'installation représentée sur les figures 1 et 2 est constituée essentiellement par un transporteur à bandes sans fin 10 et un dispositif d'empilage 12.The installation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists essentially of an endless belt conveyor 10 and a stacking device 12.

Le transporteur 10 comporte un châssis 14 qui est monté sur des glissières horizontales permettant son déplacement longitudinal. Ces glissières sont fixées, d'une part, sur le bâti de la machine de découpage 16 et, d'autre part, sur le châssis du dispositif d'empilage. Le transporteur peut être déplacé sur ces glissières au moyens de vérins à vis interposés entre le châssis du dispositif d'empilage et l'extrémité adjacente du châssis 14.The conveyor 10 comprises a chassis 14 which is mounted on horizontal slides allowing its movement longitudinal. These slides are fixed, on the one hand, to the frame of the cutting machine 16 and, on the other hand, to the chassis of the stacking device. The conveyor can be moved on these slides by means of screw jacks interposed between the chassis of the stacking device and the adjacent end of the chassis 14.

Deux bandes sans fin 18 sont montées côte-à-côte sur le châssis 14 et sont tendues entre des tambours de tête 20 et 22, le tambour 20 adjacent au dispositif d'empilage étant entraîné par un moteur à vitesse variable. Le brin inférieur de ces bandes, qui est horizontal, glisse sur la face inférieure de soles en acier inoxydable, amagnétique, au-dessus desquelles sont placés des aimants. L'extrémité du transporteur surplombe la table de sortie de la machine 16, les brins inférieurs des bandes se trouvant à faible distance de la table, de telle sorte que les flans sortant de la machine soient attirées par les aimants et plaqués sous les bandes. Les aimants se trouvant dans la première partie du transporteur, entre la machine 16 et le dispositif d'empilage, peuvent être des aimants permanents ou des électro-aimants. Au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage, le transporteur est équipé d'électro-aimants qui peuvent être désexcités pour laisser tomber les flans sur la pile en formation dans le dispositif.Two endless belts 18 are mounted side by side on the frame 14 and are stretched between head drums 20 and 22, the drum 20 adjacent to the stacking device being driven by a variable speed motor. The lower strand of these bands, which is horizontal, slides on the underside of non-magnetic stainless steel soles, above which magnets are placed. The end of the conveyor overhangs the output table of the machine 16, the lower strands of the bands being a short distance from the table, so that the blanks leaving the machine are attracted by the magnets and pressed under the bands. The magnets located in the first part of the conveyor, between the machine 16 and the stacking device, can be permanent magnets or electromagnets. Above the stacking device, the conveyor is equipped with electromagnets which can be de-energized to drop the blanks on the stack being formed in the device.

La face intérieure des bandes est lisse pour faciliter le glissement sur les soles tandis que leur face extérieure est striée pour faciliter la chute des flans.The inside of the strips is smooth to facilitate sliding on the floors while their outside is striated to facilitate the fall of the blanks.

Le tambour de tête 22, adjacent à la machine 16, d'au moins une des bandes peut être déplacé, au moyen d'un vérin, par rapport au châssis du transporteur, pour modifier les longueurs utiles relatives des deux bandes et permettre une meilleure prise des flans dont le bord avant est en biais (flans en forme de triangle ou de trapèze).The head drum 22, adjacent to the machine 16, of at least one of the bands can be moved, by means of a jack, relative to the chassis of the conveyor, to modify the relative useful lengths of the two bands and allow better taking blanks whose front edge is biased (blanks in the shape of a triangle or trapezoid).

Le dispositif d'empilage comporte un cadre surélevé 24 situé au-dessous du transporteur 10, à faible distance du brin inférieur des bandes. Ce cadre porte des butées avant et arrière 26 et 28 et des guides latéraux qui sont liés au cadre 24 par des vérins permettant de les déplacer horizontalement pour adapter leurs positions aux dimensions des flans; ces vérins permettent aussi d'orienter les butées 26 et 28 dans un plan horizontal.The stacking device comprises a raised frame 24 located below the conveyor 10, a short distance from the lower strand of the strips. This frame carries front and rear stops 26 and 28 and lateral guides which are linked to the frame 24 by jacks making it possible to move them horizontally to adapt their positions to the dimensions of the blanks; these jacks also allow the stops 26 and 28 to be oriented in a horizontal plane.

Le dispositif d'empilage comporte en outre une table élévatrice 32 et deux chariots auto-moteurs 34 déplaçables sur des rails 36 et portant chacun un plateau à rouleaux motorisés 38 destiné à recevoir la palette 40. Les chariots sont constitués par un cadre sur roues à l'intérieur duquel peut passer le plateau de la table élévatrice de façon qu'il soit possible de soulever le plateau 38 et la palette qu'il porte, sans soulever le chariot. Les chariots sont déplaçables en va-et-vient entre le dispositif d'empilage et deux positions situées de part et d'autre de celui-ci et pour lesquelles le plateaux à rouleaux 38 sont alignés avec des transporteurs servant à amener les palettes vides et à évacuer les palettes pleines.The stacking device further comprises a lifting table 32 and two self-driving carriages 34 movable on rails 36 and each carrying a motorized roller tray 38 intended to receive the pallet 40. The carriages are constituted by a frame on wheels with inside which the tray of the lifting table can pass so that it is possible to lift the tray 38 and the pallet which it carries, without lifting the carriage. The carriages can be moved back and forth between the stacking device and two positions located on either side of it and for which the roller plates 38 are aligned with conveyors serving to bring the empty pallets and to evacuate the full pallets.

Un dispositif d'indexage est prévu sur la table élévatrice pour positionner correctement les palettes en fonction des positions des butées 26 et 28 et des guides latéraux. Une rotation de la palette est également possible pour obtenir différentes positions des flans sur cette der­nière.An indexing device is provided on the lifting table to correctly position the pallets according to the positions of the stops 26 and 28 and the lateral guides. A rotation of the pallet is also possible to obtain different positions of the blanks on the latter.

La machine 16 est équipée d'un dispositif d'alimenta­tion classique amenant pas-à-pas une bande de tôle sous l'outil de la machine, l'avance se faisant entre deux coupes, à une cadence prédéterminée.The machine 16 is equipped with a conventional feeding device bringing a sheet metal strip step by step under the tool of the machine, the advance being made between two cuts, at a predetermined rate.

Le fonctionnement du transporteur 10 est cyclique et sa période est la même que celle du dispositif d'amenée de la tôle à la machine 16. Il est commandé par un automate 42 suivant un programme préétabli par un calculateur 44 en fonction des dimensions des flans 30 et du cycle de fonctionnement du dispositif d'amenée des tôles à la machine 16. Avant le démarrage de la machine 16, le calculateur 44 détermine aussi, en fonction des mêmes paramètres, les positions des butées 26 et 28 et des guides latéraux et commande leur déplacement pour les amener dans ces positions.The operation of the conveyor 10 is cyclical and its period is the same as that of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16. It is controlled by an automaton 42 according to a program preset by a computer 44 according to the dimensions of the blanks 30 and of the operating cycle of the device for supplying the sheets to the machine 16. Before the machine 16 starts, the computer 44 also determines, as a function of the same parameters, the positions of the stops 26 and 28 and of the lateral guides and control moving them to bring them into these positions.

La figure 3 donne les variations en fonction du temps des vitesses du dispositif d'amenée de la tôle à la machine 16 (courbe supérieure) et du transporteur 10 (courbe inférieure).Figure 3 shows the variations over time speeds of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16 (upper curve) and of the conveyor 10 (lower curve).

Comme expliqué plus haut, l'un des buts de l'invention est de pouvoir lâcher les flans au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage avec une vitesse nulle de façon à éviter les chocs contre les butées. Pour cela, il est nécessaire que le pas du transporteur 10 soit un sous-multiple de la distance séparant la machine 16 du dispositif d'empilage ou plus précisément de la distance entre la butée avant 26 du dispositif d'empilage et le bord avant du dernier flan sorti de la machine 16. Ce pas ainsi que la position des butées 26 et 28 sont déterminés par le calculateur 44 en fonction de la longueur des flans. Il est supérieur au pas du dispositif d'amenée de la tôle à la machine 16, ce qui signifie que les flans seront espacés longitudinalement les uns des autres sur le transporteur.As explained above, one of the objects of the invention is to be able to drop the blanks above the stacking device with zero speed so as to avoid impacts against the stops. For this, it is necessary that the pitch of the conveyor 10 is a submultiple of the distance separating the machine 16 from the stacking device or more precisely the distance between the front stop 26 of the stacking device and the front edge of the last blank out of the machine 16. This pitch as well as the position of the stops 26 and 28 are determined by the computer 44 as a function of the length of the blanks. It is greater than the pitch of the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16, which means that the blanks will be spaced apart longitudinally from one another on the conveyor.

Suivant le programme préétabli par le calculateur, le transporteur 10 démarre (instant A) avant le dispositif d'amenée de la tôle à la machine 16, soit en fin de coupe comme dans l'exemple de la figure 3, soit avec un certain retard. La vitesse du transporteur augmente jusqu'à la valeur V1 avec une accélération constant et égale à celle du dispositif d'amenée. V1 est la vitesse du dispositif d'amenée lorsque le flan sortant de la machine 16 est saisi par le transporteur. Le flan ne peut en effet être saisi par le transporteur qu'après qu'il ait été poussé sur une certaine distance hors de la machine par le dispositif d'amenée; il est alors animé de la vitesse V1.According to the program preestablished by the computer, the conveyor 10 starts (instant A) before the device for feeding the sheet metal to the machine 16, either at the end of cutting as in the example in FIG. 3, or with a certain delay . The speed of the conveyor increases to the value V1 with a constant acceleration equal to that of the feeding device. V1 is the speed of the feed device when the blank leaving the machine 16 is gripped by the transporter. The blank cannot be entered by the transporter only after it has been pushed a certain distance out of the machine by the feeding device; it is then driven by speed V1.

La vitesse du transporteur 10 est ensuite maintenue constante jusqu'à ce que le dispositif d'amenée atteigne la vitesse V1 (instant B), de telle sorte que le flan et le transporteur aient la même vitesse lorsque le premier est pris en charge par le second. A partir de ce moment là, le transporteur 10 et le dispositif d'amenée se déplacent en synchronisme jusqu'à l'arrêt. Avant l'arrêt complet du transporteur 10, les électro-aimants placés au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage sont desexcités de telle sorte que, compte tenu de leur hystérésis, la force d'attraction exercée sur le flan s'annule lorsqu'il se trouve au-dessus de ce dispositif. Le flan est alors parfaitement centré par rapport aux butées 26 et 28 et sa vitesse est nulle de sorte qu'il tombe sur la pile supportée par la palette sans heurter les butées.The speed of the conveyor 10 is then kept constant until the supply device reaches speed V1 (instant B), so that the blank and the conveyor have the same speed when the first is taken over by the second. From this moment, the conveyor 10 and the feed device move in synchronism until the stop. Before the conveyor 10 has completely stopped, the electromagnets placed above the stacking device are de-energized so that, given their hysteresis, the force of attraction exerted on the blank is canceled out when it is located above this device. The blank is then perfectly centered relative to the stops 26 and 28 and its speed is zero so that it falls on the stack supported by the pallet without hitting the stops.

Le calculateur 44 commande aussi, par l'intermédiaire d'un automate programmable, les mouvements de la table élévatrice 32 et des chariots 34 du dispositif d'empilage.The computer 44 also controls, via a programmable controller, the movements of the lifting table 32 and the carriages 34 of the stacking device.

La vitesse du transporteur 10 est mesurée au moyen de deux générateurs d'impulsions placés, respectivement, sur le tambour moteur 20 et sur un rouleau fou en contact avec les bandes; en comparant les indications des deux générateurs, on peut détecter le glissement des bandes sur le tambour et corriger la vitesse du transporteur pour conserver un pas constant.The speed of the conveyor 10 is measured by means of two pulse generators placed, respectively, on the motor drum 20 and on an idler roller in contact with the strips; by comparing the indications of the two generators, we can detect the sliding of the bands on the drum and correct the speed of the conveyor to maintain a constant pitch.

Dans l'exemple décrit ci-dessus, le transporteur 10 et la machine de découpage 16 sont disposés en ligne. Le transporteur pourrait cependant former un angle quelconque avec la direction de défilement de la bande de tôle dans la machine de découpage, qui pourrait être équipée d'un dispositif d'évacuation des flans. Le transporteur pourrait être formé de plusieurs éléments disposés en ligne ou formant entre eux un angle quelconque. Dans le cas de flans non magnétiques, par exemple en acier inoxydable ou en aluminium, on pourra utiliser un système pneumatique pour appliquer les flans sur les bandes du transporteur qui devront être perméables. D'autres types de transporteurs connus pourraient d'ailleurs être utilisés pour la mise en oeuvre de l'invention. Il est bien entendu que ces modifications ainsi que toutes celles résultant de la substitution de moyens techniques équivalents à ceux décrits entrent dans le cadre de la présente invention.In the example described above, the conveyor 10 and the cutting machine 16 are arranged in line. The conveyor could however form any angle with the direction of travel of the sheet metal strip in the cutting machine, which could be equipped with a blank removal device. The conveyor could be formed of several elements arranged in line or forming between them any angle. In the case of non-magnetic blanks, for example stainless steel or aluminum, a pneumatic system may be used to apply the blanks to the conveyor belts which must be permeable. Other types of known carriers could moreover be used for the implementation of the invention. It is understood that these modifications as well as all those resulting from the substitution of technical means equivalent to those described fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (8)

1. Procédé d'empilage de flans à la sortie d'une machine de découpage consistent à transférer les flans de la machine de découpage (16) à une dispositif d'empilage (12) au moyen d'un transporteur (10) à marche cyclique dont la cadence est égale à celle de la machine de découpage caractérisé en ce que le pas dudit transporteur (10) est égal à un sous-­multiple de la distance séparant la machine de découpage (16) du dispositif d'empilage (12), et en ce que les flans sont transférés du transporteur au dispositif d'empilage lorsque le transporteur est à l'arrêt.1. A method of stacking blanks at the outlet of a cutting machine consists in transferring the blanks from the cutting machine (16) to a stacking device (12) by means of a walking conveyor (10) cyclic whose rate is equal to that of the cutting machine characterized in that the pitch of said conveyor (10) is equal to a submultiple of the distance separating the cutting machine (16) from the stacking device (12) , and in that the blanks are transferred from the conveyor to the stacking device when the conveyor is stopped. 2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que, à chaque cycle, on fait démarrer ledit transporteur (10) avant le dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage (16), la durée de la période de temps séparant le démarrage du transporteur et celui du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage et les variations de vitesse du transporteur pendant cette période étant déterminés de telle sorte que l'écartement entre deux flans successifs sur le transporteur ait une valeur prédéterminée.2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, at each cycle, said conveyor (10) is started before the feeding device of the cutting machine (16), the duration of the period of time between starting of the conveyor and that of the feeding device of the cutting machine and the variations in speed of the conveyor during this period being determined so that the spacing between two successive blanks on the conveyor has a predetermined value. 3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que la vitesse dudit transporteur (10) est égale à, et de même sens que, la vitesse du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage (16) à l'instant où le flan sortant de ladite machine est prise en charge par le transporteur, et le transporteur et le dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage se déplacent en synchronisme à partir de cet instant-là et jusqu'à la fin du cycle.3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the speed of said conveyor (10) is equal to, and in the same direction as, the speed of the feeding device of the cutting machine (16) at the moment where the blank leaving said machine is taken over by the transporter, and the transporter and the feeder of the cutting machine move in synchronism from this moment until the end of the cycle. 4. Installation pour empiler des flans à la sortie d'une machine de découpage selon le procéde de la revendication 1 ou 2 comprenant un dispositif d'empilage et un transporteur pour amener les flans de la machine de découpage au dispositif d'empilage, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comporte des moyens (42, 44) pour commander le démarrage du transporteur (10) avant le démarrage du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage (16), de façon à écarter les flans l'un de l'autre sur le transporteur, et l'arrêt du transporteur lorsqu'un flan se trouve au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage (12).4. Installation for stacking blanks at the outlet of a cutting machine according to the method of claim 1 or 2 comprising a stacking device and a conveyor for bringing the blanks from the cutting machine to the stacking device, characterized in that it comprises means (42, 44) for controlling the starting of the conveyor (10) before the starting of the feeding device of the cutting machine (16), so as to spread the blanks one of the other on the conveyor, and stopping the conveyor when a blank is located above the stacking device (12). 5. Installation selon la revendication 4, caractérisée en ce que lesdits moyens de commande comprennent un calculateur (44) qui détermine les paramètres de marche du transporteur (10) en fonction des dimensions des flans et de la cadence du dispositif d'alimentation de la machine de découpage (16) et un automate (42) qui commande la marche du transporteur à partir des informations fournies par le calculateur.5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that said control means comprise a computer (44) which determines the operating parameters of the conveyor (10) according to the dimensions of the blanks and the rate of the device for feeding the cutting machine (16) and an automaton (42) which controls the running of the conveyor from information supplied by the computer. 6. Installation selon la revendication 4 ou 5, caractérisée en ce que ledit transporteur (10) est un transporteur à bande sans fin dont les extrémités s'étendent, respectivement, au-dessus de la table de sortie de la machine de découpage (16) et au-dessus du dispositif d'empilage (12) et qui comporte des moyens électromagnétiques ou pneumatiques (23) permettant de plaquer les flans sous le brin inférieur de la bande (18) et de les y maintenir sur tout le trajet du transporteur, ces moyens pouvant être rendus inactifs pour permettre la chute des flans sur le dispositif d'empilage.6. Installation according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said conveyor (10) is an endless belt conveyor whose ends extend, respectively, above the output table of the cutting machine (16 ) and above the device stacking device (12) and which comprises electromagnetic or pneumatic means (23) making it possible to press the blanks under the lower strand of the strip (18) and to maintain them there throughout the path of the conveyor, these means being able to be made inactive to allow the blanks to fall onto the stacking device. 7. Installation selon la revendication 6, caractérisée en ce que ledit transporteur comporte deux bandes parallèles placées côte-à-côte et dont les tambours de tête peuvent être déplacés longitudinalement, l'un par rapport à l'autre, pour s'adapter à la forme des flans.7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that said conveyor comprises two parallel bands placed side by side and whose head drums can be moved longitudinally, one relative to the other, to adapt to the shape of the blanks. 8. Installation selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 7, caractérisée en ce que le dispositif d'empilage (12) comporte des butées réglables (26, 28) et lesdits moyens de commande (42, 44) fixent automatiquement la position de ces butées en fonction de la forme et des dimensions des flans.8. Installation according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the stacking device (12) comprises adjustable stops (26, 28) and said control means (42, 44) automatically fix the position of these stops depending on the shape and dimensions of the blanks.
EP19890400997 1988-04-27 1989-04-12 Method and installation for piling sheets produced by a shear, particularly from a sheet-metal-strip Expired - Lifetime EP0340065B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8805599A FR2630669B1 (en) 1988-04-27 1988-04-27 METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR STACKING SHEETS PRODUCED BY A CUTTING MACHINE, PARTICULARLY FROM A SHEET OF SHEET
FR8805599 1988-04-27

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EP0340065A1 true EP0340065A1 (en) 1989-11-02
EP0340065B1 EP0340065B1 (en) 1993-03-31

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DE (1) DE68905648T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2039889T3 (en)
FR (1) FR2630669B1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993023185A1 (en) * 1992-05-20 1993-11-25 Walker-Hagou B.V. Method of cutting and stacking metal sheets
CN113878052A (en) * 2021-09-28 2022-01-04 河南永通铝业有限公司 Automatic stamping device of circular aluminum plate with automatic receiving agencies

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2690637A1 (en) * 1992-04-29 1993-11-05 Dujardin Montbard Somenor Handling installation for transporting blanks from a cutting machine to a stacking device.

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1815651A1 (en) * 1968-12-19 1970-07-09 Siemag Maschinen U Stahlbau Ne Device for stacking metal sheets on a lifting table
DE3151208A1 (en) * 1981-12-23 1983-06-30 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Apparatus for the removal of ferromagnetic sheet-metal blanks from processing machines

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1815651A1 (en) * 1968-12-19 1970-07-09 Siemag Maschinen U Stahlbau Ne Device for stacking metal sheets on a lifting table
DE3151208A1 (en) * 1981-12-23 1983-06-30 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Apparatus for the removal of ferromagnetic sheet-metal blanks from processing machines

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993023185A1 (en) * 1992-05-20 1993-11-25 Walker-Hagou B.V. Method of cutting and stacking metal sheets
CN113878052A (en) * 2021-09-28 2022-01-04 河南永通铝业有限公司 Automatic stamping device of circular aluminum plate with automatic receiving agencies
CN113878052B (en) * 2021-09-28 2023-06-20 河南永通铝业有限公司 Automatic punching device for round aluminum plate with automatic material receiving mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE68905648D1 (en) 1993-05-06
ES2039889T3 (en) 1993-10-01
DE68905648T2 (en) 1993-07-29
FR2630669A1 (en) 1989-11-03
FR2630669B1 (en) 1993-01-22
EP0340065B1 (en) 1993-03-31

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