EP0342103A1 - Strip tool module, adapted to work alone or in combination with other modules - Google Patents

Abstract

The punch holder, the hold-down clamp and the die holder, of generally rectangular shape, are each equipped with a square plate (11) capable of occupying two positions strictly centred with respect to the frame as a whole but at 90 DEG from one another, the different tools (6a, 7a) being mounted on the said square plates (11). This enables the frame to be used either alone, in which case the strip of base material moves along the longitudinal axis (B-B) of the frame, or in combination with other modules, in which case the strip of base material moves along the transverse axis of each module but along the longitudinal axis of the assembly as a whole, the square plates (11) making it possible to retain the orientation of the tools (6a, 7a) despite this change in the direction of use. <IMAGE>

Description

The subject of the present invention is a frame for a tool working on the strip capable of being used both in the form of a unitary module and in a multimodular assembly.

More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a frame for a tool working at the strip, for the performance of manufacturing operations, such as cutting, bending, stamping, etc., of parts from a strip or blank. raw material, said frame comprising, as constituent elements, a punch holder and a die holder, of generally rectangular configuration, mounted facing each other and each offering standardized receiving means adapted to receive sets forming tools, called " wafers ", which wafers are also standardized, so as to be interchangeable, and respectively consist of punches (" wafer / punches ") and dies (" wafer / dies ") in correspondence, a pair of wafer / punches and wafer / dies forming a work station, the dies holder further having a cutout for the evacuation of raw material waste and / or finished parts, the strip of raw material circulating along the axis lo ngitudinal of the frame.

The punch holder and the die holder are, of course, adapted to be mounted respectively on the upper and lower jaws of a press.

A frame of the aforementioned type is described and claimed in European patent No. 0 100 271 of the Applicant.

At present, and without exception, the tools (punches and dies) are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the frame and the discharge cutout is substantially rectangular, its longitudinal axis merging with the longitudinal axis of the frame. This orientation, which is determined by construction, cannot be changed. It will be noted that by "substantially rectangular" is meant a shape that is longer than it is wide, for example a square extended on two opposite sides by portions of a circle.

In the aforementioned patent EP 0 100 271, when the frame comprises, by construction, several work stations, the user can be either in the situation where this number is insufficient taking into account the part which he has to manufacture, or on the contrary, or in the situation where this number is excessive.

In the second case, it can of course only use one or more of the available positions, but it then works with poor profitability since the hourly rate of the machine has been defined by the maximum number of positions.

In addition, when the user works with a frame, for example, with three stations of which only one or only two of which are actually used, the blank holder tends to bend at the level of the unused station or stations. To avoid this sag, it may be necessary to mount, at the unused stations, wedge-shaped pancakes.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to adapt the number of stations to a given production while retaining the best possible profitability and without encountering this deformation of the blank holder.

To do this, one can consider juxtaposing several frames comprising only a workstation of a structure conforming to that described and claimed in the aforementioned European patent.

However, such a frame being designed to work with the strip of raw material circulating along its longitudinal axis, the juxtaposition of several frames of this type leads to an assembly of a length which is difficult to accept in practice.

It is not possible to reduce the length of such an assembly by juxtaposing the frames length against length, the succession of their width forming the length of the resulting unit because, in this case, the longitudinal axis of the cut d evacuation would no longer be confused with the longitudinal axis of circulation of the strip of raw material.

However, it is important that the substantially rectangular cutout retains its orientation relative to the direction of movement of the strip, in order to provide, over the length of frame, the maximum surface area at the fall of the waste and / or finished parts, while keeping enough material across the width of the frame so as not to affect the rigidity of the latter. It is indeed the matrices which undergo the greatest effort.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks, which is achieved in that it provides a frame in which:
- the evacuation cutout is substantially rectangular and it is created in a square plate, called "orientation plate", interposed between the wafer / dies and the die holder,
the receiving means of the wafer / dies are provided on said orientation plate, and
- Indexing and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate to the die holder in a location that is rigorously centered with respect to the entire frame, but in two possible orientations, at 90 ° one of the other.

Thanks to this structure, it becomes possible to subject the frame to a 90 ° rotation while retaining the desired orientation for the evacuation cutting and therefore to juxtapose several frames length against length.

It goes without saying that it is necessary to provide in the die holder, an opening which remains in correspondence with the substantially rectangular cutout of the orientation plate, whatever the orientation of said plate. To do this, this opening is square and its side is at least equal to the length of the substantially rectangular cutout.

In a manner known per se, the wafer / punches can be mounted and dismounted from the punch holder in a direction transverse to the direction of circulation of the strip of raw material, rails depending on said punch holder being adapted to support and guide said wafer during assembly and disassembly.

If we want to keep this possibility of loading and front unloading of the wafer / punches in the punch holder, when the frame according to the invention, which will also be called "module", is used in the form of a multimodular assembly, it is also necessary to keep the orientation of the rails.

To do this :
- said rails are fixed to a square plate, called "orientation plate",
- the means for receiving the wafer / punches are provided on said orientation plate,
- Indexing and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate to the punch holder in a location that is rigorously centered with respect to the entire frame, but in two possible orientations, at 90 ° one of the other.

Most often, the frame will further comprise, as a constitutive element, a blank holder also offering standardized receiving means adapted to receive a tool assembly called "wafer / blank holder" also standardized and interchangeable, said wafer / blank holder having cutouts for the passage of the punches of the wafer / punches, rails depending on said blank holder and being adapted to support and guide said wafer / blank holder during its assembly and disassembly in a transverse direction to the direction of circulation of the raw material strip.

In such a case:
- said rails are fixed to a square plate, called "orientation plate",
the receiving means of the wafer / blank holder are provided on said orientation plate, and
- Indexing and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate to the blank holder in a location that is rigorously centered with respect to the entire frame, but in two possible orientations, at 90 ° one of the other.

In this way, the orientation of the loading rails although the module is used, as a multimodular assembly, in a different orientation from that which it occupies when it is used in the unit state.

The blank holder has a square opening with a side at least equal to the length of a substantially rectangular cutout provided in its orientation plate, as is the case for the die holder.

In a preferred embodiment, the indexing means of the orientation plate consist of four pins matching four holes made in the vicinity of each of the angles of the square which it determines, and four holes of the element constituting a frame which receives said plate, said holes being all rigorously centered with respect to the whole of the frame.

It is thus enough to unscrew the square plates, to remove the pins, to rotate the square plates by 90 °, to replace the pins and to screw the plates again to transform a unitary module in which the strip of raw material circulates according to its longitudinal axis in a module, suitable for the production of a multimodular assembly, in which the strip of raw material circulates along the transverse axis of each of the individual modules (but along the longitudinal axis of the resulting multimodular unit).

For fixing the wafers to the orientation plates, the orientation plate comprises, on its receiving face of the wafer, horizontal in the normal position of use, a pair of grooves arranged on either side of the wafer according to a first horizontal axis of symmetry and a pair of grooves arranged on either side of the wafer according to a second horizontal axis of symmetry perpendicular to the first, said pair of grooves being adapted to receive the end of a pair of pins indexing crossing said wafer and each groove of said pair of grooves being adapted to receive the lower end of the vertical branch of a T-flange, while the remaining part of said T-flange is capable of being accommodated in a cross milling provided on the side wall of the wafer, the vertical branch of each of said cross milling being crossed by a vertical plane of symmetry of the wafer, perpendicular to the vertical plane of symmetry passing through said pins , said T flanges being adapted to slide, with a vertical clearance, in said grooves and to be locked in engagement with the cross millings by screwing into the bottom of said grooves.

In this way, both the centering and the clamping are carried out using the single means that constitutes the pair of T-flanges.

The frame comprises, in a manner known per se, on the one hand columns on which slide the punch holder and possibly the blank holder and, on the other hand, actuating cylinders of said punch holder and / or said hold-down.

To further reduce the size of the multimodular assemblies, the punch holder, the blank holder and the die holder of the frame according to the invention have on their longitudinal edges two symmetrical cutouts with respect to the diagonals of their generally rectangular configuration, which cutouts spare, in said longitudinal edges, only the space necessary for the location of said columns and said jacks.

Thus, successive modules arranged so that their longitudinal edges are juxtaposed, fit into each other with a corresponding reduction in the length of the assembly.

In practice, the multimodular assembly comprises a common upper sole and a common lower sole to which are joined, respectively, the juxtaposition of punch holders and the juxtaposition of die holders.

• - la figure 1 est une vue de dessus du module selon l'invention utilisé à l'état unitaire,
• - la figure 2 est une vue en élévation frontale du module de la figure 1,
• - la figure 3 est une vue de dessus d'un ensemble multi-modulaire selon l'invention,
• - la figure 4 est une vue en élévation latérale de l'unité représentée à la figure 3,
• - la figure 5 est une vue de détail correspondant à la figure 1, la moitié gauche, en trait plein, de la figure correspondant à la partie inférieure (porte-matrices) du bâti du module selon l'invention et la partie droite, en traits pointillés, correspondant à la partie supérieure de ce même bâti (serre-flan et porte-poinçons),
• - la figure 6 est une vue de détail correspondant à la figure 2 vue dans la largeur,
• - la figure 7 est une vue en élévation longitudinale correspondant à la figure 6, la partie gauche de la figure montrant en traits mixtes les standards d'outils suscepti­bles d'être montés sur le bâti, et
• - la figure 8 est une vue en perspective d'une forme de galette/matrices (les matrices n'étant pas représentées) et d'une plaque d'orientation montrant leurs moyens d'assem­blage.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description below made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a top view of the module according to the invention used in the unitary state,
• FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the module of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a top view of a multi-modular assembly according to the invention,
• FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the unit shown in FIG. 3,
• - Figure 5 is a detail view corresponding to Figure 1, the left half, in solid lines, of the figure corresponding to the lower part (die holders) of the frame of the module according to the invention and the right part, dashed lines, corresponding to the upper part of this same frame (blank holder and punch holder),
• FIG. 6 is a detail view corresponding to FIG. 2 viewed in width,
• FIG. 7 is a longitudinal elevation view corresponding to FIG. 6, the left part of the figure showing in dashed lines the standards of tools capable of being mounted on the frame, and
• - Figure 8 is a perspective view of a form of wafer / dies (the dies are not shown) and an orientation plate showing their means of assembly.

If we refer first to Figure 2, we see that the frame of the module according to the invention comprises, in a manner known per se, a punch holder 1, a blank holder 2 and a door -matrices 3, the punch holder 1 and the blank holder 2 being capable of sliding on columns 4. In a manner also known per se, the punch holder and the die holder are adapted to each receive a "pancake "circular or square on which are distributed, respectively, punches and dies corresponding to each other, according to a distribution which is a function of the part to be manufactured and the step of advance chosen for the strip of raw material from which the parts are made. Such a cake is represented in 5 (cake circular) and in 5 ′ (square wafer) in Figure 1 and the tools (pairs of punches and dies) are shown schematically in 6a and 7a respectively. The blank holder 2 is likewise adapted to receive a wafer having holes adapted to allow the passage of the punches of the punch holder 1. When it is used as a unitary module, the module according to the invention, designated in its together by M, is oriented so that the strip of raw material flows in the direction of the arrows B. The wafer 5 or 5 ′ is, in turn, respectively introduced and extracted from the module according to arrows 0.

As can be seen, the shape of the module M is roughly rectangular and, when this module is used in a unitary state, the strip circulates along the length of the module and the wafers are put in place and extracted perpendicular to this length.

If it is desired to make a multimodular unit using the module according to the invention, several modules are juxtaposed, for example three, M1, M2, M3 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In this case, this time, the strip flows in a direction B parallel to the width of each unit module (but of course according to the length of the multimodular unit) and the wafers are put in place and extracted from each of the modules in a direction 0₁, 0₂, 0₃ perpendicular to the width of each module.

The punch holders 1 and die holders 3 of each of the modules M1, M2 and M3 are respectively joined to a common upper junction sole 8 and to a common lower junction sole 9. This meeting takes place at the cutouts 29 and positioning pins, the longitudinal axis of each of the workstations then being rigorously placed at identical inter-axes, their transverse axis passing rigorously through the longitudinal axis of the multimodular assembly to form a perfect alignment of the different modules.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, the roughly rectangular shape of the elements constituting the frame of the module has two longitudinal cutouts 10 allowing the modules to nest together, with a concomitant reduction in the length of the multimodular unit (FIG. 3).

The modification of the orientation of the module according to the invention, depending on whether it is used in the unitary state or in a multimodular unit, must not affect the orientation of the tools, nor that of the passages provided for the fall of materials or finished parts.

To do this, the invention provides for mounting the wafers on the punch holder, on the blank holder and on the die holder, not directly as is known according to the prior art, but with the interposition of a plate square orientation. This plate is designated by the reference 11 in Figure 1, respectively 11a, 11b and 11c in Figures 6 and 7, and omitted in Figure 3 so as not to overload the drawing.

The method of mounting this plate and its usefulness will emerge more clearly from FIG. 5 where we find the same references as in FIG. 1, used to designate the same parts.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7, each of the plates 11a, 11b and 11c is exactly centered, respectively on the punch holder 1, the blank holder 2 and the die holder 3, by means of indexing pins 12 strictly positioned. The square plate 11c of the die holder 3 has a substantially rectangular cut 13c (in the case of the embodiment shown, a cut roughly in the shape of a "football" field), cut 13c which, in the configuration of FIG. 5, has the same general orientation as the module. In other words, when the module is used in the unitary state, the cut 13c provided for the fall of the waste of material or the fall of the finished parts, has its length parallel to the length of the module. When it is desired to make a multimodular unit, the pins 12 are removed, the plate 11c is unscrewed from the die holder 3, it is turned 90 ° and it is replaced, in this new orientation, on the die holder with a rigorously centered positioning using the pins 12. It follows that, in the multimodular configuration, the cut 13c has its length parallel to the width of each of the modules, and parallel to the length of the multimodular unit. The plates 11a and 11b, respectively, of the punch holder 1 and of the die holder 2, are re-orientable in the same way.

The die holder 3 has a square opening 30c, the side of which is slightly longer than the length of the discharge cutout 13c. A similar square opening 30b is provided in the blank holder 2. In FIG. 5, we also see, at 31, a clearance provided in the blank holder.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the module according to the invention can use both circular wafers 5 and square wafers 5 ′. Square wafers have the advantage of offering a larger tool distribution surface for the same size.

For mounting the pancakes 5 or 5 ′ in the square plates 11a, llb, 11c, said square plates comprise, as can be seen better in FIG. 8, a pair of grooves 14 adapted to receive pins 15 perfectly centered with respect to the center of the square plate. The pins 15 ensure correct relative positioning, in a first direction.

In a second direction perpendicular to the first, the correct relative positioning and the immobilization in place are ensured by two devices 16 opposite. Each of these devices comprises a T-flange 17a, 17b, 17c movable in translation in a groove 27, vis-à-vis which it can also have a slight vertical sliding movement. This T flange 17a, 17b, 17c which is likely to come into engagement with a cross milling 18 provided in the wafer 5 or 5 ′, has a light 19 allowing the above-mentioned translational movement. A screw 20 ensures the vertical locking of the flange 17 in the bottom of the groove 27.

The three functions of centering, clamping and lardonnage are therefore fulfilled by the pair of devices 16.

It is understood that in locked engagement, the lower face 28 of the flange 17c is thus locked against the heel 29 of the horizontal branch of the cross milling 18.

Figure 5 shows in 21 and 21 ′ the position occupied by the jacks when the module is used in the unitary state. There are two other locations at 22 and 22 ′ which will be used when the module is mounted in a multimodular unit. Depending on the use made of the module, the user therefore mounts the cylinders at 21, 21 ′ or 22, 22 ′.

We will now refer to FIGS. 6 and 7, to which are referred the references previously used. The corresponding parts will not be described again.

Figure 6 shows that the frame according to the invention is equipped with rails 27a, 27b for sliding in place the wafer equipping the punch holder 1 and the wafer equipping the blank holder 2. These rails 27a and 27b are respectively fixed to the plates 11a and 11b orientation so that by properly orienting said plates, it is possible to keep the front loading of wafers that are working on a unitary module or on a mutlimodular assembly. We see in 17a and 17b the centering flange, clamping and lardonnage of these wafers. The reference 17c designates, as before, the flange provided for the wafer equipping the die holder.

There are shown at 23 pushers constituted by a rod and a spring and intended to raise the band 28 after each press stroke. It is understood that this intervention is done by means of tools which are not shown in the drawing. There is simply shown, in phantom lines, in the upper part of FIG. 6, a part of tool standard 24. The tool standards are also shown in phantom on the left-hand side of FIG. 7. This same FIG. 7 shows one of the jacks 41 used for the operation of the blank holder 2, and the parts which depend thereon, and one of the jacks 26 used for the pressure of the greenhouse. - blank 2.

The economic advantage of the modular frame according to the invention is obvious for the following reasons.

The user can test the technique which is the subject of the aforementioned patent EP 0 100 271, at a lower cost, starting with a single work station (a single module). He will then be able to acquire one or more other modules, which will allow him, depending on the fluctuations in his manufacturing, to exactly adapt the number of workstations to the work to be performed. A module removed from a multimodular assembly can complement another multimodular assembly. Only the dimensions of the common connecting soles will have to be revised. This will improve profitability thanks to rational use of the machine park.

The modification of the orientation of the square plates, depending on whether the module is used in the unitary state or in the form of a multimodular assembly, requires only manipulations reduced to their simplest expression: it is enough to remove and replace four bolts and four pins and reload the cylinders with nitrogen.

The construction of the frame according to the invention is more economical than that of the previously known frame because, the basic module being always the same, its manufacture causes the series effect which lowers the manufacturing costs.

It will also be added that, in the multiple workstation frames described and claimed in EP-0 100 271, the precision between each station must be very rigorous and it is obtained on components of large dimensions which are heavy to handle, which require machining machines accordingly. In the case of the frame according to the invention, precision is obtained on square plates of small dimensions, easy to handle, and which use smaller machining machines.

Finally, the problem of the deflection of the blank holder mentioned above, is not encountered in a multimodular assembly according to the invention, even if one of the stations is not used - which obviously does not constitute the best mode of implementation of said invention - since each workstation has a separate blank holder.

Claims (9)

1- Frame (M) for a tool working on the strip, for carrying out manufacturing operations, such as cutting, bending, stamping, etc., of parts from a strip or blank (8) of raw material , said frame (M) comprising, as constituent elements, a punch holder (1) and a die holder (3), of generally rectangular configuration, mounted opposite and each offering standardized receiving means adapted to receive sets forming tools, called "pancakes" (5, 5 ′), which pancakes are also standardized, so as to be interchangeable, and respectively constituted of punches ("pancake / punches") and of dies ("pancake / dies") in correspondence, a pair of wafer / punches and wafer / dies forming a work station, the die holder (3) further having a cutout (13c) for the evacuation of waste raw material and / or finished parts , the strip of raw material (8) circulating along the longitudinal axis (BB ) of the frame (M), characterized in that:
- the evacuation cutout is substantially rectangular (13c) and it is created in a square plate (11, 11c), called "orientation plate", interposed between the wafer / dies (5, 5 ′) and the holder matrices (3),
the receiving means of the wafer / dies (5, 5 ′) are provided on said orientation plate (11, 11c) and,
- indexing (12) and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate (11, 11c) to the die holder (3) in a location strictly centered with respect to the whole of the frame ( M), but in two possible directions, 90 ° from each other. 2- Frame according to claim 1, wherein the wafer / punches (5, 5 ′) is mounted and removed from the punch holder (1) in a transverse direction (0, 0₁, 0₂, 0₃) to the direction of circulation ( BB) of the raw material strip (8), rails (27a) depending on said punch holder (1) being adapted to support and guide said wafer (5, 5 ′) during its assembly and disassembly, characterized in that
- said rails (27a) are fixed to a square plate (11, 11a) called "orientation plate,
the receiving means of the wafer / punches (5, 5 ′) are provided on said orientation plate (11, 11a),
- indexing (12) and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate (11, 11a) to the punch holder (1) in a location that is strictly centered with respect to the entire frame ( M), but in two possible directions, 90 ° from each other. 3- frame according to claim 2, further comprising, as a constitutive element, a blank holder (2) also offering standardized receiving means adapted to receive a tool assembly called "wafer / blank holder" (5, 5 ′) also standardized and interchangeable, said wafer / blank holder having cutouts for the passage of the punches of the wafer / punches, rails (27b) depending on said blank holder (2) and being adapted to support and guide said wafer / blank holder (5, 5 ′) during assembly and disassembly in a transverse direction (0, 0₁, 0₂, 0₃) to the direction of circulation (BB) of the strip (8) of raw material, characterized in that:
- said rails (27b) are fixed to a square plate 11, 11b), called "orientation plate",
the receiving means of the wafer / blank holder (5, 5 ′) are provided on said orientation plate (11, 11b), and
- indexing (12) and assembly means are provided for joining said orientation plate (11, 11b) to the blank holder (2) in a location that is strictly centered with respect to the entire frame ( M), but in two possible directions, 90 ° from each other. 4- Frame according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the indexing means of the orientation plate (11, 11a, 11b, 11c) consist of four pins (12) matching four holes drilled in the vicinity of each of the angles of the square which it determines, and four holes in the constituent element (1, 2, 3) of the frame which receives said plate, said holes being all strictly centered with respect to the assembly of frame (M). 5-frame according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the substantially rectangular cutout (13c) of the orientation plate (11b, 11c) is in correspondence, whatever the orientation of said plate, with a square opening (30b, 30c) provided in the constituent element of the frame (2, 3) on which said square plate (11b, 11c) depends, the side of said square opening (30b, 30c) being at least equal to the length of the substantially rectangular cutout (13c). 6- Frame according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the orientation plate (11, 11a, 11b, 11c) comprises, on its receiving face of the wafer (5, 5 ′), horizontal in normal position of use, a pair of grooves (14) arranged on either side of the wafer according to a first horizontal axis of symmetry and a pair of grooves (27) arranged on either side of the wafer according to a second horizontal axis of symmetry perpendicular to the first, said pair of grooves (14) being adapted to receive the end of a pair of indexing pins (15) passing through said wafer (5, 5 ′) and each groove (27) of said pair of grooves being adapted to receive the lower end of the vertical branch of a T-flange (17a, 17b, l7c), while the remaining part of said T-flange is capable of being received in a milling cross (18) provided on the side wall of the wafer (5, 5 ′), the vertical branch of each of said cross milling ix (18) being crossed by a vertical plane of symmetry of the wafer, perpendicular to the vertical plane of symmetry passing through said pins (15), said T-flanges (17a, 17b, 17c) being adapted to slide, with vertical play , in said grooves (27) and to be locked in engagement with the cross millings 18) by screwing into the bottom of said grooves (27). 7- frame according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising, on the one hand, columns (4) on which slide the punch holder (1) and optionally a blank holder (2) and, d 'other hand, actuating cylinders (25) of said punch holder (1) and / or said blank holder (2), characterized in that the punch holder (1), the blank holder (2) and the die holders (3) have on their longitudinal edges two cutouts (10) symmetrical with respect to the diagonals of their generally rectangular configuration, which cutouts (10) spare in said longitudinal edges, only the space necessary for the location of said columns (4) and said cylinders (25). 8- assembly with multiple workstations, characterized in that it is produced by juxtaposition side by side of frames (M) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, oriented so that the transverse axis of each frame (M) individual merges with the longitudinal axis of the assembly (M1, M2, M3). 9- assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a common upper sole (8) and a common lower sole (9) which are joined, respectively, the juxtaposition of punch holders (1) and the juxtaposition of door -matrices (3) of the modules (M1, M2, M3).

Images