EP0424374B1 - A plant and a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like - Google Patents
A plant and a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0424374B1 EP0424374B1 EP88908167A EP88908167A EP0424374B1 EP 0424374 B1 EP0424374 B1 EP 0424374B1 EP 88908167 A EP88908167 A EP 88908167A EP 88908167 A EP88908167 A EP 88908167A EP 0424374 B1 EP0424374 B1 EP 0424374B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- fins
- transversal
- side components
- transversal fins
- reflector
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V11/00—Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00
- F21V11/06—Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00 using crossed laminae or strips, e.g. grid-shaped louvers; using lattices or honeycombs
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V13/00—Producing particular characteristics or distribution of the light emitted by means of a combination of elements specified in two or more of main groups F21V1/00 - F21V11/00
- F21V13/02—Combinations of only two kinds of elements
- F21V13/10—Combinations of only two kinds of elements the elements being reflectors and screens
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
- F21Y2103/00—Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a plant for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially for a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like, said reflector comprising two side components and a plurality of transversal fins, which are preferably arranged substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart preferably at substantially the same distance and extending between said two side components, said transversal fins having projecting lugs extending through corresponding apertures of said side components and being bent for fastening said transversal fins relative to said side components, said side components and said transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or metal foil such as thin aluminum sheet or foil.
- reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires especially for fluorescent lamps or tubes or the like
- reflector components i.e. the side components and the transversal fins
- all of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins have to be correctly inserted into the corresponding apertures of the side components and correctly bent, and furthermore the final product must not show visible mechanical marks or traces of the handling by the plant or the machines.
- a thin metal sheet or a thin metal foil constitutes a body which is in itself difficult to handle since the intrinsic strength of the metal sheet or the metal foil is highly limited and furthermore often has internal tensions, internal elasticity, etc., and secondly, the fact that the materials have a completely smooth surface, which is to serve as a reflector surface, and which is directly visible in the final product and is furthermore in this final product illuminated by the light source present in the lighting fitting or luminaire, generally a fluorescent tube contained in the fluorescent lamp or tube.
- US-A-4,429,354 discloses a lighting fixture louver assembly of the above type comprising a plurality of transversal fins or louvers which have a generally V-shaped cross section.
- opposite extensions are provided at the lower portion of each fin or louver. When the structure is assembled these extensions are inserted through corresponding slots formed in the side walls or side components of the assembly whereby a closed bottom of each of the V-shaped fins or louvers projects uninterruptedly through the adjacent side walls of the assembly.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a method permitting mechanical production of reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires, on the one hand ensuring that the reflector components, i.e. the side components and the transversal fins, are not subjected to rough treatment or handling, which might result in scratches in the visible reflector surface, and on the other hand ensuring that the final product is assembled in a correct way, which means that the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are correctly inserted and bent in the corresponding apertures of the side components.
- the said plurality of transversal fins are preferably arranged substantially parallel to each other and mutually spaced, preferably at substantially the same distance.
- the side components and the transversal fins are preferably made from thin aluminum sheet or foil.
- the present invention provides a plant for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, said reflector comprising a pair of side components and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins extending between the side components and having projecting lugs extending through corresponding apertures defined in the side components for fastening the fins relative to the side components, the side components and the transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or foil, said plant being characterized in comprising a first production line for producing the transversal fins from a first continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil by cutting out or punching transversal fin blanks having the projecting lugs, a second production line for producing the side components from a second continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil by cutting out or punching blanks therefrom, an assembling unit, a first transportation means for receiving said pair of side components and for transferring them from the second production line to the assembling unit, a second transportation means for receiving said plurality of transversal fins produced in the first production line and for
- the transversal fins may be produced from the fin blanks, by bending, rolling, or pressing the fin blanks.
- the side components may be given a predetermined shape by shaping the blanks by bending, rolling, or pressing.
- the present invention is based on the realization that the above-mentioned requirements to a plant for mechanical assembling reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires are met or fulfilled provided the transversal fins are maintained in fixed positions in relation to the side components during at least the positioning of the transversal fins and the side components in relation to each other and during the insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal figs into the corresponding apertures of the side components.
- the insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins into the side components may in itself be carried out in any appropriate manner.
- the insertion may be carried out in two steps, firstly by inserting the projecting lugs of the transversal fins corresponding to a first side component and secondly by inserting the projecting lugs of the transversal fins corresponding to the second side component.
- the second transportation means and consequently the transversal fins may be moved in relation to the two side components, or alternatively, the side components may be moved in relation to the second transportation means and consequently the transversal fins.
- the insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins is carried out by moving the two side components towards the plurality of transversal fins which are maintained in fixed positions by means of the second transportation means for simultaneous and synchronized insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins through the corresponding apertures of both side components.
- the second transportation means of the plant according to the invention preferably comprises in this preferred embodiment of the invention a fixation device for receiving and maintaining said plurality of transversal fins in said positions in relation to each other.
- the components of the reflector may have any shape determined by the lighting fitting or luminaire in question.
- the side components and the transversal fins often form a so-called double parabolic reflector, i.e. a reflector in which the side components constitute parts of a parabolic, cylindrical body in the focal line of which the light source, especially the fluorescent tube, is mounted, and in which two opposite transversal fins constitute parts of a parabolic, cylindrical body, in the focal line of which the light source, i.e. the fluorescent lamp or tube, is mounted.
- parabolic, especially double parabolic, reflectors are often produced from components, i.e.
- the components are often made from parts of circular, cylindrical bodies, as the parabolic shapes are approximated by circular shapes.
- the reason for this circular approximation of the parabolic shapes is that it is far more easy and simple to produce tools for producing components of circular shapes than to produce tools for producing components of parabolic shapes, and furthermore that a circular approximation of a part of a parabolic section for practical uses may be optimalized to a deviation from the desired ideal parabolic shape, which falls within the production tolerances for providing parabolic shapes.
- the individual transversal fins form elements which have substantially V-shaped cross-sections.
- the fixation device of the second transportation means is in accordance with a further embodiment of the plant of the invention adapted to maintain said transversal fins in a compressed state while said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are inserted through said apertures of said side components, and wherein said fixation device is adapted to be disengaged from said plurality of transversal fins after the insertion of said projecting lugs of said transversal fins through said corresponding apertures of said side components in order to permit said transversal fins to recover positions corresponding to said arrangement of said transversal fins of said reflector prior to a final part of said assembling operation, in which final part said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are bent.
- the fixation device may comprise means for compressing the transversal fins.
- the fixation device has indentations in which said plurality of transversal fins are arranged loosely before said transferring of said transversal fins from said first production line to said assembling unit, and wherein said plant has means for pressing said plurality of transversal fins against abutments in said indentations in order to maintain said plurality of transversal fins in predetermined positions in said compressed state during said positioning of said side components and said plurality of transversal fins adjacent to each other and during said first part of said assembling operation.
- the means for pressing the plurality of transversal fins against the abutments of the indentations may be any suitable means.
- said means may be, e.g., a beam, which may be a stationary or a movable beam.
- the fixation device is moved towards the beam in order to press down the transversal fins against the abutments of the indentations.
- the beam is a movable beam, it is preferably adapted to reciprocate in relation to the fixation device in order to press down, by movement from a neutral position to a working position, said plurality of transversal fins into the predetermined positions of the indentations.
- those parts of said indentations of said fixation device, with which said transversal fins are in contact during said transferring from said first production line to said assembling unit and during said pressing down of said transversal fins against said abutments comprise parts made of a material, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which permits a particularly gentle contact with said transversal fins.
- PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
- said first transportation means of said plant comprises means for elevating said plurality of transversal fins from a supporting surface in said first production line and, during said transferring of said plurality of transversal fins from said first production line to said assembling unit, to keep said transversal fins free of frictional contact with supporting surfaces
- said second transportation means of said plant comprises means for elevating said side components from a supporting surface in said second production line and, during said transferring of said side components from said second production line to said assembling unit, to keep said side components free of frictional contact with supporting surfaces
- said third transportation means of said plant comprises a carriage for transportation of said completed reflector from said assembling unit.
- the present invention also provides a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire which comprises a pair of side components and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins extending between the side components, the side components and the transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or foil, said method comprising inserting projecting lugs of the fins into corresponding apertures defined in the side components, bending the lugs extending through the apertures of the side components in order to secure each individual transversal fin to the side components, the method being characterized in further comprising arranging a plurality of the transversal fins in a fixation device in mutually spaced positions corresponding substantially to the mutual arrangement of the transversal fins in the reflector to be produced, positioning a pair of side components and said plurality of fins arranged in the fixation device adjacent to each other so as to position the lugs projecting from the fins adjacent to corresponding apertures defined in the side components, and inserting the projecting lugs of the fins into the corresponding apertures
- the method of the invention may preferably be carried out in accordance with any of the above stated features of the plant of the invention.
- the method of the invention can especially be used for producing a reflector comprising transversal fins having a substantially V-shaped cross-section, wherein said transversal fins are kept in a compressed state in said fixation device while said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are inserted through said corresponding apertures of said side components, whereupon said fixation device is disengaged from said plurality of transversal fins in order to permit said transversal fins to recover positions corresponding to said arrangement of said transversal fins of said reflector.
- the transversal fins are fitted in said fixation device by being arranged loosely in indentations of said fixation device, whereupon said transversal fins are pressed against abutments of said indentations so as to maintain said transversal fins in predetermined positions in said compressed state.
- transversal fins described above may be made of identical elements or may comprise a plurality of identical transversal fins and two end fins, as will appear from the detailed description of an at present preferred embodiment of a plant according to the invention, which end fins may each constitute half a transversal fin, as two end fins are made from one transversal fin by dividing the transversal fin.
- the transversal fins are preferably arranged mutually parallelly in the reflector.
- reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires may be produced, in which reflectors the transversal fins are not arranged mutually parallelly.
- the transversal fins are not necessarily arranged spaced apart at the same distance, but may be spaced apart at varying distances.
- a reflector for a fluorescent lamp or tube consists of two side components, a plurality of transversal fins and two end components or end fins.
- the transversal fins and end components have lugs, which are inserted into corresponding holes or apertures of the side components and are bent in said holes or apertures in order to fix the transversal fins and the end components in relation to the side components and in order to maintain the side components, the transversal fins and the end components as a unit.
- the plant shown in Fig. 1 for fully automated production of reflectors for fluorescent lamps or tubes can carry out the production of all components in the reflector and the assembling and joining thereof, without the final product carrying any traces of a rough treatment or handling in the plant, which traces would otherwise make the product unacceptable for prospective buyers.
- traces may e.g. be dents, scratches, etc., and will in consequence of the strong illumination of the reflector in the fluorescent lamp or tube, however small the traces may be, highly conspicuous.
- the plant shown in Fig. 1 basically comprises a production line shown in the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 1 consisting of two blocks designated the reference numerals 10 and 12, in which production line the above-mentioned transversal fins and end fins or end components are produced, a production line shown in the upper half of Fig.
- FIG. 1 consisting of two blocks 11 and 13 substantially corresponding to the above-mentioned blocks 10 and 12, in which blocks 11 and 13 the side components or at least one of the side components is produced, and a block 15 in which the side components produced in the production line comprising the blocks 11 and 13 are turned around and introduced into an assembling unit 14, in which assembling unit 14 the transversal fins and end fins produced in the production line comprising the blocks 10 and 12 and the side components produced in the production line comprising the blocks 11, 13 and 15 are assembled to a complete reflector.
- the reference numerals 16 and 17 designate two side components, which are to be joined in the assembling unit 14 to transversal fins and end fins, which as a unit are transferred on carriages, of which two are shown in Fig. 1 designated by the reference numerals 18 and 19.
- a block 20 is shown with a dotted line, which block 20 may be a block corresponding to the block 13 for producing the side component 17.
- the blocks 11 and 13 shown in the upper left-hand corner of Fig. 1 only serve the purpose of producing the side component 16, whereas the side component 17 is produced by the block 20 and the block mentioned above, but not shown in the drawing.
- the blocks 11 and 13 may produce a continuous sequence of side components such as the side components 16 and 17 shown in Fig. 1.
- the plant shown in Fig. 1 may comprise one or more further production lines arranged on the right-hand side of the assembling unit 14, which further production line or lines comprise blocks corresponding to the blocks 10 and 12 and consequently serve the purpose of producing transversal fins and end fins or end components.
- control board 21 is shown schematically, which is connected to an electrical or electronic control unit such as a computer, which monitors and controls the function of the whole plant and via indicators, lamps, etc. presents information regarding the operation of the plant, including any malfunction, blockings, shortage of material for processing in the individual production lines, etc., to an operator who operates the plant.
- an electrical or electronic control unit such as a computer, which monitors and controls the function of the whole plant and via indicators, lamps, etc. presents information regarding the operation of the plant, including any malfunction, blockings, shortage of material for processing in the individual production lines, etc., to an operator who operates the plant.
- the blocks 11 and 13 are of substantially the same construction as the blocks 10 and 12, respectively, as the blocks 10 and 11 and the blocks 12 and 13 contain substantially the same means for carrying out substantially the same functions. Accordingly, only the blocks 10 and 12 will be described below, unless otherwise explicitly stated.
- Fig. 2 is a perspective and more detailed view of the block 10 and the components contained in said block.
- a continuous length of a thin metal foil such as an aluminum foil or a high lustre thin metal foil, especially a 0.5 mm aluminum foil, is fed from a foil roller 22 in the form of a continuous length 23 and conveyed through the block 10.
- the roller 22 is journaled on a rotational axis 24 of a bearing block 25.
- the foil which is fed from the roller 22 in the form of the continuous length 23 has a protection foil in the form of a thin protecting plastic foil on the lower side surface of the foil length 23, which side surface corresponds to the outer peripheral surface of the roller 22.
- the foil length 23 is taken through a unit 26 in which the metal foil is smoothed and corrected, the length 23 being guided through four pairs of pressure rollers. At least one of the eight rollers is driven by a drive engine 27 contained in the unit 26. The activation of the drive engine 27 for feeding the foil length 23 from the roller 22 is controlled and monitored by the control device or computer connected to the control board 21. In Fig. 2, one of the rollers of the unit 26 is in Fig. 2 designated the reference numeral 28.
- the foil length 23 is fed to a unit 30 in which the foil length 23 on the one hand is given an intermittent feed movement and on the other hand is subjected to a treatment to remove the above-mentioned protecting plastic foil, which is pulled off the lower side surface of the foil length 23 and is fed as an independent length 31 to a roller 32 on which the protecting plastic foil is wound driven by an engine 33 which is activated and controlled by the above-mentioned control device or computer.
- the foil length 23 is fed into the unit 30 by two guiding rollers 34 and 35 mounted on a supporting block 36 which is stationary relative to the foundation of the unit 30.
- two guiding bars 37 and 38 extend to a supporting block 39, above which a block 40 is mounted so that an interspace is provided between the blocks 39 and 40, through which interspace the foil length 23 is guided.
- a block 41 is supported, above which a block 42 is mounted, which may be moved upwards and downward relative to the block 41 so that the block 42 can be moved relative to the block 41 from a releasing position, in which the foil length 23 can pass freely between the blocks 41 and 42, to a holding position, in which the foil length 23 is maintained in a fixed or locked position between the blocks 41 and 42.
- the block 41, which is supported on the guiding bars 37 and 38 is given a forward and backward movement by a driving cylinder 43.
- the intermittent feeding of the foil length 23 is provided by the unit described above in the following way. From a position in which the blocks 41 and 42 is moved towards the block 39, the foil length 23 is released from the blocks 41 and 42, and the blocks 41 and 42 are moved by the driving cylinder 43 to an initial position, i.e. towards the block 36. In this initial position the foil length 23 is secured between the blocks 41 and 42, whereupon the block 41 is moved towards the block 39 driven by the cylinder 43 so that the foil length 23, which is secured between the blocks 41 and 42, is moved forward. In this final position, the foil length 23 is released from the blocks 41 and 42, and the block 41 is returned to the above-mentioned initial position. By this intermittent feeding of the foil length 23, the foil length 23 is transferred from the unit 30 guided between two guiding rollers 44 and 45 to a first cutting station 50, which is shown schematically in Fig. 1 and also shown in Fig. 3.
- the foil length 23 is moved on through the plant, without the side surface of the foil length, from which the protecting plastic foil has been removed, being displaced across the surface, which might cause scratches in the unprotected foil surface, e.g. in case extraneous matter such as a dust particle, a metal particle or the like is carried along by the unprotected foil length.
- the above-mentioned rollers 34, 35, 44 and 45 serve to "contactlessly" move the foil length.
- the foil length 23 is accordingly feed to the cutting station 50, without the lower side surface of the foil length being brought into contact with a surface of the cutting station 50.
- a cutting tool contained in the cutting station 50 is activated.
- This cutting tool comprises two parts 51 and 52, of which the part 51 constitutes a supporting surface, against which the lower side surface of the foil length 23 is pressed when the part 52 containing the actual cutting or punching tools is moved downward towards the part 51 driven by a driving cylinder 53.
- a section of the foil length is cut off, which section constitutes a sheet section or fin blank 60 shown in Fig. 2 as well as in Fig. 3.
- the section 60 falls upon a supporting surface 54, which, as is evident from Fig. 3, is placed below the upper side surface defined by the part 51, and which furthermore constitutes a surface having a surface coating of a material which provides a particularly gentle handling or treatment of the sheet section 60, such as a surface coating of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
- PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
- the sheet section 60 is moved from the cutting station 50 described above and is shaped into a transversal fin or optionally an end fin in the remaining part of the production line shown in Fig. 3, which part constitutes the block 12 shown in Fig. 1.
- the sheet section 60 is moved through three processing stations 70, 80 and 90, respectively, by being lifted from the supporting surface 54 by two arms 61 and 62.
- the arms 61 and 62 each have a sucking disc 63 and 64, respectively, and are mounted on a carriage 65 which can be moved from a left-hand end position shown in Fig. 3 to a right-hand end position driven by a fluid cylinder 66, in which right-hand end position the right-hand end surface of the carriage 65 abuts a block 75.
- the station 70 is provided with arms 71 and 72, respectively, having sucking discs 73 and 74, respectively, fitted on the arms 71 and 72, respectively, which arms 71 and 72 are mounted on a block 75.
- the station 80 is provided with arms 81 and 82 with suction discs 83 and 84, the arms 81 and 82 being supported by a block 85 corresponding to the block 75.
- the blocks 75 and 85 as well as the carriage 65 are supported as a unit on a beam 100, which is in its turn supported by three fluid cylinders 101, 102 and 103, which cylinders are in their turn supported by an h-shaped, horizontal bed 104, on which a beam 95 corresponding to the blocks 75 and 85 is mounted in the station 90.
- arms 91 and 92 are mounted, from which sucking discs 93 and 94 extend in the axial directions of the arms 91 and 92.
- the beam 104 is in its turn mounted on roller supports 105, 106, 107 and 108, which are supported on supporting plates 109 and 110, respectively.
- the plates 109 and 110 are supported by means of rollers on beams 111 and 112 which are stationary parts of the plant.
- roller supports 105 and 106 and the roller supports 107 and 108 are attached to pistons of driving cylinders, 113 and 114, respectively, and the h-shaped beam 104 supported on the plates 109 and 110 is attached to a fluid drive cylinder 115 so that the beam 104 and the beam 100 as a unit is movable from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right, as the plates 109 and 110 are rolling on the supporting beams 111 and 112.
- the sheet section 60 is transferred from the station 50 to the station 70, a sheet section 67 present in the station 70 is transferred from the station 70 to the station 80, and a sheet section 68 present in the station 80 and processed therein is transferred from the station 80 to the station 90 from which a sheet section 69 present in the station 90 and processed therein is released from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.
- the sheet section 69 is transferred to a holder 120 by displacement of the beams 100 and 104 to the right, which holder 120 already contains two finished transversal fins 121 and 122, which have been transferred from the apparatus shown in Fig.
- the individual, finished transversal fins or end fins e.g. the transversal fins 121 and 122 shown in Fig. 3, are moved forward as will be explained below with reference to Fig. 4 so that there is room in the holder for receiving a transversal fin or an end fin which is transferred from the station 90.
- the carriage 65 makes the above-mentioned movement from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right driven by the driving cylinder 66, the distance from the cutting station 50, in which the sheet section is picked up, to the station 70 being longer than the distance between the stations 70 and 80 and between the stations 80 and 90.
- a knife 76 is fitted which is driven by a fluid driving device 77 and is movable from a position shown in Fig. 3 downward for dividing the sheet section 67 present in the station 70.
- the station 70 thus serves the purpose of producing, from a sheet body 60, two halves which will constitute an end fin of a reflector for which a plurality of transversal fins and one end fin have been produced or processed in advance, as well as an end fin for a further reflector.
- the cutting tool or knife 76 of the station 70 is accordingly only activated periodically.
- the sheet body 67 is supported on two supporting plates 78 and 79, between which an interspace is defined.
- the station 70 After the activation of the station 70, the station 70 remains inactivated during the subsequent processing or production of a predetermined number of transversal fins for a reflector, the transversal fins being shaped in the stations 80 and 90, which stations 80 and 90 are inactivated while the end fins produced in the station 70 are taken out from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.
- the control of the stations 70, 80 and 90 for producing end fins and transversal fins is carried out by the central control device or computer of the plant.
- the sheet body 68 present in the station 80 is shaped by means of a shaping tool 86, which is movable downward from a position shown in Fig. 3 driven by a fluid driving device 87.
- the shaping tool 86 bends the body 68 into a arched shape and furthermore provides two webs of the sheet body 68, which webs project upwards from the supporting plane.
- the sheet body is supported on a compliant supporting surface 88, such as a rubber surface.
- a sheet body which has the same shape as the sheet body 68 shown in the station 80 and has been transferred from the station 80 to the station 90, is provided with a "gull wing" shape by a bending process.
- This bending process is carried out by means of a tool 96 which like the tools 76 and 86 is movable downward from an inactivated position shown in Fig. 4 driven by a fluid driving device 97.
- a tool 96 which like the tools 76 and 86 is movable downward from an inactivated position shown in Fig. 4 driven by a fluid driving device 97.
- the sheet body Prior to the bending of the sheet body present in the station 90 the sheet body is supported on supporting parts 98 and 99 of the station 90, between which supporting parts an interspace is defined.
- the webs of the sheet body clamp tightly round the bending tool 96 so that the finished transversal fin 69 sticks to the bending tool 96 when the bending tool 96 is raised to its inactivated or neutral position.
- the finished transversal fin 69 cannot directly be taken out from the station 90.
- the finished transversal fin 69 must actively be caught by the sucking discs 93 and 94 and be held by the same before the tool 96 is moved from the inactivated position shown in Fig. 3 to an elevated position in which the transversal fin 69 is released from the tool 96.
- the beam 100 is lowered relative to the beam 104, and the tool 96 is moved by the fluid drive device 97 to the elevated position mentioned above, so that the finished transversal fin 69 is released from the tool 96.
- the sucking discs 63, 64, 73, 74, 83 and 84 are contacted with the sheet bodies 60, 67 and 68.
- the sheet body 60 is caught by the sucking discs 63 and 64, while the body present in the station 70 is caught by the sucking discs 73 and 74, and the sheet body 68 present in the station 80 is caught by the sucking discs 83 and 84.
- the beam 100 is elevated or raised relative to the beam 104 so that the sheet bodies 60, 67 and 68 are elevated relative to their supports.
- the fluid driving cylinders 113 and 114 are activated so that the beam 104 and the beam 100, which remains elevated relative to the beam 104, are taken out from the drawing plane and the bodies 60, 67 and 68 and furthermore the transversal fin 69 are taken out of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.
- the beam 104 By activating the fluid driving cylinder 115 the beam 104, which is supported on the plates 109 and 110, is displaced relative to the supporting frame beams 111 and 112, so that the beam 104 and the beam 100 are displaced to the right.
- the body 67 is moved from a position in front of, but disengaged relative to the station 80, to a position in front of, but disengaged relative to the station 80, and at the same time the body 68 is correspondingly transferred from a disengaged position relative to the station 80 to a disengaged position relative to the station 90.
- the finished transversal fin 69 is correspondingly transferred from a disengaged position relative to the station 90 to a disengaged position relative to the holder 120.
- the unprocessed sheet body 60 is transferred from a position disengaged relative to the position shown in Fig. 3 to a disengaged position in front of the station 70 by further activating the fluid driving cylinder 66 so that the carriage 65 is moved relative to the beam 100 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right and abuts the block 75.
- the cylinders 113 and 114 are activated so that the bodies are moved from the disengaged position into positions in the receiving stations 70, 80 and 90 and in the holder 120. Thereupon the beam 100 is lowered so that the sheet bodies 60, 67 and 68 are lowered onto the supports 78, 88 and 98 as well as 99, respectively, of the stations 70, 80 and 90, respectively.
- the sucking discs 63, 64, 73, 74, 83, 84, 93 and 94 are inactivated, and the beam 100 is elevated relative to the beam 104 so that the sucking discs 63, 64, 73, 74, 83 and 84 are elevated.
- the activation of the fluid driving cylinders 113 and 114 generates a movement of the beam 104 and the beam 100 out of the drawing plane and consequently to the above-mentioned disengaged positions relative to the stations 70, 80 and 90.
- the beam 104 is moved back to the left by the activation of the fluid driving cylinder 115 so that the apparatus is ready to start another transferring operation after the bodies just transferred to the stations 70, 80 and 90 have been processed therein and to transfer another sheet body cut in the station 50 from the station 50 to the station 70.
- transversal fin 69 and the end fins are produced in the blocks 10 and 12 shown in Fig. 1 in the way described above with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the side components 16 and 17 are produced in the blocks 11 and 13 shown in Fig. 1 in substantially the same way as the above-described method of producing the transversal fins and end fins.
- the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, which constitutes the block 12 may accordingly be modified so as to cut a body corresponding to a side component in the station 50, to punch holes in said body for a side component in the stations 70, 80 and 90, to shape the body into a given, desired shape or profile, and furthermore to bend an upper edge and a lower edge from the body.
- Such modifications of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 for carrying out the process of producing a side component in the block 13 in Fig. 1 will be evident to those skilled in the art.
- Fig. 4 the assembling unit 14 and the central control board 21 of the plant is shown, which control board is arranged on a console, in which the above-mentioned central control unit or computer of the plant or parts thereof may be included or housed.
- the holder 120 is shown in greater detail with the above-mentioned two completely processed transversal fins 121 and 122 fitted in a second and a third position of the holder 120, i.e. in positions corresponding to the positions shown in Fig. 3.
- a completely processed transversal fin is, however, not fitted into a first position of the holder 120, which means that the holder 120 like in Fig. 3 is ready to receive the completely processed transversal fin 69 from station 90, shown in Fig. 3.
- the fins are moved, i.e.
- transversal fins and the first and the last end fin relative to the holder 120, which, accordingly, in the same position receives the completely processed transversal fin 69 just released and transferred from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.
- This movement of the fins forward through the holder 120 is provided by a carrier part 125, which is mounted on two vertically displaceable pistons 126 and 127 of fluid driving cylinders 128 and 129, respectively, and which is consequently movable in relation to the stationary frame of the plant.
- the fluid driving cylinders 128 and 129 are mounted on a common shaft 130 which is fastened to a piston 132 of a fluid driving cylinder 133 through a plate part fastened on the shaft 130, which fluid driving cylinder 133 is stationary relative to the stationary frame of the plant.
- the carrier part 125 is moved.
- the carrier part 125 is firstly moved upwards so that the transversal fins 121 and 122, which are received in the holder 120, are solely held by the carrier part 125, which is thereupon moved one position forward relative to the stationary holder 120.
- the carrier part 125 is then lowered so that the transversal fins 121 and 122 are transferred to different positions of the holder 120, the transversal fin 121 being transferred to the position in which the transversal fin 122 was previously received. After lowering of the carrier part 125, the carrier part 125 is returned to its initial position and is consequently ready for a new transferring operation for moving all the transversal fins received in the holder 120 one position forward.
- the stationary holder 120 When the stationary holder 120 has received a predetermined number of transversal fins and in an first and a last position a first and a last end fin, respectively, the plurality of transversal fins and end fins necessary for producing a desired reflector are present in the holder 120 and are ready to be transferred from the holder 120 so as to be assembled with the side components 16 and 17 shown in Fig. 1 in the central part of the assembling unit 14 shown in Fig. 4.
- a carriage 140 is used, which is shown in Fig. 4 in a lower initial position, and which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 6.
- the fins which have been received by the stationary holder 120, are transferred to the carriage 140 by means of a beam 141 after the carriage 140 has been elevated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position shown with dotted line in Fig. 4.
- the beam 141 is supported on arms 142 and 143, which are in their turn journaled displaceably on guiding rods 144 and 145, which are stationary guiding rods, i.e. guiding rods which are firmly attached to the stationary frame of the plant.
- the displacement of the arms 142 and 143 on the guiding rods 144 and 145 is generated by a fluid driving cylinder 146.
- the beam 141 pushes the fins received in the holder 120 towards the assembling unit 14 so that the fins are transferred to the carriage 140, which is in the position shown with dotted line in Fig. 4.
- the elevation and lowering of the carriage 140 is provided by a fluid driving cylinder 150, the carriage 140 furthermore being journaled displaceably on stationary guiding rods 152 and 153, i.e. guiding rods which are firmly attached to the stationary frame of the plant.
- the carriage 140 is consequently displaceable from the position shown in Fig. 4 into a position in the central part of the assembling unit 14 and can in this position in the central part of the assembling unit 14 be elevated to a position shown in Fig. 6.
- the fins are received in transversal indentations of the body of the carriage 140 when the fins have been transferred to the carriage 140.
- the indentations are complementary to the "gull wing"-shaped profile of the completely processed transversal fin such as the transversal fins 69, 121 and 122 shown in Fig. 3.
- the fins are supported by a set of PTFE bodies 151 arranged in such a way that the pressure generated by each body 151 is distributed across the outer surface of the body and is furthermore distributed uniformly between the four bodies 151 when the fins are received in the indentations of the body of the carriage 140.
- the choice of the material PTFE for the bodies 151 furthermore ensures that the outer surfaces of the transversal fins are not damaged when they are brought into contact with the bodies 151.
- the fins When the fins have been transferred from the stationary holder 120 to the carriage 140, the fins rest loosely in the indentations of the body of the carriage 140. In these positions the individual fin has substantially the profile shape of the transversal fins 121 and 122 shown in Fig. 4, i.e. the transversal fins are open. Furthermore, the transversal fins have only been moved partly into the individual indentations of the body of the carriage 140, whereas the fins shown in Fig. 6, which are received in the carriage 140, have been pressed completely down into the indentations so that the transversal fins are compressed.
- the side components 16 and 17 shown schematically in Fig. 1 are transferred from the block 15 to the assembling unit 14 by means of a transferring unit 170, which comprises two rods 171 and 172 which are displaceable relative to each other, and which are displaceable towards the assembling unit 14 driven by a fluid driving cylinder 173.
- the side components are secured relative to the rods 171 and 172 by means of a plurality of sucking discs.
- a single sucking disc 175 is shown.
- the side components 16 and 17 are received on rotatable fixation units 180 and 190, respectively. Only the unit 180 will be described in greater detail below since the unit 190 has the same structure as the unit 180.
- the unit 180 has a shaft 181, on which four roller-shaped supports 182, 183, 184 and 185 are journaled, of which the supports 182 and 185 each have four projecting spikes 186 and 187, respectively.
- the side components are suspended on the spikes 186 and 187 turning upside down as seen in relation to the envisaged fitting direction of the side components, when these have been assembled with a plurality of transversal fins and two end fins, on the side of the unit 180 which turns away from the interior of the assembling unit 14. After the suspending of e.g.
- the unit 180 is rotated 90° in an upward direction driven by an engine 188 and further by meshing gear-wheels 189 and 191 in such a way that the suspended side components are rotated from the position shown in Fig. 4 into a substantially horizontal position, suspended on vertical upward projecting spikes.
- the side components which have previously been rotated to this top position are simultaneously rotated into a position facing the interior of the assembling unit 14, in which position the assembling unit 14 receives a side component from the unit 180 and correspondingly receives a side component from the unit 190, which side components are to be joined with the fins previously received by the carriage 140.
- the assembling unit 14 For receiving the side components from the units 180 and 190 and further inserting the side components into the interior of the assembling unit 14 the assembling unit 14 has two units, one of which is designated the reference numeral 200, which unit 200 serves the purpose of transferring the side component 16 from the unit 180 to the interior of the assembling unit 14.
- the unit 200 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 5.
- the unit 200 has a beam 201 on which a plurality of sucking discs 202 are mounted for maintaining the side component 16, shown in Fig. 5, relative to the beam 201.
- the beam 201 is displaceable horizontally as well as vertically driven by two fluid driving cylinders 203 and 204, respectively.
- the beam 201 is mounted vertically displaceably on two vertical guiding rods 205 and 206 on which the beam 201 is vertically displaceable, driven by the fluid driving cylinder 204.
- the vertical guiding rods 205 and 206 are connected to each other through a yoke-shaped beam 207 on which the fluid driving cylinder 204 is mounted.
- the beam 201, the guiding rods 205 and 206 and the yoke shaped beam 207 form together a frame which is mounted on horizontal guiding rods 209 and 210.
- the frame is displaceable on the guiding rods 209 and 210 driven by the fluid driving cylinder 203.
- the beam 201 Driven by the fluid driving cylinders 203 and 204 the beam 201 carries out the following movements during the transferring of the side component 16 from the unit 180 to the interior of the assembling unit 14. From an initial position, the beam 201 moves horizontally towards the unit 180, in which position the side component 16 is received by the sucking discs 202. From this position the beam 201 moves horizontally back to its initial position, whereupon the beam 201 moves vertically down into the interior of the assembling unit 14 to a position, in which the side component 16 is transferred to a holder unit 220, which is shown in Fig. 6, and which corresponds to the holder unit 230 for receiving and securing the side component 17 in the interior of the assembling unit 14.
- the holder unit 230 is shown schematically in Fig.
- the beam 201 moves back to its initial position driven by the fluid driving cylinder 204 whereupon the unit 200 is ready to pick up or receive another side component from the unit 180 and to transfer said other side component to the interior of the assembling unit 14, in which the proper joining or assembling operation takes place as will be explained below with reference to Fig. 6.
- Each of the holder units 220 and 230 comprises two mutually displaceable beams 221, 222 and 231, 232, respectively.
- tool parts 240 and holder parts 241, respectively are fitted on the beams 221 and 231 and on the beams 222 and 232.
- the tool parts 240 and the holder parts 241 are provided in a number and in a spaced apart arrangement corresponding to the number of apertures and the spacing between the apertures, respectively, of the side components 16 and 17.
- Each holder part 241 has an interior contact surface 242, which is complementary to the outer side surface of the side component, from which contact surface 242 a spike 243 projects, and in which contact surface 242 a sucking disc 244 is fitted.
- the side components 16, 17 are thus suspended on the spikes 243 and fixed by means of the sucking discs 244.
- Each tool part 240 has two projecting studs 245 and 246.
- the lower beams 221 and 231 of the holder units 220 and 230, respectively, are horizontally displaceable driven by fluid driving cylinders 252 and 253, respectively, while the upper beams 222 and 232 of the holder units 220 and 230, respectively, are horizontally displaceable driven by fluid driving cylinders 254 and 255, respectively.
- the beams 221 and 231 are horizontally displaceable perpendicularly to the directions of movement determined by the fluid driving cylinders 252 and 253 and are driven by fluid driving cylinders 292 and 293, respectively.
- the beams 221 and 231 are normally kept locked in the positions shown in Fig. 6 by means of locking units 294 and 295, respectively, each comprising a cylinder 296 and 297, respectively, which can be activated, and by means of which the locking units 294 and 295 can release the beams 221 and 231, respectively, for horizontal movement.
- Each of the locking units 294 and 295 comprises a locking pawl, of which Fig. 6 shows only one locking pawl 298 belonging to the locking unit 294, which locking pawl 298 in the normal, inactivated position of the fluid driving cylinder 296 engages in a space between two annular parts 300 and 301 firmly fitted on a rod 302 which is in its turn firmly connected to the beam 221.
- the movements of the beams 222 and 232 are synchronized by means of a rack-and-pinion coupling or structure 262, while the movements of the beams 221 and 231 are synchronized by means of a rack-and-pinion coupling or structure 263.
- Each of the couplings 262 and 263 belonging to the beams 222, 232 and 221, 231, respectively, has two guiding rods 272, 274 and 273, 275, respectively, on which two guiding blocks 276, 278 and 277, 279, respectively, are fitted.
- the guiding blocks 276 and 278 are firmly connected to the beams 222 and 232, respectively, while the guiding blocks 277 and 279 are firmly connected to the beams 221 and 231, respectively.
- the guiding blocks 276 and 278 are connected to racks 280 and 282, respectively, and the guiding blocks 277 and 279 are connected to racks 281 and 283, respectively.
- the pair of racks 280, 282 and 281, 283 engage and interact with toothed wheels 284 and 285, respectively, which are firmly connected to the stationary beam 254 and consequently forces the guiding blocks 276, 278 and 277, 279, respectively to move in synchronism forward and backward controlled by the couplings.
- the assembling unit 14 is in the position shown in Fig. 6. Accordingly, the transversal fins 121 and 122 are pressed completely down and compressed in the indentations of the carriage 140.
- the beams 222 and 232 are moved towards each other and towards the transversal fins 121 and 122 driven by the fluid driving cylinders 254 and 255, respectively.
- the beams 222 and 232 are moved so close to each other that the projecting lugs of the transversal fins and the end fins are inserted in the corresponding apertures or holes of the side components.
- each transversal fin 121, 122 has a total of eight lugs of which four lugs are to be introduced two by two in two apertures or holes in one of the side components 16 or 17.
- Each of these pairs of lugs have a lug belonging to one half of the "gull wing"-shaped transversal fin.
- the transversal fins and end fins are consequently released from the carriage 140.
- the intrinsic spring effect of the transversal fins causes the transversal fins to open up so that the projecting lugs are inserted in a correct position in the T-shaped apertures or holes of the side components. From this point, the transversal fins and end fins are maintained merely by their engagement with the T-shaped apertures or holes of the side components 16 and 17.
- the beams 221 and 231 are then moved forward to a position shown in Fig. 7, in which position the projecting studs 245 and 246 are arranged partly inserted between the lugs of the transversal fins projecting outwardly from the apertures or holes of the side components 16 and 17.
- the locks 294 and 295 and the fluid driving cylinders 292 and 293 are activated so that the tool parts 241 are moved forward and back in directions indicated with a double arrow 303 in Fig. 7.
- the lugs projecting through the apertures of the side components are consequently bent partly sideways, whereupon the tool parts 241, when the beams 221 and 231 are again locked in their correctly centered position by means of the locking units 294 and 295, are moved forward to positions indicated with an arrow 304 in Fig. 7, in which position the lugs of the transversal fins and end fins projecting through the apertures or holes of the side components and previously partly bent, are bent, so as to be flush with the outer surface of the side components.
- the above-mentioned couplings 262 and 263 ensures that the joining of the side components 16 and 17 to the transversal fins and end fins fitted in the carriage 140 as well as the bending of the lugs of the transversal fins and end fins take place in synchronism for both side components 16 and 17.
- the reflector is assembled and ready to be taken out of or released from the assembling unit 14 by means of a carriage 306 shown in Fig. 4.
- the carriage 306 is moved in a way similar to the way the carriage 104 is moved, and can be elevated from a position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in which the lower side surface of the completed reflector rests on the upper side surface of the carriage 306.
- the elevation of the carriage is generated by means of a fluid driving cylinder 307.
- the carriage 306 is moved on the guiding rods 152 and 153, and when the completed reflector has been placed on the upper side surface of the carriage 306, and when the beams 221, 222 and 231, 232 have been moved aside, the carriage 306 is again lowered and driven to the side opposite the carriage 104 so that a finished or completed reflector is transferred to a table 308.
- the finished reflector is shown in Fig. 4 and designated the reference numeral 309.
- the assembling unit 14 is now ready to assemble another reflector from two side components and a predetermined number of transversal fins and two end fins in the above-described manner.
- Fig. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the carriage or fixation device 140 shown in Fig. 4 and shown in greater detail in Fig. 6.
- the alternative embodiment of the carriage or fixation device shown in Fig. 8 differs from that shown above in that the indentations of the body of the holder 140 are wider and are not adapted to receive the transversal fins 121 and 122 by pressing them down.
- the transversal fins 121 and 122 only rest in the indentations of the carriage 140 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.
- the beam 160 is omitted.
- the assembling unit 14 is provided with a bar 316, in which two mutually displaceable rods 317 and 318 are inserted in a groove, which rods 317 and 318 via gearing are coupled in a rack-and-pinion coupling by means of a toothed wheel 319 in the same way as the racks 280, 282 and the racks 281, 283 described above.
- arms 320 and 321, respectively extend downward, on which arms abutting bodies 322 and 323, respectively, are fitted.
- the bodies 322 and 323 correspond to the bodies 151 described above.
- the bodies 322 and 323 serve to compress the "gull wing"-shaped transversal fins 121 and 122 in the same way as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6.
- the structure shown in Fig. 8 may of course be modified in numerous ways.
- the bodies 322 and 323 may have a different shape, and the arms 320 and 321 may be coupled together in a different way than by the rack-and-pinion coupling.
- the arms may extend upwards in an inner cavity of the body of the carriage 140.
- the movable parts of the plant are moved by means of fluid driving cylinders, which may be hydraulic cylinders or preferably pneumatically operated cylinders. Alternatively, the movable parts of the plant may be moved by means of, e.g., electrical motors or the like.
- the sucking discs described above are activated by vacuum, and all movements in the plant are monitored by the central control device or computer of the plant by means of optical detectors or inductive or capacitive sensors well-known per se in the art, which provides the control device or the computer with information about the current position of the individual movable parts in relation to given reference positions.
- the assembling unit of the plant may be supplied with side components and end fins and transversal fins from several production lines.
- the production speed of the assembling unit and a single production line producing side components exceeds the production speed of a single production line producing transversal fins and end fins. Consequently, two or more production lines producing transversal fins and end fins are preferably employed in the plant comprising one or two production lines for producing side components and a single assembling unit.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
- Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
- Securing Globes, Refractors, Reflectors Or The Like (AREA)
- Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
- Fastening Of Light Sources Or Lamp Holders (AREA)
- Butt Welding And Welding Of Specific Article (AREA)
- Formation Of Various Coating Films On Cathode Ray Tubes And Lamps (AREA)
- Luminescent Compositions (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a plant for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially for a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like, said reflector comprising two side components and a plurality of transversal fins, which are preferably arranged substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart preferably at substantially the same distance and extending between said two side components, said transversal fins having projecting lugs extending through corresponding apertures of said side components and being bent for fastening said transversal fins relative to said side components, said side components and said transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or metal foil such as thin aluminum sheet or foil.
- Up to now, reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires, especially for fluorescent lamps or tubes or the like, have exclusively been assembled manually, since no plants or machines have existed which, in a safe and reliable, fully automated manner, have been able to assemble the reflector components, i.e. the side components and the transversal fins, to form a unit. Thus, in a reflector or the like, all of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins have to be correctly inserted into the corresponding apertures of the side components and correctly bent, and furthermore the final product must not show visible mechanical marks or traces of the handling by the plant or the machines.
- Thus, previous attempts to provide plants or machines of this kind have resulted in final products of a quality which has been poorer than the quality of reflectors produced manually. The reflectors produced mechanically have to a large extent shown visible traces of being handled by the plant or the machines, and furthermore, the joints which have been provided mechanically have usually been of a varying and often poor quality since not all of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins have been inserted correctly into the corresponding apertures of the side components. In this connection it is to be pointed out that the materials, of which such reflectors are produced, are thin metal sheets or thin metal foils, such as aluminum foils of a thickness of 0.5-1.5 mm, and that they are therefore difficult or delicate to handle. In this connection especially two facts are of importance, firstly, the fact that a thin metal sheet or a thin metal foil constitutes a body which is in itself difficult to handle since the intrinsic strength of the metal sheet or the metal foil is highly limited and furthermore often has internal tensions, internal elasticity, etc., and secondly, the fact that the materials have a completely smooth surface, which is to serve as a reflector surface, and which is directly visible in the final product and is furthermore in this final product illuminated by the light source present in the lighting fitting or luminaire, generally a fluorescent tube contained in the fluorescent lamp or tube.
- US-A-4,429,354 discloses a lighting fixture louver assembly of the above type comprising a plurality of transversal fins or louvers which have a generally V-shaped cross section. In this known assembly opposite extensions are provided at the lower portion of each fin or louver. When the structure is assembled these extensions are inserted through corresponding slots formed in the side walls or side components of the assembly whereby a closed bottom of each of the V-shaped fins or louvers projects uninterruptedly through the adjacent side walls of the assembly. Although this publication states that the construction permits automated assembly it does not teach how such automated assembly be performed.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a method permitting mechanical production of reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires, on the one hand ensuring that the reflector components, i.e. the side components and the transversal fins, are not subjected to rough treatment or handling, which might result in scratches in the visible reflector surface, and on the other hand ensuring that the final product is assembled in a correct way, which means that the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are correctly inserted and bent in the corresponding apertures of the side components.
- The said plurality of transversal fins are preferably arranged substantially parallel to each other and mutually spaced, preferably at substantially the same distance. The side components and the transversal fins are preferably made from thin aluminum sheet or foil.
- According to another aspect the present invention provides a plant for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, said reflector comprising a pair of side components and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins extending between the side components and having projecting lugs extending through corresponding apertures defined in the side components for fastening the fins relative to the side components, the side components and the transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or foil, said plant being characterized in comprising a first production line for producing the transversal fins from a first continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil by cutting out or punching transversal fin blanks having the projecting lugs, a second production line for producing the side components from a second continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil by cutting out or punching blanks therefrom, an assembling unit, a first transportation means for receiving said pair of side components and for transferring them from the second production line to the assembling unit, a second transportation means for receiving said plurality of transversal fins produced in the first production line and for transferring them from the first production line to the assembling unit, the assembling unit including positioning means for positioning the side components received from the first transportation means and said plurality of transversal fins received from the second transportation means adjacent to each other, such that the projection lugs of the transversal fins are positioned adjacent to the apertures of the side components, and assembling means for joining said plurality of transversal fins with the two side components in an assembling operation in which the lugs of the transversal fins are simultaneously inserted through the apertures of the side components and bent, the second transportation means being adapted to maintain said plurality of transversal fins in mutually spaced positions corresponding substantially to the mutually spaced arrangement of the transversal fins of the reflector to be produced at least while positioning the side components and the transversal fins adjacent to each other, and at least during a first part of the assembling operation in which the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are inserted through the apertures of the side components, and a third transportation means for receiving the reflector assembled by the assembling unit.
- In the first production line the transversal fins may be produced from the fin blanks, by bending, rolling, or pressing the fin blanks. Similarly, in the second production line the side components may be given a predetermined shape by shaping the blanks by bending, rolling, or pressing.
- The present invention is based on the realization that the above-mentioned requirements to a plant for mechanical assembling reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires are met or fulfilled provided the transversal fins are maintained in fixed positions in relation to the side components during at least the positioning of the transversal fins and the side components in relation to each other and during the insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal figs into the corresponding apertures of the side components. The insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins into the side components may in itself be carried out in any appropriate manner. Thus, the insertion may be carried out in two steps, firstly by inserting the projecting lugs of the transversal fins corresponding to a first side component and secondly by inserting the projecting lugs of the transversal fins corresponding to the second side component. Furthermore, or alternatively, the second transportation means and consequently the transversal fins may be moved in relation to the two side components, or alternatively, the side components may be moved in relation to the second transportation means and consequently the transversal fins.
- Preferably, the insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins is carried out by moving the two side components towards the plurality of transversal fins which are maintained in fixed positions by means of the second transportation means for simultaneous and synchronized insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins through the corresponding apertures of both side components. The second transportation means of the plant according to the invention preferably comprises in this preferred embodiment of the invention a fixation device for receiving and maintaining said plurality of transversal fins in said positions in relation to each other.
- The components of the reflector, i.e. the side components and the transversal fins, may have any shape determined by the lighting fitting or luminaire in question. However, the side components and the transversal fins often form a so-called double parabolic reflector, i.e. a reflector in which the side components constitute parts of a parabolic, cylindrical body in the focal line of which the light source, especially the fluorescent tube, is mounted, and in which two opposite transversal fins constitute parts of a parabolic, cylindrical body, in the focal line of which the light source, i.e. the fluorescent lamp or tube, is mounted. However, it is to be pointed out that parabolic, especially double parabolic, reflectors are often produced from components, i.e. side components and transversal fins which do not form parts of parabolic, cylindrical bodies. The components are often made from parts of circular, cylindrical bodies, as the parabolic shapes are approximated by circular shapes. The reason for this circular approximation of the parabolic shapes is that it is far more easy and simple to produce tools for producing components of circular shapes than to produce tools for producing components of parabolic shapes, and furthermore that a circular approximation of a part of a parabolic section for practical uses may be optimalized to a deviation from the desired ideal parabolic shape, which falls within the production tolerances for providing parabolic shapes. In accordance with this advantageous embodiment of the reflector, the individual transversal fins form elements which have substantially V-shaped cross-sections.
- For producing a reflector comprising transversal fins, which have substantially V-shaped cross-sections, especially a reflector of the double parabolic type discussed above, the fixation device of the second transportation means is in accordance with a further embodiment of the plant of the invention adapted to maintain said transversal fins in a compressed state while said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are inserted through said apertures of said side components, and wherein said fixation device is adapted to be disengaged from said plurality of transversal fins after the insertion of said projecting lugs of said transversal fins through said corresponding apertures of said side components in order to permit said transversal fins to recover positions corresponding to said arrangement of said transversal fins of said reflector prior to a final part of said assembling operation, in which final part said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are bent. Thus, the fixation device may comprise means for compressing the transversal fins.
- In the present preferred embodiment of the plant according to the invention the fixation device has indentations in which said plurality of transversal fins are arranged loosely before said transferring of said transversal fins from said first production line to said assembling unit, and wherein said plant has means for pressing said plurality of transversal fins against abutments in said indentations in order to maintain said plurality of transversal fins in predetermined positions in said compressed state during said positioning of said side components and said plurality of transversal fins adjacent to each other and during said first part of said assembling operation.
- The means for pressing the plurality of transversal fins against the abutments of the indentations may be any suitable means. Thus, said means may be, e.g., a beam, which may be a stationary or a movable beam. In case the beam is a stationary beam, the fixation device is moved towards the beam in order to press down the transversal fins against the abutments of the indentations. Alternatively, in case the beam is a movable beam, it is preferably adapted to reciprocate in relation to the fixation device in order to press down, by movement from a neutral position to a working position, said plurality of transversal fins into the predetermined positions of the indentations.
- In order to fulfil the above-mentioned purpose, especially the purpose of avoiding scratches or dents in the reflector components, it is preferred that those parts of said indentations of said fixation device, with which said transversal fins are in contact during said transferring from said first production line to said assembling unit and during said pressing down of said transversal fins against said abutments, comprise parts made of a material, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which permits a particularly gentle contact with said transversal fins.
- Furthermore, in order to fulfil this purpose it is preferred that said first transportation means of said plant comprises means for elevating said plurality of transversal fins from a supporting surface in said first production line and, during said transferring of said plurality of transversal fins from said first production line to said assembling unit, to keep said transversal fins free of frictional contact with supporting surfaces, that said second transportation means of said plant comprises means for elevating said side components from a supporting surface in said second production line and, during said transferring of said side components from said second production line to said assembling unit, to keep said side components free of frictional contact with supporting surfaces, and that said third transportation means of said plant comprises a carriage for transportation of said completed reflector from said assembling unit.
- The present invention also provides a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire which comprises a pair of side components and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins extending between the side components, the side components and the transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or foil, said method comprising inserting projecting lugs of the fins into corresponding apertures defined in the side components, bending the lugs extending through the apertures of the side components in order to secure each individual transversal fin to the side components, the method being characterized in further comprising arranging a plurality of the transversal fins in a fixation device in mutually spaced positions corresponding substantially to the mutual arrangement of the transversal fins in the reflector to be produced, positioning a pair of side components and said plurality of fins arranged in the fixation device adjacent to each other so as to position the lugs projecting from the fins adjacent to corresponding apertures defined in the side components, and inserting the projecting lugs of the fins into the corresponding apertures defined in the side components while maintaining the transversal fins in their mutual positions by the fixation device prior to bending the lugs in order to secure the fins to the side components.
- The method of the invention may preferably be carried out in accordance with any of the above stated features of the plant of the invention. Thus, the method of the invention can especially be used for producing a reflector comprising transversal fins having a substantially V-shaped cross-section, wherein said transversal fins are kept in a compressed state in said fixation device while said projecting lugs of said transversal fins are inserted through said corresponding apertures of said side components, whereupon said fixation device is disengaged from said plurality of transversal fins in order to permit said transversal fins to recover positions corresponding to said arrangement of said transversal fins of said reflector.
- In accordance with this special aspect of the method of the invention it is preferred that the transversal fins are fitted in said fixation device by being arranged loosely in indentations of said fixation device, whereupon said transversal fins are pressed against abutments of said indentations so as to maintain said transversal fins in predetermined positions in said compressed state.
- It is to be noted that the transversal fins described above may be made of identical elements or may comprise a plurality of identical transversal fins and two end fins, as will appear from the detailed description of an at present preferred embodiment of a plant according to the invention, which end fins may each constitute half a transversal fin, as two end fins are made from one transversal fin by dividing the transversal fin.
- Furthermore, it is to be noted that the transversal fins are preferably arranged mutually parallelly in the reflector. However, in accordance with the teachings of the invention reflectors for lighting fittings or luminaires may be produced, in which reflectors the transversal fins are not arranged mutually parallelly. Furthermore, the transversal fins are not necessarily arranged spaced apart at the same distance, but may be spaced apart at varying distances.
- The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:
- Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a plant according to the invention for punching, folding, assembling and joining components prepared in the plant for a reflector for a fluorescent lamp or tube, which plant comprises two, three or more production lines, in which the components are produced, and an assembling unit, in which the components are assembled,
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first part of a first production line shown in Fig. 1,
- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a second part of the first production line shown in Fig. 1,
- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the assembling unit shown in Fig. 1,
- Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a detail in the transferring of a component in the assembling unit shown in Fig. 4,
- Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the assembling unit shown in Fig. 4, the part being in a working position in which the components produced in the individual production lines are about to be assembled,
- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a detail of the assembling unit shown in Figs. 4 and 6 illustrating the joining of the components shown in Fig. 6, and
- Fig. 8 is a perspective and schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a fixation device in the assembling unit shown in Figs. 4 and 6.
- A reflector for a fluorescent lamp or tube consists of two side components, a plurality of transversal fins and two end components or end fins. The transversal fins and end components have lugs, which are inserted into corresponding holes or apertures of the side components and are bent in said holes or apertures in order to fix the transversal fins and the end components in relation to the side components and in order to maintain the side components, the transversal fins and the end components as a unit.
- In contrast to previous, rather unsuccessful attempts to automate the assembling of reflectors to form fluorescent lamps or tubes, the plant shown in Fig. 1 for fully automated production of reflectors for fluorescent lamps or tubes can carry out the production of all components in the reflector and the assembling and joining thereof, without the final product carrying any traces of a rough treatment or handling in the plant, which traces would otherwise make the product unacceptable for prospective buyers. As will be appreciated, such traces may e.g. be dents, scratches, etc., and will in consequence of the strong illumination of the reflector in the fluorescent lamp or tube, however small the traces may be, highly conspicuous.
- The plant shown in Fig. 1 basically comprises a production line shown in the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 1 consisting of two blocks designated the
reference numerals blocks blocks block 15 in which the side components produced in the production line comprising theblocks unit 14, in which assemblingunit 14 the transversal fins and end fins produced in the production line comprising theblocks blocks block 15, thereference numerals unit 14 to transversal fins and end fins, which as a unit are transferred on carriages, of which two are shown in Fig. 1 designated by thereference numerals - In the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1 a
block 20 is shown with a dotted line, whichblock 20 may be a block corresponding to theblock 13 for producing theside component 17. Thus, in case the plant in addition to theblock 20 comprises a further block corresponding to theblock 11 and arranged to the right-hand side of theblock 20, theblocks side component 16, whereas theside component 17 is produced by theblock 20 and the block mentioned above, but not shown in the drawing. - Alternatively, the
blocks side components block 15, apart from reversing the direction of feed of the side components produced by theblocks side components blocks - Furthermore or alternatively, the plant shown in Fig. 1 may comprise one or more further production lines arranged on the right-hand side of the assembling
unit 14, which further production line or lines comprise blocks corresponding to theblocks - Below the assembling
unit 14, acontrol board 21 is shown schematically, which is connected to an electrical or electronic control unit such as a computer, which monitors and controls the function of the whole plant and via indicators, lamps, etc. presents information regarding the operation of the plant, including any malfunction, blockings, shortage of material for processing in the individual production lines, etc., to an operator who operates the plant. - As already suggested above, the
blocks blocks blocks blocks blocks - Fig. 2 is a perspective and more detailed view of the
block 10 and the components contained in said block. In theblock 10, a continuous length of a thin metal foil such as an aluminum foil or a high lustre thin metal foil, especially a 0.5 mm aluminum foil, is fed from afoil roller 22 in the form of acontinuous length 23 and conveyed through theblock 10. Theroller 22 is journaled on arotational axis 24 of abearing block 25. It is to be noted that the foil which is fed from theroller 22 in the form of thecontinuous length 23 has a protection foil in the form of a thin protecting plastic foil on the lower side surface of thefoil length 23, which side surface corresponds to the outer peripheral surface of theroller 22. Initially thefoil length 23 is taken through aunit 26 in which the metal foil is smoothed and corrected, thelength 23 being guided through four pairs of pressure rollers. At least one of the eight rollers is driven by adrive engine 27 contained in theunit 26. The activation of thedrive engine 27 for feeding thefoil length 23 from theroller 22 is controlled and monitored by the control device or computer connected to thecontrol board 21. In Fig. 2, one of the rollers of theunit 26 is in Fig. 2 designated thereference numeral 28. - From the assembling
unit 26, thefoil length 23 is fed to a unit 30 in which thefoil length 23 on the one hand is given an intermittent feed movement and on the other hand is subjected to a treatment to remove the above-mentioned protecting plastic foil, which is pulled off the lower side surface of thefoil length 23 and is fed as anindependent length 31 to aroller 32 on which the protecting plastic foil is wound driven by anengine 33 which is activated and controlled by the above-mentioned control device or computer. Thefoil length 23 is fed into the unit 30 by two guidingrollers 34 and 35 mounted on a supportingblock 36 which is stationary relative to the foundation of the unit 30. From theblock 36 two guidingbars 37 and 38 extend to a supportingblock 39, above which a block 40 is mounted so that an interspace is provided between theblocks 39 and 40, through which interspace thefoil length 23 is guided. On the guiding bars 37 and 38 ablock 41 is supported, above which ablock 42 is mounted, which may be moved upwards and downward relative to theblock 41 so that theblock 42 can be moved relative to theblock 41 from a releasing position, in which thefoil length 23 can pass freely between theblocks foil length 23 is maintained in a fixed or locked position between theblocks block 41, which is supported on the guiding bars 37 and 38 is given a forward and backward movement by a drivingcylinder 43. - The intermittent feeding of the
foil length 23 is provided by the unit described above in the following way. From a position in which theblocks block 39, thefoil length 23 is released from theblocks blocks cylinder 43 to an initial position, i.e. towards theblock 36. In this initial position thefoil length 23 is secured between theblocks block 41 is moved towards theblock 39 driven by thecylinder 43 so that thefoil length 23, which is secured between theblocks foil length 23 is released from theblocks block 41 is returned to the above-mentioned initial position. By this intermittent feeding of thefoil length 23, thefoil length 23 is transferred from the unit 30 guided between two guidingrollers first cutting station 50, which is shown schematically in Fig. 1 and also shown in Fig. 3. - It is to be noted that after the removal of the protecting
plastic foil 31 from the lower side surface of thefoil length 23, thefoil length 23 is moved on through the plant, without the side surface of the foil length, from which the protecting plastic foil has been removed, being displaced across the surface, which might cause scratches in the unprotected foil surface, e.g. in case extraneous matter such as a dust particle, a metal particle or the like is carried along by the unprotected foil length. The above-mentionedrollers - The
foil length 23 is accordingly feed to the cuttingstation 50, without the lower side surface of the foil length being brought into contact with a surface of the cuttingstation 50. After the feeding of the foil length by the intermittent feeding from the unit 30 into the cuttingstation 50, which feeding is controlled by the above-mentioned, central control device or computer of the plant, a cutting tool contained in the cuttingstation 50 is activated. This cutting tool comprises twoparts part 51 constitutes a supporting surface, against which the lower side surface of thefoil length 23 is pressed when thepart 52 containing the actual cutting or punching tools is moved downward towards thepart 51 driven by a drivingcylinder 53. In this cutting or punching operation a section of the foil length is cut off, which section constitutes a sheet section or fin blank 60 shown in Fig. 2 as well as in Fig. 3. By the cutting from thecontinuous foil length 23 thesection 60 falls upon a supportingsurface 54, which, as is evident from Fig. 3, is placed below the upper side surface defined by thepart 51, and which furthermore constitutes a surface having a surface coating of a material which provides a particularly gentle handling or treatment of thesheet section 60, such as a surface coating of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). - The
sheet section 60 is moved from the cuttingstation 50 described above and is shaped into a transversal fin or optionally an end fin in the remaining part of the production line shown in Fig. 3, which part constitutes theblock 12 shown in Fig. 1. Thesheet section 60 is moved through threeprocessing stations surface 54 by twoarms 61 and 62. Thearms 61 and 62 each have a suckingdisc 63 and 64, respectively, and are mounted on a carriage 65 which can be moved from a left-hand end position shown in Fig. 3 to a right-hand end position driven by a fluid cylinder 66, in which right-hand end position the right-hand end surface of the carriage 65 abuts ablock 75. Corresponding to thearms 61 and 62 and the suckingdiscs 63 and 64, thestation 70 is provided witharms discs arms arms block 75. Similarly, thestation 80 is provided with arms 81 and 82 withsuction discs block 85 corresponding to theblock 75. Theblocks beam 100, which is in its turn supported by threefluid cylinders horizontal bed 104, on which abeam 95 corresponding to theblocks station 90. On thebeam 95,arms discs arms beam 104 is in its turn mounted on roller supports 105, 106, 107 and 108, which are supported on supportingplates plates beams beam 104 supported on theplates fluid drive cylinder 115 so that thebeam 104 and thebeam 100 as a unit is movable from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right, as theplates beams - As will be understood, by this joint movement of the
beams sheet section 60 is transferred from thestation 50 to thestation 70, asheet section 67 present in thestation 70 is transferred from thestation 70 to thestation 80, and a sheet section 68 present in thestation 80 and processed therein is transferred from thestation 80 to thestation 90 from which a sheet section 69 present in thestation 90 and processed therein is released from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3. The sheet section 69 is transferred to aholder 120 by displacement of thebeams holder 120 already contains two finishedtransversal fins holder 120 at the end of the preceding steps of operation. In theholder 120, the individual, finished transversal fins or end fins, e.g. thetransversal fins station 90. - Simultaneously with this joint movement of the
beams cylinder 115, the carriage 65 makes the above-mentioned movement from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right driven by the driving cylinder 66, the distance from the cuttingstation 50, in which the sheet section is picked up, to thestation 70 being longer than the distance between thestations stations - In the station 70 a
knife 76 is fitted which is driven by afluid driving device 77 and is movable from a position shown in Fig. 3 downward for dividing thesheet section 67 present in thestation 70. - As will be understood, the
station 70 thus serves the purpose of producing, from asheet body 60, two halves which will constitute an end fin of a reflector for which a plurality of transversal fins and one end fin have been produced or processed in advance, as well as an end fin for a further reflector. The cutting tool orknife 76 of thestation 70 is accordingly only activated periodically. In thestation 70 thesheet body 67 is supported on two supportingplates 78 and 79, between which an interspace is defined. After the activation of thestation 70, thestation 70 remains inactivated during the subsequent processing or production of a predetermined number of transversal fins for a reflector, the transversal fins being shaped in thestations stations station 70 are taken out from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3. The control of thestations - In Fig. 3, the sheet body 68 present in the
station 80 is shaped by means of ashaping tool 86, which is movable downward from a position shown in Fig. 3 driven by afluid driving device 87. Theshaping tool 86 bends the body 68 into a arched shape and furthermore provides two webs of the sheet body 68, which webs project upwards from the supporting plane. In thestation 80 the sheet body is supported on a compliant supporting surface 88, such as a rubber surface. - In the
station 90, a sheet body, which has the same shape as the sheet body 68 shown in thestation 80 and has been transferred from thestation 80 to thestation 90, is provided with a "gull wing" shape by a bending process. This bending process is carried out by means of atool 96 which like thetools fluid driving device 97. Prior to the bending of the sheet body present in thestation 90 the sheet body is supported on supportingparts station 90, between which supporting parts an interspace is defined. After the sheet body has been shaped into the above-mentioned "gull wing" shape, the webs of the sheet body clamp tightly round thebending tool 96 so that the finished transversal fin 69 sticks to thebending tool 96 when thebending tool 96 is raised to its inactivated or neutral position. - While the
sheet bodies 67 and 68 may be transferred from thestations stations stations station 90. The finished transversal fin 69 must actively be caught by the suckingdiscs tool 96 is moved from the inactivated position shown in Fig. 3 to an elevated position in which the transversal fin 69 is released from thetool 96. - When the
sheet bodies holder 120, respectively, the following movements are produced by the parts described above. It is presumed that thetools beam 104 and thebeam 100 are moved from a position in which the beams are located outside the apparatus, and into the apparatus to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the suckingdiscs beam 100 is during this movement elevated relative to thebeam 104, which elevation is provided by thecylinders beam 100 is lowered relative to thebeam 104, and thetool 96 is moved by thefluid drive device 97 to the elevated position mentioned above, so that the finished transversal fin 69 is released from thetool 96. Thereupon the suckingdiscs sheet bodies sheet body 60 is caught by the suckingdiscs 63 and 64, while the body present in thestation 70 is caught by the suckingdiscs station 80 is caught by the suckingdiscs beam 100 is elevated or raised relative to thebeam 104 so that thesheet bodies fluid driving cylinders beam 104 and thebeam 100, which remains elevated relative to thebeam 104, are taken out from the drawing plane and thebodies - By activating the
fluid driving cylinder 115 thebeam 104, which is supported on theplates frame beams beam 104 and thebeam 100 are displaced to the right. By this displacement, thebody 67 is moved from a position in front of, but disengaged relative to thestation 80, to a position in front of, but disengaged relative to thestation 80, and at the same time the body 68 is correspondingly transferred from a disengaged position relative to thestation 80 to a disengaged position relative to thestation 90. The finished transversal fin 69 is correspondingly transferred from a disengaged position relative to thestation 90 to a disengaged position relative to theholder 120. Theunprocessed sheet body 60 is transferred from a position disengaged relative to the position shown in Fig. 3 to a disengaged position in front of thestation 70 by further activating the fluid driving cylinder 66 so that the carriage 65 is moved relative to thebeam 100 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the right and abuts theblock 75. - When the
sheet bodies holder 120, thecylinders stations holder 120. Thereupon thebeam 100 is lowered so that thesheet bodies supports stations discs beam 100 is elevated relative to thebeam 104 so that the suckingdiscs fluid driving cylinders beam 104 and thebeam 100 out of the drawing plane and consequently to the above-mentioned disengaged positions relative to thestations beam 104 is moved back to the left by the activation of thefluid driving cylinder 115 so that the apparatus is ready to start another transferring operation after the bodies just transferred to thestations station 50 from thestation 50 to thestation 70. - While the transversal fin 69 and the end fins are produced in the
blocks side components blocks block 12, may accordingly be modified so as to cut a body corresponding to a side component in thestation 50, to punch holes in said body for a side component in thestations block 13 in Fig. 1 will be evident to those skilled in the art. - In Fig. 4 the assembling
unit 14 and thecentral control board 21 of the plant is shown, which control board is arranged on a console, in which the above-mentioned central control unit or computer of the plant or parts thereof may be included or housed. - In the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 4, the
holder 120 is shown in greater detail with the above-mentioned two completely processedtransversal fins holder 120, i.e. in positions corresponding to the positions shown in Fig. 3. A completely processed transversal fin is, however, not fitted into a first position of theholder 120, which means that theholder 120 like in Fig. 3 is ready to receive the completely processed transversal fin 69 fromstation 90, shown in Fig. 3. As will be understood from the description above, the fins are moved, i.e. the transversal fins and the first and the last end fin, relative to theholder 120, which, accordingly, in the same position receives the completely processed transversal fin 69 just released and transferred from the apparatus shown in Fig. 3. This movement of the fins forward through theholder 120 is provided by acarrier part 125, which is mounted on two verticallydisplaceable pistons cylinders fluid driving cylinders common shaft 130 which is fastened to apiston 132 of afluid driving cylinder 133 through a plate part fastened on theshaft 130, whichfluid driving cylinder 133 is stationary relative to the stationary frame of the plant. By the activation of thefluid driving cylinders carrier part 125 is moved. Thecarrier part 125 is firstly moved upwards so that thetransversal fins holder 120, are solely held by thecarrier part 125, which is thereupon moved one position forward relative to thestationary holder 120. Thecarrier part 125 is then lowered so that thetransversal fins holder 120, thetransversal fin 121 being transferred to the position in which thetransversal fin 122 was previously received. After lowering of thecarrier part 125, thecarrier part 125 is returned to its initial position and is consequently ready for a new transferring operation for moving all the transversal fins received in theholder 120 one position forward. - When the
stationary holder 120 has received a predetermined number of transversal fins and in an first and a last position a first and a last end fin, respectively, the plurality of transversal fins and end fins necessary for producing a desired reflector are present in theholder 120 and are ready to be transferred from theholder 120 so as to be assembled with theside components unit 14 shown in Fig. 4. By the assembling of fins comprising partly end fins, partly transversal fins and side components acarriage 140 is used, which is shown in Fig. 4 in a lower initial position, and which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 6. The fins, which have been received by thestationary holder 120, are transferred to thecarriage 140 by means of abeam 141 after thecarriage 140 has been elevated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position shown with dotted line in Fig. 4. Thebeam 141 is supported onarms rods arms rods fluid driving cylinder 146. By the displacement of thebeam 141 towards thestationary holder 120, thebeam 141 pushes the fins received in theholder 120 towards the assemblingunit 14 so that the fins are transferred to thecarriage 140, which is in the position shown with dotted line in Fig. 4. The elevation and lowering of thecarriage 140 is provided by afluid driving cylinder 150, thecarriage 140 furthermore being journaled displaceably onstationary guiding rods 152 and 153, i.e. guiding rods which are firmly attached to the stationary frame of the plant. Thecarriage 140 is consequently displaceable from the position shown in Fig. 4 into a position in the central part of the assemblingunit 14 and can in this position in the central part of the assemblingunit 14 be elevated to a position shown in Fig. 6. - It is evident from Figs. 4 and 6 that the fins are received in transversal indentations of the body of the
carriage 140 when the fins have been transferred to thecarriage 140. The indentations are complementary to the "gull wing"-shaped profile of the completely processed transversal fin such as thetransversal fins PTFE bodies 151 arranged in such a way that the pressure generated by eachbody 151 is distributed across the outer surface of the body and is furthermore distributed uniformly between the fourbodies 151 when the fins are received in the indentations of the body of thecarriage 140. The choice of the material PTFE for thebodies 151 furthermore ensures that the outer surfaces of the transversal fins are not damaged when they are brought into contact with thebodies 151. - When the fins have been transferred from the
stationary holder 120 to thecarriage 140, the fins rest loosely in the indentations of the body of thecarriage 140. In these positions the individual fin has substantially the profile shape of thetransversal fins carriage 140, whereas the fins shown in Fig. 6, which are received in thecarriage 140, have been pressed completely down into the indentations so that the transversal fins are compressed. By this pressing down and simultaneous compression of the individual transversal fins the individual transversal fins are displaced relative to thebodies 151, and by this displacement it is highly important that the surface of the transversal fins are not scratched, which is ensured by the choice of the material PTFE for thebodies 151. This pressing down and simultaneous compression of the transversal fins into the indentations of thecarriage 140 is generated by abeam 160, which is shown in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 6. - The
side components block 15 to the assemblingunit 14 by means of atransferring unit 170, which comprises tworods unit 14 driven by afluid driving cylinder 173. The side components are secured relative to therods disc 175 is shown. In the assemblingunit 14, theside components rotatable fixation units unit 180 will be described in greater detail below since theunit 190 has the same structure as theunit 180. Theunit 180 has ashaft 181, on which four roller-shapedsupports supports spikes spikes unit 180 which turns away from the interior of the assemblingunit 14. After the suspending of e.g. four side components on thespikes unit 180 is rotated 90° in an upward direction driven by anengine 188 and further by meshing gear-wheels 189 and 191 in such a way that the suspended side components are rotated from the position shown in Fig. 4 into a substantially horizontal position, suspended on vertical upward projecting spikes. The side components which have previously been rotated to this top position are simultaneously rotated into a position facing the interior of the assemblingunit 14, in which position the assemblingunit 14 receives a side component from theunit 180 and correspondingly receives a side component from theunit 190, which side components are to be joined with the fins previously received by thecarriage 140. For receiving the side components from theunits unit 14 the assemblingunit 14 has two units, one of which is designated thereference numeral 200, whichunit 200 serves the purpose of transferring theside component 16 from theunit 180 to the interior of the assemblingunit 14. Theunit 200 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 5. - The
unit 200 has abeam 201 on which a plurality of suckingdiscs 202 are mounted for maintaining theside component 16, shown in Fig. 5, relative to thebeam 201. Thebeam 201 is displaceable horizontally as well as vertically driven by twofluid driving cylinders beam 201 is mounted vertically displaceably on two vertical guidingrods beam 201 is vertically displaceable, driven by thefluid driving cylinder 204. Thevertical guiding rods beam 207 on which thefluid driving cylinder 204 is mounted. Thebeam 201, the guidingrods beam 207 form together a frame which is mounted onhorizontal guiding rods rods fluid driving cylinder 203. - Driven by the
fluid driving cylinders beam 201 carries out the following movements during the transferring of theside component 16 from theunit 180 to the interior of the assemblingunit 14. From an initial position, thebeam 201 moves horizontally towards theunit 180, in which position theside component 16 is received by the suckingdiscs 202. From this position thebeam 201 moves horizontally back to its initial position, whereupon thebeam 201 moves vertically down into the interior of the assemblingunit 14 to a position, in which theside component 16 is transferred to aholder unit 220, which is shown in Fig. 6, and which corresponds to theholder unit 230 for receiving and securing theside component 17 in the interior of the assemblingunit 14. Theholder unit 230 is shown schematically in Fig. 4 and in greater detail in Fig. 6. After the transferring of theside component 16 from thebeam 201 of theunit 200 to theholder unit 220, thebeam 201 moves back to its initial position driven by thefluid driving cylinder 204 whereupon theunit 200 is ready to pick up or receive another side component from theunit 180 and to transfer said other side component to the interior of the assemblingunit 14, in which the proper joining or assembling operation takes place as will be explained below with reference to Fig. 6. - Each of the
holder units displaceable beams beams 221 and 231 and on thebeams tool parts 240 andholder parts 241, respectively, are fitted. Thetool parts 240 and theholder parts 241 are provided in a number and in a spaced apart arrangement corresponding to the number of apertures and the spacing between the apertures, respectively, of theside components - Each
holder part 241 has aninterior contact surface 242, which is complementary to the outer side surface of the side component, from which contact surface 242 aspike 243 projects, and in which contact surface 242 a suckingdisc 244 is fitted. Theside components spikes 243 and fixed by means of the suckingdiscs 244. Eachtool part 240 has two projectingstuds lower beams 221 and 231 of theholder units cylinders upper beams holder units cylinders fluid driving cylinder 255 is shown connected to thebeam 232, while the drivingcylinder 254 connected to thebeam 222 is shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, thebeams 221 and 231 are horizontally displaceable perpendicularly to the directions of movement determined by thefluid driving cylinders cylinders beams 221 and 231 are normally kept locked in the positions shown in Fig. 6 by means of lockingunits cylinder units beams 221 and 231, respectively, for horizontal movement. Each of the lockingunits locking pawl 298 belonging to thelocking unit 294, which lockingpawl 298 in the normal, inactivated position of thefluid driving cylinder 296 engages in a space between twoannular parts rod 302 which is in its turn firmly connected to the beam 221. The movements of thebeams structure 262, while the movements of thebeams 221 and 231 are synchronized by means of a rack-and-pinion coupling orstructure 263. - It is, however, to be noted that a total of two rack-and-pinion couplings or structures are fitted at each end of the beams belong to each pair of beams, such as the pair of
beams beams 221, 231. - Each of the
couplings beams rods blocks beams beams 221 and 231, respectively. The guiding blocks 276 and 278 are connected toracks racks racks toothed wheels stationary beam 254 and consequently forces the guiding blocks 276, 278 and 277, 279, respectively to move in synchronism forward and backward controlled by the couplings. - The assembling of the
side components transversal fins side components unit 14 is in the position shown in Fig. 6. Accordingly, thetransversal fins carriage 140. Thebeams transversal fins fluid driving cylinders beams transversal fin side components side components transversal fins side components cylinder 150 is activated so that thecarriage 140 is moved downward or lowered. The transversal fins and end fins are consequently released from thecarriage 140. When thecarriage 140 is moved downward and the transversal fins are released from thecarriage 140, the intrinsic spring effect of the transversal fins causes the transversal fins to open up so that the projecting lugs are inserted in a correct position in the T-shaped apertures or holes of the side components. From this point, the transversal fins and end fins are maintained merely by their engagement with the T-shaped apertures or holes of theside components - The
beams 221 and 231 are then moved forward to a position shown in Fig. 7, in which position the projectingstuds side components locks fluid driving cylinders tool parts 241 are moved forward and back in directions indicated with adouble arrow 303 in Fig. 7. The lugs projecting through the apertures of the side components are consequently bent partly sideways, whereupon thetool parts 241, when thebeams 221 and 231 are again locked in their correctly centered position by means of the lockingunits arrow 304 in Fig. 7, in which position the lugs of the transversal fins and end fins projecting through the apertures or holes of the side components and previously partly bent, are bent, so as to be flush with the outer surface of the side components. The above-mentionedcouplings side components carriage 140 as well as the bending of the lugs of the transversal fins and end fins take place in synchronism for bothside components - Now the reflector is assembled and ready to be taken out of or released from the assembling
unit 14 by means of acarriage 306 shown in Fig. 4. Thecarriage 306 is moved in a way similar to the way thecarriage 104 is moved, and can be elevated from a position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in which the lower side surface of the completed reflector rests on the upper side surface of thecarriage 306. The elevation of the carriage is generated by means of afluid driving cylinder 307. Like thecarriage 104 thecarriage 306 is moved on the guidingrods 152 and 153, and when the completed reflector has been placed on the upper side surface of thecarriage 306, and when thebeams carriage 306 is again lowered and driven to the side opposite thecarriage 104 so that a finished or completed reflector is transferred to a table 308. The finished reflector is shown in Fig. 4 and designated thereference numeral 309. The assemblingunit 14 is now ready to assemble another reflector from two side components and a predetermined number of transversal fins and two end fins in the above-described manner. - Fig. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the carriage or
fixation device 140 shown in Fig. 4 and shown in greater detail in Fig. 6. The alternative embodiment of the carriage or fixation device shown in Fig. 8 differs from that shown above in that the indentations of the body of theholder 140 are wider and are not adapted to receive thetransversal fins transversal fins carriage 140 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 thebeam 160 is omitted. Instead, the assemblingunit 14 is provided with abar 316, in which two mutuallydisplaceable rods rods toothed wheel 319 in the same way as theracks racks rods arms bodies 151 described above. When therods transversal fins arms carriage 140. - It is stated above that the movable parts of the plant are moved by means of fluid driving cylinders, which may be hydraulic cylinders or preferably pneumatically operated cylinders. Alternatively, the movable parts of the plant may be moved by means of, e.g., electrical motors or the like. The sucking discs described above are activated by vacuum, and all movements in the plant are monitored by the central control device or computer of the plant by means of optical detectors or inductive or capacitive sensors well-known per se in the art, which provides the control device or the computer with information about the current position of the individual movable parts in relation to given reference positions. A detailed explanation of these control techniques falls without the scope of the present application since such control techniques are evident to those skilled in the art and are easily implemented in accordance with specific requirements.
- As indicated above, the assembling unit of the plant may be supplied with side components and end fins and transversal fins from several production lines. Thus, it has been realized that the production speed of the assembling unit and a single production line producing side components exceeds the production speed of a single production line producing transversal fins and end fins. Consequently, two or more production lines producing transversal fins and end fins are preferably employed in the plant comprising one or two production lines for producing side components and a single assembling unit. Numerous other modifications and amendments are obvious to those skilled in the art and are considered part of the present invention as defined in the appending claims.
Claims (10)
- A method for producing a reflector (309) for a lighting fitting or luminaire which comprises a pair of side components (16, 17) and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins (121, 122) extending between the side components, the side components and the transversal fins (121, 122) being made of a thin metal sheet or foil (23) said method comprising
inserting projecting lugs of the fins (121, 122) into corresponding apertures defined in the side components (16, 17),
bending the lugs extending through the apertures of the side components in order to secure each individual transversal fin to the side components, the method being characterized in further comprising
arranging a plurality of the transversal fins (121, 122) in a fixation device (140) in mutually spaced positions corresponding substantially to the mutual arrangement of the transversal fins in the reflector to be produced,
positioning a pair of side components (16, 17) and said plurality of fins (121, 122) arranged in the fixation device (140) adjacent to each other so as to position the lugs projecting from the fins adjacent to corresponding apertures defined in the side components, and
inserting the projecting lugs of the fins into the corresponding apertures defined in the side components while maintaining the transversal fins (121, 122) in their mutual positions by the fixation device prior to bending the lugs in order to secure the fins to the side components. - A method as claimed in claim 1 for producing a reflector (309) comprising transversal fins (121, 122) having a substantially V-shaped cross-section, wherein the transversal fins are maintained in a compressed state in the fixation device (140) while the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are inserted through the corresponding apertures of the side components (16, 17), whereafter the fixation device (140) is disengaged from the plurality of transversal fins (121, 122) in order to permit the transversal fins (121, 122) to recover their positions in relation to the side components.
- A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transversal fins (121, 122) are loosely arranged in a plurality of indentations defined by the fixation device (140), whereafter the transversal fins are moved into contact with abutments and pressed further into the indentations so as to compress the transversal fins and maintain them in predetermined positions in the compressed state.
- A plant for producing a reflector (309) for a lighting fitting or luminaire, said reflector comprising a pair of side components (16, 17) and a plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins (121, 122) extending between the side components and having projecting lugs extending through corresponding apertures defined in the side components and being bent for fastening the fins relative to the side components, the side components and the transversal fins being made of thin metal sheet or metal foil (23), said plant being characterized in comprising
a first production line (10, 12) having cutting or punching means for producing the transversal fins (121, 122) from a first continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil (23) by cutting out or punching transversal fin blanks (60) having the projecting lugs,
a second production line (11, 13) for producing the side components (16, 17) from a second continuous length of the thin metal sheet or foil by cutting out or punching blanks therefrom,
an assembling unit (14),
first transportation means for receiving said pair of side components and for transferring them from the second production line to the assembling unit (14),
second transportation means (18, 19) comprising a fixation device (140) for receiving said plurality of transversal fins (121, 122) produced in the first production line (10, 12) and for maintaining the fins in mutually spaced relationship as in the reflector to be produced, and adapted to transfer the spaced fins to the assembling unit (14), the assembling unit including positioning means (241) for positioning the side components (16, 17) received from first transportation means and said plurality of mutually spaced transversal fins (121, 122) received from the second transportation means (18, 19) adjacent to each other, such that the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are positioned adjacent to the apertures of the side components (16, 17), and assembling means (245, 246; 254, 255) for joining said plurality of transversal fins with the two side components in an assembling operation in which the lugs of the transversal fins are simultaneously inserted through the apertures of the side components (16, 17) and bent, and
a third transportation means (306) for receiving the reflector (309) assembled by the assembling unit (14). - A plant as claimed in claim 4 and for producing a reflector (309) comprising transversal fins (121, 122) each having a substantially V-shaped cross-section, wherein the fixation device (140) is adapted to maintain said transversal fins in a compressed state while the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are inserted through the apertures of the side components (16, 17), and wherein said fixation device is adapted to be disengaged from said plurality of transversal fins after insertion of the projecting lugs of the transversal fins through the corresponding apertures of said side components in order to permit the transversal fins to take up new positions in relation to the side components prior to a final part of the assembling operation, in which the projecting lugs of the transversal fins are finally bent.
- A plant as claimed in claim 5, wherein said fixation device (140) defines indentations in which said plurality of transversal fins are arranged loosely before they are transferred from said first production line (10, 12) to the assembling unit (14), said plant further comprising means (160) for pressing the transversal fins (121, 122) arranged in the indentations against abutments in order to maintain said plurality of transversal fins in predetermined positions in their compressed state during positioning of the side components (16, 17) and said plurality of transversal fins (121, 122) adjacent to each other and during the first part of the assembling operation.
- A plant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for pressing the transversal fins against abutments in said indentations comprises a beam (160) which is adapted to reciprocate in relation to said fixation device (140).
- A plant as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein those parts of the indentations defining surfaces of the fixation device (140) with which the transversal fins (121, 122) are in contact during their transfer from the first production line (11, 13) to the assembling unit (14) and when pressing the transversal fins against the abutments comprise parts (151) made of a material which permitting a particularly gentle contact with the transversal fins.
- A plant according to claim 8, wherein said parts (151) are made from PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene).
- A plant as claimed in any of the claims 4-9, wherein the second transportation means (18, 19) comprises means for elevating said plurality of transversal fins (121, 122) from a supporting surface of the first production line and for keeping them out of frictional contact with supporting surfaces during the transfer of the transversal fins from the first production line to the assembling unit (14), and wherein the first transportation means comprises means for elevating the side components (16, 17) from a supporting surface of the second production line (11, 13) and for keeping them out of frictional contact with supporting surfaces during the transfer of the side components from the second production line to the assembling unit (14), the third transportation means comprising a carriage (306) for transportation of the completed reflector (309) from the assembling unit (14).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DK3067/88 | 1988-06-06 | ||
DK306788A DK306788A (en) | 1988-06-06 | 1988-06-06 | PLANT AND PROCEDURE FOR MANUFACTURING A REFLECTOR FOR A LIGHTING FITTING, SPECIFICALLY A LIGHTING FITTING OR LIKE |
PCT/DK1988/000143 WO1988009602A2 (en) | 1988-06-06 | 1988-08-31 | A plant and a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0424374A1 EP0424374A1 (en) | 1991-05-02 |
EP0424374B1 true EP0424374B1 (en) | 1995-05-10 |
Family
ID=8118705
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP88908167A Expired - Lifetime EP0424374B1 (en) | 1988-06-06 | 1988-08-31 | A plant and a method for producing a reflector for a lighting fitting or luminaire, especially a fluorescent lamp or tube or the like |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0424374B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE122274T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2481888A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3853783T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK306788A (en) |
FI (1) | FI94983C (en) |
NO (1) | NO179087C (en) |
WO (1) | WO1988009602A2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN106217071A (en) * | 2016-07-23 | 2016-12-14 | 东莞市海铭五金有限公司 | A kind of variola lampshade positioning fixture and variola lampshade side port processing method |
CN106334936A (en) * | 2016-10-19 | 2017-01-18 | 中山市合赢智能装备有限公司 | Automatic assembling method of reflector lamp |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN113211071B (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2023-02-03 | 海宁市星达机械设备厂 | Automatic change inside subassembly equipment of LED lamp |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3016997A (en) * | 1959-11-27 | 1962-01-16 | Price Edison | Lighting louvers |
US3777432A (en) * | 1972-09-18 | 1973-12-11 | Lightolier Inc | Collapsibly joined louver grid |
US4271579A (en) * | 1978-02-02 | 1981-06-09 | Charles E. Green & Son, Inc. | Paint roller cage assembly apparatus and method |
DE2833010C2 (en) * | 1978-07-27 | 1980-04-30 | Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen | Louvre louvre for room lighting |
US4429354A (en) * | 1982-09-29 | 1984-01-31 | Emerson Electric Co. | Lighting fixture louver |
US4698904A (en) * | 1985-09-13 | 1987-10-13 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Apparatus for assembling fins and tubes for heat exchangers |
-
1988
- 1988-06-06 DK DK306788A patent/DK306788A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1988-08-31 WO PCT/DK1988/000143 patent/WO1988009602A2/en active IP Right Grant
- 1988-08-31 AT AT88908167T patent/ATE122274T1/en active
- 1988-08-31 EP EP88908167A patent/EP0424374B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-08-31 DE DE3853783T patent/DE3853783T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1988-08-31 AU AU24818/88A patent/AU2481888A/en not_active Abandoned
-
1990
- 1990-12-05 NO NO905263A patent/NO179087C/en unknown
- 1990-12-05 FI FI906022A patent/FI94983C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN106217071A (en) * | 2016-07-23 | 2016-12-14 | 东莞市海铭五金有限公司 | A kind of variola lampshade positioning fixture and variola lampshade side port processing method |
CN106334936A (en) * | 2016-10-19 | 2017-01-18 | 中山市合赢智能装备有限公司 | Automatic assembling method of reflector lamp |
CN106334936B (en) * | 2016-10-19 | 2018-09-21 | 中山市合赢智能装备有限公司 | The automatic assemble method of shot-light |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE3853783T2 (en) | 1995-10-26 |
WO1988009602A2 (en) | 1988-12-15 |
AU2481888A (en) | 1989-01-04 |
DK306788D0 (en) | 1988-06-06 |
NO905263D0 (en) | 1990-12-05 |
NO179087C (en) | 1996-07-31 |
DK306788A (en) | 1988-09-12 |
EP0424374A1 (en) | 1991-05-02 |
NO905263L (en) | 1991-02-06 |
FI906022A0 (en) | 1990-12-05 |
ATE122274T1 (en) | 1995-05-15 |
FI94983B (en) | 1995-08-15 |
WO1988009602A3 (en) | 1989-01-26 |
NO179087B (en) | 1996-04-22 |
FI94983C (en) | 1995-11-27 |
DE3853783D1 (en) | 1995-06-14 |
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