EP1933997B1 - Method for producing a fold on a sheet metal element, sheet metal element and device for pre-folding a metal sheet element - Google Patents

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to provide a method for producing a fold on a sheet metal element (100) whereby the outer radius (RA) of the fold can be predetermined substantially independently of the material thickness of the sheet metal element (100). For this purpose, the inventive method comprises the following steps: preprofiling the sheet metal element (100) in such a manner as to produce, on a first face (104) of the sheet metal element (100), a recess (106) which extends along a desired fold line, and, on a second face of the sheet metal element, a projection (110) which also extends along the desired fold line and is opposite the recess; and bending the sheet metal element (100) on the fold line along which the recess (106) and the projection (110) extend, thereby producing the fold.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a folded edge on a sheet metal element and to such a sheet metal element and to a device for pre-profiling a sheet metal element according to the preamble of claim 15 or 16.

It is known to produce a fold on a sheet metal element, for example of a stainless steel sheet, by means of a press brake. In this case, the outer bending radius of the produced fold is predetermined by the material thickness of the sheet metal element. This results in the bending process of a sheet metal element with a material thickness of 1 mm, a fold with an outer radius of about 3.5 mm. When bending a sheet metal element with a greater material thickness of, for example, 1.5 mm creates a fold with a larger outer radius of about 4 mm.

The CH 616 093 A5 discloses a method for producing a fold on a sheet metal element, in which a profiling of the sheet metal element takes place simultaneously with the folding.

The GB 160 238 A discloses a device having an embossing roller with a Prägewulst and a support roller opposite the support roller with a recess, wherein the recess and the Prägewulst are complementary to each other.

The FR-A1-2 207 767 discloses a device having an embossing roller and a support roller opposite the support roller, wherein the support roller has a recess whose width is greater than the width of the embossing roller.

The present invention has for its object to provide a method for producing a fold on a sheet metal element, in which the outer radius of the fold is largely independent of the material thickness of the sheet metal element predetermined.

• Vorprofilieren des Blechelements derart, dass an einer ersten Seite des Blechelements eine sich längs einer gewünschten Abkantlinie erstreckende Vertiefung und an einer zweiten Seite des Blechelements ein der Vertiefung gegenüberliegender, sich ebenfalls längs der gewünschten Abkantlinie erstreckender Vorsprung erzeugt wird; und
• Umbiegen des Blechelements an der Abkantlinie, längs welcher sich die Vertiefung und der Vorsprung erstrecken, zur Erzeugung der Abkantung.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for producing a fold on a sheet-metal element, which comprises the following method steps:

• Vorprofilprofil of the sheet metal element such that on a first side of the sheet metal element along a desired Abkantlinie extending recess and on a second side of the sheet metal element of the recess opposite, also along the desired Abkantlinie extending projection is generated; and
• Bending the sheet metal element at the Abkantlinie, along which the recess and the projection extend, to produce the fold.

The invention is thus based on the concept of pre-profiling the sheet metal element before the actual bending process so that the desired outer radius is generated.

The inventively provided Vorprofilieren the subsequent bending process is also facilitated; In particular, the contact force required for the bending of the sheet metal element in the method according to the invention is less than the contact force that would be required to produce a correspondingly small outer radius by means of conventional press bending without pre-profiling.

From the WO 82/03574 For example, a method of bending a hot rolled strip is known in which a longitudinal groove is introduced into the strip during hot rolling to facilitate the subsequent bending operation. In this method, however, no projection opposite the longitudinal groove is produced, and the outer radius of the fold is determined only during the bending operation.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention it is provided that the projection is located on the (convexly curved) outside of the generated fold.

The sheet metal element is advantageously pre-profiled so that the protrusion produced during pre-profiling has an outer radius which corresponds to the desired outer radius of the fold or greater than the desired outer radius of the fold.

Preferably, the outer radius of the projection is at most about ten times, in particular at most about five times, the desired outer radius of the fold.

For example, the outer radius of the protrusion may be in the range up to about 10 mm.

The pre-profiling of the sheet metal element is preferably carried out by means of at least one embossing roller.

This embossing roller may have a wedge-shaped in cross section Prägewulst.

It is particularly favorable if the embossing bead has a wedge angle, i. having an included by the adjacent boundary surfaces of the embossment bead angle, of approximately 90 °.

The embossing roller is preferably pressed against the sheet metal member to produce the recess and the opposing projection with a pressing force of about 5 kN to about 250 kN.

For pre-profiling, the sheet-metal element can be guided past the embossing roll at a speed which essentially corresponds to the rotational speed of the embossing roll on its outer circumference:

The speed at which the sheet metal element passes the embossing roll may be, for example, from about 0.5 meters per minute to about 40 meters per minute.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sheet metal element is guided past in the pre-profiling on a support roller, which has a recess, in particular a circumferential groove for receiving the projection produced in the pre-profiling.

The width of the recess, in particular the circumferential groove, for example, from about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

It is particularly favorable if the sheet-metal element is guided in the pre-profiling between an embossing roller and a support roller opposite the embossing roller.

The outer radius of the protrusion produced in the pre-profiling is preferably at most 10 mm, for example about 5 mm.

The outer radius of the folded edge produced on the sheet metal element is preferably at most 2 mm, for example approximately 1 mm.

The pre-profiling of the sheet metal element is preferably carried out by means of an embossing roller with a Prägewulst and the embossing roller opposite support roller with a circumferential groove opposite the Prägewulst, wherein the groove width (B) of the circumferential groove is smaller than the width (b) of the embossment bead.

Claim 15 is directed to a sheet metal element having at least one fold, which has been produced by the method according to the invention, wherein the outer radius of the folded edge produced on the sheet metal element is at most 2 mm.

Such a sheet metal element with one or more inventively produced folds is particularly suitable for use as part of a countertop, a flushing module, a kitchen back wall or a kitchen front. The present invention has the further object to provide a device which makes it possible to produce a fold on a sheet metal element with a largely independent of the material thickness of the sheet metal element outer radius.

This object is achieved by a device for Vorprofilierung a sheet metal element before a bending operation according to claim 16.

Particular embodiments of this device according to the invention are subject matter of claims 17 to 20, the advantages have already been explained above in connection with the particular embodiments of the method according to the invention.

The inventive method and the device according to the invention make it possible to produce folds on a sheet metal element with a particularly small outer radius in a simple manner.

A small outer radius of a fold leads to particular conciseness of the overall impression of the optical design.

A smaller outer radius of a fold further facilitates the design and definition of bevels along the fold.

Further, by reducing the outer radius of the bends, for example, formed from the folded sheet metal elements worktop elements in the assembly of multi-part countertops, for example in L-shape or in U-shape, are pushed directly against each other, which facilitates the production of the screw for mounting the worktop elements and the assembly itself.

Further advantageous features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawings of an embodiment.

Fig. 1

einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein abzukantendes Blechelement in einem Ausgangszustand;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Vorderansicht einer Vorprofilierungsvorrichtung zum Vorprofilieren des Blechelements vor der Abkantung;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht der Vorprofilierungsvorrichtung aus Fig. 2, mit der Blickrichtung in Richtung des Pfeiles 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Vorderansicht einer Abkantvorrichtung zum Abkanten des Blechelements, vor der Durchführung des Abkantvorgangs;

Fig. 5

eine schematische Vorderansicht der Abkantvorrichtung aus Fig. 4, am Ende des Abkantvorgangs; und

Fig. 6

eine schematische Draufsicht auf das abgekantete Blechelement.

In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

a schematic section through a abzukantendes sheet metal element in an initial state;

Fig. 2

a schematic front view of a Vorprofilierungsvorrichtung for pre-profiling the sheet metal element before the fold;

Fig. 3

a schematic side view of the Vorprofilierungsvorrichtung from Fig. 2 , looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 4

a schematic front view of a folding device for folding the sheet metal element, before performing the bending operation;

Fig. 5

a schematic front view of the folding device Fig. 4 at the end of the bending process; and

Fig. 6

a schematic plan view of the bent sheet metal element.

Identical or functionally equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in all figures.

This in Fig. 1 shown, designated by 100 abzukantende metal sheet member is formed as a substantially flat sheet metal plate having a material thickness d in the range of, for example, about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm.

The sheet metal element 100 may be formed, for example, as a stainless steel sheet metal element, in particular as a chromium-nickel-steel sheet metal element.

For example, the sheet metal element 100 may be formed of the steel with the material number 1.4301 (according to DIN EN 10088).

Before the actual bending operation, the sheet-metal element 100 to be folded off is placed in one in the Fig. 2 and 3 Vorprofilierungseinrichtung 102 shown pre-profiled so that at a first major surface 104 has a recess 106 which extends along the desired Abkantlinie and has a wedge-shaped cross-section, and at an opposite second major surface 108 of the recess 106 opposite, also along the desired Abkantlinie extending projection 110 is generated, wherein the projection 110 has an outer radius R, which corresponds to the desired outer radius R _{A of} the folded sheet metal element 100 at the fold or greater than the desired outer radius R _{A of} the fold.

The pre-profiling device 102 comprises a substantially cylindrical embossing roller 112 which is provided at its periphery with a Prägewulst 114 which projects beyond the cylindrical peripheral surface 116 of the embossing roller 112 by a height h of, for example, about 0.2 mm to about 1 mm.

The embossing bead 114 has a wedge-shaped cross section with a wedge angle α of approximately 92 °, so that the two boundary surfaces 118a, 118b of the embossing bead 114 with each other an angle of about 92 °.

The width b of the embossment bead 114, i. its extent in the axial direction of the embossing roll 112 is, for example, from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

The embossing roller 112 is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis 118 and a rotational movement in the direction of rotation 120 (in Fig. 3 clockwise) drivable.

Furthermore, the pre-profiling device 102 comprises a parallel to the embossing roller 112 aligned, spaced from the same support roller 122 which is formed substantially cylindrical and has a the embossing bead 114 of the embossing roller 112 opposite circumferential groove 124.

The width B of the circumferential groove 124, i. the extent thereof in the axial direction of the support roller 122 is, for example, from about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

According to the device according fiction, the groove width B smaller than the width b of the embossment bead 114th

The depth of the circumferential groove 124 is selected so that the protrusion 110 formed in the pre-profiling can extend into the circumferential groove 124.

The support roller 122 is in a rotational direction 126 (in Fig. 3 counterclockwise) rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis 128.

The gap width s of the gap between the peripheral surfaces of the embossing roller 112 on the one hand and the support roller 122 on the other hand is slightly larger than the material thickness d of the sheet metal element 100, so that the sheet metal element 100 inserted into the gap between the embossing roller 112 and the support roller 122 and the sheet metal element 100 in the direction of movement 130 can be moved through this gap.

The direction of movement 130 of the sheet metal element 100 coincides at the contact point of the sheet metal element 100 with the embossing roller 112 with the direction of rotation 120 of the embossing roller 112 and at the contact point of the sheet metal element 100 with the support roller 122 with the direction of rotation 126 of the support roller 122.

The moving speed of the plate member 100 is identical with the rotational speed of the embossing roller 112 at the peripheral surface thereof and with the rotational speed of the support roller 122 at the peripheral surface thereof, for example, from about 0.5 m per minute to about 40 m per minute.

The embossing roller 112 is pressed with a contact force in the range of about 5 kN to about 250 kN against the sheet metal element 100 and impresses so by means of the Prägewulstes 114, the recess 106 in the sheet metal element 100, wherein at the same time in the circumferential groove 124 of the support roller 122 protruding projection 110 is formed.

The shape of the embossing bead 114 and the contact pressure are selected so that the protrusion 110 generated has the desired outer radius R, which corresponds to the desired outer radius R _{A of} the later fold or greater than the desired outer radius R _{A of} the fold.

For a desired outer radius R _{A of} the bend of 1 mm with a material thickness of the sheet metal element 100 of 1.25 mm, for example, an embossment bead 114 is used which has a width b of 1.78 mm and a height h of 0.5 mm. The speed of movement of the sheet metal element 100 and the rotational speed of the embossing roller 112 at its periphery are in this case about 4 m per minute. The pressing force with which the embossing roller 112 is pressed against the sheet metal element 100 is in this case about 50 kN.

After in the manner described above, the recess 106 and the projection 110 have been produced on the sheet metal element 100 in the Vorprofilierungseinrichtung 102, the pre-profiled in this way sheet metal element 100 in the Fig. 4 and 5 shown folding device 132 is supplied, in which the actual bending operation is performed.

The folding device 132 comprises a die 134 with a recess 136 whose boundary surfaces 138a, 138b enclose an angle of, for example, approximately 30 ° with each other.

At the bottom of the recess 136, a recess 140 may be provided with a rectangular cross-section.

Furthermore, the folding device 132 comprises a die 142 which faces the die 134 and has its tip facing the die 134 boundary surfaces 144a, 144b, which also enclose an angle of, for example, approximately 30 ° with each other and substantially parallel to the boundary surfaces 138a and 138b of the die 134th are aligned.

The punch 142 of the folding device 132 is movable in a vertical direction 146 relative to the die 134.

After the pre-profiled sheet metal element 100 has been introduced into the intermediate space between the punch 142 and the die 134 (with the punch 142 moved away from the die 134) (see FIG Fig. 4 ), the punch 142 is moved relative to the die 134 along the direction 146 toward the die 134, wherein the intermediate sheet metal element 100 is deformed such that the portions of the first major surface 104 lying outside the recess 106 at an angle of approximately 90 ° and the portions of the second major surface 108 external to the projection 110 also enclose an angle of approximately 90 ° with each other so that the sheet metal member 100 is edged along the recess 106 and the projection 110 by an angle of approximately 90 °, as shown in FIG Fig. 5 is shown.

In this Abkantvorgang the boundary surfaces 148a, 148b of the recess 106 are moved towards each other until the recess 106 is almost closed.

Depending on the process control, the projection 110 is not substantially deformed during the bending process, so that its outer radius R produced in the pre-profiling essentially remains, or is stretched, so that its outer radius generated in the pre-profiling decreases.

This in Fig. 6 shown, bevelled sheet metal element 100 therefore has at its Abkantlinie 150 an outer radius R _A of about 1 mm, which corresponds to the outer radius R of the projection 110 generated during the pre-profiling or is less than this.

The bent sheet metal element 100 can be used in this form or be further processed by further Abkantvorgänge or other forming operations.

The provided with the fold sheet metal element 100 is particularly suitable for use as part of a countertop, a sink module, a kitchen back wall or a kitchen front.

Furthermore, the bevel produced in the manner described above on the sheet metal element 100, for example by chamfering and / or polishing, can be further processed.

Claims (20)

1. A method for producing a fold in a sheet metal element (100) which comprises the following method steps:

   - pre-profiling the sheet metal element (100) in such a manner that a recess (106) extending along a desired fold line is produced at a first side (104) of the sheet metal element (100) and a protrusion (110) likewise extending along the desired fold line and located opposite the recess (106) is produced at a second side (108) of the sheet metal element (100); and

   - bending the sheet metal element (100) at the fold line along which the recess (106) and the protrusion (110) extend for the purposes of producing the fold.
2. A method in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that the protrusion (110) is located on the outer surface of the produced fold.
3. A method in accordance with either of the Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet metal element (100) is pre-profiled in such a way that the protrusion (110) produced during the pre-profiling process has an external radius (R) which corresponds to the desired external radius (R_A) of the fold or is larger than the desired external radius (R_A).
4. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the process of pre-profiling the sheet metal element (100) is carried out by means of at least one embossing roller (112).
5. A method in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that the embossing roller (112) comprises an embossing projection (114) having a wedge-shaped cross section.
6. A method in accordance with Claim 5, characterized in that the embossing projection (114) has a wedge angle (α) of approximately 90°.
7. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the embossing roller (112) is pressed against the sheet metal element (100) with a contact force of 5 kN to 250 kN.
8. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the sheet metal element (100) is fed past the embossing roller (112) at a speed which substantially corresponds to the rotational speed of the embossing roller (112) at the outer periphery thereof.
9. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the speed at which the sheet metal element (100) is fed past the embossing roller (112) amounts to from 0.5 m per minute to 40 m per minute.
10. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, during the pre-profiling process, the sheet metal element (100) is fed past a supporting roller (122) which has a recess, in particular a peripheral groove (124), for accommodating the protrusion (110).
11. A method in accordance with Claim 10, characterized in that the width of the recess amounts to from approximately 1 mm to approximately 10 mm.
12. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 4 to 11, characterized in that, during the pre-profiling process, the sheet metal element (100) is fed between an embossing roller (112) and a supporting roller (122) located opposite the embossing roller (112).
13. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the external radius (R) of the protrusion (110) produced during the pre-profiling process amounts to at most ten millimetres.
14. A method in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the process of pre-profiling the sheet metal element (100) is carried out by means of an embossing roller (112) incorporating an embossing projection (114) and a supporting roller (122) which is located opposite the embossing roller (112) and comprises a peripheral groove (124) that is located opposite the embossing projection (114), wherein the groove width (B) of the peripheral groove (124) is smaller than the width (b) of the embossing projection (114).
15. A sheet metal element comprising at least one fold which has been produced by a method in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the external radius of the fold produced in the sheet metal element (100) amounts to at most 2 mm.
16. A device for a process of pre-profiling a sheet metal element (100) prior to a folding process,
    comprising an embossing roller (112) incorporating an embossing projection (114) and a supporting roller (122) which is located opposite the embossing roller (112) and comprises a peripheral groove (124) located opposite the embossing projection (114), characterized in that the groove width (B) of the peripheral groove (124) is smaller than the width (b) of the embossing projection (114), i.e. its extent in the axial direction of the embossing roller (112).
17. A device in accordance with Claim 16, characterized in that the embossing projection (114) of the embossing roller (112) has a wedge-shaped cross section.
18. A device in accordance with Claim 17, characterized in that the embossing projection (114) has a wedge angle (α) of approximately 90°.
19. A device in accordance with any of the Claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the embossing roller (112) is pressable against the sheet metal element (100) with a contact force of 5 kN to 250 kN.
20. A device in accordance with any of the Claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the width (B) of the recess in the supporting roller (122) amounts to from approximately 1 mm to approximately 10 mm.

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