EP2217416B1 - Feeding device for veneer assembly machines - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding device for feeding veneer strips to a veneer assembly machine, comprising: a magazine (2) having a plurality of receiving compartments (2a), which are disposed parallel next to each other and each receive a veneer stack (10), a transport device (3), which is connected downstream of the magazine (2) and delivers the veneer strips to the veneer assembly machine, and a portal gripper (6) having a plurality of grippers (7), wherein the portal gripper (6) is disposed over the magazine (2) and the transport device (3) and removes several veneer strips simultaneously from the magazine (2) and places them onto the transport device (3).

Description

The invention relates to a feeding device for feeding a Veneierzusammensetzmaschine with veneer strips.

So far, it is common in veneer splicing machines which assemble veneer strips at their longitudinal edges transversely to the grain direction to supply this veneer strip by hand. This manual loading is due to the fact that the machine operator carries out a quality control in addition to feeding the machine with veneer strips. Here, on the one hand, a thickness control of individual veneer strips has to be carried out in order to sort out thin or too thick veneers and, on the other hand, a visual check is carried out. The optical control not only aims to sort out unsuitable veneer strips, but also to ensure that an attractive pattern is obtained on the produced veneer carpet.

Recently, however, there is an increased demand for furniture with veneer pictures, in which the individual veneers from different veneer packages are glued together to obtain a solid wood character of the piece of furniture. Since various veneer packages are necessary for this, there is a considerable space requirement in addition to the assembly machine. Furthermore, it can be confusing for the operator if he has to pay attention to the correct arrangement of the veneer strips to produce an attractive veneer carpet.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a feeder for feeding a Veneierzusammensetzmaschine, which allows a simple and inexpensive construction, a feed of Veneierzusammensetzmaschine from different veneer packages.

From the GB-A-2151979 Furthermore, a charging device with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known.

This object is achieved by a charging device having the features of claim 1. The dependent claims have preferred developments of the invention the subject.

The feeder according to the invention for feeding a Veneierzusammensetzmaschine with veneer strip has a compact and physically small construction and can realize a charge of a variety of veneer stacks. The charging device according to the invention comprises a magazine, a transport device and a portal gripper. The magazine has a plurality of receiving compartments, which are arranged parallel next to each other to receive each a veneer stack. The transport device is connected downstream of the magazine and conveys the individual veneer strips for veneer assembly machine. The portal gripper has a plurality of grippers and is arranged above the magazine and the transport device. The Grippers simultaneously remove veneer strips from the magazine and deposit them on the transport device.

Particularly preferably, the transport device comprises a first transport region and a second transport region, which are arranged in series one after the other. The portal gripper places the veneer strips removed from the magazine on the first transport area. The first transport region comprises a first conveying element and the second transport region comprises a second conveying element. The first and second conveying element are independently drivable. This makes it possible that a promotion of just deposited veneer strip is independent of a promotion of the veneer strips, which should then be transferred to the veneer splicer.

Particularly preferably, a light table is arranged below the second transport area in order to illuminate the veneer strips from below. As a result, a quality assurance of the subsidized veneer strips are made possible. If a damaged veneer strip has been discovered in the loosely conveyed veneer carpet, it can then be removed manually.

According to the invention, a releasable locking device is arranged between the magazine and the transport device. As a result, the magazine can be released from the transport device. This has the advantage that the magazine is arranged interchangeably on the transport device. Thus, a first and a second magazine can be provided, wherein the first magazine is fixed to the transport device and from which veneer strips can be removed, and the second magazine is being filled at a different location. Then, when the first magazine has been emptied, this can be quickly replaced with the second magazine, so that no interruption of the feed is necessary. While the second magazine is emptied by the portal gripper, at the same time the first magazine is refilled and provided. When filling the storage compartments can be paid attention to an attractive pattern of veneer carpet.

Further preferably, a lateral contact element is arranged on the magazine between the individual storage compartments. The contact element is preferably removable. As a result, the magazine can be quickly converted to different widths of veneer strips, for example, by removing every second contact element from the magazine.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the grippers of the portal gripper are designed as adhesive tape gripper. In this case, the adhesive tape grippers comprise an adhesive tape strip which serves to remove the veneer strip from the veneer stack from the magazine.

More preferably, the gantry gripper further comprises a blowing device for blowing a surface of the veneer strip before a gripping operation. This prevents, for example, dust or the like. prevents a secure gripping a veneer strip.

In order to ensure a simple and secure positioning of the veneer strips in the magazine, a spring-loaded slider is preferably arranged on each receiving compartment of the magazine. The spring-loaded slider aligns the veneer strips. Here, the spring-loaded slider presses the veneer strip, for example, against a wall or a stop.

According to the invention, the magazine is arranged at an angle of 90 ° to the transport direction on the transport device. Thus, the veneer strips removed from the magazine are transversely to the transport direction on the transport device stored so that they can be fed to a Querzusammensetzmaschine linear.

Fig. 1

eine schematische, perspektivische Ansicht einer Beschickungsvorrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und

Fig. 2

eine schematische, perspektivische Ansicht der Beschickungsvorrichtung von Fig. 1 aus einer anderen Richtung.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing is:

Fig. 1

a schematic, perspective view of a charging device according to an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2

a schematic, perspective view of the feeder of Fig. 1 from another direction.

The following is with reference to the Fig. 1 and 2 a charging device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention described in detail.

As in particular from Fig. 1 it can be seen, the loading device 1 comprises a magazine 2, a transport device 3 and a portal gripper 6. The magazine 2 has a plurality of receiving compartments 2a, which are arranged parallel to each other. At the receiving compartments 2a lateral bearing rails 2b and a plurality of spring-loaded slides 12 are arranged. In the receiving compartments 2a veneer stack 10 are arranged, which consist of a plurality of individual veneer strips. The veneer stack 10 are pressed by the spring-loaded slide 12 against the bearing rails 2b. In this embodiment, two veneer strips with different widths and lengths are shown by way of example, wherein in each case five veneer stacks 10 with different dimensions are arranged alternately next to one another. The magazine 2 is arranged on rollers (not shown) and by means of a locking device, not shown the transport device 3 fixed. How out Fig. 1 it can be seen, the magazine is arranged at an angle of 90 ° to the transport device 3.

The transport device 3 comprises a first transport area 4 and a second transport area 5. The two transport areas 4, 5 are arranged in series one after the other. The first transporting area 4 comprises a first conveying element 4a in the form of a plurality of circulating belts and the second transporting area 5 comprises a second conveying element 5a, which is likewise designed as a multiplicity of revolving belts. How out Fig. 1 it can be seen, the portal gripper is arranged above the first transport area 4 and the magazine 2. The portal gripper 6 comprises a plurality of grippers 7, which are formed in this embodiment as an adhesive tape gripper. The adhesive tape grippers each grip a top veneer strip from the veneer stacks 10 Fig. 1 it can be seen, five grippers 7 are arranged on the portal gripper in this embodiment. The grippers 7 are fixed to a common bar 7a and are moved together via two mutually parallel rails 8a, 8b. The rails 8a, 8b are arranged on a framework-like structure of the portal gripper 6. At the end of the transport device 3 in the conveying direction, a delivery point 9 is arranged, at which a transfer of the veneer strips to a veneer assembly machine takes place. In this embodiment, the veneer strips are transferred transversely to the fiber direction, so that the subsequent machine is designed as a transverse veneer assembly machine. At the portal gripper 6 is also still a blowing device 11 is arranged to blow away dirt and to allow a secure gripping the veneer strips by means of adhesive tapes.

The function of the charging device according to the invention is as follows. In a first step, the Veneer stack 10 placed in the receiving compartments 2a in the magazine 2. This can be done directly on the feeder 1 or at another location. When the magazine 2 is filled, the portal gripper 6 is actuated by moving the grippers 7 over the veneer stacks 10. Then the grippers 7 are lowered and each gripper 7 engages by means of an adhesive tape the top veneer strip. Simultaneously with the lowering of the gripper, the blowing device 11 is actuated to a possibly present on the surface of the veneer strip dust or the like. blow away. When each gripper 7 has gripped a veneer strip, the grippers 7 are lifted slightly and the portal gripper 6 is moved along the rails 8a, 8b via the first transport area 4 of the transport device 3. Then the gripped veneer strips are deposited on the first conveying element 4 a in the first transport region 4. Thus, the veneer strips are now stored in the form of a loose veneer carpet on the first transport area 4. Then, the laid veneer strips are conveyed by means of the first conveying element 4a in the direction of the second transport region 5. In order to avoid that the individual veneer strips are unintentionally conveyed one above the other, probes or sensors, such as optical sensors, may be provided. The veneer strips are conveyed to the conveying element 5a in the second transport region 5 and from there to the delivery point 9. Below the second transport region 3, a not shown light table is arranged, which illuminates the individual veneer strips from below. As a result, defective and / or too thin veneer strips can be recognized and removed by an operator from the loose veneer carpet. Furthermore, the operator can already assess the effect of the loosely folded veneer carpet on the relatively large area of the second transport area 5 and optionally remove or manually replace individual veneer strips which do not fit into the overall appearance of the veneer carpet to be created.

As soon as all the veneer strips have been conveyed from the first transport region 4 to the second transport region 5, the portal gripper 6 is again actuated in order to remove the next individual veneer strips from the magazine 2 and deposit them on the first transport region 4. The monitoring as to whether veneer strips are still located on the first transport region 4 can also be effected, for example, by means of an optical sensor.

The structure of the magazine 2 is such that the individual veneer stacks 10 are pressed against the contact rails 2b by the spring-loaded slides 12. Now, if a conversion to wider veneer strips to take place, only the spring-loaded slider 12 is slightly further deflected by the broader veneer strips, so that the wider veneer strips are easily pressed against the bearing rails 2b and thus aligned in the right way. Optionally, individual bearing rails can be removed from the magazine table so that even wider veneers can be placed. Here, the unneeded slide can be removed or lowered.

While the veneers are removed from the magazine 2, another magazine is already filled elsewhere, which is then simply replaced by the empty magazine 2 on the feeder 1. As a result, a continuous supply of veneer strips can be ensured. The replacement is preferably carried out at a point in time in which the veneer strips deposited on the first transport region 4 are conveyed to the second transport region 5.

If one of the veneer strips has been sorted out due to quality problems, a hole is created in the loose veneer carpet for a short time. If the "hole" in the loose veneer carpet until was promoted to the delivery point 9, the second conveyor elements 5a of the second transport area 5 are briefly operated longer, so that the hole is closed again.

Thus, according to the invention, a simply constructed and inexpensively producible feeding device 1 can be provided, which in particular enables a veneer carpet to be produced quickly and inexpensively, which is produced from individual veneer strips of different veneer stacks. The loading device according to the invention automatically ensures that in each case a veneer strip is removed from another veneer stack and not two veneer strips are simultaneously removed from a veneer stack and arranged one after the other. As a result, veneer carpets can be laid in a simple manner, which have a solid wood character or a special design due to the succession of different veneer strips.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

loader

2

magazine

2a

receiving compartment

2 B

contact rail

3

transport means

4

First transport area

4a

First conveyor element

5

Second transport area

5a

Second conveying element

6

portal gripper

7

grab

7a

strip

8a, b

rails

9

delivery point

10

veneer stack

11

blower

12

Springloaded slider

Claims (7)

1. A feeding device for feeding a veneer assembly machine with veneer strips, comprising:

   - a magazine (2) comprising a plurality of receptacles (2a) which are arranged in parallel and respectively receive a veneer stack (10),

   - transport means (3) downstream of the magazine (2) and transporting the veneers strips toward the veneer assembly machine, and

   - a portal gripper (6) comprising a plurality of grippers (7), the portal gripper (6) being arranged above the magazine (2) and the transport means (3) and removing simultaneously a plurality of veneer strips from the magazine (2) and putting same onto the transport means (3),

   characterized in that

   - a releasable locking device is provided between the magazine (2) and the transport means (3) to detach and fix the magazine (2) from and to the transport means (3), and

   - the magazine (2) is arranged in an angle of 90° with respect to the transport direction of the transport means (3) such that the veneer strips removed from the magazine (2) are put onto the transport means (3) transversely to the transport direction.
2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the transport means (3) comprises a first transport portion (4) and a second transport portion (5) which are arranged in series one after the other, wherein the portal gripper (6) puts the veneer strips onto the first transport portion (4), wherein the first transport portion (4) comprises a first feeding member (4a) and the second transport portion (5) comprises a second feeding member (5a), and wherein the first feeding member (4a) can be driven independently from the second feeding member (5a).
3. The device of claim 2, characterized in that a light table is arranged below the second transport portion (5) in order to illuminate the veneer strips from below to inspect their quality.
4. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (2) comprises a plurality of abutting members (2b) which are arranged laterally between the individual receptacles (2a) to separate the receptacles (2a) from each other.
5. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grippers (7) of the portal gripper (6) are formed as adhesive tape grippers.
6. The device of claim 5, characterized in that the portal gripper (6) further comprises blowing means (11) for blowing off a surface of the veneer strips prior to a gripping step.
7. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (2) further comprises a plurality of spring-loaded feeders (12) which are arranged at the receptacles (2a) of the magazine (2) to align the veneer stack (10).

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