EP2628165B1 - Method and apparatus for producing a stack of metal sheets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a stack of sheets, in particular sheets, which are free of guide holes and / or in particular of transformer sheets.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing a stack of sheets, in particular sheets, which are free of guide holes and / or in particular of transformer sheets, wherein the apparatus comprises a stacking table and above the stacking table horizontally adjustable stop elements, which are designed and intended to be placed laterally sheets.

Moreover, the invention relates to a stack of sheets, in particular of sheets, which are free of guide holes, which is produced by a method according to the invention and / or with a device according to the invention.

The prior art discloses methods and apparatus for producing a stack of plates, in particular a transformer core. For example disclosed DE 43 38 981 A1 a device for coating plates provided with guide holes for aligning each plate with a predetermined position. In the device, a horizontal base is provided to stack the plates. A conveyor sequentially advances the plates to a predetermined position above the horizontal base, the plates falling from the predetermined position on the conveyor to the horizontal base to laminate the plates. There is provided guide means with guide pins which move together with the falling plate to engage the corresponding guide holes.

Also from DE 103 32 018 B3 a device for holding stacked sheets, in particular transformer sheets is known. The sheets have a thread hole, so that they can be aligned by means of a threading bolt.

A stacking device for transformer sheets having thread holes is also made DE 25 06 681 A1 known. The stacking device has height-fixed threading bolts, which engage in the thread holes of the transformer sheets during the stacking process.

The methods and devices of the type described, which rely on the presence of Fädellöchern, on the one hand have the advantage that an alignment of the sheets can be easily effected. On the other hand, however, these devices and methods have the disadvantage that the transformer cores made of such sheets do not have the same performance as transformer cores consisting of sheets without thread hole. This is due in particular to the fact that the formation of the magnetic field is disturbed by the presence of the thread holes.

To avoid the mentioned disadvantage proposes DE 21 63 700 a method for laying laid of individual sheets cores for transformers, inductors and the like, in which an already stored sheet itself serves as a stop for further sheets to be deposited. This embodiment has the disadvantage that no great accuracy with regard to the positioning of the individual sheets can be achieved. This is particularly because the edges of the sheets, which also serve as a stop for further sheets according to this method, usually have dimensional inaccuracies of a few tenths of a millimeter, as well as protruding burrs.

Out DE 30 28 605 A1 a device for coating cores for transformers and inductors is known. There are vertically infinitely and horizontally adjustable in stages stop rails for guiding the individual sheets provided. Also in this device, the problem is that the edges of individual sheets as Stop for further sheets so that due to the naturally occurring imperfections of the sheet edges no great accuracy can be achieved. In addition, the stop rails are disadvantageously constructed extremely complicated and expensive to adjust, so that this device can be used essentially exclusively for a hand shift table.

Out DE 25 37 410 A1 a method for stacking individual sheets is known, which are transported after cutting from a sheet metal strip by means of a transport device in the direction of stack of sheets and are guided laterally by means of guide rails. Thereafter, the single sheet is braked by a rotating against his direction of rotation, abutting him role and pressed after passing a stop from the roll with such a large force that the sheet moves against its previous direction of movement and is deposited up to the stop.

Furthermore, it is off DE 25 51 497 C3 a device for edge-equal stacking of transformer core plates in a stack level with side and front and rear funnel strips known. This device has a device for pre-positioning of the core sheet of the lateral, horizontally on and disengageable guide rails and vertically movable brake rails.

DE 2551 497 discloses a device in which a core sheet is deposited on a stack. To remove the core sheet, a clamping caused by brake strips and guide rails is achieved. After releasing the clamping, the core sheet drops onto the stack with the fall of the core sheet passing through the funneling power.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a stack of sheets, which makes it possible to reliably and accurately stack sheets which are free of guide holes, and which is also flexible in terms of achievable stack shapes.

1. a. vertikales Relativpositionieren eines Stapeltisches relativ zu horizontal verstellbaren Anschlagelementen, die oberhalb des Stapeltisches angeordnet sind,
2. b. horizontales Positionieren der horizontal verstellbaren Anschlagselemente derart, dass für mehrere abzulegende Bleche jeweils ausschließlich durch die Anschlagselemente mehrere horizontale Sollpositionen in derselben horizontalen Ebene vollständig festgelegt sind und derart dass die Bleche beim Ablegen von den Anschlagelementen - vorzugsweise ausschließlich - seitlich geführt werden,
3. c. sequentielles oder simultanes Ablegen der Bleche in den Sollpositionen und
4. d. Wiederholen der Schritte a bis c mit weiteren Blechen solange, bis ein gewünschter Stapel, hergestellt ist.

The object is achieved by a method for producing a stack of sheets, which is characterized by the following steps:

1. a. vertically relative positioning of a stacking table relative to horizontally adjustable stop elements, which are arranged above the stacking table,
2. b. horizontal positioning of the horizontally adjustable stop elements such that for several sheets to be deposited in each case exclusively by the stop elements a plurality of horizontal desired positions in the same horizontal plane are completely set and such that the sheets when depositing the stop elements - preferably exclusively - are guided laterally,
3. c. sequential or simultaneous depositing of the sheets in the nominal positions and
4. d. Repeat steps a to c with further sheets until a desired stack is made.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a device for producing a stack of sheets, which is able to position the sheets to be stacked efficiently and positionally and which, moreover, does not rely on guide holes in the sheets to be stacked.

The further object is achieved by a device which is characterized in that the stop elements are formed and positioned such that they exclusively define a plurality of horizontal desired positions for a plurality of sheets to be deposited in the same horizontal plane.

In accordance with the invention, it has been recognized that positionally accurate depositing of the sheets on a stack is possible in particular if at least largely (preferably completely) it is dispensed with aligning individual sheets with the edges or corners of other sheets.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that the stop elements are positioned such that each of the plurality of horizontal desired positions is determined without mechanical overdetermination. In this case, it has been recognized according to the invention that precise positioning is possible only when the setpoint position is reached by the stop elements is defined such that the sheet to be deposited can come to rest only in this one desired position.

For example, it is not possible to set the target position of a square sheet by means of four square arranged stop rails exactly. Because in order to position the sheet between the stop rails, a game must be present. If, however, clearance is allowed in the example arrangement and the mutually parallel stop rails are spaced apart by a distance greater than the edge distance of the sheet, a large number of possibilities arise as to how the metal sheet can come to lie between the stop rails.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that each of the plurality of horizontal desired positions is determined directly and exclusively by the stop elements. This embodiment has the particular advantage that one relies only on the stop elements whose position is known exactly, while on the use of other attacks, such as the use of the side edges or the corners of already deposited sheets can be completely dispensed as a stop. This achieves a particularly high precision.

In a particular embodiment, with which a particularly high positioning accuracy can be achieved, it is provided that at least one sheet to be deposited is provided with a lateral recess, for example with a lateral notch and / or a lateral indentation, into which a stop element during depositing of the sheet at least partially intervenes. In this case, it can be provided, in particular, that the lateral recess-for example by a milling process-takes place with particularly great accuracy such that the recess has little, in particular none, imperfections, such as protruding burrs or measurement inaccuracies.

It is also possible according to the invention to punch out the lateral recess. Since the lateral recess, for example the notch or the indentation, can be small in comparison to the overall size of a metal sheet, the effort required to produce a precise notch or a precise indentation is very limited. In return, however, a precise reference is thereby created on the sheet to be deposited, which allows a very accurate positioning of the sheet.

With regard to the shape of the lateral recess, there are basically no restrictions.

For example, it can also be provided that a stop element has a projection-preferably rounded-which engages in a notch or indentation during the depositing process. The desired position is already determined by the engaging in the notch or indentation projection in the manner that the sheet is still free in the horizontal plane only in terms of its angular position. In order to limit this degree of freedom, an additional stop is provided in an advantageous embodiment, which effectively prevents horizontal rotation of the sheet around the projection which engages in the notch. In this way, the target position of the sheet is defined clearly and without overdetermination.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention it is provided that the stack is formed from layers, each having a plurality of juxtaposed and spaced apart sheets. The fact that the sheets are spaced apart in the storage position, is achieved in an advantageous manner that it does not come to inaccuracies, for example, because of abutting, protruding ridges on the individual sheet edges. It has been shown that a very good positioning accuracy can be achieved if the distance between adjacent plates is less than 0.5 mm, in particular less than 0.3 mm. In particular, it is advantageous if the spacing of adjacent sheets is in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, in particular 0.2 mm.

With the method according to the invention it is possible to produce stacks which are formed from staggered layers and / or those within the layers have different sized and / or differently shaped sheets. In particular in order to realize this, it can be provided according to the invention that the stop elements are positioned differently for the deposition of a new layer of sheets than in the previous layer of sheets. In that regard, every possible shaping of sheet metal stacks is possible according to the invention. In particular, it is possible to produce sheet stacks which are narrower in a bottom layer and a top layer than in a middle layer. Also Abtreppungen are largely unrestricted possible.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that the vertical relative positioning takes place in that the stacking table is moved downwards in each case after the process of depositing, preferably by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the previously deposited sheets. Such a design has the particular advantage that the required horizontal adjustability and the required vertical adjustability are decoupled from each other in such a way that only the stacking table must be movable in the vertical direction, while the stop elements must be movable only in the horizontal direction. As a result, the complexity of the overall structure is drastically reduced. This particular because it can be dispensed with a vertical adjustability of the stop elements and a horizontal adjustability of the stacking table.

However, according to the invention, in particular for the production of special heavy sheet stacks, it is also possible to use a stacking table fixed in height and to move the stop elements vertically for vertical relative positioning.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that the sheets are brought from above into the desired position.

In particular, it can be provided according to the invention that the relative positioning of the stacking table and / or the positioning of the stop elements and / or the deposition of the sheets takes place automatically and / or computer-controlled.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the sheets to be deposited are cut out of a sheet metal material and / or punched and then immediately after the cutting or punching - spent without Zwischenablegen - in their desired position. This design is particularly efficient both in terms of space requirements, as well as in terms of workload. On the one hand can be dispensed with an intermediate storage. In addition, eliminates the task of repositioning. Such an embodiment can be realized, for example, in the manner in which a cutting or punching system is controlled in such a way that - in terms of shape and size - the sheet is produced which is to be deposited next and / or which can be attached immediately to the row of sheets to be deposited is.

A stack produced according to the inventive method and / or apparatus with a device according to the invention has the advantage that it can be free of guide holes. The fact that the individual sheets may have small lateral notches or indentations used for accurate positioning is generally irrelevant to the distribution of the magnetic field. This particular because the notches or indentations are small compared to the size of the sheet and in particular laterally - not like guide holes in the central region - are arranged.

The use of lateral notches or indentations has the further advantage that a stop element engaging there can be designed and shaped such that-unlike a guide pin in a guide hole-a very precise abutment position is defined.

A stack of sheets which is produced according to the method according to the invention and / or with a device according to the invention can be constructed according to the invention in such a way that the stack is formed from layers which each have a plurality of sheets arranged next to one another and spaced from one another.

In particular, it can be provided that the distance between adjacent plates is smaller than 0.5 mm, in particular less than 0.3 mm, in particular in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, in particular about 0.2 mm.

Other objects, advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. All described and / or illustrated features alone or in any meaningful combination form the subject matter of the present invention, also independent of their summary in the claims or their dependency.

Fig. 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung mit einer Schneid- und Stanzvorrichtung zum Ausschneiden und Ausstanzen von abzulegenden Blechen,

Fig. 2 bis Fig. 8

einzelne Schritte eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens und

Fig. 9

eine Detailansicht positionsgenau abgelegter Einzelbleche.

Show it

Fig. 1

a device according to the invention with a cutting and punching device for cutting and punching to be deposited sheets,

Fig. 2 to Fig. 8

individual steps of a method according to the invention and

Fig. 9

a detailed view of exactly positioned individual sheets.

Fig. 1 shows a processing apparatus 1 with a device 2 for producing a stack of sheets and with a cutting and punching device 3 for cutting and punching to be deposited sheets. With the cutting and punching device 3 is precisely made in each case in terms of size and shape, the sheet to be added next to the series of sheets to be deposited. After the production of a sheet to be deposited, this is transported to the device 2 for producing a stack of sheets with a transport device 4, which has magnetically operating transport gripper 5. The apparatus for producing a stack of sheets is shown only schematically in this figure.

The device 2 for producing a stack of sheets has a height-adjustable stacking table 6, on which the sheets are deposited. In addition, the apparatus 2 for producing a stack of sheets horizontal stop elements 7, which are designed and intended to guide the sheets laterally when depositing, the stop elements are formed and positioned so that they exclusively several horizontal set positions for several to be deposited Set sheets.

In the Fig. 2 to 8 are individual steps of a method according to the invention for producing a stack of sheets which are free of guide holes, shown schematically.

Fig. 2 shows a section of a device 2 according to the invention for producing a stack. The horizontally adjustable stop elements 7 are mounted at a fixed height. In a first step, the stacking table is positioned vertically relative to the stop elements such that sheets deposited on the stacking table lie at the same vertical height at which the stop elements 7 are located. The stop elements 7 consist of small round projections which are attached to support rods 8. The vertical relative positioning of the stacking table relative to the horizontally adjustable stop elements is in the side view of Fig. 3 well illustrated. It can be clearly seen that the stop elements 7 are arranged directly above the stacking table 6.

In a further step, the horizontal positioning of the horizontally adjustable stop elements 7 is now carried out in such a manner that a plurality of horizontal desired positions for a plurality of sheets to be deposited are completely defined exclusively by the stop elements 7. In a further step, exemplified in Fig. 4 is illustrated, the sheets to be deposited 11 are stored by the transport grippers 5 in the specified positions 10, the sheets are guided laterally when depositing the stop elements.

After depositing a complete layer of sheets, the stacking table 6 is moved downwards by a distance corresponding to the sheet thickness of the deposited layer. Subsequently, the horizontally adjustable stop elements are positioned so that they completely set a plurality of horizontal target positions for several sheets to be deposited next layer. This is in Fig. 5 shown. Subsequently, the sheets of the next layer are deposited.

Fig. 6 shows the thus growing stack 12 of stowed sheets 11. It is clearly seen that the stack has on its outer contour in the lower region of an increasing diameter staircase and in the upper part has a decreasing in diameter staircase. This situation is in Fig. 7 shown in perspective. After the stack 12 is completely made, the stacking table is moved down to expose the finished stack and transported away.

Fig. 9 shows a detailed view of positioned sheets 11. It can be clearly seen that the sheets 11 are spaced from each other. In particular, one sheet 11 does not serve as a stop for another sheet 11. One of the sheets 11 has a precise notch 13 into which a stop element 7 rounded in its end region engages. There is another stop element 7 arranged on the opposite edge of this sheet, so that the target position of the sheet is completely defined by the stop elements 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

processing device

2

Apparatus for producing a stack of sheets

3

Cutting and punching device

4

transport device

5

transport claw

6

stacking table

7

Horizontally adjustable stop elements

8th

Handrails

10

target positions

11

sheets

12

stack

13

score

Claims (16)

1. Method for producing a stack (12) of metal sheets (11), in particular metal sheets (11) which are free of guide holes and/or in particular transformer sheets, characterized by the following steps:

   a. vertically positioning a stacking table (6) relative to horizontally adjustable stop elements (7), which are arranged above the stacking table (6),

   b. horizontally positioning the horizontally adjustable stop elements (7) such that, for a plurality of metal sheets (11) which are to be set down, in each case exclusively the stop elements (7) fully define a plurality of horizontal desired positions (10) in the same horizontal plane, and such that the metal sheets (11), when being set down, are guided - preferably exclusively - laterally by the stop elements (7),

   c. sequential or simultaneous setting down of the metal sheets (11) in the desired positions (10), and

   d. repeating steps a to c with further metal sheets (11) until a desired stack (12) has been produced.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the stop elements (7) are positioned such that each of the plurality of horizontal desired positions (10) is defined without mechanical redundancy, and/or in that the stop elements (7) are positioned such that each of the plurality of horizontal desired positions (10) is defined directly and exclusively by the stop elements (7).
3. Method according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that at least one metal sheet (11) which is to be set down is provided with a lateral recess, for example with a lateral notch (13) and/or indent, in which a stop element (7) engages, at least in part, during the operation of setting down the metal sheet (11).
4. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stack (12) is formed from layers which each have a plurality of spaced-apart metal sheets (11) arranged one beside the other, wherein the distance between adjacent metal sheets is smaller than 0.5 mm, in particular smaller than 0.3 mm, in particular ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, in particular is approximately 0.2 mm.
5. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the stack (12) is formed from layers which are offset in relation to one another, and/or in that the stack (12) is formed from layers which each have metal sheets (11) of different sizes, and/or in that the stack (12) is formed from layers which each have metal sheets (11) of different shapes.
6. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the operation involving vertical relative positioning takes place in that the stacking table (6), in each case following the setting-down operation, is displaced downwards - preferably by a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the previously set-down metal sheets (11).
7. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the metal sheets (11) are moved into the desired position (10) from above.
8. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the operations involving relative positioning and/or positioning and/or setting down take place automatically and/or in a computer-controlled manner.
9. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the metal sheets (11) which are to be set down are cut and/or punched out of a sheet-material blank, and in that the metal sheets (11) are moved into their desired positions (10) immediately following the cutting-out or punching-out operation, without any interim storage.
10. Apparatus for producing a stack (12) of metal sheets (11), in particular metal sheets (11) which are free of guide holes and/or in particular transformer sheets, wherein the apparatus has a stacking table (6) and stop elements (7) which can be adjusted horizontally above the stacking table (6) and are designed, and intended, to provide lateral guidance for metal sheets (11) which are to be set down, characterized in that the stop elements (7) are formed, and can be positioned, such that exclusively the stop elements define a plurality of horizontal desired positions (10) for a plurality of metal sheets (11) which are to be set down in the same horizontal plane.
11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, characterized in that the stop elements (7) can be positioned such that each of the plurality of desired positions (10) is defined without mechanical redundancy, and/or in that the stop elements (7) can be positioned such that each of the plurality of horizontal desired positions (10) is defined directly and exclusively by the stop elements (7).
12. Apparatus according to either of Claims 10 and 11, characterized in that at least one stop element (7) has a protrusion which is designed, and intended, to engage in a lateral recess, for example a lateral notch (13) and/or a lateral indent, of a metal sheet (11) which is to be set down.
13. Apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the stacking table (6) is height-adjustable, and/or in that the stacking table (6) is height-adjustable in such a manner that, once the metal sheets (11) have been set down in their horizontal desired positions (10), the stacking table can be moved downwards by a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the set-down metal sheets (11).
14. Processing apparatus (1) having an apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 13 and having a cutting and/or punching apparatus (3) for cutting and/or punching out from a raw material metal sheets (11) which are to be set down.
15. Stack of metal sheets, in particular of metal sheets (11) which are free of guide holes, which is produced by a method according to one of Claims 1 to 9 and/or produced using an apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 14 and in the case of which at least one set-down metal sheet (11) is provided with a lateral recess, in which the stop element engages during the operation of setting down the metal sheet.
16. Stack according to Claim 15, characterized in that the stack (12) is formed from layers which each have a plurality of spaced-apart metal sheets (11) arranged one beside the other, wherein the distance between adjacent metal sheets (11) is smaller than 0.5 mm, in particular smaller than 0.3 mm, in particular ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, in particular is approximately 0.2 mm.

Images