EP3248917B1 - Method and device for cutting out of objects from a sheet-like material or for the subdivision of a sheet-like material - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for cutting out objects from sheet material.

In particular, the invention relates to such a method in which, in a first station, a plurality of material webs or a plurality of sections of a material web are stacked one above the other and substantially congruently to form a stack. A laying device is usually used for this purpose. The individual sections of the web of material can be pulled off a supply roll or a supply bale and cut to length, or they are already pre-cut to length and laid one on top of the other. The assembled stack is then transferred from this first station to a subsequent processing station, where objects are cut out of the stack according to a cutting pattern of a fixed geometry, or the stack is divided into small sections. The stacked webs of material with the objects that have been cut out but not yet detached or isolated are now transferred to a further station, where they are removed. Remnants of the material webs are then disposed of.

Usually, the stacked material web sections have a length of up to 10 meters, so that the individual stations lined up next to each other, i.e. the first station, the processing station and the removal station, require a total length of 30 meters and more, in addition to the space required by the Supply roll required on the inlet side of the first station. Depending on the width of the material web sections, which can be 2 meters or more, tools are required needed to remove the cut or isolated objects at the removal station from the middle of the web stack, which are one meter or more away from the edge of the web stack and are therefore not directly accessible by a person.

Devices that are currently used to cut objects out of a stack of web-shaped material use support tables or grates that transfer the respective stack of material webs from one station to the next station. At the unloading station, the empty support tables or grids are then returned to the first station, in order to then build up a new stack of the web-shaped material thereon. Because of the supporting tables or gratings used, the objects that have been cut out can only be removed when the respective supporting table or grating has been completely transferred from the processing station to the removal station. Also, additional space is required to return the empty support tables to the first station unless the support tables are returned to the first station above or below the processing station.

It is also known to use conveyor belts for the transport of the material web stack.

The document GB 1 036 732 A describes a device for cutting out pieces of fabric from a stack of layers of fabric stacked on top of one another. As the device provided for this purpose shows, these layers of fabric are stacked one on top of the other on a support surface of an upper conveyor belt in the support area. Below this support surface is a form knife with dies. After the stack of fabric layers has been assembled on the support surface of the upper conveyor belt, they are transferred over a suitable surface to the belt below, by the belt with the stack and the conveyor belt being driven at the same speed. The tape leads up to a press. The form knives are attached to the conveyor belt and thus form the support for the stack of fabric when the belt is advanced in the direction of the press. Then the form knife with the stack piece by piece fed into the press and the press presses the stack onto the forming knives so that the fabric pieces are cut out. After the stack has been transferred from the belt or the support to the belt or the forming knives, a new stack can be formed on the support area. Consequently, the total length of the plant consists of the length of the upper conveyor belt, the inclined surface, the length of the press and the length of the conveyor belt between the conveyor belt or inclined surface and the entry area of the press.

Due to the current working methods and the devices used for cutting out objects from sheet material, in particular from a stack of material sheets, there is a demand for a reduction in the space required to set up and operate a corresponding system. The processing time for processing a material web stack should also be shortened.

According to the invention, a method for cutting out objects from a web-like material with the features of claim 1 and a device with the features of claim 7 are specified. Advantageous configurations of both the method and the device result from the dependent claims.

In many areas it is necessary to cut objects out of sheet material. In order to obtain a large number of objects simultaneously with one cutting process, several material webs or material web sections are placed one on top of the other to form a stack, so that the material web sections placed one on top of the other can be processed simultaneously with one cutting process. Corresponding to the number of material webs laid one on top of the other, a corresponding number of objects is simultaneously produced by the respective cutting process in the processing station. Such methods are used in particular for the processing of thin metal sheets, for example using a laser cutting device, or of fabric or other webs of fabric. These sheets of metal or cloth/fabric panels are deducted from a material coil or material bale, for example.

The method according to the invention provides that, in a first processing step, a plurality of material webs are stacked one on top of the other, essentially congruently, to form a stack. If the material webs are pulled off a material coil or material bale, they are preferably cut to the required length directly in the area of the first station. The material webs are usually stacked on top of one another on a support grid to form a stack, on which the stack remains in the processing station. Only after the objects that have been cut out have been removed from the support grate, after the latter has been conveyed out of the processing station, is the support grate returned to the first station in order to pick up webs of material again.

In contrast to this procedure, the method according to the invention provides that the material webs are stacked in the first station on a support device which is located above a conveyor device with which the stack of material webs is transported into the processing station, which, however, is decoupled from the conveyor device . Only when a material web stack has been assembled on the support device is this material web stack transferred to the conveyor device, so that the material web stack is deposited directly on the conveyor device, which then transports the material web stack to the processing station.

After the material web stack has been completely deposited on the conveyor device in the first station, the support device is returned to its basic position above the conveyor device, so that in this basic position it is again ready for a new material web stack made up of individual material web sections is compiled. The fact that the conveyor is decoupled from the support device, for the transport of the material web or for the transport of the material web stack from the first station via the processing station to the Removal area a single conveyor can be used. In the processing station, the cutting device can be moved relative to the stack of material webs. This also means that the conveyor with the web stack in the processing station can be stopped or moved continuously or intermittently according to the requirements for the relative cutting speeds, without taking into account the stacking process in the first station or the progress of the stacking process in the first station got to.

Although the conveyor device is also assigned to the first station, in which the individual material web sections are stacked into a stack, this stacking process is independent of a movement of the conveyor device, which is necessary due to the processing of a material web stack in the processing station, since the conveyor device is in the first station below the support device, decoupled from this, is located.

The respective area of the material web stack in which the objects have already been cut out can be conveyed out of the processing station by the conveyor device in order to immediately remove the objects that have already been cut out, although they are still within the material web stack. In this area on the output side of the processing station, the objects that have been cut out are easily accessible, even if they are very wide webs of material, viewed transversely to the conveyor device.

Since the method according to the invention does not use any support grates or other supports on which the material webs are stacked and with which the respective material web stack is then also transferred from the first station to the second station, the processing station, and which, after processing the material web Stack, for the removal and isolation of the cut objects must be completely moved out of the processing station, the length of the entire device can be approximately the length of such a support grid or a corresponding conveyor belt, consequently by about a third, shortened. Since the formation of a material web stack in the first station is decoupled from the conveyor device that transports the stack into the processing zone of the processing station, processing times can be shortened, since a material web stack formed in the first station is deposited directly from the support device onto the conveyor device and connected to the conveyor device in the processing station is transferred when a processing operation in the processing station has progressed accordingly.

According to the method, the material webs are stacked on a support belt, which has a length that corresponds approximately to the length of the material web sections that are to be stacked. This support belt is located above the conveyor belt associated with the processing station and the delivery station and is therefore decoupled from this conveyor belt. In order to transfer the material web stack onto the conveyor device, after the material web stack has been created, the conveyor belt is stopped and the conveyor belt or support belt is pulled off below the material web stack, so that the end of the material web stack extends over the support belt pushed out and placed on the conveyor belt below and then transported to the processing station. When the material web stack has left the support belt, its movement is stopped in order to build up a new material web stack on it, decoupled from the conveyor belt.

The stack is transferred to the conveyor device located below the support device, in that the support device is pulled off from under the stack. For this purpose, the support device can be designed in such a way that it is pulled off from underneath the stack without generating any significant relative movement between the support device and the lower web of material resting on the support device. The support device is then returned to a basic position in order to build up a new stack of material webs, decoupled from the conveyor device. As soon as the material web stack has been deposited from the support device onto the conveyor device located underneath, a new material web stack can be created on the support device without the material web stack lying on the conveyor device underneath moving from the first station to the second station was promoted.

As already mentioned above, the method according to the invention is also characterized in that, at least during the time at which objects are being cut out of the previously formed stack in the processing station, a new stack can be formed on the support device, although the conveyor device that transfers the previous material web stack into the processing station, can be moved further in order to move the material web stack in the processing station relative to a cutting device, for example a laser beam, and to remove the processed part of the material web stack from the processing station for removal of the cut or lead out isolated parts.

An essential aspect of the invention can be seen in the fact that a support belt is used as the support device in order to build up a stack of material webs thereon. Such a support belt can be composed of several narrow belts running side by side, which are preferably deflected around common rollers.

It is also provided that at least two conveyor devices are used, one conveyor device being assigned to the area below the support device while the other conveyor device is assigned to the area of the processing station. These at least two conveying devices should be positioned relative to one another in such a way that they form a common support and transport plane for the stack of material webs.

If three conveyors are used, the third conveyor is assigned to the output zone, which can nevertheless be kept very short, while the other two conveyors are assigned to the area of the support device and the area of the processing device. A conveyor belt is expediently used as the conveying device, with a cutting grid being provided in the cutting area. The conveyor belt of the conveyor device could also be constructed from a number of narrow belts running alongside one another, just as a wire mesh can be used for the conveyor belt or such narrow belts.

The device according to the invention for cutting out objects from web-like material comprises a first station in which several webs of material are stacked one on top of the other, essentially congruently, to form a stack on a support belt or another support device. A laying device can be used for this purpose. Furthermore, a conveyor device is present in order to transfer the stack to a processing station following the first station, as has already been explained above. On the side of the processing station opposite the first station there is an output zone for outputting the cut out and/or separated objects or parts of the material web stack. The at least one conveyor device extends from the first station at least to the end of the processing station. The first station has the support device, preferably a support belt, on which, in a basic position of the support device, the material web is placed or the material webs are stacked to form a stack. It is essential that the support device located above the conveyor so that it is decoupled from the conveyor belt and its drive or conveyor movement.

In one embodiment, the support device is formed by a support belt that is guided around at least two rollers or cylinders. As this support belt is driven, the material web stack is transferred to the conveyor belt at the level below.

However, preference is given to a support device or a support belt provided for this purpose, which is mounted and guided in such a way that it can be pulled off below the stack of web material, so that the stack of web material is placed on the conveyor belt. In this case, the stack of material webs does not change its position, as seen in a projection onto the conveyor belt located below the support belt.

Preferably, a support band is used as the support device, which can expediently be pulled off underneath the stack by being guided back at one end under itself to its other end into a stack-deposit position. The part of the support belt that forms the support, referred to as the upper run, is held stationary at its free end, while the returned part of the support belt, referred to as the lower run, is pulled off at its free end by being guided parallel to the upper run to the stationary shifted towards the end. For this purpose, the at least one roller is advantageously mounted at both ends in such a way that it can be displaced parallel to the belt plane. The upper side of the upper run forms the support surface for the material web(s) or the material web stack. In order to place the material web(s) or the material web stack on the conveyor, the part of the support belt that is deflected over the roller is pulled off so that the roller moves underneath the material web and thus the upper part of the support belt, the upper run, on the the material web stack rests, consequently the contact surface, gradually pulls off by the upper run being transferred to the lower run. As a result, the material web or the material web stack falls onto the conveyor device located underneath, which then transports the material web stack into the processing device. It is particularly advantageous here that there is no friction between the stack of material webs and the support belt, which is drawn off underneath the stack of material webs. The roller, which can also be referred to as a deflection roller, is then returned to the basic position so that the support surface is ready again for building up another stack of material webs, or just for placing a single material web section.

As far as the terms of a material web, a material web section or a material web stack are used, these terms are interchangeable where possible. However, the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention can preferably be used for processing a material web stack consisting of material web sections stacked on top of one another, although an individual material web section can also be processed in each case.

As far as the term conveyor device is used, it can be a support belt, a transport chain or another link belt with which the stack of material webs can be transported from one station to the next station. The direction of transport can also be temporarily reversed, at least by that conveyor device which is assigned to the processing station, in order to expand the working area of the processing device, for example a laser, in the processing station and to shorten the processing time.

Figur 1A

eine Vorrichtung gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform der Erfindung, wobei die zusätzlichen Figuren 1B und 1C deren Arbeitsablauf darstellen, und

Figur 2A

eine Vorrichtung gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Erfindung, wobei die zusätzlichen Figuren 2B bis 2D deren Arbeitsablauf darstellen.

Further details and features of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. In the drawing shows:

Figure 1A

a device according to a first embodiment of the invention, wherein the additional Figures 1B and 1C show their workflow, and

Figure 2A

a device according to a second embodiment of the invention, wherein the additional Figures 2B to 2D show their workflow.

In the Figures 1A to 1C and 2A to 2D a device for cutting out objects from web-shaped material or for subdividing web-shaped material is shown in each case.

It is expressly pointed out that in the following description of the various exemplary embodiments, as in figures 1 and 2 are shown, not all components again to an embodiment or a figure be described in one embodiment if they have already been described or explained using another embodiment or another figure. Correspondingly, the description of the various components for one embodiment or a figure of such an embodiment can be transferred to the respective components of another embodiment or another figure of the corresponding embodiment without this being expressly mentioned.

The device as in the Figures 1A to 1C is shown is divided into three stations, a first station 1, a second station 2 and a third station 3. The first station 1 is used to stack a plurality of material webs 4 on a support device 5 one above the other and essentially congruently to form a stack 6 . These material webs 4 are either supplied as such or they are drawn off from a material bale or material coil 7 via a laying device 25 shown schematically and cut to length by a cutting device 8 . The support device 5 is part of a support belt 9 with an upper run 10 and a lower run 11, the upper side of the upper run 10 forming the support device 5. One end 12 of the support belt 9, which is assigned to the upper strand 10, is held in place. The other end 13 of the upper run 10 is deflected around a deflection device, for example a deflection roller 14, leading to the lower run 11. The end 15 of the lower run 11 opposite the deflection roller 14 is connected to a winding device 16 .

Below the support device 5 and thus below the support belt 9 is a conveyor belt 17 which extends from the first station 1, the stacking station, through the second station 2, the processing station, to the third station 3, the output station. This conveyor belt 17 is guided endlessly at both ends so as to revolve around rollers 18 .

While in the embodiment as shown in FIGS Figures 1A to 1C 1, only a single conveyor belt 17 is used, passing through the three stations 1, 2 and 3, in the embodiment shown in FIGS Figures 2A to 2D shown, the conveyor belt 17 is divided into two sub-conveyor belts 19 and 20; One conveyor belt section 19 is located in the area of the first station 1, while the second conveyor belt section 20 is directly adjacent to the first conveyor belt section 19 and extends through the second station 2, the processing station, to the third station 3, the output station.

The figures make it clear that the movement of the support device 5, which in the illustrated embodiments is provided by the upper part, the upper run 10, of the support belt 9, is independent of a movement of the conveyor belt 17 or the partial conveyor belts 19 and 20. Consequently, the stack 6 can be produced from the material webs 4 independently of the further operation of the device.

If a material web stack 6 is to be fed to the processing station 2 for processing via the conveyor belt 17 or via the partial conveyor belts 19, 20, the support belt 9 is pulled off underneath the stack 6 assembled on the upper run 10. Here, the lower strand 11 of the support belt 9 is wound up on the winding device 16 in the direction of the arrow 21, so that the deflection roller 14 in the direction of the arrow 22, guided in a guide device 23, is displaced. Here, the upper run 10 is deflected around the deflection roller 14, transferred to the lower run 11, whereby the web stack 6 is continuously deposited on the upper run of the conveyor belt 17 or 19, as in the Figures 1B and 2 B is shown until it rests completely on the conveyor belt 17 or 19, as the Figures 1C and 2C demonstrate.

Subsequently, the support belt 9 is again unwound from the winding device 16 against the arrow 21, whereby the deflection roller 14 against the arrow 22 in the guide device 23 in the starting position in the Figures 1A and 2A is shown shifts, so that the support device 5 is provided for receiving a new stack 6, as shown in the sequence of figures. In the Figures 1C , 2A and 2D the material coil 7 and the cutting device 8 are omitted for clarity.

The displacement movement of the deflection roller 14 in the guide device 23 can be coupled with the rotary movement of the winding device 16 . Springs, not shown in detail, can also be coupled to the deflection roller 14, which tension, for example, in one direction of displacement of the deflection roller 14 in the guide device 23 and which, when the support belt 9 is unwound from the winding device 16, moves the deflection roller 14 into the starting position of the Figures 1A , 2A and 2D withdraw.

The figures show that the material stack 6 located on the conveyor belt 17 or the partial conveyor belt 20 is processed in the processing station 2 is by a processing device 24, such as a laser, is moved back and forth, as indicated by a double arrow. At the same time, however, the conveyor belt 17 or the partial conveyor belt 20 can also be moved in both directions. However, both the conveyor belt 17 and the partial conveyor belt 20 are conveyed in a preferred direction, the transport direction, to the third station, the output station 3 .

As soon as a processed material web stack 6 reaches the output station 3 from the processing station 2, parts can be removed from the material web stack or individual parts can be removed there. As a result, the output station 3 can be kept very short (seen in the direction of the conveyor belt).

As soon as the processing device 24 has processed a material web stack 6 in the processing station 2, the next material web stack 6 lying on the conveyor belt is transferred to the processing station 2 so that the processing of this next material web stack 6 can take place.

It can be seen that in particular the previous processing time can be shortened with the device according to the invention, since a material web stack 6 can be formed in the first station, while a previously formed material web stack 6 is still below the support belt 9 and thus below the through the support belt 9 is provided support device 5, as is the Figures 1C and 2C, 2D demonstrate. In this state, a new material web stack 6 is assembled on the support device 5 in its basic position. In addition, the output station 3 can be kept short, since the processed parts of the material web stack 6 can be removed piece by piece from the conveyor belt 17, 19 while another part of the material web stack 6 is still being processed. In known devices that place a stack of web material 6 on a transport grid or transport table and transfer it to the processing station and move it to the output station 3 after the stack of web material 6 has been processed completely, the third station, the output station 3, is required to have a length which corresponds to the length of such a transport grid or transport table. The processing time is also significantly reduced with the method according to the invention, since a new material web stack 6 can be assembled on the support device 5, although the previously created one Material web stack 6 is still on the conveyor belt 17 or 19 and has not yet been transferred to the processing station 2.

It is expressly pointed out that instead of a material web stack 6, which is stacked on the support belt 9, a single material web section can also be placed on the support belt in order to then transport it to the conveyor belt below and then to the processing station . However, material web stacks 6 are preferably assembled on the support device 5 or the support belt 9 in order to then guide this material web stack 6 through the processing station.

Claims (8)

1. Method for cutting out articles from web-shaped material or for subdividing web-shaped material, in which in a first step a plurality of material webs (4) are stacked one on top of the other, substantially congruently, to form a stack (6), then in a second step the stack (6) is transferred to a processing station (2), where the articles are cut out of the stack (6) in accordance with a cutting pattern, and in a third step the cut-out articles are removed, wherein in the first step the material webs (4) are stacked on a support device (5) in their basic position, then the stack (6) is transferred to a conveyor device (17; 19) located below the support device (5), in that the stack (6) is deposited on the conveyor device (17; 19) located below it, then the stack (6) is transferred by means of the conveyor device (17; 19, 20) into the processing station (2), the articles are cut out and conveyed out of the processing station (2) by means of the conveying device (17, 20), characterized in that, after the stack (6) has been deposited on the conveying device (17, 19) lying below, the supporting device (5) is returned to its basic position, ready to receive a new stack (6) of the material webs (4).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the stack (6) is transferred to the conveyor (17, 19) located below the support device (5) by withdrawing the support device (5) from under the stack (6).
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the support device (5) is withdrawn below the stack (6) without producing any significant relative movement between the support device (5) and the lower web of material (4) resting on the support device (5).
4. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a new stack (6) is formed on the support device (5) immediately after the previously formed stack (6) has been discharged by the conveyor device (17, 19).
5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a support belt (9) is used as support device (5).
6. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least two conveying devices (19, 20) are used, whereby the one conveying device (19) is assigned to the area of the support device (5) while the other conveying device (20) is assigned to the area of the processing station (2).
7. Apparatus for cutting out articles from web-shaped material (4) or for dividing web-shaped material (4), having a first station (1) which has a support (5) and a laying device (25) stacking a plurality of material webs (4) on the support (5) one above the other and substantially congruently to form a stack (6), having a processing station (2) and a processing device (24) which is associated with the processing station (2) and is cutting out articles out of the stack (6), having a discharge station (3) located on the side of the processing station (2) opposite the first station (1) for discharging the cut-out articles, and having at least one conveyor device (17; 19, 20) for transporting the stack (6) through the stations (1, 2, 3), wherein the at least one conveyor (17; 19, 20) is located below the support (5) and the at least one conveyor (17; 19, 20) extends from the first station (1) at least as far as that end of the processing station (2) which is assigned to the output station (3), wherein the support being formed by a support belt (9) on which the material webs (4) are stacked in a basic position, and wherein the support device (5) having means which deposit the stack (6) onto the conveying device (17; 19), characterised in that the support belt (9) is guided around a deflection pulley and deflection roller (14) and back under itself, whereby the part of the support belt (9) forming the support (5), referred to as the upper run (10), is held stationary at its free end (10) while the returned part of the support belt (9), referred to as the lower run (11), is detracted at its free end, whereby the deflection pulley or the deflection roller (14) is guided parallel to the upper run (10) and is guided towards the stationary end (10).
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the deflection pulley and the deflection roller (14) can be returned to the basic position by means of devices.

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