Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D5/00—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves
  • B21D5/02—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves on press brakes without making use of clamping means
  • B21D5/0209—Tools therefor
  • B21D5/0254—Tool exchanging
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D37/00—Tools as parts of machines covered by this subclass
  • B21D37/14—Particular arrangements for handling and holding in place complete dies
  • B21D37/145—Die storage magazines

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a tool storage device and a tool reversing device.
• Patent Literature 1 discloses a manufacturing apparatus 100 including a press brake 101, a tool storage device 102 arranged on the front side of the press brake 101, and a tool changing robot 103 arranged between the press brake 101 and the tool storage device 102 as shown in Figure 11 .
• a tool 104 used in the press brake 101 is stored in the tool storage device 102 in the state of being mounted on a tool holder (fixed shelf) 105, constituted of three stages in a vertical direction (Z direction in Figure 11 ) and extending in a horizontal direction (X direction in Figure 11 ).
• the tool changing robot 103 detaches a necessary tool 104 from the tool holder 105 in the tool storage device 102, moves the tool 104 in a front-rear direction (Y direction in Figure 11 ), and mounts the tool 104 on a tool mounting part 106 of the press brake 101.
• On aspect of the present invention can ensure mounting of a maximum number of tools with a simple structure and a small space.
• Another aspect of the present invention can prevent deviation of a mounting position of the tool with a simple structure and reduce the takt time required for the reversing process.
• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a bending system including a tool storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• a bending system 1 schematically includes a press brake 2, a tool changing robot 3, and a tool storage device 10. Since the basic structure of the press brake 2 and the tool changing robot 3 is known, only the outline thereof will be described.
• the press brake 2 performs bending processing of a workpiece (not shown in Figure 1 ), which is a member to be processed, between an upper table 2a and a lower table 2b, using a bending tool 9 (an attached state of which is not shown in Figure 1 ) constituted of a punch and a die attached to the tables 2a and 2b, respectively.
• the tool changing robot 3 uses an arm part 3a that can rotate 360° on a robot pedestal 3f to change the tool 9 between the press brake 2 and the tool storage device 10.
• the arm part 3a may be constituted of an articulated arm with, for example, six control axes.
• the tool changing robot 3 is provided to be movable in the horizontal direction on the front sides of the press brake 2 and the tool storage device 10 by a moving mechanism 3b, which includes a rail part 3e laid on the floor surface, the robot pedestal 3f that is movable along the rail part 3e, and a Cableveyor (registered trademark) 3c connected to the robot pedestal 3f and arranged on the front side of the tool storage device 10.
• the tool storage device 10 On the front side of the tool storage device 10, there are arranged, for example, the Cableveyor (registered trademark) 3c in the moving mechanism 3b described above, a storage part 3d for a tool gripper (not shown) for gripping the tool to be attached to the tip of the arm part 3a of the tool changing robot 3, and a tool reversing device 20 provided at the position closer to the press brake 2 than the storage part 3d.
• the storage part 3d and the tool reversing device 20 are provided on a front pedestal part 19, which is arranged on the front side of the tool storage device 10.
• the bending system 1 may be configured to include a control device (not shown, as in the description below) that controls the press brake 2 as well as the tool storage device 10 including the tool changing robot 3 and the tool reversing device 20, and is therefore configured to be able to implement automatic processing of the workpiece including tool change in the press brake 2 and the tool storage device 10.
• a control device not shown, as in the description below
• Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the tool storage device according to the one embodiment.
• Figure 3 is a perspective sectional view showing the tool storage device according to the one embodiment.
• the storage part 3d, the tool reversing device 20, and the front pedestal part 19 shown in Figure 1 are omitted.
• the tool 9 shown is of a goose neck type, though the tool 9 is not limited to this.
• the tool storage device 10 includes a fixed shelf (first stocker) 11 on which a plurality of tools 9 (of a goose neck type in the example shown) used for bending processing are mountable in the horizontal direction (first direction (X direction), and at least one movable shelf (second stocker) 12 on which the plurality of tools 9 are mountable in the horizontal direction (first direction), the at least one movable shelf 12 being arranged side by side with the fixed shelf (first stocker) 11 in the front-rear direction (second direction (Y direction)) orthogonal to the horizontal direction (first direction).
• the movable shelf (second stocker) 12 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction (third direction (Z direction)) orthogonal to each of the horizontal direction (first direction) and the front-rear direction (second direction).
• the tool storage device 10 includes, for example, one fixed shelf 11 and two movable shelves 12 (first movable shelf 12A and second movable shelf 12B).
• the fixed shelf (first stocker) 11 and the movable shelves (second stocker) 12 are each provided in a plurality of stages (for example, three stages each) in the vertical direction (third direction).
• the fixed shelf (first stocker) 11 and the movable shelves (second stocker) 12 are provided in order of the fixed shelf (first stocker) 11 configured in a fixed state and the movable shelves (second stockers) 12 configured to be movable, from the side far from the tool changing robot 3 in the front-rear direction (second direction), the tool changing robot 3 being arranged on one side (the front side, for example) of the tool storage device 10 in the front-rear direction (second direction).
• the tool storage device 10 includes a frame part 13 constituting a casing formed of a pair of left and right side frames 13a and 13a, and a top plate frame 13b connecting the side frames 13a and 13a on the upper side.
• a front closing plate 14a provided to close the front lower part.
• a rear closing plate 14b provided to close the rear lower part (see Figure 3 , for example).
• the rear closing plate 14b may be provided to close the entire surface on the rear side.
• the fixed shelf 11 is fixed, for example, at an upper position of the frame part 13, so that the tool changing robot 3 can access the fixed shelf 11 through the opening part 15 by using the arm part 3a. Therefore, the fixed shelf 11 is fixed in the state where all three stages thereof are exposed in a deepest part through the opening part 15 in the front-rear direction.
• the fixed shelf 11 includes a first shelf 11a, a second shelf 11b, and a third shelf 11c provided in this order from the lower side to the upper side in the vertical direction.
• respective both end portions of the first shelf 11a, the second shelf 11b, and the third shelf 11c in the horizontal direction are attached and fixed to a pair of left and right attachment posts 13c and 13c (only one side is shown as in the following description) provided inside the respective side frames 13a and 13a and extending in the vertical direction.
• Vertical intervals between the shelves 11a to 11c are set to a sufficient interval so as not to cause interference with other shelves when the tool 9 is moved in the vertical direction for attachment and detachment of the tool 9 by the arm part 3a of the tool changing robot 3.
• the movable shelves 12 are movably arranged so as to be vertically movable from the rear side of the front closing plate 14a to the opening part 15.
• the movable shelves 12 are movably arranged so as to be in the state where all three rows are exposed through the opening part 15 on the front side of the fixed shelf 11 in the front-rear direction and in a retracted state where only the topmost stage is exposed on the rear side of the front closing plate 14a in the front-rear direction.
• the movable shelves (second stockers) 12 of the tool storage device 10 move so as to retract to an unmovable area UM of the arm part 3a of the tool changing robot 3, when the tool changing robot 3 performs tool change in the fixed shelf (first stocker) 11.
• the area that the tool changing robot 3 can access by moving the arm part 3a is defined as a movable area M as viewed in the horizontal direction
• the lower side of the tool storage device 10 is defined as an inaccessible area (unmovable area UM) because the Cableveyor (registered trademark) 3c and the front pedestal part 19 are arranged there.
• Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the tool reversing device according to the one embodiment.
• Figure 7A is an explanatory view of the reversing operation of the tool reversing device according to the one embodiment.
• Figure 7B is an explanatory view of the reversing operation of the tool reversing device according to the one embodiment.
• Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tool reversing device in Figure 7A along a prescribed position.
• Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a tool mounted on the tool reversing device according to the one embodiment.
• Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tool reversing device in Figure 9 along a prescribed position.
• the tool reversing device 20 is arranged at an end portion of the front pedestal part 19 on the side of, for example, the press brake 2, the front pedestal part 19 being provided above the front closing plate 14a of the tool storage device 10.
• the arrangement position of the tool reversing device 20 is not limited to this, and the tool reversing device 20 may be arranged above the tool storage device 10 with the tool reversing device 20 being upside down, and may be arranged on the side of the tool storage device 10 with the tool reversing device 20 being rotated 90° with its top and bottom inverted.
• the tool mounting part 21 of the tool reversing device 20 includes a mounting part body 22 formed into a U-shaped cross section so as to constitute a pair of wall parts 22a and 22a and a bottom part 22b, the mounting part body 22 being configured to allow insertion of a shank part 9a of the tool 9 (see Figures 7A and 7B ), a locking groove 22d provided on at least one inner wall surface 22c of the pair of wall parts 22a and 22a so as to be engageable with a falling prevention member (protrusion) 9d (see Figure 8 ) extending in the perpendicular direction (for example, horizontal direction (X direction) as in the case of the following description) and protruding from the surface of the shank part 9a, and a plurality of locking strips 23 provided at prescribed positions in the locking groove 22d and configured to engage with the falling prevention member (protrusion) 9d from the perpendicular direction.
• a falling prevention member (protrusion) 9d for example, horizontal direction (X direction) as in the case of
• the locking groove 22d is provided on the inner wall surface 22c in the vicinity of an upper end portion of each wall part in the pair of wall parts 22a and 22a.
• the plurality of locking strips 23 are provided in the vicinity of the center of the locking grooves 22d in the perpendicular direction, for example.
• the plurality of locking strips 23 are further provided in the vicinity of the end portions of the locking grooves 22d in the perpendicular direction.
• the plurality of locking strips 23 are total eight locking strips constituted of a pair of the locking strips 23 in the vicinity of the center of both wall parts 22a and 22a and a pair of the locking strips 23 in the vicinity of the end portions.
• the respective plurality of locking strips 23 are fastened to the vicinity of the center and the vicinity of the end portions of the locking groove 22d, by fastening bolts 28 attached from outer wall surfaces 22e of the wall parts 22a and 22a.
• each of the plurality of the locking strips 23 has a surface 23a facing the center of the locking groove 22d in the perpendicular direction, the surface 23a constituting a tapered surface gradually expanding from the center toward the other wall part 22a, out of the pair of wall parts 22a and 22a, in a range from the groove bottom part 22f to a groove open part 22g.
• the mounting part body 22 in a U-shaped cross section in the tool mounting part 21 includes a urethane sheet (friction application means) 24 provided on the surface of the bottom part 22b.
• the urethane sheet 24 is fastened so as to be integrated to the bottom part 22b by a fastening bolt 24a attached to the bottom part 22b from above.
• the tool 9 mounted on the tool mounting part 21 is an existing tool of a small width type (a straight tool type in the example shown).
• the tool 9 includes, for example, the shank part 9a, a shaping part 9b, and a processing part 9c.
• the shank part 9a includes a button portion 9e that interlocks with the falling prevention member 9d, an insertion hole 9f penetrating the front and back of the tool 9, and a stopper insertion hole 9g formed on the front-back reversed side of the button portion 9e.
• both the button portion 9e and the falling prevention member 9d are put in the state of being retreated toward the inside of the shank part 9a, by which the tools 9 and 9A are gripped by the tool gripping means.
• the falling prevention member 9d is retreated in this way, and an engagement state with the locking grooves 22d can be released.
• the tool 9 in the tool reversing device 20 first, the tool 9, which is gripped by the tool gripping means attached to the tip of the arm part 3a of the tool changing robot 3 so that, for example, the side of the arm part 3a constitutes the surface, is mounted by inserting the shank part 9a into the center portion of the tool mounting part 21 of the tool reversing device 20 as shown in Figure 7A .
• the rotating mechanism 29 rotates the tool mounting part 21 together with the rotating part 25 by, for example, 180° as shown by the arrow in the drawing. Then, as shown in Figure 7B , the front and back of the tool 9 are reversed while the tool 9 is mounted on the tool mounting part 21. Once the front and back of the tool 9 are reversed, the tool gripping means is again moved close to the tool 9 so as to grip and detach the tool 9 from the tool mounting part 21.
• the attachment and detachment of the tool 9A to and from the tool mounting part 21 are also performed in the same manner by the tool gripping means, and the state where, for example, the tool 9A is mounted on the tool mounting part 21 is as shown in Figure 10 .
• the surfaces 23a of the respective locking strips provided in the vicinity of the end portions and one corner portion at the lateral surface tip side of the falling prevention members 9d facing these surfaces 23a are in point contact or in line contact with each other in the locking groove 22d together with the contact between the locking strips 23 and the falling prevention member 9d in the vicinity of the center.
• the surface 23a of each of the locking strips 23 in the tool reversing device 20 has been described as a tapered surface, though the surface 23a is not limited to this.
• the surface 23a of each of the locking strips 23 may not be a tapered surface as long as clearance accuracy of the falling prevention member 9d at the mounting position of the tools 9 and 9A is high.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Bending Of Plates, Rods, And Pipes (AREA)
• Mounting, Exchange, And Manufacturing Of Dies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=90669141

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2023
  • 2023-10-02 US US19/110,244 patent/US20260091423A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-10-02 EP EP23877179.4A patent/EP4603203A4/de active Pending
  • 2023-10-02 WO PCT/JP2023/035823 patent/WO2024080174A1/ja not_active Ceased

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