GB2225290A

GB2225290A - Engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter

Info

Publication number: GB2225290A
Application number: GB8921931A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kiichi Hiyama; Takayuki Konuma
Original assignee: Ando Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ando Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 1988-09-29
Filing date: 1989-09-28
Publication date: 1990-05-30
Also published as: DE3932549A1; IT8967802A0; JPH0292417A; DE3932549C2; KR930006461B1; IT1233896B; KR900004529A; JPH0451248B2; GB8921931D0

Description

Z2,25290 ENGRAVING DEVICE HAVING DOUBLE RETURN MECHANIZM OF PENHOLDER

SUPPORTER

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter for supporting a vibration type penpoint and capable of engraving a manufacturing number and a product name on a surface of a work made of a metal and plastics.

A prior art engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

The prior art engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter comprises a pen 1, a penholder 2 of a pen 1, a penholder supporter 11A for supporting the penholder 2, a pressure rod 3 connected to an air cylinder 8B at the upper portion thereof and connected to the upper portion of the penholder supporter 1 1 A at the lower portion thereof, springs 7A, 7B positioned between the penholder supporter 1 1 A and the pressure rod 3, a return rod 13 having a stopper at the tip end thereof and connected to an air cylinder 8A at the upper portion thereof and slidably connected to the penholder supporter 11A at the lower portion thereof with keeping a play between the stopper of the return rod 13 and the upper portion of the penholder supporter 11A, a

1 three port direct acting valve 12B actuatable upon reception of a signal from a controller 9 for receiving air under pressure from an air reservoir 6 via a pressure regulator 5 and supplying air under pressure to the air cylinder 8B, a double acting valve 12A actuatable upon reception of a signal issued from the controller 9 for receiving air from the air reservoir 6 and supplying the air to the air cylinder 8A via supply pipes 4A.

More in detail, the penholder supporter 11A moves vertically by the resilience force of the springs 7A, 7B and the force applied to the pressure rod 3. The air cylinder 8B functions to move the pressure rod 3 vertically and push the penholder supporter 11A downward at a predetermined pressure so that the pen 1 can engrave the surface of a work 10 positioned under the pen 1. The air cylinder 8A functions to move the return rod 13 vertically and pull the penholder supporter 11A to the original position. During engraving operation, the return rod 13 and the penholder supporter 11A are in free state. During engraving operation, the pressure rod 3 and the penholder supporter 11A are brought into surface contact with each other.

The pressure regulator 5 functions to maintain the air supplied from the air reservoir 6 at a predetermined air under pressure. Inasmuch as the three port direct acting valve 12B supplies air under pressure to the air cylinder 8B through a supply pipe 4B, the pressure rod 3 2 is pushed down at the air under pressure while the three port acting valve 12B is open.

A movable body 14 comprises the penholder supporter 11A, springs 7A, 7B, the pressure rod 3, the return rod 13, and the air cylinders 8A, 8B. The movable body 14 in Fig. 2 is one of constituents of Xaxis, Y-axis, and Z axis of the engraving device and controlled by the controller 9 upon reception of the signal issued from the controller 9 to thereby be moved to an arbitrary position on the work 10.

An engraving position on the surface of the work 10 is inclined in Fig. 2 which means that a scope of engraving operation is movable vertically freely on the surface of the work 10.

The stopper of the return rod 13 in Fig. 2 is positioned at the lower end thereof during engraving operation. However, at the time when the engraving operation is completed to pull the penholder supporter 11A upward, there is a problem of time delay, namely, that the return rod 13 is delayed in its returning operation since there is the play between the stopper of the return rod 13 and the upper portion of the penholder supporter 11A. Due to such time delay, the pen 1 is liable to keep its position on the work 10 right after completion of the engraving operation, whereby a mark "." (hereinafter referred to as mark) is generated on any part of the engraved character as illustrated in Fig. 3. As a result, 3 the quality of the engraved characters on the work 10 will be deteriorated. If the vibration of the pen 1 can be stopped quickly after completion of the engraving operation, the mark "." is not generated on the engraved character. However, it is difficult to stop quickly the vibration of the pen 1. Accordingly, to eliminate generation of "." on the engraved character and improve the quality of the characters, it is necessary to move quickly the penholder supporter 11A integrated with the pen 1 after completion of the engraving operation so that the pen 1 is moved away from the work 10.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter having a structure that a pressure rod and a penholder supporter are interlocked with each other and a return rod and the pressure rod are moved upward to raise the penholder supporter.

To achieve the above object, the engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter comprises a pen, a penholder-of a pen, a penholder supporter for supporting the penholder, a pressure rod connected to an air cylinder at the upper portion thereof and having a lifting member at the lower end thereof for lifting the penholder supporter, springs positioned between the penholder supporter and the pressure rod, a return rod having a stopper at the tip end thereof and 4 connected to an air cylinder at the upper portion thereof and slidably connected to the penholder supporter at the lower portion thereof with keeping a play between the stopper of the return rod and the upper portion of the penholder supporter, a first three port direct acting valve actuatable upon reception of a signal from a controller for receiving air under pressure from an air reservoir via a pressure regulator and supplying air under pressure to the first air cylinder, a double acting valve actuatable upon reception of a signal issued from the controller for receiving air from the air reservoir and supplying the air to the second air cylinder via supply pipes, and a second three port direct acting valve actuatable upon reception of a stopping signal issued from the controller for receiving air from the air reservoir and supplying the air to the first air cylinder via a supply pipe for lifting the pressure rod.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjucntion with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a view showing an arrangement of an engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view showing an arrangement of a prior art engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter; and Fig. 3 is a view of assistance in explaining an example of an engraved character with use of the prior art engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter.

An engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with referrence to Fig. 1.

The engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter comprises a pen 1, a penholder 2 of a pen 1, a penholder supporter 1 1 B for supporting the penholder 2, a pressure rod 3 connected to an air cylinder 8B at the upper portion thereof and having a lifting member 15 at the lower end thereof for lifting the penholder supporter 11B, springs 7A, 7B positioned between the penholder supporter 11B and the pressure rod 3, a return rod 13 having a stopper at the tip end thereof and connected to an air cylinder 8A at the upper portion thereof and slidably connected to the penholder supporter 11B at the lower portion thereof with keeping a play between the stopper of the return rod 13 and the upper portion of the penholder supporter 11B, a first three port direct acting valve 12B actuatable upon reception of a signal from a controller 9 for receiving air under 6 pressure from an air reservoir 6 via a pressure regulator 5 and supplying air under pressure to the air cylinder 8B, a double acting valve 12A actuatable upon reception of a signal issued from the controller 9 for receiving air from the air reservoir 6 and supplying the air to the air cylinder 8A via supply pipes 4A, and a second three port direct acting valve 12C actuatable upon reception of a stopping signal issued from the controller 9 for receiving air from the air reservoir 6 and supplying the air to the air cylinder 8B via a supply pipe 4C for lifting the pressure rod 3. Although the penholder supporter 11B is connected to the penholder supporter lifting member 15, the pressure rod 3 and the penholder supporter 11B can be moved freely laterally since the vertical movement of the pressure rod 3 is not prevented from being restrained by the penholder supporter 11B.

The pressure rod 3 pushes the penholder supporter 11 B downward at a predetermined pressure when the first three port direct acting valve 12B is operated while the pressure rod 3 pulls the penholder supporter 11B upward at a normal pressurized air when the second three port direct acting valve 12C is operated. That is, when the pressure rod 3 receives the pressure directed downward from the air cylidner 8B, the pressure rod 3 pushes the penholder supporter 11B downward while when the pressure rod 3 is moved upward by the air cylinder 8B, the penholder supporter 11B moves upward.

7 As evident from the comparison of Figs. 1 and 2, since the arrangement of the engraving device of Fig. 1 has the lifting member 15, the first and the second three port direct acting valves 12B, 12C and the supply pipe 4C, the penholder supporter 11B is pulled immediately right after the completion of the engraving operation. Accordingly, after completion of the engraving operation, there is no time delay caused by the play between the stopper of the return rod 13 and the penholder supporter 11B whereby the pen 1 can be immediately moved away from the work 10.

With the arrangement of the present invention, inasmuch as the vibration type penpoint can be moved away from the work after completion of the engraving operation, there is no disorder of the characters at the position where the engraving operation is completed for thereby improving the quality of the characters.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that many variations and changes are possible in the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

8 a The return rod 13 is used to move stably vertically the penholder supporter 11B with a force greater than that of the pressure rod 3.

The pressure rod 3 is operated by the force of the air cylinder 8B. The air pressure is about 0.5 kgf/cm2. On the other hand, the return rod 13 is operated by the f orce of the air cylinder 8A. The air pressure is about 5 kgf/crn2 which is ten times greater than that of the air cylinder 8B. Namely, the force of the return rod 13 for moving the penholder supporter 11B is different from that of the pressure rod 3 for moving the penholder 11B.

The air pressure of the air cylinder 8B being less than that of the air cylinder 8A means that the penholder supporter 11B is pressed downward by the pressure rod 3 for causing the pen 1 to contact the penholder supporter 11B with less pressure. The contact pressure between the pen 1 and the penholder supporter 11B is set to thus small value for preventing the work 10 from being deformed.

If the penholder supporter 11B is slightly lifted by the air cylinder 8B after engraving operation, the prior art problems can be solved. Thereafter, the penholder supporter 11B can be lifted rapidly by the force of the air cylinder 8A to its original position.

9

Claims

1. An engraving device having double return mecanism of penholder supporter comprising:

pen (1); penholder (2) of a pen (1 a penholder supporter (11B) for supporting the penholder (2); a pressure rod (3) connected to a first air cylinder (8B) at the upper portion thereof and having a lifting member (15) at the lower end thereof for lifting the penholder supporter (11B); springs (7A, 7B) positioned between the penholder supporter (11B) and the pressure rod (3); a return rod (13) having a stopper at the tip end thereof and connected to a second air cylinder (8A) at the upper portion thereof and slidably connected to the penholder supporter (11B) at the lower portion thereof with keeping a play between the stopper of the return rod (13) and the upper portion of the penholder supporter (11B); a first three port direct acting valve (12B) actuatable upon reception of a signal from a controller (9) for receiving air under pressure from an air reservoir (6) via a pressure regulator (5) and supplying air under pressure to the first air cylinder (8B) for pushing down the penholder supporter (11B); i a double acting valve (12A) actuatable upon reception of a signal from the controller (9) for receiving air from the air reservoir (6) and supplying the air to the second air cylinder (8A) via supply pipes (4A); and a second three port direct acting valve (12C) actuatable upon reception of a stopping signal from the controller (9) for receiving air from the air reservoir (6) and supplying the air to the first air cylinder (8B) via a supply tube (4C) for lifting the penholder supporter (MB).

2. An engraving device having double return mechanism of penholder supporter according to Claim 1, wherein the pressure rod (3) and the penholder supporter (11B) can be moved freely laterally.

t

3. A marking device comprising means for supporting a marking tool, means for applying pressure to and moving the supporting means in a predetermined direction, the pressure applying means being fast with the supporting means to effect reciprocal movement in the predetermined direction.

4. A marking device. according to Claim 3 further comprising second moving means to effect reciprocal movement of the marking tool in the predetermined direction.

5. A marking device according to Claim 3 or 4 further comprising resilient means for urging the marking tool towards the pressure applying means.

6. A marking device according to Claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the supporting means is integral with the marking tool.

7. A marking device according to any one of Claims 3 to 6 wherein the marking tool comprises the tip of a pen.

8. A marking device according to any one of Claims 3 to 6 wherein the marking tool conprises the tip of an engraving tool.

9. A marking device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or described herein.

12 combination of features Published 1990 at The Patent Office. State House. 66 71 High Holborn. London WCIR 4TP. Further copies mky be obtalned from The Patent OfficeSales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington. Kent ERS 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. VS7 I;