JP2008012537A - Cutting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to eliminate a protection film for protecting the surface of a product part W' and to surely prevent the damage of the surface of the product part W'. <P>SOLUTION: By simultaneously supporting the underside of a workpiece W with a work table 5 and both conveying belts 4, 4' and holding both sides of the workpiece W by a holding means 8, they are moved in the X-direction at the same speed and also a machining head 3 is moved in the Y-direction while emitting a laser beam from the machining head 3 onto the workpiece W. In this way, the product part W' having the required shape is cut down from the workpiece W. The cut product part W' is placed on the conveying belts 4, 4' and, after that, the work table 5 and the holding means 8 holding the surplus material of the workpiece W are elevated by an elevating means 7. Only the product part W' is supported on the conveying belts 4, 4' and, after that, the product part W' is discharged to the carry-out position C with the conveying belts 4, 4'. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus, and more particularly, to a processing table of a cutting apparatus that performs a cutting process by irradiating a workpiece with a laser beam, for example.

Conventionally, for example, various types of processing tables for laser processing apparatuses have been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, a clamp that holds a workpiece and a conveyance belt on which the workpiece is placed are moved in the same direction at the same speed, and a machining head that emits laser light is orthogonal to the conveyance belt. By moving the workpiece, the workpiece is cut into a required shape.
The apparatus of Patent Document 2 includes a machining head that can move in the Y-axis direction on a horizontal plane, and a table that can move in a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction. A switching table is provided that can switch the support position when unloading.
JP-A 61-206586 JP-A-4-361837

By the way, in the apparatus of the above-mentioned patent document 1, the clamp that holds the workpiece during cutting and the transport belt on which the workpiece is placed move in the same direction at the same speed. The remaining material obtained by cutting out the product portion from the product is placed on the transport belt, and the product portion is dropped below the transport belt. In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the product part may be damaged when dropped.
On the other hand, the apparatus of Patent Document 2 includes a lifter for carrying a workpiece and a clamp mechanism for holding the workpiece. When the product portion is unloaded after the cutting process, the product portion is transferred to another belt by tilting the belt of the switching table supporting the product portion downward. At that time, in a workpiece in which the back surface of the product portion is delicately printed or mirror-finished, the product portion may slide with respect to the belt and the back surface may be damaged.
Therefore, in order to prevent scratches on the surface of the product part, protective films have been attached to the front and back surfaces of the workpiece, but it is desired to omit such protective films if possible. .

In view of the circumstances described above, the present invention provides a processing table that supports a workpiece and is movable in the X direction on the horizontal plane, and is provided on the workpiece so as to be movable in the Y direction on the horizontal plane perpendicular to the X direction. In a cutting device provided with a processing head for performing cutting processing,
The processing table supports a workpiece and is movable in the X direction, and a conveyor belt;
A holding unit that holds the workpiece and is movable in the X direction; and a lifting unit that moves the holding unit up and down.
In a state where the workpiece is supported on the mounting surface of the conveyor belt and the workpiece is held by the holding means, the conveyor belt and the holding means are moved in the X direction synchronously at the same speed, and The machining head is moved in the Y direction to cut the product portion from the workpiece, and the lifting means lifts the remaining material of the workpiece held by the holding means above the product portion supported by the conveyor belt. The product portion is discharged by the conveyor belt after being raised by the above.

  According to the structure mentioned above, the protective film for protecting the surface of a product part can be abbreviate | omitted, and a product part and a remaining material can be divided easily.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in the illustrated embodiment. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a laser processing apparatus 1 for cutting a plate-like workpiece W into a required shape. This laser processing apparatus 1 irradiates the workpiece W with laser light by supporting the workpiece W and moving in the Y direction of the horizontal plane perpendicular to the X direction and the machining table 2 that moves in the X direction of the horizontal plane. In addition, a processing head 3 that performs cutting by injecting an assist gas is provided. The machining head 3 can be moved in the Y direction by a moving mechanism (not shown) and can be moved up and down by a required amount. The laser processing apparatus 1 requires the workpiece W by moving the processing head 3 and the processing table 2 in the X and Y directions while irradiating the workpiece W on the processing table 2 with laser light from the processing head 3. It can be cut into shapes.
The processing table 2 of this embodiment covers a pair of conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ that are horizontally arranged adjacent to each other on a fixed frame (not shown) and run in the X direction, and these conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ from above. The frame-like work table 5 arranged in this way, horizontal moving means 6 for running the work table 5 in the X direction, and lifting means 7 for raising and lowering the work table 5 when necessary are provided. Then, holding means 8 for holding both sides of the workpiece W is provided on both sides of the work table 5.

The horizontal moving means 6 includes horizontal moving mechanisms 6A and 6B provided on both sides of the conveyor belts 4 and 4. One horizontal movement mechanism 6A rotatably supports a screw shaft 11 along a horizontal plane X direction via a pair of bearing members 9, 9 'on a fixed frame (not shown). The motor 12 is connected to a motor 12 provided on the fixed frame, and the motor 12 is rotated by a control device (not shown) when necessary. The screw shaft 11 is threadedly engaged with a nut member 13A provided on the lower surface of the slide base 13, and the side portion 5A of the work table 5 is installed via an elevating mechanism 7A disposed on the upper surface of the slide base 13. ing. The other horizontal movement mechanism 6B has the same configuration.
When both motors 12 and 12 are synchronously rotated in the same direction by the control device, the work table 5 is moved in the X direction on the horizontal plane.

On the fixed frame (not shown), two sets of rotating rollers 14, 15 and 14 ', 15' are rotatably supported by bearing members (not shown) in the Y direction perpendicular to the screw shafts 11, 11. Yes. The conveyor belts 4 and 4 ', which are endless, are stretched over the rotation rollers 14 and 15 and 14' and 15 '. The outer rotation rollers 14 and 14 'of each set are connected to motors 16 and 16' provided on the fixed frame. When these motors 16 and 16 are driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions independently by the control device, the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ are circulated in the X direction.
The loading surfaces of the workpieces W on both the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ are horizontal and provided at the same height, and the inner sides of the both conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the X direction. Yes.

In the present embodiment, the outer side of the placement surface of one of the conveyor belts 4 ′ is set as a loading position A where the workpiece W is loaded.
As will be described in detail later, when the workpiece W is supplied at the carry-in position A, the workpiece W is held by the holding means 8 of the work table 5 and horizontally moved to the position below the machining head 3 as the machining position B by the horizontal movement means 6. It has come to be. At that time, the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ are moved in the X direction at the same speed in synchronization with the horizontal movement of the work table 5.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), a recovery means 17 for recovering the processing waste generated during the cutting process is disposed between the two conveyor belts 4, 4 ′. Further, the recovery means 17 is connected to a dust collector, and sucks smoke generated when the workpiece W melts by being irradiated with laser light together with the assist gas ejected from the processing head 3. Yes. In order to simplify the drawings, the collection means 17 is not shown in other drawings.

Next, the work table 5 having a frame shape has left and right side parts 5A and 5B extending in the X direction and a connecting part connected across the upper surfaces of the side parts 5A and 5B across the conveyor belts 4 and 4 '. 5C and 5C, and holding mechanisms 8A and 8B are provided on both side portions 5A and 5B, respectively. An inner portion surrounded by the side portions 5A and 5B and the connecting portions 5C and 5C is an opening 5D, and the opening 5D is positioned on the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′.
The workpiece W is supplied from above the opening 5D, and both side portions of the workpiece W are supported on the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the workpiece W formed on the inner sides of the side portions 5A and 5B of the work table 5. The both sides of the workpiece W in this state are held by a pair of holding mechanisms 8A and 8B. The lower surfaces of the connecting portions 5C and 5C positioned on the transport belts 4 and 4 ′ are positioned above the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the workpiece W by a predetermined dimension.

One holding mechanism 8A has a rotating shaft 21 rotatably supported by a pair of bearing members 18 and 18 'arranged in the X direction on the side portion 5A of the work table 5, and rotates the rotating shaft 21. And a rotary actuator 22 to be operated.
The base 23A of the four clamping members 23 is fitted on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 21 so as to be slidable in the axial direction (see FIG. 4). Although the base 23 </ b> A of the clamping member 23 does not rotate relative to the rotating shaft 21, the rotating shaft 21 can be slid in the axial direction, whereby the clamping member 23 is placed at a required position in the axial direction on the rotating shaft 21. Can be moved. The plate portion 23B of the clamping member 23 is formed in a thin plate shape and has flexibility, and a non-slip silicon rubber is attached to the lower surface of the free end side of the plate portion 23B.
A timing belt 26 is stretched over a timing pulley 24 provided at one end of the rotary shaft 21 and a timing pulley 25 attached to a drive shaft of the rotary actuator 22. The operation of the rotary actuator 22 is controlled by a control device. When the actuator 22 is rotationally driven by the control device, the rotary shaft 21 is rotated.

In the holding mechanism 8A, the state in which the plate part 23B of the clamping member 23 faces vertically upward is the release position, and the state in which the plate part 23B of the clamping member 23 faces obliquely downward is the clamping position.
A similar holding mechanism 8B is also provided on the side 5B side of the work table 5, and the rotary actuators 22 and 22 of the holding mechanisms 8A and 8B on both sides are synchronously rotated in the reverse direction. .
Then, when the work table 5 is stopped at the loading position A and the clamping member 23 is at the release position, the workpiece W is placed on the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 by a supply means such as a robot (not shown) in the Y direction. When the controller rotates both rotary actuators 22 and 22 in a predetermined direction in synchronism with each other, the rotary shafts 21 and 21 are rotated to rotate the holding members 23 and 23. The plate portions 23B and 23B press the upper surface of the workpiece W downward, and both sides of the workpiece W are clamped between the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 and the plate portions 23B and 23B of the clamping members 23 and 23. To be held. On the other hand, when the control device reversely rotates the rotary actuators 22 and 22 from this holding state, the rotary shafts 21 and 21 and the clamping members 23 and 23 provided on the rotary shafts 21 and 21 are also reversed and the plate portions 23B and 23B of the clamping members 23 and 23 are reversed. Is positioned at a release position in which the upper part is directed vertically upward, and the holding state of the workpiece W by the holding mechanisms 8A and 8B is released.

Next, one elevating mechanism 7A of the elevating means 7 for elevating the work table 5 will be described with reference to FIG. A pair of guide rails 27, 27 are erected in the vertical direction on the upper surface of the slide base 13 so as to face each other with a predetermined distance in the X direction. On the other hand, a pair of guide blocks 28 and 28 are provided on the lower surface of the side portion 5A of the work table 5 so as to engage with the guide rails 27 and 27 and slide along the guide rails 27 and 27, respectively.
In addition, a pair of rods 31, 31 are provided on the upper surface of the slide base 13 inside the guide rails 27, 27 so as to be vertically spaced apart from each other in the X direction, and the upper surface of the slide base 13 between them. The cylinder mechanism 32 is attached vertically upward. On the other hand, on the lower surface of the side portion 5A of the work table 5, a pair of rods 33, 33 are erected vertically near the respective positions of the pair of rods 31, 31, and the side portion 5A of the work table 5 is provided. A cylinder mechanism 34 is provided on the lower surface of the cylinder mechanism 34 directly above the cylinder mechanism 32 and directed vertically downward.

A plate-like intermediate member 35 having a U-shaped cross section is arranged between the cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 at the upper and lower positions so that the opening side faces downward. The piston of the lower cylinder mechanism 32 is connected to the lower surface of the central portion of the intermediate member 35, and the piston of the upper cylinder mechanism 34 is connected to the upper surface of the central portion of the intermediate member 35. Thus, the work table 5 is supported on the slide base 13 through the cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 and the intermediate member 35 so as to be movable up and down.
The upper outer peripheral portion of the lower rods 31 is a threaded portion 31a. The threaded portion 31a is penetrated from the lower side into through holes formed in both end portions of the intermediate member 35, and then the upper end portion of the threaded portion 31a. A double nut 36 is screwed into the positioning. Further, the lower outer peripheral portion of the upper rods 33 is also a threaded portion 33a. The threaded portion 33a is penetrated from the upper side to a through hole formed in both end portions of the intermediate member 35 from the upper side, and the threaded portion Double nuts 37 are positioned and screwed into two upper and lower portions of 33a.
As will be described later, when the lower cylinder mechanism 32 is extended, the work table 5 is raised via the intermediate member 35 and the other cylinder mechanism 34, and the rising end position of the intermediate member 35 at that time is It is regulated by the double nut 36. Further, the height of the work table 5 when the upper cylinder mechanism 34 is expanded and contracted is regulated by the double nut 37 at the vertical position.

The operation of both cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 is controlled by a control device. When both cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 are extended, the work table 5 is interposed via both cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 and the intermediate member 35. Is raised to the rising end position (see FIG. 5c). At this position, the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 are positioned above the mounting surfaces of the two conveyor belts 4 and 4 'by a predetermined dimension.
Further, when the upper cylinder mechanism 34 is shortened and the lower cylinder mechanism 32 is extended, the work table 5 is located at the intermediate position, and at this position, the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 are both transport belts. It is set so as to be the same height as the mounting surface of 4,4 ′ (see FIGS. 5a and 5b). When both the cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 are shortened, the work table 5 is positioned at the lower end position (see FIG. 3). At this position, the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 are positioned below the mounting surfaces of the two conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ by a predetermined dimension (FIG. 5d). In addition, the same raising / lowering mechanism 7B is provided also in the side part 5B side of the work table 5, and the upper and lower cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 are controlled synchronously by a control device.
As described above, in this embodiment, the operation of both the cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 of the elevating means 7 is controlled by the control device, so that the height of the work table 5 is increased to the three positions of the rising end position, the intermediate position and the falling end position. It can be changed in stages.

In the above configuration, the work table 5 is maintained at the intermediate position by the lifting / lowering means 7 and is located at the carry-in position A before the workpiece W is carried in the laser processing apparatus 1, and the holding means 8 is at the release position. It has become. In this state, the height of the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 is the same as the height of the placement surface of the transport belt 4 ′ (FIG. 5a). In addition, both the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ are stopped before the workpiece W is carried in.
From this state, the workpiece W is supplied to the carry-in position A through the opening 5D of the work table 5 by supply means (not shown). Thus, both side portions of the workpiece W are supported on the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5, and the center side of the workpiece W is supported by the mounting surface of the transport belt 4 ′. Thereafter, the rotary actuators 22 and 22 of the holding means 8 are operated by the control device, the holding members 23 and 23 of the holding means 8 are rotated to the holding position, and both side portions of the workpiece W are held on the work table 5. The

Thereafter, the control unit rotates the motors 12 and 12 of the horizontal moving means 6 and the motors 16 and 16 ′ of the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ in synchronization with each other by a predetermined amount, so that the workpiece W is parallel to the X direction. It is moved and introduced into the processing position B on the center side (see FIG. 5b).
In this state, a laser beam is irradiated from the machining head 3 toward the workpiece 3 by the control device to start cutting, and the machining head 3 is moved in the Y direction and the conveying belt 4 in the X direction. 4 ′ and the work table 5 are moved in the same direction at the same speed in synchronization. As a result, the workpiece W and the laser light irradiated from the machining head 3 are relatively moved in the XY directions, so that the workpiece W is cut into a required shape (FIG. 5b). The processing waste generated during the cutting is collected by the collecting means 17 disposed between the two conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′.

The control device stops the irradiation of the laser beam from the machining head 3 and also stops the operations of the motors 11 and 11 of the horizontal moving means 6 of the work table 5 and the motors 16 and 16 ′ of the two conveying belts 4 and 4 ′. When the cutting process on the workpiece W is completed, the cylinder mechanisms 34, 34 on the upper side of the lifting means 7 are extended. As a result, the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece W held by the holding means 8 of the work table 5 rises and is positioned at the rising end position (FIG. 5c). Further, the product portion W ′ cut out from the workpiece W is thereby completely separated from the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece W and is supported on the mounting surfaces of the two conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′. It becomes.
Thereafter, since both the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ travel in the same direction synchronously, the product portion W ′ supported by them is conveyed to the unloading position C on the outer side of the conveyor belt 4 and is not shown. It is unloaded from the conveyor belt 4 by the transfer means (see FIG. 5c).

Thereafter, the control device shortens the cylinder mechanisms 32 and 34 and lowers the work table 5 to the intermediate position, and then releases the holding state of the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece 2 by the holding means 8. Thereafter, the control device further shortens the cylinder mechanism 32 and lowers the work table 5 from the intermediate position to the lower end position (see FIG. 5d). As a result, the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece W supported on both the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 and the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′ is supported only by the conveyor belts 4 and 4 ′. Are taken out from the processing position B. Then, the remaining material W ″ carried out from the processing position B is discharged by the transport belt 4 to a discharge position D on the outer side of the transport belt 4 (see FIG. 5d).
Thereafter, during the discharge of the remaining material W ″, the work table 5 is raised to the intermediate position by the elevating means 7 and moved to the loading position A by the horizontal moving means 6 (see FIG. 5a). .
Thereafter, supply of a new workpiece 2 and cutting with respect to it, discharge of the product part W ′ and subsequent discharge of the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece W are performed by the same operation process as described above. It is like that.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the product part W ′ and the remaining material W ″ are relatively moved up and down to completely separate them, and then the product part W is discharged, and then the remaining material W ″ is discharged. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the product portion W ′ of the workpiece W and the remaining material W ″ of the workpiece W can be easily divided and discharged separately, and the product is discharged at the time of discharge. The part can be prevented from being damaged.
Moreover, since the damage of the surface of product part W 'can be prevented, it is not necessary to affix a protective film on the surface of the workpiece W before a process start, and such effort can be abbreviate | omitted.
In the above embodiment, the holding means 8 is constituted by the support surfaces 5E and 5F of the work table 5 and the clamping member 23. However, another holding means is provided on the work table 5, or the upper surface of the work piece is adsorbed. And may be held.
Depending on the arrangement state of the laser processing apparatus 1, the workpiece loading position A and the unloading position C are set to the same position, or the product portion W ′ and the remaining material W ″ are discharged in the reverse direction. It is also possible to appropriately change the loading direction and discharging direction of the workpiece, the product portion, and the remaining material.
In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a laser processing apparatus. However, a cutting apparatus for cutting a workpiece using high-pressure water or a workpiece using laser light and high-pressure water is cut. The present invention can also be applied to a hybrid cutting apparatus.

The perspective view which shows one Example of this invention. The top view of the Example shown in FIG. The front view of the principal part shown in FIG. The expansion perspective view of the principal part shown in FIG. The operation | movement process figure by the Example shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Laser processing apparatus (cutting processing apparatus) 2 ... Processing table 3 ... Processing head 4, 4 '... Conveying belt 7 ... Lifting means 8 ... Holding means W ... Workpiece W' ... Product part W "... Remaining material

Claims (3)

A processing table that supports the workpiece and is movable in the X direction of the horizontal plane, and a processing head that is provided so as to be movable in the Y direction of the horizontal plane orthogonal to the X direction and that cuts the workpiece. In the cutting device,
The processing table supports a workpiece and is movable in the X direction, and a conveyor belt;
A holding unit that holds the workpiece and is movable in the X direction; and a lifting unit that moves the holding unit up and down.
In a state where the workpiece is supported on the mounting surface of the conveyor belt and the workpiece is held by the holding means, the conveyor belt and the holding means are moved in the X direction synchronously at the same speed, and Move the machining head in the Y direction to cut the product part from the workpiece,
The cutting is characterized in that the remaining material of the workpiece held by the holding means is raised by the lifting means to a position above the product portion supported by the conveyor belt, and then the product portion is discharged by the conveyor belt. Processing equipment.   The cutting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit is arranged at a position opposed to the Y direction with a conveyance belt interposed therebetween, and holds both side portions of the workpiece.   The elevating means can change the height of the holding means in three stages, up and down, and is held at the same height as the workpiece supported by the conveyor belt at an intermediate height. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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