JP3134281B2 - Punching method and punching device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a punching method and a punching device for punching a product portion such as a prepaid card or a credit card from a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic recording card such as a prepaid card or a credit card is manufactured by punching a product portion from a flexible sheet. The sheet is formed with product parts arranged vertically and horizontally. In other words, the sheet has a base material made of plastic coated with a magnetic material for recording information, and both sides are printed with decorations and displays. Also, the sheet may be subjected to a perforation process. Since these printing and perforating processes are already performed before the punching of the product part, the product part must be accurately punched from a predetermined position of the sheet.

In this type of punching, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
As described in Japanese Patent No. 25510, while a sheet is intermittently conveyed by a conveying mechanism, a product portion is punched line by line by a press mechanism. Conventionally, in conveying the sheet at that time, as described in the above publication, a method of directly sandwiching the sheet by a roller group and rotating the roller group, or a part of one side of the sheet directly by a gripper A method of holding the gripper and moving the gripper by driving it with a ball screw or the like is employed.

[0004]

Incidentally, since the sheet is flexible, if the sheet is bent during punching, the positional accuracy of the punching of the product part is deteriorated.
However, as in the above-described conventional method, for conveying the sheet, the sheet is directly sandwiched by the rotating rollers, or only a part of one side of the sheet is directly held by the moving gripper. When the sheet is conveyed and punched, the sheet is likely to be bent. This becomes more remarkable as the sheet is conveyed at a higher speed, and as the punching of one sheet progresses and the rigidity of the sheet decreases. Further, when the sheet is directly sandwiched between the rollers, the difference or variation in the thickness of the sheet is liable to be affected, and there is a problem that the sheet is conveyed in a meandering manner due to a shift in the conveying direction. This naturally lowers the punching accuracy.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and when conveying and punching a sheet,
An object of the present invention is to provide a punching method and a punching device that can prevent bending of a sheet and increase punching accuracy.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of products formed at predetermined positions on a flexible sheet while intermittently transporting the sheet are provided to achieve the above object. in sequential punching punching method moiety, shea
One side portion along the outside of the product portion in the transport direction in the over preparative
Lower frame plate and perforated opening and closing the rigidity along its entire length
In the state of being sandwiched and held by the frame body consisting of the upper frame plate ,
The product part is punched out while conveying the sheet.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a flexible sheet is intermittently conveyed.
In a punching device for sequentially punching a plurality of product portions formed at predetermined positions on a sheet , one side of the sheet along the conveying direction outside the product portion extends over substantially the entire length thereof.
To have a rigidity to sandwich at detachably held me off
A frame body composed of the lower frame plate and the upper frame plate, detachable with the frame itself
Has a gripper to hold it
The apparatus further includes a transport mechanism for intermittently transporting the frame, and a press mechanism for punching a product portion from a sheet held by the frame transported by the transport mechanism.

[0008]

According to the punching method of the present invention, a plurality of product portions formed at predetermined positions of the sheet are sequentially punched while the sheet is intermittently conveyed.
One side portion along the conveying direction outside the product portion of the sheet
The lower frame plate to have a rigidity over its entire length and upper frame
It is sandwiched and held by a frame made of a plate . This prevents the flexible sheet from bending.

[0009] In the punching device of the invention of claim 2, the frame body ing from the lower frame plate and the upper frame plate for opening and closing have a rigidity, and almost the entire length of one side portion along the conveying direction outside the product portion of the sheet retention Then Tomo is sandwiched over the
Then, after holding this frame with the gripper of the transport mechanism ,
While intermittently conveying the frame by moving the gripper, sequentially punched product portion by press mechanism from the sheet held in the frame. At this time, the frame fixed to the sheet prevents the flexible sheet from bending.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the punching method and the punching apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a sheet made of a flexible plastic or the like, and the sheet 1 has a plurality of product parts 2 formed at predetermined positions. These product parts 2 are arranged in four rows in the conveying direction A of the sheet 1 and in six rows in a direction orthogonal thereto, but the number of rows is not limited thereto.

Next, the configuration of the punching device will be described.
In the following description, the conveyance direction A of the sheet 1 is assumed to be forward. 1 and 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a press mechanism. A pair of left and right carry-in side transport mechanisms 12a and 12b are provided behind the press mechanism 11, and a pair of left and right carry-out side transport mechanisms are provided in front of the press mechanism 11. Mechanisms 13a and 13b are provided. Each of the transport mechanisms 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b has the same configuration, and has ball screws 16 and 17 parallel to the transport direction A, respectively. This ball screw 1
Reference numerals 6 and 17 are rotatably supported on bases 18 and 19, and are rotatably driven by a servo motor 22 via a power transmission device 21 including pulleys and belts as shown in FIG. . And each ball screw 16, 17
Grippers 23 and 24 are respectively supported. These grippers 23 and 24 move back and forth with the rotation of the ball screws 16 and 17. And gripper 23,
24 is a horizontal lower grip 25 and an upper grip
The lower gripper 25 and the upper gripper 26 move up and down by driving a gripper cylinder 27 such as an air cylinder to open and close each other. Further, a rotary encoder 28 is connected to a rear end of each of the ball screws 16 and 17. Thus, the positions of the grippers 23 and 24 can be accurately controlled.

In addition, elongated frame bodies 31a and 31b are provided in front and back corresponding to the right transport mechanisms 12a and 13a and the left transport mechanisms 12b and 13b, respectively. These frames 31a, 31b
Are composed of a lower frame plate 32 and an upper frame plate 33 located above the lower frame plate 32, respectively. These frame plates 32 and 33 have sufficiently higher rigidity than the sheet 1. And frame 31
Reference numerals a and 31b denote the sheet 1 vertically sandwiched between the lower frame plate 32 and the upper frame plate 33 to detachably hold and fix the sheet. The holding position is a right side or a left side of the sheet 1 along the transport direction A, extends over substantially the entire length, and is outside the product portion 2. In addition,
The opposite surfaces of the two frame plates 32, 33 are subjected to anti-slip processing 34, 35 for the sheet 1, respectively. And frame 31
a and 31b are grippers 2 of the transport mechanisms 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b.
It is held detachably by 3 and 24. For this purpose, cross-shaped concave portions 36 and 37 each consisting of a portion in the front-back direction and a portion in the left-right direction are formed on the upper surface of the lower grip portion 25 and the lower surface of the upper grip portion 26 of the grippers 23 and 24, respectively. On the other hand, the same cross-shaped projections that fit into the concave portions 36 of the lower grip portion 25 and the concave portions 37 of the upper grip portion 26 are provided at both lower end portions of the lower frame plate 32 and both upper end portions of the upper frame plate 33, respectively. Three
8, 39 are formed respectively. And the grippers 25, 2
On both left and right side surfaces of the six concave portions 36, 37, a total of four ball plungers 41, 42 each comprising a ball and a spring for biasing the same are provided in front and rear. On the other hand, frame plates 32 and 33
The ball plungers 41,
A pair of front and rear engagement holes 43 and 44 are formed respectively so that the engagement holes 42 are detachably engaged. In this way, the lower frame plate 32 and the upper frame plate 33 of the frame bodies 31a and 31b are detachably mounted while being positioned with respect to the lower gripper 25 and the upper gripper 26 of the grippers 23 and 24, respectively. Separation and connection are possible while being accurately positioned with 23 and 24.

Further, a positioning mechanism for positioning the sheet 1 is provided between the two transfer mechanisms 12a and 12b, as shown in FIG. This positioning mechanism includes one stopper pin 51 abutting on the front side of the sheet 1 in the conveying direction.
And a pair of front and rear stopper pins 52 abutting on a side orthogonal to the front side of the sheet 1 to position the sheet 1 in two directions orthogonal to each other in a horizontal plane.
The stopper pins 51 and 52 are moved up and down by driving pin cylinders 53 and 54, each of which is an air cylinder or the like.
It is lowered so as not to hinder conveyance of the sheet 1 except at the time of positioning. Although not shown, the sheet 1 is pressed against a front stopper pin 51 by a belt conveyor that conveys the sheet 1 in the direction A, and is pressed against a lateral stopper pin 52 by a pressing body that moves in the left-right direction. It has become. The lower frame plate 32 and the upper frame plate 33 of the frame 31a are formed with holes 55 and 56 into which the stopper pins 52 are removably inserted from below. This allows
The lower frame plate 32 and the upper frame plate 33 can sandwich the sheet 1 immediately after the positioning is completed.

The press mechanism 11 has an upper ram (not shown) in which a lower mold 62 is mounted on an upper surface of a base 61 and is supported above and below the base 61 via a rod 63 so as to be vertically movable. The upper mold 64 is attached to the lower surface of the. Then, as the upper ram is driven up and down, the lower mold 62 and the upper mold 64 open and close. Also, the lower mold
Notch portions 65 through which the frame bodies 31a and 32b can pass back and forth are formed on the left and right sides of the upper mold 64 and the upper mold 64, respectively.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, the outline will be described. When punching the product part 2 from the sheet 1 by the press mechanism 11, the sheet 1
In the state where the frame bodies 31a and 31b are fixed to one side, that is, the left side or the right side along the transport direction A, the transport mechanism 12
The workpieces 2 are intermittently transported one pitch at a time by a, 12b, 13a, and 13b.

The transport by the transport mechanisms 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b is performed, for example, assuming that the sheet 1 held by the right loading-side transport mechanism 12b is transported into the press mechanism 11 via the frame 31b. Front two or three row product part 2
While the sheet is punched, the right carrying-in side transport mechanism 12b transports the sheet 1. As shown in FIG. 1, after the punching of the front part of the sheet 1 is completed, the sheet 1 is held by the frame 31 holding the sheet.
The right-side discharge-side transport mechanism 13b conveys the sheet 1 while it is inherited by the right-side discharge-side transport mechanism 13b together with b, and punches out the rear two rows or one row of product parts 2 of the sheet 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, after the punching of one sheet 1 is completed, the remaining material is discharged, but the frame 31b is returned to the right carrying-in side transport mechanism 12b, and the next sheet 1 is transported. To be served. On the other hand, while the sheet 1 being conveyed by the right conveying mechanisms 12b and 13b is being punched, the next sheet 1
And waits behind the press mechanism 11. Then, the sheet 1 is conveyed Ri by the right side of the conveying mechanism 12b, 13b
Is carried out of the press mechanism 11, the left carrying-in side transport mechanism 12a on the left carries the sheet 1 into the press mechanism 11, and the punching of the sheet 1 starts. Thereafter, as in the case of the right transport mechanisms 12b and 13b described above, the frame 31 is moved between the left import transport mechanism 12a and the left export transport mechanism 13a.
Delivery of a and sheet 1 is performed. In addition, while punching is performed on the sheet 1 conveyed by the left conveying mechanisms 12a and 13a, the right conveying mechanisms 12b and 13b move the frame from the unloading-side conveying mechanism 13b to the input-side conveying mechanism 12b. 31
b is returned. The return of the left frame 31a is performed in the same manner. In this way, the productivity is improved by alternately transporting the sheet 1 by the left transport mechanisms 12a and 13a and the right transport mechanisms 12b and 13b.

Next, the punching process will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet 1 before punching is conveyed forward by the belt conveyor, and hits the stopper pin 51 that has risen and stops. Next, the pressing body presses the sheet 1 against the raised stopper pin 52. Thereby, the sheet 1 is positioned. Up to that point, the loading-side transport mechanism 12a, 1 holding the lower frame plate 32 of the frames 31a, 31b.
Lower gripper 25 of gripper 23 of 2b and upper frame plate of frames 31a and 31b
The upper grip 26 holding the gripper 23 is open, but after the positioning of the sheet 1 is completed, the lower grip 25 and the upper grip 26 of the gripper 23 are closed, and the frames 31a, 31b
The lower frame plate 32 and the upper frame plate 33 are closed, and the left or right side of the sheet 1 is sandwiched and held. In this state, when the gripper 23 moves forward, the sheet 1 is transported together with the gripper 23 and the frames 31a and 31b.

Then, in the press mechanism 11, the sheet 1 is intermittently conveyed between the opened lower mold 62 and the upper mold 64, during which the lower mold 62 and the upper mold 64 close. Thereby, the product part 2 is punched from the sheet 1. When the punching of the product portion 2 at the front of the sheet 1 is completed, the lower gripper 25 and the upper gripper 26 of the gripper 24 at the retreat position of the unloading side transport mechanisms 13a and 13b are closed, and the sheet 1 is held. The front parts of the frames 31a and 31b are held therebetween. Next, the lower grip 25 and the upper grip 26 of the grippers 23 of the loading-side transport mechanisms 12a, 12b open, releasing the frames 31a, 31b. Thus, the frame 31
a, 31b while holding the sheet 1, the loading-side transport mechanism 12a, 1b
From 2b, it is delivered to the unloading side transport mechanisms 13a, 13b. Thereafter, while the sheet 1 is being conveyed by the unloading side conveying mechanisms 13a and 13b, punching of the sheet 1 is performed in the same manner as described above. When the punching of sheet 1 is completed,
The gripper 24 and the frame members 31a and 31b loosen the holding of the sheet 1, and the remaining material of the sheet 1 after the punching is completed is extracted from the frame members 31a and 31b by a discharge mechanism (not shown) and sent to a post-process as waste material. . Then, after the grippers 24 of the unloading side transport mechanisms 13a, 13b holding only the frame bodies 31a, 31b are retracted to a predetermined position, the lower gripper 25 and the upper gripper 23 of the gripper 23 at the forward position of the loading side transport mechanisms 12a, 12b are moved upward. The gripper 26 is closed, and holds the frame bodies 31a and 31b with the rear portions therebetween. Next, the lower gripper 25 and the upper gripper 26 of the gripper 24 of the unloading-side transport mechanisms 13a, 13b open, releasing the frames 31a, 31b. In this way, the frames 31a, 31b transferred from the unloading side transport mechanisms 13a, 13b to the loading side transport mechanisms 12a, 12b retreat together with the gripper 23, and wait for the next sheet 1.

Here, the grippers 25, 26 of the grippers 23, 24
The attachment and detachment of the frame plates 32 and 33 of the frame bodies 31a and 31b will be described. The frame plates 32, 37 corresponding to the concave portions 36, 37 of the grip portions 25, 26
The projections 38, 39 of the 33 are fitted, and the ball plungers 41, 42 of the gripping portions 25, 26 are fitted with the four holes of the frame plates 32, 33.
By engaging with 43 and 44, respectively, the corresponding frame plates 32 and 33 are temporarily connected to the grippers 25 and 26. As a result, as shown in FIG.
Even when the upper grip 26 and the upper grip 26 are open, the frame plates 32, 33
It does not deviate from 25, 26. On the other hand, the grippers 23 of the loading-side transport mechanisms 13a and 13b are moved from the grippers 23 of the loading-side transport mechanisms 12a and 12b.
When the frame bodies 31a and 31b are transferred to and from the opposite side 24, both grippers 25 and 26 of the grippers 24 and 23 to be transferred are connected to the frame body 31.
After gripping a and 31b, hand over the gripper 2
The grippers 25, 26 of the grippers 24, 23 are opened.
Ball plungers 41, 42 for the force holding and holding a, 31b
6, the ball plungers 41, 42 are disengaged from the holes 43, 44 and the grippers 25, 26 of the grippers 24, 23, and the frame plates 32a, 31b of the frame bodies 31a, 31b, as shown in FIG. ,
33 is separated.

According to the configuration of the above embodiment, when the flexible sheet 1 is conveyed and the product portion 2 is punched from the sheet 1, a rigid frame is provided on one side along the conveying direction A of the sheet 1. Since the bodies 31a and 31b are fixed, the bending of the seat 1 can be prevented. Thus, the product portion 2 disconnect rather should strike can be reliably and accurately positioned relative to the press mechanism 11 is enhanced punching accuracy. This is sheet 1
This is effective even when is transported at high speed. Also, sheet 1
As the punching of the sheet 1 progresses, the rigidity of the sheet 1 becomes poor. However, even in the last stage of the punching of one sheet 1, the frames 31a, 31a, Since the gripper 24 conveys and conveys the sheet 31b, the sheet 1 is not bent or displaced, and high-precision punching can be continued.

Further, since the sheet 1 is conveyed through the frames 31a and 31b holding the sheet 1, unlike the case where the sheet is conveyed by directly sandwiching the sheet by rotating rollers, the thickness of the sheet 1 is reduced. The sheet 1 can be conveyed without being adversely affected by differences or variations.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
In the above-described embodiment, the frame body holds only one side along the sheet conveying direction. However, the frame body holds two or more sides of the sheet or the entire periphery of the sheet. May be held for a while. A larger number of holding portions can more reliably prevent the sheet from bending, but since the sheet is fed one pitch at a time and the product portion is sequentially punched, at least the side portions along the sheet conveyance direction are held. This is preferable from the viewpoint of improving accuracy.

The configuration of the punching device is not limited to that of the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the loading-side transport mechanisms 12a and 12b and the unloading-side transport mechanisms 13a and 13b are separately provided. However, both are shared, and one transport mechanism is used from the start to the end of punching of a product portion. You may make it convey a sheet. Further, the transfer mechanisms 12a, 12
b, 13a, 13b are grippers 2 holding the frames 31a, 31b
The transfer mechanism transports the frame together with the sheet by rotation of a roller group sandwiching the frame.

[0024]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of product portions formed at predetermined positions of the flexible sheet are sequentially punched while intermittently conveying the flexible sheet, the product portion of the sheet is used. sill plate for chromatic open and close the stiffness across one side portion in the outer along the conveying direction to the substantially entire length
Further, since the sheet is sandwiched and held by the frame made of the upper frame plate , the sheet can be prevented from bending, and the punching accuracy can be increased.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, one side portion of the sheet along the conveying direction outside the product portion is substantially equal to the entire length thereof.
Over and sandwiched by detachably closed by opening and closing the rigidity to hold the
A frame body ing from the lower frame plate and the upper frame plate which, wearing this frame
The gripper has a gripper for detachably holding the gripper.
A transport mechanism for transporting intermittently the frame by moving, by the transport mechanism punching apparatus that includes a press mechanism for punching the product portion from the sheet held in a frame member carried by, the sheet having flexibility During transport and punching, bending of the sheet can be prevented, and punching accuracy can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a punching device of the present invention, showing a state in the middle of punching by a press mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same, showing a state where punching by a press mechanism is completed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a driving unit of the transport mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the positioning mechanism.

5A and 5B show a state where the gripper is opened while holding the frame plate, wherein FIG. 5A is a front view and FIG. 5B is a side view.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a state in which the gripper is separated from the frame plate and opened, wherein FIG. 6A is a front view and FIG. 6B is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Sheet 2 Product part 11 Press mechanism 12a, 12b Loading-side transport mechanism (transport mechanism) 13a, 13b Unloading-side transport mechanism (transport mechanism) 23, 24 Gripper 31a, 31b Frame 32 Lower frame 33 Upper frame

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-7-25510 (JP, A) JP-A-5-345299 (JP, A) JP-A-4-59278 (JP, A) JP-A-3-59 251397 (JP, A) Hikaru 2-50310 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B26F 1/38 B26F 1/44 B26D 7/02 B26D 7/04 B26D 7/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A punching method for sequentially punching a plurality of product portions formed at predetermined positions of a flexible sheet while intermittently transporting the sheet, the method comprising:
One side portion takes along the conveying direction outside the product portion thereof substantially
Or lower frame plate and the upper frame plate for opening and closing have a rigidity over the entire length
A punching method characterized by punching a product portion while conveying a sheet in a state of being sandwiched and held by a frame made of such a material. 2. A punching apparatus for sequentially punching a plurality of product portions formed at predetermined positions of a flexible sheet while intermittently transporting the sheet.
One side portion takes along the conveying direction outside the product portion thereof substantially
Have a stiffness which detachably held sandwiched over the entire length
The gripper has a frame body ing from the lower frame plate and the upper frame plate for opening and closing, the grippers that hold the frame body removably
A transport mechanism for intermittently transporting the frame by moving the
A press mechanism for punching a product portion from a sheet held by a frame transported by the transport mechanism.