JP7249625B2 - cutting device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cutting device that moves cutting means to cut a material placed on a base.

As shown in Patent Document 1, the applicant of the present application has a base (plotter board surface) on which a material is placed, and a cutter that can move the cutting blade in the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions, and further rotate and tilt it. It proposes a cutting device that has a head and can cut materials into arbitrary shapes. With this cutting device, it is possible to input information about the cut line according to the desired cutting shape, so that the material can be cut in any shape. Here, the information about the cut line to be input is, for example, the positions of a plurality of points and the order of these points. It is specified by XY coordinates with reference to the origin. The cutting blade can then be moved through these points in a specified order to cut the material into the desired shape.

JP 2014-237215 A

By the way, the material to be cut by such a cutting device is generally placed on the base by the user of the device. That is, the material is not always placed in the same position relative to the base each time. Therefore, if the position of the placed material is misaligned, even if the cutting blade moves as set, the cutting blade will come off the material in the middle of cutting. may become Also, when using a material with an unusual outer shape, there is a concern that the cutting blade may come off the material during cutting.

An object of the present invention is to solve such problems. To provide a cutting device which prevents cutting in shape and wastes materials.

The present invention comprises a base for setting a material, cutting means for cutting the material, holding the cutting means and moving the cutting means with respect to the material placed on the base to cut the material. distance detection means for detecting the distance to the side of the material; and the distance detection means are directed toward the side of the material and arranged opposite to each other with the base interposed therebetween. and a second movement means for moving the distance detection means in a movement direction that intersects the direction in which the distance detection means faces; the first movement means, the distance detection means, and the second movement and a control means connected to means for moving the distance detection means by the second movement means, and the position of the second movement means in the direction of movement and the position of the distance detection means. The cutting device identifies the material area occupied by the material placed on the base by correlating the distance to the side of the material obtained by the distance detection means.

Such a cutting apparatus comprises input means for inputting information relating to a cut line for cutting the material into a predetermined shape, and the control means determines that the cut line fits inside the material area. When the first moving means is driven to cut the material by the cutting means, cutting of the material is not executed when it is determined that the cut line crosses the material region. is preferred.

It is also preferred that the second movement means comprise height detection means directed towards the surface of the base and adapted to detect the height of the material area.

Preferably, the second moving means includes material presence/absence detection means directed toward the side of the material and provided above the distance detection means.

In the cutting apparatus of the present invention, the outer edge of the material placed on the base can be detected by moving the distance detecting means, which are held facing each other across the base, in a direction intersecting the direction in which these distance detecting means face each other. can be detected and based on this outer edge the material area occupied by the material placed on the base can be determined.

Here, the cutting device described above is provided with input means for inputting information about the cut line, and when it is determined that the cut line exists inside the specified material region, the first moving means is driven to cut the material by the cutting means. , while not cutting the material when the cut line exceeds the material area, cutting in an unintended shape can be prevented, and the material is not wasted.

Such a cutting device is preferably provided with height detection means directed towards the surface of the base and detecting the height in the material area. Since the material to be cut is generally placed on the base by the user, there is a possibility that the material used will be thicker than expected. If such a thick material is used, the cutting blade may collide with the material before starting cutting, and the cutting blade may be damaged. Since the thickness can be grasped, for example, when a material having a thickness equal to or greater than a predetermined value is placed, such a problem can be prevented by taking countermeasures such as not executing the cutting of the material. can be done.

Further, even when the material presence/absence detection means is directed toward the side of the material and is provided above the distance detection means, it is possible to prevent problems when a material thicker than expected is used.

1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a cutting device according to the invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the periphery of the head section in the embodiment of FIG. 1; 2 is a front view of the head portion in the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a side view of the head portion in the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of identifying a material region by detecting an outer edge of a material placed on a base; It is the figure which showed about the method to move a height detection means in the specified material area|region. It is the figure shown about the positional relationship of the specified material area|region and a cut line. It is the figure which showed about the material presence-absence detection means.

An embodiment of a cutting device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 indicates an embodiment of a cutting device according to the invention. The cutting device 1 of this embodiment includes a base 2, a head 3, a distance detection means 10, and a height detection means 11. As shown in FIG. The head 3 also holds a cutting blade (cutting means) S for cutting the material W, as shown in FIGS.

The base 2 is for placing a material indicated by symbol W. In this embodiment, the surface on which the material W is placed is parallel to the XY plane with respect to the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in FIG. assumed to be extended. In this embodiment, the XY plane extends horizontally, and the Z direction is the height direction. The surface of the base 2 is formed in a rectangular shape in which the Y direction (front-rear direction) is longer than the X direction (width direction) in plan view. The surface of the base 2 is provided with suction holes for sucking and holding the material W by means of negative pressure. The base 2 also includes ancillary equipment for connecting to a power supply and an air source for driving various means provided in the cutting apparatus 1, as well as an operation unit 2a used when the user operates the cutting apparatus 1. is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the operating portion 2a of the present embodiment is provided in the center of the width direction of the base 2 and on the front side of the user. In addition, the origin O of the coordinates of the point designated when the material W is cut into a predetermined shape by the cutting device 1 is set on the right front side of the base 2 as seen from the user near the operation portion 2a.

Although the material W described above is formed in a flat plate shape having a rectangular shape in plan view in the illustrated example, the shape is not limited to this. Further, the material includes various materials such as paper products such as cardboard, thin synthetic resin plates or metal plates, and relatively thick polyethylene and foam materials.

Between the base 2 and the head 3, an X- and Y-direction moving means 4 and a Z-direction moving means 5 are provided. can be moved in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. Further, the distance detection means 10 is configured to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and is provided on the X-axis frame 4a of the X- and Y-direction moving means 4 in this embodiment, as will be described later. The height detection means 11 is configured to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. ing. In this specification and the like, the "first moving means" defined as moving the cutting means is, in this embodiment, in addition to the X- and Y-direction moving means 4 and the Z-direction moving means 5, θ The directional moving means 6 and the α-direction moving means 7 correspond to this. Also, the "second moving means" defined as moving the distance detecting means corresponds to the X-axis frame 4a in the X- and Y-direction moving means 4 in this embodiment. That is, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the "first moving means" also serves as the "second moving means".

The X, Y-direction moving means 4 of this embodiment includes a pair of Y-axis rails (not shown) extending in the Y-axis direction and spaced apart from the base 2 in the X-axis direction. , an X-axis frame 4a held by the Y-axis nut, and extending in the X-axis direction and extending in the Z-axis direction relative to the X-axis frame 4a as shown in FIG. , an X-axis nut 4c sliding on the X-axis rail 4b, and an X-axis movement base 4d held by the X-axis nut 4c. Although detailed description is omitted, the X- and Y-direction moving means 4 also includes driving means for moving the X-axis frame 4a and the X-axis moving base 4d, and in this embodiment, servo motors are used. are doing. Note that other motors (stepping motors, etc.) may be used. In addition, the combination of the rail and the nut is not limited to that described above, and a mechanism using a timing belt and pulley, a mechanism using a ball screw, or a mechanism using a rack and pinion may be used.

The Z-direction moving means 5 slides on a pair of Z-axis rails 5a extending in the Z-axis direction and spaced apart from the X-axis moving base 4d in the X-axis direction. It includes a Z-axis nut 5b and a Z-axis movement base 5c held by the Z-axis nut 5b. Further, the Z-direction moving means 5 includes a Z-axis motor 5d and a ball screw 5e for moving the Z-axis moving base 5c by rotation of the Z-axis motor 5d.

The head 3 includes a θ-direction moving means 6 capable of rotating the cutting blade S around the Z-axis, an α-direction moving means 7 capable of rotating the cutting blade S around an α-axis (see FIG. 4) orthogonal to the Z-axis, Vibrating means 8 for vibrating the cutting blade S in its longitudinal direction, and material pressing means 9 (see FIG. 2) for holding down the material W when the cutting blade S cuts the material W are provided.

The .theta.-direction moving means 6 includes a .theta.-rotation shaft 6b rotatably supported by a pair of bearings 6a spaced apart in the Z-axis direction, and a .theta.-axis base 6c (see FIG. 3) held by the .theta.-rotation shaft 6b. ) and The θ-direction moving means 6 rotates the θ-rotation shaft 6b, and includes a θ-axis pulley 6d attached to the θ-rotation shaft 6b and a θ-axis motor 6e for rotating the θ-axis pulley 6d via a timing belt. there is

The α-direction moving means 7 includes, as shown in FIG. 3, an α-rotating shaft 7a rotatably supported on a θ-axis base 6c, an α-axis pulley 7b attached to the α-rotating shaft 7a, and a timing and an α-axis motor 7c that rotates an α-axis pulley 7b via a belt. Furthermore, the α-direction moving means 7 includes a spline case 7d that rotates together with the α rotation shaft 7a, a spline shaft 7e that is provided so as to move forward and backward with respect to the spline case 7d, and a cutting edge S that is provided at the tip of the spline shaft 7e. It is provided with a holder 7f.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vibrating means 8 includes a crank 8a connected to the rear end of the spline shaft 7e, a shaft 8b with an eccentric cam that is rotatably supported and moves the crank 8a forward and backward, and a shaft 8b with an eccentric cam. and a vibration imparting motor 8d for rotating the vibration imparting pulley 8c via a belt (timing belt). That is, when the shaft 8b with the eccentric cam is rotated by the vibration applying motor 8d, the crank 8a vibrates with the amplitude of the eccentricity, and the spline shaft 7e to which the holder 7f is attached also vibrates, so that the spline shaft 7e is held by the holder 7f. The cutting blade S can be vibrated along the longitudinal direction.

The cutting blade S has a flat blade shape as shown in FIGS. S2 is provided. The cutting blade S is removable from the holder 7f, and is a long cutting blade (long cutting means) having a relatively long length from the portion held by the holder 7f to the cutting edge S3 at the tip, In addition to short cutting blades (short cutting means) with a short length, various cutting blades S such as a double-edged blade with the cutting edge S2 provided on both sides of the extension surface S1 and a single-edged blade with the blade edge S2 provided only on one side. can be installed.

The material pressing means 9 includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a pressing plate 9a provided near the cutting blade S, a guide 9b supporting the pressing plate 9a so as to be movable with respect to the head 3 in the Z-axis direction, and a pressing plate 9a. and an elastic body 9c for pressing against the material W.

The distance detecting means 10 shown in FIG. 1 detects the distance to the side of the material W placed on the base 2 . As such a distance detection means 10, for example, a non-contact laser type sensor using laser light can be adopted. In the present embodiment, the right distance detection means 10a located on the right side and the left distance detection means 10b located on the left side from the viewpoint of the user near the operation portion 2a are oriented in the X-axis direction so as to face each other. , are provided on the X-axis frame 4a so as to sandwich the base 2 therebetween.

The height detection means 11 is directed toward the surface of the base 2 and is capable of measuring the height of the material W placed on the base 2. For example, the height detection means 11 is a non-contact type height sensor using laser light. It can be realized by a laser type sensor. Further, the height detection means 11 of this embodiment is attached to the X-axis movement base 4d in the X- and Y-direction movement means 4 as shown in FIG. The height across the surface of 2 can be measured.

The cutting device 1 also includes an input means (not shown) for inputting information about a cut line for cutting the material W into a predetermined shape. An information terminal (computer) connected to the cutting apparatus 1, for example, can be used as such input means. In addition, the information about the cutline in this embodiment is the positions of a plurality of points on the cutline and the order of these points, and the positions of the points are based on the origin O of the base 2 shown in FIG. Specify with XY coordinates.

Furthermore, the cutting apparatus 1 includes such X, Y direction moving means 4, Z direction moving means 5, θ direction moving means 6, α direction moving means 7, vibration means 8, distance detecting means 10, and height detecting means 11. , and a control board (control means) (not shown) connected to the input means. Based on information from the distance detection means 10, height detection means 11, and input means, the control board identifies the shape and position of the material W placed on the base 2, , the Z-direction moving means 5, the .theta.-direction moving means 6, the .alpha.-direction moving means 7, and the vibrating means 8 to drive them individually or in conjunction with each other.

Next, a method of cutting the material W into a predetermined shape using the cutting apparatus 1 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIG.

In this method, first, a step of specifying a region (material region) occupied by the material W placed on the base 2 by the distance detection means 10 is performed. In this embodiment, the X-axis frame 4a of the X, Y-direction moving means 4 is moved in the Y-axis direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5(a). At this time, the right distance detection means 10a provided on the X-axis frame 4a measures the distance to the right side of the material W placed on the base 2, and the left distance detection means 10b measures the left side of the material W. Measure the distance to the part. That is, by associating the position in the Y-axis direction on the X-axis frame 4a with the distance to the left and right sides of the material W measured by the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b at that position, the material W , the inside of the defined outer edge can be specified as the material region A occupied by the material W (see FIG. 7(a)).

Note that the material area A can be partially predicted even before all outer edges of the material W are measured by the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b. For example, the corner E1 shown in FIG. 5(a) is initially measured by the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b when the X-axis frame 4a is moved in the Y-axis direction as indicated by the arrow in the figure. The distance to the side edge of the material W that has not been measured is started to be measured simultaneously by the right side distance detection means 10a and the left side distance detection means 10b, and the positions of both side side edges calculated from the measured distances match. By doing so, it can be predicted that it exists here. Further, the corner E2 can be predicted by increasing the distance to the right side of the material W measured by the right distance detecting means 10a, which had been decreasing. Similarly, the corner E3 can be predicted by the fact that the distance to the left side of the material W measured by the left distance detecting means 10b, which had been decreasing, increases. At the corner E4, the distance to the side outer edge of the material W, which has been measured by the right side distance detection means 10a and the left side distance detection means 10b, is no longer measured at the same time. It can be predicted to be here by matching the positions.

Further, when the material W is placed as shown in FIG. 5B, it is possible to predict the outer edge L1 and the outer edge L2. Regarding the outer edge L1, when the X-axis frame 4a is moved as indicated by the arrow in the figure, the distance to the side outer edge of the material W, which was not initially measured by the right side distance detection means 10a and the left side distance detection means 10b, is However, when the right side distance detection means 10a and the left side distance detection means 10b start to measure simultaneously and the positions of the side outer edges calculated from the measured distances are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, it is assumed that there exists Predictable. Regarding the outer edge L2, the distance to the side outer edge of the material W, which has been measured by the right side distance detection means 10a and the left side distance detection means 10b, is no longer measured at the same time. It can be expected to be here if the locations are spaced apart.

After specifying the material region A in this manner, a step of measuring the thickness of the material W is performed. In this embodiment, since the height detection means 11 can be moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the X- and Y-direction moving means 4, the thickness of the material W can be measured at an arbitrary position. . For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the height detection means 11 is moved along a straight line passing through the corner E1 (in the illustrated example, it is moved linearly from the corner E1 toward the corner E4). In this way, the thickness of the material W can be roughly grasped, or by moving the height detection means 11 spirally along the outer edge of the material W as shown in FIG. , the thickness of the material W may be meticulously grasped.

As described above, it is possible to predict the position of the corner E1 even before all the outer edges of the material W are measured. 10a and the left distance detection means 10b are positioned in front of the height detection means 11, so that when the X-axis frame 4a is moved in the Y-axis direction, the corners are first detected by the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b. The thickness of the material W can be measured by specifying the position of E1 and causing the height detection means 11 to be positioned at the corner E1. That is, specifying the material region A and measuring the thickness of the material W can be completed only by moving the X-axis frame 4a once.

After that, a step of determining whether or not the input cut line fits inside the material region A is executed. It is assumed that the cut line C of this embodiment has a shape close to a rhombus as shown in FIG. 7(a). The information about the cut line C input by the input means is the XY coordinates of the points C1, C2, C3, and C4 and the order of cutting (in this embodiment, the order of C1, C2, C3, and C4). Here, as shown in FIG. 7A, when it is determined that the cut line C fits inside the specified material region A, it is assumed that the material W can be cut in a shape close to the desired rhombus. Since it can be determined, the cutting blade S is moved along the cut line C and the material W is cut. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7(b), when it is determined that the cut line C crosses the material area A, cutting by the cutting blade S is not performed, for example, a warning is issued to the user to reposition the material W. to encourage As described above, according to the cutting device 1 of the present embodiment, the material is not wasted because cutting is not performed when it is predicted that the desired shape cannot be cut.

The material W to be placed may be thicker than expected. In this case, the cutting blade S collides with the material W before it is moved to the cutting start point, and the cutting blade S is damaged. There is a risk of On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the thickness of the material W can be grasped by the height detection means 11, such a problem can be prevented. Here, if the thickness of the material W is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is preferable to prompt the user to change the material W by issuing a warning, for example. Note that the step of measuring the thickness of the material W may be omitted if it is clear that the thickness of the material W is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

When the thickness of the material W can be grasped, two heads 3 are provided, one head 3 is equipped with a long cutting blade S, and the other head 3 is equipped with a short cutting blade S. Then, cutting may be performed with a cutting blade S having an optimum length according to the height detected based on a command from the control means. In addition to providing a plurality of heads 3, for example, the cutting blades S can be automatically attached to and detached from the head 3, and various cutting blades S can be stored in a stocker, based on commands from the control means. Alternatively, the head 3 may be moved to the stocker and remounted from the already mounted cutting blade S to another cutting blade S.

Also, the thickness of the material W can be grasped by a structure other than the height detection means 11 . As such a configuration, for example, an embodiment shown in FIG. 8 can be cited. In this embodiment, the material presence/absence detection means 12 directed toward the side of the material W is provided above the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b with respect to the X-axis frame 4a. . Such material presence/absence detection means 12 can be realized by, for example, a non-contact type photoelectric sensor capable of detecting the presence/absence of material W by blocking or reflecting projected light by material W. . The presence or absence of the material W can also be detected by a laser type sensor capable of detecting the distance to the side of the material W, like the right distance detection means 10a and the left distance detection means 10b. That is, when the material W can be detected by the material presence/absence detection means 12, it can be determined that the material W having a thickness equal to or greater than the height at which the material presence/absence detection means 12 is positioned is placed. Therefore, for example, by providing the material presence/absence detection means 12 at a position higher than the height of the cutting edge S3 when moving the cutting blade S, the problem of the cutting blade S colliding with the material W and being damaged can be prevented. can do.

As described above, the cutting device of the present invention has been described by showing specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. Also included. For example, in the embodiment described above, cutting is performed by moving the cutting blade S with respect to the fixed material W, but the material W may be moved with respect to the fixed cutting blade S. Further, although the distance detection means 10 and the height detection means 11 are provided in the X and Y direction moving means 4 for moving the cutting blade S, they may be provided in other X and Y direction moving means separately provided. good. The directions in which the distance detection means 10 and the height detection means 11 move can be arbitrarily set, and are not limited to the trajectories shown in the drawings.

Reference Signs List 1: Cutting device 2: Base 2a: Operation unit 3: Head 4: X, Y direction moving means (first moving means, second moving means)
4a: X-axis frame 4b: X-axis rail 4c: X-axis nut 4d: X-axis movement base 5: Z-direction movement means (first movement means)
5a: Z-axis rail 5b: Z-axis nut 5c: Z-axis movement base 5d: Z-axis motor 5e: Ball screw 6: θ direction moving means (first moving means)
6a: Bearing 6b: θ-rotating shaft 6c: θ-axis base 6d: θ-axis pulley 6e: θ-axis motor 7: α-direction moving means (first moving means)
7a: α-rotating shaft 7b: α-axis pulley 7c: α-axis motor 7d: Spline case 7e: Spline shaft 7f: Holder 8: Vibrating means 8a: Crank 8b: Shaft with eccentric cam 8c: Vibration imparting pulley 8d: Vibration imparting Motor 9: Material pressing means 9a: Pressing plate 9b: Guide 9c: Elastic body 10: Distance detecting means 10a: Right distance detecting means 10b: Left distance detecting means 11: Height detecting means 12: Material presence/absence detecting means A: Material area C: Cut line S: Cutting blade (cutting means)
W: Material

Claims (4)

a base on which the material is placed;
a cutting means for cutting said material;
a first moving means for holding the cutting means and moving the cutting means with respect to the material placed on the base to cut the material;
distance detection means for detecting the distance to the side of the material;
The distance detection means is oriented toward the side of the material and held in a facing arrangement with the base interposed therebetween , and the distance detection means is moved in a moving direction crossing the direction in which the distance detection means faces. a second moving means for moving the
A cutting device comprising: the first moving means, the distance detecting means, and the controlling means connected to the second moving means,
The control means moves the distance detection means by the second movement means, and the position in the movement direction of the second movement means and the distance to the side of the material obtained by the distance detection means at that position . to identify the material area occupied by the material placed on the base by associating the . An input means for inputting information on a cut line for cutting the material into a predetermined shape,
When it is determined that the cut line fits inside the material area, the control means drives the first moving means to cut the material by the cutting means, and the cut line is cut on the material. 2. A cutting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein cutting of said material is not performed if it is determined that the area is exceeded. 3. A cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said second movement means comprises height detection means directed towards the surface of said base and adapted to detect height in said material area. The cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second moving means comprises material presence/absence detection means directed toward the side of the material and provided above the distance detection means.

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