MXPA00006135A - Rolling treatment of a workpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

A deforming tool (1) for forming an elongated deformation in a planer workpiece (17) includes cooperating upper (50) and lower (51) parts, a roller ball (11) being mounted in one of the parts and cooperating with a mating element (11') in the other part;the workpiece being engaged above and below by the two parts. The roller ball is mounted for universal movement and thus allows for sharper turns when moving the workpiece without the risk of damage to the workpiece.

Description

TREATMENT OF LAMINATION OF A WORK PIECE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a punch press tool and method for forming an elongated deformation in a flat workpiece by moving the panel relative to the rolling elements that couple, deform and roll along the work piece. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional punching presses are known for drilling holes in and shaping flat panels such as flat sheet metal.

In these punching presses, as shown in the U. U. Patent, No. 4,343,210, the flat sheet metal panel is passed between upper tools and lower dies mounted in a punch press. As the workpiece is moved to a correct position, each tool pierces a hole or forms a shape on the workpiece. It is also known in the art to replace the punching tools of these workpieces with forming tools that form a continuous shape, i.e., a notch or the like, in the flat sheet metal workpiece. One way to form such an elongated shape is by cutting. The cut is made by a tool having a semi-spherical part and a depressed part between which the work piece is placed as shown in Japanese Patent No. 2247021. The tool performs a series of rapid vertical short strokes to form nicks (indentations), finally creating a notch in the work piece. Tools of this type suffer from the disadvantage that the series of connected nicks that are formed are not nearly as smooth as a continuous groove formed by rollers. Another known way to form a continuous shape is by using a tool having upper and lower parts with paired cylindrical rollers that can rotate about parallel horizontal axes.

Such tools are known, for example, from U.S. Patent No. 5,555,759, which discloses a tool having upper and lower cylindrical rollers, which can rotate about axes that are parallel to the workpiece to be treated, being positioned the work piece between the rollers. A major disadvantage of this structure is that the workpiece can be rotated only around a relatively wide arc since the rollers move linearly, thereby reducing the ability to make turns around a narrower arc. In other words, if the workpiece is rotated around a bow or narrow point, the rollers will slide laterally, causing damage to the workpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a tool for deforming a work piece that has a simpler construction and a greater range of motion than the devices of the prior art. It is another objective to provide a new and improved method for deforming a flat workpiece. The present invention comprises a deforming tool having upper parts ß lower cooperatives mounted or adapted to be mounted on the turrets or upper and lower tool clamps of a punch press. The upper part is tilted down against the lower part, giving shape to a flat work piece placed between them. One of the upper and lower parts carries a roller ball assembled for universal rolling movement, while the other part carries elements that match the roller ball so that the roller ball and the equalizing elements form a one piece test of work which is moved together while it is coupled by means of the roller ball and the equalizing elements. In a preferred embodiment, two roller balls are placed in either the upper or lower parts. A single roller ball is seated in the other of the upper and lower parts and is offset to be aligned between the two roller balls, creating a space with a wave shape between them. Preferably, each individual roller ball is retained in a cylindrical fastener having therein a hemispherical bearing shell that allows universal rolling motion of the roller ball. A retaining ring, having an inner diameter that is smaller than the largest diameter of the roller ball, retains the roller ball in the fastener. In a preferred embodiment, the roller ball is mounted on the lower part and the equalizing element, preferably the two roller balls, are mounted on the upper part. According to variations of the present invention, the equalizing element can be a fixed, wave-shaped element instead of two roller balls. Also, the equalizing element, either a pair of roller balls or fixed elements, may have different sizes and / or shapes between them in order to form a notch that is asymmetric across its width. The tool of the invention may also allow the adjustment of the length of the upper part to provide for the precise positioning of the tool in its operative position or for purposes of processing work pieces having different thicknesses without the need to adjust the whole system. The invention is also directed to the method for deforming a workpiece using the tool of the invention. According to the method, the upper part of the tool moves vertically downwards to engage with the upper part of the workpiece. The lower part of the tool engages with the bottom of the work piece. A universally mounted roller ball mounted on either the upper or lower part of the tool engages with the workpiece and acts on the workpiece in conjunction with an equalizing member on the other of the upper and lower parts. The workpiece then moves between the roller boot and the equalizing element to create a deformation in the workpiece. These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the deforming tool of the invention, placed in a turret drilling of a punch press; Figure 2A is an elevation view of the roller ball assembly used in the deforming tool of the invention; Figure 2B is a bottom view of the rodilto ball assembly shown in Figure 2A; Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the deforming tool of Figure 1, shown in operation; Figures 4A and 4B are schematic views showing modifications of the deforming tool of the present invention; Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified deforming tool, placed in a turret bore of a punch press; and Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a deforming tool, placed in a turret hole of a punch press.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Figure 1 shows a tool 1 for deforming a work piece, such as a sheet metal panel or other malleable panel. The tool 1 includes an upper part 50 which has a body 2 guided in a guide 3 and also includes a lower part, namely a die 51. A work piece 17 is placed between the upper and lower parts 50, 51 for deformation. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the upper part 50 is received in a turret 21 of a punch press (not shown). An impeller 4 is attached to the body 2 at an upper end thereof, preferably by means of a threaded coupling 5. The threaded coupling 5 allows the adjustment of the length of the upper part 50 as discussed in more detail below. However, the body 2 and impeller 4 can be constructed as one piece. A head 6 is attached to the impeller 4. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, the upper part 50 is supported on a turret bore 15 on springs 16. When a punch press of a punch press (not shown) presses down on the head 6, the impeller 4 is pressed down, moving the body 2 and roller ball assembly 7, mounted on the lower end of the body 2, into engagement with the upper part of the workpiece 17. lower part 51 includes a roller ball 11 'mounted therein and is mounted, in turn in a lower turret 18. Figure 2A shows a side view of roller ball assembly 7. The cylindrical upper end 8 of the roller boot assembly 7 is adapted to be received in a bore 9 in the lower end of the body 2. The roller ball assembly 7 can be held in place in the body 2 via screws 10. Figure 2B shows a bottom view of the roller ball assembly 7 into which two rotating roller balls 11 have been inserted. The roller balls 11 are spherical and are held in place in 12 cylindrical fasteners. The fasteners 12, in turn, are retained in the roller ball assembly 7 via the fixing screws 13. The fasteners 12 are easily released from the roller ball assembly 7 by loosening the fixing screws 13. When the fasteners 12 are inserted into the roller ball assembly 7, their upper ends abut the bottom 14 of the cylindrical upper part 8. Each of the roller boots 11, 11 'is mounted on a hemispherical bearing shell inside. of the bra 12 for free universal bearing movement. Each roller ball 11, 11 'is held in place in the holder 12 by means of a retaining ring 20 having an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the roller balls 11., eleven'. Each entire unit, i.e., a fastener 12, a roller ball 11 or 11 'and a retaining ring 20, is typically formed as part of the tool 1 or provided separately as a replacement part which is a conventional part available through McMaster-Carr, Chicago, Illinois. It is easily replaceable in either upper part 50 or lower part 51. In a preferred embodiment, shown in Figures 1 and 3, a single roller ball 11 'is provided in the lower part 51. This configuration forms a space in Waveform between fas roller boots 11 and 11 '. In particular, Figure 3 shows how the roller balls 11, 11 'engage with the work piece 17 when a ram acts on the head 6 to move the roller boot assembly 7 towards contact with the work piece 17. In In general, the method of operation of the tool of the invention is as follows: The workpiece 17 is placed between the upper part 50 and the lower part 51. The punch press of the punch press (not shown) then presses down on the head 6 until both the roller boots 11 and 11 'are in contact with the workpiece 17. The ram continues to keep the tool 1 in contact with the work piece 17 throughout the deforming operation. The workpiece is then wedged between the roller boots 11, 11 'to create an even elongated deformation in the workpiece. In order to create a deformation in the form of a corner or curve, the work piece is simply rotated in the desired direction. Because the roller boots 11 and / or 11 'are mounted for free universal bearing movement, ie over a range of 360 degrees in either direction, it is possible to make sharp turns in the workpiece and avoid damage to the workpiece. The work piece that occurs with cylindrical rollers that are not capable of such universal bearing movement. As shown in Figure 4A, the upper part 50 or the lower part 51 can be provided with one or more static members 53 which conform to the shape of the roller balls 11 or 11 ', respectively and in which the balls 11, 11 'of rollers are guided to deform the workpiece 17. As shown in Figure 4B, roller balls of different diameters can be used. In the embodiment shown, the roller ball 54 is smaller than the roller ball 55 which increases the ease of forming structures such as a flange. It is also possible to mount a single roller ball 1 1 on the upper part 50 and two roller balls 1 1 'on the lower part 51, as shown, for example, in Figure 5, discussed in more detail below. To produce several notches simultaneously, or samples of special cross-sectional shapes, additional roller balls can be used, as well as roller balls in different axial positions. Although the impeller 4 and body 2 can be constructed as a single piece, in the preferred embodiment, the impeller 4 and the body 2 are constructed as two parts connected by the threaded connection 5. By rotating the impeller 4 with respect to the body 2, it is It is possible to make small changes in the length of the upper part 50. During a deformation operation, the rotation of the impeller 4 with respect to the body 2 is avoided, as well as the rotation of the body 2 with respect to the guide 3 or turret 21 by any number of known means, such as a pin in a member which fits into a slot of the other member. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the tool 1 is seated in the turret hole 15 and rests on springs 16. Alternatively, or additionally, the bottom part 51 can be seated in the lower turret 18 on springs ( not shown). The springs 16, or corresponding springs in the lower part 51, provide some elasticity to be taken into account for minor variations in the plane of the workpiece and to provide some tolerance for errors in adjusting the length of the tool. further, the roller balls of the invention can be used in any number of different tool configurations. As shown in Figure 5, the roller balls 1 1, 11 'are used in conjunction with a tool of the type having a compression spring 22 positioned between the head 23 at the rear end of an impeller 24 and a flange 25 at the upper end of the body 26. The upper part 50 'of the tool 27 is shown mounted on a turret 28 of a punch press (not shown) and seated on springs 29. Also within the scope of the invention is to use a tool which is not seated on springs 29 or which does not include a compression spring 22. Furthermore, it is possible to use the roller balls of the invention in a tool of the type used in punching presses without a turret. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the tool 30 is placed in a turret hole 31 without the use of springs. The tool 30 can be axially moved by a rod-type impeller 32 in place of a ram. The impeller 32 includes a motor 33, which can be electric, pneumatic or hydraulic, which works in conjunction with a threaded rod 34, a pusher element 35 and a pressure element 36. The pusher element 35 has an inclined surface 37 which cooperates with an additional inclined surface 38 in the upper part of the pressure element 36. A large transmission ratio results in accordance with the pitch of the threaded rod 34 and the inclination of the inclined surfaces 37, 38 so that large forward forces are achieved with a comparatively small motor 33. In addition, small adjustments in the distance between the roller and the work piece are possible. The inclination of the inclined surfaces 37, 38 causes self-locking of the impeller 32 in a desired operative position, which frees the threaded rod 34 and the motor 33 from clamping forces after the tool 30 has reached the desired operative position. An interlocking guide is provided between the pressure element 36 and the pusher element 35, for example, in the form of a notched cutout below (not shown), which extends parallel with the inclined surfaces 37, 38 and which allows a retraction of the tool 30 from the working position by means of reversing the direction of rotation of the motor 33. A rigid connection is also provided between the pressure element 36 and the head 39 of the tool. Other forms of interrack connections can also be used. The interlocking connection between the pusher element 35 and the tool head 39 can be released if, for example, different tools are received in the turret 40 and the driver 32 is intended to advance these tools as soon as they are in their working position. by proper displacement of the tool holder 40. For example, a notched cutout below, open at the sides, may be located between the pressure element 36 and the head 39 of the tool to allow lateral coupling and uncoupling of a properly designed projection. Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the claims.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS 1. A tool for deforming a work piece comprising: a vertically movable upper part from an elevated position to a lower position of coupling with the work piece; and a lower part positioned vertically below the upper part to cooperate with the upper part to receive a workpiece therebetween, one of the upper part and the lower part having at least one roller ball mounted thereon for Universal free bearing movement, and the other of the upper part and the lower part that has an equalizing element which is matched with the roller ball, so when a work piece moves along while being coupled by The roller ball and equalizing element forms a deformation in the workpiece. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 1, wherein said equalizing element comprises a roller ball mounted for universal free rolling movement. 3. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 2, wherein one of said upper part and said lower part includes two roller balls mounted on one and the other of said upper part and said lower part includes a single ball of roller aligned between said first two roller balls. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 1, wherein said equalizing element comprises a static member for guiding said roller ball. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one roller ball is mounted on a roller ball unit comprising a fastener having a bearing shell in spherical shape at the same in which the roller ball is rotatable, and a retainer ring having an inner diameter smaller than the largest diameter of the roller ball to retain said roller ball in said holder. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 1, wherein said upper part comprises a driver and a body attached to a front end of said impeller by means of a threaded connection, said impeller and body which are rotatable with respect to one of the other by means of said threaded connection to allow adjustment of the combined length of said impeller and said body. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 6, wherein said body is movable in a guide, said guide including a flange extending perpendicularly outward from an outer surface of said guide and said impeller that it includes a head positioned at an upper end thereof, said upper part further including a compression spring seated between said flange and said head. The tool for deforming a workpiece comprising: a vertically movable upper part from an elevated position to a lower work piece coupling position, said upper part comprising an impeller and a body attached to said impeller by means of a connection threaded, said impeller and body that are rotatable with respect to each other by means of said threaded connection to allow adjustment of a combined length of said impeller and said body; a lower part placed vertically below the upper part to cooperate with the upper part to receive a work piece therebetween; a single roller ball placed in said lower part for coupling a bottom of the work piece, said single roller ball which is aligned between the two roller balls in said upper part, so that when a work piece is moved to As long as it is coupled by the roller balls, a smooth deformation is formed on the workpiece. 9. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 8, wherein each of said roller balls is mounted on a roller ball unit comprising a fastener having a spherical bearing cover therein in which the roller ball is rotatable, and a retainer ring. having an inner diameter less than the largest diameter of the roller ball to retain said roller ball in said fastener. The tool for deforming a workpiece according to claim 8, wherein said body is movable in a guide, said guide including a flange extending perpendicularly outwardly from an external surface of said guide and said impeller that it includes a head positioned at an upper end thereof, said upper part further including a compression spring seated between said flange and said head. 1 1. A method for deforming a workpiece using a vertically oriented tool having upper and lower parts to form an elongated deformation in the workpiece, comprising: engaging an upper part of the workpiece with the upper part of the tool which is movable vertically downwards on the workpiece; coupling a bottom of the workpiece with the bottom of the tool, one of the upper and lower parts that includes a universal roller bearing ball, the other of the upper and lower parts that includes an equalizing element that is matched with the roller ball to form an elongated deformation in the work piece; and moving the work piece while it is coupled by the roller ball and equalizing element to form therein an elongated deformation. The method for deforming a workpiece according to claim 1, wherein said upper part comprises an impeller and a body attached to the front end of said impeller by means of a threaded connection, said method further comprising adjusting the combined length of the impeller and the body by rotating the impeller with respect to the body before said coupling step. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of coupling the upper part of the work pieces is performed against a force of the spring that tilts the upper part of the tool away vertically from the workpiece.