WO2004067209A1

WO2004067209A1 - Automated decoring system and decoring device

Info

Publication number: WO2004067209A1
Application number: PCT/FR2004/000149
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcel Massin
Original assignee: Marcel Massin
Priority date: 2003-01-23
Filing date: 2004-01-23
Publication date: 2004-08-12
Also published as: FR2850305B1; MXPA05007667A; FR2850305A1; JP2006515806A; BRPI0406881A; EP1594642B1; CA2513693A1; CA2513693C; DE602004020190D1; CN100349676C; EP1594642A1; DE202004021503U1; US20060272792A1; ATE426475T1; CN1750897A

Abstract

The invention relates to an automated decoring system. The inventive system is characterised in that it comprises a plurality of decoring devices each comprising a frame (1) in the form of a two-pronged (11, 12) fork, the space (13) between said prongs (11, 12) being intended to receive a part to be decored. Moreover, each of the aforementioned decoring devices is enclosed in a chamber having only one loading door. The invention is further characterised in that the plurality of decoring devices is disposed within the operating radius of a loading robot which is provided to load the part to be decored through a single face of the decoring device into the space (13) provided for said purpose.

Description

Automated stripping system and stripping device

The present invention relates to an automated system for cleaning the casting cores of foundry parts, and the cleaning devices that the cleaning system comprises.

A foundry piece comprising hollow parts is generally molded around a mixture of sand and resin, called a casting core, of shapes complementary to those of the hollow parts. The casting cores are then eliminated, in particular when the shape of the casting is complex, by subjecting the latter to a hammering in order to unhook the casting cores from the part, then to vibrations in order to disintegrate the cores and d '' evacuate the fragments by gravity.

It is known, from patent application FR 2 711 931, a cleaning device consisting of a frame connected to a fixed support by four vertical cylindrical articulations, elastically deformable transversely and arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry of the chassis, which corresponds to its center of gravity. The chassis consists of three horizontal symmetrical plates linked together by two cores welded to the plates. Two unbalance motors, with a vertical axis of rotation, and mounted in the plane of symmetry of the three plates, on each side of the chassis, make it possible to shake the castings to be stripped. The chassis has two rectangular openings at each end of the chassis. A pneumatic cylinder is located in each of these openings, in order to hold a part between the cylinder and one side of the opening, at each end of the chassis. This last side of the opening is drilled to allow a pneumatic hammer to pass through which hammers the part. The two cylinders are mounted in opposition to each other. A disadvantage of this cleaning device is that it is bulky. Therefore, its location on an industrial site causes severe space constraints. Another drawback of this device is that it is heavy, therefore equipped with large motors, which results in a significant manufacturing cost and a significant consumption of energy. In addition, this results in an amplitude of relatively small movement, therefore a long nucleus disintegration time. A third drawback of this device is that access is via two locations located opposite each other, which is impractical for loading the parts. In addition, the start-up of the device can only start once two parts are loaded and clamped, each in one of the openings in the chassis, which makes the waiting time between two cycles quite long.

The object of the present invention is to overcome certain drawbacks of the prior art by proposing an automated cleaning system, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of cleaning devices, each cleaning device consisting of a frame in the form of fork with two branches, the space between the two branches of the fork being intended to receive a part to be cleaned, and each cleaning device being enclosed in an enclosure with a single door for loading the piece, and in that the a plurality of cleaning devices is arranged in a range of action of a loading robot provided for loading the part to be cleaned, by a single face of the cleaning device, in the space of the cleaning device provided for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device for cleaning the cleaning system, characterized in that the chassis is provided with a single space making it possible to accommodate a part to be cleaned, this space being located at one end of the chassis, in that the chassis is supported by four elastic suspensions of substantially vertical axis and deformable transversely, each suspension being secured to a base, in that the chassis is driven in vibration by two unbalance motors of substantially vertical axis , each fixed on one side of the chassis, near two of the elastic suspensions, and in that a clamping device for the part to be cleaned is mounted on one of the branches of the chassis, said clamping device being constituted by '' a cylinder on which a clamping plate is mounted, making it possible to clamp the part to be cleaned between the plate and the inner surface of the other branch, the two other suspensi elastic ons being arranged so that the center of gravity of the loaded cleaning device remains between the fixing points of the four suspensions, so that they support substantially the same mass.

According to another particular feature, the chassis is substantially horizontal, the two other elastic suspensions being arranged near the space between the two branches of the chassis, and the motors rotate in the same direction, causing the chassis to rotate around the axis located at the intersection between the mean plane of the motors and the plane transverse to the chassis.

According to another particularity, an opening is formed on the branch of the chassis not carrying the jack, this opening receiving the end of at least one pneumatic hammer, fixed on at least one upright secured to the base, which makes it possible to hammer the part. to be racked when the latter is tightened in the chassis, so as to disintegrate the casting cores.

According to another particularity, the space between the branches of the chassis comprises a bottom provided with an opening, to facilitate, at the same time, the clamping of the part to be cleaned, and the evacuation of the sand out of the chassis.

According to another particular feature, the cleaning device comprises two pairs of lateral springs, of substantially horizontal axis, secured both to the chassis and to an upright fixed to the base, allowing the chassis to enter into resonance.

According to another particular feature, the chassis consists of a body and a head, the head comprising the two branches of the chassis and being integral with a rod passing through the body of the chassis, and driven in rotation about the axis of the chassis thanks to a motor. According to another particular feature, the chassis is substantially vertical and the motors rotate in the opposite direction, causing an alternating movement in translation of the chassis along the axis located at the intersection of the mean plane of the chassis and the plane transverse to the motors passing through the center of motors. According to another particular feature, the stripping device comprises at least one pair of pneumatic hammers, fixed on at least one upright secured to the base, which makes it possible to hammer the part to be stripped of each side of the chassis when the latter is clamped in the space compπs between the two branches of the chassis, so as to disintegrate the casting cores.

According to another particular feature, the clamping plate is equipped with a blowing system to promote the evacuation of sand from the part to be cleaned.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description below, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents a horizontal cleaning device according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 represents a horizontal cleaning device with lateral springs according to a second embodiment,

FIG. 3 represents a rotary horizontal cleaning device according to a third embodiment,

- Figure 4 shows a vertical cleaning device according to a fourth embodiment

- Figure 5 shows a cleaning system with several cleaning devices. The cleaning device, according to the embodiment of the figure

1, comprises a chassis (1) in the form of a fork with two branches (11, 12), substantially horizontal. The chassis (1) is supported by four elastic suspensions (2) with a substantially vertical axis, which can deform transversely, and distributed on a base (3) so as to each support substantially the same mass. The cleaning device also includes two unbalance motors (4) fixed to the chassis, each on one side, at the rear of the fork. The space (13) between the two branches (1 1, 12) of the frame (1) can accommodate the part to be cleaned. It is held between the inner wall of one of the branches (12) and a plate (not shown in Figure 1, but referenced 6 in Figures 3 and 4) substantially vertical, made integral, using pins (50 ), a jack (5), for example pneumatic, mounted in the inner wall of the other branch (11). Said plate comprises, in a variant embodiment not shown, blowing devices to promote the evacuation of sand from the part to be cleaned. The space (13) between the branches (11, 12) of the chassis (1) comprises a bottom provided with an opening (135), which makes it possible to facilitate, at the same time, the positioning of the part to be to break up, and the evacuation of the sand out of the frame (1). The wall of the branch (12) not carrying the jack (5) is provided with an opening (125) through which passes the end of at least one pneumatic hammer (7), substantially horizontal, mounted on an upright ( 8) fixed on the base (3). In the case where the device comprises several hammers (7), the latter are arranged one above the other, perpendicular to the mean plane of the frame (1).

The unbalance motors (4) of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 rotate in the same direction, when the device is in operation. The movement resulting from the chassis (1) then causes the part to rotate around the vertical axis (zz) located at the intersection of the plane (yz) passing through the pair of motors (4) and the vertical plane (xz) transverse to the chassis (1). Subjected to this movement, the part is then, alternately, in contact with the hammers (7), and not in contact with the hammers, which allows hammering of the part by the hammers (7). In an alternative embodiment, the hammering is carried out before the engines are started.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 is the same as that of FIG. 1, with in addition four lateral springs (9), of substantially horizontal axis, which are fixed in pairs on each side of the chassis (1), transversely to this one. One of their ends is fixed to the branches (11, 12) of the frame (1), and their other end to an upright (10) fixed on the base (3). The pneumatic hammer hammers (7), as well as the plate (6) which is placed at the end of the jack (5), although not shown in FIG. 2, form part of the cleaning device according to this embodiment. The presence of the springs (9) modifies the natural frequency of resonance of the chassis (1) to bring it to the value of the vibration frequency of the motors (4). In this way, the vibration frequency of the chassis is increased, for example by a factor of 10, which allows, with a low excitation effort, to obtain an acceptable amplitude value for cleaning. The presence of these springs (9) therefore makes it possible to considerably reduce the power, the size and the weight of the unbalance motors (4). These no longer have to provide the force necessary for the vibration, but only to excite the device at its resonant frequency. A variable speed drive makes it possible to adjust the excitation frequency to the exact frequency of the chassis d ⁾ .

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the chassis (1), in the form of a substantially horizontal fork, is in two parts: the body (14), on the one hand, and the head (15), on the other hand . The head (15) of the chassis, consisting of the two branches (11, 12) of the fork, is integral with a rod (16) passing through the body (14) of the chassis (1), and parallel to the axis (xx ) of the chassis (1). This rod (16), guided by a guide (17) inside the body (14) of the chassis (1), can rotate around the axis (xx) of the chassis (1) thanks to a motor (18) , to which it is connected, which is fixed on the base (3). The body (14) is supported by the same four elastic suspensions (2) as in the embodiment of Figure 1, distributed so as to each support substantially the same mass. The body (14) vibrates around the vertical axis (zz) thanks to two unbalance motors (4) rotating in the same direction, of substantially vertical axis, and fixed to the body (14) of the chassis (1), each on one side of the chassis (1). The head (15) of the chassis (1) comprises, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a jack (5), for example pneumatic, on which a plate (6) is placed to hold the part to be cleaned in the space (13) between the two branches (11, 12). The cleaning device also includes at least one pneumatic hammer for hammering, not shown. In the embodiment of this device, the hammering is carried out before the engines are started. This embodiment also allows excellent sand emptying since the part can be rotated 360 °.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, the frame (1) is substantially vertical. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is supported by four elastic suspensions (2), of vertical axis, fixed on a base (3), these suspensions being able to deform transversely in an elastic manner. As in the other embodiments, they are distributed so as to each support substantially the same mass. Two unbalanced motors rotating in opposite directions are fixed to the chassis, each on one side of one of the branches (11). The part to be cleaned is to be clamped in the space (13) between the two branches (1 1, 12) of the chassis (1), using a jack (5), for example pneumatic, on which is placed a plate (6), and which is mounted in the inner wall of one of the branches (1 1). The movement resulting from the chassis (1) then causes an alternative movement in translation of the part along the horizontal axis (xx) located at the intersection of the plane (xz) of the chassis (1) and the plane (xy) transverse to motors (4) passing through the center of the motors.

In this embodiment, the cleaning device comprises at least two pneumatic hammers (7) fixed in pairs on uprights fixed on the base (3). The end of the hammers (7) is no longer in the chassis (1), as in the embodiment of Figure 1, but on each side of the branch (12) opposite to that on which the cylinder is mounted ( 5). Thus, the hammering is carried out on the parts of the part to be cleaned which protrude on each side of the frame (1). This embodiment is therefore particularly well suited for cleaning large parts. In an alternative embodiment, the hammering is carried out before the engines are started.

In all the embodiments described above, the stripping device is enclosed in a soundproof enclosure (19) comprising an access (20) which can be closed automatically or manually, making it possible to load and clamp a part to be stripped in the stripping device . Loading and unloading can be done manually or using a robot (21). In cases where the enclosure access to the cleaning device can be closed automatically, and loading and unloading are robotized, several cleaning devices can be used simultaneously for cleaning several pieces at the same time, as shown in FIG. 5. For this use, the cleaning devices are arranged, either parallel to each other along a straight line, the accesses being all located on the same side of the straight , or on a circular arc, the accesses then being all oriented towards the center of this circular arc. The circular arc variant however makes it possible to pass more quickly from one cleaning device to another, therefore increasing the cleaning performance.

Such a robotic process makes it possible to simultaneously use different cleaning devices according to the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, or even any other type of device. If the cleaning device according to the embodiment of Figure 3 is used in the context of a robotic process of this type, it is necessary that the head (15) of the frame (1) is in a horizontal position when the cycle of fluffing ends. In the case of a robotic process allowing the use of several devices at the same time, the unloading, loading and cleaning can be done offset on said devices.

In all of the embodiments mentioned above, the frame (1) consists of two parallel plates connected by crosspieces. Furthermore, the unbalance motors (4) do not necessarily turn in phase at start-up, but are brought into phase approximately in a half-turn.

It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention allows embodiments in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered by way of illustration, but may be modified in the field defined by the scope of the appended claims, and the invention should not be limited to the details given above.

Thus, other embodiments combining two or more embodiments described above can be envisaged.

Claims

1. Automated cleaning system, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of cleaning devices, each cleaning device consisting of a frame (1) in the form of a fork with two branches (11, 12), the space (13) comprised between the two branches (11, 12) of the fork being intended to receive a part to be cleaned, and each cleaning device being enclosed in an enclosure (19) with a single door (20) for loading the piece , and in that the plurality of cleaning devices is disposed within a range of action of a loading robot (21) provided for loading the part to be cleaned, by a single face of the cleaning device, in the space ( 13) of the cleaning device provided for this purpose.

2. A cleaning device of the cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame (1) is provided with a single space (13) for accommodating a part to be cleaned, this space (13) being located at one of the ends of the chassis (1), in that the chassis (1) is supported by four elastic suspensions (2) of substantially vertical axis and transversely deformable, each suspension (2) being secured to a base (3), in that the chassis (1) is driven in vibration by two unbalance motors (4) of substantially vertical axis, each fixed on one side of the chassis (1), near two of the elastic suspensions (2), and in that a clamping device for the part to be stripped is mounted on one (11) of the legs (11, 12) of the chassis (1), said clamping device consisting of a jack (5) on which a clamping plate (6) is mounted, allowing the workpiece to be clamped between the plate (6) e t the inner surface of the other branch (12), the two other elastic suspensions (2) being arranged so that the center of gravity of the loaded cleaning device remains between the fixing points of the four suspensions (2), so that they support substantially the same mass.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the frame (1) is substantially horizontal, the other two elastic suspensions (2) being arranged near the space (13) between the two branches (11, 12) of the chassis (1), and in that the motors (4) rotate in the same direction, causing a rotation of the chassis (1) around the axis (z- z) located at the intersection between the plane ( yz) by means of the motors and the plane (xz) transverse to the chassis (1).

4. A cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening (125) is formed on the branch (12) of the frame (1) not carrying the jack (5), this opening (125) accommodating the end of at least one pneumatic hammer (7), fixed on at least one upright (8) integral with the base (3), which makes it possible to hammer the part to be cleaned when the latter is tightened in the chassis (1), so to disaggregate the casting cores.

5. A cleaning device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the space (13) between the branches (11, 12) of the frame (1) has a bottom provided with an opening (135), to facilitate , both tightening the part to be cleaned, and removing the sand from the chassis (1).

6. A cleaning device according to one of claims 3 to 5, caractéπsé in that it comprises two pairs of springs (9) lateral, of substantially horizontal axis, integral with both the frame (1) and an upright ( 10) fixed to the base (3), allowing the chassis to resonate.

7. A cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame (1) consists of a body (14) and a head (15), the head (15) comprising the two branches (11, 12 ) of the chassis and being integral with a rod (16) passing through the body (14) of the chassis (1), and driven in rotation about the axis (xx) of the chassis (1) thanks to a motor (18).

8. A cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the frame (1) is substantially vertical and in that the motors (4) rotate in the opposite direction, causing an alternating movement in translation of the chassis (1) along the axis (xx) located at the intersection of the plane (xz) of the chassis (1) and the plane (xy) transverse to the motors (4) passing through the center of the motors.

9. A cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises at least one pair of pneumatic hammers (7), fixed on at least one upright (8) integral with the base, which makes it possible to hammer the part to be cleaned. each side of the chassis when the latter is clamped in the space (13) between the two branches (11, 12) of the chassis (1), so as to disintegrate the casting cores.

10. A cleaning device according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the clamping plate (6) is equipped with a blowing system to promote the evacuation of sand from the part to be cleaned.