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Apparatus and method for processing coiled sheet-like material

a technology of apparatus and material, applied in the field of apparatus and methods for processing coils of sheet-like materials, can solve the problems of reducing the efficiency of processing or production, affecting the production rate of processed end products, and affecting the quality of finished products, so as to achieve the effect of accumulating slack in the material during processing operations and completing processing operations more quickly and efficiently

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-09-10
FORMTEK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]Another advantage of the present invention is its capacity to accumulate slack in the material during processing operations. The accumulation of slack in a loop situated downstream of the uncoiler enables the material to continue uncoiling even while material is also moving in the backward direction through the processing unit. The accumulation of slack is thereafter reduced when material is advanced through the processing unit in the forward direction at a rate that exceeds the rate of uncoiling.

Problems solved by technology

One of the drawbacks of prior art methods and apparatus for processing coiled sheet-like materials is that the rate of production of the processed end product depends at least in part upon the rate of unrolling of the material from the coil.
As a result, any disruption to the unrolling process can reduce the efficiency of processing or production.
Additionally, the production rate can be limited by the size of the coil roll, which must be replaced when the material is entirely uncoiled.
If the desired processing operation is to occur along varying longitudinal axes in the uncoiled material, the production rate can be further limited by the capacity of the processing unit.
If the processing unit can move in the second transverse direction, the production rate still can be limited by the complexity of the desired processing operation or the comparative rate of motion of the material in the first direction and the processing head(s) in the second direction.
Additionally, although the art of “coil processing” contemplates several different types of operations, including cutting, punching, stamping, bending and / or other operations, prior art coil processors may be limited to a single processing operation.
One of the drawbacks of this type of coil processor is that the punching and slitting dies cannot move transversely relative to the conveyed sheet-like material, and thus cannot perform processing operations on the sheet material in multiple longitudinal axes.
Yet another drawback of this type of processor is that it is limited to punching and slitting operations only.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0029]In FIGS. 1-6 a coil processor embodying the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of components in series. A coil 12 containing coiled sheet-like material is positioned within an uncoiler assembly 16, which permits the coiled material to rotate and feed therefrom in a longitudinal or x-coordinate first direction toward a straightener 20, which is positioned to straighten the sheet-like material after it is unrolled from the uncoiler assembly 16. The straightened material leaving the straightener 20 is then fed in the x-coordinate direction to a conveyor unit 30, which translates the material either forward or backward in the x-coordinate direction. Material leaving the conveyor unit 30 enters into the processing unit 32, which includes at least one tool carrier 34, and undergoes the desired processing operation(s) within the processing unit 32. The processed material may then be prepared for storage, shippi...

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Abstract

A coil processor is provided for performing processing operations on coiled sheet-like material, such as sheet metal, plastics or other materials. The coil processor uncoils and straightens the material before performing desired operations on the material and transferring it for packaging, shipping or further processing. Various features improve the overall efficiency of the coil processor, including its ability to move material forward and backward through the unit without slowing down the overall operation, as well as the versatility of its mobile tool carriers, which can perform multiple complex processing applications, including cutting, punching, stamping, bending or others. Additionally, processing efficiency may be further enhanced by the use of a computer, which determines the most efficient sequence for performing processing operations, and controls the coil processor's various features to process material in that sequence.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to coil processors and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for processing coils of sheet-like material that include conveyors for transporting the sheet-like material, tool carriages with tools for performing work operations on the sheet-like material, and control units for controlling movement of the conveyor, tool carriages and individual tools.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]In mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, and other fields, it is often advantageous to process sheet-like material, such as sheet metal or plastic sheet, that is stored in coils. Because the material is originally coiled, and not flat, greater amounts of the material can occupy smaller unit areas in factories or other locations where space is often at a premium, and the material may be transported to the processing site more easily and inexpensively than flat sheet-like materials.[0003]Methods and apparatus for processing coiled sheet-li...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): B65H20/00B21D3/12
CPCB21D43/022B65H20/32B65H2301/51B65H2403/942B65H2511/112B65H2220/03B65H2220/01B65H2220/02
Inventor JENSEN, GARRY
Owner FORMTEK
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