Support device for a laser processing machine and laser processing machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a support device for supporting a workpiece (12) for machining in a laser processing machine (11), having: a base carrier (31) having a guide body (24) for fixing in the laser processing machine (11); a guiding device (35) for guiding the workpiece (12), the guiding device being arranged on the base carrier (31), the guiding device including at least two guiding elements (46) for supporting the workpiece (12), the guiding elements being adjustable relative to one another in terms of spacing, wherein the guiding device (35) has two sliding elements (36, 37) movable relative to the base carrier (31), and at least one guiding element (46) is arranged on each sliding element (36, 37), and the sliding elements (36, 37) are movable along two guiding elements (38, 39) arranged at an angle to one another, and the guiding device is arranged on the base carrier (31).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a support device for supporting a workpiece for machining in a laser processing machine, and a laser processing machine for machining a tubular workpiece. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A laser processing machine for machining a tubular workpiece is known from JP 2010-201465 A. The laser processing machine includes a manipulation device for manipulating a tubular workpiece during machining in a machining area. The laser head can move within the machining area. The manipulation device includes a rotatable chuck and at least one support device for supporting the tubular workpiece during machining. The support device is received in the machining area so as to be longitudinally movable. To support the tubular workpiece, the support device includes two guide elements on a base carrier. The guide elements can be set independently of each other to the dimensions of the tubular workpiece to be machined. Due to the clamping screws for changing the position of the guide elements relative to the base carrier, the setting process is time-consuming.

[0003] A processing machine for machining a tubular workpiece is also known from JP 2005-152947. The manipulation device includes a rotatable chuck and a support device. The support device consists of two guide rods having receiving portions arranged at respective ends. The guide rods are arranged scissors-like relative to each other and can be set relative to each other in terms of spacing by means of a lead screw having a central handwheel. This arrangement requires a large structural space. In addition, due to the rotational movement performed on the central handwheel, there is no linear relationship with the change in the set tube diameter, making the setting process more difficult. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a support device for a laser processing machine and a laser processing machine, by means of which the support device can be simply and reliably manipulated to machine tubular or profiled workpieces.

[0005] This task is solved by a support device, wherein the guiding device has two sliding members that can move relative to the base carrier, and at least one guiding element is provided on each sliding member, and the sliding members of the guiding device can move relative to the base carrier, in particular coupled, along two guiding members arranged at an angle to each other. By means of two guiding members arranged at an angle to each other, it is achieved that the guiding elements arranged on the sliding members can be adjusted relative to each other according to the different cross-sections of the workpiece while maintaining the same spacing from the central axis of the tubular or profiled workpiece to be supported on both sides. In addition, by arranging the guiding members at an angle to each other, the sliding members can be moved in a small structural space. In addition, the spacing between the guiding elements can be adjusted precisely and repeatedly according to the cross-section of the tubular or profiled workpiece being processed.

[0006] Preferably, it is provided that the guiding members of the guiding device are oriented at an angle of 90° to each other and are arranged on the base carrier at an angle of 45° to the vertical line. The vertical line corresponds to, for example, the Z direction of the coordinate system assigned to the laser processing machine as shown in Figure 1 . Thus, the spacing between the guiding elements can be adjusted in a simple and precise manner by means of the sliding members.

[0007] Furthermore, preferably, horizontal working tracks are provided on each sliding member separately from the guiding members. In addition, working wheels are provided on the corresponding opposing sliding members in a manner configured for the working tracks, and the working wheels are supported on the working tracks of the other sliding member. The horizontal line corresponds to, for example, the Y direction of the coordinate system assigned to the laser machine as shown in Figure 1 . By means of this working track on one sliding member and the working wheels on the other sliding member, improved supporting force can be achieved, and the working wheels are supported on the adjacent working tracks. In addition, the lever force acting on the guiding members arranged at an angle of 45° to the vertical line during workpiece reception can be reduced.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the two sliding members can be moved and adjusted relative to each other in terms of spacing by a drive member together. Thus, the synchronous movement of the two sliding members relative to each other can be controlled. Therefore, the spacing of the opposing guiding elements from the vertical line is numerically equal respectively, so that the longitudinal axis of the workpiece can be precisely oriented relative to the rotational axis of the chuck by means of the support device for receiving the workpiece. The orientation of the two guiding elements relative to the vertical line is such that the vertical line intersects the longitudinal axis or the rotational axis of the workpiece.

[0009] An advantageous configuration of the drive means drives two sliding members by means of a lead screw. The lead screw preferably includes a right-handed thread section and a left-handed thread section, so that simultaneous movement can be controlled. Alternatively, it may be provided that the drive means includes two lead screws, wherein one lead screw acts on one sliding member respectively, and the rotational movements of the two lead screws are synchronized by the drive means. One lead screw or two lead screws can be moved manually. Alternatively, the drive means can be controlled by an electric motor.

[0010] An advantageous configuration of the drive means, the drive means having a detection device by which the spacing of the sliding members can be detected and thus the diameter of a tubular or profiled workpiece can be detected. Thereby, a signal can be output to a display device, such as a monitor. The operator can thereby be supported when adjusting the support means according to the tubular workpiece to be machined. It may also be provided that the signal of the detection device is transmitted to the machine control device of the laser processing machine. Thereby, automatic control and adjustment of the support means according to the tubular workpiece to be machined can be achieved.

[0011] The guiding element is preferably oriented on the respective sliding member of the guiding device at a position between 40° and 50°, especially 45°, with respect to the vertical line. Thereby, an optimal support for receiving the tubular workpiece is achieved.

[0012] The guiding element is preferably configured as a ball wheel. Thereby, simplified displacement movement and rotational movement of the workpiece in the support means are achieved.

[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment of the support means, a receiving element for the guide disk is provided on the base carrier opposite the guiding device. The guide disk has a through-opening through which a tube or profile having a cross-section different from the circular cross-section is guided. By using the guide disk, increased flexibility can be achieved when machining workpieces having a non-circular cross-section with the support means.

[0014] The receiving element provided on the base carrier includes at least a working wheel, and the guide disk with the workpiece guided therein is rotatably supported on the working wheel about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the support element includes at least two U-shaped retaining elements through which the guide disk is rotatably guided. The U-shaped retaining elements are preferably arranged opposite each other and spaced apart from the working wheel, so that the guide disk can be inserted from above in a simple manner and is rotatably positioned relative to the base carrier.

[0016] The support device advantageously has an arcuate part with at least one pressing-down element, which is releasably fixed to the base carrier and can be adjusted in height relative to the guiding element. By means of the at least one pressing-down element on the arcuate part, a circular tubular workpiece or a guiding disk can be pressed down onto the base carrier. Thereby, precise guiding of the tubular or profiled workpiece to be machined is achieved by the support device.

[0017] According to a first embodiment of the arcuate part for guiding a workpiece that is circular in cross-section, at least one pressing-down element is oriented above and opposite to at least one guiding element arranged on a respective slide, such that the pressing-down element acts on the workpiece from above. The guiding element and the at least one pressing-down element are preferably located in a common vertical plane.

[0018] Advantageously, the pressing-down element is arranged on the arcuate part for a circular workpiece and is oriented relative to the respective guiding element on the slide in such a way that a three-point support for the tubular workpiece is achieved by the pressing-down element and the guiding element. Thereby, precise guiding of the tubular workpiece can be achieved in a simple manner.

[0019] An alternative embodiment of the arcuate part for holding a guiding disk includes at least one pressing-down element, which abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the guiding disk, and the guiding disk is rotatably positioned relative to the base carrier. Thereby, the guiding disk can be held rotatably relative to the work wheel on the base carrier. The work wheel is preferably oriented at an angle between 40° and 50° with respect to the vertical line to achieve optimal support of the guiding disk.

[0020] The object of the present invention is also solved by a laser processing machine, in particular a laser platform machine, for selectively processing plate-shaped or tubular workpieces, which includes: a moving device on which a workpiece support for supporting a plate-shaped workpiece can be fixed, and the moving device moves the workpiece support into and out of the processing area of the laser processing machine; and a manipulating device for manipulating a tubular workpiece during processing in the processing area; and a laser processing head that can move within the processing area, wherein the manipulating device includes at least one support device for supporting a tubular workpiece during processing according to one of the above embodiments. Description of the Drawings

[0021] The present invention and its further advantageous embodiments and refinements will be described and illustrated in detail below with the aid of the examples shown in the drawings. According to the present invention, the features derived from the description and the drawings can be used individually or in any combination of several. In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1A perspective view of a laser processing machine is shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A perspective view showing according to Figure 1 a three - dimensional enlarged view of the operating device of the laser processing machine.

[0024] Figure 3 A perspective view showing according to Figure 2 a support device of the operating device.

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic side view showing in partial cross - section according to Figure 3 a support device.

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic side view showing the support device in an intermediate position for receiving a tubular workpiece.

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic side view showing a support device having a minimum setting position for receiving a workpiece according to Figure 3 and so on.

[0028] Figure 7 A perspective view showing a support device for processing a tubular workpiece and a profile having a non - circular cross - section according to Figure 3 and

[0029] Figure 8 A further schematic side view showing a support device according to Figure 7 and so on. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0030] In Figure 1 a perspective view of a laser processing machine 11 is shown. The exemplary laser processing machine 11 has the form of a laser platform machine for selectively processing plate - shaped or tubular workpieces or profiles. The laser processing machine 11 includes a housing 14, and a processing area 15 is provided in the housing. A laser processing head (not specifically shown) can move within the processing area 15 to process, for example, a plate - shaped workpiece (not specifically shown) supported on a workpiece support 16, or a workpiece 12 received through an operating device 18. Figure 1 The laser processing machine 11 shown in Figure 1 is ready for processing tubular or profiled long and narrow workpieces 12. The workpiece support 16 can be guided out of the processing area 15 by a moving device 17, in particular a movable slide, and moved to a loading / unloading area arranged adjacent to the processing area, preferably outside the processing area 15, as shown in

[0031] The handling device 18 of the laser processing machine 11 includes a rotatable chuck 19 and one or more support devices 21 for supporting the tubular or otherwise shaped workpiece 12 during processing. The rotatable chuck 19 defines an axis of rotation about which the workpiece 12 can be rotated during processing. The axis of rotation extends in the X-direction. The support devices 21 are oriented so that the central axis of the tubular or otherwise shaped workpiece 12 coincides with the axis of rotation of the chuck 19.

[0032] Within the housing 14 of the laser processing machine 11, a guide rail 23 extends in the X direction, and a support device 21 is movably disposed on the guide rail. The support device 21 preferably includes a guide body 24 movably disposed on the guide rail 23. A chain drive 26 preferably extends parallel to the guide rail 23, along which one or more support devices 21 are movable. The chain drive 26 can control the movement of the support device 21 according to the size or length of the workpiece 12 to be processed.

[0033] Figure 2 Show the basis Figure 1 1. The support device 21 is exemplarily positioned adjacent to the chuck 19 to support the workpiece 12 clamped by the chuck 19. Figure 2 The support device 21 shown in Figure 3 is shown in three dimensions and is Figure 4 Shown in side view.

[0034] The support device 21 comprises a base carrier 31, which is exemplarily designed in a floor-like manner. Guide bodies 24 are fastened to lateral sections of the base carrier 31, via which the support device 21 can be moved along the guide rails 23. Locking elements 32 are arranged adjacent to the guide bodies on the base carrier 31, via which the support device 21 is coupled to the chain drive 26 and thus can be moved along the guide rails 23. Preferably, the support element 33 is arranged below the locking element 32 and / or spaced apart from the guide body 24. The support element 33 is supported on the laser processing machine 11, and the support device 21 is held by the interaction of the support element and the guide body 24, extending freely into the processing area 15. The support device 21 can be removed from the laser processing machine 11 by loosening the clamping elements 25, such as clamping screws, and opening the locking elements 32. The guide body 24 remains in the laser processing machine 11.

[0035] A guiding device 35 for guiding a tubular workpiece 12 is provided on a base carrier 31. The guiding device 35 includes two sliders 36, 37 which can move in opposite directions to each other. Each slider 36, 37 is guided movably on guides 38, 39. The guides can be, for example, linear guides, sliding guides or the like. The guides 38, 39 are preferably oriented at an angle of 90° to each other. In addition, each guide 38, 39 is oriented at an angle of 45° to the vertical line (Z direction).

[0036] A drive 41 is provided for adjusting the distance between the sliders 36, 37. The drive 41 advantageously includes a display device 40 and a lead screw 42, and the adjusted tube diameter is displayed on the display device. The rotational movement of the lead screw 42 can be generated by hand, for example by means of an Allen key. Alternatively, the control of the drive can also be carried out by an electric motor. The lead screw 42 acts on both sliders 36, 37 simultaneously. A first thread section 43, for example with a right-hand thread, is provided on the slider 36. Another thread section 44, for example with a left-hand thread, is provided on the other slider 37. By the rotational movement of the lead screw 42, the movement of the two sliders 36, 37 away from each other or towards each other along the guides 38, 39 can be controlled simultaneously. The guiding elements 46 arranged on the sliders 36, 37 can thus be arranged at the same distance from the vertical line 48 extending between the guiding elements respectively.

[0037] The guiding elements 46 are arranged and oriented on the sliders 36, 37 such that the guiding elements are oriented at an angle between 40° and 50° to the vertical line 48. Thus, in the case of a supported tubular workpiece, an optimal support in terms of force application and accuracy can be achieved. The guiding elements 46 are preferably configured as balls. The balls can be replaceably arranged on the sliders 36, 37.

[0038] Advantageously, the guides 38, 39 are particularly fixed to the base carrier 31 to receive the forces or torques generated by the guiding elements 46. The fixing of the guides 38, 39 is carried out by clamping elements 55, such as countersunk screws, which clamp the guides 38, 39 on a stop element 57 by means of a shaft 56. The countersunk screw presses on the shaft 56 from above with its head, and the clamping force of the countersunk screw 55 is redirected to the side facing the stop element 57.

[0039] Each of the sliding members 36, 37 includes a sliding body 45 which has a guiding element 46 at one end. This end of the sliding body 45 is configured in a gooseneck shape such that the guiding element 46 is oriented at an angle of 45° with respect to the vertical line 48. Opposite to this end, the sliding body 45 receives a slide 47 which can move along the guiding members 38, 39. The sliding bodies 45 of the sliding members 36, 37 are constructed substantially similarly in terms of geometry and are oriented mirror-symmetrically with respect to each other, wherein the mirror plane is vertical. Thereby, regardless of the adjustment of the guiding device 35, each guiding element 46 of the sliding member 36 is oriented towards one side of the vertical line and remains oriented also during movement, and the slide 47 of the sliding member 36 can be oriented towards the opposite side of the vertical line. The arrangement and orientation of the sliding member 36 with respect to the vertical line 48 are maintained regardless of the movement along the guiding member 38. This similarly applies to the sliding member 37.

[0040] Furthermore, each sliding body 45 of the sliding members 36, 37 receives a working track 49 which is horizontally oriented or oriented in the Y direction, and the working wheels 50 of adjacent sliding members 36, 37 are supported on the working track. As a result, the sliding members 36, 37 can be additionally supported by each other during movement along the respective guiding members 38, 39. The respective working tracks 49 on the sliding members 36, 37 are oriented parallel to each other and are in the same horizontal plane. The working track 49 extends at a right angle with respect to the rotational axis or the longitudinal axis of the workpiece 12.

[0041] A bow-shaped member 51 having at least one pressing element 52 can preferably be fixed to the base carrier 31. The bow-shaped member 51 can preferably be inserted into a receiving portion on the base carrier 31 and can be adjusted and fixed in height relative to the base carrier 31 by at least one releasable fixing element 54. In order to guide the circular workpiece 22 and position it relative to the guiding element 46, the pressing element 52 is preferably provided on the bow-shaped member 51. The pressing element is preferably located on the vertical line. Thereby, a three-point support is formed for the tubular workpiece to be held. Advantageously, the pressing element 52 is also configured as a ball wheel.

[0042] In Figure 5 a schematic side view of the support device 21 for receiving a tubular workpiece 12 to be processed with a large diameter is shown. In Figure 6 a schematic side view of the support device 21 for receiving a tubular workpiece 12 with the smallest possible diameter is shown. By comparing these two positions of the guiding device 35, it is clearly seen that the support device 21 requires little structural space for receiving tubular workpieces 12 with different diameters. Furthermore, it can be seen that the bow-shaped member 51 can be fixed to the base carrier 31 such that it can be changed in height according to the diameter of the workpiece 12.

[0043] By the arrangement of the guide members 38, 39 and the design of the drive member 41, it is ensured that the position of the axis of the workpiece 12 coincides with the rotational axis of the chuck 19, regardless of the size of the workpiece. In Figure 7 FIG. 1 shows a schematic first side view of a support device 21 for supporting a shaped workpiece having a cross-section different from a circular cross-section. Figure 8 FIG. 2 shows a further opposite side view of the support device 21 according to Figure 7 For guiding a tube or profile having a cross-section different from a circular cross-section, a guide disk 61 is used, which has a through-opening 62 matching the cross-section of the workpiece 12 to be machined in order to guide the workpiece 12. A receiving element 63 is provided for rotatably receiving the guide disk 61 relative to the base carrier 31. The receiving element 63 can be configured, for example, as at least two working wheels 65 fixed to the base carrier 31. The working wheels 65 are preferably oriented at an angle between 40° and 50° to the vertical line. Thereby, an optimal support during the rotatable reception of the guide disk 61 can be achieved. The receiving element 63 can also include a U-shaped holding element 66. The holding elements can be fixed, for example, opposite one another and preferably horizontally oriented to each other on the base carrier 31. Additionally, yet another U-shaped holding element 66 can be fixed to the base carrier 31, which, for example, vertically supports the guide disk 61. Thereby, the guide disk 61 can be guided rotatably and freely relative to the base carrier 31 in a vertical orientation. During the rotational movement of the guide disk 61, the guide disk can be supported on the working wheels 65.

[0044] In order to precisely guide the workpiece 12 having a non-circular cross-section by means of the guide disk 61, a bow-shaped member 68 having at least one pressing element 69 can additionally be arranged on the base carrier 31. At least one pressing element 69 is arranged on the bow-shaped member 68 in such a way that at least one pressing element 69 acts on the outer circumferential working surface 67 of the guide disk 61. The working surface 67 of the guide disk 61 is also supported on the working wheels 65. In the present embodiment, two pressing elements 69 similar to the positioning of the working wheels 65 are realized on the bow-shaped member 68. Alternatively, only one pressing element 69 can also be provided on the bow-shaped member 68, which is located on the vertical line 48.

[0045] In the case of using the guide disk 61 of the support device 21, the guiding device 35 is preferably arranged at such a position that the guiding element 46 is located outside the rotational region of the through-opening 62 of the guide disk 61.

Claims

1. A support device (21) for supporting a workpiece (12) for machining in a laser processing machine (11), having: - A base carrier (31) having a guide body (24) for fixing the support device (21) in the laser processing machine (11), - A guiding device (35) for guiding the workpiece (12), the guiding device being arranged on the base carrier (31), the guiding device including at least two guiding elements (46) for supporting the workpiece (12), the guiding elements being adjustable relative to each other in terms of spacing, - Among them, The guiding device (35) has two sliding members (36, 37) that can move relative to the base carrier (31), and at least one guiding element (46) is arranged on each sliding member (36, 37), and - wherein the sliding members (36, 37) can move, in particular coupled, along two guiding members (38, 39) arranged at an angle to each other, the guiding members being arranged on the base carrier (31), It is characterized in that the respective sliding members (36, 37) have a horizontally oriented working track (49), and working wheels (50) are arranged on the respective opposing sliding members (36, 37) in a manner configured for the working track (49), and the working wheels are supported on the working track (49) of the other sliding member (36, 37).

2. The support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guiding members (38, 39) are oriented at an angle of 90° to each other and are arranged on the base carrier (31) at an angle of 45° to the vertical line (48).

3. The support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The two sliding members (36, 37) can be moved and adjusted relative to each other in terms of spacing together by a drive member (41).

4. The support device according to claim 3, wherein The drive member (41) is constituted by a lead screw (42), the lead screw having a right-handed thread section (43) arranged on the sliding member (36) and a left-handed thread section (44) arranged on the other sliding member (37).

5. The support device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive member (41) has a detection device, and the spacing of the sliding members (36, 37) can be detected by the detection device.

6. The support device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detection device outputs the diameter of the workpiece (12) as a detection signal to a display device (40) and / or the machine control device of the laser processing machine (11).

7. The support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, At least one guiding element (46) is oriented on the respective sliding member (36, 37) at a position between 40° and 50° to the vertical line (48).

8. The support device according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one guiding element (46) supports a workpiece that is circular in cross-section.

9. The support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The guiding element (46) is configured as a ball wheel.

10. The support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, On the base carrier (31), opposite to the guiding device (35), a receiving element (63) for a guiding disk (61) is arranged, the guiding disk having a through-opening (62), and a tubular or profiled workpiece (12) having a cross-section different from the circular cross-section is guided through the through-opening.

11. The support device according to claim 10, wherein, The receiving element (63) is at least configured as a ball wheel or a working wheel (65) by means of which the guide disk (61) with the workpiece (12) guided therein can be supported rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece (12).

12. The support device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The support element is at least configured as a U-shaped retaining element (66) by means of which the guide disk (61) can be rotatably held relative to the base carrier (31).

13. The support device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The bow-shaped member (51) having at least one pressing element (52) is releasably fixed to the base carrier (31), and the workpiece (12) or the guide disk (61) is held relative to the base carrier (31) by means of the bow-shaped member.

14. The support device according to claim 13, characterized in that, At least one pressing element (52, 69) is arranged on the bow-shaped members (51, 68) for a workpiece (12) circular in cross-section and is oriented opposite to the guiding element (46) and acts on the workpiece (12).

15. The support device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The bow-shaped members (51, 68) for the guide disk (61) have at least one pressing element (52, 69), which bears against the outer peripheral surface of the guide disk (61) configured as a working surface (67), and the guide disk (61) can be positioned rotatably relative to the base carrier (31).

16. A laser processing machine (11), in particular a laser platform machine, for selectively processing plate-shaped or tubular workpieces (12), having: - a moving device (17) on which a workpiece support (16) for supporting the plate-shaped workpiece (12) can be fixed in order to move the workpiece support (16) into and out of the processing area (15) of the laser processing machine (11), - a manipulating device (18) for manipulating the tubular workpiece (12) in order to process the tubular workpiece (12) in the processing area (15), the manipulating device having at least one support device (21) for supporting the tubular workpiece (12) for processing, and - a laser processing head which can move within the processing area (15), characterized in that - the support device (21) is configured according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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