A method for processing stainless steel tableware

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of stainless steel tableware processing, and discloses a processing method of stainless steel tableware, comprising the following steps: S1, cutting a stainless steel coiled material to form a blank; S2, fixing the blank using a clamp and a material groove; S3, stamping and cutting the blank to form a fork tine tip, and synchronously polishing the inner side of the fork tine tip at the moment when the stamping is completed; S4, polishing the surface of the blank; S5, feeding the blank into a punch press to bend the blank to form a fork; and S6, cleaning the fork using an ultrasonic cleaning machine; the present application synchronously triggers a polishing mechanism during stamping and cutting, and polishes the inner side of the fork tine, thereby solving the problem of burrs and rough surface on the inner side of the fork tine in traditional stainless steel fork processing, significantly improving the smoothness of the stainless steel tableware, improving the processing quality of the stainless steel tableware, and being particularly suitable for use in use scenarios with high requirements for tableware.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of stainless steel tableware processing, and more particularly to a method for processing stainless steel tableware. Background Technology

[0002] Existing stainless steel cutlery, especially stainless steel forks, requires surface polishing during production to remove burrs and minor knife marks, improving the fork's appearance and preventing scratches on hands and mouth during use. In most cases, the focus of fork use is on the smoothness of the outer tines or the outer surface of the fork, often neglecting the smoothness of the inner surface. As long as there are no large burrs on the inner surface, it's acceptable. Furthermore, forks are usually relatively thin, and the inner shear surface of the tines is already formed into an acceptable surface during stamping. Therefore, the stamping process of existing stainless steel forks lacks polishing of the inner tines. However, for high-end cutlery, even small burrs on the inner tines can easily trap dirt and grime, making them difficult to clean. The existing stamping process for stainless steel forks cannot meet the safety requirements of high-end cutlery. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a processing method for stainless steel tableware to solve the problem that the existing stamping process of stainless steel forks cannot meet the safety requirements of high-end tableware because the inner side of the fork tines is not polished. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0004] A method for processing stainless steel tableware includes the following steps:

[0005] S1. Cut stainless steel coils into blanks;

[0006] S2. Use a clamp to fix the billet in the material groove;

[0007] S3. Stamp and cut the blank to form the tip of the fork tooth, and simultaneously grind the inner side of the tip of the fork tooth at the moment the stamping is completed.

[0008] S4. Grind the surface of the blank;

[0009] S5. Feed the blank into the stamping press and bend it to form a fork;

[0010] S6. Clean the forks using an ultrasonic cleaner.

[0011] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S3, a tool punching machine is used to punch and cut several parallel fork tooth tips on the blank. At the moment the tool punching machine leaves the blank after punching, a grinding mechanism is used to grind the inner surfaces of two adjacent fork tooth tips. The punching head of the tool punching machine first moves downward to punch and cut the blank. After the punching and cutting is completed, the punching head moves upward. When the punching head leaves the blank, the grinding mechanism simultaneously enters between two adjacent fork tooth tips to grind.

[0012] As one of the improvements to the above technical solution, the billet is first transported to the material trough of the platform, and then the billet is fixed in place by a clamp in conjunction with the material trough. A channel for recycling waste is reserved on the platform, and the waste generated during the stamping and cutting process falls into the channel.

[0013] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S4, the blank is put into the grinding machine and the grinding machine is started, so that multiple grinding balls in the grinding machine repeatedly collide and rub against the blank.

[0014] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S6, water is first added to the cleaning tank of the ultrasonic cleaner, and the water temperature is controlled at 40-60℃. After the fork is placed into the cleaning tank, the ultrasonic cleaner is then started.

[0015] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S6, after cleaning the forks with an ultrasonic cleaner, the forks are dried with a drying device.

[0016] As one of the improvements to the above technical solution, in step S3, the grinding mechanism is rotatably connected to the platform. The grinding mechanism has a trigger end, and the trigger end is set in the channel. During the process of the waste falling into the channel, it is affected by the gravity of the waste itself and falls onto the trigger end, which then presses down on the grinding mechanism to make the grinding mechanism rotate and drive the grinding mechanism to enter between the tips of two adjacent fork teeth.

[0017] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S3, the grinding mechanism includes a grinding head, which includes a motor and a grinding wheel coaxially connected to the motor's shaft.

[0018] As one of the improvements to the above technical solution, the waste material briefly stays on the trigger end of the grinding mechanism before sliding off the trigger end, and the grinding mechanism resets after the waste material slides off the trigger end.

[0019] As an improvement to the above technical solution, in step S2, the clamp is pressed onto the material groove and the billet, and the clamp works with the material groove to fix the billet in multiple directions.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By simultaneously triggering the grinding mechanism during the stamping and cutting process, the present invention grinds the inner side of the fork teeth, which solves the problem of burrs and rough surface on the inner side of the fork teeth in traditional stainless steel fork processing. It significantly improves the smoothness and density of the inner wall or inner side of the fork teeth, reduces micropores and micro gaps, and effectively reduces the risk of bacterial growth. It is particularly suitable for medical, catering and other scenarios with extremely high requirements for tableware hygiene.

[0021] Compared with traditional processes, this invention uses the self-weight of waste materials to trigger the grinding mechanism for grinding, which eliminates manual operation, reduces labor intensity, and improves automation and production efficiency.

[0022] This invention employs a frustum-shaped grinding wheel in conjunction with a support rod's arc-shaped motion trajectory, which can precisely adapt to the gradually narrowing spatial structure between the fork teeth, ensuring uniform grinding of the inner surface of the fork teeth. This avoids the problem of traditional cylindrical grinding wheels failing to make sufficient contact, further improving grinding quality and enhancing the processing quality of stainless steel tableware.

[0023] In addition, by setting grinding balls in the grinder for surface treatment, and by using ultrasonic cleaning combined with warm water washing, no-load rinsing and subsequent drying steps, the overall surface of the fork is smooth, free of residual stains and particles, which improves the consistency and cleanliness of the finished product, and enhances the final quality and safety of the product.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Of course, implementing any product or method of this application does not necessarily require achieving all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tool punching machine of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support rod of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grinding head of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the proximity switch of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the material trough structure of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the material trough of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the fixture of the present invention.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Platform; 2. Frame; 3. Hydraulic cylinder; 4. Punching head; 5. Grinding mechanism; 6. Magnetic component; 7. Proximity switch; 8. Trigger; 9. Material trough; 10. Fixture; 51. Support rod; 52. Grinding head; 521. Motor; 522. Grinding wheel; 91. Opening. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] High-end tableware has higher requirements than ordinary tableware. For example, stainless steel forks are usually required to have no large burrs on the tips of the fork tines.

[0037] The existing stamping process for stainless steel forks fails to meet the safety requirements of high-end tableware because it does not involve grinding the inner side of the fork tines. This invention provides several embodiments to address these technical problems. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1-8 In this embodiment of the invention, a method for processing stainless steel tableware includes the following steps:

[0038] S1. Material pretreatment: Select stainless steel coils and anneal them to eliminate internal stress, ensuring the quality and dimensional stability of the subsequent cut sections. Then, use a punch press or laser cutting machine to cut the stainless steel coils into rectangular or approximately fork-shaped blanks.

[0039] S2. The blank is conveyed to the platform 1, which is provided with a material groove 9 for receiving the blank. The blank is fixed by the clamp 10 in conjunction with the material groove 9. The clamp 10 fixes the blank in multiple directions in conjunction with the material groove 9. Specifically, the inner side of the material groove 9 can limit the blank from the left and right sides, while the bottom surface of the material groove 9, in conjunction with the clamp 10, can limit the blank from the top and bottom ends, which is convenient for subsequent stamping, cutting and grinding. The front end of the material groove 9 is provided with an opening 91 that connects to the outside so that the subsequent grinding mechanism can enter the tip of the grinding fork.

[0040] S3. Using a tool punching machine, several fork tips are punched and cut on the blank to form a row of fork tips. At the moment the tool punching machine leaves the blank after punching, the grinding mechanism 5 grinds the inner surfaces of two adjacent fork tips.

[0041] Understandably, the traditional process for grinding the inner surface of the fork tooth tip involves: after the fork tooth tip is formed, removing the blank from platform 1, and then using a specialized grinding device, either manually or with the assistance of a multi-axis robotic arm. However, since the fork tooth tip is already formed, further grinding requires a precision fixture 10 to hold it in place. This means the entire process requires first fixing the blank, stamping and cutting out the fork tooth tip, and then fixing the blank a second time before grinding the inner surface of the fork tooth tip. Clearly, the traditional... The traditional processing technology requires multiple fixings of the blank, and even the design of matching clamping tools. The entire process is cumbersome, inefficient, and requires additional costs for the clamping tools. All of these factors can hinder manufacturers from producing high-quality stainless steel forks. In this embodiment, only one fixing is required through the material groove 9 and the clamp 10 to complete the stamping, cutting, and grinding of the inner surface of the fork tooth tip. The clamp 10 has a simple structure, only needing to hold down part of the material groove 9 and the blank. Compared with the traditional processing technology, it is more efficient and less expensive.

[0042] S4. Use a grinding machine to grind the surface of the blank that forms the fork tip to remove burrs and minor deformations remaining after stamping, improve surface smoothness, and avoid scratches during use.

[0043] S5. The blank is fed into the stamping press to bend it into a fork. Specifically, the ground blank is placed in the bending die, and the upper die is pressed down to make the two fork arms plastically deform along the set bending line.

[0044] S6. Use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the forks. The 26–40kHz high-frequency sound waves generate a cavitation effect in the cleaning fluid. The collapse of tiny bubbles produces a violent impact, removing oil and particles from the surface and crevices.

[0045] Understandably, traditional stainless steel fork stamping processes do not involve polishing the inner side of the fork tines, leaving burrs that can trap dirt and grime, especially small particles and liquid residue. Medical settings demand extremely clean tableware; otherwise, it can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria. Polishing the inner side makes the surface of the fork tines smooth and dense, reducing micropores and gaps, and improving the cleaning effect during ultrasonic cleaning. This invention reduces places where bacteria can hide from the source by simultaneously triggering the polishing mechanism 5 during the stamping and cutting process to polish the inner side of the fork tines. This solves the problem of burrs and rough surfaces on the inner side of the fork tines in traditional stainless steel fork processing, significantly improving the smoothness and density of the inner wall or inner side of the fork tines, reducing micropores and gaps, and effectively reducing the risk of bacterial growth. It is particularly suitable for medical, catering, and other scenarios with extremely high hygiene requirements for tableware.

[0046] To facilitate the above processing method, the invention also provides a tool stamping machine equipped with a grinding mechanism 5, including a platform 1, a frame 2, a hydraulic cylinder 3, a stamping head 4, and a grinding mechanism 5. The platform 1 is mainly used to place the stainless steel forks. Preferably, the platform 1 is provided with a material trough 9, which is used to guide and collect the blank, preventing the blank from shifting during subsequent processing and thus affecting the processing accuracy. The platform 1 is reserved with a channel for recycling waste. The waste generated during the stamping and cutting process falls into the channel. Specifically, when the blank is stamped and cut by the tool stamping machine to form fork teeth, the waste generated during the formation of the fork teeth (by being stamped and cut by the tool) will fall downwards due to its own weight if there is no support, thus completing the collection of waste.

[0047] Regarding the stamping and cutting, specifically, platform 1 is horizontally connected to frame 2, hydraulic cylinder 3 is connected to frame 2 and is located above platform 1, with the telescopic end of hydraulic cylinder 3 facing downwards, and stamping head 4 is connected to the telescopic end of hydraulic cylinder 3. By driving the telescopic end of hydraulic cylinder 3 to move up and down reciprocatingly, stamping head 4 can be driven to complete one round of stamping and cutting. The stamping head 4 of the tool stamping machine first moves downwards to stamp and cut the blank. During the upward movement of stamping head 4 after completing the stamping and cutting, the grinding mechanism 5 simultaneously enters between the tips of two adjacent fork teeth to perform grinding.

[0048] The grinding mechanism 5 is rotatably connected to the platform 1. The grinding mechanism 5 has a trigger end, which is set in the channel. When the waste falls into the channel, it is affected by the gravity of the waste itself and falls onto the trigger end, thereby driving the grinding mechanism 5 to rotate, so that the grinding mechanism 5 enters between the tips of two adjacent fork teeth. Compared with the traditional process, the present invention uses the weight of the waste to trigger the grinding mechanism 5 for grinding, which eliminates manual operation, reduces labor intensity, and improves the degree of automation and production efficiency.

[0049] Preferably, the grinding mechanism 5 includes a bent support rod 51, the middle end of which is hinged to the frame 2 and is vertically arranged. The top end of the support rod 51 is connected to a grinding head 52, and the bottom end of the support rod 51 is bent, with an arc-shaped bending surface formed on the inner side of the bottom end of the support rod 51. By default, the support rod 51 is tilted to the left, so that the grinding head 52 is located on the side of the platform 1, and the bottom end of the support rod 51 (specifically the bending surface) is below the channel (or the channel has an opening large enough to accommodate the support rod 51 so that the bottom end of the support rod 51 can enter the channel).

[0050] When the scrap material generated during the fork tooth forming process (by being punched and cut by the tool) falls downwards along the channel due to its own weight without support, it directly lands on the bending surface of the support rod 51. By default, the support rod 51 is tilted and balanced, or the top of the support rod 51 is heavier than the bottom, and the support rod 51 tends to tilt to the left. The frame 2 is equipped with a limiter to keep the support rod 51 tilted. When the scrap material falls onto the bending surface of the support rod 51, it will break the balance of the support rod 51, causing the support rod 51 to rotate slightly (that is, rotate slightly to the right). It is understandable that since the weight of the scrap material cut from the blank is relatively limited, it is actually not enough to drive the entire support rod 51 to rotate at a large angle. In order to enable the scrap material to drive the support rod 51 to rotate at a large angle to complete the grinding of the inner side of the fork tooth, the present invention also provides some embodiments:

[0051] Specifically, a magnet component 6 is connected to the frame 2. The magnet component 6 is located below the top of the support rod 51 (in an inclined state), and on the rotation path of the bottom end of the support rod 51, the magnetic field coverage of the magnet component 6 is exactly 2-10mm away from the bottom end of the support rod 51 (in an inclined state). The bottom end of the support rod 51 is made of solid metal that can be attracted by a magnet. Therefore, as long as the bottom end of the support rod 51 is slightly rotated downward or to the left due to the gravity of the waste, the bottom end of the support rod 51 can easily enter the attraction range of the magnet component 6. The magnet component 6 will attract the bottom end of the support rod 51, so that the bottom end of the support rod 51 gradually approaches the magnet component 6 and finally attracts the bottom end of the support rod 51 onto the magnet component 6. During this process, the grinding head 52 at the top of the support rod 51 will enter between the two adjacent fork teeth for grinding. The waste will slide off the trigger end after a short stay and slide off the bent surface.

[0052] Considering that the opening between adjacent fork teeth gradually narrows from the outside to the inside, and based on the connection and driving method of the support rod 51, it can be seen that the support rod 51 actually rotates, meaning the movement trajectory of the grinding head 52 is arc-shaped. Therefore, a conventional grinding head 52 is not suitable for this embodiment. Specifically, the grinding head 52 typically includes a motor 521 and a grinding wheel 522 coaxially connected to the shaft of the motor 521. A typical grinding wheel 522 is cylindrical or flattened cylindrical. Since the opening between adjacent fork teeth gradually narrows from the outside to the inside, a conventional grinding wheel 522 is not suitable for this shape. To address these issues, the present invention provides several embodiments. Specifically, the grinding wheel 522 is frustum-shaped, meaning it is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. When the grinding head 52 approaches and enters between adjacent fork teeth, the bottom of the grinding wheel 522, which is the wider part, first contacts the inner side of the fork teeth. As the support rod 51 rotates, the grinding head 52 penetrates deeper between adjacent fork teeth. Since the movement trajectory of the grinding head 52 is arc-shaped, the contact with the inner side of the fork teeth gradually changes from the bottom of the grinding wheel 522 to the top of the grinding wheel 522. Only a frustum-shaped grinding wheel 522 can effectively grind the inner side of the fork teeth.

[0053] A magnet component 6 is provided to attract and stabilize the support rod 51 during the grinding process, preventing the accuracy from being affected by rebound during grinding. A rope 8 connects the top of the punch head 4 and the support rod 51, allowing the support rod 51 to automatically reset during the lifting of the punch head 4. This ensures that the grinding mechanism 5 is ready to enter the next round of processing after each round of punching and cutting, ensuring continuous production and reducing the failure rate. In this invention, a frustum-shaped grinding wheel 522 is used in conjunction with the arc-shaped motion trajectory of the support rod 51, which can accurately adapt to the gradually narrowing space between the fork teeth, ensuring uniform grinding of the inner surface of the fork teeth. This avoids the problem of insufficient contact caused by the traditional cylindrical grinding wheel 522, further improving the grinding quality.

[0054] Furthermore, in order to achieve automation, a proximity switch 9 can be provided on the bracket. The proximity switch 9 is connected to the motor 521 via a signal, and a trigger 10 is connected to the side of the bottom end of the support rod 51 to trigger the proximity switch 9. When the support rod 51 rotates, the trigger 10 will trigger the proximity switch 9 and thus automatically start the motor 521.

[0055] Furthermore, although the above embodiments can drive the support rod 51 to automatically grind the inner side of the fork teeth by driving the grinding head 52, the support rod 51 cannot be reset due to the attraction of the magnet component 6. Therefore, the above structure cannot be reused for repeated operations, or the support rod 51 needs to be manually reset, which is quite troublesome. To this end, the present invention also provides some embodiments. Specifically, a servo motor is installed on the frame 2. The shaft of the servo motor is connected to the support rod 51. The servo motor is signal-connected to the proximity switch 9. When the proximity switch 9 is triggered by the trigger component 10, the servo motor will start after a delay. Specifically, the servo motor starts when the punch head 4 leaves the blank, and the servo motor will drive the support rod 51 to rotate a certain angle, so that the grinding head 52 is separated from the blank or the bottom end of the support rod 51 is separated from the magnet, thereby completing the reset.

[0056] In some embodiments, the grinding machine in step S4 has a cavity inside, and multiple grinding balls are provided inside the cavity. After the blank enters the receiving space, the grinding machine is started, and the cavity rotates, vibrates, or stirs, so that the multiple grinding balls repeatedly collide and rub against the blank.

[0057] In step S6, water is first added to the cleaning tank of the ultrasonic cleaner, with the water temperature controlled at 40-60℃. After the forks are placed in the cleaning tank, the ultrasonic cleaner is started. After cleaning the forks with the ultrasonic cleaner, a drying device is used to dry the forks. Preferably, in step S6, after each batch of forks is cleaned, the ultrasonic cleaner performs an empty ultrasonic rinsing of the cleaning tank. During the ultrasonic cleaning process, the water temperature is controlled at 40-60℃, utilizing the high-frequency cavitation effect to deeply clean the gaps between the fork teeth. An empty rinsing procedure is performed after each batch of cleaning to effectively prevent residual particles or oil stains in the cleaning tank from contaminating the next batch of products, improving the cleaning effect and batch consistency. By setting grinding balls in the grinding machine for surface treatment, and using ultrasonic cleaning combined with warm water washing, empty rinsing, and subsequent drying steps, the overall surface of the forks is smooth, free of residual stains and particles, improving the consistency and cleanliness of the finished product, and enhancing the final product quality and safety of use.

[0058] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for processing stainless steel tableware, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Cut stainless steel coils into blanks; S2. Use a clamp to fix the billet in the material groove; S3. Stamp and cut the blank to form the tip of the fork tooth, and simultaneously grind the inner side of the tip of the fork tooth at the moment the stamping is completed. S4. Grind the surface of the blank; S5. Feed the blank into the stamping press and bend it to form a fork; S6. Clean the forks using an ultrasonic cleaner; In step S3, a tool punching machine is used to punch and cut several fork tips arranged side by side on the blank. At the moment the tool punching machine leaves the blank after punching, a grinding mechanism is used to grind the inner surfaces of two adjacent fork tips. The punching head of the tool punching machine first moves downward to punch and cut the blank. After the punching and cutting is completed, the punching head moves upward. When the punching head leaves the blank, the grinding mechanism simultaneously enters between two adjacent fork tips to grind. In step S3, the grinding mechanism is rotatably connected to the platform. The grinding mechanism has a trigger end, which is located in the channel. When the waste falls into the channel, it is affected by the gravity of the waste itself and falls onto the trigger end, which then presses down on the grinding mechanism, causing the grinding mechanism to rotate and drive the grinding mechanism to enter between the tips of two adjacent fork teeth. In step S3, the grinding mechanism includes a grinding head, which includes a motor and a grinding wheel coaxially connected to the motor's shaft. The waste material briefly stays on the trigger end of the grinding mechanism before sliding off, and the grinding mechanism resets after the waste material slides off.

2. The processing method of stainless steel tableware according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the blank is first transported to the material trough of the platform, and then the blank is fixed by a clamp in conjunction with the material trough. The platform has a reserved channel for recycling waste materials, and the waste materials generated during the stamping and cutting process fall into the channel.

3. The processing method of stainless steel tableware according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, the blank is put into the grinding machine and the grinding machine is started, so that multiple grinding balls inside the grinding machine repeatedly collide and rub against the blank.

4. The processing method for stainless steel tableware according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S6, water is first added to the cleaning tank of the ultrasonic cleaner, and the water temperature is controlled at 40-60℃. After the fork is placed into the cleaning tank, the ultrasonic cleaner is started.

5. The processing method for stainless steel tableware according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step S6, after cleaning the forks with an ultrasonic cleaner, the forks are dried using a drying device.

6. The processing method of stainless steel tableware according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the clamp is pressed onto the material groove and the billet, and the clamp works with the material groove to fix the billet in multiple directions.

Images