EDGE PROCESSING MACHINE

Abstract

Edge processing system with a workpiece supply area (12) and with a processing machine (14) adjacent to the workpiece supply area (12) for processing edges of plate-shaped workpieces continuously movable in a transport direction (18) that are aligned parallel to a transport direction (18), wherein the processing machine (14) has a transport device (20) for transporting the workpieces in the transport direction (18) in a transport plane from a machine inlet area (22) to a machine outlet area (24), and with a return device (16) for returning the workpieces processed at the respective edge from the machine outlet area (24) back to the workpiece supply area (12), wherein the return device (16) includes a transfer device (52) downstream of the machine outlet area (24) with a transverse conveyor unit (66) and a connecting device (52) to the transverse conveyor unit (66).The edge processing system (10) has a return transport device (88) aligned parallel to the transport device (20) and defining a return transport plane, wherein the workpieces processed at the respective edge can be moved transversely to the transport direction (18) by means of the transverse conveying unit (66) and moved back to the workpiece supply area (12) by means of the return transport device (88), characterized in that the transport plane and the return transport plane are arranged in a common horizontal plane and the edge processing system (10) has a first and a second sensor device (42, 50) which detect the workpieces to be processed and provide sensor signals to a control device (44) of the edge processing system (10).wherein the first sensor signals provided by the first sensor device (42) depend on the width of the workpieces transverse to the transport direction (18) and the second sensor signals provided by the second sensor device (50) depend on the length of the workpieces in the transport direction, wherein the control device (44) can assign a transport width to each workpiece based on the first sensor signals and a transport length based on the second sensor signals, and wherein the transfer device (52) has a rotary unit (68) which can be activated depending on the transport width and transport length assigned to the respective workpiece for rotating the workpiece by 90° about a vertical axis of rotation, wherein in a first operating mode of the edge processing system (10) a plurality of workpieces whose transport width does not exceed a predetermined maximum width are successivelycan be inserted one after the other into the machine inlet area (22).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an edge processing system with a workpiece supply area and with a processing machine adjacent to the workpiece supply area for processing edges of plate-shaped workpieces that are aligned parallel to a transport direction and are continuously moved in the transport direction, wherein the processing machine has a transport device for transporting the workpieces in the transport direction in a transport plane from a machine inlet area to a machine outlet area, and with a return device for returning the workpieces processed on the respective edge from the machine outlet area back to the workpiece supply area, wherein the return device has a transfer device downstream of the machine outlet area with a cross conveyor unit and aa return transport device aligned parallel to the transport device and defining a return transport plane, wherein the workpieces machined at the respective edge can be moved transversely to the transport direction by means of the transverse conveyor unit and can be moved back to the workpiece preparation area by means of the return transport device.

[0002] Using such an edge processing system, an edge of a panel-shaped workpiece, namely a narrow side of the workpiece aligned parallel to the transport direction of the workpiece, can be processed. For this purpose, the edge processing system comprises a processing machine. For example, the edge can be coated with a band- or strip-shaped edge material. Such edge material is often also referred to as "edging strip," which is fed to the edge of the workpiece aligned parallel to the transport direction and fixed to the edge. For this purpose, the processing machine can comprise a processing unit in the form of an edge coating unit.In many cases, the continuously moving workpiece, along with the edge material fixed to the edge, is then fed to a post-processing stage by the processing machine. Any excess edge material protruding beyond the narrow side is removed from the workpiece and / or the edge material is profiled. For this purpose, the processing machine may, for example, have sawing and / or milling units, and preferably also polishing units.

[0003] The workpieces to be processed are preferably made of wood or wood substitutes.

[0004] To transport the workpiece in the transport direction, the processing machine has a transport device with which the workpiece is moved in a transport plane from a machine inlet area to a machine outlet area of ​​the processing machine. The transport device can be designed, for example, in the form of a chain conveyor.

[0005] To prepare the workpieces to be processed, the edge processing system has a workpiece preparation area, which can also be referred to as a loading area. The workpiece preparation area can be designed, for example, as a receiving table. It is advantageous if the receiving table comprises one or more table tops on its upper side, in which a plurality of through-openings are arranged, which are connected to a compressed air source, for example, a blower. This results in a compressed air cushion forming on the upper side of the table, which facilitates the handling of the workpieces as they are introduced into the machine inlet area of ​​the processing machine.

[0006] Workpieces that have been machined on an edge by the processing machine can then be returned from the machine outlet area of ​​the processing machine to the workpiece provision area so that they can then be reinserted into the machine inlet area by an operator in a changed orientation, in which another edge of the workpiece is aligned parallel to the transport direction, in order to machine the other edge.

[0007] To return the workpieces from the machine outfeed area back to the workpiece preparation area, the edge processing machine has a return device comprising a transfer device downstream of the machine outfeed area. The transfer device has a cross conveyor unit and a return transport device. The cross conveyor unit enables workpieces processed at the respective edge to be moved transversely to the transport direction of the transport device. The return transport device is connected to the cross conveyor unit and defines a return transport plane in which the workpieces can be moved back to the workpiece preparation area by means of the return transport device.

[0008] The return transport device can be designed, for example, as a belt, band or chain conveyor or, for example, in the form of a roller transport device.

[0009] In known edge processing systems, the return transport plane is often located below the transport plane to prevent workpieces that are moved in the transport plane during edge processing from colliding with workpieces that are being moved back to the workpiece preparation area in the return transport plane. However, the arrangement of the return transport plane vertically offset from the transport plane often requires the use of a structurally complex lifting device to transfer the workpieces from the transport plane to the return transport plane. This impairs the cycle time of the edge processing system and requires that workpieces fed one after the other into the machine inlet area of ​​the processing machine be considerably spaced from one another in order to transfer the successive workpieces to the return transport plane using the lifting device.In addition, such edge processing systems often have a very large installation space.

[0010] The object of the present invention is therefore to further develop an edge processing system of the generic type in such a way that it has a shorter cycle time and a smaller installation space.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention in an edge processing system of the type mentioned at the outset in that the transport plane and the return transport plane are arranged in a common horizontal plane and the edge processing system has a first and a second sensor device which detect the workpieces to be processed and provide sensor signals to a control device of the edge banding machine, wherein the first sensor signals provided by the first sensor device are dependent on the width of the workpieces transversely to the transport direction and the second sensor signals provided by the second sensor device are dependent on the length of the workpieces in the transport direction, wherein the control device can assign a transport width to each workpiece on the basis of the first sensor signals and a transport length on the basis of the second sensor signals, and in that the transfer device has a rotating unit,which can be activated depending on the transport width and transport length assigned to the respective workpiece to rotate the workpiece by 90° about a vertical axis of rotation, wherein in a first operating mode of the edge processing system a plurality of workpieces, the transport width of which does not exceed a predetermined maximum width, can be successively introduced into the machine inlet area.

[0012] In the edge processing system according to the invention, the return transport plane is arranged in the same horizontal plane as the transport plane. This facilitates the transfer of workpieces from the transport plane to the return transport plane and thus reduces the cycle time of the edge processing system.

[0013] The transfer device of the edge processing system according to the invention has a rotating unit for rotating the workpieces by 90° around a vertically aligned rotation axis as needed. This allows the workpieces to be arranged on the return transport device in a space-saving manner for return to the workpiece preparation area. The rotating unit is activated depending on the dimensions of the plate-shaped workpieces transversely to the transport direction and along the transport direction. For this purpose, the control device of the edge processing system assigns a transport width and a transport length to each workpiece.

[0014] Workpieces whose transport width does not exceed the width of the return transport device are not rotated by the turning device, i.e. the transition of such workpieces from the machine outlet area to the return transport device takes place solely with the help of the cross conveyor unit, without the turning unit being activated.

[0015] Workpieces whose transport width exceeds the width of the return transport device and is equal to or smaller than their transport length are also not rotated during the transition from the machine outlet area to the return transport device, since a rotation of such workpieces by 90° around a vertical axis of rotation would not result in any space savings when returning the workpieces to the workpiece preparation area.

[0016] Workpieces whose transport width exceeds the width of the return transport device and is greater than their transport length are rotated by the rotating unit by 90° around the vertical axis of rotation. This rotation allows such workpieces to be arranged more space-efficiently on the return transport device, as they project less over the return transport device during the return than without rotation. The distance between the return transport device and the transport device can thus be kept relatively small.

[0017] In the edge processing system according to the invention, a transport width and a transport length are assigned to the individual workpieces with the aid of a first and a second sensor device. The first sensor device provides the control device of the edge processing system with first sensor signals that depend on the width of the workpieces transversely to the transport direction of the transport device. In this case, it can be provided that the first sensor device detects the exact width of the workpieces transversely to the transport device. Alternatively, it can be provided that the first sensor device provides the control device with sensor signals that enable categorization of the workpiece width, so that the transport widths of the workpieces each correspond to one of several predetermined width categories.

[0018] For example, it can be provided that the first sensor device has a plurality of proximity switches arranged in a row oriented perpendicular to the transport direction in the workpiece provision area, in particular in an edge region of the workpiece provision area facing the processing machine and the return transport device. To facilitate the insertion of the workpieces into the machine inlet area of ​​the processing machine, the processing system can have a stop bar against which the workpieces can be placed with their edge to be machined. The proximity switches of the first sensor device, arranged side by side in a row, can assume an increasing distance from the stop bar.When a workpiece is introduced into the machine infeed area, those proximity switches whose distance from the stop bar is smaller than the workpiece width can detect the workpiece, whereas the remaining proximity switches whose distance from the stop bar is greater than the workpiece width cannot detect the workpiece. The distance from the stop bar of the proximity switch that does not detect the workpiece and is adjacent to the proximity switches that do detect the workpiece can determine the transport width of the workpiece. The transport width of the workpiece therefore corresponds to the distance from the first proximity switch to the stop bar at which the workpiece can no longer be detected.

[0019] The second sensor device can be configured, for example, in the form of a light barrier that detects a workpiece to be machined in the machine inlet area of ​​the processing machine. The workpiece is moved uniformly in the machine inlet area at the transport speed of the transport device. This allows the transport length of the workpiece to be determined from the time during which the uniformly moving workpiece interrupts the light barrier.

[0020] By means of the first and second sensor devices, a transport width and a transport length can be assigned to each workpiece, and the rotating unit can, as already explained above, be activated depending on the transport width and transport length of the workpieces. This allows the workpieces to be processed with a relatively short cycle time and arranged in a space-saving manner on the return transport device, so that the installation space required for the edge processing system according to the invention can be kept relatively small.

[0021] It is advantageous if the edge processing system has a blocking element that can be moved back and forth between a release position and a blocking position, wherein the blocking element blocks the introduction of a workpiece into the machine inlet area in the blocking position and releases it in the release position, wherein the blocking element assumes the blocking position in the first operating mode of the edge processing system if there is a risk that a workpiece that is to be newly introduced into the machine inlet area will collide with a previously introduced workpiece during its processing during its return transport, wherein the blocking element maintains the blocking position until the already introduced workpiece that gives rise to the risk of collision has reached the workpiece provision area.

[0022] As already mentioned, the edge processing system according to the invention allows for a space-saving arrangement of the workpieces on the return transport device. However, if there is a risk that a new workpiece being introduced into the machine inlet area will collide with a previously introduced workpiece during its return transport, the introduction of the workpiece into the machine inlet area can be blocked. For this purpose, the transport width of the newly introduced workpiece can be compared with the transport width of previously introduced workpieces, provided they are not rotated by the rotating unit, and with the transport length of previously introduced workpieces that are rotated by the rotating unit.The comparison with the transport length of the previously introduced workpieces rotated by 90° by the rotating unit is based on the fact that the rotated workpieces are aligned on the return transport device with a transport length perpendicular to the return transport direction. The transport width of the newly introduced workpiece and the overhang of the previously introduced workpieces on the return transport device are decisive for the potential risk of collision between a new workpiece being introduced into the machine infeed area and workpieces already introduced into the machine infeed area. Due to the space-saving arrangement of the workpieces on the return transport device, the risk of collision with a newly introduced workpiece can be minimized.If a risk of collision still exists, the locking element can be used to block the insertion of a workpiece into the machine inlet area until the previously inserted workpiece causing the risk of collision has reached the workpiece preparation area.

[0023] It is advantageous if the edge processing system has a second operating mode in which a workpiece can be introduced into the machine inlet area, the transport width of which exceeds the predetermined maximum value and in which the conveying direction of the return transport device can be switched, wherein an end region of the workpiece opposite the edge to be processed can be positioned on the return transport device to support the workpiece, wherein the conveying direction of the return transport device for transporting the workpiece into the machine outlet area corresponds to the conveying direction of the transport device, and wherein the workpiece, after passing the machine outlet area, can be moved by means of the cross conveyor unit transversely to the transport direction of the transport device and the conveying direction of the return transport device can then be switched,so that the conveying direction of the return transport device for transporting the workpiece back into the workpiece provision area is opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device.

[0024] The second operating mode of the edge processing system makes it possible to process the edges of a workpiece whose transport width exceeds a specified maximum value. If the edge processing system was previously operated in the first operating mode, all workpieces fed into the machine inlet area in the first operating mode are returned to the workpiece preparation area in a first step. Subsequently, a workpiece whose transport width exceeds a specified maximum value can be fed into the machine inlet area. An end region of the workpiece opposite the edge to be processed can be positioned on the return transport device after its conveying direction has been switched so that the conveying direction of the return transport device corresponds to the conveying direction of the transport device.The workpiece with an oversized transport width can thus rest during processing with its end region adjacent to the edge to be machined on the transport device and with its region opposite the edge to be machined on the return transport device, with both devices having the same conveying direction. For return transport, the workpiece can then be moved transversely to the transport direction by means of the cross conveyor unit after it has passed the machine outlet area of ​​the processing machine. It can then be returned to the workpiece preparation area by means of the return transport device, with the conveying direction of the return transport device being opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device.

[0025] A design of the edge processing system with a first operating mode and a second operating mode increases the application range of the edge processing system. Workpieces whose transport width does not exceed a specified maximum width can be fed into the machine infeed area one after the other with a short cycle time, and workpieces whose transport width exceeds the specified maximum width can be processed individually. The first operating mode can thus also be referred to as "multi-mode operation," and the second operating mode can be referred to as "single-mode operation."

[0026] For the second operating mode of the edge processing system according to the invention, it is advantageous if at least one additional transport device is arranged between the transport device and the return transport device, which is aligned parallel to the return transport device and can be moved back and forth between a raised and a lowered position, wherein the conveying direction of the additional device is opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device, and wherein the additional transport device assumes the lowered position during the transport of the workpiece into the machine outlet area and is arranged at a distance from the workpiece, and wherein the additional transport device assumes the raised position for transporting the workpiece back into the workpiece provision area and supports the workpiece during its movement into the workpiece provision area.

[0027] The additional transport device can, for example, be designed in the form of a belt conveyor.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the edge processing system according to the invention, the return transport device is designed in the form of a belt conveyor.

[0029] It is advantageous if the transfer device has a roller table with a plurality of roller conveyors arranged parallel to the transport direction of the transport device, which define a common conveying plane and each comprise a plurality of transport rollers arranged at a distance from one another and which can be driven in rotation, wherein a first roller conveyor is aligned in alignment with the transport device and a second roller conveyor is aligned in alignment with the return transport device, and wherein the cross conveyor unit has a plurality of belt conveyors aligned transversely to the transport direction of the transport device, which are each arranged between two adjacent transport rollers and can be moved back and forth between a raised and a lowered position, wherein in the raised position they protrude above the conveying plane of the roller conveyors for transporting the workpieces and in the lowered position they are arranged below the conveying plane of the roller conveyors.

[0030] Such a configuration of the edge processing system according to the invention enables the workpieces to be positioned on a roller table after they have passed the machine outlet area of ​​the processing machine. At least the transport rollers of the first roller conveyor, aligned in alignment with the transport device, can support the movement of the workpieces in the transport direction by being rotated by a drive unit, wherein the direction of rotation of the transport rollers corresponds to the transport direction of the transport device. The workpieces can then be moved transversely to the transport direction of the transport device by means of the belt conveyors of the cross conveyor unit, which are aligned transversely to the transport direction, wherein the belt conveyors assume their raised position in which they protrude from the conveying plane of the transport rollers.The transfer of the workpieces from the roller table to the return transport device can then take place by means of the transport rollers, wherein at least the transport rollers of the second roller conveyor aligned in alignment with the return transport device are set in rotation by means of a drive unit in such a way that the direction of rotation of the transport rollers of the second roller conveyor corresponds to the return transport direction.

[0031] It is advantageous to arrange a transfer device between the machine outfeed area of ​​the processing machine and the transfer device, aligned with the transport device, whose transport speed is greater than that of the transport device. This enables a further reduction in the cycle time of the edge processing system, as the workpieces can be moved from the machine outfeed area to the transfer device at a relatively high transport speed.

[0032] In an advantageous embodiment, the transfer device has several belt conveyors arranged parallel to one another.

[0033] No further details have been given so far regarding the design of the rotating unit. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rotating unit has a rotating frame and a drive unit, wherein the rotating frame can be rotated about the vertical axis of rotation by means of the drive unit and at least one vacuum suction head is held on the rotating frame for securing a workpiece to be rotated. If a workpiece is to be rotated 90° about the vertical axis of rotation, the at least one vacuum suction head of the rotating unit can be subjected to negative pressure so that the workpiece to be rotated can be secured, and then the rotating frame, on which the at least one vacuum suction head is held, can be rotated 90° by means of the drive unit. The at least one vacuum suction head can then be ventilated so that it releases the rotated workpiece, which can then be returned to the workpiece preparation area by means of the return transport device.

[0034] It is particularly advantageous if the rotary frame can be moved back and forth between a raised position and a lowered position, whereby it assumes the lowered position when the rotary unit is activated and the raised position when the rotary unit is not activated, and whereby a workpiece to be rotated can be fixed in the lowered position of the rotary frame by means of the at least one vacuum suction head. The rotary frame and, together with it, the at least one vacuum suction head held thereon can assume a raised position provided it is not necessary to rotate a workpiece. If a workpiece is to be rotated, the rotary frame can be lowered so that the workpiece can be fixed by means of the at least one vacuum suction head and then rotated by 90° using the rotary frame.

[0035] It is advantageous if the rotating unit is mounted on a support device by means of a drive unit, such as an electric motor, that can be controlled by the control device and whose height can be adjusted according to a workpiece thickness specified by the control device. This allows the position of the rotating unit to be adapted to the workpiece thickness, whereby the workpiece thickness can be specified to the control unit by an operator.

[0036] The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves to explain it in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. They show: Fig. 1: a perspective view of an edge processing system during a first operating mode; Fig. 2: a perspective view of a workpiece supply area and a machine inlet area of ​​the edge processing system from Fig. 1; Fig. 3: an enlarged view of detail X from Fig. 2; Fig. 4: a partial perspective view of a transfer device of the edge processing system from Fig. 1; Fig. 5: another partial perspective view of the transfer device; Fig. 6: a perspective view of a rotating unit of the transfer device; Fig. 7: a perspective view of a roller table and a cross conveyor unit of the transfer device; Fig. 8: a perspective view of the edge processing system from Fig. 1 during a second operating mode.

[0037] The drawing schematically shows a preferred embodiment of an edge processing system according to the invention, which is designated overall by the reference numeral 10.

[0038] The edge processing system 10 has a workpiece supply area 12, a processing machine 14, and a return device 16. By means of the processing machine 14, an edge of plate-shaped workpieces that are oriented parallel to a transport direction 18 and continuously moved in the transport direction 18 can be processed. The edge oriented in the transport direction 18 can be coated with a band- or strip-shaped edge material by means of the processing machine 14. For this purpose, the processing machine 14 has an edge coating unit that is known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity.In addition, the processing machine 14 has further processing units known per se in the form of sawing, milling and polishing units, with which the edge material fixed to the edge can be further processed, wherein in particular projections of the edge material projecting beyond the edge can be separated from the workpiece and the edge material can be profiled and polished.

[0039] During processing, the workpiece is continuously moved in the transport direction 18. For this purpose, the processing machine 14 has a transport device 20 that defines a transport plane in which the workpiece is continuously moved in the transport direction 18 from a machine inlet area 22 to a machine outlet area 24. The transport device 20 can be configured, for example, in the form of a chain conveyor. Such processing machines are known per se to those skilled in the art and therefore require no further explanation here.

[0040] The workpiece supply area 12 is located upstream of the machine inlet area 22 with respect to the transport direction 18 and is designed in the form of a receiving table 26, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises three table tops 28, 30, 32, on the upper side of which a plurality of through-openings 34 are arranged, which are in flow connection with a compressed air source known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity, for example a blower. Compressed air can be released via the through-openings 34, so that a compressed air cushion is formed on the upper side of the table tops 28, 30, 32, which facilitates the handling of the workpieces in the workpiece supply area 12. The workpiece supply area 12 can also be referred to as a loading area.

[0041] From the workpiece supply area 12, a workpiece to be machined can be introduced by an operator into the machine inlet area 22. The machine inlet area 22 is in Fig. 3 is shown enlarged. A stop bar 36 attached to the receiving table 26 extends into the machine inlet area. The stop bar 36 is arranged parallel to the transport direction 18 and forms a stop surface 38 against which the workpiece can be placed with its edge to be machined when it is inserted into the machine inlet area 22. This facilitates the alignment of the workpiece when it is inserted into the machine inlet area 22.

[0042] A first sensor device 42 is arranged on the table edge 40 of the receiving table 26 facing the machine inlet area 22 and the return device 16. This first sensor device 42 interacts with a control device 44 of the edge processing system 10 and has a plurality of optical proximity switches arranged in a row at a distance from one another, which are designed as light sensors 46. The row of light sensors 46 is aligned perpendicular to the transport direction 18 and thus also perpendicular to the stop bar 36, so that the light sensors 46 arranged consecutively in the row assume an increasing distance from the stop bar 36. The light sensors 46 each emit a light beam 48 in a vertical upward direction, which light beam can be reflected by the workpiece when it is inserted into the machine inlet area 22.The reflection of the light beam is detected by the light sensors 46, which then provide a corresponding sensor signal to the control device 44. Depending on the workpiece width, the workpiece is detected by one or more light sensors 46, whereas the light sensors 46 whose distance from the stop bar 36 is greater than the workpiece width cannot detect the workpiece. The distance between the stop bar and the light sensor 46, which immediately follows the light sensors 46 detecting the workpiece in the row of light sensors 46, specifies a transport width of the workpiece to the control device 44, which the control device 44 assigns to this workpiece for further control of the edge processing system 10.

[0043] A second sensor device 50 in the form of a light barrier is arranged in the machine inlet area 22. This sensor device is interrupted by the workpiece introduced into the machine inlet area 22 and moved uniformly by the transport device 20. The duration of the interruption allows the control device 44 to determine the transport length of the workpiece, taking into account the transport speed of the workpiece, which the control device 44 also assigns to this workpiece. Further control of the edge processing system is then carried out by the control device 44, taking into account the transport width and transport length of the respective workpiece.

[0044] The return device 16 comprises a transfer device 52, which is arranged downstream of the machine outlet area 22 in the transport direction 18 and has a roller table 54 with three roller conveyors 56, 58, 60 arranged side by side. The roller conveyors 56, 58, 60 are formed by rotatably driven transport rollers 62, which are aligned perpendicular to the transport direction 18 of the transport device 20 and arranged at a distance from one another. The transport rollers 62 define a conveying plane and can be rotated by drive units known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity.

[0045] Belt conveyors 64 are arranged between the transport rollers 62. These belt conveyors are oriented perpendicular to the transport direction 18 of the transport device 20 and, as a whole, form a transverse conveyor unit 66. The belt conveyors 64 can be moved back and forth between a raised and a lowered position. In the raised position, the belt conveyors 64 protrude above the conveying plane of the transport rollers 62, and in the lowered position, the belt conveyors 64 are arranged below the conveying plane of the transport rollers.

[0046] Above the roller table 54, the transport device 52 has a rotating unit 68, which is held on a boom 70. The boom 70 is held on a vertically aligned support column 72 by means of a drive unit 71, for example an electric motor, in accordance with a workpiece thickness specified by the control device 44. The rotating unit 68 has a bogie 74, which is mounted on a longitudinal beam 76 for rotation about a vertical axis of rotation 78 and can be rotated by a drive unit in the form of a piston-cylinder unit 80, which is also mounted on the longitudinal beam 76. The piston-cylinder unit 80 is coupled to the bogie 74 via a gear mechanism.

[0047] The longitudinal beam 76 and, together with it, the bogie 74 and the piston-cylinder unit 80 are held on the boom 70 so that they can move in the vertical direction and can be moved back and forth between a raised position and a lowered position by means of a further drive unit, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a piston-cylinder unit 82.

[0048] A first vacuum suction head 84 and a second vacuum suction head 86 are mounted on the rotary frame 74, with the aid of which a workpiece can be fixed to the rotary frame 74 so that the workpiece can be rotated about the rotation axis 78 when the rotary unit 68 is activated. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0049] Adjoining the transfer device 52 in the direction of the workpiece provision area 12 is a return transport device 88, which extends from the roller table 54 to the workpiece provision area 12 and is aligned parallel to the transport device 20 of the processing machine 12 and arranged at a distance from it. In the illustrated embodiment, the return transport device 88 is designed as a belt conveyor.

[0050] The first roller conveyor 56 of the roller table 54 is aligned with the transport device 20, and the second roller conveyor 58 is aligned with the return transport device 88. The third roller conveyor 60 is arranged between the first roller conveyor 56 and the second roller conveyor 58.

[0051] The transfer of a workpiece from the machine outlet area 24 to the roller table 54 takes place via a transfer device 90, which has several belt conveyors 92 arranged parallel to one another. This is particularly evident from Fig. 4. The transport speed of the transfer device 90 is greater than the transport speed of the transport device 18, so that the workpieces are accelerated during the transition from the machine outlet area 24 to the roller table 54.

[0052] An additional transport device 94 in the form of a further belt conveyor 96 is arranged between the transport device 20 and the return transport device 88. The additional transport device 94 is aligned parallel to the return transport device and can be moved back and forth between a raised and lowered position. In the raised position, the conveying plane of the additional transport device 94 is arranged in the common horizontal plane of the transport device 20 and the return transport device 88, whereas in the lowered position of the additional transport device 94, the conveying plane of the additional transport device 94 is positioned below the common horizontal plane.

[0053] The edge processing system 10 has a first operating mode and a second operating mode.

[0054] In the first operating mode, a plurality of workpieces, the transport width of which does not exceed a predetermined maximum width, can be introduced one after the other into the workpiece infeed area 22, so that several workpieces can be processed simultaneously and returned to the workpiece supply area. This is in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, a first workpiece 101 occupies a position on the receiving table 26. A second workpiece 102 and a third workpiece 103 are located at this time on the transport device 20 and are being machined by the processing machine 14. A fourth workpiece 104 is shown in the illustration in Fig. 1 is rotated by means of the rotating unit 58. A fifth workpiece 105 and a sixth workpiece 106 are located in the illustration in Fig. 1 on the return transport device 88.

[0055] When the workpieces 101 to 106 are introduced into the machine inlet area 22, the control device 44 assigns a transport width and a transport length to each workpiece on the basis of the sensor signals provided by the first sensor device 42 and the second sensor device 50, as already explained above.

[0056] The rotating unit 68 is activated by the control device 44 depending on the transport width and transport length assigned to the respective workpiece in order to align the workpieces on the return transport device 88 in the most space-saving manner possible. Activation of the rotating unit 68 and thus rotation of a workpiece only occurs if its transport width is greater than its transport length and exceeds the width of the return transport device 88.

[0057] In the Fig. In the situation illustrated in Figure 1, the transport width of the second workpiece 102 is smaller than its transport length. When the second workpiece 102 reaches the roller table 54, the rotating unit 68 is not activated, so that the rotating frame 74 maintains its raised starting position and the workpiece 102, after being transported onto the roller table 54, is moved transversely to the transport direction 18 of the transport device 20 only by means of the belt conveyors 64 of the transverse conveyor unit 66 and is then returned to the workpiece preparation area 12 by means of the return conveyor device 88 while maintaining the same orientation. To move the workpiece, the belt conveyors 64 assume their raised position.

[0058] The third workpiece 103 has a transport width that is greater than the transport length and also exceeds the width of the return transport device 88. When the third workpiece 103 reaches the roller table 54, the rotary unit 68 is activated by the control device 44. This results in the rotary frame 74 being lowered and the third workpiece 103 being fixed to the rotary frame 74 by means of the two vacuum suction heads 84, 86. The rotary frame 74 is then pivoted by 90° about the rotation axis 78 with the aid of the piston-cylinder unit 80, as shown in the example of the fourth workpiece 104 in the Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is shown.

[0059] In a plan view, the workpiece rotates counterclockwise. The rotational movement of the workpiece is assisted by the transport rollers 62 of the roller table 54, in that the transport rollers 62 of the first roller conveyor 56 execute a rotational movement, under the effect of which the workpiece region arranged on the first roller conveyor 56 is conveyed in the direction of the transfer device 90, whereas the transport rollers 62 of the third roller conveyor 60 execute an opposite rotational movement and thereby convey the region of the workpiece arranged on the third roller conveyor 60 parallel to the transport direction 18 of the transport device 20. Once the rotary frame 74 has assumed its 90° rotated position, the vacuum suction cups 84, 86 are ventilated so that they release the workpiece and the rotary frame 54 can be raised.The workpiece can then be moved by means of the belt conveyor 64 of the cross conveyor unit 66 in the direction of the second roller conveyor 58, which is arranged in alignment with the return transport device 88. By means of the transport rollers 62 of the second roller conveyor 58, the workpiece can then be moved onto the return transport device 88 in an orientation rotated by 90° relative to its original orientation. The change in orientation results in the workpiece being arranged on the return transport device 88 in a space-saving manner, since the transport width of the workpiece is now aligned parallel to the conveying direction of the return transport device 88.

[0060] The fifth and sixth workpieces 105 and 106 are in the Fig. 1, each of the workpieces is square, meaning its transport width corresponds to its transport length. Rotating the workpieces would therefore not result in a more space-saving arrangement of the workpieces on the return transport device 88. Therefore, the rotating unit 68 was not activated for the fifth workpiece 105 and the sixth workpiece 106. This allows the cycle time to be kept short.

[0061] In the Fig. In the situation illustrated in Figure 1, the first workpiece 102 has a maximum permissible transport width in the first operating mode of the edge processing system 10, and the sixth workpiece 106 arranged on the return transport device 88 projects beyond the return transport device 88 in the direction of the processing machine 14. There is therefore a risk that the first workpiece 101 will collide with the sixth workpiece 106 during its processing. To prevent such a collision, the edge processing system 10 has a locking element 110, which is arranged in the machine inlet area 22 and can be moved back and forth between a release position and a locking position. Fig. 3 shows the locking element 110 in its locking position, in which it prevents the insertion of a workpiece into the machine inlet area 22. In the Fig. 1, the locking element 110 maintains its locked position until the sixth workpiece 106 has reached the workpiece provision area 12. Only then does the locking element 110 release the machine inlet area 22 by moving the locking element 110 into its release position, so that the first workpiece 101 can then be introduced into the machine inlet area 22. The transport width of the first workpiece 101 is significantly greater than its transport length and also greater than the width of the return transport device 88. When the first workpiece 101 reaches the roller table 54, it is rotated by 90° about the vertical rotation axis 68 by means of the rotating unit 68, so that the overhang of the first workpiece 101 on the return transport device 88 can be kept as small as possible.

[0062] Workpieces whose transport width exceeds the specified maximum width can be processed individually in the second processing mode of the edge processing system 10. This is Fig. 8. In the second operating mode, the conveying direction of the return transport device during the processing of a workpiece coincides with the conveying direction of the transport device 20. This makes it possible to position an end region of a workpiece opposite the edge to be processed on the return transport device, so that the workpiece is supported by the return transport device 88. This is shown in Fig. 8 using the example of an extra-wide workpiece 112.

[0063] During the transport of the workpiece 112 from the machine inlet area 22 to the machine outlet area 24, the additional transport device 94 assumes its lowered position, which it also assumes in the first operating mode of the edge processing system 10. Once the extra-wide workpiece 112 has reached the roller table 54, it is displaced by the cross conveyor unit 66 toward the second roller conveyor 58 arranged in alignment with the return transport device 88, so that the workpiece 112 is arranged offset from the transport device 20 and can then be returned to the workpiece preparation area 12 by means of the return transport device 88 and the additional transport device 94.The conveying direction of the return transport device 88 is switched so that it is opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device 20, and the additional transport device 94 assumes its raised position in which the conveying plane of the additional transport device 94 is arranged at the same height as the conveying plane of the return transport device 88 and the extra-wide workpiece 112 rests on the additional transport device 94 during the return transport.

[0064] In a first operating mode, the edge processing system 10 allows a plurality of workpieces to be fed consecutively into the machine inlet area 22, allowing multiple workpieces to be processed simultaneously by the processing machine 14. To achieve the shortest possible cycle time, the rotating unit 68 is only activated when the workpieces can be arranged in a more space-saving manner by rotating them 90° around the vertical rotation axis 78. If extra-wide workpieces are to be processed, the edge processing system 10 can be operated in a second operating mode.

Claims

[1] Edge processing system with a workpiece supply area (12) and with a processing machine (14) adjacent to the workpiece supply area (12) for processing edges of plate-shaped workpieces aligned parallel to a transport direction (18) and continuously movable in a transport direction (18), wherein the processing machine (14) has a transport device (20) for transporting the workpieces in the transport direction (18) in a transport plane from a machine inlet area (22) to a machine outlet area (24), and with a return device (16) for returning the workpieces processed on the respective edge from the machine outlet area (24) back to the workpiece supply area (12), wherein the return device (16) has a transfer device (52) downstream of the machine outlet area (24) with a cross conveyor unit (66) and aa return transport device (88) aligned parallel to the transport device (20) and defining a return transport plane, wherein the workpieces to be machined at the respective edge can be moved transversely to the transport direction (18) by means of the transverse conveyor unit (66) and can be moved back to the workpiece provision area (12) by means of the return transport device (88), , characterized bythat the transport plane and the return transport plane are arranged in a common horizontal plane and the edge processing system (10) has a first and a second sensor device (42, 50) which detect the workpieces to be processed and provide sensor signals to a control device (44) of the edge processing system (10), wherein the first sensor signals provided by the first sensor device (42) are dependent on the width of the workpieces transversely to the transport direction (18) and the second sensor signals provided by the second sensor device (50) are dependent on the length of the workpieces in the transport direction, wherein the control device (44) can assign a transport width to each workpiece on the basis of the first sensor signals and a transport length on the basis of the second sensor signals, and that the transfer device (52) has a rotary unit (68),which can be activated depending on the transport width and transport length assigned to the respective workpiece to rotate the workpiece by 90° about a vertical axis of rotation, wherein in a first operating mode of the edge processing system (10) a plurality of workpieces, the transport width of which does not exceed a predetermined maximum width, can be successively introduced into the machine inlet area (22). [2] Edge processing system according to claim 1, characterized byin that the edge processing system (10) has a blocking element (110) which can be moved back and forth between a release position and a blocking position and which blocks the introduction of a workpiece into the machine inlet area (22) in the blocking position and releases it in the release position, wherein the blocking element (110) assumes the blocking position in the first operating mode of the edge processing system (10) if there is a risk that a workpiece (101) which is to be newly introduced into the machine inlet area will collide with a previously introduced workpiece 106 during its return transport, wherein the blocking element (110) maintains its blocking position until the workpiece (106) giving rise to the risk of collision has reached the workpiece provision area (12). [3] Edge processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the edge processing system (10) has a second operating mode in which a workpiece (112) can be introduced into the machine inlet area (22) whose transport width exceeds the predetermined maximum width, and in which the conveying direction of the return transport device can be switched, wherein an end region of the workpiece (112) opposite the edge to be processed can be positioned on the return transport device (88) for supporting the workpiece (112), wherein the conveying direction of the return transport device (88) for transporting the workpiece (112) into the machine outlet area (24) corresponds to the conveying direction of the transport device (20),and wherein the workpiece (112) can be moved transversely to the transport direction (18) of the transport device (20) after passing the machine outlet area (24) by means of the transverse conveyor unit (66), and the conveying direction of the return transport device (88) can then be switched over and is directed opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device (20) for transporting the workpiece (12) back into the workpiece preparation area (12). [4] Edge processing system according to claim 3, characterized bythat between the transport device (20) and the return transport device (88) there is arranged an additional transport device (94) which is aligned parallel to the return transport device (88) and can be moved back and forth between a raised and a lowered position, wherein the conveying direction of the additional transport device (94) is opposite to the conveying direction of the transport device (20), wherein the additional transport device (94) assumes the lowered position during the transport of the workpiece (112) into the machine outlet area (24) and is arranged at a distance from the workpiece (112), and wherein the additional transport device (94) assumes the raised position for transporting the workpiece (112) back into the workpiece provision area (12) and supports the workpiece (112). [5] Edge processing system according to claim 4, characterized by that the additional transport device (94) is designed in the form of a belt conveyor (96). [6] Edge processing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the return transport device (88) is designed in the form of a belt conveyor. [7] Edge processing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the transfer device (52) has a roller table (54) with a plurality of roller conveyors (56, 58, 60) arranged parallel to the transport direction (18), which define a common conveying plane and each comprise a plurality of transport rollers (62) arranged at a distance from one another and which can be driven in rotation, wherein a first roller conveyor (56) is aligned in alignment with the transport device (20) and a second roller conveyor (58) is aligned in alignment with the return transport device (88), and wherein the transverse conveyor unit (66) has a plurality of belt conveyors (64) aligned transversely to the transport direction (18), which are arranged between the transport rollers (62) and can be moved back and forth between a raised and lowered position, wherein in the raised position they are used to transport the workpieces in the conveying plane of the roller conveyors (56, 58, 60) and in the lowered position below the conveying plane of the roller conveyors (56, 58, 60). are arranged. [8] Edge processing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that between the machine outlet area (24) and the transfer device (52) there is arranged a transfer device (90) aligned in alignment with the transport device (20), the transport speed of which transfer device is greater than the transport speed of the transport device (20). [9] Edge processing system according to claim 8, characterized by that the transfer device (90) has several belt conveyors (92) arranged parallel to one another. [10] Edge processing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the rotary unit (68) has a rotary frame (74) and a drive unit (80), wherein the rotary frame (74) is rotatable about the vertical axis of rotation (78) by means of the drive unit (80) and at least one vacuum suction head (84, 86) is held on the rotary frame (74) for fixing a workpiece (104) to be rotated. [11] Edge processing system according to claim 10, characterized by in that the rotary frame (74) is movable back and forth between a raised position and a lowered position, wherein the rotary frame (74) assumes the lowered position when the rotary unit (68) is activated and the raised position when the rotary unit (68) is not activated, and wherein a workpiece (104) to be rotated can be fixed in the lowered position of the rotary frame (74) by means of the at least one vacuum suction head (84, 86).

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