Desk for storing a workpiece made of a metal sheet

Abstract

The invention relates to a desk (6) for storing a workpiece (2) made of a metal sheet between successive bending operations in an automatic bending press (3). The desk is designed to have a platform and a try-square having a first leg and a second leg, and the platform is formed by a first platform part and a second platform part which can be moved relative to the first platform part.

Description

[0001] DESK FOR STORING A SHEET METAL WORKPIECE

[0002] The invention relates to a desk for a manufacturing device for forming a sheet metal workpiece with an automatic bending press.

[0003] For automatically operated production systems for bending sheet metal workpieces, it is important that the workpiece and the gripper are in a precisely defined, relative position and alignment to one another when the gripper grasps or picks up the workpiece. This is not only to prevent collisions between the gripper and the bending tools and the robot and the machine table of the bending press, but also to ensure that the workpiece can be positioned in the correct alignment between the bending tools in the work area of ​​the bending press. This is the only way to form a bending edge in the correct alignment and position relative to the side edges of the initially undeformed sheet metal or workpiece. In order to be able to produce complex-shaped workpieces, the gripper must be able to grip the workpiece in multiple positions and from different sides.For this purpose, the workpiece is placed by the gripper between successive bending operations and picked up again after a position change. For such gripping position changes, it is common practice to place the workpiece on a so-called re-gripping station. It is also already known to use a desk-like, inclined support plate with a stop angle for such a re-gripping station - also called a centering table. A workpiece placed on such a desk can slide along the support side of the platform or along the two edges of the stop angles under the effect of its own weight and ultimately moves into a defined position and orientation. This automatic alignment of the workpiece makes it possible for it to be picked up again by the gripper from a precisely defined position and orientation and to be correctly inserted into the bending press for the subsequent bending operation.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a console for a manufacturing device of the type mentioned, in which the manipulation of the workpiece with the robot gripper can be carried out with greater flexibility and higher effectiveness.

[0005] This object is achieved by a device according to the claims. The inventive desk for depositing a sheet metal workpiece between successive bending operations in an automatic bending press is designed with a platform and a stop angle with a first leg and a second leg. The platform is formed by a first platform part and a second platform part that is displaceable relative to the first platform part. This has the advantage that workpieces deposited on the platform can be reached by the gripper from both the front and rear sides.

[0006] It is also advantageous if a first support side of the first platform part and a second support side of the second platform part lie in a common support plane.

[0007] Another advantageous design variant of the production device is one in which the first leg of the stop angle is arranged at a right angle relative to the second leg. This ensures that the stop angle of the platform always provides a clear spatial reference for a workpiece aligned to it.

[0008] The design of the manufacturing device, according to which the first leg and the second leg of the stop angle are arranged obliquely relative to a horizontal plane, has the advantage that edges of the workpiece are always held against the two legs by the weight force acting on the workpiece.

[0009] The embodiment according to which the desk comprises a platform support to which the first platform part and the second platform part are fastened, wherein the first platform part, the platform support and the second platform part are arranged in a C-shape, and wherein the second platform part is arranged offset by a distance relative to the first platform part, enables vacuum grippers in particular to grip a workpiece from both the front and the rear of the platform.

[0010] Advantageously, it is provided that a value of the distance between the first platform part and the second platform part is at least as large as a diameter of a cross section of the gripper of the robot for manipulating the workpiece.

[0011] The further development, according to which support elements protruding from the platform parts are attached to the first platform part and the second platform part, so that the first support side and the second support side are spanned by distal ends of the support elements, has the advantage of expanding the possible positions of a partially bent workpiece when placed on the platform. This allows already bent sections of the workpiece to extend between the support elements and even come to rest below the support plane.

[0012] An advantageous embodiment of the manufacturing device provides that at least the first leg of the stop angle is formed by at least two or more stop pins arranged in a row.

[0013] Support elements formed by cylindrical pins or bolts have the advantage of being easy to handle when replacing or preparing the platform parts.

[0014] It is also advantageous if the distal ends of the support elements are designed with ball rollers or sliding elements, as this ensures high reliability when aligning the workpieces to the stop angle.

[0015] The refinement of the manufacturing device, according to which a plurality of holes for attaching the support elements are formed in the first platform part and in the second platform part, and the holes are distributed in a grid-like manner, ensures that the support pins or the support elements can be attached as needed. This enables flexible adaptation of the support sides spanned by the ends of the support pins to the respective dimensions of the workpiece in the different deformation stages between successive bending operations.

[0016] An advantageous embodiment of the manufacturing device is that the desk comprises a column, wherein the platform is attached to an upper end of the column.

[0017] The additional design variant of the manufacturing device, according to which the platform of the desk is mounted on the column so that it can rotate around a vertical axis, can reduce the time required for changing the handle positions.

[0018] A further development of the production device provides for an intermediate support to be attached to the platform carrier in an area between the first platform part and the second platform part. This has the advantage that deformation of the workpiece—particularly of thin bleached parts—can be prevented or at least reduced. For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures.

[0019] They show in a highly simplified, schematic representation:

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a manufacturing device for forming a sheet metal workpiece using a bending press;

[0021] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the manufacturing device;

[0022] Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the platform of the desk according to Fig. 2;

[0023] Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the platform of the desk according to Fig. 2 with a partially bent workpiece;

[0024] Fig. 5 is a plan view of the underside of the platform according to Fig. 4.

[0025] By way of introduction, it should be noted that in the variously described embodiments, identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols or component designations. The disclosures contained throughout the description can be applied analogously to identical parts with identical reference symbols or component designations. Furthermore, the position information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., refers to the directly described and illustrated figure, and these position information must be applied analogously to the new position in the event of a change in position.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a manufacturing device 1 for forming a workpiece 2 made of sheet metal with a bending press 3 and a robot 4 with a gripper 5. The manufacturing device

[0027] 1 forms an automatically operating manufacturing system in which the robot 4 moves the workpiece

[0028] 2 is automatically manipulated with the gripper 5 and placed into a processing area of ​​the bending press 3 to carry out a bending operation and the formed workpiece 2 is removed from the bending press 3 again.

[0029] The manufacturing device 1 further comprises a desk 6 with a platform 7 and a stop angle 8. The stop angle 8 is formed from a first leg 9 and a second leg 10 arranged at a right angle relative to the first leg 9. These two legs 9, 10 forming the stop angle 8 are arranged laterally on the platform 7 in such a way that they form a stop for the workpiece 2 placed thereon with respect to two orthogonal directions.

[0030] Before the actual commissioning of the production device 1, the relative spatial position and orientation of the platform 7 or the stop angle 8 of the desk 6 relative to the location and orientation of the bending press 2 or relative to the robot 4 is preferably measured. Based on the corresponding coordinates, correct alignment of the workpieces 2 when picked up by the gripper 5 of the robot 4 can thus be ensured. Alternatively, it is also possible to repeatedly re-measure the location and orientation of the desk 6 using sensors attached to the gripper 5 of the robot 4 during operation of the production device 1.

[0031] According to the invention, the platform 7 of the desk 6 comprises a first platform part 11 and at least one second platform part 12 arranged at a distance from the first platform part 11. Preferably, the second platform part 12 can be moved or adjusted relative to the first platform part 11. The two platform parts 11, 12 of the platform 7 of the desk 6 are arranged such that a first support side 13 of the first platform part 11 and a second support side 14 of the second platform part 12 lie in a common support plane 15. Therefore, if a flat workpiece 2 is placed on the platform 7 of the desk 6, it rests with its entire surface on the two support sides 13, 14 of the two platform parts 11, 12.

[0032] By moving the workpiece 2 on the support sides 13, 14 of the platform 7 on the one hand and by sliding the edges of the workpiece 2 along the two legs 9, 10 on the other hand, the workpiece 2 can be brought into a precisely defined position and orientation. This alignment can take place solely through the effect of the dead weight of the workpiece 2 itself. The platform 7 with the stop angle 8 thus forms a spatial reference, so that the workpiece 2 is in a clearly defined position when picked up or grasped with the gripper 5 of the robot 4. On the other hand, a workpiece 2 placed on the platform 7 by the gripper 5 automatically realigns itself on the legs 9, 10. For this purpose, the two legs 9, 10 of the stop angle 8 are aligned obliquely relative to a horizontal plane, so that the edges of the workpiece 2 are always pressed against the two legs 9, 10 by the weight acting on the workpiece 2.By arranging the second platform part 12 at a distance 16 from the first platform part 11, it is possible for the workpiece 2 lying on the desk 6 to be reached and grasped by the gripper 5 from both a front side of the platform 7 (in Fig. 1, the side facing the viewer) and a rear side of the platform 7 (Figs. 3, 4). By moving the second platform part 12 relative to the first platform part 11, a gap of variable size with a correspondingly variable distance 16 can be set between the two platform parts 11, 12. The value of the distance 16 is selected to be large enough to provide the gripper 5 with a sufficiently large gap at the rear of the platform 7 for its approach to the workpiece 2. For this purpose, the desk 6 also comprises a platform support 17, to which the first platform part 11 is fixedly attached and the second platform part 12 is adjustably attached.The first platform part 11 and the second platform part 12 are arranged laterally, projecting from the platform support 17. The first platform part 11, the platform support 17, and the second platform part 12 are thus arranged in a C-shape. The adjustable, second platform part 12 is essentially displaceable in a direction 18 parallel to a longitudinal extension of the platform support 17. This direction 18 for the mutual adjustment of the two platform parts 11, 12 is aligned parallel relative to the common support plane 15 of the two platform parts 11, 12.

[0033] Figure 2 shows a further, possibly independent, embodiment of the manufacturing device 1, wherein the same reference numerals or component designations are used for identical parts as in the previous figure. To avoid unnecessary repetition, reference is made to the detailed description of the previous figure.

[0034] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the console 6 of the production device 1 in a perspective view. Support elements 19, projecting from the platform parts 11, 12, are attached to the first platform part 11 and the second platform part 12 of the platform 7. A plurality of identical support elements 19 are arranged distributed over the planar extent of the two platform parts 11, 12. Accordingly, the first support side 13 of the first platform part 11 is spanned by distal ends 24 of the support elements 19 attached to the platform part 11. Analogously, the second support side 14 is spanned by distal ends 24 of the support elements 19 attached to the second platform part 12. The two support sides 13, 14 formed in this way jointly define the support plane 15 for the workpiece 2 (Figs. 3, 4).According to this embodiment of the desk 6, it is also provided that the second leg 10 of the stop angle 8 is formed by several stop elements 20 protruding from the first platform part 11.

[0035] In the console 6 according to this embodiment, it is also provided that the platform 7 is attached to the upper end of a column 21, which rests on a base 22 standing on the floor, and is thus held in its spatial position and orientation. It can additionally be provided that the platform 7 of the console 6 is mounted on the column 21 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis 23.

[0036] Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the platform 7 of the desk 6 according to the line AA in Fig. 2.

[0037] The two platform parts 11, 12 of the platform 7 are shown in a viewing direction parallel relative to the support plane 15. The undeformed workpiece 2 rests on the distal ends 24 of the support elements 19—relative to the two platform parts 11, 12. The support elements 19 are formed by—preferably cylindrical—support pins. According to the representation of the workpiece 2 in Fig. 3, one side edge of the workpiece rests against the stop elements 20 of the leg 10 of the stop angle 8. The stop elements 20 can be formed by pins or cylindrical bolts attached to the first platform part 11.

[0038] The illustration in Fig. 3 corresponds to a situation in the manufacturing process with the manufacturing device 1 for forming the workpiece 2, in which the workpiece 2 is gripped or picked up by the gripper 5 of the robot 4. The gripper 5 is designed in the manner of a vacuum gripper and comprises several suction cups 25. According to the illustrated situation, the gripper 5 is moved from the front side of the platform parts 11, 12 to the workpiece 2 and picks it up ("front side" corresponds to the top right in the image).

[0039] Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the platform 7 of the desk 6 along the line A-A in Fig. 2 with a partially formed workpiece 2. This rests on the distal ends 24 of the support pins or support elements 19. As can be seen from the illustration, already bent sections of the workpiece 2 can extend between the support elements 19, i.e., can also come to lie below the support plane 15. To make this possible, the support elements 19 can be fastened at suitable locations on the two platform parts 11, 12 during the preparatory bending process programming preceding the manufacturing process.

[0040] The illustration in Fig. 4 thus shows a situation in the production process with the production device 1 after bending operations have already been carried out in the bending press 3. In the situation in Fig. 4, the gripper 5 is moved from the underside of the platform 7 of the desk 6 to the workpiece 2 (“underside” corresponds to the left, bottom in the image). To do so, the gripper 5 reaches through the gap corresponding to the distance 16 between the first platform part 11 and the second platform part 12 and comes into contact with the workpiece 2. As soon as the workpiece 2 is held by the suction cups 25, it can be lifted by the gripper 5 from the ends 24 of the support pins or support elements 19. The workpiece 2 can then be placed into the processing area of ​​the bending press 3 by the robot 4 for further, subsequent bending operations (Fig. 1).

[0041] Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the underside of the platform 7 according to arrow B in Fig. 4. The illustration corresponds exactly to the situation shown in Fig. 4, in which the gripper 5 is brought from the underside to the workpiece 2. The distance 16 between the first platform part 11 and the second platform part 12 is chosen to be large enough that the gripper 5 can reach through the space between the two platform parts 11, 12 in order to be able to grasp the workpiece 2. As soon as the workpiece 2 is held by the suction cups 25, it can be lifted by the gripper 5 from the support elements 19 of the platform 7.

[0042] As can be seen from the illustration of the two platform parts 11, 12 in Fig. 5, these have holes 26, preferably arranged in a grid-like manner. This grid of holes 26 allows support pins or support elements 19 to be attached as needed. The attachment of the support elements 19 to the platform parts 11, 12 also takes place as part of the preparatory bending process programming, in particular depending on the dimensions of the workpiece 2 in the different deformation stages between successive bending operations in the bending press 3. In addition to the first platform part 11 and the second platform part 12, a freely positionable intermediate support 27 can also be attached to the platform carrier 17 (Fig. 2). The intermediate support 27 can prevent or reduce sagging of the workpiece 2 in the area of ​​the gap corresponding to the distance 16.

[0043] The embodiments show possible embodiments, whereby it should be noted at this point that the invention is not limited to the specifically illustrated embodiments thereof, but rather various combinations of the individual embodiments with each other are also possible and this possibility of variation lies within the skill of the person skilled in the art in this technical field due to the teaching of technical action by means of the objective invention.

[0044] The scope of protection is determined by the claims. However, the description and drawings must be used to interpret the claims. Individual features or combinations of features from the various embodiments shown and described may represent independent inventive solutions. The problem underlying these independent inventive solutions can be derived from the description.

[0045] All information on value ranges in this description is to be understood as including any and all sub-ranges thereof, e.g. the information 1 to 10 is to be understood as including all sub-ranges starting from the lower limit of 1 and the upper limit of 10, ie all sub-ranges begin with a lower limit of 1 or greater and end with an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g. 1 to 1.7, or 3.2 to 8.1, or 5.5 to 10.

[0046] For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that some elements have been shown not to scale and / or enlarged and / or reduced in size to improve understanding of the structure.

[0047] Manufacturing device

[0048] workpiece

[0049] Bending press

[0050] robot

[0051] gripper

[0052] desk

[0053] platform

[0054] Stop angle

[0055] leg

[0056] leg

[0057] Platform part

[0058] Platform part

[0059] Support side

[0060] Support side

[0061] Support level

[0062] Distance

[0063] Platform carrier

[0064] Direction of support element

[0065] Stop element

[0066] column

[0067] Foot

[0068] axis

[0069] End

[0070] Mammal

[0071] Hole

[0072] Intermediate support

Claims

Patent claims 1. Desk (6) for storing a sheet metal workpiece (2) between successive bending operations in an automatic bending press (3), - wherein the desk (6) is formed with a platform (7) and with a stop angle (8) with a first leg (9) and with a second leg (10), - characterized in that the platform (7) is formed by a first platform part (11) and a second platform part (12) which is displaceable relative to the first platform part (11).

2. Desk (6) according to claim 1, characterized in that a first support side (13) of the first platform part (11) and a second support side (14) of the second platform part (12) lie in a common support plane (15).

3. Desk (6) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first leg (9) of the stop angle (8) is arranged at a right angle relative to the second leg (10) of the stop angle (8).

4. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first leg (9) and the second leg (10) of the stop angle (8) are arranged obliquely relative to a horizontal plane.

5. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the desk (6) comprises a platform support (17) to which the first platform part (11) and the second platform part (12) are fastened, wherein the first platform part (11), the platform support (17) and the second platform part (12) are arranged in a C-shape, and wherein the second platform part (12) is arranged offset by a distance (16) relative to the first platform part (11).

6. Desk (6) according to claim 5, characterized in that a value of the distance (16) between the first platform part (11) and the second platform part (12) is at least as large as a diameter of a cross section of a gripper (5) of a robot (4) for manipulating the workpiece (2).

7. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that support elements (19) projecting from the platform parts (11, 12) are fastened to the first platform part (11) and to the second platform part (12), so that the first support side (13) and the second support side (14) are spanned by distal ends (24) of the support elements (19).

8. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the first leg (9) of the stop angle (8) is formed by at least two or more stop pins (20) arranged in a row.

9. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support elements (19) comprise cylindrical pins or bolts.

10. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distal ends (24) of the support elements (19) are formed with ball rollers or sliding elements.

11. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of holes (26) for fastening the support elements (19) are formed in the first platform part (11) and in the second platform part (12), wherein the holes (26) are arranged distributed in a grid-like manner.

12. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the desk (6) comprises a column (21), wherein the platform (7) is attached to an upper end of the column (21).

13. Desk (6) according to claim 12, characterized in that the platform (7) of the desk (6) is mounted on the column (21) so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis (23).

14. Desk (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an intermediate support (27) is fastened to the platform support (17) in a region between the first platform part (11) and the second platform part (12).

15. Manufacturing device (1) for forming a workpiece (2) made of sheet metal with a bending press (3) and with a robot (4) with a gripper (5) for manipulating the workpiece (2), characterized in that a desk (6) according to one of claims 1 to 14 is designed for depositing the workpiece (2) before a first bending operation or between the first bending operation and a second bending operation following the first bending operation.

Images