Cutting device, control method, and program

Abstract

The cutting device flexibly accommodates the user's desired priorities during the cutting process of the material to be cut. [Solution] The cutting device (1) comprises a pressing load application means for applying a pressing load to a cutter (3) that is in contact with the object to be cut (11), and a relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the cutter blade with respect to the object to be cut. By changing the relative position of the cutter blade to which a pressing load has been applied with respect to the object to be cut, the device adjusts the direction of the blade and cuts the object to be cut, thereby obtaining a product of a predetermined shape from the object to be cut. The device further comprises a selection means (803) for selecting one of a plurality of cutting modes, each with a different control method for cutting the object along a cutting path (C) set on the object to be cut, and a control means (801) for controlling the operation of the pressing load application means and the relative position changing means based on the selected cutting mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device, a control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Some cutting devices for cutting a sheet-like workpiece (object to be processed) change the relative position of a cutter with respect to the workpiece in a state where the cutting edge of the cutter is pressed against the first surface of the workpiece, thereby cutting out a desired shape from the workpiece. In this type of cutting device, when the relative position of the cutter with respect to the workpiece is changed in a state where the cutting edge of the cutter is pressed against the workpiece, the direction of the cutting edge of the cutter is automatically changed according to the direction of the change in the relative position. Further, as a related technique, Patent Document 1 describes an image forming apparatus that predicts the time required for cutting a sheet in a cutting apparatus based on cut shape data corresponding to the sheet and switches the operation mode of a power consumption device between a normal mode and a power saving mode based on the predicted time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [[ID=z2]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the cutting device described above, one of two methods is applied to change the direction of the cutter blade at the corners of the set cutting path of the workpiece: a first method in which the cutter is moved away from the workpiece to change the direction, and a second method in which the cutter is moved while still in contact with the workpiece. In a cutting device to which the first method is applied, the time required to cut the workpiece is increased by the amount of time required to change the direction of the cutter blade at the corners of the cutting path. In a cutting device to which the second method is applied, the corners of the finished product may be frayed or damaged after cutting, resulting in a deterioration of appearance.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one of its objectives is to flexibly respond to the user's desired priorities in the process of cutting an object using a cutting device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A cutting apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a pressing load applying means for applying a pressing load to a cutter in contact with an object to be cut, and a relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the blade of the cutter with respect to the object to be cut, wherein the cutting apparatus adjusts the direction of the blade and cuts the object to be cut by changing the relative position of the blade of the cutter with respect to the object to be cut to obtain an output of a predetermined shape from the object to be cut, and further comprises a selection means for selecting one of a plurality of cutting modes that have different control methods for the operation of cutting the object to be cut along a cutting path set on the object to be cut, and a control means for controlling the operation of the pressing load applying means and the relative position changing means based on the cutting mode selected by the selection means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above embodiment, the cutting device can flexibly respond to the user's desired priorities in the process of cutting the object to be cut. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1]Figures 1A and 1B illustrate an example of the configuration of a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of a cutting device. [Figure 3] Figures 3A to 3C illustrate the rotational motion of the carriage. [Figure 4] Figures 4A to 4C illustrate the rotational movement of the cutter. [Figure 5] Figures 5A and 5B illustrate the cutting path set for the object to be cut and an example of corner deterioration in the resulting product. [Figure 6] Figures 6A to 6C illustrate an overview of a method for changing the direction of the cutter blade at the corner of the cutting path in a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] Figures 7A to 7C illustrate an example of a second corner processing mode in a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 illustrates the difference between the second corner processing mode and the conventional example. [Figure 9] Figure 9 illustrates an example of setting the corner processing mode for the corners of the cutting path. [Figure 10] Figures 10A to 10C illustrate an example of a third corner processing mode in a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] Figures 11A and 11B illustrate the relationship between the cutting mode and the corner processing mode in a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the corner movement setting process. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cutting process performed by a cutting device according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 14 illustrates an example of the timing for initiating control of the cutting operation on a corner. [Figure 15] Figures 15A and 15B are flowcharts illustrating an example of the process in step S210 of Figure 14. [Figure 16] Figures 16A and 16B illustrate another example of a cutting path set for an object to be cut. [Figure 17] Figure 17 illustrates an example of the cutting operation at the end of the cutting path. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The X, Y, and Z axes in the referenced drawings are shown for the purpose of identifying the relationships between identical components shown in different drawings, such as their planes and directions. The X, Y, and Z axes are orthogonal to each other and form a right-handed system. In the following description, the direction parallel to the X axis will be referred to as the X direction, the direction parallel to the Y axis will be referred to as the Y direction, and the direction parallel to the Z axis will be referred to as the Z direction. Furthermore, when relating the X, Y, and Z directions to the directions of the arrows (positive and negative) of the X, Y, and Z axes shown in the drawings, they will be prefixed with "+" or "-", or "positive side" or "negative side". For example, "+X direction" and "-X direction" refer to the direction of travel and the opposite direction of travel of the arrow indicating the X axis, respectively. Furthermore, "positive X-direction" refers to the side that is in the +X direction when viewed from a reference surface, member, position, etc., and "negative X-direction" refers to the side that is in the -X direction when viewed from a reference surface, member, position, etc.

[0010] In this specification, the Z direction may be referred to as the vertical direction. In this specification, "up" and "above" are intended to be on the positive Z side with respect to a reference surface, member, position, etc., and "down" and "below" are intended to be on the negative Z side with respect to a reference surface, member, position, etc. For example, when it is described that "member B is disposed above member A", member B is disposed on the positive Z side as viewed from member A. Also, when it is described as "the upper surface of member A", that surface is located at the end on the positive Z side of member A and includes the surface facing the positive Z side. These directions and the names of the surfaces associated with the directions are merely used for convenience of explanation, and depending on the mounting posture of the exemplary cutting device, etc., the correspondence with each of the directions of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis may change. For example, the surface referred to as the "upper surface" in this specification may be referred to as the "lower surface" or "side surface", etc., and accordingly, the names of other surfaces may also be changed.

[0011] The vertical and horizontal ratios in each figure and the size relationships between respective members are merely schematically represented and do not necessarily match the relationships in an actually manufactured cutting device, etc. For convenience of explanation, it is also assumed that the size relationships between respective members are exaggeratedly expressed. Among the reference signs in the figures, a reference sign with an underline indicates that it is a reference sign for referring to the whole of a component when a part of the component referred to by that sign is referred to by another sign.

[0012] In addition, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, a plurality of identical components to which the same numerical reference signs are assigned are distinguished by the letters following the numerical reference signs. In this specification, a plurality of identical components distinguished by the letters in the reference signs may be distinguished by descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. These descriptions are only intended to distinguish a plurality of identical components, and the component preceded by "first" in this specification may be referred to as the "second" component. Depending on the context, there may be no "second component", and only the "first component" and the "third component" may be described. Further, in this specification, when referring to matters common to a plurality of identical components, etc., the description of the letters in the reference signs and the descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. may be omitted. For example, the first drive unit 7A, the second drive unit 7B, and the third drive unit 7C may be described as "drive unit 7", "drive units 7A, 7B, and 7C", etc.

[0013] The cutting device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1A includes a holding member 2, a cutter 3, a carriage 4, a carriage support member 5, conveying rollers 6A and 6B, drive units 7A, 7B, and 7C, and a control panel 8. Note that FIG. 1 only illustrates the main components related to the cutting operation of the workpiece 11 among the components constituting the cutting device 1 according to one embodiment. From another perspective, the cutting device 1 may include a cutting unit 100 and a control panel 8 that controls the operation of the cutting unit 100, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The cutting device 1 may have a configuration in which the cutting unit 100 and the control panel 8 are separate and connected by a cable, or a configuration in which the cutting unit 100 and the control panel 8 are integrated. The control panel 8 may also be referred to as a control device 8, a control unit 8, or the like.

[0014] The cutting unit 100 includes drive units 7A, 7B, and 7C, a holding member moving mechanism 110, and a carriage moving mechanism 120, the carriage moving mechanism 120 including an X-direction moving mechanism 121 and a rotational moving mechanism 122. The holding member moving mechanism 110 may be a mechanism that moves the holding member 2 in the Y direction by power from a first drive unit (e.g., a stepping motor) 7A. The X-direction moving mechanism 121 may be a mechanism that moves the carriage 4 to which the cutter 3 is attached in the X direction by power from a second drive unit (e.g., a stepping motor) 7B. The rotational moving mechanism 122 may be a mechanism that rotates the carriage 4 around a first rotation axis parallel to the X axis by power from a third drive unit (e.g., a stepping motor) 7C in order to move the cutter 3 between a separated position and a cutting position. The cutting position is intended to be the position of the cutter 3 when cutting the object to be cut 11 (see Figures 3B and 3C), and the separation position is intended to be the position of the cutter 3 separated from the object to be cut 11 so that the object to be cut 11 is not cut (see Figure 3A). In the cutting device 1 of Figure 1, the first axis of rotation, which is the rotation center of the carriage 4, may be the axis R1 of the carriage support member 5. In the following description, the axis R1 of the carriage support member 5 will also be referred to as the "first axis of rotation R1".

[0015] The carriage 4 is supported by the carriage support member 5 so as to be movable in the X direction at a position where it does not come into contact with the workpiece 11 above the holding member 2. The illustrated carriage support member 5 is a round bar and is positioned above the holding member 2 so as not to come into contact with the workpiece 11 above the holding member 2, with the extension direction of its axis R1 being in the X direction. The position of the carriage 4 in the X direction along the carriage support member 5 is changed (controlled) by the second drive unit 7B and the X-direction movement mechanism 121. The carriage 4 is also supported by the carriage support member 5 so as to be rotatable about the axis R1 of the carriage support member 5 as the center of rotation, and the rotational position of the carriage 4 about the axis R1 as the center of rotation is changed (controlled) by the third drive unit 7C and the rotational movement mechanism 122. In the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment, the rotational position of the carriage 4 is changed between a first rotational position where the cutter 3 is in the cutting position and a second rotational position where the cutter 3 is in a separated position. The cutting position of the cutter 3 may be a position in which the blade (cutting edge) 300 of the cutter 3 bites into the object to be cut 11 to the extent that the object to be cut 11 can be cut by the blade (cutting edge) 300 of the cutter 3. The first rotational position of the carriage 4 may be a position in which the lower surface is parallel to the upper surface 1101 of the object to be cut 11, as illustrated in Figures 3B and 3C. The second rotational position of the carriage 4 may be a position in which the cutter 3, which is in the cutting position, is rotated by an angle θ1 in the direction that separates it from the holding member 2 (upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200), so that the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is separated from the object to be cut 11, as illustrated in Figure 3A.

[0016] As described above, the carriage 4 that holds the cutter 3 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the object to be cut 11 above the holding member 2. For this reason, the cutter 3 is mounted on the carriage 4 so that when it is in the cutting position (see Figure 3B), it extends downward from the lower surface of the carriage 4 and the blade 300 at its lower end bites into the object to be cut 11. Furthermore, in the illustrated cutting device 1, the cutter 3 is mounted on the carriage 4 so that the cutting of the object to be cut 11 by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 occurs at a position negative in the Y direction from the first rotation axis R1, which is the rotation center of the carriage 4. In other words, the cutter 3 in the illustrated cutting device 1 is positioned at a predetermined distance away in the -Y direction from the first rotation axis R1 of the carriage 4.

[0017] In the cutting device 1, the cutter 3 is mounted on the carriage 4 so as to be rotatable about a second axis of rotation R2, which is parallel to the normal direction (Z direction) of the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11 when it is in the cutting position, as shown in Figures 3B and 3C. The cutter 3 is mounted on the carriage 4 in a state where it is mounted on the cutter holder 9 shown in Figure 1B so as to be rotatable about the second axis of rotation R2. The cutter 3 may be a round bar with a blade (cutting edge) 300 formed by the edges of two planes at one end in the axial direction, and is mounted on the cutter holder 9 so that the axis of the round bar becomes the second axis of rotation R2. The blade 300 of the cutter 3 is formed so that the second axis of rotation R2 passes through the center in the extension direction of the blade 300, and the cutting edge 301 is offset by a predetermined distance (offset amount) from the second axis of rotation R2. The material of the cutter 3 (round bar) may be a magnetic material such as steel or iron. The cutter holder 9 includes a cylindrical portion 900, a magnet 910, a cap 920, and a bearing 930. The cylindrical portion 900 is a generally cylindrical member having an upper housing portion for housing the magnet 910 and a lower housing portion for housing the bearing 930 that rotatably supports the cutter 3, with the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion communicating through a small-diameter hole. The magnet 910 housed in the upper housing portion is fixed in position within the upper housing portion by fitting the cap 920 onto the upper housing portion. The cutter 3 has the end opposite to the end where the blade 300 is formed in the axial direction (upper end) rotatably inserted into the small-diameter hole of the cylindrical portion 900, and the intermediate portion between the upper end and the end where the blade 300 is provided (lower end) is rotatably supported by the bearing 930.

[0018] The cutter holder 9 is attached to the carriage 4 such that when cutting the object to be cut 11, the cutter 3 extends downward from the lower surface of the carriage 4 facing the upper surface 1101, and the blade 300 of the cutter 3 bites into the object to be cut 11. In this specification, the expression "bites into" means applying a pressing load from the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to the object to be cut 11 in order to cut the object to be cut 11 (pressing the blade 300 against the object to be cut 11). In other words, "bites into," "to make bite into," and other similar expressions in this specification may be synonymous with "to press against," "to make press against," and other similar expressions. Note that making the blade 300 of the cutter 3 bite into the object to be cut 11 may be reinterpreted as piercing the blade 300 of the cutter 3 into the object to be cut 11.

[0019] The holding member 2 is a member that holds the object to be cut (workpiece) 11, and includes a plate-shaped member 200, sometimes called a backing, and an adhesive layer 210 placed on the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200 (see Figure 3A, etc.). The object to be cut 11 may be in the form of a sheet or film, such as paper, resin sheet, or sticker paper. The plate-shaped member 200 may have a thickness and hardness that prevents the object to be cut 11 from warping (bending) when a pressing load is applied to the object to be cut 11 from the blade 300 of the cutter 3. The adhesive layer 210 may be an example of a fixing member that prevents the position of the object to be cut 11 placed on the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200 from shifting. The plate-shaped member 200 has a clamped portion on the outside of the area on the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200 where the object to be cut 11 is placed, which is clamped by the transport rollers 6A and 6B. The plate-shaped member 200 illustrated in Figure 1 has a clamping portion extending along the Y direction at both the positive end and the negative end in the X direction. The first conveyor roller 6A is positioned above the plate-shaped member 200 so as to rotate around a rotation axis parallel to the X direction, and has a large-diameter clamping portion that contacts the clamping portion on the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200. The second conveyor roller 6B is positioned below the plate-shaped member 200 so as to rotate around a rotation axis parallel to the X direction, and has a large-diameter clamping portion that contacts the clamping portion on the lower surface of the plate-shaped member 200. The first conveyor roller 6A and the second conveyor roller 6B are included in the holding member moving mechanism 110 in the cutting unit 100 illustrated in Figure 2. The first conveyor roller 6A and the second conveyor roller 6B may have one roller as a driving roller connected to the first drive unit 7A, and the other roller as a driven roller. The holding member moving mechanism 110 may be any well-known mechanism and is not limited to a specific mechanism. For example, the holding member moving mechanism 110 may have a stage on which the holding member 2 is placed and move (slide) the stage in the Y direction.

[0020] The holding member 2, used in combination with the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment, has an adjustment area 220 for adjusting (changing) the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3, located in an area of ​​the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200 that is different from the area where the object to be cut 11 is placed and the area that becomes the clamped part as described above. The cutting device 1 adjusts (changes) the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 in the adjustment area 220, for example, before moving the cutter 3 to the starting position of the cutting path set on the object to be cut 11, and when controlling the operation at the corner of the cutting path (reverse cutting) as described later with reference to Figure 9.

[0021] The cutter 3 used to cut the object to be cut 11 is mounted on the carriage 4 so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis R2 as the center of rotation, as illustrated in Figures 3A to 3C. The carriage 4 is supported by a carriage support member 5 so as to be movable in the X direction at a position above the holding member 2 that does not come into contact with the object to be cut 11. The illustrated carriage support member 5 is a round bar and is positioned above the holding member 2 that does not come into contact with the object to be cut 11, with the extension direction of its axis R1 being in the X direction. The position of the carriage 4 in the X direction along the carriage support member 5 is changed (controlled) by the second drive unit 7B and the X direction movement mechanism 121. Furthermore, the carriage 4 is supported so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis R1 extending in the X direction, and the rotational position of the carriage 4 about the first rotation axis R1 is changed (controlled) by the third drive unit 7C and the rotational movement mechanism 122 between a first rotational position where the cutter 3 is in the cutting position and a second rotational position where the cutter 3 is in the separated position.

[0022] As described above, the tip 301 of the cutter 3 is offset by a predetermined distance (offset amount) from the second rotation axis R2 of the cutter 3. Therefore, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can change the orientation of the blade 300 when the cutter 3 is in the cutting position in accordance with the change in the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11. The orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 can be the direction from the tip 301 to the other end of the blade 300 in a plane whose normal direction is the extension direction of the second rotation axis R2. For example, the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 shown in Figure 4A is in the +X direction, which is schematically shown by a solid isosceles triangle in the XY plane view of Figure 4B. When the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is oriented in the +X direction, for example, if the relative position changing means is operated to change the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the -Y direction, the cutter 3 rotates with its tip 301 as a pivot point, as illustrated in Figure 4B, and the orientation of the blade 300 changes to the -Y direction. At this time, the relative position changing means moves the carriage 4 in the -X direction by the offset amount of the tip 301 of the cutter 3, while moving the holding member 2 in the +Y direction. After the orientation of the blade 300 becomes -Y, if the relative position changing means continues to change the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the -Y direction, the workpiece 11 can be cut in the -Y direction, as shown in Figure 4C. When cutting the workpiece 11 in the -Y direction, the cutting device 1 moves the holding member 2 in the +Y direction while fixing the position of the carriage 4 in the X direction. When the holding member 2 is moved in the +Y direction, the section 12 cut by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 in the workpiece 11 advances in the -Y direction. Conversely, in the illustrated cutting device 1, when the holding member 2 is moved in the -Y direction, the section cut by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 in the workpiece 11 advances in the +Y direction. In the following description, the direction in which the section cut by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 in the workpiece 11 advances will be referred to as the "cutting direction". That is, when the blade 300 is oriented in the -Y direction, the cutting direction is the -Y direction, and when the blade 300 is oriented in the +Y direction, the cutting direction is the +Y direction. The cutting direction and the direction in which the cut section advances may also be interpreted as the direction in which the blade 300 of the cutter 3 cuts through the workpiece 11.

[0023] The cutting device 1 according to this embodiment can, for example, set a cutting path C, indicated by the concave hexagonal contour shown in Figure 5A, on the upper surface of the object to be cut 11, and cut the object to be cut 11 along the cutting path C. In this specification, as one specific example, the procedure for cutting the object to be cut 11 along the cutting path C shown in Figure 5A will be described, but as will be described later, the cutting path C is not limited to a specific shape. The cutting device 1, for example, sets a corner Q1 of the cutting path C as the cutting start position (starting point), and first changes the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the object to be cut 11 so that the tip 301 of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 moves from corner Q1 to corner Q2 along the cutting line CL1 of the cutting path C. Since the extension direction of the cutting line CL1 is the X direction, the cutting device 1 moves the carriage 4 in the +X direction by the second drive unit 7B and the X direction movement mechanism 121 while the position of the holding member 2 in the Y direction is fixed. When the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches the corner Q2, the cutting device 1 performs an action to change the direction of the blade 300 from the +X direction to the -Y direction. When the tip 301 of the cutter 3, which has been cutting the workpiece 11 along the cutting line CL1 in the +X direction, reaches the corner Q2, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is in the region T1 on the +X side of the corner Q2 of the workpiece 11. Therefore, when the direction of the blade 300 is changed at the corner Q2, the cutter 3 rotates so that the blade 300 stirs the portion of the workpiece 11 within region T1. Therefore, when the region T2 enclosed by the cutting path C in the object to be cut 11 is the output, the appearance of the corner Q2 is not affected by the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3. However, when the region T1 surrounding region T2 is the output, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 extends beyond the corner Q2 into region T1, causing cuts and deterioration of appearance such as gouging at the corner Q2 due to the rotation of the blade 300. In this specification, the term "output" refers to the object to be cut 11 after the unnecessary parts have been removed from the object to be cut 11 after it has been cut along the cutting path C. Figure 5B shows the regions in which the blade 300 rotates at each corner Q1 to Q6 of the cutting path C, and whether or not the rotation of the blade 300 affects the output. That is, when region T1 is the output, deterioration of appearance may occur at the corners Q2, Q4, Q5, and Q6, and when region T2 is the output, deterioration of appearance may occur at the corner Q3.

[0024] Whether changing the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 at a corner of the cutting path C affects the output depends on the magnitude of the angle of the corner that is inside the area that becomes the output (hereinafter referred to as "inner angle θ2"). Figure 6A shows an enlarged view of the portion of the workpiece 11 to be cut that includes corner Q2 of the cutting path C in Figure 5A. When area T2 becomes the output of the two areas T1 and T2 divided by the cutting path C set on the workpiece 11, the inner angle θ2 of corner Q2 is 90 degrees. When the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 along the cutting line CL1 in the +X direction is completed, the tip 301 of the cutter 3 is located at corner Q2, and the blade 300 of the cutter 3 has passed corner Q2 and entered area T1. Therefore, when changing the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 from the +X direction to the -Y direction, the blade 300 rotates within another region T1 outside the region T2 which is the output region, with the tip 301 located at the corner Q2 as the pivot point, and is associated with the interior angle θ2 of the corner Q2. Consequently, deterioration of the appearance, such as curling, caused by the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is less likely to occur at the corner Q2 in the output region (region T2). Also, when cutting the workpiece 11 counterclockwise along the cutting path C from the corner Q1, when the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 in the +Y direction along the cutting line CL2 is completed, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 has passed the corner Q2 and entered the region T1. Generalizing from this, if the interior angle θ2 (degrees) of the corner Q, which is the point of contact between the two cutting lines, is 0 < θ2 < 180 degrees, then when the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 along one of the cutting lines up to the corner Q is completed, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 has passed the corner Q and entered a region separate from the region associated with the interior angle θ2 of the corner Q and which will become the finished product. For this reason, if the interior angle θ2 of the corner Q is less than 180 degrees, deterioration of the appearance such as curling caused by the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is less likely to occur at the corner Q of the finished product.

[0025] In contrast, when the interior angle θ2 (degrees) of corner Q is 180 < θ2 < 360, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 rotates within the region T2 that becomes the output, with the tip 301 located at corner Q as the pivot point, and is associated with the interior angle θ2 of corner Q. Figure 6B shows an example where the interior angles θ2 (degrees) of two cutting lines CL1 and CL2' with corner Q as the point of contact are 180 < θ2 < 360. In this example, when the tip 301 of the cutter 3, which has advanced along the cutting line CL1 through the workpiece 11 in the +X direction, reaches corner Q, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 has passed through corner Q and entered the region T2 that becomes the output. Therefore, when the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is changed to a direction along the cutting line CL2', the blade 300 rotates within the region T2 that becomes the output. Therefore, if the interior angle θ2 of corner Q is greater than 180 degrees, deterioration of the appearance, such as curling, is likely to occur at corner Q of the finished product due to the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3.

[0026] In the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment, the cutting operation on the corner Q located between the cutting start position (start point) and the cutting end position (end point) in the cutting path C is controlled based on the relationship between the interior angle θ2 of the corner Q and the deterioration of the appearance of the corner Q in the finished product. As an example, as shown in Figure 6C, the cutting device 1 selects either a first corner processing mode or a second corner processing mode according to the size of the interior angle θ2 of the corner Q, and controls the cutting operation on the corner Q based on the selected corner processing mode. The "cutting operation" controlled based on the corner processing mode includes the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 along the first cutting line up to the corner Q, and the subsequent operation of changing the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to make it possible to cut the workpiece 11 from the corner Q along the second cutting line.

[0027] The first corner processing mode is a processing mode in which the cutting operation on the corner Q is performed while the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 is constant. Specifically, the first corner processing mode is a processing mode in which, after cutting the workpiece 11 up to the corner Q while a predetermined pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3, the direction of the blade 300 is changed while the pressing load P1 is still applied to the cutter 3. The pressing load P1 is set based on, for example, the pressing load applied from the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to the workpiece 11 necessary to cut along the cutting line, the cutting edge angle and blade thickness angle of the cutter 3, and the moment associated with rotation (rotation) with the first rotation axis R1 as the center of rotation. The first corner processing mode is selected when the interior angle θ2 (degrees) of the corner Q is 0 < θ2 < 180. The first corner processing mode may be selected when prioritizing the time required to cut the workpiece 11 over preventing deterioration of the appearance of the corner Q. When the first corner processing mode is selected, the cutting device 1 maintains a state in which a predetermined pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3 and controls the X-direction position of the carriage 4 to which the cutter 3 is attached and the Y-direction position of the holding member 2 based on the cutting data. The operation performed by the cutting device 1 when the first corner processing mode is selected may be the same as the operation in a well-known cutting device 1 that changes the orientation of the blade 300 while maintaining the state in which a pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3 at the corner Q.

[0028] The second corner processing mode is a processing mode in which the cutting operation on the corner Q is performed by varying the pressing load applied to the cutter 3. Specifically, the second corner processing mode may be a processing mode in which, after cutting the workpiece 11 up to the corner Q with a pressing load P1 applied to the cutter 3, the cutting device 1 is instructed to change the direction of the blade 300 by reducing the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 to a value smaller than the pressing load P1 applied during cutting. The second corner processing mode is selected when the interior angle θ2 (degrees) of the corner Q is 180 < θ2 < 360.

[0029] Figure 7A illustrates the positional relationship between the workpiece 11 and the cutter 3 in the Z direction (thickness direction of the workpiece 11) when the workpiece 11 has been cut to corner Q. At this time, a pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3, and the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is biting into the workpiece 11 from the upper surface 1101 such that the tip 301 is below the interface between the lower surface of the workpiece 11 and the adhesive layer 210 of the holding member 2. In Figure 7A, the workpiece 11 stacked above the adhesive layer 210 shows that the portion without hatching on the negative X direction has been cut by the cutter 3, and the portion with hatching on the positive X direction has not been cut by the cutter 3. The same applies to the workpiece 11 in Figures 7B and 7C.

[0030] After the cutter 3 has cut the workpiece 11 up to the corner Q, changing the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 to a pressing load P2 smaller than the pressing load P1 used during cutting changes the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the +Z direction, as illustrated in Figure 7B. The pressing load P2 is set so that the position of the tip 301 of the cutter 3 in the Z direction is a distance D below the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11. The distance D is set within a range that allows the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to change in accordance with the change in the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the XY plane, and more preferably, it is set to be as short as possible. After changing the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 from P1 to P2, changing the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the XY plane changes the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3, as illustrated in Figure 7C. After this, when the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 is returned to the pressing load P1 used during cutting, the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 changes in the -Z direction, and the cutter 3 returns to the cutting position.

[0031] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged partial region including the corner Q3 of the cutting path C in the workpiece 11 of FIG. 5A. When the workpiece 11 is cut along the cutting line CL2 in the -Y direction up to the corner Q3, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 enters the region T2 beyond the corner Q3. As illustrated in FIG. 7A and the like, the cutter 3 advances the workpiece 11 in a direction in which the blade 300 is displaced forward in the cutting direction from the cutting tip 301 as the blade 300 goes from the cutting tip 301 toward the opposite end (i.e., upward). In FIG. 8, the broken line extending in the -Y direction from the corner Q3 indicates the section CL0 that is obliquely cut by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 that has passed beyond the corner Q when the workpiece 11 is cut in the -Y direction up to the corner Q3. The length U1 of the section CL0 can be the distance from the corner Q to the blade 300 of the cutter 3 on the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11 when the pressing load P1 at the time of cutting is applied to the cutter 3. For this reason, when the direction of the blade 300 is changed from the -Y direction to the +X direction with the pressing load P1 applied to the cutter 3, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 moves in a swirling motion within a sector-shaped region T91 of the workpiece 11 illustrated in FIG. 8, where the radius is the length U1 and the central angle is 90 degrees. On the other hand, when the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 is changed from the pressing load P1 at the time of cutting to the pressing load P2 (<P1), the partial section of the section CL0 extending in the -Y direction from the corner Q where the blade 300 of the cutter 3 bites into the workpiece 11 is within a range of length U2 (<U1) from the corner Q. For this reason, when the direction of the blade 300 is changed from the -Y direction to the +X direction with the pressing load P2 (<P1) applied to the cutter 3, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 moves in a swirling motion within a sector-shaped region T92 of the workpiece 11 illustrated in FIG. 8, where the radius is the length U2 and the central angle is 90 degrees. That is, by changing the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 in a state where the pressing load P2 smaller than the pressing load P1 at the time of cutting is applied to the cutter 3, the range swirled by the blade 300 in the workpiece 11 becomes smaller. For this reason, by controlling the cutting operation for the corner Q3 based on the second corner processing mode, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the appearance such as curling at the corner Q of the product that may occur due to the change in the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3.

[0032] When cutting the object 11 using the corner Q1 of the concave hexagonal cutting path C illustrated in Figure 5A as the starting and ending points, the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 occurs only at corner Q3 within region T2 when the direction of the blade 300 is changed. Therefore, when region T2 is used as the final product, the only corner in the final product where deterioration of appearance due to the change in the direction of the cutter blade 300 may occur is at corner Q3 (see Figure 5B). In other words, when region T2 is used as the final product, no deterioration of appearance due to the change in the direction of the cutter blade 300 occurs at corners Q2, Q4, Q5, and Q6 in the final product. On the other hand, when controlling the cutting operation on corner Q based on the second corner processing mode, the time required for cutting is longer compared to the operation based on the first corner processing mode because the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 is changed (in other words, the position in the Z direction is changed). Therefore, when region T2 is the output and region T1 is the non-output, for example, as shown in Figure 9, it is preferable to control the cutting operations on corners Q2, Q4, Q5, and Q6 based on the first corner processing mode, and control only the cutting operation on corner Q3 based on the second corner processing mode. By performing such control, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can prevent deterioration of the appearance of corner Q while suppressing the time required to cut the workpiece 11.

[0033] In addition, in the cutting device 1 according to this embodiment, a third corner processing mode, separate from the second corner processing mode, may be selected in order to reduce the deterioration of the appearance of the corner Q of the finished product that may occur due to a change in the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3. When the third corner processing mode is selected, the cutting device 1 divides the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 along the first cutting line to the corner Q into two operations: cutting towards the corner Q to a position (cutting stop position) QE that is a predetermined distance before the corner Q, and cutting along the first cutting line from the corner Q to at least position QE. The third corner processing mode is selected, for example, when preventing deterioration of the appearance of the corner Q is prioritized over shortening the time required to cut the workpiece 11.

[0034] When the third corner processing mode is selected, the operation of cutting the workpiece 11 along the cutting line CL2 in the -Y direction (towards corner Q3) ends at a position QE that is a predetermined distance U3 before corner Q3, as illustrated in Figure 10A. Figure 10A shows an enlarged view of the portion of the cutting path C in the workpiece 11 in Figure 5A that includes corner Q3. The same applies to Figures 10B and 10C. More specifically, the operation of cutting towards corner Q3 ends when the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches a position QE that is a distance U3 before corner Q3 on the cutting line CL2. The distance U3 from corner Q3 to position QE may correspond to the value U4+U5, which is the sum of the distance U4 from the front end to the rear end of the cutter 3 in a plan view of the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11 and the distance U5 from the front end of the cutter 3 to corner Q3. Instead of distance U4, the diameter of the cutter 3 (round bar) may be used. Distance U5 may be "0". Note that distances U3 and U5 are intended to be the distance between two points along the cutting line CL2, and when the cutting line is curved, distances U3 and U5 will be longer than the straight-line distance (shortest distance) between two points on the upper surface of the object to be cut 11.

[0035] In the third corner processing mode, after cutting up to position QE of the cutting line CL2, the cutter 3 is moved away from the workpiece 11, and the relative position of the cutter 3 to the workpiece 11 is moved so that the workpiece 11 is cut in the +Y direction along the cutting line CL2 from corner Q3, as illustrated in Figure 10B. After moving the cutter 3 away from the workpiece 11, the cutting device 1 performs an operation to change the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 from the -Y direction to the +Y direction in an adjustment area 220 (see Figure 1A) provided on the upper surface 201 of the plate-shaped member 200 of the holding member 2. The orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 may be changed in a non-productive area of ​​the workpiece 11 instead of in the adjustment area 220, for example. Subsequently, the cutting device 1 changes the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 so that the tip 301 of the cutter 3 can bite into the corner Q3 of the workpiece 11, and moves the cutter 3 from a separated position to a cutting position. These operations may be the same as those performed by a well-known cutting device in which the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is automatically changed in accordance with the change in the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11. After the cutter 3 is thus positioned to cut the workpiece 11 from the corner Q3 towards the position QE where the cutting is stopped along the cutting line CL2 (i.e., in the +Y direction), the cutting device 1 moves the holding member 2 on which the workpiece 11 is placed in the -Y direction to cut the section from the corner Q3 to position QE on the cutting line CL2. At this time, the cutting device 1 moves the holding member 2 in the -Y direction until the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches a position U3+U6 beyond position QE from the corner Q3 on the cutting line CL2, as shown in Figure 10C, for example. Note that the distance U6 may be "0".

[0036] After the entire cutting of the cutting line CL2 is completed using the procedure described above, the cutting device 1 changes the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 and its relative position to the workpiece 11 in order to cut the workpiece 11 along the cutting line CL3 from the corner Q3. In Figure 10C, the cutter 3 is shown by a dotted line to indicate the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 and its position on the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11 when cutting the workpiece 11 in the +X direction along the cutting line CL3 from the corner Q3. The orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 can be changed, for example, in the adjustment region 220. Note that if the cutting line CL3 is cut immediately after the cutting line CL2 has been cut using the procedure described above, the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 is changed so that the blade 300 rotates within region T1. Therefore, if region T1 is not a workpiece, the operation to change the orientation of the blade 300 may be performed while the cutter 3 is in the position it was in when the cutting line CL2 was completed.

[0037] Referring to Figures 10A to 10C, in the third corner processing mode described above, when the workpiece 11 is cut along the cutting path C, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 does not pass over the corner Q3 located in the middle of the cutting path and enter the region T2 that will become the finished product. Therefore, the corner Q3 of the finished product cut according to the third corner processing mode does not suffer from any deterioration in appearance, such as minute cuts caused by the blade 300 of the cutter 3 entering it. Furthermore, in the third corner processing mode, there is no deterioration in appearance, such as scratches, caused by changing the direction of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 at corners Q where the interior angle θ2 is greater than 180 degrees. Thus, by controlling the cutting operation on the corner Q of the workpiece 11 according to the third corner processing mode, a high-quality finished product can be obtained in which there is no deterioration in appearance at the corner Q. Furthermore, when the cutting operation on the corner Q of the workpiece 11 is controlled based on the third corner processing mode, it is possible to prevent deterioration of appearance in both the two adjacent regions T1 and T2 separated by the cutting line (cutting path C) from occurring due to the change in the orientation of the cutter blade 300. For example, when both the two regions T1 and T2 separated by the cutting line are to be used as the final product, both products can be of high quality with no deterioration of appearance at the corner Q.

[0038] The operations performed by the cutting device 1, including the cutting operation on the corner Q described above, are controlled by the control panel 8. As illustrated in Figure 2, the control panel 8 includes a control unit 801, a storage unit 802, an input unit 803, a display unit 804, and a communication unit 805, and these components are interconnected by a bus 806. The control unit 801 controls the operation of the cutting unit 100 by executing a control program for controlling the operation of the cutting unit 100. The functions of the control unit 801 are provided by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes the control program stored in the storage unit 802. The storage unit 802 stores the control program for controlling the operation of the cutting unit 100, cutting data including information on the cutting line (cutting path) set on the object to be cut 11, etc. The functions of the storage unit 802 can be provided by ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) as main memory. The storage device that provides the functions of the storage unit 802 may also include auxiliary storage devices such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive). The input unit 803 accepts operations for inputting and selecting control parameters related to the operation of the cutting unit 100. The display unit 804 visualizes and displays information indicating the control parameters and operating status related to the operation of the cutting unit 100. The functions of the input unit 803 and the display unit 804 are provided by an operation panel that integrates an input device such as a switch or keyboard with a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The operation panel may have a touch panel display that has the functions of both the input unit 803 and the display unit 804. The communication unit 805 communicates with the cutting unit 100 by wire or wireless means, and performs tasks such as acquiring the operating status of the cutting unit 100 and transmitting control signals to the cutting unit 100. The communication unit 805 can communicate with an imaging device (not shown) that captures an image showing the cutting line to be set on the object to be cut 11, and may acquire the image data captured by the imaging device as cutting data or its source data. When image data captured by the imaging device is acquired as the source data for cutting data, the control unit 801 performs a process to derive the cutting line (cutting path) from the source data (image).

[0039] Furthermore, the control panel 800 is not limited to being a device designed and manufactured specifically for controlling the cutting unit 100; it may also be a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer that executes a computer-readable control program. The multiple functions shown in multiple blocks in the control panel 8 of Figure 2 may be provided by a single piece of hardware. For example, the functions of the control unit 801 and the memory unit 802 may be provided by integrated circuit devices such as FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Also, the functions shown in a single block in the control panel 8 of Figure 2 may be provided by multiple separate pieces of hardware. For example, the functions of the memory unit 802 may be provided by ROM and RAM, as well as auxiliary storage devices such as HDDs, as described above. In addition, there may be two or more processors providing the functions of the control unit 801. Furthermore, the operation of the cutting device 1 according to this embodiment may be controlled by a smartphone or personal computer that can communicate with the communication unit 805 of the control panel 8. As described above, the control panel 8 may also be called a control device 8 or a control unit 8, and may be, for example, a small computer built into the device housing of the cutting device 1 together with the cutting unit 100.

[0040] As described above, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can control the cutting operation on the corners Q of the cutting path C based on one of the first corner processing mode, the second corner processing mode, and the third corner processing mode. Which corner processing mode to control based on can be associated, for example, with the selectable cutting modes in the cutting device 1. Figure 11A illustrates the standard mode, high-quality mode, and high-speed mode as selectable cutting modes in the cutting device 1. In the standard mode and high-quality mode, the cutting speed when cutting the workpiece 11 is V1, and in the high-speed mode, the cutting speed when cutting the workpiece 11 is V2 (>V1). The high-speed mode is selected, for example, when performing a test cut, when it is more important to shorten the time required for the cutting process than to prevent deterioration of the appearance of the finished product. For this reason, when the high-speed mode is selected, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment always controls the cutting operation on each corner Q of the cutting path C based on the first corner processing mode, regardless of the size of the interior angle θ2. In other words, when the high-speed mode is selected, the cutting device 1 changes the orientation of the blade 300 at each corner Q of the cutting path C while the pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3. The cutting mode can be selected from standard mode, high-quality mode, and high-speed mode, for example, using the input section 803 of the control panel 8.

[0041] The standard mode is a cutting mode that controls the cutting operation for corners Q with an interior angle θ2 (degrees) of 180 < θ2 < 360 based on a second corner processing mode, and is selected when preventing deterioration of the appearance of the finished product is prioritized over shortening the time required for the cutting process. The high-quality mode is a cutting mode that controls the cutting operation for corners Q with an interior angle θ2 (degrees) of 180 < θ2 < 360 based on a third corner processing mode, and is selected when preventing deterioration of the appearance of the finished product is of greater importance. "Reverse cutting" associated with the high-quality mode in Figure 11A indicates that cutting along the first direction is stopped at a predetermined point (position QE) before reaching the corner ahead of the cutting line, and then the workpiece 11 is cut in a second direction (different from the direction before cutting was stopped at the cutting stop position) from the corner toward the cutting stop position.

[0042] The correspondence between the cutting mode and the corner processing mode in the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment may be the relationship illustrated in Figure 11B. Specifically, the standard mode and the high-quality mode may be set to control the cutting operation for corners Q with an interior angle θ2 (degrees) of 0 < θ2 < 180 based on the second corner processing mode. The high-speed mode may also be set to control the cutting operation for corners Q with an interior angle θ2 (degrees) of 0 < θ2 < 180 based on the second corner processing mode. The correspondence between the cutting mode and the corner processing mode in the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment may be different from the relationship illustrated in Figures 11A and 11B. Furthermore, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment may allow the user to switch between the corner processing modes associated with each of the standard mode, high-quality mode, and high-speed mode. For example, when the cutting mode is set to standard mode, the corner processing mode may be switchable by user operation to either the corner processing mode exemplified in Figure 11A or the corner processing mode exemplified in Figure 11B.

[0043] When the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment cuts the object to be cut 11, a corner operation setting process is performed to set which of the first corner processing mode, the second corner processing mode, or the third corner processing mode will be used to control the cutting operation on the corner Q in the cutting path set on the object to be cut 11 based on the cutting data. The corner operation setting process is performed, for example, by the control panel 8 of the cutting device 1 after the above-mentioned cutting mode is selected by user operation with reference to Figures 11A and 11B. For example, if the standard mode in Figure 11A is selected as the cutting mode, the control panel 8 of the cutting device 1 can perform the corner operation setting process according to the flowchart in Figure 12. The corner operation setting process in Figure 12 is mainly performed by the control unit 801 of the control panel 8.

[0044] The control unit 801 first acquires the cutting path and the output area based on the cutting data (step S100). In this specification, one cutting path is defined as a cutting path that can be drawn in a single stroke. The cutting path is not limited to a path that separates the object to be cut 11 into two areas, such as cutting path C illustrated in Figure 5A, but may also be a path that starts at a first position on the upper surface 1101 of the object to be cut and ends at a second position different from the first position. The output area may be specified in the cutting data, or it may be set by the control unit 801 based on the determination result after determining the shape of the cutting path, or it may be specified by the user (operator) of the cutting device 1 using the input unit 803 and display unit 804 of the control panel 8. In addition, in step S100, the user (operator) of the cutting device 1 may specify and change the cutting start position (start point) and cutting end position (end point) in the cutting path using the input unit 803 and display unit 804 of the control panel 8. After step S100, the control unit 801 selects a cutting path (step S101) and determines whether or not there is a corner in the middle of the selected cutting path (step S102). If it is determined that there is no corner in the middle of the cutting path (step S102; NO), the control unit 801 skips the process of setting the corner processing mode for controlling the cutting operation on the corner (steps S103 to S108) and determines whether or not there is an unselected cutting path (step S109). If there is an unselected cutting path (step S109; YES), the control unit 801 repeats the process from step S101 onwards. If there is no unselected path (step S109; NO), the control unit 801 terminates the corner operation setting process.

[0045] If it is determined that there is a corner in the middle of the selected cutting path (step S102; YES), the control unit 801 selects the corner present in the cutting path (step S103). Subsequently, the control unit 801 derives the angle (interior angle θ2) within the region that will become the output of the selected corner (step S104), and determines whether the derived interior angle θ2 (degrees) is 0 < θ2 < 180 (step S105). In step S104, the control unit 801 derives the interior angle θ2 based on the extension direction of the two cutting lines extending from the selected corner and which of the two adjacent regions separated by the cutting lines is the region that will become the output obtained in step S100. The derived interior angle θ2 may be a specific (exact) angle derived by an arithmetic formula using vectors or trigonometric functions, or it may be a value indicating whether the interior angle θ2 (degrees) is 0 < θ2 < 180 or 180 < θ2 < 360 as described above.

[0046] The standard mode illustrated in Figure 11A is a cutting mode that controls the cutting operation on the corner based on the first corner processing mode when 0 < θ2 < 180, and controls the cutting operation on the corner based on the second corner processing mode when 180 < θ2 < 360. Therefore, if it is determined that the derived interior angle θ2 (degrees) is 0 < θ2 < 180 (step S105; YES), the control unit 801 is set to control the cutting operation on the selected corner based on the first corner processing mode (step S106). If it is determined that the derived interior angle θ2 (degrees) is not 0 < θ2 < 180 (step S105; NO), the control unit 801 is set to control the cutting operation on the selected corner based on the second corner processing mode (step S107).

[0047] After step S106 or S107, the control unit 801 determines whether or not there is an unselected corner in the middle of the currently selected cutting path (step S108). If it is determined that there is an unselected corner (step S108; YES), the control unit 801 repeats the process from step S103 onwards described above. If it is determined that there is no unselected corner (step S108), the control unit 801 determines whether or not there is an unselected cutting path (step S109). If there is an unselected cutting path (step S109; YES), the control unit 801 repeats the process from step S101 onwards. If there is no unselected path (step S109; NO), the control unit 801 terminates the corner operation setting process.

[0048] Referring to Figure 12, the corner operation setting process described above is merely an example of a process that the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can perform to set a control method for cutting operations on the corners of the cutting path. The corner operation setting process is modified according to the corner processing mode associated with the pre-set cutting mode. For example, if the high-quality mode shown in Figure 11A is selected as the cutting mode, the process in step S107 of the flowchart in Figure 12 is replaced with a process that sets the cutting operation on the selected corner to be controlled based on a third corner processing mode. Also, for example, if the high-speed mode shown in Figure 11A is selected as the cutting mode, the processes in steps S104, S105, and S107 of the flowchart in Figure 12 can be omitted. Furthermore, the corner operation setting process may be performed by a smartphone, tablet computer, or other computer communicating with the control panel 8 of the cutting device 1. In this case, the cutting device 1 can acquire information indicating which corner processing mode to control the cutting operation on the corners, along with or while included in the cutting data, including the cutting path and cutting sequence set for the workpiece 11.

[0049] The cutting device 1 according to the embodiment controls the cutting operation on the object to be cut 11 by utilizing information indicating which corner processing mode to control the cutting operation on the corners of the cutting path, which is set by the corner operation setting process etc. described above with reference to Figure 12. When cutting the object to be cut 11, the control panel 8 of the cutting device 1 can perform cutting processing according to the flowchart in Figure 13, for example. The cutting processing in Figure 13 is mainly performed by the control unit 801.

[0050] The control unit 801 first performs an initial adjustment process on the cutting unit 100 (step S200). The initial adjustment process includes several processes that are performed before cutting the workpiece 11 in a well-known cutting device, such as moving the carriage 4 (cutter 3) and the holding member 2 to the home position and performing an initial check on the movement of the carriage 4 and the holding member 2. When step S200 is completed successfully, the control unit 801 selects a cutting path from the cutting data, moves the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to the cutting start position on the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11 (step S201), and applies a pressing load P1 to the cutter 3 (step S202). In steps S201 and S202, the control unit 801 performs the same processes as in a well-known cutting device.

[0051] After steps S201 and S202, the control unit 801 moves the relative position of the cutter 3 to the workpiece 11 based on the selected cutting path to cut the workpiece 11 (step S203), and determines whether or not the end point of the cutting path has been reached (step S204). In step S203, the control unit 801 performs the same processing as in a well-known cutting device. If it is determined that the end point of the cutting path has been reached (step S204; YES), the control unit 801 determines whether or not there is an uncut cutting path (step S211). If it is determined that there is an uncut cutting path (step S211; YES), the control unit 801 performs the processing from step S201 onwards. If it is determined that there is no uncut cutting path (step S211; NO), the control unit 801 terminates the cutting process.

[0052] On the other hand, if it is determined that the end point of the cutting path has not been reached (step S204; NO), the control unit 801 determines, for example, whether there is a corner ahead of the cutting line that is being cut that will be controlled based on the corner processing mode (step S205). If it is determined that there is no such corner (step S205; NO), the control unit 801 repeats the process from step S203 onwards. If it is determined that there is a such corner (step S205; YES), the control unit 801 acquires a corner processing mode for controlling the cutting operation for the corresponding corner (step S206) and determines whether the timing to start controlling the cutting operation for the corner has arrived (step S207). The timing to start controlling the cutting operation for the corner differs depending on which corner processing mode is used to control the cutting operation for the corner to be controlled. For example, as shown in Figure 14, when controlling based on the first corner processing mode or the second corner processing mode, the timing to start control is when the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches the corner to be controlled. Furthermore, when controlling based on the third corner processing mode, the timing for starting control is when the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches a cutting stop position on the cutting line where the distance from the tip 301 of the cutter 3 to the corner to be controlled is a predetermined distance U3 (see Figure 10A). In Figure 14, "constant pressure load" associated with the first corner processing mode indicates adjusting the blade direction while keeping the pressure load constant at the corner, and "fluctuating pressure load" associated with the second corner processing mode indicates adjusting the blade direction by reducing the pressure load from P1 to P2 at the corner. In addition, "reverse cutting" associated with the third corner processing mode indicates cutting along the cutting line to a cutting stop position a predetermined distance before the front corner, and then cutting the workpiece 11 from the corner towards the cutting stop position (in the opposite direction to before cutting stopped at the cutting stop position). If it is determined that the timing to start control has not yet arrived (step S207; NO), the control unit 801 repeats the processing from step S203 onwards.

[0053] If the control unit 801 determines that it is time to start control (step S207; YES), it determines whether to control the cutting operation on the corner based on the first corner processing mode (step S208). If it determines to control based on the first corner processing mode (step S208; YES), the control unit 801 controls the operation of the cutting unit 100 so as to change the direction of the blade 300 while the pressing load P1 is applied to the cutter 3 (step S209). If it determines that the control is not based on the first corner processing mode (step S208; NO), the control unit 801 controls the operation of the cutting unit 100 based on the second corner processing mode or the third corner processing mode set for the corner that is the target of the cutting operation control (step S210). After step S209 or S210, the control unit 801 repeats the process from step S203 onwards.

[0054] The process in step S210 differs depending on whether a second corner processing mode or a third corner processing mode is set for the corner that is the target of the cutting operation control. If the second corner processing mode is set, the control unit 801 can perform the process in step S210, for example, according to the flowchart in Figure 15A. The control unit 801 stops the movement of the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 at the timing when the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches the corner Q (step S220), and reduces the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 from P1 to P2 (step S221). Subsequently, the control unit 801 changes the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to which the pressing load P2 has been applied (step S222), and returns the pressing load applied to the cutter 3 from P2 to P1 (step S223).

[0055] If the third corner processing mode is set, the control unit 810 can perform, for example, the processing in step S210 according to the flowchart in Figure 15B. The control unit 801 stops moving the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 before the blade 300 of the cutter 3 reaches the corner Q (step S240), and moves the cutter 3 to the separated position illustrated in Figure 3A (step S241). In step S240, the control unit 801 stops moving the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 when the tip 301 of the cutter 3 reaches a position QE that is a distance U3 before the corner Q on the cutting line currently being cut (see Figure 10A). Subsequently, the control unit 801 changes the orientation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 outside the area of ​​the workpiece 11 that will become the finished product, to the orientation when cutting the workpiece 11 along the cutting line from the corner Q (step S242). Subsequently, the control unit 801 moves the cutter 3 to a position where the tip 301 becomes a corner and applies a pressing load P1 to the cutter 3 (step S243), and moves the cutter 3 relative to the corner Q in the opposite direction along the cutting line in progress by a predetermined distance (step S244). In the process of step S244, the term "opposite direction" refers to the direction from the corner on the cutting line in progress toward the cutting stop position. The predetermined distance in step S244 is greater than or equal to the distance U3 from the position QE when the operation stopped in step S240 to the corner Q.

[0056] If, after the processing from step S203 onward, the relative position of the cutter 3 to the workpiece 11 reaches the end point of the selected cutting path (step S204; YES), the control unit 801 determines whether or not there are any uncut cutting paths (step S211). If it is determined that there are any uncut cutting paths (step S211; YES), the control unit 801 performs the processing from step S201 onward. If it is determined that there are no uncut cutting paths (step S211; NO), the control unit 801 terminates the cutting process.

[0057] As described above, the cutting device 1 according to this embodiment can control the cutting operation with respect to the corner Q of the cutting path C set on the object to be cut 11 (in other words, control the relative position of the cutter 3 with respect to the object to be cut 11) based on one of a plurality of corner processing modes. The plurality of corner processing modes include a second corner processing mode and a third corner processing mode that suppress the movement of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 to stir the object to be cut 11 in the area that will become the finished product at the corner Q. For this reason, the cutting device 1 according to this embodiment can reduce the deterioration of the appearance of the corners in the finished product obtained by cutting the object to be cut 11. In particular, by stopping the cutting of the object to be cut 11 at a predetermined point (position QE) before the blade 300 of the cutter 3 reaches the corner Q, and cutting the object to be cut 11 in the opposite direction from the corner Q (towards position QE), it is possible to prevent deterioration of the appearance such as cuts that occur when the blade 300 of the cutter 3 goes beyond the corner Q into the finished product. Furthermore, since it includes a first corner processing mode in which the direction of the blade 300 can be changed at the corner Q while the cutting pressure load P1 is applied to the cutter 3, when the high-speed mode is selected, corner cutting can be performed in a short time in the standard mode and high-quality mode where the inner angle θ2 (degrees) is 0 < θ2 < 180 and the rotation of the blade 300 does not degrade the appearance of the finished product. Accordingly, the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can flexibly respond to the user's priorities for the cutting process of the workpiece 11 (such as short processing time and no degradation of the appearance of the finished product).

[0058] The cutting processes described above with reference to Figures 13, 14, 15A, and 15B are merely examples of cutting processes that can be executed in the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment. The cutting processes that can be executed in the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment can be modified in terms of their order and content, as long as no inconsistencies arise. For example, the control unit 801 may read from the storage unit 802 the cutting process program for the cutting mode selected by user operation, from among the separate cutting process programs prepared for each cutting mode, and execute it.

[0059] In the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment, the cutting path C that can be set for the object to be cut 11 is not limited to a path composed of a combination of multiple straight lines (line segments), such as the cutting lines CL1 to CL6 illustrated in Figure 5A. The cutting path C may be, for example, a sector-shaped path C illustrated in Figure 16A. When cutting in the order of cutting lines CL1, CL2, and CL3, starting from corner Q1, which is one end of the arc in the sector-shaped path C, the interior angle θ2 at corner Q2 where the arc-shaped cutting line CL1 and the straight cutting line CL2 connect may be the angle between the tangent line LQ at corner Q2, which is the other end of the arc, and the cutting line CL2. The rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 at corner Q2 occurs in the region T1 which is outside the sector-shaped region T2 enclosed by the sector-shaped path C. For this reason, when the sector-shaped region T2 enclosed by the sector-shaped path C is to be the output, as illustrated in Figure 16A, the cutting operation on corner Q2 may be controlled based on a first corner processing mode. In contrast, the cutting operation on the corner Q3, which is the central angle of the sector, is controlled by a second or third corner processing mode to prevent deterioration of the appearance due to the rotation of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 within the region T2 that will become the output. Note that in the case of a sector with a central angle less than 180 degrees, the cutting operation on the corner Q3 may be controlled based on the first corner processing mode. Furthermore, the curve included in the cutting path C is not limited to the circular arc exemplified in Figure 16A.

[0060] Furthermore, the cutting paths set for the object to be cut 11 may be multiple cutting paths, such as the cutting paths CA and CB illustrated in Figure 16B. When the strip-shaped rectangular ring region T2 formed in cutting path CA and the cutting path CB inside it is considered the output, and the outer region T1 is considered a non-output, the cutting operation on the corners Q11 to Q14 of cutting path CA that divides these regions T2 and T1 can be controlled based on a first corner processing mode. Also, when the rectangular ring region T2 is considered the output, and the inner region T3 is considered a non-output, the cutting operation on the corners Q21 to Q24 of cutting path CB that divides these regions T2 and T3 can be controlled based on a second corner processing mode or a third corner processing mode. Moreover, in the cutting device 1 according to the embodiment, for example, when the rectangular ring region T2 and the inner region T3 inside it are considered the output, the cutting operation on the corners Q21 to Q24 of cutting path CB can be controlled based on a third corner processing mode. Therefore, it is possible to prevent any deterioration in appearance from occurring in either the deliverables from region T2 or the deliverables from region T3.

[0061] The third corner processing mode described above is not limited to controlling the cutting operation for corners located along the cutting path C, but can also be applied to controlling the operation at the end of cutting when the corner of the cutting path is the endpoint (cutting end position). For example, when cutting the workpiece 11 along the cutting path C illustrated in Figure 5A ends at corner Q1, if the operation ends when the cutting tip 301 reaches corner Q1, the blade 300 of the cutter 3 will pass through corner Q1 and enter region T1. Therefore, if region T1 is to be the finished product, a mark (notch) will be left at corner Q1 where the blade 300 of the cutter 3 entered. Accordingly, for example, as shown in Figure 17, when the cutting mode is the high-quality mode, the cutting operation at the endpoint of the cutting path may be controlled based on the third corner processing mode, which cuts in the reverse direction. In Figure 17, "reverse cutting" is intended to cut the workpiece 11 along the cutting line toward the endpoint corner Q to a cutting stop position before corner Q, and then cut along the cutting line from corner Q to the cutting stop position, similar to the third corner processing mode described above. In Figure 17, "one-way cutting" when the cutting mode is standard mode or high-speed mode is a cutting operation in which the workpiece 11 is cut in one direction toward corner Q, and the cutting operation ends when the tip 301 reaches corner Q.

[0062] The first drive unit 7A and holding member moving mechanism 110, and the second drive unit 7B and X-direction moving mechanism 121 in the cutting device 1 described above are examples of relative position changing means that change the relative position of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 held by the holding member 2 in a plan view of the upper surface (XY plane) of the workpiece 11. The relative position changing means in the cutting device 1 may be configured such that, instead of the holding member moving mechanism 110, a mechanism is added to the carriage moving mechanism 120 that allows the carriage 4 to move in the Y direction. As a specific example, the cutting device 1 may be configured such that the carriage support member 5 can be moved in the Y direction by the first drive unit 7A, and the transport rollers 6A and 6B may be omitted. The relative position changing means in the cutting device 1 may include, for example, a mechanism that rotates the holding member 2 (workpiece 11) in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 200. Furthermore, the third drive unit 7C and the rotational movement mechanism 122 in the cutting device 1 described above are examples of relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the workpiece 11. The cutting device 1 may also be equipped with a movement mechanism for moving the cutter 3 in the Z direction instead of the rotational movement mechanism 122. That is, the term "relative position changing means" as used herein refers to means that can both change the relative position of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the XY plane parallel to the upper surface 1101 of the workpiece 11, and change the relative position of the blade 300 of the cutter 3 with respect to the workpiece 11 in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the workpiece 11. Moreover, the third drive unit 7C and the rotational movement mechanism 122 or the movement mechanism for moving the cutter 3 in the Z direction in the cutting device 1 may be examples of pressing load applying means for applying a pressing load to the cutter 3 in contact with the workpiece 11.

[0063] The embodiments described above are specific examples provided to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The cutting device can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 1…Cutting device, 2…Holding member, 3…Cutter, 300…Blade, 301…Cutting tip, 4…Carriage, 5…Carriage support member, 7A…First drive unit, 7B…Second drive unit, 7C…Third drive unit, 110…Holding member movement mechanism, 121…X-direction movement mechanism, 122…Rotational movement mechanism, 11…Workpiece to be cut, 1101…Top surface, C…Cutting path, CL1~CL6…Cutting line, Q, Q1~Q6…Corner, T1~T3…Region, θ2…Interior angle

Claims

1. A means for applying a pressing load to a cutter that is in contact with the object to be cut, A relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the cutter blade with respect to the object to be cut, A cutting device comprising a cutting mechanism that adjusts the direction of the blade and cuts the object to be cut by changing the relative position of the blade of the cutter with respect to the object to be cut when a pressing load is applied, thereby obtaining an output of a predetermined shape from the object to be cut, A selection means for selecting one of several cutting modes, each with a different control method for cutting an object along a set cutting path, A control means that controls the operation of the pressing load application means and the relative position change means based on the cutting mode selected by the selection means, A cutting device further equipped with [the following features].

2. The plurality of cutting modes include a first cutting mode and a second cutting mode, each having a different method of controlling the cutting operation at the corner when the angle θ2 on the side of the region that will become the output at the corner on the cutting path is greater than 180 degrees. The control means is When the first cutting mode is selected, the pressing load applied to the cutter at the corner is changed to a second pressing load smaller than the first pressing load used during cutting, the direction of the blade is changed, and then the pressing load applied to the cutter is returned to the first pressing load by controlling the pressing load application means and the relative position changing means. When the second cutting mode is selected, the cutting of the workpiece along the first direction is stopped at a predetermined point before the blade of the cutter reaches the corner located in front of the cutting line included in the cutting path, the cutter is moved away from the workpiece, and the orientation is adjusted to start cutting the workpiece along the cutting line from the corner, and then the pressing load applying means and the relative position changing means are controlled to cut the workpiece along the cutting line in a second direction different from the first direction from the corner. The cutting device according to claim 1.

3. The plurality of cutting modes further include a third cutting mode in which the speed at which the workpiece is cut is faster than the first cutting mode and the second cutting mode. The control means is When the third cutting mode is selected and the angle θ2 is greater than 180 degrees, the pressing load applied to the cutter at the corner is controlled to change the direction of the blade while maintaining the pressing load of the first pressing load. The cutting apparatus according to claim 2.

4. When the angle θ2 is less than 180 degrees, the control means controls the pressing load application means and the relative position changing means so as to change the direction of the blade while keeping the pressing load applied to the cutter at the corner the first pressing load. The cutting device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. A means for applying a pressing load to a cutter that is in contact with the object to be cut, A relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the cutter blade with respect to the object to be cut, A control means for a cutting device that includes a cutting mechanism that adjusts the direction of the blade and cuts the object to be cut by changing the relative position of the blade of the cutter with respect to the object to be cut when a pressing load is applied, and obtains an output of a predetermined shape from the object to be cut, Based on the cutting mode selected by a selection means, which selects one of a plurality of cutting modes that have different control methods for cutting an object along a set cutting path on the object to be cut, the operation of the pressing load application means and the relative position change means is controlled. Control method.

6. A means for applying a pressing load to a cutter that is in contact with the object to be cut, A relative position changing means for changing the relative position of the cutter blade with respect to the object to be cut, The control means of a cutting device that includes a mechanism that adjusts the direction of the blade and cuts the object to be cut by changing the relative position of the blade of the cutter with respect to the object to be cut when a pressing load is applied, and obtains an output of a predetermined shape from the object to be cut, Based on the cutting mode selected by the selection means, which selects one of a plurality of cutting modes that differ in the method of controlling the operation of cutting the object to be cut along a set cutting path on the object to be cut, the operation of the pressing load application means and the relative position change means is controlled. program.

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