Laser processing machine

Abstract

To suppress an object or the like from being pinched.SOLUTION: A main body cover 60 includes a partition main body 70 covering a circumference of a processor main body 10 and a slide door 80 that opens and closes an opening part OP of the partition main body 70. The slide door 80 has a driving part that drives the slide door 80, a first door 81 that is moved by driving force generated by the driving part to open and close a space between a rear end portion Po1 and an intermediate portion Po3 of the opening part OP, and a second door 82 that moves together with the first door 81 and is moved relatively with respect to the first door 81 by manual operation of an operator. The second door 82 is moved with respect to the first door 81, with the first door 81 closed up to the intermediate portion Po3, to open and close the space between the intermediate portion Po3 and a front end portion Po2 of the opening part OP.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a laser processing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Laser processing machines that use a laser beam to perform cutting processing on plate-shaped workpieces such as sheet metal are known. Laser processing machines cut the workpiece with thermal energy by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. From the viewpoint of suppressing the influence of the laser beam on the surroundings and preventing gases and dust generated during processing from scattering into the surroundings, the surroundings of the processing machine body that performs the laser processing are covered with a body cover.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the processing machine body is sealed in a body cover (dustproof chamber). The body cover is provided with an entrance that is an opening for carrying in a workpiece, and a door that automatically opens and closes the entrance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-10380 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The door that opens and closes the opening of the main body cover is opened and closed when carrying in a workpiece or taking out parts cut out from the workpiece. This door may also be opened and closed while processing is temporarily stopped in order to measure the dimensions of the part or check the processing quality of the part. Since the door is opened and closed in various situations, it is necessary to be careful not to get objects caught in the door when opening and closing it automatically. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A laser processing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a processing machine body that irradiates a laser beam onto a workpiece to perform laser processing, and a body cover that is provided on the processing machine body, the body cover including a partition body that covers the periphery of the processing machine body, and a sliding door that opens and closes an opening provided on a side of the partition body. The sliding door includes a drive unit that drives the sliding door, a first door that moves by a driving force generated by the drive unit to open and close the area between one end of the opening and a middle part of the opening, and a second door that moves in conjunction with the first door and moves relatively to the first door by manual operation by an operator, and the second door moves relatively to the first door when the first door is closed to the middle part, thereby opening and closing the area between the middle part and the other end of the opening.

[0007] According to the laser processing machine of one aspect of the present invention, when the second door reaches the other end of the opening, the sliding door is fully closed. The first door is opened and closed automatically, but the second door is opened and closed manually by the operator. This allows the operation of the second door reaching the other end of the opening to be left to the operator. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, since the worker himself can manually operate the second door, it is possible to prevent objects from getting caught. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of a laser processing machine according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the main parts of the laser processing machine body and the normal position of the pallet. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the main parts of the laser processing machine body and the drawn-out position of the pallet. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a drive unit that drives the first door. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operating range of the sliding door. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control system for the sliding door. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating a first mode of the opening operation of the slide door. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a timing chart illustrating a first mode of the opening operation of the slide door. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating a first mode of the closing operation of the sliding door. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a timing chart illustrating a first mode of the closing operation of the sliding door. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a timing chart illustrating a second mode of the opening operation of the slide door. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a timing chart illustrating a second mode of the opening operation of the slide door. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a timing chart illustrating a second mode of the closing operation of the sliding door. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a timing chart illustrating a second mode of the closing operation of the slide door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, the laser processing machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a laser processing machine according to this embodiment. First, an overview of a laser processing machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described. This laser processing machine 1 includes a processing machine body 10 that irradiates a laser beam onto a workpiece to perform laser processing, and a body cover 60 provided on the processing machine body 10. The body cover 60 includes a partition body 70 that covers the periphery of the processing machine body 10, and a slide door 80 that opens and closes an opening OP provided on a side portion of the partition body 70. The slide door 80 includes a drive unit that drives the slide door 80, a first door 81 that moves by a driving force generated by the drive unit to open and close a gap between a rear end (one end) Po1 of the opening OP and a middle portion Po3 of the opening OP, and a second door 82 that moves in conjunction with the first door 81 and moves relatively to the first door 81 by manual operation by an operator. The second door 82 moves relatively to the first door 81 in a state in which the first door 81 is closed up to the intermediate part Po3, thereby opening and closing the space between the intermediate part Po3 and the front end (other end) Po2 side of the opening OP.

[0012] Hereinafter, the laser processing machine according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the main parts of the laser processing machine body and the normal position of the pallet. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the main parts of the laser processing machine body and the drawn-out position of the pallet. In this specification, the left-right direction and the front-back direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction, and the up-down direction perpendicular to each of the left-right direction and the front-back direction are used to define directions.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the laser processing machine 1 includes a processing machine body 10 and a body cover 60.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the processing machine body 10 includes a base 11, a side frame 12, a head driving mechanism 15, a processing head 30, and a pallet 50.

[0015] The base 11 is configured in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and is placed on a mounting surface such as a floor surface.

[0016] The side frames 12 are disposed at the front and rear edges of the base 11. The side frames 12 at the front and rear edges are disposed parallel to each other.

[0017] The head driving mechanism 15 is a mechanism for moving the processing head 30 along the in-plane direction of the workpiece. The head driving mechanism 15 includes an X-axis carriage 16 and a Y-axis carriage 19.

[0018] The X-axis carriage 16 has a gate shape. The X-axis carriage 16 is supported by a pair of side frames 12 and is configured to be movable along the side frames 12. The X-axis carriage 16 is driven by an X-axis carriage drive unit (not shown) provided on the side frames 12, and moves in the left-right direction.

[0019] The Y-axis carriage 19 is disposed on the X-axis carriage 16. The Y-axis carriage 19 is supported by the X-axis carriage 16 and configured to be movable along the X-axis carriage 16. The Y-axis carriage 19 is driven by a Y-axis carriage drive unit (not shown) provided on the X-axis carriage 16, and moves in the front-rear direction.

[0020] The processing head 30 irradiates a laser beam from above the workpiece to perform laser processing on the workpiece. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator 110 is transmitted to the processing head 30 via a process fiber (not shown). The laser beam transmitted to the processing head 30 passes through an optical system provided inside the processing head 30 and is irradiated onto the workpiece from an opening provided at the tip of the processing head 30.

[0021] The machining head 30 is fixed to the Y-axis carriage 19. By driving the X-axis carriage drive unit and the Y-axis carriage drive unit to move the X-axis carriage 16 and the Y-axis carriage 19, the machining head 30 can be moved in the left-right direction and the front-back direction parallel to the in-plane direction of the workpiece.

[0022] The processing head 30 can perform laser processing within a predetermined processing range through movement by the head drive mechanism 15. The laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment is a device designed for small-sized workpieces, and the processing range is set to a range capable of processing a workpiece of a maximum size of 4' x 4' (1219 mm x 1219 mm).

[0023] The pallet 50 is supported horizontally by a pair of side frames 12. A workpiece is placed on the pallet 50. The pallet 50 is formed to be long in the left-right direction. The left-right length of the pallet 50 is approximately the same as the left-right length of the processing machine body 10. The pallet 50 can accommodate a workpiece with a maximum size of 4' x 8' (1219 mm x 2438 mm). In other words, the pallet 50 can accommodate a workpiece larger than the processing range.

[0024] The pallet 50 includes a frame 51 , a plurality of skids 52 , and a plurality of clamp portions 53 .

[0025] The frame body 51 is a substantially rectangular frame member that is elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from above.

[0026] The multiple skids 52 support workpieces placed on the pallet 50. The multiple skids 52 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. Each skid 52 is a plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction and is made of a metal material such as steel, for example, mild steel. The skids 52 are arranged parallel to the front-rear direction, and both ends of the skids 52 are fixed to the frame 51. The skids 52 fixed to the frame 51 stand vertically, for example.

[0027] Each skid 52 has a plurality of protrusions that protrude upward. The plurality of protrusions are provided at the upper end of the skid 52 at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. Each protrusion is a plate that is elongated in the up-down direction and has a mountain-like shape that narrows toward the upper end. The workpiece is supported at the top of the skid 52, i.e., at the apex of each protrusion.

[0028] The clamp units 53 fix the workpiece supported by the skid 52. The clamp units 53 are fixed to the frame 51.

[0029] The processing machine body 10 further includes a control device 100 and a laser oscillator 110. The control device 100 controls the operation of the laser processing machine 1. The control device 100 is composed of a box-shaped housing, a circuit board housed inside the housing, and the like. The laser oscillator 110 generates a laser beam and supplies the laser beam to the processing head 30. The laser oscillator 110 is composed of a box-shaped housing, electronic components and electric components housed inside the housing, and the like.

[0030] The control device 100 and the laser oscillator 110 are disposed on a base 11 of the processing machine body 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the control device 100 is disposed on the lower right end of the base 11 and fixed to the base 11. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the laser oscillator 110 is disposed on the upper right end of the base 11 and fixed to the base 11. The laser oscillator 110 is disposed above the control device 100, and a space serving as a gap is formed between the laser oscillator 110 and the control device 100.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the processing machine main body 10 further includes an operation unit 120. The operation unit 120 is a device for an operator to perform input operations in order to operate the laser processing machine 1. For example, the operation unit 120 is mainly composed of a touch panel and a keyboard that allow an operator to perform input operations according to information displayed on a display. The operator can input various information to the laser processing machine 1 by operating the operation unit 120. In addition, the operator can grasp various information related to the laser processing machine 1 from the information displayed on the display.

[0032] 2 and 3, in the processing machine body 10 configured as above, the pallet 50 is supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction via guide members (not shown) fixed to the side frames 12. The guide members slidably support rails provided on a frame body 51 of the pallet 50, thereby guiding the linear motion of the pallet 50.

[0033] A handle (not shown) is provided at the left end of the pallet 50 for an operator to grasp in order to move the pallet 50. The operator can move the pallet 50 between the regular position and the pulled-out position by grasping the handle and moving the pallet 50 in the left-right direction.

[0034] 2, when the pallet 50 is located at the rightmost rear of the processing machine body 10, the position of the pallet 50 is the normal position. When the pallet 50 is in the normal position, about half of the left side of the pallet 50 is included in the processing range. The remaining area of ​​the pallet 50 (the area on the right side) enters the space formed between the control device 100 and the laser oscillator 110.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 3, when the pallet 50 is pulled out to the left, the pallet 50 moves from the normal position to the pulled out position. When the pallet 50 is in the pulled out position, the area on the left side of the pallet 50 protrudes outward beyond the base 11 of the processing machine body 10. When the pallet 50 is in the pulled out position, about half of the area on the right side of the pallet 50 is included in the processing range. Therefore, by switching the pallet 50 between the normal position and the pulled out position, the entire area of ​​the maximum size workpiece that can be placed on the pallet 50, for example, a 4' x 8' size workpiece, can be processed.

[0036] 1, the main body cover 60 is provided on the processing machine main body 10. The main body cover 60 serves to suppress the influence of the laser beam on the surroundings and to suppress the scattering of gas and dust generated during processing. The main body cover 60 includes a partition main body 70 and a sliding door 80.

[0037] The partition body 70 is a member that covers the periphery of the processing machine body 10. The partition body 70 is composed of a fixed wall 71 and a movable wall 75.

[0038] The fixed wall 71 covers the rear side and its peripheral portion of the processing machine body 10. The movable wall 75 covers the front side, top surface, and right side surface of the processing machine body 10. The movable wall 75 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the left-right direction by a telescopic structure. When the movable wall 75 is pulled out to the left, the movable wall 75 extends, and the processing machine body 10 is covered by the movable wall 75. On the other hand, when the movable wall 75 is pushed to the right, the movable wall 75 contracts, and the processing machine body 10 appears to the outside.

[0039] An opening OP is provided on the left side surface of the partition body 70. An operator can access the space surrounded by the partition body 70 and the processing machine body 10 through the opening OP.

[0040] The sliding door 80 opens and closes the opening OP. The sliding door 80 includes a first door 81 and a second door 82. The sliding door 80 opens and closes the area between a rear end Po1 of the opening OP (hereinafter referred to as "rear end Po1 of the opening") and a front end Po2 of the opening OP (hereinafter referred to as "front end Po2 of the opening") by cooperation between the first door 81 and the second door 82.

[0041] The first door 81 is supported by the fixed wall 71 and configured to be movable in the front-rear direction. The first door 81 can move in the front-rear direction by a driving force generated by a driving unit.

[0042] 4 is a diagram showing a drive unit that drives the first door. The sliding door 80 further includes a drive motor 85, an actuator 86, and a rack 87. The drive motor 85, the actuator 86, and the rack 87 configure a drive unit that drives the sliding door 80.

[0043] The drive motor 85 is a drive source that drives the sliding door 80. The drive motor 85 is fixed to an actuator 86. The drive motor 85 is, for example, a servo motor. An output shaft of the drive motor 85 is provided with a pinion (not shown) that meshes with a rack 87 that is disposed on the back surface of the first door 81 along the front-rear direction. As a result, the first door 81 moves in the front-rear direction by the drive force generated by the drive motor 85.

[0044] The actuator 86 is fixed to a rear panel 72 provided on the rear surface of the fixed wall 71 that forms the left side surface. The rear panel 72 is disposed at a certain distance from the fixed wall 71 so that the sliding door 80 can pass through. The actuator 86 raises and lowers the drive motor 85 in the vertical direction. The actuator 86 is, for example, an air cylinder. When the drive motor 85 reaches the upper end by the actuator 86, a pinion provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 85 meshes with a rack 87 provided on the first door 81 (meshed state). On the other hand, when the drive motor 85 reaches the lower end by the actuator 86, the pinion provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 85 is separated from the rack 87 provided on the first door 81 (separated state). Even if the drive motor 85 operates and its output shaft rotates, the first door 81 does not move in the separated state.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 1, the second door 82 is supported by the first door 81 and is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction. When the first door 81 moves in the front-rear direction, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81. When the first door 81 moves in the front-rear direction, the second door 82 also moves together with the first door 81. On the other hand, when an operator manually operates the second door 82, specifically, when the operator applies a force to the second door 82 in the front-rear direction, the second door 82 can move in the front-rear direction by the operating force of the operator.

[0046] When an operator manually operates the second door 82, there is a risk that the first door 81 will move with the movement of the second door 82. Therefore, a structure for maintaining a stationary state is adopted for the first door 81 so that the first door 81 will remain stationary unless a force equal to or greater than a certain threshold value is applied in the front-rear direction. As a result, even if an operator pushes or pulls the second door 82, the first door 81 will remain stationary, and only the second door 82 will move relative to the first door 81.

[0047] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operating range of the sliding door. The first door 81 moves between a first open end position, which is the position when the first door 81 is most open, and a first closed end position, which is the position when the first door 81 is most closed. When the first door 81 is in the first closed end position, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at a middle part Po3 of the opening OP (hereinafter referred to as "opening middle part Po3"). At this time, the range from the opening rear end part Po1 to the opening middle part Po3 is closed by the first door 81. On the other hand, when the first door 81 is in the first open end position, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening rear end part Po1. At this time, the range from the opening rear end part Po1 to the opening middle part Po3 is opened (however, only when the position of the second door 82 described later is in the second open end position described later). The first door 81 moves in the front-rear direction between the first open end position and the first closed end position, whereby the range between the opening rear end portion Po1 and the opening middle portion Po3 is opened or closed by the first door 81.

[0048] The second door 82 moves between a second open end position, which is a position when the second door 82 is most open, and a second closed end position, which is a position when the second door 82 is most closed. When the second door 82 is in the second closed end position, the front end 82a of the second door 82 is located at a position farthest from the front end 81a of the first door 81. When the second door 82 is in the second closed end position in a state in which the first door 81 is closed up to the opening middle part Po3, the range from the opening middle part Po3 to the opening front end part Po2 is closed by the second door 82. At this time, the second door 82 is restrained in a closed state by a fixing mechanism such as a latch mechanism. On the other hand, when the second door 82 is in the second open end position, the front end 82a of the second door 82 is located at approximately the same position as the front end 81a of the first door 81. When the second door 82 is in the second open end position while the first door 81 is closed up to the opening middle part Po3, the range from the opening middle part Po3 to the opening front end part Po2 is opened. When the first door 81 is closed up to the opening middle part Po3, the second door 82 moves in the front-rear direction between the second open end position and the second closed end position, so that the range between the opening middle part Po3 and the opening front end part Po2 is opened or closed by the second door 82. Note that the second open end position and the second closed end position are relative positions based on the first door 81, and the absolute positions of the second open end position and the second closed end position differ depending on the position where the first door 81 is located.

[0049] The first door 81 and the second door 82 can be stopped at any position between the open end position and the closed end position, in addition to being at the open end position and the closed end position, respectively. In this case, the range from the opening rear end Po1 to the opening front end Po2 is opened at a ratio according to the opening degree of the first door 81 and the second door 82.

[0050] In this way, the sliding door 80 opens and closes between the opening rear end Po1 and the opening front end Po2 by cooperation between the first door 81 and the second door 82. The opening and closing direction of the sliding door 80 corresponds to the front-rear direction and is perpendicular to the drawing direction of the pallet 50. The pallet 50 is disposed at a position lower than the lower end of the sliding door 80. Therefore, the sliding door 80 can be opened and closed not only when the pallet 50 is in the normal position, but also when the pallet 50 is in the drawn-out position.

[0051] 6 is a block diagram showing the control system for the sliding door. The control system for the sliding door 80, which is one of the control systems for the laser processing machine 1, will be described below. The control system for the sliding door 80 is configured with a control device 100 as a central component.

[0052] The control device 100 is configured by a computer having a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, and various interfaces. The memory and various interfaces are connected to the hardware processor via a bus. The hardware processor executes a program stored in the memory, thereby realizing various functions of the control device 100.

[0053] 4 and 6, a sensor signal, identified as on or off, is input to the control device 100 from a sensor unit that detects the positions of the first door 81 and the second door 82. The sensor unit includes a first sensor 91, a second sensor 93, and a third sensor 95. The first sensor 91, the second sensor 93, and the third sensor 95 are each composed of a limit switch or the like.

[0054] 4, the first sensor 91, the second sensor 93, and the third sensor 95 are fixed to the rear panel 72. That is, the first sensor 91, the second sensor 93, and the third sensor 95 are immobile regardless of the movement of the first door 81 and the second door 82.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the first sensor 91 is switched on and off by a first dog 90 fixed to the second door 82. When the front end 82a of the second door 82 is in the opening middle part Po3 or its vicinity, the first sensor 91 reacts to the first dog 90 and turns on. On the other hand, when the front end 82a of the second door 82 is in a position away from the opening middle part Po3, the first sensor 91 turns off. The situation in which the front end 82a of the second door 82 is in the opening middle part Po3 or its vicinity corresponds to a case in which the first door 81 is closed up to the opening middle part Po3 and the second door 82 is in the second open end position, or a case in which the first door 81 is opened up to the opening rear end part Po1 and the second door 82 is in the second closed end position.

[0056] The second sensor 93 is switched on and off by a second dog 92 fixed to the first door 81. When the first door 81 is in the first open end position, that is, when the front end 81a of the first door 81 is at the opening rear end Po1, the second sensor 93 is turned on in response to the second dog 92. On the other hand, when the first door 81 is in a position other than the first open end position, the second sensor 93 is turned off.

[0057] The third sensor 95 is switched on and off by a third dog 94 fixed to the first door 81. When the first door 81 is in the first closed end position, i.e., when the front end 81a of the first door 81 is in the opening middle portion Po3, the third sensor 95 is turned on in response to the third dog 94. On the other hand, the third sensor 95 is turned off when the first door 81 is in a position other than the first closed end position.

[0058] 6, operation signals output from an operation unit 120 are input to the control device 100. The operation signals output from the operation unit 120 include an open operation signal indicating an input operation for opening the first door 81 by on / off, and a close operation signal indicating an input operation for closing the first door 81 by on / off.

[0059] The control device 100 controls the operations of the drive motor 85 and the actuator 86 based on sensor signals output from the first sensor 91 , the second sensor 93 , and the third sensor 95 , and an operation signal output from an operation unit 120 .

[0060] Hereinafter, the operation of the sliding door 80 in the laser processing machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0061] <First mode of opening operation> 7 and 8 are timing charts illustrating a first mode of the opening operation of the sliding door. This first mode shows a series of operations in which an operator manually operates the second door 82 to move the sliding door 80 from a fully closed state to a fully open state.

[0062] When the sliding door 80 is in a fully closed state, the first door 81 is in a first closed end position, and the second door 82 is in a second closed end position. That is, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is in the opening middle part Po3, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is in the opening front end part Po2 (the state of (a1) in FIG. 7).

[0063] First, the operator performs a manual operation to apply a force in the rear direction (opening direction) to the second door 82 while releasing the restraint by the latch mechanism, and moves the second door 82 toward the second open end position. At this time, the first door 81 remains stationary, and only the second door 82 moves (state of (a2) in FIG. 7). When the second door 82 approaches the second open end position and the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaches the vicinity of the opening middle part Po3 (state of (a3) ​​in FIG. 7), the first sensor 91 switches from off to on.

[0064] When the first sensor 91 is switched on, the control device 100 turns on the actuator 86 after a certain time Ta1 has elapsed. When a time Ta2 has elapsed since the actuator 86 was turned on, the actuator 86 operates and the drive motor 85 starts to rise from the lowered end. Then, when a time Ta3 has elapsed since the actuator 86 was turned on, the drive motor 85 reaches the upper end. As a result, a pinion provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 85 meshes with a rack 87 provided on the first door 81.

[0065] When a certain time Ta4 (Ta4>Ta1) has elapsed since the first sensor 91 was switched on, the control device 100 turns on the drive motor 85. When the drive motor 85 operates in response to being turned on, the output shaft of the drive motor 85 rotates at a rotation speed (normal rotation speed) according to a set speed for moving the first door 81 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the first door 81 starts moving toward the first open end position.

[0066] The control device 100 may turn on the drive motor 85 at a timing prior to the timing at which a certain time Ta4 has elapsed since the first sensor 91 was switched on, for example, at the timing at which the time Ta1 has elapsed. At this time, the control device 100 controls the drive motor 85 so that the output shaft of the drive motor 85 rotates at a rotation speed lower than the normal rotation speed. Therefore, when the actuator 86 raises the drive motor 85 to the upper end, the drive motor 85 rotates at a low rotation speed. This allows the pinion and the rack 87 to be properly engaged with each other even if the first door 81 moves unexpectedly and a positional deviation occurs between the teeth of the pinion and the teeth of the rack 87. Then, when the time Ta4 has elapsed, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 at the normal rotation speed.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 8, when the first door 81 starts to move toward the first open end position, the first door 81 moves away from the first closed end position, and the third sensor 95 switches from on to off.

[0068] Further, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81. As a result, the front end 82a of the second door 82 moves away from the opening intermediate portion Po3, so that the first sensor 91 switches from on to off.

[0069] While the drive motor 85 remains on, the first door 81 moves rearward (the state of (a4) in FIG. 8). While the first door 81 is moving, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81.

[0070] When the first door 81 reaches the first open end position (the state of (a5) in FIG. 8), the second sensor 93 switches from off to on.

[0071] When the second sensor 93 switches to on, the control device 100 turns off the drive motor 85 after a certain time Ta5 has elapsed. Since the drive motor 85 stops when it is turned off, the first door 81 stops. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening rear end portion Po1, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is also located near the opening rear end portion Po1.

[0072] When a certain time Ta6 (Ta5 < Ta6) has elapsed since the second sensor 93 switched to on, the control device 100 turns off the actuator 86. When a certain time Ta7 has elapsed since the actuator 86 was turned off, the drive motor 85 starts to descend from the rising end. Then, when a time Ta8 has elapsed since the actuator 86 was turned off, the drive motor 85 reaches the descending end. The pinion provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 85 separates from the rack 87 provided on the first door 81.

[0073] Through the above operations, the sliding door 80 transitions from a fully closed state to a fully open state. In this operation, the control device 100 performs the following control. That is, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 on the condition that the second door 82 reaches the second open end position when the first door 81 is in the first closed end position, thereby moving the first door 81 toward the opening rear end Po1. Then, on the condition that the first door 81 reaches the first open end position, the control device 100 stops the drive motor 85, thereby stopping the first door 81.

[0074] <First aspect of closing operation> 9 and 10 are timing charts illustrating a first mode of the closing operation of the sliding door. This first mode shows a series of operations in which the sliding door 80 is moved from a fully open state to a fully closed state by an operator manually operating the second door 82.

[0075] When the sliding door 80 is fully open, the first door 81 is in the first open end position, and the second door 82 is in the second open end position. That is, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is in the opening rear end Po1, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is also in a position close to the opening rear end Po1 (the state of (b1) in FIG. 9).

[0076] First, the worker manually applies a force in the forward direction (closing direction) to the second door 82, moving the second door 82 toward the second closed end position. At this time, the first door 81 remains stationary and only the second door 82 moves (state of (b2) in FIG. 9). When the second door 82 approaches the second open end position and the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaches the vicinity of the opening middle part Po3 (state of (b3) in FIG. 9), the first sensor 91 switches from off to on.

[0077] When the control device 100 determines that the first sensor 91 has switched to ON, it turns on the actuator 86 and the drive motor 85 in the same manner as in the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 10, when the drive motor 85 is turned on and the first door 81 starts to move toward the first closed end position, the first door 81 moves away from the first open end position, and the second sensor 93 switches from on to off.

[0079] Furthermore, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81. As a result, the front end 82a of the second door 82 moves away from the opening middle portion Po3, and the first sensor 91 switches from on to off.

[0080] While the drive motor 85 continues to be turned on, the first door 81 moves forward (state (b4) in FIG. 10). While the first door 81 is moving, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81.

[0081] When the first door 81 reaches the first closed end position (the state of (b5) in FIG. 10), the third sensor 95 switches from off to on.

[0082] When the third sensor 95 is switched to ON, the control device 100 turns off the actuator 86 and the drive motor 85, similarly to the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0083] Finally, the worker manually applies a force in the forward direction to the second door 82, and pushes the second door 82 to the second closed end position, whereupon the latch mechanism keeps the second door 82 closed. When the second door 82 reaches the second closed end position (the state of (b5) in FIG. 10), the worker finishes the closing operation on the second door 82. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening middle part Po3, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is located at the opening front end part Po2.

[0084] Through the above operations, the sliding door 80 transitions from a fully open state to a fully closed state. In this operation, the control device 100 performs the following control. That is, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 on the condition that the second door 82 reaches the second closed end position when the first door 81 is in the first open end position, thereby moving the first door 81 toward the opening middle part Po3. Then, on the condition that the first door 81 reaches the first closed end position, the control device 100 stops the drive motor 85, thereby stopping the first door 81.

[0085] Through such a series of operations, the worker can switch the sliding door 80 between a fully open state and a fully closed state. When the pallet 50 is in the normal position, the worker can stand in front of the sliding door 80 and manually open and close the second door 82. Then, the worker can automatically open and close the first door 81 by manually moving the second door 82 to the second open end position or the second closed end position. This allows the sliding door 80 including the first door 81 and the second door 82 to be opened and closed. Even when the pallet 50 is in the drawn-out position, the worker can stand in front or behind the sliding door 80 and open and close the second door 82 by about half of the opening OP, after which the first door 81 moves automatically. This allows the sliding door 80 to be easily opened and closed even in a situation where the pallet 50 is drawn out and it is not possible to stand in front of the sliding door 80.

[0086] <Second mode of opening operation> 11 and 12 are timing charts for explaining the second mode of the opening operation of the sliding door. This second mode shows a series of operations in which the worker manually operates the second door 82 and inputs data to the operation unit 120 to move the sliding door 80 from the fully closed state to the fully open state.

[0087] When the sliding door 80 is in a fully closed state, the first door 81 is in a first closed end position and the second door 82 is in a second closed end position. That is, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is in the opening middle part Po3 and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is in the opening front end part Po2 (the state of (c1) in FIG. 11).

[0088] First, the worker performs a manual operation to apply a force in the rearward direction (opening direction) to the second door 82 while releasing the restraint by the latch mechanism, and moves the second door 82 rearward by a certain amount. At this time, the first door 81 remains stationary and only the second door 82 moves. After completing the manual operation of the second door 82, the worker performs an input operation on the operation unit 120 to open the first door 81. As a result, the operation signal (open operation signal) input from the operation unit 120 to the control device 100 switches from OFF to ON (state (c2) in FIG. 11).

[0089] When the operation signal is switched to ON, the control device 100 turns on the actuator 86 and the drive motor 85 in the same manner as in the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0090] When the drive motor 85 is turned on and operates, the first door 81 starts to move toward the first open end position. As the first door 81 moves away from the first closed end position, the third sensor 95 switches from on to off.

[0091] While the drive motor 85 continues to be turned on, the first door 81 moves backward (state (c3) in FIG. 11). While the first door 81 is moving, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 12, when the first door 81 reaches the first open end position (state (c4) in FIG. 12), the second sensor 93 switches from off to on.

[0093] When the second sensor 93 is switched on, the control device 100 turns off the drive motor 85 in the same manner as in the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above. When the drive motor 85 is turned off, the drive motor 85 stops, and the first door 81 comes to a standstill. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening rear end Po1, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is located between the opening rear end Po1 and the opening middle portion Po3.

[0094] The worker finishes the input operation for opening the first door 81 to the operation unit 120. This causes the operation signal (open operation signal) input from the operation unit 120 to the control device 100 to switch from ON to OFF. When the operation signal switches from ON to OFF, the control device 100 turns off the actuator 86, similar to the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0095] Finally, the worker performs a manual operation to apply a force in the rear direction (opening direction) to the second door 82, moving the second door 82 toward the second open end position (state (c5) in FIG. 12). Then, when the second door 82 is pushed to the second closed end position, the closed state of the second door 82 is restrained by the latch mechanism. When the second door 82 reaches the second open end position, the worker ends the manual operation on the second door 82. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening rear end Po1, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is also located close to the opening rear end Po1.

[0096] Through the above operations, the sliding door 80 transitions from a fully open state to a fully closed state. In this operation, the control device 100 performs the following control. That is, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 on the condition that an input operation for opening the first door 81 is performed on the operation unit 120, thereby moving the first door 81 toward the opening rear end portion Po1. Then, on the condition that the first door 81 has reached the first open end position, the control device 100 stops the drive motor 85, thereby stopping the first door 81.

[0097] <Second mode of closing operation> 13 and 14 are timing charts for explaining the second mode of the closing operation of the sliding door. This second mode shows a series of operations in which the worker manually operates the second door 82 and inputs data to the operation unit 120 to move the sliding door 80 from the fully open state to the fully closed state.

[0098] When the sliding door 80 is fully open, the first door 81 is in the first open end position, and the second door 82 is in the second open end position. That is, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is in the opening rear end Po1, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is also in a position close to the opening rear end Po1 (the state of (d1) in FIG. 13).

[0099] First, the worker performs an input operation on the operation unit 120 to close the first door 81. As a result, the operation signal (close operation signal) input from the operation unit 120 to the control device 100 is switched from OFF to ON (state (d1) in FIG. 13).

[0100] When the control device 100 determines that the operation signal has been switched to ON, it turns on the actuator 86 and the drive motor 85 in the same manner as in the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0101] When the drive motor 85 is turned on and operates, the first door 81 starts to move toward the first closed end position. As the first door 81 moves away from the first open end position, the second sensor 93 switches from on to off.

[0102] While the drive motor 85 continues to be turned on, the first door 81 moves forward (the state shown in FIG. 13(d2)). While the first door 81 is moving, the second door 82 moves in conjunction with the first door 81.

[0103] When the first door 81 reaches the first closed end position (the state of (d3) in FIG. 13), the third sensor 95 switches from off to on.

[0104] When the third sensor 95 is switched on, the control device 100 turns off the drive motor 85 in the same manner as in the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above. When the drive motor 85 is turned off, the drive motor 85 stops, and the first door 81 stops. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located in the opening middle part Po3, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is also located near the opening middle part Po3.

[0105] The worker finishes the input operation for closing the first door 81 to the operation unit 120. This causes the operation signal (close operation signal) input from the operation unit 120 to the control device 100 to switch from ON to OFF. When the operation signal switches from ON to OFF, the control device 100 turns off the actuator 86, similar to the procedure shown in the first mode of the opening operation described above.

[0106] Finally, the worker performs a manual operation to apply a force in the forward direction to the second door 82, and moves the second door 82 to the second closed end position. At this time, the first door 81 does not move, and only the second door 82 moves (the state of (d4) in FIG. 14). When the second door 82 reaches the second closed end position (the state of (d5) in FIG. 14), the worker finishes the closing operation on the second door 82. At this time, the front end 81a of the first door 81 is located at the opening middle part Po3, and the front end 82a of the second door 82 is located at the opening front end part Po2.

[0107] Through the above operations, the sliding door 80 transitions from a fully open state to a fully closed state. In this operation, the control device 100 performs the following control. That is, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 on the condition that an input operation for closing the first door 81 is performed on the operation unit 120, thereby moving the first door 81 toward the opening middle part Po3. Then, on the condition that the first door 81 has reached the first closed end position, the control device 100 stops the drive motor 85, thereby stopping the first door 81.

[0108] Through such a series of operations, the worker can switch the sliding door 80 between a fully open state and a fully closed state. Even in a case where the pallet 50 is in the drawn-out position and a small-sized worker cannot move the second door 82 to the second open end position or the second closed end position, the sliding door 80 including the first door 81 and the second door 82 can be opened and closed by utilizing an input operation on the operation unit 120. As a result, even in a situation where the pallet 50 is drawn out and it is not possible to stand in front of the sliding door 80, the sliding door 80 can be easily opened and closed.

[0109] Of course, the second mode of the opening operation and the second mode of the closing operation may be applied when the pallet 50 is in the normal position. Also, the second mode of the closing operation may be performed after the first mode of the opening operation, or the first mode of the closing operation may be performed after the second mode of the opening operation. Also, in the second mode of the opening operation and the closing operation, the sensor signal of the first sensor 91 is not used, so in Figs. 11 to 14, the sensor signal of the first sensor 91 is shown as off for convenience. However, in the second mode of the opening operation and the closing operation, the actual sensor signal of the first sensor 91 may be used.

[0110] Thus, according to the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaches the opening front end Po2, and the sliding door 80 is fully closed. The first door 81 is opened and closed automatically, but the second door 82 is opened and closed manually by the operator. This allows the operation of the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaching the opening front end Po2 to be left to the operator's manual operation. This allows the operator to check the moving state of the second door 82, thereby preventing objects from being caught.

[0111] As shown in the first mode of the closing operation, when the first door 81 is automatically closed after the second door 82 is manually closed, the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaches the opening front end Po2 as the first door 81 moves. In this case, the operation of the front end 82a of the second door 82 reaching the opening front end Po2 is not performed by the manual operation of the operator. However, the laser processing machine 1 according to the present embodiment does not automatically perform all of the operations of the sliding door 80 reaching the opening front end Po2 from the opening rear end Po1. Of the first door 81 and the second door 82, the operation of closing the second door 82 requires manual operation by the operator. This allows the operator to actually check the state of the opening OP when manually closing the second door 82. Therefore, since the first door 81 can be automatically closed after actually checking the state of the opening OP, it is possible to prevent objects from being caught.

[0112] In the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the processing machine body 10 includes a pallet 50 on which a workpiece is placed. The pallet 50 is configured to be freely movable along a direction perpendicular to the opening and closing direction of the sliding door 80, which in this embodiment is the left-right direction, and is configured to be able to be pulled out from the processing machine body 10 below the sliding door 80.

[0113] According to the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the opening OP can be opened and closed by the sliding door 80 even when the pallet 50 is pulled out. When the pallet 50 is left pulled out at the pull-out position, the sliding door 80 moves so as to cross above the pallet 50. Therefore, if the laser processing machine 1 is configured to manually open and close the first door 81 and the second door 82, the sliding door 80 must be manually operated over the entire opening OP. For this reason, it is expected that a cumbersome operation will occur in which the operator must manually operate the sliding door 80 by standing in front of the sliding door 80 and manually operating it, and then must detouring the pallet 50 and standing behind the sliding door 80 and manually operating the sliding door 80 again. However, according to the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the first door 81 can be opened and closed automatically, so that the operator only has to manually operate the second door 82. This means that the range in which the operator performs manual operations on the sliding door 80 is reduced. Therefore, the entire opening OP can be opened and closed simply by manually operating the second door 82 from the front or rear side of the sliding door 80. This eliminates the need to go around the pallet 50, reducing the burden on the worker when opening and closing the sliding door 80.

[0114] In this embodiment, the laser processing machine 1 further includes a sensor unit that detects the position of the first door 81 and the position of the second door 82, and a control device 100 that controls the drive unit based on the detection result of the sensor unit.

[0115] According to this configuration, the first door 81 can be opened and closed depending on the positions of the first door 81 and the second door 82. This allows the opening OP to be appropriately opened and closed by the sliding door 80.

[0116] The laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment further includes an operation unit 120 that outputs an operation signal to open or close the first door 81 in response to an input operation by an operator. The control device 100 controls the drive unit based on the detection result of the sensor unit and the operation signal output from the operation unit 120.

[0117] According to this configuration, the first door 81 can be opened and closed in response to the positions of the first door 81 and the second door 82, as well as the input operation of the operator to the operation unit 120. This allows the opening OP to be appropriately opened and closed by the sliding door 80.

[0118] In the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the drive unit includes a drive motor 85 with a pinion attached to an output shaft, a rack 87 that is disposed on the first door 81 and converts the rotational motion of the pinion into linear motion, and an actuator 86 that raises and lowers the drive motor 85 to switch between an engagement state in which the pinion and the rack 87 are engaged with each other and a separation state in which the pinion and the rack 87 are separated from each other. After setting the engagement state, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 at a normal rotation speed that is a rotation speed required for opening and closing the first door 81. On the other hand, the control device 100 stops the drive motor 85 and then sets it to a separation state.

[0119] According to this configuration, the pinion and the rack 87 are in mesh only during the period when the drive motor 85 is operating, and the pinion and the rack 87 are in a separated state during the period when the drive motor 85 is stopped. That is, the laser processing machine 1 does not adopt a configuration in which the pinion and the rack 87 are always meshed. In a situation where the opening and closing of the slide door 80 is not planned, an unintended external force may act on the slide door 80 due to factors such as an operator leaning on the slide door 80. At this time, if the pinion and the rack 87 are always meshed, a situation occurs in which the output shaft of the drive motor 85 is rotated by the first door 81 moving in the front-rear direction due to an external force. However, according to the configuration of this embodiment, since the pinion and the rack 87 are in a separated state, even if the first door 81 moves in the front-rear direction due to an external force, the output shaft of the stopped drive motor 85 can be prevented from rotating. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of an inconvenience such as a failure of the drive motor 85 and the electric circuit.

[0120] In the laser processing machine 1 of this embodiment, the control device 100 operates the drive motor 85 at a rotation speed lower than the normal rotation speed, then sets it to a meshed state, and operates the drive motor at the normal rotation speed after setting it to the meshed state.

[0121] According to this configuration, when the actuator 86 is operated to switch the pinion and the rack 87 from a separated state to an engaged state, the drive motor 85 rotates at a speed lower than the normal speed. As a result, even if the first door 81 moves unexpectedly and a positional deviation occurs between the teeth of the pinion and the teeth of the rack 87, the pinion can be brought into contact with the rack 87 while rotating, thereby appropriately engaging the pinion and the rack 87.

[0122] As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the description and drawings forming a part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting this invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0123] 1 Laser processing machine 10 Processing machine body 11 Foundation 12 Side frame 15 Head drive mechanism 16 X-axis carriage 19 Y-axis carriage 30 Processing head 50 pallets 51 Frame 52 Skid 53 Clamp section 60 Body cover 70 Partition body 71 Fixed wall 72 Back Panel 75 Movable wall 80 Sliding Door 81 First Door 81a front end 82 2nd Door 82a front end 85 Drive motor 86 Actuator 87 Rack 90 1st Dog 91 First Sensor 92 2nd Dog 93 Second Sensor 94 3rd Dog 95 3rd Sensor 100 Control device 110 Laser Oscillator 120 Operation section OP Opening Po1 Rear end of opening OP (rear end of opening) Po2 Front end of opening OP (front end of opening) Po3 Middle part of the opening OP (middle part of the opening)

Claims

1. A processing machine body that performs laser processing by irradiating a laser beam onto a workpiece; A body cover provided on the processing machine body, The body cover includes: A partition body that covers the periphery of the processing machine body; A sliding door for opening and closing an opening provided on a side surface of the partition body, The sliding door is A drive unit that drives the sliding door; a first door that moves by a driving force generated by the driving unit to open and close a portion between one end of the opening and a middle portion of the opening; a second door that moves in conjunction with the first door and moves relatively to the first door by manual operation by an operator; The second door is When the first door is closed to the intermediate portion, the door moves relative to the first door to open and close the space between the intermediate portion and the other end of the opening. Laser processing machine.

2. The processing machine body is A pallet on which the workpiece is placed is included; The pallet is The sliding door is movable in a direction perpendicular to the opening and closing direction of the sliding door, and can be pulled out from the processing machine body below the sliding door.

2. The laser processing machine according to claim 1.

3. a sensor unit that detects a position of the first door and a position of the second door; A control device that controls the drive unit based on a detection result of the sensor unit.

3. The laser processing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. an operation unit that outputs an operation signal for instructing opening or closing of the first door in response to an input operation by the worker, The control device controls the drive unit based on the detection result of the sensor unit and the operation signal output from the operation unit.

4. The laser processing machine according to claim 3.

5. The drive unit is A drive motor having a pinion attached to an output shaft; a rack disposed on the first door and configured to convert a rotational motion of the pinion into a linear motion of the first door; an actuator that moves the drive motor to switch between a meshed state in which the pinion and the rack are meshed with each other and a separated state in which the pinion and the rack are separated from each other, The control device includes: After the engagement state is set, the drive motor is operated at a normal rotation speed which is a rotation speed required for opening and closing the first door, After the drive motor is stopped, the separated state is set.

5. The laser processing machine according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The control device includes: After operating the drive motor at a rotation speed lower than the normal rotation speed, the meshed state is set, and after the meshed state is set, the drive motor is operated at the normal rotation speed.

6. The laser processing machine according to claim 5.

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