Processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a processing apparatus with a structure suitable for a small object, which processes the object with a liquid pressure.SOLUTION: A processing apparatus 10 comprises a base member 20, a slider 61 positioned above the base member 20, and a punch 64 projecting downward from the slider 61. On the base member 20 is formed a liquid chamber 50 filled with liquid 50L. A liquid chamber 50 has a processing chamber 51 and a liquid pressure generation chamber 53 connected with each other. The processing chamber 51 and the liquid pressure generation chamber 53 extend vertically to open upward. The base member 20 comprises a piston 42 received partially by the liquid pressure generation chamber 53. When the slider 61 is made to move downward, the punch 64 moves downward to pressurize a portion to be processed 82 of an object 80 toward the inside of the processing chamber 51, and the piston 42 receives a downward force to move downward and raises a liquid pressure of the liquid 50L.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus that uses hydraulic pressure to process an object.

Background Art

[0002] This type of processing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] Referring to FIG. 16, a processing apparatus 90 disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a conventional general processing apparatus that uses hydraulic pressure to process a base body (object) 98. The processing apparatus 90 includes a die 91, a blank holder 92, a punch 93, and a hydraulic control device 95. A liquid chamber 94 is formed in the die 91. The liquid chamber 94 is filled with a liquid such as oil. The hydraulic pressure of the liquid is controlled by a hydraulic control device 95 including a pump and a relief valve. The blank holder 92 is movable up and down by a power device (not shown). The punch 93 is movable up and down relative to the blank holder 92 by another power device (not shown). When the blank holder 92 is lowered to sandwich the object 98 between the die 91 and the blank holder 92 and then the punch 93 is lowered, the object 98 is drawn using hydraulic pressure.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional processing apparatuses having a complicated power mechanism and a hydraulic pressure generating mechanism such as the processing apparatus 90 disclosed in Patent Document 1 are suitable for processing large objects such as automobile bodies. On the other hand, there is a demand for a processing apparatus suitable for small objects such as the shell of a connector used inside an electronic device.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a processing apparatus that uses hydraulic pressure to process an object and has a structure suitable for small objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides, as a first processing apparatus, A processing device that uses hydraulic pressure to process the workpiece portion of an object, The aforementioned processing apparatus comprises a main component and a slider. The main member comprises a base member and a punch. The slider is located above the base member in the vertical direction and is movable in the vertical direction between the upper position and the lower position. The punch protrudes downward from the slider and moves in the vertical direction as the slider moves in the vertical direction. A liquid chamber is formed in the base member. The aforementioned liquid chamber can be filled with liquid. The aforementioned liquid chamber comprises a processing chamber, a hydraulic pressure generation chamber, and a connecting chamber. The processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber each extend in the vertical direction and open upwards. The connecting chamber connects the processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber to each other. The base member is equipped with a piston, The piston is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber. The piston receives a downward pressure from the slider as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. With the liquid chamber filled with the liquid and the workpiece positioned above the processing chamber, when the slider is moved from the upper position to the lower position, the punch moves downward, pressurizing the workpiece toward the interior of the processing chamber, and the piston moves downward in response to the applied pressure, increasing the liquid pressure of the liquid. The liquid chamber is provided with a relief valve. The relief valve controls the hydraulic pressure so that it does not exceed a predetermined value. We provide processing equipment.

[0008] The present invention provides a second processing apparatus, which is a first processing apparatus, The aforementioned processing apparatus comprises two or more processing sets, Each of the aforementioned processing sets includes the liquid chamber, the piston, and the punch. All of the punches protrude downward from one of the sliders, At a predetermined timing, the hydraulic pressure in at least one of the processing sets is different from the hydraulic pressure in another of the processing sets. We provide processing equipment.

[0009] The present invention provides a third processing apparatus, which is a second processing apparatus, At least one of the pistons receives the pressure from the slider at a different timing than the other piston. We provide processing equipment.

[0010] The present invention provides a fourth processing apparatus, which is a second processing apparatus, Each of the aforementioned processing sets includes a spacer, All of the spacers protrude downward from one of the sliders. Each of the pistons receives the applied pressure from the spacer as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. When the slider is in the upper position, each of the spacers is separated from the piston by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. At least one of the predetermined distances is different from the other predetermined distance. We provide processing equipment.

[0011] The present invention relates to a fifth processing apparatus, which is a fourth processing apparatus, Each of the spacers includes a pressing portion and a support member. Each of the pressing portions is a portion that presses the piston downward. Each of the support members has elasticity and supports the pressing portion so as to be movable relative to the slider. A processing apparatus is provided.

[0012] The present invention is a second processing apparatus as a sixth processing apparatus, Each of the pistons has a main portion. Each of the main portions is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generation chamber. At least one of the main portions has a cross-sectional area different from that of another one of the main portions in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. A processing apparatus is provided.

[0013] The present invention is a seventh processing apparatus, which is any one of the first to sixth processing apparatuses, The main member includes a holder and a holder support member. The holder is located outside the punch in a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. The holder support member has elasticity and supports the holder so as to be movable relative to the slider. When the slider is moved downward in a state where the workpiece is disposed above the processing chamber, the holder moves downward and presses the workpiece against the base member. A processing apparatus is provided.

[0014] The present invention is an eighth processing apparatus, which is the seventh processing apparatus, The liquid chamber has a branch flow path. The branch flow path branches from the processing chamber and has an opening that opens outside the base member. When the holder presses the workpiece against the base member, the opening is located below the holder in the vertical direction and outside the peripheral edge of the workpiece in the horizontal plane. We provide processing equipment.

[0015] The present invention uses the following as the first main component: A main component formed together with a slider for a processing device that processes a workpiece using hydraulic pressure, The main member comprises a base member and a punch. When the processing apparatus is formed, the slider is located above the base member in the vertical direction and is movable in the vertical direction between the upper position and the lower position. The punch is attachable to the slider, When the punch is attached to the slider, the punch protrudes downward from the slider and moves in the vertical direction as the slider moves in the vertical direction. A liquid chamber is formed in the base member. The aforementioned liquid chamber can be filled with liquid. The aforementioned liquid chamber comprises a processing chamber, a hydraulic pressure generation chamber, and a connecting chamber. The processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber each extend in the vertical direction and open upwards. The connecting chamber connects the processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber to each other. The base member is equipped with a piston, The piston is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber. The piston receives a downward pressure from the slider as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. With the liquid chamber filled with the liquid and the workpiece positioned above the processing chamber, when the slider is moved from the upper position to the lower position, the punch moves downward, pressurizing the workpiece toward the interior of the processing chamber, and the piston moves downward in response to the applied pressure, increasing the liquid pressure of the liquid. The liquid chamber is provided with a relief valve. The relief valve controls the hydraulic pressure so that it does not exceed a predetermined value. We provide the main components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The processing chamber and hydraulic pressure generation chamber of the present invention extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction and open upward. With this structure, by simply lowering the slider, the hydraulic pressure can be increased to the required height by the descending piston, and the workpiece can be processed by the descending punch. As described above, the processing apparatus of the present invention has a simple mechanism and can be miniaturized. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a processing apparatus that processes a workpiece using hydraulic pressure and has a structure suitable for small workpieces. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. An object is placed in the processing apparatus. The punch and spacer shown are separated from the slider, but the actual punch and spacer are fixed to the slider. A part of the processing apparatus (the area enclosed by the dashed line) is shown in an enlarged view. In the enlarged view, the location of the hidden branching channel is shown with a dashed line. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view showing the processing apparatus. [Figure 3] This is a rear view of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 1. The positions of the hidden liquid chamber and the relief valve are indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 4] This is a top view showing the machining apparatus in Figure 1. The slider is not drawn. The positions of the hidden machining chamber opening and the hidden piston are drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus along the VV line. The slider is in the upper position. The position of the lower end of the slider and the position of the relief valve are indicated by dashed lines. A magnified view of a part of the processing apparatus (the area enclosed by the dashed line) is shown. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus along the line VI-VI. The slider is in the upper position. The lower end of the slider is indicated by a dashed line. [Figure 7] This is another cross-sectional view showing the processing apparatus of Figure 5. The slider is in the downward position, and the lower end of the spacer is in contact with the piston. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing a magnified view of a portion of the processing apparatus in Figure 7 (the area enclosed by the dashed line A). [Figure 9] This is another cross-sectional view showing the processing apparatus in Figure 7. The slider has been lowered further and is in the lower position. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing a magnified view of a part of the processing apparatus in Figure 9 (the area enclosed by the dashed line B). [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view showing a magnified view of a part of the processing apparatus in Figure 10 (the area enclosed by the dashed line C). [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view showing a magnified view of a part of the processing apparatus in Figure 11 (the area enclosed by the dashed line D). [Figure 13] This is a perspective view showing a modified example of the processing apparatus in Figure 1. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view showing the processing apparatus in Figure 13. The drawn cross-section corresponds to the cross-section in Figure 5. [Figure 15] This is another cross-sectional view showing the processing apparatus in Figure 13. The drawn cross-section corresponds to the cross-section in Figure 6. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view showing the processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Referring to Figure 1, the processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a processing apparatus that processes the workpiece (blank) 82 of an object 80 using hydraulic pressure. In this embodiment, "hydraulic pressure" is the pressure applied to the workpiece 82 by the liquid 50L (see Figure 5), which will be described later, and is a concept that includes the "opposing hydraulic pressure OP" and "circumferential hydraulic pressure PP" which will be described later. The object 80 in this embodiment is a single metal plate, and before processing it has a thin, flat plate shape. Referring to Figure 1 in conjunction with Figure 4, the illustrated object 80 has a carrier 81 and three workpieces 82 connected to the carrier 81.

[0019] The processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is suitable for progressive die processing of the workpiece 80. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to apparatus for transfer processing of the workpiece 80. Furthermore, the workpiece 80 may be a single workpiece 82 separated from the carrier 81. That is, the processing apparatus 10 may be an apparatus that processes only one workpiece 82 in a single pass.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment comprises one base member 20 and one movable member 60. The movable member 60 is located above the base member 20 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the Z direction. Up is the +Z direction, and down is the -Z direction. Preferably, the vertical direction coincides with the direction of gravity. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the vertical direction may intersect with the direction of gravity within the range in which the object 80 can be processed.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, a groove 18 is formed in the base member 20. The groove 18 is a recessed space. The groove 18 extends continuously along the lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and opens on both sides in the lateral direction. In this embodiment, the lateral direction is the Y direction. The bottom surface of the groove 18 extends along a horizontal plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The object 80 is placed on the bottom surface of the groove 18. The workpiece 82 of the object 80 is arranged in the lateral direction.

[0022] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment comprises only the base member 20 and the movable member 60 described above. The lateral size of the processing apparatus 10 is small, at most a few tens of centimeters. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to larger processing apparatuses 10. Furthermore, the processing apparatus 10 may further comprise other members in addition to those described above.

[0023] The base member 20 of this embodiment comprises three base members 20F, 20S, and 20T: a first base member 20F, a second base member 20S, and a third base member 20T. The base members 20F, 20S, and 20T are arranged in the lateral direction. Each of the three base members 20F, 20S, and 20T is capable of processing three workpieces 82.

[0024] The processing steps in this embodiment consist of three steps. The processing apparatus 10 in this embodiment is equipped with three base members 20F, 20S, and 20T, each used in one of the three processing steps. The base members 20F, 20S, and 20T in this embodiment are formed separately from each other and are arranged side by side without any gaps. According to this embodiment, two or more base members 20F, 20S, and 20T can be arranged depending on the number of processing steps. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the base members 20F, 20S, and 20T may be formed integrally with each other. If the number of processing steps is one, the processing apparatus 10 may be equipped with only one base member 20F.

[0025] The base members 20F, 20S, and 20T of this embodiment have the same external shape and similar structure. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the base members 20F, 20S, and 20T may have different external shapes or different structures.

[0026] The base member 20F of this embodiment will be described below. The following description is applicable to the base members 20S and 20T, respectively.

[0027] Referring to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figure 1, the base member 20F of this embodiment comprises a bed 22, a metal mold 30, a metal cylinder 40, and a metal piston 42. The bed 22 comprises a metal upper member 222 and a metal lower member 224. The upper member 222 is placed on top of the lower member 224. The groove 18 described above is formed in the upper member 222. A liquid chamber 50 is formed in the base member 20F. The liquid chamber 50 is an internal space of the base member 20F and is closed inside the base member 20F, except for several openings which will be described later. The liquid chamber 50 can be filled with a liquid such as oil 50L. The illustrated liquid chamber 50 is filled with a liquid 50L.

[0028] Referring to Figure 5, the base member 20F of this embodiment is formed by combining an upper member 222, a lower member 224, a mold 30, a cylinder 40, and a piston 42. This structure makes it easy to form the liquid chamber 50. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the upper member 222, the mold 30, and the cylinder 40 may be integral components. On the other hand, the base member 20F may further include other components in addition to the components described above.

[0029] In this embodiment, the mold 30 and cylinder 40 each have a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. That is, each of the mold 30 and cylinder 40 has a cylindrical central hole extending in the vertical direction. The upper member 222 has two cylindrical mounting holes 223. The mold 30 and cylinder 40 are fitted into the two mounting holes 223, respectively. The cylindrical members can be easily fitted into the cylindrical holes while eliminating any gaps through which the liquid 50L can leak. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As long as each of the mold 30 and cylinder 40 has a central hole, the shapes of the mold 30 and cylinder 40 are not particularly limited.

[0030] The upper end surfaces of the mold 30 and cylinder 40 are exposed upward from the upper member 222. The mold 30 is located in front of the cylinder 40 in the front-rear direction, which is perpendicular to both the vertical and lateral directions. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction is the X direction. The front is the +X direction, and the rear is the -X direction. The upper end surface of the mold 30 forms a part of the bottom surface of the groove 18. Referring to Figures 1 and 11, a recess 32 is formed on the upper end surface of the mold 30. The recess 32 is a space that is recessed downward. The recess 32 has an annular shape in the XY plane and surrounds the central hole of the mold 30.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, the liquid chamber 50 has a processing chamber 51, a hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53, and a connecting chamber 55. The processing chamber 51 and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 each extend vertically and open upward. In other words, the processing chamber 51 and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 extend parallel to each other along the vertical direction and have openings 52 and 54, respectively. The connecting chamber 55 connects the processing chamber 51 and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 to each other.

[0032] In this embodiment, the processing chamber 51 extends through the central hole of the mold 30. The opening 52 of the processing chamber 51 is located on the upper end surface of the mold 30. In this embodiment, the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 extends through the central hole of the cylinder 40. The opening 54 of the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 is located on the upper end surface of the cylinder 40 and is located above the opening 52. Both the processing chamber 51 and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 have a circular shape in the XY plane. In this embodiment, the connecting chamber 55 extends along the front-rear direction and connects the lower end of the processing chamber 51 and the lower end of the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 to each other. The connecting chamber 55 has a circular shape in the orthogonal plane (YZ plane) perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0033] Referring to Figures 5 and 8 in conjunction with Figure 1, the liquid chamber 50 of this embodiment further has four branched flow channels 56. The four branched flow channels 56 are located on the front, rear, and lateral sides of the processing chamber 51, respectively. Each of the branched flow channels 56 branches off from the processing chamber 51. Specifically, a portion of the lower end surface of the mold 30 is located slightly above the upper end surface of the lower member 224, thereby forming a flow channel that extends outward from the processing chamber 51 in the XY plane. Each of the branched flow channels 56 extends upward from this flow channel.

[0034] Each of the branched channels 56 extends vertically parallel to the processing chamber 51, passing through small holes formed inside the mold 30, and opens upward. That is, each of the branched channels 56 has an opening 57 that opens to the outside of the base member 20F. Referring to Figure 11, each of the openings 57 is located on the bottom surface of the recess 32 of the mold 30. That is, each of the openings 57 is located slightly below the opening 52 of the processing chamber 51.

[0035] Referring to Figure 5, the liquid chamber 50 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the structure of the liquid chamber 50 can be modified as needed. For example, the branched flow path 56 may be provided as needed. On the other hand, the liquid chamber 50 may have other parts in addition to the parts described above.

[0036] A relief valve 59 is provided in the liquid chamber 50. The relief valve 59 is partially connected to the liquid chamber 50 and partially exposed to the outside of the base member 20F. The relief valve 59 is closed in the state before processing the object 80 (the state shown in Figure 5). At this time, the liquid level 58 of the liquid 50L is located below the openings 52 and 57. That is, the liquid 50L is maintained inside the liquid chamber 50. On the other hand, as the object 80 is processed, the liquid pressure of the liquid 50L increases. When the liquid pressure of the liquid 50L exceeds a predetermined value, the relief valve 59 opens, and a portion of the liquid 50L is discharged to the outside of the base member 20F. As a result, the liquid pressure of the liquid 50L decreases to below the predetermined value. In this embodiment, the relief valve 59 is located behind the lower end of the liquid pressure generation chamber 53. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the arrangement and internal structure of the relief valve 59 are not particularly limited.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the piston 42 of this embodiment has a main portion 44 and a pressurized portion 46. Both the main portion 44 and the pressurized portion 46 have a cylindrical shape extending along the vertical direction. The size of the pressurized portion 46 in the XY plane is larger than the size of the main portion 44 in the XY plane. The main portion 44 extends downward from the lower end of the pressurized portion 46.

[0038] Referring to Figure 5, the piston 42 is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber 53 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber 53. More specifically, the main body 44 is inserted into the hydraulic pressure generating chamber 53 through the opening 54. The lower part of the main body 44, as inserted in this manner, is received substantially without gap in the central hole formed inside the cylinder 40. On the other hand, the upper part of the main body 44 protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber 53, and the main body 44 is movable along the vertical direction. The lower end of the main body 44 is in contact with the liquid 50L. An O-ring 48 is attached to the lower part of the main body 44, thereby preventing leakage of the liquid 50L. The piston 42 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the O-ring 48 may be provided as needed.

[0039] The movable member 60 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0040] Referring to Figure 1, the movable member 60 of this embodiment comprises a slider 61, three processing members 62, and three metal spacers (pressure parts) 72. The three processing members 62 and the three spacers 72 are provided corresponding to three base members 20F, 20S, and 20T, respectively. Referring to Figure 4, the processing members 62 are located in the XY plane at positions corresponding to the openings 52 of the processing chamber 51, respectively. The spacers 72 are located in the XY plane at positions corresponding to the pistons 42, respectively. The number of processing members 62 and the number of spacers 72 should correspond to the number of members that process the workpiece 82 of the object 80. For example, if the processing device 10 is equipped only with a base member 20F, the number of processing members 62 and the number of spacers 72 should be 1.

[0041] Referring to Figure 2, each of the processing members 62 in this embodiment comprises a metal base 63, a metal punch 64, a metal holder 65, and a holder support member 66 made of one or more metal springs. That is, referring to Figure 2 together with Figure 1, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment comprises one slider 61, three bases 63, three punches 64, three holders 65, three holder support members 66, and three spacers 72. The punches 64 and spacers 72 each have a circular shape in the XY plane. The bases 63 and holders 65 each have an annular shape in the XY plane.

[0042] The movable member 60 of this embodiment includes the above-described members; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shape of each member is not particularly limited. The base 63, holder 65, holder support member 66, and spacer 72 may be provided as needed. That is, if the base member 20 includes only the base member 20F, the movable member 60 may include only the slider 61 and one punch 64 corresponding to the base member 20F. On the other hand, the movable member 60 may further include other members in addition to the above-described members.

[0043] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the slider 61 is positioned above the base member 20 in the vertical direction. The slider 61 is supported by a power unit (not shown) and is movable vertically between an upper position when the object 80 is not being processed (position in Figures 1 to 3) and a lower position when the object 80 is being processed (position in Figure 9). The slider 61 in this embodiment has a flat plate shape extending along the XY plane. However, the shape and internal structure of the slider 61 of the present invention are not particularly limited.

[0044] Referring to Figure 2 in conjunction with Figure 1, the three punches 64, three holders 65, and three spacers 72 of this embodiment cooperate with the three base members 20F, 20S, and 20T to process the three workpieces 82 of the object 80, respectively. That is, referring to Figure 3, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is equipped with three processing sets 12 for processing the workpieces 82 (see Figure 1). More specifically, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is equipped with three processing sets 12 consisting of a first set (processing set) 12F, a second set (processing set) 12S, and a third set (processing set) 12T. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of processing sets 12 can be one or more. For example, the processing apparatus 10 may be equipped with only one processing set 12F, or it may be equipped with two or more processing sets 12.

[0045] The following describes the processing set 12 of this embodiment.

[0046] Referring to Figure 6 in conjunction with Figure 2, each of the processing sets 12 in this embodiment includes a liquid chamber 50, a piston 42, a punch 64, a holder 65, and a spacer 72. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as described above, the processing apparatus 10 does not need to include a holder 65 and a spacer 72. In this case, each of the processing sets 12 only needs to include a liquid chamber 50, a piston 42, and a punch 64.

[0047] Referring to Figure 6, each of the pistons 42 in this embodiment has the main portion 44 described above. Each of the main portions 44 is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber 53, and its lower end is in contact with the liquid 50L.

[0048] Referring to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figure 2, each of the punches 64 in this embodiment is fixed to the slider 61 by a fixing member such as a screw, and extends downward from the lower end surface of the slider 61. Each of the bases 63 in this embodiment is fixed to the slider 61 by a fixing member such as a screw. Each of the bases 63 surrounds the punch 64 in the XY plane and extends downward from the lower end surface of the slider 61.

[0049] Each of the holder support members 66 in this embodiment is attached to the outer periphery of the base 63 in the XY plane and extends along the vertical direction. Each of the holders 65 in this embodiment is located outside the punch 64 in the XY plane. In other words, each of the holders 65 surrounds the punch 64 in the XY plane. Each of the holders 65 is attached to the lower end of the holder support member 66. Each of the holder support members 66 is elastic and supports the holder 65 so that it can move relative to the slider 61. Each of the punches 64 protrudes downward beyond the lower end of the holder 65.

[0050] Each of the spacers 72 in this embodiment is fixed to the slider 61 by a fixing member such as a screw, and extends downward from the lower end surface of the slider 61.

[0051] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, all punches 64 and all spacers 72 in this embodiment are directly fixed to one slider 61 and protrude downward from the slider 61. All holders 65 in this embodiment are indirectly fixed to one slider 61 via an elastic holder support member 66 and protrude downward from the slider 61. Therefore, by moving one slider 61 in the vertical direction, all punches 64, all holders 65 and all spacers 72 move in the vertical direction.

[0052] Referring to Figure 2, each of the processing sets 12 in this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the support structure of the holder 65 is not particularly limited. The holder support member 66 is not limited to a metal spring, as long as it is elastic.

[0053] Referring to Figure 3, the machining process using the first set 12F, which is one of the machining sets 12 in this embodiment, will be described below. The following description is applicable to the second set 12S and the third set 12T, respectively.

[0054] Referring to Figure 5, the punch 64 protrudes downward from the slider 61 and moves vertically as the slider 61 moves vertically. Referring to Figures 5 and 7, when the slider 61 is lowered from the upper position (position in Figure 5) to the intermediate position (position in Figure 7), the lower end of the punch 64 abuts against the workpiece 82 of the object 80, pressurizing the workpiece 82 toward the interior of the processing chamber 51. As a result, the workpiece 82 is slightly deformed and partially received inside the processing chamber 51, coming into contact with the liquid surface 58. Referring to Figure 8, the workpiece 82 pushes down the liquid surface 58 slightly, which generates a passive counter-pressure POP that pushes the workpiece 82 upward. The magnitude of this passive counter-pressure POP is small. At this time, the liquid surface 58 in the branched channel 56 has hardly risen and is located below the opening 57.

[0055] Referring to Figure 7, the spacer 72 moves vertically as the slider 61 moves vertically. When the slider 61 is lowered to the intermediate position (position in Figure 7), the lower end of the spacer 72 comes into contact with the pressurized portion 46 of the piston 42. Referring to Figures 7 and 9, when the slider 61 is lowered further, the slider 61 moves to the lower position (position in Figure 9). While the slider 61 moves from the intermediate position to the lower position, the spacer 72 continues to pressurize the piston 42 downwards with a predetermined pressurizing force PP. The pressurized piston 42 moves downwards, applying the pressurizing force PP to the liquid 50L in the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53. As a result, for example, 30-60M PaA certain degree of active counter-hydraulic pressure OP (hereinafter simply referred to as "counter-hydraulic pressure OP") is generated. Meanwhile, as the slider 61 moves from the intermediate position to the lower position, the punch 64 continues to pressurize the workpiece 82 against the counter-hydraulic pressure OP, thereby drawing the workpiece 82.

[0056] Referring to Figures 5, 7, and 9, the above explanation can be summarized as follows: The piston 42 receives a downward pressure PP from the slider 61 as the slider 61 moves from the upper position (position in Figure 5) to the lower position (position in Figure 9). Furthermore, when the slider 61 is moved from the upper position to the lower position with the liquid chamber 50 filled with liquid 50L and the workpiece 82 positioned above the processing chamber 51, the punch 64 moves downward, pressurizing the workpiece 82 towards the inside of the processing chamber 51, and the piston 42 moves downward in accordance with the pressure PP, increasing the hydraulic pressure of the liquid 50L.

[0057] In this embodiment, the processing chamber 51 and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber 53 extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction and open upward. With this structure, by simply lowering the slider 61, the hydraulic pressure can be increased to the required height by the lowered piston 42, while the object 80 can be processed by the lowered punch 64. In addition, as described above, the relief valve 59 controls the hydraulic pressure so that it does not exceed a predetermined value. In other words, the relief valve 59 functions as a hydraulic pressure adjustment mechanism. The processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment has a simple mechanism as described above and can be miniaturized. According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a processing apparatus 10 that uses hydraulic pressure to process an object 80 and has a structure suitable for small objects 80.

[0058] The processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is particularly suitable for processing small components such as the shell (not shown) of a connector (not shown) that is incorporated inside an electronic device (not shown). The processing apparatus 10 can process a workpiece 82 of a size of several millimeters into a desired shape, for example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the size of the object 80 is not particularly limited.

[0059] Referring to Figure 5, according to this embodiment, when the slider 61 is in the upper position (position in Figure 5), the vertical distance (first distance) between the lower end of the punch 64 and the workpiece 82 of the object 80 is shorter than the vertical distance (second distance) between the lower end of the spacer 72 and the upper end of the piston 42. Referring to Figures 5 and 7, with this arrangement, the piston 42 receives the applied pressure PP after the processing of the workpiece 82 by the punch 64 has begun. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first distance may be longer than the second distance. In this case, the processing of the workpiece 82 by the punch 64 is performed after the piston 42 receives the applied pressure PP and a counter-hydraulic pressure OP is generated.

[0060] Referring to Figure 9, in this embodiment, the piston 42 receives the pressure PP from the slider 61 via the spacer 72. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, if the spacer 72 is not provided, the piston 42 may receive the pressure PP directly from the slider 61. More specifically, the lower end surface of the slider 61 may press down on the piston 42.

[0061] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, according to this embodiment, before the slider 61 moves to the lower position (the position in Figures 9 and 10), the lower end of the holder 65 abuts against the outer periphery of the workpiece 82 in the XY plane. When the slider 61 moves to the lower position, the holder support member 66 is elastically compressed. When the slider 61 moves to the lower position, the holder 65 applies a force due to the restoring force of the holder support member 66 to the outer periphery of the workpiece 82 in the XY plane. That is, the holder 65 presses the outer periphery of the workpiece 82 in the XY plane against the upper end surface of the mold 30.

[0062] To summarize the above explanation, according to this embodiment, when the slider 61 is moved downward with the workpiece 82 positioned on the processing chamber 51, the holder 65 moves downward and presses the workpiece 82 against the base member 20F. This mechanism allows the workpiece 82 to be drawn without causing wrinkles. According to this embodiment, the holder 65 pressurizes the workpiece 82 after processing by the punch 64 has started. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the holder 65 may pressurize the workpiece 82 before processing by the punch 64 has started. More specifically, when the slider 61 is in the upper position (position in Figure 5), the holder 65 may protrude downward beyond the lower end of the punch 64. Also, as mentioned above, the holder 65 may be provided as needed.

[0063] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the workpiece 82 pressed against the base member 20F forms a sealed space including the recess 32 together with the holder 65 and the base member 20F. The opening 57 of the branch channel 56 opens into this sealed space. Specifically, when the holder 65 presses the workpiece 82 against the base member 20F, the opening 57 of the branch channel 56 is located below the holder 65 in the vertical direction and outside the peripheral edge 84 of the workpiece 82 in the XY plane.

[0064] At this time, the liquid 50L flows through the opening 57 into the sealed space. The liquid 50L fills the sealed space and applies circumferential hydraulic pressure PP to the periphery 84 of the workpiece 82. The workpiece 82 is pushed inward into the processing chamber 51 by the circumferential hydraulic pressure PP. This mechanism makes it easy to draw the workpiece 82 into the desired shape. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opposing hydraulic pressure OP and the circumferential hydraulic pressure PP can be generated simultaneously by simply lowering a single slider 61 (see Figure 9). However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As mentioned above, the branched flow path 56 may be provided as needed.

[0065] Referring to Figure 2, as mentioned above, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is equipped with three processing sets 12. As will be explained below, the processing sets 12 of this embodiment generate different hydraulic pressures at different timings.

[0066] Referring to Figure 6, each of the pistons 42 in the three machining sets 12 receives a pressure PP from the spacer 72 as the slider 61 moves from the upper position (position in Figure 6) to the lower position (position in Figure 9). When the slider 61 is in the upper position, each of the spacers 72 is a predetermined distance D1, D2, or D3 from the piston 42 in the vertical direction.

[0067] In this embodiment, the predetermined distances D1, D2, and D3 are different from each other. As can be understood from this distance condition, each of the pistons 42 in this embodiment receives the pressure PP (see Figure 9) from the spacer 72 at different timings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, two of the three predetermined distances D1, D2, and D3 may be the same. That is, at least one of the predetermined distances D1, D2, and D3 may be different from the other one of the predetermined distances D1, D2, and D3. In other words, at least one of the pistons 42 may receive the pressure PP from the slider 61 at a different timing than the other piston 42.

[0068] Referring to Figure 2, the punches 64 of the three machining sets 12 in this embodiment have the same diameter as each other. Referring to Figure 6, the main portions 44 of the pistons 42 of machining sets 12F and 12S have the same diameter (i.e., cross-sectional area) as each other in the XY plane. On the other hand, the main portion 44 of the piston 42 of machining set 12T has a different cross-sectional area in the XY plane than the main portions 44 of the pistons 42 of machining sets 12F and 12S. That is, at least one of the main portions 44 has a different cross-sectional area in the XY plane than another of the main portions 44.

[0069] According to this embodiment, processing sets 12F and 12S generate the same hydraulic pressure, while processing set 12T generates a different hydraulic pressure from processing sets 12F and 12S. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the main parts 44 of the three processing sets 12 may have different cross-sectional areas in the XY plane. That is, the three processing sets 12 may generate different hydraulic pressures.

[0070] According to this embodiment, at a predetermined timing, the hydraulic pressure in at least one of the processing sets 12 is different from the hydraulic pressure in another of the processing sets 12. Referring to Figure 9, the predetermined timing in this embodiment is the timing for processing the workpiece 82.

[0071] Referring to Figure 3, according to this embodiment, the machining set 12F generates a relatively large hydraulic pressure at an early timing, the machining set 12S generates the same hydraulic pressure as the machining set 12F at a later timing, and the machining set 12T generates a relatively small hydraulic pressure at an even later timing.

[0072] Referring to Figure 4, the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment is equipped with three processing sets 12 as described above, and by using hydraulic pressure, one workpiece 82 can be drawn in three processing steps. The processing apparatus 10 can sequentially process one workpiece 82 (see Figure 1) by sequentially feeding the object 80 along the groove 18. For example, drawing can be performed by processing set 12F, further drawing by processing set 12S, and a finishing drawing to prevent springback can be performed by processing set 12T. It is also possible to perform different processing on each of the three workpieces 82 simultaneously. Furthermore, a processing set 12 that separates the workpiece 82 from the carrier 81 (see Figure 1) can also be provided.

[0073] Referring to Figure 2, the three processing members 62 in this embodiment have the same shape as each other. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the three punches 64 may have different diameters. In this case, the processing chambers 51 (see Figure 5) may have inner diameters corresponding to each of the punches 64.

[0074] Referring to Figure 1, the structure of the processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described from another viewpoint. The processing apparatus 10 comprises a main component (partial component) 11 and a slider 61. The main component 11 of this embodiment consists of all components of the illustrated processing apparatus 10 except for the slider 61. The main component 11, together with the slider 61, forms the processing apparatus 10 that processes the workpiece 82 of the object 80 using hydraulic pressure. In other words, the main component 11 is a partial component 11 of the processing apparatus 10. To put it another way, the processing apparatus 10 comprises a partial component 11 that functions as the main component 11 of the processing apparatus 10.

[0075] The main member 11 of this embodiment comprises at least a base member 20, a punch 64 (see Figure 2), a holder 65 (see Figure 2), a holder support member 66 (see Figure 2), and a spacer 72 (see Figure 3). Each member of the main member 11 has the structure already described and functions as already described. For example, when the processing device 10 is formed, the slider 61 is located above the base member 20 in the vertical direction and is movable in the vertical direction between an upper position (position in Figure 5) and a lower position (position in Figure 9). The punch 64, holder 65, and spacer 72 can be attached to the slider 61. When the punch 64 is attached to the slider 61, the punch 64 protrudes downward from the slider 61 and moves vertically with the vertical movement of the slider 61.

[0076] The processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment can be modified in various ways in addition to the modifications already described. One of the modifications of the processing apparatus 10 will be described below.

[0077] Comparing Figure 13 with Figure 1, the modified processing apparatus 10A has three spacers 72A instead of the spacer 72 of the processing apparatus 10. That is, the processing apparatus 10A has a main component (partial component) 11A that is different from the main component 11 of the processing apparatus 10. The main component 11A of this modified version consists of all components of the illustrated processing apparatus 10A except for the slider 61. Except for this difference, the processing apparatus 10A has the same structure as the processing apparatus 10.

[0078] Referring to Figures 14 and 15, each spacer 72A comprises a metal base 73A, a metal pressurizing portion 74A, and a support member 76A. Both the base 73A and the pressurizing portion 74A have a cylindrical shape extending vertically. Each base 73A is fixed to one slider 61 and protrudes downward from the slider 61. Each pressurizing portion 74A is the part that pressurizes the piston 42 downward. Each support member 76A consists of one or more metal springs and is elastic. In each spacer 72A, the upper end of each metal spring is attached to the base 73A, and the lower end of each metal spring is attached to the pressurizing portion 74A. With this structure, each support member 76A supports the pressurizing portion 74A so that it can move vertically relative to the slider 61.

[0079] As can be seen from Figure 15, when the slider 61 is lowered, the pressurizing section 74A of processing set 12F, the pressurizing section 74A of processing set 12S, and the pressurizing section 74A of processing set 12T pressurize the piston 42 in this order, generating hydraulic pressure. That is, the timing at which the three processing sets 12 of the processing device 10A generate hydraulic pressure is different from that of each other. In addition, the support member 76A of processing set 12T has a different spring force than the support member 76A of processing set 12F and the support member 76A of processing set 12S, and as a result, it generates a different hydraulic pressure from processing set 12F and processing set 12S.

[0080] Referring to Figure 14, the processing set 12F will be described as follows: The hydraulic pressure generated by this modified example can be adjusted by the spring force of the support member 76A (more specifically, the elastic modulus of the metal spring). Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the hydraulic pressure from exceeding a predetermined value. In other words, the support member 76A functions as a hydraulic pressure adjustment mechanism together with the relief valve 59. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 10,10A processing equipment 11,11A Main component (partial device) 12 Processing Sets 12F Set 1 (Processing Set) 12S 2nd Set (Processing Set) 12T 3rd set (machining set) 18 grooves 20 Base member 20F First component (base component) 20S Second component (base component) 20T Third component (base component) 22 beds 222 Upper member 223 Mounting holes 224 Lower part 30 molds 32 recesses 40 cylinders 42 pistons 44 Main body 46 Pressurized part 48 O-rings 50 Liquid chamber 50L liquid 51 Processing room 52 Opening 53. Hydraulic Generating Room 54 Opening 55 Connection room 56 Branching channel 57 Opening 58 Liquid level 59 Relief valve 60 Movable member 61 Slider 62 Processing components 63 Base 64 punches 65 holder 66 Holder support member 72 Spacer (pressure area) 72A Spacer 73A base 74A Pressurized section 76A Support Member 80 Objects 81 Carriers 82. Workpiece (blank) 84 Periphery

Claims

1. A processing device that uses hydraulic pressure to process the workpiece portion of an object, The aforementioned processing apparatus comprises a main component and a slider. The main member comprises a base member and a punch. The slider is located above the base member in the vertical direction and is movable in the vertical direction between the upper position and the lower position. The punch protrudes downward from the slider and moves in the vertical direction as the slider moves in the vertical direction. A liquid chamber is formed in the base member. The aforementioned liquid chamber can be filled with liquid. The aforementioned liquid chamber comprises a processing chamber, a hydraulic pressure generation chamber, and a connecting chamber. The processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber each extend in the vertical direction and open upwards. The connecting chamber connects the processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber to each other in a front-to-back direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The base member is equipped with a piston, The piston is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber. The piston receives a downward pressure from the slider as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. With the liquid chamber filled with the liquid and the workpiece positioned above the processing chamber, when the slider is moved from the upper position to the lower position, the punch moves downward, pressurizing the workpiece toward the interior of the processing chamber, and the piston moves downward in response to the applied pressure, increasing the liquid pressure of the liquid. The liquid chamber is provided with a relief valve. The relief valve controls the hydraulic pressure so that it does not exceed a predetermined value. Processing equipment.

2. A processing apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned processing apparatus comprises two or more processing sets, Each of the aforementioned processing sets includes the liquid chamber, the piston, and the punch. All of the punches protrude downward from one of the sliders, At a predetermined timing, the hydraulic pressure in at least one of the processing sets is different from the hydraulic pressure in another of the processing sets. Processing equipment.

3. A processing apparatus according to claim 2, At least one of the pistons receives the pressure from the slider at a different timing than the other piston. Processing equipment.

4. A processing apparatus according to claim 2, Each of the aforementioned processing sets includes a spacer, All of the aforementioned spacers protrude downward from one of the aforementioned sliders. Each of the pistons receives the applied pressure from the spacer as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. When the slider is in the upper position, each of the spacers is separated from the piston by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. At least one of the predetermined distances is different from the other predetermined distance. Processing equipment.

5. A processing apparatus according to claim 4, Each of the aforementioned spacers is equipped with a pressurizing portion and a support member. Each of the aforementioned pressurizing sections is a part that pressurizes the piston downwards, Each of the aforementioned support members is elastic and supports the pressurizing portion so that it can move relative to the slider. assembly.

6. A processing apparatus according to claim 2, Each of the aforementioned pistons has a main part, Each of the aforementioned main parts is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber. At least one of the main parts has a different cross-sectional area from the other main part in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. Processing equipment.

7. A processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The main component comprises a holder and a holder support member. The holder is located outside the punch in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, The holder support member is elastic and supports the holder so that it can move relative to the slider. When the slider is moved downward with the workpiece positioned above the processing chamber, the holder moves downward and presses the workpiece against the base member. Processing equipment.

8. The processing apparatus according to claim 7, The liquid chamber has a branched channel, The aforementioned branch channel branches off from the processing chamber and has an opening that opens to the outside of the base member. When the holder presses the workpiece against the base member, the opening is located below the holder in the vertical direction and outside the peripheral edge of the workpiece in the horizontal plane. Processing equipment.

9. A main component formed together with a slider for a processing device that processes a workpiece using hydraulic pressure, The main member comprises a base member and a punch. When the processing apparatus is formed, the slider is located above the base member in the vertical direction and is movable in the vertical direction between the upper position and the lower position. The punch is attachable to the slider, When the punch is attached to the slider, the punch protrudes downward from the slider and moves in the vertical direction as the slider moves in the vertical direction. A liquid chamber is formed in the base member. The aforementioned liquid chamber can be filled with liquid. The aforementioned liquid chamber comprises a processing chamber, a hydraulic pressure generation chamber, and a connecting chamber. The processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber each extend in the vertical direction and open upwards. The connecting chamber connects the processing chamber and the hydraulic pressure generation chamber to each other in a front-to-back direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The base member is equipped with a piston, The piston is partially received in the hydraulic pressure generating chamber so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and protrudes upward from the hydraulic pressure generating chamber. The piston receives a downward pressure from the slider as the slider moves from the upper position to the lower position. With the liquid chamber filled with the liquid and the workpiece positioned above the processing chamber, when the slider is moved from the upper position to the lower position, the punch moves downward, pressurizing the workpiece toward the interior of the processing chamber, and the piston moves downward in response to the applied pressure, increasing the liquid pressure of the liquid. The liquid chamber is provided with a relief valve. The relief valve controls the hydraulic pressure so that it does not exceed a predetermined value. Main component.

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