Bending device and bending method using bending device

Abstract

This invention provides a bending apparatus and bending method that can further shorten the time required for mold changes and help improve production efficiency. One aspect of the bending apparatus includes: a plurality of supports fixed to a pair of side frames and capable of supporting an upper mold; a conveying unit between the supports and a slide, having an upper mold fixing mechanism for the slide and an upper mold holding mechanism for the conveying unit; a rear stop for positioning the workpiece; and a moving unit that moves the rear stop independently of the plurality of supports. Another aspect of the bending method includes: installing the upper mold and positioning the workpiece; driving the slide and combining it with a lower mold to stamp the workpiece; and disassembling the upper mold fixed to the plurality of supports and holding it.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a bending device and a bending method using the bending device. Prior Technology

[0002] Typically, a bending device is a device that has an upper die (punch) and a lower die (die) for receiving the upper die. The workpiece to be bent can be placed between the die and the lower die and the die and the lower die are used to clamp the workpiece with a strong force, thereby performing the bending process on the workpiece.

[0003] In addition, in recent years, with the increasing demands of users and the advancement of product performance, the trend of diversification of bending processes has become increasingly apparent. Therefore, it is also necessary to prepare multiple types of punches and dies for various bending processes.

[0004] However, depending on the bending process, the upper and lower dies, especially the upper die, sometimes need to be replaced, and the time required for replacing the upper die can lead to a decrease in production efficiency. Therefore, it is crucial to shorten the time required for replacing the upper die.

[0005] In view of the above, as a known bending device, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a plurality of movable arms, each equipped with a die unit, are arranged at the front and rear of a ram, and the die unit is mounted to the front end of the ram by moving the movable arms. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a stamping machine having a die storage section fixed to a back gauge device, and a die changing section that is freely movable and tiltable in both vertical and horizontal directions. [Previous Technical Documents] [Patent Literature]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-223594 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-136144 Summary of the Invention

[0007] [The problem that the invention aims to solve] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 above has the problem that each mold unit requires a movable arm. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the range of motion of each movable arm, and each movable arm requires a drive device such as a cylinder. Consequently, the increase in the size and cost of the device due to the increase in mold units remains significant, and the working space is limited in order to avoid the range of motion of each movable arm.

[0008] Furthermore, in the technology described in the aforementioned Patent Document 2, the mold storage part is fixed on the rear gauge, so the mold cannot be replaced when using the rear gauge device. In this respect, there is still a problem in shortening the mold replacement time.

[0009] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned issues, the object of the present invention is to provide a bending device and bending method that can further shorten the time required for mold change and help improve production efficiency. [Methods for solving problems]

[0010] A bending apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: a pair of side frames; a plurality of supports fixed to the side frames and capable of supporting an upper die; a slide having a slide upper die fixing mechanism for fixing the upper die and being movable up and down; a conveying unit having a conveying unit upper die holding mechanism for holding the upper die and conveying the conveying unit upper die holding mechanism between the supports and the slide; a rear gauge for positioning the workpiece; and a rear gauge moving unit that moves the rear gauge independently of the plurality of supports.

[0011] Furthermore, in this respect, although not limited to this, it is preferable that a plurality of brackets are fixed to the side frame in such a way that their mounting positions decrease along the direction away from the slide.

[0012] Furthermore, although not limited to this aspect, it is preferred that the conveying unit has a shaft member, a rotating mechanism for rotating the shaft member, and a moving mechanism for moving the shaft member up, down, back, and forth, and the conveying unit has a plurality of upper mold holding mechanisms arranged around the shaft member along the circumference of the shaft member.

[0013] Furthermore, although not limited to this aspect, it is preferable that the side of the upper mold is provided with a holding protrusion, and the upper mold holding mechanism of the conveying unit holds the upper mold by grasping the holding protrusion.

[0014] Furthermore, in this respect, although not limited to this, it is preferable that the plurality of supports are all fixed on the side frame and located above the upper mold fixing mechanism of the slide in the slide.

[0015] Furthermore, in this aspect, although not limited to this, it is preferred to have a lower die holding mechanism for holding the lower die corresponding to the upper die mounted on the slide, and a base (bed) for holding the lower die holding mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, while not limited to this aspect, it is preferable to have a lower die sliding unit for sliding the lower die holding mechanism.

[0017] Furthermore, another aspect of the bending method of the present invention is a bending method for bending a workpiece using a bending device, the bending device comprising: a pair of side frames; a plurality of supports fixed to the side frames and capable of supporting an upper die; a slide block having a slide block upper die fixing mechanism for fixing the upper die and being movable up and down; a conveying unit having a conveying unit upper die holding mechanism for holding the upper die and conveying the conveying unit upper die holding mechanism between the supports and the slide block; a rear stop gauge for positioning the workpiece; and a rear... The back gauge moving unit moves independently of a plurality of supports. The bending method includes: a stamping step in which a first upper die is installed on a slide upper die fixing mechanism of a slide, the workpiece is positioned by the back gauge, the slide is driven and combined with a lower die to stamp the workpiece; and a transfer unit upper die preparation and installation step in which, during the stamping step, a second upper die fixed on a plurality of supports is detached from the supports and held by a transfer unit upper die holding mechanism of a transfer unit.

[0018] Furthermore, although not limited to this aspect, it is preferred to include a step of returning the upper die to the support, which involves removing the third upper die held by the conveying unit from the conveying unit and placing it on the support during the stamping step. [Invention Effects]

[0019] In summary, the present invention provides a bending device and bending method that can further shorten the time required for mold changing and help improve production efficiency. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0020] [Figure 1] is a schematic diagram of the bending device of this embodiment viewed from the oblique front. [Figure 2] is a schematic diagram of the bending device of this embodiment viewed from a rearward angle. [Figure 3] is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 4] is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the bracket in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 5] is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the supports in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 6] is a schematic diagram of the mounting and dismounting operation of the bracket in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 7] is a diagram showing the relationship between the support and the upper die holding mechanism of the conveying unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 8] is a diagram showing a specific example of the upper die in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 9] is a schematic diagram of the specific process of bending the workpiece by the upper and lower dies in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 10] is a diagram showing an example of a holding protrusion of the upper die in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 11] is a schematic diagram of the slide drive unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 12] is a schematic diagram of the upper mold fixing mechanism for the slide block in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 13] is a schematic diagram of the conveying unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 14] is a schematic diagram of the upper die holding mechanism of the conveying unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 15] is a schematic diagram of the operation of the conveying unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 16] is a schematic diagram of the rear stop gauge in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 17] is a schematic diagram of the rear stop gauge moving unit in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 18] is a diagram showing a specific example of the lower die in the bending device of this embodiment. [Figure 19] is a diagram showing a specific example of the lower mold of this embodiment. [Figure 20] is a schematic diagram of the mold holding mechanism in this embodiment. [Figure 21] is a schematic diagram of one step of the bending method of this embodiment. [Figure 22] is a schematic diagram of one step of the bending method of this embodiment. Implementation

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different ways and is not limited to the specific examples described in the embodiments shown below.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the bending device (hereinafter referred to as "the device") 1 of this embodiment viewed from the oblique front, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the device 1 viewed from the oblique rear, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram for explaining the interior of the device 1.

[0023] As shown in the figures, the device 1 includes: a pair of side frames 2; a plurality of supports 3, which are fixed on the side frames 2 and can hold the upper mold PD; a slide 4, which has a slide upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for fixing the upper mold PD and can move up and down; a conveying unit 5, which has a conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism 51 for holding the upper mold PD and conveying the conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism 51 between the supports 3 and the slide 4; a rear gauge 6, which positions the workpiece w; and a rear gauge moving unit 7, which moves the rear gauge 6 independently of the plurality of supports 3.

[0024] According to this device 1, a bending apparatus and bending method can be provided that can further shorten the time required for mold change and help improve production efficiency. The operation of this device 1 and the effects it brings will become clear from the following description. In addition, this device 1 can use the area between the side frames 2 as the processing area, that is, if the distance between the side frames 2 is increased, a larger workpiece W can be processed accordingly. Also, here, "up and down" means the direction perpendicular to the setting surface G on which this device 1 is set, specifically the direction along the vertical direction, "up" means the direction away from the setting surface G, and "down" means the direction closer to the setting surface G.

[0025] First, as described above, the device 1 has a pair of side frames 2. The side frames 2 are components that constitute the skeleton of the device 1, and as the name suggests, they serve as frame components on the sides of the device 1, functioning as support components for various components.

[0026] Furthermore, in this device 1, it is also preferable to have not only a pair of side frames 2, but also a connecting member 21 for connecting the side frames 2. This ensures that the distance between the side frames 2 is reliably maintained. In addition, this device 1 can be configured to include a cover member 22 in addition to the aforementioned side frames 2, which covers at least a portion of the upper surface, lower surface, front surface, and back surface. This divides the space for accommodating the components of this device 1 and ensures their safety by protecting each component.

[0027] Furthermore, as described above, this device 1 has a support 3. The support 3 is fixed to the side frame 2 and can support the upper mold PD. An example of the specific structure of the support 3 is shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the supports 3 are arranged opposite to each other on each side frame 2 and are located at the same height from the setting surface G. This is because the upper mold PD has a horizontally elongated shape extending left and right, so it is necessary to support it at both ends.

[0028] The structure of the bracket 3 is not limited as long as it can support the upper mold PD and can be detached as needed. For example, it is preferable to have a support portion 31 for supporting the upper mold PD.

[0029] The support portion 31 in the bracket 3 is not limited as long as it can support the upper mold PD, as described above, but its shape is preferably an approximately L-shaped structure with a lower support portion 311 and a side support portion 312. By making its shape approximately L-shaped, it can support the lower surface and side of the upper mold PD. At the same time, by sliding the upper mold PD laterally from the lower support portion 311, the upper mold PD can be easily disassembled without lifting it. However, the lower support portion 311 is preferably provided with a front protrusion 313 to prevent easy detachment.

[0030] In this device 1, the number of supports 3, specifically the number of supports fixed to a side frame 2 (also the number of pairs of supports set on the side frame 2), is preferably multiple. Although it is not impossible to set only one support 3, this device 1 is based on the premise of replacing multiple upper molds PD, so by setting multiple supports, unused upper molds PD can be placed and stored. Specifically, it is preferable to set two or more, more preferably three or more, and even more preferably four or more, which can be appropriately adjusted according to the size of this device 1 and the intended processing type of the workpiece W.

[0031] As clearly seen from the above description, the workpiece W is the object of the bending process performed by this apparatus 1, and it is not limited to any object that can be bent; typically, a metal sheet is preferred. In this apparatus 1, the originally flat workpiece W is first clamped between the upper die PD and the lower die DD and pressed (stamped) to perform the required bending process, thereby forming the desired shape. Furthermore, by performing this bending process multiple times, more complex shapes can be obtained, especially by changing the combination of the upper die PD and the lower die DD.

[0032] Furthermore, in this device 1, it is preferable that a plurality of supports 3 are fixed to the side frame in such a way that their mounting positions decrease along the direction away from the slide 4. As an example, Figure 5 shows an example with four supports 3. In this way, by arranging a plurality of supports 3 at intervals and in such a way that their mounting positions decrease along the direction away from the slide 4, the mounting and disassembly of the upper mold PD becomes simple and convenient. More specifically, the mounting positions gradually decrease and there is a height difference, so that the side of the upper mold PD at the rear (the side away from the slide 4) and the support 3 at the front (the side closer to the slide 4) have a portion that does not overlap in the horizontal direction, making it easy to hold the upper mold PD within the range of this non-overlapping portion. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the operation in this case. The height of the non-overlapping portion is not particularly limited, but it is preferably higher than the height of the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit in the conveying unit 5, which is described in detail below. More specifically, it is preferably higher than the distance from the upper end 511 of the upper mold holding mechanism 51 to the lower end 5121 of the upper mold insertion portion 512. With this arrangement, the conveying unit 5, specifically the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit, will not interfere with the adjacent support 3. A schematic diagram of this case is shown in Figure 7.

[0033] Furthermore, in this device 1, the upper die PD and the lower die DD are components that are essential for driving this device 1. However, these components can be appropriately replaced depending on the type of bending process. When not driving this device 1, such as during maintenance or transportation, it is sometimes better to disassemble them.

[0034] As described above, the upper die PD is a component used in combination with the lower die DD. Specifically, the upper die PD preferably has a protrusion PDB and a retaining part PDH. The protrusion PDB of the upper die PD engages with the concave part DDD of the lower die DD, and by clamping the workpiece to be bent between them, it can be bent into the desired shape. The retaining part PDH is the part used to hold the protrusion PDB for easy transport, and is a common part of the plurality of die PDs. That is, in the plurality of upper dies PDs, the protrusion PDB has a different shape for each die, while the retaining part PDH is a common part. Figure 8 shows a specific example of the upper die PD, and Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of the specific process of bending a workpiece by the upper die PD and the lower die DD. Furthermore, although the above figures show specific examples of the upper die PD, as mentioned above, appropriate adjustments can be made according to the type of bending process, and therefore it is not limited to these examples.

[0035] As described above, the number of upper dies PD can be adjusted appropriately according to the type and quantity of bending processes required, and the number of supports 3 can be adjusted accordingly. Specifically, it can be one, but preferably two or more, more preferably three or more, and even more preferably four or more, but it is not limited to this.

[0036] Furthermore, in this device 1, although not limited to this, it is preferable to further form a gripping protrusion PDN on the holding portion PDH of the upper mold PD. The reason for this will be explained in detail later. By forming the gripping protrusion PDN, the upper mold PD can be stably mounted on the upper mold gripping mechanism 51 for the transport unit. A schematic diagram of this case is shown, for example, in FIG10. In addition, as shown in this figure, the gripping protrusion PDN is preferably formed with a hole PDNB. By forming the hole PDNB, the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the transport unit and the upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for the slide block, which will be described later, can be positioned and reliably held. This part will also be described in detail later.

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, this device 1 includes a slide ram 4. The slide ram 4 has a slide ram upper die fixing mechanism 41 for mounting the upper die PD and is movable up and down, and is disposed on the upper part of the front surface of this device 1. By mounting the upper die PD on the slide ram 4 and moving it up and down, as described above, the distance between the upper die PD and the lower die DD can be adjusted, and the upper die PD and the lower die DD can be engaged, thereby realizing the bending process of the workpiece. In addition, the slide ram upper die fixing mechanism 41 for fixing the upper die PD on the slide ram 4 is preferably formed near the lower end of the slide ram 4. With this arrangement, the protrusion PDB of the die PD can protrude downward below the lower end of the slide ram 4 and engage with the lower die DD.

[0038] Furthermore, this device 1 includes a slide drive unit 9 for enabling the slide 4 to move up and down. The slide drive unit 9 is not limited as long as it can control the up and down movement of the slide 4, but as shown in FIG11, its configuration is preferably as follows: it includes a power mechanism 91, a shaft member 92 that reciprocates via the power mechanism 91, a connecting member 93 connecting the shaft member 92 and the slide 4, and a fulcrum member 94 serving as the fulcrum of the connecting member 93. With this configuration, the shaft member 92 moves up and down by being driven by the power mechanism 91, and this up and down movement is transmitted to the slide 4 via the fulcrum member 94, thereby enabling the slide 4 to move up and down.

[0039] Here, a specific example of the upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for the ram is shown in Figure 12. The upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for the ram is preferably configured to have an upper mold insertion portion 411 and a pressing member 412 for pressing the upper mold PD inserted into the upper mold insertion portion 411. This allows the upper mold PD, and more specifically, the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold PD, to be inserted and stably held. Furthermore, as shown in this figure, the pressing member 412 is not limited as long as it can press the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold PD inserted into the upper mold insertion portion 411 and fix it to the ram 4, but for stable fixation, it is preferable to provide a plurality of members distributed along the left-right direction of the ram 4.

[0040] Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for the slide block, the slide block 4 is preferably also provided with an upper mold correction mechanism 42 for the slide block. As described above, since the upper mold PD is elongated in the left-right direction, it may deflect in its middle section (the gap between the slide block 4 and the upper mold PD). Therefore, to prevent this deflection, it is preferable to provide an upper mold correction mechanism 42 for pressing the upper mold PD onto the slide block 4.

[0041] Furthermore, as described above, this device 1 includes a conveying unit 5. The conveying unit 5 has a conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism 51 for mounting the upper mold PD, and the conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism 51 is moved between the support 3 and the slide 4. In this device 1, by having the conveying unit 5, the upper mold PD held on the support 3 can be detached and mounted on the slide 4, and the upper mold PD mounted on the slide 4 can be detached and held on the support 3. That is, the upper mold PD can be replaced.

[0042] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the conveying unit 5 in this device 1. As described above, the conveying unit 5 is not limited as long as the upper mold PD can be replaced. It includes a shaft member 52, a rotating mechanism 53 for rotating the shaft member 52, a moving mechanism 54 for moving the shaft member 52 up, down, forward, and backward, and a power mechanism 55 for driving the rotating mechanism 54 and the moving mechanism. In this way, the rotating shaft 52 can be freely rotated and moved up, down, forward, and backward, and the upper mold PD can be easily conveyed between the support 3 and the slide 4 for installation and removal. Furthermore, as can be clearly seen from the above description, the term "forward and backward" here refers to the horizontal direction, with the direction away from the slide ram being "back" and the direction closer to the slide ram being "forward". Moreover, the term "left and right" refers to the horizontal direction and the direction perpendicular to the forward and backward direction. When viewing this device 1 from the front, the right direction is defined as right, and the left direction is defined as left.

[0043] Furthermore, Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit in this device 1. The upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit has an upper mold insertion part 512 for inserting the upper mold PD, specifically for inserting the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold PD. As the name suggests, by inserting the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold into the upper mold insertion part 512 and pressing it, the upper mold PD can be reliably held, and the upper mold PD can be removed by releasing the pressing. Furthermore, the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit is preferably equipped with a pressing member 513 for pressing the upper mold PD. By using the pressing member 513, the upper mold PD can be pressed and fixed in the upper mold insertion part 512, and the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold PD can be reliably grasped. Furthermore, as described above, when a hole PDNB is formed on the holding protrusion PDN of the upper mold PD, the front end of the pressing member 513 preferably has a protrusion 5131 that inserts into the insertion hole PDNB. By providing the protrusion 5131 in this way, the following advantages can be achieved: when it is inserted into the hole PDNB, the positions of the upper mold PD and the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit can be reliably determined. Further, in this case, it is preferable that the hole PDNB has a stepped shape, and the protrusion 5131 also has a stepped shape to match it. By providing this, misalignment can be prevented and reliable positioning can be achieved. In addition, since the height of the upper mold holding mechanism 51 for the conveying unit in the conveying unit has been adjusted, and the bracket 3 is fixed to the side frame 2 at intervals and has a height difference, it is preferable that when holding the upper mold set on the bracket 3, it will not contact the lower end of the front section of the bracket 3.

[0044] Furthermore, it is preferable that a plurality of upper mold holding mechanisms 51 for the conveying unit are arranged along the circumference of the shaft member 52. Here, "circumferential" means the direction of movement along the rotation trajectory when the shaft member 52 is rotated. In this embodiment, by arranging a plurality of upper mold holding mechanisms 51 for the conveying unit, the following advantages can be achieved: by rotating the shaft member 52, a plurality of upper molds can be held, conveyed, and loaded / unloaded at once. Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of the operation in this case. Furthermore, in this case, it is preferable that the plurality of upper mold holding mechanisms 51 for the conveying unit are arranged in the same direction along the circumferential direction. This is because, by such an arrangement, when the shaft member 52 is rotated, the mold can always face the same direction. In addition, the number of upper mold holding mechanisms 51 is not limited as long as it can keep the molds from contacting each other; it can be four or three, but two is preferred. By setting two, one can be used to hold the upper mold and set it on the slide 4, while the other can be used to hold the upper mold and remove it from the slide 4 and put it back on the bracket 3.

[0045] Furthermore, as clearly seen from the above figures, although not limited to this, in this device 1, the plurality of supports 3 are preferably all fixed to the side frame and located above the mounting position of the upper mold PD in the slide ram 4. More preferably, the lower end of the slide ram 4 (the lower end of the lowest support 3 when there are multiple supports 3) is located above the upper end of the slide ram upper mold fixing mechanism 41 in the slide ram 4. With this configuration, when removing the upper mold PD from the slide ram 4, the upper mold PD can be hung on the support 3 without further lowering the position of the shaft member 52 of the conveying unit 5. As a result, not only is the conveying path of the upper mold shortened, but the movement of the stop gauge moving unit 7 described later is not hindered. Also, since the plurality of supports 3 are located at the top, the operating space of the conveying unit 5 can be ensured in this part, specifically, the rotation space of the rotating shaft 52 can be ensured, which is practical.

[0046] Furthermore, as described above, this device 1 has a rear stop 6. The rear stop 6 is used for positioning the workpiece. A schematic diagram of the rear stop 6 is shown in Figure 16. By having the rear stop 6, the following advantages can be achieved: the insertion position of the workpiece W in this device 1 can be specified, and the required bending process can be realized.

[0047] Furthermore, as described above, this device 1 includes a rear gauge moving unit 7. The rear gauge moving unit 7 moves the rear gauge independently of the plurality of supports. By providing the rear gauge moving unit 7, the insertion position of the workpiece W can be specified, and the required bending process can be achieved.

[0048] Furthermore, while the structure of the rear gauge moving unit 7 of this device 1 is not limited to this, its configuration, as shown in FIG17, is preferably to include a forward and backward moving mechanism 71 for moving the rear gauge forward and backward, a left and right moving mechanism 72 for moving the rear gauge left and right, and a power mechanism 73 for driving them. This allows the rear gauge to be positioned as desired. In particular, according to this device 1, since it is a separate, independent component from the support 3 and the conveying unit 5, it can move independently without being linked to their movement, thereby shortening the time required for mold changes and contributing to improved production efficiency.

[0049] Furthermore, while not limited to this, the device 1 preferably includes a lower mold holding mechanism 81 for holding the lower mold DD corresponding to the upper mold PD mounted on the slide 4, and a base 8 for holding the lower mold holding mechanism 81. Here, a specific example of the lower mold DD is shown in FIG18, and a schematic diagram of the lower mold holding mechanism 81 is shown in FIG19. The base 8 is also a component covering the lower part of the front face of a pair of side frames. As clearly seen from the above description, the lower mold DD is a mold corresponding to the upper mold PD, and has a recess DDD corresponding to the protrusion PDB of the upper mold PD. Furthermore, the lower mold holding mechanism is mounted on the base 8, and its structure can be substantially the same as that of the upper mold fixing mechanism 41 for the slide shown above.

[0050] Furthermore, in this device 1, it is preferable to have a lower mold sliding unit 10 for sliding the lower mold holding mechanism 81. This embodiment has a plurality of upper molds PD. By appropriately replacing the plurality of upper molds PD, the types of processing using the upper molds PD can be increased. Simultaneously, the lower mold DD also needs to have recesses that correspond to the upper molds PD. However, by pre-setting a plurality of recesses on the lower mold DD that correspond to the protrusions of the plurality of upper molds, the lower mold DD can be adjusted simply by slightly offsetting its position, without needing to replace it. Therefore, by providing the lower mold sliding unit 10, the same effect as replacing the mold can be achieved. A schematic diagram of the lower mold sliding unit 10 is shown in FIG20.

[0051] While there are no particular limitations on the structure of the lower mold sliding unit 10 in this device 1, it is preferable, for example, to have a power mechanism 101 and a moving part 102 connected to the power mechanism 101 and moving back and forth to move the lower mold holding mechanism 81. In this way, the lower mold can be moved in the back and forth direction.

[0052] (Bending method) Furthermore, as can be clearly seen from the above-described configuration of the device 1, by using the device 1, a bending method that shortens the time required to change molds and helps improve production efficiency can be achieved when bending a workpiece. That is, the workpiece bending method of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "this method") is a bending method that uses a bending device to bend a workpiece. The bending device includes: a pair of side frames; a plurality of supports fixed to the side frames and capable of mounting an upper mold; a slide block having a slide block upper mold fixing mechanism for mounting the upper mold and capable of vertical movement; a conveying unit having a conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism for mounting the upper mold and conveying the conveying unit upper mold holding mechanism between the supports and the slide block; and a rear stop for positioning the workpiece. The rear stop moving unit moves the rear stop independently of the plurality of supports. The bending method includes: a stamping step (S1), in which a first upper die is mounted onto the slide upper die fixing mechanism of the slide, the workpiece is positioned by the rear stop, and the slide is driven to combine with the lower die to stamp the workpiece; and a conveying unit upper die preparation and installation step (S2), in which, during the stamping step, a second upper die fixed to the plurality of supports is detached from the supports and installed onto the conveying unit upper die holding mechanism of the conveying unit. Figure 21 shows a schematic diagram of the operation in this case.

[0053] More specifically, this method includes a stamping step in which the workpiece is stamped using the apparatus 1. During this step, the upper die PD, held by the bracket 3, can be mounted onto the upper die holding mechanism of the transfer unit. As a result, the upper die PD can be mounted onto the upper die holding mechanism of the transfer unit without interrupting the stamping step, preparing for the change of the next die, thereby allowing multiple processes to be performed simultaneously and shortening the process time. Furthermore, the terms "first die" and "second die" are ordinal numbers used only to distinguish multiple dies and do not have technical meaning. The first die is the upper die used for stamping in the stamping step, and the second die is the upper die prepared for the next stamping step.

[0054] As described above, this method includes a stamping step (S1), in which the first upper die is mounted on the slide upper die fixing mechanism of the slide, the workpiece is positioned by the back gauge, the slide is driven and combined with the lower die to stamp the workpiece. In this way, the workpiece W can be bent into the desired shape.

[0055] Furthermore, this method includes a step (S2) for preparing and installing the upper die for the conveying unit. During the stamping step described above, this step involves detaching the second upper die, which is mounted on one of the plurality of supports 3, from the supports 3 and installing it onto the upper die holding mechanism 51 of the conveying unit 5. In other words, this method allows the conveying unit to transport the upper die required for the next stamping step during the stamping step and prepare it for installation on the supports 3. This significantly shortens the process time.

[0056] Furthermore, although not limited to this method, it is preferred to include a support upper die return step (S3), in which the third upper die mounted on the conveying unit is removed from the conveying unit and mounted on the support 3 during the stamping step. A schematic diagram of the operation in this case is shown in Figure 22.

[0057] More specifically, this method includes a stamping step in which the workpiece is stamped using the apparatus 1, and during this step, the upper die PD held by the transfer unit can be returned to the support 3. As a result, the upper die PD can be returned to the support 3 without interrupting the stamping step, and the next operation can be performed, thus allowing multiple processes to be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, the term "third die" here, like "first" and "second" mentioned above, is merely an ordinal number used to distinguish multiple dies and does not have a technical meaning. The third die is the upper die used in the stamping step that is returned to the support and held for the next use.

[0058] As described above, the present invention provides a bending apparatus and bending method that can further reduce the time required for die changeover and help improve production efficiency. Specifically, according to the apparatus and method, the upper die used in the next stamping process can be prepared simultaneously in one stamping process, and the upper die used in the previous stamping process can be returned to the support. This significantly reduces operation time. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] This invention is industrially applicable as a bending device and a bending method using the bending device.

[0060] 1: Bending device 2: Side frame 3: Bracket 31: Support section 4: Slide pillow 41: Upper mold fixing mechanism for ram 5: Transport Unit 51: Upper mold holding mechanism for the conveying unit 52: Shaft members 53: Rotating mechanism 54: Mobile mechanism 55: Power mechanism 6: Rear gear gauge 7: Rear stop gauge moving unit 8: Base 81: Lower mold holding mechanism 9: Slide drive unit 91: Power mechanism 92: Shaft members 93: Connecting components 94: Support Components 10: Lower mold sliding unit SF: Sliding frame PD: Upper mold PDB:convex part PDS: Side PDN: Holding protrusion DD: Lower mold DDD: concave part

Claims

1. A bending device comprising: a pair of side frames; a pair of supports respectively fixed to the pair of side frames and capable of supporting an upper die; a slide having a slide upper die fixing mechanism for fixing the upper die and movable vertically; a conveying unit having a conveying unit upper die holding mechanism for holding the upper die and conveying the conveying unit upper die holding mechanism between the pair of supports and the slide; a back gauge for positioning a workpiece; and a back gauge moving unit for moving the back gauge independently of the pair of supports, wherein... The pair of supports are provided with multiple arrays. The multiple arrays of the pair of supports are fixed to the side frame in such a way that their installation position decreases along the direction away from the slide block, and adjacent pairs of supports have non-overlapping portions in the horizontal direction. The side of the upper mold is provided with a holding protrusion. The holding protrusion is disposed on the portion of the pair of supports that does not overlap with the adjacent pair of supports in the horizontal direction. The conveying unit uses an upper mold holding mechanism to hold the upper mold by grasping the holding protrusion from the side of the upper mold. The conveying unit includes a shaft member, a rotating mechanism for rotating the shaft member, and a moving mechanism for moving the shaft member up, down, back, and forth. The conveying unit uses an upper mold holding mechanism with multiple arrays arranged around the shaft member along the circumference of the shaft member.

2. The bending device as described in claim 1, wherein, The pair of brackets in the complex array are both fixed to the side frame and are located above the upper mold fixing mechanism of the slide block.

3. The bending device as claimed in claim 1, comprising: a lower die holding mechanism for holding a lower die corresponding to the upper die mounted on the slide; and a base for holding the lower die holding mechanism.

4. The bending device as described in claim 3, comprising a lower die sliding unit for sliding the lower die holding mechanism.

5. A bending method comprising using a bending device to bend a workpiece, the bending device comprising: a pair of side frames; a pair of supports respectively fixed to the pair of side frames and capable of supporting an upper die; a slide having a slide upper die fixing mechanism for fixing the upper die and being movable vertically; a conveying unit having a conveying unit upper die holding mechanism for holding the upper die and conveying the conveying unit upper die holding mechanism between the pair of supports and the slide; a back gauge for positioning the workpiece; and a back gauge moving unit for moving the back gauge independently of the pair of supports, wherein... The pair of supports are provided with multiple arrays, and the multiple arrays of the pair of supports are fixed to the side frame in such a way that their installation position decreases along the direction away from the slide block, and adjacent pairs of supports have non-overlapping portions in the horizontal direction. The side of the upper die is provided with a holding protrusion, which is disposed on the portion of the pair of supports that does not overlap with the adjacent pair of supports in the horizontal direction. The conveying unit uses an upper die holding mechanism to hold the upper die by grasping the holding protrusion from the side of the upper die. The conveying unit includes a shaft member, a rotating mechanism for rotating the shaft member, and a moving mechanism for moving the shaft member up, down, back, and forth. The upper die holding mechanism of the conveying unit is arranged in multiple ways around the shaft member along the circumference of the shaft member. The bending method includes: The stamping step involves installing the first upper die onto the slide upper die fixing mechanism of the slide, positioning the workpiece by means of the rear stop gauge, driving the slide and combining it with the lower die to stamp the workpiece; and the upper die preparation and installation step of the conveying unit, which involves removing the second upper die, which is fixed on the pair of brackets of the complex array, from the pair of brackets and holding it by the upper die holding mechanism of the conveying unit.

6. The bending method as described in claim 5, including a support upper die return step, wherein during the stamping step, the third upper die held by the conveying unit is removed from the conveying unit and placed on the support.

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