Roller assembly for advancing sheet-metal material
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/EP2024/055895
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing roller arrangements in rounding machines and rolling mills for sheet metal materials are complex, expensive, and prone to wear and overshoot at high feed speeds, leading to operational disruptions.
A roller assembly with two rotatable feed rollers, where one is fixed and the other is movably mounted via solid joints, allowing adjustment of the passage gap through perpendicular movement, minimizing components and reducing wear by eliminating swing arms and slide bearings.
The design minimizes wear, reduces overshoot, and optimally adapts to different sheet thicknesses with minimal components, enhancing operational reliability and efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024055895_02102025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Roller arrangement for pushing sheet material
[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The invention relates to a roller arrangement for advancing sheet material, a rounding apparatus for can production comprising such a roller arrangement, a rolling and straightening machine comprising such a roller arrangement and the use of the roller arrangement, the rounding apparatus or the rolling and straightening machine for the production of tin cans according to the preambles of the independent patent claims.
[0004] STATE OF THE ART
[0005] Rounding machines and rolling and straightening mills for sheet metal materials often comprise several roller arrangements for feeding the sheet material to be processed. At least one roller per roller pair is spring-loaded. In addition, the distance to the counter-roller should be adjustable. In the roller arrangements known today, this is achieved either by rockers mounted separately in the side plates of the support structure or by slides embedded in the structure, which leads to very component-intensive and expensive designs. These are also complex to maintain because the bearings and stops of the rockers or slides wear out over time and must be regularly overhauled. In addition, the designs known today tend to overshoot the spring-loaded rollers at high feed speeds, as is common in the production of tin cans. This can lead to operational disruptions and further increase wear.
[0006] PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The task here is to provide technical solutions that do not have the previously mentioned disadvantages of the state of the art or at least partially avoid them.
[0008] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims.
[0009] According to these, a first aspect of the invention relates to a roller assembly for advancing sheet metal material. The roller assembly comprises two rotatable feed rollers with preferably parallel axes of rotation, namely a first feed roller according to the claims and a second feed roller according to the claims. Between these, the sheet material to be fed is clamped in a passage gap formed by the feed rollers during normal feed operation and is advanced while the feed rollers rotate. For this purpose, at least one of the two feed rollers is drivable.
[0010] The term "feed rollers" as claimed includes not only rollers but also rollers and other rolling elements with a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape, with a width greater than, equal to, or smaller than the width of the sheet material to be fed.
[0011] The first feed roller is fixedly mounted in a support structure and the second feed roller is movably mounted in the support structure such that it is movable perpendicular to its axis of rotation relative to the first roller, preferably pivotable or displaceable, while changing the passage gap for the sheet material to be fed forward.
[0012] The bearing of the second feed roller is connected to the support structure via solid joints, which enable the mobility of the second feed roller.
[0013] The term "bearing" as claimed encompasses all bearing points of the feed roller. This can be a single one or several. Typically, the bearing in a feed roller comprises two end bearing points. In other words, the invention relates to a roller arrangement for advancing sheet material, comprising a first feed roller and a second feed roller, at least one of which is drivable and between which the sheet material to be fed is clamped in a passage gap formed by the feed rollers during normal feed operation and is fed forward while the feed rollers rotate.The first feed roller is fixedly mounted in a support structure and the second feed roller is movably mounted in the support structure via one or more solid joints in such a way that it is movable perpendicular to its axis of rotation relative to the first feed roller, in particular pivotable or displaceable, with a change in the passage gap for the sheet material to be fed forward.
[0014] This inventive design has the advantage that it can be realized with a minimum of components and eliminates typical wear parts such as swing arm or slide bearings. It has also been shown that this design is less prone to overshoot of the spring-loaded feed roller than previously known designs.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement comprises adjustment means with which the bearing of the second feed roller can be moved relative to the support structure while overcoming restoring forces generated at least partially by the solid-state joints, in order to adjust the free passage gap when the feed rollers are unloaded. This allows the roller arrangement to be optimally adapted to different sheet thicknesses.
[0016] In an advantageous first variant, the adjusting means are designed such that the bearings of the second feed roller, starting from a first position in which the adjusting means have no effect, are movable with the adjusting means such that the passage gap for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers is reduced.
[0017] In an advantageous second variant, the adjusting means are designed such that the bearings of the second feed roller, starting from a first position in which the adjusting means have no effect, are movable with the adjusting means such that the passage gap for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers is enlarged.
[0018] Combinations of these two variants are also possible.
[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the roller arrangement, the solid-state joints are formed by cantilever arms that extend from the support structure and support the bearings of the second feed roller at their free ends. Such solid-state joints are easy to manufacture and allow a sufficient range of motion.
[0020] If adjustment means as described above are present, it is preferred that these are arranged in such a way that they can exert a compressive force on the cantilever arms in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second feed roller in order to adjust the passage gap.
[0021] Alternatively, it is also provided that the adjustment means for adjusting the passage gap in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the second feed roller exert a compressive force on the bearing of the second feed roller, preferably in regions of the bearing which are facing away from the cantilever arm.
[0022] Depending on the design, one or the other variant may be more advantageous.
[0023] It is further preferred that the points of application of the compressive force to the cantilever arms or the bearings be variable. This is particularly important for adjustment devices that act on cantilevers and with which the passage gap for the sheet material can be reduced by exerting compressive force on the cantilever arm, because with such designs, different characteristics of the flexure joints for feed operation can be adjusted via the various force application points.
[0024] In yet another preferred embodiment, the solid-state joints are formed by loop-like, preferably U-shaped or C-shaped material strips, which connect the bearing of the second feed roller to the support structure. Such solid-state joints can also be implemented in very tight spaces.
[0025] In preferred variants of this embodiment, the solid-state joints designed as material bands are arranged in a region after the second feed roller, viewed in the intended feed direction, and the adjusting means for adjusting the passage gap are arranged in a region before the second feed roller, or alternatively exactly the other way around, and the adjusting means exert a compressive force on the bearing of the second feed roller in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second feed roller, preferably in such a way that the passage gap for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers is enlarged under the compressive force.
[0026] Screws or pressure spindles or adjustable compression springs have proven to be particularly suitable as adjustment means.
[0027] In yet another preferred embodiment of the roller arrangement, the bearing of the second feed roller is designed such that the second feed roller, starting from a basic position in which a free passage gap is formed between the unloaded feed rollers which is smaller than the thickness of the sheet material to be fed forward, can be moved relative to the support structure by the sheet material to be fed forward, overcoming restoring forces which are at least partially generated by the solid-state joints, in order to enlarge the passage gap to the thickness of the sheet material while clamping the sheet material between the feed rollers.
[0028] In embodiments in which adjustment means designed as screws or pressure spindles for adjusting the passage gap in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the second feed roller exert a compressive force on the solid-state joints designed as cantilever arms, it is preferred that the area of the cantilever arms lying between the force introduction point of the adjustment means and the support structure serves as a solid-state joint for adjusting the free passage gap and the area of the cantilever arms lying between the force introduction point of the adjustment means and the bearing of the second feed roller serves as a solid-state joint for enlarging the passage gap by the incoming sheet material from the basic position to the thickness of the sheet material.
[0029] The support structure of the roller arrangement according to the invention advantageously comprises two side parts or side plates formed from metal plates, in which the solid-state joints and the bearings of the second feed roller are formed by cutting free certain plate areas, in particular by means of laser, plasma or water jet cutting.
[0030] As overload protection for the solid-state joints, the roller arrangement according to the invention preferably has stops which limit the mobility of the second feed roller in a direction perpendicular to its axis of rotation in the support structure.
[0031] A second aspect of the invention relates to a rounding machine for can production, which comprises at least one roller arrangement according to the first aspect of the invention. A third aspect of the invention relates to a rolling and straightening mill, which comprises at least one roller arrangement according to the first aspect of the invention.
[0032] Such devices represent preferred commercial forms of the invention.
[0033] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to the use of a roller arrangement according to the first aspect of the invention, a rounding apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention or a rolling and straightening machine according to the third aspect of the invention in the production of tin cans, preferably for the packaging of foodstuffs.
[0034] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] Further embodiments, advantages, and applications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description with reference to the figures. These show:
[0036] Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of a circular apparatus according to the invention;
[0037] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rounding machine of Fig. 1 from the sheet inlet side; and Fig. 3 is a perspective top view of the rounding machine of Fig. 1 with the roller drive removed and the side plate cut vertically in the longitudinal direction.
[0038] WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION
[0039] Fig. 1 shows a perspective top view of a rounding machine according to the invention for can production, which comprises three roller arrangements according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the rounding machine from the sheet inlet side.
[0040] The roller assemblies each comprise a lower feed roller 1a; 1b; 1c (claimed first feed roller) and an upper feed roller 2a; 2b; 2c (claimed second feed roller), each having parallel rotation axes S1, S2 and between which a passage gap 17 is formed for the sheet metal material to be fed. The upper and lower feed rollers 1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c are coupled to one another via gears in each roller assembly, so that they rotate synchronously and in opposite directions during operation. The lower feed rollers 1a, 1b, 1c are coupled to one another via a toothed belt 11, which is driven by a servomotor 12 during operation.
[0041] The rounding apparatus has a support structure 3 which, viewed in the intended feed direction Z, has two side plates 10a, 10b made of metal in which the feed rollers 1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c are mounted.
[0042] The lower feed rollers 1a; 1b; 1c are each fixedly mounted in the side plates 10a, 10b of the support structure 3. The upper feed rollers 2a; 2b; 2c are each movably mounted in the side parts 10a, 10b of the support structure 3, such that they are movable perpendicular to their rotation axis S2 relative to the respective lower roller 1a; 1b; 1c, thereby changing the passage gap 17 for the sheet to be fed.
[0043] As can be seen in particular in conjunction with Fig. 3, which shows a perspective top view of the rounding apparatus from Fig. 1 with the roller drive removed and the side plate cut vertically in the longitudinal direction, the upper feed rollers 2a; 2b; 2c are connected to the side plates 10a, 10b of the support structure 3 via solid joints 4; 5; 6, which enable the mobility of the upper feed rollers 2a; 2b; 2c.
[0044] In the first roller arrangement, the solid joints are formed by U-shaped material bands 4, which connect the bearing of the upper feed roller 2a with the respective side plate 10a, 10b of the support structure 3.
[0045] In the second and third roller arrangements, the solid-state joints are formed by cantilever arms 5, 6, which extend from the side plates 10a, 10b of the support structure 3 and support the bearings of the upper feed rollers 2b; 2c at their free ends. In the second roller arrangement, the cantilever arms 5 are arranged after the upper feed roller 2b, as seen in the intended feed direction Z, and in the third roller arrangement, the cantilever arms 6 are arranged in front of the upper feed roller 2c.
[0046] The flexure joints 4; 5; 6 and the bearings of the upper feed rollers 2a; 2b; 2c were formed by cutting certain areas of the side plates 10a; 10b free using waterjet cutting. In the second and third roller arrangements, a gap 15 is created around the bearing of the upper feed rollers 2b; 2c, the width of which limits the possible deflection of the bearing and thus also of the upper feed roller 2b; 2c in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis S2 of the upper feed roller 2b; 2c. As a result, the outer circumferential boundaries of the gap 15 form stops that serve as overload protection for the flexure joints 5; 6.
[0047] As can be further seen, the roller arrangements each have adjustment means 7; 8; 9, with which the bearings of the upper feed rollers 2a; 2b; 2c can be moved relative to the support structure 3 and thus also relative to the respective lower feed roller 1a; 1b; 1c, overcoming restoring forces generated by the solid-state joints 4; 5; 6, in order to adjust the free passage gap when the feed rollers are not under load.
[0048] In the first roller arrangement, the adjustment means 7 are formed by compression springs 13, the preload of which can be adjusted with an adjusting screw 14 (adjustable compression springs according to the invention). These are arranged in an area in front of the upper feed roller 2a on the bearing of the upper feed roller 2a, viewed in the intended feed direction Z, while the solid-state joints 4 are arranged after the upper feed roller 2a. With the adjustable compression springs 13, the bearings of the upper feed roller 2a can be moved from a first position in which they have no effect, in such a way that the passage gap 17 for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers 1a, 2a is enlarged. For this purpose, the adjusting means 7, when the compression springs 13 are pretensioned with the adjusting screws 14, exert a compressive force on the bearings of the upper feed roller 2a in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis S2 of the upper feed roller 2a.
[0049] In the second and third roller arrangements, the adjusting means 7, 8 are formed by adjusting screws with which the bearings of the second feed rollers 2b; 2c can be moved from a first position in which these adjusting means 8; 9 have no effect, in such a way that the respective passage gap 17 for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c is reduced.
[0050] For this purpose, the adjusting screws 8, 9, when they are screwed against the respective cantilever arms 5; 6 to adjust the passage gap 17, exert a compressive force on the cantilever arms 5; 6 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis S2 of the respective upper feed roller 2b; 2c.
[0051] In the present case, the roller arrangements are adjusted by the adjusting means 7; 8; 9 such that in an unloaded basic position between the respective upper feed roller 2a; 2b; 2c and the associated lower feed roller 1a; 1b; 1c, a free passage gap 17 is formed, which is slightly smaller than the thickness of the sheet material to be fed.This passage gap 17 is enlarged during normal operation when the sheet material runs into the respective roller arrangement by the sheet material to be fed forward to the thickness of the sheet material in that the sheet material, supported on the respective lower feed roller 1a; 1b; 1c, pushes the upper feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) upwards relative to the support structure 3 and thus relative to the respective lower feed roller 1a; 1b; 1c, overcoming restoring forces generated by the respective solid-body joints 4; 5; 6, and is thereby clamped between the two feed rollers 1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c of the respective roller arrangement.
[0052] In the second and third roller arrangements, the areas of the cantilever arms 5; 6 which lie between the force introduction points of the adjusting screws 8; 9 and the starting points of the cantilever arms 5, 6 on the side plates 10a, 10b of the support structure 3 serve as a flexural joint for adjusting the free passage gap 17 in the basic position, while the other areas of the cantilever arms 5; 6 which lie between the force introduction point of the adjusting screws 8; 9 and the bearings of the upper feed rollers 2b; 2c serve as a flexural joint for enlarging the passage gap through the incoming sheet material from the basic position to the thickness of the sheet material.
[0053] As can also be seen, the second and third roller arrangements each have three threaded screw holes 16 next to each other for the adjusting screws 8; 9, so that, depending on the holes in which the adjusting screws 8; 9 are arranged, the force introduction points of the adjusting screws 8; 9 into the cantilever arms 5; 6 can be changed. This, in turn, allows the characteristics of the part of the cantilever arms 5, 6 that serves as a flexure joint for enlarging the passage gap 17 through the incoming sheet material to be changed.
[0054] While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited thereto and may be embodied in other ways within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
PATENT CLAIMS 1. Roller arrangement for advancing sheet material, comprising two rotatable feed rollers (1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c) with in particular parallel axes of rotation (S1, S2), namely a first feed roller (1a; 1b; 1c) and a second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c), at least one of which is drivable and between which the sheet material to be fed forward is clamped in a passage gap (17) formed by the feed rollers (1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c) during normal feed operation and is fed forward while the feed rollers (1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c) rotate, wherein the first feed roller (1a; 1b; 1c) is fixedly mounted in a support structure (3) and the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) is movably mounted in the support structure (3) such that it is perpendicular to its axis of rotation (S2) relative to the first roller (1a; 1b;1c) is movable, in particular pivotable or displaceable, with a change in the passage gap (17) for the sheet material to be fed forward, characterized in that the bearing of the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) is connected to the support structure (3) via solid joints (4; 5; 6) which enable the mobility of the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c).
2. Roller arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement has adjusting means (7; 8; 9) with which the bearing of the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) can be moved relative to the support structure (3) while overcoming restoring forces which are generated at least partially by the solid-state joints (4; 5; 6), in order to adjust the free passage gap (17) when the feed rollers are not loaded.
3. Roller arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting means (8; 9) are designed such that with them the bearing of the second feed roller (2b; 2c) is movable starting from a first position in which the adjusting means (8; 9) have no effect, such that the passage gap (17) for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers (1b, 2b; 1c, 2c) is reduced.
4. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the adjusting means (7) are designed such that with them the bearing of the second feed roller (2a) can be moved from a first position in which the adjusting means (7) have no effect, such that the passage gap (17) for the sheet material formed between the feed rollers (1a, 2a) is enlarged.
5. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the solid-body joints (5; 6) are formed by cantilever arms which extend from the support structure (3) and carry the bearing of the second feed roller (2b; 2c) at their free end.
6. Roller arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting means (8; 9) for adjusting the passage gap (17) in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis (S2) of the second feed roller (2b; 2c) exert a compressive force on the cantilever arms (5; 6).
7. Roller arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting means for adjusting the passage gap (17) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second feed roller exert a compressive force on the bearing of the second feed roller, in particular in the regions of the bearing facing away from the cantilever arm.
8. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the points of introduction of the compressive force into the cantilever arms (8; 9) or into the bearing are variable.
9. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein the solid joints (4) are formed by in particular U- or C-shaped material bands which connect the bearing of the second feed roller (2a) to the support structure (3).
10. Roller arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the solid-state joints (4) designed as material bands are arranged in a region after the second feed roller (2a) as seen in the intended feed direction (Z) and the adjusting means (7) for adjusting the passage gap (17) are arranged in a region before the second feed roller (2a), or precisely vice versa, and wherein the adjusting means (7) exert a compressive force on the bearing of the second feed roller (2a) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation (S2) of the second feed roller (2a).
11. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the adjusting means (8; 9) are designed as screws or pressure spindles.
12. Roller arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 11, wherein the adjusting means (7) are designed as adjustable compression springs (13).
13. Roller arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing of the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) is designed such that the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) starting from a basic position in which a free passage gap (17) is formed between the unloaded feed rollers (1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c) which is smaller than the thickness of the sheet material to be advanced, by means of which the sheet material to be advanced can be moved relative to the support structure (3) by overcoming restoring forces which are generated at least partially by the solid-body joints (4; 5; 6), in order to enlarge the passage gap (17) to the thickness of the sheet material while clamping the sheet material between the feed rollers (1a, 2a; 1b, 2b; 1c, 2c).
14. Roller arrangement according to claim 6, 11 and 13, wherein the region of the cantilever arms lying between the force introduction point of the adjustment means (8; 9) and the support structure (3) serves as a solid-state joint (5; 6) for adjusting the free passage gap (17) and the region of the cantilever arms lying between the force introduction point of the adjustment means (8; 9) and the bearing of the second feed roller (2b; 2c) serves as a solid-state joint for enlarging the passage gap (17) from the basic position to the thickness of the sheet material.
15. Roller arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (3) has, viewed in the feed direction (Z), two side parts (10a, 10b) formed from metal plates, in which the solid-state joints (4; 5; 6) and the bearings of the second feed roller (2a; 2b; 2c) are formed by cutting free certain plate areas, in particular by means of laser, plasma or water jet cutting.
16. Roller arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein stops are provided as overload protection for the solid-state joints (5; 6), which limit the mobility of the second feed roller (2b; 2c) in the support structure (3).
17. A can-making rounding machine comprising at least one roller arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.
18. Rolling and straightening mill comprising at least one roll arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 16.
19. Use of a roller arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 16, a rounding apparatus according to claim 17 or a rolling and straightening machine according to claim 18 in the manufacture of tin cans, in particular for packaging foodstuffs.