Rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine

Abstract

A rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine, said rotary-table device comprising: a base (10); a rotating table (20) being supported by said base and operably rotated relative to said base from a first orientation to a second orientation; characterized in that, said rotary-table device further comprising a rotary actuator apparatus (50) including: at least a segment of a gear part (52), said gear part being arranged on said base; a rack part (53) meshing with said gear part and being slidably installed relative to a guide part (54) of said rotating table; and an actuating cylinder (51) comprising a cylinder body (511) and a telescopic rod (512), said telescopic rod can extend and retract with respect to said cylinder body, said cylinder body being attached to said rotating table and being rotatable with said rotating table, and said telescopic rod being attached to said rack part (53) to move said rack part along said guide part.

Description

[0001] ROTARY-TABLE DEVICE FOR A DIE-CUTTING MACHINE

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present utility model relates to the technical field of packaging equipment, and more specifically, the present utility model relates to a rotary -table device for a die-cutting machine.

[0004] BACKGROUND ART

[0005] A die-cutting machine is a type of processing equipment widely used in the packaging field. It is used to perform die-cutting on sheet-like packaging materials, such as corrugated cardboard and plastic sheets, according to predetermined sizes and shapes, for use in operations in downstream processing stations. Common die-cutting machines include a feeding station, a die-cutting processing station, and a discharging station. The material to be processed is conveyed to each station by a conveying device, sequentially processed at each station, and then transferred to downstream stations after completion.

[0006] In a die-cutting machine, depending on the sequence and arrangement of the processing stations, it is often necessary to change the conveying direction of the material to be processed, for example, by rotating it 90 degrees. To this end, die-cutting machines are commonly equipped with rotary-table devices. After the material to be processed is delivered onto the carrier platform of the table device via a conveying device such as a conveyor belt or rollers, the carrier platform rotates from a first orientation to a second orientation under the actuation of a motor. The material is then transferred to the next processing station or device. At the same time, the carrier platform is driven by the motor to return from the second orientation to the first orientation to receive an additional material to be processed.

[0007] However, in die-cutting machines where the carrier platform is driven by a motor, the motor and its mounting structure comprise multiple mechanical and electronic components that require regular maintenance and servicing to ensure their proper operation. This thus increases the system’s maintenance costs and workload. Moreover, due to the limitations of the mounting structure, maintenance and servicing operation of the existing mechanisms used for rotating the carrier platform are not convenient. On the other hand, motor-driven rotary platforms require continuous electrical power consumption to achieve rotation, which may result in high energy usage, especially in large-scale or continuous operations.

[0008] Therefore, it is desirable to improve the rotating table in existing die-cutting machines to reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs, while also achieving more reliable operation and lower energy consumption.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0010] To address the drawbacks in the prior art, the present utility model provides a rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine. The rotary-table device comprises: a base; a rotating table being supported by said base and operably rotated relative to said base from a first orientation to a second orientation; wherein said rotary-table device further comprising a rotary actuator apparatus including: at least a segment of a gear part, said gear part being arranged on said base; a rack part meshing with said gear part and being slidably installed relative to a guide par of said rotating table; and an actuating cylinder comprising a cylinder body and a telescopic rod, said telescopic rod can extend and retract with respect to said cylinder body, said cylinder body being attached to said rotating table and being rotatable with said rotating table, and said telescopic rod being attached to said rack part to move said rack part along said guide part.

[0011] According to one aspect of the utility model, said rotating table comprises: a side frame; a base plate fixed to a lower side of said side frame; and a panel fixed to an upper side of said side frame, and said base plate and said panel being spaced apart at a distance to form an accommodation cavity, wherein said rotary actuator apparatus is arranged in said accommodation cavity.

[0012] According to another aspect of the utility model, said base plate has an opening, said base protruding through said opening into said accommodation cavity, said panel has a hollowed portion configured to expose one or more of a meshing portion between the rack part and the gear part and two ends of the actuating cylinder.

[0013] According to another aspect of the utility model, said guide part is a rail fixed on the surface of said base plate between said opening and said side frame, said rotary actuator apparatus includes a slider, which is slidable along said rail, and said rack part is connected to said slider so that said rack part is slidably mounted to said guide part via said rail.

[0014] According to another aspect of the utility model, said rotary-table device further comprises a rotary supporting assembly arranged in said accommodation cavity, and said rotary supporting assembly comprising a thrust bearing and a radial bearing, said thrust bearing and said radial bearing are arranged in the radial direction with respect to a rotational axis of said rotating table.

[0015] According to another aspect of the utility model, said rotary supporting assembly comprises a first part and a second part being rotatable relative to each other, said first part comprising a mounting plate to which said panel is connected, and said base being attached to said second part of said rotary supporting assembly.

[0016] According to another aspect of the utility model, said base has a cylindrical outer surface, and at least a portion of said cylindrical outer surface forms a stepped portion, and said gear part is mounted to said stepped portion such that two surfaces of said gear part abut against a horizontal surface and a vertical surface of said stepped portion respectively.

[0017] According to another aspect of the utility model, a radius of an arc-shaped toothed surface of said gear part is greater than or equal to a one-fourth length of a short side of rectangular said base plate.

[0018] According to another aspect of the utility model, the gear part is a gear part with a 90-degree arc segment.

[0019] According to another aspect of the utility model, said rotating table is provided with a pair of stoppers, which are arranged to abut against opposite ends of said rack part or against two sliders supporting the opposite ends of said rack part.

[0020] By employing the rotary-table device of the present utility model, which uses a pneumatic cylinder to drive rotation of the rotating table, the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the rotary-table device are reduced, and stable rotation and relatively low energy consumption during use of the table are achieved.

[0021] Both the rotary actuator apparatus and the rotary supporting assembly for driving the table are arranged within the accommodation cavity formed between the base plate and the panel of the rotating table, thereby achieving a more compact structure of the whole rotary-table device. And the installation and arrangement of the rotary actuator does not require additional space. Furthermore, the maintenance and servicing of the rotary actuator apparatus are facilitated by removing the panel of the rotary-table or accessing to the rotary actuator apparatus via the hollowed portion.

[0022] DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] For a more complete understanding of the present utility model, reference may be made to the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a plan schematic view of the rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine in a first orientation according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a plan schematic view of the rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine in a second orientation according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0026] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the rotary-table device in Fig. 1, with the panel removed to reveal the rotary actuator apparatus.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows a sectional schematic view of the rotary-table device according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0028] Fig. 5 shows a perspective sectional view of the rotary supporting assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] Reference Numerals List

[0030] 1 - Rotary-table device

[0031] 10 - Base

[0032] 110 - Stepped portion

[0033] 112 - Vertical surface

[0034] 113 - Horizontal surface

[0035] 20 - Rotating table 21 - Side frame

[0036] 22 - Base plate

[0037] 23 - Opening

[0038] 24 -Panel

[0039] 25 - Accommodation cavity

[0040] 30 - Stopper

[0041] 50 - Rotary actuator apparatus

[0042] 51 - Actuating cylinder

[0043] 511 - Cylinder body

[0044] 512 - Telescopic rod

[0045] 52 - Gear part

[0046] 53 - Rack part

[0047] 54 - Guide part

[0048] 60 - Rotary supporting assembly

[0049] 61 - Radial bearing

[0050] 62 - Thrust bearing

[0051] 63 - Connecting plate

[0052] A - Rotational axis

[0053] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0054] The present utility model is further described below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. More details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the utility model. However, it is evident that the utility model may be implemented in various other ways different from the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art may make similar extensions and derivations based on practical applications without departing from the essence of the utility model. Therefore, the scope of protection of the utility model should not be limited by the content of these specific embodiments.

[0055] In the following description, “axial” refers to the direction along the rotational axis A of the rotating table 20, while “radial” refers to the radial direction perpendicular to the rotational axis A of the rotating table 20 (see Fig. 4), unless otherwise specified.

[0056] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotary-table device 1 according to the utility model mainly includes a base 10 and a rotating table 20. The base 10 and the rotating table 20 are rotatable relative to each other within a defined rotation range. The base 10 is the stationary part of the rotary-table device, while the rotating table 20 is the rotating part of the rotary -table device. In other words, the base 10 is stationary, while the rotating table 20 rotates about the rotational axis A relative to the base 10.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the rotating table 20 can rotate to the following two positions and stop at these positions: the first orientation (also referred to as the 0° position) as shown in Fig. 1, and the second orientation (also referred to as the 90° position) as shown in Fig. 2. That is, the rotation range of the rotary-table device 1 in this preferred embodiment is 90 degrees. The processed material carried on the device 1 can be rotated 90 degrees from the first orientation to the second orientation along with the rotating table 20. It should be understood that the two stationary positions may also be set to other angles depending on requirements of use scenarios. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the rotating table 20 may have three stopping positions, such as 0° position, +90° position and -90° position.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the rotating table 20 mainly includes a side frame 21, a base plate 22 located on the lower side of the side frame 21, and a panel 24 located on the upper side of the side frame 21. The base plate 22 and the panel 24 are arranged generally in parallel and are spaced apart from each other at a distance via the side frame 21. One side of the panel 24 is typically used to carry processed sheets, such as cardboard or sheets in other materials, either directly or through additional trays or support members. As shown in Fig. 4, the base plate 22, panel 24, and side frame 21 together form an accommodation cavity 25 of the rotating table 20. In a preferred embodiment, the accommodation cavity 25 of the rotating table 20 has a flat cuboid shape, and various components of the rotary actuator apparatus 50 and various components of the rotary supporting assembly 60 are accommodated within the space of the accommodation cavity 25, which will be described in further detail below.

[0059] Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of the rotary actuator apparatus 50 according to a preferred embodiment. The panel 24 of the rotary-table device 1 is removed to clearly illustrate the specific structure of the rotary actuator apparatus 50. The rotary actuator apparatus 50 is constructed to provide rotational driving force to the rotating table 20, enabling the rotating table 20 to rotate about the rotation axis A relative to the base 10.

[0060] Specifically, the rotary actuator apparatus 50 mainly includes an actuating cylinder 51 as well as a gear part 52 and rack part 53 which mesh with each other. The actuating cylinder 51 , commonly also referred to as a pneumatic cylinder or pneumatic effector, which uses compressed air to move a load along a linear path. The actuating cylinder 51 includes a cylinder body 511 and a telescopic rod 512. One end of the telescopic rod 512 has a piston (not shown) which is located inside the cylinder body 511 and which moves in response to pressure changes within the actuating cylinder 51. When the actuating cylinder 51 receives an activation or excitation signal, the telescopic rod 512 can extend or retract relative to the cylinder body 511 to provide actuation force, thereby causing relative movement between the gear part 52 and rack part 53 which mesh with each other. Preferably, the actuating cylinder 51 is a double-acting cylinder, allowing the telescopic rod to extend and retract in a controlled and precise manner.

[0061] Further, as shown in Fig. 2, the gear part 52 is fixedly mounted on the base 10. To achieve a 90-degree rotation of the rotating table 20, the embodiment of the present application provides a gear part 52 with a 90-degree arc segment. It should be understood that the arc angle of the gear part 52 can be set according to the desired rotational range and may also be configured as a full circular gear along the outer surface of the base 10. In other alternative embodiments, the gear part 52 may also be an integral part of the base 10.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 3, one circular opening 23 is provided at the center of the base plate 22, the base 10 extends through the opening upward into the accommodation cavity 25 of the rotating table 20. The base 10 has a cylindrical outer surface on which a stepped portion 110 is formed. The stepped portion 110 has a horizontal surface 113 which is perpendicular to the axis A and a vertical surface 112 which is parallel to the axis A. The gear part 52 is fitted to the stepped portion 110, they are fixed by means of several fasteners. Two surfaces of the gear part 52 respectively abut against the horizontal surface 113 and vertical surface 112 of the stepped portion IlOy for positioning the gear part 52 precisely.

[0063] On the other hand, the rack part 53 is attached to the telescopic rod 512 of the actuating cylinder 51 so as to move with the extension and retraction of the telescopic rod 512. Preferably, the rack part 53 is mounted on a slider, which is fitted to a guide part 54 and is linearly slidable along the guide part 54. In a preferred embodiment, the guide part 54 is one straight guide rail fixed on the surface of the base plate 22 of the rotating table 20. Mounting the guide rail along the surface of the base plate 22 is advantageous in that it provides stable movement of the rack part 53 on the one hand, and on the other hand, it allows a more compact overall structure of the rotary actuator apparatus.

[0064] Preferably, the rack part 53 is provided with two sliders, which are spaced apart from each other at a distance, such that one end of the rack part 53 is mounted and supported on one slider, while the other end of the rack part 53 is mounted and supported on the other slider. In this way, the rack part 53 moves along the guide part 54 with the aid of the two sliders.

[0065] To facilitate the maintenance and servicing of the rotary actuator apparatus 50, it is preferable that several hollowed portions are provided on the panel 24 to expose various portions of the rotary actuator apparatus 50 underneath. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the openings are configured to expose both ends of the actuating cylinder 51, in the meanwhile to expose the portion where the teeth of the rack part 53 and the teeth of the gear part 52 mesh with each other.

[0066] The movement travel of the rack part 53 can be defined by stoppers 30 fixed to the base plate 22 or to the side frame 21 of the rotating table 20. In some alternative embodiments, the stoppers 30 can also be fixed to the guide part. As shown in Fig. 2, preferably, two stoppers 30 are respectively fixed to the side frames 21 of the rotating table 20. When the rotating table 20 is in the first orientation, a stop surface of the stopper 30 abuts against one end of the rack part 53; when the rotating table 20 is in the second orientation, a stop surface of the stopper 30 abuts against the other end of the rack part 53, thus defining the travel range of the rack part 53 in two directions.

[0067] Preferably, the stoppers 30 may include an adjuster, such as a threaded adjuster, allowing the stopping range of the stoppers 30 to be adjustable, thereby allowing to fine-tune the travel of the rack part 53 and accordingly to adjust the rotational angle range of the rotating table 20.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, within the flat-cuboid-shaped accommodation cavity 25 of the rotating table 20, the cylinder body 511 of the rotary actuator apparatus 50 is arranged adjacent to one longer side of the accommodation cavity 25. The rack part 53 is located at the inner side of the cylinder body 511 and is directly adjacent to the gear part 52. The opening 23 of the base plate 22 of the rotating table 20 is arranged approximately at the center, and the radius of a toothed surface of the arc-shaped gear part 52 is preferably greater than or equal to one-fourth length of a short side of the rectangular base plate 22.

[0069] In addition, the rotary-table device 1 further includes a rotary supporting assembly 60, which is installed within the accommodation cavity 25 of the rotating table 20. In a preferred embodiment, the rotary supporting assembly 60 includes a thrust bearing 62 and a radial bearing 61, which provide axial and radial rotational supports respectively. Preferably, both the thrust bearing 62 and the radial bearing 61 are ball bearings.

[0070] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, the thrust bearing 62 is arranged on the radial inner side of the radial bearing 61. On one hand, one side of the bearing ring of the thrust bearing 62 is connected to the rotating table 20, while the other side of the bearing ring is connected to the base 10. On the other hand, one side of the bearing ring of the radial bearing 61 is connected to the rotating table 20, and the other side of the bearing ring is connected to the base 10. In a preferred embodiment, the rotating table 20 is mounted to the rotary supporting assembly 60 from the top side, while the base 10 is fixed to the rotary supporting assembly 60 via the radial and lower sides of the rotary supporting assembly 60.

[0071] Based on the thrust bearing 62 and the radial bearing 61, the rotary supporting assembly 60 is divided into a first part and a second part that are rotatable relative to each other. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the first part of the rotary support assembly 60 includes a connecting plate 63, to which the panel 24 of the rotating table 20 is mounted from above. The second part of the rotary supporting assembly 60 includes a portion of the base 10, or may also include a connecting member attached to the base 10.

[0072] In other alternative embodiments, the rotary supporting assembly 60 may also include a single slewing bearing, which is a special bearing specifically designed for supporting axial, radial, and bending moment loads simultaneously while allowing rotational or slewing movement between the base 10 and the rotating table 20.

[0073] The operating method of the rotary-table device 1 according to the present utility model is set forth below.

[0074] Fig. 1 shows the rotating table 20 in the first orientation or 0° position, with the long side of the rotating table 20 arranged horizontally in Fig.l. At this point, the telescopic rod 512 is retracted within the cylinder body 511, and the rack part 53 abuts against the stopper 30 on one side of the guide part 54. As the telescopic rod 512 extends beyond the cylinder body 511, the telescopic rod 512 drives the rack part 53 to move along the guide part 54 toward the stopper 30 on the opposite side of the guide part 54. Meanwhile, the teeth of the rack part 53 mesh with the teeth of the gear part 52, such that the rotating table 20 is rotated by 90 degrees about the base 10. The rotating table 20 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation axis A to the second orientation or 90° position as shown in Fig. 2, i.e., the long side of the rotating table 20 is vertically arranged. When the telescopic rod 512 retracts again, the rotating table 20 rotates clockwise around the base 10 back to the first orientation as shown in Fig. 1.

[0075] Dring the operation of the rotary -table device 1, all components fixedly mounted on the rotating table 20 rotate together with the rotating table 20. In other words, including the actuating cylinder 51, the rack part 53 attached to the actuating cylinder 51, and the stoppers 30, all of which rotate together with the rotating table 20. In contrast, the base 10 and the gear part 52 thereon remain stationary. Throughout the rotation of the rotating table 20, the teeth of the rack part 53 and the gear part 52 remain continuously meshed.

[0076] By using the rotary-table device according to the present utility model, the rotation of the rotating table is driven by an actuating cylinder, which reduces the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the rotating table. During use, the table rotates smoothly with relatively low energy consumption.

[0077] The present utility model has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, which however are not intended to limit the scope of the utility model. Various modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the utility model. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent changes, or alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present utility model shall fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine, said rotary-table device comprising: a base (10); a rotating table (20) being supported by said base and operably rotated relative to said base from a first orientation to a second orientation; characterized in that, said rotary-table device further comprising a rotary actuator apparatus (50) including: at least a segment of a gear part (52), said gear part being arranged on said base; a rack part (53) meshing with said gear part and being slidably installed relative to a guide part (54) of said rotating table; and an actuating cylinder (51) comprising a cylinder body (511) and a telescopic rod (512), said telescopic rod can extend and retract with respect to said cylinder body, said cylinder body being attached to said rotating table and being rotatable with said rotating table, and said telescopic rod being attached to said rack part (53) to move said rack part along said guide part.

2. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein said rotating table (20) comprises: a side frame (21); a base plate (22) fixed to a lower side of said side frame; and a panel (24) fixed to an upper side of said side frame, and said base plate and said panel being spaced apart at a distance to form an accommodation cavity (25), wherein said rotary actuator apparatus (50) is arranged in saidaccommodation cavity (25).

3. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 2, wherein said base plate (22) has an opening (23), said base (10) protruding through said opening (23) into said accommodation cavity, said panel (24) has a hollowed portion configured to expose one or more of a meshing portion between the rack part and the gear part and two ends of the actuating cylinder.

4. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 3, wherein said guide part (54) is a rail fixed on the surface of said base plate between said opening and said side frame, said rotary actuator apparatus (50) includes a slider, which is slidable along said rail, and said rack part (53) is connected to said slider so that said rack part is slidably mounted to said guide part via said rail.

5. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 2, wherein said rotary-table device further comprises a rotary supporting assembly (60) arranged in said accommodation cavity, and said rotary supporting assembly comprising a thrust bearing (62) and a radial bearing (61), said thrust bearing (62) and said radial bearing (61) are arranged in the radial direction with respect to a rotational axis (A) of said rotating table (20).

6. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 5, wherein said rotary supporting assembly comprises a first part and a second part being rotatable relative to each other, said first part comprising a mounting plate (63) to which said panelis connected, and said base being attached to said second part of said rotary supporting assembly.

7. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein said base (10) has a cylindrical outer surface, and at least a portion of said cylindrical outer surface forms a stepped portion (110), and said gear part is mounted to said stepped portion such that two surfaces of said gear part respectively abut against a horizontal surface (113) and a vertical surface (112) of said stepped portion.

8. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 2, wherein a radius of an arc-shaped toothed surface of said gear part (52) is greater than or equal to a one-fourth length of a short side of rectangular said base plate (22).

9. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein the gear part (52) is a gear part with a 90-degree arc segment.

10. The rotary-table device for a die-cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein said rotating table is provided with a pair of stoppers (30), which are arranged to respectively abut against opposite ends of said rack part or against two sliders supporting the opposite ends of said rack part.

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