Press machine and container forming system

Abstract

[Problem] To stabilize processing quality of a workpiece by increasing the rigidity of power transmission systems for a plurality of punches as compared with conventional technology. [Solution] A press machine according to the present embodiment comprises: a drive shaft; a first conversion mechanism that converts the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating slide operation of a first slider at an intermediate position in the lateral direction of the drive shaft; and a pair of second conversion mechanisms that convert the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating slide operation of a second slider at two positions with the first conversion mechanism therebetween, the pair of second conversion mechanisms each having a bottom dead center different from that of the first conversion mechanism. The second slider comprises a second slide plate disposed below and rearward of the drive shaft, and a pair of box walls protruding from the front surface of the second slide plate and facing each other in the lateral direction. The first slider comprises a first slide rod having a prismatic shape extending in the up-down direction and slidably supported by the second slider between the pair of box walls. The pair of second conversion mechanisms are crank mechanisms, and comprise: a pair of crank portions formed on the drive shaft; a pair of shaft support portions provided on upper surfaces of the pair of box walls; and a pair of links having both end portions rotatably supported by the pair of crank portions and the pair of shaft support portions.

Description

Press Machine and Container Forming System ,

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a press machine and a container forming system having the press machine.

[0002] As a conventional press machine, there is known one in which a first punch fixed to a ram is provided with an air-driven piston, and a second punch is fixed to the piston, and the work is pressed twice in one cycle operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 6556594 (paragraph

[0016] , FIG. 1)

[0004] In the above-described conventional press machine, since air is included in the power transmission system of the second punch, there is a problem that the rigidity is low and the processing quality is not stable depending on the work. Therefore, in the present application, a technique capable of increasing the rigidity of the power transmission systems of a plurality of punches and stabilizing the processing quality of the work is disclosed as compared with the prior art. <0One aspect of the present invention is a press machine comprising: first and second sliders supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, to which punches are respectively fixed; a drive shaft provided in common to the first and second sliders and rotationally driven about a rotation axis extending laterally; a first conversion mechanism positioned at an intermediate position in the laterally direction of the drive shaft and converting the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating sliding motion of the first slider; and a pair of second conversion mechanisms positioned at two positions in the laterally direction, sandwiching the first conversion mechanism, and converting the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating sliding motion of the second slider, and having a different bottom dead center from the first conversion mechanism, wherein the second slider is perpendicular to the laterally direction. The press machine comprises a plate-shaped second slide plate having a main plane facing in the front-rear direction and positioned below and behind the drive shaft, and a pair of box walls protruding from the front surface of the second slide plate and facing each other in the lateral direction, the first slider having a prismatic shape extending in the vertical direction and comprising a first slide rod received between the pair of box walls and slidably supported by the second slider, and the pair of second conversion mechanisms being a crank mechanism comprising a pair of crank parts formed on the drive shaft, a pair of pivot supports provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of box walls, and a pair of links whose ends are rotatably supported by the pair of crank parts and the pair of pivot supports.

[0006] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the press machine of the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the first to third conversion mechanisms viewed from below. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the movable part of the press machine. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a partial fracture of the movable part of the press machine. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the punch and die. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the punch and die after punching a blank material from sheet metal. Figure 7A is a cross-sectional view of the punch and die after drawing a workpiece from the blank material. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of the punch and die after further drawing the workpiece. Figure 8 is a front view of the container forming system of the second embodiment.

[0007] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a press machine 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 shows the press machine 10 with a plurality of dies 71, 72, 73, a plurality of punches 52, 53 (see Figure 5), etc. removed. As shown in the figure, the support frame 15 of the press machine 10 of this embodiment comprises a pair of opposing support walls 11 facing each other in the lateral direction H1, a ceiling wall 13 spanning between the upper ends of the pair of opposing support walls 11, a base portion 12 spanning between the lower positions of the pair of opposing support walls 11, and a rear support wall 14 spanning between the upper positions of the rear edges of the pair of opposing support walls 11.

[0008] In this specification, "left" or "right" refers to the left or right when viewing the press machine 10 from the front. Furthermore, some of the components described below are divided into multiple parts and joined together with bolts or the like to allow for assembly; however, such configurations are omitted from the drawings.

[0009] The front surfaces of the pair of opposing support walls 11 are offset from the center in the vertical direction H3, with the upper portion being positioned further back than the lower portion. The drive shaft 16 is rotatably supported by a pair of bearing portions 15J located near the upper end of the front edge of the pair of opposing support walls 11. Although not shown, one end of the drive shaft 16 extends laterally from one of the opposing support walls 11 and is connected to a motor that serves as the drive source, for example, via a pulley or gear.

[0010] A pair of cams 40 are provided at both ends of the drive shaft 16 between a pair of bearing portions 15J. The pair of cams 40 are, for example, circular in shape, and are positioned so that the center of the pair of cams 40 is offset from the rotation axis J1 of the drive shaft 16 (see Figure 4). In other words, the pair of cams 40 are eccentric with respect to the drive shaft 16. Furthermore, the pair of cams 40 have the same shape and are positioned so that they overlap exactly when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the drive shaft 16.

[0011] Cams 43 and 44 are provided approximately in the center between a pair of bearing portions 15J of the drive shaft 16. Cam 43 is, for example, non-circular and is positioned exactly in the center between the pair of bearing portions 15J. Cam 44 is, for example, non-circular and is positioned to the left of cam 43 with a gap in between. The thickness of cam 43 is about the same as the thickness of cam 40, and the thickness of cam 44 is less than half the thickness of cams 40 and 43. Furthermore, when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the drive shaft 16, the phase of the part of cam 43 furthest from the rotation axis J1 (see Figure 4) is shifted to one side in the rotation direction of the drive shaft 16 relative to the phase of the part of cam 40 furthest from the rotation axis J1, and the phase of the part of cam 44 furthest from the rotation axis J1 is located approximately 180 degrees opposite to the phase of the part of cam 43 furthest from the rotation axis J1.

[0012] A pair of crank sections 42 are provided at two locations on the drive shaft 16: between the central part and one end, and between the central part and the other end, within a pair of bearing sections 15J. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the drive shaft 16 has a shaft body 16H with a circular cross-section, whose rotation center is the central axis. Cams 40, 43, and 44 are fixed to the shaft body 16H so as to be able to rotate together. The shaft body 16H is divided at the two locations mentioned above, and rectangular opposing plate sections 42B are provided at each end of the divided portion of the shaft body 16H so as to be able to rotate together. An eccentric shaft section 42A, which is offset from the central axis of the shaft body 16H (the rotation axis J1 of the drive shaft 16) and parallel to the shaft body 16H, is stretched between each pair of opposing plate sections 42B, and the eccentric shaft sections 42A are arranged coaxially. Furthermore, the line (not shown) connecting the central axis of the eccentric shaft portion 42A and the rotation axis J1 of the drive shaft 16 is located between the phase of the part of the cam 40 furthest from the rotation axis J1 and the phase of the part of the cam 43 furthest from the rotation axis J1.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, a third slider 23 is provided on the front side of the rear support wall 14. The third slider 23 comprises a third slide plate 23A facing the rear support wall 14, and the third slide plate 23A is slidably connected to the rear support wall 14 in the vertical direction H3 via a pair of slide modules 31. Each slide module 31 has a rail 31A extending in the vertical direction H3 and a plurality of engaging parts 31B that are slidably engaged with the rail 31A. The pair of rails 31A are fixed to the front surface of the rear support wall 14 with a gap in the lateral direction H1, and the plurality of engaging parts 31B are fixed to the rear surface of the third slide plate 23A with a gap in the vertical direction H3.

[0014] As shown in Figure 3, the third slider 23 is provided with a pair of vertical ribs 23B that protrude from both sides of the front surface of the third slide plate 23A and extend from the lower end to the upper end of the third slide plate 23A, a pair of vertical ribs 23C that protrude from both sides of the front surface of the third slide plate 23A and face the upper part of the pair of vertical ribs 23B from the side, and a horizontal rib 23F that protrudes from the lower edge of the front surface of the third slide plate 23A and is perpendicular to the pair of vertical ribs 23B.

[0015] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of longitudinal ribs 23C have a recess 23D formed by cutting out the middle portion in the vertical direction H3, and a pair of longitudinal ribs 23B also have a recess 23E facing the recess 23D of the pair of longitudinal ribs 23C. Furthermore, a pair of support shafts 23S are stretched between adjacent longitudinal ribs 23B and 23C, and these support shafts 23S are positioned opposite each other, with the recesses 23D and 23E in between. In addition, rollers 23R are rotatably supported on each support shaft 23S. The aforementioned cam 40 is sandwiched between each pair of rollers 23R that are facing each other vertically, from the vertical direction H3. This forms a third conversion mechanism 3 (see Figures 1 and 2), which is a cam mechanism that converts the rotation of the drive shaft 16 into the sliding motion of the third slider 23.

[0016] As shown in Figure 4, a second slider 22 is provided in the portion of the third slider 23 surrounded by a pair of vertical ribs 23B, a horizontal rib 23F, and a third slide plate 23A. The second slider 22 includes a second slide plate 22A that faces the third slide plate 23A of the third slider 23, and as shown in Figure 2, the second slide plate 22A and the third slide plate 23A are slidably connected in the vertical direction H3 via a pair of slide modules 32 similar to the slide module 31 described above.

[0017] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of box walls 22B protrude from the front surface of the second slide plate 22A of the second slider 22. The pair of box walls 22B are vertically elongated box shapes with open fronts and are arranged symmetrically on the front surface of the second slide plate 22A with a gap between them. Furthermore, one pair of opposing walls 22C of the pair of box walls 22B extend to a position above the pair of box walls 22B, and correspondingly, the portion of the second slide plate 22A between the pair of opposing walls 22C also extends to a position above the pair of box walls 22B. These pair of opposing walls 22C and the second slide plate 22A form a rectangular groove 22K in the center of the slider 22 in the lateral direction H1.

[0018] A pair of pivot supports 22D are provided on the upper surfaces of a pair of box walls 22B, at positions laterally H1 away from the corner groove 22K. Each pivot support 22D has a structure in which a connecting wall 22D2 connects the lower ends of a pair of opposing walls 22D1 that face each other laterally H1, and the connecting wall 22D2 is fixed in a state where it is superimposed on the upper surfaces of each box wall 22B. In addition, a support shaft 22S is inserted between the pair of opposing walls 22D1 of each pivot support 22D. Links 24 are then inserted between the pair of support shafts 22S of the second slider 22 and the eccentric shaft portions 42A of the pair of crank portions 42 of the drive shaft 16, and are rotatably supported by the support shafts 22S and the eccentric shaft portions 42A. This forms a second conversion mechanism 2 (see Figures 1 and 2), which is a crank mechanism that converts the rotation of the drive shaft 16 into the sliding motion of the second slider 22.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, a portion of the first slider 21 is received in the rectangular groove 22K of the second slider 22. The first slider 21 comprises a rectangular prism-shaped first slide rod 21A extending in the vertical direction H3, a cage portion 25 fixed to the upper end of the first slide rod 21A, and a pair of guide bars 26 extending upward from the cage portion 25. The first slide rod 21A is received in the rectangular groove 22K.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the first slide rod 21A is connected to the rectangular groove 22K so as to be slidable in the vertical direction H3 via a slide module 33 located within the rectangular groove 22K. The slide module 33 comprises a rail portion 33A fixed to the bottom surface of the rectangular groove 22K and extending in the vertical direction H3, and slide engagement portions 33B fixed to both sides of the first slide rod 21A and engaging with both sides of the rail portion 33A.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of guide bars 26 are arranged parallel to each other with a gap in the front-rear direction H2, and their upper ends are connected by a plate member 26A. A guide piece 26G protrudes forward from the upper part of the third slide plate 23A of the third slider 23, and a pair of guide bars 26 are passed through a pair of guide holes that penetrate the guide piece 26G vertically. In other words, the first slider 21 is slidably supported by both the third slider 23 and the second slider 22. A through hole 13A is formed in the ceiling wall 13 of the support frame 15 to avoid interference with the guide bars 26.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the cage section 25 has a pair of vertically elongated frame sections 25F facing each other in the horizontal direction H1, and connecting walls 25X and 25Y that connect the upper ends and lower ends of the pair of frame sections 25F, respectively. A pair of guide bars 26 extend upward from the upper connecting wall 25X, and a first slide rod 21A hangs down from the lower connecting wall 25Y.

[0023] A support shaft 21S is placed between the lower ends of a pair of frame sections 25F, and a roller 21R is rotatably supported on the support shaft 21S. Also, as shown in Figure 4, a support wall 25A protrudes to the left from the upper side end of the cage section 25, and is bent downward at a right angle midway. A support shaft 25S is placed between the support wall 25A and the upper side of the cage section 25, and a roller 25R is rotatably supported on the support shaft 25S.

[0024] Between the pair of frame sections 25F, the aforementioned cam 43 is received, and the shaft body 16H of the drive shaft 16 penetrates the pair of frame sections 25F in the lateral direction H1, with the cam 44 positioned to the left of the cage section 25. The roller 21R abuts the cam 43 from below, and the roller 25R abuts the cam 44 from above. This forms the first conversion mechanism 1 (see Figures 1 and 2), which is a cam mechanism that converts the rotation of the drive shaft 16 into the sliding motion of the first slider 21. Hereinafter, one of the cams 43 for pushing down the first slide rod 21A will be appropriately referred to as the "lowering cam 43," and the other cam 44 for pulling up the first slide rod 21A will appropriately be referred to as the "upward cam 44."

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the lower end of the first slide rod 21A of the first slider 21 is a punch holder 21H, to which the first punch 51 is fixed. As shown in Figure 1, the first punch 51 has a structure in which a punch body 51B is attached to the lower end of a shaft portion 51A that extends in the vertical direction H3. The upper end of the shaft portion 51A is held by the punch holder 21H and extends through a notch 23G formed in the lateral rib 23F of the third slider 23 to a position below the third slider 23. The punch body 51B has a planar shape that is a rectangle long in the front-to-back direction H2 with chamfered corners.

[0026] The second punch 52, shown in Figure 5, and a second punch holder (not shown) that holds it are fitted to the outside of the first punch 51. The second punch holder has a structure in which, for example, a flange portion protrudes from the upper end of a fitting cylinder portion that fits to the outside of the shaft portion 51A, and this flange portion is fixed to the lower surface of the second slider 22, shown in Figure 3. The fitting cylinder portion also extends through the notch 23G of the third slider 23 to a position below the third slider 23.

[0027] The second punch 52 comprises a cylindrical portion 52A fixed to the lower end of the punch holder for the second punch and fitted to the outside of the shaft portion 51A of the first punch 51, and a punch body 52B located at its lower end. The punch body 52B of the second punch 52 has a box-shaped structure that is slightly larger than the punch body 51B of the first punch 51, and its inside is a lower surface recess 52C with an open bottom that is just capable of receiving the punch body 51B of the first punch 51.

[0028] The third punch 53, shown in Figure 5, and a partially illustrated punch holder 53H for the third punch, which holds the third punch 53, are fitted to the outside of the cylindrical portion 52A of the second punch 52. The punch holder 53H for the third punch comprises a fitting cylindrical portion 53J that fits to the outside of the cylindrical portion 52A, a holder body 53K fixed to the lower end of the fitting cylindrical portion 53J, and a flange portion (not shown) that protrudes laterally from the upper end of the fitting cylindrical portion 53J, with the flange portion being fixed to the lower surface of the third slider 23. The holder body 53K also has a through hole 53L through which the cylindrical portion 52A of the second punch 52 passes, and a lower surface recess 53M that communicates with the through hole 53L and has an open lower surface. The entire third punch 53, except for the lower part, is fixed in a state where it is fitted into the lower surface recess 53M.

[0029] The third punch 53 has a through hole 53A through which the cylindrical portion 52A of the second punch 52 passes, and a lower recess 53B that communicates with the through hole 53A and has an open lower surface. The punch body 52B of the second punch 52 can be accommodated in the lower recess 53B. The planar shape of the lower part of the third punch 53 is, for example, an elongated ellipse in the front-to-back direction H2.

[0030] A bolster (not shown) is fixed on the base portion 12 (see Figure 1) of the support frame 15, and the die holder 60 shown in Figure 5 is fixed on top of the bolster. The die holder 60 has a workpiece transport space 61 that penetrates in the lateral direction H1, and a frame portion 62 is provided on top of it. Note that in Figure 5, only one of a pair of legs 62A that support the frame portion 62 from below and face each other across the workpiece transport space 61 in the front-rear direction H2 is shown.

[0031] The frame portion 62 is provided with a slit 63 that penetrates in the front-rear direction H2. Below the slit 63 on the frame portion 62, there is a die support hole 64 which is divided into four holes 64A to 64D, becoming smaller in a stepped manner as it goes downwards. The third die 73 is fitted into the first hole 64A from the top, the second die 72 is fitted into the second hole 64B and placed on top of the lower surface of the third die 73, and the first die 71 is fitted into the third hole 64C and placed on top of the lower surface of the second die 72 and fixed to the frame portion 62.

[0032] The third die 73 has an elliptical third punch entry hole 73A that runs vertically through it, corresponding to the outer shape of the lower part of the third punch 53. The opening edge of the third punch entry hole 73A on the upper surface of the third die 73 is a horizontal plane, and around this horizontal plane there is an inclined surface 73C that slopes gently downward as it moves laterally away from the third punch entry hole 73A.

[0033] The second die 72 has a rectangular second punch entry hole 72A that runs vertically through it, corresponding to the outer shape of the punch body 52B of the second punch 52. Furthermore, the portion of the upper surface of the second die 72 that surrounds the second punch entry hole 72A is exposed within the third punch entry hole 73A of the third die 73, and the corner where the upper surface of the second die 72 and the second punch entry hole 72A intersect is chamfered in an arc shape.

[0034] The first die 71 has a rectangular first punch entry hole 71A that runs vertically through it, corresponding to the outer shape of the punch body 51B of the first punch 51. Furthermore, the portion of the upper surface of the first die 71 that surrounds the first punch entry hole 71A is exposed within the second punch entry hole 72A of the second die 72, and the corner where the upper surface of the first die 71 and the first punch entry hole 71A intersect is chamfered in an arc shape.

[0035] A recess is formed on the upper surface of the slit 63 in the die holder 60, and the plate retainer 74 is fixed in a fitted state therein. The lower part of the plate retainer 74 protrudes from the upper surface of the slit 63 and faces the upper surface of the third die 73 with a gap between them. A through hole 74A, which is substantially the same shape as the third punch entry hole 73A of the third die 73, runs vertically through the plate retainer 74. Furthermore, a through hole 60A, which is slightly larger than the through hole 74A, is formed in the portion of the die holder 60 above the plate retainer 74.

[0036] Behind the die holder 60 is a sheet metal feeding device (not shown) that feeds the sheet metal 90 toward the slit 63. The sheet metal feeding device operates in synchronization with the rotation of the drive shaft 16, feeding a predetermined amount of sheet metal toward the slit 63 each time the drive shaft 16 rotates.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a pair of support walls 11 of the support frame 15 have windows 11A openings at positions facing the die holder 60 in the lateral direction H1. A workpiece transport device (not shown) passes through the pair of windows 11A and the workpiece transport space 61 (see Figure 5). The workpiece transport device includes, for example, a slide base that is reciprocated in the lateral direction H1 by a ball screw mechanism, and a pair of fingers that cantilever out to the right of the slide base and face each other in the front-rear direction H2. The pair of fingers open and close to and separate from each other, and are biased toward the side that is approaching each other.

[0038] Furthermore, the sheet metal feeding device and the workpiece transport device may be equipped with a motor separate from the motor that is the drive source for the drive shaft 16, or they may receive power from the motor that is the drive source for the drive shaft 16.

[0039] This concludes the explanation of the configuration of the press machine 10 in this embodiment. With this press machine 10, a container-shaped workpiece 92 with a bottom at one end is formed from the sheet metal 90 as follows.

[0040] That is, when the press machine 10 is started and the drive shaft 16 is rotated, as shown in Figure 5, the sheet metal 90 is fed from the sheet metal feeding device between the third die 73 and the plate holder 74 of the die holder 60. Then, with the punch body 52B of the second punch 52 received in the lower recess 53B of the third punch 53 and the punch body 51B of the first punch 51 received in the lower recess 52C of the punch body 52B, the third punch 53 descends and an elliptical blank material 91 is punched out from the sheet metal 90 as shown in Figure 6.

[0041] Then, the third punch 53 reaches its bottom dead center, and the blank material 91 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the second die 72 and the lower surface of the third punch 53. In this state, the second punch 52 and the first punch 51 descend further, and as shown in Figure 7A, the blank material 91 is pushed into the second punch entry hole 72A of the second die 72 and formed into a workpiece 92 with an open top and a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0042] Then, when the second punch 52 reaches its bottom dead center and its lower end reaches the upper surface of the first die 71, the first punch 51 descends further, and as shown in Figure 7B, the workpiece 92 is pushed into the first punch entry hole 71A and squeezed or squeezed. The first punch 51 then reaches its bottom dead center when the workpiece 92 is pressed against the lower surface of the workpiece transport space 61 below the frame 62.

[0043] At this time, a pair of fingers of the workpiece conveying device are waiting below the first punch entry hole 71A, and the workpiece 92 is pushed in from above between the pair of fingers. In addition, the opposing surfaces of the pair of fingers (in other words, the surfaces of the fingers facing the first punch 51) are provided with locking parts that engage with the upper surface of the workpiece 92, thereby detaching the workpiece 92 from the first punch 51 as it rises past the bottom dead center. The workpiece conveying device then conveys the workpiece 92 to the outside of the right-side window 11A, where, for example, a guide (not shown) slides against the pair of fingers, causing the pair of fingers to open and the workpiece 92 to be housed in the lower storage box. The pair of fingers then return to their lower position on the support base 62. The press machine 10 repeats the above operation (i.e., cycle operation), and multiple workpieces 92 are formed.

[0044] According to the press 10 of the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, as described above, the press 10 of the present embodiment is provided with a drive shaft 16 common to the first to third sliders 21, 22, 23 to which the punches 51, 52, 53 are respectively fixed. Then, since the rotation of the drive shaft 16 is converted into the sliding motion of the first to third sliders 21, 22, 23 by the first to third conversion mechanisms 1, 2, 3, the rigidity of the power transmission system of a plurality of punches is higher than that of the conventional one using air in the power transmission system, and the processing quality of the workpiece can be made more stable than before. Here, the second conversion mechanism 2 forms a pair of crank mechanisms sandwiching the first conversion mechanism 1 in the lateral direction H1. And in order to receive the force from the drive shaft 16 via the pair of links 24 of the pair of crank mechanisms, the second slider 22 has a structure in which a pair of box walls 22B project from the front surface of the second slide plate 22A, and a pair of links 24 are supported by a pair of shaft support portions 22D on the upper surfaces of the pair of box walls 22B. Thereby, the second slider 22 can have high strength while being lightweight. Further, the first slider 21 has a prismatic shape extending in the vertical direction H3, and includes a first slide rod 21A that is received between the pair of box walls 22B and is slidably supported by the second slider 22, so that the first and second sliders 21, 22 are compactly grouped together.

[0045] Furthermore, the press machine 10 of this embodiment performs press processing on the workpiece three times in one cycle, which is more than conventional press machines. As a result, when performing press processing on a workpiece three times, using the press machine 10 of this embodiment eliminates the need for additional press machines compared to using conventional press machines. Also, when performing press processing on a workpiece four or more times, using the press machine 10 of this embodiment allows for the use of smaller additional press machines compared to using conventional press machines. In addition, in the press machine 10 of this embodiment, the first slide rod 21A, the second slide plate 22A, and the third slide plate 23A are stacked in front of a rear support wall 14 that spans between a pair of opposing support walls 11 that rotatably support the drive shaft 16, so that the three sliders 21, 22, and 23 equipped with these components are compactly housed.

[0046] Furthermore, the pair of third conversion mechanisms 3 are cam mechanisms equipped with a pair of circular cams 40 that are eccentric with respect to the drive shaft 16, and two pairs of rollers 23R, which are rotatably supported by two pairs of vertical ribs 23B and 23C that protrude forward from the portions of the third slide plate 23A that extend outwards on both sides of the second slide plate 22A, contact the pair of cams 40 from above and below. Since the pair of vertical ribs 23B extend to the lower end of the third slide plate 23A and face the pair of box walls 22B from the lateral direction H1, the third slide plate 23A can be reinforced by the vertical ribs 23B that support the rollers 23R.

[0047] Further, the first conversion mechanism 1 is a cam mechanism including a lowering cam 43 for pushing down the first slide rod 21A and a raising cam 44 for pulling up the first slide rod 21A. And, on the first slider 21, upper ends and lower ends of a pair of frame portions 25F that face each other across the lowering cam 43 and through which the drive shaft 16 penetrates inside are connected by connecting walls 25X and 25Y, respectively, and a cage portion 25 that is fixed to the upper end of the first slide rod 21A, and rollers 21R and 25R that are rotatably supported by the cage portion 25 are configured to contact the lowering cam 43 and the raising cam 44, so that the first slider 21 can be miniaturized.

[0048] [Second Embodiment] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a container molding system 89 according to the present disclosure. This container molding system 89 includes the press 10 described in the first embodiment and a transfer press 80 arranged adjacent to the right of the press 10. A plurality of punches 82 are attached to the ram 81 of the transfer press 80 at equal pitches in the horizontal direction H1, and below the ram 81, a plurality of die holders 83 that hold a plurality of dies (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of punches 82 are arranged side by side.

[0049] The transfer device 85 of the transfer press 80 includes a pair of rails 85R that are arranged above the plurality of die holders 83, extend in the horizontal direction H1, and face each other in the front-rear direction H2, and a plurality of pairs of fingers 85F that are supported so as to be movable in the front-rear direction H2 with respect to the pair of rails 85R and face each other in the front-rear direction H2. Also, each pair of fingers 85F is biased toward the side where they approach each other. Further, the interval in the horizontal direction H1 between the fingers 85F is the same as the interval between the punches 82.

[0050] The pair of support opposing walls 80S of the support frame 8 OF of the transfer press 80 are provided with through windows (not shown) that penetrate in the horizontal direction H1. And, the pair of rails 85R penetrate through the through window of the right support opposing wall 80S, and a drive mechanism (not shown) for reciprocating the pair of rails 85R in the horizontal direction H1 is provided on the outer surface of the right support opposing wall 80S.

[0051] In this embodiment, the container forming system 89 operates with the same cycle frequency as the press machine 10 and the transfer press machine 80. A pair of fingers of the workpiece transport device of the press machine 10 transports the workpiece 92 to the processing stage below the leftmost punch 82 in the transfer press machine 80. Before the press machine 10 forms the next workpiece 92, the ram 81 of the transfer press machine 80 moves to its bottom dead center, and the leftmost punch 82 pushes the workpiece 92 into the punch entry hole of the die, releasing the workpiece 92 from the pair of fingers of the workpiece transport device.

[0052] Then, before the press machine 10 completes forming the next workpiece 92, a pair of fingers of the workpiece transfer device return to a position below the first punch entry hole 71A of the press machine 10 and wait, and before each punch 82 of the transfer press machine 80 exits the punch entry hole, each pair of fingers 85F of the transfer device 85 moves to the left end of the reciprocating stroke and waits above each punch entry hole.

[0053] Then, almost simultaneously with the first punch 51 of the press machine 10 reaching its bottom dead center, each punch 82 of the transfer press machine 80 exits its respective punch entry hole, and the workpiece 92 is transferred from the first punch 51 to a pair of fingers of the workpiece transfer device, and the workpiece 92 is also transferred from the leftmost punch 82 to the leftmost finger 85F of the transfer device 85. As described above, the pair of fingers of the workpiece transfer device then transport the new workpiece 92 to below the leftmost punch 82, and the leftmost finger 85F moves to the right end of its reciprocating stroke, moving the workpiece 92 below the second punch 82 from the left.

[0054] The above operations are repeated, and the container-shaped workpiece 92 with a bottom at one end, formed by the press machine 10, is drawn or ironed multiple times by the transfer press machine 80 to form a rectangular parallelepiped workpiece 92 that is longer vertically and thinner than the workpiece 92 immediately after being formed by the press machine 10. The workpiece 92 that has finished forming by the transfer press machine 80 is then discharged downward from the transfer device 85 outside the right-side support wall 80S of the transfer press machine 80 and stored in a storage box (not shown).

[0055] [Other Embodiments] In the first embodiment, the first and third conversion mechanisms 1 and 3 were cam mechanisms, but both or one of the first and third conversion mechanisms 1 and 3 may be crank mechanisms. In this case, for example, the third slider 23 may also be provided with a pair of box walls similar to those of the second slider 22, and links may be connected to the pivot points at the top of them. Also, if a cam mechanism is used, it may be circular as the cam 40 described above, or it may be a non-circular pair as the cams 43 and 44.

[0056] Although the planar shape of the workpiece 92 formed by the press machine 10 in the first embodiment was rectangular, it is not limited to this and may be circular, a polygon other than a rectangle, or an irregular shape.

[0057] In the press machine 10 of the first embodiment described above, the third punch 53 punched out a blank material 91 from the sheet metal 90, and the first and second punches 51 and 52 drew the blank material 91. However, the processing by the first to third punches 51, 52, and 53 is not limited to the first embodiment, as long as the first to third punches 51, 52, and 53 perform processing at different timings in a single cycle. For example, the first punch 51 may punch a through hole in the bottom of the workpiece 92 drawn by the second punch 52, or a workpiece that has been pre-formed into a container shape may be drawn or ironed three times by the first to third punches 51, 52, and 53.

[0058] <Note> The following describes the features extracted from the above embodiment, showing their effects as necessary. For ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above embodiment will be indicated in parentheses as appropriate, but these features are not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0059] [Feature 1] First and second sliders (21, 22) that are slidably supported in the vertical direction (H3) and to which punches (51, 52) are fixed, respectively; a drive shaft (16) that is provided in common to the first and second sliders (21, 22) and is rotationally driven about a rotation axis (J1) that extends in the horizontal direction (H1); and a component positioned at an intermediate position in the horizontal direction (H1) of the drive shaft (16) that controls the rotation of the drive shaft (16) to the first slider ( A press machine (10) comprising: a first conversion mechanism (1) that converts the rotation of the drive shaft (16) into a reciprocating sliding motion of the second slider (22), and a pair of second conversion mechanisms (2) arranged at two positions in the lateral direction (H1) with the first conversion mechanism (1) in between, which convert the rotation of the drive shaft (16) into a reciprocating sliding motion of the second slider (22) and have different bottom dead centers from the first conversion mechanism (1), wherein the second slider (22) is perpendicular to the lateral direction (H1) The first slider (21) is a rectangular prism shape extending in the vertical direction (H3) and is received between the pair of box walls (22B) and the second slider (22 A press machine (10) comprising a first slide rod (21A) slidably supported on the drive shaft (16), the pair of second conversion mechanisms (2) being a crank mechanism, comprising a pair of crank portions (42) formed on the drive shaft (16), a pair of pivot supports (22D) provided on the upper surface of the pair of box walls (22B), and a pair of links (24) whose ends are rotatably supported by the pair of crank portions (42) and the pair of pivot supports (22D).

[0060] [Feature 2] A third slider (23) that is slidably supported in the vertical direction (H3) and to which the punch (53) is fixed, and which shares the drive shaft (16) together with the first and second slides (21, 22); a pair of third conversion mechanisms (3) that are arranged in two positions in the lateral direction (H1) with the pair of second conversion mechanisms (2) in between, which convert the rotation of the drive shaft (16) into the reciprocating sliding motion of the third slider (23) and have different bottom dead centers than the first conversion mechanism (1) and the pair of second conversion mechanisms (2); and a pair of opposing support walls (11) that face each other in the lateral direction (H1) and rotatably support the drive shaft (16). The press machine (10) according to feature 1, further comprising: a rear support wall (14) located behind the drive shaft (16) in the front-rear direction (H2) and spanning between the pair of opposing support walls (11); and a third slide plate (23A) included in the third slider (23), having a plate shape with its main plane facing the front-rear direction (H2), positioned between the rear support wall (14) and the drive shaft (16), and slidably supported by the rear support wall (14), wherein the second slide plate (22A) is superimposed on the front surface of the third slide plate (23A) and slidably supported by the third slide plate (23A).

[0061] [Feature 3] The pair of third conversion mechanisms (3) is a cam mechanism comprising a pair of circular cams (40) eccentric with respect to the drive shaft (16), and the third slider (23) has two pairs of longitudinal ribs (23B, 23C) that protrude forward and vertically from the portion of the third slide plate (23A) that extends outwards on both sides of the second slide plate (22A), and recesses (23D, 23E) formed in the two pairs of longitudinal ribs (23B, 23C) that receive the drive shaft (16). The press machine (10) according to feature 2, which includes a ) and two pairs of rollers (23R) that are rotatably supported by being sandwiched in the lateral direction (H1) between adjacent pairs of longitudinal ribs (23B, 23C) of the two pairs of longitudinal ribs (23B, 23C), and that contact the pair of cams (40) from above and below, wherein at least one of the pairs of longitudinal ribs (23B, 23C) extends to the lower end of the third slide plate (23A) and faces the pair of box walls (22B) from the lateral direction (H1).

[0062] [Feature 4] The first conversion mechanism (1) is a cam mechanism comprising a lowering cam (43) for pushing down the first slide rod (21A) and an upward cam (44) for pulling up the first slide rod (21A), and the first slider (21) includes a cage (25) which is fixed to the upper end of the first slide rod (21A) and is formed by connecting the upper and lower ends of a pair of frame portions (25F) that face each other on either side of the lowering cam (43) and through which the drive shaft (16) passes, with connecting walls (25X, 25Y) between them; a lowering roller (21R) which is rotatably supported at the lower end of the cage portion (25) and contacts the lowering cam (43) from below; and an upward roller (25R) which is rotatably supported on the upper side of the cage portion (25) and contacts the upward cam (44) from above, as described in feature 2 or 3.

[0063] [Feature 5] A first punch (51) fixed to the first slider (21), a cylindrical second punch (52) fixed to the second slider (22) and fitted to the outside of the first punch (51), a cylindrical third punch (53) fixed to the third slider (23) and fitted to the outside of the second punch (52), a third die (73) having a third punch entry hole (73A) into which the third punch (53) enters, and configured to work in cooperation with the third punch (53) to punch out a blank material (91) from a sheet metal (90), and the third die ( A press machine (10) according to any one of features 2 to 4, comprising: a second die (72) positioned on top of (73) and having a second punch entry hole (72A) into which the second punch (52) enters, configured to draw form a container-shaped workpiece (92) with a bottom at one end from the blank material (91); and a first die (71) positioned on top of (72) and having a first punch entry hole (71A) into which the first punch (51) enters, configured to draw form, iron form, or punch out the workpiece (92).

[0064] [Feature 6] The press machine (10) according to Feature 5, wherein the third punch (53) and the third punch entry hole (73A) are elliptical, oblong, or quadrilateral with four sides that bulge outward, the second punch (52) and the second punch entry hole (72A) are quadrilaterals smaller than the third punch (53) and the third punch entry hole (73A), and the first punch (51) and the first punch entry hole (71A) are quadrilaterals smaller than the second punch (52) and the second punch entry hole (72A).

[0065] [Feature 7] A container forming system (89) comprising a transfer press machine (80) and a press machine (10) according to Feature 6 that supplies the container-shaped workpiece (92) to the transfer device (85) of the transfer press machine (80), wherein the transfer press machine (80) draws the workpiece (92) formed by the press machine (10) multiple times.

[0066] The press machine of Feature 1 is provided with a common drive shaft for the first and second sliders to which the punches are fixed. The rotation of the drive shaft is converted into the sliding motion of the first and second sliders by the first and second conversion mechanisms. As a result, the rigidity of the power transmission system for multiple punches is higher than in conventional systems that use air for power transmission, and the processing quality of the workpiece can be made more stable than before. Here, the second conversion mechanism forms a pair of crank mechanisms with the first conversion mechanism sandwiched between them in the lateral direction. The second slider has a special structure in which it receives force from the drive shaft via a pair of links of the pair of crank mechanisms. Specifically, the second slider has a structure in which a pair of box walls protrude from the front surface of the second slide plate, and a pair of links are supported by a pair of pivot points on the upper surface of the pair of box walls. As a result, the second slider can be lightweight while possessing high strength. Furthermore, the first slider has a prismatic shape extending vertically and includes a first slide rod that is received between a pair of box walls and slidably supported by the second slider, so that the first and second sliders can be compactly arranged.

[0067] The press machine of Feature 2 is equipped with first to third sliders that share a drive shaft. That is, the number of times the workpiece is pressed in one cycle operation is three, which is more than conventional press machines. As a result, when pressing the workpiece three times, using the press machine of Feature 2 eliminates the need for an additional press machine compared to using a conventional press machine. Furthermore, when pressing the workpiece four or more times, using the press machine of Feature 2 allows for a smaller additional press machine compared to using a conventional press machine. In addition, in the press machine of Feature 2, the first slide rod, second slide plate, and third slide plate are stacked in front of a rear support wall that spans between a pair of opposing support walls that rotatably support the drive shaft, so that the three sliders, first to third, equipped with these components, can be compactly housed.

[0068] Furthermore, in the press machine of feature 3, the third conversion mechanism is a cam mechanism comprising a pair of circular cams eccentric to the drive shaft, and two pairs of rollers, rotatably supported by two pairs of vertical ribs that protrude forward from the portions of the third slide plate that extend outwards on both sides of the second slide plate, contact the pair of cams from above and below. Since the pair of vertical ribs extends to the lower end of the third slide plate and faces a pair of box walls from the side, the third slide plate can be reinforced by the vertical ribs that support the rollers.

[0069] Furthermore, in the press machine of feature 4, the first conversion mechanism is a cam mechanism equipped with a lowering cam for pushing down the first slide rod and an upward cam for pulling up the first slide rod. The first slider includes a cage that is fixed to the upper end of the first slide rod, and is formed by connecting the upper and lower ends of a pair of frame sections that face each other with the lowering cam in between and through which the drive shaft passes, with a connecting wall between them. The lowering roller and the upward roller, which are rotatably supported in the cage, are in contact with the lowering cam and the upward cam, thus enabling miniaturization of the first slider.

[0070] According to the press machine of Feature 5, in one cycle operation, a blank material punched out from sheet metal by a cylindrical third punch and third die fixed to a third slider is drawn into a container-shaped workpiece with a bottom at one end by a cylindrical second punch and second die fixed to a second slider, and this container-shaped workpiece with a bottom at one end is further drawn, ironed, or punched out by a first punch and first die fixed to a first slider.

[0071] According to the press machine of Feature 6, a container-shaped workpiece with a rectangular cross-section and a bottom at one end can be formed in a single cycle.

[0072] In the container molding system of Feature 7, the workpiece formed by the press machine of Feature 6 can be further formed into a long, thin, rectangular container-shaped workpiece by deep drawing using a transfer press machine.

[0073] While this specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but also includes various modifications and changes to these examples, as well as parts of the examples taken individually.

[0074] 1 First conversion mechanism 2 Second conversion mechanism 3 Third conversion mechanism 10 Press machine 11 Support opposing wall 14 Rear support wall 16 Drive shaft 21 First slider 21A First slide rod 21R Roller (lowering roller) 22 Second slider 22A Second slide plate 22B Box wall 23 Third slider 23A Third slide plate 23B, 23C Longitudinal ribs 23D, 23E Recess 23R Roller 24 Link 25 Cage section 25F Frame section 25R Roller (upward roller) 25X, 25Y Connecting wall 40 Cam 42 Crank section 43 Lowering cam 44 Upward cam 51 First punch 52 Second punch 53 Third punch 71 First die 71A First punch entry hole 72 Second die 72A Second punch entry hole 73 Third die 73A Third punch entry hole 80 Transfer press machine 85 Transfer device 89 Container forming system 90 Sheet metal 91 Blank material 92 Workpiece H1 Lateral direction H2 Front-back direction H3 Up-down direction J1 Rotation axis

Claims

1. A press machine comprising: first and second sliders supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, to which punches are respectively fixed; a drive shaft provided in common to the first and second sliders and rotationally driven about a rotation axis extending laterally; a first conversion mechanism positioned at an intermediate position in the lateral direction of the drive shaft and converting the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating sliding motion of the first slider; and a pair of second conversion mechanisms positioned at two positions in the lateral direction with the first conversion mechanism in between, converting the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating sliding motion of the second slider and having a different bottom dead center than the first conversion mechanism, wherein the second slider is plate-shaped with a main plane facing a front-rear direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, and comprises a second slide plate positioned below and behind the drive shaft, and a pair of box walls protruding from the front surface of the second slide plate and facing each other in the lateral direction. The first slider is prismatic in shape and extends vertically, and comprises a first slide rod that is received between the pair of box walls and slidably supported by the second slider, and the pair of second conversion mechanisms is a crank mechanism comprising a pair of crank parts formed on the drive shaft, a pair of pivot parts provided on the upper surface of the pair of box walls, and a pair of links whose ends are rotatably supported by the pair of crank parts and the pair of pivot parts, respectively.

2. A press machine according to claim 1, comprising: a third slider which is supported to slide vertically and to which a punch is fixed, and which shares the drive shaft together with the first and second slides; a pair of third conversion mechanisms which are arranged in two positions in the lateral direction with the pair of second conversion mechanisms in between, and which convert the rotation of the drive shaft into a reciprocating sliding motion of the third slider, and which have different bottom dead centers from the first conversion mechanism and the pair of second conversion mechanisms; a pair of opposing support walls which face each other in the lateral direction and each rotatably support the drive shaft; a rear support wall which is located behind the drive shaft in the front-rear direction and is spanned between the pair of opposing support walls; and a third slide plate which is included in the third slider, has a plate shape with its main plane facing the front-rear direction, is arranged between the rear support wall and the drive shaft, and is slidably supported by the rear support wall, wherein the second slide plate is superimposed on the front surface of the third slide plate and is slidably supported by the third slide plate.

3. The press machine according to claim 2, wherein the pair of third conversion mechanisms is a cam mechanism comprising a pair of circular cams eccentric with respect to the drive shaft, the third slider includes two pairs of longitudinal ribs that protrude forward and vertically from portions of the third slide plate that extend outwards on both sides of the second slide plate, recesses formed in the two pairs of longitudinal ribs for receiving the drive shaft, and two pairs of rollers that are rotatably supported by being sandwiched laterally between adjacent pairs of longitudinal ribs of the two pairs of longitudinal ribs and contact the pair of cams from above and below, and at least one of each pair of longitudinal ribs extends to the lower end of the third slide plate and faces the pair of box walls from the later direction.

4. The press machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first conversion mechanism is a cam mechanism comprising a lowering cam for pushing down the first slide rod and an upward cam for raising the first slide rod, and the first slider includes a cage portion which is fixed to the upper end of the first slide rod and is formed by connecting the upper and lower ends of a pair of frame portions which face each other on either side of the lowering cam and through which the drive shaft passes, with a connecting wall between them; a lowering roller which is rotatably supported at the lower end of the cage portion and contacts the lowering cam from below; and an upward roller which is rotatably supported at the upper side of the cage portion and contacts the upward cam from above.

5. A press machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4, comprising: a first punch fixed to the first slider; a cylindrical second punch fixed to the second slider and fitted to the outside of the first punch; a cylindrical third punch fixed to the third slider and fitted to the outside of the second punch; a third die having a third punch entry hole into which the third punch enters, and configured to cooperate with the third punch to punch out a blank material from sheet metal; a second die placed on top of the third die and having a second punch entry hole into which the second punch enters, and configured to draw form a container-shaped workpiece with one end closed from the blank material; and a first die placed on top of the second die and having a first punch entry hole into which the first punch enters, and configured to draw form, iron form or punch out the workpiece.

6. The press machine according to claim 5, wherein the third punch and the third punch entry hole are elliptical, oblong, or quadrilateral with four sides that bulge outward, the second punch and the second punch entry hole are quadrilaterals smaller than the third punch and the third punch entry hole, and the first punch and the first punch entry hole are quadrilaterals smaller than the second punch and the second punch entry hole.

7. A container forming system comprising a transfer press machine and a press machine according to claim 6 that supplies the container-shaped workpiece to the transfer device of the transfer press machine, wherein the transfer press machine draws the workpiece formed by the press machine multiple times.

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