Mechanical device for separating detachably interconnected workpiece parts of a workpiece part assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanical device (1) for separating detachably interconnected workpiece parts (2) of a workpiece part assembly (3), which is provided as the product of a machining process carried out on a plate-type workpiece, having a vibration generator (8), by means of which a separating oscillation can be generated that is applied to a workpiece part (2) relative to the rest (4) of the workpiece part assembly (3), the oscillation being carried out perpendicularly to the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3), and the workpiece part (3) being separated from the rest (4) of the assembly on the basis of the oscillation. A catching element (13) is provided for the separated workpiece part (2), the catching element lying opposite the workpiece part assembly (3) on one side of the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3) while the separating oscillation is applied to the workpiece part (2). The separating oscillation is applied to the workpiece part (2) relative to the catching element (13).

Description

[0001] 2024P00401WC)

[0002] Mechanical device for separating detachably connected workpiece parts of a workpiece assembly

[0003] The invention relates to a mechanical device for separating detachably connected workpiece parts of a workpiece component assembly present as a product of separating processing of a plate-like workpiece, in particular as a product of separating sheet metal processing,

[0004] • with a vibration generator by means of which a separating vibration of a workpiece part relative to a composite remainder of the workpiece part assembly, carried out perpendicular to a main plane of the workpiece part assembly, can be generated, due to which the workpiece part is separated from the composite remainder.

[0005] The prior art is disclosed in DE 20 2018 001 674 Ul.

[0006] In the prior art, sheet metal part processing produces good parts and a residual grid as workpiece components. Microjoints remain between the workpiece components during the part processing, allowing the resulting workpiece components to be removed from the processing machine as an assembly. A vibrating table, to which the assembly is transferred after leaving the processing machine, serves to separate the good parts from the assembly. The horizontally oriented assembly is fixed to the vibrating table, with the edge of the residual grid attached to a vibrating frame. Subsequently, the vibrating table, together with the fixed assembly, is set into vertical vibration by means of vibration motors. This separates the good parts from the residual grid of the assembly.A collection container for the good parts is located below the vibrating table. The space above the assembly of workpieces fixed to the vibrating table is unlimited during the separation process. (2024P00401WC).

[0007] The object of the present invention is to reliably remove workpiece parts detached from a composite residue of a workpiece component assembly by means of a separating vibration under the influence of the separating vibration.

[0008] This problem is solved according to the invention by the mechanical device according to claim 1.

[0009] In the invention, a catching element is provided for the separated workpiece part. During the separating vibration of the workpiece part, this catching element is positioned opposite the workpiece part assembly on one side of the main plane of the workpiece part assembly (lever-bund). The separating vibration of the workpiece part is performed relative to the catching element for the separated workpiece part. The preferably stationary catching element ensures that, under the influence of the separating vibration, workpiece parts separated from the remaining assembly, in particular the residual grid of the workpiece part assembly, can only leave the remaining assembly, in particular the residual grid of the workpiece part assembly, perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece part assembly in one direction only, namely in the direction away from the catching element. This prevents disturbances to the separation process that can occur if separated workpiece parts leave the remaining assembly of the workpiece part assembly (lever-bund) in the "wrong" direction.The direction of movement of the separated workpiece parts is clearly defined. This simplifies subsequent steps in the overall process.

[0010] Special embodiments of the machine device according to the invention as defined in claim 1 are set out in dependent claims 2 to 9.

[0011] According to claim 2, the catching element for the separated workpiece part is, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, designed as a plate. The catching element, forming an impact plate, preferably covers the entire area of ​​the workpiece assembly containing the workpiece parts to be separated during the separating vibration. The impact plate is then in the (2024P00401WC)

[0012] Position to prevent several workpiece parts detached from the workpiece assembly from moving in the "wrong" direction simultaneously.

[0013] The inventive design according to claim 3 is characterized in that, during the separating oscillation of the workpiece part, the catching element for the separated workpiece part has a distance from the workpiece part assembly perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece part assembly at the reversal point of the separating oscillation on the catching element side, which distance is smaller than the dimension of the separated workpiece part perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece part assembly. Due to the inventive dimensioning of the distance of the catching element from the workpiece part assembly as a function of the thickness of the separated workpiece part, it is ensured that separated workpiece parts do not accidentally end up in the space between the catching element and the remaining part of the workpiece part assembly, but rather are reliably guided away in a direction pointing away from the catching element.

[0014] A preferred method according to the invention for generating the separating vibration of the workpiece part is the subject of claim 4. The workpiece assembly can be fixed to a holder for the workpiece assembly together with the remaining part of the assembly. To execute the separating vibration of the workpiece part, the holder, together with the workpiece assembly fixed thereto, is excited to a vibration perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece assembly by means of the vibration exciter of the machine device according to the invention.

[0015] In a further development of the invention, the holder for the workpiece assembly is guided on the catch element for the separated workpiece part during the vibration performed jointly with the workpiece assembly (claim 5). In this case, no separate components are required to ensure a defined movement of the workpiece assembly during the separating vibration. If the vibration generator is at least partially arranged on the side of the workpiece assembly opposite the catch element for the separated workpiece part (claim 6), the components of the machine device according to the invention are concentrated on the side of the workpiece assembly opposite the catch element. Consequently, installation space is available on the opposite side of the catch element, which can be used for other purposes.

[0016] In the case of the inventive design according to claim 7, workpiece parts separated from the remaining composite material, for example, from the residual grid of the workpiece assembly, can be automatically removed under the direction of gravity. The feature of claim 3 may be particularly advantageous in this context. Due to the dimensioning of the distance of the catch element for the separated workpiece part(s) from the workpiece assembly according to the claim, it is prevented that separated workpiece parts reach the top of the horizontally oriented or inclined composite material and are then not automatically removed, thus disrupting the process.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a product tray is provided for the separated workpiece parts, arranged in the direction of gravity below the workpiece part assembly, onto which the separated workpiece parts preferably automatically fall under the influence of gravity (patent claim 8).

[0018] In particular, for application-specific adjustment of the drop height of the separated workpiece parts, a further development of the invention allows the distance between the product tray and the workpiece assembly, perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece assembly, to be variably adjustable (claim 9). A drop height adjustment can be made, for example, depending on the surface finish and the associated scratch sensitivity of the separated workpiece parts. (2024P00401WC)

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary and highly schematic representation.

[0020] Shown is a mechanical device 1 for singulating workpiece parts in the form of good parts 2 of a workpiece part assembly 3, which in addition to the good parts 2 includes a residual grid 4 as the assembly residue.

[0021] The good parts 2 and the residual grid 4 are the products of a sheet metal cutting process carried out on a conventional laser cutting machine (not shown).

[0022] During the separating sheet metal processing, nanojoints 5 were left as detachable residual connections both between adjacent good parts 2 and between good parts 2 on the one hand and the residual grid 4 on the other. Due to these residual connections, the good parts 2 and the residual grid 4 form the workpiece component assembly 3.

[0023] After completion of the separating sheet metal processing, the workpiece assembly 3 was transferred to the machine fixture 1 and clamped there in a horizontal orientation to a holder 6. The holder 6 consists of several clamping units 7 that hold the workpiece assembly 3 to the remaining grid 4.

[0024] The holder 6 is part of a vibration generator 8, which also includes a vibration exciter 9 with several excitation units 10. Each of the excitation units 10 of the vibration exciter 9 is assigned to one of the clamping units 7 of the holder 6 for the workpiece assembly 3.

[0025] By means of the vibration exciter 9, the holder 6 with the workpiece assembly 3 fixed to it is set into a vertical vibration with high frequency and small amplitude, illustrated by double arrows and thus perpendicular to a main plane 11 of the workpiece assembly 3.

[0026] Due to the vibration of the workpiece assembly 3, the good parts 2 perform a separating vibration perpendicular to the main plane 11 of the workpiece assembly 3, relative to each other and relative to the residual grid 4 of the workpiece assembly 3 which is fixed to the holder 6. Due to this separating vibration, the good parts 2 are separated from each other and from the residual grid 4, and thus singulated.

[0027] The separated good parts 2 fall freely under the influence of gravity onto a good parts pallet 12, which serves as a product storage area and is located below the workpiece assembly 3. To adjust the drop height of the good parts 2 to suit specific applications, the vertical distance between the good parts pallet 12 and the workpiece assembly 3 can be variably adjusted. The height adjustability of the good parts pallet 12 is indicated by double arrows.

[0028] In the interest of a reliable process flow, the machine device 1 has a catching element in the form of a stationary impact plate 13 for the separated good parts 2.

[0029] The vibration generator 8 is arranged almost entirely on the side of the workpiece assembly 3 furthest from the impact plate 13. This leaves space on the top side of the impact plate 13 for, among other things, a stationary fixture gantry 14 of the machine 1, to which the impact plate 13 is attached. During its vertical vibration, the mounting 6 of the vibration generator 8 is guided on the impact plate 13, perpendicular to the main plane 11 of the workpiece assembly 3, together with the workpiece assembly 3.

[0030] The impact plate 13 is located opposite the workpiece assembly 3 on its upper side. The impact plate 13 extends parallel to the workpiece assembly 3 over all the good parts 2 of the workpiece assembly 3.

[0031] During the separating vibration, the good parts 2 oscillate perpendicular to the main plane 11 of the workpiece assembly 3 relative to the impact plate 13. The good parts 2 exhibit their minimum vertical distance from the impact plate 13 at the upper reversal point of the separating vibration. This distance is less than the thickness of the good parts 2 and is thus dimensioned such that a good part 2, which is flung upwards after being released from the workpiece assembly 3 due to the separating vibration, cannot enter the gap between the top surface of the residual grid 4 and the impact plate 13 and be deposited there on the residual grid 4. Removing a good part 2 from the gap between the top surface of the residual grid 4 and the impact plate 13 would be a relatively complex process. Furthermore, a good part 2 accidentally deposited on the top surface of the residual grid 4 would impede the further process flow.

Claims

2024P00401WC) Patent claims 1. Machine device for separating detachably connected workpiece parts (2) of a workpiece part assembly (3) present as a product of a separating processing of a plate-like workpiece, in particular as a product of separating sheet metal processing, • with a vibration generator (8) by means of which a separating vibration of a workpiece part (2) relative to a composite remainder (4) of the workpiece part assembly (3) can be generated perpendicular to a principal plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3), due to which the workpiece part (2) is separated from the composite remainder (4), characterized by • that a catching element (13) is provided for the separated workpiece part (2), which is opposite the workpiece part assembly (3) on one side of the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3) during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) and • that the vibration generator (8) is designed to generate the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) relative to the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2).

2. Machine device according to claim 1, characterized in that the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2) is designed in a plate-like form.

3. Machine device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2) has a distance from the workpiece part assembly (3) perpendicular to the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3) at a reversal point of the separating oscillation on the catching element side, which is smaller than the dimension of the separated workpiece part (2) perpendicular to the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3). (2024P00401WC) 4. Machine device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that • that the vibration generator (8) has a holder (6) for the workpiece assembly (3) and a vibration exciter (9), • that the workpiece assembly (3) with the remaining assembly (4) can be fixed to the holder (6) for the workpiece assembly (3) and • that, in order to generate the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2), the support (6) together with the workpiece part assembly (3) fixed to it can be excited to a vibration perpendicular to the main plane (11) of the workpiece part assembly (3) by means of the vibration exciter (9) of the vibration generator (8).

5. Machine device according to claim 4, characterized in that the holder (6) is guided perpendicular to the main plane (11) of the workpiece assembly (3) during the vibration carried out jointly with the workpiece assembly (3) on the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2).

6. Machine device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration generator (8) is arranged at least partially on the side of the workpiece assembly (3) located away from the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2).

7. Machine device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that • that the workpiece assembly (3) is aligned horizontally or inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) and • that the catching element (13) for the separated workpiece part (2) is arranged above the workpiece part assembly (3) during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) in the direction of gravity.

8. Machine device according to claim 7, characterized in that during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) in the direction of gravity a product tray (12) is provided below the workpiece part assembly (3), on which the separated workpiece part (2) can be placed under the influence of gravity.

9. Machine device according to claim 8, characterized in that the distance of the product tray (12) from the workpiece assembly (3) during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) perpendicular to the main plane (11) of the workpiece assembly (3) is variably adjustable.

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