Press Housing Safety Device with Movable Overturning Planes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators of large size deforming presses face safety risks due to uncontrolled movement of punches and the need to access deep press housings, which can lead to accidents from oil, dirt, and metal chips, despite adherence to safety rules.

Innovation Solution

A safety device with a top horizontal guide and sliding slide, actuated by linear actuators, that allows the press housing to be safely accessed by moving overturning planes to prevent access to the deep housing and cover the region, reducing slipping, stumbling, and soiling hazards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the press operator turns off the press before accessing the press housing, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to frequent shutdowns for tool adjusting operations

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The press housing is segmented into accessible and protected zones using movable protective planes. These planes can be positioned to allow operator access to tool adjusting areas while the press remains operational, separating the safety function from the productivity function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Movable protective planes act as intermediaries between the operator and the press housing. These planes provide physical protection while allowing controlled access, enabling the operator to perform tool adjusting operations without fully exposing themselves to dangerous areas or requiring complete press shutdown.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the press operator does not turn off the press, then productivity is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to risk of uncontrolled movement of punches

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Protective planes are positioned in advance to create safe access paths before the operator approaches the press housing. This preliminary arrangement of protective barriers allows the operator to safely access tool areas while the press remains operational, eliminating the need for shutdown-based safety procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The movable protective planes serve as intermediaries that enable continuous operation while maintaining safety. They physically separate the operator from dangerous moving parts, allowing productivity to be maintained without compromising safety through uncontrolled punch movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the press housing is deep, then structural stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult access for tool adjusting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protective planes are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to be dynamically positioned according to operational needs. This enables easy access to tool adjusting areas when required, while maintaining the deep, stable structure of the press housing for structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Access to the press housing is provided through a horizontal opening created by movable planes, adding a horizontal access dimension to the vertically deep press housing. This allows tool adjusting operations to be performed from the side without requiring the operator to reach deep into the housing, improving ease of operation while preserving structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Ease of operation

If the press housing is open for access, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors worsen due to presence of oil, dirt, and metal chips

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidslipping hazard
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful contaminants (oil, dirt, metal chips) are effectively removed from the operator's access path by the movable protective planes. These planes create a clean separation between the contaminated press housing interior and the operator's workspace, eliminating slipping hazards while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective planes act as intermediaries that physically separate the operator from contaminated areas. They prevent contact with oil, dirt, and metal chips while still allowing necessary access to tool adjusting areas, thus eliminating slipping hazards without compromising operational ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables safe access to press tools without entering the press housing, preventing accidents and maintaining cleanliness by covering the region, thus reducing operator risks and maintaining safety standards.

Implementation Method 1

a first linear actuator, a second linear actuator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLinear actuator: Linear Motor

Implementation Method 2

a cylinder-piston unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCylinder-piston unit: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentEP2136122B1Workpiece deforming press including a safety device
Publication Date: 2012.12.05 SACMA LIMBIATE
  • EP2136122B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2136122B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2136122B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A workpiece deforming press, including a safety device, comprises a press housing (2) for housing therein a plurality of dies (3) and punches (3') arranged in a horizontal plane, wherein a press housing (2) delimiting wall (4) comprises a top horizontal guide (6) bearing a sliding slide (7), wherein said sliding slide (7) bears, through a linear actuator (9), a first overturning plane (10), supported by a fulcrum (20) and adapted to be actuated by a linear actuator (12), and wherein said sliding slide (7) further bears a second overturning plane (11) supported by a fulcrum (20) and adapted to be actuated by a cylinder-piston unit (14).