JP7575473B2 - Processing Line System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a processing line system equipped with a plate cutting device capable of cutting plate materials processed in a processing device so as to improve production efficiency.

Patent Document 1 discloses a punching press machine that includes an uncoiler that rotates while holding a strip steel sheet wound in a rolled state, a press device having a pair of punching dies that punch out steel sheet parts of a predetermined shape from the strip steel sheet, a feed device that sequentially feeds the strip steel sheet pulled out of the uncoiler between the pair of punching dies at a predetermined feed pitch, and a slack forming device that is disposed upstream in the feed direction of the press device and causes slack in the strip steel sheet when feeding by the feed device is stopped, and a scrap cutter is disposed downstream in the feed direction of the press device that cuts and collects scrap remaining after core steel sheet parts are punched out from the strip steel sheet.

Patent Document 2 discloses an amorphous iron core manufacturing device that includes a reel on which multiple amorphous sheets are wound, a sheet separating device that combines the amorphous sheet material unwound from the multiple reels and separates the combined amorphous sheet material into individual sheets, a cutting device that re-combines the amorphous sheet material that has passed through the sheet separating device and cuts the combined amorphous sheet material to specified dimensions, and a weighing device that stacks and weighs the amorphous sheet material cut by the cutting device into one iron core, and the control device controls the rotation of the reel of the uncoiler device, the amount of sheet material sent to the cutting device, the cutting motor, the timing of pulling the cut sheet material with a clamp cylinder, etc.

JP 2014-104500 A JP 2012-231028 A

The scrap cutter according to Patent Document 1 and the cutting device according to Patent Document 2 are devices for simply cutting the scrap or consolidated amorphous sheet material remaining after punching out the core steel plate components from the strip steel plate, and therefore there is a problem in that the scrap cutter or cutting device cannot be driven in accordance with the process of the press device or weighing device, making it impossible to improve production efficiency.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a processing line system equipped with a plate material cutting device that can cut plate materials processed in a processing device at appropriate timing so as to solve the above problems and improve production efficiency.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing line system includes a processing device that processes plate material, a plate material feeding device that intermittently transports the plate material to the processing device, and a plate material cutting device equipped with a cutter that cuts the plate material processed in the processing device, and the plate material cutting device is capable of driving the cutter in accordance with the process for the plate material in the processing device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, the process performed by the processing device on plate materials includes a process of moving the plate materials and a process of processing the plate materials, and the plate material cutting device is capable of driving a cutter according to the process to be performed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a plate cutting device is capable of driving a cutter in response to intermittent transportation of the plate by a plate feeding device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a plate cutting device is capable of starting the operation of a cutter to cut the processed plate when the plate feeding device stops transporting the plate, and stopping the operation of the cutter when the plate feeding device starts transporting the plate.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, the plate material cutting device further includes a drive unit for driving the cutter, the drive unit including a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis and a mechanism for reciprocating the cutter in one direction in association with rotation of the shaft about the rotation axis, and the shaft is adapted to rotate according to the process performed on the plate material by the processing device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a shaft is adapted to change its rotational speed depending on the process being performed on the plate material by the processing device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a shaft is adapted to change its rotational speed depending on the rotation angle of the shaft.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, the rotational speed of a shaft can be changed so that the shaft rotates once around the rotation axis during one cycle of the processing of a plate material by the processing device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a processing device is provided with a sensor for detecting the process of the processing device for the plate material, and a plate material feeding device is capable of intermittently transporting the plate material to the processing device in response to an output signal from the sensor.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a processing line system, a plate cutting device is capable of driving a cutter in response to an output signal from a sensor.

According to the present invention, the processing line system can cut processed plate material at the appropriate time, thereby improving production efficiency.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of a processing line system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operational relationship between a workpiece feeding device, a processing device, and a workpiece cutting device in the processing line system of FIG. 1 . 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the operational relationship between the workpiece feeding device, the processing device, and the workpiece cutting device in the processing line system of FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing a plate material cutting device of the processing line system of FIG. 1 in a see-through manner. FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of the plate material cutting device of FIG. 3A as viewed from the side. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the plate material cutting device of FIG. 3A as viewed from the front.

Below, examples of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

With reference to FIG. 1, a processing line system 101 as one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The processing line system 101 includes a processing device 102 such as a press device that processes a plate material 105 such as a coil material by pressing, a plate material feeder (feeder) 103 that intermittently conveys the plate material 105 from an uncoiler to the processing device 102, and a plate material cutting device 104 equipped with a cutter that cuts the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102. The plate material 105 may be taken out of the uncoiler and supplied to the plate material feeder 103 via a plate material supply device (stock controller) that straightens and flattens the plate material 105. The processing line system 101 also includes a control device 106 for controlling the processing device 102, the plate material feeder 103, and the plate material cutting device 104. The plate material feeder 103 may include a pair of rolls, a motor that rotates and drives at least one of the pair of rolls, and a control device that controls the motor. The control device of the workpiece feeding device 103 may also control the intermittent transport of the workpiece 105 to the processing device 102 by causing the pair of rolls to grip the workpiece 105 or by separating the pair of rolls to release the workpiece 105. However, the workpiece feeding device 103 is not limited to this. The control device of the workpiece feeding device 103 may be built in the control device 106.

The plate material cutting device 104 can drive the cutter in accordance with the process of the plate material 105 of the processing device 102. The process of the processing device 102 includes a process of moving the plate material 105 to a desired length by the plate material feeding device 103 and a process of processing the moved plate material 105. The plate material cutting device 104 can drive the cutter in accordance with the process of processing the plate material 105 during the period from when the process of moving the plate material 105 is completed, through the process of processing the plate material 105, to when the process of processing the plate material 105 starts again. For example, when the processing device 102 is a press device, the press device may include a crankshaft 107, an upper die 109, a lower die 110, a motor that rotates and drives the crankshaft 107, and a control device that controls the motor. After the step of moving the plate material 105, the control device of the press device may control the motor to rotate and drive the crankshaft 107 provided with an eccentric cam or the like in the step of pressing the plate material 105, thereby moving the upper die 109 engaged with the eccentric cam or the like vertically upward and downward, and press the moved plate material 105 by cooperation between the upper die 109 and the lower die 110. Then, after the step of pressing the plate material 105, the plate material 105 may be moved again by the plate material feed device 103 according to the desired length. However, the processing device 102 is not limited to this. The control device of the processing device 102 may be built into the control device 106. The plate material cutting device 104 can drive the cutter in accordance with the process of pressing the plate material 105, from the time when the process of moving the plate material 105 is completed, through the process of pressing the plate material 105, until the process of pressing the plate material 105 starts again.

The conveying operation of the plate material 105 by the plate material feed device 103 is performed intermittently so that the plate material 105 advances and stops in accordance with the processing in the processing device 102. The plate material cutting device 104 can drive the cutter in accordance with the intermittent conveyance of the plate material 105 by the plate material feed device 103. FIG. 2A shows an example of the operational relationship between the processing device 102, the plate material feed device 103, and the plate material cutting device 104 in one cycle of the process of the processing device 102. In particular, when the processing device 102 is a press device, an example of the operational relationship when the die A is used as an example of the upper die 109 and the lower die 110 is shown. The angle (°) shown in FIG. 2A represents the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107, and the time when the crankshaft 107 rotates from 270° through 0° to 90° represents the process of moving the plate material 105 according to the desired length by the plate material feed device 103. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 90° through 180° to 270°, it indicates a state in which the conveyance of the plate material 105 to the processing device 102 by the plate material feeding device 103 is stopped, and when the crankshaft 107 rotates around 180°, it indicates a process of processing the moved plate material 105. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 270° through 0° to 90°, that is, in the case of the process of moving the plate material 105 by the plate material feeding device 103, the plate material cutting device 104 is in a process of stopping the driving of the cutter. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 90° through 180° to 270°, that is, in the case of including a process of processing the plate material 105, the plate material cutting device 104 is in a process of driving the cutter. In addition, the plate cutting device 104 may start driving the cutter to cut the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102 when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 90°, i.e., when the plate material feeding device 103 stops transporting the plate material 105, and stop driving the cutter when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 270°, i.e., when the plate material feeding device 103 starts transporting the plate material 105.

2B shows another example of the operational relationship between the processing device 102, the workpiece feed device 103, and the workpiece cutting device 104 in one cycle of the process of the processing device 102. In particular, when the processing device 102 is a press device, another example of the operational relationship is shown when die B is used as another example of the upper die 109 and the lower die 110, which are different from die A. The angle (°) shown in FIG. 2B represents the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107, and the time when the crankshaft 107 rotates from 240° through 0° to 120° represents the process of moving the workpiece 105 by the workpiece feed device 103 according to the desired length. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 120° through 180° to 240°, it represents a state in which the conveyance of the plate material 105 to the processing device 102 by the plate material feeding device 103 is stopped, and when the crankshaft 107 rotates around 180°, it represents a process of processing the moved plate material 105. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 240° through 0° to 120°, that is, in the case of the process of moving the plate material 105 by the plate material feeding device 103, the plate material cutting device 104 is in a process of stopping the driving of the cutter. When the crankshaft 107 rotates from 120° through 180° to 240°, that is, in the case of the process of processing the plate material 105, the plate material cutting device 104 is in a process of driving the cutter. In addition, the plate material cutting device 104 may start driving the cutter to cut the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102 when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 120°, i.e., when the plate material feeding device 103 stops transporting the plate material 105, and stop driving the cutter when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 240°, i.e., when the plate material feeding device 103 starts transporting the plate material 105.

2A and 2B, the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 during the process of moving the plate material 105 by the plate material feeder 103 is 180° in FIG. 2A, while it is 240° in FIG. 2B. If the amount of plate material 105 conveyed by the plate material feeder 103 per unit time is the same, the plate material feeder 103 can convey a larger amount of plate material 105 in FIG. 2B compared to FIG. 2A. The rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 during the process including the process of processing the plate material 105 is 180° in FIG. 2A, while it is 120° in FIG. 2B. In the process of moving the plate material 105 by the plate material feeder 103 (while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 180° in FIG. 2A, while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 240° in FIG. 2B), the plate material cutting device 104 is in the process of stopping the drive of the cutter. The plate cutting device 104 is in a process of driving the cutter when the plate cutting device 104 includes a process of processing the plate 105 (while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 180° in the case of FIG. 2A and while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 120° in the case of FIG. 2B). If the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is set to 120° during the process of moving the plate 105 by the plate feed device 103, the plate feed device 103 can transport a smaller amount of plate 105 compared to FIG. 2A. The plate cutting device 104 is in a process of stopping the drive of the cutter when the plate 105 is moved by the plate feed device 103, i.e., while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 120°, and is in a process of driving the cutter when the plate cutting device 104 includes a process of processing the plate 105, i.e., while the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 240°. In this way, the amount of plate material 105 transported by the plate material feeding device 103 to the processing device 102 can be adjusted according to the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 to match the mold used in the press device, and further, the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102 can be cut by the plate material cutting device 104.

The crankshaft 107 may be rotated quickly or slowly depending on the rotation angle. For example, in FIG. 2A, when the crankshaft 107 rotates from 270° through 0° to 90°, the crankshaft 107 may be rotated quickly to shorten the time to transport the plate material 105 to the processing device 102 and reduce the amount of plate material 105 transported to the processing device 102, while when the crankshaft 107 rotates from 90° through 180° to 270°, the plate material cutting device 104 may drive the cutter to cut the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102. In addition, the crankshaft 107 may be rotated slower when rotating from 270° through 0° to 90°, lengthening the time for transporting the plate material 105 to the processing device 102 and increasing the amount of plate material 105 transported to the processing device 102, while the crankshaft 107 may be rotated faster when rotating from 90° through 180° to 270°, and during this time the plate material cutting device 104 may drive the cutter to cut the plate material 105 that has been processed in the processing device 102.

3A to 3C, the plate material cutting device 104 may include a housing 201, a cutter housed in the housing 201, a drive unit partly housed in the housing 201 for driving the cutter, and a control device for controlling the drive unit. The drive unit may include a shaft 202 rotatable around a rotation axis 203, a first motor 204 connected to one end of the shaft 202, and a mechanism for reciprocating the cutter in one direction in association with the rotation of the shaft 202 around the rotation axis 203. The drive unit may further include a second motor 209 connected to the other end of the shaft 202 to suppress twisting of the shaft 202. The cutter may be a scrap cutter composed of a first cutting blade 205 fixed to the housing 201 and a second cutting blade 206 that cooperates with the first cutting blade 205 to cut the plate material 105. The mechanism may include a cam 207 fixed to the shaft 202. When the shaft 202 rotates around the rotation axis 203, the cam 207 rotates accordingly, and can reciprocate the second cutting blade 206 relative to the first cutting blade 205. Then, when the second cutting blade 206 approaches the first cutting blade 205 and the first cutting blade 205 and the second cutting blade 206 mesh with each other, the plate material 105 conveyed from the outside through the intake 208 arranged in the housing 201 is cut. The cam 207 may be a plate cam having a special contour curve, a flat cam having a special groove, or the like, and may be, for example, a disk cam with an eccentric disk, a triangular cam, or the like. The cam 207 may have any shape as long as it can realize the reciprocating motion of the second cutting blade 206 required by the rotation of the shaft 202 around the rotation axis 203. However, the plate material cutting device 104 is not limited to this. The control device of the plate material cutting device 104 may be built into the control device 106.

The shaft 202 can rotate according to the process for the plate material 105 of the processing device 102. The shaft 202 can rotate according to the process for processing the plate material 105 during the period from the end of the process for moving the plate material 105, through the process for processing the plate material 105, to the start of the process for processing the plate material 105 again. The control device of the plate material cutting device 104 may control the first motor 204 to rotate the shaft 202 to which the cam 207 is fixed, in accordance with the process for processing the plate material 105, to cause the second cutting blade 206 engaged with the cam 207 to reciprocate in the direction of the first cutting blade 205, and the first cutting blade 205 and the second cutting blade 206 to mesh with each other, thereby cutting the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102.

The shaft 202 can change its rotation speed according to the process of the plate material 105 of the processing device 102. The shaft 202 may change its rotation speed so that it increases when the process of moving the plate material 105 is completed, and decreases when the process of processing the plate material 105 starts again after the process of processing the plate material 105. The shaft 202 may stop rotating in the process of moving the plate material 105, and may start rotating when the process of moving the plate material 105 is completed. The shaft 202 can also change its rotation speed according to the rotation angle of the shaft 202. The shaft 202 may rotate at a slow rotation speed within a certain predetermined rotation angle in the process of moving the plate material 105, and may rotate at a fast rotation speed within another predetermined rotation angle in the process of processing the plate material 105. The shaft 202 can also change its rotation speed so that it rotates once around the rotation axis 203 during one cycle of the process of the plate material 105 of the processing device 102. Even if the shaft 202 rotates at a slow rotation speed within a certain predetermined rotation angle in the process of moving the plate material 105 and rotates at a fast rotation speed within another predetermined rotation angle in the process of processing the plate material 105, the rotation speed may be changed so that the time of one rotation of the shaft 202 around the rotation axis 203 coincides with the time of one cycle of the process of the processing device 102 for the plate material 105. Also, the rotation speed of the shaft 202 may be changed so that the shaft 202 rotates once around the rotation axis 203 during an integer multiple of one cycle of the process of the processing device 102 for the plate material 105. In this case, the cam 207 may be a cam having a shape with a vertex of this integer multiple. For example, when the shaft 202 rotates once around the rotation axis 203 during three times one cycle of the process of the processing device 102 for the plate material 105, the cam 207 may be a triangular cam. When a portion of the cam 207 near the apex engages with the second cutting blade 206, the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102 is cut by the meshing of the first cutting blade 205 and the second cutting blade 206.

The processing device 102 may be provided with a sensor for detecting the process of the processing device 102. For example, when the processing device 102 is a press device, an angle detector 108 such as an encoder for detecting the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 may be provided as a sensor. The angle detector 108 detects the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Then, the output signal of the rotation angle detected by the angle detector 108 is transmitted to the control device 106. This allows the control device 106 to recognize the process of the processing device 102. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is between 270° through 0° and 90°, the control device 106 can recognize that the process is in which the plate material 105 is moved by the plate material feed device 103 according to the desired length. And, when the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is around 180°, the control device 106 can recognize that the process is in which the moved plate material 105 is processed. When the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 90°, it controls the workpiece feed device 103 to stop transporting the workpiece 105 to the processing device 102. Then, when the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 270°, it controls the workpiece feed device 103 to resume transporting the workpiece 105 to the processing device 102, and transports the workpiece 105 to the processing device 102 at a constant speed. In this way, the control device 106 can control the workpiece feed device 103 to intermittently transport the workpiece 105 to the processing device 102 in response to an output signal from the angle detector 108.

When the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is between 270°, passing through 0°, and 90°, i.e., the plate material feed device 103 is in a process of moving the plate material 105 according to the desired length, the control device 106 causes the plate material cutting device 104 to stop driving the cutter. When the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is between 90°, passing through 180°, and 270°, i.e., the process includes a process of processing the plate material 105, the control device 106 causes the plate material cutting device 104 to drive the cutter. When the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 90°, the control device 106 causes the plate material cutting device 104 to start driving the cutter to cut the plate material 105 processed in the processing device 102. When the control device 106 recognizes that the rotation angle of the crankshaft 107 is 270°, the control device 106 causes the plate material cutting device 104 to end driving the cutter. In this way, the control device 106 can drive the cutter of the plate cutting device 104 to cut the plate 105 processed in the processing device 102 in response to the output signal from the angle detector 108.

By using the processing line system 101 of the present invention as described above, the processing device 102 such as a press machine can process the plate material 105 intermittently transported with high precision from the plate material feeder 103, such as by pressing, to manufacture structures such as small parts used in information-related devices such as mobile phones and personal computers, components for automobiles, industrial motor parts, home appliances, etc. The plate material cutting device 104 can cut the plate material 105 that has been processed by pressing or the like in the processing device 102 such as a press machine at the appropriate timing, thereby improving production efficiency.

Although the above description is given with respect to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto and that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the principles of the invention and the appended claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 101 Processing line system 102 Processing device 103 Plate material feeding device 104 Plate material cutting device 105 Plate material 106 Control device 107 Crankshaft 108 Angle detector 109 Upper die 110 Lower die 201 Housing 202 Shaft 203 Rotation axis 204 First motor 205 First cutting blade 206 Second cutting blade 207 Cam 208 Inlet 209 Second motor

Claims (10)

A processing device for processing the plate material;
a workpiece feeding device that intermittently conveys the workpiece to the processing device;
A processing line system including a plate cutting device having a cutter that cuts the plate processed in the processing device,
The plate material cutting device is configured to drive the cutter in accordance with the process for the plate material of the processing device, in a processing line system. The processing line system of claim 1, wherein the processing device's process for the plate material includes a process for moving the plate material and a process for processing the plate material, and the plate material cutting device is capable of driving the cutter in accordance with the process for processing. The processing line system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plate material cutting device is adapted to drive the cutter in response to the intermittent transport of the plate material by the plate material feeding device. The processing line system according to claim 3, wherein the plate cutting device is adapted to start driving the cutter to cut the processed plate when the plate feed device stops transporting the plate, and to stop driving the cutter when the plate feed device starts transporting the plate. The processing line system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plate material cutting device further comprises a drive unit for driving the cutter, the drive unit comprising a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis and a mechanism for reciprocating the cutter in one direction in association with the rotation of the shaft about the rotation axis, and the shaft is adapted to rotate according to the process performed by the processing device on the plate material. The processing line system described in claim 5, wherein the shaft is capable of changing its rotational speed depending on the process performed on the plate material by the processing device. A processing line system as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the shaft is adapted to change its rotational speed depending on the rotation angle of the shaft. A processing line system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the rotational speed of the shaft can be changed so that the shaft rotates once around the rotation axis during one cycle of the process for the plate material by the processing device. The processing line system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processing device is provided with a sensor for detecting the process of the processing device for the plate material, and the plate material feeding device is capable of intermittently transporting the plate material to the processing device in response to an output signal from the sensor. The processing line system according to claim 9 , wherein the plate material cutting device is capable of driving the cutter in response to an output signal from the sensor.

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