A tool for stamping workpieces and a method for sorting stamped workpieces

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool for stamping workpieces according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for sorting workpieces according to the preamble of claim 10. Such a tool and such a method are, for example, disclosed in document CN-B-101011716.

[0002] In a typical press station, such a mechanical or a hydraulic press, the stamped workpieces are fed onto a conveyor belt, via which they are transported for further processing stages or to transport containers to be provided to a customer. In case workpieces of different kinds are stamped in one pressing cycle, they may have to be sorted.

[0003] A typical method for sorting workpieces is to sort the workpieces already output from the press station and placed on the conveyor belt, such as described in a US patent application US20090200141A1. It discloses a panel sorting device disposed at a downstream side of a press line at the transfer conveyor configured to sort the workpieces to two places on a panel chute for transferring the workpieces. Such device occupies considerable space on the production line, requiring a transfer conveyor having a length equal at least to the size of several workpieces.

[0004] In space-constrained applications, it would be advantageous to provide an arrangement that can separate workpieces which requires less space. The aim of the invention is to provide such a device.

[0005] The object of the invention is a tool for stamping workpieces from a material moving cyclically downstream, the tool comprising a die set with a double-workpiece die and a movable upper plate with a holding plate configured to stamp a first workpiece and a second workpiece in one working cycle, wherein the working cycle comprises a lowering phase wherein the holding plate is moved downwards to stamp the workpieces followed by a lifting phase wherein the holding plate is moved upwards and a feed phase wherein the material is moved downstream and the workpieces are moved outside the die set, wherein the tool further comprises a carrier attached to the movable upper plate with the holding plate, and wherein the die comprises a recess to which a portion of the carrier can fit during the lifting phase so as to lift the first workpiece above the second workpiece before the feed phase.

[0006] The carrier may comprise a support arm lowered with respect to the holding plate and distanced downstream from the holding plate by an arm range, an upwards-tiltable collector mounted on the support arm and extending upstream from the support arm to a distance of the arm range and the width of the first workpiece, a guide mounted on the support arm and extending downstream from the support arm, wherein the upper surfaces of the collector and of the guide are shaped to form a downwards-inclined track, on which the first workpiece can slide.

[0007] The collector may comprise a pair of collector arms.

[0008] The guide may comprise a pair of guide arms.

[0009] The carrier may comprise a curved guide configured to rotate the first workpieces.

[0010] The curved guide may have a shape of a brachistochrone curve.

[0011] The carrier can be configured to transport the lifted first workpiece to a first conveyor belt distinct from a second conveyor belt to which the second workpiece is fed from the die.

[0012] The first conveyor belt can be placed in line and running in opposite direction than the second conveyor belt.

[0013] The first conveyor belt can be placed in parallel and next to the second conveyor belt.

[0014] Another object of the invention is a method for sorting workpieces output from a tool for stamping workpieces from a material moving cyclically downstream, the tool comprising a die set with a double-workpiece die and a movable upper plate with a holding plate configured to stamp a first workpiece and a second workpiece in one working cycle, wherein the working cycle comprises a lowering phase wherein the holding plate is moved downwards to stamp the workpieces followed by a lifting phase wherein the holding plate is moved upwards and a feed phase wherein the material is moved downstream and the workpieces are moved outside the die set, the method comprising the step of lifting the first workpiece above the second workpiece with a carrier before the feed phase.

[0015] The first workpiece can be transported by the carrier to a first conveyor belt distant from a second conveyor belt to which the second workpiece is fed from the die.

[0016] The object of the invention is shown by means of exemplary embodiment on a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the stamping tool configuration at the beginning of the lowering phase;

Fig. 2 shows the stamping tool configuration during the lowering phase;

Fig. 3 shows the stamping tool configuration at the end of the lowering phase;

Fig. 4 shows the stamping tool configuration during the lifting phase;

Fig. 5 shows the stamping tool configuration at the end of the lifting phase;

Fig. 6 shows the stamping tool configuration during the feed phase.

Fig. 7 shows a top view of the stamping tool and conveyor belts in a first arrangement.

Fig. 8 shows a top view of the stamping tool and conveyor belts in a second arrangement.

[0017] The stamping tool according to the invention is shown in different points of its working cycle on Figs. 1-6. The stamping tool comprises a die set with a double-workpiece die 111 and a movable upper plate with a holding plate 113 configured to stamp, in one working cycle, a first workpiece 102 and a second workpiece 103. The double-workpiece die 111 may, in the single working cycle, press the material 101 in stages progressive along its movement downstream. The working cycle comprises a lowering phase, as shown in Figs. 1-3, wherein the holding plate 113 is moved downwards to stamp the workpieces 102, 103. Next, a lifting phase follows, as shown in Figs. 4-5, wherein the holding plate 113 is moved upwards. Finally, a feed phase occurs as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the material 101 is moved downstream at a distance equal to the width of the first and second workpiece 102, 103, and the pressed workpieces 102, 103 are moved outside the die set.

[0018] A carrier 121 is attached to the movable upper plate with the holding plate 113. The carrier 121 is configured to separate the position of the first workpiece 102 with respect to the second workpiece 103, thereby sorting the workpieces 102, 103 and allowing feeding of the workpieces 102, 103 to different locations of further processing stages. For example, the first workpiece 102 can be fed to a first conveyor belt 132 and the second workpiece 103 can be fed to a second conveyor belt 133, as shown in Fig. 7.

[0019] The carrier 121 comprises a support arm 122 lowered with respect to the holding plate 113, by a distance not exceeding the distance between the die 111 and the holding plate 113 at the beginning of the lowering phase, and distanced downstream from the holding plate 113 by an arm range. An upwards-tiltable collector 123 is mounted on the support arm 122 and extends upstream from the support arm 122 to a distance of the arm range and the width of the first workpiece 102. Furthermore, a guide 124 is mounted on the support arm 122 and extends downstream from the support arm 122. The upper surfaces of the collector 123 and of the guide 124 are shaped such as to form a downwards-inclined track, on which the first workpiece 102 can slide, preferably by its own weight, as shown in fig. 6.

[0020] At the beginning of the lowering phase, as shown in Fig. 1, the support arm 122, and therefore the collector 123, are located above the die 111. During the lowering phase, as shown in Fig. 2, the end portion of the collector 123, which is longer than the arm range, touches the die 111 with the material 101 from which the workpieces 102, 103 are to be formed. During the lowering of the holding plate 113 the movement of the end portion of the collector 123 is limited by the material 101 on the die 111, which causes tilt of the collector 123 upwards, until the end portion loses contact with the material 101. The die 111 comprises a recess 114 to which the end portion of the collector 123 can fit. Therefore, after a consecutive downwards movement of the holding plate 113, when the end portion of the collector 123 loses contact with the material 101, the end portion of the collector 123 fits into the recess 114 and the collector 123 reduces its upwards tilt under its own weight or under a force of a counter-tilt spring mounted at a pivot joint 125 of the collector 123. Thereby, at the end of the lowering phase and therefore at the beginning of the lifting phase, when the workpieces 102, 103 are stamped from the material 101, as shown in Fig. 3, the end portion of the collector 123 is located in the recess 114 below the first workpiece 102. During the lifting phase, as shown in Fig. 4, the end portion of the collector 123 contacts the first workpiece 102 and lifts it upwards. At the end of the lifting phase, as shown in Fig. 5, the first workpiece 102 is lifted above the second workpiece 103. The downwards inclination of the collector 123 causes the first workpiece 102 to slide along the collector 123 and then along the guide 124. During the feed phase, as shown in Fig. 6, the first workpiece 102 moves along the carrier 121 towards the first conveyor belt 132 and the second workpiece 103 is moved outside the die set towards the second conveyor belt 133.

[0021] The collector 123 and the guide 124 may have their shapes adapted to the shape of the first workpiece 102 such as to provide efficient carrying out of the first workpiece 102 from the die set. For example, they may comprise a pair of rod-shaped collector arms 123A, 123B and a pair of rod-shaped guide arms 124A, 124B.

[0022] The carrier 121 may be shaped to transmit the first workpieces 102 to a conveyor belt placed in a predefined position.

[0023] For example, as shown in fig. 7, the guide arms 124A, 124B may have a curved shape, configured to transmit the first workpieces 102 to a first conveyor belt 132 in line with the second conveyor belt 133, to which the second workpieces 103 are fed, the conveyor belts 132, 133 moving in opposite directions. The guide arms 124A, 124B may have a shape of a brachistochrone, which allows transmission of the workpiece in minimum time, thereby positively impacting the efficiency of production. Moreover, for such shape of the guide 124 the workpieces may be fed to the same conveyor belt, and their sorting is effected by the fact that the first workpieces 102 are rotated by the guide 124 by 90 degrees with respect to the second workpieces 103.

[0024] Alternatively, as shown in fig. 8, the guide 124 may have a linear shape, configured to transmit the first workpieces 102 to a first conveyor belt 142 placed in parallel and next to the second conveyor belt 143, to which the second workpieces 103 are fed, the conveyor belts 142, 143 moving in the same direction, as shown in Fig. 8, or in opposite directions.

Claims

1. A tool for stamping workpieces (102, 103) from a material (101) moving cyclically downstream, the tool comprising:

- a die set with a double-workpiece die (111) and a movable upper plate with a holding plate (113) configured to stamp a first workpiece (102) and a second workpiece (103) in one working cycle,

- wherein the working cycle comprises a lowering phase wherein the holding plate (113) is moved downwards to stamp the workpieces (102, 103) followed by a lifting phase wherein the holding plate (113) is moved upwards and a feed phase wherein the material (101) is moved downstream and the workpieces (102, 103) are moved outside the die set,

characterized in that

- it further comprises a carrier (121) attached to the movable upper plate with the holding plate (113),

- and wherein the die (111) comprises a recess (114) to which a portion (123) of the carrier (121) can fit during the lifting phase so as to lift the first workpiece (102) above the second workpiece (103) before the feed phase.

2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (121) comprises

- a support arm (122) lowered with respect to the holding plate (113) and distanced downstream from the holding plate (113) by an arm range,

- an upwards-tiltable collector (123) mounted on the support arm (122) and extending upstream from the support arm (122) to a distance of the arm range and the width of the first workpiece (102),

- a guide (124) mounted on the support arm (122) and extending downstream from the support arm (122),

- wherein the upper surfaces of the collector (123) and of the guide (124) are shaped to form a downwards-inclined track, on which the first workpiece (102) can slide.

3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein the collector (123) comprises a pair of collector arms (123A, 123B).

4. The tool according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the guide (124) comprises a pair of guide arms (124A, 124B).

5. The tool according to any of claims 2-4, wherein the carrier (121) comprises a curved guide (124) configured to rotate the first workpieces.

6. The tool according to claim 5, wherein the curved guide (124) has a shape of a brachistochrone curve.

7. The tool according to any of previous claims, wherein the carrier (121) is configured to transport the lifted first workpiece (102) to a first conveyor belt (132, 142) distinct from a second conveyor belt (133, 143) to which the second workpiece (103) is fed from the die (111).

8. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the first conveyor belt (132) is placed in line and running in opposite direction than the second conveyor belt (133).

9. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the first conveyor belt (142) is placed in parallel and next to the second conveyor belt (143).

10. A method for sorting workpieces (102, 103) output from a tool for stamping workpieces from a material (101) moving cyclically downstream, the tool comprising a die set with a double-workpiece die (111) and a movable upper plate with a holding plate (113) configured to stamp a first workpiece (102) and a second workpiece (103) in one working cycle, wherein the working cycle comprises a lowering phase wherein the holding plate (113) is moved downwards to stamp the workpieces (102, 103) followed by a lifting phase wherein the holding plate (113) is moved upwards and a feed phase wherein the material (101) is moved downstream and the workpieces (102, 103) are moved outside the die set, characterized in that it comprises the step of lifting the first workpiece (102) above the second workpiece (103) with a carrier (121) before the feed phase.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized by transporting the first workpiece (102) by the carrier (121) to a first conveyor belt (132, 142) distant from a second conveyor belt (133, 143) to which the second workpiece (103) is fed from the die (111).

Ansprüche

1. Werkzeug zum Stanzen von Werkstücken (102, 103) aus einem sich zyklisch stromab bewegenden Material (101), wobei das Werkzeug umfasst:

- einen Formsatz mit einer Doppel-Werkstückform (111) und einer beweglichen oberen Platte mit einer Halteplatte (113), konfiguriert, um ein erstes Werkstück (102) und ein zweites Werkstück (103) in einem Arbeitszyklus zu stanzen,

- worin der Arbeitszyklus eine Absenkphase aufweist, worin die Halteplatte (113) zum Stanzen der Werkstücke (102, 103) abwärts bewegt wird, gefolgt von einer Hubphase, worin die Halteplatte (113) aufwärts bewegt wird, und einer Förderphase, worin das Material (101) stromab bewegt wird und die Werkstücke (102, 103) aus dem Formsatz heraus bewegt werden,

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass

- es ferner einen Träger (121) aufweist, der an der beweglichen oberen Platte mit der Halteplatte (113) angebracht ist,

- und worin die Form (111) eine Vertiefung (114) aufweist, in die ein Abschnitt (123) des Trägers (121) während der Hubphase eingesetzt werden kann, um vor der Förderphase das erste Werkstück (102) über das zweite Werkstück (103) anzuheben.

2. Das Werkzeug nach Anspruch 1, worin der Träger (121) umfasst:

- einen Tragarm (122), der in Bezug auf die Halteplatte (113) mit Abstand stromab von der Halteplatte (113) um eine Armreichweite abgesenkt wird,

- einen aufwärts kippbaren Kollektor (123), der an dem Tragarm (122) angebracht ist und sich stromauf von dem Tragarm (122) zu einem Abstand der Armreichweite und die Breite des ersten Werkstücks (102) erstreckt,

- eine Führung (124), die an dem Tragarm (122) angebracht ist und sich stromab von dem Tragarm (122) erstreckt,

- worin die Oberseiten des Kollektors (123) und der Führung (124) zur Bildung einer abwärts geneigten Bahn geformt sind, auf der das erste Werkstück (102) gleiten kann.

3. Das Werkzeug nach Anspruch 2, worin der Kollektor (123) ein Paar von Kollektorarmen (123A, 123B) aufweist.

4. Das Werkzeug nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, worin die Führung (124) ein Paar von Führungsarmen (124A, 124B) aufweist.

5. Das Werkzeug nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 4, worin der Träger (121) eine gekrümmte Führung (124) aufweist, die konfiguriert ist, um die ersten Werkstücke zu drehen.

6. Das Werkzeug nach Anspruch 5, worin die gekrümmte Führung (124) die Form einer brachistochronen Kurve hat.

7. Das Werkzeug nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, worin der Träger (121) konfiguriert ist, um das angehobene erste Werkstück (102) zu einem ersten Förderband (132, 142) zu transportieren, das sich von einem zweiten Förderband (133, 143) unterscheidet, zu dem das zweite Werkstück (103) von der Form (111) gefördert wird.

8. Das Werkstück nach Anspruch 7, worin das erste Förderband (132) zum zweiten Förderband (133) in Linie und in entgegengesetzter Richtung laufend angeordnet ist.

9. Das Werkzeug nach Anspruch 7, worin das erste Förderband (142) parallel und nächst dem zweiten Förderband (143) angeordnet ist.

10. Verfahren zum Sortieren von Werkstücken (102, 103), die von einem Werkzeug zum Stanzen von Werkstücken aus einem sich zyklisch stromab bewegenden Material (101) ausgegeben werden, wobei das Werkzeug einen Formsatz mit einer Doppel-Werkstückform (111) und einer beweglichen oberen Platte mit einer Halteplatte (113) umfasst, konfiguriert, um ein erstes Werkstück (102) und ein zweites Werkstück (103) in einem Arbeitszyklus zu stanzen, worin der Arbeitszyklus eine Absenkphase aufweist, worin die Halteplatte (113) zum Stanzen der Werkstücke (102, 103) abwärts bewegt wird, gefolgt von einer Hubphase, worin die Halteplatte (113) aufwärts bewegt wird, und einer Förderphase, worin das Material (101) stromab bewegt wird und die Werkstücke (102, 103) aus dem Formsatz heraus bewegt werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es den Schritt umfasst, vor der Förderphase das erste Werkstück (102) über das zweite Werkstück (103) mit einem Träger (121) anzuheben.

11. Das Verfahren nach Anspruch 10, gekennzeichnet durch das Transportieren des ersten Werkstücks (102) mit dem Träger (121) zu einem ersten Förderband (132, 142) mit Abstand von einem zweiten Förderband (133, 143), zu dem das zweite Werkstück (103) von der Form (111) gefördert wird.

Revendications

1. Outil pour emboutir des pièces (102, 103) dans un matériau (101) se déplaçant cycliquement en aval, l'outil comprenant :

- un ensemble de matrice avec une matrice à double pièce (111) et une plaque supérieure mobile avec une plaque de retenue (113) configurée pour emboutir une première pièce (102) et une seconde pièce (103) dans un cycle de travail,

- dans lequel le cycle de travail comprend une phase d'abaissement, dans laquelle la plaque de retenue (113) est déplacée vers le bas pour emboutir les pièces (102, 103), suivie d'une phase de levage, dans laquelle la plaque de retenue (113) est déplacée vers le haut et une phase d'alimentation, dans laquelle le matériau (101) est déplacé en aval et les pièces (102, 103) sont déplacées en dehors de l'ensemble de matrice,

caractérisé en ce que

- il comprend en outre un support (121) fixé sur la plaque supérieure mobile avec la plaque de retenue (113),

- et dans lequel la matrice (111) comprend un évidement (114), dans lequel une partie (123) du support (121) peut s'insérer pendant la phase de levage de sorte à lever la première pièce (102) au-dessus de la seconde pièce (103) avant la phase d'alimentation.

2. Outil selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le support (121) comprend

- un bras support (122) abaissé par rapport à la plaque de retenue (113) et espacé en aval de la plaque de retenue (113) d'une portée de bras,

- un collecteur inclinable vers le haut (123) monté sur le bras support (122) et s'étendant en amont du bras support (122) sur une distance de la portée de bras et la largeur de la première pièce (102),

- un guidage (124) monté sur le bras support (122) et s'étendant en aval de celui-ci,

- dans lequel les surfaces supérieures du collecteur (123) et du guidage (124) sont formées pour constituer une voie inclinée vers le bas, sur laquelle la première pièce (102) peut glisser.

3. Outil selon la revendication 2, dans lequel le collecteur (123) comprend une paire de bras collecteurs (123A, 123B).

4. Outil selon la revendication 2 ou 3, dans lequel le guidage (124) comprend une paire de bras de guidage (124A, 124B).

5. Outil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 4, dans lequel le support (121) comprend un guidage courbé (124) configuré pour faire tourner les premières pièces.

6. Outil selon la revendication 5, dans lequel le guidage courbé (124) présente une forme de courbe brachistochrone.

7. Outil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le support (121) est configuré pour transporter la première pièce levée (102) sur un premier convoyeur à courroie (132, 142) distinct d'un second convoyeur à courroie (133, 143), auquel la seconde pièce (103) est fournie depuis la matrice (11).

8. Outil selon la revendication 7, dans lequel le premier convoyeur à courroie (132) est placé en ligne et s'étend en direction opposée à celle du second convoyeur à courroie (133).

9. Outil selon la revendication 7, dans lequel le premier convoyeur à courroie (142) est placé en parallèle et près du second convoyeur à courroie (143).

10. Procédé de tri de pièces (102, 103) sorties d'un outil pour emboutir des pièces dans un matériau (101) se déplaçant cycliquement en aval, l'outil comprenant un ensemble de matrice avec une matrice à double pièce (111) et une plaque supérieure mobile avec une plaque de retenue (113) configurée pour emboutir une première pièce (102) et une seconde pièce (103) dans un cycle de travail, dans lequel le cycle de travail comprend une phase d'abaissement, dans laquelle la plaque de retenue (113) est déplacée vers le bas pour emboutir les pièces (102, 103), suivie d'une phase de levage, dans laquelle la plaque de retenue (113) est déplacée vers le haut et une phase d'alimentation, dans laquelle le matériau (101) est déplacé en aval et les pièces (102, 103) sont déplacées à l'extérieur de l'ensemble de matrice, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend l'étape de levage de la première pièce (102) au-dessus de la seconde pièce (103) avec un support (121) avant la phase d'alimentation.

11. Procédé selon la revendication 10, caractérisé par le transport de la première pièce (102) par le support (121) sur un premier convoyeur à courroie (132, 142) à distance d'un second convoyeur à courroie (133, 143) auquel la seconde pièce (103) est fournie depuis la matrice (111).

Drawing