WATER-JET CUTTING SYSTEM

Abstract

 A water jet cutting system (1), comprises: a supporting surface (P) for supporting an object to be cut; dispensing means (2), for dispensing a jet of water against the object to be cut; pressurized water generating means (4), in flowing communication with the dispensing means (2), for supplying pressurized water to the dispensing means (2); and supporting means (9) for supporting the dispensing means (2), operationally positioned above the supporting surface (P); wherein the pressurized water generating means (4) is supported by the supporting means (9).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a water-jet cutting system.

[0002] Initially, water-jet cutting technology involved dispensing a jet of only water at very high speed through a nozzle of small diameter. This enabled a variety of materials to be cut, including: cardboard, fabric, nylon, plywood, polyethylene, food products, etc.. Subsequently, in order to improve cutting capability, an abrasive powder was added to the water. This enabled water-jet cutting technology to be used to cut materials that were harder than the previously mentioned materials, such as, for example: glass, marble, steel, composite materials, etc..

[0003] Current water-jet cutting systems comprise, inter alia, a hydraulic intensifier to generate pressurized water, an attenuator for damping pressure oscillations of the pressurized water generated by the intensifier, a cutting head, and a device for delivery abrasive powder to the cutting head.

[0004] Known systems further comprise a supporting surface, for supporting an object to be cut, and a portal support structure, which is provided with a crosspiece element.

[0005] The latter is positioned and movable above the supporting surface, and is configured for slidably supporting the cutting head.

[0006] In known water-jet cutting systems the intensifier and the attenuator are positioned on the ground, near the portal support structure, and are in flowing communication with the cutting head by flexible conduits connected to the crosspiece element.

[0007] Such flexible conduits must be sufficiently long to enable the cutting head to freely move above, over the entire extent, of the supporting surface.

[0008] The significant length of the flexible conduits, in some cases more than 10m, nevertheless entails significant load losses.

[0009] This makes it necessary to oversize the intensifier with a resulting increase in costs for the purchase, operation and frequent maintenance that are required to replace the components of the intensifier that are subjected to fatigue.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to improve water-jet cutting systems.

[0011] A further object is to provide a water-jet cutting system that is cheaper and requires less maintenance than known water-jet cutting systems.

[0012] Such objects and still others are achieved by a water-jet system according to one or more of the claims set out below.

[0013] The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the enclosed drawings that illustrate an embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting invention, in which:

• Figure 1 is an axonometric schematic view of a water-jet cutting system according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the water-jet cutting system according to the invention; and
• Figure 3 is an axonometric schematic view of dispensing means and pressurized water generating means included in the water-jet cutting system according to the invention.

[0014] With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a water jet cutting system 1 is disclosed, configured for cutting, by abrasion and erosion, a raw object, which is not shown, to obtain a finished product of desired shape therefrom.

[0015] The cutting system 1 comprises dispensing means 2, including one or more cutting heads 3, configured for dispensing a jet of water onto the object to be cut.

[0016] Each of the one or more cutting heads 3 comprises, in one embodiment of the invention:

• an inlet, which is not shown, for receiving pressurized water;
• a primary nozzle, which is not shown, for transforming the energy of the pressurized water into kinetic energy;
• an inlet, which is not shown, for receiving abrasive material, for example an abrasive powder;
• a mixing chamber, which is not shown, for mixing the pressurized water and the abrasive material; and
• a focusing nozzle, which is not shown, for focusing on, i.e. coincide with, the object to be cut the jet formed by the mixture of water and abrasive material.

[0017] The cutting system 1 further comprises pressurized water generating means 4, which is in flowing communication, by high pressure conduits 5, with the dispensing means 2, and is configured for supplying pressurized water to the dispensing means 2.

[0018] The pressurized water generating means 4 comprises one or more pressure intensifiers 6, for example electric pressure intensifiers, or hydraulic pressure intensifiers.

[0019] Also, the pressurized water generating means 4 comprises one or more attenuators 7, configured for damping possible pressure oscillations of the pressurized water coming from the one or more intensifiers 6.

[0020] Each attenuator 7 is in flowing communication with, and is interposed between, a respective intensifier 6 and respective dispensing means 2.

[0021] In use, the water, taken from the water supply network, is filtered and sucked into the one or more pressure intensifiers 6 that take the water to the desired pressure.

[0022] Subsequently, the pressurized water is pushed into the one or more attenuators 7 so as to arrive at the primary nozzle of the respective cutting head 3 at a substantially uniform pressure.

[0023] From here, the flow of the pressurized water reaches the mixing chamber, in which the water meets the abrasive material coming from a delivery conduit and drags the abrasive material with itself through the focusing nozzle, directing the abrasive material to the object to be cut.

[0024] The cutting system 1 further comprises a movement apparatus 8 for moving the one or more cutting heads 3.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the movement apparatus 8 comprises a closed portal support structure 9.

[0026] The closed portal support structure 9 includes a crosspiece element 10 operationally positioned above a work surface P that is configured for retaining the object to be cut during machining.

[0027] The crosspiece element 10 is provided with two opposite ends 11 each connected to a corresponding upright, which is not shown, each upright being slidable along a respective base 12. In one embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the movement apparatus 8 comprises an open portal support structure in which the crosspiece element is connected with one end thereof to an upright that is slidable along a respective base, the other end of the crosspiece element being free.

[0028] The crosspiece element 10 comprises a first wall 13 configured for supporting slidingly, in a known manner, the one or more cutting heads 3.

[0029] Also, the crosspiece element 10 comprises a second wall 14 configured for supporting the pressurized water generating means 4.

[0030] For example, the pressurized water generating means 4 is fixed to the second wall 14 by a threaded connection, or by quick fitting systems or in other equivalent ways.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the first wall 13 is substantially parallel to, and opposite, the second wall 14.

[0032] In one embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the first wall is transverse, in particular substantially perpendicular to, and contiguous with the second wall.

[0033] It should be noted how the configuration of the cutting system 1 according to the invention is particularly advantageous.

[0034] In fact, the position of the pressurized water generating means 4 on the crosspiece element 10 means that the high pressure conduits 5, connecting the pressurized water generating means 4 to the dispensing means 2, are particularly short, this reducing the load losses between the pressurized water generating means 4 and the dispensing means 2.

[0035] As a result, the cutting system 1 according to the invention requires one or more pressure intensifiers 6 that are undersized with respect to those used in known systems, this reducing the costs of purchase, operation and maintenance of the one or more intensifiers 6.

[0036] The invention that is thus conceived is open to numerous modifications and variations that all fall within the scope of the inventive concept. Further, all the details can be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. Water jet cutting system (1), comprising:

a supporting surface (P) for supporting an object to be cut;

dispensing means (2), for dispensing a jet of water against said object to be cut;

pressurised water generating means (4), in flowing communication with said dispensing means (2), for supplying pressurized water to said dispensing means (2); and

supporting means (9), for supporting said dispensing means (2), operationally positioned above said supporting surface (P);

said water jet cutting system (1) is characterized in that said pressurised water generating means (4) is supported by said supporting means (9).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means (9) comprises a crosspiece element (10), said dispensing means (2) being supported by a first wall (13) of said crosspiece element (10), and said pressurised water generating means (4) being supported by a second wall (14) of said crosspiece element (10).

3. System (1) according to claim 2, wherein said first wall (13) is substantially parallel to and opposite said second wall (14); or wherein said first wall (13) is transverse, in particular substantially perpendicular to, and contiguous with, said second wall (14).

4. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said pressurised water generating means (4) comprises at least one pressure intensifier (6), in particular an electric pressure intensifier, or a hydraulic pressure intensifier.

5. System (1) according to claim 4, wherein said pressurised water generating means (4) comprises at least one attenuator (7), for damping pressure oscillations of said pressurized water coming from said at least one pressure intensifier (6), said at least one attenuator (7) being in flowing communication with, and interposed between, said at least one pressure intensifier (6) and said dispensing means (2).

6. System (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said crosspiece element (10) slidingly supports said dispensing means (2) and is part of a portal support structure (9).

7. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said dispensing means (2) comprises at least one cutting head (3).

Drawing