Automated punching station for the production of punched components, punched component and relative production method
AssigneeHpf S.R.L.
InventorGabriele Lualdi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an automated punching station for the production of punched components for prosthetic surgery instruments, in particular for instruments able to mill/cut or otherwise carry out tissue removal processes in preparation for, or in the context of, prosthetic surgery operations. The invention also concerns a method to produce said punched components, and a punched component thus obtained.
Claims9
An automated punching station for producing punched components for prosthetic surgery instruments, wherein said station comprises:
- a transport support able to receive and position a plurality of intermediate components, each provided with through holes defined by a respective edge;
- a press device comprising at least one fixed punch and a counter-punch mobile in a punching direction with respect to said fixed for punching each of said edges for the purpose of producing a cutting part of the prosthetic surgery instrument;
- at least one automated operator configured to pick up, and move one at a time, said intermediate components from said transport support, so as to place each intermediate component in cooperation on each occasion with said press device in order to punch a respective edge;
- and
- a control unit configured at least to command the automated operator to maintain each intermediate component in a grip once placed in cooperation with the press device and move said automated operator synchronously, and in the same punching direction, with respect to said counter-punch, so as to accompany said intermediate component in said punching direction when said counter-punch engages said intermediate component in the punching operation.
A method to produce punched components for prosthetic surgery instruments starting from hollow intermediate components provided with through holes defined by a respective edge, wherein said method provides to:
- pick up by means of at least one automated operator, one at a time, the intermediate components from a transport support;
- move each intermediate component in order to place it in cooperation with a press device which cooperates with the automated operator to carry out a punching operation, on each occasion, on the edge of a hole in order to produce a cutting part of the prosthetic surgery instrument;
- maintain each intermediate component in a grip once placed in cooperation with the press device;
- and
- move said automated operator synchronously, and in the same punching direction, with respect to said counter-punch, so as to accompany said intermediate component in said punching direction when said counter-punch engages said intermediate component in the punching operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.