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US 9,393,608 B2Granted
Folding device
AssigneeKUKA Systems GmbH
InventorsJohann Kraus, Wolfgang Fischer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hemming device (2) and a hemming method are provided in which the hemming device (2) has a hemming bed (14) for a workpiece (3) and multiple hemming robots (8, 9) with hemming tools (20). The hemming device (2) is designed to hem inner and outer lock seams (5, 6) on both sides of the workpiece (3). The hemming robots (8, 9) lie on different sides of the hemming bed (14), and the hemming bed (14) is further designed and arranged for accessing inner and outer lock seams (5, 6) on both sides of the workpiece (3) from front and rear sides (15, 16). For this purpose, the hemming bed can have a section (19) for a rearward access to an inner lock seam (5) and a bedding for inner and outer lock seams (5, 6).
Claims38
A hemming device comprising:
- a conveying means comprising one of a ring conveyor and a turntable having an outer ring conveyor or turntable periphery;
- a plurality of identical or different hemming beds, each for at least one workpiece, the hemming beds being arranged on the conveying means for movement of all of the plurality of identical or different hemming beds therewith;
- a plurality of work stations arranged at or adjacent to a periphery of the ring conveyor or turntable, the work stations comprising at least two hemming stations, and the work stations comprising at least one loading and unloading station, at which the at least one workpiece is fed and removed from one of the hemming beds located at the loading and unloading station;
- a clamping means associated with each of the hemming beds, each clamping means for clamping a workpiece relative to the associated hemming bed;
- at least one loading robot at the loading and unloading station;
- and
- a plurality of hemming robots each with a hemming tool, one of the hemming robots being arranged in a center or an interior space of the ring conveyor or turntable, wherein the hemming device is for hemming inner and outer lock seams on the at least one workpiece, on both front and rear sides of the at least one workpiece, wherein at least two of the plurality of hemming robots are arranged outside the outer ring conveyor or turntable periphery to provide the hemming stations with one or more of the plurality of hemming robots outside the outer the ring conveyor or turntable periphery on a hemming bed front side and with said one of the hemming robots arranged in the center or the interior space of the ring conveyor or turntable on a hemming bed rear side and each of the hemming beds is designed and arranged for access from two sides, the front and rear sides, to form the inner and outer lock seams on the at least one workpiece.
4 more elements
A process for hemming workpieces, the process comprising the steps of:
- providing a conveying means comprising one of a ring conveyor and a turntable having an outer ring conveyor or turntable periphery;
- providing a plurality of identical or different hemming beds, each for at least one workpiece, the hemming beds being arranged on the conveying means for movement of all of the plurality of identical or different hemming beds therewith;
- providing a plurality of work stations arranged at or adjacent to a periphery of the conveying means, the work stations comprising at least two hemming stations, and the work stations comprising at least one loading and unloading station, at which the at least one workpiece is fed and removed from one of the hemming beds located at the loading and unloading station;
- providing a clamping means associated with each of the hemming beds, each clamping means for clamping a workpiece relative to the associated hemming bed;
- providing at least one loading robot at the loading and unloading station;
- providing a plurality of hemming robots each with a hemming tool, one of the hemming robots being arranged in a center or an interior space of the ring conveyor or turntable, wherein the hemming device is designed for hemming inner and outer lock seams on the at least one workpiece on both front and rear sides of the at least one workpiece, wherein at least two of the hemming robots are arranged outside the outer ring conveyor or turntable periphery to provide the hemming stations with one or more of the plurality of hemming robots on a front side and with said one of the hemming robots arranged in the center or the interior space of the ring conveyor or turntable on a hemming bed rear side for access from two sides, the front and rear sides, to form the inner and outer lock seams on the at least one workpiece;
- and
- processing the at least one workpiece on the hemming bed by the plurality of hemming robots with the hemming tools, wherein the inner and outer lock seams on workpiece are hemmed on both front and rear sides by the hemming robots.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.