Back to results
US RE34,569 EGranted
Robotized handling device and sheet metal bending system featuring the same
AssigneeAmada Company, Limited
InventorFranco Sartorio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-armed handling device having a single pick-up member designed to secure a metal sheet coplanar to a pick-up plane through the aforementioned pick-up member; which member is supported on a head so as to turn about two perpendicular axes by virtue of a first element designed to turn about a first axis perpendicular to the pick-up plane, and to which the pick-up member is secured directly, and a second element designed to turn about a second axis parallel with the pick-up plane and supporting the first element; the aforementioned head, in turn, being designed to travel along three cartesian axes, by means of an arm, with no variation in the position of the second axis (FIG. 1).
Claims16
A robotized, numerical control handling device (5) comprising a pick-up member designed to cooperate with a metal sheet in such a manner as to secure it coplanar to a pick-up plane through the said pick-up member;
- and means for selectively moving the said pick-up member into a number of different positions, in particular, for automatically bending sheet metal on a bending press;
- characterised by the fact that it comprises:
- a head (16) supporting the said pick-up member (15) and enabling rotation of the same about two perpendicular axes (A, B);
- and supporting member (28, 29, 21, 24) for the said head, designed to move the same, in controlled manner and in relation to a reference system, along three caresian axes;
- the said head (16) comprising a first powered element (31) directly supporting the said pick-up member (15) and connected rigidly integral with the same, said first element (31) being mounted for rotation about a first (A) of the said perpendicular axes, perpendicular to the said pickup plane;
- and a second powered element (32) supporting, in rotarty manner, the said first powered element (31) and, in turn, mounted integrally on the said supporting member (18, 19, 21, 24) so as to turn about a second (B) of the said perpendicular axes, parallel with the said pick-up plane;
- the said supporting member (18, 19, 21, 24) being designed to shift the said second axis (B) with no change in its angular position in relation to the said reference system.
4 more elements
A system for automatically bending metal sheets, comprising:
- (a) a bending press;
- (b) at least a robotized, numerical control handling device;
- (c) said device comprising a pick-up member designed to cooperate with a sheet metal in such a manner as to secure it coplanar to a pick-up plane through said pick-up member;
- (d) means for selectively moving said pick-up member into a plurality of positions for automatically bending the sheet metal on said bending press;
- (e) a head supporting said pick-up member and enabling rotation of said pick-up member about first and second mutally perpendicular axes;
- (f) supporting members for said head, designed to move said head, in controlled manner and in relation to a reference system along three cartesian axes;
- (g) said head comprising a first powered element directly supporting said pick-up member and connected rigidly integral with said pick-up member, said first element being mounted for rotation about said first axis perpendicular to said pick-up plane;
- (h) a second powered element supporting, in rotary manner, said first powered element and, in turn, being mounted integrally on said supporting member so as to turn about said second axis parallel with said pick-up plane;
- (i) said supporting members being designed to shift said second axis with no change in its angular position in relation to said reference system;
- and
- (j) said device being fitted directly on and integral with said press on a bed element of said press, with said second axis of rotation of said head being located strictly parallel with a bend axis of said press.
8 more elements
A robotized, numerical controlled handling device for a work, comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a carriage being mounted on said base and movable relative thereto along a horizontal axis;
- (c) a column being mounted on said carriage having an upper and a lower end, said lower end having a pivot operably associated with said carriage, said column being pivotable along a plane transverse to said horizontal axis, said column having a longitudinal axis and movable long said longitudinal axis relative to said carriage and said base;
- (d) an arm secured to said upper end of said column, said arm having front and rear ends, and said arm extending towards the work;
- (e) a ahead being mounted at said front end of said arm, said head having a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation parallel to said horizontal axis and perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;
- (f) a pick-up member being mounted on said head;
- (g) first drive means for rotating said head about said first axis;
- (h) second drive means for roatating said head about said second axis;
- and
- (i) means for selectively moving said carriage and said column.
7 more elements
A system for automatically bending metal sheets, comprising:
- (a) a bending press having a bend axis and a bed;
- (b) a robotized numerical controlled handling device;
- (c) said device including a base operably associated with said bed;
- (d) said device including a carriage being mounted on said base and moveable relative thereto along a horizontal axis parallel to said bend axis;
- (e) said device including a column being mounted on said carriage having a upper and lower end, said lower end having a pivot operably associated with said carriage, said column being pivotable along a plane transverse to said horizontal axis, said column having a longitudinal axis and moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said carriage and said base;
- (f) said device including an arm secured at said upper end of said column, said arm having front and rear ends, said arm extending towards the work;
- (g) said device including a head being mounted at said front end of said arm, said head having a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation parallel to said horizontal axis and perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;
- (h) said device including a pick-up member being mounted on said head;
- (i) said device including first drive means for rotating said head about said first axis and second drive means for rotating said head about said second axis;
- and
- (j) said device including means for selectively moving said carriage and said column.
8 more elements
A robotized, numerical controlled handling device for a work, comprising:
- (a) a pick-up member designed to cooperate with a sheet metal in such a manner as to secure it coplanar to a pick-up plane through said pick-up member;
- (b) means for selectively moving said pick-up member into a plurality of positions for automatically bending the sheet metal on said bending press;
- (c) a head supporting said pick-up member and enabling rotation of said pick-up member about first and second mutually perpendicular axes;
- (d) supporting members for said head, designed to move said head, in controlled manner and in relation to a reference system along three cartesian axes;
- (e) said head comprising a first powered element directly supporting said pick-up member and connected rigidly integral with said pick-up member, said first element being mounted for rotation about said first axis perpendicular to said pick-up plane;
- (f) a second powered element supporting, in rotary manner, said first powered element and, in turn, being mounted integrally on said supporting members so as to turn about said second axis parallel with said pick-up plane;
- (g) said supporting members being designed to shift said second axis with no change in its angular position in relation to said reference system;
- (h) said members supporting said head including a straight base;
- and
- (i) at least one auxiliary pick-up member fitted integral with one end of said base, in a given position, for gripping said sheet held on said pick-up member and sustaining said sheet during at least part of the displacement of said pick-up member.
7 more elements
A bending press system, comprising:
- A bending press provided with a punch and a die extending in an X-axis direction, the punch and the die cooperating with each other for effecting a bending operation on a sheet workpiece provided therebetween;
- a robotized handling device located in front of the punch and the die, for providing the workpiece between the punch and the die, the robotized handling device being adapted to be movable in the X-axis direction while gripping the sheet workpiece;
- a lateral gauge means including a linear transducer having a relatively long measuring range and provided on a frame of the bending press, for detecting the sheet workpiece position at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction;
- means for detecting a distance through which the robotized handling device is moved in the X-axis direction;
- and
- control means connected to the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detecting means, for controlling the movement of the robotized handling device, the control means calculating the position of the X-axis direction of the workpiece, based upon signals from the lateral gauge means and the distance moved detecting means, and controlling the robotized handling device so as to position the sheet workpiece at a predetermined position in the X-axis direction with respect to the punch and the die.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.