Workpiece handling systems and related devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023404-B2
Application number	US-201514685738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2011
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

In some aspects, an unloading device for a pipe processing system includes a depositing carriage having a depositing surface for depositing a pipe during and/or after a pipe processing operation, the depositing carriage being configured to move in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, and a supporting carriage having a supporting member for the pipe, the supporting member having a wall for radially supporting the pipe, and the supporting carriage being configured to move in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, where the depositing surface of the depositing carriage and/or the supporting member of the supporting carriage is configured to move in at least one other direction in addition to the longitudinal direction of the pipe so that the depositing carriage and the supporting carriage can be at least partially moved past each other along the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising: a pipe processing device with a processing head for processing a pipe, wherein a laser beam exits the processing head and is focused at a processing location (F) onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, and an unloading device, comprising: a depositing carriage having a depositing surface for depositing a pipe during and/or after a pipe processing operation, the depositing carriage being movable in a longitudinal direction of the pipe relative to the processing head and the processing location (F) of the pipe processing device; and a supporting carriage having a supporting member for the pipe, the supporting member having a wall for radially supporting the pipe, and the supporting carriage being movable in a longitudinal direction of the pipe relative to the processing head and the processing location (F) of the pipe processing device, wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage and/or the supporting member of the supporting carriage is movable in at least one other direction in addition to the longitudinal direction of the pipe so that the depositing carriage and the supporting carriage can be at least partially moved past each other along the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing head redirects the laser beam directly onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe at the processing location (F).

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing head is stationary.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing head and the processing location (F) are arranged at the same position along the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the depositing carriage has an extension arm for moving the depositing surface of the depositing carriage transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage is height-adjustable.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage comprises a central region that extends along the longitudinal direction of the pipe, and on both sides of the central region, the outer edges of the depositing surface extend upward away from the central region and generally transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage is pivotable between a first position for holding the pipe and a second position for discharging the pipe.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member of the supporting carriage is vertically adjustable and the supporting carriage has a slanted discharge bar that is laterally offset relative to the supporting member.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the supporting member can be lowered into an intermediate position in which the pipe rests on the discharge bar and is retained on the discharge bar by the wall of the supporting member.

11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein an angular position of the discharge bar can be adjusted.

12. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the discharge bar includes a replaceable sliding rail.

13. A device, comprising: a pipe processing device with a processing head for processing a pipe, wherein a laser beam exits the processing head and is focused at a processing location (F) onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, and an unloading device, comprising: a depositing carriage having a depositing surface for depositing a pipe during and/or after a pipe processing operation, the depositing carriage being movable in a longitudinal direction of the pipe relative to the processing head and the processing location (F) of the pipe processing device; and a supporting carriage having a supporting member for the pipe, the supporting member having a wall for radially supporting the pipe, and the supporting carriage being movable in a longitudinal direction of the pipe relative to the processing head and the processing location (F) of the pipe processing device, wherein the depositing carriage and/or the supporting carriage is movable in at least one other direction in addition to the longitudinal direction of the pipe so that the depositing carriage and the supporting carriage can be at least partially moved past each other along the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the processing head redirects the laser beam directly onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe at the processing location (F).

15. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the processing head is stationary.

16. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the processing head and the processing location (F) are arranged at the same position along the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

17. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage comprises a central region that extends along the longitudinal direction of the pipe, and on both sides of the central region, the outer edges of the depositing surface extend upward away from the central region and generally transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the pipe.

18. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the depositing surface of the depositing carriage is pivotable between a first position for holding the pipe and a second position for discharging the pipe.

19. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the supporting member of the supporting carriage is vertically adjustable and the supporting carriage has a slanted discharge bar that is laterally offset relative to the supporting member.

20. A method for unloading a pipe using an unloading device, the method comprising: selectively positioning a depositing carriage and/or a supporting carriage near a processing head of a processing device and a processing location (F) where a laser beam is focused onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe by moving the depositing carriage and/or the supporting carriage in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, and by moving a depositing surface of the depositing carriage and/or a supporting member of the supporting carriage in a direction other than the longitudinal direction of the pipe in order to move the depositing carriage and the supporting carriage at least partially past each other in the longitudinal direction of the pipe; and depositing the pipe on the depositing face of the depositing carriage positioned near the processing head and the processing location (F) or on the supporting member of the supporting carriage positioned near the processing head and the processing location (F).

21. A method for unloading a pipe using an unloading device, the method comprising: selectively positioning a depositing carriage and/or a supporting carriage near a processing head of a processing device and a processing location (F) where a laser beam is focused onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe by moving the depositing carriage and/or the supporting carriage in a longitudinal direction of the pipe, and by moving the depositing carriage and/or the supporting carriage in a direction other than the longitudinal direction of the pipe in order to move the depositing carriage and the supporting carriage at least partially past each other in the longitudinal direction of the pipe; and depositing the pipe on the depositing face of the depositing carriage positioned near the processing

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Schopf Ralf
• Kettner-Reich Andreas
• Reinwald Simon

Classifications

• B23K37/053

  aligning cylindrical work; Clamping devices therefor · CPC title

• B23K2101/06

  Tubes · CPC title

• B23Q7/06

  by means of pushers {(B23Q7/1457, B23Q7/1489, B23B13/02, B23B13/12 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23Q7/08

  by means of slides or chutes · CPC title