Handling system for bending tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10384249-B2
Application number	US-201515517563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 8, 2014
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a tool handling system (1) for removing or inserting a bending tool (2) in a tool mounting (3), comprising a bending tool (2) having a gripping recess (16) and a locking device (7) that cooperates with the tool mounting (3), the locking device being deactivatable by an actuating element (10) which is arranged in the gripping recess (16) and is accessible therein, and further comprising a gripper (11) with a gripper base body (12), comprising a first gripper finger (14) arranged on the gripper base body and at least a second gripper finger (15) which is adjustable on the gripper base body (12) by means of an articulation (20). The invention is characterized in that the first gripper finger (14), when positioned in the gripping recess (16), and the adjustable second gripper finger (15), when positioned in a release position, do not contact the actuating element (10) and that the adjustable second gripper finger (15) contacts the actuating element (10) in a gripping position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool handling system, comprising
a bending tool with a gripping recess and
a locking device cooperating with a tool mounting, wherein the locking device can be deactivated by an actuating element arranged and accessible in the gripping recess, as well as
a gripper for manipulating the bending tool and the actuating element, with a gripper base body having at least first and second gripper fingers aligned in the direction of a gripper longitudinal axis which at their end sections relative to the gripper longitudinal axis have transversely outwardly pointing and approximately opposite gripping projections for engaging in opposite undercuts in the gripping recess,
wherein the first gripper finger is fixed on the gripper base body and the second gripper finger is adjustable by an articulation on the gripper base body between an approached release position, relative to the first gripper finger, and a remote gripping position,
wherein with the first gripper finger positioned fully in the gripping recess the first gripper finger and the second gripper finger in the release position do not contact the actuating element or do not deactivate the locking device and the second gripper finger in the gripping position contacts the actuating element or deactivates the locking device ( 7 ).

2. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the second gripper finger is set back in the release position relative to the end surface of the first gripper finger in the direction of the gripper longitudinal axis by an offset.

3. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the end section of the first gripper finger has on its end surface a recess for the actuating element.

4. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gripping recess is designed as a gripping groove and the undercuts run along the gripping groove, and the gripping projections comprise strips parallel to one another and extend perpendicular to the gripper longitudinal axis.

5. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating element is arranged in the gripping recess approximately centrally between the undercuts, and the actuating direction of the actuating element runs approximately parallel to the gripper longitudinal axis.

6. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating element is arranged in one of the undercuts.

7. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gripper finger is mounted by a pivot joint about a pivot axis on the gripper base body.

8. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gripper finger is mounted by a slide joint obliquely relative to the gripper longitudinal axis on the gripper base body.

9. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gripper finger comprises an actuating extension, which projects in the release position into a recess on the first gripper finger.

10. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gripping projections are comprise strips parallel to one another and the likes the undercuts are designed to be parallel to one another and in the form of a dovetail.

11. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the offset of the second gripper finger in the release position relative to the end surface of the first gripper finger corresponds at least to a thickness dimension of the gripping projection on the first gripper finger in the direction of the gripper longitudinal axis.

12. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first gripper finger is connected to a centering projection and on the bending tool a centering recess adjusted to the centering projection is formed.

13. The tool handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second gripper finger comprises an offset bend in the direction of the first gripper finger.

14. A method for removing or inserting a bending tool on a tool mounting by a gripper, the method comprising:
providing the bending tool and the tool mounting,
wherein the bending tool comprises a gripping recess and a locking device interacting with the tool mounting,
wherein the locking device can be deactivated by an actuating element ( 10 ) arranged and accessible in the gripping recess, and
wherein the gripper comprises at least one first gripper finger aligned in the direction of a gripper longitudinal axis and an adjustable second gripper finger, which at their end sections comprise gripping projections pointing outwards perpendicular to the gripper longitudinal axis and approximately opposite for gripping behind opposite first and second undercuts in the gripping recess,
removing the bending tool by firstly moving the first gripper finger into engagement with the first undercut and thereby the adjustable second gripper finger does not contact the actuating element or does not deactivate the locking device and then moving the adjustable second gripper finger into engagement with the second undercut and thereby the adjustable second gripper finger contacts the actuating element or deactivates the locking device or
inserting the bending tool by moving the adjustable second gripper finger out of engagement with the second undercut and in this way the actuating element is no longer contacted and the locking device is activated and afterwards moving the first gripper finger out of engagement with the first undercut of the gripping recess.

Assignees

• Trumpf Maschinen Austria Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Denkmeier Thomas

Classifications

• B23Q3/155

  Arrangements for automatic insertion or removal of tools {, e.g. combined with manual handling (B23Q7/046 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B21D5/0236 Primary

  Tool clamping · CPC title

• B21D5/0254 Primary

  Tool exchanging · CPC title

• B21D37/04

  Movable or exchangeable mountings for tools · CPC title

• B23Q3/1552

  parts of devices for automatically inserting or removing tools · CPC title