Machine tool having a workpiece support and method for loading and unloading a workpiece support of a machine tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427253-B2
Application number	US-201715788439-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A method and a machine tool for processing workpieces is described, comprising a workpiece movement device and a workpiece support that supports both a workpiece during a processing operation and a workpiece remainder produced from the workpiece during the processing operation, wherein the workpiece support comprises a first support portion and an additional support portion, wherein the first support portion comprises a loading-side support portion arranged in a loading region of the machine tool, wherein the additional support portion is arranged to move relative to the loading-side support portion between the loading region and an unloading region of the machine tool, wherein the unloading region is offset in a horizontal direction from the loading region, wherein the loading-side support portion is arranged to move in a vertical direction between a loading level and a bypass level located above or below the loading level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine tool for processing a workpiece, the machine tool comprising
a workpiece movement device; and
a workpiece support that supports both the workpiece during a processing operation and a workpiece remainder produced from the workpiece during the processing operation, wherein the workpiece support comprises a first support portion and an additional support portion;
wherein the first support portion comprises a loading-side support portion arranged in a loading region of the machine tool;
wherein the additional support portion is arranged to move relative to the loading-side support portion between the loading region and an unloading region of the machine tool, wherein the unloading region is offset in a horizontal direction from the loading region;
wherein the loading-side support portion is arranged to move in a vertical direction between a loading level and a bypass level located above the loading level;
wherein when the loading-side support portion is in the bypass level, the additional support portion is arranged to move into the loading region in a receiving position below the loading-side support portion for loading with the workpiece;
wherein when loaded with the workpiece, the additional support portion is arranged to move on the loading level from the receiving position in the loading region into the unloading region;
wherein when the additional support portion loaded with the workpiece and the loading-side support portion are both located on the loading level beside and in alignment with each other in the horizontal direction, the workpiece movement device is arranged to move the workpiece with a horizontal movement over the additional support portion and the loading-side support portion;
wherein after the workpiece processing operation, the additional support portion is arranged in an unloading starting position in the unloading region to support the workpiece remainder; and
wherein when the loading-side support portion is arranged on the bypass level, the additional support portion is arranged to move with an unloading movement from the unloading starting position in the unloading region into the receiving position in the loading region, leaving the workpiece remainder in the unloading region, thereby unloading the workpiece remainder.

2. The machine tool of claim 1 , wherein the loading level corresponds to an operating level, and when at the operating level the additional support portion and the loading-side support portion are located beside and in alignment with each other such that the workpiece can be moved by the workpiece movement device to carry out a workpiece processing operation with a horizontal movement of the workpiece over the additional support portion and the loading-side support portion.

3. The machine tool of claim 1 , wherein
the loading-side support portion can be moved onto the bypass level above the loading level,
the additional support portion can be moved into the receiving position below the loading-side support portion positioned at the bypass level, and
a loading device, positioned between the loading-side support portion when positioned at the bypass level and the additional support portion positioned at the receiving position, is configured to load the workpiece on the additional support portion.

4. The machine tool of claim 3 , comprising a workpiece store for at least one workpiece, the workpiece store being positioned below the loading-side support portion and below the additional support portion in the receiving position,
wherein the loading device is adjustable in a vertical direction between a lower lifting level and an upper lifting level, wherein with the loading device at the upper lifting level the additional support portion can be moved into the receiving position below the loading device,
wherein the workpiece can be picked up at the workpiece store by the loading device positioned on the lower lifting level, and
wherein with the loading-side support portion at the bypass level, the loading device at the upper lifting level, and the additional support portion at the receiving position, the loading device can load the workpiece, picked up before at the workpiece store, on the additional support portion.

5. The machine tool of claim 4 , wherein moving the loading-side support portion to the bypass level is caused by moving the loading device to the upper lifting level.

6. The machine tool of claim 5 , wherein the loading-side support portion can be moved onto the bypass level by the loading device moving to the upper lifting level.

7. The machine tool of claim 1 , comprising a workpiece retention device configured to secure the workpiece relative to the additional support portion during movement of the additional support portion from the receiving position into the unloading region.

8. The machine tool of claim 7 , wherein the loading device is configured to transfer the workpiece to the workpiece retention device.

9. The machine tool of claim 7 , wherein the workpiece movement device is the workpiece retention device.

10. The machine tool of claim 1 , wherein a product retention device is provided by which product retention device the workpiece remainder, supported by the additional support portion in the unloading starting position, can be secured during the unloading movement of the additional support portion for remaining in the unloading region.

11. The machine tool of claim 10 , further comprising an auxiliary unloading device configured to release the workpiece remainder from the product retention device after the unloading movement of the additional support portion.

12. The machine tool of claim 11 , wherein the workpiece movement device is the product retention device.

13. The machine tool of claim 1 , comprising a product store for at least one workpiece remainder which is unloaded as a result of the unloading movement of the additional support portion, the product store positioned below the additional support portion in the unloading starting position.

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Deiss Magnus
• Epperlein Peter
• Prokop Heinz-Juergen
• Schmauder Frank

Classifications

• B26D2007/011

  by clamping claws, e.g. in high speed slicers for food products · CPC title

• B23K37/0235 Primary

  the guide member forming part of a portal · CPC title

• B23Q2240/002

  Flat workpieces · CPC title

• B65H3/0816

  separating from the top of pile · CPC title

• B23K26/0093

  combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K · CPC title