Bending tool having a longitudinal-offset measuring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464114-B2
Application number	US-201515535814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a lower tool ( 1 ) having a longitudinal-offset measuring device ( 2 ), which lower tool ( 1 ) is part of a bending tool arrangement for use in a bending press. The lower tool ( 1 ) has a tool body ( 3 ) having a longitudinal extension ( 4 ), in which longitudinal extension ( 4 ) a bending recess ( 5 ) is provided. The bending recess ( 5 ) extends from an upper flat side ( 6 ) of the tool body ( 3 ) into the latter and is formed at least by two contact surfaces ( 7 ). The transition from the upper flat side ( 6 ) into the bending recess ( 5 ) forms a contact edge ( 8 ), which contact edge ( 8 ) forms a contact line ( 9 ) in the longitudinal extension ( 4 ). A sensor ( 10 ) for determining a longitudinal offset ( 18 ) is arranged in the region of the contact line ( 9 ), wherein a sensing portion ( 11 ) of the sensor ( 10 ) is oriented in the direction of a metal sheet ( 16 ) to be bent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Bending tool ( 1 ) having a longitudinal-offset measuring device ( 2 ),
which bending tool ( 1 ) is part of a bending tool arrangement for use in a bending machine,
a sheet ( 16 ) to be bent being placed in the bending tool arrangement, and the bending tool ( 1 ) has a tool body ( 3 ) having a longitudinal extension ( 4 ), which longitudinal extension ( 4 ) is aligned parallel with a bending line, and
two contact surfaces ( 7 ) or at least one contact edge ( 8 ) are disposed parallel with this longitudinal extension ( 4 ) and oriented in the direction of the sheet ( 16 ) to be bent, wherein
a sensor ( 10 ) for determining a longitudinal offset ( 18 ) is disposed in the region of the contact edge ( 8 ) or in a contact surface ( 7 ), and a sensing portion ( 11 ) of the sensor ( 10 ) is oriented in the direction of a metal sheet ( 16 ) to be bent.

2. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is disposed without an offset in relation to the contact edge ( 8 ) or contact line ( 9 ).

3. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is configured so that it can be pivoted about the contact line ( 9 ).

4. Bending tool according to claim 1 where the bending tool is the lower tool of a bending press, wherein the contact surfaces ( 7 ) are formed by pivoting jaws ( 13 ), which pivoting jaws ( 13 ) are pivotable about a pivot axis ( 14 ) parallel with the contact line ( 9 ).

5. Bending tool according to claim 1 where the bending tool is the lower tool of a bending press, wherein the contact surfaces ( 7 ) form a bending recess ( 5 ) of a V-shaped bending die, which bending recess extends from an upper flat side ( 6 ) of the tool body ( 3 ) and in the direction away from the sheet ( 16 ) to be formed into the tool body ( 3 ).

6. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is provided in the form of an illuminating ( 21 ) and image capturing device ( 22 ).

7. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is provided in the form of a transmitter and receiver for electromagnetic radiation.

8. Bending tool according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is disposed in a recess of at least one of the contact surfaces ( 7 ).

9. Bending tool according to claim 4 , wherein a sensing flat face of the sensor ( 10 ) is disposed in the tool body ( 3 ) spaced apart from the contact surface ( 7 ) by an offset ( 15 ).

10. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the bending tool is a bending beam ( 23 ) of a panel bender.

11. Bending tool according to claim 10 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is disposed in a section of a front end ( 25 ) of the bending beam ( 23 ), which front end ( 25 ) is in contact with the sheet ( 16 ) whilst the bend is being produced.

12. Bending tool according to claim 11 , wherein a contact element ( 26 ) is disposed in the region of the front end ( 25 ), which contact element ( 26 ) is mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the bending beam ( 23 ) about the contact edge ( 8 ) or rotatable about an axis parallel with the contact edge ( 8 ).

13. Bending tool according to claim 12 , wherein the contact element ( 26 ) has a flat side in which the sensor ( 10 ) is disposed and this flat side lies on the sheet ( 16 ) during the bending operation.

14. Bending tool according to claim 12 , wherein the contact element ( 26 ) is provided in the form of a sensor disk, which sensor disk rolls on the sheet ( 16 ) as the bend is being formed.

15. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is provided in the form of an insert.

16. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is connected to an evaluation circuit ( 12 ) which is in turn connected to a machine controller or is integrated therein.

17. Bending tool according to claim 5 , wherein the evaluation circuit ( 12 ) has an image analysis and comparison module.

18. Bending tool according to claim 17 , wherein the image analysis and comparison module is configured to determine a one-dimensional or two-dimensional motion vector for the longitudinal offset ( 18 ).

19. Bending tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor ( 10 ) is provided in the form of a rolling device.

20. Method for determining bending geometry during air bending, implemented on a bending press having a bending tool arrangement, which bending tool arrangement comprises a lower and an upper tool,
the lower tool being of the type according to claim 1 , and
a sheet metal part to be bent is placed in the bending tool arrangement and the air bending operation is implemented such that the upper tool is moved down and the sheet metal part is pressed into a bending recess of the lower tool upper tool,
wherein
prior to the start of the bending operation, a surface of the sheet metal part to be bent is placed in contact with a sensor for determining a longitudinal offset;
and reference co-ordinates of the sheet surface for this contact point are determined by reference to the bending machine or bending tool arrangement;
and as the bend is being formed, a longitudinal offset of the sheet surface relative to the sensor is determined;
and the current bending geometry is determined by an evaluation circuit on the basis of the determined longitudinal offset using a mathematical model of the bending operation.

21. Method for determining bending geometry during a panel bending operation implemented on a panel bender having a bending tool arrangement, which bending tool arrangement comprises a clamping tool ( 24 ) and at least one bending beam,
a sheet metal part to be bent being placed in the bending tool arrangement, and the air bending operation is implemented such that the sheet metal part is clamped by the clamping tool ( 24 ) and the bending beam ( 23 ) is placed on the sheet metal part and moved along or pivoted about a trajectory,
and the bending beam ( 23 ) is of the type according to claim 1 ,
wherein
prior to the start of the bending operation, a surface of the sheet metal part to be bent is placed in contact with a sensor for determining a longitudinal offset;
and reference co-ordinates of the sheet surface for this contact point are determined by reference to the panel bender or bending tool arrangement;
and as the bend is being formed, a longitudinal offset of the sheet surface relative to the sensor is determined;
and the current bending geometry is determined by an evaluation circuit on the basis of the determined longitudinal offset using a mathematical model of the bending operation.

22. Method according to claim 20 , wherein the sensor is held in a stationary arrangement relative to the reference co-ordinates whilst the longitudinal offset is being determined.

23. Method according to claim 20 , wherein the longitudinal offset of the sheet relative to the contact edge of the lower tool is determined by the sensor.

24. Method according to claim 20 , wherein the sensor is mounted by means of a pivoting device in the region of the upper tool or on a press table of the bending press and whilst the bend is being produced, the pivoting device follows the sheet as it is bent up.

Assignees

• Trumpf Maschinen Austria Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Angerer Gerhard
• Freudenthaler Klemens
• Gaggl Josef
• Hausmann Florian
• Hoerl Matthias
• Kovjenic Nenad
• Theis Helmut
• Waldherr Manfred

Classifications

• B23Q16/00

  Equipment for precise positioning of tool or work into particular locations not otherwise provided for (automatic control or regulation of position of tool or work B23Q15/22; arrangements for indicating or measuring existing or desired position of tool or work B23Q17/22) · CPC title

• B21D43/003

  Positioning devices (B21D28/04 and B21D28/265 take precedence; stops B21D43/26; centering moving strips B21D43/023) · CPC title

• B21D5/006 Primary

  combined with measuring of bends · CPC title

• B21D5/04

  on brakes making use of clamping means on one side of the work · CPC title

• B21D5/002 Primary

  Positioning devices · CPC title