Replacement method for attaching and detaching tool for press brake and tool storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10556262-B2
Application number	US-201515516957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2015
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A tool storage device is disposed on a side of a press brake. In the tool storage device, a lower tool holder is lifted up from lower tool holder support members, is moved forward or backward, and both end sides in a left-and-right direction of the lower tool holder are lowered after being passed through recessed portions formed on the lower tool holder support members (step (a)). The lowered lower tool holder is conveyed forward, and is positioned to a same height as a height of a lower tool mounting portion in a lower table (step (b)). The lower tool held in the lower tool holder is transferred to the lower tool mounting portion by a tool replacement device, and is mounted on the lower table (step (c)). The lower tool mounted on the lower table is returned into the tool storage device (step (d)).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool storage device for storing therein a plurality of tools used for a press brake which comprises an upper table and a lower table, wherein each table has a longitudinally extending surface, the upper table being movable in an up-and-down direction, the up-and-down direction being defined as a Z-axis direction, a left-and-right direction of the press brake orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and parallel to the longitudinally extending surface of each of the upper and lower tables being defined as an X-axis direction, and a front-and-back direction orthogonal to the X-axis and Z-axis directions being defined as a Y-axis direction, the tool storage device being disposed on a side of a press brake in the X-axis direction, the tool storage device comprising:
an upper tool holder support member configured to support a plurality of upper tool holders parallel with one another in the Y-axis direction, the upper tool holders holding upper tools to be mounted on an upper tool mounting portion, which is provided on the upper table, so that the upper tools can be subjected to attaching and detaching replacement;
an upper tool holder conveying mechanism, which is freely capable of lifting up a desired upper tool holder from the upper tool holder support member, conveying the upper tool holder forward in the Y-axis direction, and positioning the upper tool holder to a side position of the upper tool mounting portion in the X-axis direction;
a lower tool holder support member configured to support a plurality of lower tool holders parallel with one another in the Y-axis direction, the lower tool holders holding lower tools to be mounted on a lower tool mounting portion, which is provided on the lower table, so that the lower tools can be subjected to the attaching and detaching replacement; and
a lower tool holder conveying mechanism, which is freely capable of individually lifting up a desired lower tool holder from the lower tool holder support member, individually conveying the lower tool holder forward in the Y-axis direction, and individually positioning the lower tool holder to a side position of the lower tool mounting portion in the X-axis direction,
wherein the lower tool holder support member comprises recessed portions, through which both end sides in the X-axis direction of the lower tool holder are freely passable in the Z-axis direction, on a front side or back side of support portions which support both end sides in the X-axis direction in the lower tool holder.

2. The tool storage device according to claim 1 ,
wherein two lower tool holders in the plurality of lower tool holders are grouped, the two lower tool holders being brought into close contact with each other in the Y-axis direction, and
the lower tool holder support member comprises: support portions which support both end sides in the X-axis direction in the grouped two lower tool holders; and recessed portions, through which both end sides in the X-axis direction in the lower tool holders are freely passable in the Z-axis direction, the recessed portions being provided on the front side or back side of the support portions.

3. The tool storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper tool attaching and detaching station for performing the attaching and detaching replacement of the upper tools to the upper tool holder, the upper tool attaching and detaching station being disposed on a back side of the upper tool holder support member in the Y-axis direction; and
a lower tool attaching and detaching station for performing the attaching and detaching replacement of the lower tools to the lower tool holder, the lower tool attaching and detaching station being disposed on a back side of the lower tool holder support member in the Y-axis direction.

4. The tool storage device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the upper tool holders comprise front and back indicators, and
the upper tool holder conveying mechanism comprises:
an upper tool holder holding member that holds the upper tool holders; and
a turning mechanism that horizontally turns the upper tool holder holding member in order to invert a front and back of the upper tool holder,
wherein the upper tool holder holding member comprises a front and back detection mechanism that detects the front and back indicators.

5. The tool storage device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the upper tool holder comprises positioning pins on both end sides in the X-axis direction, and
the upper tool holder holding member comprises centering mechanisms on both end sides in the X-axis direction, the centering mechanisms being capable of engaging with the positioning pins.

Assignees

• Amada Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Masaaki

Classifications

• B23Q3/15573

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