Backgauge for a bending machine and method for positioning a backgauge of this kind

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11267030-B2
Application number	US-201716335953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A back gauge for a back gauge positioning system of a bending machine includes a stop finger on which at least one stop surface is configured, and a base unit that is configured for coupling with the back gauge positioning system. The stop finger is coupled with the base unit by a linear guide, and the stop finger can be displaced relative to the base unit between a pushed-forward working position and a retracted position. The stop finger and the base unit are coupled with a first spring element, by which the stop finger is pre-loaded into its working position, and a locking device is configured, by which the stop finger can optionally be locked in the working position or is released into its retracted position for displacement counter to the spring force of the first spring element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A back gauge ( 15 ) for a back gauge positioning system ( 14 ) of a bending machine ( 2 ), the back gauge ( 15 ) comprising
a stop finger ( 18 ) on which at least one stop surface ( 17 ) is configured, and
a base unit ( 21 ) that is configured for coupling with the back gauge positioning system ( 14 ),
wherein the stop finger ( 18 ) is coupled with the base unit ( 21 ) by means of a linear guide ( 29 ), and the stop finger ( 18 ) can be displaced relative to the base unit ( 21 ) between a pushed-forward working position ( 28 ) and a retracted position ( 30 ),
wherein the stop finger ( 18 ) and the base unit ( 21 ) are coupled with a reset apparatus in a form of a first spring element ( 34 ), by means of which the stop finger ( 18 ) is pre-loaded into the working position ( 28 ),
wherein a switchable locking device ( 41 ) is configured, by means of which the stop finger ( 18 ) in a first state can optionally be locked in the working position ( 28 ) or in a second state is released into its retracted position ( 30 ) for displacement counter to the spring force of the first spring element ( 34 ),
wherein the locking device ( 41 ) is configured such that switching the locking device ( 41 ) from the second state into the first state is reached by an activation energy,
wherein a second spring element ( 51 ) is provided, which is coupled with the stop finger ( 18 ) and the base unit ( 21 ) with the interposition of the locking device ( 41 ),
wherein when the locking device ( 41 ) is locked, the stop finger ( 18 ) is fixed in place in the working position ( 28 ) by means of the second spring element ( 51 ),
wherein the stop finger is pre-loaded into the working position with the spring force of the second spring element, in addition to the spring force of the first spring element,
wherein when the locking device is activated, the second spring element and the first spring element act counter to displacement of the stop finger,
wherein when the locking device is deactivated, the second spring element no longer acts counter to displacement of the stop finger,
wherein the locking device ( 41 ) comprises a holding part ( 42 a ), wherein the stop finger ( 18 ) can be locked in place relative to the base unit ( 21 ) by applying the activation energy in the holding part ( 42 a ),
wherein the holding part ( 42 a ) of the locking device ( 41 ) is held on the base unit ( 21 ) non-displaceably relative to the base unit, in a main adjustment direction ( 20 ),
wherein the locking device ( 41 ) has a counter-element ( 43 ) that interacts with the holding part ( 42 a ) and is disposed on a guide rod ( 46 ), wherein the guide rod ( 46 ) is mounted at least on a first mounting cheek ( 47 ),
wherein the counter-element ( 43 ) is disposed on an end region ( 50 ) of the guide rod ( 46 ) and the second spring element ( 51 ) is disposed on the guide rod ( 46 ) opposite to the counter-element ( 43 ), with reference to the first mounting cheek ( 47 ), and
wherein a stop element ( 52 ) for the second spring element ( 51 ) is positioned on the guide rod ( 46 ), and
wherein the second spring element ( 51 ) is configured as a pressure spring and held on the guide rod ( 46 ) between the first mounting cheek ( 47 ) and the stop element ( 52 ), whereby the stop element ( 52 ) is pre-loaded away from the first mounting cheek ( 47 ) by means of the second spring element ( 51 ), and thereby the counter-element ( 43 ) is pre-loaded toward the first mounting cheek ( 47 ).

2. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the locking device ( 41 ) has a mechanically acting locking unit.

3. The back gauge according to claim 2 , wherein the mechanically acting locking unit of the locking device ( 41 ) is configured for production of a shape-fit connection between the stop finger ( 18 ) and the base unit ( 21 ).

4. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the second spring element ( 51 ) has a greater spring rigidity than the first spring element ( 34 ) and/or the second spring element ( 51 ) has a greater pre-load than the first spring element ( 34 ).

5. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the guide rod ( 46 ) is mounted in the first mounting cheek ( 47 ) with mounting play, so that an angular rotation and/or radial displacement between the guide rod ( 46 ) and the first mounting cheek ( 47 ) is made possible.

6. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the guide rod ( 46 ) is additionally mounted on a second mounting cheek ( 48 ), wherein the first mounting cheek ( 47 ) and the second mounting cheek ( 48 ) are disposed at a distance ( 49 ) from one another.

7. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the holding part ( 42 a ) is configured as an electromagnet ( 42 b ) and wherein the counter-element ( 43 ) is configured as a disk that interacts with the electromagnet ( 42 b ) and is disposed on the guide rod ( 46 ) on an end face of the guide rod ( 46 ), wherein the electromagnet ( 42 b ) and the counter-element ( 43 ) lie against one another at contact surfaces ( 62 , 63 ).

8. The back gauge according to claim 7 , wherein the electromagnet ( 42 b ) and/or the counter-element ( 43 ) are held on an articulated mounting ( 64 ), so that the contact surfaces ( 62 , 63 ) can be oriented parallel to one another.

9. The back gauge according to claim 8 , wherein the articulated mounting ( 64 ) comprises a universal joint or a ball-head joint.

10. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein a buffer element ( 55 ) is provided, which serves for damping the stop finger ( 18 ) when it is displaced into the retracted position ( 30 ).

11. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the linear guide ( 29 ) is configured in the form of a recirculating ball bearing guide.

12. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the linear guide ( 29 ) comprises a guide carriage ( 31 ), and wherein the guide carriage is coupled with the stop finger ( 18 ) and comprises a guide rail ( 32 ) that is coupled with the base unit ( 21 ).

13. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein a force sensor ( 60 ) is provided, which is configured for capturing the amount of an acting force ( 54 ).

14. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein at least one display element ( 61 ) for display of the status of the locking device ( 41 ) is disposed on the stop finger ( 18 ).

15. The back gauge according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor element ( 57 ) is provided, which serves for capture of a relative movement and/or relative position between the stop finger ( 18 ) and the base unit ( 21 ).

16. The back gauge according to claim 15 , wherein the sensor element ( 57 ) is configured in the form of an inductive sensor.

17. A method for positioning of the back gauge ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , by means of a back gauge positioning system ( 14 ) of a bending machine ( 2 ), wherein the method comprises the following method steps:
setting of a displacement mode of the back gauge ( 15 ), wherein the locking device ( 41 ) is not locked and wherein the stop finger ( 18 ) is pre-loaded into the working position ( 28 ) by means of the reset apparatus;
displacement of the back gauge ( 15 ) by means of the back gauge positioning system ( 14 ) into a predetermined stop position ( 16 );
locking of the stop finger ( 18 ) in the working position ( 28 ) by means of the locking device ( 41 ).

18. The method according to claim 17 ,
wherein the back gauge comprises a sensor element ( 57 ) serving for capture of a relative movement and/or relative position between the stop fi

Assignees

• Trumpf Maschinen Austria Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Angerer Gerhard
• Freudenthaler Klemens
• Hausmann Florian
• Hoerl Matthias
• Kovjenic Nenad
• Maier Florian
• Steininger Verena
• Theis Helmut
• Waldherr Manfred

Classifications

• B21D5/002 Primary

  Positioning devices · CPC title

• B21D43/26

  Stops · CPC title

• B21D5/02

  on press brakes without making use of clamping means · CPC title

• B21D5/004 Primary

  with program control · CPC title