Cutting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11389983-B2
Application number	US-202117171727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Jul 19, 2022
Grant date	Jul 19, 2022

Abstract

A controller of a cutting apparatus obtains cutting data and specifies a pressure value corresponding to pressure to be applied to an attaching portion by a pressure changer during cutting processing for cutting a workpiece using a cutting blade based on the cutting data and a target range defining target positions of the attaching portion in a fifth direction. While causing the pressure changer to apply, to the attaching portion, the pressure corresponding to the specified pressure value, the controller executes the cutting processing by controlling a first moving mechanism and obtains the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction. If the obtained position of the attaching portion is out of the target range, the controller changes the pressure value to another value and executes the cutting processing while causing the pressure changer to apply, to the attaching portion, the pressure corresponding to the other value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting apparatus comprising:
a platen;
an attaching portion configured to hold a cutting blade;
a first moving mechanism configured to move a workpiece supported by the platen and the attaching portion relative to each other in a first direction and a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction, the first moving mechanism including an X-axis motor and a Y-axis motor for moving the workpiece and the attaching portion relative to each other in the first direction and the second direction;
a second moving mechanism configured to move the attaching portion in a third direction and a fourth direction, the third direction intersecting the first and second directions and being a direction in which the second moving mechanism moves the attaching portion toward the platen, and the fourth direction intersecting the first and second directions and being a direction in which the second moving mechanism moves the attaching portion away from the platen, the second moving mechanism includes a Z-axis motor for moving the attaching portion in the third direction;
a pressure changer configured to, in response to movement of the attaching portion caused by the second moving mechanism, change magnitude of pressure to be applied to the attaching portion in the third direction; and
a controller configured to control the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism, the controller configured to execute:
data obtainment including obtaining cutting data representing a pattern to be cut in the workpiece;
pressure specification including specifying a pressure value corresponding to the pressure to be applied to the attaching portion by the pressure changer during execution of cutting processing for cutting the workpiece based on the obtained cutting data;
target range specification including specifying a target range defining a range of target positions of the attaching portion in a fifth direction during execution of the cutting processing, the fifth direction including the third direction and the fourth direction;
cutting control including controlling the first moving mechanism while controlling the second moving mechanism, thereby executing cutting processing for cutting the workpiece using the cutting blade held by the attaching portion, controlling the first moving mechanism including moving the workpiece supported by the platen and the attaching portion relative to each other in the first direction and the second direction, and controlling the second moving mechanism including causing the pressure changer to apply,
to the attaching portion, the pressure corresponding to the pressure value specified in the pressure specification;
position obtainment including obtaining the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction during execution of the cutting processing in the cutting control;
position determination including determining whether the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is out of the target range; and
pressure change in a case where the position determination determines that the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is out the target range, the pressure change including changing the pressure value specified in the pressure specification to a particular pressure value different from a current pressure value,

wherein the controller is configured to, in a case where the pressure value specified in the pressure specification is changed to the particular pressure value in the pressure change, execute the cutting control while causing the pressure changer to apply, to the attaching portion, the pressure corresponding to the particular pressure value.

2. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the position determination, it is determined whether the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is shifted in the third direction from a lower limit of the target range, and
in the pressure change, in a case where the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is shifted in the third direction from a lower limit of the target range, changing a specified pressure value to the particular pressure value includes changing the specified pressure value to a value corresponding to pressure lower than the pressure currently applied to the attaching portion.

3. The cutting apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to execute a stiffness obtainment including obtaining a stiffness of the workpiece, and
wherein the value corresponding to pressure lower than the pressure currently applied to the attaching portion is obtained by subtracting, from the current pressure value, a decrease value according to the stiffness obtained in the stiffness obtainment.

4. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in the pressure change, changing the pressure value specified in the pressure specification to the particular pressure value includes assigning a greater value to the decrease amount as the stiffness obtained in the stiffness obtainment is higher.

5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the position determination, it is determined whether the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is shifted in the fourth direction from an upper limit of the target range, and
wherein, in the pressure change, in a case where the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the position obtainment is shifted in the fourth direction from an upper limit of the target range, changing the specified pressure value to the particular pressure value includes changing a specified pressure value to a value corresponding to pressure higher than pressure currently applied to the attaching portion.

6. The cutting apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to execute a stiffness obtainment including obtaining a stiffness of the workpiece, and
wherein the value corresponding to pressure higher than the pressure currently applied to the attaching portion is obtained by adding, to the current pressure value, an increase value according to the stiffness obtained in the stiffness obtainment.

7. The cutting apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein, in the pressure change, changing the pressure value specified in the pressure specification to the particular pressure value includes assigning a greater value to the increase amount as the stiffness obtained in the stiffness obtainment is higher.

8. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the pressure change, changing a specified pressure value to the particular pressure value includes changing the specified pressure value to another value within an adjustment range specified according to the target range.

9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the workpiece is held by a holding member, wherein the controller is further configured to execute:
holding position obtainment including obtaining the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction when a distal end of the cutting blade reaches a first surface of the holding member holding the workpiece, the first surface of the holding member holding the workpiece;
stop position specification including specifying a stop position between the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction obtained in the holding position obtainment and the position of the attaching portion in the fifth direction when the distal end of the cutting blade held by the attaching portion reaches a secon

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Kentaro

Classifications

• B26D7/2628 Primary

  Means for adjusting the position of the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D7/28

  for counting the number of cuts or measuring cut lenghts (B26D5/24, B26D5/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• B26D5/08

  Means for actuating the cutting member to effect the cut · CPC title

• B26D7/26

  Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting member; Means for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D5/12 Primary

  Fluid-pressure means · CPC title