Bending tool storage device and method for feeding a press brake

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11717871-B2
Application number	US-201816480766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to a bending tool storage device (1) for storing bending tools (2), comprising:a preferably shelf-type rack (3) on which a plurality of storage locations (4) for bending tools (2) are arranged,at least one supply path (10), preferably in the form of a tool guide (11), for issuing and/or retrieving bending tools (2), andat least one first transfer device (5) for transferring bending tools (2) between the storage locations (4) and a transfer point (6),characterized in that the bending tool storage device (1) comprises, between the transfer point (6) and the supply path (10), a rotating installation (7) for rotating the bending tools (2).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bending tool storage device ( 1 ) for storing bending tools ( 2 ), the bending tool storage device ( 1 ) comprising:
a rack ( 3 ) on which a plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) for the bending tools ( 2 ) are arranged, each of the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) for storing therein at least a respective one of the bending tools ( 2 ),
at least one supply path ( 10 ) in the form of a supply path tool guide ( 11 ), the at least one supply path ( 10 ) for supplying the bending tools ( 2 ) to a bending press ( 27 ) and/or for retrieving the bending tools ( 2 ) from the bending press ( 27 ),
at least one first transfer device ( 5 ) for transferring the bending tools ( 2 ) between the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) and a transfer point ( 6 ),
wherein the bending tool storage device ( 1 ) comprises, between the transfer point ( 6 ) and the at least one supply path ( 10 ), a rotating installation ( 7 ) for orienting the bending tools ( 2 ),
wherein the rotating installation ( 7 ) comprises at least one tool guide ( 9 ) rotatable about a rotation axis ( 8 ), said at least one tool guide ( 9 ) being in aligned orientation with the at least one supply path ( 10 ) in a first rotational position and pointing towards the transfer point ( 6 ) in a second rotational position,
wherein the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) are arranged in at least two vertically spaced planes,
wherein each storage location ( 4 ) of the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) has a respective longitudinal axis,
wherein for a first group ( 22 ) of storage locations of the plurality of storage locations, the longitudinal axes of two horizontally adjacent storage locations ( 4 ) of the first group ( 22 ) of storage locations extend parallel to one another,
wherein the at least one first transfer device ( 5 ) further comprises a tool holder ( 15 ) for holding a given bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ), the tool holder ( 15 ) being displaceable both horizontally and vertically,
wherein the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) and the transfer point ( 6 ) can be approached by the at least one first transfer device ( 5 ),
wherein the storage device ( 1 ) further comprises at least one second transfer device ( 20 ) that is configured to move the given bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ) along the supply path tool guide ( 11 ), and
wherein the rotating installation ( 7 ) is supported by the rack ( 3 ) such that the rotating installation ( 7 ) is arranged in a shelf compartment of the rack ( 3 ).

2. The storage device according to claim 1 , wherein a rotational angle between the first rotational position and the second rotational position amounts to at least 45°.

3. The storage device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotating installation ( 7 ) comprises at least two tool guides ( 9 ) rotatable about the rotation axis ( 8 ), and
wherein the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) are tilted towards one another.

4. The storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) are arranged on a platform ( 17 ) mounted so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis ( 8 ).

5. The storage device according to claim 4 ,
wherein one of the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) is pivotable relative to the platform ( 17 ) about a pivot axis ( 19 ), and
wherein the pivot axis ( 19 ) is spaced apart from the rotation axis ( 8 ) and extends parallel to the rotation axis ( 8 ).

6. The storage device according to claim 5 , wherein the pivoting movement about the pivot axis ( 19 ) by the one of the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) is limited by a stop ( 18 ) provided on the platform ( 17 ).

7. The storage device according to claim 4 ,
wherein between a first end of the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) and a second end of the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) passes a plane (E), which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) and contains the rotation axis ( 8 ) about which the platform ( 17 ) rotates, and/or
wherein the first end and the second end of the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) are disposed at a same distance from the rotation axis ( 8 ).

8. The storage device according to claim 4 , wherein the platform ( 17 ) is disc-shaped.

9. The storage device according to claim 3 ,
wherein one of the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) is in aligned orientation with the at least one supply path ( 10 ), and
a second one of the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) points towards the transfer point ( 6 ) in at least one rotational position of the rotating installation ( 7 ).

10. The storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least two tool guides ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) extend along the sides of an equilateral polygon.

11. The storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ) is disposed such that at a position at which the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) is closest to the rotation axis ( 8 ), a distance (A) between the rotation axis ( 8 ) and the at least one tool guide ( 9 ) amounts to at least a quarter of the length of the at least one tool guide ( 9 ).

12. The storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) each comprise a respective tool guide ( 14 ) for retaining and guiding at least one bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ).

13. The storage device according to claim 12 , wherein the respective tool guides ( 14 ) of the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ) are tilted towards the supply path tool guide ( 11 ).

14. The storage device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tool holder ( 15 ) comprises a tool guide ( 16 ) provided for each of retaining and guiding the given bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ), and
wherein the tool guide ( 16 ) of the tool holder ( 15 ) can be brought into aligned orientation with respective tool guides ( 14 ) of the plurality of storage locations ( 4 ).

15. The storage device according to claim 14 , wherein the tool guide ( 16 ) of the tool holder ( 15 ) is pivotable about a pivot axis ( 13 ), which extends parallel to the rotation axis ( 8 ) of the rotating installation ( 7 ).

16. The storage device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one first transfer device ( 5 ) comprises a manipulator ( 12 ), which can be displaced with the tool holder ( 15 ), and
wherein the manipulator is configured to move a given bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ) along the tool guide ( 16 ) into the tool holder ( 15 ) and/or out of the tool holder ( 15 ).

17. The storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one second transfer device ( 20 ) can be controlled independently of and/or temporally parallel to the at least one first transfer device ( 5 ).

18. The storage device according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one second transfer device ( 20 ) comprises a shuttle ( 21 ) that is displaceable along the supply path tool guide ( 11 ).

19. The storage device according to claim 18 , wherein the shuttle ( 21 ) comprises a releasable coupling for connecting the given bending tool ( 2 ) of the bending tools ( 2 ) to the shuttle ( 21 ).

20. The storage device according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one second transfer device ( 20 ) comprises an extendable elongated traction and pressure transfer means ( 32 ), w

Assignees

• Trumpf Maschinen Austria Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Badegruber Karl
• Cavicchia Luigi
• Danninger Egon
• Denkmeier Thomas
• Fenzl Harald
• Haselboeck Alfred
• Kerschbaumer Michael
• Kirchmayr Gerhard
• Maier Florian
• Secibovic Kabir
• Tonda Roch Andrea
• Veronese Roberto
• Vidotto Giovanni
• Wruck Jochen

Classifications

• B21D5/0254 Primary

  Tool exchanging · CPC title

• B21D37/145 Primary

  Die storage magazines · CPC title

• Y10T483/10

  Process · CPC title

• Y10T483/1731

  including matrix · CPC title

• B21D37/147

  Tool exchange carts · CPC title