Bending system and method for using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12025299-B2
Application number	US-202117926585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2021
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

In a bending system and a method for using the same, the bending system includes a bending robot provided between a press brake and a predetermined setting area that is arranged in front of the press brake to assist in bending a workpiece. The bending robot includes a robot hand for holding the workpiece on a pallet that is set in the predetermined setting area. An image pickup unit, which picks up an image of the workpiece on the pallet from an oblique upper direction, is provided above and anterior to the predetermined setting area. A first illumination unit, which illuminates an image pickup area of the image pickup unit, is erected on a left front side of the predetermined setting area. A second illumination stand, which illuminates the image pickup area of the image pickup unit, is erected on a right front side of the predetermined setting area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bending system, comprising:
a bending robot provided between a press brake and a predetermined setting area arranged in front of the press brake, including a robot hand for holding a workpiece on a pallet set in the predetermined setting area, and configured to assist in bending the workpiece;
an image pickup unit provided above and in front of the predetermined setting area and configured to pick up an image of the workpiece on the pallet from an oblique upper direction;
a first illumination unit erected on a left side and in front of the predetermined setting area and configured to irradiate an image pickup area of the image pickup unit with an illumination beam; and
a second illumination unit erected on a right side and in front of the predetermined setting area and configured to irradiate the image pickup area of the image pickup unit with an illumination beam,
wherein a taking-in and out passage is formed between the first illumination unit and the second illumination unit,
wherein the first illumination unit is arranged to be inclined with respect to a lateral direction so that a right end side thereof is located more forward than a left end side thereof, and the second illumination unit is arranged to be inclined with respect to the lateral direction so that a left end side thereof is located more forward than a right end side thereof, and
a safety fence is provided around the bending system.

2. The bending system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first illumination unit includes a plurality of first illuminations for irradiation of illumination beams in a right obliquely downward direction, and is configured such that an irradiation direction of each of the first illuminations is adjustable so that an entire area on the pallet is irradiated with the illumination beams from the plurality of first illuminations, and
the second illumination unit includes a plurality of second illuminations for irradiation of illumination beams in a left obliquely downward direction, and is configured such that an irradiation direction of each of the second illuminations is adjustable so that the entire area on the pallet is irradiated with the illumination beams from the plurality of second illuminations.

3. The bending system according to claim 2 , wherein
the first illumination unit includes a first support frame erected on a left side and in front of the predetermined setting area, and a plurality of first brackets provided rotatably around an axial center vertical to the first support frame, each of the first illuminations being provided rotatably around an axial center horizontal to each of the first brackets, and
the second illumination unit includes a second support frame erected on a right side and in front of the predetermined setting area, and a plurality of second brackets provided rotatably around an axial center vertical to the second support frame, each of the second illuminations being provided rotatably around an axial center horizontal to each of the second brackets.

4. The bending system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first guard provided in a vicinity of the first illumination unit and configured to protect the first illumination unit, and
a second guard provided in a vicinity of the second illumination unit and configured to protect the second illumination unit.

5. A method for using the bending system according to claim 2 , comprising, in a state in which an entire area of the pallet is covered with an adjustment sheet, adjusting an irradiation direction of each of the first illuminations such that a position on the adjustment sheet is irradiated with a visible beam from a laser pointer of an adjustment jig mounted to each of the first illuminations, the position on the adjustment sheet corresponding to an irradiation range of a respective one of the first illuminations, and adjusting an irradiation direction of each of the second illuminations such that a position on the adjustment sheet is irradiated with a visible beam from a laser pointer of an adjustment jig mounted to each of the second illuminations, the position on the adjustment sheet corresponding to an irradiation range of a respective one of the second illuminations.

6. A method for using the bending system according to claim 2 , comprising, when the image pickup unit picks up an image of the workpiece on the pallet from the oblique upper direction, executing an illumination operation of the first illumination unit so that the entire area on the pallet is irradiated with the illumination beams from the plurality of first illuminations, and executing an illumination operation of the second illumination unit so that the entire area on the pallet is irradiated with the illumination beams from the plurality of second illuminations.

7. The method for using the bending system, according to claim 6 , further comprising staggering execution timings of the illumination operation of the first illumination unit and the illumination operation of the second illumination unit.

Assignees

• Amada Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koizumi Norihisa
• Nishihata Yuto
• Takatsu Satoshi

Classifications

• B21D43/003

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

• F21Y2105/16

  square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels · CPC title

• B21D5/0281 Primary

  Workpiece supporting devices · CPC title

• B21D5/002

  Positioning devices · CPC title

• F21S2/00

  Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction · CPC title