Apparatus and method for checking inclination of cushion pad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016184876-A1
Application number	US-201514962808-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad includes: a plurality of height position detectors that detect a plurality of respective height positions in a vertical direction at a plurality of positions different in a horizontal direction of the cushion pad; an inclination measurement unit that measures information on an inclination of the cushion pad in accordance with the plurality of height positions detected by the plurality of respective height position detectors; and an input/output unit that outputs the information on an inclination of the cushion pad measured by the inclination measurement unit to a display or a printer in a visible manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad in a die cushion device including a cushion pad lifting and lowering mechanism that supports the cushion pad and generates die cushion force when a slide of a press machine is lowered, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of height position detectors that detect a plurality of respective height positions in a vertical direction at a plurality of positions different in a horizontal direction of the cushion pad; an inclination measurement unit that measures information on the inclination of the cushion pad in accordance with the plurality of height positions detected by the plurality of respective height position detectors; and an output unit that outputs the information on the inclination of the cushion pad measured by the inclination measurement unit in a visible manner.

2 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 ,
wherein the output unit causes a display to display the information on the inclination of the cushion pad, or causes a printer to print the information on a paper medium.

3 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 ,
wherein the inclination measurement unit includes a plane equation calculation unit that calculates a plane equation of the cushion pad in accordance with the plurality of height positions detected by the plurality of respective height position detectors, and wherein the output unit outputs information showing the inclination of the cushion pad in accordance with the plane equation calculated by the plane equation calculation unit, in a visible manner.

4 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 , further comprising a position indicator that specifies one or more arbitrary positions in the horizontal direction of the cushion pad,
wherein the inclination measurement unit includes: a plane equation calculation unit that calculates a plane equation of the cushion pad in accordance with the plurality of height positions detected by the plurality of respective height position detectors; and a height position calculation unit that calculates a height position at the specified arbitrary position in accordance with the plane equation calculated by the plane equation calculation unit and the arbitrary position specified by the position indicator, and wherein the output unit outputs information showing the height position calculated by the height position calculation unit, at the arbitrary position specified by the position indicator, in a visible manner.

5 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 ,
wherein the output unit outputs the information on the inclination of the cushion pad to a storage unit by associating the information with a die attached to the press machine so that the storage unit stores the information.

6 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 5 , further comprising an input unit that reads out the stored information on the inclination of the cushion pad from the storage unit in accordance with a die attached to the press machine, the information being associated with the die,
wherein the output unit outputs the information on the inclination of the cushion pad, read out by the input unit, in a visible manner.

7 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a determination unit that determines whether the information on the inclination of the cushion pad measured by the inclination measurement unit is beyond an allowable range; and a control unit that issues a warning or stops the press machine if it is determined by the determination unit that the information on the inclination of the cushion pad is beyond the allowable range.

8 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of height position detectors detect the plurality of respective height positions in a state where an upper die attached to the slide and a blank holder coupled to the cushion pad through a plurality of cushion pins are in close contact with each other.

9 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 8 ,
wherein the plurality of height position detectors detect the plurality of respective height positions when the upper die and the blank holder are in close contact with each other during press forming.

10 . The apparatus for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 1 , further comprising a limit value calculation unit that calculates a limit value of an amount of shim adjustment at a shim adjustment position in accordance with the information on the inclination of the cushion pad measured by the inclination measurement unit and an allowable range of the information on the inclination of the cushion pad,
wherein the output unit outputs the limit value of the amount of shim adjustment at the shim adjustment position, calculated by the limit value calculation unit, in a visible manner.

11 . A method for checking an inclination of a cushion pad used in a die cushion device including a cushion pad lifting and lowering mechanism that supports the cushion pad and generates die cushion force when a slide of a press machine is lowered, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting, by a plurality of height position detectors, a plurality of respective height positions in a vertical direction at a plurality of positions different in a horizontal direction of the cushion pad; measuring, by an inclination measurement unit, information on the inclination of the cushion pad in accordance with the plurality of height positions detected; and outputting the information on the inclination of the cushion pad measured in a visible manner.

12 . The method for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 11 ,
wherein the plurality of height position detectors detect the plurality of respective height positions in a state where an upper die attached to the slide and a blank holder coupled to the cushion pad through a plurality of cushion pins are in close contact with each other.

13 . The method for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 12 ,
wherein the plurality of height position detectors detect the plurality of respective height positions when the upper die and the blank holder are in close contact with each other during press forming.

14 . The method for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
moving the cushion pad until the blank holder reaches a press forming range by using the cushion pad lifting and lowering mechanism and then stopping the cushion pad; and lowering the slide until an upper die attached to the slide is brought into close contact with the blank holder and stopping the slide in a state where a certain pressure is applied to the blank holder, wherein the plurality of height position detectors detect the plurality of respective height positions when the upper die and the blank holder are in close contact with each other and are stopped in a state where the certain pressure is applied.

15 . The method for checking an inclination of a cushion pad according to claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
moving the slide until an upper die attached to the slide reaches a press forming range and then stopping the slide; and raising the cushion pad until the blank holder is brought into close contact with the upper di

Assignees

• Aida Eng Ltd

Inventors

• Kondo Tadahiro
• Makabe Junji

Classifications

• B30B15/16

  Control arrangements for fluid-driven presses (pumps per se F04; hydraulic accumulators per se F15B; valves per se F16K; control devices in general G05) · CPC title

• B21C51/00

  Measuring, gauging, indicating, counting, or marking devices specially adapted for use in the production or manipulation of material in accordance with subclasses B21B - B21F · CPC title

• B30B15/02

  Dies; Inserts therefor; Mounting thereof; Moulds (extrusion dies B30B11/22) · CPC title

• B21D24/02 Primary

  Die-cushions · CPC title

• B30B15/26

  Program-control arrangements · CPC title