Roller hemming processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533341-B2
Application number	US-201113518970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2011
Priority date	Sep 24, 2010
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

Hemming dies can be mounted on the respective two clamping jigs ( 22 ) of hemming processing stages (S 1 , S 2 ) each having a turn table as a main part. After the hemming dies are allocated to sub-stages (S 11 ), roller hemming processing is performed by hemming processing robots ( 1 A, 1 B) or hemming processing robots ( 2 A, 26 ). Die storage devices ( 15 A, 15 B) for housing a plurality of hemming dies in a line are provided near the hemming processing stages (S 1 , S 2 ). Hemming dies are changed between the die storage devices ( 15 A, 15 B) and the sub-stages (S 12 ) of the hemming processing stages (S 1 , S 2 ) by first and second die changing robots ( 17, 19 ). This makes it possible to provide a roller hemming processing system suitable for roller hemming processing in high-variety low-volume manufacturing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A roller hemming processing system in which used hemming dies can be changed in accordance with a type of a workpiece when a hemming processing is performed on a peripheral portion of the workpiece by a roller-shaped hemming processing tool which is held by a robot arm while the workpiece that is a processed object is positioned and supported on one of the hemming dies, the roller hemming processing system comprising:
the hemming dies each including a die body mounted on a die plate for reinforcement,
a clamping jig which is disposed on a hemming processing stage, and which is capable of removably positioning and fixing one of the hemming dies;
a die storage device in which a plurality of the hemming dies according to the type of the workpiece are received in a line in a longitudinal posture;
a die changing robot which changes one of the hemming dies between the clamping jig and the die storage device by grasping one of the hemming dies to swing one of the hemming dies; and
guide portions which are provided, respectively, to the clamping jig and the die storage device, and which restrict a posture of the hemming die loaded to the clamping jig or the die storage device,
wherein a hook portion is provided on one side portion of the die plate; a hand of the die changing robot configured to use the hook portion as a grasping portion; and the hand of the die changing robot supports the hemming die in a hanging position in an upright posture, and
wherein the plurality of the hemming dies according to the type of the workpiece are received in the die storage device in the line in a tilting posture in which the hemming dies are tilted in the same direction, and
wherein a roller is provided on a back surface of the die plate.

2. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the hemming dies according to the type of the workpiece are received in the die storage device in the line in the tilting posture in which the die body is positioned above the die plate.

3. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the clamping jig is arranged to removably position and fix one of the hemming dies in the tilting posture.

4. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the die bodies constituting the hemming dies with the die plates are different from each other in accordance with the type of the workpiece; the die plates have a common shape irrespective of the type of the workpiece, and have a rectangular plate shape with a plurality of holes; and the die body according to the type of the workpiece is removably fixed to the die plate by bolts and nuts.

5. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the die body has a hollow structure in which at least a portion corresponding to a hemming processing portion of the workpiece remains in the form of a closed loop frame.

6. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hand of the die changing robot includes an anti-vibration device to suppress a swing movement of the hemming die supported to be hung up in the upright posture.

7. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a temporary mounting table is disposed between the clamping jig of the hemming processing stage and the die storage device; the roller hemming processing system further comprises a first die changing robot configured to change the hemming die between the temporary mounting table and the die storage device, and a second die changing robot configured to change the hemming die between the temporary mounting table and the clamping jig; and the first die changing robot and the second die changing robot are operated independently.

8. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a turn table is disposed in the hemming processing stage; the clamping jig is a first clamping jig; the roller hemming processing system further comprises a second clamping jig which is disposed on the hemming processing stage, and which is capable of removably positioning and fixing one of the hemming dies, a pair of the first clamping jig and the second clamping jig are mounted on the turn table in a rotational symmetry in the tilting posture; and the turn table is configured to index the respective clamping jigs to a hemming processing position in accordance with a rotation operation of the turn table.

9. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the hook portion is provided on a surface side of the die plate on which the die body is mounted.

10. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the die storage device is provided with a plurality of sheet plates which serve as the guide portion, which support the hemming die received in the line in the die storage device, and which are provided in the tilting posture.

11. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the roller on the back surface of the die plate of the hemming die is abutted on the sheet plate when the hemming die is received in the line in the die storage device.

12. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the clamping jig is provided with a plurality of guide ways serving as the guide portion, and supporting the hemming die loaded to the clamping jig.

13. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the roller on the back surface of the die plate of the hemming die is abutted on the guide ways when the hemming die is loaded to the clamping jig.

14. The roller hemming processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the hemming dies according to the type of the workpiece are received in the die storage device in the line in the tilting posture in which the hemming dies are tilted in the same direction so that the hook portions of the die plates are positioned at the same height position.

Assignees

• Ikeda Hitoshi
• Nara Eiichi
• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Ikeda Hitoshi
• Nara Eiichi

Classifications

• B21D37/145

  Die storage magazines · CPC title

• B21D39/021 Primary

  for panels, e.g. vehicle doors · CPC title

• B21D39/023

  using rollers · CPC title

• B21D37/147

  Tool exchange carts · CPC title

• B21D39/02

  of sheet metal by folding, e.g. connecting edges of a sheet to form a cylinder · CPC title