Patent Grant
7757387
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuously manufacturing a fastener stringer in which a plurality of engaging elements are implanted at a predetermined interval on one side edge of a fastener tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-51813, this kind of fastener stringer is usually obtained as follows. That is, a long metallic wire rod having a circular section is molded so as to have a substantially Y-like shape in its lateral section through a plurality of mill rolls and cut successively with a predetermined thickness by a cutting punch and a cutting die so as to obtain individual engaging elements. An engaging head is formed into a mountain-like shape by a forming punch and a forming die so as to obtain an engaging element comprising an engaging head and attaching legs (hereinafter referred to as a “wire rod engaging element”). Subsequently, the engaging elements are implanted successively to a fastener tape by pressurizing the attaching legs with a pressurizing hammer.
According to the method for continuously manufacturing the fastener stringer, the engaging elements are produced from one continuous engaging element metallic wire rod having a circular section and the engaging elements are implanted successively to the fastener tape, thereby making it possible to manufacture the fastener stringer securing an excellent productivity without any production loss. However, because the individual engaging elements are produced by cutting a long wire rod with a predetermined thickness by a cutting punch, burr is always generated on its cutting end, so that it is difficult to obtain a smooth curved surface.
To eliminate such an inconvenience, for example, the inventor has already proposed an engaging element forming method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-56714. In this engaging element forming method, a chamfering face for chamfering an outside ridge portion on a periphery of a leg is formed on a pressurizing face of a pressurizing hammer. Then, chamfering is carried out by rolling the ridge portion on an outer periphery from the leg of the engaging element to a part of the engaging head at the same time when the engaging element is pressurized with the pressurizing hammer.
In the meantime, in this kind of the fastener stringer continuous manufacturing apparatus, after a main ram equipped with a cutting die and a forming die retracts and a metallic wire rod is cut, the main ram continues to retract further, so that an engaging element cut by a cutting punch provided on the frame is pushed forward and automatically moved to a position for forming a head of the engaging element into a mountain-like shape by a forming punch. A pressurizing hammer supports attaching legs of the engaging element carried to the forming die from either side of the engaging element. Immediately thereafter, the forming punch descends so as to form the head of the engaging element into a mountain-like shape. After the forming into the mountain-like shape is ended, the main ram advances forward so as to move the engaging element on the forming die forward to a pressurizing position. At this time, the pressurizing hammer moves obliquely forward together and starts its pressurizing operation, so that a crotch portion between the attaching legs of the engaging element is pressed against the edge of an engaging element implantation portion of the fastener tape, and at the same time, the pressurization of the attaching legs is completed.
Substantially at the same time when the pressurizing hammer is actuated to pressurize the engaging element to the fastener tape, feeding of the fastener tape is started, and immediately thereafter, the main ram begins to retract again. The above-described motion of the pressurizing hammer aims at pressurizing the attaching legs of the engaging element gradually from the engaging head toward the leg tips and securing a required stroke length. Thus, the pressurizing hammer is formed in a parallelogram, and a pressurizing face at its inclined short side is introduced to a sliding groove of the pressurizing hammer which traverses obliquely a substantially half portion of an auxiliary ram by a pressing force of the actuating face of an actuating lever swung by a cam face formed on the side face of the auxiliary ram interlocking with the motion of the main ram. Consequently, the pressurizing hammer reciprocates linearly and obliquely forward over the substantially half portion of the ram. Here, an elastic force which presses the actuating face of the actuating lever is always applied to the pressurizing hammer. By using this elastic force, the pressurizing hammer is retracted quickly by the retracting action of the auxiliary ram and the elastic force regardless of its large stroke length, thereby avoiding an interference with the cutting punch securely.
However, if it is intended to chamfer at the same time when the attaching legs of the engaging element are pressurized with the pressurizing hammer as described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-56714, not only a chamfered portion becomes longer than a conventional stroke length but also a load on an operated pressurizing hammer increases by an amount corresponding to the chamfered portion. Thus, it is necessary to further sharpen an inclination angle of a front end of the pressurizing hammer and also to increase a swing angle of the actuating lever and further an inclination of the aforementioned cam. This unavoidably leads to an enhancement of the strength of the actuating lever and an increase in size of the apparatus.
The present invention has been achieved to solve such a problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a fastener stringer continuous manufacturing apparatus which eliminates the necessity of increasing the size of the apparatus and which can chamfer attaching legs of an engaging element securely and accurately without changing a load and stroke of a pressurizing hammer.
To achieve the above-described object, according to the invention, there is provided a fastener stringer continuous manufacturing method comprising: a cutting step of cutting a metallic wire rod for an engaging element, the metallic wire rod molded so as to have a substantially Y-shaped section, in a lateral direction with a predetermined thickness; a step of forming a head of the cut engaging element into a mountain-like shape; and an engaging element implantation step of successively implanting attaching legs of an engaging element which has been formed into the mountain-like shape to a fastener tape supplied intermittently at a predetermined pitch by pressurizing with a pressurizing hammer, the method further including: a chamfering step of chamfering an outer ridge portion of a preceding engaging element implanted to the fastener tape in the engaging element implantation step with a chamfering punch subsequent to the engaging element implantation step.
This manufacturing method can be executed effectively by using a fastener stringer continuous manufacturing apparatus of this invention having the following configuration.
That is, the fastener stringer continuous manufacturing apparatus of the invention comprises: a cutting die which reciprocates in a cutting direction of the metallic wire rod for the engaging element, the wire rod molded so as to have a substantially Y-shaped section; a forming die for forming a head of the engaging element into a mountain-like shape, the forming die provided continuously on a front end in a reciprocating direction of the cutting die; a cutting punch which is fixed to a base and disposed so as to freely make a sliding contact with an upper surface of the cutting die; a forming punch for forming the head of the engaging element into the mountain-like shape, the forming punch disposed above a mountain-like shape forming position and ascending and descending in cooperation with the forming die; and a pressurizing hammer for successively pressurizing attaching legs of the engaging element formed into the mountain-like shape to a fastener tape supplied intermittently at a predetermined pitch, the apparatus further including: a pair of chamfering punches, each of which is disposed above the pressurizing hammer at a height corresponding to a preceding engaging element implanted to the fastener tape in advance, the chamfering punch reciprocating with respect to a side face of the preceding engaging element and having a chamfering face which chamfers outer ridge portions of right and left legs of the preceding engaging element.
Preferably, the reciprocation of the chamfering punch is actuated in cooperation with a drive portion of the pressurizing hammer and such as actuation is carried out by an actuating lever specialized for the chamfering punch. More preferably, the actuating lever specialized for chamfering is swung by a cam face, which is formed in a same drive portion in a same manner as a pressurization actuating lever and is specialized for chamfering, and an actuating face of the actuating lever and a driven face of the chamfering punch have inclined faces that make a sliding contact with each other, and the respective inclined faces are so constructed that the chamfering punch entirely executes a composite motion composed of a reciprocating motion parallel to a swing direction of the actuating lever and a lateral motion in a direction perpendicular to the swing direction of the actuating lever. Additionally, the inclined driven face of the chamfering punch is always kept in an elastic contact with the inclined actuating face of the actuating lever under pressure, so that the driven face is reciprocated with sliding on the inclined actuating face of the actuating lever by a swing of the actuating lever.
If the feeding of a metallic wire rod is completed, a first ram advances, so that the metallic wire rod projects from a cutting die by an amount corresponding to a predetermined thickness. Here, the first ram begins to retract and a projecting portion of the wire rod is cut with a cutting punch, and an engaging element is moved from the cutting die to the forming die at a rear end stop position of the first ram. At this time, a top face ridge portion of an engaging head of the engaging element is preferred to be chamfered at the same time when the engaging element is cut out like conventionally. At this stage, pressurizing hammers are in a stopped condition and support legs of the engaging element from both sides in order to restrict a motion of the engaging element in a horizontal direction. Thereafter, a forming punch lowers at the rear end stop position of the first ram and a pressure pad also lowers so as to form the engaging head into a mountain-like shape.
When the first ram begins to advance, the pressurizing hammer is actuated to complete implantation of the engaging element. At the time of this pressurization, a chamfering punch is also actuated to chamfer the attaching legs of a preceding engaging element implanted to the fastener tape in advance of the pressurized engaging element. The chamfering with the chamfering punch is executed independently of the pressurization by the pressurizing hammer. Therefore, no higher load than necessary is applied to each of them and the stroke of the pressurizing hammer never prolongs more than that of a conventional example, thereby guaranteeing secure and smooth pressurization and chamfering processings.
In the engaging element implanted to the fastener tape, at least a ridge portion on an outside cutting edge of the attaching leg is curved, thereby manufacturing a fastener stringer formed into an outer shape having a smooth curved face. Thus, a completed slide fastener is provided with an excellent tactile feeling, and further, a sliding resistance of the slider decreases, thereby allowing the opening and closing operation of the slide fastener to be executed smoothly.
In the reciprocating the chamfering punch, the pressurization actuating lever for the pressurizing hammer, which is supported rotatably by the same shaft as a drive shaft of the pressurizing hammer, for example, supported by the same rotary shaft, and the chamfering actuating lever for the chamfering punch are actuated independently of each other by first and second cam faces which actuate in cooperation with each other with the main ram as a drive source. As a result, the pressurization to the legs of the engaging element and the chamfering on the outer ridge portion are executed by independent members. Consequently, a necessary stroke length can be secured without applying a higher load than necessary to pressurizing and chamfering processings, and the apparatus can withstand a long period operation. Further, in the case where the inclined face of the chamfering punch slides and moves on the inclined face of the actuating lever specialized for chamfering work, the actuating lever specialized for the chamfering work is swung in a transverse direction of the main ram by the cam face of the drive shaft and at the same time, the chamfering punch entirely advances with keeping its chamfering face obliquely with respect to an engaging element implanted to the fastener tape in the time before last time. When the chamfering is completed, the actuating lever is swung in an opposite direction and at the same time, the chamfering punch returns to its original standby position quickly. The return at this time is carried out by an elastic force of a spring or the like. Because at this time, the chamfering punch retracts while moving laterally to the standby position with its oblique state, interference with other surrounding members can be avoided.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described specifically with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Here, fastener stringer continuous manufacturing method and apparatus of the present invention are not different from the conventional method and apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-51813 in that an engaging element wire rod having a substantially Y-shaped section obtained through a rolling process is cut to a thickness corresponding to a single engaging element with a cutting punch, its engaging head is formed into a mountain-like shape and then the engaging element is implanted to a required portion of a fastener tape by pressurizing attaching legs with a pressurizing hammer so as to manufacture a fastener stringer continuously.
The most prominent feature of the present invention is not that the attaching legs L of an engaging element are chamfered at the same time when the attaching legs L of the engaging element are pressurized with a pressurizing hammer having a chamfering face as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-56714, but that a preceding engaging element, after pressurized to the fastener tape in advance and fed up to a predetermined position from the pressurizing portion by a predetermined pitch, is chamfered independently. Further, the chamfering of the preceding engaging element is carried out at the same time when the engaging element is pressurized by using the same drive shaft used for pressurizing process.
Because the process at the pressurizing portion and the process at the chamfering portion are carried out separately, the pressurization can be executed with the same stroke as a conventional pressurizing stroke without changing the stroke length of the pressurizing hammer. Further, because the chamfering is carried out with a special punch independently of the pressurizing, the chamfering can be carried out securely and accurately, so that the operation of each punch is performed extremely smoothly.
In the fastener stringer continuous manufacturing apparatus employed in this embodiment, the details of the configuration excluding the pressurizing portion and the chamfering portion are substantially not different from that of the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-51813. Thus, outline of other configuration except the pressurizing portion and the chamfering portion described below is based on description of the above-described publication.
In these figures, a first ram 2 is supported on a base 1 through a ram guide 3 so as to freely reciprocate horizontally, and a cutting die 4 and a forming die 5, the forming die forming an engaging head of an engaging element E into a mountain-like shape, are provided on the front end portion of the first ram 2 in this order in an advancement direction of the first ram 2. The cutting die 4 has an introduction passage 4a for introducing an engaging element irregular shape wire rod W having, for example, a Y-shaped lateral section.
A set plate 6 supported by the base 1 is disposed above the front portion of the first ram 2, and a ram guide 7 is mounted on the set plate 6. A second ram 8 is provided on the ram guide 7 so as to be capable of moving up and down vertically with respect to the horizontal reciprocation movement of the first ram 2. A forming punch 10 for forming the engaging head of the engaging element E into a mountain-like shape through a punch holder 9 and a pressure pad 11 for pressing both legs L of the engaging element E at the time of forming into the mountain-like shape are mounted on the front face of the second ram 8. Further, a cutting punch 12 capable of making a sliding contact with the top face of the front portion of the first ram 2 is fixed on the bottom end of the ram guide 7. A pair of pressurizing hammers 13 are provided obliquely on both sides of the forming die 5, and the pressurizing hammers 13 move linearly so as to nip and pressurize the attaching legs L of the engaging element E after the engaging head is formed, thereby implanting the engaging element E to a fastener tape T. In this indicated example, at the same time when the engaging element E is pressurized, the chamfering punches 113 are actuated so as to chamfer outer ridge portions of right and left legs L′ of a preceding engaging element E′ implanted to the fastener tape T two times before.
As shown in
A main shaft 19 is provided above the rear portion of the first ram 2, and a first ram drive cam 20, a forming punch actuating cam 21, a pressurizing/chamfering actuating cam 22, a stringer feeding cam 23 and a wire rod feeding cam 24 are provided on the main shaft 19. The respective cams 20 to 24 are respectively connected to the first ram 2, the forming punch 10, the pressurizing hammer 13 and a chamfering punch 113, the intermittent drive roller 17 and the wire rod feed roller 14 via cam driven mechanisms 25 to 28, and the respective members are actuated.
The cam driven mechanism 25 of the first ram 2 has a first roller 25a which makes a rolling contact with the first ram drive cam 20, and the roller 25a is journaled by the rear portion of the first ram 2. The first ram 2 is urged in an advancement direction by a compression spring 30, and is horizontally reciprocated by a rotation of the first ram drive cam 20. Further, the cam face of the first ram drive cam 20 is so constructed as to stop the first ram 2 in a predetermined time at its front end position and rear end position.
On the other hand, the cam driven mechanism 26 of the forming punch 10 comprises a second roller 26a, a lever 26b, a pin 26c, and a compression spring 26d. The second roller 26a makes a rolling contact with the forming punch actuating cam 21. The roller 26a is journaled by one end of the lever 26b, and a central portion of the lever 26b is mounted on the apparatus main body via a shaft. The pin 26c is attached to the other end of the lever 26b, and makes contact with the head of the second ram 8. The compression spring 26d gives the lever 26b back. The second ram 8 incorporates a compression spring 31 for urging the ram upward, and the lever 26b swings by the cam 21, so that the second ram 8 lowers and this returns to its original position by the compression spring 31.
The cam driven mechanism 27 of the pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113 comprises, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The cam driven mechanism 29 for feeding a wire rod comprises: a sixth roller 29a which makes a rolling contact with the cam 24; a slider 29b having the roller 29a supported via a shaft at one end of the slider; a ratchet 29c attached to the other end of the slider 29b; and a ratchet wheel 29d which is intermittently rotated only in a single direction every predetermined angle by the ratchet 29c. A drive gear 42 for feeding a wire rod shown in
When the advancement of the first ram 2 stops, feeding of the irregular shape metallic wire rod W is completed, so that the irregular shape metallic wire rod W is projected over the cutting die 4 only by a predetermined thickness. In a former half of this process, the implantation of the engaging element E to the fastener tape T is completed. The fastener stringer S is pulled up immediately after pairs of the pressurizing hammers 13 and the chamfering punches 113 leave the legs L of the respective engaging elements E, E′, and when the engaging head of the engaging element E leaves the forming die 5, the first ram 2 begins to retract. Thus, the currently implanted engaging element E is never caught by the forming die 5 which is retracted by the first ram 2.
When the first ram 2 retracts, the wire rod W is cut. At the time of this retraction, pulling of the fastener stringer S is completed. When the first ram 2 is located at its retraction stop position, the engaging head is formed. After implantation of the engaging element is started by the pressurizing hammer 13 actuated from halfway of the advancement of the first ram 2, the first ram 2 advances up to its advancement end position so as to complete pressurization. Before the pressurizing hammer 13 is actuated, the chamfering punch 113 is actuated, and at the same time when the pressurizing hammer 13 implants the engaging element E, the outer ridge portions on the legs L′ of the preceding engaging element E′ implanted time before last to the fastener tape T is chamfered. Hereinafter, such a procedure is repeated.
Next, an example of the structure of the pressurizing portion and chamfering portion which constitute the characteristic portion of the present invention will be described with reference to
The pressurization actuating lever 27e is supported rotatably by a fixed supporting shaft 27k, and an actuating portion 27e-1 extending longer than the top face of the first ram 2 is provided at a top end of the actuating lever 27e. A front end face of the actuating portion 27e serves as an actuating face 27e-2 which is composed of a vertical plane extending along the back and forth direction of the first ram 2. The pressurizing hammer 13 is constituted of a narrow lever material having a substantially parallelogrammatic shape. The lever material brings a driven face 13a corresponding to the actuating face 27e-2 into an elastic contact with the actuating face 27e-2 of the pressurization actuating lever 27e and extends obliquely forward so as to reciprocate linearly toward the engaging element E intended to be pressurized over the top face of the first ram 2. An end of the pressurizing hammer 13 opposite to the inclined driven face 13a is formed into a thin plate via a step, and the rear end corner of each thin plate portion is cut out partially so as to form a leg nipping portion 13b. Each of the leg nipping portions 13b has a nipping face 13c for deforming the outer ridge portion of each of the pair of right and left attaching legs L into a shape shown in
The pressurizing hammer 13 is actuated by swing of the pressurization actuating lever 27e and reciprocates obliquely on the top face of the first ram 2. When the attaching legs of the engaging element E is pressurized, it can be pressurized gradually from the engaging head of the engaging element E toward the front ends of the legs by disposing the pressurizing hammers 13 obliquely in this way. That is, when the engaging element E is formed into the mountain-like shape with the forming punch 8 at the forward end stop position of the first ram 2, the pressurizing hammers 13 advance slightly so as to hold a part of the outer side faces of the attaching legs L of the engaging element E by a pair of right and left leg nipping portions 13b, and after the forming into the mountain-like shape is ended, the hammers 13 further advance to complete the pressurization. At the same time when the pressurization is ended, the pressurizing hammers 13 begin to retract quickly by a spring force together with retraction of the pressurization actuating lever 27e.
The chamfering actuating levers 27h for actuating the pair of right and left chamfering punches 113 are supported rotatably at a position adjacent to the front side of the pressurization actuating lever 27e by the same fixed supporting shaft 27k as the pressurizing hammer 13. An actuating portion 27h-1 is formed at the top end of the chamfering actuating lever 27h. An oblique face of the actuating portion 27h-1 as viewed from top is constituted of a right triangle portion placed on a straight line connecting with the preceding engaging element E′ implanted to the fastener tape T two times before. The position of its actuating face 27h-2 is set higher by an amount corresponding to two engaging elements E than the height of the actuating portion 27e-1 of the pressurization actuating lever 27e.
On the other hand, as shown in
As shown in
According to this embodiment, the actuating faces of the pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113 are separated vertically, and further, the pressurizing hammer 13 slides on the top face of the first ram 2 while the chamfering punch 113 moves intersecting with the pressurizing hammer 113 over the same pressuring hammer 113. Consequently, the trajectories of the pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113 are not determined easily. Thus, according to this embodiment, to secure the trajectory of each of the pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113, the pressuring hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113 are accommodated in a single housing 36. A hammer guide passage (not shown) for the pressurizing hammer 13 which extends linearly and obliquely to the engaging element E set in the forming die 5 is formed to go through the inside of the housing 36. In addition, a punch guide passage (not shown) for guiding the chamfering punch 113 is formed to go through a partition above the hammer guide passage. The chamfering punch 13 traverses the first ram 2 at right angle to the back and forth direction and has an appropriate width from its starting position to its chamfering position.
A first spring 37 is interposed between the hammer guide passage and the pressurizing hammer 13, and a second spring 38 is interposed between the punch guide passage and the chamfering punch 113. The pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering punch 113 are actuated securely at a required timing following up swings of the pressurization actuating lever 27e and the chamfering actuating lever 27h with elastic forces of the first and second springs 37, 38. A swing interval of the first and chamfering actuating lever 27e, 27h can be converted to a large stroke by moving the leg nipping face 13b of the pressurizing hammer 13 and the chamfering face 113b of the chamfering punch 113 obliquely, so that an interference with such a peripheral member as the cutting punch 12 can be avoided.
The operation of the pressurizing portion and chamfering portion having the above-described configuration will be described specifically with reference to
On the other hand, a little before the first cam receiver 27g rides over the second cam face 27f, the second cam receiver 27j begins to ride over the second cam receiver 27i with a slight difference of time so as to swing the chamfering actuating lever 27h. With this swing, the inclined drive face 113a of the chamfering punch 113 which makes an elastic contact with the inclined actuating face 27h-2 of the chamfering actuating lever 27h slides along the inclined actuating face 27h-2, so that the chamfering face 113b moves obliquely toward the preceding engaging element E′ implanted to the fastener tape T two times before. Consequently, as shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-065397 | Mar 2005 | JP | national |
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| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| B2-59-51813 | Dec 1984 | JP |
| A-8-56714 | Mar 1996 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20060201217 A1 | Sep 2006 | US |
