Patent Application
20160096216
The invention relates to a device and a method for forming hollow cylindrical bodies. For example, the bodies are disposed for the manufacture of containers of thin-walled sheet metal, for example, aerosol cans, beverage cans, tubes or the like. During this process, initially a hollow cylindrical body is produced with the use of a deep-drawing device and/or a roll ironing device, said body being closed on one axial end and open on the other axial end. This body acts as a semi-finished product for the manufacture of the container and is further formed during successive forming processes. In particular in the region of its bottom and/or the open axial end region, it is necessary to continue forming the hollow cylindrical body further. This is accomplished with the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention, respectively. For example, the device may be a necking machine.
As a rule, such necking machines comprise a plurality of stations. One station may be configured as a processing station and/or measuring station and/or inspecting station. Thus, each station is disposed for processing the hollow cylindrical body and/or for measuring or inspecting the shape or dimension. Each station comprises a tool, in which case said tool is a processing tool and/or inspecting tool and/or measuring tool, depending on whether the station is a processing station, a measuring station, a inspecting station or a combination thereof.
The tools of the stations are arranged on a common tool carrier. The tool carrier can be moved relative to a rotating part of a transport device in order to process and/or measure and/or inspect the hollow cylindrical body. The transport device with the rotating part is disposed to move the hollow cylindrical body from one station to the next station. Appropriate holding means for the body are provided on the rotating part. The rotating part is moved intermittently, so that the bodies, respectively, move from one station to the next station. Publication DE 10 2010 061 248 A1 suggests that a rotary drive be provided for the rotating movement and that a dedicated main drive be provided for the reciprocating movement of the tool carrier relative to the rotating part. A sinusoidal reciprocating movement is generated via the main drive, for example with the use of an eccentric drive. If uncoupled from this reciprocating movement, the rotary drive of the bodies from one station to the next can be very rapid, thus increasing the effective reciprocating portion of the reciprocating movement of the tool carrier.
Considering this known device and this known method, respectively, the object of the present invention may be viewed to be the provision of another possibility for improving the flexibility of the device and the method, respectively. In doing so, it is to be made possible, in particular, to increase the maximum height of the machinable hollow cylindrical bodies with the same available maximum stroke of the tool carrier.
The invention relates to a device 10 for forming hollow cylindrical bodies 11. The device has a plurality of stations 12. A tool 13 is allocated to each station. The tools 13 are arranged on a common tool carrier 14. The tool carrier 14 can be moved between two reversing positions UA, UB via a main drive 15. This reciprocating movement H is executed intermittently. One of the two reversing positions forms a rest position in which the tool carrier 14 stops in a rest phase R. While the tool carrier 14 occupies the rest position UA in the rest phase R, a transport device 23 transports the bodies 11 from one station 12 to the respective next station 12.
In the case of the invention, there is provided a main drive for generating an intermittent reciprocating movement of the tool carrier between to reversing positions. The movement of the tool carrier is specifically not sinusoidal or cosinusoidal but, in accordance with the invention, includes a rest phase when the tool carrier is in a rest position.
The transport device with the rotating part comprises a separate rotary drive for generating an intermittent rotary movement of the rotating part. The bodies are moved intermittently, as it were, from station to station via the rotating part. The rotating movement of the rotating part occurs as long as the tool carrier is stopped in its rest position during the rest phase. Preferably, the rest position corresponds to a reversing position during the reciprocating movement of the tool carrier. Consequently, it is possible to make available almost the entire reciprocating movement as the effective stroke for forming a hollow cylindrical body. With the same length of stroke, it is possible with the inventive embodiment of the device and the inventive method, respectively, to process a body with greater axial height than with devices, wherein the reciprocating movement and the movement of the rotating part are interdependent due to mechanical coupling. It is also possible to optionally reduce the length of stroke between the two reversing positions or to adapt the axial height of the bodies. The device and the method, respectively, are thus flexible and efficient. Likewise, the velocities or accelerations during the working movement of the tool carrier out of its rest position in the direction toward the rotating part can be decreased.
Depending on the maximum possible rotational speed or rotational acceleration of the rotational movement of the rotating part, it is also possible in accordance with the invention to achieve a high reciprocating speed and thus a high output even for axially relatively high bodies.
Furthermore, it is possible to incrementally vary the reciprocating movement and/or the stroke speed and/or the stroke acceleration and/or the acceleration change of the stroke acceleration for the different phases of movement, as a result of which, for example, the movement of the tools can be adapted to the processing or measuring or inspecting operation. For example, the working stroke of the tool carrier out of the rest position toward the rotating part can be made slower and/or be performed at lower accelerations than the reverse stroke back into the rest position.
The duration of the rest phase while the tool carrier is stopped can be variably specified and/or changed. As a result of this, it is also possible to perform the transfer movement or the rotating movement of the rotating part at lower rotational speeds, lower rotational accelerations and/or smaller acceleration changes when a careful transport of the bodies is advantageous or necessary.
With the device according to the invention it is further possible to change the number of stations without structural changes of the main drive and the rotary drive.
The main drive, as well as the rotary drive, preferably comprise an electric motor for generating the movement, in particular a servomotor, a torque motor or a segment motor. In doing so, transmission elements, in particular gear transmission elements, may be omitted completely. Consequently, the mechanical wear during operation can be reduced. It is also possible to adapt deviations of components of the device during their manufacture, or during the assembly of the device, by controlling and being able to exactly position the turntable by means of the rotary drive, whereby malfunctions or errors in processing the hollow cylindrical bodies during the operation of the device can be minimized or precluded.
Preferably, the rotary drive comprises an electric motor, for example, a segment motor, torque motor or servomotor, that is connected to the rotating part without the interposition of transmission gearing or reduction gearing. As a result of this, a particularly low-wear device can be attained.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the length of stroke between the two reversing positions is adjustable. For example, an electric motor of the main drive cannot be moved completely rotating about its axis of rotation but pivoting between a first angle of rotation representing a first pivot position and a second angle of rotation representing a second pivot position within the thusly delimited angular or pivot range. As a result of this, the length of stroke can be varied in a simple manner in that the pivot range or angle range is changed. It is also possible to separately adjust the relative positions of the reversing positions of the reciprocating movement of the tool carrier relative to the rotating part. The flexibility of the device is thus enhanced even more.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment the chronological progress of the rotating movement and the chronological progress of the reciprocating movement are separately specified. For example, the start of the rotating movement and/or the end of the rotating movement need not chronologically coincide with the start of the rest phase or the end of the rest phase. The invention simply provides that the rotating movement take place chronologically during the rest phase.
In one advantageous embodiment, the transport device comprises a position sensor that is disposed to detect the rotational position of the rotating part. For example, via the position sensor, it is possible to generate, for example, a signal that indicates the end of the rotating movement, whereupon the rest phase is ended and the reciprocating movement of the tool carrier can be continued. Via the position sensor, it is possible to position the bodies arranged on the rotating part for processing or inspecting or high-precision measuring in each station. Preferably the position of the turntable is controlled. Furthermore, it is possible to control or set the angular velocity and/or the angular acceleration and/or the acceleration change of the angular acceleration and/or the acceleration change of the angular acceleration of the rotating part.
The duration of the rest phase during which the tool carrier is stopped in its rest position is preferably adjustable and/or specifiable. Additionally or alternatively, it is also possible to adjust and/or specify the duration of the transport phase that is required by the rotary drive for rotating the rotating part between two successive rotational positions. The rest phase is at least as long as the transport phase. Due to the adjustability or specifiability of the duration of the transport phase and/or the rest phase, it is possible to flexibly adapt the device and the inventive method, respectively, to the respective work task.
Advantageous embodiments of the device and the method, respectively, in accordance with the invention can be inferred from the claims, as well as the description. The description is restricted to essential features of the invention. The drawings are to be used for supplementary reference. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detail with reference to the appended drawings. As shown in:
The device 10 comprises several stations 12. The stations 12 may be configured as processing stations 12a or as inspecting or measuring stations 12b. The processing station 12a comprises a processing tool 13a. Accordingly, a measuring or inspecting station 12b comprises a measuring or inspecting tool 13b. Hereinafter, the processing tools 13a and the measuring or inspecting tools 13b are referred to as tools 13.
The tools 13 are arranged on an orbit about a central longitudinal axis L. Each station 12 is allocated at least one tool 13. The stations 12 having the tools 13 are preferably uniformly arranged in circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis L.
The device 10 comprises a tool carrier 14 on which the tools 13 are arranged. The tool carrier 14 is arranged so as to be movable parallel to the longitudinal axis L. Consequently, the tool carrier 14 with the tools 13 can perform a reciprocating movement H between a first reversing point UA and a second reversing point UB. To accomplish this, the tool carrier 14 is driven by a main drive 15. Thus, the tool carrier 14, in accordance with the example is movably guided in a sliding manner along a guide column 16. The guide column 16 is arranged coaxially relative to the longitudinal axis L. In the exemplary embodiment there is provided for bearing the tool carrier 14 shown in
The main drive 15 comprises an electric motor and, in the exemplary embodiment, a first servomotor 18. The main drive 15 may be configured, for example, as an eccentric drive or, alternatively, as a toggle lever drive or the like. In doing so, the first servomotor 18 is connected to the tool carrier 14 via the appropriate gearing of the main drive 15. The first servomotor 18 can now be driven not only rotating about its motor axis of rotation M; it is also possible to drive the servomotor 18 in a pivoting manner in a pivot range P between a first pivot position P1 and a second pivot position P2 in an oscillating manner. In doing so, the servomotor 18 does not move so as to completely rotate about its motor axis of rotation M but reverses its direction of rotation in the pivot positions P1, P2, respectively, so that it moves in an oscillating manner between these two pivot positions P1, P2. The reciprocating movement H of the tool carrier 14 is performed accordingly via the movement of the servomotor 18. For controlling the reciprocating movement H, the main drive 15 is actuated by a control unit 19.
A transport device 23 is disposed for transporting the bodies 11 between the stations 12. Furthermore, the transport device 23 is disposed for positioning the bodies 11 in the respective stations 12, so that the bodies 11 occupy a respectively specified position opposite the tools 13. The transport device 23 comprises a rotating part 24 that is rotatably supported relative to the tool carrier 14. In the exemplary embodiment, the rotating part 24 is rotatably supported by the central column 16 via a second bearing 25 that may be configured as a sliding bearing or a rolling bearing. As an alternative to this second bearing 25, or in addition thereto, the rotating part 24 may be rotatably carried or supported on the rear side 26 of the tool carrier 14 by means of a third bearing 27, as is schematically shown by
For each body 11 that is to be held, the rotating part 24 or the transport device 23 comprises a holding means 28. The holding means 28 are arranged on the side facing the tool carrier 14, for example in an orbit K about the longitudinal axis L. The diameter of the orbit K is preferably the same size as the diameter of the orbit on which the tools 13 are arranged. For example, a holding means 28 has a receiving depression 29 that receives an axial region, preferably the closed region of the body 11. Not illustrated clamping means, for example clamping jaws, may be provided in the receiving depression 29 in order to hold or clamp the body 11 in place in the desired position in the receiving depression 29. It is understood that the holding means 28 may also be configured in a manner different than is provided in the preferred exemplary embodiment.
Via the transport device 23 and the rotating part 24, respectively, it is possible to sequentially transport the bodies 11 from one station to the next station 12. In the exemplary embodiment, the rotating part 24 has a circular, circle-shaped or ring-shaped design and can thus also be referred to as a turning disk, turning ring or turntable. The transport device 23 comprises a rotary drive 30 for rotating the rotating part 24
The rotary drive 30 is controlled by the control unit 19. The rotary drive 30 is designed as a separate drive and can be actuated independently of the main drive 15. Consequently, the rotating movement of the rotating part 24 can be configured so as to be mechanically uncoupled from the reciprocating movement H of the tool part 14. Preferably, the rotary drive 30 is configured as a direct drive and comprises an electric motor 31, preferably a servomotor or segment motor, that can be connected directly to the rotating part 24 without the interposition of a mechanical transmission. As an alternative to this preferred embodiment, it is also possible to interpose a transmission 32 for mechanical coupling between the electric motor 31 of the rotary drive 30 and the rotating part 24.
The rotating part 24 is intermittently advanced in one direction of rotation D about the longitudinal axis L between respectively successive positions of rotation αi and αi+2. The number of these positions of rotation αi (i=1 to n) corresponds to the number n of stations 12 on the tool holder. The holding means 28 are arranged regularly along the orbit K. As a result of this, the rotating part 24 is advanced in the direction of rotation by an angle of rotation Δα between two successive positions of rotation. In doing so, the rotating part 24 moves at an angular velocity ω.
Furthermore, the device 10 has a position sensor 33. The sensor signal of the position sensor 33 is transmitted to the control unit 19. Consequently, the control unit 19 can control the position of rotation αi of the rotating part 24.
The chronological progression of the rotating movement of the rotating part 24 and the chronological progression of the reciprocating movement H of the tool carrier 14 can be independently specified or adjusted. This is possible because no mechanical, rigid coupling exists between the tool 14 and the main drive 15, on the one hand, and the rotating part 24 and the rotary drive 30, on the other hand. Hereinafter, the coordination and movement of the tool carrier 14 and the rotating part 25 will be explained with reference to
The device 10 can perform movement processes as a function of a time t or as a function of a higher-order guide angle β. Such a guide angle β can be used for the coordination of the movements of several different machines or presses or transfer systems and the like. The movement progressions can thus be represented without restriction of generality as a function of the guide angle β, as shown in
The transfer movement between two successive positions of rotation αi and αi+1, namely the movement of rotation of the rotating part 24 about the angle of rotation Δα requires a time that is referred to as the transport phase T. During this transport phase T, no other tool 13 must be in contact or in engagement with the allocated body 11 because, otherwise, a rotation of the rotating part 24 with all hollow cylindrical bodies 11 is not possible without collisions. As shown in
Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the main drive 15 is operated intermittently. In order to achieve the desired effective stroke N, the total length of stroke can be reduced, as is illustrated by a solid line in
The length of stroke between the two reversing positions UA, UB can be varied very easily in accordance with the invention. By changing the pivot range P with a pivoting, oscillating drive of the servomotor 18 of the main drive 15 between the two pivot positions P1, P2, the length of stroke can be adjusted consistent with the pivot range P. Likewise, the two reversing positions UA, UB can be adjusted separate from each other by changing the two pivot positions P1, P2. As a result of this, an extremely highly flexible device 10 is achieved.
By uncoupling the reciprocating movement H of the tool carrier 14 from the rotating movement of the rotating part 24, the transport phase T may also be shorter than the rest phase R. However, as a rule, the rest phase R can also be reduced by shortening the transport phase T, without reducing the length of stroke between the two reversing positions UA, UB (
The electric motor 31 is configured as a hollow shaft motor, so that a cylindrical free space is created on the inside, through which space the guide column 16 can be inserted. This free space, for example, is also suitable for the insertion of driving elements, electrical lines or other supply lines. Also, a drive connecting rod can be passed through this free space in order to generate the reciprocal movement H of the tool carrier 14.
This segment motor comprises a permanently excited disk-shaped rotor 38. The rotor 38 of the segment motor has several pole pairs, each with oppositely magnetized permanent magnets. In doing so, the magnetizing direction may be radial or tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotor 38. The stator 39 has a different, specifically smaller, number of poles, each being formed by an electromagnet. As an alternative to the depicted embodiment, the segment motor may also have a stator 39 arranged coaxially around the rotor 38. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the stator 39 adjoins the rotor 38 in axial direction parallel to the longitudinal axis L. As in the previous exemplary embodiment of
In all exemplary embodiments of the device 10, the longitudinal axis L may be arranged vertically or horizontally.
The present invention also provides a method for operating the device (10) for forming the hollow cylindrical bodies (11). The device (10) as previously stated comprises the common tool carrier (14) with the plurality of stations (12) that are arranged along a circular orbit and comprise, respectively, one tool (13), wherein the tools (13) are arranged on the common tool carrier (14). The main drive (15) is in operative arrangement with the common tool carrier (14). The transport device (23) includes the rotating part (24). The separate rotary drive (30) is in operative arrangement with the rotating part (24).
The method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
initiating the intermittent reciprocating movement (H) of the tool carrier (14) between two reversing points (UA, UB),
transporting the hollow cylindrical bodies (11) by the rotating part (24) between the stations (12) along a circular orbit (K),
moving the tool carrier (14) into a rest position (UA) via the main drive (15) before starting of the intermittent rotating movement of the rotating part (24) and stopping the tool carrier (14) in the rest position (UA), —
subsequently, initiating the intermittent rotating movement of the rotating part (24) via the rotary drive (30), and,
starting the reciprocating movement (H) of the tool carrier (14) out of the rest position (UA) only after the intermittent rotating movement of the rotating part (24) is completed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2013 106 784.0 | Jun 2013 | DE | national |
This is a continuation-in-part application of pending international application PCT/EP2014/063544 filed Jun. 26, 2014, and claiming the priority of German application No. 10 2013 106 784.0 filed Jun. 28, 2013. The said International application PCT/EP2014/063544 and German application No. 10 2013 106 784.0 are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties as though fully set forth.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2014/063544 | Jun 2014 | US |
| Child | 14967523 | US |
