Patent Grant
12162060
The present invention relates to a technique for bending a processing target material.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-245718 discloses a processing method for bending a processing target material. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-245718 describes placing a processing target material on a die and bending the processing target material by pressing a punch against the processing target material.
However, sometimes the processing target material is displaced from a placing surface of the die in the horizontal direction or rotated with respect to a normal line perpendicular to the placing surface of the die when the processing target material is placed on the die. In the case where the processing target material is displaced from the die when the processing target material is placed on the die, it can be difficult to bend the processing target material with high precision.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a product includes placing a processing target material on a die, bringing a first punch into contact with the processing target material placed on the die, and bending the processing target material by pressing the processing target material by the first punch. The processing target material has two first groove portions arranged at an interval in a first direction with reference to the processing target material and extending in the first direction, and a projection portion having a tapered shape, provided between the two first groove portions, and projecting with respect to bottom portions of the two first groove portions. The first punch has two pressing portions arranged at an interval in a second direction with reference to the first punch and extending in the second direction, and a recess portion provided between the two pressing portions and recessed with respect to the two pressing portions. The bringing the first punch into contact with the processing target material placed on the die includes bringing the two pressing portions into contact with the two first groove portions and bringing the recess portion into contact with the projection portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a punch used for bending a processing target material, the punch includes two pressing portions arranged at an interval in a predetermined direction and extending in the predetermined direction, and a recess portion provided between the two pressing portions and recessed with respect to the two pressing portions.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a product includes a first portion, a second portion, and a bent portion interconnecting the first portion and the second portion. The bent portion includes, on a bending inner side thereof, two slits arranged at an interval in a first direction and extending in the first direction, and a projection portion positioned between the two slits.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to drawings.
The processing apparatus 100 performs a bending process of a target object. A processing target material W1 that is a plastically deformable member such as a metal member or a plastic member serves as the target object. A flow in the processing target material W1 that is plastically deformable can be a plastic flow. For example, the processing target material W1 is preferably a metal member such as a metal plate. The processing apparatus 100 is configured such that a die 17 and a punch 14 are attachable thereto, and manufactures a product W10 by bending the processing target material W1 by using the attached die 17 and punch 14. The robot arm 200 is an apparatus capable of conveying the processing target material W1 to the die 17.
The processing apparatus 100 includes a frame 101, a fixed stage 102 fixed to the frame 101, and a movable stage 103 movable in a direction perpendicular to the fixed stage 102, that is, in a Z direction that is the up-down direction. In addition, the processing apparatus 100 includes a driving portion 110 that drives the movable stage 103 in the Z direction. The operation of the driving portion 110 is controlled by the control apparatus 400.
In addition, the processing apparatus 100 includes a punch holder 104 attached to the movable stage 103, and a die holder 105 attached to the frame 101. The punch holder 104 holds the punch 14, and the die holder 105 holds the die 17. The punch 14 serves as a first punch. A direction perpendicular to the Z direction which is the vertical direction, that is, a horizontal direction will be referred to as an X direction. In addition, another horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Z direction will be referred to as a Y direction. The processing apparatus 100 includes a backgauge 106 serving as an abutting portion that an end surface S13 of the processing target material W1 abuts, and a driving portion 111 that drives the backgauge 106 in the X direction. The operation of the driving portion 111 is controlled by the control apparatus 400.
The punch 14 is driven by the driving portion 110 in a Z1 direction, which is a downward direction directed to the die 17, and in a Z2 direction, which is an upward direction directed away from the die 17 and opposite to the Z1 direction. The punch 14 is movable to a retracted position and a processing position in the Z direction. The processing position is positioned below the retracted position. By moving the punch 14 in the Z1 direction from the retracted position to the processing position, the processing target material W1 placed on the die 17 can be bent. After the bending process of the processing target material W1 is finished, the punch 14 can be separated from the bent product by moving the punch 14 in the Z2 direction from the processing position to the retracted position.
The backgauge 106 is a member for positioning the processing target material W1 with respect to the die 17, and has a flat surface for abutting the end surface S13 of the processing target material W1. The flat surface of the backgauge 106 is a Y-Z surface extending in the Y direction and the Z direction. The backgauge 106 is driven in the X direction by being driven by the driving portion 111.
The backgauge 106 is driven by the driving portion 111 in a X1 direction directed to the die 17, and in a X2 direction directed away from the die 17 and opposite to the X1 direction. The X1 direction and the X2 direction are horizontal directions parallel to the X direction. The backgauge 106 is movable to a retracted position and a positioning position in the X direction. By moving the backgauge 106 in the X1 direction from the retracted position to the positioning position, the end surface S13 of the processing target material W1 can be caused to abut the backgauge 106 positioned at the positioning position, and thus the processing target material W1 can be positioned with respect to the die 17. In addition, the backgauge 106 can be separated from the processing target material W1 on the die 17 by moving the backgauge 106 in the X2 direction from the positioning position to the retracted position.
The robot arm 200 includes an arm body 201 and an end effector 202 attached to the arm body 201. The end effector 202 holds the processing target material W1, and is constituted by, for example, a gripping mechanism or a sucking mechanism. The robot arm 200 is capable of an operation of placing the processing target material W1 held by the end effector 202 on the die 17, and an operation of removing the bent product W10 from the die 17. In addition, the robot arm 200 is capable of an operation of causing the end surface S13 of the processing target material W1 to abut the backgauge 106 positioned at the positioning position to position the processing target material W1 with respect to the die 17, and releasing the processing target material W1 before lowering the punch 14 from the retracted position. In this manner, the robot arm 200 can place the processing target material W1 on the die 17. To be noted, after the processing target material W1 is placed on the die 17, the backgauge 106 is driven in the X2 direction and retracts to the retracted position.
Here, a comparative example will be described.
The die 17X has a placing surface 171X and a V-shaped groove portion 172X. The processing target material W1X is placed on the placing surface 171X of the die 17X. At this time, an end surface of the processing target material W1X abuts a backgauge 106X positioned at a positioning position. As a result of this, the processing target material W1X is positioned with respect to the die 17X. Then, the backgauge 106X is retracted. Next, as illustrated in
However, the position and orientation of the processing target material W1X with respect to the die 17X can be displaced while or after positioning the processing target material W1X. That is, the processing target material W1X can be displaced in the horizontal direction along the placing surface 171X, or can be displaced in a rotation direction about the normal line of the placing surface 171X. Even if it is attempted to accurately position the processing target material W1X with respect to the die 17X as illustrated in
Therefore, in the first embodiment, the punch 14 and the processing target material W1 are formed in such shapes that the position and orientation of the processing target material W1 are corrected in accordance with the punch 14 when the descending punch 14 comes into contact with the processing target material W1. The configuration of the punch 14, the die 17, and the processing target material W1 of the first embodiment will be described in detail below.
The die 17 is a single body formed from metal. The die 17 includes a placing surface 171 that is an X-Y surface spreading in the X direction and the Y direction, and a groove portion 172 that is recessed in a V shape with respect to the placing surface 171. The groove portion 172 extends in the Y direction. The groove portion 172 has a pair of inclined surfaces 174 inclined toward a bottom portion 173.
The processing target material W1 includes a surface S11, and a surface S12 opposite to the surface S11. The processing target material W1 serving as a bending target object of the first embodiment has a different configuration from the processing target material W1X illustrated in
The guiding portion 11 of the processing target material W1 includes a plurality of, for example, three groove portions 12 defined in the surface S11, and a plurality of, for example, two projection portions 13 formed on the surface S11. Part of the surface S12 corresponding to the back side of the projection portions 13 on the surface S11 are flat surface. The groove portions 12 serve as first groove portions. The projection portions 13 of the first embodiment each project with respect to a bottom portion 121 of each of the groove portions 12. The number of the projection portions 13 is smaller than the number of the groove portions 12 by 1. Further, in the surface S11 of the processing target material W1, the groove portions 12 and the projection portions 13 are alternately arranged in the A direction. Here, the A direction serves as a first direction with reference to the processing target material W1.
The plurality of groove portions 12 are each a groove extending in the A direction and a V-shaped groove extending in the A direction in the first embodiment. The plurality of groove portions 12 are arranged at intervals in the A direction. Each projection portion 13 is disposed between two adjacent groove portions 12 among the plurality of groove portions 12.
The groove portions 12 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 122 inclined such that the groove width becomes smaller toward a bottom portion 121 of the groove portion 12. The pair of inclined surfaces 122 extend in the A direction. To be noted, although the groove portions 12 each have a V shape, that is, each have a linear bottom portion 121, the configuration is not limited to this. It suffices as long as the groove portions 12 each have a pair of inclined surfaces 122, and for example, the groove portions 12 may each have a U shape in which the bottom portion 121 is a surface. In this case, the surface of the bottom portion 121 may be, for example, a flat surface or a curved surface. The projection portions 13 are each formed in a tapered shape projecting with respect to the bottom portions 121 of the two groove portions 12 between which the projection portion 13 is positioned in the A direction.
In the first embodiment, the punch 14 is a single body formed from metal. As a result of this, the punch 14 can be produced at a low cost. The punch 14 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 142. The inclined surfaces 142 are each formed to extend in the Y direction. The inclined surfaces 142 each extend in a tapered shape in the Z1 direction as viewed in the Y direction. That is, the punch 14 is formed such that the width thereof in the X direction is smaller at a position closer to the distal end portion 141 as viewed in the Y direction.
The distal end portion 141 of the punch 14 includes a plurality of, for example, three pressing portions 15, and a plurality of, for example, two recess portions 16. The recess portions 16 are recessed in the Z2 direction with respect to the pressing portions 15. The recess portions 16 are each defined in a cutout shape as viewed in the X direction. The pressing portions 15 are projection portions as compared with the recess portions 16. In the first embodiment, the number of the pressing portions 15 is equal to the number of the groove portions 12, and the number of the recess portions 16 is equal to the number of the projection portions 13. The number of the recess portions 16 is smaller than the number of the pressing portions 15 by 1. Further, in the distal end portion 141 of the punch 14, the pressing portions 15 and the recess portions 16 are alternately arranged in the Y direction. Here, the Y direction is a predetermined direction, and serves as a second direction with reference to the punch 14. In the first embodiment, the distal end portion 141 of the punch 14 engages with the guiding portion 11 of the processing target material W1 when the punch 14 descends, and thus the position and orientation of the processing target material W1 is corrected such that the A direction of the processing target material W1 matches the Y direction of the punch 14. The distal end portion 141 of the punch 14 engaging with the guiding portion 11 of the processing target material W1 means that the pressing portions 15 engage with the groove portions 12 and the recess portions 16 engage with the projection portions 13.
Each of the plurality of pressing portions 15 is a mountain portion having a V shape which is convex downward whose ridgeline extends in the Y direction. The distal end of the pressing portion 15, which is the ridgeline of the mountain portion, is preferably rounded. The plurality of pressing portions 15 are arranged at intervals in the Y direction. The recess portions 16 are each disposed between two adjacent pressing portions 15 among the plurality of pressing portions 15.
To be noted, although the processing target material W1 includes the plurality of projection portions 13 in the first embodiment, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one projection portion 13 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the processing target material W1 has at least two groove portions 12. For example, in the case where the length of a planned bending region of the processing target material W1 in the A direction is 20 mm or less, a configuration in which one projection portion 13 is disposed at the center of the planned bending region of the processing target material W1 and two groove portions 12 are arranged in the A direction such that the one projection portion 13 is interposed therebetween may be employed.
Similarly, although the punch 14 includes the plurality of recess portions 16, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one recess portion 16 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the punch 14 includes at least two pressing portions 15.
A configuration of the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1 and the recess portions 16 of the punch 14 will be described in further detail. Description will be given focusing on one of the plurality of projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1, and two of the plurality of groove portions 12 between which the one projection portion 13 is provided. In addition, description will be given focusing on one of the plurality of recess portions 16 of the punch 14 corresponding to the one projection portion 13, and two of the plurality of pressing portions 15 corresponding to the two groove portions 12 between which the one recess portion 16 is provided.
The projection portion 13 of the processing target material W1 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 131 and a distal end portion 132. The inclined surfaces 131 each serve as a first inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 131 are inclined in a shape tapered from the bottom portion 121 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 12 toward the distal end portion 132. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 131 are inclined such that the width of the projection portion 13 in the A direction becomes larger from the distal end portion 132 of the projection portion 13 toward the bottom portion 121 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 12.
The recess portion 16 of the punch 14 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 161 and a bottom portion 162. The inclined surfaces 161 each serve as a second inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 161 are inclined in a shape tapered toward the bottom portion 162 of the recess portion 16. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 161 are inclined such that the width of the recess portion 16 in the Y direction becomes smaller from corresponding one of the pressing portions 15 toward the bottom portion 162.
Each step of a manufacturing method for the product W10 will be described below.
The base material W1′ is formed by cutting into a predetermined shape by a cutting method selected from various methods such as laser cutting, press punching, wire cutting, and etching. The base material W1′ illustrated in
A step for forming the processing target material W1 from the base material W1′ illustrated in
A punch 18 and a die 19 illustrated in
Parts of the distal end portion 181 of the punch 18 that transfer the groove portions 12 onto the surface 511′ are each formed in a convex V shape in side view. The angle of the distal end portion 181 is, for example, 90°. In addition, parts of the distal end portion 181 of the punch 18 that transfer the projection portions 13 onto the surface S11′ are clearance portions 182.
First, as illustrated in
Next, a step of placing the processing target material W1 on the die 17 as illustrated in
Next, a step of lowering the punch 14 in the Z1 direction and bringing the punch 14 into contact with the processing target material W1 placed on the die 17 is performed. In this step, the distal end portion 141 of the punch 14 is brought into contact with the guiding portion 11 of the processing target material W1. Specifically, the pressing portions 15 of the punch 14 are brought into contact with the groove portions 12 of the processing target material W1, and the recess portions 16 of the punch 14 are brought into contact with the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1.
As illustrated in
As a result of this, in the case where the processing target material W1 is in a state of having rotated about the normal line of the placing surface 171 of the die 17 as illustrated in
When the punch 14 is further lowered in the Z1 direction from the state illustrated in
As the bending process of the processing target material W1 progresses, the groove portions 12 are deformed and retracted from the pressing portions 15, and the projection portions 13 are deformed and flow to the recess portions 16. That is, the material of the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1 flows to the bending inner side and into the recess portions 16 of the punch 14. As a result of this, the displacement of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction is corrected also during the bending process of the processing target material W1. That is, although the pressing portions 15 are disengaged from the groove portions 12 during the bending process of the processing target material W1, the recess portions 16 are engaged with the deformed projection portions 13, and therefore the displacement of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction can be suppressed.
According to the operation described above, for example, even if the processing target material W1 is displaced from the die 17 by about 0.2 mm in the Y direction when the processing target material W1 is placed on the die 17, the displacement of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction can be suppressed to 0.02 mm or less during the bending process of the processing target material W1.
The punch 14 is lowered in the Z1 direction from above the processing target material W1 until the processing target material W1 comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces 174 of the groove portion 172 of the die 17 illustrated in
In the state in which the bending process of the processing target material W1 has completed, the groove portions 12 illustrated in
In addition, the bent portion W13 has a plurality of protrusion portions 113 formed by deformation of the plurality of projection portions 13 on the bending inner side of the bent portion W13. The protrusion portions 113 also each serve as a projection portion. The protrusion portions 113 each correspond to one of the projection portions 13. Therefore, the number of the protrusion portions 113 is equal to the number of the projection portions 13. The protrusion portions 113 are each disposed between two adjacent slits 112 among the plurality of slits 112. By measuring the positions and angles of the protrusion portions 113 present on the bending inner side of the product W10 with respect to the slits 112 by using image processing, a non-contact laser sensor, or the like, whether the precision of the product W10 is high or low can be determined.
Here, a preferable example of the dimensions of the processing target material W1 and the punch 14 will be described with reference to
A height H12 of the projection portions 13 is preferably set to 1 time to 1.1 times of the depth H11 of the groove portions 12. Among directions intersecting with the A direction, a direction perpendicular to the A direction will be referred to as a B direction. As viewed in the B direction, an angle θ11 formed by the pair of inclined surfaces 131 of each of the projection portions 13 is preferably 80° to 90°. By setting the angle θ11 to 90° or less, the recess portions 16 of the punch 14 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1, and the processing target material W1 can be reliably positioned in the Y direction. In addition, by setting the angle θ11 to 80° or more, the amount of correction of the position of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction possible by the inclined surfaces 131 of the projection portion 13 can be increased.
The width D11 of each of the projection portions 13 is the width of the widest portion of the projection portion 13 in the A direction. Although the projection portions 13 each have a triangular cross-section as illustrated in
As illustrated in
An angle θ12 of the pair of inclined surfaces 161 of the recess portion 16 is preferably 60° to 90° as viewed in the X direction. By setting the angle θ12 of the recess portion 16 to 60° or more, the recess portions 16 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 13. In addition, by setting the angle θ12 of the recess portion 16 to 90° or less, the deformed projection portions 13 can be effectively caused to flow to the recess portions 16 when bending the processing target material W1, and thus displacement of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction can be effectively suppressed.
A width D12 of the recess portion 16 is the width of the widest portion of the recess portion 16 in the Y direction. The width D12 of the recess portion 16 in the Y direction is preferably 0.9 times to 1 time of the width D11 of the projection portion 13 in the A direction. By setting the width D12 of the recess portion 16 to be equal to or less than the width D11 of the projection portion 13, the recess portions 16 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 13. In addition, by setting the width D12 of the recess portion 16 to 0.9 times or more of the width D11 of the projection portion 13, the amount of correction in which displacement of the processing target material W1 in the Y direction can be corrected when the recess portions 16 engage with the projection portions 13 can be increased.
To be noted, although a case where the punch 14 is constituted by a single body formed from metal has been described in the first embodiment, the configuration is not limited to this.
A punch 14-1 of the modification example illustrated in
The blocks 141-1 are each a block including a pressing portion 15-1 and a side surface of a recess portion 16-1. The blocks 142-1 are each a plate-shaped block including a bottom surface of a recess portion 16-1. The plurality of blocks 141-1 and the plurality of blocks 142-1 are alternately laminated in the Y direction, and are fixed to each other by fusion, adhesion, or bolt fastening. The recess portions 16-1 are each defined by two blocks 141-1 and one block 142-1 interposed therebetween. To be noted, the opening side of the recess portions 16-1 may be rounded.
By using a plurality of blocks in combination, the punch 14-1 including at least two pressing portions 15-1 and at least one recess portion 16-1 can be easily formed.
A punch 14-2 of a modification example illustrated in
The blocks 141-2 are each a block including a pressing portion 15-2. The blocks 143-2 are each a plate whose distal end portion is bent. Recess portions 16-2 are each defined by two blocks 143-2 bent in opposite directions among the plurality of blocks 143-2. The blocks 142-2 are blocks that are provided for adjusting the positions of the recess portions 16-2 and the pressing portions 15-2. One recess portion 16-2 is defined between two pressing portions 15-2 by two blocks 143-2 being interposed between two blocks 142-2 and two blocks 141-2.
In the case of increasing the width of the recess portion 16-2, an unillustrated interval adjusting block may be provided between the two blocks 143-2. The plurality of blocks 141-2, 142-2, and 143-2 laminated in the Y direction are fixed to each other by fusion, adhesion, bolt fastening, or the like.
By using the plurality of blocks 141-2, 142-2, and 143-2 in combination, the punch 14-2 including at least two pressing portions 15-2 and at least one recess portion 16-2 can be easily formed. In addition, the inclination angle of the inclined surfaces of the recess portion 16-2 can be easily set by setting the bending angle of the two blocks 142-2.
As described above, since the punches 14-1 and 14-2 illustrated in
To be noted, although the number of the recess portions 16 of the punch 14 illustrated in
By using the punch 14-3, a processing target material having different dimensions or a different shape from the processing target material W1 can be also bent. In this case, in the punch 14-3, a recess portion 16-3 that is to be used for engagement with a projection portion is selected from the plurality of recess portions 16-3 in accordance with the projection portion of the processing target material to be bent. Therefore, a processing target material having a different length of the planned bending region from the processing target material W1 can be bent by using the same punch 14-3 and the same die. In addition, the bending process can be also performed by using the same punch 14-3 and the same die in the case of changing the position of the processing target material in the Y direction with respect to the die. As described above, the same punch 14-3 and the same die can be used for the bending process of various processing target materials.
In addition, the punch 14-3 includes a plurality of pressing portions 15-3 arranged at intervals in the Y direction. The recess portions 16-3 are each disposed between two adjacent pressing portions 15-3 among the plurality of pressing portions 15-3. The number of the plurality of recess portions 16-3 is smaller than the number of the plurality of pressing portions 15-3 by 1. Two or more of the plurality of pressing portions 15-3 engage with one groove portion 12.
Since the number of the recess portions 16-3 of the punch 14-3 is larger than the number of the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1, the plurality of recess portions 16-3 includes recess portions 16-31 used for engagement with the projection portions 13 of the processing target material W1 during the bending process, and recess portions 16-32 that are not used in the engagement with the projection portions 13.
Description will be given focusing on a part circled by a one-dot chain line in
By bending the processing target material W1 by using the punch 14-3 and an unillustrated die, the product W10-3 illustrated in
In the state in which the bending process of the processing target material W1 has completed, the groove portions 12 illustrated in
In addition, the bent portion W13-3 has a plurality of protrusion portions 113 formed by deformation of the plurality of projection portions 13 on the bending inner side of the bent portion W13-3. The protrusion portions 113 also each serve as a projection portion. The protrusion portions 113 each serve as an example of a first projection portion. Meanwhile, protrusion portions 113-32 are formed at positions corresponding to the recess portions 16-32 that do not engage with the projection portions 13 by the recess portions 16-32 in the bent portion W13-3. The protrusion portions 113-32 are smaller than the protrusion portions 113. The protrusion portions 113-32 serve as an example of second projection portions.
If the protrusion portions 113 and the protrusion portions 113-32 are arranged at equal intervals in the positions corresponding to the slits 112-3 formed from the groove portions 12, it means that the bending process has been performed while the position and orientation of the processing target material W1 with respect to the die is corrected.
As described above, by using the punch 14-3 illustrated in
In addition, the shape of the base material W1′ used for forming the processing target material W1 is not limited to the rectangular shape as illustrated in
A second embodiment will be described.
The processing target material W2 is a plastically deformable member such as a metal member or a plastic member. The processing target material W2 is preferably a metal member such as a metal plate.
The punch 24 serves as a first punch. In the second embodiment, the punch 24 and the processing target material W2 are formed in such shapes that the position and orientation of the processing target material W2 are corrected in accordance with the punch 24 when the descending punch 24 comes into contact with the processing target material W2. The configuration of the punch 24 and the processing target material W2 of the second embodiment will be described in detail below.
The processing target material W2 includes a surface S21, and a surface S22 opposite to the surface S21. The processing target material W2 serving as a bending target object of the second embodiment has a different configuration from the processing target material W1X illustrated in
The guiding portion 21 of the processing target material W2 includes a plurality of, for example, three groove portions 22 defined in the surface S21, and a plurality of, for example, two projection portions 23 formed on the surface S21. Recess portions 28 are defined in parts of the surface S22 corresponding to the back side of the projection portions 23 on the surface S21. The groove portions 22 serve as first groove portions. The projection portions 23 of the second embodiment each project with respect to a bottom portion 221 of each of the groove portions 22. The number of the projection portions 23 is smaller than the number of the groove portions 22 by 1. Further, in the surface S21 of the processing target material W2, the groove portions 22 and the projection portions 23 are alternately arranged in the A direction. Here, the A direction serves as a first direction with reference to the processing target material W2.
The plurality of groove portions 22 are each a groove extending in the A direction and a V-shaped groove extending in the A direction in the second embodiment. The plurality of groove portions 22 are arranged at intervals in the A direction. Each projection portion 23 is disposed between two adjacent groove portions 22 among the plurality of groove portions 22.
The groove portions 22 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 222 inclined such that the groove width becomes smaller toward a bottom portion 221 of the groove portion 22. The pair of inclined surfaces 222 extend in the A direction. To be noted, although the groove portions 22 each have a V shape, that is, each have a linear bottom portion 221, the configuration is not limited to this. It suffices as long as the groove portions 22 each have a pair of inclined surfaces 222, and for example, the groove portions 22 may each have a U shape in which the bottom portion 221 is a surface. In this case, the surface of the bottom portion 221 may be, for example, a flat surface or a curved surface. The projection portions 23 are each formed in a tapered shape to project with respect to the bottom portions 221 of the two groove portions 22 between which the projection portion 23 is positioned in the A direction.
In the second embodiment, the punch 24 is a single body formed from metal. As a result of this, the punch 24 can be produced at a low cost. The punch 24 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 242. The inclined surfaces 242 are each formed to extend in the Y direction. The inclined surfaces 242 each extend in a shape tapered in the Z1 direction as viewed in the Y direction. That is, the punch 24 is formed such that the width thereof in the X direction is smaller at a position closer to the distal end portion 241 as viewed in the Y direction.
The distal end portion 241 of the punch 24 includes a plurality of, for example, three pressing portions 25, and a plurality of, for example, two recess portions 26. The recess portions 26 are recessed in the Z2 direction with respect to the pressing portions 25. The recess portions 26 are each defined in a cutout shape as viewed in the X direction. The pressing portions 25 are projection portions as compared with the recess portions 26. In the second embodiment, the number of the pressing portions 25 is equal to the number of the groove portions 22, and the number of the recess portions 26 is equal to the number of the projection portions 23. The number of the recess portions 26 is smaller than the number of the pressing portions 25 by 1. Further, in the distal end portion 241 of the punch 24, the pressing portions 25 and the recess portions 26 are alternately arranged in the Y direction. Here, the Y direction is a predetermined direction, and serves as a second direction with reference to the punch 24. In the second embodiment, the distal end portion 241 of the punch 24 engages with the guiding portion 21 of the processing target material W2 when the punch 24 descends, and thus the position and orientation of the processing target material W2 are corrected such that the A direction of the processing target material W2 matches the Y direction of the punch 24. The distal end portion 241 of the punch 24 engaging with the guiding portion 21 of the processing target material W2 means that the pressing portions 25 engage with the groove portions 22 and the recess portions 26 engage with the projection portions 23.
Each of the plurality of pressing portions 25 is a mountain portion having a V shape which is convex downward and whose ridgeline extends in the Y direction. The distal end of the pressing portion 25, which is the ridgeline of the mountain portion, is preferably rounded. The plurality of pressing portions 25 are arranged at intervals in the Y direction. The recess portions 26 are each disposed between two adjacent pressing portions 25 among the plurality of pressing portions 25.
To be noted, although the processing target material W2 includes the plurality of projection portions 23 in the second embodiment, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one projection portion 23 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the processing target material W2 has at least two groove portions 22. For example, in the case where the length of a planned bending region of the processing target material W2 in the A direction is 20 mm or less, a configuration in which one projection portion 23 is disposed at the center of the planned bending region of the processing target material W2 and two groove portions 22 are arranged in the A direction such that the one projection portion 23 is interposed therebetween may be employed.
Similarly, although the punch 24 includes the plurality of recess portions 26, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one recess portion 26 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the punch 24 includes at least two pressing portions 25.
A configuration of the projection portions 23 of the processing target material W2 and the recess portions 26 of the punch 24 will be described in further detail.
The projection portion 23 of the processing target material W2 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 231 and a distal end portion 232. The inclined surfaces 231 each serve as a first inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 231 are inclined in a shape tapered from the bottom portion 221 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 22 toward the distal end portion 232. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 231 are inclined such that the width of the projection portion 23 in the A direction becomes larger from the distal end portion 232 of the projection portion 23 toward the bottom portion 221 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 22.
The recess portions 26 of the punch 24 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 261 and a bottom portion 262. The inclined surfaces 261 each serve as a second inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 261 are inclined in a shape tapered toward the bottom portion 262 of the recess portion 26. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 261 are inclined such that the width of the recess portion 26 in the Y direction becomes smaller from corresponding one of the pressing portions 25 toward the bottom portion 262.
Each step of a manufacturing method for a product according to the second embodiment will be described below. First, a step of forming the processing target material W2 illustrated in
In the second embodiment, the processing target material W2 including the guiding portion 21 is formed by processing the base material W1′ by two steps.
First, a punch 228 illustrated in
Next, a punch 229 illustrated in
Next, a step of placing the processing target material W2 on the die 17 as illustrated in
Next, a step of lowering the punch 24 in the Z1 direction and bringing the punch 24 into contact with the processing target material W2 placed on the die 17 is performed. In this step, the distal end portion 241 of the punch 24 is brought into contact with the guiding portion 21 of the processing target material W2. Specifically, the pressing portions 25 of the punch 24 are brought into contact with the groove portions 22 of the processing target material W2, and the recess portions 26 of the punch 24 are brought into contact with the projection portions 23 of the processing target material W2.
As illustrated in
As a result of this, in the case where the processing target material W2 is in a state of having rotated about the normal line of the placing surface 171 of the die 17 as illustrated in
When the punch 24 is further lowered in the Z1 direction from the state illustrated in
As the bending process of the processing target material W2 progresses, the groove portions 22 are deformed and retracted from the pressing portions 25, and the projection portions 23 are deformed and flow to the recess portions 26. That is, the material of the projection portions 23 of the processing target material W2 flows to the bending inner side and into the recess portions 26 of the punch 24. As a result of this, the displacement of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction is corrected also during the bending process of the processing target material W2. That is, although the pressing portions 25 are disengaged from the groove portions 22 during the bending process of the processing target material W2, the recess portions 26 are engaged with the deformed projection portions 23, and therefore the displacement of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction can be suppressed.
According to the operation described above, for example, even if the processing target material W2 is displaced from the die 17 by about 0.2 mm in the Y direction when the processing target material W2 is placed on the die 17, the displacement of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction can be suppressed to 0.02 mm or less during the bending process of the processing target material W2.
The punch 24 is lowered in the Z1 direction from above the processing target material W2 until the processing target material W2 comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces 174 of the groove portion 172 of the die 17 illustrated in
In the state in which the bending process of the processing target material W2 has completed, the groove portions 22 illustrated in
In addition, the bent portion W23 has a plurality of protrusion portions 213 formed by deformation of the plurality of projection portions 23 on the bending inner side of the bent portion W23. The protrusion portions 213 also each serve as a projection portion. The protrusion portions 213 each correspond to one of the projection portions 23. Therefore, the number of the protrusion portions 213 is equal to the number of the projection portions 23. The protrusion portions 213 are each disposed between two adjacent slits 212 among the plurality of slits 212. By measuring the positions and angles of the protrusion portions 213 present on the bending inner side of the product W20 with respect to the slits 212 by using image processing, a non-contact laser sensor, or the like, whether the precision of the product W20 is high or low can be determined. In addition, the bent portion W23 includes, on the bending outer side thereof, recess portions 238 illustrated in
Here, a preferable example of the dimensions of the processing target material W2 and the punch 24 will be described with reference to
A depth H21 of each of the groove portions 22 is preferably 0.3 times to 0.5 times of a thickness H20 of the processing target material W2. For example, in the case where the thickness H20 of the processing target material W2 is 1 mm, the depth H21 of the groove portions 22 is preferably 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. By setting the depth H21 of the groove portions 22 to 0.5 times or less of the thickness H20 of the processing target material W2, breakage of the processing target material W2 at the groove portions 22 when forming the groove portions 22 or during the bending process can be effectively suppressed. In addition, by setting the depth H21 of the groove portions 22 to 0.3 times or more of the thickness H20 of the processing target material W2, the pressing portions 25 of the punch 24 can be reliably engaged with the groove portions 22.
In addition, as viewed in the B direction, an angle θ21 formed by the pair of inclined surfaces 231 of each of the projection portions 23 is preferably 80° to 90°. By setting the angle θ21 to 90° or less, the recess portions 26 of the punch 24 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 23 of the processing target material W2, and the processing target material W2 can be reliably positioned in the Y direction. In addition, by setting the angle θ21 to 80° or more, the amount of correction of the position of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction possible by the inclined surfaces 231 of the projection portion 23 can be increased.
As viewed in the X direction, an angle θ22 formed by the pair of inclined surfaces 261 of each of the recess portions 26 is preferably 60° to 90°. By setting the angle θ22 of the recess portions 26 to 60° or more, the recess portions 26 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 23. In addition, by setting the angle θ22 of the recess portions 26 to 90° or less, the deformed projection portions 23 can effectively flow to the recess portions 26 during the bending process of the processing target material W2, and thus displacement of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction can be effectively suppressed.
The width D21 of each of the projection portions 23 is the width of the widest portion of the projection portion 23 in the A direction. The width D22 of each of the recess portions 26 is the width of the widest portion of the recess portion 26 in the Y direction. The width D22 of the recess portion 26 in the Y direction is preferably 0.9 times to 1 time of the width D21 of the projection portion 23 in the A direction. By setting the width D22 of the recess portion 26 to be equal to or less than the width D21 of the projection portion 23, the recess portions 26 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 23. In addition, by setting the width D22 of the recess portion 26 to 0.9 times or more of the width D21 of the projection portion 23, the amount of correction in which displacement of the processing target material W2 in the Y direction can be corrected when the recess portions 26 engage with the projection portions 23 can be increased.
The height H22 of the projection portions 23 is larger than the depth H21 of the groove portions 22. That is, the projection portions 23 project in the normal line direction of the surface S21 with respect to the surface S21. The amount of projection thereof is preferably 0.5 mm to 1 mm. The width D21 of each of the projection portions 23 is preferably 2 mm to 3 mm.
To be noted, the configuration of the punch 24 of the second embodiment is not limited to the configuration described above, and the punch 24 may be configured like modification examples illustrated in
A third embodiment will be described.
The processing target material W3 is a plastically deformable member such as a metal member or a plastic member. The processing target material W3 is preferably a metal member such as a metal plate.
The punch 34 serves as a first punch. In the third embodiment, the punch 34 and the processing target material W3 are formed in such shapes that the position and orientation of the processing target material W3 are corrected in accordance with the punch 34 when the descending punch 34 comes into contact with the processing target material W3. The configuration of the punch 34 and the processing target material W3 of the third embodiment will be described in detail below.
The processing target material W3 includes a surface S31, and a surface S32 opposite to the surface S31. The processing target material W3 serving as a bending target object of the second embodiment has a different configuration from the processing target material W1X illustrated in
The guiding portion 31 of the processing target material W3 includes a plurality of, for example, three groove portions 32 defined in the surface S31, and a plurality of, for example, two projection portions 33 formed in the surface S31. Parts of the surface S32 corresponding to the back side of the projection portions 33 on the surface S31 are flat surface. The groove portions 32 serve as first groove portions. The projection portions 33 of the third embodiment each project with respect to a bottom portion 321 of each of the groove portions 32. The number of the projection portions 33 is smaller than the number of the groove portions 32 by 1. Further, in the surface S31 of the processing target material W3, the groove portions 32 and the projection portions 33 are alternately arranged in the A direction. Here, the A direction serves as a first direction with reference to the processing target material W3.
The plurality of groove portions 32 are each a groove extending in the A direction and a V-shaped groove extending in the A direction in the third embodiment. The plurality of groove portions 32 are arranged at intervals in the A direction. Each projection portion 33 is disposed between two adjacent groove portions 32 among the plurality of groove portions 32.
The groove portions 32 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 322 inclined such that the groove width becomes smaller toward the bottom portion 321 of the groove portion 32. The pair of inclined surfaces 322 extend in the A direction. To be noted, although the groove portions 32 each have a V shape, that is, each have a linear bottom portion 321, the configuration is not limited to this. It suffices as long as the groove portions 32 each have a pair of inclined surfaces 322, and for example, the groove portions 32 may each have a U shape in which the bottom portion 321 is a surface. In this case, the surface of the bottom portion 321 may be, for example, a flat surface or a curved surface.
The projection portions 33 are each formed in a tapered shape projecting with respect to the bottom portions 321 of the two groove portions 32 between which the projection portion 33 is disposed in the A direction. Here, the projection portions 33 extend in a B direction that is a longitudinal direction intersecting with the A direction considering the A direction as a short-side direction. That is, the projection portions 33 are longer in the B direction than in the A direction. In the third embodiment, the B direction is a direction perpendicular to the A direction. In the third direction, the projection portions 33 are each defined by a pair of groove portions 38 extending in the B direction and arranged at an interval in the A direction. One projection portion 33 is disposed between a pair of groove portions 38. The groove portions 38 serve as second groove portions.
In the third embodiment, the punch 34 is a single body formed from metal. As a result of this, the punch 34 can be produced at a low cost. The punch 34 includes a pair of inclined surfaces 342. The inclined surfaces 342 are each formed to extend in the Y direction. The inclined surfaces 342 each extend in a shape tapered in the Z1 direction as viewed in the Y direction. That is, the punch 34 is formed such that the width thereof in the X direction is smaller at a position closer to the distal end portion 341 as viewed in the Y direction.
The distal end portion 341 of the punch 34 includes a plurality of, for example, three pressing portions 35, and a plurality of, for example, two recess portions 36. The recess portions 36 are recessed in the Z2 direction with respect to the pressing portions 35. The recess portions 36 are each defined in a cutout shape as viewed in the X direction. The pressing portions 35 are projection portions as compared with the recess portions 36. In the third embodiment, the number of the pressing portions 35 is equal to the number of the groove portions 32, and the number of the recess portions 36 is equal to the number of the projection portions 33. The number of the recess portions 36 is smaller than the number of the pressing portions 35 by 1. Further, in the distal end portion 341 of the punch 34, the pressing portions 35 and the recess portions 36 are alternately arranged in the Y direction. Here, the Y direction is a predetermined direction, and serves as a second direction with reference to the punch 34. In the third embodiment, the distal end portion 341 of the punch 34 engages with the guiding portion 31 of the processing target material W3 when the punch 34 descends, and thus the position and orientation of the processing target material W3 is corrected such that the A direction of the processing target material W3 matches the Y direction of the punch 34. The distal end portion 341 of the punch 34 engaging with the guiding portion 31 of the processing target material W3 means that the pressing portions 35 engage with the groove portions 32 and the recess portions 36 engage with the projection portions 33.
Each of the plurality of pressing portions 35 is a mountain portion having a V shape which is convex downward and whose ridgeline extends in the Y direction. The distal end of the pressing portion 35, which is the ridgeline of the mountain portion, is preferably rounded. The plurality of pressing portions 35 are arranged at intervals in the Y direction. The recess portions 36 are each disposed between two adjacent pressing portions 35 among the plurality of pressing portions 35.
To be noted, although the processing target material W3 includes the plurality of projection portions 33 in the third embodiment, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one projection portion 33 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the processing target material W3 has at least two groove portions 32. For example, in the case where the length of a planned bending region of the processing target material W3 in the A direction is 20 mm or less, a configuration in which one projection portion 33 is disposed at the center of the planned bending region of the processing target material W3 and two groove portions 32 are arranged in the A direction such that the one projection portion 33 is interposed therebetween may be employed.
Similarly, although the punch 34 includes the plurality of recess portions 36, the configuration is not limited to this, and it suffices as long as at least one recess portion 36 is provided. In addition, it suffices as long as the punch 34 includes at least two pressing portions 35.
A configuration of the projection portions 33 of the processing target material W3 and the recess portions 36 of the punch 34 will be described in further detail.
The projection portions 33 of the processing target material W3 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 331 and a distal end portion 332. The inclined surfaces 331 each serve as a first inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 331 are inclined in a shape tapered from the bottom portion 321 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 32 toward the distal end portion 332. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 331 are inclined such that the width of the projection portion 33 in the A direction becomes larger from the distal end portion 332 of the projection portion 33 toward the bottom portion 321 of the corresponding one of the groove portions 32.
The recess portions 36 of the punch 34 each include a pair of inclined surfaces 361 and a bottom portion 362. The inclined surfaces 361 each serve as a second inclined surface. The pair of inclined surfaces 361 are inclined in a shape tapered toward the bottom portion 362 of the recess portion 36. That is, the pair of inclined surfaces 361 are inclined such that the width of the recess portion 36 in the Y direction becomes smaller from corresponding one of the pressing portions 35 toward the bottom portion 362.
Each step of a manufacturing method for the product according to the third embodiment will be described below. First, a step of forming the processing target material W3 illustrated in
In the third embodiment, the processing target material W3 including the guiding portion 31 is formed by processing the base material W1′ by two steps.
First, punches 328 illustrated in
Next, a punch 329 illustrated in
Next, a step of placing the processing target material W3 on the die 17 as illustrated in
Next, a step of lowering the punch 34 in the Z1 direction and bringing the punch 34 into contact with the processing target material W3 placed on the die 17 is performed. In this step, the distal end portion 341 of the punch 34 is brought into contact with the guiding portion 31 of the processing target material W3. Specifically, the pressing portions 35 of the punch 34 are brought into contact with the groove portions 32 of the processing target material W3, and the recess portions 36 of the punch 34 are brought into contact with the projection portions 33 of the processing target material W3.
As illustrated in
As a result of this, in the case where the processing target material W3 is in a state of having rotated about the normal line of the placing surface 171 of the die 17 as illustrated in
When the punch 34 is further lowered in the Z1 direction from the state illustrated in
As the bending process of the processing target material W3 progresses, the groove portions 32 are deformed and retracted from the pressing portions 35, and the projection portions 33 are deformed and flow to the recess portions 36. That is, the material of the projection portions 33 of the processing target material W3 flows to the bending inner side and into the recess portions 36 of the punch 34. As a result of this, the displacement of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction is corrected also during the bending process of the processing target material W3. That is, although the pressing portions 35 are disengaged from the groove portions 32 during the bending process of the processing target material W3, the recess portions 36 are engaged with the deformed projection portions 33, and therefore the displacement of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction can be suppressed.
According to the operation described above, for example, even if the processing target material W3 is displaced from the die 17 by about 0.2 mm in the Y direction when the processing target material W3 is placed on the die 17, the displacement of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction can be suppressed to 0.02 mm or less during the bending process of the processing target material W3.
The punch 34 is lowered in the Z1 direction from above the processing target material W3 until the processing target material W3 comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces 174 of the groove portion 172 of the die 17 illustrated in
In the state in which the bending process of the processing target material W3 has completed, the groove portions 32 illustrated in
In addition, the bent portion W33 has a plurality of protrusion portions 313 formed by deformation of the plurality of projection portions 33 on the bending inner side of the bent portion W33. The protrusion portions 313 also each serve as a projection portion. The protrusion portions 313 each correspond to one of the projection portions 33. Therefore, the number of the protrusion portions 313 is equal to the number of the projection portions 33. The protrusion portions 313 are each disposed between two adjacent slits 312 among the plurality of slits 312. By measuring the positions and angles of the protrusion portions 313 present on the bending inner side of the product W30 with respect to the slits 312 by using image processing, a non-contact laser sensor, or the like, whether the precision of the product W30 is high or low can be determined. The protrusion portions 313 are each formed between a pair of groove portions 338 extending in a direction intersecting with the A direction. The groove portions 338 each correspond to one of the groove portions 38 illustrated in
Here, a preferable example of the dimensions of the processing target material W3 and the punch 34 will be described with reference to
A depth H31 of each of the groove portions 32 is preferably 0.3 times to 0.5 times of a thickness H30 of the processing target material W3. For example, in the case where the thickness H30 of the processing target material W3 is 1 mm, the depth H31 of the groove portions 32 is preferably 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. By setting the depth H31 of the groove portions 32 to 0.5 times or less of the thickness H30 of the processing target material W3, breakage of the processing target material W3 at the groove portions 32 when forming the groove portions 32 or during the bending process can be effectively suppressed. In addition, by setting the depth H31 of the groove portions 32 to 0.3 times or more of the thickness H30 of the processing target material W3, the pressing portions 35 of the punch 34 can be reliably engaged with the groove portions 32.
A height H32 of each of the projection portions 33 is preferably 1 time to 1.1 times of the depth H31 of the groove portions 32. In addition, as viewed in the B direction, an angle θ31 formed by the pair of inclined surfaces θ31 of each of the projection portions 33 is preferably 80° to 90°. By setting the angle θ31 to 90° or less, the recess portions 36 of the punch 34 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 33 of the processing target material W3, and the processing target material W3 can be reliably positioned in the Y direction. In addition, by setting the angle θ31 to 80° or more, the amount of correction of the position of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction possible by the inclined surfaces 331 of the projection portion 33 can be increased.
As viewed in the X direction, an angle θ32 formed by the pair of inclined surfaces 361 of each of the recess portions 36 is preferably 60° to 90°. By setting the angle θ32 of the recess portions 36 to 60° or more, the recess portions 36 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 33. In addition, by setting the angle θ32 of the recess portions 36 to 90° or less, the deformed projection portions 33 can effectively flow to the recess portions 36 during the bending process of the processing target material W3, and thus displacement of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction can be effectively suppressed.
The width D31 of each of the projection portions 33 is the width of the widest portion of the projection portion 33 in the A direction. The width D32 of each of the recess portions 36 is the width of the widest portion of the recess portion 36 in the Y direction. The width D32 of the recess portion 36 in the Y direction is preferably 0.9 times to 1 time of the width D31 of the projection portion 33 in the A direction. By setting the width D32 of the recess portion 36 to be equal to or less than the width D31 of the projection portion 33, the recess portions 36 can be reliably engaged with the projection portions 33. In addition, by setting the width D32 of the recess portion 36 to 0.9 times or more of the width D31 of the projection portion 33, the amount of correction in which displacement of the processing target material W3 in the Y direction can be corrected when the recess portions 36 engage with the projection portions 33 can be increased.
To be noted, the configuration of the punch 34 of the third embodiment is not limited to the configuration described above, and the punch 34 may be configured like modification examples illustrated in
The product according to the present embodiment can be used as a part of various devices. For example, at least one part constituting a structural member such as a frame of the device or a base of an in-device unit can be the product of the present embodiment. Examples of the device include electronic devices such as computers, imaging devices such as cameras and displays, office appliances such as printers and copiers, industrial devices such as robots, medical devices such as radiation diagnosis devices, and transportation devices such as cars, ships, and airplanes. The in-device unit is, for example, an image capturing unit or a display unit in a camera, or a sheet conveyance unit or a fixing unit in an office appliance. Various devices can include at least one of an optical part such as a lens, a mirror, or a light source, an electronic part such as a memory, a sensor, or a display, and a mechanical part such as a drive source or a transmission mechanism in addition to a member including the product according to the present embodiment. Examples of the drive source include a motor, and examples of the transmission mechanism include a gear. For example, the product according to the present embodiment can be used as a part of the base of a fixing unit of a laser beam printer that is a kind of an office appliance. The laser beam printer can include optical parts such as a laser light source, a scanning lens, and a polygon mirror, electronic parts such as a processor and a memory, and mechanical parts such as a motor and a gear.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in many ways within the technical concept of the present invention. In addition, the effects described in the embodiment are merely enumeration of most preferable effects that can be obtained from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described in the embodiments.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-209152, filed Dec. 17, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-209152 | Dec 2020 | JP | national |
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| 4220031 | Naslund | Sep 1980 | A |
| 5303572 | Knudson | Apr 1994 | A |
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| 6866180 | Mahoney | Mar 2005 | B2 |
| 20200094302 | Yahagi et al. | Mar 2020 | A1 |
| 20200096932 | Kobayashi et al. | Mar 2020 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
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| 102672011 | Sep 2012 | CN |
| S63-184614 | Nov 1988 | JP |
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| Entry |
|---|
| US 5,303,572A, Office Action dated Jan. 3, 2024. |
| US 3,474,657A, Office Action dated Jan. 3, 2024. |
| Japan 2003-245718, IDS dated Feb. 4, 2022. |
| Office Action dated Sep. 24, 2024 in counterpart Japanese Application No. 2020-209152, together with English translation thereof. |
| Office Action dated Sep. 11, 2024 in counterpart Chinese Application No. 202111540775.4, together with English translation thereof. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220193746 A1 | Jun 2022 | US |
