The present invention relates to a plate-like material feeding device that feeds a plate-like material to a downstream side (next process), for example, a plate-like material feeding device that conveys a plate-like material to be supplied to a press machine.
Hitherto, as a technology for supplying a plate-like material (blank material in a sheet shape) to a press machine, for example, in Patent Literature 1, there is described, as illustrated in
Herein, Patent Literature 1 corresponds to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2017-18992, and Patent Literature 2 corresponds to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2018-47496.
In the material feeding device described in Patent Literature 1, the difference in inertia moment between the upper and lower rolls 1 and 2 is set to 0.001% or less to guarantee synchronousness of the upper roll 1 and the lower roll 2.
However, even when the difference in inertia moment between the upper and lower rolls 1 and 2 is set to 0.001% or less, and the upper and lower drive motors 1A and 2A are operated so as to be synchronized with each other in a controlled manner, the drive of the upper-roll drive motor 1A and the drive of the lower-roll drive motor 2A are separated, and hence it is assumed that a deviation in drive is caused between the motors for some reason. Thus, it is desired that the upper roll 1 and the lower roll 2 be mechanically coupled to each other to synchronize the upper roll 1 and the lower roll 2 with each other in view of an increase in conveyance speed, conveyance accuracy, safety, and the like.
Further, as illustrated in
In Patent Literature 2 having such a configuration, the outer peripheral gear 5B and the outer peripheral gear 6B are meshed with each other. Thus, the lower roll 5 and the upper roll 6 are rotationally coupled to each other mechanically, and are mechanically synchronized with each other.
However, in the material feeding device having the configuration of Patent Literature 2, the lower roll 5 and the upper roll 6 are driven by a single motor, and hence there is a circumstance that the conveyance capacity is not so large as that in Patent Literature 1.
Thus, when the upper roll and the lower roll are mechanically synchronized with each other by the method of Patent Literature 2 and further the conveyance capacity is to be increased, it is conceivable to mount motors that drive the upper roll 6 (rotation shaft 6A) on right and left sides of the device (right-and-left direction in
Further, along with the increase in speed in the press machine in recent years, it is required to further increase a conveyance accuracy and a conveyance capacity also in the feeding device for a plate-like material while maintaining the small width of the device.
According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a plate-like material feeding device configured to sandwich a plate-like material between a lower roll rotatably supported on a device main body and an upper roll which is rotatable and arranged in parallel to the lower roll, so as to convey the plate-like material. The plate-like material feeding device includes: a lower gear integrally provided on a rotation shaft of the lower roll; an intermediate gear which is meshed with the lower gear, and is integrally provided on a rotation shaft of the upper roll; an upper gear meshed with the intermediate gear; a lower-roll drive motor which is coupled to the rotation shaft of the lower roll so as to drive the rotation shaft of the lower roll to rotate; and an upper-roll drive motor configured to drive the upper gear to rotate.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the lower-roll drive motor and the upper-roll drive motor may be arranged on the same side with respect to the lower roll and the upper roll.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the lower-roll drive motor and the upper-roll drive motor may be located on a side opposite to a side on which the lower roll and the upper roll are arranged in relation to the intermediate gear.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the upper roll and the intermediate gear may be coupled to each other through intermediation of an Oldham's coupling.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a rotation center of the lower gear, a rotation center of the intermediate gear, and a rotation center of the upper gear may be arranged on the same straight line.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a straight line connecting a rotation center of the lower gear and a rotation center of the intermediate gear to each other and a straight line connecting the rotation center of the intermediate gear and a rotation center of the upper gear to each other may cross each other at a predetermined angle.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the plate-like material feeding device may further include an idle gear interposed between the intermediate gear and the upper gear.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the lower gear, the intermediate gear, and the upper gear may have the same module and the same number of teeth.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the lower gear and the intermediate gear may have the same module and the same number of teeth, and the upper gear may have the same module as the module of the lower gear and the intermediate gear and have the number of teeth larger than the number of teeth of the lower gear and the intermediate gear.
Now, a plate-like material (sheet-like material or workpiece) feeding device (conveying device) according to embodiments of the present invention is described with reference to the attached drawings. The present invention is not limited by examples described below.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a plate-like material feeding device which can be reduced in an installation space to improve the degree of freedom of installation layout and maintainability and has a high conveyance capacity while having a configuration which is relatively simple and compact and leads to low cost.
The plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment is arranged on an upstream side in a feeding direction F of a plate-like material in the press machine 10. As illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
Then, in synchronization with the working timing of the press machine 10, the plate-like material feeding device 100 and the plate-like material feeding device 200 pull out the elongated plate-like material M from the roll 20 in the feeding direction F and feed the elongated plate-like material M to a predetermined position so that the elongated plate-like material M is subjected to press working by the press machine 10 at that position. After that, the plate-like material feeding device 100 and the plate-like material feeding device 200 feed the plate-like material M in the feeding direction F, and accordingly, the press machine 10 prepares for next press working.
Configuration examples of the plate-like material feeding device 100 and the plate-like material feeding device 200 according to this embodiment are described below. The plate-like material feeding device 100 and the plate-like material feeding device 200 have the same configuration, and hence the plate-like material feeding device 100 is described here as a representative.
As illustrated in
A lower-roll rotation shaft 101A of the lower roll 101 has one end side rotationally coupled to an output shaft 110A of a lower-roll drive motor 110 by a lower friction fastener 101B or the like. This coupling may be achieved by spline coupling or the like.
A lower outer periphery gear (lower gear) 111 is provided to the output shaft 110A substantially integrally. An intermediate outer periphery gear (intermediate gear) 112 is meshed with the lower outer periphery gear 111 on an upper side of the lower outer periphery gear 111 (see
A rotation shaft 112A of the intermediate outer periphery gear 112 is rotationally coupled to an intermediate rotation element 102C through intermediation of an Oldham's coupling 112B. The intermediate rotation element 102C is rotationally coupled to an upper-roll rotation shaft 102A of the upper roll 102 through intermediation of an upper friction fastener 102B or the like. This coupling may also be achieved by spline coupling or the like.
The lower friction fastener 101B and the upper friction fastener 102B are mechanical elements that coaxially fasten two rotation shafts by fastening a bolt or the like by a wedge method using a wedge action, or mechanical elements that coaxially fasten two rotation shafts by a hydro method (hydraulic method) using the Pascal's principle.
The lower roll 101, the lower-roll rotation shaft 101A, the output shaft 110A, and the lower outer periphery gear 111 are rotationally supported on a device main-body frame 100A (casing or the like) through intermediation of bearings 120A, 120B, and 120C. The lower-roll drive motor 110 is mounted to the device main-body frame 100A substantially integrally.
The upper roll 102, the upper-roll rotation shaft 102A, and the intermediate rotation element 102C are rotationally supported on a frame 100B through intermediation of bearings 120D and 120E. Meanwhile, the rotation shaft 112A of the intermediate outer periphery gear 112 is rotationally supported on the device main-body frame 100A through intermediation of a bearing 120F.
The lower outer periphery gear 111 and the intermediate outer periphery gear 112 are gears having the same module and the same number of teeth. The frame 100B is configured to be movable relative to the device main-body frame 100A in an up-and-down direction in
In this embodiment, as illustrated in
In the plate-like material feeding device 100 having the configuration as described above, the plate-like material M pulled out from the roll 20 is supplied to the predetermined gap between the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102. When the lower-roll drive motor 110 and the upper-roll drive motor 130 are driven to rotate in this state, the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 rotate. With this, the plate-like material M sandwiched between the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 is fed out in the predetermined feeding direction F (see
Here, in this embodiment, the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 are rotationally coupled to each other mechanically through intermediation of the lower outer periphery gear 111 and the intermediate outer periphery gear 112 so that the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 are mechanically synchronized with each other.
As illustrated in
At the time of conveyance of the plate-like material M, in the rotation and oscillation motion conversion mechanism 142, for example, the eccentric cam is adjusted to a position that forms a gap with a cam follower so that an action of the gas spring device 143 is generated toward the upper roll 102. As a result, the plate-like material M located between the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 is clamped.
After conveyance of the plate-like material M, at the time of press working, in the rotation and oscillation motion conversion mechanism 142, for example, the eccentric cam presses the cam follower so that a force against the acting force of the gas spring device 143 to the upper roll 102 is generated. As a result, the plate-like material M located between the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102 is unclamped. With this, the plate-like material M can finely move at the time of press working.
As described above, the frame 100B is moved relative to the device main-body frame 100A in the up-and-down direction using the lifting and lowering mechanism 140 so that the position of the upper roll 102 in the up-and-down direction is adjusted. In this case, deviation (eccentricity) between the “upper-roll rotation shaft 102A of the upper roll 102 (intermediate rotation element 102C)” and the “rotation shaft 112A of the intermediate outer periphery gear 112”, which is caused when the upper roll 102 is moved relative to the lower roll 101, may be absorbed by the Oldham's coupling 112B.
Further, in this embodiment, the rotation force of the upper-roll drive motor 130 may be transmitted not only to the upper roll 102 but also to the lower roll 101 through intermediation of the upper outer periphery gear 113 and the intermediate outer periphery gear 112. Similarly, the rotation force of the lower-roll drive motor 110 may be transmitted not only to the lower roll 101 through intermediation of the output shaft 110A and the lower-roll rotation shaft 101A but also to the upper roll 102 through intermediation of the lower outer periphery gear 111 and the intermediate outer periphery gear 112. Thus, by a drive force obtained by combining two drive sources of the upper-roll drive motor 130 and the lower-roll drive motor 110, each of the upper roll 102 and the lower roll 101 may rotate to feed the plate-like material M. That is, the conveying capacity of the plate-like material feeding device 100 may be improved.
Further, with the plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment, as illustrated in
That is, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide the plate-like material feeding device which is reduced in the installation space to improve the degree of freedom of the installation layout and the maintainability and has a high conveyance capacity while having a configuration which is relatively simple and compact and leads to low cost.
Further, the plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment has the following unique functions and effects.
As illustrated in
Further, with the plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment, the operation safety may be improved.
That is, as illustrated in
Further, when the upper-roll drive motor 130 cannot be used due to a trouble or the like or when power consumption is desired to be kept low without using the upper-roll drive motor 130 in consideration of the conveyance capacity, in the unique configuration of the plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment, the upper-roll drive motor 130 may be removed easily, and production is tentatively possible using only the lower-roll drive motor 110. As a result, this configuration may contribute to provision of a device which is capable of meeting a wide range of requirements of a user and is thus user-friendly.
Further, with the unique configuration of the plate-like material feeding device 100 according to this embodiment, the upper-roll drive motor 130 may be removed easily (or prevented from being driven). Thus, motor power may be optimized in accordance with material specifications such as a thickness, a material, surface finishing, or a width dimension or a feeding condition of a material. The capabilities of upper and lower motors are not required to be the same, and hence power of one motor may be changed as necessary.
That is, in this embodiment, the upper-roll drive motor 130 and the lower-roll drive motor 110 are coupled to each other through intermediation of the lower outer periphery gear 111, the intermediate outer periphery gear 112, and the upper outer periphery gear 113. With this configuration, the sum of the capabilities of the drive motors is equally distributed to the lower roll 101 and the upper roll 102. Thus, power of only a drive motor on one side may be changed as necessary. As a result, this configuration may contribute to provision of a device which is capable of meeting a wide range of requirements of a user and is thus user-friendly.
At this time, as in
Incidentally, as illustrated in
In such a case, when drive motors are arranged on both sides of upper and lower rolls as in Patent Literature 1 illustrated in
In contrast, in this embodiment, as illustrated in
In the first embodiment, as illustrated in
As described above, the idle gear 150 is interposed between the intermediate outer periphery gear 112 and the upper outer periphery gear 113. Thus, the rotating direction of the lower-roll drive motor 110 that drives the lower outer periphery gear 111 and the rotating direction of the upper-roll drive motor 130 that drives the upper outer periphery gear 113 are reversed.
Acceleration/deceleration torque generated due to a rotating operation of the lower-roll drive motor 110 causes a first reaction force to be generated in the device main-body frame 100A through intermediation of the output shaft 110A. Acceleration/deceleration torque generated due to the rotating operation of the upper-roll drive motor 130 at this time is torque in a direction reverse to that of the above-mentioned acceleration/deceleration torque of the lower-roll drive motor 110 and causes a second reaction force to be generated in the device main-body frame 100A through intermediation of the output shaft 130A. The first reaction force and the second reaction force have a relationship of being in reverse directions similarly to the relationship between the acceleration/deceleration torque of the lower-roll drive motor 110 and the acceleration/deceleration torque of the upper-roll drive motor 130. That is, the first and second reaction forces are generated such that one cancels out the other. As a result, vibration or noise in the device main-body frame 100A may be suppressed.
Further, in this embodiment, as illustrated in
Thus, according to this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide the plate-like material feeding device which is reduced in the installation space to improve the degree of freedom of the installation layout and the maintainability and has a high conveyance capacity while having a configuration which is relatively simple and compact and leads to low cost. In addition, this configuration may further contribute to provision of a device which is capable of meeting a wide range of requirements of a user and is thus user-friendly.
Also in this embodiment, similarly to
In the first embodiment, as illustrated in
The predetermined angle A is 90° in
According to the third embodiment having such a configuration, the degree of freedom of layout of the upper drive motor and the lower drive motor, and therefore, the plate-like material feeding device may be improved. Thus, similarly to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide the plate-like material feeding device which is reduced in the installation space to maintain the degree of freedom of the installation layout and the like high and has a high conveyance capacity while having a configuration which is relatively simple and compact and leads to low cost. In addition, this configuration may further contribute to provision of a device which is capable of meeting a wide range of requirements of a user and is thus user-friendly.
In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the case has been described in which the plate-like material wound in a roll shape is pulled out from the roll and the plate-like material is fed to the press machine as a material. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may also be applied to conveyance of an intermediate product (a plate-like material after being punched out by a press) between press machines. Further, the present invention may be applied to any device that conveys a plate-like material regardless of whether or not the plate-like material is wound in a roll shape.
Further, the first and second embodiments have been described based on the example in which the rotation centers X, Y, and Z of the three gears of the lower outer periphery gear 111, the intermediate outer periphery gear 112, and the upper outer periphery gear 113 are arranged on the same perpendicular straight line, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is only required that the rotation centers X, Y, and Z of the three gears are arranged on the same straight line, and the present invention may be applied also to a case in which the straight line is not vertical.
As described above, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide the plate-like material feeding device which is reduced in the installation space to improve the degree of freedom of the installation layout and the maintainability and has a high conveyance capacity while having a configuration which is relatively simple and compact and leads to low cost.
The embodiments described above are each merely an example for describing the present invention, and various modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2022-154651 | Sep 2022 | JP | national |