Processing of cut-to-length goods

Abstract

The invention concerns a processing station for the processing or production of cut-to-length goods (12) with guide elements (1,2) and, optionally, a feed device (3,4) for the cut-to-length goods, wherein the processing station has a transport mechanism (9) for the cut-to-length goods, independent of the feed device which may be present.

Description

The invention concerns a processing station for the processing or production of cut-to-length goods with guide elements and optionally, a feed device for said cut-to-length goods. Below, the terms “cut-to-length goods” and “continuous material” are used synonymously in the description and the claims.

In the conventional processing of products with at least essentially prespecified widths and thicknesses, but relative thereto, lengths that are greater by several orders of magnitude, so-called cut-to-length goods, such as flat conductors, sheet metal, cable, pipes, etc., a changeover process is necessary when changing the material to be treated in a processing station. This includes the removal of the remaining material found in the production unit as waste, the setting up of the machine with respect to the general conditions (for example, changed widths, thicknesses, or heights) for the subsequent material to be processed, and the placement of the new material in the machine. When starting the machine, once again there is a certain length of the new material which will be wasted. In this changeover process, in addition to the material loss, a great loss of time is produced due to the readjustment of the unit. For this reason, only manufacturing in high lot sizes makes sense from the standpoint of cost.

Examples of devices and methods to facilitate the changeover are found in the following publications:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,660 A discloses guide elements for a processing station for corrugated paper on both sides of the endless sheet of corrugated cardboard, which together can be reset by means of a special spindle drive in order to be quickly adapted to the changed widths of the cut-to-length goods. The contents of this publication are referenced in the present description.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,064 A concerns a development device for a strip of photographic paper, in which various guide elements in various baths are reset, in their width, simultaneously, in order to be able to guide photographic paper of various widths. The contents of this publication are referenced in the present description.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,152 A provides an automatically centering guide element for a continuous material sheet, the course of which is curved in the area of the guide element. For this purpose, two guide elements are mounted on arms, conducted centrically, and drawn into the middle, toward the sheet, with a spring. Only with the appearance of predetermined large forces do the guide elements yield and permit running of the sheet. No provision is made for the changing of the sheet width beyond the prespecified tolerance. The contents of this publication are referenced in the present description.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,658 A discloses a device to position and grip long pipes. This device holds and moves the pipes by means of rotating flexible belts, which run in the contact area with the pipes via stationary shoes, the cross-sectional form of which conforms to the shape of the pipe, thereby holding the pipes securely. In order to be suitable for various pipe cross sections, the shoes are affixed so they can be easily replaced. The contents of this publication are referenced in the present description.

EP 645 333 A discloses a two-sided, adjustable lateral guide for continuous material sheets (label carriers), in which between the guide elements, preferably (also) in the middle area, a support of the material sheet to counteract sagging, which does not hinder the adjustability of the guide elements, is provided. For this purpose, supports that are affixed to the guide elements and that move with them are proposed.

None of these disclosures solves the aforementioned problem of waste, however, particularly at the beginning of processing of a material sheet with changed dimensions. The purpose of the invention is to indicate a solution to this problem and thus to create a simple, quick changeover which reduces waste.

In accordance with the invention, these objectives are realized in that the new, continuous material or the beginning of the new, continuous material is introduced by a transport mechanism independently of the usual feed mechanism.

In this way, it is possible to move the beginning area of the newly supplied continuous material in the area of the processing station, independently of the usual feed mechanism, which is generally at a distance from this station, wherein the waste at the beginning of processing of the new product can be almost entirely avoided.

In a further development of the invention, the transport mechanism is directly in the area of the work station, preferably in the area of the guide elements.

Thus, the length of the waste is reduced to zero.

In another embodiment of the invention, provision is made so that the guide elements for the continuous material can be detached or affixed by adjustment drives, that the adjustment drives are actuated by a control device, and that magnetic, electronic, optical, or haptic sensors which are connected to the control device, determine and pass on the geometric dimensions of the continuous material, so that the guide elements of the work station in a changing phase are adapted to the actual dimensions of the continuous material, newly supplied by the transport mechanism, and are fixed in the adapted position.

By the use of such an automatic, semi-continuous placement of the new material in the unit and the automatic adjustment of the guide elements during operation, changeover times are not applicable and the waste produced is minimized. Thus, it is possible, in accordance with the invention, to carry out production at low cost even in small lot sizes.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawing. Shown are:

FIG. 1, a front view and top view of a lateral guide element, which can be adjusted in accordance with the invention, in a purely schematic representation;

FIG. 2, a front view of a height guide element, which can be adjusted in accordance with the invention, in a purely schematic representation; and

FIG. 3, a schematic side view of a guide element of a transport device, in accordance with the invention, for the continuous material to be newly introduced.

The material 12 to be processed is guided during production, permanently or partially, in accordance with its geometric form. In general, the guide elements 1, 2, 3, 4 are implemented separately in the direction of movement of the material to be processed (for example, by guide strips 1, 2, for the material width) and vertical to it (for example, pairs of rollers for the material thickness 3,4). The guide elements can be adjusted in order to be able to adapt to the various configurations of different cut-to-length goods. The adjustment can be implemented, for example, in the direction of motion through a stationary guide strip 1 and a movable guide strip 2, which can be adjusted parallel to the stationary guide strip. In the vertical direction, a stationary roller 4, which can be driven, can be set opposite a second roller 3, which is conducted in a movable manner. The drive takes place thereby through adhesive or frictional connection with the material to be processed 12.

With a change of the material to be processed 12, the guide elements 1, 2, 3, 4, are first detached in sections. Then, the new material to be processed is introduced into the guide element area. This is done in accordance with the invention with the aid of a system, which is external with reference to the guide devices under consideration, for example, a gripping system, as shown schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The gripper 9 is affixed to a carriage 10, movable in the direction of motion of the material to be processed, on a guide element 11. It has the function of taking the first section of the new material 12 and drawing it through at least one guide section.

After the material has been drawn in, the guide elements are closed at least in the corresponding guide section. The guide strips 1, 2 in the processing direction are thereby moved toward one another, adapting to the width of the material to be processed. With the aid of a sensor system 5 (with, for example, a contact-free, inductive, capacitive, optical design or a haptic design, as a limit switch, or feeler probe 6, or the like), there is an automated monitoring and ending of the closing process. The closing process is brought about by a drive 7 and an adjustment mechanism 8, for example, a rotating spindle or other kinematic chain, such as a belt or chain drive or, however, even directly by electromechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators. The guide rollers, normal to the direction of movement 3,4, are, for example, moved together with the aid of the monitoring of the contact pressure to the height of the material to be processed 12 or the material height, but also the height difference with respect to the plane of the material.

In the last step, the gripper 9 is detached from the material to be processed 12 and the drive system of the unit—in the embodiment example shown, the rollers 3, 4—takes over the task of further transporting the newly placed cut-to-length goods.

The entire operating sequence can be automated. A preliminary setting of the guides 1, 2, 3, 4 to the new material to be processed is not necessary, since the sensory system 5, 6 undertakes an automatic adaptation to the material conditions. Thus, a changeover without a great additional expenditure of time during the operation is possible without interruption. Furthermore, the resulting material waste is limited to the length between two successive drive elements and thus is greatly minimized.

The invention is not limited to the example shown and described, but rather can be modified variously. Thus, both the guide elements and the feed devices can have another form (profiled, etc.) and/or another mode of action; their surfaces can be provided, as required, with special coatings or covers, which facilitate sliding or are non-slip; the mountings of the individual components can be realized differently than that shown, in particular, elastically; the drive can be implemented in diverse ways, preferably electrically or pneumatically, less often hydraulically, because of the risk of soiling.

Claims

1. Processing station for the processing or production of cut-to-length goods (12) with guides (1,2) and optionally, a feed device (3,4) for cut-to-length goods, characterized in that the processing station has a transport mechanism (9) for the cut-to-length goods, which is independent of the feed device which may be present.

2. Processing station according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport mechanism (9) is directly located in the area of the work station, preferably in the area of the guide elements (1,2).

3. Processing station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide elements (1,2) and, optionally, the feed device (3,4) can be detached or affixed by adjusting drives (7,8), that the adjusting drives are actuated by a control device, and that sensors (6) of a magnetic, electronic, optical, or haptic constitution, which are connected to the control device, detect the geometric dimensions of the continuous material (12) and pass them on to the control device, so that the guide elements (1,2) and, optionally, the feed device (3,4) are adapted, in a changing phase, to the actual dimensions of the continuous material (12), newly supplied by the transport mechanism, and are fixed in the adapted position.