TENSION DEVICE AND HEAT EXCHANGE FIN MANUFACTURING MACHINE

Abstract

The tension device comprises: a feeding unit for feeding a band-shaped metal plate to a press unit; and a holding unit for applying tension to the band-shaped metal plate. The feeding unit is constituted by a moving member and a feeding pin. The front end of the feeding pin has a slope face so as to engage with a collared through-hole of the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member moves in a feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate and so as to disengage therefrom when the moving member stops and moves in the reverse direction. The holding unit has a holding member, which holds and applies prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member stops and which releases the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member starts to move in the feeding direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tension device and a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine, more precisely relates to a tension device, which comprises a feeding unit for intermittently feeding a band-shaped metal plate to a press unit so as to form collared through-holes therein and a holding unit for applying tension to a part of the band-shaped metal plate located between the feeding unit and the holding unit when the press unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit, and a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine having the tension device.

Heat exchange fins for air conditioners, etc. are manufactured by, for example, a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine shown in FIG. 6. Heat exchange fins are formed by processing a band-shaped metal plate 10, which is composed of, for example, aluminum. The band-shaped metal plate 10 is extended from a coil 12. The band-shaped metal plate 10 extended from the coil 12 is inserted into an oil unit 16 so as to apply machining oil to a surface thereof, and then the band-shaped metal plate 10 is fed to a press die 20 of a press unit 18.

Collared through-holes, which have collars of a prescribed height, are formed in the band-shaped metal plate 10, by the press die 20, and equally spaced in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped metal plate 10.

The band-shaped metal plate 10, in which the collared thorough-holes have been formed, is sent a prescribed distance in a prescribed direction, and then cut by a cutter 26 so as to form a heat exchange fin having a prescribed length. The heat exchange fin is accommodated in a stacking unit.

In the press unit 18 shown in FIG. 6, a hitch feeder 29 intermittently feeds the band-shaped metal plate 10 including the collared through-holes in a prescribed direction (see, for example, Japanese Patent Gazette No. 2006-21876).

The hitch feeder 29 has driving means shown in FIG. 7. In the driving means, a connection rod 32 is connected to an eccentric pin of a crank 30, which synchronously rotates with the press unit 18, and a first link 36, which turns about a pin 34, and a second link 42, which is connected to a lever 40 turning about a shaft 38, are connected to a pin 44 provided to a lower end of the connection rod 32. A cylinder unit 37 is provided to the first link 36 so as to adjust a swing angle thereof. In the driving means shown in FIG. 7, by rotating the crank 30, the connection rod 32 reciprocally turns the lever 40 by the first link 36 and the second link 42.

As shown in FIG. 8, a link 46 is connected to an upper end of the liver 40 so as to reciprocally move a moving member 50 along a guide 48.

As shown in FIG. 9A, a feeding pin 52, whose front end part has a slope face, is provided to the moving member 50. The front end part of the feeding pin 52 is upwardly biased by a spring 56 and projected upward from an upper face of a reference plate, which is provided above the moving member 50, via a slit 54 of the reference plate.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the front end part of the feeding pin 52, which is projected upward from the upper face of the reference plate, is inserted into a collared through-hole 11 of the band-shaped metal plate 10, which has been mounted on the reference plate.

By moving the moving member 50 in a direction A (see FIG. 9A), the band-shaped metal plate 10 is moved in the direction A.

On the other hand, when the moving member 50 is moved in the reverse direction or a direction B (see FIG. 9B), the slope face of the front end part of the feeding pin 52 contacts an inner edge of the collared through-hole 11 and is moved in the direction B. With this action, the feeding pin 52 is retracted into the moving member 50 against a biasing force of the spring 56, which is applied to the feeding pin 52. Therefore, when the moving member 50 is moved in the direction B, feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be stopped and the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be intermittently fed in the direction A.

In the feeding unit shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the moving member can be synchronously moved with the press unit 18, and a feeding speed of the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be easily changed on the basis of increasing and reducing a rotational speed of the press unit 18.

However, in the feeding unit shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, if a rotational speed of the press unit 18 is high, the band-shaped metal plate 10 will move beyond the front end part of the feeding pin 52, which includes the slope face, when the movement of the moving member 50 in the direction of feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 is stopped. Namely, the band-shaped metal plate 10 will be excessively sent.

If the band-shaped metal plate 10 is excessively sent, the press unit 18 processes wrong parts of the band-shaped metal plate 10 so that many bad products will be produced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was conceived to solve the above described problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tension device, which is capable of applying tension to a band-shaped metal plate when a feeding unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate so as not to excessively feed the band-shaped metal plate.

Another object is to provide a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine including the tension device of the present invention.

The inventors have studied to solve the problems. Thus, they provided means for holding the band-shaped metal plate 10 in the press die 20 of the press unit 18 so as to apply tension to the band-shaped metal plate 10 when the moving member 50 is stopped.

However, the holding means must hold the band-shaped metal plate 10 before perfectly stopping the moving member 50 so as to apply prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate 10. On the other hand, in the press unit 20 which is synchronized with the press unit 18, if the holding member holds the band-shaped metal plate 10 before perfectly stopping the moving member 50, a timing of releasing the band-shaped metal plate 10 will lag behind starting the moving member 50 to move in the feeding direction. With this action, a great force is applied to the collared through-hole, in which the feeding pin 52 has been inserted, and the collared through-hole will be deformed. Therefore, it is difficult for unskilled operators to adjust the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate 10.

Further, a distance of excessively feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 is varied according to the rotational speed of the press unit 18. In case of changing the rotational speed of the press unit 18, the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate 10 must be readjusted.

The inventors have further studied to invent a tension device, which is capable of easily adjusting the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate so as to apply prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate even if the rotational speed of the press unit is changed.

As a result, in case that the feeding unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit, it is effective to separately provide a holding unit for holding the band-shaped metal plate and applying prescribed tension thereto from the press unit and adjust the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate according to the rotational speed of the press unit. Then, they reached the present invention.

To achieve the objects, the present invention has following structures.

Namely, the tension device of the present invention comprises:

a feeding unit for intermittently feeding a band-shaped metal plate to a press unit so as to form collared through-holes therein; and

a holding unit for applying tension to a part of the band-shaped metal plate located between the feeding unit and the holding unit when the press unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit,

the feeding unit is constituted by a moving member, which is capable of reciprocally moving in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped metal plate, and a feeding pin, whose front end is biased toward the band-shaped metal plate by a biasing member provided in the moving member,

the front end of the feeding pin has a slope face so as to insert the front end of the feeding pin into the collared through-hole of the band-shaped metal plate and engage the same with an inner edge of the collared through-hole when the moving member moves in a feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate and so as to disengage the front end of the feeding pin and exit the same from the collared through-hole when the moving member stops and moves in the reverse direction, and

the holding unit has a holding member, which contacts and holds the band-shaped metal plate so as to apply prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member stops and which releases the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member starts to move in the feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate.

And, the heat exchange fin manufacturing machine of the present invention comprises:

a press unit for forming collared through-holes in a band-shaped metal plate and cutting the band-shaped metal plate to form heat exchange fins having a prescribed length;

the tension device of the present invention; and

a suction unit for feeding the heat exchange fins to a stacking unit.

In the tension device, the holding unit may include:

a cam member making the holding member contact the band-shaped metal plate to hold the band-shaped metal plate and making the holding member separate from the band-shaped metal plate to release the band-shaped metal plate; and

means for synchronously driving the cam member with operation of the press unit. With this structure, the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate can be easily changed by changing the shape of the cam member.

In the tension device, the moving member may synchronously move with operation of the press unit, and

the driving means of the holding unit may be a servo motor. With this structure, the tension device can correspond to a high speed operation of the press unit.

In the tension device, the feeding unit may be provided on the exit side of the press unit, and

the holding unit may be provided on the entrance side of the press unit. With this structure, prescribed tension can be easily applied to the band-shaped metal plate.

In the tension device, a fibrous member may be provided on a contact face of the holding member, which contacts the band-shaped metal plate. With this structure, damaging the surface of the band-shaped metal plate, which contacts the holding member, can be prevented.

In the tension device of the present invention, the holding unit, which holds the band-shaped metal plate and applies the prescribed tension thereto, is separated from the press unit. Therefore, the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate can be suitably adjusted on the basis of the rotational speed of the press unit.

With this structure, deformation of the collared through-hole, which is caused when releasing the band-shaped metal plate lags behind starting the moving member to move in the feeding direction, can be prevented.

In case of changing rotational speed of the press unit, the timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate can be easily adjusted, so that the tension device can correspond to change of an operation speed of the press unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an explanation view of an embodiment of a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a partial front sectional view of a holding unit provided on the entrance side of a press unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a side sectional view thereof;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanation views showing action of the holding unit shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIGS. 4A-4C are explanation views showing a relationship between the action of the holding unit shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B and the action of the press unit;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanation views of another holding unit used in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the conventional heat exchange fin manufacturing machine;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the driving means used in the press unit shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the moving member driven by the driving means shown in FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanation views of the feeding unit used in the press unit shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a heat exchange fin manufacturing machine of the present invention. In the heat exchange fin manufacturing machine, a band-shaped metal plate 10 is extended from a coil 12 and fed to a press unit 18 with adjusting tension, etc. applied to the band-shaped metal plate 10. In the press unit 18, a number of collared through-holes are formed in the band-shaped metal plate 10 by a pair of press dies. Then, the band-shaped metal plate 10 is cut, by a cutter 26 of the press unit 18, to form a plurality of elongated fin pieces having a prescribed width. The elongated fin pieces are fed to a suction unit 14 in order. When the elongated fin piece is fed a prescribed length to the suction unit 14, a cutter of the press unit 18 cuts the elongated fin piece to form a heat exchange fin having the prescribed length. The heat exchange fin is sucked and held by the suction unit 14 and fed to a stacking unit 28.

A hitch feeder 29, which is the feeding unit shown in FIGS. 7-9B, is provided on the exit side of the press unit 18 shown in FIG. 1. The hitch feeder 29 has been explained, so explanation will be omitted.

A holding unit 60, which holds the band-shaped metal plate 10 and applies tension thereto when the movement of the moving member 50 of the hitch feeder 29 (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) in the feeding direction is stopped, is provided on the entrance side of the press unit 18.

In the holding unit 60, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, cam members 68 are attached to side plates 64, which are vertically extended from a base 62 on which the band-shaped metal plate 10 is moved, and a rotary shaft 66, whose one end is connected to a servo motor 72, and stationary members 70 are spanned between the side plates 64. The servo motor 72 is synchronized with rotation of the press unit 18.

The cam members 68 respectively contact wheel members 82, which are respectively and rotatably attached to shafts 80. Each of the shafts 80 is spanned between vertical members 78, which are vertically provided on a holding member 76 capable of moving close to and away from the upper face of the base 62 on which the band-shaped metal plate 10 is moved. A contact face of the holding member 76, which contacts the band-shaped metal plate 10, is covered with a contact member 74 composed of a fibrous material, e.g., felt. By covering the contact face of the holding member 76 with the fibrous contact member 74, the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be securely held, and damaging the surface of the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 2B, springs 84, which bias the holding member 76 toward the upper face of the base 62, are provided between the holding member 76 and the stationary members 70.

In the holding unit 60, the rotary shaft 66 is rotated by the servo motor 72, which is synchronized with the rotation of the press unit 18, the holding member 76 connected to the wheel member 82 is lifted against elasticity of the springs 84 when the cam member 68 attached to the rotary shaft 66 reaches a position for upwardly moving the wheel member 82 as shown in FIG. 3A, so that the band-shaped metal plate 10, which has been clamped between the contact member 74 and the surface of the base 62, is released.

Further, the cam member 68 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 3A, in which the wheel member 82 is lifted, to the state shown 3B, in which the wheel member 82 is lowered. In this state, the holding member 76 connected to the wheel member 82 is moved downward by the elasticity of the springs 84, and the band-shaped metal plate 10 is clamped between the contact member 74 and the surface of the base 62.

Timings of holding and releasing the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be adjusted by changing the shapes of the cam members 68.

In the press unit 18 shown in FIG. 1, predetermined tension is applied to the band-shaped metal plate 10 between the hitch feeder 29, which is provided on the exit side, and the holding unit 60 shown in FIGS. 2-3B.

In FIG. 4A, the press unit 18 applies the tension. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the press unit 18, the band-shaped metal plate 10 is pressed while an angle of a crank shaft (crank angle) of the press unit 18 is 90-270°. When the crank angle is 180°, the dies of the press unit 18 are closed. While performing the press work, the band-shaped metal plate 10 is stopped. When the crank angle is 0° the dies of the press unit 18 are opened.

Preferably, the tension is applied to the band-shaped metal plate 10 without applying a feeding load before stopping the feeding action so as to apply the prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate 10 at the timing of stopping the band-shaped metal plate 10. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4A, the shape of the cam member 68 is formed such that the contact member 74 starts to contact the band-shaped metal plate 10 at the crank angle of 330° after starting to feed the band-shaped metal plate 10, and that the band-shaped metal plate 10 is securely clamped between the contact member 74 and the surface of the base 62, as shown in FIG. 3B, at the timing of stopping the feeding action of the band-shaped metal plate 10.

In FIG. 4A, when the cam member 68 is further rotated until reaching the crank angle of 130°, a clearance is formed between the contact member 74 and the band-shaped metal plate 10 mounted on the base 62 as shown in FIG. 3A.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the contact member 74 may start to contact the band-shaped metal plate 10 when the crank angle is 300°, and the clearance may be formed between the contact member 74 and the band-shaped metal plate 10 mounted on the base 62 when the crank angle is 100°.

In case that a holding member, which contacts and holds the band-shaped metal plate 10, is provided in the press dies of the press unit 18, the timing of holding the band-shaped metal plate 10 with the holding member and the timing of releasing the band-shaped metal plate 10 from the holding member cannot be independently adjusted from the rotation of the press unit 18. In the press unit 18, when the band-shaped metal plate 10 is released at the crank angle of 100° as shown in FIG. 4C, the timing of starting to hold the ban-shaped metal plate 10, at which the band-shaped metal plate 10 and the holding member are in contact with each other, is the crank angle of 260° which is the symmetrical angle of the crank angle of 100°.

If the holding member contacts the band-shaped metal plate 10 before feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 is started, an excessive load will be applied to the hitch feeder 29, which acts as the feeding unit for feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10. Further, the front end of the feeding pin 52 is inserted into the collared through-hole 11, so the collared through-hole 11 will be deformed by the feeding pin 52.

In the holding unit 60 shown in FIGS. 2A-3B, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the holding member can start to contact the band-shaped metal plate 10 after starting to feed the band-shaped metal plate 10, so that applying the excessive load to the hitch feeder 29 and the deformation of the collared through-hole 11 can be prevented.

When feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 is stopped, the holding unit 60 securely holds the band-shaped metal plate 10 and the prescribed tension can be applied to the band-shaped metal plate 10 at a position between the holding unit 60 and the hitch feeder 29. Therefore, overfeeding or excessively feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 can be prevented when feeding the band-shaped metal plate 10 is stopped, so that bad products, which are formed by overfeeding the band-shaped metal plate 10, can be prevented.

In the holding unit 60 shown in FIGS. 2A-3B, the contact member 74 is biased toward the band-shaped metal plate 10 by the springs 84, but another holding unit 60 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may be employed.

In the holding unit 60 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the holding member 74, in which the contact member 74 is attached to a bottom face, can be move to and away from the band-shaped metal plate 10 mounted on the upper face of the base 62, which is biased by springs 86. An eccentric cam 88 is rotatably provided between vertical members 78, which are vertically extended from the holding member 76. By rotating the eccentric cam 88 by the servo motor 72, the holding unit 60 can release the band-shaped metal plate 10 (see FIG. 5A) and hold the same (see FIG. 5B).

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A tension device,

comprising:

a feeding unit for intermittently feeding a band-shaped metal plate to a press unit so as to form collared through-holes therein; and

a holding unit for applying tension to a part of the band-shaped metal plate located between the feeding unit and the holding unit when the press unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit,

wherein the feeding unit is constituted by a moving member, which is capable of reciprocally moving in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped metal plate, and a feeding pin, whose front end is biased toward the band-shaped metal plate by a biasing member provided in the moving member,

the front end of the feeding pin has a slope face so as to insert the front end of the feeding pin into the collared through-hole of the band-shaped metal plate and engage the same with an inner edge of the collared through-hole when the moving member moves in a feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate and so as to disengage the front end of the feeding pin and exit the same from the collared through-hole when the moving member stops and moves in the reverse direction, and

the holding unit has a holding member, which contacts and holds the band-shaped metal plate so as to apply prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member stops and which releases the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member starts to move in the feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate.

2. The tension device according to claim 1,

wherein the holding unit includes:

a cam member making the holding member contact the band-shaped metal plate to hold the band-shaped metal plate and making the holding member separate from the band-shaped metal plate to release the band-shaped metal plate; and

means for synchronously driving the cam member with operation of the press unit.

3. The tension device according to claim 2,

wherein the moving member synchronously moves with operation of the press unit, and

the driving means of the holding unit is a servo motor.

4. The tension device according to claim 1,

wherein the feeding unit is provided on the exit side of the press unit, and

the holding unit is provided on the entrance side of the press unit.

5. The tension device according to claim 1,

wherein a fibrous member is provided on a contact face of the holding member, which contacts the band-shaped metal plate.

6. A heat exchange fin manufacturing machine,

comprising:

a press unit for forming collared through-holes in a band-shaped metal plate and cutting the band-shaped metal plate to form heat exchange fins having a prescribed length;

a tension device having a feeding unit for intermittently feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit and a holding unit for applying tension to a part of the band-shaped metal plate located between the feeding unit and the holding unit when the press unit stops feeding the band-shaped metal plate to the press unit; and

a suction unit for feeding the heat exchange fins to a stacking unit,

wherein the feeding unit is constituted by a moving member, which is capable of reciprocally moving in the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped metal plate, and a feeding pin, whose front end is biased toward the band-shaped metal plate by a biasing member provided in the moving member,

the front end of the feeding pin has a slope face so as to insert the front end of the feeding pin into the collared through-hole of the band-shaped metal plate and engage the same with an inner edge of the collared through-hole when the moving member moves in a feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate and so as to disengage the front end of the feeding pin and exit the same from the collared through-hole when the moving member stops and moves in the reverse direction, and

the holding unit has a holding member, which contacts and holds the band-shaped metal plate so as to apply prescribed tension to the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member stops and which releases the band-shaped metal plate when the moving member starts to move in the feeding direction of the band-shaped metal plate.