Processing Unit and Machine Tool for the Punching Processing of Workpieces

Abstract

A processing unit of a machine tool for the punching processing of workpieces, in particular metal sheets, has a punching tool carrier configured to receive a punching tool and a stripper carrier for a stripper. The punching tool carrier can be moved by a punch drive along a stroke axis by a transverse drive element being driven by a punch drive motor relative to the punching tool carrier with a transverse drive movement along a transverse movement axis which extends in the transverse direction of the stroke axis. The stripper carrier can be moved along the stroke axis by a stripper drive, and the transverse drive element of the punch drive during the transverse drive movement can be moved relative to the stripper carrier along the transverse movement axis and the punching tool carrier and the stripper carrier can be moved relative to each other along the stroke axis.

Claims

1. A processing unit of a machine tool for the punching processing of workpieces comprising: a punching tool carrier configured to receive a punching tool; a punch drive that has a transverse drive element configured to move the punching tool carrier along a stroke axis, wherein the punch drive comprises a punch drive motor configured to move the transverse drive element relative to the punching tool carrier with a transverse drive movement along a transverse movement axis that extends in the transverse direction of the stroke axis; a stripper carrier configured to hold a stripper for the punching tool received by the punching tool carrier; and a stripper drive configured to move the stripper carrier along the stroke axis; wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive is movable relative to the stripper carrier during the transverse drive movement along the transverse movement axis and wherein the punching tool carrier and the stripper carrier can be moved relative to each other along the stroke axis.

2. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the stripper carrier is supported on the punching tool carrier in the direction of the transverse movement axis and is movably guided on the punching tool carrier along the stroke axis.

3. The processing unit according to claim 2, wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive is movably guided in the direction of the transverse movement axis relative to the stripper carrier by the transverse drive element being guided along the transverse movement axis on a carrier structure of the stripper carrier which carrier structure movably supports the stripper carrier in the direction of the stroke axis.

4. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive is supported on a carrier structure of the processing unit in the direction of the stroke axis and wherein the transverse drive element supports the stripper carrier and/or a stripper drive motor of the stripper drive and/or the punching tool carrier in the direction of the stroke axis.

5. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the stripper drive comprises a stripper drive motor which is a piston/cylinder motor.

6. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the stripper carrier is connected to a stripper drive motor of the stripper drive by a drive rod that passes the punching tool carrier along the stroke axis, and wherein the stripper carrier is arranged at a side of the drive rod remote from the stripper drive motor and is supported on the punching tool carrier by the drive rod in the direction of the transverse movement axis and movably guided on the punching tool carrier along the stroke axis.

7. The processing unit according to claim 6, wherein the stripper drive comprises a stripper drive motor which is a piston/cylinder motor and wherein the drive rod is a piston rod fitted to the piston of the piston/cylinder motor and to the end of which remote from the piston/cylinder motor the stripper carrier is connected.

8. The processing unit according to claim 7, wherein the drive rod is a first drive rod and the stripper carrier is further connected to the stripper drive motor of the stripper drive by a second drive rod which is offset with respect to the first drive rod along the transverse drive axis, and which passes the punching tool carrier along the stroke axis, wherein the stripper carrier is arranged at the side of the second drive rod remote from the stripper drive motor and is supported on the punching tool carrier by the second drive rod in the direction of the transverse movement axis and movably guided along the stroke axis.

9. The processing unit according to claim 8, wherein the stripper drive motor comprises two motor units and one motor unit of the stripper drive motor is associated with the first drive rod and the other motor unit of the stripper drive motor is associated with the second drive rod.

10. The processing unit according to claim 8, wherein the second drive rod passing the punching tool carrier extends through the punching tool carrier.

11. The processing unit according to claim 6, wherein the drive rod passing the punching tool carrier extends through the punching tool carrier.

12. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive forms a punch-drive-motor-side gear element of a wedge gear mechanism, which wedge gear mechanism is provided between the punch drive motor and the punching tool carrier and wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive and cooperates with a punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism with the punching tool carrier being driven along the stroke axis.

13. The processing unit according to claim 12, wherein the transverse drive element of the punch drive, the punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism, or both are constructed as a gear wedge having a wedge face inclined with respect to the transverse movement axis.

14. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the transverse drive element is first transverse drive element and the punch drive further comprises a second transverse drive element, and wherein the first transverse drive element and the second transverse drive element can be driven in opposite directions along the transverse movement axis with a transverse drive movement causing the punching tool carrier to move along the stroke axis.

15. The processing unit according to claim 14, wherein the first transverse drive element and the second transverse drive element of the punch drive each form a punch-drive-motor-side gear element of a wedge gear mechanism, which wedge gear mechanism is provided between the punch drive motor and the punching tool carrier, wherein with the punching tool carrier being driven along the stroke axis, the first transverse drive element cooperates with a first punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism and the second transverse drive element cooperates with a second punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism.

16. The processing unit according to claim 15, wherein the first transverse drive element and the second transverse drive element of the punch drive and/or the first punching-tool-carrier-side gear element and the second punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism comprise gear wedges, wherein the first transverse drive element and the second transverse drive element can be driven in opposite directions along the transverse movement axis with a transverse drive movement and each have a wedge face and the wedge faces of the first transverse drive element and the second transverse drive element are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the transverse movement axis and/or wherein the first punching-tool-carrier-side gear element and the second punching-tool-carrier-side gear element of the wedge gear mechanism each have a wedge face and the wedge faces of the first punching-tool-carrier-side gear element and the second punching-tool-carrier-side gear element are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the transverse movement axis.

17. A machine tool for the punching processing of workpieces, comprising a processing unit according to claim 1.

18. The machine tool according to claim 15, wherein the machine tool has a machine frame on which the processing unit can be positioned along the transverse movement axis.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a machine tool having a processing unit for the punching processing of metal sheets.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective illustration of the processing unit according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, a machine tool which is constructed as a punching machine 1 has a machine frame 2 with an upper horizontal frame leg 3. The upper frame leg 3 extends over a workpiece support 4 which supports a workpiece, typically a metal sheet 5.

[0027] The punching processing operation of the metal sheet 5 is carried out by a processing unit 6. The processing unit 6 includes a punching tool carrier 7 having a conventional tool receiving member 8 in which a punching tool in the form of a punching die of conventional construction (not illustrated in FIG. 1) can be introduced or received by the tool receiving member 8. Furthermore, the processing unit 6 includes an annular stripper carrier 9, which supports a stripper 10 of conventional construction for the punching die that is introduced in the tool receiving member 6.

[0028] The punching tool carrier 7 with the tool receiving member 8 and the punching die that has been introduced in the tool receiving member 8, on the one hand, and the stripper carrier 9 with the stripper 10, on the other hand, can be moved and positioned along a vertical stroke axis 11 (Z axis) in a state decoupled from each other. The movements of the punching tool carrier 7 along the stroke axis 11 are produced by a motorized punch drive 12. A motorized stripper drive 13 moves and positions the stripper carrier 9 along the stroke axis 11.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, the punch drive 12 includes an electric punch drive motor 14 with two motor units 15, 16 mounted on the machine frame 2. The motor unit 15 drives a first transverse drive element 17 via a drive spindle 46 which is indicated with broken lines 2 and the motor unit 16 drives a second transverse drive element 18 via a drive spindle 47 which is also indicated with broken lines along a horizontal transverse movement axis 19 (Y axis). The drive spindles 46, 47 of the motor units 15, 16 engage with spindle nuts 48, 49 which are fitted to the first transverse drive element 17 and to the second transverse drive element 18, respectively.

[0030] The drive spindles 46, 47 have threads that extend in the same direction. With rotation in the same direction the drive spindles 46, 47 consequently drive the spindle nuts 48, 49 and the transverse drive elements 17, 18 that are connected thereto along the transverse movement axis 19 in the same direction. Mutually opposing rotation movements of the drive spindles 46, 47 bring about opposing movements of the spindle nuts 48, 49 and the transverse drive elements 17, 18 along the transverse movement axis 19.

[0031] During their movements along the transverse movement axis 19, the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 are guided in their movement direction on guide rails 20 of the processing unit 6 which are common to the transverse drive elements 17, 18. The guide rails 20 are fitted to the machine frame 2 of the punching machine 1, which frame is not illustrated in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity, and consequently form a carrier structure of the processing unit 6.

[0032] Referring back to FIG. 1 as well, the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 are part of a wedge gear mechanism 21 which is between the punch drive motor 14 or the motor units 15, 16, on the one hand and the punching tool carrier 7 on the other hand. The first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 form punch-drive-motor-side gear elements of the wedge gear mechanism 21 and are gear wedges.

[0033] On wedge faces 22, 23, which are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the transverse movement axis 19, the transverse drive elements 17, 18 cooperate with gear wedges 24, 25 of the punching tool carrier 7. The gear wedges 24, 25 form punching-tool-carrier-side gear elements of the wedge gear mechanism 21 and have wedge faces 26, 27, which extend in opposing directions with respect to the transverse movement axis 19 and which face the wedge faces 22, 23 of the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18, respectively.

[0034] Fitted to the wedge faces 26, 27 of the gear wedges 24, 25 are guide rails 28, 29 on which are positioned guide shoes 30, 31, which are mounted on the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18, respectively. As a result of a positive-locking connection which is effective in a vertical direction between the guide rails 28, 29 and the guide shoes 30, 31, the punching tool carrier 7 is suspended on the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18. The transverse drive elements 17, 18 are in turn supported via the guide rails 20 on the machine frame 2 of the punching machine 1 in a vertical direction and consequently along the stroke axis 11. The first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 can be moved relative to the punching tool carrier 7 along the transverse movement axis 19.

[0035] In FIG. 1, the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 are spaced apart from each other to the maximum extent along the transverse movement axis 19. The punching tool carrier 7 is therefore raised to the maximum extent along the stroke axis 11 with respect to the workpiece support 4 and the metal sheet 5 which is supported thereon.

[0036] If, starting from these relationships, the motor units 15, 16 of the punch drive motor 14 are actuated with corresponding opposed rotation directions of the drive spindles 46, 47, the transverse drive elements 17, 18 which are driven by the motor units 15, 16, move towards each other along the transverse movement axis 19. As a result of the horizontal forced guiding of the transverse drive elements 17, 18, the wedge gear mechanism 21, as a result of the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 moving closer together, causes the punching tool carrier 7 to be lowered along the stroke axis 11 with an operating stroke towards the workpiece support 4 and the metal sheet 5.

[0037] The lowering movement of the punching tool carrier 7 along the stroke axis 11 carried out to process the metal sheet 5 ends as soon as the punching die which is mounted on the tool receiving member 8 of the punching tool carrier 7 has pierced the metal sheet 5 and has thereby processed it in a punching manner. During the punching processing of the metal sheet 5, the punching die cooperates with a bottom punching die of conventional construction type which is on the lower side of the metal sheet 5 and which cannot be seen in the drawings.

[0038] When the operating stroke has ended, the motor units 15, 16 and the drive spindles 46, 47 are controlled to change their rotation directions and the first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 are moved apart from each other by the motor units 15, 16 with mutually opposing movements along the transverse movement axis 19. Consequently, the punching tool carrier 7 is lifted with a reverse stroke along the stroke axis 11 until it finally again assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0039] To move the entire processing unit 6 along the upper frame leg 3 of the machine frame 2 to another processing site, the motor units 15, 16 and the drive spindles 46, 47 are actuated with the same rotation direction. Depending on the direction of the rotational movement of the drive spindles 46, 47 in the same direction, the transverse drive elements 17, 18 and with them the entire processing unit 6 move starting from the position of FIG. 1 along the transverse movement axis 19 to the right or to the left in FIG. 1.

[0040] In a state decoupled from the punching tool carrier 7, the stripper carrier 9 and the stripper 10 are moved along the stroke axis 11 by a stripper drive motor 32 of the stripper drive 13. The stripper drive motor 32 includes two motor units in the form of piston/cylinder units 33, 34.

[0041] The stripper carrier 9 is connected to the piston/cylinder unit 33 by a first drive rod 35. A second drive rod 36 connects the stripper carrier 9 to the piston/cylinder unit 34. In this instance, the drive rods 35, 36 are piston rods of the piston/cylinder units 33, 34.

[0042] The first drive rod 35 and the second drive rod 36 are offset with respect to each other along the transverse movement axis 19. Both the first drive rod 35 and the second drive rod 36 extend through the punching tool carrier 7 along the stroke axis 11. The stripper carrier 9 is supported on the punching tool carrier 7 via the drive rods 35, 36 in the direction of the transverse movement axis 19 and movably guided along the stroke axis 11.

[0043] The first transverse drive element 17 and the second transverse drive element 18 can be moved relative to the stripper carrier 9 along the transverse movement axis 19. The movements carried out by the transverse drive elements 17, 18 relative to the stripper carrier 9 along the transverse movement axis 19 are guided. To this end, guiding shoes 38, 39 are arranged on a support 37, which is provided for the piston/cylinder units 33, 34 and which forms a carrier structure. Guide rails 40, 41 are arranged at the upper side of the transverse drive elements 17, 18. To guide the transverse drive elements 17, 18 relative to the stripper carrier 9 along the transverse movement axis 19, the guiding shoes 38, 39 on the support 37 of the piston/cylinder units 33, 34 cooperate with the guide rails 40, 41 on the transverse drive elements 17, 18.

[0044] At the same time, the transverse drive elements 17, 18 take over the support of the stripper carrier 9 and the support 37 and the support of the stripper drive motor 32 and the drive rods 35, 36 in the direction of the stroke axis 11.

[0045] In FIG. 1 the stripper 10 which is mounted on the stripper carrier 9 is in a position in which the stripper 10 is slightly spaced apart from the upper side of the metal sheet 5 along the stroke axis 11. The stripper carrier 9 and the stripper 10 are retained by a clamping device 42. In this position along the stroke axis 11. The clamping device 42 is connected to the support 37 for the piston/cylinder units 33, 34 and includes switchable clamping units 43, 44. In a corresponding switching state, the clamping unit 43 secures the first drive rod 35 along the stroke axis 11. Accordingly, the clamping unit 44 serves to secure the second drive rod 36 along the stroke axis 11. With the drive rods 35, 36 clamped the stripper 10 is in the “passive stripper” operating mode. In this operating mode, the stripper 10 maintains the distance defined by the clamping device 42 from the metal sheet 5 regardless of the current position of the punching tool carrier 7 and the punching tool which is fitted thereto.

[0046] A numerical machine control 45 which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 controls the punch drive 12 and the stripper drive 13. The numerical machine control 45 also takes over the control of the other functions of the machine tool 1, inter alia the above-described displacement movements of the entire processing unit 6 along the transverse movement axis 19.

Other Embodiments

[0047] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0048] A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.