CUTTING BLADE MOUNTING DEVICE, CUTTING DEVICE AS WELL AS MAGAZINE FOR A CUTTING BLADE

Abstract

The invention relates to a cutting blade mounting device comprising a cutting blade comprising a shank, and an attachment member which receives at least sections of the shank of the cutting blade. The attachment member comprises a structure, in particular a thread, for attachment to a cutting blade holder of a cutting device.

Claims

1. Cutting blade mounting device comprising: a cutting blade (10) comprising a shank (13), and an attachment member (20) that receives at least sections of the shank (13) of the cutting blade (10), wherein the attachment member (20) comprises a structure, in particular a thread (22), for attachment to a cutting blade holder (210) of a cutting device (200).

2. A cutting blade mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment member (20) comprises an engagement structure (21), with which a drive member (115) can engage to cause the attachment member (20) to rotate, it being preferred that the engagement structure is configured in the form of a toothed wheel.

3. Cutting blade mounting device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutting blade (10) comprises a projection (12), in particular a circumferential projection, which abuts an inner side of the attachment member (20).

4. Cutting blade mounting device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure, in particular the thread (22), is an internal thread.

5. Cutting blade mounting device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment member (20) is rotatable relative to the cutting blade (10).

6. Cutting device (200), in particular an ultrasonic cutting device, comprising: a drive for generating an oscillating motion, a cutting blade holder (210) comprising a cutting blade receptacle (211) for receiving a cutting blade (10), said cutting blade receptacle (211) being configured in such a manner that the drive can drive the cutting blade (10), wherein the cutting blade holder (210) comprises a structure, in particular a thread (213), to which an attachment member (20) that receives a cutting blade (10) can be mounted for attachment.

7. Cutting device (200) according to claim 6, wherein the thread (213) of the cutting blade holder (210) is an external thread.

8. Cutting device (200) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an abutment portion (212) is provided at an outermost portion of the cutting blade holder (210), which abutment portion is configured as a stop for a projection (12) of the cutting blade (10).

9. Magazine (100) for at least one cutting blade (10), comprising: a cutting blade support (105) configured to receive an attachment member (20) for a cutting blade (10), and a drive member (115) configured to effect attachment of the attachment member (20) to a cutting device (200).

10. Magazine (100) according to claim 9, further comprising an engaging element, in particular a spring (104), which is in contact with the cutting blade support (105).

11. Magazine (100) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the cutting blade support (105) comprises a first component (106) and a second component (107) movable relative to one another, said engaging element engaging with the first component (106) to move the first component (106) of the cutting blade support (105) in an axial direction (A).

12. Magazine (100) according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the drive member (115) is a toothed wheel.

13. Magazine (100) according to one of claims 9 to 12, further comprising a drive member (110) and a shaft (11) which are connected to one another, wherein the drive member (115) is attached to the shaft (111), it being preferred that the shaft extends in a direction parallel to the axial direction (A).

14. Magazine (100) according to one of claims 9 to 13, further comprising a counter bearing (103) arranged in such a manner that the attachment member (20) is accommodated between the counter bearing (103) and the drive member (115).

15. Method for changing a cutting blade, comprising the steps of: aligning a cutting device (200) relative to a magazine (100) so that a cutting blade can be received by a cutting blade holder (210) of the cutting device (200), and attaching the cutting blade to a cutting blade holder (210) of the cutting device (200) by means of a driven attachment member (20).

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the attachment member is caused to rotate in order to attach the cutting blade.

17. Method according to one of claims 15 to 16, wherein prior to attaching the cutting blade, a cutting blade that is already attached to the cutting device is removed and accommodated in the magazine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a magazine for a cutting blade as well as a cutting blade mounting device accommodated therein which has a cutting blade.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1, in which a cutting device for receiving the cutting blade is advanced.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows the cutting device shown in FIG. 2 during receiving of the cutting blade.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a state in which the cutting blade is guided out of the magazine.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a situation in which the cutting blade is removed from the magazine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0047] An embodiment will be described below by means of the enclosed figures. Further modifications of individual features that are cited in this regard can each be combined with one another to form further embodiments of the invention. Even though the described embodiment is to be understood purely as an example, and not in a restrictive manner, individual features of the described embodiment can be used to render the invention more specific.

[0048] In the embodiment described below, a cutting blade 10 is accommodated in a magazine 100. Even though the magazine 100 according to the embodiment only accommodates a single cutting blade 10, the magazine 100 can be expanded as desired and thus accommodate a plurality of cutting blades.

[0049] Such a cutting blade 10 is used, for example, for a separating process for numerous materials, or to introduce lines of weakness into a material. This may in particular be a line of weakness in a synthetic leather material used to trim an interior component of a passenger car.

[0050] The cutting blade 10 comprises a tip 11 that penetrates into the material to be cut and a shank 13 that is received in a cutting blade holder (described below). A projection 12 is provided between the tip 11 and the shank 13, which, as explained below, comes into contact with an abutment portion of a cutting blade holder.

[0051] The cutting blade 10 is accommodated in an attachment member 20 that extends at least in sections around the shank 13 in the cutting blade 10. The projection 12 of the cutting blade 10 thereby abuts an inner portion of the attachment member 20.

[0052] The attachment member 20 comprises an outer engagement structure 21 formed on an outer circumferential side of the attachment member 20 similar to, for example, a toothed wheel, as well as an internal thread 22 that is opposite the shank 13 of the cutting blade 10 at a predetermined distance. Even though an attachment member in the form of a toothed wheel is described in the context of the present embodiment, the attachment member may also be configured, for example, in a hexagonal shape or the like.

[0053] The attachment member 20 together with the cutting blade 10 is accommodated in a magazine 100. The magazine 100 comprises a housing 101 and a base 102. The base 102 forms an internal recess 102a, in which a spring 104 extends. The direction of extension of the spring 104 is also referred to as the axial direction A.

[0054] A cutting blade support 105 is furthermore accommodated in the internal recess 102a and is in contact with the spring 104. The cutting blade support 105 may be in the form of a splined hub to be able to transmit torque in an advantageous manner.

[0055] The cutting blade support 105 is formed in multiple parts. An inner component 106 is provided in the centre, which is accommodated in an outer component 107. The inner component 106 is movable relative to the outer component 107 along the axial direction.

[0056] The inner component 106 comprises a recess 106a in which sections of the cutting blade 10 are received, as well as a receiving portion 106b in which the spring 104 is inserted at least in sections. A stop 106c is furthermore provided, which limits the axial movement of the inner component 106 relative to the outer component 107. The inner component 106 may be in the form of a spline shaft to be able to receive torque in an advantageous manner.

[0057] The magazine 100 furthermore comprises a counter bearing 103 that is opposite a drive member (for example a toothed wheel) 115. The attachment member 20 with the blade 10 is accommodated between the counter bearing 103 and the drive member 115.

[0058] The magazine 100 comprises a drive for actuating the attachment member 20. The drive comprises a drive member 110, which is configured in the embodiment example as a drive pulley that can be driven by a belt. In other embodiments, the drive member 110 may also be configured as a toothed wheel or the like.

[0059] The drive member 110 is attached to a shaft 111 that extends parallel to the axial direction A. The shaft 111 is rotatably supported on the base 102 by a first bearing 112 and a second bearing 113.

[0060] Drive member 115 is provided at an end of the shaft 111 opposite the drive member 110 and comprises an engagement structure (toothed wheel) that engages with the outer engagement structure 21 of attachment member 20. If the drive member 115 is rotated, the attachment member 20 is thus also caused to rotate.

[0061] The cutting blade 10 is intended to be received in a cutting device 200. For this purpose, the cutting device 200 comprises a cutting blade holder 210 that comprises a cutting blade receptacle 211. An abutment portion 212 is provided at an outermost portion of the cutting blade holder 210.

[0062] A back and forth movement (oscillating motion) of the cutting blade 10 during a cutting operation is caused by means of a sonotrode/booster (or another type of oscillation) accommodated in the cutting device 200. The cutting blade is hereby in particular caused to oscillate in the range of 20 to 50 kHz.

[0063] A method for removing the cutting blade 10 from the magazine 100 will be described below.

[0064] The cutting blade 10, which is inserted in the attachment member 20, is initially located in a storage position. For example, an operator may insert the cutting blade 10 together with the attachment member 20 into the magazine 100 and thus hold it ready for transfer to a cutting device 200.

[0065] The cutting device 200 is then guided into the region of the magazine 100. The cutting device 200 may be attached to a robotic arm (not shown in the figures) that moves the cutting device 200 into the region of the magazine 100 for a blade change. For this purpose, the cutting device 200 is aligned with the axial direction A.

[0066] The cutting device 200 is now guided in the direction of the cutting blade 10 such that the shank 13 of the cutting blade 10 partially enters the cutting blade receptacle 211. The drive member 115 is subsequently caused to rotate such that, owing to the engagement of the drive member 115 with the attachment member 20, the attachment member 20 is rotated about the axial direction (axis) A.

[0067] In this manner, the external thread of the cutting blade holder 211 is inserted into the internal thread 22 of the attachment member 20 until the abutment portion 212 is brought into abutment with the projection 12 of the cutting blade 10. The counter bearing 103 ensures that the attachment member 20 is driven in a rotational movement, but thereby remains in the magazine 100. During the rotational movement, the spring 104 pushes the attachment member 20 in the direction of the cutting device 200.

[0068] Once the position of the abutment portion 212 on the projection 12 of the cutting blade 10 has been detected or determined and the intended tightening torque has been achieved, the cutting device 200 may be removed from the magazine 100. The cutting device 200 is thereby guided along the axial direction A until the cutting blade is located outside the region of the magazine 100.

[0069] The cutting device 200 equipped with the cutting blade 10 in such a manner can subsequently perform ultrasonic machining on a material provided on a support, for example it can separate a material or introduce a region of weakness into said material.

[0070] A worn-out blade 10 can be disposed of at a later time in another station (not shown). In the course thereof, the magazine 100 can be equipped with a new blade.